Charlene struggled to recall the lessons her parents had drilled into her since childhood.
One: Protect yourself.
Two: Never reveal your secrets.
Three: If you're ever caught, run—don't look back.
Most importantly, you may only get one chance. Make it count.
She took a deep breath. You got this.
Scanning the room quickly, she searched for anything that could aid her escape. Her eyes landed on a small metal chair in the center. Carefully, she moved toward it, wondering if she could use it to break a window or force the door open. But the moment she reached down to grab it
A voice boomed through the room.
"Sit down."
Charlene froze, her heart hammering in her chest.
"Who's there?" she demanded, her voice trembling.
"If you take a seat, I will reveal myself." The tone was smooth, almost inviting.
She scanned the room again but saw nothing. Warily, she reached for the chair, sat down, and spoke sharply. "Explain yourself! Why have you taken me?"
The voice remained calm. "You weren't supposed to be there in the first place."
Fear surged through her. "Who are you? How do you know my name? Show yourself!"
"No need to be frightened, Charlene. We've always had your best interests at heart."
Charlene scoffed. "Best interests?!" she snapped. "Show yourself, coward!"
The voice chuckled. "So feisty… just like your father. It took sixteen years to find you, but now that we have—"
Her stomach twisted. "How do you know my father? What do you want from me?"
Trying to gain control of the situation, she blurted out, "The school will be looking for me! You'll never get away with this! Are you kidnapping a minor? Do you know how many years you'd get? If you let me go now, I won't tell them you hurt me."
The voice laughed. "Always thinking one step ahead. A real Fate. You're going to do well here."
Charlene stiffened. Fate. She had heard that word before—whispers in the night, her parents' hushed conversations.
Her mind raced, and in a split second, she acted. Gripping the metal chair, she hurled it across the room. It crashed into the window, shattering the glass. She bolted forward, desperate to escape.
But before she could reach the opening, a sharp tug yanked her backward. She hit the floor hard, pain shooting through her body. A heavy weight pressed onto her chest—someone had pinned her down with the chair.
The voice, now eerily monotone, murmured, "Where are you rushing off to? We've only just begun."
Then—without warning—a brilliant light filled the room. The shattered glass was reassembled, the window restored. Charlene was suddenly upright, seated in the chair as if nothing had happened.
Stunned, she gasped. "What's going on?"
A figure emerged, smiling down at her. A woman—glowing with an ethereal presence.
"You know me," the being said gently. "I've always been with you. You just kept me hidden."
Charlene's eyes widened as the woman lifted an arm and pointed to her own forearm. A soft light pulsed, and an intricate mark appeared—mirroring the same symbol that had once been on the legendary spear. The mark on the woman's skin spread, glowing across her forehead.
"I am you, and you are me. We are one, Trinity. The spear, you, and me—we are Fates."
Charlene's pulse pounded in her ears. "What?! That's insane! I don't know who or what you are, but I am NOT a Fate!"
The woman's expression grew serious. "We don't have time for this. They're coming back for you. You're sixteen now—we can't hide you anymore. You have to learn."
Charlene clenched her fists. "Learn what? I don't know what you're talking about! Leave me alone!"
The being's voice softened. "Your parents tried to protect you."
"We don't have time to explain everything now," the voice urged. "I promise I will as soon as you're somewhere safe. But Charlene, you have to trust me."
Charlene's heart pounded. "The Fates have you trapped in their realm mentally, but not physically. That means there's hope. Do you trust me?"
The urgency in the voice made Charlene hesitate—but only for a second.
"I trust you! Now get me out of here!" she declared.
"Okay… but this might hurt."
A sudden, gut-wrenching sound of bones shifting echoed through the room. Charlene gasped, her eyes widening as she looked down at her forearm. Light burst from within her skin, revealing a ghostly image of the spear embedded in her very bones—like an ethereal X-ray.
Pain seared through her. She screamed. "Oh my God—!"
Then, just as quickly as it began, it was over.
She gasped for breath and blinked. She was back. The dimly lit school storage room surrounded her. No more mysterious captors, no more glowing marks—just her, alone in the dark.
Her voice trembled. "Are you still here?"
A warm presence surrounded her. "Yes, I'm here."
Charlene exhaled in relief.
"I'm sorry it hurt so much, but it'll get easier over time. Trust me—the more you use me, the stronger we become."
Charlene steadied herself. "What do I even call you?"
A pause. Then, "You never gave me a name."
Charlene smirked. "A powerful being with no name? That won't do. I'll fix that now." She thought for a moment, then smiled. "I'll call you ReNew."
"ReNew… That's different." A soft chuckle. "I like it. Thank you, Char."
"And thanks for the nickname, ReNew."
Charlene let out a small laugh—her first real one in what felt like forever. But the moment was fleeting.
"We have a lot to do and not much time," ReNew said urgently. "We need to move fast. You have to hide."
Charlene's expression hardened. "I'm trusting you now, but once I'm safe, you're going to tell me everything. Promise?"
"Promise."
Charlene bit her lip. "How do we get out of here without being noticed? It's still the middle of the school day."
ReNew's voice gained a newfound energy. "I'm already blocking the Fates, but keeping them out is draining me. Since you took off that cursed salve, I can do much more now. Just wait and see."
Charlene's mind worked fast. "The bell is about to ring. We'll have about five minutes to slip through the parking lot. I can grab my things from Grandma's house while she's at work. I'll leave her a note. We'll figure out the next steps after that."
"A note?" ReNew sounded unimpressed.
"Yes," Charlene insisted. "I don't want her thinking I was kidnapped."
ReNew was quiet for a moment before muttering, "Technically speaking… she was kidnapped."
They moved quickly. Charlene navigated the halls unnoticed, weaving through the swarm of students. By the time she made it to her last class and out into the streets, she was already steps ahead.
At home, she scribbled a short letter for her grandmother.
Grandma, I love you. I'll contact you soon. Love, Charlene.
Just as she set the note down, a wisp of smoke curled through the air. Before Charlene could react, a spark of fire landed on the paper—poof! The note was gone.
Charlene blinked. "What the hell?"
ReNew spoke in her mind, "Sorry, but no one needs to be in unnecessary danger. Your grandma will worry, yes—but at least she'll be safe."
Charlene groaned, unaware of ReNew's deeper reasoning. She grabbed her backpack and quickly exited the apartment, locking the door behind her.
For the first time in sixteen years, ReNew stretched her essence beyond the confines of the Mark. Finally.
For years, she had tried—desperately—to reach Charlene. She had whispered, nudged, and even used her best Jiminy Cricket impersonation: This is your conscience speaking... But Seth had always stopped her, silencing her within the Mark.
Seth—Charlene's father—had known the truth. He had felt it in his bones. The Fates would come for her. And when she turned sixteen, no amount of hiding could stop what was destined to unfold.
Charlene's parents had tried everything to keep her free. In the name of love, Seth had locked ReNew away with the cursed salve, refusing to return to the realm. He had risked everything—his life, his soul—to protect his daughter.
ReNew scoffed. "Love." The word tasted bitter on her tongue.
Such a human concept.
The Trinity had never needed love. They had purpose. They had destiny. They had Fate itself.
ReNew's energy bristled. How am I supposed to protect Charlene now? Her mother was gone. Her father was… "she wasn't about to go storming into the realm to rescue him.
ReNew sneered. They probably have him hanging from the rafters by his toenails by now.
She smirked. Serves him right.