Kalicity

“Can you say that truthfully, Gabriela? She may have never physically harmed you, but if it weren’t for your sister you would be dead by her hand. I have read in the archives in Vdara, that some time ago Malaysia gave her life to protect you.. all the while taking your mother down with her. That is how she got her wings, sewn to her back by the devil himself. Have you ever thought what would have happened to you if Malaysia had failed?” It was a simple question, but an honest one. I seemed that this conversation would take a turn; one that was coated with candor. If only Gabriela had mentioned that her biological mother was “cruel, selfish and power hungry,” perhaps she did not see Kalicity in that light. The Dark Goddess was very cruel and power hungry, it was what she lived for and desired the most. To be able to claim the bigger title, to stand above all others, and for everyone to fear her. Now being Selfish, not so much. She was solely devoted to those that she called her family. She would protect them with her own life, yet often her life was not a necessary part of that bargain as very few could actually claim it. There was a shift in the room, the shadows deepened and Kalicity could tell something had been altered but she couldn’t pinpoint what it was. The Dark Goddess had never met Tenebre, and had little knowledge of the ebony spirit yet watching Gabriela’s reaction was strange. “Being immortal does not mean we cannot be killed, but you do not seem to give yourself enough credit. You have lived a long time, daughter, that you must see.- “I can’t go.- He’ll break my resolve.” Gritting her teeth, in a blink of an eye Kalicity was face to face with Gabriela. Icy pools burned deep into those golden embers, “Fuck your resolve, this is the time for you to step up. You are his mother.” Gabriela pulled away, starting to pace. “Would you go without me?” “No.” She paused, “I’m not going to do your dirty work for you. If you want this to be successful, then you will be coming with me or this idea will be put the wind. He is your son,and he needs his mother. I was not put here to raise your child when you have the option to do so yourself.”

“Once upon a time, you would have slit the throats of your own children had they proven to be disappointments.” For some reason that Kalicity could not explain, this statement made her laugh. It was quick and short winded, the high pitch noise rang through the small, empty halls of the catacombs until it was over. “Would I really?” She asked in a witty tone. “How barbaric.” Chuckling again, only this time much softer before it too became silent. Brows rose in humor as she forced herself to smile which was then followed by a much calmer façade. Their eyes met, and in deep comtemplation Gabriela spoke again. Kalicity caught the minimal warnings that was ensnared in words designed to explain the devil, and who and what he was. There was further detail on what it meant to be father to Roen and the fact that he was indeed what he claimed himself to be, a fiend. As she mulled over the information that Gabriela had provided her, she had conjured many ways that this could be successful. “We are all parents here, Gabriela. You with your sons, Roen with his children, and me with my sons and daughters. No one parent can compare their love to another, but father or not you said yourself that Roen is not the best choice for Philippe.” She paused for a moment, her attention being lured by the delicate glimmer of Deathstrike that appeared to be getting brighter as the continued to speak. Could Gabriela see it? Or was it all in her imagination? “You are his mother, Gabriela. You have every right to see your son. You have every right to hold him, to love him, and to be there for him.. just as much as Roen, perhaps even more than him. You also seem to have forgotten that we are immortal too. We do not need to eat, or sleep, or breath, some of it is just a luxury we choose to indulge in. You a daughter of a deity..to kill you would be exceptionally difficult. “We shall go see your son, together. Roen and I don’t exactly see eye to eye, he does not frighten me. First we must get Philippe in your arms.”

Was it really an offer, or was it simply a suggestion? “I can’t.” Kalicity already knew what the answer would be. Whatever reasons Gabriela had, the Black Queen had made it crystal clear what her intentions were. Kalicity decided to make the offer anyway, in attempt to show her daughter that other options were still on the table. The Dark Goddess could feel Gabriela mentally brace for the emotionally negative onslaught that she was accustomed to. Would it truly benefit the Queen if her mother screamed, threatened and yelled at her? Would it make something happen in the long run? From whatever Kalicity could remember, Gabriela rarely ever listened to the violent matriarch as she had her own ideas of what her life should be like. How odd was it that at one time, Gabriela had attempted to save Kalicity from her past and herself from which the Dark Goddess could not allow; and now here was that same woman, attempting to provide Gabriela peace and prosperity and getting a very similar response. Like mother, like daughter so it would seem. “I can’t leave my son.” “Of course not.” Her face softened, and her lips pursing into a smirk. Gabriela explained the situation, and concluded that the devil had possession her son. Despite being a follower of the Bloody Faith, which has now sank into ruins, she had never really cared much for Roen. Few too many interactions with the man had left a sour taste in her mouth but unlike many others, she did not fear him. He had a big mouth and carried a big stick, but that did little to impress her. A part of her would love to go head to head with the Dread Margrave, just to see what would happen. “Then we must get your son back. Both of your children, and you, need to be away from this place. It is not healthy for you, especially in your current condition.” Perhaps the true reason for this meeting had yet to fully come to light, but as she caught a glimpse of DeathStrike in the corner of her eye she stepped even closer to the sarcophagus. Delicate hands found themselves wrapped around the edge. She could hear it.. The blade was singing to her.. “I will help you, Gabriela. If you will allow it.”

Envy. Jealousy. Resentment. Pain. Emotions that her daughter attempted to hide, yet it rolled off her physique like a black smoke that only few perceive. The more Kalicity spoke the darker Gabriela’s aura became, and in the end, Gabriela snapped back in the only way she could, to what Kalicity saw as attempting to protect herself. Despite her daughter’s impeccable strength, at times here fragility did shine through like a beacon. “Why don’t you take your weapon and leave, Kalicity… That’s what you came for, after all.” Kalicity watched in confusion as Gabriela removed the lid of the sarcophagus, revealing the weapon that had been calling to her this entire time. Stepping forward to capture a better glimpse, she had to admit that it was more beautiful in person than she could have ever had imagined. Her memories did it little justice. The blade was flawless; no scratches, chips or stains. Every detail was perfect; each scale of the serpent equally represented as it wrapped itself around the steel hilt and halfway down the blade. She could feel it now, the powerful urge; the effervescent longing to hold it once more. It was almost too much to bare. “You’ve given me much to think about – in return, I’ll give you something that should have never left your side.” In Kalicity’s mind the statement felt repetitive, for as she stood there quietly admiring the weapon that once was hers, her heart fluttered and her stomach sank. She ached with hunger, it was the same way she felt right before Colvin claimed what was already his. She recalled leaning into him, taking in his scent and trembling with a distant longing that she did not understand. She couldn’t explain why, but deep down, she knew just like Colvin, she had to let Deathstrike go. They were no longer a part of her life and she was longer worthy of such a weapon. It would be miserable in her hands and it would most likely be placed somewhere else, tucked away in the darkness with only memories for comfort. ‘Best it be in a place serving the memory of its mistress. “Deathstrike must stay, Gabriela.” She spoke softly. “It was given to you by your mother, and it was not meant to be held by me again. Perhaps the sword called me here for some sort of closure. It sounds strange I know but I’m sure your mother had a strong connection with everything she was close to, including her weapons. ” Her gaze shifted, crimson tears glistened within her sapphire pools. “If you think this sword was the only reason I am down here, then perhaps you have failed to see the bigger picture. Obviously we are down here for another purpose. You clearly need saving, and maybe I am here to offer you a way out and a safe place for you to go, to get away from the tyrant that wishes to claim you as his own. You and your child would be safe in Vdara.” As she spoke her hair started to change back into its original silver color. It was not right to linger in the sable locks that did not belong to her. She had to be true to herself and who she was.

Kalicity could sense a weight of sadness bearing down on Gabriela’s heart, and as her daughter refused to look at her, the Dark Goddess chose not to force the issue. “I do not deny anything you say, save for one thing. I never wrote my siblings off. All I ever wanted was to protect them, and keep them safe. Perhaps I underestimated them.” “Perhaps?” she asked out loud. While the Dark Goddess was not here to give Gabriela a history lesson, how far had the Black Queen fallen for her to say that? Was Gabriela not aware of where her siblings were now? “It appears your sister Malaysia has unintentionally stolen your dream. She built quite the lovely home with her family in northern Generasis. MorceLa’Kai lingers when in need as a royal advisor and Alukai has been appointed the Commander of the royal guard, although he was not happy to see me.” Her gaze shifted down towards the ground as if in deep thought, “I’m sure we have much to discuss.” Pushing the conversation back to the topic at hand, “You do not need to protect your siblings Gabriela, they are very capable of protecting themselves. But it seems to me that you are the one needing protection out of this group, you need to accept that.” Gabriela began to walk around the room, and Kalicity remained where she stood while firmly folding her hands behind her back. “What would you do?” she asked, a mere whisper. “If the situation were exactly the same, and you found yourself standing against someone who is so obviously your superior in everything – age, power, knowledge?” Kalicity was caught off guard as she slowly began to process the question. “Hm, I don’t know.” She took a deep breath as if attempting to bide some time so that she may produce some form of acceptable answer, “There are a lot of superior’s in life. You can climb to the top of the mountain, but there will be always be another mountain to climb. If I had a superior that I looked up to and admired, I would strive to drink from their cup of knowledge and learn from them. However, this situation you are in is much different. You are a prisoner in your own home, enslaved by a man who is using you for his own personal delight and gain. Naturally I would assume that would produce feelings such as fear and disgust.” She now looked to wherever Gabriela was in the room attempting to make eye contact. “If I were in your place, Gabriela, I would either stay under the thumb of a tyrant.. Or I would escape and seek refuge from those of equal power, age, and wisdom.”

“Everyone makes assumptions? No one’s ever just flat out asked me. I don’t like it.” “Assumptions are made for a reason, Gabriela. Your behavior is oddly repetitious.” “It all comes down to a serious lack of me underestimating situations. When I first met the devil, when I first crossed paths with my cousin again, when I first met up with the Warlord that took your life… I thought myself capable, absolutely and completely capable, of handling the situation. I had no idea, just— absolutely no idea how in over my head I was. From there it was just a snowball effect. They took more power, more control over things I loved, and I loved a great many things and people.” Kalicity raised her left brow. While some memories have been lost, others had been restored by chance encounters. “Did you, Gabriela?” Blush colored lips pursed together in irritation as the Dark Goddess pulled away from the Black Queen and moved towards the opposite side of the sarcophagus. The flats of her palms landed firmly onto the hard, cold stone and the tips of her fingers dug deep into the smooth surface. With her grip one could hear the subtle cracks of the stone being broken beneath her touch as she took a breath, closing her eyes while attempting to recompose herself. “It was not that you underestimated yourself, you failed to acknowledge the warnings that were given to you by those who loved you and wanted to protect you.” Standing up, hands slid off the stone leaving crumbles and dust in its wake, her orbs pierced through the darkness as she stared down her daughter. “I’m very confident that I warned you about Malice, and you chose not to listen. He made me who I was, why would you doubt me then? “And you could have the power to smite these men if you chose to do so. All you had to do was ask but you chose not. You seem to have forgotten your siblings, potential allies that you have clearly written off. You are the reason you are in this predicament. You continue to choose this life for yourself.” Pausing for a moment, Kalicity listened to her closing statement. “If you think that Raphael will grant you power in this so called game, you are fooling yourself. You are a marionette and he has hold of the strings.” Did Kalicity approve of this behavior? In truth, she was indifferent. If this and her previous life had taught her anything, it was that she could not force anyone to do anything unless it was from brute force and horror. Kalicity Darkbane lived for that kind of life; the very thought that nations could be brought to their knees by the swing of her sword, and enemies would tremble with fright at the sound of her name. Cities would evacuate if they knew she was coming, simply because they did not want to face her battle. To wield and maintain that type of power must have been liberating. But she could not live up to a legend and had little desire to rewrite an already flawless story, for she chose to be a different type of fairytale. If Gabriela wanted her mother’s approval.. all she had to do.. Was ask.

“It was a gift, how touching.” If only Gabriela knew how sentimental Kalicity’s children really were. In the heart of Vdara was Kullo Astar, a temple that designed for all who wish to enter it. Inside the magnanimous temple was a room that paid tribute to Kalicity Darkbane; The Angelic’ Queen’s mother, and all of her exploits. Even MorceLa’Kai still held Kalicity near and dear to his heart, still wielding the weapon, A Venom’s Kiss as well as the dragon that was passed down to him. While Cody may have been temporarily donated to Vdara’s cause and remains under the protection and rule of Ayden, Dragon King and King of Vdara, there was no question where Cody’s loyalty truly resides. It was Alukai that still was torn between loving and despising the family monarch. His most recent interaction with his supposedly murdered mother was nor pleasant nor cruel, depending on the view. The Dark Goddess felt Gabriela’s unease as she placed her hand delicately upon her growing belly and intently listened to the story that her daughter provided. It was all too interesting to think she had attempted to murder this brunette beauty, and all the while she did not find it disturbing. Of course, they would have met under exceptional circumstances, how could they not? The relationship between this mother and daughter seemed so awkward and out of place, and yet it brought an odd balance to the story. There was no burden to bear, in fact, it was the exact opposite. Should she have been her previous successor, Kalicity would without a doubt hunted down this man without her daughter’s consent and threaten to murder him where he stood. Yet, things had much changed since those days and the idea never crossed her mind. This was the life that her daughter chose and for some reason; a reason that Kalicity couldn’t understand, Gabriela continued to fall into the arms of men who found pleasure in using and abusing her. Kalicity imagined a different scenario in her mind; one where she would offer her hand and urge Gabriela to leave this place; to leave the land and those who wished to continuously torment her. But Kalicity didn’t, because deep down something told her that Gabriela would not accept her suggestion. “I am sorry to hear of your woes Gabriela, but you must know, the species in which you longed to extinguish at one time will never be extinct. They are a creature that is consistently evolving to become a better version of their former selves. I feel that this is something you need to accept, especially because you are about to give birth to one.” She paused for a moment, still feeling that slight tug from the weapon that rested behind them. “As per your unborn child’s lineage, the conception itself sounds a bit tragic. A child fathered by your cousin, a man you were trying to escape from? I would attempt to liberate you from the chains that bind you, however, it appears we have come full circle from our previous conversation. You hold the key to your own freedom but I have a feeling that you found unique comfort being enslaved to your will. Why else would you allow these men to repetitively do what they do to you?” The question was blatant and direct. The Dark Goddess was not here to save her daughter, Gabriela had gotten herself into her own mess and needed to dig herself out.

It did indeed call to her. Staring at the stone sarcophagus, Kalicity could identify Deathstrike lying silent in the depth of the sarcophagus, a place that was meant for her body. The cover appeared to be transparent in her eyes, the weapon appeared to shimmer under the scrutiny of its mistress, as if it was attempting to say something to her. There was a present tingle in the palm of her hand, however it did not last, and she could hear what she thought was a frail, cold voice in the air. There was always the possibility that it was her own imagination that stirred the wakening of a long lost soldier; an inanimate object that was a slave to its maker. “You could almost pass for her.” A divine gaze drew away from the sarcophagus, and the fires that lit the small memorial of Gabriela’s mother ignited the room with a faded golden haze only enhancing her chilling stare. Closing her eyes for a moment, she took in the scent of her daughter before slowly turning her head to catch a glimpse of the pregnant Queen Regent. “Almost.” Weight rolled off of the balls of her feet as she fully faced her daughter, “You say that so often Gabriela, should I try to look more like her?” Hands found their way to her forehead as long, dense fingernails kneaded their way through the thickness of her silver hair. Yet as her hands slid further back, thick ebony streaks weaved their way through each silver strand, until her hair was fully engulfed in a shimmering sable. Sky blues eyes seared through the dim lighting while long, obsidian strands lightly kissed the curvature of her face. Who would Gabriela see now as she started to move towards her daughter? “Is this better?” Or maybe it would be worse. Kalicity remembered how angry Colvin was at the very idea that his Kalicity was dead, and she remained living. Imagine if he saw this imitation of who she used to be, she would like to see that. “Curious that DeathStrike would call to you, more curious still is the fact that you answered.” “Is that the name? Deathstrike, how fitting. No doubt that it is lethal in its own way. - “It is odd, isn’t it? Honestly I came down here to wander, but oddly enough I felt something pulling me along like a heart on a string..and it led me here. What is this place? A memorial for your mother? The weapon must have been special, she always had it with her from what I could see.” Stopping about a foot before Gabriela, she reached down and softly placed her fingertips to her daughter's growing belly. “I see that you’re pregnant, I can also smell it in your blood. Doesn’t appear to be a hybrid, May I ask who the father is?”

Love the Punisher ❤️❤️

It had been quite a while since the Dark Goddess had disappeared into what seemed to be thin air. Kalicity did nothing to notify her daughter of her whereabouts, and in truth, she was unsure if she actually wanted to be found. It was the fateful meeting her former lover Colvin that drove her on a quest to learn more about her past and who she once was. It did not mean that she longed for a life of misery and violence, she had left that part of life behind her for a reason. She tried to ignore her curiosity until she could ignore it no more. It was her inquisitiveness that lead her down a path made of pitch-black darkness and an eerie silence, save the soft clacks of her leather boots. Returning to her leather clad appearance, a low cut leather top that stopped at the edge of her shoulders, with her leather slacks firmly nestled against her chilling skin. She also had six throwing knives visibly wrapped over her upper right thigh, in case she needed to use them. Her silver hair was pulled away into a messy french braid, letting fly aways accentuate her lovely facial features. Deep beneath the castle, Kalicity had wandered into the catacombs of the DuGrace castle. There was something down there that drew her in, almost like that tingly feeling she felt in her head when she and Colvin were in the midst of their momentary altercation. There was little light but it did not bother her vision, but the smell was full of thick moisture and was a minor annoyance. Yet as she wandered down the hall Kalicity noticed a warm glow coming from a much more delicately different entrance. The height of the entryway was a bit large than the rest, and the room itself was lit by torches that appeared to be freshly changed. In the middle of a room, there was a closed porcelain coffin with a bouquet of flowers placed on top along with what appeared to be a sword. As Kalicity walked closer to the coffin, the light dancing off of the indestructible steel she took note of flawlessly detailed the weapon was. The sword was about three and a half feet in length, with a serpent wrapping around the hilt and slithering down the blade. It looked exactly like the one that Colvin had shown her: DeathStrike.

The Dark Goddess detected a sense of unease in her daughter yet she chose not to address it. Kalicity had said enough to Gabriela, and deep down she knew that nothing she could do or say would alter the Queen’s behavior. She wasn’t sure how or why she knew that, but she just did. After a long and uncomfortable silence, Gabriela finally shifted in her chair. “This way..” Together they rose and the Dark Goddess followed her daughter into the next room over. It was tastefully designed and had a welcome vibe to it, with a baby crib taking center stage. Approaching the lovely piece of furniture, she looked onward to the little bundle of joy that appeared fascinated with his own hands and feet. He was an adorable little thing, his bright green eyes focusing on her with innocent curiosity. It was at that moment that their eyes met that she suddenly had a vision invade her line of sight. Her grandson was no longer in his crib but instead another young boy. He was dressed from head to toe in black silk pajamas, he had a head full of black hair and deep vehement green eyes. He rocked back and forth on his spine, nibbling aimlessly on his toes as he looked onward towards her with a deep inquisitive gaze. Quickly taken by the vision, Kalicity stepped back as if to regain her balance as she scanned the rest of the room. Save for the crib and a wooden chair sitting next to it, the room was stripped bare. The window had black out curtains and it was quite grim and bleak. Where was this place? Where was everyone else? Was she alone? The thought made her heart drop, and in the blink of an eye the vision was gone and she was back with her daughter and grandchild. With the room back to normal, Kalicity continued to appear stunned as she slowly observed the room as if expecting it to change. “I just had a vision,” she said out loud. “It was so real, I was here. It was dark, and Alukai..” She took another deep breath, stepping up to the crib looking down to Phillippe. “He was here, as a baby.” Calmly reaching down, Kalicity’s fingertips gently caressed the balls of his feet and he giggled in his response. “So precious..”