I stood before my classmates, violin tucked under my chin, bow poised. The lecture hall fell silent, anticipation building. My heart beat steady, focused.
I closed my eyes, letting the music take over. The bow danced across the strings, coaxing out the melancholic notes of "Blue Bird." The melody flowed from my violin, weaving a sonic tapestry of longing and nostalgia.
My fingers moved with precision, guided by the emotions pouring from my heart. The music swelled, filling the room with its poignant beauty. I was now lost in the sound, my soul resonating with every note.
Time stood still as I played on, my eyes remaining shut. My classmates were entranced, their breathing synchronized with the rhythm. Some swayed gently, swept away by the haunting refrain.
Before hitting the last string, I felt a surge of energy that resulted in me cutting all the strings and breaking the class windows.
"My ears!" Everyone screamed.
The broken glass shattered and pierced few students that were close to the windows. I immediately drop the violin, opening my eyes to see what I had done.
"What?" I voiced, my eyes wide opened.
"Mr Davison!" someone yelled.
"Mr Davison!" Mr Alfred yelled again, making me sane.
"Go turn on the fire alarm" he said with distress in his voice and a hand in his ear as he tried standing up.
"Hurry!"
••••••
After the medics arrived to attend to the students who got injured in the incident, the school board called a day off so everyone could go home.
What happened? how?
I wondered as floods of emotions and thought got mixed up.
"Hey baby, are you okay?" My mom asked as the traffic light hit red.
"Yeah mom, I'm fine" I replied.
"You are sure?"
"Yeah I'm okay" I said, giving off a faint smile.
The light turn green and the car continued to move.
The drive was short and quiet. We eventually got home and I went straight to the shower in my room and sat in the tub.
"What is going on?" I muttered with my head faced down on my crossed arms.
"What's wrong with me! Why do I feel so.... What is happening to my body?" I found myself thinking, lost in my thoughts as I feel faint vibrations all around me.
Next thing I saw was my hands vibrating so fast like they were gonna phase.
"Am I dreaming!" I uttered, waving my hands to see if they were really mine.
"STOP!" I implored, which made them stop shaking, but then made my face to start vibrating the same way.
"Stop! I command whatever is happening to stop!" I yelled.
"Just stop" I breathed, my voice a barely audible sigh.
And immediately I stopped vibrating like that. I stood up, looked in the mirror and noticed my eyes glowing.
They were glowing silver, the few tips of my hair that were miraculously white after my fall, were all now white, giving out a faint glow.
"What's going on? Why are my eyes like that, what happened to the tips of my hair! why are they all white now? Am I hallucinating" My voice cracked with distress.
"Wake up!" I exclaimed after hitting myself. "Wake up!"
"North! I'm going back to work" mom yelled from downstairs.
"There is lunch in the fridge, when you are hungry just heat it up" she added. After a minute without a reply, she called, "North?"
"Okay mom, thank you, see you later" I yelled from upstairs.
"Alright, bye!" She yelled, closing the door.
"Okay North, think!" I muttered. "What do you think caused these changes" I said, while taking a sit on my bed, trying to remember what happened since that night.
"That night! That night? From what I remember, I fell and almost... died" I said, with a cringe expression on my face.
Now laying my back on the bed, I tried to reflect on what happened that day.
Before all of that, what happened was... I was practicing playing the violin on the school roof after all classes had end. I got tired so I decided to take a water break. A minute later, I heard the exist door open, I went to check, then I saw Ashlyn on the edge of the roof trying to jump.
I yelled her name, making her turn towards me. We spoke, which gave me a chance to get close to her. After talking, telling her reasons why she shouldn't take her own life, she felt okay and tried climbing down but slipped and fell. Thankfully she grabbed the edge with her hands, which made it possible for me to pull her up.
After pulling her up, a wind blew and pushed her hat off that was already dangling off her head. So I tried grabbing it but extended my body too far, which made me slip and fall. Next thing was... I felt my body turn cold, and then I saw a bright light.
I woke up and I was in an hospital, healed up like nothing happened. Except for my white-tipped hair that I managed to convince mom I dyed while in school, I did not notice any change. So what happened?
Now opening my eyes and giving off a deep sigh, I laid there staring at the ceiling.
"I hope those guys are okay, especially Michael. Not only did I mess up his violin, but I got him in a hospital. I hope he's doing okay" I muttered, putting my arm over my face.
I sigh.
I hope I'm okay
••••••
It's Monday, I wonder what this day is gonna bring.
"Hey you" Ashlyn said while giving me a pock on the arm.
"How are you doing" she asked.
I shift my attention from my opened locker to her and replied, "Hey Ashlyn, I'm fine. Just concerned about the guys who got injured on Friday"
"Yeah, and Mr Alfred too, you are in his class right? I hope they are getting better"
"Yeah, hope so. So watsup?" I asked while placing my note book in my locker.
"Can you meet me after school. I have something to give you" she replied with a mischievous grin.
"Okay. Yeah, no problem"
"Great!" She said, then walked away toward her class, leaving me to stare and wonder.
Something? What might that be?
Time passed, it was the second period, and it's Mr Alfred's class. He wasn't in school because he was in the hospital. So using that time, I went searching for my violin.
"Where is it? It was right there" I growled, making me wonder who must have taken it or what happened to it.
Why is this happening to me.
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SoulBond: A Beacon Of Hope 4• Now It Begins: Three
••••••The bell rang, signaling school was over. I go meet Ashlyn who was waiting for me at the school's football field."Hey, Ashyln!" I waved while approaching her."North! Hey" she smiled."Did I keep you waiting?""Oh, no. I just got here""Okay""So remember when you saved me, you dropped something" she said, her voice laced with excitement. "Uhmm..." I hummed, thinking of what she meant.She grinned. "Yeah, I'm sure you must be worried, so I have it!" *Is she talking about my violin? Please let it be my violin.*"I took it home with me after you got taken to the hospital" she said, then squat to take something from a bag I had just notice."It's your violin!" She smiled. "You dropped it on the roof when you saved me. So I figured I would be the one to keep it save for you. So here! It had a crack but I fixed it, hope you like it""Ashlyn! Thank you so much! This means alot!" I exclaimed as my heart eased up with relief to finally see it. To see the violin I got from my dad."
SoulBond: A Beacon Of Hope 5• I Remember
••••••"Hey, dude, wake up. Hey wake up!" Someone yelled as my eyes gently opened."Tengen, he's waking up" someone exclaimed with a lax tone, now certain was a girl."Hey... Nice to meet you" a man said as my eyes adjusted to the surrounding."Who are you people, where am I?" I asked, sitting up straight."Well, I'm Tengen, and this is Claire. And you're in one of our safe house" he replied as he placed down a seat to the left side of the bed I was laying on. He stands tall atleast 6'3", his athletic physique exuding an aura of quiet confidence. His striking features are accentuated by an unruly mess of black hair, which falls across his forehead in soft, wispy strands. He is wearing shades, so I don't see his eyes.He wears a sleek, dark blue jacket with a simple, streamlined design. The jacket's left lapel bears a subtle, silver pin, while the right side features a crisp, buttoned closure.He pairs the jacket with tailored, dark blue trouser of same material. It looks like it's m
SoulBond: A Beacon Of Hope 6• I Remember: Two
•••••"If your Angel doesn't permit the usage of your abilities, then you can not access it" she replied.Tengen sneezed and explained, "Okay, let's say you can control gravity at a point you focus on, and you get pissed off by your mates or neighbors. So you want to use your powers on them, now that would be bad and selfish, so your Angel won't let you"He elaborated. "Your Angel is always with you, you just can't see it, in this realm that is. Even though we are good, we still get selfish sometimes. So if you want to use your powers with bad intent, you won't be able to access it cause your Angel won't let you""Unless if it is self-defense. Your powers just activates on it own" Claire added."Now, the whole purpose of the deal is to stop evil from filling this world. As you know, we have Good, Evil, and we have the Balanced. In the other realms I mentioned, there is just the Good and the Bad, there is no thing like a mix called Balance. Now this Evil want to make this world its own
SoulBond: A Beacon Of Hope 7• I Remember: Three
•••••"What I mean is, in schools you were told the earth is spherical, but in reality, the earth is flat. The school system is like that because these Demons influenced it.These Demons have influence in lots of places so they can be able to cover their tracks.They say the earth is spherical so we wouldn't be able to find those four breaches, but the earth is actually flat. It is flat with North in the middle, while South at the end"He elaborated. "At the end of the earth is where south is located, east and west are two directions of North. Picture a pizza and place a toothpick in the middle. Now pour cheese on the middle, be cautious not to make it spill everywhere. Now that cheese is the land we stay on, the toothpick in the middle is North, and edges of the pizza are South. And South is covered with ice walls. That's the way the earth is, even the sun and the moon are closer than you think, they are not in space. Space? What a joke! The Earth is flat, surrounded by ice walls, and
SoulBond: A Beacon Of Hope 8• I Remember: Four
•••••"Red, huh. Well, you have a great journey ahead of you" he said while placing them back."What does red mean?" I asked, my voice laced with a bit of excitement."It means you're at Rank D, the lowest rank" Claire replied."Oh!" I uttered, my voice filled with disappointment.Immediately, Tengen sneezed ridiculously.*He really needs to check that out.*"Yeah" she voiced."How many colors are there?" I asked, curious."6 colors. There's the Red - the lowest Rank, Purple - the intermediate, Light blue - advanced, Blue - high-level, Green - exceptional, White - Masterful" she replied."Okay. Then what did he mean by special?"Tengen replied. "Specials. A Special is a rare and exceptional Avatar, imbued with an abundance of mana and immense potential, surpassing that of an average Avatar. This uniqueness could be attributed to: A prestigious bloodline, carrying a legacy of powerful Avatars. Unusual creation circumstances, such as a rare celestial alignment or exposure to extraordina
SoulBond: A Beacon Of Hope 9• Confession
••••••School bell rang, signaling the school day was over."Hey," Michael calls. "Hey, North, wake up" he said while poking my arm."Bro, wake up, class is over" he exclaimed."Class? I wouldn't even call that a class. That was a free period of torture" I sneered while packing the book off my desk."Yeah, she went on and on about Prom. No wonder you fell asleep" he chuckled."Yeah. When is Rachel gonna realize that after graduation, life is gonna be sticks and stones. She shouldn't get too excited" I uttered while exiting the classroom with Michael."But you are coming for Prom next week, right?" Michael asked."Maybe" I replied. "Hey, did she come?""No. I didn't see her today either" "Oh" I said, my voice laced with disappointment."I still can not believe she is moving to Australia" Michael voiced as we walk down the hall."Well, her dad isn't really in the best position to be called a parent. After all, he did just got arrested. So, she will be staying with her aunt in Australia
SoulBond: A Beacon Of Hope 10• Confession: Two
•••••Immediately she uttered those words, it felt like my heart skipped a beat, and all senses were gone. I then shift my gaze toward her, my eyes meet hers. It took a second to reply, then I said,"Yes""Oh" she uttered, her eyes now towards some distant point."Since when?" She asked."Since the 6th grade" I replied."Why didn't you say anything?""I tried. There were times I wanted telling you, but I was scared. Scared you would say no, and that could put any form of relationship we have or could have in jurperdy. Or scared you would say yes, cause if you do say yes, then what's next? what would be after that. I did not see myself good enough. What was my worth anyways. So I kept a distance, a distance that made me love you from afar""North, we are graduating next week, and after that, we get into a college. When did you plan on telling me?"I slowly turned my gaze towards the clouds, and then towards some distant point, and sighed."When I found worth"Everywhere went silent fo
SoulBond: A Beacon Of Hope 11 • Michael
North POV••••••"Yesterday was great" I said while wearing my sneakers."I hope she goes for prom. Michael needs to know she's okay and it is possible she might be my date. I couldn't reach him last night, which was odd. His line is always available" I uttered while reaching for my phone on the table.I stood up, dialled his line and walked to the door to leave the room. "Still no response. Crap! I hope he didn't get kidnapped. If he did, and his parents do pay ransom, they will definitely start to home school him. Damn! I hope that is not the case" I said as I reached the sitting room.*It is a little bit chilly today. Maybe I should get my hoodie...Nah, I'll be fine*I yourned, shutting the door behind me.It's a Saturday, so I usually go for morning jogs. I started doing that since I was 14. Because, before my dad died. He would always tell me, "A man should always make out time to exercise"I wanted to start from the age of 9, but my mom didn't let me.She would always say, "You
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52• A Promise: ii
•••••Ken, the Uber driver, waits outside.We walk into the car and take our seats."Hey, where to?" Ken asks, oblivious of my presence, as he tries to reach his fallen air pod case."Two drops," I reply. "First, Michael's place, then mine."Ken nods."Sounds good," he says. "Wait, I know that voice" he grabs the air pod case and seats back straight."North! My man" he smiles.I smile. "Hey, Ken""It's been a while. Are you doing?" He asks."I'm good. So, I used my friend's account to book the ride, but she's not coming. Hope you don't mind" Ken smiles. "Yeah, of course not""Cool. This is my friend, Michael""Oh. Oh... Hey, nice to meet you. I'm Ken" Ken says, then stretch his hand to shake Michael."Same" Michael takes his hand.Ken nods then starts the car."Saint Estate first, right?" Ken asks as we begin to move."Yeah" I reply."Alright. Music?" Ken asks.I look at Michael, he nods."Yeah" I reply."Great!" Ken voice then turns on the music. "So, Michael?""Yeah?" Michael repli
51• A Promise
•••••••"What do you think happened to him?" Michael ask."I don't know, but whatever it is, it wasn't normal" Claire replies.Their voice echo in my head."Should we contact the school?" Michael asks."Not yet," Claire says. "We haven't found out what happened yet" I open my eyes and see a ceiling light. My head aches like it's going to split in two as I begin to sit up from the sofa.I groan to the pain, which Informs Michael and Claire who are sitting around the dinning table across the room that I'm awake."North!" Michael exclaims.Claire turns, Concern etched on her face.Michael walks to my side, his eyes scanning my face."North, man, thank God you're awake," he says, relief laced in his voice.I try to speak, but my throat feels parched. Michael hands me a glass of water from the table near by."Slowly, dude," he advises as I take a sip.Claire rises from her seat, her expression a mix of worry and curiosity as she walks towards the back of the couch to my right."What happe
50• Mastering Intent: iv
••••••SaturdayI push open the pharmacy door and greet Craig with a nod. "Hey, Craig."Craig smiles, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Hey, North! How's your mom doing?""Oh, she's doing well" I reply and wander down the aisles, searching for Mom's prescription medication. The fluorescent lights overhead cast a sterile glow, and the air is thick with the scent of antiseptic and perfume.While searching for the medication, a sudden presence prickled the hairs on the back of my neck. My senses tingled, alerting me of the sudden change in the air.I slowly turn my gaze towards my left, stare towards the glass window for a brief moment, but I see nothing out of the ordinary. So I get back to looking for mom's medications on the shelf.As I round a shelf, I feel the air become more dense. *Am I sick?*Someone push open the doors, then I hear a man walk in. His boots making an echo with each step he takes.But I ignore it. The man approaches the counter, his movements economical."The
49• Mastering Intent: iii
•••••We assemble before a large, open area. "I'll demonstrate each one, showcasing their unique capabilities."He gestures to a nearby rack, adorned with an array of weapons."First, the sword."Professor Nog unsheathed a gleaming katana, its blade shimmering in the sunlight. With a fluid motion, he assumed a battle stance."Watch closely" he says, eyes focused on the tennis ball in his hand With lightning speed, he tossed the ball forward. In a blur, he closed the distance, sword slicing through the air. Time seemed to slow as the blade intersected the ball, splitting it cleanly.The two halves fluttered to the ground, their trajectory revealing the sword's swift path. Professor Nog stood poised, several steps ahead of his initial position, his stance unwavering.I felt the air vibrate with the hum of his sword, the only sound in the stunned silence.Next, Professor Nog selects a pair of daggers."Dagger techniques require agility and stealth."He wields the daggers with deadly gr
48• Mastering Intent: ii
•••••*Did I imagine interacting with my Angel that night?*I wonder."Hey, North" Michael calls out, pulling me from my thoughts."You are not hungry?" He asks."What?" "You've barely touched your meal. What's going on?" He asks, leaving Claire who's next to me shift her gaze towards me."Oh. Ahhh..""Did that class make you loss your appetite?" Claire asks, then stares back at her meal."No. Nothing's wrong. I was just thinking about something. Nothing to worry about" I say then pick my fork.Michael nods.A moment later, a guy walks in, the room's atmosphere shifts. Conversations pause, eyes drawn to his striking figure. His charming smile spreads as he navigates through the crowd with ease.Someone whispers, "Isn't that Larson Ray?"Another whispers, "Hey, that's Larson."Larson's gaze scans the room, locking onto Claire. He smiles and makes his way towards her, his stride confident."Hey, Larson! Congrats on acing the exams!" A random guy calls out.Larson, attention still on Cl
47• Mastering Intent
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46• You Never Asked: ii
•••••Thinking about it, it must have been horrible to get your blood suck out regularly."No it wasn't. I was fine" Stan replies to my thoughts."What?" I asked confused to if he just heard my thoughts."So why did you become my driver if you needed to keep a low profile?" Michael asks, immediately Claire walks back and takes her seat."That? I was simply bored" Stan replies, then sips his coffee. "Aren't you guys drinking your coffee?" He asks."You were bored?!" Michael utters with confusion etched on his face."Yes. I was bored of the life I was living. After 9 years of study and intense training, I just got bored of everything. So, I asked your dad for a job. Anna didn't stop me because I would have force my way out of that life if she had tried. And I was already strong enough to be on my own, so she let me""Okay. So why didn't you say anything before? Why now?" I ask.He smiles. "Cause, not until recently, My family did not give me the freedom I wanted. They didn't know I was
45• You Never Asked
••••••As we approach the gate, a guy suddenly reveal himself from behind a near by tree."Hey, guys" He says casually as if he knows us.For a moment it seems I don't recognize him because I have never seen him in casual clothing, but after I scan his appearance, I realize who is standing in front of us."Stan?" Michael and I exclaim with widen eyes.Claire stares as us. "You guys have met?"Stan smiles."Mr Stan, what are you doing here?" I ask."Yeah, you didn't inform me you were coming. And I thought you wouldn't be back anytime soon" Michael adds "Mr Stan?" Claire voice with a confused expression."Yeah, Mr Stan is Michael's personal driver" "Hmm? Stan? You're still working?" Claire asks."Hello Claire! Good to see you again. Well, since you two are surprised to see me here, why don't we go for a cup of coffee so I can explain why. There's a near by coffee shop here"We stare at Stan, surprised he is here on school grounds, because the school only permit it students and teache
44• Claire's Past: iv
•••••2 minutes laterSaint gestures to a holographic projector. "Time for teamwork training. Your objective: land 20 hits on the hologram within 12 minutes. He is on adaptive mode, so go easy on him"The hologram takes form, a sleek, agile fighter.Now in our jumpsuits, we prepare to face the hologram.I take a deep breath, Michael does the same."Let's move!" Claire calls, charging forward.Michael and I follow, forming a triangle around the hologram.In the initial flurry, we land a few hits. Claire's swift kicks connect, while Michael's powerful hooks send the hologram stumbling. My punches find their mark.It feels so easy. Maybe because we are Avatars, or because the hologram's fighting level is on 1.Suddenly, the hologram adapts, its movements becoming more fluid.Michael's attempts multiple strategies, but his execution falters. Claire's eyes track the hologram's movements, yet her timing is off. My vibrokanesis overwhelms me with vibrations, disrupting my focus.As the cloc