"So the Oseram cook just like they make anything else," Ikrie observed, around a mouthful of food.
Aloy watched her companion with amusement, as she picked her way through a platter of grilled meat and vegetables. The Oseram didn't have the Carja's way with delicate spicing, but their straightforward and bold flavours seemed to agree with Ikrie.
"How so?" Petra asked, plainly amused.
"Using plenty of fire and metal, and making something very robust. Which, to be clear," she added, "is exactly what I needed after this morning's exertions."
"'s one of the best things about the Heap," Aloy said, around a mouthful of potatoes. "The jobs Petra hands out mean you work up a thorough appetite, and then you come back to this."
"Oh, so nothing about my sparkling repartee?" Petra joshed.
"I was taking that as read." Aloy tapped her chin with two fingers, thinking of where to take the conversation next. "It looks like you've got a few more weapons around before. Avad let you have plenty of spoil from the Alight, then?"
Petra nodded, grinning broadly. "A whole swathe of the battlefield went to us. We'd have been happy with less, but the Nora weren't about to take more than they could carry and we had carts."
Kaeluf cleared his throat. "We did cart some of it to Daytower for your folk to take back down into the Sacred Land. Seems a few Nora might've got themselves a taste for trading."
"Good," Aloy smiled. "If it opens up the Sacred Land a little, so much the better." After all, everything she'd seen only reinforced the need for Tribes to work together. She liked to think that she was setting a good example there.
But the thought of the new Machine nagged at her, despite her prior plans. Ikrie looked at her and saw it. "You're thinking about the Blazewing, aren't you?"
Aloy nodded. "The black armour on it worries me. Talanah and I have fought Machines that colour before." She looked at Petra. "Did you see where it came from?"
"Young Jorgriz did," she replied. "It came from the southwest. Chased him much of the way."
"Back towards Rising Light," Aloy mused.
Ikrie's eyes lit up with understanding. "The Cauldron Talanah mentioned. But she said it was blocked up?"
"I guess something cleared the way," Aloy said grimly. She pondered it some more, fiddling with the fork in her hand. "We'll speak with Talanah about it when we get back to the Lodge. And you know, Petra – if you ever need help, we'll answer. For now, though, I've promised Ikrie a hunt, and the Sun Furrows are calling. Just as soon as we've done the dishes anyway, and relieved you of some arrows and such."
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"Was that 'we' a slip?" Petra asked her later, when they were cleaning after the plates. Ikrie was off drying them, a safe distance away.
"Hmm?"
That earned her a knowing look and a raised eyebrow. "Aloy, your face is much too honest for that. You're already blushing."
Aloy sighed. Petra was right – she could feel the heat in her cheeks. "And so what if it was?"
"Well, I'm not used to you appearing with a companion in tow. Not to mention, the way you look at her…" Petra chuckled. "That little lady's pretty, and she looks fine in Blazon, but the sparkle in your eyes that says you're enticed by more than just that."
"She is pretty, isn't she?" Aloy murmured. It felt almost transgressive to say it out loud, but Petra nodded encouragingly. "And you're right, I see something in her."
"Do you think she realises that?"
It was actually exasperating, the way Aloy's heart beat more quickly at those words. What the hell is this about? I've fought Thunderjaws and cults, climbed mountains and traversed the ruins of the ancients. But saying what I feel to Ikrie frightens me.
"Aloy." The sound of her name cut through her worried reverie.
"Huh?"
Petra gently held out her hand, a surprisingly soft smile on her face. "I get it. You've been on your own for a long time. Guess being an Outcast's ward in the Sacred Land didn't afford you much flirting practice, huh?"
"You can say that again."
The other woman clapped her jovially on the shoulder. "Look, you two seem sweet together. And I don't think you need to worry too much about your odds, the way Ikrie looks at you. Just let her open up to you, as much as you can, and you'll be alright. And hope your kissing's up to snuff," she winked.
Aloy bit her lip nervously. "See how far I get."
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Ikrie remained unaware of this exchange as she and Aloy took their leave of the Heap, found a new mount and galloped into the Sun Furrows. Over ridges and along gullies they went, Ikrie gazing at more of those enticing pools… and the Snapmaws which immediately put her off the thought of taking a dip.
That led her to a vague daydream of Aloy swimming, then breaking the surface, water running off her bare – no. We're not going there.
She shook her head with enough vigour that Aloy glanced back at her. "Everything alright?"
"Yeah. Just… nervy."
For that, she got a comforting pat on the knee. "That's understandable, Ikrie. But you'll be fine. This is where I brought down my first Thunderjaw. Everything's about as controlled as you could hope for."
They were within sight of the Hunting Grounds now, an encampment sitting proudly atop a rise. From the other side came a faint but steady thump, thump. Ikrie had an unpleasant inkling as to just what that would be.
Aloy brought their Strider to a halt. "Up we go."
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Ikrie had heard the allegation, repeated many times and vehemently by her own people, that the Carja had stolen the whole idea of Hunting Grounds from the Banuk. She didn't really have an opinion, but the Carja groundskeeper was certainly sniffy enough about the girl from the Cut who'd shown up asking for a challenge.
"Ridiculous," he muttered when he finally mustered the energy to give her a scornful once-over, the Banuk girl in borrowed Carja gear.
"What's that?" Aloy had been leaning against the wall, but now she propelled herself upright and stood with just the hint of a fighting pose.
"Ah, nothing, good Hawk. Nothing," the Keeper said, suddenly quite deferential. The words came with some difficulty, though, and Ikrie suspected that he used to treat Aloy rather less courteously.
But she wasn't here about manners, she was here for a challenge. "So, Keeper, what's my task?"
"Your task," he replied tersely arms folded, "is to relieve the Thunderjaw down there of its disc launchers, within the allotted time."
Ikrie moved over to the ledge, staring down at the enormous Machine below. She felt reasonably proud about not gulping, though she could pretty much feel the colour draining from her cheeks.
"You know I'm going to have to stand back from this, don't you?" Aloy said quietly, next to her. "I'll take a hand if it really looks like you're screwed, but I can't do more than that."
"I understand." Ikrie turned to look at her. "I'll be the lone snow-ghost on this one."
"More of a sand-ghost now," Aloy chuckled. As she spoke, she brought a hand close to Ikrie's cheek, though then she seemed to realise what she was doing and pull back just a little. "So what's your plan?"
"I can take a bow and use Tearblast arrows like you've shown be. That way I should be done with the Thunderjaw's big guns quickly," Ikrie said, indicating the leviathan and feeling reassured when Aloy nodded approvingly. "But then there are those two Ravagers to contend with." She pointed to the two smaller Machines on the upper level. "So I'll want to quickly set some tripwires, take my shots, handle the Ravagers and go from there."
Aloy nodded, an approving look in her eye. "And I'll step in too," she said. "Once you've completed your challenge, I can come into the arena without breaching the rules. Can't I?" she says to the Keeper, though it's not truly a question.
He looks as if he'd still like to tell her no, but good sense wins out. "Just be sure you toe the line," he said tersely. "Because I'll be watching the Thrush closely. No special favours, even for the Sunhawk's protégé."
"I wouldn't expect any." Pivoting to Ikrie, Aloy asked her, "Ready to go?"
Ikrie rolled her shoulders, bouncing lightly on the balls of her feet. "Yeah," she said breathily – and then again, full voice, to make sure she meant it. "Yeah."
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She was capable of this. Her greatest flair was with a sling, but she was plenty skilled with a bow. She was young and vigorous, honed by a youth spent in Ban-Ur and the Cut.
None of that meant that she wasn't still nervous. This was the biggest, meanest Machine she had ever crossed paths with, and she was within reach of two Ravagers – a single one of which had nearly done for her just a week ago.
But then, as now, she told herself, I have Aloy at my back.
She dropped from the zipwire to land in the long grass, rolling and hoping that the thud of her landing had gone unnoticed. She'd never known a landing to be detected, but there was always a first time… alright, not today.
Sure of her secrecy, she took a second look. It had been one thing to gauge the distance from the prowling Ravagers above, but down on the ground, things were always different. The one to her left was quite a way off, but the one to the right… that was only twenty of so strides away.
Then she looked up, and looked at it. Her target. Oh sacred Blue Light, that's bigger than I ever thought it could look. The Thunderjaw's hunched profile loomed ahead of her now, even though it was stood down in the gully. At least her elevated position kept her from the jaws that gave the monster its name, and would give her some shelter from the cannons on its head. As for the disc launchers… well, that was the object of the game anyway.
Two minutes for a Blazing Sun. But don't let that be the only object. Doesn't matter what Sun it is if I don't survive to claim it. She already had her tripcaster in hand, and staked out a shock wire, followed by two blast ones. Then she added some bomb traps for good measure.
Quick as she dared, she darted to the left of the arena and dived into another patch of grass. She was close to the Thunderjaw now, enough that its footfalls shook the earth underneath her. The second Ravager was ahead, and she laid the same set of traps and wires for it too.
One minute left – I think. She took her mind off the time. If her aim wasn't true, the time would be quite irrelevant.
Three tearblast arrows to start with. She wouldn't get a second chance like this. Might as well hit hard with the first strike. So she pulled back, held the bowstring taut – and let it go.
As she'd been taught, her hand instantly whipped up to grab her next arrow. She had it before the strange noise of the pre-blast could twist the air, and by the time the disc launcher was torn away, she'd nocked and was drawing.
In terms of taking aim, the Thunderjaw swivelling to face her helped. Its red glare, however, boring into her eyes, was truly heart-stopping. Fight it! She snarled, brought her bow up and fired again.
The shot hammered into the disc launcher, but it was already firing. Ikrie rolled to the side, just dodging a searing beam of energy from above. Mercifully, the bwaaarm and boom of the tearblast arrow followed, peeling the heavy gun away.
Phew. Challenge complete. Pending her surviving what came next – and earning her trophy. Taking down the Thunderjaw.
The next shot didn't come from that giant, though. A volley of electric blue split the air to her left – the second Ravager. Well, that was what tearblast arrows were for, right? She heard a snap and fizzing noise, its fellow hitting a shock wire. That kept it away for ten more seconds, so she kept her eyes forward.
Her shot staggered her attacker and relieved it of its cannon, but it sprang straight into a charge, only stopped from pouncing when it hit the trip wires she'd laid in its path. Ikrie dived to the side and then sprinted past it – the Thunderjaw had opened up with its own remaining guns, splitting the air at her back. Further behind their came a crump of explosions, the first Ravager running into the rest of the traps she'd laid. But now that meant two angry Machines behind her, and another below.
Hardpoint arrows from now on. She didn't have time to get an angle on a Chillwater cannister, so she'd have to strike forcefully and strip away armour with each hit. So the second she had a boulder between her and the Thunderjaw, she did just that, launching the heavy arrows at the nearest Ravager.
Her traps and tripwires had torn away a fair bit of its plating, but it didn't relent even when she hit its exposed body. She rolled away from its lunge and its rending claws, fired again, rolled again – and then had to abandon that shot when the other Ravager fired its cannon. Beneath the rush of adrenaline, Ikrie felt desperation sinking into her bones.
But then came the telltale sound of someone traversing a zipwire, and to Ikrie's ears it might as well have been a warhorn. Aloy dropped, rolled and came to her feet, already drawing her bow and an arrow. She drew, fired, and the first Ravager went down before it even knew she was there.
With one less enemy to deal with, Ikrie spun away from the other Ravager and fired once more, laying bare its heart. It threw itself at her, but she skidded away, pulling her spear from its holster – and struck. The blade plunged into its heart with a shower of sparks, and the Machine fell lifeless.
That left only the Thunderjaw, no less infuriated if its next salvo was any indication. Ikrie threw herself back into cover.
Aloy joined her. "Nice going there. Might've been under two minutes."
"Truly?"
"Yup." Despite everything, the Nora woman was grinning, and Ikrie found herself doing the same. "Now, your trophy's still kicking, so I think we ought to deal with that before we do anything else. Break left when I say."
"Left?"
"Yeah." Aloy held up one finger. "Now!"
The Thunderjaw roared behind them as they burst into the open again, both firing as they went. Sacred Blue, the armour that girded this Machine was thick. Their arrows ripped into it and sent pieces spinning away, and the Thunderjaw's bulk hardly seemed diminished at all.
Fine, Ikrie thought. She aimed for the antenna on its back and caught that with a stinging hit. The Thunderjaw seized up for just a second as the component came away, and Ikrie saw something bright green amid the grey of its armour.
She risked a glance at Aloy. "Is that-"
"Blaze?" Aloy would've said more, but she'd seen the cannons flare up again and barked, "Move!"
This time, their cover was the fallen Ravager, but even its armour would only hold for a few moments. After that brief reprieve, they raced to another rock and crouched behind that.
As the salvo raged on, she turned to Ikrie and said, "Yes, that is Blaze. We'll need to remove more of the Machine's armour to have any real chance of hitting it, though."
"We can manage that." Ikrie nocked three arrows, jumped atop the rock they'd been crouching behind, and fired. Aloy followed suit, ripping more plating from the Thunderjaw's back. That gave Ikrie her opening and she took it, sending a fire arrow arcing through the air. She saw it catch, and shielded her eyes as the Blaze ignited with a boom and crash of dislodged armour.
Now the Thunderjaw did look wounded, lopsided with the damage it had taken, but it only seemed angrier. It came charging up the slope from the gulley and barrelled towards them, like a mountain of metal. The women hurled themselves out of the way, and Ikrie felt the rush of wind from the Machine's charge.
But then Ikrie saw it, the row of power cells under the tail. She drew a brace of shock arrows, took aim, and loosed.
It was a truly wondrous thing to see such a vast Machine go still, overcome by the power surging through it. "The head!" Aloy yelled, striking another power cell with an arrow of her own.
Ikrie didn't need telling twice. She sprinted, casting her bow aside in her need for haste. She drew her spear again, leapt and came down on the Thunderjaw's metal skull, spearpoint first.
So hard did she land that her knees jarred, and she rolled awkwardly off the fallen Machine's head to land in the dust. But the Thunderjaw was dead, her spear buried in its head.
The next thing Ikrie's dazed senses registered was Aloy skidding to a kneeling halt next to her, hugging her. "Thanks, Aloy," she eventually managed. "Didn't think I'd have made it without you."
"Well, it's like you said," Aloy replied. "My spear beside yours." She looked up at the Thunderjaw. "Now, which bit are you taking for your trophy?"
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A while later, they clambered back up to the encampment with their loot. The sun was sinking low and it would be best to spend the night here, so this ought to cover dinner quite nicely.
"Blazing Sun," the Keeper harrumphed. "Not shabby for a first time, I suppose." He tossed the token to her. "Even with some assistance, Thrush."
"Couldn't he have congratulated us on the kill?" Ikrie asked Aloy as they walked away, heading for the tents.
Aloy shot her a look. "Don't hope for too much. The day I find out how many Machine kills will make that man be courteous…"
"You'll probably have lost count."
"Honestly, I already did."
"Ah well. Least we got the trophy. And I think it'll be a good story too. Seriously, the way you came out of that roll and straightaway had that Ravager…"
