After the War's End

Chapter 13

"Did you understand everything?" Aloy asked after explaining in detail the risky plan that had come to her. It was very dangerous, but it was also the only option, and Talanah approved of it. The first thing they did was run in a direction perpendicular to the road. This way, they ventured into the wildest part of the desert, where there were all sorts of machines. They hunted a few. Among their prey were some tramplers, thanks to which they obtained the perfect blaze dispensers, the perfect and foolproof ingredient in their plan. In addition, Aloy sabotaged two striders, which would be their vehicles for the return, the escape maneuver. Quickly, she taught Talanah how to mount them. Gathering all of that and making a few bombs took them several hours, so they had to hurry to return in time for the spectacle. A few meters before reaching the city, the two hunters separated and said their goodbyes, wishing each other luck. Talanah stayed outside the venue, watching over Aloy's focus. Besides, she had to rush to the part of the amphitheater that a certain Sylens had knocked down to release her Thunderjaw when she had to face a corrupted Behemoth many months ago. Without him, she probably wouldn't have been able to lead the battle in the majestic city on the mesa. It was highly likely that this side of the wall would be easier to destroy. On the other hand, Aloy headed for Jiran's summer palace. Upon arriving at the entrance, she stood firm and confidently went inside. She sighed in relief when everything seemed to be going well. No one paid attention to her, so she was able to approach the place without any problems. Upon arrival, two sentinels guarded the entrance to the Sun Ring.

"What, are we at our best and you're running late?"

"What?" Aloy asked incredulously. It couldn't be. Had they executed him while she was hunting? Her hands grew cold, and her heart began to beat very fast. It couldn't be possible.

"I mean, are you late for our finest moment?" the man repeated.

"I-I..., uh..."

"Well, hurry, don't just stand there. It's going to be dark soon, go find a seat; it's about to start!" She sighed in relief. Thank goodness, it had just been a misunderstanding. Without saying anything else, she hurried inside and searched for a seat that would allow her to execute the plan. The stands were filled with an impatient audience, thirsty for blood. Many of them were Kestrels, yes, but others were ordinary citizens. Regular citizens. Apparently, the Sun-King had many enemies. From the looks of their clothing, they were all quite well-off. They were probably against him because they had lost a lot of power during his reign, which was more peaceful and just. Aloy sighed and looked at the battlefield, feeling uneasy. Four sturdy columns held a cage suspended in its center. It seemed they had reconstructed and reinforced those pillars after the Nora's visit. They looked stronger and more resistant now, preventing them from being destroyed again by the machines that fought in the arena, as when she had managed to make the Behemoth knock down the base surrounding the cage, supported by those structures. That was where her confiscated weapons had been, and thanks to that strategy, she had managed to defeat that imposing beast. She smiled as she remembered Helis's hateful expression when her plan and all of his prophecies fell apart. The arena floor was smooth and ready for the upcoming event. She became lost in thought, worrying about what might happen until the shouts of the crowd brought her back to reality. Through one of the corridors that connected to the center, i.e., the cage, a group of four men were dragging Avad along. The hunter looked around. The spectators were howling with excitement. Then, they opened the cage and violently threw the king inside, who crashed against the iron bars and fell to the base. He struggled to get up, failing in the attempt, so Aloy noticed he was weak. He sat there with his face covered by his hands, his elbows resting on his bent knees, and his legs pulled up so that his feet were near his buttocks and his knees close to his face. The sky began to turn orange as the crowd cheered and jeered the monarch, who remained motionless with his face between his knees and the nape of his neck covered by his hands. It was clear he was suffering. Aloy sighed in sympathy.