Video; un: darkness (Backdated to November 28th)

[survivalthroughhate]

[Maul looks very grim when he starts off the video.]

Since some of you might wonder where he is and since he had messages for me to pass along to some of you, I'm here today to tell you Wesker is dead. I killed him.

[He quickly goes on before any screeching or condemnation can start being thrown his way.]

It was not out of malice, amusement, or anger. It was an act of mercy. The zealots took him and by the time I found him he was little more than a corpse but somehow still breathing. There was no hope for his recovery.

[Maul's eyes shut for a moment, still seeing the eviscerated body lying on the table that looked more like an autopsy victim than someone still alive, lungs and heart able to be seen and still working despite all that had been done to Wesker's body by those seeking his blood.]

I'm not sure how he lasted even that long with what they did to him. I ended his suffering. Hopefully, he will be back in a short time.

[There is a private message afterwards which is only sent out to a handful of people. Vira-Lorr, Luz, Orpheus, and Ariadne.]

He asked me to pass on a message to you.

Comments

[danserai]

[ ah. ]

I'm sorry. It sounds like a terrible thing to get used to. And be used.

[survivalthroughhate]

Not so much. It gets easier the longer one does it.

[Though that isn't a good thing either. Growing used to killing meant Maul had lost so much of his compassion and goodwill towards other. It became hard to feel anything after a point for anyone around him.]

[danserai]

Easier doesn't mean less terrible.

[ like. they don't even match. ]

[survivalthroughhate]

But it does make it affect me less than others.

[That wasn't quite right. Maul was affected by killing just the same as anyone else, he just experienced it in a far different way given all that he'd been through over the course of his life.]

[danserai]

. . . If that were true, you wouldn't look so tired.

[ things should improve with ease. but this will never be one of them. ]

[survivalthroughhate]

[Dammit, why must people be so honest around here? Can't they lie to him the same way he lies to himself?]

Maybe I simply need a good night's sleep.

[That's not all that is wrong with him and he already knows Ahiru knows it as well.]

[danserai]

. . . Of course, Mr. Maul. You should take care of yourself.

Hurting yourself doesn't help you or anyone.

[survivalthroughhate]

['Mr. Maul.' Force alive, no wonder she's friends with Luz, who had done the same thing when she'd first me the Sith Lord.]

I prefer to be called simply Maul or Darth Maul if you are looking to show me a sign of respect.

[danserai]

Dart Maul?

[survivalthroughhate]

Darth. [He says patiently before he spells it out for her.] D-A-R-T-H. It is a title of respect for those that have passed their trials and become a Dark Lord of the Sith.

[danserai]

And you . . . want to be a Dark Lord of the Sit?

[survivalthroughhate]

Sith. [Maul corrects again, this time a bit more tetchily.] Yes. I had to be put through hell to become one and I'm not soon to give up my roots all that easily.

[danserai]

[ this logic . . . does not compute. ]

So you want us to call you by the thing that . . . made you suffer because . . . you suffered?

Isn't that just giving that suffering more power over you?

[survivalthroughhate]

[Dammit, Ahiru, don't use logic on him!!!]

It's called taking pride in all the skills that led me to accomplish a task which few others are capable of. I could had died many times during my training and instead I lived to see myself become a true Sith Lord.

[He's stubborn enough not to want to give it up all that easily, even if it is being pointed out to him why keeping his title of 'Darth' might be a bad idea.]

[danserai]

But you're giving yourself a name that the people who hurt you gave you.

So it's not really your pride, right? It's theirs. You haven't made it your own.

[survivalthroughhate]

[She's talking far too much sense for Maul's liking and it makes him quite irritable.]

I've more than made it my own since I broke away from my master. I keep it now because it belongs to me and no one can take that away.

[danserai]

R-Right . . .

[survivalthroughhate]

You don't sound like you believe me.

[danserai]

I-It doesn't really sound like . . . you were talking to me.