Chapter 16
Aloy rode hard through the winding trails of the Sacred Lands, her Strider's hooves pounding against the earth. The battle was won, but the war was far from over. The truth behind the Proving massacre, the Eclipse, and the mysterious voice guiding their machines—it all led to one place.
Meridian.
As she neared the edge of Nora territory, the towering cliffs and dense forests began to thin, giving way to open plains and rocky outcroppings. The sun cast long shadows as she approached the border.
A small outpost stood at the boundary, a lone watchtower marking the transition between the Sacred Lands and the world beyond. Aloy slowed her Strider, her keen eyes scanning the area.
A handful of Nora braves stood guard, their expressions wary. At the center of them stood a woman clad in thick leather armor, her braided hair streaked with gray. Her sharp eyes met Aloy's as she dismounted.
"You must be Marea," Aloy said, brushing dust off her shoulders.
The woman nodded, crossing her arms. "Sona sent word of you. The girl who survived the Proving, the outcast who became a seeker." Her gaze was appraising, but not unkind. "And now you seek Meridian."
Aloy inclined her head. "I need to find Olin, a man who works with the Eclipse. He may have answers about why they attacked us."
Marea let out a breath, glancing toward the distant lands beyond the outpost. "Then you'll need to go through the Carja Sundom. Meridian is their capital, ruled by Sun-King Avad." She hesitated before adding, "The Carja are… complicated. Their past sins run deep, and not all of them welcome outsiders."
Aloy smirked. "Good thing I'm used to that."
Marea chuckled dryly. "I suppose so. But before you go, there's something I'd ask of you."
Aloy raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
"The valley near Daytower has been overrun," Marea said, her tone grim. "Machines. More than usual, and different than before. There's corruption seeping into them, turning them rabid. My scouts have barely made it back alive."
Aloy's expression hardened. "Corrupted machines. That means the Eclipse have been here."
Marea nodded. "Likely. If we don't stop them now, they'll spread deeper into the border. I don't have the warriors to deal with it." She met Aloy's gaze. "But you do."
Aloy exhaled, gripping the reins of her Strider. "I'll handle it."
Marea gave a grateful nod. "Then may the All-Mother guide you."
With that, Aloy set off, following the road west.
---
The Valley of Corruption
The stench of rot and burning metal filled the air as Aloy reached the valley near Daytower. It was worse than Marea had described.
Machines lay broken and twitching, their bodies oozing black tendrils of corruption. A pair of Scrappers snarled over a carcass, their optics glowing an eerie red. But they weren't the real threat.
Aloy's eyes locked onto a massive shape in the distance.
A Corruptor.
It stood at the edge of the valley, its long, segmented limbs twitching as it scanned the area. Smaller machines surrounded it, all of them infected with the same black filth.
Aloy reached for her Focus, marking her targets. "Alright," she muttered, drawing her bow. "Let's see how tough you really are."
She fired the first shot, an explosive arrow striking the Corruptor's back. It screeched, turning toward her as the smaller machines charged. Aloy leaped back, loosing a second arrow and rolling out of the way as a corrupted Watcher lunged at her.
The battle was brutal. The Corruptor slammed the ground with its tail, sending shards of rock flying. Aloy dodged, weaving between attacks, planting precision shots into its weak points. Fire arrows ignited the corruption, making the beast shriek in rage.
After what felt like an eternity, she landed the final blow—her spear driving into its central core. The Corruptor convulsed, its body shuddering before collapsing in a heap of smoldering wreckage.
Aloy exhaled heavily, wiping sweat from her brow.
With the valley cleared, she turned her Strider toward Daytower.
---
Daytower – The Breaking of the Gates
The massive stone gates of Daytower loomed ahead, but something was wrong.
The guards stood at the top of the battlements, shouting orders. Metal groaned as the gate trembled.
Then, with a deafening roar, a second Corruptor lunged forward, its claws raking across the wooden beams, trying to tear the gates down.
Aloy cursed under her breath. "Not on my watch."
She galloped forward, knocking an arrow and firing at its exposed heat vents. The explosion made the beast stagger, but it wasn't enough.
The guards rained arrows down from above, but their weapons barely made a dent. Aloy, however, was already moving, climbing onto a broken watchtower to get the high ground.
From above, she leaped, launching a Ropecaster to bind the Corruptor's legs. It struggled, roaring in frustration as she fired again, pinning it down.
Then, with a final explosive shot to its core, the beast crumbled.
The dust settled, and a moment later, the gates of Daytower creaked open.
Aloy stepped forward, greeted by the wary gazes of the Carja guards.
The captain, a stocky man with a thick beard, gave her an appraising look. "That was… impressive. Who in the Sun's name are you?"
"Aloy," she said simply, brushing past him. "I'm here to see Meridian."
The guard frowned. "A Seeker, are you?" He folded his arms. "I should turn you right around. The Carja have enough trouble without a Nora warrior riding in, acting like she owns the place."
Aloy met his glare without flinching. "I'm not here to cause trouble. I'm looking for someone—Olin, a Carja scavenger. He's been to Meridian, hasn't he?"
The guard hesitated, then sighed. "Olin? Yeah, he's been through here. Left for Meridian a few days ago. If that's where you're headed, you'll have to speak to Captain Balahn inside."
Aloy nodded. "Then I won't waste time."
He gave a reluctant nod before stepping aside, gesturing toward the open gates. "Welcome to Daytower. Don't give me a reason to regret it."
Aloy strode forward without another word, stepping into the outpost beyond the walls.
---
Alana sat in silence, her mind still reeling from what she had seen.
The battlefield. The war. Aloy standing atop the fallen Corruptor, inspiring the Nora to victory. It had felt so real, as though she were there herself.
Slowly, she turned her gaze to Adal.
The young man sat casually in his chair, arms resting on the armrests. His expression was unreadable, but his piercing gaze never left her.
"You can see all of it," she finally said. "The machines, the battles, everything. And you do nothing."
Adal tilted his head slightly, considering her words. "Observing is doing something."
She frowned. "That's not what I meant."
He let out a quiet chuckle. "I know." He tapped the side of his Focus. "You misunderstand, though. I don't interfere because I don't need to. The world moves as it should."
Alana clenched her fists. "People are dying out there. The Nora are fighting for their lives. If you have the power to help, why wouldn't you?"
Adal leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees. "Tell me, Alana—what do you think happens when people become too dependent on something they don't understand?"
She hesitated. "I don't—"
"They stop thinking for themselves," he interrupted smoothly. "And then they die."
Alana shivered.
Adal sighed and turned to a console. "Looks like your friend has reached the border."
Alana's heart skipped a beat. "Aloy?"
He nodded. "She's at Daytower. Which means she's one step closer to you."