A Cold Winter Morn (OPEN)

[Zephyr Kryos Vanderfeld]

Zephyr faced the water. It was still warm enough to swim, but he didn't much feel like swimming. Then again...his idea of warm was anything less than forty degrees F, over that was unbearably hot. But it was still a good seventy degrees out. And he was sweltering. But going swimming meant getting undressed, and putting on a swimsuit. He wasn't exactly ugly, far from it, physically he was quite appealing. But that was his problem. Most guys his age would all over the idea of showing off their well toned body. Zephyr found such practices appalling. He wasn't like others. He's wasn't popular, he dint have man friends, and he made a great show of despising being the center of attention. Truth as he was horribly shy. The idea of all those people looking at him made him want to hide.


But it was so cursed hot! His brother was likely basking in the glory of it. Seventy degrees in September. What did they call it again? An Indian Summer? Bah. The Demi-god who embodied the season of winter stared out across the water. He was far removed from the group of people who were swimming, and their laughter and the few rude remarks he heard directed at him from the teens from his school pressed an urge to freeze the water solid into his mind. But if he did that his father would get angry. Sometimes Zeph was sure that he could push someone after they had stabbed him, and his father would only be angry at him for pushing the attacker. Let someone say a bad word about his brother however, and the God of Time would rage for days about how unfair it was. But then, Summer was life. Winter was Death. When people thought of any of the other seasons they saw beauty. Spring brought beautiful flowers into the world, rainbows and sparkles! Summer gave them warm days for swimming and spectacular sunsets over the ocean. Fall changed the leaves into a work of art. And winter killed it all.


Such was the life of Zephyr Kryos Vanderfeld. His first name was that of the old Greek god of the East Wind, the bringer of spring, but his middle name. Kryos. God of winter, of cold, a lesser god of death. Perhaps Uncle Death could understand it, he WAS death. But Zephyr was a season. Death was a vital part of life. Winter was a pain in the neck, something no one wanted, and no one really needed. He was just a blight on the world in the eyes of most. Even those pathetic little backstabbers he protected from the bullies. Every time. EVERY SINGLE TIME he got into a fight to protect them, they turned around and called him a freak and a monster. On an island full of monsters. The Irony did not fail to make its mark on the young demi gods mind and heart.

[Camryn Jeane Vanderfeld]

Camryn was bored, so unbearably bored. She had nothing to do, no one to hang out with. It was absolute torture. Instead of doing something about it, she floated about whining.

“Uhhhhhh, there’s nothing to do.”

She mumbled to herself, dragging out the ‘o’ in ‘do’. Wandering outside, she felt the warm air blow past her. It was unusually warm for Fall and this made her extremely upset. Fall was her season, it was when she was at her best. She felt more powerful, more alive, but the obnoxiously warm weather was bumming her out. Instead of sitting around all day and complaining, she decided to make the best of it. Going to her room, she threw on her swimsuit and headed out. Today would be a nice day for a swim and the lake was the perfect place for it. She very much hoped it would be empty, but sadly it wasn’t

As she made her way towards the water, she saw several kids from school ther, hanging out, splashing about. Oh, well. She couldn’t always get what she wanted. She walked to the edge and went to step in when something brightly coloured caught her eye. Turning her head she saw someone sitting by the edge of the water fully clothed. Curious, she walked over for a closer look. It was Zephyr! She hadn’t known he was planning on going swimming today. She walked up behind him and jumped on his back, wrapping her arms gently around his neck.

“Hey little brother, what’re you doing out here all by yourself? Aren’t you gonna swim? It’s much too warm to be doing anything else.”

Much like her younger brother, Camryn despised warm weather. After all, Fall weather was cool and sometimes windy. She didn’t like when it was over 60 degrees during her season.

[Zephyr Kryos Vanderfeld]

He sighed as she wrapped about him. "Cam, stop. I'm thinking right now."

Zeph was closer to his Fall Sister than the other two, but that wasn't saying much. Everyone loves fall. The leaves, the several holidays (if you were from some countries as many as four or five), and of course the harvest festivals. What did winter have? Christmas. New Years. But on the Island New Years just reminded people how long they had been here.

He sighed. The water did look good, but in his present mood...the water might ice over...

"Cam. You ever feel like people only see you as an inconvenience, as if no one really wants you around?" He didn't tend to ask this question, and he honestly couldn't remember if he had asked Cam before. He tended more towards silent musings, but he felt compelled to ask. The made sure to make it so he was just asking the question out of curiosity, rather than a feeling he had himself.

[Camryn Jeane Vanderfeld]

Her brother sighed and she frowned. He didn’t seem to be in a very cheerful mood today. He was always thinking. He never seemed to let go and have fun. She wondered what she could do to cheer him up. It was upsetting to see him like this.

“An inconvenience? You mean as a season or a person?”

She thought it over carefully. There were many downsides to fall depending on what kind of person you were. There were many people who disliked the cold weather or the different holidays that happened during her season.

“I suppose. As a season I’m sure many people don’t like me. People who don’t like the various Fall holidays or dislike the cooler weather. As a person, definitely. Sometimes I feel like I’m too loud or overbearing. And I know that I’ve definitely made many people mad with all the tricks I’ve played.”

The thought occurred to her that he probably felt that way about himself. She knew that a lot of people hated winter. The biting cold and all the snow that made it hard to drive. It made her sad to think that her little brother could feel this way and she stood up. Walking around to stand in front of Zephyr she leaned down and smiled at him before wrapping him in a hug. She may not get along with all of them all the time, but she still loved her siblings. Though she’d never admit it, she liked Zeph more than the others. She didn’t know why, but they seemed to get along much better with each other than they did with the others.

“Well, no matter what anyone else thinks, I still love you. I never think of you as an inconvenience, more like a best friend. So, If you’re ever feeling down you can always come talk to me, okay?”

She pulled back and smiled at him. She couldn’t ask for a better brother, even if he wasn’t always outgoing and fun.

[Zephyr Kryos Vanderfeld]

Zeph sighed again, heavier this time. "Even if people don't like the Fall weather, they still think the leaves are beautiful, they enjoy the special foods that are made that time of year. Winter is just cold, no one sees anything beautiful about. When they look at snow the first time they think 'oh hey how fun!' then a week or two later 'When is spring? I cant wait for summer, we can go swimming and see the fireworks!' The only special food for winter is anything dried or pickled so it wont spoil. All the fresh food gets so expensive only those who are well off can afford it. Did you know seven people died last winter in the first month because they couldn't afford food? We lost fifteen people total all winter because of food alone. Another twenty from the cold, and ten who killed themselves after that big storm snowed everyone in for two weeks. Everyone blames me, even though I cant make storms that big. Sure I can make it snow for a few days, but there has to be enough moisture in the air for me to do it. That snow storm came from the north, I had nothing to do with it, I even tried to stop it. But does anyone believe that? No. They attacked me after the snow melted enough for everyone to get out. I couldn't even fight back, because if I did, Father would get angry, saying I need to be more responsible. I bet if they attacked that lizard of a brother of ours for some people being killed by a forest fire, hed have dropped them all into a place between time forever."

The bitterness crept out more and more as he spoke. "As a person they despise me. I waste my time protecting those little cretins from the bullies, because when the adults come running, they are the first ones to point at me. I wonder how they'd feel if I made winter last twice as long? If I started building storms up away from the island, so they got stronger and snowed everyone in for months instead of weeks? Maybe I should give them an actual reason to hate me. After all, why should I be called a monster but fight being one?"

He would have spit, if he were another person, but Zephyr didn't much like spitting. "I get so sick of it. HE'S out there, getting all the glory for just being a bum, I'm doing something to help people, and I just get thrown around. And what does our loving father do? Tells me to 'be stronger'. But when that SNIT gets his feelings hurt, there is hell to be paid! We are all the same age, but father treats HIM like some little baby who needs to be coddled!"

Zephyr stood up, scowling, the air around him cold enough to make vapor. Nearby, although they couldn't hear what Zeph and Cam were talking about, the kids their age were making remarks that echoed over the water. 'What a freak.' 'Yeah a total animal. He threw Mitch through a wall the other day, just out of no where!' 'Why do they even let him walk around. I mean he killed all those people. Ever since he got here, the winters have been worse and worse. They say he's a Spirit or something, but I think he's a Demon, it would make more sense, Spirits don't kill people.'

For a long, enraged moment, Zephyr wavered on whether to freeze the water solid with the girls in it, or just leave. He opted for a middle ground. He made the water cold, very cold, to the point the sudden temperature difference would be painful, but his power was not strong enough yet to actually freeze the water, and it quickly warmed again. He turned and started to walk away. "Just leave me alone Cam, if people start to think you like me, they will hate you."

[Camryn Jeane Vanderfeld]

He seemed angry, very very angry. This wasn’t good, she needed to calm him down before things got out of hand. She wasn’t always the best at solving problems, but she felt that she could always calm her brother down.

“Hey, let them think what they want. They’ll never know how cool you actually are. This may suck, but it’s just the way things have to be. We can’t always change people, we just have to accept that. There’s always going to be people who are against you, who hate you because you’re different. They’re scared of what they don’t understand. If it really bothers you, then stop defending them, let them learn their lesson. Let them learn to fend for themselves.”

She was very worried and when she was worried began to lose control of her levitation power. She could already feel herself beginning to hover and sighed. Pulling her legs up to sit with her legs crossed, she thought for a moment.


“You aren’t a monster, you’re a demigod. They have absolutely no right to call you a monster, if that were the case then we’d all be monsters. Try not to let it get to you okay? I know it’s hard, but I trust you, I believe you can do it. And don’t worry about Jeff okay? Dad can be a little protective at time, but ignore it. The only person you have to worry about is you, you are what’s important to you.

He was pushing her away yet again. He was always like this. He never wanted to talk, he always wanted to go off and mope by himself. It honestly made her angry that he couldn’t see she was only trying to help.

“I will not leave Zeph, I’m trying to help you. I’m always trying to help you, but you never let me. Why can’t you just let me in? I’m on your side, and I don’t care what anyone else thinks about me, you’re my brother and I care about you. Why can’t you see that? It pisses me off that you can care so much and so little at the same time.”

She rubbed her face angrily and turned away, setting back down on her feet.

[Zephyr Kryos Vanderfeld]

Zephyr heard her, but it didn't really change much. She was right, but also wrong, in a weird way that only made sense to him. Yes he could let the bullies beat up who they wanted. In that regard she was right. Physically he could that. Morally? That was totally different. Even if Cam called him 'little brother' he was still the oldest, if only by a heartbeat, and he had always taken his role seriously, maybe too seriously. The end result was an unshakable and undeniable need to protect those weaker than him, or who needed help in anyway.

"You don't get it. You live so carefree, you have almost no worries. Mo-mom made me promise ok? She made me promise to never stand by and do nothing when someone needed help. I Promised Cam." His voice choked somewhat, but he regained his winter cold smoothness before finishing his words.

He started to walk away but stopped. "Cam. Part of that promise was to never let you guys be lonely, no matter what. And if that means never speaking to you, so that others will become your friends, so be it."

He had promised, and he always kept his promises. But even so the anger and the sadness boiled and swirled within him, as he came to one of the large wooden shacks used for changing into swimsuits, he slammed his fist into the side. If he were human, the loud snapping crack that echoed over the area would have been his bones, not the wood. But he wasn't human.

[Camryn Jeane Vanderfeld]

“I live the way I do because of things like this. If you let go and allow yourself to have fun and be carefree then life will be so much better. But if you are constantly worried about those around you, then you’ll never be happy, can’t you see that? I get that you made a promise okay, I get it, but you can’t always be the hero.”

His next words stung. He seemed to think so little of himself and she felt helpless. She cared so much about her family and she was always trying to help, to be there for them when they needed her. But it was so hard, especially with Zephyr. He pushed people away, built walls around himself. And it hurt. It hurt so much to see him like that.

“Zeph come back!”

She called after him, but it was too late. Jogging to try and catch up with him, she nearly tripped over what she thought was a rock. She kept running. Catching up to her brother, she slammed into him and wrapped her arms tightly around him.

“Don’t say that, please. It hurts when you say things like that. I don’t care if nobody else wants to be around me, I don’t care what any of them think! You can’t keep pushing people away Zeph, we’re your family and family is always supposed to be there for you. If you keep running away from us we’ll never be able to help you. If you think for one second that I care more about making friends in this hellhole than my own family, then god. You really are stupid. Please, whatever is going on, let me help, let me be there for you, okay?”

She hugged him tightly, tears flowing freely from her eyes as she buried her face into his back. She didn’t think she’d ever been so emotional before, especially in public. She didn’t care though, Camryn just wanted her brother to stop being so thickheaded.

[Zephyr Kryos Vanderfeld]

Zeph stiffened when she grabbed hold of him. "Cam, I'm sorry, but I can't. Maybe they are right, What is there about Winter that is beautiful? Sure the snow looks nice at first, but then it gets muddy, it looks nasty. As pretty as the town looks after an ice storm, that ice is dangerous, it takes out power, it causes car crashes. And again, Winter Kills. Spring brings new life, Summer is the season when animals are raising their young. Fall, your season, brings the harvest, the time when crops are plentiful, the prey animals are fat and getting lazy, so the predators can hunt them easier, to get fat for the following cold. And in the winter? Anything that isn't ready dies. Last year half of the deer in the woods died because of how bad the cold was, and how deep the snow."

He wasn't walking away anymore, but that was more because his sister was in a bathing suit with her knees on the ground, than because he no longer wished to leave. In fact he was desperate to leave, because he could feel the anger and despair growing, and he didn't want Cam to see what he was like when he lost control. There was only one person who could talk to him when he was like that, and she was either at the library, or in the hut he had built for her in the woods. He wouldn't be able to find her before he lost it. In fact if he wasn't away from here, people might get hurt. The air around him was chilly, even to him, he could feel the cold of his flesh, like he was coated in ice.

"Cam please. I'm losing it. I might hurt someone." His voice was barely a whisper, more like fresh snow hitting the ground than a soft wind. "I have to get away. I know it sounds painful, But I'm plenty happy like this. Its not like I don't have any friends, I have a few."

That was a lie. He had all of one friend, and it was likely only because no one else could see her, or remember her if they did. So Kefka really didn't have a choice in having him as a friend.

[Camryn Jeane Vanderfeld]

She sighed angrily, he was so stupid sometimes! How the hell was she supposed to help him if he just kept pushing her and everyone else away. Backing away, she turned to face the lake, rubbing away angry tears. It was a wonder he had any friends. He never wanted to talk to people, he never opened up. Without a rational thought she spun around and struck out, punching Zeph in the shoulder. It wasn’t a hard punch, but it wasn’t soft either. Just hard enough for him to feel it. If only she could knock some sense into him, literally.

“You’re not gonna lose it, I won’t let you lose it, that’s what I’m here for. Just talk to me, you never do. How am I supposed to know what’s going on with you, how you’re feeling when you never open up!”

Taking a few shuddering breaths she tried to calm herself. Camryn couldn’t remember the last time she had been this angry. Pull yourself together Cam! It’s not like you to be so hot headed. Closing her eyes, she wiped away the tears on her face and evened her breathing.

“If you wanna go, then fine, I won’t stop you. If that’s really what you want. Just, go.”

Turning back to the lake, she walked away slowly. If he wanted to run away from his problems then fine, it wasn’t her job to try and stop him. There was no point anyways.

[Zephyr Kryos Vanderfeld]

If it were possible to break ones own bones, Zephyr would be breaking his arms right now. On one hand, if he lost control here, people could get hurt or even die. On the other, he couldn't let Cam walk off like she was now. The dilemma at this point wasn't even a matter of making his sister happy or saving himself, it was a matter of making his sister not hate him versus possibly killing people who couldn't defend themselves from him.

He cared about Cam. He didn't exactly hate his other two siblings, but he wasn't exactly fond of them either. He would kill someone for hurting his sisters, though he wouldn't let them rough up Jeff a bit before intervening. But Cam was his closest sibling.

He decided his sister was important than these idiots who didn't appreciate him. He groaned as he forced his overflowing power back inside. It was actually physically painful for him. Although it was hard to describe, the closest he could come was comparing it to trying to force your body into a space five times too small. His power was not a limited resource, once it was flowing out, he replenished, so he was basically trying to put the power back into a space that had no room for it.

"Cam. Wait. I'm sorry." He managed that before a cracking sound echoed from his arm. His skin was actually covered in an inch of ice, and the ice had just cracked, echoing like a gunshot.

[Camryn Jeane Vanderfeld]

Cam kept walking, she ignored Zeph’s weak attempt to call her back. She was ready to just walk all the way home and lay in bed for the rest of the day until she heard a cracking sound. The bang echoed throughout the space, rippling the water. Looking back she saw Zephyr’s arms coated in ice. This wasn’t good, he was losing it.

“Zeph?”

Her voice cracked with concern, walking towards him cautiously. Grabbing hold of his wrists she dragged him into the small changing shack. Camryn hadn’t been in this situation before, she didn’t know what to do. Desperately, she began to rub his arms vigorously in a weak attempt to melt the ice and calm him down. When that didn’t work, she wrapped her arms around him and pulled his body close to hers, trying to melt away his anger and fear. She rubbed his back in a calming manner and began mumbling a song their mother used to sing to her before bed.

“It’s okay Zeph, I’m here. Just, calm down, okay? You’re not going to hurt anyone, I promise, just take some deep breaths and then we can go home and I’ll make you some hot chocolate, deal? We can sit down and talk, or just enjoying each other’s silent company.”

Her words were rushed, the panic in her voice evident. She knew if Zeph hurt anyone he would never forgive himself, especially if that someone was her and she couldn’t let that happen. She couldn’t let the situation get any worse.

“It’s okay, it’s okay. I’m right here.”

She whispered soothingly into his ear, holding him tightly as if she would never let go.

[Zephyr Kryos Vanderfeld]

Her calming tactics were working to sooth his anger, but the power...he was basically a cold fusion reactor that wasn't outputting as much as it was generating. He had to expel something, or he would metaphorically melt-down. He'd never had this problem before, but then, he became more powerful every year, and the worse the winter was going to be, the more power he had in the months preceding...

Cam. He had to get her away. If only he could fly or something, he'd be able to get someplace far away, very quickly.

"Cam. I'm not losing it, my power is stronger than I am used to, I got stronger again. I-I have to get someplace where I can let it out. With how hot it is, I need someplace with nothing alive within about one hundred feet of me, that's about the max area I can affect right now. I'm not used to this place, is there a clearing or something?" He Closed his eyes, frantically trying to hold off the explosion of winter chill that was threatening. "It's going to be a bad winter."