It had been days since Sam and I had slept. We lost our car, money, and all means of communication with people we knew. While we ran from some new species of demon that we discovered when searching New York for shelter, we stumbled upon an old rickety church that looked fit for hiding in. It was falling apart. There were holes in the roof and walls of the building that people once worshipped in. Most of the wrought iron fence was on the ground, as if it were letting anything and everything into a place that was once pure. The trees on the side of the building were bare and in the darkness looked almost like hands reaching out at the cars that drove by.
Once we approached it, however, it seemed to morph and change until it looked brand new. It was tall and golden. High windows dotted the front and sides of the building. The once eerie looking trees were full of life, covered in leaves and flowers with colorful petals. The fence that had been falling apart was now together once again, guarding the building from the harshness of New York City. There was a large, stone archway above the elegant, mahogany doors. At the peak of the arch was an odd mark that looked like a diamond with a curly V attached to the top of it. It was as if stepping up to the building had changed it so it was now as it used to be, an icon of the past in the present.
"Let's go in!" Sam said and jogged over to the gate.
"Sam, I don't think that's a good idea…" I said quietly. He didn't seem to have heard me, because he opened the gate and walked up the stone path to the doors under the archway. I ran to catch up and stopped dead in my tracks just inside the front door.
The inside looked almost new. The walls were lined with golden candleholders, which held white candles shining brightly in the receding light of sunset. They cast an eerie glow on the row after row of padded church pews. The alter looked the same as it did in any church; there was a long table covered with a satin cloth, a bible, more candles, and a large wooden cross hanging on the wall. The colorful, stain-glass windows cast patches of tinted light around the room. Then I noticed a golden door in the back corner of the room, behind the pulpit. There was a bronze crisscross pattern across it. I wondered where it led.
"Hey, Sam, what's that?" I asked as I gestured to the door
"Well, Dean, that back there is a door– OW!"
I punched his arm. "I know that it's a door." I walked over towards it and it started to move. I stopped and stared at it. From this close, I could tell that the crisscross pattern was actually a gate across the door. The gate squeaked to a halt and the door opened, revealing a rickety elevator. I looked back at Sam, getting ready to beckon him over, however he was already standing behind me. So, together, we carefully stepped into the elevator. The doors and gate clanged shut and the elevator loudly traveled up the shaft until it came to a stop. It opened noisily and before I could take anything in, there was a bright white blade at my throat.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa." I said and put my hands up. The light from the blade practically blinded me, so I couldn't see who was holding it.
"Step out of the elevator slowly. I don't want any funny business," said a gruff voice. I stepped out carefully and heard the doors shut behind me and the elevator retreat back to the safety of the lower levels of the building.
"Who are you and what are you doing here?" said the voice.
"I-I'm Dean Winchester and this is my brother Sam. W-we were seeking shelter from some demons that have been chasing us." I sputtered.
The voice was tight. "Demons? That can't be…"
"Look, I know it sounds crazy but…" the stranger dropped his weapon on the floor. For a moment, my vision was clouded with colorful spots. After I blinked a few times, the spots were gone, leaving me looking at a boy with golden blond hair, about my height, wearing all black clothing and covered in strange markings. He was pacing around a large foyer. There was a red sofa in the middle of the room, where a blue Persian snoozed. There were a few windows letting in golden light outside, which made the boy's hair shine. Along the wall beside the elevator was a series of pegs where several coats, jackets, and sweaters were hung.
The boy was mumbling while he paced. "No… they can see me… and they got into the Institute… this is not good…" then he turned to me, "How can you see me?!" his golden hair straggled into his face and his tawny colored eyes looked fierce.
"Y-you're just a person! A person like me. Look, kid, you aren't making any sense." I said.
"You have the sight... but how?" he paced for another moment then turned to look at me. "Why? Why are you in New York?"
"My brother and I are here because we are looking for the Greater Demon, Reap. He has been recruited by Satan and is now letting out demons and such that have been killed or damned into Hell. They are wreaking havoc throughout this world. However, one of the seals that will start the apocalypse has been released and we just recently killed her." I answered calmly. Sam was staring at me in disbelief. His expression read Dude! We don't know this kid!
"You… You know who Reap is?" he said slowly.
"Yeah? He is a Greater Demon. One that can't be easily killed, especially by someone with very little training."
"I know tha- wait… How do you know that?"
"Kid, I hunt and kill demons. Are you done with the questions now?"
The blonde kid turned to me, "I'm Jace Herondale. Excuse me for the improper greeting." Then he turned to the blue Persian that was still lounging on the red sofa and started talking to it. It was like it understood, because the cat got up and slunk down a long corridor and out of sight. Then he turned to us, picked up his blade. "Follow me" was all he said then he walked down the corridor the way the cat had. Sam and I exchanged looks of confusion but followed Jace down the hallway.
Sam and I walked slightly behind Jace as he led us down a series of long and confusing corridors. Jace was slightly shorter that I was. His golden hair was shaggy and his skin was tanned, almost golden. His body was toned and muscled. By the way he walked; I could tell he was cocky and that he knew just how amazing he looked. His hips swung slightly with each step, he held his chin high, his shoulders were squared but relaxed, and his arms hung freely by his sides. He was definitely a lady's man.
The hallways were simple, yet elegant. The ceilings were high and the floors were carpeted with ornate rugs. The walls were slightly off-white and there were large arches placed at intervals down the halls. Large portraits hung on the walls at random. Lamps that shone off a white light hung from the ceiling. After moments of walking, we arrived at our destination.
Jace opened two large doors that led into a huge library. Book shelves filled with books of all sizes lined the walls, floor to ceiling. On each shelf was a track with a ladder attached, so it could be used to reach books on either end of the shelf. In the back of the room was a large fire place, where a small fire crackled. In the middle of the room was a large oak desk, held up by two statues of angels, though their faces weren't heavenly. They looked pain stricken, as if they struggled to hold up the wood of the desk. Around the desk, there were couches and chairs that looked worn, as if they had been used countless times. The floor was marble and it looked like the tiles were supposed to create some sort of pattern, however, I couldn't make out what it was meant to be.
"Sit anywhere you would like. I'm going to see what's taking my brother and sister so long." Jace said then left the room. I sat down on the arm of one of the chairs. Sam paced the length of the desk and raked his hands through his hair.
"What is wrong with you?" he asked and stared at me incredulously, "we don't know him! He could be against us!"
"Look, the kid can see demons too. Obviously, we can get into this place for a reason. I don't know what reason that is, or why we're here, but maybe these kids can help us find Reap." I replied to him. He opened his mouth to argue, but was interrupted by the opening of the library doors and Jace walking in with two figures behind him; one slightly taller and the other slightly shorter.
The taller figure was a girl. She was lean and pale and the bare skin of her arms and neck were covered in the same odd black markings Jace had. She was wearing black heeled boots, tight dark jeans, and a grey, V-neck t-shirt. Her black hair hung down near her waist and her expression was hard as she took in my brother and me. Her cool blue eyes were like ice.
The shorter figure was a boy, obviously her brother. He had the same black hair and cold blue eyes. His skin was as pale as his sister's and covered in the same odd markings. Although his sister used her attractive looks to her advantage, the boy tried to downplay his looks with large, awful sweaters, ripped jeans, and heavy combat boots. Both of them looked oddly familiar.
"Dean, Sam, these are my siblings. Isabelle and Alexander Lightwood." He said as he gestured to them both as he said their names. I stared at them for another moment. It hit me, and my eyes widened as I realized how I knew who these strangers were. I had seen them before. In a dream.