#interaction: tophel

[faithsreward]

@ofbloodandbullets asked: “It’s been a long time since anyone invoked my name.” Dark!Andy / Phel

"I suppose it has been, in this realm at least. Tell me Goddess, am I still worthy of speaking it…or do you wish for my tongue to find another form of worship."

[sometimesfaithisrewarded]

@brittlefcrged asked: How to let you ravage me so badly that I feel like I’m on the brink of death.

"My darling acolyte, you need only ask." Here, in this dream, it was only the two of them, and it was so easy for Phel to reshape the environment into a vaguely gothic bedchamber. Not that things would begin on the bed, that was for later.

Hours could pass here, when it was only seconds in the outside world, something Phel would gleefully take advantage of. The human's increased durability was also appreciated, after all it would take actual malice to do anything that the young woman didn't actually want.

Fire danced in the demon's eyes and heat gathered in her hands, their connection allowing her to know what Reese was seeing, or at least the details she was getting from her Sight. It was freeing, knowing she didn't have to hide, because she had already been seen, and it meant both nothing and everything.

"You've been so good for me, it is only right for you to be rewarded with every pleasure your mortal mind can comprehend…and perhaps a few it can't." Like the dancing of hellfire across oversensitive nerves, the most deliciously painful heat that would leave phantom tingling for days on end.

[faithsreward]

"Whatever you have for a soul doesn't appear to be within my ability to take… or at least not at this time." Phel truly believed that through sufficient study all things were possible, even if those studies would take what mortals would consider to be a thousand lifetimes. "And my current children are more than enough trouble, I don't need to add more."

The smirk that crossed her face was more than a little malevolent, flames running up her horns for a second before she let the aura fade, mostly having wanted to see if it would even affect the other. Was it even possible to induce fear, or would it be as locked away as the woman's soul? Either way, better to speak, act as if it was just a slip.

"Oh, it's not just about the nature of my birth, you don't get to where I am without committing more than a few atrocities… and bloodlust doesn't tend to make people feel comfortable around you. As for my people…well there aren't many exactly like me, and few would willingly claim me as their kin. I may walk amongst those of Faerun, but I would not call them ‘my people.’”

No, her people were the ones she chose, and there were so very few of them.

Elizabeth's brows canted upwards, a mixture of surprise and amusement at the other's first words, a tilt of her head to the side at the next. Curiosity far outweighed any fear that she might have been meant to be feeling -- there was still so much to learn about this world, its' inhabitants, their culture, their abilities, their histories, it was all far too fascinating for her to put much consideration into just how much of a potential threat all these unknowns might be to her. "Hmmm, no, I don't think I'd be willing to part with either of those," she admitted. Even if she had them.

That did raise the debate as to just what exactly quantified a soul ... but that didn't seem to be the point of debate at hand. "A demon." Fascinating. Of course, she had a multitude of religious and mythical texts in her databanks to reference, a myriad of references to supernatural entities that were given that title, or one similar, ranging thousands of years across human history in religions across the world. But clearly, that world, and this, had diverged, or ... perhaps had not even been the same to begin with. In this world, such things existed, tangibly, for starters. "Well, that is something that your people and mine have in common, then -- I must admit, for all my intelligence, I've never understood the hatred towards something, or someone, merely for the circumstance of the nature of their birth." Prejudice, and all that went with it, had been the reason for her own creation, and still... she could not understand why. "I prefer to form my own opinions. For what that's worth."

[faithsreward-archive]

@moravdyr​ from here

Her daughter’s disheveled state was what had prompted her commentary, and upon learning the reason for it she could feel her anger rise to the surface. The intensity of such emotion was still unfamiliar to her, and the uncontrolled burn of hellfire through her veins was enough to cause her glamour to slip for a moment.

Whomever said ‘hell hath no fury like a woman scorned’ had obviously never seen a mother who’s child had been harmed, especially not one who was herself part of Hell.

“They are fools, and they will burn.” It was with absolute certainty that she spoke, the darkness within her reaching out and shaking the foundations of the building they were currently in.

Despite the intense fury running through her the hand that reached out to smooth Allegra’s hair was gentle as could be. Her baby had been harmed enough already, she would not permit her rage to cause her daughter any more pain.

“It is not wrong for you to love him still ol olpirt, just because you were betrayed does not mean your heart does not still hold that person dear. It will pass though, it will pass.”

Xander would suffer, that much is certain, but justice would have to wait until she could confirm that her daughter knew she was loved, and that it was not her fault. None of it was.

[faithsreward]

@ofbloodandbullets asked: “You haven’t an inkling of an idea of what you’ve just done, haven’t you?” Masked Villain! Gotham adjacent verse Andy & Phel

"I know far more than you think child. You are not nearly as clever as you believe you are al speis (old spirit). Your tongue betrays you." Not that most would be able to tell, but Phel knew that voice intimately, and there was a pattern to it that Andromache had never quite managed to shake. "And soon enough the rest of your body will do the same, I guarantee it."

[sometimesfaithisrewarded]

@brittlefcrged asked: ‘if you are my devil, then I will gladly burn.’

"I have been your devil for years, our worlds were simply too distant." Here, in dreams, she could finally touch her acolyte, the girl who had drowned exactly where she had so long ago, now grown. A soot-stained hand rested on the young woman's cheek, lifting her chin just enough to lean in and give her the gentlest of kisses. "Don't fear the fire my dear artist, it is mine, and I would never let it take you from me."

Phel knew that her touch would burn just a little, but Reese never seemed to care, which was perhaps understandable given how much she had been through.

"Would you like to feel it? Let me burn away a little of that pain of yours, some of the haze left behind from those poisons they tried to use to force your eyes shut."

[faithsreward]

Phel couldn't resist the urge to chuckle, copying the girl's motions with a painted fingernail, one that would appear clawed with every flicker that the psychic was clearly seeing. "It's not generally considered polite to call people evil, or to make that sign when you see them. Us damned have feelings too you know."

Not that something this minor would cause her any kind of distress, but her grandchild, well that was an entirely different story. The kid was sensitive, and enjoyed playing in places just like this. "Not that I'm particularly bothered, but my little one would be, and we've been making so much progress. I'd hate for her to have a setback."

The young woman spun sharply on her heel, a gasp escaping as she whirled around towards the source of the voice inside of what had been a long abandoned tiny chapel on the edge of the cemetery's grounds, a reactive gesture made to cross herself as her attention came to focus on the ... woman? that had seemed to come out of nowhere, out of nothing, but the shadows. Hellfire? A sharp swallow follows, as she resisted her initial reaction to bolt.

The stranger seemed solid -- which wasn't exactly common, for the apparitions that often showed themselves to her, but there was something about the image that appeared to flicker, like there was a shadow of a frame, of another shape, or form, that danced around, and above her, and her facial features flickered like the pages of a stop motion flip book, between darkly beautiful and something -- something filled with shadows, and painfully sharp contours, and something hollow. "What -- did you say -- " Hellfire? "Rude?"

[faithsreward-archive]

@bliinkingstars liked for a starter

Tophel tried to keep out of Hell’s politics, she really didn’t have the time for it, nor did she have the patience. She may have gotten into a position on Earth where she had to deal with humans, but the demon found that far less irritating. After all if a rival gang boss or some other human got to be too much of a hassle she would simply kill them and anyone who may seek to take revenge on their behalf...something that would be far more difficult to do in Hell.

Despite that she knew some faces, and her own curiosity was what brought her to approach as she noticed someone she recognized. Keeping her body language as non-threatening as she could without sacrificing her dignity she pauses for a moment before speaking. “What might a girl like you be doing both above-ground and in a place like this?”

[faithsreward]

@halofcrged asked: "What's the endgame here? Where does it all lead?"

"Our mission is the same as yours Spartan. The subject is simply a more…precise…tool."

That was the company line, the words of a loyal cog in the machine, and one of the few answers she would offer. Their mission, or at least the one assigned to them, to live and die for the survival of humanity.

"I am not designed to question, simply to ensure the subject completes its missions. It is unlikely it will survive to see the end of this war, therefore it is irrelevant to it what the end game is."

If she could feel nauseous Phel knew those words would be more than enough to cause it… no matter how true they were. Her little Kara knew nothing but this war, and likely never would. And when the child died, the AI would almost certainly die with her, their neural structures grown together to the point of dependence. It was only a matter of time before the nanotech failed, or a mission when sour, and there was no use focusing on the insignificant probability of some other life.

[sometimesfaithisrewarded]

@ofbloodandbullets asked: No escaping. I told you I'd never let you go. - Andy & Phel

It was rare that Phel allowed someone control over her, but Andy had always been different. Different enough for Phel to bring out the binding cuffs from eons ago, ones that would keep her from accidentally breaking free of restraints, and keep any fight fair.

“What hope do you have Andromache? Even the pits of hell couldn’t keep me contained.” Not that she was going to be breaking out any lethal moves, or anything that wouldn’t heal…but what was the point in submitting without it being earned.

[faithsreward]

"You know, most people who tell me to fuck off… Generally their bleeding doesn't stop until they're out of blood."

Ignoring his words Phel just stayed leaning against the wall, acting as if she wasn't currently listening to his vital signs, just in case they went somewhere dangerous. "I'm pretty sure that's gonna need stitches. But you don't gotta worry about me poking at it. I'm not really in the mood to get blood on this jacket, not unless you ask nicely."

No, she was mostly just using her presence as a deterrent, most people around here were smart enough to keep their distance, especially when she had armour on. "Meddling is the kid's thing, I just wait until the person passes out. Then I can take their wallet."

❝ 'm fine. Y' don't - you don't need t' interfere. Shit's fine. It's fuckin' fine. I'm FINE. ❞ Obviously not by the arm curled underneath his shredded jacket. Sporting a patch of rapidly-growing red. Shoulders shake, bloody switchblade beside him on the concrete stoop.

Above, electric hum's driving him mad. Casting him in an off-blue glow. Fluttering of moths bumping into a light fixture. Boots scrape across gravel as he attempts to relax.

❝ Jus' - jus' fuck off. Bleed'll stop in a minute. ❞

[faithsreward]

@lifefcrged asked:“First of all, I didn’t “miss” the red flags. I looked at them and thought: yeah, that’s sexy.” Merc! Mikkah to Phel dominion verse

"I figured, you seemed smart enough and there are a few too many of them for it not to have been a conscious decision. My brother isn't exactly being subtle."

[faithsreward]

continued from (x) with @bitchheroine

“Why… why would you love me, if I disappointed you?” This didn’t make sense. All she had ever learned about affection seemed to imply that it was offered based on conditions. Now, Tophel had been fairly clear that it wasn’t like that with her… but Meg remained skeptical. She’d only ever known the give and take, the ‘fair trade’. Instead, this mother figure suggested that there were NO conditions. Only love. The little demon sniffled again, closing her eyes and trying to be brave. “I…I wanna go, but I’m scared.”

"Why wouldn't I? Do I really seem that shallow? That I'd cast aside something wonderful simply because it didn't do exactly what I told it to? Only an idiot would do that.”

Phel began braiding a little of the girl’s hair, just like she did with Kara when the little abomination was scared. “I know, change can be the scariest thing of all, but I promise to keep you safe from it. After all, it would be my duty, and I am not about to fail one of my little ones, not if I can do anything about it.”

[faithsreward]

“Can someone please be proud of me? Like fuck, I’m trying.” Annoyed ! Dark Mikkah to anyone , dominion verse.

"Proud of you for what? I mean personally I'm impressed with how close you've managed to get to my genocidal sibling, but no one should be looking for my approval…well no one human"

[faithsreward]

Ah yes, the arguments the organics used to justify their actions. Well Phel could play that game just as well, and she had the entirety of the child's biometric data, as well as the kind of understanding that could not be replicated.

"It is not a matter of distaste, it is a matter of priorities, and I believe your analysis to be faulty. The installation of an emotional regulation system would certainly prevent flare-ups like the one that required sedation, and would increase your ability to control the subject; however, it would also greatly damage efficiency. Many of the subject's nanotechnological capabilities require adaptations of the neural tissue and respond to subconscious stimulus. From the flare-up alone I was able to map several pathways previously unknown, and once the subject has reawakened we can begin testing of those capabilities."

Phel considered herself lucky that the appearance of her projection was entirely under her control, as she doubted her expression would have been so carefully schooled if not.

"My analysis suggests that the alteration you are proposing could harm the subject's neuroplasticity, and therefore I have to recommend instead accommodating for what I believe to be some form of neurodivergence found within the subject.” In fact she was almost certain on that front, and that it was likely congenital, although she couldn't rule out the influence of both herself and the nanites on the child's mind.

“The subject is currently not suitable for a team, and it may be counterproductive to attempt to force conformity; however, the ability to use the nanotechnology to produce claws as displayed during most recent meltdown would be highly advantageous for covert activities and assassinations. It would also allow the subject to remain small, as it has a negative response to added growth hormones and becomes stressed. Small size would be an asset for the stealth-based missions that often have poor outcomes in terms of Spartan survival, and focus can be made on what the individual subject excels in, especially given the unknown elements of the next stages of project development."

OPEN. Halsey.

“This problem, like most, has a solution; the fact that you find the solution I propose distasteful does not change the fact that it will achieve the desired effect.”

[faithsreward]

@blxsscd-x-fxrsakcn asked: [ standing over a body ] " oops. " ( gabriel @ phel )

"Don't oops me, we both know you weren't being subtle."