Spirit of Winter 5: Awakening

>Again you're out cold.
>And you feel cold while you’re out cold.
>You feel like you are back in Alaska in the dead of winter, naked in the streets of Barrow when the vampires are coming.
> You still can feel nothing and you still can’t see anything, you are alone in the void.
> Friedrich Nietzsche once said: “If you stare long enough into the abyss then the abyss stare into you.
>Now you know what he meant.
>It begins to feel like you will never wake up until you hear someone calling you back.
>You feel yourself slowly open your eyes at the voice calling your name becomes discernible.
>The voice calling you is clearly someone you have never met.
>”Mr. Legionstev?  Mr. Legionstev are you awake?
>All you can do is mumble a reply.
>Through your blurred vision you see white figure leave the room and speak to someone outside.
>”He’s awake, you have five minutes to say your piece”
>Slowly your vision begins to come to and when you can finally see clearly you are greeted by five brightly colored ponies.
>”Oh dear I hope he’s alright.”
>”The doctor says he’s stable Rarity so I’m sure he’s fine... for now.”
>”How’d ya manage to find em flutters?”
>”Oh I didn’t find him, Angel did, as soon as we heard the screaming Angel started to panic and run toward where it was coming from.”
>”Why’s it so chilly in here?”

>While they are all talking you take time to try and figure out where you are at.
> Surrounding you are high stone walls with a window to your left that overlooks a deep green valley.
W-where am I?
>All eyes are now on you and a purple unicorn places here hoof on your shoulder before she speaks.
>”You’re in the hospital wing of Canterlot Castle, Fluttershy found you unconscious in the Everfree Forest, we took you to the hospital in Ponyville, but the royal guard arrived before the doctors could get you a bed.  They said Princess Celestia had order them to take you to the castle… that’s all they told us”
Canterlot, isn’t that the capital of Equestria?
>Twilight nods.
>”What happened to you in the forest has Princess Celestia in a frenzy she is constantly checking in to see if you have woken up”
How long have I been out?
>”Three days”
Where’s that blue Pegasus?
>”We asked Rainbow if she wanted to come, but she said she didn’t want to.“
Oh…

>From the corridor you hear an unfamiliar voice speaking to the doctor who was tending to you.
>”Is the prisoner ready?”
>”Yes, his core temperature has leveled out at 98.6 degrees and his surface temperature has leveled out at 53.1 deggrees”
>Did you just hear that doctor correctly?... 53.1 degrees... you should be dead at that temperature.
>”We will take him to the throne room, you are no longer needed”
>You look over to the door to see four armed guards with another unicorn white unicorn with blue mane, who appears to be a lieutenant or something.
>”Twiley I’m going to need you to back away we need to take your friend to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.”
>”shining no!  He needs more rest! Please just give him a few more minutes!”
>”I have my orders Twilight, we need to take him to the throne room as soon a possible.”
>”But-“
>”No buts, I have my orders.”
>The lieutenant then walks in front of your bed.
>”I am Shining Armor, Captain of the Royal Canterlot Guard and I am here to escort you to the throne room.”
Fine... Whatever...
>”I’m going to need you to stand up and put your hooves behind your head.”
>Slowly you get up and comply with Shining Armors orders and you also notice that you’re in your underwear again.
>What’s with these ponies and getting you in your skivvies...
>You make slow progress walking over in between two of the guards to make your short but agonizing journey to the throne room.
>”Foreword march!”

> You've barely made it out of the room when you finally collapse.
>”Just drag him we need to get his to the throne room as soon as possible.”
>This sends Twilight and Rarity into a panic.
>”See! He’s too weak to see the Princess!! Please just let him rest a little while longer!”
>”Oh you horrible brutes!! Don’t you lay another hoof on him!!”
>You look back give a reassuring smile, but you see some sort of force field has been put up too keep Twilight and Rarity from assaulting the guards, Applejack, Pinkie and Fluttershy  only worriedly look on as the guards drag you away.
>You drift in and out of consciousness as the two guards drag you through the stone hallways; you can only imagine what is waiting for you.
>Maybe they will convict you of murder, maybe they’ll kill you, you have no clue what is coming.

>You drift back into complete consciousness when you hear the groan of two large wooden doors being opened in front of you.
>You look up you are stricken with awe at the sheer size of the room in front of you.
>The windows on both sides are stained glass each depicting some scene in pony history.
>”Your Majesty I have brought the prisoner to you, is there anything else you need.”
>”You have done well Shining Armor, you may leave now.”
>”Yes your higness.”
>The voice you just heard was not like the others, it was warm and calming to hear it.
>”So this is the thing that killed winter, We have a hard time believing that such a frail looking being could slay stallion as mighty as winter.”
>”Anonymous Trollolololololovich Legionstev?  Is that you name?”
y-ye-yes...
>”Stand up, it is rude to not look thy rulers in the eye.”
>You feel a magic force pulling you up.  Once it releases you, you immediately fall onto one knee.
>”Ah!  We assume that this is not thy first time addressing royalty, such decorum.”
>You do not answer.
>”Anonymous, can you tells us what you remember what happened on the day you were in the Everfree forest?”

>You pause.
I-I was looking f-for Fluttershys pet... I heard a wailing in the distance... I lost c-control of my legs... I-I felt like something was pulling me toward the wailing... I came into the c-cl-clearing and there was a very old pony sitting there... I came closer... H-he turned around... and asked me to kill him... My hand felt like it h-had a mind of its own… It took my bayonet from my belt... T-t-th-the stallion took my hand... And plunged my bayonet into his chest… he turned to snow, and his heart was skewered on my bayonet… It turned to dust... and it crawled inside me... That is all I remember...
>”Luna I know you have been eager to try a memory recovery spell, why don’t you see if he is telling the truth.”
>”Yes sister.”
>You look up to see a deep blue pony, with flowing mane that resembles the starry night sky.
>She takes your chin with her hoof.
>”We are sorry human, this will only last a second.”
>She then lowers her horn to your forehead and a flash of light engulfs you.
>Once again the memory of the horrific scene in the clearing flashes before your eyes.
>Before you can scream it is over and you no longer feel the urge to scream.
>”He speaks the truth sister, it appears the Winter was willing participant in his death.”
> “This is troubling... The question now, is whether or not this human has inherited Winters power."

>”Then perhaps we should find out for ourselves.”
>Out of the corner of you eye you see a suit of pony armor glow a deep blue and charges you.
>You fall back on your ass and close your eyes as the armor prepares stab you.
>You wait for the pain to rush into your throat.
>It never comes.
>You open your eyes to behold another shocking sight.
> A wall of ice has caught the sword a few inches from your throat.
>You are too shocked to even speak.
>”It appears we have out answer Luna.”


>The armor that was trying to kill you a moment ago has collapse and the wall of ice in front of you.
>You are wide eyed and breathing heavily as your mind is trying to figure out what just happened.
>Suddenly your entire body feels warm and airy… you now feel as if you can stand.
>Standing up you see another Unicorn... Peagasus?  Good god what is she.
>Now standing In front of you the Allicorn gives you a warm smile.
>”I am Princess Celestia, I am responsible for raising the sun every day and this is my sister Luna, she is responsible for raising the moon.”
>Your understanding of science has now been blown to all hell, but whatever a wall of ice just saved you from dying.
>You fall back to your kness.
>You're fucking exhausted.
>”Come, I am sure you have many questions."


>Still in your skivvies you are now walking along the Princess down a ledge overlooking the same valley outside your hospital bed.
>You're still stumbling occasionally from whatever the pony doctors gave you.
>”So I am sure you are wondering what has happened to you.”
Y-yes.. your higness.
>”Where do you want to start?”
Well... Who was that pony in the clearing?
>”That was the a nameless pony, he went by the title 'Winter'.”
What... was he?
>"He was the Spirit of Winter.
>You stop in your tracks and stand as straight as you can.
What?
>"The pony you saw in the clearing was the Spirit of Winter."
W-what is that?
>”You see Anonymous, the seasons are controlled by four individual spirits and each has its own unique job, Spring is charged with awakening the trees and plants in Equestria and providing all earth ponies with the magic they need for growing, Summer brings warmth to Equestria, furthers growth, and melts the snow on the mountains, swelling the rivers so that the lowlands will become lush and green, Autumn brings the winds that tells ponies to start harvesting and she sings all plants and trees to sleep.  Your job is to blanket Equestria with snow and ice, to give all ponies time to rest and celebrate the holidays.”
Wait What!!  But, Twilight told me that the Pegasui are the ones that make it snow, she never said anything about spirits.
>"The spirits are responsible for the nature of each season, the warmth of summer, the life of spring, the peace of autumn and the rest and rejuvenation of winter.  Have you ever felt an inexplicable joy during winter?  Especially during the holidays?
>You nod slightly.
>"That is the essence of the Spirit of Winter flowing into the land; or atleast as it flow in Equestria.  I am not sure if this is the case for your world Anonymous."
No, not at all.
>"Well as I have said, the Winter that preceded you, was...  Distant.  To say the least.  Ever since I was forced to banish my sister, it was decided that the Spirits should take on a discreet nature, especially considering the events that transpired that day."
>She takes a few moments before speaking again, as if she is choosing her next words carefully.
>"Now that you have assumed the position as the Third Lord Winter, I do believe that it is time to resurrect old traditions."
>She takes a moment to smell a flower on the ledge of the balcony.
>”Already spring is spreading life across the land. You are the Spirit of Winter Anonymous, you helped the second Lord Winter cross over the the other world, after well over a thousand years.  From what Twilight has told me, it seems as if humans are... Better equipped to handle the frost and biting winds of winter.  It only makes sense that Lord Winter would choose you, he sensed your prowess."
But... How?
>"Anon!"
>Both you can Celetia turn to see Twilight along with Rarity, Pinkie, Aj and Flutters come running toward both of you.
>"Anonymous!  There you are!"
>Both Twilight and Rarity wrap their hooves around your waist.
>Rarity is the first to pull away and look up in shock.
>"You're...  Dear you're absolutely fringed!  Are you sure you're alright?"
>"He's fine Rarity."
>Twilight pulls away and looks at Celestia.
>"B-but he feels like a corpse!"
>You're not exactly sure how you feel about this, but the two mares refuse to let go.
>"I believe there is much to discuss.  If you six would please join me in the garden."