One With Nature

Big Tree, Bigger World: 2

"Almost done."

What was I doing right now? Well, I was finally giving Svend the haircut I promised him. It was the morning where I decided were going to go on our trip, and I thought I should get this over with first.

Svend was sitting in front of me as I cut his hair. My body was wood but one of my arms was metal with two of my fingers being blades like they were scissors as I clipped away.

Obviously, I wasn't a hairdresser and the only experience I have with something like this was when I combed Medusa's hair every now and then. So, I settled for a simple haircut which was basically something similar to a military haircut.

"There, done," I said as I finished cutting Svend's brown hair. I turned my hand to water and gave him a quick shower. "Alright, put on your shirt. We're leaving soon."

Svend shook his head and wore his shirt while strapping his shields to his sides. "I still don't see the point, Meistari. Isn't training here enough?"

I would have sighed if I had lungs to do so. Svend didn't use to ask any questions in my training beyond asking for an explanation or two. But he's at that age where he's skeptical, I guess.

I needed a way to show him how big the world is, and an idea just came to mind.

I turned to my wind element while turning my back alone to metal and creating two handles on it. "Hop on. I wanna show you something," I said as I turned around. Svend blinked before grabbing the handles and hopping on my back.

"Whatever you're thinking, it's a bad idea," Yggdrasil said as I knelt down to jump.

"See you later, Drasil," with that, I burst into the air as Svend screamed for a few seconds before holding himself closer to my back.

I kept going up and up at great speed. The clouds kept getting closer until went in them. I kept flying in the same direction until I burst through the clouds and found another sky of clouds way further up.

There was also a city made of gold in the distance that was resting on the clouds that covered the area around Yggdrasil which I believe was Asgard, but I had no interest in it at the moment.

Instead, I kept heading further and further upwards to the second wall of clouds as Svend held tighter. I was controlling the air around to make sure the altitude doesn't effect him, so he was okay.

Third POV:

Soon enough, Zack burst through the second wall of cloud and started slowing down before stopping completely. "We're here, kid. Look around."

Svend opened his eyes after he closed them as they entered the clouds and looked over Zack's shoulder.

He can only gawk at the sight in front of him.

Beyond the sea of clouds, the world kept going and going as far as he could see. He didn't see any limits to the world, be it land or sea. He just saw an endless open world.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Zack asked.

Svend nodded, starstruck. "Yeah... it's... big."

"Alright, I'm gonna let you go now, okay?"

"H-Huh? What do you-"

Zack's solid back turned to air like the rest of his body and he phased out of Svend's hold. The boy screamed in shock before his body began falling down.

Svend flailed for a few moments as he entered the wall of clouds before he came out and corrected himself midair. He spread his body and looked around for Zack to ask what's going on.

But then, he was captivated.

The clouds themselves kept going on and on for what seemed to be forever, and he can swear he saw a city made of gold in the distance. Svend couldn't believe that he was seeing the legendary city of gods with his own eyes.

Svend entered the other wall of clouds and came out the other side. Even then, the world seemed endless.

Towns, mountains, forests, rivers, and oceans. He can see so many of them in almost every direction and none of them seemed to end no matter how much he tried to look.

The world was far larger than he imagined.

"Enjoying the view?" Zack suddenly appeared besides him before grabbing him by the back of his shirt. "Alright, let's get going!"

Zack shot forward with Svend in hand, heading towards one of the forests. Zack didn't stop after reaching it, though. He kept going, passing by trees and animals of all kinds.

The Elemental then changed his direction to upwards before heading towards one of the mountains, still holding Svend who couldn't close his eyes, wanting to see everything around.

Reaching the edge of the mountain, Zack finally stopped and place Svend down. "So... Still think the world doesn't have anything to teach you?"

"No, Meistari! The world is so big! I-I never imagined that... that..." Svend didn't even know how to describe it.

"It's okay, I get it. Now, on to why I brought you here," Zack suddenly turned his arm to metal and created a spear with it. "I'm gonna leave this at the top of the mountain. Your job is to get to the top all on your own and bring it back to me in Yggdrasil's forest."

"You're not coming, Meistari?" Svend asked.

"Kid, learning from the world means you won't have anyone to baby you. You won't learn much if I was there to take care of you," Zack explained before he started flying away. "There's no time limit. The only condition is that you make it back alive, got it?"

With that, Zack flew away, heading towards the top of the mountain.

Svend looked at the mountain itself. It was large, and undoubtedly filled with dangerous life. However, all he can feel is excitement. After what he just saw, he was looking forward to see as much of the world as possible, and he would especially do it since this was the first true test the Elemental gave him.

"Alright," Svend took out his shields and held one with each hand. "Teach me, world."