"Light-bro… you don't think Aer will get mad at us, right?"
Kass spoke the name Aer, but internally, he was terrified at the prospect that Nymph would hate him for his recklessness. Phos, silent, took in Kass's emotions. From afar, Ornis and Nymph ran towards them, confusion apparent in their eyes.
"Phos! Kass!" Nymph reached them first, panting as she steadied herself. "What happened?"
As Nymph stared at the rapidly spreading fire below, she hugged the white willow-leaf vase closer to her chest. She'd always hated fires, and the scene before her reminded of wildfires from not-too-long ago.
Pyre. Why was that man everywhere?
Even when he wasn't with them, at the moment, he appeared in everyone's minds.
"I'm… sorry." Phos hung his head in unspoken guilt. "I proposed a stupid idea."
He looked away.
"You did indeed."
From afar, a voice like a song whispered. Phos turned his head, searching for the source, when he caught a glimmer of fluffy whiteness pouring in through the castle's low window. A woman with soft, jade-like hair poked her head out seemingly sniffing the air. A faint frown furrowed into her brows, and with a nimble leap, she jumped out of the window.
Ornis finally saw Phos, Kass, and Nymph in the distance. He flapped his wings, curious about the burning smell and the smoke, excited to talk to them. However, just as he was a cow's width away from Nymph, a light-yet-heavy weight fell on his back—enough to throw him off his track. Ornis dropped to the ground, pushed into the clouds below as the weight on his back hopped off, doing a somersault and landing perfectly in front of Phos. The woman extended a hand to the Lord of Light, pulling him up easily.
Phos thought her strength didn't match her appearance at all. He rose to his feet, released the woman's hand, and wondered how he should explain the situation. But before he could speak, the white-haired woman interjected.
"Why are you barefoot?"
The woman had her eyes closed. Yet just from listening to Phos's rustling, she could make out the blood on his soles. Without waiting for a response, she turned to Kass.
"The Lord of Metal."
Then to Nymph.
"My sister?"
"Aer!" Nymph cheerfully sprung towards the Lord of Air, giving the woman a warm hug.
Aer, initially surprised, brought her arms around Nymph's waist, embracing her.
Behind them, face-down in the clouds, Ornis muffled in disappointment. Aer opened her eyes, revealing milky green irises—she was blind!—and fixing them on Ornis.
"Is that my terrible disciple back to haunt me?" She untangled herself from Nymph and squatted beside the child-like Lord of Birds. "Oh my, did you get me a gift?"
With shocking accuracy, she reached into the pouch at Ornis's side and pulled out a green TuanShan fan.
"It's beautiful. Thank you."
With a swift wave of the fan, the rising smoke from the layer below gradually subsided, fading into nothing. The raging fire was gone, leaving a charred surface which soon was swallowed by the clouds surrounding it. When Phos looked down, it was as if nothing had happened at all.
Ornis suddenly remembered why he was so terrified of his mentor.
"Why are you all back?" Aer tilted her head, scanning her weak eyes over the four Lords.
For someone who supposedly hated large crowds, Phos felt that he was very accepted. The Lord of Air had a weak appearance, but her temperance was strong, and she had power behind every action. Phos found himself subconsciously respecting the centuries-old Lord. When he glanced over at the other Lords, he found Kass slightly bowing his head to the woman as well.
"Aer." Ornis called out.
"Call me Master.' " Aer immediately cut him off. "What is it, Ornis?"
"M-master." Ornis scratched his head, a hint of embarrassment floating up to his cheeks, colouring them a muted red. "I have a favour to ask of you."
"A favour? So you only come to me for requests now, I see." Aer folded her arms, closing her eyes as she scrutinised Ornis silently.
"No…" Ornis sucked in a breath, rolling his words around on his tongue. "My friend is not doing well. I wanted to ask if you had any suggestions for healing him."
"What's the issue?"
"..."
"Spit it out."
"... Air pollution."
Now, both the master and disciple were at a loss for words.
"Ornis, you know that even I can't do anything about that." Aer sighed.
It took Ornis all of his willpower to stop himself from expressing his disappointment. Truthfully, he'd understood since a while back. Human technological advancements weren't something that just one Lord could alter.
Further back, Nymph raised her head in concern.
"Aer, is that why you're sick?" Hesitatingly walking to Aer's side, Nymph supported Aer's arm—which Aer shook off.
"I've been sick for a while now." Aer waved Nymph away.
Nymph gritted her teeth. "I told you, I hate humans…"
Both Kass and Ornis's faces held a trace of surprise. The goddess in their eyes ended up holding such a great spite.
"Don't hate humans for this. We should change alongside them, not hold onto the past." Aer opened her eyes, her expression detached. Her original warm kindness was replaced by something colder.
"If I can't do anything for you, then you should go back." The woman turned her back to all four Lords. "It was nice seeing all of you again."
Phos noticed the subtle change in Aer, wondering what the Lord of Air was thinking. He still wanted to know more about this Lord.
"I've never met you before, Lord Aer." He tentatively opened his mouth and blurted out some conversational words. "If you have the time, could we sit and talk for a while?"
Aer froze and looked back at Phos, her hazy eyes brushing over him.
"You're right. I don't recall ever meeting anyone with such luminescent hair."
"Master—" Ornis tried to interject.
"Go home." Aer's commanding voice dominated over the Lord of Bird's. "All of you."
She then stretched her hand out to Phos. "But you… come with me."