#mtgtheros

“Ashiok is a sinister being whose origins are shrouded in mystery, possessed of terrifying nightmare magic that manifests in swirls of black smoke. Drawn to Theros from parts unknown by the peculiar power of dreams and devotion, Ashiok meddles gleefully in the affairs of both gods and mortals. Equal parts studious and sadistic, they gather power for mysterious — but likely malicious — reasons.”

Gray Merchant of Asphodel

'Elspeth Conquers Death' by Ryan Yee.

Hey y’all! Seeing as we won’t be getting an official Theros Beyond Story, I decided to write my own. It would mean a lot if you read it! It’s about the war of the Gods in Meletis.

Achlys stifled a yawn. Her green tunic was stained with sweat and grime, while her black cloak lay discarded in the next room over ever since a patient threw up on it. She hadn't had time to clean it yet.

With how long the vomit has had to seep into the cloth, I'll probably end up burning it.

She had been at work in her apothecary the entire night, taking care of too-drunk-for-their-own-good revelers. The satyrs had come to Meletis for one of their Rollick Nights, offering the citizens a welcome break from routine and a chance to forget their worries.

Achlys' small apothecary was suddenly filled with light. The dawn had finally come.

Speaking of worries, she mused, winking at the sun's first light in the traditional gesture of respect.  Heliod's oracles had been acting strange lately, with most being uncharacteristically silent. The few that still spoke only talked about the Sun God being agitated and angry, and of some great event or catastrophe. It had the entire city on edge.

The citizens of the polis get to relax and calm down and I get to take their money to get rid of their hangovers. It's a win-win situation.

Her string of thought was interrupted by loud knocking at the door.

"Be right there!", she said, going towards the sound.

The knocking would not stop. Achlys noticed it was almost rhythmical, in a chaotic, ever-changing way of sharp knocks and slaps. It was grating, to say the least.

I'm charging this one extra.

She opened the door only to have her would-be-patient barrel right through the doorway and into her apothecary. The woman wore white and pink. Her hair sported a garland of flowers dangling from her horns and her goat legs made quite the noise, stamping around the room.

"Oh Gods", Achlys sighed. "I thought satyrs couldn't get drunk? What are you doing in my practice? Please don't touch that."

"Oh no, we absolutely can. But I'm not drunk, I'm just here for a courtesy visit. This smells weird", she said, dangling some echinacea in front of Achlys. The satyr's other hand still held a half-empty amphorae of  wine. "Can I eat it? Better yet, can I make alcohol from it?"

For the love of Pharika.

"Please don't eat my herbs", she said coldly. "Unless you need medical help, I would ask you to leave my apothecary."

"That's not nice at all. We just met! I'm Gallia, by the way. You're the one who's helping all the drunk people, right? The famous healer, Pharika's chosen?"

"I'm Achlys. You're the one who's making them drunk, I'm guessing."

"Yes, it's an innate satyr talent", Gallia grinned. "It's not fair for you be to cooped up in here while everyone is having fun. Don't you want to come to the revelry? I'll be your guide", she said, coming closer and grabbing Achlys by the hand. "I have quite the name in satyr circles. I'm practically royalty. I can get you some great drinks."

"Pharika taught me too much about poisons for me to want to drink satyr wine", Achlys said, detaching Gallia's hand from hers.

"Now you're just being rude", Gallia said, still holding the same playful smile.

"Yes, and..." The sound of drums interrupted her. "What are you doing this time?", she asked Gallia.

"Oh no, that's definitely not us. We don't do drum beating this early in the morning, we have manners."

Curious, Achlys went back to the half-open door. Her apothecary was situated in one of the hills of Meletis, affording her a decent view over the city and the valley beyond its walls.

The drumming was coming from outside the city. It had a frantic, angry rhythm and upon seeing its source Achlys could understand why.

Hundreds -no, thousands- of minotaurs, over half of them Nyxborn, had crested the heights outside Meletis and were streaming into the valley. The watchtowers guarding the area were already on fire and crumbling. The horde was moving quickly, ever closer to the city's walls. In its front ranks, standing taller than all others, stood a nyxborn minotaur carrying a flaming double handed axe.

"Is this what Heliod's priests warned of?", Achlys said out loud.

"There's more coming", Gallia said, motioning to the other side of the valley river. Her voice was a bit more serious now.

Achlys let out a gasp. Entering the valley and on a collision course with the minotaur army was a phalanx of returned, evident from their golden masks. Their steps echoing those of long dead hoplites, they inexorably moved towards the minotaurs and the city beyond, shields and spears raised for battle.

"Gods help us", Achlys whispered.

"Bit late for that, probably", Gallia replied. "Hey, where are you going?"

"To the walls", Achlys said over her shoulder. "They will need healers in the battle to come."

"Oh, that's mighty brave of you! I'm going to get my band and get out of here instead. It's been nice!"

Gallia blew a kiss at Achlys and sprinted down an alley, back towards the central plaza. Achlys continued on to the walls. Those of the citizens who had not participated in the revel were just waking up, alarmed by the drums. A number of men and women running to the walls passed her by too, still stumbling from the drinking, hurriedly donning pieces of armor.

She had almost made it to one of the city gates when she heard a roar overhead. Looking up, she saw an enormous dragon passing over the city, heading towards the valley. It seemed like the entire city had frozen in fear from his passing, only snapping out of it once the wyrm's shadow had moved past the walls.

Passing over the minotaur horde, the dragon let loose its breath of fire. It covered dozens of the beasts, burning them alive and scorching the ground beneath them clear. Some reluctant cheers came from the walls, which intensified as the dragon came back for a second strike at the minotaurs.

"Thank Purphoros", said a woman next to her. "The God of the Forge is coming to our aid."

The dragon flew over the horde once more. This time, however, it did not breathe its fire. Instead, it flew towards the walls of Meletis, blessed by Ephara herself.

With a great flap of its wings, it unleashed a torrent of fire right at them.

The walls held magic inside them, but nothing could withstand a fire as hot as that of Purphoros' forge. By the time the dragon was done, an entire section of the walls lay in ruins, even the stone itself melted by the heat. The stench of burnt meat filled the air.

Achlys hurried her pace. Her oath to Pharika demanded that she help. She could not let more people die.

Breaking out in a sprint, she reached the fallen walls a few moments later. Upon arriving, she immediately saw a man lying face up on the pavement some distance from them. It looked like he had been thrown back before the fire had hit. He had no burns, but his legs were broken and bleeding.

Instinctively, she made for her satchel, but it was not there.

"Damn", she mouthed. I left it back at the apothecary. Stupid!

She still had a small pouch of essentials that she carried with her. They would have to suffice until she could get back to retrieve the rest.

Achlys kneeled down next to the hoplite. He was unconscious but alive.

"This might hurt", she said, taking out a bandage from her pouch. She quickly dressed his wounds and made sure his legs were elevated. She wanted to drag him away from danger, but it would do more harm than good in his state. He needed help to carry him instead.

She heard footsteps approaching from behind her. "Oh, thank the Gods", she said, turning around. Then, she froze.

The woman in front of her was not alive. A golden mask in the shape of a hoplite shield covered her face, yet she could feel her eyes piercing her. Achlys, like most citizens of Meletis, had never seen a Returned before. The pale echo of humanity terrified her. She took a few steps back, exposing the man on the ground. The Returned's gaze turned to him.

I can't let her hurt him.

She reached back into her pouch, retrieving a small vial filled with a green liquid. She had never needed to use this before, although she always carried it with her. She hoped it would be enough. She swallowed the contents in one gulp.

A jolt went through her. She blinked, and time seemed to slow. She felt faster, stronger, more agile.

Pharika can do much more than heal and poison.

She ran at the Returned, slamming her into a wall nearby. The undead hoplite raised her spear to stab her, but she easily managed to wrest it from her grip and pierce her neck with it.

The zombie collapsed and Achlys stepped back, fully alert and ready. Her heart was racing and her black hair stuck to her olive skin from the exertion of running and fighting. She looked towards the gap in the wall. Beyond it, most of the minotaurs and undead had joined in battle. Others, mostly Returned, had made their way into Meletis.

She looked at the man, still lying there. The vial's power would allow her to carry him to safety, although its effects would not last long.

She had to move, and fast.

She knelt down and lifted the man up, then started running back towards her apothecary. She hadn't made it far when more Returned blocked her way. She hurriedly looked for an escape route, but there was none.

The effects of the tonic were ending, but she had one more thing she could try. She retrieved a second vial from her pouch. This one was more simple in its design but much more devastating in its effect. It held pure acid.

Using the last bit of speed from the tonic, she lunged at one of the Returned and threw the acid at its legs. The effect was immediate, with the zombie falling to the ground in seconds. The way was open now. She could run.

Yet she could not leave the soldier behind. She bent down to pick him up again when she felt a sharp pain in her side.

Looking down, she saw a spear's tip protruding from her. With a cry of anguish, she tried to move, but found herself unable to. The rest of the Returned were soon on her.

Everything faded away.

#

A voice, somewhere far away.

"Rise, child."

It was the first time she was hearing it, she was certain. She would absolutely remember such a voice, dripping with power as it was. Yet it felt familiar.

Closer now.

"Your role in this is not yet over."

It engulfed everything around her.

"Rise again, as my instrument of war."

#

Achlys gasped, drawing air into her lungs. She could hear the sounds of battle all around her. She felt different. Like herself, but better. Stronger somehow.

I'm supposed to be dead.

She got up, feeling for the wound in her side. There was nothing there.

"We're only just beginning", said the voice - Pharika's voice - in her head.