Trials of a Planeswalker Ch. 01: Rising

"Jeez, dead for so long and I swear I can still feel him." Blayne mumbled, his breath showing in a small fog. The air seemed to cool the longer they stood there.

"This is wrong. Even around Sorin's castle on Innistrad, the black mana wasn't this unholy. This is a level of corruption that disturbs even me and I'm a Sangromancer." Varia said, glancing at Blayne and Jaya.

"Yea, that's what I'm trying to get into. There's a sort of barrier around it. It sprang up after the mana started to pour forth from it. It's as if Yawgmoth is coming back to life. Jhoira has told me how to pierce it. The problem is that once we're through the barriers, I have no idea what to expect." Jaya said, walking forward.

"Hang on. I want to summon a friend." Blayne said, trying to draw some white mana from inside himself, "God is there any white mana left around here?"

"Try to reach the Null Moon. It's what Urza and the Weatherlight crew used to subdue him in order to fight the killing blow. It collected white mana for something like nine millenia before they used it to attack Yawgmoth. Since then, it's lain dormant with the damage already done. In all likelihood, it'll never retain that level of mana again, but it should hold some." Jaya said, looking up into the sky.

It was night and the sky above was dotted with stars. A strange celestial body was directly overhead. A shining, metallic-looking moon with a great hole in the center of it and cracks spreading across it's grand surface.

"Crazy bastards flew the Weatherlight straight through, using the ship as a channel to drive the mana straight into Yawgmoth. Nine millenia of white mana and it almost killed him, but he ended up surviving it and they had to fight him in one more battle. The point is, I will not let anyone relive the horror of that time." Jaya said quietly.

"You're right, I can feel the mana in it. It's faint, but it's there and it's enough." Blayne said, feeling the mana coming to him from the Null Moon above.

He cast the spell, it's execution engraved on his mind now. He couldn't forget how to summon Shyara if he tried. She appeared in a bright flash of light on the ground near them, instead of her usual aerial appearance.

'Hello Blayne. What a dark world you have summoned me to.' Shyara said as she looked around.

"We're trying to see if we can stop a nigh-apocalyptic demon from coming back to life. Want to tag along?" Blayne said jovially.

'I'm always willing to come with you. You are right though, something in the ground feels wrong.' Shyara said, striding towards them.

"This is your friend? Jeez, more like a murderous beast." Jaya said.

'I don't take kindly to insults.' Shyara said to her.

"Holy fuck it speaks!" Jaya jumped in surprise.

"She does, yes, and her name is Shyara. She's a good friend and I'd warn you not to get on her bad side." Blayne said, slipping off his pack. He tied it to her saddle with Varia's pack and then stretched his shoulders a little bit.

'Are we not going far Master?' Shyara asked.

"No, that's our destination right there. I just don't want anything encumbering us if we have to get into a fight." Blayne said, pointing at the melting structure.

"And so you encumber her?" Jaya pointed out.

'I fight perfectly fine with weight on my back. I've fought entire armies carrying previous masters. These weights are so trivial that I barely notice a difference.' Shyara said, her voice giving away the insult to her pride.

"Okay, okay. Let's go. We need to get inside as soon as possible." Jaya said, holding her hands up.

'That doesn't look too big inside. Do you think I should just stand guard out here?' Shyara asked as she looked over the dying building.

"No, the castle isn't what we want. Buried under this swamp is a huge cavern containing the last portal to Phyrexia. It was sunk under the very volcano is was placed inside. You see during the war, the Stronghold of Rath was transported from another Plane directly into the volcano. When a group of stone dwarves activated the volcano, it erupted and sank the entire structure. This castle was built on the side of the mountain and as the mountain collapsed, it went with it." Jaya said, waving her hand around, "Anyway, it's pretty big inside, we just have to use a tunnel underneath this castle to get inside. It's the only entrance left to reach underneath the mountain. It's where the heart of Yawgmoth's power lies, where his corpse is believed to be."

"How does a whole mountain just collapse?" Varia asked in surprise.

"You don't know stone dwarves. When they do something, they do it well. They used magic and caused such an eruption that the entire mountain practically fell over." Jaya explained, "This castle had a tunnel that led into the mountain, multiple of them. It was the only way into the fortress, except for the hole in the top of the mountain of course. The point is that we're looking for one of those."

"Alrighty then." Blayne shrugged and he started to walk.

They neared the castle and Jaya held up a hand to stop them. She held the hand forward and unleashed a cone of flame. A few feet away it splashed over an invisible barrier and a strange black glow appeared. The glow flickered across the entire dome around the castle, showing them the location of the barrier.

"Here we go." Jaya said, holding her hands together. A small ball of flame appeared there and she swirled it around between her hands. It grew in brightness and she held it forward. A thin beam spread from it and hit the barrier, making it shudder violently. The beam grew into a cone, spreading open a hole in the barrier. Jaya stepped forward, shortening the cone into a ring that was in the side of the barrier. She took hold of the fiery circle and pushed it out further, making it big enough to step through. A motion of her head told them to go through.

Varia stepped through and Blayne followed. Jaya stretched the hole further with a loud grunt, making it big enough for Shyara to shimmy through it. Just as it seemed she would lose control, she leapt through and the barrier closed behind her with a bright flash. The entire dome flickered with purple magic and cracks appeared in it. It glowed and shattered, loosing a great shower of black mana that slowly faded away.

"Oooh! Glad that worked. That barrier eats flesh on contact. Try to walk through it and a skeleton will come out the other side." Jaya said, running a hand through her hair, "On we go!"

'That's... comforting.' Shyara said uncertainly.

"Nice big doors and no protection through here though... I think." Jaya said as they walked through the crooked front gate of the castle.

The courtyard looked like a swamp, only broken and messed up cobblestone giving them a dry way to go. They crossed it quickly and entered the heart of the fortress. The walls were dark and the room was only lit by Jaya's fire and Shyara's glowing mane. It was unnerving because the whole room was sitting at an angle, making everything seem like they were about to fall over. Blayne took a nervous look at his watch, nine pm.

"Just this way." Jaya said, leading them through a rotten door barely hanging on rusted hinges.

Through long hallways and twisting rooms, she led them down into dank dungeons and across floors ankle deep in muck or water. The entire castle smelled like death and Blayne was getting sickened by it. Just when he thought he'd lose his stomach, Jaya pulled a switch at the end of a particularly disgusting room that opened into a dank cave.

"Here it is. Right down into the heart of the volcano." Jaya smiled, walking down the steep cave entrance.

'I was worried these human buildings would not be big enough for me, but I am pleasantly surprised.' Shyara told them as they continued onward.

"Well let's just say the Phyrexians weren't small either. This castle wasn't necessarily built for them, but it had to accommodate them." Jaya said back to them.

"You've spoken of Yawgmoth and how the Phyrexians are his minions or something, what horrors and terror they were. What were they really? Were they people like us or dragons or what?" Blayne wondered.

"Just pray you never have to face them. That's all you need to know." Jaya said, her voice instantly cold and distant.

"How much further is it?" Varia asked impatiently.

"Just a little while. Keep walking." Jaya muttered, apparently disinterested in talking now.

They continued in silence, Varia clasping Blayne's hand as they went. He was a bit surprised to see her unnerved by anything, but he could feel the light sweat on her palm. She would never admit it though, so he didn't try to ask her about it. Instead he simply held her hand and walked on, trying not to show his own fear.

*******

CHAPTER 27 - TOMB OF YAWGMOTH

The cavern under the volcano was gigantic. Blayne couldn't see the other end of it. It was hot and smelled of sulfur. The four of them stood on a rocky cliff. Beneath them, a lake of lava boiled, giving the cavern an eerie glow.

Sunk in the middle of the lava was a huge steel structure. It was still connected to the cliff they stood on by a long, twisted metal bridge, but the center of the structure was half-sunk in the lava. A creepy black fog was floating out of the cracks and doors in the structure. It looked as though it used to hang high above the lava pool, a giant factory of unknown purpose.

"What could possibly be going on here? Who would be insane enough to go in there?" Varia asked with a disbelieving tone.

"That's what I intend to find out." Jaya said, walking towards the bridge.

"Whoa! You aren't planning on going in there, are you?" Blayne said, grabbing her arm.

"Of course I am. You didn't come this far to just wuss out, did you?" Jaya asked with a laugh.

"I..." Blayne's voice trailed away as the mountain rumbled around them. A bright light blinked into existence above them. There was a deafening detonation that shook their worlds. The air filled with dust and there was a great roar above them. The silhouette of a huge dragon appeared in the dust, it's wings spreading wide as it roared at the ceiling.

"Is that Niv-Mizzet?" Varia asked, staring up at it.

'No! I am far superior to that whelp!' A voice boomed in their minds. Blayne and Varia grabbed their heads and collapsed to their knees, unable to think, barely able to breathe under the agonizing pain of that voice.

"Nicol Bolas!" Jaya yelled into the haze, barely cringing at the voice.

'Jaya Ballard. You still live. How cute. I really must thank you for opening my way to the Powerstone factory. I suspected how to get through the barrier but I wouldn't put myself at risk.' Bolas' voice echoed in their minds. The grand dragon landed on the top of the half-sunken factory, staring across at Jaya. Blayne managed to open an eye and look at the dragon. He was beyond anything Blayne had ever seen and he had this feeling inside that they were only alive right now by the grace of Bolas. He could slay them whenever the whim struck him.

His body was that of a dragon, but much lankier and bigger than Niv-Mizzet. He stood on to hind legs, upright over fifty feet tall. His arms and legs were wrapped in heavy black armor and his scales were a sick green-yellow. His leathery wings were spread wide behind him, taking up much of the cavern. The last curious thing about the huge dragon was a strange gem floating between his curled horns, glittering gently in the light of the lava.

"You're not the only one from the old times Bolas, you are not superior to me." Jaya said as fire started to ripple up around her.

'Master, are you okay?' Shyara asked as she stood between Blayne and Bolas.

Blayne couldn't even form a coherent thought, let alone speak to her. Shyara was somehow immune to Bolas' mental attack by whatever enchantments gave her life.

'You kid yourself Jaya Ballard, I have been orchestrating this whole adventure. I've been watching young Blayne there as he discovered the Multiverse. Young Planeswalkers often find the most exotic realms. But you Jaya, I've been pulling your strings for decades. There is no danger here, I simply wanted you to breach the barrier around Yawgmoth's tomb for me.' Bolas said with an amusing tone, 'Now that I have the Powerstone factory, I will reclaim my powers of old. I shall use the ancient techniques of the Thran to craft a Powerstone mighty enough to hold entire Planes within them. I will become a god once more.'

"Impossible! You cannot reclaim the powers before the mending! Our sparks cannot take that level of power anymore." Jaya called to him.

'Begone.' Bolas said, waving a claw in their direction.

A ripping cyclone of wind enveloped them, tearing at their clothes and slicing their flesh. Jaya screamed and loosed her own magic, pushing back the wind with a great wall of flames. The light blinded them temporarily and, with her goggles on, Jaya wrapped herself in a glorious blaze. She reached her magic to the lava below them, pulling it up and forming a huge elemental from the lava. She waved her arms forward and the towering lava creature moved towards Bolas.

The mental assault lessened as Bolas' attention was turned to Jaya and her elemental. Blayne managed to pull a deep, ragged breath and his eyes snapped open. He felt sweat drip off his brow and he pushed himself up to his knees. Varia was rising up as well, her eyes locked on the battle before them.

Bolas' roar filled the chamber as he lashed out at the creature of fire and stone. Jaya poured out more magic, fueled by the immense power residing below them, striking at Bolas with great fireballs and loud bolts of lightning. He gave another roar and wrapped his wings around himself. Jaya's spells struck his wings a few more times before he snapped them open again with a deafening roar and a surge of magic. The entire cavern was filled with a blinding light and a powerful explosion, knocking all of them against the wall behind them. The elemental collapsed back into the pool and Shyara disappeared. Jaya was the target of the blast and she sat unconscious against the wall. Blayne got to his feet and stumbled forward.

"I'd rather fight than die." Blayne growled, pulling his own powers forth.

Bolas' attention turned to Blayne and he felt the oppressive, almost strangling, nature of his consciousness push down on him. He didn't relent though, dredging up as much mana as he could from the lava below. He felt it warm his body and soothe his aches, if only a little. Bolas watched him carefully, interested in what he would do. Blayne decide to go all in, pouring every ounce of strength he could muster into this one, and likely only, spell.

With the power of the red mana below him, he loosed a single bolt of lightning more powerful than that which he struck Niv-Mizzet with. It made his arms sizzle and his flesh burn on his hands from the strength of the magic. Bolas roared in pain when it struck him, quite shocked at the power of the young Planeswalker.

'Know this young Planeswalker. Your home will be the first I crush. Yours will have the honor of starting my ascension to god-hood.' Bolas spoke quietly into his mind. A single wave of his claw crushed all resistance in Blayne's mind and he crumpled. He tried valiantly to fight against it, but the dragon's powers were too great and Blayne passed out.

*******

Something touched Blayne's face, something cool and soothing. He tried to move, but his body didn't respond. He couldn't feel his body, he could barely even breathe. There was a mumbling near him and he strained to hear.

"So what's wrong with him?" Varia's voice was as sweet a balm as he could imagine.

"You should be thankful. The fact that he's breathing is testament to his strength. Nicol Bolas is an ancient entity of exceptional power. His power over the minds of others is completely unmatched and he is know to kill with just a thought." Jaya said, "But you probably ought to know that I don't think he'll be getting any better. Bolas may have meant to turn him into a vegetable like this as a punishment or something."

"No, there's no way. I've seen Blayne fight. He fought off a dragon before. This one can't be that much more powerful." Varia said, a hysterical tone creeping into her voice.

"Bolas hasn't been a dragon in millenia. He might look like one, but the moment he became a Planeswalker, he ascended far beyond that of mortals. His powers may have been stripped down to a sliver of their former, but he is still more powerful than anyone alive." Jaya said seriously.

"But the way you talked..." Varia started.

"Don't even think it. I may be powerful enough to stand against him for a short time, but we aren't even close to the same level. There's no single person alive that can take Bolas on and it's not an accident. That dragon is tens of thousands of years old and he uses his every experience to his advantage, outsmarting and outthinking everyone. Look at what he did? He managed to play me like a puppet and open the Tomb of Yawgmoth for him, god only knows what he wants with it." Jaya groaned angrily.

"Any reason he didn't just open it himself?" Varia wondered.

"Yawgmoth was basically a god, beyond the power of Bolas, even before the mending and the Planeswalker change. If he had put up that magic before he died, then Bolas definitely wouldn't want to try it himself. My friend I had spoken to, Jhoira... she's an ageless woman who studied with the only equal of Yawgmoth, Urza. Urza was an artificer without equal and he used his talent along with the entire Plane of Dominaria to fight off the Phyrexian invasion. He organized such a convoluted and incredibly complex scheme to fight off Yawgmoth and his armies that I still don't understand it to this day. He traveled through time, planned for hundreds of years in advance and used magic beyond imagining to prepare Dominaria for a war that would reshape it forever. But his meddling in time also caused the great rifts over Dominaria, torn apart by his time magic and theatening to destroy the entire Multiverse. That's where The Mending came in, a great task by all of the most powerful Planeswalkers, both I and Bolas included. Over the course of some time, we all managed to close the rifts and the final closure forever changed the Planeswalker spark." Jaya rambled on.

"Okay, but you can't be serious about Blayne though. He's going to get better. I know him, he wouldn't just leave me like this." Varia said, annoyed at Jaya's uncaring attitude.

"How long have you even known him? I mean, you two are waifs in this war of the ages. You're both Planeswalkers of miniscule power and you stand no chance against Bolas or any other. Just take your chances and run. Go home, go elsewhere and live. He has no future, you still could." Jaya said harshly.

"No! I can't! I refuse to! I love him, he's so great! You haven't seen him when he fights, when he gets serious! It's so amazing to see the passion in his eyes when he battles. The power that resides in him is grand. Even moreso, the wonder he sees everywhere has changed me. I used to be so cold and closed off, but he... he helped me. I can't just let that go!" Varia yelled.

"You cold and closed off... yea, he really worked wonders." Jaya mumbled with a sarcastic scoff.

"Oh shut up! Just go curl up with your depression and ego! Even if you've given up, I won't!" Varia screamed.

Blayne felt a clench in his throat and he felt like screaming. His voice wouldn't listen to him and all he could do is breathe out at a slightly higher rate. He wanted to punch something, wanted to get out all this frustation. More than anything, he wanted to jump up and put his arms around Varia, tell her everything was going to be okay. Hug her and hold her while he told her how they would escape to some far off Plane, he would find some way to bring his sister there and they would be safe from Bolas. His heart ached with all the frustration over this helplessness.