In the Court of the Blind King

Chapter 13 - Dance of Twin Tides

   Diavolo and Doppio approached them, stopping in the middle of the room while looking at the trio. The man on the throne pushed his hair off his face, staring at them with emerald green eyes and a solemn expression.

"And so you come."

   Diavolo stepped forward, in an act of challenge towards the man in blue.

   "We have come to finish these trials."

   The man was unimpressed. He rolled his eyes. And made himself comfortable on his throne.

   "What do you say, girls?"

   The two women shot a sharp look towards Diavolo, then turned to the man on the throne, gently stroking his arms and leg seductively.

   "Oh Darling, don't worry about them..."

   "Yes, we will take care of them, Darling..."

   Diavolo became angry and pointed at the man.

   "What is this all about?! Face me, coward!"

   The man let out a sigh, then raised his hand in front of his head.

   "Alright, girls, you won."

   With his hand still in the same position, he lazily pointed at Diavolo with two fingers.

"Cadence, Cascade, get him."

   The women raised up and slowly started to walk towards Diavolo and Doppio. Suddenly, their clothes began to shine and their eyes began to glow a deep bright yellow. In the blink of an eye, they had transformed from humans to stand.

    "Wait... you are...!"

   Much to his surprise, these women, Cadence and Cascade, revealed themselves to be the same stands that had attacked them before and after the fourth trial.

   Diavolo looked at the man on his throne, angrily.

   "So it was you! If you were so confident in your victory, why attack us before now?!"

   The man did not acknowledge his words, remaining silent in his seat. Suddenly, Cadence, the purple stand, attacked him from above, descending on him with a spear. Diavolo avoided it, but then Cascade, the light blue stand, attacked him from behind immediately after. Doppio jumped at Diavolo, pushing him away from the attack.

   "Careful, Boss!"

   Cadence and Cascade reunited, leaning on each other and crossing their spears with the points to the ground. 

   "We will not let you get even close to our Darling."
   "Darling expects us to deal with you, and that that is what we'll do!"

   They raised their spears, and while Cadence jumped high to a column on the right side of the room, Cascade swiftly slithered to the base of the opposite column, both disappearing in an instant. Doppio and Diavolo were now back to back, each with their stands by their side, in alert. Diavolo turned back slightly to speak to Doppio.

   "Doppio, when is the purple one going to appear?"

   Doppio looked at Epitaph and clenched his teeth in frustration.

   "In the column in front of you... but even if you avoid her attack, the blue one is going to attack right after from the ground!"

   "Then all we can do now is react..."

   At that moment, Cadence descended upon them spear first. King Crimson pushed the spearhead to the side and attacked her with his palm, throwing her near the column, but she fell on her feet. Cascade attacked them immediately after, aiming at Doppio with her spear whilst running at them.