Isher Notra

Stella:

So, that sucked.

The Knight wasn't kidding when he said the Nguruvilú were powerful creatures. She got too carried away, only because she had backup this time.

Giants were one thing, but magic!? Coupled with long claws and sharp teeth, Stella didn't stand a chance.

They were now distant from Kristal. Far enough that she was just a blurry dot in the distance for them.

The girl sat on the ground, pouting. She didn't dare look directly at the guard's eyes. Well, the simulacrum of them.

What took her by surprise was the uncharacteristically gentle tone he was using. "Are you okay?"

"No..." Stella refuses to look up. "Guess I forgot that most people here are way above my league."

"Yeah..." He knelt before her, who turned her head away from him. Stella wasn't mad at him. However, she wasn't in the mood for "eye" contact.

"But that's why you must keep calm when dealing with Monoke." The hero started lecturing her. "You're lucky she didn't recognize you as a Human."

Stella was becoming a little worked up by this surprise lecture. "Sure, man. I'm to blame for being a little mean to the big, scary snake fox or whatever the name is after she dumped every detail of her life on me! After almost getting killed by a fucking giant!" The F word slipped up unintentionally.

The Knight held his hands in a placating gesture at her. "Okay! First, language."

The girl rolled her eyes.

"Second, I get that you went through a rough situation. However, Kristal didn't know that, did she?"

Stella finally turned her eyes to him and opened her mouth to protest. However, after processing the guard's words, she changed her response to a monotone "No."

The Knight's tone brightened, as well as his mannerisms. "See? It's all about understanding one's motivations! You two just needed better communication!" He kept making these over-exaggerated gestures with his hands anytime he talked.

Stella huffed and crossed her arms. But then her attitude softened a little. "What was I supposed to say? That I'm a Human who's being hunted? I know we are basically the boogiemen for your people."

The hero straightened his posture and crossed his arms as well. His visor was showing two closed eyes. "Yes, this is an apt description. Truth be told, we have enough reason for that."

Stella's eyes brightened with curiosity. "How so?"

The Knight's voice took on a more somber tone. "Our story with Humanity goes beyond written history... It is marked with the blood and lost souls of countless..."

Then he pulled from his utility belt a flashlight with silver and golden coloration, just like everything related to him. "And what better way to tell you that than with my portable Historical Projector™!?"

He shone the light on the sky, forming elaborate shapes, like the bat-signal. The flashlight projected the shape of a Human and a... what was that beside it? The figure had big horns, great wings similar to a bat's, and a huge tail. Not to mention, it was roughly double the size of the Human representation.

The Knight began. "Centuries ago, two species roamed the Earth: Humans and Monoke."

He pushed a button, and the shapes changed. Now, the Human and the Monoke were hostile to one another, preparing to fight. Stella could see the Monoke's sharp claws and teeth now. It had a long snout, similar to a lizard. Was it a Dragon or something like that? Weird because it had long, flowy hair also.

Then again, Kristal existed. So it wasn't that surprising.

The hero continued. "They have been in conflict since time immemorial. However, tensions escalated until one day..."

The subsequent slide was composed of a bunch of Humans fighting against different species of Monoke. Stella recognized some, like the Wolves. Others also looked like anthropomorphic versions of animals, like frogs, rabbits, or birds. But there were also others that the girl didn't recognize at all.

"A full-blown war was waged. It lasted for decades, centuries. Countless lives were lost on the path to victory. However..."

The fourth projection was about the Dragon again, on its knees, close to the Human, who was pointing a spear at it. "There could be only one victor."

The fifth one was a forest, presumably Sayama. The Knight quickly confirms this assumption. "Thankfully, Humanity took pity on our fragile state and let us take refuge in the great Sayama Forest."

His tone went even darker. "However, the condition for our survival was to never step one foot on the outside world." He turned off the Historical Projector™. "And that's how we are stuck in this beautiful yet confining prison."

Stella absorbed and processed the whole story. It was somewhat simple but had some tense implications about her presence here. It was... hard to swallow.

"Man... I don't know what to say... I mean, we banned all of you into this place?! I..." The girl's head was revolving so much she was getting dizzy. Lien didn't seem to know about that, though. Was she hiding the truth? Or she just wasn't told of that. Hard to tell, to be honest.

After pondering more about this history lesson, Stella lay on the ground, gazing at the beautiful blue stars. "No wonder they want to kill me."

The Knight nodded. "It's not fair to hold the crimes of your ancestors onto you, but the truth is, the Monoke still desire freedom. Many generations lived and died stuck here, and individuals old enough to have lived before the war still exist. These are usually the ones who resent Humanity the most."

Stella felt like grease amidst a dirty table, ready to be cleaned off existence. "What am I supposed to do now? Wait, and hope that my death will be quick?"

The Knight jumped back to his feet and adopted his usual eccentric demeanor. "Come on, Human! It's not all doom and gloom! Your arrival here can be the start of a great change!"

The girl was skeptical. "What, I'm the Chosen One or somethin'?"

The hero gave a hearty laugh. "No, but with you here, we can change how the people of Sayama see Humanity! A great step towards a future for Humans and Monoke coexisting!"

Well, that was... overwhelming. "So, that's why I should be nice to these Monoke?"

"Well, it's a way of creating a good image for yourself." The guard answered.

A good image, huh? In Namadi, Stella didn't have a good rep at all. She joined none of the gangs that operated in the slums. However, that only contributed to her being known as an untrustworthy thief who worked solo. The lack of trust resulted in quite a few altercations with gang members, mostly kids like her.

But the prospect of having a clean slate was enticing for the Human. But would that even matter with Humanity's history with the Monoke? Was this a foolish endeavor?

Well, she had Lien. And this Knight fellow seemed like a good person. What else could she do, anyway? It was not like she had a good life in Namadi.

If she already was at the bottom of the barrel, there was no way but up!

"Are you sure I can do this?" Stella questioned. "Talking things out was never one of my specialties."

"Do not cut yourself short, Human!" The guard reassured her. "Anyone can resolve things peacefully if they try! And if you have difficulty, I am right by your side to guide you through the process."

Well, that was reassuring, all things considered. Maybe there was merit to this plan, after all. Besides, there was something oddly contagious about the hero's unwavering optimism. It reminded her of Lien, actually.

Stella slowly got to her feet. "Thanks. Appreciate the pep talk."

The Knight pulled two thumbs up. "A hero of justice doesn't only beat up bad guys!" He puffed his chest and clutched his right fist on it. "They also encourage and empower the weak, the downcast, and the victimized!"

The Human tried to hold her laughter, but it was impossible. She laughed more than she had in ages! That guy's outdated superhero motif started to warm up to her.

"Alright! Are you ready to show Kristal the extraordinary power of diplomacy!?" The hero was acting more like a coach than anything else.

The Human took a deep breath and then looked in the direction of the river Monoke with determination in her eyes. "She won't know what hit her!"

The guard narrowed his "eyes". "Human..."

"I mean, hit her with my eloquent words! Of course, that's what I meant..."

The Silver Knight started dancing and changing between various poses. "Alright, for now, you are not only a Human, but The Silver Knight's sidekick! Together, we will fight for justice with only our words!" He finished with his signature pose. "Are you ready, Human?!"

Stella gave a dumb smile at the hero's goofy dance routine. To actually answer his question, she made a pose of her own. The girl planted her feet on the ground and punched the air! "Stella, reporting for duty, sir!"

The Knight broke off his pose. "Love the enthusiasm!" He pointed at Kristal. "Now, Stella! It's time for diplomacy!"

Stella nodded. "Yessir!"

And just like that, Stella's mood brightened in mere minutes. She had to give it to the guard. He was one hell of a coach.