A technomancer's journey in an apocalyptic world

"Are you all right Ryan?"

As Ylerias soft and caring voice came to his ears, Ryan somehow managed to nod as Michalina stormed near them, as Ylerias released a still hiccupping Ryan from her hug.

"Brother what happened I heard you had a breakdown."

"Water"

Hearing the hoarse voice of her brother Michalina felt a pang in her heart, before holding her canteen at his lips, having finished drinking Ryan spoke with a small sigh, "I do not know, why but I just felt an intense sense of loss and sadness, as if I lost someone very close to me forever, it was so overwhelming that I could not control myself and I broke down, now I feel intense rage like I want to burn everything down."

Michalina gently patted on her brother's back as she spoke, "You must be tired that is why you had a breakdown, see I am here, and our friends are here not to mention mom will be fine and waiting for us back home safe and sound so there is nothing for you to worry, and if anyone is bullying you just tell your big sister I will break them."

Ryan nodded with slight hesitation as Ylerias spoke with a humourless chuckle, "Michalina that was not some breakdown, Ryan did not have a sudden breakdown."

Michalina for the first time paid attention towards Ylerias's direction, unlike the normal times Ylerias's eyes were red just like Ryan, and her face reflected a mixture of anger and sadness.

"My Lady."

Ylerias was silent for a moment before she stood up, "Siora wake up the girl, I want to hunt something bad, you have enough time till I am done with speaking with my brethren otherwise I will leave alone."

Siora did not need to be told twice as she left as fast she could, Ylerias looked towards her retreating figure before her eyes fell on Michalina as she spoke, "Are you planning on going out on patrol tonight?"

Michalina frowned as she spoke, "Maybe why are you asking?"

"Don't go out on patrol tonight will be tough on him, you need to be on his side."

Michalina's frown deepened as she could not help but ask out loud, "What do you mean by that?"

"You will know when he falls asleep tonight.", Ylerias looked towards Ryan as she spoke, "And Ryan that feeling you felt was actually one of the Apostle dying.", as both the siblings' eyes opened wide Ylerias continued, "A few minutes ago one of our brethren fell, that pain, sadness and rage was because of it, because one of our own died, sorry you had to feel it so soon after becoming one of us."

A stunned silence descended amongst them, as Ryan could not help but blurt out, "You mean to say those feelings I felt, it felt as if someone closed to me died as such I was sad and angry, do you mean to tell every time dies we will feel it?"

Ylerias simply nodded as Ryan closed his eyes momentarily with a sigh before he spoke again, "Did you know the apostle well?"

"Of course I knew him; He was a good and caring man."

Once again silence descended as Ylerias slowly began to leave to stop as she turned and made her way towards Ryan, kneeling in front of him she spoke with a dazzling smile, "Oh I forgot to say this.", with that he suddenly gave him a hug and a small peck on his cheek startling him before she spoke again with her dazzling smile, "Ryan, welcome to the family."

She then left from the place fast leaving behind the pair of siblings, which included a blushing Ryan and an angered Michalina.

"How dare she kiss my baby brother?"

Seeing her sister getting enraged Ryan quickly intervened, "Chill Sis it is was friendly greeting nothing more."

Michalina's eyes then fell on Ryan as they softened instantly as she spoke, "How are you holding up Ryan?"

Ryan bit his lips as he replied back, "I do not know what to think of this, I do not wish to feel something like this for a very long time."

He stood up from his sitting position before offering his hand to Michalina as he spoke, "Let us go, sis, we have work to do."

*******

Meanwhile, Catherine looked with bewilderment mixed with uncertainty and fear at the object of her Hero worship, the horned woman who had saved her sister and her, was tearing a group of creatures with her bare hands.

"Shakidra may I ask why Lady um... I mean Her Holiness suddenly became sad and then went after those creatures and is now attacking them with her bare hands with so much rage."

Shakidra looked incredibly sad as she replied to her after a moment, "My Lady just lost one of her family."

Catherine's eyes widen as her head swivelled to locate the dead person but she found none, all she found were most of her saviour's followers standing at the side with their head bowed.

"You will not find her family here, they are all scattered across the land, and the one who fell is not amongst us.", with that she closed her eyes and started praying.

Catherine slowly stepped back as she made her way towards her family, and upon reaching them she was pulled into a fierce hug by Eleanora.

"Where have you been to Catherine?"

"I was watching Her Holiness.", as she answered her eyes fell on her twin making her wince since the incident she was much more withdrawn even flinching when her father came too close to her.

'Sister, I do not know how I will be able to help you, but I promise I will, we have always been together and no matter what I will help you sister.'

"You have been following after that deranged woman, but most importantly why are you calling her as 'Her Holiness'."

Catherine sent a slight glare towards Beth as she spoke, "Be that maybe but she saved us please do not call her something like that when she is grieving and as for calling her that, well everyone is calling her that so what else would we call her, it is not like any of us know her name."

"Actually there is a reason she is called as such."

Another voice drew her attention as a small smile formed on her face as she spoke, "Father."

Marcel simply acknowledged her with a nod as he spoke, "She is like a pope of her people."

Beth sent a look of disbelief as she spoke, "Really her a 'Pope', because last time I checked a pope wore white clothes and did not slaughter enemies with a giant sword."

Marcel simply shrugged as he spoke, "Different culture and religion mother, but for the time being please remember we are simply staying with them for the foreseeable future so keep of your surrounding when you are speaking.

Beth simply nodded as Eleanora spoke while caressing her sleeping daughter's hair, "So Isabella you said that she was grieving, is that why she screamed and cried and now is chasing and slaughtering any creature her eyes fall upon."

Isabella gained a sad look on her face as he spoke, "Yes, from what I learned from others her family died."

Marcel took a seat a few distances away from her sleeping daughter as the last thing he wanted was to have her suffer panic attack upon seeing a male near him, as he spoke, "Family? Did someone from their group died?"

Isabella shook her head as she replied, "Apparently her family is scattered throughout the world and she felt one of them pass away."

Hearing her words Eleanora could not help but ask out loud, "She felt her family passed away? How is this possible?"

"Magic", everyone's attention was drawn towards Marcel who began to speak, "Apparently people of their worlds can use magic, and those abilities that we thought was mutation was nothing but their core-forming and then got access to magic and if they are not wrong so will us in a few days."

Hearing that others eyes widen as Marcel kept on speaking, "She is called an Apostle by her people, a chosen one of one of their Gods with whose blessings she works on his behalf."

Eleanora sighed as she spoke, "I hope she will not be a religious fanatic forcing us to do something against our will."

Marcel nodded in agreement before he spoke with a tired sigh, "That may be true but at the end of the day we need to align with her to stay alive."

*************

Ryan had just finished a hearty meal of roasted meat and fish unlike the previous days, they had stumbled upon a wagon full of various food items, most of them had perished but a few like salts was still usable.

'At least the roasted meat and fish had salt on them, I hope in the future I can have a barbeque and maybe I should try and steal the recipes for various barbeque sauces, yep so going to do it especially since copyright no longer exists in this world.'

He let out a yawn as he went towards his bed only for him to stop as Ylerias's warning came to his mind.

"Is there anything wrong brother? I thought you were tired and were about to fall asleep."

"Yes, I was then reminded of Ylerias's warning."

"Do not worry brother, I am here along with you, we will face everything together."

With a small smile, Ryan closed his eyes as he slowly drifted off to sleep.

As Michalina watched her brother fall asleep Jessica approached her, she gave her a small smile before she spoke, "The patrols are all set."

"Good, though you do not have to waste time with me here."

"Nonsense, though want a cigarette?"

Michalina's head swivelled all around before she spoke with a shake of her head, "Not here maybe later, there are too many people and not many for everyone."

Jessica's shoulder slouched as she replied back, "You are right, well better luck next time."

********

"My Lord the people have managed to escape."

Ryan looked towards the speaker, 'Who is he? I do not know him yet he is calling me My Lord.', but before he could mull over the issue he heard someone speak.

"Really then what the hell are you idiots doing here."

The man simply puffed up his chest as he spoke, "Ha what are talking about bossman we go where you are, we used to be slum rats and from there you took us to where we are, a home, a warm meal you gave us everything, and now you tell us to not to stay by your side and leave you here well screw your order."

"Yeah screw it."

"Yeah stuff it, Lord Nash."

As everyone shouted in agreement one of his men approached him, unlike others his movement was elegant and refined he snorted loudly enough to draw everyone's attention as he began, "Our duty is to obey every command of our Lord Apostle, to go against is blasphemy something I as the former Crown Prince of Kathar cannot tolerate.", his words stunned many before he began again with a smirk, "Upon saying that screw those rules if you want us to leave you here then you will have to break our bones and carry us from here."

The silence was broken as loud guffaw of laughter followed as one of them shouted out, "Oh my never thought a day would come where the rule-abiding Prince would say something like that my life is fulfilled."

Only for the said Prince to hold him down in a mocking chokehold while trying to look angry but the bright smile on his ruined his anger-filled face.

Ryan suddenly found his eyes misty, 'huh I am crying.'

Suddenly the familiar voice was heard, "You idiots you know this is a one-way trip I am acting as bait and once the barrier falls I will be swarm over, you all will die by my side, your future your present and your past will all be gone."

"So what, if hell is where you are going then we would gladly follow you, in life or death we will always be by your side after all our future past and present all lie with you."

A burst of loud laughter was what Ryan heard as the spoke again, "I am blessed truly blessed with friends no family like you, even in life and death you have stayed together with me, for that, I thank you as I cannot fathom a better family than you.��

He was greeted with a large smile on everyone's face before the person spoke again in a curious tone, "By the way where is our resident pipsqueak."

The Prince replied back to him, "My Lord knocked her unconscious and send her out with the escapees, there is no need for her to go down with us, she is barely a teenager and there is so much in the world for her to see."

The person nodded in agreement when a loud crack was heard, Ryan found himself looking towards what seemed to be a cave entrance, he could see a bright yellowish light preventing the creatures from entering but it was cracking and would collapse any second now.

"Are the charges ready?"

"Yes my Lord."

"Good as soon as the shield collapses blow them and cause the cave-in behind us, and that should prevent the beast tide from following them."

"If only you were at your prime, this new world sapped our strengths preventing you to even move for as long as the barrier is active."

The apostle simply grunted in response as he took a few calming breaths trying to calm his nerves, the barrier shattered with a sound akin to that of glass breaking.

A halberd appeared in Ryan's hands only for him to finally realize what was going on, 'No way I am seeing what that person saw and from what that person spoke I know he is my fellow apostle.'

Suddenly person released his aura as he shouted out while pointing his halberd towards the Heavens, "My God, my Lord who rules upon the skies bringing rain and thunder, the one who bathes the lands with your generous rain please us and watch our final stand, and a thousand pardon for this servant failed to carry your flag much further in this strange lands."

For a moment there was silence, even the beasts had yet to attack them, then a loud booming thunder was heard as Nash laughed out loud, "Hear than my family, our God our Lord is watching over us, he gave us his blessings, so let us start our next journey a bit flashy, eh?"

His words were followed by cheering of his men before he bellowed out loud, "FOR OUR LORD!!!!!!", while charging forward.

He let out a roar that was followed by the roar of others before the two groups clashed, blood flying all around, as he curved his way out of the cave.

'What is he doing the cave had a narrow entrance, he could have stayed there and…', Ryan's thought came to halt as he watched as one of the creatures sprayed something liquid towards the group, one of Nash's people caught it he saw as the person began to melt in front of his eyes, even then person killed the beast as he shouted out in a pain, "Brothers I will wait for you se..", the person dropped dead soon after without even able to finish his words slowly melting away.

Ryan could smell the blood, the lust for more blood, he could hear the shouting and cursing, he could feel the despair and sadness even a small amount of joy as well.

But, it made him feel sick seeing gore and death all around him, 'What are all these things? Is this thing common in their world?'

The size of the beast tide made his heart tremble in fear, it was endless as far as his eyes could see there was no end to it, 'The size is truly impossible, truly impossible to defeat so many creatures.'

He watched as one by one Nash's subordinates fell the thirty strong dwindled to only four including him, Nash looked to his subordinates looking worse for wear.

"Boss this is it for me, sorry but the poison was too much."

With a small chuckle, Nash spoke while trying to catch his breath, "It is fine brother you did well, now go and rest tell others not to start the party without me."

"Right b.."

Nash closed his eyes as he tried to prevent the tears trying to fall off his eyes, as he heard another one of his subordinate falls, 'Damn those bastards using poison and acid-based attacks.'

He watched with bates breath as trio soon became a duo as the Prince was gored by the horns of one the creature, the Prince laughed out loud as he shouted out, "FOR MY LORD!! Burning Immolation.", with that the Prince's body turned into a blazing furnace as the beasts than came in contact with him were soon caught aflame as they turned to ash, as did the Prince himself.

"Did you see that Bossman that rule-abiding prince did one-up me, something that I cannot condone, it is my turn though if you take too long you might not have enough to satiate your thirst."

Nash looked at the person he suppressed the grimace as he saw the smiling face of his precious family member, half of whose face had been gnawed off by some creature, yet he stood resolute with the smile on his face till the last.

A brilliant display of magic was what he saw as the last of his people turned to ice and shattered like a fragile piece of glass while taking down as many as dozen down with him, he deep sense of sadness erupted from within, 'Now I am alone.'

That momentary lapse of concentration was all the beasts needed as one of the pounced on his biting into his hands hard, flinging him to the side.

A sharp pain arose as he found his left hand missing sprouting out a fountain of blood, 'Damn he took my hand that is forgivable.'

"Die!!!", with another shout he dashed towards the beast, a beast that looked like as big as an Elephant, with his halberd sparking with electricity he cleaved the beast in half.

"Die! Die! Die!", he was like a berserker slaughtering as many of the beasts as he could, a sudden swipe of claw took out his right eye, but a piercing attack took the skull took care of the offending beast, he took another step the ground exploded as a creature bit on to his right leg tearing it from his body, a quick thrust dealt with the offending beast but without his right leg, he finally collapsed thus ending his charge.

He felt the sky darken as a few drops of rain fell on his cheeks as such with a hoarse throat he spoke, "My Lord forgive me for not being able carrying your banner any longer.", he stood up shakily while relying on his halberd as he spoke, "But before I leave I wish to thank you for everything, for giving a bastard unwanted child a place to stay, a chance to shine, and a wonderful family so please do not shed your tears, and thank your everything."

A deep growl drew his attention as his eyes fell on to a large beast, that was stalking towards him whereas the others formed a circle around him, he simply smirked towards the beast as he spoke, "A chimaera huh, the beast that caused the beast tide, a coward that hid until its subordinates wore us down with their life, a filthy cretin."

He spat towards the beast which trembled in rage before it lunged towards Nash with his jaws open wide, only for Nash to laugh out loud as he shouted out, "Too late idiot."

He suddenly raised his halberd to the sky as lightning went towards the cloud itself, as the jaws of the beast drew near, he could fell the warmth rancid breath when all of a sudden a bright flash and everything evolved into tremendous pain before the world went black.

*********

Ryan jumped up from his bed gasping for breath, checking his limbs when all of sudden a face appeared near him, his sword appeared in his hand as he swung it towards the face, a loud clang was heard as someone called out his name, "Ryan! Ryan, please stop, it is me your sister."

The voice finally managed to draw his attention as he looked around to see Jessica lying on her back with her gun cut in two, whereas Michalina was frantically trying to draw his attention towards her, trying to bring him out of his stupor, the others in that place had retreated further to the back with a mixture of fear and uncertainty on their faces.

"Ryan it is me Michalina, please calm down focus on me calm down."

Ryan's gauntlet and sword disappeared as he collapsed on the ground shaking controllably while Michalina was quickly by his side holding him in a hug, as she whispered soothing words in his ears.

'I died, no that was Nash, my arms are okay Nash was, no it was me I lost my arms it was so painful.'

Jessica quickly went by the sibling's side as she also quickly held Ryan in her arms as she spoke, "Shit he is having a panic attack and seizure, damn it.

Host suffering seizure due to panic attack…..

Searching for cause….

Searching for remedies….

Removal of emotions recommended….

Temporary removal of emotions commencing in 3

2…

1….

0….

A jolt of pain passed through Ryan's head before he calmed down, Michalina made him look directly into her face and was taken aback at what she witnessed, even after his eyes had changed Ryan's eyes were filled with incredible liveliness but the current Ryan looked more machine than human.

"Ryan, are you alright?"

Michalina's voice quivered as she asked her brother who simply tilted his head and spoke in a monotone, "I am fine."

Jessica frowned as she discreetly glanced at a distraught Michalina before she spoke, "Ryan can you tell us what happened."

Ryan looked towards Jessica without any emotion in his face as he spoke, "I think I destroyed your gun, I apologize for that, I will make you one soon."

Jessica shook her head as she spoke, "You will later on but first tell me what happened."

"Nash died."

"I see so who is Nash."

"Nash is my fellow Apostle he died today, I saw him die, I felt his dying moment, I felt his joy his desperation his sadness, I saw his subordinates no his family getting wiped out in front of my eyes, I felt his pain when he was torn apart, his pain when he took down the leader of the horde in a suicide attempt, I felt myself dying."

As Ryan spoke more and more a horrifying expression appeared on both Michalina and Jessica not only because of the ordeal but the way he spoke in a monotone, like a machine.

"Ryan, are you alright?"

As Michalina asked once again Ryan simply replied like he had a moment ago, "I am fine."

Jessica closed her eyes for a second before she spoke, "Ryan what do you feel."

"Nothing I feel nothing.", the quick answer send an alarm in their heads as Jessica could not help but ask out, "Why are you no feeling anything?"

"My powers decided that feeling emotional was detrimental to my health as such my emotions have been removed."

Both Michalina and Jessica had their jaw loosened as Mcihalina quickly spoke, "Brother why don't try sleeping again, it is midnight you should have your rest you have lots of work to do."

Ryan simply laid back and fell asleep soon after leaving behind a distraught Michalina as well as an equally worried Jessica awake after such an episode.

Meanwhile, a good few distances away from them residents of their temporary base were chatting amongst them discussing their resident builder.

"The boy is unstable this is two days I a row something like this happening I fear for our safety and sanity now."

Cai Bai scowled as he spoke, "Would shut up, just put yourself in his shoes and think."

Andraais sighed as he spoke, "What a pitiful child even with all the powers he is at the whim of his God, being tortured and punished then forced to feel the death of someone unrelated, his powers with all the drawbacks that he had to suffer is it even worth it anymore?"