Mystic Music

It had finally come; the day I had been regretting my entire life. My acceptance letter to our family’s Alma Mater, Hantaazu Akkaddamii. My father had moved us back to our home near Guangdong. It once was a favorite place of mine as a kid to go relax and hide from my destiny-preaching grandfather. We had inherited it after he passed in the spring. Just in time for the fall semester, my father will joke. He had attended but he has no power or motivation for anything. He hardly takes care of this run-down shrine. No one remembers why this shrine was built. When my father was a child, any written documents that remained had been burned. Now it's an underused resting place for hikers. The letter is written to my real name, but I prefer Luke. It is in no way traceable to my family tree. I am named after the great foreigner who saved the world from its original tyrant and I am told I should be glad to be a Tora Hanta. In America, I became Luke Teichman, taking my mother's maiden name. Her last name is all I know about her; I was given to my father a month after I was born. I can only assume this is my grandfather's doing. Now I have a new school to battle over my name. So little purpose in arguing the importance, however.

I begin the walk to school armed only with my school bag and my saxophone. I get lost in thought as I wonder what my classmates will be like. With the seclusion of the route, I can create blossoms in the air. Swirling them above my hand, not really paying attention to where I'm going. The pinks and purples intermingling with the greens and blues. Inches above my palm I guide them in intricate patterns.

“Never saw that before!” a blond-haired, sharp-eyed boy stated. He was wearing the same uniform as me, so I wasn't worried about being caught. My father had warned me about showing this Talent to normal people. The school I was attending was nowhere near normal, however.

“Wind is my weaker element, Fire and Water ironically are my strong elements. I can control a bit of earth too. These are just a focus exercise though. Want me to teach you?” Assuming he had the same talents as I, I proceeded to ask him.

“I honestly have no clue what you're talking about. I got into the school because my father attended when he was younger. My name is Sato Kahogona.”

“I’m Luke, nice to meet you.” I introduced myself, a little embarrassed. I stopped playing with the Wind as we proceeded to walk down the road. For a long time, we walked in silence not sure what to say to each other. I was distracted by my own thoughts and I stumbled. Before I hit the ground, Sato was in front of me, his arms wrapped around my waist. Both of us stood there for what felt like an eternity, our eyes had met, his blue eyes felt like they were scanning my everything. His facial expression had changed to one of curiosity. I hadn't seen him move so I truly wondered if he did have some sort of Talent. Still as a statue, I felt as if he would never let go, his warm hands were a relief from the chaotic thoughts that had been roaming free in my mind.

“Are you, all right?” he asked me, still not letting go. I gently stepped back as his hand slid across my saxophone case.

“Yeah, I'm okay,” I responded as I readjusted the case on my back. He still had a hold of me, but gently.

“You’re a musician?” his level of curiosity still peaked from when he caught me. I just nodded and continued to walk watching where I stepped more carefully. I could still feel his eyes staring at me as we walked. His hand had finally released mine, but those eyes were ever watchful as we walked. He was so quiet, I started playing with the wind nervously. This time making the leaves dance about as we walked down the road. Each side of us had a swirling trail of leaves. Various streams of color emitting from the foliage as I pulled power from the area. Blues and greens with highlights of red lingered behind us as we continued towards the school. I heard him let loose a chuckle, at which point I stopped and turned around. He was smiling at me, I smiled back nervous at this unknown boy.