Next chapter! I'm sorry that I couldn't update yesterday, but I'm working now and I was just too tired -.- I hope you like it either way and I have to thank you for the reviews, they're great as always! :) Please write more of them, it always makes me so happy to read your reviews

I don't own the characters in this story!


Chapter 28

Karael knelt down and touched Belphegor's dagger carefully, but there was a little flash of light and the angel jerked back. He stood up slowly and looked at the weapon for a few more moments.

Magnus watched the angel with an interested expression on his face. He was curious and wanted to know what Karael would do now. Since he was an angel and the dagger was touched by a Prince of Hell - one of the greater demons - the tension between them became bigger the closer they got to each other. And when they touched there was a little explosion because they were exact opposites. Wanted to say: Karael couldn't touch the weapon, but he also couldn't just let it lie there.

When the angel didn't move within the next moments, Magnus turned around to look at Alec who was still sitting next to him. He was very pale and it seemed as if he was feeling very bad. At least Magnus thought that since there was an absent expression on the beautiful shadowhunters face. "Alec, are you all right?" He asked softly and already knew the answer. Of course Alec wasn't okay. However, that question seemed to fit into the situation right now.

"Yes, 'fcourse." Alec murmured and when he looked at Magnus, his eyes began to shine a little brighter again. That was good, so he was still there and it didn't look like he was going to get unconscious within the next minutes.

"I really have to heal you soon." Magnus murmured and touched Alec's hand. It was cold and that worried him a lot. "Very soon." He corrected himself and the younger mans lips twitched.

"Don't worry about me."

"How often do I have to tell you that I'm always worried about you, you stupid, beautiful, wonderful Nephilim?"

Magnus kissed Alec's cheek quickly and he just wanted to say something, when a voice took them back to reality.

"Alec, Magnus, are you okay?" Isabelle was running towards them. She was covered in blood, but it didn't seem to be hers. She was still holding her whip and with her free hand, she grabbed Alec's and squeezed it. "You're as cold as ice." Isabelle whispered and Magnus noticed that she sounded scared. Apparently, he wasn't the only one who was worried about Alec.

"He's lost much blood." He told Isabelle and now she was focusing on him instead of her brother. "I wasn't able to heal him during the battle. And I can't do it here either."

"Why not?"

"I don't think that it would be funny when I lose my consciousness here." Magnus was whispering now and he hoped that Alec wouldn't hear his words, but unfortunately, shadowhunters had very good ears.

"What did you just say?" Alec inhaled sharply and Magnus hesitated before he looked into his boyfriends eyes. Of course there was an accusing look in them and Alec was angry as well. "You can't heal me when you're not strong enough!"

"You know I'll do it, if you want it or not, Alexander." Magnus said those words in a warning tone, but Alec wasn't impressed by that. He knew him too well.

"You shouldn't risk your life for me."

"Risk my life?" Magnus couldn't believe what he'd just heard. After Alec had nearly died, he was talking about others risking their lives...

"I don't want you to-"

"Could you two please stop behaving like you were married for sixty years or something like that?" Isabelle cut in and looked at Alec and Magnus warningly. And when he followed her gaze, he also knew why. Next to Isabelle, Simon, Clary and Jace had come to see them.

There was a distance of about ten feet between them and for a few seconds, Magnus wondered why they didn't come closer. But then he remembered Jace's words again. And Simon and Clary weren't part of Alec's family. However, Jace was his brother and he'd saved his life in the battle. Well, after everything Jace had said to Alec, Magnus could understand why he didn't dare to come closer, even if he'd protected him...

And then there was something else Magnus noticed. And he thought that Isabelle didn't mean her friends, but Karael who was walking towards them slowly.

The expression on the angel's face was thoughtful and Magnus wasn't sure if there was respect in his eyes or if he just imagined that. Isabelle stood up quickly and positioned herself between Karael and her brother, but Alec didn't want it. He looked at Magnus questioningly and when he nodded, they stood up together. Alec had to lean on him, but Magnus didn't mind. He only hoped that he'd be able to heal him completely.

"I think I have made a mistake by saying that you should not have called me." Karael said loudly and Simon, Clary and Jace came a little closer so that they were standing next to Alec and Magnus now. Isabelle took Simon's hand, which made Magnus smile. Somehow, the two of them were cute together.

"We have to thank you, Karael." Clary began and bowed slightly. "Without you, we would have lost this battle and Belphegor and his army would have taken over the world. There wouldn't be any shadowhunters or downworlders anymore, so that the demons wouldn't have any problems at destroying every other living thing on this planet."

"You do not have to thank me." Karael replied and a small smile appeared on his lips. "I did not defeat Belphegor for you, Nephilim. I did it for me because he is one of the Princes of Hell and they are our worst enemies. They are not allowed to walk on this or any other planet and every other angel would have tried to prevent him from carrying out his plan as well. So it was nothing special, but an essential action."

For a few moments, they all were speechless. But then (of course) Jace took a step forward. "Now you're talking as if you wanted to help us right from the beginning." Magnus wanted to turn him into a duck right now. You couldn't just speak to an angel in a way which was similar to the tone you used when you talked to your parents! There wasn't much respect in Jace's voice and he even sounded reproachful. "And I'm not sure if that's true..."

Karael's eyes flared up dangerously and for a few seconds, it looked as if he wanted to grab his sword again. "You should always remember to whom you are talking to, Jace Herondale." He warned, but then he relaxed again. "You have all fought very well."

This time, Isabelle smiled at the angel, which surprised Magnus very much. Normally, she didn't speak in a situation like this and compliments weren't something she liked or needed. "Thank you, Lord Karael."

"I have already told you that only Raziel is allowed to be called 'Lord'." Karael said immediately and did Magnus just imagine it or was Isabelle blushing? "But either way I have to thank you too, Isabelle Lightwood. You have a brave heart. And not only you, your friends are courageous as well and some of you surprised me very much today." The angel looked at Simon for a few moments. However, and to Magnus' big surprise, he turned to look at him afterwards. "You are different from the other Children of Lilith, Magnus Bane. You fought against the demons in this battle openly, but it was not the first time you did something like that. You have always made the right decisions and chosen the side which fought for peace and equality. That is nothing every other warlock would have done. I know, there are some others of your kind who are looking at the world from a position which is similar to yours, but it is not always like that. You knew some Children of Lilith who did not want to safe the world. And do not worry, it is not possible to compare you to them." The angel paused for a moment and smiled at Magnus, who was looking at him with a surprised expression on his face. At least he thought that. He could have also stared at him wide-eyed, his mouth wide open and a look on his face that reminded of an owl or something like that.

"Furthermore, there is something else which surprised me. And this is your love to the young shadowhunter standing next to you. When I first saw you, I did not know what to think about it. One of the Nephilim and a Child of Lilith together? The blood of an angel and the blood of a demon? That just seemed to be a joke, if I should be completely honest. However, then I saw you fighting together in the battle and your reaction when he nearly died." Karael nodded towards Alec and Magnus squeezed his hand, which was still too cold. "And I realized something. I would never deny that love is powerful and that it can overcome all problems. But your love is different. There were already many people in your life and you thought that you loved some of them, Magnus Bane. However, you never felt about one of these persons in the way you feel about Alexander Lightwood, am I right?"

Magnus wasn't able to say something. He didn't know that the angel saw anything except Belphegor during the battle, but he should've known it. At least Karael was a powerful angel and he could do many impressing things. He just nodded silently, which made the angel's smile grow wider.

"And this love showed me something. It is not important whether you are one of the Nephilim, a downworlder or a mundane. Deep inside, you are all the same. And this is human. Something I will never be and this is why I respect you so much. And I envy you for being able to have such feelings, even if they can also be cruel sometimes."

From the corner of his eye, Magnus looked at Alec. He was also staring at Karael wide-eyed and Magnus thought that he'd forgotten his injury at the moment. Suddenly, Alec turned around to smile at him. And this little smile showed Magnus a thousand things. And the most important one was that the angel was right. Their love really was special and it would always be. And there was nothing that could change it.

"There is something you have to do for me." Karael's voice took Magnus and Alec back to reality and when they turned around to look at him again, they noticed that his expression was serious again. "I can not touch Belphegor's dagger and neither can the Nephilim. Since you are a Child of Lilith, you are able to take it, Magnus Bane. And I must ask you if you will take care of it. It is very important that the weapon can not be used again and magic should not affect it anymore. Will you do that for me?"

That surprised Magnus even more und he nodded quickly. "Of course I can do that, it won't be a problem." He assured the angel and a satisfied look appeared on his face.

"Then take it. And I have to say something else before we part. This time, it was good that you have called me. I am glad about it and since I could kill Belphegor here, I am not mad at you anymore. Nevertheless, you should not do it again! I am not very patient and next time, it could be possible that something happens to you. Do you understand my words?"

They all nodded quickly and Karael's lips twitched again. "Then go and take the dagger now." He said loudly and to Magnus it sounded like a command. He looked at Alec questioningly because he couldn't just let him stand there. He was too weak for it. However, Magnus knew that he was too proud to admit that. So he looked at Isabelle and nodded. She went to Alec's other side and now he was able to lean on her instead of Magnus.

Slowly, he went towards the dagger and when he stood in front of the black weapon, he couldn't stop himself from shivering. All around it, there was a strange tension in the air and when Magnus' hand touched the dagger, it felt as if a little flash of light hit him. He didn't want to hold it in his hand much longer, so he took of his jacket and wrapped it around the weapon.

When he turned around again, Magnus saw that Karael was already shining in a bright light, which meant that he was going to vanish soon. And he was right. Before he could take a step towards his friends and the angel again, Karael wasn't there anymore.

Magnus blinked for a few times, but it didn't change anything. So he just walked to his friends again and he saw that the others - Alec's parents, Jocelyn, Luke and the other werewolves in their human form (and many others as well) - were doing that too.

And then Alec was there again and the shadowhunter wrapped his arms around Magnus' shoulders. They kissed, but this time it didn't just last a few seconds. They were so relieved that everything went well and they had to show each other how much they were in love. And of course they were grateful for being alive as well.

All around them, Magnus could hear people cheering loudly and when they finally pulled apart, Alec and Magnus couldn't stop themselves from laughing any longer as well.

Suddenly, Isabelle and Maryse were there and hugged them tightly. Did Magnus imagine the tears in Maryse's eyes or were they really there? He couldn't tell... However, everyone was happy about having won the battle and slowly, the square in front of the Accords Hall was filled with many people.

Unfortunately, that wasn't good for Alec, who was already very weak and Magnus saw that it was difficult for him to follow the events around him any longer. And then he got unconscious. If Magnus wouldn't have caught him, the young shadowhunter would've fallen to the ground. But now he was in Magnus' arms and he carried him towards his house as fast as possible.