Leave It to Me

"Marta, get ready to cast a water ball spell!" Alexia commanded with a firm voice.Marta nodded quickly, focusing on her hands as she began to conjure the spell.Meanwhile, Alexia turned to Isuke."Isuke, I need you to help Marta direct her spell once she finishes materializing it. Reduce their numbers as much as you can," Alexia told him, and he nodded without question.Alexia knew they had to act fast.The snakes were getting closer, sliding between the branches quite swiftly.Alexia turned to Aiden, who was ready but waiting for instructions."Aiden, take position there," she instructed, pointing to a strategic spot near a large tree. "From there we can better intercept those snakes."Aiden obeyed without hesitation, moving precisely to the indicated spot.Both were prepared, and it wasn't long before the first snakes fell from the high branches, lunging at them.Alexia, with quick and precise movements, unsheathed her dagger and sliced the first snake into two before it hit the ground.Aiden, for his part, stood firm, and with a single movement, split a snake that lunged at him. His technique was precise but a bit stiff, making it hard for him to move quickly.The snakes didn't stop, and soon one lunged directly at Aiden's blind spot, who was too focused on his attack against another snake."I'm going to cast the spell!" Marta shouted with determination.Around her, large water balls formed, beginning to split into hundreds of small particles.These particles, upon contact with the air, crystallized, forming a rain of small sharp projectiles.Isuke, who had been watching the scene attentively, raised a hand and took control of a good portion of these particles.With a fluid motion, he directed the crystals towards the approaching snakes, just in time to save Aiden.The snakes, still in the tree branches, were pierced by the crystals before they could attack.Some of the fragments of crystallized water hit the tree branches, but before they could break them to make the snakes fall for killing, the crystals just shattered into pieces, poorly shaking the branches.The snakes, seeing their numbers rapidly reduced, began to retreat, sliding their shiny bodies back into the darkness of the forest.Their movements were slower now, so Aiden, seeing them flee, tensed up and stepped forward, determined not to let them escape."What are you doing?" Alexia shouted, somewhat surprised."I'm going to exterminate them before they can do anything else!" Aiden replied, loaded with determination.But Alexia shook her head, standing firm."No! We need to stay close to the camp. Members from both sides are resting, so they need our protection."Aiden stopped, reflecting for a few seconds on Alexia's words.Then, finally nodding, he understood the point."Alright, I get it," said Aiden, moving back to his previous position, not taking his eyes off the snakes that disappeared, blending completely with the color of the tree leaves in the distance.Marta, who had also been watching them leave, turned her head to look at Isuke, surprised by what she had just witnessed.He had taken control of much of her spell, directing the water crystals with a precision she could hardly approach."Are you some kind of counterattack magic wizard?" Marta asked, unable to hide the admiration in her voice.Isuke gave a small smile, tilting his head."You could say that."Marta was impressed. She knew that counterattack magic was not easy to master. It required not only skill but also a keen sense of timing and immense confidence in one's magical control.Moreover, the practice of this magic was risky, as it involved waiting for another magician to cast a spell to nullify it or use it against them.It was, in essence, a form of magic designed to support others, giving the opportunity to turn a combat."That's not easy to learn," Marta murmured, amazed. "And in practice... it's quite dangerous."As Marta processed what had just happened, the snow began to fall more heavily.The flakes, initially light, now quickly accumulated on the ground, creating a white and cold layer around them.Alexia noticed the change in the weather and quickly directed her attention to Aiden."We need to keep stoking the fire," she told Aiden. "Look for more wood, but make sure it comes from a tree that's weak so you don't tire yourself out cutting it. Go for one that's somewhat away from the group to avoid making too much noise."Aiden, once his sword was sheathed, cracked his knuckles, showing an excited smile."Leave it to me."As Aiden prepared to fulfill the task, Alexia stopped looking towards the tree branches and lowered her gaze to the darkness surrounding the camp.Beyond the forest, where the darkness was almost absolute, her thoughts wandered for a moment.'Where could that sword be...?'