Magic: the Gathering - The Tale of Reiri

Danger: Unearth

I landed the shot, hearing the metallic *chink* I had grown so fond of. I tested the line, making sure my shot was sure, and then jumped, swinging on the rope I had just thrown. The hook was hitched well on the rock, and the wind was fair, so I had an easy time swinging to the nearest island. As I landed, I reflected upon the conversation I had just had maybe but seven minutes ago, with my parents saying that I couldn't go out anymore. Hah. A locked door and window won't stop me from this. The world couldn't.

I jumped off the island, landing on another beneath, and surveyed it. It was larger than most, with yellow-green grass and wiry bushes, and was positioned near a stone, carved octahedron I called sharps, because I had once cut my foot on one when I was younger, called it a sharp accidentally, and the name stuck. I jumped to the sharp, landing on an edge, then climbed up it, sitting just below the tip, surveying around me for any danger. I didn't see any, which was good, as this would be a prime location for Mist Intruders, with all the water and fish.

It was cool outside, with mist clouding the surroundings. Looking beneath me, I spotted a small outcropping in the waterfalls beneath me, with what looked like a pile of dust. I carefully climbed down the sharp, jumping to a spire of rock, then swinging to the spot. There was white dust scattered everywhere, with pieces of armor and a broken set of hooks also dotting the rocks. I immediately knew what it was - the remains of a battle with an Eldrazi - but didn't know what caused it. Local scouts, or an actual threat?

I picked up a hook the man had. He was certainly a Kor, as no other race has these hooks, but this one was corroded, as if it had been dipped in acid for a couple of days. I didn't see any webbings of white in the rock, so it had to be a small or flying Eldrazi, yet I had this bad feeling crawling down my spine. I checked over the area to make sure there was nothing, then swung off, trying to find the center of this. I was worried, as the Eldrazi in this area almost never sought to strike us Kor, as even though we chased them, they were simply testing for mana reserves, and as they hadn't found our town, as far as they were concerned, there was no real threat or resource here.

I hooked to another rock, then swung to one of the falls higher above me, looking down on the entire site. I finally found something- near a cracked, fallen sharp, there was a grey creature making its way towards the waterfalls. I hooked back to the other spire, then to the cracked sharp, and jumped onto the ground. I wasn't afraid of something as small as me, only the bigger harvesters I would run from, not these spawn. I patrolled the area, not finding it. I was worried- where was it? I then looked to the water- there! I saw it lurking beneath the surface. I swung my hook, trying to catch it on an arm.

I overswung- the Eldrazi noticed me and dodged the hook, which landed in the water. It slithered out, letting me get a closer look at it. It certainly wasn't local, which was bad. It had a pale grey body with black scars, while also a huge, thick tail. It's back was segmented as if it had an exoskeleton, and each of it's arms split at the elbow, leading into two other arms. It's back had red tentacles, while also having four, stubby legs. Finally, it's face was blank bone, a trademark of most Eldrazi.

Retracting my hook, I backed away from the Eldrazi, now advancing on me. It would be much harder to kill it now that it knew I was here. It gained speed, creating a dull slushing sound, shambling and grabbing with it's grey, alien arms. I made a quick retreat, following with a slash from my hook, but I had no effect on the bone. The only way to kill the Eldrazi was to get a good latch on one of the bone plates, as from what I've heard, things like this have thick skin and bone outer plates that blocked most strikes. The Eldrazi reached within striking distance, and swung- I leaped backward, but was gaining no ground on it- I would have to swim if I wanted to make an escape, there was water behind me.

The Eldrazi finally started it's assault- It came at me without shambling or on its arms, no movement, just power - but that gave me an idea, however crazy. I took about the other end of my hookset, latching onto the rocks just below the surface of the water, and slid to the side, just out of the Eldrazi's swing. I tried to dodge another swing, and did so, but I needed a better position; I had to get behind him. I ran and jumped behind the Eldrazi, trying to evade a swing, but failing, taking a nasty hit to the arm, but then released my grip on the hook. Because it was elastic, the hook snapped forward, catching the Eldrazi, and dragging him (really, no idea whether it even has gender) downward towards the water by his neck, cutting in badly.

The Eldrazi flailed, trying to break free, but failed- the hook was caught fast, not to go anywhere. I reached down to my belt, taking a hunting knife, and threw it true, hitting the Eldrazi square in it's faceless head. I heard a hiss, and then the Eldrazi stopped moving, dead. I walked forward, retrieving the hookset and the knife, and examined the Eldrazi- not local by any standards. This Eldrazi probably came from a swamp, as the grey color and sluggishness of the thing suggested that. Unfortunately, the Eldrazi were taking more interest in the area- I had to get home, warn the others.

As I walked and swung home, I realized how angry my parents would be. Dangit. I weighted the situation in my head, but this was a larger matter than family problems. I started running, beginning to be worried. But then, I saw a mist intruder, a local Eldrazi that, though threatening, had never bothered us, flying towards the settlement. I ran, hooking as fast as I could, gaining more and more speed. My mind was racing, everything was going to chaos.

I made it to a hill next to my settlement, and already started to hear sounds of destruction. Warriors battling, dreams, fires, everything, yet the most horrible thing in the sounds, was the absence of sound. There was only the sound of Kor warriors, no Eldrazi- it was as if the guards were fighting ghosts. That alone was enough to scare me. I finally reached the tip of the hill, and my mind turned from murky darkness to an eruption of chaos.