"The Strongest Ajani"

"The Strongest Ajani"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.

He was seeing light at the end of the portal he had opened. He had been on the run from some of Nicol Bolas's minions for some time and as he leapt out of the rip in reality he entered the room. It stretched out as far as the eye could see. Above was a sun unlike the one from his homeland and the grass that seemed to carpet every ince of the ground continued to sway as if to a silent breeze. He could sense that nothing was real in this realm yet any other being aside from a planeswalker could not have detected it.

He was beginning to speculate why this room existed when 2 other portals opened at 2 opposing ends. One rimmed with pure white and another with a mix of red and white. Out came 2 versions of him , one seemed to be a younger version and one that was tinged with Red Mana mixing in with the White mana that he possessed. He sensed much anger in this version of himself.

Who are you? He asked.

I am you...Ajani Gold Mane

I am you...Ajani Vengeant

I am you...Ajani , Caller of the Pride

Ajani sensed the danger with this meeting. He knew that this was a trap and that only one will be able to make it out of here alive. Whoever set this would pay with his life. Ajani steeled himself for the fight of his life. A fight that he was not sure he could win.

The Leonin Ajani Goldmane was part of the original core group of Planeswalkers that made their debut in the Lorwyn block not so long ago. As the first white aligned planeswalker Ajani Goldmane had the distinction of creature support and a part of the lifegaining strategies that would be available at that time. His ultimate ability involved creating an avatar based on your life total. Normally it would be a number above 20 or so which was massive in standard and without proper removal at hand such a creature would threaten to win the game. His first skill enforces the life gain them while his second skill of putting +1/+1 counters on creatures and allowing them to have vigilance until the end of the turn supports the weenie point of attack which has always been the staple of white.

His second , Angrier version was driven by well...Vengeance hence the name. Ajani Vengeant was a weird mix of Red and White mana , his first ability was to tap a permanent and that permanent would not untap until the next untap phase. The ability feels more like blue as championed by Frost Titan and Dungeon Geist recently and has become a trademark of blue. His second ability really feels more of a hybrid white and red because it is a Lightning Helix. His last ability is Armageddon. A really big disadvantage if he is still left in play as he could control all the permanents coming into play with his first ability until he could build up into another Geddon.

The third and latest reincarnation The Caller of the Pride has that final ability as it could X 2/2 White Cat Tokens where is your life total. So if you still have 20 life there would be 20 2/2 White cat tokens that would be capable of giving out 40 points of damage , 80 points of damage if this were an EDH game. This version of Ajani is somewhat a more pinpoint version of the first. Its first ability puts a +1/+1 counter on up to one target creature meaning that even without a creature on your side of the battlefield you could still use the ability. This skill is meant to be used in conjunction with the Exalted Mechanic that made a return in the M13 coreset where this was also debuted. His second skill furthers strengthens this mechanic as it provides Evasion and Aggression to a lone creature swooping in for the kill.

3 sets of intense but noble looking eyes stared at each other. It was always the youngest who made the first move. The Vengeant one was all set to defende himself when the older Ajani moved his battle axe in his defense. The Caller of the pride was surprised with the moved , he understood the danger of letting the different mana Ajani live. 

" We are all the same person." The Eldest Ajani Began " why must we battle each other to prove who is the strongest?"

The Red/White Ajani said nothing but eyed the other wearily. 

The youngest one answered , " Can't you sense it? This is not a test about who will best the others in a contest of strength or wit. This is about survival."

"I agree" said the Vengeant and he twisted his hands to render the Caller of the pride immobile and with a strength that surprised the elder Ajani swooped in for the kill. Despite being older it was the elders battle axe that defended the defenseless younger one. With his power arms he blocked the downward swing that was all set to decapitate the helpless Caller of the pride and threw the attacker in full movement.

Ajani Goldmane knew of the pain this Red/White Reincarnation of himself harbored. It was in this pain and anger that he would turn and hunt down the powerful Elder Dragon Nicol Bolas to avenge his brother. It was a turn of events that he wished he didnt have to undergo.

"Please listen to reason." He calmly said. "Going down this path is something that you could never undo. Even in all the planes and times the pain will still haunt you. Unforgiveness will be where ever you go."

The Red/White Ajani locked his eyes on the older version of himself. 

"I have never sought forgiveness. I only sought Vengeance."

The ground shook as White mana began to escape from all around. Ajani Goldmane has seen this before. It was an Armageddon spell. The Vengeant wasn't casting a spell though , he knew he was will the land to implode in on itself and explode. The ends of the room began to explode and faster than he could blink were upon them. The explosiong revealed the room to be nothing more but an infinite dark space. Ajani was not able to see much more it as he felt an axe cleave from his right shoulder down to his chest. In the distance he saw the head of the caller of the pride roll as if it was floating in nothingness. Nothingness he said to himself. To the nothingness I will return.

The White mana of the 2 former Planeswalkers entered the body the lone Ajani. His anger was not sated. His pain only increased. He will find out who created this room and his vengeance will be undescribable. With the Swing of his Axe , Ajani Vengeant ripped a fabric in time and space was gone.