Dancing on the golden ashes

"Gaon!" Malrang's soft body crashes into me, her heartbeat thudding right against my own. This fox... She's always been there for me, no matter what.

"Did you think I died again?" I tease, scratching her ear. Her fur feels so soft, warm under my fingers.

"Me? No... Of course not! Just... our connection with you was cut off for some reason..." It makes sense. I can feel each of them now, every bond still intact. It was only severed because I was being reshaped, restored to my original self. My horns and wings remain—only now, they're pure black.

"You silly fox... I'll never die, ever." I spot Seong-hoon slowly approaching, his eyes glassy with tears. My heart skips a beat. I missed him. He must have suffered the most.

"Big sis..." His voice trembles as he starts to cry. I set Malrang down, and she slips away, nestling herself back onto Jieun's shoulder as if she knows this moment isn't hers. Seong-hoon pulls me into a tight hug, and just over his shoulder I catch Eun-woo's gaze. There's something flickering there—jealousy? Loneliness? Maybe something closer to love. Now it finally makes sense why they fought so much in the past—two best friends, always at odds. Turns out, I was the cause all along.

I feel Seong-hoon's grip tighten, as if he's terrified I might disappear again.

"I'm okay." I pull his face up, meeting his eyes with a trembling smile—tears spilling down my cheeks. I love him, I truly do. But I could never return the same to Eun-woo. Even so, what I feel from Eun-woo is not just longing; there's relief and genuine happiness too, not only for me, but for Seong-hoon. Soon, a real smile returns to his face, no more pain clouding his expression. Yet, beneath it all, I can still sense what he tries to hide. I was too numb to notice before.

Only now do I truly feel the hearts of all my allies. Every demon here radiates respect—every last one overjoyed at my return. The warmth is overwhelming, almost intoxicating.

Time rushes forward. One moment, we're celebrating, laughter and joy echoing through ancient halls. The next, we're traveling the world, gathering the old demons. I keep the truth about Kaelthira to myself. There's no reason for them to know their firstborn was a coward—it would ruin everything I'm building.

Now, I focus on forging my army, weaving my power into each of them. Only when every one of my original demons stands at the Immortal Emperor realm will we move against the angels. I don't yet know how to reach their world, but I can feel it—distant yet present, somewhere among the infinite stars, waiting for me to reach out and claim it.

I don't just command from the shadows. I train relentlessly, preparing for the last battle. And without noticing, two million years slip by in the blink of an eye. I now stand at the very peak of the Immortal Emperor realm. The final demon of my family has reached the summit at last. Good. It's almost time. I think this as I gaze over the green fields we've restored—this world is finally back to its former beauty.

Along the way, I've tamed countless beasts, each one growing under my care until they, too, reached the peak of this world. Now I command an army of monsters, ten million strong, each at the early Immortal Emperor stage. The numbers are ridiculous, aren't they? I can't help but feel proud. I've spent nearly ten thousand years just coming up with names for them all. Fortunately, my mind is sharp enough that every name stays with me the moment I think of it. I suppose that's just another part of my power.

Speaking of the system, I had long since pushed it aside. Even though it empowered me, I could still feel a trace of its creator's touch—cold, suffocating, almost filthy in its arrogance.

My fingers itch to tear out his throat, to devour him, to destroy everything he built.

"Gaon, are you ready?" Seo-yeon walks up to me, her beauty mesmerizing—like a snowflake caught in sunlight. It's almost hard to look at her without squinting.

"Yeah..." Today is a special day.

Ding, ding, ding, ding—

The sound of church bells rings through the entire demon world, echoing across every spire and valley. I walk toward the altar in a white dress. Through my veil, I see a man waiting for me in a black suit.

It's Seong-hoon, the love of my life. Today is our wedding. We chose a western ceremony now, saving a traditional Korean one for after the war. We were both Christians before this world—both once dreamed of a wedding like this, back when I was still a little girl, before depression ever found me.

The ceremony is held in the heart of our capital—New Hope, our stronghold at the center of the Demon Empire. So much has changed, but the people around me are still the same.

My hands tremble as I hold the bouquet. I step onto the altar, and through my veil, I see him. He's shaking like a leaf, which, oddly, calms my nerves. I can't help but smile, nearly laughing aloud.

Our priest—if you can even call him that—is Ji-hoon, looking more demonic than holy. Eun-woo and Min-jae stand off to the side as Seong-hoon's best men, while Malrang, Jieun, Min-jeong, and Seo-yeon stand with me.

The hush settles over the crowd, only the quiet chime of the bells lingering in the air. My hands are shaking so badly I nearly drop the bouquet, but I feel his gaze on me—steady, gentle, carrying the weight of every year we lost and every promise we never spoke aloud.

Ji-hoon clears his throat, trying his best to sound official. "You may share your vows."

Seong-hoon's voice is hoarse, but sure. He glances down, almost embarrassed by how hard he's trembling. He takes my hand, squeezing it like he's afraid he might vanish if he lets go.

He doesn't read from a card. Just looks straight into my eyes, and I see every scar, every sleepless night, all the hope that refused to die in him.

"Ever since the day I first saw you up on that stage, playing games and wiping the floor with everyone who ever looked down on you, I felt something stir in me—real respect, real admiration. When fate finally gave me the chance to stand by your side as a friend, every moment felt like a gift. I never once imagined I'd end up here with you, but somewhere deep down, I hoped. And for once, my hopes actually came true.

When the world turned its back on me, you never did. No matter how things started between us, you always found a way to reach me, never shutting me out or leaving me behind. Somewhere along the way, I fell for you—hard. Day and night, I couldn't get you out of my mind. That feeling never left.

Now, I'm here. Not the loser I once was, but the man I promised myself I'd become—the man who will protect you, Gaon, no matter what. The man who will love you more than anyone ever could, in ways words can't even touch. Because you're not just my big sis. You're my destiny. I love you."

He tries to laugh, but it comes out as a shaky breath. Tears glisten in his eyes, but he doesn't look away.

My turn. I want to tease him, tell him not to cry or he'll ruin his fancy black suit, but the words won't come out. Instead, I squeeze his hand and let my heart speak.

"I used to think I was born to be alone. That fate had written me out of every happy ending," I say, my voice thick, but steady. "But you kept pulling me back. Even when I shut every door, even when I lost myself, you were the only one stubborn enough to wait on the other side. You taught me to want, to hope, to live again. I don't know if I can promise forever, or anything as grand as that. But I can promise this—today, I choose you. Tomorrow, I'll choose you again. Every day that I wake up breathing, you'll have me by your side, for as long as we're allowed in this world, or any other."

He's crying now, and I can't help but laugh—soft, messy, alive. The veil is a blur of white and tears, and I feel so light I could float away.

Ji-hoon coughs, barely hiding a smile. "That's… wow. You may kiss."

And before anyone can say anything else, Seong-hoon's arms are around me, his lips on mine—soft, trembling, but so certain it leaves no room for doubt. The cheers that rise up from behind us echo through the whole world.

For a moment, there is nothing but the two of us. And I know, truly, today, is the happiest day of my life.