The Fifth Element
Tempest
Aptitude
Zephyr – quite an unusual name for a usual human. That was because she was not human at all. As said by John earlier, she was a Familiar. Familiars were entities, most probably in the forms of animals or humans that serve their masters under some conditions. When these conditions, often referred to as contracts, are broken even once, the Familiar will abandon its master, and recreating the contract is impossible. It was the law, a divine and absolute rule that oversees all masters and Familiars, and no one ever dared to break it. Breaking it meant disgrace and shame, for you were not obeying the tradition. This law however, although very powerful, governed only a few people – only the magicians were allowed, and perhaps needed, these beings.
Mages often used Familiars for assistance. Some utilized them for ornament. Some controlled them for practical uses, such as for transportation (Vanguard, for example), for carriage, for guarding their homes like watchdogs, and a lot more. Mages used them in various ways, but surely, mages were all the same in exploiting these Familiars for their principal mission – for battle.
Except from Wind Magicians, neophyte mages were snail – like spell casters. Time seemed to torture these amateurs by giving them a very little moment to cast their magic in front of a raging beast, or an adept magician, or a brisk bandit.
That’s where Familiars step in. While mages were casting their spells, their familiars will protect them from the savages, as a tree shielding a child from a storm. For an enigmatic reason, Familiars were bound to protect their masters at any cost, even at the cost of their lives! (Even though they’re not human, they were still mortals, so they still tend to die). It’s a tandem – a duo. It was a symphony of Earth and Wind; of the slow and the fast. It was a partnership between two beings of different classes.
To their masters, Familiars were like pets, maids or swords, but to John, Zephyr was quite different. He treated her as the same way he was considering an actual person. Zephyr ate on a table, slept on a bed, and wore women’s clothes. Why? That’s because, unlike any Familiar, this lady saved her master’s life! In fact, Zephyr should be John’s master! She just intended to follow the Master – Familiar relationship. As a token of appreciation, John coldly befriended his Familiar (for he disliked women since the tragedy happened). On the other hand, this special Familiar was very conservative, calm and obedient to her master.
Now let’s take a look at Charles and to his Familiar, Vanguard. Vanguard, as said before, looked like a large, white wolf. Charles already had his Familiar since his childhood as an eight birthday gift. As his name implies, Vanguard was given to his master to protect him at all costs. Charles’ parents already knew that their son will be alone for the rest of his life, so giving him a protector, or perhaps a friend, would be the best they could do. Vanguard was the last memory that Charles had, so taking care of this Familiar was a great honor for him.
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