JACE

Kaladesh was hotter and more humid than Jace remembered. He wiped the sweat from his brow as he stared across the fields toward Ghirapur, the gleaming capitol city of the aether-infused plane. Any damage left behind by Tezzeret and the Aether Revolt had long been repaired. Jace thought they had even improved the city since the last time he had seen it. While he preferred the hard geometric lines of Ravnica, the nature-inspired aetheric swirls of Kaladesh's architecture was beautiful and unique in the Multiverse.

He realized he should have just planeswalked to the home of Pia Nalaar, but it had been so long since the last time he came to Kaladesh that he wanted to behold the city from afar before trekking into it in search of Chandra. He knew the way without thinking, so much time had they spent in the cozy living room of the Nalaar residence, planning their assault on Nicol Bolas. His feet carried him effortlessly through the twists and turns of the winding city streets, kicking up dust that swirled in the aether-infused air as he moved past market stalls of fragrant fruits and spices, jewelry of gold and gleaming gems, silks and muslin robes and cloth, and everything else the plane of Kaladesh had to offer anyone with a heavy coin purse hanging at their waist.

Jace kept his hood up so that his face was hidden, his cloak pulled tightly around him, so that few merchants bothered to beckon him their way in the hope of making a sale. Soon he was within the more relaxed and quieter atmosphere of the neighborhood where the Nalaar residence could now stand openly. Once a hidden sanctuary against the corruption of the Consulate, it had now become almost something of a place of pilgrimage for all who looked to the Nalaar family as heroes worthy of the highest admiration. Ribbons and pieces of cloth in every color dangled on columns and trees outside their home—signs left by eager pilgrims, hoping to catch even a glimpse of Pia and her fiery-haired daughter.

Even now, a man dressed in worker's garb carried a small girl on his hunched shoulders, as he tied a strip of red cloth to the branch of a tree outside the door. It was one of many, but new enough to stand out amongst so many weather-beaten strips surrounding it. The girl reached up to touch the many pieces of dangling cloth as the man turned. He offered a tired smile to Jace as he passed, and the girl looked at him curiously, muttering, "Who is that man, Daddy?"

The father mumbled something in return and carried on. Jace's stomach tightened as he thought of Liliana and the secret she had shared. He had never thought of having children, but suddenly the idea was not altogether unpleasant. He allowed himself to ponder what would the child of two planeswalkers be like—had it ever even happened? Then he brushed such thoughts away and stepped up to the door. He knocked four times.

"Come on in, Akiri!" a familiar voice called from inside.

Jace pushed open the door and peered in. "Ah…actually, it's Jace."

A burst red hair appeared as Chandra peered around the corner. She wore a pair of goggles and a smile. She squealed. "Jace!"

She disappeared for a moment, as if to set something down, and then reappeared with her goggles slid up on her head, nearly colliding with Jace and squeezing him tighter than her small frame would have appeared capable of doing. Then she pulled away, and asked, "What are you doing here? I mean, it's been so long! We weren't expecting you?"

"Yeah, well…I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd stop by."

"Sure," Chandra said, rolling her eyes.

She still had some of Liliana's mannerisms worn off on her. Jace wondered how she would take the news about Liliana still being alive. He would have to tell her…eventually. For now, though, he played it cool and lowered his hood, as Chandra asked, "So, what are you really doing here? Not that you're not welcome!"

"I came here to see you," he said with a warm smile, as he tussled her hair the way an older brother might.

"Hey," she laughed, pushing his hand away. "Cut it out!"

"Chandra!" another familiar voice came from the other room. Then an older woman with tawny skin and warm brown eyes appeared from around the corner. It was Pia.

"Yeah, Mom?"

"Why don't you bring your friend into the house? It's not polite to keep company standing in the entryway."

"Pia," said Jace, accepting a hug from Chandra's mother.

"Hello, Jace," said Pia, holding him out to look at him fondly. She had more gray in her hair that the last time Jace saw her, but her smile was as warm and welcoming as ever. "Come inside. Let me serve you a drink. And maybe samosas?"

Jace's stomach churned as he thought of Liliana—she had shown a particular interest in the vegetable and potato filled appetizers during their time in Kaladesh. All that seemed so long ago now, and so much had changed since then. He wished she was there with him, but then he pushed away those thoughts and offered a gracious smile.

"Thank you, Pia. That sounds excellent."

"I'll return shortly," she replied. "In the meantime; Chandra, take Jace to the living room. Let him feel at home before you bombard him with so many questions. I'm sure he's tired after 'walking all the way here."

"Okay, Mom," said Chandra. Then she grabbed Jace by the arm and pulled him to follow. "So, where have you been? I mean, I know you've been on Ravnica a lot, but I went to see you a couple weeks ago—ooh, I had something I needed to ask you, but I can't remember what it is off-hand. Anyway, you weren't there—obviously—and no one knew where to find you."

"I've been…busy," came his vague reply, as she seated him on a colorful, well-cushioned sofa.

"You're always busy," she said with a raised brow. Then she sat across from him and rested her chin in her palm, supported by her elbow on her knee.

"Yeah, well…I was actually doing some research."

"Oh," she said, quickly losing interest. "Were you even on Ravnica then?"

"No, I was…somewhere else."

Chandra squinted her eyes at him. "Gee, Jace, you sure are being mysterious. What's going on? Where were you? I'm assuming you came straight from…wherever you've been."

"I've been at a…university. Combing the archives."

Her eyes became hooded, and she yawned. Before she could say anything—if she was going to say anything—Pia came in with a tray of cups and a pitcher of burnished metal. She set the tray on the table between them and began pouring the white liquid into the cups. It smelled of coconut and earthy spices, like cinnamon and cardamom. Jace remembered that drink—spiced coconut milk. It wasn't his favorite drink in the world, but it had grown on him during their time in Kaladesh so long ago.

Again, he thought of Liliana—it was yet another thing she had loved in Kaladesh. It seemed strange—at the time, he hadn't realized how much he paid attention to her then. He had been so hurt by her betrayal years earlier, that he had buried himself so deep within he had convinced himself he didn't care. Yet all that time, he had cared enough to remember all the things she had loved when they were there. When the Gatewatch was whole.

"Actually," he said, setting down his cup after taking a sip of the warm, spiced drink, "that's why I came here."

Chandra blinked. "Be-cause you…were at a university?"

"Uh, no. I'm…getting ahead of myself. I mean, I was at the university doing some research and…well, I was thinking about the Gatewatch. About getting us all back together."

"This is not just for a fun reunion, though. Jace, what's going on?"

He took a deep breath and then told her all about his research into the Planar Bridge and Tezzeret, and the Thran and the Phyrexians. He left out the part about Liliana helping him—now was not the time to shock her with that bit of news, especially because he wasn't exactly sure how she was going to take it. Plenty of time had passed, he was sure, for her fury to cool—but he knew all too well not to stoke the ashes, lest there still be heat trapped within the embers.

"Wow," said Chandra with a grimace. "That…sounds pretty bad. Do you really think that's where Tezzeret has gone?"

"I do," he replied, after finishing his drink. "He needs an army. They need a gateway between planes. It's the perfect union of…"

"Evil?" finished Chandra.

Jace shrugged regretfully.

"Hmm, that does sound like a good reason to get the gang back together. But have you talked to anyone else? Are the others on board? I mean, we are kind of…diminished."

"You're the…first one I've talked to." It was a half-truth, to be sure, but one that was necessary for the time being. "Actually, I was hoping you could help rouse the others into action."

Chandra's cheeks reddened and she tucked her hair behind her ear as she looked down at her feet. "You mean Nissa, don't you?"

Jace breathed deeply. Then he nodded. "Yes. You're the one she would probably speak to, after…my last turn on Zendikar."

"Yeah, well, you're forgetting the part where I basically broke her heart or…whatever. I'm sure she wouldn't want to see me."

"I don't think that's true, though," said Jace. "She misses you a great deal."

"She told you that?"

He raised an eyebrow. Chandra almost smiled, and said, "Oh. Yeah. That."

"The question is, would you be willing to see her again?"

"I dunno. I mean, yeah…I miss her and all. But I just feel so…stupid."

"How so?"

"As usual, I made a rash decision," she said, her cheeks growing red. "I dunno, I thought I'd put a lot of thought into it. I just wanted to protect Nissa. I'm a lot to handle—I know it. And she's so…gentle. So pure."

"But isn't that one of the things you've always loved about her?" Jace offered. "Sometimes opposites attract because they balance each other out."

"I guess," Chandra shrugged. "That's what my mom says, too."

Suddenly, she slugged Jace on the bicep, and said, "You better not have been talking to her about this behind my back!"

Jace rubbed his arm, but almost laughed. "I haven't seen your mother since before the last time I saw you—how would I have been talking to her?"

She gave him a suspicious look, but then relented. "I guess you wouldn't have been. But still…I mean, I miss her. Like, SO MUCH it hurts. But I just don't know if I can ever face her again. You know?"

He placed a hand on hers, and said, "I think, if you saw her again, you would never want to look anywhere else."

Chandra gave him a funny look. "Since when are you sentimental?"

Jace rubbed the back of his neck and tried to respond, but he was at a loss for words.

"You're acting weird."

"I'm trying to be helpful," he insisted.

"Okay," she said, her tone a mixture of sarcasm and light-hearted teasing. Then a smile snaked its way across her lips and she looked at him from the corners of squinted eyes. "Wait a minute…you've met someone."

"What?" His cheeks grew warm, despite himself. "No."

"Well, something's changed—and is that the vague scent of perfume I smell on your cloak?" she leaned forward and sniffed.

"Cut it out," he said, waving her away, though he almost smiled.

"Is that…lilac? Lavender? C'mon, Jace, I know that's not your scent of choice." She paused and for a moment her face fell. But then she shook her head, and whatever she thought seemed to pass. Jace resisted the urge to peek in her mind.

"So, who is she? Tell me about her."

"She's…an old friend."

She regarded him for a moment, and then crossed her arms. "Okay, I get it. You're not gonna tell me a thing. What do I gotta do to get it outta you? I wish I could read your mind, for once."

Jace chuckled.

Before he could say anything, though, she gasped and her eyes grew wide with her grin. "Is that where you've been? That's it—you weren't at a university doing research—you were on another plane with this new woman of yours. So, c'mon. Spill!"

"What am I, one of your girl friends or something? Men don't talk about this kind of thing—I mean, not like that, anyway."

"You're like a brother to me, Jace. If there's a new woman in your life, I need to know who she is and where she's from, in case I ever need to pummel her for…breaking your heart or something."

Been there, done that, he thought wistfully. He kept those thoughts to himself, though, and said, "I…can't talk about it now. It's…not the right time. We need to worry more about Tezzeret and the Phyrexians right now, anyway."

"Okay, at least tell me this: is she a 'walker? 'Cause if not, I can tell you right now it's not gonna work. I tried it once, a long time ago—."

Jace looked at her skeptically. "What are you, twenty-five? A long time ago for you is when you were, like, what—twelve?"

She moved to slug him again, but this time he anticipated it and moved out of the way. Then she sat back and folded her arms again. "Very funny."

"Okay, fine," said Jace. "Yes, she's a planeswalker. And…I'm certain we'll need her to help us destroy Tezzeret."

"Has she sworn an oath to keep watch yet? Or are you just deciding for her?"

Jace let one corner of his mouth rise and he looked at her with a twinkle in his eye. "She's sworn an oath," he replied, thinking to himself but I may need to ask her to swear it again. "But now, I need to know if you're in—and if you'll help me get Nissa back."

Chandra thought for a moment, and Jace felt her waver. Then she met his gaze and smiled, holding out her hand to shake. "Next stop, Zendikar."