Video

[killedwithlove]

Who: Cole
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: Pathstone unless asked to go somewhere
When: Now-ish?


[The broadcast is very unusual, coming from Cole. He replies, sometimes, but he very rarely initiates communication through the network.

The camera points at the ceiling, catching just the edge of Cole's hat. He has it in his lap but doesn't try to look into it.]

I need someone who is able to kill me if I turn into a demon. Cassandra promised to, but she's gone and Jove and Solas said they would, but with them gone, I need someone to make sure I'm not a danger to people.

Comments

[killedwithlove]

If I became a demon, I would kill everyone I could. I would drive more to kill themselves. And I don't know how to make demons back into spirits, only spirits into demons. Solas might have known. But he's gone.

[nerdeology]

Why do you think you might become a demon?

[killedwithlove]

It nearly happened before. Spirits become demons easily. And if it does, I won't want to hurt anyone. I want to know someone will, can, stop me.

[nerdeology]

What causes this change in spirits? Can you describe it?

[If he can get an idea of how it compares...]

[killedwithlove]

Mortals.

Emotions.

Justice so easily becomes Vengeance, or Rage. Love craves and becomes Desire.

[nerdeology]

[Okay, yeah, that's definitely familiar. It's a relief, honestly- if it had been something completely different, he's not sure what he could've done. But this...]

...Please, if you ever start feeling like you might be changing like that, tell Sorey or I. We might be able to help.

[killedwithlove]

I don't know if I'd know. I didn't know last time when I was a demon. Or sort of demon. Maybe not all demon. Mercy, not Despair. Like Vengeance, not Rage.

[nerdeology]

You don't have to be sure. If you suspect, even a little, we should at least try. Sorey would never forgive himself if you died pointlessly and there was something we could do to stop it.

[killedwithlove]

[He would, because Sorey cared about everyone and everything, in that all encompassing, achingly familiar way.]

But what if I hurt one of you?

[nerdeology]

That wouldn't scare us away. Where I come from, such creatures are called hellions, but such corruption isn't limited just to spirits. We've both devoted our lives to fighting them.

More importantly, together we have the power to purify the corruption, and change the hellions back to what they used to be. To save them, not kill them.

[killedwithlove]

... It's not a corruption. Blight is a corruption. Demons are just what mortals call spirits that prey on them. Solas says, said, that there's no difference except in the minds of mortals.

It's not a sickness. It just... is. Like ageing.

[nerdeology]

[Yeah, not deterred here.]

Even so. We can still try, can't we? Spirit or otherwise, any life is worth saving. There's no way to know if it'll work unless we give it a shot.

[killedwithlove]

[Cole hums, a low and uncertain sound.]

I don't want you or Sorey risking yourselves. I don't want to hurt you. But I would if I was a demon.

[nerdeology]

And both of us would rather be hurt trying to save someone than stand back and let them die just to save ourselves.

[killedwithlove]

I don't want to kill you!

[nerdeology]

That's what we're trying to prevent, don't you see?

And don't assume we'd let that happen, anyway. We're a lot harder to kill than you think.

[killedwithlove]

[Cole makes a small, distressed sounding noise.]

I'm very good at killing. I'm good at helping, but I'm good at killing. Quick, clean, kindly.

[He wants to go and sit with Jove and hide his face in her shoulder.]

[nerdeology]

Well.

[He can't really agree that there's a kind way to kill anyone, but.]

We're very good at saving people who are trying to kill.

[killedwithlove]

Despair... would target Sorey. Because it would hurt me.

[nerdeology]

I've spent my entire life keeping him out of trouble. Believe me, I'll protect him no matter what.

[killedwithlove]

I know you will. You'll protect him. I hope you can stop me before I do anything that can't be healed.

[nerdeology]

You're a spirit, aren't you? Try to have some faith- in us, and in yourself. Focus on how we can stop this from happening in the first place.

[killedwithlove]

I am.

But I don't know Faith. I'm just Compassion. Sometimes Mercy. Cole.

[nerdeology]

Faith isn't something you have to be. Sometimes it's a thing you have. It's a kind of belief.

[killedwithlove]

Yes.

But I am Compassion. Faith is Cassandra, Faith is Leliana. Faith is powerful, it moves nations and rewrites history.

Compassion is quiet. Compassion is small.

I don't know Faith, or Valor, or Wisdom.