Magic: The Gathering is property of Wizards of the Coast.
Note: This chapter deals with new aspects I'm putting into mana, and its powers. Just a warning.
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Colors: A Prelude to Death-Feelings
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Two perilous weeks have passed since these young apprentices have begun their journey on a strange course where they have no knowledge about. Urza had guided them on their first step of their course, learning the basics of mana, and how it can aid you in battle. After teaching them how using their mana can increase their speed and strength by a very limited quantity, he them taught them several types of spells one can learn. There were quick spells, the most commonly used types, where one merely yells out the name of the spell, and it will be cast. They can be cast without the use of words, however, it's power and potential are reduced. Sorceries, in which one can't merely call out a name, but they need a greater deal of time to be able to conjure up the power of the spell. There is no difference between these two types of spells, they both harbor powerful spells, and can expend a great deal of mana as well. Summons, where one calls upon the power of beasts to aid them. Although a common use, summonings require an even greater deal of concentration and mana, especially if the creature is unknown to their world. Artifacts, however, were the odd one out. One cannot summon an artifact out of nowhere, they must either be found, and taken, or the even harder way, is to understand the mechanics of the artifact, and then it can be summoned. This, however, does not work for all artifacts. Urza also noted, that higher ranking mages were able to use their mana to create a weapon best suited to their needs. In theory, it requires little use of ones mana, but in reality, only mages that have spent hundred of years practicing their mana, are able to "materialize" weapons.
Urza then proceeded to show them the limits of spells, and mana. Mana is the body's energy, or magik. Although limited, even novices, like them, have such energy in great amount. But reckless use of spells, will deplete their mana reserve, or their energy. Long, drawn out battles with other mages, may also cause the depletion of mana. Potency drops, and the mage becomes exhausted to the point of fainting. Destruction can only follow. He even went over Tayliana, and a blue mage's ability to, "counter." When all that was complete, Urza took it up one more notch…studying.
"I don't believe this…." Jack muttered under his breath. "Here, I thought, at least I don't have to do any homework, I don't have to go to school. But this…!" He slammed a gigantic book on the ground, the pages not budging an inch. Nobody was holding any of their books up, they may have been resting on something, but nobody was able to hold their book up. Jack had barely got anywhere, considering the width of the book. Both Jesse and Sarah were about a less than a quarter of the way through. Tayliana was speeding right through the book, a lot further along then the others. Drake hadn't even bothered to open his book. Jack rested on his elbows, and glared over at Tay, who was resting against a tree with hers in her lap. "Do you understand ANY of this?!"
Tay, her eyes never leaving her book, nodded.
Jack scoffed, made some indistinguishable sounds for a reply, then said, "How? I mean…all it's talking about is the…" He looks at his book, "The, magnitude, of, the amount, of, mana, put, into, now what the hell is that?!"
"It's very simple you dip." She said, her eyes darting across her page, "It's describing how most spells, are capable of increasing their power beyond their original capacity, with only putting more of your mana behind…."
"And I'm sick of this 'mana' shit! I mean, what the fuck is mana?! And if it's supposedly a body's energy, how come nobody from Earth could do any of this shit we're doing now?!"
Sarah, whose book is leaning against a tree, and is slowly kicking her legs while reading it, comes in, "Maybe it has something more to do than actual energy." Silence fell upon the group once again, Tay then stood up, and carried her book over to Sarah.
"Look at this." She said, everyone except Drake got up and gathered around. "It's called Time Walk." And she began to read, "'It is considered one of the most powerful spells in a Blue Mage's arsenal. By utilizing just a small amount of mana, a blue mage is able to stop time completely within a designated area, with exception to that of the mage. Although unable to cast any spells, they may take their time to heal any wounds that they have received, recover their mana supply, or to sneak behind an enemy for a surprise attack. The user controls the time spent in this perpetual 'time freeze.' This should not, however, be used by anyone without a great deal of experience in magic." Tay looked curiously, and continued to read.
"Wow, pretty interesting actually," Jesse said.
"Baloney," Jack scoffed. "There is no way that anyone could stop time."
Tay, however, wasn't paying attention. She picked up her book again, and began walking back to her tree, reading all the way. Instead of sitting back down, however, she set the book down and began walking backwards. She stopped, still looking at the book, and everyone watching her. She then closed her eyes, and began to become entwined in meditation. She stood there for a while, with just her eyes closed. They were about to continue reading, when a sharp chill shot straight up their backs. They quickly turned to Tay, whose arms were raised in the air. Her voice slowly escaped her lips.
"Tiiiiiiiiiime…." She held the last word for several seconds, she was really concentrating. As she began to yell out the last word, and was about to throw her arms down, Urza appeared from behind them.
"Stop!" He yelled, although rather calmly. Tay finished mid-stance, her arms frozen around her waist. He walked up to her, and proceeded to talk, "Do not attempt, the impossible." He looked at Jack, "You are right, there IS, no way for anyone to stop time. And if there is, they cannot hold it for very long. Time freezing wears on the mind, not the body. Although your mana may not be affected, your brain would collapse at the stress."
"And how would you know this?" Drake asked sourly. Urza looked at him, and noticed the book lying by his feet.
"Why haven't you started reading?"
Drake sneered, the looked away. Jack was the one to answered.
"We can't just sit here, reading about this! If we want to actually learn what this is about, we gotta get out there and DO it!"
"He's right." Drake answered, "Although I hate to admit it. If you REALLY want to teach us, you have to show us how it's done."
Urza looked around, "Does everyone agree with that?" they nodded. Urza smiled, "Very well then, but in my old age, I may not have acquired to learn some of the spells in there, so you'll have to tell me which ones you would like to see."
Jack immediately took advantage of this, "Oo! Oo! Oo! How about this spell? O-blit-er-ation? That sounds like it could do…."
"Sorry, never heard of it," Urza said, still smiling, Jack looked depressed.
"Oh, fine then. How about…Fanning…the flames? Could you show me that one?"
Urza put his hand to his chin, "Hmm, I think I do know that one. Let me see how it goes." He then pointed his staff directly at Jack, and smiled turned upside down. He felt how much hotter he was getting, he was beginning to sweat. When he tried to move, an invisible force field halted him. It then turned visible, and noticed it was a thin wall of fire. Every time he touched it, he burned his hand. His feet began to leave the ground, and he was floating in midair.
"HEY! LET ME OUT OF HERE! GET ME OUT! IT'S FUCKING HOT IN HERE!"
Jack continued to yell and Urza relaxed his body. He raised one hand in the air, and snapped his fingers. At once, an explosion of flame erupted in the ball that Jack was in, completely engulfing him. The heat from the explosion, singed a nearby tree, and pushed everyone else, minus Urza, back a couple inches. When the fire dissipated, and the fire ball disappeared, Jack fell onto the ground, his clothes hanging on by threads, his body a dark red from the explosion, although there was no blood, and his eyes rolled into the back of his head. Everyone except Drake rushed over to his aid, all of them in a mad panic. Sarah, using her white magic, was able to create a healing sphere, and she administered it into Jack's body. He began to glow and started to heal.
Drake, although not too concerned about Jack, watched Urza very, very carefully. He wasn't really smiling, but he wasn't very concerned either. It was a look of disgust, almost, a look of impatience, and disappointment.
Jack regained consciousness, and looked up at his friends who were gathered around him. He blinked several times, before finally yelling in surprise, and jumping to his feet.
"WHAT THE FUCK OLD MAN?! YOU TRYING TO KILL ME OR SOMETHING?!" He held out his hand, and a fireball formed in it, "YOU LIKE PLAYING WITH FIRE THEN, SO HAVE A TASTE OF THIS!"
He threw the fireball directly at Urza. He just smiled and held out his hand, his fingers making an odd form. Water then burst from his palm, countering the fireball, and dousing it out before it had a chance. Jack began to get upset. He charged straight at Urza, winding his fist back. Urza didn't even try, as he jabbed him in the stomach, flipped him off of his feet, then smacking him away. Jack became unconscious again. Urza turned to Drake, who continued to watch.
"Open your book." Urza said, kicking it towards him, "Start reading."
Drake smirked, got up and started walking away. Urza's eyes followed him, the looked at the base of the tree where Drake was resting. He tapped it with the end of his staff and it immediately sliced away. It was a slow fall at first, Drake not noticing the shadow looming over him.
"DRAKE! LOOK OUT!" Sarah yelled. Drake stopped, and turned around. To his surprise, and horror, the tree was going to come down right on top of him. As a reflexed reaction, he covered his head with his arm and closed his eyes. When the tree didn't land on him, he looked over to see Urza standing behind him, holding the tree up with just one hand, not even trying. He looked down at Drake, who looked back up at him. Urza, his face scrunched up with anger, relaxed, as he smiled, although wickedly, at Drake. He threw the tree off to the side, once again with no effort. Drake, another sour look coming over his face, stormed off into the thick forest. Sarah tried to run after him, but Urza stopped her, and with sad-filled eyes, watched him disappear behind a hill.
"He'll be back." Urza said. "Now come, night falls, and there are a few things I'd like to tell you." He himself walked off, the opposite from Drake, the group of three, Jack still unconscious, looked between the two paths, and reluctantly followed Urza, Tay and Jesse carrying Jack
Indeed, night had fallen upon this desolate forest on the Urza's world of Dominaria. The four still remaining, sat around a small fire, watching it crackle and spark. Beforehand, Jack had received a new uniform, as one may call it. Unlike Jesse and Sarah, his was actually a hard, yet flexible form of leather. It wasn't a complete outfit, however, as Urza provided him with some tight, yet comfortable wool pants. The leather, from what Tay guessed, was meant to be worn by someone with actual bulk, as the chest of the leather was shaped in the form of a muscular chest. Urza was also at this fire, sitting passively and drinking from a small cup. Jack was watching him nervously through the fire, as the others basked in its warmth. Urza spoke up all of a sudden though.
"You have grown stronger." Urza said, "All of you have. And I am both impressed…and amazed at the same time. Most apprentices don't learn the type of skills you have until at least after a year of training. You have learned it in three weeks. It befuddles me beyond my knowledge."
"Maybe…" Jack said, nervous he was going to get attacked again, "maybe, because we're from a supposedly non-magic world…that we can adapt faster to it."
Urza looked at him, then shrug, "Who knows? It is only up to him that decides that."
Everyone looked at him nervously, Tay asked, "Him? Who's him?"
Urza smiled, looking at her, then
he set his cup down, "Wasn't there something else you wanted to ask me?"
Tay, looking awfully surprised, responded nervously, "Yes…how did you know?"
"Telepathy is a simple task for those with natural Blue mana, of course, it doesn't work on everyone, especially those with experience in mana. But enough about that, what is it you needed to ask me?"
"Well, actually, there are a couple things that I wouldn't mind an explanation for. First off, what is this 'Plane' that you talk about?"
"A Plane is the which you are standing on now. You would call it worlds, or dimensions for the highly educated. Between each world, there is an inseparable and nearly unpassable gap that lies between that one Plane, and that of another. A Planeswalker is able to…'walk' between those gaps."
"Ahkay, what does it take to be a Planeswalker?"
"You can rest assured
that you will never become one." This startles the group, "Although it IS
possible for someone to be able to 'walk,' they must have a
knowledge and understanding of mana and Planes
that far exceed that of human capacity.
This, however, is not only near impossible, but amount of studying
needed to accomplish such a feat, will never be in your lifetime."
"Than, how come you've done it?"
Urza smiled, "Luck I guess. Of course, it is possible to traverse Planes without being a Planeswalker, but it is very dangerous, and it seems that only those whose heart is of an evil intention possesses the technology to cross Planes through the use of machines. That is why Rath has become so close to us."
"Wait, Rath is whole 'other Plane?" Jack asked.
"Correct. Rath, however, is different from other Planes…much different. It is an artificially created Plane, much like that, of a Plane called Phyrexia." A chill ran down their spines, although they didn't know why, "One of the evilest forces known throughout any world, resided there, with his massive army of hideous monsters, and corrupted humans and elves. Although not a Planeswalker, he could easily crush a Plane with his whim. However, with the powerful alliance of the Il-Vec, a nomad race, and the elves, they were able to beat back the evil ruler's forces, and kill the ruler themselves." Urza sighed, looking a little downtrodden, "Unfortunately, many years after the fall of Rath, the one who killed the evil ruler, and most of my closest companions, fell in the destruction of Phyrexia, the other artificially created Plane."
There was silence for a moment, then Sarah spoke up, "So, if Rath is a different 'Plane,' how come it is so close to this one?"
"That, like why you are so strong for being so inexperienced, is a mystery to me. Perhaps the use of artificial materials has caused it to shorten the gap between its world, and Dominaria."
"Almost like it's going to ram into us." This caught Urza's attention, as he looked at Tay nervously, he sat there, thinking about something. Then he got up and began to walk away.
"I have some business to take care of, I probably won't be back for a while, so try to keep up with your training." Everyone looked at each other nervously, then Tay jumped up and ran over to Urza.
"Hey! Urza!"
He stopped, and looked at her, "Yes?"
"I was wondering…is it really impossible to stop time?" She blinked, and he was gone. She stood there for a moment, stunned, then she felt a hand come down on her shoulder, and she jumped.
"What do you think?" He whispered in her ear, smiling. He walked off into the woods. Tay watched him, then she herself smiled, a little more devious than Urza, if possible. She bounded back off to the fire.
"So he's not going to be here for a while? AWESOME! We got the next couple days off!" He felt a sharp blast of cold water hit is face. He squirmed on the ground and glared at Tay.
"Not if I have anything to say about it." She said, smiling. Jack, too stunned for words, just lay there looking up at her. He frowned, scoffed, and looked away from her. Sarah giggled.
"I see you're still yourself, huh Tay?"
She smiled and scratched the back of her head, "I'll never be able to go back to school after this, it'll be too boring." They all, minus Jack, had a good laugh.
"I see the four of you hasn't thought differently about what the old man said." An eerie voice sprung out from the shadows. Indeed, Drake had come back, just like Urza said he would. Sarah quickly jumped to her feet and sprinted off to him.
"Drake!" She yelled, "Are you okay? Where were you? I've been worried sick about you!"
He just glared at her, then Tay leaned down next to Jack and started whispering to him.
"Is it just me, or is Sarah acting nicer than usual?" ("EEE! Your arm's bleeding! What happened?!")
"I dunno. She seems like the same Sarah to me." ("It's nothing. Leave me alone.")
"It's like she's…almost…." ("Here's some bandages! Or should I just heal you now?")
"You don't think…?" ("I said, leave me alone!")
All this time Jesse just sat there, watching Sarah pampering Drake, and stuttering while doing so. He was the only one to know what was going on, because he had done the same thing the first time he saw Sarah. And he didn't like it, he didn't like it one bit.
Within the next few weeks, under the watchful eye of Tay, everyone finished their books. Although it no way increased their power, or mana, in did give them a better understanding of the mysteries of mana. Jack was the last one to finish, which annoyed Tay greatly. But even still, everyone finished their "studying," and it was back to the "practicing." Even Jack was enthusiastic about this, getting out of the book, but the more time went on, the more…closer, Sarah was getting to Drake, and Jesse couldn't do anything, he couldn't do anything, but watch.
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Just a few things, and then I'll be done. One, please, please PLEASE continue giving me ideas, and sending me information about M:TG. I know I messed with it a lot in this chapter, and I'll probably continue to too, but any info is greatly appreciated. And I don't know if I said this already, but I would also like to point out that I have the plot for the entire series set, all the way to the end. But once again, any advice is appreciated.