Kanah plunged into darkness.
Not the weightless drift of the First King's realm.
Not the shadow tunnels of the fall.
This was brutal.
The abyss pulled like a living thing, dragging her deeper than any physical world could reach. Her scream vanished instantly, swallowed by the infinite black.
Her body spun.
Her heart hammered.
She reached upward on instinct—
"Owain—! OWAIN—!"
Her fingers grasped at nothing.
The Beast King's voice echoed faintly from above, distorted like a nightmare whisper:
"Let the throne choose."
Kanah thrashed.
"NO—NO—LET ME GO—!!"
But the abyss tightened around her like a cold hand closing.
She fell—
Hard.
Her knees hit stone.
She gasped, palms catching herself before she faced the ground.
Her breath came in sharp, painful bursts.
"Where… where am I…?"
The darkness shifted.
Shapes carved themselves into existence — towering arches, broken pillars, a cracked floor stretching into a void that had no end.
This wasn't a realm.
This was a tomb.
Kanah pushed herself upright, shaking badly.
"Owain…?
OWAIN—!? Can you hear me—!"
Her voice echoed endlessly, bouncing off invisible walls.
No answer.
Kanah swallowed hard.
"Owain… please—just answer me—"
Still nothing.
She wrapped her arms around herself.
Then—
A faint voice:
"…Child."
Kanah froze.
Not Owain.
Not anyone she knew.
A woman's voice.
Soft.
Distant.
A whisper layered with centuries of dust.
Kanah turned slowly.
The stone throne stood behind her.
It hadn't been there seconds earlier.
Towering.
Cracked.
Ancient, with golden veins crawling across its surface like molten roots.
And sitting on it—
A woman.
Or what remained of one.
The Ghost on the Throne
She was tall, elegant, with hair like white flame flowing around her in wisps of smoke. Her dress was torn, burned, half-decayed into dust.
Her face was eerily calm.
Eyes glowing gold.
Kanah's breath vanished.
"Who… who are you…?"
The woman's voice echoed directly into her mind.
"I am the throne's memory."
Kanah swallowed.
"Memory…?"
"The last human who touched the Beast Throne."
Kanah's knees weakened.
"You—you're—human…?"
The woman smiled sadly.
"A long time ago."
Kanah took a hesitant step closer.
"What happened to you…?"
The woman's expression softened like a mother seeing a frightened child.
"I chose wrong."
Kanah's breath caught.
"What… does that mean…?"
The woman rose slowly from the throne.
Her feet didn't touch the ground.
"Come, child."
Kanah didn't move.
The woman extended a hand.
"You stand where destiny fractures.
You must see what I saw."
Kanah took a shaky step forward.
"I—I don't understand—I don't know why I'm here—"
"You are here because the throne called you."
Kanah shook her head.
"No—no, the Beast King—he pushed me—he made me fall—"
"He accelerated it," the woman agreed.
"He did not create it."
Kanah's heart slammed painfully.
"You're saying… I was chosen?"
The woman nodded.
"Humans cannot live in Beastworld…
unless something claims them."
Kanah's blood ran cold.
"What… claimed me?"
The woman's voice became a whisper of wind.
"Your loneliness."
Kanah froze.
"That loneliness was so deep," the woman said, "that the Beastworld reached back for you.
Human emotions are potent.
Yours called across realms."
Kanah covered her mouth.
"I didn't… I didn't want—"
"I know," the woman whispered.
"But power never asks permission."
Kanah trembled.
"Then what is this place…?
What is the abyss?"
The woman's eyes glowed brighter.
"It is the throne's heart."
Kanah's breath quickened.
"The Beast King said… I could take the throne…"
"Yes," the woman confirmed softly.
"And if you fail, the abyss will keep you.
As it kept me."
Kanah's stomach dropped.
"You died here?"
The woman shook her head.
"No.
Worse."
Kanah stepped back.
"No—no—please—just tell me what to do—how do I get out—how do I get to him—Owain—please—"
The woman glided forward quickly, placing her cold hands on Kanah's shoulders.
The contact froze Kanah in place.
"You must understand something."
Kanah's heartbeat thundered painfully.
The woman's voice cracked for the first time.
"You cannot take a throne with love."
Kanah's eyes widened.
"But I—I chose Owain—"
"Love cannot save you here," the woman whispered.
"The throne does not bend for love.
It bends for desire."
Kanah stiffened.
"What… desire?"
The woman leaned close.
"Power.
Rage.
Dominance.
The desire to not be weak."
Kanah shook her head violently.
"No—I don't want power—I don't want to dominate—I just want to go home—"
The woman's fingers tightened.
"And that is why you will die."
Kanah's breath shattered.
"No—NO—stop—PLEASE—"
The woman's voice rose sharply:
"IF YOU DO NOT CLAIM THE THRONE, IT WILL CONSUME YOU."
Kanah's knees buckled.
The abyss shook beneath them.
The woman's eyes glowed brighter, colder.
"You were chosen because you were weak.
Now choose to no longer be."
Kanah gasped.
"I—I can't—"
"You must."
"I can't—!"
"You stood for the wolf," the woman said, "but can you stand for yourself?"
Kanah sobbed.
"I don't… know…"
The abyss cracked like thunder.
Shadows exploded outward.
The woman's form flickered, torn by unseen pressure.
She screamed.
"HE COMES."
Kanah fell backward.
"Who—!? OWAIN—!?"
"NO—" the woman hissed.
"THE KING."
Owain's Fight Above
Owain's roar shook the Beast King's realm.
"LET ME GO—LET ME—GO—!!"
Golden chains wrapped around him tighter.
Owain tore at them, muscles straining, veins bulging, claws out, eyes wild.
Yllas and Helion slashed the chains to help.
Gerrin chanted spells until his voice cracked.
But the chains kept reforming.
"Owain—STOP—!" Yllas shouted.
"You're breaking your arms—"
"I DON'T CARE—!!
KANAH—KANAH—!!"
He felt her fear through their reforged bond.
He felt her confusion.
Her panic.
Her heartbreak.
Owain snarled, voice cracking:
"First King—HELP ME—!!"
No answer.
The Beast King stood calmly, watching Owain tear himself apart.
He spoke softly.
"She calls for you.
You cannot reach her."
Owain bared his teeth.
"Watch me."
And he tore the golden chains with a feral scream.
Back in the Abyss
Kanah scrambled backward.
The woman's form flickered, her voice cracking.
"Listen—listen to me—
the throne will test you—
with your deepest wounds—
and your darkest desires—"
Kanah shook violently.
"I don't WANT THIS—"
"You do," the woman whispered.
"Or you wouldn't have come here."
Kanah froze.
The woman smiled sadly.
"You want to live."
Kanah's breath hitched.
"You want to stop being prey."
Kanah shook.
"You want never to kneel again."
Kanah swallowed painfully.
"You want power."
Kanah covered her ears.
"STOP—STOP—!!"
"THEN TAKE IT—!!"
A surge of golden fire erupted beneath Kanah's feet.
The throne blazed.
Shadows lunged.
And the woman screamed:
"IF YOU DO NOT CLAIM THE THRONE—
THE KING WILL CLAIM YOU INSTEAD!"
Kanah looked up in horror—
At the throne—
awakening like a beast opening its jaws—
"NO—NO—NO—PLEASE—!!"
She backed away—
And fell into the throne's mouth of golden flame.
Owain Breaks Through
Owain ripped the last chain apart.
The realm shattered around him.
He screamed Kanah's name—
"KANAAAAH—!!"
The abyss opened beneath him.
He dove without hesitation.
Yllas, Helion, and Gerrin shouted after him—
"Owain—OWAIN—!!"
But he was already gone.
Falling into the same darkness Kanah did.
The Beast King Watches
He smiled faintly.
"So," he murmured, eyes glowing.
"The throne will finally be claimed."
A pause.
"And the wolf… will finally choose."
Inside the Throne
Kanah hit the ground—
No—
Not ground.
A living surface.
Golden fire crawled across her limbs like vines.
Her heartbeat echoed around her.
Her breath fed the flames.
The throne whispered:
"Show us your desire."
Kanah shook violently.
"I—I don't want—"
"LIE."
The throne pulsed.
Kanah screamed.
"Owain—Owain—OWAIN—HELP ME—!!"
From above—
Owain's voice echoed faintly:
"KANAH—!! I'M COMING—!! HOLD ON—!!"
She cried harder.
"OWAIN—!!"
The throne roared:
"DESIRE IS NOT LOVE."
Kanah sobbed.
"I desire—
to live—
to fight—
to never—be—weak—again—!!"
The throne surged.
It accepted.
It awakened.
And Kanah screamed as the throne's power slammed into her.
And Owain Fell Straight Toward Her.