"Everything ends. Everything dies. Wholeness is always behind us. Time points only one way." - Emeria
The machine worked, but not as intended. There is something or someone that prevents my escape from the plane. That Is fine, It's a possibility we have thought about, but we hadn't planned to do anything about it. That's an issue I will have to deal with once I decide it is time to return home.
There is also another issue. My bag, filled to the brim with resources and tools for survival and research alike, is gone. I failed to find it in the general vicinity of the place where I arrived, so it either failed to come with me or now lies in a completely different location.
Some things, however, I did not lose. I shall list them.
This Diary, my Kaladeshian Pen, my Kaladeshian timepiece, my component pouch, and my hubris. Professor Onyx would laugh at me should she ever know of this.
Alas, I have finally set foot on Remnant's soil.
As I write this, it has been eight hours since I first arrived. Forgive me if my memories and notes seem difficult to understand, for I am experiencing difficulty properly organizing my thoughts. Perhaps it is wiser for me to write this after a Night's rest, but there is no telling when I'll have the time to add to this diary again, so now will do.
When I first arrived, my consciousness was already fleeing me. The machine has taken a great toll on my mind and body, yet I don't recall anything particularly taxing on the travel. Likely the machine's fault, and my hastiness to try it.
Symptoms include Headache, Mana sickness, Body pains, Coughing, Palpitations, and loss of breath. I could not confirm, but the possibility of memory loss being amongst the symptoms of forcefully penetrating Remnant's veil is high, the fact that I do not recall anything of the journey after the machine's activation suggests so.
I woke up in a strange environment- A forest that is seemingly forever stuck in the cycle of autumn. White tree barks, falling blood-red leaves, and the open blue skies were all that filled my vision.
Words cannot describe how elated I felt as I realized that the machine worked.
There are a few observations worth noting about these plants. Their leaves grow already in their 'falling off' state, dried and frail, yet they grow at an impossibly rapid rate, thus creating a magical scenario of leaves forever falling.
I know not of their exact life cycle, but It is something I must look into eventually. There are signs of sapient life here, however, in the form of ruins. With that said, libraries dedicated to the study of flora must also exist here, even if they are reduced to piles of rubble.
As my magic is ailed by the symptoms previously described, I could not further analyze the properties of these trees, yet I could sense trace amounts of mana on each of those leaves. Without the proper tools, I couldn't take them for research.
As I moved on from speculating on the purposes of a tree, I decided to look for a high place to localize myself. I couldn't cast 'Fly' at the moment, for my mana was still afflicted.
Though it took a lot of my stamina, I managed to climb atop one of the trees. The expense of this forest is far greater than what I anticipated. Only red in all directions. I could see a mountain range in the distance, that was also covered in red. That's the direction I headed.
In all my years, not once did I walk across a forest with so little diversity. I failed to spot a single plant that wasn't the autumn tree. Not a bush, not another species of tree, nor another pigment other than white and red. That's a mystery I aim to unravel in the future.
After two hours of walking, I finally came across the first thing that wasn't an autumn tree. Yet I find myself perturbed by it, as I am unsure if I should call the thing I saw an animal.
I've come across a lonesome beast. Large, covered in black fur and spikes that looked like bones on its back, arms, legs, everywhere, as well as a white, bone-like mask with red detailing. I'd describe it as a porcupine-esque creature if it didn't have the body and silhouette of a bear.
At the time of writing this, I still have no idea of what this creature eats. I've seen no other fauna here, nor did I see or hear a source of water. Does it consume the trees and extract nutrients from them? I have theories that suggest otherwise.
The fact that It had such an intimidating look and actual armor dictated that it was a predator, not a creature that feasted on trees.
However, there is strong evidence that dictates that it is not native to this forest. It doesn't have camouflage here, in fact, its color scheme only sets it apart from the forest, making it stick out like a sore thumb. An alien to this environment.
I would soon discover that the creature is very territorial. A singular step through what I can only assume to be its territory, and it pounced on me with murderous intent.
My magic was still out of my control, but explosions are normally uncontrolled as well. Much like a failed spell would often explode on the caster's face, one can easily force the spell to fail with the intention of it exploding.
It didn't hold much strength, but it was enough to blow off the creature's arm.
At the same time, I learned that there were birds of sorts resting on the trees. They were silent and still as I marched through the forest, yet after the loud explosion, the ones within a close distance, fluttered their wings in protest and flew away. I only caught a glimpse of their form and pigment, but I remember very well red and black feathers falling as they flew.
This dark bear showed me that its kind had some sort of intelligence or a will to survive, and opted to run away after losing a limb.
The reason why I do not wish to call it an animal came when I first decided to analyze the severed limb. No blood poured out, yet red flesh could still be seen. Before I had the time to further inspect it, it soon turned into black smoke.
One minute exactly, was how much time it took for it to completely disappear.
My stomach churned as I saw it turn to smoke, earning my scorn.
I must note that this behavior of disintegration post-mortem hints at the idea that this creature is not natural to the land, this trait serves many purposes. I shall illuminate three.
1. It takes this creature away from the cycle of nature, since it leaves no carcass upon its death, no rot can take place.
2. This hints at a population issue. This body cleans itself up, I believe it is to not hinder a horde's movement upon death. This aligns with a theory I will explore later.
3. The exact time it took for it to disappear, one minute exactly. Nothing in nature is that precise when it comes to time. I believe this creature was created by someone or something, not evolution.
The idea of a horde of these creatures is very real, as I came across four other individuals of the same race as that bear creature. They followed a bigger one, likely their leader.
Their behavior indicated that they have either a very strong sense of smell, keen hearing, or a way to identify and seek pheromones, as this pack, coincidence or not, moved towards the location where I confronted one of their own.
I have no guess as to which it could be, as all three of these options are valid reasons. They could have sensed their kin being wounded via the smell of its open wound, maybe it's because of the noise of the explosion, or they could be following the black smoke which I can no longer see with my eyes.
Either way, this isn't my only meeting with a pack of these things, so the theory of there being a horde of them feels a lot more reasonable.
The fact that they leave no traces when they die, could also hint at their diet, or lack thereof. How could they consume something and leave nothing? If that's the case, then these creatures deserve nothing but extermination.
I believe that they consume nothing, and only move due to magic. The reason why they exist is still a mystery to me.
And thus It comes to now.
I managed to reach the foot of the mountain range, where I also encountered some sort of ruined structure.
Mossy stone blocks piled atop one another to create something resembling a church's frame. That theory was soon confirmed when I analyzed the un-eroded walls, they have great windows I've seen only in temples of faith. Color other than red and white is truly a godsend.
It is dark now, and there are probably more of these ruins nearby. I must explore them in the morning.
I am writing this sitting atop a fallen stone pillar, illuminated only by the campfire I've made. My magic is slowly, but surely, returning to its full potential. At this rate, I should be at my maximum potential tomorrow.
I shall first check the mana sources of the land, only afterward will I explore the ruins. The reason why that is... I find this place very familiar to Zendikar, and I do not know why.
May Ra watch over my steps.
A/N: I am still indecisive if I should keep this in the format it's in, or If I should make this in the usual format of storytelling. Alas, here I am, quicker than ever.
I am having way too much fun with this. See you soon.