A/N: Here's the next chapter! And just so you all know, if you don't read Emeralds (or haven't read the latest chapter) I've started a blog in which I will talk about my fanfictions and any upcoming projects, book and movie reviews, writing tips and more! Check it out! The link is (without the spaces of course):

Chapter 21

The sunlight filtering in through Simon's window woke him up the next morning and he groaned, throwing an arm over his eyes as he sat up.

He could really feel yesterday's training session now – his muscles ached in a way they hadn't before and he felt slightly stiff, as if he had been still for too long.

He sat on the bed for a moment, stretching as he tried to ignore the aches in his body, before he swung his legs off the bed and got to his feet.

He pulled the covers up on his bed, not bothering to actually make it tidy, and then pulled out a change of clothes from his backpack – it was all he had at the institute.

After changing he made his way out of the room, glancing up and down the hall. The institute was quite large and he wondered if it was possible to get lost. He shook his head slightly and began to make his way back down the hall – the way he had come when Isabelle had showed him to his room last night.

He could hear the groan of the elevator up ahead and as he made his way around the corner, he found it. He also saw Clary waiting as the elevator made its way slowly to the floor.

"Morning Clary," Simon said as he came to a stop beside his friend.

"Hey Simon, are you ready for today? You get your first runes!" Clary said, a little overexcited.

Simon nodded in reply. "Things will be easier once I get my runes..." he said.

"Yeah, although there will still be a lot of training to do... that's the worst part about this life... the extensive training..."

Simon nodded again and the elevator finally groaned to a stop. "Heading to the kitchen for breakfast, I assume?" Clary said as they both stepped into the elevator.

"Yeah," Simon replied.

At first, both Clary and Simon were silent; the only sound was the groaning as the elevator descended.

"Clary, what am I going to tell my mom?" Simon asked after a moment, glancing at Clary, worry written across his face.

"I don't know Simon..." Clary said. "I wish I could help you but I have no idea... as a Shadowhunter, you can't make contact with your family again... I know it's sad but it's the law..."

"And the law is hard," Jace said. The elevator had reached the ground and Jace, who had been standing just outside the elevator, had overheard the last part of the conversation.

Simon just looked down at the ground, scuffing the toe of his shoe against the floor. "I just don't want her to worry about me... if I don't tell her something, she'll put out a missing person flyer... I don't want to hurt her like that... she needs to know I'm safe..."

"You should have thought about this before you agreed to becoming a Shadowhunter," Jace said.

Simon looked up, glaring. "Can you ever be kind, or are you always going to be an insensitive ass?" he said.

"I'm not insensitive and I'm not an ass; an ass is a donkey and I am far too good-looking to be one. I simply state the truth. I do not lie," Jace said.

Simon felt his mouth curl into a small smile as Clary slapped Jace across the back of the head.

"You are being insensitive Jace. Simon made a big decision and there are still some things he needs to figure out and finish," Clary said, turning back to Simon.

"Come on... let's go get some breakfast..." she said, grabbing Simon's wrist as she pulled him towards the kitchen and away from Jace who was still rubbing the back of his head.

"I need to figure something out..." Simon said as he sat down in the kitchen.

"I know..." Clary replied. "Magnus is more than likely going to show up soon... he may have an idea we can use," she continued.

"Maybe..." Simon muttered as he got up and got something to eat.

-o-O-o-

It was almost midday when Magnus showed up. As usual, his hair was spiked and he seemed to shimmer in the sunlight – a result of the glitter on his body.

"Well... there are plenty of explanations we could give your mother," he said, leaning up against the wall. "You could tell her about the shadow world, but the Clave wouldn't be very happy about that..."

"We've already established that," Simon said.

"And I doubt you want her to forget you entirely..."

"Why would I want her to forget me?" Simon asked, appalled that Magnus had even suggested that.

Magnus ignored Simon's comments as he continued listing off possible solutions.

"I could, however, tamper with her memory so that she believes you have been accepted into some sort of prestigious school on a scholarship. That would allow you to be away from home on school days, weekends and holidays. You would only have to return home occasionally which I'm sure we will be able to work something out... the Clave won't find out, is what I mean... and I could make sure your mother doesn't remember your runes," he said.

"Kind of like what you did with me. You made me forget everything about the shadow world, even as I saw it," Clary said.

"Exactly. So even as your mother sees the runes on your skin, she will forget them. It's quite an easy spell," Magnus said. "Although I won't go ahead with anything unless you want me to, Simone. She is your mother after all."

"My name is not Simone. It's Simon," Simon said, narrowing his eyes as Magnus smirked. "And your plan would work rather well actually..."

"Of course it will. I came up with it," Magnus said.

"Now you sound like Jace..." Simon muttered. "Are you sure this spell is safe? It won't harm my mother in any way?"

"Yes, it's completely harmless," Magnus assured.

"And you'll be able to do the same thing for my sister? And my friends?" Simon asked.

"Yes... although not all at once. This spell is harmless, but powerful. It requires a lot of energy and focus. I should be able to have everything sorted out within a few days though."

Simon nodded. "Good... and I'll only have to visit every now and again?"

"Yes; although you can watch them from a distance, if you want to... or you could simply use a glamour to get closer... anyway... I shall get started with this later on. As of right now, I am here to see Alec," Magnus said, pushing away from the wall and striding across the room.

Simon sighed. "Well, at least that's out of the way now," he said, turning to face Clary.

"You're coping alright with this?" Clary asked.

"Yeah... I'll still get to see everyone, not very often, but I'll still get to see them. I'm fine," Simon replied.

"Good," Clary said with a small smile.

-o-O-o-

Simon was pacing the floor of the library when he heard the faint echo of the institute door banging shut.

"The Silent Brothers are here..." he muttered to himself as he continued to pace. Despite the fact that he wanted this, he was slightly nervous.

He sat on one of the sofas for a brief second before he stood again, paced and then sat once more.

He heard footsteps outside and all of a sudden, Isabelle came into the room. "It's time!" she cheered. There was an evident bounce in her step.

Behind her, Simon saw Clary and two others – the Silent Brothers.

Is this where you want to do this?

Simon jumped slightly as the voice echoed through his mind.

"That's Brother Enoch," Clary whispered.

Simon nodded once – a small nod – at Clary then looked up at the Silent Brother in front of him. He had his hood drawn back and Simon could now see his face; the hollows where his eyes should have been and the stitched lips. Simon resisted the urge to shudder.

"Yes..." he said.

Alright then.

Brother Enoch's voice echoed through Simon's mind as Isabelle and Clary took a seat on either side of him, both smiling encouragingly.

Simon Fairchild, you are Nephilim now and it is time for the first of the Angel's marks to be bestowed upon you. Are you aware of the honour being done to you and will you do all in your power to be worthy of it?

Simon nodded. "Yes," he said, trying not to cringe away from the Silent Brother in front of him.

And you accept these marks of the Angel which will be upon your body forever, a reminder of all that you owe to the Angel and of your sacred duty to the world?

"I do," Simon said and, from the corner of his eye, he could see both Clary and Isabelle smile.

Then we begin.

Simon saw the Silent Brother in front of him – Brother Enoch – pull a stele from a pocket in his coat and the other hand reached out to grab Simon's wrist.

He took a deep breath as the Brother Enoch lowered the stele to his skin. The tip of it pressed against the back of his hand and the Brother Enoch moved the stele swiftly.

Black lines swirled from the tip and Simon bit his lip, feeling the sting as the stele moved across his skin.

In a matter of seconds, Brother Enoch pulled the stele away and Simon glanced down at his hand, immediately recognising the rune as the Voyance rune.

One more then we will be finished here.

Brother Enoch's voice echoed through Simon's mind again as he lowered the stele once more, this time, to the inside of Simon's wrist.

Simon was expecting the sting this time, but it was still an unfamiliar feeling and he once again bit his lip until the stele was pulled back.

Again, he could recognize the rune. It was the Angelic Power rune.

We are done here now.

Brother Enoch nodded once as he spoke and then both Brothers walked swiftly from the room.

"You're officially a real Shadowhunter now!" Clary said as she pulled Simon into a hug.

Simon smiled and returned the hug. "Do runes always sting like that when they are applied?" Simon asked as he pulled back.

"There is always a sting, yes, but you get used to it as time passes," Clary replied.

"I hardly feel the sting now... it seems more like... a tickle, I guess," Isabelle added.

"That's nice to know..." Simon said. "So what are we going to do now?"

"I don't know about Clary and Isabelle... but you're mine for the next two hours. Let's move," Jace said from the door.

"Are you serious?" Simon asked.

"Yes, I am. Now move," Jace said, pushing away from the door as he started walking down the hall.

Simon groaned but got up. "I'll see you guys later... if he doesn't kill me first..." he said, following Jace to the training room.

A/N: Review please!