I think I understand. Quests are kind of like that. They force people to work together even if they don't want to. You could die at any moment, but you have these people with you who are trying to protect you, even if they don't have a reason to.

[ his own shoulders lift and fall, much like ed's as he shifts his gaze away. ]

Percy... he was always there to protect and save me even though I was always rude to him. He was even there to save me from the giants' jar. If I hadn't had him and the others... I don't know where I'd be, if I'd even be alive at all.