-*-*-*-*- Will -*-*-*-*-
"What do you mean, they're looking for us?" Will asked. "How the hell do they know we're here?!"
"I don't know," Jem replied. He peered around the corner again and cursed. "They're all over the street. We're not getting out of here without a fight."
Will's stomach dropped. Fight? What did Jem mean by fight? Yes, he had all these weapons on his belt and he was certainly dressed for the part, but he had no idea how to actually be a Shadowhunter. All the knowledge of being one of the Angel's warriors was lost with his memories. What was he meant to do?
"I don't know how to fight, Jem," he said quietly. "I honestly don't." Jem turned and looked at him, his lips parted.
"It's okay," he finally said. "I'm sorry, I forgot for a moment." He seemed to think for a moment then took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Will, but if we run, they'll find us. If we stay here, they'll find us. We have to fight." Will opened his mouth to speak but closed it again. He knew Jem was right. He'd just have to hope that his instincts would kick in.
"All right," Will said. "All right. I can do this. I can do this." He drew the sword from his belt, looking at it apprehensively. This was insane, and he knew it. But what else was he meant to do?
Jem had also drawn the sword that was hidden in his jade cane, checking it over before taking a deep breath. "Just stay as close to me as you can," he told. "Our parabatai power works best when we're together. You can draw on my strength to help you." Will didn't exactly know how to do that, but he just had to trust Jem, and trust himself.
"Are you ready?" Jem asked. Will nodded. He was ready. He had to be.
Jem peered around the corner on last time before charging out, slicing his sword across the throat of the nearest automaton. Will followed him, stabbing his sword through the second automaton's torso. Metal screeched against metal as the automaton collapsed and Will hacked it to pieces.
Jem had already taken down three more by the time Will had finished with his first and was moving onto the next one. Will ran to help him, slicing it in half in one clean strike. He stared at his hands in shock.
How the hell did he do that?
By now, all the automatons from across the street were running towards them. Even with his dodgy memory, Will knew that they couldn't fight them all off without backup.
"Jem!" he shouted. Jem looked up from his battle as Will pointed to the group of automatons coming towards them. He nodded, finishing off the last from the first group of the automatons before running to Will.
They took their chance, thundering down the street before the second group of automatons could reach them. They ran through the winding streets of London, trying to find the most complicated route as they could to confuse the metal machines. Finally, they lost them, and both boys fetched up against the wall of a alley, catching their breath.
"That was too close," Will said, checking the corner again. The automatons were nowhere in sight. "I think we've lost them. How the hell did they know we were there though? Do you think it was Mortmain who took me and was trying to cover up the evidence?" Jem didn't answer him. "Jem? Jem, are you alright?"
Will turned and saw that Jem was leaning back against the wall, his eyes closed and his face tight with pain. He was a ghostly pale colour as he swallowed hard. His hand was pressed to his side, crimson blood staining his fingers. "I'm fine," he said breathlessly. "I'm alright."
"Jem-"
"We need to get going," Jem groaned, pushing himself off the wall. "They're still out there. We have to go." He took one step forward before his knees buckled and he collapsed to the floor.
"Jem!" Will cried, crouching by his parabatai's side. "Jem, what is it? Are you hurt?" Jem opened his mouth to reply but then started coughing, spasms racking his body. Blood splattered onto the cobblestones, painting them scarlet. Then he suddenly went still, lying motionless on the pavement.
Will was in absolute shock. This was exactly like his dream. He couldn't believe that this had just happened. He gently shook Jem's shoulder, hoping that he'd wake up. "Come on, Jem," he said. "You have to wake up. Please, wake up. Tell me what to do Jem. Please, tell me what to do." But Jem remained motionless.
Will scrambled for the stele, the thing that Jem had drawn runes on him with earlier, and he pressed the tip of it to Jem's skin. What did Jem call the healing runes? Iratzes. Willing himself to think, Will tried to remember how to draw one. "Come on, Will!" he shouted at himself. "Think. Think for God's sake!" But he couldn't remember. No matter what he did, the rune just slipped from his mind.
Will ran his hands through his hair, looking around him in panic. He wasn't sure if he could remember the way back to the Institute from here. In fact, he didn't exactly know where he was. He took deep, ragged breaths to calm himself down. Jem needed him right now. He had to stay calm and try.
He reached down and lifted Jem, throwing him over his shoulder like a fireman's lift. He was surprised at how light Jem was, but nonetheless ran as fast as he could from the alley and through the streets of London.
He had to get Jem back to the Institute. He had to get him to Charlotte or Tessa. They would know what to do. But Will couldn't remember the way. He was completely and utterly lost. Running down yet another street, he desperately searched for a street sign or a map, anything that might give him a clue to where the Institute was. The feeling of panic was sinking into his stomach. What was he to do? Jem was going to die and it was going to be all his fault. He couldn't lose the one person who actually understood him. He-
"Will?" Will whipped around, facing a tall, young looking man with bright green cat eyes. He was wearing a rather bright purple suit with a gold chain watch. He looked completely shocked to see Will, although Will had no idea who this man was.
"Thank goodness you've been found," the man said. "Is that-Is that Jem? He's hurt. Will, you must let me help him." The man took a step forward but Will took a step back to counter him.
"I-I don't know who you are," Will said. "Who are you?" The man blinked.
"Will, it's me," he said. "It's Magnus. Magnus Bane." Will still had absolutely no idea who this man was, but by the look of his cat eyes, he guessed that he was a warlock. But did he know a warlock? He couldn't remember.
"Look, I don't know who you are," Will said bluntly. "But Jem's hurt. I have to get him back to the Institute but I have lost my way. Now if you would kindly tell me the way to the Institute then I shall be on my way."
"Will, Jem is not well," Magnus said. "The Institute is too far away to get there in time, but I have some of his medicine at my apartment. I can help him there." Will didn't know what to do. He didn't trust this man. But he couldn't let Jem die either.
"Fine, but please, hurry," Will finally said. Magnus nodded, leading Will down the street and to a large apartment. He quickly unlocked the door and gestured for Will to carry Jem inside. He did so, following Magnus down a corridor and into a small bedroom.
"Put him on the bed," Magnus ordered. Will did as he was told, gently laying a still unconscious Jem on the bed. He turned around and Magnus was holding a glass of water, tipping in some silvery powder so it dissolved.
"What is that?" Will asked. Magnus raised an eyebrow.
"You really have lost your memory if you don't recognise this," he muttered. He gently lifted Jem's head and let him drink the solution. "There," he said. "He should be awake in a few hours. But I must now ask you to leave so I can concentrate on healing his wound."
"But-"
"Will," Magnus said sternly. "Go and wait in the drawing room. I shall be there in a few minutes. Don't worry. You can trust me to look after him." Will wanted to argue but one look from Magnus and he inclined his head, stepping from the room. He stumbled his way to the drawing room, collapsing in one of the chairs.
What was going on? How had all of that just happened? He put his head in his hands, trying not to panic too much. He just didn't know how messed up his life was. After a few minutes, Magnus entered the room, sitting himself down in the seat opposite Will.
"Jem's fine," he told Will. "He should be recovered in a day or two. He may stay here while he recovers."
"Thank you," Will said. "I'm sorry if I was rude earlier. I just...I just..." He trailed off, putting his head in his hands again. "I'm sorry," he repeated. Magnus studied him, looking extremely concerned.
"Will, what happened?" Magnus asked. "Jem ad Tessa came to me a month ago saying you were missing. We searched everywhere for you, and then you just turn up right on my doorstep. What happened?" Will looked up at him.
"I don't know," he whispered. Over the next hour, Will slowly explained everything that had happened in the last few days to Magnus. He told him of the dreams he had been having. He told him of his visit to the Silent Brothers. He told him of the automaton attack. He told him everything. He wasn't even sure why he was telling Magnus all this, but he found him easy to talk to. When he finally finished, Magnus was looking at him in shock.
"So you don't remember anything?" Magnus asked. "Not even Jem? Your sister? Your family?" Will shook his head.
"Nothing," he said softly. Magnus sighed, leaning back in the chair and lighting a cigarette.
"I've seen memory loss before," Magnus said. "But that was usually one or two memories lost. I've never heard of anything quite like this."
"So it's hopeless," Will said. "I'm never getting my memories back." Magnus laughed.
"You said it was hopeless to break your curse," he said. "And yet I did it." Will snapped his head up.
"Curse?" He asked. "What curse?"
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Hiya peeps!
So how did you like this one??? Magnus has arrived everyone ;)
So vote and comment as always please!
Love y'all you wonderful people!
CricketCat