[Khanna]

So here's a dialogue between Duiker the Historian and Nether the Warlock.




“Nether?”
She hung her head. “I am sorry, I cannot stop my ears—they may be deluding themselves. Even if we make it to Balahn, to Aren Way, it is still three leagues to the city itself.”
“I share your misgivings. But out there, well, it’s the gestures of kindness, don’t you see? We none of us have any defense against them.”
“The release is too soon, Duiker!”
“Possibly, but there’s not a damned thing we can do about it.”


What are "gestures of kindness"? What does Duiker mean when he says "none of us have any defense against them"? Also, what is this "release" Nether is talking about?

I know I'm asking a lot of questions but I don't want to finish this book without fully understanding it. Also I really hate this author. English is not my native language but I'd never had this much difficulty with a novel before.

[Aptorian]

Again, a bit more context and a page number would help in discerning the meaning of the segment.

I believe this part is from the last push where Coltain us doing the rear guard defence and the refugees are making their way to Aren escorted by the local tribe. I recall there being some much needed resupply and help from the tribe which I'm assuming is what this passage refers to. There is a danger that the refugees will slow or give up before they reach Aren because they think they're already safe, already there.

[Khanna]

Aptorian, on 28 March 2020 - 02:30 PM, said:

Again, a bit more context and a page number would help in discerning the meaning of the segment.

I believe this part is from the last push where Coltain us doing the rear guard defence and the refugees are making their way to Aren escorted by the local tribe. I recall there being some much needed resupply and help from the tribe which I'm assuming is what this passage refers to. There is a danger that the refugees will slow or give up before they reach Aren because they think they're already safe, already there.

Hmm, that makes sense. The reason I didn't include the previous paragraphs is because it's a rather long part.

[Garak]

The gesture of kindness is exactly that. The food, water, blankets, medicine that the weary and battered refugees are receiving from the tribe they came across. The lack of defense and release also refer to that. Those people have gone through hell, this has hardened and numbed them to a certain degree as a defense mechanism against the trauma they are going through. This numbness allows the body to perform a purely mechanical task, put one foot in front of the other, without the mind going bananas that they are going to die any moment and it's so far away and oh god this is hopeless. They can continue like this right up untill the enemy catches them or the body is out of resources and shuts down. The gestures of kindness, of help they are receiving are not something they can refuse - the food, water, warmth, medicine are needed for survival. But in accepting these things, in accepting this comfort, the possibility that they close to salvation, they are coming out of that numbness. That's why the wailing and crying. They are finally processing the emotional wounds and traumas that they have received over the course of this march. And while this is needed and healthy, it's too soon. Because they now have to march again. But they aren't numb and hardened any more - they now aware of every painful step, of every breath through a dry throat, of the sun beating down upon them. It makes the last leg of their journey even harder. They also believe they are close to salvation and this can make them careless, confident. And Nether is afraid this will slow them down and the enemy will reach them and slaughter everyone and make this all utterly pointless. And this scares her, this can crumble what will she still has to keep going. It's close to doing that. Same for Duiker. But if they break now then the column is sure to die. And they know this. Which doesn't really help Duiker or Nether.

There are a lot of things going on in that brief exchange.

[Kanese S's]

Garak, on 28 March 2020 - 09:22 PM, said:

The gesture of kindness is exactly that. The food, water, blankets, medicine that the weary and battered refugees are receiving from the tribe they came across. The lack of defense and release also refer to that. Those people have gone through hell, this has hardened and numbed them to a certain degree as a defense mechanism against the trauma they are going through. This numbness allows the body to perform a purely mechanical task, put one foot in front of the other, without the mind going bananas that they are going to die any moment and it's so far away and oh god this is hopeless. They can continue like this right up untill the enemy catches them or the body is out of resources and shuts down. The gestures of kindness, of help they are receiving are not something they can refuse - the food, water, warmth, medicine are needed for survival. But in accepting these things, in accepting this comfort, the possibility that they close to salvation, they are coming out of that numbness. That's why the wailing and crying. They are finally processing the emotional wounds and traumas that they have received over the course of this march. And while this is needed and healthy, it's too soon. Because they now have to march again. But they aren't numb and hardened any more - they now aware of every painful step, of every breath through a dry throat, of the sun beating down upon them. It makes the last leg of their journey even harder. They also believe they are close to salvation and this can make them careless, confident. And Nether is afraid this will slow them down and the enemy will reach them and slaughter everyone and make this all utterly pointless. And this scares her, this can crumble what will she still has to keep going. It's close to doing that. Same for Duiker. But if they break now then the column is sure to die. And they know this. Which doesn't really help Duiker or Nether.

There are a lot of things going on in that brief exchange.

I ran out of positive rep, but yeah, this exactly.

The refugees have been through basically months of continuous trauma and fight/flight instinct. That is exhausting for both body and mind.