Pride x Familiar (8 page)

That was as close as I’ve ever come to pissing
myself in outright fear.

They also used a catapult to fling a small car
at me. To my surprise, the shield reconfigured into a wide ellipse.
I thought I was going to be crushed, but the barrier extended
around me and not just in front of me. It took the impact, and the
car broke in two right before my eyes, passing to either side of me
before crashing to the ground.

I haven’t mentioned the blades. Well, they were
just as impressive as the shield feature.

Those blades could cut through almost anything
with a single swipe.

In fact, I had to be really careful when
practicing with the Gauntlet, lest I lose a limb or two.

I found most of the early experiments and
practical tests to be rather terrifying.

But I did find the Fragment to be rather
cool.

It was like a magical weapon without being
magical. An example of super advanced science at work.

That was one of the reasons the researchers
believed Fragments and Artifacts were not of human origin. They
were simply too advanced.

But considering how well some of these Fragments
appeared to suit the fighting styles of us humans – dare I say
Familiars – then perhaps whoever made the Artifacts really did
intend for humans to use them.

There was one other possibility to consider when
contemplating the origins of the Artifacts and their Fragments –
the possibility that these devices came from a time and place far,
far into the future.

I did mention these Artifacts only appeared
after the Cataclysm.

Well, some researchers believed that the
Cataclysm was a form of space-time quake.

They theorized that an event took place in the
future, which translated into the past. The result was the massive
shockwave in trans-space that propagated at super-luminal speed and
ended billions of lives.

If that was indeed the case, then wouldn’t the
Cataclysm have an indelible effect on our future? After all, if the
Aventis were not supposed to inhabit our galaxy for a long time to
come, then their appearance in the past would most certainly alter
the future yet to take place.

I listened to the arguments and the
theories.

Before becoming a Familiar, and before being
allocated a Fragment, those arguments and theories were just talk.
They were intangible speculation that had little impact on a tiny
cog in the wheel such as myself.

But now I didn’t think so anymore.

Now I was a part of those theories and
speculations.

So when the researchers talked about the
Fragments, Artifacts, Aventis and Prides, I listened and I learned
from them.

There is one more thing I need to mention.

While the things my Fragment could do amazed me
most of the time, they also scared me a great deal.

That old saying ‘with great power comes great
responsibility’ was potently fitting.

I had great power.

But what the Hell did I know about great
responsibility?

I was a sixteen year old kid turning on
seventeen, with an unhealthy passion for large breasts and women’s
lingerie.

Give me a break already.

(Caelum)

I studied the School Council President when he
walked in.

Severin Kell Avenir.

Tall, well-built, and handsome.

Blonde hair neatly trimmed.

He looked reliable, composed – a man for all
seasons. Someone the student body could look to for guidance and
support.

He was the sort of man I had every reason to
hate.

So I decided to hate him and the Symbiote that
probably had a hand in his good looks.

Simone noticed the look on my face but I was in
no hurry to wipe it off.

Before Severin Kell had arrived at the Student
Council President’s room, a knock to the door had announced the
arrival of two other individuals.

Two girls had stepped into the room.

One I didn’t recognize. She was slender, with a
long black hair tied into twin ponytails. She had pleasant
features. In a word I would call her cute enough to make a guy’s
heart skip when she smiled. She introduced herself as Rina Sayen,
and I saw the badge that identified her as a Familiar.

She was bonded to the Sora Pride.

The other girl was Maya Khayman. Her
introduction was brusque to say the least. Like Rina her badge
identified her as affiliated with the Sora Pride.

I noticed the cold look that passed between her
and Simone Alucard.

I noticed the way Simone glanced away with a
hint of regret in her eyes.

A half minute later, Severin Kell arrived at the
room.

The president greeted the two girls first,
shaking their hands like a well-polished gentleman.

Rina looked ready to burst into flames or faint
when he shook her hand. I could have performed a song and dance all
around her and she wouldn’t have noticed me.

Her eyes were on Severin Kell, and only Severin
Kell.

My level of hatred for him reached a new low –
or is that a new high?

However, Maya Khayman gave him a dead fish
handshake. I could see she wasn’t impressed with him at all.

Was there history between these two?

Then he stepped up to me. We shook hands and
exchanged pleasantries that I certainly didn’t mean.

Then he asked us all to sit down.

I chose to remain standing.

Simone gave me a sour look, but I ignored
her.

Severin looked at us all, then turned to Simone.
“Aren’t we missing one?”

Simone tipped her head slightly. “Caprice has
been appraised of the situation.”

Severin stared at her for a long moment.

Simone stared back.

Eventually he shrugged and turned back to the
girls and I.

Clearing his throat, Severin said, “I’m glad you
could all join us. This is the first time in years we’ve had so
many Familiars attending our school. I consider this a bumper
year.”

He didn’t sound like he was deriding us. He
actually sounded grateful.

Aventis tended to look down on us Familiars
probably more so than Regulars.

Even the researchers and medical technicians I’d
encountered tended to treat us with thinly veiled disdain. There
were times I was tempted to take my Fragment and ram its blade up
their asses.

Thinking of my Fragment reminded me I had a
training session this afternoon.

I discretely glanced at the clock hanging on one
wall.

Maya asked drily, “What do you mean a ‘bumper
year’?”

“Simply that it’s been a while since we’ve had
so many Familiars attending Galatea. For the last five years we’ve
rarely had more than two or three attending high-school.”

Maya looked confused. “And now?”

Severin smiled warmly. “To have more than a
dozen in attendance this year, five of them as second year
students, is fortuitous indeed.”

“Is that all we are to you?” she groused.
“Tools?”

“Not at all,” he replied sincerely.

Simone chimed in from her place on the desk.
“Mr. President, we’re wasting time.”

At the interruption, Maya gave the girl a thin,
icy look.

Severin waved a hand gently in the air. “Now,
now. Let’s all get along, shall we?” He took a deep breath. “My
apologies for asking, but have all of you been assigned a specific
Fragment?”

I narrowed my eyes, fully intending to remain
silent.

Neither Caprice nor Arisa had told me how to
handle such a question.

However, Maya faced the question head on. “What
makes you think we’d tell you?” Her eyes widened then narrowed.
“What am I saying—you already know we’re bonded to a Fragment.”

Severin nodded apologetically. “Yes, I do
indeed.”

Maya shook her head slowly, and a murderous
smile formed on her lips.

Severin’s eyes widened and he quickly said, “I’m
sorry. It wasn’t my intention to offend you. The truth is I called
you all here because having a Fragment will be of tremendous
help.”

“How so?” she asked.

“Well, the reason I called you all here is
because a situation has developed within the Academy.”

I glanced at Simone.

The Vice-President of the Student Council was
half lying on Severin’s desk like some chanteuse on a piano, with
an unreadable look on her face.

Severin continued. “I’ve spoken to your
Guardians, and I have their consent for calling you here, and
enlisting your assistance.”

I held back a surprised frown.

The Student Council President had spoken to
Arisa? It appeared Caprice knew this, so why hadn’t she told
me?

Maya looked taken aback. “You—you spoke to my
mother?”

Severin nodded. “Yes. I discussed the situation
with her over a most pleasant lunch. She agreed this would serve as
good experience for you.”

I got the feeling that was multifaceted response
– an answer with many sides to it.

For a heartbeat Maya looked hurt, and then she
sat straighter in the chair, and folded her arms. “What do you want
from me”—she flicked a glance my way—“I mean from ‘us’?”

Severin smiled proudly at her. “Always to the
point, Maya.”

I frowned.

Definitely some history between these two.

Hey, why was she blushing just now?

I realized I was staring at her. She gave me a
hard glare, so I shrugged nonchalantly and turned away.

Severin pulled out a pen remote from his
blazer’s breast pocket. Waving it about like a wand, he activated
an overhead holovid projection system. The lights dimmed and a
holovid winked to life in the center of the room.

An emblem floated there – an emblem I
recognized.

“Crimson Crescent,” I hissed, unable to restrain
the antagonism I felt toward them.

Severin nodded. “Yes. We have reason to believe,
and reason to fear, that Crimson Crescent has taken an interest in
Galatea Academy.”

I heard collective gasps from everyone but
Severin and Simone.

Maya shot to her feet and glared at Severin.
“Don’t make jokes like that!”

“It’s no joke, Maya,” he replied calmly. “In
truth, I wish it was.”

I swallowed before asking, “How do you know
this?”

“While it’s true we are not absolutely certain,
it’s fair to say they’re our number one suspects.”

“Why?”

He crossed his arms slowly. “Three months ago an
incursion into our Academy’s network took place. The first of seven
security layers was breached in under a minute. These incursions
continued for a month, and a total of five layers were penetrated.
I consulted with some trusted individuals who found the breaches
were executed with phenomenal speed. In fact, they described it as
downright frightening.”

“Meaning what?”

“Meaning that whoever is breaking into our
information network has some serious hardware at their
disposal.”

I stared at him for a moment. “Pretend I’m
ignorant.”

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose
before rubbing it. “In simple terms, the hardware capable of
breaking in so quickly is decades, possibly a century more advanced
than anything currently available.”

I saw the light. “A Fragment.”

“Precisely.”

“Even so, why suspect Crimson Crescent?”

“Allow me to explain. Fragments are kept under
lock and key at various installations maintained by the Prides. The
only Fragments out in the open are those already allocated to a
Familiar. However, those Fragments are undeniably weapons, almost
always melee weapons of various types. The belief that these
Fragments belong in a mystical, magical or fantasy realm is hard to
dispute when you take into account the nature of their designs. In
other words, almost all of these Fragments belong in a fantasy
holovid. They are too much like magical weapons.”

I wasn’t going to dispute his words. My Fragment
fell squarely into the realm of fantasy.

Caprice’s Fragment was different to mine, but no
less ‘fantastical’.

Severin continued. “However, Fragments that pose
a risk to modern systems such as information networks, control
systems, and so on, are considered too dangerous to field. They are
not assigned to a Familiar. The likelihood these could be stolen
from a Familiar is simply unacceptable to the Powers-that-be.”

Stolen? Was he implying that Crimson Crescent
might attack a Familiar in order to steal their Fragments?

I pointed out, “But once assigned, a Fragment is
bonded to its wielder. Even in death, the Fragment is locked down
and can’t be used by another Familiar. If Crimson Crescent were to
steal a Fragment, they would be unable to use it.”

“That is correct. A bonded, or locked down
Fragment can only be unlocked by the Prides. This is where
something akin to a Master Key comes into play.”

“A Master Key?”

“Yes. This is my own personal speculation, but I
believe that the Prides possess something akin to a Master Key that
can unlock the Fragments. This allows them to be allocated to a
different user.”

I tipped my head to one side. “But that would
imply that only the Prides could steal Fragments from each
other.”

He took a deep breath. “It does indeed, unless
Crimson Crescent is also in possession of a Master Key.”

His words rattled me and everyone else in the
room, including Simone lying seductively on the desk.

I swallowed past the fear in my throat. “In that
case, there’s nothing to stop Crimson Crescent from coming after
us. They could kill us, steal our Fragments and unlock them for
their own use.”

Severin nodded slowly in agreement. “That is
true. However, the Prides have many Familiars out in the field. If
they were concerned about losing those Familiars and their
Fragments to Crimson Crescent, they would have recalled all the
Fragments and hidden them away.”