1 The Passing of the Seasons

The gentle flow of the river that ran along the outskirts of England began to freeze over as the first snowfall of winter began. The distant song of the migratory birds no longer rang out at the break of dawn and the sound of dragonflies humming outside one's window became silent. Winter was always giving the impression that its season was docile and reserved. However, winter was far from docile she was truly a harsh mistress and to those who didn't know her games would perish.

Innocent minds didn't know the wrath winter carried, to them it was a beautiful season with a nipping chill of the wind. The kind of season that looked like something off a postcard and somehow you couldn't wait for what the next day would hold. Like all young children, I too had too much of an innocent filter over my eyes. I was always thrilled for the winter season and at the age of twenty, I decided to pack a small bag and travel.

The first few hours of my travels we're through the city, I've lived in the city my whole life and as the years passed I've come to grow more and more uninterested with the city. The soft quilted snow crunched under my boots as I walked along the somewhat empty sidewalks keeping north. I took a breath and exhaled, smiling at the chilling weather as I adjusted my scarf and looked forward.

The peaks of the forest trees peeked over the buildings as I neared the outskirts of the city. The light pitter-patter of my heart tapped against my chest as adrenaline and excitement flowed throughout my body. I want scared of what nature kept living in the forests I had a fair amount of knowledge on survival, enough to keep me alive. Reaching the end of the city and the beginning of the dirt trails snaking down into the thick forest in front of me I looked back at the city if only I would have known it to be the last time I'd see it.

Upon entering the forest I took into account the sudden change of natural light, it felt almost eerie. I pushed the feeling to the back of my mind and took in the natural beauty that surrounded me. The sound of animals chittering, conversing with one another and the crunching of the snow was almost calming. The deeper I ventured into the forest, the faster I began to realize how much I loved the wilderness. With the sun now fixing to set the chill of the gentle wind becoming harsh I began to set up a small camp for the night.

The forest was truly a wondrous place even with the arrival of nightfall. As I finished pitching the last part of my personal tent I heard the distant sound of giggles and whispers, stopping to look around and listen I push the thought of anything other than animals out of the way and finish getting myself settled down for the night. Soon enough the strange noises went quiet as I sat near my small fire, I hummed softly with a smile till a yawn escaped my lips and I stretched out my back.

" I suppose it's time I turn in," I said in a low grumble to myself

Forcing myself to stand up I kick snow into the small fire and turn my back to enter my tent for the night. Crawling inside the tent again I was met with an unsettling sound, the gentle humming of a woman. I figured I was alone out here in these woods so the sound of another voice startled me. I looked around the area until I spoke up

" Hello? Is anyone out there? " I waited but there was no reply

The sound of the woman had disappeared also.

'What a fool', I thought to myself

The strange instances I wrote off as nothing continued as each day and night passed and although I tried my hardest to convince myself it was my own mind the uncertainty of it all lingered.

It was more than a month now of living out in the forest and within that month I learned perhaps I wasn't alone. I'm not one to believe in spirits but the story that was once told to me as a child now echoed in my mind constantly. My late father told my siblings and I stories of sorcerers and magic users that lived within the shadows and all the creatures that lived with them at night as bedtime stories and I never thought anything more of it. Yet for some reason, I can't help but wonder if his stories ever held some sort of truth so one night as the sounds and voices returned

I called out in anger " Who are you? What are you! Show yourself and quit fucking with me! "

The forest fell silent and I held a posture of pride and assurance that I was right all along until the unholy sound of growling erupted from behind me. With a quick turn and the pull of my blade, I stood and looked at my attacker. I looked from the black stained snow to the top of this, Things face. It looked like a large tar-like monster, it's arms were thin and nimble, long even. It began to ask me questions and with each question its voice grew more and more unpleasant. Relying on instinct I ran and the only thing worse was the sound of it running after me.

" HELP SOMEONE HELP ME JESUS FUCK THIS ISNT REAL THIS ISNT REAL!" I shrieked at the top of my lungs in horror

My legs couldn't take me fast enough as it's inhuman like hand grabbed my arm and tore my sweater cutting me in the process. I began to cry as I stumbled to the cold snow which for some reason now was so hard, the sound of it's gargling laughter grew rapidly louder till a loud crack of what sounded like thunder put a silence to the thing. I propped myself up on my elbow and looked as the blood-stained snow then quickly around to find the creature gone from existence. Yet to my dismay the silhouette of a short cloaked figure approached me and next to it a large,Wolf ? No, some sort of ugly massive dog like beast walked next to the figure with blood red eyes that almost glowed in the dark of the night a hand was raised to me , I felt myself hyperventilating then - darkness.

I awoke frantic the idea of fight or flight came to mind but when I took in my surroundings I was confused. The room I was in was filled with plants , jars with strange liquids of different consistencies lined some of the shelves. I was lying on the floor on a soft mat with a blanket and a cloth over my forehead. Once I sat up it flopped off my face and into my lap, I began to check myself over the cuts on my arm were tended too and my shoes were missing I had a slight burn on my check from the fall into the frigid snow but it wasn't the end of the world. I was puzzled , what happened to the strange figure and it's demon dog ? Where was the thing I was sure I'd die to ? Where was I ? All these questions raced through my mind till I took into account a small green thing was looking straight at me from up on a shelf - it looked like a miniature human with wings.

It had long messy green hair and no genitals or anything to define its sex and bird like feet it's arms were wings. It's eyes were strange almost like a bird - I was going to speak before I heard some shuffling nearby which had drawn my attention but when I returned my gaze the creature was gone.

"You've lost it your dead and now your living in some made up world," I scolded myself with a whisper.

With a sigh I rub my eyes till a woman's voice enters the room, "A ohayo go kibun wa ikagadesu ka?"

I looked up with a confused face , to find the face behind such confusing words. Her eyes are like rushing river currents , and hair like moonlight. Her skin was comparable to a porcelain doll and her voice was delicate but firm. I hadn't realized that she was speaking to me till she spoke to me in English, "Are you feeling alright ?"

I blinked a few more times then cleared my throat it was raspy and dry then tried to speak my voice sounded awful, "I think I'll be fine .. where am I?"

She handed me a glass of warm water and I took it gratefully. She didn't answer my question right away unfortunately due to the distant sound of knocking. She left the room and I was once again almost alone. With careful inspection of the room, I found the tiny human once more.

With a witty and mischievous tone to her high pitch voice, she said "hello there my precious Slegh Beggy, I hope you feel so much better," she gave a chilling smile and glided down to my face. I was taken aback by the sight of this fairy maybe?

With a raspy voice, I replied cautiously "me? I'm alive that's all that matters but I'm not a, what did you call me ?"

The humanoid-like thing flew over to the shelf and sat down looking back to the hollow doorway without a word. My attention was redirected to the same area as the woman from before walked in with a sigh but a gentle smile on her face. She extended her hand to the direction of the shelf and the small human with feathers flew down to her. I watched in amazement, so I wasn't crazy after all!

My words stuttered as I spoke softly "You can see it too? "

The pale woman smiled and sat down at a table nearby. The chairs were made of wicker so it made a unique sound as she sat. She looked over to the nearest window outside with a gentle gaze.

Her voice was soft when she answered me "You obtain the most of sight, what a lovely gift it is. The small creature you see flying about is my familiar - I call her Ivy."

There was a long pause or more of a moment of silence before she continued a lingering tone of elegance was almost hidden in her voice " And whom do I owe the pleasure of having in my little home?"

That's right no names were ever mentioned.

I spoke softly with a slight bit of hesitation, "Adam. Adam Banks"

She nodded then smiled her eyes still locked on to the scene outside the window, why was she so fixated on the outside of the window. Her intense dark blue eyes side glanced at me and I felt my skin tingle. How to describe the sensation? It was like a young man's first thrilling moment with a girl, the rush of it all. She pursed her lips then stood up, making her way over to a drawer on a small cabinet.

"I go by many names but most call me winter," she said with little to no emotion, not even a hit of warmth lingered

As I watched this woman I noticed an all too familiar cloak hanging nearby, the same dark cloak that I had seen before losing consciousness. My heart began to race again and inevitably my breathing became heavier almost to the state of hyperventilation. Winter took notice but perhaps I was overwhelmed still, overreacting even until a large black hound lazily trotted into the room and found itself a place to sleep soundly under the table near her.

A gentle chuckle came from her rosy lips that could be compared to a dark wine, she looked over to me and spoke in such a kind tone "Don't pay any mind to my second familiar he won't hurt you "

I had taken the cloth that fell off of my forehead and laid back down replacing it to where it once was.

With a much-failed attempt to calm myself I finally asked with a quiet tone "whatever happened to that monster that was chasing me? "

She answered me rather fast and securely "monster? What do you speak of? " she said that too calm for my preferred comfort. A beautiful green and turquoise like light began to take shape and spiral out of her hands and the scent of pine and burnt cherry wood entered the room. She spoke softly " I solely came to your call for help Mr Banks"

She paused then continued " And when I found you you were injured and unresponsive "

Why wouldn't she know if she can see what I can then couldn't she have seen that thing running after me? Was she being coy? Hoping to find some answers later I asked a few more questions as I looked over at her.

With a careful tone, I spoke "what is this sight that I have and what are you miss winter ?"

She was silent but then spoke with the tender tone she had laced with intelligence " The sight you possess is rare, in our world your known as what we call Sleh Beggy's. Rare for females but almost unheard of for males. You can witness things normal humans cannot. As for myself "

She trailed off as the lights of many shades of blues and greens faded away. Her dark blue eyes met my hazel, her gentle stare impaled my soul I couldn't help but stare in the sudden awe of her sudden charm and beauty. The room grew cold and a bit dark as the clouds rolled over the sky blocking out the sun. She smiled. I will never forget that smile for as long as I live, I'll never forget her test of speaking.

She spoke with the charm of an endearing young child "I'm what's known as a Mage."