A new morning in the city of Meridian, the ancient soldier had recently woken up and was preparing for the day, both physically and mentally.

He was sitting at the desk in his room. He had bandaged his hands to keep his knuckles from getting infected and next to him were the pieces of his armor, cleaner than the day before. Dried blood stains were no longer dirtying the armor.

Allam was listening to some music while he was modifying the small cannon, from the Stalker he killed a few days ago.

Allam: So, if I connected this here...and then it goes here...maybe with some wires I can hold it together, I wish it had a blowtorch -said the soldier quietly as he finished modifying the device.

Allam: Ok, it's time for a test -the soldier said as he loaded the small cannon with a rock and prepared to fire it out an open window. He squeezed the homemade trigger and the rock shot out of the barrel at high speed. The ancient soldier smiled to himself.

Allam: I'm a fucking genius -said the soldier while he happily looked at the homemade grenade launcher he just created.

Allam: Well, I'll buy ammunition for this baby in a bit. It's time to get out of here -said the man as he began to equip his armor again and put away his things.

He hooked the grenade launcher to his side, hid his rifle, and with his poncho and hood on, left the room. Allam walked out of the tavern into the busy streets of Meridian and headed towards the market to make some necessary purchases and look for his blade.

Allam saw a vendor who was mixing chemicals and turning them into bombs, like the ones Aloy uses on the slingshot.

Allam Pov

That must be an alchemist or something, maybe he can help me make ammo for my grenade launcher.

Me: Good morning -I greeted him cordially and he did the same.

Alchemist: Good morning, what do you need young man? -Asked the man while he showed the different types of bombs that he had for sale.

Me: I need ammunition. Small like the size of a small rock...like this one here -I explained to the man as I handed him a rock.

The man looked at me intrigued.

Alchemist: Isn't that a bit small? They'll fall out of your sling before you can even throw it -the man said as he arched an eyebrow.

Me: It's not for a slingshot, it's for a personal project, but do you have them? -I replied and he just let it go.

Alchemist: Yes, I have some of that size more or less, let me check in the back -said the man as he entered his house and I listened as he searched through his things.

As I waited, I could hear my stomach start to growl; I was hungry.

The man returned with a few small elemental bombs. Each one of a different color.

These are the only ones I have; the blue ones are electricity, the red ones are fire, and the black ones are explosive, it would be 200 metal shards -said the man to which I nodded and passed him the money. I took the ammo bag and put it in my ruck.

I went to buy something to eat and after that I went to a merchant to buy one of those anti-armor arrows that Aloy kept telling me to buy.

I sat on the bench where Aloy and I sat the day before. It made me so...sad...not having her here around me.

I finished eating the croquette I had bought a while ago and continued on my way to the blacksmith. The man greeted me with encouragement when he saw me.

Blacksmith: Ah young Allam, it's good to see you again. Look here is your blade and your hook -said the man happily, taking me by surprise.

The man hands me my bracers and I see that my blade has a manual lock that I can remove with my other hand. While the other had a hook on my forearm. In my hands I had a kind of handlebar. The man handed me a black glove and I put it on.

I decided to change the position of the bracers, making the blade now on my right arm and the hook on my left.

Blacksmith: I made the blade lock according to your instructions, while the hook is more of my own design. This baby can support the weight of up to two people or a small machine. The handle in your hand allows you to launch and retract the hook at will. I am very proud of my work -explained the man with pride.

Me: You don't know how much I appreciate it, thank you -I replied with a smile.

I said goodbye to the man and wondered if Aloy and Erend had arrived from the trip, so I headed back to the royal palace.

Moments later...

I was in the courtyard of the royal palace and there was no sign of Aloy or Erend, gosh even Avad wasn't here, and the guy is supposed to live here. I started to go up the stairs and I see that Avad was talking to one of his subjects, who sounded very upset.

General Pov

Minion: his Illuminance, I swear to you, 5 guards were killed last week and no one from the Vanguard has gone to check and the mason refuses to work until the murder is solved -said the man kneeling before Avad.

Avad: I understand your concerns and those of your mason, but the Vanguard is very stretched thin to be able to take care of every case that happens, but I assure you that I will send someone as quickly as possible, for now tell your mason to stop complaining and keep working -commanded the sovereign, the subject simply nodded and left disappointed, almost colliding with Allam on the way to the exit.

Allam saw the man run off and turned to Avad, who let out a tired sigh as he realized that the Old One was in his presence.

Allam: I'm surprised you didn't ask him to suck you off -said the soldier with a sarcastic smile, earning the annoyance of the Sun King and his adviser, his goal accomplished.

Me: You know, the vast majority of rulers of my time claimed promises that they were going to keep, but in the end, they didn't do a damn thing -said the ancient soldier as he approached both of them.

Avad: Believe me, I want to help all of them...but we are very tight and short staffed. With the Shadow Carja at the gates of the Sundom border and with tensions still running a bit high in the city, they are very busy - the tycoon replied in a sigh as he rubbed his temple, with a headache caused by the Aloy's mission and by Allam's presence.

Avad: But tell me, what brings you here this morning? - the King asked the soldier with curiosity.

Allam: I came to see if Aloy had returned, but I see that is not the case -answered the ancient soldier.

Avad: You are not the only one who longs for Aloy to come back -the king commented to the ancient soldier.

Allam: And Erend and Esra? -asked the man, with jealousy beginning to manifest in his heart again.

Avad: I want everyone to come back, Old One -replied the king with a small blush, not very visible.

Allam was getting pissed off and his jealousy was growing, it was obvious that Avad liked Aloy, or at least, he had a certain attraction towards her, and he was not willing to let himself be won over by a monarch. To avoid repeating what happened yesterday, Allam decided to do something to kill time and not have to see Avad. He really wasn't in the mood for that.

Allam: Look, regarding the minion that was here... Do you want me to go investigate the problem? I'll do it for free -the ancient soldier offered.

Avad: Really? You will do it? -the man asked surprised by the soldier's request.

Allam: Yeah, yeah, yeah, just tell me where the stupid quarry is, and I'll solve the problem really -said the soldier trying to speed up the process.

Avad: It's an hour from here, north of Meridian -said the man.

The soldier nodded and left the palace.

1 hour later...

Allam arrived at the quarry and saw a man giving orders and arguing with what appeared to be his workers. That must be the mason.

Allam Pov

I walked over to talk to the man, with my helmet under my arm.

Bricklayer: What do you want stranger? I already have enough problems and I don't have time to deal with you -said the man, with an attitude not very pleasant for me.

Me: Look asshole, I come from the palace, the King sent me. They told me you have a problem with a murder -I replied to the man, not very happy with his attitude.

Bricklayer: Murder?! More like a massacre, five guards, all dead and mangled like chopped lettuce -exclaimed the man, annoyed.

Me: I'm going to check the quarry, I'll see what I can discover -I told him as I started to walk towards the entrance of the quarry, I started to go down until I reached the base. I put on my helmet, activated the upgraded visors and started to check the area.

From what I was seeing, there were a lot of fire barrels, nothing out of the ordinary for a quarry. But something that caught my attention was a deposit of a kind of black metal.

Me: What the hell? -I said as I approached the mound.

Suddenly, the ground began to shake and I felt as if something was coming from under me. I fired my grappling hook at one of the ridges and moved out of the area.

A big machine shot out of the ground and...what else can I tell you, it was big and ugly.

Me: Shit, that's a big boy! -I said as I prepared my bow.

The visor scans showed me that the legs could be destroyed with one of those Anti-Armor arrows I bought this morning and that the back was exposed.

I shot an arrow at the left leg and it fell destroyed. The giant machine burrowed back underground, causing the ground to shake. It started digging towards my position and I double jumped to get out of the impact area.

The machine came out of the ground and looked somewhat confused, I prepared another arrow and shot the other front leg. I double jumped and shot the hind legs, both sides slumped to the ground.

The machine glared at me and started throwing up a bunch of stones. I just didn't believe it, the bastard didn't give up.

Me: Oh, you disgusting son of a bitch! -I yelled at the top of my lungs as I dodged around the debris.

I hid behind some stone blocks until the machine stopped throwing stones. I came out of hiding and saw that I was near a fire barrel, I switched bows to my rifle, took the safety off and shot the barrel, which exploded and set the machine on fire.

Me: That's it, burn you fat bastard -I said as I grabbed my grenade launcher and put in an explosive bomb.

I aimed as best I could and fired the bomb, which hit the machine in the rear, doing massive damage.

I started to quickly approach the machine and I did a double jump and with the rope hook I was able to turn and stay suspended in the air, on his back. I fired another explosive bomb while it was in the air, destroying the weak area of ​​the machine and destroying it completely.

Me: Haha, eat that you cheap ass Transformer -I was screaming with happiness for having killed such a big machine.

Me: Well, that solves the mystery of the murders. A giant machine killed them, now what will I call you? -I said as I approached the machine and took out any part that looked important.

Me: I'll call you... a Mole -he said as I walked away from the corpse of the machine.

Thanks to the rope hook I went back up to the platform where the mason was. This and the other workers were more than surprised by what they had seen.

They thanked me and gave me a box full of supplies and food as a thank you.

I got in my Broadhead and headed back towards Meridian. Also, I was going to have a little chat with Avad about being careful with underground machines.

1 hour later...

General Pov

Allam was approaching the Meridian Bridge and was going to leave his Broadhead in the usual hiding place, until he sees Aloy's Strider there. He left his mount and without caring about anything he began to run towards the city.

Allam ran like a soul from the devil, the people and the guards saw him confused by the strange armor. The soldier ran and ran until at last he saw the palace in front of him. Allam double jumped and with his rope hook lifted himself higher so he could reach the top of the stairs faster.

Allam spun around as he fell to the ground and could see the redhead talking to Avad a few steps away.

Allam: Aloy? -the soldier called her, she and all those present turned around. Allam removed his helmet and the smile he wore was quickly exchanged for a mixture of surprise and sorrow.

Aloy gave the ancient soldier a cool look. Allam approached the Nora huntress and she was still looking at him with that cold look, with anger and sadness inside of them.

Marad: Ah Allam, well you've arrived, Aloy and Erend were telling us that... unfortunately Esra has passed away... and that Dervahl is planning an attack against Meridian -Marad explained to the old soldier, he nodded but remained reserved.

The soldier looked at the redhead and she cut his eyes, which hurt the soldier.

Allam: I'm sorry for your loss Erend -said the soldier with downcast head, not in a very good mood.

Erend muttered a simple thank you and that's it.

Erend: Allam, we are going to mobilize the guard near a warehouse that Dervahl has in the city, I need you to come with me, we will meet Aloy there -the man told him, Allam just nodded.

Allam looked at the huntress one last time and seeing that she didn't even look at him, he sighed and went after Erend.

In downtown Meridian...

Allam and Erend walked through the streets of Meridian on their way to Dervahl's warehouse, the Vanguard behind them.

Erend: This time you screwed up, you know right? -the Oseram man said to the Old One, who only nodded.

Allam: I wish I could make it up to her...I behaved like a complete idiot -said the soldier, depressed.

Erend: And do you know why? -he asked the soldier, but he shook his head, but Erend already knew.

Erend: You let jealousy get the best of you, and getting drunk and ravaging a whole bar only made things worse -the man told him, which made the soldier look at him in surprise.

Erend: You know...a friend told me once, that drinking was not the answer to problems, that you should face your problems and make peace with them...that friend was you Allam, let us end the situation with Dervahl first, then you can talk to her and fix your shit -the man said to the ancient soldier, which surprised him and brought a wistful smile to his face.

Allam: You're right, we're going to catch that asshole and then I'm going to fix my relationship with Aloy -said the man with encouragement.

Erend gave him an encouraging pat on the back and they continued on their way to the warehouse.