Everything stilled.
Every pupil dilated, every lip gapped, and every breath hitched.
Kamyla blinked twice.
Standing on the wooden stage now covered in black ashes was a tall figure in the appearance of a man with its eyes closed.
Dressed in a black furred cape-coat that covered its entire body from its neck down, long black raven strands fell over its shoulders, shielding the left side of its face.
On the right side of its head was an upward twisted horn, while a stout pair of horns protruded from the left.
Everyone remained silent, still amazed at the most shocking sight.
Its skin. Its skin was extremely pale, almost white and clear, having no hint of melanin or tan on it.
Ajefe was the first to whisper, "Kamy?"
"Hm?" Her eyes didn't shift from it.
"What is that?"
She subtly shook her head, not sure what to say.
The Emperor then called, "Baba?" His bewildered eyes were unable to look away.
"Y- Yes?" Baba Elawo, standing on the ground as well, looked stunned.
"What- What are we looking at?..."
Baba Elawo didn't respond immediately, still trying to take in the surprising view. He cleared his throat softly, "Your Majesty, even I don't know."
Ado turned to him, "How can you not know?! You summoned it!"
Baba Elawo shrugged. "I. I did but..." He stepped closer. "I know I summoned something... But what exactly I summoned is the challenge now." He crooked his head.
Everyone's gaze returned to the strange-looking being, letting silence diffuse into the atmosphere.
"Maybe Baba made a mistake!"
All heads snapped over their shoulders to lock on one of the twin sisters at the side. Biwa furrowed her brows, unable to keep silent to the shock. "I don't think that's how the First Sah'Jangi warrior is supposed to look—"
Her mother quickly grasped her lips with her palm, shushing her. "Be quiet!" She whispered harshly.
"He looks raw, though!" A villager said from behind.
Ajefe then looked back at the new creature's face to scrutinize the paleness of its skin. "He does of a point though," he narrowed his eyes. "Maybe Baba didn't cook the concoction long enough."
"Is it even a man or a woman?" Danji asked out loud.
"I... I think it's a man," Kamyla knitted her brows. " But why doesn't he have beards?"
"Maybe they bleach and shave in heaven?" Ajefe shrugged. "Let's taste it and see!"
All heads darted in Oni's direction. His eyes sparkled in gluttony desires. "It looks soft. Let's eat i—"
SMACK!
Oni flinched, staggering forward.
Ilo scowled down at him with her hand still above his head. "How can you think of eating what we don't even know!?"
Oni frowned, snapping his eyes at her. "It has horns like a cow! Maybe it's just a standing cow breed!"
Ilo quickly grasped his ear, pulling him back. "Not everything is about food! Oni! Change!" She palmed his mouth before he spat another nonsense.
Oni groaned.
Once again, everyone looked forward, resuming bizarre assumptions of what they were looking at.
Kamyla then leaned forward. "Is it dead—"
Its eyes snapped open.
Everyone stepped back — the warriors pulled out their weapons.
The creature's blue-green irises stared vaguely into space, not making any other movement as all stayed on alert.
Kamyla tightened her grip on her kuiza.
The creature's eyes lowered, slowly dragging its shining gaze over them with a stoic expression.
With its eyes lazily counting their frightened figures, they suddenly locked on Kamyla. She froze.
The devil-looking man stared keenly at her, slowly narrowing his eyes. Kamyla stared back at him with a scowl, having a hint of fear visible in her eyes as she held her ground.
Rhou suddenly stepped forward to stand in next to her. It growled.
The pale devil then looked away from her and the canine beast, turning back to the rest of them. He then parted his lips and spoke in a strange inaudible language.
The people furrowed their brows.
"What language is that?"
"It sounds so creepy."
"What did he say?"
"I wonder what he said?"
Whispers continued in the air.
Baba Elawo then stepped forward as his brows raised slightly. "Oh Woah," he chuckled, "That is an offensive term to use for people you just met."
They shot their states at him.
"You understand him, Baba!?" Ajefe asked.
Baba nodded.
Danji crooked a brow, "What language is he speaking?"
"Hm. If I remember correctly, it is Balumo. The ancient demon language."
Their brows quirked.
Baba Elawo slowly stepped forward with the support of his staff, looking up at the stranger man.
The devil narrowed his eyes, saying something else in its foreign language.
He smiled, "Interesting choice of words." Baba shook his head. "But I must warn you to control your tongue better. They won't understand the implications of your words."
The demon man hardened his glare, furrowing his brows into a frown as he spoke a longer sentence.
Baba only smiled, not responding this time.
"What is he saying, Baba?" Kamyla asked.
Baba shrugged. "Why doesn't he tell you, himself?" He glanced at the demon. "I believe that demons have the ability to learn any language the first moment they hear it, right?"
The demon snarled, watching Baba a few moments longer before turning back to the crowd. Everyone stared back with anticipation in their eyes.
He tsked, finally saying in their language, "I wasn't expecting you all to be black."
Their eyes widened.
"Excuse you!" An elderly woman retorted first from behind.
"Who are you calling black!?"
"Do we look like charcoal to you!?"
"How dare you!"
"Fine browns like us, you are calling black!?"
"Do you know what black is!? Go to the Zaruwa Empire! All of them look like night!"
The villagers' voices heightened.
"See who's talking!?"
"See his red lips like bamboo's buttocks!"
"With his woman hair that's straight like a horse tail."
"You that resemble an overnight corpse!"
"Silence!"
A black force blasted from his body, sending everyone to the ground — All except Baba Elawo. Dark mist slowly emitted from underneath his long coat, forming a fog over the surface he stood on.
The white part of his left eye turned black as his blue-green pupil slitted and a vile force thickened around him. He snarled, "How dare you peasants insult me!"
The mist curled up in the air, materializing into three sharp crocket tentacles. Their heads fused into needle-like projectiles.
The people's eyes widened at the increasing height of the razor tentacles aimed at them. They pulled back.
"Now, now, now. We shouldn't shed blood because of one little misunderstanding on our first meeting."
The fiend's eyes snapped
at the naive old man who was still strong on his feet. He narrowed his eyes, "And just who do you think you are?"
Baba chuckled. "Lower your guards, boy."
"Boy!?" A vein popped on the demon's head, having his lips curve into a wicked grin as his brow twitched. "Well, of course."
The tentacles aimed in his direction, swiftly piercing through the air and straight at Elawo.
Elawo then stabbed his staff on the ground.
CHING!
The tentacles froze in midair, inches from Elawo's body.
The demon's brows quirked.
Baba Elawo slowly raised his staff to touch their tips — they suddenly recoiled back into the fog behind the demon.
His eyes widened slightly, "You?..."
Baba Elawo smiled innocently.
The demon's blue-green eyes scanned him from head to toe with a disbelieving expression like it couldn't be him.
It possibly couldn't be the old sacks of bones that summoned him...
Elawo's smile widened.
With a few seconds of silence drawn between the two, Baba Elawo finally spoke, "Now that that is confirmed, let's put violence aside for the moment, shall we?"
The fiend didn't respond, narrowing his eyes at the obviously suspicious old man.
His eye color suddenly returned to normal as the dark fog slowly receded back under his coat. His expression loosened, "Very well then."
"Hm." Baba Elawo nodded, slowly turning to face the crowd as the people gradually got back up on their feet.
Emperor Ado got up on his feet, supporting his third and youngest wife standing next to him as she dusted her dress. Ado snapped his eyes at the Chief Priest.
"What nonsense is this, Baba Elawo?!"
Elawo bowed respectfully, "Apologies, Your Majesty. Things seem not to be going quite as planned."
"I can see that!!" Ado frowned.
Elawo then turned to the now calm devil standing next to him, saying, "Why not introduce yourself to our Emperor?"
His blue-green eyes gazed boredly at Elawo before turning to the wary royalties and people. He dragged out a long sigh, without lowering his head into a subtle bow despite the Emperor.
"I am Leviathan Dev II, son of Leviathan Dev I and third crowned prince of Hell."