To the Core (Drake)

[The Guardian]

Drake felt like he was falling for an eternity.  Like the creation and destruction of countless universes have passed him by before suddenly he couldn't breathe.  The liquid he suddenly slammed into was cold and murky, foul and rotten, and he was sinking and would drown if he did nothing.

(The Blight has Reduced all of Drake's stats to 1 until further notice!) 

[Drake]

So much was happening Drake was still trying to process what was happening, and what had happened when he was hit with WAY too many uncomfortable sensations. But the wetness, and the foul odor were enough to snap him from his reverie and he would struggle to stay afloat. Finding it harder to so with only one arm. He also felt incredibly weak and he didn't know why... if he was able to get his head above the liquid he would try to find something akin to land, or at least some thing to hold onto to stay afloat.

[The Guardian]

It was a struggle to swim as he was now, but his head would surface above the bog water, and coughing and sputtering he would be able to make it to shore, barely. His hands clawing into the fetid mud. Hearing frogs croaking and crickets chirping in the night. He thought he heard something else around, but the sound of shuffling in the grass stopped after he breached the water and made it to shore. Like something had heard him.

[Drake]

Drake was breathing hard. Why was this so hard? He was much stronger even moments ago... Moments, or was it longer... Either way he would rest, unfortunately for him his ability to pay attention was much diminished as well...

[The Guardian]

The silence hung in the air for another minute or so before a feminine voice broke it. Hesitant but close.

"Hello? Is someone there?"

The voice was coming closer, and Drake could barely make out the sound of creeping light footsteps approaching.

[Drake]

Drake would dart to sit up! Only almost immediately fall back over. Shit. He would take his time sitting up this time.

"Uhm, yes. Who are you?"

This was an awkward situation. He had a feeling that if he got into a fight right now, even an Ant could beat him...

[The Guardian]

When he sat up he'd see a girl approaching him. She stumbled back bringing a hand to her chest in surprise at his sudden movement. Blinking in surprise and fear.

"You're a stranger? You're a human?"

It was hard to say which surprised her more.

[Drake]

Well... that definitely makes top 5 strangest first meetings list.

"Yes, I am not from around here... I think, at least I don't know where 'here' is, and yes... I am human. I didn't realize that there was an option to not be human..."

He would say very slowly, because this girl seemed to be a bit slow.

[The Guardian]

She took another step back hesitating.

"There isn't anything other than the swamp. Not anymore. Everyone knows that. It's just swamp and demons. But... You're a stranger. That's impossible."

Swallowing hard and steeling her courage she took a step closer to him, looking at him and his missing arm. He was injured.

"I'm Melody. And you're injured? Can you walk? I don't think I can carry you..."

[Drake]

He had been so caught up with trying not to drown, and then trying to get air, AND THEN trying to figure what was up with this girl that he hadn't even thought about his own missing limb! He looked at his arm to check the state of its... damage. He would also do a quick inspection of the rest of his body! He did just... explode?

"Uh... I think I can walk..."

[The Guardian]

His arm was still missing, but it wasn't bleeding. The flesh around it was black and necrotic. The rest of his body seemed to be intact. Weak, but intact.

She'd help him up, and let him lean on her if he needed.

"You are really lucky, home isn't far from here. And it's dangerous when night falls."

Though it was already pretty dark.

[Drake]

"Thanks."

He would say as he leaned on her for assistance, a lot more than he wanted too. He would look at her as they walked.

"Why is it dangerous at night?"

[The Guardian]

"That's fog rolls out from the bog. People vanish and the monsters come."

She explained slowly.

"Where are you from?"

[Drake]

Drake scoffed.

"Well, that's a complicated answer, technically I was born and raised in Lighting Country. But I recently... relocated... to Territory 235, the Crimson Kingdom. My Father is the King there."

The the danger she spoke of made him click to a conclusion.

"Wait, if it's so dangerous to be out here at night, then why are you out here? It is almost night time now, isn't it?"

[The Guardian]

"I've never heard of any of those places."

She sounded pretty dubious of his claims.

"And I was foraging. There is a rare flower that only blooms in the twilight and we need all we can get and more."