Cryptic Chaos [Mana/Cali] [WW4 Interlude]

There was a sense of annoyance was the gnawing sounds of a portal ripping open through the fabric of space and time echoed within the depths of The Core Of Eris. It is here where an organic extension of Mana's body lay in wait as this disturbance broke her meditation into the state of prime chaotic energy that was being amplified into her realm from the effects of World War 4. As she stood there in nothing more than a tattered dress as black as the night itself, the gem green eyes of The Empress turned their sights toward the blinding blood portal before her as she was quite aware of what was going to be spat out of it.

"....and what do ya hope to achieve by coming here, Cali?"

Speaking as if she had uttered these lines for the millionth time, there was a sense of exhaustion which drenched itself in the voice of Mana. If the youth was still here to cling to the skirt of her mother for comfort, there would be no such conclusion as The Queen had no patience or time for such things in the midst of a multi-realm war which was unfolding before her eyes.

"If ya' are here to give me some spiel about being tender n' sweet, ya' can jump right back outta' that portal n' into the arms of ya' incestuous sistah'. I haven't the time or energy fer it right nao."

There was then a pause before a grim cackle exited out of the mouth of The Demoness as another thought bled into her head that could make this encounter a bit more exciting for herself.

"However, if ya' came here to cease bein' a liability to worry about n' find yer nerve, I'd be more than willin' to set aside some time to cultivate your mind and body to stop being so needy and fragile."

With her right index finger motioning for Cali to otherwise step forward to her mother, Mana welcomed that scenario with open arms as she hadn't the same amount of openness in her heart for beings that were destined to be rip apart from this existence. As, at the rate her spawn was going, the sense of weak will, uncertain nature and lack of power were most likely going to result in her being killed or being used as leverage for an enemy against her. And rather than getting ultra attached to something that was bound to have a swift expiration date, Mana was fine to cut her losses ahead of time if she refused to do something about this inherent weakness.

"So please, state ya' business with mama so she can get back to work~ I don't like havin' my time wasted when I'm so preoccupied with this lovely lil' war we've found ourselves bein' consumed by."

She stepped through the portal, one foot at a time, heeding her sibling's warning that she'd be there to pull her out at any time, but Caly wasn't intent to reel back and go crying to her too quickly. She knew her emotions were going to lead her into doing something outlandish and potentially dangerous, and that's what she was perfectly fine with. She sealed her fate by stepping through that portal, and was fully willing to go through with it. If she couldn't face her mother with even a lick of bravery, she couldn't go into Hell and fulfill her promise to Nevermore.

She stood on the brown earth, the realm bare of much else aside from the heavy green fog, and... Her. Mana Asthavon, asking her what she wished to accomplish by coming here. Calypso's emotions flared by just looking at her, hearing her voice. They were not feelings a daughter should have towards their mother, that is for certain. This was the woman that ignored her, that barely acknowledged her existence, it was an honest surprise she even remembered her name. This woman allowed so much anguish, conducted more on top of it, and was completely unapologetic, and cruel. Even yet, she had the strong desire to help her on top of being horribly, terribly, angry at her.

Calypso was dead silent as the woman spoke towards her, the girl's boiling emotions heating inside of her, she didn't even attempt to calm down, she needed to feel like this, she NEEDED to let out a year and a half of sadness, loneliness, and feelings of being unloved. Talking dirty about Algos only made the girl angrier, though her face didn't read any of the intense emotions she felt stoking inside of her. Her fists were balled, but her face was neutral, as she walked towards her, steps as heavy as her heart beat in her chest.

Calypso knew she'd get hurt badly.

She knew that this could probably lead her to screaming or crying, but she grasped that possibility tightly, and firmly silenced the chatter of fear in her mind. She walked, the crunching of dirt beneath her feet, unhindered, until she stood right in front of her mother, staring at her in silence, an intensity to her golden eyes. Her insides felt like they were on fire, her stomach churning, as she stared this beast in her face, speaking softly a simple question,

"..You wanna know what I think about your behavior, Mama?"

So suddenly, the quiet, seemingly composed Calypso, gave the woman the firmest smack across the face she could muster in the moment, her golden eyes filled with intense emotions, her smacking hand still raised after delivering it, the girl feeling the sting.

̪̮͌̉͊̆"̜͔͇̟̭̒͂I̽ ̦͍͍h͓̼̬͖̻̠ͥͬ͂͋a̯͒̈́t̻̞͇̼ͯͩ͋͐ͭͭ͊e̮̬͙̞͔͇̐ ́͗͛i͇̺̠̽̍̃͋̈̂͊t͙̝̦̮̠͍̐̒ͪ̀̂́̚.̫̰̦̱̜̎̀̂ͣ̀̈͑"̥ͦ͐͛̉

Her voice sounded like it had gone through a demonic radio for a hot minute, as she then lowered her hand, her face finally exhibiting the emotion she had sloshing around inside of her mind; Rage.

"I don't give a fuck about how busy you are slaughtering innocent people. You can take a fucking minute to listen to me, so you better open

your d̮͇̱̤̞̞̝ā̳̱̗̲̤̎̉m̜͖͉͒͑ͥ̔n̟͇̺͂ ͖̮̯͔͚̠e̹͇̘͎͚̼͐͑̑̐a̬̼͎̫̯͕̽͗̈̎̏ṟ̾͋̀͋̽s͇̳̈͋ ̹͔̺̀t͈̅̐̾o̬̽͑͆ͤ̓̈́̾ ̝̖̖͑̀͒ͬ́̚ṁ̪̖̬̝̩̊͋ͨ̅̏e̒͒̐ for once in your life."

Her voice was quiet, but it was hard, it was angry, it meant business and seriousness, as it momentarily sounded far more horrifying at points, as her emotions burned, "What i've come here for, one," She rose a single finger, "Is to tell you, I'm tired of hiding my

f̬̺̳͕͖ͧ̈́ͅe̝̘̱ͤ̄͐̔e̲͉l͓͉̙̙̠͉i̜̹̱͍̪̓̈́̐̋̓ͣͅñ̜͍͉̜͎g̻̜̖̯̮͖̍ͤ͌͐̽͒s̻̯͉̗̭͍̤͌̈́ͮ͑͊̈́̚.̟̲̬̜͓͕͒ͫͅ I'm tired of being scared of you. You are a horrible person, and I don't want to be like you. I am afraid of becoming you, that's how fucking awful you are,"

She bore daggers into the woman, her breathing sharp as she got as much as she could into the woman's face, "And I know you know you're awful, but I just wanted to tell you to your goddamn face how terrible you are. Not only have you hurt me, but you've hurt your own people, and you've hurt people from realms beyond,
ẃ͈̤͑ͯͅȉ͔̞̘̳̫͖̍͆ͪ̍̇̌ṫ̜͈̩̳̺̝̘̇ͦ̈h̝̯̩͖̃̏͂͋ͣ̄ ̦̪͓ͥnͮ̄͒̂o̰̍ͭ̌̌͌̄ ̖̜͚̝͎ͅͅr̦̼̹̺͐͋e̦̊̔m̱͌o͈͙̝͙͊̔ͥ͑͒ͬr̙̞sͧ͗̿̂͋͑ë̞̲͖̣̲̦́. How, fucking, dare you."

"Two," Another finger rose, the word she spoke burning like acid past her lips, but she willingly tasted that, "You don't get to call my sister anything with the bullshit you've done. She's done nothing but be supportive and loving towards me, something you couldn't even be assed to do as a mother to both of us. A mother's basic fucking instinct is to love their children, how are you so much of a fuck up in that, Mama? Can you even feel love,
M̬̺͙͒̎̏͊̈͆a̱̩̟ͩ̓ͬm͓̫̪̲͖̩̺͊̑̌a̠͈̼̲̙͚̓̈?ͩ̒͗̂ Has even a single molecule in your being ever felt actual, true, clean love? I doubt it, with how soulless and black your heart seems to be."

"Three," Her anger persisted, as a third and final finger rose, "Yes, I am done being a 'liability', Mama, but you don't get to fucking touch me. You're far past the point of acting like you actually care, and even if you did act like you cared when I was just a newborn, I, heavily, doubt, it would be genuine. I don't need your help to be stronger, I don't need you to help me get as fucked up as the rest of our dysfunctional family, or anyone else's fuckuppery that you propagated. No matter how much I want to help you, and love you, and see you change, I cannot forgive and forget the bullshit you made me feel up til now."

She released a heavy sigh, leaning away from the woman as she stared at her, "So, you going to kill me for throwing your own crap back in your face?"

She breathed heavily, her chest feeling as if it were in knots and ties, her heart damn near beating out of her chest, as she waited in silence, silence, for this woman's reaction.

Spite was a tasty drink meant to be savored and indulged in the utmost of state of ecstasy. So how could Mana do nothing but give a hard laugh at the sudden eruption of contempt, anger and hate that her lovely little child held for her? However, it wasn't a mocking laugh. No. It was as if she were utterly and totally happy with the turn of events which unfolded before her very eyes.

"So you finally found your balls? Bravo. It took ya' long enough."

Those words were uttered with a mixture of joy, amusement, and indifference at the same time. It was hard for Mana to otherwise not be proud of her daughter at this moment as she had no desire to connect herself to something so weak former to this. And so, to see her cultivate this sense of raw hate is what The Queen wanted to see. This world has no patience for something so fragile and weak, so to give birth to this new state of being for Cali is something which Mana considered a success for her offspring to otherwise sustain itself in this world.

It is why she did not even bother to register the smack across her face as Mana held respect for those who could otherwise hold their ground against her and speak their mind. Hearing the blithering of mindless chatter from millions of spirits wishing to kiss her ass bored the Queen to tears. Many spirits lacked the conviction, gusto and will to hold her attention and this certainly brought Cali the audience she sought with the actions that she decided to take.

"Well, I'm listenin' now, but I hardly see what ya' want from me lil' one. I never once asked you to be scared of me, nor did I tell ya to hide ya feelings for me. Those are actions which lay squarely on your shoulders, child."

Of course, Cali was doing all that she could to lay down the verbal assault upon the heart of her mother, but they only were met with cold apathy to such sentiments of rage. The whole world held contempt for The Demonness, what was one more spirit to be added to that list going to do to her convictions? Even if that same soul was her own kin, it mattered not in the mind of The Queen as she already understood quite well where this path of chaos was going to lead her.

So to this end is why Mana broke the distance between the two, smiling all the while as she embraced her daughter into a gentle hug. One would expect her to otherwise begin with the torture, slaughter and utter hell to be unleashed by her daughter daring to otherwise rise her hand against her, speak out against her and hold contempt for the person who brought her life into this world. Yet, if one could read the inner heart of The Queen, there was nothing but happiness and pride felt in this moment as she began to move her pale fingers through her hair.

"Have I ever felt love in this forsaken heart of mine? Of course. I feel it's faint touch beating in my essence even now."

If one were to peer into the eyes of The Queen at this moment, they'd start to see the sight of blackened tears beginning to drip down her pale skinned face. Yet, despite this release of unfound grief, the woman still remained smiling. And why should she not smirk? The life she led was certainly not one of insignificance. Remembering the embraces of her sisters, the rise to power during her utmost highs and the burning love she once held for her wife Ashlei were memories that were beginning to flow into her mind.

Yet, as with all things, they were all turning into distant memories thrown to the hands of time. Indeed, Mana learned long ago that she would only have herself to rely on in this life when it came to the insanity of living an eternal life. There was no other spirit left in this universe which could ever begin to understand the depths of her chaotic mind. As even her own perception of reality started to blur when it came to making sense of where The Queen ended and where she began. But, what remained inside of her was that maddening will that sought to thrive and make merry of this game all the way to its bitter end.

So as she continued to hold Cali in this moment of prolonged silence, the tears reflected so many different aspects of herself that were divided into a ray of thousands of voices within her blackened heart. They mourned the times that had passed, the people whom she had loved, the monster she had developed herself into and hell still yet to come before her. In spite of that, however, the mania within her essence welcomed all the strife to come into her life as it was the responsibility she bared being a creature which represented a race of utter beasts and the epitome of chaos itself. To run away from it, hide from it and not embrace it would be her utter downfall and it is those feelings which bled into the air around them as The Queen savored this atmosphere of raw emotion.

"Who said I didn't deserve all of this, child? I comprehend quite well the karma I've reaped in this universe and expect it to come back to me in some form or another.

A grim laugh exited the now blackened lips of the demoness. Unlike her laughter before, there was a sense of dullness and ache to it which indicated there were contemplative thought being processed within her being; even if she were unconscious to it.

"But I will face it with a smile on myself none the less as my actions would be without meaning should I toss it to the wayside now, child. It is why I don't expect myself to beat you within an inch of myself, no. I expect you to want to rip my essence out of your life as it will only bring about your downfall, young one."

With yet another bleak laugh exiting her being, The Asthavon guided Cali's right hand to her chest. Then, with little warning, forced into her heart so that she may feel it's beating presence. Warm to the touch, each thump of this organ brought with it pulsations of power shimmering into the body of the child as it is indeed where she once came from.

"The greatest gift I could give you is independence. I've learned that attaching yourself to things in this life will only bring about a spoiled nature, dependence, and weakness. So depriving you of such things will force the conditions needed to bring about a powerful demon into this world that can stand on her own two feet and that is all a mother could ever hope for in her child."

As those passionate words of stern emotion continued to exit the mouth of The Queen, an emerald green energy started to flow from her heart and around the body of Cali as it seemed her mother's foul energy was attempting to bond itself to the body of its kin. Infusing its power was the intent that Mana yielded and the purpose of this would be uttered out aloud for Cali to understand:

"I don't care if you hate, I don't care if you act against me and I don't care what you do with it. I only care you are strong enough in mind, body, and spirit to sustain yourself in this world of chaos, strife and hell to otherwise have a quality of life I could not. And it is, for this reason, I feel you are apt to have this power from me."

With memories of the many people she has loved throughout the years flowing through her mind, the reflections of all their deaths, disappearances and demises came to mind as she could feel her own foul end nearing sooner as those blackened tears continued to fall on the pavement. Something was amiss within her heart, but it was something she came to peace with so long ago. As, if nothing else, she knew in the abyss of this universe's end is where she would meet her sisters of chaos. And, in the embrace of oblivion could she perhaps be united with the likes of Ashlei, Claire and so many others who held her warmth of affection.

So, to that end, Cali did not deserve to be attached to her cursed spirit. That is certainly a passing thought that was swirling within the mind of The Asthavon as she was kept willing herself to face a potential end to her lovely little game of life. And in this game of life, there are those who did not deserve to have their play through be ruined by the errors of the players that came before. Hence, by this twisted logic, her daughter was free to play this game without the burden of weight which came with being connected to the essence of madness.

"And even if you reject this power, I'm certain in this game of life Algos and others in the family will ensure you have a pleasant playthrough. As, even in the most bitter of ends, this game of life is meant to be savored and played through with the utmost of joy. Extract every bit of happiness from it. If you learn nothing else from me, that is what I want to leave with you, Cali."

With no other words or thoughts passing through her mind, Mana then wanted to confirm her child heard these words and understood them well.

"Do you understand, Cali? Take that contempt, take that will and use it to build a foundation of total glee to guide you through this chaotic existence we call our own."

Calypso didn't look away, she didn't scream, she didn't flinch. Her eyes burned into the woman before her, contempt, anger, rage, sadness, love, were mixing around inside of her, her fear barking in the back of her mind, however she pushed it right the hell back. She threw out her dealing, so she would be a complete idiot to back out of the consequences. She expected a brutal smack, hurting, tearing of flesh, something that would make her wish she would be dead, but..

No. No, no.

Something far more unexpected, and heart-throbbing happened. Calypso saw the woman move towards her, easily closing the gap between them. She expected pain, she mentally prepared herself to feel horrible, unending, terrible agony. She was ready, she even had the thought to scream for Algos, it was just that split second her mind boiled with how atrociously wrong all of this could have gone. The possible end of her life, or even worse, the possible end of her sanity...

But, that didn't happen. None of that happened. None of what her mind braced itself for happened. No, what happened was something she couldn't even imagine, and even less, brace for.

Her mother's loving, close embrace, and the glow of pride for her in that dark sea of emotions.

I've lost my mind. I've lost my mind and this is a hallucination happening while she's beating me to death.

Her mind immediately went to sheer disbelief. The person who had put very little investment into her, the person who was fully willing to hurt her, hurt others, and even hurt herself, was hugging her. There is no way that's true. No way, no, possible way...

I'm going to blink, and be covered in blood, with her laughing in my face at any moment...

Calypso didn't even realize she was crying, no sobs or chokes, but tears rolled down her shocked face, as she was in total silence, as Mana broke the silence that was established by such an action. Calypso looked up as she heard her mother's words, the girl's own eyes so full of shock, only to be filled with more as she saw her crying.

Her mother was CRYING.

..There's no way this is happening... This can't be happening.. I'm dying, aren't I? Come on.. Why am I not waking up? I must be dead by now, aren't I..?

Calypso's breath shuddered, as she still couldn't accept what was happening was reality, she heard her mother's words, she felt her body against her own, she saw her tears, but her mind kept screaming in disbelief. That this had to be a dream, that it was some deluded death fantasy where this woman actually showed pride and happiness and even the faintest flicker of love towards her. It was just her mind comforting her as she died, yet, her vision didn't darken, her life didn't seem to fade, her body didn't feel battered, the violent reality didn't seem to seep in at all. Golden tears ran down her face in volumes, her constantly blinking them away, wishing her mind to just let her see and feel what was actually happening already, until...

Until the woman had her rest her hand on her chest, and plunged her hand into her heart. The moment Caly felt her hand automatically clasp gently around the organ, feeling it's pulse, it's warmth, it's familiarity, she was forced to face facts, her labored breath finally releasing soft words,

"..Oh my god this actually happening."

She felt the energy leak out and around her being, almost beckoning to welcome it inside of her, but she wasn't sure if that was the shock, or what was actually happening. She was afraid to assimilate it, afraid this was some fucked up trick, but she couldn't help but keep listening to her mother. Listening to her words of not caring what she did with this energy she wished to bestow upon her, only caring about her being strong in all of her facets, and to have a better quality of life than she ever could.

She was dead silent as she listened to her mother, felt her emotions swirl and pulsate within her, feeling the pulse of her heart that prodded at shards of prenatal memory that she could barely comprehend, the form of someone she couldn't even remember if they existed. Her shock was beginning to subside into calmer feelings of sadness, anger, and love, as she finally began making sobbing noises, closing her eyes and tipping her head down, leaning her forehead slightly against her mother's breast as she finished speaking. Through hiccups and sobs, the girl finally spoke once more,

"I hate what you did. I hate it so much, but I couldn't help but still love you all this time. Sometimes I hated that I could still feel that towards you after everything you've done." The girl's speech was clearly forced through sobs, her free hand wrapping around her mother's waist, "..But.. I don't want you to suffer and die, Mama. I'd never wish that on anyone. I just wanted.. To help you... Love.."

Blue liquid trickled out of the side of Caly's mouth, clearly imitating saliva as she swallowed hard and continued speaking, "...Life isn't just a 'game', Mama. It's not just some thing to do for fun and get points and win a prize... Life is an experience, from the moment you're born, til you die..."

Her lip quivered, as she didn't dare tighten or remove her grip from her mother's heart, feeling it beat in her palm, refusing to sully and soil such a vulnerable moment, "It might sound like sugary sweet bullshit to you, but I want to life a life where I can be happy, and make others happy, and feel safe. Even if it's in our nature to be sinful beasts, we can be what we wanna be... Aren't I proof of that? That we don't have to feel the urge to destroy and fuck the world just because..?"

She looked back up at her mother's face, tears pouring from her eyes, "..I'm fully intent on righting the wrongs committed in our home. Even if everyone doesn't follow me, at least I tried to reach out."

Her attention was turned back to the energy lapping at her, goading to fuse with it's kind, her expression, while pained and fearful, was accepting.

"..I'll accept what you're offering me."

Reality mattered not to the woman in this moment of sentiment, mania, and depravity from letting the lessons of a bitter life consume the spirit of her spawn. There were millions of different energies, voices and spiraling in the infinite chasm of Mana's heart; yet the instinct of a mother of demonic kind grew to be stronger than all of that. Even the foul empress herself was not quite sure what was guiding these tears, words, and sensations; but something within her mad being knew it was something she needed to do before this war ceased to grant her daughter the fangs needed to consume all which may encounter her path in life.

"Ya did not deserve that pain I inflicted upon ye' spirit. All I desired was for you to be able to stand on your own without my assistance. Nothing more, nothing less, darling."

There were so many things which could be echoed into this maddening existence, yet those were the sentiments which dripped from the pale-skinned Queen's mouth as she tried to summon what flicker of love which still existed within the blackened and tarred heart of herself.

"Ya are still my kin, and even if I abuse n' torture ya, I won't allow that which has been birthed from being to be slain by this world. So from this cloth of bond we share as mother and daughter, ya' still have my ever insane love. Never forget that."

Downpours of the child's love brought forth visions of the woman the demoness used to be before being utterly consumed by the essence of mania. Recollections of the love she bestowed upon her sisters, brothers, family, and country were what brought the race of demons and the heart of the Asthavon to their blissful nirvana when they were at their peak. And, while whispers of insanity still danced around the corners of the woman's mind, the essence of The Asthavon still recalls such powerful sentiments in the core of her soul and refused to let that part of her cease to be in the depth of this depravity.

Yes, Mana had no qualms about the actions she executed to bring forth their prosperity, but losing that sense of guiding love through the depths of her chaos is what was lacking to bring forth the blossoming of a true kingdom of strength. Those who served under her, those who loved her and those who gave the sum-total of their life in the name of such a Queen yearned for something more to bloom in the decay of The Danava's mind.

So it is on the whims of these tender sentiments that Mana brought her attention back to the words spewing forth from the mouth of Cali. They were uttering notions of life being an experience, wanting a life where happiness is free and the urge to re-correct wrongs they've committed. And to that? Mana could only let out a soft laugh. The sins which were executed are a part of her existence as The Mad Queen and is something she is not one bit remorseful for. Yet, beyond that is a pride for her world and people which did want to do better as a ruler of her race and was trying to find the ability to command and lead them to something grander.

Hence, to that end, Mana held her hand on the head of Cali as she allowed her to touch, hold and feel her love. In this way, the flow of energy between the two created a connection to begin pouring in more of her raw demonic energy. Now with her intent fully visualized, the woman blocked off the maddening influence of her being to allow for nothing but the pristine energy of a demi-god to flow in her daughter's vein to taste the flavor of pure demonic strength.

"I don't regret a damn thing I've done to our enemies and to build our kingdom, sweetie. But, this maddening mind of mine has reclaimed enough of its self to say I am sorry for how I treated my family and kingdom...."

There was then a pause before her gem green eyes darted down to Cali once more before uttering these words:

"As your mother and Queen, ya words have reached far enough for me to consider where we will go from this point onward. I cannot assure a peaceful conclusion to this all, but I have the power to leed our race of sinful bastards to something more."

Calypso felt her heart skip a beat or two when Mana.. Actually admitted that she didn't deserve how the Queen had hurt her, once again admitting good intentions. But Caly knew all the well that the path to Hell was paved with good intentions.. In some cases far more literal than not. She had already squeezed out a lot of her aggression in her initial bout, and she was still recovering from the shock of her mother not pulverizing her for talking back in such a manner, and thus she kept quiet for a moment, to savor this closeness, even if it would only last for this moment. She couldn't truly have a normal mother, not at this point, and she could never feel like a child. It wasn't that she was robbed of such experiences, she never had them to begin with, and that was a fact she had long since made peace with.

All she could do now, was try to fix whatever tattered connections they had, and create something new.

She sensed those emotions, those feelings of nostalgia, sentiment, and love, but she felt a deep sadness that even such pure emotions were being tangled and tainted by the woman's inner madness. It was a sad thing to even vaguely sense, and made her wonder if her mother had ever truly experienced life without such a taint affecting her mind and thoughts. Her head bowed a small bit when the Queen placed an affectionate hand on her head, golden tears pooling in her eyes as a small smile was on her face. Despite it all, her mother actually made her feel something positive for once, even if her opinion of her had not completely changed.

Her body stiffened momentarily when she felt the rush of energy coming upon her being, pouring into her veins, kindling with her being. She relaxed within seconds, wide eyes shimmering much like true gold, her mouth slightly agape as she looked at her mother. She didn't feel scared or threatened, or like something had harmed her. She felt empowered by the rush she was given, as she was promised. She didn't quite know or understand what it had gifted her, but she knew she felt good.

"..Before we go onto anything else," The girl began, as she had remembered a crucial thing she needed to try, "A.. A friend of mine, had given me the ability to use.. Resolve Flame. It targets what you view as negativity inside of yourself, and.. Aids you in resolving it. If you want... I could try to use it on you and.. See if it could help against the out of control insanity in your mind.. I just.. I.."

The young one was tearing up as she held onto the thought, "Mama, I just... I don't want you to suffer, or die, even if you've done terrible things to many people. Even if you don't see anything wrong with this or that, I just.. Want to know for sure.. If I can save you..."

Altering the influence of her essence through external will? Nein. That wouldn't be allowed as far as the body of Mana was concerned. Mana was aware of what Resolve Flame was through the mutterings of her Seal of Eris and she'd be damned if that influence was going to have any effect on her body. All the scars, all the chaos and infinite madness which lay within the depths of her body are what made The Demon Queen who she was. To have such a whimsical and insulting ability attempt to strip that away irritated her being more than anything else.

"There is no need for such a damning technique. To allow that presence in my body is nothing more than a disgrace to the kingdom I've built within me. I'm a mad Queen, but I'll be damned if I'll allow another will to dictate the state of my perception of reality. If I lack that capacity to control my essence, then I deserve to die quite frankly."

In that instant, a fiery glow of emerald flames could be seen behind the woman's eyes as she thought of the deep reservoir of will which lies within herself. To otherwise subjugate the millions of spirits which call the vessel of her body home and to not lose herself in a cosmically infinite volume of madness took strength, power, and will of mind. In fact, reflecting on this fact caused something to swell within The Queen as a scowl reached over her face. Through her own instincts as a mother, Queen, and apex demon; there was no way she was going to lose to the beasts which lie within her conscious mind. Ergo, she was subjugating them one by one as a scream of power shrieked out around them.

When that moment of internal strife took place, Cali may outright feel the weight of an entire planet smashing into the air as it was a deafening roar of strength which spread throughout the chasm domain. And, although her royal power screamed with the savage pain of a mighty monster, the woman still stood before her daughter with a look of focus, intent, and desire as if she were her whole self and no other non-sense clouding her judgment and vision.

"We are all doing to die, darling. Being fearful of my death or your death is fruitless if you are so consumed in terror that you fail to savor the game of life and all it's pleasures while you breathe, live and exist in this realm of the living."

Those words were uttered with the utmost of command as she spoke them with outright grit as The Queen's right fist tightened, her power fluctuated and then eased as she had a slow breath exit her pale lips.

"So there is no saving me or you, but you can save the moment. You can release the inhibitions within yourself to speak boldly, take action and spread your demonic wings in this charred hell of an existence we live to seek something true, fulfilling and discover the pleasure living a life that is worth risking the abyss of death for."

Then, there was a pause before each of her batty wings spread from side to side as she held out her arms in one hugging gesture:

"Thus, from what I can tell, all you desire is my love in this finite time you have to exist. And if that's the case: quit wasting this precious time and hug me as there is no telling when either of us will become ash to the sands of time."

Caly's heart sunk in response to her mother's response, but she understood, nodding her lowered head softly. She had no intention of forcing it upon her if she did not desire to touch it, and if Ulv objected to giving her mother a choice, then that was her issue. She wouldn't bring upon something like Resolve Flame forcefully on anyone. As the two were left in silence, Calypso still feeling the pulsation of the new flow of energy within her being, the young demon was surprised when a sense of swelling seemed to come from within her mother, a shriek of power soon following which caused the gentle one to squeeze her eyes shut and tense.

She would have been brought to her knees with the second sensation if she didn't force herself still; it felt like she had the wind knocked out of her for a moment, the youth momentarily gasping for air and coughing into her hand as the air suddenly felt all the heavier. It just gave her a new reminder of the power gap between them, and made her wonder how overwhelming it was to gain such a force. Her body remained stiff, her coughs growing gentle, as her golden eyes fixed on her mother as her hand covered her mouth as she listened to her words. She still felt anger towards this woman, despair, sadness, hopefulness, a need to protect, it was a confusing, conflicting collage of emotions that flip flopped up, down, left, right, and upside down. She had no idea what to think of her mother at the moment, but her previous actions still gave reason for resentment. But.. Right now...

She laughed.

Her coughing from the sudden overwhelm in the air had morphed into tired laughter, at first muffled by her hand but soon was allowed to be free, her hand moving to the center of her face as she was kneeled over, slowly removing her hand that had remained in her mother's chest far too long, the bloodied limb falling to her side as blue liquid trickled out of the side of her mouth.

"...Oh god this got so freakin' dreary. I didn't think you of all people could dip so deep into glass half empty type words.. Sheesh there's a buttload of 'death' talk here."

She pulled the pale woman in for a tight hug, still laughing softly and hoarsely as golden tears ran down her face in copious amounts, just wanting to savor this moment as if it were going to be the one and only time her mother would ever show her love.

"...Hahahaha, holy shit you're so fucked up, I can't say i'm any better, i'm a sad freakin' mess." Her laughter slowly transitioned into actual full on crying as her face rested against the woman's chest, "..God i'm a freakin' mess, couldn't even keep the wounded fuckin' alive. Couldn't even... Stop a group from getting fucking slaughtered for absolutely nothing. I fucking suck at doing shit."

Caly would be devolved into quiet crying as her inner feelings were forced to spill out in what became a far more vulnerable moment, for her in the least.

A howl of laughter soon echoed back at Cali the instant she started to grace the cosmos with her chuckles. She is speaking with the Empress Of Chaos And Madness: to not be able to have a gesture of jovial mania when they are cut from the same cloth as ultimately inevitable. It is why The Queen could have no sense of offense as the grand-scale of the absurdity that the two were infused within was more than a universal joke to her.

"I'm fuckin' insane, but I ain't a glass half empty person, darlin'. As far as I'm concerned, those words are half-full and they most certainly aren't full of bullshit."

To believe her own creed was to be a weak-willed simpleton in the mind of Mana. Lacking the heart to stand for what it is in this world which you embody is a sure way to find your essence consumed by the utter savagery that exists within this existence. So, to guard against that, The Queen relished her sick sense of pride, will, mania and depravity that was bundled into the foul vessel and temple of satanic power which was her devilish body and essence.

Of course, that was before she turned her observation away from herself and toward the tangible reality of her daughter holding her. And, in this motherly way, the demoness gave her kin a smothering hug. As it felt like the radiating heat of her spirit dripped the extract of its bountiful might against the skin of Cali. Yet, at the same time, it should feel all but familiar considering she herself came from this void of unending mania. So what is there to fear behind a power which created your very life? It should feel nothing but right to be embraced by the womb once more.

"Tears, laughter; they are all the same. Ya can't help the insanity which comes with having a sinister blessing of will, power, and choice. Many have died in my name in this miserable farce of a war we are in, yet I hold no misery n' woe in my heart as their spirits, energy, and power will be recycled and made anew soon enough."

And indeed, there was the thought of what she should do with her subjects and if the battle waging forth on Earth was even worth her time anymore considering the grand-scale which her kingdom reached. There was certainly a myriad of important decisions that the Queenly Ego within herself needed to execute when she was done here, but for the moment she'd move her hand through the shadowy depths of her daughter's hair and uttered these words to her:

"So if ye' have time to cry, ye' have time to savor their lost n' perhaps use the energy of the dead to carry you into victory with this life. Ya can cry in my arms if ya want, but I'd be pissed if the person I put my hopes into wasted my life and did nothing with it, s'ugah"

She felt her mother return the hug, and that all too nostalgic feeling came rushing back up, almost as if she remembered vague hints of her days within this woman, before birth. It wasn't enough to cure the sadness weighing her heart, and the encroaching, mysterious thoughts and feelings wrapped in darkness she hid underneath lock after mental lock. Event after event made those chains and locks feel like they were loosening and weakening, her unaware was beginning to come into her aware. Even so, despite the worsening nightmares, she hid it, as she always had.

Her mother's statement, which sounded more like she simply didn't care, and would extract whatever was useful of them to her, rather than caring for their individuality, caused a reaction in Calypso, within this close embrace. Her fingers, who were resting peacefully against the woman's back a moment ago, were now digging into and gripping her back tightly, a flash of intensity within the young one's eyes as her sheltered feelings were allowed to bubble up once more.

"I can't think like you."

Her voice was soft as her head rested against her mother's shoulder, her grip slowly loosening as she packaged her desires and kicked them into the dark recesses of her mind, she had many intense desires she held back through this exchange, and despite her mother's calls to set herself free and wild, she couldn't. Even with this new feeling coursing through her veins, she still held herself.

"I absolutely, can't. Everyone is their own individual, and if what makes them them dies, then that's it, that's a whole person gone. And to me, that's probably the worst thing to witness. The light fading from their eyes, the stillness of their corpse... It's too much f-for me, especially since my concepts are tied to the mind..."

Her other hand moved to her mother's side, her grip stiff as the girl could easily be felt to be trembling and shaking. Tears continued to run down her face, "...I can't use them like that, I don't think I can, i'm too scared to... I'm too scared... But you just keep pushing me, huh..?"

Her grip would tighten, as her breath shortened, "..I just want to be honest, for a moment.. Even if I hate it," Her breath was shaky, "Even if hitting you felt good, it was nowhere near what I wanted to do. It was nowhere near as satisfying as what I had in mind.. Honestly.. I wanted to tear you apart. I wanted you to feel punished for how you made me feel. But... I.."

She broke the hug, placing both hands on her head as tears came down, but she had a frightened smile on her face, "Am I bad for wanting that?! I don't want to be bad, I don't want to hurt anyone, but it just sounded like what would make me happy, but is that even real?! I don't understand, i'm supposed to be peaceful, so why do I want that?! Why do I want to crush you and make you feel hurt so badly?!"