1 The Chord

'Your key is just a rod. No grooves or patterns. Not nearly enough to open one lock. You think that will get you anywhere? You haven't developed at all, no meditation, no nothing. You think this is a joke, but you know, you won't get anywhere, not to the Spirit World, at least, without determining your Spirit Type.' The mentor droned on and on as class 4C stared into outer space. No one cared or tried anymore, even the mentor, who seemed enthusiastic at the start of the term, no longer had that sparkle in his eye, and now seemed to repeat the same speech every morning. Norm sat quietly in the corner, thinking of how he wanted so desperately for an Enlightened to open a rift to the Spirit World and close it behind him. The more he stared into the nothingness, the more he could feel every hair on his head and where the clothes he was wearing wrinkled at his joints and how he breathed and blinked and licked his lips. But over-awareness wouldn't get him to the Sprit World. He didn't know how to open a portal to one anyways. He didn't know how to use chakras and charms and portals and spells and rifts. But he knew how to daydream, and sometimes, he believed it to be the greatest gift of all.

'One of the Enlightened is a Dark type you know,' whispered the boy sitting in front of Norm. His hands were cupped around his mouth, and he was facing a red-headed girl sitting next to him. Norm's ears perked up. A Dark Type? An Enlightened being a Dark type. He stopped his daydreams, and turned his full attention to Hannes, who was whispering to Celia.

'Sure, and I can do a level 100 charm' she scoffed. She glanced behind her, and spotted Norm awkwardly leaning forward onto his desk and staring at her and Hannes. She coughed and nudged Hannes, who then turned around to look at Norm. His smirk instantaneously changed into a frown, and he turned back around, folding his arms. Norm stared into the back of his grey head, as if trying to kindle a fire. This was the third time; the third time Hannes' chord didn't work. The mentor had explained he can't simply mask his voice, but he refused to listen, and time and time again he failed. Norm sighed and then glanced down into his school-issued notebook. Empty, as always, maybe a doodle here and there. Then he looked up, and saw not a grey shaven head, or a sulky teen. In fact, Hannes was gone. Norm rolled his pale turquoise eyes and raised his hand. Celia slouched in her seat pretending nothing was out of the ordinary.

'Can we just pretend he doesn't actually exist. Please?' moaned Celia. The Mentor turned around to see Hannes gone. He closed his eyes for a moment, as if in pain, pushed up his circular glasses, adjusted his septum ring then pinched his right hand together, like a crab. He then directed it to where Hannes had previously been seated and gently pulled his hand a way as if he was removing a cloak. Hannes reappeared as if a piece of cloth was just taken off him. He was still frowning, but now he looked even more defeated, slumped in his chair, and staring blankly at the blackboard smudged with red and white chalk.

'Why do you keep trying this chord, knowing full well it will never work,' sighed The Mentor.

'A level 8 did it, why can't I,' he huffed.

'Because you are a level 3, not even, you haven't even earned your way to that. You can't even consistently execute a simple wind charm, A WIND CHARM. Kindergartners know how to do that.' The Mentor clasped his hands together and focused on the blackboard. Hannes sank deeper into his chair, embarrassed, as Celia quietly sat there looking annoyed, as usual.

'Sir?' asked Norm, his hand now quivering as he had been holding it up for so long it felt like it was about to fall off.

'What?'

'You think you could teach us how to actually use charms rather than complain we don't know how to?' Norm asked solemnly, instantly regretting working up the courage to ask such a question. Everyone in the class abruptly turned to look at him, all of them sporting horrified expressions on their faces. Celia shook her head and gestured cutting off her neck with her hand. Norm looked into The Mentor's eyes, analysing, and scanning for any emotions, but he couldn't find any. The Mentor slowly set down his chalk and proceeded to make a series of fast movements with his hands, as if speaking with signs. Norm leaned back in his chair and tried to make himself shrink- he had made a grave mistake. After about 5 seconds, The Mentor lifted his palms to the sky and a bright light appeared in his hands, exploding into a sort of yellow glowing hologram. It said the following:

In the Spirit World there are 8 different Spirit-types:

Four fall under Dark types: Chaos, Despair, Destruction, and Ignorance

The others fall under Light types: Order, Bliss, Creation and Wisdom

Each has its own opposite Spirit-type, its greatest weakness. A key (gifted to humans) must be able to determine which category it fits in to be able to inherit the truth of charms and the gift of unlocking its seven Sins for Dark Types or seven Promises for Light Types, to finally be able to open a portal and reach its full potential.

Norm breathed a sigh of relief, then became disappointed that something greater did not happen. He had seen this all before, and he had been told time and time again he couldn't even accomplish the first step.

'You don't think we already know this?' he muttered under his breath. To his surprise, The Mentor heard him and shook his head.

'I just used a combination of a light charm, projection charm and a communication technique to show you one of the key ordinances in The Book, you couldn't do that and those are Level 1 skills. It is not my job to teach you level 1 skills. When you can show me this chord flawlessly, I will teach you more charms.' The Mentor sighed then returned to scribbling on the blackboard. Norm picked up his blue pen and wrote 'Learn a chord'. The words seemed to float alone on the page.

Once class had finally finished, after what seemed like an eternity, Norm and his classmates stayed seated, feeling uneducated as ever, still not being any closer to the starting goal. 'Learn a chord' From where? From what? How? He couldn't even determine what Spirit Type he was in. He thought we was a Wisdom, but thinking it was never enough, and no way he was one of those freaks that didn't fit into a category and had to piece together their own, making some sort of Frankenstein Type. He tapped his foot underneath his desk and bit his lip as Celia chattered away to Hannes, who was still in a sulky mood. He pulled at his tight collar. Maybe a distraction would calm him down, and he was intrigued about the Enlightened.

'Hannes, what was that Dark type Enlightened you were talking about before, you know.' Norm asked nervously. Celia and Hannes both whipped around in unison, glaring at Norm.

'Kid, I don't even know who you are, this was like the 6th day of class- '

'7th actually.' Chimed in Celia.

7th DAY OF CLASS- ahem- so I would really appreciate it if you shut up.' Hannes spat as he spoke, as if making sure every word was bitter and felt. Norm leaned back a bit, not wanting the spittle to touch his face, and shrugged. Hannes wasn't a scary guy, per say. He himself was shorter than Norm, and although Norm had never taken a punch in his life, he assumed one from Hannes wouldn't hurt, that much. He decided it was time for a second feat of courage that day.

'Why do you keep trying this chord, knowing it will never work?' Norm imitated. Hannes' frown got even deeper, lower, and wider. He huffed and looked to Celia, as if she were his mother. She chuckled and looked up at Norm, with a smile that was unfitting for the current situation. Norm's eyes widened a bit in response to her sinister expression, but he sustained an awkward eye contact with Hannes. Celia laughed.

'Idiot, tell him about it then.' The corners of Norm's mouth flicked up for a second, then he quickly nodded at Hannes as if confirming Celia's orders. Hannes opened his mouth to say something, then stopped, turned around back in his seat, and lay down on the desk with his head in his folded arms.

'One of the Enlightened is a DT. Heard it from an upper year. First one of her kind they say, although apparently, she gets mistreated. Must be cool though,' Hannes sighed then remained silent laying down. Norm furrowed his eyebrows, confused as to why a Dark Type would be let in if they were going to mistreat her in the first place.

'What's her name?' he asked.

'Eleanor Turnwood,' Hannes mumbled in reply. Eleanor Turnwood. Norm filed that name deep into his brain. He patted Hannes on the back, causing him to flinch a little, then nodded at Celia, before rising from his seat. Hannes looked up from his arms and glanced at a leaving Norm.

'Where are you going, school hasn't ended yet?' he asked drowsily.

'I'm going to learn a chord and, I know, no need to remind me.' He said cockily, strutting out of the classroom, ignoring his other classmates who were staring.

Once Norm left the class, he closed the door behind him at an alarming speed and walked towards to railings in front of the massive clear window which looked down upon the school's garden. He bent over and held his knees with his palms, trying to catch his breath. He was not expecting to be so outspoken in class today. He was in a kind of daze. He focused his eyes so he could see his reflection in the double paned glass and frowned at himself. What good was it that he was confident if it wouldn't get him anywhere. He didn't have any friends from upper years, and no way was he going to seek mentoring from a junior. He grabbed onto the railing and gripped it until his hands were a mixture of brown and red. He closed his eyes and slowed his breathing. Not now, he had to get over this. It wasn't even that big of a deal, it was just a chord. All he had to do was learn a chord. He opened his eyes, now a bit light-headed, but pulled out his phone and opened his browser.

"How to determine your Spirit Type". Norm sighed. "For kids"

A plethora of results loaded in on Norm's phone. He scrolled down to a link.

"Just ask a professional. Seriously, why is everyone so oblivious?"

Norm stared at his phone as if it had just slapped him in the face, frowned and shoved it in his pocket. He glanced around. Why had he taken this challenge? Because now, he knew, everyday his mentor would ask him 'Have you learnt that chord yet?' and everyday he would shrug his shoulders as the feeling in his stomach clawed harder as the embarrassment consumed his entire body, causing him to tap his pencil and bounce his knees as he always did.

He thought back to who was in his class. No faces, no names, no nothing. There were like 20 of them and he could only remember Hannes and Celia, the only two he wasn't afraid to talk to because they had been in the same orientation class, although they seemed to have forgotten that. "What the hell is wrong with me?" He thought. His breath started to quicken again as he paced down the corridor, passing classrooms full of kids waiting for the next period. His ironed dark green blazer pulled at his shoulders as he swung his arms back and forth as if he were marching. He turned the corner at the end of the hallway to ascend the stairs when-

'Norm?' his mentor was coming out of the bathroom. 'Where are you going?' Norm swivelled around.

'Somewhere, I mean, yeah somewhere…' Norm grabbed onto the railings of the stairs and put his left foot on the bottom step.

'Does somewhere have a name?' the mentor inched closer with every word. Norm looked back up onto the stairs. His chance to learn that chord was a flight up, two rights and the second door on that corridor. His window for time was closing. He had to make a choice. His stomach dropped. What was wrong with him? He could go back, so why was he risking this? But as Norm's hands got sweaty from embarrassment and his voice got locked away behind his panic, he took one look at his mentor, then back up the stairs. Was it time for the third feat of courage? He thought about how much time he had left before he could no longer be qualified for Spirit School. And he made that decision.

Somehow, his feet felt lighter as he ran up the stairs, two steps at a time.

'Norm what the hell are you doing!?' his mentor called after him. 'Normal! Come back here! You know what happens when people from your class skip a period!' But Norm was already making the first right turn, and as his mentor's voice faded, the sweat from his hands evaporated, and his voice became accessible again.

After the second right, Norm slowed down, catching his breath. Ok, so worst-case scenario he'd be expelled, but if he learned this chord, he may be able to get out of it. Norm sighed, it was ok, he had done the right thing. However, if he didn't learn that chord- his stomach got that feeling once more. No, don't even think about that. Think positive.

Norm passed the bathroom, then the first door, and finally reached the second door. The door to the chord, the door that would validate all that he had just done. He knocked on the door, quietly at first, then louder the second time.

'Come in.' called a raspy, deep voice.

'So-' Norm started. The skinny man sitting at his desk looked up from his chunky laptop, raising his eyebrows and the piercings that were stapled to them.

'Why the hell are you in my office,' he spat. Norm looked around the so-called office, more like a closet to be fair, piled high with papers and folders with filers on either side of his cramped desk.

'I need your help to learn a chord.'

'Get the hell out, now,' his voice became sterner.

'Can you just help me. Please,' Norm shot a desperate glance towards his cousin, and his glare softened.

'You have no idea how much you messed up my life. I'm in such a predicament. Tonight, may be the last time I see my family again. Why should I help you do anything?' his cousin's eyebrows drew closer together, making his slim, young, and quite handsome face appear to be distraught beyond consolation.

'Please.'

'You are such a nuisance. Here's the deal, I help you, and you go down to the police station tonight and tell them 'You know who' did it before they find out the evidence that it was supposedly me.'

'But you did- '

'I DIDN'T DO IT!'

Norm put his hands up in surrender. Then opened his eyes wide open. He just processed what his cousin had told him to do.

'Wait-'

'You got me into this mess so you're going to get me out, and once you learn that chord you can magic 'you know who' out of any trouble.'

'I can't…'

'And I can't be a murderer.'

'And what if they realise?'

'Do you have any functioning brain cells? If you tell them what I tell you to tell them, that won't happen.'

His cousin gestured to the door.

'Harvey…' Harvey looked up from his laptop once again and began to start a chord, like what Norm's mentor did, a series of fast hand movements, but instead of a light show, Norm faced a middle finger with a golden ring on it. Norm sighed and closed the door shut. Was he more afraid of betrayal, or his cousin?

***

'Hey, where'd you think that kid went?' asked Hannes, still sulking.

'Beats me, probably went to cry to that cousin of his.' Celia shrugged, leaning back in her chair. She used her pinkie finger to pick in between her braces.

'Cousin?' Hannes lifted his shaved round head, interested.

'Yeah, he's one of the teaching assistants. Pretty popular, apparently, he's got some if not the best chord-chaining in the school. It's a shame he got demoted.' She sighs.

'Demoted? Why?' Hannes lifted one eyebrow, making his light green eyes hint at a sense of curiosity.

'There are rumours that he's going to be under investigation for murder.' Hannes shot up and looked over to Celia, who was nonchalantly yawning.

'How come he's not been arrested?'

'Apparently the murder was HIGHLY unusual... something only a hybrid could do, and obviously there's no evidence that he IS one, though people are saying that it may be him.' Hannes eyes widened.

'But why do it?'

'Only the Being knows, family of weirdos I guess.'