Chapter Text
When he had pledged his life to Her, he never imagined the things he would learn and the places he would go. He had half expected She would reject his offer. He was maimed and they hadn’t known each other long enough to warrant such a feat. To his astonishment, She had accepted. She admitted him into Her squad. He had believed at the time that that was it. He would fight with Her and be Her guide through the clan lands.
But, then She gifted him with Her second sight. The wool had been pulled from his eyes right then and there. The Old World, which before had just been background scenery suddenly came into focus. Who knew their lives, their histories, accomplishments and failures had woven the tapestry of his world? Aloy did and She shared it with him. By The Ten. And The Ten! The most revered ancestors of the Tenakth had come alive once more. He certainly never imagined he would hear their voices clearly.
He definitely never believed in all of his twenty some odd summers that he would be given the chance to ride on The Wings of The Ten. Sure, he thought about it and dreamt about it, as any Tenakth in their right mind surely did but he didn’t believe it. He didn’t believe he was worthy of such a feat, maimed as he had been. He had…failed his last squad. Fate had brought him back to Barren Light and this time he had not succeeded. His failure lost him an arm and the other marshals, which though he came to terms with the arm he didn’t deserve this at all and yet,
That rush of air, the sting of wind on his face as Her sunwing took flight. Fast and exhilarating, propelling itself to the heavens to meet the sun. It was b reathtaking. She was breathtaking. Her gleeful laughter rumbling against his chest and through his focus as he held onto Her for dear life, screaming like a mere cadet meeting the battlefield for the first time. She was his anchor in this crazy new world, holding him steady and bringing him back when he spiraled into despair. Her flame hair a torch in the darkest hour. She was everything.
“How you doing back there, Marshal?” She giggled as Her sunwing evened out its flight pattern.
Giggled, She giggled at him. His heart was still in his throat and he had responded with a dumb “alright”. Later, in the quiet, he found himself replaying this moment over and over again in his head or on his focus feed when sleep eluded him. He had come up with numerous retorts to get Her back which always led him to wrapping his arms around Her tighter and holding Her closer, feeling the fluttering of Her heart against his chest and pressing his face into that wild mane of Hers.
She had already been close to him though, nestled between his legs as She piloted Her sunwing, and that would have to be enough. She was closer in proximity than She had been with anyone else, as far as he knew, save Erend. He had felt the snake of jealousy unwind itself in his belly when they had embraced at the Zenith keep but…then She took him flying and the snake slept once more.
She didn’t show Her affections often. There were little things, pocket moments, he had noticed. She was reserved in that matter. Everything else about Her was direct and to the point, except for that. Although, it felt like She was opening up. Otherwise, one might assume She was Tenakth marauding as a Nora. But, he reminded himself, She didn’t have an affectionate upbringing. Her adolescence had been lonely and cruel. She didn’t have parents and a squad to love and support Her. She didn’t have friends until she left the Nora Lands. Even Tekotteh had passed as parental at one point. Small miracles, the old ones would say.
“Thank you, for your help today. We wouldn’t have been able to do it without you and Alva,” She said as they flew on towards Thornmarsh.
“The honor is all mine, Commander.” he smiled, seated behind Her. A little tease, he thought.
She had clucked Her tongue at that. She didn’t like being called “Commander” or to receive any sort of praise for that matter but he had said it to lighten the mood of what was coming. They had been able to reveal Zenith's true mission and it had been horrible. Too big. Too much and he knew it would eat at Her. He wasn’t entirely surprised they had ulterior motives. The Zenith woman wore deception like armor. Every bit of his gut screamed at him not to trust her. But he had complete faith in Aloy. She was his commander after all. Even when She kept Her hand hidden, She would find a way. She always did. It might be an unorthodox reckless way but it was Her way and it would work.
“What do you think about…Nemesis?” She asked slowly, gritting out its name through clenched teeth. He saw Her knuckles turn white gripping the cables but he didn’t know what to say and he left Her hanging in silence for too long. “Kotallo. I trust your counsel. Please.”
Strategy, find the enemies weakness and exploit it. Study their movements. Find an opening and attack. But how? How do you destroy an AI? He considered. Words finally find him, “I’m…not sure. It’s still very abstract.”
Her shoulders slump.The wrong words, Back peddle you fool. “But…we will figure this out. Our team and we will rally all the clans behind you. We’ll be ready.” He’s not sure if that’s enough to quell her troubles and decided to take a gamble at touching her. Maybe the sentiment will offer her some solace. He rests his chin on the top of her head. She stiffens beneath him but doesn’t shrug him off. “We’ll find a way. It might be short of miracles and madness but in the end, it will work.” He feels her start to relax against him. “One battle at a time to win the war.”
“Did I ever tell you about the time an outlander blew up the foundations of my childhood home? It was quite a sight." The words he needs finally find him and he feels Her chuckle vibrate through him, “I’ll admit I had my reservations when She ripped a cannon off a tremortusk to do it. Now, tremortusks are fearsome machines mind you. They stalk about the snow plains and keep to themselves. Rarely do Skyclan cadets interact with them. It’s not unheard of but taking down a machine of that caliber, you would bring your squad with you. They’re dangerous to go alone.” He pauses, watching her head turn just a bit to this story, “Then comes this brass, fearless, flame haired outlander who as far as I know has never fought this behemoth of a machine before. With a crazy plan She puts together on a whim and She goes at it on her own. Easily slays the beast.”
Aloy laughs, “Ha. Easily, he says. Please. You forget a crucial part to that story,” She turns her face to him and is smiling, “I wasn’t alone. I had help from Hekarro’s best Marshal.”
You mean his only Marshal, he thinks miserably. Her eyebrows furrow, realizing the gravity of her words but she quickly turns the sympathy to sincerity.
“Best. I know what I said. You’re here. I couldn’t have done it without you.” She flashes him a cocky smile, “Besides, I don’t know any other Tenakth with a strong enough back.”
He puffs his chest out a little, preening at the admiration.
She chuckles and then turns about face again to pilot the sunwing onward. He sees the grip on the cables loosen. A great success, he thinks.
“Well Marshal, onward to Thornmarsh.”
“Marshal. Marshal Kotallo.” Ivirra. Standing before him and he’s back at The Grove, out of memory and thought. “Lost in the fog of memory again Marshal? Don’t get lost.”
“My apologies Marshal Ivirra. I was mulling over some critique of the new recruits.”
“I’m sure. Chief Hekarro has requested an audience with you. When you’re done mulling things over.” she gives him a knowing smile before taking her leave. Kotallo rolls his eyes.
Ping! Try as he might, he won't get used to the sharp ping of a focus chat opening in his ear. Out of the corner of his eye, the brillant blue circle illuminates the side of his face.
“Hey Kotallo, It’s Erend. Got a minute?” Erend’s gruff slurred voice in his head. A welcome reprieve from his thoughts of Her and his duties.
“Erend, well met. How fairs Hidden Ember?”
“Ehh, you know. Hot. Dry. Full of sand. I don’t know how you Tenakth stand it”
“Erend.” Her voice, also on the focus. How long has she been on here? He wonders. Maybe the entire time. “Hi Kotallo.”
“Hello Aloy. How are you? To what do I owe this pleasure?”
“Fine. Erend and I are in Hidden Ember going over things.” She states.
Aloy in Hidden Ember, with Erend. He feels that snake start to unwind in his belly again. He likes Erend. The boisterous Oseram has grown on him to a place where one is more than a friend but a comrade in arms, a squad mate. But he can’t help feeling it, sickening in his gut, thinking about the two of them together, even though she had made it quite clear she didn’t have time for that.
“And Aloy, asked my opinion on something I don’t have much of an opinion on,” Erend says and then, with some attitude, “Well I don’t.”
“Anyway,” She sighs, “To get to the point, I was considering giving the clan commanders their own focuses soon. How is Hekarro doing with his?”
“The Chief is a fast learner and very patient. We have been in ongoing meetings and critiques about the data. Has he not shared that with you Aloy?”
“He has…but I was curious about what your thoughts were.”
Kotallo smiles and nods to himself that She is seeking his counsel, “I would caution giving the focuses to the commanders until you discuss that with Chief Hekarro first. I’m sure he won’t have issue with Atekka and Drakka but there’s Tekkoteh still.”
“No one has killed that guy yet?” Erend asks.
“...No” he says with some hesitation. As he had suggested to Aloy before, that would solve a lot of their issues.
“I’m going to be coming by The Grove tomorrow, I have some things to drop off. I have to check in with Beta after I leave here-” Aloy is saying when Erend interrupts her,
“She made us all overrider tech, can you believe it? Wants us all to learn how to fly sunwings, the loon. Ow!” he hisses. She must have punched him.
“To Pilot the Wings of the ten,” Kotallo whistles.
“Well now you’ve ruined the surprise. Thanks Erend. Anyway, I was considering giving Hekarro an overrider as well. What are your thoughts?”
“I believe the Chief will appreciate the gift. As I said before he is a quick learner and the possibility to override machines will vanquish any misgivings anyone had about him and his vision.”
“By misgivings, you must be referring to that Skyclan Slag-eater?” Erend asks.
Kotallo is briefly taken aback by Erend’s acute observation and then remembers Erend is the Captain of Meridian’s vanguard. A rank that is essentially the equivalent of Hekarro’s High Marshall. He is not only responsible for a group of warriors pledged to their king and city but also acting as the eyes, ears, and hand of the Sun King. Erend should be observational. It is not lost on him that they have a lot of things in common with their vocations. He wonders if the Sun King was as understanding towards Erend’s sabbatical to help Aloy, as Hekarro was towards his.
“Yes, the same.” Kotallo states, careful not to mention names. Though their briefing is private, he knows walls have ears. The skyclan borders are far but word travels fast. Any unrest within the clans is a conversation to have with the Chief present.
“Then that settles that. I’ll see you tomorrow then. Erend has a flying lesson to get to,” Aloy said, bringing him back to the matter at hand. Civil unrest was a thought for a different time. He makes a mental note to speak to the Chief about it as soon as he can.
“You’ve got more important things to do Aloy than teach me how to fly. It can wait until you get back.” Erend says, trying to dodge what’s coming to him by reminding her of Her various tasks to do.
“No, it can’t. It's the fastest way to travel.”
“But I really don’t want to-”
They bicker back and forth for a moment and he thinks about how unwavering Her confidence in Her team is. Even on his worst days, She pushed him up, utterly refusing to give up on the one armed Marshal who couldn’t save his slaughtered squad.
The embassy had been a complete nightmare. They should have known better, should have foreseen Regalla’s treachery would know no bounds. It was a great oversight from Hekarro to allow her to live. She had lost their duel. She should have died then. If Hekarro had just killed her none of that would have happened-No. Best not to dwell. Dwelling changes nothing. She’s dead now. You killed her. You avenged them, he thought, humming in agreement with his thoughts.
“See? Kotallo agrees with me,” Erend says, laughing a bit. Kotallo gapes, having no idea what he just agreed to.
Aloy grumbles, “Kotallo. I will see you tomorrow. Erend. I will see you outside, now.”
Ping! She closes the focus chat and he is left to try and figure out what he just agreed to.
He gives himself a moment to collect himself. He'll worry about that one later. He's sure She'll bring it up in a manner of speaking when he sees Her next. Leaving his post, he proceeds to have his audience with the chief.