Chapter 10: Insidious' Sparring Match
IIn the courtyard now that his younger twin brother, Vile was done using it, it was Insdious' turn to face his male Royal Guards representing some of the 14 races of Akujin- enlightened Danger Beast animals-
An above-average-sized humanoid brown deer with large antlers and feathered wings on his back wearing a monochrome striped outfit. His black deer eyes stared at his Prince.
Cervos- Heir of the Monochome U.L.F. Evil Beings/Royal Guard of Insidious/Commander of Insidious' Royal Guard.
A short green tortoise humanoid with stubby limbs and a large head with sunken eyes with green irises with a brown shell on his back. They wore a monochrome striped outfit.
Turtle- Heir of the Monochrome Reptile Evil Beings/Royal Guard of Insidious/Vice Commander of Insidious' Royal Guard.
A tall blue-skinned humanoid male with pink sclera eyes covered in stitches, four nail bolts emerging from their neck, and a black flattop hairstyle. They wore a monochrome striped outfit.
Adamstein- Heir of the Monochrome Undead Evil Beings/Royal Guard of Insidious.
A very odd-looking entity of above-average height that was monochrome striped entirely. They had a crescent for a head with six eyes at the base of the crescent- three on each side, a sphere neck, a cylinder body, interchanging cubes/cones for arms, ovals for legs, and straight-edged wings on their back. A halo hovered over their head.
Holygon- Heir of the Monochrome Divine Evil Beings/Royal Guard of Insidious.
A below-average sized sentient darkness-based elemental with blue lights for eyes wearing a monochrome striped outfit to give them a humanoid figure.
Caligo- Heir of the Monochrome Elemental Evil Beings/Royal Guard of Insidious.
A humanoid cactus of above-average height wearing a monochrome striped sombrero and a monochrome striped poncho over its monochrome robe.
El Cacto- Heir of the Monochrome Plant Evil Beings/Royal Guard of Insidious.
An angry, muscular monochrome striped robot of average height with a clear white visor for a face.
Process- Heir of the Monochrome Golem Evil Beings/Royal Guard of Insidious.
A red, blue-eyed phoenix humanoid of above-average height with a blond braided ponytail emerges from the back of their head wearing monochrome armor.
Oepidus- Heir of the Monochrome Avian Evil Beings/Royal Guard of Insidious.
A humanoid shark of above-average height with black beady eyes with a muscular build wearing nothing but a pair of monochrome striped swim shorts.
Squalus- Heir of the Monochrome Sea-Life Evil Beings/Royal Guard of Insidious.
Insidious is an androgynous teenager of below-average height with a slender frame and purple lipstick, purple lines framing the sides of their face, purely black pupils with no sclera or shine, waist-length curly blonde hair, wearing a black-white striped gown, and possessing a set of red horns that were bull-like growing from the sides of their head, a third eye in the middle of their forehead, and a long tail ending in a barb.
Insidious took a deep breath, their tail swishing with anticipation as they stepped into the courtyard, surrounded by their loyal and powerful Royal Guards. The air was thick with the scent of blooming monochrome roses that lined the stone walkway, their stark color a stark contrast to the vibrant tapestry of the world beyond the castle walls.
Squalus leaped several feet away as he generated a massive water gun from condensed liquid, while he could be a melee fighter, he was primarily a sniper. The water droplets shot out in a large arch, aiming straight for Insidious' heart.
"Don't go down easily!," shouted a tall, fair-skinned adult woman with black short hair styled in a bob-cut, formerly wearing regal yet seductive attire, now wore a monochrome striped tube-top with a monochrome striped jacket with monochrome striped pants. She now has pointy ears, sharp fangs for teeth, and slit pupils- demonstrating she's no longer human and truly inhuman to match her monstrous heart.
Sinisterly- Former Kaiserin of Berli/Wife of Insidious.
The equal in question was a voluptuous, well-endowed vampire girl of average height with light blue-gray skin, red iris eyes, crooked fangs, and long, midnight black hair that reached to her feet wearing a black two-piece outfit of a black crop top with black jeans.
Carmilla- Heiress to the West Akujin/Co-Wife of Insidious.
With a smirk, Insidious lifted their hand, their third eye glowing a deep crimson. The water droplets from Squalus' attack froze mid-air, encasing themselves in a cage of ice due to the hell-ice technique, Proditio. The shark creature looked surprised, his teeth bared in a silent snarl. Insidious stepped closer, their movements fluid and deliberate, each step echoing through the courtyard like a silent taunt.
"Impressive," Carmilla murmured, watching the display with a hint of excitement in her eyes. Her fangs glinted in the moonlight, a stark reminder of her own formidable nature.
Insidious used a modification of the purple beam emission technique, Ira, imbuing into their body as they internally ruptured Squalus, rendering him unconscious as he fell down.
Next up was Oepidus, the fiery phoenix. He soared into the night sky, the blaze of his fiery wings casting a warm glow across the courtyard. With a piercing screech, he dove towards Insidious, a trail of fire following in his wake. Insidious watched him approach, their tail swishing with a hint of challenge.
As Oepidus descended, Insidious raised their hands, palms outward. The air around them crackled with dark energy, and suddenly, a pillar of shadow erupted from the ground, shooting skyward to meet the incoming phoenix. The shadow engulfed Oepidus, extinguishing his flames and leaving him momentarily blinded and disoriented. It was a variation of the rotting technique, Vehemens, in which it negated the powers of the target.
El Cacto took this opportunity to charge, he pulled out his guitar and released powerful sound blasts in the form of musical notes. Insidious's ears rang from the cacophony, but they remained focused. The shadowy pillar dissipated, and Insidious dashed to the side, their agility surprising even the seasoned Royal Guards. They reached out, their hand transforming into a deadly vine-like whip that wrapped around El Cacto's neck, constricting tightly. The cactus humanoid gasped for air, his monochrome striped sombrero flying off his head.
El Cacto and Oepidus were rendered unconscious as Process lunged, deciding to make it into a fisticuff brawl. Insidious' eyes narrowed as they braced themselves, their tail swishing in anticipation of the upcoming clash. The robot's fist connected with a loud 'clang', and Insidious felt the impact resonate through their body. But they didn't falter, instead, they absorbed the blow, a smirk playing on their lips.
Carmilla watched with growing interest, her eyes never leaving Insidious. She could feel the power that her spouse exuded, and it was exhilarating. The courtyard had become a battleground of shadow and ice, a dance of deadly intent and surprising grace.
Holygon hovered into the fray, their halo flickering as they sent a barrage of geometric shapes at Insidious. The shapes shifted and contorted in mid-air, a dizzying array of deadly intent. Insidious' eyes followed the pattern, their mind racing to predict the next move. With a flick of their wrist, they summoned a shield of pure darkness, the monochrome shapes clattering against it like a hailstorm of steel. The dark shield held firm, and the shapes dispersed into the night.
The deer-like Cervos stepped forward, his bow drawn taut with a gleaming monochrome striped arrow aimed at Insidious' heart. Insidious met his gaze, unflinching, as they called upon the power of their own monochrome striped staff. A bolt of shadowy energy shot from the tip, intercepting the arrow in a fiery explosion of light and dark. The two forces collided, sending a shockwave through the air that knocked the remaining Royal Guards off their feet.
When the dust settled, Insidious and Cervos were locked in a stalemate, their weapons clashed together, sparks flying. The tension was palpable, the air charged with their combined power. It was a battle of wills as much as it was a battle of might.
Adamstein released a bolt of lightning and Turtle spun his shell, both heading towards Insidious, who was still locked in a stalemate with Cervos. The air was thick with anticipation as the two forces approached. With a swift motion, Insidious' staff split into three, each third forming into a whip of shadow that lashed out at the incoming attacks. The lightning bolt was redirected into the ground, creating a smoldering crater, while the spinning shell was caught in the shadowy embrace, halting its momentum.
With a grunt, Insidious pushed Cervos back, creating enough distance to breathe. They twirled their staff in a graceful arc, the ends leaving a trail of inky blackness that danced around them. Caligo, the sentient darkness, took this moment to advance, their eyes glowing a menacing blue. Insidious' third eye narrowed, and they called forth a beam of purple light that collided with Caligo's shadowy form. The two clashed, a dance of light and dark that painted the courtyard in an eerie glow.
The beam pierced through Caligo, dispersing their form temporarily. Insidious didn't waste a second, flipping their staff and pointing it at the now vulnerable El Cacto. The vine-like whip shot out again, wrapping around the cactus' midsection. Insidious yanked hard, pulling El Cacto off his feet and sending him crashing into Adamstein. The two collided, their monochrome striped bodies entangling before falling to the ground in a heap
Cervos was the last one standing, his eyes burning with a fierce determination that matched the intensity of Insidious' own gaze. He nocked another arrow, the fletching fluttering in the breeze, and took aim. The tension was so thick, it could be cut with a knife.
Insidious chuckled darkly, their tail swishing as they anticipated the next move. "You're all so eager to test your strength against me," they said, their voice a seductive purr. "But are you truly ready to face the one who holds the power of the Eclipse?"
He generated the energy of Light and Darkness, combining them due to his unique trait of being both Good and Evil. The sky above them started to mirror their power, the stars dimming and the moon hiding behind the clouds, as if the very heavens knew of the clash.
"Now, let us end this," Insidious declared, their voice resonating with the power of their ancestors.
Cervos, unfazed by the display, took a deep breath and released the arrow. It sliced through the air, aiming straight for Insidious' heart. Time seemed to slow down as Insidious' third eye glowed brighter, a blend of shadow and light pulsing within. Their staff grew longer, morphing into a mighty spear of pure power. With a swift and precise motion, they caught the arrow mid-flight, the spear's tip shattering it into a shower of monochrome splinters.
The Royal Guards watched in awe as Insidious twirled the spear, the power of the eclipse swirling around them like a maelstrom. The courtyard was plunged into an eerie silence, broken only by the distant howl of the wind and the soft patter of the broken arrow on the stone beneath their feet.
"Your turn," Insidious said, the corners of their mouth quirking up into a predatory smile. They lunged forward, the spear of light and shadow pointing directly at Cervos' heart. The deer-like guardian leaped back, his wings fluttering as he tried to regain his footing. He then gave up.
"Magnificent my liege.," the deer spoke with a deep, rumbling voice that seemed to shake the very earth beneath them. "Your power is as unpredictable as the eclipse itself."
Insidious smirked as the girls of the Royal Guard showed up-
Sanctify, the Monochrome Warrior Akujin Heiress, had decided to ditch their armor to reveal a dark-skinned, pointy-eared young woman with purple hair and gray-iris eyes. She wore an athletic monochrome-striped sports bra with monochrome-striped baggy pants with boots.
Succubi, the Monochrome Hellspawn Heiress, a pale-skinned woman with dark green hair and pink-iris eyes, which she wore square spectacles over. She had a set of two horns jutting upwards on the sides of her head, purple wings on her back, and a purple tail emerging from her backside ending in a barb. She wore a monochrome striped business suit.
Tigress, the Monochrome Beast Heiress- a humanoid cat girl with wavy white hair. Her cat-like ears and tail were covered with white with black stripes respectively. They had silver eyes with slit pupils. Her hands were slightly larger than an average human hand. Her clothes were a monochrome striped overcoat with six silver buttons and cuff links, shorts, white socks with thin black stripes, and a pair of black shoes.
Manti, the Monochrome Insectoid Heiress- a green-haired, tan-skinned young woman with mantis insectoid eyes, a set of green antennae on her forehead, and wearing a two-piece uniform that exposed her midriff.
And Dreamy, the Monochrome Sorcerer Heiress, a young woman with short brown hair wearing a monochrome striped witch haf, but had no visible torso under her monochrome striped robes and had floating gloves for her hands.
The males looked befuddled at Sanctify, confused about who she was. She then signed as she pulled out a barabute helmet and wore it, showing that she was indeed the same Monochrome Warrior Akujin heiress of before. Leading to them being stunned by the revelation that she was an attractive girl.
"Someone managed to get me out of my shell.," said Sanctify as she looked at Carmilla as she smirked.
"We need to develop a means to get to the other Akujin bases. Perhaps teleportation.," said Dreamy, showing focus as the Royal Guard walked away with their prince and his wives. Unlike Vile, they had greater loyalty built up from the start.
Now it was Malice's turn.
Author Notes: Compared to Vile, Nefarious has more of a grasp of what his men want and need. Now it's Malice's turn