Trials of a Planeswalker Ch. 01: Rising

"Whoa! We probably ought to move!" Blayne said, backpedaling down the beach quickly.

Another giant coconut crashed into the first with an ear-splitting crack and it fell off into the sand, barely a dent in it.

"What are those?" Varia asked, pointing at the coconuts.

"They're coconuts. They're a fruit filled with a sweet milk. Have you never seen one before?" Blayne asked.

"There's a lot on this world I haven't seen. My village was in the heart of a rich forest and it's very rare to have a sunny day on Innistrad. I've never seen a beach before either." Varia said, turning to look at the ocean.

"Well let's see if we can crack one of these giants." Blayne said, reaching out with magic.

He lifted the coconut from it's place and set it down by them. With a fist of kinetic magic, he struck the coconut. Surprisingly enough, it stayed intact and withstood his blow. He struck it again and it just sank an inch into the sand.

"Let me see your sword." Blayne said.

"I don't want you damaging it." Varia shook her head.

"Oh come on, they told us it was enchanted to be unbreakable and always sharp." Blayne said, "A sword that fine? I think their magic is just as good."

Varia sighed and gave him the sword. He held it blade down and gave a loud yell as he struck the coconut. The blade sunk barely over an inch into it's tough hide. He used magic and pushed on the blade, shoving it further. It pierced the inner shell and he dropped suddenly.

"All right! Let's see if we can get it open now." Blayne smiled, slowly pulling the sword out.

"Let's hope it's milk cleans off." Varia said, wiping the blade dry on the coconut husk.

Blayne formed a spike of magic and drove it into the sword slit. The coconut cracked loudly and it broke apart, spilling milky coconut liquid all over the sand. It's halves fell open and it's white insides were laid bare. Liquid was pooled in either half. If it were a normal sized coconut, it wouldn't be much, but the giant coconut had nearly a gallon in either side.

"Go on, try it." Blayne said, pointing at it.

"Well can't be any worse than rat meat." Varia shrugged.

She dipped a hand in the milk and brought it to her lips.

"Well?" Blayne asked.

"It's sweeter than I thought it would be. That's good. Very good." Varia nodded, taking another drink.

"Yea, it's a weird thing, the coconut. The normal sized ones make good drinks. You drill a hole in them, pour out a bit of the milk and pour in some rum and pineapple juice. You can just drink it with a straw right there." Blayne said, taking a drink for himself.

"That sounds good. We should do that tonight. But one question..." Varia glanced at him, "The fuck is a pineapple?"

"Another tropical fruit. Come on, let's go down the beach a bit further and cast this spell." Blayne jabbed his thumb in the direction he intended.

Varia took another small drink before following him. The beach curled around the peninsula and when Blayne thought they were far enough from the town, he stopped. He pulled the scroll from his pocket and broke the gold wax seal on it. He unfurled it and looked at the words in the paper. They weren't like any language he had ever seen before. They were some strange symbolic language and he couldn't even imagine what to say.

"Blayne?" Varia asked.

"I didn't even think about it. We're in a different world. It's written in a different language." Blayne sighed, "Oh well."

"Let me see it." Varia said and she took the scroll.

"Think you can read it?" Blayne asked.

"Not a damn word." Varia shook her head.

He took the scroll back and looked at it again. They sat down on the beach together and he just stared at the scroll.

"Sei'atha... akahle varhaya..." Blayne said as he stared at the scroll.

"What?" Varia asked.

"I don't know. As I stare at the paper, those words come into my mind. I'm not reading them because I can't tell you what they mean, but that's the sound in my mind." Blayne said, scratching his head.

"So you can cast it?" Varia said.

"I think so. Sei'atha akahle varhaya zeii'neala..." Blayne stood as he felt a surge of white mana filling him, "...Tuikana yakiale inae kua he ki no torresta est polls kist oh nuu!"

An explosion for white mana rippled around him and a shockwave exploded across the beach. The scroll burned up in a bright flash of magic. A powerful wind whipped up around them and there was a crack of thunder up in the sky. Blayne looked up to see a glowing creature flying down towards them. It beat it's wings with great power and it pulled up just before striking the beach. The ground rumbled as it's weight hit the ground. Blayne and Varia stared in awe at this proud, glorious creature.

It had the body of a giant lion, standing as tall as a powerful stallion. At full height, it's head rose above Blayne's. It's fur was a dark ebony and the feathers of it's wings were a dark black. The beast's mane was a beautiful golden and it flickered with holy fire. It's paws, the edges of it's wings and it's tail all glowed with the same holy light. Around it's jaw, it's mane was done in long braids. A worn dark metal crown covered it's forehead and a set of reigns were hooked back to the large black leather saddle. Plates of similar metal were attached down it's chest. Heavy plates covered it's front shoulders and over the wrists and tops of it's four paws. It truly looked like a proud beast beyond the worth of any man.

Blayne felt his knees tremble as this proud beast stared down at him, it's eyes glowing bright golden. He knew this grand creature could kill them both with a swipe of it's paw.

'Who is my new master?' A voice rumbled in their minds as it took a step forward.

Varia fell back on the sand, staring up at it in shock.

"My name is Blayne Abasset. What is your name, grand creature?" Blayne asked, staring into it's eyes.

'My name is Shyara.' The beast said.

Hearing the name and the voice again made Blayne realize something surprising.

"You're a female!" Blayne stated in surprise.

'That I am master Blayne.' Shyara nodded her head.

"I'm sorry. In my world, there are proud animals like yourself, the males have large manes and the females don't." Blayne explained, "I apologize for the mistake."

'You needn't apologize for anything master.' Shyara said, 'So what do you wish of me master?'

"Nothing. I was given this spell as thanks for my help in a battle. I wasn't told what this spell summoned." Blayne said, "But I must say, you are magnificent. What kind of creature are you?"

'I am unique, master. A one of a kind created by the titans of this world thousands of years ago.' Shyara said, 'I was never given a name as to what my form is.'

"So why do you call me master? You are a creature of such power and pride, I cannot even imagine controlling you." Blayne said, looking over Shyara.

'You have summoned me, and therefore you are my master.' Shyara said, 'So there is no battle or need of me?'

"I'm sorry, no. I hope I didn't inconvenience you in anyway." Blayne apologized.

'There is no need to apologize master. Just remember, as long as you live, you are now my master.' Shyara said, 'Do you wish me to remain?'

"No, you may go." Blayne said, bowing his head.

Shyara lowered her front half and bowed her own magnificent head to him. Once she straightened up, her wings spread wide and she beat them. Sixteen feet from tip to tip, they blew sand across the beach as she lifted off. Blayne and Varia watched in awe as she took to the sky. In a blink of blinding light, she disappeared.

"Holy fuck." Varia gasped.

"No kidding." Blayne said, falling down to sit next to her.

"That was the scariest thing I have ever seen." Varia said, "Shyara, she could kill every vampire or werewolf on Innistrad. I can't believe she calls you master."

"Yea, I agree. Imagine what she would've done in the middle of that battle earlier?" Blayne asked.

"Could've done what I did?" Varia chuckled, laying her head back on the sand.

"And more." Blayne laughed.

*******

CHAPTER 19 - THE PANDARENS

Blayne and Varia spent two more days together in Booty Bay. A couple of the dwarves in the bar turned out to be quite entertaining and they had a good time with them. They shared stories of the world and of where the two of them grew up over a century ago, Ironforge. Apparently this world had been through an attack from another world, a mad 'lich-king' tried to rule it, a crazed dragon tried to destroy it and now a mysterious continent finally made contact with the major races of Azeroth. A continent, the natives of which were a race of panda-like people named Pandarens. From the descriptions of them, they sounded like they were chinese in culture.

Beyond that, Blayne and Varia both were getting bored after being in one place for so long. So on their third morning in Booty Bay, they spent the last of their gold to get a pair of rucksacks full of supplies and a pair of bedrolls.

"This is more like it. Let's get out and do something!" Varia exclaimed happily as they walked through the buildings of Booty Bay.

"Any idea where you want to go?" Blayne asked.

"I picked up this tube of maps. One of them shows the entire world. There's that place the guy was talking about, Pandaria. I think we should go there. The dwarves talked about how few people have ever gone there." Varia said, "We should find a way to get there."

"Lets go ask some of the ship captains." Blayne said, "Someone has to be able to sail there."

They spent the next hour going from captain to captain, showing them the location of Pandaria and hearing each one turn them away. They spoke something of a magical mist that hid Pandaria from the world, making it nearly impossible to sail to.

"Well this is fucked." Blayne groaned as they walked down the docks.

The sun was high in the sky above them and a soft breeze blew from the ocean. Varia gave a devious grin as she looked out at sea.

"How long do you think Shyara can fly?" Varia said, glancing sideways, "Think she could fly us to Pandaria?"

"I don't know. Seems harsh to ask her to fly us across an ocean." Blayne said flatly.

"I bet she could do it!" Varia exclaimed, "Come on! Summon her!"

"Okay, look, I'll try to summon her and ask. But I won't push it if she says something against it. I mean, come on. Flying across an ocean?" Blayne groaned, rubbing the side of his face.

"Alright, go ahead!" Varia said eagerly.

Blayne sighed and shook his head. Stepping to the very edge of the pier, he took a deep breath. White magic was still a challenge to him and he wasn't sure he could probably cast the spell again without the scroll. He sure couldn't remember the words and that worried him, but at the same time he felt a strange familiar sensation in the back of his mind that told him he could do it again.

He drew on the white mana in the skies above him and the reserves in his own body. It coursed through his hands and he released it all in a huge burst. There was a flash and a crack of thunder, signalling Shyara's arrival from wherever she came. The magnificent lioness-like beast flew down in a rush, landing on the dock with an enormous thump.

A sailor fishing on the dock started at her landing and he grumbled in annoyance about her scaring the fish.

'Yes master Blayne?' Shyara asked as she looked down at him.

"Shyara, we need to cross an ocean. We're not sure how far it is, but we have a map." Blayne said, "Would you be able to carry us?"

'Of course master. It is no trouble.' Shyara said with a nod.

"Just so you know, according to this map, it's a week by ship. Flying, it could take two or three days!" Blayne exclaimed.

'It is no trouble master. I am able to stay awake for a week or more and I am capable of flight for a number of days.' Shyara said, 'Even with two passengers, I would have no trouble traveling such a distance.'

"Well?" Varia said, crossing her arms expectantly.

"Fine, you're right. I'm sorry I just feel bad about asking someone I've barely spoken with to fly me for a few days to a mysterious, distant island." Blayne grumbled.

'Master, I understand your worry, but you must also understand that I am bound to you through both magic and honor. If you ask something of me, I will not lie to you and I will not deny you.' Shyara spoke into their minds.

"Alright, alright. I'm not originally from a magical world, so this is all new to me. One last question." Blayne said, looking over at Varia and then back to Shyara, "How is it you speak to our minds?"

'I project my thoughts in the same way you project your voice. All minds hear my projections just like they are thoughts from their own minds.' Shyara explained, 'This way all creatures can understand me.'

"Huh. Cool." Varia nodded.

'Master, may I see the map of where you wish to go?' Shyara asked.

"Right, here you go." Varia said, holding up the tube of maps.

'Umm...' Shyara hummed, looking down at her paws.

"Whoops. Didn't think of that. Alright." Varia said, "This is where we are, this bay right here on the Cape of Stranglethorn. If the map is to scale, we can say a flight directly west will lead us to the tip of this isle of Pandaria. The only problem is that the sailor we purchased this from told us that it's just a location map. The actual shape of the island is unknown."

'That matters not. My eyes can see to the very edge of the horizon and I have an impeccable sense of direction. If you wish master, we may depart immediately.' Shyara said, 'I will fly through the night and we will reach your destination as soon as possible.'

"If you don't mind." Blayne said, holding his hands up.

'Of course I don't. Please do tie your packs on either side of my saddle though, as I would prefer a balanced load for such a trip.' Shyara suggested.

Once they had tied down their packes and bedrolls on the sides of the saddle, Varia doing much of it because of her experience in saddling horses, they had a small crowd gathered near them. The people of Booty Bay had not seen a creature like Shyara and she was easily the most exiciting thing to happen outside the tavern.

Kneeling down low, Shyara let them climb into the large black saddle perched atop her powerful back.

'Hold tight master.' Shyara said and she started to run down the dock.

At the end, her strong legs launched them into the air and with a beat of her wings, they were rising into the sky. The saddle was more comfortable than the one on the griffon and it was large enough for both of them. Shyara's entire body undulated and surged beneath them as she climbed higher into the sky, her eyes set on the western horizon. Her rate of ascent was shocking and Blayne held tight to the reigns for fear of slipping. Varia's arms were locked tightly around his waist, her body shaking slightly with fear.

'Master, if you are unfamiliar with sleeping in a saddle, then I suggest one of you stays awake at all times. It would be difficult for me to land in the water and I wish to avoid that.' Shyara said as they leveled off hundreds of feet above the water.

"I'll stay awake! It's okay! I don't want to fall to my death!" Varia called out over the wind.

"Scared of heights and yet so bent on taking this trip on Shyara!" Blayne yelled back at her with a smirk.

"It was our only option and the quicker we're done, the better!" Varia growled.

Shyara's broad wingspan caught updrafts and rode skillfully on the breeze of the ocean. She sailed onward through the sky with little effort apart from keeping her wings spread.

"This is amazing! So much better than the griffon!" Blayne laughed.

'Of course master, as griffons are fairly dumb creatures with a tendancy for trying to eat their riders. I am a much more suitable mount, especially for a wizard of your talent.' Shyara agreed.

"It still feels weird to me, to think such a smart and powerful creature like yourself would willingly call me master." Blayne said, scratching his head.

'It is just the way I am. Companionship with a powerful wizard is preferable to solitude for all eternity.' Shyara said, 'And any wizard powerful enough to summon me is worthy of my admiration. You may not think so, but you are easily more powerful than I."

"I couldn't fly this far. Hell, I couldn't even lift this much weight." Blayne argued.

'I had not meant it in the physical term master.' Shyara said.

"What did you mean then?" Blayne wondered.

'In older times, I was servant to a number of other wizards. In times of war, I was a powerful companion to those that I was bound to. With my strength and claws and their power in magic, we fought with ferocity and deadliness unknown to any other knight and simple horse.' Shyara described, 'And as such it has been. I am often the physical half of a companionship or partnership to defend the good and honorable. And with you as master, I am now to fight alongside you in whatever battles you may find youself in, should you wish me to be there.'

"Well that makes sense I suppose. Still seems odd. In my world, our vehicles... mounts... were not living things. They were machinery that carried us on four wheels anywhere we wanted to go." Blayne described, glancing at his watch as he thought of home.

'Very interesting master, but how could you possibly trust your life to something that had no life of it's own? How could such a lifeless thing protect you?' Shyara asked.

"They weren't meant to protect us... well, sort of they were. I mean... it's like this." Blayne started to speak of his home

*******

'Master. Master, please wake up.' A voice penetrated Blayne's dreams.

"Blayne, wake up!" Varia called, smacking the back of his head.

"What?!" Blayne jerked his head upright.

They had been flying on Shyara for more than a day now. Needless to say, things were uncomfortable. Something they hadn't anticipated was physical needs. Eating was easy on her, but the other end was considerably more challenging to manage. For the most part, an empty water skin took care of their needs.

'Master, I have spotted an island on the horizon, however I worry it is much smaller than you thought it to be.' Shyara told them as they soared over top of a fluffy white cloud.

"Doesn't matter. Land us on it. We all need a break." Blayne sighed, rubbing his eyes, "My body is so sore from this."

'I apologize master, I flew as smoothly as possible.' Shyara apologized.

"No, no. Not your fault. I'm constantly having to remind myself how soft I was back home. How much I've had to change to become accustom to this life of fantasy." Blayne said, glancing at his watch before he wound it, "So I can't see anything. What does the island look like?"

'It's not normal. There's something about it... as if it's moving.' Shyara explained, 'You will see it in an hour or so.'

"Moving? What do you mean?" Varia asked, "How does an island move?"

'I don't know human.' Shyara said, 'I am not familiar with this part of the world. My previous masters were part of the Alliance army in decades past and I always fought alongside them.'

Their flight continued for another hour and, just as Shyara predicted, the island came into view far on the horizon. It was not at all what Blayne had imagined. He had thought of an island maybe the side of a car or a building floating in the ocean. But this was not. It was the size of one of the Hawaiian islands from back home. The strangest thing was that he could see something like a fin rising and falling along side it at a slow, steady pace. He could see four fins on the side they could see, pushing the island along at a slow pace.

With a surge of water, a great head rose out of the water on the far end of the island. It's eye alone was easily four times the size of Shyara.

"My god, it's a turtle! The whole damn thing is a turtle!" Blayne exclaimed, "I see a building built on it's back. It must have a whole village on it or something! Even the mountains on it's back are tall!"