Chapter Text
“Such places are forbidden, Aloy,” Rost said, his voice stern yet tinged with concern.
“I fell in,” Aloy replied, her tone defensive, as though the truth might shield her from his disapproval.
“They are of the metal world…” Rost’s eyes narrowed as they caught the faint glow on her face. “What is that on your face?”
“Nothing,” she said quickly, instinctively raising a hand to cover the device.
“Did you find it down there?”
“…No.”
“Aloy.” His voice grew firmer as he extended his hand. “Give it to me.”
“No!” Aloy took a step back, clutching the strange, newfound treasure close to her chest.
“Aloy, such things are dangerous!” Rost’s outstretched hand wavered, but his expression did not soften.
Still, Aloy held her ground, her eyes flashing with a mix of fear and defiance. “No!”
For a moment, there was silence between them, broken only by the distant rustle of the forest. Then Rost sighed heavily, lowering his hand.
“Well, if you’re going to go sneaking away from home,” he said, his tone resigned, “you’ll need to know how to survive in the wild.” He gestured toward the path with a sharp nod. “Come, Aloy. Home, now. But starting tomorrow… you will learn to hunt.”
____
The next morning, Aloy woke with the first light of dawn. Sleep had been impossible anyway; her mind raced with excitement over the strange device she had found—the Focus. It was unlike anything she had ever seen, a window into an invisible world.
As she experimented with it in the quiet hours before Rost stirred, she discovered its wonders. Shapes and symbols floated in the air, visible only to her, illuminating paths, objects, and structures with an otherworldly glow. Some of them even moved at her command, responding to her gestures with an almost magical precision.
It was as if the world itself was revealing its secrets to her—secrets meant for her and her alone. For the first time, Aloy felt connected to something larger than the forests and mountains she had known her whole life.
But as the day began, she tucked the Focus away, knowing Rost would not approve. She couldn’t help but wonder if he was right—if it was dangerous. Yet, in her heart, she also knew she would not let it go. Not now. Not ever.
“Take your bow,” Rost instructed, his voice steady and commanding.
Aloy grabbed the bow and slung it over her shoulder, muttering to herself as her fingers brushed the Focus still tucked in her pouch.
“And enough muttering to that plaything. We descend to the valley now. Follow,” Rost said sharply, gesturing for her to come.
As they started down the rocky path, Rost glanced back over his shoulder. “The wilds can be dangerous, Aloy. You’ll need to stay close and do as I say.”
“I know,” she replied, trying to sound confident, though the edge in her voice betrayed her nervousness.
Rost nodded. “You’re still scratched up from the fall you took yesterday. Let’s start there. Take this.” He handed her a small pouch filled with dried herbs. “I’ll show you how to replenish it. It’s medicine. You’ll need to learn how to make your own.”
He knelt by a patch of vibrant green plants with small, red berries. “See this plant here? It’s called Sootbrush. Gather its berries and add them to your pouch.”
Aloy crouched down, her fingers brushing against the soft leaves as she plucked the berries and tucked them away.
“Good. Now eat one,” Rost instructed.
She hesitated before popping one into her mouth, grimacing at the bitter taste that filled her senses. “Ugh, they’re bitter!”
“They may taste bitter, but they can save your life. Always keep your pouch full of medicinal berries, flowers, and plants. You’ll thank me one day.”
Aloy looked around the valley as they continued walking. “Where are we?”
“This valley is part of All-Mother’s Embrace,” Rost explained, his voice reverent. “The Nora tribe watches over these lands and keeps out the most dangerous machines… usually.”
“Usually?” Aloy asked, raising an eyebrow.
Rost didn’t answer directly. Instead, he gestured further downriver. “Come. We’ll find a herd of machines, and I’ll teach you how to hunt.”
“Are they dangerous?”
“All machines are dangerous, Aloy,” he said gravely. “Their power must be respected. But I’ll be beside you.”
As they moved closer to the herd’s grazing grounds, Rost suddenly froze, his hand shooting up in a warning gesture. “Aloy, a machine’s coming. Crouch. Follow me into the tall grass.”
Aloy obeyed, her heart pounding as the rhythmic clanking of metal footsteps grew louder.
“There. Stay low,” Rost whispered.
Aloy glanced at the machine—a sleek, birdlike creature with a single glowing eye scanning the terrain.
“Such machines are called Watchers. You must learn to avoid their gaze if you are to survive in the wilds. Watch me, and do as I do.”
Aloy nodded, her breath catching as Rost crouched perfectly still, his figure blending seamlessly with the tall grass.
“Stay still. Wait for it to pass,” he murmured.
The Watcher paused, its glowing eye scanning the area just above them. Aloy’s heart thundered in her chest, but she didn’t move. After a tense moment, the machine turned and stalked away.
Evading the Watcher proved easier than Aloy had expected, thanks to the tall grass and Rost’s careful guidance. As they moved on, Rost made sure to take paths that were manageable for Aloy, never straying too far ahead.
Eventually, they came across a rocky outcrop, where Aloy spotted a figure in the distance. A young boy from the Nora tribe was climbing a steep wall with impressive agility. His movements were so fluid and graceful that Aloy stopped in her tracks, awestruck.
“Eyes forward, Aloy,” Rost snapped. “We are outcasts. We have no business with the tribe.”
Reluctantly, she turned away and continued following him.
After successfully hunting her first machine—a small Grazer—Aloy felt a swell of pride. But as they ventured further, she noticed the same boy again. This time, he was perched high in a tree, leaping from branch to branch like a squirrel.
Suddenly, he slipped. With a gasp, Aloy watched as he fell to the ground, landing awkwardly in a heap. He didn’t get up. Worse, he had fallen right into the middle of a herd of machines.
The boy was in trouble, unable to hide or move quickly enough to escape.
“Aloy, no!” Rost barked, but she didn’t listen. Without hesitation, she leapt down the ridge, her heart racing as she ran to save him.
Getting past the machines wasn’t easy, but with her Focus, Aloy could see their paths, glowing trails marking where they would tread next. This tool was nothing short of incredible. Using rocks to create diversions and the abundance of tall grass for cover, she carefully made her way toward the boy.
“Hey,” she whispered once she was close enough.
The boy’s head shot up, his eyes wide with a mix of shock and confusion. “What? How is this—”
“Shh,” Aloy cut him off, motioning for him to stay quiet. “Follow me.”
The boy nodded, still stunned, and began to crawl behind her as they retraced their steps. The way back wasn’t any harder—her Focus guided them, and Aloy made sure to keep to the shadows, avoiding the machines’ glowing eyes. After a few tense minutes crouching through the underbrush, they emerged safely from the clearing.
Rost stood waiting, his face a mix of anger and relief. Before he could speak, the boy rushed forward, his voice shaky but filled with gratitude. “Wait! All-Mother bless that girl. Bless you both!”
“Boy!” A group of villagers approached, led by an older man whose expression darkened at the sight of Aloy and Rost.
“She saved me! I just want to—”
“Boy, seal your lips!” the elder snapped, his voice sharp and commanding. “They are outcasts, both of them. And she…” He sneered at Aloy. “She is motherless. Come now. Back to Mother’s Heart.”
The boy hesitated, glancing back at Aloy, but the elder grabbed his arm and pulled him away. The group left, the elder muttering angrily as they disappeared down the path.
Rost let out a heavy sigh, his voice low and tense. “That boy should not have spoken to us. It’s against tribal law. We’ll go home now. Follow.”
“I know the way,” Aloy muttered, her heart heavy with rejection once again.
____
On the way back, Aloy replayed the elder’s words in her head, frustration bubbling up inside her. “Seal your lips, boy. Seal your lips,” she mimicked under her breath. Why couldn’t she talk to the villagers? Why was she motherless? And why was that enough to make her an outcast?
Suddenly, a soft laugh broke her thoughts. She looked up to see a boy, about her age, sitting alone in the grass with a fox curled up on his lap. Intrigued, she approached cautiously, but her foot landed on a twig, and the sharp snap startled the fox. The animal leapt from the boy’s lap and disappeared into the tall grass.
“Oops. Sorry,” Aloy said, her face falling.
“It’s okay,” the boy replied with a smile. “I’ll come back tomorrow to feed it again.” He studied her for a moment before adding, “You’re the girl without a mother, aren’t you?”
Aloy nodded. “Yes… sorry. I should go home.”
“Wait! What’s your name?”
“Aloy,” she replied hesitantly.
“I’m Kaelen. Want to play with me?”
“You shouldn’t. I’m an outcast,” Aloy said, her voice tinged with sadness.
“Why are you an outcast?”
“I don’t really know.”
“Then let’s play!” Kaelen said brightly. “I brought my shards. Do you want to play Shard Toss?”
“I’ve never played,” Aloy admitted.
“Don’t worry, I’ll show you. It’s easy!”
Kaelen showed Aloy how to play. It was a game of skill, where each player started with three shards and took turns tossing them at a pile of shards on the ground. The goal was to knock as many shards off the pile as possible. To Kaelen’s surprise—and slight frustration—Aloy won nearly every game.
“It’s not fair!” Kaelen groaned. “You’ve never played, and you’re already better than me!”
Suddenly, a sharp pain struck Aloy’s cheek. She cried out, startled, as a small rock fell to the ground at her feet. The two children froze, searching for the source, and spotted a group of kids on a nearby hill, laughing.
“Well, well, the motherless girl and Kaelen. You’re not supposed to talk to her!” one boy jeered.
“That’s Bast,” Kaelen whispered to Aloy. “He’s a bully.”
“Leave us alone, Bast!” Kaelen shouted back.
Bast smirked and picked up another stone, hurling it toward Aloy. This time, she caught it mid-air, her eyes blazing with anger as she prepared to throw it back.
Before she could, a firm but gentle hand stopped her. Kaelen stepped in front of her, shielding her from Bast.
“Stop it, Bast! You could hurt her! Leave her alone!”
A woman’s voice cut through the commotion. “Enough! Do not speak to the motherless girl!”
The group turned to see a stern-faced elder marching toward them.
“Kaelen, what are you doing with her?” the woman demanded.
“We were just playing—”
“I said enough! Everyone, back to the village. Now!”
The children scattered, and Kaelen turned to Aloy, his face full of regret. “I’m really sorry, Aloy. I have to go…”
He hesitated, casting one last look at her before following the others back toward the village.
Aloy stood alone once again, the weight of rejection settling heavily in her chest.