The world held its breath.
Kanah couldn't move.
Couldn't blink.
Couldn't breathe.
The shadowed figure stepped into the pale light of the First King's realm—
and there he stood.
The face she saw in nightmares.
The eyes she remembered in the rain.
The man whose knife stole her breath, her future, her world.
Her murderer.
He looked exactly as he did in the alley.
Same cold smirk.
Same slick hair.
Same casual, empty eyes.
Kanah staggered back.
"No… no—no—NO—"
Owain's head whipped toward her instantly.
He caught her before she fell, arms bracing around her waist.
His voice lowered to something soft, dangerous, barely human.
"Kanah… what is he?"
Kanah couldn't form words.
Her throat had closed.
She trembled violently, fingers digging into Owain's forearm.
Owain pulled her tighter, instincts overwhelming him.
He didn't know her story.
He didn't remember the bond.
But every instinct, every thread of instinct-born loyalty in his blood, screamed:
Protect her.
Yllas drew a blade of burning gold.
Helion's curse-marks flared pitch-black.
Gerrin raised his staff, face pale with disbelief.
The man smirked at Kanah.
"Long time no see."
Kanah's knees buckled.
Owain stepped between them fully—
a wall of muscle, fury, and instinct.
He growled, low and dangerous:
"Don't talk to her."
The man tilted his head.
"You look angry, wolfie.
Didn't know she had pets in this world too."
Owain lunged—
Yllas grabbed him.
"Owain—NO. He's not human."
Owain snarled like a feral animal.
"I don't care what he is."
Kanah forced her voice out, barely above a whisper:
"H-He… killed me…"
Owain froze mid-motion.
His head turned slowly.
"What…?"
Kanah's eyes brimmed with tears she couldn't hold back.
"My death…
The memory you saw in the trial…
He's the one who attacked me."
Owain's breath left him in one violent exhale.
His jaw clenched so hard blood welled at his lip.
Then—
Something flickered behind his eyes.
A spark.
A heartbeat-long flash.
Snow.
Her voice.
His arms around her.
Kanah gasped.
"Owain—
you saw something—
something came back—didn't it—?"
Owain gripped his head.
A pained groan tore from him.
"Stop—STOP—my head—something—something's trying to—"
Gerrin shouted:
"DON'T push it—Owain—your mind isn't ready—!!"
Owain dropped to one knee, panting hard.
Kanah knelt beside him, hands hovering helplessly.
"Owain… Owain, look at me—"
He looked up.
His eyes burned.
With pain.
With fury.
With something else—
Recognition trying to break through.
"Why…" he rasped.
"…why does seeing him hurt worse than losing the bond…?"
Kanah swallowed.
"Because he took me from you once already."
Owain's breath hitched.
Then—
slowly—
he rose to his feet.
His claws slid out.
His posture dropped.
His pupils thinned.
He wasn't just angry.
He was murderous.
"I don't know you," he said quietly,
"but I know I would've killed him for touching you."
Kanah bit her lip to keep from sobbing.
Owain stepped forward.
Helion stepped beside him.
"I'll kill him with you."
Yllas moved opposite, golden flame building in his palm.
"And me."
Gerrin raised his staff.
"...and me."
The murderer looked at the four of them and laughed.
"You're all worked up over one girl?
Pathetic."
Owain's lip curled.
"You have no idea what she means."
Kanah trembled behind him.
The murderer smirked wider.
"Still trembling?
You did that the first time too."
Kanah's breath broke.
Owain turned instantly.
He grabbed her hand.
Held it tight.
"Don't look at him," he murmured.
Kanah blinked up at him through tears.
"But—"
"Don't.
Look.
At him."
The command—gentle but unshakably certain—stilled her fear more than any spell could.
Her chest eased just enough to breathe.
Owain turned back toward the murderer.
And smiled.
Cold.
Sharp.
Deadly.
"Say something like that again," he said softly,
"and I'll tear your throat out."
Helion cracked his knuckles.
Yllas flared brighter.
Gerrin's staff hummed.
The murderer shrugged.
"You think I'm here for banter?
I'm here because the king told me to finish the job."
Kanah's breath hitched violently.
Owain moved without thinking.
He positioned himself between them so fast it blurred.
"You will not lay a finger on her."
The murderer laughed.
"You don't get it, do you?
This isn't your world.
This isn't your fight."
Kanah whispered, voice shaking:
"Owain… h-he's right… this is my trial—"
Owain didn't take his eyes off the threat.
"I don't care."
Kanah blinked, stunned.
Owain's tone didn't rise.
It didn't shake.
It didn't doubt.
"I don't need memories to know when someone is mine to protect."
Kanah's throat closed.
The murderer rolled his shoulders.
"Cute.
But she'll never finish her trial if she hides behind you."
Kanah trembled.
Owain's fists tightened.
"She doesn't have to hide."
Gerrin stepped forward.
His voice was low.
"Kanah. There's something you need to understand."
She turned, trembling.
Gerrin continued:
"The First King didn't bring him here as a foe."
Kanah stared.
Yllas frowned immediately.
"What do you mean—?"
Gerrin swallowed hard.
"This is the Trial of Restoration.
To restore what she lost…
the heir must confront the reason the bond existed in the first place."
Owain's brow furrowed.
"What are you saying?"
Gerrin's voice softened.
"Owain fell for her because she wasn't afraid to fight the world."
Owain stiffened.
Kanah's breath stopped.
Gerrin nodded to the murderer.
"He's not here so you can run from him.
He's here because you must stand against him."
Kanah shook her head violently.
"I—I can't fight him—"
"You don't need magic," Gerrin whispered.
"You just need yourself."
The murderer licked his lips.
"So?
Will the little girl cry again?"
Kanah flinched.
Owain growled so viciously the snow shook.
But Kanah stepped forward.
Shaking.
Barely breathing.
But stepping.
Owain reached out instinctively.
"Kanah—"
She placed her hand over his.
Her voice tiny but steady:
"I have to do this."
Owain's eyes widened.
He felt something stir in his chest.
Something old.
Something familiar.
A whisper of memory.
His voice softened.
"I won't leave your side."
Kanah nodded.
"Then stay.
Just… don't take the step for me."
Owain's throat worked.
He lowered his hand.
But didn't retreat.
She walked forward alone.
Face pale.
Hands trembling.
Heart screaming.
The murderer smirked.
"You really think you can fight me now?
No wolf.
No knife.
No alley to hide in."
Kanah lifted her chin.
"I'm not hiding anymore."
He lunged.
Fast.
But Owain, Yllas, Helion, and Gerrin all held back—
per the trial's rule.
Kanah stepped aside.
Barely.
Clumsily.
But she didn't freeze.
The murderer grabbed her wrist.
Kanah gasped.
Reflex took over.
She drove her knee into his stomach.
He stumbled.
Owain exhaled sharply.
Gerrin whispered, "That's it—Kanah—keep going—"
The murderer swung again.
Kanah ducked.
Her pulse roared.
She wasn't a fighter.
Not trained.
Not strong.
But she remembered dying.
She remembered what it felt like to be helpless.
She refused to feel it again.
He lunged.
Kanah stepped back—
Tripped—
And Owain surged forward instantly, catching her by the waist.
Their faces were inches apart.
Kanah gasped.
Owain's eyes softened, fierce and focused.
"Again," he whispered.
"You're doing it. Don't stop."
Kanah nodded shakily.
Owain let her go.
She turned back to her murderer.
This time—
She didn't step away.
She stepped toward him.
He blinked in surprise.
Kanah took her fear—
her shaking—
her grief—
her shame—
and burned it all into one word:
"Enough."
The murderer froze mid-strike.
Kanah's voice cracked:
"You don't get to control my story anymore."
A pulse spread from her chest—
Not magic.
Will.
The murderer stumbled.
Owain inhaled sharply.
"That— what was that—?"
Gerrin's eyes widened.
"She's awakening her second-stage emotion magic."
Kanah took one more step.
The murderer swung.
Kanah ducked.
Then—
She grabbed his wrist.
And slammed her forehead into his nose.
He reeled back, blood spraying.
Owain whispered:
"…gods."
Kanah's hands shook violently.
But she didn't faint.
She didn't back down.
She didn't cry.
She glared at him.
"I'm not afraid of you anymore."
The murderer wiped his nose, snarling.
"You little—"
Kanah stepped forward.
"You killed me once."
Her voice didn't shake.
"You don't get to do it again."
The murderer rushed her—
And Owain's breath caught.
"Kanah—!!"
Kanah twisted.
And shoved him.
He stumbled backward—
Straight into a glowing sigil.
The First King's voice echoed:
"Trial requirement met."
The murderer dissolved into white dust.
Kanah gasped, collapsing to her knees.
Owain ran to her instantly.
He caught her before she hit the ground, pulling her into his chest.
Her fingers gripped his shirt.
Her breath trembled.
Owain held her tighter.
"…I remember something."
Kanah froze.
Her heart hammered.
"Owain—what do you—what did you remember—?"
Owain swallowed hard.
"You were… crying into my shoulder."
He closed his eyes.
"And I told you it was over. That no one would hurt you again."
His grip tightened.
"And I meant it. I think I meant it a lot."
Kanah covered her mouth as tears spilled.
Her voice broke:
"That happened… it really happened…"
Owain inhaled sharply.
"It did…?"
"Yes," she whispered.
"It was the first night we met."
Owain's arms tightened around her.
His voice shook.
"Then I'm remembering."
Kanah sobbed into him.
Owain whispered against her hair:
"Don't let go.
I'm not ready yet.
But I'm not losing you twice."