After breakfast Atlas and Elvin walked around to the side of the house where there was a large pile of logs.
There was a stump of wood in the ground and an axe dug shallowly into it. The warm sun was casting rays over the area.
Elvin picked up a chair and moved it around so it was facing the stump before sitting in it.
Atlas looked curiously at him then back at the pile of wood.
"I thought we were supposed to be training." Atlas mumbled as he stared at his uncle who had a bag of chips in his hand.
"Oh but we are about to train. Can't you see?,"
"Oh okay so what do you want me to do?"
"Cut the woods." Elvin replied curtly.
Atlas sighed and looked over at the pile then back at Elvin who was watching him with an amused smirk
"I've never done this before. I don't even know how."
"Fair enough," Elvin replied as he stood up casually and strode over to the pile. Picking up a round log, he walked back to the stump and placed the log on it facing upwards.
"You set it like this on the stump. You want a piece
that's about this size. Anything smaller you toss,
anything bigger you double cut, got it?"
Atlas nodded again. He had no idea how chopping wood was a form of training but he trusted his uncle.
Elvin looked back at the stump and pulled the axe
easily out of it. With ease, he swung it around, like
he had done it a hundred times-probably because
he had, and sliced the log in a flash.
It didn't look too bad.
"Aim for the middle and it will split for you."
Elvin explained and laid the axe against the stump then settled back into his chair.
"So that's it? I am splitting logs all day?"
"Yeah, so enjoy doing it. Because doing a job you do not enjoy is fucking irritating."
Atlas sighed and nodded again. This seemed easy. Even though he didn't know how exactly chopping wood was training him.
He strode over to the big pile and looked around a bit until he found a log that looked around the size of the one Elvin had chopped. It was heavier than he expected, but not hard to carry over to the stump.
Like he instructed, Atlas placed it upright before he
reached for the axe.
He gripped it between his hands, trying to imitate what Elvin did and looked for a good point to strike.
He didn't even dent the log, well, he knocked it over; and Elvin snorted in amusement.
"A big man like you, you can't chop a simple wood? Come on nephew, you can do better. I believe in you."
Atlas let out a frustrated breath and put the log back upright. He swung again, this time, a little harder, and landed the head of his axe only about two inches deep into the wood.
"That's it. Come on."
Atlas closed his eyes and let the sun coat his skin.
He opened it and stepped on the log and used his weight to pull the axe out of it.
He placed it again,swung the axe, and again it didn't split. It looked like he barely made a dent.
"You want to be the Alpha when you can't even chop wood?" Elvin chuckled while popping some chips in his mouth.
Atlas shot him a scowl before placing the log upright once again. He took a deep breath and squeezed the handle of the axe between his fingers and he swung again, and again but all he got was an un-split log and more taunting from his uncle.
"Seriously? You can't even chop a common wood? How the fuck where you in the mafia or whatever that you call that."
Atlas bit back the anger that wanted to lash out at him.
"I can chop the damn wood."
"You sure about that nephew?"
Atlas looked back at Elvin. He was eyeing him with
curious amusement.
Atlas sighed and looked back at the log, it was just a damn wood why couldn't he chop the fucking thing.
He picked it up and placed it upright. He added more strength to his swing but the wood still didn't split.
"What the hell?" He hissed.
"Just a log, nothing is wrong with it." Elvin snickered.
Atlas ignored him. He picked the log up and placed it on the stump. He swung the axe around and met the wood, which once again did not split.
More laughter erupted from his uncle and he felt something scratch at the back of his mind while anger started to slowly coil inside him.
"Urgh such a weakling and you're planning on becoming an Alpha? Tsk, even an omega is better than you. Pathetic." His uncle huffed.
Whatever it was at the back of Atlas's mind , well it was not happy about that comment. Atlas felt the anger start to boil inside of him.
He set the log down again on the stump then picked up the axe. He looked over to Elvin who was now watching him intently.
He swung again, harder, letting the anger power his
swing, and let the ax meet the wood but the wood split partially.
Dammit.
His uncle smirked at him.
"Go get another one, start again."
Atlas grunted in frustration and set the axe down and marched over to the pile. He has never felt so useless in his life.
He stared at the log for a while still contemplating on what to choose. He was just selecting a log. Why the hell was it so difficult for him? He had made decisions and selected the best of best designs for his company.
"Why are you thinking so long? Don't tell me you can't even decide on the piece of log to choose? How would you make decisions as a leader? Elvin teased.
Atlas groaned inwardly and grabbed a piece close to him.
Elvin raised a brow and then he smiled as if he knew something Atlas didn't.