weaving crossroads

Venom held her daughter tightly to her, seeing her so absolutely unsettled tore her cold heart apart. This was not Ikigai, and she hated that she had to experience this. That she had gotten so worked up. She didn’t have any desire to tear down Iki’s trust in her aunt, but she also couldn’t stand to see her like this. Her whole life she believed that she was a goddess in mortal form, but it was more of an afterthought to Venom. She hadn’t devoted her life to living in Abraxas shadow, she had taken her opportunities to lead the pack and create her own greatness. She didn’t need her godly roots to do that.

Ikigai continued, releasing everything on her that had been welling up inside. She didn’t want her family to be damned for not believing in the being those of the Abraxas name followed. Venom too had her doubts, which had been quelled when she had met her father in a dream. She knew her father’s spirit lived on, but she had never been certain about the god’s existence. Abraxas was cruel; he was never there for her when her father died, he hadn’t shown himself as she grew into the Empress she was now. She believed more in her own divinity than a god who abandoned her.

”No, my sweet girl.” Venom lifted her cat like paw to gently rub her daughter’s back as she recovered from being so upset. She leaned down to kiss her brow. ”You make your own divinity, some controversial god can’t decide that for you.” She tried to soothe her more, trying not to reveal her own doubt in the belief passed down to her. Venom had never attained the devotion that Toxicity held. ”If you do good during your life and live in light, then the afterlife will be similar. If you live a life in the darkness and in evil, well, your afterlife will be the same.” Their whole family had that decision before them, believing or not believing in Abraxas wouldn’t change that.

”I won't let anyone hurt you, Ikigai. At least for now. That’s what I’m here for, to raise you into a wonderful young woman, who does good and is independent. Who fights for what she knows is right.” Once she was older and grown she would have to fight her own battles, but as long as she was under her care Venom wouldn’t allow her to be hurt.