I'm back! I am so sorry for my leave of absence. Grief really does suck the joy out of a lot of things, and I really just lost all sense of inspiration. I never forgot all of the kind words and support you guys have given me. I can't find the words to say how much it means to me, and it's really helped get me though these last few months.

Thank you everyone. Now lets get on with it!

Lonski

Chapter 9: Bifurcation.

"Where are they going?" Varl called as he leant forward on his mount in a desperate attempt to gain speed.

Aloy considered her reply as she scanned the horizon, a large cloud of dust had been kicked up on the dry trail. She tapped her Focus to scan the area in hope that she could see the Slitherfang but was met with no such luck.

"I think-"

Aloy never got to speak as Varl rammed his mount into the side of hers and they both veered dangerously sideways off the road as a Longleg leaped overhead and towards them.

"Shit!" Aloy hissed as she grabbed for her spear and pulled her feet onto the back of her Strider to dismount in a desperate vault away from her mount as it collapsed over its own feet.

Varl wasn't so lucky as he could only drop over the side of his ride and landed in a bruising roll.

"Sorry about that!" Varl shouted as he clambered to his feet and drew his bow with a wince.

"Make it up to me by helping me find out what the hell is going on!"

Aloy whipped her spear towards the Longleg and she managed to remove some of its throat components in one hit. It staggered as Aloy landed a follow-up onto its head and the Machine fell in a shower of sparks. Aloy's hair snagged as an arrow narrowly missed her face. She ducked as a barrage of arrows rained down on them. Aloy returned fire with several rounds of her own whenever her Focus picked up another silhouette. Varl met her as they crouched beside the downed Longleg.

"I count ten more." Varl said as he readied his next arrow.

"Cover for me." Aloy said as she pulled herself to her feet and made for the long grass off the path.

Aloy managed to take down three with stealth before they could raise the alarm, two more before they could do much to surround the huntress. Thankfully, Varl's arrows met their mark with the rest of the group during her attack and soon the pair stood panting and bloody as they regarded the corpses.

"There's too many of them to be the group we were following." Varl murmured as he knelt beside the corpse of a young woman. "Another group?" Varl asked as he closed the corpse's eyes and rubbed his fingers together, "Same face paint and… tattoos." Varl commented as he examined the woman's arm. It looked like dappled light coming through the leaves of trees.

"They control the Machines in the same way. I can't understand how they're doing it." Aloy said desperately as she gathered up the usable arrows from the bodies and passed some back to Varl. "Come on, we need to catch up."

It was dusk by the time they had reached the Outlanders who had ridden ahead. Varl and Aloy had managed to patch themselves up somewhere on the road as they tracked the group on foot.

"What is that?" Varl whispered as they crouched in the long grass.

"It's called Dimmed Bones. It's another Old Ones site. It used to be a satellite array." Aloy explained as she tagged the group in the centre of the site.

"What's that?"

Aloy huffed because Varl reminded her of herself as a child with his questions, "They used to… look into the skies, beyond the stars." Aloy shrugged, not knowing much more. She saw Varl activate his Focus in the corner of her eye and begin to scan and tag the group. Aloy felt a swell of pride for him.

"You're not about to say anything about it being tainted, are you?"

Varl smirked as he scanned the distance, "No. I'm still trying to wrap my head around things but… I've seen enough to know there's more to see and understand for myself." He raised a hand before himself, "There."

Varl pointed toward the group, and she turned her attention back to the group. The Slitherfang had broken through the ground in a shower of rubble and began to patrol the perimeter with a scattered herd of Broadheads. Aloy locked her Focus onto the Machine.

Aloy tried once again to connect to Ikrie's Focus. The connection was inactive for a long moment as Aloy stared into the middle distance beyond the HUD before her eyes, and then -

"Aloy!" Ikrie's voice rang through static.

"Ikrie, where are you?" Varl asked as his device connected with Aloy's call.

"Within the belly of the beast. I can't move much."

Aloy grimaced as she tried to sound reassuring, "We're coming to get you. Just -"

"Wait here? Got it." Ikrie let the connection drop with a huff of a laugh.

There was a pause before they rose to their feet in unison, "We should split up." They said and shared a grin.

"Varl, how are you with your longbow?"

The man beside her gave a slow grin in return, "Good enough. I'll take the high ground up that satellite… thing."

"I'll stay low and… Distract them."

With their plan set, they split up and under the cover of darkness they took their places. Aloy could see Varl's form high on the metal framework of the ruins. As Aloy crouched in the vegetation, she readied her spear and picked her first target; someone who had strayed too far from the group. Bingo.

Aloy lurched forward, low to the ground in the grass when suddenly, Erend's face appeared before her eyes as their Focuses connected. Aloy hastily cancelled the call with a swipe and cursed beneath her breath when the Outlander jerked his head towards Aloy's location. Moments later, she pulled the man into the grass and dispatched him silently.

"Just take it nice and easy." Aloy assured herself as she selected the next one.

Erend swore as the connection dropped. He was sure he had done it right. The bad feeling had come back just as he was about to finish his shift on the watch. Then, a message came from the signal towers. Bahalan had taken a group to investigate an attack on Devil's Thirst and Hunter's Gathering. And to add fat to the fire, they had lost contact with Dawn's Sentinel. Carja and Nora alike had been attacked and killed by Outlanders.

Erend grabbed his Warhammer from its mantle on the wall and swiftly left his office in the barracks with the sole intention of finding their King.

What he hadn't planned on doing was to barrel right into Marad.

Erend leapt backwards with a yelp and stammered, "We need to talk about your sneaking up on people."

"Erend."

"I need to speak to the King, now!"

The older man collected himself swifter than Erend had done, thankfully he hadn't commented on Erend's less than manly scream. "You know of the attack, yes? Good. You need to go to Aloy."

Erend faltered at Marad's words.

"I-I should put someone else in charge for when I'm gone."

"It will be dealt with. Now go!"

Erend brushed past the Blameless man and called back, "That's the plan."

"Good." Marad quipped, "She was last seen heading west past Morning's Watch, moving towards Dimmed Bones."

That gave Erend pause, he hated that place with a passion. It was where he thought his sister had died. Where Aloy had told him she wasn't, in fact dead but… The captain shook himself free of his thoughts and he cleared his throat, "That's close, I can catch up."

"Alone?" Marad asked with surprise.

"Nah, I have another friend who has a way with Machines," Erend grinned with more confidence than he felt as he reached for his Focus and said, "it's becoming a fashionable thing apparently, to tame deadly Machines." Erend barked a laugh as he clicked his Focus on, "Talanah, meet me at the north gate."

It had been going so well. Aloy had managed to take out a good number of the guards on the perimeter, Varl had dispatched the ones who either got too close to Aloy's blindside or were distant enough for him to shoot with his longbow without raising attention to himself.

Then…

"Aloy, there's another group."

Aloy looked and saw what Varl had spotted, and he was right; there was another group of Outlanders astride Broadheads who were coming from the north route along the cliffs.

"We need to move now or we're going to get pinned down." Varl warned from his vantage.

Aloy watched the Slitherfang start to make another circuit around the main group at the site, she bit her lip as she considered her options, then, tapped her Focus, "Ikrie, can you reach your ice bombs?"

There was a pause and Aloy worried she had lost connection but continued to make her way towards the Machine regardless.

"I can." Ikrie replied, "Tell me when."

Aloy grabbed her Spike Thrower and took aim.

"Now!" she called as she hurled the javelin towards the trunk of the Slitherfang as it began to crust over with frost. The Machine reared its head backwards as it spotted Aloy crouched low on the ground to line up its attack.

Then it exploded in half.

The dust had barely settled when Aloy reached the downed Machine and looked desperately for the Banuk. Within the sparking snapped wires and shattered metal and Machine oil, a hand and then another burst from within.

Aloy pulled her friend to her feet and dragged the woman behind her as they ran. Cries rang around the ruins as the remaining Outlanders realised they were under attack. Arrows flew in all directions as the pair fled the centre of the chaos.

The Nora pulled her spear out and sprinted towards the nearest Broadhead from behind and did the fastest override she had ever done. She boosted Ikrie up with her hands as she connected to another two nearby Machines and ran towards one and hauled herself up onto the Mount.

Aloy spotted Varl as he grappled down from his vantage and he managed to meet his mount in time to pull himself up.

"What's the plan?" Varl asked as they sped away from the ruins and across the rough scrubland.

"I'd rather be the hunter not the hunted!" Aloy snarled.

"Run them down like an avalanche!" Ikrie cried as she nosed her mount towards the oncoming group on the road and readied her bomb sling.

Aloy connected with the Broadheads with the oncoming group onto her network, one by one the Machines skidded to a halt and bucked their riders into the air.

Varl swiftly reached the group and ran down the few still able to scramble to their feet. He turned his Machine around to meet the remaining group just emerging from the ruins.

Ikrie fired off several bombs which halted their progress, Aloy supported her with arrows as she charged towards the Outlanders. Varl met her and they ran astride and met them with spears.

The sun had long since disappeared beneath the horizon by the time the last of the enemy had been dispatched. Panting, in pain, the three regrouped to look for anything that might hint at who they were or where the Outlanders had come from.

"No Focus devices or anything else." Varl sighed as he collected what shards and arrows he could find off the corpses.

"The songs they will sing about the Banuk who was eaten by a machine. Who lived to tell their own tale." Ikrie smirked as she limped from body to body. The Banuk barely acknowledged the pain on her face or words but had dropped her headdress and parts of her armour onto the floor to reveal bright red blistered skin from the acid.

"Ikrie, do you recognize their tribal markings?"

Aloy looked up from her looting to see Ikrie shook her head. Aloys shoulders sagged with disappointment. So far, they had nothing other than wounds and more questions.

Aloy rose and wiped her hands clean of machine oil and scanned the area once again. Odd. Something had changed.

Aloy strode over several bodies before she reached the body of a woman who lay face down but her arm… looked different. Aloy pressed against the woman's thigh with the butt of her spear and the Nora noticed the woman's face twitched.

"I know you're still alive." Aloy warned, her words immediately caught the attention of her friends who moved towards her.

Aloy shoved the woman over with her foot and checked for weapons. Aside from a broken knife far out of reach, there was nothing. Aloy pressed her spear shaft against the woman's chest to hold her in place.

It was then Aloy noticed the woman's breath rose and fell with whistles and clicks. "You know, your lung is pierced. Must have got caught up in the explosion. If you help us, I can dress the wound to your side. You might live."

"I might." The woman agreed in nothing but a whisper. "Then I can die in one of your stone prisons and die there instead. You people and your civilization. I'd rather die cleanly."

"It can be arranged." Ikrie quipped as she crouched beside the woman.

The woman sighed slowly as she closed her eyes with a grimace, "We got the wrong one. We wanted a hunter who controlled Machines."

"What's so important about that? Your people can too." Aloy asked with a frown.

The woman seemed to stop herself from answering for a moment before she smirked at Aloy.

"Why did you come here and attack my people?" Varl asked over Aloy's shoulder.

"Too… many questions." The woman faltered as she opened her eyes again and glanced at the ground beside her and then up at Aloy. "I'll answer one more and then, I'm done." She beckoned Aloy to come closer.

Aloy leaned over the woman and pressed her spear firmer onto the woman's chest despite Varl's protest.

The Outlander smiled as fresh blood smeared across her teeth and spat at Aloy as she grasped the Huntresses' wrist. A white hot pain shot down Aloy's arm as something in the woman's palm cut into her deeply.

"Blood for blood." The woman said as she let go of Aloy's arm and her body became limp.

"Identity confirmed." A synthetic voice spoke from the small device in the woman's palm.

Aloy pressed her wrist into her chest as she pried free the device from the Outlander's grasp with her free hand. It was smaller than the palm of her hand and had a sharp spike and a data chip. Aloy scanned the device with her Focus,

Portable genetic scanner.

"Damnit!" Aloy shouted as she put the device away in her pouch before she was tempted to throw it.

"Guys. We need to regroup. Are we camping here tonight or someplace else?"

"As much as I'm sure even the White Teeth would respect me for sleeping amongst the bodies of my enemies, things are already starting to smell in this heat. Plus, we don't know if they were expecting any more friends to show up. We're sitting ducks"

"This is on a bandit route as well." Aloy added. Her mind was racing. This was all her fault. Again. Someone else was looking for her. What for, this time?

"Okay so we're leaving these guys for a sky burial and going… What about going back to Meridian?" Ikrie asked with a shrug.

Varl shook his head, "We don't know much but since Aloy came from there to the Sacred lands, I'm pretty sure these Outlanders didn't come from Meridian. That… Thing they cut you with spoke like it did back in All-Mother Mountain, Aloy. I think they were looking for you." Varl moved towards Aloy to place a hand on her arm but she turned away to busy herself with checking her supply pouch.

"I know that already." Aloy said with more bite than she had intended.

Varl let his hand drop and continued, "So we're talking either further west or up north since they fled this way to get from us once they thought they had what they sought."

"But they caught an Ikrie instead of an Aloy, right." The Banuk nodded.

"There's Unflinching Watch nearby. It was part of Shadow Carja territory but… well apparently that's over with now." Aloy said flippantly, as she was becoming too tired to think. "We could maybe get there before dawn if we use machines."

"Well that's our best bet." Varl nodded as he looked around, "You're gonna have to teach me how to… catch a machine at some point." Varl admitted with a laugh.

"On it!" Ikrie strode off towards some of the still functioning Broadheads that had wandered off.

"Aloy…" Varl said gently.

"It's fine." Aloy said, her voice horse, "I've been through this before. Being hunted. I just…"

"None of this is your fault."

Aloy hummed and disagreed but didn't see the point in arguing with him.

Dawn's light smudged the skies by the time Erend and Talanah had reached Dimmed Bones. It looked about the same as he had found it months ago when Ersa had 'died.'

Bodies, broken weapons and armour and Machine parts were strewn around the site.

"By the sun, what is that!" Talanah exclaimed as she swung from her mount. She rushed forward to examine a great Machine.

It was severed in the middle and looked like nothing he had seen before.

Talanah looked at Erend who had mutely gotten off his mount and had looked around at the bodies. "She's not here. Aloy's okay."

Erend sucked a breath as he tried to get himself together and he clicked his Focus on, "I see that the Outlanders were attacked from two fronts." He gestured at the building, "Up there and… down here. Surprise attack judging by the way they fell."

"Must have taken Ikrie with her. That's good." Talanah nodded with a tight smile, "Well, are you gonna call Aloy or continue to wind us both up with worry. Or I'll call her." Talanah shook her head.

Erend called Aloy and prayed it would connect this time.

A tired voice answered, "Hey Erend. Sorry I didn't call."

"What the heck happened here?!"

"We set up an ambush and then got ambushed by their backup."

Talanah paced around the Slitherfang and picked up a piece of armour. She quickly clicked on her Focus, "Why is some of Ikrie's armour here and -"

"She's fine. That Machine spits acid and can bore down deep into the earth. It got her but we're all fine now." Aloy assured them. " We've stopped the Outlanders for now but we're trying to find out where they come from. Our best bet is up north or directly west but that only leads to…"

"The Daybrink." They said in unison.

"Where are you now?"

"We're at Unflinching Watch."

"Aloy." Erend said, "Do me a favour and stay put until we get there."

"Sure. I think we could all do with the rest. Ikrie is doing better now the acid is being treated properly and Varl took a few hits himself too."

"Varl's there too?" Erend grinned, "Good. Someone with some sense."

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that." Aloy said briskly.

"I want you to hear that. So you'll either listen or stay to give me a piece of your mind. Either way is fine by me."

Aloy ended the call with a bark of a laugh and Erend turned to Talanah,

"Wait, whose Ikrie?" Erend turned to ask Talanah.

Janeva strode through the Sun King's palace with head held high. The prison warden had received summons for an audience with the Sun-King. It was public knowledge that in spite of the fact that Janeva had assisted in the Liberation of Meridian and had even joined Avad's Honour Guard, they rarely agreed on Avad's policies.

So, Janeva wondered what they had done wrong now.

The stone doors opened to reveal a wondrous airy room with a marble tiled floor and beautiful designs carved into the sandstone walls. A far cry from the dark and dank halls of Sunstone Rock.

The spider Marad and his protégé Vanesha flanked the Sun-King Avad who sat on his throne at the centre of the chamber. Not a social visit then.

"Janeva. How wondrous to see you again." Avad smiled at the prison warden and admittedly, his smile seemed genuine and not merely courtly. This wasn't always a good sign, however.

"Sir." Janeva said as they saluted the King, this was always a safe bet.

"I have a proposition for you and I would like to share my thoughts as to why I have come to this conclusion to ask you."

"Sir." Janeva repeated and refused to meet the Sun-King's eye.

"You'll remember our little… Friendly debate in regard to the rehabilitation of our fine Kingdom's prisoners."

"Sir." Janeva couldn't help but crease a frown when Vanesha not-so-subtly snorted behind her veil.

"And how I felt that they could become valued members of society once their debt for their crimes were repaid. Please let me know if I am monologuing." Avad said in an earnest tone as his eyes sought to find Janeva's. The prison warden had up to that moment found an interesting part of the King's crown to examine.

"And your point, Sir?" Janeva reluctantly met the King's eyes.

"Well, you did such a good job with Sunstone Rock. For a few months after the Attack on the Alight, there were no prisoners. They had all volunteered to fight for Meridian and had won their freedom."

"Some have since reoffended, Sir." Janeva added brusquely.

"An unfortunate statistical reality when faced with the upheaval caused by the collapse of the Shadow Carja." Marad added with a nod which caused Janeva to snort.

"I'm sure the owners of the granaries they arsoned were comforted to hear that." Janeva said dryly. "You said you had a proposition, Sir?"

"Our Army is in need of a Captain."

That caught Janeva's attention, "What happened to Erend?"

"He has… Taken a leave of absence. The details of which are to remain in confidence until we are able to publicly divulge."

"Right, but he's still…"

"Very much alive." Vanesha nodded to Janeva.

"Good." Janeva said with relief, the Liberation days of fighting alongside the Oseram siblings were some of the fondest to look back on. Erend seemed competent at his job, when he set his mind to it. "And what do you need of me, Sir?" The Prison Warden was duty-bound to ask.

"I need you to replace Erend as Captain in a secondment capacity. You will oversee the training and recruitment of the Restoration Army. Continue to oversee the agreed goals for it that myself and Erend had set for it. Maintain a military presence on our borders and the lands within as well as continue to support our allies in the event of any attacks, Machine or otherwise."

There was a pause as Janeva considered Avad's words, "And if I refuse?"

Avad dropped his clasped hands from his chin and onto the arms of his Throne, "Janeva. I'll be frank." The Sun-King lent forward.

"Erend's first choice was Captain Bahalan. Both of you are capable of filling this role however, I believe you have something more to offer in this scenario. You do not believe women have a place within the Army. Bahalan does. You disagree with my immigration policy for the Kingdom or my Army, Bahalan does. You never shy from disagreeing with me but you do your duty as I decree and do it well. I value that input from you, Janeva. I do. It reminds me that I am not my father and this is a new dawn for Meridian."

Janeva blew out a harsh sigh as Avad's words washed over.

"All of the things Aloy had achieved, the collapse of the Shadow Carja, the assistance and rehabilitation of most of Sunstone Rock's inmates at the Alight. Can you not see that maybe just maybe I was right about this, Janeva?"

"I can't tell you honestly that you are right or wrong or if I am." Janeva began, "I'm… Going to accept the job, do as you ask of me."

'What in the Sun's name have I gotten myself into?' Janeva inwardly cursed.

Avad gave a slow smile, "I would expect nothing less of you, Captain."

'Fuck.'