Video; un: darkness; Forward dated to 2/10

[survivalthroughhate]

[Maul looks very serious but also with a touch of the cat that finally caught the canary as he starts the video.]

I thought I would just give a formal announcement that I have broken the curse which has been on me since Deerington. For those who didn't know about it, it caused me to feel pain whenever I harmed another sentient being. But no more.

[He sounds extremely pleased by that. Though any traces of glee are soon replaced by a murderous expression on his face, his eyes hardening until there is only fury in them.]

If any of you feel like being clever and immediately trying to put another leash upon me, I would advise against it. I didn't retaliate this time but next time I will kill anyone who tries to meddle in my life, whether or not it is my own hand that ends your life.[Maul's got enough people in town who he knows would eagerly kill for him if he asked them to, his brother and mate both chief among them. While he usually prefers to do his own dirty work, he's not willing to put himself through another eight months of being muzzled.] Or I shall simply make your life so miserable that you wish you were dead. After all, most sentient species contain around two hundred to four hundred bones. Consider the fact I know how to break each and every one of them. Or how most species will continue to survive as long as the brain has oxygen and the hearts continue to pump blood regardless of what else is done to their body. Just a thought.

[He pauses and adds on a little at the end.]

As for the three that did it? You already know I don't forgive and I don't forget. Run and hide if you like. I'll come and find you soon enough.

Comments

[survivalthroughhate]

[There's something different about Oscar than usual, the glimmers Maul has seen in the boy before of being far wiser than his years. For that, he gets a civil if terse answer.]

I respect those that respect me. These three did not do that. They set a curse on me with no time limit in order to "help me." What they saw as help I saw as a leash and muzzle set upon me as if I was little better than a rabid animal. Now that I have broken it, I have no intention of letting anyone ever do that to me again.

[justoscar]

[Wiser than his years-- yes. Possessing the wisdom of thousands of years of mistakes and endless war will do that to anyone, even a boy of fifteen.]

I know, and I still don't agree with those measures. But, Maul-- you have a unique opportunity here. Don't rise to the bait you're being given, don't deliver any vengeance on those who hurt you, and you can end this.

You'll also have your victory, because you'll have proven yourself far more than a rabid beast that needs to be put down.

[survivalthroughhate]

That requires letting go of my anger.

[He sighs and dips his head downwards, looking at the ground instead of up at his Omni.]

Do you know why my eyes are yellow?

[Humor him, Oscar, he's going somewhere with this.]

[justoscar]

Because your Aura is probably golden, if you have anything like it?

[Spoken like... Just himself. The question was enough to rattle Oscar out of the grips of millennia that had taken hold of him for a moment.]

That's not a bad thing. My sister's Aura is golden, and she's one of the strongest, toughest people I've ever met.

[One of the bravest and most loyal, too.]

[survivalthroughhate]

[There is an expression on Maul's face which might be a smile under other circumstances but right now just makes him look incredibly weary.]

I don't know much about Auras save beyond what I've learned from the people of your world. But I do know Sith. And a Sith's eyes only go yellow when one is so supremely angry that they feel little else. Mine have been this color for so long I've completely forgotten what my original eye color is. You can see why letting go of my anger isn't so simple as it would be for other people.

[justoscar]

Then use it as fuel, and don't deny that part of yourself.

[the words were spoken with the earnestness of a teen... Although underlying it was a keen understanding. Oscar knew was it was like to deny parts of himself-- for reasons that he wanted to deny.]

... My sister, Yang Xiao Long, has a lot of anger too. It's there for a good reason, and it's kept you alive.

It doesn't need to destroy you.

[survivalthroughhate]

The problem is that my anger overwhelms me at times. It blinds me to all my other emotions and controls me.

[Just as his master had wanted for him. Eternal rage makes it easy for Maul to tap into the dark part of himself but hard to feel anything else.

He tilts his head, regarding Oscar curiously. He's not sure if the boy is hopelessly naïve or actually right.]

I think it might be too late for that judging by the turnout this time. They're really going to paint me as an unrepentant monster this time.

[He's really done it this time with this post.]

[justoscar]

[Oscar nodded. Emotions could be overwhelming for anyone, and he had only a bare glimpse of the levels of anguish that Maul had endured to cause such unbridled rage.]

The sea is overwhelming too, but that doesn't mean we have to drown.

[He intoned, quietly.]

A lot of times we don't have an option, but we can prepare ourselves for it in the times that we do. And, it'll be different for everyone.

Some people get sandbags, or find a boat. Others feel like they'll be okay if they get better at swimming.

...Even if the others judge you, it doesn't matter. You can still learn how to swim.

[survivalthroughhate]

I think you lost me at the point you said something about "finding a boat."

[He's not really sure exactly what Oscar was getting at. He's normally a bit better with these things but his mind is a bit overwhelmed right now with everything he's getting at from all sides here.]