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SoulBond: A Beacon Of Hope 33• The Exams: iv
•••••"Alright, kindly step into the circle. The timer will start 5 seconds after you're in"I take a deep breath.*I got this.*I step into the circle, grab the floating staff. The suit makes it feel real, the gloves have some magnetic properties, so my hands does not close completely.I stand 5 feets away from the holographic trainer, and wait for it to begin. Suddenly, it flickers and takes my form, then a staff forms on his hand.*Oh.*A drop of sweat forms on my face as the clock goes down to 3 seconds before the session starts. I stare at Diana, then back at the trainer.It then begins.I hesitate, unsure to move. The trainer charges forward, its staff flashing in a blur of light. I flinch, raising my staff in defense. The impact shudders through my arms, and I stumble back.Breathing heavily, I know I have to fight with everything I have.••••••"Time elapsed: 5 minutes" the AI announces.I force myself to move, swinging my staff widely. The trainer parries each strick with eas
SoulBond: A Beacon Of Hope 34• The Exams: v
••••••Mark places his phone down, stares at Tengen for moment."Let me hurry and beat you so I can get back to work""What?! You don't stand a chance! You're already losing""Really?! Let's see what you got""Alright, let me show you what this blind dude can do. Check ball"Mark grins. "You're on!"•••••••30 minutes earlier"Time expired. Task incomplete. You hit 3 out of 6 targets" the AI announces."Not bad North, you almost got it. Your determination is admirable" Diana says with a smile.No.. that was bad. I sucked."Thanks" I reply with a low voice."So, you are given 5 minutes to rest. After that, we'll test your physical strength and endurance" she says, then hands me a water bottle.••••••A while ago."Task complete. You hit 6 out of 6 targets. Time elapsed: 10 minutes" the AI announces."Good job, Larson! You finished before time" Will, the guide says, handing Larson a water bottle."Well, it wasn't that hard. If I really wanted to, I could have finished sooner" Larson say
SoulBond: A Beacon Of Hope 35• The Exams: vi
••••••I head towards the elevators. Michael waits outside, looking equally drained."Hey, how did it go?" I ask."Three targets, and I couldn't reach the yellow spot" he replies, shaking his head. "Didn't expect it to be that tough."I nod sympathetically. "Same here."We exchange weary smiles and head towards the main hall. The atmosphere is tense, filled with anxious chatter.Claire sits alone, her expression serene. I consider approaching her but decide to give her space.Mia's voice echoes through the intercom. "All examinees, please report to the main hall for the announcement of exam results."The room falls silent, anticipation hanging heavy.Mia stands at the front, a holographic screen behind her. "Welcome, everyone. The exam results will now be displayed."The screen flickers to life, listing names and ranks.My heart races as I scan the list.Gasps and little cheers erupt around me. Some faces fall, while others beam with pride.I search for the names:North Davison: Rank
SoulBond: A Beacon Of Hope 36• The Exams: vii
•••••••Michael and I walk into the pizza place, scanning the bustling atmosphere.But then our eyes land on Jake and his friends, laughing loudly at a table.Michael's expression turns sour. "Should we go somewhere else?"I nod. "Yeah, don't feel like dealing with him."Jake's eyes catches mine as we turn to leave, and as we exit the pizza place, he gets up from his table and follows us outside."Hey, North!" Jake calls out.We slow down, turning to face him."What do you want, Jake?" I asks warily."I wanted to talk to you" he replies."What about?" He grins shifting his gaze towards our right, then looks back."I'm..I'm sorry about your violin and what I said about your mom. I was out of line, and I feel terrible about it." He apologies."What?" Michael and I utter simultaneously.My expression softens slightly, surprised by his words.Huh? Is he serious?He continues. "I was a jerk, and I hurt you. So I'm sorry!""Oh," I reply. "it's cool" He nods. "Yeah"The three of us stand t
SoulBond: A Beacon Of Hope 37• Pre-term Classes
••••••15th, Monday, April.I step out of the car, gazing up at the Essence Academy's imposing structure. Michael joins me, his expression a mix of excitement and nerves."Ready for this?" he asks, shouldering his backpack.I nod. "Yeah, let's go"We walk towards the entrance, where a crowd of students chats and laughs. Some glance at us with curiosity, while others seem entirely focused on their own conversations.Inside, the lobby bustles with activity. A large screen displays a welcome message and class schedules. We join the queue to collect our student IDs and orientation packets.As we wait, I notice a girl with striking brown hair and piercing blue eyes. She's chatting with a group of students. She looks timid.Michael follows my gaze."Who's that?" He asks."No idea," I reply. "She's just..."Michael grins. "Okay"Then I hear someone call her name."Luna"She responds, turning towards the direction the voice came from, and waves with a smile.The queue moves forward, and we co
SoulBond: A Beacon Of Hope 38• Pre-term Classes: ii
•••••The Avatar Fundamentals class was a introduction on who, and what Angel Avatars are. How they get born. How their senses and reflexes increases as they train. What their purpose are. There abilities and uniqueness between themselves. And all what they're capable of and how they should act.Our next class is for Angel Avatar History. Professor Thompson greets us warmly."Today, we'll explore the origins and evolution of Angel Avatars" she says.The lecture delves mystical events, and the discovery of Avatar abilities. We learn about notable Angel Avatars throughout history, their accomplishments, and struggles."The first Avatar came into existence when the first gate opened up. It happened about 500 hundred years ago.When the gate opened up, Demons started coming out from it. We call that time 'The First Era'. They were Strong Powerful Demons that corrupted everyone they came in contact with. After their presence caused a disturbance in the balance of things, Angels began making
SoulBond: A Beacon Of Hope 39• Pre-term Classes: iii
••••••Our next class, Angel Avatar Physiology, provides insight into the biological and spiritual aspects of Avatar abilities. We walk into a training hall.Professor Patel explains. "Avatars possess enhanced senses, strength, and agility due to their Angelic energy we call Mana"Then a student walks in.Professor Patel smiles. "Now, it's time for a practical demonstration. I've invited a 3rd year student, Saint, an advanced Avatar. He is here to showcase the capabilities of an Avatar in their awakened state"Saint, a tall, athletic-built student, walks into the training hall and stand next to the professor. Confidence radiating from him. He looks humble with a lax expression on his face."Saint has graciously offered to demonstrate his abilities" Professor Patel voice."Actually, I was kinda forced too" Saint mutters, placing his hand on his neck, turning to face the wall to his left."Ready, Saint?" The professor asks.Saint nods."To begin, let's test Saint's strength" Professor P
SoulBond: A Beacon Of Hope 40• Pre-term Classes: iv
•••••"Big Sis!" Saint exclaims. "Oh, sorry Saint. My hand might have slipped" she replies with a chuckle."I bought this shirt last week. And you know I hate shopping""Why weren't you wearing your uniform?""Today is my day off. And you said I didn't need to show my wings" "Do not worry, I'll get you another one""Well, it's not like I have an extra. How do I get home?" Saint says, as his wings begin to slowly retract into his back."Check my car, you'll see my hoodie" the professor says, throwing him her car keys."That wasn't cool!" Saint utters, then begins to walk out the hall."Okay, everyone, as you saw, Avatars also have wings. They use those to fly in the sky really fast. It also can be use as shields. I'll go into more details in our next class" she says with a smile.••••••The final class, Angel Avatar Ethics, raises thought-provoking questions. Professor Rodriguez encourages debate and discussion."As beacons, you'll face complex moral dilemmas," she emphasizes. "Your
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75• Sparring Matches
•••••"Hey, guys" Claire greets as Michael meet her at the school entrance gate."Hey, Claire" Michael replies."Hey" I greet, then we begin walking to class."Happy New Month!" Michael smiles."Oh, same" Claire smiles slightly.I smile. "Can you believe it? It's been a month since our journey started."Michael grins."Yeah, it has," He says. "And it's been an eventful journey"Claire glances at the both of us and smiles."You guys are weird"Michael and I exchange looks."What do you mean?" I ask."You are making it sound like it's some kind of big milestone you both just achieved" She replies. "I mean, don't get me wrong, it has been an eventful month for you guys, but the journey is only just beginning"Michael grins. "Yeah"I nod.As we step into class, we see our classmates all standing at the right side of the hall, surrounding a chair."What's going on" Michael mutters.Claire sighs then bites down her chocolate bar."It's Larson!" She utters then goes to take her seat. Immedi
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
