Aloy Pov

After helping Olin's family, Allam and I decided to set up a camp in the desert, near a stream and with a rock to cover us in case a sandstorm appeared. We decided to spend the night there.

It was finally dawn and I had gotten up a while ago. I was on the rock looking at the sunrise, I love feeling the sun's rays on my face, it was energizing. I was thinking about what Olin told us and it just left me with more questions than answers.

I turned and watched Allam sleep. Each of his facial features, from his dark circles to the scar that decorated the right side of his face, which went from his forehead, through his eye, to his cheek. It was kind of adorable to see him like that, a man who came from another time and was so curious to learn everything, someone tough and upright on the outside, but inside he's someone funny who cares about others, someone who... cares about me.

A goofy smile began to form on my face, and I felt my face getting hot and my heart beating faster just thinking about the man sleeping behind me.

Me: What is happening to me? Why do I feel so hot? Am I getting sick? -I asked myself trying to figure out what was happening to my body.

I raised my arm and brought it close to my forehead to see if I had a fever, and actually I was warm, but not feverish. Out of nowhere a foul smell came to my nose and looking where it came from, I found it coming from my armpit.

Me: Yuck, I stink like rotten meat, I need to take a bath. How long have I been smelling like this? -I said to myself as I felt disgusted by the poor hygiene, I've given myself since I met Allam, which made me think about whether he would have noticed his stink, causing a wave of embarrassment began to form in my stomach.

Me: Does Allam know I smell like this? Why didn't he tell me before? Maybe he was embarrassed to tell me, and he was putting up with this bad smell all these days? Oh, for the Mother...wait, why am I worrying about what he thinks? -I asked myself with my face red as a tomato and I felt my body boiling.

Me: I need to calm down...I need to cool down...I need a bath -I said controlling my breathing to calm down my nerves, embarrassment and blush.

I remembered that next to the camp there is a stream where I can wash a little. I glanced at Allam to see if he was going to wake up, but he looked sound asleep, almost like a dead man, perhaps this has been the most he has slept since he woke up.

I climbed down from the rock in silence, took my cloth blanket and walked over to the creek. I begin to take off my armor, then take off my clothes and finally be naked. I stepped into the water and a shiver ran through my body because of how cold the water was. When my foot got used to the temperature, I began to slowly enter the water, without much groaning.

Me: The Embrace water is colder -I said quietly as I began to rub water all over my body and hair, making sure to wash the important areas well, as Rost had taught me. Also, I used a small knife to shave certain areas that didn't need to have hair, I felt cleaner if I did, to be honest.

Pov Allam

I started to wake up and I see that I am on my back, looking at the sky, which was purple mixed with blue; some stars were still visible. I check my Focus and see that it's 0630, I look to where Aloy had lain down and I'm surprised not to see her there, which makes my heart start to beat a thousand per hour and I start to freak out, fearing the worst.

I start to move around in silence and I don't see her, but leaning against the rock I see her bow and spear, Aloy never walks without them. I turned to the left and see that my rifle is still there.

I hear water splashing behind me, I slowly get out of my sleeping bag and grab my rifle, unsafe it and get behind the rock.

I hear the scream of a woman and the splash of water. That voice was Aloy's!

I came out of hiding and aimed my rifle at the creek, with a fierce and hateful look, which was changed to one of confusion and a few seconds later to one of surprise and embarrassment.

In front of me was the wet and naked woman of my dreams, I could see everything, her white skin uncovered, her breasts, her pretty legs, everything. I quickly hid again and covered my mouth with both hands, because I wanted to scream like crazy.

I felt the blood rush to my face, making my face hot enough to fry an egg. My face was red as an apple and my body reaction to what I saw was immediate. I looked at my pants and with an embarrassed laugh I thought that "the little guy hasn't had action for 900 years" which caused me some amusement.

I heard passes approaching me and I knew who they came from.

I quietly went back to my sleeping bag and pretended to be asleep. I could see the shadow of her wrapped in what looked like a towel, she just turned around and when I heard the splash of the water I was able to release the sigh that I had well kept. I tried to fall asleep again but I couldn't, that image was still fresh in my mind.

Later...

General Pov

Aloy didn't stink anymore, and she had put her clothes back on. When she returned to the fire, Allam pretended that he had just gotten up so that the huntress would not suspect what he had seen recently, but she already knew, so she decided to play a little with hers.

They were both eating leftovers from last night's dinner for breakfast. Allam never thought he'd have to eat a gecko skewer for breakfast, but he's had worse.

Aloy: Hey Allam, aren't you going to wash up? -the redhead asked with a malice masked innocence, to the young man, which caught him by surprise and made him break out in a cold sweat with fear and embarrassment at having been discovered and possibly misunderstood.

Allam: N-N-No Aloy, I-I'm f-f-fine -said the man as he felt a cold sweat running down his back.

Aloy: Well, you're 900 years old without a bathroom and no one knows if you need one. This morning I was washing but you didn't want to come with me, so I thought you didn't want to wash yet -she commented to the man and he stared blankly while he looked at her.

Allam: Yes... I'll go take a bath, I'll be back in a bit -said the man as he stood up and put his weapons and armor aside. Aloy handed him the blanket she used to dry off and he continued on his way.

Aloy got up and started to get his things ready when she heard Allam curse the heavens.

Allam: FUCK MY LIFE!-shouted the soldier sadly to the fourth winds. Aloy only laughed at how ridiculous he was being.

Aloy heard him peek out this morning and out of the corner of her eye she saw him with his rifle in hand pointing at the creek, she knew he was just looking to protect her and he didn't expect to find her naked.

After the soldier washed and dried himself, which he really needed, they started their journey to the place where they would meet Erend. On the way to the place, Aloy trained a Strider and each one rode on their own mount.

Arriving at the point where they would meet Erend, they see him being attacked by a Long Legs.

Allam: Is that a giant metallic chicken? -said the soldier while he prepared his bow with an electric arrow. The comment seemed funny to Aloy, so she let out a small giggle.

Aloy shot the Longlegs' chest, causing its charging process to be interrupted, while that was happening, the electric arrow hit one of the coils of the metal bird, causing it to short circuit.

Allam Pov

Aloy got up on top of her Strider and with her spear knocked the giant bird down, bringing it to the ground. But even that was still fighting, so Erend hit it in one of the legs, which made it lose balance and my Broadhead kicked it, which ended up destroying the machine.

Erend: Thanks for helping me, one question though, since when do you guys control the machines? Erend thanked us somewhat breathlessly and more soberly, and then looked at me from head to toe.

Erend: Nice armor... nice helmet-he said complementing my armor and helmet while he watched her, since the poncho didn't cover me as much from the Ultrawave.

Me: It's a long story, and don't even mention it-I replied as he got me off my mount.

Aloy: Well, what do you need us to see?- Aloy asked the man, who pointed us to follow him.

Erend: Let's go to the place where they found the corpses -he said as we continued along the path. After a while we arrived at what seemed to be a combat zone, but there were things that did not add up to the scene.

Me: Are you saying that this is where they found the bodies? Well, it seems that they were dragged from before...over there...there is a trail of blood that we can follow -I said looking at Erend with a serious look.

Aloy: These arrows are broken, but as if they had been by hand, not because of the clash with the armor -she said while she checked one of the arrows.

I saw that there were certain types of Carja armor that were black in color, probably meaning they were from the Shadow Carjas, but it didn't seem right, as the armor was very new and didn't seem to have any damage, unlike the injuries on the body. Perhaps no combat happened here, I looked at Aloy and as if we understood each other, we nodded, implying that we did think the same.

Me: Hey Erend, I have a question, were you able to identify your sister's corpse? -I asked looking at him again

Erend: Of course they did, those damned ones mutilated her beautiful face -Erend replied with hate and suspicion in his voice, I just nodded, but I knew something wasn't right.

We decided to follow the road of blood to the top of the mountain and when we got there I realized that this was an old communications station. I opened my focus to find out what it was called and the name was Colorado-S4 Telecommunications Station.

When we arrived we heard screams and saw several men come out of hiding.

Aloy: Ambush, take cover! -yelled the Nora huntress as we all took cover behind rocks, debris, or bits of rusty metal.

Erend kept his head down since he had nothing to defend against ranged attacks. Aloy started shooting at the attackers and I tried to use my bow against them but my arrows wouldn't reach them, I still wasn't good at fighting him at long distances.

Switch to my assault rifle and put it on semi auto and start shooting at the attackers. They fell like flies.

Aloy: I think that's all -she said as she cautiously peered out, two arrows ready for anything.

We heard a horrible noise and two large machines appeared, they looked like Sawtooths, but without the fangs, also, the most striking thing about both is that they had a kind of cannon on their backs.

Erend: Ravagers, be very careful! -said the Oseram while he prepared his war hammer

We started to fight against the mechanical beasts, one of the wreckers tried to claw me but I turned and got out of the way. I started to spin around him and shoot him, I saw how his armor was falling apart. The mechanical beast charged at me, but I double-jumped and caused him to crash into a rock, slightly stunning him, I emptied the magazine by shooting the cannon on his back, causing him to fall. The wrecker didn't look happy at all.

Me: Maybe I can use that cannon against him -I said to myself.

The machine charged at me again, but I slid under its legs and the rear leg almost hit me in the face. I grab the plasma cannon and see that it has a button to fire, how convenient. With a smile, use one of my old tactics to anger the enemy: my jokes.

Me: Hey, do you want a sandwich?-I asked the machine in an amused way, which was preparing to attack.

Me: Well, here's your fucking sandwich, you bastard! -I told him as the plasma cannon began to fire, destroying the machine in the process.

With one of the Ravagers dead, I go over to where Aloy and Erend are and see them having some trouble with the other Ravager. With the cannon in hand, I do a double jump, but because of the weight of the weapon I didn't go up that much and I started shooting at the mechanical beast. When the plasma ran out I dropped the gun to the ground and tried to reload my rifle as fast as possible.

Aloy: Allam, bring him here -she ordered me, I nodded and Erend and I started running in her direction, the Ravager was hot on our heels quickly. I had to do a double jump if I wanted to avoid being split in half.

Me: Hold on to me -I told Erend and he did it without thinking, I grabbed him by the waist and did a double jump, which terrified him for being so high.

The Ravager arrived and stepped on an electrical mine, causing him to short-circuit and drop to the ground dead.

Aloy: Well, we did it and before lunch -she said with some sarcasm as she let out a sigh.

Erend: What was all that? Where did those thunders come from? How did you jump so high? Where did you get that armor? Are you even a real Nora? Who the hell are you really? -Erend asked me confused and annoyed while he looked at me in a fury of confusion.

Aloy: Calm down Erend, we're going to explain everything to you, but first we need to find out who these people are and why they wanted to kill us -Aloy interposed between the two, trying to prevent the situation from escalating.

Erend: No, you're going to tell me right now who the hell you are and how you did all that-refuted Erend turning a deaf ear to what Aloy said.

Aloy and I kept trying to talk Erend out, but he didn't look like he was going to drop the subject. I'll have to tell him, I just hope he knows how to keep a secret.

Me: You wouldn't believe me if I told you -I replied to him, trying my last attempt to dissuade him.

Erend: Try me -said the defiant Oseram while he looked me in the eyes, I alone without a loud sigh.

Me: I... I'm an Old One -I told him while he looked at him, he laughed without believing me

Erend: Yes, of course, and I am the Sun King -said the mocking tone

Me: I'm telling you the truth, I was cryogenized 900 years ago because... -I started to tell him but I didn't remember why they had cryogenized me in the first place, the memory is there, but it's all blurred.

Erend: Why? He said arching an eyebrow.

Me: For a reason that I can't remember...but...look that's not the case, I'm a soldier who fought in the war before the extinction of my race, if I wasn't an Old One, how do you explain my armor? my weapons? my way of speaking and the way I behave? -I replied but he didn't seem to believe me.

Aloy: Erend, he's telling you the truth, I was the one who found him and I thawed him myself -Aloy told him looking into his eyes. Erend's proud smile was erased when he saw Aloy's serious expression and he could tell that she wasn't lying.

Erend: Are you serious? Are you an Old One? Of the real ones? He looked at me surprised, now believing me, to which I nodded my head.

Erend: I have so many questions... but they can be for later, we have to check the area- the Oseram said, to which Aloy and I nodded. We checked the area and I saw some kind of rustic tripod, which seemed to be holding something, but it didn't seem to be from a weapon.

Aloy: Here's a worn out power cell, it doesn't look like it's been here for years, it's recent -she says as she brought the cell and to tell the truth, it was too new to say it's been off for many years.

Erend: And the ones who attacked us were Oseram, but I don't understand why? -Erend said while he began to think about who could have done this.

Aloy: Well we already know what happened, they were ambushed here and killed right here, the bodies were taken to the base of the mountain and left there, making it look like a battle and they tried to blame the Shadow Carja for their crimes- Aloy explained , but a key piece of the puzzle was still missing.

Me: The attackers used some kind of weapon to neutralize Esra and his Vanguard, Erend, did you tell me that Esra's body was almost unrecognizable? -I added to the conclusion, to then ask Erend and he nodded his head .

Aloy: You'd better go back to Meridian and check the body, maybe it's not Esra's and your sister is alive somewhere -Aloy said to which Erend, surprised by the revelation, nodded and was going to start his trip back to Meridian.

Erend: Hey, you guys don't know how much I appreciate you, both of you. You still owe me an explanation Old One, but you're fine in my book. I'll go back to Meridian to check the body and I'll see you there -the man thanked us both, he could see how his face lit up knowing that there was hope to find his sister.

Me: We have to do something, so we'll see each other in a couple of days in Meridian -I told him to which he nodded and started his trip back to the city.

With the mystery starting to get more complicated than it seemed, we decided to let Erend sort out his own issues, while Aloy and I continued on our way to Maker's End, to get the answers as to why the Eclipse attacked Aloy.