Both of them snapping their heads around to find the voice when suddenly a woman covered in leaves and sticks appeared. Almost like a dress made from trees, the womans face was indescribable because it was constantly shining just enough for one not to make out any details. Atop her head was an adorned crown that looked almost like a birds nest.
"I am a bit surprised to find you here however!" The Woman said and had instantly floated forward to Samuel as she looked upon him. Samuel got ready to fight but then he felt the overwhelming presence of this woman and it almost brought him to his knees.
Night started growling and reared her head to bite the woman when she suddenly flicked her finger which sent Night flying into a tree. The woman quickly turned to Ulma instead and took her hands and pulled her closer.
For some strange reason Ulma felt completely safe and even welcomed the touch. "Do you know who I am child?" The woman asked and Ulma nodded slowly before replying, "You are... Revana! Mother Nature, Goddess of Nature!"
Revana nodded, seemingly proud. "I am glad to meet my successor!" Revana spoke which made Ulma visibly flinch back. "Su-Successor? Me?" She stuttered and Revana graced Ulma's cheek with her hand. "Indeed child, when my time is due then you can become my successor. You are the Queen of Nature after all. A walking Demi Goddess of untold power.. once you learn to control it."
Ulma took a few steps back to process what the Goddess of Nature was saying, she wanted to deny it but in her heart she knew it to be true. She could control massive power when she truly wanted to. But she lacked the current means to truly do so properly which was why Triss helped her train.
"While we are on the subject of control, I wish to extend my hand to you... Triss is a great servant of nature even if she does not directly serve me but one of my sisters... she lacks the means to truly train you!" Revana continued as she snapped her finger bringing all of them over the bridge in an instant.
Samuel stared at the large tree in disbelief now that it was up close. There were so many creatures sitting on its many branches. "Therefore, I want to offer to train you!" Revana said and turned to face Ulma again.
"That... Would be amazing!" Ulma said not able to hide her excitement, but Revana held up her hand. "Not entirely. Because my training would require full devotion, for two whole of your years. You would be here and not be allowed to go back!" Revana's answer made Samuel look worriedly at Ulma who suddenly became silent.
"Two years?" Ulma silently repeated, she wanted to learn how to control her powers and so far no one had been able to help her further than the basic of basics. She looked around the grove and considered it before looking at Samuel with a sad smile.
Samuel saw that she really wanted to do it, but she was holding back because of him and the others probably. Samuel felt his heart starting to squeeze when he saw that look. "I will haveto talk to my friends and family first! I wont just leave them!" Ulma said proudly.
Samuel became baffled, not knowing what to say... she would leave just like that for two whole years. Sure she needed help controlling her powers, yes she probably needed this... What hurt was how easily he saw that she was willing to let go of everything else for it.
Samuel clenched his fist and looked at the goddess, she definitely matched some of the pictures he had read. He felt like she really could be trusted but it didn't make him less angry. "I will send you back to your destination then!" Revana spoke and reopened a portal out of roots that sprouted out of the ground.
"You know how to call me when you wish to come here my child!" Revana gave her a nod as she placed a hand on Ulmas shoulder. Samuel didn't think he would ever be angry at a god but there he stood in silence looking at the ground, he saw the portal open fully and walked through it.
Finding himself back inside the garden of the mage school he started walking back to the house. Not even waiting for Ulma, but she quickly came running after him and grabbed his arm which made him stop. But he did not turn around to face her. "Im sorry, this is something I need to do... every being of my body is screaming at me to do this, to go and learn from the goddess of nature herself, It's a great honor. Please understand!" She begged.
"You're leaving for two years, in the middle of the college years. You are dropping out, leaving us all behind for two years.... what happened to the promise of us doing it together? What happened to us moving forward together? How could you just let all that go so easily?"
"Not even a trace of thought, you just let it all go like that! Like it was really easy for you." Samuel spoke in an annoyed but relatively calm voice before turning around with the final sentance. He saw her expression tha she did feel guilty, but her eyes were like a burning flame. Her mind was set.
He scoffed and shook his head before pulling his arm away and continued to walk. How anyone could just accept something like that, so easily... he couldn't even begin to understand it. Did it mean that she walked around thinking about it constantly.
Ulma quickly ran to catch up with him again and this time grabbed his arm even harder. "Oh don't you dare! Do you think it was such an easy decision? I am going away for two years time, the promise we made is what I am fulfilling, I am growing stronger so I can come back and fulfill the promise we made."
"It's not easy leaving you behind like this, or Erica or Sonya for that matter. But I haveto do it for my own sake, please understand that! If you can't understand that then you never tried to understand me in the first place." She angrily spoke with a loud voice and tears in her eyes.
Samuel felt his whole body slump down, "If I can't understand? You never even talked to me about these things, in front of my face you chose a goddess to train you, instead of being by my side. You chose something that you really wanted help with sure, but did you ever discuss it with me?" Samuel just gently grabbed her hand and made her let go of his arm before slowly turning around and walking away while rubbing his face.
'What did I do wrong?' He inwardly kept thinking, Night looked at him like she wanted to say something but she shook her head and remained quiet instead while thinking to herself 'You didn't do nothing wrong Sam' As she looked back at Ulma who seemed overwhelmed with every emotion ever known.
She didn't follow this time and instead sat down to think. Samuel walked ahead all the way to the house and entered to see all the mentors still there resting but talking while Erica sat by Sonya's side and was spoonfeeding her some soup. They waved at Samuel when he entered, he smiled back at them and greeted his mentors before walking to his room and closing the door.
He lay down on the bed and tried to get some rest. An hour later he heard repeated knocking on his door which disturbed his rest, he sighed before getting out of bed and opening the door to find Ulma. "I came to say goodbye!" She said.
"Ok! Goodbye!" Samuel said and started closing the door. But Ulma had placed her foot in the crack. "Thats it? Thats all you have to say?" She spoke with a hint of annoyance, to which Samuel opened the door slightly more.
"It was nice knowing you for the short time that I did know you, I hope that wherever you go in life that you succeed with whatever path you choose, I wish you good luck and that you enjoy yourself. Two years will be tough but knowing you, you won't have any problem doing it! Our relationship was pretty short but it was mostly nice while it lasted!" Samuel quickly said and the shock of the last sentance had made Ulma move her foot out of the way.
She took a few steps back with her mouth open... "But I will come back!" She said while tears started streaming down her face. "Yes, Yes you will in two years time or so. My final words, are live with your actions because your actions might have consequences!" Saying those words he slammed the door shut and turned around leaning his back towards it and slowly sliding down until he hit the ground.
"Goodbye, Queen, It was nice while it lasted, I love you!" He whispered to himself and wiped away any tears that he felt forming in his eyes. He heard footsteps after a few minutes had gone by and time passed on. Eventually it was becoming dark outside.
Then he could finally shed a few tears. She left him so easily and expected him to wait for so long, without even talking to him she had expected him to just outright agree, how selfish could one person be. He contiued to be plagued by such questions for many hours far into the night.
Before eventually in the middle of the night he heard some gentle knocking on his door. Since he couldn't sleep anyway he got up and opened it to find a friend outside.