The North is a world of mountains and frost, yet Elira feels oddly at peace. Her memories of cold winter nights in Seoul help her adapt, and her kind demeanor wins the hearts of Kael's soldiers and staff.
She starts training in secret, summoning sparks and gusts of wind when no one watches. The voice from the fire returns—Ignis, King of Flame—offering cryptic advice: "You are not meant to belong to one element. You belong to all."
Kael watches her from a distance. He notes how she always smiles at the castle staff, how she takes interest in the frozen village nearby. When she helps a wounded soldier without fear, Kael finally speaks.
"You're not what they say you are."
"I know," she says. "But it's easier to be underestimated."
He doesn't smile, but his eyes soften just a bit.
That night, Elira writes in her journal, He's colder than ice, but I think... I've found my first friend here.