User blog:Swirly592/Sarah Venom (Altered EC)

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

- Sarah Venom

Sarah Venom, born Veronica and infamously regarded as the Demon of Asmodean, was the de facto leader of the Venom Mercenaries and a descendant of Gallerian Venomania. Following her sister's death, Veronica fled to Asmodean and became a soldier, earning a new name and title. Exiled after allegedly murdering her superior, Sarah became a mercenary and sought the vessels of sin to revive her dead sibling.

Early Life
"Sarah Venom is a descendant of Gallerian Venomania—this is a famous story now but, at that time, Sarah tried to hide it from everyone."

- Yven in a letter to Shaw Freesis

Born in the Kingdom of Elphegort in EC 461, Veronica suffered harsh discrimination from Levin believers and later learned it was because of her lineage to Duke Venomania. At the age of six, she discovered her mother had hanged herself and, without a father, took their family heirloom, a katana, and left with her brother, Gast. Recognizing the power she had when wielding the sword, Veronica killed others and stole their food for the poor and starving siblings to survive. In EC 473, Gast died and, devastated, the twelve-year-old Sarah fled from Elphegort that same night.

As she neared the border to Asmodean, the girl spotted a woman traveling along the road. Tired and hungry, Veronica attacked the woman thinking she may have had some bread. With a smile, the woman retaliated by spawning fire and the girl was quickly rendered unconscious. Deprived of his family heirloom, Veronica was discovered by the Asmodean Emperor and taken to his palace. When she awoke, the blue-haired child found herself bandaged and lying in a luxurious bed with three maids and the Emperor. Confused, Veronica realized her sword was gone and couldn't remember the details of what happened.

Life Anew
"Long time no see, Veronica... or are you called “Sarah" now?"

- Abyss L.U.

After her injuries were cured, Veronica decided she would work for who she believed was a bandit leader, and was surprised to learn it was the Asmodean Emperor. Tossing aside her former name, the child accepted the name the Emperor gave her: Sarah. The young girly joined the Asmodean military. Purposefully omitting the mention of her birthplace and lineage to her superior, General Shalgham, she became part of Golden Dragon Unit. While there, Sarah learned about Leonhart Avadonia and was surprised such a young boy had achieved the rank of general, believing he also had a strange power. After learning about the Emperor's policy of meritocracy, Sarah used Leonhart's precedent to pave his own success.

Over time, she gained a reputation for her swordplay, learned to read, and earned several war merits fighting against the Kingdom of Lucifenia after war broke out in EC 475. Due to her success on the battlefield, the Emperor bestowed the title of "Venom" to Sarah. Hesitant to worry the Emperor who helped her and not being a follower of Levin, Sarah accepted the surname in spite of its derivation from the ancestor she hated. With food and popularity growing more numerous and more extravagant, Sarah began thinking about how Gast may not have died had they gone to Asmodean earlier.

Daughter of Fog
"I left the army. General Shalgham knew everything, the fact that I'm a descendent of Venomania."

- Sarah to her brother's "spirit"

After four years of service to the Emperor, Sarah 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 Mystica 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 Sarah and her 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, Sarah went near the altar and saw Gast, grown since he died. Excited, Gast rushed over to her, happy she came to visit, and embraced her. Slowly, Sarah returned the hug. As her brother curiously asked why she still remained at the ruins, she said it was because no message has come from the front lines, much to his glee. Whilst in utter disbelief her dead brother was alive, she visited her every day. Whenever she asked why he was alive, he would tell her he was a "ghost" who could visit from the Hellish Yard due to the fog each night; although thinking his explanation was ridiculous, she continued to visit him.

Two weeks since their last meeting, several soldiers collapsed due to an unknown illness. In response, General Shalgham opened a war council with Sarah among the attendees. Overall, the council agreed they should leave immediately 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, Sarah became increasingly outraged by Shalgham's religious fanaticism. Composing herself, Sarah addressed the general and reasoned that, since they were leaving anyway, there was no need to destroy it.

In retaliation, Shalgham said it was the duty of Levin believers to destroy it, regardless. Once Sarah noted that was not everyone's personal philosophy, the general told the "demon's descendant" to shut up. Shocked and in utter silence, the perplexed Sarah finally spoke calmly that she didn't know what he meant. General Shalgham retorted that the high-ranking military members all knew she was a descendant of Venomania and she would have been banished long ago had she not been the Emperor's subordinate. Furious, she 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 her beloved brother again that night. After she announced to his that she deserted, she explained what Shalgham knew. When Gast asked what he would do, she said she considered fleeing to another country like Leonhart had. As a faint buzzing noise slowly grew louder, Sarah said they could go together. After a brief silence, Gast said he couldn't because he was a ghost and Sarah yelled for him to stop that, feeling his warm face and saying he couldn't be one. Insisting he couldn't leave the altar, Sarah said she would then visit him often before remembering Shalgham's wishes. Asking Gast about the altar being destroyed, he affirmed they couldn't meet anymore.

While distracted by the roaring buzzing, Sarah suddenly realized that she wouldn't be able to see her brother anymore. Reminded of her old sword, the buzzing quickly turned into a voice and Sarah told Gast she wouldn't let that happen. As he asked how, she said she would defend the altar and kill Shalgham if she must. In response to her impulsive words, Gast explained that the general was too strong and Sarah considered the notion, wishing she only had that sword. That moment, she noticed that Gast had was holding the sword and demanded he handed it over.

Once he protested, she forcibly took the sword from him. She returned to the altar the next night and awaited the Asmodean army's approach. Instead, she saw a different figure appear from the fog, recognizing that she was the woman from years ago. Sarah demanded to know why she was there, and she mused that it was natural for the sword to be accompanied by its owner. Retaliating that it was her sword, she corrected that she was the one gave the sword to her ancestors. Confused, the former soldier refused to hand over the sword. Speaking to herself, the woman conjured a spark in her hand and Sarah instinctively lashed out at her. To her shock, the sword did not pierce her neck and she laughed. Her sparks turning into flames, she promised to once again not burn her "beautiful" face before consuming her in the fire, and rendering her unconscious.

Exile
"When I heard Sarah was saved from government execution, I was relieved."

- Yven in a letter to Shaw Freesis

Discovered by the army the next day, Sarah was returned to Lasaland. Six months later, once her injuries were healed, she was put on trial for the murder of General Shalgham. When Sarah was told the corpse was discovered the next day, she denied killing him. Because they lacked conclusive evidence, the Emperor exiled Sarah. After hers banishment, she became a mercenary and visited the altar many times but Gast never appeared and she eventually gave up.

A year since his exile, Sarah was hired by Irina Clockworker, a Staff Officer of the Beelzenian Empire, to act as her escort. During their tenure together, she learned about the Seven Deadly Sins and that her family heirloom, the Venom Sword, was one of the vessels of sin. Around EC 480, the two encountered King Arth on the battlefield and dueled him. The mercenary survived the encounter. Later on, Sarah discovered Irina had defected to Lucifenia and battled her as well.

Around that time, Sarah ended up facing Mariam Futapie and dueled her. During their intense battle, Sarah got the upper hand and attempted to finish her off with a strike to the neck but Mariam countered the strike and defeated her. At the knight's mercy, Sarah was spared. During this period, she also encountered Leonhart, and, finally meeting him, they became acquainted. At some point, she told Leonhart about Gast's death and her desire to fight as a mercenary because it was all she knew.

With her job as Irina's escort unfinished, Sarah felt unsatisfied with what Irina had told her and grew curious about what would occur if all the vessels of sin were collected. She then acquired an old book about her past and, unable to read the ancient foreign text, hired a specialist to translate it. While she discovered little of the vessels, she became intrigued by the 400 year old claim that "resurrection of the dead" was a power of one of the them.

Determined to chase after the chance to see Gast again, Sarah accepted her ancestry and chose to seek after her own desires as the "Demon of Asmodean". Sarah continued her mercenary work and at some point founded the Venom Mercenaries. After Lucifenia's war with it's neighbors ended, Sarah and her mercenary company continued to be soldiers for hire while she searched for the vessels of sin, gaining noteriety over time.

Personal Pursuits
"The Venom Sword... it seems to be a sword passed down from her ancestors. In fact, it's not really worth much, but I believed if I deliberately opened up at a high price, she'd dislike it, give up, and go way."

- Keel Freesis

Around EC 500, Sarah discovered that the Venom Sword was in the possession of Keel Freesis and learned of the Lucifenian Resistance. She traveled to meet the merchant in his mansion along with two of her comrades, Yarera and Margaret, and told them to wait outside; the mercenary explained the weapon's value to him and attempted to buy it but was unwilling to pay Keel's high price. After leaving their meeting room, she saw a servant watching some maids work and, recognizing one as a member of the Netsuma Clan, commented how he assumed no one from the clan was still alive. The servant noted Sarah's weapon, and the mercenary explained to her it was a katana and that they were very rare.

Knowing she was from the Lucifenian palace, Sarah asked Rin Futapie her name and if she had heard of the Lucifenian Resistance. Seeing the servant was unaware of it, she introduced herself and advertised the Venom Mercenaries' services should the King and his ministers in Lucifenia have need of them. Before continuing their chat, Sarah paused, sensing darkness in Rin's eyes, and asked her if she killed a man. Their conversation was interrupted by one of Keel's butlers, and the servant bid the mercenary farewell. She shrugged and left the room, greeted by her two comrades in the hall. Annoyed by them for disobeying her order, the mercenary told them how Keel refused to sell them the sword and that stealing it was not necessary. Sarah left with the three, confident they could obtain her family heirloom another way.

Service to Lucifenia
"Sarah, why exactly are you fighting?" "In order to find a place to die."

- Leonhart and Sarah

Sometime later, Alexiel Lucifen d'Autriche recruited Sarah and the Venom Mercenaries to help defend the palace. In the palace's Hall of Mirrors, the mercenary knelt before the monarch and gave her gratitude for hiring them. Alexiel commented how he mistook Sarah for a man, to which she humorously told him she hoped he would not judge her by her appearance, and assured him she would live up to his trust. As the prince left, she watched his figure closely, reminded of Gast, and Rin warned her she would be beheaded if she didn't watch her words.

Sarah mentioned how he looked like someone she knew and apologized. Rin showed Sarah around the palace, and later introduced her to her room and was pleased with the accommodations. Rin told her that the other mercenaries would have to live in the city to which Sarah replied she didn't care. She stared at the girl's face and noted her resemblance to Alexiel, asking if they were siblings. After the servant denied any relation to him, the mercenary asked if she could have something to eat.

Leonhart Avadonia arrived at that moment with food in hand and Sarah greeted her old friend. Surprised to see him as the head butler for the palace, she commented with disbelief how people change. Mariam, displeased to see Sarah, stated how she was still a mercenary and Sarah replied it was because fighting was the only thing she did. Hearing this, he commented how she still had never gotten over her brother and the mercenary nonchalantly dismissed it. Before he left, Leonhart asked why she was fighting. Sarah told him that it was because she wanted to find a place to die.

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

Lucifenian Revolution
"A mercenary's reason for fighting... is, of course, only one... and that is money. Gast...Sister... will be with you soon..."

- Sarah's dying words

With the outbreak of the Lucifenian Revolution, Sarah fought alongside her 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, Sarah fought against the Masked Woman and injured her left wrist. However, another revolutionary, Mark, intervened before she could finish the woman off, blocking Sarah's sword. The mercenary quickly retaliated and killed the former clergyman; injured, she fled soon after with her men as they retreated to the palace.

As the revolutionaries assaulted the palace, Sarah entered the servant's room and looked out the window, reporting to Rin that they lost and that she came to say farewell, explaining that she had no obligation to Lucifenia and that Rin should not give her such a "sad face". The servant attempted to hire Sarah with a bag of gold, pleading with her to protect Prince Alexiel. Sarah told her she didn't want the money and began to ask why she was so desperate to protect Alexiel when Rin revealed she was his twin sister. Sarah stared into Rin's eyes, silent.

The mercenary then laughed uncontrollably, glibly mocking the irony of Rin's situation for selling her soul to the "Demon of Asmodean" for "The Son of Evil" who caused the revolution that put the servant in her position. Recomposing herself, Sarah changed his mind and accepted Rin's job for her, paralleling herself as a knight protecting the prince and determining it was a suitable way to die. Checking her sword before sheathing it, Sarah said goodbye to "The Servant of Evil" before turning around to leave. She told Rin before she left how they were alike: they were both evil.

Sarah assisted the Royal Guard as they defended the Hall of Mirrors from the revolutionaries, engaging Ney Futapie in combat. Stepping upon their bodies, she commented how useless the rebels were, and that despite being a beautiful swordswoman and the daughter of an old friend, her emotions ruled her swordsmanship and caused her to hesitate. Incited, Ney threatened her for insulting the guards and Sarah pointed out how the same soldiers were her enemy. She pointed her sword at her and they continued their battle, the mercenary complimenting her for dodging her swift attacks.

Baiting her into a reckless move, Sarah struck Ney and grazed her eyelid, blinding her. Confident in her victory, Sarah attempted to stab her neck, but her final blow was parried and Ney struck the mercenary's side. Sarah moaned in pain before collapsing, remarking how it was beautiful and that she finally found her place to die. Curious, she asked Ney how she anticipated her attack before realizing that it was because she was her former adversary's daughter and that not correcting her swordplay's flaws was why she lost. When asked by the red-armored swordsman if she had seen the prince or Rin, she told her she didn't know. Queried about why she didn't escape when she had the chance, she told her it was because of the money. Telling her brother that she would be with him soon, she died.

Legacy
"Many times, I went to visit her grave. Although she hated them so much, she ultimately slept in the graveyard of Levin believers; it was pitiful."

- Yven in his letter

After Sarah's death, the Venom Mercenaries disbanded and started causing chaos in the streets of Lucifenian. They were suppressed shortly afterward by the Marlon army. Keel Freesis, after trading the Venom Sword for his collectibles, remembered how Sarah had also desired the sword and wondered if the weapon had some hidden value. Sarah herself was buried in a Levin cemetery in Lucifenia and was visited many times by Yven, the man who acted as Gast's "ghost" during their childhood.

Personality and Traits
"You obviously haven't let go of your brother thing."

- Leonhart

Sarah was a shadowy, pragmatic, but troubled warrior, bearing the weight of her brother's death on her for her entire life. Growing up in a poor, broken, and ridiculed home, Sarah considered love to have been non-existent in her life. After her mother's suicide, the young Veronica felt betrayed by her and her absent father, trusting only in her brother, Gast, as they were left to survive on their own. During her early life, she remained protective of him and worked hard to provide what little food she could steal for the both of them.

But, after her brother's sudden death, Sarah became burdened with guilt over it, a feeling of remorse that increased as her life in Asmodean continued to provide her with better luxuries than their impoverished life in Elphegort. After meeting Gast's "ghost", Sarah became obsessed with seeing him, although skeptical he was an actual apparition. Once she learned that one of the vessels of sin had the power to "resurrect the dead", Sarah became dedicated to collecting them in order to revive her brother. Despite this, Sarah fought endlessly in order to find a suitable death, hoping her heroism would let her reunite with Gast in the afterlife.

Because of the discrimination plaguing her childhood, Sarah despised her lineage to Gallerian Venomania and believed the Levin followers persecuting her to be illogical zealots. As a result, she valued the ideals of meritocracy, where her skills weren't judged by her blood relations. Regardless, she remained silent regarding her bloodline in order to avoid earning the ire of his superior, Shalgham, although invigorated by her fortune in Asmodean. However, Sarah became disillusioned with Asmodean's policies after her argument with the General and chose to desert the army rather than serve him.

After taking interest in the vessels of sin, Sarah accepted being Venomania's descendant and the "curse" coinciding with it, living for her own desires even if they were "evil". Being exiled, Sarah readily embraced the life of a mercenary, loyal to no one but herself and able to continue doing the only profession she knew: fighting. Although recognized as the leader of the Venom Mercenaries, Sarah did not consider herself responsible for her comrades and did nothing to regulate their behavior.

When conversing with others, Sarah often brushed aside questions thrown at her by flippantly avoiding a direct answer. She had an almost maniacal amusement at the misfortune of others, laughing sadistically after striking down a soldier that had previously annoyed her and later laughing hysterically after Rin revealed he was The Son of Evil's twin sister.

She acted very pragmatic toward her work and was an opportunist, usually showing no loyalty to any employer and maximizing her profits; although aware of the resistance surging in Lucifenia, Sarah avoided mentioning the threat to the royal palace's servant, Rin, and simply advertised her mercenaries in preparation for the job opportunity. Similarly, she chose to flee when her stake in the revolution became dire. Despite this detachment, she empathized with Rin's dedication to protect her brother and likened the servant to herself. As a result, she uncharacteristically supported the servant, and placed her life in jeopardy to protect Rin's sibling.

Skills and Abilities
"But the Venom Mercenaries were unexpectedly strong, especially the leader; Sarah Venom was almost like a monster."

- Germaine Marlon

Sarah was an innate swordsman, wielding a katana with great mastery. Although described as a genius swordsman, Sarah's abilities in combat were augmented while wielding the Venom Sword. The mercenary was described as a monster by others, with speed and agility befitting her title as the Demon of Asmodean, swiftly slaying foes within split seconds and being a near blur in combat.

When dueling formidable opponents, Srah barraged them with her fast and unrelenting strikes continuously before making a feint, goading her opponent into an attack so that she could easily counter them. However, the mercenary had a habit of aiming for the neck when finishing off opponents, a pattern in her swordplay that, once discovered, allowed them the chance to easily counter her. Her sharp instincts extended to people as well, seeing that Rin carried the burden of murder in her eyes.

Character Connections
Gast: Sarah's brother. Sarah was very dedicated to Gast and took desperate measures to protect him, experiencing depression and guilt at his death. After meeting his "spirit" at the altar, Sarah was skeptical of his claim to be a ghost but was nonetheless overjoyed to see him, becoming protective of the altar itself. After being separated from Gast again, Sarah eventually welcomed an honorable death for being the only way to reunite with him.

Leonhart Avadonia: A comrade in the Asmodean military. Sarah was surprised by Leonhart receiving such high ranking at the age of nine, and considered joining him after his defection; after leaving the army herself, she met and fostered a friendship with the boy, confiding in him her lost relationship with Gast. Shee was amused to discover he had later become a butler in the Lucifenian Royal Palace.

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

Rin Futapie: A fellow employee of Alexiel. Sarah recognized a darkness in Rin and was surprised by the effort she put into protecting and serving the king. After learning that the two were twins, she likened Rin's devotion to that of her own towards Gast and empathized with the desperate measures they both took for their brothers, thus deciding to aid her.

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

Ney Futapie: Sarah's last opponent. Sarah was amused by Ney's care for the Lucifenian Royal Guard, despite them being her opponents. During their battle she did not take her seriously, toying with her as she did every other enemy, but when Ney managed to defeat her Sarah expressed respect for the Resistance leader, pleased to be killed by a worthy adversary and Mariam's daughter.

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

Gallerian Venomania: Sarah's distant ancestor. Due to his actions, Sarah and her brother were discriminated against by devout Levin believers. Because of this discrimination, Sarah wished only to leave her ancestry behind, starting a new life in Asmodean where it wasn't known. She was disgusted, however, to find herself continually confronted by her heritage wherever she escaped to.

Conceptualization and Origin

 * Her surname is a reference to her ancestor, Gallerian Venomania, and is the Venomania Family title.