"I figured you'd come looking for me eventually, but I didn't think it'd be this soon."
"You seem to be getting by just fine." Kaden stated as he watched the old man plant seeds in a garden.
"Just tryna keep myself busy any way I can. Got so much time on my hands now, wish I could give some away."
"Only 'some'? With how long I heard you've been living for, you should be able to give away more than just some."
"Haha! You're only looking at what I had, not what I have. Never mind that, I know you didn't come down here to make small talk with a former elder of Aestus. What's going on?" Alexander asked as he stood up and faced Kaden.
"Former? I thought they said that you were only suspended." Kaden commented.
"Yeah, indefinitely. There are certain... prerequisites they want me to complete before I can regain my seat in the council."
"I'm sure they aren't askin anything too crazy from you."
"No, but I was thinking. I've held my seat for decades now, and during that time, I've seen the village change in many ways, mostly for the better. Something I've come to realize is that when you keep old people around, you get stuck in their old habits. At some point, we have to evolve, and you need the youth for that to be possible. I think Claire understands that perfectly."
"So just like that, you're giving up your seat?" Kaden questioned.
"Yhup, just like that." Alexander answered as he walked through the garden. "Anything else?"
"... You knew that they were going to attack the village?"
"... How would you react if I said I did?" Alex asked while looking back to Kaden.
"..."
"... I didn't know, not until the mixed blood delivered that message."
"Mixed blood... Jayson?"
"I knew that the light source inside of Aestus was the Phoenix, but what could I have done with that information?" Alex stated as he began to walk again, with Kaden following behind him this time.
"You could've warned people that this might happen."
"The Phoenix is the most feared creature amongst these people. How do you think they would've reacted if I told them it was so close all this time? And it isn't like they were going to abandon their home once they found out. People aren't bothered by what they don't know, Mr. Adams "
"That's... fair." Kaden replied after thinking about it.
"I think you're asking the wrong questions here by the way. You should be trying to figure out how did a young person like Kajar found out where the Phoenix was sealed."
"Well, what do you think?"
Alex stopped just before a wooden shed and turned to look at Kaden once more.
"I don't know."
"Alright, Unc, this has been very helpful." Kaden replied sarcastically. "Thanks for your time."
"Hold on a moment." Alex exclaimed as Kaden was beginning to walk away. "Why are you so interested in all of this now?"
"... In an hour or so, me and a few others are leaving the village to travel to Ventus. The elders are gonna need their help if they even wanna think about retaliating against Ignus."
"Ha! Of course they would."
"Anything you could tell me about Ventus? Anything I might have to watch out for?"
"Hmm, you're more cautious now than before. Fine then. If you're going to Ventus, then all you have to do is mind your own business."
"Huh?"
"You heard me, kid." Alex responded. "Once you stay out of their internal affairs and focus on what you're going there for, then you should be fine."
"We can't really do that since we're going there to help them." Kaden thought to himself.
"I've been there a few times, and they are an interesting bunch, to say the least. They lack stability."
"I'll keep that in mind." Kaden replied as he turned to walk away once more.
"Good luck, Mr. Adams. The storms you're going to encounter are only going to become more intense from here."
"Storms, huh? Got it, Unc, thanks."
.....
As the sun reached its highest peak in the clear blue sky above the Redwood Forest, a small group of people gathered by the eastern entrance to the to see off the travelers. The four elders, Jayson, Avery, and the kids, Kaden, Mai, Kumori, Kuria, Damien, and Kenzo, were all stating their farewell.
"When are you coming back?" Kumori asked Mai with Kuria listening in behind her sister.
"I really don't know, Kumo." Mai answered solemnly. "It could be one week, or it might be the entire season. We won't know until we get there."
"Then who's going to train us while yout gone?"
"I've shown you two all of the essence training drills I know. Combine those with the standard critical thinking drills we do, and you two should be more than capable of training yourselves. Not to mention that both of you are already so much stronger than I am, so you should definitely be fine without me."
"We don't care about that." Kuria said bluntly. "You're like our big sister. Don't leave us behind."
Those words from Kuria nearly left Mai speechless as she never knew that was how the twins had viewed her. Mai got down onto one knee and patted Kuria on the head while grinning slightly. She then glanced over to Kumori and did the same to her.
"I'm not leaving anybody behind." Mai assured. "I'll be back before you know it. What I want you two to do for me while I'm gone is to take my role."
"You want us to become divers?" Kumori questioned.
"Allow me to rephrase. Take my role inside the village. Help anybody who needs it, whether or not they ask for it. Helping one person helps everyone. Okay?"
"Yes, ma'am." Kuria replied while holding onto Mai's hand.
"I'll try my best!" Kumori exclaimed with a bright smile.
"Make me proud, you two."
.....
"Bluejay, I can't stress this enough. Stay safe out there." Avery exclaimed. "Only use your fire essence if it's absolutely necessary."
"I know, Avery. I promise I'll be careful." Jayson responded.
"Bring us back souvenirs!" Tanner exclaimed as he carried Sayu on his back.
"Put me in your bag!" Sayu shouted.
"Hey! Stop moving so much, I'm not as strong as Jay!"
"Relax, Sayu." Jayson replied with a chuckle. "We've already been over this. You can't come with me on this one. But if I do find anything you guys might like, I'll try my best to bring it back for you."
"Stay safe, Jay." Nakayla said with a calm smile.
"I will. Please help Avery look after everyone for me. You're their big sis, after all."
"Hehe, of course."
Avery noticed a difference in Nakayla's behavior towards Jayson while she was saying farewell to him. She was much more soft-spoken and avoided eye contact with him through the brief interaction. She was clearly disappointed with something. Jayson failed to notice that and moved on to Shaedon.
"You know what I need from you, right?" Jayson asked as he stooped down to Shaedon's level.
"No, what is it?" The timid kid replied.
"If I'm not around, then that means you're big bro. It's now your responsibility to protect everyone."
"I-I can't do that."
"Shaedon c'mon, I know that you're a lot stronger than you'd like to admit. You're observant, skilled, and very level-headed for your age. I know I can trust you to do this."
"... Ok... I'll try." Shaedon hesitantly replied.
"That's all I'm asking from you." Jayson stated.
.....
Kaden watched on with his hands behind his head as Jayson and Mai said their farewells to the people closest to them in the village.
"Must be nice." He thought.
WOOSH!
"You guys sure took your time getting here." Kaden said casually.
"We had our hands full, but we're ready now." Aaron replied, walking up to Kaden.
"Welcome aboard."
The two boys performed their short and simple secret handshake as Via watched on.
"Thank you for coming with me." said Kaden.
"You should be thanking Via, not me." Aaron replied. "I didn't expect her to say yes in all honesty."
"You didn't?" Via asked.
"Nah, cause you seemed so happy to be back in the Redwoods. I didn't think you would want to leave again, and so soon at that."
"The Redwoods is home to me, but Ventus is my blood. There's a few things I'd like to get answers to, if possible."
"These are your friends you mentioned?" Jayson questioned as he walked up to the group.
"Yhup, this is Aaron and Via." Kaden stated. "Guys, this Jayson."
"A pleasure to officially meet." Jayson said as he extended his hand.
"Likewise." Aaron replied as he shook his hand.
"It is time!" Elder Treya announced, walking towards the four with the other elders close behind.
Mai joined up with everyone once she heard the announcement.
"This is a group of misfits if I've ever seen one." Damien stated. "The youngest member of the Aira bloodline, a lost soul, a resurrected soul, a mixed blood, and the witch of the Redwoods. Quite the group."
"..."
"Quit sulking, Kenzo. You know they couldn't send us because of how stretched thin we are."
"Yeah, I know." Kenzo replied. "They better protect her."
KEEAAW!
The messenger falcon from the previous day flew over the group before circling back and landing on Mai's shoulder.
"Um..."
"Taibai will be traveling with you to Ventus." Faye explained. "As their messenger, he provides some security for you."
"You'll be looking for a man who goes by the name Tuzi." Maleah stated. "Explain to him the situation, and he should be able to provide clarity on whatever is happening in Ventus."
"Understood." Mai replied.
"Any concerns?" Claire asked.
The five all glanced over to one another, but no one had anything to say.
"We're ready." Mai answered.
"... Then, may the tides be calm and carry you to safe shores."
"Report back as soon as you can, Mai." said Maleah after finally showing the slightest bit of concern in her face.
Mai smiled and nodded her head before turning and leading the group out of Aestus. Everyone who came to see them off watched on as they left, hoping for the best possible outcome. Little did they know, they weren't the only ones watching in the area. High above against one of the trees, Moya and Noya were hovering with their air essence and observing everything.
"Mother Nature was right. This should be fun." Noya stated with a grin.
Moya tapped her sister on the shoulder and began speaking aloud while signing.
"What are you saying?" She asked.
"Nothing important." Noya replied while signing back.
"You always say that."
"Hehe... Are you happy he wasn't hurt?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." Moya responded while pouting.
"C'mon, you couldn't stop talking about your little buddy back then when you found out he could talk to you with sign."
"And that was the only time I ever spoke with him!"
As the two sisters were talking, Shaedon almost sensed the presence of someone watching him and looked straight up to where the sisters were hovering. However, by the time he did, the sisters had disappeared.
"Seems like he's an attentive one." Noya said as she held her sister on the opposite side of the tree. "Let's go." She signed to Moya before they both disappeared once again.