Demon in Disguise

01 | Red-moon tattoo bearer

Present day…

“Akiesha!”

Dayabulu’s voice reverberated throughout the whole house as the tribe chief of the remaining demons who retreated depths underground - called for his daughter after hearing another report of her mischief.

Heavy footsteps echoed upstairs as a familiar figure moved through the stairs.

A young female demon appeared in front of Dayabulu.

Her whole body was covered in scales like that of a snake, her forked tongue sway in air, two pair of red iris glistened in mischief with a knowing grin plastered on the young demon's face.

"What is it father?" contrary to her appearance, Akiesha has sweet alluring voice - her hidden weapon. Her voice can hypnotize anyone, her kind wasn't even immune to Akiesha's power except to her parents.

Humans are fool to believe that it was mermaids who had the power to hypnotize using their voice.

And Akiesha has been using the certain capability to her advantage.

"Don't what me Akiesha, I've heard another report of you visiting the surface and scaring the children playing on a forest. How many times do I have to tell you that our existence should remain a myth to those creatures until the right time comes." The demon angrily snapped at his daughter whose face is blank as if nothing happened.

Akiesha casually sat down on an armchair made of skin from the wild beasts.

She gracefully swayed her palm on air. "Come on Dada, I was just playing along with those pitiful creatures, what's wrong with having a little fun. This village bores me a lot! I thirst for that kind of adrenaline rush."

"Why you don't use that energy in training Akiesha, along with your peers?" Dayabulu asked her daughter. He somehow relates to her daughter’s dilemma, but they must hide from the humans’ sight until the sign comes.

As the tribe chief, it is his duty to protect the whole tribe.

When his late ancestor, Dayabushka – the greatest and the strongest of their kind was defeated thousand years ago, his great great great father who took up Dayabushka’s position worked hard in protecting the remaining demons, their kind lost their respect to their line’s capability of leading the tribe.

Now, their tribe are thriving despite living depths underground.

For years, they trained harder and pushing further to their powers’ limit. The demons were preparing for their revenge.

And her daughter’s stubbornness may put their ancestor’s legacy and putting everyone’s work in vain.

“Train for what? You know that I don’t need to train more Dada, even your strongest men were no match for me. Duels does not excite me anymore because I know that I will win.” She answered proudly with a big smirk on her face.

Dayabulu sighed. He can’t contradict what Akiesha said because it was the truth. Akiesha was the strongest demon out of her peers and even stronger than some of her appointed men.

He stared at his daughter’s eyes. “Even so young demon, I’m the tribe chief and you’re still under my command, stop being pestilent and putting our kind’s life in line with all these ruckuses you’re creating.” His voice thundered – already exasperated in trying to make his daughter understand the gravity of their tribe’s rule.

Akiesha rose to her feet, the pupils of her eyes constricted as slammed her fist on their wall.

The young demon is having an outburst. Dayabulu can sense her daughters’ tantrums about to explode.

“And why would I listen to you? Why would I follow your cowardly ways? How are we even sure that the stories you told us were not lies? Dayabushka being defeated? Tss, what a lousy story. How can possibly those humans defeat us? Their mere strength is no match to ours! We’re created far superior; we have powers and we have strength. If there’s anyone that should be scared, it’s these pitiful creatures and not us! You’re the one bringing shame to our name Dada.” Akiesha hissed at his father who was left speechless.

The young demon stormed out of the house before Dayabulu could utter a word.

The loud bang of the door snapped Dayabulu out of his shock after hearing Akiesha’s words.

Her words brought him back when his father told him of Dayabushka’s defeat, it also took him long enough to believe the story.

Their ancestors were not coward, they were just waiting for the sign to finally took out their plan that many generations had laid out.

The sign that Dayabulu’s waiting was the realization of the oracle of “Great Battle” that Scabalo (the greatest sorcerer to ever exist) foretold on his deathbed.

If they were right on their calculations, Scabalo’s prediction will take place on her daughter’s generation.

One a human; one a demon

Top and bottom; high and low

Both shareth a’bornday

Both shareth a’fate

Triumph o’ success

Life o’ death

Either will they be

Dayabulu recalled Scabalo’s oracle of “The Great Battle” that is about to take place.

Scabalo predicted that a demon is destined to lead their kind in either of their destruction or in their success.

Who’s the chosen demon?

It could be anyone, it could be Akiesha – who knows? Only fate will tell.

Scabalo didn’t disclosed to which family line will the chosen one be born from, but the great sorcerer at least gave a hint.

“O’might Dayabulu, your daughter -” one of the officials suddenly barged into his house, his sweat dripped on his forehead.

Upon hearing the word daughter, Dayabulu spread his wings and without letting his official finish his report, he flew outside.

Akiesha…

His first thought when he saw the chaos on the ground.

Few houses were on fire, their crops were all over the ground, the wild beasts of abyss slaughtered everywhere.

…. And some of their kind are on the ground fatally bleeding.

Dayabulu kept on flying, surveying the destruction that was surely caused by Akiesha.

Only her stubborn daughter can manage to do such length without the fear of being punished.

What will she do with her daughter?

He sometimes feels that Akiesha was a hopeless case, she will never listen and will never learn.

Dayabulu heard some accounts that Akiesha was likely to inherit her stubbornness of the great Dayabushka.

He involuntarily clicked through his tongue as the destruction becomes bigger as he further surveyed.

He could even hear sighs of disappointments from his legion.

Akiesha once again had successfully caused another trouble and that means him another job for him.

He will – in no doubt – will hear more complaints from the other demons for a month.

And today’s event will surely be in everyone’s month – tainting again the reputation of their line.

If only Miyat– Akiesha’s mother – didn’t die when she gave birthed to her, she will be able to control their daughter.

Miyat will surely give a great job in raising Akiesha.

Dayabulu decided to stop for awhile to talk to his legion.

His feet barely reached the ground when the legion roared in anger.

The demons were so angry that he can barely made any step towards the little platform where he mostly address the tribe.

Dayabulu had no choice but to let out his sharp spikes to stop the demons that were almost attacking him.

He was able to pass now but the faces of his kind say how much they were angry this time. In fact, angrier this time.

This is by far the greatest destruction Akiesha had caused.

The young demon was surely fed-up this time.

“Dayabulu! You should control your daughter or else will take on to our own hands in disciplining Akiesha.” A voice broke out from the crowd.

A demon same to his size with a slick skin – a face like that of a fearsome serpent appeared in front of the crowd. It was Halamura, his greatest rival.

Halamura had tried to snatch his position since time immemorial, he resorted in spreading malicious stories against him to gain sympathy from the legion.

Halamura and his ancestors were the first one to mock and blame Dayabulu’s line why they are now hiding depths underground.

On countless times, the demon forced his twisted opinion about Dayabushka to some demons. Halamura was the greatest troublemaker of this tribe.

… And now, he’s using this situation to alter the legion’s opinion about him and his ancestors.

This is bad. Seeing the demons’ expressions, they might take the bait of Halamura and ruined the plan.

“O’great creatures, my apologies on behalf of my daughter, let me assure you that this will be the last trouble Akiesha will be making.” He calmly assured the angry tribe.

With taunt, Halamura spit on the ground. “We’ve heard the same excuses for years now Dayabulu and your daughter has kept on breaking the rules YOUR ancestor had set. It’s about time that you should let the tribe decide what to do with your trouble. The whole tribe might be in ruins already before we can even witness the prophecy coming into life.” With his chosen words, Halamura was able to receive nods from the legion.

Halamura threw him a satisfied look, mockery evident on his eyes.

“Halamura was right! Akiesha’s uncontrollable right now. She has broken so many rules but always gets forgiven. I agree with Halamura, it’s about time that Akiesha should receive the punishment that equates to the destruction she has caused.” One demon yelled and everyone agreed in unison.

Dayabula’s voice was drowned by the demon’s uproar, no one’s listening to him while Halamura was grinning from ear to ear – showing his yellow crooked-sharp teeth.

He fears for Akiesha.

This time, her daughter’s welfare was his priority than securing the position.

“ENOUGH!”

Everyone stopped and turn to the source of the voice.

Deep silence engulfed everyone.

There, in the middle of the crowd stands Akiesha.

A red-moon tattoo flaming on her forehead.

The mark of the chosen demon as foretold by Scabaldo.