Vis (part 2 of 2)

Vithia is no longer. Now there is only Grixis.

Now there is only undeath.

The fear the living has to bear grows and grows with each lost life; and as vis weakens, so too our ranks. The remaining life mages can only defend our strongholds with wards and repulsion magic, but in the absence of the mana of life, we can only delay the advance of this unstoppable epidemic.

“I am sorry sir, about the girl…”

“No. I was not strong enough. I could have saved her if we only had access to the mana of life…”

“We all know how futile are efforts are si-”

“Do not say that! We may be fighting a losing battle, but you as well as I know that this is a battle we chose to fight. We have sworn ourselves as guardians of whatever vis has been left. We as life mages are duty bound to protect whatever life is left in Sedraxis…”

“I am deeply sorry sir…”

“No, I understand, the weight of our duty is… Overwhelming”

“Sir, I have to tell you something… I must take my leave… For good sir… My family needs me; my heart is not… as strong as yours sir. I am deeply sorry.”

“My child, its difficult – almost impossible even – to bear the responsibilities of a life mage. It takes a noble heart and an unwavering courage. I do not blame you for your lack of strength; and I am not stopping you from leaving… Go, may good fortune be with you and your family…”

He didn’t have a family.

But I do not blame him for lying, for finding a way out. The weight we life mages bear on our shoulders is unimaginable. Undeath spreads exponentially while we work round the clock to suppress it using the only mana we have available. Cases like him isn’t new and isn’t uncommon.

We life mages constantly fight the urge to quit our cause; to give up, leave our mission behind and run. Or worse, turn over and submit to our enemies, joining them in their vile necromancy.

Suddenly, a light…

My psyche instantly attuned itself to the sudden outpouring of vis energy, my dying soul feeding, devouring it all. My legs moved on its own, following the source of this mysterious energy. Before I realized it, I was standing in front of a visage of awe.

He stared into my eyes; the fierce eyes of a hunter. He carries with him a twin headed axe, wielding it proudly in front of his chest. His head resembled that of a leotau, although I have never seen one as alive. His body frame bursts of untethered life and will. I hesitantly broke the silence.

“Sir… Tell me… Who are you? How are you… Where are you drawing this much mana? It’s so alien to me, yet it feels so… invigorating…”

“Human, I am Ajani. I am a planeswalker. From where I came, there is an abundance of this mana, the mana of the wild and the mana of life.”

Ajani? Planeswalker? Mana of the wild and mana of life?

“I have come here as a visitor, but I have an inkling I will not leave here alone…”

“Sir… From where you came… It’s hard to believe, but if it does truly exist, can I possibly draw this mana of life from there? My people… the remaining numbers in Sedraxis… long for this mana…”

“I assure you, my land exists. It exists outside your own, and yet it once existed as one with it. If your soul wants so bad to leave this place and seek out my land, you can go there. You yourself would be able to draw this mana, and possibly even call upon it in this death ridden plane…”

I can draw out mana of life? But to do that, I must leave Sedraxis?

I am a life mage, duty bound to protect whatever vis is left in my land. I have sworn to fight for this cause; I will not leave Sedraxis. But if what this… planeswalker says is true, I might find this mana of life and possibly save Sedraxis from the spreading undeath.

Sedraxis…

I have served my purpose here as a life mage… I do not wish to leave you behind, but…

Forgive me…

Someday, I will see you again…