Eiri stood on the end of the branch,
waving her arms, frustrated. Into… air!
But she retained her solid form. Some
of her friends said they had phrases they could repeat to help
themselves transform, while others said it just happened whenever
they wanted it to. She brushed the front of her dress, flicking away
the bits of dust and dirt that had clung to it as she’d walked
around on the ground. It was supposed to be easy for a wind
spirit to take flight, to become like air whenever they want

Phre cried
out as the ethere lifted her, a black smoky tendril wrapped around
her waist, cooling her skin as it surrounded her. She had already
called out for a Darkness Rite, and a Mercy Rite, chanting E’yi
E’yi Lro-Gryke and Mier
Mier Rylli-Gryke. The ethere had smiled, in a
slight, polite kind of way. “Let go,” Phre said, now panicked. “I
brought the sacrifices,” she gestured down to the wooden
scaffolding, pointing again and again. To the crowd of dusty
refugees.
“I know,”
th

Miu pressed herself back against the
wall, even as her toes curled against the edge of the wardrobe ledge.
“W-wait, please,” Miu said, as she watched Alice’s hands float
up to either side of her.
Alice gazed hungrily at Miu, her wide
eyes bright, her lips half curved in a smile. Her fingers floated
around Miu, just above her.
“I’ll do anything!” Miu shouted,
covering her head. “Please!”
Alice’s thumb and forefinger came
together against Miu’s waist, pinching her slightly as