The morning light shines through the windows and disturbs my slumber. I slept very good last night, because I didn't have a care in the world. My fiancé was snuggled up next to me and her thoughts seemed peaceful. I lost myself in the steady hum of her mind and fell asleep. I roll over, and Liliana isn't there, probably downstairs getting some of the pineapple-mango juice she's been drinking like I drink scotch. Titan scampers into the room, visibly disturbed. He makes a series of loud clicks and chirps, but I can't determine what he's saying. Dipping into his mind, even once, would kill the little guy.

I take my hand, stroking him across his back, but it doesn't soothe him. He keeps spazzing out.

"Calm down, buddy. It's okay."

I stand up and shut the door, Titan phases through it. I pull on a pair of sleep pants over my boxers, just in case someone besides Lili is in the kitchen. I head downstairs, calling for her. It's strange, there's no response. There's no noise coming from the kitchen. A sudden feeling of urgency strikes me and I move with quickness into the kitchen. She's not there. I look into the foyer and living room, no one is there. The urgency goes to full blown panic as I check the bathroom and Liliana's old room. I call her name several times, but there's no response.

Suddenly, a cold wind sweeps through the house, and the door to our bedroom slams open, betraying the source of the wind. Quiet as a predator, I sneak into the room, blue mana coursing through my veins. Steeling my breath and my resolve, I press my back flat against the wall. I count to ten and pop around the corner, two zigzag blasts of ice erupting from my hands. Titan avoided the blast and chirped angrily, something in his mouth. The letter was dirty, appearing to have been drug through water and mud. I approach Titan and grab the letter, preparing magic just in case. At first, it was blank. But soon, a blue script with black edging scrawled across the paper.

Hello, Beleren..

The words continued to appear up onto the opening of the letter, I open it. It was in landscape orientation and no words appeared in the top portion. But on the bottom portion, the same hand began to show up. It slowly meanders across the page.

Let's play a game…

Just as they had appeared, the letters disappeared, only to be replaced by more.

We're hiding something of yours, so you must…

The words disappeared just like their counterparts did.

Seek.

The words disappeared and congealed into a glob at the center of the page. The blob formed a perfect oval and eight appendages grew from the sides and top of the oval. The leg like protrusions form a spider. A slit appears at the center of the oval and snaps open, revealing a horrid black eye. There was script at the bottom, and all it said was:

Hello, Jace…

So they have resurfaced. The immediate answer of where Liliana is comes to my mind. The Dimir.

…

I snap to in front of the Boros Guildgate, and a single name passes from my lips.

"GIDDDDEEEEEEONNNNNN!"

Several of the Boros guards peek from the watchtower, wondering who could be calling their general. They yelled orders back to the operators, allowing me entrance. I wasted no time, storming to the council room inside the Sunhome. Several of the guildmages and assistants who help with the meetings come to see if they can help. I dispatch them all with messages, gather the council as quickly as possible.

Shortly thereafter, Gideon came up to me, breathing hard but dressed in his armor. I knew he had heard me call to him.

"Jace, is something the matter? What on earth are you calling on me at seven in the morning for?"

I choke on my words, fearing for the woman I love.

"Gideon, Lili has been kidnapped."

His mouth dropped. He knew exactly what this meant without me telling him about the letter and all that had happened.

"I'm here, every step of the way, Jace. You know she's fighting like hell to get back to you."

"Gideon, we got engaged last night. The only thing I can think about is that I won't get to see her walk down the aisle.."

"I promise you, Jace. Liliana is not easy to break. We're going to get her back in one piece, and you WILL see your blushing bride."

About four hours passed as the council meandered in. When Ral showed up, gauntlets on and ready to fight, I tell him what happened. He squeezes my shoulder, bracingly. As each of the guilds is accounted for, I wait impatiently to start talking. The Azorius are dealing with a Rakdos problem of sorts, so neither one of those guilds are going to show. They all piled in, different colors and races. The servants of the Boros attended to all their needs-food, drinks, whatever. I observed each of them, delving into their minds Sadly, none of them was hiding information, only Gideon and Ral knew what was going on. I know no guild knows that the Dimir is trying again, like they did in the Dragon's Maze. However, this time, they took my lover, my future wife, my anchor, my stronghold, my everything. A moment passed as the council grew unnervingly quiet. I met all of their eyes in turn, they all stared, waiting.

I met they eyes of every council member in the room and they stared back intently. I thought for a moment of everything I wanted to say and wanted to do, but I cannot afford to wipe off every one of the members who would kill me or desire to. The green mages and the red mages, even some of the black mages would sooner wish for my replacement

as Guildpact more than anything else. However, I needed to be strong and show them who was in charge. Enough of their shenanigans and taunts. 'Come on, Beleren, you're a leader and you control the world at your fingertips', I thought to myself.

I cleared my throat and my head, and spoke, firmly and softly as possible. "Before any one of you jump to conclusions, jump to assumptions or insult anyone of my personal entourage or so otherwise, I will turn you into aether and scatter you across the infinite." Immediately the tension in

the room blackened and their thoughts were almost loud enough for everyone to hear them. They questioned me, my motives and my personal love life.

Honestly, it was no ones business, but her safety was top priority, and whether they could wrap their heads around it or not, Liliana was not only a personal stab at me, but it was just the beginning of a plan that not even I could determine. The Dimir, or the little we knew about them, always worked in the shadows, and every step, every move of their pawns, was a closer step to their success. I believe that if the Dimir were successful with whatever schemes they had, it would turn Ravnica into a worse hell than it already was. Maybe I was paranoid, maybe I was reading too much into this because of my time with Tezzeret and Kallist, but I knew that something bigger was going to happen.

"The Dimir have taken Liliana Vess. Stole her from our house in the middle of the night," I said flatly.

Several council members reacted, others sat with a blank face,and some stiffled a giggle. Again their thoughts bzzed, many questioned why, others had suspicions raising in their minds as too why this was important and those who opposed me laughed triumphantly in their heads.

"I know not why she was taken, but I'm fairly positive that it was to undermine me and it serves a greater plan," I started.

"People are kidnapped all the time, why does her pathetic existence matter over all that have been taken or killed." one started.

"Maybe she left to join them, after all she's left you before."

I slammed my fist to the table, trying to control the building inside of me. "YOU all, better watch the next words that leave your lips. For they so could be your last," I caught the eye of those who would see me fall, specifically the green mages who sat at our table. Such as the Gruul, the Golgari. The ones who oppose blue magic and anything to do with me. Exava cackled and smarted off,

"Well seems she went to go play in the murky waters, hope she doesn't drown."

"Don't worry Beleren, if her body comes up in the Golgari part of the Undercity we'll make sure she comes to back to you. She may have some maggots and rotting, but she'll be all the same," a Golgari mage said.

Domri Rade, a Gruul planeswalker who has swapped places with Ruric-Thar on occassion but keeps the same opinion of Liliana and I, spoke up.

"Maybe when we go on our next raid, we can find that fucking headdress and I can melt it down to use as a belt buckle for my crotch," he said, standing up and grabbing at his groin.

I had all I could take. Ice swarmed my palms and froze the table. I came down with a furious smash and the table shattered into ice. A bolt of raging blue magic erupted from my hand and sent Domri flying into the wall behind him. The temperature of the room dropped rapidly and within seconds I had a sword made of pure ice against his throat, pinning him against the wall.

"Utter another word and this sword will pierce you!" I yelled as pure blue surged through my veins and fueled me. No longer will I take their taunts, their remarks. Especially, the rude andvulgar gestures from the Gruul Clans.

"One more foul step out of line and I will personally take myself down to your homes and your lands and turn them into a barren wasteland and your bodies will serve as food for the creatures you so proudly protect. I ask not of much from any of you, except to make our co-existence here on Ravnica a much smoother one and more hospitable. I understand your violent and malevolent natures, but provoking the one who could dismiss your guild and everyone in it, I find very unwise..." at this point I looked to every guild representative, then back to Domri,"For any of you to continue your actions.

MY job is to help you all, to help establish peace and order. You all have forgotten your purpose and we will reestablish that," I yelled again. I stared intently into the Gruul planeswalker and eventually pulled the blade away and turned around. As I did, everyone stared at me with shock. Their thoughts delved to other instances and to the millennia passed. 10,000 years is a long time to be alive, and hopefully I can restore this city to its former glory and the guilds to their past glory.

I heard Domri stand up, and turned around, "Are you finished?" I asked.

"Please," he scoffs. "That was weak. Just like your little necromancing whore!"

The word 'whore' rings in my ears. I wasn't kidding. I kicked him square in the chest, knocking him against the wall. I was on him in a flash, a sword of solid ice in my hands. It goes through his shoulder, injuring him. But I wasn't satisfied. I lifted my leg and kicked the sword up to the hilt into his shoulder. Gideon gasps and Ral's thoughts are buzzing.

"Open your mouth about her once more and I'll turn you into a living head in a pool of your family's blood, Domri Rade."

He doesn't speak, blood covering his chest and shoulder now.

"Do I make myself clear?!"

He nodded, defeated.

I looked to Gideon and Ral, they both nodded and rose from their seats. They knew I needed their help.

"Tajic, you're in charge until we get back. Take him to the Selesnya Conclave. And get someone to clean this mess up."

Tajic nods as Gideon, Ral, and I walk out. I head to the house to get some things we'll need for the journey into the Undercity. My heart clenches in fear. I hope she knows I'm coming.

"Stay strong, my love.."