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

COPG: Life of Elpis; she was happy

Since Elpis was free to move as she pleased, she was able to explore the world. No longer bored by the confinement in her quarters, the goddess was enjoying herself. She had missed this world during the 2000 years spent locked in human vessels.  She had missed this vibrant world, filled with excitement, hope, and beauty.  She had missed the Light, the creativity, and the joy humans were capable of. Oh, she had missed this! She had missed blending in among humans -Easier done in modern times- She had missed being worshipped. Humans, even when they were not consciously praising her, held some hope in their hearts. Regardless of who they were and what they wanted or needed, they always wanted something. So she basked in that glorious feeling. She could feel that worship turn into an energy she fed on. In moments like these, the goddess almost forgot about her siblings. For a brief moment, they did not exist. They could not locate her in the mortal realm. They could not scheme and disturb her peace, and more importantly, they could not interrupt her precious relationship with Pride. Perhaps that was what she was enjoying the most. After being separated from him for so long, the goddess relished in the euphoria she felt. She was happy.  So happy!

Pris: short: I wish we never met.

What would the world look like, Ayasha, had jealousy and ambition not devoured your soul? Would I have been loved properly, like you claimed you did? Would I have never been betrayed by your evil schemes? I wonder, sister, if in this other universe we would have been closer. I wonder, sister. Sometimes, the thought of seeing you again turns my blood into ice because I am scared. Deep down, I know it is fear that still lingers on my skin. How could it not when the culmination of your betrayal literally stabbed me in the heart? How could I not fear the impact of your sweet words on my mind? 

I know you would be very capable of turning my head upside down. I know you are fully able to make me lose the fire that is burning inside of me, and suffocate the agonizing cries for revenge that echo in my heart. Still, I wonder, sister, how sweet life could have been had you loved me. Rest assured, Ayasha, that as soon as this thought forms in my heart, I quickly squash it with extreme prejudice. If I were to be reborn, I wish we had never met. I wish we had never become sisters, and it is enough to fuel my hatred of you and my desire to destroy you with my own hands.

Rp splove: Mine. Elpis edition

Mine: sfw and nsfw

💀 For Elpis Pride is the promise of better tomorrows. He’s a promise of an eternity of adventures, of conquest, of delightful debaucheries. Pride is eternity, and when she said he’s mine, she means that they will build a life for each other. A life the other deserves, an existence that brings fulfillment to both.

For Elpis,  nobody can touch Pride.  She would never allow it. His body is hers to service, hers to touch, hers to please. His eyes can only stare at her, his mouth can only lavish her skin with attention when it’s not busy talking to her through it. His cock is hers to fuck. She’s possessive of him. She’s so possessive of him. The only thing she can allow is for others to worship him. She loves that they praise him. She loves that they need him, but they better not try to touch him, because then her angry nature would come back. Pride is hers like breathing is to humans: essential. A part of her and only he can satisfy her the way she wants to. Only she can satisfy him, the way he needs to. He is the dominant to her submissive, and she wouldn’t want it any other way.

COPG: Distressing call.

Elpis twirled her pink locks with her thumb and index finger. She was pensive. Ever since Pride forged her the ring that allowed her to freely move anywhere without being noticed by her siblings, she had been able to train. She had been able to test her newfound power. For a brief moment, Elpis felt so good she almost forgot her revenge. To be able to walk the Earth without a bother in the world proved to be overwhelming for the goddess. She could try modern cuisine, attend concerts, operas, and any artistic event without worrying about the cosmic pair of eyes looking for her. She could enjoy her life and the human delicacies without being worried about their assassination attempts.  So why was she worried? The pink locks cascaded on her back and on her front. A gentle frown creased her forehead, and she stood up. She had to do something. Ruminating all day was not going to be right for her, so she decided instead to be in action. 

"Perhaps you'd enjoy a little bit of company tonight." -Pride's voice pierced the silence that had settled in the empty room. Elpis turned her head, and her gaze settled on his face.-

He was elegant, as he always was. He was dressed sharply, wearing a tailored grey suit that complemented his skin and features well. His hair was combed in a little slick back, and at his wrist there was an expensive watch. At his feet were brown leather shoes. He dressed as if they were attending a ceremony or a meeting. Elpis's eyes glowed in appreciation of the sight before her, and for a brief moment, the goddess forgot about her plight. Seeing Pride often led to this. She always forgot about what was plaguing her mind, and eventually was snapped out of her train of thought. 

"I apologise, beloved. I have been restless these past couple weeks, and I was caught up in my thoughts this morning." -She ran her  hand through her  pink locks and gave him a sheepish smile-

"Restless, you say? Tell me, my Light, what is it that keeps your mind busy like that?" -He closed the distance between them and allowed his hand to stroke her cheek-

"For one, it has nothing to do with the upcoming war.  I am eager for the army you're gathering for us, and even more eager to don the armor you forged for me.  I am grateful, Beloved, for the months spent together without the fear of being located by my siblings. I have to confess, I almost forgot about them because I was enjoying myself with you. It just... Now that I have time with you, I realize what was robbed from us. We were robbed of time."

They have been. Pride knew that despite her claims, his goddess had been traumatized by her curse. She put on a brave face, but he knew that she doubted her ability to face her siblings. Ayasha would be easier to deal with because she always used pawns to do her bidding. Elpis was confident in her ability to confront her sister and win, but there was always the possibility that Ayasha played mind games. She was excellent at it, and Elpis wasn't so proud as to deny how much impact this could have on her.  She could try to turn her brain off and force Elpis to turn on her lover. She could even convince her that it would be best if she were dead by dangling the death of their father in her face. She knew a lot of Elpis' soft spots and could use them against the goddess of Hope. Still... Elpis thought she still had a chance. She couldn't face Ishtar. The very sight of him made her recoil in horror, and she froze. 

Her brother had been responsible for so many awful things when it came to her. He tried to force himself on her once. While he stopped himself in the middle of the act, it was too late, as she knew the dark desires he tried to keep inside. She knew that night that the mighty Ishtar was no better than all the gods (primeval or not); he had to protect her from her. He didn't do it from the goodness in his heart, but only because he was a selfish man. She felt betrayed that day because the sibling she thought was the safest to be around was actually a predator like the others. It made her skin crawl, but she thought that she could get over it. It was going that way before he did his "big one". His ultimate betrayal.  He stabbed her in the heart with the Dagger of Fate, and since he couldn't bring himself to kill her, he cursed her instead to an existence of eternal reincarnation. He punished her to a life spent forgotten by the world and the gods and, more importantly, forgotten by her beloved Sin. It was a fate worse than death and complete annihilation. 

Yet, she could still remember his face as he held onto her disappearing body. She could see the tears he cried because he realized the horror of his action. She still could feel the jealousy in his eyes as she rejected him once again. She saw hatred in his eyes, and it made her feel disgust for him. It also traumatized her to the point of being unable to face her sibling. Pride was aware of it, and he knew that it was the reason for her restlessness. He cupped her cheek and pressed a kiss to her forehead. She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. 

"Yes, we were robbed, my Light, but the time we lost is nothing compared to eternity together. We were both different souls when you were cursed and I unmade. We both grew out of the people we used to be. I do not regret the time lost. What I want is to make sure that we have a future together, free of your pantheon and their constant meddling." She moistened her lips and nodded quietly. Pride planted another kiss on her forehead. "You won't have to fight Isthar. He is mine to kill. Mine to brutalize for the pain he inflicted on you. You will never have to face him because I know how terrified you are of him." -She looked up to meet his gaze and see a tiny bit of judgment, but there was none. 

"You're right, beloved. I am sick to my stomach at the thought of seeing his face again. It was the last thing I saw when he stabbed me and cursed me into this horrific existence.  I thought that after all these years, I would have been able to move on and soldier on, but I just can't. He scares me." She admitted in a soft voice, her eyes went from his face to his chest.- "I would freeze should I cross paths with him, and I don't want to become a burden during our war."

"You won't. I'll take care of him. You won't ever see him. Focus on Ayasha and your revenge, my Light. I know that your fear is only matched by your anger, and I want you to be angry. She is the reason you were locked into that loop. She is the reason the world has forgotten about you. That / I/ was made to forget you. She is the reason your father was killed, and she needs to pay for her crimes. She, Gaea, and every single one of your siblings are still alive."

"Superbia..." She called out his name, eyes filled with unshed tears as she felt his support, unwavering, stronger, and louder.- "Thank you, beloved, for your rousing speech. You are right. I am angry, and I will let that anger take over the rest because I want them to pay, and they will." She closed her eyes for a moment, savouring the comfortable silence that was starting to settle between them. "I love you, Superbia. I love you more than the world... more than the universe. I will follow you wherever you go, and since you suggested we go out, I'm willing to follow you outside. Let's mingle with these humans and have some fun tonight."

"That's my good girl. Let's entertain ourselves tonight. I'll make you forget about your worries." 

He smiled and decided they would leave their room the old-fashioned way since he didn't have a clear idea of where he wanted to take them.  This way, she would be able to choose where they would go. It was still morning, and they had all the time in the world to do as they pleased. Pride offered his arm to the goddess so she could wrap hers around it, and they could walk outside.  Elpis didn't hesitate and wrapped her arms around his and followed him as he started to walk towards the door.  Perhaps she would try and test her powers once more, see how much control she could have on nature, and see how close she was to dethroning Gaea as the All-Mother. Perhaps this would be enough to take her mind off the fearful thoughts that festered in there. He could only "hope". 

-TBC-

OC questionnaire IV: Elpis edition

WEIRDLY SPECIFIC BUT HELPFUL CHARACTER BUILDING QUESTIONS

What’s the lie your character says most often? That she's not afraid of her pantheon.

How loosely or strictly do they use the word ‘friend’? She is friendly, but she won't call you her "friend" so easily.

How often do they show their genuine emotions to others versus just the audience knowing? Elpis is very expressive. So she wouldn't hide the way she feels.

Can they cry on command? If so, what do they think about making it happen? No

How loose is their use of the phrase ‘I love you’? She only uses it when she genuinely loves you. 

Do they give tough love or gentle love most often? Which do they prefer to receive? Tough love.  Tough love. 

What fact do they excitedly tell everyone about at every opportunity? She is perfect balance.

What’s something that makes them laugh every single time? Be specific! the humans' reactions to being under her influence.

When do they fake a smile? How often? When they are humiliated in public. She refuses to give them the satisfaction of seeing her cry. 

What do they notice first in the mirror versus what most people first notice looking at them? She notices her pink hair first.  Others would notice her eyes.

Who do they love truly, 100% unconditionally (if anyone)? Pride

What would they do if stuck in a room with the person they’ve been avoiding? She would confront them.

Are they a listener or a talker? If they’re a listener, what makes them talk? If they’re a talker, what makes them listen? She's a talker. She needs to communicate, especially after 2000 years locked away.

What’s a phrase they say a lot? "By Gaea!"

Do they act on their immediate emotions, or do they wait for the facts before acting? Elpis acts on her emotions.

Who would / do they believe without question? Pride. 

What’s their instinct in a fight/flight/freeze/fawn situation? She fights.

OC questionnaire III: Elpis edition

Community and Relationships

Does your character prefer company or solitude when sick? Company (She's been alone way too long)

What is your character's favorite kind of social event? Balls

How comfortable would your character be singing and dancing in front of others? Very!

Is your character upfront about their feelings? Yes.

Who would your character first seek if they needed medical help? Pride.

How willing would your character be to go to a party with people they don't know? Very willing.

Who is your character most honest with? Pride.

How likely is it for your character to initiate a friendship? She would not initiate friendship.

Where is your character's comfort place? In pride's arms.

Is there a habit your character has that they learned from someone else?  No.

How would your character react to being put in a position of leadership? She can handle it.

Would your character be good at providing medical assistance? Yes, she is a goddess.

Who would your character say knows them best? Pride

Is there a person your character would turn to for backup in a fight? Pride.

How well does your character work with others?  Not well.

What is your character's favorite form of affection? Gifts.

Does your character enjoy celebrating holidays? Yes, and all of them. 

What would it take for your character to get into a fight? Threaten Pride or trying to steal him from her.

OC questionnaire II: Elpis edition

OC questionnaire II: Elpis edition

What is a habit your character has that others might find cute? Elpis tends to be a cute brat when she wants to.

Are there particular sounds your character is fond of? Pride's booming voice. fauna, heavy rain

Is your character more prone to fight or flight? She's more prone to fight. 

What words could tear your character down? "You are of no use to me." "You should have remained forgotten." "I will put you back into a seal and make the world forget about you again!" "Leave! Never come back!"

How well does your character act under pressure? She crumbles. She does badly under pressure.

Is your character good at practicing self-care? No. 

What scents does your character find comforting? Pride's. Nature at dawn. Petrichor. 

Does your character have any allergies? No.

Is your character a light, medium, or heavy sleeper? Light sleeper.

Does your character have strong willpower? Yes. She worked tirelessly to scratch her seal.

Is your character more likely to give advice or seek it? She would give it. 

How does your character relax? She listens to the sound of nature. She influences humans.

Is there a secret thing your character longs to hear? "I love you" From Pride.

Would your character feel confident in a fight? Yes! She's extremely powerful 

Is your character more energized in the morning, afternoon, or night? She's a night girlie.

How often does your character have nightmares? Never.

Are there scents your character dislikes? Car oil, melted plastic, puke, and bile.

Is there a fear your character wants to learn to overcome? The fear of losing to her pantheon.

Does your character have a high pain tolerance? Yes! She is a goddess, isn't she?

OC questionnaire : Elpis edition

GENERAL

Name: Elpis

Alias(es): My Light (Pride)

Age: Eons

Place of birth:  The Prima Dona (Primeval Gods realm).

Spoken languages: Common tongue, all mortal languages.

Sexual orientation: Pansexual but only ever interested in Pride.

Title: Goddess of Light and Hope, True Balance, Child of Gaea and Khaos.

FAVOURITE

Colour: Blue

Entertainment: dancing, singing, playing with mortals.

Food: All mortal delicacies

Drink: Ambrosia

Books: Poems, odyssey, epic stories and theatre classics. 

HAVE THEY

Passed university: No. 

Had sex: yes!!! 

Had sex in public: yes! (She loves it when they watch)

Gotten tattoos: No

Gotten piercings: Only her ears are pierced.

Had a broken heart: yes, with the first version of Pride.

Been in love: Only with Pride for the rest of her life. 

ARE THEY

A cuddler: Yes!

Scared easily: No. 

Jealous easily: No, but she's extremely territorial.

Trustworthy: Absolutely!

FAMILY

Sibling(s): Ayasha, alive. Ishtar, alive. Chrön, deceased. Sitaa, deceased. Leviathan, deceased.

Sibling(s) In-law: Lust, alive. Greed, deceased. Wrath, deceased. Sloth, deceased.  Envy, deceased.  Gluttony, deceased.

Parents: Khaos, deceased. Gaea, alive.

Children: None. 

And that’s all folks! 

N. Splove on Elpis

// I am doing this for safekeeping. We never know when things could disappear. I want to be able to come back to his words. 

xxxx

Elpis: 

The OG! We already know this. (I know technically we started with Asma and Pride, and Elpis in her true form came along later, and all the love to Elpis’ human vessel, but we are here to talk about the goddess herself now!) She is perfection, the only creature in existence worthy of being Pride’s other half. She is an absolute badass in her own right. Pride (and I) can’t wait to explore more of what she is capable of now that she is regaining her power, now that she has her weapon, and now that she is not being held back in any way. She’s not there just to be pretty, she’s not helpless like some wanted her to believe in the past. She is extremely powerful, capable of incredible things that we are not even aware of yet. But now that she is realizing this for herself, she is going to tell you exactly what they are, and Pride and I are going to be lucky enough to go along for the ride and see what happens. I am beyond excited for all of it.

We both know that it takes a very special kind of character to be able to both put up with Pride and keep his attention at the same time. And that character is Elpis. She is light (and also darkness), she is creation (and destruction), she is hope (and despair). I see Elpis as a balance. She can play games with Pride, influence people, give in to that bloodlust and have a good time (and how he loves that!). But she also understands that they can’t just go and destroy everything, they can’t just kill everyone. Left to his own devices, Pride might very well try. Elpis on the other hand, is like that voice that says “but if you kill everyone, who would be left to worship you once you conquer the universe?” 

(She also knows just how to talk to Pride, how to bring him to a more reasonable place while stroking his ego, not making him feel like he’s really giving anything up). She really is going to be the key to making all of this happen. I hope you know that. Without Elpis, Pride could never make all of it work. It is Elpis who is going to keep him from biting off more than he can chew, who will keep him from burning out, who will make sure that he doesn’t go and get himself unmade yet again. Pride needs her. His nature prevents him from really admitting to this in so many words, but he needs her. He didn’t go and free her from her cycle of reincarnation for no reason. On some level, he knows that he needs her. He’ll say it’s because he wanted her and he gets what he wants (also true), but that’s not the entire story here.

COPG: Shenanigans

She didn't need to be handcuffed, sometimes, he would just tell her to be a good girl and she would let him manoeuvre as he pleased.

It wasn't so much the relief to let him think for her and make decisions than the sheer pleasure to see him operate and relish in turning her into a puddle of nerves. She loved it when he was enjoying himself, his moans, and his grunts were addictive to the goddess who couldn't help but want more of him.

She would eagerly kneel before him and take him in her warm and wet mouth. Her plump lips looked so good around his cock, firmly holding him there as she started to suck on him. Pride never could resist her tongue and lips on him. He never could resist her golden eyes locked on his icy blue ones. She was captivating, to say the least. His hand would run over her pink locks and hold a fist of it to prevent a strand from bothering her and she would love it. 

She loved his soft yet firm touch and the way he possessively held onto her hair as if she belonged to him and him only. Well, she did, they both belonged to each other exclusively, but Elpis enjoyed it when he acted so dominantly and made her feel like no one else could touch her but him. That he wouldn't allow it to happen.

He couldn't resist her mouth, let alone when she was looking at him with desire. She was eager and greedy, drinking into the sight of him being pleasured by her, of the feeling of him throbbing only because of her and from the anticipation of him filling her mouth with his essence. 

In moments like these, While she was the one working on him, it was he who was in control. Elpis had a task at hand and it was to make him feel good. She was the one who was servicing her King and she was the one who grew weak in the knees when she filled her mouth with his cock until it hit the back of her throat.   

She was the devil, she was his Light and she relished seeing him take control and make her do as he pleased. She ruined the Sin and left him wanting some more and if anything, it really was her little smug smile that always crept on her lips when she was done that turned him on the most.

COPG: Life and Death of Ayasha: Aftermath of the death of Jupiter

 "Could you feel it, Ayasha?"

The stern voice of Gaea echoed through the walls of the Prima Donna. She appeared out of thin air, in front of Ayasha who was sitting at the fountain. Despite her attempts at locating her sister, the goddess of knowledge was not able to locate her. The only explanation she had was that Pride found a way to cast a spell that constantly kept her cloaked from her Eye, but how could he achieve such a feat? His magic was powerful, but to cast a cloaking spell that covered the whole Earth was a feat unheard of. Ayasha was so deep in her panic that she didn't even think about the possibility that Elpis was carrying a magical object that allowed her to remain cloaked while walking the mortal realm. Instead, what she did feel was the death of Jupiter and that concerned the goddess because she had an idea of who killed the god. 

"I felt it, mother. I felt the death of Jupiter."

"You're livid. I thought it was to be expected that no inferior god would be a match to your sister."

"Did you come here to gloat, mother? How easy it must be for you to walk around and laugh at my attempts to save our lives when you do nothing for us!" She pointed out. Gaea wrinkled her nose and she crossed her arms above her chest.- 

"Watch your tongue, child."

A brief flash of light crossed Ayasha's eyes and she clenched her fists as a biting tongue to stop her from talking back to her mother. The golden goddess put her hand against her chest and she tried to regulate her breathing.  Gaea was upset. Flowers started to grow through the concrete at her feet. Ayasha picked it up and focused on it to rile her mother up some more.

"Or what, Mother?" -She lifted a brow and tilted her head to the side, allowing some of her blonde strands to fall on her chest- "Are you afraid that it would set things in motion faster than anticipated?"

"No! I don't! I just don't understand why it's taken so long for you to find and deal with Elpis."

"She is well protected! that's why! Her Sin is with her and he is very powerful! Jupiter was supposed to simply tell me where she was. He was supposed not to engage with her because I knew that if he did, she would have killed him. He couldn't stop himself from talking to her.

"Elpis is vindictive. If anything, it is one of her fatal flaws. She is relentless when it comes to punishing those who wronged her. Jupiter beat her to an inch of her life a long time ago. Did you think that she would have forgotten about it?" - Gaea chuckled. She wanted to laugh at her daughter's lack of hindsight.-

"I did not. I assumed that he would be clever enough not to engage with her and just tell me that he spotted her. I guess I underestimated the male ego."

"No. You overestimated yourself. " -She lifted her upper lip and walked closer to her daughter- "I think that you should instead help your brother preparing the war. There is no way to avoid the war so we should try to focus on it instead of trying to locate her." -She then crossed her arms above her chest-

Ayasha blinked, ready to throw venom at her mother but found herself unable to. Gaea was right,  no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't find Elpis and it was indeed wasting her time to try and locate her. Deep down, Ayasha knew that she was terrified of a confrontation with her sister. She was terrified of death and the end of her existence as was Gaea but instead of being honest with herself, she hid behind schemes and plots so she wouldn't have to articulate her thoughts and face her fears. her mother caught her at her most vulnerable and for the first time in a while, she couldn't reply. She had no comeback, nothing to say to her mother, and was just left speechless. 

"That's what I thought. Ayasha, if we put our head where it matters, we should come out of this victorious."

Would they? Ayasha desperately needed to believe her mother. She desperately needed to be comforted and she couldn't hold herself back and threw herself at her mother's feet. Gaea looked at her daughter and shook her head. Ayasha cried and whispered demands for forgiveness. Gaea grinned and asked her daughter to rise so she would see her face and she wrapped her arms around her frame to pull her into a hug. Gaea was delighted to see that Ayasha's mind was broken and she could use it for her own benefit and she would.  She would. 

COPG: Life of Elpis: Petty Revenge against Jupiter.

Paris, St-Michel café: 

Elpis was sitting at the table of a Parisian café. She enjoyed the sweet humdrum of the city, those who partied the night before and were nursing their headaches, and those who were starting their day and indulged in a little coffee break early in the morning. In the quietness of the morning, there was Elpis. Still dressed in a beautiful white tuxedo and matching white leather shoes, her fingers were tapping against the table she was sitting at. Her hair was neatly put into a tight bun with only one rebellious lock falling on her nose. She tilted her head to the side and gently grabbed her cup of coffee.  She took a sip and chuckled darkly, noticing a familiar presence nearby. 

"Long time no see, Jupiter. Come, have a seat." -She invited the Roman god to sit at her table. He hesitated for a second but ended up sitting next to the goddess. His meat suit was a middle-aged man with silver hair and brown eyes and dressed in a black suit with a blue shirt.-

"I haven't heard from you in a long time, Elpis. What brings you here?" -He asked, still hesitant-

"Here? Don't I have the right to roam the Earth?" -She asked, lifting one brow as she looked at his face-

"It is not what I meant. Of course, you have the right to be here, but I wonder why you decided to sit so close to my... "base of operations"?" -At that, Elpis laughed. She couldn't help herself. It made Jupiter furrow his brows but he kept his composure.-

"A base of operations? What is this, Jupiter? I thought the mortal realm was the playground for everyone. » 

« It used to be like this. Back when we were… Powerful. The mortals have changed their ways. They no longer worship us. Some of us can survive because there is a revival of paganism and polytheism. » -He explained sternly-

« I see… So your realm is wherever your followers gather, did I have it right? »

There was quite something about Elpis, something that unsettled the god because he wasn't used to seeing her like this. She didn't seem afraid, quite the contrary. She seemed so powerful and confident in her white tuxedo. He didn't know if she was pretending and being cocky or if she genuinely felt superior. 

« More or less. I still have power. This city, these people, they are going through a revival of the Greek and Roman period of their history. Paris is mine. »

« And you decided to come to me and show off ??? What? To impress me? » 

« I see that you’re quite different from what I remember. Before you would have… » - He tried to tower over her. He put his hand on her back but she didn't flinch-

« Cowered? Probably. I would have been meek, obedient, docile. If you came and lectured me like that? Oh, I would have apologized and made myself shrink before you. » -She mused.  Her sharp gaze set upon the god who felt compelled to remove his hand from her back. Elpis clearly wasn't impressed. Jupiter swallowed a lump and gathered his thoughts. he had to think of something that wouldn't betray his confusion. He kept eye contact but put both of his hands on the table so she wouldn't think he was up to something-

« What’s different today? » 

« I’m sure you’re aware of a war coming to the primeval pantheon. I’m sure you’re aware that I am coming for them.  For their betrayal… for my pain. » -Her facial expression darkened as she answered.-

« I’m aware. Ayasha came to me. She wanted my expertise on war. And she wanted to know on which side I would be. »

At the mention of Ayasha, Elpis' jaw clenched and her eyes were alight. She narrowed her gaze and swallowed a lump before she leaned into her chair and nonchalantly grabbed her cup of coffee for another sip.

« Oh, I know how my sister works. She was convincing, wasn’t she? What did she promise you?" -Jupiter realized that it would be wise for him to leave. Elpis was no longer the goddess he used to know, she wasn't easy to intimidate or control like before. He realized that if he stayed there, she could become angry to the point of wanting to kill him and he wanted to survive. She noticed he was trying to leave and quickly said.- " Ta ta ta… stay here. We’re having a chat. » 

« She… promised me to restore me to my former glory. She promised me more power if I brought you to her. » -He had a hard time swallowing a lump-

« How predictable, Ayasha! You haven’t told her just yet, am I right? And why is it that you didn’t give in to her as soon as you saw me? »  -She asked, curbing a brow as she was curious to hear how he wanted to justify meeting with her sister-

« I had to see for myself. » -She frowned and pursed her lips-

« See what? » 

« If you truly became the monster she said you were. » -It made her smirk and she twirled her loose string of pink hair with her forefinger. She paused for a moment just so he could realize the situation he was in. She could see his jaw clench but there was still hope in his eyes, hope to run for his life and survive to tell the tale to Ayasha. Elpis wanted to snuff it most dramatically.-

« I picked Paris for a reason... Honestly,  I wanted you to find me, and you did. »

« I don’t follow you, Elpis? » -Did she really say she did everything to be found?-

« Do you remember when I used to be younger? When I was naive, easily manipulated…. I didn’t even realize how much of a toy I was for the gods and goddesses across pantheons. They all wanted something from me, my kindness or a pound of my flesh. They all wanted to use me for their own selfish interest. Do you remember, Jupiter, in the garden of Everything... Do you remember our little conversation? »  -She asked, moving her hand so she could hold onto his. Jupiter's knee-jerk reaction was to take his hand back and for the time being, Elpis chose to let him do as he pleased. She wanted him to feel unsettled by her actions and could barely contain her joy at watching him squirm and shrink before her-

« I-I do. I remember looking for you. I knew you enjoyed the garden so I thought I could find you there. You looked… perfect. Young, beautiful. I went there to talk to you. To try and woo you. I wanted to make you my queen. » -He said. She could sense that he meant his words. He really went there with the intent of making her his consort. What he failed to admit, however, was the way he reacted when she rejected him. A brief flash of light crossed her gaze and her voice became colder. It dropped a few octaves.-

« You scared me that day. You didn’t want to listen to me. You acted like a beast. Unlike Ares who tried to force me… you let your anger speak. Your fists, your kicks…. You bruised me because I said no. »  -She accused.-

« I wasn’t… my anger just got the best of me. I didn’t mean to hurt. »  -He tried to make a case for himself, but it didn't move Elpis who kept going. Jupiter didn't even realize that the people around them had disappeared because Elpis had teleported them in front of the hotel that was standing where the Garden of Everything was. She cast a spell to confuse the god who still believed they were at that Parisian café-

« But you did. You hurt me. And you laughed and I could see your fucking cock get hard and struggling to escape your robe. You enjoyed it. » -She accused again, stomping the floor hard-

« It was a moment I deeply re-- »

« Enough of your lies! You had no remorse back then. You have no remorse today. You wanted to see if I remembered you. You wanted to see if you could break me and use me to do your bidding. Did I hit the bullseye?» 

« ……..Yes. » He curbed a brow. « And why did you bring that old thing between us? » -He wanted to reverse the balance of power. He thought that he could talk his way out of her revenge. Jupiter wasn't naive, he realized that she wanted to make him pay for what he did and if she was as powerful as Ayasha told him, then he was most likely to be in danger. Elpis laughed and undid her confusion spell. Jupiter blinked as he realized they weren't at the café and not in France anymore. He could feel that he was less powerful than before. Panic, she could see the panic in his eye and as she relished in the feeling, Elpis grinned and replied with an amused tone-

« Oh, I wanted to tell you exactly why I will kill you. »

« Revenge? Is that your motive? » -He tried to move and then realized that he couldn't. A shiver went down his spine and he asked- « What are you… I can’t move! I can’t mo— »

« I think revenge is more than enough of a reason to want to destroy you. You can feel it, can’t you? Fear choking the life off of you as we speak. You know I have the power to do what I promise. it's a pity what they have done to the Garden of Everything but it doesn't matter. This is where you made me feel like I was nothing. This is where you hurt me and this is where I will hurt you, really... really... bad! » 

He watched as her hands slowly turned white. Elpis then lifted his body up to the sky. He felt her golden aura spread and crush his body. A sense of dread overwhelmed him and the god resorted to pleading for his life. His words fell on deaf ears, for the goddess did not care about his pleading. Instead, she summoned her Scythe, Omega, and started to twirl it in her hands.  Jupiter noticed that because of her influence and the power demonstration, Life started to blossom. Trees became greener, flowers bloomed, and the animals were frantically running away or flying away from the scene. She tilted her head to the side, pondering about what she wanted to do to him. Omega separated essences from vessels and made the pagan God even more vulnerable to her power, which was exactly what Elpis wanted to happen.  She cast a spell that contained the two gods under a forcefield. Humans were unable to see what was going on and she would contain the consequences of her actions within the field so it wouldn't disrupt the mortal realm. Smiling, the goddess twirled her scythe and in one swing separated the vessel from the body. 

She then allowed the body to drop to the floor and outstretched her hand toward the blue essence of the God above her. She allowed her essence to become stronger, to let the despair she felt when she was being trapped in human hosts flow from her body to his essence. Jupiter, still conscious but unable to focus, started to feel dread and fear. He realized that he couldn't escape her trap and that no matter what he wanted to do, there was nothing he could have done. Elpis' hands started to glow brightly and her Light shone so bright that it started to eat at his essence. Elpis was absorbing his life force. She was eating him... killing him... destroying his very conscience. He couldn't scream for he had no vessel and he couldn't escape because of the force field. Her body became alight and the flora at her feet started several cycles of birth and death.  She yanked her head back, and as she absorbed the god, her body was now just pure light.  She smiled and slowly removed her forcefield, as her body was slowly going back to normal.  It was something she didn't know she could do, absorbing another god? eating at his essence?  Jupiter was right when he said that he was far less powerful than usual. She felt the energy boost but it didn't allow her to keep this form of pure light for a longer while.  It was alright. She was alright. She had her revenge and it only was the beginning. 

-TBC-