Noah slept for two days straight, and Maison was by his side every second. He practically lived in Noah's ward, he showered there, he slept there and he kept watch over Noah. Maison watched as the person in front of him slowly opened his eyes, confusion flashed through them as they looked at Maison.

"Couldn't really leave you, I was worried sick," he explained as he untied his left wrist too so that Noah could sit. Slowly getting into a sitting position, he was given a cup of water. Noah downed that immediately he was so thirsty and so hungry.

Maison took the empty cup and filled it up again, giving it back to Noah, "You can't eat heavy food you have been sleeping for two days straight. Whatever was going on in your head must've exhausted you pretty hard." He drank the second cup of water and nodded absent-mindedly. Then he remembered Mr. Murray and Maison's conversation about sending him out to fight.

Panic rushed through his eyes as he looked at Maison, "I don't have to go outside to fight right? I can still do research. I know my mental health must have been bonkers, but I am perfectly fine to conduct it again. I was just distraught about the death of... Zenix."

His head sunk, he bit his lip and then looked up again, "How is Ben? Do you know anything?"

Maison shook his head, as he got the cup out of Noah's hands, "I was with you these two days, I am the wrong person to ask. Though the way he was behaving when bringing Zenix to the incineration, he won't be in this base long. Except maybe Jay nothing is holding him here, and the frustration of not being able to save someone is probably killing him right now. Smashing some zombie heads in might be a good idea..." Noah nodded when he thought of a Ben without a Zenix by his side, it was impossible, they were like two peas in a pot.

Like platonic soulmates, Noah looked to Maison, "Actually, Zenix told me they knew that you were the one saving them not Jay. He told me so many things, he trusted me and I betrayed that trust and let him die. YOu and your grandfather are right why should I continue research, I will just get everyone killed." He then looked at his hands, like on-and-off visions his hands appeared bloody before being normal again. Maison shook his head and took both of Noah's hands in his, "No, it wasn't your fault there was nothing you could have done to prevent that."

Noah shook Maison's hands off and turned his face away from him, "No, you don't understand. If I could have moved my body, if I didn't freeze I could have saved him. I should have saved him."

Maison bit his lip and walked to the other side so Noah could look him in the eyes, "Noah, look at me. There is nothing you could've done, it is normal for your body to freeze in overstimulating situations. Since only then can your body process what is happening, since your body can be slower than your mind. There is nothing wrong with that, you are not Atlas. You don't have to balance the world on your shoulders, you are a human just like me and Ben are. Just like Zenix was, he was a human and humans will die and even You and I will someday die. There is nothing either of us can do to stop it." Noah cried, tears rolled down his face and Maison took this opportunity to hug him. Noah hugged him back, he felt so light he finally had someone to rely on, someone he could share his feelings with. Though Noah knew Zenix, he would have told Zenix a lot about himself too. If he was given the chance, when they were at the plantation he almost wanted to tell him about similar experiences he went through, but that talk was about Zenix and Ben so it felt inappropriate.

This hug with Maison was nice, it felt so warm and comfortable like he wouldn't have to be worried anymore. He put his head in the crevice of the other's neck and shoulder and breathed in deeply. He really liked the scent of Maison, a bit like pine and freshly mowed grass. Noah felt so safe in the arms of Maison that his eyelid slowly fell and he slept, which was weird since he slept for two days just now. Maison hugged him as long as Noah needed, he himself didn't want to pull out of the hug. He liked the feeling of Noah in his arms, only when he heard a light snoring sound did he let go of the hug and slowly put him onto the bed again. Then he covered Noah up with a blanket and made sure that he wouldn't wake up in the next couple of hours. Maison after two days of staying by Noah's side finally left the room to get some clothes and talk to his grandfather. Closing the door, he leaned his forehead onto the door, closed his eyes, and breathed in deeply. Then he left to go to the elevator and get a serious talk with his grandpa going.

...

Ben watched as Maison walked further and further away, before opening the door silently and going inside. He had been coming and going, Ben never went in as he knew that Maison was inside, but now that he stood in front of Noah's white hospital bed he didn't know what to do. Be brought a bit of rice soup or more like rice risotto, with mushrooms and bell peppers. Perfect for Noah who hadn't been eating for two days. Ben was thinking about the old man's words, and the conclusion he came to, was that Zenix's final moment was protecting this idiot. So he will make sure that this idiot stays alive, but that doesn't mean he forgives him or even likes him. He is doing this for Zenix, not for anyone else. He just put the rice risotto on the table by the left side of the bed. His mission done he walked out, only the risotto was an indication that there had been a person in the room.

...

Two hours later he woke up again, he couldn't really explain to himself why he was feeling so tired after sleeping for two days. Sitting up, and looking around his room, which was white and had such a hospital vibe, he angrily called Void in his head, he wanted an answer.

'VOID, answer you piece of shit,' he thought and imagined that stupid raven. The room felt a little funky just like when Void stopped time to stand on Ben's head and when he slowed down time to take over the body. A black vortex was forming at the ceiling and out flew the damn raven. He landed on the end of the bed and the railing just at the end of the bed.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Void held his head low, seemingly shameful, "I know you probably have a lot of questions, but to answer the most important one... Zenix was supposed to die in the basement trying to get to the others, and we can't meddle too much in fate."

Noah shook his head, "Bull. You said it yourself remember, does your world have a plot? And the shit about worlds just moving with the choices we humans have? If most worlds don't have a plot why is it decided that he would die there?" Void seemingly bothered by those words he flew up and to the couch where Maison slept the last days.

He wasn't even looking at Noah when he said those next words, "Yes, this world doesn't have a story or a plot. That doesn't mean there is no fate, you have fates in your world. The fate to meet the one you're destined to be with, the fate to die to save another, and the fate to do something no one else was capable of. Everything is born with a fate, why do you think that some people who have spiritual gifts know how you will live? With your presence you changed his fate, with a change of someone's fate can come great difficulties. As this is a tutorial of some sort, I had to make the decision to kill Zenix. It is all for your good, it would have gone into a deeper more real situation, so-"

Noah was furious, "So you decide to take over this body and let him die?! Answer me one thing! Could I have saved him?"

Void's black orbs stared at Noah, "I wouldn't have to take over your body if you weren't able to. The price is still the same, enjoy memory 2." Before Noah could react, the raven had already flown through the vortex and disappeared. With his disappearance, time was also unpaused. Noah looked at the ceiling with resentment, as Void's voice flooded his mind 'Memory 2 unlocked'.

...

Felix was again only a bystander in Noah's life and could only watch through his eyes, as he noticed a wooden truck in Noah's hands. They were tiny, children's hands playing with the truck and making driving noises. With the little truck in his hands, Noah crashed into his favorite blue car, since it was the same car that his parents drove. He heard keys rattling and stood up, running with his little legs until he was at the door. The door opened and it was neither his father nor his mother it was his aunt, she had the same jet-black hair as him. Her brown eyes were filled with tears as she noticed Noah and hugged him, crying on his shoulder. Noah was confused but hugged her back and caressed his aunt's back.

Then his aunt breathed in deeply, and put both her hands on Noah's tiny shoulders, "You have to be strong for me, something happened to your mom and dad. They won't be able to come home anymore, you will be living with me from now on." His aunt tried to smile as tears ran down her face.

Noah looked at her head tilted to the side, not really understanding the weight of her words, "So momi and daddy are going on a trip? Why did they not take me with them? I love going on a trip."

Then his aunt mustered all the strength she could muster and stood up leaving little Noah in the entrance. Noah was just confused and wandered to his toys as he watched his aunt, pack together his stuff. He watched as she pulled out clothes from his closet and into a little suitcase. It was the suitcase that Noah got when his parent would take him on a vacation. He walked to his truck and his favorite blue car, he grabbed them, and waddled to his aunt. He looked at her with big innocent eyes, his aunt looked at him and tears swelled in her eyes again.

Zipping the suitcase close she pulled it behind her, "Let us go, you live with me for a while." Noah nodded as he ran behind her, his hands full of his two toys. Looking behind him, that was the last time he saw his home.

The scenery changed and he was wearing a black suit, when he asked his aunt, "What happened? Why are they where grandpa and grandma are?" He sniffled and his green eyes filled with tears.

His aunt smiled helplessly as she kneeled beside him so they could communicate at the same height, "There are horrible people in this world, and a truck rammed into the car of your parents." Little Noah's eyes flooded with tears, that was exactly what he was playing before his aunt came home, maybe he made the accident happen? Guilt seeped into little Noah, thinking it was his fault. Then Felix saw Noah aging, he was now nine years old. He had long understood what really happened, that his parents were attacked in a terrorist attack. The wound that he believed for years didn't close instead he directed his anger at the person who he thought made him feel this way. He began to ignore his aunt, bullied other kids, and always wanted more money for sweets. His aunt was sad, but Noah was also sad. He felt wronged for thinking he was at fault when he actually wasn't.

Before he turned twelve, his aunt tried to give him more money, but he also noticed that something was wrong. She looked physically sick, was very weak, and always tired. So the day of his birthday he wished that she would go to a hospital, so she could get checked. After they did a lot of tests, they noticed a cancer in mid-stage and said it would be operatable. For two years his aunt always promised him she went to see the doctor, but she lied. She didn't get treatment, because of the money it would cost. When Noah convinced her it was alright, that he didn't need money. It was already too late. She collapsed a while later, and Noah could only watch as she deteriorated day by day. This time he knew it was his fault, and he should have never behaved like this. It wasn't her fault, it never was.

His aunt was the one who took him in when she could have left him at the orphanage, and now he killed her with his selfishness. In her last breath, she smiled up at him, "Noah don't blame yourself, it is okay for children to be a little selfish. Never once did I regret taking you in, I hope you see the stars and remember me, your mom, and your dad when you do. I love you." Then her hand went limp and Noah cried, he lost everyone, and now he had no one. He felt so empty like nothing mattered anymore. Felix began to understand why he unlocked a memory before he was sucked back into reality.

...

Coming back into reality, Noah smiled sadly, 'So someone precious had to die, for me to get an achievement?! What a stupid joke...'