In the immediate aftermath of the fight, Kai caught Kitt as he collapsed, the stoker wound pouring blood. Overwhelmed by rage, grief, and guilt, Kai begged Kitt to survive and insisted the impalement had been a tragic misstep, repeating that Kitt was supposed to dodge. Kitt’s delirium ebbed, and he admitted he felt lost and could not remember himself, while Kai tried to stabilize him and promised to fix it.

Paedyn stayed at their side as Kitt told her he cared and did not want to be a monster. Kai denied Kitt’s self-condemnation, calling himself the monster instead, but Kitt framed their dynamic as a king moving a pawn and lamented that he could not recall many of his moves. Kai attempted to use his copied abilities to reach a Healer elsewhere in the castle, only to find his range blocked and his strength failing, a limitation tied to the fabricated Plague. Desperate, he sent Paedyn to fetch a Healer.

As Paedyn ran, Kai tried to keep Kitt conscious. Kitt confessed fear, said his intentions had been for them both, and admitted jealousy over Kai’s love for Paedyn, fearing he was losing Kai to her. Kai pleaded that he had never left Kitt and that their bond was unbroken regardless of blood. Kitt replied that he could love only one person and had been losing Kai, while Kai blamed himself and insisted his duty was to protect Kitt.

Kitt reflected that his fate might have been to save Kai from himself and confessed he did not want to be a monster, only to be great. Kai insisted Kitt was good and would not be alone, promising they would be together. Kitt asked to be buried under the willow tree and, with failing strength, removed his wedding ring, pressing it into Kai’s palm and urging Kai and Paedyn to love each other for him.

Kitt revealed he wrote letters so Kai could understand why he became a monster. He grew lucid for moments, voiced his fear, and repeated his desire to be great. Kai promised that Kitt would be remembered as Ilya’s greatest king and asked forgiveness. Kitt, looking past Kai, promised to go gently “for you,” and then died, his features settling into a peaceful stillness.

Shattered, Kai grieved over Kitt’s body, repeating “my brother” as anguish consumed him. When Paedyn burst back into the room with a Healer, she found Kai lifeless with grief on the floor beside Kitt’s corpse, the help arriving too late to save the king.