As they advanced, Alexia couldn't help but feel a bit more anxious. The wind whipped against their faces as they tried to pick up speed, but something about the terrain started to change. The branches became thinner, and the trees were spaced farther apart.

Alexia was the first to notice that the branches of the nearby trees were no longer at a safe distance to jump without much effort. The trees were shorter, and the jumps became more dangerous.

"Watch out!" Alexia shouted, pointing to the safer branches to advance through.

The group began to divert, seeking more stable paths, but the danger was present in every leap.

It was then, in the middle of one of these detours, that Isuke, visibly exhausted from the physical effort, stumbled.

"Isuke!" Leo shouted as he saw him lose his balance.

The young mage, out of strength, wobbled dangerously on the edge of the branch. His arms flailed to prevent a fall, but it didn’t seem enough, and for a second, the world seemed to stop.

Leo was nearby but not close enough to reach him in time. However, Alexia, realizing the situation, didn’t hesitate.

She abruptly stopped, made a big leap backward, and landed next to Isuke at the last moment.

Leo, watching this, couldn’t help but swallow hard because, without a doubt, Alexia had pulled off a great acrobatic feat.

With a swift movement, Alexia grabbed Isuke by the arm and steadied him before he could fall.

"You need to hold firm!" Alexia shouted at him.

Isuke, still trembling, managed to regain his balance.

Looking down made his stomach churn.

The wolves had not lost sight of them for a second.

It was terrifying.

From the shadows of the forest, the large pack was following them, their eyes glowing with hunger and a desire to catch them.

But what truly froze Isuke’s blood was one of the wolves, taking advantage of its speed and agility, managing to jump from tree to tree. With its claws digging into the trunks, it ascended quickly, dangerously closing in on them.

"Alexia, watch out!" Leo shouted, realizing what was happening.

The wolf was about to reach them.

Its claws glistened as it prepared to leap at them. Fear took hold of Isuke, who could see the ferocity of the animal up close. However, Alexia stepped forward and, with a clear command, shouted:

"Go higher! We need to climb higher, fast!"

There was no time to waste.

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Everyone, without exception, began climbing to higher branches.

Isuke, still dazed, followed Alexia while his mind continued processing how close he had come to falling.

The wolves, however, did not lag behind.

Seeing the first one try, others began to mimic its acrobatics, jumping from tree to tree. But Alexia’s plan worked.

As they attempted to follow them to the higher branches, the wolves failed to keep up. One by one, the animals crashed into the trunks or simply lost their balance and fell to the ground, violently rolling and injuring themselves in the process.

When they finally reached a safer height, the three of them stopped for a moment.

The air was heavy, and adrenaline coursed through their veins.

They were all sweating, but Isuke, being a mage and not a warrior, was the worst off. He was breathing heavily, and his legs trembled from the effort.

The group remained silent for a few seconds, catching their breath, but the tension still lingered.

◇◆◇

The summon was running through the cold, wintry forest, her bare feet crushing the snow with each step, while her naked body trembled from the cold that engulfed her.

She had no clothes or protection; after all, she had been called to this world just moments earlier, without time for comfort or preparation.

But despite the hardships, her mind was not focused on the discomfort she felt from the weather, but rather on her sole task.

To follow Eleonora’s orders.

Which, at that moment, was the black sword she held in her hand.

With every step she took, small wolves, mere shadows in the forest, began to flee when they saw her.

Their eyes gleamed with fear as they tried to escape from her as quickly as possible.

[Kill those pests!] Eleonora shouted, her voice full of disdain.

The summon did not hesitate. She quickened her pace, her muscles tensing as she wielded Eleonora firmly.

The wolves, who were merely trying to escape, were no match for the speed with which she moved, nor for the skill with which Eleonora sliced through the air.

The blade of the black sword plunged easily into the wolves' flesh, slicing them into pieces one by one.

As the summon destroyed them, she realized something strange.

She didn’t feel fear.

Before, she might have hesitated, but not now.

Instead, a new sensation began to grow inside her.

Satisfaction.

With every wolf that fell at her feet, her smile widened a little more.

The blood stained the white ground, and the summon, blinded by the desire to fulfill Eleonora’s orders, continued forward.

Amid her labored breathing and the rhythm of her feet on the snow, the summon felt something else in the air.

It was… something gathering energy in a strange way.

Frowning as she cut down another nearby wolf, she asked:

"Do you feel that, Eleonora?"

Eleonora, in a thoughtful tone, replied:

[It seems like someone is using mana… But wait… Wait a moment!]

The sword vibrated slightly in her hand, as if Eleonora had sensed something else.

[Don’t you feel a human near us?]

The summon tilted her head, confused.

"A… human? What is that?"

A deep sigh echoed in the summon’s mind.

Eleonora was clearly frustrated.

[You’re useless…] Eleonora muttered, though her tone hinted at slight exhaustion more than anger. However, she didn’t waste more time explaining. [Stop killing the wolves, now.]

Obediently, the summon immediately halted her movements.

The few wolves that remained alive took the opportunity to flee, disappearing among the trees and snow, leaving the forest in an eerie silence.

[Listen carefully,] Eleonora continued, now in a firmer tone. [Close your eyes and concentrate. You need to sense all living beings capable of gathering energy.]

The summon, still confused, closed her eyes.

At first, all she could perceive was the stillness of the forest.

But slowly, bit by bit, something began to change.

Small points of light appeared in her mind, moving away from her.

She couldn’t distinguish much at first, but soon, those points of energy seemed to take shape, moving quickly. Surprised, she spoke to Eleonora:

"I can see several points moving away from us and others standing still!"

[They’re probably those useless wolves or some other creature resting,] Eleonora said impatiently. [Now listen, concentrate. Not all living beings are the same. Filter out those that only have that energy in them, and focus on the ones that have something more… The ones capable of doing something more.]

The summon repeated the words, still confused by the concept.

"Something more…?"

What did Eleonora mean by that!?