Y/n blinked through the haze of smoke and dust, her head pounding, and her body heavy with exhaustion. Her ears rang, muffling every sound around her. When her vision cleared, she realized that she and Minji had been thrown to the same side of the battlefield. Relief and horror struck her in equal measure, relief that Minji was near her, but horror at the sight of the beast, still standing.
The beast's body was riddled with wounds, each one slowly closing, but at a sluggish pace compared to before. Y/n's mind raced. 'Is it slowing down?' She wasn't sure if it was the accumulation of injuries, or the effects of Yujin's sacrificial burst of magic, but it didn't matter, she knew they had an opening.
But as Y/n shifted to move, searing pain shot up her leg. She gritted her teeth, recognizing the sharp ache as a broken tibia. She couldn't walk, let alone run, but as she glanced up, she saw the beast turn his focus to Minji, who was struggling to stand just a few steps away.
"Minji!" Y/n shouted, her voice raw with desperation. "Get away!"
Minji looked back at her, fear flashing in her eyes as she tried to gather herself. But before she could react, the beast's lumbering form closed in. He picked up a discarded sword from a fallen soldier, his eyes cold, and his movements sluggish but focused. With terrifying resolve, he reached Minji and pressed her back against a nearby tree, pinning her there.
"No!" Y/n screamed, clawing at the ground, trying to drag herself forward. But her leg wouldn't let her get any closer.
Minji struggled, pushing at his arms, but she was weakened, her own body battered from the blast. The beast sneered, raising the sword with cruel satisfaction. In one brutal motion, he drove the blade into Minji's abdomen, twisting it slightly as she gasped, her face contorted in pain.
Y/n's heart stopped. Her vision blurred as a sickening dread washed over her. She couldn't lose Minji, not here, not after everything they'd been through. For a second, she couldn't breathe, watching Minji's blood stain the beast's blade, her hand gripping weakly at his wrist as she tried to push him away.
Fury and panic surged through Y/n, giving her strength beyond the pain in her leg. She clenched her fists, feeling the familiar heat building in her palms as flames burst to life, igniting with a fierce, yellow blaze. She was done being helpless, done watching the people she loved suffer.
The beast pulled the sword out of Minji's abdomen.
Y/n's fury was a blazing force, her every step leaving scorch marks on the ground as she launched herself at the beast, knocking him back and away from Minji. Her flames, engulfed her own fists, striking him again and again in a storm of fire and rage. The beast snarled, about to dismiss her efforts as useless, but then he felt the scorching heat shift, almost blinding blue fire flared from Y/n's hands, searing through his armor and skin.
He staggered, realizing too late that this wasn't the same flame. This was deadlier. He flinched as he watched her flames nearly reach purple, their intensity forcing him to stumble back.
Seeing his hesitation, Y/n pressed forward, her gaze dark and lethal. For every step he tried to take back, she followed, her movements precise and vicious. She could see the realization dawning in his eyes. She was no longer a mere demon to him, she was a threat.
With a low growl, the beast grabbed the bloodied sword he'd pulled from Minji. In one swift motion, the beast drove the sword straight into Y/n's heart. She felt the blade slice through her, a white-hot pain radiating from the wound. Blood seeped through her clothes, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing her falter. She didn't stagger back, instead, her hand shot out, gripping the blade tightly.
With a slow, deliberate move, Y/n's grip tightened, her eyes blazing as her flame erupted over her fingers, spreading over the metal. The sword begin to glow red, then orange. Within seconds, the blade softened, then melted under her touch, dripping in molten drops to the ground.
The beast took a step back, his confidence shaken. Y/n held his gaze, pain fueling her fury, her flames shifting even hotter, to an intense, dangerous blue. She was no longer fighting to defend herself, this was vengeance.
She took a step closer, her voice low, and mocking. "So you think you can regenerate," she hissed, her flames intensifying around her like a burning aura. "Then let's see if you can regenerate back from ashes."
With one last agonized roar, the beast collapsed, falling flat on his back as Y/n's relentless flames engulfed him. His body struggled to regenerate, skin and muscle searing away faster than they could reattach. Her flames burned deeper, hotter, eating away at him from the inside out. For a moment, his eyes betrayed fear as he realized his strength, his power, everything, was slipping beyond his control.
His voice was low, rasping, filled with the bitter resolve of someone with nothing left to lose.
"You think this ends here?" he choked out, his eyes burning with a twisted glint. "Then I'll bring you with me."
Before she could react, a dark, ominous energy surged from him, spiraling up and wrapping around Y/n. Her flames flickered, suppressed by the force of his curse. The surroundings blurred as everything shifted, swallowed into a strange darkness. In a heartbeat, Y/n felt herself being pulled, into another plane entirely.
When her vision cleared, she found herself standing in an imposing, shadowed chamber, the air thick and cold. Tall stone walls rose around her, reminiscent of an ancient courtroom, lit only by a dim, eerie light. Confused, Y/n looked down and realized her body was still covered in blood, her wound still fresh. She clutched her heart.
"What... What is this place?" she asked, scanning the shadows. And then she saw him, the beast, seemingly untouched by the flames that had just consumed him moments before. He stood behind an ominous, throne-like seat, his eyes alight with smug satisfaction.
"This..." he said, his voice echoing coldly in the empty chamber, "is the realm of the curse, the 'Last Convict.' This isn't magic, little demon. It's a curse beyond life, beyond your flames. Here, I am the judge, and you... you are the convict."
Y/n's eyes widened, and before she could respond, she felt a familiar presence behind her. She turned, and there stood Minji, looking around in shock, clearly as disoriented as she was.
"And our witness has arrived," the beast sneered, his voice laced with triumph. "This court decides your fate, Y/n. Eternal life with the torment of a thousand years... or instant death."
-
"The curse is simple," he began, "The convict" he motioned toward Y/n with a twisted grin "-must bear one of two fates. Either you die instantly, or you live on... for a thousand years."
Y/n felt Minji's hand grip hers tighter, but she remained silent, waiting for the full weight of the beast's words.
"The decision, however, is not yours alone," he continued, delighting in their discomfort. "No, there is a... witness." He glanced at Minji with a sickening smile. "The witness bears whatever fate the convict does not choose. So, one of you will die within a day, while the other... will walk this earth for a thousand years."
The room felt colder, darker, as the beast's laughter filled the air, feeding on the horror that had crept over Y/n and Minji.
"Isn't it poetic?" the beast taunted, his eyes glinting with satisfaction as he leaned back. "Who lives a thousand years, watching the world and everyone in it fade away? And who dies within a day, robbed of every hope and dream they had left?"
Y/n's heart pounded, but her mind snapped back to the hooded figure who had confronted her. You have to be the one who triggers the beast. She could feel the weight of those words press down on her, and now, standing here with Minji by her side, she finally understood. There was no way she could let Minji bear the weight of such a curse, not the burden that her life would end in just a day.
But still, a wave of despair washed over her. Letting Minji live a thousand years meant that she'd watch their housemates grow old and die, would see generations pass as she remained alone. The thought stabbed Y/n's heart, but the alternative, the thought of Minji dying in an instant, of being left with only memories, was an unbearable emptiness she couldn't face.
Taking a deep breath, Y/n hardened her resolve. She could feel Minji's hand trembling slightly in hers, and Y/n held it tightly, reassuringly. Y/n had to take the one-day curse. If this was the price she had to pay, she would pay it.
Y/n looked up, locking eyes with the beast and bracing herself for the delicate game she was about to play. Taking a steadying breath, she feigned confidence, hoping to mask her true intentions. She needed the beast to believe she genuinely wanted the thousand-year curse, though she actually didn't want Minji to hear it.
"If I'm going to live for a thousand years," she began with forced indifference, "I suppose I'll have plenty of time to reflect on your downfall, won't I?" She shot him a taunting smirk, watching irritation flicker across his face. "I mean, I can't say I'd hate living that long," she added with a casual shrug. "Imagine everything I could accomplish in a thousand years. I could undo all your works, rebuild everything you've torn down-"
Listening to her go on, Minji interrupted, her voice sharp and panicked. "Yes!" She tightened her grip on Y/n's arm, her eyes wide with desperation. "If one of us is getting only a day left, it's going to be me. I'll take it." Her gaze on Y/n was pleading, filled with a fear so deep it struck Y/n to her core. She knew Minji understood her plan and wanted to stop it.
Y/n shook her head subtly, keeping her gaze locked on the beast. "Oh, come now, Minji," she said with a dismissive tone. "You can take that one-day curse if you want, and I'd rather live for a thousand years and carry your memory with me. Besides, you know I'd find a way to make those years... worthwhile." She forced her lips into a faint.
The beast's dark chuckle filled the air as he observed them, clearly enjoying their struggle. "How touching," he sneered. "So, you each want something different?" He let out a mocking laugh. "How tragic, how noble... but where's the fun if it's this straightforward?"
Y/n could feel his arrogance building, and she pressed her point, putting a hint of condescension in her tone. "Give me the thousand-year curse," she said, her voice dripping with confidence. "I deserve that time to enjoy what's left of your kingdom." She saw his pride flare as she baited him.
Beside her, Minji squared her shoulders and faced the beast, her voice steady and resolute. "Give me the one-day curse," she demanded. "If you want revenge, let Y/n live without me. That would be punishment enough."
The beast's twisted amusement shifted, his gaze darting between them as he weighed his decision. Their feigned desires had started to cloud his judgment, and his sneer grew even darker as he made his choice.
"Very well," he hissed. "You each want different things? Then let me give you exactly the opposite." He locked eyes with Y/n. "You'll take the instant death curse. And as for you-" He turned to Minji. "You'll be the one to live a thousand years."
The moment the decision was made, the air around them shifted, the court realm beginning to fade. The beast laughed as he watched them with satisfaction, his curse settling over them both. He sneered at Minji, the same madness that had consumed him now laced in his words. "You'll be like me, you know," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "One day, you'll even forget your own name and you'll-."
Y/n's gaze hardened, "Minji will never end up like you." Her words cut through the beast's laughter. She would make sure of it, no matter what fate awaited her.
And as the cursed realm dissolved, they were thrust back into reality. The curse had been passed.
In an instant, his form also shattered, crumbling to ashes as his curse passed on.
And when Y/n opened her eyes again, they were back on the battlefield. The beast was gone, his ashes scattered in the wind.
-
As the last traces of battle faded and the adrenaline slipped from her body, Y/n's strength finally gave way. She collapsed to the ground, a burning pain flaring from the stab wound in her heart. She was almost in disbelief at how she had managed to fight for so long, even with such a wound. Now, however, there was no escaping it, the pain was all-consuming.
Minji, who had been left whole and unscathed as if reborn from the judgment realm, knelt beside her, tears streaming down her face. She placed trembling hands over Y/n's wound, desperately trying to heal it, her voice breaking as she pleaded, "Why, Y/n? Why would you do that?" Her hands trembled as she pressed them over Y/n's wound, trying to heal it. But no matter how much magic she channeled, the wound wouldn't close. It resisted every attempt, as if the curse had sealed Y/n's fate.
Y/n lifted her hand, her fingers feeling strange and numb. When she looked, she saw that her hand was slowly crumbling to ash, flecks breaking off and drifting into the air. She managed a resigned smile, showing Minji the grim truth. "It doesn't work, Minji," she said quietly, her voice filled with a gentle acceptance. "I'm... fading."
Minji's panic only grew as she watched, tears slipping down her face. "No, no, please," she whispered, hands still hovering over Y/n's wound as if sheer will could save her. "Don't do this. There has to be a way to stop it..."
But Y/n, trying to ease Minji's distress, mustered a lighthearted tone. "You know, it's kind of funny. I thought 'instant death' would mean... well, instant," she joked, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Guess they give me a few extra minutes... probably so I can explain myself." She chuckled softly, her humor bittersweet, hoping to lighten Minji's despair.
But the joke only made Minji's tears come faster, her hand gripping Y/n's as if holding her together could somehow keep her whole. "Please... don't leave me like this, Y/n."
"I... I'm sorry, Minji. If it had to be one of us... I couldn't bear for it to be you." Her voice grew weaker, her form fading with every word.
Minji's sobs tore through the silence, raw and anguished, as Y/n's form continued to fade before her. She clutched at Y/n's hand, desperate, still channeling her magic even though it was useless, hoping against hope that somehow, something would change. But Y/n's hand continued to crumble, little by little, slipping through her fingers like sand.
"Then how can you think I can live a thousand years without you?" Minji's voice broke, her face crumpling as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. "You're tormenting me, Y/n. How... how can you leave me here, alone?" Her magic sparked faintly, a hollow attempt to heal what couldn't be saved. She leaned her forehead against Y/n's, her cries filling the empty air around them.
Y/n's fading hand lifted, trembling, to cup Minji's face one last time. She had to use every last ounce of strength to keep it there, feeling the warmth of Minji's skin against her fingers. Her thumb brushed tenderly over Minji's cheek, her eyes soft with the faintest glimmer of peace.
"Remember our promise?" Y/n whispered, her voice weak but resolute. "Not to lose ourselves... no matter what happens." She struggled to smile, even as tears shimmered in her own eyes. "Maybe not in this body, not with this face, not even with this name... but I'll come back to you. Just like I promised." She looked at Minji with all the love and certainty she could muster, as if willing her words to be enough to hold them both.
Minji shook her head, trying to protest, to pull Y/n back from the brink, but her voice failed her. She could only watch as Y/n's hand slipped away, falling from her cheek and disintegrating into ashes. The hand she had held so many times, that had fought by her side, was now nothing more than dust, carried away by the wind.
Y/n's eyes began to dim, the warmth in them fading as she looked at Minji one last time. Her gaze softened, a faint smile playing on her lips, as if she wanted to reassure Minji even in her final moment. And then... the light in her eyes flickered out, her body finally dissolving into nothingness.
Minji's heart shattered as she watched Y/n disappear before her, her cries raw and heart-wrenching. She clutched the empty space where Y/n had been, feeling the warmth fading from her fingertips. "No... no, Y/n..." She sobbed harder, the pain tearing through her chest, feeling as if she, too, were being ripped apart.
Minji's shoulders shook violently, the grief pulsing through her veins. Her hands trembled uncontrollably as she reached for Y/n, trying to hold onto something that was already slipping through her fingers. When she failed to grip anything, she cried out in desperation, her voice trembling with the disbelief that only grew as Y/n's form continued to fade.
Tears poured down her face, as she pressed her palm to the empty space where Y/n's hand had been. She could feel nothing now, no warmth, no life, only cold emptiness where once there was love. The tears came in waves, crashing over her, each one heavier than the last. She gasped for air, choking on the sobs that came too fast to catch, her chest tight as though it were physically breaking.
Her face was contorted in pain, her lips trembling as they formed Y/n's name in a broken whisper, "Y/n... Y/n, please... Don't leave me..."
Her voice cracked with each word, until she couldn't speak anymore, her breath coming in ragged sobs.
All that was left of Y/n were scattered ashes, slipping away like a memory she couldn't hold onto.