Snow lifted from the ground in a violent gust as the war sentinel stepped forward.
"CAPTURE PROTOCOL: REINITIATED."
The scarlet glow from its chest furnace lit the frost like bloody dawn.
Owain tightened his arms around Kanah's unconscious form, holding her with a protectiveness so fierce his own heartbeat felt like it was shaking the world.
Yllas—bleeding, shaking, barely upright—dragged himself between them and the sentinel.
His chest wound leaked molten gold. Every breath was agony, but he still glared fire.
Gerrin lifted his staff, though his hands trembled and his silver runes flickered erratically.
Helion flexed his claws, golden curse marks burning across his skin, eating him alive from the inside.
One sentinel.
Four determined beastmen.
And a girl who held the blood of three thrones.
Owain took one step back, Kanah in his arms.
The sentinel took one step forward.
Owain snarled—a low, guttural sound that shook every bone in the valley.
"Stay AWAY from her."
The sentinel responded by raising its arm-blade, runes glowing red.
"PRIORITY OVERRIDE: ACQUIRE THE VESSEL."
The blade ignited with crackling light.
Owain moved first.
Owain vs the Sentinel
He leapt forward, shifting mid-run.
Bones snapped.
Fur exploded across his skin.
His body surged into massive wolf form.
He collided with the sentinel's chest—
hard enough to shake the mountain.
The sentinel staggered.
Owain's jaws clamped around its arm.
Metal shrieked beneath his fangs.
The sentinel didn't like that.
It slammed its free hand into Owain's side—
once
twice
then a third time, hard enough to dent his ribs.
Owain didn't let go.
His eyes blazed molten amber.
He dug his claws in deeper.
He tore a piece of metal off the sentinel's joint.
The sentinel froze—almost in confusion.
"ARMOR BREACH DETECTED."
Owain ripped another piece off.
"Good!" Helion shouted, staggering upright. "Break the joints—break the—"
Owain flung the piece aside and aimed for the neck.
The sentinel responded by activating the furnace inside its chest.
A violent burst of heat erupted—
a pressure wave so strong it threw Owain backward across the snow.
He landed in a sliding roll, regained his feet in an instant, and launched again—
But the sentinel was faster.
It blinked—literally blinked—across space, reappearing behind him.
Owain spun too late.
The sentinel slammed a knee into his ribs—
and Owain felt something crack inside.
He hit the ground hard.
"Owain!" Gerrin shouted.
But before the sentinel could strike again—
A wall of fire descended.
Yllas Fights With a Mortal Wound
Yllas—bleeding heavily and barely standing—forced himself to his feet.
His wings drooped unevenly, one side torn and dragging in the snow.
But his eyes—
they burned with ancient rage.
He inhaled.
Gold magic swirled down his throat.
"Owain—MOVE!"
Owain rolled aside—
And Yllas unleashed a beam of dragonfire straight at the sentinel.
This wasn't normal flame.
This was heartfire—
fire dragons only used when they were dying
or killing a god.
The beam hit the sentinel like a solar flare.
Metal glowed.
Runes crackled.
The sentinel staggered under the force.
Yllas screamed with the effort—
blood pouring from his chest wound.
"Don't—touch—her—!"
Owain, still half-shifted and bleeding, stared at him.
"YLLAS—STOP—you'll burn yourself from the inside!"
Yllas didn't stop.
He snarled through gritted teeth.
"She—chose—you—wolf—
but she is ours to protect—
ALL OF OURS—"
His fire blazed brighter—
Until the sentinel fired a crimson beam from its visor.
Yllas tried to move.
He wasn't fast enough.
The beam struck his wounded wing—
and tore it open completely.
He screamed, collapsing onto one knee.
"YLLAS!" Owain roared, sprinting toward him.
But the sentinel pivoted—
And aimed for Kanah again.
Gerrin Unleashes Forbidden Magic
"Not on my watch!"
Gerrin slammed his glowing staff into the snow.
Silver runes exploded outward—
spiraling around the sentinel
binding its legs
locking its joints.
The sentinel froze mid-step.
"MAGIC RESTRAINT DETECTED."
Gerrin wheezed, sweat dripping down his forehead.
His markings blazed silver.
But the sentinel began absorbing his magic.
Runes flickered.
Binding rings shattered one by one.
Owain shouted, "GER—STOP—you'll drain yourself—"
"I know!" Gerrin yelled back.
His voice cracked.
Pain sliced through his body.
"But someone has to BUY TIME!"
The sentinel lifted its blade—
aiming to cut through the bindings and strike Gerrin directly.
Gerrin braced himself, leaning heavily on his staff.
"I won't… let her… be taken…"
Helion Goes Fully Primal
Before the blade fell—
A golden streak slammed into the sentinel's chest.
Helion.
Completely primal.
Eyes glowing like molten gold.
Claws lengthened into curved, deadly crescent blades.
Teeth bared in a snarl that was both pain and fury.
He leapt onto the sentinel's chest—
dug in his claws—
and screamed as golden curse-light burned through metal.
The sentinel seized—
systems glitching—
runic joints sparking.
Owain howled in hope.
"He's breaking its core—!"
Helion snarled, voice hoarse:
"I—
FUCKING—
TOLD YOU—
I WASN'T—
DONE—
YET—!"
His claws tore through the sentinel's chest plate—
Revealing a pulsing orb of red energy.
Helion reached for it.
Gerrin shouted, "DON'T TOUCH THE CORE—IT'LL KILL YOU—!"
Helion laughed breathlessly.
"Wouldn't be the first thing!"
He plunged his claws toward the core—
And the sentinel reacted violently.
Lightning exploded outward.
Helion screamed as the energy blasted him backward—
tumbling across the snow—
his body smoking.
He didn't rise.
Gerrin gasped. "HELION—!"
Yllas staggered, crawling toward him.
"Owain—get to her—RUNE'S—FLARING—"
Kanah Wakes… With a New Side Effect
Owain spun—
And froze.
Kanah was glowing.
Not with one color.
Not even two.
Her skin pulsed with white-fire light, flickering into violet, silver, and ancient gold.
Her eyes were closed, but she whispered something.
Something that made the snow around her tremble.
"Don't hurt them…"
Her fingers twitched.
"Don't hurt them…"
Owain reached for her.
"Kanah—"
Her eyes snapped open.
And they were not the same.
Not amber.
Not human.
Not wolf.
Not dragon.
White.
Pure white.
"S-stop," Kanah whispered.
Her voice layered.
Three tones overlapped.
And the sentinel froze mid-step.
Owain gasped.
Gerrin staggered backward.
Yllas stared, wide-eyed.
Kanah rose shakily to her feet.
Owain reached to support her—
She didn't let go of his hand.
Her fingers curled into his sleeve.
Her body leaned into him, weak yet steady.
But her eyes—
those eyes weren't entirely her own.
Kanah looked at the sentinel.
And the sentinel knelt.
Just knelt.
Instantly.
Unquestioningly.
Owain nearly dropped her in shock.
"What… what did you do?" he whispered.
Kanah trembled.
"I don't know."
The sentinel bowed its head.
"COMMAND: ACKNOWLEDGED."
Kanah's lips parted.
She hadn't spoken.
But something answered for her.
"Await new directive."
Owain stiffened.
"Kanah—don't say anything. Don't—"
Kanah blinked.
Her breath shuddered.
"Owain…
I can… hear something."
"What do you hear?"
Her voice shook.
"Something… calling to me."
Owain's heart dropped.
"Is it the Beast King?"
"No."
She swallowed hard.
"It's older."
Gerrin approached carefully.
"Kanah…
whose voice is it?"
Kanah lifted a trembling hand.
Pressed it to her chest—
where the white rune still pulsed.
And whispered—
"The First King."
The valley trembled.
Her knees buckled.
Owain caught her immediately, arms locking around her waist.
"Kanah—stay with me—stay—don't go—"
Her eyes fluttered, glowing too brightly.
"I… can hear him… clearly now…"
And then—
For a moment—
just one—
She spoke in his voice.
A voice that wasn't human.
Wasn't mortal.
Wasn't safe.
"My vessel has awakened."
Owain held her tighter, eyes widening in horror.
"Kanah—NO—fight it—don't let him—"
She blinked—
her own voice returning, weak and terrified.
"Owain…
I can't hold him back…"
He crushed her to his chest.
"I'll hold you.
I'll hold you until he breaks.
I'll hold you even if you do."
She collapsed against him, sobbing.
"Owain… I don't want to be a vessel…"
He buried his face in her hair.
"You're not. You're Kanah. You're mine. You're NOT his."
But the First King's voice whispered through her throat—
"Bring her to me."
Owain snarled.
"Over. My. Dead. Body."
The sentinel rose again—
Red runes flashing violently.
"NEW DIRECTIVE RECEIVED.
RETRIEVE THE VESSEL AT ALL COSTS."
Owain lifted Kanah in his arms.
Gerrin raised his staff.
Yllas dragged himself upright.
Helion—bloody, half-conscious—lifted his head.
The First King whispered through Kanah again—
"Let the trials begin."
Owain growled.
"No."