Chapter Text
Aloy stretched as she woke with a grunt, the furs beneath her were soft as she started to come to, opening her eye she smiled as the lax face of her lover entered her vision, his paint smudged slightly from where he had drooled in the night but otherwise unmoving as usual. Holding back a snort, she carefully got out and pulled her under armor cloths on before placing the Focus on her temple.
“Aloy”
“Good morning Gaia” She greeted the AI as she worked on fastening her armor to her bare cloth, deciding to go with the Nora Thunder Warrior Armor today; it wasn’t the lightest of her armor, but its defense was worth it.
“Did I wake you?”
“Not at all. I was just getting ready” She smiled as she looked over her shoulder at the bare shoulders of her lover. Slipping on her boots, she left her quarters in the Grove, a warm buzzing filled her chest as she thought about how she had actual sleeping quarters in the Grove; she had a place. Every Tenakth warmly greeted her in her short walk to a quieter place to talk, her smile only grew as did the warmness, she truly had a place here.
“A moment of your time then” The AI stated and after a slight pause to see if Aloy would decline, when she didn’t, the AI continued “I’ve recently picked up on an active signal far east. It appears that a cradle of ELEUTHIA has reactivated”
“Eleuthia” Aloy echoed lowly, that was the one responsible for repopulating the world, feeling dread burn deep in her stomach she squared her shoulders and asked “Where is the signal coming from?”
“Calculating…..it appears to be ELEUTHIA-9” Gaia stated in her gentle voice Aloy’s grown to love, but at that moment it filled her with dread and ice.
“That’s -” She started, but the words died in her throat
“Correct, it’s in the Nora Scared Land’s. All-Mother’s Cradle, I believe you called it”
“Can you shut it down?” There was an edge to her voice as the burn grew hotter.
“Attempting…..it appears my signal is blocked.”
“W-what happens now?” This can’t be happening.
“The Cradle will continue with its function and produce a new generation within it’s walls-”
“And they’ll starve” Aloy cut in as she grabbed at her chest plate, the memories of what she found in the Cradle suddenly fresh in her mind as she thought of the lack of food and fresh air. Feeling a lump forming in her throat, she tried working around it. “W-wh-wha…” she trailed off, her pulse racing as she tried to get her mind to stop racing.
“Aloy”
She couldn’t breathe.
Yanking her chest plate off, she grabbed at her chest.
“Aloy”
It hurt to breathe.
The edges of her vision started to blacken as she hunched forward and gasped weakly, trying to force air in her lungs.
Breathe, dammit.
Breathe.
“Aloy. Breathe lover”
And she did.
It was a ragged, sharp sound that brought the smell of spice and musk to her lungs; snapping her eyes open to find her face pressed against Kotallo’s neck with his hand firm in her hair, he was mumbling nothing's against her ear along with guiding her to breathe and that he was right there for her. Gripping onto him with shaky hands, she exhaled and sucked in another greedy breath; she repeated twice more before she could pull back and look Kotallo in the eyes.
“Are you alright?”
“Y-yeah. I-I think so” She mumbled as the hand in her hair dropped to her neck, and he brought their foreheads together, sharing the air between them.
“I sent for Kotallo when you showed signs of a panic attack” Gaia’s voice drifted through her Focus, the softness of her voice helped push down the burn that still corset through her veins. Aloy stepped closer and tucked herself against her lover once more, her nose finding the hollow of his throat, and nodded. “I did not mean to cause you distress….unfortunately as it stands, only you or Beta can shut the Cradle down”
“They’re not going to let Beta close enough” Aloy mumbled as she sighed as Kotallo’s hand rubbed at her neck and the base of her skull. “It’s going to have to be me”
“Another mission?”
Aloy nodded again, not wanting to leave his warmth just yet; she sighed when his hand settled on her bare shoulder, and she stepped back “I have to return east” She stated as she looked out in that direction, saying it out loud made the burn come back and fester in her stomach. “Back to the Nora Lands. There’s….something of the Old One’s reactivated, and only I can stop it.”
“When do we leave?” Kotallo questioned and only offered a slight smile when Aloy’s neck snapped to look at him, he arched an eyebrow while tilting his head back slightly “My spear is yours as much as my life is. Where you go, I intend to follow”
“But it’s the Savage East”
“And you braved the Forbidden West” Kotallo responded as he cupped her cheek, thumbing over the soft skin he found there “I will stand with you, always” he mumbled before he pulled her closer and dipped his head to kiss her gently.
They shared their moment alone before Aloy pulled back and offered a shy smile, “I suppose we need to talk with Herrako” She stated before turning and heading off to the Chief.
“When do we leave?” Kotallo questioned again as they stepped through the metal doors of their base, they were mostly packed, but Aloy insisted they needed to stop here before they off. He arched an eyebrow when Aloy waved him off, what was his lover planning?
“Varl” Aloy called out when finding her fellow Nora sitting on the couch with Zo. “We need to talk”
“Aloy” He greeted as he stood up and helped his pregnant lover up, a second later “What’s up?” he glanced between her and Kotallo before noting the packed bags and the harden expression on his friend's face. “Uh…what’s going on?”
“ELEUTHIA-9 became active again”
Varl’s eyes widened in shock as he searched her face, “That where….oh man, are you sure?”
Aloy nodded and took a deep breath, “Gaia alerted me…Varl I have to go shut it down” she stated hoping he understood what she was getting it, if his eyes could widen anymore they would pop out of his head.
“You’re returning East. To the Scared Lands”
She nodded. Keeping her eyes on his, even as they itched to look at the confused Zo, the Utaru turned to face Kotallo who only shook his head; showing that this was a Nora thing.
“I’m coming too” Varl stated after a moment's pause “A chance to see War-Chief Sona and to pay my wishes to Vala, I can’t miss it” he turned to Zo who arched an eyebrow at him “What?”
“Don’t think you’re keeping me here. I’m going with you”
“But you’re with child”
“And? It’s never stopped and Utaru before” She countered before turning to Aloy “That is alright, right?”
Aloy’s harden expression crumbled as she sighed deeply and smiled at them, “I’m not going to stop you, but it’s a hard trip. We’re mostly going to be flying on Sunwings” Her eyes drifted down to the roundness of Zo’s belly, from what Zo explained was that she was about halfway through, before looking at her friend again, smiling more as a wicked glem showed in her eyes.
“Can’t wait”
“You’re impossible” Varl groaned as he rubbed at his face, he had no idea how War-Chief Sona was going to react to her, he hoped it was for the best. “Let’s get packed then” he grumbled as he waved his hand while walking away, Zo chuckled as she followed after him.
Kotallo stepped up and pressed a kiss to her bare temple before he mumbled “All is well”
Yeah, all is well….for now.