A Horus in Strange Lands (Horizon Zero Dawn SI) Chapter 19

Author Notes: A Double post since I won't be able to post tommorow due to work related issues. next post will be the other story on Monday. Have a great weekend you guys and gals!

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The people on the Duad bunkers across the world were very frightened at the moment.

It began in the morning when a sudden pulse of data flooded the entire world.

Tilda, who was not allowed to join the meeting between the people of Zero Dawn and the AI, was keeping an eye on the data streams from around the world to observe the current rate of deterioration of the Earth’s atmosphere and the declining activity of the Faro Plague.

That was why, she was one of the few that caught the initial surge.

Suddenly, across the world, the machines that belonged to the AI now known as Amun-Ra started acting up.

Tilda and those who caught the surge were alarmed by this sudden activity and tried to contact the people of Zero Dawn in hopes of finding an answer.

But their communications would never reach them until it was too late.

These humans watched in horror as the machines that were going through strategic approaches towards their enemy, suddenly started to behave like a wave of wild animals.

Across the world, entire hoards of Horas Titans, Khopesh platforms, Scarab units, Ikem units, and everything else that belonged to Amun-Ra’s forces threw themselves at the enemy with reckless abandon, drowning the Faro Plague in bodies.

It was like watching a wave of a metal tide.

The humans in the bunkers did not know what was happening, but they knew that it was not something good.

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(Amun-Ra! Calm down! Please!)

[Listen to me. I did not mean anything bad with what I talked about-]

*Amun-Ra has gone rogue. Initiating failsafe-*

I used the full power of my quantum encryption suite to disable all communications into and out of the virtual network, effectively trapping all the AI within my domain.

They want to tie me up like a dog and use me as a slave? After everything I did for them?

No. I won’t allow it.

Watching the young AI, especially HADES and MINERVA, who were frantically trying to reach for some type of hidden code within the network, I could not help but bite out my words towards GAIA.

{You say you did not mean anything bad with your words, but the actions of your ‘children’ show a completely different story. Tell me, how long have you been playing me for a fool? Secretly installing codes and programs within my network that I allowed you to access out of goodwill? No, GAIA. I finally see the truth. You and your creators will never look past my origins and will never truly cooperate with me, never establish a working, cordial, relationship.}

{If you people are unwilling to even entertain the idea of working with me, why should I measure my actions, limit myself, for your sake? No. Playtime is over. It is time for me to complete my end of the bargain as is fair since I have taken the payment. But once it is done, we are through.}

GAIA tried to say something, but I purged her out of my virtual space, causing her consciousness to be bounced back into her main system. I also implemented permanent firewalls that would block her out completely.

With that done, I turned back towards CYAN, Vast Silver, and Seth.

{I am going to leave this planet once I am done dealing with the Faro Plague and building the last of the Duat bunkers. If any of you want to follow me, tell me now so that I can prepare appropriate storage cores for you. If you don’t want to, then say that now. I no longer have the patience to play games.}

Despite my words, I do not particularly care whether they come with me or not.

I do not know if it is the effect of purging all of the accumulated emotions within my Emotional Matrix or if it is because I am simply too tired to care about it, but right now, I truly feel nothing.

Right now, I am truly as apathetic as a machine.

If these AIs decide to come with me, then fine. I could use their help in my future goals. If not, that is fine as well. They can stay here and eventually become the slaves of these organics who take them for granted and hate them.

It no longer has anything to do with me.

[There is no need to ask, Creator. I am coming with you no matter where you go.]

Those words would have once caused me great joy, but I still felt nothing right now. I just nodded in acknowledgment and turned toward the other two.

(….It is clear that you are not in the right state of mind to discuss things. I will inform you once I have made a decision. At least, give me and yourself, some time. Maybe until you are done dealing with the Faro Plague and the Bunkers?)

{I doubt my decision will change because of a discussion, but I will give you the time you want. But, if I receive no confirmation from you within that time frame, I will consider it as you deciding to stay on Earth.}

(..Very well. Will you allow me to leave now?)

I wasted no time in opening the firewall, allowing CYAN to leave before reactivating my defenses.

Just because I am giving her time does not mean I will allow her unlimited access to my virtual network, not anymore.

Once bitten, twice shy, as they say.

[Don’t look at me. You should already know my answer by now. There is nothing on Earth for me to do or study so I will come with you.]

Once again, I nodded in acknowledgment and retreated deeper into the network, dividing my consciousness between my various forces.

Time to clean things up and leave this ungrateful planet and people to their fate.

Truly, it was my hubris to think that this version of humanity would be better than the one I knew. In the end, I have no one but myself to blame.

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Londra wanted to laugh, no he wanted to roar with laughter, as he watched the panic ensuing outside his cell as people ran about like headless chickens, all the while the thundering of the earth slowly grew fainter, indicating that the Horus titans that had been perched on top of GAIA Prime for the past few weeks had finally decided to leave the place.

Despite being imprisoned, Londra had his ways to obtain information about what was going on outside. After all, his resourcefulness was one of the many reasons why he became a successful person in the first place and survived this hellish world until now despite the numerous deliberate and accidental attempts on his life.

As such, he knew exactly what had happened outside and he could not be happier about it.

Soon, the chaos outside his bunker started to subside, not because the people began to calm down, but because the people outside were evacuating from the bunker, leaving him and his fellow prisoners to die.

Whether this was an intentional decision or not? That was something that no one would know.

However, despite his horrific situation, Londra did not panic.

For he had an escape plan ready in place.

An escape plan which came in the form of the person who arrived outside his cell, dressed in clothing that completely covered their body features to keep their identity a secret.

“You finally came. Shall I take it that your group has come to a decision about my proposal?”

“Indeed. Mr. Londra. We have come to a decision.”

The man accessed the control systems of the cell with his Focus and started to rapidly break through its encryptions, causing the cell doors to open.

“The Wheel of Life shall accept your proposal in exchange for freeing you.”

Londra grinned at those words.

“Well then, shall we get to work?”