Hatred and fear overwhelmed the mind of Neske Felelem. She was supposed to be a proud and powerful vampire mistress over hoards of undead, sworn to exterminate the living wherever they should appear. Her master was the only one deserving of ruling over this kingdom and whatever remained of the living when their takeover was done. Humans especially were worthy of scorn, their breeding causing them to spread over the land like a plague.

Then there were the goddesses. Those ultimate forms of the world's nature that manifested in an ever despotic attempt for life to govern itself. What better to serve as proof of life's ultimate futility than the ones that serve as its pinnacle falling so easily into madness and tyranny. At least the dead when left alone were peaceful in their eternal sleep. The greatest regret of death surely its dependency on life to exist. That was Neske's greatest regret at least.

Why then would her master, the near all-powerful mage and undead savant Barthenor, stoop as low to co-operate with a goddess? She knew her master well from her years of service and when questioned he gave no hints that there was some alternate plan. Surely in seeking survival some deference to such overwhelming might was understandable. But to wholly supplicate himself before one of the ultimate enemy's number was simply beyond her understanding. If she didn't know any better she'd think her master actually respected this young goddess.

Here in the vast goddess domain Neske remained a prisoner alongside her beloved master, the immense castle serving as a place for the goddess to toss dissidents to be forgotten. Yet strangely the little girl came to visit them on frequent occasion, even allowing mage guests to meet with her master to converse. Jenna had even offered to allow the vampire visitors but of course there were none who wished to meet her, nor would she have accepted such pitiful charity from a goddess.

So here in constant loneliness and fury did the vampiress wile away her days. Her master had begun to leave with the goddess to go off on social visits and she felt her connection with him slipping away. Would she be forgotten by even her beloved? If only he loved her back, if only they could share their feelings openly with each other. Perhaps it was the lack of blood that made her mind frazzle so. She got not nearly enough blood from the goddess's pity feedings.

The fact the goddess gave her any blood at all was surprising she admitted. It was human blood, though from who she had no idea outside a healthy adult male and female in combination. Two hapless victims of the goddess no doubt. Likely forced into servitude as living blood casks. No different than what Neske would do herself of course which only made her hate Jenna more. The high riding morality claimed by the goddess proven to be naught but hallow proclamation.

Thus did the days pass by for the pitiful vampiress, her sadness and anger growing by the day. So did she cling ever tighter to the man she adored, his aura of undeath ever luring her into his embrace. Though she felt him grow distant she had a small light of hope that she could pull him away from these new pursuits and things could go back to the way they had been before. She had enjoyed such little time as his primary minion after all.

It was on a typical day in the goddess's castle that Neske's experienced something she had never dreamed of expecting. While she sat there watching her master reading some matter of tome the goddess came for her. Jenna had barely spoken to her more than a handful of times and now she was seeking her out specifically. The vampire wondered if she was to be destroyed and anxiety gripped her heart.

The door to the small and strange “modern house” opened and there stood Jenna in all her radiant glory. She quickly dimmed the light of her hair and stepped inside.

“Heyo!” She said with her usual overly happy smile. “Like I said I'm here for Neske.”

Barthenor didn't answer and instead merely nodded. He continued reading through the book he had on the table in front of him. Neske on the other hand leapt up from the chair she had been sitting on and rushed to her master's side with a look of anger and fear.

“You shan't take me so easily!” Neske shouted. “Vile scum!”

Jenna looked puzzled at first but then stepped forward with a small grin on her face. She shook her head and shrugged her shoulders.

“Relax will you?” She said calmly. “I'm not dusting you or something. I just want to take you out for your own little field trip.” She looked to the lich. “That's fine with you Barthenor?”

Barthenor stopped reading his book and turned to look at the goddess, nodding his head respectfully.

“Yes young miss. Feel free to take her wherever you so please.”

Neske's eyes widened as her face became overcome with shocked distress. She took a step back from her master as the weight of the betrayal set in on her heart.

“M-Master!” She stammered. “Y-You can't mean this! You'd give me away to this- this monster?”

Jenna put her hands on her hips and her eyes began glowing brightly. A serious frown appeared on her face for a moment.

“I am a goddess!” She firmly said. “The goddess of your master and therefore your goddess. You will obey me!”

Barthenor went back to reading his book as if his disinterest mirrored that of an annoyed parent. He simply shook his head briefly before speaking to the still stunned vampire. His voice was its characteristic hallow tone.

“Do as the goddess says. If she meant to destroy you she would have long ago. It is my wish you do this.”

Neske swallowed hard but otherwise was still completely stunned. She simply stood there staring at her master in confusion at what was happening. Had this disgusting little cretin somehow overcome his brilliant mind with some manner of magical spell? No. He sounded himself so why would he want this. There was no escaping this if it was his will however and she turned to the goddess, her head hung in defeat.

Jenna smiled as if knowing the torturous pain it spiked in the vampire's heart, like a sharp dagger piercing the flesh to be twisted cruelly. Her eyes stopped glowing and her right hand dropped to her side.

“There you see? Come on then little missy. I have some homework for you.”

Neske simply shuffled over towards the goddess with her head still hung low. She intended to follow Jenna while looking up at her as little as possible, such was the immense shame she felt.

“Well that looks depressing.” Jenna mentioned with sigh. “Well if you're intent on looking like that the whole time I won't stop you. Follow me outside and I'll explain the situation.”

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With silent obedience Neske followed after the young girl as she walked from the house again. She did look back on her master one last time however as her heart sank, wondering truly if she would ever see him again. Fighting against the goddess was hopeless so she really had no choice but to accept her fate.

Once the two of them had left the house the door closed on its own, the result of the goddess's magic. Thus separated from the lich Jenna lifted her arms and crossed them over her chest as she looked up at the vampire's face.

“I'm aware you don't like me Neske.” She said in an almost gentle voice. “But if you're going to acclimate to the world you're going to have to get over it to certain degree.”

Neske hissed under her breath as she stood there still looking downwards. Her fists clenching.

“I'll never stop hating you.”

Surprisingly in response Jenna didn't smite the vampire down or even attack her in any way. She instead sighed and shook her head, her arms once again dropping to her sides.

“Listen Neske. I'm not expecting you to do that alright? You can go on hating me as much as you want. Your master seems to have gotten over his hatred but if you don't want to that's whatever to me.” She then lifted her left hand and waggled her finger. “What I wont tolerate is your hatred of mortals. That's going to come to an end if you ever want to leave your prison.”

A look of confusion came over Neske's face once again, an overwhelming feeling she had been experiencing an annoying amount since the goddess had arrived today. Her mind raced with all the implications of this command. Why she was being told this and how it might serve the goddess's plots. Did she have any idea what an impossible task she was asking?

“Wh-Wha?” Neske looked up at the goddess. Then her face twisted into anger. “You really expect me to...” Her voice raised in anger. “No! I'll do no such thing!”

Jenna was tapping her left foot and dancing her fingers on her right thigh. She then continued speaking ignoring the vampire's outburst.

“As I was saying that hatred is unhealthy.” She said rather calmly. “The irony of your hatred isn't lost on me either. You require the blood of mortals to survive and that reliance only feeds into your hatred, part of which is directed at yourself for this supposed failing.” She then shrugged and walked around Neske. “As a goddess I too am reliant on mortals to a certain degree. Hating them would only cause me suffering. I'm aware your past with them has been unpleasant but you just can't keep hanging onto that anger. It hurts you more than its worth.”

Neske watched the little girl walking around her with a narrow glare. Her breath was hissing between her barred teeth as she seethed internally. When she spoke it was in a tone of subtle rage.

“How dare you stand there and speak to me as if you know me. Where were your kind when I cried out that night for salvation?”

Jenna had finished walking around the vampire in a circle and was once again standing in front of her. There was a strange look in her eyes, not one of judgment but rather of pity. Her hands were on her hips again.

“You think I don't struggle with my own anger issues?” Jenna asked flatly. “Did I ask to come to this world where goddesses are so thoroughly hated? Everyone and their dog has a bad experience with goddesses that makes them hate me before they even meet me! You think that's a nice feeling little lady?”

Neske's fury subsided for a brief moment as her mind processed that information. She honestly had never thought about that before. It didn't change the fact this goddess was just like all the others however she reminded herself. Her anger welled up within her again but she remained silent.

“Look vampire.” Jenna continued with another sigh. “Bad things happened in the past. I get it ok? But you have to move on sometime! You hate goddesses, you hate mortals. Some meanies were mean to you long long ago. This is the present girly! Let go of your hatred! You could have a future with your master in a brand new world!”

These lines of thought were actually starting to make sense to Neske and she felt herself wondering if this goddess could be right. No! It was all a trick! She steeled her heart and stood up tall, looking down on the little girl with her chin held high.

“Don't seek to twist my mind with your honeyed words.” She sneered. “It may have worked on my master but I'll find a way to undo your control. I've seen what mortals are capable of! You know just as well as I they are evil filth!”

Jenna lifted her left hand to her chin and looked up at the proud vampire thoughtfully.

“So what you do to mortals is justified then?”

Neske's voice rose and she stomped her right foot in anger.

“I am above them!”

This outburst brought a smirk to Jenna's face and was wholly unexpected by the now surprised vampiress.

“And I'm above you.” Jenna replied. “Your point was?”

Suddenly the little girl expanded in size, growing bigger and taller until she loomed above as the two-hundred foot tall titan she truly was. Then before the vampire could even react she reached down and scooped up Neske in the palm of her hand. Neske tried to fight and escape but the strength of the fingers above her were simply too much.

Jenna's sigh was now much louder as the first booming step echoed upwards from the ground far below. The goddess started walking through the room at speeds a human could only dream of. However as she went she opened her palm to allow the vampire to see the world around her once again, though filtered through the giant fingers that stood above like trees.

“Let me tell you a secret.” Jenna said calmly. “No living thing is above another really. All life is equal in value.”

Neske opened her mouth to point out the absurdity of that statement but the goddess cut her off before she could speak.

“Now I know what you're thinking.” Jenna continued. “Obviously some creatures are more powerful than others. Birds are more powerful than ants, humans so above birds, and things like a goddess above mortals. That increase doesn't make a being have more worth but rather have more responsibility.” She looked down to the vampire in her palm. “Which is worse really if you think about it. The more responsibility you have the more harsh the judgment you get for it after your end.”

Neske looked up at the looming face of the young goddess and frowned in frustration. The words she were hearing made such little sense. What manner of judgment was this goddess talking about? That one would be judged for the use of their power? She stood up upon the huge palm and got her balance in the soft skin.

“You cannot be serious little goddess.” She said almost as a question. “Is the fear of some judgment supposed to make those with power treat those below them well? Preposterous. Those with power should enjoy it. To whom do I owe responsibility to?”

Jenna let out a small giggle which boomed around the vampire in her hand. She stopped walking and looked down with a smile.

“Isn't that the mindset of the goddesses you so hate?” Jenna asked gently. “Are you saying you're just like them? Wanting to abuse anyone weaker than you for your own pleasure? Didn't know you agreed with those goddesses so much. Unless you're just jealous you can't be them.”

After hearing that Neske stopped to look down at her feet. This was another line of thought she simply hadn't gone through before. But so what if she was just like the goddesses? She was allowed to hate them for having more power than her wasn't she? Having more power meant you deserved to abuse those below you! It was the way of nature. She looked up again and crossed her arms over her chest in defiance.

“The strong dominate the weak. It is the way of nature!”

Jenna sighed slowly and smiled again. Her gaze lifted forward as she started walking again.

“Maybe that's just what everyone's tricked themselves into thinking in their struggle for survival. You and I are largely outside the circle of life. We have a chance to use our power to institute real and positive change. Maybe if you tried out helping those weaker than yourself you'd like it.”

Neske huffed and turned her head to the side.

“I truly doubt it. Helping insects is beneath me.”

This response got another small giggle out of the goddess as Jenna once again closed her fist over her prisoner. There was no escape from her powerful fingers as she spoke in an almost playful manner.

“I'm not giving you a choice little lady.” She said with a smirk in her voice. “There's a group of mortals I'm having you apologize too whither you like it or not.”

There was the sound of rushing wind as a massive portal was opened before Jenna, though Neske could only infer this from the immense power it radiated. The vampire struggled and howled against the huge and powerful fingers that constricted her but it was no use. She was helpless as her jailer took her along to this unknown location.