The collision from the two attacks had raised a cloud of steam, making vision inside the forest even more difficult. Aaron turned to the other two, his face clearly telling them that this was their fault. Their opponent had the domain advantage since he could easily light his way up and the only way to even fight back was to see his attack coming.
Nathaniel's ears tickled, instantly feeling the sudden motion in the air. He ducked low immediately just before a human leg swung above his head and disappeared into the darkness. He conjured up an air ball and pushed the stream apart clearing their surrounding and making it a little easier to see.
The attacker didn't make any moves for a while and they had taken that opportunity to find their towards the route that they came through but the instant they had turned to leave, the yellow brightness of an incoming fireball rung the alarm bells inside their head and they each dove sideways to avoid the attack.
Robert drew his sword now realizing the attacker wasn't planning on letting them leave so easily.
Without seeing the attacker, Nathaniel purposely sent two wind blades towards the direction the fireball had come from clearing down the trees around the area but nothing was there. Again, they rushed towards the exit not interested in a battle against an opponent who they didn't know anything about, and who was seemingly more adapted to this habitat than they were. It was obvious they were trespassing and whoever that attacked them from the shadows was probably just trying to protect his home or his domain..
Aaron was last, trailing behind the other two who had more running speed than he did. He wasn't really scared of whoever that attacked them. Instead, he wanted to know why an Elemental would chose to stay in this dark forest instead of with civilization. He couldn't think of any possible reason behind such if not the human brutality and hate towards the Elementals.
He stopped, turning backwards to immediately counter a swift approaching attack that came from behind and this time it wasn't a flame based attack. A wind scythe was approaching them and if he hadn't turned just in time, they'd have been dead.
They had let their guards down thinking maybe only one person inhabited this forest and since he was fire style user, they would definitely notice whenever they were attacked. But this was something else. Whoever that attacked them wasn't alone and things just seemed to have gotten worse but he did their best not to lose his calm. Overthinking and overstress was a big loophole in battle strategizing.
The other two had suddenly turned around after noticing what had happened. Nathaniel had instantly cancelled another incoming wind based attack. Robert felt really useless but he couldn't blame himself, their opponent was in hiding and he possibly cannot fight what he couldn't see so he needed not overthink too much.
"Keep moving" Aaron commanded. Their ambushers were definitely masters in the art of stealth, for them to be constantly followed and not notice any movement not even the slightest rustling of leaves from the floor, that was just impeccable. The only way to find them was to either perform a wide range attack that pushed them out of their hiding spot or take them completely by surprise, but given the environment they were in, he could do both. They were sorrounded by trees and he could easily sap water out of them which made surprise attack the best option.
Using a wide range attack would drain much energy and chances were that the ambushers could also escape without exposing themselves.
The only possible explanation for them being able to muffle their sounds so good was only if they were traveling by the trees and used the animal sounds when they attacked as a smoke screen to cover up the sounds they made. If that was so, then he had the perfect idea.
He spread out his hand sideways concentrating before finally tightening his palms as if he had caught something in them. Instantly, ice spikes shot out on the surface of the sorrounding trees instantly impaling anything that didn't make it out on time.
Just as he had expected, two figures jumped away from the tree just in time and cushioned their fall to the ground with their powers. They had also fallen to his trap the instant their feet touched the ground. Since sunlight barely reached the floor of the forest, the place was pretty damp making it easier for Aaron to instantly freeze their legs to the earth the instant they landed.
Robert and Nathaniel watched as everything unfolded only running back few minutes earlier because they had noticed that Aaron wasn't running after them.
Slowly, an ice blade materialized in his hand while the ice slowly built upwards on his two captives, gradually bounding them up completely up until the neck.
He held his ice blade to the neck of his first victim who tried breaking free but couldn't. Aaron smiled to himself, fear, he loved the sensation he got from being feared but he wasn't planning on killing them. If not they would have been dead the instant they touched the ground. What he wanted was to save them, and find out why they were living in such a place so far away from civilization, sunlight, good air and every other thing that the forest didn't provide.
He unfroze them down to only their stomachs not wanting to freeze then to death but when he approached the first victim even closer, he felt an outgrowth on his chest, this wasn't a he, it was a she.