A technomancer's journey in an apocalyptic world

"So how are we going to proceed?"

Nikita's words added to the already boiling tension, her discreet glances towards the doctor and his family was enough to tell anyone what was running through her mind.

Harrison stepped forward as he spoke anger in his voice, "Ma'am with all due respect please stop treating my family as a criminal."

Michalina simply send him a bored look as she spoke, "So what do you think would happen if the king pops up in front of you now and orders your beloved wife and daughter to kill you will they be able to resist?"

That shut Harrison up as Michalina rubbed her forehead in exasperation as she spoke, "Sorry doctor, for the time being, they are a liability, one that I cannot allow in good conscious to be free."

"But Anne is a little girl, she…."

"Would like your daughter to live the rest of her life to live with the memory of her father dying spilling all his blood and guts as she held the bloodied blade that took his life.", came Michalina's immediate retort as soon as he began to speak.

Harrison became visible ill as he sat back on a stool while Ryan lashed out at his sister, "Enough Michalina, enough you do not have to traumatize Doctor Harrison like that, it is so not cool."

Michalina simply pouted at that making Ryan roll his eyes, 'Why does she acts immature sometimes I will never know.'

Ryan looked at Harrison as he spoke in a kind voice, "Doctor Harrison I understand your plight, I do but we cannot let your wife and daughter get caught by that bastard and used as such we request of you to please do not resist, it will be temporary and after we have dealt with the pig your family will be free and you can do whatever you wish to but till then please bear with us a bit."

Harrison sighed as Florence placed a comforting hand on his shoulder with a small smile on her face, before she looked up towards Michalina as she spoke, "I am willing to listen and obey any and everything you are about to do to my daughter and me, but please promise me you will put that rabid dog down."

Michalina stared at the face filled with desperation and fear as she spoke with a sigh, "I will you have nothing to worry about."

A small smile blossomed on her face as her daughter who was peeking from inside the trailer gave them a small smile that made the soldiers steel their hearts vow to protect that smile at whatever the cost.

Harrison excused himself as he spoke, "I am sorry but I would like to spend some time alone with my family if you all do not mind."

With that, he gathered his wife as they both joined their daughter inside the trailer out of their earshot as Ryan rounded his sister as he spoke, "What were you thinking? You should have been a bit gentle instead of speaking in such an uncouth and unrefined manner."

Michalina huffed at that as she spoke, "Ryan, there was no better way to deal with someone when they are still lying and trying to hide something."

Ryan tilted his head as he spoke with confusion as he spoke, "What do you mean?"

Michalina sent a small nod towards Nigella who began to speak in a voice barely above a whisper but enough for everyone else to hear loud and clear, "Whenever we prodded them and asked questions they would try to deflect us."

Ilorva bit her lips as she spoke, "While searching for various information about the base I stumbled upon a piece of information that suggested that the mother and daughter duo were related somehow to the 'King', how they are I have no idea, the prisoner became shattered before I could learn more."

Ryan bit his lips as he spoke, "I see, so what are we going to do about them?"

"Nothing dear brother, nothing for now because we are busy dealing with the 'King', and if you are thinking about them falsifying the fact that the 'King' is after them well to tell you the truth, he really is after them but why that I do not know."

Jessica nodded at Michalina's words as she spoke, "So true but that does not mean we should not be cautious, but rather we should also try to deal with the King as fast as possible when he is still badly injured."

Delimira nodded at that before her eyes fell on Ryan as she spoke, "Ryan there is something that I want to ask you."

Ryan nodded as Delimira continued, "You do not have a core, yet how are you using magic?"

Both Dasyra and Ilorva were taken aback as Dasyra spoke with disbelief in her voice, "Are you sure? No one can perform any magic without it."

Delimira nodded with a grave look on her face as she spoke, "I am his sister has one, Angela has one, the others are showing signs of development, but he has nothing, he is completely blank, yet he is wielding magic."

At her words Dasyra and Ilorva looked at Ryan as if he was some form of exotic animal, Jessica pushed Ryan back with her hand as she stood guard in front of him as the others tensed a bit.

Ryan looked at them with his eyes narrowed as he spoke, "Miss Delimira would you please explain this core business to us."

Delimir nodded at his question as she began to speak, "Certainly, the core is an essential part of us, it is because of the core that we can use our magic, magic that is present around us is raw and unrefined, and unrefined magic getting into our body is quite painful, the core processes the unrefined magic and stores, as such it is very vital for us to have a core. Kind of like a pitcher full of water, how will you store the water if you do not have the pitcher to store it?"

At her answer, more and more questions arose within their minds as Ryuu frowned, 'How do I then use mana, if what she said is true then it is virtually impossible for me to really use any of my abilities but how am I using any of it, hmmm, maybe I should install the 'Core' perk and then I would not arouse any questions in the future.'

Ryan rubbed his chin for a minute before Angela spoke with a frown, "Wait a minute if that is true then why am I not able to use any magic? Michalina seemed to be using hers really fine."

Ilorva looked at her as she replied back, "Well first of all Michalina seems to be an elemental that is someone who is an elemental, something that is not the same for you, plus you do not know how to use a spell, and if you are still unsure then how about the fact you were able to detect the fact that they who has mana in them and who does not and before you say no you are not detecting their cores, but the unrefined or wild mana entering their body.", her eyes then fell on Ryan as she spoke, "But still it is strange how Ryan is using mana."

Ryan shrugged at that as he spoke, "Maybe I have a different kind of core."

Dasyra shook her head as she spoke, "There are only eight kinds of cores, with the lowest being the White, then Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and ending with the highest tier the Violet core, and you have none."

Ryan face scrunched up in deep thought before he spoke, "How does having different cores affect you?"

"Everyone when they are born, they have the white core, and as they grow up through various means like meditation then slowly increase the level of their core and with each increase, the core colour also changes."

Ryan hung on to every word that came from Ilorva's mouth before he spoke with a sigh, "Since we are not getting anywhere because we do not know the reason as such I hope we can look at the planning for the time being."

Michalina nodded at his brother's words as she spoke, "Well I agree with him, instead of focusing on something we have no answers for now let us focus on something that we can do."

The trio frowned for a moment before nodding as they acquiesce at the sibling's suggestion, while Ryan let out a sigh of relief, 'I will have to get the core during my time to keep watch, and I would prefer to have Michalina with me during that time.'

Michalina turned towards her brother as she spoke, "Brother how much time do we need to wait for you to fully stock our resources."

"If there is no intervention tonight then by tomorrow afternoon I will be completely ready."

Michalina nodded in acceptance as she spoke, "Good, then we would like to proceed from this position and then….."

Later near midnight, Ryan had occupied a familiar seat the very same seat that he had occupied the previous night, eagerly waiting for his sister's arrival, he did not have to wait very long for his sister.

"Hey sis, I was thinking about something."

"What is it, brother?"

"Well according to them everyone has a core and if we rescue their friends more and more questions would be asked as such I am going to install the 'core' perk now."

Michalina gained a worried look on her face as she began, "But brother…", only to stop as Ryan raised his hand to stop her from speaking.

"Sister I understand your concern, but this is something that I need to do, you heard the advantages of having a core right?", as Michalina nodded Ryan gained a serious face as he continued, "Well upon saying that most if not all my perks have been a bit painful, as such I would request you to please keep an eye on me and please do not call others I do not wish for others to know especially those three."

Michalina nodded with slight hesitation as Ryan flashed her a smile as she helped him tie a ball gag over his mouth to prevent him screaming, as his vision faded and he found himself standing in front of an extremely familiar machine.