Disclaimer: I do not own Magic: The Gathering

CHAPTER 30-The Tunneler Wurm

The Wurm was a truly terrifying sight: a slender, whip like body that could easily tear through a tree. The body ended in a mouth filled with rows of razor-sharp teeth that gnashed hungrily at the air, ready to devour the nearest available prey; currently the four stunned humans.

The Wurm dove at Erik with a screech. Fear is a strange thing. It has two main effects on humans: Either their body starts producing excess adrenaline, giving them the extra energy they need to escape, or fear can paralyze the victim, rendering them immobile, despite the approaching danger. Erik belonged in the second category. As the Wurm charged, he remained rooted to the spot.

"Get out of the way, idiot!" shouted Charles, tackling Erik to the ground. The Wurm crashed into the ground, sending a shower of dirt and forest debris flying into the air.

"Come on!" said Charles, pulling Erik up "Run for it, Arrathir!" Charles took off, Erik in tow. Meanwhile, the Wurm had recovered and Arrathir decided it would be a very good idea to move it before they became Wurm fodder.

"Let's go!" he told Eva. They ran through the trees as they heard the Wurm's roar and felt the vibrations in the soil as it pursued them, crashing through the forest with ease.

"Why don't you just summon something?" asked Eva, ducking under some branches. Distracted, Arrathir didn't notice the root in front of him and tripped. He flailed about wildly, trying to regain his balance. He tried grabbing Eva's shoulder for support, but he fell anyways, pulling her down with him. Unfortunately, they were at the top of a hill. They tumbled down the steep slope, unable to stop themselves, shouting in pain as they encountered rocks, stumps, and other obstacles on the way down.

Arrathir suddenly felt the ground drop out from under him as he rolled off a small ridge. He landed painfully on his back, knocking the wind out of himself. As he struggled to regain his breath, Eva fell on top of him. Excruciating pain shot through him, but he had no breath left to scream.

"I'm so sorry!" said Eva "Are you OK?"

Arrathir suddenly realized how awkward their position was. Eva was lying on top of him, her face only inches from his. A sudden desire came over Arrathir to pull Eva in for a kiss, but this was not the time. He could hear the Wurm approaching.

"Fine," he gasped as Eva helped him up and they took off.

"I think we lost it," said Charles. He and Erik had run wildly into the forest in their flight from the Wurm.

"Where'd Quinn and his girlfriend go?" asked Erik, irritably.

"Don't know," said Charles "I saw them running away from the Wurm, but they'll make it."

"Why didn't you just summon something?" snapped Erik "If you really are that great a Planeswalker, it shouldn't have been a problem."

"I panicked," admitted Charles "Seeing the creatures in combat is one thing, but having them come at you in the wild is very different. Also, I saved your life, thanks for noticing!"

"Feh!' said Charles "I didn't need your help. I was about to summon when you distracted me."

"As if!" snorted Charles "The only time you could summon was if Chihowaido took over your body!"

"You didn't exactly mind when he saved your ass!" yelled Erik.

"He saved yours too, idiot!"

"Don't push me, Wainscot!"

"I'll push you if I want!" yelled Charles "You're just too proud to admit you owe me!"

"I owe nothing!" growled Erik, jumping at Charles and tacking him to the ground. The two of them struggled, trading blows and insults as they sought to overpower the other. Just as Erik had pinned Charles and was about to deliver a roundhouse, a hand grabbed his arm. He turned to see Chiburuu holding him with an iron fist.

"Children," said Chiburuu "This isn't the time or the place to settle your petty squabble."

"Fine!' said Erik, getting up "Let's duel! If you win, I'll kiss your feet or whatever, but if I win, you have to tear up a card from your deck of my choice."

"You must be joking!" said Charles "These cards are more than just game pieces! Asking me to destroy something so precious is just vile!"

"Charles is right," said Chiburuu.

"Shut up!" yelled Erik "Just me and you."

;Charles?;

;This would be a great occasion to shut him up, but if I do his, it has to be just me. You can't help at all;

;If that is your wish, then fine. I still say you're being foolish, risking your cards like this;

;I'll win. I know it;

;Erik is a powerful duelist. It was no coincidence that he was chosen as a Keeper;

Leave him to me;

"Fine!' said Charles, pulling out his deck. They sat on either side of a large stump and drew their hands.

"I cut for three," said Charles, revealing Man-o'-War.

"Five," said Erik, showing Noble Purpose "I'll go first!"

"Shit!" yelled Eva. In their flight from the Wurm, they had ventured further into the forest, but Eva had stepped into a rabbit's burrow and had fallen and twisted her ankle.

We've got to get out of here, but there's no way Eva can walk.

Carry her.

Yeah, but that would slow us down so much. We're barely staying ahead of the Wurm as it is.

You're forgetting your demonic strength. Carrying her should be no problem.

"Get on my back," said Arrathir.

"What?"

"I'm going to carry you!" said Arrathir "Come on!"

"You're crazy! There's no way you can run as fast carrying me!"

"Look," said Arrathir "We don't really have a choice and there's no way I'm leaving you behind! The Wurm is gaining!"

"Just Terror it or something."

"I can't!" said Arrathir "I don't know what the Planeswalking did, but my mana's all screwed up. I can't tap anything. Now come on!"

"Fine."

Arrathir crouched down beside Eva and they managed to get her on his back. When he stood, Arrathir was surprised to find he could barely feel Eva's weight on his back.

This is incredible! It's like she weighs nothing!

That's nothing compared to what your strength will be like when you reach your full potential. Now with her on your back, you can run much faster than before. I know you were holding back to stay with her, but now you can let loose.

"Here we go!" yelled Arrathir, taking off like a rocket. The knowledge of his new strength filled him with confidence. He found he could effortlessly sprint over distances that would have left an ordinary human out of breath. The obstacles on the forest ground no longer slowed him down. Instead, he used them to reach higher speeds, jumping from one obstacle to the other. The forest was now his playground.

"This is so cool!" shouted Eva from his back.

Chikuro, I just thought of a problem: Now that Eva's back, well, if we ever start a relationship or something, you know…

You'd be uncomfortable being intimate knowing I'm watching.

Yeah.

Don't worry. If such a situation should arise, I will retreat to my Soul Room and sever all connections with your mind. In other words, I won't see, hear, or remember a thing you do, you pervert.

Arrathir growled as he felt his other self smiling. They suddenly burst from the woods, Arrathir screeching to a halt. In front of them was a deep chasm that stretched in either direction as far as the eye could see. It was several dozen meters wide. Peering over the edge, Arrathir saw that the bottom was lined with sharp-looking rocks.

In front of us, an impassable chasm; behind us, the Wurm. Since I can't summon, only one thing to do.

"Hang on, Eva!" said Arrathir, backing up "We're going for a ride."

"Oh my God!" said Eva "Are you crazy?"

He's not crazy; he's insane!

Arrathir had reached the tree line. As he gauged the running distance, Eva leaned forwards and kissed him.

"For luck," she said.

Arrathir was stunned, but didn't have time to say anything. With a tumultuous roar, the Wurm burst from the forest. As the creature charged, teeth bared, Arrathir took of, speeding towards the ledge.

"Arrathir, I'm not so sure about this," said Eva.

Arrathir ignored her, closing the distance between them and the moment where he would have to jump.

"Arrathirrrrr!" Eva's scream echoed through the air as Arrathir jumped, breaking his earthly bonds and soaring through the air like a giant bird, the tails of his trench coat accentuating the resemblance. Curiously, he felt no fear, only a deep sense of elation as he glided through the air. Arrathir looked back at Eva. Her eyes were closed tightly and she bore a pained look on her face, as if preparing for an imaginary collision.

"Come on, Eva!" he shouted "This is great! Take a look!"

Eva risked a peek, but quickly closed her eyes, whimpering in terror.

"Aw, don't tell me you're afraid of heights!"

"Just shut up and land," moaned Eva.

Arrathir gritted his teeth. While takeoff and flight had been easy, landing would prove a bit more difficult. If he wasn't careful, the impact could injure one or both of them.

I'll have to keep running after I land to use up my momentum.

However, things didn't go quite as planned. Upon landing, the force of the impact proved to be too great for Arrathir, his legs buckling out from under him. Off balance, he fell over on his face.

"Nice landing," commented Eva.

"Shut up," said Arrathir "I feel as though I've broken every bone in my body."

"Never again," said Eva, shakily getting off Arrathir's back and kissing the ground. Arrathir got up, his entire body aching.

I'm gonna be sore tomorrow.

Looking back, they could see the Wurm on the opposite ridge, roaring in frustration over the loss of its meal. It turned back into the forest, leaving a path of destruction behind it. Without any doubt, it would forget them and go in search of another prey, preferably a slower one.

"So, now are you going to tell me what happened?" asked Eva.

"Well, remember at the convention?" asked Arrathir "There was another Planeswalker there. He drugged you and then Charles and I dueled him, but we were too slow."

"What do you mean?" asked Eva.

"The drug he gave you," said Arrathir "The terms of the duel were if we won, he's give us the antidote to the drug, but we only had ten minutes to do it. Afterwards, the drug would kill you."

"So you're saying…"

"You died, Eva."

Eva sat there, stunned. Arrathir could read several emotions on her face: disbelief, anger, and, greatest of all, fear. Suddenly, she burst into tears, throwing herself at Arrathir who held her.

"I'm sorry, Eva," said Arrathir, hugging the sobbing girl "I'm sorry you had to go through that. I know what you suffered, but it's OK. We got Numa and you're alive now."

"Don't leave me," sobbed Eva "I'm so scared."

"So am I," said Arrathir "I don't even know who or what we're up against. I have no idea what I'm doing and in every duel, I know I'm gambling with my life."

"But you've got Chikuro," said Eva "I have nothing."

"You've got me," said Arrathir "Eva, I've been there for you since the day we met and I'll never leave you, I promise."

Eva merely smiled and hugged Arrathir.

"It'll be OK," said Arrathir "We'll stop whoever is behind this."

"So, how did you, well, revive me?" asked Eva.

Arrathir finished his story. Eva was confused about the whole time travel incident, but she was excited by the fact they had awakened another Keeper and gotten closer to having Erik accept his.

"Arrathir," she asked "Why did you do it? Why did you go to all that trouble to bring me back to life."

"I don't know," said Arrathir "Seeing you die was probably one of the worst moments of my life and I didn't want to remember you that way, as the girl I let die."

"Well, it was very chivalrous of you," said Eva.

Arrathir blushed and smiled, but said nothing.

To be continued…

Author's note: Hola, de Chile! Yep, two weeks after leaving, we've found a house and finally gotten Internet access, so expect uploads to resume. If you happen to visit Vina del Mar sometime this year, drop me an email and maybe we can get together and play a little Magic or something.

So Arrathir's jumping around like Tarzan on crack and Erik and Charles are going to duke it out. Oh, and of course, you're all waiting on baited breath for Khell to return.

This chapter marks an important event: The Awakening has now gotten more reviews than MTGvsYGO, making it my most reviewed fic to date. Thanks to you, the reviewers, who are the ones who give me the drive and resolve to continue with this story. We're already at Chapter 30 and we've barely begun. I know for sure this story is getting to at least Chapter 50.

Blitz: Well, you can see how she took it.

Chigy: I actually didn't realize the reference until I'd typed it up.

ACS: Thanks for the correction, Mr. Astronomer. Now to answer your questions.

1) "Plot device, Mr. Frodo."

2) Ah, I'm still putting it off until I have no choice.

3) Not to sure. Must...Go...Consult...Books…

4) I think Lu Chao's just kicking back and watching the Keepers struggling.

5) Dunno.

YM: BURN! Unfortunately, Eva's as fake as Pamela Anderson's breasts. Yaoi, um. (Full body shiver that lasts several minutes.) And I do remember that review. It was the reason I went into extensive psychotherapy to convince myself it was all a dream. Thanks for the relapse. Now I must go wash my eyes out with chlorine.

Techno: Yoda rules!

MTDL: "Bark at the Moon?" Another Ozzy fan?

Firedragon: Seeing as Arrathir's only had the avatar out a handful of times, makes sense he hasn't used its ability much.

Mega: If FF still allowed NC-17 stories maybe.

Khell: I have Khell's reappearance all planned out, don't worry.

Kenshkrix: Welcome to the story!