Custom Planeswalker Storylines

For gixlord

NOTE: This is not a planeswalker story. I was not going to start a new collection of stories for creatures, mainly due to the fact that only two other people so far have expressed interest in it. I am compiling all of my custom Magic: The Gathering stories under this book. If you were interested in me writing a story about you, but didn't want a planeswalker, i am happy to make legendary creatures.

My exile from the Temur clan was already becoming harsh. Now that Sarkhan, the Traitor has released the dragons back into Tarkhir i had to stay extra alert. It was already bad enough that the Mardu were moving north into the Temur's fronteir, but now i have to deal with the mountain-dwelling dragons of old.

I could survive in the cold well enough, even on my own. It was a skill we learned as boys, and it was a part of our clan initiation. The Mardu didn't bother me much either. Most of the time they attacked groups and settlements, looking for loot. One traveller wouldn't come to harm, and if they did bother me, i can take 15 goblins with a weapon and 7 without.

What did bother me was the dragons loose in the realm. While we were told stories of the dragon fighters of the past and did basic training in dragon fighting, i had never encountered one before.

After laboring up and down the steep slopes of the range, which had come to be known to our ancestors as the Shadowpeaks, i finally found a cave where i could reside for the night and get out of the snow. My only concern was what -or who- could be living in it already.

My question was answered shortly, by a set of bear prints and a bloody streak in the fresh snow: signs that a bear had come home from hunting. This was very good because if they already had food, they had no interest in me- i hoped.

I snuck as well as i could into the cave, but being raised properly by the Temur it was no easy task. Not only was i almost as big as the bear, but my armor rattled and clinked when i stepped. Nevertheless i went in unnoticed.

It became dark in the rocky abode very quickly, and my eyes struggled to see. Eventually my footsteps became crunches and i knew i was getting close to the main den. Shortly after i could hear the chewing and gnawing of the great beast and slowed my approach.

A bone, presumably a rib, snapped underfoot and the chewing stopped. I heard the bear get up and pad its way to the entrance of the tunnel. I waited on bated breath, knowing that the slightest indication of my prescence would be taken as a threat.

The nose appeared around the corner and sniffed once, twice, a third time, then went back. Finally i could exhale.

This must be what set it off.

The bear exploded around the corner swinging savagely with its paws. I jumped back, unhitching my axe from its place on my back and swinging it to show dominance.

Having been raised with the Temur, bears were common companions, and we were also instructed in training them. Here i applied several of these tactics hoping to calm the animal.

Eventually, after using verious methods several times, the bear relented and retreated back into its den. Wary, i followed it hoping to seek shelter and maybe some food. What i received astounded me.

This bear called home to a massive cavern with several natural openings to the cool air of the evening, and there was a natural spring flowing through one corner of the room. Natural vents from the core of the world heated the space, combatting the frigid night air.

I gathered some of the animal fur from the bear's hunt that evening and laid it out in a mat by one of the vents. I called the bear using a mix between a bark and a growl, and patted the ground beside me, an indication it should rest there.

In the morning i was glad to see the bear was still there, sleeping. Quietly, i made my way towards the exit. I luckily managed to leave without the bear's knowledge.

I brandished my axe a few yards from the entrance to the cave, planning to grab some small game as well as some wood for a fire. As i passed under a grove of trees, a faint and familiar scent wafted towards me, and sent me into a panic: Smoke.

This scent could mean either of two things. One, the Mardu were camped nearby, or two, a nest of dragons was set up close by. I sprinted back to my cave and woke my bear, hastily going through some more bonding exercises before ordering it to follow me.

A couple of miles to the east was a swath of burned forest and melted snow. In the center of this area was a massive dragon and one slightly smaller one. They were both a deep brownish-red, and the smaller had some silvery-grey streaks.

Based on my knowledge of our ancestors, the smaller was known as a Savage Ventmaw, but the larger was definetly Atarka, one of the five ancient dragonlords. Hastily i made my way down to the crater to where the two were laying.

Upon arrival, i noticed that they were not asleep as i had thought, but neither were they attacking me. Perhaps i was the first of this time they had encountered.

Atarka lifted her massive head, and glared at me as if i were already her next meal. The ventmaw was slightly more friendly and just looked at me, as if sizing me up.

"Greetings!" i called in the ancient tongue, which supposedly dragons understood, "I am Graal, a member of the clan Temur." Maybe the lie was unnecessary, but she had to gain my trust in some way. She continued to stare at me coldly, but the lesser beast shifted a little.

I began to approach the dragons, albeit slowly. Without warning, the ventmaw leapt into the air and dived on me. I lunged to the side, barely missing the razor sharp claws. Once more i brandished my axe and waved it like i would in taming a bear. The dragon seemed to chuckle at this.

When it dived again, i was ready, and prepared my axe for a quick strike. When it was almost on me, i dived to the side and rolled. In the brief moment the dragon spent redirecting itself, i struck. Burying the head of my axe deep into the muscle around its wing, i dealt a crucial blow.

Atarka seemed to be intrigued by this, and wasn't attempting to roast me alive.

My bear companion then took the chance to leap onto the back of the dragon, tearing into it with tooth and claw, turning the majestic ruler of the skies into a pitiful excuse for a lizard.

Before i could deal the finishing blow, the dragonlord lunged forward and snapped the neck of the lesser dragon, killing it instantly. Before i could even begin to wonder why she did this, she took off and flew north, deeper into Temur territory. Although, with her strength, it wasn't Temur turf anymore. It was hers.