new changes, new abilities

Seth looked up at ReNew hovering above him. “Okay, this is new.”

She beamed, her body crackling with sparks of energy. “Seth, really? You don’t recognize me? It’s me—ReNew! Oh, right! You’ve never seen me in this form. Doesn’t this fit me?”

Seth studied her closely. She looked different from how she had appeared in his mind’s eye. More radiant. More… alive.

“Since when are you able to do any of this?” he asked, his brow furrowed.

ReNew shot up into the air like a rocket, her body shimmering like fireworks. “Isn’t this wonderful?” she exclaimed, spinning in midair.

Seth took a step back, shaking his head in disbelief. “How are you even outside of Charlene’s body? Somebody needs to explain. Now.”

Charlene and ReNew exchanged nervous glances, looking sheepish.

“Well, we thought… you see… we just wanted to see what she looked like,” Charlene muttered.

Seth’s eyes widened in shock. “You mean to tell me you took your soul out of your body to play with it?! Seriously, Charlene? What if it didn’t work? What if you had died?”

“Dad, it didn’t, and we’re okay,” Charlene pleaded, but Seth wasn’t listening.

“I shouldn’t have to tell you this, but your soul is not a toy!” Seth thundered. “I get that you’re powerful, but this is not the time for you to be experimenting with your life! I’m in there—” he gestured back toward the Grand Hall, “—fighting for your life, for our family! And you’re out here playing games with your own existence! Come on, Charlene, work with me!”

Idris stepped between them, holding up a hand to de-escalate the situation. “Now that you’ve been properly scolded… Charlene, how did you do this? You are the first Fate I’ve ever seen actually make this work.”

As they walked down the path, Idris continued to study them. “I mean, technically, you should both be dead. You ripped out your soul. At the very least, you should be like a zombie. Do you understand the implications? You have no soul right now. And yet, here you are—talking, using powers?” He shook his head in amazement. “I’d like to study this—if your dad allows it, of course.”

ReNew gently lowered herself to the ground and reached for Charlene’s hand. As soon as they touched, both girls sighed in relief, visibly regaining strength.

“Ooh, I feel better now,” ReNew said, stretching.

“Me too,” Charlene agreed.

Idris’ sharp gaze darted between them. “What did I just see? When you touched her, your hand glowed.” He stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Is that how you sustain your ability to remain outside her body?”

“For now, let’s keep this under wraps, okay, ladies?” Seth instructed.

Charlene frowned. “Easier said than done.”

“Yeah,” ReNew added. “That Fate who was torturing you? He burst into the room earlier. We tried to stop him, but he ran. We followed him… and, well, we saw him talking to the Head Council member. I think he told them what he saw.”

“I’m sorry, Dad,” Charlene murmured.

Seth placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Don’t be, Princess. We can use this to our advantage. But for now, you two need to merge back together.”

Both girls pouted, crossing their arms in protest.

“Just for now,” Seth insisted. “This is beyond anything I’ve seen before. You might even surpass me, ReNew.”

ReNew glanced at Idris and then revealed the glowing mark on her forehead. “When I first formed my body, this symbol appeared. It’s changing. I think I’m growing stronger.”

Idris examined the mark with fascination. “From what I understand, you’re still symbiotic. The longer you stay out, the more independent you become. But for now, you still need each other. If I were you two, I wouldn’t get too far apart just yet.”

Charlene smirked. “Well, look on the bright side. Tomorrow, when I take my journey, I’ll have extra eyes and hands.”

ReNew flexed her fingers, then lifted her hands, palms up. The mark on her forehead pulsed, shifting into a spear symbol. In an instant, her form changed. A powerful liger—part lion, part tiger—stood in her place. She pounced on Idris, knocking him back playfully before roaring in triumph.

Idris scrambled up, shaking his head in amazement. “Astounding. Just magnificent.”

Seth grinned. “You know, now that I think about it, your new abilities might actually come in handy.”

Idris clapped his hands together. “Alright, girls. Let’s see what you’ve got! First Fate back to the house wins.”

“Oh, I’m in this too!” Seth declared.

“Get ready! On your mark! Get set! Go!”

ReNew shifted into an eagle, soaring toward the house. Idris activated his mark, calling on supernatural speed, his form blurring down the path. Seth smirked, placing a hand on his mark.

“Oh, you want to be fast, Idris? I got fast.”

He uttered a single word: “Flash.”

Dressed in full superhero gear, Seth sped past Idris, who barely caught a glimpse of him.

Charlene wasn’t about to be outdone. She touched her mark and whispered, “Lightning.”

The moment she moved, the ground beneath her scorched black, sending powerful shockwaves rippling ahead. The force knocked both Idris and Seth off their feet.

ReNew landed softly in front of the house, only to see the destruction Charlene had caused. “Whoa.”

Seth and Idris stumbled up, staring at her in shock. “What just happened?” Seth asked.

Idris nodded toward Charlene, whose eyes had turned pitch black. “I think she was lightning, Seth.”

Charlene stood panting, hands on her hips. Her breathing was uneven, her body trembling with exhaustion.

Seth’s stomach dropped. “I was afraid of that happening. The lack of her soul… it’s starting to take its toll.”

ReNew stepped forward carefully. “Charlene, hey… tap your mark. Think of us being together and say, ‘We are one,’ okay?”

Charlene hesitated, backing away. Her head shook slightly, her body tensing as if resisting the suggestion.

ReNew’s expression hardened. She had to act—fast. She lunged forward, wrapping Charlene in a tight embrace, pressing their marks together. “We are one!” she commanded.

A brilliant light erupted around them. As the radiance faded, they were one again.

Seth let out a long breath, relief washing over him. “That was too close.”

Idris rubbed the back of his neck, still trying to process what he had just witnessed. “What else can you do?”