Well, they certainly seemed energetic, Claude thought to himself with a half smile. Then again, they were likely trying not to act too bushed for his sake. When he thought of how things could have turned out, a cold chill settled in the pit of his stomach. Man, they were so lucky to all make it out of that alive. If something terrible had happened to Anise or Guy...

Well, they didn't have to dwell on that, and so they needed to bask in the moment. After slowly reaching for his sword with his right hand, Claude stumbled into the water and dragged the blade behind him. It was shallow enough in some places where he could wade most of the way, though his blood-soaked clothes provided more resistance than he wanted. As tiring as it was, and as much as it aggravated his wounds, the water also felt oddly refreshing now that no one was in danger of drowning.

Funny, how near-death experiences could change someone's perspective in the blink of an idea.

Eventually, he drew close to where Guy and Anise were perched. Heaving in a tight breath, he brought his sword up onto dry ground and began hauling himself up. It hurt, but he just told himself he wouldn't have to move anymore once he settled down with his friends.