(Jace Beleren)

I slam the door, frustrated. I should have abandoned Ravnica and the Consortium when I had the chance to. Now, I hold far too much knowledge to do any such thing, and it was my fault that it was left without a leader. How this place survived for nigh ten thousand years is beyond my realm of thinking, and that realm is rather large. I can't erase my memory; it would be an insult to Kallist if I did. He gave everything to defeat Tezzeret, so that no one else would have to be plagued with the man. What a liar and cheat the man had turned out to be. Suddenly, I'm desperate to stop my thoughts, but the masochist in me allows them to continue. I heave a heavy breath. I know which memories come next. I can't think about that time in my life without thinking about her.

The beautiful necromancer bursts forth, to the forefront of my mind. Instead of thinking about her selfish motives, I think of a night when nothing but she and I mattered, the night I took her for my own. Sounds of labored breathing, the feel of her skin, which despite her age has not changed. I think about how simple and easy that night was, and how I longed for it to never end. The moans, the gasps, the frantic, desperate clutching at each other, because we ached to be closer. The scars on my back are a product of her nails and black magic, and though I could, I never erase them. I haven't been the same since she left her marks on me, figuratively and physically.

I know she aches to be free of the demons she made a deal with. She tracks them and is willing to work with anyone to rid herself of them. My heart aches for her, I was able to rid myself of Tezzeret with her help, and I am powerless to rid her of her demons. She has a selfish nature, but I can't blame her. She's the only person she can count on. She's only had herself for over two centuries. Having powerful magic only makes one more vunerable, and this is a lesson that I learned the hard way. You learn to lead a very lonely life. Power makes those you love vunerable.

I never thought that I would be the victim of unrequited love, to allow myself to care for someone. Most of those I care about have betrayed me, including the woman that I am thinking about, romanticizing in a light that most, no, none would paint her in.

I wish I could find her now, but that would only lead Wildspeaker to her; I know that he is tracking my moves. Besides, he is probably furious with me for leading him to the wrong plane. He was searching for her, and I sent him to the wrong end of the multiverse. I couldn't let him find her; I vowed that to myself many years ago. He is surely turning that plane on its head searching for her. I can only imagine his fury when he realizes she is not there.

Besides, I am sure that she does not return the feelings that I harbor, that plague me when I'm at my weakest. She's burned into my memory; she'll reside there forever.

Just as I sit on my bed, I hear a shuffling, followed by a knocking. There is a frantic voice on the other side. My mind is playing tricks on me, surely. I would recognize that voice anywhere. It rings out on the other side, clear as a bell.

"Jace!"

I open my door; Liliana Vess bursts in.