NTR Quest 10 - Academy - Group Familiar (Patreon)

The student's name was Adelin and she was apparently from one of the southern kingdoms in Trysk that all seemed to blend into each other as far as you were concerned. She chose to join the school to learn magic and then potentially join the knights in her home kingdom. It was a decision that, if it worked out, would put her slightly above the others that applied. She was surprised that the monotony of schoolwork could be broken up by adventuring and was eager to learn by doing, seeing it as the best of both worlds. That obviously did not work out as the girl sat on her knees with her hands tied behind her back. She was about to be turned into a familiar, it was just a question of how. Merit had an idea.

“I believe it makes sense for her to be bound to the group as a whole. It would improve cohesion, rather than one of us accruing significantly more power than any others.” It was surprisingly reasonable, though the sly part of your brain remembered how easily she dispatched the gremlings. In terms of power, she had it. Familiarizing someone for the group would increase everyone's power, but most importantly it would allow no one's power and influence to catch up to or supersede hers. It was a very tactical move and one that was hard to rebuke because it was objectively very fair. She looked to you for objection, of all people. It showed, in a sense, that she saw you as being close to her equal somehow.

“No objections.” You said.

“Agreed.” Said Esther.

“It's fair.” The Prince noted begrudgingly. Despite his moral objections, he was not going to exclude himself to his detriment.

Merit clapped her hands together and clasped them. “Good. That means it is finally time to forge a Sigil for our accord. Do you know what that means?”

“No?” You had no idea.

She looked to you pointedly again. “No. New. Members. Just familiars.”

“Oh.” You shrugged.

“Okay.”

“You got in at the right time.” Esther slapped the Prince's butt, causing him to jump.

“What do we do?” You questioned as Esther pulled out a small, blank metal medallion.

Merit raised her hand to her mouth and pricked her thumb on one of her canines before explaining. “That medallion is used by nobility to test bloodlines and affirm marriage candidates for purity, but it can be used by us to create a binding Sigil.”

Esther pricked her thumb on one of her many sharp teeth. “The metal is enchanted to react to blood. It creates symbology surrounding your families fate and origin.”

You furrowed your brow. “Wait... Family Sigils aren't created?”

“No, they are discovered. Stop wasting time, please.” Merit took your hand and forcefully bit your thumb. She offered a seductive look as she placed the digit in her mouth which offered conflicting feelings as pain shot up your arm.

“Ow!” You withdrew your hand quickly and indignantly. She offered a catlike smile as you glared at her.

“Less whining more bleeding!” Esther held her thumb over the medallion and let it drip. Merit and Aiden did the same. You were curious what it would show for your part of everything and extended your hand last, letting blood drip onto the metal. All of the vitae soaked into the metal, then slowly it began to rise and distort on it's face. It was as though it was casting itself.

The result was deeply confusing to the party. At the center was a very deliberate looking sunken circle of empty space bleeding into the surrounding symbols. It bled into the clockwork mountain at the bottom and the sitting dragon and jackal on either side. Merit lifted it up and squinted at it.
“It is infiltrating the other parts... What is this supposed to mean?” She questioned, her jet black brows furrowing deeply.

Esther took it. “Looks like a glitch, but these things don't break.” The goblin girl looked up at you inquisitively.
“Your sigil is just a blank, sunken sphere that infiltrates others? That's a bit...”

“Creepy.” Aiden admitted.

You took it and stared into the indent standing in contrast to the raised sigils of each other member. You had to admit that it seemed somewhat eldritch in nature, like it was standing opposed to others in every sense. On top of that strangeness, you were somewhat disappointed to not be able to see your Sigil. You would have expected a tree or something, given your family history.

“It is what it is.” Merit commented.
“It certainly is unique, is it not. This is what we will use.” As you all agreed, the Sigil appeared on the buttons to your uniforms. She turned around to look down at the captive student.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“By all means, take as much time as you like.” Adelin said sarcastically. Merit grinned.

Esther approached her. “She's submitting, right?” The girl nodded reluctantly.

“So we don't actually got to do anything special this time around. You don't need to know how to do it, you just need to agree and everything else will happen automatically.”

“That's 'good' because I have no idea what to do.” Adelin claimed.

“You agree though?” Merit clarified.

“I agree to be familiarized, since it looks like you're going to kill me otherwise.”

“That counts!” Esther shouted excitedly.

Adelin locked eyes with the sigil briefly but it became apparent as her eyes moved less and less from it that her gaze had been gradually locked. Slowly the fire in her eyes dulled and her expression of disdain evened out. Esther stepped close and lifted Adelin's blouse while lowering her skirt to show the Sigil 'tattooed' onto her skin. Noticeably your portion of the emblem almost looked to be absent except for the empty space and the veins that seeped into the other drawn symbols. As a few more seconds passed Adelin's attitude improved. Her lips curled up into a subtle smile and she looked upon the group happily.
“There's a good girl.” Esther joked, using her small hands to open the girl's mouth. She made a show of checking her teeth as the passive familiar simply opened her mouth and allowed the intrusion obediently. Esther grabbed her tongue and pulled it out.
“Gosh, I love this.” She stuffed the girls tongue back in and closed her mouth.

“Is... She still in there?” Aiden asked, waving a hand in front of her face. Her eyes followed it. It showed she was not out of it. She was simply sitting attentively.

Merit shook her head. “She is still 'there' but there is a new layer overriding her core that is sustained by the school's magic. 'She' is now essentially a being that lives to serve us. Barely human. She is essentially the equivalent of a summoned creature and her programming is much the same.”

“Did we eliminate her personality?” You inquired.

Adelin shook her head. “My personality is still in tact, but it is below the applied, artificial layer on my core. It creates blocks that disallow certain traits or expressions by me towards you. I'm still the same girl, just with a few differences, basically.”

“It's for her own good.” Esther explained.
“While there are ways to basically eat away at her core and destroy who she is a person, that's not technically allowed. The layer protects her so that she can return to normal when she's freed.”

“Still, she's losing a portion of her life if she has to follow us until we leave this school.” Aiden offered sympathetically.

“Not quite.” Adelin said cheerily.
“I'm very pleased to serve you for as long as you need. While I exist as a familiar within this school my time is paused. I can serve you for an eternity without aging or changing. The trade off is that I am a less complex being. A pet... I can only advance my skills by being assisted or trained. If you have any other questions about familiars and how we work I have been granted all of the necessary knowledge.”

“So she's just an automaton?” Your face twisted a bit in disgust at what you had done to her. The prince shares a bit in your disdain. There was nothing to be done about it. It was the path you chose, for the most part.

“Like a clockwork golem.” Esther added.

* *

Adelin served as an excellent tool as you proceeded further into the forest. Her skill with multiple blades allowed you all to carve into brush that you would have otherwise avoided. You did not necessarily agree with them, but both Esther and Merit also implied that she would make an excellent trap tester.

“Shh shh...” Merit halted and prompted Adelin to stop cutting through the brush.
“Do any of you hear that?” Her ears were swiveled in a direction and twitching faintly to show you all that she was indeed hearing something.

“No one can hear as well as you.” Esther rolled her eyes lightly. You and Aiden both agreed. Adelin turned and folded her hands. She bent down and bowed to speak. It was the way Merit wanted her to act and the group did not contradict her request.

“Mistresses, Masters. I hear nothing as well.”

“Thank you. Very useful, slave.” Merit waved a hand dismissively. She pointed in the direction her long ears were facing.
“This way. Carefully.”

Your group followed the faint sounds that only she could hear. As such, even Adelin had to take up the rear as Merit lead on. Gradually you all found yourself in a clearing that actually allowed quite a few rare rays of sunlight through the tall canopy. As you got closer even you were able to hear the sounds of struggling. Then you were able to see it. As she came into view you were immediately struck by the immaculate beauty. So much so that you barely noticed what was happening around her, or what she was. She was a tall woman in white silk garb. Her body was perfectly shaped and toned from her plump breasts down to rear. She was not overly muscular, but showed signs that she was powerful as her muscles strained uselessly against her bonds. As you stepped forward Merit abruptly pulled you back moments from disaster. Before your eyes were several thin strands that you had been unable to see. The perfect woman with platinum blonde hair, long ears that feathered near the tips and beautiful white wings was trapped in the many filaments and only becoming more so with each movement.

“It's a Seraph.” Aiden whispered in amazement.
“They are barely ever seen by anyone...” His surprise was earned. Seraph were technically beastfolk in the same way dragonkin were. They were a special race that remained secluded. Their goals and aims were rarely known. They had both helped and hindered humanity at various points and were even worshiped by some rare churches in Trysk due to their Majesty and unique magical gifts. They were closer to mythical beasts, as demonstrated by the fact that they were present in your book of creatures back home, rather than that of the many races.

“What do we do?” You asked desperately.

“What are we supposed to do?” Esther snapped back.
“Dumbass got herself caught up in a web.”

“If we don't do anything she'll die.” You argued.

“Not die.” Esther shook her head slightly.
“We got these things back where I'm from. The core fauna spins webs to catch individuals with cores. The body of the beast doesn't have one so it just mindlessly waits for prey. When it has one, it attaches and infiltrates it's core, assimilating it into a new brood mother that will create more little coreless ones that go out and do the same. The little ones are basically harmless... Unless you're stupid enough to get caught like that dunce.” She pointed and spat derisively.

“What about the moms?” Aiden gulped nervously.

“Oh. They're a huge problem. Why?” Esther's eyes widened. She stepped back as a pale woman came into view from behind the Seraph. She was beautiful in her own way until you noticed her lower half was that of a large, gruesome black widow. A hairless, carapaced spider, only blown up to be greater than a human. Her human portion was pale with dark hair and pitch-black eyes. She actually looked somewhat delicate, in contrast to the rest of her menacing form. She effortlessly glided through the many filaments of the web to approach the Seraph that was captured.

Esther whispered desperately. “They don't have motherly instincts. They don't secure prey for their young unless they're planning something and that is bad news. We need to get out of here and warn the school.”

You looked to Merit, who seemed excited. “I think we should kill it. Imagine the points in our favor?”

“What about the Seraph?” Aiden asked.

“What about her? The fly will provide a good distraction while we kill the spider.” Merit reasoned.

“Okay.” Esther chided.
“Alternately... Running?”