All Chapters of Beyond Fate: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Still following behind the young man, Charlene slowed her pace even further as she watched him enter a large domed building with pillars that were taller than the eye could extend, reaching into the clouds above. It was as though the structure had many stories, but none were visible from the outside.She proceeded toward the entrance of the building, passing the towering white ivory pillars slowly. Looking up, she heard a voice."Welcome, Daughter of Seth! 1st day of seminary. Proceed to your first session."Charlene felt a rush of excitement. For the first time since this all began, she felt special. She wasn't sure what to think of this place."What in the Harry Potter?" she muttered, her mouth hanging open in awe.She walked down the corridor. The interior was mostly glass, with no walls or doors, just floors separating the different levels. The structure seemed to go on forever."Where are the stairs or elevators?" she wondered aloud.When ReNew spoke sternly, "Close your mouth an

Standing in the midst of a lush garden, Seth paced slowly, his thoughts clearly wrestling with one another. He muttered under his breath, his brow furrowed, as though caught in an internal battle. Charlene watched him from a distance, unsure if she should speak or remain silent. Her instinct told her to stay out of his way, so she sat down cross-legged on a soft bed of fallen leaves, careful not to disturb her father.Should we say something? Renew’s voice echoed in her mind.What could we possibly say? Charlene thought back. He’s in the middle of a fierce battle with himself.I’d love to hear what’s going on in his mind right now, Renew added with a hint of curiosity.Charlene chuckled at that. Ha, ha, ha… she laughed softly, a lightness filling the space between them.Renew, ever the curious one, reflected on the strange situation. Every time we’ve encountered Seth and Heth in the past, they’ve been perfectly in sync. But today… she tra

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 di

Charlene stood in line with the other newbies, waiting as the council members inspected each one, shaking hands and distributing uniforms. Her father was among them, offering platitudes to everyone. When he reached Charlene, he grabbed her arm tightly before pulling her into a sudden embrace. As he did, he slipped a band around her wrist and whispered in her ear."Call me if you need me."She looked down, puzzled. What in the world did he just put on me?ReNew chimed in, "Always a smart behind," before adding, "Look at your wrist."Charlene glanced at it but instinctively knew she wasn’t supposed to have whatever it was. Otherwise, her father would have handed it to her openly."Let’s wait until later," she decided.They were ushered into a separate white room to change. Charlene unfolded the bundle given to her and realized it wasn’t a uniform at all—it was a robe. The fabric was nearly satin but sturdier, the long sleeves flowing gracefully. It was breathable, cool against her skin,

They stood frozen, unable to move—staring at the spot where Tony had just been dragged to hell. The silence was deafening, pressing down on them like a physical weight. On the other side of the glass, Darla banged with growing desperation. “I’m sorry! I won’t do it again!” she screamed. “They made me do it! I’ll be good, I promise!” She clawed blindly at the glass, eyes squeezed shut, her nails scraping against the smooth surface as she braced for the return of the hound. Then—whoosh—the glass vanished just as quickly as it had risen. Darla stumbled forward, landing hard on her knees. She rubbed her fingertips together and murmured, “It was so hot over there… too hot… Ricky needs me… We need to be together.” Mike’s eyes narrowed as he stepped toward her. “Who needs you, Darla?” “Ricky,” she said more clearly now. Her gaze grew distant, then sharp. “If she was down there… wouldn’t you?” He didn’t answer. He didn’t need to. Maggie rushed to Darla’s side, wrapping her arms around