A coppery seed was planted at the Crossroads in Kinsarmar. Some said that it was given by Janus, and this would coincide with the God's appearance at Ysaviel's and Justus's wedding ceremony. However, His appearances had been brief and sporadic and nothing had been seen of the God of the Seasons since. Some had begun to doubt this was a true Awakening.
The seed began to sprout into a tree. They had been told it was the last of the great and mighty Redwoods, and this many hoped on. Yet as the tree grew, the bark turned out to be black, and the leaves blackish green. The tree itself twisted and curled as though seeking, turning toward not the sun but -something-, though what it was the citizens of the Duchy of the Five Towers could not immediately say.
As the tree grew, so did the whispers on the wind. Few were those who could hear them, but the whispers seemed to speak of deception. Over the course of several months the whispers grew and with them an intensity, and even visions that were hard to describe.
Finally a talking fox appeared and the Congregation Members of Father Janus recognized it as one of His Familiars. He did not seem to have all the answers but He did offer what advice He could. Janusian Order Members retrieved a Sacred Chalice that was once used to clear the blight from the world and attempted to cleanse the tree which, by this time, had been discerned to grow in response to hate, anger, distress and other seemingly "negative" emotions. Many Kinsarmarians had worked together to try and pull up the tree, only being shocked as they tugged at the roots. As a Priestess of Janus (a Lorekeeper) poured water over one of the roots, however, the tree began to shrivel.
Thinking this was the answer, she continued to pour, but to no success. It took the rest of the month and much more thinking from all sides of Kinsarmar before the citizens turned to a nearby statue. It was upon recognizing the various guild symbols and hearing a voice upon the wind, seeking unity, that a solution was found. A member from each of the other guilds poured water from the Chalice over the other roots and the tree was destroyed, obliterated and exploding from sight.
From this display stepped Janus in His Winter Form, praising the citizens for their work of unity to break through the deception crafted to keep the Wheel from turning. He spent some time among the mortals, walking among them, recalling old times and blessing new faces.
Janus never did quite explain all that happened, but some speculate that it was the hand of Thanatos at work.
Nobody asked, respectful, and busy celebrating the true return of the God of the Seasons.
Penned by My hand on the 11th of Fas, in the year 674 AD.
