One With Nature

Big Tree, Little Boy: 3

"What are you doing here?" I asked, landing in front of the boy in my wind element before changing to my wood one.

The boy jumped for a second before looking at me and taking a deep breath. He then, surprisingly, got on his knees and bowed his head. "Please, Skogvættir, teach me to be strong like you!"

"... huh?" I asked.

"I ask of you, Skogvættir, please make me strong!"

"Woah, woah, woah! Stop right there, do I look like Scathach to you?!" I asked, waving around my arms.

The boy looked at me in confusion. "Who is... Scathach?"

Oh, right. She hasn't even been born yet.

"Never mind that now. What are you talking about? Why are you doing this?" I asked again.

"Because... you are strong," the boy looked down to the ground. "I wish to be strong, like you. But, I don't know how. So, please, teach me to be strong."

Sadly for the kid, that wasn't a good enough reason. Also, I have no desire to take any apprentice any time soon. "Sorry, but no, I don't really take any students. I'm sending you back," I replied as I picked up the kid by his shirt and turned to my wind element.

"W-Wait!" I didn't really give the kid enough time as I immediately shot through the air and headed to the village I left him in the last time.

It didn't take long to reach it. I just safely dropped him to the ground and flew away. It might seem heartless, but that's for the best. I don't really have a reason to accept and there's plenty of other people who can teach the kid how to fight.

Once again, I thought that was the last time I saw the kid.

And again, I was wrong.

"He's back again," Yggdrasil said, cutting me off from training on some advanced Runes.

I groaned in annoyance. Its been a week since I sent him away, and he's already back again. Come to think of it, it took him a week to get here the first time, so I guess it takes a week to get here from that village on foot.

I turned to my wind element and flew through the air. It didn't take long to find him since he's the only thing moving in this forest. "Was I not clear when I sent you back?" I asked crossing my arms.

"Please, Skogvættir! Give me a chance!" The boy cried out.

"It's not about being worthy or anything, I just don't want any students," I picked up the kid just like last time. "Now, this time, don't come back."

I flew through the air as the kid struggled in my grip. This time, I made sure to get into the village from the back of one of the houses and dropped him in the middle to make sure he's there this time.

Hopefully, he'll stay put this time.

He didn't.

The kid kept came back again.

I ran a hand through my face as I stood in front of the kid as he entered the forest the next week.

"Okay, no more nice guy," I groaned.

"Please, Skogvættir, take-"

I didn't let the kid finish as I stomped on the ground and a pillar of stone burst from under the kid, sending him flying and outside of the forest.

I filled the area where he would land with soft bushes and plants to break his fall, but hopefully this will give him a scare to stay away this time.

And he came back again.

"Please, Skog-"

I didn't even let the kid finish as a current of water swallowed him and began heading outside the forest.

The water wasn't deep enough for him to drown in, so he should be fine. And the current just lead to outside the forest, not that far ahead.

And again.

"Stay. Put!" I groaned as I places the kid outside the forest.

This time, before leaving, I manipulated the trees at the border and made them bend downwards while sharpening their branches, making some form of spiky wall around the whole forest.

"That should keep him out," I groaned as I turned back to Yggdrasil.

And again.

I was lucky I didn't have a nervous system because this kid would have caused a blood vessel to pop.

He got over the wall. He was now shirtless, having ripped his shirt and used it as gloves to hold the spikes. He was still covered in a few cuts though.

"Ple-" I, again, didn't allow the kid to finish as I manipulated the trees to grabbing the kid and throwing him outside.

This time, I made a giant wall around the whole forest while making sure the outside was as sheer as possible so he couldn't clime up.

Aaaaaand again.

What is this kid's deal!?!?

He actually dug a whole in the wall using sharp stones to pick on it. Why doesn't he get the message?!

I blew him outside again, and this time, I surrounded the forest with a wall of fire to make sure that, this time, the kid stays out.

That, obviously, didn't stop him.

He kept coming back no matter what I did. Walls, rivers, fire, trees. Everything I did just seemed to make the kid more determined.

A change only happened after-

"-A whole year! This kid has been coming here for a WHOLE YEAR!" I yelled at Yggdrasil as I kept walking back and forth. "You might not know this, but this is actually quite a while for humans!"

"While I don't feel time like they do, that doesn't mean I'm ignorant to humanity's concept of time," Yggdrasil deadpanned at me. "And why don't you accept his request?"

"I'm not the teacher type, Drasil. What can I even teach him?" I asked while using the nickname I came up with a while ago.

"You took care of an entire tribe for two weeks in a deadly desert all on your own and you can't handle one student?"

"Well, you take care of the Nine Realms at once, why don't YOU take him as an apprentice?"

"Well, for starters, he can't hear me. Second, none of the Realms actually need me to do anything," Yggdrasil replied before letting out the sound of a sigh. "Zack, the kid isn't gonna leave. He's bent on having you as his mentor. That's a fact you need to deal with. Also, he's back."

I groaned as I ran both hands across my face while actually gripping it tight enough for my claws to cut a few lines. As the lines began regenerating, I started walking where I last left the kid.

I found the boy climbing up the large hole I left him in - I made only the side close to the forest steep. The side that leads away was easy to climb - and he reached the top just as I got there.

He stood up while using one of the fallen tree branches as support. "Please *pant* Skogvættir *pant*."

I shook my head and knelt down to look him at eye level. "Kid, why do you wanna be my student? I mean other than just being strong."

The kid seemed genuinely surprised before he looked down in sadness. "I want to be strong so I... So I don't ever run away again."

Ah... so he DID know about his family after all, and this was more than just wanting strength. "Alright, you win," the kid looked at me in shock as his eyes were filled with hope. "Let's fix you up, and when you're good, we'll start your training."

A smile split the kid's face as tears appeared in his eyes. "T-Thank you, Skogvættir! I won't let you down!"

"I'm not- you know what, never mind," I shook my head before realising something. "Hey, kid, what's your name?" I can't believe I never bothered to learn his name.

The kid stood attention, almost like a soldier before answering. "My name is Svend, Meistari!"

This will definitely be... something.