City of Eternal Sleep
Chapter One
A/N: Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Mortal Instruments. Miss Clare owns the sexy beasts that are Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood. The only thing I own is the plot of this story and the few random OCs that may potentially pop out throughout this delightful fanfiction.
WARNING! THIS CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS FROM CITY OF LOST SOULS, YOU ALL HAVE BEEN WARNED!
Also, I believe this will mostly just switch between both Magnus and Alec's POVs
This is purely Rated M for potential later events…which will most likely happen they always do…
This chapter's soundtrack is: Greyhound by Swedish House Mafia
I think it would go wonderfully with the fight scene.
The skies above Brooklyn were a field of a depressing shade of gray. Every raindrop was unforgiving as it splattered against the thin sheet of glass separating Magnus from the outside world. It had been two weeks since he had broken up with Alexander.
Everything he touched, or even looked at reminded him of Alec. His yellow eyes swept through the field of umbrellas below as the mundanes scurried about unaware of the beasts and horrors that walked in their shadows.
Then again they always were unable to comprehend anything different from themselves.
'Even umbrellas remind me of Alec now,' Magnus thought sadly, 'He always was strangely afraid of them. In Paris, he would walk out into oncoming traffic just to avoid them.'
Magnus's mind began to wander aimlessly, rambling through his own memories. His amber gaze returned to the Book of White clutched close to his heart, the ancient tome offering the promise of mortality.
The pages were frayed and bent in places from years of neglect and misuse, filled with an abundant flood of knowledge and untold secrets best kept from the prying eyes of the Clave. His lips parted almost daring to begin the spell's incantation.
Magnus faltered, over the near five centuries of his lifetime he had experienced more than any one mundane could possibly imagine. Yet even still, he was almost unwilling to release immortality's cruel hold.
A well of emotions erupted inside Magnus and with a frustrated growl he hurled the Book into an armchair. Yellow orbs meeting the irritated icy-blue gaze of a tiny white ball of fur resting in-said armchair.
"I'm sorry," Magnus apologized affectionately, scratching Chairman Meow behind the ears with painted fingernails, colored in a glittering shade of bloodred.
The rain slowly eased away, the day's first rays of uninhibited sunshine beginning to shine through the thick cover of clouds. Magnus gazed upward into the sky the sun illuminating the flecks of gold decorating his styled hair.
With a snap of his fingers, the Book of White returned to his grasp. He thumbed through the entire book cover to cover trying to make sense of any hidden meanings. His eyes hovered over a few brief mentions of both immortality and mortality.
"The Talisman of Samael is believed to be a rumored source of immortality. Because of its maker is the Angel of Time, the talisman is perceived to be able to slow the effects of aging on the one who wears the talisman."
"Samael," Magnus said to himself thoughtfully, "Sounds familiar…"
Magnus felt a slight rumbling from inside of him that ended just as quickly as it had started. The Portal must have opened. I wonder if it's Alexander coming back to the Institute.
Alec passed through the Portal, a slight grimace etched on his face as he wiped a thin line of steaming demon blood from his brow. Maryse glanced up from behind her desk, the mood in the room darkening as another man stepped out of the Portal before it could close, shouldering his way past Alec gently.
"Hello Robert," Maryse greeted unenthusiastically, returning to the paperwork sprawled before her.
"Inquisitor Lightwood," he corrected sharply. His slender fingers gently picked up a small sculpture of the Angel Raziel eyeing the specimen thoughtfully.
"Congratulations," Maryse replied her tone giving off no emotion, her gaze softening as it finally fell on her son, "How did the interrogation go?" she asked.
"The demon didn't hold out for very long," Alec reported after a deep breath, the very air thick with tension between his parents, "He did mention something about a nest of demons in Tokyo. Apparently the club lures in mundanes and they never come out."
"Well we'll have to let the Tokyo Institute deal with the nest then," Maryse replied pursing her lips.
"Alec will be taking care of this matter…personally," Robert interrupted, "Both the Council and the Clave have decided that the Clave's primary objective is to hunt down and eliminate Jonathan Morgenstern at the moment and have ultimately chosen Alec and Isabelle to lead the strike force into the Tokyo nest."
"Out of all the Shadowhunters in the world they decided to select two children to head this mission," Maryse voiced her doubts, furrowing her eyes at her ex-husband.
"For the Angel's sake when do the Clave's decisions ever make sense Maryse?" Robert demanded.
"You are the Clave now," Maryse pointed out with a pale finger.
"Regardless, Alec and Isabelle will be leading the strike force," Robert replied smoothly, "Unless you would like to defy the Clave…again."
Maryse narrowed her eyes, "Of course not, I just would like to know why my children are constantly used as the Clave's sword whenever trouble arises. I am sure a Shadowhunter of your status would be more than capable of defeating a nest of demons."
"I don't believe the Clave's decisions are any of your business frankly," Robert said brashly.
Maryse's eyes flashed with an uncharacteristic fire, "Let's get one thing straight Inquisitor Lightwood, you will not place our son and daughter in harm's way because of any problems between us," she snapped her voice as cold as ice.
Robert set the sculpture of Raziel down throwing both of his hands up with a smug smile etched on his lips, "I'm merely respecting the wishes of the Clave and the Council."
"Bullshit," Maryse snarled.
"Mother!"
Maryse paid no attention to Alec, "Get out now!" she spat at Robert, trembling with rage.
Robert spun on his heel, "Tell your sister I said hello," he whispered as he past vanishing into the Portal's depths.
Alec stood silently, his mother running a hand through her hair taking a deep breath. "You don't have to go to Tokyo you know," Maryse began.
"But I do," Alec replied quietly, "Jace and Clary are out hunting Sebastian right now."
"You four are not the only Shadowhunters in the world you know," Maryse said in exasperation, "Why are you so keen on hunting demons lately anyway, up until recently you had never even killed one before."
"Because before I felt an obligation to watch over Jace and Isabelle," he pointed out irritably.
"Is this about Magnus?"
There. She had said it, the one name he had dreaded hearing over the course of these past two weeks.
"Of course not," Alec replied nearly choking on his words.
"What if I told you I didn't believe you," Maryse said gently, placing a comforting hand on her son's shoulder.
Alec shrugged off her hand as if it was a poisonous spider, stepping away from his mother, "I have no idea why you and Robert suddenly started to actually care about how I feel but frankly, I don't like it very much," he said, his words dripping with venom.
"Alec wait-" Maryse began as he raced up the stairs vanishing from her sight.
Alec stormed through the near empty Institute. Finally reaching his sister's bedroom door he rapped on her door with bone-white knuckles loudly, "What do you want?" she asked silencing a yawn with the back of her hand, a brush taming the tangled nest of hair in the other hand.
"Hurry up," Alec demanded, "We're taking the Portal to Tokyo in an hour."
"Good morning to you too," she replied dryly, going through her entire wardrobe at the speed of light.
Alec stood with his back to the doorway as she changed into a pair of black skinny jeans, a jet-black zip-up motorcycle jacket and a pair of boots with heels that looked like stiletto knives. She bent over her vanity applying smoky purple eyeliner and a coat of ruby red lipstick. A few minutes later, a dash of mascara here and there contributed to the ensemble.
"Seriously, we're heading out to slay demons not attend the Miss America Beauty Pageant," Alec grumbled, crossing his arms.
"They at least deserve to die at the hands of someone beautiful," Isabelle replied cheerfully.
"Whatever you say Izzy."
"May I ask why we're hunting demons in Tokyo?" she asked curiously, shutting her bedroom door behind her.
"Apparently we're the only ones the Clave can spare to lead a strike force to exterminate a nest of demons preying on the local mundanes. We'll take the Portal to the Tokyo Institute and meet up with the Shadowhunters assigned to us there," Alec informed her.
They both descended the stairs into Hodge's old library. Alec held up a hand as his mother started to speak, "Honestly, I'm not in the mood to talk about this right now," he snapped preparing to pass through the Portal.
"I think we all need to have a chat when you both get back," Maryse said firmly.
"Fine by me," Alec replied coldly disappearing into the liquid-like Portal.
Both of the Lightwood children emerged from the free-falling sensation in the center of the Tokyo Institute's entrance hall. Paper lanterns hung all over the place with different colored flames illuminating the hall with iridescent light.
Isabelle let out a tiny gasp as she spotted the large pool of blood spreading in front of them a few corpses littering the ground all around, her hand fell on her electrode whip tightly her whole body tense with anticipation.
Alec's emotionless gaze swept over the rice-paper walls and doors, shredded and gouged by massive claws, "Demons," he announced quietly to Isabelle.
Alec ascended the stairs stepping through a splintered bamboo door silently, two seraph blades at the ready.
Isabelle fell in by his side her whip coiled at the ready; a Ravener rounded the corner hurling itself at Alec. Isabelle's whip cracked through the air scoring the entire Ravener's right flank and tossing it like a ragdoll away from Alec.
Alec rounded on the small demon furiously and plunged both seraph blades into its neck, scissoring the beast's head off.
Another demon burst out of the floor boards, massive claws ripping for their throats. Isabelle and Alec retreated back out into the entrance hall as the gigantic demon lumbered after them. Alec threw the seraph blade in his left hand, the crystalline blade sinking into the creature's chest like a shard of glass.
Isabelle skirted forward her whip lashing repeatedly antagonizing the strange demon. Several more Shadowhunters appeared in the center of the hall, the Clave's strike force having just arrived.
"Need a hand?" asked the leader of the group with a laugh, twirling a double ended sword adeptly.
"Please!" Isabelle yelled as the demon tore after her furiously as her whip connected with its left eye.
The man leapt into action as its claws flashed for her exposed back, one end of his unique sword driving the claws away from Isabelle, the other end snapping around to ram through the insect-like body of the giant.
Isabelle retaliated in unison her whip flying over the Shadowhunter's head to drag the beast to the ground. Alec ripped his seraph blade from the demon's chest as he raced past digging both blades into the demon's flank as he ran, black blood oozing from the wound.
Isabelle dove aside as the creature's serpentine tail flashed towards her slamming into the lead Shadowhunter's side roughly, sending him tumbling away like a rag doll.
Alec slashed the creature's throat with one swift strike and brought his other seraph blade down into the massive demon's skull in the blink of an eye dragging it back to the floor as it thrashed about in its death throes.
"Thanks for the heads up," grumbled the Shadowhunter as he made his way back over to the demon's corpse.
"Got to be on your toes honey," Isabelle chided, "Now who knows how to get to the demon's nest?" she asked impatiently.
"I do," replied the lead Shadowhunter, "Forgive me; I believe I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Jake Soto, I've been the one doing reconnaissance on the demon's nest for the past week. I didn't think they would dare to attack the Tokyo Institute while I was gone."
"Well Jake lead us to the nest then," Alec said with a faint smile wiping the black blood from his seraph blades.
Music thundered through the entire dimly lit building, strobe lights flashing everywhere.
"What kind of nightclub is this?" Alec demanded, avoiding eye contact with any of the female "dancers".
"I believe the mundanes call it a strip club," replied Jake with a smirk.
Isabelle tensed already feeling the unwanted attention of a few hostile looks thrown their way. Alec continued past the rows of tables and plush-looking sofas, his seraph blades hidden within the sleeves of his jacket.
Mundanes stared right through him as he passed unaware of the presence of their guardian angels. "You're a long way from Alicante," growled a man sitting with a pair of female Eidolons.
"I'm not even going to bother with the usual song and dance," Alec said ignoring him, "I'm just going to wipe the floor with you."
"Be my guest Shadowhunter."
Alec drew both seraph blades as one of the female Eidolons leapt across the table pinning him to the floor, her ample cleavage hanging in front of his face enough to distract any man. Alec drove his blade straight into her heart as her claws lashed for his face tossing her corpse to the side.
"Bitch," he growled. Every dancer, bartender, and waiter froze as the female Eidolon fell.
"Here comes the storm," Jake murmured to Isabelle as each and every demon exploded into action startling the mundanes as they engaged their invisible foes.
Alec backpedaled jumping up on stage, drawing his bow, an arrow already ready to fly into a target. One of the bartenders hurled a bottle of alcohol at him, missing by a mile. Alec put an arrow right in between his eyes, straining his hearing for the dull thud of a corpse hitting the ground.
Jake cleaved one of the cooks in half and brought the other end of his blade around to end a female Eidolon, "Such a shame to waste such beauty."
Alec mowed down a massive bouncer with a well-placed arrow to the side of his skull as he lunged for Isabelle.
The lights flickered as a middle-aged Japanese man with graying hair descended a spiral staircase in front of Alec his crimson orbs falling on them all. His cane slammed into each step. A brave Shadowhunter sprinted forward to meet the man, cut in half by a single claw.
Alec sized up the frail-looking man quietly. There's more to him than meets the eye.
Isabelle twirled her electrode whip and lashed out for the side of his head. In a split second, the man caught the whip in hand and swung her around the room tossing her behind Alec with ease.
"Shit," Jake breathed.
"You killed my children," the old man spoke his voice sending chills down the back of Alec's neck.
"They did attack first," Jake pointed out, earning a crimson glare in his direction.
"I believe you were the ones who came here," the demon replied with a feral smile.
"Enough talk," Alec spat drawing an arrow.
"Very well then," the old demon replied with a laugh. A single black claw extended from his hand and ripped straight through Jake's chest like a bullet, the Shadowhunter crumpling in a heap.
Alec took a deep breath subconsciously drawing on any power from his Runes. His Alliance Rune suddenly glowed from beneath the fabric of his torn shirt. Blue flames flickered to life off of the arrowhead engulfing Alec in a swirling storm.
Without another word, Alec let the blazing arrow fly engulfing the ancient demon in an indigo inferno. I need your strength right now more than you do Magnus.
A/N: Well…seems like a good place to stop. Sorry this chapter was focused mainly on Alec but it will be mostly about Magnus next chapter when he begins his journey to search for the Talisman of Samael.
The chapter was kind of iffy for me so let me know how you all feel.
Review, favorite, follow or PM me with questions or suggestions.
Bye!