MTG Salvation

An old man stands with outstretched arms. The sun shines on his face as the man smiles with his eyes closed. Before him stands a tranquil pool and lush gardens surround him. Suddenly, the man begins to sprint and jumps from the ledge of the pool. In mid-flight, the man brings his knees up to his chest and wraps his arms around them. He hits the smooth surface of the water to send water everywhere. He disappears below the water’s surface and waves ripple across the pond.

Out of the water rises a woman with fiery red and white hair. Her eyes are a brilliant blue. She smiles as she raises a pair of battered wings out of the water. It has been a long time since she was able to stretch out her wings in true form. It is then that she turns her head and notices how tattered they look. Aurora looks down upon the water to see her face full of bruises and scars. Her arms reflect the same wear and tear as she examines them out of the water.

Aurora stretches a hand high into the air to open a rift into the Blind Eternities. She searches through aether with her mind and soul. After some time, mana flows from the rift and from the mana rich surroundings. The symbol on her arm that resembles the rift behind her begins to glow. She finds her spell and pulls it out of the rift. Faint images of three dryads dance around her. As the dryads dance, Aurora wounds begin to heal, her wings return to their once glorious feathered appearance, and life returns to her face. The dryads evaporate into a bubble that floats off to her side. She looks down at the water and smiles at her appearance. She notices a scar on her face that did not disappear. Aurora touches it gently. She ponders about casting another spell to remove it, but decides to leave it as a reminder of her perseverance.

Story Interrupted...

The old man looks up to see a child raising her hand.

“What can I do for you sweetie,” asks the old storyteller?

“What’s the Blind Eternities,” asks the child.

“Oh, I see. Has nobody explained the powers of a planeswalker to you,” frowns the old man playfully?

The child just shakes her head sheepishly.

“Well. I will have to remedy that. You see planeswalkers have the ability to transverse to other planes. Planes are distinct universes with different properties. This I have already told you. Between each plane is what we call the Blind Eternities. It is the space between planes. The space in the Blind Eternities is filled with aether.”

The old man paused as he scanned the children. It wasn’t long before another child raised their hand.

“What is your question young soldier,” asked the old storyteller?

“What’s aether,” asked the young boy?

“That is a very good question. Aether can be anything. It is time. It is energy. It can take physical form. It can be all of these things, one or none of these things. When a planeswalker opens a rift into the Blind Eternities, they can use their spark to to transform the raw energy of the aether into anything. They are only limited by their hearts, memories, and imagination. Once a planeswalker transforms the aether, they can pull it into this world with the use of mana.”

“What’s mana,” interrupted an ambitious child?

“Mana is the energy that embodies everything. It resides in all living beings. Mana is in the trees, the rocks, and in the sky. It flows through everything. However, mana is especially strong in the land we live on. Planeswalkers can sift through the aether and bond with any land. It may be a millions of clicks away. The land could be just on the other side of a mountain. Planeswalkers bond with the lands through the rift. Once bonded, they can drain those lands of mana to cast the spells they formed within the aether. Okay, shall we continue?”

The storyteller was about to flip the page when another child raised a hand. The old man waved a hand at the child to give her question.

“What’s a rift,” asked the little girl?

“Oh. I apologize little one. A rift looks like this,” said the man as he held up the symbol of a planeswalker on a sheet of paper.

“It’s a fork,” said a child!

“Why yes. It kind of does look like a fork,” chuckled the old man.

The gold man grabbed another piece of paper and held it together with the other piece of paper with the planeswalker symbol on it.

“Now. Let’s put together what we learned and imagine these two sheets of paper separate to different planes. On one side, we have one universe. On the other side, we have another universe. In between these two pieces of paper is what we call the Blind Eternities. In between these two pieces of paper is filled with the aether,” lectured the old man as he made a clawing mark over the symbol of the planeswalker. “A planeswalker can tear open a rift into the Blind Eternities. They can then use the energy within called the aether in which they use to cast powerful spells and summon forth creatures. Now, does anyone else have any other questions.”

The old man paused for a moment. He looked around to find all the children satisfied.

“Good. Now where were we?”

The Story Continues...

Various creatures of the Selesnya guild began to form at the edge of the forest that surrounded the pool. Aurora pays them no mind as she gazes up to watch the sunlight shine through the remains of the crumbling church. Most of the creatures are simply curious about the angel that floats and swims carelessly in their pond. The biggest concern is the dragon watching her from far above. The dragon had cloaked himself with invisibility, but she can see the flows of mana being diverted around it. She can see the dragon’s shadow. The dragon was old and powerful, but not a concern to her.

Her thoughts were interrupted as a powerful wave diffused out of the Blind Eternities. It passed harmlessly through her until it hit her spark. A burning sensation radiated through her from the spark as it pulsates. Eventually, the feeling waned. Aurora couldn’t believe her bad luck. She hoped her new found freedom would be long and uneventful. However, she knew that sensation. Urza had shown her before departing ways long, long time ago. It was a sign that whoever was behind the plot to disrupt their plans had succeeded in opening the vault to the talisman. Her time for pleasure and leisure was already at an end.

Aurora begrudgingly left the wonderful warm water out of her sense of duty and a tinge of fear. Pulling in mana and a spell from the rift, she brought up flames from the bottom of her feet. It dryed her skin as it rose to her head and armor appeared in its passing. She smiled to herself at the practicality of the spell and the process of multitasking at the same time. Even though part of her longed for respite, she missed the thrill of battle. Aurora looked over her armor. It was not made of hard metal that some of her kind prefered. Hers was of chain mail made of darksteel that covered her upper torso and lower torso. There was some mid-drift to aid in movement. She preferred to be nimble over restrictive armor. Her armor made her look more like a dancer than an actual warrior. The metal was virtually indestructible as it was forced from darksteel. Making it into chain mail was a long and difficult task. She admired for the moment the red, white and blue patterns she laced into the chain mail. Her knee length skirt was white with intricate red and blue embroidery of her angel clan. The short shirt over her upper torso was much the same as skirt along with her elbow length gloves. Her knee-high white boots matched as well.

Aurora checked for her sword and pulled it out for inspection. She resheathed it and decided it was time to chase down her admirer. Ready for flight, she peered up to see the dragon still perching there. She knelt to the ground and then lunged into the air for flight. A shockwave of air blew twigs, leaves and dust from where she stood. Aurora rocketed up towards her adversary with great speed. She was especially fast in flight even for an angel. Her speed even startled her adversary.

The dragon took flight immediately. Aurora didn’t chase him aggressively and could have caught up with him, but she pulled back on her speed. She was looking for information, not a fight. Eventually, the dragon withdrew his cloak of invisibility. Aurora could sense that he was leading her somewhere. She simply followed and in the meantime, took in the pleasures of flight. She forgot how much she missed flying. It was probably due to her taking the ability for granted. Before, it was simply something she did before being imprisoned. It was like walking. Now, she relished the feeling of freedom it filled inside of her. As the wind blew through her hair and wings, she almost forgot that she was chasing a dragon.

The red and blue dragon flew into the top of a beautiful tower that was surrounded by several smaller towers. Aurora gently glided down to the landing and followed in. She immediately felt his mind speaking within her own.

Why are you here planeswalker?

“I came here to simply wade in the pools of Selesnya. A long time ago, I waded in those pools and had fond memories of them. I had just escaped from many, many years as a prisoner on a distant plane. However, something has happened during this brief visit. Therefore, my plans have changed.”

What is it you seek?

“Information.”

The dragon circled around her and tilted its head. Aurora could sense his curiosity in he as well as his suspicion.

Information isn’t free.

“What is your price? Keep in mind, my recent experience with torture has made me ill-tempered.”

I give you information. You give me information

“Where is Urza?”

Dead. Destroyed in his quest to destroy Yawgmoth and Phyrexians.

Aurora’s stomach sank. She attempted to stay stoic, but tears began to well in her eyes and eventually escaped to her cheeks.

“When did this occur?”

My turn. Who are you?

“My name is Aurora and formerly Urza’s apprentice. What is your name dragon?”

Niv-Mizzet. Do you sense the difference in your powers?

“Yes. Do you know why?”

It disseminated from the mending of the multiverse on Dominaria by the hands of some of the original planeswalkers. Do you understand why?

“The flow of mana was once uniform and structured. Our manipulation of it was child’s play. Now, it is chaotic and disorderly. I can still manipulate it to my will, but it takes time to find what I want. The aether in the Blind Eternities has become murky and clouded. In time, the aether in the Blind Eternities may settle, but it may be millennia upon millennia before that happens. I can only perform the spells offered to me in the moment. When did Urza’s death and this Mending occur?”

Three to four hundred years ago. The historical records are incomplete and may not be accurate. How do you draw upon the mana from the land?

Aurora began to feel uncomfortable. This information appeared to be highly valuable to Niv-Mizzet. She wondered if it was dangerous giving him such information.

I assure you that this information is purely for research purposes. I only seek to understand and expand my knowledge of the multiverse.

“I’ll make you a deal dragon. I’ll explain everything you seek if you help me in my quest.”

What would such a request entail?

“I have urgent business upon the plane of Eridanos. I once traveled there. However, with this Mending, I am having trouble locating it through the Blind Eternities. Allow me access to your facilities and staff in order to locate it.”

Anything else?

“Maybe a few toys to aid me on my journey,” Aurora gave Niv-Mizzet a sly smile.

I will agree to your terms. Shall we begin?

Niv-Mizzet fulfilled his promise. He immediately gave her access to his labs in Nivix and instructed his guildmages to assist her pursuits. While doing so, Aurora explained the intimate workings of being a planeswalker. She told of him how she bonded with lands through the aether. Before the Mending, she could bond with any land at any time. Now, it was chaotic. It took time to make those connections. She could still peer into the aether, but finding such places, mana and time was again chaotic. Before the mending, she admitted they were almost gods. At all times, they could be bond with all and any land. Their access to mana was limitless. Any spell could be cast on a whim. Planeswalkers were only limited by the power of their own spark, heart and mind.

Niv-Mizzet listened intently. The more she spoke, the more cooperative and helpful he became. Part of Aurora still worried if she could trust this dragon. A part of her somehow trusted him. However, talking took her mind off of Urza’s death. It also helped her come to terms with this new world she had entered. She was no longer a demi-god. She still understood she was capable of wielding immense power, but it wasn’t the same. Even though she was powerless while imprisoned, she still felt the power of the mending and could still peer into the Blind Eternities. If it wasn’t for her plans of escape coming together, she might have lost all faith. The mending had almost been a comfort. It kept her mind occupied while she waited for her machinations to come together. While she waited in prison, she spent much of that time studying the aether through the rift.

Those memories and feelings would have to wait. Her focus must be getting to Eridanos and securing Urza’s Talisman. If it fell into the wrong hands, the result would be more than tragic. She elected to keep that information to herself.

Elsewhere

The two nefarious planeswalkers looked down the mountain upon the Temple of Urza and the kingdom or Varandor that surrounded it. Light from the sun was just beginning to glow over the horizon. The two stood above the valley probing the area with with various spells.

“I only sense some low level mages. There military is semi-formidable. Shredak, do you want to want first blood,” asked the other planeswalker?

“Iago, it’d be my pleasure,” relished Shredak.

Shredak closed down her rift and reopened it. She began bonding with her land. As she did so, the base of her rift began to expand as the lands began to appear along its base. Images of mountains and forests cluttered along the base. A few of those lands were very unique as hybrids of both. Shredak then began connecting with the spells in the aether. She drew upon the black and green mana of those lands and used it to pull forth zombie after zombie. Eventually, five zombies swayed back and forth before them.

“Hardly an army,” sneered Iago.

“Watch and learn,” hissed Shredak.

Shredak began concentrating and finally pulled forth a spell that she solidified with mana. It was an enchantment and had a look of a hologram of gothic church windows. It suddenly pulsed and two zombies were brought forth out of the enchantment.

“Peculiar, but a little slow,” Iago said with an elitist attitude.

“We’ll have an endless ranks of the dead quite soon. With every aether cycle, it will double our ranks,” said Shredak.

Shredak began forming another enchantment out of the aether. This time is was green in nature and had the same hologram like appearance. Inside the enchantment was crystals surrounded by vines. An aether cycle passed and the black enchantment pulsed brightly, the energy emitted zipped through green enchantment and six zombies appeared. After another pulse, twelve zombies appeared, then twenty four, then forty eight. Shredak grimaced at Iago as her army grew out of control. After another cycle, Shredak sent the army of zombies towards the castle of Varandor as more and more began to materialize.

Iago said nothing and began opening his own rift.

Elsewhere

Jax and Raja slept restlessly that night. Morning was breaking and both paced the room awaiting any news of the council’s verdict. Trogg entered the room with Brix by his side and accompanied by a few heads of state.

“Mercury is to be placed back into her chamber,” forcefully stated Trogg.

“Why? She poses no threat,” quibbled Jax.

“We have decided. You may say your goodbyes later this afternoon. She has been informed,” stated Trogg who immediately turned and left.

Jax began to protest, but Raja placed a hand on his shoulder to hold him back. He shook his head to reaffirm his intervention. The door had barely closed when the bells of war began to ring across the kingdom. The two friends rushed to the window to witness soldiers of Varandor rushing to the outer wall that encircled the Temple of Urza and the Castle of Valandar. Raja pointed towards the mountains in the east. A black swarm was moving down the mountainside and heading slowly towards them.

“What the blazes is that,” questioned Jax?

“I don’t know, but whatever it is, it isn’t good,” responded Raja with a hint of trepidation.

Jax turned towards the door. The sentries inside brought up their swords.

“Are you serious,” said Jax in dismay?

“We have our orders sir. You are not to leave this room,” responded one of the guards.

Jax gave Raja a conniving look. Raja nodded. Jax was about to make his move when the door suddenly burst open. Saber adorned with her battle armor walked in with the Lieutenant of the Royal Guard walking in behind her with Mercury in tow.

“Let me guess. You and Raja were going to recklessly jump out of the window, swing on your whip daringly jump to another ledge, bravely take out a few guards, and rush to save the poor helpless girls,” said Saber.

Raja and Jax just nodded.

“Pathetic. The Lieutenant will escort Mercury to the temple to be protected by the Temple Guards. You will get your act together, get your armor on and follow me to the battlefront. I will deal with dad,” commanded Saber as she pointed a finger menacingly at them.

Moments later, the three were fast approaching the east gate towers. They found Trogg barking order to his soldiers. The archers on the top of the towers were blazing through their supplies of arrows. Brix was commanding the southern section of the eastern wall and bludging zombies to death as army of darkness attempted to besiege the city. So far, it appeared they were holding their ground.

“Father, what are your orders,” shouted Saber as she approached?

“Your orders were to stay in your room,” growled Trogg as he continued to command.

“We can argue later. Give me an order or I’ll find my own zombies to kill,” shouted Saber over the noise of the battle.

“Go to the northern section of the east wall. Their ranks need bolstering both physically and for moral support. A prince and a princess may be the very thing they need.”

Saber nodded and the three began to depart when Trogg yelled at them.

“Saber. Jax.”]9876

As they began to turn, they stopped for Trogg appeared he wanted to say more. The king stared at his children. Jax and Saber simply stared back. Jax and Saber eventually smiled back. The king smiled back. With that, Jax, Saber and Raja tore up the stairs of the east gate tower. Soldiers with pikes lead the forward defense of the wall. They worked tirelessly at pushing and hacking back the zombie swarm. Behind them were soldiers with swords and axes to take down any zombies that slipped through.

Saber brought out her namesake saber and set it ablaze. As she helped to dispatch the overflow of zombies, she motioned for Jax and Raja to station themselves further down the wall. Jax and Raja quickly took up their points further down. Jax brought his fire daggers to bear, but found his whip to have little effect. Jax brought forth his weapon of choice: a pair of sai’s. Raja rushed to farthest end and helped the forward lines with his own pike.

Only a few zombies got through the ranks to only be pushed off the wall to the inner courtyard. Luckily, a few soldiers were positioned at the base of the wall. Those few soldiers easily dispatched those few zombies. The zombies began to pile up outside of the wall. As the pile of zombies grew, into a ramp for the swarms of the dead. Zombies began piling in faster and faster. Jax knew something needed to change. The swarm outside was not dwindling. Zombies were still descending from down the mountain and filled the valley. As the thought went through his head, soldiers could be seen pushing huge vats of oil towards the battlefront. Jax yelled below for reinforcements. Once on the front line, the soldiers began pouring the oil over the ledge. Saber, Jax and Raja helped to protect the soldiers as they pushed the vats along the wall as they poured it over the side. Once the last of the oil had been poured over the ledge, torches were thrown over the wall.

Flames rose up along the wall. The smell of death and burnt flesh began to fill the air. Most of the zombie hoard was no longer able to transverse over the wall. Only a few were able to make the climb. Even if they did, those few were weak and easy to dispatch. Raja came over to Jax and pointed over the wall towards the swarm.

The zombies had stopped. They made no attempt at trying to push through the fire or go around to the north or south. Jax, Saber and Raja stood there perplexed. Zombies were mindless creatures of death. This behavior meant that something or somebody was controlling them. Then, the zombies began to condense in their ranks. Four barren lanes were made in the swarm. Out of nowhere, Four metal juggernauts appeared at the end of the valley. The metal giants towered to a height well above the wall. Once they reached the wall, their arms would be able to swat at the soldiers on the wall with ease.

Jax could feel the bravery of their soldiers begin to waver. They were not prepared or able to stem off such a gigantic force. If walls were breached, they would be unable to fend of the swarm not to mention the juggernauts themselves. Worry began to fill their minds. Only got worse. Winged creatures flew in from behind the juggernauts and zipped passed them. As the winged creatures approached, it became apparent that they were gargoyles made of white stone and wore black armor. When they screeched, black fumes spewed forth. It was a horrendous sound. They flew right over the wall and began attacking the inside of the city. This was terrible. Having to battle an enemy on two fronts may be impossible.

“Jax,” a familiar voice broke Jax out of his panic.

Jax turned to see Mercury standing beside them.

“How did you get away from the guard,” inquired Saber?

“You were never able to restrain me to begin with. Evading the guards was child’s play,” informed Mercury as she looked horrified as she looked off in the distance and at the gargoyles attacking the city.

“This is all my fault. They have come for me. All of you will perish and not even knowing why,” she said as her eyes began to well. “No, I won’t let them destroy you because of me.”

Mercury reached up her arms and clasped Jax’s neck within her hands. Time began to slow. Jax could see Saber come to a stop. Nothing moved around him. A glow moved down Mercury’s left arm and the glow entered Jax. The feeling was more than intense. It was as if every emotion and memory had been brought forth to his mind in a single moment. The world around him changed. No, it wasn’t changed. It was as if Jax was seeing it for the first time. Auras surrounded everyone. Colored energy flowed to and from objects. The moment felt to have lasted forever. The world began to slowly speed up again until everything began to move at a normal pace. Saber eventually pushed Mercury back from Jax.

“What did you do to him,” threatened Saber as she inspected his neck? “What’s this mark?”

“It is the mark of a planeswalker’s spark. For now, that isn’t important,” stated Mercury.

“We don’t have time for this nonsense. People are dying and I shouldn’t be standing here dealing with whatever this is,” fumed Saber as she brought up her saber between Mercury and Jax.

“If you don’t, you will all surely die,” Mercury said with such coldness that even Raja took a step back.

“I’m fine Saber. I trust her,” said Jax as he surveyed his hands as if in a trance.

Mercury grabbed Jax by his hand and pulled him up one of the walls forward towers. Saber and Raja relented and followed behind them begrudgingly. Mercury clasped Jax’s hands with her own as she faced him.

“Listen closely to.me Jax. I need you to focus on the spark I gave you. I need you to reach past it. I want you find a place not quite here. Search with your feelings. Now focus,” instructed Mercury calmly.

Jax reached out with his anger as he could hear the screams rising from the city. He could feel it. The feeling was of release. Jax noticed Raja and Saber with expressions of disbelief. Jax turned to find a portal of some kind behind him.

“What the heck is that,” Jax said in disbelief?

“You are now a planeswalker. This is a rift from which you draw your powers. A more thorough explanation will have to wait,” pressed Mercury.

Jax was about ask why when he noticed a change in the attacking force. He could feel them suddenly focused on his presence. In moments, they were moving swiftly upon him. The zombies quickly moved towards the tower despite the oil fires. The juggernauts turned as well and the gargoyles took flight. It was then that Jax could feel the presence of two powerful figures on the mountainside.

“I can feel two people on the mountainside,” Jax stated.

“Raja. It is far worse than I thought. Come here to help Jax,” Mercury pleaded.

Raja rushed over. Before he could protest, Mercury grabbed his arm. In seconds, Raja was looking at the world anew.

“Sorry Raja. It’s trial by fire. Do what you can, but protect Jax at all.costs. He may be our only hope. Listen in when you can,” stressed Mercury.

Raja nodded, but it was clear he was dumbfounded. Saber blew her horn of war to call for reinforcements as the gargoyles began to descend. The archers took down as they could. They were some of the best archers in the land, but sheer skill could not make up for the massive.numbers that they faced. Saber and Raja intercepted the rest.

“Jax, I need you to think of land, your home and the ideas within your mind and heart. If e don’t have time to think this through. I need you to.use and trust your instincts,” coaxed Mercury as the zombies began breaching the top of the wall.

A gargoyle landed behind Mercury. She raised a hand and hurled it with an unseen force against the ramparts. It shattered into a pile of rubble and she quickly turned her attention towards Jax. She reached into Jax’s rift and sent an arc of lightning at the zombies. Several went down, but not all. They appeared they were about to be overrun when Brix and Trogg appeared and brought their hammers down upon the zombie swarm. The shockwave sent zombies flying into the distance.

Jax reached for something in the rift and Mercury slapped his hand.

“What are you doing? I’m trying to help,” snapped Jax!

“You don’t know what you are doing,” snapped back Mercury.

“I’m not going to learn if you don’t teach me,” argued Jax as everyone around them continued to battle with the ever growing swarm of enemies.

When things looked dire as the juggernauts reached the tower, the enemies were sent flying off into the distance towards the planeswalkers on the mountainside. Jax looked over to see Raja smiling with pride. Every single foe, every single zombie, gargoyle, and juggernaut had disappeared.

“What just happened,” Jax asked in disbelief?

“Your friend learns quickly,” Mercury said with a hint of surprise. “He’s only bought us a small reprieve. It won’t take long for those planeswalkers to regroup.”

Jax realized as much as swarms of zombies and gargoyles began to flow down from the mountainside. Mercury brought Jax’s attention toward her.

“Jax let me see what you see,” pleaded Mercury.

Jax opened his mind and he could feel Mercury in his thoughts. She sent spell after spell at the incoming army. Those spells were only slowing down the incoming army. Finally, Mercury found what she was searching for.

Mercury raised Jax’s hands in the direction of the planeswalkers. A small fireball formed and went whizzing in their direction. For a fraction of a moment, Jax questioned that this was their salvation. Mercury then reached a hand into the rift. A massive rush of energy rushed through him from Mercury’s other hand. The fireball became so gigantic that it eclipsed the summit of the mountain. The explosion was enormous as it exploded into the mountainside. When the dust settled, a huge crater could be seen where the summit had once been. Their enemies had disappeared as well.


On the mountainside

Shredak was complaining to Iago about the mysterious appearance of these unknown planeswalkers. Then, they saw the fireball. They both chuckled at first at such a pathetic threat. The fireball grew more massive than anything they had ever seen. Iago quickly jumped towards the rift as Shredak quickly followed.

Covered in snow, a woman and man walk through a doorway with their two bundled toddlers. The winds are briskly swirling the white flakes of cold behind them. A burly voice barks at them playfully to close the door. The children squirm anxiously as the mother frees them from their fur coats and leather gloves. They quickly run through crowds of adults as they make their way up to the other children in the front of the large hall. Kids of all ages sit in front of a throne with a small podium at its feet. They laugh and giggle as they curl themselves up in makeshift blankets and quilts. Some stare at the bonfire built in the enormous fireplace behind the throne. The rest of the large hall is filled with adults sitting at tables drinking and eating merely. The smell of food and mead fills the air to the effect of amplifying the festive mood.

The sound of a small bell slices through the chatter and adults quickly turn their gaze towards the throne. A few of the older children shush and settle the young ones. A cleric of who has the look of importance swaggers into the room bearing a very large and tattered book. Behind him walks a young maiden who escorts a stooped old man towards the throne. She helps lower him into his seat. He says nothing to her before she departs. He only briefly clasps her hands gently with his own and smiles at her. It is simply the look of an appreciation old man. The cleric places the book on the little podium and opens it to the beginning. The cleric respectively bows and leaves after getting the same appreciative smile. The old man fumbles through his robes until he reveals a pair of spectacles. Only the sound of the fire crackling can be heard amongst some minor shuffling of feet and plates. After the spectacles find their place on his nose, a face of surprise appears on his face as he scans all the children.

“My. My. I don’t remember all these children. Either my brain is failing or some parents have been especially busy since last year.”

A few chuckles echo hall. The children simply smile while a few look somewhat bewildered.

“Well, a few of you I recognize. How big you all have gotten,” he says as he scans back and forth at the children as he gives them a jolly smile.

“Now then. How many of you have heard the story of Mercury? Don’t be shy. Raise your hand.”

The older children reluctantly raise their hand and some of the smaller children raise their hand with vigor.

“Good. Good. However, it seems none of the adults have ever heard this story. Did you see that? None of your parents raised their hands,” he points towards the adults surrounding the room.

The younger of the children look around to scan the crowd and a few more chuckles are heard in the background from the adults.

“Well, I guess we will have to rectify that for your parents and for a few of you little ones who have yet to hear of these adventures. The seeds of the story started long, long ago. You see, there was once a very powerful planeswalker and his planeswalker apprentice. Do you youngins know what is a planeswalker?”

A boisterous child stands and tries her best to blurt out an answer.

“Yes, planeswalkers are very powerful wizards, but not any kind of wizard. These very powerful wizards have a special ability. They have the ability to traverse the planes through the Blind Eternities and cast spells from the Blind Eternities,” the old man pauses as if he were to ask another question. His gaze ensures he has the children’s attention.“Our world is vast with many stars in the sky. However, there exists many realities beyond our own. There are worlds filled of only monsters made of metal. There are worlds filled with angels, others with fire breathing dragons, and there are even worlds where there is no magic at all.”

He pauses briefly and turns a page in the book.

“I know it is hard to believe there are worlds without magic, but they do exist. However, it is only one of many. The story tonight is about ours and what happened when powerful planeswalkers visited our world. This is very important. Our way of life was forever molded by this event and it is why we tell this story every year on this night. It is so we never forget and so we can honor those who fell to save our little world.”

The old man begins to read as so begins the Story of Mercury.

A long, long time ago.

Aurora fidgeted anxiously in the corner of her cold and damp cell as rodents scurry about. The excitement was growing by the minute as she began tightening what was left of her tattered clothes. Soon, the furnaces below would explode from the enchantment she had cast upon them. They would absorb the mana from the environment at an exponential rate. The process in the beginning would be slow, but it would double every minute. Once it started, there was no stopping the inevitable. The explosion would annihilate the entire lower dungeon once it hit critical mass.

As she waited anxiously, Aurora reflected on the events leading up to this moment. Long ago, she had planeswalked to this planet while tracking a potential foe. Urza had sent her on a mission to investigate a rumor that another planeswalker was attempting to sabotage his legacy weapon and other projects that he had designed to destroy the Phyrexians. Although trained by Urza, she was naive and walked straight into a trap. Her enemies were waiting for her. She narrowly escaped the initial confrontation, but her pursuers quickly caught up to her.

Before they discovered and captured her, she used what available mana she had at her disposal to transform herself into a decrepit old man with an amulet that Urza had given her. She thought the ruse might trick them, but it didn’t. The transformation was also a safeguard. She was self-aware enough to realize she was an attractive female. While an asset in some circles, it was potentially a liability in incarceration. It would probably be the last spell she’d ever cast for a long time. This plane had been contaminated. Only black mana was available and it had been by design. From what little evidence she discovered during her brief escape, this was not the original configuration of this plane. Since she wasn’t aligned with such mana, she was unable to cast a single spell. Only blue, white and red mana was at her beck and call. On this plane, she might as well been a mere human.

She was subsequently imprisoned and tortured for years. Eventually, her captures grew tired of her and simply left her along with her clothes to rot in her cell. It had been so long that the centuries simply blurred together. After hundreds and hundreds of years, her hope of rescue withered away. For a long time, she held onto the dream of Urza bursting through those doors to rescue her. He’d sweep her up in the safety of his arms. Urza would carry her out of that prison while smiting her enemies along the way. That hope eventually began to fade and was replaced by anger.

That anger consumed her for a long time. She couldn’t understand why her master had not come to rescue her. Was she not worth it? Had he made no attempt to find her? Those questions and doubts consumed her. At times, she almost forgotten that she hated the enemies around her. She hated Urza.Out of that misery and hate, Aurora found herself. She grew to realize who she was and accepted her impossible situation. She wouldn’t let her enemies subdue her. She knew who she was even in this dark place.

What she needed now was hope and that light was diminishing slowly, but it was disappearing. When all hope was lost, she somehow planted the seed of escape into her mind. It was close to futile, but she clung onto that hope. She tended and nurtured that thought. For a long time, nothing presented itself. Then a thought popped in her mind. The idea was so preposterous, but it was all she had in that cold and frigid cell.

Out of desperation, she tried to manifest a black lotus. The idea was insane and her attempt to do so was probably just as insane. The only benefit was the guards believed her to have gone insane and helped to keep them at bay. Many days she thought it true. Only an insane person would get up everyday to do the impossible. She had almost nothing to guide her. During her time with Urza, she had once saw some notes on the subject. Her eyes had only glanced at those pages. The simple reality was that manifesting a black lotus was far beyond her abilities.

Day after day, she kept at it. It was the only way she’d ever have access to colored mana. It was her only hope. Then it appeared. She awoken one day to the beautiful flower just sitting there in the middle of her cell. She couldn’t even believe it at first. It weaved very gently in breezy cell. It was beautiful. It was hope.

It was also devastating. A black lotus doesn’t last long. Although extremely potent, they are extremely fragile. She also had no plan. It was mana, but not enough. Even if it was enough, she had no idea what to do with it. Aurora couldn’t stop sobbing as it began to wither away before her eyes. She made the best of the situation. A few of the petals were used to construct an invisible magical vault within her cell. The last of the mana was used to help rejuvenate her strength.

The magical vault proved invaluable. Although the guards grew disinterested over the old man in this cell over the years, they still performed routine inspections. She was also tortured from time to time. Torture became an odd event. She looked forward to it. It was one of the few times that she was let out of her cell. She used the opportunity to steal stuff to bring back to her cell. Blades and other small weapons were stolen over the years. The most invaluable was the necromancer jars.

The necro jars were simply jars. It was the necro liquid that was invaluable. It perfectly preserved organic and artificial flesh. Sometimes the torturers would get creative and pull of flesh and keep it in those jars for years. They had done it to her multiple, multiple times. Just when she had accepted that an appendage or another part of her body was gone, they’d sow it back on. Oddly enough, it was almost worst getting it back. When it was gone, there was only the pain of the wound. The entire returned body part hurt like heck. Her ears still caused her enormous pain.

The necromancer liquid was perfect for preserving a black lotus or at least she hoped. It took many more years to create another black lotus. It was even longer than the first time. The first time was simply a fluke or luck and she failed to understand how she had accomplished such a feat. This time she understood a little more. It took many, many more years, but she created another one. In a shorter amount of time, she created another one. Eventually, her secret vault held a dozen of those beautiful flowers of hope. That hope led to a plan for her escape.

After using two of them to sneak into the furnace room to enchant them, now all she had to do was wait. She thought this part would be easy considering her extensive time in this horrible place. Yet, she could barely contain herself. Her emotions were all over the place. There was a sense of peace that this horrible passage of her life would soon be behind her. Rage and the yearning for justice upon her captures was much greater. It scared herself at how excited she was to spill their wretched blood upon the floor.

The anticipation was killing her. The emotions inside were broiling. Far too long had she been a victim. Far too long had she been tortured and beaten. Far too long had she wasted away in this place. She wanted blood. She wanted them all dead.

The explosion shook the entire complex. Dust and rocks fell everywhere. Before the dust from the ceiling hit the the floor, Aurora burst through her cell door. The guards themselves were shocked to see a decrepit old man with such blood lust in his eyes. A dagger quickly found its home in one of the guards throats. The cleaver lodged into the others skull. Before their bodies hit the floor, Aurora had returned to her cell to retrieve the lotuses from her secret vault. On the way back out of her cell, she stooped down momentarily to retrieve the guards weapons. She quickly ran off to the next destination to initiate the next phase of the plan.

The old man’s feet patted down the stone hallway as she raced to the central tower. The guards were many, but she joyfully slaughtered them all. By the time she reached the tower panting and smiling menacingly, the old man’s entire body was covered in their blackish blood. There was no time to bask in the moment. Aurora opened the rift to the Blind Eternities to find her spell. It was taking too long and the moment was passing. Eventually, she found her spell and she let the red mana flow from the black lotus’s. Her shattering spell zipped through the prison. Doors from all the other prison cells began exploding open.

Prisoners began flooding out. She didn’t know anyone of them. She didn’t know why they had been imprisoned. Frankly, she didn’t care. If she was to escape this dungeon from hell, she would need their help. She would need their rage and yearning for vengeance. Screams of death and glee could be heard erupting from everywhere. The prisoners were turning upon their captors with zeal. As much as she relished in the sound, Aurora had to move quickly onto the next phase of the plan. The old man patted down the hallway to reach the outer wall. It wasn’t far and she needed to reach the gate before their captors could organize. As she reached the rampart, she gently glanced over the side. There were soldiers organizing in formations below in the outer courtyard. Behind them was another final outer wall. Behind that was freedom.

After taking a deep breath, she lept over the side of the wall. The landing was rough. She underestimated the drop. The soldiers stood stunned briefly, but quickly brandished their weapons. They began to walk slowly towards her, but she paid them no heed. She grabbed another lotus and evoked one last shattering spell before her escape. The big gated and steel reinforced door behind her blew apart. Dust and debris filled the air. As the air began to clear, a faint roar could be heard coming from down its depths. It grew louder and louder until a flood of former blood covered prisoners came rushing through its arches.

Aurora had already used distraction from the explosion to step to the side. After the last of the prisoners had passed, she followed after them to not only partake in the bloodbath, but to reach the doorway to the tower of the drawbridge. She was fortunate to have plenty of guards and soldiers to dispatch inside. She looked out upon the courtyard and smiled as the prisoners took their revenge. After the last soldier fell, she slashed the rope to the drawbridge. It slammed down heavily and her fellow prisoners fled across it happy and covered in blood.

She too went quickly across it, but paused at its end. Aurora glanced back for a moment. She looked back, not to remember it for one last time. It wasn’t the reason. She looked back to see what she had overcome. She then turned towards the fleeing prisoners. Although she had used them to aid in her escape, a part of her felt sorry for them. It was only an assumption, but more than likely, they would all be recaptured and dragged back to this hell. At least she could take comfort in the fact that for one brief moment, they got to taste freedom and revenge.

If she could, she’d cast a spell to destroy the entire building. Unfortunately, there was only enough mana left for her escape. Inside the dungeon, she was unable to planeswalk. It had been warded from a planeswalker or possibly to keep them imprisoned. No matter. She brought forth the remainder of the lotuses and started her journey towards home. Mana began to flow out of the lotuses and swirl about her. The swirls grew larger and larger while getting faster and faster. Sparks began to jump from swirl to swirl. The sound of the wind grew louder and louder to a deafening degree. Aurora outstretched her arms and in a bright flash; she was gone. She had slipped through Blind Eternities.

Elsewhere

Jax scanned the fog for any sign of his adversary. The fog surrounded him with only a small clearing in which Jax stood. Jax shot a fire dagger in the direction of a small shadow within the fog. It zipped harmlessly through.

“Come out you coward,” snarled Jax.

“What and miss you pacing around like a deranged animal,” shot back his opponent from within the mist.

“Enough,” shouted Jax.

Jax pulled out a whip and began to swing it around in the air. In moments, the whip was engulfed in flames. As he spun the whip faster and faster, the fog began to dissipate. The fog lifted to reveal twelve identical figures cloaked in blue robes that surrounded him on all sides. Each of them brandished a six-foot pike with two slender blades on its head. They began to approach and Jax contemplated his options. He swung whip again through each figure hoping to make contact with the real figure. To his dismay, all of them dissipated leaving nothing to been seen.

Jax suddenly noticed a shadow not his own at his feet. He quickly dodged out of the way as the blue mage descended on the spot on which he had stood; jamming the pike into the ground. The blue mage pulled the pike out of the ground and rushed him. Jax threw fire dagger after fire dagger at his opponent as he tried to regain his footing. The mage simply deflected each of them with head of the pike. With his feet under him, Jax shot the whip at his opponent’s face. With a twirl of the pike, the whip wrapped harmlessly around the head. Jax decided to rush him and take this to hand to hand combat. The blue mage descended into a lower roundhouse kick that knocked the feet from out of under Jax. Before Jax could recover, he found the two blades of the pike at his throat.

“Do you yield,” the blue mage asked?

Jax nodded. Cheers and applause erupted and the blue mage extended a hand towards the fallen Jax. Once on their feet, they turned towards the front of the coliseum. A very large, bearded man stood up from his seat and raised his hands. After the crowd had quieted, he extended his hand towards Jax and his opponent in the coliseum.

“Your victor, Prince Raja of the Ocelia Empire,” shouted the king over the applause of the crowd!

The crowd erupted again in applause. The king waved his hands to hush the crowd.

“With the closure of these games, please join me in the great hall for food and drink.”

With the announcement, the crowd began to slowly disperse. Jax looked up at Trogg. His father’s face appeared expressionless, but Jax could see the disappointment. Trogg silently turned towards his guests to escort them to the hall for drink, food and politics. Jax turned as Raja patted him on the back.

“Cheer up friend. Maybe you’ll get lucky someday,” teased Raja.

“You couldn’t let me win at least once,” said Jax.

“Maybe you can practice a little more and then I won’t have to let you win.”

“Ha. Ha.”

“Come. Let’s head to Vandaran Hall and drown those sorrows in some mead.”

They trailed in the back of the crowd. Jax prefered it that way. He hated politics. These events were a mere facade for politicians to convene. Their tongues were sharper than any spear. Jax would rather get his face beaten in the coliseum than have to spend five minutes listening to these heads of state. It didn’t matter much how he felt anyway. His older brother Brix would be at his father’s side and nobody cared about him. His brother was big, strong, and revered by both politicians, soldiers and his father. Jax’s duties were relegated to giving tours of the grounds to royalty while his brother and father tended to more important duties. They also used him as a glorified errand boy.

As they entered the hall, Jax led Raja to a table in the far, upper corner. It not only separated themselves from the crowd, it was a strategic vantage point. From there they could oversee the dance of the politicians. The diplomats and statesmen swooned and swayed from clique to clique. It was an organized and mechanical ballet. It was predictable. A maid interrupted his thoughts by dropping off four pints at the table.

“Expecting company,” pressed Raja?

His sister Saber silently slipped into the seat next to him and grabbed a pint. The vampire Princess Eva grabbed the other pint. His sister was all dressed in the colors of Vandaran of red and white. Her gown was stunning and her hair was braided and up. Eva was predictably all dressed in black and slightly revealing gown.

“So this is where boys come to sulk and lick their wounds,” jabbed Eva.

“Are you here to put salt in my wounds or did you come to lick them yourself,” shot back Jax.

“Now that we got the unpleasantries out of the way, do you two plan on hiding here all night. You could at least change out of your fighting clothes. Father would be disappointed,” Saber spoke calmly.

Jax looked at his red vest and long-sleeved white shirt underneath and simply shrugged.

“As long as Brix is at his side, no one will notice my absence. I’ll make my rounds later after the snakes are expended for their venom,” sneered Jax.

“As much as I love spending my time in a dark corner, we should at least find something fun to do, or kill,” said Eva.

Jax glared at her and looked to Raja for support. He simply shrugged at him, but then gave him a wink.

“No,” said Jax.

“Come on. It’ll be fun having some company for once,” gestured Raja as he raised his pint.

“Oh, you two boys can go adventuring on your own. I’ll stay here with the snakes. I don’t know why you two boys spend so much time at the temple during these festivities,” said Saber with dismay.

“It’s tradition. At least its productive,” answered Jax.

“Productive? All you two is run around an ancient temple with torches chasing illusions and dreams. We at least accomplish something here,” shot Eva.

“Oh please. Nothing has changed since the Great Treaty of Urza. It’s talk, talk and talk. Then there is more talk. Nothing productive ever happens. All politicians do is put obstacles in front of one another. The only saving grace is there is actual peace. As far as I’m concerned, we can only mess that up,” mocked Jax.

“Come on Eva. Let’s got dance and leave these toddlers to their playtime,” said Saver.

The princesses quietly left with their pints. Jax and Raja paid them no more attention. They drank quietly as they observed the festivities and its people. His father Trogg and Brix stood at the front as important delegates surrounded them. Eva’s and Raja’s parents were there as well. Although Trogg was king, many of them gave Brix the brunt of their attention. It was partly admiration. It was also partly manipulation. It was never too soon to twist the ear of a prince who was to be king. Once Brix married, it was more or less assumed he would take over the duties as king.

Trogg used to be a powerful king and soldier. However, he had his left arm crushed by the mighty dragon Fraxus a years ago. He was lucky to have lived. His continued rule was more out of respect than anything. However, he was still a powerful soldier with a strong right hand that could still swing the Hammer of Haag.

“Ready,” interrupted Raja after he tossed back the last of his mead.

Jax nodded as he too swigged his last drop. They quickly slipped out of the hall. They found themselves outside on a crystal clear night. It was perfect. The temperature was only slightly cool from the breeze that came off the surrounding mountains. Stars above shone brightly. Most of all, it was quiet. It was serenity. It was also a perfect night to walk towards the Temple of Urza. For as long as he can remember, he was always enthralled with the bright beam that shot straight into the heavens. It came from the center of the temple. No one knew why it was there or its purpose for that matter. However, it was beautiful.

Raja and himself had been friends since he could remember. At first, it was a formality with their parents being kings. They eventually became good friends especially since the year of the festival when Fraxus decided to attack. Jax and Raja were very little at the time and they were sent to the temple with all the other children. Fraxus raised havoc throughout the night. They spent days inside as many feared Fraxus would return. The dragon never did. As a way to cope and to pass the boredom, Jax and Raja began a game of sorts of trying to decipher the meaning of the symbols of the temple. From there, the game and childhood lore only grew.

It eventually became an obsession of the two. It also became a ritual to visit the temple every year on this night. For it too was the night that Fraxus killed Jax’s mother. They never spoke much about it. Jax loved his mother. Raja always seemed to understand as a good friend would. Instead of forcing him to talk about it, Raja allowed Jax to continue their adventure. It was how Jax coped and Jax knew that Raja understood. So here they were; two friends exploring an ancient temple that refused to give away its secrets.

“Where do you want to start this year,” Raja asked with giddiness.

Jax smiled devilishly and responded, “The Celestial Beacon.”

“Oh, starting with dessert tonight.”

“Why not. Besides, I have something to show you. I’ve been working on it all year.”

“What did you do?”

“What and spoil the surprise.”

Jax and Raja walked up the stairs into the temple in silence. The guards paid them no attention. Most of the veterans expected their arrival on this night. With the festival going on, most of the priest and priestesses were absent. It’d be bustling tomorrow as preparations would begin for the final ceremonies to these festivities. There might be a straggler or two, but they wouldn’t stay into the night when Jax and Raja would be roaming its many corridors and halls. For tonight, the place was theirs.

Even compared to the largest of castles in the land, the temple was enormous. The temple was the size of a small mountain. Although it had the appearance of being merely made out of stone, it was nearly indestructible. During a dragon attack, it was the perfect place for a safe haven. It even repelled dragon fire. Nobody knew why, but it did. It was the reason the children were sent to the temple on that fateful night. Not to their own castles or homes, they were sent to the temple.

As they walked towards their destination, they glanced at the walls covered in glyph and writing of some ancient language that not even the wisest of wizards and clerics could decipher. The entire inside of the temple was inscribed. The most enthralling of it was the random shimmering and glowing of these letters, numbers and glyphs. Jax, Raja, and others speculated that somehow there was a code or meaning in the sequences of these events. Again, no one could decipher a meaning to the patterns.

Once they arrived to the room with the Celestial Beacon of Urza, they quickly scouted the surrounding corridors to ensure there were no spies. It was mostly paranoia, but they had caught several vampires sent by Emperor Grallic, Eva’s father, to gather information on Raja and Jax. It never resulted in a confrontation. Once the spies were discovered, the spies simply left the temple in silence. It was simply politics.

“My corridors are clear. Yours,” whispered Raja?

“Mine too. Stay right here a second,” commanded Jax.

Jax quickly climbed up a statue and reached above the ledge of one of the large doorways. After grabbing a hidden item, Jax jumped down and returned to Raja’s position. He presented the staff to Raja who studied the simple staff with a crystal affixed to the top of it.

“Seriously, this is the surprise? Is this one of your pranks?”

“It’s for the beacon.”

“Are you crazy? Of all your ideas, this is insane! If someone catches us, even you are not immune to being reprimanded.”

“Just let me show you”, grinned Jax as he winked at Raja.”

Before Raja could protest, Jax had grabbed the staff and began climbing the stairs up to the beacon. Raja looked around nervously. Once to the top, Jax stood by the beacon and stretched the arm of the staff into the beacon. The beacon itself was as wide as two arm lengths. A man standing in the middle could stand arms wide in it. As Jax stood the staff in the middle of the beacon, the crystal deflected beams of light across the room. Those beams were very strategic and calculated. Jax adjusted the staff slightly to ensure the deflections of light hit their marks. After doing so, many of the inscriptions on the wall began to glow while some disappeared all together. Jax stayed only long enough to make his point. After which, Jax quickly descended the stairs to where Raja stood.

“What do you think,” asked Jax?

“At this moment? Well, you are either insane or brilliant. How did you figure this out?”

“I can’t take all the credit. The Emperor’s Vampire Queen was primping herself in mirror as her vain self always does, but this time in was in this room. Long story short, the mirror flew out of the hand of her servant and landed up by the beacon. I, as always, was playing tour guide for royalty. It was quite the affair. I never saw that servant again. Since I was the highest ranking official, I nonchalantly walked up those stairs and recovered the mirror. It was then that I noticed the anomaly. Did you notice it?”

“The fact that the beam isn’t going up; it’s going down,” said Raja with dismay.

“I know. All this time, we thought the beam was shooting off into the heavens. In fact, it is being beamed down into the temple. If it was going up, I would have had to turn the staff upside down. With it coming down, I can simply stand it upright.”

The two friends hashed out the significance for hours while running around like little children through temple looking for any signs or changes. Eventually, they grew tired. Jax brought out some beer and food from another one of his stashes. They ate and drank silently in the room that housed The Celestial Beacon of Urza; simply staring and lost in wonder. It was a child’s dream and also the simple search for knowledge. Here was this wonder that no one knew anything about it. It was right there and nobody knew why. Raja suddenly broke that thought.

“Are we getting too old for this?

“What do you mean?”

“This is great Jax. I look forward to this all year long. However, there will come a time that the priests and our parents will no longer tolerate this childhood fantasy. I’d hate to cut to it, but I don’t think anyone would have tolerated it this long if that one thing would have never transpired.”

“What else am I going to do? Brix will be king. I will forever be a boring, royal errand boy.”

“You do realize that Fraxus could one day eat him and suddenly you’ll be on that throne.”

“Have you not seen Brix? Nothing will take that mini-giant down. Besides, if that happened, Saber is next in line.”

“Well, haven’t you at least thought about getting married. You know, focus on having a family instead of spending your free time chasing these childhood dreams.”

“For one, I can’t get married before Brix. I stand corrected. I can, but it would be political suicide. After Brix gets married, then I’ll worry about it. Besides, father could care less about me anyway.”

“Don’t say that. We’ve been friends a long time. Right?”

“Yes.”

“Can I say something? From my point of view, your father loves you more than you can imange.”

“Sure. He ignores me. He distances himself from me. Yes, that’s love alright.”

“At the risk of you getting mad, you’re an idiot. You don’t see it?”

“See what?”

“You don’t. Amazing.”

“Okay, what is it that I don’t see?”

“You lost your mother that day. You forget that your father lost his wife that day. You are very much like your mother. You remind him of Eliah. It isn’t right, but your father distances himself because getting close to you only hurts him.”

“You talk like you’ve had too much mead,” responded Jax.

“Your father is far from perfect. He loved your mother deeply. As much as you look up to him, he is a wimp when it comes to love. He can’t man up to the fact you are very much Eliah. It sucks. Your father is dumb, but that is the reality. He can’t muster the strength because it hurts him too much. He isn’t good at words. Since he can’t, he does what he can; he avoids you. Are you mad?”

“No. I know as much, but it doesn’t make it an easier.”

“What do you want? Do you want a hug? Do you want your father to kiss you on the forehead? I hate to tell you, but that is never going to happen.”

“I know, but just once I’d like something. Something to know that I am part of him.”

“Okay. I’ll ask you one question. If you can have just one thing from your father, what would it be?”

Jax smiles a devilish grin. Raja looks at him apprehensively.

“What are you going to do,” Raja asks slowly?

“I’ll show you.”

Jax grabs the staff and rushes to the top of the beacon. He places the staff in the beacon and shouts while extending a hand towards Raja.

“This is my son Jax who I love. This is my legacy.”

The temple begins to shudder and vibrate. Both Jax and Raja are dismayed. Jax tries to yank the staff out of the beacon, but it won’t budge. He pulls harder and harder, but to no avail. Raja senses as much and rushes up to help his friend. They both grasp the staff and try to pull as hard as they can. The symbols on the temples begin the shine brighter and brighter. Both Jax and Raja put their feet against the bottom of the staff for full leverage. Before they can give a final tug, they fall through the floor.

At first, Jax thought they were falling. It wasn’t different somehow. When the light disappeared, Jax and Raja found themselves falling to their backs as the force that held the staff gave way. The two made to their feet and found themselves within a chamber. There was no writing or glyphs upon the walls. Bright lights from above lit the room as if it was daylight. In the center of the room stood an upright sarcophagus. The beacon drew down upon it and the sarcophagus glowed a gentle blue. There were no markings. The only mark it beared was something that resembled a hand print.

“Where do you think we are,” inquired Raja?

“I don’t have the slightest idea. Let’s search for an exit,” quickly suggested Jax.

They looked around the small chamber and found nothing. Raja returned to where Jax was standing in front of the sarcophagus.

“Any ideas,” asked Jax?

“As far as I figure, we have two options?”

“What is the less favorable option,” asked Jax?

“We die here with our secret?”

“And the other?”

“We try to figure out the significance of this sarcophagus. If there is a way out, this will be it,” answered Raja.

“It seems obvious to me.”

“What’s that?”

“We open it,” calmly remarked Jax.

“That’s a bad idea.”

“Why not?”

“For one, this sarcophagus could be a prison and something dangerous lies inside.”

“Well, we’re dead either way in that scenario.”

“I’m not worried about us. We may already be dead. What we release could devour the rest of our friends and family. In the option you don’t prefer leaves only us dead.”

“Hey, I just realized something.”

“What’s that?”
“I think that hand print is the exact size of your hand.”

“It isn’t the same size. It’s much larger.”

“I’m serious. It’s the exact same size,” pressed Jax.

Raja hovered his hand above the hand print and countered, “See, it is much larger than my hand.”

Before Raja could pull his hand away, Jax pushed Raja’s hand against the print with his own. Raja stared in horror and then quickly slapped Jax’s hand away. Raja followed it up with a hearty punch to Jax’s shoulder.

“You are such dragon’s dropping,” glared Raja.

Jax only responded with uncontrollable laughter.

“That was not funny,” snarled Raja.

“I disagree friend. You should have seen your face.”

“We could have died.”

“We may already be dead. At least I had one last chuckle. At least we know that doesn’t do anything. One hypothesis down as you would say in that dorky fashion of yours.”

“I will concur with that at least. Let’s try a few other less dangerous scenarios.”

They tested the walls, the corners, and Jax at one point even got on top of the sarcophagus with his staff. None of it produced any noticeable effect. They finally took a break from the random trials and sat in silence in front of the sarcophagus. Jax knew Raja wasn’t just sitting there. His friends mind was a mental machine and all the gears would be spinning to solve their predicament. It wasn’t his fear of death that drove his friend. His friend was probably more upset at being unable to solve this problem. Out of nowhere, a thought suddenly popped into his Jax’s mind. Jax reached over and slapped Raja’s shoulder with the back of his hand.

“There’s one spot we haven’t searched yet,” suggested Jax.

“What’s that?”

“Do you want to think about it and should I just tell you?”

“Let me hear these wise words of wisdom.”

“We haven’t searched underneath the sarcophagus.”

“That isn’t a bad idea. Are you thinking hidden door,” asked Raja?

“I was thinking that when the beacon hits the floor underneath the sarcophagus that it triggers a wall to open?”

“Only one way to find out. Should we try tipping it over or push it out of the way?”

“Let’s start with pushing. We can always advance to tipping.”

Raja nodded in agreement. Once up on their feet, the two began to push at various points on the sarcophagus. Nothing budged. Eventually, the two grew tired and panted excessively to catch their breath. .

“Ready for tipping,” asked Raja.

“Sure, just give me a second.”

Jax leaned a hand against the sarcophagus as he tried to regain his breath. Jax noticed that Raja was staring intently at him.

“What,” asked Jax?

Raja pointed to the sarcophagus. Jax had leaned his hand against the impression of the hand. It began to shine brightly and a loud screech became audible. The sound became so deafening that they covered their ears in pain. All of a sudden, a heavy percussive wave blasted from the sarcophagus. Jax felt it thud against his heart. It burned red hot for a moment and then slowly faded.

A bright line then appeared down the middle of the sarcophagus. The two sides parted to reveal a blinding white light. Jax and Raja turned away as their hands were already covering their ears. Moments later, the light dimmed and the screeching gave way to silence. The two adventurers turned apprehensively towards the open sarcophagus. The opening revealed a young woman. A silver skinned naked woman who appeared to be in a deep slumber. Jax slowly made his way towards her. Her eyes suddenly opened. Jax took a step back.

“Greetings Jax of Vandaran and Raja of Ocelia,” proclaimed the woman.

“You know who we are,” asked a perplexed Raja?

“Of course,” she said as she began to step out of the sarcophagus.

The woman suddenly fainted and collapsed onto the ground. Jax had began an attempt to catch in her descent, but he was to slow. Fortunately, her tumble was gentle as far as a fall could be. Jax and Raja looked down at the unconscious girl in stunned silence.

“Now what,” Jax asked as he looked to Raja?

“I thought young naked women were your department,” teased Raja.

“Ha. Ha.”

Jax took off his cloak and gently covered her. After got up to his feet, he motioned Raja away from the unknown girl.

“This is weird. Thoughts,” asked Jax?

“I don’t know Jax. I think we can temporarily rule out her killing us. I wouldn’t rule it out, but I think we can rule out her eating us. The most important topic at hand is how did she know our names?”

“Well, I guess we’ll just have to ask her.”

“I guess it’s an option.”

“Want to sit on the ground and stare at her like couple of morons until she wakes up.”

“Sounds good.”

“That won’t be necessary,” said the girl.

The two quickly moved over to the girl. As she began to sit up, the two helped to aid her. They stared at her awaiting answers.

“I’m okay now. You guys don’t have to sit so close.”

“Who are you,” asked Raja?

“I’m the creation of Urza. I was placed here a long, long time ago.”

Jax laughed. “I think he meant your name.”

“I don’t have a name.”

“How do you not have a name,” asked a perplexed Jax?

“Urza never gave me a name. He created me then placed me in that box. Then, he was gone.”

“Where is this Urza,” interjected Raja?

“I don’t know,” she responded.

“How do you know our names,” asked Jax?

“Although I was in stasis, I was cognizant of anything that occurred inside this temple. If it didn’t happen in this temple, I am unaware of its occurrence.”

“As much as I’d like to continue this interrogation, do you know of a way out of this place,” pressed Raja.

“I do. Where shall we go,” she asked?

“I think we should take her to my room. I can then retrieve some clothes from Saber’s room,” suggested Jax.

“Sounds adequate. Can you both help me up by offering me a hand,” she asked as she extended a hand to each?

Jax and Raja obliged and lifted her to her feet. As they did so, Jax attempted keep her cloak in place. It dropped to floor in the attempt to help her upright. Jax quickly retrieved it and held it out as he attempted to keep his eyes upwards.

“Thanks,” commented the girl as she pulled the cloak around her more appropriately. “Are you blushing?”

“No,” said Jax as he failed in vain to play it off.

“Prince Jax blushing at the sight of a pretty girl. Maybe I was wrong about you,” said the girl.

“You seem to know an awful lot about me,” said Jax.

“How could I not? You two babble constantly every year. Well, Jax mostly,” she said as she grinned.

Raja simply chuckled under his breath.

“Can you lead the way,” Jax motioned towards the sarcophagus.

“For one, that is the wrong way. It’s this way,” explained the girl.

The moved to the wall facing the sarcophagus. Once she reached the wall, she held out her right hand and bright light emitted from her palm. The wall began to glow as writing began to appear. With her other hand, she pressed various marks in a particular pattern. The wall slid open to reveal a staircase.

“Shall we gentlemen,” gestured the girl?

She began to walk up the stairs to only find herself stumbling. Raja and Jax each quickly took and arm to aid her ascent.

“Not too light on our free are we,” mentioned Jax?

“You spend a couple thousands years in stasis and let’s see how you do,” shot the girl.

“She’s got spirit. I’ll give her that,” said Raja.

They exited the stairway to find themselves back in the beacon room. Raja and Jax both noticed that there was no longer a beacon. Raja turned his head back to the stair case.

“Ah. I don’t think anyone will notice the difference. What do you think Raja,” jested Jax?

“If it worries you that much, I can fix that,” said girl.

She freed herself from their arms and began to press a series of numbers again. In moments, the beacon shone again and the wall closed to hide the staircase. Jax breathed a sigh of relief until the sound of clattering of metal on stone could be heard coming down the hallway. The temple guards had noticed the beacon. It would have been foolhardy to think they wouldn’t.

“Now what,” asked Jax?

“I vote for playing stupid,” suggested Raja.

“How about drunk,” said Jax?

“Even better,” said Raja.

“Can you keep your head down, stumble around a lot and not say anything,” Jax asked the girl?

“Drunk and stupid. Got it,” said the girl.

Raja and Jax pulled the girl’s arms over their shoulders and began to the journey out of the temple. Jax began singing a traditional pub song. Raja quickly picked up on the que. To their surprise, the girl picked up as well. They didn’t get very far when the captain of the guard and a dozens of temple guards stopped in front of them. The captain was good soldier and leader, but horribly strict with rules and regulations. Jax wasn’t going to let him get the first word in this conversation. Doing so would set the perception of authority in his hands.

“Ah, you’ve come to join the party. All hail Urza,” shouted Jax.

“Are you and the prince okay,” stammered the captain.

“We are more than fine,” blurted Raja as he swayed and swooned.

“Who’s the girl,” asked the captain with a hint of suspicion?

“A lovely barmaid who’s been drinking too much on the job apparently,” stated Raja.

“Why’s her skin that color,” he pressed?

“She got into some of the paint for tomorrow’s festivities,” stated Raja.

“I have to pee,” interrupted the girl.

To everyone’s surprise, she began to urinate on the floor while standing up. There was an awkward silence from everyone as they watched this girl desecrate the holy temple. Just when the captain was going to return to his inquiry. The girl interrupted him again.

“Oh that felt good, but I think I might puke too,” she slurred out.

Jax and Raja looked to the captain for his move. He finally waved them off.

“I’ll have some questions for you in the morning. Very early in the morning,” shouted the captain after them.

The trio kept up the act all the way out of the temple. Nobody else interfered with their escape. No one would probably dare especially with two princes. Their would be talk and rumors, but Jax and Raja could deal with those. The more pressing matter was this girl. Once they had started down the path towards the castle, Jax looked around for prying eyes and ears. They shouldn’t converse unless it was safe to do so.

“What was with the public urination,” whispered Jax to the girl?

“The captain is one of the bravest there is on the battlefield, but a wimp in awkward situations; especially those dealing with people of the feminine nature. I could have made it more uncomfortable, but I didn’t want to overplay my hand. If I didn’t do something, we may still be standing there answering his questions or worse.”

Satisfied, the trio continued their walk in silence and without incident. Jax led the way to his sister’s room. One of her sister’s servants were there. Jax sent her away with a command to fetch his sister. After she left, Jax locked the room. It wasn’t long for Saber to arrive. She banged on the door very loudly as not being patient for having her own room locked on her. Jax cracked the door to find a very aggravated blonde sibling standing there.

“Open the door Jax. I’m not in the mood,” growled Saber.

“I evoke a twin pact,” stated Jax.

“What did you do Jax,” scolded Saber?

“Swear to the bond of our twinhood and I will tell you,” stated Jax.

“Fine, but I won’t agree to your safety,” growed Saber.

Jax nodded and allowed Saber to enter. She scanned around the room puzzled.

“What the heck is wrong? Is she pregnant?”

“You haven’t heard rumors yet,” commented Raja?

“Stay out of this,” glared Saber.

“There was a minor incident with the beacon. It sort of stopped for a moment,” Jax said as he held up a hand to indicate a small problem.

“Cut to the chase or I’ll cut something off,” Saber threatened.

“Raja and I went to the temple as we usually do, but this time we fell through the base of the beacon, got trapped in a room with a sarcophagus, opened it, out came the girl, when we escaped room we noticed the beacon had shut off upon her release, she turned it back on, she urinated on the floor, and now we are here.”

“I’m telling father,” Saber said as she began to walk away.

“I will. I will. Just help me figure out the best possible way to break the news that I somehow tampered with the centerpiece of our civilization and possibly destroyed the peace pact with the other tribes of this planet. Oh, and can you lend some of your clothes to the naked girl.”

The silver girl playfully waved her hand at Saber to emphasize her predicament.

“Clothes. Yes. You are on your own with dad. The twin pact doesn’t cover downfall of our society. Wait, why am I dressing a girl from Urza’s temple and why did she pee on the floor?”

“It was the quickest way to escape the captain, Jax you are jerk for not leaving that out of the story, and can I just get some clothes on. You three can argue the ethics of my presence all you want after I get some clothes on,” pleaded the girl as she tugged on Jax’s cloak.

“Fine,” said Saber as she whisked the girl away into the changing room.

“What’s the plan,” asked Raja after the two women left the room?

“I think we know anything until we get some answers from her,” responded Jax.

“I think we can trust her, but I have this suspicion that she isn’t being totally honest.”

“How so,” questioned Jax?

“I don’t know. She is very knowledgeable for someone who claims to only have been in stasis for some unknown amount of time.”

“You think she’s playing dumb.”

“I don’t think she completely trusts us. This situation is totally new to her too.”

Jax and Raja let that thought sink in as they waited for the girls to return. In the meantime, Jax contemplated his next move. He would have to inform his father of the situation, but the how and when would have to be decided. As that thought ran through his mind, it was interrupted by the return of the girls entering the room.

“What do you think of Mercury’s new attire,” coaxed Saber?

“Mercury,” responded Raja and Jax?

“That’s the name that I decided upon. Now, how do I look,” said Mercury as she beamed with delight as she twirled in her dress.

“You look dashingly beautiful. Fit to be a princess of any nation,” stated Raja.

“Um. You look nice,” said Jax as he shuffled his feet and scratched his red hair.

“Nice. The destroyer of a many maidens hearts says nice,” chuckled Saber.

“Sorry, you look like a flower in a sunny meadow and such,” stammered Jax.

“Are you kidding me? What is wrong with you? Did you thump your head,” snapped Saber?

“While I love seeing siblings quibble, can we decided what the frill we are going to do with this Mercury situation,” said Raja as he pointed to a still elated Mercury.

“How are you going to tell your father,” said Mercury?

“Don’t avoid the subject. Spill it,” pushed Jax.

“Oh, I don’t feel so good,” said Mercury as she held her stomach.

“Please, Saber uses that excuse all the time,” said Jax.

“You are such a moron today. She’s hungry you idiot,” said Saber as she went over to aid the distraught Mercury.

“Fine. Shall I send for food,” suggested Jax?

“Unlike you, the delinquent son, I have to keep up appearances. We should return to the festival. There is plenty of food and wine down there. It wouldn’t hurt for you two to be seen anyway,” said Saber.

“Are you mad? You don’t think anyone will notice a silver hair and skin girl with us,” sarcastically said Jax?

“I’ll say she is from my kingdom. Most of you are ignorant to any of the denizens of the Ocelia Empire. I’ll simply say she’s royalty from an imaginary kingdom in our realm. I’ll go fetch a royal pendant, slap it on her dress, and we’ll be set. We will just need to stay clear of my father. Even if we run into him, he’ll keep quiet until he can convene with me later,” countered Raja.

“Well, I think we should just stay here,” said Jax.

“Oh no. You’ve messed up enough things today. Besides, the way you are acting, I don’t think I want to leave you alone with poor Mercury. If you don’t want me to inform father personally of your blunder, we’ll go down, you’ll feed this poor thing, and possibly dance with her. The poor thing has been locked up forever. At least take her out on the dance floor at least once before we send her off to the wolves.”

Jax relented and nodded in agreement. They waited patiently as Raja fetched an official pendant. Once adorned with it, Raja escorted Mercury down to the festival for appearances. Saber led them to the back table the boys were originally positioned. Servants quickly fetched them a smorgasbord of food and pitchers of wine. Raja, Jax and Saber watched wide-eyed in amazement as Mercury ravaged her food.

“How’s the food,” asked Saver pleasantly?

“It’s absolutely amazing! I always understood the need for food, but I never understood why you all ate so much of it till now,” replied Mercury!

“Here. Try the wine then,” suggested Jax.

Mercury ripped it out of Jax’s hand. She chugged the entire pint and returned to shoveling the food into her mouth. Jax had rarely seen someone eat so much and so quickly. She began to hum to the music and when she looked up, her eyes were wild.

“What is this song? Let’s go dancing. Oh let’s go, please, please, please,” squealed Mercury with delight towards Saber.

“I’d love to my dear, but I have matters to attend to. Don’t worry Jax. I’ll keep quiet for now. Take the poor girl dancing,” motioned Saber towards dance floor as she left.

Mercury yanked Jax out of his seat and pulled him towards the dance floor. Jax worried it was a foolhardy venture. A royal proceeding was not a great place to take a girl on her first dance. Surprisingly, she was very nimble on her toes. If it wasn’t for the extreme elation on her face, he might of mistook her for an aristocrat. Her zeal must have caught the eye of the band as the tempo of the music kept rising. Jax tried to discreetly move her and himself off the floor. Everytime, she pulled him back onto the dance floor. Her enthusiasm appeared to be infectious as more and more joined them onto the dance floor. Jax was in prime shape as a soldier, but he was finding his strength beginning to wane. Luckily, Raja pulled them off the floor with a message.

“Your father is summoning you to his presence in the war chamber,” stated Raja.

“Do you know as to why,” panted Jax?

“No, but he wants you to bring Mercury and I am to accompany you.”

“Should I procrastinate,” asked Jax?

“No. We are being watched. I suggest we do not anger the man we are about to piss off.”

Jax nodded. They made their way out of the hall and to the chamber. When they entered, Trogg and Brix sat at the head of the table with all the heads of state invited to the festival at its sides. Guards closed the door behind them and locked it. Saber discreetly joined them.

“Do you have something to tell us,” boomed Trogg?

All three of them shook their heads. Eva was by her father’s side and rolled her eyes at their response. Trogg stood up from his seat and repeated his question with the captain of the temple guards stepping out from behind Trogg’s chair. Jax took a deep breath, stepped forward and relented the truth about the night’s events. Nobody interjected as Jax told the story. When he was done, he stepped back in line with the others. Trogg stood back up and pointed to his royal guard.

“Take Jax to his room with Raja. Take Saber to her room with Mercury. Two guards posted inside and two guards posted outside. They are not to leave their rooms under any circumstances. I will deal with them in the morning.”

The guards escorted them to their rooms and the four of them waited restlessly till morning.

Elsewhere

Two nefarious planeswalkers enter a dark chamber. They approach a throne of skulls centered between two fiery cauldrons. On it sits a dark hooded figure.

“Our master is sending you to Eridanos,” commanded the hooded figure.

A hologram of Mercury appears between the planeswalkers.

“You are to retrieve this girl at any cost. You are to return with her and she is to be completely unharmed. I repeat it. She is to be completely unharmed. Let nothing stand in your way. Now go,” commanded the hooded figure with a gesture of his hand.

Jax entered the plane to discover legions of nightmares, artifact creatures, and zombies mere clicks away from the portal opening. The dragons swooped down and unleashed their hellfire. It wasn’t long and the the giant pit was surrounded with flames. Victory almost seemed certain and Jax smiled to himself at the ease at which he dispatched their army. The armies of Eridanos began walking through the portal by the hundreds. Jax let the dragons lose to unleash their rage upon Mishra’s army. Swooping towards the portal, Jax brought the bladewing down upon its center. Aurora entered the plane and swooped up to Jax’s position.

“Ready Jax,” Aurora asked?

“Just relishing in my victory,” Jax winked.

“You’re a fool,” Aurora replied.

Just then, a swarms of nightmares and thopters flew out of the pit. Openings all over the area appeared. Zombies and artifact creatures by the hundreds spewed forth. The armies of Eridanos and Mishra clashed. Jax moved to go to their aide when Aurora stopped him.

“We have our own job to do. Send Furax’s hellfire into the pit,” commanded Aurora.

The two took to the sky as Furax descended upon the pit. The broodmother unleashed hell upon the pit with her fire. Fires spewed forth from the many openings that appeared. After Furax flew away to ravage to her delight, Aurora and Jax flew down into the pit through ash and fire. They paid no attention to the horrors or any other enemy unless it blocked their path downward. The descent felt like forever. Jax began to wonder if there was a bottom to the abyss. When they landed, they saw Shredak and Vraska stanking at the two doorways. They made no attempt to attack. Jax looked upward to witness stones the size of a dragon descending upon them. Jax sent every bit of flame upwards as Aurora fought off Vraska and Shredak who began to put the pressure on them. The flames chewed through rain of stone as they exploded in the air. Aurora fought back Vraska and Shredak’s forces. It wasn’t long and the two minions fled.

“This is going too well,” Aurora said to Jax.

“Trap,” asked Jax?

“Probably, so keep your alert.”

They ran down the hallway towards Mercury’s location. Nothing interfered as they approached. They entered the chamber to find Mercury huddled within her force field as the energy blasted all around her.

“Look for controls,” commanded Aurora.

Jax and Aurora split up and canvassed the room. Jax found something, but Aurora had disappeared behind the force field. He yelled for her, but she didn’t respond. He ran around the cage to find Aurora collapsed upon the ground with Mishra standing over her body.

“Did I interrupt a rescue,” Mishra pouted his lips?

Jax did not hesitate. He sent everything out of his rift towards Mishra. Every bolt, flame and shard of rock simply bounced off of Mishra as if they were sponges. Eventually, Jax had strained his ability to form spells out of his rift.

“Oh, was that it? Is it my turn now,” Mishra smiled?

Mishra brought forth an amazing amount of mana through various dark rituals that Jax barely understood. It appeared Mishra was merely making a spectacle with his array of spells when Mishra sent a storm of spells at Jax. Dozens of dark tendrils shot a Jax. It drained him of his life that Jax almost passed out. He staggered to his feet to find Mishra standing before him. Before Jax could respond, he felt something warm enter his chest. Time slowed. Past Mishra’s evil grin, he could see Mercury pounding against her force field and crying. Mishra backed away slowly with malice in his eyes. Jax reached down to find Mishra’s sword in his chest. Jax attempted to move to Mercury, but the sword had been lodged into the wall behind him. Mishra turned his back to him and moved towards Mercury’s cage.

A memory drifted into his head. It was Aurora’s voice. She was lecturing them.He remembered something she had said. Something about the power of a planeswalker. It was tied to a planeswalker’s persona.

Jax could feel something happening to himself. Something began to build inside him. It was rage. It was love. It was anger, revenge, fun, sadness, and every emotion Jax had ever felt. It was his emotions that gave him strength. It was who he was. He loved life. He loved Mercury. He had loved his mother. He let it boil inside him.

Then, it exploded.

Something miraculous had just happened. Jax had ignited his own spark. It was also something very special. Never before had there been a planeswalker with two sparks. Mercury’s spark shifted inside Jax and began to spin around Jax’s original spark. It spun and spun as it moved faster and faster. Jax’s strength returned and then was surpassed. Jax reached down and pulled out the sword.

“Hey, ********,” Jax called at Mishra.

Mishra turned to face an unstoppable fireball that sent the black planeswalker flying through the walls and out of the tower. It wasn’t a pit in the ground. It was an entrance at the top of a gigantic tower. The fireball exploded out of the tower. It flew Mishra into the mountainside that stood beside the tower. Jax walked over to Aurora to find her still alive, but still unconscious. Jax turned his attention to the machine. It was made of the same steel of that colossus they faced in the swamp. It was also the same metal used to build Urza’s temple. Jax brought forth his flame out from the Blind Eternities and sent at the cage. It melted under Jax’s fire. Suddenly, the entire room exploded and the tower shuddered.

As the smoke cleared, Jax dropped the flame shield he had sent around himself and Aurora. Mercury still had her force field up. Jax walked over and reached through it to touch her.

“Hey, you’re safe now,” Jax coaxed.

Mercury dropped her force field to embrace Jax and to kiss him.

“I thought you were dead. How are you still alive,” she asked as she placed her hands over the wound in his chest.

Her face became shocked.

“You have two sparks,” Mercury said wide eyed.

“I guess I am just twice as lucky,” said Jax.

“I always knew you were different,” teased Aurora.

“So she is capable of telling jokes,” teased back Jax.

Mercury. Oh, Mercury. I’m coming for you.

“What was that,” Aurora asked?

“It’s Mishra,” said Mercury.

“He’s not dead,” Jax asked genuinely.

“He’s more powerful than I even feared,” expressed Aurora.

“I sent everything I had at him,” Jax said. “How am I going to stop him?”

“Use me,” Mercury said.

“He won’t be able contain your power,” Aurora interjected.

“He will now,” Mercury responded. “He has two sparks.”

“What? Two sparks. What the hell happened while I was unconscious,” Aurora said mystified?

“So how do I use you as a talisman,” Jax motioned awkwardly with his arms. “Do I carry you on my back or…?”

“Just stand still you adorable idiot,” she said as she kissed him on the cheek as she began to glow. “Go get him.”

She continued to glow until she was a big ball of light. The light shot forth and spiraled around Jax’s right arm. When the light disappeared, Jax found a manica on his arm. He turned to Aurora.

“Go kick his ass. I’ll join the others at the portal. We’ll wait for your return,” said Aurora as she flew out the opening that Jax had blasted open.

Jax walked over to the opening and saw Mishra’s vast army. The battle on top of the tower was but a tiny segment of Mishra’s army. They had been horribly outnumbered and didn’t even know it. Jax pushed the thought back and jumped out of the opening. As he fell, he tapped into his emotions and opened the rift to the Blind Eternities. The rift was massive. Unlike before, he had full control over it and the constraints that he felt before were gone. As Jax hit the ground, he cast an inferno of destruction. It incinerated much of the surrounding forces.

Mishra wasted no time sending in his darksteel colossuses. Jax brought forth his battle axe and moved hastily across the battlefield. A colossus brought down a fist upon him, but Jax was able to shadowstep before it even got close to smashing against him. He shadowstepped high above the colossus. As he fell, brought down his battle axe upon its head and sliced cleanly through it as he fell. The colossus split in cleanly into two around his as he landed upon the ground. Multiple other colossuses converged on Jax’s location. In no time, Jax shattered them with a mighty blow of magic and sent their shattered remains into the oblivion of the Blind Eternities through his rift.

Mishra and his minions tried in vain to intercept him with their various spells. Jax deflected them with ease and glee in using their spells against them. The fear in Mishra’s minions began to surface as Jax mowed through their forces like a sickle through wheat. One by one, they fled till only Mishra was left. Jax didn’t care about them. His sole focus was destroying Mishra. In a last attempt to stop Jax, Mishra brought forth his dark spirit and sent out a spell to consume Jax. In response, Jax met the blast with his own fire. The opposing forces collided that sent shockwaves through the air. The consuming spirit of Mishra was halted but Jax was unable to push it back.

“When you die, I will torture everyone you have ever known and I will make Mercury my personal pet,” Mishra threatened.

“I will obliterate your soul from this world,” shouted Jax.

Jax reached down and tapped into his emotions. He brought forth his rage. His love. As he did so, Jax began to push Mishra’s dark blast back. He tapped into the manica and his fire exploded in a fireball that it made Mishra’s consuming spirit tiny in comparison. The blast cut through the darkness and slammed into Mishra. The dark planeswalker resisted the blast and screamed as he attempted to push through the blaze. Jax gave one final push and the flame turned Mishra to ash. As Mishra’s rift began to disappear, Jax blew the ash of the planeswalker into the aether of the Blind Eternities. The rift closed and Jax finally sighed in relief as he stood covered in sweat and panting. The forces of Mishra disintegrated into dust and the plane was silent.

Then there was pain. Fractures of mana and light began forming all over Jax’s body. The manica glowed and disappeared. Mercury reformed before him and caught Jax as he began to collapse.

“Jax! I have to take away my spark otherwise it will tear you apart. I thought with my help that you’d be able to contain the power, but your battle with Mishra pushed you past your limit,” Mercury pleaded.

“Not until you are safely away from this place,” Jax protested.

“Still the adorable fool, but you don’t have a choice,” said Mercury.

Mercury clasped her hands on Jax’s neck and pulled the spark she gave him back into her body. The fractures slowly receded and the pain disappeared. Then something moved behind them. Instinctively, Mercury brought up her force field around her and Jax. A claw slammed into the force field with such power that Mercury lost her balance. She was able to keep the force field up as she regained her footing. She looked up to see a giant dragon standing before her. His skin was golden and something floated between his horns. She looked back at Jax who was now unconscious.

Give up immediately daughter of Urza and I shall let your friends flee back to their pitiful homeworld.

“I will never be anyone’s puppet again,” glared Mercury.

Very well


As the dragon brought his claw down again, it was suddenly sent flying against the side of mountain. Aurora landed next to Mercury.

“It’s you. I sense it. You were the one I tracked to that planet that day. You were the one who imprisoned me,” Aurora fumed.

Foolish apprentice of Urza. Your imprisonment was only to be temporary. The plot was to subvert you as I did the others, but you are as stubborn as your master.

“Mercury, lend me a hand so I can smite Nicol Bolas once and for all,” Aurora commanded.

“You won’t be able to contain the power,” Mercury protested.

“I’ll be able to contain it long enough to send Nicol Bolas to oblivion. Please,” Aurora turned to face Mercury with desperate eyes.

Mercury began to shine and soon Aurora had the manica on her arm. She lunged forth in the air towards Nicol Bolas.

Until we meet again.

Nicol Bolas escaped through the Blind Eternities and was gone. Mercury quickly detached herself as the fissures began to glow brightly all over Aurora. The fissures, like Jax, began to slowly recede.

“Let’s go home,” smiled Aurora at Mercury.

Aurora summoned an angels to carry Mercury and Jax back up to the top of the tower. Was on top, they saw nothing but death. The vast majority of their forces lay still upon the surface. Eva held Saber’s body and cried with overwhelming grief. Sapphire was trying to console her. Jace walked up to them as they landed.

“Where’s everybody else,” Mercury asked?

“We are all that is left,” Jace responded. “Have we at least accomplished our task?”

“Mishra has been defeated, but Nicol Bolas has escaped along with Mishra’s minions,” responded Aurora.

Jax began to awake to see Mercury walking over to where Eva was holding Saber. Eva looked up to Mercury as she approached.

“I couldn’t save her and I never even told her that I loved her,” Eva said teary eyed.
Mercury began to cry and Jax walked up to put a consoling hand on her shoulder.

“It will be okay,” Jax tried to reassure.

Mercury brushed off Jax’s hand and turned to kiss him passionately. Then pushed him backwards as he stumbled to the ground.

“I love you Jax,” Mercury cried as she brought up her force field around Eva, Sapphire, and herself.

“What are you doing,” Jax asked in confusion?

“I’m making everything okay,” Mercury cried as she placed her hands upon the shoulders of Eva and Sapphire.

The eyes of Eva and Sapphire shined with the light of mana spewing forth.

“Mercury, stop. You’ll kill them,” shouted Aurora.

“They’ll be fine,” Mercury reassured.

Mercury pulled Eva’s and Sapphire’s spark between them and her hands.

“What are you doing Mercury,” Jax pleaded?

“Everyone died because of me. People will continue to die because of me. I will fix that by fixing everything that happened today,” Mercury cried.

“No. Stop it. We’ll find a way to fix this,” Jax cried.

“Good-bye Jax,” Mercury said softly.

Mana burst forth from Mercury and covered the entire tower. It filled the air, the ground and swept over the armies of Eridanos. One by one, the people of Eridanos returned from death. The light grew to the point that they planeswalkers had to avert their eyes. The light burst and sparkles of black and white floated down to the ground. As the dust lay upon the fallen, it healed and returned their souls. Raja got up from his position and looked over to see Jax crying at the spot from which Mercury once stood.

Aurora had ran over to catch Sapphire and Eva. Saber got up and took Eva away from Aurora. Saber stroked through Eva’s hair till she eyes opened.

“You’re alive,” Eva smiled.

Saber responded by kissing her.

Aurora laid Sapphire in the arms of Nin who approached from his place to which he had fallen. Aurora walked over to Jax who sat on the ground in grief. From out of the tears that had fallen from Mercury’s face, a golden lotus appeared. Jax reached for it, but Aurora stopped him.

“What are you doing,” Jax glared?

“Lotuses are extremely fragile,” coaxed Aurora.

Aurora conjured a necro jar and placed the golden lotus with in it. She gently lifted Jax to his feet and placed the jar in his hands. She smiled at him they way people smile at a person at a funeral. She turned and began to walk away. She gave commands for their retreat. As the armies of Eridanos left through the portal, Jax stood there looking down upon the golden lotus.

“Thee end,” said the old storyteller as he closed the book.

The storyteller looked around at the children and said nothing. Many of the children stirred and a hand eventually raised.

“Yes my dear,” asked the storyteller.

“That’s the end of the story? What happened to Jax? What happened to Aurora,” she asked the confused girl.

“Oh, life went on as life does when a loved one passes away. Upon their return, the force field was reactivated to protect our planet from any villainous planeswalkers that may ever return to extract their revenge. Before it was turned on, Aurora left in search of knowledge and other artifacts left behind by her master Urza. All of the planeswalkers left. Only Eva decided to stay behind in order to be with Saber, but after Saber passed away. Eva too left.”

“We’ll never see any of them again,” abruptly asked another child?

“From time to time, they come back. That is why we tell this story on this day. For on this day, we shut down the force field for but a moment. It allows our friends to return,” said the storyteller.

“Have they ever come back,” asked another child?

“Yes. They come from time to time to pay their respects and to see this,” said the old story teller.

A soldier walked in with the jar containing the golden lotus and placed it in front of him. The old man lifted the jar to reveal it to the children. The flower of the lotus was closed.

“And on this day, I choose a child to come forth and to pluck the seed from the flower when it blooms,” said the storyteller.

All the children raised their hands in the air with gusto and waved them about. The old man pointed a finger around at the children. He waved it back and forth. The children grew more excited. Finally, the man pointed to a small girl holding a teddy bear.

“Come child,” the storyteller motioned to the child.

The child moved sheepishly up to the small podium on which the golden lotus sat. As she approached, the lotus opened and a large multicolored seed lay within the center. The storyteller nodded and the child carefully brought forth her hand to pluck the seed. The child held it admiringly. As she looked upon the seed, the guard placed the jar back over the lotus.

Suddenly, the roof of the hall flew off. Everyone screamed. Above stood a golden dragon with its wings held wide.

Give me the flower old man

“Now. Now. You have to wait your turn Nicol Bolas,” the old storyteller wagged a finger at the dragon as he reached underneath his shirt with the other.

Give me the flower or die.

“Over my dead body,” said the old man as he produced an amulet.

Instantly, the old man transformed into a young red headed boy.

It’s you!

“Get ready. Jax is coming to get you,” as the flames within Jax’s eyes set ablaze as he sent a giant flame towards Nicol Bolas.

The End

Shredak and Tezzeret walked into the dark chamber with their heads bowed. The hooded figure on the throne of skulls did not move.

“We have failed you,” Tezzeret finally uttered.

“Why have you failed me,” challenged the hooded figure?

“There were planeswalkers and they had a powerful talisman. I’ve never felt such raw power,” answered Tezzeret. “We barely escaped with our lives.”

“Maybe you should have chosen death,” boomed the hooded figure. “However, the master still believes you are of some use.”

Two other planeswalkers walked from behind the skull throne and took position at each side of the hooded figure.

“Ashiok and Vraska will be joining you back to Eridanos per the master’s request and take this,” commanded the hooded figure who then handed his staff to Vraska. “Do not disappoint us again.”

[b]On Eridanos[/b]

Aurora insisted on flying throughout the night towards the Nexus. Her students protested for food and rest which there would be plenty at the great elvish city Ecco. Aurora eventually relented after the many pleas for sustenance. Raja knew the royalty of Ecco well and guided the crew of airship towards Tis; one of the great trees of the Tyulusse Elves. It was by far the largest. It was so tall that at its top, a person could bathe in the sunlight during a thunderstorm. It is a rare occasion to see Tis in full view. For most of its days, the view of the middle part of the canopy lay hidden behind the clouds coming off the Ocelia Ocean. It looked particularly gorgeous this day as they approached from the inland while the sun set behind it over the ocean.

“It’s absolutely beautiful,” said Aurora with awe. “What is it?”

“You don’t know,” Rana asked skeptically?

“No. Why,” responded Aurora.

“The lore is that the trees were a gift from Urza to the Elves. Before Urza, the elvish tribes were nomadic. Since we are not in the company of elvish ears, I will say they were more like gypsies. With their natural abilities, the elvish magic and the nutrient rich rivers basin helped the trees to grow to what you see today. The trees themselves became the focal point of commerce and politics for the people of Eridanos. The roots straddle the greatest river of Eridanos. The roots also extend far out to sea and to the inland forests. The maze of roots represent dangers to the ships coming from ocean and land. Elvish guides help ships navigate through the brush for a fee of course. Metal and weapons are floated down from the mountains from which these rivers are fed. Along the way, grains and other crops are gathered from the plains. Food and treasures from the ocean also stop here along with the vessels from the vampire nation across the ocean. The elves harvest cotton from the tree and gather leaves for the production of paper. Safe harbor and trade happen underneath the great base of the tree. The tree also holds most the wealth from many of the people of Eridanos. The tree itself is extremely difficult to attack. The bayou below the tree and its maze of roots make it almost impossible for an invading army to attack. Not to mention, the sheer height of the tree gives the elves an enormous tactical advantage. While it is true that is a living entity, it is a magnificent machine of commerce and where there is money, you also have politics. While many of the politicians and heads of state are trapped within the force field, this is where the usual political shenanigans take place. This is the epicenter of Eridanos.”

“Were you a Tis tour guide,” sincerely asked Sapphire?

“Uh, no. I just find it fascinating,” sheepishly responded Raja.

“So she talks,” amused Eva.

“I talk,” answered Sapphire.

“Why don’t you talk,” asked Jax?

“I don’t know,” avoided Sapphire.

“No. You rarely talk. Why is that,” pressed Eva?

“I’m just a lowly priestess. I’m not a princess or prince like all of you. I’m nobody,” stated Sapphire.

“Well, you’ll never be with that attitude,” attacked Eva.

“Hey, your just as important as any of us,” Jax reassured.

“Admit it. I am here by circumstance. If I wasn’t there, Mercury would have never chosen me,” responded Sapphire.

“Why don’t you go ask her,” interjected Raja?

“What,” said Sapphire?!

“If you want to know why, go ask her,” retorted Raja.

“I already know,” said a saddened Sapphire.

“No you don’t. All you have are assumptions. Go talk to her. She’s at the bow by herself. Go ask and keep her company,” pushed Raja.

Sapphire dragged her feet as she walked off to join Mercury at the front of the ship.

“Odd that elves would immerse themselves in commerce,” Aurora interrupted.

“I think it to be quite natural. Why do you find it peculiar,” asked Raja?

“Elves on most planes tend to stay to the natural world of plants and beasts,” answered Aurora.

“I wouldn’t say the Tyulusse Elves care about commerce. They care about balance. All the other tribes control the other various aspects of the trade. Elves simply tweak the markets from time to time. As long as one trade doesn’t dominate the others, there is peace. A shift in power could destabilize our world. The elves simply seek to balance it. They have the leverage. Their trees are strategically placed at each of the major rivers. They control the ports and hence have leverage over the commerce. Until the elves learn the concept of greed, the other tribes simply tolerate them. Like I said, politics,” stated Raja.

“Are we landing at the harbor,” asked Aurora?

“No. We will be landing up by were the falconers reside. There is a small port. Very few use it simply because few have the capability, but it is there. Our entry will very non eventful,” reassured Raja.

“Are we even getting closer,” interrupted Eva?

“It’s a very big tree. As such, it’s much further away than it appears. At this rate, we won’t arrive well into nightfall,” stated Raja.

“Why didn’t that hydra kill me, well, us,” Jax ambushed?

“Are you human,” returned Aurora?

“Um. Yes,” Jax said as he patted down himself.

“You are now a planeswalker. If you were mortal, that hydra would have killed you,” corrected Aurora.

“I don’t feel stronger,” said Jax as he looked at his hands.

“It depends on who you are. Some get stronger. Some get wiser. Your sparks aren’t unique. What is unique is you. Your spark simply amplifies who you are. If you are a planeswalker of strength, you become a planeswalker of strength. It amplifies your personality and who you are. You escaping the hydra was instinct. It comes very natural to even young planeswalkers. I had one chance for you all to be very afraid. That fear pushed you. I doubt you all would have tried as hard with that information,” lectured Aurora.

“How does it work,” asked Raja?

“Urza called it a shadowstep. It’s basically useless at avoiding spells. However, it allows you escape an attack. When you get attacked, you slip very briefly into the Aether and transport yourself to safety. Hmm... technically it’s not transportation. It is more like opening up a wormhole. Pain helps trigger it. It’s almost like a magical reflex. It is very difficult to do naturally,” lectured Aurora.

“So, we basically need to get hit to stop getting hit,” paraphrased Eva.

“Basically,” reinforced Aurora.

“Worst. Superpower. Ever,” Jax muttered.

“Beats death,” retorted Raja.

“Think of the Blind Eternities as a mirror of your soul. You only able to see what you are able to see. The most powerful planeswalkers are ones who understand themselves. It is not enough to be intelligent, strong, or etc. Knowing yourself is just as important,” lectured Aurora.

“Shouldn’t Sapphire be here to hear this,” questioned Jax?

“We can bring her up to speed in a moment. What she is doing now is more important,” said Aurora.

[b]Meanwhile, at the bow of the ship[/b]

Sapphire walked up to Mercury’s side. Mercury was calmly staring at at Tis. The sun had set and lights began to glow all over the tree. It had a festive appearance.

“Beautiful isn’t it,” Sapphire commented.

“It is,” affirmed Mercury.

The two stood there as the cool breeze blew playfully through their hair.

“What’s wrong Sapphire,” Mercury asked while keeping her gaze upon Tis?

“Why would you say anything is wrong,” asked Sapphire as she kicked at the railing of the bow with her feet?

“I’ve known you a long time. You spent more time at Urza’s Temple more than anyone. You aren’t known for small chat,” Mercury said as she turned to look at Sapphire. “What’s troubling you?”

“Why did you give me a spark,” asked Sapphire?

“That’s a silly question,” chuckled Mercury.

“It’s not silly. Jax and Raja are princes. Eva’s a princess. I’m just a lowly priestess,” stated a flummoxed Sapphire.

Mercury turned and put her hands on the side of Sapphire’s shoulders.

“My only world was that temple. You spent more time at temple than anyone. Before I gave you a spark, I knew you were a good person. A strong person.”

“You gave Eva a spark though.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say Eva is a good soul. She’s selfish, at times cruel, but she can be trusted. You’ll have to trust me. Remember, when many people thought that know one was listening, I was,” Mercury smiled mischievously.

“I just don’t know. At temple, I knew who I was. I knew what was expected of me. I had a purpose. Now, I don’t know anymore.”

“Fine. I’ll give you a purpose. Your purpose in life from this moment on is to protect me. Can you do that for me?”

“I can.”

“Good. Now can we go back to staring at the beautiful tree.”

Sapphire nodded and they both turned their gaze towards Tis.

[b]Hours Later[/b]

The airship floated slowly under the canopy of Tis. Shifts in their flight in had to be diverted from time to time to avoid the waterfalls that formed from the condensation that fell off the thousand of leaves from the tree of Tis. Lanterns and other lights glowed gently above.

“Do you think they know we are here,” Mercury whispered?

Jax lightly chuckled.

“They’ve seen us from very, very far away. I would expect a large reception upon our landing,” groaned Eva.

“With the majority of royalty trapped back home, I expect a very large meal with other lower heads of state for a thorough political interrogation,” stated Raja.

“Oh. I just want to go to sleep. This is going to be such a long night,” Jax sighed.

“Can’t we just push it off,” Sapphire suggested with fake grin?

“I wish. Unfortunately, the escape of a select few princes and princess will look suspicious to the paranoid and conspirators. What I am worried about is how to explain an Angel and silver haired girl. A temple priestess will be the simplest to explain,” stated Eva who began to put on her political face.

“I can hide my wings. Uncomfortable, but it can be done. We can hide Mercury’s true form with this,” Aurora reassured.

Aurora pulled on the necklace that hung around her neck. She pulled it over her head. As she did so, an amulet was revealed as it lay hid in her armor. She walked over and put it around Mercury’s neck and let the amulet slide out of view.

“What’s that,” Sapphire inquired?

“It is an amulet given to me by Urza himself. It allowed me to shapeshift and aid in my quest to infiltrate the organization that intended to thwart our plans to destroy the Phyrexians,” responded Aurora.

“How does it work,” asked Mercury as she held her hand over her heart?

“Imagine who you want to be and infuse the amulet with mana. It will do the rest,” Aurora instructed.

Mana instantly flowed from Mercury’s hand into the amulet. Mana swirled around her and when it vanished, there stood Mercury with blonde hair and normal skin.

“Not much of disguise,” chided Eva playfully.

“I don’t want to be anybody else,” stressed Mercury.

“Good enough. Besides, we are about to land,” Raja pointed out.

The airship was descending upon one of the branches at the center of Tis. Their landing on the branch could have fit a small castle. The landing itself was filled with elvish soldiers and other dignitaries in a very organized formation. After landing, Jax, Raja, and Eva led the way with Mercury and Sapphire dressed as priestesses with Aurora dressed as a royal guard in the back. Jax walked up the leader of Tis and placed his hands upon her shoulder.

“Greetings Atara. I deeply apologize for the lateness of our arrival,” Jax proclaimed.

“The son of Trog is always welcome at Tis,” responded Araegisses as she placed her hands on Jax’s shoulders. “What can we do for the Prince Jax?”

“We are in need of supplies, rest and food,” stated Jax.

“We will supply your ship with everything you need while you sleep. Come, we can talk under a moonlight dinner,” Araegisses said as she gestured towards an opening in Tis.

As they began walking towards the interior of Tis, delegates took step behind them. The caption of the royal guard of the elves took step beside Aurora. The two simply nodded to one another. Araegisses was leading them to a series of elevators deep within Tis. While the outside of Tis gave the appearance of slumber, the inside was the quite opposite. The tree was bustling. Vendors were shouting and business people were squabbling over bids. The tree was truly never asleep. The section they were walking into was the Grand Crossroads of Tis. This section was the main terminal for traveling anywhere on Tis. It was where products came up and went down from the sea floor. The crossroads also served as the central place for moving around the canopy. With such importance, elven soldiers were everywhere. Those within the crowds carried their signature blowpipes. The darts they used were highly effective in many forms. The general use darts carried a temporary paralytic that proved extremely useful in policing the populace. In dire situations, they all carried darts that were lethal with a single shot.

They skirted around the crowds to a private section for only royalty and other important staff with private elevators. Araegisses motioned everybody to a very large elevator at the far end. After everyone had entered the elevator, they drifted upwards out of Tis to return to the darkness of the night. Upwards and upwards they went with only the torches of the elevator to light the way. Eventually, they came to a branch with which a feast had been prepared upon. Branches had been pulled pack to reveal the triple moon sky. Jax knew this wasn’t pampering or special attention. The placement for their dinner was strategic. Here, they were far removed from prying ears. Rumors would have already spread of the catastrophe of his kingdom back home. This was an isolated interrogation. It would also be difficult to leave gracefully.

They had quickly concocted a simple story before landing. The premise was Jax had taken them out for a tour of the mountain range. When they had come back, the city was encapsulated in a force field. Simple and sweet. In essence, they could play dumb. As long as they stuck with that story, everything would be fine. They filled their stomachs while their hosts probed and prodded. It worked. Jax was almost ready to retire for the night when a sense of foreboding fell over him. Jax casually looked around and caught the eye of his companions. They had sensed it too.

Jax looked over at Aurora. She was whispering something in captain’s ear. He didn’t appear to head her words. Disgust crept upon her face. She walked towards the main table and jumped upon its center. The table gasped in shock and disapproval. Before anyone could interject, Aurora sent her disguise exploding off in a shower of flames. She expanded her wings for full intimidation.

“I’m Urza’s apprentice. If you want to live through the night, you will listen to me. Powerful planeswalkers are here. They want us. You could give us to them, but your world would still burn. Your tree will burn. We will not run. We will not hide. We will fight this threat, but you all need to prepare for battle,” emboldened Aurora.

Everybody stood motionless.

“Now,” yelled Aurora as she set her hair and wings on ablaze.

Everyone darted off in every direction. The captain of the guard came up to Aurora who kept open a ear to her words this time. He immediately set his own orders in motion. Areagisses sent out her own orders as well. Jax ran up to her along with the others.

“What’s the plan,” pressed Raja?

“They are here for Mercury. They will try to separate us from each other and Mercury,” stated Aurora.

“We have Mercury. Let’s just blow them apart,” Jax confidently responded.

“We can’t,” Aurora stated.

“Why not,” snapped Eva?

“She was designed for Urza or planeswalkers before the mending in the time that planeswalkers were gods. Tapping into her power is extremely dangerous. We can’t handle it. Mercury is a last resort. It’s amazing you’ve all survived the first time she bonded with you all. Sorry Mercury. I was going to tell you,” apologized Aurora.

“What’s the plan if we get separated,” continued Raja?

“I will try summoning you. If you are with Mercury, stay with Mercury. If I can’t summon you, then we know Mercury’s location,” answered Aurora.

“What about the people of Tis,” sympathized Mercury?

“We will help them as best we can. We will also take the fight to them. Let’s not let them dictate the tempo of this fight. However, you are the prize Mercury,” Aurora pressed. “Now, let’s go. I’ll take point. Everybody else, take your positions around Mercury,” instructed Aurora. “Also, start opening your rifts. I’ll assure you that they already have. Okay, let’s go.”

“Stop. Bring me that guard,” demanded Mercury.

“Why,” asked Aurora?

“I have one more spark to give,” grinned Mercury.

“Are you sure,” asked Aurora?

“We can trust him. You all have to bring him up to speed rather quickly though,” stated Mercury.

Aurora beckoned the royal guardsmen over. Mercury placed her hands upon him and a sixth planeswalker joined their group. The other young planeswalkers barraged the green planeswalker as Aurora walked briskly in front of them. Many soldiers and messengers ran up to Aurora from time to time. She quickly exchanged information with them and sent them off. It appeared that Aurora had taken over as commander of the Tis organization. Aurora walked them over to a ledge.

“Okay everyone. Jump,” commanded Aurora.

“Are you crazy,” said the newest member of their group?

Aurora rolled her eyes and with a wave of her hand, everybody found themselves falling down the side of Tis. Jax looked over and found Aurora trailing them. She wasn’t even concentrating on them plummeting to their death. Aurora was playing with some kind of spinning top and a crystal ball with equal parts blue and red mana smashing against each other. Jax began to focus and summoned a dragon and hopped on its back. Eva had done the same with a demon and Sapphire with an angel. Raja had cloned himself a demon. Jax flew over and grabbed Mercury and saddled her behind him. Eva flew over to the new planeswalker and did the same. Jax smiled to think that Eva was somehow smitten with this new recruit. Aurora pulled ahead of them and slowed down to take position on one of the base roots. The others dropped down slowly behind her.

Aurora faced two planeswalkers who looked quite confident.

“Give us the girl and this doesn’t have to get messy,” Tezzeret demanded.

“Kiss my angel behind,” Aurora shot back.

Tezzeret raised his hand and a giant colossus rose from the surrounding water. It was enormous. Fumes expelled out of pipes at its back and shoulders. It was made of a metal that Jax had never seen before. Energy rings swirled around it at various lengths. Tezzeret sent it at Aurora with gusto and extreme confidence. Aurora gently brought forth a single stream of white mana out of the Aether. The white mana zipped towards the colossus and transformed into a image of a man with a sickle. It sliced through the giant like butter and then, it was suddenly gone. Jax could no longer feel its presence. Aurora smiled triumphantly and Tezzeret appeared shocked and angry at the ease with which Aurora had dispatched his colossus.

Ashiok stepped out of the shadows and suddenly everything around them was upheaved. Everything was sent back into the rifts and the bonds with their lands suddenly disappeared. The young planeswalkers tried to regroup, but the force was too strong. Jax watched futily while Mercury flew off into the distance. Jax splashed down somewhere in the bayou and quickly climbed back up on one of Tis’s giant sized roots. Jax couldn’t see anything due to the fog having rolled in from the ocean. Worst he couldn’t sense Mercury or feel Aurora summoning him.

Jax began developing his mana through his rift. Whatever the blue and black planeswalker had done to him had caused his rift expand and become unstable. Jax sensed the danger and had to close down much of his rift to stabilize it. Jax eventually summoned back his Dragon of Eridanos. Hopping onto its back, Jax sent the bladewing up out of the fog. He couldn’t sense and see any sign of anyone. This had to be by design. They had separated them on purpose. They couldn’t sense each other on purpose.

Impulsively, Jax began sending up flares in air. It was indeed reckless. He was giving away his location. However, it may help his team regroup. Jax sent the bladewing towards Tis. If he was going to find safe haven or protection, heading for the port of Tis would be the place to start. Jax began to make a circle around the trunk of Tis when he caught movement in the fog. With a hard turn, Jax sent the bladewing down into the disturbance. Upon landing, Jax found Shredak looking down victorious over Nin, the new green planeswalker.

“Ooh, fresh blood,” Shredak licked her lips.

Shredak took no time summoning her zombie horde and quickly banished the bladewing to the darkness. Jax was just as quick to act. Anger and revenge took hold over Jax. He sent every form of destruction at Shredak he could find in the rift. The zombies kept hacking at Jax, but he kept up his ruthless assault as he kept shadowstepping away from Shredak’s zombie assaults. Jax felt his strength almost lost. In desperation, Jax sent everything he could at Shredak. The zombies were converging on Jax when the last Lightning Bolt sent Shredak spiraling unconscious to the ground. The zombies disappeared into the Aether even before the Shredak hit the ground.

“Suck on lightning you wench,” Jax taunted as he kicked her in the gut out of spite and to ensure she was down.

Jax could smell Shredak’s burnt flesh as he walked over to Nin. He was unconscious, but still alive. Jax summoned another bladewing and tossed Nin over its back. As they took flight, Jax was amazed how quickly his strength was returning. Jax made another circle around the trunk of Tis, but found nothing. Jax began to contemplate his next move when Nin began to stir. Jax helped the elf up to safe riding position.

“Head up back to the landing,” said a weak Nin as he began to regain his sense.

“Why would we do that,” Jax gently protested?

“We need intel. Our network knows more on what is going on than we can ever acquire by flying around on a dragon,” pressed Nin.

Jax sent the bladewing spiraling up around Tis. When they landed, Nin hopped off and began conversing with various soldiers. Jax noticed that many of the soldiers were brandishing more than just blowpipes. Spears, bows, swords and shields were everywhere. Nin returned to Jax with haste.

“Nobody knows of Eva’s and Aurora’s whereabouts. Mercury was recovered by our elven guard along with Raja. As I was told, Raja saved the team that rescued them and aided in their return. Aurora had instructed our forces were to protect her and ourselves first. They recovered her and brought her up to the Grand Crossroads.They are escorting Raja and Mercury to your ship as we speak. Sapphire is battling the green-black planeswalker down in the harbor,” told Nin.

“Let’s go help Sapphire and then tail it back up to the ship,” Jax said as he hopped back on the bladewing.

“Are you sure that is the best course of action,” said Nin as he appeared conflicted?

“Let’s go help Sapphire take down another one of these planeswalker vermin,” smiled Jax.

Nin smiled back and hopped up on the bladewing. They took off over the edge and let gravity do all the work.

“I appreciate the help,” screamed Jax through the rush of air. “All I know is that we know very little. We know Mercury’s is safe. We know Sapphire may be in trouble. Let’s just make this quick and go from there.”

“Just shut up and save it for the battlefield,” said a less an amused Nin.

The bladewing swooped underneath Tis into the safe harbor underneath. Jax and Nin saw Sapphire surrounded by Vraska’s assassins and beasts of some form. Jax and Nin dropped off the bladewing to land next to Sapphire.

“Can’t face me alone. How pathetic,” hissed Vraska.

“We got your back,” Jax reassured.

“I got this,” Sapphire snapped.

“The situation doesn’t appear to support that conclusion,” mocked Nin.

“Oh, you all shall feel my wrath,” screamed Sapphire as Vraska sent in her minions for a lethal attack.

Nin and Jax covered their eyes as Sapphire sent a gigantic blast of white energy throughout the harbor. When the light faded, Jax and Nin saw nothing but charred bodies and ash floating throughout the air. Then, by some miracle, Sapphire summoned a fleet of angels. Vraska hissed in rage.

“This isn’t over,” hissed Vraska as she disappeared into the Blind Eternities.

Sapphire turned towards the two men.

“Okay, I’m ready to go. Where to,” asked Sapphire?

Jax smirked at her sass as he summoned his bladewing again, for a third time. With her fleet of angels in tow, Sapphire flew up alongside Jax and Nin towards the airship. They landed to find Tezzeret standing over a fallen Raja with a foot on his back. A rod in Tezzeret’s hand was pointed at his head. Mercury was behind them in a fetal position inside her force field.

“Stand down unless you enjoy having a friend without a head,” Tezzeret threatened.
The three looked at each other with uncertainty. Tezzeret pulled in mana and the staff’s head began to glow and spark.

“You win. You win,” quickly said Jax.

The three closed their rifts. The angels and dragons disappeared. Tezzeret gave a wicked smile.

“You are all fools,” Tezzeret mocked.

The staff began to spark and suddenly Mercury was there holding its end.

“Get away from my friend,” Mercury shouted!

Mercury sent Tezzeret flying backwards off the branch of Tis as she held the staff triumphantly in her hand. She tossed it to Sapphire who brought up her rifts and disenchanted the staff into dust. Aurora instantly appeared and they could again feel each other's presence.

“I’m so going to kill him,” fired Aurora as her hair began to flame!

As she looked at the dust, her flame disappeared. She knelt down and scooped a handful up into her hand. The dust radiate a dark glow. Her face became mortified.

“What’s wrong,” gently asked Sapphire?

“It’s nothing we can’t discuss later,” Aurora brushed off. “We have more immediate concerns.”

Eva distracted their thoughts as she came flying down to them with a demon by her side. It tossed blue-black planeswalker named Ashiok onto the ground.

“What did I miss,” smirked Eva triumphantly?

“Good job Eva,” commended Aurora. “However, we still have three more to deal with.”

Elves came dropping from above. The captain of the guard was among them.

“We have a problem,” he stated as he pointed over the ledge.

Everyone ran over to the branch ledge to see zombies, beasts of nightmares, and menacing machines of all sorts were climbing up the trunk of Tis in swarms.

“Raja, Jax and Eva, you’re with me. Let’s get down there and stomp out these pests. Nin and Sapphire, stay here with Mercury and help the elves fight off the swarms,” commanded Aurora. “Captain, it is time to deploy your forces.”

The captain gave a signal and elves by the hundreds fell out of the higher branches of Tis. The fell upon the swarm and began hacking them back. They landed upon their victims and dispatched them. As their victims fell off into the fog, they jumped on to the next. The bravery was remarkable, but the sheer volumes of the swarm kept progressing upwards.

Each of planeswalkers immediately set their own offense in action. Nin summoned broods of hydras and sent them down upon the swarm. Sapphire summoning an army of angels and sent them swirling around the trunk hacking as the upcoming swarm. Aurora meanwhile jumped over the edge with Raja, Eva, and Jax falling closely behind. They could sense that the three remaining planeswalkers had taken position underneath Tis in the harbor. When they reached the bottom, they swept in with an army of demons, dragons, and sphinxes. The opposing armies slammed into each other. Jax wondered for a moment why Aurora wasn’t devoting her time to summoning monsters. It became quickly apparent to Jax that she was thwarting all of the enemies spells. Her top and enchantment were whiling in a frenzy. She was expending her resources misdirecting certain spells while countering others.

Metal shards and blood flew everywhere. Jax jumped off his bladewing to face the three planeswalkers. Jax sent his flames and bolts at Vraska. Shredak and Tezzeret began to send more of their forces towards Jax. He brought in his bladewings to fend off the assault. After the last of his dragons had fallen, the planeswalkers moved in menacingly. Jax smiled at them and pointed behind them.

Eva stood behind them with a demon that raised to the height of the ceiling. The hell demon brought down its fists upon the villainous planeswalkers. Vraska went down and her minions disappeared into the Blind Eternities. Tezzeret and Shredak shadowstepped to safety. Aurora was waiting for Tezzeret. She sent mutltple lightning helixes at Tezzeret who abruptly fell to the ground. Raja, Eva and Jax began to circle Shredak who tried to unleash a massive damnation spell. Raja simply dissipated its effect. Ashiok suddenly appeared and in a flash of bright light, the four villianious planeswalkers were gone.

“Are they gone,” asked Jax?

“There gone,” responded Aurora.

“Where did they go,” inquired Raja?

“I don’t know. They tried masked their walk to a different plane, but I was able to track them to a degree. However, I don’t recognize anything. The plane they entered is masked itself,” stated Aurora.

“Cowards. Should we follow them,” asked Eva?

“No. We were victorious, but you all are way too new as planeswalkers to take on such seasoned planeswalkers. Luckily, we had the support of the elves. The power of Tis also appeared to dampen their powers somehow. I sense the manipulations of Urza within this tree. Our goal should be getting Mercury to the Nexus. Once reactivated, this plane will be protected from them,” lectured Aurora.

“We’re just supposed to hide like cowards on this plane forever,” sneered Eva.

“No, but the plan gives us the advantage. We can control who leaves and who enters. I can take my time training you all properly. It keeps Mercury safe. As of now, we have no such advantage. Let’s get back up there and make way,” Aurora stated as she leapt up and away.

“Should we follow,” grinned Jax as he gestured towards after her?

“I didn’t know I had a choice,” Eva said sarcastically as she flew off.

“Need a ride,” Jax looked over at Raja?

Raja conjured up a sphinx and taunted Jax with, “wanna race to the top?”

Jax smiled at his friend and hopped up on his bladewing and shot off after Raja on his sphinx.

Aurora gazed at the destroyed airship. Ashiok must have destroyed it before pulling his other companions through the Blind Eternities back to their own plane. Raja walked up next to her.

“Are you going to conjure another one,” asked Raja?

“It was on loan,” Aurora said blankly.

“Well, let’s summon some wings and be off,” proposed Raja.

“Too dangerous.”

“We control them. We summon them. What’s complicated about it?”

“Holding a rift open for that long is too dangerous. If the distance was shorter across the ocean, it could be done. If you have a better idea, I’m all ears.”

“I got one. Let’s grab the others. Nin and Sapphire should be done healing soldiers by now.”

Aurora didn’t say a word, but her face expressed intrigue. The small band grabbed their things and headed down the elevators with Raja leading the way. The exited out onto the harbor floor. Citizens of Tis were scrambling on repairing the destruction. Raja led the group to the edge of the one platform left standing.

“Stay right here. I’ll be back in a moment,” smiled Raja.

Raja pulled off his cloak to reveal his fins that adorned his body. With a hearty leap, he jumped head first into water.

“He’s a merfolk,” exclaimed Aurora.

Everyone looked stunned at Aurora.

“He’s the prince of the Ocelia Ocean,” said a bewildered Jax. “You didn’t know?”

“No.”

Everyone began laughing. It wasn’t that funny. However, the past events had strained everyone’s spirits. The release of the stress of these events made the laughter louder and heartier. No one knew why, but they began to even laugh harder and harder. The moment had caught them. Eva even began crying. Aurora stood there stunned and eventually succumbed to the humbling incident and simply stood there with a smile. Just maybe, it gave credence to the fact that Aurora was possibly mortal.

Water exploded all around them as Raja appeared on top of a large sea serpent.

“Time to break sea people,” Raja called towards the others.

The planeswalkers boarded on its back and they slowly made way out of the harbor. Aurora flew up the top of the serpent’s head where Raja stood as he gave orders. The serpent wound slowly through the tangle of roots of Tis as they made their way to the sea.

“Is this thing really going to get us across the ocean,” teased Aurora?

“This is just the ferry,” grinned Raja.

As they exited out of the tangle and into the ocean, a giant leviathan burst out of the water.

“That’s our transportation,” smirked Raja.

In moments, the planeswalkers were hurling across the ocean on the giant beast. The majority of the group found a place on its back and lay down for some rest. Raja stayed at the helm. Aurora again joined him.

“You should get some rest,” pressed Raja.

“Angels don’t sleep. Especially planeswalker angels,” commented Aurora.

The stay quite for a time as each of them waited for the appropriate moment to delve into a matter both of them were avoiding.

“It’s amazingly smooth ride,” stated Aurora.

“The only way to travel the sea,” Raja gloated.

Moments passed. Raja looked around to see that everyone appeared to be asleep.

“I think everyone has forgotten, but what was with that staff,” inquired Raja?

“It may be nothing,” shrugged off Aurora.

“Enlighten me,” pressed Raja.

“The staff was made with ancient magic. Very, very, very old magic,” informed Aurora.

“What does that mean to us?”

“The magic is old. It means such an artifact was constructed by a very old planeswalker. A planeswalker from before the mending.”

“Do you know who made it?”

“No. It could be a number of old planeswalkers, but whoever constructed that staff is a person not to be trifled with.”

“It means we’ve only been dealing with that planeswalkers minions,” calculated Raja.

“That is my fear,” sighed Aurora.

“At least we are safe at the moment.”

“We will never be safe,” warned Aurora.

“Why do you say such things,” asked Raja?

“We are vulnerable out in the open like this,” analyzed Aurora.

“I can attest that we are safe,” reassured Raja.

“You appear very confident with that statement,” remarked Aurora.

“I can. Dozens of leviathans swim below as we speak. Inside those giant maws are legions of my brethren. There are soldiers, mages and our best champions ready to come to our aid at a moment’s notice. They’d be fools to attack us out here in the open water. Can’t you sense them,” winked Raja?

Aurora looked over the side of the leviathan and brought forth her magic. Raja’s statements were true. An army was escorting them across the ocean waters. Aurora turned to Raja in amazement.

“What can I say? It’s pays to be a prince,” smirked Raja.

“How long till we reach the yonder shore,” inquired Aurora?

“Long enough. Why don’t you get some rest,” coaxed Raja.

Aurora reluctantly left Raja at the head of the leviathan and wandered to find a spot to sleep. She found a spot and sat down while resting her head back against a fin. In moments, the angel fell into a restful sleep for the first time in many, many years.

[b]Hours later…[/b]

Aurora gently wakes up to find Mercury leaning her head against her shoulder and tucked in her wings like a blanket. Aurora gently moves her wings and tries to slip away. Mercury opens her eyes and smiles brightly at her.

“What are you doing,” Aurora asks uncomfortably?

“I couldn’t sleep and you were sleeping unrestfully. I just sat down next to you when you put your wings around me. I wanted to move, but it appeared to make you happy and sleep better so I stayed,” responded Mercury.

Aurora stood up and looked up at the moonlight shining down upon them.

“I’m fine,” Aurora said with a face of stone.

“Are you,” counseled Mercury?

“I’m fine,” responded Aurora with a hint of irritation.

“I know I’m scared, but that doesn’t make me weak. I spent millennia trapped in that sarcophagus. The only memories I have is of the people coming to Urza’s Temple. Many people came to the temple out of grief. Many funerals were attended there. There were people crying all the time. It made me sad. At first, I thought them weak and found it depressing. Then it occurred to me one day how beautiful it was in fact,” told Mercury.

“How was it beautiful,” Aurora turned curious?

“For many, those terrible memories became happy memories. People would always talk about how their mother or father did something to make them angry. Instead of being angry about it, people would laugh about it. Those tears were out of despair, but there was also joy in them. I know what happened to you was tragic. I doubt those memories of your imprisonment will ever become happy, but aren’t you happy now?”

“I don’t know,” Aurora mumbled.

“Are you happy you met me,” asked Mercury?

“I am,” smiled Aurora lovingly.
“I’m glad. Now, how are you going,” asked Mercury?

“Why do you keep asking?”

“Everyone likes to be asked. People often forget to ask those who are their leaders, parents or those in charge. Those people can hurt too. Everybody has been concerned about me and I’m grateful, but it occurred to me laying next to you that nobody has asked you on how you are doing.”

Aurora walked over and gave Mercury a big hug with her arms and wings. After several moments, Aurora stepped back with her hands on Mercury’s shoulder.

“Now, I am fine,” smiled Aurora warmingly. “I’m going to go talk to Raja and find out how far we have to go.”

Aurora walked away to leave Mercury by herself. Mercury sat down and began gazing at the stars.

“What are you looking at,” asked Jax?

“Nothing,” shrugged Mercury.

“Beautiful aren’t they,” remarked Jax.

“I never understood why you all looked up at the stars so much, but now I know why.”

“I suppose there are a lot of things you haven’t experienced. Is that what you plan on doing when this is all done?”

“What do you mean,” asked Mercury?

“You know. What are your plans for the future? I hope this isn’t going to be your whole life,” stated Jax.

“I honestly don’t know. All I know is that I would like to have children of my own someday,” glowed Mercury.

“That’s it. Don’t you want to do anything else,” inquired Jax?

“Oh, I want to do everything, but I always dreamed of having a family.”

“Why’s that?”

“I don’t have a family,” said Mercury.

“Hey, you have us,” Jax reassured as he put his arm around her.

Mercury blushed a little.

“Oh, sorry,” Jax apologized as he began to pull his arm away.

“No. Leave it,” Mercury corrected as she scooted over closer to Jax and rested her head on his shoulder.

Mercury relaxed as Jax grew ever more anxious and nervous. He didn’t know what to do.

“Having a family isn’t all sunshine and rainbows,” Jax bluttered to alleviate his uneasiness with the silence

“Why do you say that,” asked Mercury and Jax chuckled at her question?

“There isn’t always a lot of love. Sometimes there is just a lot of disappointment,” Jax stated.

“If you are referring to you father, that man loves you more than you can ever know.”

“Well, he has a funny way of showing it.”

“You expect too much of him. Your father is your father. He isn’t a perfect man.”

“That is an understatement.”

“You don’t get it. Do you,” Mercury asked Jax?

“What don’t I get,” inquired Jax?

“You father lost a lot that day. You lost a mother, but he lost his wife. The biggest problem is you remind him of her. It’s too painful for him to talk to you. I’m not saying it is right, but that is the reality of your father.”

“It’d be nice if he’d express it. He’s never asked me how I am doing or nothing.”

“You are so selfish. Have you ever asked him on how he is doing?”

The statement hit Jax hard. Not once had he asked or tried counseling his father. All he had ever done was wallow in his own misery.

“How do you know this,” asked Jax?”

“Like I’ve told you, I heard everything that went on in that temple. You need to stop thinking so much about yourself. You need to open your eyes to what is going on around you. It is one of things I learned being in that sarcophagus. I learned to listen.”

“You’re pretty smart,” said Jax as he turned his head to smile at her.

“You think I’m pretty,” Mercury said as she shifted to the effect of moving her face closer to his.

Jax pulled back slightly.

“Maybe we shouldn’t. You barely know me,” Jax interjected.

“I’ve known you all your life,” corrected Mercury as she continued to move closer.

This time, Jax didn’t pull away.

[b]Elsewhere[/b]

The four villanious planeswalkers walked with their heads lowered in shame as they walked into the chamber. They stood in a line before the figure on the throne of bones.

“You disappoint me,” said the hooded figure as he began to stand.

“It wasn’t our fault. There were six planeswalkers. Five of them newly sparked, but the one was extremely powerful,” pleaded Tezzeret.

The figure paid no mind. His fists began to crackle with black mana as he walked down the stairs towards them.

“One of them was an angel with fiery red hair,” Shredak said in desperation.

The figure stopped.

“What was her name,” the figure asked?

“Aurora,” Ashiok blurted out. “They never said, but I happened to pull out the information out of one of the younger planeswalkers minds.”

The black mana in his hand subsided and turned to walk back up to his throne. He paced between the cauldrons that surrounded his throne.

“I will return to this planet with you. You may kill any of the younger planeswalkers, but this Aurora is mine.”

“Aren’t our orders to capture Mercury,” sheepishly piped up Vraska?

The hooded figure quickly sent mana and magic at her. She screamed in horror and fell to floor. Her screams did not stop. Eventually, the magic subsided and she gasped for air. Reluctantly, she staggered up to her feet and took her position back besides the others.

“We leave immediately. We kill the planeswalkers and return with Mercury after I have a talk with the angel planeswalker.”

Jax walked up to stand shoulder to shoulder next Raja, Nin and Aurora as the dawn began to break. They looked over and saw the smile on his face.

“Why are you so happy,” wondered Aurora?

Raja looked back and saw Mercury and Sapphire jumping up and down while Eva just looked disgusted.

“Oh for Urza’s sake. Tell you didn’t,” Raja groaned.

“What,” Aurora as looked around for clues?

Aurora looked back to see the jubilation.

“Oh no. Please tell me it was Sapphire,” Aurora said as she rolled her eyes.

“It was Mercury,” stated Nin. “They make a good bonding pair.”

Aurora glared at Nin then turned her stern eyes at Jax.

“What,” Jax protested with the same stupid grin still on his face?

“Don’t make me smite you,” Aurora warned as she pointed a finger at Jax’s face.

“Don’t worry. I know that face. The boy is smitten to the point he’d inspire poets for ages,” Raja interjected.

Aurora kept her finger in Jax’s face for a moment longer then turned to walk away in disgust.

“Everyone round up. We have all day before we hit landfall. Let’s use that time wisely and get some training in,” motioned Aurora for everyone to gather.

Raja showed Mercury how to control the Leviathan and then joined the others. Aurora had them battle each other to hone their skills. She also had others gang up on one another as a reminder that the battlefield might not always be a fair fight. For a time, they practiced summoning each other. The practice was intensive. For a time, she paired them up in teams to learn on how to complement each other’s style. While those battles were going on, Aurora would pull one of them aside to help them understand their persona’s and to help find the best spells within the aether of the Blind Eternities. Before long, their spells were more powerful and their spell casting was becoming more consistent.

As the day grew long, Aurora made them take a break. Aurora rolled her eyes as Jax joined Mercury at the helm of the leviathan. They held hands and smiled at each other off and on while looking off into the distance.

“I wouldn’t worry too much. I’ve never seen Jax like this,” Raja said as he patted Aurora on the shoulder then left to join the love birds at the helm.

“It’s revolting if you ask me. Excuse me while I go find a private place to vomit,” Eva said as she left to find a place of solitude at the end of the leviathan.

“I think it’s wonderful,” Sapphire giggled as she skipped to join them at the others at the helm.

Nin walked up to Aurora.

“Not another word about those two,” Aurora said as she put up a hand in protest.

Well, I was going to talk tactical strategy once we land, but if you ask,” started Nin as Aurora cut him off with hand in protest.

“Oh, please stop. I swear I’d rather go back to my prison,” Aurora protested.

Nin stood their patiently.

“Fine, let’s talk tactics,” Aurora said as she turned away from her view of the helm.

[b]Hours later as the sun began to set[/b]

“You actually live here,” asked Nin as he pointed at the shoreline.

“It’s not so bad once you get used to it,” Eva responded.

They all stood on top of the leviathan looking at the coastline of Doroon. Everything looked dreary and flat. They could see for miles and miles over the swamps of Doroon. Castles and structures were vividly evident upon such a landscape. Eva informed Aurora that the entire continent was a flat swamp. The shoreline could be seen in all directions on some of its highest structures. Their destination was in the middle of the continent and one of the largest structures second only to the king of the vampires nest. It was the nest of her uncle named Diavolo. They had arrived as the tide was high. A good thing according to Eva. The land was so low to the sea level that the entire water level rose and sank with the tides. It made travel across the continent difficult and treacherous.

“Our transportation has arrived,” Eva pointed to the gondolas coming out of the estuary.

Ghouls piloted the four gondolas. The crew boarded the boats with some trepidation. Once boarded, Raja waved goodbye to their escorts from one of the few rocks above water in the estuary. In moments, the leviathans and sea serpents were gone. The ghouls said nothing and Eva had instructed them to leave it that way. Talking to the ghouls could prove problematic. Ghouls were notoriously over protective, but obedient. A conversation could only lead to the ghouls straying from their instructions. Eva wasn’t afraid for their safety especially now being planeswalkers. She was more worried about the gondolas being broken.

“Why aren’t we just flying there again,” protested Jax?

“I told you. There are way too many poisonous creatures that would attack us in the sky. The lanterns from the gondolas will keep them at bay,” Eva lectured sternly.

“Come Jax. It will be fun,” tugged Mercury at Jax’s arm.

The two boarded a gondola and drifted off ahead.

“Only young love could find a gondola ride through this swamp romantic,” Nin remarked with amusement.

Aurora glared at Nin.

“What,” shrugged Nin?

Aurora didn’t respond and simply jumped down into her gondola. Nin joined her and the gondola departed. Raja and Eva jumped into their respective gondolas. The ghouls immediately began to push off with their poles. They were moving slowly into the mouth of the river and the riders began to become restless.

“Are we going to get there sometime this year,” Raja called over to Eva?

“Just hold on,” Eva smirked.

As she responded, the boats suddenly lifted and they quickly found themselves on the backs of giant crocodiles. Eva instructed them to settle down. It was evident she was happy with their uneasiness. Luckily, the continent was not large and the term itself was misleading. Doroon was actually a series of closely placed low level islands. The ocean penetrated deep into the continent on the southern edge. The trip to the nest only took a few hours although it was at its center. As they approached the nest, the giant crocs dropped them back down into the water. The ghouls poled them the rest of the way to the pier. Diavolo greeted along with a few of his progeny and a handful of scantily clad servants.

“Ah, there is my favorite niece,” Diavolo said as he outstretched his arms.

“You know I’m not the hugging type. I’m also your only niece,” corrected Eva as she reluctantly moved in to accept the hug.

“Come. I’ve prepared food. I’m sure you are all famisched,” gestured Diavolo towards the doorway into the nest.

Eva and Diavolo led the way. The others followed with the servants following behind them. Inside the nest was completely the reverse of its outside appearance. The outside was a simply a giant blob of mud, vines and stone. The inside was quite decadent. All of them reflected a sense of surprise. After being led up a long spiraling staircase, they exited onto a large balcony. Lanterns adorned the edge of the balcony to keep all the poisonous insects at bay. A large table sat on the balcony and servants led them to equally decadent chairs.

“What do I owe the pleasure of this visit,” asked Diavolo?

“We need to access your catacombs,” Eva drove straight to the point.

“I always loved your diplomacy child,” Diavolo chuckled. “Why may I ask?”

“We’d rather not say,” interjected Aurora.

“I’d take offense if you weren’t a guest of my niece,” glared Diavolo.

“Don’t mind the uptight wench. She has reasons to be wound tighter than a python,” Eva parried.

Dozens of servants walked in with food and wine. They served the food and wine then took position right next to each of the guests. Raja looked around uncomfortably. Diavolo took notice.

“Is there something I can do to make you more comfortable,” asked Diavolo?

“No. I’m quite fine and appreciative for the hospitality,” responded Raja.

“You don’t have the appearance of a happy guest. Please, I take pride in being a good host,” pressed Diavolo.

“He’s just not used to sex slaves,” Jax jabbed which resulted in a hearty chuckle from both Eva and Diavolo.

“You think these are sex slaves,” Diavolo laughed.

“There scant appearance would indicate it as such,” Raja confessed.

“You seem to have some misconceptions about us,” Diavolo pointed at Raja. “For one, we live in a very hot place. It’s a hundred degrees with constant humidity. There attire is for comfort and health. Tight or heavy clothing only invites fungal infections and I can’t have gross toes or crotch scratching servants. That’s just gross and unappealing to guests.”

“You don’t sleep with them,” brazenly accused Sapphire?

“No. We don’t sleep with the help. You sometimes do that for the first hundred years, but it gets boring quickly. It also gets messy. Before you know it, your servants think they are too good to be scrubbing floors and then you just have dirty floors. We keep our sex slaves and servants separate,” winked Diavolo. “Enough with misconceptions. Let’s enjoy our food and company.”

They all turned their focus upon their food. It was immaculate. Eva and Diavolo discussed local politics while everyone else’s conversation turned onto the food. After many courses, everyone leaned back in their chairs. Diavolo pressed everyone for more food, but not a person took him up on the offer. Drowsiness began to creep in. Aurora began to stretch and she suddenly jumped out of her seat.

“What’s the matter my dear,” concerned Diavolo?

“Everyone,” Aurora tried to utter as she stumbled about.

“Uncle,” said Eva as she attempted to stand!

Jax felt the uncontrollable urge to sleep. The adrenaline began to pump through his veins, but it was too late.

[b]Hours later...[/b]

Smelling salts awoke Aurora to the sight of everyone being brandished in chains in a dungeon. A hooded planeswalker stood before her with the figures minions standing around the room. Mercury lay bound in chains in the middle of the floor. A servant walked around waking the others with similar smelling salts.

“I’m going to kill you,” Aurora threatened.

“Tsk. Tsk. It was a shame I wasn’t able to do battle with you personally. I was looking forward to your downfall. Our master’s spy unfortunately disabled all of you before I had the opportunity,” said the hooded figure as Diavolo walked into the chamber.

“Uncle. How dare you. You will die for this treason,” Eva spat as she struggled in her chains.

“Oh, how sweet. She didn’t know,” said the hooded figure.

“What do you want,” shot Aurora?

“The only reason you are alive is because I wanted to ask you a question,” said the hooded figure.

“What is your question you devil,” raged Aurora as she tried to break free of her chains?

The hooded figure walked over and dropped his disguise.

Aurora became dumbfounded.

“Mishra? How? How do you have a spark” said a shocked Aurora?

“My master saved me and gave me a present of another planeswalker. I melded with him. Oh, he’s still in here somewhere. Pesky that one. Always trying to get out,” remarked Mishra as he pointed to his head.

“Is that why you want Mercury,” Aurora lashed out?

“Well, it is a perk. I can finally have my own spark and shed this husk of a planeswalker. He isn’t getting out, but he’s very annoying,” grinned Mishra. “My master has much grander plans for her. Enough with the questions. I have one of my own. How does it feel that your master is dead?”

“I will incinerate your bones and feed them to dragons,” Aurora threatened.

Mishra chuckled and walked over to Mercury. He began stroking her silver hair.

“The real question is how many of you do I leave alive. Maybe all of you or maybe just you,” Mishra said towards Aurora.

Before anything happened, Mercury brought up her force field. The force of it blew off her chains and sent Mishra skidding backwards on his feet.

“I will never go with you,” Mercury glared.

Mishra wiped himself off and walked over to Jax.

“Are you sure,” Mishra asked as he brought out a blade and put it up to Jax’s neck. “I hear you are quite fond of this one.”

“Don’t go with him Mercury. I’d rather die. We may be dead already anyway,” Jax voiced with determination.

“Fiesty this one,” laughed Mishra who began to walk around with his blade pointing menacingly at each of the other planeswalkers. “The real question is how many of your friends do I need to kill before you change your mind?”

“Keep up your force field Mercury. He’ll never be able to break it,” Aurora commanded.

“Oh, that is very true. But tell me this Mercury, how many people do you need to see die before you submit to me. Maybe I’ll let you think you’ve escaped and just when you are at your happiest, I’ll come and kill all of your loved ones one by one in front of you. One by one. Forever. Can you live with that,” grinned Mishra.

“Don’t listen to him,” Eva stated as she shot her fangs at Mishra.

“So much tension in here. Let the little lady make her own choices,” said Mishra.

“She’s never going with you,” Jax raged.

“I’ll go with you,” Mercury said softly.

“That a girl,” praised Mishra.

“You don’t have to do this,” cried Aurora.

“It is like you said Aurora. You always have a choice, but I do this on one condition,” Mercury said towards Mishra.

“Oh fine. What are your conditions,” groaned Mishra?

“If I leave with you, nobody dies and you will never return to this plane,” Mercury stated.

“Deal,” said Mishra. “Before we leave, I want to give Aurora a present.”

Mishra walked over and touched his finger to Aurora’s forehead. Information on the plane Mishra was taking her flowed into Aurora’s mind. When done, Mishra pulled back and smiled his evil smile.

“That is so you know futility. Now you can wallow in your failure. A failure just like your master,” evilly smiled Mishra. “Come everyone. Now no killing. I may be evil, but a planeswalker of my word. Besides, I rather like the idea of them suffering with their humility for the rest of eternity.”

Mishra and his planeswalkers gathered around Mercury and Diavolo.

“Time to drop your shield,” demanded Mishra.

Mercury dropped her shield and in moments, they were gone.

Immediately upon entering the new plane, Mercury raised her force field. Mishra walked around her and stared.

“Did you think I was going to make this easy for you,” Mercury spat?

“Oh, I don’t care either way. Take her to the extractor,” commanded Mishra. “and Diavolo, the master would like to thank you for your loyalty over the millennia.”

The planeswalkers used energy tentacles to pick up Mercury and her force field . They carried to the center of the facility. Upon reaching it, they set Mercury down as a large cage settled down around her.

“Is this where you plan to keep me prisoner,” Mercury glared?

“You mistake the importance of your life. We plan on extracting the essence of your being. It may take time, but we will pull those sparks out of you with force,” Mishra stated. “You see Mercury, you are nothing more than, say, a chicken to a farmer. You lay our eggs, but once you have reached the end of your usefulness, we plan on having you for dinner.”

“You’re a monster,” shot Mercury.

“Oh, I know,” shrugged Mishra as he tapped on the cage playfully with his sword. “Start her up.”

Energy came down from above and blasted against Mercury’s force field.

“I can keep my force field up forever,” threatened Mercury.

“If that makes you feel better, go right ahead. It won’t matter in the end. Now if you will excuse me, I have other matters to attend,” grinned Mishra as he turned to walk away.

Mercury sat down and hugged her legs while the energy continued to pummel her force field.

[b]Back on Eridanos[/b]

The six planeswalkers struggled in their chains that had been enchanted to inhibit the power of planeswalkers.

“How long before Diavolo’s servants come down here to finish the job,” Raja proposed.

“Death or rescue won’t happen. Diavolo and Mishra plan on letting us rot. There is no need to kill us. Letting us live is crueler than death in both their minds,” Eva responded.
“Nobody has access to magic,” asked Nin?

“No,” everyone responded.

“I guess it is up to the royal guardsmen then,” declared Nin.

Nin spun in his chains and climbed up the walked up the wall with his feet. He brought a boot up to his hands and after some manipulation, pulled out a small device. With some careful maneuvering, Nin used the device to pick the lock on his right hand. Once released, it wasn’t long before Nin was totally free.

“Thank Urza for arrogance. A smart man would have searched us,” Nin commented as he began to release the others.

“I don’t think Mishra cares. He and his master have full control over their plane. Their army is massive. Even if we did get free, trying to free Mercury would be suicidal,” Aurora said with a heavy heart.

“Does that mean we aren’t supposed to try,” pleaded Jax?

The room was silent. Jax looked around at everyone desperately seeking an answer.

“Anyone,” Jax pleaded!

“We alone won’t be enough. We’d also need an army, but trying to transport an entire army took Urza hundreds and hundreds of years to build,” Aurora suddenly stopped.

“What,” asked Jax?

“Raja and Jax, turn on this nexus. Once up, it should shut down the shield around your city. Then, go to Urza’s temple and turn it back down. Nin, Eva and Sapphire, I need you to round up every soldier, monster, and anything that we can wage war with. I have to go see a dragon. Now go,” Aurora said with renewed enthusiasm.

Jax was about to protest when Aurora disappeared into the Blind Eternities. Everyone stood there a moment and then abruptly left. It surprisingly took little time to reset the Nexus now they were planeswalkers. It would take longer to get back home.

[b]Back on Ravnica[/b]

Aurora walked into the Aerium to find Niv-Mizzet.

[i]What do you want planeswalker[/b]

“I’ve come for your portal,” Aurora said.

[i]I do not have such technology. If I did, why would I give it to you.[/i] as Niv-Mizzet began to walk around Aurora.

“I don’t have time for these dragon games. Speed is of great importance. I only want to borrow your portal and I will give you something of great value,” pressed Aurora.

[i]I have already obtained everything from you that I could desire.[/i]

“Not even this,” Aurora said slyly as she pulled out her necro jar that held the last black lotus.

[i]What is that?[/i]

“Please. I can see the glimmer in your eye. Every dragon’s heart yearns for gold. Yours just seeks knowledge.”

[i]Why would I trade for something that will quickly vanish?[/i]

“It’s in a necro jar. This black lotus is hundreds of years old. You could study it forever.”

The dragon paced around a moment.

[i]Leave the lotus here. The portal can be found on subway level 13.[/i]

Aurora placed the necro jar gently down in front of Niv-Mizzet and headed towards the elevator.

[i]And Aurora...[/i]

Aurora turned.

[i]When you get down there, ask for Jace. Also, please treat my portal better than you did my airship.[/i]

Aurora didn’t answer. She turned and headed to the subway level.

[b]Back on Eridanos[/b]

Jax and Sapphire had just explained the entire events to the statesmen who had been trapped in Trogg. While many accepted the story, many did not wish to join in the fight. Jax didn’t look upon them as cowards. The reality is they had enjoyed peace for thousands of years. Going to war was a big deviation. It was also a lot to ask considering their enemies army could be quite formidable. They weren’t being cowards, they were being smart. Too smart. Smart enough to realise that Jax was asking them all to go on a mission from which they might not return. Brix and Trogg even had doubts and they were usually the first to storm into a fight.

“What is the plan,” asked Eva’s father?

“I don’t know,” Jax responded.

“How are we to follow you to the death without a plan,” he shot back?

“I’m not here to have a plan. Aurora is creating a plan. I am simply here to ask you to prepare, to prepare for war,” expressed Jax.

“They have Mercury. She’s a person, but also a powerful weapon. A weapon that they will eventually turn upon us. We may be going up against a dragon, but is it better than cowering in a cave and waiting for that dragon to eventually find us,” interrupted Sapphire.

Jax turned to her and grabbed her by the shoulders.

“You are brilliant,” Jax said and then proceeded to hug her.

“What did I say,” asked a shocked Sapphire as Jax made his way to the door?

“Just keep talking,” Jax reassured.

“Me,” blinked Sapphire?

“You’ll be fine,” Jax winked.

Jax began running out of the building when a voice stopped him in the middle of his spell casting.

“Jax, where are you going,” asked Trogg/

“I’m going to go get us a legion of dragons,” Jax said.

“You can’t. Those monsters killed your mother,” raged Trogg.

Jax walked up to his father and placed his hands up to his father’s shoulders.

“Father. You need to let go of revenge. All it has done was make me an irresponsible son who was never there for you. You were a father not able to love his son. So please, let it go. I loved her too,” said Jax as he hugged his father for the first time in a very long time.
Trogg awkwardly brought his good arm around to hug his son. Jax eventually pulled away to see Brix standing there. Jax moved to hug him as well before Brix could protest. Brix reluctantly hugged his brother back. Jax released his brother from his uncomfortableness.

“Now, wish me luck,” Jax said as he summoned his bladewing dragon.

“I won’t let you,” Trogg demanded.

“I’m not asking father,” stated Jax as he jumped on his bladewing. “I love you both. Tell Saber as well just in case I don’t make it back.”

Jax sent his bladewing into the air to leave his kin watching from below. The bladewing zipped into the mountain range. He sent it zooming through the mountain tops as he kept an eye out for Furax, the broodmother. Jax used his magic to sense the goliath of a dragon. Eventually, he was able to sense her. She was resting along a cliff. Her dragonlings were flying around in the air. Jax didn’t give them a moment to intercept. He sent the bladewing straight down to ‘’Furax’s position. The broodmother instantly rose and sent her dragon breath down upon Jax.

Jax deflected fire towards the mountain side. The dragon brought down its jaw upon Jax’s location, but Jax sent a lightning bolt at her eyes. The dragon lurched back in pain and swung her tail a Jax. The tail was stopped cold with stone wall Jax brought up out of the cliff ledge. Furax held back her rage and began to pace around Jax with a hint of curiosity.

[i]Who are you my little meat stick?[/i]

“I’m am Jax the planeswalker.”

[i]What is your business before I devour you?[/i]

“I’m here to set you free.”

[i]I’m already free. Why should I hesitate to eat you?[/i]

“I know Urza subdued you. I know that collar hinders your full power. I will release it from your glorious neck. In turn, I will let you and your kin release your rage upon millions,” Jax stated as he began to walk towards the dragon.

[i]You will release me upon this land?[/i]

“No. You are forbidden from our lands like it has been for ages. I will release your rage upon my enemies on another plane.”

[i]I only listen to those with the heart of a dragon. Do you think you have the heart of a dragon meat stick?[/i]

“I do. My enemy has kidnapped my love. You killed my mother. I should smite you, but I ask that you join me and my rage against my enemy.”

[i]Gaze into my eyes. Let me see this rage.[/i]

The dragon leaned down and Jax looked the dragon in her eyes. Upon doing so, he let the constraints of his mind drop and let his rage roar. He thought of his mother. He thought of Mercury. He thought about how he was going exact his revenge upon Mishra. After a moment in time, Furax pulled back.

[i]I will go with you young dragon heart and I will devastate your enemies. Now release me from these bonds.[/i]

[b]Back at Trogg[/b]

Aurora walked into the hall of Trogg. Statesmen were arguing amongst each other. Trogg was trying to persuade many of them to move to action. Aurora walked to the head of the room to stand up by the throne. With a clap of her hands, she sent deafening shockwave of thunder throughout the room. Not a peep was uttered afterwards.

“Hear me people of Eridanos. I understand your apprehension. You have lived in the light of peace for millennia. However, there is a shadow moving over this land. If you want peace, you must fight. If this is what you truly love, join me in battle to ensure you can remain in peace.”

She paused for a moment, but moved around the throne to keep everyone’s attention.

“If you want me to embolden your courage, I encourage you to go look outside,” commanded Aurora as she walked through the crowd to the outside.

The hall emptied behind her. Many weren’t seeking courage, but rather to satisfy their own curiosity. Outside, Jax landed outside the wall onto of his bladewing. Furax landed behind him with such force that it made the ground shudder. Her brood landed in rows and rows in the valley. The statesmen stood shocked and somewhat fearful to what they were witnessing. Furax let out a such a thunderous roar that it too shook the ground. Aurora turned towards the statesmen.

“We go to war at dawn,” she yelled as she held up her flaming sword and set her hair and wings a blaze.

The crowd erupted in applause and cheers. Soldiers banged their swords against their shields. Aurora didn’t give anyone time to second guess. She dispatched orders to all the nations. They were to meet on the shoreline underneath Tis. Everyone began to scramble. As she gave the last of her orders, Jax had walked in from the outer gates.

“I heard you gave a nice speech,” grinned Jax.

“It was mostly showmanship. Maybe a little magic as well,” smiled Aurora.

“What’s the plan” asked Jax?

“I’ve acquired a portal from an acquaintance,” she winked at Jax.

“And what else,” Jax inquired from an angel who was hiding something.

“I’ve found some friends to even the odds,” Aurora smiled with confidence.

“Where is this cavalry,” asked Jax?

“They’ll join us at Tis. Get your dragons to Tis. It will help give everyone confidence and courage.” Aurora lean over to whisper in Jax’s ear, “Plus, you are scaring the locals.”

[b]Days later...[/b]

Aurora landed next to Jax on the beach.

“Are you ready,” Aurora asked?

“Ready as I ever will be,” Jax breathed.

“You remember the plan,” asked Aurora?

“You and mean are to retrieve Mercury while everyone reaps as much devastation as possible,” Jax smiled. “Where’s the cavalry?”

“They arrive with the portal,” Aurora stated. “It’s time.”

She leaned over and gave Jax a hug.

“Good luck,” smiled Aurora as she flew off and hovered just out of the shoreline.

She raised her hands and began searching the Blind Eternities. Jax looked around him. The dragons of Eridanos waited impatiently in the skies above and along the cliffs. Raja sat upon his leviathans off the shoreline that held the merfolk army of the Ocelia Empire. On the right shore on which he stood were the soldiers of Trogg. The left shores were held the elvish army. The vampires perched on the roots of Tis by their boats of their armies of ghouls and other nightmares. Electricity rushed through the air and the hairs on Jax’s arm and neck began to raise. Then it appeared faintly. A gigantic portal arch extended from one side of the beach to the other. On top of it stood five planeswalkers. When Aurora had gone back to Ravnica, she had met Jace who was placing the finals touches on the portal. Aurora had persuaded him of the gravity of the situation. As they prepared, he had gathered his own planeswalker allies. They would join them in battle. They were experienced and it gave Jax hope that they would be victorious.

Jax was to lead the initial charge. The dragons of Eridanos were the most powerful of their forces. He was to soften the line to allow the armies a chance to walk through the portal and assemble. After the armies were through, Jax and Aurora were to divert towards Mercury’s location. They would attempt to extract her during the chaos of the battle. This wasn’t a mission to conquer. It was simply a rescue mission. The main goal was to hold the front line. Only if they proved to be a formidable force to their enemy were they to move forward with taking them down.

Sounds of horns began to fill the air. Jax summoned his bladewing and rose into the air. He circled Tis and called for Furax to follow. Dragons began to circle Tis as they collected in behind him. Furax pulled up behind Jax. Jax made one final circle and then headed straight through the portal.