The Two Kings

The End is Here!

Deep within the blazing depths of the demon bull family's fortress, Red Son labored furiously over his latest invention. Sparks flew, casting fleeting shadows across the walls, and the rhythmic clang of metal filled the cavernous space. Nearby, Princess Iron Fan reclined in a makeshift chair, her usual commanding presence dimmed. A damp cloth rested on her forehead, and her face was pale, her breath shallow.

Red Son paused his work, glancing toward her. Something wasn't right.

"Mother?" His tone was sharp, probing. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Iron Fan replied, though her voice wavered. She moved a hand to her stomach, her fingers trembling. "It's just a... mild discomfort."

Her words were interrupted by a fit of coughing, violent and sudden. She winced, clutching her abdomen as if trying to steady herself.

"Mother!" Red Son rushed to her side, panic breaking through his usual fiery confidence. He guided her back against the chair, his hands quick but careful. Grabbing the cloth from her forehead, he dipped it into a bucket of cold water and wrung it out before placing it gently back in place.

"Just rest," he murmured, his blazing eyes softening for a moment.

As her breathing steadied, Red Son turned his attention to the hulking figure of Demon Bull King. His father stood silently in the shadows, an unnatural blue glow outlining his massive form. His eyes gleamed with dark energy, the kind that could suffocate even the strongest resolve.

"Father," Red Son started, his voice cautious but firm, "Mother is unwell. Perhaps we should delay the attack on the city and-"

"Enough, boy!" Demon Bull King's voice boomed like an earthquake, shaking the chamber. He rose from his throne, his massive fist crashing down on its armrest with a force that made Red Son flinch. "Power waits for no one! This city will fall, and nothing will stand in my way-not even her weakness!"

Red Son stepped back, his hands curling into fists. His father's words seared into him, a cruel reminder of the family's relentless pursuit of domination.

Red Son hesitated, his mind racing as he glanced at the bull clones lining the room. Their lifeless blue eyes stared forward, unblinking and unnerving, as if waiting for orders-or watching his every move.

"Red Son," Iron Fan said, her voice cutting through the tension. "Be a dear and fetch Mommy some tea, won't you?"

"Yes, Mother," Red Son sighed, the fight draining from his voice. He moved to pour the tea, but his thoughts churned.

If power was what his father demanded, then power he would deliver. Sun Wukong was too dangerous to confront, but there was another option.

Noodle Boy was an obvious choice, with his monkey staff and infuriating heroics, but attacking him would bring his whole band of misfits into the fray. No, Red Son needed something more efficient. Someone whose power he could take without stirring chaos. Well, maybe a little chaos.

What was his name again? Para-something? Palm tree? Park-Parker! That was it! The boy was barely worthy of the title "fire-wielder," but his potential made him valuable. His raw energy would be easier to siphon, and with that strength in hand, the next step would be simple: obliterate Noodle Boy.

But Parker's words haunted him: "I'd be proud of you either way, brother."

"Brother?" Red Son muttered under his breath, his fingers tightening on the teapot handle. "What nonsense is that? I don't need a brother."

"Red Son!" Iron Fan's voice snapped him back to reality. "The tea is spilling!"

Red Son blinked, realizing the boiling tea was overflowing. The scalding liquid flowed across his fireproof hands, but he paid it no mind.