Leo carefully cradled Maria in his arms, her light and impassive body felt like rocks after hours of walking nonstop. The bitter cold of the tempestuous landscape had rendered her incapable of even the slightest movement. The mountains, covered by the thick green forest, towered around them, their pure-white peaks glistening in the harsh light.
His brow furrowed with concern, he wondered aloud, "Where the hell are we?" The question hung in the air, unanswered and lost amidst the desolate landscape.
Maria's voice, filled with frustration, broke through his thoughts. "I can walk... just put me down!" She snapped, her eyes narrowing as she observed the young man's struggle.
"No, no walking for you," He insisted firmly. "You hurt your ankle. Do not worry, I can keep going."
With each step, His gaze remained fixed on the distant coastline. The raging sea and the strong wind guided his weary feet. Hours passed, the bitter cold gnawing at his bones, draining him of strength. Maria had cast a spell on both of them to ward off the worst of the chill, but it offered only a fleeting respite.
Leo and Maria reached a towering but thin tree, its branches reaching out like skeletal fingers against the harsh landscape. Their breaths formed frosty clouds in the frigid air. Determination etched across their faces, they prepared to fall the tree, a desperate attempt to secure some shelter against the relentless wind.
With a shared nod, he drew an axe on his body and peeled it off as if it were a sticker to make it into a real tool, its blade catching the weak sunlight. The rhythmic thud of the axe echoed in the stillness as Leo hacked at the tree's base. Maria, her eyes focused and hands glowing with ethereal light whispered an incantation under her breath.
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As the tree groaned and swayed, Leo's muscles strained against the effort. Maria's thaumaturgy intertwined with the natural energy of the land, enhancing their endeavor. With a final heave, the tree surrendered, crashing to the frozen dirt ground.
“I’m very out of shape,” He gasped for air frantically.
Maria's hands glowed brighter, and her thaumaturgy extended beyond the fallen tree. The wind howled, whipping around them, but Maria stood unwavering as her thaumaturgy chopped down about a dozen tree branches. She channeled her power, shaping the air itself into an invisible barrier against the biting cold.
“Hey, why didn’t you tell me you could do that?
“You looked so excited. I didn’t want to spoil your fun.”
Slowly, a magical dome took form, swirling into existence like a protective cocoon. The once howling wind now murmured as a distant lullaby, its fury reduced to a mere whisper against the enchanted shelter. The igloo-like structure hardened turning into rock around her.
He was shocked, and when he noticed Maria stepping out of the structure he stared at her in awe.
“What about the tree? I thought…”
“Did you think we were going to build a house or something?”
“Are we not?” He put both hands on his head. “Why didn’t you stop me?”
“I said you looked so excited. I didn’t want to spoil your fun.”
He smirked, feeling like a complete fool.
“I can cast spells, don’t need to cut down another tree. We can still use the wood to light up a fire.”
They started a bonfire on top of the rock dome. Maria had explained that because the wood hadn’t dried up at all, it was going to make too much black smoke, so it was better to heat the rock instead.
With grateful smiles, Leo and Maria stepped into the dome The air within the igloo-like structure carried a comforting warmth, a stark contrast to the chill outside. Part of the fallen tree now repurposed as a makeshift bench, offered a place for them to sit. However, they would still need to sleep on the ground.