"Hey there, everyone," Aloy said to the small but growing crowd of Banuk.
"We take it that you triumphed over that test against the world," a Banuk Shaman said.
"That I have," Aloy answered. "Though my return is not for a casual visit. It has to do with the Daemon that had frenzied the machines up here."
"Has the Daemon returned?!" a gruff but familiar voice said as the speaker made his way through the crowd.
"Hey there, Aratak," Aloy said as he emerges through the front row.
"Hello, Chief Aloy," he answered respectfully. "Already your victory has been sung across the snow and ice."
"That it is," she answered. "Let's go someplace so that we can talk."
"Follow me," Aratak said.
Aloy and John follow Aratak until they are away from prying ears.
"This is Jawn by the way, I met him on my journey," Aloy introduced. "Jawn, this is Aratak."
"Hello," John said as he made a brief wave.
"I notice that there aren't any Corruptors or Deathbringers up this way," Aloy said. "Did any of them appear."
"If you are talking about the dark metalled machines that appeared, then yes," Aratak said. "A few of them just popped up out of the snow. They covered some warriors in a red mist and made them disappear."
"Those machines fed on them," John said.
"I dealt with the one who raised them," Aloy said. "Which is the reason those machines went silent once again. But on to other matters. The Daemon that bothered Cyan is still out there and has been so for the past twenty years."
"Twenty years," Aratak mused. "That was around the time the machines started getting angry."
"I know, the Daemon caused it," Aloy answered. "But we're working on a plan that might quell it. It involves having to visit Cyan again. Show him, Jawn."
John removes his backpack and takes the Thunderjaw brain out.
"That's a Thunderjaw brain," Aratak said.
"That it is," Aloy said. "Tell me, Aratak. Have you ever heard of a Banuk encampment just outside the Cut where the machines were peaceful?"
"Yes I have. They said that a person could walk right up to those machines and touch them and they would not react. So it exists?"
"It did," Aloy said. "The reason was that there was a device nearby that sent out a signal that calmed any machine that got into range. But then some Oseram got up there and tampered with it, causing the signal to end and the machines getting violent once again. After I met Jawn, I decided to return to it with him and checked it further to discover that there was a . . . mind within it. Like Cyan, but lesser. It's name is Apollo and he had sent out the signal to calm the machines. We managed to get this Thunderjaw brain and sent Apollo into it so that we can take him to see Cyan."
"Why do you need him to see Cyan?" Aratak asked.
"Because she might be able to help him get more of himself back," John answered this time. "Apollo is going to be used against the one who started the machine's anger against humanity some twenty years ago."
There is a moment of silence.
"Will it affect our hunting?" Aratak said.
"If you mean that the machines will no longer attack you on sight, then yes,," Aloy said.
"That bodes ill for a hunter," Aratak said. "It is so much more of a challenge when we encounter dangerous machines."
"So what was hunting like before the Derangement?" John asked.
"It was," Aratak began, "less challenging. One either had to try and strike a machine down in one go or chase it."
"And would not the Derangement be a challenge to overcome?" Aloy added.
Aratak is silent as he ponders that.
"Anyway, we have to get to Cyan," Aloy said. "And Jawn," as she turns to regard John. "The path to Cyan is even tougher than the one we took to get up here."
"Just how tough?" John asked with a leer.
"At one point, I had to leap across a chasm that was too wide to casually land upon the other side and had to pull myself up just as a Frostclaw was coming into view."
John sighs as he bows his head and pinches his nose bridge.
"However, I do believe that there is an easier way to get up there," Aloy said.
John looks up at her. "Are you sure? Is she right?" As he turns to Aratak.
"If you are referring to the north pass, Chief Aloy, it might be easier," Aratak said. "But it's a longer path to take and is infested with machines. Scorchers, Fireclaws, and Frostclaws."
"I'm carrying a device called a machine blinder," John said as he reveals it. "It sends out a signal that causes machines to not see its source, along with anyone within range. Anotherwords, it makes people invisible to machine eyes."
"And you made it?" Aratak mused.
"No, another did," John answered. "Unfortunately, it didn't work against the Corruptors and Deathbringers. It only works upon the machines that you are familiar with."
"I see," Aratak said.
"And I see that since we will need to take the north pass in order to get to Cyan, then we will need to leave now," Aloy said.
"Let me accompany you two," Aratak said. "That way we will be able to fight off any machines in our path all the better."
"Very well," Aloy said.
They are about to leave when Aloy catches sight of two more familiar figures hurrying over.
"Hey there, Burgrend. Varga. How's everything here for you?"
"Terrific!" Burgrend said triumphantly as he stops before Aloy and John. "Ever since you drove that Daemon away, word had spread all the way into Ban-Ur and more Banuk showed up, fattening my profit margin. Who is your traveling companion?"
"My name's John," he answered. "John Smith. I came from High Hopes."
"That's a part of Harguess territory," Burgrend said. "Did those machines pop up out of the ground out there too?"
"Yeah, they did," John answered.
"We saw some of those here too!" Varga added eagerly. "They just popped up out of the snow over near the Icerasps, including giant ones full of weapons!"
"One was even spotted spewing out a red mist that dissolved some hunters," Burgrend said.
"I dealt with the one who resurrected them," Aloy said.
"So that's why they stopped attacking!" Varga gasped. "That was you who stopped them?! You're amazing, Aloy!"
"It took an army to help me though," Aloy said. "Look, sorry I have to cut our conversation short, Burgrend, Varga, but Jawn and I have a task to perform and Aratak is helping us lead the way."
"Ah, very well," Burgrend said.
"It was nice meeting you again, Aloy," Varga said as she gave her a brief hug.
Burgrend and Varga walk away.
"Okay, let's go, Aratak," Aloy said to him.
Aloy and John follow Aratak as they trek through forest in a section of the Cut that Aloy was not familiar with.
"Hey . . . Aratak," John said. "What's it like up here during the Summer?"
"It's a bit warmer, but it never gets warm enough during that season to melt the snow away completely."
"How long has it been this way?" John asked.
"Since time out of memory," Aratak answered.
That answer makes John conclude that there is an Ice Age going on. Moreover, he takes notice of the Aurora Borealis.
"And I take it the Aur . . . I mean that wave of light has always been up here as well?" John said upon catching himself from speaking its name so as not to give away his origins.
"Yes it has," Aratak answered.
The trio continue their trek on that alternate route toward Cyan. It is a difficult route, but not so difficult that John cannot walk through. At times the snow is deep and they have to slog through it. There are places where it is more firm and they do not sink so much. As Aratak had explained, they do encounter machines. They being the Scorchers, Frostclaws, and Fireclaws. To John the Scorchers resemble wolves, while the Frostclaws and Fireclaws resemble bears.
"Are you certain that your machine blinder will make us invisible, Jawn?" Aratak asked.
"Only if you both stay close to me," John answered. "And remain quiet."
The trio sneak pass those machines as they stalk about the paths that John and Aloy can read through their focuses. They continue their walk through the cold and snowy forest with Aratak in the lead. At times he has to lead them away from the machines, making their journey longer than it needs to be. The sky goes overcast and fat snowflakes fall. The air is still. The day feels not so cold as there is moisture in the air for snow to fall. And if there's moisture, there's warmth.
It is close to sunset as they come upon their destination.
"There it is," Aratak said as he points it out.
To John, it is a desolate looking installation built upon a high and rugged hilltop about a mile away.
"By the time we reach that, it'll be sunset," Aloy noted.
"Then all the more to continue onward," Aratak said. "We'll be able to climb up the side since it's more on an angle."
The trio continue their trek toward their goal. The sun has since set with twilight beginning to fade as they trek up the angled side covered in snow. Its exposure to the open had created snowdrifts from whenever strong winds blew, making getting up there more difficult as they had to plow through such snow.
They reach the top.
"Let's take a moment to rest," John gasped. "That climb took the wind out of me."
"We can't do it for long," Aloy said who did not seem to sound winded.
John looks from Aloy to Aratak, seeing that they do not seem tired and that these people are tougher than he is, given that they need to travel everywhere on foot. Well except for Aloy maybe since she can override a machine to ride.
"Let's go," Aloy said.
The group reach the installation as the day grows increasingly dimmer. Snow stops falling as a break forms in the clouds to reveal the reddish glow of twilight. A sudden gust of wind adds a chill to the air as it also stirs up the snow, blowing it low across the metal floor past the rusted railings.
"So Cyan's in there?" John asked.
"She's further in," Aloy answered.
They enter the facility to the glow of blue lighting courtesy of those plastic things that the Banuk are fond of using. The blue lights give the interior a surreal appearance as the three walk down corridor after corridor. Banuk drawings adorn the walls.
They reach an open area where there is an even larger drawing on a wall in the back. A round platform is there with markings visible only to Aloy and John through their focuses.
"Hello Cyan," Aloy called.
Cyan appears before them in the form of that large techno-sphere, hovering in midair. John is momentarily startled by the sudden appearance of Cyan, given that he did not know what to expect.
Cyan speaks in that softspoken feminine voice.
Greetings Aloy. I am glad that you have come to visit me once again. Greetings, Aratak.
"Greetings, Cyan," Aratak replied. "Aloy, Jawn, I will be outside."
Aloy and John watch as Aratak goes through another door that leads to the outside, overlooking the Cut. There is silence for a moment as Aloy and John continue to stare at where Aratak had left.
And who is the other man with you, Aloy?
John turns and opens his mouth to answer, only to catch himself as he suddenly realizes that just by simply speaking his own name, Cyan might question his origins since she may end up knowing that his name only existed back amongst the original humans. Then Cyan may end up telling Aratak, who in turn tells the rest of his people. Then word spreads out of the Cut all the way down to Meridian that an Old One is alive and walking amongst them.
"Is something wrong, Jawn?" Aloy asked, letting the cat out of the bag.