Life's Just A Game

Chapter 29

Glad to say that I don't have corona. Now moving on. This will be the start of arc 2. Hope you enjoy it!

[Normal P.O.V]

The two stared at each other for what seemed like hours. It was as if the entire world stopped moving, and everything revolved around them. Astrid was just speechless, unable to say anything to him. She found him, now what?

Hayden was in shock. He sensed someone behind him and he heard someone sniffing. He turns around and sees Astrid, weeping and was about run away. Unconsciously, he yelled out for her before he could stop himself.

"Hi Hayden..."

What is he supposed to say to that? For years, he hasn't seen her. Then she suddenly joined Drakos, to which he hid his identity. Now, the jig is up. He has no excuses to tell her. The only rational thing to do is tell her the truth.

But before he could say anything, Ezra decided to speak up.

"Hayden? Who's the pretty lady?" She asked, tugging Hayden's arm.

Hayden looked down at Ezra, then back at Astrid, then an idea suddenly popped in his head.

He knelt down to Ezra's level, placing his hands on her shoulder. "That, Ezra, is Astrid Hofferson. My best friend in the entire world." Hayden emphasized the 'world'. "She took care of me, and I took care of her. But suddenly, I went missing. And she apparently looked all over for me, for years. Then, when she came here, I panicked. I didn't know what to do! So I did what I did best. I hid myself from her. Hid my face. Because I was scared."

"Scared?" Ezra repeated, her eyes shining with interest.

"Yes. Scared like you up there." Hayden smiled.

Astrid just watched the two interact. She knew he was speaking to her indirectly, but she was still unable to speak.

"I was scared that, she would look at me differently. Look at me like I'm a monster. Which is true. That's why I hid my face. I'm a bad man, Ezra. Very bad. I've done things so horrible that I still have nightmares about it every night." Hayden continued, rubbing the top of Ezra's head. "I hate myself. I hate myself for being like that. But, it's who I am now. And there's no changing that. The dead won't forgive me for what I've done. So why should the living do?"

Astrid's eyes widened at Hayden. Everything connected. Everything that Night Fury experienced, Hayden was the one who experienced it.

"But why are you scared of Astwid?" Ezra asked.

"Because she's Astrid. A beautiful axe swinging Valkyrie. She shouldn't care for someone like me. Someone so worthless that it pains me every day and night not to show my face to her and proclaim that I'm alive." Hayden then turns his head at Astrid. "I don't deserve someone like her. I don't deserve anyone. I'm no longer who she thinks I am. I'm a fucking sadistic monster who doesn't deserve to live. But life is cruel, and won't let me leave her. So all I have to do now, is keep living in this ruthless world, without experiencing its pleasures."

Hayden then faced a very confused Ezra, and kept talking indirectly to Astrid. "You know you are in endless pain when you wake up one morning and realize that you are dead, buried and forgotten by those who are dear and close to you but alive and kicking to strangers, people who don't give a damn about you. You know you will forever be in pain when you wake up in the morning, with a jolt, to go out and kill, take another human's life or someone else will suffer the consequences. You know pain when you go to sleep with it every night and you see yourself being lowered in your own grave but when you scream to those mourning and burying you, your screams are whimpers that no one hears."