“I guess… I would have wanted her to be… curious. And willful – unstoppable even… But with enough compassion… to heal the world… Just a little bit.”
Elisabet’s words float through Aloy’s ears, now in a completely new context following what she and Beta had witnessed only hours prior.
By now an entire day has passed since Elisabet has gone into the ectogenic chamber, and GAIA is preparing to engage in the first step of transferring her digital mind into her new body. However, neither Aloy nor Beta have left Elisabet’s side since the process began, and neither plan to do so now.
‘All gathered datapoints lead to the belief that this process will be… difficult to witness.’ GAIA explains carefully.
‘I don’t care.’ Aloy says flatly and gestures towards the chamber. ‘I’m not leaving her, GAIA.’
‘Me neither.’ Beta places a hand to her chest and shakes her head.
GAIA pauses, looking over the two of them with concern.
‘I promised Elisabet that I would watch over you both.’ She reminds them. ‘I do not desire for either of you to witness something that cannot be unseen.’
‘Whatever happens, GAIA, trust me when I say I’ve seen worse.’ Aloy says.
By this point, Aloy’s seen so much blood spilled that it could fill an entire ocean. And in turn she has spilled endless buckets of it herself. She’s watched Varl die right in front of her eyes, along the haunting sight of Rost being consumed by flames.
Really, what innocence of hers is GAIA trying to protect?
Beta, on the other hand…
Aloy can see the slight tremble in her younger sister’s hands as Beta wrings them together.
‘I’ll stay here with her, if you want to go.’ Aloy’s expression softens. ‘I’ll contact you if something happens.’
Beta opens her mouth to protest but appears to lose the ability to do so when she looks her older sister in the eye. Her gaze wavers as she looks from Aloy to the chamber, fear showing through on her face for what might happen to Elisabet.
‘Do you promise?’ She whispers.
Beta’s words harken back to another promise that Aloy made. And although she is sure that Beta doesn’t mean to bring up that particular chapter of their past, it still cuts into Aloy like a knife.
This time, she won’t go back on her word.
‘I do.’ Aloy puts a hand onto Beta’s shoulder and gives her a reassuring squeeze. ‘I promise.’
Beta places her hand over Aloy’s, then puts her other hand against the cool glass of the ectogenic chamber. She closes her eyes for a moment, as if to gather strength, before pulling away with a shaky breath.
‘Okay… see you soon then.’ She relents and nods to Aloy and GAIA, before reluctantly leaving the room.
Once the door closes, Aloy turns to GAIA.
‘This step of the merge will take approximately fifteen minutes, though may take longer if need be.’ GAIA surmises. ‘Elisabet has now had enough time that can possibly be given to endure this. Proceed with caution, Aloy. Once the process begins, nothing can be done to stop it.’
Aloy nods, understanding the gravity of the situation.
‘What signs are you looking for?’ She asks. ‘Ones that signal it’s starting to go south?’
‘An inability to breathe.’ GAIA says bluntly. ‘Screaming and writhing in response to the painful activating sensation of touch are normal, and not a cause for concern. I would ask that you please remember this.’
‘I will.’ Aloy says, her eyes hard as she mentally braces herself.
Testimonies of Zenith participants that have gone through the Nemesis Merge Process have all mentioned that this first step is the hardest one to overcome. That it is the most painful thing a human can experience, being forced back into the world of the living through activating the sense of touch. Some of their notes are not for the faint of heart in the slightest, and even Aloy herself had a hard time getting through a few of them.
Right now, neither Aloy nor GAIA have any idea how Elisabet will react to this. Some participants screamed and writhed until it was over. Others have reacted more harshly, panicking and injuring not just themselves but the chamber itself.
Anything could happen from this point on, and Aloy steels herself as she nods to GAIA.
‘Then, I will proceed.’ GAIA says as a countdown appears on the monitor of the chamber.
Aloy watches the numbers, tensing like a cornered predator with each tick of the display.
5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Immediately, Elisabet gasps in response to some invisible stimulus inside the chamber. Aloy’s eyes dart over her as her new body weakly twists and turns, trying to escape the pain as her digital mind is forced to begin transferring into her new human vessel.
As she’s forced to live while essentially being at death’s doorstep.
Something in Aloy’s chest aches upon seeing Elisabet’s once calm face scrunch with pain.
Somehow, though, other than her initial reaction, Elisabet does not respond to it how Aloy predicted. She does not appear comfortable, not by any stretch of the word, but she’s not… suffering like the other participants clearly had.
There is no screaming nor flailing, nor hints of blood or injury, and before Aloy knows it, Elisabet calms and GAIA speaks once more.
‘Aloy, the first step is now complete, lasting thirteen minutes and twenty-eight seconds.’ GAIA confirms, bringing up the glowing number of Elisabet’s odds, 20%, which now rises to 40%.
Aloy lets out a breath, feeling like a huge weight has been lifted off of her shoulders as she gazes at Elisabet. Her expression softens as she simply watches her breathe, feeling confused but no less grateful that the worst part of all of this is now over.
‘Good. That’s good.’ Aloy whispers and nods, mostly to herself. ‘Elisabet is fine. She made it through the first step.’ She looks her over curiously. ‘With flying colors it seems, too.’
The sound of the door opening catches Aloy’s attention, and she looks up to see Beta quickly making her way up the stairs.
‘Elisabet. Is she?’ Beta asks, her voice hopeful yet apprehensive.
‘She’s okay, Beta.’ Aloy smiles at her sister. ‘She made it through.’
Beta’s face breaks into relief as she comes over, placing her hand next to Aloy’s on the glass. Both she and her sister grow silent, just watching Elisabet exist in their world.
‘Aloy. Beta.’ GAIA calls for their attention. ‘Though the merge was successful at this juncture, I would ask that you both test Elisabet’s sense of touch at this time.’ She says, to which Aloy is not surprised. This was outlined in the logs. A first step to ground the patient to the world of other living beings. ‘I will have the glass of the chamber lifted for five minutes. Please make contact with Elisabet in that time.’ GAIA instructs. ‘Please keep in mind, however, that she is currently without the other senses of hearing, sight, smell and taste, and will most likely startle in response.’
‘Got it.’ Aloy says, going around the chamber to stand on the other side opposite Beta.
‘She is still awake, right?’ Beta asks, her eyebrows upturned with concern.
Other than simply breathing, Elisabet has not moved this entire time.
‘Yes. She is conscious.’ GAIA confirms. ‘Are you both ready to proceed?’
When Aloy and Beta nod in response, the chamber cracks open with a loud hiss, and the glass lifts smoothly. Elisabet doesn’t respond to the sound. Her body is shaking, and her brow is furrowed with concentration as if she is using all of her strength to focus on her unsteady breathing.
For a few moments, neither Beta nor Aloy make a move, merely watching the woman from whom they were cloned after with awe. Seeing her red hair that matches their own, the familiar freckles that dance across her cheeks, the red rosacea that both Aloy and Beta inherited.
It’s her. Really her.
Elisabet’s here, and both sisters share some sort of mutual hesitance to get any closer.
‘Please proceed.’ GAIA calls gently from behind them.
‘… Right.’ Aloy comes closer and goes to do so, before finding herself frozen in place as she notices tear tracks on Elisabet’s cheeks.
An awful feeling comes over Aloy in response. One that she can’t ignore.
The thought of touching Elisabet right now, and potentially causing more pain…
A memory of Rost abruptly hits her like a tidal wave.
Aloy had been young at the time. Too young to join Rost on his hunting trips, but old enough to stay behind by herself. One day, he left in the morning, and… didn’t come back. Desperation and worry set in, along with a fear of being left alone, and despite his instructions, Aloy left the cabin.
She found Rost by one of the trails, hurt badly by machines. Aloy had instinctively reached out, trying to help, but he had quickly sucked in a breath at her touch, startling her badly as his features twisted in pain.
But Rost hadn’t been angry with her, and instead seized the opportunity to teach.
“I will show you how to properly dress wounds from now on, Aloy. Such knowledge is essential out in the wilds.”
They never spoke of it again, but she still remembers that day. Along with those feelings of fear and guilt from causing Rost pain with her touch. She feels that same hesitation now. Towards Elisabet, and Aloy’s hand hovers close to hers though does not touch.
Beta notices her sister’s unusual hesitation right away and she swallows in response. Her eyes look toward Elisabet, coming closer to the side of the chamber.
Slowly, hesitantly, Beta reaches out to touch Elisabet’s hand.
The reaction is instantaneous.
Elisabet jumps, gasping as if she’s suddenly been burned.
Beta’s freezes and her eyes widen, but before she can pull away, Elisabet lets out a shaky breath and reaches toward the foreign touch. Her face is pinched with presumably pain in the effort of doing so.
Beta grabs her hand shyly, as if one wrong move will cause Elisabet to shatter like glass.
Elisabet twitches her hand, slowly moving it upwards as if to trace the line of Beta’s arm. Beta leans down, and when Elisabet’s fingers reach short red hair, her face relaxes some.
‘Beta…?’ Elisabet’s voice is small, barely the ghost of a whisper.
Beta’s expression crumbles and she leans forward, hiding her face against Elisabet’s shoulder with the gentlest touch. Elisabet must be able to feel Beta tremble amongst her own shaking, because she quietly shushes her and rests their heads together.
For a moment, the two of them stay just like that, in their own little world.
Then Elisabet shifts, turning her head to the other side and reaching out her free hand.
She slowly opens and closes her fingers, seemingly with great effort.
It takes Aloy a few seconds to realize that Elisabet is… searching for her.
Aloy reaches out, very hesitantly grasping onto Elisabet’s hand with a gentleness mimicking her sister. She lets Elisabet travel her fingers upward, and it only takes a moment to find long hair.
‘Aloy…’ Elisabet whispers her name, gently caressing a braid of red tresses.
Aloy swallows, the emotions of hearing Elisabet call out her name too overwhelming in this moment. She’s listened to Elisabet’s logs thousands of times, has memorized every tone of her voice that she could find. Realistically, Aloy knows that her own voice sounds similar, but somehow, it’s just not the same.
It’s different, and nothing Aloy’s ever dreamed of compares to finally hearing it in person and not through some log or hologram.
Aloy crumbles, forcing past her nerves to lean her head against Elisabet’s other shoulder. The three of them stay like that for some time, grasping each other’s hands and breathing together, before Aloy feels a strange sensation against her forehead.
It’s soft, and foreign, and as she opens her eyes, she realizes exactly what it was as she watches Elisabet place a gentle kiss onto Beta’s forehead.
Aloy shudders out a breath, a painful lump forming in her throat as she grasps Elisabet’s hand harder and listens to the steady sound of her heartbeat.
Elisabet ends up falling asleep long before the five minutes were over, more than likely exhausted beyond belief. It will be another twenty-four hours before the next sensation, hearing, will be instated, and for now she’s more than earned her rest.
GAIA encourages both Aloy and Beta to follow Elisabet’s example, mentioning that they have both gotten very minimal sleep over the past few days. Understandably, both sisters protest this notion, unwilling to leave Elisabet’s side, but a compromise is reached by having them bring their bed rolls up into the projection room for now.
It wasn’t the most ideal place for sleep, but it was better than Aloy was expecting at least.
The projection room is warmer than the rest of the base, due to the presence of GAIA’s servers below and her main projection above, but it’s spacious and blissfully quiet, being far away from Erend’s loud snoring. Beta has somehow managed to find an uneasy sleep here, but Aloy is unable to let herself rest. GAIA has reaffirmed her promise to let them know if something happens, but Aloy can’t shake the feeling that if she slept now, a very familiar dream will come to her.
The thought of it is too much for Aloy to bear right now as she looks at her hands, flexing her fingers a few times before glancing toward where Elisabet sleeps.
That one handhold. That one embrace.
It had changed everything.
Growing up, Aloy always wondered why the Nora were so obsessed with motherhood. The tribe named so many settlements and outposts after it: Mother’s Watch, Mother’s Cradle, Mother’s Crown, Mother’s Rise, Mother’s Tears. Not to mention all of the rivers, mountains, festivals and traditions that Aloy never bothered to learn the names of.
At the time, why would she care? She had been an outcast.
Motherless.
But now… Aloy can see exactly why the Nora named the most treasured part of their sacred land The Embrace, and the jewel of that land was called Mother’s Heart.
The irony of it all hits her square in the face, and she silently sits up in her bedroll, casting a glance toward Beta. Her sister looks stressed, a clear sign that the rest she’s found is more from exhaustion than anything else. Aloy watches her for a few moments then taps her focus, turns the volume down low, and looks for a particular database.
After Beta shared that photo and video of Elisabet’s younger years, Aloy has been curious to see what else her memories hold.
And right now seems like as good a time as any to take a deeper look.
Aloy purposefully clicks past the multitude of documents to find the videos and pictures. Elisabet’s notes and logs can be read some other time, when Aloy has more of an attention span to deal with the thousands of chicken scratch notes Beta had mentioned were in there.
Once Aloy finds what she’s looking for, she scrolls down, until the data comes to an abrupt stop as it reaches the very beginning.
The start of Elisabet’s life.
Aloy clicks onto the first datapoint, simply titled Elisabet, and is met with a photo of a baby.
Now, there is no actual way of knowing what Aloy looked like as a baby, though she has wondered about it a few times. Sadly, the Nora are a primitive tribe, and wouldn’t have had the technology needed to take such a picture.
Not that anyone would have cared enough about Aloy to take one back then.
No one at least, besides Rost.
Rost had said that Aloy was a very curious baby, with a stubbornness to explore and get into things that she shouldn’t. He said that she would often times leave him with more headaches than he could count, and Aloy’s lips quirk up at bit at the thought, knowing that aspect of their relationship never really changed at all.
Elisabet couldn’t have been more than a few months old when this picture was taken. A small tuft of red hair curls at the top of her head while she sleeps among pink blankets. Aloy takes her time slowly tracing her gaze over the picture, before clicking onward to the next.
Her eyes then widen with surprise.
‘Miriam…’ She whispers.
Throughout all of her travels, Aloy has heard Miriam’s name mentioned quite a few times. Elisabet often spoke about her mother in the datapoints she left behind for the world, and Aloy has found enough of them to know that mother and daughter shared an unbreakable bond. One that left Elisabet absolutely devastated once her mother passed away.
Aloy has never managed to find a single picture of Miriam, though.
Not until now.
Seeing Miriam for the first time, Aloy can’t look away as her eyes drink in the image. Miriam is holding a sleeping Elisabet in her arms with the sweetest smile on her face, her red hair falling gracefully over her shoulder as a pair of glasses settle over her nose. Aloy reaches out towards her, holding her hand there for several moments, before reluctantly letting the picture go.
She does the same to Elisabet’s father when he is seen in the next few photos that follow, though pauses when a small boy is pictured among them. Beta mentioned in their calls that Elisabet seemed to have a brother, and GAIA confirmed that fact yesterday when she shared the datapoint of Elisabet’s plea in GAIA Prime.
So, this is James. Elisabet’s brother.
Aloy spends some time looking at him in the old photos, relishing this new information she’s learned. That Elisabet not only had a sibling, but that she was the younger of the two.
There is a particularly funny photo of them together in their childhood. Both are dressed in odd costumes, James resembling a skeleton, and Elisabet dressed like a pumpkin. James’s expression is twisted, and disdain is clear on his little face as he reluctantly holds his crying baby sister. Aloy lets out a breath of laughter and looks at Beta. She knows she can’t blame him at all, considering her own disastrous reaction when she also became an older sibling.
Leaving the photo behind, Aloy continues scrolling; going through images of Elisabet as a toddler, then a preschooler, and later a preteen. At some point videos are introduced, and Aloy is startled when she clicks over and finds a much younger version of Elisabet talking into the camera.
‘Okay, first video with the new camera.’ Elisabet adjusts the picture, looking very much like a Grazer caught unawares as she navigates the new device. ‘Well, hi. I’m Elisabet. I’m 13 years old and, getting ready to go to… college.’ Her voice is a bit strained as she says the word. ‘Classes start soon, and they make you use one of these, to start keeping logs. So I… thought I would test it out.’
Elisabet stops talking, looking over the device with apprehension, as if she’s gotten herself in way over her head. The tension of the moment is thwarted, however, when she startles and whips around, showing a young black and white animal that had snuck up behind her.
A horse. That’s what Beta called it. A Strider made flesh.
‘Star, you’re not helping right now.’ Elisabet says, her voice light and teasing. The horse bends down and playfully nips again at her hair. ‘No, you’re not.’ Elisabet’s voice lightens further as she gently pushes its nose away, the two of them having a little tug of war moment that seems familiar enough between them. ‘Why don’t you go eat your hay? You’re distracting me.’
When the horse finally turns away, Elisabet must remember that she is recording as she quickly turns back to the camera, looking a bit embarrassed.
‘Oh um, bye.’ The camera jostles as she looks for the off button. ‘I’ll um… delete this later. Maybe. I don’t know.’
The video goes black, and Aloy’s curiosity is peaked as she clicks on to the next one.
Elisabet looks to be in much lesser spirits during this recording. The calendar date in the corner showcases that it was taken a few weeks after the last one, and she is seen brushing that same horse with a frown now marring her young face.
‘Mom isn’t happy that I’m leaving for college.’ She admits, her voice small. ‘She says I’m too young, it’s too far away.’ She frowns. ‘James is the same. He joked he won’t have anyone to annoy if I’m gone, but I know he’s upset.’ Her face twists into a complicated expression as she stops brushing. ‘Dad seems to be taking it the best. He said he’s proud of me, but…’
Elisabet’s eyes look this way and that, much like Aloy herself whenever she’s trying to figure out a complicated puzzle with no clear-cut solution.
‘I’ve never seen mom so upset.’ Elisabet looks away. ‘I saw her crying this morning. She tried to hide it but…’ Elisabet blinks, and her young voice cracks a little. ‘I hate seeing my mom cry.’
Aloy frowns and glances towards the chamber, reminded of that awful feeling that came over her when she saw the tear tracks staining Elisabet’s face only a few hours prior.
‘But… I’m going.’
The video continues to play, refocusing Aloy’s attention.
‘I have things I want to do, and things I want to learn.’ She looks up at Star, her face determined as the horse whips its tail. ‘I’ll miss everyone here but… I can do this. I know I can.’
Aloy lets out a breath when the video ends.
Elisabet… she’s so headstrong. In absolutely everything that she does.
Aloy has always tried to follow her example, live up to her as best she can.
When she stops to think about it, Aloy supposes that she must have already succeeded. In some ways. She’s been told by others that she is inspiring. How the tales of her saving Merdian, becoming Chieftan of the Banuk, bequeathed as Anointed of the Nora, and flying on the Wings of the Ten will forever go down in history.
But… someone doing the inspiring also needs to be inspired themselves.
Aloy looks again at the chamber where Elisabet rests, then settles down onto her bedroll, and blissfully dreams of nothing until the sun rises.
The next day does not come any easier.
While the second step of the merge is not nearly as dangerous as the first, a person’s sense of hearing comes from the ears, which connect to the senses of taste and smell via the nose and mouth. Realistically speaking, while this stage will be much, much easier for Elisabet regarding pain, it will unfortunately take twice as long to complete in exchange.
This time, Aloy is more prepared for Elisabet’s reaction once GAIA begins, but Elisabet does not gasp or writhe this time. Instead she only places her hands over her ears and waits for it to be over.
Strangely, however, there is one point when… Elisabet’s labored breathing stops.
Aloy feels her heart drop into the pit of her stomach as something visceral seems to come over the room. It takes her a moment to recognize what it is.
The feeling of death.
She’s witnessed so many people’s dying breaths over the course of her journey, and has always noticed that there is a… strange feeling that comes over the world whenever someone passes away.
There is no way that she would ever mistake that feeling. Especially now.
No… Please. No.
Before Aloy can react further, Elisabet visibly flinches and takes a shuddering breath of air.
Aloy can feel herself finally breathe along with her, and soon after, GAIA gives the all clear.
‘Aloy, the second step has now been completed.’ Gaia confirms, causing her to sigh with relief as the survival rating of 40% jumps upwards to 60%.
‘Good. We’re not done yet, but things are looking better at least.’ Aloy nods.
Beta comes into the room mere moments later, looking less weary than yesterday but still apprehensive all the same.
‘How did she do?’ Beta asks while coming to stand next to her sister in front of the chamber.
Elisabet has gone still inside, her breathing heavy and her face turned away.
‘Logically speaking, Elisabet has done well to pass another stage,’ GAIA starts. ‘Though regrettably this time was far more dangerous for her.’
GAIA’s words cause Beta to look up with concern.
‘What do you mean?’
‘There was a moment of approximately twenty-six seconds where my sensors detected a lower level of oxygen.’ GAIA admits. ‘However, Elisabet herself regained equilibrium before I could react accordingly following the standard procedure outlined in the Nemesis project logs.’
‘You mean when she… couldn’t breathe?’ Aloy lets the heavy question drop.
She had hoped it was simply to catch her breath, but it seemed to be just the opposite.
‘So, the merge. It almost… failed this time?’ Beta asks, her words worried.
‘In layman’s terms, yes.’ GAIA nods.
‘H-how is she now, though?’ Beta asks anxiously, looking back towards the chamber.
Elisabet has not moved in the slightest.
‘She is stable.’ GAIA supplies. ‘I will afford Elisabet some time to rest, before proceeding to affirm that her sense of hearing is in place.’
At this, Aloy nods, knowing that GAIA will lock the chamber into a soundproof state, and play specific noises to test her hearing.
If all is well, Elisabet can continue to rest until the next stage of sight is instated tomorrow.
GAIA shuts the chamber down once the small respite period ends, and switches on the outside speakers to allow for Beta and Aloy to hear what is going on inside.
‘Elisabet…’ GAIA calls to her in the chamber. ‘Are you able to hear me?’
The room goes silent, but Elisabet does not answer.
‘Elisabet…’ GAIA tries again, only to receive no response once more.
GAIA pauses, more than likely assessing what to do next, and Aloy tenses. There had been a log about something like this happening once; a patient that was nonresponsive after one of the stages. The only thing that could be done was to put them back under, and their host body did not survive that stage a second time.
After a few moments, GAIA tries again with a new approach.
‘Elisabet, your daughters are here.’ GAIA suddenly says with emphasis.
Her words cause both Aloy and Beta to startle.
Even so, those words also manage to finally get a response out of Elisabet, as she flinches and weakly turns towards the sound of GAIA’s voice coming from the chamber speakers.
‘Aloy and Beta wish to know that you are alright.’ GAIA prods.
At this, Elisabet finally responds, her hands still covering her ears.
‘Yes…’ She answers, her voice tense with pain.
Aloy lets out a breath she hadn’t been aware she was holding.
The notion that Elisabet responded only when GAIA mentioned her daughters is not lost on her in the slightest. One look at Beta confirms her sister noticed it also.
That’s…
‘Are you ready to proceed with the hearing assessment?’ GAIA asks.
‘No…’ Elisabet denies weakly.
‘Is something wrong?’ GAIA questions, already moving to analyze the situation.
‘Can’t…’ Elisabet starts before gasping and removing one of her hands to cover her mouth. She curls inward, squeezing her eyes shut.
GAIA inputs a certain code.
‘You are nauseous, Elisabet. A side effect that is quite common at this stage given the unexpected pressure effecting the ear canal.’ GAIA supplies. ‘I will administer medication. A moment.’
Elisabet barely responds as a fine mist enters the chamber, her body tense and tight like a bowstring. True to GAIA’s word, after a minute or two she seems to relax, and removes her hand from her mouth.
GAIA lets her breathe, before asking to proceed once more.
‘Go ahead.’ Elisabet says, sounding exhausted as she reluctantly turns to lay on her back.
Aloy watches with fascination as some unheard sounds are played from different sides of the chamber, with Elisabet responding by saying either left or right respectively. Once finished, GAIA seems pleased with her results and allows for the glass to be lifted for ten minutes, with the intent of allowing Elisabet’s ears time to adjust to sounds outside of the chamber.
Unlike yesterday, Aloy shows no hesitation in reaching out to Elisabet once the barrier is lifted. Beta follows suit, both sisters gently grasping onto her trembling fingers.
Elisabet opens her blind eyes in response.
The color of them is a startling gray, not the green hue that they should be just yet.
‘Hi girls.’ She says, her voice weak.
‘Hey. How are you feeling?’ Aloy asks, her tone gentle. Relief settles in her chest upon noticing that Elisabet seems more aware than yesterday.
‘Not great.’ Elisabet sighs, closing her eyes.
‘We um… We heard.’ Beta says.
Her voice trembles a little, though Aloy can tell she’s trying to hide it.
‘I knew it was coming.’ Elisabet says, carefully turning onto her side and reaching towards them. Each sister takes one of her hands in response. ‘Death isn’t exactly a feeling you can forget.’
‘I know, but…’ Beta squeezes her hand.
‘I wanted to tell you both before…’ Elisabet starts. ‘Data can sometimes be biased to the people who write it.’
‘The people who write it…’ Aloy parrots. ‘You mean the Zeniths?’
‘The Zeniths wrote about their own experiences with the merge. When they were still using the Nemesis project.’ Beta nods, her brow furrowing as she digests Elisabet’s words for what they are. ‘They wrote how it was the most painful thing in existence. But if that data is biased…’ She suddenly turns to Aloy. ‘Wait, of course they would think that. Their shields. It protected them from all forms of pain.’
Aloy looks at her sister, both appearing to finally understand what they have been missing this whole time.
‘So if they’ve never felt pain in who knows how long, then…’ Aloy lets the sentence hang.
‘This whole thing is no walk in the park.’ Elisabet starts, gathering their attention. ‘But I’ve gone through worse, trust me.’ She squeezes their fingers. ‘I can do this. I know I can.’
Aloy lets out a breath, realizing those words harken back to what a much younger Elisabet had said before.
‘I know you can.’ She says. ‘I trust you.’
That night, when Beta has fallen into a more peaceful sleep beside her, Aloy delves once again into Elisabet’s memories, landing on the day of her graduation from university.
‘Mom, would you please stop fussing?’ A twenty-year-old Elisabet asks. ‘I’m going to be late.’
‘Hush. Let me fuss over my baby a bit longer.’ Miriam chides lightly, fixing Elisabet’s hair before taking her face in her hands. ‘My little girl… she’s all grown up. I can’t believe it.’
Elisabet sighs, though there is a small uptick of her lips as she allows her mother to smooth out her black cap and gown.
‘I believe it.’ A new person walks into frame. James now stands about a foot taller than his sister. He’s dressed up in a pressed military outfit, his red hair and beard look more kempt than usual as he appears to be on leave for Elisabet’s graduation. ‘I mean look at her. Not even old enough to drink yet and already got some gray hairs goin’.’
‘That’s not funny.’ Elisabet says flatly. ‘It was one hair. And it was blonde, not gray.’
‘Still counts.’ James says with a grin.
‘It doesn’t.’ Elisabet counters with a scoff, unconsciously running her hands through her hair. ‘I never should have told you that.’
‘Kids, come on.’ A voice calls behind the camera, no doubt from Elisabet’s father. ‘Lis’ll be walking soon.’
‘Alright alright.’ James holds his hands up in surrender before giving his sister a sideways hug. ‘I’ll see you later, chicken butt.’ He laughs, causing her face to wrinkle at the stupid nickname he’s given her since childhood.
The nickname is remnant of a particularly funny injury that Elisabet received as a toddler.
When her father wasn’t looking, she got into one of the coops on Sobeck Ranch. There was a rooster inside, and when she pulled just a tad too hard on its feathers, pure chaos ensued.
Aloy could barely contain her own laughter alongside a preschooler-aged James when she saw the video of a child Elisabet Sobeck running away from a rooster as their father lost his absolute marbles in the background. It only got funnier once Miriam came outside and ripped her husband a new one for being so careless.
The whole situation reminded Aloy of when Rost told her a similar story. From when she was also a toddler. Though that one apparently involved a Watcher, and was undoubtedly less funny.
Aloy just seems to take after Elisabet when it comes to getting into trouble, apparently.
‘Please make sure to smile, Lizzy, would you? I want some nice photos of you for once.’ Miriam says, kissing her daughter on the cheek.
‘Yes, mom.’ Elisabet rolls her eyes fondly then walks off to join the rest of her class as the ceremony starts.
The video continues, capturing several people walking across a stage to collect what looks like a scroll. When it is Elisabet’s turn, her family cheers, and the camera zooms in on her smile as she shakes an important looking person’s hand and the video cuts out.
Aloy barely skims through the next few videos after that.
They showcase Elisabet’s first days at Faro Automated Solutions. And while Aloy knows that working for Ted Faro was a part of her past, she has a hunch that Elisabet wouldn’t mind keeping those parts of it exactly where they were. Quen Legacy or no.
There is one video, however, that captures Aloy’s attention.
Elisabet is seen in her private office. Two years have passed since her graduation, judging by the calendar on the wall. There is a placard on her desk, revealing Elisabet’s current role as Head Scientist of Faro Automated Solutions. Elisabet herself seems to be quite distracted from her work today, though, as there is someone currently visiting her.
‘Moira, you can’t just come in here whenever you like.’ Elisabet chides, though there is a light, teasing tone to her voice as she flips through files. ‘I have an appointment in a few minutes.’
The other woman, Moira, has a grin on her face that is infectious.
There is something soft in her equally teasing eyes as she looks at Elisabet.
‘Well, excuse me. Here I figured that miss high and mighty wouldn’t mind a visit from those of the lower rung.’ She sasses. ‘Woe is me. I guess I was wrong.’
‘Don’t even start.’ Elisabet breathes out a laugh as she shakes her head. ‘You know, I could have you kicked out of here if I really wanted to.’ She raises a challenging red eyebrow.
Moira gasps and puts a hand to her chest, as if clutching a fake necklace in shock.
‘And abuse the very highly coveted Faro company resources?’ She asks. ‘Blaspheme. I’m calling corporate right now.
Her words cause Elisabet to laugh, and she turns away in her chair as if to hide it.
Moira comes to stand next to her, though, not allowing her the chance to shy away.
‘By the way, Lis, so what I’ve been meaning to ask,’ Her tone is more serious now, and the teasing mood is suddenly gone as Elisabet looks up at her. ‘Let me take you out for coffee sometime?’
Elisabet blinks, a small amount of red slowly coming over her cheeks.
‘…I’d like that.’
Aloy’s curiosity is immediately piqued. Elisabet did mention the name Moira in the datapoint from GAIA Prime, but Aloy’s never heard of her before. Curiously, she does a designated search for that name and is surprised to find a treasure trove of logs, videos and pictures within the database of Elisabet’s memories.
All stemming from that one interaction in Elisabet’s office.
Aloy’s looks through them all in a blur, coming to realize who exactly Moira was to Elisabet…
Five years pass by until Aloy stops on one particular day.
It’s a video, but not like the others. Not a memory, but a collage set to music.
Images of a twenty-seven-year-old Elisabet come into view, wearing the most beautiful white dress that Aloy has ever seen. Her long red hair is twisted into perfect curls, elegantly styled with flowers and a white trailing veil of flowing fabric.
Miriam is behind her, lacing up her daughter’s dress and looking teary-eyed.
Elisabet turns toward her, wiping her mother’s tears away as the two of them share a smile.
More pictures and videos follow, of people Aloy doesn’t know walking two by two down an aisle, all with smiling faces. Elisabet is then escorted down by her father as the camera centers on her teary smile. She is given away to Moira, who is already standing there in her own dress, looking just as beautiful.
The two of them hold hands before an altar of brightly colored flowers, sharing vows and eventually a kiss to the sound of applause from the hundreds of family and friends in attendance.
Elisabet looks absolutely radiant. Beautiful. Stunning. And… happy.
Aloy watches, mesmerized, as video clips pass by of Elisabet dancing, talking, toasting, and laughing with her loved ones.
All of them precious memories of what is surely the best day of her life.
Distantly, Aloy thinks of that datapoint she had found back at the Hades Proving Lab. When Travis Tate had asked Elisabet if she’d ever even had a friend.
Sylens had said that it wasn’t surprising. That the exceptional walk a path of solitude.
But he couldn’t have been more wrong.
Elisabet had a life before Project Zero Dawn.
She had a wife. Family. Friends.
He didn’t know her at all.
And… Sylens didn’t know Aloy at all, either.
The third stage of the merge is the shortest yet, much to Aloy’s relief.
Elisabet’s sense of sight is restored without much fanfare, and her chances of survival finally reach upwards to a more reasonable number of 80%. When GAIA lifts the lid of the chamber, and Elisabet lays her green eyes onto Aloy and Beta for the first time, her face softens.
‘There you two are.’ She says, sounding breathless and more exhausted than yesterday, if that were even possible. Her eyelids flutter, noticeably struggling to stay open.
‘Hi Elisabet.’ Beta greets her, reaching for one of her hands.
Elisabet doesn’t react more than twitching her fingers.
‘You’re halfway through.’ Aloy encourages as she takes up Elisabet’s other hand. It feels so natural now, this touch between them, though the limp hand in hers is not. ‘How are you holding up?’ Aloy asks, her eyebrows upturned with concern as she cradles Elisabet’s hand in her own.
‘I feel like I’ve just been hit by a bus.’ Elisabet says, closing her eyes with a tired huff.
‘A… what?’ Aloy asks, tilting her head.
‘Bad analogy.’ Elisabet realizes. ‘Sorry about that.’
‘A bus is a bigger version of a car.’ Beta supplies for Aloy. ‘Maybe a better one would be if you were hit by one of those bigger machines? Like the ones inspired by elephants?’ She looks back towards GAIA. ‘A Tremortusk, I think?’
‘Indeed.’ GAIA confirms.
‘Then let me rephrase.’ Elisabet opens her eyes once more and focuses on Aloy through tired, cloudy vision. ‘I feel like a Tremortusk just trampled me.’
‘Ah.’ Aloy acknowledges, feeling strangely embarrassed that they had to come up with a new turn of phrase just for her to understand. ‘That would certainly uh, do some damage.’
‘I’ll live.’ Elisabet sighs, settling more comfortably into the plush bed. ‘How are you two?’
‘Fine, more or less.’ Beta answers sheepishly.
Elisabet looks over her face with an assessing gaze, before turning toward Aloy.
‘Same here. More or less.’ Aloy says in the same manner as her sister, hoping not to cause a stir when there are so many more important things to worry about right now.
Elisabet seems to see right through their antics.
‘I know it’s easier said than done,’ Elisabet acknowledges. ‘But please get some sleep.’
‘You don’t need to worry about that right now. We’re fine.’ Aloy squeezes her hand, but Elisabet only sighs and leans her head back against the pillows.
‘You two take after your grandfather, that’s for sure…’ She says, looking towards the ceiling. ‘He used to love staying up late, too. Said it was when he got his best thinking done.’ Elisabet shakes her head. ‘Your uncle did the same thing. Though he kicked the habit once Vivian was born.’
Grandfather…?
Uncle…?
Those words are so foreign to Aloy. She has even seen those people that Elisabet is referring to, but the fact that Elisabet considers Aloy and Beta to be related to any of them has never even crossed her mind until now.
‘What about you, though?’ Beta asks hesitantly, deciding to change the subject it seems.
‘I’ve always been more of a morning bird. Up and down with the sun.’ Elisabet says, looking as if she is deeply struggling to stay awake now. ‘Your grandmother was like that, too. We used to watch the sunrise together all the time. Before she…’
Elisabet noticeably pauses then, her eyes looking miles away.
Aloy immediately realizes that she hates seeing Elisabet make such an expression, and she opens her mouth as if to say something, but nothing comes out.
This is a wound she wouldn’t even begin to know how to heal…
‘Speaking of sleep.’ Elisabet eventually says as she closes her tired eyes.
‘Right. You should get some rest.’ Beta says, patting Elisabet’s hand gently.
‘We’ll see you tomorrow.’ Aloy says, those words a promise.
‘Lis, you have to give the baby back sometime.’
‘I have no idea what you’re talking about.’
A thirty-year-old Elisabet is sitting on a couch in what looks like her parents’ house.
It’s been three years since her and Moira’s marriage. By now, Elisabet has left FAS behind, and has newly started her company, Miriam Technologies. She named it after her mother, who… was recently diagnosed with a deadly Old World disease called cancer.
While Elisabet’s previous logs up until now had been melancholic, joy has been brought back into the family’s lives once more in the form of a baby girl.
James’s daughter and Elisabet’s niece; Vivian.
‘Have you ever seen anything more precious?’ Elisabet coos to the baby girl in her arms, rubbing their noses together sweetly.
‘Oh my god, I never knew you were so baby crazy.’ Moira says, exasperated. Though the smile on her face gives her away. ‘Babies are like puppies. Get too attached and you’re gonna want one of your own.’
‘And you say that like it’s a bad thing?’ Elisabet huffs out a laugh. ‘Don’t act like you don’t want one yourself.’
Moira shakes her head and runs her fingers through a lock of Elisabet’s hair.
‘Patience is a virtue’ She sing songs. ‘Give your new company some time to grow first. Or at least deal with the bucket of lawsuits from FAS.’
‘Don’t remind me.’ Elisabet rolls her eyes, before turning toward the sound of footsteps.
Miriam then enters the room. She looks in bad shape, her once thick hair falling out in places. She has a deep tiredness in her face that certainly hadn’t been there before, and she is visibly struggling to walk.
‘How are you doing, mom?’ Elisabet asks, moving to get up. ‘I thought you were with Sarah in the kitchen.’
Moira, though, waves her down as she helps her mother-in-law to sit on the couch.
‘Oh, James called her to help outside for a minute. Something to do with your father letting one of the goats out again.’ Miriam waves a hand dismissively then turns her attention to Vivian, who is curiously pulling at Elisabet’s shirt with her tiny fingers. ‘Look at this little angel.’
‘I know.’ Elisabet smiles at Vivian before handing her off to her grandmother.
‘Hi sweetheart.’ Miriam greets her granddaughter, missing the concerned glances that Elisabet and Moira share over her shoulder.
The routine of the merge has now become strangely familiar to Aloy.
Like a ruin she’s making her way out of. Or a Sunwing flight that’s tapering down to a landing.
Elisabet’s sense of smell is instated smoothly, and while she looks more exhausted than ever before, GAIA has assured both Aloy and Beta that she is making excellent progress.
They’re getting closer towards the end.
‘That is cold. You really weren’t kidding.’
About two years later, Elisabet is seen in some sort of exam office, where she is being prodded in her stomach area with some strange scanning device.
‘I was not, I’m afraid.’ The doctor says with a small laugh.
‘It can’t be that cold.’ Moira teases from Elisabet’s other side.
‘You want to switch?’ Elisabet raises a red brow.
‘Nah, I’m good.’ Moira laughs. ‘I’ll leave my midriff where it is, thank you.’
‘That’s what I thought.’ Elisabet huffs, then grows silent as the seconds tick by.
There is a tension about the room as the quiet sets in, as if waiting for something to happen.
‘Well, there’s no baby just yet, unfortunately.’ The doctor says while removing the device.
‘Really?’ Elisabet face instantly falls.
Beside her, Moira squeezes her hand and rubs her shoulder.
‘No, but not to worry. It’s normal for this type of treatment to take a few tries.’ The doctor says, appearing optimistic. ‘The good news is that the medication is still working even between attempts. So we’ll set up an appointment to try again in another six to eight weeks.’
‘Alright…’ Elisabet sits up and looks away.
Moira takes over speaking with the doctor, and once he leaves, Elisabet buries her face in her hands.
‘Hey. Flower, it’ll be okay.’ Moira wraps her arms around her. ‘You heard him, we can just try again.’
Elisabet shakes her head.
‘Maybe this was a bad idea.’ Elisabet says.
‘What makes you say that?’
‘I… feel like a failure.’ Elisabet admits, the words appearing very hard to express. ‘Like I’m already a horrible mom and I haven’t even started yet.’
‘You will not be a horrible mom.’ Moira looks at her knowingly. ‘Just ask the tiny robots you’re always mothering in your office, and our legion of baby plants that you talk to for hours on end.’
Her words are meant to be light, to make Elisabet laugh or smile, but instead her face only falls further with worry.
‘Plants and bots are nothing like a baby.’ She points out. ‘And this is making me think…’ She shakes her head and puts her hands on her stomach. ‘Maybe this isn’t the best time after all.’
‘Oh, Lis.’ Moira pulls her into a hug. ‘Miriam wouldn’t want you to wait on her account.’
‘I know.’ Elisabet says. ‘But, Moira… she’s getting worse. I called her this morning, and she sounded so miserable. It’s like she’s a completely different person.’ She looks down. ‘I was hoping to give her some good news, but now…’
‘We can still tell her we’re trying. The good news will come when it comes.’ Moira leans her head on hers, running a hand up and down her back. ‘You can still tell her your other news, right?’
‘Yea.’ Elisabet seems a bit better with the slight change in subject as she looks at her hair. It’s grown even longer now, down to her knees. ‘I think she’ll like it.’
‘She’ll love it.’ Moira agrees. ‘But are you sure? It’s gonna be weird seeing you with short hair.’
‘I want her to have it. She said it didn’t matter, but I could tell it really bothered her when she had to shave all of hers off.’ She hums. ‘Appointment’s on Wednesday, so she should have it by the time we fly out there for Christmas soon. Besides…’
Elisabet looks up at Moira. An earnest look is on her face.
‘She’s my mom. I would do anything for her.’
“She’s my mom. I would do anything for her…”
Those words stick with Aloy as she watches Elisabet overcome the final stage of the merge, the sense of taste. Elisabet herself is already falling asleep as soon as GAIA’s tests are completed, and Aloy has noticed lately that her immense exhaustion seems a bit… odd.
The other participants of the merge seemed to become more alert over time, not the other way around. GAIA hasn’t stated that there has been a cause for concern, though.
Just the opposite, actually.
‘Elisabet’s chances are now at 95% given the instatement of all five stages.’ GAIA assures, capturing her attention. ‘Now all that is left is to finalize the merge.’
But as GAIA shuts the chamber down, and Elisabet is placed into the medically induced coma, Aloy can’t shake the nagging feeling that something doesn’t feel right.
‘Dad, you didn’t have to come all the way out here. We could have called a cab.’ Elisabet says while getting into the back seat of a car.
Her father is at the wheel, and Moira climbs into the passenger seat. The outside world is dark, and light snow falls across the icy windshield as they pull away from the parking area.
‘It’s late, and your flight got delayed.’ Is all her father says as he drives onto the highway.
‘Well thanks, Pop. We appreciate it.’ Moira hums, looking back at Elisabet teasingly. ‘Some of us more than others.’
‘That is not what I said.’ Elisabet shakes her head, unimpressed.
‘I don’t mind. Since we got some precious cargo on board, I hope?’ Elisabet’s father asks.
‘Not yet.’ Elisabet sighs, her expression instantly falling as she looks out the window. She reaches unconsciously run a hand through her hair, before pausing at the unfamiliar short length.
‘But soon.’ Moira turns back in her seat and grasps onto Elisabet’s hand.
‘Soon then.’ He hums in agreement and glances at his daughter through the rearview mirror. ‘No rush.’
It only takes a second.
One moment of distraction for the entire world to crash down.
There is the strident screeching of car tires, the crack of shattering glass, the sound of metal breaking, and the darkness of the video being ultimately cut short.
‘Elisabet is now stable for the time being, though we will not know the final results until the twenty-four hour period has passed.’
Aloy looks up at GAIA, slowly nodding as she looks back towards where Elisabet rests.
Beta is next to her, squeezing Aloy’s arm so tightly that there will no doubt be nail marks left on her skin. On the other side of Aloy is Erend, who’s hand is heavy but comforting on her shoulder. Kotallo is behind them, silently watching in support. Alva is standing next to him, her hands on Aloy and Beta’s shoulders. And Zo is on the other side of Beta, quietly rubbing her back in a calming manner.
Everyone has come upstairs to show their support, hopeful that Elisabet will pull through.
‘Soon she’ll wake up, and it’ll be like a bad dream.’ Beta says, more to herself than anyone else.
‘Exactly. I bet you and Aloy can’t wait.’ Alva hums.
‘Me neither. Hey, I got a keg of beer all ready to celebrate.’ Erend laughs.
‘Let’s not celebrate the harvest before the growth is finished.’ Zo chides lightly. ‘Let her rest and recover fully first.’
‘Agreed. Sound advice.’ Kotallo nods.
Somehow, Aloy can’t quite join their conversation.
GAIA has stated more than once that since Elisabet has had little to no complications thus far, she is confident that Elisabet will persevere through the finalization process.
Even still, why can’t Aloy shake the feeling that something is wrong?
That night, Aloy dreams of walking through a field of flowers under a brilliant night sky, but there is no one waiting for her there in the center.
Bonus Scene:
“Hey Lis…
The swarm’s close. Won’t be long now.
You know, I… when you first told me about all this, I didn’t want to believe you. I mean what? Your crazy ex-boss called you up to his swanky office to tell you “hey whoopsie, so we kind of screwed the entire world over! Our bad!”
Like what the absolute hell?
But… we both know you never lie. Not when it’s this important.
It meant a lot to me, you know? That I was the first one you called when shit hit the fan.
It still does, probably now more than ever.
Cuz it didn’t hit me til the order came in. When I was called to pilot again, really pilot, for the first time in years, and they started pullin’ planes outta museums.
You remember when I taught you how to fly one? Got a lot of flack that day. Outta protocol they said, a liability they said, but I’d do it again.
It was a good time we had. We both needed it. Especially you, after everything…
But guess I’ve talked long enough. I already made one of these for Sarah and Vivi, but… for some reason yours is harder. Guess it just goes to show all we’ve gone through together til now…
But I chose this. Enduring Victory. And I’d do it again.
I’ll always have your back Lis, and that’s never going to change.
So tell GAIA I said hi, and give ‘em hell for me, little sister.
…
… I’ll see you later, chicken butt.”
Dream Eater Allyphant Creations 
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