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SoulBond: A Beacon Of Hope 22• A New Beacon: vi
•••••"What?!"His face turn serious. "I saw two realities!""How?""Just now, I walked into the room, and right when I was about to tell Gabriel to come with me to my room, I felt something within me, like a surge of energy. Then immediately, I went into space with Gabriel. Like, I went into his mind and brought out what he wanted. He continued. "He couldn't see me, but I could see him moving around. He was in a starship with Aliens and Jedis. He was holding an actual light saber. How?! That's impossible!""Okay! Calm down. Michael, you just activated your ability""My ability?""Yeah, the powers Avatars manifest. You just activated yours""Well, holy shit!"I chuckled."Do you have one?" He asked."Well, one time, I saw my hands shaking really fast. Then my body followed. So the only thing I could think of was phasing. But later on I realized I could release waves from my body. So now I'm not sure. I don't know what I can do""Oh. Have you tried doing it again? To find out?""Yeah.
SoulBond: A Beacon Of Hope 23• Meet A
••••••"North, are you there yet?" Mom asked, curious to know if I had reached the bank."Yes mom! I just arrived" I replied as I stood outside the Elven Stone Bank."Okay, be careful now""Alright, bye" I hung up.I walked into the bank to open an account. Elven Stone Bank let's people who are under 18 open accounts with them, but those accounts were given limits.While waiting in line, I noticed a girl in front of the line with a bracelet in her left arm. A bracelet I had seen before. She was also wearing slides with white socks.*Wait. Isn't that Ashyln?*"Ashlyn?!" I exclaimed as I tilt my body over to the left, to get a full glance of her."North?" She replied with a turn."Excuse me" I said, while exiting the line."Hey!" she uttered as we met outside the line."Hi, Ashlyn""Dude, what are you doing here?""Ah... I came.." I uttered as I gazed on her feet.*Damn! She looks good on those slides though.*"Huh?" She voiced."Yeah, I came to open one of those under 18 accounts. I n
SoulBond: A Beacon Of Hope 24• Meet A: ii
•••••"Okay"Suddenly, the man brought out a knife, those type the military use. And threw it at a fast paste towards the guard.The guard crumpled to the ground, hands on his neck trying to stop the bleeding.Panic erupted in the bank. Customers screamed, and the remaining three guards rushed to respond. The man immediately threw three knifes, swiftly towards them, making it slice their throats.Now, four guards that were in the building laid dead on the ground. As everyone panicked, few customers tried running out the door but got stop by a lightning fast knife throw. Before they could exit through the doors, he quickly turned towards them, and threw a knife at the hard solid ground, leaving it to stick, and make a crake.They stopped, frightened by what he could do next. He brought out two more knifes, gave a dead stare and placed one hand with a knife on his mask at the position of his lips, indicating he wanted silence.While the other hand holding the second knife, he pointed
SoulBond: A Beacon Of Hope 25• Meet A: iii
••••••Now***Red.The color of Ashlyn's blood was red. I could hear her heart beat slow down without even trying.It slowed down until it stopped beating. And I just watched, I watched as she took her last breath.*Red! My hands..... Ashlyn's.. Now all I see is...*"That man has a Demon Avatar's sign on his left wrist. He is one of them. A demon possessed host. The demon that killed Ashlyn" I mutter under my breath.She's gone, the ambulance took her with the rest of the cops that died today."Sir? Sir!" The female medic giving me a quick check up exclaims, snapping me back to the present. "You can go now" she adds."North! North! Oh my god!" Mom's voice pierces through the chaos, her tone laced with worry.I turn to see her rushing towards me, her eyes scanning me from head to toe as if searching for injuries."Mom" I say, my voice barely above a whisper.She reaches me and wraps me in a tight embrace. "Oh North. Are you okay? I rushed in as soon as I heard" she releases her embrace
SoulBond: A Beacon Of Hope 26• Meet A: iv
•••••4 hours laterMy phone rings, it's an alarm reminding me tomorrow is graduation day.I set an alarm a while ago to remind me to check if I had iron my outfit, both for the ceremony and prom.I switch it off immediately. I exhale, getting out of the bed to stare out the window."I could not save Ashlyn. What...? Why...? How can I save the world, when I can't even save one person. I'm useless. I can't be an Avatar. I can't be a beacon of hope. I have no purpose. This was a mistake. Given a second chance was a mistake. Why....? Why am I still here? I should be dead. It should have been me, not her. Why her? Why not me! I have no purpose. An Avatar? I... I can't, I can't" I mutter and wipe."I need to... I'm just a burden. I can't save anyone. These responsibilities, I'm not worth them"I stare at the ceiling for a moment, and thought*Maybe.*••••••Now on my roof top, standing at the edge. I gaze at the night sky, a night delight. Filled with stars, stars so bright. The cool wind
SoulBond: A Beacon Of Hope 27• Meet A: v
•••••"It's okay, it's okay""No, it's not. I watched you die. I let you die. I couldn't save you""It's not your fault. What happened today wasn't your fault. And I'm sure she'll say the same. You need to be strong, okay""How? How can I be? When I couldn't do anything. I just watched as a man killed today""North, strength isn't found in people who don't know fear. Strength is found in people who know fear, but decides to face it. To move forward no matter what it may be. That's true strength. So North, don't back down now, move forward, face it. Take brave but easy steps, and you'll see how much strength is within you" she voice softly.After saying those words, everywhere goes silent. I lay there in her embrace, letting her words sink in.After a while, I ask, "So, you're my Angel, huh?""Yes. I am""And is all this about fighting to restore balance real?""Yes. It's all real""Oh. Okay""Yeah. You're beacon. A beacon of hope. My Avatar""So what should I call you?""Any name you
SoulBond: A Beacon Of Hope 28• Graduation Day
••••••Michael and I put on our caps and gowns, taking a deep breath as we prepared to face the crowd. As we walk onto the stage, I couldn't help but think of Ashlyn.She should have been here with us, smiling and laughing as we accepted our diplomas.Mom waves from the crowd, I wave back. She blows a kiss, I smile, then turn my gaze to the principal giving his speech.I sigh. But as the day goes, I feel a sense of pride and accomplishment. We made it through high school, now a new chapter begins. Not as a high school graduate, but as an Avatar."Hey, mom" I wave as I approach her."Congrats to my boy. I'm so proud of you!" Mom says as she place a kiss on my forehead, then gives me a hug."Thanks mom"She smiles."So, are you still going to work?""Yeah. I told them I'll be there by 1""Oh. So you still have 40 minutes more""Yeah""Thanks for coming" I smile. "Also, I decided I don't want to go to prom""Oh. That's fine honey. If you don't want to go, you don't need to"I give a fain
SoulBond: A Beacon Of Hope 29• Graduation Day: ii
•••••"Now, that was a cannonball!" He exclaims with a laugh."Hey, guys!" I say as I reach the pool."North...! Finally" Gabriel exclaims. "Do a bigger splash than Michael's"I grin, "Okay"I take few steps back, stare at the spot I decide to land on, then run towards the pool's edge and jump.But instead of landing into the pool, I jump over it and land in the tall bushes close to it."WHAT?!" Gabriel yells with excitement. "That was cool!""Shit! North, are you okay?" Michael exclaims, exiting the pool.Ella just stares, speechless, shocked by what just occured."Yeah.. I'm fine. I'm okay" I say, trying to get up."You're sure? Cause you went over" Michael says, trying to help me up."Yeah, I'm good. The bush broke my fall""Ah... What was that?" Ella asks."I... Play basketball. Yeah, so I work on my legs. I have strong jumps. Yeah, high verticals!" I say, trying to sound convincing."Yeah! Basketball. We get our strong jumps from that" Michael exclaims, trying to back me up.Ella
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74• Noticable Growth: iv
Immediately, she blends with the shadow, rendering her unnoticeable.••••••I smile.They are improving. That's good. They should. The world out there can be unforgiving."Better! React faster" I shout.North swiftly dodges two speeding balls, his fluid movements a testament to growth.But one ball grazes his shoulder and he winces a little.Yet recovers swiftly.Michael spins left, dodging a ball mere inches from his ear.He catches one with his left hand.Deflects another with the caught ball.A third hits his chest, he stumbles, but quickly regains footing.Claire's reactions are faster.She dodges two.A third almost reach her thigh, but she quickly spin to the right and recovers her footing.My gaze sweeps, assessing. Their growth shines as cannons fire and balls hail.North's head tilt to the left, dodging an incoming ball. He shows progress with his powers as he anticipate the next ball.Michael's hands rise, deflecting two balls. Another ball hurtles toward him. He shifts his
73• Noticable Growth: iii
Meanwhile in an experimental Lab in school.Dim fluorescent lights cast eerie shadows.Dr. Kim scrutinized the Grade 4 Demon's glass enclosure at the right side of the lab.Its translucent dark form shimmer, ethereal skin blending.It eyes burn unnaturally.Wiry limbs faded.An unsettling chill surrounding it.Suddenly, the demon's eyes flash.Its form condensed, shrinking.Dr. Kim blinks.The enclosure seemed empty."What the?" She voice.She cautiously enters the enclosure, checking every corner.Confirming the demon's absence.Satisfied, she turn, exiting the enclosure to sound the alarm.But her instincts screams warning.Something was off. She turns around, checking the cell, he eyes roam her surrounding.She removes her wipe as she feels the change in the surrounding air.But yet, no trace of the Demon.She walks gently towards the alarm, her back to it.Fingers outstretched.But before she reached it, the tiny demon that was laced to her back, expanded.Enveloping her, she resi
72• Noticable Growth: ii
The tennis ball cannons roar to life, firing balls at unpredictable angles.I watch intently as Claire, Michael and North stand firm, blindfolds secure, relying on their other senses.The first balls hurtle toward them, trajectories uncertain.Claire pivots swiftly, dodging with ease, her agility allowing her to evade most balls. She twists left, avoiding a ball by inches, and leaps right, dodging another.Michael struggles to keep up, deflecting some balls with his hands but missing others. One hits his shoulder, and another grazes his ear.North moves quickly, but the balls' speed overwhelms him. He dodges a few, but others hit his chest and arm.I shout, "Adjust! React faster! Trust your instincts!"The cannons fire relentlessly, balls bouncing off walls and floor.Claire's agility proves advantageous, but even she can't dodge every ball. One hits her upper back.Michael stumbles by the ball that reaches behind his knee.North grunts, taking a ball to the stomach.Despite efforts, b
71• Noticable Growth
••••••Professor Patel stands at the forefront of the lecture hall, surveying the room with an air of authority."Today, we delve into Rankings, Classes and Grades" she announces, her voice commanding attention."Before us, we have the Avatar Rankings, a classification system developed to categorize reawakened humans, known as Angel Avatars. The rankings are: Z, SS, S, A, B, C, and D."She gestures to the diagram projected on the screen behind her."The Avatar Rankings signify the level of divine influence within an Angel Avatar, with Z being the highest and D being the lowest.""Conversely, demons are classified using Grades," Professor Patel continues. "Ranging from Special Grade, the most powerful, to Grade 5, the least."The screen behind her updates to show the Demon Grades:Special Grade - Highest tier, extreme threat Grade 1 - High-tier, significant threat Grade 2 - Mid-tier, moderate threat Grade 3 - Lower-tier, minor threat Grade 4 - Low-tier, minimal threat Grade 5
70• Entangled Threads: iii
•••••I nod, feeling a mix of excitement and trepidation."Tell me more about these encounters," she asks, her eyes filled with curiosity.I recount the moments with A, from the initial contact to the recent conversations.She listens intently, her expression thoughtful."When did you first notice this connection?" she asks."After Ashlyn's death" I reply, the memory still piercing.Her gaze softens. "I'm sorry again for your loss, North."She pauses, collecting her thoughts."Your ability to communicate with A is remarkable," she says. "But I suspect there is more to it. Something triggered this connection.""I don't really know what it could be. But A mentioned something about past lives" I say.Patel leans forward, her brows narrowed. "Past lives, right? I've been considering various explanations for your Angel communication. One possibility stands out: residual energies from past experiences.""Past experiences?" I repeat, intrigued.She nods. "Unresolved threads, North. Fragments
69• Entangled Threads: ii
•••••To master our abilities."Alright, let's go again!" Saint declares, as he wraps his blindfold around his eyes."Right!" Michael, Claire, and I exclaim in unison, our determination palpable.We give some some distance from him."Begin" Saint utters.We charge into the fray, blindfolds secure, senses heightened.The sound of our footsteps echoes through the room.Saint's giggles resonates, taunting us. He is having fun.I track his movement by sound.A faint rustle of fabric.A soft creak of the floor.A subtle shift in air pressure.I fire blindly.A paintball whizzes past Saint's ear.He spins and returns fire.The paintball explodes against the wall.Michael's gunfire intensifies.Claire's shots ping off the floor.Saint dodges using echolocation to evade our shots.He leaps over a stray paintball an lands softly.He fires a paintball, it grazes Claire's arm.She gasps, adjusts her aim and fires back.Saint's grunt confirms a hit.Michael seizes the opening and release shots ag
68• Entangled Threads
••••••The school bell rings, signaling lunch break.Michael, Claire, and I drop our lunch trays on the table where Phillip and his teammates are seated."Hey, guys" I say."Oh, hey!" Phillip voice with a smile."How have you guys been?" He asks, his brow furrowed.Michael shrugs. "We are still alive."Lora chuckles. "So okay?"I nod. "We almost drown to death, but yeah, okay"Henry's curiosity is piqued." 'Drown to death'? What happened?""The 'leap of faith' exercise was quite the experience" Michael says touching his wrist.Claire chuckles.Phillip leans in. "Tell us"I grin. "Imagine jumping off a cliff next to a waterfall, trusting your instincts to save you."Michael chimes in."Yeah, and all for the purpose of having faith in our abilities."The group falls silent, captivated by our story.Phillip breaks the silence."Saint's methods are certainly... unconventional."Lora nods. "But effective?"I exchange a look with Michael and Claire."Yeah, we were able to summon our wings
67• Leap of Faith: iii
The drive home begins.••••••I enter the house, trying to hide my limp."Hey, mom" I greet."Hi, baby. Welcome back," she says, removing muffins from the oven.Her eyes sparkle as she turns to face me, stopping from rushing up the stairs."So, how was camping?" She asks.I attempt a nonchalant smile."It was great. Saint and the others were awesome."Mom's gaze drops to my ankle."Awesome, huh? And what's with the fancy ankle wrap?"I chuckle, caught."Oh, uh, just a little mishap."Mom's eyebrows rise."Mishap?"She sets the muffin tray down, marching toward me."Let me see."I hesitate, but she's determined.She gently unwraps the bandage, revealing a bruise.Her expression changes from curiosity to concern."North! What happened?"I shrug."Minor slip during a hike. No big deal."Her hands on her hips."Minor slip? Saint was supposed to keep an eye on you, not turn you into a human sling."I laugh."Mom, it's really fine."She sighs. "Get ice on that. Now."As I obey, Mom mutters
66• Leap of Faith: ii
As we sit, the sound of Claire's laughter and Saint's encouragement carry on the wind, a reminder of our shared journey.•••••2:00 pmMichael and I sit, our backs against each other, eyes closed, focusing on our inner energy. The gentle breeze carries wildflower scents, and warm sunlight casts a comforting glow.We've been practicing Mana control for hours, striving to contain its flow within our bodies. Our breathing slows, reflecting our growing mastery.Claire's screams and laughter echoes through the air, mingling with Saint's screams and encouragement. They've been airborne for hours, refining her wing control.Occasional breaks punctuate their aerial training. They descend, sharing smiles and praise, before ascending again.As we meditate, I sense Michael's Mana flow stabilizing. His aura, once turbulent, now resonates with calm intensity."Your control is improving," I remark, opening my eyes.Michael's gaze meets mine, his eyes crinkling."Yours too," he replies. "We're getti
