[NoR] - [10] - Sinker

Razel turned his eyes to the sky to scan for the creature above. As Iman slung the unconscious Sudaj over his shoulder, a shrill cry pierced the air, seemingly from all directions. The haggard ‘walker drew ragged breath, more out of residual habit than biological necessity. He was hurt, and it was evident. The forced ignorance of his own pain only served to frustrate him further, as his reactions began to slow with no apparent reason. He continued to scan the skies, his once bemused smirk now a bitter scowl.

“Stupid birds...”

A flash of violet mana rebuilt the zombie servant from the parts about him. The undead warrior plodded over to its master, awaiting further orders. Kaos’ booming voice echoed through the fog.

“You’re looking a little worse for the wear, Roz. I bet it’s your zombie friend there. Isn’t undeath contagious? Lemme help you with that.”

Razel rolled his eyes as he watched the vines streak out of the ground, ensnaring the frozen knight and slamming it to the floor, compressing the icy plate until it shattered and then continuing as it segmented the animate corpse. He reached down to pluck the black blade from the muck, saving it from the crushing grasp of the tendrils. The elf appeared in the fog, facing entirely the wrong way. The irritation blinding him to an obvious trap, Razel stepped between spaces to reappear directly above Kaos, turning the sword in hand to point down at his opponent. Kaos looked up at his falling foe, not budging in the slightest. His voice rolled from within him in amusement.

“Not quite what I was expecting, but…”

Almost halfway to the ground the cry rang out again, heralding the imminent intervention of the fowl creature. As the blade drew to within mere feet of Kaos’ dreadlocks, a flurry of feathers shot into Razel’s side, rippling with mass as Kaos’ magic enlarged it substantially. The weapon flew from his hands, lodging itself in the dirt below as he landed with no semblance of grace. Through blurred vision he spied Kaos stepping up to him, plucking the sword out of the ground as he stepped to his opponent. The world faded to black as Kaos’ runes pulsed with victory.

Failure is something you learn to accept rather quickly. When faced with beings who are just as capable as you are, you are inevitably going to find someone who will gain the upper hand, be it through skill or circumstance. Group duels are cases where this tends to show significantly more than elsewise. One on One, I am respectable. One on Three, I face almost certain defeat. This says nothing of the skills of my peers, or even the places we fight. It is simply the way of things.

Thankfully, learning to fail gracefully is something you pick up very early on in your career with the Academy. The lessons are learned firsthand, and after several rather humiliating defeats you learn the best way to bow out with a measure of pride. I tend to simply close my eyes and accept it. Once I know that I will not emerge with victory in hand, I acknowledge it. The resulting period of unconsciousness, although a period of marked vulnerability, allow my form to begin reconstituting itself. So long as you thoroughly trust your fellow opponents, there is no real danger in this. However, outside of controlled circumstance, I advise precisely the opposite. When your very life is on the line, fight back as such. Accepting your limitations is only applicable in a trusted environment.

“Wake up already. You’ve been healed for a while now.”

Iman playfully kicked at Razel’s side, the dull sensation spurring him out of his visions. Faint images of the city he recently left fled from his mind, muting themselves into the bare emptiness of the demiplane around him. The Planar Simulator was off, the machine still droning on as the static energy coursed through it. Sudaj was leaned against it, his face sour with his defeat. Kaos nodded at Razel as he took to his feet, while Iman simply cocked his head. The imp spoke to the elf.

“That was a decent tactic. I wouldn’t expect someone of your...brute skill... to be capable of manipulating our fine inquisitor friend here.”

Razel chuckled.

“I’m not an inquisitor at the moment. I’ve stepped away from the City for the time being. I need a break from the guilded life. Seriously though, good job with the bird. I should’ve seen that coming, but...well, you know how I end up when I get impatient.”

Kaos turned to face Sudaj, who seemed preoccupied with nothing in particular.

“I couldn’t have done it if our new friend here hadn’t blindsided you with that Wurm.”

Sudaj looked up and smiled artificially.

“If you two hadn’t have been preoccupied with Kaos’ gods, I wouldn’t have had the chance to call it in the first place. It seems infighting is the downfall of us all.”

Razel titled his head.

“That reminds me...”

He reached behind himself, pulling a large book from nothing at all. The cover looked to be tanned flesh, and the pages were ancient. The script transcribed atop it was illegible, yet pristine. He held it out to the elf.

“Here’s your book back. Very interesting to be able to read about your gods from a worshipper’s perspective. My only education up to this point had been very clinical. I especially like those that can summon the rest. Spawnsires, I believe. Which lineage were they from again? Ula-”

“Don’t say his name.”

Razel stopped abruptly, shrugging and gesturing an apology.

“No offense meant. I know you don’t like the uninitiated to refer to them by name.”

Iman stepped up to Kaos, initiating a banal conversation intended obviously just to needle him. The ice mage stepped past them, meandering over to Sudaj.

“Hey, uh...sorry about the augur to your head.”

Sudaj’s face flickered with fury, fading fast into feigned indifference.

“Eh, don’t worry about it. Can’t take these things too seriously, you know? It’s just a duel.”

Razel smiled warmly, the attempt at consolation unnerving Sudaj even more.

“Fabulous. So, while we’re on the subject, I saw something while I was in there. Your mind, I mean. You’re on the trail of something, right?”

The masochist raised an eyebrow, unsure of how to react to being asked about his own memories. He responded nonetheless, hiding his irritation rather well.

“Yeah...There was a rumor about something that caught my interest. I was on some immaterial plane and heard a story of a creature that sounded like it was from anywhere BUT there. I decided to investigate, but the story only got weirder and weirder.”

Razel’s voice dropped, getting disturbingly serious.

“I saw that you had succeeded in finding it. Was the image of the creature itself accurate?”

Sudaj looked confused, narrowing his eyes as he replied.

“Of course it was. I found the corpse right before I got your summons. It had a small scrap of parchment nearby, and seemed to have been caught unaware. The words were unusual, but I could make some of it out.”

“Did you touch it?”

A single eyebrow raised well into his forehead.

“No...?”

Razel was visibly relieved.

“Grand. You can never be too careful. So, do you mind if I tag along on your little quest? I need something to do anyway, and I’m sure I’ll come in handy.”

Sudaj looked about, his confusion growing with his curiosity.

“...sure?”

“Fabulous!”

Razel turned to face the now bickering Planeswalkers behind him.

“...just tell me their names!”

“No.”

“I won’t say them. Honest!”

“No.”

“GUYS!”

They both stopped to look at him.

“Sudaj and I are going to head off now. Thanks again!”

The imp and the elf stared blankly, responding simultaneously.

“Alright.”

The two returned to their argument.

“So tell me already!”

“No.”

Razel turned back to Sudaj, motioning inquisitively.

“So! Where is our first stop?”

Sudaj shrugged.

“I heard something about a realm the thing may have come from. It was mentioned on the scrap beside it. I think I know where to find the plane it was referring to.”

“Why wait? Let’s go already!”

It is not uncommon for Planeswalker to grow bored with their existence and seek amusement through other means. Aside from duels with other ‘walkers, I have myself often found reprieve from boredom by researching and locating various things for various reasons. It allows one to hone their abilities to track and investigate, making you simultaneously both more aware and more prepared for anything that may come your way. Serendipity is a much larger factor than you would expect, and pure luck often plays into the day to day life of a ‘walker. There are times I have suspected a guiding force behind our actions, some ‘great director’ driving our circumstances towards predetermined ends. Of course, I’ve also had direct contact with various divine entities, so I suppose anything is possible.

Through the growing of my own deductive skills, I have learned to pay attention to everything I can in case the synchronicity speaks to me. This lesson, as so many, was forced into my mind in the Academy. I should have paid attention to the signs surrounding me much sooner than I did, but in the end I suppose it would not have made a difference.

One day in particular I found myself wondering something that should have been obvious. I approached the golems as I had countless times before to inquire about a course.

“I want to learn how to Planeswalk.”

Their response was succinct and expedient.

“We do not currently have any open classes covering that subject.”

I was obviously taken aback by this. How could they not have a course on this? Isn’t it supposed to be an intrinsic part of us? I decided to try a different avenue.

“May I request access to the Library?”

The construct racked a few keys on its desk, and gestured to the door behind. I entered the hall of knowledge, approaching the automated clerk.

“Where would I find books on Planeswalking?”

The clerk responded just as quickly as the Golem, which seemed suspicious. I wrote it off as efficiency.

“We do not currently have any books on that subject that I am aware of. You are welcome to check the unsorted shelves in the back, however.”

I made my way to the large, circular room and began to browse the countless spines. Nothing reached out to me. I began to suspect something was amiss when I felt an igneous hand on my shoulder. I turned to face Rokh, recognizing the sulfurous smell that accompanied him.

“Rokh! Why aren’t there any books on ‘walking?”

The Vulshok had looked at me as if the answer were blatant, although it evidently was not.

“Roz, you should know that. Remember the speech on liability?”

Obvious, in hindsight. Why would the Academy train folks to leave and willingly unleash untrained ‘walkers on the multiverse? I did not agree with it, but it was logical.

“I...huh. True. So what brings you to the Library?”

“Well, I have consulted with my superiors and I think we can get you into a class that will teach you to ‘walk. You’re an exemplary student, and you’ve shown no reason not to be trusted.”

I hadn’t heard him refer to any ‘superiors’ before this point.

“How very cryptic of you. Explain.”

“You once asked me what I do here. How would you like to find out?”

My curiosity quickly overrode any discontent.

“In what way?”

“How would you like to do it as well?”

The grasses swayed in the breeze as the two ‘walkers strode into the world, the plain surrounded by a sparse ring of trees. Sudaj looked about as Razel consulted a small device in his palm, comparing mental notes to the information it relayed.

“It matches the description you got.”

The masochist was visibly irritated by his tone.

“I wish you would stop referring to my memories as if you could see them.”

“To be fair, I kind of did.”

Sudaj scowled at his companion.

“That’s not the point.”

Razel shrugged, dismissing the emotions of his compatriot out of hand.

“Well, we’re here regardless. What’s this place called?”

Razel knew, but out of courtesy he allowed the masochist to answer for himself.

“The only reference I could find referred to it as M’laer.”

“My Lair? Are you sure it wasn’t just referring to home?”

“It was spelled out. And also not like that. So shut up.”