Gast Venom

"You are the same as me... evil."

Gast Venom, born Zenon, is a descendant of Sateriajis Venomania and acts as the public face of the Asmodean Company, known as the Demon of Asmodean. He seeks the Seven Deadly Sins to resurrect his beloved little sister, Sarah.

Early Life
Born in the Kingdom of Elphegort in EC 461, Zenon suffered harsh discrimination from Levin believers and later learned it was because of his lineage to Duke Sateriajis Venomania. At the age of six, he discovered his mother had hanged herself and, without a father, took their family heirloom, the Venom Sword, and left with his sister, Sarah. Recognizing the power he had when wielding the sword, Zenon killed others and stole their food for the poor and starving siblings to survive.

In EC 473, Sarah died and, devastated, the twelve year-old Gast fled from Elphegort that same night. As he neared the border to Asmodean, the boy spotted an old woman traveling along the road. Tired and hungry, Zenon attacked the woman thinking she may have had some bread. With a smile, the woman retaliated by spawning fire and the boy was quickly rendered unconcious. Deprived of his family heirloom, Zenon was discovered by the Asmodean Emperor and taken to his palace. When he awoke, the purple-haired child found himself bandaged and laying in a luxurious bed with three maids and the Emperor. Confused, Zenon realized his sword was gone and couldn't remember the details of what happened.

Life Anew
After his injuries were cured, Zenon decided he would work for who he believed was a bandit leader, and was surprised to learn it was the Asmodean Emperor. Tossing aside his former name, the child accepted the name the Emperor gave him: Gast. Joining the Asmodean army, Gast purposefully avoided mentioning his birthplace and lineage to Duke Venomania to his superior, General Shalgham, and became part of Golden Dragon Unit. While there, Gast learend about Mariam Futapie and was surprised such a young girl had achieved the rank of general, believing she also had a strange power. After learning about the Emperor's policy of meritocracy, Gast used Mariam's precedent to pave his own success.

Gaining a reputation, Gast became regarded as a "genius swordsman" and earned several war merits fighting against the Kingdom of Lucifenia after war broke out in EC 475. Due to his success on the battlefield, the Emperor bestowed the title of "Venom" to Gast. Due to not being a follower of Levin and hesitant to worry the Emperor who helped him, Gast accepted the surname in spite of its derivitation from the ancestor he hated. With food and popularity growing more numerous and more extravegant, Gast began thinking about how Sarah may not have died had they gone to Asmodean earlier.

Daughter of Fog
After four years of service to the Emperor, Gast and Golden Dragon Unit were tasked with engaging Lucifenia and supporting the army at the Babul Desert along with Silver Sparrow Unit. Departing from Lasaland, the unit went through Mystic Town in the South and passed through the Misty Mountains. However, the unit received a message that there was an apparent rebellion in Silver Sparrow Unit and Gast and his comrades stationed themselves in the old Magic Kingdom ruins to await new orders. On their first day at the outpost, an altar was discovered at the center of the ruins and General Shalgham prohibited anyone from going near it.

Later that night, after drinking, Gast went near the altar and saw Sarah, grown since she died. Excited, Sarah rushed over to him, happy she came to visit, and embraced him. Slowly, Gast returned the hug. As his sister curiously asked why he still remained at the ruins, he said it was because no message has come from the frontlines, much to her glee. Whilst in utter disbelief his dead sister was alive, he visited her every day. Whenever he asked why she was alive, she would tell him she was a "ghost" who could visit from the Hellish Yard due to the fog each night; although thinking her explanation was ridiculous, he continued to visit her. Two weeks since their last meeting, several soldiers collapsed due to an unknown illness.

In response, General Shalgham opened a war council with Gast among the attendees. Overall, the council agreed they should leave immediatley and the general decided to wait one more day before leaving. As the meeting adjourned, Shalgham added that they would destroy the altar the next night. As the general explained to the soldiers that he blamed the inexplicable illness on the pagan altar, Gast became increasingly outraged by Shalgham's religious fanaticism. Composing himself, Gast addressed the general and reasoned that, since they were leaving anyway, there was no need to destroy it. In retaltiation, Shalgham said it was the duty of Levin believers to destroy it, regardless.

Once Gast noted that was not everyone's personal philosophy, the general told the "demon's descendent" to shut up. Shocked and in utter silence, the perplexed Gast finally spoke calmly that he didn't know what he meant. General Shalgham retorted that the high-ranking military members all knew he was descendent of Venomania and he would have been banished long ago had he not been the Emperor's subbordinate. Furious, he left whilst the general continued to yell and ignored the other soldiers comforting words. Feeling betrayed and disillusioned about Asmodean as well, the soldier visited his beloved sister again that night.

Announcing his desertment to her, he explained what Shalgham knew. When Sarah asked what he would do, he said he considered fleeing to either Beelzenia or Lucifenia like Mariam had. As a faint buzzing noise slowly grew louder, Gast said they could go together. After a brief silence, Sarah said she couldn't because she was a ghost and Gast yelled for her to stop that, feeling her warm face and saying she couldn't be one. Insisting she couldn't leave the altar, Gast said he would then visit her often before remembering Shalgham's wishes. Asking Sarah about the altar being destroyed, she affirmed they couldn't meet anymore.

Distracted by the roaring buzzing, Gast suddenly realized that he wouldn't be able to see his sister anymore. Reminded of his old sword, the buzzing quickly turned into a voice and Gast told Sarah he wouldn't let that happen. As she asked how, he said he would defend the altar and kill Shalgham if he must. In response to his impulsive words, Sarah explained that the general was too strong and Gast considered the notion, wishing he only had that sword. That moment, he noticed that Sarah had always been carrying the sword with her and demanded she handed it over. Once she protested, he forcibly took the sword from her. The next night, he returned to the altar and awaited the Asmodean army's approach.

Instead, he saw a different figure appear from the fog, recognizing that she was the old woman from years ago. Gast demanded to know why she was there, and she mused that it was natural for the sword to be accompanied by its owner. Retalting that it was his sword, she corrected that she was the one gave the sword to his ancestors. Confused, the former soldier refused to hand over the sword. Speaking to herself, the old woman conjured a spark in her hand and Gast instinctively lashed out at her. To his shock, the sword did not pierce her neck and she laughed. Her sparks turning into flame, she promised to once again not burn his "beautiful" face before consuming him in the fire, and rendering him unconcious.

Exile
When he awoke, Gast found the rest of the battalion killed, the Venom Sword gone, and his sister gone for good. The Emperor of Asmodean, reluctant to kill Gast, banished him for insubordination instead of executing him. Gast later met Elluka Clockworker, who hired him to be her bodyguard. Through Elluka, Gast became aware of the Seven Deadly Sins. At some point, he met and became friends with Leonhart Avadonia and founded the Asmodean Company mercenary group.

Personal Pursuits
Around EC 500, Gast discovered that the Venom Sword was in the possession of Keel Freesis. He traveled to meet the merchant in his mansion along with two of his comrades, Yarera and Zasuko, and told them to wait outside; the mercenary attempted to haggle the weapon from Keel but left the meeting, unsatisfied with Keel's high price. He saw a servant watching Clarith and recognized her as a member of the Netsuma tribe, commenting how he assumed no one from the clan was still alive. The servant noted Gast's weapon, and the mercenary explained to him it was a katana and that they were very rare.

Knowing he was from the Lucifenian palace, Gast asked Allen Avadonia his name and if he had heard of the "Lucifenian Resistance" before introducing himself and advertising the Asmodean Company's services should the Queen of ministers in Lucifenia have need of them. Before continuing their chat, Gast paused, sensing darkness in Allen's eyes, and asked him if he killed a man. Their conversation was interrupted by one of Keel's butlers, and the servant bid the mercenary farewell. He shrugged and left the room, greeted by his two comrades in the hall. Annoyed for them disobeying his order, the mercenary told them how Keel refused to sell them the sword and that stealing it was not necessary. Gast left with the three, confident they could obtain his family heirloom another way.

Service to Lucifenia
Sometime later, Riliane Lucifen d'Autriche recruited Gast and the Asmodean Company to help defend the palace. In the palace's Hall of Mirrors, the mercenary knelt before the monarch and grave his gratitude for hiring them. Riliane commented how she mistook Gast for a woman, to which he humorously told her he hoped she would not judge him by his appearance, and assured her he would live up to her trust. As the princess left, he watched her figure closely and Allen warned him he would be beheaded if he didn't watch his words. Gast mentioned how she looked like someone he knew and apologized.

Allen showed Gast around the palace, and later introduced him to his room and was pleased with the accommodations. Allen told him that the other mercenaries would have to live in the city to which Gast replied he didn't care. He stared at the boy's face and noted his resemblance to Riliane, asking if they were siblings. After the servant denied any relation to her, the mercenary asked if he could have something to eat and Allen was about to abide his request when Mariam Futapie appeared with food in hand.

Gast greeted his old friend and was surprised to see her as the Head of Maids for the palace, noting with disbelief how people change. Mariam, displeased to see Gast, stated how he was still a mercenary and Gast replied it was because fighting was the only thing he did. Hearing this, she commented how he still had never gotten over his sister and the mercenary nonchalantly facetiously dismissed it. Before she left, Mariam asked why he was fighting. Gast told her that it was because he wanted to find a place to die.

Later, at the Training Ground, Gast was surrounded by three soldiers, angered by the mercenaries' theft, rape, and murder in the streets, and held the Asmodean Company's leader responsible. Frustrated, he told the soldiers that his men's actions were not his responsibility, and hinted at "disturbing trends" that the army should be more alert about. When one of the seething soldiers drew his sword, Gast instantly slew him and laughed. With the other two soldiers terrified, he turned and left.

Lucifenian Revolution
With the outbreak of the Lucifenian Revolution, Gast fought alongside his fellow mercenaries against the rebels in Rolled during the first few weeks of the revolution. After three weeks of fighting since the rebellion's outbreak, Gast fought against the Masked Man and injured his left wrist. However, another revolutionary, Mark, intervened before he could finish the man off, blocking Gast's sword. The mercenary quickly retaliated and killed the former clergyman; injured, he fled soon after with his men as they retreated to the palace.

As the revolutionaries assaulted the palace, Gast entered the Servants Room and looked out the window, reporting to Allen that they lost and that he came to say farewell, explaining that he had no obligation to Lucifenia and that Allen should not give him such a "sad face". The servant attempted to hire Gast with a bag of gold, pleading with him to protect Princess Riliane. Gast told him he didn't want the money and began to ask why he was so desperate to protect Riliane when Allen revealed she was his twin sister.

Gast stared into Allen's eyes, silent. The mercenary then laughed uncontrollably, glibly mocking the irony of Allen's situation for selling his soul to the "Demon of Asmodean" for "The Daughter of Evil" who caused the revolution that put the servant in his position. Recomposing himself, Gast changed his mind and accepted Allen's job for him, paralleling himself as a knight protecting the princess and determining it was a suitable way to die. Checking his sword before sheathing it, Gast said goodbye to "The Servant of Evil" before turning around to leave. He told Allen before he left how they were alike: they were both evil.

Gast assisted the Royal Guard as they defended the Hall of Mirrors from the revolutionaries, engaging Germaine Avadonia in combat. Stepping upon their bodies, he commented how useless the rebels were, and that despite being a beautiful swordsman and the daughter of an old friend, her emotions ruled her swordsmanship and caused her to hesitate. Incited, Germaine threatened him for insulting the guards and Gast pointed out how the same soldiers were her enemy. He pointed his sword at her and they continued their battle, the mercenary complimenting her for dodging his swift attacks. Baiting her into a reckless move, Gast struck Germaine and grazed her eyelid, blinding her.

Confident in his victory, Gast attempted to stab her neck, but his final blow was parried and Germaine struck the mercenary's side. Gast moaned in pain before collapsing, remarking how it was beautiful and that he finally found his place to die. Curious, he asked Germaine how she anticipated his attack before realizing that it was because she was his former adversary's daughter and that not correcting his swordplay's flaws was why he lost. When asked by the red-armored swordsman if he had seen the princess or Allen, he told her he didn't know. Queried about why he didn't escape when he had the chance, he told her it was because of the money. Telling his sister that her brother would be with her soon, he died.

Legacy
After Gast's death, the Asmodean Company disbanded and started causing chaos in the streets of Lucifenian; they were suppressed shortly afterward by the Marlon army. After Keel Freesis traded the Venom Sword for his collectables, he remembered how Gast had desired the sword as well and wondered if the weapon had some hidden value.

Personality
Gast is a shadowy figure, partially attributed to the suicide of his mother and the death of his sister, Sarah. He often brushes aside questions thrown at him by flippantly avoiding a direct answer. He has an almost maniacal amusement at the misfortune of others, laughing sadistically after striking down a soldier that had previously annoyed him, and laughing hysterically after Allen revealed he was The Daughter of Evil's twin brother. He acts very pragmatic toward his work and is an opportunist, usually showing no loyalty to any employer and maximizing his profits while viable and leaving when the situation looks dire.

Despite this detachment, Gast loves his sister deeply, grieving that he was unable to support her until it was too late; he never got over his grief and treasured any chance he had to see his sister again, even attempting to resurrect her with the vessels of sin. After his exile, Gast searches constantly for a place to die, fighting endlessly before meeting an acceptable demise so he can see his sister again.As a result, he empathizes with those who share his devotion and love with their sibling. When Allen reveals his identity as Riliane's brother, Gast recognizes how Allen's desire to protect his sister, even committing heinous deeds, is akin to him and uncharacteristically supports the servant, and placed his life in jeopardy to protect Allen's sibling.

Skills
Gast was an innate swordsman, wielding a katana with great mastery. His skills allowed him to climb the ranks in the Asmodean army quickly. Gast is described as a monster by others, with speed and agility befitting his title as the Demon of Asmodean, swiftly striking down opponents and slaying foes. He often finishes his opponents with a stab to the neck, and remarks that it his swordplay's weakness. His sharp instincts extend to people as well, seeing that Allen carried the burden of murder in his eyes.

Appearance
Gast is a tall, thin man with pale skin, purple eyes, and long, purple hair. Because of his beautiful face and long hair he is often mistaken as a woman. He wore a grey gi line with purple and a dark grey with dark purple shoulder pads. he wore a dark grey belt with a purple-lined, lavender cape around his waist and wore lavender pants and dark purple boots underneath it. He normally wore a katana on his belt and wore two purple armor bracers along his arms for combat.

Character Connections
Sarah: Gast's sister. Gast was very dedicated to Sarah and did all he could to take care of her, experiencing depression at her death. After meeting her "spirit" at the altar, Gast was skeptical of her claim to be a ghost but was nonetheless overjoyed to see her, becoming protective of the altar itself. After being separated from Sarah again, Gast eventually welcomed death for being the only way to reunite with her.

Mariam Futapie: A comrade in the Asmodean military. Gast was surprised by Mariam receiving such high ranking at the age of nine and in their time in the army he fostered a friendship with her, considering joining her when she defected. He was amused to discover she had later become a maid in the Lucifenian Royal Palace.

General Shalgham: Gast's superior. Gast found Shalgham's avid Levin faith distasteful due to the discrimination he suffered, later referring to him as a religious fanatic. He grew to hate him after the General revealed Gast's ancestry to the rest of the troops and threatened to destroy the altar, believing that killing him was necessary for protecting Sarah.

Allen Avadonia: A fellow employee of Riliane. Gast recognized a darkness in Allen and was surprised by the effort he put into protecting and serving the queen. After learning that the two were twins, he likened Allen's devotion to that of his own towards Sarah and believed that, like him, Allen had become evil.

Abyss I.R: An opponent of Gast. Having underestimated her initially as an ordinary old woman, Gast was shocked by how easily she bested him. Meeting her again, he recognized the threat she posed, though he was bewildered by her presence and claims to the sword, attempting to attack her accordingly.

Germaine Avadonia: Gast's last opponent. Gast was amused by Germaine's care for the Lucifenian Royal Guard, despite them being her opponents. During their battle he did not take her seriously, but when she managed to defeat him he expressed respect for the revolutionary leader, pleased to be killed by Leonhart's daughter.

Elluka Clockworker: Gast's employer. During his time as Elluka's guard Gast became interested in her pursuit of the Seven Deadly Sins, deciding to learn about them on his own after they parted ways.

Sateriajis Venomania: Gast's distant ancestor. Due to his actions, Gast and his sister were discriminated against by devout Levin believers. He wished only to leave his ancestry behind, starting a new life in Asmodean where it wasn't known but found himself continually confronted by it wherever he escaped to.

Conceptualization and Origin

 * Gast's first name is a German nickname for a guest or foreigner to a community; in French, it is a topographic nickname for someone who lived in wastelands.
 * It is also a corruption of the word "ghost" that originated in the 14th century, befitting his supernatural fighting ability described by his opponents.
 * His last name, Venom, is a reference to his ancestor, Sateriajis Venomania, and is the Venomania family title.
 * His original name, Zenon, is derived from Zeus, the Greek god of the sky and thunder who ruled over Mount Olympus; in Greek mythology, Zeus is often portrayed as a particularly lustful god, having children with countless women, reinforcing the link between Gast and Venomania.

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