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

( video | un: duckling )

[danserai]

[ oh . . . not dr. wesker. and what of cypher? she swallows tightly, tears threatening to spill. ]

He . . . He's dead?

[survivalthroughhate]

Yes. I made sure of it.

[Maul's voice isn't so much cold as it is just weary. It hadn't been a satisfying killing for Maul. Mostly he just felt nothing and the small space of him that could feel at all was taken up with fury at the zealots for what they'd done.]

un: trienemybest; video

[droptheious]

[Well. There is definitely a difference in how Maul is holding himself here. There's no crowing, no attempt at justification, no declaration of war. Just...quiet resignation.

It's...encouraging, even despite the loss of life that brought them here.]

It was good of you to tell us. [Much as that's obvious to most people, he knows that Maul needs a little more of a nudge than others. He's learning things at this point of his life that most learn as children. ] I'm sorry you had to do it. Was he a friend?

[It was importantthat part was public, but he wants to give Maul the chance to talk without all eyes on him, too. So he shifts to private.]

Do you need anything?

[danserai]

[ this . . . is the worst. ]

A-And . . . Cypher?

Private

[survivalthroughhate]

[Maul nods, a little too worn-out to accept the praise from Varian. He'll be happier later on when he can feel something a bit more. He's usually so good at being in touch with his emotions but not right now.]

He was. We met in Deerington when I was a deer. [Which meant Maul had been full of the desire to help people, a rarity when he was human.] I've saved his life more than once but this time I was too late.

[Something that was a bit galling to Maul. Apparently, all he's good for is death, even when he actively wants to save someone's life instead.

Once their conversation is switched over to private, Maul lets his guard down just a little bit.]

......No. I don't feel happy about his death but I also don't feel any guilt or sadness. It needed to be done.

[survivalthroughhate]

[Maul hesitates a moment.]

I don't know. He wasn't there with Wesker when I found him. I know he would have tried to free him long before I came across him, so I can only assume the zealots either incapacitated or killed him before they took Wesker.

[danserai]

That's . . . so horrible.

[ taking people and hurting them like that. poor dr. wesker. he had been so nice to her. ]

[survivalthroughhate]

Indeed. This place has done many terrible things to people and will continue to do so. Of that I am certain.

[Maul doesn't really have the skills to comfort anyone when they were obviously upset but he can at least try.]

At least he is no longer in pain. He is likely somewhere as a squid now.

[danserai]

[ she sniffles, wiping her face with her sleeve. ]

H-He'll come back?

[survivalthroughhate]

Most of the time they do.

[Maul won't lie and say it happens 100% of the time because he's seen at least one person die and get sent back to their world instead of reviving but he'll at least try to preserve the illusion of hope.]

[danserai]

[ she nods, rubbing at her eyes. she would have to cry later. it doesn't help anyone now. ]

It must have been a hard thing to do.

video; un: doublehedgedsword

[laminae]

[Yikes. Fern isn't sure who this Wesker guy is, and he knows Maul is far better equipped to deal with this kind of situation than he was with Eda, but it still is never easy doing a mercy kill.]

Geez, dude.... [He sounds sympathetic here.] Are you okay? I guess the guy's still dead, huh?

Video UN: glyphywitchy

[imaglyphwitch]

Oh no, not-

[Luz had to switch off a moment because there's an explosion of sobbing and angry sounding words in Spanish. She's only been talking with him a month ago! He helped her get to sleep! Granted, Luz had her own scars thanks to the Zealots, but that was HER.

It was completely different when they got to a friend.

After a time Luz switched back on, trying to compose herself]

Ok. W-what did he say?

video; UN: TripleJ

[kyley_b]

[Kyle looks very pale, and unusually grim.]

Good. You did the right thing. It's.

[He swallows hard.]

It's awful. You did the humane thing. He'll thank you.

[His throat works again and he clicks the feed off for a while. When he comes back his face has a bit more colour.]

You okay?

video; un: Dr. Disraeli

[delilahs_death]

[Jezebel appears with his mouth in a tight grimace. He's typically rather nonchalant at the amount of death and destruction in this place, but Wesker is someone he might consider a friend, and the news leaves him uneasy.]

How long ago did this happen?

Text; un: Reaper

[no_reload]

They'll sing your praises this time because you used the word mercy. They'll cast you down when it will be any other word.

[Reaper hated the upcoming month of December more than any other month. He tended to be a massive recluse, and he was far more negative than usual. The blood effects of this month don't help his mental state either.]

Private

I'll be watching. If anyone even injects punishment for you, I will put them in the sand as a corpse.

[Video][UN: <unknown>]

[subject_013]

[Have a white weasel sitting among some snowy rocks near the shore.]

'Allo! No needs for you to worry about me. I'd gawn for 'elp when Master Maul found me boss. [A bit more serious.] I felts it when 'e parssed, but... 'Twas a kind fing that the 'orned feller did. [Brighter now] But, me boss'll be back soon. I can feels 'im out there in the sea. Can't read 'is thoughts like I usually can, but I can sense 'is spirit. I'm down by th' seaside, watchin' for 'im to come back. Bit nippy out 'ere, but [Sits up and holds out his front legs] I gots me winter coat on, as yeh can see.

[danserai]

Mr. Cypher . . . I'm glad you're all right.

[ she wipes her face. ]

I'm sorry such a horrible thing happened. Do you need help?

[subject_013]

Miss Ahiru, 'allo!

[Crossing his paws on the rock in front of him.] I'm good, but could use someone to sit wiff out 'ere whilst I'm waitin' for the boss to come back. But don't fink yeh needs come join me. 'S a bit nippy, but I can takes it.

[danserai]

No, I'll be there.

[ it's the least she could do and she wouldn't put it off. ]

private video | un: katherine

[manipulative]

I know it's a very silly question to ask, but sometimes it's nice to be asked it: how are you feeling?

[ as someone who has killed friends out of mercy and out of a need to advance herself on the chessboard, she imagines he feels a mix of emotions—none of them entirely pretty or easy. ]

[subject_013]

[Cypher tilts their head, whiskers wiggling, pleased.]

S'pose tellin' yer to go about yer usual would steel yer resolve. But company's much 'preciated. I ain't 'ard to find, though I does blend into the snow. 'Elps that I'm the only ermine about 'ere.

[survivalthroughhate]

I didn't feel happy about killing him but neither did I feel sad about it. It was merely something that needed to be done.

[It's moments like this that it is easy for Maul to revert back to the mindset of being a weapon, unable to feel much of anything when he killed someone. Weapons didn't ask questions or consider the morality of what they'd done. They simply did their job and killed without thinking.]

It happened yesterday, so yes, he's not been revived yet. [He pauses.] If he revives at all.

[survivalthroughhate]

...Not as hard as it would have been for some here.

[If there was one thing Maul was good at, it was killing. When he had to make the tough choice, he got it done, and didn't wring his hands over it or consider how this might affect his wellbeing the way other "good people" here might have.]

Voice; UN: Cuddlebunny

[lightthedarkness]

[She's not going to ask if he's okay, there's not really any point in that. All she can do is offer him company and someplace safe.] Do you want me to come over? Or come here?