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DAY ONE
The usual air of conversation between them has been light and airy so far. They collectively decided to leave their mounts at the edge of the Banuk land and spend the last few hours traveling by foot. Aloy watched Kotallo's expressions as he took in the climate before him: the steep mountains, the cold, biting air.
She couldn't wait to show him the expense of white, wild land the Cut had to offer. Full of frozen lakes, deep, powdery snow, and the bright, Banuk paintings. Aloy wondered what he would think of the natural pigments found in this part of the world. Of the colorful geysers and lakes boiling despite the harsh cold around them.
She couldn't help but remember the sparkle in Kotallo's eyes as he first told her about the Wings of The Ten. Aloy selfishly hoped she could be the person to show him something that would reignite that spark again.
As soon as the information about Aloy's presence in the Cut reached Aratak's and Ourea's ears, they went out to meet their friend. Aloy noticed the hesitation in their eyes as they landed on her companion - Kotallo. It was time to face the conversation she came there to have, no matter how hard it might be.
The meeting with Aratak didn't alleviate the weight of dread Aloy felt on her shoulders every time her thoughts formed the word 'Nemesis'. If not for the trust and camaraderie they developed during the Nora's first visit in the Cut, he would have immediately said no to risking his men for 'her war' as he called it. It was difficult to convince him of the scale of the problem they would all have to face within the year. The whole conversation wasn't any easier having a warrior from an unknown tribe try to convince the Banuk Chieftan to listen to Aloy. His word meant nothing to them and if not for Ourea things might have escalated between the two.
Aloy told Ourea about the Focus and asked her to consider using it to communicate in the future. The Shaman was skeptical but promised to consult with Cyan about the new piece of ancient equipment. Aloy made a mental note to visit the AI. She was her friend, but she also wished she could put her and Gaia in contact. They could learn a lot from each other.
Aratak agreed to think on the matter along with his men, he told them he needed some time. He invited them to stay in Song's Edge until he and Ourea came to a mutual decision. He gave a small smile to Aloy, looked at Kotallo, and left them both to their own devices.
Aloy sighed and turned her attention to Kotallo, who was still measuring Aratak as the Chieftan was leaving. He was tense, the muscles in his jaw twitching just slightly. His skin looked paler, almost sickly. Aloy touched his forearm and to her dread, his skin wasn't a warm contrast to her icy fingers. No, he was cold. Kotallo's never cold.
She sighed again, suspecting it would be a hard conversation. She didn't want to agitate him further, but his pride would make him sick before he admitted he wasn't prepared for this climate.
"Kotallo." He gave her a gruff of acknowledgment not looking at her. His eyes were still fixed on where Aratak left. 'We are going to a Merchant, you're getting new armor. A Banuk armor.' His eyes snapped onto her with such speed Aloy almost flinched. There was a flame in them, but when they met Aloy's soft, worried ones, his body instinctively relaxed a bit. A shiver went through it, making the hairs Aloy was touching stand up as his arm got covered in goosebumps.
She held in her smile as Kotallo looked horrified at his skin. His own body betrayed him in front of her. She gently grabbed his arm and led him towards the middle of the settlement looking for a Merchand's tent. At least this confrontation went better than expected.
Kotallo left the confined space of the Merchand's tent to stretch and try to break in the new armor they had just bought. Aloy smiled looking at him, it was good he finally admitted that he needed to change his armor to suit the Cut's climate better.
He was very well prepared to fight off cold air, but the Banuk's land's air is moist, casting everything in a delicate mist that freezes the moment it touches any surface. Open skin can get frostbite incredibly easily, no matter how hot the blood running through one's veins is.
Aloy took her eyes off the Tenakth as he left the tent and focused on the Merchant, paying for the armor and any extra goods they needed to resupply after their travel here. Cold, biting wind met her skin and made Aloy squint.
He stood in front of the Mural in the middle of the settlement. Aloy almost forgot about it, it was Sekuli's work from her last visit here. It wasn't as large as the paintings on the Bulwark, but it was incredibly detailed. The Banuk shapes and colors flowing right along Sekuli's realistic drawings of machines. And there was her - Aloy - the focal point of the painting.
It was interesting. It was a depiction of her, yet it didn't invoke the same embarrassing, uncomfortable feelings as the statue in Meridian did. Aloy didn't see it as an ode to the Saviour or as a thing to worship. It was a true depiction of what happened. Made by a friend, with paints and pigments Aloy helped to gather. Despite everything she felt pride looking at it. She felt accepted among the Banuk, almost as much as she felt among the Tenakth, and it was good to be back.
She glanced at Kotallo. He looked different in his new armor. Heavy skins draped on his shoulders, and long, thick pants covering his muscular legs. She was glad she managed to force him into buying Banuk footwear. Wearing sandals in this climate made her shiver. She couldn't understand how he did it back in Sky-Clan's territory.
He didn't seem to notice her behind him. His chin was upturned, eyes sparkling hovering over the wall in front of them. He was studying the mural. His usual, carefully crafted, stoic demeanor was forgotten for this moment. There was a feeling of awe radiating off his expression.
A small movement on her left caught her attention. It was Sekuli, her feet dangling from the wooden structures around the Mountain wall. Aloy smiled noticing her. Even after her work was long done, she still preferred solace, seeking peace at the same place where Aloy had met her all those months ago.
"Sekuli!" Aloy shouted and waved towards her old friend, she saw Kotallo flinch, not expecting to hear her behind him. Sekuli's eyes scanned the people below, Aloy saw the moment she recognized the blue and red figure, as a smile spread across the Banuk's face.
Both Aloy and Kotallo tracked her movements as she skillfully jumped down the wooden structures. Aloy moved to Kotallo, her hand gently resting on the back of his arm to signal that she was there. Sekuli joined them, a huge smile still adoring her face as she greeted Aloy again and introduced herself to Kotallo. He was stiff, expecting yet another Banuk to look at him in a hostile light, but Aloy's ease and Sekuli's genuineness allowed him to return a half-smirk and nod politely towards the Banuk.
Sekuli invited them to eat with her. As they walked Aloy talked about the battle with Regalla and how come a Tenakth warrior decided to join her on her journey back East. Kotallo kept his distance, walking a couple of paces behind them and observing the settlement, half-listening to their conversation.
Most of the buildings were half-tents, wooden structures covered in heavy, lush hides. They provided warmth and separation from the biting wind that was prominent throughout the settlement. The 'mass', as Kotallo heard Sekuli call the place they were heading, was a big, wooden tavern. Inside there were tables, gain skins covering some of the walls.
There was a loud chatter in the air and a deep, smoky smell of cooked meat. Despite the unknown faces and armors, as well as new, striking spices filling the air, the atmosphere was welcoming. The place for collective meals reminding Kotallo of the Grove.
Aloy picked a meal for them both, and the three of them sat down to eat. As she mentioned Kotallo watching Sekuli's mural, she could swear the tips of his ears reddened. Sekuli was happy to listen to his comments, she noticed the ink on his arm as they ate and asked him about the practice.
Aloy lips were tugged up in a small smile as she watched her companion and an old friend get more and more comfortable, sharing thoughts and experiences in the way they prepare paints, make markings, and what symbols they use and why. Both the Banuk and the Tenakth based their works on symbolism, but Kotallo seemed enamored by the realistic part of Sekuli's drawings earlier. The colors and figures spoke to him, despite the symbols being unknown.
The meal was soon finished, but the light banter between the two stayed strong. Aloy watched as Sekuli traced Kotallo's intricate tattoos. Not long ago he wouldn't have allowed even her near them, and yet here he was, smiling as a young, talented painter admired the work of Tenakth inkers.
Aloy couldn't help but feel an inkling of jealousy along with pride. both she and Kotallo helped each other come out of their shells, allowing people to be in their space, allowing themselves to interact with others more freely. It was hard to get through Kotallo's barriers after the Embassy, Sekuli couldn't have known how lucky she was to meet the Tenakth now and not a few months earlier.
Aloy was selfishly glad Kotallo finally agreed to wear Banuk armor. Her jealous heart would probably force her to intervene if Sekuli paid the same amount of attention to his other tattoos that he usually wore on display. She blushed a little remembering how short his tassets were, how low on his hips they sat.
She didn't dare name many other emotions she felt towards the Tenakth. Comfort, pride, and jealousy were easy, there were moments in her life as an outcast that taught her about these feelings. The more complicated, hidden ones had to wait. Aloy didn't dare to face them yet, barely acknowledging their existence.
The chatter in the lodge soon quieted. Most Banuk were about to go back to their posts or home at the end of the day. Nights were even colder, it was rare for people to spend them outside.
Ourea told them earlier about the tent Aloy and Kotallo could share for the days she and her brother needed to reach a decision. Even though the tribe rarely accepted visitors, they respected Aloy and offered her a place within the settlement's walls.
Sekuli escorted them through the quiet village. The wind was deafened by the settlement's structures and tall, rigged mountains surrounding them. Kotallo walked a few paces behind them, keeping watch but also allowing himself to take in the icy tops and sheer cliffs glistening in the last remains of the sunset. The moist, fluffy snow that coated the mountains like a blanket shimmered in the rays that lazily followed the sun which had already passed the horizon. There was a calmness, a wild beauty in this climate. So similar to his former home, yet so new and mesmerizing with its dancing snowflakes and multicolor highlights.
Sekuli looked behind her shoulder before breaching her idea to Aloy. She needed a restock of her paints, some pigments Aloy recognized, and some new found in small, newfound caves within the Cut. Aloy sensed there was more to the ask than just a mission for old-times sake. Sekuli laughed good-heartedly at Aloy's furrowed brows.
The Banuk sighted and tugged at her tunic before letting the quiet words out with a puff of mist.
"Aloy, I don't think you've changed much since I last saw you. I heard the talks. Yet again you feel responsible for fighting against something dangerous. Something our best warriors would rather not face. As someone who admires you..." She lifted her eyes and looked at Aloy, her steps not faltering knowing the settlement as well as her paintings.
"As your friend, I want you to take this forced break in your journey as just that. A break. You deserve to do something for yourself while you're here. Take this time to find a place that speaks to you Aloy. Take the pigments you gather. Paint. Leave your mark on the lands you've saved once before. Not as a warrior winning yet another war. Not as a savior. Not even as my friend. As you, Aloy. As you see yourself. And as I am sure he sees you"
Her small but pointed nod to Kotallo's direction made Aloy curse her freckled skin for reddening with rapid speed. She managed a small nod, as she forced her eyes to focus on the path ahead and her ears to ignore Sekuli's soft chuckle. The Banuk's words kept swirling in her head even as they long parted ways and she lay in the darkness of the tent she was to share with Kotallo for the nearest future.
She felt his eyes on her as they prepared for bed. She was grateful for his silence, they knew each other well enough to respect their need to think and process some things alone.
Kotallo didn't say anything as he watched from his bunk. He knew she would probably stay awake most of the night, as she usually would if something was on her mind. He also knew that she wanted to be left alone, so he willed himself to fall asleep, listening to her steady breaths and the winds slashing through the mountain peaks above.
DAY TWO
The day started as it usually did when sleeping in a settlement of any kind. With the buzz of people waking up, socializing, and starting to work. Aloy let herself lay on the cot for a few breaths, listening to the world around her and letting her body wake up from the shallow sleep. There was no point in haste, both she and Kotallo would stay in the Cut for as long as Aratak and Ourea needed to reach a conclusion. It could be days or weeks. Aloy just willed her mind not to worry about the consequences the potential long wait would mean for the war ahead.
The sound of footsteps made her focus on the present. She tensed, trying to gauge if there would be any opposing threat on her life from any of the Banuk. The leathers to her shelter parted and a fresh, hot smell filled the space. Kotallo stood in the doorway with two bowls of what smelled like porridge and meats. He smiled seeing Aloy lose the tension in her shoulders at the smell.
"It's good to see you awake, Aloy. Here, eat." He gave her a bowl and they ate in familiar silence. It's Kotallo, who took it upon himself to teach Aloy that even the strongest warriors, with the most important missions, need rest and fuel. He ensured she would stop, eat, and let herself take a break from planning and strategizing. She was glad to have him in her life.
They went over the map of Pigments Aloy still had from her last stay in the Cut. The day before, Sekuli added a few new spots and encouraged them both to use whatever colors and mediums spoke to them.
Their journey for pigments started with travel to the South-Eastern part of the Cut.
They watched the Tallneck surround the icey mountain that once served as its premature gravesite. It was always comforting to see the machine making its endless circles. A harmless, passive being just existing without a care in the world.
They made quick work of the passages and trails winding around hills and smaller mountains. It was as they were headed back West when they heard a cacophony of sounds.
Kotallo stopped in his tracks, mouth partially opened, eyes widening with each beat. It was coming from below them, yet the echo sounded throughout the valley they stood in, bouncing off every surface. Every stone, every tree, every living being, trembled from the vibrations the drums brought.
Kotallo's thoughts went back to the Kulrut, to the drums, instruments, and celebrations so integral to the event. He felt the same buzzing overtaking his body at this moment.
Aloy's chuckle brought him back from his memories. She pointed towards the dam and followed the river's path to a dome-like hill protruding from the ground. She explained the Deep Din and its musician - Laulai.
They talked about their first meeting, about the flood Gildun once caused. Even Kotallo wasn't surprised to hear that the Oseram scavenger caused mayhem even here. Aloy giving him a Focus resulted in all of their friends getting bombarded by his recollections of past shenanigans.
After promising to visit Laulai in the future, Aloy decided to take Kotallo through the mountains east of the dam. They followed the path to the cave at the top, stopping at a man-made, wooden platform to take a breath and take in the view.
She and Kotallo sat at the edge of the platform, drinking from their water skins and letting the small, fluffy snowflakes cover their bodies, heated from the uphill track.
They could see the whole valley below. The Tallneck's head peaking from above the hills, constantly making its slow, methodical circle. Aloy took this moment to tell the story of repairing it when she first visited the Cut. Of how one of its missing pieces was being guarded by a Scorcher under the influence of a sickness separate from the one seen throughout the other Tribe's lands. The Daemon.
She pointed to the visible towers, their build reminding her now of some corals that she saw while diving in the sea back in the Forbidden West. Now, after being repaired, and the sickness gone, they calmed the machines within their path of influence instead of driving them mad.
Aloy was proud, of how the changes she caused to this piece of land so many months ago still standed. Still brought good. The echo of her presence was still a good, calming one for the Banuk.
After the brief stop, they continued their journey up the mountainside. They reached a cave opening, illuminated by groups of blue cables. The lights borrowed from the machines, the symbol of the blue light that was so sacred to the Shamans. Aloy saw Kotallo's questioning look, emphasized by his right eyebrow being raised.
She just shook her head and pointed North. They had to get over the dam. She craved to talk to Ourea, talk to CYAN... but now was not the time. They needed to wait for their decision, forcing them to haste wouldn't bring any good.
They crossed over the dam, traveling upwards. They discussed how the three towers keeping the machines around them calm could operate. Maybe if they knew, they could replicate them. Aloy loved that about Kotallo. She could think so much clearer when she had him to explain her ideas to. His quiet and sharp mind always managed to uncoil whatever knot of information her brain was struggling with processing.
Kotallo just smiled gently and pointed out some information they could later discuss with GAIA. He loved seeing her like this. Her fiery and complex soul shined as brightly as her hair and eyes when she was enveloped in describing a subject that she was interested in.
This sight of her was one of his favorites - His ruthless, incredibly smart Commander reaching out for his input on the matter that troubled her. Yet again it dawned on him, how lucky all of them were to have met this incredible woman.
After moving past the towers they turned East. There were a few pigment spots around the area, and Aloy wanted to show Kotallo something that took her breath away the first time she saw it all those months ago.
They made their way past a big, old building with another tower set in the middle of the structure. Inside there were signs of past settlers. Small fireplaces, abandoned tents, cashes with some essentials. Seemed like this old world structure, now protected by the tower that once caused chaos and harm, had become a safe haven for travelers needing a place to rest.
There were two beautiful, colorful lakes in front of them. A heard of Tumplers guarded the space between them. Aloy and Kotallo decided to go around them using the path up North. Usually, it was almost instinctual to want to clear every group of machines in their path, but since recovering GAIA, they appreciated the beauty in them roaming free. Each machine had a purpose in this world. They were made by GAIA and Hephestus for a reason, a reason to better the overall state of the world.
There was a serene beauty in this strange, brutal world. The biting cold, the machines capable of harm if disturbed, the animals protected and resurrected by Artemis, and the people, living in harmony with each of the elements. This world, with all of its flaws and dangers, with all of its beauty and simple comforts, all of it was worth protecting. Worth fighting for.
They both fell silent, keeping close to each other and observing the herd and the still, steaming water from the lakes. The sun danced on the water, showing different shades of colors and patterns the wind left on the surface.
Soon they were greeted by sounds typical for every thriving settlement. Merchants' yells, children's laughter, and any chatter accompanying people at work. In front of them, above a huge, pearlescent lake sat Stone Yeld. The last pigment from Sekuli's list lay within the hills leading up to the mountains North from there. They collected it, before heading to the settlement itself.
They talked to the locals, bought food, and gathered around the main campfire happy to talk about their journey and listen to gossip. Aloy asked how the life in Cut was after Daemon's disappearance and learned that there was one machine still under the plague's influence prowling through the Banuk lands.
Most of the herds always come back to their pasture and territory. Hephestus keeps the same types and amounts of machines around certain places as a permanent part of the scenery. After repairing the Towers, newly made machines were free from the Daemon's rule.
The machine mentioned was a Thunderjaw. Most said only Aratak and his best men would be able to kill it, but since the machine stayed in its valley at the far North-West of the Cut, he didn't deem the risk of losing men worth eradicating it. No Banuk would go against their Chieftan, but it was clear the settlers were disappointed that there was still a part of the cursed plague remaining.
Kotallo hearing the story only nodded to Aloy, as she made the decision for the both of them. He knew her well enough to be certain she would go after the plagued Thunderjaw. She knew him well enough not to question whether he would fight alongside her.
They prepared their camp for the night, deciding to stay in Stone Yield and head back West next thing tomorrow morning. For now, they opened the recipe Sekuli gave them and collected needed items.
The colors they acquired were in the form of small chromatic chunks. Sekuli described the process of turning them into paints. It was surprisingly similar to how Tenakth inkers prepared ink from Blood Ash. Kotallo saw how they used a pestle and mortar to grind the pigments into powder before adding it to the medium.
Utaru dyers used similar methods to obtain colors from plants. Sekuli was fascinated by the way tribes from all around the world found ways to extract and use color to express their tastes and feelings.
Kotallo prepared needed animal fat from game Stone Yeld's hunters shared, just as Aloy dug through her sachels for the small jar the Banuk painter gave them. It contained larch sap. Most painters used pine sap, since larch grew in difficult places around the Cut, but Sekuli was very adamant that their paintings should last and tell Aloy's story for as long as they could. Aloy knew better than to argue.
They needed to warm up the sap and add warm water to create a good consistency for painting. Kotallo suggested warming them up with a fire. Aloy only shook her head, gave him a smirk, and left their tent. The Tenakth sighted and followed his Commander. She had something else in mind.
She led them South through the settlement. The Banuk around them were mostly finishing up their daily work and preparing for the night spent with their families. They reached the edge of a lake. It was the biggest in the Cut and was full of natural pigments coating its floor.
Only then did Kotallo realize that there was a geyser, periodically shooting out water, sitting in the shallows of the lake. The water was steaming. The realization hit him. This beautiful, colorful lake was warm. Against the cold, white climate of the Cut, there were these ponds. These sanctuaries of color and heat.
They kneeled at the edge, as Aloy started to explain the natural phenomenon in front of them. The Tenakth lands had hot springs, but their mountaines lacked the minerals, responsible for the shades and natural shallows seen in this part of the world. She put the jar of sap in the water, letting it warm up, as they sat and talked.
Some Banuk children were washing themselves in the water, some settlers were using it to rinse their used leathers. The scene was serene, full of peace. The setting sun darting along the thick, pristine snow. The little ripples seen on the water's surface, making the shades of the lake's floor dance and swirl together. It was breathtaking. Inspiring.
Aloy had Sekuli's words echo in her head. She didn't want to impose her presence on this beautiful world, but being here made her miss having a place to call home. Both she and Kotallo were warriors, people who left their childhood settlements behind in order to better the world they lived in. She wished that one day she would get a chance to settle. To create a place to come back to, someplace she could call home.
Kotallo watched her silhouette, dressed in Banuk armor, surrounded by the orange hues of the sun, deep in thought. He could get used to this. To being alongside her during the quiet, peaceful times. He could only hope the Ten would grant them some after they defeat Nemesis. He wanted to create a stable future, not only for the Tenakth, not only for other tribes. But for her, for Aloy.
They prepared the paints using Sekuli's instructions. Kotallo also added the warmed sap to a portion of his face paints just as Aloy did to the dyes she kept on hand as well as to the jar containing Rost's Nora blue paint. If they were to create something, it was only natural that Tenakth, Utaru, and Nora influence was present.
This time sleep came easier to Aloy. She and Kotallo talked about the Daemon's influence on a machine and prepared strategies for tomorrow's fight. It felt easy, comfortable. She felt reassured and ready to face whatever they would face in the next few days. Before she realized it, both she and Kotallo were fast asleep.
DAY THREE
Aloy was up just as the sun started peaking from below the horizon. She felt extra rejuvenated, for the first time in a couple of days she didn't feel like she was wandering without a purpose. She felt that the pigments excursion was just so they could travel through the Cut and look for inspiration for her mural. But now, she had a mission ahead of her.
One should never be excited for a fight. It showed a lack of self-preservation and calm needed to be smart on the battlefield. But Kotallo would lie if he was to say he wasn't excited to have a reason to fight alongside Aloy once more. There was also some grim interest, in the back of his mind, about the last machine still under the Daemon's rule.
They made haste packing, making sure the paint containers were closed and secure. The weight of their gear, the jars, the weapons, and prepared meat for the day, was a known, reassuring presence as they left their camp.
The rising sun flickered, painting the sky in the brightest of reds and oranges. The reflections on the icy mountain peaks and smooth planes of crystal white snow were blinding. The crisp, morning breeze created shapes on the water's mirror, making a mesmerizing spectacle of chromatic colors from both above and beneath the surface.
They left the ex-bandit camp and the rising sun behind them, as they made their way East. They traveled in silence, occasionally giving each other signals to let local machine herds pass by without detection. By the time they reached an opening of a huge valley, the sun was approaching its peak in the sky.
The mountains surrounding them were steep, the rock dark and grey. The contrast of the snow and the bare cliffs was almost as stirring as the echo coming from beyond them. The ground was vibrating with the sound of steady, heavy steps. The wind was loud and angry, but its noise did nothing to cover the tremble beneath their feet as the machine was approaching.
They prepared their weapons and opened up a voice channel via their Focuses. Aloy turned left, she made quick work of getting on a narrow shelf about two meters up the mountain's side. Kotallo went right, keeping his position low, avoiding quick detection but still planning on taking the fight head-on.
Their steps reserved and quiet, they moved forward. The wind was masking any noise their hardened leathers would make. Even then Kotallo cringed at the squick of snow underneath his feet. The sound of the machine was getting closer.
Kotallo was hidden behind a small rock formation as the Thunderjaw came to few. It looked broken, angry. There were dark, violet tendrils dripping from its body. Kotallo wasn't religious, he never understood the gods of other tribes, but even he could tell whatever had its influence over this machine was wrong. Evil.
Aloy took the first shot, letting the precision arrow fly from her Sharpshot Bow. The machine was oblivious to her presence, which gave Aloy time to execute a braced shot. It struck true, hitting one of the Thunderjaw's side Cannons and rendering it useless.
The machine roared, flashing the pristine snow and coating the valley with its crimson light. The snow reflected it, making it seem like the valley was bleeding, the glistening red playing tricks on the eyes.
The next few shots came in quick succession, Kotallo's scream was almost as moving as the Thunderjaw's as he left his hiding spot and showered the enemy in fire arrows. The plague reacted to the blazes, making the machine go up in flames in seconds.
Through its panicked thrashing, the Thunderjaw's tail barely missed Kotallo as he ran to change his position. Aloy took that opportunity to aim her shot perfectly. The Tearblast Arrow flew above the machine's spine, hitting just the edge of its left disc launcher. Within a second the effect of the arrow blew the part straight off without damaging it.
The Daemon-infected Thunderjaw eventually stopped panicking, locking it's crimson eyes on Aloy standing up the mountainside. It prepared for an attack, using its remaining disc launcher. She only had a split second to jump off the cliff and start rolling, hoping to avoid the hits.
The commotion gave Kotallo a moment without the machine's attention. His heart screamed to help Aloy, to do anything but let the enemy target her small figure. But she was his Commander. And they had a plan.
He sprinted to the saved disc-launcher, picking it up and hoisting it on his left hip. He would let his prosthetic take most of the knockback, as his shots would have to be efficient and precise. He used his Focus to highlight the parts of the machine, left fragile by their arrows and the earlier flame that hung to every tendril of the Daemon's plague coating its body.
The disc launcher groaned with power as Kotallo started shooting. The beast turned, weakened by the onslaught of force only its own weapons could possess. Aloy took that opportunity, launching a set of fire arrows at the dying machine. It was overwhelmed, the arrows hitting its side, the flame hungrily licking any part of its external armor left, and the discs seeking out unprotected, open wounds throughout the damaged body.
Kotallo shot his last disc, rendering the make-shift weapon useless, but it hit one of the power cells, usually hidden underneath the machine's tail armor. It exploded, shocking the Thunderjaw's body and dealing the final blow. The machine was dead and the last remaining sign of the Daemonic plague died with it.
He let the weapon fall on the snow with a thump and rolled his shoulders trying to force some tension out of them. This wasn't an easy fight. Him and Aloy were great and worked in perfect sync, but this enemy was no ordinary Thunderjaw. There was probably no one else who would be able to take it down without a squad of hunters.
Aloy was across the width of the valley. Kneeling, she forced herself to take deep, steady breaths. She forgot how vicious the Daemon made the machines. She looked up at Kotallo, his face visible from across the machine carcass. He was stiff, his eyes blown and chest rising with each, laboured breath. She couldn't help but focus on the sheen of sweat rolling down his painted face and disappearing in the furs of his armor. He looked glorious post-fight, the perfect picture of a skilled hunter.
Aloy's cheeks reacted to her thoughts, burning bright red. She forced herself to look away from the Tenakth, her eyes scanned the Thunderjaw, the valley, now peppered with machine parts and signs of fight. The mountains encompassing this battlefield in a strange, intimate aura. She looked towards Kotallo again, noticing the smooth, tall rock wall behind him. It was free from snow, too steep to let moisture accumulate on its surface. Secluded, intimate, dangerous. A perfect place to mark as her own.
Kotallo followed Aloy's gaze, he could almost see the cogs turning behind her eyes as she focused. He saw what she saw. A wall, surrounded by pristine white. The perfect canvas. He approached it, forgetting about the battle just fought. Suddenly the tension, the ache in his muscles was forgotten. His feet moved almost on their own as he approached the rock. He heard Aloy's quiet footsteps come to a halt a few paces behind his left shoulder.
"This is it, isn't it?"
Aloy's answer came in the form of a whisper - "Yeah."
Kotallo touched the rock wall in front of them. "What do you wish to paint, Aloy?"
He felt her body twitch as she came back from her thoughts to answer his question. She was silent for a long moment. "Aloy?"
She came up right next to him, putting her palm flush with the wall, almost brushing by his own. "Us."
He looked at her, his brows furrowed. Aloy met his eyes. Her own widened as she understood what she said. "Fighting. The Scorcher. I want to paint that."
Kotallo smiled a bit as she turned her head, probably trying to hide her blush. She was unsuccessful as the tips of her ears became flushed with color.
"Understood." He nodded to her half-turned figure and kneeled to prepare their painting supplies.
Aloy forced her skin to return to her natural, only slightly reddened, state. She took out her dyes and paint and started to browse her Focus for images of the Scorcher they fought together. It was Kotallo who came up with that challenge to test out his new prosthetic. Aloy glanced at the Tenakth. He was whole without it, but Aloy was glad to see him become more and more comfortable with using the mechanical help when needed. There probably weren't many people who would use the Thunderjaw's disc launcher with as much ease as he showed in this fight. Well, Kotallo wasn't a regular warrior or a regular man. At least to her.
She found an image of the Scorcher preparing to charge, seen from the side. The machine was ferocious, an embodiment of strength and grace that only a predator would possess.
Her Focus projected the image onto the wall, she adjusted the scale to fit two figures on each side of the machine. She dipped one of the knife-like spatulas Sekuli gave them and put the first bit of paint onto the rock.
Her first movement was unsure and shaky. Each next showed more steadiness and confidence. Kotallo joined her in coating the rock in pigment, using their height difference to allow her to work on the Scorcher while he worked on the background and sky above the figure. As they worked in tandem they barely spoke. There was no need, they understood each other almost as well as they did on a battlefield. Kotallo was worried that the mural was supposed to be Aloy's work but so far she was the one working on the vocal point of the painting so he didn't pry.
He had to admit to himself, that working on a painting, so different from the Tenakth symbolic ones, was inspiring. He couldn't help but feel pride that his Commander wanted this spot, to be marked with a mission they completed together. One that was especially important to him personally.
As they went on, Aloy stopped feeling the need to confine herself to the tools Sekuli provided. She took out a piece of material from her satchels and used it to smooth out the paints. They glided on the wall as if it had been polished by nature to serve as a canvas.
A couple of hours went by when Kotallo gently squeezed Aloy's shoulder to get her attention. They stepped away from their work. The Scorcher was standing in the middle of a green valley, so different from the one that housed this painting. The sky above the machine matched the one above their heads, the clear, afternoon colors, beginning to show signs of warmth usually reserved for the sunset.
The machine looked like it was preparing to pounce, its legs showed tension. There were sparks flying from its body as flames were emerging from beneath its paws and open jaws. The reds and oranges reflected in the shiny, silver metal coating the machine.
They sat down and prepared a small fire. Aloy didn't realize how stiff and cold her fingers had become from constant work. The wind inside the valley gained speed, so this place seemed to be even colder than most of the Cut.
She let her hands heat up, keeping her outstretched arms as close to the fire as was reasonably possible. Kotallo prepared some dried meat they bought the day before and boiled a bowl of fresh snow for them to drink.
Aloy gratefully took the rations from his hands. "Thank you. I don't know what came onto me, I know I sometimes forget to eat, but never doing something so... trivial."
She played with the rim of the bowl as Kotallo's hand enveloped one of hers. "I understand. It's good you're not alone here then. Someone has to look after you, when you look after the world, right?"
He squeezed her hand and she looked up at him. The corners of his mouth were raised, his eyes glinting with laughter. A different kind of warmth spread throughout her body as she grinned at him and started to eat the warmed-up meal.
After they finished, Aloy started to go through her Focus images again.
"What are you looking for? Maybe I or GAIA could help?" Kotallo's words registered, but she didn't close the images she was sifting through as she answered.
"I'm looking for any images of me from that day. I don't remember what armor I wore."
It was Kotallo's silence that finally made her close the tabs she was working on and look at her companion. His eyes were focused on his new armor as he played with it. It would seem like he was just correcting its placement, but the twitch in his jaw muscles told Aloy that there was something more to his behavior. Something was bothering him, he looked conflicted.
The Tenakth must have felt Aloy's eyes on him, as he finally decided to speak his mind. "I remember Aloy. I can close my eyes and recall that whole fight second by second." His eyes left the armor and met hers. "I see your figure almost every day in my dreams. That image is burned into my mind. One of the only good ones so deeply ingrained in my memory."
He lowered his eyes again as he spoke. Aloy could swear there was tension in his voice. The same one she heard when he asked her to be his Commander. "Would you trust me, to paint it? To paint you?"
Aloy was stunned, was she really haunting his thoughts? That thought made that weird, fluffy warmth spread through her body again. She was struggling with keeping her cheeks from flaming up as she answered. "Of course, Kotallo. I trust you."
He stood up from their small camp and started meticulously putting on layers of paint, trying his best to recreate the image he saw in his memory. Aloy joined him after a few minutes. He almost choked as he noticed the image she displayed on the right of the machine she painted on earlier. Right there, in front of the Scorcher's flaming mouth was an image of him. His left hand shielding him from the heat, his right raised as he prepared to throw his spear.
Kotallo heard Aloy stifle a chuckle and looked at her. There was mischief dancing in the green of her eyes.
He swallowed hard. "Are you positive? This was supposed to represent you, Aloy."
She nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, and that's how I see me. The real me. Hunting. With you by my side."
Kotallo felt his ears heat up as he stared wide-eyed at the Nora. She noticed his reaction and refocused on what she just said. To her horror, her face burned up as the meaning registered. Turning away to grab the paints lying on the ground around them, she forced herself to not ponder on why exactly did she say that.
Again they worked in unison. Each on their side of the mural. Kotallo was right to some extent, Aloy stopped thinking about this painting as her own. It was theirs.
The sky was positively exotic in colors as they finished their work. The usual warmth of oranges, reds, and purples was now merely a background to the green and blue waves that could be seen in the sky. Aloy remembered there were multiple names given this beautiful sight. The old ones referred to it as Northern Lights. GAIA said its true name was Aurora Borealis. The Banuk called it the Blue Light from beyond.
Kotallo was as mesmerized by it as her. They could understand the Shamans' spirituality looking at the sky above them. It was breathtaking.
When her neck became sore from looking up, Aloy took a few steps backward to finally look at their mural before the last of the sunrays hid behind the horizon. She couldn't believe what she saw.
In front of her was an image of a battlefield. So vivid, so real that she could almost smell the grass, feel the heat coming from the machine in the middle of the valley. She looked at the two figures. The man, strong, and unrelenting in the face of danger. Ready to face the machine, his own mouth snarled, exposing his teeth. She could swear the image captured his battle cry.
Her eyes moved to the other figure. Smaller, slimmer, suspended in air mid-jump. There was strength in her pose as the bow was strung to its limit. Her hair flowing behind her body, the fire red contrasted with the small points of Nora blue. Her braids. The woman in the painting was beautiful. She was beautiful.
There were tears in her eyes as she looked at their work. For the first time, Aloy could say she created something. And it was beautiful. She looked at Kotallo, her companion, her Marshal. The one person, that helped her find herself. Her true self, not the shell that losing Rost left.
He smiled. That warm, understanding smile he gave only her. Her feet moved on their own and she slammed into his chest, arms hugging his broad shoulders tightly. After a heartbeat, she felt his arms, one warm and one cold close around her waist as he hugged her. Her feet were dangling uselessly as he straightened his back.
No matter what the future brings. What Aratak and Ourea decide. How the war against Nemesis would end. There would always be a part of her left in this world. This painting, it represented so much. That fight, her identity, her feelings for the man she now clung onto. And this moment. No matter what happened, she was happy. The two orphans, warriors. The two people who loved each other so dearly, they didn't dare name their feelings. The two souls embracing, illuminated by the sacred Blue Light.