Prologue
"Hurry up you two, or by the Angel we will leave you behind!" Isabelle shouted, a hint of annoyance in her voice.
It was a brisk autumn day in Manhattan, the cool wind bringing much needed relief from the warm sun beating down. Clary sat on a bench in the back of the Institute, watching the branches of the trees dance in the breeze. Occasionally a leaf would be torn from its place and she would watch its slow descent. She could hear shouting from behind her, possibly Jace and Alec yelling back at Isabelle, and the clanking of metal from the weapons room.
It's their fault for deciding to go to Taki's for breakfast instead of getting ready to go, she sighed, getting up and walking over Isabelle, whose posture clearly stated that she was pissed off.
"By the Angel, those two. Couldn't they be ready for once," sighed Isabelle, shaking her head. Both girls were dressed in black combat gear, several seraph blades strapped to their backs and belts. They both were coated in pre-drawn runes, their steles tucked away in their boots for future use. Isabelle's golden whip was curled bracelet-style around her wrist and her red pendant necklace hung in its usual place.
The sound of crushed leaves caused both girls to spin around, weapons drawn, ready to maim and kill. "Whoa, whoa. No need to get hostile," said a boy with slightly long brown hair, his arms up in defense and eyes slightly widened.
"By the Angel, Simon. Announce yourself next time," Clary laughed, putting her sword away.
"What are you doing here, anyway?" Isabelle questioned, sliding her weapons away too.
Simon held out his phone towards the girls. "Magnus messaged me last night." The girls craned their necks to read the text:
Hello, Simon
I would like you to join the others on their mission. I think you could be useful for them. Meet them at the Institute tomorrow at 10am.
-Magnus
P.S. Tell Alec I said hello ;)
"Ugh, those two," Isabelle said, gesturing a throwing up motion.
"I know. Couldn't he have sent that to Alec himself?" Simon sighed, sliding his phone back in his jean pocket. As he did so, his slightly overgrown bangs were lifted in the breeze, letting Clary see the Mark of Caine that she had put on him. Well, if worse comes to worse…
The back door of the Institute swung open with a creak, breaking her out of her thought. Jace and Alec were chatting as they strolled out, decked out in their gear. The way that the sun shone off of Jace's hair, giving it a golden-halo look that portrayed him like some sort of fallen angel… Focus, Clare! Keep it together, she thought, hoping that the red rising in her face wasn't too visible.
As the two boys approached the group, Jace raised an eyebrow in Simon's direction. "Magnus asked him to come," was all Isabelle said.
And all she needed to say. Jace just shrugged and turned to start drawing runes on his parabatai. Clary walked over to the wall, pulled out her phone and sent Magnus a message:
Ready on our end.
Then she set to work. Pulling out her stele, she began to trace a portal on the wall, the runes lighting up with each stroke. When she finished, she tucked her stele away and called the others over.
Once everyone was gathered around the portal, Jace quickly recalled the mission: go through the portal to where Magnus is waiting and assist another group of Shadowhunters with clearing out a demon nest. Everyone nodded, and Jace stepped into the portal.
One by one, they walked in-Alec, Isabelle, Simon- until all that was left was Clary. Just as she was about to head in, a sort of rune flashed into her mind: a sort of bird-looking creature with multiple feathers stretching from it. The last feather had a sort of arrow point that curved, ran along the bottom and ended with another point at the front.
It's the same rune from the dream I had last night, she pondered. Shaking her head, she turned her focus to the task at hand. With that mysterious rune nagging in the back of her mind, Clary stepped into the portal and tumbled through empty space.