Rescue

Flesh that had become a sickly green from rot barely clung onto bone some parts being exposed as flesh fell off. 

A bone jut out from its end as flaps of skin drooped onto the floor. 

Next to me lay a dismembered arm. 

'Fuck!'

I scrambled away from it, attaining to regain composure as I squeezed my eyes shut trying not to throw up. 

I tried to get up but as I did my hands brushed against cold skin, the sensation was reviling as my body shuddered. 

I felt afraid to open my eyes, but not opening them was just as worse, my paranoia freezing me in place as I was afraid to move afraid of a brush against a corpse again. 

I still felt the reviling sensation echoing through my body as I weighed what was worse, seeing the corpse or risking this encounter again. 

I slowly opened my eyes as I got back to my feet, preparing to look at what it was that I felt earlier. 

Staring back into my now opened eyes were a pair of lifeless white eyes, white hair freckled with blood and skin that had grown pale exposing veins. 

Blood seeped from the nose and mouth of the corpse as a deep gash was drawn across the neck, tearing the throat apart and exposing the spine. 

The rest of the body was smeared in blood as the purple mage robes were now dyed in crimson. 

I immediately fell back onto my knees as I emptied saliva and gastric juices onto the already bloodied floor. 

The foul smell entered my nose as my breathing grew heavy, a disgusting taste in my mouth. 

I remained there kneeling, petrified, the lifeless eyes of the corpse felt like they were staring at me. 

'Pathetic.'

I inwardly chastised myself for acting so weak, I knew that if I wanted to survive in this world, I had to grow accustomed to such sights.

With shaky steps, I carried my trembling body forward, my sprint reduced to an awkward shuffle. 

I saw many other sights that made me want to vomit again but I simply couldn't my throat burning and clogged and my eyes watery from the sights. 

I saw the remains of a hero who had been hit with a strong fire spell, his charred bones stood in place as his melted flesh and melted armor created a disgusting pool below him. 

There seemed to be a mage who had been inflicted with multiple shallow cuts, quite literally being bled dry as her skin grew shriveled and her blood seeped into the ground. 

The sights seeming burning themselves into my retina, as even when I tripped on a bow of a fallen hero, I envisioned a mutilated arm. 

Most corpses I ignored, wanting to leave this place as soon as possible. 

At the seeming end of it all, there lay just one more corpse with a glimmering object in his hand. 

The body was still mostly intact, having multiple stab wounds across his torso, his chest plate in tatters as blood covered his body and the floor. 

Approaching closer, the object lay close to his nearly severed right hand, tendons and bone exposed as the hand seemed it would come loose with a simple pull. 

The object was a small glass vial, with a yellow liquid inside that seemed to shimmer lightly when exposed to light.

I picked up the vial, as most would guess, it was a potion, a relatively high grade one from its appearance.

It was likely summoned from the hero's storage ring that he wore as he died, in a desperate attempt to save his life. 

I had refrained from taking weapons from the dead, I didn't have the courage to pick them up or the strength required to wield them. 

However, a potion of this quality-

My thoughts were interrupted as I jumped back from the corpse my eyes fixed on his left hand. 

'He moved.'

I was certain of it, it was slight, but his finger had twitched when I was looking at the potion. 

Now that I observed more closely, the blood puddle around him had increased in size. 

'Is he... alive?'

I approached the hero again and noticed that although it was barely noticeable, his chest was heaving.

He was still breathing. 

Hesitantly I drew closer, I checked his pulse and noticed that not only was there a pulse but this skin still had some warmth. 

Instinctively I opened the potion vial and tried to make him drink the liquid raising his head with the back of my palm to ensure he drank it properly. 

For a moment I thought of selling the potion or saving some of it, but if I did that, I would be letting my greed kill an innocent and even valiant person. 

That would make me no better than Derek. 

The potions effects were immediate, multiple open wounds began to close and I looked away as his nearly severed arm reconnected itself firmly to his body once again with a series of cracking and popping noises. 

I waited for some time as the potion seemed to miraculously bring life back into the hero, his visage growing healthier and his breathing stabilizing. 

'He's probably still unconscious due to blood loss.'

I thought as the hero remained unmoving despite his improving condition.

I wondered what to do for some time, I wanted to move on from this place, but abandoning him here felt wrong as well. 

I got a relatively absurd idea, but it was the only thing I could think of, so after some hesitation I attempted to carry the hero. 

It was a bit difficult but after some struggle I managed to pick him up and after getting used to moving while carrying him, I left the corpse riddled battlefield behind.

I didn't look back until I was sure I was a decent distance away and until my legs couldn't carry me any further. 

I gently dropped him onto the floor, taking out a few spare clothes I had taken with me from my bag. 

I rolled one of them up before placing it below the hero's head acting as a pillow, and I laid out a towel for him to lay on. 

After having taken care of him, I moved onto myself, using some water to wash my face and cleanse my mouth as the foul taste of throwing up still lingered. 

 I felt hungry, thirsty and tired, so I decided to take a break for some time here, sitting down on the ground as I procured the lunch boxes from my bag. 

Opening one of them a pleasant aroma filled the air as I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Argh..."

However, before I could start eating, I heard the hero groan in pain as he began to move. 

I drew my knife in panic, if he's disorientated, he may try to attack me and just because he's not a corrupted doesn't mean he's a person I could trust. 

 The man's eyes fluttered open, revealing a pair of brilliant golden eyes as his face broke into a frown as he tried to move. 

"Ah fuck that hurts!" 

Eventually after some flailing around he realized my presence as he looked at me in confusion before saying.

"Uh... hello?"