With the threat of a multi-plane Phyrexian invasion looming, Jace goes in search of answers and finds more than he bargained for: Liliana Vess, alive and well, teaching courses on necromancy at Strixhaven. Apart from reigniting the old flame of their romance, Jace and Liliana team up to reunite the Gatewatch. Realizing this will be bigger than any threat they have yet faced, they are preparing to lead the Gatewatch and its newest members in the greatest battle of all ages. Phyrexia is coming…
[Originally written in 2021, this is an alternate timeline to the official Magic storyline taking place after the events of Innistrad: Crimson Vow but sometime before Dominaria United. At over 30 chapters, it is currently on hiatus but with quite a following on the original site that houses it, this story will continue.]
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Prologue
I.
I know he’s from Quandrix, but he’s gorgeous! I think he could be the one…
The exam is in two days… There’s no way I’ll be able to catch up on time. I should’ve paid attention in class…
Jace tensed his jaw and forced all the stray thoughts surrounding him from his mind. Even if he wasn’t a mind-mage, he would be uncomfortable. He could feel the youthful angst oozing from every corner of this place.
Talent of the Telepath | Art by Peter Mohrbacher
Strixhaven. He wouldn’t even be here if he didn’t have questions that only the greatest collection of knowledge in the Multiverse could answer. He would never subject himself to being surrounded by all these…hormone-driven kids…if Jaya hadn’t told him about Strixhaven when he came to her with questions she couldn’t answer. Before that, he had never even heard of Arcavios and its school of mages.
Taking a deep breath, he paused to survey his surroundings. What had she called it, again?
The campus is sprawling, she had told him, but the Biblioplex is easy enough to find. It’s an enormous domed building at the center of campus.
The Biblioplex | Art by Piotr Dura
Well, he thought as he fixed his sights on the large dome that rose high enough to touch the clouds, at least that’s one good thing about this place. How have I never heard of Strixhaven and its Biblioplex? From what Jaya told me, I could get lost in its stacks for the rest of eternity and never grow tired of it.
The sharp, high-pitched giggles of two young mage-students pulled him out of his thoughts. They stared at him; eyes aglow and cheeks flush with color, whispering excitedly as they passed him by. It didn’t take his powers to realize they thought he was cute. Jace ran his fingers through his hair and cleared his throat. Sure, it was a much-needed ego-boost, but they were practically kids and he had to maintain his focus. He didn’t want to get lost before he arrived at the Biblioplex.
He didn’t even know how he was going to find what he was looking for when he arrived. If this truly were the most expansive collection of knowledge in the Multiverse, it could take lifetimes to find the right books with the right answers. Hopefully, someone there could give him direction without having to reveal too much about his quest. After all, unless they also happened to be a ‘walker, they could never even begin to comprehend…
When he finally found himself within the vast expanse of the Biblioplex, he stopped to take it all in. It really was an amazing sight to behold. His excitement at being surrounded by all this knowledge was tempered by an equal amount of intimidation. He looked around at all the people. Faculty, staff, and students of all types were going about their business. He didn’t want to listen to their surface thoughts, but maybe he could go a bit deeper into their minds in order to pull from their knowledge of the stacks. That would definitely make his search easier.
There were also a few automatons going around, but he decided against using their help. It was easier to just read a few minds and not even have to consult anyone for help in his search. It only took him a bit of extra focus to get his bearings straight. Feeling confident he at least knew where to start he inhaled deeply and began his search of the endless stacks of books and scrolls that composed the library portion of the vast Biblioplex.
As he wound his way through, in awe of the shelves that reached up to…somewhere…it occurred to him that he was beset by an unusual apprehension. With a quick search of his own mind, he deduced that it had nothing to do with his quest or even his surroundings. Why did he feel this way? And why, when he was searching through people’s minds to find his way, did he suddenly get a familiar flash of violet eyes…?
His chest tightened and he had to push down feelings of sadness and guilt. If only he had made it to Dominaria on time… Maybe he could have saved her…
No. He was not going to let the ghost of Liliana Vess distract him from his quest. It was far too important to be deterred by pointless What ifs… and If onlys… She was dead. There was nothing he could do to change that—and even if he could, maybe it was for the best. Death certainly couldn’t be any worse for her than her life had been. And yet, for some reason, the further he went into the stacks, the more he found himself haunted by his memories of the woman he simultaneously loved and hated.
Grrrah! Even in death, she still torments me! He had to resist the urge to pull at his hair and yell it aloud. That would be embarrassing, to say the least. The last thing he needed was to draw even more attention to himself; he already stood out without a uniform of some sort to make him blend in, and he was surprised he hadn’t been accosted by any of the faculty or staff for being there in the first place.
Focus, he told himself, slowing his pace, aware that someone was about to round the corner from within the stacks. Focus. You are on a mission. Now is not the time for—
With a sharp intake of breath, he stopped dead in his tracks as he came face to face with a ghost.
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This is a complete waste of my time, Liliana thought bitterly, as she combed through yet another book within the Biblioplex. At my age and with all my experience, that I should be required to conduct research to back up my teaching is…well, it’s absurd! Laughable, even. What could any of these lesser minds have to teach me—Liliana Vess, the greatest necromancer in all the Multiverse, that I don’t already know and can’t already prove on my own?
It was all Lisette’s idea. Dean Lisette of Witherbloom College. Ever since Lisette recognized Liliana’s true nature, she had become a thorn in Liliana’s side at the university. The only reason Liliana was even still allowed to remain a professor at Strixhaven, and to use her true name, was because she had helped save the university from total destruction when she had tried to warn the deans of the dangers the Oriq had posed to Strixhaven. Until the attack led by the power-hungry former mage-student, Extus, nobody but Liliana took the Oriq seriously. Nevertheless, she still did what she could to help save them from their own stupidity and, for once, it actually paid off.
After it was over and the university was safe, Lisette had begrudgingly accepted Liliana’s tenure at Strixhaven. Nevertheless, and despite the support of the other deans, Lisette chose to become Liliana’s arch-nemesis, continuously putting pointless exercises and demands on Professor Vess to remain in good standing at the university—all part of Lisette’s subtle way of trying to get rid of the Planeswalker necromancer she had decided not to trust, despite the fact that Liliana had more than proven herself. The other deans may not have been smart enough to understand what Lisette was doing, but Liliana knew exactly what was going on and it made her blood boil.
We all must rely, not only on ourselves, Lisette had said in a patronizing tone, but on the wisdom and experience of others.
If Lisette were dealing with the old Liliana Vess—not old…no, no, no… If she were dealing with the former Liliana Vess, she would regret making an enemy of the professor of necromantic arts. Lisette would have joined her undead legion the moment she started meddling in Professor Vess’s affairs! It took all of Liliana’s strength not to use her death magic on the dean. More than once, in fact. Even now, just thinking about it, made her eyes glow purple. She had to take a deep breath to suppress her necromantic powers and return to a state akin to equilibrium.
Liliana rolled her eyes and shoved the book she had been leafing through back onto the shelf. There was not a single tome within the Biblioplex, she was sure, that could be of use to her—hells, she could write them all herself and then some! Not a bad idea… Still, she knew she had to make use of the volumes at her disposal, if only to get Lisette off her back. They could not be of use to herself, per se, but her students could perhaps benefit from reading them.
Releasing a sigh, she started pulling all the books she had previously dismissed back off the shelf so she could take them to her office for use in the classroom. Once she had a substantial enough pile—not too heavy—she whirled around and headed for the aisle. What she wouldn’t give to have one of her zombie servants on hand to carry the books for her at that moment…
Upon rounding the corner, however, she stopped abruptly and gasped. The books dropped to her feet, and she stood frozen in disbelief. Her first instinct would have been to release the pent-up death magic to protect herself from what could presumably be an assassination attempt if it weren’t for the stupidly surprised look on his face. What in the Nine Hells…?
Lili…? She heard his voice in her head, though his lips never moved. Is it—is it really you?
Jace… What are you doing here?
I could ask the same of you… Lili, I…thought you were dead.
In a way, I was… She looked down at the books on the floor and the connection was broken. She gasped at her carelessness and knelt to collect the priceless tomes, inspecting them for damage as she reassembled her pile. Then she paused to see Jace still standing there, aghast.
“You could help, you know,” she suggested with a touch of irritation.
“Oh, right…” He snapped out of his daze and got down to help her.
While he finished collecting the books for her, she watched him closely. What was he doing at Strixhaven, and why did his presence irritate her? If he wasn’t there to find her…to kill her… She had to admit, she was slightly insulted if he wasn’t there for her, in some capacity, even if he was looking to assassinate her. At least it would be something—better than nothing. Better than…indifference.
Once he had picked up the last of the books for her, setting them neatly on the pile she had begun to assemble, he wiped the dust from his hands and met her gaze with an awkward smile. “There. Hopefully that’s everything.”
She rolled her eyes and stifled a smile. “I don’t see anything else lying around, so yes, that’s everything.” She collected her books and rose, wondering why it was she couldn’t let herself admit she was happy to see him, however unexpected their reunion was to the both of them. Nevertheless, she was determined to maintain her usual air of indifference, if only to hide the fact that he made her feel vulnerable in so, so many ways.
Even now, he’s still only a boy, she reminded herself. She had centuries on him, literally.
When he stood up and offered to help carry the books, she eagerly handed them off with a smile. “Thank you, Jace. Such a gentleman.”
“You know, you could say thank you without a hint of sarcasm. It would be more believable that way.”
“Look at you, giving me advice.” Why could she not just be nice? She had wanted to see him so many times, but here she was, pushing him away and keeping him at a distance. She knew what she was doing; she just didn’t know why she was doing it, or how to stop herself. Was it her fear of him seeing through her icy exterior? Of course. The last thing she needed was to give him power over her. Power to cut her straight to the core, as he had done so many times since…
“Nine hells,” she whispered under her breath. Then she narrowed her eyes at him. “What are you doing here, anyway? Don’t tell me you’ve applied for a teaching position at one of the colleges. Let me guess—you would be Quandrix.”
“No,” he said definitively. “I—what is a Quandrix?”
“Oh, you finally caught up. It’s the college for people like you.”
“Mind mages?”
She laughed—perhaps a bit too loudly for a library, but he was so amusing that she couldn’t help herself. He was so cute when he was clueless… Catching herself, she straightened and cleared her throat. For once, she didn’t know what to say—all she could do was hope he hadn’t decided to use his mind mage powers just then.
Jace stood there awkwardly, holding her pile of books, and stammered, “Do you have an office or…something? Somewhere we can talk a bit more privately…? If you have time, that is…” He ran his eyes over her professor’s uniform, and said, “I’m assuming you work here.”
“It’s my day off…technically.”
He smirked. “Hmm. Never thought I’d find you in a library on your day off.”
Ignoring his jab, she regarded him with mock suspicion. “You’re not here to kill me, are you?”
“What?” he nearly spit it out, completely taken aback.
“Relax,” she said with a guarded smile. “I’m joking. I know you’re not here for me.”
She started sauntering away, glancing at him over her shoulder in an almost seductive way, and for a moment he stood transfixed. Then he moved to catch up with her, struggling with the heavy tomes…
“To be fair,” he explained, “I did think you were dead. The, uh…charred remains at your family estate were pretty convincing. And the people there were certain they had seen you killed. I checked to be sure.”
“As I knew you would,” she said with a wry smile, “if ever you came around to checking in at the old family estate.”
Don’t let him in. She steeled herself against his mind-reading powers. Don’t let him read your thoughts. He cannot know you still care for him.
Thankfully, he seemed too distracted by the reality of her still being alive to worry about what she was thinking—yet. Eventually, of course, he wouldn’t be able to help himself. Jace’s curiosity always got the better of him. That’s why he had always been so easy to manipulate, apart from his boyish infatuation with her.
“So…what really happened?” he asked, pulling her out of her interior monologue.
“We can talk in my office.”
“So, you do have an office. Wow. I never thought the Liliana Vess would ever have an office and be a…teacher. You are a teacher, right?” He chuckled, seemingly amused by the thought of her mentoring young people.
Professor’s Warning | Art by Kieran Yanner
Refusing to let him get to her, she raised her head proudly, and said, “I am the Professor of necromantic arts at the College of Witherbloom.”
“Witherbloom…?” He pronounced each syllable.
“Yes, it’s the same college I was part of when I was a student here.”
“You were a student…here? You never told me about that.”
She stopped and turned to him with a shrug. “You never asked.”
____________________________________________________________________________
Jace had to work hard to maintain his focus. She looked at him with that smile of hers that could get a man to do anything, while simultaneously making him wonder if she was amusing herself with him. He knew that she knew all-too-well of the power she had over men—especially himself. Of course, she is, he thought. It’s Liliana. She’s always toying with me. Everything’s a game with Liliana Vess.
When she continued on, he again had to catch up with her and had to walk fast to keep up. She walked with an unusual determination—not her usual catwalk. She was still unbelievably seductive, but in a strangely proper, measured sort of way. It was difficult to fathom, how she could be both formal and seductive at the same time. She had mastered yet another way to tantalize him.
“So,” he began, trying to make conversation, “you were a student here and now you’re a professor. That must be interesting.”
“Yes, well, it took me a bit of time to get used to the idea. Now, it’s just a thing I do, like anything else.”
“If I may say, I like your new look. Not that I didn’t like the old one.”
“Former,” she corrected him.
“What?”
“Say, former. Not ‘old.’ You know I don’t care for that word and all its…meaning.”
Jace had forgotten how many centuries older she was than him. She still looked as young and beautiful as ever. And no matter how much older he was—could he possibly appear to be older than her now?—she still made him feel like an immature and inexperienced schoolboy. “Okay, well, I liked your former look, too. That’s…all I’m saying.”
She paused by one of the massive archways and met his gaze. “Thanks, Jace. You’re too sweet.”
He sighed as she sauntered out through the archway, glancing once over her shoulder to see if he was following. Yep. She’s definitely toying with me.
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II.
The walk across campus to Liliana’s office at the…rather unconventional administrative office at the College of Witherbloom was mostly silent, as they both fell into their own thoughts. So many times, Jace thought about reaching out with his mind, of delving into hers to know what exactly she was thinking. He still didn’t trust her…not exactly, anyway. He wondered if she harbored any resentment toward him for trying to kill her back on Ravnica. Of course, she would be well within her right to resent that—even though he was well within his right to try to take her life, considering all the carnage she had caused in her alliance with Nicol Bolas.
After all that had happened, though—her reversal and Gideon’s sacrifice… He wanted to trust her—to believe in her as much as Gideon had. But his experiences with Liliana Vess had only ever brought him heartache and disappointment, at the very least. When they arrived in the quiet confines of her office, he hoped she would explain everything. If she had anything good to say for herself, maybe he could begin to trust her.
Alone with Liliana in her office, away from the curious eyes of all the students and faculty they had passed along the way, Jace finally started to relax. Her taking the books from him helped, too. He watched her drop the pile of books on her desk almost carelessly and go to a mirror to freshen up. He noticed she still had those etchings—the remnants of the demonic contract that allowed her to stay young and beautiful forever, which she had finally broken with the defeat of Bolas. He never liked those etchings, so it surprised him to feel a sense of relief and even joy at seeing she still had them. It was Liliana—of that he could be sure. No one else in the Multiverse had tattoos like that all over their body. Literally. All over her body…a body he knew all too well…
He could see in her reflection when she paused to meet his gaze, no doubt pleased to catch him watching her in the mirror. She smiled, almost as though she could read his mind. She hadn’t changed a bit. Even with her hair swept up and wearing her professor’s uniform, she was still the same Liliana Vess underneath…and yet, there was something different about her, and it wasn’t just her new look.
Art by Kieran Yanner
“So,” she said, whirling to face him and moving with her usual catlike ease toward the chair by her desk. She sat down and crossed her arms, continuing to smile at him as she reclined against the plush purple velvet.
“So…?”
“So, you want to know how I did it. How I survived?”
He paused, still unable to believe she was actually there, actually talking to him. “I…watched your body burn on a pyre.” He shuddered at the memory.
“You watched a body burn. Clearly, it wasn’t mine or we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
“Stop playing games, Liliana. Just tell me what happened. Who was it that they thought was you? Who died in your place?”
“Liliana Vess, of course.”
A frustrated sigh. “Last I checked, you couldn’t create illusions of yourself the way I can—and certainly not ones that could be burnt to ashes.”
“I didn’t need to. She created the illusion herself. Or, rather, a djinn created it for her. And then he killed her.” She stated it so effortlessly, without feeling. Not that this surprised him. It only further confirmed that he was talking to the real Liliana Vess, as she continued in her typically nonchalant way. “Really, she asked for it. I was on the verge of giving myself up for the slaughter, but she insisted she was Liliana Vess.” She shrugged. “I wasn’t going to stop her.”
“Of course, you wouldn’t.”
Liliana was clearly incensed at his tone. Her knuckles went white as she clutched the side of her chair, and her eyes began to glow with that necromantic purple hue that typically meant someone was about to die. Jace wondered if he should brace himself for battle, but then her eyes returned to normal. He took a deep breath and relaxed, but kept his eyes locked with hers, aware that she could turn on him in an instant.
“One thing I really can’t understand,” he went on, “is how Kaya and Teyo got ahold of the Chain Veil. Was it a convincing replica?”
“No, it was the real thing,” she said, almost a hint of regret in her tone.
“You once said you would only ever give it up—.”
“Over my dead body?”
“Yes—exactly. And besides, I thought you couldn’t give it up even if you wanted to. What changed?”
“Are you going to sit down?” she asked impatiently. “Or do you still not trust me, even now?”
“Would it surprise you, if I didn’t?” It annoyed him that she didn’t answer his question, but he would let it slide, for now.
“No, I suppose not. I seem to have that effect on a lot of people. Not least of all you. Still, if you don’t trust me, you were a fool to follow me here.”
He pursed his lips. “I guess you’re right. If you wanted to kill me, you would have done it by now. And because I’m a stranger here, you could have easily made everyone think I was a threat to the campus and that you had no choice.”
She smiled darkly. “Exactly.”
He finally sat down. “All right, so…you let this other woman—this fake Liliana—die for you. And then you…what? Handed off the Chain Veil and walked away as if nothing happened, to start a new life for yourself here?”
“Come, Jace, you’re keener than that. It’s not that simple.”
“All right, then. Explain it to me. I want to understand how any of this is possible, because right now I feel like I’m completely losing it.”
She touched the pointed tip of an apparatus on her desk, and for a moment he wondered if she was even still paying attention. Then she said, “If you want to know all the details of what happened, you can always reach into my memories.”
“Do I have your permission?”
“Of course; I have nothing to hide. It’s easier than trying to explain the whole thing to you.”
They settled in and, after a moment’s hesitation, she let him into her mind. First, he made a scan to be sure she wasn’t using some kind of magic to hide her true thoughts from him. There was something she was hiding, but it wasn’t about the aftermath of Ravnica so he wasn’t about to invade her most private thoughts. What happened on Ravnica, she allowed him to see from the moment she ‘walked there to everything that happened after it was over, and everything since.
It was a bit more than he had planned to see, but once he’d started down that path, curiosity got the better of him. And since she didn’t stop him, he kept going. Right up to that very moment, where they sat together in her office, everything except her most private thoughts was laid bare for his perusal—her feelings and her experiences… It was momentarily overwhelming. Agonizing.
“Don’t pity me,” her voice rose suddenly, cutting into his thoughts.
“I’m not…”
“Yes, you are,” she said icily. “I didn’t let you in so you would pity me.”
“I don’t pity you. I feel sorry for you.”
“What’s the difference?” she asked, getting up and walking to the window. She kept her back facing him as she looked out at the campus. She spoke bitterly. “I don’t want your sorrow. I don’t need your pity. I didn’t give you permission—.”
“To see the pain you’ve held inside you these past two years? To know how hard you’ve sought to live up to his vision of you, even as you doubt yourself? Even as you feel you don’t deserve any of this?”
She raised her head but kept her back to him, as she demanded, “Get out.”
“Liliana…”
“We’re done here,” she said with a dismissive wave. “I have work to do. You can see yourself out and get back to…whatever it is you’re doing here.”
She still kept her back to him, but he could see the glow of death magic building in the palm of her hands. She was holding back, but for how long?
“All right,” he said, getting up. “I’ll go. But if you…change your mind, I’ll be in the Bibli…the Biblio…”
“Biblioplex,” she finished for him, her voice impatient rather than helpful.
“Yes, that. I’ll be there for however long it takes me to find what I’m looking for. I would love to have your help, if you’re interested…”
She remained poised and looking out the window, but her magic had receded. Still, he knew even as he had suggested it, that she would never deign to help him—there was nothing he could do for her anymore. She had gotten what she wanted—her freedom—and now she had no use for him.
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When Liliana heard the door click shut behind Jace, she finally turned away from the window and pressed her back to the cold stone wall. Hot tears ran down her cheeks. And for that she was fuming.
How dare he?
Everything he said was true, and that made it all the more insulting. She hadn’t meant for him to see that much, but once she had let him in, it was too difficult to stop him from seeing everything. At least one thing remained out of his reach—her true feelings for him.
Did she have feelings for Jace? She hated to admit it, even to herself. He’s still only a child! And yet…the moment he walked away, she felt that irritating tug…that urge to run after him, to apologize and beg him to stay… She grimaced. Pathetic.
He had asked her to help him, and she wanted to say yes. She wanted to be needed by him, even now, even when she didn’t need him. But why? Wasn’t she busy enough already? Didn’t she have enough on her plate, without Jace Beleren showing up to ask something impossible of her, as usual? Why should I help him? I don’t owe him anything. He didn’t even come looking for me yet, as usual, he would want me to help him…?
“Nine Hells,” she cursed aloud, wiping the tears from her cheeks, and returning to her desk. “Well done, Liliana. You almost let him get to you.” Again.
She tried to distract herself with those pesky tomes she had collected at the Biblioplex, but she had lost her focus completely. With a sigh, she sat back in her chair. It was useless. All she could think of was Jace Beleren, the man she hated to love and loved to hate. It was complicated, to say the least.
“You cannot really want to help him,” she said to herself. “Are you really that lonely and desperate?”
The truth was, while she cherished her solitude and loneliness was hardly an issue for her, she did miss Jace…and Chandra and Teferi and Ajani and…Gideon. Especially Gideon. She could still see him smiling at her, even as he took on her contract, dissipating right before eyes. Her eyes were burning again, and she pulled out a handkerchief to dab the tears away.
Make it count, he had said to her. It was like a seed he planted in that moment when he sacrificed himself to save her—to save Ravnica—and it was growing into something of a conscience. Every time she wanted to do something selfish, or to refuse something good for her, his face and his voice came to her. Make it count.
“Haven’t I, Beefslab?” she asked to the ethers. “Haven’t I made it count yet?”
Then she remembered her oath, as though Gideon had reached through the ethers to remind her of the day when she joined their little club. The Gatewatch. She had done so with the intention to use and manipulate them to her needs, but she really had come to care for them in time—to see them as friends…as family. But after her betrayal, she was sure they would never want to see her again. Jace was the exception since he was clearly still smitten with her. A true puppy-dog, loyal to the end. The others would not likely be so forgiving. So, her oath could hardly be considered binding. And besides, she refused to be bound by anything ever again.
Still… Do I have anything better to do? She looked at her pile of tomes, none of them capable of teaching her anything new. Then she sighed and rose from her chair. Well, it was good to be needed again…
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III.
“As you well know, the Biblioplex has been gathering centuries’ worth of materials from wherever it could find them. Everything you could ever want or need to know can be found here at the Strixhaven Biblioplex. Speaking of which, what can I help you find today? Well, I’m sure you’ve already been here today, Professor, so you must have forgotten something and now you’re back…” The irritating voice droned on…and on and on and on and on and on, until…
“Zip it,” Liliana hissed with a wave of her hand, using a quick spell to send the talking tome gliding backwards into a stack of books that were left unattended at the foot of one of the shelves. No doubt one of the library’s automatons would soon find them and put them all back in their place, but for now they were the perfect solution to an irritating problem.
Codie, Vociferous Codex | Art by Daniel Ljunggren
Ah, silence. Now she could focus on locating old Cloak Boy, who was seeking…what, exactly?
She stopped in her tracks, realizing she had no idea what he was searching for that had brought him to the Strixhaven Biblioplex, of all places in the Multiverse. Why here? It felt like a joke the Multiverse was playing on her. Well, no matter what had brought him to her…er, to Strixhaven…she would never find him without someone or something to guide her.
Sauntering back to the vociferous codex, who was pulling itself out from under the now fallen stack of regular, non-animated books, Liliana chimed, “Oh, Codie…”
The animated tome was currently bemoaning the damaged materials and plucking loose pages from itself the way one removes leaves and vines after falling into the tangled brush of a swamp. When it heard its name being called, though, it turned to attention. “Professor Vess, I apologize for…well, I don’t know what happened, but one moment I was trying to be of service to you and the next moment I found myself projected into a stack of books. And now, look! They are damaged! But I think it’s not irreparable damage, at least, or Isabough might have me…” gasp, “decommissioned!”
“Yes, well, forget about all that for a moment, Codie,” said Liliana with a dismissive wave. “I need to know if you’ve seen a…misplaced gentleman in a ridiculously oversized cloak combing the stacks?”
“Ah, you mean someone not wearing a uniform, of course! Yes, I have seen such a gentleman around here—let me take you to him.”
“Not necessary,” she intoned. “Just point me in the right direction and I’ll take care of myself from there—you must be incredibly busy, after all.”
“Not really, Professor,” replied Codie. “At least, not so busy I can’t help a member of the faculty in need.”
Speaking in an overly sweetened tone, she said, “Just tell me where you last saw the man in the cloak, or I’ll decommission you myself.”
“Oh! Well, uh, he went…that way.” The animated text pointed with one of the spindly metal legs that supported it and, for once, fell silent.
“Thanks, Codie. You’re such a dear.”
“Oh yes, Professor Vess. I do like to be of assistance. If you need anything else, at any point in time, just let me know and I’ll be at your service…”
Liliana moved at a quickened pace, eager to get as far away from that yapping tome as possible. Once she was well on her way, moving deeper into the endless shelves and enjoying the sense of quiet solitude once again, she sent out a shade to aid her search.
Liliana’s Shade | Art by Eric Deschamps
While the shade went one way, she went another. The sound of someone uttering a frightened gasp came from the direction her shade had gone and she smirked with satisfaction. Taking her time, she listened carefully as she drifted into the stacks—an endless forest of high shelves that seemed to reach up to eternity—until at last her ears caught the faintest low hum of a familiar voice. Jace.
The hint of a smile curled her lips. Of course, he would be talking to himself and that was exactly how she could find him. He could always be counted on to mumble to himself whilst he worked. She dissolved the useless shade and followed the hum until it became more audible and eventually turned into the attentive murmur she had once grown so used to in years long passed… He was anything if not predictable and he hadn’t changed a bit.
He was so lost in thought, as he leafed carefully through one of the tomes that, for once, he didn’t even notice Liliana’s approach. She crossed her arms and leaned a shoulder against one of the shelves, watching him with a faint smile and wondering how long it would take him to notice her presence.
Suddenly, he stopped murmuring to himself and raised his head slightly. Then he turned and Liliana’s smile broadened. A look of recognition flashed in his eyes, followed by genuine wonderment.
“Jace, what a pleasant surprise,” she teased. “Fancy seeing you here.”
“Liliana…what are you doing? I thought you wanted to turn me into one of your undead servants last we met…less than an hour ago.”
She inhaled slowly, and then exhaled, “Yes, well…I was bored and thought I’d let bygones be bygones.”
He straightened, set down the tome, and rose to regard her suspiciously. “What are you up to?”
Liliana held out her hands, “What? Must I be up to something, just because I wanted to help an old friend?”
“You never wanted to help anyone unless it helped you in some way. Why should now be any different?”
She leaned her back against the shelf and sighed, looking at her fingernails and noticing an irritating chip in one of them. When did that happen…? Then she said, “Well, all right. If you don’t want my help…”
“I never said I didn’t. I’m just wondering what you can get out of it, so I know what I may be potentially getting myself into.”
“You’re the one who propositioned me.”
“I hardly propositioned you. I merely said I would have liked your help.”
Liliana rolled her eyes and scoffed, turning to face him again. “Jace, you had no right—.” He began to protest, but she held up her hand to silence him, and continued. “You had no right to look that deeply into my mind.”
“You didn’t exactly stop me…”
“And furthermore,” she continued, “you had even less right to feel sorry for me. Even I don’t feel sorry for me, so why should you?”
He studied her silently, the look of caution in his eyes combined with a hint of confusion and curiosity. She chuckled ever so slightly. Then her smile faded. “Look, I never thought I’d see you again. Then you show up here, I let you in to answer your question…and then you use that knowledge against me and ask me to help you in your search, never once thinking perhaps I might find it just a pinch insulting?”
“I don’t know what you mean. How did I use it against you?”
She rolled her eyes at his denseness and heaved an impatient sigh. “Must I spell it out for you?” Then she met his gaze, inviting him into her mind once again.
I wish you would, he said telepathically. It would make it a heck of a lot easier to understand why it upset you so much…
Well, I’m not one to make anything easy, as you know, except when it comes to myself.
Then why are you holding back so much of yourself? Doesn’t that make it difficult? Holding everyone at a distance? Never having anyone to protect you?
I don’t need protecting.
To care for you, then.
For a moment, she pushed back in her mind, trying to close him out. For once, he refused to back down. He was not going to let her push him out when he knew, but for her pride, she wanted so badly to let him in.
Liliana, please don’t shut me out. We’re so close…maybe closer than we’ve ever been… What are you hiding from me? What is it that you want to tell me so badly that I feel you pushing against it…?
Don’t make me say it.
Say what?
You know what.
No, actually, I don’t. I never looked that close—you wouldn’t let me.
The intensity in her gaze softened. He was right. Ever since she first laid eyes upon him, she’d put up her walls again. Even when she let him into her memories, she never fully let down her guard. How could she expect him now to understand?
“You’re right,” she said finally. “I never have truly let you in.”
“You don’t let anybody in—least of all, me. Liliana, what are you so afraid of?”
“Are you really that dense?” she asked, ruffling his hair with her fingers just to irritate him a little.
Instead of growing irritated, though, he looked at her earnestly. Hopefully. Those damn puppy-dog eyes… Then she placed her hands over his ears—he resisted, at first—and pressed her forehead to his. “Fine. I’ll say it.” After a momentary pause, during which she summoned up the courage to let her guard down, at least a little, she whispered, “I’ve missed you.”
Her eyes closed against the sting of tears, and she instantly regretted saying those words, though they were only half of what she really wanted to say…or didn’t. The next thing she knew, he was touching her mind—caressing it, in a way. It was the most unusual sensation. She trembled, but she didn’t pull away. Then he slid his arms around her waist, pulled her to him, and kissed her…hungrily. All their years of holding back…
Then, of a sudden, he pulled away and the moment ended.
“What are you doing to me?” he demanded.
Always, the suspicion. She tensed her jaw and had to look away, but it was too late—he had seen the flush she felt spread across her pale cheeks. He stepped toward her, still cautious. “You’re not toying with me?”
She met his gaze with cold fury, but the sting of tears remained. Finally, she said, “This isn’t easy for me. You should know this.”
“I do—that’s why it seems so unreal to me. I mean, two hours ago, I was still under the impression you were dead. And now, not only are you alive and standing here before me, but you’re…” He shook his head, unable to find the words.
“Vulnerable,” she finished for him.
He nodded.
She laughed and turned to lean her back against one of shelves again, protecting herself with her arms over her chest. “Pathetic, isn’t it? I promised myself I would never let you—never let anyone see me like this. Yet, here I am, making a fool of myself—in the library of all places.”
Almost as if on cue, someone walking by with a handful of books stopped in the aisle to look at them with annoyance. “Shh.” Then they continued, and the Planeswalkers were alone again…sort of.
Liliana dropped her voice to a whisper. “We shouldn’t be here…talking…like this.”
“Lili…” Jace reached out for her, and for once she let him. His hand was warm on her wrist. “It’s not pathetic and I don’t think you a fool. I’m just…surprised. I’ve never seen you like this—unless you were trying to manipulate someone. But I can ‘see’ you’re not…trying to manipulate me. I just can’t believe it. Can we…return to your office? We can talk there without being…monitored. Or disruptive.”
“Don’t you have some kind of valiant quest, or something? That’s why you’re here, isn’t it?”
“Something like that,” he sighed. Then he looked up and met her gaze. “But it can wait. It’s not that urgent—not now…that I know you’re alive. You, being here…that’s more important to me. Maybe it shouldn’t be, but it is. For what it’s worth…”
She grabbed his hand without warning and began pulling him to follow. As they walked together through the endless stacks, keeping her voice low, she said, “Sooner or later you’re going to have to tell me why you’re here. What you’re looking for. I’m sure if anyone on Arcavios can help you, and even understand half of what you’re talking about, it would be me.”
“Maybe I will,” he said with a smile. “After we get reacquainted, that is.”
___________________________________________________________________________
IV.
Jace lay on his side, supported by his elbow, covered up to his waist by the sheets of Liliana’s bed. He still could barely believe any of this was real. Maybe it was just some very intense dream he was having. But no. Every moment of their passionate, almost desperate interlude—the release of so many years of tension, so many years of holding back from each other—had been too real to be only a dream. Now she lay with her back to him, fast asleep; her once perfectly swept up hair strewn across the pillows in disarray. She didn’t move. It seemed she barely even breathed. He had forgotten how still she was when she slept. Like death.
He carefully reached out to touch her shoulder. Her skin was so soft. He paused to inhale her scent—she still used lavender. Then he continued and, for the first time, he allowed his fingers to drift across her etchings, carefully tracing their morbidly elegant twists and turns down her left arm. He wondered if they still glowed when she used the fullness of her power. He shuddered.
Demonic Pact | Art by Aleksi Briclot
He had always tried not to touch those lines before. Now they were another way for him to confirm that she was real—that she was, in fact, living and breathing before him. She stirred from her death-like sleep and a soft hum filled the otherwise silent room. Another sound escaped her throat, and then she turned—slowly stretching in an all-too-attractive cat-like manner, covered loosely by the smooth bedlinens. And then she faced him, and he was lost in those violet eyes.
She smiled. “Jace…”
“I forgot how you slept,” he whispered. “For a moment, I thought you were dead…”
“I thought I’d dreamed you,” she replied. Then, a flash of alarm in her eyes. “Is it morning?”
“No,” he answered, running his hand across her arm. She relaxed again, as he continued, “I just can’t sleep.”
Her eyes turned down to his hand on her arm. She raised her brow in surprise but didn’t say what she was thinking. Then Jace asked, “Do they still hurt you? Your etchings?”
She turned onto her back and looked up at the ceiling. “Not like they used to.” Then she turned her head slightly to meet his gaze. There was a hint of mischief in her violet eyes. “I’m surprised you’re not horrified to touch them. You used to avoid them like a plague.”
“They’re a part of you,” he replied, after a pause. “And I guess since they’ve lost all their…demonic power…they’re not quite so terrifying anymore.” He fell silent for a moment, and then said, “I’m just so glad you’re alive.”
He was ashamed and embarrassed by the sting in his eyes, but instead of mocking him, Liliana reached out to cradle his head in her arms. Jace rested his head on her chest, comforted by her warmth—cooler than most mortals, but certainly alive. Then he listened to the steady beating rhythm of her heart. He clung to her, as if he might lose her were he to let go.
“It’s astounding,” he whispered, after a prolonged silence.
“What is?”
He pulled away and looked down at her, scanning her face and finally letting his eyes meet hers once again. He shook his head. “You’re…exactly the same. And yet…there’s definitely been a change.”
“Well, for starters,” she quipped, “I’m no longer chained to a demonic contract that forces me to compromise whatever constitutes for my morals at the beck and call of Nicol Bolas and his ilk.”
“No, but it’s more than that,” he continued, studying her thoughtfully. “You’re…” he almost laughed, “kinder. More authentic. If that makes sense? I guess it could be the absence of the contract, and the Chain Veil for that matter…”
He stopped when he realized that guarded look had overcome her gaze once again. Then she turned her face away from him and sighed. He must have said something wrong. He watched her pull the sheets tight around her body and wrap her arms around her torso, as though she were holding herself together, trying to keep from falling to pieces. Maybe she was. He tried not to pry, but a brief glance into her mind brought Ravnica and Gideon to the forefront of his thoughts.
Gideon’s Sacrifice | Art by Chris Rallis
Of course. He sighed. Wow, I’m an idiot. “I’m…sorry.”
“Why on earth are you apologizing?” she asked, as though she were annoyed. He almost apologized again but managed to stop himself. Then she looked at him, serious yet earnest. “Did you expect there to be another reason for my…change, as you call it?”
“No,” he stammered, shifting his weight to return the circulation to his now tingling hand. “I guess not.”
“You know, the last thing he said to me was ‘Make it count’,” she said quietly, staring absently at the ceiling. “I’ve been trying to understand what he meant ever since, trying to live up to his expectations…but falling miserably short every time.”
“I don’t think you’ve fallen short. I mean, I did see everything you’ve done since then when you let me touch your mind… You’ve put remarkable effort into making it count, in more ways than one.”
“But with everything I’ve done before…will it ever really be enough?”
He could hear the sorrow in her voice, and the regret. But suddenly her voice rose in anger, and he felt something hard smash into his bicep, leaving a smarting ache in the aftermath. “Ow.”
“Dammit, Jace,” said Liliana, as she punched him once in the arm. “What have you done to me?”
He looked at her, at the tears glistening in her eyes, even as they burned with an icy fire. Were they real tears, though, or was she trying to manipulate him again? Now it was his turn to smile. “Look at that—Liliana Vess does have feelings. Or is there dust in your eyes? It’s hard to tell.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a pout.
He almost chuckled, but then he realized she needed him to be serious, or she might close herself off to him again. Permanently. He sighed and settled back on his arm—the one she hadn’t punched hard enough to leave what was sure to become a nasty bruise. He had forgotten she was stronger than she looked.
“Something I’ve thought about many times since that day, something I had to work through to understand it all—to understand why you had to be where you were that day, is this: if you hadn’t been helping Bolas, you would have died for nothing and then the rest of us would have shortly followed you to a pointless grave, and Bolas would have won.”
Her expression softened—slightly—and he saw her sneaking a look at him from the corner of her eyes. He almost smiled, seeing that he was reaching her, but he managed to keep his expression serious. “Lili, you had to help Bolas. You had to get him to trust you—to think he had you in his complete control—so at the last minute, just when he thought he’d won, you could turn on him and destroy him.”
Finally, she looked at Jace and there were genuine tears welling in her violet eyes. “But at what cost? Gideon’s dead. It should have been me, but he stole my death and now I’ll never be able to forgive myself.” Then she sniffed and wiped the tears from her eyes, adding, “And guilt is not an emotion I’m familiar with.”
“Welcome to having a conscience. It sucks sometimes, but it keeps us honest…mostly.”
Liliana scowled and flicked the tip of his nose. But then she turned onto her side to face him again, resting her head on her hands atop the pillow, and said, “Okay, even if what you’re saying is true—even if it was…what Gideon would call fate or destiny…that doesn’t erase the fact that I’m a terrible person no matter which way you look at it. Nothing I do now will ever undo the terrible things I’ve done before, and I was the last person who deserved Gideon’s sacrifice.”
“Gideon wouldn’t expect you to be perfect, and neither do I. Nor should you, for that matter. We all make mistakes. And serving Bolas provided the means for you to destroy him in the end. That’s all that matters now. Gideon knew that, and that’s why he did what he did—so you could do what you did. What fate demanded of both of you. Of all of us.”
He paused to let that sink in. To be honest, it was still something he was trying to understand, even now. Then, trying to lighten the mood, he said, “Lili, I know it sounds strange, but I wouldn’t change anything about you—not before Ravnica and not since. We learn from our mistakes; that’s what makes us human. At least, we’re supposed to learn from them. And I mean, you have to still be you or…you’d…be somebody else.” He sighed. “That sounded stupid, but I think you know what I mean.”
He heard a sniff and looked to see Liliana smiling in amusement.
“Are you…? Seriously? You’re laughing at me.”
“Oh, Jace…” Then she looked at him from the corner of her eyes, and said, “So smart you’re a fool.”
“Gee, thanks, Lili.”
“But you’re my fool,” her voice rose from the silence, as she gently pinched the tip of his nose, “and that’s one of the things I love about you.”
“Being someone’s fool is not exactly something I aspire to,” said Jace, feeling somewhat hurt. Then a realization hit. He raised an eyebrow and looked at her with a smile. “Wait, did you just use that word?”
“Oh, don’t read too much into it,” she said, turning away. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to sleep. I have a class to teach in the morning.”
“So, I can stay?”
She glanced at him over her shoulder. “What do you think?”
With a rush of excitement, he slid closer to her and pressed himself against her body. Then he started running his lips across her neck and caressing her. He noticed she was trying to suppress a smile. As if to confirm her consent, she tilted her head just slightly, making it easier for him to kiss the side of her neck. He heard the soft exhalation of a breath escape her and she trembled at his touch.
“You know,” he whispered in her ear, “you can always feign illness. I’m sure your students would be glad to get an extra day off.”
She turned onto her back and smiled up at him. “Jace Beleren, are you suggesting I shirk my duties? That’s so unlike you.”
“Yeah, well…now that you’re alive again—.”
“I was never dead, remember?”
“—I just want to spend a little more time with you, before we’re pulled apart by duties and obligations and all that. Besides, haven’t you always told me I need to loosen up a bit?”
“Yes, I believe I have said something along those lines.” She fell silent for a moment, studying his face. Then she laughed. “Jace, what in the Nine Hells are we doing here?”
“Um…lying in your bed together—at least, I’m fairly certain.”
Her laughter rose again, high-pitched and pleasing to the ear. How he loved to hear that sound again, even if it did often come at his expense. Somehow, it all seemed worth it now.
Liliana reached up and ran her fingers through his hair, letting them get lost in the tangles, and drew him into a kiss. Soon afterward, they were entwined once again.
__________________________________________________________________________
V.
Jace startled awake and looked around in confusion for a moment. He was in a dimly lit room with dark paneled walls. Morning light barely managed to peek through the luscious—really, ridiculously luxurious drapes over the window. A large bookcase with dark wood, not far from the window, was covered with old leatherbound books and scrolls, and nearby was a table covered in alchemical apparatuses, potion bottles, skulls, various flora—wait, skulls…? His eyes flew back to the animal skull—was it from a cat? And even more horrifying than the cat skull was the one that looked human. Where…?
The faint scent of lavender drifted in the air, and suddenly he remembered. Liliana Vess.
Almost as if he had summoned her, Liliana appeared, coming through a doorway that was almost hidden within the recess between two more large bookcases. She was fully dressed, her pale skin shone with the freshness of having been washed, her hair was…perfect…and there were no signs whatsoever of the passionate evening they had spent together. Only the bedlinens surrounding him in disarray, and the lingering feeling of relief mixed with satisfaction gave credibility to what he remembered of the previous night.
When she saw him sitting up, a smile snaked its way across her lips. “Oh, you’re awake. You were snoring so peacefully I didn’t want to wake you when I got up.”
“I was…snoring?”
She almost seemed to float across the room to him, though her heels very clearly clicked across the hardwood floor. Necromancers… Then she smoothed the sheets before she sat on the side of the bed and her violet eyes met his gaze with amusement. “You’re cute when you snore—like a puppy.”
He wasn’t sure whether or not he should take that as a compliment. With Liliana, one never could quite be sure.
He noticed she was examining her perfectly manicured fingernails—he could still feel them, like claws, digging into his back… For a moment, he was reliving their night together, until he heard her continue, “Had you been snoring loudly, I might have been tempted to use my death magic on you, but…lucky for you, it wasn’t nearly that bad.”
He had the vague sense that others of her lovers had not been so lucky in the past…
“So,” she continued in her playful yet commanding way, “now that you’re awake, are you going to tell me what brought you to Arcavios—and, more specifically, to Strixhaven?”
He sat there, still trying to process everything that had happened in the last several hours, ever since he ‘walked to the plane of Arcavios in the first place. What an unexpected whirlwind of events, when all he had planned was to spend his time combing through the library, endlessly looking for answers. Liliana Vess had not been part of the plan…and yet, it couldn’t have been a coincidence that he’d found her. But Jace wasn’t ready to go into it—not quite yet.
He looked at her, wondering how long she had been awake, and said, “Can I…get dressed first?”
“Oh yes, of course,” she said with a lingering smile. “Take all the time you need—I’m in no rush.”
He reached for his undergarments and slipped them on under the blankets, asking, “So, did you…cancel your class or something?”
“Mmhm. All of them for today. I told the deans I had important…business to attend to.”
He was now out of the bed and slipping on his pants. “And…just like that, they let you take the day off? What about your students?”
She rolled her eyes. “They were more than happy, I’m sure.”
“How did you…” he paused while he pulled on his shirt, “manage to take care of all this before I woke up.”
“You were out like a lamp,” she shrugged. “Apart from the fact that you just ‘walked here yesterday, it was clear our…evening together left you quite fatigued. You needed to sleep.”
“What time is it?” he asked, glancing toward the window after slipping on his cloak.
“Not as early as it seems. You slept for hours.”
“And you…?”
She shrugged. “I sat in my office, reading those grimoires you carried from the library for me. Useless—for me, anyway—but at least I’ve laid out what my students will need to read.”
He smiled as he sat down to slip on his boots. “I’m still having a hard time processing you as a teacher.” And being alive…
“What, you don’t think I’m up to the task?”
“Oh, no—not that at all. More like…I can’t imagine you being nice to your students.”
Liliana huffed. “Well, I’m nice when I need to be. Thankfully, the job doesn’t require me to be too nice.” She wrinkled her nose at that last part.
“I can see you bringing down an iron fist on the unruly ones.”
One corner of her mouth curled into an almost-smile. He could definitely imagine it. What he wouldn’t admit was that it titillated him a bit. He cleared his throat. “So, about my mission…”
__________________________________________________________________________
Tezzeret. A sharp stab of fury shot through Liliana at the sound of his name. She and Jace likely hated him in equal parts, although she suspected if anyone hated him more, it was she.
“So, the bastard still lives,” she sneered. “And no one knows where he’s gotten to these days, I presume?”
“Not a clue,” Jace sighed. “But that’s why I’m here. I think the clue to finding him is in the Planar Bridge and his connection to it. If I can only understand it, we might be able to use it to track him—and destroy him—before he wreaks anymore havoc on the Multiverse.”
Liliana agreed. “Yes, with Bolas out of his way, I don’t suppose he’s going to have an about face and suddenly decide to be a good guy.”
A shadow seemed to pass over his face at the mention of Bolas. No doubt, the name itself conjured up all the same horrible memories for Jace that they did for Liliana. She still had nightmares…
When she had finished speaking, Jace cleared his throat, and said, “No, I don’t think he would. And neither do any of the others. So, that’s why we’re eager to find where he’s been and what he’s been up to since his confrontation with Ral.”
Planar Bridge | Art by Chase Stone
Liliana heaved a thoughtful sigh and crossed her arms over her chest. “Well, if there’s any place in the Biblioplex that might hold the answer, it would be the Mystical Archive.”
Jace squinted his eyes at her. “Why do I get the sense it’s not going to be that easy…?”
“Well, for one, it’s off-limits. Ever since the Oriq insurrection, only a privileged few have access to it…technically.”
“But that’s never stopped you now, has it?”
She smiled. “I know how to get you in and out without being detected. But that’s still not going to make it easy. The Mystical Archive is…well, it’s enormous. If you think the main library at the Biblioplex is vast and awe-inspiring, it is but a flea compared to the beast that is the Mystical Archive. We could spend the rest of our lives in there—well, your life—and still never find the answer you are looking for.”
Jace seemed to hesitate, but then she saw his jaw tense and his brow set, and she knew he had made up his mind. “We still have to try. So, when can you take me there?”
To Be Continued…
~ ~ ~
Disclaimer: Unexpected Reunion is unofficial Fan Content permitted under the Fan Content Policy. Not approved/endorsed by Wizards. All images and portions of the materials used are property of Wizards of the Coast. ©Wizards of the Coast LLC.
RM Watters, Author 
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