Chapter 30: Battle at the Bridge
Gideon ran a grimy arm, caked in splattered Eternal blood, across his sweat-drenched brow, trying his best to ensure his vision was unclouded. He did his best to steady Promise's flight beneath him, leveling out as best it could after gutting the Eternalized drake midair just a moment before. With a steady hand, he guided the Pegasus forward, barreling their way through the aerial battlefield in search of any soldier in need of his assistance. As he and his steed wove through the hazardous slipstreams, he felt something twinge within his body. It took a moment for him to notice, but his shoulders were extremely tight, almost anticipatorily so. Part of him worried that it was merely exhaustion setting in, but he dared not let such a thought thrive within his head. Gideon had no idea how long he had been fighting, but he was not about to admit any weakness on his part.
It had been a long while, though Gideon could say exactly how long since he, his fellow planeswalkers, and the mustered Ravnican troops had descended from the Parhelion II to meet the incoming infantry from the Planar Bridge. While he kept mostly to the air, aiding Aurelia and Sarkhan in felling the larger Eternalized dragons, demons, and angels that plagued the skies, he occasionally swooped low to the battlefield, commanding scattered regiments and safeguarding his allies whenever possible. Blackblade readily decapitated zombies that were held in place by Arlinn's wolves or skewered the smaller targets produced by Kasmina's rushed transmutations. The others appeared to fare well, their abilities and weapons well-suited for combat, though Gideon knew that this could not last forever.
His side continued to fight valiantly to keep the enemy at bay, but the Boros were severely outmatched by the overwhelming force of the Dreadhorde's march, losing two soldiers for every Eternal that dropped. Gideon had worried they would need to bead an early retreat, lest the entire Legion be wiped out before the final confrontation. As he watched from above, he almost readied the signal to Aurelia that they should leave. Luckily, he belayed his order just long enough for reinforcements to arrive.
As if summoned by his own stubbornness against backing down, the square was suddenly filled by an onslaught of incoming fighters, poring through every crack and seam in the blasted infrastructure of the shaken city. First came the Orzhov, their beguilingly armored priests and vampiric pontiffs crashing into the scene aboard yoked thrulls or sparkling steeds, while their winged pets took to the sky, disorienting any aven that crossed their paths. As the Eternals struggled to pierce through their heavy and ostentatious guard, the Syndicate's giant enforcers brought the zombies low with either gilded maces or overladen treasure chests which, Gideon knew, would just as soon be open for donations once the fight concluded.
Then came the Simic, their amalgamated soldiers charging into battle behind a collection of familiar faces. Gideon remembered how he smiled as he saw Ajani roar into the scene, leading this newfound offensive, with Karn at his side, the silver golem's frozen features seemingly set harder than usual. He also recognized Kiora, who now plunged into battle atop a colossal leviathan, her bident leveled at the Dreadhorde with a diluvian ferocity. There were several faces he had not seen before, a young boy commanding a massive hound and a woman with white hair who struck at the zombies with spiraling trails of water. Though he did not recognize them, Gideon knew that, if Ajani brought them, they were assuredly his allies as well. Behind them all, an army of hybridized mutants from the Simic Combine seeped into the thick of battle. The more humanoid infantry struck at Eternals with unnatural tentacles, tongues, and tails, while the animalistic creations scuttled through their ranks and ripped them apart with tooth and claw. Gideon had no love for the Simic's beliefs or practices, but seeing their experiments wreak havoc on the Eternals gave him enough pause.
Finally came the Izzet, zipping into the fray with an almost cavalier exuberance. Humans and goblins bedecked in brass welding gear, wielding all manner of pneumatic, electric, or magical weaponry, unleashed a cavalcade of violence upon the apparently unending swarm. Masses of living fire and ice slithered from back-mounted tanks to intercept, goblins atop flying platforms collided with airborne Eternals in spectacular fashion, and even normally stoic sphinxes launched into battle, their eyes hazed over with manic energy. Gideon searched for Jace among their chaotic ranks, but he was nowhere to be found. His brow furrowed, but he could practically hear Jace's snide reprimand if he knew Gideon was wasting time worrying about him and not on the task at hand.
As Gideon once again surveyed the square, now brimming with representatives from the guilds of Ravnica, he saw something shift. He had seen so many battles in his lifetime, conflicts on all sizes and scales, from both within and without. All that strategic knowledge coalesced in his mind, accounting for his supreme aptitude in combat. Here, however, it let him observe that, for the first time since his arrival, the tide was beginning to turn. Whether it was simply the increased numbers on their side, or perhaps an unspoken comradery amongst the intermingling guilds finally uniting against a common threat. Regardless, Gideon could see it plain as day: they suddenly had a chance.
His mind had started racing, trying to accommodate all the new variables in his battle plan while still dealing with the Eternals that intermittently entered and dropped from his airspace.
There's probably too many troops for me to command up here and down there. We're still limited on air support, so I should stay here. But for the ground…
Gideon narrowed his eyes, searching for a single person amidst the sea of clashing bodies. Fortunately, Samut stuck out from the crowd as she streaked through with lightning speed, leaving a stretched afterimage of red mana in her wake. Pressing his heels into Promise's sides, Gideon swooped from the elevated battlefield to intercept her blistering path.
He maneuvered his steed into a careful hover, barely out of reach of any potential attacks from the earthbound skirmishers. He tried to grab her attention from afar, but to no avail. Though he gleamed like a beacon from his invulnerable aura, Gideon saw that Samut's focus was solely on the Eternals through which she carved a grisly path. It was not until he drew nearer that he saw her mouth moving solemnly with each swipe of her dual khopeshes. The din of war was too loud for him to hear what she was saying, but the steely glint in her eyes left a familiar, somber impression on Gideon.
As Samut reared back to deliver a killing blow against a lazotep-coated minotaur, Gideon unsheathed Blackblade and slew the Eternal himself. With her eyes finally on him, Gideon gestured to the side of the melee where they could speak above the noise. She nodded to him, then bowed her head to the corpse before her. Once again, she said something inaudible, and as soon as she concluded, she burst towards the indicated spot with a rush of crackling mana. Gideon tightened his mount's reins and pulled her up from the low flight, deftly following behind Samut.
The building was a modest structure of brick and mortar, one of the few that was still standing after the day's events. As Gideon swiftly approached, he watched as Samut sprinted up the building's face, tearing stones from the walls and shattering windows as she passed at supersonic speeds. She only stopped moving once she reached the rooftop, kicking up a length of shingles and underlying insulation as she skidded to a stop. A few moments later, Gideon landed Promise beside her, the pegasus's wings and hooves only further disturbing the wreckage of the rooftop. He motioned to dismount and meet Samut eye-to-eye, but she quickly sheathed her weapons so she could hold up a hand in dismissal.
"No need," she plainly stated, "it'll only waste time when you need to get back on. What news have you brought from the sky?"
Settling back into Promise's saddle, Gideon cleared his throat, preparing his commanding voice. "It seems we've received an influx of new soldiers. I'm recognizing Orzhov, Simic, and Izzet with us now."
"That's good," Samut nodded, her face still gravely set. "It seems your allies have succeeded in their endeavors, then. What are their numbers looking like?"
"Enough that we may stand a chance. They're all over the place, to be sure, but if properly coordinated, I think there's some possibility we could beat them back."
Samut crossed her arms over her chest and cautioned a look down at the battlefield below. "It won't be a simple matter. These Eternals are fearsome warriors, every last one of them. But, if you have a plan for the ground assault, I'll carry it out, and I'll lay low as many of these monsters as I need to."
Gideon could hear the bitter venom in Samut's words and see the righteous wrath in her eyes. He offered her a warm smile in the hopes it might alleviate at least some of her fury. "I'd expect no less from you. I figured I can stay in the air and coordinate whatever new flying troops we have. On the ground, I'd say meet up with Ajani over on the far left, and then swing around with his soldiers t-"
Suddenly, Gideon's plan evaporated from his lips. His mind went blank for a moment, the mental projection of his strategy having shaken loose as if it were made of sand. He did not know what had caused it, but a massive seism had just rippled through the city, rattling him and, presumably, everyone in the vicinity. As his brain refocused, he saw that Samut was no longer looking at him. Her eyes, now wide beneath her creased brow, were cast off behind him, staring at the horizon. Gideon turned in confusion, unsure what she could be looking at, but as he followed her gaze, he could feel his eyes widen as well.
What… what in the name of Nyx is that?
With his vision, and his thoughts, thoroughly cleared, Gideon could only watch in awe at the source of the tremors. A colossal construct of earth and stone and vegetation and wood lumbered across the city, flattening buildings beneath its rootlike feet and batting winged Eternals from the sky with its mighty arms. It moved with an unnatural jerkiness, as if it were a marionette with strings cut too short. With each step it took, Ravnica buckled from its weight, and now that Gideon gazed upon it, he felt every vibration that rocked across the skyline.
He ran a hand through his hair, feeling the matted collection of grit press against his fingers. Sensing his breath leaving his lungs, Gideon stared, awestruck, at the mysterious behemoth. Beside him, he heard Samut let out a similarly dumbfounded sigh.
"By the Second Sun," she exhaled, "what is that thing?"
Gideon did not turn to her, his eyes glued to the destructive sight. "I'm… not sure. I don't think I've seen anything like it before, but it also feels somewhat familiar."
"Such things aren't native to this plane?"
"Definitely not. At least it looks too natural to have come through the portal."
"Does that mean that it fights for us?" Even though he was not looking at her face, Gideon could feel the defensive bite behind Samut's statement. "It may not come from my home, but it seems to be aiding Bolas' plan to level this plane, nonetheless. If it comes in this direction, then I doubt we'll have the firepower to push it back. I know you've seen an opening for us to win this battle, but we may need to consider a tactical retreat."
With each word Samut spoke, Gideon's brow furrowed deeper and deeper. It was partially a response to her backpedaling suggestion, but this was only a faint blip against the lumbering elemental. His eyes narrowed as far as they could, trying to discern any information about this creature's plans or motives. It was not until it had taken several slow, booming steps that Gideon's eyes alit with a glimmer of understanding.
"That thing isn't headed this way. At least, not yet. It looks like it's heading straight for… the Transguild Promenade."
Gideon thrust a finger towards the construct, then drew an invisible line to follow its trajectory. Sure enough, he landed on the city's center, where the looming statue of Bolas stood with wings outstretched.
"What is there for it?" Samut asked, turning away from the scene to look up at Gideon.
"I don't know," Gideon admitted. "Before that statue went up, the Promenade had always been a place of peace. Whatever that thing is, I'm not sure why it would be going… over… there…"
Despite his usual conviction, Gideon found himself trailing off. Suddenly, his mind had far more important things to process than the continuation of this sentence. The odd elemental, whose origin and purpose still eluded him, stepped foot in the Promenade. Though it was formidable in size and stature, Bolas' limestone effigy still cast its shadow upon the construct's head, sneering lips and outstretched arms seemingly offering a challenge to anyone who would dare oppose the Elder Dragon.
Standing just beneath the statue, the construct paused, arms settling down and frame leaning back as if it were sizing up an opponent. Then, with a speed and strength that Gideon did not expect from such a titan, the collection of earth and stone lashed out at the statue. One appendage struck the image of Bolas in its tri-clawed feet, while the other slammed hard against the uncarved base. Both hits landed with an explosive flourish, sending twin plumes of debris into the air. Crumbling rocks rained down from the compromised structure, and Gideon's mouth fell agape as he watched the statue of Bolas fall from its perch and crash into the ground below.
It landed almost instantaneously, sending up a tremendous shockwave throughout the city. Gideon did not feel the impact until several seconds after he saw it, but it was enough to shake him to his core, stirring up a whirlwind fervor within his chest. He felt his spine go straight, nerves alight with a rejuvenating spark.
Beside him, he saw Samut experience a similar revelation, her posture shifting from concern to amazement. "No servant of Bolas would ever destroy his image. Whatever that thing may be, it does not fight for him."
Gideon nodded, his mind too preoccupied to respond. He intently watched as the construct, still wading through the massive dust cloud produced by the statue's fall, turned from the Transguild Promenade to seek out its next destination. As the enormous amalgam of dirt and leaves turned in Gideon's direction, he caught sight of something he had missed before. On its way to the statue, the elemental's front had been obstructed by the adjacent spires and rooftops, but now, Gideon could see a collection of buildings making up its chest cavity, ivory steeples and edifices that practically gleamed in the suppressive nightfall. Though he could not place the exact structures, Gideon instantly recognized the architecture.
"That thing comes from the Selesnya," he told Samut, gesturing with Blackblade to emphasize his conviction. "I'd know that white stone anywhere. I suppose that means we have another allied guild we can count on. That's good, their warriors and druids are some of the strongest I've worked with."
Samut nodded. "That is good to hear. I was unaware that a city such as this would even have trees large enough to shape such a beast."
"Well, the Selesnya sector is certainly more in touch with the natural side of Ravnica than the rest of the city. There's plenty of trees, though they're not that big. Well, except for…"
Gideon's explanation once again trailed off as a new surge of realization subsumed all other bodily functions. He looked again at the construct, knee-deep in urban rubble, and he understood just how such a behemoth could have come to be.
"…Vitu-Ghazi. The only tree big enough in this whole city is their guildhall, the base of the Conclave since the signing of the Guildpact 10,000 years ago. That creature over there is Vitu-Ghazi, the World Tree."
Though Samut could not fully grasp the enormity of Gideon's statement, her features softened in understanding. "For something with such history to be used like this, these must be dire times."
This comment barely registered with Gideon, as his mind was still preoccupied, not simply with his recent revelation, but the subsequent questions that it raised.
No one in the Conclave is strong enough to raise something as large as Vitu-Ghazi and control it like that. Not even Trostani could accomplish such a feat. I've only ever seen one other person capable of manipulating the elements on such a scale, and I've only known one person with such a wanton disregard for property damage that they would go out of their way just to destroy a statue of their enemy.
Slowly, a wide, proud smile filled Gideon's face. Staring at the now familiar shape of the uprooted World Tree, Gideon muttered to himself: "Nissa, Chandra… what kind of crazy plan have you two cooked up this time?"
Samut turned up to Gideon, a look of confusion from both his lack of response to her comment and this whispered aside clouding over her face. "What's that, Gideon? Is everything okay?"
"Indeed," he nodded, voice practically brimming with joy. "I believe the Gatewatch are the ones responsible for Vitu-Ghazi's sudden awakening."
Samut's tempered her features at Gideon's rapturous answer. "That is fortunate, then. Do you know what they plan to do?"
Before Gideon could offer a prediction, Vitu-Ghazi seemed to provide one of its own. Turning away from the Transguild Promenade, the hulking elemental stopped to stare in their direction. For a moment, it was almost as if its nonexistent eyes pierced Gideon's, conferring an unspoken, reassuring message. Then, the anthropomorphized tree lifting its feet and began shambling towards them, quaking the ground with each subsequent step.
Reflexively, Samut fell onto her back foot. "It's coming this way. Does that mean…"
"They'll be here to help," finished Gideon. "Chandra was with us when we got caught in the initial destruction from the Planar Bridge's opening. If she's truly aboard Vitu-Ghazi, they'll be coming right here to assist us in clearing out the square."
Hearing his reassurance, Samut crossed her arms and closed her eyes, falling into a deep concentration. Gideon watched as she mulled something over deep in her mind, her eyelids and mouth occasionally twitching with anxious energy. After a few moments, she met Gideon's gaze once again.
"Regardless of if that thing is fighting for or against us, I doubt it has the necessary finesse to avoid not simply flattening anything in its path. If it's headed this way, our troops are in just as much danger as Bolas'."
Gideon's face hardened with militaristic resolve as he nodded. "Then we'll just need to make sure our own are safe." Tightening his grip on Blackblade, he first pointed it at the slowly advancing elemental, then drew a line across the horizon to map its potential movements. Turning fully in Promise's saddle, Gideon did not stop gesturing until the blade's point was directly in the thick of the battle below.
"It looks like Vitu-Ghazi will be coming up this way and touch down here. Samut, if you can rally the ground troops and move their formation to the opposite side of the square, then we can force the Dreadhorde directly into Vitu-Ghazi's path and give our own soldiers time to retreat afterwards."
Staring down to the chaos below, Samut's brow furrowed, not in frustration, but in contemplation. Her eyes flickered in all directions, fast enough that Gideon could see faint red sparks arcing between her eyebrows with each ocular shift.
"It will be difficult," she responded, not looking up to address him, "but I think it is doable. I can start with the Boros furthest away from where we want them. They listen to commands the best, and perhaps the other guilds will follow suit."
Gideon followed her explanation, scanning the fight to ensure the plan was sound enough. "Seems like a fine strategy to start. I'd suggest finding Ajani, the white-furred leonin, as quickly as possible. He can certainly help you in disseminating your instructions. And if any of those Orzhov, the guys with the gold armor, give you any trouble, just say that you'll pay them extra once this is all over."
Samut arched a dubious eyebrow. "Would they listen to such a thing?
"It's about the only thing they do listen to," he answered with a sigh. "The guilds rarely get along, but each are not without their wants."
"I see. And what about you?"
Gideon flashed Blackblade up from the battlefield and towards the aerial skirmish happening just overhead. "The skies will need to be cleared just as well as the ground. I'll tell Aurelia the plan, and we'll start corralling our air support away from where Vitu-Ghazi will go. I'll also see if I can get word to the Parhelion II. That solar blast of theirs could also help maneuver the Eternals into an unfavorable position instead of just cutting through them."
"A sound strategy as ever," she said with a grave intonation. "Very well. We mustn't waste any more time. I'll see to the ground, you see to the sky. If all goes well, we may win this battle yet."
Gideon understood the morbidity in Samut's voice. For her, this battle was not simply against a faceless army. Each of these Eternals was once a citizen of Amonkhet, of her home. These were her allies and rivals, her friends and family, disturbed from their honorable deaths to serve a false god. He could only ever imagine the difficulties she faced, the strain of it all on her furious soul. He knew he could not offer anything to truly offset the pain she must feel, but he was not resigned to simply let it lie. Leaning over in his saddle, Gideon placed a firm, warm hand on Samut's shoulder and mustered the strongest, brightest smile his face would allow. "First this battle, and then the war. This is where we show Bolas just what forces he has decided to provoke."
She stared back at him, and for the briefest, most imperceptible moment, Gideon swore he saw a long-dormant softness return to Samut's steely features, one that he had not seen since the Gatewatch's first trip to Amonkhet. He dared not call attention to it, especially as it disappeared behind the warrior's grimly set countenance, but that small concession, even if it were a trick of the light or of his own desirous mind, was enough to fill Gideon with a powerful glow.
Samut mutely nodded to him in acknowledgement, a gesture that he swiftly reciprocated. Then, with her eyes set on the battlefield below, Samut sprinted from the rooftop, tearing a fresh trail of destruction down the side of the previously untouched building. Gideon watched her recede into a flash of red light darting along the cobbles, then turned his attention to his own task. With sword held high in one hand and reins gripped tight in the other, Gideon and Promise vaulted from the roof. He hazarded one last look back over the horizon, confirming that Vitu-Ghazi would be upon them soon enough, before setting his sights on the pitched combat that occupied the space above, and specifically on a single, conspicuously lit symbol of strength directly at its center.
Against the blackened sky, surrounded by the deep blue of the opposition, Aurelia blazed like the absent sun. Her eyes illuminated with radiant, white light, which reflected through the flowing red locks that whipped from behind her circlet. Her twin swords, a blazing straight edge in her left and a lengthy winding blade in her right, spun through the air with such speed and ferocity that it appeared as though sweeping arcs of light were dismembering the Eternals bold enough to attack her. While her focus appeared to be on striking down whatever winged zombies she could, Aurelia continued to act as the commander of the Boros skyknights, barking resonant orders at every opportunity. In every way, she was a beacon for the forces fighting against Bolas, and Gideon wasted no time in approaching her with his plan.
As he approached, Aurelia paused her wild slashes, though not before severing the left wing of a divebombing Eternal angel and sending it careening uselessly into a building below. Flicking the blood from her weapons, she hailed him with a wave. "Gideon! I saw what that thing did to the Promenade, and it's heading straight for us. What's our plan of attack for it, or do we need to fall back?"
"No need to attack it or fall back," Gideon vehemently shook his head. "It's difficult to see from here, but that thing is Vitu-Ghazi, and it's coming to help."
Aurelia's luminous eyes went wide with bewilderment. "That is Vitu-Ghazi? By the gods, the Selesnya have never been so brash!"
"Well, I think they have a little help," Gideon noted sheepishly.
"Alright, then what's the plan? Maneuver the forces away from where its coming so it'll hit the Eternals first?"
Gideon could not help but smile. "I'll never know how you always manage to be two steps ahead of me. I've already got Samut working on the ground troops, you and I can handle everyone up here. We should also get word to the Parhelion."
"Good thinking, the orbital solar flare is still recharging, but once it's up, it should be a proper deterrent. Feather!"
Aurelia raised a hand, flagging down a nearby angel who was completely covered in thick golden armor and brandished an oversized, dual bladed sword. Upon hearing this summons, Feather interrupted her trajectory and approached Aurelia.
"Yes, Aurelia?"
"Bring word to the Parhelion to prep the dynamos for the solar flare. Inform them to aim at the southwest edge of the square and prepare for a half sweep of the perimeter."
Feather nodded purposefully. "At your command." She flashed Aurelia a tight salute, then took off towards the Parhelion, barreling and bisecting through any Eternals along her path.
As the angel receded from sight through the shifting throng of aerial combatants, Aurelia turned back to Gideon. "The Parhelion's weapons will be operational soon enough."
"Then we haven't a moment to lose," he responded. "You take that side of the battle and rally your Legion. I'll cut through and grab Sarkhan. I believe he'll speak better to the Izzet and Simic up here than I."
"That's probably true. Gods only know how many times I've tried to reason with their ranks. They're capable of anything except following orders."
"With what we're facing today, we could certainly use anything."
"Well said, friend. Very well, I'll alert the skyknights to our plan. Take care with the others, and we'll reconvene on the northeast end."
Gideon paused for a moment. "It's good to see you back on the battlefield, Aurelia."
"I've never been one to sit behind my troops. It's as Razia always said, one cannot truly lead if they are unwilling to stand either beside or before those they command." A slight smile cracked against her authoritative façade. "And I must admit, I have missed the thrill of it."
Gideon responded with a silent, forceful nod. After mirroring his gesture, Aurelia sailed off through the air, her burning gleam following close behind like a comet's tail. Gideon watched for a moment as she gesticulated firmly to any of her soldiers she came across, giving them their new marching orders with a precise point from one of her two blades. After a moment or so, he broke his prolonged stare and began fulfilling his own side of the plan.
Another quick glance over the horizon showed that Vitu-Ghazi was still en route, shuddering the nearby buildings and sending up shockwaves that were already beginning to dislodge loose bricks from the structures around the square. Keeping this in mind, Gideon wasted no time. Throwing himself back into the action, he commanded Blackblade with deadly force, slicing through Eternals and barking orders at the top of his lungs. Though his voice was loud, he could see that the assembled troops from the other guilds did not seem to heed his call. Either out of deafness or disregard, Gideon could not visibly discern. Unperturbed by this lack of cohesion, he plunged his steed ever further through the brawl, eventually reaching his goal.
Sarkhan, still in his fearsome draconic vestiges, belched consistent cones of iridescent flames across the sky, intermittently cutting through the omnipresent blackness above and the pulsating purple below. Sidling beside the beastly man, Gideon quickly explained the plan and Sarkhan's part in it. The dragon gave a fierce nod and a receptive, bellowing roar in response. Gideon briefly wondered if Sarkhan could speak in his dragon form or simply preferred communicating as the creatures did, but this thought swiftly fluttered away with a beat of sinuous wings as the dragon ventured forth in assistance.
Shortly after, Gideon followed suit, using the destruction left by Sarkhan's breath to grab the attention of any allied forces and direct them to their objective. Taking notice of the draconian display, revered members of the other guilds began to fall in line. He saw a hovering pair of Izzet mages, both wizened and spry with erratic magic, break towards the edges of the fight and redirect whatever mechanisms were keeping their fellow gizmometers aloft. A pallid angel, floating on four wings of feathered jet, whirled a massive golden scythe over her head, showing the lost souls of the Orzhov where to go. Near the precipices of the nearby buildings, a bright blue humanoid, gliding on vestigial wings and snapping at Eternals with a grafted pair of crablike claws, rallied the mutant hordes of the Simic, directing them into Sarkhan's volatile wake.
The Eternals, confused by the sudden shift of the battle, either paused with reproach outside the fluctuating radius or were swallowed into its unpredictable eye. These enemies caught in the middle of the movement were swiftly dealt with, surrounded on all sides by natural and manufactured weapons that were eagerly prepared to tear them apart. This surprise did not last long, however, and the Eternals soon returned to full pursuit, aware enough to dodge around the unprecedented movements but still compelled to approach by the insatiable lust of the Elderspell.
As the tumultuous assemblage of guild fighters worked steadily around the square's implied midair barrier, Gideon pulled away from them, commanding Promise to fly far higher than the rest. Several Eternals broke away from the pack to follow him, as he expected, but they instantly fell to Blackblade once they came within its reach, temporary slaking its infinite thirst. With his trail cleared, Gideon settled his steed into a gentle drift and looked down at how his plan was progressing.
From this vantage point, he could see everything unfold as none of the combatants caught within the frenzy could. He watched the skyward forces slowly settle into the formation he and Aurelia had crafted, sandwiching the Eternals between their reversed ranks and the oncoming colossus. Glancing to the ground below, he saw a similar scene unfolding. Though he could not make out details from his height, the bright blip of Samut's enhanced reflexes traced out the pincer-like positioning that they had discussed. The battlefield lay bisected, with the monolithic azure of the Eternals on one side and the muddled, indeterminable hue of the Ravnican fighters on the other. These colors were only further condensed as the Parhelion II, now recharged and hovering outside the square, shot off another intense beam of light, which cut off the Dreadhorde from advancing in any other direction than the one they had approved.
Gideon took in all these sights, and he felt a deep, soothing warmth begin to blossom in his chest.
It's working, he inwardly remarked, a slow smile cutting through his granitic features. This plan, it could actually work.
Optimism, a feeling that seemed so distant and forsaken to him and his allies, freely flowed within him, outward from his spark like channeled mana until it suffused his body. Though it felt like none of it should, everything was beginning to line up. The capricious troops were moving to position, the Eternals followed them with lethal predictability, and Vitu-Ghazi would be upon them in a matter of moments. Though those fighting for him continued to fall, giving their lives for their city, these minor losses faded to the background as Gideon's mind showed him a vision of something he neither expected nor felt he deserved to behold: the battle's end, with their side victorious.
The next few minutes began to play out in mind, clear and concise as if they were occurring right here and now. The resistance fronts on the ground and in the air halted their maneuvering and began to clash once more with the Dreadhorde. They drove back the conglomerated force of the Eternals just in time for Vitu-Ghazi to enter the square, trampling over their numbers with its sprawling legs and batting them out of the sky like gnats. Reinvigorated, the discordant Ravnican fighters leapt into the fray, slaying what Eternals they could before needing to duck out of Vitu-Ghazi's indomitable path. And though the arrival of new Eternals from the Planar Bridge could not be prevented, their numbers no longer stood a chance against the collective might of the guilds. The last thing Gideon saw, before this daydream, or perhaps premonition, faded from his mind, was an eagle-eyed view of the square. The ground was unseeable beneath an ebbing, multicolored throng, without a single glint or gleam of metallic blue in sight.
As his attention came back to the present, and he surveyed the area, he became acutely aware of a bright, tingling sensation breaking out across his skin. It was a feeling he knew well, all the way back to his days as a ruffian on the streets of Theros, when he and his Irregulars would prepare to cause trouble. It was pure, distilled anticipation of what was to come.
If all goes according to plan, this will work. His brain buzzed with the potentiality of the events yet to come. With Vitu-Ghazi and the Parhelion, we can get control of the square. Our troops can hold it, and the Dreadhorde can't advance. Vitu-Ghazi might even be big enough to disrupt the Bridge itself and cut off their support. After that, we can clear out the streets, and Vitu-Ghazi can go straight to that awful fortress where Bolas is stationed. It won't be easy, but this… this might just be enough.
From high above the citizenry and the other planeswalkers, the buildings and the monsters, Gideon's eyes firmly set themselves on the lip of the battlefield. In an instant, just as he had seen inside his head, Vitu-Ghazi, the World Tree and home of the Selesnya Conclave, crashed into the square. It was only visible thanks to the alien purple glow of the Planar Bridge, but even that could not hide the vibrant green of its leaves, the rustic brown of its bark, or the immaculate white of its inset stones. It filled Gideon's vision, pushing the now shaken Eternals into his periphery, leaving only the beauteous splendor of Ravnica's roots for him to behold.
And then, just as soon as it appeared, the sight vanished.
Gideon blinked, confused. All his attention had been homed in on the leg of Vitu-Ghazi, illuminated by the purple light of the Bridge, but now, it was swallowed by an illimitable darkness. As his eyes peeled out to the rest of the battlefield, he found that it was not simply Vitu-Ghazi that stood unlit, but large swaths of the square were no longer covered with an ambient violet.
His eyes flicked to the Planar Bridge, curiosity and worry mingling in his dilated pupils. As soon as he gazed upon the swirling portal to the plane of Amonkhet, understanding, black and thick as oil, flushed through his system. It was not simply darkness that had fallen over the square, but shadow. Four long, twisted, horrific, and almost immediately recognizable shadows.
No… no, it can't be.
Gideon's eyes went wide as he beheld the four figures standing at the mouth of the Planar Bridge, their heads nearly brushing against the portal's apex. When last he visited Amonkhet, Gideon had seen the gods of the plane, figures revered and hallowed by all who inhabited their sanctified city, brought low by the twisted abominations that Bolas commanded. Their deaths had rung throughout the desert, a knell that shook him to his core for weeks after the Gatewatch's defeat. Now, this sensation invaded his thoughts once again as he gazed upon the reanimated, Eternalized corpses of Amonkhet's former deities.
Oketra, the cat-faced god of solidarity and order. Kefnet, the winged god of knowledge and mindfulness. Bontu, the crocodile-headed god of glory and ambition. Rhonas, the snakelike god of strength and will. All once guides and saviors to the people of Amonkhet, but with their ancient garb and noble intentions stripped away by the specter of death, they now stood only as enemies of the people of Ravnica.
The four gods exited the portal at a purposefully languid pace, as if their hulking, shelled frames were incapable of moving any faster. The flow of regular Eternals fell to a trickle as the gods obscured the opening, but small crops of their former devotees still filtered through around their feet. The earth cracked beneath their weight as they landed on the cobbled streets, the sheer density of their lazotep armor unaccustomed to anything but shifting sands. Once they all fully emerged, a deep miasma seemed to seep into the battlefield. Even from high above, Gideon could feel the permeating aura that stemmed from the gods, which sent a series of chills up and down his spine.
This was not part of the plan. Gideon heard the reverberating panic in his inner monologue. He did his best to suppress it, keeping his thoughts as focused as possible. No one else knows what those are. I need to find Aurelia and tell her. We need a new plan.
Pressing his heels into Promise's sides, possibly a bit too forcefully given the sudden yelp that it elicited from the pegasus, Gideon began swiftly descending from his vantage point towards the aerial battle still in progress. His eyes flitted back and forth, searching among the assembled angels for Aurelia's distinct glow. It did not take long to find her, as the chaos of the fight appeared to have slowed.
He approached her as fast as Promise's wings would carry him, leaning far forward in the saddle in the hopes that it would quicken the pace by even the slimmest margin. The wind whipped cruelly past his face, forcing thin tears out from the corners of his eyes. This discomfort could not distract him from his charge, from Aurelia's beaconlike visage that gleamed in the shrinking distance. What could pull his attention, however, was conspicuous movement in his periphery, coming from where he knew the gods stood.
He did not want to look away, but he felt compelled to do so. His eyes flicked towards the Planar Bridge, and its four new gatekeepers, just in time to see Oketra, her oversize bow drawn, let loose a massive arrow that glowed with deep indigo necromancy. It streaked across the sky, barely visible in the Elderspell's shadow, flying faster than any aven or dragon or raven could. There was no time to stop it. There was not even time to react to its flight. All Gideon could do was follow the arrow as it instantly cleared the square and, with a cacophonous CRACK, struck clean through the glowing sigil of the Parhelion II and exploded from the ship's back.
The raised fist of the Boros, cloaked in the majestic corona of its righteous cause and gleaming with the power and intensity of its members, shattered against the arrow's force. Gideon stared in utter shock as flames violently erupted from both sides of the Parhelion, the glowing yellow instantly engulfed by bright, belching orange. As these explosions rocked the sky, and black smoke billowed from the gaping wounds, the Parhelion hung still in the air for a moment, as if it did not know it was hurt. Then, as the spell evaporated, the ship, and its inhabitants, began to plummet.
The soldiers. The skynights. Feather… Teferi…
Reflexively, Gideon reached a hand in the Parhelion's direction, a vain gesture in the face of the sheer distance between them. Even if he were next to the ship, it was unlikely he could do anything. As it stood, all he could do was watch, with eyes bulging and muscles taut, as the Parhelion crashed into the district below, exploding on impact in a spectacular, horrific fireball of radiant and necrotic magics. It filled the area with light for a moment, and then, it vanished, leaving only a pile of smoking rock and ruin.
Stillness momentarily gripped the square, the fighters of Ravnica rigid with shock. The rippling tension did not last long, as over by the portal, Bontu snapped open her golden lower jaw and, without throat or tongue, let loose a sonorous, eldritch howl. Gideon turned to look, and as these devastating echoes filled the air, he watched the dead gods of Amonkhet stagger into the fray.
Kefnet launched from the ground, wings of gold and bone flapping ineffectually as magic propelled him upward. He reached the aerial battlefield in a matter of seconds, his curling wings sending disorienting gusts of wind in all directions. Aurelia, Sarkhan, and the apparent commanders from the other guilds attempted to rally their forces out of the way, but Kefnet proved too swift. With his long bident grasped in both hands and dripping with mephitic energy, Kefnet swung in a mighty arc. The weapon tore through their ranks, and Gideon could only watch as the space where living bodies had floated not a second before, was now completely cleared, with any evidence of their presence expunged from the air. While the other leaders were out of Kefnet's range, Sarkhan was not so fortunate. He managed to react fast enough to avoid death, but now began to drop, unconscious, from the sky, a huge chunk missing from one of his wings.
As Gideon watched him descend, Promise still rushing towards the fight, his eyes swept over to the other gods, hoping against hope that things fared better down there than up here. Unfortunately, the only sight left for him was one that dropped his heart down the floor of his pelvis.
Oketra stood firm by the portal, firing arrow after arrow into the sky, each one finding immediate and deadly purchase in the chest of a dragon or angel or anything else that appeared worthy of her attention. Rhonas, having stepped further into the battlefield, held his bladed staff in one hand, the other outstretched and leaking vile magics onto the ground below. The Eternals readily absorbed these hissing vapors into whatever sealed orifices were available, taking on a new, frightening energy. They plunged forward into the opposition, tearing them apart with strength and vigor they did not previously possess. And Bontu, with all the headstrong abandon of her glorified past, tromped through the battlefield, crushing enemy and Eternal alike, before clashing with the only foe in sight that could rival her strength.
Vitu-Ghazi shook as Bontu rammed into it, buckling from the unexpected impact. Before the animated tree could properly retaliate, the crocodilian monstrosity began tearing into it with spear, claw, and fang. Huge sections of bark and stone flew from its legs and torso, causing the entire frame to shudder. Vitu-Ghazi tried to stabilize itself by stepping back on one foot, leveling a building to make space, before slamming down on Bontu with both hands. The thick branches began to curl around the God-Eternal, readying to fling her off once it had a firm hold. It would not get the chance, however, for as soon as Bontu felt the encroaching tendrils of the tree, she opened her forged jaw as wide as it would go and closed it onto its arm, severing the limb with a sickening SNAP! As the useless appendage crashed to the ground below, Vitu-Ghazi reeled back for a moment. This was enough time for Bontu, and with her spear grasped in both hands, she slashed clean across the construct's chest, cleaving a massive section from the ivory sanctums at its heart.
A rain of white stone fell to the awaiting battlefield below. Among the shattered walls and effigies, a host of Selesnyan soldiers had been swept up in the impact. Their green and white plate armor blended into the debris, barely distinguishable to Gideon. What he did see, with horrific clarity, was a figure clad in flaming red robes, with a single white braid fluttering in the breeze behind it. His eyes followed her as she fell, until she was lost among the gathered rubble, obscured by the ravenous hordes that had already begun to swarm. He looked back to Vitu-Ghazi, and just before the elemental fell back to the city, unable to stand up against the Eternal's attacks, Gideon caught a glimpse of two figures leaning from its chest cavity, a red one with an arm outstretched, and a green one trying its best to hold it back from the edge.
For Gideon, time seemed to stop. The arrival of the resurrected gods of Amonkhet had set his blood to boil, but he tried to keep a cool head. He did not falter, did not deviate from his course, knowing that a single misstep could spell disaster for him and those he had spurred into this fight. Despite this, he had carried the hope from what felt like so long ago in his chest. Now, seeing the absolute damage wrought by the God-Eternals, seeing his and Aurelia's military efforts collapse before his eyes, and seeing close friends succumb to the enemy faster than he could act to save them, he felt that hope crumble to dust.
This was not what was supposed to happen. I… I took an oath. I was supposed to protect everyone.
Suddenly, he felt something in his mind snap. The sounds of the battlefield turned to grainy static, pushed from his head by raw emotion and the rush of red-hot blood. Every muscle in his body tightened to its limit, and a shooting pain emanated from his rigidly set jaw. His knuckles went bone-white as he clenched both the reins and his weapon. As Gideon's vision began to fog over, his senses overcome by sensations he felt he could no longer abate, he felt Blackblade call to him. It throbbed in his viselike grip, thirsting for the bodies and souls of all those who had yet to fall. For the first time since picking up the dread blade, Gideon fully agreed.
Yanking hard on Promise's reins, Gideon turned the steed away from the fighting in the sky, away from the soldiers whose cries he could no longer hear. Though the pegasus bucked, his gravely steady hand won out, and in an instant, his course, and all his senses, were set on a single, gigantic, flying target. Though anger and frustration for all four God-Eternals roiled within his body, Gideon knew he could only attack them one at a time, and Kefnet proved to be the closest target.
The soaring ibis-headed zombie filled Gideon's vision, the reflections of the wayward sparks playing off its lazotep shell acting as a guiding light for all of Gideon's ire. As Promise rode at breakneck pace, flying straight towards Kefnet's head, Gideon met the dead god's hollow eyes. They did not see him, instead focusing on the slowly diminishing ranks that stood before his sweeping bident. Gideon could not help but interpret this as disinterest, which only served to stoke the coals in his heart further.
Kefnet, once so wise, so revered for your mind, and now look. Turned into nothing but a mindless, murderous husk. I cannot let you harm anyone anymore, even if I must do it myself!
A guttural war cry ripped from Gideon's mouth as he poised Blackblade over his head. He was close to Kefnet, but even at the swift speed of Promise's wings, Gideon could feel an aggravated impatience forming just beneath his skin. Kefnet reared back for another swing, and Gideon knew that, were he to take the time to fly close and attack, he could not prevent another devastating blow from the god.
His mind, fuming with righteous anger, began to show him the possible courses of action. He surveyed each one, utterly blind to the risks they entailed, only able to see the benefits. In an instant, it became clear what the path he needed to take must be. With his right hand still firmly attached to his sword, and the ghastly blue of Kefnet's head consuming his field of vision, Gideon let go of Promise's reins.
Suddenly, Kefnet's face disappeared from his view. In its place, a mass of pure yellow light flew in front of him, blocking his path. Startled by the abrupt appearance, Promise halted its forward charge, rearing back as if its back hooves stood on solid ground. Through the haze of emotion in his head, Gideon had enough time to react, regaining his hold on the pegasus' reins and pulling her back into a calmed position. As she lowered back down and Gideon's eyes began to clear up, the light came into focus, revealing the blazing angelic form of Aurelia before him. Her swords were still drawn, but one hand lay at her side while the other was held flat in front of her, signaling Gideon's stop.
"Out of my way, Aurelia," he glowered, Blackblade still pointed before him.
Aurelia lowered her palm and hovered a bit closer. "Gideon, what the hell are you doing?"
"I know you've seen those new arrivals. You may not know what they are, but I do. What they've done so far is only the beginning. We need to stop them here and now. I need to stop them." Gideon's words spat from his mouth, backed by a bite that he had buried long ago. He did not realize how he spoke, his mind too blinded.
"No, what we need to do now is leave. We cannot fight against a foe that we are unprepared for. You don't know what your sword will do to that thing, or what their antimagic shells will do to your invulnerability, or even if you could survive a fall like that. If we lose you, Gideon, I don't know if we can win this war."
Up until that last sentence, Aurelia's voice barely punctured Gideon's conscious mind, her stern as steel words easily filtered in their familiarity. This time, however, there was something in her voice that hooked into Gideon. Behind her measured tone, he heard a genuine, tender concern for her friend. His eyes glanced to meet hers, and though they were still completely engulfed in brilliant light, Gideon could see the worry in them, clear as crystal.
In the pause that followed Aurelia's treatise, the fog of anger that clouded Gideon's mind dissipated, replaced with a sudden realization of what he had been about to do. He felt the death grip he had on Blackblade, sensed its ravenous hunger seeping through his fingers, and swiftly sheathed it. As his senses slowly returned, he could suddenly hear the light panting of his steed, seemingly pushed past its comfort level. With his hand now free of his weapon, he placed it gently on the beast's mane.
"You're right," he said after a deep breath, words now returned to their usual candor. He met Aurelia's gaze, his eyes doing their best to carry both his apology and his gratitude. "We need to get word to everyone we can to start moving out of the square. I'll fly down and tell Samut and the others, you keep getting everyone up here out safe. We'll withdraw back to Sunhome and go from there."
Aurelia nodded, the brief flash of concern replaced with a bright resolution. "It's not an ideal situation, but it seems like the best course of action for now. I'll send a detachment to deal with the Parhelion, and we'll reconvene at Sunhome. Good luck."
For a second, Gideon thought he saw a smile break through Aurelia's stoic features, but it quickly left his vision as she soared off on her mission. Once her corona no longer obstructed his view, he saw Kefnet once again, the birdlike god's arms resting in a backswing, having completed the attack he spied earlier. For a second, his eyes narrowed at the creature, staring into the swirling purple magic that pulled the puppet's strings. A slight sigh escaped his lips, and he broke away from the God-Eternal. With both hands grasping Promise's reins, he pulled the steed into a steep dive, ready to tell those on the ground of their planned retreat.