Chapter One: The Call To Adventure
The scent of lavender filled the air and shadows danced around the room. Candle flames bobbed and swayed on the tops of their own wax islands, surrounded by a sea of black. Ahkia knelt there, eyes shut and head bowed. His face was stoic, hiding all of the befuddled thoughts and emotions that knotted his stomach. He hoped that meditating would clear his mind. Today was a very special day, indeed, for anyone of Ahkia's homeworld and the excitement was almost too much to bear.
The great Planeswalker Serra, who was supposedly dead or lost for all time, was going to appear. She was revered all throughout the Light Civilizations of all planes. The fact that she was coming to his home was not only a great honor, but a sign as well. Strange things have been happening and a sense of dread was spreading like a ripple throughout the planes. All Planeswalkers could feel it wherever they may be. Something big was about to happen, and Serra's reemergence only confirmed this assumption. Even Ahkia could sense it, and he wasn't the greatest Planeswalker ever to be Awakened.
The door to the room opened slowly and a hooded head peeked in. Though the hood veiled most of the face, the full, cranberry lips and the slender, pale arm that hugged around the door evidently belonged to a woman. Her head swiveled until she espied Ahkia. She smiled a bit and entered the room, closing her wings so she could fit through the doorway. She rested her hands on his shoulders. "Ahkia. It's time."
Ahkia didn't look up, but he knew who it was without even opening his eyes. He looked up and back at her, returning the smile. "Thanks." He said softly. He slowly rose and gathered his white cape about him. The woman helped to adjust it; smoothing wrinkles and setting it correctly on his broad shoulders.
"Are you nervous?" The woman asked. Ahkia nodded, buttoning his cuffs. "A bit, to be honest. Ever since you told me of Serra, I wanted to meet her. I never thought I would get the chance, but now that it's about to happen and I don't know what to think…feel…or do."
"Just be Ahkia." The woman took him by the shoulders and turned him so he faced her. Her fingers brushed his forehead, feathering his black bangs to the side. She sighed and nodded. "There. You're ready." Ahkia took her arms and kissed her cheek tenderly. "Thank you." The woman laughed lightly and returned the kiss. "For what? You could have done that yourself."
"I was referring to the years you've looked after me." Ahkia whispered. The woman inclined her head, hiding her face from him. She remained silent for a length before busying herself with re-smoothing and readjusting his cape. "You better hurry." She said hurriedly, her voice faltering. "You'll be late. That's no way to meet a legend." She sniffled a bit, and watched as he walked for the door. Ahkia stopped and looked back at her. He smiled and winked. "I'll be back soon." And with that, he left. The woman slipped a hand under the hood and rubbed at her cheeks. She shook her head slowly. "No. You wont…"
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Ahkia's homeworld, the Plains of Odion, was a very beautiful place. It stretched out as far as the eye could see – a vast plain unadorned by brush or rock. Only the golden grasses covered the plain, dancing in the warm breezes under the amber sky.
Despite the beauty of the plains, the ancestors of the current inhabitants of Odion found it hard to live there. It's featureless landscape provided little shelter and even less in resources for the wayward, nomadic tribe that stumbled on it. However, due to their numbers, strong wills and the guidance of their Planeswalker, they gathered enough material from a nearby quarry to build a great, ivory tower.
The tower was very wide and it was tall enough to pierce the clouds. It was large enough to support the steadily growing civilization, like the girth of a mother's hips. The people paved spiraling roads and they chiseled out windows and doors, making a city out of the immense tower.
Ahkia made his way up one of the many streets hugging to the sides of the tower. He passed the little shops and venders, all with their wares spread on quilts or tarps. He strayed to the edge of road and smiled as he surveyed his homeworld. He loved the plains so much and yet he did not know why. Something about it's endless stretches of gold grass under the canvas of orange lifted his spirits each and every time he looked upon it.
Coming to a split in the road, Ahkia smiled and quickened his pace. Taking the innermost road, he soon passed under a great threshold, which opened up into a large chamber. It was lit by blue lanterns, which cast their hues onto the large domed walls without a shadow, making the room appear to be completely blue.
At the far end of the chamber were a flight of steps, leading up to a pair of large doors. Ahkia ascended the steps and stopped at the doors. He examined the gold embroidering with fascination and took a deep breath, feeling is heart racing. Just beyond those doors was not only the council, but Serra herself.
He took a deep breath and reached out to open the doors, but they opened on their own just as his fingers felt the handles. He eyed the two soldiers that held the doors open for him as he entered, nodding to them respectfully. They closed the door behind him and he flinched. He looked down sheepishly as he stood there, embarrassed by his show of nervousness. He started walking again, trying to recover quickly and save face. Even so, his legs were stiff and his movements self-conscious.
He gazed about in wonder as he entered a large hall. It was lined with pillars, which were all lined with fine, polished wood. Tall and arched windows allowed curtains of sunlight to coat the hall, causing the wood to glow amber.
There, at the far end of the hall, stood three elderly humans, dressed in the simple robes of the council. Amongst them was a woman, dressed in armor and wearing a helm. She was beautiful, but her features were hardened. Ahkia knew this was Serra, the legendary Planeswalker.
All four looked up as he came up to them. Ahkia smiled a bit, feeling comforted by the fact they didn't seem to notice his awkward entrance. He gave a short bow to each in turn as he addressed them. "High Breogath, High Jacar, High Gala, Lady Serra."
They bowed to him in return. "Welcome, Ahkia." Gala said with a homely smile. "You'r right on time." Jacar gestured out with a hand, which was covered, comically, by his overlarge sleeve. "Please, come this way as we speak. We haven't much time." The four began to walk and Ahkia followed close to them. He could not help peeking at Serra now and then as he listened. Although he knew deep down that by what Jacar said that this was very important and he should be listening with attention undivided, his eyes were constantly straying to the legend at his side.
"Ahkia. You have been schooled by one of our most educated teachers. Surely you know much of our lore." Jacar said. Ahkia nodded and answered, "Yes. I do. I've even started learning about the lore of other Civilizations."
"That's good." Breogath said. "Then you must have learned of the Prophecy of the Spheres." Ahkia nodded and the Council members eyed each other, exchanging silent messages through their gazes. Ahkia furrowed his eyebrows, confused by their actions. He looked to Serra, hoping to glean answers by seeing how she would react. She remained indifferent, which was of no help to Ahkia.
"Then you should know." Jacar said slowly. "That recent events have had something to do with it." Ahkia looked to him incredulously. "Surely...surely that can't be so! I mean...the Prophecy of the Spheres is only a myth!"
"As with most things from older ages, things that are not forgotten are usually disregarded as myths and legend." Came a mighty voice from beside Ahkia. It took him time to realize that the voice, which had an odd mix of masculinity and femininity, had actually come from Serra. It caught his attention immediately and he hung on each word as her lips formed them.
"But I fear, Ahkia of Odion, that this prophecy is all too real." She slowly took the lead and guided them to an odd object. It was settled in the middle of a large, cylindrical alcove. It was a disc of gold with a cone rising from the center. A gold spike settled nicely in the underside of the cone, which allowed the disc to tilt in all directions. The spike also held the disk about four feet up from the floor. On the disk were five different colored orbs; cream, blue, red, black and green respectively and each where equidistant from each other.
Serra held up a hand, silently asking that Jacar, Breogath and Gala remain behind. Ahkia followed her over to the disk and he stared at it intently. Within each orb a core of light and energy swirled around like little whirlwinds. The disk they sat on dipped to one side, toward the black orb. Ahkia looked up at Serra, his eyes full of wonder and questions.
"This is a globe of the five Civilizations. With it, you can see where power collects the most. As you can see," she gestured to the disk, "...the power tilts in the Dark Civilization's favor. The darkness is growing and we have yet to understand why. And because of the tilting, the Water and Fire civilizations are also gaining strength, while the Light and the Nature Civilizations grow weaker."
Ahkia shook his head as he looked back down at the disk, following her hand. "But...what does this have to do with the Prophecy of the Spheres? Something like this could happen any time!"
Serra shook her head and Ahkia knew he had said something quite ignorant, which caused him to flush in embarrassment. From that point on, he decided not to speak unless he had a question. Serra moved and stood on the other side of the disk, facing Ahkia. "Ahkia. The power is being drawn to the Dark Civilization on purpose....not because that's its natural flow." Seeing the shock in Ahkia's face, Serra continued, anticipating his question. "Yes. I speak the truth. Something that should never have been awoken has been beseeched by a sorceress. It now rises from it's sleeping place, slowly absorbing the power it needs to bring about the destruction of the other Civilizations."
Ahkia found himself fighting not to tremble in Serra's presence, but he could not hide the sudden loss of color in his face. He slowly shook his head and blurted, "What could possibly do such a thing? What could have that kind of power?" Serra sighed and closed her eyes. "A powerful being of a primordial age. One far older than myself and even many other beings."
She then looked up at Ahkia and held his gaze with her eyes. "Ahkia...despite what you have learned here, there is still a chance to stop him and return normal balance. In the Prophecy, it was said that each Civilization will choose a champion, one being that will represent all others from their Civilization. Then the champions are to set out and attempt to destroy the one who brings the shift in balance." She pointed to him slowly. "And you are our champion, Ahkia."
Ahkia could not help but take one step back. Serra seemed to remain still as the rest of the room rocked back. Needless to say he was surprised to hear Serra tell him such a thing. "M-me? W-w-why me?" Serra slowly walked around the disk and stood before him. "I know you do not remember anything about your life, Ahkia. The Elders have informed me that you were found two years ago, wandering the plains without a single memory of who you were, where you came from or why you were out in the plains in the first place. Despite this and the fact you do not seem to be a strong Plainswalker, I tell you now and please believe me: you have a gift, Ahkia. A gift no other Plainswalker has ever had. Not even myself."
Shocked into silence, Ahkia could only stare at Serra. It took him a length, which Serra seemed to allow him with a kindly smile, before he could speak again. He looked askance at the disk. He spoke slowly, trying to form his sentences as best he could. "If I am a champion, what am I to do? What is my role as a 'champion'." He asked, believing he might understand things better if he could at least understand what was expected of him.
More concerns only rose from the question, much to Ahkia's dismay. Serra sighed and gnawed at her lip in thought. "I am not going to lie to you, Ahkia. As a champion, you are fated to die. Your sole role in this Prophecy, as is the role of all the other champions, is to restore balance and destroy this dark being."
Ahkia gripped and loosened his hands at a erratic pace. He looked up at Serra with watery eyes and spoke haltingly. "Lady Serra....how could this be my fate? I don't even know who I am...all I have is the last two years here, in the Plains of Odion.....if accepting my duty as the champion of light might end in my death....then I have not lived a life beyond that of an infant....must I truly take this duty?"
Serra gently took his chin and gently turned his face up to look at her. She leaned in and kissed his forehead gently. He felt a calm take his body as she did, feeling like he was in the presence of a loving mother. He listened close as she spoke to his forehead. "To look death in the face is a disheartening thing, Ahkia of Odion. I myself have shook before it. But sometimes we are all given the chance to become more than or do something beyond ourselves. A chance at finding our destinies. These moments only come rarely and you should grab them as they come. I will not ask this duty of you, Ahkia, if you fear it so, but I will ask of you one thing: didn't you ever wonder what you were before this life? Didn't you ever wonder what you could be? Even though you do not remember your past, Ahkia, this is your one chance to rise up and make a name for yourself. To break the silence in your life and rise up from the many other faces in the crowd. We all die someday, Ahkia. Is it not better to die in a blinding flash of light than to die with a whisper of a breath? Just think about it, Ahkia."
Ahkia slowly nodded and Serra patted his shoulder. "Go home. Sleep. It's the best thing to do. In the morning your mind will be clearer and your thoughts sharper. Decide then and only after you've eaten. Alright?" Again he nodded and Serra nodded in return, whispering, "Good."
She walked away, waving back at him. "Fare thee well, Ahkia of Odion. Until tomorrow." Ahkia waved back absentmindedly, is minds still reeling with questions and thoughts. Serra approached the Elders and they immediately flocked to her. "What did he say?" Gala asked. "Did he accept?"
Serra looked back at Ahkia and gave an affectionate smile. "No..." As she spoke, she watched as Ahkia stared down at the disk, thinking. He gently caressed the cream orb with his finger tips. "...Not yet."