the demon Prince's accidental bride

Location: Mirror Room – Midnight

The glass shimmered as Dark Talia stepped fully out of the mirror.

Her hair blew gently, though there was no wind. Her skin looked flawless—too flawless. And her smile?

Unnerving.

Talia stood frozen as she stared at… herself.

Talia: "What... are you?"

Dark Talia: "I'm you. The version you locked away. The one who never cried. The one who made the deal."

Lucien moved between them instantly, his hand glowing faintly with warding energy.

Lucien: "Stay back."

Dark Talia tilted her head playfully.

Dark Talia: "Still playing the bodyguard, Lucien? Cute. But I'm not here to fight. I'm here to live."

---

Location: Council Hall – Same Night

Kael, Mira, and Grandmother Aria gathered in a panic.

Kael: "The mirror didn't just release her—it manifested a fragment."

Mira (sipping cocoa): "So basically, we've got an evil Talia roaming around... and the original Talia is emotionally constipated. That's great."

Grandmother Aria: "This is not a joke, child! If that fragment completes the soul bond—she becomes real. Permanent."

Kael: "And that fragment holds the original curse energy. She's what the demon wants."

---

Back at the Mirror Room

Talia: "Why now? Why are you appearing now?"

Dark Talia: "Because you remembered. The deal. The vow. The moment you accepted your past… I woke up."

She took a step forward.

Dark Talia: "You lived a life pretending to be strong. I am the strength you threw away."

Lucien raised his hand.

Lucien: "Touch her, and I swear—"

Dark Talia (smirking): "Relax, lover boy. I'm not here to kill her. I just want to... co-exist."

Talia: "I'm not sharing my life with a walking, talking curse!"

Dark Talia: "Funny. Because I already share your soul."

Suddenly, the candles around the room blew out. The only light was the eerie glow from Dark Talia's eyes.

---

Next Morning – Kitchen Chaos

Mira poured an entire bag of sugar into her tea.

Mira: "Okay, so let me get this straight. Evil clone version of my best friend is walking around, casually claiming property over her own life... and we're just chilling?"

Lucien (rubbing his temples): "We're not chilling. We're preparing a containment spell."

Kael (serious): "And it has to be done before the next blood moon. If the two Talias fuse permanently, we lose the good one."

Talia (entering): "I'm still here, you know. Don't talk like I'm already dead."

Mira: "Sorry. I'm processing my fear with sarcasm and caffeine."

---

That Night – Garden of Shadows

Talia found Dark Talia standing under the twisted willow tree, looking at the moon.

Talia: "You can't take my life."

Dark Talia (softly): "I don't want to take it. I want to merge with it. You and I are two halves. Without me, you're weak. Without you, I'm empty."

Talia: "Then stay empty."

Suddenly, Dark Talia grabbed her wrist. Their eyes locked—and for a second, both saw each other's memories.

Talia gasped as she saw herself at seven, bleeding, alone, praying for her mother's life.

Dark Talia whispered: "You made me to survive pain. Don't reject me now."

Talia pulled away, heart pounding.

And that's when the earth trembled.

From deep beneath the temple, a voice echoed.

> "One soul. One body. Choose."

The sky turned crimson. The ground cracked open in the forest nearby. A dark mist rose—bringing with it the shadow of something ancient.

Kael looked up from his scrolls and went pale.

Kael: "It's awakening... The Demon Lord has sensed her."

Location: Forest Edge – Just Past Midnight

The trees groaned as if they were alive. Shadows twisted unnaturally. Birds flew backward. And from the cracked earth, a deep, demonic growl echoed.

Lucien, Kael, Mira, and Talia arrived at the site, panting, magic already crackling around their fingertips.

Mira (half-joking, half-panicking): "Okay, if this is just another Tuesday, I'm switching dimensions."

Kael: "It's not just a crack. It's a summoning seal—an ancient one. Something… no, someone... is coming."

Talia stared into the mist.

And then… a figure rose.

Tall. Horned. Elegant. Monstrous. Familiar.

Lucien froze.

Lucien: "No… It can't be."

Talia: "You… know him?"

The demon's glowing red eyes locked onto Talia.

Demon: "There you are... my bride."

---

Flashback – Years Ago

A younger Talia stood in a circle of blood, her hands trembling.

A whisper in the dark: "Say the vow, and she will live."

Talia (crying): "I… I vow to give whatever you ask… even my soul. Just save my sister."

The demon's hand reached from the shadows.

And the deal was made.

---

Back to Present – Forest

Talia: "You're the one… from the night I made the deal?"

Demon (smiling): "You've grown. And now, I've come to collect."

Lucien stepped in front of her, shadows rising.

Lucien: "She's not yours anymore."

Demon: "She was never yours to protect."

In one motion, the demon raised his clawed hand—and blasted Lucien back twenty feet.

Kael yelled, casting a barrier.

Talia rushed to Lucien, grabbing his hand.

Talia: "Don't die, don't die on me—Lucien!"

Lucien opened one eye, wincing.

Lucien (weakly): "If I die, make sure Kael doesn't sing at my funeral. He's terrible."

Mira (screaming): "Not now, you idiots!"

---

Location: Temple Vault

Meanwhile, Grandmother Aria was frantically going through ancient scrolls.

Grandmother Aria: "Only one thing can stop the Demon King... the Heart Seal."

But the scroll was blank.

Until… ink began to form on its own.

A message, written in Talia's own handwriting:

> "You can't seal him. You must embrace the darkness. Only then… will you survive."

Grandmother Aria gasped.

---

Back to the Battlefield

Talia stood.

Alone now.

Wind howling around her, her magic unstable.

Talia (yelling): "You want the girl who made that deal? Then take her!"

Dark Talia appeared behind her, eyes gleaming.

Dark Talia: "Finally."

The two locked eyes—and stepped toward each other.

Mira (screaming): "TALIA! What are you doing?!"

Kael: "If they merge now, we lose her!"

But Talia ignored them.

She let the dark version of herself walk right into her body.

Their forms collided.

The sky split.

Thunder cracked.

And then… silence.

Talia opened her eyes.

Only, they were glowing.

Half gold… half black.

Lucien, weak and bleeding, looked up.

Lucien (whispers): "Talia…?"

She turned toward him.

Talia (smiling): "She's gone."

Mira screamed. Kael drew his sword.

Because now…

Standing in front of them…

Was not the Talia they knew.

It was her.

The new Talia.

Stronger.

Darker.

And she belonged… to the Demon King.