A Good Solution

After gathering their belongings and ensuring the makeshift camp was almost completely dismantled, the group began to move in the direction indicated by Isuke.

They formed a 'V' formation, with Darius at the front, flanked by Thorne and Leo, and Aiden right behind them. Further back were Alexia, Camila, Marta, Selena, and Isuke, closing the formation.

The sun was starting to rise on the horizon, illuminating the dense forest as they advanced.

In the daylight, they realized the enormity of the forest; it seemed endless, no matter which way they looked.

Marta and Selena whispered to each other as they walked, imagining the possibilities of what they could do with those leaves.

Alexia, always alert, sensed a change in the environment.

Although the forest was wrapped in an eerie silence, her sensitive ears caught the sound of many footsteps, drawing closer.

It was a subtle noise, almost imperceptible to the others, but enough to set off alarms in her mind.

She doubted it was Eleonora, so with a quick gesture, she indicated to Marta to prepare her spell.

Pointing to a tree with a trunk large enough to hide them all, they took cover behind it.

Marta began to chant, and after several seconds of concentration, a soft aura enveloped them, making them invisible and concentrating their scent within the barrier.

The spell worked perfectly, but Alexia could still hear the approaching footsteps.

Time passed slowly. The sound grew louder until finally, a pack of wolves burst forth, heading in the opposite direction from where they had been advancing, as if fleeing from something.

The group, protected by the tree, watched in silence as the wolves—too many to count—rushed past, moving in a stampede that would have been impossible to confront directly.

Each team member tried to make as little noise as possible, aware that although the spell concealed them visually and masked their scent, a single sound could give them away.

The wolves passed, and gradually, the pack began to move away.

Some of the companions let out sighs of relief, believing the danger had passed.

But Alexia, with a tense expression, gestured for silence, something the others didn't understand at first but obeyed.

Camila, who was watching in the opposite direction, noticed something alarming.

A wolf, as large as a person, had separated from the group and was staring directly at them.

As it drew closer, she began to touch her companions, trying to alert them without making noise.

'Why can't I hear its steps…?' Alexia thought, puzzled, as she turned around.

The others, noticing her unease, held their positions, with Darius moving to the front, adopting a defensive stance at the edge of the barrier.

The wolf approached slowly, its piercing eyes fixed on Darius.

The air grew tense as the animal stopped just a few centimeters from the warrior.

For a moment, time seemed to freeze until the wolf began to howl.

A long, deep sound that resonated through the forest.

Alexia, with her sharpened senses, detected a change in the direction of the pack's footsteps. Now, the wolves were heading toward them.

There was no time to lose.

Without hesitation, she gave a quick, decisive order:

"Climb the trees, quickly!"

The instruction puzzled everyone for a moment.

Why climb the trees?

But the urgency in Alexia's voice compelled them to act immediately.

One by one, they began to climb the trees, using the thick branches as grips.

Camila was the first to leave the protective range of Marta's magical barrier.

'Why me…?' Camila thought, bewildered.

She had been the one to warn them about that strange wolf!

But as soon as she did, the lurking wolf lunged at her with a fierce leap, but Darius quickly intervened, deflecting the attack and forcing the wolf to focus on him.

Meanwhile, the others continued climbing with some difficulty, some being pushed up from below.

"Higher, as high as you can!" Alexia ordered firmly, despite the doubts her companions might have about the plan.

Gradually, the rest of the wolves began to close in, and only the fighters remained below: Darius, Thorne, Leo, and Aiden.

Thorne was the next to climb, helped by Leo, followed closely by the latter, while Darius held his ground, preventing the wolf from attacking the others.

Aiden, with a powerful, precise strike, slashed the wolf's stomach, forcing it to retreat, and took that moment to shout at Darius:

"Climb now, don't be stubborn! Fighting down here is suicide, we need to gain height!"

Darius, despite his instinct to stay and fight, understood that Aiden was right. Although reluctant, he began to climb, helped by Leo and Alexia, who assured him the branches were strong enough to hold his weight.

With a grin, Darius climbed with agility, almost like a monkey, quickly ascending through the branches.

Meanwhile, the wolf, wounded and furious, tried to attack Aiden again, but he was ready.

In a quick, calculated move, he dodged the wolf's charge, leaving its head completely exposed.

Seizing the opening, Aiden raised his sword and, with a precise and lethal strike, pierced the wolf's skull.

With the wolf down, Aiden hurried to follow the others, supported by the outstretched hands of Alexia and Leo, who helped him climb.

Once up, Alexia informed him that everyone was now at a safe height.

Aiden looked up, observing the incredible height of the trees that now protected them.

The wolves, desperate, began jumping, trying to reach them, but barely managed to grasp the branches before falling back to the ground, unable to maintain their balance on the thin branches.

Alexia, along with Aiden and Leo, observed the situation from above, as higher up, the branches became thicker and sturdier, capable of supporting the weight of several people, providing them with a relatively safe platform.

Looking toward the northeast, Alexia noticed that the trees in that direction kept increasing in height almost ridiculously, as if they were facing a challenge designed to test their abilities.

'What if this is a trial from Eleonora…?' Alexia thought, recalling that she had called herself a sacred sword.

Marta, with some concern, approached Alexia and asked quietly:

"Should I cast my magic to scare them off or slow them down?"

Alexia looked at her and, after a brief moment of reflection, shook her head.

"Save your strength. We don't know if these wolves will be able to climb or if we'll face a greater danger later. It's better to be prepared."

Marta nodded, trusting Alexia's judgment, though fear still lingered in her eyes.

Even so, Alexia managed a small smile, trying to instill some calm.

Despite the chaos below, she decided to take advantage of the height the trees offered.

"How about we keep moving through the branches?" Alexia asked in a clear, determined voice.

The proposal surprised several members of Aiden's group.

Move by jumping from tree to tree?

It wasn't what they expected, considering the dangerous situation they were in.

Camila, who had been focused on not falling, spoke up nervously.

"I don't see myself jumping from branch to branch. I barely feel safe up here…"

Marta, supporting Camila, added in a serious tone:

"It's not the same to climb as it is to move through the trees, and if any of us falls, those demons below won't hesitate to tear us apart."

Alexia understood their reasoning to some extent.

Jumping from tree to tree wasn't an easy task, especially with danger lurking from below.

However, an idea began to form in her mind.

There might be a way to move forward without putting the entire group at risk.

Perhaps, splitting up could be a good solution!