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Solo: Pride and Defiance

The candles and braziers erupted upwards in pillars of fire, melting the candlesticks and metal pots to slag in an instant - and then, just as suddenly, the flames were gone, leaving only smoke to hang thickly in the air.

And from the smoke, they came - shadowed figures, their expressions all smiles thick with trickery, wickedness, and malice. Phaedra's eyes narrowed to pleased slits. There were so many of them, dozens, and among them several of stature; more of the nobility. Berith did have good connections, it seemed.

On cue, the Grand Duke's laughter rang across the clearing, and he strode out of the smoke right in front of Phaedra. He sketched a mocking bow. "Good day, Lady Greed."

"Oh, is it day?" Phaedra tilted her head to one side. "I wasn't sure, truly. The firmament, you see, is in terrible shape..."

Several of the demons glanced up and flinched visibly; Berith frowned slightly at the reminder. "So it is. We hail from starless lands, you know, so it is no great loss-"

"Oh, but it is. I see it in your face, Grand Duke, and in the reaction of your allies." Let us dance, lords and ladies. "Starless is one thing. Gone is another."

"We have heard of the Nothing and those who esteem it. What do you think of them?" Berith's eyes glittered.

"Are you looking for me to say they are evil, Grand Duke? I will not. 'Evil' and 'good' are such petty terms, don't you think? Convenient masks for those who lack surety to hide their deeds and motives under. Such weakness is not to be found in your circles, I am certain - I do not send my victims to weak ends." She smiled like a hunting-cat. "The Grigori and their desires are beyond such things. They think only of ending All for their own fulfillment."

"Yet we, too, act on our desires without restraint - as do you, Lady Greed."

So that was the game; a strange one, to be sure, but Phaedra would play it. "So I do, but not to the detriment of All. There is balance, Grand Duke - for Greed, there is Charity," and her tail lashed. The Grand Duke chuckled in amusement at her reaction. "b***h that she is, but her existence is important even as I loathe it. Greed and Charity, Hell and Heaven, Creation and Destruction. We take, others save, and so the world remains balanced even as we all pursue our pleasures. What they do is different. What they seek is an End unbalanced. An End that is not their right to demand or cause."

The Grand Duke scraped furrows in the ground with his clawed toes. "We seek no End."

"Those who were inclined to weakness have suicided already, I've no doubt," Phaedra said, bluntly. "And no doubt the deprivations of the Age have marked your legions too - for surely your command was not always over so few, Grand Duke?"

That got a visible reaction. "No," he snapped. "It was not."

Phaedra bowed. "So, then. You are no fools who seek death; instead, you should seek life. And the way to life has been laid out for us, if we only follow the path."

"So you said before." The Grand Duke looked uneasy. "To honor - worship - the Twin Crown."

"Gods and demons on opposite sides - mortals take such a shallow, surface view of things, don't they? I know your kind treats with Futs Lung, and with me, and if you served Greed then your kin surely served also Lust, and Pride, and the others some would deem Sin. Holy we are not. I leave such epithets to such as Charity," she purred. "I do not ask you to debase yourself, or to swear fealty or other such nonsense. You desire to live; bring that desire, that will to the Twin Crown - your fire, your pride, your defiance!" Phaedra subtly exerted her power, feeling for the desire she spoke of, strengthening it. "Defy the End, defy the hand that would force your doom!"

To Phaedra's delight, a few cheers came from the lesser demons, though they were quickly silenced. She grinned and bowed again, waiting for the Grand Duke's answer. The demon lord glared at her, his eyes like banked coals. "What you ask is-"

"Wholly within your nature. You are no weak creatures. Dying for your principles is a pretty and pointless act done by those without the courage to look beyond such veils at the truth. You are Lords and Ladies of Hell, are you not? I am Greed, I am Sin, I am Ruthless, She Who Damns, Imperatrix." She fanned her feathers behind her. "And I swear to you on the Twin Crown that I will send you a harvest like nothing you have ever known when the time has come. That is my payment to you. I am ascending again, you see - did you enjoy Achai? I know many died there, all in thrall." She licked her lips, hungrily. "One city, brought low and damned by my hand in the infancy of my rebirth! What do you think I could give you now?"

"This world grows dull," one of the other demon lords rumbled. "Entertainment is lacking."

"We understand each other perfectly," Phaedra purred, curling her tail around her ankles. "We are kindred spirits, you and I. Think, think... death is very, very not amusing when it happens to you..."

"We will consult," Berith snapped, whirling away from her; oh, he was angry, but that was good. Very good. She'd knocked away his composure and his mask of levity, and forced him to focus on the true seriousness of the situation.

"In your time, Lords and Ladies." She took a step back as the demons converged into a huddle, the nobility at the center, the lesser demons moving awkwardly around them like little lost planets. Phaedra held on tightly to the euphoria of the moment, the exaltation of words well spoken and manipulation skillfully done; so delicious, so delightful. Her power lapped softly at the demons as they spoke rapidly, in hushed tones.

It took less time than she expected; the demons' huddle opened up suddenly like a flower, and the Grand Duke paced towards her again, his head held high. Yes, oh yes, that pride! Show me that pride! "We will... deal with you, ruthless goddess," he said, his smile full of teeth; he bowed once more, as mocking as before, but there was a strange sincerity in his eyes. "We will bring our will to live and our defiance to bear. We will not End weakly. And you?"

"I will keep my promise to you. Why should I not? Ever has it been my delight to stock your larder," she laughed.

"We have heard of this ritual. I myself will come to you at that time. The others will remain at distance, and burn."

"Blaze into the sky; create new stars, Grand Duke." Phaedra bowed, a fierce smile on her face. "New stars to rival the old."

"Oh, we shall - no doubt of that, no doubt of that." He laughed again. "At that time, then." He paused. "Well done, Imperatrix." The title was hissed quietly, angrily, but with respect.

Phaedra bowed.

Group Roleplay: The Ritual

Solo: The Grand Duke's Audience


She would not receive demons in her own sanctum - not now, not with the Labyrinth incurring her displeasure and her exquisite lava pool gone all to grass and cool water. Instead, Phaedra commandeered one of the teahouses, pulling silks and strings of jewels from thin air to make the place hers - however temporarily. With Avita's help, the teahouse soon became a shrouded pavilion, its previously breezy and open construction turned into a luxurious cavern. Incense curled through the air within the shadowed interior, and a few dim lamps lit the space.

It was a passable effort, at least. Phaedra sank into the cushions and leaned back, toying idly with the tassel on one of the elaborate pillows (those, at least, she had not had to expend her power to produce). Creation, at least, had good taste in architecture. Destruction was deeply beloved, but one could only take so much rot and rust...

The silk hangings rustled all at once, tendrils of a strong breeze pressing their way through the cracks between the pieces of fabric. Phaedra smiled to herself at the strong scent of brimstone that came along with the movement of air. So. He had answered.

"Be welcome, Grand Duke," she called out, adopting one of her most indolent poses, leaning back and sprawled over the pillows with her tail curled just so, her plumes artistically arranged behind her. "You may enter, but pray leave your retinue behind. Let us speak together, power to power."

"That," boomed that familiar, deep voice, "is most treacherous flattery."

"Of course it is," Phaedra purred.

A moment later, the hangings were swept aside; the Grand Duke could fit easily within, the terrace having been built to lofty standards. "Greetings to you, Lady Greed."

"And to you, Grand Duke. Please, take a seat. We have important matters to discuss, do we not? Issues of bargains... and payment."

The demon matched her gaze, as if testing her; after a long moment, he nodded once and sat down in one movement, more fluid than one might expect from a being his size. "Indeed. It was a fair bargain we struck, Lady... our lives granted to us, our continued... employment... ensured."

"A fair bargain indeed." Phaedra smiled at him. "I am pleased to see you realize how advantageous it was to you. I've struck no fairer in many Ages, ruler of demons."

"And yet I know with whom I treat, Lady Greed. There's foul hidden in the fair."

"Of course there is. You know my nature," she laughed. "And yet you bargained anyway, rather than bending of your own will. A puzzle, that."

"Indeed it is." He offered a half-bow, smiling back, all fangs. "Let it never be said we were a race devoid of... entertainment."

"I will never make such a claim." Phaedra held one palm out to him, open; a moment later, a glass of deep red liquid curled into being. "Will you drink?"

He laughed openly at that, before plucking the glass from her hand and draining it in one draught. "More 'gifts', more poison, more pleasures. Truly, you are an audacious creature... one worthy of allegiance."

Phaedra's ears perked at that. "Tell me more," she purred, her voice dipping lower. "Tell me of your allegiance."

"Only a renewal of old ties, dear Lady." Berith toasted her with the empty glass before throwing it to the ground; it shattered, then evaporated into smoke. "We are of the Fourth Circle, and though our Hell is yet to be reborn, such torment and delight can be found. Underworld grows, Lady, and he may Judge."

"May he? Indeed." That was an interesting tidbit of information; Phaedra filed it away. "But speak not to me of cold, dead lands..."

"Even so." Berith stood once more. "I have brought offering, Lady. Fair offering. A sign of our gratitude for your bargain. A sign of our allegiance. If you would care to rise, I will show it thee."

Phaedra gave him a long look before rising from her nest of cushions, stretching and moving most deliberately as she did so. "You have piqued my curiosity, Grand Duke. What offerings are these?"

"Remains of the domain that was Ours, once. We lost much, but some remain in our thrall. I thought you might find them useful, Lady." His smile was wide and sharp as he reached into a pouch at his waist, removing something and holding it out to her. "First, a trinket."

It was a chain made of - no, not gold, but an alloy; Phaedra was about to hiss at him when she caught sight of the stone hanging from it. It was a simple teardrop shape, marble veined in exquisite shades of purple and red-gold. But there was a feel about it, a sense of life...

"Ah, I see you noticed," Berith chuckled. "There is a spark trapped within, fleeting memory. A delicious taint. Yours, if you will have it."

Phaedra reached out and snatched it from him, not waiting for his leave; her sides vibrated slightly with an almost inaudible purr as she slipped it around her neck. "And?"

"And the other is without, Lady. If you would." He held the silks back for her, allowing in the cool breeze; she paused for a moment, letting the wind toss back her hair and plumes before stepping outwards.

Avita was there, and a brace of demons, and....

"Oh, beauty," Phaedra breathed, delight evident in her movements as she moved across the grass to the delicate creature the demons held between them. It was black with jewel-like scales, golden hooves and a golden horn, but fangs protruded from its mouth and it had an almost unhealthy cast to its exquisite features. "A qilin, is it not?"

"As always, your eye for quality is unmatched. It is indeed, one tainted and cursed to fall into our hands. Tainted by Greed, Lady. She must be yours."

Phaedra ran one hand over the qilin's muzzle; the creature did not shy, but instead tried to bite. The goddess laughed and forced her fingers into the qilin's muzzle. A moment later, it shrieked and tried to back away, but sharp claws in its delicate nose held it close. As Phaedra met its maddened gaze, it shrieked again, then stilled... and then, at last, relaxed.

"Vehkal, I shall call you," Phaedra purred, then turned to Berith. "A kingly offering indeed, Grand Duke. I am well pleased."

He bowed, grinning. "Let it be a sign of our allegiance to you. Fill our coffers well, Lady! Remember our bargain."

Phaedra bowed back, an equally mocking smile on her face.

Phaedra and Arden / Bazyli: Darker Inspiration

Phaedra and Glyph: Need or Greed

Open Roleplay: Hearken, That There Were Stars and Sky Again...

The Council: Calling the Council

Phaedra & Ifan: Greed is the Mother of Necessity