Nixus: gossips

Teacher's room, Wednesday morning. 

Phoenix walked into the teacher's room at recess. She was visibly more exhausted than usual, yawning and stretching as she walked to her desk. She did not notice the group of gossiping divas that had gathered near her.  Four of them were talking, smoking, and drinking coffee, with Thomas Lincoln at the center.  Thomas was the oldest veteran teacher at the school and one of the cattiest and gossipiest people in the whole block. Everyone knew that no matter how well you hid something, Thomas would eventually find out and throw it back in your face, so it was best to simply tell him what was going on and pray he took pity on you and didn't gossip to the rest of your colleagues. He always spilled the beans; therefore, everyone knew about everyone's love life, family issues, and sometimes even health issues. The only things he refused to gossip about were traumas, Serious diseases like cancer, and domestic violence.  He had some ethics, and perhaps that made him a beloved teacher and a pillar of that school. At least he loved to believe it did. 

Thomas disliked Phoenix when she first came here. He tried to dig into her socials only to find nothing about her. All of her accounts were created the year she came to Detroit, and he could not find anything about her on the internet. Not even a comment left somewhere, a restaurant review, or pics of her past travels. He also wondered why she got a titular position if she had not been a teacher before, but she pirouetted her way out of his questions, and her attitude helped soften him up. Phoenix was eager to learn, a quick thinker, and on top of it all, excellent with children. She was humble and acknowledged Thomas as the Queen B. of the school. She put him at ease, and quickly enough, he treated her like he treated everyone else, a source for gossip and bets. Thomas lamented her unremarkable fashion sense and always jabbed at her about how plain she looked when she should be looking hotter. He also teased her about the lack of romance in her life.

"If it's not Miss, I am going to feed Thailand slums herself? What are you wearing today, Nix?"

"Sorry, Diva. I like my plain jeans and plain sweatshirt. They're comfy. I've just arrived, and you did not even spare me a little?"

"Well, usually I would ignore you like usual, but the teacher's room has been placing bets."

"Bets? Let me guess... You're roasting my looks again?"

"Ah, I will keep on winning those if they were the only ones. You dress so badly, honey. But it's not about that. We've noticed the change of attitude lately. We've also noticed that you finally took those wednesday afternoon off. It tickled me, so I placed a bet. We know that you're seeing someone. What we don't know is if that guy is hot or not."

"What???? Ho--Why???" -Gobsmacked, Nix looked at Thomas, who was grinning from ear to ear like he had discovered a dinosaur's bone in his backyard-

The other three women chuckled and shook their shoulders as if to say “well, you can’t blame us for going on with this.” Phoenix blinked and shook her head in disbelief. They got bored of her gossiping on her clothes already and decided to move on?  She rolled her eyes and tilted her head to the right. Marjorie, a 45 years old blonde short woman with neck-length hair cleared her throat. 

“Nix, everybody is in everybody’s business. Last month they were all focused on me when they learned I wanted a divorce. We haven’t seen you talk about a significant other, of course we would speculate about it.”

“To be honest, I thought you were asexual.” Linda, a 50 years old teacher who dyed her hair brown (but we could always tell it was a dye) spoke up. She was perhaps the meanest of the gang. “You wouldn’t dress up so badly if you were interested in dating.” 

“Wh—what? I mean, could you not have asked me about it instead of assuming shit about me. I like being plain. I like it even more when I have to work…. With kids! And what if I was asexual? I can’t believe you.” -she pointed  at her with forefinger and then rolled her eyes-

“Can’t blame me for not knowing you had game. And who is your so-called boyfriend?”

“Finally! Some sense entered your thick skull! Well, hold on you because my boyfriend is a hot and handsome cop. He’s so hot that he turns heads wherever we go. He’s so hot that I can’t keep my hands off him. And he’s so kind that he will come over to meet with my students and you mean girls will finally see that your venom was ridiculous.” 

“You don’t need to be so aggressive, Phoenix. Jeez!” Phoenix didn’t even acknowledge her. She put her bag on her desk and eyed Thomas and the gang. They were surprised by the comeback but it meshed well with their usual cattiness so they didn’t bother with her.  Linda rolled her eyes and gossiped to the hen group with her. “I am sure that she said that to save face. Until we see the guy in person, I refuse to believe he’s hot. And if he is, I will ask him why he picked such a boring woman as his girlfriend.” 

“In her defense he might not be as superficial as we are.” Admitted Cathy. A short haired brunette in her 40’s. “I mean I know what I am and I love me some good fashion sense. But maybe he doesn’t care.”

“The gag would be if he dress like a beggar.” 

“You know I can hear you right? Please keep digging your graves and  when you meet Marc you will eat your heart out.” 

Cathy scoffed and took out a 50 dollars bill. She put it in the bet jar and pointed at Phoenix. The latter gave her a bratty grin and  shrugged. Phoenix was a woman who knew her worth. She knew her beauty could not be tarnished by the clothes she wore (as plain as they could have been). She knew how lethal she was in her assassin days. How she turned heads and made her targets (and non-targets) fall for her. Her beauty was undeniable no matter how much these bitter gossiping souls wished it. 

On top of it. Phoenix was very confident in her relationship with Marc (and his hotness). Marc brought light in her world. Balance. He was a trustworthy lad with a good heart. He was caring for her, for the woman she was rather than the body she inhabited. She could rely on him, feel comfortable in his presence and even better in his arms. She could trust him with her sensible heart and vulnerability because he would never take advantage of her. And to top it all off, he was handsome as sin. 

No matter what these assholes could say, box new that the second they would lay their eyes on him, they would fold. Marc was handsome. Not in an otherworldly way (that would make him too beautiful to be true) but in a conventional way. He was tall, with a great built, beautiful eyes and a smile that made her melt away. He had his hair cut short but the hairstyle enhanced his features. A sharp  jaw, accentuated by his infamous scowl, intense blue eyes and beautiful eyelashes that drew her gaze to his face. He was taut, muscular but not in a grotesque way. Instead his body was strong, appealing, and devastatingly turning her on.  Surely the sight of him would bring others to their knees. Surely she would be very smug about it and would walk the school like she owned the place. Surely this would be a little victory she would share with her friend Debbie. 

“What’s going on here?” Debbie’s voice forced the gossip girls to scatter away like kids caught in the act. She blinked and rolled her eyes before shooing them out of the teachers room. “I bet they were trying to get into your head again.” 

“Leave them be. The spit of the toad does not reach the white dove. I don’t care really, but I can’t wait for them to see Marc and eat their hearts out.” 

“They were gossiping about him?” Nix shrugged. “Aha! What do they know?  Well, I heard you got your Wednesdays free now. Are you going to visit Marc at the precinct?” 

“Yep. I intend to visit after a while. And since I know how much you like planning things, how about we plan that together?” 

And the two friends went on to talk about what Nix should bake for her first visit and what she should wear and when it would be most appropriate. Debbie loved planning things and she loved watching Nix and Marc’s relationship flourish everyday.  So it helped make the day a much better one than the start suggested. 

Nixus: Rich in life

Phoenix tied her bathrobe around her waist and stretched her arms as she walked into the kitchen. It was early in the morning, but Marc was already awake. He was sitting on her couch with the remote in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other.  He was watching sports and was completely focused on the game. Phoenix made herself a cup of coffee, and while the machine was working, she leaned against the counter. Phoenix crossed her arms against her chest and allowed her eyes to wander around. Quickly enough, they found their way back to Marc, who was enjoying himself. He heard the machine, turned his head to look at the honey-haired teacher, and smiled.

"Hello, gorgeous. I did not want to wake you up, so I slipped away as silently as possible."

"Hello, mon coeur." -She said with sleepy eyes and waved at him- "It's okay. I needed to sleep longer today after the week I had." -She pinched the bridge of her nose and leaned a bit harder against the counter- "Who's playing?"

"Red Wings vs Tampa Bay Lightning. Hey, when your coffee is ready, why don't you come here and watch the game?" -She had already watched a few games with him, so Marc believed it would not be an issue if he asked her directly to join him. She smiled at him and nodded. "Good. Come whenever..." He waved at her and returned to watching the game. 

Nix was comfortable there. In her kitchen, with the pleasant smell of brewing coffee and the sound of TV mixed with Marc's comments on the game.  She was right where she wanted to be. Her blue eyes set upon his frame, and she smiled softly. She could feel her heart beat harder against her ribcage and felt blood rush to her cheeks as she was blushing. Why did it take her two years to talk to that man again? God only knew because Phoenix had no idea why it took her so long. Marc was not like all the men she met since she moved to Detroit. He was honest and kind. He was reliable. She always knew that no matter what happened, she could always rely on Marc. He would do his best to be there and protect her. The idea of being protected, so foreign at the start of their relationship, quickly helped her find a soft sleep. It helped her lower her guard and fully give in to him. Someone was looking after her. 

After decades spent in pain and darkness in the Guild, someone finally saw her. The real her. The soft romantic soul underneath all of that darkness. The real her who needed the world to be soft and safe. The real her who wanted to be held and to feel the warmth of another soul. Marc trusted her. He gave her his heart. He knew that it made him vulnerable, but he trusted her to take care of it. Phoenix realized that Marc's love opened her up to the idea that her hands, sharpened blades meant for killing, were also capable of nurturing. She was capable of nurturing. Her heart was not blackened and unredeemable. Phoenix was still able to love and protect others. Marc made her realize that she needed more from life than just surviving. She wanted more than just to torment herself and punish herself for choices that were made for her. 

Marc was safe. Marc was comfortable. Marc was home. It was easy to love him. Easy to be loved by him. Marc was like a sunny Sunday afternoon with a fresh breeze. He was like Dawn, when the sun is rising, and the world is quiet. When there is nothing in the world but the two of them. She blushed harder and felt her heart skip several beats as love was almost choking her. With Marc, there were no mind games. No disrespect. He never judged her or looked down on her when she did not know something or had never experienced it. He did not laugh when she asked him to pick a birthday for her because she wanted to be born on a day he thought suited her best.  He did not laugh when he saw the scars on her back, nor did he recoil like she expected him to. He did not laugh when she told him that the first man she fell in love with would rather fake his own death than respect her enough to break up with her.  

He never judged her blue eyes, so odd for an African woman, nor did he make fun of her tooth gap. Elements that made her who she was, and she refused to change. He welcomed her need for affection; he welcomed her desire to give him that affection. He would wrap his arms around her frame like a safe and soft blanket to protect her from the coldness of the world.  Deep down, a part of her regretted not knowing her real name so she could hear Marc call her with his beautiful voice. A part of her wished she was not an assassin so she could confide in him and tell him all of her secrets. Yet, she was also grateful for that clean slate. Yes! She was grateful for being able to finally break free from the mold she was raised in. She could be herself. She could reclaim her name. Phoenix was no longer an alias but a bona fide name... identity, the one that suited the woman who escaped her abusers and former employers. A woman who was reborn through the cleansing fire of Love. Most of her soul was happy he got to meet the real Phoenix. 

Marc was genuine and spontaneous. Phoenix did not know what she did to be lucky, but she was.  He would romance her with a homemade dinner, would take her out, would treat her like a proper innocent woman. He would love her- He loved her- she knew he did. She knew it because he said he was not yet there after her Big L incident. Her lips formed the letters, but no sound escaped her mouth when she mouthed "I love you." To the man who was turning his back on her. She loved him. All of him. Including the darkest parts of his soul. Nix knew, instantly, so when she walked into his apartment. He was as traumatized as she was by the violence he witnessed and had to dish out to others. He was a soldier, and she knew just how deeply it ate at your soul to participate in such activities. She knew he experienced violence at the hands of the one person who should have protected him. 

Marc knew what it was to feel helpless while growing up. He knew what it was to both be scared and yet still hope that everything would be better, that his caretaker would end up loving him and stop hitting him. Marc knew what it was to stop believing after a while because the person never changed, and instead grew increasingly more violent towards you. He witnessed it. He experienced it too. She could relate to it. To the violence and helplessness. She could relate to the anger and the desire to get revenge on this person and then feel that the only way to escape that was to run away (in her case, lose herself in her missions). he knew pain when he was still at a tender age and should have known love.  Sometimes when he was upset or angry, he would shut down completely, and it would take a while for her to bring him back. Sometimes he would panic, especially when he would worry he did something wrong or something that could jeopardize their relationship, and she would do her best to reassure him.  Every single time.  

She heard stories. of what he did during the war and his nickname. She knew he saw the deepest pit the human soul could dig, where despair thrived, where humanity died. Yet despite all of this, Marc remained a gentle soul deep inside. Despite all of this, he was the light in her darkness. The rock to her turbulent sea... The love of her life. Here, in this little apartment, Phoenix felt like a million bucks. She felt like she won at life because she met her soul mate. The noise of the coffee machine tore her from her thoughts, and she grabbed her cup, walked towards the couch, bent forward to give a kiss to Marc, and sat next to him.  He smiled at the teacher and gently rubbed his arm against hers before he resumed watching the game. He was rich in life because she was there. 

They both were. 

Nixus: questionnaire

Q: Left-handed or right-handed?

Nix: Right-handed.

Marc: Right-handed.

Q: “What place do you call home?” 

Nix: Detroit. My apartment. Marc. I cheated with the answer 😭. I gave 3 things.

Marc would say Detroit.

Q: “Do you have any bad habits?” 

Nix: I smoke when I am under pressure. Not during the job. Not when I have to face violence. But when I have a mental breakdown. I am working hard on quitting, but that means I need to find things to put in my mouth to compensate. 🤷🏾‍♀️

Marc: The way he shuts down when he gets upset or frustrated. He knows it’s not the greatest response. But it’s just what happens. He doesn’t know how to stop it at this point.

Q: “Who is the person you despise the most, and why?”

Nix: “My ‘ex’ Anton. If I cross paths with him, I might want to kill him and try to. The way he hurt me left an open wound. But would I sacrifice my newfound happiness for revenge? No. Never!”

Marc: My “father”, Marcus Sr. He’s a mean bastard. There’s nothing there to like. You can take my word for it.

Q: “What is your best feature?” 

Nix: “my ass. I know the looks I get when I wear jeans. And I think my tooth gap.”

Marc: shrugs

Q: “What do you think is your partner’s best feature?”

Nix: “his smile! I mean, as soon as he smiles, I fold. Every time! And his arms. When he crosses them I just…. Unf.”

Marc: “I like the way her face scrunches up when she smiles. Her very happy, genuine smiles. The way she always smells like jasmine. And her ass. I mean… damn. That woman has curves that don’t quit.”

Q: “How high is your libido?”

Nix: “Well. Before Marc, it was average. I could spend months without jerking off. But since I met Marc? Oh, I can’t stop touching myself. I can’t stop wanting Marc. I can’t stop wanting to get fucked. He ruined me eheh.”

Marc: “I would say average? But I don’t exactly know the stats on that. Probably average.” 

(With a hot girlfriend though, above average here we come)

Q: What is the wildest thing you did during sex?

Nix: “I—will only speak of the two years spent in Detroit. I was free, and the sex was willful. Okay? No performances or circumstances I didn’t choose. So I had that one guy who was obsessed with humping me. I mean we did it classically, but he wanted to rub himself between my legs. Then he was obsessed with cumming on my tits. Which he did twice that night. He refused to let me swallow him because he needed to see his work of art on me.” Laughs. “With Marc it’s being fucked deep and cummed inside. And err the roleplay too.”

Marc: “Hey now. A gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell. Nice try, though.”

Q: Are you shy? (Casual settings/ sexual settings)

Nix: “Not really. The only moment I can get shy is at the start of my relationship with Marc. As a first-time girlfriend, I blush easily when it comes to introducing myself as such. But it’s a matter of a few days, tops.  Sexually? Not at all.  Never. Especially not when my boyfriend is hot like Marc.”

Marc: “No. Definitely not shy.”

Q:. What trait do you find most admirable in your partner?

Nix: “ his tenderness; he has a wonderful ability to be tender around people who need it. Be it a kid, a kind neighbour in need, or me. He was so sweet to me, talked to me with such tenderness after I squirted on him for the first time…. When we made love for the first time. He is tender, and I admire it and treasure it too.”

Marc: “Her courage and her spontaneity. She’s brave and full of life. She goes for things without hesitation. I love that. I admire it a lot.”

COPG: reviewing the troops

COPG: reviewing  the troops

With a wave of her wrist, Elpis summoned a portal to Tartarus. With the new ring Pride forged for her, she was able to travel through Hades without being rejected by it. After spending such a long time trying to hone her new skills and powers, Elpis felt the urge to see what beasts and other creatures existed in Tartarus. She wanted to have a legitimate army to go after her pantheon, and while Pride respected the end of his bargain with Hecate. As soon as she crossed the portal, she was welcomed by a sinister creature. It was a slender, grey-skinned wraith with a thin veil covering its body. It had no eyes, and its mouth was sewn shut. Its feet were constantly bleeding, but the creature seemed unfazed by it. 

"My queen, welcome to Tartarus." She tilted her head to the side, wondering if the creature was talking via telepathy or if its mouth moved, but then shrugged, as it did not really matter. - "What brings you before the dreadful sight of your humble servant?"

"I have come to see the creatures locked within Tartarus. I am sure that you know a war is coming, and I want to see who could be willing to serve your kind and me when the time is right."

"Then your humble servant is going to fulfil your wish. Please, follow me, my queen."

It felt strange to have the title Queen said to her. She noticed that she enjoyed it when they referred to her as such. Pride had logically spread the word to their subjects so they would address his beloved properly, and it warmed her heart to see that he spared no effort to make her feel like the rightful queen of the Underworld.  She followed the wraith through a long corridor until they finally reached immense stairs that led to a deeper level. 

"Are the most powerful of them held down those stairs?" -He nodded, and she closed her eyes- "What were their offences?"

"Most of them tried to overthrow their respective pantheons. Most of these are Olympian rogues, but we have Sumerian criminals, Indian monsters, and the other lot of them."

"I see. Had your king Pride ever met these wretched creatures before? Do they acknowledge his authority?" - The wraith shook its head as they kept walking down the stairs.-

"He had. He established dominance, but they are still trying to fight it. They believe  in the strongest, and for a while, they believed our King was the strongest, but during the Seven Sins War, this belief was shattered, and they are now defiant."

"I see... Well, I will have to face them and remind them who their king and queen are.” 

“Yes, my queen, please follow me.” 

The trip down the stairs lasted a while, in complete silence. Elpis wondered if she should change her attire and dress more like royalty to make an even better impression on these creatures. She changed her mind and decided to look as “plain” as possible. She wanted them to underestimate her and even actively made her aura less threatening so they would show their hand, and she would be able to beat them at their intimidation game. She braced herself for the upcoming confrontations, wondering what type of creatures she would face and how old they were. 

The wraith claimed that in the underbelly of Tartarus, monsters from all pantheons were locked in eternal torment, but she was wondering if the oldest creatures could be found. The first thing her mother created after birthing her siblings. Monsters with names long forgotten but predating any man-made pantheon. Her heart started to beat harder, and the goddess noted the excitement that was clinging to her bones. Now was not the time to marvel at the creatures she was to encounter. Instead, she had to focus on what was to come. Finally, they reached the end of the stairs.  The wraith lit up several floating fireballs that opened their eyes to the huge hall, welcoming them. She allowed her eyes to observe her surroundings and noticed that there was a huge circular room at the end of the main hallway, faintly lit up but with shadows moving. Perhaps she could find what she was looking for if she walked to the end of the hallway. 

Suddenly, as she stepped into the circular room, she heard a noise akin to a deep rumble.  Something was breathing, something huge. She could feel its breath brush against her body and make her hair and fluffy dress. Despite the wraith fire lights, there was still an immense shadow.  She looked up, defiant and regal. Whatever that was, she realized that it was a heavy creature. Elpis wanted it to see that she was not easily impressed. After all, why would she be? She was a primeval goddess, and existed before any creature that populated the universe. She was the love child of Chaos and Life and would not feel intimidated by anything...or anyone. Kur stirred in the shadowed depths where the earth met the primeval sea. 

A monstrous dragon embodying chaos and the underworld itself. Feared by gods and mortals alike, his story spoke of floods, divine battles, and the fragile balance between creation and destruction. She knew of him, but she was not impressed. The first dragon of the Universe bent his head forward, and she noticed the chains that bound him to the depths of Tartarus. Elpis lifted her head to stare at Kur's maw and the two glowing blue-green orbs he had for eyes. His warm breath was whipping her skin harder than before, but the goddess did not flinch. 

"And who dares disturb my slumber? Speak jailer. Is it another monster you are bringing here?"

"I am standing right before you, Kur. Perhaps you should address me if you want an answer." -Elpis spoke with a solemn and calm tone-

"Address you? How amusing you are, little creature. Humor me. Why should I address you?” 

“Because of all the creatures locked in the depths of Tartarus, none of them compare to me.” 

Kur’s sinister laugh echoed through the room, but the goddess did not flinch. She did not even close her eyes as the wind created by the dragon's laugh whipped her face.  She lifted her head, allowing her gaze to meet his.  Kur stopped laughing once he realized that the woman was not impressed with him. He was one of the most ancient creatures trapped within Tartarus, one from which monsters and gods originated. Who was she to be this bold and unimpressed? Who was she?  She heard the hisses and rattles of the monsters locked in there with Kur. They were growing restless. Elpis tilted her head to the side and cleared her throat to urge the dragon to speak. It was as if she could not hear the ruckus caused by the other monsters. Kur growled with a low voice.

"Who are you?"

"I am your King's wife." 

She decided to introduce herself as Pride's wife to the rest of the world. While they did not have an actual bonding ceremony, she decided that naming him was tantamount to actually being married to him. Kur sneered and blew air from his nostrils. The mere mention of Pride was enough to fill the creature with an unprecedented rage. He hated the King of Hell. He hated this smug little bastard who thought he was better than the God before him. Kur respected Hades but had contempt for Pride. He took advantage of the Seven Sins War to undermine Pride's authority among the monsters locked in Tartarus, and it worked. Pride was aware of that, but he decided not to intervene because he had more pressing matters to deal with.  Kur and the other monsters chained in the darkest pit of Tartarus would be met with his scourge much later. 

"I have no king! And you are /not/ my queen."

"Oh? Are you saying that you do not recognize Pride as your rightful king? He defeated Hades and slew his siblings. He's been ruling the Underworld and had it flourish way better than Lord Hades ever could. Interestingly, you speak as such when you are the one in chains." -Skur's eyes turned red with rage. She hit a nerve, and he wanted to make her pay for her sharp tongue. He screamed at her face; the wind made her hair and dress float and whip the air, but the goddess did not flinch.-

"He was not the one to put me there. And you have quite the mouth, little one. I could kill you if--"

"Oh, but you won't. You can't.  I was giving you a way out to save face, but I see that you are an unrepenting serpent. You disrespected my husband, and I cannot let it slide. Since he is not here to punish you, I will gladly do it on his behalf."

"You talk a big game for something so frail."

"Frail?" 

Elpis scoffed at the word and closed her eyes. She opened her eyes, now two orbs looking like suns against the darkness of her black sclera. Her skin was covered with little stars, and her hands were now glowing white. Her hair was constantly floating around her frame. The air around her grew colder, making the monsters wail and rattle louder.  Her aura grew large, intense, and effortlessly engulfed the room. Her aura was crushing them. Kur felt the shift in the air and the overwhelming aura of the creature before him. He recognized her as a goddess, and it triggered a long-forgotten fury inside him.  He opened his maw, but Elpis increased her aura and forced it shut. She yanked her head back (for theatrics) and opened her hands. 

Suddenly, Life started to burst inside the darkest pit of Tartarus. Hellish flowers grew and pierced the walls, broke the bricks of their prison, and started to cause mayhem. Elpis commanded the vines to wrap around Kur's maw and neck and forced it to hit the floor. Kur tried to shake off the vines, but the more he struggled, the tighter the vines held onto him. Elpis walked a couple of steps closer to the dragon. She was small, yet she felt infinite. She was so powerful that Life was able to manifest in the realm of Death. She was able to cause anguish to all the monsters inhabiting the prison, and even worse. He felt fear cling to his bones, and it only fueled his anger. Kur screamed and kept struggling against the vines until Elpis stopped a few inches from his muzzle. 

"Who...Are...You?" -He managed to mumble despite the vines tightly wrapped around his maw.- "What.. Do... You... Want?" -He stopped struggling, reasoning that it would only worsen the situation-

"You assumed I was weak long before I even opened my mouth. I can feel it, your fear. I can feel it cling to your bones. I can feel you wondering who I was. Don't fret, Kur. I will tell you right in a moment. See, I am a goddess, but not just any goddess. You've seen it already.  Life brimming in a place that was not designed for it." 

Her voice went lower, almost unnatural. Her voice reverberated throughout the whole room.  It was deep, suffocating, and ancient. He realized that she was not a young goddess, not one he was aware of. She was older, perhaps even older than him. The dragon blinked, and his front claws scratched the floor. Who was she?  Elpis grinned and put her hand on his snout. This simple touch, which he wouldn't have felt if he were in front of a human, felt like the weight of the world for the dragon.  He could not move and felt that she was not displaying her full potential. Her golden orbs suddenly turned red, and all the Life that burst into the place decayed and turned into dust. Kur was no longer restrained, but he could not move because of her domineering aura. 

"Are...You...Gaea?"

"No. I am better. I am stronger." She took a deep breath and spoke in such a loud and menacing voice that it made the creatures recoil in their cells. Kur writhed, but he did not speak. "Hear me out, all of you who held my husband in contempt. Pride is your rightful king, whether you like it or not. He defeated Hades and took over the Underworld. He emerged victorious in the Seven Sins War. He is what comes after the gods. He is what you should fear because his very essence can influence even the strongest creature locked in there. As his queen, I will always support my King. I will help him conquer the universe and rule over everything. Allow me to introduce myself to you. I am Elpis. Primeval Goddess of Hope, Light, and Despair.  I am Elpis, Daughter of Gaea, the Life Bringer, and better than her because Life bends to my very command. I can create it. I can control it, and I can destroy it.  Hope and despair are my very essence as it exists in every sentient creature, including you. I can lift you up to heights you are not used to, and I can bring you down to depths you never could imagine. I am Elpis! Daughter of Khaos. I have destruction in my veins, and I can level any city, any empire, and any civilization and bring them to nothingness. I am Balance.  I am Power. I am eternal and limitless. And this power, I will use it to help my husband be the best version of himself." -She paused for a brief moment- "DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"

Kur realized what Elpis was saying. He finally understood that the creature before him was no mere goddess. She was a primeval goddess, the love child of Khaos and Gaea. A being of supreme power that was still unheard of to this day. He could feel that if she wanted, she could simply erase him from existence. If she wanted, she could destroy the universe. If she wanted... His gaze became far more humble than it was at the start of their encounter. She came to visit him; that could only mean she wanted something. In this world, only the strongest were respected, and Kur had to admit that in this room, the most powerful was Elpis. He had no other choice but to submit. She vouched for Pride, and her endorsement of the Sin forced Kur to submit to him too. Perhaps he misjudged him. Perhaps he was far more powerful than he let on. If her words were to be believed, then Pride was powerful enough to influence him too, and he could not risk losing his mind for a misplaced ego. So he stood up again but lowered his head in an act of submission. 

" To what do I owe your visit, my queen?"

Satisfied with his submission, Elpis's appearance returned to her normal one. Her skin lost its glow and freckled stars to return to her natural brown hue. Her eyes returned to being bumblebees, and her hair dropped on her back. She humbled herself before the dragon, who respected this appearance of her the same as he did her previous one. 

"There is going to be a war. Your king is going to march upon the Prima Donna. We are going to war against the Primeval Gods, and I need to have an army. I want the most powerful creatures to command. I want to kill them all and destroy the pantheon and the Prima Donna to build on top of its ashes. Kur, my child. I know you are eager to be free, and I came to offer you that freedom in exchange for your loyalty. If I release you, would you lead the other monsters in the upcoming war?"

"Your desire is my command, my queen.  If it is carnage you desire, I can give it to you."

"Fine. I will return later. If you behave well, I might ensure a more comfortable existence in your jail. You have perhaps a chance at redemption and freedom, if you serve the King and I well. Think about it carefully, and when I return, I would like to see the army you are promising me." 

She turned on her heels and quickly left the  Pit. Her eyes were glowing with excitement. She was going to have an army, loyal to her, scared of her, and eager to fight her wars for her. Her eyes glowed with satisfaction, and the goddess was taken back to the entrance of the celestial jail. She could not wait to see her beloved and to watch his reaction as she would tell him that she managed to secure an army for them. 

TBC