The Exception, The Guardian, and The Monster

Esredes: *After he's gathered up a lot of knochen between the island and the forest bases, he tells everyone to quickly prepare and then seeks Ceila's place out in the crowd. He's already told her they need to talk. Once they make eye contact, she waits for him to speak as he approaches her* All right. I have to talk to you about something important. But we have to do it alone.

Ceila: I wouldn't mind being alone right now... Have any place in mind?

Esredes: No, just away from everyone else. Let's go over there.

*The two of them walk off, a sizeable distance from the others. Esredes turns to her, hints of vulnerability making their way into his expression.*

Esredes: I have something I need to tell you. A secret. You're still the one person in this faction I would trust with most of my secrets, and... I need that kind of support for what we're about to do.

Ceila: A secret? [He's had plenty of time to develop them. Is this going to explain the way he acts sometimes?] *Her expression softens, but yet looks attentive and serious.* I'm glad you still trust me, Esrey. What is it you need to say...?

Esredes: Okay so, this lady we've been hunting. I told you I heard the rumors of her and then we confirmed her existence, right? 

Ceila: Yes? 

Esredes: I... never told you how I found out about her.

Ceila: ...I assumed you overheard it from somewhere. Actually... no, that doesn't explain how you figured out where her lab was. *Her expression becomes more worried.* How did you really find out...?

Esredes: I was passing through a village and simultaneously scouting it on my own one evening a couple months ago. Some human lady passed me wearing metallic gloves and shoes. Naturally that's strange, so I follow her to investigate. She tells me it was for protection and tells me to come to her weapon shop if I want something. So I decided I would.

Esredes: Both of us expressed our dislike for magic, then she figured out I'm a knochen. She could tell my intimidation was for a genuine purpose. So she offered me a deal.

Ceila: A deal...?

Esredes: If I didn't attack her village- which I wasn't even planning on doing, there's nothing there of use or danger to us- she'd give me information on hunters so I could track them down and dispose of them. I figured one irrelevant village is a fair deal for that chance, so I agreed to it. 

Esredes: That's when she told me about this Thiessen. She was one of her experiments. The freak abducted her and injected her with knochen bone marrow so she would gain magic. But it wasn't stable. Her hands and feet set anything they touch on fire, so she has to wear metal. As you can probably guess, she's hellbent on helping her get killed.

Ceila: Does she happen to be the owner of those sticks?

Esredes: Sticks? Oh, yes, those were hers. I figured I'd return them to her. 

Esredes: ...I've been visiting her every other week to get new lists of hunters to kill. But we also end up talking. She's really much more than I expected. She's the one who gave me the hint that lead to finding the lab. She's what I needed to get us to this point. 

Esredes: ...And she's also how I found the one we're about to destroy. Because the lady found her and kidnapped her again.

Ceila: *Her eyes widen at this* Oh my gods...

Esredes: I showed up at her house and she was gone, her scent trail lead me to it. If she's not dead already, she's still in there. 

Esredes: And that is why I need you to understand a couple of things.

Esredes: One, I'm not betraying the faction. I'm not having any second thoughts. She respects the fact I don't like her species. On a logical level, I'm just using a human to kill many more and using her as an informant. That's not outside of anything we usually do. But... she's more than just useful. She's truly something special for her species. She's not like the rest of them. She doesn't like magic. She understands our cause. She roots for us. She's too good to be a human, really, but she is. And I can't help but like that. 

Esredes: I'll gladly kill the world around her, but I care about her and I need her support to the faction to find and kill this lady. You understand what I mean by all this, right?

Ceila: It explains a few things about how you acted at that lab. I understand, but yet I don't... *she grins* She must be extremely special if she got you to care about a human. Of all the people here you were not one I expected to ever make an exception. 

Esredes: She is extremely special, that's my point. Ceila, I'd rather not lose her now after we've been able to accomplish so much. Technically she's fulfilled her purpose because we're about to find and kill the scientist, but... she's not just a purpose. 

Esredes: And that's why I need you. I want to save her, but I don't know if I can with having to lead the barrage. I have to make sure this goes well and everybody else comes out okay. But I can trust you to help me find and save her.

Esredes: The experiments are sources of information, so it isn't a break from code to save one. I can't focus on finding her, so I need you to do it in my place if and when the opportunity arises. 

Ceila: What does she look like?

Esredes: You've smelled her scent, but her hair is long and poofy, it's a reddish brown shade. Lighter skin and orange eyes, but they're a lighter orange than mine. She'll probably be naked as well.

Ceila: Why...?

Esredes: The first time the scientist got ahold of her she was lying on an operating table naked. She doesn't have the usual human shame about it anymore.

Ceila: I can do it. If I can find her, I'll protect her and tell you. If she's helped us this much, she deserves to be saved.

Esredes: Thank you for understanding. I obviously don't want you to prioritize her over the rest of the faction either. But they should be able to handle themselves and give you the chance.

Ceila: All right. Then I'm glad you trusted me with this. Let's give this woman what she deserves and save your special human friend.

Esredes: Exactly. One more thing... if she does die, we'll bury this secret with her body. We'll quietly honor her as an unsung, unlikely hero for the faction, the two of us. But it stays between us.

Ceila: Right... I hope we don't have to do that.

Esredes: Me neither. For reference in case you need to get her attention, her name is Alise. Tell her you know me. No, that you're my trusted friend. I haven't told her your name but I mentioned that once.

Ceila: Aw, I'm flattered, Esrey. Very well then. *She stares at him a moment* Are you ready for this?

Esredes: As much as I can be. I can't afford to not be, we don't have time. Let's get back to the group, we need to move quickly.

Ceila: You're right, let's go. I'll do my best like I said. It stays between us. *She begins to walk back with him,* But you will have to tell me all about this after this is over. I need to hear more about what made Esredes trust a human.

Esredes: I know, I didn't think it was possible either. I never understood how you did it until now.

Ceila: And now you do. I look forward to meeting her, Esrey. I'm sure she must be something.

---

---

*When they meet up again during the aftermath, they again walk away from the group a moment to talk.*

Ceila: So, did you find her? I only managed to find Cypress...

Esredes: Yes, I did find her. She was in the fight the whole time. Somehow she must've broken out in the chaos. But she's hurt and an uncanny now. I dropped her off with the healer. And if she recovers, I'm sorry, but I have to ask something else of you.

Ceila: Oh dear... what is it?

Esredes: I can't take her home. I have to attend to the faction. If I relieve you of your duties following the cleanup we'll have to do on this mess, will you take her home and make sure she recovers until I can come see her?

Ceila: How far is her home?

Esredes: It's around a fifteen minute flight from here. Not too bad, but you'd also have to carry her. Thankfully her human form is lighter than mine, and you carried it much further.

Ceila: I did... *She looks a bit fearful a moment, but then it disappears.* But how long do you think she will take to recover?

Esredes: I have no idea. With the healer's aid, hopefully not long. But think of it as a break, a vacation. She has a whole village you can socialize with while you wait, as long as you don't leave her alone for long. You can find out for yourself what the special human is like. There's just no other way I could help make sure she lives. 

Ceila: So you'll look after the faction, and I'll look after her?

Esredes: Yes, exactly. I'll visit the both of you as soon as I possibly can so we can get back to business. Her roommate will come back and then we won't have to worry.

Ceila: Roommate?

Esredes: Oh, you'd like him. He makes weapons and they became friends escaping from Thiessen together. So now they live together. I think he technically owns the house, but it's both of theirs. He's on a trip to see his mother, but he'll be back in a few days. Then he'll do what neither of us can.

Ceila: Babysit her for us... All right, Esrey. Babysitting vacation with your special human friend. That would be kind of fun...

Esredes: Feel free to hold me to the fact I owe you for this. I shouldn't have to ever ask something like this of you again. 

Ceila: Oh, don't worry too much about it. Like you, I owe it to her for helping us find the scientist. I just can't get over how adorable this is. It's so cute to watch you care so much about this little human. 

Esredes: As long as she recovers, I won't protest to you finding it as cute as you'd like. And one other thing... *He removes the gauntlet from his belt.* I found one of her gauntlets in the lab. Her hands need these to prevent her from setting everything on fire. The other is still at her house, as well as her shoes. But she has a separate set lying around her bedroom she uses for sleeping. I would slip those on before you put her in her bed. *He hands the gauntlet off to her.*

Ceila: *She receives it.* A sleeping set... Okay, got it. Anything else I should know?

Esredes: Don't whisper in her ear if she's asleep.

Ceila: Why would I do that?

Esredes: I'd be surprised if you did. I just figured I would mention it just in case.

Ceila: Well, okay then... If that's it, you should probably check on her.

Esredes: I should. Well, thank you again for agreeing to this. We've had an almost perfect victory tonight, and that's something to celebrate. I'll be back in a moment to let you know if she's well enough to be carried home or not. 

Ceila: I hope she is... Good luck, Esrey.