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SoulBond: A Beacon Of Hope 30• The Exams
••••••As we stepped into the building, we immediately get struck by its serene atmosphere. The interior is sleek and modern, with soft and calming colors.We get greeted by a friendly receptionist with a warm smile."Welcome, your name please" she voice softly.We reply."North Davison""Michael Gadreel" "Okay! North and Michael," she says, checking through her computer. "Welcome, please come this way"She lead to us a sleek, modern desk, where we dropped our phones. Then she hand us each a small black wristband. "Please wear these wristbands at all times during the exams. They will track your progress and monitor your vital signs"We take the wristbands and place them on, feeling a slight tingling sensation as they synced with our bodies."Thank you," she says. "Now, please proceed to the examination area"We follow her directions to a large circular room filled with other new Angel Avatars. Few looks nervous, others determined, while few showed no emotions.We recognize none of t
SoulBond: A Beacon Of Hope 31• The Exams: ii
••••••"So, the exams are today, huh?" Tengen utters, then fill his mouth with a spoon of ice-cream."Yeah. Over 300 Avatars and 207 Kaleekis. Both from our Sector and Sector B" Mark replies, face down on his phone."That's nice. Hope they will come out well"" 'Nice'? No, that's barely enough numbers""It's better than none. Remember, it's quality over quantity. And I feel like this generation is special""Let's hope so"Tengen smiles. "Yeah" "Your sister is taking the exams, I'm sure she'll do well""Yeah... She'll be fine. So far the newbies I met all showed potential. So, I'm sure they'll all do well" Tengen says, then fills his mouth with a bigger chuck of ice-cream."Next time, let people responsible for the first interaction, do their job. If you decide to go again, I won't follow you" Mark says, his voice laced with annoyance.Tengen smirks. "Huh? Common, it was fun""No it wasn't. Maybe for you it was. But for me it was a drag""Ugh, you're no fun! And why haven't you touche
SoulBond: A Beacon Of Hope 32• The Exams: iii
•••••We follow her to a separate building. A building still connected to the main building, but had more floors. Over 15 floors. She leads us to the lobby at the ground floor."Each floor has doors labeled with a number. Kindly locate your room door, a guide is already waiting for you. From number 1-25 on Floor 1From 26-50 on Floor 2From 51-75 on Floor 3From 76-100 on Floor 4From 101-125 on Floor 5From 126-150 on Floor 6From 151-175 on Floor 7From 176-200 on Floor 8From 201-225 on Floor 9From 226-250 on Floor 10From 251-275 on Floor 11From 276-300 on Floor 12.The elevators can carry a maximum of 25 people. There are currently 5 elevators. So you guys will go in sets" she exclaims.We begin moving, locating our doors. It takes a while, but Michael and I finally reach our doors."See you on the other side" I voice, a little bit anxious."Yeah!" Michael replies.I walk into my room and a see a lady. An Avatar just like Mia.She has white long hair with light blue eyes. She we
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
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78• Match
•••••I step into the center of the sparring ring, my heart pounding in my chest. The wood of the staff feels solid in my hands, but my grip tightens. I glance up at Professor Nog, who's waiting for me with his katana at the ready. I can feel everyone's eyes on me, but I block it out. This is just another challenge."Let's do this," I mutter under my breath.Professor Nog nods. "Begin!"I move first, swinging my staff at his midsection. It feels fluid, but the moment my staff connects with his katana, I realize how much stronger he is. The clash echoes, and he easily pushes my staff aside, his katana moving so fast I barely have time to react.I try to keep my footing steady and step back, circling him. My eyes stay locked on his movements. He doesn't rush, doesn't waste energy. It's like he's reading me before I make the move. I strike again, this time aiming for his head. He ducks, and I spin, trying to catch him off guard with a strike to his side. But his katana is already there,
77• Losing End
•••••Lora stands confidently in the center of the sparring space we all circle, her eyes fixed intently on Professor Nog. She grips her wooden staff firmly, its familiar weight a comforting presence in her hands."Begin!" Professor Nog calls out, his katana at the ready.Lora charges forward, her staff flashing in the light as she strikes at Professor Nog's chest. The professor sidesteps easily, his katana slicing through the air to meet Lora's staff. The two weapons clash, the sound of wood on wood echoing through the air.Lora spins around, her staff weaving a complex pattern as she strikes at Professor Nog from multiple angles. The professor parries each blow with ease, his katana moving in perfect harmony with Lora's staff.Lora strikes left, the professor evades.Right, the professor blocks with his katana.Lora spins with her staff in hand, increasing it's momentum as she aims at the professor's neck. With a backward lean, steadying his katana against the floor, the professor d
76• Sparring Matches: ii
A white-silver hair tall guy with a different set of eye color – Ash and Blue.He wears his grey jumpsuit, paired his black polished boots."Oh, it's fine North" He says then picks up a katana. "Good to see you again""What?" I voice, but he is already walking towards the sparing ring.Michael fall into step along side me."You know him?" He asks."Ah.. I don't really know" I reply. "I think we've met, though. But I'm not sure"Michael nods. "Okay, let's go"I nod. "Yeah"Now everyone surrounds the professor with their weapon in hand."Alright. You can all seat." The professor says. "We will go clockwise until everyone has gotten the chance to spar with me"I look to my right, noticing Henry will be the first, Phillip second, Lora third, Michael, I, Claire, Rdyer, Luna, Kaid, all the way to Larson, and finally the guy I bumped."Okay, Henry, you're first," Professor Nog says. "You can go all out with me, there is enough space for movement, so don't hold back. And of course I'll hold b
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
