A technomancer's journey in an apocalyptic world

Ylerias opened her eyes as she found herself in familiar scenery, she could feel the soft breeze gently caressing her, the soft sound of water flowing couple with the rustling of leaves, she missed this place greatly.

"It has been a while child."

A voice she had heard so many times, a voice that she missed the most, a voice she longed to hear, and it finally came to her ears, making her stunned for a moment before her eyes found the speaker and then she promptly prostrated in front of a glowing blue orb as she spoke, "My lady it is an honour to be in your presence."

The blue orb moved from its position as it neared Ylerias, she suddenly felt as if someone was holding her near her shoulders as she looked up she heard Oena speak again, "Here let me see you, my child, it has been so long since I saw your face."

Ylerias smiled before she spoke frown, "I wish I could see you in your glory once again, but my powers have decreased so much."

"I know but there is nothing to feel sorry about, because I have complete trust in you as such I know that you will regain your initial strength soon."

Ylerias nodded with a small before it once again changed back to a frown, "I tried so hard to contact you my Lady but I failed every time, my Lady did do something to displease you."

"NO", was the immediate and forceful retort of Oena, who continued to speak, "No, my child you are like a daughter to me, and what kind of mother would I be if I did not speak with my daughter in need and if you wish to blame someone then blame Lord Avtis, this mother of yours was too weak to go against him."

Ylerias smiled inwardly the feeling of being referred to as a daughter by her patron Goddess always made her happy, she was a small child when she became an apostle, it had been so long, so long since her own family began to worship her and refused to view her as their daughter, and it had been long enough that she would barely remember any of them, but her patron Goddess has been there for her always, looking after her, calming her during her nightmare when she was younger, as such their relation was somewhat like a mother and daughter.

But, the next words of Oena made her freeze up as she spoke with a gasp, "So, Holy Lord Avtis was behind this."

"Yes, my child."

Ylerias visibly scowled as she spoke, "My Lady why would he do something, why is he like that? Have you seen how he treats his apostle?"

"No, this is the first time I was able to locate you, as such I established the contact as soon as it was possible for me, but the looks of it you have another with you."

A small smile graced Ylerias's lips as she spoke, "Yes my Lady, I have Xuelong travelling with me."

"Now, what do you think of the newer addition to the group."

Ylerias bit her lips gathering her thoughts for a moment before she began to speak, "Ryan was the citizen of the otherworld, from what I know his mother and older sister are both in the army, while he was just a student a scholar, at first he was a bit sceptical about the whole apostle business but he managed to look into the bigger picture and accepted his role."

Ylerias paused for a moment before she began again, "He is helpful and does not hesitate to ask a question when in doubt, and overall I can say that he is a nice person, even if he lacks any military training, from what I know he has the training to wield a rapier, but mainly for competition, as such even if the lack of proper training hampers with his work he has a good head in his shoulder and willing to work to cover his shortcomings, not to mention he is a survivor."

"What do you mean by survivor?"

"My Lady, when I first met their group Ryan had been kidnap by a large Roc, and he was carried to its nest in a large city, his sister had been persistent on going after him and I relented because they had helped me, but I did not hold much into the belief that Ryan would be alive, yet he returned albeit injured, but he managed returned even when he was being chased by powerful creatures like soul eater."

"Impressive, it seems like I will have to keep an eye on him."

Ylerias grimaced as she spoke, "There is something that I want to inform you of my lady."

"What is it, my child?"

"A few days ago a scout from the enemy attacked us."

"Enemy? What enemy?"

"The one, because of whom the worlds were forced to be merged."

"Ah them, but how is that possible, the scouts are very timid…", Oena trailed off in deep thought before she spoke in a stern voice, "How do you know they were scouts and they belong to the enemy?"

"It was actually Holy Lord Avtis who informed Ryan about it before punishing him."

"And why was he punished, also child do not use His name so often, names have power and there is no need to draw his attention towards us."

Ylerias's eyes widen slightly as she spoke, "But how is that possible as the meeting between an apostle and their patron God is sacred and cannot be spied upon."

a snorting sound came from the blue orb as Oena spoke, "Please do not underestimate Him, and compare to Him my powers are nothing, now why was he punished? Did he do anything sacrilegious that earned him His wrath?"

Ylerias shook her head as she replied to back to her, "Nothing like that, according to what Ryan told his patron God made the scout attack us, Ryan was able to perceive the attack a couple of seconds ago, he was perfectly out of harm, yet he pushed away his sister and one of my subordinates out of harm's way and ended up getting mortally injured, and his patron God did not like it, He called Ryan His weapon nothing more and nothing less, not only that He told him that he was a blunt weapon and as such He would sharpen him by any means, and to remind him not to fail again He has cursed him."

"What kind of curse?"

"The wounds Ryan had received would open up randomly and he would bleed, it is becoming quite taxing on his mind and body."

The blue orb moved away from Ylerias as it began to pace while silence descended between them, "I knew he was cruel, but this is going beyond as to many of us our apostles are like our own children, but to tell someone that they are only a weapon, and now this is, is He trying to kill His Apostle."

Ylerias nodded as she spoke with a sombre look on her face as she spoke, "Yes it is my Lady, as He in fact told him that he has no need of a blunt weapon and it was better for Ryan to die so that he could choose another."

A low growl was heard from the blue orb's direction as Oena spoke again, "This is too much, this is too much."

The blue orb stopped its pacing as Oena's voice came to Ylerias's ears once again, "Tell me how you all are helping him."

Ylerias sighed as she spoke, "We can do nothing except feed him some blood replenishing draught, and hope that it can keep up with the loss he is suffering."

"Hmm, that could work but at the same time it is not the ideal solution, hmm okay done."

Ylerias looked at the orb with a look of confusion on her face as she spoke, "Excuse me, my Lady but what did you do?"

"Nothing dear I just blessed the vehicle you are riding so that effect of any medicine created inside it would be triple, and I hope this will help the poor boy since I directly cannot help him because of some laws preventing me with interfering with an Apostle's punishment no matter how unjust it is."

Ylerias eyes widen as a large smile broke on her face as she spoke, "Thank you, my lady, it would greatly help him."

******

Meanwhile back inside Alpha Raven 2.0, a certain apostle had morphed the area he was lying down into a zaisu, which he had occupied while resting his left hand over the armrest which then went on to support his chin while he spoke with a drawl, "It would be a lie if I said I am happy to see you, nonetheless, I am surprised to see you all here, now the bigger question is what do you want."

As Ryan spoke he would not ever confess it out loud nor would he accept the fact that he felt a strange sense of relief upon seeing them alive.

But all he received was odd squirming and silence as his guests looked at him like he was some form of an exotic animal which irked him a lot especially his gawking Grandmother.

As Beth gawked at Ryan a single thought ran through her mind, 'Catherine was right looking at his eyes it seems as if a machine is wearing his skin, is Ryan even a human anymore?'

Ryan sighed as he spoke, "I do not know why you all here, but let me tell you things first, firstly I am not cruel enough to throw you out of MY ROAD TRAIN, and secondly I will not give you any preferential treatment, now do you have anything to say."

Eleanora was about to open her mouth wide only to be stopped by Michalina who spoke with stoic visage, "My brother is not well so if you aggravate him I will be your worst nightmare, upon saying that please choose your next words carefully."

Isabella's head wheeled towards Michalina as she spoke with a snarl, "How dare you call him your brother? He is mine."

Michalina gained a mocking look on her face as she spoke, "Ho and what will you do about it little girl."

Isabella glowered at her as Ryan spoke with an annoyed look on his face, "Big sis Micha enough, there is no need to compete with something meaningless.", hearing his words Isabella gained a hurt look while Ryan continued to speak, "Now what do you want? And please speak fast I am busy."

Marcel gulped as he spoke, "How have you been?"

"Fine mostly, and what about you all."

Marcel gained a soft smile on his face as he spoke, "Us too mostly."

As Ryan looked at the faces of his ex-family he could not help but speak out loud with a frown, "It seems one of you is not here."

At his words, a sombre look appeared on everyone's face as Beth choked a sob as she spoke, "He died trying to protect us."

Ryan's jaw hardens upon hearing the news, amongst his ex-family the only one he was at least a bit close to was his Grandfather, even his mother Ciara liked her father more but what disappointed them was that he always let Beth always get her way which she abused it to the extreme."

"I see.", was all Ryan said before be continued again, "You all have my condolences, but please elaborate what do you mean by sacrifice."

At his question, Marcel began to tell him their tale about misfortune, and when he went to the part of his daughter being almost raped Michalina noticed balled that Ryan balled his fist strong enough to draw blood.

'I am proud of him, after all, no matter how much he hates his ex-sister at least he did not condone such fate befalling her, this only means he is better than countless others who do not even care of their hated person suffers a fate worse than death.'

Silence once again descended between them Eleanora spoke, "Ryan may I ask you something."

Ryan nodded as he spoke, "Yes go ahead, but I reserve the right to choose whether to answer or not."

Marcel spoke with a nod, "Fair enough."

Eleanora bit her lisp as she spoke, "Ryan, your eyes what happened to them?"

Ryan raised one of his eyebrows as he spoke, "What about them? Everyone and everything is changing all around us, it is a simple mutation just like that of others."

Catherine immediately spoke drawing attention towards her, "Ryan, unlike others your look a bit mechanical that is why we are a bit curious, and since you can create such big vehicles so we thought that you did something to yourself."

Ryan shook his head as he replied, "My eyes changed because of my power nothing more nothing less."

Eleanora gave a small nod before she spoke with a sad smile on her face, "I see, but your normal eyes were much better looking."

Ryan shifted on his seat as he spoke with a slight grimace, "Maybe but function wise this one is better and now since I do feel well, so… blaargh."

Rayn suddenly vomited a copious amount of blood, while multiple wounds reappeared on his torso, as rivers of blood began to flow out of it, as Michalina cried out with barely concealed worry in her voice, "Medic, I need a medic now."

No sooner did Michalina shout out Maralyn who was nearby sprung into action, as she began to close Ryan's wounds.

Meanwhile, Ryan's ex-family was stunned upon seeing the scene, one moment he was all right and the next he vomited blood as multiple wounds appeared all over his body as he began to bleed heavily from them.

Isabella let out a scream which jolted them awake as they tried to move towards Ryan only to be stopped by Michalina.

Marcel growled as he spoke, "What are doing?"

Michalina's face did not show any hint of her emotion as she spoke, "Can you heal him?"

"What?", was the eloquent reply of Marcel.

Hearing Marcel's words Michalina's jaws tighten as she repeated her earlier statement, "Can you heal him."

Marcel shook his head as he spoke, "No but…"

"Then I believe it is time for you to leave." as if to prevent them from arguing Michalina flexed her power as electricity began to arc all over her body, making the group take a step back.

"Commander why don't you stay here while I will escort them out.", came the ever-helpful voice of Angela, who approached the group with a smile.

She then turned towards Ryan's ex-family as she spoke, "Please give Ryan some space, he needs to recuperate and heal, you can visit him later and in the meantime, if you have any queries I can answer them, so please follow me.", with that she escorted the group out of the compartment.