The Guardian~Magnus Bane Love Story

50. Three Reasons

Warning: This chapter may contain triggers. It will defiantly be a little deep. There's even a song at the top to listen to, so you can feel even sadder!

We made it only a few feet into the tunnel before we found the way blocked with a metal gate.

Alec cursed, looking back over his shoulder. The cave entrance was just behind us, and through it I could see orange sky and dark, circling shapes.

"No–this is good," Jace said, stepping closer to the gate. "Look. Runes."

Runes were indeed worked into the curves of the metal.

"They're protections runes," Clary said. "Protection against demons."

"Good," said Simon, casting another anxious glance back over his shoulder. "Because the demons are coming–fast."

Jace shot a glance behind them, then seized the gate and yanked at it. The lock burst, shedding flakes of rust. He pulled again, harder, and the gate swung open; Jace's hands were shimmering with suppressed light, and the metal where he had touched it looked blackened.

He ducked into the darkness beyond, and we followed, Isabelle reaching for her witchlight. Simon came after, I followed, then Alec last, reaching out to slam the gate shut behind us. Clary took a moment to add a locking rune, just to be sure.

After a while of walking we emerged into a large circular space, clearly crafted by human hands. It looked like the inside of a cathedral dome: round, with a massive ceiling arching overhead. There was a fire pit in the center of the room, long gone cold. White stone gems had been set into the ceiling.

"I think this was a place to hide," Alec said in a hushed voice. "Some sort of last barricade where whoever lived here once would be safe from the demons."

"Whoever lived here once knew rune magic," Clary said. "I don't recognize them all, but I can feel what they mean. They're holy runes, like Raziel's."

Jace slung his pack off his shoulders and let it slide to the ground. "We're sleeping here tonight."

Alec look dubious. "Are you sure that's safe?"

"We'll scout the tunnels," Jace said. "Clary come with-"

"Alice!" Clary exclaimed. "Alice and I will walk together." Jace seemed taken back, but slowly nodded.

"Alright. Isabelle, Simon, take the east corridor. Well, we're going to call it the east corridor. Here's hoping this is still accurate in the demon realms." He tapped the compass rune on his forearm, which was one of the first Marks most Shadowhunters received.

Isabelle dropped her pack, took out two seraph blades, and slid them into holsters on her back. "Fine."

"I'll go with you," Alec said, looking at Isabelle and Simon with suspicious eyes.

"If you must," said Isabelle with exaggerated indifference. "I should warn you we'll be making out in the dark. Big, sloppy make-outage."

Simon looked startled. "We are–" he began, but Isabelle stomped on his toe, and he quieted.

"'Make-outage'?" said Clary. "Is that a word?"

Alec looked ill. "I suppose I could go with Jace."

Jace grinned and tossed him a stele. "Stay here. Make a fire," he said. "Cook us a pie or something. This demon-hunting is hungry work."

Alec drove the stele into the sand of the pit and began drawing the rune for fire. He appeared to be muttering something about how Jace wouldn't like it if he woke up in the morning with all of his hair shaved off.