Chapter 30: Malice
Polartica
Arriving at the edge of a frigid wasteland were 15 figures-
A tall humanoid with bulky musculature and a manly frame, round ears, clawed dinosaur feet with a long leonine tail, and a round, featureless mask of yellow coloring covering the top portion of the face, but stopped at the top half of the fanged mouth. His skin was dark indigo and possessed a mane of blue hair that went down his back. He wore a black bio-mechanical sleeveless tank top with baggy pants.
Monstrosity- Heir to the Black U.L.F. Evil Beings/Royal Guard of Malice.
While normally a black hole, a figure emerged for this special mission- an average-sized youth with an androgynous appearance with a thin body, pink hair, lavender eyes, and tall stature. Their hair is quite short with several long, large clumps, bangs straight-cut, and ends above the eyebrows, but do not stay very uniform. Two long pieces of hair extend from the bangs and hang low over their face Their attire consists of a long black bio-mechanical old-style robe that is tight-fitting and ends at the mid-calf level on their legs. The robe is completed with large white cuff links at the ends of each sleeve and a tall white button-up collar at the neck. Black slipper-like shoes with a tall white cuff protruding out of the top are also worn.
Vacuo- Heiress to the Black Reptile Evil Beings/Royal Guard of Malice.
A young woman with her head covered with bandages, exposing only her eyes that had red and blue irises respectively. She had thick, wild long black hair that reached the ground and wore a large cloak of black bio-mechanical material that obscured her figure aside from her noticeable large bust
Aome- Heir to the Black Undead Evil Beings/Royal Guard of Malice.
An average-sized mummy with large black sclera eyes with round red irises exposed through the eyeholes of his bandages. He wore a ragged steel gray haori over a black, biomechanical robe, he wore fingerless gloves that showed dark skin, a color shared with his exposed feet. He wore steel sandals that were biomechanical. His hair was black and went out of his bandaged head like tendrils. His build suggested he would be a little older than a young man, but not by much. Sword pommels emerge from his back, knees, and elbows. He had a wide-eyed and large grinned expression on his face.
Sora- Heir to the Black Warrior Evil Beings/Royal Guard of Malice.
A pitch black-skinned, muscular armored skinned humanoid with sharp teeth, an upper mouth ending with a crude beak with no visible snout, massive leathery wings emerging from his back, clawed hands, hippo hoofed feet, a clubbed tail and red embers in otherwise featureless eye-sockets. He wore a biomechanical set of long black bio-mechanical pants.
Diabolo- Heir to the Black Hellspawn/Fiend/Devil Evil Beings/Royal Guard of Malice.
An eldritch humanoid wearing a bio-mechanical black robe that resembles those of high priests that completely obscured their body. Its bare, skull-like head had two devilish horns emerging from its sides that showed only its upward-curved eyes that possessed black sclera with purple irises. The rest of the face was obscured by a high collar that its mouth.
Enigma- Heiress to the Black Divine Evil Beings/Royal Guard of Malice.
A short young man with spiky, waist-length blonde hair with jagged bolt highlights in his hair, pale skin, his eyes were unusual, blue sclera with lightning bolts markings protruding from his golden tripled rippled pupils, and no eyebrows on his forehead. Lightning markings extended from his eyes. He wore a black biomechanical jacket with eight sleeves over a no-sleeved black shirt and baggy pants.
Electro- Heir to the Black Elemental Evil Beings/Royal Guard of Malice.
A tall wooly mammoth humanoid with long, curved tusks, and a long trunk dressed in a bio-mechanical black armored full-body suit, with hints of an endowed bosom.
Mammut- Heiress to the Black Beast Evil Beings/Royal Guard of Malice.
A teenaged, bespectacled human-like girl with back-length green hair and green iris eyes. She wore a black, biomechanical bra exposing her bosom and stomach; and black baggy pants with sandals. Her hands and feet were brown and wooden like bark.
Arbor- Heiress of the Black Plant Evil Beings/Royal Guard of Malice.
A large, bulky, black bio-mechanical robot-like entity with a single eye of orange coloring- having square pauldrons on the shoulders, a raised cube-chest, segmented limbs/midriff, mechanical hands, a metallic kelt, large lower leg armor with square feet, and a cylinder-shaped head.
Automata- Heiress to the Black Golem Evil beings/Royal Guard of Malice.
A small, young girl with long silver hair with two straight braids in the front with a third in the back reaching the floor. She had a cute human-like face with a large forehead with small spider compound eyes encompassing it. The iris's eyes were green in color. She wore a black web-patterned biomechanical crop top with large sleeves with similarly patterned pants ending with black sandals with four spider legs emerging from the back, keeping her hovered as an alternative means of transport.
Weava- Heiress of the Black Insectoid Evil Beings/Royal Guard of Malice.
A bespectacled teenage woman wearing square glasses with pink rims and long dark vermillion hair braided into a ponytail that reached her ankles. She wore black fingerless gloves and a small bikini that barely covered her breasts and revealed her curved, womanly body that had tattoos of ancient runes adorning it. She wore baggy pants that ended in knee-length black biomechanical stockings that ended in pointed witch boots. She wielded a long black sorceress' staff that was biomechanical in design, with a trident with a single eye at one end and an elderly wizard's face engraved on the other half.
Dorina- Heiress to the Black Sorcerer Evil Beings/Royal Guard of Malice.
A large winged male with jet black, biomechanical armor had horrific faces of demons, skulls, dragons, and other monstrous creatures engraved on random parts of his armored body, which was fitted over his extremely muscular physique. His hands had five claws with five-toed talons on his feet; his wings were less like bird wings, being more like shadowy matter shaped like wings and his head was covered by a vulture-shaped helmet, which had black sunglasses over his eyes.
Necron- Heir to the Black Avian Sorcerer Evil Beings/Royal Guard of Malice.
A curvy-figured young woman with long aquamarine hair that reached her waist, and a whale fin emerging from her back; she wore a black biomechanical corset over her otherwise exposed figure with a long chain mail cloth made of obsidian metal covering her legs. A large whale tail emerged from behind from the tailbone.
Whala- Heiress of the Black Sea-Life Evil Beings/Royal Guard of Malice.
They turned to see their leader-
He was a dark gray humanoid of average height wearing a full-body bio-mechanical black suit. His bald head had a humanoid face that was relatively similar to a human being, aside from his skeletal nose, sharp eyes with blue sclera and red iris pupils with a series of purple corneal limbus that formed a ripple and he had noticeable sharp canine teeth in his mouth. A thick black tail grew from his backside, demonic black wings emerged from his back, and a dark halo hovered over his head. He looked as though he was slightly younger than Tatsumi, but not by much.
Malice- 2nd Child of Nefarious.
"I'm going to take the land from the imbeciles hindering the Northern Great One. In the hands of the incompetent, nothing but deterioration both physically and spiritually.," Malice spoke.
His Royal Guard, fourteen strong, each a terrifying force of nature in their own right, nodded in unison, understanding the gravity of their mission. Each one of them had proven their worth to their master through battles that would make the strongest of men weep. They were his chosen few, bred and born to conquer in his name.
"Um, your big sister is in trouble? Mind if you stop-," Whala spoke before Malice telekinetically shoved her to the ground. Necron was shocked but kept still. While he didn't like the abuse of women, he knows his boss is always right.
"Her indecisiveness is her weakness. It's a miracle that we're even related.," Malice spoke as he hovered above the ground and flew via levitation to their location.
Whala got up and joined the others as they flew via their Soul of Energy to their destination.
Yami
Meanwhile, in the blackened citadel of Yami, Pure and her 14 Royal Guard had all allowed themselves to be captured rather than waste a pointless battle. Both were kept in chains, but the girls- Pure, Croco, Shuten, Gear, Magus, and Tyto were restrained in very suggestive positions by their captor, the East Evil Beast Lord- Tanuki.
It was a dank, dark dungeon lined with skeletal damned sinners.
The air had the scent of decay and the faint echoes of lost souls' wails. Pure's eyes searched the gloom, taking in the harsh reality of her new surroundings. The chains that bound her were cold and unforgiving, digging into her skin with every shiver that ran down her spine. Croco, Shuten, Gear, Magus, and Tyto were each held in positions that seemed to mock their dignity, yet their spirits remained unbroken. The East Evil Beast Lord, Tanuki, had a taste for dramatics, it seemed.
He was a gross, obese raccoon dog yokai Evil Being who dressed in loose black regal garbs.
He sailed into the dungeon with his entourage of animalistic monsters. His eyes gleamed with a mix of hunger and greed as he took in the captive maidens. The guards tightened their grips on their weapons, but the girls remained stoic, not giving him the satisfaction of seeing their fear. Pure clenched her fists, the chains rattling softly. She could feel the warmth of her companions' spirits beside her, and it fueled her resolve.
"Intelligence can be a hindrance. You should've just gone in guns-a-blazin'.," Tanuki mocked as he fondled Magus' left breast.
"Tch," she spat, her teeth clenched. "We had a strategy, you filthy animal."
Griff gritted his teeth in frustration as Magus blushed.
"Silence!" Tanuki bellowed, his paws retreating from her body. "You're all mine now, to do with as I please."
He then smirked pervertedly.
"How ridiculous. An asinine sense of bodily shame? Your elevated sense of intelligence leads to an escalated level of hubris that distracts from your intended desire to kill without reason, making you lose that hostile edge that Danger Beasts- the beings we evolved from possess. You have fears of failure and hesitation, which limit your potential.," the raccoon dog spoke.
Pure's eyes narrowed in contempt. "We are not mindless beasts like you. We have honor, and we fight for a purpose."
Magus glared at him with contempt as well.
"You look so feisty even after you gave up.," the raccoon dog remarked.
"I won't be shamed into submission. Stop this travesty before it escalates.," Pure replied.
"Should I tell you of your father's unique birth situation?," the raccoon dog spoke.
This got Pure's attention.
"The previous Center Great One could never defeat the Center Divine One no matter what he did. So he snuck and injected his essence via a syringe into the Center Divine One's mother, resulting in said child becoming Nefarious. The Center Divine One killed him as a disgraced assailant and sent him down to earth. And that kid was ditched alongside his mother while the other kid was kept around till the latter became the Teigu- Primus Imperator- leaving no recorded offspring- leaving the Divine One with no viable heirs outside of ironically enough the four of you. What an ingeniously ironic plan to have the Evil Beings overtake Heaven via rightful inheritance.," Tanuki explained.
Pure's eyes widened with shock as she processed the revelation. Her mind raced with questions about her existence and purpose. Was she truly born from a warrior's trickery and malicious intent? Her thoughts were interrupted by Croco's snarl.
"The one at fault is the Divine One. He should've killed the Great One, but he took the coward's way out by having humans do it. And to abandon his wife like that- that attitude created the White Faction that has been a real pain in our ass. If you're expecting us to turn on our people, you have another thing coming.," the crocodile girl snapped.
Tanuki proceeded to reach down to caress Croco's womanhood much to the group's disgust.
"Violence won't get you to submit. You have a strong heart that can withstand humiliation but what about ecstasy? I'll get to say don't stop right away," asked the Tanuki as he licked lecherously.
"Stop with that crap. Come on. We have a business meeting with Lady Amanozako to do now.," said Yasha- the East Black Warrior Lord, a grayish-blue skinned warrior with pointed ears, tusks emerging from his lower jaw, and wearing Wakoku-style military armor, making Tanuki balk and walk away.
Pure and the others breathed a sigh of relief as the East Evil Beast Lord's attention was drawn elsewhere. The dungeon door slammed shut, leaving them in relative quiet once more except Yasha was unpleasant in a different way.
"You should be lucky. He was going to have your eyes roll back and go insane from being raped. It was a shame Zuou died. He was going to our puppet-king in treating Wakoku like toys," the divine-fallen deva spoke, referring to their pawn killed by Hinowa.
"You'll receive divine punishment for this.," the blue-skinned Pure spoke.
"We're all enemies of the gods. So HE won't answer our prayers. While they answer the prayers of mortals, they at the same time, ignore them, denying them miracles. Good only exists when it's convenient.," Yasha explained.
"How is your plan on heaven gonna work? There are three problems- How to break the Pearly Gates that prevent Evil Beings and the damned from escaping, how to defeat the Divine Ones, and three- dealing with the powers behind the Divine Ones.," he added.
"What is your plan coming here?," asked the deva as he noticed that their wrists had loosened enough to slip through cuffs.
"Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak.," Pure spoke as she and the 14 Royal Guards got out of her confinements.
Yasha's eyes widened in surprise, but he didn't miss a beat.
He generated from his Energy of the Soul- two-ion-based creatures, a three-eyed tiger and a three-eyed elephant as he turned into his Gula form, a multi-armed Ashura.
The dungeon grew brighter with the sudden influx of energy, and the chains that had bound Pure and her guardians began to melt away. The animalistic yokai cowered in fear as the two new entities roared into existence beside them. The three-eyed tiger and elephant, constructs of pure ionic power, towered over their captors, their eyes burning with the intensity of a thousand suns. Pure stood tall, her hands glowing with the power of her own soul.
"Gonna run?," asked Yasha.
"If I did, my little brother, Malice would always pester me about it.," Pure retorted.
He snapped his fingers as the energy beasts proceeded to lunge at her.
Magus dashed in front of her as she pulled out her top hat and it sucked the energy creatures in.
"What sorcery is this?," asked Yasha.
"A good magician never reveals their secrets.," the sorcerer replied.
The dungeon grew tense as the two sides faced off. Pure knew that she and her companions had the element of surprise on their side, but the path ahead was fraught with danger. The East Evil Beast Lord and his entourage had underestimated them, and she wasn't about to let that advantage go to waste. She looked at her Royal Guards, and she could see the determination reflected in their eyes.
They charged ahead.
Polarctica
Malice had left the bodies of countless barbarians trailing behind him, brutes that had taken control of the Capital after disposing of the previous noble human king. Not out of altruism, but due to them being in the way of his goal.
Sora looked down upon the carnage, his heart beating steadily in his chest. The crimson stains on the once gleaming white marble were a stark contrast to his steel gray haori, now speckled with the remnants of battle. His large black eyes, with round red irises, took in the sight without a flinch. The grin on his face never wavered as he surveyed the fallen. The smell of iron and fear filled the air, but to Sora, it was a scent of victory, a scent of progress. His dark skin, exposed at the tips of his gloves and the tops of his biomechanical sandals, was a silent testament to his human heritage, a hint of his past life that had been buried along with his former name and allegiances.
"Nice job, boss. Next time, leave some for us.," the mummy commented.
"Be faster next time. And call me My Liege. I'm going to be King of the Evil Beings.," the grey-skinned demon with a skeletal nose replied. Sora immediately bowed out of obligation.
Malice then noticed a large blue-skinned Frost Giant with a beard made of blistery ice looming in the distance. He wore a black Viking set of armor with two curved forward horns emerging from his skull, rather than the initial assumption that they were a part of his helmet.
Ymir- Great One of the North.
"Thou are nefarious' child. Nefarious and i were to be rivals 'i the field of broil. Join forth young man and brow me to rekindle that flame.," Ymir spoke.
"My esteemed father wants me to get you to ally with us to take over the world. But, I've always preferred to settle matters on my own terms," Malice said, his voice a blend of the demonic and the icy confidence of a leader who knew no fear. He took a few steps closer to the towering giant, the sound of his bare taloned echoing in the now-silent battlefield of icy tundra.
"Thou are right, words never hit together with men of deed. Join forth and prove thine might.,"
Whala looked up and was stunned at the sight of the colossal giant of ice lumber towards them.
Necron proceeded to protect Whala, wanting to keep her safe. He knew the giant was not to be underestimated, especially after sensing his power firsthand.
Malice dashed forward, headbutting into Ymir's chest. The impact sent shockwaves through the ground, cracking the ice beneath their feet. The giant staggered back, his black sclera eyes widening in surprise at the sheer audacity of the smaller creature. Necron and Whala watched, tension coiling in their chests, as the two powerful beings began to clash.
Ymir grinned back and elbowed Malice into the snow. Sora watched as the demon was sent flying, his body leaving a trail of crimson behind. The giant's movements were surprisingly swift for his size, and his strength was unmatched by any mortal. Yet, Malice stood up again, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Hahahahahahahaha.," Malice laughed in exaltion during the fight. He was mostly irritable and stoic, but this fight really awakened the passion within him. The sheer power of the Frost Giant was a thrill, something that was hard to come by. He felt alive in a way he hadn't since he had taken his first steps into the mortal realm.
Ymir looked at the cloudy skies and thought back to when he crossed weapons with a younger Nefarious, the father of Malice. Those battles were legendary, the kind that would be sung about in the halls of Valhalla for eternity. Now, before him stood a mere pup, albeit one with a burning spirit and a power that could not be denied. He raised his frost-covered hand, summoning a mighty blizzard that howled towards Malice, the winds biting with the chill of the coldest abyss.
Feeling such elation after moe than a millennia, such bliss., thought Ymir.
He then summoned an battle axe made of ice and swung it at Malice, who deftly dodged the attack. The axe sliced through the air, leaving a frosty trail as it embedded itself into the ground. Malice took this opportunity to unleash a flurry of shadowy punches and kicks, each one landing with a crack that sent shards of ice flying. Ymir's expression grew more serious as he took the blows, his grin fading slightly as he realized the gravity of the challenge before him.
But, this faded as he gave into berserk bloodlust, charging at Ymir like a rabid beast. The giant met his charge with a thunderous roar, his fists crackling with the power of the frozen north. The two collided with the force of glacial calving, the sound echoing through the silent tundra like the end of the world.
Suddenly a sword slash cut between the two-
It belonged to a tall, muscular man with pointy ears, stubble on his chin and mouth to form a goatee, combed-back blue hair, wearing a white high-collared cape draped over his white robes, and wearing white shoes. His right arm was missing and he had a set of three scars over his right eye.
Tyr- Divine One of the North.
Whala gasped as she recognized the newcomer. "Lord Tyr!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with hope. Tyr was the God of War, the one who had once fought alongside the humans and was known for his valor and wisdom. The mere sight of him brought a semblance of peace to the tumultuous scene.
"Who that?," asked Sora.
"Imbecile. He's one of the Divine Ones. Humanity's protectors.," Whala replied.
"Whatever you're doing, stop it. It could lead to Ragnarok. That's not on the schedule," Tyr said calmly, his voice carrying the weight of centuries of wisdom and authority.
"I'm not done.," Malice replied. His eyes flashed with a dark light, hinting at the fury seething just beneath the surface. The sudden intrusion had interrupted what he had been looking forward to - a true challenge.
Tyr then summoned an ice blade and said-
"Get lost kid."
He said this not taking his gaze off Ymir, his tone deceptively casual. His hand remained steady on the ice blade, the wind howling around them as the giant's eyes narrowed at the interruption.
Malice. He's the kid of that woman who was imprisoned by the Empire of the Center for half a 1000 years. As much as I feel pity for him, he's dangerous and has to be put in his place., thought Tyr, his gaze still locked on the giant.
Malice then thought of his father's words about doing something worthy of acknowledgment and decided to change targets- facing Tyr instead. He lunged at Tyr, but the latter autonomously slashed him in one blow, knocking the prince down.
However, Malice wasn't one to balk at superior power. He had faced many challenges in his short life, each one leaving him more cunning and powerful than before. He had studied under the most feared and respected warriors across the realms, mastering their techniques and strategies with a speed that was almost unsettling. His brain was a sponge, soaking up knowledge like the blood he had spilled. And as he lay there, momentarily stunned, he observed Tyr's fighting style, the way he moved, the subtle shifts in his stance, the way he held his blade.
Malice lunged again, which led to the predictable result of being thwack down, but this time he was a millimeter away from the direct impact. Tyr's blade sliced through the air, but Malice had rolled to the side, his talons digging into the frozen earth for purchase. As he sprang back to his feet, he could feel the difference in his muscles, the newfound knowledge of Tyr's style already becoming a part of his own repertoire.
Malice changed styles by positioning his right hand like a blade and went for a slash. Initially, it was an ignored tap on the side from Tyr's perspective, but gradually, the tap grew stronger, hinting at the speed and precision Malice was developing from observing Tyr's own moves. Tyr's eyebrow arched as he realized the demon prince wasn't just throwing his weight around; he was learning, adapting, and growing stronger by the second.
Tyr then noticed that it was now causing a graze that caused an ebb of blue blood to emerge. Not wanting to give into hubris, Tyr took a step back, his eyes narrowing slightly as he observed the demon prince. Malice's speed had increased, his movements now a blur, and his strikes were no longer the wild swings of a novice, but the precise attacks of a seasoned warrior. It was as if the very essence of Tyr's fighting style had been absorbed by the young demon, his adaptability almost supernatural.
Tyr glared at him, releasing concussive forces to blow back Malice. But the young demon remained unfazed, his body moving with an eerie grace as he dodged and weaved through the explosive waves of ice and cold. The winds picked up around him, carrying the frost from Tyr's attacks, but Malice was already shifting again, his movements a dance of death that seemed to defy the very laws of the mortal realm.
He did again and this time, Tyr dodged subtly, appearing to be still, but his footprints on the snow moved a millimeter. Malice saw this and realized that he was up against not only a formidable warrior but also a tactician. He had to mix things up. He teleported behind Tyr and attempted to impale him from behind, but Tyr anticipated the move and parried with his ice blade.
This kid is getting better. If he continues, then it'll be trouble for all of us., he thought, Tyr realizing the potential of Malice.
Malice's 14 members of his Royal Guard- Monstrosity, Vacuo, Aome, Sora, Diabolo, Enigma, Mammut, Electro, Mammut, Arbor, Automata, Weava, Dorina, Necron, and Whala watched the sight with awe, they could never imagine outdoing their own Elders and adult superiors, let alone a Great One or a Divine One.
Malice paused and asked-
"Why haven't you done anything?"
Tyr looked on as Malice paused, his movements no longer those of a mere pup testing his strength, but a predator sizing up his prey. The demon's eyes were sharp, his gaze unyielding. The prince's ability to adapt was uncanny, his mind a weapon as deadly as any blade. Tyr knew he had underestimated the young demon, and it was a mistake he would not repeat.
"I'm not asking about your hesitation in battle, but in general with Humans. The Empire in the Center is a festering sore, a place where the weak are crushed by the greedy," Malice spat out, his eyes never leaving Tyr's.
"Not sure why you're bringing this but it was resolved-," Tyr replied.
"By murderers who claim to be not to be the hand of justice, but are merely self-deprecating pawns," Malice interrupted, his voice icy with contempt. "Self-righteous fools who slaughter in the name of order, yet leave nothing but chaos in their wake. They kill those with families, those who simply got in their way," Malice spat, his eyes blazing with a mix of anger and disgust
"And Wakoku was undermined by naive rulers who didn't deal with their obvious corruption till it was too late. And it is the case with Nitheb, Berli, and even here in Polarctica. How long is the cycle of rooting out the corruption and allowing it to spread allowed to continue?," he added.
"You're asking why we don't act preemptively to eliminate evil?," asked Tyr, his gaze sharp as an ice shard. "Because it's not our way to seek out and destroy without cause, to leave a trail of widows and orphans in our wake. We are guardians, not executioners."
My goal is not just to conquer, but to change," Malice announced, his voice carrying over the howling winds. "This world of your 'guardianship' is a farce, a stage for the powerful to trample the weak. The very concept of power is twisted, and corrupted. I will eliminate the system that allows such inequality to fester, and create a world where the strong protect, not oppress."
Tyr was genuinely shocked at the revelation as previous inclinations were that he was just another warmonger.
"I've had centuries in the womb to ponder my purpose. Some Humans are vile, but some are good. It would be better to convert all Humans into Beings and we just feed off the energy of the world and give back to it. Human desire will fade as it gives into cooperation.," Malice spoke.
Tyr noted the bodies of the barbarians that Malice had killed as did Malice himself.
"They were necessary sacrifices as are you and the rest of the Good Beings who enforce a status quo that instills predestination into mortal lives instead of offering the path of true redemption. So you all have to die so mortals can awake from the norms of your society ("slave morality") and live by their own created and unique code of morals, virtues or laws.," Malice observed.
Tyr's gaze grew colder than the tundra around them. "Your words are noble, but your methods are those of a butcher. I've seen too much death, too much destruction to believe in your 'redemption'. Besides, the world isn't as black and white as you paint it. There's good and evil in all realms, even in the hearts of your so-called 'Evil Beings'," Tyr said, his voice carrying the weight of his ancient experience.
"Indeed. Your so-called Good Beings have already shown you can fall. The White Faction, made up of fallen Good Beings that make most Evil beings seem like saints can attest to that.," Malice replied.
Ymir continued to do nothing as did the Royal Guard.
"You're right, the world isn't black and white," Tyr conceded, his eyes never leaving Malice's. "But the path you walk is one of destruction, not creation. You seek to eliminate the old to make way for the new, but in doing so, you risk losing the very essence of what makes us beings- our capacity for choice, for redemption. Your vision is narrow, Malice. There's more to existence than power and dominance," Tyr's voice was firm, but there was a hint of sadness in his tone.
"You're like your father in that aspect.," he added- referring to Nefarious.
"You didn't aid the Teigu, Shingu, or Meihou users. You're just as upset as the rest of us of them using our fallen brethren as tools, parading their corpses to kill their own kin.," Malice replied.
Tyr remained silent, his expression unreadable. He knew the truth of Malice's words, but he also knew the consequences of allowing the demon prince to continue his crusade. The very fabric of existence was at stake, and he couldn't just stand by and watch it unravel.
"Being on the heavens isn't going to get your dream realized. World Peace isn't an option. Even God has a boss he answers to.," Tyr replied.
"Then I'll kill that boss. And take down the hypocrisy that sent my grandmother into enslavement and my mother and half-mother into a millennia of torture.," the gray-skinned youth replied.
The air grew thick with tension, the snow seeming to hold its breath as the two powerful entities stared each other down. Malice's Royal Guard remained frozen, unsure of what to do, the weight of the situation pressing down on them like a heavy blanket of ice.
While Malice enjoyed fighting Ymir, Tyr was filled with a sense of justice that saw his family as evil just for being born or cast into the role they were in. He knew that this battle was more than just a show of strength; it was a clash of ideologies. The concept of peace and redemption was something that resonated with him, but he knew that the path to it was fraught with danger and bloodshed.
"Trump Card: Absolute Zero.," Tyr declared. His eyes blazed with the fury of a thousand blizzards as he invoked his divine power. The temperature around them plummeted, dropping so low that even the very concept of cold was surpassed. The air grew dense, each breath a crystalline mist. The ice beneath them began to shiver and crack as it approached the untouchable chill of absolute zero.
The atmosphere froze up around them as Tyr's power unfolded, the very essence of absolute zero invading the air. The snowfall ceased, the flakes hanging in mid-air, frozen in time. The ice beneath their feet grew more rigid, the tapestry of their battle etched into the frozen tundra. Malice's eyes widened as he felt the chill seep into his very bones, a sensation he hadn't felt since his mother's power had been stolen from her.
This frozen ice was capable of molecular deceleration, a power that could halt the very movement of atoms. Malice's body, once a blur of shadow and steel, now slowed to a crawl as the biting chill of absolute zero seeped into his being. He watched as Tyr's ice blade grew, elongating into a staff of pure, unyielding cold. The air grew thick with the weight of the divine power, and the ground beneath them groaned in protest
"Temperantia: Baldr.," Tyr declared as his form became a light-blue energy being, the power of absolute zero coalescing around him. The ice beneath them grew even more rigid, the very air crystallizing around the combatants. Malice felt his body stiffen, his movements growing sluggish as the cold invaded his very essence.
But then, Malice grimaced, his eyes alight with a dark fire. He knew Tyr had a powerful Trump Card, but he had one of his own. With a flick of his wrist, he activated his own, the crimson aura of 'Anti-Matter' enveloping him. The fabric of reality around him began to warp and distort as if a black hole had opened in the very air. The cold of absolute zero was no match for the unbridled power of the demon's Trump Card.
The ice that had been growing around them started to crack and melt as Malice's power surged, the very air itself bending and stretching as the dimensions clashed. The ground beneath their feet became a swirling maelstrom of anti-matter and frost, the very essence of their beings pushing against the fabric of the universe. The snowflakes that had been frozen in place by Tyr's power now danced erratically, torn apart by the opposing forces.
This gave Malice the opening to activate his Hubris, which allows one to generate a dimensional space with the user being able to fully control the contents within-
"Dark World"
With a grin that was more of a snarl, Malice vanished from Tyr's line of sight, only to reappear behind him. The world around them grew darker as if a shadow had been cast over the already frigid landscape. The air grew thick with malice, the very essence of his power. The snow fell in twisted patterns, dancing around the two combatants as if it were afraid to touch them.
Tyr was sliced apart by darkness as he saw a shadowy world filled with demonic umbra-entities of pitch-black.
It gave Malice the opening to use his Vanitas-
"Red Dragon"
The crimson aura grew into a colossal monstrosity that seemed to dwarf the very heavens themselves. An enormous red dragon, a creature of myth and nightmare, appeared with a deafening roar that echoed across the tundra. It had seven heads, each adorned with seven deadly horns, and six piercing eyes that gleamed with the malice of a thousand suns. The dragon's very presence was a declaration of war against the very fabric of existence.
The beast's breath was a fiery tempest, setting the very air alight with a fiery malice that could burn away the frost of Tyr's realm. The dragon's six eyes searched the area, each one gleaming with a malicious intent that could make the bravest of souls quiver. The creature's six heads snaked around Tyr, each crowned with its own twisted crown of bone and shadow.
With a roar that could shake the very heavens, the dragon lunged, its fiery maw gaping wide. The six eyes of the beast focused on Tyr, whose expression remained unchanged. But the moment the dragon's claws reached for him, Tyr vanished in a swirl of snow. He summoned his Humilitas- a simple snowy grass field, which lessened the effectiveness of the dragon's attack as its dimensional-cutting tail slash.
Malice used the chance to change his sword hand into an actual black blade of energy with his Energy of the Soul and clashed with the Divine One.
The dimension shattered as Tyr was cut in half. Malice's blade of pure shadow and malice sliced through the divine warrior with a soundless cut. But Tyr reappeared, unscathed, his body flickering back into existence in a display of divine resilience.
However, it wasn't enough as he expelled blood and his vision faded, dying on his feet.
Sorry, Gramps. You're going to have to face your own grandson one day. Such a terrible fate. I wonder what Brumhilda is up to?, Tyr thought as he worried about the Center Divine One.
The two entities exchanged blows, each one a dance of death and rebirth, the very fabric of reality shivering with the power of their clashes. Malice's shadow blade clashed with Tyr's ice staff, the sound echoing like the toll of a doomsday bell. The Frost Giant's breath billowed around them, the air thick with the scent of a frigid abyss, while the crimson aura of the demon prince's Hubris painted the sky with its sinister hue.
"Such a magnificent fight. Well done. Evil be praised.," the giant spoke as he patted his finger on Malum's shoulder as his hands were too big.
Malice felt melancholy over the victory that seemed so close. The fight had been exhilarating, but it was not the victory he had hoped for. Tyr, the Divine One of the North, lay before him, his body a frozen statue, a testament to the power of the dragon's breath. The battle had been fierce, a clash of ideals and power that had shaken the very foundations of Polarctica.
He quickly braced himself for the completion of his mission- getting the alliance of the North Great One and with the added bonus of eliminating a Divine One- reducing their numbers from 5 to 4.
He flew into the distance with his 14 followers aiding him.
Next Chapter: Queen- Pure encounters Amanozako and finally starts to fight her.
Author Notes: While Pure's mission was important, the main aspect of this chapter is the introduction to the Anti-Christ, Malice, the promised Messiah of the Evil Beings. His attacks are based in Devil motifs and he is well-intentioned, more so than his sadistic brothers. His relationship with his Royal Guard will eventually improve.
His enemy was inspired by Shanks of One Piece as well as Norse Mythology which encompasses the iconography of the North. Ymir is a primordial ice giant, so it was fitting to make the Noth Great One a Frost Giant.
Amanozako's minions continue the Yokai motif she has going on.