A technomancer's journey in an apocalyptic world

Chapter 88: A small pit stop (Part-6)

Ryan felt a nudge or two as if someone trying to wake him up, but he did not want to, he felt as if he was under a warm blanket on a particularly cold day and he was in no hurry to wake up when all of a sudden he felt as if someone has closed his nose and mouth as such gasping for air he sat up opening his eyes.

His breathing became normal as his eyes looked around the place, 'This place looks familiar.'

"Ahem"

A loud clearing of throat drew his attention towards a familiar chair with a familiar flame on top of the chair, while the soft crackle of campfire could be the only sound that Ryan could hear.

Ryan's eyes widen momentarily widen as he gave a deep bow towards the flame as he spoke, "Greetings Holy Lord Avtis, I am "

"Cut the false worship you and I both know you are not the type to suddenly start worshipping me so stop it, it is so gross."

Ryan stood erect as he spoke with a shy, "Okay then can I say thank you to you."

"And for what exactly are you thanking me?"

"The gun I liked it very much."

"Of course who would not love what I give and I hope the same is for the sword right?"

Ryan scratched his cheek as he spoke with an embarrassed tone, "Well about that I am not sure but I use a rapier so"

"Minor inconvenience, but do you know why you are here?"

Ryan shook his head as the flame moved from its sitting position before it began to move in a peculiar pattern, a pattern Ryan was incredibly familiar with after seeing his 'mother' do so in deep thought.

'Why is pacing so much, am I going to get scolded for something?'

"Do you know what my position in our pantheon is?"

"Umm You are the progenitor."

"Yes not only that I am the strongest of them and you are my Apostle, who performed in a rather pathetic way, so pathetic that I hoped that you would die so that I could have a new one."

Ryan was dumbfounded at his words before he spoke slowly, "I died, how?"

He heard the sound of snapping of fingers as memories of confrontation came to his mind causing him to panic only to stop as Avtis began to speak, "Disgusting, simply disgusting crying and whimpering in front of death, don't worry that companion of yours managed to save your pathetic life."

His words brought relief to him only for an intense pressure fell on his shoulder making him kneel.

"Relief! Relief! Is that what you are feeling? 'I don't want to die', for crying loud this was the most pathetic I have seen anyone act while facing death, your own brethren died a few days ago did you hear him cry and whimper, simply pathetic."

Ryan wanted to retort but held his tongue not because he was afraid of the being in front of him but because he could not even move a single muscle.

"I hope you remember about the threat I told you about, that creature was the lowest of low, a low-level scout that could be counted as defective with no value whatsoever but it killed you, it almost killed you, and you were not even able to keep your promise to drag it down with you."

A tensed silence descended amongst them as the flame kept on pacing furiously before Avtis began to speak, "I had hopes, very high hopes for you to even gift my strongest abilities to you, my ability to create and destroy yet you performed so pathetically."

Ryan growled inwardly in anger as he complained out loud inwardly, 'How the hell am I going to fight back when I was getting skewered trying to save my companions.'

A growl was heard as the flames suddenly appeared in front of him what followed was the feeling of someone twisting his ears hard but even if felt pain his muscles could not even twitch a bit as Avtis continued, "The Gauntlet I gave you enables you to freely use either destruction or creation from either of your hands, you did not even have to fight it simply block it and your powers would have done the rest, after all, it is made up of metals, such a puny and simple enemy you could have dealt easily."

Ryan felt Avtis release his ears as his winced hard, 'Damn it, no one treats me like this.'

"Oh get used to it, since I am stuck with likes of you I believe I am allowed some compromises, now do you wish to ask something then speak."

The word 'speak' was in a rather forceful way and suddenly Ryan could once again speak again many thoughts swirled in his mind only to come to a halt as Avtis spoke again, "Speak fast I do not have an eternity for you."

"About the enemy"

"Ah yes the weakling that almost killed you is one of the minions of the enemy you will have to fight for, they are the lowest of low, weak as hell but deadly for normal humans, their work is to gather intelligence and they do so by sucking the brain out of the victim while recharging themselves with the life force, but as I said before they are weak a group of ten to fifteen armed civilians could deal with it, and by civilians, I mean people of your world before the great merger took place."

Ryan listened to his words as his mind worked furiously he might not know much about his enemies but he then remembered his chat with his adopted mother Ciara.

******

'Every member of the army has some role that it has to fulfil, you said scout is not to so glorious as those who fight in the frontline but I beg to differ, it is true they might not have the flashiest of weapons but their work is equally important maybe more so in some cases because they without any help dive deep into enemy territory to acquire intelligence and then have to return shape and sound from there, and do you know what is the most important duty of a scout when they are inside enemy territory.'

As Ryan shook his head Ciara continued with a smile, 'To survive at all cost.'

***********

Back in the present Ryan's eyes widen momentarily as he spoke, "Wait a minute if that creature was a scout that could be dealt with such only ten to fifteen civilian then why did it attack us not to mention it tore through the vehicle so easily something is fishy."

A snort came from Avtis as he began to speak again, "There is nothing fishy, I made sure it would stumble upon your group, I made sure it would attack and I made sure that it would tear through the body of our vehicle."

Ryan's jaw dropped at his words as he spoke, "Why?"

"Why not, after all, I do not need a blunt blade, but a rather sharp one and unfortunately you are nothing more than a lump of iron at the moment, a rather poor quality even then.", he stopped for a moment before he continued, "I do not care about the relationship between other apostles and their Gods, mine is simple I need you as my weapon and if you work splendidly I will reward and if you fail I will punish you."

Ryan bit his lips at Avtis's words who continued to speak after a moment, "You have yet to truly grasped the severity of the situation, in front of the enemy you people are not even qualified to call yourself a snack if you fail everything that you love and care would face a future where even death would not provide you relief, and you have the power to change that."

"The power of yours is very vital for the survival of many and you should know why I am saying that and if you fail to even perceive that then think of what you have managed to do so far, in fact inside your vehicle the only people who are worthy of surviving just after you are the apostles that are currently present with you, while the rest are irrelevant, as such no matter what you have to survive and grow at all cost do you understand."

Ryan nodded as he spoke, "I understand but"

Whatever he was about to say came to a halt as once again the pressure fell on him with a much greater force than before, "No buts you are weak as a newborn worm and after seeing your rather spectacular performance I concluded that you do not even have the luxury to look after anyone who a small breeze could kill you."

Ryan could not help but glower at him as Avtis spoke with a chuckle, "Good eyes you got but save your hatred for the enemies, if you were not so weak I would not be here lecturing you but do not worry I will make sure you will remember our talk, now get out of my sight."

As Avtis spoke the last words Ryan felt as if he was swatted by a giant hand which made him send tumbling down in the dark abyss.

A few minutes later the prone form of Ryan woke up gasping and coughing for air as Nikita was by his side immediately, "Ryan calm down do not get up, damn it Maralyn he is bleeding again."

"I healed him yet the wounds are reopening, there is no poison so that means he is cursed, I need an expert on curses, Shakidra goes and finds someone."

As Maralyn ordered Shakidra to find a curse breaker Ryan bit back a groan and lots of swearing as a familiar electronic voice chimed in.

***********

Negative De-Buff gained by host..

Primary curse: Open wound curse

Source: Divine

Duration: 5 days 23 Hours 59 Minutes 59 Seconds

Dispel Cost: 9999999 Souls

Note: The curse would make the host's injuries received within the last ten hours to rupture and bleed from time to time during the duration of the curse.

***********

Upon hearing that Ryan wanted to simply curl up and cry, 'What have I done to get punished like this?'

Meanwhile, a certain God cackled as he cracked open another manga as he gave a mental pat on his back, 'Great these ideas are great for training if only I could physically interact with my disciple I would have covered him with tuna and thrown him a pit full of hungry cats.", his happy expression then vanished as he gained a contemplative look on his face as he mused out loud, "hmm, who says I am not a bad teacher though I have to give him the carrot this time otherwise I might turn him rebellious if I beat him with the stick, so what should I do next, decisions, decisions."