Lilianna smirked as she watched Phoenix talk to Tezzeret, "Looks like she has her own agenda. Not that I'm surprised but I'm not certain that agenda plays into mine very well. She'll just be my pawn for now and if her plan plays with mine then I'll show her."

Phoenix nodded. Well that's two down. I'm not gonna bother talking to that dragon though. That would be suicide. I'm crazy, not stupid. She planeswalked back to Sun's Reprieve.

"Where've you been Beautiful?"

Of course he noticed. Damn. Chandra glared at him, "Why do you care? My business is my business."

Ral shrugged, "Just curiosity."

Chandra rolled her eyes, "Whatever." She walked down the hall and up the stairs on the other end. This could very well not end pleasantly for me but I can be alone. I've always been alone.

"Chandra," Gideon was on his way down the stairs when he saw her.

Chandra jumped, "Yeah?"

"What happened that caused you to lose control like that?" Gideon asked.

Her eyes narrowed, "I'm not answering that and I never will." She stalked past him into her room and slammed the door shut behind her.

Gideon sighed, "Alright." He continued down the stairs. How did Jace know that she was losing control? Who trapped the hallway? Why was it trapped? I have so many questions but no one can answer them or is willing to answer them. He sat at the table and studied the wall. But if we don't trust each other then all we're going to do is fall apart. But how can we trust each other when we're unwilling to talk to each other. Jace suddenly disappeared and Chandra's suddenly very distant. Everyone's just doing their own thing. Gideon shook his head, "I don't even know what to think anymore. I'm not positive we'll be able to beat him. It seemed possible with the idea that with a little work we could get a long but it seems were farther apart than ever."

"Gideon," Vadanya flew past him as a bird, "we need help."

"What kind of help?" Gideon asked.

"Something's wrong," Vadanya shook her head, "but I don't know what it is."

Gideon nodded and followed her to the city. The plants were rotten and the smell of death hung in the air. Gideon looked around in horror.

"All the people are fine. We just don't know what's causing it," Vadanya explained.

Orriyon walked up to them, "A dark force washed over the land and everything rotted away. It's like a planeswalker but it's more powerful than any we've encountered. The smell of death has hung in the air since everything started rotting. It came all at the same time."

Gideon nodded, "No one's died yet though?"

"No, no one has died."

"Good," Gideon looked around, assessing the situation. Well given the nature of the power I would assume Lilianna but she isn't this powerful last I checked. Maybe, it's like Chandra. I would assume then that since she is constantly pursuing power that she would be able to control it. But that causes problems for us. "Well crap," he turned to Vadanya and Orriyon, "if someone dies come get me. That way I'll be able to tell whose power this is. Until then I would expect the affect to fade in time. If it doesn't fade then come get me."

Vadanya nodded.

"Life goes on normally no matter what circumstances may befall us," Orriyon sighed sadly and turned away.

Vadanya followed her back to the central building of the city.

Gideon cocked his head to the side, "Life goes on normally?" He watched the two girls disappear from his sight. No matter what circumstances may befall us, life goes on normally. That's very well said for a girl as young as her. I wonder if she could mean the fact that we've been drifting apart. Gideon nodded, "Alright then." He returned to the castle in the sky. It was hard to get to but it provided a staircase for those that it recognized. It's like a sentient building. It's origins may be mysterious but it's uses definitely are not. Gideon nodded.

Elspeth turned as the door opened, "I heard Lilianna's been making appearances down on the surface."

Gideon nodded, "The entire area is basically rotting. At first I wasn't sure that it was Lilianna but now I'm pretty sure it is."

Elspeth nodded.

Ajani looked up, "Nissa's decided that since we haven't been working fast enough for her she's going to handle things by herself."

Gideon sighed, "Alright."

Chandra glared at the door, "They don't need to know what happened." Images flashed through her mind of the moments before she had lost control of her power. It would have been me. It should have been me. Why'd he do it? I promised that no one else would die because of me but they seem to think that I deserve life more than they do. If anything I should be the one putting my life on the line. I should be doing something to repay them but I haven't even paused to thank them. She shook her head and pushed back the tears that threatened to fall.

She opened the window. Flames rose from the ground and wrapped around her. She closed her eyes as the familiar sensation of transformation flowed through her. The flames died and she opened her eyes. The breeze blew her hair back. She smirked, "What's done is done. There are still things that need to get done." She jumped out the window. Wings of flame spread from her back allowing her to fly. Though air flew past her the flames never died. As long as I hold this flame within me you'll never be able to put my flames out. Phoenix spun in the air and allowed the wind to blow away her worries and doubts.

Lilianna looked up, "Ah, Phoenix. How are your companions?"

Phoenix shrugged, "They're no different than the last time you saw them."

"How's Jace?" Lilianna smirked.

"You would know better than me wouldn't you?" Phoenix met her gaze with a defiant glare.

"Remember our alliance," Lilianna chided.

"Oh I remember it," Phoenix nodded, "but my point still stands."

"You figured it out did you?" Lilianna sighed.

"Jace wouldn't damage a book if it was his choice and yet that's where everything pointed to," Phoenix put her hands on her hips.

"Oh fine," Lilianna sighed, "I guess there's no point in keeping it secret now." She turned as someone dropped out of a nearby tree, "You're right on time."

He looked up and Phoenix noticed his eyes. Though they were blue there was an undertone of pink-purple to them, "You're controlling him."