~"In the beginning long before the age of man made his first footprint upon the earth, the heavens above looked down upon the earth, proud of what they had created. From the rich colors of the grass and the trees to the most vibrant of blues that ran to the depths of the oceans floor, they marveled upon all of creation itself, the entity that existed by their permission alone. While many shared fondness to what they had made, many felt that it was not enough to simply create life, for it must be able to sustain itself, to maintain inner balance and ultimately keep it's own serenity. Thus the creators breathed upon the world the four seasons, Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. They would be the moving powers of their creation, existing together in eternal harmony to ensure that the cycle of all life was maintained fairly and equally. For millennia this was the natural order, but like all things within the world of creation, the end sits watching upon it's horizon.
The four seasons began to bicker amongst themselves, creating great natural disasters from super tornado's and tidal waves to earthquakes that would pull apart the mountains themselves. Displeased by their selfishness and the harm they wrought upon the world the heavens punished the seasons by sending them to the earth they fought over to live as mortals, to live among the age of man to learn the value in life, to learn humility and achieve greater understanding of the world in which they had been charged to protect. The four seasons became daughters, maidens whom embodied a modicum of the power they once held in the world. Upon learning this, man erected a temple for each season in different parts of the world, that would inhabit and protect them while they walked the mortal world, revered as protectors of balance and life. This was their fate now, to see and live life through the eyes of mortals and to maintain the balance for all of creation"~
"Lady Winter, are you alright?"
A familiar voice disturbed her from her thoughts, causing the petite girl to open her eyes slowly. She'd been sitting in the temple's vast and expansive garden, in a spot which overlooked the winding valleys that snaked the world below the great mountain on which her temple was built upon. "I am quite fine Valesill, but why do you ask?" she replied, her voice gentle with an ever so refined inflection upon her words. Valesill, a large friendly monk with a bald head offered a slightly sympathetic smile as he took a few steps closer, standing a little ways beside her as he too overlooked the valley below. "It always snows when you're troubled" he replied simply, exhaling a small breath as he held his hands neatly behind his back.
The white haired maiden blinked her eyes, the icy blue of her irises moving to observe the air that sparkled like a night sky as flakes of snow fell from above. She closed her eyes again briefly and exhaled before she slowly stood up, turning toward the man responsible for her protection and the safety of the others that worked within the winter temple. "My sisters have been silent, and the wind sings of the coming change within the world. This is what troubles me, for I do not know what change the world has planned for us" she spoke perhaps a little more cryptically than was necessary, so she elaborated. "I sense that something is about to happen, something unforeseen that will effect all... but none of us can be sure as to what that could be".
Valesill furrowed his brow and turned towards the young maiden, "If your sisters have been silent, how can you be so sure?" he asked, a fair question all things considered. "I do not underestimate my sisters, it is rather knowing them so well that I can say with certainty that they too must share my worry" she replied, receiving a nod of understanding from the large monk. "It is time to leave, I will gather my things" Winter turned and began to walk up the path that lead back towards the temple, between the colorful bushes and trees of the garden. "Leave?" Valesill's question caused her to pause for a moment, turning to glance back at him as she gave a sincere smile, one that was ironically warm despite her namesake. "As is my duty, to ensure that creation is protected and balance maintained". With that the winter maiden continued up the path, to ready herself for the journey ahead.
