west meets east  - part 1
by parthian


email :  littlemanandamazon@gmail.com
website  :  sites.google.com/site/littlemanandamazon
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questions or comments are welcome.
this story will have multiple parts.  if you have any ideas or
suggestions for the next part, feel free to email me.
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By the year 2799, humanity had made spectacular advances in all
facets of life. Life had become standardized throughout the world, and
everyone spoke english. That all changed in the year 2800, when an
influenza epidemic wiped out most of the
world's population, and the earth's population plummeted to around
20,000 people. After two centuries, in the year 3000, there were
only two population centers left on earth. First, there were around
100,000 people left in the most remote parts
of northern scandinavia closest to the north pole. The influenza
epidemic had started out in china and moved westward,
annihilating entire populations along its path. Due
to the extreme remoteness of northern scandinavia, 10,000 people
survived the epidemic. From the years 2800 to 3000, things changed
dramatically in this region. By the year 3000, the 100,000 people of
this region were nomadic horsemen. Given the scarcity of food and
resources in this region,
the only people that had survived over these 200 years were the ones
who were the most savage and ruthless. In addition, only the smallest
people and horses had survived during this time, as they needed
less food. In terms of appearance, the people in this region now
looked like small vikings. On average they were around 5' 0' to 5' 2"
tall, and weighed between 100 to 110 pounds. They all had a very fair
complexion, with blue or green eyes, and blond or light brown hair.

The only other part of the earth that was still populated was an
extremely remote and mountainous part of northeast china. Given the
influenza epidemic had started west of this region and moved westward,
and that this region was extremely remote to begin with, the people of
this area had also been spared annihilation. When the epidemic had
started in 2800, this area's population had been 10,000. Over the
next 200 years, the population had increased steadily, so that by the year 3000
this region had around 100,000 people. Generally speaking, this
region had always had an excellent and consistent supply of food.
Over the past 1000 years, the mountainous nature of the region
had selected for very tall and robust people. By the year 3000, the people
in this region were between 7' 0" and 7' 2" tall, and weighed
between 300 and 320 pounds. They were not fat, they were just big-boned.
In terms of appearance, the people here were completely asian in
appearance. They had almond eyes, strait black hair, high cheekbones,
and yellowish skin.

Over the years, the nomads had developed
strict rules of conduct for survival. One of the rules was that it
was forbidden to travel eastward towards the 'land of the rising sun',
given that was where the influenza epidemic had come from. Another
rule was that their society was ruled by the 'leader'. The leader
always worked his way up through the ranks by bravery and skill in
battle. He demanded and received complete obedience.
The nomads also followed a very strict code of honor. When a nomad made
a promise, he always kept his word. In addition, collective survival
meant much more than survival of the individual.

The leader of the nomads in northern scandinavia was called Hans. He
was 28 years old. Every morning, as the sun rose over the horizon
from the east, he would look eastward and wonder about the mysterious
lands that lay ahead. Looking back at the past decade, Hans recalled
that it had gotten progressively colder. The past year had been the
coldest yet, as far as he could recall. The entire livelihood of the
nomads revolved around their horses. During the past decade, and
particularly the last year, as the supply of resources available to their horses
dropped, Hans realized that something had to be done, or they
would not survive for much longer. He called for a
meeting with the 'council of elders' and addressed them : "There are
no longer enough resources available for everyone's survival here. Our only
option is for a group of us to leave and go
towards the land of the rising sun. It is impossible for us to
venture in any other direction simply because we are either surrounded
by water, mountains that our horses can't climb, or terrain that is
not suitable for our horses. I realize that we will be breaking one
of our sacred laws, but those
laws were made for our survival." Hans said that the males between
the ages of 20 and 29 would be ones with the highest chances of
surviving an expedition towards the land of the rising sun.
After some debate, the council of elders voiced their
approval of Hans' proposal.

In july of the year 3000, all the male nomads who were between 20 and
29 years of age set out eastwards on horseback towards the land of the
rising sun. There were roughly 7500 of them. They took their
supplies in carts. Among their supplies were, swords, maces, lances,
bows and arrows, armor, tents, food, and extra clothing. Given that
both the nomads and their horses were lightweight and had tremendous
stamina, they could travel remarkably long distances in a given day. At
the beginning of their journey, tensions were very high, as fear of
the unknown existed. By october, the nomads were much more at ease,
as almost all of them were still alive. During this period, they had
not encountered any deadly diseases, and they had not come across any
humans. By now, they were in the open plains of central asia, which
proved to be ideal for their horses, as their horses now had access to
more resources than before. During november and december, the nomads
pushed further and further eastwards into the heart of asia without
encountering any people.

By the start of 3001, it had gotten very cold, but it was nothing
compared to how cold it had gotten back in northern scandinavia. It
proved to be the coldest winter of the past 100 years. During the
first three months of 3001, the nomads pushed further and further east
until they reached the remote region of northeast china where people
also lived. During the first 3 months of 3001, the nomads lost 2500
people due to the very cold weather. However this was nothing
compared to the catastrophe back home. By the end of march, the
entire nomad population of northern scandinavia was wiped out due to
the extreme cold, with lead to the death of all the horses, followed
by the starvation of the nomads in scandinavia. So by now, the only
populated place on earth happened to be remote northeast china,
with its 100,000 inhabitants, and the 5000 nomads that had just
arrived at their doorstep.

On april first of 3001, Hans and his followers came face to face with
other humans for the first time in nine months. It was also the first
time in 200 years that two different human populations had come into
contact. The people of this remote region were sedentary, and lived
in small communities. They had never experienced warfare, as they
were peace-loving, gentle and kind by nature. In short they were the
complete opposite of the nomads. In their initial encounter, both
sides were completely surprised. Neither group had seen another human
population in their lifetime. Furthermore, each group noted their
differences in appearance. As the two groups continued to study
each-other with curiosity and caution, Hans suddenly ordered the
nomads to turn around and follow him.

Once they were about a mile away, he ordered the nomads to stop and
addressed them : "My followers : after nine months of traveling
towards the land of the rising sun, we have finally encountered
another human population. As you are aware, this past winter was the
coldest in memory, and I am certain that our relatives back home have
all died due to starvation. Furthermore, the resources in this land
are much more plentiful. Thus there is no reason to turn back, or go
any further. At this point, we can establish a new settlement in this
region and start new lives. The women of this region will help us
achieve that objective. I hereby order you to invade this human
settlement. Anyone who does not look like a female between the ages
of 20 and 29
is to be killed. The males are of no use to us. With regards to the
females, the ones older than 30 are too old for bringing healthy
children into this world, and those younger than 20 will just be an
extra mouth to feed, and thus a burden."

Hans gave the order for the attack, and the nomads charged on
horseback. They used their bows and arrows, maces, swords and lances
to massacre their victims. To the residents of this remote region of
northeast china, it must have seemed like armageddon. By the end of
the first day 5000 people had been killed or lay wounded. This
carnage continued for the next 20 days, until there were only about
5000 female left unharmed, and all looked more or less to be between
the ages of 20 and 29. Everyone else had either been killed, or lay
wounded. The streets of the town were filled with blood, and the
smell and stench of death filled the air. Next the wounded were
either crucified or impaled, and they suffered a slow and painful
death over the course of the next 10 days.

By may first, the only residents of the town that had been spared
were the 5000 females who appeared to be between the ages of 20 and
29. Hans ordered his men out of the town, and told the 5000 women
that they had the next 30 days to bury their dead. Given the sheer
number of bodies, the women only had enough time to bury everyone in
mass graves. On june first, Hans ordered his troops to round up the
5000 surviving women and bring them to the outskirts of their
settlements. He informed the women that from now on they were going
to be slaves. He also informed them that one of them was going to be
selected by a lottery to be sacrificed. The women were all gathered
in an open field. Hans informed the women that he was going to shoot
an arrow with a dull tip into the air towards the women. Whoever it
landed closest to would be sacrificed. Hans shot the arrow into the
air and it landed closest to a 24 year old. One of the nomads went
towards her, and ordered her to follow him, and she was taken to Hans.

Hans looked at his intended victim and asked her her name and age.
She replied that her name was Mengran, and that she was 24 years old.
Hans informed her that his name was Hans and that he was the leader of
the nomads. He also told her that she was going to be sacrificed on
july first, in an arena that his men were going to build during the
next 30 days. She had the option of fighting for her life or putting
up no resistance. He recommended the latter, as it would make her
death quicker and much more painless. Mengran replied that she would
like to fight for her life. Hans accepted her response, and informed
her that she could bring anything she wanted with her to the arena.
He also told her that she didn't have to worry about being killed
during the next month, as a nomad never went back on his word, and
that the others followed his orders to the letter unconditionally.
For some unknown reason, Mengran knew in her gut that she could trust
him.

end of part 1.