The tremor rolled through the ground like a pulse too deep to be natural.
Kanah felt it in her bones first—
a low, steady thud that made her ribs vibrate.
Owain's ears snapped up, his entire body going rigid beside her.
"That's not scouts," he growled.
"That's not a hunting party."
The tremor deepened—
another thud—
another—
faster now.
The Devourer-born clustered around Kanah whimpered, pressing their foreheads to the dirt in instinctive submission.
Kanah swallowed hard.
"That's an army."
Gerrin dropped to one knee and placed both palms on the soil.
His silver-green mana slipped into the earth like water.
A heartbeat later his voice trembled.
"Not just an army…"
He looked up, color draining from his face.
"He's marching everything."
Yllas' flame flickered sharply.
"Everything—meaning?"
Gerrin clenched his jaw.
"Every soldier.
Every incomplete Devourer-born.
Every death-breed.
Every half-finished creature that can crawl."
Helion whistled under his breath.
"Oh. So he's really lost it."
Owain snarled.
"He's not acting like a king.
He's acting like a cornered beast."
Kanah's pulse hammered in her throat.
"He's coming for me."
Owain took her hand instantly.
"No.
He's coming for ALL of us—because he knows you're not alone anymore."
The tremors intensified.
Leaves jolted.
Branches rattled.
Birds fled the canopy.
The entire forest held its breath.
THE FIRST SIGNS
A wolf scout burst through the trees, breathless.
"Wolf King!
They've crossed the Veylor ridge—hundreds—maybe thousands—"
Owain's eyes sharpened.
"How far?"
The scout shook violently.
"A league away."
Kanah's stomach twisted.
"Already?"
The scout nodded.
"They're moving faster than any Devourer-born should be able to."
Yllas murmured darkly:
"He's forcing them.
Pushing them beyond natural ability."
Kanah clenched her fists.
"They're in pain."
Gerrin nodded grimly.
"I can feel it from here.
Their resonance is screaming."
Helion hopped onto a branch and peered toward the eastern ridge.
"And where there's that much screaming…
there's HIM."
Owain stepped in front of Kanah, shielding her from the wind.
"Listen to me," he murmured, voice low.
"When he reaches the forest line, he will try to force open your seed again. But you don't let him in."
Kanah nodded shakily.
"I won't."
Owain cupped her cheek.
"No matter what you feel—no matter what instinct tries to rise—you focus on ME."
Kanah grabbed his wrist.
"I can do that."
"Owain!" Vaeryn's voice thundered from above.
The dragon lord swooped down, wings scattering leaves.
"They've launched skirmish lines.
Wingless, malformed fighters—fast ones."
Rhaegor appeared beside him.
"And death-breeds.
The kind that chew through stone."
Kanah's breath hitched.
Death-breeds.
She'd heard whispers.
Creatures made only for killing.
Not stable.
Not sentient.
Just instinct + hunger + bone.
Owain's voice dropped.
"Positions!"
His call echoed through the forest.
Wolves howled.
Dragons shrieked overhead.
Elves raised staffs.
Leopards sprinted into the canopy.
The guardian beast took its stance, blocking the western flank.
Kanah instinctively stepped back—
but the Devourer-born behind her caught her arms.
The eldest one shook, eyes glowing faint gold.
"Mother…
he comes…"
Kanah knelt, cupping their face.
"You're safe. Stay behind me."
Owain's jaw tightened, but he didn't argue.
She'd earned their loyalty.
Now she had to protect it.
THE ADVANCE
The tremor peaked—
and then the forest on the eastern edge split open as the first wave appeared.
Not roaring.
Not charging.
Sprinting.
Malformed Devourer-born—
limbs too long, eyes too wide, bones protruding—
raced toward the clearing on all fours.
Owain roared:
"FIRST LINE — HOLD!"
Wolves slammed into the front ranks, bodies colliding with sickening force.
Trees cracked.
Claws tore.
Blood sprayed.
Dragons dove from above, incinerating dozens.
Elves formed a mana wall—
roots rising to snare and entangle.
Leopards dropped from above, vicious and precise.
The guardian beast crushed three malformed Devourer-born under its claws.
But still—
still—
the horde kept coming.
Kanah's heart raced.
Her breath shook.
Her resonance reacted.
Gerrin grabbed her shoulders.
"Kana—stay anchored—
stay with us—"
"I'm trying—" she whispered.
Owain fought like death incarnate—
ripping through Devourer forms with sheer brute strength.
"Don't let them through!" he roared.
Kanah's gaze snapped to a young malformed creature—
smaller, shaking, terrified—
trying to flee the battle, not enter it.
Kanah reached out instinctively.
"Wait—DON'T—!"
She stepped forward—
Yllas grabbed her arm.
"Kanah, STOP!"
Helion dropped in front of her, claws out.
"You can't save all of them—he's USING them—"
Kanah shouted:
"He's hurting them—!"
Owain spun toward her, eyes blazing.
"KANA—STAY BACK!"
But it was too late.
The creature fleeing the battle turned toward her—
and for a split second—
its eyes changed.
Fear.
Recognition.
A plea.
Kanah's resonance pulsed in response.
Owain felt it.
"KANAH—NO!"
She stumbled forward—
but Owain tackled her waist, pulling her back behind the shield line just as a death-breed lunged where she'd stood.
It hit the ground with bone-splitting force.
Yllas blasted it with blue flame.
Helion slashed its throat.
Gerrin sealed the wound with mana spikes.
Owain pinned Kanah against his chest, shaking.
"DON'T DO THAT," he snarled into her hair.
"DON'T YOU EVER—DON'T—"
"I thought I could help—" she gasped.
"You can't help him by dying!" Owain snapped.
His voice broke.
"You stay with me."
Kanah clutched his arms.
"Owain… I'm sorry."
He crushed her against his chest.
"You don't step out of the line.
You don't move toward the enemy.
Not unless we move with you."
Kanah pressed her forehead to his.
"I'm okay."
Owain growled softly.
"You WILL be."
THE SHADOW AT THE TREE LINE
A sudden stillness fell over the battlefield.
The malformed Devourer-born stopped attacking—
not from damage—
but from…
fear.
A ripple of black-gold spread across the trees.
Kanah froze.
Owain snarled.
"NO—NOT AGAIN—"
Kanah whispered:
"He's here."
Not marching with the first wave.
Not leading the malformed creatures.
Waiting.
Watching.
Calculating.
Her father stepped from the tree line—
not into the battle—
but onto a ridge overlooking it.
His aura washed over the battlefield—
heavy
deep
demanding obedience
demanding submission.
The Devourer-born collapsed onto all fours.
Wolves crouched, resisting instinctively.
Dragons roared, wings quivering.
Elves gritted their teeth.
Leopards hissed.
Kanah gasped as the pressure hit her like a weight against her chest.
Owain grabbed her face in both hands.
"Kana—LOOK AT ME—
ignore him—LOOK ONLY AT ME—"
She did.
Her Devourer eye flickered—
once—
twice—
then steadied in gold.
Owain kissed her forehead roughly.
"That's it.
Stay with me.
Not him."
Her father finally spoke—
and his voice was calm.
Too calm.
"Kanara."
Kanah's heart twisted painfully.
Her father tilted his head.
"You continue to resist me."
Kanah swallowed.
Owain growled:
"SHE DOESN'T BELONG TO YOU!"
The Devourer King ignored him completely.
His gaze remained on Kanah.
"Your resonance grows.
You stabilize more of my failed children.
You defy my commands.
And you stand beside creatures beneath us."
Kanah lifted her chin.
"I stand beside my mates."
The forest trembled.
Owain sucked in a sharp breath.
"Kana—"
But she wasn't finished.
"And I choose them."
Her father's eyes darkened.
And the ridge beneath him cracked.
"You choose wrong."
"No," Kanah whispered.
"I choose HUMAN."
Owain's entire body jolted.
Helion choked.
Yllas blinked slowly.
Gerrin stared.
Every tribe fell silent.
The Devourer King rose to his full height—
and his aura deepened, spilling across the battlefield like a dark tide.
"Then today," he said softly,
"I will show you what it means to reject me."
Kanah's heart stuttered.
Owain pulled her behind him, claws out, body trembling with rage.
"You want her," he snarled.
"You'll have to go through EVERY ONE OF US."
The Devourer King smiled.
"Then let us proceed."
He lifted his hand.
The earth cracked open.
And the second wave emerged.
Larger.
Faster.
More complete.
More deadly.
The war had fully begun.