Souls of Steel: A Reverse Harem Sci Fi Bully Romance (Chimera Academy Book 1) Read online

  Eva Brandt

  Souls of Steel

  Chimera Academy 1

  Copyright © 2019 by Eva Brandt

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

  This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

  Eva Brandt has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-party Internet Websites referred to in this publication and does not guarantee that any content on such Websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.

  Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book and on its cover are trade names, service marks, trademarks and registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publishers and the book are not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. None of the companies referenced within the book have endorsed the book.

  Cover art is for illustration purposes only. Cover by EmCat Designs.

  First edition

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  Contents

  Souls of Steel

  A Note From the Author

  Index

  Prologue

  The Great Riddler

  The First Battle

  Tamer of the Hell Hound

  The Journey Begins

  Tamer of the Serpent

  Tamers of the Nymphs

  Broodmate

  Chimera Training

  Fraternization

  The Bet

  The Tournament Begins

  The Scarlet Letter

  Mirrors of Death

  The Fields of Mercury

  The Sun-Dwellers

  Epilogue

  Coming Soon

  Also by Eva Brandt

  About the Author

  Souls of Steel

  No woman has ever piloted a chimera, one of the legendary mechas that once served to defend Earth from the alien invasion that nearly destroyed us all. No one… until me.

  Once, I was a normal girl. Much to my mother’s dismay, I didn’t have any magic, but that was all right. Not every girl carried Gaia’s Gift. There were other things I could do to prove myself, even if I couldn’t heal the earth. I could simply live a normal life—something which should always be treasured.

  Maybe I’d have done exactly that had I not stumbled into the mysterious Sphinx, one the most dangerous metallic guardians in the world, considered impossible to pilot even by the most skilled Tamers.

  As it turns out, that wasn’t exactly true. I have a natural talent for being a Tamer, a pilot for the elite unit of Chimera Warriors, and I’m the only one who can pilot the Sphinx.

  There’s just one problem. To do that, I have to go to the legendary Chimera Academy. The all-boy academy, where everyone will hate me on principle. And I have to face the pilots of my future unit—all born and bred for this task.

  Best friends August and Pollux, the pilots of the entwined chimeras Scylla and Charybdis, the heroes who once single-handedly repelled an attack from our worst enemies.

  The mysterious, yet notorious Knox, pilot of the Cerberus, a fire-breathing demonic chimera almost as dangerous as its owner.

  And last, but not least, Brendan, the heir of the Royal House of Chimera and pilot of the monstrous Typhon.

  How can I compare to them? And how can I discover all the secrets Chimera Academy is hiding?

  Chimera Academy is a 76k words reverse harem bully academy series, and it will contain themes of heavy discrimination based on gender. Some scenes may make you want to punch certain characters in the face. But don’t worry, my MC will do that for you—with a giant robot! Also, the story will delve deeply into themes of mental health issues. There will be dark content ahead, so tread lightly!

  A Note From the Author

  First of all, thank you for checking out Souls of Steel. I hope you’ll enjoy it. But in the interest of full disclosure, I should state that this series will contain some pretty dark territory.

  Souls of Steel tackles themes such as prostitution and sexual abuse. While the main character isn’t directly involved , she does witness these events and it may get a little disturbing. Future books may involve instances of dubious consent, violence and gore. Discrimination based on gender is a huge part of the story.

  If you are uncomfortable with any of these themes, please skip this one.

  Index

  Governmental organizations

  In this setting, the world has a centralized government called The Grand Judiciary. It primarily acts as a supervisor of military operations, but has superior authority over all other bodies. The second organization, in charge of administrative operations, is led by the High Priestesses of Gaia. While the overall organization is connected, each branch is individual to a respective nation/region. They are independent from one another, but not from The Grand Judiciary.

  Chimeras

  Chimeras are massive robots that are fueled by the energy of Tartarus and carry the spirits of ancient mythological creatures. They are the main fighting force against alien invasions and are divided into several separate categories.

  Grand Chimera Unit

  Typhon (Tracker code: GCTPH)

  Cerberus (Tracker code: GCCRB)

  Charybdis (Tracker code: GCCHR)

  Scylla (Tracker code: GCSCY)

  Sphinx (Tracker code: GCSPH)

  Dormant:

  Medusa (Tracker code: GCMED)

  Hydra (Tracker code: GCHYD)

  Pegasus (Tracker code: GCPEG)

  Minotaur (Tracker code: GCMIN)

  Lower Chimera Unit

  Harpy Squad (LCHRP)

  Ocypete (Tracker code: LCOCY)

  Aello (Tracker code: LCAEL)

  Podarge (Tracker code: LCPOD)

  Celaeno (Tracker code: LCCEL)

  Zephyrus (Tracker code: LCZPH)

  Boreas (Tracker code: LCBOR)

  Nicothoe (Tracker code: LCNIC)

  Chimeras are referred to as both individual beings and metallic vessels. The subtle difference is in the use of the definite article ‘the’. This is the official style, and when used before a chimera name (e.g. the Typhon, the Scylla), it mostly refers to the chimera in question as a whole. The absence of the definite article denotes a closer relationship between the chimera and the person speaking and a general mentality of seeing the chimera as a person in its own right.

  Other Military Units

  The Terran space force also contains several other types of vessels. They are divided in several categories.

  The Oceanus Attack Corps

  Hyperion Star Fleet

  The Theia Star Fleet

  The Crius Guard Corps

  The Tethys Transport Corps

  Other terms of note

  Heliads – also known as Sun-Dwellers or Heliovore Apsids, they are the species of aliens that attempted to conquer Earth

  Tachyons – particles faster that light that form the basis of Tartarus fire

  Prologue

  It was the year 2034. Earth was struggling u
nder the weight of increasing poverty, pollution, and economic and political distress. With tensions on the rise, very few were prepared for the arrival of an even greater threat.

  There was no warning. The extraterrestrials—who later became known as Sun-Dwellers—came out of nowhere, destroying everything in their path.

  In desperation, human nations turned to their last resort, nuclear weaponry. Too late did they realize the missiles would only kill humans, and not the aliens that had invaded our planet.

  Having originated from the center of a star, the Sun-Dwellers were immune to nuclear energy. Humanity’s efforts to stop them were met with increasing loss, failure, and disaster. Humans, creatures, the very earth—everything perished under the fire of our dread. But the Sun-Dwellers did not.

  When all seemed lost, the latent magic of Earth awoke. Practically inaccessible for millennia, it returned to humanity, in the form of two bloodlines—Gaia’s Priestesses and Tartarus’s Chimera Warriors.

  From this magic, a powerful resistance was born. The women wielding Gaia’s Gift gained the ability to heal the earth that had been destroyed by the Sun-Dwellers and humanity’s own stupidity. The men who’d received Tartarus’s Fire were granted weapons called chimeras, metallic beasts able to withstand the high temperatures the Sun-Dwellers emitted.

  Together, the two bloodlines formed an unstoppable combination. Together, they managed to chase away the Sun-Dwellers and slowly began the process of healing our broken world.

  But not all was well, and in the wake of the war, the gifts granted to humanity were easy to exploit. And to this day, no man has ever wielded terra-forming magic, and no woman has ever piloted a chimera.

  That is all about to change.

  The Great Riddler

  Selene

  Two hundred years later

  “Selene, this is a terrible idea. We’re not supposed to be here.”

  “Of course we’re not. But no one is ever going to know if you don’t say anything.” I pinned my hair back with a pair of sturdy clips, then pulled on my hood, hiding my face as well as I could. “Now, stop fussing and tell me. How do I look?”

  Louise shot me an exasperated look that spoke volumes of her opinion of my plan. “Like a girl trying to look like a boy because she wants to get close to giant robots. Selene, this is crazy.”

  “Yes, but we’re doing it anyway.”

  It was the first time in my generation that The Grand Judiciary was bringing in one of the legendary chimeras to my hometown. Their reasons for the presentation were unclear. The machines were always kept in space and very rarely brought to Earth. Even so, I’d wanted to see a chimera ever since I’d been a little girl. I’d been broken-hearted when my father had told me Chimera Academy was an all-boy school, one I didn’t have a chance of ever seeing, let alone attending. Today, though, I could at least get a glimpse at one of the legendary machines. Even if I wouldn’t get to do more, just seeing it would be enough for me.

  Well, no, not really, but it was better than nothing.

  “Come on,” I told Louise. “The presentation is about to start. We can’t miss it.”

  “We’re going to get in so much trouble.” Louise whimpered. “We’re going to get arrested, killed, or worse.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. It’s not illegal to be here. Now keep your voice down and move it.”

  I couldn’t blame Louise for being wary. Sure, our presence here wasn’t technically against the law. If it had been, I wouldn’t have allowed Louise to come along. I might be willing to take the chance, but I wasn’t selfish enough to endanger my friend so much. Even so, our traditions dictated that women needed to stay away from the chimeras. Only men were allowed to pilot the metal monoliths, so women had to keep their distance.

  I thought the rule was very stupid. We couldn’t use the damn things, no, but that didn’t mean we should be banned from approaching them. By that logic, men shouldn’t have been allowed in the fields Gaia’s Priestesses restored.

  But whenever I pointed out that hypocritical tidbit, my mother shushed me, so I’d stopped arguing with her altogether and did what I wanted, when it was in my power. Case in point, this little adventure.

  My friend and I were currently hiding inside a multi-gender public bathroom that was a mile away from the stage where the chimera would be waiting. The presentation was held in a plaza in what was officially the multi-gender area of the city. Unofficially, everybody knew that just men were supposed to attend. At present, there weren’t any guards between us and the plaza, but there would be a crowd, countless men having gathered from all the nearby settlements to gawk at the chimera they’d never get to use. In some ways, they were just like me, except they didn’t have to hide their presence because of their gender.

  I zipped up my jacket a little more tightly and flinched. I’d bound my breasts to keep them from being too visible, but I’d received quite the blessing from Gaia in that department, so it was uncomfortable as fuck. Louise, who had smaller breasts, would stand out less, but me? I was less lucky in that regard.

  I didn’t let my discomfort deter me. I’d come here to see the chimera, and that was exactly what I’d do. “Okay,” I told Louise. “Let’s go. No matter what, stay close. If you have to say something, keep your head down.”

  Louise straightened her back and nodded. She might be trying to hide it, but she was a little excited too, if not for the same reason I was.

  This chimera was probably the closest she’d ever get to her longtime crush, Prince Brendan. He lived high up in the orbital space station of Tartarus Base. Like many of the members of Chimera nobility and royal family, he rarely came to Earth. Regardless, Louise collected every newspaper clipping of him. I thought it was a hideous waste of money, especially since paper was so damn expensive. But hey, what did I know? Everyone needed a hobby.

  With our heads covered and our faces shielded from view, we left the bathroom and headed toward the plaza. It was early morning, but already, there was a crowd waiting in front of the stage, breathlessly hoping to get a glimpse of one of the gifts from the gods, the mysterious mechas that had allowed us to chase away the Sun-Dwellers.

  My first look at the monolith was underwhelming. The chimera was covered in a thick tarp, shielded from view and presumably, from the elements. As far as I knew, the Chimera Diamond core couldn’t be damaged by any force in the universe, having been granted to humanity by the primordial deity, Tartarus, himself. But I supposed I couldn’t blame the authorities for being extra cautious with something so precious.

  Louise and I managed to wriggle our way closer to the stage, but still, the distance between us and our target was staggering. The people moving around the chimera looked like the toys I’d played with as a child. I suppressed a sigh and resigned myself to the unavoidable. I couldn’t get closer and making the attempt would endanger both of us. This would have to do.

  It seemed to take hours for General Harold Rhodes to appear on the stage. The screen behind him lit up with the image of a portly man who had more medals strapped to his uniform than hair on his head. I knew better than to underestimate him because of his age and appearance. Rumor had it that, in his youth, the general had been one of the fiercest combatants on the front. He’d never actually piloted a chimera, but that hadn’t stopped him from serving Earth. He had been a member of The Hyperion Star Fleet for decades and had clashed with the Sun-Dwellers in countless battles.

  “Good morning, people of Gaia and Tartarus. I am General Harold Rhodes. We are honored to be here, in your wonderful town.”

  I doubted that very much. As cities went, New Washington wasn’t very big. The old capital of the United States of America had been heavily damaged by the Sun-Dwellers, and it had yet to fully recover. The presentation was only held here because of the historical value of the place. I’d heard the mecha had been displayed in other countries as well, under similar circumstances. It had been particularly popular in Nouveau Paris.

  But most of the
Chimera nobility—the general included—looked down on Gaia’s children. They lived up in the skies, risking their lives to protect us from potential invaders. For that, we were all grateful. I would’ve been happier about it if, half the time, I hadn’t felt inferior because I’d been born breathing the natural air of earth, not the filtered oxygen of Tartarus Base.

  On the stage, General Rhodes extended his arms, as if he was trying to embrace us all. “We’ve always wanted to share the blessings of Tartarus with Gaia’s children, the way they so generously share Gaia’s Gift with us. To this end, we have brought you one of the most magnificent chimeras to ever be created, the Sphinx.”

  As General Rhodes finished his little speech, the tarp on the chimera disappeared. It must’ve been a holographic projection. We didn’t use that kind of technology a lot on Earth, but for Chimera Warriors, it was probably normal. In any case, now that the hologram was gone, I finally got a look at what I’d come here to see. I wasn’t close enough to distinguish the details with my own eyes, but the image on the screen filled me with awe.

  As its name pointed out, this particular mecha looked like the legendary Sphinx. With a humanoid head, but a leonine body and the wings of an eagle, it would undoubtedly do massive damage to the forces of the Sun-Dwellers. “It’s beautiful,” I heard myself say.