The ground trembled. A slight rustle whispered through the debris of the forest. The dead trees looming around the clearing stood silent, decaying watchguards of the grove. Fallen leaves lay dormant, awaiting a breath of wind to resume their mimicry of life. Another rumble, another shake rippled through the ground. Like a snake, holding still only to suddenly pounce and fling itself into action, the clearing once more fell into stillness. The overcast skies reflected the dead forest, gray and unchanging.

A figure sat like a wooden carving in the centre of the empty glade, eyes closed and breath shallow. The slight movement of the chest was the only obvious sign it was still alive. It twitched, and the floor of the forest seemed to shake in sympathy, like a sleeping giant waking to find itself smothered and buried. The folds of its robes lay flat, undisturbed by even a trace presence of air.

Suddenly, it's eyes shot open, fixed on an intangible point. The focus was as intense as a waterfall, relentless and powerful. Swirls of green raced through the eyes, curling and disappearing like smoke. The ground rippled once more, then again, building in intensity as the figure sat trembling.

With an abrupt heave, it fell still. The eyes shone despite the grey gloom of the forest, the flashing emerald solidifying to a constant hue. A creeping sussuration filled the air, accompaning slithering green worms slowly thrusting through the carpet of brown leaves. An implacable march had begun, new shoots of plants emerging undeterred by the ruin they found themselves in. An expanding circle of life spread from the now standing person. Arms upreached like a messianic statue, it reached higher, gracefully ushering the growth out of the dead forest.

Now lost behind new trees it strained upwards, mirroring the infusion of life to the old forest. The fervent stare crescendoed as the figure hit the limits of their body. In a final burst of noise, the new life in the forest rushed up, leaves unfurling with desperate haste, flowers blooming as though years had rushed in the the space of minutes.

The figure fell to its knees. Trembling arms held it off the now grassy ground, eyes flickering still with the verdent engery that filled the forest. Satisfaction warred with exhaustion on its face as it gazed around the clearing. Despite the uncooperative weather, the forest was vibrant, leaves filling the air and flowers carpeting the ground with glorious colour. It was not complete, lacking the animal life that usually fills and sustains nature, but it now held the potential it hadn't before the figure had worked its magic.

With a heave, the bundled figure rose from the ground and stood. Gnarled hands brushed dirt from robes. A grey beard quivered from weariness as the figure began to walk. Its work was done, damage repaired, and the next stop was far away. As it struggled through the underbrush it patted trees, enervation retreating as energy began to coalesce once more within it. Vines creeped out to momentarily embrace them, returning to dormancy as it moved further away. Soon it was able to stride in a deceptively fast manner, restored to vitality.