Chapter Text
X771
The nascent God Serena was flabbergasted. He was to be confined inside the home of an old man. Supposedly a future coworker, hah! As if, by the file he’d been given at that man’s age someone like him could drop dead at any second. The old fart should really retire. Serena would say he should spend time with his grandchildren, but as far as he could tell he was never married and any grandchildren he might have had would be like sixty.
Like really, what was he supposed to do there? Die? Listen to old people stories? Like okay sure he was some powerful wizard, but he was a plant wizard. That wasn’t fabulous, it was boring, dull, and slow. Not fab at all. Safe to say he would likely spend most his time applying makeup while the old dude blabbered. He probably didn’t even have anything good to eat, probably just old man oatmeal crackers. Bleugh!
His name seemed to be Warrod, even the name was ancient. What did the Magic Council even want him to do there? He would just be taking care of a geriatric man who likely never saw an ounce of fashion in his life. Maybe he could teach this Warrod to be fabulous?
What would he even pack? What would he even be allowed to pack? Surely his cosmetics, they learned that lesson a long time ago when they tried to take them. He would likely get his books. They couldn’t take that either. He probably wouldn’t get away with bringing his paints and minis. How boring. Why couldn’t he get to go to a fun place for three weeks?!
No he wasn’t being a giga nerd, that was best left up to Layla Heartfilia’s silly train-toting husband. He on the other hand painted the toys as that was fun to do and the armies of this world and its history needed proper representation on his shelf. He didn’t actually play with them like some loser, sure he had the rule books but that was neither here nor there. It wasn’t like there was someone else to play against anyway, not that he wanted that of course!
When the day came that Serena had to go, he was hating it. He could fly, why would he need to take the train? His courier was here too, that was most irritating as he was insistent on him sitting up and trying to play games like Serena was some little kid or something. Stuffy too, he at least could draw Serena’s portrait on his sketchpad well. Sadly, the face captured was of him in the compromising position of languishing in a vehicle.
The ride into the middle of nowhere was almost as unpleasant. The only thing that made it slightly manageable, at least for a short time, was using his magic to sit slightly above his seat floating in the air. The problem with that was, that while effective, the power of the gale dragon was not quiet nor peaceful. He was hardly enthused by the sketch of him with his face planted in the floor. The art was really good, just highly embarrassing. It seemed his courier was a mage and with the sketch pad of his he conjured a number of barf bags, not dignified but a necessary evil.
The trek into the woods was pleasant for the most part. He had to take some careful steps to avoid his lustrous hair getting tangled in branches, that simply wouldn’t do, not one bit.
There was a primeval sense to the land about him. The ground he stood upon thrummed with life, the earth below him practically sang to his dragon senses. It was at peace but had a dormant strength beneath it. With each step he took he felt the tremors bounce off an incalculable number of roots.
They had to be nearing the Green Mage, his non-existent respect was slowly building for the man. It took a mage of great caliber to have the very world warped to his presence. He wondered if one day he too might change the world merely by living in it. He wasn’t sure Acno was like that but he had never known Fairy Tail without the dragon. It was hard to say.
The air was pure and the scent of life permeated the grove. The old growth foliage lay everywhere while every living inch was colored with dazzling shades of green. There were a rare few places that Serena had seen in his travels that topped it.
In the virility of the forest there was also power. He wondered just how much of it would aid the ancient Warrod Sequen should he ever require it. He shuddered at the thought. As far as he knew the Wizard Saint was no combat mage but he pitied whatever foolish thing that might dare strike him in this place. They would become fertilizer exceptionally quickly.
His courier was surprisingly fleet of foot as they trekked through the mass of life. Serena struggled to follow due to his attire. He just couldn’t afford to have it get caught on anything. He had just purchased this outfit!
Finally, there was a clearing where the sun shone down on a cabin tucked away between the trees. No, that was a false statement. The corners of the home was made of trees, interwoven with the rest of the structure.
Hundreds of potted plants sat on floors and hung from awnings. A large adjoining greenhouse whose panes faintly showed the marvel of colors just beyond. It was honestly quite quaint and homey. He wondered just what the wizard would be like, and so he and his courier came up to the door and knocked.
What greeted them was most curious in Serena’s own opinion. It was a tree with eyes! Warrod Sequen looked as much plant as he did person with his skin taking in the look of bark and his head of hair replace by branches sprouting leaves. There was virtually no neck to speak of or if there was it flowed seamlessly into his head. The tree man burst into a colossal smile and welcomed Serena into the house as his courier helped bring in Serena’s things into the residence.
The inside was… homey? There were more plants and walls of books. There was the smell of tea permeating every inch of the abode, steamed into every surface. There were a number of game boards inscribed on the table in the center of the living room. He didn’t see the pieces for any of the games but assumed they resided in the numerous irregular drawers were the things that held them.
As he was shown as to where his room would be, he was delighted to find a bunk bed with its sheets made nice and neat. Tossing his bag on the first bunk he threw his most favorite items up top, right where they belonged. He didn’t often get to have a bunk let alone the top one. For this small time in his life it would be his nest.
Well now it was time to really and truly meet with his new benefactor. So far he seemed pleasant and had an interesting and not at all unsalvageable in the wardrobe department. So Serena turned back to the main room to see what he would be greeted with.
He found the Wizard Saint giving his courier a friendly goodbye, even stuffing a potted bonsai in the man’s hands as he was turned from the home. It seemed he was getting the plant despite much protesting. Hopefully it would all turn out all right for Serena.
Perhaps he had spoken much too soon.
The Green Wizard then turned to him with a piercing glare sharper than any thorns. There was a mean look Serena hadn’t fathomed possible in the tree man. Nothing but venom could be found in his next words.
“Well boy, hope you prepared yourself for endless labor and training. Children are truly such despicable creatures and you look no better. You should know your stay here will be as unpleasant as I can make it as having a brat foisted on me by the Magical Council is hardly even the least they could do to reward my decades of service!”
Serena wilted, this man was scary. To think he could switch demeanors so very quickly too! This would be most torturous!
Then the wrathful visage melted away into sunshine and smiles as Warrod chortled out the next bit.
“Only joking!”
Serena just about died from his lack of breath. Oh that man had gotten him. It was actually quite impressive in hindsight.
“Though not about the labor, we will be doing plenty of botany together though I imagine you will find it most pleasant. When I heard about you, I just knew we had to meet!”
Serena did not imagine he would enjoy gardening but it would be better than torture. Who knows, maybe he could learn something from that book on embroidery and stitching he’d bought a week or two ago.
After being introduced to the man Serena was allowed to laze about the cozy home for the rest of that day. He was able to get through a not insignificant portion of one of the books he had brought with him. It was most intriguing. Serena most definitely did not have a soft spot for romance. That was inconceivable and should any poison dragon slayer say otherwise such information should be discarded and most definitely discredited.
He also drew, Serena liked to draw, it was just funny that he took up the hobby in the order he did. First he had learned to decorate his face, then how to paint a toy soldier, only then had he attempted to draw anything more than a doodle in his notebooks. He liked to draw dragons, those were fun, but so very hard! Now it was merely a sketch of the man seated opposite of him in a sofa chair.
Things took a most interesting turn at dinner when the tree man brought out a large turnip. Serena panicked at the thought of only eating a vegetable for dinner. Unless it was potatoes, he could get behind a good potato. So very many ways to dress one up, just like him!
That was hardly here nor there though! The matter at hand was still appalling, at least until the man revealed some information that was withheld until the opportune moment.
“Only joking!”
This was going to happen a lot wasn’t it? As the wizard brought out the real meal. It was a rather delectable tuna casserole. It was really rather nice all things considered.
They had a most pleasant dinner time and Warrod told some more bad jokes that Serena was forced to laugh at some of them to maintain his fabulous decorum. Good food was quite worth it.
With how good his first day was he was quite shocked and really very drowsy now that he was in the green house carefully trimming a tree as dawn broke. His snips were quite clumsy and unbecoming of his nature but how couldn’t they be? Plants were boring and not at all interesting.
He had received more than one pointer by the man seated next to him. Oh, and by the gods of Earthland! Serena had been very much right when he had first thought that the Wizard Saint would have many boring old man stories. They were everywhere! Who cared about how you encountered a talkative pine tree the other day? Like what kind of gossip might a pine tree even have?
On second thought a pine tree would have a lot of delicious bird and squirrel drama, bad pick. He kinda wished to know that juicy tidbit. All that aside the stories were boring, at least he thought so. He wasn’t listening all that much.
His current enemy, alongside boredom, was the sun. The hateful thing had chosen to rise in such a way that he was half blinded by the ray while he worked. One might think the tree wizard would be blinded too but he was trimming with his eyes closed. His little tree had an incredibly cool design on it too, as nothing was much cooler than a dragon. Serena did not currently like the effortlessness of it. Not one single bit!
His tree looked like… something. He couldn’t quite tell to be honest. It wasn’t a dragon that was for sure. Maybe a mushroom? A storm cloud? That was it, a storm cloud with lightning shooting from it!
At his mild delight there was a pleased hum coming from the Wizard Saint that rattled the leaves that existed in place of hair. Serena soured, he would not enjoy it for this was plant work.
“You know young Serena, your tree is most pleased with how it’s trim is going.”
The tree knew that? Could trees think? Maybe it was a product of Warrod’s magic? Wait! His tree liked this… Serena did not like to apply the word hideous to any action he took but this was awfully close.
“Really?”
“Oh yes, you have trimmed away the branches and leaves which were not healthy and have left space for new growth”, he opened an eye and the twinkle within was a sort of ancient cosmic mischievousness; “besides I think your Storm cloud is coming along rather nicely.”
How did he know that?! Serena hadn’t said that aloud had he? Had his tree read his mind and snitched to the man? How dare it! It did seem to enjoy its trim, however trees did so, so he decided to continue.
The pulling of weeds felt superfluous, he had a number of abilities that could easily get rid of them all, but Warrod said something about scorching his plants or the saltwater would ruin the earth. Quite silly in Serena’s opinion, he had excellent self control, he hadn’t leveled a building in weeks!
After a breakfast (to think he would be forced to work before breakfast by someone other than Acno) Warrod had him playing board games. He didn’t much care for these things, they just didn’t have the same artistic flair as… well you know, art. Not for lack of trying but he didn’t quite have the mentality for some of the more strategic games. Sure a simple thing with Laxus and Acno was loads of fun, but Warrod and his tactical games didn’t quite click yet, if they ever would.
The day continued to be littered with half interesting stories and light manual labor. Not something he was particularly unaccustomed to but usually there was an out. Somehow Warrod made it hard to turn him down. You know, in that way an old person might suggest something but it is actually really just compelling you to do so, almost supernaturally. Serena didn’t experience it that much these days but there were a few human beings who could do so. The green mage just happened to number among them.
Serena bemoaned how there really wasn’t much he could do about it as he sat in the sofa chair as Warrod was seated in front of an easel painting the likeness of gargantuan and rather wacky tree and blathering about how his latest attempts at magically crossing apples and oranges were quite fruitless, pun intended by him.
He was really quite doomed, any person could have seen that a shining star like him shouldn’t have been held captive in such a benevolent doddering prison. He even from time to time wondered how this man ever made Wizard Saint, what with his… Warrod-ness.
But in his heart he knew it to be different. Warrod was not just a wizard. He was the land, the earth, the trees, he was life. His Verdantness was easily the most powerful wizard he had seen short of Acno. He was just so… magical. Not in the enchanting oo lala~ kind of way but in the way he felt like a part of the world. He had finally put a pin in what he had recognized in him.
Warrod's presence in the ethernano was just like Acno’s, like that of a dragon. Warrod wasn’t a dragon, at least he didn’t think so, but to reach a level of attunement where he might as well have been one was… scary. That was a level of potential danger that made his insides scream.
Yet, all that being true, he was just happy and content with his lot, maybe that was different like half a century ago but as of now it was strength without posturing and boasting. Powerful and peaceful. Serena thought that he might one day become more powerful than this man, but he might never become so in tune with his magic so much that he might shift the way the world’s magic flowed about him.
Whatever magic Warrod used it was not just tree magic. It was something greater and broader. He was the Green Wizard, maybe if there was a Black Wizard then a man like this would be the green one.
The next couple days following would be much the same, boring repetitions broken by night time activities. He wondered if the monotony would ever be broken. He hazarded it may never do so.