Magic: the Gathering
Chronicles, Volume 7
By Louis Kemner 2008
It didn't take Viktor long to deduce that the Kithkin in the town had long since bottled up their merriment and party habits for some time, by the fierce way they celebrated the women's return. In less than half an hour, the central square had been cleared off, and lanterns, long decorative ribbons, and tables had been set up. Hundreds of diminutive Kithkin played banjos, accordions, and other country instruments in merry tunes while others square danced to the music and drank ale or gobbled down exotic foods. Grellis and his wife had no trouble in finding Viktor and the others and encouraging them to join in the party till dawn.
"I guess one night off won't hurt," Kelly reasoned, watching the activities.
"Are you kidding? It's definitely time to party!" Devin cheered. The five of them had stashed their decks in a safe place in Grellis' wife's second house in town, so only their guardian cards were with them. Viktor had been nervous about putting their cards away, but Grellis had reassured him that the Kithkin thoughtmeld would keep any intruders at bay. Unwinding, Viktor joined everyone else in the celebrations.
"Here, here, another on the house!" a bartender hooted, pouring Viktor as third helping of a dark, vodka-like drink. "Have some more, lad! Ha ha!"
"I have no clue what this is," Makoto said, poking at a lump of meat with vegetable and sauce toppings.
"That-a there woulds be Merrow meat with Elvish sauce made from spices and Elemental saliva," Grellis explained in passing, as Makoto took a careful bite. Upon hearing the last part, he promptly spat it out and scrubbed his tongue with his fingernails. "Bleagh!" he complained. "Tastes — wait. It doesn't taste bad at all!" the others laughed. Gerbie had come out of Ashley's pocket and was roving around the table, sniffing and sampling food.
"What's all this slop?" he demanded, turning his nose up to some soup. "I only eat Simic growth solutions, and Bio-Fertilizers invented by Mormir Vig himself, brewed in special Izzet-created cauldrons with enhancement properties…"
"Shut up and eat," Devin laughed, poking the animal. Gerbie squeaked and jumped to everyone's amusement, then wandered over to a tankard of ale. He stood up on his hind legs and gripped the rim with his forepaws, and sniffed the contents. He then took a few draughts, and said woozily, "Besht stuff ever! Huh-huh. Where's-a more, huh? Hey?" Everyone had a good laugh at the giant, drunk, talking gerbil.
Some time later, a few Kithkin, three women and two men, advanced on the group at the tables.
"You 'humans' can't just lay around like a dying Treefolk," one of the women smiled. She took Viktor's arm. "Come on! Dance with us!"
The other Kithkin reinforced this statement, so the five of them took partners and danced to the lively music even as a few firecrackers were set off and exploded in the late evening air. Viktor could definitely feel himself relaxing and enjoying himself after his adventure at the Giant camp. The strong Kithkin ale, coupled with the exotic food and loud music, seemed to dull his senses but give him giddy enjoyment. He laughed as he watched Ashley struggling to dance gracefully in the arms of a Kithkin man with a wide brimmed hat and a piece of straw clamped in his teeth. The night seemed to last forever.
At some point, many of the Kithkin halted their festivities and turned to face the same point, all of them cheering and whooping in joy. Viktor stood up to see what they were looking at, and saw an old Kithkin woman in black robes slowly walking forward. She had withered skin, intelligent eyes, and long, gray hair. She used a cane that had Boggart claws decorating the head and Merfolk scales of different colors, making vibrant patterns. Though old and apparently frail, she smiled warmly and raised her arms in greeting as she came forward.
"Who's that?" Devin asked Grellis.
"Ar, there's old Aldalone, the village elder," Grellis told him. "She's the most celebrated Kithkin alive round these parts. She was a rare she-warrior. It was said she swam with the Merfolk in the mornings and wrestled giants in her youth. She had helped save our village many times, and journeyed long and far, gathering wondrous lore from all over Lorwyn. She's past her prime, of course. No more heroics. But her mind's one of a kind. Just listen to her tales and enjoy her fortune-telling."
"Did you say fortune telling?" Ashley asked Grellis excitedly. She was rather into fortune telling and other superstitions.
"Right I did," Grellis confirmed, taking a full tankard and taking a draught. "She learned it from the Treefolk Sage Theletan at the base of Mount Skyroar. All the women and girls love their fortunes read, as well as some men. You can ask her for your fortunes, too, of you want."
Viktor turned up his nose. He wasn't into fortune-telling and superstition like that. He was a prestigious young man, and wasn't that dumb. If the others wanted that service, fine.
Old Aldalone stood on a stage, and cleared her throat. She embarked on her tales, starting with saying how she hadn't come to the village in several years and she had missed it. She then went on to weave fantastic tales of adventure and lost lore from all corners of Lorwyn, much to everyone's delight. She was an excellent storyteller, Viktor thought, using her voice just right to set moods and imitate others' voices. Her own voice was surprisingly high-pitched, Viktor noticed, and rather smooth. Perhaps her age didn't affect her entirely.
Once her tales were done, she announced, "Well, now we move on to the part everyone likes. Come up, come up, and have your fortunes read, everyone. I haven't done this in years, but I think I have kept my touch…"
"Let's go!" Ashley told the others, and everyone but Viktor joined the line to have Aldalone read their fortunes. Ashley was one of the first ones.
"Ohhh, you have wondrous lines on your hands, young dear," old Aldalone crooned, turning over Ashley's hands in her own. "You'll live quite long and happy, I see, and you will be blessed with many happy little children, too…"
A few people in line laughed, and Ashley smiled with them and let the next person take their turn. A few more Kithkin, then Makoto, then Devin, and finally Kelly took their turns, and the four kids rejoined their companion at a table.
"Have fun?" Viktor asked, slightly irritably.
"Come on, don't be bitter," Ashley reprimanded. "It's just for fun. You've seen how many weird things are here. This is nothing." Even as she said it, two metallic green faeries flitted overhead, fighting over a giant tooth, arguing about who was brave enough to fly in the beast's mouth and extract the tooth. Devin looked up and laughed at the sight.
Viktor looked elsewhere, and saw three Kithkin soldiers in silver and red armor meeting and talking in grim tones. Viktor got up and moved closer to hear.
"There's a mighty bad scent coming round," one of the soldiers told the others. "I reckon boggarts and flame-kin coming closer."
"Can't be," a second said. "We raided the boggart camp earlier and they were all dead or scampering off like cowards. And flame-kin don't like this area."
"Two scouts saw a lot of movement," the first argued. "There's something going on. I've got to report to the captain and tell him to bolster security. Empty out the barracks and get more men out. Plus, everyone's partying. Perfect night to invade."
"If you say so," the third agreed, and the three parted. Viktor watched the empty scene for a second, then turned to find Grellis dancing by, totally drunk and singing a crude song about things Viktor didn't understand or want to. The night was peaceful for a short time more, with old Aldalone relaxing in a corner of the party, smoking a giant pipe with thick black smoke and staring at the sky. Until…
Someone gave a shout, and then a second. Heads turned, and everyone witnessed a single Kithkin guard flying through the air and land heavily in the middle of the dance floor, skidding. He was dead and severely burned. Kithkin began to shout and run around, panicking. More shouts came from the area of the first two, and clanging could be heard. There was a thump, and a second guard was catapulted into the air like the first, but was still on fire.
"What's going on?!" Makoto demanded to no one, but that was what everyone else was wondering. At once, a terrible screech rent the air, and a tremendous, ruby-red dragon emerged over the housetops, with many small boggarts and Flame-kin clinging to its limbs and tails. The dragon snorted and released its cargo, and the boggarts and flame-kin landed and began to attack everything within reach, including setting houses ablaze.
"Rally!" a Kithkin soldier shouted, and dozens of silver-and-red clad soldiers poured from the shadows and crossed swords with the invaders, even as archers stood on rooftops and fired. The party-goers attempted to flee the scene, some making it as others were felled by crude boggart arrows and Flame-kin fire balls.
"Damn! We have to help!" Devin cursed, reaching into his pocket for his deck. Viktor did the same, but his hand only met his key card, Thorn Elemental. What the… his deck was put away and now out of reach! Why did he and the others let their guard down so easily? They were all fools.
The dragon overhead gave a crescendo roar and loosed a beam of flames that enveloped a tavern and roasted the three archers on top, even as the boggarts slowly pushed the Kithkin militia back. Though the Kithkin were good soldiers, and felled a number of their foes, they were outmatched, especially the dragon overhead. It snapped its jaws, then dived and caught two party-goers in its jaws and ate them.
"We've got no choice but to use the key creatures," Kelly told everyone else. "They're the only creatures we have!" As she said this, another wave of boggarts and flame-kin came from another direction, threatening to flank the outnumbered Kithkin defenders. She held up her card.
Quickly, five massive creatures joined the fray. Above Ashley flapped the majestic Isperia the Inscrutable, its human face wise and its sphinx body powerful. The blazing and twisting Ryusei the Falling Star, for Devin, locked eyes with the invading dragon. Then, there was Konda, Lord of Eiganjo for Makoto. The old, powerful man wore fierce orange robes, and his long white hair and beard waved impressively in the wind. And there was Kuro, Pitlord for Kelly, a giant demon with wild black hair and powerful hands. Finally, Thorn Elemental joined its brethren, and the five of them promptly ravaged the invading army and dragon.
"We've got reinforcements!" the Kithkin captain shouted, and the few remaining Kithkin soldiers cheered and backed up. Within minutes, the invading army was slaughtered, but the carnage didn't end there.
"Yes!" Makoto cried, yet he was shocked to find that Konda, Lord of Eiganjo had turned and stabbed in Makoto's direction with his ninja dagger. Makoto dived to avoid the blow, and saw that Isperia the Inscrutable slammed a paw at Ashley. The crazed sphinx shouted and continued to attack Ashley like a cat after a mouse.
"What in —?" Devin started, looking up. Ryusei, the Falling Star loosed a swath of fire that Ashley narrowly blocked with Carom. The fire was redirected and hit a burning building instead, causing it to collapse. Kuro, Pitlord was likewise crazed, swinging his giant hands after Kelly.
A sinister and female laugh wafted through the air among the carnage, and the five key creatures stopped to find its source. Old Aldalone strode forward among the bodies and flaming buildings, apparently unaffected by her age. She was the one laughing with a wicked smile; the effect gave Viktor the creeps. Her voice didn't match her at all. But he thought it belonged to someone else…
"Hey! Aldalone!" Kelly called. "What's going on? Why are you laughing?"
Aldalone didn't answer, but instead drew herself to her full height. She spread her arms wide, and promptly grew taller, even as her hair rapidly turned black and her skin grew smooth. A stunned Viktor witnessed old Aldalone transform into a tall and hauntingly beautiful woman in a black and green outfit, with a tall collar around the back. Her fingers and nails were long and sharp. It was —
"Elena!" Makoto gasped, realizing who it was. She had returned!
"Well well, what a wonderful reunion this is," Elena said, hovering a few feet in the air. "We meet again, Spirit Hosts!"
"So that's what you call us?" Viktor asked. "Some of the Eight Spirits inside us?"
"Exactly what I'm talking about," Elena answered. "And what's this? All your key creatures out at once. That's very convenient for me. I would… like to take them."
"They're our creatures, not yours," Ashley said defiantly. Isperia growled and gazed at Ashley hungrily.
"It doesn't look that way to me," Elena laughed. "Your key creatures no longer acknowledge any master. Too bad you don't have your other creatures around, huh? There's nothing you can do —"
Unexpectedly, even as Viktor felt a surge of hatred at the woman before him, Thorn Elemental lunged forward and swept one of its prickly wooden hands at her, and Elena only just avoided the blow.
"How dare you?" Elena said silkily, then raised her left hand and fired a beam of white energy at the Elemental as it attacked again. Viktor recognized the Chastise spell; destroy target attacking creature. The Thorn Elemental groaned deeply as the spell repulsed it. Then, in a surge of movement, it broke free of the spell and stabbed its fingers forward. Once again, Elena moved to avoid it, but was a little slow this time. One of the Elemental's fingers inflicted a foot-long gash on Elena's side, and red blood was produced.
"Yeah! Get her!" Devin called. Ryusei's nostrils flared at the smell of blood and dived after the wounded Elena. In response, two massive pairs of wings erupted from Elena's back, like drake wings. With a flap, she took flight and flapped on top of Ryusei's head, and tapped the dragon's forehead, and it recoiled.
"It will take more than this to defeat me," Elena told everyone. "Don't you know of my power?"
"Like what?" Viktor snapped.
"I can more than cast spells," Elena said. "I can, you see, absorb creatures and people at will and add their bodies and power to my own. I can thank an Azure Drake for my flight, here. I may demonstrate with Ryusei the Falling Star here…" she landed on the confused Ryusei's head and placed her open hand on the scales. At once, red energy crackled around her hand and Ryusei roared in protest. More energy surged out of Ryusei and into Elena, then she stood up and fired a beam of fire at Viktor, who was helpless since Thorn Elemental was too far away.
Expecting the fire to engulf him, Viktor was surprised to find a glowing gold rune blocking the fire and banishing it. Looking around, Viktor found an impressive sight.
Standing among the five kids was Ajani Goldmane, the white Planeswalker. His long, golden mane waved in a nonexistent wind, whipping about his face and along his back. His powerful lion legs looked like they could catapult Ajani into space, and his powerful paws held a double-ended staff, each end with a giant ax-like blade.
"Ajani Goldmane!" Devin gasped. "You're…"
"Elena," Ajani cut in, his mighty and deep voice like an avalanche. He looked up at his subject with fierce feline eyes. "You dare show your vile face in this world again? Many years have I and my brethren hunted you for your crimes. What is happening here?"
"Well, if it isn't the little lion cub," Elena glowed, with a sick imitation of a woman crooning over a kitten. "Ajani Goldmane, isn't it? You came just when everything was getting fun. I was demonstrating to these children how I can absorb other creatures. Would you like a sample?"
"Do not play games," Ajani snapped. He huffed and twirled his double ax staff in his hands. "Your abilities are a desecration of our universe, Elena. Jace Beleren informed me you had arrived in Lorwyn and were about to unleash your latest scheme. And here I stand."
"I can see that," Elena commented. "Dou you think that only you and one Thorn Elemental can take me down? Silly kitty."
"No more of this!" Ajani roared, slamming one end of his ax staff into the ground, and a shock wave of white energy surged from that spot even as Elena fired dozens of fireballs in a swarm. The shock wave ring expanded into a circle that encompassed Ajani and the five kids, and a dome of faint gold light appeared to block all of the fire attacks.
The fires subsided, and Ajani huffed and swung his ax in rapid twirls. Golden energy lances flew from the ax edges with each swing, and they closed in on Elena's position. To the Planeswalker's surprise, however, Elena was not there. Instead, she was ten feet behind him, her right arm that of a giant. She effortlessly moved her oversized fist for a sucker punch that Ajani only narrowly had time to withstand with his ax staff. He was pushed back and tumbled backwards across the ground, near a blazing building.
"Ajani!" Ashley cried in concern, rushing forward. Isperia hurried to intercept her, snapping with its jaws to eat her. Ajani only had enough time to fire three more gold lances that struck the sphinx, stopping its attack cold and making it recoil, discouraged.
Elena laughed in amusement. "Isn't this so much fun?" she asked, her arm back to normal. "Isn't it?"
"You witch," Ajani cursed, getting to his feet. "You desecrated the key creatures, didn't you? With your vile plans."
"Oh, so you figured out how I got into this lovely position?" Elena praised.
"That I did," Ajani responded. "You arranged so the Spirit Hosts would rescue the women of this town, giving cause for celebration and merrymaking. You influenced the Spirit Holders so they would be separated from most of their spells, and took on the elder's body. You cursed the hands of the Spirit Hosts so their creatures would disobey, and unleashed an attack the Kithkin could not withstand. The Spirit Hosts would be forced to summon the key creatures, so the creatures would run to the far corners of Lorwyn and you could hunt them down, one by one, and absorb them."
Elena gave a mocking series of claps at Ajani's explanation. "You have a big brain, Ajani," she said. "I could never hope to take the creatures so long as they were in a group. Splitting them works better for me. Now, how about I kill you and get on with my business? I have a lot of work ahead of me."
"How dare you take this lightly," Ajani warned, taking a step forward. "You desecration!" he twirled his staff again, then turned to Viktor. "Who commands this Elemental?"
"I-I do," Viktor hastened to tell him.
"Then use it to help me destroy Elena here and now," Ajani said. "Quickly!"
Elena wasn't content to sit idly while they talked. She promptly turned herself entirely into an Azure Drake, and with a screech, dived for an attack. Ajani thrust one end of his ax-staff forward and the wood creaked. The handle extended suddenly, and the staff doubled and then tripled in length, and the deadly ax end grazed the Drake Elena's haunch.
Screeching again, she made a tumbling maneuver and swooped in close for a side attack. With a command, the Thorn Elemental swung one arm, and a hailstorm of wood needles launched in a volley, piercing Drake Elena all over. Ajani shot his ax forward again, only to have it slice empty air. Drake Elena swooped high and rapidly transformed into a Giant, thudding onto the ground and knocking her opponents off balance.
At that moment, a squad of Kithkin soldiers crept out from the blazing buildings, gripping their silver swords tight and wary for ambush. They advanced behind the giant Elena, hoping to catch her from behind. However, she used them to her advantage and grabbed them in her massive fists. She hurled two of them at Ajani and Viktor and launched a fireball soon after.
"Avoid harming the Kithkin!" Ajani commanded as he rolled to avoid them. The fireball got a little close and seared Ajani and Viktor's flesh, giving Elena time to throw another one. Ajani avoided that and fired several light lances. To the leonin Planeswalker's horror, Elena tossed three more Kithkin in the path of the lances and they took the brunt of the attack. Using the time, Elena transformed back into her normal self with Drake wings and swooped in to attack. She held the last two Kithkin as living shields.
Ajani had no choice but to dodge Elena's dives and attacks, in fear of striking the Kithkin shields, putting him at a disadvantage. Thinking quickly, Viktor ordered Thorn Elemental to fire wood needles to force Elena to drop the Kithkin, and it worked: the wood needles pierced Elena's hands, and she dropped the Kithkin in surprise and pain. Once they scampered away, Elena flew down and stood on her feet.
"This has gone on long enough," Ajani stated, advancing on her. "It's time to destroy you."
"Can you back that up?" Elena challenged. "You haven't defeated me yet, Ajani." Green energy started to wisp around her hands and arms.
"No more," Ajani said. He prepared his staff, and it began to glow gold. "This is it!"
In one movement, Elena and Ajani charged at each other, and green and gold collided in a titanic burst that shuddered the ground. Viktor had to cover his face and stagger back from the force of it as the conflict resolved. The energies filled the air, then faded away slowly. Viktor saw that Ajani was lying flat on his back, badly wounded and burned. Elena, on the other hand, almost didn't exist. Her body was fading and tattered, and was more ghost-like than anything. Rage and malice replaced her evilly cheerful expression.
"You… wicked cat," she sputtered. "Almost killed me…"
"Ajani!" Viktor cried, rushing towards his fallen comrade. A spark of green energy repulsed him.
"Impressive that you almost got me," Elena hissed. "You haven't won yet, Spirit Hosts. Even with a great Planeswalker helping you. The four key creatures are free to roam the planes on their own accord. I will find and then absorb them. It will only be a matter of time until all of the Multiverse and Earth are under my subjugation. Fare…well." In a flash of light, she faded away completely, leaving the burning wreckage, Ajani, and teenagers alone in stunned silence.
"Hey… are you okay?" Viktor asked Ajani Goldmane, approaching the injured Planeswalker again. This time there was no interference. Viktor picked up his card and returned Thorn Elemental to it. Around him, Ryusei, the Morning Star, Isperia the Inscrutable, Kuro, Pitlord, and Konda, Lord of Eiganjo all left the area in different directions on their own accord. There was nothing anyone could do to stop them, and they had soon vanished into the night.
"I… still live," Ajani said weakly, looking up at Viktor. Devin, Makoto, Kelly, and Ashley had all come to him. "I am sorry that I couldn't abolish that abomination. I have failed."
"Don't say that, you almost killed her and she's gone," Ashley said. "She hasn't won."
"She had the victory of loosing the key creatures to the wilderness," Ajani stated. "Now the Multiverse is in graver danger than ever. Elena will reconstruct her body in time and hunt down the key creatures and absorb them. Your only hope is to get to them before her, and that none of the other four key creatures are cursed and released."
"Okay, but we have to treat your wounds first," Ashley told him, then ran off to the place where all the decks were and returned with them. She took Viktor's Heal the Scars card and applied its effect. Gentle green mists enveloped Ajani's wounds and mended his damaged flesh, and he was soon in more stable condition. With Viktor and Devin's help, he was on his feet and asking to be given a place to rest for the night. Kithkin had come out and were dousing the fires from water from wells, and were hospitable to the great Planeswalker.
"Yes, the 'leonin' Planeswalker may rest in one of our tavern's rooms tonight," one Kithkin said briskly. "The same goes for the rest of you. You are all heroes for defeating the invading army as you did and protecting our town. You have our thanks."
Viktor, his friends, and Ajani were led to the said tavern, through the ravaged town. However, something caught Viktor's eye. In the night's darkness, he could rather easily see the Kithkins' eyes. Looking closer, Viktor saw that their large eyes had a faint yellow glow to them, making them seem almost cat-like. He found it rather strange to see. They also seemed to avoid looking at or interacting with the humans and Planeswalker, avoiding eye contact and keeping their distance. Viktor thought he recognized these traits from somewhere, but where?