And they take the five necklaces. When he's gone - "uh, anything we can get you guys while we wait on the mage?"

...they can't talk.

...these people have popcorn, gummy candies, lollipops, and army meal bars. They set them down near the elementals in case the elementals would like any.

The elementals can look at them but can't take them.

"Oh, for fuck's sake - can you communicatively blink. Blink once for yes, blink twice for...fail to blink for no I guess."

An Air blinks. ...The Lighting can withdraw her halo.

"There we go, that's something! Okay. If you would like the lollipop," he says to the Air, "blink?"

She doesn't blink. She looks at the lollipop.

He goes through the other foods.

She rolls her eyes.

"Some elementals like food," he says defensively. "I don't know what Airs like in particular - uh, we're the bandits. Who've been stealing and freeing elementals. We decided to see if we could get any by buying we couldn't get by stealing. Maurabel'll be by to let you go. But she might be a while. Thus food."

The Lightning's halo wobbles.

Would the Lightning like any of the foods.

Lightning doesn't want foods either.

"Whatever suits you," he says with a shrug. "Want to listen to music?"

That gets a bunch of flared halos.

The lyrics aren't in a language they speak, which is weird, but it's good music! They must have invented a whole lot of new instruments and other innovative musical things.

The Shine's halo pulses to the beat.

The people smile at them and wait for Maurabel or more buyers.

Since Maurabel didn't know how long to expect them to take to get more elementals she is not coming by as often as Penumbra could take her. More sellers of elementals come by first. This person has an extra Wood to sell. That one caught this Adamant but she stares at him creepily and won't pull in her halo so he can't punish her very effectively.

Salt?

Salt!

Hi, Wood and Adamant, you have been purchased by the elemental-freeing bandits, hang out here until Maurabel can clear your amulets please, then a Shadow can take you to a place where people aren't terrible.

They hang out.

Eventually: Maurabel.

"We weren't allowed to eat, dumbass," says the Air to the soldiers.