According To... Chapter 1: Glassy Memories (Allana)

The first thing I remember are the syllables which make up my name.

Ah-Lan-Ah

According to the internet, the name Allana means ‘maiden’. I always wondered why I was called that. Why did my parents name me that? A maiden isn’t something which has connotations with me. In fact quite the opposite.

Apparently, when I was ten I went through a phase where I made everyone call me Alan and pretend I was a boy. I find myself really questioning whether this was really what I would do.

As I sat in the classroom ignoring my lecturer’s presentation I pondered that thought. Maybe my real parents thought I was going to be a boy. Perhaps Alan was their real name for me. I don’t know and I probably never will.

In the corner of my eye I can see movement. I looked to the front row of desks and seen Camron. A slender boy with milky completion. His bright scarlet hair contrasted his skin so violently that he had a black beanie to cover it up. He was looking at our lecturer who had his eyes sharply locked onto Camron.

The second our lecture looked away from Camron, he quickly turned his head and gave me a sly look. I growled back at him, he laughed and looked at the smartboard.

Camron is one of the few people who kept me sane five years ago. It was him that said my name for the first time. My vision from that day is glassy but I remember him shaking me awake and his eyes being hazy.

For some reason I can only truly remember something’s about my life. Camron is one of them.

I remember him pinching my arm so hard when I was five. According to what people have told me, we went to the same dance classes and I had out performed him. In a jealous rage, he attacked me and the two of us have stuck like glue ever since.

I begin once again to drift off into my own mind. I try and remember things but whenever I feel as if I have unlocked a door quickly a new one takes its place. I can hardly remember anything. My childhood is mostly blurred, my real family has been completely erased from my recollection I only seem toknow things.

I know my name is Allana. I know the ‘family’ I live with isn’t mine. I know that I fell and it my head. But do I remember any of it? No. It’s as if I’ve been watching someone control my body up until five years ago.

I wonder what my life was like before then. People tell me I used to be happy, then really reserved, now I’m a ‘problematic teen’. They blame my amnesia. According to conversations I over hear, I act out because I am confused and frustrated. I don’t believe them. When I ‘act out’ – as ever authority figure says – it’s as if I cannot stop myself. It’s an itch which I must starch.

A few more angst driven thoughts later, I return to the lesson. We’re learning about Accordings and Matter again. It’s the same lesson they give every year around autumn.

“The Foundation was conceived by the original Accord Wielders,” the lecture said.

What he means is our government was made by some freaks that had the strongest weapons in the land.

“Accordings: pure Matter turned for use.”

Specific weapons made for specific people.

“Everyone has at least one type of Matter running through them, this gives them the ability to have an According choose them. Those who do not have their uses as a support.”

Don’t have an According? You’re screwed.

“Shadow Matter and Sun Matter, two half’s which are supposed to be balanced throughout our world.”

Shadow Matter dominates. Apparently, Sun Matter is the stronger of the two and it is extremely rare to find. In this school only three people are known to have Sun Matter. My ‘sister’ being one of them.

“Accordings can manifest themselves into any shape or form.”

They have no idea what an According really looks like.

“It can look a piece of clothing, a stuffed toy even something as small as a rhinestone.”

Theyreallyhave no idea what an According looks like.

He then goes to show drawings people have made in the past of what the first Wielders looked like.

The first was a women, she was built like a tank. According to stories, she was as strong and fifty oxen and could intimidate anyone with a piercing glare. Her According came in the dormant form from an earring, which she ripped from the ear of one of her enemies. When the According was activated it changed into an iron rod which could slam the breath from anyone who dared block her path.

The second was a snake like man – the picture of him always freaked me out – his eyes were small and seemed lacking in colour. One of his sandals was his According and it changed into a pair of butterfly swords.

The third Wielder was the wisest and drew up most of the Foundations rules and regulations – of course over time they changed to fit the modern era but most are still carried out. He was also the oldest and was the only one who defeated the first Wielder alone. His According was a simple book, the book had the ability to create an army come up from the ground and defend their master.

Wielders four to six were different. They themselves were Accordings to the other two. The According they turned into were dual weapons; long-range, short-ranged and a two sided blade which could be broken in half.

These six created the Foundation and helped others to discover more about Accordings and Matter.

It was obvious that I probably wouldn’t receive an According. No object called to me, no According wanted to be held by my hands. Thus I was doomed to live a life as a ‘support’. What they mean by this as a person who was Accordingless would live to merely be admins for the Foundation and its ever growing buildings.

Those who are chosen by an According get to fight. They show off their ability in battle royals, demonstrations, teaching, running the Foundation and many fight to protect the lands people.

The main part of the Foundation sits in a large island called Roadrim. Our country is a hot spot for Matter Spawn. These are mostly failed Accordings which roam the lands causing hell for everyone. Those who fight to protect the land tend to capture Matter Spawn (shortened to MaS). They then use them for experimentations and as training dummies for newly discovered Wielders.

A bell rang through the halls and the classrooms filled with commotion. I grabbed my bag and lugged it over my shoulder. Camron waited for me by his desk and the two of us tried to walk out of the door.

“Not so fast you two,” said the lecturer.

We both muttered a curse and turned to face our lecture as he sat writing on a piece of paper.

“You two are seniors I don’t want to be giving you these,” he handed us two detention slips which we reluctantly took. “You know I can’t let you two off the hook for disturbing the class.”

We both looked at each other our faces holding the same annoyance.

“You can sit back in your normal desks beside each other but if you talk that loud and with that language again I’m going to separate you two permanently.”

We made a noise and shuffled out of the classroom and into the hall. We shoved the pink slips into our pockets.

“We weren’t that loud. Were we?” Camron said, adjusting his hat.

“We’re always loud, didn’t think he heard me swear though,” I chuckled.

“Yeah and I’m the one who gets moved!” Camron pushed me into the lockers and I pushed him back. “Thanks a lot, Allana, you’re a real friend. ‘He said it not me’. You asshole!”

The two of us laughed as we entered the cafeteria and joined the food line. While standing I scanned the tables. A petite girl with very long shimmering golden hair waved her hand at me. I warmly smiled and waved back. I nudged Camron.

“Could you get me number three meal? I’ll take your bag and get us a table,” I gave him my money.

He shuffled his bag off his shoulder and gave it to me.

I made my way over to the girl and sat beside her. I took of my red blazer and pushed the bags under the table.

“A salad? Really? You need to get some meat on them bones of yours,” I ticked her sides and she laughed hard.

“I’m not hungry, stop!” she begged.

That was Sonny, my ‘sister’. Unlike, Camron I couldn’t remember her. I knew, however, that she – like me – was adopted into our ‘family’. She was four years younger than I but still didn’t have an According, despite being the student representative of her year group.

A few moments later Camron came to the table and slammed a tray of food in front of me.

“I wanted pizza, not a burger,” I complained.

“They ran out,” said Camron digging into his food.

I sighed heavily and began to unwillingly eat my food.

Once we finished our food Sonny exclaimed that she had a student council meeting and had to run off. We said goodbye and decided to head for the courtyard.

Not many people were in the countyard as it was becoming a lot colder. The air was nippy and I wondered with great curiosity how some girls could be wearing skirts this time of the year. We sat down on one of the stone benches. I pulled out my coat from my bag and wrapped it around me.

“It’s not that cold,” mocked Camron.

“You never feel the cold,” I said, zipping the coat up. “It’s that damn hat of yours, keeps your head warm.”

“How was Simmer this morning?” he asked.

“Nervous. She skipped breakfast.”

“Cinder must be proud I bet ya,” he said.

Just the mention of that name made my blood boil. I hated him. Cinder – or Kaibun which was his real name – and his sister Simmer lived with us since their parents worked over seas. Like Camron and I he doesn’t have an According. His case is the most unusual. His grades are the best in the school, he takes part in a lot of after-school activities and everyone loves him. And I mean everyone. The lectures love him for his grades, the boys wish they had an ounce of his confidence and all the girls just want to screw him – which Kaibun happily agrees to.

“Dunno, don’t care,” I said.

“Forgot he’s the devil,” Camron laughed.

“Shut up, this isn’t about him, it’s about Simmer.”

That day was Simmers official Wielding Day. This is where a newly claimed Wielder shows of their According in the schools arena. There they fight a Matter Spawn. No one knows what level of MaS they’ll get, it’s all in the hands of a person’s relative, in this case Kaibun. He decides which level of MaS Simmer is to fight against. Most students start with just a level one MaS. Sometimes those who seemingly have a high potentional fight a level two but very rarely.

“I’m sure she’ll do great, what is her According anyway?”

As if on cue the bell rang and every student stampeded their way towards the arena. My stomach grew tight with nerves. Camron and I took a seat with the rest of our class.

The intercom boomed on and announced the arrival of Simmer. Camron and I got on our feet and cheered the tall eleven-year-old as she walked on stage.

Simmer didn’t look eleven at all. She had blossomed into womanhood rather quickly. Her body fit very well into natural covers which she tried to cover up with baggy clothing. She had her uniform made two sizes too big for her and made the excuse that she would ‘grow into them’. She was also rather boyish as she played a lot of sports and had developed a lot of muscle on her arms and legs. Neither the muscle nor curves would be the first thing you’d notice about Simmer. It was her hair that would catch you off guard. It was mint in colour and she had spent years trying to have it that colour. It cost a fortune to dye every few weeks.

The headmaster walked on stage and made a speech. She was a tall and bulky woman with sleek short black. She could always be seen in a trouser suit, today she wore brown.

After the speech was prepared a cage was then lowered down.

The arena went silent as a level three was spotted in the cage.