Everyone stood there in silence, watching those around them.
“Teivel, please bring the list of names,” he demanded.
Teivel hurried over to him, his robe slipping loosely over his small shoulders, and handed Lord Mordred a rolled piece of paper tied with a red ribbon. The ribbon’s color accentuated the shine of the lord’s thick bracelets, catching Seda’s eye.
Please don’t call us. Please don’t call us.
Lord Mordred looked over the crowd and said, “Rozzers, be on standby. The following people must come up to the podium for processing. Ensure a smooth transition.” The Rozzers all gave a firm salute in unison.
Conflicts during selection were rare, as Joro citizens were well-versed in the Wyrd and its rules. Everyone was aware of the risks. Having a child by age thirty guaranteed a sense of security.
Reproduction rates had plummeted over the past two centuries, and now only one in fifty could have children. Nobody understood why the decline had occurred or why it was getting worse. For Joro to survive, their community had to flourish, and the drop in birth rates was a significant concern.
“Derek Howell, Margarite Powers, Ruthette Winters.”
Citizens watched as Lord Mordred read off the list of names. Seda continued to hold tightly to Cahir’s hand as the selected individuals turned to their loved ones and shared somber embraces before taking their first steps toward their rehabilitation.
“Cahir, I’m so scared of the Camp. What will happen to us if we get chosen?” Seda whispered nervously. “What do we do if only one of us gets called?”
Cahir pulled Seda into a hug, and his familiar, cedar scent surrounded her. He reassuringly ran his hand up and down her back. “We will always have each other, Seda.Always.”
Before each Wyrd, every adult without a child performed an age and birthing registration. Registration, like the Wyrd, was mandatory. If you or your partner confirmed a pregnancy, you both received a stamped pregnancy certificate, which gave you additional time before signing up for the selection queue.
Upon the child’s birth, you received a birth certificate that confirmed your ongoing loyalty to Joro.
If you were over thirty without a certificate, your name was provided for selection.
Cahir and Seda registered five days earlier for the selection, despite their ongoing efforts to conceive through artificial insemination.
“Brad Merguee. Xavier Ruppert.” Lord Mordred continued calling names with a hint of nonchalance as more people solemnly walked to the stage to be processed.
The Rozzers remained alert, holding various weapons and blocking all escape routes.
There was a loud, crashing sound that erupted against the dome, shaking the ground violently and echoing through the sky. Seda flew away from Cahir, and she braced herself against the trembling earth. A scream escaped her lips as her veins grew cold and her vision blurred.
In response to the chaos, the black birds let out screeching caws as they swooped down in a frenzy, one of them scraping its claws across Seda’s shoulder and sending a sharp pain through her.
She raised her hands to shield her face.
Cahir struggled to find his footing and crawled over to her, pulling her close. He wrapped his arms around her protectively, shielding her from the bird.
“We have to get up!” he shouted over the terrifiedscreams ringing out through the stadium.Seda stayed frozen in Cahir’s arms, her body refusing to move as she watched people around her desperately searching for their loved ones.
Over the past few months, the Jotnar’s attacks on the dome had become more intense, with each subsequent attempt to breach the barrier growing stronger. The Jotnar were the worst of the monsters in Xyberus, towering over twenty feet tall. They were colossal creatures that ate humans for both entertainment and delicacy, and were known to hunt anyone who wandered outside, like the Traversers.
“Look at me, Seda, please.” Cahir pulled her face to his. “I’ve got you.” His steady gaze locked onto hers, and slowly, Seda’s fear started to fade as she got lost in the security of his eyes.
“Okay,” she responded weakly. “I see you.”
He wrapped her in a tight hug and lifted her to her feet from the rough ground. “Don’t let go,” he said, as she clung to him.
The rumbling earth gradually quieted.
“Calm!” Mordred called over the crowd. “Everyone, calm yourselves. This dome has never faltered. We’resafe! They cannot get in.”
As the echoes died down, a profound silence descended upon them. People slowly got to their feet and glanced around nervously.
“Where were we?” Mordred asked into the mic as he adjusted it. “Ah, yes… Now that the little display from the Jotnar is over, we can move on.”
