Chapter 14

Six years ago Michelle Taylor graduated from West Genetics as the top ranked student of her class. West Genetics had always been hailed as the facility to produce the highest quality of Pandora. As such there was a sense of pride leaving the school to join Chevalier from such a prestigious genetics facility. Coupled with the title of top Pandora and she knew that the sky was the limit for her career as a Pandora.

Within two years of service with Chevalier she was promoted to captain. Michelle commanded Pandora older than her and with more experience than her, yet her quick grasp of military tactics and natural talent with stigmata propelled her up the ladder. Her unit became one of the first rapid response teams to Nova Incursions as well as paramilitary and counter terrorism. Two more years later saw her promoted once more to commander.

The last two years leading up to today she had commanded the entirety of Chevalier's Pandora forces. Two years during which she first began to hear of the man named Varen Askiligar. When the Novitiate crisis occurred she could not fathom why Chevalier left the responsibility to quelling it to a Limiter. A first year Limiter for that matter and months later her astonishment and curiosity only grew when she heard of his success.

That's when the stories and rumors began. They called him the Justicar and he was capable of so many amazing feats. He could fly, punch through Nova, summon volt weapons, and unleash nova energy in destructive power. With time many of these feats proved false and nothing more than rumors, but within there were bits of truth to be found. When the Spireach E-Pandora incident came to pass she paid attention. Her position afforded her the ability to glean more detail than normal Chevalier members. Two key things about that incident made her desperate for answers.

The first was that those responsible for the uprising were none other than members of her former school, West Genetics. Chevalier credited them with stopping the Nova attack that appeared, but the underlying tones were easy to spot. Chevalier only credited them out of self-interest, not because they were proud of them.

Secondly, and what was quite possibly more surprising was the names she came across. Four in particular that she could not ignore. Varen Askiligar, Chiffon Fairchild, Elizabeth Mably, and Cassie Lockheart. Two world ranking Pandora, the daughter of Mably Pharmaceuticals and once more the man known as the Justicar. These weren't run of the mill Pandora; these were elite girls whose control of stigmata rivaled her own. Then there was the Justicar. What was he truly capable of? How much truth to the rumors were there?

The answer to those questions was no being displayed to her. Claire and Charon Fairchild were assassins. Michelle knew this and never felt comfortable around them, but could not deny their prowess or ability to perform. Michelle even felt small ounces of fear whenever they were nearby. There was always something unnatural about the girls, and their strength only magnified that fear. For all that strength of fear Michelle now watched as sparks rained down with every impact of Charon's katanas against the Justicar's swords.

Behind him a girl with white hair and a single red stripe and a young man frantically tried to give aid to the girl Charon called Ticy Phenyl. Michelle felt sick to her stomach watching the girl bleed out in the arms of her friends. It sapped her will to fight watching as she slowly died choking on her own blood. The man she had heard so much about now battered recklessly against Charon spinning and weaving his blades in an attempt to avenge his fallen comrade. The most concerning thing on her mind was as she watched them, why did she keep hoping he would win?

"You know how this will end." Charon said parrying the swords he held high and driving the pommel of her offhand katana into the side of his head. Varen stumbled backwards shaking the spots from his vision before readying his and Ticy's swords once more.

"Not this time. You won't kill any more people after today." He answered.

"I offered you peace. An offer that required you to pay far less than I. Now more of your friend's blood will stain your hands." Charon said stepping forward to slash her katanas at Varen once more. He used Ticy's blade to push her primary blade high while using Rin's sword to counter her offhand. It left them toe to toe their blades locked together.

"So long as Chevalier exists there will never be peace." Varen growled trying to push her away.

"I would have stood beside you as they burned. You lost the best chance you had at stopping them." She answered slamming her head into his face dropping him to a knee. He cried out as a katana tore through his shoulder before he could recover.

"You're just a monster created in a lab!" Varen yelled dropping his sword and grabbing the katana impaled on him by the blade. He forced her back a step pulling the blade free and retrieved his sword. Charon shrugged brushing the blade of her katana along her thigh to wipe the blood clean.

"Perhaps, but it was not the life I chose. I don't suppose that you could ever understand that." The girl said slashing her blades across to connect with his again. She kicked the inside of his knee forcing him down once more and spun away slashing down at him with one of the katanas. Varen fell backwards dropping the swords screaming. Charon stared down at him uncaring as he clutched his face in his hands.

"This is barbaric…" Michelle said quietly as Varen pulled his hands back. A long gash stretched from above his eye down to his cheek. The fact that it missed his eye was a miracle in itself, but the right side of his face now glistened as blood covered it.

"I didn't want this. By now everyone could have been on their way home. I would have held you safely in my arms preparing for a new world together." Charon said staring down at him pitifully. He couldn't answer still fighting against the pain of the damage she had inflicted. Genetics and Chevalier Pandora alike stood and watched the two. No one dared to make a move.

"This is what Chevalier does to people." Sister Margaret said making Michelle turn towards her. She hadn't even noticed her nearby.

"Headmaster…" Sister Margaret forced a small smile moving next to her.

"This is the cost to be paid for doing what's right. For standing up when others kneeled." The headmaster continued. Michelle looked back at Varen bleeding heavily from his wounds. Nearby Ticy no longer moved still held in the arms of a young man who cried. The girl with white and red hair looked on remorsefully unable to do anything more.

"Yes…" Was all Michelle could answer with. Charon stepped ahead chopping her offhand down at Varen. He grabbed one of the swords nearby deflecting the attack, but stiffened as her main hand drove through his chest. He made no sound, but stared up at her silently. Genetics Pandora around looked down or away. Varen swallowed hard beginning to lose sight. His head turned seeing Ticy's body cradled in Abel's arms. He thought of Arnette who was still alive somewhere fighting. The moment his life ended she would know through their link and it broke his heart thinking what would happen to her.

"Godspeed Justicar." Charon said withdrawing the blade from his chest and pulling her arm back to finish him.

"Chiffon…please…help me." He said closing his eyes tightly. When the killing blow did not come he dared to open his eyes finding himself surrounded by the world of pure white. He was still laying on his back, but the pain and injuries on his body were gone. He pushed himself up finding Chiffon knelt down in front of his body.

"Took you long enough." She smiled. A look of relief was etched no her face like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

"Am I dead?" Varen asked and Chiffon giggled shaking her head.

"Of course not. There was only one last thing holding you back from the true potential you had. You cut it kind of close though don't you think?" Chiffon said. He could only stare at her dumbfounded.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Varen answered making her glare at him.

"Dummie…everything about you relies on trust. I know you know that now. Those who trust you lend you extraordinary power. Your return trust is what empowers them around you. People have relied on you to save them and help them for a long time now, and you have carried that burden. You tried to do it all alone. I told you that everyone will stand beside you. You just need to ask. Shed your guilt, fear, and hesitance and call out to the same people who called to you." She explained.

"What does that mean exactly?" He asked and she scooted closer putting her hand on his.

"You asked for help from the bottom of your heart. There is nothing to hold you back now. The gift I gave to you…use it." She said. He shook his head as the world around him already began to shift.

"Chiffon no! I still don't know what it is!" He cried out. Her fading form grabbed him by the face.

"There is nothing Charon can do that you cannot do. Now…you are equals. Use it!" She answered. Varen blinked and saw Charon's katana racing for his heart. Chiffon's words resonated within him and he reached up intercepting her blade with his hand grabbing it by the blade. Under her faceplate Charon's eyes widened finding that she could not overpower his grip nor did his hand bleed.

"I got it Chiffon…thank you." He said as lights winked into existence around his body. Charon's faceplate disappeared and her mouth hung open slightly as the lights intensified around his body forming into solid material.

"That's impossible!" Charon screamed. Armored plated formed around Varen's body just like Charon and Claire. A full helmet wrapped around his head and the eye pieces flared to life shining a bright blue. Varen shoved her katana back sending Charon backwards a few feet climbing to his feet. Ticy and Rin's swords back in his hand as everyone around watched in shock. He stared at Charon through the helmet gripping the swords tightly. He opened his mouth as he put one foot forward and ran at her.

"Pandora mode!"