Heart Like a Machine

Chapter 80

I woke up and looked around, seeing everyone else was asleep. I looked to my right to see Aloy wasn't there. But as soon as I was about to stand up, she rushed over to me.

"Have you seen Lis?"

"N-No I haven't. Is she not in my old room?"

"No. S-She's not in the base."

"She went after Sylens!" I said.

I woke up Beta and we headed out of the base. We all scanned around the base to find her tracks. Beta caught on to them and we headed after them. We were all worried when we walked past Scalding Spear. This was really far out. I know it was on the way to the base from the house, but when we passed where the house was, I knew things were only going to get harder from here.

"Her tracks stop here," Beta said. "And pick up over on Legacy's Landfall."

We need to get over there and quickly," Aloy said and called the Sunwing. 

It flew down towards us and Aloy and Beta got onto the one Sunwing while I called for the other. I got onto it and we all flew towards Legacy's Landfall. We landed where the Quen once were to see everything was desolate. It was as if they all picked up everything and left. They left no trace that they were even there.

"Where are the tracks heading to now?" I asked Beta.

"This way," she said and we walked furhter inland.

While we were walking, I looked over to see Aloy was lagging behind a bit, staring at the ground.

"You go on, Beta. Aloy and I will catch up," I called up ahead.

I walked over to Aloy and she stopped.

"What if Sylens has killed her? What if this is all for nothing? I-I shouldn't have told her anything," she said, a few tears sliding down her face. "I should have gone after him the moment you told me. At least that way she wouldn't be risking her life."

"Hey, hey," I said and put my hand on her shoulder, looking down into her eyes. "We're going to make it out of here and alive. I promise you that, Aloy. We're going to find Lis, end Sylens once and for all, and head back home safe and sound."

Aloy slowly nodded her head. I pulled her into a hug and held her tightly. She rested her head on my shoulder while my face was buried in hers. Her grip around me tightened as she let out a few silent sobs. I ran my hand up and down her back, trying to calm her. 

"We're going to be just fine, Aloy. If Lis is anything like you, she is a fighter until the very end."

"I hope so."

"I know so. If she was a fighter when she was younger, she's going to be a fighter now. It runs in our blood to be warriors."

She chuckled, "I guess you're right."

I pulled away and looked at her. I reached up and wiped away her tears. Leaning towards her, I placed a soft and gentle kiss to her lips. She happily kissed back. After a few moments, she pulled away and placed her forehead against mine.

"We're going to get through this together, Aloy."

I pulled away and grabbed her hand. We walked in the direction of where Beta went until we finally reached up to her. She was at Thebes.

"Thebes?" Aloy asked. "But when I came here with Alva and the Ceo of the Quen, it collapsed in on itself because Faro died."

"I'm picking up two signs of life."

"They have to be down there," I said.

"Look. A crack in the rocks," Aloy said and walked over to it.

She put her spear tip in it and moved the rocks away, creating a small opening.