"You overestimate me Symone. In no world, with any level of power could I best that woman."
"You underestimate yourself Trinity. In the centuries I've known that woman, I've never once seen her devote such energy to someone. To go so far to take you in, care for you and spoil you so generously…it's nothing short of a miracle. When Amlith wants to simply use someone or capture their loyalty, she will simply dominate them into submission. She will dominate them in every sense of the word, until they no longer think for themselves and think only of her every moment of their lives. She could've easily done the same to you, yet she allows you free will."
"Well, that's obviously because she wanted to manipulate me into thinking working with her was my decision. She knew I'd fight against her no matter what domination tactic she used on me, so she decided to take the diplomatic route. I killed my father because I finally decided I would not allow anyone to take ownership of me again. I'd let her kill me before I ever let her enslave me."
Symone shakes her head. "Yes, there's that, but you still don't understand. Even if you'd allow her to kill you without resistance, she'd have just forcibly dominated you in the end. She could have dominated you at any point she wanted. She could've dominated you the moment you dared to ask for your independence. She's the Princess of Hell and a powerful Overlord on top of that. Her powers are beyond your comprehension or belief. Even I could be dominated by her if she so desired, but I'm the only one she's never cared to do so, not until you. You've moved her heart."
"I'm not sure I truly buy it, but let's say you're right. Do you resent me for that? Do you have disdain for me because I've moved her heart in some way that not even you could manage to?"
"My, you're quite bold when you wish to be, aren't you?" She grins. "Well, I don't dislike that." She gets to her feet and stares out the window in reflection. "I wanted to hate you to be honest. When I realized that you were more than just another plaything for her, and not just a simple impulse she'd soon grow tired of, I felt frustrated. Admittedly, while not the main reason, that feeling drove me carry out my plans for your attack. I thought, if I could best her little pet, then she'd finally have to take me seriously. Why use you for her scheme when I'm more powerful? We could overtake this domain and create a new world order with just the two of us together."
"True, but then she'd become the villain. She would be seen as the wicked tyrant who dared to break the status quo and the one who brought turmoil to the domain of Hell. It'd be her fault that Heaven would declare war on Hell and attack with their legion of forces. She'd be a monster."
"Amlith wants to be in control and dominate everything in the existing realm, but she doesn't want to be called wicked. She probably told you, but Hellions are quite vain. Amlith's the vainest of all. She wants to be seen in a favorable light and praised for her excellence and might. She wants to be the object of everyone's attention and garner all of their affection for only her own gain. She wants to rule over this entire realm as someone highly revered and respected. She essentially wants to be like her mother, who's an icon and beacon of hope to all Hellions alive."
"So when she comes across a worthless sinner who happens to contain an extraordinary level of power over her kind and can eradicate her fellow sinner, of course she must use it for her gain. She will care for her, spoil her, train her and make her into a true warrior who can dominate this sinner domain. Then she will use her to carry out her will, until her desired outcome is reached. Then, after this sinner 'tyrant' has amassed unprecedented power and standing that's enough to be considered a threat, the Princess of Hell will swoop in and 'neutralize' her and take over the sinner domain as a gesture of grace for the 'poor, unfortunate, souls' who fell victim to their queen. She'll be seen as a righteous and compassionate leader, and no one will oppose her reign because no one wants to deal with such a troublesome group of mediocre and inferior humans."
Symone stares at Trinity with a genuine gaze of awe and admiration. "I wanted to hate you, I truly did." Symone walks over to Trinity and gently adjusts a hair behind her ear as she gazes at her with affectionate eyes. "But then I came to understand just what it was Amlith sees in you and how you managed to move her heart. It's the same thing that has moved mine and led me to look upon you with a fondness I'd only ever given to one. That night showed it to me clearly, and since then, I haven't been able to look at you in the same light." Her eyes grow heavy with desire and her lips quiver, as though they're beckoning Trinity forward to take them as she will.
Trinity can feel the heat rising between them, but Sinae's firm tug to her jacket snaps her out of it and reminds her of the promise she made. She ran away from this city and then she inadvertently caused the sinners left behind to succumb deeper into misery and despair. As a result, this city became what it is today, and she's certain the other circles aren't much better. She has to make it right, no matter what it takes and how tyrannical she must become, even against her own people.
She firmly pushes her away. "As I said, I'm keeping you at an arm's length for now, until I'm sure I can trust you. What you've told me only solidifies that necessity. I won't be fooled twice."
Symone grins with amusement. "As you should. That was a test of your resolve. You passed it."
"Sure, let's go with that." She turns her back and walks over to the altar. She looks up to gaze at the moonlight through the glass roof. "I've only recently discovered how brightly the stars shine. To be such a place of darkness and damnation, there's pockets of beauty and peace in abandoned places. This cathedral is serving as a sanctuary for the lost souls of the sinners here. It's what it's meant to be, just the same as those present in the realm of the living. Yet the sinners are here because they didn't make use of such cathedrals there and sought their own path to freedom."
"Yes, well humans are rather irrational beings. Be it in the land of the living or this realm in-between, they will always act on their impulses and emotions over reason. It's their weakness."
"Or their strength." Trinity opposes Symone's declaration. "Humans are certainly weak and emotional, which often leads them to act against their best interests. They become victims and easy prey to those who have more power and authority. However, those people are not their true enemy. Their true enemy is themselves. Humans are at greatest risk to their own inner demons and the weakness of their own minds. It's what allows the powerful to overcome us even though they're actually weak. I realized it as I drove the knife through that man's wicked heart. He was weak and feeble. Even without my Death Sinner powers, I could've killed him if I sought to."
"If you feel that's true, then why not kill him sooner? Why allow him to torment you so deeply?"
"Because I hadn't yet overcome my true enemy. When I killed myself the first time out of misery and helplessness, it was to escape my father. However, when I killed myself for the second time, my father was already dead. So who was I trying to escape at that point? I realized my true enemy was my own mind. It was the thing that kept me trapped, so I killed it, and it set me free."
Trinity turns to gaze behind revealing dark eyes of reckoning. It gives Sinae a chill and compels Symone to smile. "Amlith wanted to make me into the perfect villain, so that she could be the hero who saves the day. So, I'll give her what she wants. I'll become a villainous tyrant, clean up the filth in this city, and save the worthiest sinners from themselves, even if I must do it by force. However, I'll become a villain against all of you too. Hell, Heaven…even the universe itself."