Heart Like a Machine

Chapter 20

After clearing out the Bristlebacks, we were on our way to Barren Light. Erend was there and he was already drinking. I walked over to him as Aloy walked over to the main guard by the gates who then took her up and onto the main gate.

"Already drinking?" I asked and watched as Aloy walked up onto the gates before coming down soon after, making her way over to the guards.

"Yeah. Need it to forget about this wound here."

I heard the steps of a Charger coming towards us. I looked behind me to see it was Varl. He got off and walked over to us.

"What's going on?" Varl asked.

"Typical situation of where Aloy wants something and no one is going to give it to her."

"Arrest her immediately!" Nozar yelled.

"I'd like to see you try!"

"Do you have something in mind, Erend?" we asked.

"Yeah, I got an idea."

"Hey, Nozar! What do you think Sun King Avad will do to you once he hears you didn't let the Savior of Meridian through? Promote you?"

Nozar disappeared from sight and the gates opened up. Aloy looked over at us and pointed her head past the gates. I walked over to her and we walked through the gates.

"What about the others?" I asked.

"Erend is getting treatment for his wound and Varl just got here. You've been with me since the start of the journey, the very start. Might as well let you lend me a hand here at the Embassy."

We walked towards this large gate where there were two groups of Tenakth waiting for us. Aloy walked over to them and started to talk about what is going on. Seems they were waiting for one of the clans to come to the Embassy. When the third clan finally showed up, an arrow was shot from the hill above. We both looked up to see someone was coming in, riding on a new machine. I clicked my Focus to see what this new machine was. It was a Clawstrider. The person began spouting out about the Tenakth commander, Chief Hekarro. They began to fire down upon us and we were all trapped here since the gate closed. 

"Looks like we never get the easy way," I said and ran to where they were coming from, since they were coming down from the hill. 

Once everything was said and done, there were too many casulities to count at the moment. The surviving Tenakth retreated back to the tribes from where they came. Aloy and I were looking at the damage that was caused by this. I was wounded during the fight, but it was nothing I couldn't handle.

"I'm going to go out there and see what I can find. I'll be back at Barren Light before you know it."

"Just message me if anything goes wrong," I said. "You know I worry about you."

"I know you do. Look after Erend and Varl."

I nodded and headed back to Barren Light while Aloy went out more West. I walked into Barren Light and they tended to my wounds. Erend and Varl were talking amongst one another when I sat beside them after my wound was taken care of.

"Where's Aloy?" Varl asked.

"She went out to see if she could find what she was looking for. I wanted to go with her, but as you can see, I am in a bit of pain."

"Might want to rest up for a bit. Afterwards, we can go out there and search for her if she doesn't say anything for a while."

"I just hope whatever is out there, she'll be ok dealing with it on her own."

It had been some time since we had last heard from Aloy. Varl and I decided it was best for us to go out there and see what had happened. We got onto the Chargers and raced out from Barren Light. I used my Focus and scanned her tracks to get an idea of where she could have gone. The Forbidden West was vast and much larger than the east. Her tracks stopped at this entrance. I presumed she went in there, but I feared that if she went in there, she either came out or didn't. I looked around and Varl went into the entrance and searched around for her. I walked by a bank of water to see she had washed ashore.

"ALOY! Varl, get over here!"

Varl turned and ran out from where he was and I knelt down and grabbed Aloy, pulling her out of the water. 

"Rost?" Aloy whispered as I helped her up. "I found the-"

"Shh, Aloy, don't speak. I'm here."

"I've got the-" she blacked out.

"We need to get her to a healer," I said and grabbed her, moving her around to where she was on my back.

"You got her?"

"Yeah. It would be better if I carried her on my back instead of on a Charger. I don't want her falling off."

"I'll go see if there is anyone around to help," Varl said and got onto his Charger, riding off.

I carried Aloy to where my Charger was and laid her down on the ground. I looked at her almost limp body as I held her close.

"You're going to come through, Aloy," I said as I prayed to the Goddess that she would.

I waited for a while until Varl came back with a few people behind him. I picked up Aloy, placed her on my back, and started to walk towards Varl.

"We're not far from an Utaru outpost. They can help Aloy get the medical attention she needs."

"Thank goodness," I said.

"We'll lead you to where we live," one of them said.

"Thank you. What's your name?"

"Zo."

"Y/N. And this is Aloy," I said, using my head to point to Aloy. 

We slowly walked to the outpost that was nearby. Since I was pretty vulnerable, Varl was walking with me while Zo was riding on the Charger. The other Utaru tribe member was also providing some security while we walked in the night.

"How are you holding up, Y/N?" Varl asked.

"I'm holding up fine," I said, now using my spear as a way to help distribute the weight. "I had no idea Aloy was this heavy. I'm not saying she's like overweight, she's just really muscular if you think about it."

"I could imagine her being built that way with how she needs to fight machines."

We reached the outpost and Zo showed me where I could put Aloy. I set her down in a small house and I fell down beside her, exhausted from carrying her. 

"Will you be ok here, Y/N?"

"Yeah, yeah I'll be fine. I just need to get some rest."

"Alright," Varl said and walked off with Zo.

I rolled over to look at Aloy. There was still some water on her face, which I reached over and wiped the few droplets aside, pushing her hair back to reveal more of her features.

"You'll make it out ok, Aloy," I said and placed my hand on her cheek, caressing it lightly with my thumb.