Crime and Punishment

”Were you upholding your duties you would know the answers to your question.” Venom answered quietly, tiring quickly of the words that were being exchanged. ”You are just speaking lies.” Venom never forgot her mother’s failing of ruling from the palace. She had been hesitant to take up residence within just for that reason. Venom never saw Toxicity outside of the shrine, so she had no idea what actually went on during Venom’s day to day life. She slept, trained her children, and held meetings within the palace. None of which could hardly be considered being pampered in a palace. Toxicity’s words were supposed to sting but Venom felt no emotional elicitation. She was more than confident in her performance here for the Empire, and Toxicity would never know the way she worshipped in private.

Toxicity was obviously feeling weary as she sighed, as though Venom wasn’t even worth her time as she continued to fling baseless accusations and information and questions that she couldn’t possibly know because she never sought her Empress out. ”None of which is of your concern any longer.” Was all the answer Venom would afford her pretentious sister. She spoke, already regretting that they were called family, and despite her sharp tongue she didn’t realize it was all her own fault. She wouldn’t see her own imperfections. Toxicity was blind to the rift that she had created between them. Venom did everything she could, she was devoted to the memory of their father, and the traditions of their culture. And yet Toxicity couldn’t be bothered to meet her half way, to come out of her shrine and dwell in the physical realm. Their relationship was always doomed to come to this, Venom realized. The fake reverence her sister showed her, the fake words of encouragement when Venom had her doubts. The fake concern Toxicity showed over her children’s tardiness to the sermons.

She should have had Hattori subdue her and bind her for trial, and then slate her for execution for the baseless accusations that fell from her lips. The last vestibules of trust were long destroyed and the bridge that had once connected them was thoroughly burned by her once sister. Letting her live would only give her trouble in the years ahead, but Venom could not bring herself to perform such extreme action.

”Toxicity I loved you. Just as I loved Archon our Father and Abraxas.You’ve shown me exactly what you think of me. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. Shame on me for believing you were on my side or that you ever really supported me. You were the one who was absent from the important events in my life, you are the one to threaten my name and my children. All you care for is showing off how righteous you are, and I won’t be subject any longer.”

She spoke far more than Toxicity deserved.

”What do I desire from this? Nothing, this confrontation has brought nothing but tragedy on our heads.” All because she couldn’t stand to reform. ”The final break.” Perhaps this manifestation was always supposed to happen, that Klein and Abraxas truly could not mix. Mortal and immortal were incompatible. ”Leave. I can not bear snakes in my council.”