The first episode of the March of the Machine: The Aftermath story picks up with Nissa digging a hole to bury the Phyrexian husk that she previously wore before her friends saved her at the end of the previous chapter in the Magic story.
The impact of no longer having a spark is heavy and all-consuming as she struggles with everyday life on Zhalfir — a plane she has no real connection with. Chandra helps her dispose of the exoskeleton and tells Nissa she is going to leave the next day to look for Ajani who planeswalked away. Chandra remains one of the few who still can planeswalk following the events of the March of the Machine story. Teferi, Karn, and Koth all have lost the ability to planeswalk, signaling that others lost their spark without being compleated.
Nissa goes to visit Wrenn’s old sprout and is attacked by a storm elemental in the shape of a giant bear that reached Zhalfir through an inter-planar portal. She tries to fight it off with her weakened magic, but the beast gets the best of her. Teferi, Koth, and Karn save her but the creature escapes. Nissa wonders if the beast could be from another plane and Karn responds by telling her it is possible and that Realmbreaker burrowed holes through the fabric of reality and the Sylex exploded in the Blind Eternities. No one really knows what has changed.
Nissa later tries to get some rest, but the storm elemental returns and lays waste to the village. Nissa attempts to take it down, but once again is unable to stop it with her limited magic abilities. Chandra shows up to help and Nissa animates a tree to join the battle. The bear destroys the tree and inhales the steam that comes from the water inside of the tree meeting Chandra’s fire. The steam supercharges the beast and it grows in size. The beast traps Nissa and Chandra in the hole where the tree had grown, leaving them to formulate a plan to fight back.
Chandra encourages Nissa to attempt to connect with the leylines like she previously could and Nissa manages to communicate and apologize to Zhalfir. Nissa feels magic flood back into her and she joins forces to overload the beast with steam, causing it to disintegrate and fade into steam that forms a storm cloud. Rain falls and the two are able to be open with each other and express their love like never before.
The episode ends with Nissa and Chandra approaching the portal, hoping to use it to find Zendikar after Nissa claims she can hear her home music through it. Without the ability to planeswalk, the step through the portal could mean the end to Nissa. Despite this potential danger, she takes a leap of faith with Chandra and enters the portal.