There was no doubt about it: the Forbidden West was not as bad as all the stories. Aloy, the former outcast from the Nora Tribe, found herself rather enjoying the company of good friends, old and new. In her brief foray into the Forbidden West, she had encountered deadly and sunken cities; she had witnessed for herself the lake that seemed to go on forever; she had encountered new Machines and new animals, some friendly and some deadly. But she did not find the Forbidden West to be the incredible horror that the healer and self-appointed scribe, the Considerate Udain, had written about, many years ago. The residents of this land were not unlike those of her homeland, the Nora Tribe, as they faced the uncertainty of a future with no objective and the adversity brought about by myriads of demonic Machines and evil humans.
But the spirit of these people, the tribes that fought to preserve art for art's sake, who believed in the triumph of good over evil, who brought hope to a dark time: these were people she was proud to know, to call her friends. Yes, many of them knew of the legend of the Nora girl who saved the world (at least, that's the way they told the story, though Aloy considered it an exaggeration), of the girl with the flowing locks of red hair and blazing lance who showed no mercy to those who would show none themselves, who single-handedly (and that really was an exaggeration, she acknowledged) fought and defeated a menace that threatened to end all life on the planet. Some of these people were shocked to learn that this "girl" was approachable and inquisitive, intelligent and wise, a young woman whose leadership skills shone through in all she said and did.
While her visit with these people of the Forbidden West was rewarding and soothing, Aloy possessed a deep curiosity, about how the world of the Old Ones could have fallen so easily a millennium ago, about just what those Old Ones knew, the talents they displayed and the treasures they squandered and the world they left to rot and decay. And so it was, on her third day of relaxing and enjoying the company of the singers and minstrels and painters of this land, that the wanderlust struck once again, and Aloy decided it was time to explore more of the Forbidden West.
By the time Aloy bade her friends heartfelt goodbyes, it was already mid-afternoon. Her journey from the desert village in this shallow valley, southward toward the Radiated City in the Forbidden West, was getting off to a very late start. The setting sun threw long shadows about her, and she realized that she was most at home on the trail. Her quest for knowledge was almost surpassed by her quest for adventure. Now, as day turned to night in this unusually warm winter, she became more eager to reach her intended destination – the storehouse of ancient books that lay to the southwest.
Aloy was slender and trim, not particularly tall. Sometimes she was mistakenly judged to be an easy target for dishonest traders and lecherous soldiers. But she was far from easy prey, as she had the strength and courage instilled in her by her mentor, the man who raised her from birth, the man named Rost; and she had the intelligence and curiosity passed to her through the DNA of her "mother," the Old One called Dr. Elisabet Sobeck. Few knew her true life's story, and she was happy about that – there was enough speculation and whispering among those who knew of her deeds that she didn't need discussion added to the rumors about her origins.
The winter air had been quite warm through the day, but now that shadows were lengthening, there was a cool breeze that helped to make the late departure more comfortable.
This is so different from the Embrace! Aloy mused about her homeland in the mountains far to the northeast as she walked along a well-worn trail. My tribe is probably digging out from a snowstorm, and here it's warmer in winter than summer in the Embrace.
Her chosen traveling outfit, a light garment made of synthetic, lightweight materials, almost shimmered in the dusk as the coils sewn into the Shield-Weaver armor pulsed with energy. It was not the most comfortable clothing in her wardrobe, but its ability to protect her from attacks had saved her life numerous times, and now, as she traveled through entirely unfamiliar territory, she felt it was especially valuable. Her red hair hung in braids from the sides and flowed down her back as she walked, and a leather wrap slung over one shoulder held her only weapons: a bow, a lance, and handheld launchers for hurling blast bombs and for setting explosive tripwires. Also in the wrap was an overcoat and a single change of clothes. Around her waist she wore a leather belt; from one side dangled a quiver for arrows, bombs, and trips; and from the other a small pouch filled with dried meats and grasses, a flask of fresh water, and herbal medicines. Hanging around her neck was a chain with a necklace made of bone and gold, dangling as she walked. The necklace was a special gift, made for her by an artisan in the land of the Lost Angels, a thing of great beauty and artistry that reminded her that fragile works of art can survive in even the worst of times.
There were those she met in her travels who snickered at the sparse supplies she carried, but Rost had taught her how to live off the land in any situation, so she had no need for anything more.
On this day, Aloy was really not certain where she would end up, but tribal leaders assured her that this was the trail to the Radiated City. She had no intention of actually entering the Radiated City – though she carried several of the detector cards that would warn her if she stayed among the radiation for too long – but she was curious about a strange group of people she had encountered there in her previous short trip. These people had managed to find a special type of armor, armor that made them resemble Machines as they walked around the Radiated City without contracting the Radiation Plague – or at least, they didn't seem to be affected by the Plague. What did these people know about the Old Ones? The lands she had walked near the Radiated City were barren, with only short grasses and sparse bushes dotting the sandy soil. How did anyone in this hellish environment survive? What did they do for fresh water, for nourishing food? How did they manage to avoid the horrors of Radiation Sickness? There was much to learn!
She was confident that once she got near the Radiated City, she would be able to locate those Machine-like humans and learn from them – assuming, of course, that they were friendly. Her first encounter, only days ago, had begun miserably, as one of those armored people had smacked her in the head, knocking her unconscious for a time and inflicting vicious headaches that still lingered.
By now the shadows were gone, replaced by a starry night with little natural light. The moon had yet to rise. As she had already been tired before she started her journey, Aloy decided it would be best to settle in early and get a bit of sleep. The trail she was following had widened a bit as it started a very shallow downhill slope, and she could see in the distance that the trail sloped upward again. On the horizon, at the top of the slope, there was a small building with a dim light emanating from an open window. A wisp of smoke told her there was a fire of some sort burning in the building.
Hmmm… could be a cozy waystation, Aloy thought… or a Bandit hideout. If it's the former, she hoped she'd be welcome to share the relative safety and comfort of a closed structure; if the latter, she'd decide whether to steer clear – or to clear out the Bandits.
It took only minutes to reach the building. She recognized some of the rusting and decrepit structures sitting in front of it: she'd seen similar ruins in cities of the Old Ones, with what was once a cover of some sort towering over one entire side of the building, and pieces of what had apparently been transportation devices, rotting away under the cover. Knee-high grass grew near the rusting hulks, but otherwise the entire landscape was barren. There was an open doorway ahead, and the light from the fire just inside the building threw a glow over the ground approaching the property. She could hear a woman's voice, soft and soothing, coming from inside the structure. It sounded as if the woman were comforting a young baby. Aloy could hear no other sounds from the building.
I guess this could be a trap, she thought as she tapped her right index finger against her temple. A small triangular device hung there, attached as if it were a part of her, one side just touching her ear. When she brushed the device – a Focus, created by the Old Ones to help scan hidden areas and identify friend from foe – a faintly glowing purple grid appeared, and objects inside the building shown as ghostly outlines. She turned toward the origin of the voice, and a panel popped up in the virtual grid: FRIENDLY HUMAN, it read. She moved her head slowly to scan the remainder of the building, but no other human image appeared – among which was most definitely not a human infant.
Is this woman talking to herself? Aloy pondered. She knew that such an action could be because the woman is lonely – or it could be a sign of some mental issue that might prove dangerous.
Then, as she continued to scan around the wiry outline of the sitting woman, the Focus identified another living object, something she had never seen: it appeared to be akin to a fox – of which there were plenty in her homeland – but larger, and it lay beside the woman seemingly in peace, something no fox would ever do. The panel sprang up again, but this time it said DOG. FRIENDLY ANIMAL.
What is that? Aloy wondered. It kind of resembles hostile Machines I encountered in the Radiated City, but they were Hunters, not Dogs. And this thing is most definitely not a Machine.
The woman was clearly talking to the resting dog. Well, I suppose it's worth meeting this person, if for no other reason than to find out about her dog! Sometimes courage and curiosity can collide and lead to trouble; in this case, Aloy was sufficiently curious as to have the courage to advance to the building's entrance. She deactivated her Focus as she walked towards the flickering light.
As she approached the open doorway, Aloy made no attempt to be quiet. She wasn't trying to sneak up on this woman, and besides, if it turned out this was a trap, she was sure she could handle it.
"Hello?" Aloy called out just steps from the doorway. "May I come in?"
The soft voice stopped, and in its place came a grumbling noise, like the noise that some of the more fierce Machines sometimes emitted. Since she was certain there was no machine inside the building, Aloy didn't feel especially threatened, but just in case, she reached behind her back and extracted her lance.
The grumbling sound was a low growl now. She stopped short of the building entrance and activated her Focus once again. The woman was on her knees, one hand grasping a small dagger and the other on the back of the dog beside her. The dog was making the growling sound: it was standing on all fours, its head slightly lowered as if ready to strike on command. The Focus now reported that the DOG had become a HOSTILE ANIMAL.
"I'm sorry if I surprised you," Aloy called into the building. "I don't mean any harm. Can I come in and talk?"
"Go away!" a shaky and broken voice sounded from the building. "If you come in I'll kill you, I promise!"
"Okay," Aloy said, trying to answer in her calmest tone. "Don't worry, I'm not here to harm you or your… dog. I'm just looking for a warm place for the night."
"Well that isn't here! Now leave!"
The woman definitely sounded frightened, but her dog seemed to be ready to stand its ground. Time to try another tactic.
"How about if I just sit out here?" Aloy asked. "Is that okay? Can we talk now?"
"I… I don't know," the voice spoke, low and softly. "I… I've never been alone…"
"But you're not alone, you have your dog to guard you. From the sound of it, that animal is a pretty good guardian."
"Sem is not so bad, once he gets to know you…" The voice went silent for a moment, then, in a less frightened tone, asked, "are you sure you're a friend? I mean, you don't sound dangerous… and are you alone?"
This is good! Aloy thought. She's really afraid but she's calming down fast. "Yes, I am alone. My name's Aloy; your dog's name is Sem, so what's yours?"
"Oh no!" the fear returned to the voice. "I can't talk to a stranger! There are too many Bandits and Machines, and… and creatures out, and you might be one of them! A Bandit, I mean… you don't sound like a Machine."
"Well, thanks for that," Aloy replied. "I've never actually spent much time talking to a Bandit, but I don't think I sound like a Bandit or a Machine. Or a creature, for that matter. I'm just a Nora villager, passing through and looking for a place for the night."
"Nora? What's that?"
"It's my home tribe, far away to the east. Are you with a tribe around here?"
"Tribe? Not really, but I guess you could maybe call us that… I'm a Laborer Second Class from The Bunker, Sector 3."
"Okay," Aloy replied, puzzled by the description. "What's 'The Bunker,' what's 'Sector 3,' and do you have a name or not, Laborer Second Class?"
"You don't know The Bunker? How far away is your home tribe? Everyone around here knows The Bunker."
"Sorry. As I said, my tribe is far away and I'm just passing through.
"Are you sure I can't come in and share your campfire? I can look for some firewood if you need it."
"O-okay," the voice still sounded weak, "but you stay on the other side of the room."
"Thank you," Aloy replied as she stepped through the open doorway of the small building. The floor had long ago rotted, burned, or gotten stolen, as there was nothing but bare dirt. In the room was a young girl, dressed in an ill-fitting smock that was dirty and torn, a large fur-covered animal at her side. Even in the red glow of the small fire in front of her, the girl's skin looked especially pale. Her hair appeared to be sandy yellow and her eyes shone a light blue.
Aloy knew that this girl was considerably younger, and that she was frightened of being alone.
The girl was still on her knees, with the dagger still in her left hand but now lowered to her side. To her right stood the large foxlike animal with golden brown fur; it had been snarling, but now it lowered its short, pointed ears and peered at Aloy as she entered, shifted the weapons pouch that was slung over her shoulder, and sat on the cold dirt, feet from the young girl.
"Hi," Aloy smiled at the girl, "I'm Aloy of the Nora Tribe. What's your name?"
The girl seemed to slump a bit at the sound of Aloy's soft and soothing voice, but she continued to watch warily, all the time twisting and shifting the handle of the dagger in her left hand.
"As I already said," the girl replied, "I'm a Laborer in The Bunker, Laborer Cary, Second Class."
"I'm sorry, that still doesn't mean a lot to me."
"Sector 3 is the Laborer quarters, and that's my job… well, at least it was until today."
"Let me guess," Aloy replied. "You're upset and you're running away from home."
"Are you making fun of me? I had a reason to leave The Bunker!"
"Okay, okay, calm down, I'm sorry. It's just that you – well – you don't look you thought this out very well. I don't see any other clothes, or food, or weapons."
"I…" the girl's eyes glistened as they teared up, "I just left. I couldn't stay there anymore!"
"If you want, we can talk about it. I'm pretty good at listening.
"But first, are you hungry? I am."
Aloy opened the pouch tied to the leather belt around her waist and extracted a small wrapped package. The girl watched intently and the dog pulled toward Aloy, wagging its tail. Aloy lay the wrapped package on the ground, unfolded it, and revealed several dark chunks of dried pork along with a variety of leafy vegetables. She reached back into the pouch and pulled out a small water flask.
"There isn't much here, but if you're hungry I'll share it with you and your… friend." She looked at the dog as it watched her every move.
"Well…" the girl said as she continued to stare at the food that lay before Aloy. "Actually, I am a little hungry. And thirsty."
"Then come over here!" Aloy waved at her. "Grab a chunk of pork for you and one for your dog. If you wrap it in a leaf –" Aloy demonstrated "—it's a lot tastier and juicier. I didn't plan to travel long without finding food, so I packed only a little. You're welcome to the rest if you want it."
The girl dropped her dagger and crawled on her knees to join Aloy. The first bit of pork she picked up didn't make it to her mouth: the dog snapped out and yanked it from her hand. Aloy started to reach for her lance, lying in the dirt beside her: she didn't know what this animal might do next. But the girl just laughed.
"Sem, he's really hungry too. Somehow he sneaked out of The Bunker and found me here, and neither of us has had anything to eat or drink since the morning."
Aloy picked up the parchment food wrapping and held it out for the girl to take what remained on it. Then she formed the paper into a makeshift cup, poured water into the cup, and held it out for the dog. At the same time she handed the flask to the girl. In seconds, both were empty. I guess I'd better find some more water before morning, Aloy thought as the girl handed the empty flask back to her.
As Aloy pulled a leather drawstring to close her empty food pouch, she noticed a very odd behavior by the girl: first she sniffed the chunk of dried pork that she held between thumb and two fingertips, then she lowered her hand to her side, and slipped the pork to the dog. Must not be as hungry as she seems, Aloy thought, or she's got something against pork.
Food and water both gone, Aloy decided it was time to get to know this girl a little better.
A noise from outside the building interrupted her plan.