Tales of Seasons

The forest was quiet, most of the animals that populated the plentiful trees now sleeping the crystalline season away in the warmth of their homes. The animals and various creatures who were awake, typically went about their own daily routines, not bothering one another unless necessity called. Winter had blanketed the world in its soft, cold, and quiet embrace, creating a soft sence of peace throught the lands. 

  Until the loud clang of metal disturbed it.

Piercing green eyes glared up at the larger figure he was up against, fighting against the man’s blade as the two struggled back and forth. Striving against his brute force, the warrior mustered the strength to push him back, retaliating with his own slash of the blade. 

  “You should have never been taken in! You’re a black sheep Jase! You knew better than to take the sword gofted to us by the gods!” The smaller man bellowed, his fervor as fiery as his head of hair. Blocking another blow, he struggled as his fellow comrade forced him to the forest floor below.

  “You never earned the right to wield it Allistor! What good would it have done in your hands?! No. Under my guidance, I’ll make the blade shine once again! Then you’ll see who is better fit to lead our city!”

  Rolling out from the pinned position he was in, Allistor took the slim advantage he could to swing at his opponent’s legs, effectively gashing him. His oppenent was strong, and he knew he would have to be quick on his feet to win. 

  Through gritted teeth, Jase used the adrenaline coursing through his veins to stand up. Blade in hand, he charged forward, swinging wildly. Allistor was quick to avoid the first few swipes, yet quickly found his momentum slowing as snow built up at his feet. Bringing his own sword up, he countered a few blows, before thrusting forward in hopes of ending the battle, missing at the last second.

  Grabbing Allistor’s arm, Jase threw his enemy into the snow with a cruelty that was unseen before by the man. There was barely even any moment to react, before the sacred metal was driven through his chest. The once pristine scene had now been upturned, stained crimson by the battle that had ensued between them. The redhead began to choke, hands clawing on the blade piercing his skin.

  Leaning down to him, Jase smirked, a dark glint in his eye seeing the pain written across his former comrade’s face. 

  “This is what happens when you meddle in places you shouldn’t Allistor. I hope you enjoy a slow and painful death.” Not wasting a moment to hear a garggled response, he ripped the blade out from the man’s chest and began to walk away. He stopped for a moment, and took one look back to imprint the scene into his memory. “For once, I never thought someone so insufferable could look so gorgeous.” Came his mocking tone, before he dosappeared out of sight leaving Allistor alone.

  Allistor could feel whatever life he had leaving him already. He could barely talk, let alone breathe. The pain was unbearable. What would Jase do if he wasn’t there to stop him? He had to do something!

  Many thoughts swirled in his head, as he rolled onto his stomache. He cried out in pain, breathing heavy as he mustured whatever energy he had left to move. He just had to move. Just a bit. That was all he needed to do, he couldn’t die here. If he could just move a few inches, then he would be back in the city before he knew it!

  Surely there were people searching for them, waiting to help bandage his wounds. They would be around those trees any second after all, he just had to move. At first it was a few inches, then a few feet. Slowly, he began to crawl his way towards his home. 

  It wasn’t long though before he could feel himself become tired, the cold now beginning to soak through his flimsy armor and clothes. How far had he moved? He couldn’t tell now. Was he truly going to die here alone? Where had his friends gone? His family surely had to be searching! This wasn’t where it was going to end, right?

He could feel his vision begin to go dark, and the energy rapidly fading. All he wanted was just to make it home. Just one more step, and he could make it.

Just…one more step.

Reaching out one last time, Allistor took his last breath before slumping over in the snow. His body shielded from the warmth the wold had to offer with the cold embrace winter had to offer.

  

  Wide eyes from across the clearing had taken in the entire scene with horror. It was not the first time violence had been witnessed by the onlooker, yet just as terrifying as it always seemed to be. Letting go of the trunk she had been gripping onto, the figure carefully moved to the corpse’s side, her long white hair flowing behind her as she walked.

  It always felt wrong to see humans needlessly fighting one another. It never sat well with her, and the scene would never leave her mind as she stepped over the trails of blood left in the wake of the battle. 

  Kneeling down by the body, she carefully brushed the auburn locks out of his face. He didn’t deserve this fate. She knew that as much as the other warrior did. He deserved a chance at a long and meaningful life, full of many memories and experiences, not a bitter end face down in the snow. 

  “You fought admirably. You were brave, and more courageous in the face of death than others I have seen.” She spoke softly, holding his hand gently as if they were old friends. “I myself could not have done so as easily. I haven’t a clue what it was over, but I doubt it was something that blood needed to be shed for.”

  She moved behind him, openining the fabric of his shirt to gaze at the deep wound that pierced his skin. It was large and horrible, a ruthless mark left by a ruthless man. The spirit felt bad, knowing she might have been able to do more to save him. It was too late now unfortunately. 

  Or, perhaps she could do something. It was an exception made for her, so why couldn’t she do the same for him? The summer spot was vacant after all, a new warden was needed to fill it. 

  “O great fallen warrior, I deem thou worthy of ascension to godhood, in such that thy deeds shall help turn the tides of the very earth itself.” Placing her hands across the wound, a soft light began to glow beneath the pale fingers. Blood slowly began to recede, flowing unnaturally back into the corpse. “I grant thee the power and benefits of the sun, in hopes that thou shalt find new purpose in the life granted to thee!” Black markings slowly painted the freckled skin that was slowly regaining it’s color.

  The light began to envelop the clearing, as she raised her hands to catch the large black wings that now protruded from the man’s back. As she laid them down on the ground, the figure looked over her handiwork with awe and fascination. She had only seen it properly done once before, and yet somehow she pulled off the revival all by herself. In a way it filled her with a sense of pride. 

  Seeing the slow rise and fall of the man’s chest all but confirmed it had worked. She giggled a bit to herself, before she spoke to him once more. “I don’t know if you’ll like it, but I think you’ll fit in great around here.”