Chapter 17

Lian wandered through Ravnica. He didn't really see any of it. He had no idea where he was in relation to anything he knew. He had purposefully headed away from the parts of the city where he spent the most time. That way people wouldn't recognize him immediately upon his brother's description. He stayed on the move. Never stayed in the same part of the city for longer than it took to walk through it. His legs ached but he ignored them. He was pretty hungry but he didn't stop to eat regularly. He only ate when his hunger became unbearable.

It had been two days already. Word of Seth'ius's presence had spread quickly. The once welcoming and warm people of Ravnica were wary. A dark cloud had settled over the world. Whispers spread of Lian's presence on the world, but none of them could identify him based on appearance. So he was able to slip through crowds unnoticed.

Lian had no doubt Ravnica would protect him until the last brick of the city was destroyed but he didn't want that. He wanted them to be left in piece but he also didn't want to leave. So he disappeared. Played a dangerous game of cat and mouse with his family. But the longer it dragged out the more likely it was he would die if he was found.

It occurred to him that he was going to collapse if he didn't rest soon. He found a nice place to hide in the storage room of a general shop. He climbed up onto one of the higher boxes in a very tall stack. He pulled off his backpack and set it in his lap as he leaned against another box. It wasn't the most comfortable place but he would see anyone before they saw him.

"Two days down," Lian whispered to himself.

An image popped into his head of his friends finding him just as his father did. His father killed them the same way he had the mouse. Magical chains wrapped around their bodies and they shrieked as their flesh slowly burned, until it all overwhelmed them. The chains wrapped tighter and tighter around his friends' bodies until they were all dismembered. Their screams echoed in his mind after the image of their scorched bodies faded.

Lian shuddered and curled up into a tight ball. He covered his ears and shook his head, "That's why I'm here. And they're all the way...however far the mansion is."

Ral jumped and growled as someone pounded on the mansion doors. He threw the doors open theatrically.

Seth'ius and two kids that were presumably Lian's older brother and sister stood on the other side of the doors.

Ral scowled and closed the door behind him. He bowed slightly, "What can I do for you today, O Great Lord of the Sun?"

"Cut the theatrics, Izzet Mage," Seth'ius snarled, "I want to talk to the girl these two talked to the other day."

"You're gonna have to be more specific, My Lord," Ral commented dryly, "There are a lot of girls living in this mansion." Ral raised an eyebrow as Lian's brother stepped forward.

"The girl had deep brown hair in a braid that was pulled over her right shoulder. Her hair went down to the bottom of her rib cage. And her eyes are the color of the night sky."

Ral shook his head, "Nope. Not ringing any bells yet."

Lian's brother rolled his eyes.

Ral smirked a little bit. Daria did the small head movement Jace would do every time he was annoyed.

"She was wearing a pair of dark blue jeans with white and silver gems running down the outside of her left leg to her knee and a pair of untied black combat boots. She had a white jacket that had floral embroidery on the back of it. Specifically lotus flowers and vines over a solid black crop top."

Ral was impressed, "You have a very good memory."

"Go get the girl Zarek. We know she lives here," Seth'ius snarled.

Ral turned sharply to Seth'ius and glared at him, "I'm going. I'm going. Give me a minute." Ral went back into the mansion and called for Shanniah.

Shanniah came down the stairs, "Yes?"

"There's somebody here to talk to you," Ral said darkly, "You're not going to like at least one of them."

Shanniah nodded nervously, "Okay."

Ral led her outside. He made sure to step out first and remained slightly in front of her.

Shanniah's breath caught in her throat. It was Seth'ius. Lian's father. The man that had killed her parents. Her friends' parents. The parents of every kid in the mansion. She cleared her throat, stood straighter and looked all three of the people in front of her in the eyes, one by one. She then looked back to Seth'ius, "I was told you wished to speak with me."

Seth'ius shoved Daria forward, "Daria'lis, describe to her your brother. In detail."

Daria'lis nodded, "Yes, Father." He turned to Shanniah.

Shanniah met his gaze with a facade of calm.

"Mii'lian has black messy hair. It's held back by four clips on the left side. Two gold. Two light blue. On the right side it falls into his face and it spikes out everywhere in the back. He's pale and has blue tinted grey eyes. He wears three necklaces. One is just metal rectangles. One has a dark blue green cat head pendent. The other one I haven't seen if it has a pendant or not. He wears a black hoodie that has gold cuffs over a white turtleneck, dark blue cargo pants and beat up black boots."

Shanniah shook her head, "I don't know him. I'm sorry I can't be of more assistance."

Daria'lis nodded curtly.

Seth'ius looked at Lian's sister, "Well? Is she telling the truth, Mayu?"

Mayu nodded, "As far as I can tell she is telling the truth."

Seth'ius nodded, "Let us go then. We have to find him."

Daria'lis nodded, "Yes Father."

Shanniah released the breath she'd been holding. She looked at Ral, "Is Mayu going to be okay?"

Ral nodded, "She'll probably be fine. It's Lian I'm worried about. We need to find him. Preferably before they do."

"We can help you find him," Shanniah offered instantly.

"Now way, Girlie. You'll be dead if Seth'ius finds you with Lian."

"Lian is our friend!" Shanniah insisted, "We have to help him!" She took a deep breath and was calmer when she asked, "What kind of friends would we be if we didn't?"

Ral paused. He gritted his teeth. He had been explicitly told to make sure the group didn't go running off to find Lian. But she had a really good point. He sighed in defeat, "I'll talk with Vala about it."

Shanniah smiled gratefully, "Thanks Ral. You're the best."

Ral found Vala in the Azorius Guildhall, talking with Lavinia and a couple other arresters. He interrupted the conversation without really thinking about it, "So, Vala."

Vala sighed, "Yes, Zarek?"

"Water Boy's friends want to help find him."

"You didn't tell them yes did you?" One of the other arresters demanded.

Ral rolled his eyes, "Of course I did. Because I'm a complete idiot." He shook his head, "No. I told them I'd talk with you about it."

Vala tapped her nose thoughtfully. After a moment she asked, "They're going to do it either way, aren't they?"

Ral nodded, "Probably."

Vala pinched the bridge of her nose. She groaned. Twenty seconds later she took a deep breath, "Fine. Just make sure you stay with them. They will need you if they run into Seth'ius."

Ral nodded, "Yes Ma'am." He made his way back to the mansion with Vala. It was odd that the guilds were racing Seth'ius to find Lian. Then again, maybe not. Lian was the New God of the Sea after all. And what did Ravnica hold sacred above all other things? The one thing that hasn't changed since the sun refused to rise five hundred thousand years ago. The sea.