After Catching Fire

A/N: Just getting back into MtG again and had a hectic week; the result was this little snippet between two of the games' new primary antagonists (man I'm looking forwards to Origins and a bit more history on these guys). If you like what you read please tick the survey in the A/N below, and for my usual Naruto readers don't worry; I'm still writing TMoK and Win Some but after the week I've had I needed to write something seriously irreverent rather than somewhat serious, as the next chapter of those fics are going to be!

For those of you who follow M:tG seriously, this fic takes place after Return to Ravnica and DotP 2014; Jace has been the Living Guildpact for about six months and Tarkir hasn't happened yet.

Hope you enjoy what you read; game on!

XXX

Chapter 1 – Catch a Flame.

He'd had his suspicions, but it was when he poked his head around the door and nearly had his nose taken off by a jab of pure fire that Jace Beleren confirmed it was indeed one of those days.

It was merely fortune, the part of his mind not working overtime to keep the body it occupied from bursting into flame mused, that he'd recovered from his shock slightly quicker than the woman who'd been making Lavinia's life miserable had from hers. Dousing a roar of fire with a word and grateful his opponent hadn't resorted to the boom spells yet Jace tried frantically to come up with a reason why she was even here but, on the back foot, was drawing blanks,

"Burn", she demanded, eyes nothing more than pits into hell as a red corona surrounded her, "with regards from Keral Keep mind-mage!" A crimson sphere gathered in her hand and he swore, bracing himself to disassemble or, at worst, redirect the hostile magic before someone else entered the fray. Standing from her office chair like an avatar of judgement Lavinia brandished a newly-written writ and thundered words feared the length and breadth of Ravnica,

"Cease and desist!"

The writing shone, a mixture of blue and white mana streaking towards the fire mage and, distracted by a hasty illusion, the pyromaster was struck by the arrestors' spell. Immediately her fires dimmed; Jace couldn't read the runes from this distance but whatever enchantment Lavinia had used must have been powerful having taken so long to craft. Even so their opponent struggled, her blazing form banked but not extinguished until Jace reinforced the binding with his own blue mana, cursing the heat of her magic; even through a remote media such as his spell the firebrand singed him. Fortunately two against one swiftly prevailed and as their attacker slumped to the floor insensate Jace took a second to catch his breath before looking to his assistant,

"You all right 'Vinia?"

"Yes", only the slightest hitch in her breath told of the duel she'd just been part of as she glared at the other woman contemptuously, "I'll send for the arrestors".

"No", not even she could hold her surprise as Jace, his eyes glowing slightly as he checked the binding, shot her down before she remembered the battle and drew a logical conclusion,

"You know her?"

"Vaguely; her name's Chandra Nalaar, a pyromancer".

"I figured that much out", Jace snorted gruffly at her sardonic humour before looking pensive, trying to solve the most obvious part to this puzzle,

"Why are you here?" He asked the comatose woman aloud, the sprawled red mages' curtain of crimson hair clashing horribly with the tepid blue carpet, "Did she say anything to you; I came out here because I heard raised voices, one of them yours – knew it was serious then".

"Less serious than after you arrived", the Azorius member countered, recalling the fiery conversation with the fiery woman, "she stormed in demanding to see the Guildpact and not taking no for an answer".

"Sounds like her," Jace groaned before looking thoughtful, "but why would she want that – she didn't mention me did she?"

"No; I believe our secrecy is still secure".

"Long may that continue", the Living Guildpact said with feeling; since his coronation as the mediator of the Guilds Jace had been careful to keep his head down, not needing yet another target on his back. Fortunately those he mediated had mostly helped in this regard, his identity lost in a tide of rumours and counter-rumours that suggested a hundred different outcomes to the end of the Dragons' Maze. Most assumed he was a Gateless who worked in the Guildmeet and it was true to an extent, though props such as the false scriptures and carefully-managed Dimir operations helped quell those getting closer to the truth and spread more rumours to obfuscate what was really going on. As far as he knew only twenty people, the former Maze Runners and their paruns, should know for definite he was the linchpin of Ravnican law and perhaps a handful of others might have suspicions; chances were Chandra seeing him here had been as much of a shock for her as it had for him, or so he hoped at least.

Sighing as he massaged away a headache Jace tried to think; what would possess a planeswalker, and a pyromancer at that, to stage a ram-raid on one of the most important buildings in Ravnica? The Guildmeet building wasn't secret; he did, after all, hold a public office; but getting to the back rooms and Lavinia herself without an appointment meant skulduggery and subterfuge somewhere along the line. In fact…

"She might have been trying to steal it; the Guildpact", he clarified, "if she thinks it's a physical document that'd make sense. It's how we met; she's a, historian of sorts, though not one enamoured with the law", he explained at Lavinia's raised eyebrow, hoping the arrestor wouldn't ask too many questions; there were some secrets he hadn't yet told even those closest to him,

"I see; shall I add attempted kidnap to her charge sheet?"

"Nah", Jace shook his head after snorting at Lavinia's gruff joke, "I think you're right; she doesn't know and I've no inclination to tell her. However that's the problem; I only think and that won't change without waking her up".

"You could… but you won't", Lavinia sighed, though in all honesty she couldn't blame the mind-mage – since his mind had been all but unravelled by forcing the consciousness of ten separate and struggling people together, her included, he had been reluctant to use his abilities for mental manipulation unless absolutely necessary,

"So what do we do now? We can't leave her there; she's making my office untidy".

"A capital offence", the Living Guildpact joked, grateful to see his co-worker snicker before turning grimmer and he knew why; the woman the arrestor had just taken down had blatantly committed offence against Ravnica itself and Lavinia, and he, couldn't let that slide. He could have let his assistant deal with it but, on the other hand, he did owe the other planeswalker his life; punishment was due but surely there was a way to cast his spell and remember it? Nothing came immediately to mind so, a little reluctantly, Jace thought back through everything he knew about the red caster, even those things he had no right to know.

One of the side effects of his branch of magic was that in contact with a hostile mind, usually when duelling, he was deluged with images completely unrelated to the matter at hand, sifting through such detritus to find something vital that would overwhelm his opponent. He usually naturally forgot or, if particularly disturbing, excised such rubbish but the events of the Infinite Consortium had prevented him scrubbing the fire mage from his mind and in this case it proved a blessing. A memory he unearthed from his subconscious, a small snippet of happier times for the pyromancer, was held and scrutinised, the mind-mage recognising something he might be able to use to get both answers and slake the need for any punishment the firebrand was due, punishment he, as a living legal document, was obligated to sanction. It was unusual and a little against normal protocol but these weren't normal circumstances; 'chastisement' and 'penance' were deliberately vague legal terms for a reason. Those legal reasons and the thought that, if he were right, such actions might give him a definite victory over the belligerent pyromancer had him quickly polish the idea up and turn to the Azorius as she considered their problematic interloper,

"Lavinia", there was a sly edge to his tone, "what would you say to having an extended lunch today, say for the rest of the afternoon?"

"I'd say what are you planning and how is Chanrah involved?"

"Chan-dra; getting her name wrong's likely a good enough reason for her to try setting you on fire, not that she usually gives a reason. I don't want to press charges; gods know a lot of people want to punch me in the face and she's good reason to be one of them; but I do need to find out why she's here and mete out any sentence she's earned. I think... yes, could you carry your chair into one of the spare offices?"

"My chair? Why?"

"Don't worry I'm not going to steal it", Jace assured her, knowing she was fond of her one indulgence, "you get that and I'll get her into one of the newer offices in the east wing, they're not being used yet. I'll explain when we're there". Intrigued but trusting the man who had saved the Tenth District Lavinia nodded, retreating behind her desk as Jace stooped and hefted his burden with a huff of effort, wondering how a woman so seemingly slight could wear armour so heavy and crossing his fingers his scheme would work.

XXX

Everything was blurry and her arms and legs felt like lead; what had she been drinking? Shaking her head to get rid of the grogginess Chandra tried to rub her eyes only to realise she couldn't and jolting as she realised why; her wrists were tied to the rests of the seat she was in. Kicking did nothing either, her ankles were likewise restrained against some kind of padded rest; fear and anger shot through her as she summoned fire to burn the bindings away, the flame flaring up but doing nothing as she cursed, realising she was being held by mana bonds. She'd need a boom spell to get rid of the sinuous pearly enchantments but, at a sudden cough, realised with a surge of aggression the man before her could easily stop one before she even realised it in her head,

"Beleren", she snarled, worry drowned by ire as she saw the insufferable blue mage leant against the corner of a desk, realising with a curse he'd beaten her again with his crony's' help, "I should have offed you on Zendikar".

"For what it's worth I'm grateful you didn't", he replied, making her growl even if a small part of her mind realised he at least wasn't gloating, "I am, however, concerned you're even here. I'd like to know why".

"I'd like you to be a smoking corpse – we don't always get what we want", Chandra riposted venomously, cursing as she realised there was little give in her restraints, though at least they weren't cutting off her circulation, "try your magic on me and I'll leave your mind a wasteland, this place too when I break out of here!"

"Even if I wanted to seize your mind, which I don't, I doubt I could hold it long enough to find answers", Jace pointed out, standing to his full height and looking down at her though he didn't come closer, "and I can't affect you with my mana as you are anyway. You're inside an Azorius containment enchantment, none of your fire will breach it and before you ask it is a sphere; you can't burn through the floor and escape that way. I wouldn't try anyway, the chair is supposedly fire-proof and if you were to melt or blast it, bits will stick to you painfully and even if they don't the sphere will contain the blast and you'll be right in the middle of it. Air and sound get through, no more; I can't affect you with my mana and you can't channel any of your own".

Knowing better than to trust him Chandra spat a small flare in his direction, watching it fizzle on an invisible barrier and recognising the loss from her inner heat being replaced agonisingly slowly; she couldn't tap into anything beyond the supposed sphere. If necessary she could fuel her fire from the air itself but that was a last resort in a confined space; loathe as she was to admit it he held all the cards at the moment but that could change – she'd have to be vigilant for her chance as she had before in these kind of predicaments,

"Well done, you caught me; know what happened to the last moron who did?"

"Something deadly, painful and-stroke-or embarrassing I'd imagine", Jace hazarded a guess, relieved to see his sometime-enemy not flare up; if anything Chandra looked perplexed as he spread his hands and explained, "look, hard as this might be to believe I don't want to hurt you, probe your mind or anything else – however those I work with require answers to a few questions; nothing personal", he raised a hand at her sudden defensive look, "just some basic information. Co-operate and we can chalk this up as a misunderstanding between us and you can walk out of here – I don't want to see you do time but if it comes to it you will be a guest of the Boros".

"Not for long; hey, what..." Chandra assured him before belatedly realising something; she couldn't crane forwards enough to check but from what she could feel, " ...where are my boots?"

"Behind you; Lavinia was worried you'd worm your feet out of them. That's her binding by the way; I was in a different office while she secured you".

"I'll bet, you never do your own dirty work", the red mage muttered, a little unfairly, "typical of my luck – why are you even here anyway?

"I work here", despite himself Jace couldn't deny a thin smile of amusement as her head snapped towards him,

"You what?" The pyromancer was regarding him with her eyes almost wider than her goggles, "As in, you have a job?"

"Yes, I can't live on fresh air and it pays reasonably well". Chandra was equal parts amazed and agape,

"So, uh", she wasn't sure what to say; she'd never considered a planeswalker could hold steady employment, "what do you do?"

"Help with the smooth running of Ravnica, file paperwork, listen to a couple of grievances and, when necessary, augment security", his smirk at the last item on his list made her scowl before she buried her ire under a black humour,

"Ha, shuffling paper out of sight, suits you down to the ground – if they could find a way to shut you up whoever's got you dancing like a monkey would have it perfect."

"I could have the Boros put you on privy-cleaning duties you know, in the goblin sector?" Jace cut back, the pyromancer glaring at him as he moved on to the main topic of this conversation, "Now, can I ask why you're here at all?" Chandra regarded him levelly, fingers drumming the rests of the chair as she weighed her options; he seemed sincere but to him lying was likely easy as breathing and even then his questions carried a lot more meaning that other peoples',

"When you say here", she said carefully, knowing he'd catch her double-meaning, "do you mean here or, here?"

"Both", he glanced away as though scratching an itch on his temple; Chandra was confused, then straightened in her seat in realisation as he mimed a mouth with his fingers then pointed at her. She thought for a second before, reluctantly, nodding, bracing herself as she felt a very gentle touch at the fringes of her consciousness and heard a slight whisper,

"Don't speak", she nodded again, listening to his mental voice, "No-one knows and I've no inclination of telling them; none of them know about me either. Everyone here probably thinks you're an Izzet mage with a grudge against me; you'd not be the first. Be careful what you say and mention nothing outside of Ravnica, someone may overhear. So," she jolted, not expecting to physically hear him speak, "why were you were trying to burn our livelihood down?"

"Our?"

"Mine and my co-workers, including Lavinia; the woman you were shouting at earlier?"

"Ah, never got her name", Chandra explained breezily before memories of the attack she'd fallen victim to made her ask, "she's a hieromancer isn't she?"

"Of sorts, the Azorius draw their power from laws of the Guildpact; however enough of your questions – my employers want to know why you're in this building and I personally want to know why you're in this district at all and if what happened last time we met had anything to do with it".

"You thought what, I came looking for you", she chuckled darkly, "don't flatter yourself".

"I don't; I've got more than enough enemies already, I'd rather not have you among their number", the mind-mage said darkly, memories of past betrayals staining both his memory and his visage. Seeing this actually gave Chandra a little more confidence; despite their rogues' alliance on Zendikar she'd never been sure where she'd stood with the aloof man and knowing he didn't want to cross her was a definite relief, though he didn't need to know that,

"You weren't even on my mind, ironically", she said after a short pause; telling him some of the truth couldn't hurt and might, if she were clever, give her a new route towards her objective, "I came here, the Tenth District this is, to speak with the Izzet here".

"The Izzet – your gauntlet? I thought it was one of theirs", he admitted before a sudden thought made him groan, "Please tell me you didn't steal it".

"No I didn't", Chandra snapped, irked as her honour was impugned, "I'm not a thief Beleren and don't say about that scroll; it was ours to start with".

"What? How?"

"It was from where I was staying originally", the pyromaster explained, not wanting to mention other planes given his secrecy, "the task mage who founded the school discovered it, can't remember where. It was in our keeping before being stolen decades before I started studying there; once I found out where it was I went to get back what was rightfully ours – it was, kind of paying my way for board and lodgings".

"I see", Jace said at length, seeing no lie in her scowling expression, "perhaps I did misjudge you Nalaar, though if that was the case why didn't you raise it with the proper authorities?" Chandra rolled her eyes,

"Yes, and while I was at it I could have worn a cloak with 'please capture me' stitched onto it". She had him there, much as he didn't want to admit it; sometimes his new responsibilities made him forget just how transient, and dangerous, life as a planeswalker could be – there were many in the Multiverse who'd commit murder or worse to have scraps of knowledge about the Spark that made 'walking possible,

"Very well, you had your reasons; what were your reasons for coming to the Guildmeet? The Izzet are based in a different section of the city, or several different sections depending on how big the last explosion was". Chandra snickered then forced herself to look steely again,

"There's a reason we get on so well; I got to know a couple of their guildmages when I dropped in a while back, helped prototype some of their equipment and for my singes they gave me my armour and this", she tapped her armoured fingers against the chair rest, "while I was there this time all the word on the street was about the new Guildpact. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about and came here, then bumped into that cow on the desk..."

"Do not", Jace cut her off sternly, "call Lavinia names; she's well-earned her rank and is a close colleague of mine".

"I'll bet", he didn't need his gifts to guess what was running through her mind, "shouldn't there be rules for office conduct Beleren; there are rules for every bloody thing else around here".

"There are and there is nothing between us".

"You're no fun", Chandra complained, his wintry tone stifling her joke at his expense, "so, uh, can I go now?"

"Not quite yet; Lavinia said you wanted to see the Guildpact, is this true?"

"Didn't I just say that?"

"No you said you got curious – were you kicking up a racket because she wouldn't grant you access?"

"That and she's so damn cold; it was all 'please take a seat' and 'you don't have an appointment' – honesty one more question for identification and I would have snapped".

"As opposed to snapping when you saw me", Jace put in, "why did you want to see the Guildpact though?"

"I, ah", she began before shrugging, "I'd heard about it last time I was here and now there was a new one everyone was talking about so why not get a look in?" Jace regarded her for a long moment and her spirits rose a touch,

"You are an exceptionally bad liar", just in time for him to crush them back down, "the truth please Nalaar?"

"That is the truth". She saw him mutter something unintelligible and braced herself, ready to fight tooth and nail against his invading mind but to her surprise her inquisitor breathed slowly, pacing towards her chair and coming to a halt in front of her but not looking threatening as he had during their duel. Something here didn't make sense,

"They won't accept that Chandra; I don't think you realise how serious this is", and even his tone wasn't right; when she'd had the unconscious mind-made at her mercy she'd felt little but triumph – seeing her humbled like this, he sounded almost regretful, "I know everyone jokes about how foolish it is that the Guilds are dictated to by a piece of paper but everyone in this building, me included, takes a threat to the Guildpact as a life-or-death event. People have done time for even testing security but I see no reason to add your name to that list; I don't want to use harsher methods but I will if I have to".

"Why aren't you using them already?" Curiosity had ever been her vice, though this time hindsight gave her a reason to be doubtful, "you did before." Jace looked away, expression falling like he'd bitten something sour,

"Because before I was stupid; now", he faced her again, a mask over his emotions as Chandra mimicked him; friends had set her on this path and she did not betray friends, "why did you want to see the Guildpact?"

"I was curious about it".

"The whole truth".

"Curiosity", she said stubbornly, "that's my truth, it's not my fault you're paranoid". Jace looked resigned and she braced herself; whatever happened next wasn't going to be as bad as the Enervents and she'd gotten her revenge against them just as she would against the blue mage as soon as she was out of this chair,

"You're determined to force my hand then? Fine you copper-topped mule, just remember I tried to help", she scowled at the insult, preparing to resist the coming assault as nerves writhed in her belly; she'd been interrogated, even tortured before but this was different. Before it was by strangers and they could only harm her flesh; Beleren had fought and beaten her once and despite the touch of the Purifying Fire she had horrors in her head she feared more than any hurt. However again he surprised her, stepping around rather than forwards as she tracked his progress, unsettled that he wasn't trying to invade her mind as he'd spoken into it earlier,

"Remember our first duel Chandra?" He spoke as he drifted towards her peripheral vision, "Overall I regret it; I could have handled that whole tasking a lot better. Still, given our current situation, there was one advantage to it happening", try as she might the chair was too heavy to slew around to follow him, though if he breached or stepped through the bubble separating them he'd get a hot reception. As his hand reached towards her trapped arm she tried, the stream of fire she breathed rebuffed by an almost invisible sheen as the enchantment folded inwards, protecting him. Cursing, she ceased the attack to conserve her mana as the material of the chair arm began to bubble and she smelt something foul, forced to watch as he pressed something on the side of the chair arm,

"Huh?" As the seat began to sink and dragged her with it confusion overwhelmed her earlier panic, "What are you doing – what kind of chair is this?"

"Lavinias; it lets her catch a few minutes of sleep if we have to stay late", Jace informed the pyromancer, holding the recline button down, "anyway, during our first fight I saw many things in your memory. For that I apologise, and I mean it", he said, his apparent sincerity defusing her accusatory look with surprise, "but I can't take it back and most of the time I forget such things anyway. However in your case I saw enough to know something about you Chandra Nalaar, something I'm sure you'd want to keep secret".

"Blackmail? Sounds like your normal game", she spat as he finally let whatever he was holding down go, trying to wrench her legging-clad ankles free of their mystical restraints; now the seat had fallen back she could feel her shins were now outside the enchantment but couldn't channel mana through them, the spell blocked it, "damn it what are you playing at; why don't you just rip it from my mind like you did last time?"

"Because I was younger and stupid, incredibly stupid last time", it was the self-recrimination in his voice that stopped her struggles, the fire mage gazing up as Jace took a deep breath, "but I learned better ways of getting what I need, something this job helped me with no end." Despite herself Chandra chuckled,

"I can just see the ad you signed up for; office worker wanted, must have no personality and fewer emotions. Experience in interrogation preferred, perversion an advantage". Jace snorted before pulling himself together and regarding her beadily,

"I resent that perversion remark".

"He said to the tied-down woman", Chandra snickered, waving her bound hands and making him snort again before looking at him plaintively, "look I'm telling the truth, mostly; can't you just make a good story up for whatever wind-bags hired you? Just tell them I wanted to melt your face off; one look at you should be enough to convince them."

"Sadly no", suddenly Jace wasn't quite as sorry as he had been about what was going to happen if she continued her mulish streak but he offered a last chance anyway, "please Nalaar, I don't want to have to put what I know to use".

"I'm not lying; I heard about the new Pact on the str..."

She never had the chance to finish as Jace ran a finger up her left sole.

It was the surprise more than the sensation that made her gasp; for a second she was confused before panic returned redoubled,

"No, you ca-ahh", another trail of lightning was left up her right foot, "stop that!"

"Ah, good, it never showed here specifically but I hoped it would work; still not talking?" The shake of her head was reflexive as she gripped the arm-rests so hard they creaked, mentally swearing that next time she was on Regatha she was going to strangle Brannon. The brat had only found out by accident, nudging her in the side during a break from practice; her hasty excuse that he had cold hands hadn't held water and he'd sprung, managing to get a few laughs out of her before she wrestled him to the floor and exacted retribution. It hadn't stayed a secret of course; few things did around the free-speaking students of the Keep; but it was seldom mentioned and never taken advantage of – her revenge tended to be both spectacular and embarrassing and for the man who must have seen that memory and now leant forwards with intent it was going to be both,

"Don't you...!" She was cut off, biting her lips shut as hell began on her right heel. She couldn't get away; even when she tried to cross her feet she was thwarted as Jace simply held her left out the way while commenting idly,

"I wonder; can your face can go redder than your hair?" She managed to glare for an instant before squeezing her eyes shut, the terrible sensations driving her to thrash like a gaffed fish as they ascended up her sole,

"You'll pop your lungs if you don't breathe soon, though having said that I remember you had a talent for deep breaths. You have to let it out eventually", he crooned, trying not to take too much pleasure in her suffering as the back of the pyromancer's head bounced off the cushioned headrest, Chandra's fixed grin threatening to split her cheeks as a few snickers forced their way through, then he hit the ball of her foot and all hope was lost,

"Pfffaahhhahahahaha", her laughter was loud, raucous and uncontrollable, "stop, stohohohohohohohohop!" Jace did, wishing he had a seat of his own as murder glittered in her topaz eyes,

"I'm going to kill you; there won't even be cinders left!"

"I'm sure", he said disinterestedly, further kindling her mottled face as her pressed on, "why were you after the Guildpact?"

"To shove it up your ar-aaaahhh!" He hit her left this time, shattering her resistance with surprise, "let gohohohohohohoho! Hate you, I hahahahahahahate you; eeehehehehehehe!"

"You break my heart", Jace replied, holding her right foot at bay and gripping her left ankle with one hand while continuing the assault with the other. Unable to escape or even relieve the torment Chandra was almost bucking off her seat, Jace left grateful Lavinia's chair had a low centre of gravity and no wheels; it wouldn't tip regardless how much the trapped pyromancer struggled,

"Speak and it stops".

The firebrand couldn't speak, couldn't do anything but shriek and swear through the torture she was being put through. Only her brother, years before her ignition, had made her suffer like this and not even he'd done it twice after she was through with him; she'd forgotten how much she'd hated it then and even worse now it shut down any casting she might have tried. All the combat spells she knew required her to focus on wrath, anger, fury or passion, impossible while she was being driven out of her mind laughing. Silently cursing herself and Jace both she was forced to endure until suddenly she was heaving down air, panting and shaking the lingering tingles away before glaring at her torturer,

"Hate you, so much".

"You're doing this to yourself, and would you rather this or cleaning the rot-farm drainage system?" Chandra thought for a second before smirking insouciantly,

"At least the Golgari would be better-looking." Irked by her cheek Jace poked both her soles warningly, eliciting a squeak before speaking again,

"Why you were after the Guildpact?"

"I'm not talking!"

"Don't be a fool – I know you're not stupid Chandra, stop acting like it! I can't stop for either of our sakes and if you don't tell me you'll get far worse from people whose job it is to extract confessions; I'm on your side you stubborn mare!"

"Yeah, feels like it", Chandra shot back, the fire back in her belly during this brief respite, "just tell them what I told you, it's the truth!"

"They won't, or I can't be sure they'll accept that", Jace tried to explain the situation both of them were now in, "they'll want to know specifics, reasons, even exact passages. If I give them less than that you'll take a public flogging for threatening the Guildpact and that's if you're extremely lucky. Just tell me what you were after; I'll explain there was a misunderstanding in Lavinia's office and bad-blood between us kicked off the fight. You won't be an enemy of Ravnica – just for once make things easy for yourself."

"And owe you one? I'd rather diaaiiieeeeee!"

"Fine", Jace roared over her howling as he resumed his interrogation, trying to keep his mind on his duty and a smile off his face; Chandra had always been fierce and tenacious in the past so seeing her in such a ridiculous state of hysterics was terribly amusing, "clichéd it might be but this really is for your own good!"

"Aaaahahahahahahaha, goohohohohohod? Lemme go, not fahahahahahahair!"

"Neither was throwing a ball of fire at me when I wasn't expecting it; I almost lost my eyebrows".

"No greheheheat lohohohohohosss, oh gods stop! Theheheheheis is torture!"

"No; if I were doing this", try as he might he couldn't resist; as his fingers scribbled quickly across her soles Chandra almost levitated, expression twisted into a frozen grin from which only a whining keen escaped before he stopped to let her breathe, "that would be torture; what I'm doing is, uh, hands-on persuasion".

The pyromasters' face was lost behind her hair, Chandras' flailing having sent it flying in an auburn whirl. Spitting it out and smoothing it down as best she could after recovering the fire mage met his smile with a triumphant grin of her own, bracing herself for his inevitable revenge; she might be suffering but she'd be damned if she let a chance like that slip by,

"Is that what you tell all the girlsseehehehehehehehehe, worth it! Eeeeheehe-aaahh," she convulsed forwards as Jace upped the ante, attacking with both hands simultaneously and doubling her torment, "toohohohohoho much, I can't take it!"

"You don't have to – tell me the truth!"

"Goho to heehehehehehehell! No", she squealed desperately as his fingers traced upwards, "not my tohohohohohoes; help, hehehehehehelp!"

"They can't hear you", Jace assured her viciously, giving up in the battle to remain aloof and smirking in triumph as he drew his hands back, relishing the terrified anticipation in her eyes, "the truth, or else." Swallowing hard, she managed to shake her head,

"Heee-no, never!"

"You asked for it!" Jace burrowed his fingertips in under her legging-clad toes and the firebrand was immediately reduced to an animalistic howl of mirth, arched almost into a bow in an attempt to escape her teasing torturer, "Oh that works – what about, here?"

"Eeeheeeee, stohohohop; I'm crying", she sniffed harshly, trying to force air down as her vision fractured, "let me breheheheheath!"

"Big toe's bad then, what about this one, or this?"

"Gaah yohohohohou're evil! Reheheheheheheally evil – heeeeek!" Chandra's shrieks grew worse as he methodically worked along her digits, and then there was an inhalation that almost made the walls bow in as he toyed with her littlest. She went rigid, pallor draining from her cherry-red face so fast Jace let go fearing she'd faint, her chest fluttering as she drew in air before groaning,

"Oowww, stitch", she croaked, tapping her left ribcage with her elbow as best she could, tears of delirium filming her eyes as she made a humble request, "give me a break, please".

"You can have all the time you need if you give me the truth".

"I can't, it", she caught herself just in time but Jaces' interest was piqued; left with nowhere to really go she lowered her head so he wouldn't see her lips move and whispered, "the Izzet, friends". Jace understood and in many ways respected her loyalty; because of that his answer was equally as soft,

"Keep your head down", Chandra glanced up before the seriousness in his face convinced her to obey, "nod or shake; you're not working for them are you?" He was more relieved than he let on when she shook her head; had she been an agent of any Guild little he could have done would have been able to save her from the gears of the state. That she was a free agent, and he believed her, gave him a little more leeway,

"I'll do all I can to keep them out of this", he said solemnly, Chandra's expression both confused and grateful as she looked up at him, more or less recovered, "what did they tell you?"

"Something I can't tell you; no, please", as he spread his fingers menacingly she sacrificed her pride on the altar of hope, "Jace I can't; they didn't know anything for sure; that's why I came here, to find out about it, honest".

"You came here to find something out, something about the Guildpact? What and why?"

"I told you I don't know for sure; it was a rumour at best and the second one, uhh", to his amazement she seemed genuinely embarrassed before eventually muttering, "I really was just curious." Despite himself Jace chuckled, regarding the other planeswalker with an air of humorous long-suffering,

"Only you hot-head", lingering ache dissipated and despite her predicament Chandra stuck her tongue out at him; she'd always hated that nickname, "curiosity kills cats you know?"

"Do I look like a mog-person to you?"

"No, you look like something else", Jace drawled, one of the office jokes popular a few months ago popping up in his mind, "laughing girl say what?"

"What-ahahahahaha, cheat!" Dimly Chandra realised she'd have to remember that one, the rest of her was too busy bucking against her restraints and fighting to keep other issues at bay, "Jace stohohohop, I-noooaaaahahahahahaha, not there! Please, plehehehehehehease", she was left unable to speak as the mind-mage, alerted following a fortuitous slip, attacked the sides and arches of both her feet in turn, reducing her to helpless hysterics until her frantic flailing finally managed to bat his fingers away enough to shriek a warning, "I gotta gohohoho!"

"Really? That's unfortunate", Jace's grin was almost as wide as his victims; he honestly couldn't remember the last time he'd had so much fun and the worm of guilt was assuaged with the knowledge she'd have faced far crueller censure if not for him, "Lavinia will be upset; she loves that chair".

"Stohohohohop, I'm begging yohohohohou!"

"You make me stop; you say when and tell me this rumour and this all, goes, away", he drew the words out with feather-light swipes to where her toes met her feet proper, the sensation making Chandra yelp before she gritted her teeth menacingly; she couldn't win but she'd be damned if she didn't go down without making him work,

"Never", she declared after snatching a breath, watering eyes flashing with defiance, "never, nevahahahaha, Jace dohohohohon't! Hehehehehe come on, no mohohohore; merceeehehehehe!"

"All out of that Chandra", he declared, determined to finish her resistance and get to the bottom of this mystery, "now you suffer until you speak!"

She did suffer, for how long she'd never know but it felt like forever; she couldn't even pretend to faint as she had before; Jace changed pace too well. One second she'd be on the outer edges of delirium, the next he'd slow down and let her come back to herself slightly – she wasn't sure if she'd die or go mad first. Her bladder was a big, aching ball just below her belly and every laugh sent ripples through it but she refused to go quietly, it went against everything she was to give in. Only when she could truly take no more did she at last capitulate tired, sore and with mirthful tears tracking the sides of her nose,

"Alright when, whehehehen", despite his mental oaths to be calm at his inevitable victory Jace couldn't quite suppress a hiss of triumph as at last his headstrong enemy yielded, though he immediately let go and stepped back as the exhausted woman slumped into a semi-swoon; he gave her several heartbeats to recover before stepping forwards,

"The truth then, quickly". She looked up at him and, dredging up her last reserves, cracked an exhausted smile to claim a petty victory,

"Sorry, changed my miiiiiehehehehehe!"

"Two breaths Chandra", he'd half-expected this and made plans to deal with it, "two breaths after you say when again. If you don't tell me after those two breaths I won't stop until you disgrace yourself, I don't care if I have to buy Lavinia a replacement chair."

"I'll talk, I'll tahahahahalk", she shrieked aloud, writhing and giggling for a little longer as, slightly wiser this time, Jace gave her right sole a last few warning prods before he settled back with a warning,

"That's one".

"Alright, listen", she panted, trying to think how best to word this without getting either herself or her friends in the Izzet in trouble, "they told me about, the new Pact and, how it got signed. They said it, had some, spell to..."

"...Serve the Izzet right?" Jace suddenly said loudly, though as she looked at him confused his severe expression cut through both her confusion and her mirth to chill her to silence, "I knew you were gullible Chandra but this... for the love of the gods the Dimir have a lot to answer for. It's one of Ravnicas' commonest jokes, or rumours, trust you to fall right for it – tell the Izzet this; there is no spell for any Guild contained within the Guildpact and we get at least three or four people from each Guild asking every week, much to the despair of the greeting staff at the front desk. You should have told me this earlier; it would have saved us both a lot of grief".

Even as he spoke he put a finger to his lips before standing and striding to the far end of the room, reaching out to two small items Chandra hadn't noticed during her captivity stuck to the wall. They appeared to be small spheres, though what they were she didn't know or much care; they were keeping the evil man away, that was good. She remained quiet, her lungs aching and feet still tingling as he came to stand back before her, the two spheres in his hands as he raised them to eye-level,

"Given the evidence and extenuating circumstances of bad blood between individuals I, Jace Beleren, being a public servant of good standing in Ravnica hold that the accused, Chandra Nalaar, has paid just penance for her crime of public disorder and affray within the Guildmeet by this interrogation, confession and subsequent imprisonment. This declaration is noted and witness via recording, cease recording; they're shut down now, luckily for you".

"What are those things?"

"Never mind them", Jace was looking both severe and worried as he asked his next question, "the spell the Izzet told you about; was it called the Supreme Verdict?"

"The what?" She didn't know the name, "I don't know, they didn't either; they just said it might be a big boom spell".

"And you went straight after it", his tone was somewhere between resigned and disappointed and hearing it hurt a little, much to her surprise, "well forget about it, and don't mention it to anyone on Ravnica or anywhere else".

"It does exist then?" Jace seemed conflicted for a moment before shaking his head,

"Not anymore; it was the fail-safe for if the Guilds didn't ratify the new Pact. It's not a power anyone should have least of all planeswalkers, me included", he added at her withering look, explaining as he went on, "it's too dangerous; it would have annihilated the Tenth District and everyone in it had it gone off."

"That's a big boom", Chandra said quietly, though her tone was one of calculation rather than want, "it's, or was that powerful?"

"Worse than you can imagine, now forget about it".

"Or what?" It wasn't the smartest question she could have asked given current circumstances but she asked anyway; if nothing else Jace had done little lasting to her when he could have had free reign, though his sudden smile was disconcerting to say the least,

"Or I will be forced to use the blackmail you were so afraid of; do you know what these are?" He held up the spheres and she shook her head, "They're an Izzet invention, used to capture events as they unfold; stops the Guildmeet needing eye-witnesses to every event we, they have to oversee. I always have two or three close at hand and, as you see", he pointed one at the back wall and suddenly it was illuminated, the blood draining from Chandra's face as she heard and saw part of her ordeal played out again, "they can re-show what they've seen. Now I should hand one to the Guildmeet", she could only shake her head, eyes wide with terror as she realised what he was saying, "but I think I'll hang onto it for now. The other; well let's just say if you cause any more trouble in my town I can think of a few people who'd be very interested in what's in this little bubble, Keral Keep for instance?"

"No", she blurted; if Mother Luti saw that her life wouldn't be worth living, "you can't!"

"I can for the next month or so", once more the show played and she cringed at the spectacle she'd made of herself under the mind-mages' torture before she heard him speak again, "see that little number in the bottom left corner? That's how many days the image will stay in the box; so, stay out of mischief for thirty days and nothing more will be said of this whole affair – reasonable?"

"I'm going to kill you", she swore, looking him full in the face as she made that dire promise, "slowly, violently and with as much blood as possible I'm going to murder you and dance on your grave!"

"Very well then, to Regatha I go..."

"No, alright", she relented as he began to breathe in a pattern she recognised, preparing to 'walk away, "you're safe until next month but I'll never forgive you for this Jace Beleren; I will get even and you'll wish you'd never been born when I do!"

"Promises, promises", he declared nettlingly, Chandra growling with sheer frustration as he moved to open the office window, "I'll leave that open; you can get out when the bonds snap".

"Snap; wait", a sudden fear shot through her as she pressed her legs together, "you can't leave me here; I've got to, you know!"

"Well I did say subsequent imprisonment; they should wear off in an hour or so", her eyes widened, the ache doubling again at the thought, "the privy's third on the left down the hallway, and Chandra", his tone was evil personified as he slipped the recording spheres under his robe, "I meant what I said about causing trouble. This is between us for now but just one mysterious fire I can link to you and I'll make sure these get a decent audience". He turned so she wouldn't see his long-denied smile, oblivious to her shouts as he moved towards the exit,

"Jace, Jace damn it", she wriggled in her bonds, trying desperately to see if they were loosening at all, "bastard whore's son, I'll crisp you! I'll burn you to ash and piss-ohh", the word made her gut cramp as the door swung shut behind him, ignoring her last dire threat,

"There'll be a reckoning you goblin-fondler!"

A short time later, thankfully a lot less than an hour, in quick succession a few wisps of mana dissipated, a red-haired woman set a speed record for sprinting from the knees down and a sigh of pure relief filtered through a privy wall in the Guildmeet building of Ravnica. Finally rid of that burden Chandra considered everything that had happened as she snapped her boots back on; Jace had to die, that was a given, but he had looked both sincere and afraid concerning that Supreme Verdict thing – perhaps it'd be best to, if not forget, at least tell the Izzet it was a myth, or that she hadn't found anything out? She thought about breaking the chair she'd been confined in but the sword now over her neck prevented the petulant revenge; as she eased herself out the opened window and dropped to the ground outside she began to think of a way to dodge that axe.

Jace had said a month, she could lay low that long and find out if what he said about the recording was true. The Izzet were never short of projects to tide her over for coin and she knew where he worked now; she would have to concoct a particularly gruesome revenge for the torment she'd just gone through. Yes, this would take time and she had plenty of that; when she was through with him the mind-mage of Ravnica would be either dead or wishing he was and his fate would be a warning to the whole Multiverse of what awaited those who'd tickle a pyromancer!

However, even consumed by indignation as she was, she couldn't quite crush the merest hint of a smile hovering on the corner of her lip as she joined the main street of Ravnica and was lost in the crowd in an instant.

XXX

A/N: Like I said, seriously irreverent (for now); this fic assumes DotP 2014 happens at about the same time as Return to Ravnica, hence the two planeswalkers meeting again here six months after both. Regarding this fic I've got a few options so if you want to review, tell me what you'd like to see:

1 – Keep it as a one-shot.

2 – Another chapter detailing Chandra's revenge!

3 – A full story, albeit with slow updates given my other commitments.

Let me know and I'll see when I can continue this one – until then thanks to those who've offered support for my novel (no news yet though, sad panda face!) and keep duelling.