Zendikar Rises

Chapter 1

Nahiri felt the beast before she saw it. Anyone could have. It made the ground shake as it pounded towards her. But Nahiri felt it in her mind, as the stones spoke to her. Their touch was as hard granite, rough and firm, but gentle in a way only she knew.  

She willed her hands to harden, taking on the appearance and strength of the rock around her. As the massive Baloth reached for her neck, she turned and slammed her fist into the creature's skull. 

It slammed into the rock with a screech and struggled to get its feet beneath itself. Nahiri didn't give it a chance. With a grunt of exertion, she summoned seven flaming swords above her head. A grim graced her lips, as she brought them down on the beast, silencing it. She studied her surroundings carefully, making sure no more were coming. Baloths sometimes hunted in packs. 

When she was satisfied, she turned her attention back to the sight in front of her. At the skyclave that loomed over her head. Nahiri sighed at the sight of the decrepit walls and ruined halls. She remembered a time when this place was more. Back before the Eldrazi, and long before the Roil. 

The stones whispered to her again, and Nahiri leaped into the air, narrowly avoiding a jet of steam that had exploded where she had just been standing. She willed the stones beneath her to rearrange themselves, forming into stones that caught her fall. 

Rubbing her backside, she glared down and cursed the Roil. In a way, it’s creation had been her fault. If she had not allowed Ugin and Sorin Markov to convince her to cage the Eldrazi on her home plane, this would never have happened. Nahiri gritted her teeth. A thousand curses on them both. 

She brightened a little remembering the look on Sorin’s face as she encased him in stone, doomed to watch his world suffer as hers had. A cosmic justice, if you will. Or it would have been, if the ‘Gatewatch’ hadn’t meddled in her affairs. A few hours after her confrontation Nahiri returned, just to check on the progress Emrakul had made on the plane. 

To her horror, the monstrosity was nowhere to be seen. The broken streets were filled with cheers of victory. Nahiri’s keen eyes found the source of the cheers. A small band of what were surely Planeswalkers by their dress. A large, burly man with dark brown sideburns and bulging muscles. A slim, hooded mage, standing awkwardly as they cheered his name. A pyromancer, who was cheering along and clapping. 

She even noticed the Necromancer, who was watching from a distance, like her. Her undead army collapsed around her, and she looked on at her fellow Walkers with longing eyes. A hand reached her shoulder, and she saw an Elf, with an ivy staff place a hand on her shoulder. 

“Won’t you come join us?” She asked. The necromancer shook her head. 

“I don’t belong in a victory parade. The villagers won’t take kindly to a Necromancer in their midst.

“But you saved them?” The green asked quizzically. “Surely that means something.” 

The Necromancer shrugged. “Perhaps, but best not to risk it.” She turned and planeswalked away. The Elf watched what Nahiri soon learned were called the Gatewatch celebrating their victory. It appeared as if she wanted to join them, but felt uncomfortable doing so. 

Nahiri watched her for a while before planeswalking away. There was something so… Zendikari about her. She reminded her of the proud Joraga tribe of elves from her home. 

The ground shook again, this time shaking the hastily crafted stairs Nahiri had summoned. Shaken out of her thoughts, Nahiri turned her focus back to the ancient Kor stronghold. There was something up there. Something she needed. For years now she had searched for a solution to the destructive power of the Roil. And it appeared she had a real lead at last.