8 Chapter 8

Ulric was relieved that he didn't have to wait long for Mac. "I contacted the clinic and told them we're on our way," he said. Ulric transformed back into his human form.

"Thanks," Ulric said, cradling Jesse in his arms. They headed as quickly as they could over to the clinic. When they arrived, a redheaded woman met them at the entrance.

"Follow me," she said, motioning for them inside an empty exam room. As Jesse was lying on the bed, the doctor asked, "What happened to the boy?"

"To our knowledge, he tried to drown himself," Mac said.

"His soul force is dangerously low," she said. "That's why he's unconscious," she added.

As a nurse came in to insert an IV, Ulric caressed Jesse's cold hand.

"Is he going to be okay?" he wondered.

"It's too early to tell," said the doctor. "We'll watch him for the next 24 hours and see how he does," she said.

"May I remain with him?" Ulric inquired.

"Yes, you may," the redhead replied, nodding.

The woman motioned for Mac to follow her into the hallway. "I'll be honest," she said. "If you two didn't find him within another five minutes, that boy would've been dead," she said. "It seems like he had lost the will to live," the doctor explained.

"Ulric feels connected to him, so please help him," Mac said. "I need to tell the hotel what happened, but I'll be back in the morning," he said.

"We'll do everything we can," Dr. Ramos said. The doctor opened the door a crack and peeked her head inside. Ulric sat in a chair and had his head down on the bed. She quietly closed the door and headed down the hall to check on other patients.

Ulric woke up at 2 a.m. to the sound of Jesse whimpering in his sleep. His cheeks were soaked with tears. He slowly released his pheromones to soothe his friend.

"Shh," "It's alright," Ulric said, drying Jesse's face and brushing his bangs, which covered his eyes.

"Home." "I want to go home," Jesse mumbled incoherently.

"You are home," Ulric said, softly.

Ulric pulled the cover up and tucked it around Jesse. Ulric backed away when the night nurse entered to check Jesse's vitals.

"His pulse is a bit fast," the male nurse said.

"He did have a bad dream," Ulric said.

"Did he wake up?" the brunette asked.

"No," Ulric said, shaking his head. "He woke me up mumbling and crying in his sleep," he said.

"I'll make a note in his chart for the doctor to see," he said.

Ulric felt someone lightly squeezing his hand later that morning. He opened his eyes and found Jesse staring at him with a puzzled look.

"Thank God you're awake," Ulric said, hugging him.

"Water," Jesse said with a scratchy voice. Ulric rose from his chair and headed over to the sink. He grabbed a paper cup and filled it with water. He stepped up and set the cup down on the table.

"Here, let me help," Ulric said, assisting Jesse into a sitting position. He picked up the cup and brought it to Jesse's parched lips. Water trickled down his chin as he drank the liquid. Tears ran down Jesse's cheek. "Hey, don't cry," Ulric said, wiping away the tears.

With Ulric's help, Jesse took another sip of water. He carefully placed the cup on the table.

"How come you care so much about me?" Jesse inquired.

"I like you," Ulric explained. "You're one of my friends," he explained.

"But I almost hurt you," mumbled Jesse. "Shh, you did nothing wrong," Ulric said, putting his hand on his mouth.

"I'm scared," Jesse admitted.

"Of me?" Ulric asked.

"No," Jesse said, shaking his head. "Of myself," he said.

"Answer something for me," Ulric said. "Why did you try to kill yourself?" he asked.

Jesse let out a shaky breath.

"Because what I did and everything that has happened since I arrived scares me," he explained. "I wanted to erase my life of pain and start over," he said. "I thought it would be cool to be a part of a magical world, but I found myself terrified of what I became," he added.

"Well, do you want a fresh start?" Ulric asked.

"Yes," Jesse said quietly.

"Then, once you get out of here, let's restart working on that new life that you want," Ulric said. "Just promise me one thing," Ulric said.

"What's that?" Jesse asked.

"Don't try to hurt yourself again," he said.

"I promise," Jesse said, smiling.

Jesse's health improved, and he was released the following Monday. As promised, he enrolled in Mac's training sessions.

"Are you sure that it's okay that we're roommates?" Jesse asked as he stepped into Ulric's dorm room.

"Yeah, a lot of Mac's students bunk together," Ulric said. "So, what time do you usually start your daily routine?" he asked.

"5 a.m.," Jesse said. "What time does training start?" he asked.

"Usually at 8, but it varies from the person's needs," Ulric said. Jesse glanced at the clock on the desk and said, "Speaking of training, I should start my routine,"

"Remember, you just got released from the hospital," Ulric said. "Don't overdo it," he said.

Jesse did one hour of stretching and one hour of workouts under Ulric's close supervision. Jesse used a path that was right behind the dorms to do his brisk walk. Ulric joined him, which made Jesse feel less alone. Zeo stayed near the dorm and quietly watched. Mac stepped up beside the sphere and said, "He seems to be in a better mood these days."

"I noticed it too," Zeo said. "He doesn't need my services as much lately," he said.

"It's because he's found someone new to watch over him and be his friend," Mac said.

"Is that bad?" Zeo asked.

"No," Mac said. "I think Ulric has found his soulmate, and that happens to be our newest resident," he said. The usual message popped up for Jesse.

[Congratulations, you have completed the daily quest: Strengthen your body, the rewards have been sent.]

[STATS]

1/18/2500

Name: Jesse #54591

Race: Human

Level 2

Exp: 60/110

Coins: 616

Strength: 10

Agility: 10

Stamina: 10

Soul Force: 160

Perception: 15

"Your stats aren't bad for a beginner," Ulric said. "I'm rather impressed with how far you've gotten in such a short time," he said. Jesse's cheeks turned rosy pink. He tried to hide his face in his hoodie, but Ulric stopped him.

"You don't need to hide," Ulric said. "You're cute when you blush," he said. Jesse pulled the hood back and smiled. This attention felt good.

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