A technomancer's journey in an apocalyptic world

Chapter 109: Upgrading (part-2)

Fort Genesis had undergone a humongous change after being upgraded to Tier 2, it had gained a couple of more floors, not to mention it is now much wider to the point that half of the courtyard within its walls was gone, and size was not the only thing that had changed, it had also suffered an increase in storage, as well as the speed of resource gathering and creation, had taken a huge improvement.

Ryan meanwhile sat patiently as he waited for others to finish their work namely creating the rather large trench as well as to bring a few good amounts of timber needed for the next phase of the plan, but as he looked at the trench being dug out a frown began to form on his face.

"Is something wrong brother?"

Ryan sighed as he replied to Michalina, "Nothing just this project of mine will be the biggest I have managed to do, and not to mention have you seen the distance between the fort and the wall, it is easily over one and a half kilometres and as such it would be difficult to provide support to the base."

"An advance barrack would suffice dear brother and I believe a small militia has already started to take shape so we will have enough to protect the small town."

Ryan sighed before he spoke again, "Not only that but there is also a problem with electrifying the wall."

"What problem brother?"

"Since it would be economically a waste to create a separate power grid for it, I will have to supply it from the base so I had to make people cut down and bring as many trees as possible as it would help in making some electric look of disbelief on her face as she spoke, "Brother surely you are not planning to use electric poles, where dangerous wires would dangle form, which a single magical attack would destroy it, surely brother you were not thinking of such a foolish idea."

Ryan blushed red from embarrassment as he spoke, "Now that you mention it, I seriously did not think about it."

Michalina sighed as she spoke, "Ryan you are not so careless so what happened?"

Ryan sighed before he lay on his back looking up towards the sky for a moment before he began to speak, "I am tired of all these things, every day I wake hoping that everything was a nightmare and I would wake up from it any moment now."

Michalina copied Ryan's action before she spoke, "You know I agree with you, I also want to wake up from this nightmare but at the same time all we can do is pick the pieces and move forward and recreate what we have lost."

With a heavy sigh Ryan raised his hand towards the sky before he formed a fist as he spoke again, "I know, I also know how that many are not as fortunate as us and I hate it."

"Me too brother, me too."

"Brother Ryan, Ylerias has finished digging out the trench."

Xuelong's words made Ryan stand up as he spoke, "Then I should start to begin working on the wall post haste.", his shoulder then slouched a bit as he continued with a sigh, "It would be such a big, tiresome and bothersome construction, I wish I could have another helping hand."

Michalina simply gave a small pat on his back as she spoke, "Do not worry brother we all will be cheering for you."

Her words only made Ryan scowl at her but before he could leave a loud ringing of the bell was heard making them confused before a sense of dread filled them.

'Are we under some kind of attack?'

Their wariness came to end as a few dwarven people began to move towards the community kitchen eagerly discussing what food they might receive.

"I see it is time for lunch."

"So it seems Brother Ryan, should we follow them as well."

Ryan sent a nod towards Xuelong as he spoke, "Yes, let us have our lunch before I start working on the wall."

A few minutes later the trio stood in front of what seemed to be a community kitchen, which in reality was a large shack bigger than any other where the rest of the residents were staying but still a shack nonetheless.

In front of the shack was a rather large line of people standing with bowls in their hands waiting patiently in the queue for their turn.

Michalina watched them before she sighed as she spoke, "We do not have any bowls."

Ryan simply waved off her concern as he spoke, "There is nothing to worry about it sister, I will be back with some soon."

As Ryan left Xuelong found herself surrounded by various people who offered her various things from their position in the queue to their own bowls, their food, as a result, she was slowly becoming a bit annoyed but was saved from the timely arrival of both Ylerias and Ryan.

As Ylerias approached Xuelong she could not help but ask out loud, "Is there any problem?"

One of the Elven men quickly bowed as he spoke, "Your Holiness please accept the bowl of food as an offering."

His words seemed to have broken the dam as soon both Ylerias and Ryan were mobbed by the people, and what took the cherry on the cake was the fact that they treated Ryan like some kind of sacred relic as a few even touched him while praying to the Gods asking for their blessings, never in his life has he received such treatment and it was beginning to frighten him.

A loud clap drew everyone's attention as Xuelong spoke with a frown, "Everyone, calms down.", as the excitement of the mob was subsided Xuelong spoke in a stern voice, "What is this? If you want to speak then do so in a civilized manner but stop acting as such, those who have gathered the food to feed all of us had managed to do so with great difficulty especially during these trying times, food which is considered a gift from Gods, and I will not tolerate such insolence."

Her words were like a crack of the whip as the mob now resembled a group of children who were caught by their parents doing mischief and were about to be punished.

Ylerias with a nod continued with a frown, "So true, we are not children and in these times we have to act as responsible adults, I know many of you are elated upon seeing us, but please if you have something to say then please approach us but not like this, especially not while insulting the hard work of the food gatherers and cooks, and especially not insulting the gifts given by the Gods."

As both Ylerias and Xuelong looked at Ryan with an expectant look on their faces, he gave a small cough before he joined his fellow apostles in their speech, "What my fellow apostles said is right, please do not act as such our worlds are in ruins with terrible foes lurking the dark and if we all do not work together we would meet our untimely demise, but for that to happen we have to maintain proper order and decorum."

His head turned towards a pregnant woman, a woman who had seemed to have seen better days and was trying to move towards the food shack while waving through the crowd and seeing no one even bothering to help her made his blood boil.

"Healer Shakidra.", as the sudden shout came to everyone's ears everyone in the vicinity were taken aback especially the two apostles.

As Shakidra approached Rya, the apostle of the God of Creation and Destruction turned towards Xuelong as he spoke in an apologetic tone, "I am sorry sister for ordering Shakidra like that when she is your subordinate and I hope you would not mind lending her to me for a couple of moments."

Xuelong shook her head as she spoke, "No Brother Ryan, I trust you enough to know that it must be something important for you to ask of her like that."

Ryan gave her a nod before his eyes travelled back towards the pregnant woman before he spoke to Shakidra, "Shakidra that woman over there in lime green can you check her up."

Shakidra looked at the woman before her eyes widen slightly as she quickly made her way towards her, seeing an unknown upon suddenly approaching her made the woman afraid of Shakidra as she took a step back while placing her hand over her swollen belly.

Shakidra sent her a friendly smile as she spoke, "Excuse me ma'am please do not be afraid, I am a healer I heal people and from the looks of it you seem to be heavily pregnant may I look at you to see if you are doing well or not."

The look of fear was somewhat mollified before she acquiesced with a hesitating nod, and upon receiving her permission Shakidra approached her as a greenish glow appeared in her hand which she hovered near her belly while the woman tensed even more.

"Ma'am please relax, and it seems your twins are very healthy, you have taken good care of them even in these trying times."

A small smile broke out on her face hearing the prognosis as the woman spoke with a soft voice, "Thank you."

"Shakidra if you would please guide her to a place where she could rest."

The woman looked at Ryan with an anxious look on her face but before she could speak Ryan spoke with a smile on his face, "You are pregnant and if I am not wrong she is in the advance stages of pregnancy right?"

Shakidra gave a nod as she spoke, "You are correct Your Holiness she is on her seventh month."

Ryan once again looked at the woman as she spoke, "You should not stand in the crowd where accidentally someone might hurt your children, so please go and rest."

"But, I need food and there is no one who will help me."

"Of course they will, on my honour I promise that you will be taken care of so please go and rest.", Ryan's eyes then went towards Shakidra as he spoke, "I hope you remember the location of the infirmary.", as Shakidra gave him a now Ryan continued, "Excellent then if you do not have any problem then would you please escort her there."

As Ryan spoke Shakidra's eyes travelled towards Xuelong who gave her a nod as Shakidra spoke with a small bow, "As you wish Your Holiness."

The woman by her side simply gave him a curious and confused stare towards Ryan, while he spoke again to the duo with a smile on his face, "I believe the infirmary is commandeered by a woman by the name of Ruby, she is a good healer but slightly unhinged just tell her I send you and there will be no problem."

As the duo was out of earshot Ryan's gaze fell on the crowd surrounding and in an instant his kind helpful smile disappeared as a hateful expression fell on his face as he spoke with a snarl, "Pathetic, simply pathetic."

His words stunned everyone as he continued with a growl, "A very heavily pregnant had to move through the crowd to get a few morsels of food, a crowd that was happily pushing her like a doll without a care if her children die."

As both Ylerias and Xuelong learned the reason for Ryan's outburst their eyes became colder, there were many things they tolerated but this was something they also did not tolerate.

As Ryan's eyes roamed over those present as one of the foolishly spoke, "We did not know her and she arrived only a couple of days ago with a band of fugitives, so"

"So What!!!!!"

Ryan's scream made a few jump away in fear as his eyes were red while his latest tattoo began to smoke as it let out a white glow, as for the foolish person who spoke carelessly and thereby drawing his attention was already on his knees begging for mercy.

"Silent! Stop your incessant whining and begging, never have I witness such callous disregard for life, and you all call yourselves civilized, you are no better than some undead filth that cannibalizes its brethren."

"So what if you did not know her, but if you had time to notice her arrival a couple of days ago then you ought to have also noticed that she was pregnant, did even common sense also gone along with your morality, pathetic."

By now seeing his anger the other two apostles were incredibly worried, they had never seen him so much angry, so much angry that he frightened them slightly since his tattoo began to glow and smoke as usual.

Ryan's circle came to life while his rather sword appeared in his hand which he stabbed on the ground hard making others scuttle away from him for fear of their life, the people were very afraid, they were afraid of the result of incurring an Apostle's wrath.

"Since you cannot function normally hence I, Ryan Von Ruinesca hereby declare that from henceforth as long as any communal kitchen runs on this lands, the pregnant women and the children will receive food first, followed by the sick and elderly and then any other would receive food, and if anyone of you has any problem with the edict then I will deal with them, such as the edict that I swear and declare with my right as an Apostle of God Avtis, God of Creation and Destruction."

Ylerias immediately stepped up by his side as she spoke with a stern tone, "I, Ylerias Luvenari, the Apostle of Goddess Oena, Goddess of Hunt and Moon, standby by my fellow apostle's edict and offer my bow in support him.", and as she spoke her bow appeared in her hand.

Xuelong followed after her as she stood by her fellow apostles her large sword slamming into the ground as she spoke, "I, Xuelong Victorum, the Apostle of God Vahmjir, God of War and Victory, standby by my fellow apostle's edict and offer my sword in support him."

A thunderous silence fell on the clearing while Michalina looked at Ryan with a great look of concern on her face, never before had she seen such unadulterated anger in her brother and it frightened her.

With a huff Ryan turned his back as he left the place while people parted way to give him space, he took a few steps before he spoke without looking back, "I will say this once, I know some of you are angry at what I just said, but if you try to take revenge on defenceless mother and her unborn children, I will find you and then I will carve into your soul why out of countless beings I was chosen by my God to represent me."

As he left everyone could hear out loud his mutterings of 'disgusting' and 'deplorable' over and over again, while Michalina chased after him with intention of calming her down.

Both Ylerias and Xuelong shared a look before Ylerias spoke in a stern voice, "I remember my brother promising food for the woman, so one of you who is working prepare enough portion for her and one of my subordinates will take her food to her, and now form queue according to the edict, both my sister and I are watching, and any miscreants will be dealt with extreme prejudice."