Chapter Text
Fashav couldn’t decide which he liked better.
When the Tenakth questioned him or when they left him alone.
For the past few weeks, the Tenakth have been avoiding him like the plague. And he didn’t mind at first, relieved to no longer be questioned. That is until his ears picked up the grumble of Stalkers, the two Aloy had assigned to watch him doing so silently. To pass the time quickly, Fashav would look out for the two Stalkers, finding them in different places.
One of them seemed to like to perch on top of his cage, its grumble quiet even as it lay across the top of the cage. The other liked to pace, sometimes lay down in the grass at the entrance of the room his cage was kept in. Fashav was still fascinated that such a person as Aloy could simply control machines, even more so than before the time of the Derangement.
Fashav did notice a few times that whenever commotion arose, the Stalkers would become alert, turning invisible as if to prepare for an enemy. Fashav didn’t know what the commotion was about, and he wasn’t about to push his luck with the few Tenakth that came to feed him and give him more water.
For a bloodthirsty tribe, the Tenakth were certainly treating him well. He wondered if that was partially thanks to Aloy. She seemed to have such a high standing in the Tenakth despite how young she was. Though he did count the number of times the Marshals regarded her so casually, a lack of respect from where he was from.
One day, as the rain began to pound the jungle with its thunderous drum, Fashav heard footsteps approaching. The Stalkers were instantly on alert, turning invisible as Fashav looked up, his eyes widening as he saw Chief Hekarro enter the quiet room.
Alone.
Fashav bowed his head, trying to appear as submissive as possible as he noted how the Chief seemed unsettlingly calm. The massive Tenakth was nothing Fashav had ever seen, and even now, Fashav felt a true drop of fear in being at the mercy of this man. The Stalkers, realizing who the guest was, turned visible again and Hekarro didn’t bat an eye. One of the Stalkers came slithering up, nudging the Chief’s hand to prompt a pet.
Hekarro gave it briefly before asking Fashav, “Before your capture, did your leaders say anything about Riverwatch?”
His voice was stern, a demand rather than an ask. Fashav shook his head, “No. I have not. Commander Helis does not like Riverwatch, mainly because it’s hard to access.”
Hekarro didn’t say anything for a brief time, the Stalker circling him before leaving him to remain at its post by the entryway. Then, he pulled something from behind him and threw an object to the edge of the cage. Fashav instantly recognized the helmet. It was Aloy’s the one she wore when she charged into battle and on the way back to the Memorial Grove with him. It was broken, the mask splitting apart upon the helmet being thrown to the ground.
Fashav could feel his heart squeeze as he asked, “Is that…?”
“It is Aloy’s.” Hekarro did not sound happy. Nor did he sound angry. “Your Commander had every Carja soldier and Oseram mercenary in the Forbidden West holed up in Riverwatch. I and the Marshals foolishly thought this was a mistake on Helis’s part. We laid siege to Riverwatch a week ago.”
Hekarro paused, gauging Fashav’s reaction as Fashav stared at the helmet. Seeing that he wasn’t going to react, Hekarro continued, his tone sharp, “We lost half of our forces, all of the machines we had sent, and we might lose a Marshal. Helis was lying in wait for us. Dammed up the upstream river, dug holes in the mountain at Riverwatch’s side, and laid explosives that took out half of the machines.”
“Might…” Fashav repeated, finally looking up at Hekarro. “Aloy…is she alive?”
“We do not know,” Hekarro replied grimly, a deep frown on his face. “She lies in Stone’s Echo, the closest Utaru settlement, recovering from grievous wounds. Thanks to the healers there, Aloy rests but has not woken. There is a chance she could pass. I have sent two Marshals to be at her side to either return her to the Memorial Grove…or retrieve her tags.”
“By the Sun,” Fashav breathed, taking one hand and threading his fingers through his hair. “And no machines are left?”
“There were two, but they are barely functioning. Without Aloy’s aid, they too will pass. Only these two Stalkers remain fully functioning.”
Fashav felt his heart squeeze tighter. He remembered how fondly Aloy treated her machines, especially the one she rode. Fashav thinks his name was Monty. To think they were all gone…Aloy was going to be devastated if she woke up. Looking up at the Chief, Fashav asked, “Why tell me this? I do not know a single thing about Riverwatch’s plan that Helis had. My best guess is that he wanted to get rid of Aloy and her machines, leave the Tenakth vulnerable.”
“And they will be heavily mistaken,” Hekarro growled, so deep that Fashav couldn’t help but feel his flight or fight response kick in, only held back by balling his fists on his thighs. “For now, the Carja have retreated back to Barren Light and have not made moves to encroach on the Forbidden West. I came because I will need your help. And I do not think my High Marshal will agree with me when I say this. Thus, I came alone.”
“Wait,” Fashav stopped the Chief, standing up in his cage. “What do you mean you need me?”
Hekarro was silent. Like he was second guessing himself already. But soon, the Chief replied, his voice low as if sharing a big secret, “I believe there may have been foul play.”
Fashav paused, blinking in confusion. Hekarro continued, taking a step closer, “High Marshal Regalla was tasked with watching over Riverwatch. She was tasked to watch and seek information. But yet, had no back up plan for if things went south. And from every Marshals’ individual reports, Aloy was the one to call the retreat. And only her.”
“But Regalla didn’t want to…” Fashav hummed, looking away from the Chief in thought. “And you think Regalla sent up Aloy to fail?”
“For the siege to fail so that Aloy would fail.” Hekarro sighed. “I do not wish to believe it, and I hope Aloy survives so I may question her if she’s able to answer. I have sent two of my Marshals to investigate the damming and the tunnels, to see if any information can be retrieved from Riverwatch. But I fear that Regalla had something to do with this. She also had the machines on the frontlines first. And Marshal Vintella is covering for her.”
“But she hates the Carja. Why help them defeat Aloy and the others?”
Hekarro sighed, “Ever since Aloy came to us as a feral child, Regalla has tried to question her how she tamed the machines. I can only guess that resentment has built up over the years, and with Aloy’s recent title of Marshal, it might have tipped Regalla over the edge. I may be wrong and I hope I’m wrong, but looking back at every bad turn for Aloy out in the Red Raids, I’ve seen a pattern. I need to keep you alive until Aloy is able to come here…because I’m afraid you will be next on Regalla’s vendetta if I am right.”
“And if Aloy dies?”
Hekarro’s eyes glanced at the Stalkers, who all looked at him with blue eyes. Fashav caught Hekarro’s lack of an answer. He might get killed by these Stalkers, the very ones who have been guarding him. And then there was the Slaughterspine in the throne room. Fashav had heard the tales of how the great Slaughterspine trampled into the Memorial Grove in search for Aloy. If Aloy died…that Slaughterspine might just destroy the Grove.
“Until her return, you will remain alive,” Hekarro said. “You may be of use later. But that is up to Aloy.”
Just like that, Hekarro turned away and disappeared back into the rain, as if he wasn’t here at all. But Fashav couldn’t help but wonder if Hekarro was silently warning him to be prepared.
And that wouldn’t come until another two weeks later.
There was a loud commotion, one that had Fashav walking up from a nap. He sat up to hear what was going on. The first thing he could make out was cheers of Machine Master returns sorts of phrases. Meaning Aloy was awake. She lived.
Fashav was relieved for a moment, glad that the young girl survived her wounds of the siege.
That is, until a couple of Tenakth soldiers walked in. They bound him and took him out of his cage, the Stalkers following obediently as they made their way to the throne room. There, all the Marshals with the exception of three, the Chaplain, and Chief Hekarro, stood in the throne room. They were silent when Fashav and the soldiers walked in. The Stalkers were quick to take his side as Fashav was sent to his knees as they settled opposite of the Marshals on the throne’s platform. The soldiers stood behind him, the throne room quiet.
Hekarro didn’t look angry, almost expectant. Nearby, the Slaughterspine raised its head, watching the entrance with blue eyes. From Fashav’s viewpoint, he could see the Marshals were in varying degrees of emotion. Regalla seemed annoyed, a deep frown on her face and arms crossed. Vintalla seemed nervous, fidgeting as she stood beside Regalla. And the other Marshals patiently waited.
Then, at the entrance, Kotallo and Chekkatah appeared, rugged from travel but otherwise fine.
But silence began when Aloy finally appeared.
Compared to when Fashav first met Aloy, the Aloy that appeared now seemed to be a shell. Expression blank, all Aloy wore were bandages covering most of her body, from her neck to the soles of her feet. Anything that her tunic and trousers didn’t hide. She wore none of her armor, appearing much smaller without it. The Slaughterspine made a rumble of greeting, along with the two Stalkers as they stood up to stand at the edge. Aloy looked up briefly, her eyes spotting the Stalkers before spotting Fashav. The moment she spotted Fashav, her eyes glanced down and her face remained blank.
Hekarro was the first to speak, greeting Aloy as the trio stopped in front of the small crowd. Hekarro rose up, walking away from his throne as he greeted her warmly, “Marshal Aloy. We welcome you home.”
Kotallo and Chekkatah saluted, and Aloy did but half heartedly. Her expression was still blank. Fashav didn’t want to know what was going behind those eyes, haunted as they appeared behind the blank facade. But from her white knuckles, she had a few things to say, but remained silent.
“I assume you know of what happened at Riverwatch,” Hekarro asked. Aloy nodded. “Then you must know that you did what you could as a Marshal.”
“I did,” Aloy replied. “I did what I thought was right.”
“And you did what you thought was best,” Hekarro pointed out. He approached her slowly. And then, unexpectedly, Hekarro embraced her. With how massive the Tenakth was, Aloy was so small. Fashav could see Aloy’s face twist with emotion, teetering on the edge on whether to cry or just simply taking the embrace. When Hekarro pulled away, he told her softly. “No matter how many machines remain, you will always remain our Machine Master, Marshal Aloy. What happened at Riverwatch…was a tragedy in itself.”
“Unfortunately,” Aloy whispered, looking down at the ground. “We cannot destroy Barren Light without more machines. I can get more by the end of the month’s end. End this whole thing once and for all.”
“And what do you mean by that?” Heads turned to Regalla as the High Marshal stalked towards the pair, Kotallo and Chekkatah stepping aside. “After such a disaster, do you still think you can lead an attack on Barren Light? What if the same thing happens at Riverwatch?”
Aloy remained silent, but Fashav could see a different spark in Aloy’s eyes. Hekarro was quick to intervene, growling, “High Marshal, I thought you would be a bit more sympathetic.”
“I am merely asking a question,” Regalla growled back, eyes never leaving Aloy’s as the pair stared each other down. “After her failure at Riverwatch, I am surprised she wants to go after Barren Light so soon. Unless there are other reasons for it.”
Regalla stopped a few feet away from Aloy, chest puffed and chin held high as she regarded Aloy with a disapproving look, “Are you still loyal, Aloy? That trinket should have picked up those traps, shouldn’t it have? Nobody from your part of the Squadron survived, those who aided to push the forces back. Yet, here you stand, alive.”
Aloy didn’t reply, blankly staring at Regalla as if trying to remain calm. Regalla continued, her tone lowering dangerously, “I was hoping you would come here, so that you can answer questions that have bothered me. Like I asked earlier, the trinket not catching the traps? Not the soldiers hiding in the tunnels? Or the dam? Did you not notice that the creek was small when it was pouring rain that morning?”
“We all missed that, Regalla,” Kotallo tried, but Regalla stopped him with a raised hand towards him.
“Yet Aloy had the resources to catch these things,” Regalla pointed out. Fashav was confused by what she meant, but whatever it was, it seemed to occur to the other Marshals too. Regalla turned to Chief Hekarro, who did not seem happy with the way this welcoming was going. “Chief Hekarro, as one of your most trusted Marshals, I advise you to trial Aloy and see that these questions be answered. We lost more than half our forces, all the machines, in one siege. The first that she has been a part of.”
“I will not imprison Aloy for trying her best,” Hekarro said firmly, waving one hand across. “She did what I would have done. And with so many people in one place, the trinket might have not picked up on any of those soldiers in hiding. All the questions you ask can easily be answered.”
“Then why doesn’t she answer them,” Regalla demanded, rounding on Hekarro and gesturing to Aloy. “Look at the pattern, Chief! She brings a Carja general and claims he saved her. She has an Apex machine that lingers in the throne room, waiting to strike if something happens to her. She has been manipulating us, or customs and traditions to her benefit. To the point you give her the title of Marshal! An outlander who rides machines and claims the title of Marshal should not be possible. What is next?”
Fashav watched as Regalla looked back at Aloy, her eyes clearly looking down at Aloy’s stomach. With a snarl, Regalla said, “That she mates with one of our own? Certainly wouldn’t be the first time.”
That finally sparked something in Aloy’s expression, eyes widening as she caught the implication. Regalla continued, gesturing to the other Marshals, “You all turn a blind eye as she manipulates even the lowest of us! And you all don’t see it because she has machines that could protect us when they very well can be used against us.”
Aloy’s hand twitched, then balled into a very tight fist, to the point her knuckles were whiter than the whitest silk. Regalla turned to Aloy, saying slowly, “I have seen you stow away one of our own, disappearing between talks to ‘spend time’ with that lowly knight. I have tolerated all that you have done, but the potential for a half-breed? I will not have that amongst the Tenakth. I heard what happened, how you survived. He protected you so fiercely and I wonder why.”
There was a heavy silence. Hekarro seemed shocked at Regalla’s words, staring at the High Marshal as if he didn’t recognize her. Aloy didn’t move. Didn’t speak. And Fashav could see the lights of the Stalkers had turned yellow, waiting patiently for an order.
Then, a low voice spoke, dripping with venom as Aloy’s face darkened, “How dare you speak of Boe like that? How dare you assume that of him? Of me? Fine, you want answers, Regalla? I. Don’t. Fucking. Know. I followed YOUR orders, YOUR plan! YOU were tasked to watch over Riverwatch while I handled assembling all the remaining forces. YOU should have seen the traps! Counted the soldiers! I only did what I was ordered to do. And Boe did the same thing.”
Aloy’s voice got louder and louder as she spoke, the rage rising as Aloy stepped towards Regalla. “Ever since I came here, you looked down on me! You cut me down at my worst and I still got back up. And you got pissed. You were jealous of the fact I wanted to help with my machines. I put my own family at risk because I began to care for the Tenakth and its lands! Now, let me ask you this, Regalla. Was it really Carja that killed Lilly? Or did you do it because you wanted me to be discouraged from fighting in the Red Raids?”
Fashav watched as Regalla’s anger turned to shock, the truth evident. Aloy took the silence as her answer, throwing her arms up, “I fought for these lands. Fought because I care for the people and machines within them. I fight because I want to save these lands from any and all threats! And right now, I see you as a threat, Regalla. Your envy of me has blinded you. Blinded you enough to ignore the signs that Riverwatch was a giant trap for us all. Or you hoped to get rid of me and take the victory for yourself. Hence why you’re mad as soon as I walk in here.”
With a shake of her head, Aloy snarled, “But I will not challenge you because of your envy, High Marshal Regalla.”
To the shock of the room, Aloy sat at Regalla’s feet, the Marshal’s eyes widening as Aloy said firmly, “I challenge you to restore Boe’s honor. You shamed him by insinuating he and I were sleeping together, that he was ignoring his duty for me. You betrayed him and his trust in the Tenakth by sending us and him all in a death trap. And I find that I cannot forgive you for that.”
Regalla stared at Aloy, eyes lifting from the spit to Aloy’s enraged face. Hekarro intervened then, warning Regalla, “Regalla, do not accept this challenge. Aloy is grieving. You had torn fresh wounds on the death of a dear friend. Whatever she says is of grief.”
Fashav didn’t believe it. He could see that neither did the Marshals. They all exchanged glances, waiting for Regalla to do something. Then, with a growl, Regalla told Hekarro, “A Tenakth does not back down from a challenge.”
Turning to Aloy, Regalla said firmly, “I accept your challenge. And I will not hold back. I cannot wait to be rid of you, tomorrow in the Arena. In front of all the Tenakth. And once I’m done with you, I will kill the Carja prisoner as my reward.”
Regalla spat on the ground, nearly hitting Aloy’s foot. Aloy did not flinch, but she was bristling. Before anybody could stop her, Aloy turned and left, walking out of the throne room without so much as a goodbye or a salute to the chief. Regalla disappeared too somewhere Fashav did not follow. This left the room in silence.
Then, Chekkatah approached the Chief, “We should have intervened. Aloy is not well enough to face Regalla, Chief. You need to do something.”
Hekarro’s face twisted, as if he agreed but was too shocked in the moment. After a moment, Hekarro shook his head, “The challenge has been set, Chekkatah. There is little I can do.”
Kotallo scoffed, saluting to the Chief as he asked, “Permission to go after Marshal Aloy?”
Hekarro nodded and Kotallo was quick to leave. Chekkatah followed him. This left the original occupants of the room alone. Hekarro turned to Fashav then, his eyes carrying a weight to them. Fashav thought back to their conversation two weeks prior. The betrayal was evident.
Jekkah finally spoke, “Chief, we cannot allow Regalla to walk away from this unpunished, if what I hear is right. If Regalla did know more details…she must be punished.”
“Unfortunately, that will have to wait until after the challenge between Aloy and Regalla is finished,” Hekarro replied somberly. “For now, we prepare ourselves for tomorrow. And take the prisoner back. We will not need him until tomorrow.”
The soldiers did as told, taking Fashav back to his feet. The Stalkers followed, although a little less enthused. Fashav began to think as soon as he returned to the cage, sitting down against the wall. If what Aloy said was true…was it Regalla that betrayed the Tenakth? But the woman was on an extreme vendetta against the Carja.
Why would she want to kill Aloy? Get rid of her machines when her machines could very well push the Tenakth all the way to Meridian?
Fashav watched as the Stalkers settled for their routine, visible now as the day wore on.
It didn’t occur to Fashav until he was about to sleep for the night when a thought happened. Earlier, they had mentioned marching on Barren Light, to finally drive the Carja away once and for all. With machines…they could completely destroy Barren Light. And with the rock that hugged the fortress…
Fashav could see that the reason why Regalla wanted to get rid of Aloy was so that the way to Meridian would be clear and not forever blocked due to the machines Aloy would set upon Barren Light. Hekarro nor Aloy wanted to go all the way to Meridian, just drive the Carja out.
And that wouldn’t satisfy Regalla. She wanted revenge for those she lost. And she wanted that revenge even if it meant betraying her Chief and killing Aloy.
If Aloy didn’t win the fight tomorrow, Fashav doubted he would be the only one Regalla was after next.