The sun fell gently that day. Pink and purple hues folding over distant clouds like transparent blankets. The air stayed calm, and for once, the Dustlands didn’t live up to their name. The streets buzzed with last calls and drunken chatter and, despite standing so high above them, Kage could hear it all.
Kage unclipped his hood as he leaned against the roof railing. Vaan had joined him nearly an hour ago, yet neither broke the silence from the other. Kage had slid a small note underneath Vaan’s door earlier that day, describing their current meeting location. Both glared at the streets below, breathing the thick city air.
“I take it you found what you were looking for,” Vaan sighed.
“Worse,” said Kage, slowly, his tone nimble.
“I found out about that announcement from the empire,” Vaan paused for a moment. “You were right. It wasn't a good one. At least, I don’t think it is.”
“Enlighten me.”
Vaan glared at the north gate far in the distance, then down below into the streets, where chatter just barely reached his ears. “In 30 days, there will be one final Horkos. A finale to end the tradition or something of the sort.”
“And then?”
“He didn’t say much about what happens after,” Vaan mumbled. “Only that the empire will leave, the gates will be dropped, and we are free to do as we please.”
A thin line formed atop Kage’s brows, “What do you mean?”
“I mean that the empire will leave, without any real information on where or how. I asked around, like you asked, and half the people are either thrilled or panicking.”
“How do you feel?”
“Me?”
“We are the only ones here, Vaan.”
“Oh, well, as long as people are safe, I have nothing to worry about,” Vaan smiled unconditionally. “Although, if the empire leaves, crime will go up. Food will become even more scarce, people will—”
“Food is already scarce,” Kage interrupted him. “Seems like you have a brain working somewhere in that dull head of yours.”
“I just don’t get it. Why leave all of a sudden? They have power here, authority, weapons. What more do they need?”
Kage stepped back from the railing, rolling his hood back in place. “It’s not about what they have Vaan, it’s about what they don’t. There’s no paradise past those gates, only more death and drought. They want what they don’t have.”
“Which is?” Vaan asked, his tone monotonous.
“The same thing we want: Freedom.”
Vaan turned to face Kage, slightly appalled at his response. “They have freedom. If you haven't noticed, they control everything and everyone within these gates.”
Kage kept his glare on the horizon, “And if you haven't realized, the Dustlands are the only thing they have under their control. They don’t want that type of freedom. Freedom for them lies beyond the valley, beyond the mountains, beyond here. That’s my guess at the very least.”
“What makes you say that?”
“I saw what they were doing with the ones chosen from the Horkos. Those people that were selected to live a life of ease and prosperity… They’re turning them into machines, controlling them with the cores, stripping any form of humanity they might have.”
Vaan opened his lips to speak, ready to argue, but nothing came, except a hollow silence.
“Whether you believe me or not doesn’t matter. Regardless, this place will fall soon enough, and I’ll be going to get my father back—”
“And then what?” Vaan burst, interrupting him abruptly. “Say you get your father back, say you somehow do so without dying. And then what do you plan to do? Do you just plan to go back to how everything already was? How do you plan to get past those machines you talk so lightly about?”
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“I don’t know Vaan. I don’t know what else to do.”
“Kage. Just like you, I’ve lived here my whole life. I’ve gotten by with scraps here and there, always running away, chasing more trouble.” Vaan said, taking deep, calming breaths. “It’s the life I expect to live for the rest of my life. People like me don’t get a chance to change fates, or to change the shoes we were born into. If there’s a chance for a different life, we take it.”
“And if you die?” Kage was hesitant to keep eye contact.
“Then I’d…” Vaan gulped, the reality of those words striking him. “—Die. At least if I’m dead I can’t regret anything.”
Kage sighed, “That is an awful view on life.”
“Doesn’t really seem like you have a better one,” Vaan spat back, passive-aggressively.
“I get what you’re trying to imply Vaan,” said Kage, defeated. “But we cannot do this alone.”
“Who said we have to?”
“And who exactly do you expect to help? Surely not the so-called “gang” you got tangled in.”
Vaan thought for a moment, then spoke, “What about the Highrise Auction?”
“We don’t need weapons Vaan.”
“Not weapons, we need people,” Vaan said, loudly, although he lacked enthusiasm. “I’ve gotten a chance to watch it a few times, and there are some pretty dangerous folk that attend it.”
“And what makes you think that dangerous folk want to help us in a death mission?”
Vaan waved his hands enthusiastically this time, as if the idea only now formed in his head. “Think about it. They’re already risking their lives in the auction, and only for a chance at something good. Why not risk your life at a chance of something more than just good? Risk your life for freedom,” Vaan motioned with his hands, as if spelling an imaginary word in the air. “They really don’t have much to lose.”
Kage hated to admit it, but Vaan had a valid point. Anyone who truly risks their life is either not bright, has nothing to lose, or a gambler; a high risk for a high reward. “Tell me about the auction, since it seems you’re an expert on the subject.”
Vaan raised a brow, “You seriously don’t know anything about it? Do you live under a rock?”
Kage shot him a death stare, “I don’t indulge myself in underground street fights for illegal weaponry.”
“You’re carrying illegal weapons right now.”
Kage sighed again, annoyed. “Speak,” he demanded, “before I change my mind.”
“R-right,” Vaan settled. “L-listen, the auction usually happens in the north tower, in the sewers, or somewhere in between, I don’t know the extent of the details. It's usually a private event. You gotta know people.”
“And I suppose you know people,” Kage scoffed.
“I have my sources,” Vaan paused, as if trying his best not to sound dumb. “Not all of them have been useful, but some have gotten me to live another day, so I can’t complain.”
“Doesn’t matter, continue.”
Vaan looked around for a few seconds, as if to confirm no one was listening, then continued. “L-look, the auctions usually happen when some gang leader comes to the table with a core, money, or in some cases, a cored weapon.”
“So they auction off valuable items? Doesn’t sound very illegal.”
“I’m getting to that part,” Vaan hushed him. “Whatever they auction off, needs to be bought. However, most people don’t have the type of money they need to buy whatever is being auctioned. So, the only other means of winning is through fighting. And not just regular street fighting. They fight to the death,” he whispered, adding an unnecessary dramatic effect. “Or until someone is incapable of continuing.”
“I don’t see the point in this. Why auction off something so valuable? Just to see people killing themselves for it?”
Vaan shrugged, “Exactly so.”
“How might this help us?”
“Have you ever heard of the Windcutter,” Vaan said, and after Kage shook his head, he continued. “Rumors say that when a very rare, and I mean exotic, type of prize is auctioned, the Windcutter shows himself. He slices through anyone in the blink of an eye, never showing his face, then disappears into the wind after his debut.”
Kage wore a bored look on his face, “I see you’re still a fan of children's stories.”
“It’s nothing of the sort!”
“And have you actually seen him?”
“W-well,” Vaan hesitated, “Not me personally. But I know people that have.”
“Vaan, what are you suggesting?”
Vaan pulled out his gun, “We auction this off—”
Kage instantly swiped it out of view, “Are you insane? Do you want this city to turn into more chaos? You’ll have more than just the auction lowlifes coming after you.”
Vaan stepped back, startled, “R-right, s-sorry.”
“If what you say is true, we’ll auction this,” Kage pulled back his long clock, revealing the weapons holstered to his sides. If the Windcutter shows, I’ll deal with him.”
“Are you sure?” Vaan said, uncertain.
“This was your plan, wasn’t it?”
Vaan peered over the rooftop’s edge, “I now wish it wasn’t.”