The Curse of the First Demon.
No one knew its origin, except that it only came into existence after the disappearance of the First Demon from Hell.
A blighted curse bound to the vile depths of Hell, eternally sealed. Or so they had thought.
Generations of his descendants cursed out in his name, blaming him for their steady decline over the past millennia. Then, Lucifer the Fifth of his name had led his armies across the Dimensional Gate to forage for resources, only to be met with brutal retaliation, where his head was severed and his headless body delivered to their doorstep.
The horrors beyond the Gate had terrified the royal line of Demons, who decided never again to touch the Gates. Yet the calamity of the Abyss had forced their hand.
Lucian blinked at his reflection in the river and the star shining in the sky. His features were sharp and handsome—long black hair and crimson red eyes that shone balefully in the clear waters of the lake. Two pitch-black horns jutted from his head, curving backward and twisting upward.
"What are you doing?" asked his sister.
Nyra loomed above him, her lithe and graceful figure casting a shadow on him. Though she was a head and a half shorter than him, her beautiful crimson hair and obsidian-ringed eyes framed her features perfectly. In contrast to his black horns, hers were a mix of red and black—the colors blending seamlessly.
"Nothing," he replied. "Just that we are here, at last."
The Human Realm.
The records from Lucifer the Fifth's time spoke of the savage nature of humans, and the brutality with which they had slain their demon brethren. They were meant to be feared and avoided, and yet here they stood.
"Yeah, I'm feeling somewhat nervous as well," Nyra expressed her inner turmoil, fearful of the future that awaited them.
"I say we do something about our appearance first," Alana voiced.
Lucian glanced at his older sister, finding her decked in armor made of monster scales and hide. A longsword hung at her hip, a crimson jewel adorning its cross-guard. Unlike Nyra, Alana possessed raven-black hair, cut short at her shoulders, and pitch-black eyes. Her tall stature and athletic figure befitted her status as a Knight.
"I agree with Alana," Lucian said. "The only visible difference between us and humans is our horns. If we remove those, we can blend in easily."
"Then, I guess it's time for me to work my magic," Lilith smiled a mysterious smile.
Lilith was a beautiful demon with a curvaceous figure that her daughters unfortunately seemed not to inherit. Her exquisite features were framed by her night-black hair that reached past her buttocks, and her oceanic blue eyes gleamed mysteriously under the intense light.
Lucian knew his mother was the greatest Arcane Weaver Hell had seen in over a thousand years. Her craft had been enough to beguile the souls of millions and charm into submission even more.
She closed her eyes and concentrated, the Mana afforded by her status as an Exalted being pouring out of her body and coalescing into three tokens. They were palm-sized artifacts brought into existence by the crystallization of Demonic Mana—one a crown, another a dagger, and the last a sword.
"Here," Lilith offered the sword-shaped token to her eldest daughter, then proceeded to hand the dagger to Nyra and the crown to Lucian.
"Now, these are not infallible, so you've to be careful. Any Immortal worth his salt can recognize you if they find you suspicious. Needless to say, those beyond Immortal would instantly see through your disguise; and make no mistake, those beings do exist in this realm."
Having issued her warning, Lilith taught the trio how to activate the Charm.
Alana proceeded first, drawing a smidgen of her Demonic Mana and pouring it into the charm. There was a shimmer in the air around her, and the next moment, her appearance had changed. Her twisting horns, once standing straight as swords, had disappeared, and her snow-white skin had turned a shade darker.
"That's cool," Nyra remarked, her eyes shining.
"Your turn," Lucian nudged her slightly, offering a lopsided grin.
Nyra drew upon her Mana reserves and threaded it into the charm. Much like Alana, the air around her rippled, as if the surface of water had been stirred. Her horns disappeared, and her beautiful crimson hair turned blonde.
"I guess it's my turn now," Lucian said with a smile, and used his Demonic Mana to activate the charm. From his perspective, nothing appeared different, though he noted a sensation of discomfort from the absence of his horns. They hadn't disappeared completely, but had shifted into a veil that rendered them effectively weightless and intangible.
"It's weird, right?" Nyra said.
Lucian nodded.
"It's like you know there's nothing there, but the phantom sensation of its existence clashes with your knowledge. It's... weird, alright."
"If you're done, let's leave," Lilith said, drawing the attention of her children, who gaped at the sight of their mother.
Lilith had cast a similar charm upon herself, hiding her horns and altering her appearance. She had styled her hair perfectly straight, with short bangs adorning the sides. Her light blue eyes were framed by clear-cut glasses resting on the bridge of her nose. She wore a white shirt that stretched against her sizable bust, and a tight skirt that hung just above her knees.
"Wow," Nyra cried out in amazement.
Alana nodded. "You look..."
"...Absolutely stunning," Lucian finished.
Their mother smiled adoringly. "Thank you, children. It's unfortunate that I can't offer you a charm with similar functionality, as it requires my passive support."
"I suppose we are more than content with what we have," Alana said.
"Then, shall we get going?" Lilith asked.
"Sure."
The four of them marched ahead... only to come to a sudden halt.
"Wait, which direction are we supposed to be going again?" Lilith asked, frowning.
Lucian sighed, pointing at the river.
"Let's follow along the riverbank."