Elements of Emotion

Chapter 10: An Icy Welcome

The group was quickly reunited, with Evelyn and Damien running into Zephyr and Caelian as Zephyr helped guide Caelian back uphill.

"Oh! Birdie is okay!!" Evelyn sighed in relief as their paths crossed, and Damien seemed to relax a bit as well.

"Honestly, I'm a bit surprised you bothered to help," Damien said as they crossed their arms. "You seem reluctant to."

"It's water, it's not a big deal to me. I wasn't going to let him die over something like that," Zephyr said. "If I can help, of course I'll prevent someone's death."

"Then help us!" Evelyn pleaded, getting into Zephyr's face and causing him to back up a step. "Corruption will hurt many people! Birdie is disciple, can fix it!"

"Let me rephrase: I'll help so long as I know it won't cause any harm to myself," Zephyr said as he took a step back. "Just because he's the nature goddess' disciple doesn't mean he can help. You don't think people have already tried to kill Leviatha?" Zephyr asked.

"I can do it," Caelian said as he stepped away from Zephyr. "I'm a disciple, I stand a chance. You don't have to stay with us, just let us into the Depths."

"That... isn't..." Zephyr hesitated.

"Come on," Caelian said.

"You don't get it, do you?" Zephyr sighed. "I'm not going back there."

"But I need my elementals purified!" Caelian said, taking a step forward and standing on his tiptoes as he pleaded. "I can't stay like this!"

"I, uh..." Zephyr looked flustered. "Listen, I don't—"

"Please."

"F... Fine, I'll let you into the Depths. But that's it, don't expect a tour."

"Yay!" Evelyn cheered as she raised her hands into the air. "Fishie is going to help!"

Zephyr gave her an amused look as she excitedly spun in a circle. "Right... Let's head back to where I fished you out, then," he said with a sigh.

The group followed Zephyr back to where he had dragged Caelian out of the water. It was where the rushing river ended and emptied itself into a large lake. The forest surrounded it on all sides, and it's surface sparkled brilliantly in the sunlight.

"This should work fine as an entrance," Zephyr said. "Should be deep enough."

"So how exactly does this work?" Caelian asked. "Like, where will the portal be?"

"It will be at the bottom of the lake, where the light doesn't reach," Zephyr said.

"And how do we get there?"

"By swimming, of course—Don't give me that look, I'll help you, all right? Just hang onto me," he said.

Caelian was glowering at Zephyr, but didn't respond to his comment.

"If the lake is that deep we're going to drown before we even get there, so how—" Caelian was promptly cut off when Zephyr bent down and gave him a kiss. It was short, and when Zephyr straightened back up, Caelian was giving him a blank stare. Zephyr couldn't help but laugh.

What the hell was that? Was he supposed to feel annoyed over that? He felt like he should feel annoyed. Or angry. Or something. But he felt nothing aside from that familiar emptiness. Nobody had ever kissed him before. He felt like he should be feeling something, so why the hell was he feeling nothing?

Evelyn gasped, hitting Zephyr on the arm. "No! Bad Fishie, Birdie not say that okay!"

"Relax, Evelyn," Damien said. "That's how the water spirits give their blessing. He'll be able to breathe underwater for a while now."