Lira worked steadily at her table beneath the giant tree, the sunlight drifting through the branches above and catching in the swirling motes of air that danced around her. One by one, she mixed the various plants and essences she had collected, letting her air and earth elements guide the motions of her hands, coaxing the liquids into perfect swirls of color. Blue, green, and hints of gold danced together in miniature storms inside the vials.
Once a batch was ready, she inspected it carefully. She smelled it, felt its pulse of energy, and let a small gust of air brush over it, watching how the potion responded. Some sparkled with vitality, others gave off a faint hum as if alive, and a few seemed hesitant, weak, or unstable. She took notes in her small journal, jotting down observations about each mixture: which plants harmonized with air, which needed more patience, which had a volatile temperament.
