The air in the hall was suffocating, but not as suffocating as the collective will it housed for this occasion.

"Ryan Stoudt, it has been decided by the matriarchs that you are no longer welcome within the town limits nor by the plantations and hunting grounds. This will be enforced by the militias of the county. We do hope you do not force the issue. After a period of exile, if you are deemed repentant and renounce your heresies, you may be allowed to return to our community. We do not say this with any enthusiasm or satisfaction."

Ryan Stoudt smiled with his arms folded. Ten “men” faced him, doing the bidding of the cunning women who could not face him eye to eye. Their leader spoke the word from a parchment of paper he held with both hands. The sun was going down slowly and Ryan's family stood with sad and uncertain looks on their faces.

"Is there no other way, please. Ryan is my son, he has fought the Cephaloi and helped saved our community. Cannot the matriarchs see it in their hearts to grant him a reprieve?"

Nolan Stoudt was not a man to ask a favor or beg the mercy of anyone, but for his son he would.

The militia leader seemed to feel bad for Nolan, a much respected farmer and warrior. But the will of the Gaia matriarchs would not be denied. Ryan had returned from his adventure with the Beyonders from the moon much changed and not for the better. His face and body bore scars from countless life and death struggles with the Cephaloi and their many followers and collaborators. Worse were the scars on his soul, hate and aggression had now become the dominant traits in this rather gentle boy who left years ago.

Also he had denounced the Gaia matriarchs and the authority of women. To defeat the Cephaloi, Ryan preached the heresy that men needed to be the dominant ones again. The warrior skills of the Remnant were barely minimum compared to the Luna warriors or the Cephaloi worshippers. It was why they hid in the countryside and avoided conflict at the cost of their honor, at least according to Ryan.

The young Gaia priestesses had retorted that the dominance of men had been the cause of the near destruction of the human race. Ryan laughed at what he had called The Lie. The problem was men had become weak and like women, seduced by civilization's promise of safety and comfort. Things began to fall apart when women took the balance of power and had helped carry on the will of the previous nihilistic global forces.

The Passing of the Comet merely hastened what he had called the "Blessed Fall". The Darkness Epoch and such had actually saved humanity in the opinion of this maniac! Saved them from becoming a primate farm, food for whatever dominating force held sway. Food for the Hemavores, for the Deaders, for the Abominations. Struggle and combat was how humanity became superior, men were not the demonic gender of the race. They were the only hope for humanity!

Such talk was bad enough, but were followed by Ryan's intolerable actions.

His flirtations and immodest pursuing of young Remnant women, although he never touched them were unheard of. Also his constant bickering and fighting with other young Remnant men. He broke Tom Grenshaws arm in a fight at the Cornhusk Tavern. When his brother challenged Ryan to an axe-handle fight, Ryan broke his leg. The Grenshaw family rivalry with a single man culminated in an armed standoff that broke out in gun fire. The Harvest Goddesses had interceded and luckily no one was hurt. Their precious blood had hastened the healing of the Grenshaw brothers, yet their admonishment of Ryan seemed to have no effect. He would not apologize. On the contrary he promised to do it again any time!

Ryan's mother began to cry as Nolan held her. Exile was not a death sentence like it was in previous generations but she worried about what would happen to her son. While she did not condone his actions or views, Ryan had indeed saved them all on more than one occasion. Was he not allowed an indiscretion or two? His brothers and sisters all wept for him. What would their big brother do by himself in the woods? With the feasters, barbarians, vampires and the worst of all, The Spawn aka The Cephaloi?

Ryan then spoke for himself.

"I will leave this town because I can barely stand to be around you all. However I will come and go as I please and take what I please as well at any time. I will protect this place as I always have done, despite your weak willed lack of faith or gratitude!" Ryan shouted in a powerful voice.

The look he gave the militia made them sweat, this was a truly dangerous, unhinged maniac.

With that he kissed his parents and family goodbye and picked up a long spear with a bundle hanging from the tang of the blade. A sword and scabbard hung from his back as well as the two large and powerful 40 caliber Air Pistols along with both blessed and unblessed bullets he had purchased in Pottsville with the last of his money. His hair was now going past his eyes and he was now nearly as tall as his father. A cloak/blanket/pancho was his portable shelter, blanket and flexible sheet.

The corn necklace his only link to the Remnant Harvest religion. A religion he still followed despite his outward opposition. The only women who could still tell him what to do were the Goddesses themselves, the sword wielding blood drinking immortals he still respected. Perhaps human females were not for him in the end. No one could tell what direction his newfound path would take.

"Mother, do not cry. I will return. I honor you and you will see I was right. The Cephaloi will not be denied forever. When they come for our people, I will be there, vengeance in my heart, vengeance for my people. I may sound resentful, but I am still for the Remnant. I just want them to be better! Right now we are weak and pathetic! Allowing near insane women to rule us, their fantasies and obsessions never satisfied!"

His mother looked at him, tears in her blue eyes.

Ryan touched her cheeks with his hands.

"Mother, please break this to Margaret gently. Please do this for me."

He then looked to his father.

"Father, you have raised me strong and courageous. What more could I have hoped for? I hoped to be the man you are, but free from this—this! You have my respect and love, always."

Nolan nodded and held his son's hands firmly. The look they gave each other said it all. Nolan had made his journey and it was time for Ryan to start his.

Looking at the militia men, he meant his last words for them. If he could he would have wanted the Gaia Matriarchs to hear that too, but they were hidden away of course. His words would make them barren and cause their ears to wilt and fall off. Witches ruled them! Who were the real blasphemers?

Before he could talk to his so called brothers, the leader stepped forward and snarled, "I see you again and I will shoot you!" The militia leader could not take such disrespect and heresy any longer.

Ryan stared him in the eyed and walked up to him. There was no point talking to these fools. Stepping up to the militia leader, jutting his chin into his face and glaring, Ryan felt his nostrils flare.

The leader gulped and backed off, looking down in submission.

The ability to parlay was not among Ryan’s skills, and his father winced, hoping it would not be his undoing. His son was headed out into an even less compromising world than this sow-headed pig pen he despised. Nolan Stoudt watched his son stalk off like a brute, hoping for something he could not articulate, as yet unsure what good—if any—could come of Ryan’s ostracism, or Ryan’s radicalism.

To be continued in Part 2.