Walking through faerie was being easier than expected, and that wasn't a good thing.
Somehow, they knew that someone was waiting to catch them off guard.
-What's going on? You didn't say a thing since we arrived... I feel that... Something is worrying you...
Simon slowed down so he could walk next to Clary, his concerned eyes stared at her while a reassuring hand caressed her back.
They've been friends since ever, he didn't need a rune to know when something troubled Clary.
-Before leaving I... I saw Maryse, and Luke... They were trying to stop up...
Clary's green eyes shone with tears, yet, they wouldn't fall. She just looked at her Parabatai, took his arm in order to get that strength she lacked.
Nevertheless, Simon's puzzled expression indicated he would need a moment to organize his thoughts.
-And you think they will follow us? -But he could guess what ran through her mind.
-I hope not... I... -She took a deep breath, sighed and lowered her stare for a few seconds. She was sure that if she closed her eyes, Luke's image would apoyar -I feel guilty for leaving him again...
Simon wasn't feeling any better, the Parabatai rune made it even worse. However, its power could also be used in the reverse way, so the boy surrounded her shoulders with his arm and pulled her closer, kissing her head afterwards.
-It's going to be fine, Clary... Don't ask me why, I just know...
Even if her thoughts consumed her, Simon's efforts for cheering her up clearly worked. Their bond eased her pain and he got her to giggle.
As long as they had each other, they could stop the World from spinning if they wanted to.
-I'll have to trust my Parabatai.
That kiss she left on his cheek, made Simon smile with satisfaction and relief as they both walked together.
Glimpses of happiness were sometimes enough to endure the pain, at least temporarily.
-This place would be nice if it wasn't for the fact that a crazy Queen is probably waiting for us... -Matt looked around, his hazel eyes perfectly combining with their surroundings, hazel, showing certain traces of brown and grey. He seemed no anxious at all and even fidgeted with one of his arrows.
-You make it sound funny... But it's not at all. -Alec took the arrow from his twin, who frowned and rolled his eyes. He wished for Matt not to be so careless, especially during missions.
-I just want to ease the tension... -Taking things seriously was something complicated for Matt, he hated the feeling of being afraid, and he wanted to embrance that descent to hell as an old friend.
It may not be the best idea to chat outlous, Ten knew better, but she considered it was their problem to solve if they got their asses kicked. She focused on the path, wet grass under her feet felt eerie despite being so used to it. Her long hair slightly rocked and made her skin tingle, silver eyes on her surroundings. The beauty of danger was something impossible to overlook, mostly because the moment she had been waiting for centuries was closer than ever.
As the unusual faerie she was, Ten was fond on nature, but didn't have the deep connection others her kind had. She just perceived that something was wrong, yet, the easiest was to ignore it and focus on the Bronce Gate: their first step.
-Are we close to the gate? -Harry's voice startled her, despite being as kind and soft as usual.
-No. -Simply said. What else could she say? She couldn't lie. -Maybe we will need to look for some place to rest. -And the girl definitely wanted to take a break. Time in faerie passed in such a different way that minutes seemed hours.
-I have the feeling that you have no idea of where are we going... -Jace rolled his eyes, as Isabelle looked at him sideways. Even if she didn't say it, she had that foreboding as well. With Ten, everything was so unexpected, they couldn't anticipate to her.
-Say a thing more and I'll leave you in the middle of this place without a way out!
The faerie turned around, wanting to face Jace, but she tripped with an enormous root. She fell backwards and as soon as her back touched the ground, it became softer, muddy, too mushy for standing.
Magnus was the closest to her, and he tried to use his magic to get her out of there, but the harder he tried, the harder the nature fought.
Alec's instinct automatically made him take Magnus' shoulders in order to keep him away From that mud.
-Do not move! -Yelled Ten, despite being the most impatient to get out of there. -Or...
Too late, the rest of the gang was already being swallowed by that mud too, viscous, a strong smell to grass, to water, to rotten flesh...
If something frightened the faerie, if something could cause her sleepless nights and irrational thoughts, was the possibily of not being able to breath, not the nauseating smell.
At that moment, she was struggling to catch air, her lungs ached as if someone was squeezing them. She looked everywhere, vision blurry, heart racing in an insane way.
The girl disobeyed herself by anxiously moving, craving to escape the claws of death, she sweared she could she it coming for her, to kiss her in order to drag every single particle of air from her lungs.
-We have to make it swallow us!
The Seelie Court was a kingdom full of madness, but Harry's words seemed to be craziest nonsense among all of it.
Everyone stared at the boy in disbelief, as if he had completely lost his mind.
-I thought we were avoiding jokes. -Simon was as terrified as the rest, he would definitely prefer to be facing a thousand of demons.
-Trust me, I read it long ago! -Harry looked at everyone, attempting to transmit confidence. -This type of mud usually takes you to other place when it swallows you... People usually stays still and die here waiting for someone to rescue them! That's the real trap...
Despite the collective fear, he tried to explain that in the best way possible. His chocolate eyes stared at the only two people he knew for sure that would trust him: Matt and Magnus.
In fact, the warlock seemed to be taking into account the idea, even though Alec's blue eyes begged for him to consider other options.
Then, he watched his sister, his twin, his Parabatai, everyone, were they really going to make it out of there?
-It could work. -Finally said Magnus. His brother's idea may sound too reckless, but if something he knew for sure, was that Harry would never risk their lifes.
If there was a possibility, even the smallest one, of saving everyone, they had to try.
-What? No, no way...
-Then come on, propose any other idea. I have literally all the eternity. -Magnus rolled his eyes. The blondie one definitely knew how to disagree but not find solutions.
-Let's do it. It's not like we have something better to do.
Matt cared little, if nothing, that a part of him doubted Harry. The rest of her heart and soul trusted and loved him unconditionally, and as an expert in ignoring sensible thoughts, he started to move, to close his eyes and fight against that heavy mud that ate his body more and more every second.
The boy wouldn't say a goodbye, or dramatic "I love you", because he knew that they would see each other on the other side.
-By the Angel...
Terrified at the possibility of losing his twin, Alec moved too, mostly for trying and follow his reckless twin to whatever place he was going to. However, he also looked at Magnus, who nodded, his cat eyes showing not even a piece of fear. Every leader needed support, someone to lean on, and the warlock was willing to be that someone.
Isabelle was the next to follow, so did Magnus and Harry.
Clary and Simon gazed each other and nodded, as they used to when they were kids about to jump into a pool.
The oppressing mud seemed so surprised by their actions that it started to swallow them faster until they were nowhere to be seen, as if their bodies never existed.
Only Ten and Jace remained, and the girl refused to move, her silver eyes stared at the blurry sky, leaved falling on her face, as her shaky and thin hands grabbed a tree branch close to her.
Facing phobias wasn't a piece of cake, she felt so ashamed due to her falling tears.
Jace was moving as well, half of his body covered, trying hard to get embraced by that evil mud, but then, he turned around, stopped for a moment and saw her.
He never thought a strange pressure would consume his chest while looking at Ten being so fragile, maybe because she reminded him of himself. Both tried to show strength, but were also shattered.
-Ten... -His voice didn't affect her, she felt paralyzed by fear. -Ten, you have to move... -The faerie being afraid was definitely a pretty eerie thing, and he wasn't the best at reassuring, he lacked patience and maybe empathy at times.
-I won't... -Said, voice cracked, hugging that brunch even tighter. The crust scratching her arms and hands and made them bleed, not that she cared.
Jace found no other option, he took Ten's face between his dirty hands and forced her to look at him.
Once again, gold colliding against silver.
-Luckily, I have people around me when things get to crazy... Somehow, those people became yours too... -He had never sounded so kind when talking to her, so anger-free. In fact, he surprised himself by that. -Sometimes we have to battle inner demons to kill the outer ones.
Those words caused astonishment in her, but not due to how deep they were, but because Jace was the one saying them. He talked from experience, only someone that had battled demons knew how detrimental darkness was.
Their genuine eyes met like never before, the way friends stared and silently told each other that everything was going to be fine.
Ten had never had a long lasting friendship, had never been interested in love, had never wanted it, and for sure Jace and her would never be the best friends, but she had in mind the way the boy behaved around his friends and his girlfriend.
Maybe he wasn't that bad.
-What if I can't breath? -In fact, she was doing it as if it was the last time. Her tears wetted the dirt from her face and the boy's hands.
-It's your answer to find, not mine...
He said no more. One moment they were there, not moving and the other, Jace was taking her arm, tight, forcing her into the darkness with him.
...
-Are you sure about this?
-Yes... If it is the only way to get them back...
There was no coming back, the burning paper vanished as she left the stele on the table and hid her face between her hands. Guiltiness hunted her, bitter feeling poisoned her soul. Nevertheless, his arms on her shoulders prevented her from totally dissappearing.
The letter they left explaining their plan, completely broke her heart, even more when identifying Matt's handwritting: messy, careless,taking the responsability as the oldest son to be the messenger. What a burden on him, the woman just wanted him and the others back and made them understand the responsability of savin the World wasn't theirs.
-I'm so sorry, Lucian... If I had known before...
The image of Clary leaving through the portal tormented Luke's mind. He didn't doubt his daughter's abilities, but that terrible foreboding he had that something impossible to repair was about to happen, accompanied him.
-It's not time for regretting, but for acting... You sent those fire messages to Idris, they should be doing something soon...
The truth was, that he believed little in Shadowhunters, but for Maryse, he wanted to be strong.
Maryse stood up, sighed and turned around, not hesitating to take Luke's hands. The grip was surprisingly tight and Luke watched her carefully, the courage clouding surrow from her expression.
-I'm also going to Idris, to faerie if necessary... I don't care what the Angel prepared for my kids, this is not there battle.
Luke could see Matt in her. Even in front on the Angel's representation from the showcase, she boldly said those words. The whole office should be shaking at her power. That flame inside her could never be tamed and Luke wanted to help it burn stronger.
-Then let's go together...
-What? No... Mundanes can't enter Idris...
-I know.
Gently, his hands parted from Maryse's, he unbottoned his shirt a bit and showed those three parallel and enormous scars, a bit lighter than his skin, almost silver, apparently not hurting anymore.
At that view, Maryse had to cover her mouth with her hands. Her eyes instantly looked at his as she tried to speak, but words wouldn't come out.
Why such cruelty? Why him? He didn't dederve something so horrid, that man had inside him a soul brighter than the sun, also the kindest.
He covered his chest once again, avoided the woman's stare. Deep inside, he feared she had a judging look, or even a frightened one, he preferred to live in the ignorance. Maybe, some day, he would be able to embrace his demon blood and still be proud of himself.
-By the Angel... Lucian... -It was just a faint mutter, as her fingers came closer to Luke's chest, not touching it, but aching due to the closeness. The warewolf watched them, saw her wedding ring and a familiar feeling hit hard his stomach.
-It's not okay... -He slightly backed off. -But it will be...
There were days when he almost forgot about his warewolf condition, others, he had to sedate himself with tea and work, in order to control his emotions.
-I should go... Tell me when you want to go to Idris and I'll come back...
Before Luke could leave, he found himself firmly wrapped between Maryse's warm arms and such was his necessity, that it beat puzzlement and seconds later, he was embracing her as well. Why no one hated him? He turned, but his loved ones appeared to not care at all, was the same happening to Maryse? She still cared? He wanted to believe so.
-Do not let this change you, Lucian... Luke... You are still the same, because your heart is...
And the woman wasn't lying at all, wasnt't being compassionate, but honest. Just one look at the man and she saw the same as thirty years ago.
Tenderly, her hand rested on Luke's cheek, making him look at her.
Both were suffering so much, both were so broken, their eyes were so dull.
The warewolf took her hand between his, completely covering and showed a faint smile. He had no idea of the reason, it might be just his heart touched by Maryse's finger tips.
-Promise me that you won't change even if a thousand years pass... -Her eyes widened at his words, he maintaned his smile. -I'm keeping my promise...
So he still remembered her words...
Her soul instantly warmed, as if the sunlight caressed it like those summer days when they gazed the sky and wondered about the clouds or the flying birds.
When he left, she stayed there, hands pressing her chest, breath quite heavy and eyes on Raziel's, silently praying him to protect Luke.
...
Sparkling lights, the flowing water and the cold breeze provoked their eyes to open. Their lashes felt cold, their lips as well.
Their clothes were heavy with dirt and water, small particles of ice floated around them.
-By the Angel... You were right, Harry... -Isabelle watched their surroundings, placing a strand of hair behind her ear, slowly reincorporating with Alec's help.
The instance the mud swallowed them passed so fast that almost seemed a dream.
-Are you all okay? -The blue eye asked, breathing heavily, then kneeling in front of Magnus in order to help him stand up as well.
Cat and blue eyes met, his strong and scarry hands touching the warlock's cheek, his neck. How much he thanked tracing his cinnamon-like skin.
-Depending on what you consider okay... -Simon groaned, rubbing his head. He sweared that not even his worst hangover felt so horrible.
Matt helped Harry, cupped his face between his hands and made sure he had no wounds, then, showed a bright smile, his forehead on his boyfriend's.
-You saved the day, babe... -"That's my boy" was the best that could describe Matt's proud stare and voice. His lips kissed his nose, not caring at all about the dirt, about everyone watching.
-No, not just me... We all worked together... -Shyly, he chuckled and placed his hands on the others, feeling the heat on his burning cheeks.
-Stop being so modest... -Clearly annoyed, Magnus rolled his eyes. He wished for Harry to be proud of himself and his achievements.
But he completely forgot about that when Alec's arm surrounded his shoulders, slightly rubbed it and his forehead rested on his head. Magnus felt his heart heavier, warmer due to such tenderness.
-Alexander... -Muttered, his ringed fingers caressing his chin, as he tried to search for his eyes. As the adrenaline of the moment passed, they realized how concerned they were about each other.
However, Magnus expected Alec to go with Clary, Jace and Ten, not to keep his arm around his shoulders and go there together.
Little did he know about how much the Shadowhunter needed him.
-You good, buddy? -Alec took Jace's arm, as Clary helped Ten.
-Still looking good... So yeah...
Showing a little smile, Alec patted his shoulder and then, turned around, focusing on the rest.
Everyone waited for their leader to talk, yet, Ten took a moment to approach Jace.
Her heart still raced, the strong and overwhelming tides of emotions still troubled her. So much that even her proudness seemed far aways.
-Hey... That was cool from you... Saving me and... Yeah, that... -But her words seemed to get stuck on her throat. It was hard to thank Jace, they were like the cat and the dog.
The boy appeared to be surprised as well, was she really thanking? He must admit it felt good.
-You saved my life, I just payed you back.
His golden eyes looked at her sideways, then his attention was completely focused on Alec. Being the center of attention wasn't his favourite thing in the world, but his determination was stronger than the awkwardness.
-It's better if we stop for a moment and think... What had just happened, could happen again...
-I don't know if the best idea is staying here... Like... We are probably being hunted by crazy faeries and... -Simon looked at Ten. -Not you, don't take it personally...
She shook her head, as she braided her silver hair. What the boy said, wasn't a lie, faeries were too crazy most of the time, maybe too many flowers and strange plants.
-What about magic? Magnus and Harry could create protective barriers or something...
Isabelle's idea would have been a good option if it wasn't for the fact that in that place, faerie's magic ruled above everything and everyone.
They had no time to keep debating possibilities.
Not even a minute passed when the branches cracked and moved aside, when the floor shook.
Leaves fell and light came, similar to heaven, but feeling like hell.
Every leaf, the grass, the trees, the flowers... All adquired a bronze-like color, a blank path of light strongly contrasting right in front of them, endless.
It seemed to hypnotyze and drag them, to swallow their bodies as the mud did before.
What were they expecting? A gate itself? Carved out of metal?
Probably, but definitely not that bronce paradise around them, like the perfect autumn, reflecting brown and orange, gleaming.
Underrated was bronce by those who couldn't appreaciate its beauty.
"Nine of you shall enter. Eight shall leave. Once your feet trip into darkness, light will be what you are going to crave for."
A voice impossible to define, ethereal, not femenine or masculine, just dream-like, far but close, calm but threatening.
One step back or one front, the decision was theirs to make. Surrendering was tempting, but so was the willingness to fight, the burning flames of their souls. What would you do?