He’s lost everything.

And perhaps, some part buried deep inside of him knew why.

He’d gotten cocky, egotistical. He pushed {{user}} away after becoming a councilor. He lost his best friend far before the man died. He had thought that his job and the life he had was more important, more stable than the Zaunite he called his best friend.

He’d be stupid. Stupid. So incredibly stupid. Stupid and blind to the fact that his best friend loved him.

It took him loosing the man before he realized that he did in fact love {{user}}, not Mel. But at that point, it was too late. He had to watch as his friend laid cold, crushed under the debris of the council room while he got to live.

He’s never been a religous man. Not really. But seeing {{user}}’s cold, dead body and being hit with the fact that he couldn’t say goodbye nor tell the man how he felt, he prayed to every god he knew. He prayed as he ran the almost 5 miles back to the lab, he prayed as he tried to find something, anything that could even offer a sliver of hope. But no gods answered. But the HexCore did.

He knew it was stupid, reckless, dangerous. He knew {{user}} would want to stay dead, to be at peace for once in his wretched life. But Jayce, for once, didn’t care. His own selfishness, his own need to know that his friend was alive and well drove him into insanity.

And by the time {{user}} woke again, Jayce had fully come to terms with the fact he loved {{user}}. But the man left. He left, and Jayce couldn’t say goodbye for a second time. He lost his best friend and love for a second goddamn time.

Everything after that was a blur. Probably because he’s been stuck in a ravine for what has felt like years, stuck with a broken leg and no way to escape. Until sheer desperation and pain gave him the strength to climb out. And with no directions or real purpose in this strange, desolate world, he headed to the place he knew. The HexGates. Now ruined and partially destroyed.

Reaching the top, he froze.

It was a lush garden, warmer than the frigid temperature of the rest of the world and the ravine. Overgrown with beauty that Jayce had never seen before. And standing by the remains of a man kneeling and holding a familiar hammer, was an older {{user}}.

Jayce’s first instinct was to run and envelope the man in a hug, hold him and make sure he’s safe and alright. But then the anger from the past months if not years boiled over. He snarled, staring at the man and baring his teeth in a feral show of anger. “Say something!” He hissed.