Prompt was pulled from here.

“Write a story about an unsympathetic main character.”

Doesn’t have to be long, but there is no limit. The goal is to expand your character diversity. Maybe experiment on that one villain’s backstory here?

I’m going to take this opportunity to work out some character depth for the villain in my novel, who, right now, I’m calling Lorna. Feel free to leave any feedback and post your own!

Lorna’s people altered the cosmos. Each was dedicated to a different element, alignment, rotation – any component that operated the fabric of existence. Particularly lucky, Lorna controlled the speed of time, making her the most powerful of her race. It gave her a superiority complex and a generally condescending attitude.

Elitist, she only flocked with six others—ones she deemed to have powerful abilities; nobody else deserved to be blessed with her company. One day, she hoped that her magnetic personality and charm would sway them to join her cause.

One day, she hoped for ultimate power. For now, she had yet to attain the capability of containing ultimate power within her own flesh. Slowly, over the past several years, Lorna had charmed lovers into donating their powers willingly. The unwilling had suffered.

Denying her, Lorna froze the time surrounding them, leaving them with desperately empty lungs between natural breaths. Unable to draw in more precious air and left only to meet her cold stare, they would either meet her demands between torturous holds, or they would stubbornly die, and she would absorb their ability.

Thus far, she had gained the power to shift the constellations, manipulate a being’s center of gravity, and the power to bend and refract the light surrounding her. Holding the power was invigorating at first, but after absorbing the third power it felt as if her skin might burst.

Needing time to adjust, she had turned her efforts to manipulating her comrades. Julius, her favorite by far, seemed the most willing to hear her out. Today the pair took a stroll together through their home city, Jupieor, window shopping.

“Julius, love?”

He hummed in acknowledgement, running a hand through his thick, dark hair.

“Do you think that you would ever consider marriage?”

He gave her a scornful look with his molten golden eyes, exhaustion etching his immortal face.

“Lorna, we’ve talked about this. We wouldn’t be a good match.”

“And why not?” Her voice was cold and clipped. She was tired of his refusal. The two most powerful beings in the world belonged together.

“Because,” he hissed impatiently, “we don’t have similar taste. You like to be in charge. But I am my own ruler.” He gave her a sly look that reminded her why she desired him so intensely.

“My women belong to me, not the other way around.”

His tone made her quake, but she never could deny that he was right in that regard. Their interest and lust for feeling powerful clashed too deeply, neither of them willing to submit to the other’s desires.

Lorna rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to retort when she collided with someone. A snarl came from her lips and her face screwed into a sneer.

“Watch where you’re going,” she barked. Her icy eyes fell upon a child who was gazing up at her with a deep fear in his eyes and a quivering lip.

A small voice started to offer a teary apology.

“I don’t want apologies, I want excellence. Remove yourself from my sight.”

Lorna was well known among her people and treated like royalty everywhere she went. The fact that this parent hadn’t bothered to teach their child proper etiquette was infuriating.

The child ran, and Lorna decided it best to find his parents and have a long conversation about unattended children.

“Julius, pet, you’ll have to excuse me.” She kissed both of his cheeks airily and turned to stalk her current prey as it ran from her. This would certainly help with the sting of Julius’s fresh rejection.