A technomancer's journey in an apocalyptic world

The aircraft circled the large carrier, the aircraft carrier that once had been the pride of the US Navy, but its current form looked a little better than a ghost ship.

Ryan let out a pained sigh as he began to speak, "Such a wonderful creation but now look at it, it looks so dilapidated just like some ghost ship."

Michalina meanwhile narrowed her eyes as she spoke, "Is that a Ford Class aircraft carrier?"

Ryan nodded as he spoke, "Yes it is, CVN-83 USS Murphy, the largest and most advanced even amongst its class."

"I see, I knew that CVN-81 was under construction but here it is a CVN-83 so far from home, strange."

Ryan frowned as he spoke, "You know Micha, you are right about this, why put your secret like that out in the open for everyone to see, the world knows that they are building their CVN-81, yet their Murphy is loitering so far from home ."

Ylerias could not help but insert herself in between the siblings as she asked out loud, "What are you all talking about? Can you please explain as we are at a loss."

Ryan turned his head slightly as he spoke, "Ah, Sister Ylerias, do you remember how I had once told you about the countries in our world?", as Ylerias nodded Ryan continued to speak, "That is a Naval ship that belongs to the strongest country in our world."

Ylerias's eyes widened slightly as she spoke, "It is huge."

Ryan nodded in agreement as he spoke with a frown on his face, "Yes it is, but the most important thing that is troubling us is that ship exists and the reason behind its appearance here."

Xuelong joined their conversation with a frown of her own, "Explain."

Michalina sighed as she replied to Xuelong, "According to US, it is currently making CVN-81, a ship of similar class, a ship that would take years to build, and everyone has seen proof of it but now we are seeing the CVN-83, so where did it come form as since 81 is still in production and 82 has yet to be thought of."

Ryan picked up where his sister had trailed off as he continued, "Now here is the kicker, the ship that is the most advanced till date, a ship that does not exist according to the real world, how is that ship here in this place so far from home for the rest of the world to see."

Xuelong nodded in agreement as she spoke, "I get where you are coming form, why is their secret kept so out in the open, but Ryan is it not possible that is drifted away to this place."

"True, what you are saying is a possibility but still the distance is not only huge but an object of this size drifting this far it is difficult to digest."

Michalina gained a contemplative look on her face as she spoke, "Well when we board it and investigate it we might be able to learn about the secret that it holds within its bosoms, but the most important question is how should we proceed."

Ryan sighed as he spoke with a shake of his head, "About that I do not think it would do safe for us to land the aircraft on the ocean as well as on top of the deck."

Siora nodded in agreement as she spoke for the first time, "I agree with His Holiness, the waters could contain dangerous unknown creature as well as we do not know what is sleeping within the bowels of that ship."

Shakidra frowned as she spoke, "Then how should the ship be approached."

"Why else, but by dropping off a group to investigated the ship, while the aircraft would hover around, and only when the ship is cleared of any hostile elements that the aircraft would land."

Michalina spoke while nodding in agreement with Ryan's idea, "That is a wonderful idea brother, let us quickly form a team for our latest mission, though I vote for Ryan and Shakidra our medic to stay behind while the rest and venture forth."

"Wah, wah wait a minute why would I stay behind?"

Michalina rolled her eyes as she replied to Ryan, "Why else but to keep the aircraft flying."

"Well you can do it too."

"Alas brother i do not feel confidant enough to fly something like this so please forgive me."

Ryan's eyes narrowed as he could easily spot the mirth shining in Michalina's eyes.

'I know she can fly this aircraft, but it is so not fair I wanted to explore it first.'

As such with a huff he faced forward as he spoke out in a gruff voice, "Do whatever you wish to do."

A few more minutes later, a group of four fully geared combatants disembarked from the aircraft before it flew away from the ship.

Ryan bit his lips as he watched the group enter the island disappearing from his sight, and even when he knew that every one of them was highly trained and much better than him, the feeling of restlessness seemed to increase substantially.

Michalina took point as her powerful torch seemed to light up the corridor as she whispered lowly, "Corridor clear."

The group moved in a single file with Michalina leading them, followed by Ylerias while Xuelong brought the rear.

"Dried blood patches."

Ylerias managed to draw their attention to faint marks of dried up blood on the white wall of the interior as Michalina spoke with a snort, "Look over there, part of a skull with most of the bones missing."

Michalina pressed forward trying to be as stealthy as possible and upon turning to a corner she came to a halt.

"Some kind of half-eaten humanoid creature."

Ylerias took a peek, and upon seeing the creature she sucked a deep breath before she spoke, "That is a ghoul, a half-eaten ghoul."

The group cautiously approached the carcass, as Siora kneeled in front of it, giving the carcass a thorough checkup before announcing the result of her find.

"Seemed to be dead a few hours ago, and from the marks on its body seemed to be killed by another ghoul."

Xuelong frowned as she spoke with a frown, "So there is a possibility of a ghoul nest."

Siora nodded in agreement while Michalina voiced her confusion, "What is this ghoul thing, a different type of undead?"

Ylerias frowned as she replied to Michalina, "Some people categorize it as undead as they are susceptibel to spells that only meant for undead but they are born from living human who has consumed the flesh of an undead."

Michalina suddenly felt ill upon hearing that as she spoke, "Who would eat something rotting and putrid like that, seeing those disgusting creatures who could work out an apetite to eat them."

Xuelong shrugged as she spoke, "You would be surprised learning how many people end up becoming a ghoul, but we can debate on that later because we have to face some serious trouble soon."

Meanwhile, back inside the cockpit of the hovering aircraft, Ryan could not help but ask Shakidra more about the newest creature that he had just heard.

"About the ghouls, how dangerous are they?"

"Your Holiness, ghouls can be very dangerous they are very fast and agile, not to mention their razor-sharp poisonous claws, along with their ghoulish screech that can be very dangerous."

"Ghouls were once normal living beings, but they have discarded their normal life by feasting on undead, and all that remain is a creature that only exists to satiate its hunger."

Ryan frowned as he spoke, "From the way you are saying any living being can become a ghoul."

Shakidra continued with a nod, "It is as you have perceived Your Holiness, any living creature can become one, but the more intelligent they possess before becoming one  they more dangerous they become."

"Ghouls tend to retain many of its former intelligence as such they tend to form a pack, use traps to capture their prey, and also has the highest chance of evolving into a Ghast."

Ryan's brow furrowed as he spoke, "So humanoid beings make more dangerous ghouls."

"Yes Your Holiness and they are also sometime referred to as greater Ghouls as their intelligence make them dangerous."

"What is a Ghast?"

"An evolved form of Ghoul, they are bigger, stronger, faster and are often found commanding a group of ghoul, their claws are so sharp that they can cut through steel like hot knife through butter."

"Ghast can also evolve into a very dangerous creature known as Wendigo, a monster that can mimic other living beings sound."

"Troublesome.", and with that Ryan spoke out with a sigh, "Did you catch that?"

The radio crackled as Michalina's voice came from the other side, "Yes, heard her loud and clear."

Xuelong decided to add on to the conversation with a small hum, "There is chance that we might end up fighting a Ghast today so becareful."

As Xuelong spoke Michalina's eyes were drawn towards a steel door that had been cut off by what seemed to be giant claw marks, while Xuelong only gave a nod as she spoke with a smug look on her face, "So I was right after all."

Ylerias sighed as she spoke, "No one said that you are wrong, now focus and move forward."

A few more minutes later Siora could not help but voice her concern, "This is not right we have yet to encounter any ghoul, in fact it looks abandoned."

Xuelong sighed as she spoke, "Siora you have to be more vigilant than that, did you not see the pile of bones that we just passed by."

"I did Your Holiness, they were arranged in some pattern indicating that they are used to mark territory."

"Good good, then you must know they could be just waiting for the appropiate time to ambush us like some hunter so be patient and vigilant, though I would have loved for the creatures to attack already this tension is killing me."

"Well, then you would be happy to know I found three of them just around the corner, so how should I engage them."

Hearing her words Ylerias quickly whispered back to Michalina, "Destroy their head as fast as possible and make sure that they do not get the chance to scream, their screams can stun you."

"I see, then I will take the one at the right while Ylerias can take on the left, and the middle one Siora can deal with it."

Ylerias nodded in agreement as she spoke, "A sound plan then on the count of three."

"3"

"2"

"1"

~thwap~

~thwap~

~thwap~

That was the only sound that came from their respective weapons as the trio of creatures collapsed on the ground headless, with dense black blood flowing from them.

Meanwhile, Xuelong looked at the scene with her eyes narrowed and her mind racing a thousand miles per second before she voiced her concern out loud.

"This is troubling, Ghouls are not so docile they do not stand in corner like that without even moving, from the clues we have gathered we know there is ghast out here, but did it evolve into a Wendigo?"

Ylerias bit her lips as she addressed Xuelong's concern, "There is nothing we can do but to press forward for now."

Their radio crackled as Ryan's voice came to their ears, "If it becomes too dangerous please retreat and I will simply use plan B."

Michalina's eyes narrowed as she spoke, "Oh and what would plan B entail?"

"I have yet to think of anything.", his bubbly reply made his listeners shake their heads in exasperation.