Silence…
Sand…
Exile…
The golden, rolling dunes extend endlessly in all directions. No rocks, no trees, no birds in the cloudless sky. Only sand.
Azorius...They couldn't destroy me, so they sent me here.
This lifeless plane.
I'm weakened but not powerless.
Wind…
Silence…
This desolate plane… no signs of life, but I sense something.
Maybe...
I kneel to the ground and place my hand on the surface. The sand is hot. I close my eyes and reach out.
I can feel it. It's deep in the ground, old, ancient life.
I call to it… I wait.
The sun turns my shadow as each day passes… I wait.
Meditation keeps me alive, but I feel my strength waning… I wait.
The seventh day's sun begins to falI. I feel light tremors in the ground.
They grow stronger by the second. A moment later and the ground is shaking violently. Sand cascades down the dunes like golden avalanches in the hues of the setting sun.
I'm sprayed with a burst of sand as the creature breaks through the desert floor.
The ground stills as the last sands fall like a dying rain. I raise my eyes to gaze upon the behemoth desert worm.
It looks at me, it's dry, wrinkled, body raises as it attempts to retreat.
There there, don't be afraid… I coax the mind of the primitive creature.
I extend my hand and call to it again. It senses my power and intention. I feel it's apprehension, but it cannot resist. And its fear makes me stronger.
It slowly, reluctantly comes to me.
I stroke the rough, cracked skin gently. I close my eyes. My hand searches it's exposed underbelly. Searching for...
There it is. The heartbeat.
With one sudden movement I thrust my hand into the thin, parchment-like skin. The beast's mouth opens and tries to fight, but it's too late. It shudders, stiffens, and tumbles down the sandy hill, leaving my outstretched arm bloody with the prize in my hand.
I raise it above my head and summon my remaining strength. The heart ignites, spraying flame from between my fingers. My whispers shake the ground and in every direction the dunes erupt around me.
It all disappears, and I'm surrounded by the darkness of space and time.
I have escaped.
I walk again.