Flash of Fall

Aurelius rode atop Winter's back through the forest. The stag's long legs drifted almost silently across the snow, and the rest of the herd followed behind like a half dozen tricks of the light. They navigated effortlessly between the bare trees, many of which had been stripped of bark by hungry forest animals.

"You called winter kind earlier," Jahreszeiten said.

"Hm?" Rory sat up straighter. "Oh. Well… I suppose I did, though I'm not sure I agree with it myself."

"I do," the spirit affirmed. "Winter numbs pain. It may be a season with many deaths, but those deaths are certainly the kindest sort."

"I'm sure most would rather still be alive though. I know I don't want to die, even if it's painless."

Jahreszeiten hummed. "Do you know what endless fecundity leads to, Aurelius?"

The young Druid tilted his head, "What?"

"Endless fighting. A forest without winter is called a jungle, and such a place knows no rest."

Perhaps the nature spirit knew better than he did, having lived longer and seen more, but Rory didn't take his opinion for fact. Jahreszeiten's sensibilities were very different from a human's.

Directing his gaze forward, Rory noticed smoke rising between the trees. "Ah, finally. I can see the next village."

"Have you been here before, Aurelius?"

"Not since I was young… My parents brought me here once for their local apple festival." He smiled wistfully. "That was a lot of fun. Next fall, I would love to see it again and try more of their apple cider." Memories of the simple joy of childhood slipped out as a laugh.

"… I see… You have a musical laugh, Aurelius."

"Oh, um, thank you?" Rory had his mouth open to continue some more idle chatter, but his tongue slackened and his smile vanished as what had to be an illusion unfolded before his eyes.

Time appeared to be moving backwards…

The snow beneath Winter's hooves melted, and the barren trees grew a sweeping canopy of amber leaves. Winter suddenly ended, and they skipped spring and summer entirely. It was fall again. Everywhere Rory could see, the world was bathed in shades of autumn, the season of abundance.

He felt dizzy, like he could throw up at any moment. He felt light-headed like this was merely a dream, a fantasy. The spring clearing was one thing, but this? He could only gape at it, waiting for everything to suddenly return to the way it was.

"… You don't seem happy," Jahreszeiten noted, the multi-colored leaves up above drooping in disappointment.

"How… how long will this last?" Rory managed to force a few fords from his throat that felt like it was closing.

"It's October now, so about two months?"

Rory slowly lifted a hand and held it over his mouth. If he was hearing the forest spirit right, this wasn't an effect he had to work to sustain; he had simply changed the current season on a whim and put this section of the forest—maybe all of the forest, out of sync with the rest of the world.

Or had the entire world reverted to the way it was two months ago?

"Aurelius? Are you well?"

Rory gripped Winter's horns tightly with his free hand to keep himself steady. "Did you turn back time?" he asked.

"I merely changed the season. Time hasn't moved nor has anyone's perception of it."

Jahreszeiten was busy trying to figure out why his Druid was so upset by this. He had expressed a love of autumn and the happiness he had known in this town during their apple harvest, so should he not be overjoyed? Jahreszeiten, as a forest spirit, was named "seasons" for a reason. In the past, his Druids would all regard a moment like this as a great blessing.

Aurelius looked frightened to the point of physical illness.

After a while with no progress whatsoever, the spirit gingerly raised his concerns, "I don't know what has upset you so much. Isn't it good that you get to visit this down during the harvest?"

"A harvest and a festival aren't the same, Jahre!" Rory replied a little more sharply than he meant to. He quickly lowered his voice before continuing, "The seasons don't just flow backwards or change on a dime. Everyone will be confused and afraid; they won't be in the mood for a festival. Nevermind that they won't have any preparations in place now to hold one."

The young sorcerer took a few deep breaths to calm down and smiled, pleadingly. "Say, Jahre, could you maybe discuss it with me first before giving me gifts?"

Jahreszeiten was utterly dismayed to receive such a request. In truth, about half of all the gifts he had given to his latest Druid were recieved poorly. It clearly wasn't just Aurelius who didn't understand him; the ignorance was mutual.

"… Alright. I will do so." The spirit then offered tentatively, "Would you like me to put things back the way they were?"

Aurelius debated it briefly and then nodded. "Yes, I think you should."

***

Aurelius rode into the neighboring forest town on Winter's back. As expected, people had come out of their houses to gawk, point, and chat.

Everyone had seen the same sight, so no one was quite willing to believe they had merely imagined it.

Rory knew he couldn't simply erase what had happened, but these people would move on with their lives in time. Today would be reduced to a short and interesting story to tell to children.

Another thing he couldn't help was that the villagers associated the flash of fall a moment ago with the horned stranger riding in on a herd of deer. The chatting died down when he approached. People watched but were wary to approach.

Seeing no one at all come to greet him, Rory was forced to call out himself.

"Good afternoon. My name is Aurelius Glorianus. Would it be possible for me to stay the night here and restock before resuming my travels?"