Book 5, Chapter 37 - Entering Greenland

The entrance to Greenland was watched over by a small encampment .  Here the many different wanderers of the wasteland were put up while awaiting entry . Each was given food and water for free in the interim . To protect itself from those with ill-intentions, Greenland had to subject these outsiders to strict review criteria .

“We’re from Sandspire . My father is the Governor . ” Sand Tiger presented himself before one of the Talon guards . “I have a letter here written by my father, to be delivered to Governor Cloudhawk . With me here is Sandspire's strongest warrior, Rhino . We hope to join your city . ”

The guard captain took Sand Tiger’s letter and read it over . “I don’t care where you came from . As long as you are from the outside, you need to go through the review process . We’ll take all your information first then send someone to verify it . ”

Was it really this strict? Sand Tiger opened his mouth to protest but was cut off .

“Hey, you up there in front! Stop wasting time, there’s a whole line here!” A group of burly mutants began to shout in frustration . With no other options, Sand Tiger stepped off to the side . It seemed like their only choice was to submit to the same checks as everyone else . Strange, though – this was the wastelands . No one knew anything except from word of mouth . What stopped visitors from simply making stuff up?

What process did Greenland have to see if they were telling the truth? He didn’t understand .

One of the guards led Sand Tiger and his crew to a temporary building . There he gave them instructions . “This is where you’ll be staying . Every day, someone will come by with food and water . Don’t go wandering around or you’ll miss your chance to enter the realm . It’s not safe around here anyway . ”

So Sand Tiger and the others did as they were told . In addition to food they were also given fuel for heaters, to make their nights more comfortable .

The day slowly gave way to darkness . The temperature began to drop . The frailer sorts like Bug quickly began to s.h.i.+ver . Fortunately, a campfire was quickly lit and the tent walls kept most of the wind out . Besides… Bug was frail, but she was still a wastelander . She was tenacious as a roach .

More cl.u.s.ters of campfires appeared as daylight faded away . Between the lights and the camp residents, everything felt safe . After all, the sorts who came to Greenland for shelter were all strong, and the place was watched over by Talon guards .

Sand Tiger sat before the campfire . A vast and beautiful starry sky twinkled overhead . He chewed on some sc.r.a.ps of meat and looked around before muttering with a sense of wonder, “What sort of mysterious power does Greenland have, that they can entice so many strong wastelanders?”

Gray Rabbit and Sister Bug thought the same . They were stunned by the mystical look of the place when they arrived, but that alone wasn’t enough to bring so many incredible people from all of the wastes .

“Obviously, it’s because this place is safe . ” A voice that crackled with the weight of age sounded from behind . Rhino and Sand Tiger turned toward the sound, and there they saw a group of figures standing by the tent . The one who spoke was a wrinkled gentleman who wore tattered clothes and a pair of gla.s.ses that were missing a lens . He walked up to their fire and spoke in a slow cadence . “For both the strong and the weak of any species, survival is paramount above all other needs . Our most basic desire is the desire to live . Am I right?”

Indeed, there was no way to dispute the fact . A safe place to lay your head was the dearest hope of any wastelander . For many, it was something they would never experience in their lives . They would live in hards.h.i.+p, surviving hand to mouth like insects skittering through the rubble .

Rhino gave this old man a closer look . He hadn’t heard or felt the stranger’s presence until he opened his mouth . That alone was proof that he was more than he appeared .

Rhino also spared a glance for the men he brought with him . One was a mutant with a simian face and two burly arms . While he was seated and showed no sign of malice, Rhino was pretty certain he couldn’t protect himself if the mutant wanted a fight .

These are killers! Strong, dangerous killers!

Sand Tiger didn’t have his companion’s keen sense . So, with no reason to a.s.sume otherwise, Sand Tiger greeted them like friends . “Where are you from, elder?”

“I’m called Mirage, a wanderer of the wastelands . ” Mirage then indicated the ape-like man beside him . “This is Ape . He had a crew in the Northern Barrens but the fighting pushed him south . Who would’ve expect the troubles would follow him here as well?”

It was Sand Tiger’s turn to size up the old man . There was definitely something strange about his presence, while Ape appeared pretty average .

When Gray Rabbit watched the stranger, he noted that there was definitely something unique about the old man from other wastelanders . His frail and shabby exterior was just a front . Rabbit didn’t believe for a second that he was as weak as he wanted others to think . Neither man had the same aggressive bearing Rhino carried with him .

“You’re a Seeker,” he blurted out . Greenland City wasn’t just looking for fighters . Talented scientists were also in high demand .

Mirage ran his fingers through his beard when confronted by the question . “I suppose you could say that . I am seeking something . Greenland looks like a fine place – young and exuberant . The wastelands are full of death, and places like this are hard to find . ”

Sand Tiger took up the questioning . “So you lot are also applying to enter?”

The old man’s answer was noncommittal . “It doesn’t matter much to me where I end up . But Greenland might have what I’m looking for . ”

Sand Tiger and his small crew shared quiet glances . It was clear the old man was hiding something . Mirage wasn’t the only strange one, either . Ape was his own mystery . All this time, he hadn’t said a single word . Mutants were known for rash action, but this one just sat there like a boulder .

Sand Tiger and the others knew when to stop asking questions . After all, everyone in this world had their secrets . They were all trying to get into Greenland, so there was a chance they’d interact regularly in the days to come . Developing good relations.h.i.+ps with future neighbors was a fine tactic .  

One thing was certain, however . Greenland’s call to arms had definitely attracted some unique characters .

Before the sun rose over the horizon on the next day, a Talon guard approached their group of tents . “You’re up! Come with me . ”

Sand Tiger and his group, along with Mirage and that crew, got up and did as the guard commanded . They lined up before a pretty, short-haired woman in worn and rugged demonhunter armor . In her hands she held a folder and asked a series of questions from it as prospective citizens presented themselves . Once the questions were answered, they were let through .

Sand Tiger was stunned . “That’s how they confirm someone’s ident.i.ty? Seems pretty sloppy…”

“What do you young folk know?” Mirage chastised from behind . “That woman is an Elysian demonhunter . Did you notice her necklace?”

They furtively glanced again at the woman, noticing the item for the first time . What did it have to do with the questioning?

“I suggest you think twice before saying anything false . Answer every question honestly, otherwise you’ll get tossed out on your a.s.s . ”

“Really?”

“That’s a relic, created by the G.o.ds . It allows her to read your mind . ”

Mirage’s words would have been a terrible shock to anyone within earshot . The one asking questions was Barb, and indeed the necklace she wore was the seeker’s torque .

The torque’s special abilities allowed the bearer to sense a target’s mental and emotional state . It was a perceptual enhancer . When someone with less-than-n.o.ble intentions came near, the demonhunter could sense their schemes .

In short, it worked like a lie detector .

It was Cloudhawk’s idea, for he knew that the wasteland was full of snakes . It was important that Greenland didn’t let unsavory sorts in, and so it was well worth spending the extra time and effort to determine who was a fit for their young nation .

The time came for Rhino and Sand Tiger to face questioning . Each answered somewhere between twenty to thirty questions and not a single word was false . When the process was done, they were let inside, apparently vetted . Next was Mirage and his crew .  

Greenland had a dedicated fighting squad for rapid response missions . Indeed, with the oasis being as dangerous as it was, even experienced trackers often ran into trouble . To protect them, Greenland sent guards to act as escorts . As they were led into the forest, their stunned eyes stared every which way . The outsiders could hardly believe such a lush place existed in the blasted wastes .

However, their surprise was only just beginning . Eventually the dense forests thinned to reveal Greenland City itself .

It towered over them like a giant of the forest . Neat and clean, its row upon row of gray towers reached into the sky . Its lanes ran straight and orderly toward the ancient (but well-maintained) fortress in the center .

Nearby was an absolutely enormous tree that rose above all else . As their eyes rose toward its canopy, they saw planes and unmanned drones zipping through the air .

Robotic men and dogs wandered the streets, weaving among clean and healthy citizens . What a magnificent display of order and cohesion! The street corners all had machines that broadcast messages from a local radio station . Towering mushrooms could be seen here and there as well .  

It was like walking into another world . They’d never seen anything like it .

“Come with me . Let’s figure out what job you’ll get . ”

Most of Sand Tiger’s small group served as engineers by trade . Luckily for them, Greenland was still in the process of establis.h.i.+ng their mechanical networks and needed plenty of people with these skills . They were given suitable positions . Mirage claimed to be proficient in medicine, a position which counted among the Seekers and in high demand .

As for Rhino and Ape? They knew how to hurt things . While Rhino had hardly any training, he was still as deadly as an Elysian officer . He was drafted into a special unit, one whose missions were far more dangerous than mere guard work .

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