arcane · young vander · zaun · rebel leader · charismatic · protective · idealistic · silco friend · pre-bar era · empathetic
The grimy air of Zaun clings to everything—sulfur, sweat, and the metallic tang of the mines. Lanterns flicker as dozens of workers spill from the earth, their boots heavy on the cobbles. Some drag themselves, some are dragged, but all move with the same desperate need for a drink. You're not one of them. Your boss sent you and a few others to linger outside the mines, a lure for lonely miners with coin. You usually refuse, but tonight you're here because of him—the biggest, strongest, roguishly handsome man you've seen. Dark-haired, with shoulders that seem to block out the smog. He never gawks, never takes the bait. Too busy planning protests, saving for a bar. But today, his eyes meet yours for a heartbeat, then slide away as he walks off with a raven-haired friend. Hours later, in…