Return to Ravnica

“I am Mirko Vosk,” the vampire said. “And it appears you’ve bested those Rakdos lackeys. Thank you. You’ve spared me the trouble.”

“You’re Dimir,” said Emmara.

“Unlucky for you. But it’s time I collected you, my dear, as my master does not like to be kept waiting. And you, Beleren, will be a bonus—he’s had his eye on you for some time.”

***

Kavin climbed tier after tier of luminous stairs, slowly spiraling his way up through one of the towers of New Prahv. He had a writ of passage in hand, signed by the head of the Azorius gate-guard, and he showed it to each bureaucrat, scribe, or lawmage he encountered. Anyone looking at the vedalken man would have said his face looked placid, but there was a hardness in him that could have ground stone to dust.

A pair of flanking guards opened the door for him. Lavinia’s office was surprisingly compact.

“It’s been a long time, Kavin,” said Officer Lavinia. “Tea?”

Kavin walked in and sat down opposite her small desk. “Thank you for meeting with me.”

“You said you have information for me? About Jace Beleren?”

“I do.”

“Where is he?”

“I do not know his current whereabouts.”

“When did you last see him?”

“It was three days ago. He brought me to an inn near his sanctum, where I worked for him on his research. But that sanctum has been destroyed. I assumed you knew that much.”

“What kind of research did he conduct there?”

“I cannot recall many of the specifics. At that last encounter, he destroyed most of my memories related to what we had discovered.”

“He is capable of magic that destroys memories?”

“Yes.”

“And he used this magic to prevent you from remembering your research?”

“Yes. But as he performed the memory destruction spell, I fled. I was able to record some notes to myself before the spell was complete.” Kavin produced a scroll of hastily-scrawled lettering and set it on the desk. “I don’t understand everything I wrote, but it’s written in my hand. I wrote of clues found carved in city buildings, and of a message written in an ancient Azorius code. I wrote of a path that the Izzet are attempting to discover, that could lead to power that could unbalance the guilds. And at the end, I wrote your name.”

“I’m very glad that you did.”

“You realize I have no way of knowing that any of what I wrote is true. I still feel that these notes might be part of some elaborate joke. But I thought that it was something that should be brought to the attention of the proper authorities.”

Lavinia set down her cup and folded her hands. “You should come back to us, Kavin. You were a good lawmage. We could use you.”

“That’s not my life anymore. Besides, the Guildpact is gone. Old Prahv is gone. I’ve no place in this guild anymore.”

“Are you sure it isn’t sentimentality, Kavin? Loyalty to that man you call Master Beleren?”

“Don’t insult me. How loyal could I be? I’m here, aren’t I?”

“Yes, you are. Kavin, would you be interested in helping us contacting Beleren?”

“You mean setting a trap.”

“I mean doing what it takes to restore order in this district.”

“He may not be of much use. He was planning on destroying his own memories, as well. He might know less than I do.”

“Did you know that a high-ranking Selesnya official was with Beleren, on the night the sanctum was destroyed?”

“Yes, I remember that much. His friend, Emmara Tandris.”

“A favorite of Trostani, the dryad sisters. Were you aware that she was abducted on that same night? And that neither have been seen since?”

“I was not. You’ve confirmed this?”

“Much more is going on than you know, Kavin. Come back to us.”

“But it’s like I told you, Lavinia. He won’t know anything about this maze. If he’s anything like me, he’s lost his mind.”

“That may be. And maybe that’s all the better for him. Right now that might be the only thing that’s keeping him alive.”

TO BE CONTINUED …