Episode 7 of the Tarkir: Dragonstorm story begins from the perspective of Sarkhan, who has assumed total control over Tarkir’s wild dragons.
With his ever-growing army in tow, Sarkhan closes in on his first target – the temple within the dragonstorm. Despite being unaware of what’s inside the temple, Sarkhan knows from his previous interaction with Elspeth and Narset that it is somehow connected to the dragonstorms, and could pose a threat to his plan if left alone.
Switching perspectives, we find Elspeth, Vraska, Narset, and Loot running for their lives as the meditation realm collapses around them. Realizing they wouldn’t make it in time, Elspeth opts to carry Narset and Loot, which allows the trio to make it to the omenpath just in time.
Feeling disoriented after emerging from the omenpath, Narset makes for the stairs and exits the temple, only to be met by a unnaturally black sky.
“The air scorched her lungs. With Bolas free again, they would need to tell the Gatewatch, surely. Was there a Gatewatch any longer? The implications were dire. Except there, too, was the issue of the dragonstorms spreading across the Multiverse. Would Ugin and Bolas being free mean that they would worsen or improve? Would their conflict change all of it? Narset didn’t know what to worry about first.”
As Narset looks out on the dark horizon, Elspeth, Vraska, and Loot catch up to her, and it’s then that she realizes the darkened sky is being caused by Sarkhan’s massive army of dragons. Realizing that the dragons would be upon them in mere seconds, Elspeth instructs Vraska to get Loot to safety, and the Gorgon obliges, disappearing after casting a camouflage spell. Turning to Narset, Elspeth attempts to get her to retreat as well, but Narset refuses and the pair prepares for battle against certain death.
“Some part of Elspeth looked upon the advancing flight of dragons, upon their gaping maws and their teeth and the terrible promise in their shining eyes, and was afraid. Even as the knowledge of that fear pressed into her like a claw sinking into skin, she understood it didn’t matter. The human version of her had stood before a god she loved and had then died to the god she once trusted.”
With Sarkhan and his army now upon them, Elspeth shouts out to Sarkhan, stating “I told you the last time we fought that you would die if you came after us again…” to which the massive dragon replies “Yes. I remember you threatening me. I told you. All the Multiverse will become a place of dragons. I’d move aside before you’re eaten alive…” and with that the pair flew skyward, leaving Narset to fend off the army.
With Sarkhan now preoccupied, Narset turns her focus to the dragons rapidly closing in. Summoning all her strength, Narset uses her magic to divert the dragons as they dive-bomb her and temple. Despite the insurmountable odds, she vows to hold out as long as possible.
“Narset spun in a maelstrom of dragons, dodging one, sending another away, back up into the storm to its squawking surprise. She side-stepped a flurry of gnashing teeth; it felt like the dragon wasn’t even trying, was too large to have any dexterity, and Narset found herself laughing in delight. This wouldn’t last. Her concentration would break. Narset would fall. But not just yet.”
As her defenses begin to weaken, Narset notices a bright flash in the sky. For a moment, she thinks it to be Elspeth, having been struck down, but quickly realizes that what she was seeing was Ajani, free-falling through the sky after jumping off one of the Abzan’s dragon mounts. Seconds later, Narset looks up to see a black dragon diving straight for her, but before it could strike, the dragon’s jaws go slack and it crashes to the ground with Ajani on its back, his axe having sliced through the beast’s neck. Reinforcements had arrived just in time.
With the Abzan army now preoccupying the dragons, Ajani and Narset turn their attention to Sarkhan and finding a way to help Elspeth. Recalling his past with Sarkhan, Ajani surmises that the kind man he once knew was surely still reachable, even in his current form, and that he might be able to talk sense into him.
“Sarkhan had found him after Ajani’s spark had awoken, and he’d been kind then, in his own rough sort of way. Sarkhan had saved him from the dragon Karrthus though there hadn’t been any need to do so, the two of them strangers then. He’d been kind, too. Sarkhan had been the one to tell the newly minted Planeswalker that rage and grief both had their place, that they needed to be used correctly. There was compassion in Sarkhan. Ajani knew this.”
Out of options, Narset agrees to Ajani’s plan, and with impeccable timing, Felothar descends from above, accompanied by two dragonmounts.
Taking flight, Ajani and Narset quickly climb skyward toward the dueling pair, but can only watch helplessly as Elspeth flies into the great dragon’s maw. Without hesitation, Ajani calls out to Sarkhan, praying his words will distract the dragon and delay his friend’s demise.
“This isn’t you, Sarkhan.” Ajani fought to keep the panic from his voice. He couldn’t take his eyes away from the tableau, from the sight of Elspeth clasped in Sarkhan’s jaws, a mailed hand pushed up into the roof of the dragon’s mouth, keeping him from closing it fully.”
Thankfully, Ajani’s words get through to Sarkhan, successfully distracting him long enough for Elspeth to escape. Weakened from the battle, Elspeth can only tumble out of Sarkhan’s mouth, her wings moving just enough to slightly slow her fall. Distracted no longer, Sarkhan’s attention snaps back to Elspeth, and he moves to finish off the archangel, stating “I will destroy everything as many times as necessary. Beginning with her.”
At the same time, Ajani pushes forward, racing the massive dragon to Elspeth. Realizing the situation, Narset uses her magic to propel Ajani forward, allowing him to catch the falling planeswalker with just enough time to avoid Sarkhan’s strike.
Turning to regroup, Elspeth tells Ajani and Narset that they may have a chance if they can blind Sarkhan. Without a better option, the trio prepares for their last stand, but before they can engage, the voice of Ugin erupts across the plane, shouting “Enough!”
As the great spirit dragon entered the battlefield from the blind eternities, the dragons of Sarkhan’s army scattered in fear. Despite appearing bloodied and exhausted, Ugin’s command of the plane and its inhabitants was undisputed. With his army disbanded, Sarkhan turns to Ugin, shouting “I will not bow to you!” before launching a torrent of fire.
Despite his great size and power, Sarkhan’s attacks were useless against the spirit dragon, and in an instant, Ugin retaliates, completely engulfing Sarkhan in ghost fire.
“The dragonstorms behave like whelps when I’m not there to keep them in line, said Ugin with a tired chuckle. I was remiss in my disciplining.“
In an instant, the war was over. Sarkhan was defeated and the dragonstorms quelled. Struggling to find the right words to address the great planeswalker, Narset begins to speak, but swallows her words when Ugin speaks again, uttering the words no one wanted to hear: “…I have been remiss in the keeping of my brother. Nicol Bolas, I am afraid, is free.
Read Tarkir: Dragonstorm Episode 7 in full from Wizards of the Coast.
