As the sun's rays struck the icy surface, it shimmered like a frozen kaleidoscope, casting a dazzling display of colors throughout the cold air that swirled and danced around them.
Rio's eyes were filled with surprise as he took in the sight of the massive ice wall that Lia had conjured, effectively imprisoning all the beasts within its frozen confines. The sheer scale of the spell was evidence of the immense power Lia possessed. It was evident that her innate talent and S-rank affinity for ice made this feat appear almost effortless.
The sharp, crisp sound of Helia's voice cut through the air, snapping Everyone's attention back to the task at hand.
"Let's go, we need to hurry" she commanded, her tone decisive and firm.
Layla and Nyla exchanged determined glances, nodding in unison as they followed Helia into battle.
Rio and Lia stood side by side, observing the unfolding battle in front of their eyes. Helia expertly guided Nyla, their movements synchronized as they confronted the salamanders. This was the result of their past training and hunting together in the wilderness; they were skilled at working well together.
Layla, on the other hand, fought alone, her strength surpassing Nyla's and enabling her to face the creatures independently.
Rio's eyes darted between the two groups, watching as Helia's precise attacks struck the salamanders while simultaneously shielding Nyla from the massive fireballs hurtling in her direction. Together, they formed a good team, but the problem was that Helia couldn't deal the decisive blow to these beasts. She had to find the right time for Nyla to attack so that Nyla could get the last hit.
Layla, meanwhile, summoned her giant hydra, a massive water-based spell that gave her the perfect foil for the fire-elemental salamanders. With her hydra overwhelming the creatures, the girl effortlessly dispatched two or three of them at a time.
Within thirty minutes, Layla had taken down seven of the salamanders and made her way back to Lia and Rio. Her face was as serene as always, in contrast to Nyla whose face was flushed with the thrill of the hunt.
The emotional moment touched their hearts, and they felt immense respect and gratitude for Layla, who had become like a mother figure to them. They both thanked their lucky stars for having met her and for her being a part of their family. As they knew that she was Rio's first love, they understood why the boy loved her so much in the first place.
Once Layla had finished helping Helia and Nyla, she returned to her seat. The tender care she had shown them had deepened her place in their hearts, and even Lia couldn't help but notice the shift in their gazes toward Layla. A respectful glint shone in their eyes as if Layla was a sacred figure or a saint.
Initially, Lia had thought that Layla's nurturing behavior was solely directed toward Rio. However, seeing her extend the same level of care to Helia and Nyla without any expectation of something in return, Lia realized that Layla possessed a heart of gold, genuinely caring for those she held dear. It suddenly became clear to Lia why Rio had fallen for Layla when he was just a little boy.
Nyla, no longer feeling self-conscious about her smoky face, finally joined the group as they settled down to rest. With night approaching, they made the decision to go into the wondrous forest realm.
Upon entering the realm, they were greeted by the sight of Eve, patiently awaiting their arrival.
"Hello, ladies. Welcome to the 'Wonderous' forest realm. This elven girl's 'small' abode," Eve spoke, her voice warm and welcoming.
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Edited By: TheWhiteSnow