Please advise me on one!

Prologue

There was crimson liquid everywhere. The smell of iron was so strong it was sickening. There was a man who stood in the middle of it all, upon a pedestal of the dead, laughing hysterically and crying out, "I alone am the god of this world and none shall stand be--" He never finished as his body soon joined the others.

The sound of shattering glass filled the otherwise quiet room, followed by the sound of shouting and boots splashing in the crimson liquid.

"He's down!" shouted one of the men after a black gloved hand grabbed my arm.

"I found a survivor," shouted the owner of the black clad hand.

My final memory of that day was of a masked man carrying me away, telling me, “It's over” and “You'll be okay.” My final thoughts were, “What’s okay? Where's Mama... where’s Daddy?" It was a week before they confirmed the bodies of my parents were, in fact, in that room as well. That was nineteen years ago...


Chapter one - The Nadé

"As I'm sure you all know, nineteen years ago was our first encounter with a genetically enhanced human known as a Gyro. Eighteen years ago the Gyro suppression force was created, and now eighteen years later I welcome all of you academy graduates to the G.S.F.! For the last seven years all of you have been trained to utilize a variety of weapons with which to destroy the Gyros. Today you will be bonded with the Nad-é that you are most compatible with. Remember that a Nad-é is not just a weapon, but your partner; respect it and it will keep you alive. DISMISSED!"

The president of the G.S.F., Donald Flogen, who was a decorated war hero, was rather plump and stood six foot three, delivered that speech at the graduation ceremony.

After the speech concluded several men wearing lab coats separated us into two groups (one female and the other male) and led us from the assembly hall to the science wing.

"Psst Jake... Hey Jake... Jake!"

"What?" I hissed back at my close friend, Carl.

"Have you ever seen a Nad-é before?"

"No. Have you?

"I haven't either, but I've heard stories about them."

"Such as?"

"That they're weapons of mass destruction capable of destroying an entire city block…with a single shot." Carl's eyes were wide as can be.

"I've also heard," He continued, "that they have a conscience and have even killed their own handlers before!"

"I've heard those stories as well Carl. Listen, they wouldn't hand over weapons that powerful to academy graduates; it's probably just some kind of classified gun or something."

"But what if it isn't? Why would the G.S.F. keep a gun so classified that we didn't even know that they existed until yesterday--"

"I don't know, okay? All I know is what they told me, and that is 'A Nad-é is the most effective way to kill a Gyro,'" I interrupted, knowing Carl would’ve rambled on.

"Sorry. I'm just excited to see just what a Nad-é is. Here's a question for you. If a Nad-é is a gun, how come most of our combat training was with melee weapons?"

"Good question."

We walked the rest of the way in silence. Our group arrived at the science wing shortly after my discussion with Carl. The academy wasn't anything special; the halls were mostly bland with a few billboards here and there, advertising the school's merits and clubs. The science wing, however, was actually paired with the G.S.F.'s main research and development department. In other words, it was a lab where secret stuff is done and kept secret from the world and the academy.

It took us a few minutes to reach the lab we were heading to. Most everyone shut up when we entered the section of the science wing that was classified Tier 1. When we arrived at the door to Lab 3, the scientists told us to stop and wait. We waited until a man named Matthies (The head researcher, Carl and I assumed) came out of the lab and addressed us.

"I take it you're the new group of academy graduates? Before I let you in this lab and pair you with a Nad-é I need you to understand just what a Nad-é is. A Nad-é is a type of Gyro." Murmurs spread throughout the group. I glanced over at Carl who look like he might break out in a cold sweat at any moment.

"So yes," He continued, "They are living, breathing human beings with emotions and personalities. Okay? Now please follow me into the lab. If you have any objections, stay here to be reassigned."

For a moment no one moved, not knowing what to do. We all had a deep set fear and/or hate for the Gyros, so to learn that we would be using people who are similar to them to destroy them was a huge shock to us. Eventually our group split up into two smaller groups, the larger one staying while the smaller one followed Matthies inside the lab. Carl and I were in the group that followed Matthies.

Once inside the room, the first thing I noticed was the large group of people on the other side of the room. In front of them speaking with Matthies was Mr. Flogen. After they finished their talk, Matthies instructed us to form a line shoulder to shoulder. Mr. Flogen began speaking.

"Hello men, thank you for coming. I know it was a bit of a shock to find out what a Nad-é is. However, it is going to be even more of a shock when you learn how to properly use them. Allow me to explain, A Nad-é is indeed a type of Gyro; however, they cannot access their powers alone. They need a catalyst; a handler, if you will. You, men, are that catalyst, that handler that allows them to use their abilities. I will demonstrate here in a minute, but first are there any questions?"

"Yeah. Why would they need a catalyst?" asked a Graduate next to me "I mean, are we just their wands?"

"No, you're not just wands. Even if a Nad-é could use their abilities by themselves it would prove useless to them. You see, they need someone to use them. Understand? Here, it would be better to just show you. Matthies, come here please."

The scientist walked over to Mr. Flogen and stuck out his hand as if they were going to shake hands. Mr. Flogen reached out and took his hand and said in a loud voice, "Sanctum." In a flash of light, the scientist disappeared and all that remained in his place was a dual bladed great-sword in Mr. Flogens hands. The president held the great-sword out in front of him with one of the two tips touching the ground.

"This, men, is how a Nad-é utilizes their abilities; by becoming a weapon their Handler can use."

What…? I was speechless; I couldn't even comprehend this. I mean, Gyros use magic-like abilities all the time and can even survive a 150mm round at near point blank range, but this... this was incredible! I didn't know what to think.

Carl reached out and grabbed my shoulder to ask,"How do they expect us to kill a Gyro with a sword?"

Damn you, you bastard, you ruined my moment of surprise with a dumbass question, but a good one at that, I thought.

"Alright men, I gave you a moment to soak in the surprise. Now listen to me, these weapons are by far the most effective against a Gyro, especially since they can cut through a Gyro just as easily as a boot knife kills a man. I will now have Matthies explain the transformation and how to trigger it. Sanctum." Matthies reverted to his human form in a flash of light.

After giving us some time to soak all of this in, Matthies began his explanation. He explained that there are three crucial parts to triggering the transformation: One, you must have skin contact; Two, the Handler must vocally say the trigger word, and Three,you must have a clear goal in your mind. It doesn't matter what, just as long as it's clear. He continued on to explain that we would instantly know the trigger word if we were compatible. The final things he mentioned were how to reverse the transformation, and that while in weapon form A Nad-é is virtually indestructible, but in human form they are as fragile as a normal human.

After Matthies finished his explanation, he and the other scientists paired us with the Nad-és they believed we were compatible with. Most everyone (excluding me, Carl, and a few others) achieved a successful transformation. Those of us who did not were assigned another partner. My next partner was a short girl, who came up to about my nose, with long blackish-blueish hair and deep blue eyes. Carl's was a tall man, easily six foot with red hair and freckles, and was at least in his thirties.

"Hi! I'm Jake. Nice to meet you!" I offered my hand

She didn't respond. She only reached out and took my hand, and when she did a word appeared in my mind. A word that just lingered there, “Bury.” I closed my eyes and thought of a goal, made it clear, and said, "Bury."

There was a bright flash of light that lasted for a second then faded and the girl was gone... all that remained was an oddly shaped long-sword in my hand. The sword was a kind of light blue at the edges that darkened to a dark blue at the middle.

"Beautiful," I whispered.

[What is?]

I jumped about ten feet. I glanced around me but I couldn't find who’d said that.

[Me.]

There it was again, that phantom voice. Could it be that using a Nad-é makes you hear things?

[No.]

"Okay that's enough. Who's saying that?"

[Me.]

"Who’s me?" I felt stupid talking seemingly to myself

[Sword.]

"What?"

[Sword is me.]

I glanced at my sword. "So you mean to tell me you're talking to me even though you're a sword?"

[Yes.]

"But you're a sword. Swords can't speak."

[I don't speak. I think.]

"Huh."

The sword and I had a telepathic connection.

"Okay, I think I get it. So while you’re a sword, we can talk with thoughts instead of with our voices, which means that while you’re a sword you're still sentient. Right? Alright, let’s try this out.”

{So your name is sword?}

[No.]

{What is it?}

[Secret…]

{Why? We are partners after all.

[Not compatible.]

{What isn’t?}

[Us.]

This doesn't make any sense. Let's just see if I can find out what to call her then, I thought to myself.

[Nightingale.]

{Huh?}

[Call me Nightingale.]

{How did you...}

[While I am sword I can hear your thoughts.]

{That's uh... cool.} I wondered how current the thoughts she had heard were. This wasn’t good; I needed to watch what I was thinking right now!

[Liar.]

She really could hear my thoughts!

[Am not girl am sword.]

I quietly sighed. "Bury." in a flash of light Nightingale returned to her human form.

"Jake!" Carl called out. "You need to come check out my Nad-é, it's awesome!"

Next to me was Carl who held in his hands a massive, wicked looking scythe.

"Wow... is that your Nad-é?"

"Yeah it is! It's kinda heavy though..."

"Looks like it’s also hard to wield with that spiked guard."

"Maybe... What's yours like?"

"Huh? My Nad-é? It's just a sword, nothing special." At least not compared to that scythe.

"Huh. Is that so? That sucks. I was sure you'd get something cool, like shotgun nunchucks, at the very least."

"Shotgun nunchucks?"

"Yes, shotgun nunchucks!"

"I don't exactly see shotgun nunchuks working very well." Before Carl could retort Mr. Flogen Began speaking again.

"alright men now that you've all been paired with you're appropriate Nad-és I am going to give you the rest of the day off please follow Matthies out of the science wing and have a nice day."

Matthies led us out of lab 3 and back to the auditorium where we were released, and given free lunch passes for the day. After some debate, Carl and I decided to bring our new partners to our favorite campus restaurant, the Binger. An odd place for sure but they had some great food. We were seated in a seat next to the window.

"First of all, Jake meet Patrick, my Nad-é!"
We shook hands and exchanged pleasantries.

"Carl meet Nightingale, my Nad-é! She doesn't really talk much though"

"Hello! nice to meet you Nightingale!" Carl offered his hand to nightingale. She didn't take it she only stared at him.

"Uhh okay then." Carl, looking dejected, pulled his hand back

"Hey Patrick", I said, "what did you do before the G.S.F. picked you up?"

"Me!? Well I used to be a middle school teacher over in London, ya know before light-bulb went on a rampage there. Anyway, after that I was employed by the Government to work as a relief worker and part time teacher, untill the G.S.F. found me."

"Wow! Sounds like you've had a busy life. Were you... There when light-bulb attacked?"

"No, I was visiting my parents over in Leeds, but my wife was... and so was our three year old daughter." Patrick looked toward the ground with tears forming in the corner of his eyes.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't know. I didn't mean to be insensitive"

"It's okay it happened a long time ago." there was an awkward silence that followed until the waitress arrived asking us what we would like to drink.

Carl ordered his usual of sweat tea, Patrick got some kind of beer, and I got some cream soda.

"And miss, what would you like?" Nightingale said something, but it was too soft hear.

"Come again, miss?" this time I leaned over Nightingale to hear her say "grape soda"

"She would like some Grape soda" I said to the waitress.

"One grape soda, one sweet tea, one cream soda, and one beer. Is that correct?"

"Yes it is" I responded

"OK then I'll be right back with those."

We spent the rest of the night doing a sort of question and answer thing with our new partners. Nightingale didn't answer most of my questions and she really didn't ask me anything so we sat silently mainly listening to Carl and Patrick talk.