Tezzeret cracked open his eyes his vision clearing after he rubbed at his eyes. He tried to move only to feel a weight on his legs keeping him pinned and after he craned his head to see what it was he chuckled softly. Finding Ailis using him as a pillow he reached over with his right hand, gently stroking the top of her head. Sighing to herself she nuzzled his legs and that brought a smile to his face as she rolled over, her eyes slowly opening.
"Good morning, Ailis." Tezzeret said as I blinked up at him my mind foggy as to why I was using my boyfriend as a pillow. Until I had a flash of memory and I could feel my cheeks turning a dark green as I struggled to sit beside him, hiding my face with one palm. "Yes we made love in this very room and it was amazing." Tezzeret laughed, wrapping his fingers around my wrist before he gently pried my hand away.
"Tezzeret, someone could have seen us." I protested as he used his other hand to gently lift me onto his lap. "What were you thinking?" I added trying to ignore the warmth in my stomach as he leaned down nuzzling my neck.
"I was thinking about ravishing you senseless once you were fully healed. Anyway we were perfect concealed in the illusion I brought up." Tezzeret answered, reaching up to slide the collar of my cloak down. Exposing my shoulders he placed a kiss against my skin enjoying the faint sighs that emerged from my mouth. "It's been too long since I showed you just how much you mean to me." He mumbled running the tip of his tongue along my throat when I tilted my head back.
"I know you care about me, Tezzeret. We don't have to have mind-blowing sex to prove that but I'm not complaining." I whispered and he grinned, cupping my chin before he kissed me his lips warm against my own cooler ones. Focused on the kiss I didn't notice his etherium hand wandering until he slid my cloak open his fingers immediately moving to unbutton my shirt until I rolled my eyes at him. Tezzeret looked on as I climbed from his lap turning around in time to see the small frown I had.
"Tezzeret, why are you keeping secrets from me?" I sighed crossing my arms against my chest as he stared at me. When he raised an eyebrow I snorted at him. "See this is what I mean. Any time I try to ask you something personal you change the subject."
"I'm not changing the subject, Ailis but my life is complicated." Tezzeret answered climbing from the couch when I turned my back on him. I felt a hand touch my shoulder and I stiffened when he gave my shoulder a squeeze.
"You know how I died, Tezzeret. I think that's pretty personal and you won't even tell me anything aside from how much you can't stand Jace. I'm sure everyone knows about that." I answered, pushing his arm away when he tried to drape his arm around my shoulders.
"Ailis, he took my arm and destroyed my mind. If Nicol Bolas hadn't found me and brought me back, mind and body I wouldn't be talking with you now." Tezzeret replied, lifting his etherium hand and I gave him a sad smile as he ran his fingers through my hair.
"You're just trying to sweet-talk your way into having sex with me again aren't you?" I asked and when he gave me a one-armed shrug I frowned stepping away from his fingers. "So the reason you stayed with me is because I'm good in bed?" I said and Tezzeret nodded finding that that wasn't the right answer when I drew in a breath I didn't need.
"Ailis, I didn't mean it like that!" Tezzeret shouted as I moved away heading towards the curtain and he moved quick enough to have the dusty curtain shoved into his face. Coughing he waved the dust cloud away from his face, rubbing at his eyes to clear them.
"Ailis, wait!" Tezzeret yelled as I reached the top of the stairs and I yelped as he lashed out grasping my right arm in his etherium hand. I winced as he tightened his grip on my wrist his eyes narrowed and his lips pressed together in a thin line. "Don't walk out on me." He growled at me and I grimaced, trying to pull away. His anger at being ignored vanished once he saw my eyes welling and he released my wrist, watching as I snatched my hand back. I rubbed at my sore wrist keeping the artificer as far away as I could each time he took a single step towards me.
"You know I would never hurt you. Wait where are you going?" Tezzeret told me, running a hand through his dreadlocks as I glared at him. Keeping my tears at bay I focused and he blinked as a bright light engulfed me the first signs of a planeswalk.
"Home!" I shouted at him and Tezzeret moved towards me only to feel something strike his chest and he instinctively closed his hand, opening his fist after a pause to find the ring he'd given me resting in his palm.
By the time he glanced up I had planeswalked away from Kaladesh and Tezzeret sighed to himself slipping the ring onto his finger before he planeswalked back to Ravnica. The second he appeared outside my home he pushed his way inside mildly concerned when he noticed that the door was unlocked before he marched towards my bedroom.
As soon as he pushed open the door he shook his head finding the bed empty and even after a much more thorough search and he still couldn't find me he rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"Ailis, I thought for sure you'd be here." He muttered crossing the room before he slumped onto the couch, fiddling with the ring on his finger as he considered his options.
"I could keep wandering around Ravnica and just hope I find her. That will take time and I really don't want to do that. Without her ring I can't track her but maybe I can...no. I'm not going to ask him for help." Tezzeret grumbled, rising from the couch. The more Tezzeret considered it the more he began to realize that he could wander all over the Multiverse and not find Ailis unless she wanted to be found.
"For once I guess I can ask for assistance from that mind mage if it's to help Ailis. I wish I'd just be upfront with her and told her about my past. Not everything but enough to let her know I want to be honest with her and that she's means more to me than sex." He whispered to himself, heading outside before he could change his mind.
Sitting in the library Jace lifted his head when he heard the double doors being pushed open. "You can leave them there, Ral. Niv Mizzet doesn't give us a break does he?" He joked, setting down the paper he'd been reading to glance at Ral only to freeze once he saw Tezzeret standing there. "Tezzeret." He muttered rising from the table only to see Tezzeret raising his right hand.
"Jace, before you start I came here for Ailis and not to fight you." Tezzeret told him, holding his etherium arm out in front of him when Jace raised an eyebrow at him. "Though if you or Ral decide to pick a fight..." He trailed off, glancing behind him in time to see Ral staring at the artificer.
"Ral, stand down. He didn't come here for a fight." Jace told the storm mage who muttered darkly under his breath stepping into the library with a scroll under his arm. "Where is Ailis?" He asked as Ral moved quickly into the room depositing the scrolls on the table before he turned back to see Tezzeret with his arms crossed.
"Honestly I don't know. She told me she was going home but I looked and she's not in Ravnica." Tezzeret replied, cocking an eyebrow at Ral who chuckled at him. "Something to add, storm mage?" He growled only to see Jace step between them slowly shaking his head when Ral took a single step towards the artificer electricity making everyone's hair stand on end.
"Ral, step down. Tezzeret, she's not in Ravnica if she mentioned home. Where do you think she went?" Jace asked and Tezzeret rolled his eyes advancing towards the table as Ral watched on his arms raised in front of him. "Well?"
"How should I know, mind mage?" Tezzeret snapped at him ignoring Ral. "She lives in Ravnica so wouldn't that be her home?"
"Tezzeret, she originally came from Innistrad." Jace sighed, watching on with a thin smile when Tezzeret ran a hand through his dreadlocks screwing up his nose for a few seconds. "That's where she comes from."
"Ailis keeps telling me that's where she lived and died and I wasn't even paying attention. Of course she planeswalked back to her house." Tezzeret muttered and Jace nodded, looking somewhat pleased until Tezzeret broke into a tiny smile. "Oh don't get so full of yourself, Beleren. I would have come to that conclusion without your help."
"I doubt that. You've never been to Innistrad right?" Jace chuckled softly and after getting a curt nod he nodded back. "Then follow me."
A few minutes later Tezzeret and Jace planeswalked directly into Innistrad, the mind mage looking around him with a grin. "This is exactly where I found Ailis." He explained, trailing off when he remembered the sight of Ailis' bloodied body and he grimaced before he pointed towards a signpost. "The village she comes from is this way. Only a few minutes walk I think."
"You think that's the village?" Tezzeret asked, raising an eyebrow when Jace cleared his throat. "You don't even know where she lives...lived and you just planeswalked here in the middle of nowhere?" Tezzeret growled at him, raising his etherium fist in front of Jace.
"Hey Liliana and I found her when she was dead so give me some credit. Somberwald is just a mile from here and since we found her nearby I would assume that's where Ailis lived. Just start walking, Tezzeret. Now I'm going back to Ravnica before Ral comes after you." Jace sighed, disappearing before Tezzeret even had time to open his mouth.
Rolling his eyes towards the darkening sky Tezzeret wandered over to the signpost.
"One mile to Somberwald. I guess Jace was telling the truth after all though I don't know why he never just asked where Ailis is from. I just hope Ailis isn't getting into any trouble without me." Tezzeret muttered as he started to walk watching where he stepped as he moved along the dirt path.
At the same time I was standing a few feet outside my village, watching from the shadows as an older man and a woman hurried towards the center of the village the woman holding the hand of a girl that looked younger than five. As I watched the girl glanced behind her and with a squint she saw me, waving before her mother I assumed hurriedly lifted her into her arms. Undeterred the little girl waved at me and I lifted my hand giving her a tiny wave in response before they moved around a corner of one building and out of sight.
Glancing up I saw the moon, full and bright and I grimaced as I started to head into the village pulling the cloak tight around my body and the hood down enough to hide my face. Keeping to the shadows I went in search of my old home knowing that it was probably still lying in ruins and my fears were correct when I passed another building to find only burnt-out remains.
While I had been expecting it it still brought a sob from my throat and tears to my eyes, that one sound causing a door to swing open. Clamping a hand over my mouth I started to turn around hoping to flee until someone called out their voice loud and menacing and I grimaced. "You there! What are you doing skulking around at this hour?" A man shouted, poking his head out of his door when I continued to keep silent.
"I...I was just looking for someone." I lied, hoping that that would be enough until a middle-aged man stepped into view and I stepped back hoping he wouldn't see me. "I'll go now."
"Who are you looking for? You shouldn't be wandering around in the dark like this." He scolded, clearing his throat as I considered my options. "Here come into the tavern and we'll...what the devil are you?" He shouted so suddenly I cringed, finding too late how close he was when he glimpsed under my cloak.
"I'm just looking for my family. Lodrac Kund and Geri Kund. I'm their daughter Ailis." I called out, pulling back when he raised a pitchfork. "Please I just want to know where they are." I begged, silently cursing myself for making myself a target.
"What are you talking about, miss? They died months ago and besides their only daughter was taken by a madman. The same one who murdered them kidnapped her poor soul she was. May Avacyn have mercy on their souls. They're buried in the cemetery but I'd advise you stay away. Necromancers have been spotted near those graves so it best you stay as far away as you can. We've had to rebury too many of our own because those monsters won't let our fallen rest." He warned, turning back to the tavern before he hurried inside. "Now whoever or whatever you are go home. It's not safe especially after dark." He added, closing the door before I had a chance to answer.
Swallowing the lump in my throat I started to leave keeping the cloak pulled tight around my body as I moved past the gate and towards the cemetery in the distance, not knowing that something was wandering around in the darkness.
I made it to the cemetery and as I wandered past the rows of grave markers I shivered, every shadow making me nervous. I soon found the gravemarkers I was searching for and I knelt, swallowing a lump as I stared at the final resting place of my parents.
"I...I'm so sorry he did this to you. If I'd gone with him would he have spared you?" I whispered, running a hand over the cold stone. "I didn't mean for you to..." I trailed off when I felt fresh tears running down my cheeks and I couldn't fight a sob. I leaned over and now resting my forehead against the gravemarkers I sobbed, closing my eyes as I let out the pain of losing my mother and father and the frustration of being unable to save them.
I was so distracted by my misery that I didn't hear footsteps though as someone stepped out from behind a tree I cried out, straightening so fast I felt backwards onto my backside with a thump. Wincing from hitting my tailbone hard against the cold ground I lifted my head when Tezzeret stepped into view grimacing when he saw me rubbing my spine.
"I didn't mean to scare you, Ailis." Tezzeret apologized as he moved to my side, holding out his right hand but I just brushed his hand away. Pushing myself up I straightened dusting my cloak so I wouldn't have to face Tezzeret and after a pause I wiped at my eyes, turning around to see Tezzeret staring at me. "Ailis, why are you wandering around a cemetery at this time of night?" He asked, glancing past me for a few seconds.
"Why is that any of your business?" I snapped at him, barely seeing Tezzeret's eyes widen before he grabbed my arm pulling me towards him just as something grabbed at my leg. Now pressed against his chest I looked straight ahead in time to see a zombie pulling itself out of the dirt moaning as it reached for me.
"Just keep quiet, Ailis." Tezzeret whispered, releasing me before he walked towards the undead reaching for it as it clawed at his boots. I winced as he grasped its neck and with a swift jerk I heard a crack, the zombie letting out one more moan before it lay on the dirt. Releasing it Tezzeret straightened in time to see several more zombies pulling themselves out of their graves and he sighed, moving forward to intercept them. I moved forward intending on helping until I saw the gravestones of my parents shaking and I swallowed, finding myself unable to move as two familiar faces emerged from the dirt.
As I continued to stare they moaned and I shook myself, letting out a whimper as the blackened remains of my parents stumbled towards me groaning as they did. I didn't even notice Tezzeret taking down the other zombies my focus on what used to my parents all I could see. Tezzeret finally finished killing the last zombie turning in time to see me backing up against a tree as my parents shuffled towards me, reaching out for me with arms blackened from decay and the inferno that took their lives.
Once he realized I wasn't going to move Tezzeret narrowed his eyes, rushing towards me and just when my parents were reaching for me he intercepted them. Pushing me backwards I stumbled over a tree root, falling hard for a second time as Tezzeret launched himself at the zombies. Dazed I could only watch as he grabbed one with his etherium hand, my mother I was dimly aware before I heard a crack and she slumped to the ground as soon as Tezzeret released her.
I remember crying out for Tezzeret to stop as his hand grasped my father's neck next though once I saw him start to twist his hand I turned away but I couldn't block out the sound of a loud snap.
As soon as he heard me weeping Tezzeret turned back to find me with my face buried in my hands and he looked back noting the dirt that had been disturbed. On closer inspection he noted the two names and after a slight grimace he started towards me. I jerked, looking up with tear-streaked cheeks when I felt a hand on my shoulder and he gave me a weak smile.
"I didn't know that they were..." He trailed off when I buried my face in one hand weeping and he sighed, moving back to where the bodies of my parents lay. I briefly looked up when I heard digging but I looked away once Tezzeret moved to the bodies lying near his feet. After a struggle he reburied them, patting down the dirt they had disturbed before he reset the gravemarker.
"I'm sorry I hurt you again but we need to head back to Ravnica before more undead show up." Tezzeret suggested as I wiped at my eyes unable to look at his face. Tezzeret reached over, giving my outstretched hand a gentle squeeze and I sniffed. "They wouldn't want you to get hurt." He added when I sniffed, taking his hand in mine and after a few seconds we planeswalked away.