Rory felt like grumbling in protest when Jahreszeiten referred to him as a tree in human form, but that seemed futile when he had antler-like branches growing from his head.
"I won't turn back." He said it aloud to help bolster his resolve. "This mission is too important."
'As you please,' Jahreszeiten yielded easily.
With no trees to break up the wind, the hills were a very breezy and chilly place. Thanks to the Autumn Ring, Aurelius felt no discomfort, but he pitied his little caravan of deer who huddled closer while they walked for warmth.
'Poor things…'
'Would you like to stall the wind?' Jahreszeiten asked him.
'Can you?' The Druid asked in surprise. 'I didn't think you would be able to do that sort of thing outside of the forest.'
'I cannot,' the spirit said confusingly. 'It would be your doing.'
'Mine?' Rory asked, tilting his head. 'The spells I know would only break up the wind for a few seconds at a time, and I would run out of mana too quickly for it to be worth it.'
Essentially, among the elemental spells he new, there was one that was effectively a gust of wind. It was intended to knock people back and make distance, but if he hurled it against the wind, it should have some effect.
The spirit said gently, 'From what I've seen of your sorcery, while its spells are impressive, they are the wrong tool for the task. I know a more suitable sort of magic, but I would need your essence to fuel it.'
'By essense, you mean mana?' Rory asked to clarify.
Since the spirit wasn't quite sure of the difference, he replied vaguely, 'Whatever you call the energy that depletes with your usage of magic.'
Rory nodded. 'Yes, that's mana.' After a moment of consideration, he bobbed his head. 'Let's try it.'
'Very well.'
Jahreszeiten waved Aurelius's hand toward the sky, and the wind abruptly came to a stop. Rory felt his mana draining like water through a sieve, but it stopped at about a third of his total supply. That was more than enough to leave him feeling drained and breathless, but…
'How long will it last?'
'An hour.'
Yes, it was much more mana-efficient than what he could've done on his own.
'Can you teach me your spells, Jahre?' Rory asked spontaneously. Though he largely considered himself to be a man without ambition, he enjoyed the study of magic as a hobby.
'I have been asked that question before,' the spirit said, his apologetic tone instantly lowering the sorcerer's hopes. 'I can no more teach you my magic than you can teach me how to breathe with human lungs. You will have to decipher the principles of my magic on your own if you want to learn it. It is simply too natural to me.'
'I see… that's a pity.'
Well, he had permission to try, at least. If he paid close attention while Jahreszeiten used magic through him, perhaps he would be able to pick up on a few things.
There were several days still between them and the city of Pompeii, and very little to do in the meantime. Rory gradually adjusted to the sight of the endless rolling hills, though watching the edge of the forest disappear in the distance made his heart ache with homesickness.
Jahreszeiten did not spend all of his time possessing his Druid, since it limited his perception and made him unable to watch over his own territory. So there were moments ranging from a few seconds to a few hours when Rory was effectively alone out on the hills. Those times were quiet and frightening, but he bore with it and kept the herd moving. He consoled himself with the knowledge that he could actively call out for Jahreszeiten in his mind and the spirit would immediately return if it was at all possible.
They learned more about each other during this time, sharing in idle conversation. The nature spirit no longer felt like a stranger to Aurelius. Even if there was still a good deal he didn't understand about the inhuman creature, he felt like more of a comfortable companion now. A friend, maybe.
It was enough for him to broach some more personal topics, anyway.
'My friend Cecilia actually lives in the city we're going to,' he said. 'She moved there about a year ago.'
'Why did she leave the forest?' Jahre asked, sounding enough like a kicked puppy that Rory couldn't help but chuckle.
'Ah, nothing against you, Jahre. Pompeii is the biggest city nearby. There are more people and more opportunities there. Cecilia wasn't content with living a quiet life, that's all.'
The young man frowned and shook his head. 'No, I take it back. That isn't all. We… had a fight before she left. I think part of the reason she decided to go was to put some distance between us.'
'What did you fight about?' The spirit asked gently.
'She… she said she loved me and asked if I would ever marry her.'
'Marry… you mean mate?'
Aurelius smiled awkwardly, 'Well, more or less. She wanted to spend her life with me.'
'Mating for life… I understand why she would want to. You are the most beautiful human I have ever witnessed, Aurelius. You are wise, capable, and good. It would be strange for her not to want your affection.'
Aurelius blushed up to his ears and reached up to hide his tingling face. 'Your compliments are always so forward,' he complained half-heartedly. 'I'm flattered but Moreso I'm embarrassed.' He took a deep breath and dropped his hands back to Winter's horns. 'Anyway, my parents were both just as good-looking as I am. I'm not expecting to be the most handsome in a city big enough to hold a million people just because I did well by my village's standards.'
Jahre tried to imagine a human more gorgeous than Aurelius and failed… but it would be interesting if his Druid was correct.
'So, Cecilia asked you to marry her. And what was your reply?'