#kavori

[frozenfallenuniverse]

The Nature of Planes

I’ve decided to do more writing during november but with the first of the long stories, i’m cheating on. @take-on-meme ‘s fanwalker Avana is a main character in this along with my Mother nature as we rped most of this then made it read more like a story than an rp. Anyway! This is about 3 times as long as my usual stories so grab a coffee, a mango and take your time.

Avana felt it. Where there once existed a barrier over the world, now there was nothing. She had learned of it long ago, when something within her soul had flared to life amidst a skirmish with the Legion of Dusk. She had glimpsed images of a place entirely unlike Ixalan. Unlike anything she had ever seen. But something had dragged her back, denying passage to the unknown. And now it had vanished.

   It would not be easy leaving the other merfolk behind, and part of her did not want to. She had guided them for many years, and there was no way to predict how any of them would react. But the desire to know what lie beyond the confines of Ixalan burned within her. She would name her apprentice the new Shaper of their band; she trusted his leadership. Farewells were given, and though many were saddened, she promised to return, and they had faith that the promise would be kept. She turned into the jungle for one last preparation.

   As Avana entered a glade slowly, the pool of water at its heart become visible. The waters were calm, save the gentle splashes where the stream that fed them came and went. She had come here many times to meditate and wished to visit it one more time. A few moments were spent regarding the place, and she knew she was ready. She felt the spark inside, focused her thoughts, and took the first true steps between worlds.

Where Avana found herself was far different than what she knew from Ixalan. The foliage was larger than the beasts of the sun kingdom, dew drops that she could swim in fell from the uppermost canopy and not a soul of a human, merfolk or beast could be found in her surroundings. The only things she knew of was that there was a terrible humidity and a strange buzzing coming from what seemed to be a large mound of earth. She approached with caution, for while the structure interested her, Ixalan's jungles had left her no stranger to all manner of insects. Even if this place was far different from the home she had left, the sound's familiarity kept her on alert. She probed the ground with her shaper senses, hoping it would give her some sense of what lay beneath. Clearly, some form of life was present.

           Her magic-infused senses washed across the visible jungle like a calming ocean wave. A chitinous serpent returned the surge from several plants away, several waves that felt like legion rippled back thousands of feet above her from the canopy and the mound before her returned millions of waves from small bugs all wrapped inside of a massive creature she had never found anything like before. A massive being curled up as though it was sleeping but it was more humanoid than the war beasts of empire. A dew drop fell onto the mound and the buzzing began to silence itself. She looked upwards for a moment at the canopy, then returned her attention to the mound in mirrored silence. She had expected perhaps a network of tunnels or chambers, but not what she had discovered. The thing was familiar yet utterly alien to her. As she watched, she felt her legs and hands tense up. She was preparing herself, either to call upon the elements around her in defense, or to flee on foot whatever stirred below.

           Before she could finally decide on what to do, the ground trembled before her. Two equally massive arms came from the mound and slowly pushed it off the ground. Overgrown Ivy and moss coated the head of the monster as its uncovered eye met with Avana's. A mischievous smile came across the creature's face as it slowly pushed the remainder of its body off the ground. She stumbled backwards several steps, giving a wide space to the being rising before her. Her gaze slowly drifted upward to its head, her eyes wide with surprise. Part of her tugged at her, told her she should leave immediately. Curiosity, however, disregarded the instinct, and instead possessed her to remain. She steadied herself, straightened her posture, and spoke.

"What are you?" The creature tilted its head in response before giving off an earthshaking yawn. It scratched at fungal growths on the side of its head as a palm sized spider crawled out from the area. It looked around for a few moments before pointing at itself and giving the merfolk a soft chuckle.

"I am both much like you and nothing like you. I walk the planes much like you, but our stories are as different as the seas and the forest. What do you think I am, little one?" The voice was similar to an autumn breeze in an expansive forest. Her voice was more suited to an old woman more than a giant one.

Avana was unsure of how to answer the question. She did not have any experience with anything like this. In fact, the only thing they seemed to have in common was each held knowledge of other worlds.

"An elemental, perhaps? One that has lied dormant for many seasons, long enough to take on new life? Or something more, which my course has not given me the knowledge to describe?" The creature shook its head several times. It grabbed at a nearby leaf and drank from the dew it accumulated. Some of the water poured down her chin and became puddles on her body. Several insects and small animals hopped from her and drank away as she began to speak.

"You are new at this, aren't you little one? I am a giant. Nothing more. I have lived for many seasons and have slept for equally as many. To compare, you are a child where as I am an elder. " She pointed at the clothing Avana wore then scratched her head again. "Where do you come from?"

To be called a child was strange to Avana, as her youth had been a few decades behind her, and she had since taken on a mantle of leadership. Still, she did not think it wise to challenge the statement, and instead answered the giant's question.

"I have traveled to this place from a land called Ixalan." The giant tilted her head back and forth, eventually settling to look over Avana. Her visible eye looked almost like it was glazed over or hardly working. She settled one of her large hands in front of the merfolk, palm up.

"Forgive me for asking but did you become a walker due to your plane being destroyed? It’s a saddening problem in the current state of the multiverse." Her voice became lower, more somber, and more suited to something her size. Avana looked down at the hand beside her, slight unease forming from being so close, then back up to the face of its owner. The next question did not help to calm her.

"We have known chaos and change in recent times, but nothing so monumental that the entire world might shatter. Though you speak of it as a thought it were common occurrence? This has happened to many worlds?"

"The multiverse has countless plans, you could equate it to the number of droplets of water in the ocean. I have lived long enough to see many end and have even joined a group to prevent others from falling. Before your recent events, two have been all but destroyed within the same number of months. Another walker wishes to break down another. The list goes on."

"If two may fall so quickly, then what is to prevent my own from following? My people have taken it upon themselves to protect Ixalan from disaster. What path do I take to uphold this?"

"You have two currently: you can devote yourself to protecting your plane for the rest of your life or you can join the group I work for. We help minimize the damage the planes, assuming we learn of their possible destruction beforehand. Keep this in mind however. If you join us, your plane will be added to the planes we keep a closer eye on and each one of the main members has lost something due to the destruction of a plane. Oh. And to talk of your point of your people. How would they, a group of planebounds, be able to stop someone stronger than I, with armies in the millions from a place they can't reach?" No malice came from her words nor did her tone of voice change. It felt like it was the thousandth time she asked someone of it. Her eyes did not even try to meet Avana's, as though she was ashamed of what she was suggesting.

The revelation put a heavy burden on Avana. She did not believe she would alone could protect the entirety of her home; the River Heralds faced enough challenge guarding the Immortal Sun from the other factions of Ixalan. Still, she knew almost nothing about the giant or the others, and there would be no way of predicting what they would do in their surveillance. Avana stood considering for several minutes, the concern clear in her expression. Finally, she reached a decision, though the trembling in her voice indicated it was no easy choice.

"I choose to join you." The giant gave her a soft half smile and outstretched her hand to Avana again, this time in a posture more suited towards shaking hands. She looked down, chuckled again, and outstretched a single finger.

"I will never make you do anything you would regret, nor will I cause your home turmoil. I swear on my honor that I will be your confidant and guide to this multiverse. What is your name, Little one?"

Avana put her hand to the giant's finger and shook it lightly.

"I am called Avana. And what are you named?"

"My name has long since been lost but my fellow walkers have referred to me as Mother Nature but if you would prefer something else, I will most likely respond to it." She set her hand next to Avana and motioned her eyes to her shoulder. Several insects scampered from the shoulder as she moved about, leaving enough room for someone to rest there.

Avana nodded in understanding and moved onto Mother Nature's hand, positioning herself so that she would not fall. She was still unsure of the situation, but she felt more confident in placing her trust in the giant.

"What would you like to learn of first? I know much but many of the others of my group know more. They are a bit more... feral than I though." Mother began meandering slowly through the underbrush of gargantuan foliage, occasionally offering her new friend some fresh dew or what remained of some poor creature she crushed underfoot. Avana took the offers of dew but politely declined the remains as they traveled.

"I am curious about this land I have found myself in. Life appears all around us, but none takes a form similar to you or I. And there is a great presence of life that I sensed far above us. What exactly hides itself beyond the great cover of leaves?"

"The sun. And the humans who enjoy it. They fear the creatures that live down here and only come down to hunt for food. This plane functions like a dome around the sun. It is an anomaly that I have been learning about for several years now." She attempted to count the time on her fingers but gave up after reaching the low twenties.

"How odd this world appears. And what dwells underneath, amongst us?"

"Insects as large as you, dinosaurs occasionally and carnivorous plants but what I'm looking for is the spot I came in here from."

"Do you have a recollection of the appearance of that place? I may be able to seek it out." Avana’s magic already began to coalesce around her body as she spoke.

"A year to me is the equivalent of a day to you and the growth of this plane is faster than I am tall. I apologize for not using your skills, but I would love to learn more about them." Nature continued her long walk through the foliage, slowly going from a general direction to a time worn animal path.

"When I was a youth, the Shaper of our band chose me as an apprentice and taught me the magic of our people. She taught how to ask the land and sky to lend their strength, and how to feel the greater world around us, beyond the senses. That is how I discovered you in your earthen slumber." The giant chuckled under her breath as her pace slowed, finally reaching a clearing void of any form of life, let alone anything she spoke of before.

"Although I should have explained this before, be careful of who you tell about being a walker and of your magic. I am an outlier amongst my group. I have mastered two forms of magic that assist my survival. Based on your magic, I ask of you to guess one of them." She helped her merfolk guest down to the forest ground before she began pacing around the clearing, chanting some form of incantation. Small bubbles of mana rippled from the ground as she walked by.

Avana concentrated and focused her mind on the ground and the bubbles emerging from beneath it. Although the incantation and the mana coming from it was unfocused, at best, she recognized two things from it. The first was that this is a leyline that is slowly being activated by someone is who is clearly an amateur with this sort of task. The second was that it felt familiar. The mana was, albeit on a larger scale, very similar to the time she planeswalked here.

"I imagine it relates to the host of creatures within you?"

"Correct. I have found a way to keep some creatures alive between multiverse travel. All it cost was dreams and some modifications to my body. I can create swarms of insects or speak to them. My other magic relates to my size." She gestures to the entirety of herself then shrinks down to about half her normal size with a small burst of magic. "Also, can make myself bigger but keeping it up requires more energy."

"I had known of some who could perform similar feats but never had I witnessed such a thing in person."

"Before I take you to somewhere more..." She looked around a bit and motioned Avana to enter the circle, sparks of mana bouncing from edge to edge. "Hospitable. Do you have any questions?"

"Will I meet the others you spoke of?" Avana asked, which caused Nature sighed and looked around.

"In due time. We have one for each color of magic. I represent green and our leader is both the strongest and weakest of us. If you like, I can take you to them right away, but I would suggest we sightsee before that point."

"I trust you to guide me. I am ready." The circle softly crackled as she carefully stepped into it, looking out towards the rest of the overgrown forest she came from.

“Kaladesh.” Mother Nature whispered into one center of the circle. The surroundings of the circle shifted around like that of a kaleidoscope. The leaves of the forest rotten away and reformed in seconds, Light pierced through the skyline, first in strands then in spirals. Mana coalesced in swirls around the circle while visions of massive cities and vehicles with nothing close to what Avana had experienced came across her vision. The surroundings finally stabilized to an equally overgrown forest, yet the foliage was much closer to a size known to Avana.

“Welcome to your third plane, Kaladesh. I know little has changed but here our magic is as rare as a mouse growing to my normal size.”

Avana looked around at her new surroundings, taking everything in. Her eyes traced the swirls carven into the atmosphere, and she took note of the plants which seemed to mirror them. The flora may not have been quite the same in magnitude, but she could tell that life here had a special kind of power. She turned to again look at her new guide.

"Little, and yet so much for one who is like a newborn." she replied, laughing gently at her own expense. Nature joined in the laugher as she meandered around several trees, grasping at branches, and scaring small mammals that lived in those trees.

“That is why I brought you here. Taking you somewhere both close and unfamiliar. A place where you can explore to an extent while still dipping your toes.” She grasped at a yearling’s branch and snapped it off. She motioned Avana to come closer as she pulled off a palm sized red yellow fruit, offering it to her friend.

“The most important part of being a walker of planes is indulging in what each offer. Some, like yours, must offer things unique to it. Be it the beasts that walk those lands or these ‘mangos’.”

Avana happily took the fruit and took a small bite of it, sampling its taste. The fruits juiced coated her taste buds. It was quite sweet in a way that was unique compared to the fruits she knew from Ixalan.

"It tastes quite good, and much different from what I'm used to. Thank you for showing me this place."

Mother Nature nodded to her companion as she tore a second mango in half. One piece she placed on her shoulder and the other she began to eat. Several wasps and large beetles came out from behind her hair, broke of pieces of the offered fruit and took their prizes back to the hive.

“You will meet many walkers, young one. Some will show you nightmares, other will show you the beauty they found in the multiverse. Not all are as kind as I. You should savor moments like these. My group focuses on destruction so much that I worry that it is all they believe will happen. Don’t become like them.” Her tone shifted downward. Her words felt both rehearsed and heartfelt, nearly ingrained into her lips. Once the words left them, she acted as though she said nothing and smiled at her companion while walking towards a new tree.

Avana plucked a mango of her own and stood for a moment while rubbing it in circles. It took a long moment before she began to speak up again.

"I will admit it may be difficult. My people spent the last few centuries diverting outsiders from our home to guard its secrets. We were charged to keep them hidden and avoid disaster by misuse. And that duty I have been taught will certainly carry over to the multitude of other worlds I may encounter. However, this power you and I possess has also granted me a freedom to experience the greater wonders of those worlds. And that is certainly something I will never forsake." The giant paused from her words, slowly turned around, and walked back towards the merfolk.  She brought a hand towards her head before freezing up and pulling her hand back with an abnormal wince of pain.

"That is wonderful, Avana. Your devotion is extremely impressive for one who has only begun her journey. Before we meet the rest of my group and this plane, do you have any questions for me?"

"No, I'm sure any curiosities will be answered soon enough." Avana shook her head as she spoke. Her giant companion began walking towards one end of the forest. Avana jogged after her as thoughts of the possibilities on what this plane or even the multiverse could hold. What creatures walked these realms with nothing close to the ones she fought on Ixalan. Were all other walkers as strange as the one she just met? An essay’s worth of questions flooded the back of her mind, but one stayed right at the fore front. Is there a way to make those mangos even more delicious?

[frozenfallenuniverse]

trickster

Hi, Kavori