Chapter 5 - Body

Here, where one split route of the misty canyon ends and the rocky riverbank slowly flattens and spreads out into lush green fields, covered in trees, flowers and vines creeping along the few boulders, she stadles along on her way home. With blonde, long hair tumbling over her shoulders, emerald green eyes clearer than any gem could hope to be, as well as a shapely figure with her chest covered in loose yet pronouncing cloth, and her hips encased in a leather skirt, she could easily be mistaken for a druid protecting the forest she's traversing. Carrying a basket-like backpack filled with enormous fish, her steps still appear light. The fierce stream of water creates a noisy ambience, but the slight breezes carrying the salty water's briny smell and droplets of water, mosturizing and cooling the skin, create a relaxing blend of sensations. It truly is a beautiful day.

Clank.

'How strange, where did that come from?', she wonders as she watches the helmet drift along the river, crashing into the riverbank along it's way. 'Was there some kind of battle somewhere upstream? But there are no villages or anything along the canyon, how could there have been a battle?', the woman contemplates. Something pops up in the corner of her eye. It's coming downstream, and it's huge. Is it… 'a man?!'. He isn't moving. There's something sticking out of his gut. A sword? Probably. He's getting closer. What's that? A hole in his shoulder? 'This guy is dead. Definitely dead. There is no use in pulling him out, right? The current seems too dangerous, even if I knew that man is still alive. But he isn't, obviously. I mean there's a damn sword stuck in his gut, an he's not moving. He probably even fell down from the top of the canyon. Only someone stupid would jump in there for a lifeless body.' He's only a couple meters away now. His skin still looks fresh, just really pale.

"Damnit!", she curses to herself as she drops her basket and dives into the furious stream of water. He was easy to see before, but with all the water splashing above the surface, it's hard to tell left from right. And with the way the shore moves back and forth, the danger of being crushed by a stone wall seems to grow unsettlingly real. 'Damn! Where is this bastard?!'. She turns around as the current quickly drags her further downstream. 'There!', she grabs his leg and pulls him closer. 'Why does he have to wear those heavy steel armor plates on his shins?!', she works herself up as she tries to unseath the knife at her skirt. Thump. The man's back crashes into the riverbank. 'Sorry'. She cuts down one, then two straps on his right leg. 'Yes, one done!'. She turns to look infront of her when a tree stomp appears infront of her, stuck inside the river diagonally. "Crap!", she swears as she take a deep breath of not only air, but also water, and drags herself and the body underwater. Unable to see wheter she's past the tree already, she resurfaces a few seconds later, gasping for air, spitting out the water from earlier. She cuts off the second armor plate, then grabs onto the man's chest tightly, looking for a chance to get out of there, when she suddenly hears a voice.

"Lex?!", the man shouts.

Just in time. He spots her drifting down the current holding onto the wounded man and alarms his friend. She stretches out her right arm towards the riverbank as four hands grab hold of her arm. They pull her closer, but struggle to hold onto her in the current. "Ta - Take.. him!", she tells them, complety exhausted and stuggling for breath. The one who spotted her holds her tight, the other man grabs the bodies arm and starts pulling him onto the shore. Leaning his full back into it and pulling with all his might, he barely manages to drag that titan of a man out of the water. With both hands free, Lex reaches out for the man's arms, and he hauls her into safety.

"What happened?!", he asks in a frenzy, as she vomits even more water onto the ground.

Lex doesn't spare him a look, and instead crawls over to the body. She rests both her hand on his core, and then pushes downward. Whirr. Crackle. Small sparks of electricity flow from outwards from her hands, and move a long what looks like veins into the entire body. "Start beating again, damnit!", she screams as she pushes her hands into his body over and over. Ten times, eleven times, twelve times… and nothing happens. She takes a deep breath, continues, and suddenly blood starts shooting out of his wounds. Again, and again, and Wheeeze! The wounded man starts breathing again, then violently caughs up blood. He passes out immediately. "Help me with this, Marc! We've got to carry him home, fast, or he won't make it!", she begs the man who helped her out of the river.

Marc glances at his companion. "Let's do this, Lark!", he directs him, and the two lift him up to gether. "Ugh. He's a heavy one."

"I've noticed.", Lark answers, still exhausted from pulling him out of the river, as the two start walking.

Marc looks back to the worn out druid sitting on the ground. "Are you okay? That was way too reckless!", he tells her.

"I'm fine, I'll follow up in a sec. Hurry!", she instructs him.