Alabastrine Shrine

Venom knew not long after her talk with Sirius and Hattori that she too had become infected with the strange illness. Crystals began to sprout from her, most notably along the right side of her face. They were glowing hues of sunset, much like her eyes, shifting from deep purples to pinks and reds. The same glowing liquid seeped from the wounds they made and Venom’s mind seemed much more foggy because of it. Yet she still had her job to do. Venom remained the Empress and she would not shirk her duties. She would not be locked away like her husband, she would see this through until she could no longer.

Even through her work the woman’s mind was on her husband, and she could much more fully understand where he was in his own head. There was something very wrong with this disease and it was affecting him in ways Venom would have never imagined. Her trust in him was waning, and right now there was no relying on him, it was solely up to Venom to keep the Empire on its track. A task becoming more and more difficult as she faced the challenges alone. Something she never expected after marrying her partner.

White gloved paws carried her on the border of Ashen, near the trail that would take her towards Plague’s home. She hesitated there, debating altering her route to see him, but hesitant in case she was contagious. Venom would hate herself if she did anything to hinder Plague’s efforts to become a father.

Plague had been away from the pack more than he had been there for the last little bit, he and his two lovers practically glued together after the first night that they began trying for the litter that they hoped for. It was all a bit of a blur of love and passion now, a series of events that had taken the relationship between him, Void, and Rava into a direction he never would have expected, but now he was more confident than ever about bringing these pups that they were now certain that they were now expecting into this world. Rava was far more than just their friend or surrogate and even though he was still figuring out where his love for her fit into things he had no doubt that he wouldn’t want anyone else to be the mother of their children.

Now that they were certain Rava was expecting, Plague knew that he needed to return to his usual duties, but even more than that he could hardly contain his excitement at getting to tell his sister the news. He pulled on his armor and headed off toward Ashen to find her and do his usual patrols, already planning on hurrying back to Void and Rava. As he neared the border he caught his dear sister’s scent on the breeze and his ears perked, wondering how he got so lucky in not having to hunt the bust Empress down. However, when he spotted her his grin disappeared and a worried frown took its place. ”Venom?!” he called as he rushed toward her, skidding to a stop in front of her and lifting a paw toward her cheek that wasn’t covered in a growth of crystals, his stomach twisting into knots as he gently turned her head so he could get a better look. ”What… what is all this?” he questioned softly, not knowing if she’d have answers for him or not.

Plague | Viridis | Procella

Sunset eyes gazed towards Plague’s home outside of pack lands, the crystals on her face obstructing her vision with the pulsing glow emitting from them. She didn’t even see Plague until she heard his voice. Her attention snapped to him as he approached, concern written all over his features as everything else was forgotten.

Plague fussed over her, lifting a paw to her cheek gently as he worried over the wrongness of the illness that took her. ”Plague,” she returned softly, her speech affected by the crystal growth. She allowed him to manipulate her features as he asked what had happened. She lightly shook her head in his paw. ”The curse. It's spreading everywhere. My husband, my children…” Her eyes squeezed shut, or did as well as they could through the crystals. ”I don’t know if the Empire can survive this.”

Dread filled his gut has Venom explained how this curse or illness or whatever this could be defined as has spread to her, Hattori, and their children. He wanted to ask about Ike and Iki, but he was afraid to know the truth. Imagining the girls suffering because of this… it made him sick to his stomach. His frown deepened when she said how she wasn’t sure the Empire could survive this and his jaw clenched as his paw brushed her ear gently and eyed the glowing crystals that encrusted her face. He had been so sure and determined that no matter what happened he would bring their children into this world and now it was too late to stop it, but this worried him. What if this curse spread to Void or Rava or their children…

He gave a little shake of his head, letting his paw fall from her face. No, he couldn’t think like that. He clung to the assuredness he had when he began this journey to reach for parenthood and held on to the hope that life would go back to normal sooner rather than later. ”It will survive,” he told her quietly, giving her a firm look and a small nod. ”Even if I have to lead it myself, it will survive. I promise you that.” He gave a slightly more worried glance to the crystals and ooze that seeped from her wounds and added, ”And you’ll survive this. You have to. I need my sister, your children need their mother, and… and my children will need their aunt.”

Plague | Viridis | Procella

Despite her cloudy mind and cloudy eyes Venom could see one thing very clearly and that was how valuable her brother really was. He’d stuck at her side after all of their close family fell away. Archon, Pestilence, Deathbelle, Toxicity, and Calamity. They’d were all that remained and it would be their families that pushed Ashen onwards into the future. Venom didn’t know if she would be among those who saw the next dawn. She’d seen what happened to her husband and she feared deeply what would happen to her children.

Plague held her cheek and assured her that the Empire would not die. They would adapt, they would make due, they would survive. Even if Plague had to take the helm himself the pack would continue and thrive. They would overcome this curse, the sun would have to return someday. Life as they knew it was not over. But maybe hers was. Sirius had begged to keep her safe, Plague offered himself in her stead, maybe this would be the end of her reign.

Her Daimyo didn’t seem to think it so. He assured her she would pull through, she was strong and could handle the curse. She had to, for more than herself, her children, the pack… But for Plague’s children too. Venom grinned as best she could, but the crystals made everything difficult. ”I have to get better.” Venom vowed, to Plague and the nieces and nephews he’d bring.

Venom

You get the runs. It glows.


You gain:

• Mushroom (1)- Used in Firefly's Shoppe, and perhaps elsewhere...