A/N- Sorry this took so long, My chapters aren't pretyped, and although I have an overview for the whole story, it was had to put this bit into words. It was going to be longer, but I didn't want to keep you guy's waiting, so here it is.
P.S- A shout out to LOVERGIRL- who reviews nearly every chapter. and TessaElsaHerondale- I Have a problem with ! in my reviews too. Hopefully I will add Tessa in my later chapters.
Chapter 12
Will half walked- half ran down the long institute corridor, straight past the library. He suddenly stopped, having heard quiet voices. The Warlock is still in there he thought. Turning round, Will opened the door violently, no longer caring who was inside. The conversation halted abruptly as Will entered, giving him the impression that Magnus and Zachariah had been talking about him. Will thought for a moment. Zachariah was Jem: anyone could see that. However, what happened to Jem in the past 150 years must have changed him. Was he as trustworthy as the boy with silver hair Will knew? But compared to the unknown warlock- who knew him? – who could Will trust more? Will made this decision in a second. Turning to Zachariah he asked him, "Can you gather everyone you trust, it is vitally important." Zachariah locked eyes with Will for a second, and Will, in desperation, let his guard down, showing the churning sea of emotion for a second, before slamming the walls up once again. Zachariah's eyes widened slightly and he nodded "We'll meet here in half an hour." Will nodded and left the room.
Jace, Clary, Simon, Izzy, Magnus and Alec were gathered in the library, having just been told by Zachariah that 'They were needed.' Whatever that meant.
"Does anyone have any idea why we're here?" Jace asked the room at large and was met with shrugs and sounds of dissent from all but Magnus. When all eyes turned to him, Magnus sighed and said: "Zachariah and I were talking in the library, and Will asked Zachariah to gather everyone he trusts, and that it was vitally important." A ripple of talking went through the circle. The main question being, "Why would he trust Zachariah?" When this question was asked Magnus interjected, saying, to Clary, "You asked Zachariah, once, if there was anyone he loved enough to die for. He replied that there were two. As I'm sure you've already guessed, one of them is Tessa Gray." Nods and whispers of "Obviously" were heard around the room. Magnus ignored this and continued. "The other is William Herondale."
These words were met with shocked silence and stunned expressions, on everyone except Clary. "Clarissa, you already guessed, didn't you? When you saw him first?" Clary nodded slowly, and said: "Zachariah is James Carstairs."
"Very astute, Clary." Zachariah's calm voice filled the room. "I am Jem Carstairs. However, I do not remember travelling to the future, so it is no great help."
As Will entered the library, he saw that the others were already there, and talking quietly between themselves. Again, they stooped when he walked in. Will clenched his fists. He hated that they were talking about him. "Interesting topic of conversation?" At least some of them had the grace to look embarrassed, with the exception of Magnus, Zachariah and Jace.
"Yes. You." Jace said, and Will couldn't help but admire Jace's blunt attitude.
"What he means is, we were talking about why you would want me to gather everyone I trust." Zachariah smiled, an easy smile, and one Will recognised. He drew a deep breath, and began:
"As some of you know…" Here he glanced at Magnus, Tessa and Zachariah, "Jem- or Zachariah- originally comes from the Shanghai institute. When he was young…" Will broke off, and looked at Zachariah for permission. When he inclined his head, Will continued, "…His parents destroyed the nest of the demon Yanluo. But the demon wasn't there, and when it found out, it hunted down his parents." The room was completely silent. "When it found them, they were weapon-less and defenceless. The demon captured them, and Jem. It…" He looked up at Zachariah, and saw the other boy was looking at him, his stare unwavering. "It poisoned him with a demon poison called Yin Fen." Only Clary (of all the modern shadowhunters) looked like she was beginning to understand. "Silver…" she whispered, and Jace shot her a questioning look. She shook her head, and Will continued as if nothing had happened. "By the time the Shanghai Enclave- sorry, Conclave- arrived, Jem's parents had been killed, and…" Will broke off for a second, and cast a measured glance at Zachariah, as if again asking permission, and she former Silent Brother nodded his head, twining his fingers with Tessa's. "… And Jem was already addicted to the drug." Will finished, his voice almost a whisper. "The more he takes, the more it kills him, but if he stops, he will die within a day." He glanced a Zachariah, "We were told there was no cure, and Jem asked us to stop looking. Zachariah however is proof there is a cure." He cut off the explanation Magnus was about to start "I realize you cannot tell me the cure. That is not what I ask of you." The tension in the room was as fragile as a butterfly, waiting for Will's next sentence. "Yin Fen is not available in this time, and Jem is currently using the last of the Silent Brothers dwindling supply. It must be retrieved from the source, the demon Yinato Finati. In the demon realm."
He was met with a shocked silence, until Simon blurted out:
"You've got to be kidding me? Again?"