The situation was desperate, and Aleph knew he had to take more proactive measures. Surrounded by relentless enemies, he fought with precision, eliminating the shineideas around him to get closer to Leticia.
That's when he noticed a shineid sneaking up on Leticia, preparing a cowardly attack. Without thinking of a strategy, he ran, dodging the blades around him, determined to reach her in time. At the last moment, he managed to intercept the blow aimed at Leticia, but the enemy's blade struck his right shoulder. The pain was intense, and he felt the blood warm his clothes as his arm became immobile.
The shineid laughed with satisfaction upon seeing the wound.
"This sword is poisoned. In a few minutes, you will succumb... for any human, this poison is fatal."
Aleph's vision blurred, and his movements slowed. With the sword in his left hand, he struggled to stay on his feet, his voice weakened.
"It seems... I'll have no choice... but to..."
As his senses faded, he vaguely heard Leticia's voice, trying to stanch the bleeding with her trembling hands.
"They're after me, Aleph. Please, run! You don't have to do this for me..." Leticia pleaded, distressed.
Aleph shook his head, leaning on his sword.
"I can't... accept this..."
Desperate, Leticia pressed a cloth against Aleph's wound, but the blood continued to gush. She looked around for help, but no one dared to approach. The shineid who had attacked him watched the scene with sadistic pleasure, preparing for a final blow, certain of his victory.
It was then that Leticia, in a defensive impulse, raised her sword. When the blades clashed, an intense blue glow enveloped her blade, releasing fragments of ice that sparkled in the air. The intense cold rapidly traveled up the shineid's sword, freezing it until the warrior itself became an ice statue, shattering into blue dust as it was swept away by a frigid breeze.
A wave of freezing energy spread rapidly across the battlefield. The shineideas who tried to attack began to freeze and disappear, one after another, as if they were mere shadows dissipated by the cold. Leticia stared at the scene, surprised and incredulous. She didn't understand how she had summoned that power.
The citizens, who had been fleeing in panic, stopped when they saw the blue glow. Impressed, they witnessed the shineideas disappear before their eyes, engulfed by the freezing wave that emanated from Leticia. The village, once overcome by chaos, fell into a stunned silence, while Leticia, still astonished, realized a new, unknown force was awakening within her. Hope was reborn in their hearts as the purifying ice washed over the village, driving the shadows away.
Aleph, seeing Leticia surrounded by ice magic, was struck by a childhood memory: the suffocating heat of a fire and a younger girl by his side, trying to calm him as a barrier of ice rose, protecting them from the flames. He murmured to himself, astonished:
"How could I forget? She reminds me of the person who saved me..."
The wave of ice continued to expand around Leticia, and she, with no control over her new ability, began to fear the power emanating from her hands. The ice spread without direction, threatening everything around. Her body grew intensely cold, her heartbeat slowed, and her vision began to blur as she collapsed, exhausted by the energy her magic had drained.
Aleph, still staggering and feeling the weight of the poison running through his veins, struggled to get closer to Leticia. He touched her face, feeling her skin as cold as ice, but was relieved to find she was still breathing. Leticia forced her eyes open, calling his name in a thread of a voice.
"Aleph..."
"Princess Leticia, it's alright now," he reassured her, striving to keep his voice steady.
"But... you're hurt!" Leticia whispered, her gaze fixed on Aleph's bloody shoulder. "The poison... this is all my fault..."
Aleph tried to smile, lying to appease her.
"Don't worry... the poison didn't affect me that much."
Despite his words, he was almost out of strength; the poison was acting quickly, and he had never been exposed to it before. Leticia tried to push him away.
"Don't come near me... you'll freeze too."
"I would never abandon you, Princess."
Ignoring Leticia's warning, Aleph reached out to help her up, but darkness enveloped him before he could touch her. His body, weakened by the poison and the effort of the fight, gave way, and he collapsed into the snow, unconscious.
Seeing Aleph about to fall, two villagers ran and supported him. The inhabitants, still impacted by the sight of the young woman who had somehow destroyed the shineideas, drew closer. Some murmured, speculating whether Leticia was the warrior from the ancient legends.
The villagers, realizing the severity of their injuries, decided to take them to the nearest village, where a healer, known for his rare skills, was staying.
The healer, Lowell, examined Aleph carefully. The shoulder wound and the symptoms indicated poisoning. He administered a specific antidote and, with his healing abilities, treated the shoulder injury, which healed quickly. He reassured the villagers about Aleph's condition and turned his attention to Leticia, his calm expression wavering.
Observing Leticia, he realized he had never seen anything like it: her skin was cold as ice, and her heartbeat, almost imperceptible, indicated a state of freezing. Lowell tried to apply his healing magic, but without success.
One of the villagers who had brought the pair approached, apprehensive.
"Doctor Lowell, is she going to be okay?" one of the villagers asked, anxious.
"At the moment, I cannot say for sure," he replied, frowning.
Another villager commented:
"How lucky for them that such a skilled healer is passing through."
Lowell didn't confirm this, but he knew it was no coincidence. He was there because of a request made by Master Yoshi to the Spring Kingdom. Upon receiving the call, he hadn't understood the reason for the urgency, as upon arriving in the village the day before, he had attended to all the sick, but no case required his specific skills. Now, however, two patients with extremely complex conditions had appeared in a short period. He realized he had been summoned to help these exact people, even if he didn't have all the resources to assist them as he would have liked.
Minutes later, Aleph woke up abruptly, looking in all directions for Leticia. Lowell approached, calmed him, and led him to the room where she was resting. As they walked, Aleph asked:
"Were you the one who healed me?"
"Fortunately, I had the necessary antidote."
"My name is Aleph, from the Autumn Kingdom. How can I repay your help?"
"I am Lowell, from the Spring Kingdom. As for repayment... I fear my skills were not enough to help your friend. It's the first time I've seen anything like this."
When they entered the room, Aleph was surprised to see Leticia completely frozen, in a deep sleep. He approached, his heart tight with worry, but relieved to notice she was still breathing. Lowell suggested in a serious tone:
"I believe only Master Yoshi can help her. I recommend you seek him out as soon as possible, as she cannot remain in this state for long."
Aleph hesitated before touching Leticia's shoulder, seeking permission from Lowell, who nodded.
"Thank you for your care, doctor," Aleph said, bowing in gratitude.
Approaching Leticia, Aleph took her into his arms carefully. With a slight movement of his still-sheathed sword, he opened a portal and disappeared, taking Leticia with him, leaving Lowell with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension.
Lowell watched the portal close, perplexity stamped on his face.
"Who were those people, after all?" he murmured thoughtfully.