{Jace's POV}
So here I was, staring down Garruk Wildspeaker, and I had this uncontrollable feeling that maybe this wasn't such a good idea in hindsight. But I couldn't run, I couldn't afford that. Everything was on the line now and if I don't prevail here then the whole of Ravnica and Liliana will suffer for my inaction.
"Garruk we don't have to fight, you can leave now and we can let by-gones be by-gones. There is no reason for us to fight and shed blood," I said, hoping to avoid a fight at all costs.
"Running scared? I haven't even pulled out my blade and you're already trying to back out of this," the beast mage said.
"I'm not running, I just see that there is a better way to settle things than through violence," I said.
"Ggggrrrrraaaahhhhhhh! Enough talk!" he roars.
Garruk leapt at me with incredible speed, swinging his axe. I dodged as the swoosh of the blade soared overhead. I channeled mana around my fists and punched him square in the chest, delivering as much force as possible. He stumbled a bit, but brought a knee into my gut, sending me flying a few feet, and skidding in the dust. Grabbing my gut, I coughed and was on my feet. There was no way I was going to let him get the best of me. I dodge the axe as it came crashing down, shattering the ground. He then turned the axe in my direction, but I drew the blade and blocked the assault. The impact from the axe on the shimmering steel erupted the air, sending shockwaves through the air.
"So the mind mage has turned to the steel and not the tricks? I always underestimated you Beleren, no more."
He roared and knocked me back a few feet, and charged. I jumped, and bounded off of him, sending blue mana into the back of the brute, knocking him over. Landing into a roll, I readied my blade. Wildspeaker turned to me, a roar escaped his lips and the image of his companion emerged from him. The creature stood at his height and just as big, if not bigger. He pat the creature and pointed a finger at me.
"Kill."
The beast roared and charged at me, I dodged and stuck the creature in the side, causing it to roar. It was time I retaliated. I reached into the depths within my mind, focusing on my little companion at the house. My eyes grew bright blue with energy and swirls erupted into the sky, circling me. Within seconds Titan appeared before me, his tiny figure welcoming and reassuring.
"Titan, I need your help, you know what to do," I said.
Titan gave a little salute with his fin and blue energy circled him. Within moments Titan, only 100x his size, floated behind me. Titan wrapped his tails around me in a protective manner. I gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead, and pointed at Garruk's companion.
"Drown," I told him. Titan screeched and gave chase to the beast, and the two became encompassed in their own battle. I turned to Garruk, sword ready, and charged at him with full speed and swung catching his shoulder before he blocked my second swing. We became a flash of blades, blood and bodies. I punched him, he returned it. I sliced, he returned it. It was like two koi fish caught in a dance. But only one of us would walk away from this, and it wasn't going to be him. Garruk caught my next swing, and punched me several times in the stomach, each punch harder than the last and kicked me away, rolling in the dirt. I spat blood up and was pretty sure I had a broken rib.
Reaching into the aether once more, I pull the blade from the depths. I begin to channel more mana into the weapon and a thick blue aura surrounds it. Taking my stance, I focused, then lunged. This move caught him off guard and I made several slashes at his arms and legs, blood covering the blade and then ground. But he didn't fall, he just roared and swung his axe in a blind rage.
"Typical of a beast, you act on emotion and think your size and strength is enough," I say, dodging his attacks and parrying them.
"Shut your mouth!" he yells.
"You think that you can overpower me with sheer size and might, but even strength must bow to wisdom."
"Never!"
He lunges again and this time manages to cut my cheek with his gauntlet, the blood running down my shirt. The warm sensation was not enough to break my resolve and I continued my defense. After deflecting a swing of his blade, I focus my mana into a blast and knock him to his back and quickly had the blade to his throat.
"Yield," I said, staring into the helmet of the beast mage. His eyes met mine, and I didn't see fear or remorse. I saw a beast, someone who has to fight all the time and thinks that the size of themselves can overpower anyone. A beast, an animal. Someone who long ago gave away their humanity to become a recluse in the forest. But the determination I saw there was very much prevalent, he wasn't going to back down. But maybe I could convince him otherwise.
"Never, I will never give into someone so weak and pathetic. You hide behind your magic, your power. You use words to fight your battles instead of strength and the blade," he said.
"There is no reason to continue this folly, Wildspeaker. Just leave. For once use your head, this does not have to continue," I said, pleading with him.
At that instant Garruk's companion came crashing down only a few meters from us and Titan appeared over the fell beast. It did not breathe or move. Garruk turned to look at the fallen creature, then me. Anger, fury. However, I've never been prouder of my little buddy. He swims around me, ready to jump to my defense.
As I'm dancing my way across the battlefield, repelling and assaulting the now enraged Garruk, something catches my eye. Where Lili and the others were standing a wall of fire appeared. Was she in trouble? Did something happen? This sense of dread and fear struck me, along with something else. There was a sick slicing sound and more blood rushed down my shirt. I look to see a gap in my chest plate. In the moment I looked away Garruk sliced me with his gauntlet. I heard a woman's scream and the crowd who was watching the battle, roar with triumph at Garruk. I looked too many of the Gruul clansmen roar and hit their swords to their shields. It was clear who they wanted to win. I felt a sickness creep through my entirety and dropped to a knee.
This is not how it ends, this is not my grave. This will not end this way, I have a life to live and he will not take it.
(Liliana Vess)
When I saw Titan, my heart leapt a little. At least he wasn't down there alone anymore. However, I intend on getting Gideon to move.
"He's hurt, Gideon. Let me go down there and help. I don't want to have use magic or force to get you to move."
"I told you, Liliana. I'm not moving. I promised Jace I'd protect you. If I let something happen to you, Ravnica falls. Niv-Mizzet made that clear."
I heave a heavy breath. I didn't want to do this, but I had to. I'd never forgive myself if I didn't get down there to help him clean up the mess that I made. I plant a firm kick on Gideon's stomach, and uppercut his chin. Before I can do anything else, Chandra casts a wall of fire and Ral grabs both of my arms.
"You're not getting down there, Liliana. We're not going to let you. Stop fighting. He's doing this for you, just accept that!"
"It's not his responsibility to fight my battles!"
"Are you blind, Liliana Vess? You're his reason to fight. You're the one thing that keeps him sane? He's down there because he loves you, not because he thinks you can't take care of yourself! He knows you can, but he won't let you! Have you never heard of the saying that 'A real woman can do it by herself, but a real man won't let her!' So let him defend you! He's down there because you are the light of his life and he's not going to let that get extinguished. He's going to stand in between you and any sort of danger because he's scared to lose you!"
"Ral, I'm not going to stand by while he fights! We're partners, we're equals, and I can't!"
"Liliana, you have to! This is how you show him that you are equal, that you trust him to take care of you, even when you could have done it yourself!"
"If any of you keep me away from him when this is over I will summon something to destroy your soul."
"I wouldn't expect any less of you, Liliana."
I sink to the ground, watching the love of my life fight for his.