Something moved in the dark outside the cavern.
Not footsteps.
Not claws.
Not wingbeats.
A deep, dragging vibration that made the stone beneath my feet tremble.
Owain snapped into a defensive crouch instantly, placing his body between me and the cavern mouth. His claws extended fully, fangs lengthening with a bone-deep snarl.
Yllas stepped forward beside him, half-shifted wings lifting to their widest span. Heat rolled off him in sharp waves, licking the cavern walls.
Gerrin's staff glowed with silver runes.
Helion's tail lashed once in warning.
No one breathed.
The forest outside exhaled smoke.
"Owain…" I whispered, my fingers brushing his back. "What is that?"
Owain didn't blink.
Didn't look at me.
"Get behind me."
"I am."
"No," he growled. "Behind my second spine."
I froze.
That tone was not protective.
It was instinct.
He was preparing for a fight he wasn't sure he could win.
Gerrin pushed himself between us, blocking my view. "Kanah. Stay behind me. Do not run."
"I'm not running."
"Good," he murmured. "You will need that courage."
The ground outside heaved.
Something huge shifted in the darkness.
Soft, rattling breath seeped into the air.
Helion sniffed and stiffened.
"Oh no."
Owain's voice dropped. "What?"
"Snake," Helion whispered. "Highborn."
Gerrin's markings flared silver. "A Serpentian?"
"No," Helion hissed.
"Worse."
The creature stepped into view.
A Highborn — Basilisk Kin
A massive serpentine form slid across the forest floor.
Scales of dark emeralds.
Eyes glowing with eerie blue luminescence.
A crown of bone plates lining its head.
But the worst part—
Its aura.
Cold. Heavy. Ancient.
The creature reared back, its long neck arching, head brushing the cavern ceiling.
Helion whispered:
"Basilisk King's envoy."
My blood turned to ice.
Owain growled, "Why is a Basilisk in wolf lands?"
Yllas's voice cut like heat. "Because they smell her."
The serpent's huge head turned toward me.
It inhaled—
and the cavern walls vibrated.
Owain roared. "DON'T LOOK AT HER!"
Yllas stepped forward, scales igniting. "Serpent. You are not welcome here."
The Basilisk envoy's voice slithered through the cavern.
"You reek of Dragon… Wolf… Elf… Leopard…"
Its forked tongue flicked toward me.
"And her."
The serpent lowered its head.
"Human. Marked. Chosen."
Owain snapped, "Back off!"
Yllas hissed, "He's not here to negotiate."
Helion flicked his claws. "I'm voting to kill it."
Gerrin whispered, "Be careful. Basilisk Kin are immune to most elemental magic."
The serpent's gaze locked onto me.
My rune pulsed.
Gold.
Silver.
Blue.
The serpent hissed in satisfaction. "Ah. The Queen-child."
My knees weakened.
Owain roared, "DON'T YOU CALL HER THAT—"
The Basilisk lunged.
The Battle
Owain tore forward, claws slashing across the serpent's snout.
Yllas threw fire in a wide arc, igniting the area.
Helion leapt onto its back, claws digging in.
Gerrin muttered ancient Elvish, runes forming around the cavern entrance.
The creature was huge—
twenty meters long, thick as a tree trunk, powerful enough to crush the entire cavern.
The serpent snapped at Yllas.
He dodged with a burst of flame, wings slamming into the ground to propel himself upward. "Helion, GET OFF—"
Helion snarled from the creature's back, "DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!"
The serpent whipped its body sideways, slamming Helion into the stone wall.
I screamed, "HELION—!"
He dropped to the ground, dazed but alive.
The serpent lunged again.
Owain leapt high and clamped his teeth around the serpent's throat.
Gerrin slammed runes into the ground—barriers, shields, traps.
Yllas flew upward, slammed both feet into the serpent's jaw, and forced it downward hard enough to crack the floor.
"Kanah!" Gerrin shouted. "MOVE BACK!"
I stumbled toward the far wall.
But the serpent sensed me.
It surged forward with terrifying speed—
Owain dove in front of me—
Too slow.
The serpent's tail whipped across the cavern—
and hit me square in the ribs.
Pain
My breath ripped out of my lungs.
I crashed into the cavern wall hard enough to break stone.
My vision blurred.
Warmth dripped down my side—
blood.
I collapsed to my knees.
Everything spun.
Owain's voice tore through the air.
"KANAH!"
I couldn't answer.
I couldn't breathe.
The serpent turned its massive head toward me.
Yllas roared with enough fury to shake the cavern, wings erupting in full display.
But the serpent was faster.
It lunged—
Gerrin's barrier shattered—
Helion was too far—
Owain was too late—
And the serpent's jaws closed around me.
The Rune Reacts
It didn't bite.
It was marked.
Its tongue touched the Beast King's mark—
and everything detonated.
Searing heat tore through my chest—
the mark burning silver—
the rune burning gold—
and then—
the blue awakened fully.
A beam of cold light burst from my body, blasting the serpent backward with such force it crashed into the cavern wall.
The cavern shook.
The ground split.
Snow fell from the ceiling.
Owain caught me before I hit the floor.
"Kanah—Kanah—ANSWER ME!"
I gasped, air finally rushing back into my lungs—but the pain was unbearable. Every breath felt like knives.
"It—it hurts—" I choked.
Owain's voice cracked. "I know. I know, I know—stay with me—"
Yllas landed beside me, half-shifted, breathing fire between his teeth. "She's bleeding internally—Gerrin—NOW—"
Gerrin knelt, hands glowing, chanting quickly. "Hold her still—Owain—Yllas—Helion—get ready—"
The serpent rose again, furious.
Helion snarled, "CAN WE KILL IT NOW?!"
Yllas' wings flared. "YES."
Owain lowered me gently onto a pile of furs, brushing my hair back with shaking hands. "Don't move. Don't even breathe too deep."
I grabbed his wrist weakly. "O-Owain—don't—go…"
He pressed his forehead to mine.
"I'll be right back."
His voice broke.
"I swear it."
He turned—
shifted fully mid-step—
and leaped at the serpent with a wolf howl that shook the cavern.
Yllas slammed his fist into the serpent's jaw.
Helion tore into its scales.
Gerrin bound its tail with glowing chains of Elvish light.
My vision dimmed.
Owain tore across the serpent's spine, ripping into scales with teeth and claws.
Yllas wrapped flames around its throat.
Gerrin drove runes into its bleeding wounds.
Helion leapt from rock to rock, carving deep slashes across its eyes.
The serpent collapsed at last.
And Owain delivered the killing blow—
ripping out its throat with a savage roar.
The cavern fell silent.
The Aftermath
Owain rushed back to me immediately.
He shifted mid-run, nearly falling from exhaustion, blood dripping from his arms, clothes torn.
He reached me and collapsed to his knees, pulling me into his arms.
"Kanah—breathe—breathe, sweetheart—please—keep your eyes open—"
"I'm… I'm trying…"
Gerrin pressed glowing hands to my ribs.
"Two broken. One fractured. Not punctured. Hold still—"
His magic flooded into me, cold and soothing.
I gasped.
My vision blurred.
Owain stroked my hair, murmuring, "I've got you. I've got you."
Yllas knelt on my other side, voice tight. "Kanah. Look at me."
I did.
And I saw fear in his eyes for the first time.
"Don't let your consciousness drift," he said softly.
Helion cuffed Owain lightly upside the head.
"Idiot wolf. You let her get hit."
Owain growled. "SHUT UP."
Helion's voice softened. "If she dies, I'm haunting you."
Owain snarled again.
But his hands on me were gentle.
Gerrin sighed. "She's stable. Barely."
I exhaled shakily. "The serpent… it knew me."
Yllas stiffened. "It knew your magic. It knows your lineage."
Owain's eyes mirrored fear and fury.
"That thing… came for you."
Helion added, "Which means more will come."
Gerrin's markings dimmed. "We can't stay here."
Owain clutched me tighter. "I'm not moving her."
"You don't have a choice," Yllas said quietly.
Owain glared. "Try and take her."
"No one's taking her," Gerrin snapped. "But that serpent was an envoy. A scout. If it reaches her, others can."
"And they will," Helion added.
Owain looked down at me.
"Kanah," he whispered, voice cracking,
"Tell me where you want to go. I'll take you myself."
I tried to speak—
but the mark flared silver—
the rune flared gold—
the shadow magic flared blue—
and all three colors swirled together—
into something new.
A fourth color.
Deep violet.
Everyone froze.
Gerrin whispered, "No… that's impossible."
Yllas inhaled sharply. "That's… the Royal Seal's true color."
Helion swore. "We're screwed."
Owain looked terrified.
"Kanah… sweetheart… what's happening?"
My voice trembled.
"I… I think…"
The cavern shook.
Light exploded.
"I think the seal is waking."