Horizon: Project Eden

1st Pov

Walking away from the ignorant humans I approach the wyvern to prepare it for flight, opening the wyvern I let Sylens get in while Aloy says her goodbyes. Taking the opportunity, I begin manually downloading the lesson plans to the wyverns computers.

Turning around I watch as Aloy has a small conversation with one of the elders, the elder I talked to is still standing in the same spot looking stunned. From down the path behind the tribes warriors I notice a large man attempting to push through the crowd.

Breaking out of the crowd the man hobbles towards Aloy, recognising the man from files on Aloy's focus I decide he's not a threat. Reaching Aloy the large muscled man with obvious signs of aging immediately hugs her.

Stunned Aloy attempts to push him away before recognising him and hugging him back.

"Rost how are you?" – Aloy

"I should be asking you that, you left without saying goodbye." – Rost

Not seeing a point in spying on their reunion I turn to more pressing issues, jumping over the nearby wall I drop down next to the unmoved corruptor corpse. Crouching down next to it I begin scanning through its system.

Opening the interface ports on my hand I plug them straight into the machines core, using my reactors to temporarily power it up I look through its files. A few seconds later I have all I need and permanently shut down the corruptor.

Jumping back over the wall I land silently next to the wyvern. Going over the files I retrieved I begin designing codes to reverse the activation codes, as I make my way through the files I find more and more traces of Hades.

It seems from what I can gather that Hades' cult has no idea what they are doing, they dig up ancient Faro robots, plug in Hades activation codes, and move to the next site. Secretly I hope Hades' cult isn't too big because with the amount of time he has his army could be massive.

Looking over at Aloy I see something concerning, with time seeming to freeze I move forward at near supersonic speed and catch an arrow. Reaching up Aloy wipes the small bit of blood from her throat before looking down at the arrow millimetres from her throat.

Stepping back, she draws her bow.

"Hop in the wyvern Aloy, I'll deal with this." – Edith

Blurring again I stop a few metres in front of Aloy with another six arrows in my hand, looking up at the surrounding mountain ridge I use my infrared sensors to mark the assailants. Flicking my hand the arrows disappear in a gust of air as from the side of the mountain a few bodies impaled straight through the head tumble.

Aloy by now has begun to move towards the wyvern, turning around I shoo the surrounding humans away. Dashing forward I rapidly catch some more arrows before standing in front of Aloy with my shields flared.

Now mildly annoyed I begin accurately throwing the arrows as machine gun fire bounces harmlessly off my shield, lifting Aloy gently I jump on the back of the wyvern and set her down in her seat. Sealing the wyvern I activate it's shields.

Now with my companions safe I turn to the assailants, as I moved Aloy a small army has begun moving out from behind some boulders. Looking them over I confirm over a hundred and fifty assailants split between snipers on the mountain and close range forces.

Heating my tail and ejecting my claws I feel another ping, dropping down from the side of the mountain two Faro line Kopesh robots shake the ground. Up on the mountain I count twenty three corruptors joining the attack force.

Quickly running a few simulations, I realise Hades may have more forces than I initially thought, if he is willing to send this many units this far out just to deal with a clone it's slightly worrying.

Running a quick assessment I discreetly begin charging my lightning gun in my arm, then quicker than any of the humans can react I raise my arm, open the protective hatch, and launch a ball of lightning. Travelling slowly the unstable ball of energy makes its way towards the densest group of cultists.

Hitting the side of the mountain a large boom rings out as a area fifteen metres in diameter is scorched into char, instantly the excess energy arcs between the metallic pieces of armour on the surrounding cultist killing over eighty of them with the energy alone.

The shockwave take out another thirty cultist whilst injuring a few more, as for the machines four of the corruptors get destroyed on the blast whilst eight get damaged by the shockwave and stray lightning.

Diverting more power to my shields I'm pushed back by the relentless machine gun fire from the deathbringers, checking behind me I see the last human get out of range. Twisting my shield, I divert the gun fire and dash to the side.

Following behind me the large war machines carve a line of destruction through the surrounding buildings as the attempt to track my speed. Reaching the cliff face I use my sharpened claws to climb, scurrying across the cliff face I rapidly approach the first group of cultists.

Moving through the group my tail lashes out decapitating them all before microseconds later the machine gun fire tears their bodies to shreds. Lunging from the ledge I jump onto the back the back of a corruptor rushing at me, plunging my tail through its sensors I extend the spines on it and rip it out.

Falling to the ground the corruptors computers land on a rock while it's body tumbles down the cliff, jumping off the falling corpse I approach the next. Sliding underneath, it my claws lash out as I tear through its armour like paper.

Grabbing the corruptor, I use it's body to shield myself from a volley of missiles while I charge my gun again, dashing to the right I spin and throw the remains of the corruptor at a still functioning one. Splintering the ancient machine breaks apart, impaling my first target the majority of the parts soar passed it and impale the tightly grouped cultist behind it.

Continuing my relentless charge I keep running along the cliff face, jumping on top of a damaged corruptor my feet talons carve straight into its main computer. Pausing I kneel down and aim my gun, shooting off the condensed ball of energy collides directly with one of the deathbringers.

The impact causes half the gun fire to temporarily cease as the electricity runs rampant through the war machine. Jumping down I begin punching the scorched armour till it gives in and my fist plunges straight into the machines brain.

Grabbing a hold of it I rip it and my arm from the machine, pivoting I duck behind the machine as cover from another missile barrage. Reaching up I tear the gun off the ancient machine, grabbing the wires I aim at the corruptors dotting the mountain and connect them.

Ripping out of the gun a heavy volley of lead rips through the rest of the damaged corruptors and five undamaged ones. Running out of ammo I change my grip on the gun and throw it like a javelin at a nearby corruptor.

Above me on the cliffs the seven remaining corruptors stop worrying about human lives and start indiscriminately bombing the area where I am. Reconfiguring my shield I catch the incoming grenades before they can detonate and launch them back.

Dashing to the side I narrowly dodge the deathbringers mechanical leg, spinning around I get under the Faro robot and begin impaling the leg motors with my tail. Overheating from my tail, the deathbringer releases its heat sinks.

Grabbing a leg I rapidly yank myself out from under the machine, then twisting around I use the leg as a foothold to catapult myself at its exposed heatsinks. Then like a rock climber jumping for a hand hold I launch myself from heatsink to heatsink.

Each heatsink I leave behind sparks before imploding from the damage my claws left, twisting in the air I land behind the robot as small explosions echo from within it as it falls to the ground smoking.

Scanning the area, I confirm all the machines are destroyed and only four living cultists remain, finishing off the cultist dregs with tiny electrical shots I make my way to their leader. Scaling the mountain as easily as walking I drop down behind a rock.

There sitting in a pool of their own blood is a one armed cultist wearing a focus, connecting to his focus I find all I need before finishing him off with a claw through the skull. Finished with the ambush I jump back down into the clearing.

Landing a panel opens up on each of my shoulders as my back up heatsinks dissipate the final heat buildup. Gazing around the smoking clearing I see the unharmed wyvern still in the exact place I left it, around it rest the beheaded bodies of some overeager cultists.

Hissing the back of the wyvern opens to release my companions, looking around at the destruction in a daze they only silently observe. Pulsing my shield, I clear my all the blood and debris from my frame, then doing a quick assessment I find no damage.

Jumping down off the wyvern Aloy slowly approaches me, standing before me she looks up at me with a lost look.

"Why? How?" – Aloy

Sighing I collate the data I gathered before creating a response.

"Why? Because one of the rogue subroutines has a cult and wants you dead. How? That same cult has been reviving ancient war machines for it. You've got to get yourself together Aloy, I need you to start establishing connections with the major human populations.

I need to rapidly begin making machines to combat machines to fight Hades' army. Please Aloy, we need to get stuff done." – Edith

Hardening her facial expression, she looks around at the destruction before looking me in the eyes and nodding.

"I'll do it, I'll start by contacting meridian. After that I'll try to find out more about this cult for you." – Aloy

Smiling at Aloy's resolve I send off a few lesson plans before stepping away and unfurling my wings.

"Good, Thank you Aloy. If you need me contact me through the wyvern, I'll meet up with you soon to discuss a plan." – Edith

Saying my piece, I fire up my thrusters and take to the sky, leaving behind my human companions for the moment. Quickly breaking through the sound barrier, I set my course for the next closest cauldron just outside the Nora lands.

Flying for a few minutes I fly over mountains and valleys, lakes, and rivers till finally my destination is in sight. Slowing down to a stop I drop down next to the entrance to cauldron RHO, opening the door I make my way in and hack the system to give me easy access to the core.

Stepping onto an elevator I ride it down till I arrive in the core, there just above the core surrounded by a shield is a new machine resembling a crocodile. Performing a quick scan shows the machine to be called a snapmaw, not too concerned by it I hack the shield and drop it.

Instantly the snapmaw powers up and begins attacking me, defending myself from its chill water attacks with my shield I dash forward. Tearing through its brain I quickly kill the machine, then with a hiss of air the cauldrons core rises from the floor.

Folding out my control cords I connect to the cauldron, overriding it I assimilate the remnants of the mutated Hephaestus subroutine before moving on to adjusting it's code. Spreading my influence across the entire cauldron I begin manufacturing my new machines.

Using the first cauldron I produce aerial machines such as my wyverns, the bird of prey designed slave bots for retaking the terraforming system, and finally the bee inspired repair bots.

Thinking it over I try to decide what to make in this cauldron, deciding what I want I begin sending over the schematics. Starting with a small bot designed after ants I make them multipurpose build and repair bots. These ant bots will retore the physical connection between the different cauldrons and cradle facilities.

Moving on to my next machine I decide a more combat oriented design, starting with a quadruped design I then add carbon fibres scales over the top. Looking to my side I see the remains of the snapmaw and get an idea, modifying the new robots head I give it a reptilian skull resembling a crocodile.

Looking at the design it closely resembles a drake, which is a dragon like creature from old world media. Tapping my chin, I try to decide what weapons to add, deciding to add a few I include a modular system.

Starting with it's main weapon I include a breath weapon installed in the machines throat, capable of shooting out either fire, lightning, or chill water its an extremely effective weapon. Then adding a rapid fire energy projector to a mounted swivel on its back I'm happy with the design.

Sending the schematic to the cauldron it begins work, I also make sure not to stop normal production of the terraforming machines. Finished with this cauldron I move to the elevator as I still have something else to do today.

Riding up the elevator I step out of the cauldron as the first of my ant bots finish production, activating my thrusters I take to the sky towards the nearest signal. Flying across the desert area and the tribes within it I'm able to see my target.

Flying the few hundred kilometre distance it's becoming dark by the time my target is in sight, slowing down I slowly hover down towards the top of the large disk like head of the machine. Landing gently, I take a second to appreciate the size of Gaia's creation before bending down.

I'm pretty sure the humans call these machines tallnecks but all I care about is their importance to the terraforming system. Connecting to the central node I begin overriding the relay machine, as I override it I can feel the nearby machines coming under my control.

Adjusting the machine's code, I connect it to my other cauldrons as part of my growing network, using my newfound control I lower the aggressiveness of the nearby machines. Happy with my work I take to the sky again to continue regaining control of the terraforming system.