Trials of a Planeswalker Ch. 02: Fall

Nishok frowned. "If you choose to stop them by bending the world to your will, they will only comply out of fear. You won't be solving anything."

"It would be enough!" Henry cried.

Nishok didn't respond with words. Instead he simply held out the Black Lotus to Henry. Henry looked from the flower back to Nishok in confusion.

Nishok explained, "If you truly think fear is enough, then look into your heart and see what kind of world that will create."

Henry was hesitant to answer Nishok's challenge. For a moment he considered simply grabbing the Lotus from Nishok's hand and Planeswalking away before Nishok could stop him. But Henry knew that if he did that he'd just be proving the monk right. He knew that Nishok was giving him a warning that he should heed. So Henry took a moment to steady his breathing, then he reached out slowly to place his hand over the Lotus.

"Now close your eyes and let go," Nishok instructed. "Empty your mind and let the life energy flow through you."

Henry did as he was told. It took a while to shut out the world around him but finally his head was clear. At first there was nothing, and then a vision began to take shape. It was as though Henry was watching through his own eyes and from a disembodied vantage point. It felt like a dream, but it was far more vivid that any dream Henry could remember having.

He was sitting on a black throne at the end of a long hall. The back of the chair was carved into the shape of a giant Black Lotus. Henry was wearing a pointed golden crown and he could see the Mox Pearl set in the band at the center of his forehead. Apart from the crown he was sitting in the throne completely naked. In his right hand he held the true Black Lotus, while the end of a chain leash was wrapped around the other.

His friends were there but their appearances been greatly altered since he had last seen them. Varia and Blayne stood on either side of him, as though they were trusted generals or advisers.

Blayne stood on Henry's left, wearing red embroidered wizard robes and a hooded black cloak. His torso was covered in engraved silver armor and his chest plate bore the symbol of the Black Lotus. His hood was pulled up over his head and the Ruby Mox formed the clasp that held the cloak in place. Beneath his hood he wore a grim expression and his eyes were burning with red mana. His skin had darkened from the heat of his own magical powers. Standing tall and firm in black leather boots, he had his arms folded across his chest. On his hands he wore large mythril gauntlets inscribed with powerful ancient runes.

Varia stood on Henry's right. Unlike Blayne, her skin was pale as snow and her red hair was pulled back into a pony tail. She wore a dark red dress with form fitting bustier top and knee length skirt. It was slit down both sides, offering a peek at her toned white thighs. A black cape with a high collar hung around her neck. Varia wore fingerless black elbow gloves on her hands and knee length high-heeled black boots. Her saber had been replaced by a vicious barbed scimitar. It hung from her belt in a scabbard adorned with precious gems.

Varia was standing sideways relative to Henry, posed provocatively with one knee bent and her hand on her hip. She had a wicked smile on her face in which Henry could see the unmistakable fangs of a vampire.

The most drastic transformation was Robin. Her angelic feathered wings had been replaced with boney batlike appendages. Her skin was now a dull lilac and her hips and breasts had been immensely sexualized. She wore only a scale plated metal bra and chainmail panties, showing off much of her flesh. There was a metal collar around her neck with a chain leash attached to it. The end of that leash was in wrapped around Henry's hand.

She was kneeling in front of his throne. Her head was in his lap with her lips wrapped around the head of his cock. Robin's hands were shackled together, with one stroking his shaft while the other cupped his balls.

Her face had changed too. A set of horns extended back from the sides of her head. Her cheeks were gaunt and her eyes had sunk into their sockets. Her pupils had dilated to the point where they took up almost her entire eyes. These eyes looked up at Henry with none of the love and desire he had grown accustomed to seeing there. Instead there was nothing but a basic primal hunger. Robin's spirit and personality had been completely corrupted into a succubus.

Below Henry, the great hall was filled with more people than he could count. He recognized some of them as members of his own mercenary guild and along with other individuals of some privilege or distinction from his past. The rest were supposedly representatives of some significance from every city and race on Imriel. They were all dressed in rags and bowing to Henry on their knees.

Beyond them, through the tall pointed windows at the end of the hall, a terrible storm ragged outside. Black and red clouds swirled around in a maelstrom and lightning flashed. Henry could see doppelgangers of the airship he had destroyed back in Tymera. They were all flaming wrecks tumbling out of the sky and crashing into the blasted heath below. It was an awesome and terrifying sight, a show of his power against those that try to fight him.

Then suddenly the vision was gone and Henry opened his eyes to find himself back at the Garden with Nishok standing before him. Henry gasped and tried to calm himself, the vision had shaken him badly.

Silently Nishok placed a hand over Henry's heart. He sensed the turmoil inside and shook his head sadly. "You haven't really though this through have you? Whatever you saw has troubled you greatly and you are now unsure of the path that lies before you."

"I... I didn't think it would lead to that. That's not what I want." Henry shook his head emphatically.

"Perhaps not, but those who wield power recklessly often become consumed by it." Nishok said.

"Then what am I to do?" Henry implored Nishok with his palms outstretched. "I know I'm just one man, but I cannot sit idly by and watch my world be torn apart."

Nishok regarded Henry silently for moment, and then spoke in a steady even tone. "I do not deny that your quest is a crucial one or that your intentions are noble. But I will not hand over the Lotus until you have proven you have the balance to use it responsibly. You cannot expect my order to be a party to the enslavement of another Plain."

Henry sensed a glimmer of hope in Nishok's words "What must I do?" He asked.

"If you still intend to use the Lotus to spare your world, then you must stay with us here at the monastery until I am convinced you have found your center." Nishok said.

"How long will that take?" Henry asked.

"As long as it needs to," Nishok replied "When Blayne first arrived here he had an incredible amount of energy stored within himself. But because his chakras were out of alignment, he could not call upon it. For you it is different, it is your mind that is clouded. You must stay and meditate to clear your thoughts before you will find a way to wield this power wisely."

Henry nodded glumly. From what Blayne had said he had hoped it would be a simple matter of walking in, asking for the flower and taking it. Now he realized just how foolish that sounded. Nishok was right not to hand over such power to someone he just met. Of course he would have to prove himself first. Henry had been hoping to get back to Robin's world as soon as he found the Lotus. But if obtaining it meant he had to stay at the monastery and clear his head for a few days, so be it.

"Okay." Henry said firmly "I'll stay if that's what it will take to gain your trust."

Nishok raised a cautionary finger "You must understand exactly what you are agreeing to Henry. If you choose to stay you must devote yourself completely to finding inner peace. That means you must free yourself from any and all attachments to the world beyond these walls."

Henry gulped. Aside from his motivation to acquire to Black Lotus in the first place, he could think of one very important attachment that it was not going to be easy to let go of. Robin wouldn't like being cut off from him for an indeterminate amount of time and Henry couldn't blame her. It must have been hard for her back when Blayne and Varia were out exploring the multiverse while Robin had been stuck alone on Earth. He had no idea where they might be now and he suspected Blayne didn't plan on summoning her if he thought she was spending her time with Henry. In the short time they had been a couple both he and Robin had gotten used to sleeping together each night. Henry was fairly certain neither of them wanted that to stop anytime soon.

Henry chewed his lip and sighed dejectedly. There was no way he could promise Nishok that he would stay in Idena without talking it over with Robin first. Once he got the Lotus, if he got the Lotus, he firmly intended to make it up to her before returning to Imriel.

"I'm afraid I can't promise you anything just yet." He said, "I have to talk this over with her first. I should leave now; I don't think spending the night here would be wise. I'll be back tomorrow with my answer."

Nishok nodded "One should not make choices lightly when the lives of others hang in the balance."

"That is true." Henry said, bowing slightly. "Thank you for giving me a chance."

Nishok smiled, "No need for such formality my friend, we are all equals here. I will show you the way out." He took Henry's hand and turned to lead him back the way he had come.

*******

CHAPTER 17 - THE GREAT RAFIQ

Blayne danced with Varia in the mid-day sun, sweat on his brow and a stitch in his side. He panted heavily and stared deep into her eyes. His feet were moving in a blur and they pushed back and forth. She lurched close to him and then suddenly jerked back.

"Yah!" She exclaimed as their blades met in a bright flash of clashing metal. For Three days now they had been training and now Blayne could hold his ground against Varia. They had moved up to real swords this morning and already he was nursing two painful cuts on his arms. But she insisted that he feel the weight of a real saber in his hand before he actually fought with one. He was glad she did because it was entirely different than the heavy oaken blade. It had a certain precise feeling to it and was more agile in his hand. He had started to incorporate the footwork and body movement from his martial arts into the sword style and that helped him greatly. He didn't fight like Varia did, but he used very similar fluid form. He made short, quick moves, kept a close eye on her and danced about a lot, just like a martial artist would.

The blade they got was one of a very unique make, apparently very much in style in Bant. The blade was thin and long, perfectly straight with a small, ornate handle. It was honestly more of a fencing rapier than a sword, but it had a sharp edge on it and it hadn't broken yet under the worst that Varia could do with her Azerothian saber. The twisted knuckle guard was strong and had deflected a few blows from her already.

"Whoa there! How about... yes!" He called out as he managed to twirl about and snap her sword out of her hand. He quickly brought the tip of his blade up to her throat. He had learned on their second day of training that, even should she drop her weapon, he couldn't give Varia any chances. She had tricked him the first time, retrieved her weapon and cracked him across the knees.

"Much, much better. You might even be able to hold your own against a vampire. I've gotten rusty in my time with you, but I think I've done well enough in training you." Varia smiled, pushing the tip of his sword aside. She stepped forward and kissed him on the lips, "It's really sexy to watch you fight with a sword."

"Well it's pretty sexy to watch you handle a sword too." He grinned cheekily as he sheathed the blade. The ornate gold-hilt sword had come with a white sheathe covered in fine filigree. It was belted on his waste and hung on his left side.

"Mmm... survive this first match and you might find I can handle your sword." She said, her eyes glinting brightly.

"You have so little faith in me?" Blayne grabbed her belt and pulled her close to him, pressing his body to hers.

"Of course not my love, I have all the faith in the world. I just don't think you're going to win." Varia said with a smirk.

"Oh that is cold." He laughed.

"Seriously Blayne, you're doing amazing. Incorporating your martial arts into your sword fighting has been a stroke of genius. I would've never thought it possible to cross two fighting styles so different, but you have shown me different." Varia said, stepping back. She bent over and retrieved her own blade and returned it to her sheath.

"It's just the footwork and movement. It just feels right to be able to slip around like that, even with a sword in my hand." Blayne scratched the back of his head, "I hope it'll be enough."

"You're fighting in a way I bet none of these knights have ever even imagined, let alone seen. You will have them all off guard and you will strike them down with ease." Varia said, circling around him. She slapped his ass sharply and drew her sword, "Now stand and deliver!"

He spun around, drawing his rapier in a rapid horizontal slash and she met him with her blade.

"Blayne, you're so much faster and more agile than these clunky fools in all their armor. You'll be able evade their attacks so easily they'll never see your strikes coming. The fight will be over before they know what happened!" She said passionately as she struck for his hip. He flipped his blade around in a reverse grip and stopped her attack. In that position he easily knocked her sword back and pushed her back a step. He snapped his blade forward in a whipping strike for her arm.

"I hope you're right! If any of them have half a mind to kill me, I doubt I'll be able to do anything besides blow them across the arena and forfeit the tournament!" He said as she blocked the strike. In a flurry of steel, she parried him, shoved him back and tried to hook his blade from his hand. Their swords glanced off one another and he took a cautious step back, his off hand held out, "I need a metal gauntlet."

"Why?" She asked curiously.

He waited for her next blow and struck forward as he would if he were parrying a straight punch. His hand was wrapped in a telekinetic magic and he grabbed her blade. In a flash his sword was at her throat and he had her at his mercy.

"Because using martial arts, I can just grab their damn swords when they try and hit me." He grinned.

"That's great except their swords will be swinging a lot harder than mine. You'll break your hand." She said, pushing away from him.

"Not if I strengthen with magic. They said no magic attacks, they never said I couldn't enhance my own body with it. My plan is to use mana to restore my energy. That way I can at least be sure to outlast them." Blayne said, lowering his blade, "Sound good to you?"

"Sounds good." She smiled from ear to ear with an evil look on her face.

*******

Varia sprinted into the waiting area for the competitors, racing over to Blayne as fast as she could. He was sitting on stone bench in the large green garden where they were told to wait. His rapier was strapped to his waist and he wore a light steel gauntlet on his left hand. His entire left arm was covered in an armor sleeve with a pair of leather straps across his chest to hold it in place.

"Hey Varia! Who am I to face?" Blayne asked, looking up at her serious face.

"It's got to be rigged Blayne." Varia said, pulling her hair. "Your first match is against last years champion!"

"Hmm... The way Reinhold, talked... He'd have to be a huge hypocrite to have set that up." Blayne said, scratching his chin.

"Is that really so hard to believe?" Varia asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"No, I guess it's not. But I'd like to think this beautiful world didn't have a sinister side to it." Blayne sighed as he looked up at the purple sky. The sun was just barely starting to peak over the hills.

"Come on, let's just go. We've got a few minutes until the first match, we can still easily escape." Varia hissed to him quickly. She sat down on the bench and grasped his hand.

"Well... maybe I have been a bit overzealous here. Perhaps you are right. Let's go." Blayne nodded, standing up. He didn't relish the idea of running from a challenge, but being pitted against the reigning champion was a daunting task. He wasn't willing to risk his life for the sake of his pride. Varia had finally managed to get him to realize it.

"Will Blayne Abasset and Sir Rafiq report to the arena. We are ready to begin the tournament!" A magically amplified voice boomed over the entire tournament grounds.

"Oh damn it." Varia cursed, "Come on, let's disappear."

"About time. I want to see what the great unsigiled one has!" Sir Reinhold called from the other side of the grounds, "It is going to be immensely satisfying to see Sir Rafiq best you!"

"I don't think we can. Not without causing a scene." Blayne sighed, "I'm just going to go out there and forfeit the tournament so we can leave peacefully."

"Wow. I didn't think you would do that. You're usually so proud." Varia said in honest surprise.

"I hate seeing the worry in your eyes Varia. I'm doing this for you." Blayne smirked, pecking her on the cheek.

She sat stunned for a moment as he walked away. He never gave in, never gave up on anything he set his mind on. The seriousness of what he was doing was not lost on her. After another second, she quickly ran after him.

Walking through the archway into the main tournament field, Varia was impacted by the intense cheering from the stands around them. There were hundreds of people all staring at the center of the arena. The sparring ring itself was a large stone pedestal made of fine marble probably thirty feet on all sides. There was a tall fence of fine wood encircling the pedestal.

Standing in the center of the arena was a man in fine silver and gold armor. He had a well-groomed black beard and short hair. His armor was covered in golden sigils and beautiful filigree. He held a large two-handed sword in his right hand with the point on the ground. He stood tall and proud as he watched Blayne approach him. There was a certain air about him, a beautiful nobility and honor to him. Blayne crossed the arena and stopped a foot from the knight and looked into his steely blue eyes. A gentle breeze blew across the stands as the people quieted down. Blayne's crimson and navy clothes ruffled about him.

"Blayne, I trust?" Rafiq said, his deep voice rolling over Blayne like thunder.

"I am." Blayne nodded.

The look of the man in front of him was striking. He was exactly what one would imagine if they were to think of an honor bound, pure knight. This was a man who would stand against the forces of hell for what he thought was right. He was certainly not someone who would tolerate his honor being defiled by someone rigging his match.

"I am curious as to why an unsigiled one such as yourself entered this tournament. Are you planning on forfeiting? Where is your armor?" Rafiq asked.

"Well yes, in fact. I was drawn into this tournament when I unknowingly challenged Sir Reinhold in the street a few days ago. I do not believe I would provide a challenge to you in armed combat. My skill lies in magic and fighting from a distance." Blayne said to him, his armored hand resting on his sword.

"That is a shame. As you approached I thought an honorable spirit, worthy of a Sigil. Most who enter these tournaments only care about glory or status. So few in this tournament fight with honor or courage. When I learned how you had been added to the lists, I hoped you would be one who did." Rafiq said frowning. There was clear tone of disappointment in his voice and on his face. "Still there is no shame in acknowledging the limit of one's abilities," He held out his hand to Blayne, "In any case, I bid you well in life."