*Promises to post on Christmas*

…

*Doesn't post on Christmas*

I'm so sorry. In my defense, I got the Shadowhunters books - like all of them, but not Queen of Air and Darkness. We had to go get that today. At least I remembered…?

Forgiven?

*Squeals* AHHH! We're finally here! *Throws confetti*

Finally we can get to the part where the actual books come into play in the sequel after this (I based the story off the Dark Artifices and dammit we have to get there somehow!)

Merry Christmas, all dat jazz. I'm trying to get a Christmas themed chapter for another story up, but since a lot of people are going to be, you know, doing Christmas stuff, hopefully it won't be too much of a loss if I can't get it out in time. Oh well, I'll just make it a New Years thing if I must.

Double update to finish this story off! Let's do it!

Enjoy! :)

Hunter was dreaming.

He was in a field with Fae, having a picnic. He'd always imagined this as a date between them, maybe in Faerie, maybe in the human world, but it was just the two of them alone together, trying out each other's food.

I have chosen human-safe food, I assure you," Fae said smiling.

I've chosen what I hope is faerie-safe food. Do faeries get allergies? Would all the human preservatives make you sick? I don't wanna get you sick! That'd be hard to come up with an excuse for!"

Fae laughed. He ate Hunter's food with grace, though he had comments on some of them.

This tastes of grand sweetness."

It's chocolate. You've never had chocolate before?"

Fae tilted his head in thought. "Have I? Hmm…"

Hunter laughed and licked some chocolate that had been left at the corner of Fae's mouth. "You're adorable."

He licked Fae's lips completely clean before finally moving to kiss him properly, the faerie having grown impatient. He was prepared to go further when Fae suddenly pushed him away and looked up behind him, his face full of worry and concern.

Hunter turned and looked at what Fae was looking at before seeing a dark cloud rolling over the hills of the field they were in, approaching fast. Inside, Hunter could see the shifting of something living - some kind of army.

The Wild Hunt?" Hunter guessed, dread taking over his mind. "W-What…h-how…?"

Fae stood without a word, his eyes locked on the oncoming storm.

Fae, what's going on?"

I must go, my Hunter."

Hunter jumped to his feet. "What?! No, Fae, you can't!

I must."

Fae, you promised you wouldn't leave me!"

This is what I must do."

What?!" Hunter snapped. "Fae, stop being a faerie and just tell me!"

Fae finally looked down to him, as though he just noticed that Hunter was there, talking to him. "I cannot let them harm you again. I cannot kill you again."

Hunter froze. "You've never killed…Fae, what are you talking about?"

The faerie cupped his face gently. "You will be fine, Scion."

Fae kissed him gently, a sad kiss, one that showed he was saying goodbye. Horror flooded through Hunter's mind, his body reacting instantly and grabbing Fae tightly.

No! I won't let you go!"

That is not your choice to make."

Fae pulled back, Hunter finding he was suddenly impossible to hold on to. Fae had transformed into nothing but a fiery silhouette of himself, smiling back at Hunter for the last time. Hunter tried to move, he tried to reach out, but then he was frozen in place, reaching for someone who he couldn't touch anymore. Then, it wasn't Fae that was the silhouette - it was Hunter. His arms passed through Fae, but this time it was Fae who was real and he who was simply an illusion of magic, a glowing red silhouette.

Fae? Fae! Don't leave me! Please!"

Goodbye, my Hunter, my love, the heart of my regard. Live, and do not be sad. May we meet again in the next life."

No! Fae! Come back! Please! Don't leave me alone! FAE!"

As Fae walked toward the dark cloud that Hunter knew would be his doom, Fae turned his head back one last time. "That is not my name."

With that, Fae walked away as Hunter screamed for him, disappearing into the dark cloud as it suddenly flashed and disappeared. It, along with Fae.

And Hunter was left alone.

-TFOT-

Hunter woke up reaching desperately for Fae, but to his surprise he actually felt the warmth of the faerie beside him in bed. He realized that he was clawing at actual flesh and quickly stopped, hugging Fae tightly as he tried to convince himself that he was awake.

"I am never allowing you to dominate me again if it means you shall wake up punching me so," Fae wheezed.

Hunter jumped up. "By the angel, Fae, did I hurt you?! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-!"

"You flailed and punched your arm down across my stomach before scratching my torso and then regaining consciousness to begin squeezing me in what I assume was an embrace. Might I hazard a guess your sleep did not have mercy upon you?"

Hunter sighed and looked to Fae's torso where he had many small cuts that were already healing because of Fae's healing factor.

"I'm sorry. I had a nightmare."

"A type of dream?"

Hunter nodded. "A bad one."

"Dreams are naught but a glamour of the mind. You must worry not, my Hunter."

Hunter snuggled up next to Fae under the duvet. "Dreams are a scary thing, Fae. Sometimes they predict future, sometimes they show you the present, and sometimes they inform you of the past - those you know of and those you may not have. Sometimes, a combination of all three in one big jumbled mess."

Fae kissed Hunter's forehead. "True, dreams may show you truth or they may show you lies. Share with me your mare of the night."

So Hunter did. He shared every detail he could remember.

"The cloud you speak of, the torrent of darkness, may simply be a symbolic representation of another source of fear you hold. The Hunt…though it may hold much peril, I cannot imagine it being so destructive. This forewarned threat appears to be targeting us and us alone. Gwyn cares little for my personal affairs so long as they do not impede my duties, and no fellow Hunter would form a vendetta against me. Only were I to do something so drastic that the entirety of the Hunt pursued me would such an event even be considerable. Never have I encountered this dangerous storm of which you dream. The only army I've met was my own - my father's rather. They are ruthless to be sure, but my father knows not of you, nor will I allow him to in the future."

"Whatever you were doing, you seemed convinced that you had to go, that you were the only one that could stop them. And you did. You walked in and everything vanished. You said you couldn't let them harm me again, then you said…you said you couldn't kill me again."

"I could only assume it means we have met in a former life."

"Is that even possible?"

"For faeries, entirely. For a Shadowhunter…only the Astrals might be capable of such a feat."

"You think I'm an Astral?"

"I believe you are blessed by one, but which, I cannot say. Only certain Astrals may control rebirth. Unless you are an Astral yourself, one dear to your heart must have brought you into their life. If you were a Shadowhunter in your former life, it is likely you would be born one again." Fae looked to his hand. "Perhaps I did it. However that raises many questions. How did I kill you, why? If I loved you so much as to grant you the gift of rebirth."

"You're an Astral?"

"So I've been told. I've held great power throughout my life, but nothing celestial. I have grown a faerie. My body is no stronger than one, my magic average or…sub par - as Wolf might put it - and I possess no memories beyond my current life's. If I am an Astral, I am a broken one."

Hunter hugged Fae tightly. "Maybe you just need a little time. To get all your Astral-y powers back."

"Or perhaps I am simply deluding myself, my informants having misjudged my status. Perhaps I am simply a faerie that has false dreams of grandeur."

Hunter leaned in to kiss Fae. "Whatever you are, you're a deity to me."

Fae smiled gently. "Your sentiments are appreciated."

Hunter gave a small smile and then sighed as he leaned against Fae. "Hey, Fae?"

"That is I."

Hunter snickered before leaning his head on Fae's shoulder. "Does the name 'Scion' mean anything to you?"

Fae's eyes moved up and away as he thought, before they returned to Hunter. "Not to my knowledge. Perhaps once I have met a Scion in the past, yet I fail to recall if such a name was of import. What might it mean to you, my Hunter?"

'It's my last name.' "You called me Scion in the dream. But Scion isn't my name."

"Perhaps it was your former title, in your former life - should we be correct in assuming you have been reborn by an Astral's will."

Hunter nodded. "Right."

'But why would my former first name be my current last? Coincidence? Translation error? But the Scion family has had multiple generations. Then again, I don't know a lot about how rebirth works. Maybe I was once called Scion, but as the generations went by, it got confused as a last name? Or someone of my family took up the title of Scion to honor the former me in some way. Who knows?'

"Is there any way for me to remember my past life or lives?"

"Not unless you meet the Astral who touched your soul to grant you rebirth and they are benevolent enough to allow you such. Rebirth is complex, even I know little of it. I do not know if a person's soul retains past memories as it is reborn, or if they must be cleansed to create a…fresh palate."

Hunter hummed in acknowledgement, more questions swirling through his mind than ever before.

-TFOT-

"So what's this about a curse?" Hunter asked.

"From what I've gathered, someone put a curse on you, Hunter, so that you'd carry it like a rat to Fae," Lock informed them. "The moment you two came into contact with each other, both of you were affected in different ways. Hunter's natural frustration finally came spilling out, and Fae's worry about your relationship exploded ten-fold, but apparently it was more than just about Hunter. Fae told me that the only reason he snapped out of his…affected state was when his brother punched him, knowing that what he was saying wasn't him at all."

"So…when it doubt, punch the problem in the face?" Hunter summarized.

"He refrained from the breaking of my nose," Fae shrugged.

"But it proves that all of Fae's stress and frustration over his entire life - especially his more current events - were meant to be released, not just things about your relationship, Lock continued. "Whoever did this, they wanted Fae to ruin more than just your relationship, they wanted him to ruin his life. Someone tried to sabotage you, do you understand?"

"But who would do such a thing?" Hunter asked.

"Well, how many people know of you two in your regular life? You sure someone didn't overhear you talking, or maybe someone asked about the meeting grounds?"

"No one! I haven't told…"

Fae raised an eyebrow. "You know of someone you've informed of us?"

"The only person that figured it out was Selina."

Fae scowled. "Seline, of course. As I suspected."

"No…no Selina's a Shadowhunter. She doesn't have magic, she's not some faerie Astral and…she'd never do this to me. She…she's supported us when she figured it out."

"A façade, nothing more. I learned of her treachery yet never saw her utilize such dark methods before."

"Hey, hold on a second! What are you talking about? Treachery?"

"My sources tell me Selina Dalmasca is most likely an Astral called Seline - a Lunarian of the moon and a woman with a personal vendetta against me and all I hold dear."

Lock stepped forward. "Fae-"

"What sources?" Hunter interrupted. "Selina is a Shadowhunter, she has been all her life!"

"Hunter-" Lock tried again, but was cut off by Fae

"Rebirth, my Hunter. A simple weaving of magic and an Astral can be reborn a human, any species they desire. Though a Shadowhunter is unique to be sure, it is entirely possible. I surmise Seline has calculated her rebirth specifically to interfere with our relationship."

Hunter's face twisted as he got frustrated thinking about everything Fae was saying. "Okay, first, why the hell would she have a vendetta against you? Second, who the hell told you all this and why do you believe them? Third, how would she predict 20 years of my life just so that she could grow up a Shadowhunter best friend or whatever?"

"The cause of Seline's vendetta is beyond even I. As for my sources, they are Astrals, Draco-Infernians. They have told me all they know of the infamous Lunarian called Seline, that she wishes for my downfall and always has, that she is capable of becoming a Shadowhunter - through rebirth or simply trickery, and that she possesses prophetic powers, as the moon is said to."

"S-So…how are you associated with all of these Astrals anyway? Aren't they supposed to be rare or hidden or something?"

"Many encounters are mere happenstance, however I had little care for Selina even before this knowledge came to me."

Hunter gritted his teeth. "You could've told me you didn't want her around, you know. As you can see, I'm kinda oblivious as to when someone's jealous over me, and I'm never sure about how you feel unless you actually tell me."

"Have many been jealous over you?"

He shrugged. "No. But if you didn't like Selina, you could've just made me not bring her to the meeting grounds."

"I did not wish to separate you and your parabatai. I have not that right, to make you choose your loyalties."

He took Fae's hand. "I don't wanna choose, sure, but that doesn't mean you should be unwilling to ask me things. Communication is a good thing. Look, she's not gonna come between us, I promise. No matter what happens."

"She nearly did already. How could I have been so foolish?"

"We don't know that this is Selina."

"Yes, I am fully confident she is at fault."

Hunter frowned. "Lock?"

He jumped, having been deep in thought. "I-I'd have to do a thorough examination to tell if she matches the energy signature that I sensed from both of you during the incident. A-And if she has a way to cloak her powers so that she comes off as nothing but a Shadowhunter…well, there's no definitive proof either way."

Hunter's head fell. "Look, Selina's my best friend. I'll ask her and she'll tell me."

"Or she could erase your memories, or she could lie to you, or she could put another curse on you that cannot be fixed by simply punching you in the face," Fae pointed out.

"Look, I believe in Selina, I've known her for a long time. Whoever she really is or isn't, at least give her the benefit of the doubt. Let's look before we leap to conclusions."

Fae and Lock shared a cautious glance.

"We shall support you in your endeavor, my Hunter," Fae said.

"We'll restrain you should you become cursed or we think you're acting out of character," Lock added. "Then I'll see if I can reverse what's happened."

"I shall punch you like my brother did for I," Fae volunteered. "Let us hope that is all we must do."

"Thanks…?" Hunter said questioningly.

Fae nodded. "It is my pleasure."

-TFOT-

"What did you do to Fae?" Finn demanded as lightly as he could.

"Nice to see you too, Finn. Yeah, I had a great mission without you, got covered in ichor, the demon split in two when I sliced it in half - I had to shove my witchlight in one and then draw an explosion rune on a piece of paper to handle the other. But yeah, what's up with you?"

"Lock told me that Fae had been possessed by some spell or something that made him paranoid and nearly destroy his life, and Fae says that it was you. Merida's not here anymore, and the only other person that knows about us is you, so what the hell?"

She rolled her eyes and sighed. "What did he say about me? Look, I'm sorry if we haven't gotten along very well, but I'm-"

"Selina."

She sighed and closed her eyes. "Selina's not here. My name is Seline, shouldn't be too much of a stretch for you, right?"

"So you are Seline. A whatever of the moon."

"A Lunarian of the moon, Astral of the moon, take your pick."

"Who are you? Why are you against me and Fae? What the hell was that curse? What did you do to my parabatai?"

She met his eyes. "First off, I am your parabatai. Selina Dalmasca and I are one and the same, barring a few minor details."

"What details?"

"She is a Shadowhunter, I am an Astral. I've always been inside her, she has never fully been her own person, but at the same time, sometimes I leave her on auto-pilot, and that is the Selina Dalmasca you know and love. As for my story, I'm surprised Lock didn't tell you already."

"Lock? He knew about you?"

"Only recently did I tell him. Don't blame him, I requested that he keep this a secret."

"So what are you? Why are you doing this?"

She set down a pen that she had been writing up her mission report with. "Sit down." He did so. "Long ago, I met a Shadowhunter."

"What does this have to do with anything-?"

"Shut up and listen or you won't get anything at all."

He was silent.

"Thank you. Now as I was saying, there was once a Shadowhunter that I met. He was kind and selfless and everything that I wasn't. The reason I took interest in this particular Shadowhunter was because he had fallen in love with an Astral - specifically, an Astral that I had once loved but it didn't work out. I was angry, so I went to that Shadowhunter and told him every gruesome detail about his Astral love that I could so that I could dissuade him from loving my ex, a revenge of sorts. I'd done it dozens of times, played my words to my advantage and ruined my ex's love life for good. But this Shadowhunter? He just smiled at me. He told me that I was just lost, no purpose, and I was afraid. I was self conscious about myself, why I had been rejected, and if I could ever be loved. So I was lashing out, using revenge against my ex as a reason to go on. This Shadowhunter knew me better than I knew myself."

"And that Shadowhunter…that was me?"

She nodded. "Smart one, aren't you? Yes, it was you. In your past life. You and the Astral, my ex, you both died because you were together. I couldn't help but think that if something had been different, if I had managed to convince you that being with him wasn't right, what if I could've saved you? Then you were both reborn. I'm still lost, Finn. I don't know what I am, what I want in my immortal life as an Astral. I just want you safe. I thought that breaking the two of you up would make me happy, but it hasn't. I was satisfied for a few minutes, but then I saw how depressed you were, how broken I'd made you, and I began to reconsider. What am I, Finn? What am I supposed to do if I've lost my purpose?"

Finn looked down. "Selina…"

"Seline."

"Selina, Seline, what difference does it make?"

"An entire syllable in difference."

For some reason, Finn found himself smiling. When he looked up, Selina was smiling too. The two broke out into laughter for no reason at all. It was a laughter that was shared by best friends, by parabatai, by two people who had known each other for nearly all of their lives and could just laugh together when they were feeling down.

Selina tapped her neck where her parabatai rune was. "This is what I grew to love. This bond between you and I and no one else. You're one of a kind, Finnegan. I don't wanna lose you. We were lucky this time, when you were reborn. I'd turn you into a constellation if it meant I'd be able to keep you forever."

"You can do that?"

She nodded. "You know of Orion, right?"

He nodded. "That was Artemis who made him into a constellation, right? From the Greek pantheon? You know her?"

"She's a Lunarian too. Duh, goddess of the moon? Also virginity and all around badass-ness as a hunter, but yeah, I know her. She's still out there, doing what she does."

"And what's that?"

She shrugged. "Whatever the flip she wants. We're gods, we've got time on our hands."

Finn sat back in his seat. "Wow…that's…wow."

She sighed and stretched in her seat before collapsing in it. "You don't know how nice it is to have that all out in the open."

"I have a lot of questions that I need to ask you, if you don't mind."

"Sure. Shoot."

"There was this dream that I had…"

-TFOT-

"You were called Scion and Phoenix walked into the cloud of destruction for you? I know that Phoenix killed you before, but again? As in, a second time?" Selina sighed. "This is exactly what I was afraid of. You two keep dying for each other."

"I'd die whether or not I was with him, Seels. What did it mean, though? If that cloud of darkness wasn't the Wild Hunt, then what was it? And why did he call me Scion?"

"That was what you were known as to Phoenix back when you first met and loved each other."

"Scion?"

"You ran away from home because your family life had gotten so bad that you broke. Back in your old life, you loved music and singing just like you do now. But your parents took you to a warlock to take your voice and you music skill away. It was pure hell for you, so you ran to that warlock and begged for his help. You knew that he would help you, you knew that he was a good person despite him being a warlock and you being a Shadowhunter. He helped you and then he told you to run. He never gave away where you were or that he'd helped you - because then he would get in trouble too."

"Is this warlock still alive? Maybe I can ask him some questions too."

"You've already met him. You call him 'Lock.'"

Finn blinked. "Lock?!"

-TFOT-

"You knew!" Hunter shouted. "You knew what I was! Who I was! Who Selina was! Everything!"

Lock held his hands up in defense. "Hey! Don't get angry, Hunt! Come on, there was no harm in it all, right?!"

"You pretended not to know who Selina was after she cursed us."

"I tried to tell you, but you two kept interrupting me. Plus, it was her decision to reveal who she was and what she did. I was gonna confront her about it, but I guess Fae has his own sources."

Hunter sighed and sat down on a pillow in the meeting grounds. "I want answers, Lock. I deserve that much. You have some explaining to do."

Lock sighed and waved a cozy chair underneath him as he flopped into a seat. He waved his hand and a couch appeared. Hunter stood and laid down.

"Where to start? Okay, so I've been the High Warlock of Frisco for a while now, and I've had a passive aggressive relationship with the Shadowhunter Institute. One day, this family of Shadowhunters came to me, and a mother and a father demanded I take away their son's ability to play music or sing. I didn't like it, but they threatened to report that I'd attacked them and kill me. I wasn't afraid of them, but I saw that kid and I knew that it was either me or some other warlock, one that might not be as merciful. So I took a room privately and I told him that he had to pretend. If he pretended, he would be given more freedom. Once he was given more freedom, he could come to me and I'd give him his life back. His parents wouldn't have any authority over him once he became a respected Shadowhunter, once he had the power to be their superiors. He wasn't a brave kid, but he understood that he didn't have a lot of options."

"You took his voice?"

"And his ability to enjoy music itself. He couldn't feel rhythm, he couldn't play instruments. It was a nightmare for him. Anyway, one day, he came banging on my door, and when I gave him his voice back, he told me that he'd run, that he needed my help. I gave him back his musical powers, I gave him everything that I could, before I told him to run. Maybe I should've kept him with me, but some Shadowhunters arrived on my doorstep the next day and demanded his location, but I really didn't know it because I'd just told him to run. After that, it was easy for me to act like he'd never been there in the first place."

"So that's it? You never saw me again?"

"I saw you once more. You came back to me, told me he story of how you met Phoenix and he took you in. Then he told me that he was going to a big fight and he needed some supplies."

"What fight?"

Lock shook his head. "He wouldn't say. But whatever it was, he didn't come back from it."

Hunter frowned. "Thanks, Lock. Oh, I almost forgot. I was called Scion back then, wasn't I?"

"Well, that's what Phoenix knew you as. When you first met, you didn't want to give your real name, so you used your last name in a panic at what to call yourself. You had a sister back then, just like you have now, and she continued the Scion family line. Which reminds me, I might as well see if I still have it…"

Lock waved his hand and summoned a box into his lap. It looked old, victorian age, and he opened it to reveal a ton of miscellaneous items. He dug through it for a few minutes, muttering things to himself, before he pulled something out triumphantly.

"Ah ha!"

"What?" Hunter asked.

Lock waved the box away and held out what was in his hand - a silver ring with graceful carvings of angelic feathers all around it. Lock tossed it over and Hunter instantly recognized it as a Scion family ring. He slipped it on his middle finger and, courtesy of the enchantment, it automatically fit.

"Where did you-?"

"Scion gave it to me when he ran away. He was cutting off the ties to his family, asked me to hold onto it for when he got back. He never returned, so…I've had it all this time. It's yours now. You know, Scion, among other things, means the descendant of a notable family. I'd say that your family is pretty notable to me."

"I…thanks, Lock."

"No prob, Hunt. Scion turned out fine in the end, but I think that you're already doing better than he was when it came to being a Shadowhunter. Go and kick ass, be the best Shadowhunter out there, the Shadowhunter that the rest of us know you are."

Hunter smiled and nodded. "I will."

Selina walked up to the Adamant Citadel.

Oh how pretty the home of the Iron Sisters was. Too bad Finnegan had to miss out on this just because he was a boy. It was sexist, but the boys had the Silent Brothers, so it was fair, right? That was what the Shadowhunters must've told themselves.

The Iron Sisters, with their magical outfits, appeared around Selina, orange glowing eyes all traced on her.

"Shadowhunter, what business have you here?" a voice demanded.

Selina let her eyes flash a lavender purple. "Peace, little girls. Wouldn't want you to hurt yourselves."

There was a murmur across the women before one of the Sisters finally spoke up. "Lunarian Seline, what business have you here?"

Selina smiled. "Finally, someone who knows what they're doing. Don't worry, ladies, I come in peace. I'm here for my parabatai, actually."

"Stand down, Sisters." One of the Iron Sisters stepped forward while the others dropped their weapons and stood at attention. "I am Sister Celestia. Seline, we will welcome you on the condition that there be no harm to any of my Sisters or I."

"I'm not here for a fight, honestly. Like I said, I'm here for my parabatai, Hunter Scion. We have a…special request for a weapon."

Sister Celestia raised an eyebrow. "What kind of weapon?"

-TFOT-

"So, you've got it?" Hunter asked eagerly.

Seline held out the rectangular weapon case. "As promised. A one-of-a-kind Shadowhunter weapon built and blessed by an Astral, fresh from the Iron Sisters."

Hunter took it eagerly and set it in his desk. He popped open the latches and smiled when he saw the instrument inside. It was a seraph violin, carved from adamas perfectly and infused with the power of his family angel - Mael. The bow was also made from adamas, the hair for the strings was Seline's: indestructible and great for music. Hunter pulled out the bow first, flicking it. The angelic runes on it flashed before it expanded into a full-sized actual bow. Hunter pulled back the string and an arrow automatically flashed into existence. He willed it to become three arrows and it did. He released the bow and the three arrows disappeared. He flicked the bow back into an instrument sized one and grabbed the violin. He started to play a melody, a simple tune that he'd taught himself long ago, and he felt as though he could sense the entire room, ready to be controlled. He let his mind follow the tune and started to move slightly to the slow rhythm, causing objects to float and move at his mental command. He returned them all back to their positions and then opened his eyes, unaware he'd closed them.

"It's perfect, Seels!"

"Well get ready, cuz the higher ups wanna see if its a viable weapon. But trust me, even if they mass produce these, they'll never be as special as yours. Yours is blessed by an angel and an Astral."

Hunter returned the instrument to its case. "You think my dad will be angry at me for making a scene?"

"He will be if you embarrass yourself." She paused and thought. "And if you draw attention, in general, I suppose. Hunter…your dad…" She sighed. "Nevermind. He's just a big ass sometimes, okay?"

Hunter chuckled. "You don't need to tell me twice. Look, we'll go get it approved by the Clave and then we can have our fun. Then, I can be more than my father. I won't need his permission for anything, and if he's got a problem with me, he'll have to eat adamas."

She laughed. "Good to know something good came out of all this."

"Great. Now let's go kick ass and make a name for ourselves."

-TFOT-

"I'm gonna kick his ass. One day."

"Oh, don't be stuck up about that one Clave dude," Selina said. "They have to admit that they were impressed. You're an unstoppable force! Trust me, you're going places."

He sighed. "Let's just hope that my dad doesn't blow up about this."

-TFOT-

"He blew up about it?" Selina asked.

"I am so tired of him!" Hunter snapped, throwing his seraph violin on his bed. The thing was practically indestructible, so there was no worry about breaking it, but still. Hunter was used to delicate instruments. A seraph violin had never been seen before, after all. "Why does he never approve of anything I do? What is the bug up his butt?!"

Selina shrugged. "Who can say? Literally no one can say they understand your dad. Look, it'll get better. You're just changing too fast for him to keep up with, and if he's got a problem with that, he can shove it."

Hunter took a deep breath. "Right, right. Keep the spirits up. So, you wanna go get some ice cream?"

-TFOT-

"He's up to something, I know it," Selina muttered. "Hunter's father is like a glowing beacon of trouble."

"So I've come up with a couple potions and spells that might help," Lock said.

He passed over a book and a couple of beakers.

Selina sighed. "I don't know, Lock. I've been alive for a long time, and I'm sure that plenty of warlocks have tried to come up with a solution before."

"Well maybe they just weren't looking at things the right way before. Running head first into a battle with destruction and mayhem isn't always the best option. The samples of the curse you gave me are limited, but that's be be expected. In any case, I just had to do a little magic and some science to give you these. Now, I've been meaning to ask, do you Astrals think that you could develop an immunity if given a vaccine?"

"We tried that before. There are some that wanted to take that risk and be the first that were immune, go down in Astral history, but it never worked. I'm not eager to try myself, this is a high threat level that even the big guys are worried about. I can say that no other creature besides an Astral has ever been seen with the Scourge, at least to our knowledge."

Lock put a hand to his chin. "Interesting. So we need to find what specifically makes you Astrals prone to the virus, and what can fight back against it. These are the preliminary tests right here. Though the samples you gave me weren't completely fresh - since I doubt that's really possible - I think that I'm on the right track. I just need to find which way we need to go to fight the virus rather than walk away from the solution. What about Hunter's pops? Get anything from him?"

She smiled. "As a matter of fact, Hunter and him had a falling out recently, and so I had an excuse to blow up with rage and get some samples." She passed over a bunch of hair samples, blood samples, and skin samples - all neatly labeled and organized in jars. "You have to be quick. If he figures out what I'm doing, he'll eliminate the evidence."

"He can do that?"

"Why do you think us Astrals - literal gods that are on par with Raziel - have failed to stop this? Come to think of it, they might go after Raziel's blood soon enough. Once they do that-"

"All the Nephilim will be at risk."

"I'm really close to him right now, I've never been more terrified in my life. What if he already knows about me? What if I'm already infected and I'll slowly lose my mind?"

"Hey, it's gonna be fine." Lock gave her a smile. "And if it's not, I'm sure I can figure something out. When in doubt, just start throwing every potion you have, right?"

She sighed and smiled. "When in doubt."

-TFOT-

"Here, give it to your dad," Selina smiled. "I think it'll get back at him just fine."

"This isn't some Astral prank where he gets killed and then brought back to life, 'For funsies,' is it?" Hunter muttered.

"Of course not. I know my limits, parabro. I've been doing this for a while, after all."

Hunter slipped the vial into his bag. "I'll give it to him after we finish this mission. I've already gotten a good name for myself and I don't need it ruined now."

"Your seraph violin is too powerful for anyone who dares to oppose you. Don't start doubting yourself now."

"Being cautious is how we survive in this world, Seels."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm just fired up! Finally we're getting out of that Institute and into the real world."

"If only Mer were here with us."

"Next time we see her, she'll be a Centurion. Gotta keep up with her, right?"

He sighed. "I guess. So, what was this prank you had in mind?"

-TFOT-

"I supposed we may have pushed it a little too far."

"We're grown adults. We can do what we want. Besides, your step-mom seemed pretty impartial about it."

"She's impartial about everything. Dad's still probably recovering from that powder bomb. What was even in that stuff? Every spice in existence?"

She shrugged. "Probably. I asked Lock to cook me up something mean that was still safe and he handed me that."

"You've been hanging out with him a lot lately."

She gave him a deadpan expression. "He's the only other immortal I can tolerate. No offense to all your other friends, but Phoenix and I have never gotten along and your vamp girl isn't my type."

"So Lock is?"

She shrugged. "He's the oldest one I know. I could go talk to Magnus, but he's got business and stuff - a family, a big role in the Shadowhunter-Downworlder alliance thing. He doesn't have time for a party or a friend like me dropping by without good reason. Any other immortal, or at least old person who looks young, is either boring as hell or takes things too seriously. There aren't a lot of options for friends in this world."

"Well, I'll always be here too, if you need me."

She smiled. "I wanna spend all the time with you I can, and hopefully prevent you from dying again - this time for good."

"Can't you just see me even after death? I mean, I'd assume you gods are powerful enough."

She shook her head. "We have certain domains. Unless you're friends with some of the death guys, you have to keep to the world of the living. I'm a goddess of the moon. I don't have too many ties to the Underworld beyond being in the night sky - the time where the darkness is at its peak, where the sun is said to be killed or chased by me. Or my fellow Lunarians, of course. There are many legends, many Astrals of a certain type because of all those different legends."

"Well there are some legends where even mortals just walk right into the Underworld."

"Mortals are special. And when Astrals do go down there, they better hope to the gods that they meet a benevolent death god - the Morticians."

"Morticians? Like an undertaker? That's a real word, you know."

She rolled her eyes. "Mor-tee-cians. Say it with an accent. It's based off the Latin word for death - Morte. Since English is a Latin-based language, that's what the word translates to. I know that you humans think you're so below us, but guess what? We evolve just like you do, and when you created Latin, we adopted it too, as well as all the subsequent languages."

"Faerie is so much more interesting than use Nephilim. You guys have got a ton of freaking gods."

She chuckled. "Well, we have our own problems."

"What kind of problems?"

"We suffer from boredom occasionally, same as any immortal. We have our enemies too. There are mortals and faeries and whatnot that don't like us gods and/or want our power for themselves. Sometimes you don't have to be more powerful than an enemy - you just have to outwit them with a special skill. Just like your seraph violin."

He chuckled. "Well, that's true. But you're safe with me. I'll destroy anyone that threatens my parabatai."

"What about Fae?"

"He'll come around to you. Whatever feud you two have in the past, it's going to end with me, right here, right now. Which means, no more antagonizing him, if you would."

She nodded. "I'll try my best. For your sake."

-TFOT-

"Hunter, have you your wits about you?" Fae demanded.

"What?" Hunter asked in confusion. He thought back to the last time that he'd seen Fae. "Oh! I confronted Selina about everything and there's no need to worry. You see-"

He proceeded to catch Fae up on all that had happened.

"It has been merely a day for I," Fae informed him.

"Oh, right. Time is wonky in Faerie. Well, you should know that it's thanks to you that I have embraced who I am. I'm making a name for myself as a Shadowhunter."

Fae blinked. "I see…and you worry not that this attention poses a grave danger?"

"I know, Fae, I'm careful. But I just feel so much better now! I'm not afraid of myself or how others see me. I'm finally me, and I'm powerful enough to do whatever I want."

"You have cut off ties from your father."

Hunter rubbed his arm. "We're not talking, but it's not like we ever did much of that before. I lost my parents a long time ago, I'm used to it. What about you? Have any luck with your Astral powers?"

He shook his head. "Such a feat is not so simple. I have worked to improve my magic skills, yet that has gotten me very little progress. To unlock Astral memories is not a process I'm familiar with."

"What if we ask Selina?"

Fae raised an eyebrow. "The wench who is responsible for only memories of destruction, who holds a grudge against me to this day for reasons I cannot comprehend, only speculate?"

"Well, I was gonna say my parabatai who I've worked out that whole issue about you and I with and who is willing to do anything for me if I tell her to, especially if it means we can restore our relations together. If I can bring you two together, it's better sooner than later. I don't think I can stand this feud much longer."

Fae stared at him for a long moment before sighing. "I shall do my utmost in order to cooperate with her."

Hunter nodded. "Then it's decided."

-TFOT-

"Let's get things straight," Selina said firmly. "I'm doing this for the sake of Hunter and no one else. I am not helping you out of the kindness of my heart."

"I will not be your subordinate in this agreement," Fae demanded. "We are to be comrades, and we must not upset Hunter's approval of this arrangement. Take this oath as a faerie would, not as a Shadowhunter."

"A Shadowhunter can lie, you mean?"

He nodded. "Do not play your ability to your advantage. I am not to be your lesser, bowing to you like you are my superior simply because I bow to Hunter's will."

She smirked. "I hear he's got your true name under his belt."

Fae's fists clenched as his rage built. "Your point?"

She shrugged. "Don't worry. We unlock the Astral in you and he won't have it anymore. The true name of an Astral, especially one as old as you, would be too much for any mortal to handle. It'll hit him hard, but the faster the transition, the less time he'll be out of commission. I'll make sure he survives."

"I am very old?"

She nodded. "You're a third gen, even older than me, but only just."

"What is a 'third gen?'"

She sighed, waving her hand passively. "You'll find out when you get your memories back. Explaining it all would be too much trouble when you're just gonna remember at the end of this anyway. Suffice to say, it means that there aren't many that are more powerful than you are."

Fae thought back to the memories that he'd unlocked. "Does the name 'Falorios' strike you as familiar?"

She looked up to him. "I think so. A Lepidopterian - basically a moth god. Why?"

"I remember him; 'Twelfth son of the Lepidopterians,' he called himself."

"The twelfth son means that he's a twelfth generation - like how I called you a third gen."

"He seemed to hold a grudge against me, though I fail to recall the reason."

She rolled her eyes. "A lot of people have grudges against you. Then again…I suppose he had a particularly nasty one. I think I tried to get dirt on you from him once. He knew you before you were an Astral, I think."

"Before I was an Astral?"

"All Astrals are made from creatures that were once normal. Most of the time we make them from humans since they have the highest potential, but that isn't always the case. Sometimes a bug gets upgraded into an Astral if they're worthy, a dog, a bear, a rodent, whatever. Worthiness is everything. Even if someone or something wants to make an Astral, the subject has to be worthy or the ascension won't work. You were deemed worthy to be an Astral, though I won't claim to know why. Your sire - the person who made you into an Astral - she's someone that we don't question, aloud at least. You and Falorios were made around the same time, in Astral terms anyway. There was probably a small grace period between the transformation, a decade or so. Whatever made Falorios hate you so much happened in your real life, and if your real self is anything like the you that I knew, I'd think that when you were human you would've been even worse."

"Why would such a memory come back to me?"

"He must be important or something. Look, you're supposed to have gotten your memories back after rebirth a while ago. We can't stay human for long, there's too much power in the Astrals to be contained in a puny human form for more than a couple decades. Maybe there's something special about how you died. Maybe there's been something interfering in your current life."

"Growing up with my father, there are many reasons he would stunt my development for his own amusement."

Selina froze in thought. "You're the son of the Unseelie King."

Fae probably should've been surprised that she knew, but Selina was an Astral. Her knowledge was no longer his concern. "Yes."

"He's an honest but brutal man, and what if he found out what you are? What if he knows that you're Phoenix and he's done something to take your memories or your powers, or something like that?"

"Would he be capable of such?"

"Only with the help of another Astral at your rank or above. Can you tell me the name of every sibling you have?"

Fae listed off the more important names first and then the ones that he recalled with little detail. He knew all of his brothers' names, at least the ones that had been present when he was last in the Court. His father could very easily have another ten or twenty without Fae's knowledge.

"Who stuck out to you? Who played a big part in your life, for better or worse?"

"My elder sister, Hilda, was my mentor, though she failed quite terrifically at the role. It can be said that she shaped me into who I am now. My brothers were always important to my life, though for worse more than better. Adaon was the only brother that treated me with kindness - or at the very least, not cruelty."

"I need to meet them. If even one or both of them were Astrals, they could've been influencing your life for a reason. Whatever that reason is, it's prevented you from gaining your powers and memories back - preventing you from releasing Phoenix. And with Phoenix hostage, we don't know what havoc can come of it."

"Was Phoenix powerful?"

She scoffed. "Dangerously so. As a third gen, you're powerful all right. You think I could meet your siblings soon?"

"As a Shadowhunter? No. I am forbidden to speak to my brother and sister, and you are not in any position to request an audience."

"What if I can sneak in as Seline?"

"Have you access to your abilities?"

"Wherever the moonlight shines, I can go. Give me your memories of them so I can identify them."

She held out her hand, but Fae looked at it skeptically. "I would prefer not to do so."

She rolled her eyes. "Just summon an image of their faces and hold it in your mind. It'll only take a moment. Scout's honor, I'll only take their faces, nothing more."

He looked at her hand reluctantly, moving his gaze up to her eyes and then back down to her outstretched palm. He gently raised his hand, hesitating a moment more, before closing his eyes and summoning a memory of his brother Adaon and his sister Hilda. He took Selina's hand and felt a small shock, like he'd just touched a piece of metal after being given a small electric charge.

"There, see? I took nothing more than the memory. Hm…there doesn't seem to be anything off at first glance, but I'll have to meet them to tell. I'll be back."

"Halt! Spare a moment to inform me of what I will tell-"

Selina disappeared in a flash.

"-Hunter," Fae sighed.

Chapter title: "Just Like Fire" by P!nk