Cerberi

World War III was fast and loud. It began in 2021 in a classic territorial conflict between Germany, Russia, and Spain. Other countries tried to get involved and maintain peace, but things quickly escalated when several assassinations occurred around the world. No one trusted each other, and no treaties were made. The United States attempted to act as a mediator, but things backfired and the East Coast was invaded by France and Britain. The world was in utter chaos. In a panic, scientists on America's West Coast were frantically working to create a weapon that would end the war, even if it decimated millions of lives in the process. By a stroke of considerable luck, a new element was created. It brought the world to its knees, and the fighting ceased when a fresh threat arose.

Zervium. That's what they called it. The instability of the new element had devastating results. It eradicated anything within a fifteen-mile radius, and particles of the element would be released into the air. These particles could then be swept across the land for another ten miles, and could remain active for 970 years.

Zervium was fatal to humans. If the initial blast didn't kill them, the grains that settled in their lungs did. It produced symptoms akin to stage four cancer and killed the host within a month.

Peculiarly enough, this new element had no calamitous effect on the majority of the other species inhabiting the Earth. Instead, it mutated their genetic make-up, effectively creating rather appalling creatures. As time wore on, innocent bystanders of World War III evolved into deadly beings.

Animals adapted to their new environment and most developed a carnivorous appetite. Birds' beaks elongated, their talons sharpened, and their feathers became their armor. Land mammals grew in size, and they became more durable, their teeth razor-sharp and their skin thick. Sea animals did likewise when the radioactive water eventually reached them. Insects and reptiles held high amounts of poison in their bellies that they gladly released through bites. Plants became some of the most feared. They could move their appendages when they sensed things around them and they were able to emit a fatal toxin.

No longer at the top of the food chain, humans banded together and squirreled away resources. They forgot their squabbles and quickly moved anywhere that wasn't in the blast radius. Walls were built up to keep threats out and governments rose out of the ashes, but their lives would never be the same.

That was fifty years ago.

Now we have a diligently structured system. The Council is the highest court in our city, Portland, and hosts eighteen judges tasked with making decisions for the people. The population acts as the nineteenth judge, only used when a tie needs to be broken. We live in moderate peace, with a low crime rate and modest laws.

The fertile hillsides surrounding the city have been cut into in order to plant crops. Our food production thrives and our people don't go hungry. Farmers are greatly appreciated and roughly a quarter of the population works in our agricultural division.

Everyone else works within the city doing a variety of jobs. Some make clothing and various materials while others work on reconstruction. The Council and their families are looked up to and greatly respected for their lawmaking.

We have no form of currency. Instead, we exchange items with shopkeepers for something we need, with the exception of food. Rations are handed out free and weekly.

A small group of engineers and scientists work closely to keep up on technology. They fashion new weapons to be used against the creatures lurking beyond our walls and they create new medicines to help fight disease.

Just past the farmlands resides the wall, the only barricade keeping out the mutants. It stands at fifty feet and it has long been debated whether it needs to be raised.

Forty years ago, people realized that we needed some other form of defense. Reparations could not keep up with attacks from the animals. They broke down the walls faster than they could be built up. In response, The Council passed the Cerberi Order, describing Cerberi as the city's guardians. However, free will had nothing to do with this warrior group. Instead, orphaned children were taken in. Since they had no families, The Council believed that they would be more willing to lay down their lives in order to protect the people. Children were educated until they were fifteen, at which point they began their training. They took their first steps outside the city walls at age eighteen as full-fledged soldiers.

When first entering training, Cerberi receive bar codes that are tattooed on their left shoulder blades in order to discourage desertion. They are housed on the perimeter, just inside the wall, enabling them to respond quickly to attacks. They are assigned five people to an apartment, and five apartments to a building. Roommates are of the same gender and relationships are highly frowned upon. They can't have the well-being of a loved one interfering with their task. Cerberi are trained to be brave and selfless. They are skilled in combat and are respected among the population for the great sacrifices they make. Retirement is allowed at the age of 35, though many don't make it that long as they end up ultimately giving their lives in battle.

It's a frightening world we live in and it's a frightening job that I have, but someone needs to protect the city.

I am a Cerberus, the first line of defense.