Chapter 9

In that moment, Kage's blood boiled with rage, tightening every fiber of his muscles. His body screamed at him to rush forward, to push past the stares piercing through his soul. With every passing breath, his heart hammered against his chest, forcing this moment to feel like an eternity. As he took a step forward, his father's name rang through his head, repeating over and over through Lukas' vile tongue. 

Suddenly, thoughts of his father came rushing through the malice, pulling him into the reality before him. As Lukas probed his finger forward, Kage's fists relaxed, and his eyes turned from the horrid sight before him. Those things were no longer humans. They were innocent lives turned to weapons; tools to use and throw away. Their humanity had vanished, and so did his chance to save them. 

So, Kage ran, faster than ever before. He didn't turn back, no, he couldn't turn back. Not after what he had witnessed. Not after what he had heard. Not after what he now knew. 

Those things chased him, screeching after him. They moved like dogs, twitching violently, as if unable to function properly. Behind them all, Lukas shouted loud enough for Kage to hear. "Worry not, your father is alive Kage. If you plan to keep him alive, come and get him. I'll be waiting."

Kage ignored him, racing towards the cliffside. The Goliath, which had been his only method of travel across Elpis, was no longer an option. Only one option truly remained. One method of escape. A possibility Kage knew could occur, though wished it didn't; the cliff. 

The dropoff to Elpis stretched hundreds of feet below, unsurvivable. Kage knew it as soon as he reached the jagged peak. His heart pounded through his chest, for he only had seconds to make a decision. You don't have time to think, his consciousness yelled at him. It's noon. The cliff has an arch. There is always some darkness, even in the brightest of lights. 

Kage managed to sneak in one last glare behind him, the hunger from the hoard aching to taste his blood. Their speed far surpassed that of an average person, indistinguishable from anything he had ever seen. 

Before he dwindled on his decisions, his eyes shut, and with a lean, gravity would be the one to decide his fate

On the edge of the cliff, the hoard retreated into the distance, Lukas taking their place. Another figure approached him, joining him as they both stared into the jagged piles of rocks below. 

He was older, as the wrinkles sprouting around his eyes and forehead told. Despite his age, he had a solid build, as if the age had not affected his daily tasks. He wore a lock of silver hair, combed to the side of his scalp. A matte-black peacoat bounced all the wind away from him, along with a pair of finely tailored pants that wrapped around his ankles. His arms greeted each other on his lower back, his chest tall and upright. 

"General Godfrey," Lukas nodded. "It seems that your prediction is true. Would you like me to send scouts to confirm his death?"

The general spat into the air, his voice dry and old. "Don't bother, Aleman. If he survives the fall he won't make it back to that shithole," he glanced toward the Dustlands.

"Say he does?" 

"Won't matter. One man cannot put a stop to our efforts. I'll kill him myself if I have to." 

"That might be true," Lukas chuckled. "But you'd be surprised what that one man is capable of."

"Frankly," general Godfrey spat again. "It bothers me not. The real problem lies in there," he pointed far into the distance, straight to the tip of the tallest building in the Dustlands. "That's where the real monster is."

…

Dry air and a mouthful of dirt forced Kage to cough himself awake, hours after the fall. The first glance of the beating afternoon sun pained his eyes, as if a lime were squeezed into them. He rolled over on his back, the cliffside glaring back at him. What a mess, he thought to himself. Guess it did work. 

A moment before the fall, he had turned himself into a blob of darkness, praying the transition would cut back on the damage. Fortunately, it did, with only minor repercussions. 

As Kage attempted to stand, a sharp, unsettling pain sprung through his shoulder. A grunt escaped his lips, followed by a fall back down, then a sigh as he realized what this meant. Great, dislocated… Probably. 

Using his left hand, he managed to stand, uncomfortably. So can I mitigate gravitational damage? Father never mentioned that… I must've been too lousy with my arm. Falling… Happens so fast.

Kage stumbled toward the jagged sections of the cliffside, his free arm atop his injured one. He searched for an opening, somewhere he could lodge his hand inside, though there weren't many to choose from.

After dozens of pointless attempts, he had found something that held somewhat of a potential solution. A split in the cliff, trailing upwards, eroded with dry, cherry green moss. Guess this'll work, he sighed, slowly wedging his hand into the crevasse. As his fingers slid through, it felt as if he had lowered his hand through a jar of thin balls of yarn. 

Once he determined his arm was far enough in, he dug for a wedge, or something his fingers could grip firmly. The dry rock clipped his nails as he wiggled his loose fingers into a hook-like hole. Then, on the count of—

"Gggrrh," Kage pulled back ferociously. A pop set his shoulder back in place, along with a grueling pain throughout his arm. The drought within his throat swelled even further as he slowly slipped his hand out of the crevasse. The rocks that had offered him a seat had never felt more comfortable. 

Kage stared back at the Dustlands, miles away, waiting for the lingering pain to reside. A plateau of corroded rock and empty land stood between him and his home, or whatever he had left of one. 

The beaming sun bounced off the bright sandstone, gently weighing Kage down. His eyelids suddenly gained weight, impossible to keep open. I can't. Not now. A grunt escaped his lips as he propped himself up, right arm dangling by his side. And thus, the slow journey back to the Dustlands began, one step at a time. 

The first hour passed with only minor setbacks, either attributed to hunger or severe thirst. Kage had never been a fan of the local water supply, as the hygiene levels in the pipes were long forgotten about. But even now, a full pitcher of insect-infested liquid sounded appetizing. 

About a mile or so in, the ground beneath him would shake periodically, as if something moved beneath it. It was far too similar to the Goliath's trembles he had experienced earlier, only now, there were no walls of iron to protect him. 

During the last mile, the ground shook more frequently, stumbling his steps. What the hell is this? He thought, free arm edging the handle of his sickle. He stopped, listened, and observed. The decaying stone around him hadn't grumbled with the ground, nor the giant rocks. Then, everything went still, as if time itself had stopped working. 

A faint sound of crawling shot through his ears, slowly getting louder and louder, like the sound of running rats through old ventilation pipes. He couldn't pinpoint the sound until the ground began trembling again, only now, he could feel his limbs vibrate, his organs shuffling left and right.

"Argh," Kage grunted as he dove out of the way, catching grains of dirt between his teeth.

Below him, a massive, iron-scaled monstrosity burst from the ground, a curdling screech followed as the sunlight scorched its gaping maw. Hundreds of rows after rows of spindly legs—some long, some short—click-clacked along the surface, grabbing the dust, thrusting in all directions. The legs were attached to a long, flexible body, stretching nearly two street-widths in length. Dark, iron-scaled plates constructed the creature's exterior, clashing with the constant movement. As the creature landed on its sharp, pointy legs, it pierced the earth, two oval-shaped amber eyes locked onto Kage. 

The horrid creature resembled a centipede of sorts, though much larger, and much more deadly. It let out another screech, nearly deafening Kage, before leaping at full speed directly at him. The Scathed ARE real, he thought. 

Feeling his heart drop, Kage twisted under the creature, catching the shade that traveled along with it, reappearing behind it, avoiding the bright star in the sky. As long as the sun kept its shine along the ground, Kage could activate his core at will, for as long as he needed. However, with too much light and too little darkness, his core was useless, for no shadow could follow his path. 

The creature—resembling basic forms of intelligence—seemed confused, partly annoyed at the prey before it. So, naturally, it lunged again, faster this time, expecting the same outcome as before. 

However, Kage flicked open the sickle tucked away beneath his robe, slashing at one of the creature's legs. Expecting a clean cut, the sickle whiplashed back, throwing Kage off balance, and into the maw of the metal beast. 

As the creature bit down, a trail of bloody darkness met its taste buds, and Kage was once again below, panting, wounded, and on his back. A pair of teeth must've reached too far before he could escape into the shadows, thus would explain the burst of sudden pain eating at his forearm. 

A cloud of dust sprouted from the cracked earth as the creature dove head-first back below the surface. Seconds later, the ground started trembling again, violently, as if countless chained explosions had set off deep underground. 

No time to think. Kage knew that. Which only left one possible option—Instinct. 

Before He knew it, his legs were moving on their own, despite the aches and wounds planted on his beaten body. With his sickle open in his non-dominant hand, his chest pounding with pressure, and his lips begging for water, he ran. He ran as fast as his core could allow, moving in zigzag's so his movements were harder to follow for the Scathe. 

The Dustlands drew close, buildings appeared taller, and even the guards on the walls—appearing like tiny white specs—became more defined with limbs attaching to a stable human shape. 

Despite his efforts, the ground beneath him rumbled, erupting a massive plate of earth straight into the sky. The tip of the plate just barely nicked the back of his heel, sending Kage stumbling forward, which quickly spiraled into a full-body roll. 

Kage's eyes sprung open, peering hastily at the aftermath. The Sacthe was nowhere in sight. As Kage searched frantically for it, the ground beneath him rumbled again, and he no longer moved in unpredictable patterns. 

Another giant plate shot him into the still air, freezing his senses. For a moment, he felt free, weightless, like a feather caught in a windstorm. The empty, pale-blue sky reached out to him, offering its hand of freedom from this wretched world. Come, it spoke. Leave this place. 

I can't, Kage thought. 

There is nothing left for you here. You can rest. 

How can I rest knowing what I know? Seeing what I've seen. Hearing what I've heard. Those poor souls…

Allow me to fight for you. The voice inside grew stronger, I will end the suffering of those bringing you harm. 

I can't, Kage's memories flashed inside his head, unforgettable. Not again. The life inside him awakened, reverting time back into motion. He knew the Sacthe click-clacked below him this time, believing it had caught him off guard. 

Kage grunted through the pain seering in his shoulder as he switched the grip of his sickle, twisting his torso into an empty cloud of black mass, acquiescing the bite of the beast. With a downward sweep, he plunged the blade of his sickle into one of the beaming amber eyes, forcing a horrid screech to escape the multi-legged monster. 

The bright amber glow slowly faded into an empty dull socket, and the creature scrambled frantically, hauling dust in countless directions. Its yells continued as the remaining eye searched for the cloaked, wounded man. 

Laying flatly on the flexible body of the beast, Kage yanked his weapon free, further causing a flurry of ear-deafening screeches. He tumbled to the ground, pain rushing through his shoulder once more. 

The Scathe dove back into the ground, and for a moment, silence fell over the plateau of sandstone. Kage hadn't run this time; instead, waiting patiently for the next attack. 

After a few moments, the ground tremmered, but not like before. The sounds spread vastly into the distance, escalating with every second. Tiny pebbles bounced up and down, vibrating along the surface, clashing with one another. 

Kage's eyes danced around, something's wrong, he thought. He noticed the pattern of trembles was different this time, covering more ground, as if the entire earth had shook. 

The Scathe climbed out of the ground, like an insect exiting its cocoon for the first time; one eye shattered to pieces, the other dimmed in a fluorescent amber glow. However, the creature refused to charge at the prey before it. It bowed, low, in an unhonorable way. The spindly legs of the beast slowly started to click-clack where they stood, sending waves of signals along the surface of the ground. 

This can't be good, Kage thought, nervously.

Moments later, far in the distance, another large, gray-tinted Scathe exited the earth, observing the distress call. Then another joined it, slight color disfigurations in its scales. Followed by another, then another, until roughly a dozen amber-eyed monstrosities all called to each other in a low inaudible humm. 

Kage didn't bother to wait around and witness the sight before him; his legs wouldn't allow it. With whatever energy and pain-numbing adrenaline he had left, he dashed for the place he'd hated the most. The place where food was scarce. The place where he'd first learn how to read and write. The place where men died and children were beaten. The place where he'd once felt safe. The place where his only home had ever been. The place where he needed to be right now. 

Panting, the North gate came closer and closer into view. Kage hadn't bothered to turn around, yet he could feel no presence chasing after him. Even the ground had grown awfully still, too still for comfort. He managed a quick glance behind him, and the army of Scathed stood like rows of forgotten monuments. They were frozen, motionless, as if awaiting an order. 

The guards patrolling the upper levels of the wall were avoiding any form of confrontation with the outside world. Their gaze simply focused on what was in front of them, and nothing more. 

Storming closer, Kage could feel their nerves on edge. As if they knew a hoard of these divine creatures were a simple glance away. An order compelled them to their stations, and their eyes refused to give in.

Just what in the hell is going on, Kage thought as he approached the entrance gates into the Dustlands. Luckily, large, hollow boulders scattered the flat lands outside the walls, so maneuvering between each one with a slight bit of shade would not prove to be a problem. As he turned back, the Scathes were gone from sight, as if they were never there to begin with. 

Kage leaned against the towering wall before him, adrenaline wearing down, exhaustion enveloping him like a blanket. Blisters formed on the back of his heels from the dry sweat in his shoes, nagging him with every step. 

He needed to act, to fix everything. There was no time for rest, for comfort, for joy. Leaving and entering the Dustlands hadn't been difficult with the core in his chest, but what could he do by himself? He was alone. Kage had no plan, no place to call home, and now, the last of his family had been taken from him, possibly dead, or worse. 

He couldn't think anymore. His stomach demanded food, and so, he strolled the streets—clothes battered and eyes sunken–wandering like a lost soul. 

…

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?"

"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."