Normalcy
Contrary to popular belief, the reports of his death had been greatly exaggerated.
Best the Grand Coven remained unaware, however.
Morrigan, Goddess of Fate, had given him new life, brought him back from the brink of death, made what was left of the Coven believe his soul had been completely destroyed the moment Notre Dame fell two years ago. For centuries, witches and warlocks alike had attacked the cathedral out of spite yet failed due to Rene’s protections, protections that could only be dismantled by the warlock simply ceasing to exist. When the spire was engulfed in smoke, the Grand Coven knew that Rene was gone.
Ammon was beyond outraged. Woe befell whoever crossed his path for months as he raged in denial. He attempted resurrection, but it was fruitless--anyone who dared tell him that with Rene’s soul destroyed there would be nothing to resurrect met an unfortunate demise. This logic aside, every attempt failed because...Rene was simply not dead.
Rene was very much alive, tending to his plants at Delacroix manor.
With newfound health thanks to Morrigan’s save, he officially completed high school remotely, studying diligently in solitude and mostly ignoring the world around him aside from his plants and...the crows that frequently showed in his orchard much to the delight of both Julian and Jeremy.
Following a very quiet graduation and small, private celebration of Julian’s insistence, Rene did not apply to any institutions of higher learning. Though he did enjoy being a scholar, he knew what he wanted to do; not knowing how much time he actually had left or when the Goddess may call upon him, he decided to do what he truly wanted to do...and that was to be a farmer. His apple trees, vineyard, and all other crops flourished under his undivided attention.
Rene was happy.
Though people for whom he had cared deeply had moved on without him or thought him dead and empty spaces hovered in his heart from their absence, he was still happy with his new life.
When a pandemic shook the globe, Rene was relatively unaffected. Existing for centuries alone in a crypt had made the lack of contact hardly even noticeable. Anjelah and Betty were nearly always around and served as pleasant company (when he wanted it) at times when Julian and Craig left for business. Travel was not even an issue due to mirror portals--one minute in Michigan, the next in Sweden, the next in Istanbul. How easy it was to zip around for whatever groceries Betty needed for dinner (though she thoroughly enjoyed preparing dishes including Rene’s wares).
Due to the disease, Mum-sensei was incredibly busy. Thankfully, with Rene’s improved health, the doctor was no longer a frequent visitor to Delacroix manor and could focus on the global crisis. In fact, he was thankful for the warlock’s reclusive nature, still concerned for Rene’s compromised immune system.
When the world started opening up again, the natural witch still did not pay much mind, content with his plants. He went on with his routines unfazed. Though often gone for work--such as yet another Apocalypse needing to be averted--Julian would occasionally call Rene for help or advice regarding a hiccup or snag he’d come across, and of course Rene provided that assistance without even a hint of protest.
While hiking during the Spring Equinox, he came across a very large black cat with a white patch on her chest who started to follow him on his trek. Immediately recognizing her as a cat-sìth on her last and therefore permanent transformation, he shared his lunch with her, and she naturally followed him back to Delacroix manor where she was welcomed into the family as Kate. Not only was she given her own place at the kitchen table, but due to the expanse of the manor, she had also been given her own room...though she rarely used it, preferring to sleep on Rene’s bed with him. Kate left the birds alone and proved herself to be a formidable mouser.
While not technically a familiar, she was certainly close to one--frequently near him, dancing with him, even going as far as to help Rene with fetching ingredients or tools without even being asked, like she was in tune with what he needed at the moment.
Anjelah, being Scottish herself, was initially uncomfortable with inviting a cat-sìth into their home, but quickly warmed up to the witch-turned-feline when she saw how attached and helpful Kate was toward Rene. Sometimes, scary things aren’t so scary if you just take the time to really know and understand them.
Occasionally, Anjelah gave his hair a quick trim in the kitchen, keeping it at his shoulders and he often kept the locks pulled back in a loose ponytail. She made note of how tall he was, how much healthier and happier he seemed now, and congratulated him when his eighteenth birthday came and went, having finally made it to the adulthood he’d been denied in life.
Little did they know just yet that, due to that early demise in life and the connection he still had to his old body with the vertebrae in his neck, Rene could no longer age beyond his final day. Physically, he would spend the rest of his life as a seventeen-year-old...that is, until he was able to finally reclaim his body and fully restore himself.
But none of them knew this yet, after all, he was now only nineteen...and it was nigh impossible to tell if he was just aging slowly or if he would always be like this. Perhaps they would notice in a few more years, but for now, they all remained oblivious.
For now, there was peace.
For now, they were happy.
