The Life I Gained From Dying

Chapter 56 - Dropping In

"I must say, it was looking kind of rough there for a minute." N stated.

Kaden took a second to realize where he now was as he layed on his back within the pure white mist. N stood by his shoulder and gazed down at the recuperating young man.

"... I passed the trial?" Kaden questioned.

"Just barely. Good work."

Kaden raised up into a sitting position and released a heavy exhale from his lungs as he mentally recovered from the previous trial.

"You were watching me in the trial just now?" Kaden asked calmly.

"Yeah, I saw all that."

"How much can you see?"

"... We should be able to talk more leisurely this time." N responded. "The first time you came here, we were rudely interrupted. That shouldn't happen again. So, let's talk."

.....

"Aaron, can I ask you something?" Jayson asked as he walked over to talk to him in private.

"Of course."

Via and Mai were focused on some moss that was growing on the walls of the cave. Via was giving her tips on how to use life essence to control different plant life.

"Back when we were voting for Mai to be the captain of our team, you didn't give an input." Jayson stated. "I'm guessing you weren't in favor of that decision."

"Putting me on the spot?"

"No, just curious."

"Well, I personally think you would've made a better choice." Aaron stated with a grin. "Nothing against Mai, and I think she'll make a great leader one day. But in the short time I've known you for, I think it's clear who should be leading. The person who pointed out in the first place that we should have a leader."

"... Mai is very hesitant. She questions everything she does before actually doing it. I don't know anything about her lineage, but I'd like if she stopped comparing herself to her family and just trusted her instincts. I think Kaden shares the same feelings. Which is why this will be a perfect learning experience for her. There are going to be instances where she won't have the time to second guess herself."

"Y'know, you're further proving why you should be leader." Aaron replied with a slight chuckle. "But I get what you're saying."

Aaron switched his attention from Mai and Via to the gate on his left.

"It's been about twenty minutes now. Kaden should be done soon."

.....

"So because you make contact with me and Aaron, the predestined future that you should be able to see changes." Kaden clarified for himself. "Just getting information from you changes the future, as that information is an anomaly like yourself."

"You got it." N replied.

"Which is why you only tell us certain things because you're trying to control the future to an extent. But that leaves the question of why are you intervening in the first place. You must have seen something in the future that you want to prevent from happening..."

Kaden took a second to stare at N without either of them saying a single word.

"... No, that's not it." Kaden concluded. "I don't think you'd care if something happened to the world. Otherwise, you would have intervened in countless events in the past. So that means there must be a supernatural problem, which would explain why you'd need me, a lost soul, to help."