Trials of a Planeswalker Ch. 02: Fall

While they patrolled the ever-darkening abyss that was the isle of Manhattan, Blayne returned. He appeared on deck with a smile and showed them the Mox Sapphire. He told them about his adventure into Lethe Lake until they grew tired. The lack of sunlight was disturbing to Blayne. He didn't like that the plague was growing big enough to affect weather around the world.

The night passed in silence and they awoke the next morning to Varia reappearing on the deck of the ship. She whooped in success, well rested and holding a glittering dark Mox Jet. She told them of her mad run-in with Stensia. She didn't go in detail about the nature of her captivity, instead focusing on the fact that she slaughtered them all before heading off to Sorin's manor.

"Well it would appear we are all together, all successful in our quests." Gisela said, looking out from the deck of the ship as the sun started to rise.

"Definitely. This is Sorin's own Mox. It's tied to my home of Innistrad, a plane of darkness and great power." Varia smiled, holding up the dark, square-cut gem, "Power is no longer a problem."

"I got this as well. I may not be able to use lightning so effective, but blue mana is very powerful for telekinesis and ice." Blayne said, twirling the sapphire around his fingers.

"So what's the plan then? The Radiant Dawn can lead the way, but we need a good idea." Jhoira nodded.

"Well I'm the only one who will be in a turret. Blayne, Varia, Henry and Gisela. All of you have your own power that is more useful than these cannons." Robin said, "I wish I could just control one entire side of turrets from a single seat."

"There's no need for anyone to be in the turrets. They can spin in any direction and can be controlled automatically. I can fire all of them from the bridge with my own targeting systems." Jhoira told them, "The only reason they have seats is because if I control them, I can only fire at one target. More eyes and more targets with people in them."

"I guess that means I'll be making you into an angel. You can leave your body here on the Dawn for safety and that way Henry and I won't have to worry about you." Blayne smirked.

"Blayne, would you mind if I did it? I've got a good idea for a different kind of projection." Henry asked.

"Robin?" He turned to her.

"I trust Henry. As long as he doesn't make me naked, I don't mind." Robin nodded.

"Well I wasn't going to before you mentioned it." Henry said with a wink. Robin poked him in the ribs.

"And what of an attack plan? Jhoira can fight on her own with the ship, which leaves the rest of us free to take the fight to the Pyraxians. From what I've seen, we need to take out the Praetor as soon as possible. Without his leadership they'll be nothing more than mindless husks: uncoordinated and easily destroyed." Gisela said.

"Okay, we drive a nail straight into the teeth of that monster. Using the Radiant Dawn as our spearhead, we charge straight in and kill him. Once he's dead, the day is all but won." Jhoira agreed.

"We'll need more of a plan than that." Maria pointed out, "Chandra and I work best as a team, but what will the rest of you be doing?"

Henry scratched ay his beard before speaking up, "Well, I work best on the ground. So once we reach the island I'll take the lead while Blayne, Robin, Varia and Gislea clear a path through the sky."

"Actually," Varia said, "I have a different plan. It's best if I stay back on the ship."

"What plan?" Maria asked skeptically.

"It's a surprise." Varia said with a grin, "Trust me, it'll be worth the wait."

Blayne nodded "As for you two," He added, turning to the fireballs "You should stay back and cover the Radiant Dawn. Once we're over Manhattan, we should expect to be attacked from all sides. We can't afford to let any of them get around behind us before we reach the Praetor."

"I don't see any reason to wait. We're all rested and ready, let's tear into them." Blayne said, clenching his fist in eagerness.

"Henry, I'm eager to see what you'll come up with for me." Robin smiled, kissing him on the cheek.

They all readied themselves on the deck of the Radiant Dawn as Jhoira headed up into the bridge and Robin went down to lie in her bunk. Henry took out his Pearl and began to focus on the thoughts he had for Robin. Her angelic form was agile and quick, but fragile. She had little in the way of defense apart from her magic sword. He planned to change that.

He filled his body with power from the Mox and cast the spell, generating a great orb of light on the deck of the ship. It grew to six feet across and he continued to feed power into it. His spell crafted the body in his mind and he pulled Robin's spirit into it. The light cleared with a magnificent burst and he looked at what he had done.

Usually, Robin was a relatively small angel with deep brown wings and loose clothing. Henry had given her the enormous body of a seven-foot, six-winged seraph. She was clad in full silver plate armor from head to toe. Her head was covered with a shimmering helm with a T-shaped visor with a bright red horsetail plume and there were plates on the top edges of her wings. On her left arm was an elegant tower shield almost as tall as she was. In her right hand she clasped an eight-foot halberd that shone with golden light. She took a breath and opened her eyes, her face hidden by the strong helm.

"What? What am I wearing?" Her voice was muffled by the helm. She reached awkwardly up with her spear hand and raised her visor, "Oh wow! I'm so tall! Look at me, I have all this armor."

Blayne's jaw dropped at the look of her. She was easily the most dangerous angel of war he had ever seen or even imagined. Her armor looked indestructible and her halberd deadly. The shield on her left arm probably weighed more than she did in her human form and she was lifting it like it was paper. The others were similarly impressed, even the corners Chandra's lips curled up as she nodded in approval. Henry beamed at their reactions.

"After seeing Avacyn and the angels of Innistrad, I decided Robin needed an upgrade if she was going to come into battle with us. I wanted her to be safe, but more than that, I wanted her to be dangerous." Henry said, reaching up to pat her large shoulder plate.

"I've never seen an angel with six wings, but that is a magnificent set of armor." Gisela said, glancing up at her.

"I... what..." Robin shuffled her wings about awkwardly, "I have six wings? I guess I'd need them with the weight of all this armor."

"I'm bringing us around. Prepare to fight. It looks like the Praetor knows we're coming." Jhoira's voice echoed over the deck. Their eyes were brought to the bow, beyond which was Manhattan. Dark figures were rising from the buildings and floating through the air between the buildings. As the Planeswalkers prepared their spells, Robin lowered her visor and walked to the bow of the ship with Gisela. Her great heavy boots clanged on the deck with each step.

"Alright. I hope you don't mind if I lead the fight. I'll keep things clear in front." Henry said, wrapping the chain of the Mox around his wrist. He ran past the angels and leapt off the bow of the ship. Shining light all around him morphed and grew, turning into his enormous titan form.

His shining golden legs slammed into the murky ground on the edge of the isle. The others watched Henry controlled the titan from within its heart and made it walk forward. It's steps shook the ground beneath the Dawn and smashed whatever little quivering demons that failed to get out of the way.

As he led them forward, a swarm of fighting demons surged out from nearby buildings and towards them. "Here they come!" Jhoira called. Immediately all the turrets rolled forward of their own accord and fired. All of the mana cannons firing in perfect unison around them made a deafening roar as beams cut through the swarm of flying demons. Hundreds were cut down, but thousands followed.

"We won't let such a trifle stop us!" Blayne roared, his body shining with cold blue mana. He erupted into the air and raced headlong towards their foes. Gisela following on his left and Robin on his right. Chandra and Maria took position on opposite sides of the airship. Varia sat down on the deck crossing her legs and closing her eyes in apparent meditation.

Jhoira cruised the Radiant Dawn forward at a slow pace as the battle raged all around it.

"Varia, you going too?" Jhoira asked as they cruised forward at a slow pace.

"No, I have different plans. Buy me time." Varia said, sitting down on the deck.

Down on the ground, Henry was single-handedly dispatching every demon that crossed his path. He took turns between stomping on them and cutting flying demons out of the sky with his giant sword-spear. They couldn't even hope to touch him with all the shining mana around him. His titan form was nigh immune to physical damage and, as long as he could maintain the spell, he couldn't be touched.

There was a great roar from the turrets as they fired past Blayne and the angels, cutting a huge swathe from the twisting mass of demons. Robin's wings beat loudly and she dove fearlessly into the maw of hell. Her halberd shone like daylight, slashing back and forth. Demons tried to strike her from every angle, but their claws fell uselessly on her armor. Her shield easily smashed them aside and she kicked ruthlessly at others.

Behind her, Blayne charged his body with a powerful spell. He planned to clear the way for the Dawn as soon as it approached. It required careful crafting in his part though because it needed to avoid his sister. To his left, Gisela was slashing her swords in midair, sending waves of holy fire into the cloud of death.

Back with the Radiant Dawn, Chandra and Maria were living up to their nickname. They had covered their bodies in white-hot flame and were darting around in the air like black flies on crack. Maria cut through her enemies with a pair of burning whips while the ever impulsive Chandra used her own body as a missile. Any demon foolish enough to approach the airship while Jhoira blasted her way forward, would find themselves drifting down to earth as a fine cloud of ash.

"Robin move!" Blayne yelled loudly and he unleashed his magic. She dived out of the way as a wall of blue mana surged forth, crashing through the middle of the demons. It erupted outward, pushing everything away, creating a long, glimmering tunnel through the demons. The Radiant Dawn slid cleanly into it, passing the worst of the demons with ease. Blayne and Robin flew alongside the ship as the demons tried to scrabble around the barrier. Gisela battled with the demons flying overhead.

Beneath them, Henry smashed his hands into buildings and kicked larger demons as they came close. He was almost continually waving his arms upward to swat away demons like gnats. It was purely entertainment to him, as they could do little to stop him.

"Henry, could you help us tear them apart if I could get you higher?" Blayne yelled down to him as they passed the wall of demons. The demons turned and followed as soon as his magic was released.

"Sure, but I can only jump so high!" Henry yelled back.

"No problem!" Blayne laughed, reaching to the ground with the great blue mana flooding his body. He wrapped tendrils of telekinetic power around Henry's titan form and lifted him into the sky. His magic hurled the glimmering titan straight up into the massive cloud of demons.

"Yea! This is great!" Henry whooped heartily, flailing his limbs around like a feral bear. The demons were falling like a great rain beneath him, hundreds dying with each swing as he crushed their bodies into completely useless mush. Finally, with one great battlecry, he broke their ranks and the demons fled. His titan form landed with a deafening boom and the buildings around him shuddered.

"Alright Henry, their lines are broken and the way is clear!" Blayne yelled down to him before turning to chase after the Radiant Dawn. The angels were standing on the bow of it. The demons seemed to have cleared out for some time, giving them a clear passage to the center of Manhattan.

"I'll be up in a second!" Henry called back, his titan form starting to fade.

Blayne turned and leapt up onto the deck of the Dawn. Robin and Gisela were standing in front of Varia, who was sitting on the deck with the Jet Mox floating in front of her, rotating softly under the influence of her black aura. Her eyes were closed and she wasn't moving.

A blink of light and Henry suddenly appeared across the deck from them.

"What's going on?" Henry asked, seeing all of them staring at Varia.

"It's Varia. Since we came back, she's just been sitting here." Robin said, pointing at her.

"Hey guys, just so you know, I'm gonna keep going slow. I don't want any surprises jumping out at us." Jhoira warned them as they continued along at a methodical pace.

"Just stay quiet." Blayne said, kneeling down next to Varia. He touched her arm and suddenly found himself tumbling through darkness. All around him was an oppressive silence and he struggled to do anything. There was what seemed like an eternity of that silent emptiness before he felt something coming towards him.

"Blayne?" Varia's voice floated through the darkness.

"Varia! Where are you?" He called out.

There was a swirling of purple light around him and she appeared, a glimmering spirit of both dark and light. He reached out to her and found his own spirit to be a churning storm of lightning and fire. His inner self and the expression of his magical power.

"What are you doing here?" She said, taking tight hold of his hand, "Whatever you do, don't let go of me. This is not a place you want to be lost."

"What is this?" He asked hurriedly.

"This is the realm of spirits, the darkness of the afterlife. While you guys were fighting the plague head on, I decided to gather a little army. I thought I would be done before you guys came back. If you touch my body while I'm here, it drags your spirit to me." Varia explained, "I will send your spirit back to your body now, but you have to make sure nobody else touches me. I will be back soon and when I do, the Praetor will rue the day he ever came to earth."

"See you soon sweetheart." He smiled, leaning down to kiss her on the lips.

There in the dark of the spirits around them, fire and lightning kissed darkness and light.

*******

CHAPTER 30 - A LIGHT IN THE DARK

Blayne gasped and awoke, jerking back from Varia and landing on his ass. Robin squeaked in surprise and her armor clanked as she jumped.

"You guys okay? You've been out for at least fifteen minutes." Henry asked, helping Blayne back to his feet.

"Fine. What's going on?" Blayne asked, looking around.

"We stopped because we didn't want to head on without at least one of you awake. Three planeswalkers is good. Four is better." Henry said, waving an arm at Chandra and Maria.

"Sorry about that. Apparently she's off in the spirit realm gathering an army. Don't touch her and make damn sure nobody else does. We're going to continue forward, but absolutely nothing gets to the deck of this ship." Blayne said strongly, "At. All. Costs."

"Gotcha. We'll get started immediately." Jhoira nodded, jogging back towards te bridge.

"I was so worried brother. You just sat there, a blank look on your face, like your soul had just disappeared." Robin sighed, resting the butt of her glimmering Halberd on the deck.

"Well I'm more worried about Varia. She turned herself into this sort of door into the spirit world and she's going to use that to summon forth an army of spirits." Blayne said, stretching his arms above his head. He pulled the Mox Sapphire from his pocket and pulled a powerful jolt of mana from it.

The Radiant Dawn rumbled softly and started to continue forward. They were but a few blocks from Central Park and a hundred feet off the ground. It was the place Gisela had reported as the center of the plague, the place where all the demons seemed to come from. They knew they'd find The Praetor there, waiting for them.

"Oh my god..." Henry said, his voice shuddering as he looked forward.

Floating above Central Park was a swirling tempest of flying demons. Every inch of the ground churned and moved with living flesh. The force they had defeated already was barely a pittance compared to what they now faced. The sound was akin to a raging twister, millions of wings beating all before them. They quickly took notice of the approaching ship and turned to fight.

"Guys! I will stay here! I'm going to protect the Dawn, right here on the deck! You all stay close, don't stray too far away! We need to stay as a group if we hope to make it out of this!" Blayne yelled over the roar of the demons.

"Will do!" Robin nodded, closing her visor again as she and Gisela prepared to jump off the deck.

"I'm going to stay here as well. You keep this honey, show them what true fire is." Maria said, holding out the Mox to Chandra. "Go on, I've got enough fire burning in me to help protect this ship!"

"Oh my firefly, I love you so much." Chandra grinned, kissing her full on the lips in a very passionate embrace. They wrapped their arms around each other and looked into the other's eyes. Maria leaned close to her, fingers tracing over the Ruby Mox in Chandra's hand.

"I want to see everything you can do with limitless power." Maria whispered in her ear. Chandra bristled with a fiery aura, her entire heart and soul soaring at the prospect of impressing her lover.

She stepped back and pulled her goggles down over her eyes, "For you my love, I will burn brighter than you have ever seen."

On the other side of the ship, Henry stood on the railing, looking forward.

"I'm gonna use a different form this time. It'll be stronger, but slower!" Henry called back, "These bastards are gonna regret crossing us!"

With that, the bow of the ship passed out of the buildings and into the open air above Central Park. Chandra disappeared in a tower of flame, shooting straight up into the sky on a blazing trail. Gisela and Robin leapt over the side and took glorious flight, staying in pace with the ship as they waited for the attack of the plague demons.

"Henry!" Blayne said, grabbing his shoulder before he could leap over the side, "Not just for Robin, but me as well, come back safe! I've come to enjoy the thought of you as my brother."

Henry turned to him with a bit of surprise on his face, which quickly split into a bright grin. He grabbed Blayne's forearm and gripped tightly, "Even if I wasn't marrying your sister, I would still agree with you. I will come back, brother!"

With that, Henry jumped over the side, Pearl Mox shining in his hand. Blayne spared a glance to follow him as he crafted his titan form. This one was not just a giant version of himself garbed in armor. He instead had heavier limbs and a larger torso, bent over on his feet and hands much more like a gorilla. There was just such mass to his body that he was easily twice the size of his previous titan form. He raised up on his hind legs, beating his chest in challenge to the Phyrexians before falling back down on all fours. The ground rumbled heavily from the impact and he started forward, ground shaking with each movement. When standing fully upright, he had been almost head level with the Dawn.

"King fucking Kong." Blayne chuckled, straightening back up to look at the sky.

"That is pretty awesome." Maria nodded, seeing Henry trudge forward, squishing the little demons beneath him just by walking forward, "But just wait until you see Chandra."

"Incoming!" Jhoira called out as the enormous cloud of demons began to break off and swarm towards them.

"This is gonna suck." Blayne sighed, shaking out his arms and legs. He walked over to stand a few feet in front of Varia and he stared up at his foes.