The Fable of the Seasons
Excerpted from Fastōshi: Chronicles
©2003-2024 by Walter Reimer

Thumbnail art by  baroncoon, color by  marmelmm



“Come near, and hear; I will tell you the truth.

“There was a time, a time when the Race was young, when all the world was warm and green with growing things. And fish and bird and beast were as one, and were fruitful, and multiplied their kind upon the world. Then the Deities beheld the world, and were well pleased with all their labor.

“Now there came upon this world a vra’pudh, that is to say, a spirit created by the Deity M’Ziram, whose provenance is death and the endings of things. And this vra’pudh was named Xir, and as it alighted upon the world it adopted the feature and form of a female.

“Now the vra’pudh Xir looked upon the world, full as it was with growing things, and she said, ‘For many a year has the Deity of Death fashioned me, that I should seek the limits of this world, that the growing things and beasts of it shall perish.’ And so saying she took up a b’rij reed, and from it fashioned a staff.

“Then did Xir ascend unto the uttermost north of the world, and did stand forth and raise her staff. And she was of an aspect fearful and awful in her beauty, and ice glittered about her scales, and such was her power that she could freeze the hearts of all. She bestrode rivers, and with her tail did create valleys and hills, and when she raised her staff things began to die.

“For Xir’s power was that of cold, and there were no growing things, no not even the beasts, who could stand against it. Then did the world see snow for the first time, and the growling of ice was heard for the first time.

“And the Deities beheld this, and were displeased.

“Now there came upon this world a vra’pudh, a spirit created by the Deity Sheshthoth, whose provenance is growth and the beginnings of things, and all the beasts and growing plants of the ground, and all of the fishes within the waters, and all of the birds alight upon the airs are under Its sway. And this vra’pudh was named Kin, and as it alighted upon the world it took the feature and form of a female.

“Then did Kin ascend unto the uttermost north of the world, and did stand forth and seized hold of Xir’s staff. And Kin was of an appearance fair and terrible, and flames flickered about her scales, and such was her power that she could warm the hearts of all. She bestrode rivers, and her tail did create valleys and hills.

“And as she grasped the staff of Xir the cold abated, the death ceased, and things began to have a new beginning, until all was warm and fruitful once more.

“Xir was angered, and said, ‘What right have you, to come and so disturb my power?’ Then did Xir exert her power again, and the cold took the world into its claws.

“Kin replied, saying, ‘I am your opposite, for cold should be balanced by heat, and death by life.’ And they stood there, at the uttermost north of the world. They stand there, hands upon the staff of b’rij reed, unto this very day.

“And so it is, that when all is warm and fruitful (and the Race does name this the Heat), then has Kin the dominance; but as Xir exerts her strength leaves fall and beasts do wisely seek other pasture. When all is cold and barren, then does Xir prevail, for it is what the Race calls the Cold; but Kin does then recover herself, and slowly the flowers begin to bloom anew.

“And thus it is, that seasons came to be.”