Chapter 1

The Ex-Guardian and the Girl

My name is Mikey Sylver a 17 year old mercenary. I used to be a GUARDIAN 3 years ago when the remnant SEED incident occured. I earned the title Guardian Prodigy for me being one of the youngest members and managing to survive Laia's training. I just finished my training and earned the title when I met my new partner, a CAST named Vivienne but she was very human like. She managed to show emotions naturally and she had alot of questions about the "heart". Then we found out she was just a copy-CAST and her body was taken by Helga, an ILLUMINUS agent. We managed to take her body back when Vivienne hacked into a Lou unit and we managed to save the entire system by defeating Dark Falz. A year later Vivienne decided to leave the GUARDIANS and to travel the planets to teach people about the "heart". Around 2 months later I decided to end my career as a GUARDIAN as well and become a mercenary. I didn't tell them the reason I decided to leave but it was because without my partner everything seemed dull to me. Then 2 weeks ago I got a job from a client which leads us to where I am now, at the Seabed Relic Site.

I am currently wearing a red polo shirt with yellow trims, my dirty black pants cover my legs along with my brown boots. I am wearing a yellow glove with red trims which complimented my upper apparel, it also hid my photon transmitter. My black hair is swaying a bit from the wind coming from the ducts.

"Look at all these people" I heard a voice say and I turned my head to see a black CAST with a visor, his armor was black with some brown patches at the side. "You seem like a mercenary yourself" he said as he faced me "Of course this place is bound to draw out the best" he continued while I just smirked. He had no idea I was one of the three who saved the entire system does he?

"Please can we just go home already?" I turn to the voice and see a blond girl, roughly around 15, wearing some sort of pink blouse that had wings on her shoulders and her lower apparel consisted of a skirt and boots. She was talking to a guy wearing a purple coat and he looked like a freaking bear who just got out of sleep "This is not a place for children... and I'll wager she's no mercenary" the CAST said as he crossed his arms "I already started working when I was her age" I answered to him which seemed to surprise the gu..err... CAST "Really? How old are you?" He asked shocked "17 years old" I said cooly as I observed my glove, I managed to block out the girl's whining while we were having a conversation.

*RUMBLE*

The whole relic site shook and everyone paniced "Everyone out of the chamber!" A Newman shouted "Hurry the doors are closing!" another one yelled and we all bolted for the door but just as I was about to get to the other side I noticed the girl from earlier on her knees, moaning in pain. I could have just left her there and get my pay. I mean come one? why save her and possibly lose my life for it?

It was simple. I was that kind of person

"Hey!" I shouted as I ran for her and shook her shoulders "What.. wha?" She asked obliviously as she opened her eyes "We need to get out now!" I told her as I grabbed her arm and ran for the door 'Run Run Run Run Run!' I kept saying to myself as I kept running as fast as I could but when I looked at the door the cold, cruel realization just hit me.

I wasn't going to make it

But that didn't mean I couldn't make one last ditch effort as I tightened my grip on the girl's hand "Go!" I shouted as I threw her towards the door... but it was for nothing as the door closed and she slammed against it "No... No!" she shouted as she slammed her fist against the door "Come on open up!" she continued slamming the door "I know your in there!" but I just stood there... I stared blankly at the door knowing that the only way to get out... was through the other side.

"Great..." I said as I walked towards the door "Let me out!" she shouted once more as she continued to slam the door "Hey" I called to her, placing my hand on her shoulder in the process causing her to jump "Oh... it's you" she said "Listen they aren't even controlling the door... we need to get out through the other side" I told her, looking at the door which leads us further in... I could tell she didn't like the idea by the fact that she slapped my hand away "Are you crazy!? Who knows what's down there" she shouted

"and besides how do you know there is a way out?" she mumbled out but I still managed to hear it "All relic sites have two exits since the Ancients wanted a way out if they were being chased by enemies" I told her matter-of-factly and she just sighed in defeat "Equipment check" I said almost out of habit "You have your photon transmitter?" I asked her as photons enveloped my left hand to reveal an black handgun which had a long barrel and a red hexagon above the handle. It was called Ruby Bullet, my handgun of choice

"Yeah" she answered as photons appeared in her right hand and above her head forming a simple techmag and GRM saber "You got your Shield weave?" I asked her again "Hold on.. I am equipping it right now" she responded while a thin layer of photon started enveloping her "Done" she answered "You got some mates?" I asked her again as I equipped a Sava-zashi on my right hand. It was a dagger with a pink handle and a blue photon blade, its affinity as Ice. "No.. my boss has it" she answered shyly which drew me to sigh "It's alright... I got some" I assured her as I started walking deeper into the site

"Hey wait!" she shouted which got my attention "What is it?" I asked curiously "I never got your name" she told me while I just smiled a bit "I'am Mikey Sylver, I've been a mercenary for 2 years now" I answered her "Never would have guessed. My name is Emilia, Emilia Percival" she introduced herself "Alright enough of the Chit chat, let's go" I told her as I started walking deeper again as she walked by my side

"Hey listen... I have something to tell you" she said shyly which perked my curiousity again "What now?" I asked "I may be armed... but I have never been in a mission before" as soon as she said that she stopped walking and I could see a faint blush on her cheeks. I pinched the bridge of my nose and gave a sigh. To be honest I saw this coming since she was whining a while ago and I have some experience training some beginners so this won't be so bad

"It's okay... just watch my back alright?" I assured her while giving her a smile. I remember that Laia told me that my smile could melt a girl... I never got what she meant.

-Emilia's PoV-

The moment I saw his smile I could feel my cheeks heat up. No guy has smiled at me before and here was a guy whom I just met was smiling at me. I nervously fiddled with my saber handle while looking down, hoping he wouldn't see my blush.

-Mikey's PoV-

I walked through the door with my handgun at point hoping not to get ambushed. I saw a black shark that had feet and blades for arms and I just stood there dumbfounded "The hell?" I whispered while aiming my gun at it's head "That's an Evil Shark, its a mutated life form that started appearing since the SEED crisis" Emilia whispered to me while crouching. I sighed, looks like I am gonna be facing new creatures.

The sound of a gunshot echoed in the room as the shark went down with a hole at the middle of it's head. The flesh just outside the hole was burning because of my gun's burn effect "Let's go" I ordered as I ran across the room and opened the door

"Graaak!" an Evil Shark screeched as It lunged through the opening door, towards me with both of it's blades raised up for an overhead strike.

My battle instincts kicked in as everything seemed to slow down, I sidestepped to the right,raised my dagger and started to charge up my handgun while pointing it at the black monster doing all of it in a span of a second and making one of the blades miss while I blocked the other with my Sava-zashi.

"See ya" I smirked as I pulled the trigger sending a big ball of red photon energy hitting it square in the stomach,knocking the shark into the door.

Even though charged shots lacked piercing capabilities it was damned satisfying to see your enemies flying away. I managed to take down 2 enemies at a personal record breaking 11 seconds, including the walking time. "Emilia come on" I broke her out of her trance to which I didn't even need to look at to know she had one, most of the people who saw me fight for the first time was always in awe.

"R..right" she stuttered as she ran to follow me, her tech-mag slightly behind her. Approaching the door I pushed the terminal button and opened, for once no enemy was in sight and I decided to use this chance to find out Emilia's fighting capabilities

"Hey Emilia, what kind of weapons do you have?" I asked as I sat down on the ground "I have a staff, a photon pistol, a saber and a tech mag" she answered with her hand on her chin "What Technics can you use?" I asked further

"I can only use Zonde" she answered back. I sighed, it seems that her Technic was Zonde, might as well see how well she can use it. "Mind showing me your Zonde?" I requested as I stood up. "Try hitting that wall" I pointed as she nodded her head. Her tech-mag was a red and white ball with two wing like thrusters at the back. Her tech-mag positioned it self infront of Emilia while yellow photons start enveloping the machine

"Zonde!" she shouted as the photons were released sending a bolt of lightning at the wall, leaving a rather large black mark. I whistled with contentment. Despite being a greenhorn she had pretty good photon mastery.

"Graaak!" A familliar sound reverberated at the room. We turned around and saw around 6 Evil sharks with the one in the middle having red skin instead of black.

"Well...shit"

Authors Note and Terminology.

How'd you guys like the first chapter? Criticism is accepted. Sorry for any grammatical errors.

Photon transmitter: Technology invented in the Gurhal System which utilizes photons to transport items to the user.

Shield Weave: A small chip that goes in any clothing which produces a thin layer of photon around the user, absorbing any form of attacks including fatal ones to reduce the damage done to the user.

CAST: A race in the Gurhal System, most CASTs live in Parum. They are the robotic race which specialize in Accuracy making them great Gun users

Newman: A race in the Gurhal System, most of them live in Neudaiz. The elfish like race in the system, their high sensitivity to Photons make them great Technic Users

Technics: The art of using photons to manipulate the elements. (Magic)