Hi! So this chapter is long enough to be 2 separate ones, but I couldn't really make it work as 2 so you'll have to deal with one long one. It also seems slightly scatterbrained to me, but since its a lot of fighting, something I'm not particularly good at writing, I did the best I could. Hopefully you like it. It's also up pretty early, so you're welcome. :)
The army descended on them like a summer storm. Literally, because the sky grew incredibly dark, every trace of the sun blotted out by sudden dark, malevolent clouds. One minute, the coast was completely clear as the Shadowhunters and Downworlders alike stood armed and ready, and the next, they were staring down a huge, malicious group of demons, covering the ground and blotting out the sun further as the hordes crawled, ran, and flew toward its enemies. For a single second, everything was completely quiet, and then the two sides collided and Simon got the distinct sense of déjà vu as he sidestepped the tentacle of a Raum demon and began to fight as everything descended into chaos.
He was able to take out the demons fairly quickly and efficiently, surprised himself at how easy it actually was. Even with the many weapons he carried and the battle runes burned into his skin, he hadn't been overly confident going into this war. He was far less experienced than the rest of their group, and yet he seemed to be handling himself fairly well, if he did say so himself. He remembered, dispatching a Ravener, Magnus having mentioned that the demons that would come would likely be weak and difficult to control, making it easier for Team Good. This knowledge wounded Simon's ego slightly, but still, he wasn't dead yet; all his time spent training and studying over the past few months definitely made a difference.
He spotted Izzy for a moment, across the field, looking like an angry angel, her golden whip an extension of her arm. She took out demons left and right. The rest of the New York Institute's members were scattered amongst the Clave members, werewolves, and demons; all engaged in their own fighting, moving swiftly from one evil to the next without batting an eyelash, like the seasoned veterans they all were.
Simon turned from sending another demon back to its own realm just in time to dodge the pincer of a Shax demon, aimed for his head. He dove out of the way, narrowly avoiding landing in a puddle of extraterrestrial goo, as the demon came to loom over him. He fumbled with one of the Seraph blades in his belt, heart racing with surprise and fear. A few feet away, a familiar-looking wolf was locked in battle with another evil. He looked like he wanted to help, but couldn't find an opening to dispatch his own enemy. Finally, Simon managed to unsnag the weapon from his belt, but before he could use it, the Shax demon fell, folding in on itself, gone. A young, fair Shadowhunter, probably not much older than he was, stood where it formerly had, his own blade dripping ichor. "Thanks," Simon said gratefully, getting to his feet.
"My pleasure," was all the other guy had time to say before they were both forced to resume fighting again. They seemed to be holding their own for now, but the assembled Shadowhunters, even with the werewolves, didn't make for a very large group compared to the hordes of enemies that seemed to never stop coming. Simon just hoped their luck would hold long enough for them to reach the end.
Jace fought like a whirlwind, and he knew it. His anger and fear fueled him like gas to a fire, and his enemies were suffering the full extent of his wrath. He knew it probably close to doubled his normal efficiency rate, especially with how weak and ill equipped the army was, despite its size. He'd known that greater demons, Asmodeus especially, were prideful, but this was borderline foolish, especially for a general of Hell's army. This enemy's strength was in numbers, and that was really all it was.
Still, the starving demons put up enough of a fight to warrant Jace's anger, even without the cause they fought for, and it was almost enough of a distraction to keep him him from his angst over Clary. He cut through another two demons, too fast for either of them to stand a chance at fighting back, not even bothering to distinguish which kind they were. They were all otherworldly, and, if he had any say, they would all die. Breed didn't matter much beyond that. It was times like this when he was immensely grateful for the extra angel blood that flowed through his veins and the extra power he possessed because of it, even if it had caused him enough grief to last more than a lifetime.
He couldn't tell how much leeway the Shadowhunters and Maia's pack were making against the army, but they weren't being overrun, not yet anyway, and that was always a good thing.
Jace's heart hammered with adrenaline and the excitement of the fight. He felt the most alive he'd felt in a while, and also the most hopeful. He would get through this battle, even if he had to do all the fighting himself. He would find Asmodeus, and he would make sure he wouldn't be bothering anyone else for a very, very long time. He would find out where Clary was, and, no matter what he needed to do or how he had to do it, he would go there and get her. And he would not hesitate to kill anyone who had so much as laid a finger on her in the process.
His newfound determination only added to his strength and he pushed on, making quite a dent in the demonic army immediately surrounding him. He was a force to be reckoned with, and even the Behemoth demon that dared cross him stood absolutely no chance with his current mindset. He didn't even feel the effects of fatigue, despite his lack of sleep and how long he'd been fighting like this. The stamina runes on his arms hadn't even begun stinging yet. He simply didn't need them.
At some point, Jace caught sight of Magnus, of all people, in the midst of the fighting. He stayed on the outskirts of Central Park, clearly uncomfortable fighting without his magic, though he looked to be doing exceptionally well with a sword for someone who normally wouldn't need to use one. Though, Jace thought fleetingly, taking out yet another demon, an Oni this time, someone who had been around as long as Magnus had surely would have, at some point, learned to fight, whether it was necessary to or not. The warlock caught Jace's eyes in between one demon and the next. It was quick, but Jace got the message. Magnus knew what he needed to do. He was waiting for Jace's cue.
And Jace's cue would come the second Asmodeus showed his cowardly face, which, from the looks of things, may not have been very far from then. It had taken a while to become evident, there were just so many in the opposing army, but the Shadowhunters were making progress. And while there were a lot more to go, the amount of ichor and demon goo thickly layering the once green grass of Central Park was evidence enough of just how far they'd come in the time they'd been fighting.
Isabelle was beginning to feel the effects of all the fighting, and she knew she wasn't alone; she could tell. All around her, weapons strikes were growing slower, fighting stances growing were more and more sloppy, and the amount of casualties occurring seemed to be going up. What had begun as minor injuries: shallow gashes, scrapes, minor burns, was turning into more prevalent injuries: deeper wounds, more noteworthy burns, and semi-serious impalements. It wasn't that Asmodeus' army was a particularly daunting one; not in strength or ability anyway, nor in organization-honestly, it seemed Asmodeus could have planned this all much better than he had, though rage, Izzy knew, was not great in eliciting patience or thoroughness. It was, however, massive in size, which more than made up for the lack of a challenge presented by the individual enemies. The Shadowhunters couldn't fight forever. Eventually they would grow tired; they already were. The battle had been raging for a while now.
The arm that held her whip had begun throbbing as she lashed out with it again and again on her enemies. This didn't stop her-she'd learned long ago to fight through the pain, however, her exhaustion, after a while, slowed her down against her will.
Team Good's members were dropping, but the demons were still dropping faster. They were definitely making progress against them, which gave Isabelle the determination to keep going. This confrontation was long awaited, and she would fight until the end or go down trying.
An Elipid demon got in a lucky shot a second later, its disgusting, insectile body colliding with hers so hard, she flew back a few feet, landing hard on her back. The wind was knocked out of her, but she managed to drive a runed blade into the back of its neck before it could do permanent damage. It folded in on itself, still half on top of her, leaving the lower half of her body stinging badly, covered in ichor and venom. She stayed on the ground for an extra second, breathing hard. Her arm was on fire-the thing had managed to bite her before she'd killed it. That wasn't good. She fumbled for her stele in her pocket, but her injured arm was already growing numb and heavy and she wasn't getting very far.
"Izzy!" The familiar, albeit panicked, voice of her brother carried over the sounds of battle and she looked up in time to see a small group if Imp demons heading right for her. Also not good. She rolled out of the way and the stupid things charged past her, but turned around quickly and came at her again. She couldn't move her arm at all now, and the pain had spread up to her collarbone. Heart beating fast, she made a desperate grab for a kindjal that lay discarded on the ground beside her and caught the demon in the lead in the upper leg, slowing it down but coming nowhere close to killing it. The rest were practically on her.
And then they weren't. Four arrows flew through the air, one after the other, so quickly, they were practically simultaneous. Each hit their mark precisely and the group of Imps went down. Alec was beside her then, kneeling down and cutting away the thick fabric of her gear jacket from her injured arm with a knife before setting to work with his stele. He quickly drew a couple of iratzes, which Izzy felt the effects of immediately, and then was up and killing another demon that had set its sights on them. He'd come such a long way over the course of the past year. When it was dead, he turned and helped her up. "You okay?" he asked. She tested out her arm. It seemed almost fine again, and she could feel the burns from the poison healing as well, though her clothes still smoked slightly.
"Yeah, thanks," she said.
Alec took a deep breath, looking relieved, and then, glancing over her shoulder, said, "Heads up." And then, just like that, they were both up and fighting again, this time side by side. The going was getting tough, but no one was giving up just yet. They were Shadowhunters after all, that just wasn't how they operated.
Alec wasn't sure at first exactly what had changed. One second, everything was the same as it had been since the fighting had begun, and then the next, the demeanor of the demon army changed. Suddenly, they seemed more disciplined, like they had a purpose in their attack. That could only mean one thing. Magnus had been right in how it would play out. Asmodeus, the coward, had finally shown up.
He decapitated his current opponent and whirled, doing a speedy cursory scan of the area. It didn't take him long to determine where to go. He could literally feel the evil power emanating from the north side of the park. It made his skin prickle. He was running then, full speed, through the mass of fighting, cutting down every enemy in his way. This was personal, after what had happened to Magnus. Asmodeus was going to die today, and Alec was going to be there to see it.
He cut his way through the crowds surprisingly quickly, leaving a trail of destruction for the demons in his wake. He broke through another bunch of enemies and could see him then, tall and evil looking, skin stretched taught over the bones of his face, wearing the same white suit he had the first time they'd met him. As if he could sense Alec's thoughts, Asmodeus looked right at him as he drew near and smiled villainously, his gold-green eyes, so much like Magnus', gleaming with a sick amusement.
Jace must have had the same idea-of course, because he broke through the melee a second later and stopped next to Alec. He could almost feel the rage rolling off his parabatai. He'd seen Jace angry before, but never like this. He looked beyond murderous. Alec could relate.
The Greater Demon's smile grew wider. He gave the slightest flick of the wrist, and just like that, the fighting around them came to an immediate stop as the demons paused in their attacks. Several more went down in that second. Silence reigned. "How nice of you to join me," Asmodeus said, his kindness mocking.
"Where is she?" Jace demanded furiously. "What the hell did you do with her?"
The demon remained as he was, looking amiably amused. "I don't see why that matters at this point. I wouldn't doubt that she is dead by now, or surely very close to it. There is nothing you can do for her."
"I think I'll be the one to determine that," he spat, "Where is she?"
"You Shadowhunters think you are the only ones who can play the allies game. And it is a weak card to play, I'll admit, however in this case it has been quite… beneficial to my cause."
"So that's it then. A Greater Demon, some temporary ally of yours, that's who has Clary." Jace wasn't asking a question. He clearly knew Asmodeus wasn't going to give him anything more than that.
"I don't know that 'ally' is the word I'd use. He was weak, recently re-formed. Creatures are always the easiest to control when they're vulnerable and bent on revenge. All I did was give him a chance to finish what he had started the first time. It was too easy, really. But that doesn't matter now. I am a prince of Hell, and my demands are always met. I inflict pain and I enjoy it greatly. I relish the loss my victims suffer." By this point, some of the Shadowhunters and werewolves had begun moving closer, curiosity getting the better of them. Alec was grateful to notice Magnus was still far away. Asmodeus continued, "And yet you, all of you, have found a way around my demands. I'm sure you think you're clever, having come up with a loophole, weak as it was. And yet, I know for a fact you've suffered a great deal since that mistake as well. My question to you: was it really worth it?" He spread his long arms, "Was all of this, your impending deaths, really worth one useless little mundane?"
"Maybe it wasn't about the mundane at all. Maybe it was about proving that we couldn't be controlled by a slimy demon with a ego problem who has nothing left to lord over except some sand and a few dying minor demons. Maybe you're not as great as you think you are." Jace's voice was deadly calm and serious. Had he been anyone else, Alec would have thought him foolish to taunt a Greater Demon like that, but nothing he did was surprising anymore. Jace was no fool when it came down to it, and when he got like this, he was nothing but downright terrifying and quite possibly capable of following through with any and every threat he made.
Asmodeus had never looked more evil than he did in that moment, glaring at Alec's parabatai.. "You, Shadowhunter, are about as brave as you are stupid. But no matter. I haven't come to discuss what has happened. I've come for revenge, and have no doubt, it will be mine."
Something had clicked for Jace while Asmodeus had spoken about Clary's captor, and he knew he wasn't alone in that revelation. Across the small clearing the Greater Demon stood in, on the other side of the Shadowhunters that had begun gathering, he spotted, for the first time that day, Jem Carstairs, formerly Brother Zachariah of the Silent Brothers. The expression on the other Shadowhunter's face was enough for Jace to figure out. Jem knew something. And with as helpful as Asmodeus was being, he just hoped it was enough to find Clary and get her back before it was too late. He met the former Silent Brother's eyes across the way, an exchange passed between them and the latter nodded.
"So, what?" Jace goaded now, looking for an opening, the plan already playing itself out in his mind. "You want us to fight you, is that it?"
The Greater Demon let out an indignant chuckle, "As if you could beat me. Such a stupid little child you are."
Jace's fury was building again. He was eighteen years old. He was not a child. And he was so done with this. "You forget I'm not alone."
"What chance do you think you all will stand if I let loose my army on you once more?"
"Why don't you try it and see?" Someone, one of the younger Alicante Shadowhunters, called out angrily.
Jace continued, unabated, "I wasn't referring to them. Though, by all means, go ahead. I, for one, am happy to see so many disgusting things sent back where they belong." He turned his head and met eyes with Magnus, who stood across the way and had, somehow, managed to remain unnoticed. Or, at least, allegedly unimportant. He nodded minutely, and the warlock mirrored the motion in response before he began moving toward where Jace stood beside Alec, his face a mask of calm determination.
"My son," Asmodeus said in mock disappointment, taking notice of the exchange, "It seems my pride in you was misplaced after all." Magnus said nothing, still walking, about halfway through the crowd now. "I am surprised though, to see you functioning so well. It would appear you have found yet another way to flout my influence. No matter though," he turned back toward Jace, "Whatever miserable excuse of a plan you have will not work in the end. As it is, your love is being poisoned as we speak, if her heart even still beats, that is." Magnus stopped beside him then and Jace made a decision.
"You demand a sacrifice to leave us, as per usual, I assume?" Magnus proposed of his father, his voice even and his expression stoic.
"And, what? You assume that your previous offer is still valid? You, warlock, are as foolish as the rest if you think I will let this go this easily. Your life means nothing to me…"
Jace stopped listening, already knowing how this was going to go and not caring what the demon had to say. Pulling his stele from his coat pocket, he grabbed his parabatai's arm, pushed the sleeve up, and began drawing Clary's newest rune on his forearm. "What are you doing?" Alec demanded, his tone hushed, though Asmodeus was paying them little attention at this point, engaged with Magnus now. He clearly was in no rush to wipe them all off the face of the earth.
"Stop squirming," Jace chided, "Listen. This is the best chance you've got if you want Magnus to go through with his plan and survive. He already knows what to do, so just let him lead. Do what he says."
Alec looked like he couldn't decide whether to let shock or confusion dominate his emotions. "Wait… what?"
Jace sighed impatiently and whispered, "This rune. It completes the plan. After the kidnapping, I was supposed to be doing this because of the extra angel blood, but I need to go, so you're going to do it. Me applying the rune on you will have the same effect. Seriously, just follow Magnus' lead and do what he tells you."
Alec stared at the foreign Mark on his forearm, understanding dawning on his features. He glanced up at Jace again. "Clary?"
Jace nodded. "I have to find her. Before it's too late."
Alec nodded, a new light in his eyes, a hope, stronger than Jace had seen in him since the very beginning of all of this, coming to life on his face. He clapped Jace quickly on the back in encouragement, "Good luck, man."
"You too." And with that, Jace spun on his heals, ignoring as Asmodeus called insults after him, and was satisfied to see Jem heading in the same direction he did. The Greater Demon threatened to find him and deal with him later. Jace almost snorted. He would like to see him try.
They broke free of the throng of demons; Jace, Jem, and, Jace found, Simon. He turned and looked at him, not slowing his pace.
"You're going after her, aren't you? I'm coming with you." Simon wasn't giving him an option.
Jace looked at him for a second as they ran and then nodded slightly. It was only fair, and Jace knew that what Simon lacked in skill, he made up for in enthusiasm, or in this case, anger, when it came to Clary.
The three of them left Central Park and stopped on a sidewalk just outside it. "You know where she is, don't you?" Jace asked, looking at the Asian Shadowhunter.
"I have a pretty good idea. It's a good thing I had to be in Idris today. I'm almost positive I know who took her, and, well, let's just say I'm out for revenge just as much as you are."
Jace eyed him for a two-count. "Alright. You can have the demon, as long as I get Clary."
Jem smiled. "Done."
Thanks for reading! Next update soon. Feedback is always welcome. :)