Elements of Emotion

Chapter 20: The Highlands

Caelian stared at the fiery bird with uncertainty. It glowed and flickered, though Caelian only felt a soft warmth put out from it instead of an intense heat.

"I don't know about this," Zephyr said with a frown, "Is it safe to ride on a bird?"

"You'll be perfectly safe, I assure you," Ifrit said.

The group had traveled up to the surface and back to the human realm. Ifrit had even left the Scorched Lands temporarily, as he had summoned four phoenixes that the group was supposed to ride into the sky. Everyone seemed a bit hesitant.

"Are you sure you still want to come with us, Ev?" Caelian asked as he looked over to Evelyn. "You don't have to search for that fake flower anymore... You can stay home and be safe."

"Evelyn thought about it," she said as she looked over to Caelian. "Evelyn thought a lot about it... and Evelyn decided she wants to keep traveling with Birdie and friends for now."

"Why, though?" Zephyr asked.

"Because Evelyn wants to help!" she said. "And... And Evelyn tired of being a coward. Fighting is scary. Evelyn not like it. But she want to help her friends. Evelyn can't be afraid of her own powers anymore. So Evelyn wants to stay friends and learn to be brave, like Caelian."

"Aw, I'm not that brave," Caelian said, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"You are!" Evelyn said, lifting her arms up and clenching her fists. "Caelian super brave! Does whatever it takes to get elementals purified! Evelyn want to be like that!"

Zephyr laughed. "Then I'm sure you'll get there someday, Ev."

"Evelyn hopes so..." She pouted.

Ifrit nodded. "I'm glad to hear that, Evelyn. I'm sure your fire powers will help them out tremendously."

Evelyn grinned. "Evelyn will do her best!"

"Now, as for these phoenixes..." Ifrit said as he turned towards them. "Don't worry about being burned by them. They appear to be made out of fire, but they're only slightly warm. They're excellent flyers. They'll get you to the Highlands in no time at all."

"I don't know why you summoned four of them," Damien said. "I won't be going."

"Huh? Why not?" Caelian asked as he looked over to them. "You have to!"

Damien snorted. "I have to do nothing. I'd be an idiot to step into the Highlands."

"Why?"

"Is it not obvious?" Damien sighed. "How often do you forget that I'm a shadow spirit?"

"Well... Honestly, it's not something I think about a lot," Caelian admitted.

"My kind doesn't get along with stuffy celestial spirits. I don't feel like getting attacked."

"But surely not all of them are like that, right?" Caelian asked. "Just like how not all shadow spirits are like... are like Mimzi."

Damien glared at him. "This is different," Damien said as they wrinkled their nose.

"I'll tell them off if they do anything," Caelian said. "Come on, Damien!"

"No."

"If you don't come in not helping you with your elemental studies anymore!"

"Then don't."

Everyone looked shocked. Caelian stared at them. Were they being serious? Damien was looking away from him, nervously fidgeting with their hands. What were they so afraid of?