Chapter 3: Contract

Chapter 3: Contract

I could feel my breathing pick up as I wondered if I had finally lost my mind.

[It would be best if you tried to remain calm,] a womans soothing voice washed over me. [Hyperventilation will only aggravate your wound further. While not an imminently fatal wound, it is still best to keep you in as perfect health as possible.]

What what are you? I whispered, my voice quivering. It paused for a moment, then an ear twitched.

[Perhaps some explanation is required after all. Very well. I am an entity created by the alien race you know as the Zenith. As for what I am, the closest equivalent humans have is that of a highly advanced artificial intelligence. Although the proper explanation is much more complicated, you may think of me as an AI formed by both magic and unrivaled technology. I was created in order to assist humanity in their fight against the Anathema. Humans have taken to calling us Familiars.]

Recognition dawned on me. MGs always did seem to have weird little mascot animals that got advertised with them. Even the few Magical Girl shows Id seen had featured weird but cute looking creatures who ended up giving the girl their power.

A flare of pain brought me back to the moment, and I suppressed a shudder. I was starting to feel cold, and I was covered in a sheen of sweat from the fight and pain. I looked back at the rabbit.

I dont understand, I whispered. Why me? I Im not special, or strong, or anything like that. So why me?

The Familiars fox tails swished back and forth.

[On the contrary, the Zenith determined some time ago that you would be compatible with magic and be capable of serving in a vital role as a Magical Guardian. Otherwise, I would not have been created. Each Familiar is personalized from inception to be a match for their potential Guardian, you know! I have even been watching you for the past twenty-three days, gathering more information and performing a final assessment. After your recent actions, I decided further observation was no longer necessary.]

Oh I replied weakly. The pain in my stomach was growing, sending sharper spikes through my body. The adrenaline from the fight must have been fading too, because exhaustion was starting to pull at me, and a nap sounded really good. If it werent for the sharp bouts of agony, I was pretty sure I would have passed out already.

[Perhaps more questions should wait until a later time.] The Familiars ears perked up slightly. [You are injured, though I have limited ability to tell how badly without forming a contract first. I would highly suggest you make a decision on my offer swiftly.]

It all of it was so sudden, it felt surreal. No fanfare, no gradual buildup, just bam, fight an Anathema, almost die, and now an alien creature was offering me a power most would kill for. It was too much, and I wanted to ask a thousand questions, to pinch myself and make sure I wasnt dreaming.

The Familiar, however, was right. I didnt have much time to think through this. I was lying on the ground, helpless and bleeding with monsters roaming about. If I wanted to survive, I would just have to accept this as reality and move on.

So I bit my lip, and forced my brain to work through the situation.

Becoming a Magical Guardian, huh? Wasnt this exactly what everyone dreamed of? Besides the gaping belly wound, of course. If I accepted, I would be able to use magic. Magic, as in fireballs and flying and well, pretty much anything, really. The laws of reality would become more like guidelines, suggestions that I could scoff at. Accepting would basically make me into a superhero, an icon idolized by modern society.

Oh, and I would survive my mortal wound too, according to the Familiar. As far as sign-up bonuses, that was pretty good.

Naturally, seeing only benefits, I knew there had to be a catch. Nothing was free. Nothing.

Whats the catch? I asked in a whisper.

[There are three stipulations to the contract. The first is by and large the biggest reason people do not accept. In becoming a Magical Guardian, you pledge to use your powers to fight the Anathema and protect humanity in its struggle. This means for the rest of your life, your fate will be entangled with pain, suffering, and death. You must realize that you cannot be a light in the darkness without immersing yourself in those very same shadows. Even should you not fight the Anathema directly, you will still be working in some way to alleviate the suffering they cause, and in doing so, expose your very soul to the tragedies of a war without end.]

Her words made me shiver, eliciting an accompanying wince and hiss of pain. I rolled the words over in my head quickly, only taking a second to consider them. It was such an easy decision, and I felt a sour taste rise in the back of my throat when I realized why.

Alright. Next condition.

There was a pregnant pause, and I looked back to the Familiar when it didnt immediately reply.

[Time may be short, but perhaps you should consider it more thoroughly.] It suggested carefully. [The fear of death may be influencing your decision, but-]

I did consider it! I let out a weak shout, slamming my fist down on the tile impotently. I dont think you understand. My life it hasnt been good, alright? The idea of fighting Anathema scares the crap out of me, but at least it would be a fight! For once, I would have the power to make a difference, to stop just surviving!

Tears began to blur my vision, and I clenched my teeth.

Every day, its always the same thing over and over again. Take the hits and just roll with them. All Ive ever managed to do is just survive. I even tried to stand up for myself, and it only made things worse. Can you imagine what thats like? To come face to face with how helpless you really are? How futile it all is? To actually wonder what the point of living is if its just never-ending pain?

I squeezed my eyes shut, fighting against a rising hysteria. How many times had I lied to myself that things were okay? That one day, things would change? That I would eventually stop feeling utter disappointment every morning I woke up?The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))

Im just so tired of being helpless, I whispered. I cant I just cant anymore. I cant keep trying and losing.

The fox tails behind the Familiar lowered down to the floor, and it gave a slow dip of its head. I wiped my eyes on my sleeves, and after a few seconds of silence, it continued in a somber tone.

[The second condition is more vague, but it states that you will not abuse your new powers. Things such as needlessly harming other humans, hampering other Magical Guardians without reason, or using your power in a tyrannical manner. You are expected to be a beacon of hope, not a monster. This rule is more flexible due to its far-reaching nature, and warnings will be given if it is perceived you are potentially breaking it.]

Thats fine, I shook my head. Wasnt planning on world domination anyway.

[Yes,] the feminine voice in my head gained a hint of dry sarcasm to it. [Though your friends lust for the conquest of Australia is potentially worrying.]

I blinked. Did it just wait how did it even know about-

[The third and final stipulation,] it interrupted my thoughts, [is that you agree that no matter what, you will not attempt to break the laws of magic. There are a few, but they simply cover what you can and cant use certain magics for. Time and mind magic would be examples. Generally, dont actively try to destroy reality or enslave another, and youll be fine. A more detailed explanation will be provided if necessary.]

System access granted.

Gate access granted.

Credentials updated.

ERROR: Unable to unlock Astral Shift. Blacklight Protocols are in effect. See Familiar for assistance.

Precontractual achievements found. Rewards have been applied.

The message that visually appeared in my head rang out in discordant voices, followed by the Familiars feminine voice in an excited tone. For some reason, its words also appeared at the bottom of my vision like subtitles.

[Obtained Magical Guardian Starter bonus! Welcome to the world of magic!]

[Obtained 150 Points]

[Saved: 1 Defenseless Child]

[Reward: 10 Points]

[Achievement unlocked for sacrificing yourself to certain doom to save another!]

[Reward: 100 Points]

[Defeated (Fomorian Hound - Level 1)]

[Reward: 10 Points]

[Total Points: 270]

[Unique Augment Available!]

As the pain and messages in my head faded, I looked to my left to see the Familiar still sitting in the same position. To my surprise, its pure white visage had changed. Near the tips of each of its tails and ears was a swath of black fur that formed a ring. Between its eyes, more black fur had formed the symbol of a crescent moon, and its previously heptagram-shaped pupils had changed to match.

[Contract successful,] my Familiar said. [As your bonded Familiar, I will begin my role as companion and advisor, answering questions and making recommendations based on your personality, background, and requests. I now have a link to your senses, so give me a moment to look over your vital- oh]

There was silence, and I raised an eyebrow as fear rose in my throat.

What? I asked in a panicked voice. How bad is it?

[The injury itself is serious but manageable. Its just you have a rather unusually high pain tolerance.]

I felt my heart rate lower, and I glared at the creature for nearly giving me a heart attack. It didnt seem to notice.

[Very well. I believe our best course of action would be to skip the immediate introduction and use some of your points to purchase items capable of healing your injury. Afterwards, I will explain in further detail your new abilities. Is that acceptable?

Sure? I furrowed my eyebrows. But what do you mean by purchase?

[Magical Guardians are rewarded with points for a variety of activities such as defeating Anathema, completing quests, and saving people from danger. With these points, you can access what is called the Arcane System and purchase everything from spells and abilities to more mundane physical items. Clothes, weapons, and technologies from beyond your imagination are now a simple expenditure of points away!]

Wait, I stammered. Quests? Defeating monsters? And didnt that notification earlier have a level on that Anathema I killed? Isnt this just like a video game?

[Very much so! In fact, I think you will soon be pleasantly surprised by some aspects of your new power. Regardless, your health and safety take precedence. It has been less than thirteen minutes since the first Rifts formed and two minutes since you defeated the Fomorian Hound. Getting you healed and to a shelter as soon as possible would be ideal.]

Two minutes!? That wasnt possible! Wed had a whole conversation, and the explanations hadnt been that short!

[I sense your confusion,] my Familiar said somewhat smugly. [Due to the time-sensitive position we were in, I elected to send my words to you as instantaneous blocks of information and let your brain process them as if we were speaking normally. This means my parts of the conversation have essentially been said at the speed of thought. Therefore, the only time that has passed has been when you were speaking or considering your choices. To anyone observing, you were having a very quick conversation with yourself interrupted only by momentary bits of silence.]

O-oh, I stammered. Thats actually incredibly useful.

[It does strain your brain somewhat, so outside of combat situations, I will simply speak to you normally. However, we can discuss that later. For now, let us begin by saving your life.]

And how exactly do we do that? I asked. Do you teach me a healing spell or something?

[No,] the feminine voice replied with undisguised glee. [There is only one way we can save you at the moment.]

I raised an eyebrow, curious at my Familiars excited tone.

[We go shopping!]