Chapter XXVII

"Too Good To Be True"

The mundane world wasn't as Asmodeus remembered it. It was more chaotic now with its high buildings and strange carriages without a carter. The Prince of Hell was astonished by the progress that mundanes had accomplished since he walked the world previously. The demon still remembered how he emerged the Edom close to two centuries ago when his sweet youngest boy was standing on the edge of the bridge. He felt something then, something he hadn't felt before. Fear. He was so happy that a vampire woman managed to save his beloved son before it was too late. However, the woman as pretty as she seemed to be didn't last long in his son's life. Truth to be told, Asmodeus was glad for it. For she wasn't the right woman for his son. It's a blessing that they had parted their ways and moved on with their lives. It gave Magnus a chance to find his perfect mate, even though he's been a male omega coming from the angel's themselves.

The sun was shining right on his face. Asmodeus was enjoying, truly enjoying the warm weather of New York, as he was sitting on the wooden chair outside the cafe. The white suit he had snapped for himself as soon as he stepped from Edom was a bit too much for the morning among the mundanes, but Asmodeus was the Prince of Hell, he was clothed for his title.

"May I offer you a drink, sir?" a young man clad in black pants and white shirt asked him in a melodic voice. Asmodeus flashed him one of his best smiles and opened his chocolate brown eyes. Today he decided to sport the mundane glamour on his eyes as his son had.

"I want the best drink you have in this establishment," he ordered, looking at the paper in front of him. It contained lots of letters and colorful pictures. A newspaper as he read at the blackboard next to him. "Please add lots of the white, sweet, small crystals to it."

"You mean sugar?" the man asked, clearly confused.

"Ah yes, sugar," Asmodeus agreed, hoping he described the sweets good to the mundane. Sue him, he had a sweet tooth for mundane sweets.

"Would you like some cake with it?"

"Oh yes, a Mysore Pak, please," Asmodeus remembered the sweet he had tasted first when he founded his sweet boy. "I remember it very fondly."

"I'm so sorry, sir, but we do not have them. I can offer you the best apple pie in the whole of New York." Asmodeus agreed to this proposition and waited for his order, while still enjoying the morning warmth.

He was in the middle of consuming the tasty apple pie the man had brought him a while ago. The sweet, black drink was already warming his stomach. A coffee the mundane called it. It was exquisite to his palate. It was delicious, similar to a drink he had once when he traveled to Europe for his son. Suddenly his eyes caught onto someone moving across the street. He recognized the silhouette immediately. Tall, dark hair, black attire and the scent of an angel trailing after him. Asmodeus smiled involuntarily. He wanted to see the young man today, but he didn't expect it to happen so early. Nevertheless, he took the chance when he got it.

Asmodeus got up from the chair, leaving the paper value he had seen mundanes do on the table, summoned from one of the mundane sitting across them. He missed the times where people were paying in pure gold or rubies. The demon walked across the street and decided to follow the young half-angel with a distance.

The young man was walking slowly, almost trailing his legs behind himself. Asmodeus guessed he must be exhausted. He wondered whether it was his gift that was tiring the poor Nephilim out. The demon blocked the sounds around him and focused on the shadowhunter. He closed his eyes and dropped his glamour, revealing his cat eyes. Thanks to them he had a better vision in front of him. He focused his ears as well to listen better.

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. The fast sound of a light heart beating reached his ears as if it was a small bird. It gave him joy while listening. It was true music, the most beautiful he had heard in a long time. And the sight, it was fantastic as well. Beneath the gold-green-red swirls of magic was hidden the second most wonderful gift he will give to the world. First, it was his boy, Magnus, in his mother's womb. And now, it was this small ray of light, growing inside of Alec Lightwood.

The new heir to the throne of Edom.

Suddenly Alec faltered and leaned over the closest tree. For the second time in his existence, he acted on instinct. Before he knew, Asmodeus glamour came up and he found himself next to Alec. He grabbed the man under his elbows and held him strongly.

"Are you alright?" he asked, voice full of concern. The shadowhunter opened his eyes and looked up at the stranger before him.

"You can see me?" Ah, he must have had his glamour on so no one could see him.

"Of course, but fear not, your glamour is still up," The blue eyes of the hunter were checking him from head to toe. "I'm a warlock. You have nothing to fear, I won't hurt you. I wouldn't want to get on Magnus Bane's bad side."

"Oh."

"Yes, I know who you are," he admitted to the young man. Alec pushed himself away from Asmodeus and leaned over the tree again. "Do you feel alright? You seem to be very pale."

"I'm a bit dizzy," Alec replied. This worried the demon. He wanted to see if his heir was faring well, but he knew his touch for sure will be unwelcome. However, he still decided to ask for permission. He needed to make sure. "I'm better now."

"Please, I want to help," Asmodeus offered quickly. "Let me check you over, I'm a good healer. I won't harm you. I only mean to help."

"Thank you for your offer, but I'm good," Alec stated and pushed himself to stand. He gave a small smile to Asmodeus and took a step ahead. However, the demon couldn't let him get away. Not before he'll pass a message to his son. When Alec turned away and went further, Asmodeus snapped his fingers and forced Alec to drop to the ground. Before the body touched the cold stone, Asmodeus caught him in his arms and placed him on his lap. The demon stroked his hair softly, as he strengthened the glamour around himself and the shadowhunter. When Alec's eyes were closed, the demon did a quick scan over his womb. The child inside of him seemed to be alright, at least by his standards. It reacted to his magic, trying to get closer to him.

"Oh my sweetest, soon we shall meet," he whispered to the already visible belly. If he counted good, the birth should happen in a matter of four mundane months. He couldn't wait for it. Asmodeus laid Alec down on the ground and snapped his fingers again, sending a spark of his magic inside the hunter's body. Lightwood opened his eyes at an instant and looked in the cat eyes of the demon. "Send my love to my son, Alec Lightwood. We shall meet again soon."

With that, he disappeared, leaving Alec alone with his thoughts.

….

Magnus was weighing the exact portion of the venom from the vampire fangs. He needed a precise amount of it so the potion would be sufficient for him. As he poured three drops inside the pot, he realized he's almost out of the venom and would have to ask Simon or Lily for a new dose. He needed to be extra prepared for anything, especially now, when his sweet omega was close to getting a new, higher position in the ranks of the new Clave.

Speaking of the devil…

Magnus could feel him getting close before even he had gotten to the door. The sweet scent lingered outside the door for a moment, before Alec opened them. Magnus was happy that his hunter came home, but it was suspicious. Only a half of hour before, Alec made a beeline to the door, announcing that he's late for meeting with Helen Blackthorn and Aline Penhallow. Magnus wanted to join him in the talks, seeing as he had a lot to say about the already dead Victor Aldertree, alas, Alec stated he needed to do it on his own.

Magnus got up from his chair and walked to the hallway. He spotted Alec leaning over the closed door with his eyes wide open and mouth agape.

"Alexander?"

"I just met your dad," the shadowhunter replied quickly. Magnus must have heard it wrong. It has to be a mishearing. There was no way Alec could meet his demonic father.

"Excuse me?"

"I just met your dad," Alec repeated himself sternly. As in on instinct, Magnus jumped to Alec and began to check him over with his magic. He felt a faint sign of his father's demonic signature, but it wasn't harmful. It was very confusing. Alec batted his hands away and shook his head. "He didn't do anything to me. In fact, he wanted to help." Magnus raised his left eyebrow in a silent question. "I felt dizzy and he caught me. He said he's a warlock and he wants to help me, but I declined it."

"My father doesn't offer help out of the goodness of his heart, love," Magnus stated. "He for sure used his magic on you, I felt it, but it wasn't harmful. Where did you meet him?"

"I was walking to the Institute after I walked out of our building. I was going to step into the cafe before I get to the subway, but when I was close to it, the smell was making me nauseous, so I got across the street as far away as I could and I think I did it a bit too fast and got dizzy."

"That's it, Alec," Magnus grabbed his hand in his. "I'm taking you to a mundane doctor. Cat and I can't detect what's wrong with you, but maybe mundanes will be able. Maybe it's some mundane disease."

"I'm fine."

"Fine my ass!" the warlock argued more. "You've been throwing up. You're constantly tired, you get dizzy. It's serious, Alexander. If we, the warlocks, can't find out what's wrong with you, we'll have to rely on mundanes."

"They won't be able to test my blood anyway," Alec retorted, letting Magnus brush his knuckles softly. "Mundane test won't show anything. I'm fine. I'm sure it's still the aftermath of the stress that I've been living under lately. The whole deal with Underhill, Aldertree and Consul Penhallow, even my parents. The whole downworld has been looking at my hands lately waiting for some decisions, it's frustrating and truly stressing. We've barely managed to stop the whole Seelie Court to destroy the entire shadow world after we found out about Lady Akiria in the Gard. So sorry, if my body reacts to it now."

"You can't blame me for worrying, darling," Magnus whispered, placing a kiss on Alec's forehead. "I just can't stomach you being ill or hurt."

"And I love you for that, but I'm fine." Alec took a step into the hallway and led Magnus to the living room. Once they both sat on the couch, Alec bit down on his lower lip. "I think I lost consciousness for a minute or two, and your dad caught me again. And I think that's when he did something to wake me up. He looked at me with cat eyes like yours and told me to send his love to you and that we'll meet again."

"It's not good," Magnus pondered loudly. "Visits from my father are never good."

"Then we'll be extra careful and maybe you can strengthen barriers around our home and the Institute."

"Of course."

Magnus immediately got to work on strengthening the wards around their loft, excluding everyone from it but him and Alec. They also worked their schedules to always stay with the other or at least with someone to help them fight the enemy off. Alec was safe with his siblings and workers in the Institute, while Magnus spent lots of time with Simon, Lily, Maia, and Catarina. However, even this couldn't stop his father from stopping by one night.

Magnus just picked Alec up from the Institute. They opened the portal straight to their loft, bantering over what shall they eat tonight, seeing as Alec felt well through the whole day. Magnus was thankful to the angels above that Alec's organism seemed to be back to its old self.

"Can you imagine, the Seelie Queen was actually pleased with my proposition and the Clave didn't eat me alive for it."

"I told you, love, you are a born leader," Magnus replied, as they stepped out of the portal in their hallway. "No wonder they appointed you for this jo…"

Magnus cut himself off, sensing another presence in his loft. A presence he loathed with his all might. Magnus quickly pushed Alexander behind himself and called on his magic to create a protective bubble around his hunter.

"There's no need for that, my sweet boy," he heard the voice of his father. "I mean no harm."

"I've heard that before," Magnus mumbled to himself, but didn't take the barrier off Alec. "What are you doing here? How did you get in?"

"Did you really think that your weak barrier will hold me back?" Asmodeus clicked his tongue. "You're part of me, Magnus. Your magic is my magic, only weaker. But I admire you trying to protect yourself from me."

"What are you doing here?" Magnus repeated himself, glaring at his father. Alec grabbed his hand in his through the barrier, sensing fear through their bond.

"Can't a father visit his beloved son?" The cat-eyes of the demon moved from Magnus to Alec. "Are you so disrespectful to your father as well, Alec?"

"Don't speak to him!" Magnus shouted.

"Why? We already know each other," the demon replied with a smile. "However, I feel I should introduce myself properly. I am Asmodeus, one of the nine Princes of Hell, King of Edom and of course, Magnus's father."

"What are you doing here, father?" Magnus asked again, this time voice full of rage. He didn't know the reason for the visit, but from his experience, he knew it won't be good for him and Alec.

"I just told you, I came to visit my beloved son and his lovely partner." Asmodeus stood up from the comfortable chair and walked closer to them. "You should show some manners and offer me at least some hot beverage or a cold one. I have a better idea, I'll conjure us some dinner so we could get to know each other better, huh? I haven't had mundane food in years."

"Just stop!" Magnus had enough of his father's mannerism. He marched up to him and probed his chest with his middle finger. "What do you want?!"

"I wanted this to go nicely. I wanted to spend some nice time with my youngest son. Is it such a crime?"

"You never want to do nice things, father," Bane looked him in the eye. Cat-eyes to cat-eyes. They were the same. The same fierceness, the same fire. However, Magnus's eyes were also filled with love for his beloved omega. "Spare me the nonsense, father and tell me the real reason for your sudden visit."

"Very well, then," Asmodeus snapped his fingers and made the bubble around Alec disappear. He wanted to include Alec in the talks as well. "I came to collect my payment."

"Payment? What payment?" Alec spoke for the first time. "What's going on?"

"Magnus owns me a payment for using my magic to save your life, Alec." Asmodeus looked back at his son. "You didn't think that I will not come to gather it, did you?"

Magnus feared it from the very first moment he borrowed magic from his father to heal Alec after the demon attack. His heart started to beat faster. His breath became shallower. He could feel Alec's fear through the bond as well. No wonder, his father was unpredictable, especially when it came to Magnus. Bane heard how Alec's heart began to flutter as well.

"What do you want from us?" Alec tried to sound brave, although it didn't work out. Magnus couldn't blame him. He didn't feel brave enough at this moment as well.

"I want Magnus to come to Edom with me and rule beside me like he is ought to," Asmodeus stated firmly. His wicked smile caused shivers in both alpha and the omega.

Before Magnus had a chance to react, Alec jumped in front of him with a seraph blade in his hand, pointing it at the demon. Asmodeus only laughed and grabbed the blade in his hand. The usual light blue glow of it turned into a deep, bloody red.

"I'm a fallen angel, boy. Your weapon is no threat to me. I was very close to God himself, one of the favorite sons, before I followed Lucifer in his rebellion." Asmodeus pulled the blade out of Alec's hands and inspected it closely. "Hm...I sense Raziel's and Ithuriel's touch in this. But they were never as strong as I was. My angel's power, even though I was not an archangel, was strong, comparable to Michael and Lucifer himself."

"Magnus is not coming with you to Edom!"

"But I need an heir with me," Asmodeus replied softly. "Lilith and her human bastard destroyed a huge part of my realm. I need my heir to help me bring it back to its glory. And I want my son to return to the home he once fled from. You cannot blame me for wanting to have my son with me. I miss my son dearly."

"No." Magnus wasn't sure, which one of them said it out loud. "Anything but that."

"I feared you may not agree with this, however, I did not lie when I said I need my heir to restore the Edom back." Asmodeus continued, smiling at Alec and looking at his belly. "Thank the God, I have thought of it beforehand and created myself another heir."

"So you have another kid you can take with you. I can give you something else as a payment, father."

"Oh, I do have another child, my beloved son," Magnus saw a new spark in his father's eyes. However, he could not determine the core of it. But he didn't like it. Not in one bit. "I have it right here. Within Alec."

Dead silence filled the entire loft. Magnus and Alec were looking at the demon as if he suddenly sprouted three heads. They must have heard it wrong. Alec was a shadowhunter, there was no possibility that he may be an heir of Asmodeus. He could not be Magnus's brother. Magnus couldn't fall in love with his own blood. No.

"Dear father in heaven," Asmodeus shook his head. "Alec isn't my child."

"But you said…" Magnus started, stuttering, however, Asmodeus quickly cut him off. He snapped his fingers and deep red swirls of his magic twisted around Alec. For a moment nothing happened, but a second later Alec's whole posture glimmered like it did when he was using his glamour rune and then they saw it.

The tight black shirt Alec had worn today rolled itself up, making it visible. Runes on Alec's stomach stretched and glowed in blue, like Magnus's magic. But the most shocking thing was the very visible curve of Alec's belly. Magnus's eyes were immediately glued to it. It was impossible! Bizzare! And yet, the truth lied before his eyes like the shining sun. Suddenly all of Alec's latest symptoms made sense. He wasn't ill with some strange mundane disease.

He was… He was… Magnus couldn't even think about it until he heard the fast beating of a fourth heart in the room. It was light, but nevertheless, it was here and it came from Alec's grown belly. The warlock closed his eyes and focused on it. He could feel the signature of the baby trying to reach to him. It was similar to his own, only holier, but Magnus guessed it's because of Alec's angelic heritage.

"What did you do to me?!" Alec's screech broke his amazement. He was eyeing his belly with an unknown emotion.

"I gave you, what you desired, Alec," Asmodeus replied with a smile. "You wanted a child, so I gave it to you."

Magnus blinked twice, before as he felt nagging in the back of his head. There was only one way to impregnate a person and demons didn't do it differently. A wave of rage filled his whole body. His eyes darkened in one second before he lashed out his magic on his father. However, Asmodeus was stronger. He caught the energy ball and burst it out into colorful confetti.

"What now?" Asmodeus asked, raising his eyebrow at his son. "I gave you what you both wanted and you're attacking me? So much for gratitude."

"You touched Alexander! I'm going to kill you!"

"Oh relax, son," the demon rolled his eyes. "I did not dishonor your shadowhunter in any matter. I did not lay with him. I don't find children of my brother appealable. Besides, I haven't lain with a mortal for centuries now. Your mother was the last one."

"What did you do to me?!" Alec repeated himself, still looking at the belly in disbelief.

"I healed your wounds and fixed the damage made by Stheno," Asmodeus explained. "And gave your hormones a little boost same as I did to Magnus."

"It's impossible," Magnus stated firmly. "The damage was severed."

Asmodeus gave him one of his pointed looks. "I can bring creatures back from the dead, my son. Do you think that reversing minor damage made by a low-class demon is something impossible for me? It didn't even require lots of effort."

"No…I couldn't…"

"If you'd take a bit more of the real magic of mine, the one you still have yet to discover, you'd heal him a long time ago." Asmodeus drawled. "But you still have potential, Magnus. I've seen you using the darkest of our magic in the shadowhunter's country, where you killed those men. I couldn't be prouder of you, my child. You finally seem to understand what you are and what are you destined for."

"I don't understand…" Alec's whisper reached their ears. "Why didn't I see it before?"

"Simply, I've cloaked the pregnancy from every but my eyes." His father moved his eyes back on Alec. "You experienced the effects of the pregnancy, but I hid it from everyone. The blue warlock, child of Belial. She was close to discovering it, but my magic concealed it from her."

Magnus turned back to Alec and looked at him as if he was seeing him for the first time. The baby bump was so visible. Magnus took a step closer to Alec and slowly raised his hand to the direction of the belly. When he placed his palm on it, he felt it different. It was softer than usual. Alec's muscles seemed to smooth. Alexander placed his hand flat on Magnus's hand and then they felt it.

A light bump from the inside, where their hands were placed. The baby's first kick.

Tears started to trail down both their faces, as they realized it.

Before Alec, Magnus would never even think about having a biological heir. There was no one he felt the want to be bonded to or start a proper family. Hell, before Alec, he didn't even think about settling down for good. And now, here he was. Bonded to an omega, who was pregnant with his child. HIS CHILD. It was scary and wonderful at the same time.

"Our baby," Magnus whispered in a hushed tone. It sounded so surreal, but the evidence was right before his eyes.

"Our baby," Alec repeated, beliwerded. Magnus could only guess it was too much for him to take in as well as for Magnus.

"Yes, our baby," Asmodeus agreed with them and stepped closer as well. As if on instinct, Magnus raised a barrier over Alec and the baby and turned to face his father. Red magic swirling around his fists. He didn't know when and how, but he suddenly felt very protective over the new life growing inside of Alexander. Protective of a part of him and Alec.

"You won't touch them!" Magnus growled at his father. "You won't touch my child!"

"It is as much of my child as yours," Asmodeus stated firmly. "I gave this boy life."

"Boy?" Alec's whisper reached their ears. "It's a boy?"

"Yes, a boy," the demon replied, looking softly at Alec's belly. "Half shadowhunter, half warlock. An heir to the Edom's throne."

"You won't touch him!" Magnus growled again. "I'll kill you!"

"We both know that you won't be able," Asmodeus sighed fatigued. He took a deep breath and adjusted the cufflinks on his suit sleeves. "I'm taking one of you with me. I need an heir with me and that's why I helped Alec out. That child belongs to me."

"No!" Alec protested loudly, arms circled around his belly in a protective gesture. "NO!"

"No!" Magnus found himself shouting as well.

The dread filled his whole body, as he realized what will have to happen now. He swallowed hard and turned back to Alec again. He placed his hands upon the belly, feeling the baby reaching out to him for the second time tonight. Magnus dropped down to his knees and placed a soft kiss over Alec's belly, where he felt the first kick.

"Take care of him for me," he whispered in his mother tongue, even though the baby could not understand him at all.

Magnus jumped back on his feet and took Alec's face between his hands. He looked him deeply in the eyes, wanting to imprint in his mind the perfection of Alec's blue eyes filled with love. He moved his eyes to Alec's dry and chapped lips before he connected them with his own in a searing kiss. The kiss was salty from tears falling down his and Alec's cheeks.

"Aku cinta kamu, my darling," Magnus whispered between the kisses. "Take care of our baby."

"What?!" Alec cried out confused. However, before he had a chance to react somehow, Magnus stepped back from him and turned to his father again.

"I'll come with you," Magnus muttered sullenly. "Willingly."

"NO!" Alec kept protesting, reaching to grab Magnus by his arms. However, Magnus didn't allow him, raising a barrier between himself and Alec. The shadowhunter was banging on the glass wall between them. He was shouting Magnus's name between tears.

"If you give me your word that you won't harm Alexander or the baby, I'll come with you and help you restore Edom."

"Very well," the demon agreed with a smirk, reaching out his bony hand towards his son. "You have my word. It's a deal."

Asmodeus snapped his fingers and a flaming pentagram showed up beneath them, shining with deep red flames. Magnus had seen it twice before in his life, when his father came for him for the first time, finding him on the streets and when he fled the Edom himself years ago. Magnus looked at Alec for the last time, feeling the flames of Edom twirling around his body. He lowered the glass wall and Alec immediately jumped towards him, but the fire already burned the warlock and his father away.

Before he entirely disappeared, he called to Alec for the last time.

"I love you both, my hearts."

Magnus had no idea for how long he was in the Edom already. Time flies differently in each realm, Ragnor had taught him once. He wasn't here for centuries and he had all forgotten the precise year his father had brought him here for the first time.

Nothing has changed in Edom since the last time he was here. The same obscure dark red walls of the ruined castle. The same dusty air around him. The same bony throne his father was sitting at with a barbed crown on his head. Now, Asmodeus looked just like Magnus remembered him. White suit, barbed crown, clawed bony hands and cat eyes shining in the dark. At some point in his life, when he was just a boy, Magnus wondered, whether he'll look like his father one day. Will he sport the demonic features as well? With his whole heart, he hoped not.

For the most part of his staying here, Magnus was sitting on the conjured blanket on the floor, meditating. He needed to calm his emotions to not go crazy in this damned place. He longed to be close to his sweet Alexander and their baby. It was still so surreal and Magnus couldn't wrap his head over it. He and Alexander will have a baby. Or maybe Alec had already given birth to their little miracle. Magnus often caught himself thinking to who the baby would like alike. Will he sport Alec's gorgeous blue eyes? Or will he wear the same demonic mark as his father and grandfather? Will his skin would be beautiful pale as Alec's? Or will he be more like Magnus? Or maybe something between? Whatever he will be, Magnus knew that he'll be perfect.

Magnus wondered how Alec would name their son. Will he give him some shadowhunter name that was running through his family for years? Magnus had his own proposition for his son's name. A name that he cherished with his heart. A name after a man who sacrificed himself for Magnus and Alec's life.

Raphael.

Magnus's heart still hurt when he thought about the vampire. The warlock quickly shook himself off the thinking. He knew his father waited for him to break down entirely and finally submit to his will. He couldn't do it. He needed to be strong, as much as he could be.

"Are you going to stay silent forever?" Asmodeus asked him, looking at Magnus's sitting form.

"The deal was to come with you, not to talk to you," he grunted in response, not rising his eyes from the white spot on the wall. Magnus remembered that there used to stand a small table there with chalk and paper for him to learn. His father gave him proper schooling in the arts of demons and warlocks. However, it was Ragnor who taught him how to be a good warlock, how to be a human. Or at least half a human.

Asmodeus sighed loudly, looking at the untouched food he had conjured for his son.

"You haven't eaten again, Magnus." He scolded him. "You have to eat. You're part human."

"I'll wither faster," he mumbled under his nose.

"You think I want that? That I want you dead?" Asmodeus rose from his throne and came closer to Magnus. He crouched before him and placed his bony hand upon his cheek. The warlock tried his best to not flinch under his touch. "If I'd want you dead, I wouldn't go to the lengths in saving your life multiple times. From the very first moment, when I felt your magic awoke I knew you're special. I knew that you're destined for the greatest things. But you need someone that will direct you to those things. And who's better for that than your beloved father?"

"Anyone but you," Magnus finally looked in the eyes of his father. If he wouldn't know better, he'd think there was a pain inside of them. If only his father had some real feelings.

"From all of my children, I'm most proud of you, Magnus," Asmodeus continued. "You are the child I've always dreamed to have."

"If you're trying to coddle me to like you, you're not doing any good job, father," Bane replied. "If you want me to like you and be a good parent, release me from here so I could go back to Alec and our baby."

"I'd like to remind you that you came here willingly, my son," Magnus huffed at him.

"You knew exactly that I'll agree!" he attacked the demon. "You knew perfectly that I won't sacrifice Alec and our baby! You knew I'd do anything to keep them safe!"

"Human emotions are weakening you, Magnus. I've been telling you that for years."

"You did it on purpose," the warlock announced, as the realization dawned on him. "You gave this child to us so I'd come with you. You never wanted this baby."

"That child is a gift from me, but yes, I never wanted to take him." Asmodeus drawled. "He has magic, but not like yours. His magic is different, combined with Alec's angelic powers. However, he is not what I desired. If you wouldn't trade yourself for him I would take him instead and forged him into a warlock, though I admit it could be a hardship."

"Why go to such lengths and give us a baby, when you could simply threaten Alec and I'd go anyway?"

"He's just another mortal that you love now," Asmodeus replied as if he understood human nature. "He's one from many. In a few years, he will get old and die eventually or you could find a new love. But a child. Your own blood…" he looked deeply in his eyes. "There's nothing a parent wouldn't do for their child. I knew you wouldn't hesitate, because I wouldn't either, for you."

"Please," Magnus sighed wearily. "Don't try to be a good dad, because you can't."

Magnus stood up and went to the corner of the throne room. He sat down on his childhood wooden chair, now adjusted to fit his tall frame. He didn't feel like talking to Asmodeus anymore. The warlock looked down at the table. For the first time since he's been brought here, he realized that his father kept mementos of him. All the pictures he had made as a child were still scattered around. The books from the mundane world that Asmodeus brought him were still neatly arranged on the shelf upon the table. The big portrait of Asmodeus in his crown and six years old Magnus with their cat-eyes displayed was hanging on the wall ahead of him. Asmodeus kept his hand on baby Magnus's shoulder, while the young warlock was smiling up at his father. Magnus remembered that day. It was still a time when he loved his demonic father endlessly. But no one could blame him. Asmodeus saved him from dying on the streets out of hunger or simply killed off by people in his village after he burned his step-father.

"You were so happy that day," Asmodeus's voice came from behind his back. "We spent a whole day among mundanes in France. I took you to see a carnival in Nice. It was so colorful, so bright, so joyful and you laughed for so long. And then at the end of our day, I gave you something."

"A wooden, red bird," Magnus whispered, remembering the first toy he had gotten. "With yellow wings."

"You broke it when you fled from here." Asmodeus snapped his fingers and the toy appeared in his hand. "Alas, I fixed it."

"Childre…" Magnus wanted to repeat himself in his statement, however, he cut himself off when the ground in the castle shook. Magnus knew that shake, he witnessed it for so many times in his lifetime.

"Oh!" Asmodeus exclaimed, clapping his hands. "It seems we have guests! How wonderful!"

No! No! No! Magnus kept screaming in his mind, the second he sensed him. He wanted to portal out of the castle and send Alec back. Alas, his father acted faster. Asmodeus opened a portal in the middle of the room and soon Alexander, Jace, Isabelle, Clary, and Simon appeared in the place of the portal. The five of them blinked a few times before their eyes founded Asmodeus and Magnus in front of them.

"Magnus…" Alec sighed contently. Before he knew, Magnus had his arms full of Alec with a pregnant belly between them. The shadowhunter captured the warlock's lips in a hungry kiss. When they pulled away, Alec squinted his eyes at the warlock, before he punched him solid on his arm. Magnus yelped in pain. "You dickhead! How could you do this?!"

"Alexan…"

"As much as I'd love to observe your feud," Asmodeus broke in. "I need to ask for a reason for your appearance in my realm."

"We're here for Magnus," Jace announced firmly.

"Oh, look at them, my boy," the demon laughed. "Those mortals love you so fiercely that they had come for you to Edom."

"You shouldn't have come," Magnus spoke up, raising his eyes full of sadness at his friends and family.

"We're taking you from here," Clary added, stepping ahead of the team before she eyed Asmodeus. "Magnus is our friend and he's coming back with us."

"You shouldn't have come here," Bane repeated in a hushed tone.

"Why?" Isabelle and Simon asked, confused.

"Because now, all of you will stay here." Before they had a chance to pry some more into it, Asmodeus continued. "Lasciate ogni sperenza, voi ch'entrate."

"Abandon all hope, ye who enters here," Isabelle translated with fear in her voice. They all looked between themselves when the realization hit them.

"It's not just a quote, right?" Simon dared to whisper to Jace, however, both Magnus and his father heard him well. Magnus only shook his head, as he held Alec in his arms again. "Damn."

Asmodeus lit more torches in the castle and waved his hand. A large table with seven chairs appeared in the middle of it, fully clothed and with a dinner steaming on it. Red wine was poured in golden globes with colorful gems around the cup. Magnus wondered, from which century they come from.

"Make yourself at home, for it shall be your home from now on."

They were all sitting by the table, staring at one another. Magnus could make a wild guess about the thoughts running through their minds. The warlock was pretty sure they weren't different from his own. They were all doomed. Asmodeus was sitting at the top of the table, across Magnus with his eyes fixed on his son's omega. Magnus moved his sight on Alexander as well. Lightwood was keeping his arm circled protectively around his larger now belly, with hand clasped into Magnus's. The baby was very active in his belly, kicking in the place where they kept their hands. Magnus soaked in this wonderful feeling. He thought he would never experience it again. The thought about the sudden fatherhood was bizarre to him, but he started to love the idea. Same as he loved the baby already. The warlock would never take himself as a person who loves someone on instinct, and yet, here he was, loving the baby from the moment he found out about him.

"I'm so sorry, Alexander," Magnus whispered, leaning closer to his shadowhunter. "You shouldn't have come here."

"You shouldn't agree for this either," Alec hushed back. "We could have figured it out, together. Like we always do. But you had to play a hero."

"Now you're trying to play a hero here." Magnus scowled. Alec shrugged his arms in response.

Not taking his hand off Alec's belly, Magnus surveyed the room again. There was no way Izzy, Jace, Clary, and Simon could survive in Edom for a long time. Let alone Alec, who's pregnant. This was no place for them. They were good, not cursed like Magnus. They did not deserve this. With a heavy heart, Magnus drew Alec's hand to his mouth and placed a kiss on the top of it. He knew what he had to do and he knew that Alec won't like it in one bit.

"I love you so much, Alexander. You are my heart and soul. You and the baby."

"Don't…" Magnus stood up from his chair, letting go of Alec's hand. He placed his both hands on the surface of the table and looked his father in his eyes. Swallowing hard, he began his speech.

"If you let them all go, I'll give you what you truly desire, father." All the eyes in the room focused on him. "I'll give you what you truly need to restore the Edom and get rid of Lilith for good."

"What are you talking about?!" Alec implored with frantic eyes, trying to grab Magnus's hands in his, but the warlock didn't let him. He needs to start distancing himself from Alec.

"Send them back to their world and I'll give you my immortality, willingly."

Asmodeus's cat eyes lit up with a new fire.

"Deal."

"So, you'll be a mundane now?" Clary asked from her seat next to Jace before she turned to Asmodeus. "You let go of Magnus as well? He'll be just a mundane? That's still good, right? Alec?"

"I'm afraid that there won't be me anymore, biscuit," Magnus replied, avoiding Alec's piercing gaze full of pain. "When I'll be stripped off my immortality, all of my years will catch up. And despite for the constant moisturizing of my skin, it won't suffice the four hundred years I've been living. I'll turn into ashes that will rebuild the whole realm."

"NO!" Alec protested, jumping off the chair. He drew Magnus away from the table and grabbed him firmly by his arm. "I disagree! You can't give up your immortality. You can't!"

"It's ok, beloved," Magnus soothed him. "At least you and our baby and your friends will be safe." Alec was shaking his head to this. "Alexander you have to go back to the world."

"I don't want the world, I want you!" Alec declared before he crushed his lips over Magnus's in a desperate kiss. "I'm staying with you! I'm not leaving you!"

"But I am coming with you," Magnus responded softly, placing his hand upon Alec's belly again. "You have to take care of our baby. You have to Alexander. He's our miracle."

"I can't do this without you. I can't." Alec sobbed into Magnus's shoulder. "Don't leave us."

"Now that's interesting, Daylighter. You've got yourself a deal." Suddenly they heard Asmodeus's voice again. Alec and Magnus pulled away from each other and looked back to the table. Asmodeus was shaking his hand with Simon's, while Jace, Isabelle, and Clary were all crying out for him. Both the shadowhunter and the warlock were too wrapped into their own pain to realize what had happened in the mere moments. "I give you my word, Simon Lewis."

"What word?" Alec inquiried. "What happened?"

"Simon just traded his own immortality for Magnus's."

"It's ok," the vampire assured his friends. "I wasn't immortal for long so I won't wither like Mangus. I'll live my mundane life normally. I'm just twenty. I never wanted to be a vampire anyway."

"Simon," Isabelle grabbed his hand in hers and shook her head, tears smudging her perfect make-up. "You won't be able to live your life. You're undead, Simon. When you'll give up your immortality, you'll be dead."

"You're so stupid, girl," Asmodeus clicked his tongue at her. "I'm a greater demon, a Prince of Hell. I fixed your brother's damage. I gave him a child. I can create and destroy worlds. I can bring people back from death as well. It's an easy peasy."

"But why would you do it?" Jace asked in a hushed tone. Magnus realized that he must truly care for the vampire.

"Let's say I feel generous today," the demon leaned his head on his palms. "Your gift of walking in the daylight is spectacular. I haven't witnessed it since Cain. For sure it will fuel Edom for a while."

"Ok. I'm offering it willingly for all of us here." Asmodeus only laughed, moving his fingers before Simon's nose. "What?"

"The deal was to let go of the shadowhunters and they can go," Asmodeus replied with his usual mannerism. "Magnus stays here."

"NO!" The shadowhunters protested loudly, but Simon continued. "The deal was to let us back to our world."

"And I'll let you go back, but my son stays here," he stated firmly. "And if you'll continue to argue with me, the whole deal will be off and you'll stay here as well."

"Deal," Simon and Magus spoke at the same time.

Asmodeus stood up from the table beckoning at Simon to join him. As soon as he stands before the demon, Asmodeus placed his clawed hand upon Simon's un-beating heart. Asmodeus flashed his cat eyes at the young vampire and chanted something in a demonic language. Dark smoke pooled around Lewis's feet, slowly creeping up until it covered them both, blocking the view from the others. For a moment nothing was happening to him, but then when Asmodeus stopped chanting, Simon felt it. The warm blood was running through his veins again pumping him with adrenaline he had forgotten already. And his heart. It began slowly beating, until the beats became more stable, more firm. Tears began to fall down his cheeks. Oh, how he missed the beat of his own heart. When Asmodeus retrieved his hand, Simon placed his own on his chest to feel it. The feeling was even more wonderful. After months of emptiness, he had felt alive again. He took the first deep breath in months.

He was alive.

"Simon?" Clary whispered, looking at him with big eyes.

"My heart's beating again."

"As I said, I am able to bring him back from death. Now the second part of the deal." Asmodeus snapped his fingers and a portal appeared next to the shadowhunters. When the red light glimmered they could see in the far the view of New York's Institute. "Farewell, shadowhunters. The portal will remain open for a minute."

"You must go, now," Magnus grunted and pushed Jace, Izzy, Clary, and Simon to the portal. When they stepped through the portal, Magnus dragged Alec to it as well. "I love you, my sayang. Tell our baby that I love him too. And if you don't mind or you haven't thought about it before, can you name him…"

"Raphael?" Magnus was shocked that Alec concluded it. "I felt you thinking about him a lot and he did so much for us. I want our son to be named in honor of him. Raphael Lightwood-Bane."

"Beautiful." Bane declared. "But now, you must go, Alexander."

"I'm not going anywhere without you, Magnus." the shadowhunter replied and looked at Asmodeus. "You can close the portal, I'm staying here, willingly."

"No, no, no, no," Magnus argued. "Father, send him back!"

"You're going to give me headache lasting for a century." Asmodeus sighed, leaning back on his throne. He knocked his fingers on the armrest and pondered loudly. "The Daylighter's power will help me restore most of Edom for now, however, I need something more. I can make you a deal, son. As much as I want to keep you with me, I understand you won't willingly abide by my whims. I see you are not ready for it yet. You are not ready to grasp the real domain of our magic. But you will, one day and I'll wait for it. I can send you back for a little something."

"What is it?" Magnus asked with a spark of hope in his voice.

"I'll take something that I had given to you once." Magnus didn't dare to speak yet, waiting for the continuation. "Magic. The magic of my heirs must stay at home in exchange for your travel back to the mundane world."

Instinctual, Alec placed his arms protectively around his belly. They both understood the words of the demon. Heirs. Plural. Meaning both, Magnus and his son. Magnus was already preparing himself to bargain with his father and offer only his magic and maybe killing Lilith off when something unexpected happened.

A ray of golden light emerged from the middle of Alec's belly and fly right into Asmodeus's opened palm. Even the demon was giving the small ball of energy an odd look, but nevertheless, he consumed it.

"Huh," Asmodeus mused. "I didn't peg the child to be so powerful."

"What did you do to him?!" Alec growled at the Prince of Hell. "What did you do to my son?!"

"He willingly gave up his magic to me," the ruler of Edom came closer to Alec and placed his hand upon Alec's belly. He closed his eyes and listened. "He's reaching out to me. He's offering his own magic for yours, my son. Oh, I hear you, my precious. You've got yourself your very first deal, my grandchild. May it be your word, son of Magnus Bane, grandchild of the Great Asmodeus, one of the Princes of Hell."

"Give my son his magic back!" Magnus yelled, forming an energy ball between his hands. "Take mine instead."

"He gave it willingly," Asmodeus took his hand back from Alec's body and smiled to him. "He's precious. His magic is pure angelic now, it will get Edom back to its glory. With the Daylighter's power, Edom will be the most powerful realm again."

"Will he be ok?" Alec asked in a quiet voice. "Will our son be alright?"

"He'll be a shadowhunter, maybe with some special abilities but shadowhunter nonetheless." the demon replied. "I don't harm my own blood, Alec Lightwood." Asmodeus snapped his fingers again and conjured another portal. "Go back to your world."

When they stepped through the portal to Magnus's loft at Brooklyn, Asmodeus conjured the magic of his grandson. He was an unexpected creature with power equally high as his warlock father. As he closed the portal, the demon pondered at the half-shadowhunter and half warlock. He seemed to be very advanced, while still in the womb. Who knows what kind of a warlock he could have become if he didn't sacrifice himself for his father's wellbeing.

Asmodeus smirked to himself. Maybe one day he'll offer his grandson his magic back and show him a proper way to live in every realm. Maybe one day, he'll turn out to be the perfect heir Asmodeus has been waiting centuries for.

He looked through the mirror to the mundane world. He saw Magnus and Alec consumed in a lovely embrace, with their hands caressing Alec's belly.

"Farewell, for now, my precious grandchild. We shall meet again when your mortal strings shall pass."


A/N: Did you like it?

Only the epilogue has left on next Tuesday.

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