Alec Lightwood ground to a halt on the slimy bed of dirt and leaves. His veins were singing with the high of battle, yet soon it began to taper off and he was left winded; dragging in oxygen through ragged breaths. He considered an endurance or stamina rune, but decided against the idea. Runes take time. Time I don't have...
Sebastian had put up a good fight. Alec had been chasing him for a good ten minutes and though he was unable to catch him, he had effectively planted an arrow square in the demon boy's shoulder blade.
Alec had shed himself of his bow and quiver, resolving to use a seraph blade and two smaller daggers he'd shoved into each of his thick boots.
He now stood in the center of a small clearing surrounded by towering pine trees, birds twittering high above. Alec wielded the seraph blade in his right hand and bringing it to his mouth, he whispered, "Eremiel," and the blade shot forth in blazing white light.
There was nothing. The birds had stopped their chirping and the wind that whispered through the trees ceased to blow; the only sound the soft crunch of dried leaves beneath Alec's booted feet.
Alec couldn't run any longer. His chest stung from gulping down air and his legs ached. He took a few steps and craned his neck, looking for any indication of where Sebastian might've gone. Alec continued to slowly and carefully pick his way through the underbrush, the thorns of a nearby thistle snagging on his thick black jeans.
Alec paused to take in his surroundings. The flat landscape had started to slope downwards, falling away into a tree-covered hillside. Cutting through the valley below, a creek bubbled and lapped at the boulders breaking its surface, not unlike flames licking the logs in a bonfire.
Something in his periphery caught his attention and his head snapped to the right. Caught on one thin branch was the arrow he'd stuck in Sebastian. Point down, dark blood dripped onto the ground below, splattering the leaves a black-red color. It shocked Alec to the point that he didn't hear footsteps coming up behind him. Something hard and cold connected with his skull and he fell to his knees. His vision was swimming and darkening around the edges.
The blazing seraph blade had fallen uselessly out of his hand and he reached for it, only to be intercepted as Sebastian stuck out a foot and kicked the black farther down the hillside.
"You actually thought you could stop me, Nephilim," he spat the word with venom, like it was a curse, "you can't."
"Maybe you're right...but I can sure as hell try." Alec lunged for the seraph blade and Sebastian gave chase. He had obviously assumed Alec would go for the blade, otherwise he'd might as well be unarmed. To his surprise, Alec reached the blade, picked it up and turned only to find Sebastian bringing his blade down at the same time. Alec thrust the seraph blade above his head to block the killing blow. When had Sebastian named his blade or even had a blade ready to name anyway?
A sick grin split Sebastian's face in two, "Good block for a Lightwood. Wouldn't your warlock be proud..."
"Shut up!" Alec hissed, his rage beginning to claim his actions. No. He must stay calm.
It's his only chance of killing Sebastian.
Sebastian gave a sharp laugh and dove for him, all the while making unspeakable comments about equally unspeakable accounts of things in which Magnus supposedly wanted to do to Alec. He knew full well that Sebastian was trying to get his guard down; cause him to turn reckless in defense of his boyfriend.
The two battled down the hillside, seraph blades swinging and each in the hopes of landing a blow. Alec slipped on a rock and lost his balance for mere moments, but that was enough for Sebastian. His arm shot forward and the blade sliced a thin cut across Alec's shoulder. Warm sticky blood oozed from the wound, the scarlet liquid staining Alec's dark blue sweater even darker.
Sebastian smirked at the other shadowhunter, a look that said: I'm taking it easy on you. You'd be dead by now if I was actually trying.
Alec thrust his blade forward, and somehow Sebastian had dodged yet another killing hit and knocked the weapon from Alec's grip. Sebastian threw himself at Alec before the blade could be retrieved. Shoulder connecting with injured shoulder, he sent the unsuspecting boy sailing through the air and into the creek. Alec hit the shallow water and rolled. Sharp rocks dug into his back, arms, and shoulders until he fetched up against a boulder the size of a large tire.
There was a splash and Alec pulled himself up in time to see Sebastian walking through the water toward him. The frigid water seemingly had no effect on the silver haired boy. He moved through the water with ease, and more swiftly that Alec had predicted. The raven haired boy had only enough time to sit up before Sebastian was upon him, twirling the seraph blade with nimble fingers.
"Well well well, you're a fighter, aren't you?" Sebastian's dark eyes were alight with triumph.
Alec scrambled for a dagger in his boot. It was a longshot that he'd get it in time as Sebastian raised the seraph blade above his head. He had lost, but failed to accept it until the final blow. Thoughts flooded his mind. Thoughts of his family. His friends. Isabelle. Magnus. His mind settled on Magnus. He had tried to kill Sebastian for Magnus; to protect him somehow by ridding the world of the darkness Sebastian would bring. All the death and destruction. He had wanted to end it, and now it was done.
Sebastian drove the blade through Alec's abdomen to the hilt. Alec sputtered and coughed, flecks of scarlet blood dotting the boulder he'd propped himself against. His whole body shook violently and a thin line of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Alec looked up at Sebastian with watery blue eyes. The same eyes Magnus had fallen in love with only months ago.
Sebastian turned to go, the shadowhunter farewell on his lips like a curse, "Ave atque vale."
Alec's body went limp and he fell backwards, his unseeing blue eyes drained of their usual vibrant color. The creek ran red.