AN: Okay, short chapter. I know, I'm sorry. But another chapter will be going up within the next couple hours!
Also, here's the picture of Ben and Alec: http:/ katara-alchemist. deviantart. com/g allery/#/d3fohbj Just remove the spaces. The picture is based sometime when they were still in the caves, before they were rescued.
Also, I have a twitter now, as some of you have discovered. http:/ twitter. com/# !/Katara Alchemist Feel free to come follow me. My account is used mainly for talking with Cassandra Clare and other Mortal Instruments related stuff. If I get enough of you following me there, I may start giving away spoilers and such there, and use it to answer questions and such you guys have.
~*~*~*~*~*~"Success is not measured by what you accomplish, but by the opposition you have encountered, and the courage with which you have maintained the struggle against overwhelming odds."~*~*~*~*~*~
"Free Magnus!"
"Free Magnus!"
"Free Magnus!"
It was chanted over and over again, but I couldn't tell by who. The inquisitor was blocking the view from the window and I wasn't sure I could actually walk over to one of the other windows without falling over. I was dizzy all of a sudden, and could barely keep my eyes open.
"Someone get those people to stop! They are interfering with an official Clave meeting. Tell them they'll be jailed if they don't desist!" The inquisitor shouted. But no one moved. "Go!"
Again, no one moved.
"Why aren't you listening to me?" The inquisitor seethed, striding back to the table. With him away from the window I could finally see who was standing there and when I did, I couldn't believe it. It was Jared, and Elizabeth, and Sarah, everyone from the caves backed by their families and friends. The children's families stood with the others, all chanting together. There were at least a hundred people standing on the steps of the building.
"Aren't those the people that were with you?" Jace whispered.
"Ye..yeah."
"Someone go take care of those idiots!" The inquisitor growled.
"No." One of the Clave officials spoke up. "You saw that scrap of paper, Inquisitor. From what we know of Valentine, is it really that hard to believe that it's real? And there's obviously quite a few people who don't believe Bane is at fault." She gestured at the crowd.
"We do not bow down to the will of people outside this room. This is Clave business—" He was cut off by the woman.
"And those are members of the Clave. I can see at least ten shadowhunter families that I recognize standing in that crowd, probably more. We've preached understanding, compassion and acceptance ever since the second war started by Valentine. If we try and go against the will of so many people, especially when it comes to a downworlder like Magnus Bane being imprisoned for something it looks like Valentine himself did, I can't see it going well."
The inquisitor was silent, staring at each of the Clave officials standing there, "How many of you agree?" He asked after a moment.
Slowly everyone but two people in the room raised their hands.
"Majority rules." Jace grinned, earning a dark glare from the inquisitor.
"As much as it…pains me, majority does rule. The two warlocks will be freed without charges." The Inquisitor grumbled.
I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding at that moment, my head bowing slightly. They were free. Magnus and Johnny were free.
"Come on; let's go get them out of those cells." Jace said, resting his hand on my shoulder and squeezing lightly. I looked up and saw him smiling softly and nodded, following him and several Clave officials out of the room.
By now the chanting had been stopped, and the group was being led inside.
"Alec!" Elizabeth stepped away from the group, waving off the Clave official that tried to stop her. She came over and wrapped me in a tight hug. I hugged back, grateful that they'd come and wanting to say so, but I was more interested in getting to Magnus.
"Kim managed to send us a message saying what's going on. Just tell us how we can help." She said.
"You already did, they've decided to free Magnus and Johnny." I told her, smiling gratefully.
"Good." She beamed, though the smile turned to a frown. "Alec? Are you okay? You just got really pale."
But I barely heard her. It felt like the floor was pitching underneath me, and my vision was fading in and out. For a moment I even had double vision. I closed my eyes tightly, hoping it would help with the dizziness. But it didn't, the floor continued to pitch underneath me and I felt myself stumble a bit.
"Alec?" Jace's hand was on my arm, steadying me a bit. But it wasn't enough and I collapsed against him. His arms wrapped around me to keep me from falling and he lowered me to the floor.
I could hear a crowd of voices speaking loudly around me, bombarding my head with noise. I tried to turn my head away from it but the movement resulted in a wave of nausea and dizziness.
"Alec? Alec, can you hear me?" Jace. I just nodded a bit, my eyes clenched shut as I tried to fight off the spinning sensations. "What's wrong?"
"Dizzy." I mumbled. For a moment he was silent, either that or I just didn't hear him, and then I felt his arm slide behind my back and one under my knees as he gently lifted me from the ground. I gasped a bit, the movement had sent another wave of vertigo crashing around me, and the swaying motion of Jace's walk wasn't helping.
He walked for what seemed like ages before he set me down on what felt like a bed. The last thing I heard before I passed out was Jace,
"Someone get Magnus, now."
AN: Only one chapter left! -dramatic face- After that there'll be an epiloge, and then I'll be done with this story, and with this whole arc. I won't know what to do with myself. XD
I've already got another story in the works though, on top of re-writing Control. The story plays with the alternate realms, specifically the demon realm. That's all I'm saying right now though!