the demon Prince's accidental bride

The edge of the Realm Rift — a glowing chasm swirling with red lightning and eerie voices.

A crimson wind howled through the silence.

Talia, still weakened from the last battle, stood before the newly opened rift, her fingers glowing faintly with golden veins of void energy. Her hair floated around her like tendrils of shadow silk.

Kael (nervous): "So… we're walking into the place where darkness was born?"

Mira (dryly): "Yup. Sounds like Tuesday."

Lucien (quiet): "Beyond this point… even time won't behave. So if anyone's hiding secrets—"

Talia (cutting him off): "I'm not hiding anymore."

Lucien looked at her, eyes heavy with guilt and admiration.

They stepped into the rift.

The world flipped.

Literally.

Up became down. Black became white. Gravity twisted and reformed, like it was alive. They walked through a hallway made of forgotten screams and broken memories. Mirrors on each side reflected not just their bodies… but their souls.

In one mirror, Mira saw herself… older, stronger, with wings made of fireflies.

Kael saw himself—a crown on his head, but alone.

Lucien's reflection whispered to him, "You will betray them. Again."

And Talia?

She didn't see her reflection at all.

Just a pair of golden eyes staring back at her from the dark.

Suddenly, the hallway dissolved.

They were split—each in their own personal mind maze, forced to face their worst fear.

Kael stood in a burning battlefield. The corpses of his old Starborn brethren lay around him, his sword soaked in blood.

Then… he saw her.

Alaia, the girl he once loved.

Alaia (ghostly): "You were supposed to save us."

Kael fell to his knees. "I tried—I… I didn't know the enemy was me."

Her image flickered.

Alaia: "Will you fail Talia, too?"

Kael screamed—and fire burst from his fists.

Mira was on a stage. Laughter echoed. Everyone clapped. But when she opened her mouth to speak, no voice came out.

Then a spotlight revealed a mirror. Her face was covered with a joker's mask.

Mirror Voice: "You joke to hide the fear. You laugh to stop the scream. But when it matters, will you still run?"

Tears welled up in her eyes.

But then she tore the mask off. Her voice cracked.

Mira: "I'd rather die laughing… than live in silence."

And the maze collapsed around her.

Lucien stood in a throne room of shadows.

His father sat upon the throne—the true King of Shadows.

Father: "You gave the girl power. Now she belongs to me."

Lucien's chains tightened.

Father: "Your love is your weakness. And your curse."

Lucien screamed, summoning his dark blade.

Lucien: "Then let me be cursed forever."

He slashed through the illusion.

Talia stood in nothingness.

Alone.

Then… the Original King appeared. Cloaked in black smoke, voice like thunder.

Original King: "You have awakened the throne. But to rule it… you must destroy your past."

A small light appeared—it was her younger self, smiling, innocent.

Original King: "Crush her. Become me."

Talia looked down at the child version of herself.

Tears slipped down her cheeks.

And she whispered, "No."

She picked up the child—and the power bowed to her.

A massive golden symbol lit up beneath her feet.

She didn't choose him.

She chose herself.

All four of them snapped back into reality—panting, trembling.

Mira: "What the hell just happened?!"

Kael: "A mind maze. A test."

Talia (voice firmer): "A choice."

Lucien looked at her with awe.

Lucien: "You rejected him."

Talia: "No. I outgrew him."

Suddenly, the platform cracked—and a staircase of light appeared, leading deeper into the Abyss.

At the bottom?

A massive throne room.

With one empty seat.

And blood writing on the walls that said:

> "Only the one who chooses love over power… shall survive the final storm."

The group paused at the top of the staircase.

Kael (quiet): "Talia. Before we go… I need to say something."

She turned.

He stepped closer.

Kael: "If I don't make it… I want you to know—"

She cut him off with a kiss.

Just one. Fierce. Soft. Honest.

Talia (whispering): "You'll make it. Because I'll burn the world to keep you alive."

Mira and Lucien stared awkwardly.

Mira: "Well that's romantic. I throw up when I'm scared."

Lucien (smirking): "Still better than what I was planning to say."

They all laughed. The final time… before entering the Throne of the Original King.

Heart of the Abyss — the King's Throne Room

It was a place untouched by time.

Massive pillars spiraled into an endless void above, lit by floating flames in the shape of souls. The floor was a glowing circle of ancient runes. In the center sat a single black stone throne — cracked down the middle, but still pulsing with unholy power.

The air tasted like blood and burnt memories.

Talia took a cautious step forward. Her boots echoed in the silence. Every heartbeat felt like it might tear the world open.

Suddenly—

> BOOM!

A monstrous roar ripped through the void.

Mira: "Okay, that's not a good sign."

From the shadows emerged a creature fused with bone, chains, and fire — a guardian of the throne known as "The Warden of Regret."

Kael (drawing his blade): "This thing's made of souls… if we die here, we join it."

Talia: "Then don't die."

Lucien stepped beside her, shadows spiraling around his arm like serpents.

Lucien: "Let's show him what regret really feels like."

The Warden charged — massive, howling, chains whipping through the air.

Kael leapt first — clashing blades with its burning bones.

Mira unleashed illusions of herself to confuse the beast, throwing flash bombs made of laughter and chaos.

Lucien struck from the shadows — his darkness latching onto the Warden's spirit core.

But it was Talia who saw the truth.

Every time they struck it — the throne cracked further.

Talia (to herself): "The throne is the Warden's heart."

She closed her eyes… and let her void magic flow.

Golden veins spread across her body again — brighter, stronger than ever.

She stepped forward, raised her hands — and screamed.

> "LET THE CURSE BREAK!"

A wave of power surged through her — exploding the chains binding the Warden. It howled and crumbled, dust rising into the swirling ceiling like lost stars.

The throne shimmered… and a voice echoed around them.

Throne (ancient, layered):

"You have broken the Warden. You who hold the magic of void and soul… you now must choose: Sit upon the throne and become the next King… or leave it unclaimed, and let the world fall."

They all froze.

Kael: "If she sits… she becomes him. The Original King."

Lucien: "But if she doesn't… the rift won't close."

Mira: "Classic power-trap dilemma."

Talia stared at the throne.

Golden sparks danced in her fingers. Her hair floated. Her eyes were glowing — but her heart pounded with fear.

She could feel it… the throne calling her.

Flashback

Suddenly, her world shifted.

She saw herself… as a child… crying in a corner of a burning house.

Her mother's voice echoed:

> "Magic is a gift, Talia. But love… love is your anchor."

The image dissolved.

And she smiled.

She stepped forward — right up to the throne.

Then… she turned her back to it.

Talia: "I don't need a throne to protect my world."

She raised both hands, drew from the void, the light, the shadow — all of it.

And for the first time… she rewrote the spell.

> Not with power.

But with her heart.

A massive surge of magic exploded from her chest — forming a glowing circle of protection that began sealing the rift behind them.

But—

The throne screamed.

The ground shook.

And from the shadows… rose a final enemy.

The real Original King — the twisted version of the throne's past master — emerged.

But he wasn't just a man anymore.

He was half-rift, half-void, wearing a crown made of screams and regrets.

Original King (to Talia): "You would deny me? I AM MAGIC."

Talia: "No… you're just afraid."

Kael: "Step away from her."

The King laughed.

Original King: "This time, your love won't save you."

Just as the King struck his hand forward, unleashing a void spiral toward Talia—

Lucien stepped in front of her.

Lucien: "NO!"

The blast hit him.

Hard.

He crashed against the wall — motionless.

Talia (screaming): "LUCIEN!!"

Kael and Mira rushed at the King as Talia ran to Lucien, lifting his blood-covered face.

His eyes flickered open for just a second.

Lucien (weakly): "Told you… love is a curse…"

And then… he went still.

Talia stared at him, her hands trembling.

Tears.

Rage.

Magic surged.

Talia (whispers): "You took him from me…"

Her hair turned white.

Her aura went gold and black.

And the Original King… took a step back.

Original King (fearfully): "…What are you?"

She opened her eyes.

Talia:

> "I'm not your heir.

I'm your end."