Smile Like A Broken Star[Canceled]

Run Aloy Run!

[A/N: We follow Aloy this chapter as she gathers the supplies Cyno asked her to gather. She has almost all of it, like the pro Nora huntress badass she is but there's a problem. Her last item may not prove so easy a target among the snowy cliffs of Dragonspine. She receives help from the most unlikely of sources...]

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Snow fell in a howling blizzard to coat the snowy treacherous peak as a lone figure raced and dashed with the agility and nimbleness of a vixen. Massive deadly spears of ice falling from the ceiling of the shimmering frozen cave to almost hit the lone figure that leaped out to reveal a young ginger haired huntress. Hot on her tail a group of hilichurls raced at her but all it took was a toss of a strange robotic cooling unit and a clean shot of her arrow to send them flying over the cliffs. The way up had been treacherous but the mountain that was the grave of a fell dragon of venom was child's playground to her. 

Mountains were where Aloy was in her element with nothing but nature as her foe and trainer. Swift and precise were the ginger archer's movements As she made her way to the bottom of the cavern. "I have to hurry, everyone's counting on me to get those materials for the antidote."she thought checking briefly behind her shoulder after hopping across the freezing ice cold water. The objective she was after would take her straight for some ruins found here on the mountain towards the west side. With a tap of her finger onto the small device on her ear she pulled up the map, objective, and tracker.

"Now where would these things be I wonder?"she muttered out loud in thought. However a cries of distress and a rumbling shake of the mountain caught her attention. Should go investigate? Part of her wanted to go see if they were alright but another knew she was on a tight time limit and it was not a luxury she had to spare. "No I best go look."she thought with a frustrated sigh. Darn her soft, bleeding heart! So with a growl she hurried towards the source to witness not one but two boys plummeting to their doom due to the avalanche. One a sandy blonde and the other a more of a platinum blonde. The sandy blonde had the other, unconscious boy in his arms.

"Oh no, not good!"she yelped and bolted for them pulling out her grappling hook she tossed it and swung straight for them. "Grab my hand!!!"

The young sandy blonde wasted no time to her shock letting a burst of geo energy come forth to aid in grabbing her hand while the flower had lowered the other boy to safety below. "I do not know who you are but I appreciate the assistance strange but respectable wanderer."he called hanging on tight as Aloy lowered them both down. Upon closer inspection she noticed this boy was around Lumine's and her own height and his appearance well kept. The most noticeable trait was that large star shaped yellow birthmark on his neck.

"Are you alright?"Aloy asked.

"I am fine and my friend should be too but that blow to his head he's going to feel it when he awakens shortly. But I have matters I must attend to if my plan is to work."he said smoothly. "Forigive me, what is your name?"

"I'm Aloy, a traveling huntress and I too must hurry."Aloy huffed with haste starting to leave. 

"Oh, you're searching for something? What is it if I may inquire, Traveler Aloy?"he asked.

"Starsilver. Somebody important to my friend needs it for medicine and time is short."Aloy explained looking over her shoulder.

"I know where to to get some starsilver. Allow me to assist you quickly but in return help me deal with this situation at hand."Aloy froze and looked over. The offer was one of give and take; something an alchemist would probably do in behavior. But it was a fair trade and it would probably a swift operation.

"Alright I shall help you but what is your name?"Aloy asked.

"My name is Albedo, I'm the chief alchemist for the Knights of Favonious of Monstandt."he introduced motioning her to follow. Follow Aloy did.

"A pleasure to be working with you for now, Albedo."she smiled. Swiftly they made themselves scarce before reaching their destination. As promised Albedo showed her and even helped to harvest the best quality starsilver they could. Even refining it into a powder for her with his alchemy. The look of curiosity never leaving his face. Once they got what she required next came her part of their deal. From the shadows they had followed the small group of his friends which included a mirror copy imposter of Albedo. "What insanity is this?"she whispered from where they watched and waited as Albedo summoned his sword.

"A mutated whopperflower, capable of taking the forms of other beings. It's rare but not something I have not seen happen before."he whispered as they watched the imposter suddenly attack the group. A shine of mischief in his eyes as he glanced at Aloy. "It might be what you need for your final item on your list you told me. The nectar from it has special properties worthy of note."

"Special how?"she asked as they hurried down to the scene.

"For example be made for a effective medicine or...a poison against allogenes."Aloy's eyes grew wide in disbelief. Did that mean this thing was the root ingredient or one of them to Ajax's poison!? She did not know but it was possible. Swiftly they raced into the conflict and just as the fake was about to let loose an attack on the group Albedo had stabbed it in the back right through the heart. Instantly it fell as Aloy delivered another blast joining in to assist as the strange mutated whopperflower made itself known in its real form in full fury. The battle had been tricky but with two pyro users, Albedo's geo, and the other knight's claymore it was dealt with swiftly and without mercy. Albedo wasted no time at all gathering the strange plant's nectar into a vial. Unlike other shining nectar it gleamed a sinister red hue, not gold.

"I believe this should suffice."Albedo hummed handing Aloy the vial. "And please...tell Lumine and Childe I said hello."

"Wait you knew?"Albedo only smiled while the others looked confused.

"Albedo you got a lot of explaining to do!"hissed the bluette knight.

"Yeah Albedo is something going on? Who is this?"asked the burnette archer only to squeak at seeing the ginger archer vanish in a shine of golden white light. "Hey come back!"

"You needn't worry, that was a friend of Lumine's."Albedo assured. Whatever had happened within these months he hoped his friend was safe. But he had connected something must have happened to warrant getting materials to make an antidote. But Aloy, yet another traveler from another world...how intriguing. Meanwhile Aloy appeared back within the city gates of Sumeru. With haste she raced through the streets for where Cyno was waiting.

Time remaining: 29 hours and 10 minutes.

To Be Continued....