Coker did not sleep that night.
He lay on his small wooden bed, staring at the cracked ceiling, his eyes wide open like he was scared to even blink. His mind kept going back to the silver-haired girl. The way she talked. The way she looked straight into his soul. The way the curse on his hand stop glowing when she touch him. What did she mean by "The curse chose someone again?" And why him?
The night felt too long. Even the moon look tired, hiding behind the slow-moving clouds. Coker shift on his bed. He feel hot and cold at the same time. His body was not sick, but something inside of him was awake. Like the curse knew it was time to move.
Then, as the candle beside his bed flicker and die, he hear it.
The trees outside… they were whispering.
At first, it sound like wind blowing through the leaves, but then he heard voices inside. Not clear. Not loud. But real. They were calling his name. "Coker... Cokerrrr..." Like the forest itself was breathing his name.
Coker stand up. He grab his red coat and throw it on quickly. He didn't even think why he was doing it. His legs start moving like they had their own brain. He open the door and step outside. The village was sleeping. No lights. No dogs barking. Even the crickets were silent like they too were scared.
The whispers was louder now. Coming from the forest at the back of the village. That place was known to be bad. Kids are not allowed to go there. Grown people avoid it. They say people who enter that forest never come back normal. Some don't come back at all.
But Coker didn't stop. His body walk into the dark. The trees moved slowly like they were alive. The branches bend like they were watching him.
He step deeper, and the light disappear. But somehow, he could still see. A soft red glow come from his hand again—the curse mark. It was showing him the way. Every tree, every stone, every shadow—it all look different now. Like another world hiding inside the real one.
Then he hear something snap.
A twig.
He freeze. Someone else was there.
He turn fast, eyes wide, breath held. And he see them.
Eyes.
Not human.
Red, glowing, blinking inside the dark.
They was tall. Long arms. Skin like stone mixed with mud. Their mouth stretch wide, sharp teeth showing. There was three of them. Coker step back.
He try to scream, but his voice stay inside. The creatures walk slow, their feet not making any sound. Coker feel like his heart was going to explode.
Then the mark on his hand burn.
Not hurt. Burn.
It glow like fire. His body shake. His hand move on its own, and a wave of red energy fly out and hit one of the creatures. The thing scream. Loud. Sharp. It fly back and crash into a tree.
The other two stop. They didn't expect that.
Coker too didn't expect it.
"What… what was that?" he ask himself.
But no time to think. The two rush him.
One jump from the side. Coker fall down to avoid, rolling on the ground and hitting a root. The other one try to grab him, but the mark burn again and another red wave blast out. This time bigger. It throw the creature far back. Smoke rise from its chest. It was hurt.
The first one come back. It scream and raise its arm to hit. Coker cover his face.
But nothing happen.
Instead, a wind blow strong.
And when he open his eyes, the silver-haired girl was there.
Again.
She hold a thin blade that shimmer like water. She already cut the monster. It fall without sound.
She look at him, breathing fast.
"You… you idiot," she say.
Coker blink. "You again…"
"I told you to stay alive. Is this what you call alive?"
"I… I didn't mean to come. The trees—"
"They whisper, I know. It was a trap. You walked right into it."
She kneel beside him and touch the mark. It glow, but calm now.
"They can feel the curse in you," she say. "It's not hiding anymore. It's waking up."
Coker swallow hard. "Who are they?"
"Hunters. But not for food. They want cursed ones like you."
Coker shiver. "Then why you save me?"
She pause, then whisper, "Because I was once like you."
He look at her shocked. "You had the curse?"
"No," she shake her head. "I was the curse."
Coker did not understand, but before he could ask more, she stand.
"We have to go. More will come. You stay here, you die."
Coker stand too. He want to ask everything. So many question. But he follow her.
They run through the dark forest. The wind howl behind them. The trees whisper louder. But together, they move fast. They reach a small clearing where the moonlight break through clouds.
The girl stop. "We safe here. For now."
Coker breath heavy. "Can you tell me now? What's happening to me?"
She sit on a stone. Her eyes look tired. "You are not cursed, Coker. You are the curse's vessel. It live inside you. It chose you. And soon, everyone will come for you—some to kill, some to use."
Coker feel cold inside.
"Why me?" he ask.
She smile small, sad. "Because you're the last light before the world breaks."