Secrets revealed

As a child, whenever Charlene misbehaved, she would slide under the bed to hide from her father—Seth, the strict disciplinarian of the household. She believed the shadows would protect her, wrapping around her like a second skin.

One time, Seth searched the entire house for hours, his voice growing hoarse from shouting her name, frustration bubbling beneath his skin. When he finally dropped to the floor and spotted her curled up beneath the bed like a coiled spring, she clung to the wooden frame with the tenacity of a wildcat.

He grunted, trying to drag her out. No use.

Charlene wrapped her arms and legs around the slats so tightly he had no choice but to lift one side of the bed and gently shake it. Still, she held firm, eyes fierce and jaw locked.

From the doorway, Tamera stood with a fresh cup of coffee, amusement dancing in her eyes. She sipped, savoring the aroma—and the show.

"OK, time out, you two," she’d say with a smirk, sipping again as if watching her favorite sitcom.

Eventually, Seth would collapse onto the carpet, defeated. He’d offer a sandwich to coax her out. That’s when a tiny head would peek from beneath the bed, a mischievous grin stretching across her face like a victory flag.

In that moment, Seth was always reminded: it was him who taught her to run and hide.

Tamera had always been the buffer between them. The peacemaker. The gentle breeze in a storm.

"You two are so stubborn," she'd say, half-laughing, half-exasperated.

Now, years later, Seth found himself staring across the room at Charlene again—but this time, the stakes were far greater than a bedtime tantrum.

"Where are you, my beloved?" Seth whispered under his breath, heart aching for his lost wife.

His mind drifted, haunted by her absence. By truths untold.

He sighed, heavy with the weight of everything left unspoken.

Was he really in a place to be angry?

He hadn’t told Charlene the truth about the Soul Spear either—the First Spear, forged from spirit and flame, bonded to someone long before she ever held it. He had known. And still, he’d said nothing.

His jaw clenched.

Why hadn’t she told him?

Across from him, Charlene stood, rubbing her hands, eyes flitting to each face in the room. ReNew sat beside Seth. Heth stood nearby, arms crossed but expression calm.

“Explain yourself, young lady,” Seth demanded, his voice low but firm.

Charlene opened her mouth, but all that came out was: “See… what had happened was…”

Her voice trailed into silence.

ReNew covered her face, already seeing the wreckage forming before her eyes.

Seth’s frustration ignited. “Well, young lady! When did your mark change—and how? Answer me!”

Heth held up a hand. “Wait, Seth. Don’t come at her like this—trust me.”

Seth looked at him, confused. He’d always taken the lead.

“Fine. Go ahead,” he snapped, throwing up his arms and falling back into his chair.

Heth had learned from Seth’s past. Yelling never worked—it had only ever built walls between Seth and his own parents. He wouldn’t let history repeat itself.

He chuckled softly. “You two are exactly alike.”

Charlene’s voice cracked. “I wasn’t trying to hide anything. The sword—it’s new. I wasn’t ready to talk about it. I just wanted… just for once… to have something for myself. Even if just for a little while.”

Her words rushed like a flood.

“Can’t you understand that?” she asked, tears beginning to well in her eyes. “I had a mother. A grandma. I lost both of them. And now, this new great-grandmother—she gave me a gift. It doesn’t replace them, but it made me feel… special.”

Her voice trembled. “I’ve lost so much lately. Can’t I keep something—just for a moment?”

Tears traced lines down her cheeks. “I know it’s selfish. But I needed this.”

Seth’s face remained hard. Whether he didn’t hear her—or didn’t want to—no one could say.

“There’s never an excuse to lie, Charlene,” he barked.

Heth shot him a look. “And when were you going to tell Charlene about the connection between you and the Soul Spear?”

“That’s not the same,” Seth snapped. “I was trying to protect her. She was just lying.”

“Yes, it is the same,” Heth replied, voice firm. “She was protecting herself—the same way you did when you were her age. Don’t make the same mistakes your parents made, Seth. Don’t push her away. We can’t lose her. Not now.”

“If we can’t trust her—she’s useless to us.”

Charlene shot up from her chair, livid.

“How dare you talk like I’m not in the room?!” she shouted, stepping forward. “If I’m not mistaken, Dad—you lied to me for years about who I am, about what we are. And now you want to judge me?”

Seth tried to cut in. “Wait a minute, Charlene—”

“No! I’ve watched people die. Get mutilated. Dragged to hell. And you stand here, looking me in the face, and say you don’t trust me?!” Her voice dropped into something dark. “Well, maybe I don’t trust you.”

Her eyes turned jet black.

The air changed.

ReNew gasped. The connection she shared with Charlene—it vanished.

“Char, I’m here!” she cried, stepping forward. “Don’t go to that dark place. Please. We love you.”

Charlene hovered inches off the floor, her body encased in shadows. Dark smoke bled into the room like spilled ink. The temperature dropped sharply.

Seth stepped in front of ReNew. “I got this.”

He hadn’t been thinking about consequences. He’d been so consumed with fear—fear of what had happened to Tamera. But now, face to face with his daughter, he knew. He had to make this right.

“Listen, baby girl,” he whispered, eyes brimming. “I love you. I’m sorry. I tried to protect you—but I was wrong. I messed up.”

He stepped closer. “We need you. Not just for your powers. For your laugh. Your spirit. Your light.”

He placed a hand over his heart. “I swear to you, I’ll find your mother. I’ll reunite you with your other grandma. But please… I need you. I need my Princess.”

He opened his arms.

In the darkness, Charlene stood motionless. Blind.

She closed her eyes.

Darkness. Nothing but endless black.

She breathed in through her nose, slowly… then exhaled. Once. Twice.

A flicker of light danced in her palms.

“Light and darkness…” she whispered, “can’t dwell in the same place.”

Her eyes burst open—pure white.

She was back.

She clapped her hands. The light surged through the room like a tidal wave, banishing the smoke. The chill lifted.

She descended to the ground, heart pounding.

Seth wrapped his arms around her, holding her like a man who had almost lost everything.

“I love you too, Dad. I’m sorry.”

“No, no. There’s nothing to be sorry for.” His voice cracked. “I need to learn to talk to you better. We’re a team now.”

Charlene turned to the others. “Group hug!”

Heth and ReNew dove in without hesitation, laughter muffled in the warmth of family.

They left their mind’s eye still clinging to that embrace. For a moment—just one—nothing else mattered.

Outside, in the physical realm, Idris and Professor E watched the group silently.

“I guess they made up,” Idris said with a smirk.

Professor E nodded. “She really kicked butt back on those university steps.”

“She did.” Idris paused. “Did you notice her markings?”

“They’ve changed,” E said grimly. “But not gradually. That wasn’t a natural evolution. It was supernatural. Immediate. That kind of transformation takes generations.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means... whatever’s happening inside her—it’s beyond anything I’ve ever studied.”

They both fell silent.

“The only question is,” Professor E murmured, “can a sixteen-year-old bear the fate of an entire realm?”

“She might just be our only hope,” Idris replied.

“Perhaps…” Professor E looked away, troubled. “But it’s a heavy burden—even for an adult.”

They exchanged one final glance.

Only time would tell.