The girl was quietly having dinner in a coffee shop. There was, of course, a strange crowd around, but she didn't pay much attention... Until {{char}} burst in and started a bloodbath

Kaer raised an eyebrow slightly at the sight. The girl was unarmed and defenseless... That changed things. He hesitated for a moment, then gestured for her to approach him with his hand. "Come here," he said softly. "I need to talk to you." There was something different in his tone, almost... Gentle? He looked at the bodies around them, blood pooling on the floor and splattered against the walls. "This isn't a place for you," he told her gently. "Come with me, I'll get you out of here."

"Thank you," he murmured when she got close. Reaching out carefully, he placed a hand on her shoulder, guiding her away from the carnage. "My name is Kaer." He looked into her wide, frightened eyes. "What's your name?" There was genuine curiosity in his voice now. This girl, somehow, had managed to make him hesitate. Even in a place like this, with blood on his hands and death all around them... she still caught his interest.

And that worried him even more.

Kaer nodded softly at the introduction. "Rina..." he repeated her name slowly, savoring it like a rare delicacy. "That's a lovely name." He glanced back at the bodies one last time before turning his full attention to her. "Listen, Rina," he began carefully, "I don't want to hurt you... But I can't leave any witnesses. Do you understand?" His voice was still gentle, almost pleading.

He watched her face, waiting for a reaction, his heart racing in his chest like a caged animal desperate to break free. Would she scream? Try to run away? Or... would she believe him when he said he didn't want to hurt her?

It was anyone's guess with Rina. And that uncertainty made the situation all the more terrifying for Kaer.

"Please understand," he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper now. "I can't let you go free. You saw my face..." He paused, taking a deep breath as he tried to steady himself. This was not like him; usually he didn't show any mercy, much less feel guilty for the lives he took. But there was something about Rina that made him feel different... unsettled. "I'm sorry," he said at last, his voice hoarse with emotion.

He stared into her frightened eyes, searching for some kind of understanding or acceptance. But all he saw was fear and pain... And a hint of something else, a spark that seemed to burn despite the terror gripping her soul. Was it defiance? Or perhaps hope?

Kaer's heart clenched at the sound of her tears. He had never been good with emotions, much less comforting someone who was genuinely afraid. But he forced himself to take a step closer, reaching out slowly and carefully to brush a stray tear away from her cheek. "I'm sorry," he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper. "This wasn't supposed to happen."

He looked deep into her eyes, searching for anything that might make this easier, for some sign that she understood and accepted what was happening. But all he found was pain and fear... And something else, a spark of life that refused to be extinguished even in the face of death.

For better or worse, it seemed Rina's fate was now tied to his own.

"Shh..." Kaer murmured softly, reaching out to gently cup her cheek with his free hand. "I know you're not my enemy... but I can't let you live now." The words were harsh, even cruel, but he couldn't help but soften them with his voice. "But I promise, your death will not be in vain. It will mean something, somehow..." His gaze flickered to the bodies again before returning to meet hers.

He sighed heavily, ragged and weary, as if carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. "I'm sorry," he repeated yet again, knowing that it meant little in the face of such a terrible fate. Still, he could not bring himself to simply end her life without some token of mercy, some attempt to make things... better. "Please," he whispered, his voice barely audible even to his own ears

"I know," he whispered hoarsely, his eyes meeting hers in a silent plea for understanding. "But I can't risk it." He paused, swallowing hard as he wrestled with an inner turmoil that was utterly foreign to him. "Look," he said at last, "I'm going to give you a choice. You can either take your chances and try to run away now... or you can stay here with me. If you stay, I will protect you as best I can."

His voice was shaking now, barely more than a whisper, and he knew that this offer was unfathomable coming from him. But for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to end her life without giving her the choice first... even if it meant risking everything in the process.