A young half-elven man that was decorated with tattoos lay on cooled metal. The constant repetition of dripping molten metal that plinked near his head and onto the cooled metal he rested on started to bring him back to consciousness. Yet it was not this alone that awoke this half-elf, it was the sulfuric stench that invaded into his nostrils. He coughed and gasped several times, his eyes watered. He reflexively held his head as he felt a twinge of pain. He said aloud to himself "Where am I?" and with those words like he had asked a rhetorical question he recalled the last thing in his memory.
He remember he was challenged by a fellow Keld, one of greater stature than he and with muscles like chiseled rocks. That he had lost yet, that his brother not by blood but by tribe. Something offended his brother yet he couldn't recall why. For when he tried to recall his head had sharpened with greater pain than the simple twinge from before and so he held his head with both hands. The very last thing he could remember was he was falling, his brother watching, the scent of sulfur again was there, that he was plummeting to his death. His eyes widened and he repeatedly checked himself to make sure he was alive and this wasn't an afterlife.
Standing up he noticed he was very high up. Bellow him was more cooled metal yet with cracks of molten. He wondered at first if this was the same volcano, yet his suspicions were raised by what he saw. Little metal creatures, somewhat like ants or flightless birds that were being attacked by something quiet horrific to his eyes. The attackers looked no more tall than a goblin yet their body was charred bones, a flame that rested within and sharp jagged teeth. No flesh or organ rested with these beings. He wondered again if he was in the afterlife but this time if it was some sort of underworld of metal and fire.
He slowly climbed down the opposite side of where he was. The cooled metal and surprisingly rocks that he used as handholds reminded him of times past when he would explore the mountains. His breathing was calm yet the sight of those creatures unnerved him. He knew nothing of what those strange little bone creatures could do yet he tried to keep it out of his mind as he climbed down, a tunnel was within sight and nobody to be seen, not even the strange bone creatures. Hopping down at the last foot of his climb he quietly moved towards the tunnel, unsure of how to leave this place and return home. Home would be a wonderful place to be again than here, he couldn't wait to tell Radha of what he had seen.
The tunnel he entered in was winding like the wurms he had once saw that burst through the the earth with great might. The tunnel seemed to branch in several directions so he took a nearby rock and made a mark near a wall to signify to himself at least where he had been in case he was more lost than he already was. He slowly moved his way forward, checking around each corner carefully in case of danger. This was not new to him, he was used to being a scout for his fellow Kelds.
After seven markings on walls and traveling down six winding branches he started to hear the din of battle. A lullaby for him as it was for many a Keld for it was reassuring to say the least in this strange world. As he moved towards the sounds he could hear battle cries roaring and echoing in this subterranean place, the sound of metal clanging against metal.
Below him was a small skirmish. The same small creatures of fire and bone yet they were battling against people that were heavily weari- No wait. They appeared to be made of metal themselves and they also were wearing clothes of white and their hair was white as well. A sudden idea popped in his head and he decided to go through with it. He knew the idea was stupid but he had to at least try.
He hastily climbed down the rock wall he was at. "Who is that?" A feminine voice yelled out. Another voice that was much more masculine voice "Pay attention! Don't let them get that close!" At least the words were clear to him and so he returned with the only word he could think of in the heat of the moment. "Friend! Friend!" The voices sounded confused now but they hadn't attacked him yet as he continued down from the wall which was a good thing to say the least. "Who are you?" the feminine voice called out. "I am Vel from Keld!" Vel had yelled to the two.
What came next was not reassuring as he the voice returned "What is Keld?" which only made him feel even more of a stranger here. Vel was becoming flanked on either side of him as he was climbing down by more of these bony creatures. Instinctively he channeled the surrounding red mana around him and into his left. The mana turned his fist into a glowing ball of lightning to onlookers. He was jabbing and uppercutting the these bony creatures with his left hand while trying to maintain his grip on the wall with the right hand. Yet they just seemed to keep coming out of a very hole, nook and crevasse in this place. He vaulted off the wall and over to the side of the two white haired people and punched straight through through the skull of another burning creature that was trying to flank the two behind.
"Thanks Vel! Name be Flenn." Flenn thanking Vel as he saw Vel protect him. Flenn from appearence alone quiet elderly man in comparison to the younger woman. "No problem Flenn. What are these things?" Vel had returned with confusion yet curiosity. "Squealstokes. They were once goblins here on Mirrodin." the feminine voice explained. "Those are goblins?" Vel yelled over the din of battle with astonishment and confusion on his face. Vel's fists glowed brightly of red and green mana that empowered his crushing force through the sinew of the squealstokes with enhanced might and hastened speed. Miora to his right was cleaving through the squealstokes with a masterfully made sword in great sweeping arcs yet what caught his eye was the darkened and strange metal with two glowing yellow lights that danced around the sword. To Vel's left, Flenn's massive two-handed hammer was smashing through the bodies of squealstokes with great force like a ram through stone. Yet with every squealstoke they slayed, more and more just came in waves that seemed never ending.
"Quickly this way!" a third voice had called out from behind a large sheet of metal. "Don't dawdle behind Miora!" yelled Flenn. "I'm coming! Don't get your armor in a bunch!" Miora snapped.
As the three ran past the metal Vel was quiet surprised to see not one, not two, not even three but four lion headed people with spears ready as they faced the wall. While another human clad in white armor and gold cloth with white hair slammed the sheet of metal. The squealstokes screamed and banged wildly on the metal wall like waves that crashed against the stone. Vel looked at the lion headed people with a raised eyebrow and then his turned to Flenn as he heard him say proudly "Don't worry, the Leonin are here to help protect us."
"Where am I exactly?" Vel had asked as the danger was postponed at least for now. His eyes took in the sight of what most be a refugee camp that looked in desperate need of help and hope.
"Where? Why your at Lowlight. One of the homes of the Mirran Resistance." Miora explained with a smirk. "We will take you to see our leader Kemba. She will know what purpose you have."
He remember he was challenged by a fellow Keld, one of greater stature than he and with muscles like chiseled rocks. That he had lost yet, that his brother not by blood but by tribe. Something offended his brother yet he couldn't recall why. For when he tried to recall his head had sharpened with greater pain than the simple twinge from before and so he held his head with both hands. The very last thing he could remember was he was falling, his brother watching, the scent of sulfur again was there, that he was plummeting to his death. His eyes widened and he repeatedly checked himself to make sure he was alive and this wasn't an afterlife.
Standing up he noticed he was very high up. Bellow him was more cooled metal yet with cracks of molten. He wondered at first if this was the same volcano, yet his suspicions were raised by what he saw. Little metal creatures, somewhat like ants or flightless birds that were being attacked by something quiet horrific to his eyes. The attackers looked no more tall than a goblin yet their body was charred bones, a flame that rested within and sharp jagged teeth. No flesh or organ rested with these beings. He wondered again if he was in the afterlife but this time if it was some sort of underworld of metal and fire.
He slowly climbed down the opposite side of where he was. The cooled metal and surprisingly rocks that he used as handholds reminded him of times past when he would explore the mountains. His breathing was calm yet the sight of those creatures unnerved him. He knew nothing of what those strange little bone creatures could do yet he tried to keep it out of his mind as he climbed down, a tunnel was within sight and nobody to be seen, not even the strange bone creatures. Hopping down at the last foot of his climb he quietly moved towards the tunnel, unsure of how to leave this place and return home. Home would be a wonderful place to be again than here, he couldn't wait to tell Radha of what he had seen.
The tunnel he entered in was winding like the wurms he had once saw that burst through the the earth with great might. The tunnel seemed to branch in several directions so he took a nearby rock and made a mark near a wall to signify to himself at least where he had been in case he was more lost than he already was. He slowly moved his way forward, checking around each corner carefully in case of danger. This was not new to him, he was used to being a scout for his fellow Kelds.
After seven markings on walls and traveling down six winding branches he started to hear the din of battle. A lullaby for him as it was for many a Keld for it was reassuring to say the least in this strange world. As he moved towards the sounds he could hear battle cries roaring and echoing in this subterranean place, the sound of metal clanging against metal.
Below him was a small skirmish. The same small creatures of fire and bone yet they were battling against people that were heavily weari- No wait. They appeared to be made of metal themselves and they also were wearing clothes of white and their hair was white as well. A sudden idea popped in his head and he decided to go through with it. He knew the idea was stupid but he had to at least try.
He hastily climbed down the rock wall he was at. "Who is that?" A feminine voice yelled out. Another voice that was much more masculine voice "Pay attention! Don't let them get that close!" At least the words were clear to him and so he returned with the only word he could think of in the heat of the moment. "Friend! Friend!" The voices sounded confused now but they hadn't attacked him yet as he continued down from the wall which was a good thing to say the least. "Who are you?" the feminine voice called out. "I am Vel from Keld!" Vel had yelled to the two.
What came next was not reassuring as he the voice returned "What is Keld?" which only made him feel even more of a stranger here. Vel was becoming flanked on either side of him as he was climbing down by more of these bony creatures. Instinctively he channeled the surrounding red mana around him and into his left. The mana turned his fist into a glowing ball of lightning to onlookers. He was jabbing and uppercutting the these bony creatures with his left hand while trying to maintain his grip on the wall with the right hand. Yet they just seemed to keep coming out of a very hole, nook and crevasse in this place. He vaulted off the wall and over to the side of the two white haired people and punched straight through through the skull of another burning creature that was trying to flank the two behind.
"Thanks Vel! Name be Flenn." Flenn thanking Vel as he saw Vel protect him. Flenn from appearence alone quiet elderly man in comparison to the younger woman. "No problem Flenn. What are these things?" Vel had returned with confusion yet curiosity. "Squealstokes. They were once goblins here on Mirrodin." the feminine voice explained. "Those are goblins?" Vel yelled over the din of battle with astonishment and confusion on his face. Vel's fists glowed brightly of red and green mana that empowered his crushing force through the sinew of the squealstokes with enhanced might and hastened speed. Miora to his right was cleaving through the squealstokes with a masterfully made sword in great sweeping arcs yet what caught his eye was the darkened and strange metal with two glowing yellow lights that danced around the sword. To Vel's left, Flenn's massive two-handed hammer was smashing through the bodies of squealstokes with great force like a ram through stone. Yet with every squealstoke they slayed, more and more just came in waves that seemed never ending.
"Quickly this way!" a third voice had called out from behind a large sheet of metal. "Don't dawdle behind Miora!" yelled Flenn. "I'm coming! Don't get your armor in a bunch!" Miora snapped.
As the three ran past the metal Vel was quiet surprised to see not one, not two, not even three but four lion headed people with spears ready as they faced the wall. While another human clad in white armor and gold cloth with white hair slammed the sheet of metal. The squealstokes screamed and banged wildly on the metal wall like waves that crashed against the stone. Vel looked at the lion headed people with a raised eyebrow and then his turned to Flenn as he heard him say proudly "Don't worry, the Leonin are here to help protect us."
"Where am I exactly?" Vel had asked as the danger was postponed at least for now. His eyes took in the sight of what most be a refugee camp that looked in desperate need of help and hope.
"Where? Why your at Lowlight. One of the homes of the Mirran Resistance." Miora explained with a smirk. "We will take you to see our leader Kemba. She will know what purpose you have."
-To Be Continued.