[Karmic Wolves 1] Luminous Howl

Beauty

I extend my hand toward her, offering her a way out of the life she’s known. Daisy hesitates for only a moment before leaping into my arms, her small frame colliding with mine in a tight embrace. I can feel the desperation in the way she clings to me, her need for connection, for hope. My arms wrap around her instinctively, pulling her closer, holding her like a sister I’ve just found.

The energy between us shifts, subtle at first, but growing stronger by the second. I close my eyes, focusing on surrounding Daisy with warmth, safety—anything that could help soothe the pain I can sense deep within her. I envision a cocoon of positive energy forming around us, shielding her from the hurt she’s endured.

Then something happens—something I can’t quite explain. A soft glow begins to form around our intertwined bodies, and I feel a gentle, tingling sensation on my arm. It’s as if the energy between us is unlocking something, releasing something long dormant within Daisy. Before I can process it, a brilliant beam of light flashes through us, bathing the forest in radiant brightness.

I open my eyes in shock, glancing down at my arm. A new rune, intricately carved, has appeared on my skin, glowing faintly before settling into place. I trace it with my finger, wondering what power it holds, but my thoughts are interrupted as I take in Daisy’s transformation.

She looks… different. Her frail, malnourished body is beginning to fill out, her thin limbs gaining strength and vitality. Her once-tattered green hair now cascades past her shoulders in lush waves, gleaming like freshly polished emeralds. Her pale face is still hers, but her eyes—those bright, green eyes—shine with a light I hadn’t seen before. She looks… beautiful. More than beautiful—radiant, powerful, whole.

I snap my fingers, and with a quick clap of my hands, her torn clothes vanish, replaced by a new outfit I conjure for her. A delicate pixie dress in shades of green and white drapes over her form, flowing as though made from the very leaves and petals of the enchanted forest. Daisy’s eyes widen in confusion as she looks down at herself, clearly overwhelmed by everything happening.

“I don’t know what just happened when we hugged,” I admit, trying to make sense of it myself. “Something like this happened to me yesterday, too.”

With another clap, a floor-length mirror appears behind her, reflecting her transformed self. “Okay, Daisy, I don’t want to freak you out, but something changed when we hugged. Slowly turn around when you’re ready to see for yourself. And please—don’t freak out.”

She turns toward me, her eyes wide with uncertainty, but there’s a glimmer of trust in them too. Taking a deep breath, she slowly turns to face the mirror. As her reflection comes into view, her hands fly to her mouth, and I see tears welling in her eyes. She steps closer to the mirror, staring at the person before her as if she’s seeing herself for the first time.

Tears spill down her cheeks, glistening in the light as she touches her face, her hair, her body. “I don’t know what happened,” she whispers, her voice trembling. “But thank you, Lenora. I feel… whole. I’ve never felt this way before, but it’s like I’ve been trapped inside my own body my entire life.”

I smile gently, feeling my heart swell with joy for her. “It looks like you’ve finally blossomed into your true self. With fairies, this transformation is supposed to happen on your eighteenth birthday. Something must have stopped it from happening for you.”

Daisy turns away from the mirror and wraps her arms around me again, her embrace much stronger now. “Thank you,” she murmurs, her voice thick with emotion. “Thank you so much for coming into my life. I am forever in your debt.”

I hug her back, the weight of her gratitude pressing against me. But there’s no debt between us. “You don’t owe me anything, Daisy. I’m just happy I could help.”

As we stand there, the magical forest around us seems to shimmer in tune with the energy between us. I look down at my arm again, where the new rune is etched into my skin, pulsing faintly with power. I don’t know what it means yet, but something tells me this is just the beginning of something far greater. Something that could change the fate of not just Daisy and me, but all the fairies—and perhaps the entire Karmic Realm.