Here's chapter eight, guys. Again, big thanks to The Sovereign and all guest/anon reviewers! We appreciate it so much. Mr. Anderson wrote this chapter. Hope you guys enjoy.

Xoxox

Mr. and Mrs. Anderson

We sat around the conference table and discussed various strategies and how scenarios with Garruk could play out. While I'm trying to protect Liliana, many of the representatives want to let Garruk live and heal him. I would ask Liliana her thoughts on the subject, but judging from past events, and her screaming thoughts gave it away. The strain to suffocate them all under a sea of corpses was overwhelming for the necromancer. She had a look of annoyance, but hid it with a devilish grin and entrancing eyes. She sat very nonchalantly next to me and played with her hair, ignoring the majority of the conversation and giving few subtle thoughts when asked a question.

Teysa sat down after reviewing parts of the Vizkopa Guildhall that could be used for safe keeping of Liliana, and various resources she had on hand access to, too provide for us. Tajic stood up and went through a similar routine, pointing out key areas of the Sunhome and different troops, that, if needed at any time, could be called upon for protection. Tajic also drove home the point that they could not invest all their forces or resources to the protection of one individual and her personal vendetta. Ral Zarek stood up after Tajic and took place in the middle of the table. He stood, arms behind his back, and met the stare of every single one of us before he spoke. Before he had the chance to speak, Liliana's head began to buzz with different ways she would torture and otherwise maim the Izzet guildmage. The sheer ferocity in her thoughts and the amount of violence would shake any sadist to the bone. I may have nightmares for the next couple weeks from these thoughts alone.

"As you all know, I stand firm with Tajic and Teysa on their stance to not employ any and all resources to the cause of the accused," he said, sending Liliana and I a menacing grin.

The thoughts in Liliana's head blackened and made Nicol Bolas look like a puppy. I grabbed her hand, and gave it a reassuring squeeze and let her know that I'm here, and there was nothing to worry about.

"However, seeing as how our fearless leader, Jace, is willing to look into things of personal nature, not only will we supply and support Jace, but ensure, the safety and healing process of Garruk. While his vendetta is reasonable, we do not wish harm (or otherwise severe maiming) to the little death whore."

I felt Liliana tense, and start to shout, and my anger also got the best of me. We simultaneously stood up and prepared a long line of curses, but Ral Zarek wouldn't hear them, at least not now. As we shot out of our chairs, a soldier burst through the door, heavily heaving and trying to catch his breath.

"Sir…" the winded soldier said.

"Yes? What is it son?" Tajic said, standing.

"IT's….it's…" he managed.

"What? Spit it out!"

"Garruk, he's been spotted!"

I felt the temperature of the room hastily drop and everyone grew quiet. We all turned to Liliana, and expected her to quickly question the guard and learn his whereabouts. But to all of our surprise, she remained quiet, and wore a very solemn look on her face. No one said a word, but all thought the same thing: She was angry, and her wrath needed to be sated.

Moments passed and we all cleared the room, and proceeded from the Sunhome. Tajic assembled a small intervening force, and Teysa quickly summoned thrulls and ghosts to help, if need be. Gideon quickly retrieved his gear, and his whip gauntlet. Ral Zarek stood there, but inside of him I could feel pools of magic filling and spells already cast. The only thing he needed to do was simply think the spell and it would fire off. 'So that's how they do it,' I thought to myself. This explains a lot about the Izzet and their infamous spell casting abilities. They overload their bodies with magic and spells, and only had to think of the spell, or familiar and then it would fire off.

We made our way to the area the Boros scouts last spotted the beastmage, and it didn't take long for us to spot him .The others decided it would be best to keep Liliana and the beastmage separate from one another until we could reason with him. I decided to be the negotiator, seeing as how Garruk and I have crossed paths many times.

"Jace, he wants to kill you. Maybe not as much as me, but you've still crossed him in the past," Liliana said as the others were getting ready to head from the building.

"Look, while that may be true, I am intelligent, and could smooth talk my way out almost anything. Plus, I have some of the best soldiers of the Boros, Gideon, and Ral Zarek, Teysa, Tajic, and you. I think my tail is well covered," I said.

"But what if something…."

I pressed my finger to her lips. "Shhhh….."

"Jace…" she started again.

This time I pressed my lips to hers and kissed her deeply. That same spark as earlier today ignited in me again. She felt warm, despite spending her time among the dead. Her lips were perfect and something about her made me want to continue to kiss her, but I can't. Not yet anyway. I pulled away and looked her in the eyes.

"I've enchanted an orb for you to hear and see what we do. You'll be able to hear what is being said, as well as see it. But please do me a favor, ok?" I asked.

"You know I would do anything for you," she said, her gaze holding mine.

"Stay up there. No matter what happens, no matter what is said, I need you to stay up there. They are going to be masking your mana and smell so he won't know you're here," I said.

"That's not fair…"

"You promise?" I ask, holding out my hand to pinky promise with her. She looks at my hand and stares at it for a second. She let out a deep sigh and locked pinkies with me.

"Promise," she said.

Garruk was wondering around a portion of the city just a few blocks from where the others were hiding. He was scaring several civilians and dangling a few from their shirts and necks. The shouts of 'where is she?' and 'I know she's here,' could be heard from the beastmage. I watched as he picked up a street vendor, question him and when he knew nothing, get ready to punch him.

"Put him down, Garruk," I said, blue mana erupting from my eyes.

The hulk of a man stopped mid punch and froze. His grip on the civilian relaxed, and the man tumbled to the ground and scurried away. Garruk stood to his full eight feet and turned toward me, a wicked grin on his face. He seemed rougher and the marks from the curse seemed to have spread throughout his entire body. He seemed weak, but fueled by adrenaline and sheer rage. His body was worn ragged and his temper was through the roof, so he gave a throaty growl.

"Hello, Beleren," the brute said.

"Hello Wildspeaker," I said, my stare meeting Garruk. Blue mana poured from my eyes and the urge to eradicate his existence and, end his quest for vengeance against Liliana is almost overpowering. I could do it, but then the whole of Ravnica would see me to my end. I felt the rage inside of me begin to boil, but I needed to control myself. 'Get it together, Mind Sculptor,' I thought to myself.

"Beleren, while I have a score to settle with you, today is not that day. I have not time for your mind games or tricks. I can smell her on you. She's in your hair, on your clothes. Bring her to me," he demanded, very impatient.

"No, Garruk, I'm the one you will speak to. Neither her nor anyone else. We know what happened between you two, and many of my brethren here in Ravnica would like to see your powers returned to normal."

"That time is too far gone, Beleren, she is the one who did this, and she will be the one to lift this curse. And when she does, I'll ensure she suffers for it," He stepped forward some.

"No, your business is with me right now. You will speak to me, not her. Let us take you to the Selensya shamans, they can heal you and all will be well." I stepped back some, getting closer to the building.

"WHERE IS SHE!?" his patience too far gone.

"I will not tell you!" I yell back.

He clearly had had enough of this back and forth. He reached for his axe and in one fell swoop was on me. Before I had time to react, he had his hand around my neck and was restricting my breath.

"WHERE IS SHE BELEREN?! Tell me or I'll crush the life out of you!"

"Ne…never," I managed to mutter. Garruk gave into the anger. In one quick motion, I was barreling into the opposite side of the street and into a wall. I hit the wall with such impact that all my breath was stolen. My back was on fire, and my head hurts. A warm rush began to trickle down my neck and forehead, and stained my vision red. I weakly lift my hand to my head and felt it. Pulling away my hand was covered in blood. My magic took over and began to repair the injuries I sustained, trying to stop the bleeding. I look to Garruk and see him raise his axe high over his head; somehow I felt the end coming closer than I anticipated.

"DIE, BELEREN!" He yelled.

I close my eyes, waiting for the end. But the silence never came, his axe never found its mark, he never dealt death blow. I unclench my eyes and see that stubborn, beautiful, and deliciously maddening necromancer standing just feet away from me. Her runes glowed purple, and her mana swirled her body. I could smell the death in the air. Her aura was shaking, it was so powerful. Her fists were surrounded by an intense purple flame I've never seen her wield before.

"You. Will. Not. Touch. Him," were the only words she muttered. An intense dark aura permeated the air, the sky grew black and the ground began to shake. Cracks and opening formed in the ground. One after another after another, hands burst through the ground. The sky opened up and the shrieking of banshees and specters filled the air, piercing my ears. Thousands of undead began to crawl their way to the surface, their rotting flesh and decaying bodies were endless. Endless ranks of the dead. Liliana once told me,

"For every living person, there are generations of the dead, which realm would you rather rule?'

Now those words rung truer than ever. The sheer volume and mass of her army of the damned was both menacing and astounding."

"Garruk, you may rule the beasts, but I rule every single creature whose life no longer exists. I speak with the undead and dance with the damned. I drink with the ghouls and sing with the banshees. There is no force stronger than mine, and my supply of troops is relentless. So come now, beastmage, let us see if I can drown this plane with your creature's blood," she spoke, sinister. Cruel. The beautiful queen of the undead that she is, in all her captivating beauty, spoke these next words.

"So, I give you one chance to leave, but I may I make myself clear. You will not touch him."

The beast master grinned.

"Let us settle this then, witch."