The guardian's knee hit the ground with a seismic thud.
Kanah felt the sound in her bones.
"No—no—NO—!!"
Her voice cracked painfully.
"He shouldn't kneel—he can't—he's MINE—!!"
Owain spun toward her, grabbing her shoulders.
"Kana—listen—listen to me—stay with me—don't let him into your head—"
But she couldn't look away.
Her guardian—
the first creature that had recognized her—
the one that bowed not to her bloodline, but to her choice—
now knelt under her brother's command.
The brother watched her with a serene, terrible calm.
"This is not punishment," he murmured.
"It is nature."
Kanah shook violently.
"No—YOU made it— you FORCED—"
He tilted his head.
"Blood recognizes blood. You refuse it. So your constructs bend to me."
Owain roared:
"SHE DOESN'T RECOGNIZE YOU AT ALL."
Her brother's eyes slid to Owain.
"And that's the problem."
The second wave of Devourer-born surged.
Owain shoved Kanah behind him, snapping,
"DRAGON—LEOPARD—NOW!"
Yllas opened his wings, unleashing a wall of frost flame that slowed the charging swarm.
Helion dashed forward in a blur, slicing down the first five attackers with feral precision.
Gerrin threw up a silver barrier around Kanah, Ilai, and the guardian.
Kanah slammed her hands against the glowing shield.
"LET HIM GO!"
Her father's voice echoed, cold and distant, in her memory:
"Devourers cannot resist resonance stronger than themselves."
"No—no—he's not STRONGER—he's NOT—"
Owain's voice cut through, deep and commanding:
"KANA. LOOK AT ME."
She forced her eyes off her kneeling guardian.
Owain grasped her face with both hands, foreheads pressing together.
"You are not controlled by him.
You are not Devourer property.
You do not BOW.
And neither does anyone who follows you."
Her breath shook.
"Owain… he took my guardian—"
Gerrin murmured behind them, strained from holding the shield:
"He hasn't taken it.
He's testing her bond stability."
Kanah swallowed hard.
"What does that mean?"
Gerrin's eyes met hers.
"It means if you break now…
—he wins."
Her pulse spiked.
Owain growled, pulling her closer.
"Listen to me. The guardian doesn't bend to him because he's your brother. It bends because YOU are unstable. Your resonance dips—he slips in."
Kanah froze.
Her brother's voice echoed through the clearing:
"Correct."
Owain's claws extended.
"Shut. Up."
But her brother stepped forward, hands clasped behind his back, like the entire battlefield was a quiet conversation.
"You do not yet understand your power, sister."
Kanah's anger rose through the haze of fear.
"DON'T call me that—"
"Your instability affects all bound to you," he continued calmly.
"The guardian. The wolf. The others will follow in time."
Owain snarled:
"THEY FOLLOW HER BECAUSE THEY CHOOSE HER."
Her brother raised an eyebrow.
"Is that true?"
Owain stepped forward, chest heaving with fury.
"Yes."
"Even though she is Devourer?"
"Yes."
"Even though her hunger might one day turn on you?"
Owain didn't blink.
"Yes."
Kanah's heart twisted painfully.
Her brother's expression flickered—
Something like confusion.
Then irritation.
"You defend her with such certainty. Yet she was moments from breaking."
Owain growled:
"She's not breaking. Not anymore."
Kanah whispered:
"Because of you."
Owain froze.
Their eyes met.
Something warm and fierce passed between them.
Her brother's gaze sharpened at the exchange.
He turned toward the guardian and lifted two fingers.
"Kneel lower."
Kanah choked as the guardian buckled further, its claws digging trenches into the ground.
"STOP—!!
STOP IT—!!!"
Her brother calmly looked back at her.
"Make me."
The Devourer-born surged again.
Yllas and Helion met them mid-charge.
Gerrin's shield flickered under the pressure.
Owain's jaw clenched.
"Kana. Listen carefully."
She looked at him desperately.
"What—what do I do—?"
"You don't fight him with power."
He took her trembling hands and pressed them to his chest.
"You fight him with the bond."
Her breath hitched.
"Owain… I'm scared."
His voice softened.
"I know.
But your fear feeds HIM…
and your fear makes the guardian bow."
Kanah stared at the kneeling guardian.
Its claws trembled.
Its breath heaved.
It didn't want to bow.
It was fighting.
For her.
Her brother whispered:
"You are not strong enough."
Kanah inhaled sharply.
Owain growled:
"Yes.
She.
Is."
She closed her eyes.
Her heartbeat synced with Owain's.
Steady.
Real.
Chosen.
She felt the bite mark pulse warmly at her neck.
A tether.
Not dragging her down—
holding her up.
She opened her eyes.
Her Devourer eye glowed gold-black.
Her voice, still trembling, still soft—
but no longer breaking—
said:
"Stand."
The guardian froze.
Her brother's smile vanished.
Kanah took a breath.
Her throat burned.
Her vision shook.
Her knees wobbled.
But she didn't stop.
She stepped toward the kneeling guardian.
"Stand.
For me."
The guardian shuddered—
but began to rise.
Owain's breath caught.
Gerrin's magic pulsed.
Helion hissed in amazement.
Yllas's flames flared brighter.
Her brother's jaw tightened.
"Impossible."
Kanah stepped forward again, stronger.
"No one commands what's mine."
A rumble shook the trees as the guardian fully rose—
towering—
eyes blazing—
free of her brother's dominance.
It knelt once more—
to her.
Not in obedience.
In allegiance.
Kanah whispered through tears:
"You're mine because I choose you.
Not because of blood.
Because of heart."
Her brother stared.
Then he smiled.
Slow.
Dark.
"Then let us see…
how long your heart holds."
He lifted his hand.
The third wave emerged from the shadows.
Not Devourer-born.
Not scouts.
Not beasts.
Devourer elites.
Fully-awakened.
Fully blooded.
Fully lethal.
Owain stepped in front of Kanah, claws blazing.
"Let them come."
Kanah touched his back.
"Owain…"
"Yeah?"
"I'm not afraid anymore."
Owain glanced back at her, eyes burning with pride.
"Good."
The elites charged.
And the real war began.