Hey guys, so excited to show you my first fanfic since… uhm… I think… eight years. I'm also excited, because it is my first fanfic in English. So obviously English isn't my mother tongue, but every time I thought about what the characters might say, they did it in English. Funny, isn't it? So sorry for all the mistakes I make. If it is really bad, please tell me… I'm more than willing to improve my English. Also tell me what you like about the story - or don't like! So but now… happy reading! Enjoy it!
More or less daily updates on that story and Chapter two on instagram shedding_glitter :-) Complete second chapter will follow as soon as finished.
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"What have I done?" asked Magnus himself in the few seconds it took him to portal from Edom back to New York. "That will never ever be good again. It won't be… it can't be. Deals with my father simply suck… you should have known, you idiot! Trading your magic for saving the world… pah."
Before he could continue to blame himself, the portal spit him out and Magnus found himself in one of Piranesi's Carceri engravings. The portal had brought him to a badly lit alley, surrounded by brick-walled warehouses. Trash cans lined the back street leading to a rolling gate at the base of a high office building – some windows were lit, the light beneath the gate was flickering and steam rose from the gullies in the ground. After orientation kicked in, Magnus took in the whole scenery and his innards turned suddenly to ice.
Although he couldn't see his face, just the ruffle of dark hair, he instantly knew that it was Alec – lying on the floor, almost motionless, Jace – the Owl – kneeling above him, pressing Alec with force down and – oh god – stabbing an arrow in Alec's chest.
"ALEC!" Magnus screamed, unable to stop himself. He came too late, he failed, everything was in vain. He lost Jace to Lilith, traded and gave up his magic and lost the love of his life.
After Magnus had revealed his presence by his cry, Jace turned his attention to him. Still gripping the haft of the arrow, he looked up, baring his teeth like a wild animal and snarled. He started to rise, facing Magnus with burning eyes, full of hatred and disgust.
More out of reflex, than out of thinking, Magnus drew on the magic, on all the power Asmodeus gave him, drew it from his surrounding, from the earth under his feet, from all the love he felt for Alec and from all the misery, pain and angst he felt right now in the moment.
The power was building up in front of him as a red and orange shimmering cloud of magic. In the moment he felt he could no longer hold it, otherwise it would implode on itself, Magnus threw it against the Owl. He had just one try, it had to work. If he couldn't save Alec, he could at least try to save the world. Maybe even save Jace.
The force of Magnus magic hit Jace in the middle of his chest, sending him flying through the air. The Owl crashed into the rolling gate several feet away.
Magnus tried to hold the magic as long as possible focused on Jace. "It has to work – it has to work" Magnus was begging inside his head. But his power consumed itself too fast, Magnus could feel how the magic spilled out of him and… was gone. The orange and red lightnings holding the Owl pressed against the rolling gate faded and Jace fell to the floor. As soon as he hit it, he started to scream, holding his head in his hands – screamed as it would explode as soon as he took his hands down.
Magnus felt no pity or anything else for Jace – if it had worked and Jace was Jace again, he will know it soon enough – if not, he will know it as well. His mind was full of thoughts about Alec. Was he still alive? Was he dying? Was there anything Magnus could do for him?
Magnus started to run to Alec, almost stumbling over his own feet, running as fast as he could. He skidded to a stop and fell to his knees, instantly he reached for Alec's hand, pressed it hard. It was slippery with blood and sweat – but he could feel Alec's pulse. Slow and weak, but it was there.
"Stay with me" Magnus whispered while the steadied Alec's head with his other hand. Jace was still streaming and fighting his inner demons out of Magnus' field of vision.
Alec was breathing hard, his breath rattling with every gasp he made, deep lines of pain and exhaustion hollowing his face. As he realized that Magnus was kneeling beside him, he returned the squeeze of Magnus hand with all the dying force he had.
Alec coughed once. "Mum said you make a dramatic entrance."
"Wise woman" Magnus replied after he swallowed to make his voice even. He tried to smile, to encourage Alec to stay with him. He could feel that I didn't work, the smile wouldn't come. There was too much sorrow and angst and despair.
"Alec. Alec." Jace having forced the Owl off and having realized what had happened, was running to Alec and Magnus, sinking to his knees as well, touching his parabatai's shoulder and chest gingerly. "Magnus, please, you gotta fix him?" Jace voice was breathless with horror and hope.
"I can't"
Jaces eyes flew open in shock, incredulously he stared at Magnus. "You can't? What do you mean you can't?"
Magnus shook his head still watching Alec; he could not tear his gaze apart to face Jace. "My magic… it's gone" And finally Magnus looked at Jace. "I traded it to break Lilith's hold on you."
Jaces eyes widened even more, filling with tears. His face turned some shades whiter and was twisted with agony.
Jace reached in the back pocket of his pants, retrieving his stele and activated Alec's healing rune. Magnus was still clutching Alec's hand and neck.
Both men tried to keep their love and parabatai alive with their mere will.
"Jace, it wasn't you." panted Alec with hoarse voice and rattling breath, trying to fix his gaze on him, but his eyes kept falling shut.
Jace looked down on his best friend, felt his pain through the parabatai bond and felt his own anguish. He bit his lips, to stop himself from crying - Alec wouldn't want this.
Magnus could feel how Alec's heart skipped a beat and that his breath also stopped one intake. Then Alec coughed and this breath and heartbeat were even again.
"I'll take care of him", Magnus said and faced Jace. Their gazes connected in a deep understanding. They did not both have to watch Alec die. There was still a world to save. Jaced nodded and tugged the stele he was still holding carefully in Alec's grasp.
As Jaced looked up again his eyes filled with a golden glow, full of hatred, purpose and determination.
"I'm going to get Clary!" he said, then took one last deep breath and ran to the office building to face Lilith.
"Stay with my, Alexander… please", Magnus was making soothing noises to calm Alec down. But Alec seemed to be beyond realizing anything, passing into unconsciousness. The breath was low and rattling, his heart skipped several beats and the grip on Magnus was losing its strength- despite the healing rune Jace has drawn. "Stay with me… please".
Magnus lay Alexander's head down as gentle as he could, still gripping his hand, unwilling to break the connection they had – unconsciously hoping that the physical bond will keep Alec alive. With the free hand he reached to the pocket in his waistcoat and withdrew his mobile phone to call for help.
...
Catarina was propped up on her couch, aching feet from a long shift at the hospital bedded on two soft cushions. In one hand she held a book without really reading it and in the other a glass of red wine. The golden cone of light of her reading lamp created an island of comfort. Though she couldn't focus on the book, she was still thinking about that she had denied Magnus to help the day before. He seemed so desperate to help the parabatai of his boyfriend and breaking the hold Lilith had on him. But she couldn't do it, if something went wrong and Lorenzo, the high warlock of Brooklyn, sent her to the dungeons of the spiral labyrinth… if it were for own sake she wouldn't have hesitated a second, but she had Madzie to look after… the young warlock girl had already lost one mother, she couldn't stand to lose the second one…
"Madzie? Is that you?" Catrina was looking up as she heard a low rustle at the entry to her living room. The girl was standing in the doorway in her flamingo pajamas, two neatly plaited braids framing her face, clutching a teddy bear in her tiny hands. Her scarf that had become askew showed the gills on her neck.
Catarina put book and glass down on the small table beside the sofa and rose to walk over to Madzie. "Did you have a bad dream?" she asked.
Madzie didn't reply, but nodded with wide eyes and clutched the plush toy more tightly.
"What did you dream?" asked Catarina – she knew Madzie wouldn't answer, the girl spoke little, but to her surprise the young warlock responded.
"Alec… and there was blood…"
"Oh, my…" Catarina clapped her hand over her mouth. "Poor thing" She lifted the girl in her arms and carried her back to her bed, stoking her hair while she did so. Put her gingerly down and tugged the bed bedsheet firmly around the body of the small girl. After that Catarina set down on the side of the bed and looked into the serious face of the girl.
"Madzie, it was just a dream. No need to worry. Alec will be fine. It was just a bad dream". Oh my god, she really sucked on the mother stuff. Although Madzie seemed calm on the outside, she knew that the little girl was afraid, but didn't show it. She had no other idea to calm and assure her that everything will be fine, than to sing Madzie's favorite lullaby. While Catarina was softly humming, the girl finally fell asleep.
As Catarina left room, she turned the night light on and closed the door quietly. She wondered if Madzie had premonitions, some warlocks could tell the future quite accurately…
The ringing of her mobile phone put a sudden end to her dark thoughts. She hasted to the living room, afraid that the noise will wake Madzie and picked up the call. On the display she could read "Incoming call - Magnus"
"Oh, Magnus, it's good that you call…" she started without preamble. "Madzie dreamed about Alec and is everything okay…"
"Catarina. I need you. Now". Hearing Magnus's voice like this, she knew that Madzie's dream had become the truth. It was low, almost a whisper, but full of despair and anguish.
"I'll be there" she simply said, ended the call and started to create a portal.
...
Magnus dialed Catarina's number and listened to the free line signal „Oh, come on, COME ON, Catarina, please pick up!"
It rang one time, two times, three times... for Magnus it seemed that the passing time had become an eternity, although it were just a few seconds...
Finally his friend picked up the phone, Magnus was at first so relieved that he couldn't speak. If someone could help Alec to survive than it was Catarina – in his long life he hasn't met a more gifted healer than her.
"Catarina. I need you. Now." Magnus's voice was tight and low, this throat felt like someone was struggling him.
"I'll be there" she replied without asking further questions and ended the call.
Magnus watched out for Catarina to appear. Just a few feet from him and Alec away, the air began to shimmer. First like the air above heated streets and pavements on hot New York summer days, when the rotten smell of the East River filled the narrow streets along its shore, when everyone stayed at home and kids were cooling themselves down in the splashing water of the hydrants. Then the air seemed to become more – solid. Blue sparks filled the air and suddenly the portal appeared, like a door popping out of nowhere. Through the opening Catarina showed up and was in a split second beneath Magnus, the portal already closing behind her.
Quickly she wrapped her arms around him, giving him a brief but tight hug, reassuring him, what she will do anything for him.
"Catarina, can you help him?" Magnus nearly didn't ask. He knew that Catarina could feel when someone was too close to death to be rescued.
She focused her gaze on Alec, touched his shoulders with both hands, and closed her eyes. Although she tried to control her features and not to give away her emotions, Magnus could read in her face that it was bad… really bad.
"I'll try. He is not over the edge… yet. And he is strong. There is still a chance", she gave Magnus a reassuring glace and he nodded once. "But we have to be quick." and in split second she turned from a loving and caring friend to a focused nurse. She shifted herself to sit close behind Alec and put his head on her lap – not without pausing to stroke through his tousled black hair and removing some strands that stuck on this forehead with sweat. Although Catarina moved Alec gingerly he started to moan and tossed his head to the left side.
"I need you to remove the arrow" she addressed Magnus.
"WHAT?" Magnus voice was hoarse; incredulously he stared at his old friend.
"I need you to do it NOW!" Catarina was almost screaming, with a glance in Magnus white face she added more softly "If I start to heal him, the tissue will close around the arrow and burry it deeper in his flesh. If we remove it later - that way we will do more damage than it is already done. We have to remove the arrow before I start to heal him and before the iratze someone gave him closes the wound more and more… and yes, I know, it will mean that there will be nothing to stop the blood loss, as the arrow does know. But, Magnus, believe me, it's the only way to save him. Trust me, please" Catarina was nearly begging at the end of her speech.
Once again Magnus nodded a single nod. He squeezed Alec's hand tightly one last time and moved to close both of his hands around the arrow haft that stood awkwardly out of Alec's chest… close to his so soft heart.
Catarina began to weave blue strands of magic around Alec's upper body that spoke of healing and calm and hope.
"I'm sorry", Magnus whispered and with that he pulled at the arrow with all his force, feeling some resistance at first, than the bolt came free.
Although it seemed that Alec has passed into unconsciousness, he started to scream as soon as Magnus touched the haft – the pain had brought him back to the harsh reality. Tears were running down his cheeks, leaving white traces on his dust-covered face, his features twisted with pain and agony, emphasizing the deep lines of exhaustion on his face.
Magnus couldn't stop whispering "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry…" over and over again, clutching the bloodstained arrow to his chest, leaving dark blotches of angry red on his waistcoat.
Meanwhile Catarina focused all her magic on the tiny red hole of the stab wound – her magic turning from a soft, almost turquoise blue, to a darker blue, becoming more and more violet and purple.
"Magnus!"
Magnus was still clutching the arrow, his gaze focused on Alec's face – now somehow unreal calm and almost relaxed – he had finally passed out, thanks to Catarina's healing skills.
"MAGNUS!"
But the hole in Alec's chest seemed unchanged – still an ugly gaping hole.
"MAGNUS!"
Finally Magnus snapped out of his gloomy thoughts and put his focus back on Catarina – suddenly all awake and fully alert. Catarina's glamour was fading! Her complexion changing between a dark brown and an eerie blue, her hair turning from deep black to dull grey to a stark white. Catarina never let her glamour down – not even around other warlocks – so she must be truly exhausted.
"Magnus, please, give me your hand, I need your strength." Her glamour was fully down now, the strands of magic faded to a weak blue, her head sunken to her chest with fatigue and her left hand reached out.
Magnus let go of the arrow, which fell down with a clattering sound and reached for the outstretched hand of his old and best friend. As their hands connected he could feel how his remaining power was poured out of him, his hand and arm began to ache with pins and needles and a dull and hollow feeling began to spread in his body. But Catarina's magic turned more solid, the color changing back to a deep blue and – finally – Magnus could sense, more than actually see, that the wound in Alec's chest was closing, slow but steady.
Black blotches started to appear in Magnus field of vision, making it hard to focus, he started to feel dizzy, his eyes kept falling shut and as Catarina took the last bit of strength of him he finally passed out.
