Elements of Emotion

Chapter 7: The Forest that Cries Acid

"Why does a shadow spirit know how to enter the Eternal Forest, anyway?" Caelian asked as the trio made their way through the forest.

"Why wouldn't I? How to enter all the different realms is common knowledge," Damien said.

"But Evelyn not know how to enter anywhere except Scorched Lands..." Evelyn said, her ears drooping sadly.

"Yes, well... Anyway," Damien mumbled while pushing up their glasses. "Thankfully the Eternal Forest has a relatively simple entrance. Realms like the Depths and the Highlands can typically only be accessed by their own residents."

"Why is that?" Evelyn asked.

"Because you need to be able to breathe underwater or fly, respectively."

"Oh... But Birdie has wings! Could get into Highlands," Eveyln said.

Caelian remained quiet, opting not to share the information that he couldn't fly.

"Right... With six wings he'd definitely fit in up in the Highlands," Damien said with a disdainful look at Caelian. "Anyway, here we are," Damien said as they stopped in a clearing.

"... This is still the human realm," Caelian said in an irritated tone.

Damien sighed. Meanwhile, Evelyn had taken notice of a ring of flowers and mushrooms. She walked over and crouched down, inspecting them with silent admiration.

"I'm aware this is still the human realm, Caelian," Damien said, as if they were talking to a small child. "However, this clearing has what we need to get out of the human realm."

"What, some flowers?" Caelian asked.

"It's called a fairy circle," they said as they walked up next to Evelyn. "Thankfully found in abundance in this particular forest."

They knelt down, placing their hands into the ring of flowers and mushrooms. Their hands glowed with a purple aura, before shadow magic transferred from their hands and seeped into the ground. They stood up and took a step back. A moment later the inner ring of the fairy circle glowed with a bright green light, magic steadily rising up and forming into an oblong shape above the ground. Within the portal Caelian could see a different forest than the one they were in. Sensing the mana that poured out of the portal, he immediately recognized it as the Eternal Forest.

"All right, everyone through," Damien said.

"Why us first?" Caelian asked.

"Because the portal will close as soon as whoever opens it goes through it."

"Evelyn will go first!" Evelyn said excitedly as she stood up and jumped through the portal without hesitation.

Caelian watched as Evelyn ran out of view before hesitantly sticking a foot in through the portal. He heard an annoyed sigh before he was pushed the rest of the way through, nearly falling flat onto his face.

"What was that for?!" He snapped, whipping around to face Damien as the portal disappeared behind them.

"I don't have time for you to fuck around," they said.

"So what?! Don't fucking push me!" Caelian said. His shadow elemental materialized in the air next to him.

Damien didn't bat an eye. "Fine, fine. Just hurry up next—" They effortlessly caught Caelian's arm and slammed him down into the ground as he tried to slash at Damien with a claw. "-time."

Caelian struggled for a moment before Damien let him go. He backed away from them with a glare, before inspecting his arm. He paused as Evelyn ran past the two of them with a giggle. Caelian let out a sigh and the shadow elemental disappeared. He shook his hand, the ooze that covered his arm disappearing as it returned to normal.