The air was very heavy. Like the world w as holding it' as breath. The sky was full of clouds, dark and slow, moving like they was watching the earth below. Coker stood at the edge of the cliff, eyes looking far. Down below was demon land, deep and wide. It was not just black. There was red and purple too, like the place was alive and breathing.
Reko was behind him, his armor shining a little in the grey light. He did not wear a crown but people still bow to him. He was a prince now. A warrior too. But right now, he was just a brother. He came for Coker, not for war.
Lira sat on a rock nearby, fixing her bandage. Her magic was low after the last fight. But her eyes was strong like always. She was not afraid. She trusted Coker, and now, maybe she trusted Reko too.
"So," Coker said slowly. "This is it. The road into the demon land."
Reko stepped next to him. "It looks dead."
"No," Coker replied. "It looks like me."
Reko looked at him but said nothing. He didn't need to. He knew what Coker meant. The land felt like pain, anger, power, and sadness. Just like the cursed fire in his brother's blood.
They started walking. The cliff turned to hard ground. There was no grass, no tree. Just bones and rock and strange black water. Sometimes they see demons from far but the demons didn't attack. They just stare and disappear. Like they was scared... or waiting.
"I don't like this," Lira whispered. "It feels too quiet."
"It is quiet before storm," Coker said. "Always."
After some hours, they find a strange building. It looked broken, old, like it was once a church but now used by monsters. There was a smell in the air, something dark, like old blood and smoke.
Coker push the door open. Inside was candles, still burning, but the flame was black.
Suddenly, a laugh filled the air.
"Well well... the cursed boy... and the prince too."
From the shadows, a tall demon walked out. His skin was red like fire, eyes sharp like blade. Two big horns on his head. His voice was slow and full of poison.
"You don't belong here," the demon said.
Coker stepped forward. "I belong where I walk. Move, or burn."
The demon smiled. "I serve the king. And he already saw you. He is waiting."
Coker's fire rose. "Then I'll go meet him myself."
But the demon move fast. His claws came close to Coker's chest. Reko block it with his sword, metal against bone. The sound echoed like thunder.
"Go," Reko shouted. "Find the path! I'll hold him!"
"No!" Coker yell. "We fight together!"
But Lira pulled him. "This is his fight! You have a bigger one waiting!"
Coker looked back. Reko was already in battle. His golden sword clashing with demon claws. Dust and flame flew around them.
"I'll be back," Coker said. "Don't die."
He and Lira ran deeper into the building. Inside, they find stairs going down. The air was thicker now. Every breath felt heavy.
At the bottom, they find a room full of red light. And in the middle, a mirror.
But it was not normal. The mirror was showing Coker—but not him now. A future him. A version where the curse won. He was tall, full demon, eyes black, wings wide like night.
Lira gasped. "That's… that's you?"
Coker step close. The mirror-Coker moved too, but it smiled in evil way.
"See?" a voice whispered. "This is what you become."
Coker grit his teeth. "I'm not you."
"You are me," the mirror said. "You just not ready yet."
Coker threw a flame at it. The glass broke into a hundred red pieces.
Behind the mirror, a door opened.
The path ahead was red stone, carved with symbols. It was warm. Too warm.
"Lira," Coker said. "If anything happens to me—"
She grabbed his arm. "Don't. I'm not losing anyone again."
They kept walking. Deeper and deeper.
Above them, Reko was still fighting hard. His arms was bleeding, his sword cracked, but his eyes never quit. He pushed the demon back and back, until it fell into fire and screamed.
Reko fell on one knee. Tired, but alive.
"I did my part," he said. "Now brother… do yours."
Meanwhile, Coker and Lira entered a huge hall. At the end was a throne. On the throne sat no one. But a voice filled the room.
"So the vessel comes."
Coker's fire rose high. "Where are you?"
Then the floor cracked. Black smoke came out, swirling fast. From it rose a figure—tall, dark, with a crown of shadow and a voice cold like winter.
"I am the one inside you," it said. "I am the fire you fear. I am the Demon King."
Coker stood tall. "Then let's end it. Right now."
The Demon King smiled. "Foolish boy. You can't kill me. You are me."
Then, he flew forward. Not to fight—but to enter. The smoke rushed toward Coker, trying to merge.
Coker screamed as the curse inside him started to burn harder than ever. Lira ran to him but fire pushed her back.
He was shaking. His eyes turning black. His arms burning. His own power was fighting his soul.
"Fight it, Coker!" Lira shouted. "You are stronger than him!"
The voice inside laughed. "You need me. Without me, you're nothing."
Coker dropped to his knees.
But then—he remembered.
He remembered the hero who died to save him.
He remembered the statue that broke.
He remembered the pain, the anger… and the promise.
"I don't need you," he whispered. "I never did."
He slammed his fist to the ground.
A light came out of him. Not fire. Not curse. But something pure.
The Demon King screamed.
"No!! You are mine!!"
Coker stood up, covered in white and red light.
"I'm my own king."
Then the fire and shadow exploded.