The Nome (Nth Society writing competition - imagine the world)

The Nome

Korrant hadn’t visited Malakai in what seemed like forever. But since he was anyway near the West Woods, he decided to take a little detour to check on his old friend.

As he entered the court yard, Korrant saw Malakai speaking to a young man on the far end. He started walking toward them. “I like what you’ve done with the place!” he yelled.

Malakai turned and when he saw who it was, a wide grin immediately came across his face. “Hey, what’s up, Nome?” he answered back.

Korrant looked around and nodded his head approvingly. “The last time I was here, it was just a farm. But look at it now, a bustling community. You have 20-foot walls, watchtowers, and everything. I thought the guards weren’t even going to let me in.”

“Yeah, it helps keep the marauders out. Not a single successful raid on us since we completed the walls. Not cheap though. I had to make a deal with Madame Sparrow for extra resources and security but it was worth it.”

Korrant finally reach Malakai and they shook hands heartily. “Impressive! How have you grown so quickly? It hasn’t been that long since I was last here, has it?”

“Well, I’ve been lucky. Most of my spawns have stayed and we’ve also taken in quite many refugees from the North. Everyone’s been great and we share everything: the work, the resources, the property. Anyway, speaking of the North, how is it up there?”

“Pretty bad,” Korrant replied. “Most of the large communities have fallen. Many have fled Southward, as you know. Others have banded together in smaller gangs. The strong prey on the weak. It’s lawless chaos. By the way, who’s this young man?”

“Oh, sorry, this is Barton, one of my recent spawns. He’s been great, a fast learner, good contributor, and has a good grasp already of how things work here in the Nth.”

Korrant extended a hand toward Barton. “What’s up, Barton? I’m Korrant. You’re lucky to have Malakai here as your parent.”

Barton looked confused. “I thought your name was Nome.”

Both Korrant and Malakai laughed. “Nome is short for nomad,” Malakai explained. “He roams the land, never staying in one place for too long. Nomes usually join groups and communities for short periods of time, observing the people, their customs, interactions, and social structure.”

Barton’s eyes lit up. “Really? That’s fascinating! Please tell me more.”

It was Korrant’s turn to explain. “Well, it can be very fascinating. You get to meet many different types of people, see how they choose to live their lives in the Nth. You’ll be surprised at how varied in can be. But being a nomad can be dangerous too. I’ve had my fair share of NDE’s.”

“NDE’s?” Barton asked.

“Near death experiences,” Korrant answered. “With people, you just never know. Being a nomad isn’t for everyone.”

At this point, Malakai interjected. “Hey, why don’t we finish up the work on this shed? We can then continue this discussion over dinner. Korrant, we could use your help too. C’mon.”

During dinner, Korrant entertained Malakai, Barton, and others at the table with stories of his adventures. How he was there during the fall of New Manila, one of the largest communities in the North. How he rolled for a while with the Outsiders, a band of marauders in the Northeast. And much more.

Korrant stayed on at Malakai’s commune helping out in any way he could. A week later, he said his goodbyes and left. With him, was his new apprentice, Barton.

---

This fictional short story is submitted as an entry to the Nth Society writing competition - imagine the world.

The photo above was taken in Kyoto, Japan (April 2004).