"What are we even looking for?" I ask hesitantly, as Clary, Magnus and I make our way down the wooden and creaking steps into the basement, far below the institute. I feel myself shudder, my mind racing back to when I was here last, my stomach coiling over at the memory of Simon's dead body lying lifeless against the cold slab of concrete.
However, the basement here looked completely different, instead stocked full of shelves and boxes, holding sheets of paper and other random mundane items that even I didn't know the use of.
"I'll know it when I see it." Magnus says, seeming slightly uncertain but still continues his walk onwards. I nod, trying not to let his doubt seep into me, and choose instead to walk down the sides of the basement, exploring to see if anything unusual steps out.
"What if this doesn't work?" I hear Clary asks, worry evident in her shaky voice.
"It will, biscuit. I can feel it." I smile hearing the usual cute pet name that Magnus holds, even in this dimension, and a wave of nostalgia hit me.
I actually was missing home severely.
Though the thoughts of this are quickly erased as I hear the thudding footsteps coming down the stairs, and chuckle lightly as I hear Jace's accusing voice.
"You know, if you were having second thoughts about us, you could have told me, instead of coming down here and hooking up with some random guy." Jace expresses, his tone one of utter disbelief and betrayal, and it would be almost hilarious if he didn't sound so heartbroken.
"Jace, this isn't exactly a good time." I say, exhaling deeply as I step out from behind the shelves. I notice his expression turn into that of confusion as his eyes look back and forth between the three of us.
"What is this? Some kind of fucked up threesome?" He questions, a disgusted look on his face.
I almost laugh, however, just as Jace turns to leave, I hear a gut wrenching roar and as my eyes lift, I see the unmistakable figure of a demon, fangs protruding out from its mouth and it's clawed hands scratching outwards, inching towards Jace.
I watch as Clary leaps forwards in time, kicking the demon back as harshly as she can before grabbing an alarmed and terrified Jace by the hand, yanking him backwards.
"What the hell is that thing?" He yells out, stammering back with Clary as she ushers him further into the room.
Swiftly, I rip the shard from my necklace, throwing it to Magnus, "Go find the portal" I yell out, watching as he catches it before turning on his heel and rushing away.
I watch as Clary falls besides Jace, kneeling next to him and holding him tightly, trying to comfort his quivering and trembling figure. He looked completely mortified, and it was an odd sight, but not unexpected, especially since we ourselves had flipped out at Pandemonium not that long ago.
"It's ok" Clary mutters rubbing his back assuring him, but suddenly as Jace leans forwards against his hands, holding his head and wincing, there's a glowing light that cascades over him, and as he lifts his head moments later and appears to be perfectly fine, I can tell we have our Jace back.
"Jace?" Clary asks hopefully.
"Yeah" He says, exhaling, smiling back at a relived Clary before looking up with a smirk at me.
"You guys ok?" He asks and as we nod he stands up, his gaze dropping to his clothes as he eyes his attire in perplexion, clearly not fond of the suit he had on.
"Mind filling me in?" He ask and I instantly chuckle in amusement, desperately wanting to hear Clary explain all of this to him.
Unfortunately, we don't get the chance as before Clary can speak, the demon knocks over the stacked boxes behind Jace, grabbing him by the neck and slamming him against the opposing wall.
"Jace!" Clary exclaims, before we both rush forwards, Clary grabbing a pipe nearby whilst I break off a near by broomstick. I throw the first attack, my stick slamming against it's chest, but I'm swiftly yanked by the hair and thrown back, foggily watching Clary fight as Jace assist.
I'm back to my feet swiftly, ignoring the pummelling headache that I had before stepping closer and striking the demon against it's back. This gives Clary and Jace space to pull back from its hold, as Clary ruts her pipe against it's jaw, cracking it loudly, I throw my broomstick to Jace, watching as he pulls back before stabbing it through the demons chest, making it scream out.
Though quickly, and before anyone can do otherwise, the demons tail wipes out and stabs Jace behind the neck. The demon was still fighting against us, Jace no longer able to help as he falls back slowly, gasping. I yank up the broom that Jace had dropped before plunging it back into the demons chest, twisting and snapping it further, before throwing it's body back onto the pile of boxes.
I hear Clary instantly drop her pipe, and we both rush over to Jace, who is gasping desperately on the floor. We watch helpless and scared as he rips off his blazer, unbuttoning the top few of his shirt, his finger clawing desperately at his neck for breath.
"Where's my stele?" Jace groans out, but as Magnus runs to us, he sees the wound shaking his head.
"It didn't come through with you?" I ask in bewilderment.
"You're gonna need more than a stele for that." Magnus states, examining the wound, clearly knowing how bad it was.
"Will Portaling him back to his own body cure him?" Clary asks, holding Jace's hand, a frantic and sorrowful look across her face as she sees Jace, wounded and in pain before her.
"No. Blood travels with you. It's why your angelic powers still work here. The demon venom is in his blood." Magnus states, making us sigh, knowing we didn't have long left.
"Then we have to get him back to the Institute in our dimension." I state, surely, knowing this was more important.
"No, we've gotta find Valentine." Jace grunts out, trying to stand up, though to no avail.
"Jace, you're in no condition to fight." Clary chastises, annoyed yet still anxious, knowing that he was right but also not wanting to risk Jace's health.
And I felt the same.
Finding Valentine was important but so was keeping Jace alive.
"I've found the portal" Magnus states, and with a nod Clary and I help lift Jace and walk alongside him, following Magnus through the corridors and to the same large, powerful swirl of colours as the one we had entered.
"You'll have to destroy the Portal after we go through." Jace states, and I watch as Magnus frowns, confused.
"Why?" He asks.
"To secure your dimension from all sides. Otherwise, if it stays open, you'll be vulnerable to demon attacks again." I explain, knowing that now that the dimensions had been mixed, the chances of more demons coming through was likely and that would be dangerous and damaging to everyone here.
They definitely were not prepared for demons.
"I'll take care of it... and the malodorous monstrosity on that table." He explains, his eyes turning disgustingly towards the demon laying dead against the boxes on the floor.
"Thank you." Magnus states suddenly, his eyes turning to both Clary and I.
"Well, we should be thanking you." I state, smiling sadly, knowing this would be the last time I saw this dimensions Magnus again, and as I look at Clary, I notice the same realisation cross her.
"No, you gave me back a life. I won't forget it" He says, smiling in appreciation.
"Now, go."
"Think of your father." Jace states simply, looking between Clary and I, and as we nod at each other in agreement, we brace ourselves before stepping through the portal, the familiar feeling surrounding us yet again.
Within moments, we step into another room back in our dimension. The room is dark, gloomy and deserted, only the green luminescence of some sort of tank lights the room. I'm pulled out of my confusion as Jace falls to the floor, Clary dropping with him simultaneously.
"Jace, It's okay. I'm here" Clary states, her voice trembling as she tries to calm Jace's cries and grunts of pain, she holds his body tightly, not knowing how to help.
"No going back now." Jace states, his voice coming out in gasps, before he groans, grabbing his stele from his pocket before lifting his shirt, running his stele over his healing rune, attempting to activate it. Though by the look of anguish on Jace's face, I could tell that it wasn't working.
"Magnus was right." I say, grimly watching Jace, "It's not working."
"It's enough." He states gruffly, before pocketing his stele and attempting to stand up. Instantly, Clary and I are at his side, helping him up, before letting him freely stand, his strength up enough for him to be able to walk on his own.
Sighing, I step back, releasing my seraph blade from its holder, and holding it out, prepared for anything, not knowing who was here or what kind of danger lurked by. We walk through the room, searching for any signs of Valentine, and investigating what lay around.
"What is all this?" Clary states, her attention drawn to the large table covered with bottles and boxes of coloured powders and weird looking items, seemingly ingredients of some form. We watch as Jace touches a liquid, smelling what it was before sneering.
"The makings of an army." He growls, before looking around the room, " There's no one here."
"Did Meliorn lie to us? He said that that Portal would take us to our father." Clary states, perplexed and irritated, since seemingly everything we had done was for nothing.
However, our thoughts of betrayal and deceit from Meliorn is short lived, as suddenly we hear a loud and echoing bang, alerting us all. Instantly we lift our blades, readying them, and as the banging continues, we all turn our attention to the right, before slowly making our way over to a storage locker, where the noise appeared to be coming from.
"Get behind me." Jace mutters lowly, before he moves forwards, ripping the lock off and allowing the door to swing open. We all aim our weapons, waiting for an attack, but as the light cascades, all we see is a man sat inside.
Trembling and scared.
"It can't be. It can't be." Jace repeats, his voice breaking and his body visibly shivering as he lowers his blade, his eyes deeply focused on the man before us.
"You died. I saw it."
"Jace?" Clary asks as we both lower our blades, worried and confused about what was happening.
"Jace... is it really you?" The man asks, his hands coming down to inspect Jace, hope filling his eyes as he gazes desperately at Jace.
" Jace, how do you know this man?" Clary asks softly, her hand coming up to touch his arm and as she does so he looks at her, his eyes red and foggy, a vulnerability to him.
And I already know what the answer is before he even says it.
"He's my father."
Hi,
Would you look at that, TWO updated today! I hope you enjoyed the update, it felt amazing to finally be able to get some inspiration and be able to write.
This lockdown has been really hard, so if anyone ever needs to talk, my inbox is always open.
Please do VOTE, COMMENT and SHARE.
And I will see you lovelies next update xo