From: Mad Max

Song: Fuel by Metallica (come on)

Art: Miguel Regodón Harkness on Artstation!

Let's go!

________________

The world was poisoned

Nobody knew how or why, but they were well aware of the aftermath they inherited

With water almost gone, the desert reigned supreme, and those unlucky enough to inhabit it fought each other for another day under the scorching sun

Food and water, gas and bullets became a holy grial, something worth killing for

In an ever-changing reality such as this, nothing could be taken for granted, not even the bonds you make

The mighty roar of an engine parted through the silence of the barren lands as a truck made its way

Behind it, many other vehicles were in pursuit, leaving trails of smoke and dust

With a pained groan, you leaned into your seat, clutching your shoulder in an attempt to keep more blood from spilling

But it was the sound of a weapon what caught your attention. You looked to the side and found a woman, the driver, aiming at you with a crossbow

She looked at you dead in the eye, before two words left her lips

"Get down"

Without thinking twice, you did so, and she fired a bolt that hit the driver of a motorcycle on your right before he was able to throw a Molotov at you. Without a driver, the bike crashed along the sand and was left behind

But there was hardly time to celebrate, as a larger vehicle slammed into yours, a Plymouth sedan covered in thousands of rusty spikes

Quickly, you reached into your courier bag and took out a flare gun. You aimed it and shot the vehicle just as it was about to ram you again. Bright blue smoke quickly coated the enemy's car

The lack of vision made them lose control, and it rolled violently, easily falling apart as it did

You looked back. The two nearest vehicles were neutralized, but there were still plenty more chasing you

The distant rumbling brought your attention forward, where a giant sandstorm was brewing

You shared a look, discussing the next course of action before you finally nodded

You: Fang it

This earned a nod from the woman, who stepped on it and so, you ventured into the storm, where only the bravest, or maddest of your enemies dared to follow

The warrior riding by your side was known as Furiosa. A former Imperator and subsequent liberator of the Citadel. By all accounts a legend

...And one you didn't meet under the best circumstances

---

A punch to the face returned you to consciousness, and you immediately began to feel the pressure from hanging upsidedown by chains

Your ankles and wrists were bound, seemingly leaving you at the mercy of your captors in this barely lit cave save for a hole in the roof

When looking around you, you spotted a couple of scrawny boys, their skins painted in white with black on their eyes

You knew these beings all too well, War Boys

One of them caught you staring and a smile quickly spread on his face

???: Oh! Oh! He's awake!

The other War Boy approached you and began to laugh

???: Wake wakey prey!

They began to laugh together while you just groaned, but the sound of steps caught your attention, another person entered the room

A large bearded man with patchy hair and a bandolier stuffed with syringes. He had a notebook in hand

???: Ah, he's breathing

The War Boys nodded frantically before one of them approached you

War Boy: Organic, look!

He forced his hand into your mouth and spread your lips to show your teeth to the medic

War Boy: Not one tooth missing!

Organic: Would you look at that? You boys actually brought in a good specimen

The Organic Mechanic hummed in amusement before writing it down in his notebook. You bit the boy's hand, getting a howl from him before he punched you

Organic: Hey! Keep him still

Then, he took out one of the syringes and grinned

Organic: I need to take a blood sample first

He got close, too close, and right before he got the chance to stab you with it, you headbutted him as hard as you could

The man yelled in pain as he stepped back clutching a bloody nose. The War Boys began to panic, while you just laughed

You: There's your blood sample

He glared at you from the corner of his eye and grunted before you got punched in the gut, but even then, you smirked at him

You: You're an... organic mechanic...surely you can fix that...

He growled before grabbing your throat and raising the syringe again

Organic: LISTEN HERE YOU--

???: What is going on here?

Another voice immediately commanded everyone's attention

Standing there was a woman with a buzz cut, her left forearm was missing and instead substituted by a mechanical prosthetic consisting of various parts. Her scowling eyes were a warning

Everyone stepped aside to let her into the room

War Boy: Furiosa! Praise

War Boy: Look what we caught for you!

She stepped closer and took a good look at you. From the tattoos that covered your arms to the plastic rose head pinned to your leather jacket, and what caught her eye the most: The empty sword sheath strapped to your hip

Furiosa: The swordsman...

She turned to the young men

Furiosa: How did you do it?

War Boy: We got the jump on him!

The other one nodded eagerly

War Boy: Right as he was refueling his water supply!

Unamused, she raised a brow

Furiosa: Was it that easy?

Then she looked at you

Furiosa: The famous smuggler fell just like that?

You were about to talk when one of them stepped up

War Boy: No no no! He killed almost everyone in our hunting party! Only we remain!

War Boy: He fights like a demon blessed by gods of blood!

You: Thank you for the praise. Let me go now

The sound of your voice made everyone turn to you. Furiosa crouched and looked at you

Furiosa: Not so fast, thief. I need your services

You raised a brow at this

You: The great Furiosa needs my help?

Furiosa: You know of me?

A chuckle escaped your lips as if she had just told a bad joke

You: You singlehandedly ended the Forty-Day Wasteland War and liberated the Citadel. Of course I know you

There was a moment of silence. You could see a hint of surprise in her eyes

You: Which is why I wonder why would you need my help

It took a moment, but she got up and finally spoke

Furiosa: The Buzzards, they took something important from us, from me

Anger could be felt at that last part, but when she looked back at you, you caught a glimpse of a smirk

Furiosa: And if anyone can help me get it back it's you

You: Alright. What's in it for me?

She crossed her arms

Furiosa: You don't get to be somebody's blood bag

She gestured to other cages in the place, some of them still had tubes connecting the putrid bodies. Some recent, some had been here for decades

Slowly, you looked back at her

You:...You drive a hard bargain, lady

The woman chuckled

You: One thing though. Give me my gear back. There's no way I survive the Buzzards without it

She looked at the bleeding organic, and then at you

"Just know, if you try anything, I'll bring you to them as a toy instead"

---

The skies bled an ominous red as the sands raged all around you, some of which transformed into a myriad of tornados that easily tore apart the smaller vehicles 

This macabre landscape only grew worse by the powerful lightning that the storm brought with it. With every strike, everything turned black and white. A cruel reminder of the world you lived in

A good chunk of the pursuing force had stayed behind in fear of the storm, but not all of them

With a roar, Furiosa rammed into a motorcycle. The grenade that was about to be thrown your way ended up inside the truck, but you quickly pulled the window down and hurled it out to destroy another vehicle

You then took out a pistol and shot the wheels of another vehicle, brutally stopping its momentum and sending it crashing into a nearby tornado

Suddenly, a man clad in bandages and rusted armor broke through Furiosa's window and got ahold of her. Immediately, the abrasive winds poured into the truck, but there was a bigger problem at hand. The Buzzard used the door as a lever to drag her out of the vehicle

Before the truck could lose its footing, you lunged and used one arm to keep the wheel steady, and with the other, you pulled back with all your might. The wound in your arm sent a jolt of electricity through your body that earned a scream from you, yet you refused to let go

Quickly, Furiosa gripped the edge of the door with her mechanical hand, decisively stopping her momentum. The Buzzard was caught off-guard by this, and that's when she grabbed him by the collar and headbutted him with enough force to shatter his goggles

Finally, he let go as he fell into the sand, and Furiosa got back on her seat and behind the wheel. With a ragged breath, she glanced over at you to find you in a similar agitated state but even then, a nod of acknowledgment was exchanged

But that's when she took notice of the crimson quickly spreading over your arm. Her eyes narrowed with anger and frustration, and slight worry too

Furiosa: Your ar--

Before she could even finish, shots pierced through the back of the vehicle, a reminder to stay on our feet even now. Furiosa growled and reached for something to give us a boost

The truck roared to life as flames propelled us forward at high speeds, trying with all its might to carry you through the nightmarish scenario, and fortunately, you saw the end of the storm in the distance

But so did the remaining pursuers

---

You were allowed to retrieve your courier bag and your weapons. Just the necessary equipment for a task such as this 

Instead of a bulky truck filled with turrets and War Boys, Furiosa chose a small truck. Strong enough to withstand unforeseen damage, and not bulky enough to slow you down that much, plus that nitrous could come in handy 

Furiosa herself had rigged the machine so that it would go nowhere without her, which obviously meant no funny business

That was fine by you since you didn't feel like messing with one of the Wasteland's most dangerous people. All you could do was...

You: Say...this treasure the Buzzards took, what exactly is it?

You asked the driver, with little success

You: I need to know what I'm looking for, you know

Her stoic expression faltered upon hearing that, knowing you were right. A sigh left her lips as her eyes softened for merely a moment

Furiosa: ...A book

You raised a brow. Normally, people hire you to take the essentials: Water, gasoline, bullets, even some seeds one time

But a book? That...wasn't so frequent, but it did tell you something about her

You: Ah, knowledge seeker

This got no response from her. Her eyes remained on the road ahead, while you leaned back on your seat with your arms behind your head

You: You know, there's two kinds of people in this world when it comes to knowledge

Then, you looked out the window, getting a glimpse of the barren lands you called home. The remains of  an ocean shipping container could be seen in the distance

You: Those who want to know what the world was like, maybe even change it back, and those who seek to weaponize said knowledge

Curious, you glanced at her

You: Which one are you?

Her expression remained unreadable, but this time, she did give you an answer

"Neither"

...

You reached the Buzzards camp on the outskirts of the Badlands by sundown, which made it easier to spot the place with all that fire, but it was not the only thing

They screamed, yelled, and danced to crude music inside their improvised fortress. Red glowing eyes danced around as they fought, laughed, or enjoyed each other's bodies

Truly, a spectacle worthy of this savage land

The truck was parked, and now you lied low and took a pair of binoculars, as did Furiosa, but instead of binoculars, she had a sniper

Furiosa: I thought only their nightly hunters were up at this hour

Her eyes were fixed on the barbaric celebration going on at the center of the camp, where a bonfire lied

You:  I'm not even sure they sleep

A loud cry echoed all the way to your position as if to prove your point. The longshots stationed at the watchtowers howled back with manic glee

You: Buzzard camp leaders tend to keep all the books to themselves in hopes one of them teaches them how to make water. So rather than the storage area, we'll hit the boss's headquarters first

You pointed to the only proper building in this place, a two-story structure with windows. Shortly after, you spotted the leader on a throne made out of tires. Drinking and laughing with women by his side

You: Looks like the boss is busy, so we won't find him in his post

This got a nod from Furiosa

Furiosa: We know where to go, now we need to figure out how to enter without getting skewered

You chuckled before spotting a tunnel on the far right. Two people mounted guard and let one in. You followed the tunnel into a hatch near the building. Perfect

You: I got it. Follow my lead

...

The guards let a woman in. One of them kept his eyes on her as she left, but that single moment of distraction was all it took

A sharp piece of scrap pierced through the other's mask, and he fell to the ground, lifeless. The guard let out a panicked yelp, but a mechanical arm grabbed him from behind and covered his mouth before breaking his neck

You emerged from your cover and began to drag the guard into a hiding spot before taking pieces of his armor

Furiosa: That went much better than what I expected

With a smirk, you looked back at her

You:  You hired a professional and that's what you're getting

Then, you tossed her a mask

You: We gotta look the part if we're sneaking into the boss's headquarters

It wasn't long before you took on the Buzzard's appearance and snuck deeper into the tunnel

Some of them greeted you with a nod, while others were more vocal, and used a language you didn't know. In another life, it would've been known as Russian

It wasn't until you reached the end of the tunnel that trouble arose. You were about to use the ladder when someone grabbed Furiosa's wrist

Buzzard: эта рука неестественна. кто ты?!

The Buzzard's glowing eyes were transfixed in Furiosa's mechanical arm, but a growl quickly alerted you of her intentions. Before she could reach for a weapon, a piece of shrapnel pierced her skull

Before the other enemy could react, Furiosa used her small crossbow for a headshot. Once again, the coast was clear

With that, you emerged back to the surface and we're immediately greeted by the drums and loud voices

Thanks to your attire, you went by unnoticed for the most part, although you made sure to stay away from the others so that they would not take notice of the same discrepancies as their now-dead comrades

It didn't take long to get to the building. All the guards were part of the celebration, which made it very easy to get inside

Your companion wasted no time and rushed upstairs into the most decent room in this whole camp. The large window muffled the sounds of the debauchery outside

It resembled an office, save for the empty bookshelves and certificates on the wall burnt beyond recognition. The desk itself was missing some drawers, and the chair had stuffing coming out of it

But in these hellish conditions, this might as well be a hotel room

A barely audible gasp left Furiosa's lips upon encountering something on the desk. A book with a colorful cover, barely damaged. The title read "The Wizard of Oz"

She picked it up with unusual care. Through the eyes in her mask, you noticed the sudden tenderness that had replaced the fierce scowl she usually had. She gently grazed the cover with her thumb

You knew this look all too well. For it was the same one you had when you looked at the rose head on your chest

With the nostalgia of a once happy life, and the bitterness of surviving without its warmth

Her eyes soon landed on another object. A small metal box with a lever. She picked it up and opened it to reveal a small porcelain ballerina, ready to dance for her as it had done so many times in the past

That's when it became clear to you what the true nature of this mission was. Not a quest for survival, but something much, much more personal

But it wasn't the only thing you noticed, as you caught a glimpse of a light outside the window. A small, white flicker. To many, an insignificant detail

To you? A warning

You: GET DOWN!!

Acting as fast as you could, you turned to Furiosa and tackled her to the ground just as a bullet shot through the window. It was intended for her head, but instead, it pierced through the armor you picked up and went through your shoulder

 Furiosa was confused, but when she heard the pained yell from you and witnessed your blood stain the ground, she put two and two together. With a growl, she took out her crossbow and shot the sniper before they could try again

The commotion quickly earned the attention of the nearby Buzzards, as told by the increase in yelling outside the building

Needless to say, the cover had been blown

Quickly, she turned to you, finding you leaning against the desk as you held your shoulder

Furiosa: Can you walk?

You nodded

You: Take the things and run

She collected the items she came here for but quickly dodged when a bullet almost hit her. You took out a pistol and quickly shot the Buzzard down

You: We need to go. NOW

Together, you ran out of the room. A man screamed before he swung a rusty pipe at you, only for it to be blocked with your sword. You kicked him off and took the chance to slice his neck

Furiosa took out her sawed-off double-barrel shotgun and blasted two more that were coming up the stairs

Furiosa: They're gathering at the outside. We're not getting past all of them

With a grunt, you sheathed the sword and reached into your courier bag

You: Yes we will. 

Shortly after, you took out a small metal device and looked at her

You: Be ready to run for your life

...

What once started as a celebration turned into a violent outburst as more and more Buzzards piled on the outside of the building to see who had taken out their sniper, but more so than that, who had the audacity to enter the boss's room

Suddenly, a small metal device rolled down the stairs into the crowd of madmen. They all gathered to see what it was when it unleashed a big cloud of pink smoke without any warning

This attack forced them to cover their eyes in panic, but it also provided the perfect shield for you to escape. Whoever still stood in the way was punched, stabbed, or shot

Furiosa: That was a good trick

You: I aim...to please...

The remaining pieces of armor were discarded as you made it to the truck. Furiosa quickly turned the engine on while you shot the approaching Buzzards 

With Furiosa's treasure in hand and a bullet in your shoulder, you made a run for it

The boss growled and barked orders the moment they all recovered from your diversion. Whoever could get their hands on a vehicle got to it

Car, buggy, motorcycle, it didn't matter

And so, the hunt was on

---

"Я вижу их сейчас. Они остановились!"

A Buzzard on the back of the car pointed out with savage excitement to the rest of the crew. He got in front of the searchlight to turn it on, but that's when a bullet went through both of them

Night had fully claimed the skies by the time you got out of the storm, but the engines needed a break after such a performance. Furiosa used the time wisely after some repairs

Using her custom sniper rifle, she shot the tire of an approaching vehicle and forced it to spiral out of control, resulting in an explosion shortly after

The night might prove fearsome to many, but to Furiosa, it only made it easier to spot their glowing red eyes. Every single one of them a target there for the taking

Drivers were taken out at alarming speeds, quickly dwindling the remaining forces. It didn't take long for the leader to yell something that forced everyone to a halt and turn back around

A relieved sigh left the woman's lips as she lowered the sniper, but that's when a pained groan caught her attention

She returned to the truck to find you holding a bloody knife and the bullet in your shoulder now lying on the driver's seat

You reached for some bandages in your courier bag while holding your shoulder to keep yourself from bleeding out

Furiosa: Here. Let me help 

She took ahold of them and began to apply them to your wound

You: Thanks

Furiosa: I should be thanking you. You took a bullet for me

A slight smile was exchanged before she leaned back

You: What's the news?

The woman got out of the truck

Furiosa: Well, the Buzzards are gone, but the engine needs more time to recover

You: So we're stuck now?

Furiosa: For a little

Then, she patted the truck

Furiosa: I know this machine won't let us down. Just give it some time

This got a hum from you. Shortly after, you opened the door and got out

You: Might as well stretch my legs then

And so, you jumped out and walked a little. The bright yellows, reds, and oranges were replaced by blues, and the beautiful stars that could be seen now

In the dead of night, only the winds made a sound. It was...peaceful, especially when compared to the scorching sun

You sat next to the side of the truck while she stood guard to make sure the Buzzards were truly gone

You: So, about this treasure...could you tell me about it?

She stopped looking at the horizon upon hearing your question. Understandably, she was beyond hesitant to talk about it, but then again, you did take a bullet for her

And you seemed...different

Furiosa: The place where I'm from doesn't exist anymore. It was a place of abundance, of plants and water

Slowly she looked down as memories bled into her mind

You: That sounds like paradise

She glanced back at you. Her eyes shined under the starry night with a mix of melancholy and anger

Furiosa: It was

You patted the spot next to you as if inviting her to join you, and much to your surprise, she did

Furiosa: The elders would sometimes gather us and read us that book

She walked past you while she undid the leather straps on her waist, and with them, the prosthetic arm was taken off and hung off the side mirror of the vehicle 

Furiosa: A tale about a girl and her dog being transported into a magical land called Oz, an eccentric but beautiful place

Finally, she sat down by your side

Furiosa: Made many of us pray to wake up in Oz, but it never worked

A low chuckle was shared. Were it so easy

Furiosa: Other times they would bring out the metal box and crank the lever. Music would play and we would dance to it without a care

You bore witness to the smile with which she recalled her childhood. A stark contrast with the fierce warrior you met earlier today

You: I...I understand their value now

She looked at you. A smile slowly formed on your face as you reached for the rose on your chest

You: I have a holder of memories too

The woman tilted her head

Furiosa: That plant?

You nodded

You: I was forced to be a gladiator. Kill for a war lord's entertainment, survive the night, repeat

Then, you leaned into the truck with a smile as you looked at the night sky

You: I met a woman there. She would give me food and water every night. It didn't take long for us to bond

A chuckle left your lips before you continued

You: She was special...she knew magic

This made the woman raise a brow

Furiosa: Magic?

You simply nodded

You: She enchanted this plant

To prove your point, you unpinned the rose and gently held it in your hands 

You: Said that the day she stopped loving me, it would wither

With that same care, you showed it to her. She leaned forward to get a closer look at it

You: It has been 700 days since her death, and it hasn't changed 

Furiosa looked at the plastic object, and then at you. She nearly gasped the moment she found that same tenderness in your eyes. The one she had not seen in anyone except her mother 

That's how she knew, you understood

You: That metal box...is it still functional?

The sound of your voice brought her back to the moment. She got up to retrieve it from the truck and sat back in place 

You opened it for her, and your eyes widened when you spotted the small ballerina. Furiosa couldn't help but chuckle at your reaction, it was the same one the children had whenever they saw the porcelain woman

Furiosa: Hold it  

She handed it to you and began to crank the small lever attached to it. Shortly after, music began to play from it, the same way it had so many years ago

You closed your eyes and breathed calmly. A strange feeling of happiness and child-like wonder prevailed in the air, something so alien to this wasteland

And yet all the more reason for your mind to remember every sweet note, as well as the person who showed it to you. You opened your eyes and found Furiosa smiling as well. Something that didn't change when she looked at you

And so, you shared this moment of peace

---

When the engine awoke, the truck took you back to the Citadel without issue

The organic mechanic (reluctantly) properly patched you up and you were given a place to stay for the night, and when the sun rose again, Furiosa herself walked you to your vehicle, now restored

Not only did you get your things back as promised, but War Boys loaded fuel canisters onto the back of your car. A sort of "thank you" for your troubles

Furiosa herself offered you shelter in this magnificent place, but it was an offer you could not take, for there was someone in Bartertown who needed your help

However...you wouldn't be against returning once you were done

As you stepped into your vehicle, Furiosa watched from the side. Her expression was as unreadable as ever, but when you turned to look at her, nods were exchanged, and then...smiles

No words were said as you left this safe haven, none were needed

And so, she watched as you disappeared into the horizon, in much friendlier terms than how you were brought to her

This cruel world, it took, and it took, and it took

Water, bullets, gasoline, those were things that came and went

But the only thing that stayed were the memories you had

And those were always worth fighting for

Not many people understand that...but you did