Chapter 7: Failure
Nicholas was awoken by the sound of screaming, from somewhere in the distance. Guide looked around drowsily and noticed that Alex's door had been knocked in.
Oh crap.
Nicholas instantly threw himself to his feet and began dashing for the house, bow in hand. As he got closer to the house, the screaming seemed to grow louder, and by the time he got to the house, there was only a faint groaning, and a zombie walking out the door.
Nicholas fired an arrow into the zombie's head, and it collapsed instantly. He wasn't going to let the grim looking situation or a zombie stop him from doing his job!
He threw open the door. On the ground lay Alex, a bloody heap. His left arm was missing, and his clothes were horribly torn.
"Alex! Alex I..." Nicholas started. Alex made a faint gurgling sound and raised his hand towards guide. Guide tried to take it, but Alex went limp on the ground before he could.
Guide shivered. This was the player, the one he was supposed to protect. And now, the player was... Perhaps a little bit alive? Guide checked his pulse. He was very much deceased.
Guide whimpered. What was he to do now? He could think of only one thing. He grabbed the Alex unused blade, and pointed it at his stomach. If the player was dead, he had no purpose anymore.
"Please, Guide. Put down the blade," came the sound of Neptune's voice.
"Why should I!?" Give me one good reason why I shouldn't stab myself!" Nicholas, feeling like Guide again cried, ignoring the fact that Neptune had miraculously showed up when she did. She seemed like the kind of person who did that kind of thing.
"Because Alex isn't your only chance. You will help many players before you get one who survives. And that one will be the one who decides your fate, not you," Neptune replied. Guide dropped the sword, and kept his gaze fixed on Neptune. Suddenly, a change swept over him.
"I... I suppose I should have guessed as much," Guide said. And the whole killing-himself-because-some-guy-died thing suddenly seemed really dumb, and gradually, he began to feel like Nicholas again. Neptune certainly had a way with words. It could be compared to a mother shooting down some misguided views her son has, and the son letting out that last little, "oh." as he realizes he's wrong.
The two stared at each other for awhile, before Nicholas awkwardly embraced her. She smiled, but didn't return the gesture.
"What are you doing?" Neptune asked, looking at guide curiously. Nicholas smiled back. Now he finally had a chance to rattle off a definition; Score!
"It is a physical sign of affection, usually used in a moment of emotional significance, oftentimes exchanged between two friends or family members," He said, though he was slightly disappointed with his non-lengthy definition.
"Hm. Excuse my ignorance on the subject of human displays of affection. I do not spend much time around humans." Neptune said embarrassedly. She wrapped her arms around the guide, and the two stayed like this for a while, each grateful for the others presence.
Outside, rain began to fall, and the sun began rise. It was the start of a new day, and, somewhere in the distance, a man new to the world began to stir...