The Rise Of The Morningstar (Eng. Version)

Chapter 25 - What Lays in the Past

Chapter 25 – What Lays in the Past

I floated in mid-air for several moments, unable to scream because I couldn't breathe. My stomach gave an awkward lurch and I tried to keep my hand on my stomach. But it seemed like my body no longer existed. It felt like I was part of the glowing vortex now. Without a body, only my soul seemed to exist.

I heard a gasp from far away. Then my body was back and I hit the ground with full force. My fingers dug into cold dirt and I pressed my lips together trying not to inhale the dust. Only now did I feel the cold surrounding me. An icy wind pressed against my limbs and blew my tangled hair in the air. The ground beneath me was wet.

I tried to get up, but all strength had left my body. Gasping, I rocked onto my side and finally fell onto my back. Stinging cold pierced my gear. I opened my eyes exhausted. A bright blue sky took up my entire view and for a moment I flinched from the brilliant light. My eyes slowly became sharp.

I was lying on a snow-covered patch of grass that stretched out in all directions. Somewhere near Alicante, I knew that because the forest stretched everywhere far away from the city and the meadows there were a lot smaller.

The swearing of a familiar voice made me take in my immediate surroundings. A few meters from me knelt Adam and Jace, who had obviously managed better landings than me. Adam's eyes widened in a gesture of equal measure amazed and amused, looking at the wasteland around us. Jace was patting his clothes, looking angry, confused, and amazed at the same time. Then, in a synchronous movement, they turned their heads in my direction. If I didn't know better, I thought I saw a flash of shock on both their faces for a brief moment when they saw me lying on the ground. But even now, Jace was adept at burying that slip-up behind his mask. If I hadn't imagined it because I hit my head.

"Clary, are you alright?" Adam came running towards me and looked down at me in concern. Jace took a step forward too, only to stop.

I nodded and flexed my muscles again. They were stiff and heavy, but at least I could move them now. "The rune," I tried to say and cleared my throat. "It took all my strength." I sat up carefully and let my gaze wander over the ice landscape again. In the distance you could actually make out Alicante, but a white mist lay over the city.

We had landed on a rise near a wide hill. At its highest point loomed a dark estate. Wooden planks were hammered across the windows, the roof looked ramshackle and the overall appearance was as if the house had been abandoned years ago. It seemed dead.

"This is the Wayland estate," Jace said, following my gaze. His voice couldn't hide the obvious surprise at this situation.

I smiled to myself as I watched him. Almost automatically I thought back to the words he had said after I told him about the dream with Ithuriel. It's all one big show. I wanted to throw the exact same words at him, but he didn't pay me any attention.

Adam helped me get to my feet. They trembled from the exertion, but I could feel new energy coursing through my veins with each breath. Like when you have to recover from a hard sprint.

"You just created a portal," Adam stated. A smile curled his lips. "I thought only warlocks could do that." A rocky path led up the hill to the dark house. Without consulting us, Jace marched off. We followed him.

I shrugged and carefully pulled away from Adam, who had been supporting me until now. His green eyes looked down at me, an unfathomable expression in them. I gave him a grateful smile and then shrugged. "But usually you have to think of a place before you go through it. I didn't think of a place and yet we were taken to the Wayland estate." Could this be coincidence?

"Do you think we ended up here on purpose?" Adam asked, voicing my thoughts. He frowned and turned his head up at Jace, who was blocking his view of the mansion. He had stopped on a small ledge, the stones creaking under his boots. He looked down on us almost imperiously.