Chapter 27: Contentious Plan

Dack's stomach was starting to hurt. He knew it had little to do with the dizzying height at which Ob Nixilis was flying, but more with the demon's plated forearm locked around his waist. They had been airborne for a while now, and the ride was wrought with turbulence. Between the thick shroud of darkness that had descended upon the city and the appearance of winged Eternals effused with the Elderspell, Dack knew that keeping a steady flight path was not a feasible option. This knowledge, unfortunately, did little to soothe his discomfort or repair the light perforations appearing on his shirt.

Gods be damned, I'm gonna need a whole new wardrobe by the time I get off this plane.

He sighed, knowing that his deteriorating clothing was among the least of his worries, and tried to return his focus to the ground below. He peered through his cupped hands, once again shimmering with his sorcerous spyglass, and pointed them along the rooftops. He and Nixilis had divided the duties, with the former agreeing to search for Ashiok and Davriel and the latter fought off any encroaching Eternals with his free hand and spined tail. While Nixilis was excelling at his assignment, battering and impaling all comers until they dropped to the awaiting streets, Dack was struggling to hold up his end.

He had first spotted the vaporous trail of black mana a few minutes ago, slithering its way across the rooftops in a seemingly frenetic pattern. Though he could not tell which planeswalker had produced it, he held little doubt that it did not belong to one of them. Now, all he had to do was focus his sights on its winding path and relay the information to Nixilis. This was proving to be far more of a struggle than he anticipated, and Much like his chaffing stomach, little blame could be placed on the darkness or their uneven flight. This time, it was Dack's own mind that refused to keep steady.

As he peered through the magical lens, just beneath his intended surveyal target, he saw the havoc being wrought by the Eternals, which inadvertently sent his thoughts back to the scene from which he had just escaped. Where his eyes saw planeswalkers, bedecked with foreign garments and unrecognizable magics, grappling and falling before the zombie horde, his mind brought him dizzying flashes of memory. He felt the initial chill of the Elderspell blanketing the city. He saw Domri's face, contorted in agony. He saw Tibalt's rictus grin and heard Angrath's plaintive snorts fading from his ears. He tried to shake these images out of his mind, but no matter how hard he shook or clenched, they would not disappear.

I don't get it, he thought, his attention drifting away from the path once more. All three of those guys were complete and utter assholes. They all pretty much deserved what happened to them, right? The Multiverse, myself included, is better off without them. So then why the fuck am I still thinking about them?

Dack's brow furrowed in contemplation as he tried to understand just what was going on within his own psyche. Though his hands were still in front of him, the horrific images from the street passed before his listless eyes, unnoticed. He most likely would have remained in this fugue for time, were it not for a sudden bout of erratic maneuvering from Nixilis that sent his cupped hand directly into his face with a loud smack.

Recoiling from the unexpected impact, Dack let out a surprised yelp and immediately dissipated his enchantment. After the initial shock wore off, he realized that he was not truly hurt, but he noticed that the tears across his shirt had grown significantly. Annoyed, he craned his neck to Nixilis, who was looking out over the horizon with a grim stoniness.

"You think you can fly a little smoother?" he called up to the demon, voice straining to be heard over the gales from Nixilis' massive wings. "I'd like to make it out of here without completely ruining the one shirt from my home plane."

Nixilis' eyes darted down for a moment before returning to the path ahead, just long enough to cast a disdainful glare from his periphery. "You'd do well to bite your tongue, flea. If you take umbrage with my flying, I am more than happy to allow you to try."

"Yeah, I got it," Dack sighed, fighting the urge to roll his eyes. "You've already seen that I have spells that let me fly, right?"

"I have, and I was not impressed. Between the Eternals and the crows, I think you would be plucked from the sky in an instant."

"Probably, but at least my shirt would be in one piece. Just…try and keep us steady if you can. I don't want to hit myself in the face again if I can avoid it."

Nixilis let out a fuming huff from his nostrils. "Be grateful I have kept us safe thus far. There would be no issue were you more capable of articulating your directions."

"I'm working on it, ok?"

Dack could hear the false indignance creeping into his words, and he wondered if Nixilis would notice that something was off. He was grateful to see that the demon's attention was already off him, now turning to rending an approaching bird-faced Eternal with his pointed claws. Seeing that their brief conversation was done, Dack reactivated his spyglass and turned his eyes back to the rooftops.

Now fueled by guilt, Dack's mind cleared itself of dour distractions, allowing him to redouble his efforts to trace out the dark, wispy trail. He called out directions as best he could, which Nixilis readily followed. The path seemed to continue for several blocks, slinking in and out of the intermittent shadows from the soaring lights above without any clear objective. Dack could only assume that Davriel and Ashiok, much like them, had been doing their best to evade the spark-seeking Eternals that no doubt came after them. Silently, he hoped that they had not been caught.

It was not until several minutes later, which were filled with pitched aerials and sundered Eternals dropping from the sky, that Dack saw what looked like the end of the trail. In a district far from where they had escaped the Gruul, the slowly fading line of black magic dipped beneath the rooftops, seemingly entering one of the buildings. There did not seem to be anything strategic or noteworthy about that particular structure, leaving Dack to wonder why they would stop there.

Hopefully they didn't get dragged down by an ambush or something, he pessimistically mused. They should be fine. They both managed to get out from the Eternals without succumbing like Tibalt, so they probably just found a good spot to regroup.

With this thought in his head, Dack pointed Nixilis in the proper direction. The demon banked his wings, turning into a straight path to their destination while simultaneously gutting a zombified angel that dared to get too close. It took a moment for Dack to restabilize his view after the sudden shift, but once they leveled out, his attention locked on the buildings below.

It was only once the full side of what looked like an apartment complex came into focus that Dack noticed a peculiar sight. On the side facing him, a large, jagged hole was punched out of the structure. Squinting to get a better view, Dack could see clearly through the building, the gaping cavity stretching all the way from one side to the other. Papers and dust idly flew from the maw, pushed by the suddenly focused wind gliding off the rooftops. Stranger still was that the edges of the puncture were smoldering, a faint orange glow that Dack barely noticed.

What the hell could have done something like that? The Eternals? That doesn't make any sense, though. Why attack just one…

Dack's thoughts trailed off, as his unfinished question was readily answered by the next building in their way. To his surprise, this building sported a similar hole all the way through it, exposing whatever was inside to the harsh reality of the day. Angling his spyglass to get a better look, Dack could discern that the trajectory of the two holes aligned. Not only that, but he could also see the corner of another hole on the next building in the row.

Something carved its way through these buildings. Were they trying to get the others? That would make sense, but the trail is still on the roof, not in the lower levels. Then just what the fuck is all this?

As Dack turned the thought over in his mind, the wispy trail of mana steadily grew shorter. Soon enough, they came to the building where it ducked below the rooftop, and much to Dack's dismay, but certainly not his surprise, he saw the black smoke enter the building through another in the series of anomalous holes. He did not see it emerge from the other side of the building, so he had to assume they had reached their destination.

"Looks like they're in there," he told Nixilis, gesturing to the partially destroyed structure as he disengaged his psychometry. The demon cast a dubious glare down at Dack, but he kept whatever doubts he had silent. Tucking his wings back, Nixilis swiftly descended from the air, cutting into the space between the buildings and banking into the craterous opening in one fell swoop.

Nixilis came to a stop at the mouth of the destruction, straightening from his flight posture once they were clear of the precarious edge. The hole led directly into what Dack assumed had once been a modest apartment, judging from the size of the room and deco style on the remaining walls. Just as he had seen, the hole struck through the entire building, revealing the partitions between the similarly effected apartments.

While he observed the interior, Nixilis landed firmly on the ground, then unceremoniously freed Dack from his grasp. The thief's feet were not prepared for the sudden release, and he dropped to the floor with a thud. A plume of fresh debris scattered around him, but luckily, the impact was not hard enough to hurt anything but his pride.

"A little warning would've been nice," he grumbled to Nixilis as he picked himself off the ground. Looking down at his shirt, he noticed that it bore a sizable hole across his abdomen and was now caked with a thin layer of drywall.

"Do not blame me for your own inability to stand," the demon shot back, his baritone resonating within the small space. "Now, are you certain this is where the others went?"

Dack opened his mouth to answer, but before he could, a familiar voice decided to answer for him.

"Yes, I'm quite sure you found the place. Though it did take you far longer than I expected. Should I have left an even more obvious trail?"

"Davriel, is that you?" Dack called out, unsure where the voice was coming from. "Where are you, and is Ashiok with you?"

Even with the distance between them, Davriel's belabored sigh was immediately audible. "Yes, yes, we're both here, though I don't think they're quite in the mood to chat. Other side of the wall to the left of that hole. You can't miss it."

Turning his head towards Davriel's voice, Dack saw the wall that he had indicated, which was still standing just outside the destructive radius, door slightly ajar. He moved to it, pulling open the door and accidentally taking the doorknob with him. As Dack surreptitiously tossed the dislodged handle to his feet, the door opened to reveal a spacious living area that, despite being removed from the hole, had not been spared by the force that created it. Empty bookshelves lined the walls, their contents spilled to the floor. Finely carved furniture was strewn about in different states of disrepair. This was clearly someone's home, and Dack thanked the gods that he did not see any indication that its occupants had been home. Instead, he was Davriel and Ashiok within, the latter standing in a far corner, turned away from Dack, while the former lounged in a plush armchair positioned in the direct center of the room, swirling a half-filled glass in one hand.

As he stepped through the doorway, Davriel's mask turned keenly towards him. "Well, at least you made it here in one piece. How is it looking out there?"

"About the same," Dack answered dubiously, keeping his voice in a low register. "It looks like you've made yourself comfortable in the meantime."

Davriel lifted his shoulders beneath his billowing cloak. "It will do for now. Though I must say that the taste in liquor of whoever lived here is sorely lacking." Turning away from Dack, the shadowy planeswalker raised his glass beneath his mask and took a few quiet sips.

Dack cocked his head to the side, incredulity seeping into his features. "Wait, did you just take the glass and whatever's in it from in here?"

It took Davriel a moment to pull the glass out from under his mask, but once it reappeared, he spoke up without turning to look in Dack's direction. "I believe the bottle said it was a transguild whiskey, grown by the Selesnya and fermented by the Simic. I've had worse, certainly, but I wouldn't have it again if given the option. As for your other…concern, I highly doubt whoever lived here will miss it. We haven't seen any sign of them here, and I don't think they'd last very long out there. At least not with their tastes."

Dack opened his mouth in protest, but he was interrupted by the resounding footsteps of Nixilis entering the room. Looking behind him, Dack noticed that the demon had decided to circumvent the doorway, stepping through the adjacent, demolished section of the wall.

"You appear unscathed," the demon mutely acknowledged the seated figure. "I am surprised you made it this far without collapsing under the weight of that ridiculous mask."

Davriel let out a cold chuckle. "I could say the same of you, Ob. There mustn't have been any birds or spiders in your path. How fortunate for you."

Nixilis took a large, contentious step into the room, a loud fume of heated air streaming from his nostrils. "You dare to mock me, bairn? If you are so bold, then face me without cowering behind that mask of yours."

"I am not cowering, and I am certainly not going to stand. Though I would suggest you take a step back. If I don't have to breathe in your brimstone, it would be much appreciated."

"I heed no commands except my own! If you will not stand, then I shall simply-"

"Alright, alright, just cut it out already," Dack suddenly hissed. He took a few steps forward, positioning himself between the combatants, holding his hands up in a signal of de-escalation. "There's no point in fighting amongst ourselves. If either of you want to get your shit kicked, I'm sure there's an Eternal who'll gladly help. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if one shows up soon with all the gods-be-damned noise you two are making."

Turning away from Nixilis, Davriel addressed Dack while waving his free hand in a languid circle above his head. "You needn't worry about the noise, Dack. The Eternals won't enter any buildings. I observed this myself while we were retreating. As long as we're inside, even with such an inviting entrance as that, we should be safe. And, if not, I think you all are sufficiently prepared to protect me."

Dack crossed his arms over his chest, doing his best to ignore Davriel's overly pompous suggestion. Instead, he focused on what the shadow mage had said just prior. "Are you absolutely sure about that? I mean, if it was an Eternal that caused that giant hole, what's to stop them from doing it again?"

"Yes, I'm quite certain," Davriel said as he idly swirled his drink. "A few Eternals were following us, but they immediately stopped when we got inside. Whoever is commanding them is keeping them outside, at least for now. And besides, it wasn't the Eternals that did all this."

"Wait, did you see what did bust a hole through this row of buildings?"

Before answering, Davriel took another long, slow sip from his glass, almost taunting Dack with his lethargy. "Indeed. Ashiok and I were crossing through this neighborhood as we retreated, looking for a way to circle back to you two. We were actually on the roof at the end when those two plowed through the entire row. I nearly lost my footing, it was rather troublesome."

"Wait, hold on, what do you mean 'those two'?"

"Oh yes, I managed to catch a glimpse of the perpetrators on their way out. Definitely not Eternals, if the lack of blue skin or purple eyes was anything to go by. I believe that they were two planeswalkers, actually."

Dack's brow furrowed. "Planeswalkers did this? But…why? Are you sure that's what you saw?"

"I'm quite sure, actually. It may have been quick, but I believe I recognized one of them. If I'm not mistaken, it was a rather infamous vampire from my time on Innistrad named Sorin Markov. The other one, well, I don't think I'd ever seen her before, but I believe she had white skin and some manner of glowing blade. I'm guessing she was the one who tore through the structures, but who's to say? And, as for why, it looked like they were in the middle of their own little skirmish, but that's nothing more than my own speculation."

Something about his account rubbed Dack the wrong way, but he could not tell if it was the information or simply the person delivering it. Before he could say anything more, however, Nixilis lumbered next to Davriel, the cracks on his skin beginning to glow.

"Did you see where they went?" the demon growled, his bellowing voice rattling Dack's skull with an unusual intensity. "Choose your words carefully, for if you speak falsely, I will ensure your death is neither quick nor painless. Now, where did that woman go?"

Davriel let out a bemused hum. "Oh, it this a lover's quarrel I've stumbled into? I didn't take you for the type, Ob, but she does seem right up your alley, with the anger and destruction and all."

"I will not tolerate your games, whelp. I thought I recognized the magic at work in this building. If this woman is who I believe her to be, then she holds a debt of blood that I intend to collect. Now, answer my question, or you may share her fate." Nixilis reared his arm back, displaying his igneous claws with a deadly severity.

"I can assure you she's long gone by now," Davriel droned, apparently unperturbed by Nixilis' aggression. "You're more than welcome to try and follow their path. though. It didn't look like either of them were paying much attention to collateral damage. Now, if you don't mind, you're flaking obsidian into my drink."

Dack had been listening to their heated exchange from a safe distance, but he stepped forward once again, ready to intervene. "Woah, woah, woah, just hold on a minute, you two. No one's going anywhere."

"Do you think you can stop me, flea?" Nixilis fired back, hostility spitting from his mouth like steam from a vent. Despite the intimidation, Dack held firm.

"Not physically, no, but in case you forgot, we already have something we need to do. I don't know what your history with this woman is, Nix, but I'm sure whatever it is can wait just a little longer. I think we all want to get off this plane as soon as possible, and we're gonna need your strength to do that."

Internally, Dack winced at how thick he laid it on with stoking Nixilis' ego. Fortunately, it seemed that the demon's vanity was stronger than his conviction. Slowly, the glowing orange etched around his skin dimmed, and as he lowered his arm to his side, a smug grimace appeared on Dack's face.

Thank the gods, he sighed. The last thing we need is to lose another one. The sooner we can find the Sun and I can get away from these freaks, the better.

"It's a lovely sentiment, Dack, but a foolishly optimistic one."

The three planeswalkers' heads snapped around at the sudden, rasping words that came from the corner of the room. Ashiok, whom Dack had not seen move since entering the building, now removed themselves from the corner and turned to address the rest of them. They bore a contemptuous sneer on their mouth, and their horns were blurred with fluctuating shadows.

A look of confusion clouded over Dack's face. "Um, did I miss something? We still have to go and find The Immortal Sun, right? Otherwise, we're all still trapped here with an army of zombies that can kill us with just a touch."

"Well, Dack, it seems that you did miss something. Or have you already forgotten what we just witnessed back in that disgusting alley?"

Dack was slightly taken aback at this. "No, I remember it all pretty damn clearly. Look, I know we lost one of our…allies, and these Eternals could fuck us up, but that doesn't mea-"

"You think I care about any of that!?" Ashiok suddenly snapped, spittle flying from their mouth and their pointed nails swiping through the air in a display of unprecedented anger. Even their voice carried a more caustic bite than usual. "Tibalt was a loathsome, ineloquent blaggard who got precisely what he deserved. Had I eyes to shed tears, they would only be those of regret that I was not the one to rip his mind from his body. No, Dack, the problem we are faced with now is that our only lead to the Immortal Sun's location is gone. Without the information that was in Domri's head, our mission has come to a premature end."

Dack was surprised. Not at Ashiok's spirited denouncement of Tibalt, which is pretty much what he expected, but at their apparent readiness to abandon their task. He knew Ashiok well enough to take them for neither a coward nor a quitter.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, hands rising and falling in tune with his cadence. "We can't just give up on trying to find it. The Immortal Sun is somewhere on this plane, and if we want off, which I know I do, we need to start looking for it."

Ashiok quickly chomped down on Dack's words. "And where shall we start then, hmm? Do you have a spell that seeks out magical artifacts that you've been keeping from us, by chance?"

"Well, I mean, no, I don't have anything like that, bu-"

"Then what is our next step, Dack?" They leveled a razor-sharp nail in his direction, voice growing more and more acrid with each second. "Do you suggest we comb the entire city, overturn every cobble and uproot every tree? Or would you prefer asking the one who's controlling all the planeswalker-killing zombies? By all means, tell me, tell all of us, what your plan is."

Dack could feel his ire rising at Ashiok's provocation. He wanted to spit back at their leering, faceless visage, or at least dispatch them with a dry witticism. Unfortunately, his mind was devastatingly blank, and though he did not feel the tenebrous intrusion of Ashiok's magics, he could tell that they knew this too.

"Ok, so I don't exactly have a plan, per se." He ran a nervous hand along the back of his head, trying to deplete the anxious energy building up in his body. "But… but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to think of something. I mean, come on, we can't just sit in here and wait for the whole plane to be destroyed, can we?"

"It's not exactly the finest accommodations," Davriel lilted as he absentmindedly spun his now-empty glass, "but I've had longer stays in worse conditions. Anything's better than aimlessly running around the city, and that was even before the Elderspell."

"But waiting around here is just as aimless," Dack shot back, trying to lock onto the evasive gaze behind Davriel's mask. "We need to get back out there and keep looking. I don't mind brainstorming a basic plan here, but sitting around here isn't helping anybody. Planeswalkers are dying in the streets as we speak, and they need our help."

Ashiok let out a sigh drenched in contempt. "Is that what this is about, Dack? Playing the hero? I thought you would have moved beyond that after your last attempt."

Dack took a step back, caught completely off-guard by Ashiok's assessment. "That's not what this is about," he eventually responded, voice catching slightly on the words. "We need the Immortal Sun to go down, or we're all going to die while we're trapped here, in case you forgot."

Though he mustered as much bravado as he could, the upturned crinkle on Ashiok's lips told him all he needed to know about his effective his cover was. It was just a look, and from a being without the capacity to generate looks in the first place, but it struck Dack in the chest with a wrenching bluntness.

"Of course, Dack," the nightmare weaver hissed, "we all wish to leave this plane as soon as possible, but that desire in and of itself will do nothing to further that goal. I no longer have access to the memories of those indentured to Bolas, and thus, no leads to the location of the Sun. You are the only one among us with any knowledge of this city, and so, I will ask you again, what exactly is our next step?"

He felt the four eyes of the three planeswalkers staring at him, their expectancy smothering him as they waited for an answer. Sifting through his own memories of the day, Dack searched for something that may prove a useful lead. There's gotta be something that we can go on. What did I see today? I was in the Voldaren manor, and then I got transported here. I saw I was on Ravnica, and I tried to planeswalk away because I saw…

"That pyramid!" he blurted out with a snap of his fingers, clearly startling the others. "That must be where the Sun is hidden. Why didn't I think of that sooner?"

"Because thinking isn't your strong suit?" Davriel sardonically remarked.

Dack wanted to respond to the offhanded insult, but he had no time before Ashiok hovered closer, their mouth rigidly set. "You've known where the Sun is this whole time?"

"Not exactly," Dack smugly stated, his confidence beginning to rise. "Allow me to explain. When I first got here, I saw a few new additions to the Ravnica skyline: a portal, which is probably where the Eternals are coming from, a big, green statue that I'd guess was for Bolas, and a giant, black pyramid. I can't say for certain, but that thing certainly looked like a potential stronghold for this guy. If he's in there, then I'd bet the Sun is in there too."

Ashiok brought a hand to their face and began contemplatively brushing their lip with a single needly fingernail. "So, you don't have any actual information, then? Merely a guess based on something you observed earlier today?"

Fighting against his baser instincts in the face of the nightmare's condescension, Dack simply shrugged his shoulders. "Hey, you wanted a lead, and that's what I got. I've been to this city plenty of times, and that pyramid was not there the last time I was. If Bolas is invading, it would make sense to set up a base of operations, right?"

Dack could see the seething reticence in Ashiok's minimal features, as if they were searching for a reason to dismiss his claims. He was not sure what else to say, so it was an utter surprise when a gravelly voice chimed in.

"That is a sound line of reasoning, flea," boomed Nixilis. Turning up, Dack saw the demon had his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes partially closed in thought. "As we retreated, I too saw this pyramid on the horizon. The sparks being siphoned by the Eternals are all traveling to that location. If Bolas' goal for this invasion is collecting these sparks, then they will most likely be going straight to him. That must be where he is commanding the Eternals."

Ashiok looked at Nixilis, their hands settling at their sides and their lip no longer creased in agitation. "Are you quite certain about this, Nixilis?"

Nixilis' eyes flashed open, burning anger pointed at Ashiok. "Do not doubt my knowledge of such affairs, wisp. I have led countless invasions across the Multiverse, and no matter how much blood was shed, I always emerged the victor. What Bolas is doing here, it is precisely what I would have done were I in his position."

Though he was forcing his face to remain neutral, Dack had trouble hiding his surprise at both Nixilis' strategic knowledge and his choice to back up his initial assessment. Part of him wanted to thank Nixilis, but the look in the demon's eyes told him that doing so would only be met with contempt. Not wishing to incur any undo wrath, Dack was more than happy to let it be. A small smile played on his face, most likely invisible in Nixilis' periphery, as he turned back to Ashiok, who stared at the others while the void around their horns pointedly churned.

They were silent for a moment, lips pursed, but eventually a low, pensive hum wormed its way from their throat. After a second, the brooding noise evolved into the fully formed words that, by Dack's assumption, Ashiok had painstakingly crafted in their head.

"I do not much care for speculation or conjecture. Conclusions formed as such exist only in one's mind, a vacuous structure with no bearing on the world around us. I have seen firsthand how easily the mind can bend, and how readily it can crack. Plans forged under such meager conditions are of no more use to me than daydreams. Right now, however, my desire to leave this place is far stronger than my desire for solidity. Seeing as we have exhausted all other avenues, it seems this pyramid is our best chance to find the Immortal Sun. I do not enjoy working with doubt, Dack, but I agree that we cannot simply sit around and wait for a new lead to make itself known."

As Ashiok finished, Dack found his mind lagging behind. He needed a moment to process everything, and he found himself particularly stuck on the last thing that Ashiok said.

The fuck just happened? Did they just…agree with me?

An odd sensation swelled in Dack's chest. It was warm and inviting, but also alien and disconcerting. He double-checked his mind for any slinking shadows lurking behind his ideas. No matter where his thoughts went, he did not feel Ashiok's presence anywhere within the folds of his brain. With his apprehension assuaged, Dack embraced the sensation, and a wide, smarmy grin spread across his face.

"Glad you're finally willing to be flexible with us, Ashiok."

Ashiok frowned, an inverted mirror of Dack's own countenance. "I'd say your arrogance is rather misplaced, Dack. Your plan is merely the only option available at the moment, and I believe calling it a plan is rather generous of me. You've only seen this structure from a distance, correct? So, you have no idea of any entrances or defenses it may contain."

"Sure, but that shouldn't stop us," Dack countered, his positivity refusing to wilt in Ashiok's shadow. "Once we get there, we can scope the perimeter and look for any good points of entry. If there's one thing I think this group can handle, it's keeping ourselves hidden, and infiltration is basically my specialty. After all, I'm the greatest thief…"

"In the multiverse," finished Ashiok with a dispassionate sigh. "Of course, how could I ever forget that self-imposed moniker you're so fond of. This won't be the same as nicking a gauntlet from a gorgon's cave, you do realize."

"That's why I'm not doing it alone. I think, between the four of us, we have the skills we need to find an entrance, avoid detection, and remove the Sun. Quick in, quick out."

From behind him, Nixilis let out a low, rumbling laugh. "Subterfuge, the game of the weak. You all may stick to the shadows, I will meet the Eternals head-on."

Though his tone was contentious, Dack could hear the acceptance of their plan in his sonorous timbre. As if to emphasize this point, the demon slapped a heavy hand on Dack's back, nearly sending him to the floor. He knew it was meant as an approving gesture, but part of him could not help but interpret some ill will behind it.

Dack took a moment to straighten himself after the blow, attempting for his voice to cover his adjustments. "Great, that's pretty much what I figured you'd say. If you're running air support, that gives the rest of us time to find somewhere to get in." With his posture regained, he turned to the only person who had not agreed in some way, despite how much he dreaded the possible answer. "Davriel, what about you? Any objections?"

The shadowmage paused before answering, his mask turned to look at the glass he was rocking against the arm of his chair. He let go of it, letting it delicately balance on the curved leather, and turned to the others. "While I loathe the idea of running around the city any longer, I loathe the idea of staying here far more. Their liquor leaves much to be desired." Like a bored cat, Davriel gently knocked the cup to the ground, letting the sound of shattering glass punctuate his statement. With his point made, he stood up from the chair with a flourish, his miasmic cloak sweeping any wayward shards from his feet.

It took Dack a moment to understand Davriel's acquiescence, his mind partially stunned from the theatrics. Once he regained his senses, though, he clapped his hands together with a renewed vigor.

"Alright, then I guess we have a plan, or at least a plan for a plan. Either way, we should head out now, right? Try and get to the Sun as fast as possible."

Dack made to turn to the gaping exit, but his energy was quickly quashed by a raised finger from Ashiok. "Before you go galivanting off, I would like to make one thing clear, Dack. Our objective is still the removal of the Immortal Sun, correct?"

"Yeah," Dack answered hesitantly, unsure which emotion Ashiok was about to provoke.

"I'm glad you agree. We cannot risk losing your abilities, as they may be the only ones that can disable the Sun. So, I should hope you will keep your actions restrained only to those that will further our goal."

Though Ashiok's words were vague, Dack instantly understood. Oh, so that's what they're worried about. They don't want me running off trying to save anyone like I did with Angrath. He could feel frustration building in his mind, threatening to cast a heavy blanket of shade over his mind. Like I need reminding. I know it's dangerous, more so than last time because of this Elderspell. I don't know if I even could save anyone quick enough. There's no reason I shouldn't agree with Ashiok here. But then, why does it not feel like I should?

Conflicting emotions began clashing in Dack's head. Logic, pride, empathy, pragmatism, all desperately fighting for control, their blunted weapons slamming against one another and lighting up his memories with showering sparks. He once again saw the flashes of familiar faces, graven images etched into his psyche, but now they all stared at him with expectant eyes.

I know what I have to do.

Pulling his mind back into the room, Dack met Ashiok's eyeless gaze with his best facsimile of exasperation. "You don't have to worry about me. With all the shit that's happening now, the Sun's gotta go down. The sooner we can get there, the better it is for everyone."

A terse silence fell as Ashiok maintained their locked stare, as if they were intently inspecting Dack's features. He refused to waver, however, standing firm and unafraid in their presence. A moment passed, and Ashiok's posture relaxed.

"It seems you have finally learned some common sense, Dack. Perhaps our extended company has been a greater influence than I foresaw." A dry, crackling laugh echoed from their throat, raising the skin on Dack's arms as the unnatural sound filled the room. "Very well. We shall follow the trail of the lost sparks directly to this pyramid. It would be best if we can maintain as little distance between us as possible while traveling."

"Does that mean I must carry the flea again?" Nixilis asked with a heavy dose of irritation.

Dack flashed the demon a sideways smile. "I'll be fine on my own. I've seen how many Eternals you've fought off with only one hand, can't wait to see what you do with two."

To his surprise, Nixilis matched Dack with a sadistic grin of his own. "The ground below shall be paved with their shells and caulked with their blood."

"I do hope I simply misheard you there," Davriel mentioned offhandedly as they started walking to the massive hole, not pausing for any further clarification.

"The enthusiasm is greatly appreciated, Ob," interjected Ashiok. They began following Davriel to the exit, brushing past Dack on the way. "I would suggest we move in a cluster once we're on the roof, with Davriel and Dack at the center and you and I at the perimeter to keep the Eternals away."

The demon snorted and fell into step beside the nightmare. "Are you sure you can keep up without blowing away in the wind?"

"Oh, I believe I have something I can summon that should be of some use."

The three planeswalkers walked to the exit, while Dack waited for a moment, allowing for a bit of space between himself and them. Looking at their backs, he watched how their dark appearances easily melding into the odd shadows being cast in the destructive wake before them. As they disappeared behind the partially collapsed wall, a vague unease fell over Dack. He knew what it was about, and he tried his best to shake it off.

No stops. Stopping to help one could just hurt countless others, remember that. It's not your job to save one person if you can help save everyone. It's not turning your back on someone if you're still trying to help, right?