Trials of a Planeswalker Ch. 01: Rising

"Looks like my u intend to do more than console." Varia sneered, "I might join in. She's pretty cute, I think I'd enjoy starting my harem with you and her. You know what they say about twins."

"Varia!" Robin squealed.

"Come on Varia, that's going too far." Blayne sighed.

"Well she was the one faking her fear to get your attention." Varia crossed her arms and she looked at Blayne expectantly.

"I know that! I wanted to see how far she would take it." Blayne huffed, shaking his head.

"What? How could you know I was?!" Robin squealed, jerking herself back in surprise.

"I didn't know, but that clever lie got you to reveal it. Why Robin?" Blayne asked as he looked flatly at her.

"Because she doesn't love you like I do! You're my dear brother! I want you to stay home and stay safe! She wants to take you out into the other worlds and put you in danger!" Robin hissed, grabbing his arm. She stared into his eyes her lip pouted slightly.

"In other words, she wants boredom and I want excitement." Varia chuckled, nudging Blayne playfully.

"You're going to die out there! You'll die and I'll never know. I'll never see you again. One day you'll just walk off and be gone. Now every time you walk out the door I have to wonder if it's the last time I'll see you." Robin said, wrapping her arms around him tightly.

"If you think I'll let him die, you're dumber than you look. If it comes down to it, I'll make him into a lich spirit and bind him to my soul." Varia chuckled, smacking Robin's arm.

"Good to know." Blayne sighed.

Robin calmed down a little, but she still sat with her shoulder pressed tightly to Blayne and her arm around his waist. Varia sat on his other side, whistling idly and bouncing her foot on her knee as if nothing had happened. Another few minutes and Blayne stood up, pointing out their stop.

*******

"I don't know what you enjoy so much about this city Blayne. The food wasn't really that great and there were far too many people." Varia complained as they got back to Robin's apartment, "Although the bout with those cowards on the subway was a lot of fun."

"Not everything in this world is based around war and magic. I told you, this world grew differently from yours. People in this world don't have to fight for their lives, they simply have to work for their living." Blayne shrugged, closing the door behind him. Robin stomped across the room and flopped on the couch, her arms crossed and a glare on her face.

"You didn't have to attack the waiter boy and get us kicked out of my favorite restaurant though." Robin yelled at her.

"He had a knife and was walking towards me! All I did was throw my chair at him, he didn't die! Bad enough that you made me leave my sword with that idiot at the door!" Varia yelled back at her.

"He was picking up dishes and carrying them to the kitchen! Nobody in this world is going to try and kill you!" Robin exclaimed loudly, "Anyway, we haven't talked much about your plans Blayne. What is it you're intending to do?"

"Go back to Ravnica." Blayne said simply.

"What? Why there?" Varia asked, "Isn't that were those other girls were that you slept with."

"Yes. But I'm not going back for them. I'm going back because Ravnica is still on the brink of war and in the past two weeks, anything could've happened. I have an obligation to go back and try to help. They helped me thoroughly when I first woke up after my initial Planeswalk, so I owe them." Blayne explained.

"War! You can't go there Blayne! It's too dangerous." Robin stated loudly.

"I don't have a choice Robin. I just said that I owe them and I intend to pay them back for their help. I think Varia and I are going to leave sooner than later anyway. I know you want me to stay, but I just can't. Being here this short time has reminded me how alien I feel here." Blayne sighed, rubbing his face. Robin stared at him in both sorrow and annoyance.

"I love you Blayne! You're my brother! Isn't that enough reason?" Robin asked and she grabbed his hand tightly. "Who cares what the world thinks. I want you here."

"You don't get it Robin. I don't belong. I'm a wizard and a Planeswalker. My spark, up here, it compells me to go out and see new things. That or it's just sheer wanderlust. Whatever the cause, I cannot just stay at home. I have to go out somewhere my powers can be used and be helpful." Blayne said, holding her hand and looking in her eyes. She looked as though she was fighting the urge to cry at the same time she was fighting the urge to punch him. Her emotions never stopped entertaining Blayne.

"Thank god. I hate this city." Varia huffed and she hefted up her pack, considerably lighter after she and Blayne both dumped the dolls, carvings and other little decoration nic-nacs that the Pandarens had given them. It now just had a bottle of Pandaren Sake in her bag and a few cans of food in his bag.

"Blayne..." Robin sighed.

"Christmas." Blayne said, "I'll keep it wound. I'll be back for Christmas."

"Th... That long... five months." Robin mumbled, looking down at her feet.

"I'm sorry Robin, but the politics on Ravnica are insane. It may take that long just to try and find some way to actually help. There's something going on under the surface, something that is trying to pit the guilds against one another and I have to find out what it is." Blayne said, turning to also grab his own pack.

"Right now? You're leaving now... It's five. Stay for dinner and stay the night again!" Robin said quickly.

"No, because then you'll say breakfast, then lunch, then dinner and another night." Blayne said with a slight grin. He reached out and hugged his twin sister with one arm.

"Of course I would... I don't want you to go again." Robin mumbled.

"Christmas, Robin, Christmas. Just go on with your life. I promise you, next time I come back, we'll rent a car and drive out somewhere I can use my magic. I'll give you a real show. I'll summon Shyara and you can have a ride on her." Blayne said, gently putting his hand on her cheek, "Good bye sister."

"Bye..." Robin sighed, grasping his hand one last time.

"Good, let's go. I want to see this world on the brink of war. I might have some fun." Varia said, sitting down on the floor. Blayne turned and sat down across from her, taking one of her hands. Robin put her hands on her hips and stared down at them.

"You said you were leaving." Robin said.

"We are. It's called Planeswalking. Please, quiet." Blayne whispered, keeping his eyes closed.

The magic slowly came to them and after ten minutes of Robin pacing impatiently, they disappeared in a blink. It made her look down at the floor and slowly step forward, worried she might run into their invisible bodies or something. She honestly questioned herself for a moment if they had really been there or not. She sat down on the couch and picked up the gem in it's velvet wrappings.

"Thanks Blayne. You're the best. Come back safe." She sighed, running a finger gently over the priceless jewel.

*******

CHAPTER 24 - RETURN TO RAVNICA

"Where is it Blayne." Varia asked impatiently.

They had been wandering the paths of the Blind Eternities for more than ten minutes now. It was totally endless and completely devoid of everything besides themselves. He finally stopped and closed his eyes, looking around with his mind's eye. He finally felt something pulling him in a particular direction, as if the AEthers themselves were answering his question. He continued down the path and stopped at a dead end.

"There." Blayne said, pointing out at a cloud that floated a dozen feet above and away from them.

"Let's go then." Varia said, grasping Blayne's hand.

Blayne lifted off with the help of magic, floating up off the path and flying towards the cloud. He focused his mind on the Izzet League and slipped through the cloud. Bright light flared around them and Blayne knew immediately that he had not appeared where he wanted. They stood side by side on a bright golden platform floating high in the sky. The shining spires of the Firemind's Aerie floated high among the clouds of Ravnica. Bright red and sparkling blue mana swirled around the towers and floated in great bands around it. He knew immediately that this wasn't going to end well.

"Who dare invade my Aerie?!" Niv-Mizzet's voice boomed from the main hall. In front of them, a great archway rose in the front of the central golden tower. The red and blue dragon strode forward, his feet booming on the ground with each step. Varia's composure broke for a moment, a look of fear crossing her face at the sight of the huge dragon.

"Let me handle this." Blayne whispered.

"Blayne! Meddling little Planeswalker. I heard you tore apart the guild's main hall." Niv-Mizzet growled, "You will die for coming here. None may know where my Aerie sits in the sky."

"I've been gone to other worlds. I have grown in power! Do not make the mistake of thinking you can best me! It was an accident we landed here and we will leave immediately." Blayne said confidently.

Niv-Mizzet looked at him for a moment and then he rose his huge head in booming laughter. He roared with mocking humor at Blayne's confidence.

"You are going to die here and now." Niv-Mizzet said, glaring down at him. Blayne could see fire boiling in the dragon's throat and he could feel the power growing inside him. He reached down into his own soul, pulling power from the sky above. White Mana flared from his hands in a bright flash. It eruption served a dual purpose, blinding Niv-Mizzet momentarily and calling Shyara to his side.

She appeared in the sky above them and Blayne grabbed Varia's hand. He pulled her to the edge of the golden platform and jumped off into the fluffy clouds below. Varia gripped his hand tightly and she screamed, "Are you mad?!"

'Shyara! Catch us!' Blayne cried out in his mind.

'Master, what're you doing?!' Shyara cried in fear as she pulled her wings tight to her side. She rocketed downward, racing past the Aerie and towards the plummeting Planeswalkers. Her eyes stared intently at Blayne and she pulled her wings closer to her sides. It was a challenge to see them through the thick white clouds.

The clouds broke and they were left in open air, thousands of feet off the ground. Far below them, the hustle and bustle of Ravnica carried on obliviously. Shyara slowly grew level with them, adjusting herself to fall at the same speed. Blayne used his magic to push him and Varia sideways to slide into Shyara's saddle. The moment they were safely on her back, she pulled her wings open. Their decent speed decreased slowly as she gently pulled up against the momentum of gravity.

"You're insane!" Varia screamed in Blayne's ear as they fell.

"Yea, but you love me all the same." Blayne turned his head back and spoke into her ear. His eyes grew wide at the sight behind them. Niv-Mizzet plummeted towards them, his maw bristling with deadly fire and lightning. Sharp ivory claws were held towards them, eager to spill their blood. He roared deafeningly and a torrent of fire exploded down towards them.

"Shyara, turn!" Blayne yelled, directing her with the reigns.

She dove and spiraled out of the way, missing the searing blaze by a hairsbreadth. Blayne turned in the saddle and hurled his hand upward. An impressive bolt of lightning exploded from him and struck the dragon in the chest. The electricity crackled across his chest, disappearing in apparent harmlessness.

"Hold steady for a moment Shyara! Varia, switch places with me!" Blayne yelled over the screaming winds.

She looked at him in shocked horror as he pulled himself out of the saddle and flew alongside in an aura of magic. He kept a hand on Shyara as Varia scooted forward. He remounted her saddle backwards behind Varia, pressing their backs together as he looked up at Niv-Mizzet. The great dragon launched another deadly volley of lightning-infused fire. Blayne deflected it with walls of blue magic. He held tight to the saddle with his hips, staring Niv-Mizzet straight in the eyes.

His hands rubbed together, generating and absorbing great amounts of red mana. He fought Niv-Mizzet for the mana around them, pulling in all he could. His hands pressed together and a blinding cone of flame.

He was back on Ravnica. The power on Azeroth had been good, but here it was as if this plane was the source of all mana. He had truly forgotten how powerful he was here.

The cone of flame screeched loudly as it burned the air aside. It completely engulfed the dragon, burning more than a mile into the sky. It seared a giant hole in the fluffy white clouds above, making them separate in huge white rings. Varia turned her head to look back at the deafening sound. Her eyes grew wide at the immense power of the fire. What caused her to actually feel a twinge of fear was that the fire wasn't enough. It split and Niv-Mizzet gave a defiant roar as he shugged off the immense heat. A dragon of his power would not be touched by such a spell.

Shyara began to level off as they neared the ground. She curled around a flying ship and raced through the towering spires of the Orzhov district. Beautiful buildings of alabaster marble and clean black roofs.

There was a great explosion behind them as Niv-Mizzet tore the flying ship in two, sending the flaming halves falling on the innocents below.

"We need to stop this! Get away from the city or something!" Varia yelled.

"Where?! Ravnica is one giant city. The closest forests are Gruul territory and they're probably half-way around the world." Blayne called back, "No, we fight him off."

Niv-Mizzet was racing through the buildings almost as fast as they were, however in a much more destructive manner. Being easily four times their size, he was tearing the sides of buildings off with his claws and ripping towers in half with his tail. Blayne knew this was causing more harm than he could stand. It bothered him greatly to know how much damage and death was being caused simply by Niv-Mizzet's rage and pride. Blayne tried to ignore him as he focused his mind and closed his eyes. The training with the monks helped immensely and the subsequent time on Azeroth also helped him deal with the fear growing in his mind. He gathered mana as they flew over the city, super-charging his body with a torrent of red and blue. His mind calmed and he breathed slowly. Time seemed to crawl and the world quieted down a little.

"Go on without me." Blayne said calmly and he slipped off the back of Shyara.

"WHAT?!" Varia screamed as they continued on, Shyara flying at Blayne's command.

Wind whipped past Blayne and he used his immense store of mana to float gently down on the peak of a castle spire. Niv-Mizzet was close and he had followed Blayne instead of Varia, accomplishing Blayne's goal. He held tight to the metal spike atop the roof's peak, he looked out across Ravnica. The great dragon was closing, death in his eyes and fire flicking from his jaws. He got closer and Blayne held his cool. His mind was still, he was not afraid. He was at peace.

"Leave me alone." Blayne said stoicly as he raised his hand, his other holding the metal spike tightly. Electricity crackled between his fingers and he could see the mana glowing around him. His entire arm glowed beneath the sleeve of his shirt. He breathed a deep breath as Niv-Mizzet grew closer. He circled the tower and he was but a moment from bathing Blayne in a deadly inferno.

Blayne loosed all the power in his body in one great burst of lightning. The sound of the thunder was the loudest sound he had ever heard and it deafened him completely. The shockwave visibly shook the buildings around them and knocked people over on the ground below. It struck Niv-Mizzet and he roared in agony. His wings crumpled and he crashed brutally into the side of a building. Blayne watched as the dragon slowly pulled himself from the rubble.

'This isn't over Planeswalker!' Niv-Mizzet's voice boomed in his mind, full of rage, pain and murderous intent. He turned and shook the dust from his head before taking off again. The grand dragon climbed into the sky and fled back to his Aerie.

Blayne thought it was good too that he had fled because he was barely hanging onto the roof where he stood. His arm ached and his sleeve was smoldering slightly. But at the same time a feeling of elation filled him. He, under his own power, had fought off a dragon and a very powerful one at that. His own magical strength had created a bolt of lightning so powerful that it had driven away The Firemind.

Shyara flew down near the roof once Niv-Mizzet was gone into the sky. Varia yelled something at him, but his hearing still hadn't returned after the deafening thunder of his attack.

'Shyara, I can't hear after that last attack. Just come over here a bit closer so I can climb on.' Blayne said in his mind.

*******

"That was awesome Blayne!" Varia exclaimed once they landed somewhere in the middle of the Boros District. His hearing had returned quickly, only being deafened for a few minutes from the thunder.

"I couldn't let him hurt you." Blayne said with a smile.

'This place is amazing Blayne. I've never seen aything like it. There are floating buildings... so many people and it's all so big. Nowhere on Azeroth does a place like this exist.' Shyara told them as she looked around.

They were standing on a large stone walkway that wrapped around a multi-tiered castle. Below them spread hundreds of buildings, thousands of people and one of the most amazing sights of their lives. Floating in the sky above them were dozens of towering fortresses held up on magic islands of rock and dirt. A great canyon cut down the center of the buildings, criss-crossed by a bridge every hundred feet. The chasm was incredibly deep and fog obscured it's depths. The sun shone brightly over the bronze-colored roof tops of the Boros District.

Just then a dozen soldiers marched up to them with a regal looking officer on a horse leading them. He wore shining armor adorned with gold and crimson colors.

"You have invaded Boros airspace and landed on private property. State your reason or be arrested." The officer said.

"I apologize sir, we just barely escaped an attack by Niv-Mizzet and had to catch our breath. With your permission, we'll be on our way." Blayne said to the man.

"Be that as it may, you have violated the laws of the Boros Legion and you must be apprehended." The officer said with a wave of his gauntleted hand.

"Think very carefully about what you are doing. We only wish to leave in peace. I just fought off a millenias old dragon and you think you are just going to arrest me." Blayne said proudly.

Shyara stepped forward and roared loudly at the soldiers that were moving to handcuff them. They stopped in their path quickly, seeing her quite-obviously magical nature as well as the immense size of her fangs.

"We of the Boros Legion will not be intimidated by some show of power. Our numbers are great, yours are but three. You need to realize what you face." The officer said sharply.

The soldiers, embolded by their officer's statement, drew their swords and advanced closer.

"I give you one more chance to stop and walk away before your lives are forfeit." Blayne warned, holding up a finger.

"You'll what, kill me with magic? I'm not afraid of death, for it holds no surprises for the Boros. We have done right in life and fought for the betterment of Ravnica." The officer said proudly.

"No, I'm much too drained for that right now. I'll let her kill you with your own soldier's blood." Blayne said, taking a step back from the soldier cautiously approaching him.

"Oh yes! Finally!" Varia cheered, leaping forward. Her eyes glowed bright lilac and black mana flowed from her. Whipping her arm upward in one clean motion, she tore the blood from the four soldiers near them and they died before their dry corpses hit the ground. She swirled the blood around and collected it into a large ball above her hand.