A technomancer's journey in an apocalyptic world

Chapter 153: The Strange Island (part 1)

Xue frowned upon seeing his fellow Apostles scurrying about getting ready to depart.

Spotting Ryan nearby, Xue quickly approached Ryan as he spoke, "Lad, why are you in a hurry to leave?"

Ryan flashed him a smile full of apology as he spoke, "Sorry, Uncle Xue, a new mission came up."

Xue frowned as he spoke, "Really, may I help you."

Ryan's apologetic look came back in full force as he spoke, "I am sorry, but I cannot share the mission details with you as it is classified."

Xue patted Ryan on his back as he spoke with a smile, "Lad, I understand, but promise me that you will keep yourself safe out there, and I do not wish to mourn anytime soon.

Ryan beamed at him as he spoke, "I promise you, Uncle."

Suddenly Ryan's eyes widened as he continued, "Oh before I forget, let me bring you the map to New Hope, and I hope you will visit there someday."

Xue smiled at him as he spoke, "Definitely, nephew, I would love to see the city you forged by your hands."

As Ryan's companions boarded the aircraft, Ryan spoke seriously, "This is your last chance to leave, as this mission is dangerous and deadly."

Michalina snorted as she spoke, "Just start the engine and take us up to the sky already."

Xuelong nodded in agreement before she spoke, "I concur with Micha, take us to the sky, we left home together we would return home together."

Xue watched the aircraft disappear behind the clouds as he closed his eyes to mutter a small prayer for their safety.

"Your Highness."

Xue looked at his subordinates as he spoke, "What is it?"

"Well, yesterday, you ordered us to use those idiots as baits to do some fishing."

Xue tilted his head as he spoke with a frown, "I did?"

His subordinate gained a sheepish look as he spoke, "You were drunk when you gave that order, so you might not even remember it."

Xue deadpanned as he spoke, "So did you get a good catch?"

"Well, about that, we found out they are excellent creature repellent."

"Really?"

The man nodded as he spoke, "Yes, Your Holiness, no creature wanted approach near them."

"Hmm, means that they are not completely useless then."

"It would seem so, Your Holiness, now we can use them to keep certain creatures away from our camps."

Xue smirked as he spoke, "An excellent find, my friend, an excellent find."

While Xue was chatting with his comrades, Ryan was busy discussing the nature of the mission with his companions.

Michalina frowned as she spoke, "Ryan, switch with me."

Ryan frowned as he spoke, "Is something wrong, sister?"

"Very much wrong, since the last I checked, you do not have the training to fly in a hostile environment as I do."

Ryan promptly exchanged his seat with Michalina as he spoke, "The controls are all yours."

"Thanks, bro, and now if  I remember clearly, there are runes to make it invisible, right?"

"Yes, sis though it would be taxing on the fuel reserves."

"I understand, but I believe we should switch it on."

The rest of the journey was spent in silence when suddenly Ryan picked up some activity on the radar.

"I spotted some activity at two o'clock."

"Elevation?"

"Near sea level."

Michalina turned the aircraft, and soon they spotted a large island with various structures on it, and as they neared it, their eyes widened in shock.

"Micha, change to hover mode."

As the aircraft shifted to hover mode, Michalina's companions crowded behind her to look at the island in front of them.

Xuelong frowned as she spoke, "I can barely make out anything  from here."

"Here, let me help you."

As Ryan spoke, the screen zoomed in on the island, and soon they spotted a group of people.

A smile appeared on Ryan's face as he spoke, "The island seems to be populated."

Ylerias did not seem to share Ryan's enthusiasm as she spoke, "I do not like where this is going on."

Xuelong nodded in agreement as she spoke, "True sister, there are two group in reality, and one of the is subservient to the other."

Both Siora and Shakidra looked at the sight with grim expressions on their faces.

Michalina frowned as she spoke, "The gears on the subjugators look very well maintained and a bit futuristic."

Ylerias nodded with a frown on her face, "That they are but take a look at their captors, they look so exhausted and unhealthy."

Their discussion came to a halt due to the appearance of a van, which shocked them to the core.

Ryan's voice shook as he spoke with disbelief, "No way, how do they have a working car?"

Xuelong frowned as she spoke, "I think we found our mission objective, but humans?"

Ylerias bit her lip as she spoke, "Maybe they are not humans, but some humanoid creature."

Michalina nodded in agreement as she spoke, "Maybe, after all we cannot see what is under those helmets, but most importantly, what should we do?"

"What if we scout this place from air while keeping a safe distance, then move a good distance away from here and then contact our Gods."

Xuelong sighed as she spoke, "I like Ryan's idea, but we have to be careful, and who knows what kind of thing they have."

Michalina nodded as she began to circle the island while Ryan took as many pictures as possible.

An hour later, on a small remote island, the aircraft landed safely on it.

Michalina looked at her brother, who was in deep meditation, as were the rest of the Apostles.

'I hope we will not have to infiltrate that place.'

Meanwhile, the Apostle's found themselves in a throne room, with four thrones facing them.

"Ah, here they are."

As Avtis's voice came to their ears, the trio quickly kneeled in front of the throne.

"So, my idiotic apprentice, how was your mission?"

Ryan's brow twitched before he spoke with a frown, "You were unable to see us."

"No, our visions were clouded, child."

Ryan looked towards the source of the voice as he spoke with a smile, "It is good to see you again, Goddess Brelana."

"It is good to see you again, child, now what did you find?"

"Is there a way to show you our memories? I believe it would be easier."

An unknown male voice replied to them, "That is possible, but only if my Apostle agrees to."

Xuelong spoke with reverence in her voice, "I have no problem my God."

Immediately following Xuelong was a second unknown voice, which was kind feminine, "What about you, my dear?"

Ylerias quickly replied with a smile on her face, "No problem, my Goddess."

Ryan's eyes slightly widened as he realised the identities of the speakers.

  'So, they are my companions' patrons.'

"Yes, they are Ryan, though what have I told you about protecting your thoughts."

Ryan blushed with embarrassment before he quickly stammered, "I am extremely sorry, but I have yet to find something that I can use to protect my thoughts."

"That is not a good excuse, and you could start by creating something your people called a mind palace."

Ryan quickly retorted back, "But mind palace is not possible."

Brelana sneered as she spoke, "According to who, your thinking is so insular and bland, you have the brains, as well as the magic to do so, and don't you have your 'Inner Sanctum'?"

Ryan's mouth formed into a perfect 'O', while Avtis spoke with a sigh, "Stop it, daughter, what would others think about if me, if they come to know I chose this idiot as my Apostle."

As Brelana chose not to respond, Vahmjir took reign of the conversation, "Shall we watch their memories?"

"Yes, please."

With Avtis's words, the Apostles had their memory projected out for everyone to see.

A few minutes later, Oena was the first to break the silence as she spoke, "So, what now?"

A brief discussion began in an unknown language that hurt the ears of the Apostles, making them wince from the pain.

Oena was the first one to notice their pain as she quickly popped a barrier making the trio relax.

A few minutes later, the discussion between the Deities came to an end as the barrier dissolved.

Avtis sighed as he spoke, "My disciple, you can very well understand what my orders are going to be?"

Ryan nodded as he spoke, "Infiltrate, sabotage if not outright destroy."

"Good, from what we have learned till now, we know that there is a chance that we will not be able to lend you any help, and we fear that your abilities derived from us will not work."

Xuelong frowned as she spoke, "What about our weapons? Will they work?"

Goddess Oena was the one to answer her question with a sigh, "They should work."

Avtis gave a small clap drawing everyone's attention as he spoke, "So, does anyone have any questions?"

Ryan raised his hand as he spoke, "I have one for Goddess Brelana."

"What is it child?"

"You once told me that you deal with souls of every living creatures."

"Yes, I do."

"Then, you should have some souls from that place with you."

Brelana was silent for a moment before she began to speak, "I have a large number of souls visiting my domain, and thus finding someone is difficult."

Ryan faltered for a moment before he spoke, "I... I see."

"Fear not, I am still searching for a soul that died in that place, and is there anything else you wish to ask?

"No."

"Well, then you all are free to leave."

As the Apostle disappeared from their sight, Oena spoke up, "Goddess Brelana, surely with your power you have found someone?"

"No, I have not, and father, I have some business that I need to discuss with you."

The cold tone in her voice made Oena shudder as Brelana teleported away.

Avtis sighed before he spoke with a smile, "Well, then I will take my leave as well."

A few seconds later, Avtis found himself standing in Brelana's throne room, and Avtis would have cracked a joke but seeing the troubled look on her face, he controlled himself.

"Is something wrong, my daughter?"

"Yes, father, something is very much wrong."

Ryan opened his eyes as he spoke with a soft sigh, "Well, you all are better at this, so, what is the plan?"

Michalina sighed as she spoke, "So, we are infiltrating after all."

Xuelong nodded as she spoke, "Yes, we are, and I hope between us, we could hammer out a plan."

Michalina closed her eyes as she spoke, "I was hoping to avoid that."

Ylerias smiled at her as she spoke, "Me too, but now we will have to hammer out a plan."