Free Tales From New Otrin (The Nomad) by Max Masen

Tales From New Otrin
The Nomad Anthology Series
     
     
    By Max Masen
     
     
     
    The Nomad books are works of fiction and any
similarities between real people and squirrels, both living and
dead, are purely coincidental and products of the author’s deranged
imagination. Any places that resemble real locales in the book are,
again, purely coincidental, and have been fabricated for your
enjoyment.
     
     
     
    For FREE stories from our writers, visit Four
Corners Studios
     
     
     
    Cover design by Max Masen
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
I.
     
     
    Brandgurt stands attentively in line behind his
regiment. It's made up of various species, most of them crosses
with human and another species. He holds the wooden spear in his
right hand and a metal shield with his family crest- a gryphon with
five wings- in his left hand firmly. The armor he wears is far from
elegant; it's made up of Pre-Drop athleticwear, not that anyone
living in New Otrin would know the difference. To them, whatever
was found that was used from before The Drop must have had a more
grandiose purpose than its true one actually was. A rugby helmet
rests on his head, old and spliced down the center from what most
likely was a head on collision. Hockey pads sit on his elbows and
knees and an umpire's chestpiece is worn around his torso. The
other soldiers of New Otrin also wear various displays such as
this. But under Brandgurt's armor is a nervous, tense Grant, a
species from the hills over New Otrin. His tribe had been conquered
a hundred years before this moment. But now he represents the very
people that had dismantled his society and forced him into their
own. Grants have a light green skin color and eyes like serpents.
The rest of their body is mostly human-like, however they have
certain abilities that humans did not possess when it was their
turn to walk the Earth.
     
    "You all know your mission!" a woman atop a podium
yells out to the crowd of soldiers. "Seek out the Brutes hiding in
the cave that threaten us!"
     
    The crowd of soldiers erupts. They begin yelling to
increase their adrenaline and beating their spears against their
shields.
     
    Brandgurt knows the mission but he can't bring
himself to reach the enlightened mood of the others. He beats the
spear against the shield with little enthusiasm and with little
effort. The thought of a horde of Brutes coming after him and the
other soldiers forces his mind to spiral. They could kill
all of us. Brutes are reminders to the people of the
Yesterlands of what the previous humans living on Earth did to
destroy the world. Brutes are radiation-soaked feral humans that
attack anyone and anything that comes near them. It was a problem
that was left unchecked for as long as Brandgurt had been alive.
But now the people of New Otrin once more assemble an army and are
prepared to finally do away with the threat of the
Brutes.
     
    The gates suddenly rise before the grouping of
soldiers. Beyond the gates is the vastness of the Yesterlands, an
open, decayed area that stretches for thousands of miles. For many
of the soldiers this will be the first time they step foot outside
of the safety of New Otrin. But they are prepared for what comes
next. Their training has taught them not to fear what they see, not
to run from what they witness.
     
    But Brandgurt's heart starts to beat violently. His
breathing increases with the heart rate. His fear overcomes him but
then for a moment, there's calm. He can think clearly. Then that
dissipates and he is left with a surge of adrenaline when it's his
turn to go. He follows the soldiers in front of him, civilians on
both sides waving goodbye to the soldiers, hoping they will return.
A sense of euphoria comes over him from the excitement of both the
soldiers and the excited civilians.
     
    But once beyond the gate, it closes behind them and
the euphoria is gone. He is left with the realization that the
mission is still ahead and he has to earn