A/N: hullo guys! I just viewed the story from my laptop and I realised that Leah Ravenscar had been ranked #941 in Fanfiction. I mean, to be honest, I am not much E.D.U.C.A.T.E.D. about ranks on wattpad. So, well, is this supposed to be a good rank?
(Definitely not, I guess. Who says "yippee!! My story is ranked #941. Momma is gonna be so proud!"?) But, initially I had never seen a rank on this story, and now Leah Ravenscar has one. So.....that means, its great news, right?
Come on, tell me its great news. Don't ya disappoint me!
And anyway, fanfiction means so many different things. I'm sure it's the typical Wattpad-cliché Harry Styles and Luke Hemmings fanfiction trash that take over and get popular, so that TMI and TID fanfictions are not occupying the best ranks.
But anyways! Done with my complaints. Good to see that I have a RANK. Gimme some more reads, votes and comments to uplift my rank. If you know anyone else around who goes gaga over The Mortal Instruments, Jem and Tessa,The Infernal Devices or the Dark Artifices, please recommend Leah Ravenscar.
Its good to share nonsense with your friends.
With lots of love to all my readers,
~Lila
Several days passed since Leah's conduct of insanity during the nighttime. The 6 continued travelling according to Leah's directions, and the girl unfortunately still remained sick and weak as ever.
Everyone was getting increasingly worried about her condition, despite Leah insisting that she would manage the journey to Sebastian's fort. The past few days, she had had certain dreams that could be called . . . . .interesting.
In one of the dreams, she was visited by Oskino – the real demon Oskino - out of all people. In the other dream, Leah found herself in a dry sort of a prison with a frail Magnus Bane chained to one wall.
"Magnus!" she exclaimed and ran to him. He was manacled in such a way that while his wrists were raised high in the air, his weak body hung below, unable to stand on his feet.
"Leah.....Leah, is it actually you?" Magnus seemed surprised.
"Yes. Did Sebastian do this to you?"
"Oh, no. I was imitating Christ the Redeemer, but accidentally manacled myself and now can't undo it." Magnus piped sarcastically.
"This is no time to be joking, Magnus. What else did he do to you people?"
"He killed Raphael." Magnus turned morose.
"Oh."
"I'm happy for him too, in a way, because at least he and Ragnor are together up there." He actually sounded happy – not in a sarcastic manner. "I always suspected they both secretly fancied each other."
"And I always suspected that you were secretly fond of him."
"I was." Magnus admitted. "Raphael was annoying, though, so I might've never really noticed that while he was alive. But . . . .yes, I was quite fond of him. Did you know I went through so much for him to keep him alive and happy being a vampire?"
"I don't think you particularly succeeded in the latter."
"Ah, maybe not. He was always quite grumpy and sarcastic. The only traces of mock happiness he showed were when he and Ragnor collaboratedly insulted me."
Leah smiled at the thought. "Your chains." She mused, touching the metal manacles. "If Tessa would've been here instead, she would've Changed into a baby and escaped."
"Well, I am not Tessa, so . . . .if you've got a better idea, perhaps?"
Leah sighed. "In real life, I can sense Sebastian strongly enough to know that tomorrow we will enter his Endarkened city, if we continue travelling at the same pace as we have been travelling."
"Leah, you know you shouldn't be here in Edom at all. My father has recently been very harsh to me; he can sense me inside his dimension and he has been inducing nausea, immense pain and sicknesses inside me. Oskino........ I can't even imagine how he might be torturing you."
"Don't worry about that, Magnus." Leah replied quickly. "I . . . . I talked to him in a dream some days ago - the way I am talking to you right now. And, it was . . . .surprisingly good talking to him. You know, he's not as bad as we all thought he was. Inside the cruel exterior Oskino might like to put, he's got his own inner desires and longing - he has a heart."
Leah stared at the ground almost dreamily - but with a sadness in her heart - and then abruptly continued "So, as I was saying, if tonight we can somehow unchain you, can you take Luke and Jocelyn safely out of the fort?"
"If we do not get caught by the Endarkened."
"The Endarkened would be creating chaos anyway. Say, if the fortress was on fire, would you 3 manage to escape to the Court?"
"I . . . .believe we can."
"Stand back then." Leah announced with a crooked smile of victory. She took out a demon tooth from her pocket – one which she had found randomly in Edom– and closing her eyes in concentration, began to Change into the demon.
When Leah was done, Magnus's jaw had dropped and he was gawking at the ferocious creature his niece had Changed into. The demon's head touched the ceiling, its arms were muscular tentacles and it had a 1000 different-shaped teeth inside its mouth.
Leah grasped the manacle with her 2 tentacles, and using all the strength and adrenalin this demon had, she tore the metal apart. The other manacle was destroyed the same way, and when Leah was done, she had automatically Changed back to herself.
Magnus looked at his free hands in amazement, and then said "Thank you so much, Leah. You are amazing." He reached out to hold her hand or pat her hair, but she was now slowly slipping away. "I'll see you tomorrow. Make sure you get out of the fortress quickly - with Jocelyn and Luke." She gasped one last time before she woke up in agony in the caves.
Leah emitted a bloodcurdling scream, awakening everyone else – who came rushing to her aid. She writhed around for some time, and after she had finally stopped screaming and the pain had subsided, Leah smiled out wide (much to everyone's surprise).
"Don't tell me you woke us all up screaming like a madwoman for fun." Jace muttered warningly.
"I didn't. It's just that . . . . Magnus. He's broken through his manacles. He will be bringing Luke and Jocelyn along with him when he escapes. We have to reach the fort fast." She gushed all at once.
Although no one completely understood what she had said or was planning, they immediately set out for the fortress. Upon entering the city, following Simon's idea, the 6 disguised themselves up in the red shadowhunting gear – stolen from now-dead Endarkened people.
They went to Sebastian's palace – which was surprisingly deserted – but before entering, Leah weakly placed her hand on Clary's shoulder. "Draw the rune. Drain the heavenly fire out of Jace and let it flow to the ground. Let the city burn, while we bolt the palace doors and kill him inside."
Clary hesitated. "I know what you are thinking." Leah replied with surprising kindness. "The heavenly fire could be used to kill Sebastian. But you saw the dream, and you know what he is going to do as soon as we enter. There's no point fighting what is already set to happen, Clary. Draw the rune."
Clary nodded, and then carved the rune on Jace's skin, connecting him to the ground. Everyone watched, holding their breaths, and finally the ground before them burst into spontaneous flames.
The fire was spreading fast, and the 6 didn't have all the world's time to watch the city of the Endarkened burn down to rubble, so they rushed inside, bolting the massive palace doors behind them.
Surprisingly, there were no guards or men inside the palace either. They quickly found their way to the Court with the bone thrones, thanks to Leah's excellent guidance.
Alec threw open the doors, and they all entered the Court in slow, suspicious steps, looking around for where Sebastian was. Isabelle noticed Leah's eyeballs whirling around almost fatally, and as the former let out a cry, Leah's legs buckled and she dropped.
She didn't touch the hard marble floor and crack her skull, though. Almost heroically, Sebastian somersaulted from the ceiling and landed on his knees just in time to stop Leah from hitting the floor. "Jonathan." Leah emitted an annoyed mutter from her lips.
Sebastian smirked. "Yes, my Bone Queen?"
"She is not your Bone Queen, you ass!" Isabelle snapped, and threw her whip at Sebastian. But he was too quick. He let Leah drop gently onto the floor, while he dodged Isabelle's classic whip.
Alec and Simon rushed towards Leah to see if she was okay (a fresh pool of blood had started collecting on the ground near her face). Even Clary took a step towards her to see if she was in a very bad condition or not.
And that was the biggest mistake they all made – getting distracted. Sebastian quickly approached Jace, etched a paralysing rune on his chest and then began setting up a Malachi Configuration in alien-like speed.
Clary screamed and rushed forwards to stop Sebastian from doing so, but her brother swiftly sent her flying backwards and sealed the configuration, inside which Jace lay, numb and paralysed.
Muttering something incomprehensible, Sebastian made his way to Leah, but Alec immediately pointed his bow and arrow at him as a threat if he even dared to touch his sister.
Sebastian only chuckled and let Leah and Alec be the way they were. "So. Let me get my offer straight with you people; I am not really very fond of beating about the bush. I already have Jace under a configuration, and very soon he will be under my possession – up there on one of the thrones. If you 2, Leah and Clarissa, join me on the throne of bones now, I shall spare the world above us. However, if even one of you refuses, the next time you visit Alicante, it will be known not as the City of Glass, but the City of Blood. Did I perhaps get my deal straight?"
Nobody replied. "I'm sure I did." Sebastian answered for himself. "Now. Ladies." He stretched out both his hands on different sides, meaning to offer them to Leah and Clary.
Magnus, Jocelyn and Luke entered at that moment, and Sebastian barked at them. "Welcome Downworlders. And of course you, mother." He added towards Jocelyn. "Behold the scene. And now, sisters, don't get distracted by our guests. Come and take your places on the thrones if you are not selfish enough to let the entire shadowhunter race die because of you."
Leah emitted a gasp and then commenced into a series of coughs. When her coughing subsided, she painfully got up, taking support from a marble pillar and walked ahead frailly.
"Leah, no!" Alec's whisper echoed in the Court, but the girl did not listen to him. She mounted the steps to the throne with obvious difficulty until she finally placed her delicate hand on Sebastian's and leant onto his frame, exhausted. "Very well, I have Leah's support with me." Sebastian announced.