A technomancer's journey in an apocalyptic world

Ciara sighed as she looked at the setting sun with a scowl etched on her face.

"Is something troubling you, Ciara?"

Ciara looked at her friend with a tired smile etched on her face as she spoke, "Zhan, I am tired from hearing those fools bicker."

Zhan frowned as she questioned Ciara, "The council?"

Ciara scoffed at her word as she spoke, "What council? How can there be a council when they are unable to decide who will be its member."

"Ah, so that issue has yet to be solved, but I thought that you already are a member?"

"Oh, I already am a member, well more like the Head of the Armed Forces of the city is the member of the council."

"But, the others are undecided."

"Yes."

"So, what is the problem?"

"Simple, it all comes down to problems between races, as everyone wants a member from their race in the council."

Ciara frowned at her friend's words as she spoke, "The resent whispers on how the otherworld has stolen earth."

Ciara nodded as she spoke, "Yes, some troublemakers are trying to fan flames of hatred, and it is also why the council is not being able to form."

Zhan frowned before she spoke, "It would be so easy to install a military dictatorship with you as the head."

"Yes, it would, but it would also be a chore."

"So, do you have a plan."

Ciara nodded as she spoke, "I do indeed have a plan."

"So, what is it?"

"I am somewhat going to copy the UN, there will be permanent members like the Head of the Armed Forces, and then there will be elected members, though at the end of the day, the elected members will only be there for show."

Zhan smirked at Ciara as she spoke, "It would be difficult as well as dangerous, but I like it."

Ciara nodded in agreement as she spoke, "This is a refuge that my son made, and I will not allow someone tarnish its glory."

"Me too, Ciara, as I will help you to preserve my nephew's hard work."

Meanwhile, back in twin peaks, the situation amongst the twin peaks suddenly tensed up, as Ryan had spotted a UFO high up in the air.

"Ryan, are you sure?"

Ryan nodded grimly towards Michalina as he spoke, "Yes, sis, I am sure about what I saw, and I saw it disappear behind those clouds."

Ylerias frowned at his words as she spoke, "Ryan, do you think you can catch it?"

"Possibly, but it has some lead on us, and even if we give it a chase, it went into the clouds."

"Then let us give it a chase before it disappears."

Ryan nodded as he spoke, "True, but there is no need for all of us to run after it."

Xuelong nodded in agreement as she spoke, "You might need to shoot it down, so take Ylerias and Siora with you."

With that, the trio quickly ran up towards their aircraft, and it did not take Ryan much time before he was up in the air in search of the UFO.

Xue narrowed his eyes as he watched a black metallic thing fly up into the sky, and from the excited chatter of some people, he learned that this was a kind of vehicle.

'Interesting, from what I have learned from my God, every technological marvel that the otherworld had has gone up in smoke, so how does it exist?'

Xue's eyes momentarily widened as he recalled another conversation as a smirk appeared on his face, 'So, the newest Apostle is here.'

His face suddenly hardened as he whispered lowly, "Or maybe he is not, and that is some unknown enemy, but either way, it will be fun."

Back with Xuelong, she had a large grin on her face as she stood on top of a cliff overlooking the armada.

'Uncle Xue is here, and it has been a while since I saw him.'

After making landfall, Xue made his way towards Xuelong, as he let out a burst of booming laughter, "Niece, it is great to see you again."

Xuelong grinned as she spoke, "It has been a while, uncle."

Xuelong's grin disappeared as she spoke with a frown on her face, "Though it seems that your armada is smaller than usual."

Xue sighed as he spoke, "The sea is unknown and treacherous, and with so many hidden dangers out there, I lost so many good people."

A look of sorrow passed through Xuelong's face as Xue spoke with a grin, "Enough of that, so tell me what you have been up to."

While Xuelong was bringing Xue up to date, Ryan 

was trying hard to locate the UFO.

When all of a sudden the radar gave a blipping sound, Ryan briefly glanced at it as he spoke with a smirk, "Found it."

The aircraft stalked its prey, and as Ryan finally managed to catch a glimpse of it, he froze in shock.

"It cannot be."

Ylerias frowned as she spoke, "Ryan, is something wrong?"

"Wrong, everything is wrong, that is a drone, and it should no longer exist according to my God, every bit of technology were fried, so how is it still working."

"Don't you think it only looks like that in appearance, but in reality it belongs to Them."

Ryan bit his lips, mulling over Ylerias's words before he spoke, "That might be possible."

"Your Holiness, how do we capture it?"

Ryan replied with a frown, "The only way for us to capture it is if we shoot it down, but even if we are to capture it, what should I do with it."

"At the very least, you would be able to deal with a threat."

Ryan let out a sigh as he spoke, "Well, blast it out of the sky."

The drone failed to detect the predator stalking it, as the various runes on Ryan's aircraft had made it invisible to the drone's radar, and thus the turrets on Ryan's aircraft made quick work of it.

Luckily for Ryan, the drone had crashed on an island, and as a result, Ryan landed his aircraft nearby before making his way to the drone.

WARNING, High-level Radiation leak detected nearby.

The host is to evacuate the area effective immediately.

WARNING, High-level Radiation leak detected nearby.

The host is to evacuate the area effective immediately.

Ryan did not even hesitate as he turned on his heels before picking up the Ylerias, who was just behind on his shoulder as he dashed into the aircraft closing the door behind him.

Ylerias blushed heavily but soon composed herself as she spoke, "Ryan, what happened?"

Ryan jumped into the pilot seat as he replied, "I received a warning about a major radiation leak."

Ylerias's eyes widened in alarm while Ryan quickly piloted his aircraft away from the island.

Siora sighed as she spoke, "So, it was a bust."

Ryan nodded as he spoke, "Yes, a total waste of time and resources."

"So, what should we do now, Ryan?"

"Well, since our brethren would be arriving soon, why not go and greet him,  and I know you must be dying to meet him."

A smile blossomed on Ylerias's face as she spoke, "True, it has been a while since I have seen him, and I would love to meet him."

Xue looked at the strange metallic contraption that landed on the beach, and a smile formed on his face as he saw Ylerias stepping out of it.

"It has been a while since I saw you."

Ylerias smiled back at Xue before hugging him as she spoke, "It is good to see you too."

"So, how was your hunt?"

Ylerias grimaced as she spoke, "Bad."

Xue chuckled as he spoke, "Why? Did your prey escape your grasp?"

Ylerias shook her head as she spoke, "No, uncle, we caught it but, it was releasing deadly level of radiation, and as such, we had to run away."

Xue frowned at the unfamiliar word as he spoke, "What is this rad thing?"

"The people of this world had found a mineral that can supply them with an immense amount of energy, though it has a downside of being highly poisonous."

Xuelong frowned as she spoke, "So, is it Them?"

Ylerias nodded before she spoke with a frown on her face, "Did you inform uncle about Them?"

"I did."

Xue frowned as he spoke, "That is troubling."

Xue's eyes travelled towards Ryan, who was making his way towards him, only for him to let out a groan of frustration.

Both Ylerias and Xuelong frowned at his reaction as Xuelong spoke, "Is something wrong, uncle?"

Xue covered his face with his hand as he swore out loud before he spoke with a grimace, "The biggest mistake of my life is now walking over to my newest brethren."

The duo curiously turned their head towards Ryan, who was stopped in his tracks by a group of three.

Ryan was deep in thought, distracted from their recent adventure, so deep that he had missed the trio that was approaching him.

A fistful of sand thrown on his face drew Ryan's attention, and as he turned, an arrogant brown-haired person spoke in a haughty tone, "You sick freak with the freaky eye, take me back home now this instant or my father will make your life hell."

Ryan blinked owlishly at the figure in front of him, 'This is the first time someone called my eyes freaky in front of me, but more importantly calling me a sick freak, now that is someone begging for a good trashing.'

"Listen to me freak or, did that wench you call mother forgot to..."

Ryan's brow twitched violently, and he was not the only one as both Ylerias and Xuelong had already drawn their weapons.

Ryan, meanwhile, had a throbbing vein on his forehead as the girls accompanying the arrogant man began hurling various insults on Ryan.

If they had been a bit wiser, then they would have felt the growing hostility and bloodlust aimed at them.

Ryan growled as he grabbed the arrogant person by his collar before punching him hard on his face, thereby breaking his nose, and then with the second, he not only broke his jaw but also sent his teeth flying.

Ryan then kneed the person hard on his groin, thereby performing an impromptu orchiectomy on him.

"Frankiepoo", one of the women by his side screamed before she tried to slap Ryan, who promptly caught her wrist before he flung her towards the other women, knocking them both out.

Ryan snorted at the downed figures as he made his way to the rest of the apostles.

Xuelong stepped forward as she spoke, "Ryan, let me introduce you to Uncle Xue."

Xue interrupted her as he spoke, "Let me introduce myself, lass."

"I am Xue Okeániosi, Apostle of God Qynagi, the God Ocean and Rivers."

Xue  Okeániosi was a man with a large build who easily towered over any man or woman Ryan had met so far, with a Viking style emerald beard and hair, but what also set him apart were tusk-like horns that were by the side of his head.

Ryan took Xue's extended hand with a smile on his face, though he grimaced inwardly, 'Compared to him, my hand looks like a toddler.'

"My name is Ryan Von Ruinesca, Apostle of God Avtis, God of Creation and Destruction, and it is a pleasure to meet someone whom my fellow apostles hold in such high regard."

Xue let out a burst of booming laughter when suddenly Ryan spoke seriously, "I hope those people out there were not your companions, because even if..."

Xue waved off his concern as he spoke with a sigh, "We found their group stranded on an island, and by mistake, I saved them."

"Ah, my condolence to you then."

Once again, Xue let out a deep chuckle as he patted Ryan on his back while Ryan winced from the contact as he felt his bones rattle.

"Well, why don't two go somewhere isolated and have a heart to heart chat."

Ryan was silent for a moment before he acquiesced to Xue's demands with a nod as Xue spoke with a smile, "Excellent."