IZZY'S POV
After I got back from the Institute. We removed the four pipes, presenting Malachi's Configuration that was pierced on the floor so none of them can be of use again. We immediately chained Jace with the cuff Valentine used on Angel Ithuriel. While Maddie is chained with maven cuff that is proven very effective on her as it grounds all her abilities, including her mind controlling.
I watched my brother, his sad eyes as he caresses Maddie's cheek. Running his knuckles down her face while watching her asleep. In this vulnerable and uncertain time, he look so helpless, entirely stripped of power to his core.
Time passed and we're still waiting for one of them to wake up. Hopefully, it will be Jace but either who, we have to do this fast before Lilith finds them.
Maddie slowly moved, squinting her eyes open as she slowly regain consciousness. Realization hits her when she saw a pair of chains around her wrists. Her gaze went to Jace noticing he himself is also in chains. She quickly stood up, subtly try to pull the chains off the floor.
"This is brave." Maddie derided "No more box?"
"We needed the Malachi Configuration to trap you. We're not gonna let you use it to hurt yourself." Alec softly said, looking at her.
"Aww, why not? I'm not even family." Maddie fake pouted, trying to be cute. Alec just ignores her. Maddie then tugged the chains in her wrists "You think this can hold me?"
"Malachi used that on you on the headquarters the day you-" I start but stopped herself as I didn't want to say and relieve the next words.
"The day I what?" Maddie taunted, snide smile on her face "Come on, don't be shy... say the words, Isabelle."
"How much longer until Magnus is ready?" I asked my brother, ignoring Maddie as well.
"No time like the present." Magnus said as he strolled back in the room.
"Let's do this." Alec said before holding my hand again. Genuine fear spread across Maddie's face.
"We're still talking. How about we-" Maddie tried to negotiate by wasting more time when Magnus interrupted her by hitting her chest with the same magic he did on Jace earlier. His eyes deglamour to his warlock mark — yellow cat eyes.
Magnus linked that four of us together again with the same trail of light energy that connects each one of us to the other.
Feeling the instant pull in my brain. Glimpse of memories Maddie and I share mentally flood through my brain before it settles and the next thing I know, I'm back in the Institute with my brother beside me. The appearance here in the Ops is different — empty. It's like a reflection of water.
"We're in the Institute." Alec gasped, looking around our surrounding... no soul in sight.
"Inside Maddie's mind." I mused.
"Nana!" a voice of a little girl shouted, happily.
Turning around, we saw the Inquisitor standing in front of us as young Maddie-- a seven-year-old version of herself who's wearing a cute braided pigtails, a butterfly hairband, running towards and hug her Nana tightly by her waist.
"Hello, my sweetheart." the Inquisitor smiled, crouching down to return Maddie's hug "I'm so happy to see you."
Young Maddie laughed "You're silly. You saw me yesterday."
"That was on video." the Inquisitor playfully rub Maddie on the head "Now, I think you've gotten taller."
"I did!" Maddie cheered.
She's so adorable, I can honestly picture what her, their, future kids would look like.
"Where's JD and Chris?" Maddie asked, looking behind the Inquisitor, hoping to see her brothers.
"They went to find your father." the Inquisitor responded as she stood up "How's your living situation here? Do you get along with everybody?"
"I made lots of friends. I especially like my new friend, her name is Izzy but I don't think her brother likes me." Maddie frown, sadly.
"I'm sure he'll grow on you someday. What's not to like?" the Inquisitor said as she fix Maddie's braid over her shoulder "Come on, let's go find your father." she hold out her hand which Maddie take with her tiny little hands.
As they're walking, Alec and I closely followed behind but then Imogen suddenly turned to stone then to ash.
"What just happened?" I gasped as we watched the horribly situation.
"Nana?" Maddie softly called as her gripped emptied "Nana, where'd you go?" she said confusedly before her little feet run away.
A sound of imprecise argument was heard from our position. We hurriedly went to the source of the sound leading us to the study hall. Going inside, we saw the Starkweathers in the center of the room. Maddie and Chris where standing in front of JD who's sitting on a bench as he scroll through his phone.
I don't recall exactly which time this was, but by the looks of it, Maddie was on her pubescent self — about eleven to twelve-years-old here and that will put her twin brothers between fourteen to fifteen-years-old.
"I'm just saying, you could've told me, JD." Chris argued out to JD "Lying is beneath you."
Wow... it's been a long time since I've seen these two. This is somewhat amazing.
"I don't normally agree with Doofus over here." Maddie taunted, nodded pointing to Chris in her side "But I agree. It's not fair to trick us."
"And what would either of you have said if I told you?" JD asks, raising his eyebrows.
"Well-"
"I-"
Maddie and Chris stammered but then they cannot say the words out loud as they already know the answer.
"Exactly." said JD.
I remember this fight.
Chris and Maddie were arguing about something like normal siblings do and they haven't talk to each other in days and they're using JD as a messenger for when they throw indirect insults with each other.
"Look, Mama's death anniversary is coming up." JD noted, standing up from his seat "And every time it does, Papa gets a little space out and depressed. You don't want to add to it with you both gunning to kill each other. So, you better start acting like you two are related."
With that, JD passes between Alec and I and left his two siblings alone. There was an amount of silence, little movement, and low glances before one of them spoke.
"Listen, uhm..." Chris starts "I'm sorry for being a jerk. You did not deserve that."
"Well, to be fair, I wasn't exactly mim about this whole thing." Maddie sneered "I guess we both deserve a little headbutt."
Chris chuckles "I really don't know why you make me so mad."
"Because I'm your little sister." Maddie smiles "We're nothing if we don't irritate each other... it's what we do."
After, Chris image started to turn gray, stone.
"Chris?"
And then dust to ashes... again.
"Please, don't leave me again." Maddie cries.
Again? Chris was still present until three-four years after this memory.
"By the Angel... Alec." I weep, reaching for my brother's arm.
All we can do is watch the memory in sorrow. Even though this version of Maddie is not the latest, I felt her every pain here. Lilith is shattering all her beloved memories.
"Not again... no, please don't take him away too!" Maddie yelled in the air before she stormed out the training room.
"Maddie!" Alec called as we follow her.
Turning around, we immediately transport in the basement corridor. How do I know that? The walls in the basement are monochromous. Kind of creepy.
"What the hell?" I confound.
We turn back around again, attempting to return to the study hall but our path was blocked with stone wall.
"Stay close. We can't lose each other." Alec fretted.
"Which Maddie are we supposed to bring back?" I asked as we already saw a child and an early adolescent Maddie.
"I don't know. But they didn't disappear with the memory, which makes me think that they're the real Maddie that's trapped in here..." Alec posited as we started to slowly walk around the corridor.
Is that why the latest Maddie memory already knows about her brother leaving even before it happened?
"...or at least a part of her." Alec continues.
"And the memory of Imogen and Chris that burned away?"
"Maybe part of Lilith's torture is taking away everything she love that is alive today." Alec pondered, looking around "These are the nightmares she's been having."
Jace's too...
Just then a pair of footsteps echoed in front us, slowly coming in our way. Lei and Maddie then emerges from a corner while talking typical stuff.
Maddie was holding a set of coffee cup holder and a paper bag from Java Jones while Lei is holding a bag of grocery. Then they walked through us like a phantom as they proceed, going to our secret place down here we used to call 'safe house' before the Institute converted it to storage.
Alec and I follow closely behind.
I personally miss this place. It's like a mini studio house. It had a washroom and big enough space to make ourselves comfortable which is why we remodeled it. We put a couch, blankets, pillows, chair, a small table, fridge, T.V., and a portable aircon.
"What took you guys so long?" Jace asks, more like scowl.
"Two hours to get coffee?" my memory self asked right after.
"Sorry. Long line. It's the time of the year were mundane students are cramming over their school paper, project thingy." Maddie said as she hands over our drinks.
"I remember this." Alec smiled as we watched the four us by the door "This was the weekend we told everyone we were going out of town but instead we just hide out down here."
"Yeah..." I chuckled, crossing my arms and lean on the doorframe "They thought we'd gone on a sailing trip but we just clobbered with movies and food."
This was five years ago. I profoundly certain I was sixteen here. How can't I? Thanks to Maddie's black hair color with gray ombre at the ends of it. And I remember I used to wear a lot of chokers this year.
Ahh, youth.
"Why do people in gorefest or horror movies for that matter, always seem so dumb?" Maddie rhetorically asked as she sat on the floor next to my teenage self while I'm laying down on my stomach.
"I don't know..." teen me shook her head in amusement as our eyes glued on the screen "What bothers me is that, couples who make out are the first one to dies. I mean, what's up with that?"
"They are not paying attention. They deserve it." Jace ridiculed.
"Does this even happen in real life?" Lei queried.
"For a mundane it might." teen Alec jeered "They lack modicum of common sense."
"Oh-oh. Grumpy grandpa has spoken." Maddie whispery mocked. The four of us share a low chuckled.
"What's that?" Alec goad.
"Nothing. I didn't say anything." said Maddie with a smile on her face.
"Don't worry, Lei.." my teenage self said as she sat up "It's not going to happen to us. Cause all go in..."
"All go out." Lei finishes.
The five of them continue watching the movie until, me, Alec, Jace, and Lei turned to stone before turning to ash. Just like before.
"No, no, no." Maddie start to cry in panic "This can't be happening." she stood up and runs again passed us "Stop. Just stop! STOP IT!"
"Maddie!" I called before I ran ahead, going after her.
Going up the stairs, the walls suddenly shifted to brick walls, and next thing I know, I was in the living quarters hall. Then I noticed my brother's no longer with me.
Where'd he go?
"Alec?"
Just as I attempted to look for him, I heard a distinct guitar playing. Going to the source of the sound, it lead me to Maddie's old room, which is now my room.
Pubescent Maddie from study hall earlier is sitting on her bed, playing sad music on her guitar. She stopped playing when she noticed my presence and quickly grabbed a knife, pointing it towards me.
"Who are you? Stay away!" she yelled, getting out of the bed.
"It's okay, Maddison. I'm not here to hurt you." I said, raising my hand in surrender.
"How do you know my name?" she asked confusedly, bringing the knife down. Then her face turn serious bringing the knife back up "You're Lilith. You give me my friends back!"
"No, I'm not Lilith." I offer my hand up for her to take "I can take you to your friends if you come with me."
"No. You're going make me disappear too. Just like you make everything disappear!"
"You can trust me." I said softly and sincere.
"Nice try." she snarled before she threw her knife at me. I twitch to my side to dodge it. In result, the knife instead pierced on the wall.
"Hey!" I shouted, raising my hands up in surrender again "We're on same side, remember?" I phrase one of our private joke. Her face turn soft.
"How did you know about that?" she gulped "We use those phrase..."
"...to stop Alec from aiming arrows everywhere."
she and I finished in unison.
"I'm... their friend." I continue, with a small smile on my face. She bit her lip, thinking carefully.
"Come with me." she said, offering her hand.
ALEC'S POV (same time)
"Maddie!" Izzy called, before we run following her.
Going up the stairs, I was transported inside the elevator. Spotting the pinged button, it's going up the pent floor — her present memory. Looking around inside, I noticed Izzy's no longer with me.
Damn. We lost each other.
Ding sound resonated before the elevator doors opened. A bright white light greeted me, blinding my eyes for a second before I noticed a trail of blood on the floor spread from the elevator to the living room as well as hearing a faint sound of a woman's cries.
Slowly getting out the elevator door, my gaze went to my side and I saw my current self, laying on the floor with an open wound on the abdomen. I crouch down, beside the body with its guts fully exposed. Standing up, looking around the room, several bodies of mine are scattered all over with the same open wound on the abdomen.
Good God...
My eyes landed to Maddie who's sitting in the far corner while hugging her legs tightly. Her caramel brown hair fall smoothly as she rest her head on top of her knees. Muffled sob and sniffing sound was coming from her. I noticed her hands are covered blood that extended on her arms. Her bloodied katana is beside her on the floor.
"Maddie?" I called softly, her head rouse up. Immediate fear spread upon her face when her eyes met mine.
"No... no. No. No. Please. I can't do this anymore." she cried, pushing her legs as further away to me as possible but her back is already hitting a wall.
Rushing to her, I bend down in front of her, holding her to calm "Baby, it's me."
"I tried not to. I tried every time but..." she continue crying while looking the blood in her hands as if she's waiting for something to happen "...I can't stop."
"Shh. It's okay, alright? None of this is real." I soothed, trying to comfort her. Her eyes is already red from crying so much.
"Lilith's torturing me. She's punishing me. I didn't mean to hurt you, Alec. I swear, I didn't."
"I'm gonna get you out of here. All right?" I said, helping her up the floor but she refused to get up.
"No, please! Please..." she sobbed, yanking my hold to her "...I can't do this anymore. I can't kill you again."
"You won't, okay?" I said softly, stopping her from squirming "You won't. I'm not part of Lilith's mind games. I'm real. This..." I gestured at myself "...this me, is real." her eyes soften as she stare deep into my eyes.
"Are you?" she asked, grasping my hand tightly "Are you... are you really here?"
"Yes. Please..." I cupped her cheeks as tears begins to fall down my eyes.
"...let's go home."
"Alec..." she cried, hugging me tightly like she didn't want to let go.
"I got you. You're going to be alright." I stroke her back as we hugged. Then I help her up the floor.
Suddenly, the dead bodies of mine cleared out the room as well as the blood on her hands and weapon. Izzy approached us with young Maddie with her.
"Iz..." Maddie greeted, happily. Just then, the Maddie she was with disappeared beside her.
"Oh, Madds!" Izzy sighed in relief as she run up and dearly hug her parabatai, tears drop down from her eyes.
"Alexander, if you can hear me..." Magnus voiced mentally echoed inside my head "...hurry! Just hurry!"
"We have to go. Now." I fretted. Their eyes gaze upon their parabatai rune as it glow bright gold on Izzy's back arm and Maddie's wrist.
"I can't..."
"What are you talking about?" Izzy asked.
"She's going to come for me. She's never going to let me go." Maddie said, her voice breaking "My demon blood... it's hers. Lilith's planning on taking me to Edom with them."
"No, we'll stop her. Together. But we have to get out of here. We're running out of time." I stresses, quickly grabbing a hold of her hands but she yanked away.
"You can't. You can't stop her! No one can." she sobbed, taking all emotion "There's only one way to save me. There's only one thing... one thing you can do."
"Hey..." I gasped as Maddie picked up one of her katana on the floor.
"I need you end this." she said, solemnly "I need you to kill me."
"What??" I asked in disbelief as she try to hand me the katana.
"Please, I've tried... I've tried to do it myself, but it doesn't work." she pleaded, while crying. Sincerest notion in her eyes.
"Maddie, no!" I exhaust. Izzy just stare at us in shock.
"I need you to do this for me. I'm begging you."
"Never." I pushed her hands down to drop the sword "You're coming with us."
She let go of my hand and go to Izzy "Iz, listen... we did all those things. We threw Clary off the roof. We possessed all those mundanes. And Nana-"
"Maddie," Izzy cut her off, holding her either arms. Tears now falling down her face "whatever it is... it wasn't you, okay? It's Lilith."
"It doesn't matter. If I go with you, she's only going to find us. And she's going to make us do much worst." she cried, looking back and forth between Izzy and me "You won't be able to stop her-- you won't be able to stop us."
"Maddie, stop. Please." I pleaded. Tears started to form in my eyes as she handed Izzy her sword and position it up ready for a strike.
"I can't..." Izzy cried.
"Do it." Maddie firmed, breaking down crying "P-please..."
"Izzy, no." I warned as Izzy looked at me, considering the option.
Fear are clear in my eyes that I'm not ready to lose my wife... the love of my life... my soul... my everything... at this moment. We're just starting to build a life together.
Maddie face back to me "You said you love me, right? You need to do this for me, Alec. Many people have been hurt already. I needed to be stop! This is the only way you can save me-- I can't do this anymore!"
"No." I firmed as silent tears drop down my face.
"Do it!"
"No!" I yelled, snapping the katana, forcing it to down out of her hands. Her sobbed now are louder than ever. Izzy grab ahold of her hand.
"All go in..." Izzy cried as she reached for my hand then Izzy extended her other hand for Maddie to take "...all come out."
Maddie sighed. Her eyes soften, slightly comforted from hearing the words. She brought her gaze to me "Save me."
"I will. I promise." I smiled, softly.
Maddie then took Izzy's hand. I handed my hand to her to hold. She slowly raise her hand up to mine but a bright light surrounds us again before everything went dark.
My eyes snapped open as I heard sound of chains breaking. A gush of wind from flopping of wings felt as the same wraith demon that attacked me before was seen fleeing through the balcony. I looked to see Magnus and Lei lying on the floor, panting in pain. Jace and Maddie were both gone. Broken chain were left behind the carpeted floor.
"No! No! She took them!" I fretted looking at the empty spot were Jace and Maddie were. Izzy and I share a worried look before looking back at Lei and Magnus as they breath heavily.
"Forgive me..." Lei frown, defeat and disappointment in his voiced "...I couldn't stop her."
I exhaled out in frustration before exasperatedly slammed my fist down the wooden floor. Izzy crawled to the broken chain, holding it up.
"She begged us..." I grunt, remembering my wife's pleads. And the pain she's suffering over and over and over again "...she begged us to kill her." I snarl, standing up from the floor.
"All the terrible things Lilith made them do..." Izzy grunted, bringing the chains close to her chest before harshly throwing it back the floor. She sigh and stand up "She said if she takes them back, she'd make them do much worse."
"Now Lilith has them again." Lei grimaces.
"Just like she said she would." I stresses, finishing up his sentence. Magnus gave us sympathetic look "We promised her, we promised we would save her."
"You did all you could." Magnus solaces, sadly. I shook my head turning my gaze to Izzy as I think of my girl's cry and terror in her eyes.
'Save me'... until the end, all she was thinking about was ending this even if it means losing her life than to hurt anymore people.
"I promised her." I scowl. Izzy pulled me into a tight hug.
My heart feels like it's gonna shatter into million pieces.