Big Bang Shard

A Big Bang Shard (ビッグバンシャード - Biggubanshādo) or simply: "Shards" are mysterious artifacts making their debut in the Conception Story Arc, one having been recovered from the belly of an Archfiend by Kyouko and Mami, who were shocked by the unexpected discovery and clueless as to it's purpose.

General Information
Big Bang Shards can be found by themselves or encased within a special, triangular glass case of unknown origin (Perhaps the Shard generates the container itself for self-protection). The Shards themselves appear as strange diamond-shaped gems floating inside a clear glass orb, the Shard itself surrendering to gravity once it is removed from it's case.

The function of a Shard is to awaken a Seraph from within a Magi's soul, transforming their Soul Gem into an independent being and enhancing the Magi's natural abilities well beyond their original state (If not outright granting new powers).

At the start of Conception, they seem to be the main goal of Homura Akemi, who states that there are more than one floating around, and therefore more to be discovered- As to what will happen once Homura collects all the shards, is currently unknown.