Noble Leaf

Aiden's daring leap into the river plunged him into a tumultuous world of swirling currents and unforgiving force.

The water's grip was far stronger than he had anticipated, and as he descended into the river's depths, the pressure intensified.

The riverbed seemed bottomless, and the relentless current propelled Aiden forward with a violence that stole control from his limbs.

In the chaos, his head collided violently with an unyielding rock, rendering him unconscious.

As the currents played their merciless game, his unconscious body drifted into the river's grasp.

A cold and indifferent force, invading every crevice of Aiden's being.

In his unconscious state, his mouth hung open, and the river, seizing the opportunity, forced its way into his airways.

The initial shock of cold water triggered an involuntary gasp, his body, reflexively trying to draw in air that wasn't there, an instinctual reaction.

The lack of oxygen induced a momentary panic, though Aiden remained oblivious to the struggle within.

The water, tainted with the river's murky secrets, infiltrated his lungs, stifling their ability to exchange life-sustaining oxygen.

It felt like an internal invasion. A violation of the body's most fundamental need.

As the oxygen supply dwindled, a suffocating darkness enveloped Aiden's unconscious form.

The river, now an adversary within, became both his watery grave and the stage for an unseen battle.

Thankfully the soul which Aiden had placed strategically in his mouth before the leap, glowed faintly, beginning its intricate work to counteract the damage wrought by the relentless invasion of water.

As the energy from the soul mended the internal injuries caused by the drowning, Aiden's body, though battered and violated by the river, clung tenaciously to a thread of life.

The currents continued their unrelenting journey, shaping the course of his unconscious voyage. the river's currents holding the key to Aiden's survival or demise in the watery abyss.

*******

(A few days later.)

In the heart of the mystical Abysmal Enclave, a solitary leaf emerged from the ancient veins of the forest floor. Its journey, a ballet of life and resilience, unfolded in the dappled sunlight filtering through the towering trees.

Delicate tendrils curled gracefully, embracing the earth's embrace as it unfurled with an eloquence known only to nature.

Each vein etched on the leaf told a tale of seasons past, a symphony of growth and adaptation.

As it expanded, the intricate patterns revealed a map of its journey, an ode to the relentless passage of time within the forest's sanctuary.

The air, pregnant with whispers from ancient boughs, cradled the leaf in a dance of whispers and rustles.

Dewdrops, like liquid diamonds, delicately adorned its surface, glistening in the enchanted light.

The symphony of the forest became a chorus, celebrating the emergence of this singular leaf in the heart of the Abysmal Enclave.

Yet, in its delicate beauty, the leaf stood unyielding, a testament to the strength that lay beneath the surface, as its veins intertwined with an unseen fortitude.

Untouched by the whims of passing storms, it weathered the challenges with a quiet nobility that echoed through the enclave, silent, alone, and unbothered.

"Crunch!"

Someone stepped on the noble leaf and a reddish silhouette could be seen running through the forest leaving a gust of wind in their wake.

"Roar!"

An intimidating growl could be heard behind this person as an infected beast which bore a striking resemblance to a saber tooth tiger chased after her.

The being was fast and it looked as though it would catch up to this figure anytime soon.

Looking even closer one would notice that this red-haired figure was Mai Turner, a candidate in the trial.

"Hu, hu," Mai let out a breath as she leaped over a dead branch, "roar" the tiger growled as it made a huge leap trying to catch this annoying human In its grasp.

Unfortunately because of the complicated layout of leaves and vines, it wasn't as nimble as the human.

As they ran, the tiger seemed to notice something as it rapidly decelerated coming to a screeching halt.

Mai on the other hand didn't slow down at all, instead, she increased her pace, very soon the vegetation around her reduced drastically, and the sound of a gentle river could be heard around her.

If one looked closely they would notice that Mai was atop a cliff, but this fact didn't seem clear to her as she jumped off it without hesitation.

As Mai jumped off the cliff, a wide-flowing river could be seen below her. Swiftly, Mai was plunged into the river leaving a big splash in her wake.

The tiger on the other hand carefully walked towards the edge of the cliff letting out an annoyed growl before strutting back.

Mai on the other hand quickly emerged from the river, and with little difficulty, she swam to the edge.

"Thank goodness I'm used to the currents," Mai thought as she remembered her first experience in the river.

She had almost lost control of herself, but thankfully she was an adaptable swimmer.

"I'm back to square one again," Mai thought as she squeezed her hair trying to get rid of the water.

The current Mai didn't look so good, her hair was wet, her body armor was full of scratches and she had lost her weapon.

"What should I do now?" Mai asked herself, her expression a reflection of her mental state: utter confusion.

"If I go downstream, I'll encounter those beasts again," Mai calculated, her eyes narrowing in defeat.

Looking towards the endless expanse of trees behind her she thought, "And if I venture into the forest I'll also run into them."

Turning around Mai pondered, "Do I really have to go upstream?"

If she really went upstream she would be going back the way she'd come, but it wasn't like she had a choice.

Mai let out a breath and started her little hike upstream. She was wet and uncomfortable, but she couldn't take off her clothes, she had to be alert at all times as she didn't know when an infected beast would attack.

The reason she stood so close to the river was because it provided an escape route. For some reason, the infected beasts seemed to fear the river.

Before long Mai had walked for over an hour but her surroundings didn't change by much, currently she could see a few dead vines blocking her path.

Not thinking much of it Mai used her hands to clear the vines out of her path but as she did this she noticed something.

Her heart raced in disbelief as she stumbled upon an unconscious acquaintance, Aiden, lying by the riverbank in the dense forest.

Quickly her disbelief turned into something else, panic, panic surged through her veins, as she discovered that he wasn't moving. With hurried steps, she ran towards him.

Kneeling beside Aiden, she gently cradled his head in her hands, lifting it carefully to open his airway.

Listening in she was relieved to find out that faint breaths escaped his lips, a feeble attempt to cling to life.

Without hesitation she pinched Aiden's nose, sealing her mouth over his, and delivered rescue breaths.

Each exhale carried a silent plea for him to breathe on his own. Her chest tightened with each passing moment as she moved on to chest compressions, counting the beats against the forest's rhythmic symphony.

Tears welled in Mai's eyes as she tilted Aiden's head back, revealing a pallid face, "are we all going to die here?" She asked herself, uncertainty clouding her judgment.

Suddenly Mai noticed something, Aiden's chest movements became more rapid but he wasn't releasing any breaths, he seemed to be struggling. Fear gripped her when she noticed the abnormality in his breathing and her hands trembled visibly.

Despite her trembling hands, she carefully scanned his mouth, removing small debris with her fingers, praying that each clearing breath would bring him back from the brink.

Gently shifting Aiden onto his side, Mai supported his head and neck, her fingers still trembling against his damp skin.

She tapped his back, the forest's whispers blending with her silent pleas.

Aiden suddenly coughed weakly, a feeble attempt to expel the river's cold grip from his lungs, but he didn't seem to be getting any better.

Mai's breath caught as she felt the reality of his deteriorating condition, a knot tightening in her stomach.

Emotions surged within Mai, fear for Aiden's life, worry for herself, and the echoes of her past mocking her resilience.

As she battled the rising panic, she whispered to herself, her words cutting through the forest's silence, "Calm down, Mai. You've faced worse. You left that suffocating life behind for moments like these, you've always survived by being calm, calm, yes I'm calm."

Her thoughts fought against the shadows of doubt, a reminder that she had come this far by being calm.

"Cough!"

An abrupt cough interrupted Mai's monologue as a large amount of water was expelled from Aiden's mouth.

Minutes stretched like an eternity until, finally, a shallow gasp escaped Aiden's lips.

His eyes fluttered open, reflecting the dappled sunlight filtering through the foliage above.

Confusion and vulnerability danced in his gaze, meeting Mai's eyes with a mixture of recognition and confusion.

"Mai?" Aiden's voice, though weak, carried the weight of life.

He attempted to sit up, but his strength betrayed him, leaving him lying in her soft embrace.

Aiden felt his gaze blur for a moment as a sudden feeling of dizziness overwhelmed him.

"Calm down Aiden," Mai's voice cut through the air piercing through Aiden's state of confusion.

"Are you ok?" She inquired further, worry clouding her tone as her scarlet eyes focused on him.

Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the sudden questions, Aiden groaned, "I-I'm fine, just a little tired, but-but Kevin." He stuttered pausing a bit to calm himself down.

Hearing Aiden's response Mai let out a breath, and her worries gradually subsided, "that's a relief," she muttered rejoicing over the fact that she wouldn't have to venture through the enclave alone.

"Argh," Aiden grunted again trying his best to sit up, "you should relax," Mai suggested, her voice returning to its usual calm tone.

"No we have to move," Aiden muttered before darting in, "I have a bad feeling about this place, something's watching us."