1) Soulmates
Soul: The spiritual, inner essence of a human being.
Legend speaks of a time when human souls were whole and people were free to choose their partners. However, in their completion, humans became selfish and evil as many took love for granted.
Women were sold as brides, girls were killed because they could not pass on the family name, people were cheated on by disloyal lovers and rape was rampant on Earth. Fate became angry at humans. As punishment, she decided to split their souls. They would forever feel partially empty until they learned to properly love another.
Soulmates: People who share a single soul. These matches are 100% genetically compatible with one another. They are biologically and spiritually structured to be perfect for one another.
The first wave of soulmates were angry at the new predicament of split souls. Many refused to cooperate, pledging to continue in their path of personal choice. However, they soon found themselves unhappy with their chosen lovers and never quite complete.
Nevertheless, some continue to reject their soulmates due to personal prejudices or circumstances. Studies show a significantly lower average life expectancy, greater chances of depression, weaker immune systems and a drastic fall in fertility rates for these people. This is the curse of Fate.
Soul Yearning: When a soulmate feels the need to be close to their soulmate.
For those extremely sensitive to the bond, they describe it as a pulling within the chest or a trickle of warmth much like a soul melt soul bond. The most obvious sign of soul yearning is a strong sexual attraction to your soulmate. However, the level of sensitivity depends on the individual and how much time they have spent with their significant other.
Usually, older soulmates are reported to experience more soul yearning than their younger counterparts. Scientists attribute this to a longer time spent on Earth without the presence of their soulmate. Other factors also come into play such as the consumption of soul suppressing drugs or the exposure to a well-bonded family unit as a child.
2) Soul Bonds
Soul bonds: The bond that leads soulmates to one another. Usually manifests on one's twentieth birthday. May appear as a mark, a change in environment or a transference.
70% of the population find out that they do have a soulmate on their twentieth birthday making the occasion a day of celebration. 20% find out within six months after their day of birth. For the older soulmates, more often than not a mark or a bond will appear to briefly show them their younger soulmates by the night of the sixth month. After that period of time, there is a high chance that the person is part of the Lonely. However, the longest a soulmate has ever waited is fifteen years.
Reverse Harem soulmates: Typically seen as a single female soulmate bonded to a group of other male soulmates. The term implies more than that, as all parties within the relationship are bonded to one another to a certain degree.
While one male to multiple females pairings have been seen, one female to multiple males pairings are much more common. Scientists speculate this to be the result of female genocides worldwide. Religious leaders call this 'The Favour and Reward of Fate'. For men had exploited women far more in the past before the time of the 'Soul Split.' Recent cases note that males with close relationships, indicating the underlying bonds, have higher chances of obtaining the same female soulmate.
Gen Z Soulmate Phenomenon: Soulmates will experience more than one soul bond and the new soul bond may remain or it may disappear over time.
One example is the sudden body transfer between 'PLUS' CEO Richard Clay, famous for his timer mark, and his soulmate during his product launching speech for the latest smartphone. The incident was alarming and unexpected for both parties, having had timer marks since their soul bonded age.
List of Soul bonds to each character:
Amber
Soul Melt: In which the touch of one's soulmate feels like a drug. Commonly described as a direct connection to the soul, soulmates call it a feeling of warmth and great joy or pleasure depending on the situation.
Soulmates with this bond cannot keep their hands off of one another. They require physical touch and may feel starved without it depending on their level of sensitivity. Coupled with Soul Yearning, this soul bond was named one of the most sexually charged of all bonds.
Flicker Bond: In which a soulmate will teleport into the arms of their other half at unpredictable times.
Worsens the more space you put between two soulmates. The best cure to the flicker bond is for soulmates to stay together with skin to skin contact until the bond stabilises.
JieMi
Body Exchange: In which two soulmates exchange bodies for a short period.
Usually occurs when soulmates stare into each other's eyes. It is one of the hardest to control among all soul bonds and also one of the most unpredictable. Soulmates with high affinity with one another may be able to control this.
MinJae
Flower Crown of the Soul: In which replica flower crowns appear on each soulmate.
The flowers are physical and can be seen by the public. Eventually soulmates can learn to control the blooms and they will only sprout when emotionally charged. Officially named the most beautiful of all floral soul bonds.
Ezra
Soul beam: In which the more time one spends with the love of their life, the brighter their skin will glow.
Usually only visible between the two recipients, however, when either is extremely happy or feeling in love, others may be able to see the bonds. People with these bonds are reported to have the most public nudity and exhibitionism charges.
Oliver
Words of Love: Plays one's innermost thoughts about one's soulmate directly above their head.
Flashiest during initial meetings and when sightings are far away. It allows respective soulmates to spot one another easily. Named as the 'Guides of Love', these signboards can be extremely demanding and vocal in their 'guidance'. However, when together, the signage may melt away and turn into visible tattoos on the skin.
Sieon
Rose Rings of Fate: In which soulmates are connected via a rose ring.
A variant of the red string of fate, fire strings are only visible to soulmates. When soulmates touch, the tattooed rings on their pinkie blossom to form tiny roses. These roses are visible to the public and may change depending on the mood of the soulmate.
Soul Dream: A dream that prophesies the future with one's soulmate.
Provides a vision of the future to lure soulmates together. Usually, depicts happier times together such as the birth of a child or a situation greatly yearned for by them.
Hikaru
Midas touch: In which touching one's soulmate leaves imprints of gold.
These gold prints differ from soulmate to soulmate, but one common characteristic is that the gold pulsates to the beat of the soulmates' hearts. There may also be a golden heart print. The gold prints are visible soul blood spreading across the skin. Healthy soulmates with these bonds are therefore those with strong visible gold lines.
Casper
Soul Slime: In which the soulmate leaves colourful imprints on everything they touch.
Named as the most colourful soul bond. The colours may change depending on the emotions of the soulmates. Others will only be able to see the change of colour in the eyes of these two parties.
3) The Loss
The Lost: People who have lost their soulmates.
The Lost are people who have already met their soulmates/have had their soul bonds activated, but their significant others have passed away. The pain level experienced depends on the sensitivity of the individual. Usually, if the soulmates have yet to establish a strong soul connection, pain is largely minimal and people describe it as a feeling of emptiness much like the people of the Lonely.
Others with a strong connection to their soulmates may not be able to cope with the loss unless given a reason to live, such as children. In this case, the soul may fully and completely attach itself to these children to form family bonds, which should already be present from birth.
The Lonely: People whose soulmates have passed before their soul bonds could activate.
The Lonely are legally allowed to marry other soulmate-less partners. While the feeling of emptiness remains, the people of the Lonely are known to be capable of leading normal lives and can still live up to old age. More often than not, they function best on their own and usually fall in love with their craft. Ronald Slater is one of the most famous of the Lonely. A genius of his time, he finds solace and comfort in his inventions and devotes himself to creating new technology.
Soul bond Suppressants: Drugs that inhibit the function of soul bonds and reduce soul yearning. They can reduce the activity of the soul, forcibly putting an end to any forms of soul markings for unknown periods.
These drugs are used to reduce the feelings of soul loss from the death of a soulmate or help patients who have experienced soul violation.
Soul Violation: In which soul bonds are forcefully removed or torn apart between soulmates. Usually occurs during the initial stages of soul bond formation where soul bonds are still weak and sensitive.
Not all soul bonds are at risk of soul violation. However, if one were to use modern technology such as the Soul Pull Machine over the recommended voltage to test soul bonds, soul violation may occur.
Soul Tear: In which a broken soul bond is mentally torn by a soulmate. Commonly described as a rejection of a soulmate and usually only occurs after the physical bonds are broken via soul violation.
For soulmates experiencing Soul Tear, it is important to keep the souls physically in touch. Skin to skin contact is essential to prevent artificial Soul Loss. If one were to let go for too long, the affected soulmate may pass away or suffer irreversible damage to the mind.
During Soul Tear, there is a visible crack on the soulmate's skin which represents the fissures in the soul. Trust and love are essential to repair such bonds and the soulmate is only healed when the cracks disappear completely.
4) What are the available help facilities?
Soulmate International Facility: Provides VISAs, travel assistance, financial aid and legal services to soulmates, especially to those stranded in a foreign country. A global non-governmental organisation.