The meetup location with the clients was in a club housed in a repurposed warehouse. Jack heard the music blaring from the club several blocks away which only worsened his mood since he was certain he’d be getting a headache once they entered the building. Alindal had been silent since their confrontation though he still walked side by side with Jack. In truth, it was clear that Jack was more upset by the argument than Alindal. The elf’s calm demeanor both tested Jack’s nerves and garnered his appreciation. Someone had to remain level-headed.
The club, Weird, inspired a strange foreboding in those unfamiliar with the crew that called it their base of operations and even then, it was a toss-up. The building sported gruesome decorations from the heads of twisted monstrosities preserved and posted along the top of the building to the erratic paint job that made on immediately think of blood splatter and gore.
The crew that ran Weird went by the name of Aberration, psychos who took body modification to a disgusting level. Most of their members followed the code of a hunter, priding themselves on killing deadly creatures and taking grisly trophies. That isn’t where it ended though. The crew’s leader, a nutjob that went by Manticore, boasted two designations, one of which allowed him to graft monster parts onto the bodies of his crew members. So, they made a habit of attaching pieces of their best kills to themselves. The problem was the procedure seemed to make the recipients more feral and unhinged It made them dangerous and unpredictable— exactly the kind of people Jack wanted to avoid. Unfortunately, lady luck was a bitch.
Jack pulled out his guild issued phone when they approached the entrance. Thankfully the slim device hadn’t been destroyed in the fight. Tapping the screen twice to pull up his registration info, he showed his ID to goon at the entrance.
[Relic Hunter’s Registration ID]
Name: Atlas
Crew: None
Designation: Appraiser
Designation Rank: D
Level: 3
Registered Role: Tracer
*This individual’s fastest registered opening of a Remnant Gate is 45 minutes and 18 seconds.
The digital card featured a picture of Jack wearing his mask along with a registration number directly under it. The designation listed on his ID was fake. In fact, the only thing that wasn’t a fabrication created by Jack was the registration number and the registered role. When Jack had taken the registration test for the Relic Hunter guild, he’d lied about most of the details. Appraiser was a noncombat designation that imparted skills that allowed an individual to ascertain the qualities of any Relic they held with greater clarity than was normally possible with just the Resonance Attribute; something Jack could do inherently. They were one of the few mage class designations that didn’t gain a mana pool immediately instead only gaining one once the designation reached rank C. Due to their lack of combat skills, most Appraisers were forced to tag along with crews raiding Remnant Gates, identifying Relics, and acting as Tracers in exchange for a cut of the loot so they could level their designation. Anyone with a mage class designation and a high Resonance attribute could act as a Tracer and Appraiser granted attribute bonuses to Intelligence and Resonance. Overall, it was a fairly useful if weak designation that made the perfect cover for Jack. The designation rank and level were something he’d come up with on the spot though he’d updated his level twice to avoid suspicion. After all, if the guild noticed a lack of progress while he was consistently accepting work, they might call him in for a review which would only mean trouble for him.
The bruiser nodded at him to enter but scowled at Alindal. Jack pointed to his friend and said, “He’s with me.”
Almost reluctantly, the goon stepped aside. Jack made note of the fact that the man hadn’t had any monstrous features which meant he wasn’t a full member of the crew yet. To be considered a fully-fledged member, one had to collect a trophy that impressed Manticore and have it grafted onto their body. Since at least one of Manticore’s designations was rank B and rumor had it that the man wasn’t easily impressed, most of Aberration’s full members were likely low C rank or higher.
As expected, Jack’s head started to throb the moment he stepped into Weird. Strange synthetic vocals accompanied by heavy metal instrumentals and an underlying bass beat assaulted his senses. Underneath the music, the sound of excess and excitement pervaded the club as people danced, laughed, shouted, and fought. The inside was dimly lit as usual with these types of clubs with three bars of varying sizes along the front wall near the entrance and the two side walls opposite each other. Near each bar, there was an appropriately sized lounge area where patrons who weren’t thrashing about mingled. Thin fog and smoke suffused the entire club limiting the sight range of those with normal perception.
Jack ignored all of that and pushed his way through the crowded club toward the staircase at the back wall that led to the mezzanine which was reserved for VIPs. Several individuals leaned on the railing of the area overlooking the club’s first floor, each sported one or more monstrous features. Among them, Jack spotted his client, a blue-skinned humanoid named Roa. There wasn’t anyone guarding the second floor since few people who were willing to test Aberration’s tolerance.
Some of the monstrous figures and a few non-Aberrant VIPs relaxing away from the railing turned their gazes on the pair as they crested the stairs, but Jack ignored them. Roa noticed their approach when they were about half a dozen feet from her. She beckoned for them to follow with an oversized arm comprised of tightly knotted purple sinew and translucent slimy skin that looked extremely out of place on her body. Without a word, they fell in behind her and made their way deeper into Aberration’s base.
***
Raina tried to ignore the thrum of the incredibly loud music playing on the floor below her. She eyed the empty fireplace at the end of the room and thought about how she had come to Fracture a few days prior. The memory wasn’t pleasant, to say the least. Before coming to Fracture, her life had been painful and sheltered. She’d been sick most of her life and, thus, confined to her family’s manor. At ten, the disease stripped her of her ability to walk which had been one of the lowest points in her life yet she bounced back— like she always did. For several years, she made do with wheeling herself around the family garden, reading fantasy books, and watching shows on the internet to escape her boredom. Then, she had lost fine motor control in her arms and neck. It had been awful like being a prisoner in her own body. Not to mention the pain. The spasms that she’d had to endure unsure of when they would end. She shook her head putting the thoughts out of her mind. Despite all of that, her luck had taken a major turn for the better after her arrival in Fracture.
She had woken up in a strange room completely naked. Underneath her, there had been a huge circle of symbols drawn in a chalky material that instantly reminded her of a summoning circle one might see in a fantasy novel or isekai anime. A man with eyes like the void had greeted her and several messages spoken by a cold female voice had popped into her mind one after another. After giving her a blanket to cover herself, the man had asked her several questions about her life and who she was. Then, he’d given her an extremely thin tablet which displayed a bunch of information including her name, some video game-like stats, and something called a Designation which seemed to be class or something. She was a Warrior, apparently. The rest was a bit of a blur: the awkward physical examination by a three-eyed woman, the oddly lonely room she’d stayed in for a few hours, and her first meeting with Ciel who she had been with ever since. At first, things had been confusing and, to be honest, she still wasn’t one hundred percent sure on a lot of things; however, she knew one thing for sure; coming to Fracture had cured her.
Raina flexed her arms and legs feeling every bit of sensation as the fabric of her clothing brushed against her skin. A smile spread across her face and she got up, suddenly struck by the urge to move. She bounced from one foot to the other playfully, twirled her arms, and stretched this way and that. The freedom was amazing. Even before she had lost her ability to walk, she had never been so nimble or flexible. She was so happy she laughed and spun in a circle. It had been three days, but she still hadn’t gotten tired of just moving for the hell of it. She wasn’t sure she ever would.
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Someone cleared their throat and she froze stumbling a bit. Several feet away, Ciel and Manticore stared at her. There was an awkward pause before she realized how strange she looked flailing about for no reason.
“Uh… sorry. I was just… uh, you know what? I’ll just sit back down,” she said dropping back into the chair, rigid as a board. Ciel chuckled and smiled at her which immediately made her feel better. Manticore, on the other hand, favored her with a look that told her he wasn’t so amused. She avoided making eye contact with him since, quite frankly, he was terrifying.
As a pair, Ciel and Manticore were almost picturesque examples of an angel and a devil respectively. Ciel, golden-haired and fair skinned Ciel, exuded a warmth that made Raina feel safe despite her strange new setting. He even had small white-feathered wings on his back. In contrast, Manticore had large bat-like wings and curved horns that jutted from his temple. He was also extremely hairy sporting a red mane like a lion’s on his head and thick hair on his chest and forearms. For her though, the most unnerving feature about him was the massive scorpion’s tail protruding from his lower back that occasionally swiveled back and forth like it had a mind of its own.
Before the two men could get back to their conversation, a woman with reptilian eyes and scales on her face walked in through the entrance near Raina’s seat. She nodded to Ciel then addressed Manticore. “Sir, the Tracer for Roa’s op is here.”
Ciel glanced at the clock over the fireplace and clapped his hands together, his smile going from amused to delighted. “Right on time! Raina,” he said making her way over to her. “It’s time for us to meet the team escorting us into your first Gate.”
Raina’s stomach twisted itself in knots as she got up to follow the scale-faced woman and Ciel. She almost said goodbye to Manticore but his fearsome gaze stilled her tongue. She grabbed her sword from where it lay against the nearby wall then hurried to Ciel’s side.
***
Jack glared at Roa from beneath his mask. Not far from where he stood, three other Aberrants aside from Roa were gathered in a loose huddle talking amongst themselves. Their names were Georgos, Renner, and Ripper. None of them sported any monstrous features; although, based on their interactions with Roa, Jack could tell they were members of the crew, most likely members of Roa’s personal team yet to earn their full membership. Regardless, they weren’t the reason for Jack’s ire.
His issued stemmed from Roa’s surprise announcement once he and Alindal had met with the other members of the team. Apparently, Roa had agreed to escort some bigwig on the raid. Jack had tried to bail right then and there stating that he hadn’t agreed to escort such high-class clientele. Such a move wasn’t unusual since getting involved with the high class of Asylum was likely to get an individual killed unless he or she operated on the same level. Unfortunately for him, Roa had pushed back on his withdrawal with the threat of violence. She claimed that by withdrawing, he would be forcing Aberration into a difficult position since they’d have to find a new Tracer which would delay the operation and make the crew look bad to the bigwig. It was true; however, Jack didn’t care about the crew’s rep. He did care about the not-so-subtle body language of Roa and her three goons that said if he made an issue of the matter, they would force his compliance. With Jack’s normal clients, he wouldn’t bat an eye at the threat, but Aberration was a league above his regulars. He knew they would tear him and Alindal apart. So, he had shut up, cursing his decision to take the job all the while.
The job itself was simple: raid a D-rank Remnant Gate and identify any Relics they found. Crews often ran lower-end Remnant Gates in order to strengthen their newer members. Overall, it should have been a routine operation with no complications especially since Aberration was sending Roa, a C-rank member, to cover their bases. Now though, things were complicated. Roa and her team were between them and the exit. They were trapped. If this bigwig turned out to be a corporate agent, Jack ran the risk of being recognized. All he could do was hope that this high-class client didn’t have ties to either of the corporations after him.
Outside of the door, he heard the faint noise approaching footsteps in the hallway outside the door through the rhythmic thrum of the music below. He gently nudged Alindal who stood slightly behind him to let the elf know that they had company. A few seconds later, a knock sounded on the door drawing the attention of the four Aberration members. Roa stepped forward and opened the door.
A taller than average woman walked through the door. Even amongst the Aberrations, she stood out. Her skin was pale and her snow-white hair fell about her shoulders and down her back like a cascade of spider silk. She nervously surveyed the occupants of the room with eyes the color of cinnabar crystals until she settled on Jack and Alindal where they lingered for a moment in curiosity. After a few seconds in which Jack wondered if she was the “bigwig”, the woman stepped aside and a man entered.
Jack’s heart raced and his concentration faltered. Noise rushed in on him though his eyes never left the blonde-haired man who walked into the room. A familiar sensation echoed from his chest as the power core embedded there pulsed silently in reaction to the man’s presence. He breath came in thick gulps as his lungs seized. One word crossed his erratic thoughts.
Celestial. Of all the people Aberration could have taken a job from, it had to be a fucking Celestial!?
Alindal placed a steadying hand on his back. Their eyes met briefly and the message was clear. He needed to calm down. If he didn’t slow his heart rate soon, he would be in bigger trouble than he already was.
“Hello everyone, I am Ciel,” the Celestial said, spreading his arms wide in greeting with a sickly-sweet smile. “This,” he continued before placing a hand on the woman’s shoulder, “is Raina. She’s new to Fracture, so I hope you’ll be able to help me guide her through her first Remnant Gate.”
Roa and Ciel began discussing the details of the mission while Jack worked to calm his nerves. He clenched and unclenched his first matching it to the rhythm of his heart then gradually slowed the pattern simultaneously taking steadying breaths. Fortunately, his mask hid nearly the entire episode the rest of the room.
His golden eyes settled on Ciel as he racked his mind in an attempt to remember if he recognized him. Nothing came to mind which was good though it didn’t mean he was in the clear.
Celestials were the ruling class of Fracture. They were above the guilds, the gangs, and even the corporations. As one of the original inhabitants of Fracture, Celestials had more knowledge than most about the world. In addition, each Celestial boasted enough power to at least take on an entire top-ranked crew single-handedly. However, it wasn’t their knowledge or combat strength that made them the undisputed overlords of Fracture. After all, the denizens of Fracture were nothing if not resourceful and cunning. No, the reason not even the corporations opposed the Celestials was simple. They were immortal. It was impossible to kill a Celestial and attempting to do so only guaranteed brutal retribution for one’s efforts. Containing them was a no-go either. Jack heard rumors that a long time ago, some agents of military security company had captured a Celestial in the hopes of studying her to gain the secrets of immortality. They had held her for a week before her followers had stormed Nortos and destroyed half of the company’s property. The ones involved had been forced to surrender the Celestial when her brother learned of the kidnapping and threatened to get involved. Once she was free, she had razed the company from top to bottom leaving few survivors.
There were thirteen in total though Jack only knew of two— three now. Very few actually presented themselves to the public with any regularity. Typically, Celestials liked to keep their influence in the background, manipulating people’s lives and engaging in power struggles with each other while keeping their identities a secret. In fact, Ciel hiring Aberration as an escort made no sense. As a Celestial, he should have had access to the best crews around. Why hire a crew like Aberration and risk something going wrong?
He looked from Ciel to Roa and he thought of something he hadn’t considered. What if it was the other way around? Most organizations would give up a lot to work under a Celestial. Since Ciel was here, Manticore must know about it. Jack wouldn’t be surprised if Ciel and Raina had come directly from the crew leader’s office. If Aberration was trying to make a good impression on Ciel, Roa’s refusal to accept his withdrawal took on a new light. Tracers were fairly common so they could’ve found a new one within an hour or so, but Ciel wasn’t an ordinary client. If there was even a small delay, it could sour the Celestial’s opinion and ruin their chances of getting recruited by him. Assuming Aberration was really up for recruitment by Ciel, the question became what did the psycho-crew have that appealed to a Celestial?
While the cogs of Jack’s mind turned, he barely noticed Raina introducing herself to the other members of the team. Before he knew it, Alindal spoke up.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Julian” the elf said as he reached out to shake Raina’s outstretched hand. Julian was the alias they’d worked out for Alindal since using his actual name would’ve been foolish. Jack snapped out of his contemplation and looked down at the white-haired woman.
“It’s nice to meet you too, Juli—,” she said before stopping to stare at Alindal. “Ah, sorry Julian. I just... I’ve never seen anyone with eyes like yours. They’re beautiful.”
Alindal chuckled and patted the back of her hand before releasing it. “No need to apologize. Thank you for the compliment.”
Raina glanced at Jack expectantly.
“Atlas,” he said, his voice cold.
Her eyes widened and she asked, “Like the titan?”
Jack shrugged. He didn’t know what she was talking about. He’d chosen the name Atlas on a whim; it didn’t really mean anything to him.
An awkward pause followed until Raina added, “Ok, well, it was nice to meet you both. Thank you for helping me with my first Gate.”
“We look forward to seeing what you can do,” Alindal said. She smiled at his response, cast an uncertain glance at Jack, then returned to Ciel’s side.
Ciel, who had finished his discussion with Roa, clapped his hands and addressed the room. “Everyone, I think it’s about time we got started!”
Jack met Alindal’s gaze and the two of them followed the rest of the group out of the room. Jack prayed to whatever gods would listen in the hopes that he and his friend would come out of this situation alive and undiscovered.