The Magnitude of True Love

Chapter Eight: Un Cyfle Arall

  Title Meaning: Welsh (In honor of William Herondale) for one more chance.  

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Alexander. He's calling me Alexander again. That means we might still have a chance. I've had plenty of chances, but he's giving me one more chance. One last chance.

"Alec, call for backup from the Enclave and try to save the survivors." If there are any. "Isabelle and Jace, start fighting!" Mother was throwing orders at us, and we had a limited amount of time to carry them out. If we didn't get there fast enough, more people could die; if more people die, we have failed at what we were created to accomplish. I have to get my emotions out of my mind. Emotions are a distraction. They distract you from what you need to do. As a shadowhunter, you can't let emotions get to you. If they do, you find a way to ignore them, and you get back to what you need to do. Emotions will get you killed. I sent a message to the Enclave and rushed to find the survivors. There were mundanes all over lying on the grass, colored brown from the drying blood on each single blade beneath them. I walked among the graveyard of lost souls and there was not a single survivor. Every person had their whole chest ripped out. Some even had blood covering their arm as if they were the one to kill the person next to them. It was odd, they were lying dead on the ground in pairs. I stopped to look around me. From where I was, I couldn't see any unusual formations. I wonder if one could be seen from above. I think I could probably find a balcony near-

"Alec! Watch out!" What the fu- thud!

"F*ck! He got knocked out cold," Jace pointed out.

"Are there any injuries?" Izzy asked worriedly.

"By the angel, what happened?" Maryse asked running over to the three siblings.

"He got knocked out by a demon wing," Izzy recounted.

"What?" Maryse asked concerned. I can faintly hear voices.

"There was a demon flying around, and it hit Alec in the back of the head. The demon was probably trying to escape," Izzy explained worried for her brother's well-being.

"We need to check for injuries and get him back to the infirmary," Jace interjected. I feel like I'm being lifted...Ah! My head feels like it's going to burst. And what is that extreme warmth I'm feeling on the back of my neck.

"I think he's waking up!" Is that Izzy's voice? "It's okay Alec, we're almost back to the institute. It will be okay. It has to be okay." I've never heard her sound so vulnerable. I can't open my eyes, and I can't even move my legs. Actually, I can't move anything. What happened. I don't remember anything. "We're back home, Alec. Soon, we'll be in the infirmary." I think if I try hard enough, I may be able to open my eyes.

"Izzy, look! He's opening his eyes!" Jace yelled excitedly. Yes, finally! I can see.

"Thank the angel! We're almost there, Alec. We just walked into the institute." Izzy...

"We're nearing the door, brother." Jace? I don't know how much longer I can stay awake.

"Jace! He's closing his eyes!"

"No, Alec! Stay awake! Stay awake! You are not going to die! You hear me?"

"Okay, we're here. Let's lay him down on the bed, Jace."

"Alec, we're going to look for injuries now. Okay?"

"Shit, Izzy. He's not responding."

"He's still breathing, Jace."