Flames coiled like living serpents around the first figure, who stood tall and crackling red, his hair ablaze, eyes glowing molten gold. His presence radiated heat and fury.
Beside him, a woman figure cloaked in a flowing mantle of mist emerged, her presence calm yet formidable. Her skin bore the sheen of moonlit water, translucent and smooth, as though sculpted from a glacial spring. Her eyes shimmered with the quiet tenderness of deep lakes and the unpredictable fury of storms.
Beside her stood another woman, firm and unyielding, a presence as though carved from the very heart of the earth. Her form was strong and statuesque, with moss draping over her broad shoulders like a ceremonial cloak. Her eyes, dark and steady, held the silence of ancient groves— deep, knowing, and enduring.
And the last shimmered faintly, hard to focus on, as if the wind itself had taken form. He was floating on air, his figure shifted with every glance, hard to hold in place. His hair fluttered though there was no breeze, and his cloak billowed gently, stirred by invisible currents.
His presence carried the scent of distant skies, and his eyes held the restlessness of gales and the freedom of open air— a guardian of the in-between, both nowhere and everywhere.
Astra folded her arms loosely, observing them with a calm that bordered on familiarity.
"I see..." she said at last, voice even. "Your temper is as hot as ever, Ignis."
The red figure immediately flared, offended.
"Ha!" he barked, sparks snapping from his shoulders. "I see your memory is still as bad as ever, little witch. It's not Ignis—it's Irfin."
He raised his hand again, fire crackling between his fingers. The woman beside him sighed and calmly placed a hand on his arm, and the flames died down with a sharp hiss.
"She remembers well enough, Ignis—" she pauses, coughing. "—cough, I mean Irfin. You just never change."
"No, really, it's not my fault." Astra said flatly as she tilts her head slightly. "It's his name's fault. Come on, Ignis sounds so much better for a fire spirit like you. Why'd you have to pick Irfin anyway?"
Irfin scowled, sparks flickering at his temples.
"Because Ignis was too common," he said seriously. "I wanted something more refined. Irfin means Last Flame—a flame that is eternal, undying and unquenchable."
Irfin proudly raises his chin. "How is it? Doesn't it sound more regal, elegant and mysterious."
Astra raised an eyebrow. "You mean pretentious."
The other man laughed. It was light and melodic, like windchimes stirred by a breeze. His form shimmered, barely held together, hair flowing like mist.
Beside him, the earth woman stood silent and unmoving. Moss covered her shoulders, and small flowers bloomed along her arms and collar. She opened her eyes slowly—deep and brown like fertile soil after rain.
"Still bickering like old times, I see," the man said lightly. "Little one, you haven't aged a day in sarcasm."
Astra glanced at him. "And you haven't changed either, Kaeros."
He spun once in midair as he spoke, his translucent robes billowing as though caught in an unseen current.
"Of course not. Wind never settles. Also…Aeros," he corrected, though without real offense. "It's Aeros."
Beside him, the woman finally spoke. Her voice was slow. Grounded. Like stone settling after rainfall.
"…It's been a long time, little one."
Astra's expression softened just slightly.
"It has, Lara," she said quietly. "You look… just the same as always."
Terra, One of the Mightiest Spirit Kings: "..."
She did not bother correcting her instead she just sighed helplessly.
After all, her habit of getting people's names wrong was nothing new, and she had long since grown used to it.
She blinked slowly before replying in her calm, measured tone.
"Earth does not shift so easily. But you…" Her gaze lingered on Astra. Then, after a pause: "You feel different."
Irfin folded his arms.
"Hmph. Obviously," he said bluntly. "She's weaker now. No question about it."
Astra shot him a sharp look, but he ignored it completely.
"Also," Irfin added, clicking his tongue, "how many times have I told you not to summon all of us together?"
"Why not? They're not saying anything," Astra's tone stayed even.
The woman beside Irfin sighed softly.
"It's not that we never said anything—" she paused, then added slowly, "You just never listened."
Aeros drifted closer, circling Astra like a curious current.
"Honestly, little one," he said teasingly, "you're as stubborn as the mountains and twice as reckless. At least Terra listens when I scold her."
Terra gave a low, quiet chuckle.
"That's because at least you don't start fires every time someone summons you."
Irfin rolled his eyes. "Hah! That's because you're all boring."
Astra stared at them—at the elemental embodiments of nature itself.
The mighty guardians. The timeless spirits. The kings of spirits.
One rolling his eyes like a sulking child, another brushing moss from her shoulders with calm dignity. The other quietly chiding like a weary elder sister, and the last spinning in lazy circles above them, clearly enjoying the chaos.
Astra blinked, her arms crossed, expression deadpan: "...How did any of you end up as the mighty elemental spirit kings again?"
All four of them replied at the same time.
"Because we're fabulous," Aeros, The Spirit King Of Wind, declared with a grin, wind curling playfully around Astra's hair.
"Because I burn brighter than anyone," Irfin, The Spirit King Of Fire, smirked arrogantly, flames flaring at his fingertips.
The Spirit King Of Water, Neris, just sighed. "Don't ask questions you already regret."
"Because the world needed balance…" Terra, The Spirit King Of Earth, paused then added, "and chaos, apparently."
Astra shook her head slowly.
"...I'm starting to think I was better off summoning one at a time."
All four spirits answered at once, too loud, too fast, and completely in character:
"Coward!" Irfin shouted immediately.
"Wise," Neris praised.
"Boooring~" Aeros rolled his eyes.
"Finally, some sense," Terra said, nodding approvingly.
Astra closed her eyes for a brief moment.
"…And to think I prepared a summoning circle for this."
Irfin narrowed his eyes, arms crossed tightly, a flame twitching behind his ear like an irritated spark.
"So," he said, tone sharp with suspicion, "why'd you suddenly remember us after one hundred eighty-nine years? Got bored of playing queen in some stone castle?"
Then without waiting for her answer, he jabbed a finger toward her.
"Let me tell you beforehand—I'm not doing a damn thing without a contract."
"Me neither," Neris said softly.
"Although i still love you the same, but—" Aeros added cheerfully as he circled around Astra. "No freebies this time~"
"Even the earth does not move without purpose," Terra nodded in agreement.
Astra only lifted an eyebrow, calm and amused.
"I knew you'd say that. That's why…"
She stepped back slightly and gestured to the intricate pattern etched into the earth—now softly glowing, threads of golden, blue, green, and red light weaving through the circle like veins.
Astra said coolly: "This time, I made a contractual spirit summoning circle."
All four spirits turned their gaze toward the ground.
The once decorative-looking pattern now pulsed with power and precision, ancient bindings layered into each symbol, each quadrant woven with the essence of their own elements.
A moment of silence hung in the air.
Then—
"…She wasn't playing this time," Terra murmured.
"The balance is perfect," Neris noted while observing the circle.
"Ooh," Aeros grinned. "Tricky little witch. I like it."
"Hmph," Irfin clicked his tongue again, though his gaze lingered on the circle. "…Fine. Whatever."
The circle pulsed once, bright and blinding before settling into a steady glow. But the power didn't sink into the ground.
It moved to her.
One by one, the spirits stepped forward, to bind themselves to her.