Disclaimer- I am not the original creator of the magic the gatheringcharacters owned insted by wizrads of the coast (inc.), I do not own any of the names, graphics or other copywrited matetrial owened by Wizards of the coast (Inc.), and am using the materialunder care and with goodgrace. I do however own the story that willfollow also i am the original creator of many of the characters such asMarcus and Theodsian also i am responsible for all the events and dialogue that occur as they are my original creation unenfluenced by any other material with the exception of said company. Also i am not the owner of any "Guest" apperances by characters copywrited outside of magic the gathering, For example Inuyasha or Rurouni Kenshin.
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The Cycle of Fate
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Chapter 1 – The Awakening
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It has been proven that all life began as a thought of existence…
But where did that thought originate?
This is that story.
"Some days just aren't worth it." The thought sprang up in the mind of one unique individual.
Curiously he stated this to his friend, "Why are we here, Marcus?"
"Theo, I'm going to put this to you lightly, if you don't shut up I'm going to kill you."
Now it is uncommon for anyone to cross Marcus, he is known throughout the land as one of the finest swordsmen ever, it is however very common that when he is crossed for it to be Theodsian (Theo), as it is also known, that Theodsian has enough skill to hold Marcus' attacks and enough wit to keep Marcus from that state of mind in which he fights best. Despite all this Theodsian rarely had the temper, or the foolishness to aggravate Marcus. This however was not one of those times.
"Kill me will you?"
"Theo, I'm very tired of you philosophizing on the uselessness of existence, and yes I'll kill you."
snicker "Marcus, I slept with your sister!"
"I don't even have a sister, dumbass."
"Well if you did I would have."
"You honestly want to see if I'll kill you, don't you?"
"Yes"
"I really wonder about you, you know that?"
"Alright, I slept with your mother."
"Let it g…"
"I slept with your father."
"If I fight you, will you shut up?"
"I promise."
Now it may seem strange for two friends to behave as such, but to anyone who knew these strange individuals, this was common practice. As it would have it a local farmer had strolled by and heard the conversation, he went to get the town healer, as Theodsian was about to get his ass kicked. Unless… the farmer paused and turned, he found a spot atop a hill and watched. While all of Vega knew Marcus to be the finest swordsman, what many didn't know was that Theodsian had on many occasions under odd circumstances beaten him.
Marcus always fought level headed at first, but blood even a drop enraged him, and in this state he was a god. It is however known to locals that Theodsian when brought to extreme anger had an affinity for combat. He never showed signs of anger but it was very apparent in the way he moved, if angered his opponents began to stumble, he seemed to move faster, on more then one occasion his opponents would trip over a tree limb or rock, and even more odd was when they would swing a death blow and find him behind them in a flurry of motion, katana drawn and poised for his own strike.
Marcus drew his family's sacred sword, the Masamune, and relaxed into his stance. He felt the world move through him felt his inner actions tilt the world, as infinite possibilities of life honed to a single destiny and relax. He breathed deep balancing destiny as he leveled his gave at Theo. He found his center touched the essence of Bushido and sat comfortably in his chosen destiny.
Theo in the meantime was laughing like a madman and jeering Marcus, arrogantly not even drawing his blade.
"You know Marcus I think I'll never get over seeing you in that ridicules stance using that blasted English long sword."
Marcus said nothing, he had found balance he knew Theodsian was stalling, a large mistake as Marcus grew more and more attached to the Threads of Fate. Weaving himself into a position that Fate herself would fight to save Marcus should he begin to fall. Marcus relaxed as he tied himself into a position where it appeared existence itself would end if he died. Now he was ready.
"You look absolutely ridicules in that Japanese stance with an English blade, it couldn't be funnier if you where wearing pink tights, well maybe if you where it would be." snicker
"Enough" Thought Marcus and he rushed.
Marcus lunged at Theodsian's torso he wanted to make this quick, he knew Theodsian would dodge and then Marcus would give him one across the head with the hilt while Theo was drawing his blade. This was what he planned he'd seen it when weaving himself into fate's design. He couldn't have been more wrong.
Theodsian was not as unprepared as he seemed he expected the thrust and he knew what followed and he had a sneaky suspicion that Marcus got a sadistic glee out of braining him. He ducked drawing his blade and thrust the Masamune up out of its lunge and wildly out of control above Marcus' head, wiped around and brought the katana gently against Marcus' neck.
"How did you…?"
Theodsian slowly ran the blade across Marcus' neck. This was more than sufficient to shut him up. Despite his appearance Theodsian was very upset and wanted a fight.
Marcus flailed back felt his blood trickle slightly and raged.
"You arrogant, pompous, piece of shit, I'm gonna, I swear to god, when I get…"
"What's wrong Marcus, can't handle a baby cut?"
Marcus rushed in a blind fury releasing the Reverse Naganaki. The first stroke Theodsian blocked easily. From that block Marcus slashed up into Theo's blade guard flinging the blade up out of Theodsian's hand and into the air, even this Theo was ready for. Marcus brought the Masamune back down in an angular slash and in remarkable show of speed Theodsian dodged and spun behind Marcus' back. Marcus grinned, snapped Theodsian's blade out of the air and lashed behind him pinning the blade into Theodsian's shoulder and lunging him in turn to the ground. Marcus lowered the point of the Masamune to Theo's neck and instantly found himself entwined in vines.
Theodsian wriggled in pain, found his inner peace, and relaxed.
"Wow Marcus didn't see that one coming."
Theodsian helped get the vines off his friend, and they both laughed as they saw the farmer get up, applaud, and go to get the healer.
"Theodsain?"
Marcus and Theodsian both wheeled around, neither had heard the stranger coming, neither where keen to have anyone sneak up on them, especially with their adrenaline still flowing.
"Relax I'm a friend," said the stranger
"How do you know my name?"
"It is imprinted on your spirit, but that's not important, I'm here to help your fulfill your potential."
"And you are?"
"Urza"
Life had always been strange for Theodsian no one knew where he came from, and his entire childhood had been spent training with Marcus, who was roughly his age and who's parents had adopted him, when he was found. No one could explain why nature helped him, or why he could move fast when angered, or that is until now.
"You're a planeswalker," said Urza calmly
"A what?" said Marcus coldly?
"Theodsian, is a planeswalker, a being with the gift of moving between points merely by thinking it, we call them planeswalkers because they can move from world to world."
"I've never done any of that."
"You have you've never been aware of it, you did it twice today already. When you ducked under the Masamune's lunge, you pictured in your mind the movement before you did it, and because of your extreme focus in battle you actually never moved but "teleported" or planeswalked to that position. You also did it again when you dodged Marcus' down stroke."
"How did you know my sword's name?" inquired Marcus
"It has a soul."
"So wait your telling me I can move from point to point at will?"
"And draw mana into yourself without meditation or even thought, which is why nature has always assisted you, mana flows through you so naturally you almost appear as a part of the great cycle."
"But the Magi test all newborns for a mana affinity, surly they would have noticed"
"You are so tied to the mana pool that it appears natural when there is an immense amount flowing through you."
"So what does all this mean?"
"It means you can impact the universe to an extent limited only by your imagination."
"So why are you here?"
"I'm here to guide you"
"Like a teacher?"
"No, you will not have much to learn, once you begin planeswalking things will become clearer and clearer to you, I'm here to keep you on a sound path or to destroy you should you stray from the light."
"Stray…"
"Not all planeswalkers are good, and because of our remarkable power and potential the only thing we really have to fear are other planeswalkers and in some cases powerful heroes like Marcus."
"If all I have to fear is other planeswalkers, how do I know I can trust you?"
"That is exactly the attitude you need to take."
"But that doesn't answer…"
"Tomorrow I leave with or without you my presence here will draw attention, you have much to think about, I await your answer in the morning."
Urza left and Theodsian stood astounded.
Marcus chuckled "I always knew you where a weird one bro."
"You think he's telling the truth?"
"If he isn't he can hide his intentions even from the threads of fate."
"You mean you couldn't detect a lie?"
"Not one, I suppose there is one way to find out."
"What are you thinking?"
"You remember my hat you threw up into the rafters?"
"Yeah"
"Get it for me."
"Ugh…"
"Well come on try this planeswalking stuff out"
"Ummm…."
"Look what did you do when fighting?"
"Well I picture the movements in my head, and follow through"
"Try that"
"But how, I can't jump 15ft into the loft."
"Try just picturing yourself there."
Theodsian began to focus, he closed his eyes and relaxed, he tried picturing himself up in the beams next to Marcus' hat. He opened his eyes, and gravity kicked in, he landed 15ft later on the kitchen table, to the sound of Marcus laughing hysterically.
"Well you did it…Snicker sort of."
"Shut up"
"Where did you picture yourself?"
"Next to your wretched hat!"
"Well next time try picturing yourself on the beam next to my hat."
"I'm not doing it again."
"But you did so well" Snicker
"Shut up" and Theodsian began to walk out
"Hey! What about my hat?"
"Hang your hat asshole"
Theodsian stormed out, and headed towards the mountains, he had to go somewhere he could think, and the cliffs where always relaxing to him. He entertained the thought of planeswalking to the top, but feeling his rump decided gravity taking effect that high up could hurt… a lot more. So he sighed and trudged on. An hour or so later he reached his favorite spot and began watching the sunset.
Today the sun was dropping behind a thin cloud. This allowed only some light rays to slip through in a radiant fashion, the sun barely showing over the cloud it appeared as if the city of gods was within the cloud and they partaking in the joy of life themselves. Here he thought he could finally think, here he could be alone, and reflect.
"Beautiful isn't it?"
Theodsian drew and whirled around fast his blade passed through Urza and should have killed him, Urza showed no desire to follow the rules of life and kept on watching the sunset, completely unconcerned with the event.
"You…you scared the shit out of me!"
"Did I? I've been here for awhile."
""How did you… Oh never mind."
"Nice try"
"Excuse me?"
"When you tried planeswalking to get Marcus' hat, good try, gave me a chuckle."
"So I actually did it?"
"Well I wouldn't call it a success but yes that is planeswalking."
"Why did I…"
"Fall? Well you really should have a better Idea of where your going, in your mind you pictured a support beam off to the side, while in reality there wasn't."
"So you're telling me if I picture the place wrong… I can really screw up cant I?"
"Yes, when you planeswalk you break down every particle of your being and reassemble it in a new location, if you are not very careful you can even reconstruct yourself in the middle of something. Which I'm happy to say won't kill you but will hurt…a lot"
"How will it not kill me?"
"I'll teach you to use the mana within yourself to regenerate your body rapidly, you can even change shape at will."
"So you are a teacher."
"Yes I suppose but really more of a guide."
"Okay teacher explain something, how can I go to another world if I have no idea what it looks like?"
"Alright sit down and relax the first time is difficult, visualize yourself floating outside the world, all from a first person perspective. Look around and view the universe, alright now find the closest planet and examine it."
"What was all that?"
"That was something close to divination, you didn't actually picture yourself there so you didn't actually planeswalk, but you did move your senses through space."
"I understand, this way we can get a view of where we are about to go?"
"Yes, you will learn to do that without even thinking and even while you are on your way there."
"I suppose the next question is obvious, how do I defend myself from other planeswalkers?"
"Magic will come naturally to you, and you will learn to tie yourself to lands far away giving you a larger supply of mana with which to unleash fearsome spells; and you will learn to restore these ties without having to visit the land again."
"How?"
"God you ask a lot of questions, ok again move your conscious within yourself, feel the mana flowing through you, allow the flow to carry you to its source, now touch the source and tie your essence to it."
" It feels like I have a line running from my spirit to the source."
"Yes after awhile you won't even notice."
"So now with this mana what can I do?"
"All possible concepts, anything that can possibly happen relies on a certain type of mana, anything can be done given you can draw enough of the right "color" of mana and given you can visualize it happening."
"So why can't everyone use magic if its as easy as all that?"
"Because everyone has a natural color that flows through them and they can only harness one color until trained otherwise, however planeswalkers don't have a color they exist as either light or shadow and as such can harness any color naturally."
Theodsian picked a boulder and envisioned a bolt of lava being erupting from his hand, and it happened amazingly, it just happened, and then it hurt. It felt like his whole body was on fire, and he vomited as the pain flooded his mind.
"You got mana burned"
"Excuse me?" said Theodsian through gasps
"If you cast a spell and draw more mana into yourself than you need for the spell the extra man will rush out of your body in a very painful manner You'll learn to draw just the amount you need and no more. Also take caution if you don't draw enough mana and try and force the spell into existence, the spell will try and draw power from your life force. It is possible to cast spells from the power of your life but also very unwise."
"Why did I get mana burned this time?"
"You just drew all the power you could from the mountain, and then all you asked it to do was shoot a single bolt of lava, think for a moment the strength of this mountain and now imagine how it would laugh if all you asked of it was a shot of lava."
"I see but how am I to use small spells then?"
"The mountain is not just some inanimate thing it has a soul and it likes you. So when you called for it's aid it gave a lot of it's power. Some lands will give you more some will give you less. The real trick is learning how to "ask" for the right amount."
"I feel as if my connection is gone how do I get it back?"
"It's not gone just weak from the effort, it will restore itself when you rest, or since you are here you could visit the source again and "retie" the line."
Theodsian spent all night practicing and before dawn struck he had even managed to planeswalk home. Urza had explained that planeswalking was all about focus so the more tired a planeswalker became the harder it would be. Theodsian managed to make it home at any rate. He went straight to bed and refused to share with Marcus his experience. He didn't want to talk about the pain of mana burn or the horrible wave of depression that slammed him when he undercharged a bolt. He was even more horrified when Urza had explained that he had only barely undercharged the shot. By the end Theodsian had learned how to get just enough mana, Urza was right this did come naturally.
He awoke rather gruffly when Marcus in jest turned his bed over.
"Get up planesdumby its 9 o'clock"
"What?"
"Yeah you slept in and kept mister know it all waiting."
"Ughhh…."
Marcus grabbed Theodsian, drug him outside and threw him in the water trough.
"He'll be around in a second," Marcus said to Urza
"Thanks" said Urza
"I'm going to kill.!.!.!" spluttered Theodsian as he got out of the trough.
"Theodsian!"
"What!"
"Dry off your face then speak with me, today I leave."
"Yes?"
"Do you wish to come?"
Theodsian had enjoyed his new abilities, was looking forward to adapting to them but leave his home so soon…
"No"
"I leave you with a warning then, planeswalkers gain power by killing other planeswalkers, there are those who will seek to kill you for this reason."
"But how will they find me, if all I do is stay home?"
"When you planeswalk it shines as bright as a star to other planeswalkers, remember that, and realize that some would destroy this whole planet and everyone on it just to get you. I'll ask you one last time, will you come with me?"
"No, I'll never planeswalk again if that's how I can protect my home."
Theodsian could have sworn he saw Urza smile slightly.
Sigh "we must all learn the hard way I suppose, goodbye Theodsian Planeswalker, you have great potential. Good luck, and before I go take this amulet, and know that there is one planeswalker you should fear above all others, his name is Yawgmoth, don't ever say the name out loud as the name itself carries a curse that allows him into your mind if you should so much as utter it, I alone have learned to block it out. Should you ever run into extreme trouble use the amulet and it will signal me. I promise I'll do what I can."
Urza took his leave and In Theodsian's mind he saw a great flash on a distant planet and knew that that was where Urza had gone. As soon as he put on the amulet he felt a tie between his spirit and the little trinket, much like the mana source he had established, he had a feeling pulling on this line would not give him mana but instead signal Urza.
"So you've decided to stay?" said Marcus
"Yes, I think I'd miss you to much bro"
"Ugh huh get mushy on me like that and I'll beat you"
Theodsian smiled this is where he belonged
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Chapter 2 – Spirit Training
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