Hey guys! SO sorry about not updates, but things have been going on at home. School just started and then storms have caused my house to flood. Also, I've been trying to satisfy myself with these chapters, as I usually go back at random points and add or subtract things, so I have to make sure they are all consistent and flows naturally. But I finally finished editing this and reading through, and now I can finally post this chapter. I hope you all enjoy! Rate and comment!
Disclaimer: I don't own the Mortal Instruments franchise or the characters. Those belong to Cassandra Clare. But my original characters belong to me!
Chapter 5: Unexpected Reunion
It was as if they had stepped through a dark Portal and landed in another realm. The world past that archway was completely transformed. Beyond the shadows, bleakness, and silence the archway seemed to lead towards was a world filled with light, color, and noise. It had been so silent that the sudden noise nearly deafened the group, and the sudden brightness of the sun above blinded them for a few moments. However, Lady Hannah just kept moving, and the invisible force kept them moving forward. Seriously, this lady was treating them like they were dogs on a leash.
As their eyes adjusted, they all looked around at the marvelous sight before them. It was a beautiful city, filled with ancient structures and modern buildings. A tall, white, modern-esque building stood proud next to a Grecian looking building, complete with stone columns and open window-ways. The sky was brilliant blue, the air was comfortable, with a gentle breeze. Aside from the buildings, there was also a balance of greenery. The trees collided with the buildings as they reached for the sky. Flowers were seen next to every house and building. To the left was a large, rolling green pasture, filled with hills and a lake, closed off by tall, thick trees in full bloom.
The people were something else entirely. Women and girls of all shapes and sizes migrated through the streets. Women speaking on cellphones, mothers playing with their daughters in the fields, teenage girls were whispering conversations to each other, old women sitting on the porch gazing at the world around them, any type of female was there. But there were no men. Everywhere, there were females. Not a single man in sight. So they were all female.
As Lady Hannah proceeded forward, Clary noticed that there was a little girl who was staring at them. Judging by appearance, she looked around six, maybe seven years old. She had black hair and piercing green eyes with tan skin, wearing a little blue dress with polka dots. Her sea-green eyes followed them as they passed her. When Clary tried to smile at her, the girl hid behind her mother's leg, frightened. The mother, in turn, turned to Clary, and her eyes flashed green, and razor sharp teeth snapped out in her mouth. Clary hurriedly turned away, not wanting to get into trouble with a mother. Especially one who could probably tear her to ribbons using nothing more than her hands.
"Keep moving," Lady Hannah said, not noticing Clary's interaction with the mother. "We must get to the castle. Her majesty does not like to be kept waiting."
As they were forced to move on, all of them tried to take in the surroundings of this strange place, analyzing escape points or good hideouts. Off in the distance, they could see tall fixtures pointing towards the sky on the right, and tall, forest-like trees to the left. Directly ahead of them, a good walk away, was a large, medieval structure that all of them instantly recognized. The castle. It appeared to be in the center of the city, everything else was surrounding it. But they didn't have much time to admire it as they were still moving, and didn't really want to fall over each other.
The group proceeded closer to the center of the city, and the people and scenery shifted. Rather than families and houses, there were people in battle gear and weaponry shops, with grey stone buildings all shoved together on their sides. Nearly all the people around them now were either young women or middle aged ladies, all in battle gear or handling weapons. At one point, the group caught sight of a girl, probably in her early teen years, who was bouncing on the balls of her feet excitedly as a woman in a shop proudly handed her a neatly wrapped sword-looking package. The woman next to her, most likely her mother, looked on with pride.
All of the people surrounding them now were in gear very similar to Lady Hannah's, but the weapons varied, as well as the images on their breastplates. One lady who watched them with blazing gold eyes had a quiver of what appeared to be flaming arrows strapped to her back, and a golden bow on her shoulder. Her breastplate had the image of a flock of eagles flying through the sky, graceful and powerful. Another girl, a teenager with black and silver ombre hair, had a number of throwing knives and other blades strapped across her chest and along her hips, and her breastplate had a tiger stalking prey. When Simon caught her eye, she pulled one of the sleek blades out and twirled it effortlessly between her fingers, seeming to contemplate whether or not to let the blade fly. Simon looked away and kept moving, hoping he didn't pass out from dehydration because of his cold sweat. He may have had angel blood now, but that didn't mean he couldn't be nervous about a new enemy.
As they proceeded onwards to the center of the city, the captives also noticed they were drawing a lot of attention. Eyes followed them as they moved towards the castle. Gazes filled with confusion and anger burned holes through their skulls. Well, only through the boys' skulls. When the girls met eyes with one of them, the women weren't as hostile. Some of them even smiled reassuringly at them, much to their shock. As they neared the castle structure, they heard whispered conversations and saw women speaking behind their hands, eyes still glued to their figures. At one point, they heard someone loudly whisper "I hope her majesty treats those brats as their ancestors treated ours centuries ago". And nearly all of them were hostile. But they stopped focusing on that when they finally neared the gates of the castle.
The castle itself was something else entirely. It was grand, made of polished marble or ivory, they couldn't tell. The sunlight made it glow slightly. It stretched to the sky, trying to reach the clouds above. It had countless windows and balconies, with tall towers and stone gargoyles. As they neared the castle, it felt like the stone heads were looking at them. Who knows, maybe they were?
There was a wall surrounding the building, with a single gate that was being protected by two guards, both of them women with masks like ANBU from Naruto. They both had more armor that Lady Hannah had, which covered their arms and hands, as well as spreading down to their hips rather than stopping just below their breasts. As they neared, everyone noticed they were nearly dripping in weapons. Long swords were strapped to their hips, knives across their chests, quivers strapped to their backs, and most likely a number of other hidden weapons. As they approached, one woman stepped up to Lady Hannah.
"Lady Hannah," the guard said formally. "Welcome back. But why do you have these people?"
"Her majesty wanted to deal with these prisoners personally," Lady Hannah replied. The guard didn't say anything, just gave a nod in understanding. Turning back, she stepped back onto her post, placing her hand on the door. The other guard did the same at her side. For a moment, nothing happened, but then the air began to fill with some sort of electricity, making their hair stand. The guards' hands were surrounded by small bolts of electricity, which was seeping into the door. Then, with a loud crack, the locks snapped open and the giant doors slowly parted. When the guards removed their hands, they took their former positions, standing still as statues as the group passed into the castle walls.
Once the group was inside, the doors slowly shut with a loud bang. The sound echoed off the walls, as if they were already inside. They were now on a dirt path that lead to the grand doors. The path was surrounded by trees bearing delicious looking fruit and nuts none of them had ever seen, flowers that smelled intoxicating, and a lake that glistened like a mirror. All of them felt compelled to reach out and take some fruit, as if it was calling out to them, tempting them. Clary unconsciously began to reach for one, until Lady Hannah spoke.
"I wouldn't advise that," the woman said, not turning around. "All the food and flora here is enchanted. They're forbidden demon fruit. Eat a bite of it, and you'll be cursed in some way. That one will cause you to become blind. Not even a Sight rune can heal you."
Clary immediately sprang away from the tree, keeping close to the center of the path. The rest of them avoided even looking at the fruit from then on, as the mere sight of them caused them to be enchanted. Most of them kept their eyes downcast or on the large, mahogany castle doors ahead of them. When they reached the end of the path, Lady Hannah held out her arm to stop them. Then, she placed her hand on the door, and after a moment, intricate designs appeared, painting the door in gold, which caused them to shimmer and disappear. A little over-the-top, in Alec's opinion. Their warden then walked through the door, and the others were forced to follow. Once they all crossed the threshold, the doors reappeared, surrounding them in darkness. And none of them had Night-Vision Runes activated.
The inside of the castle was dark, nearly black. There was little light, nothing was seen other than the stone flooring in front of them. However, as Lady Hannah moved on, the invisible force shoved them forward. They twisted and turned in many different directions, none of them even seeing where they were going. Alec and Jace tried to keep track of how many turns and steps they took in each direction, but they both lost count and gave up. Then, suddenly, a pair of doors opened in front of the, showering them in light. The force shoved them forward, and when they were all inside, the grand doors slammed shut behind them, echoing off the walls.
It appeared to be the throne room, as directly in front of them just a few feet ahead, was a massive throne looking chair. It was shrouded in shadow caused by large silver and black drapes with intricate designs, but they could clearly make out a feminine figure seated upon it, immobile as they approached. The rest of the hall was bare but still elegant. The walls were stone, cinderblock perhaps, and there were stain glass windows that gave little light, but painted the sides of the center isle in color. Some windows depicted battles, others of lone figures, and one with just a simple cat eye and sword. Above them, slack and silver banners and curtains hung, and there was even a giant crystal chandelier, which should have clashed horribly, but didn't. While they were admiring the décor, Lady Hannah and the group moved forward, stopping a few feet from the steps to the throne.
"Kneel before her majesty, Queen of the Werecats," Lady Hannah said in a demanding voice. All of them hesitated a moment, before starting to slide to their knees. Apparently, they didn't head her order quick enough. The same invisible force pushed them all down onto their knees, hard enough to leave dark bruises or crack bones. The gravity felt like it was increasing around the Nephilim and the warlock, forcing them lower their heads.
"So…" a regal voice said from the throne above them. "You have found out about my people's existence and learned how to find the few of us in your world. I must admit, I am impressed. I couldn't simply let you be killed by my squad, at least not without personally learning your true intentions for investigating. And you all should be honored. You are the first Nephilim in a long time that have entered this city alive. Tell me how you knew where to find my subjects. Speak."
Everyone remained silent for a moment, unsure of what to say. If they admitted they tried to find her people because they suspected they threatened war, that wouldn't exactly help them leave alive. None of them could come up with an explanation fast enough, which seemed to anger Lady Hannah. Suddenly, there was the sound of two swords being pulled from their sheaths. In a flash, Hannah stood behind Jace and Simon, both swords in her hands. Each one was pointed directly to one of their throats, only inches from the flesh. Her eyes were flashing dangerously.
"The queen gave you an order," Lady Hannah said, her voice cold and unresentful. "And you will do as she told you if you value your comrades' lives."
"Hannah," the queen spoke from the throne, her voice slightly reprimanding. "There is no need for threats. Let them speak freely. But be warned, anything you say can and will be used against you in this interrogation." Hannah did not say anything, and placed her swords back in their hilts. But what was odd was that she did not seem disgruntled by the queen's order. She had this look in her eye. Like she was…proud of the queen's declaration.
"Please, speak," the queen's voice continued. There was an odd sense of kindness and warmth to it. Simon lifted his head a bit to answer, feeling confident that he wouldn't be castrated for speaking.
"Well, you see—"
"Silence boy," the queen said in a quiet, cold voice that caused Simon to shake in fear. "Males do not speak unless I give you my blessing. All men shall remain silent until then. I apologize for not clarifying that. You two, girls, stand and speak freely, please."
Clary and Izzy felt the gravity around them return to normal. The two girls then glanced at each other, then to Lady Hannah. She just nodded in approval, letting them know it was alright. Both stood a little shakily, their muscles aching from the intensity of holding themselves up. Clary shot a glance at Izzy, and saw her face was a mask of pure rage. She opened her mouth to speak, but Clary beat her to it, knowing Izzy was too mad to answer the queen properly.
"Your Majesty," Clary said timidly. "My name is—"
"I know your name, Clarissa Fairchild," the queen's voice interrupted softly, but not unkindly. "There has been great talk of you and your comrades throughout the Downworld communities, including my own. I became intrigued by you and by them, with talk of your bravery during the wars in recent years, as well as you hand in opening much more valuable alliances between the Shadowhunters and Downworlders. Because of this, I know of your deeds, your mind, and your cleverness. And I know of your heart. I shall trust your word. Please, tell me how you knew where to find my squad in New York."
"Well, you see," Clary said, her voice growing more confident. "We were doing research from an ancient Downworld text we received. We thought there would be information we could use with a certain problem that has started in New York. And when we examined it closely, we saw descriptions of werecats. A friend of our told us the legends of werecats, and how they worked. We used the past rumors of how the werecats operated and what they were said to have accomplished. And when we heard that the Amazons of ancient Greece were rumored to be werecats, we thought that there was a connection. It was a long shot, but we decided to try. Then Tracy and her gang captured us when they realized we weren't mundane. Or, when they decided to reveal they knew we weren't mundane. And now we are here."
"I see," the queen said, her voice pondering. As she sat there, masked by shadows, she shifted on her throne. She placed her elbows on her crossed legs, her hands lacing together in front of her face. She leaned back on the seat, a relaxed pose that also showed she was in deep thought.
"Tell me," her voice said after a minute of silence, "what has inspired you and your companions to search for my people? Those who have had access to one of the five remaining texts of my kind haven't searched for us so directly in centuries. You must have a motive to conduct a search for us."
"We needed answers," Clary replied. "You see, myself and two other comrades were attacked by some creatures a couple days ago. Each of them kept claiming war was coming, and asked us to deliver the message. They said that this war would be unlike anything we've ever faced, and that the result was going to change the world. After ruling out vampires and demons, since it was daylight, we searched for other possible options. Also, the attacker wasn't a werewolf, because it didn't have wolfish features when it attacked. No magic, so we assumed it wasn't a warlock nor a faerie. So, we…" Clary's voice trailed, but the queen voiced what she was thinking.
"You accuse my people of this crime?" the queen's voice, anger tainting her voice as it rose a bit. It was only a little bit, but it caused the room to shake. Clary looked around, a tiny amount of fear in her eyes. However, it was trumped by confidence, stubbornness, and respect. She was going to explain herself fully before allowing the queen to decide what their punishment was.
"We suspected, but we wanted answers before we rushed to fully accuse you," Clary said rushed, her voice calm. "Actually, the main reason we searched for your people was to confirm if your kind were real. We weren't sure you or your people were more than legend until a few hours ago. But we didn't know who else it could be, as no type of Downworlder, Shadow hunter, demon, or mundane could have attacked us as they did. So as we were discussing possibilities, Magnus got out the book and—"
"MAGNUS? MAGNUS BANE?" the queen's boomed, sounding like thunder, shaking them like an earthquake. "YOU HAVE BROUGHT MAGNUS BANE TO MY KINGDOM!?" Clary cursed herself in her head for her slip up. She didn't want to reveal other names unless absolutely necessary. She didn't want to reveal who they were, or at least, wanted to try and keep them anonymous for as long as possible. But she didn't expect the queen to react that way to Magnus' name. Did she know him or something?
"Yes, he's right here, my queen," Lady Hannah answered when Clary didn't. The group turned to see Hannah pulling Magnus to his feet, only to shove him before Clary and Izzy, to the steps of the queen's throne, face first. The gravity around Izzy and Clary increased once more, forcing them back to their knees, just like the other boys. Clary looked up as much as she could, and caught Magnus' gaze. She mouthed the words 'I'm sorry' to him, guilt filling her system. Magnus just shot her a forgiving smile, showing he didn't blame her for her misstep, until his face was slammed into the stone stair next to his head. Lady Hannah's boot was the cause.
"Magnus!" Alec cried, trying to make his way over to Magnus. However, the gravity surrounding them increased, not allowing any of them to move an inch. All of their bodies felt like they weighed a ton. With their heads placed sideways on the floor, they all saw Magnus wasn't affected.
"My lady," Lady Hannah spoke softly, as she lifted her boot off Magnus' head. "Is this the warlock you spoke of?"
Above them, there was a rustle of fabric. Then, the sound of heavy footsteps descending on stone stairs. All of them watched as the shadows receded from the queen's figure as she slowly made her way down the few steps there were. Finally, she stopped on the last step, and only her head was still shrouded in darkness.
For a queen, she wasn't dressed like one, they all thought. Well, not like how they truly expected her to dress. They expected a figure similar to the Seelie Queen, in a beautiful gown with elegant, regal finery. Or perhaps like a Clave member, in armor and dark clothing. This queen didn't fit either description completely, but still had traces of both.
She wore dark combat boots, covered in dried mud and what appeared to be dried blood. Her long legs were covered by slim fitting camo-cargo pants, which had a number of tears and slightly darker patches. Her top was a simple navy blue tee, covered in silver designs that shone in the light, covered by her breast plate which stopped a few inches beneath her breasts. Around her waist was a belt, with multiple blade holders on it, and a long sword hilt on each of her sides. Behind her, strapped onto the shoulders of her breast plate, was a deep purple cape that flowed as she stood. If you kept watching it, it seemed to flow like an ocean, always moving and shifting. The skin on her arms was pale alabaster, with a number of fading marks and scars visible. On her wrists, she dawned a number of beautiful, intricate gold and silver bracelets. Her nails were painted black, and a single gold ring was around her left ring finger.
"Magnus Bane," the queen's voice said quietly, her tone different from the others she had previously used. It sounded oddly nostalgic and detached. Magnus looked up to her shadowed face. In a flash, the queen's arm moved, and the sound of skin making contact resounded through the room. Magnus fell back from the blow to the face, while the queen's arm was still raised. Alec struggled harder to get free from the gravity holding him down.
"How dare you show your face to me," the queen hissed as she lowered her hand, her fist squeezed so hard her knuckles turned white instantly.
"Forgive me, your majesty," Magnus said, his voice oddly patient and without sarcasm as he looked back to the queen's shaded face. "But I do not believe I know you. I'm sure I would have remembered meeting someone as powerful or influential in the Downworld communities." The queen barked out a humorless laugh, sending chills down all their spines.
"Do not know me, he says," she mocked, and growled in disgust, "I see. Well, it seems you wouldn't know me. Considering the fact that you wanted me dead! And believed me so for over a two hundred years!"
The room shook as an unknown power filled the room. The gravity increased, having all the Shadowhunters face down on the floor, unable to move an inch. A strong blast of heat also hit them all, making their skin burn as their flesh touched now scalding stone. Magnus just stared at the queen's shaded face, not showing any signs of pain or fear.
"I do not understand," Magnus said quietly, sounding genuinely perplexed. "I did not know of your existence until an hour ago. Not even that."
"Oh you knew me, Mags," the queen's voice said coldly, with a humorless chuckle. "Before I ever joined the werecat race, you knew me. And you hated me more than anyone ever could." Magnus' eyes widened considerably at the name he was called.
"Mags…" Magnus whispered in shock. He looked up again, his gaze full of unrepressed shock, and even a sliver of what seemed to be hope. The light now shown on the queen's face.
Her face was mature, conveying a sense of regality. She bore no makeup, and her face seemed to glow in the light. It was flawless, not a blemish on her pale skin. The shade of her lips was a natural pink, while her hair was a deep, dark brown, like chocolate. It was kept out of her face by two small braids, laced with silver ribbons. They wrapped around her head like a tiara. But all the Nephilim focused on were her eyes.
Her eyes were the exact same amber-green cat eyes Magnus had.
"Kiara?" Magnus asked quietly, almost inaudible. The queen barked out a laugh, her eyes dark with fury.
"Oh, so now you know me?" the queen, Kiara, asked mockingly. Then, she roughly grabbed his hair, pulling Magnus to meet her face. He seemed too shocked to protest, but he gasped slightly at the pain. His feet were a few inches off the ground, and she held him up as if he were nothing. Alec groaned as he struggled to force his body to move, even under the intense gravity. But despite his efforts, he still couldn't move a muscle.
"For over two centuries, you believed me dead," she whispered to Magnus, barely heard by the Shadowhunters. Her voice was cold, full of anger and raw pain, it literally felt like they were all being stabbed by ice picks. "But now, you see you are wrong. I am stronger and better than I ever was when I lived with you. I bet you must be filled with rage because of it, as I am not the superior."
"I thought you were dead," was all Magnus said. His voice was filled with something none of the Nephilim had ever thought was possible for Magnus even feel. Pure, raw shock and pain. With a growl that sounded like an angered tiger, the queen roughly threw him back to the floor. Alec struggled harder, in vain.
"I'll bet you did," was all she said, turning to her throne again. She swiftly walked up the steps again, her cape billowing behind her. The shadows receded as she walked up, showing her full form and keeping her face visible. Once she sat down, she addressed Lady Hannah, her eyes blazing with anger.
"Hannah," she spoke sharply. "Take them all to the dungeons in pairs of two. Separate them from other cells. They will be kept there until I can question them, and validate if what they say is true. Although, I cannot be certain of Magnus. His very name is synonymous with lies and betrayal to me. Oh, and make sure to give Magnus and his pairing the most 'comfortable' cell we have. He deserves our best attention; don't you agree?"
"Absolutely, Queen Kiara," Lady Hannah said respectfully, with a gleaming similar look in her eye. She then grabbed Magnus by his hair as well, shoving him back into the group. The gravity finally returned to normal as this happened. Alec rushed to Magnus, gripping one of his shoulders, checking if Magnus was alright. He cast a glance to the queen, his face filled with hate and anger.
Lady Hannah snapped her fingers, a sound so inhumanely loud that hurt their ears, and a number of masked women dropped from the shaded ceiling. Each one grabbed someone roughly, shoving them all to their feet and forcing them to move back to the large doors they entered from. Even Clary and Izzy weren't given the same special treatment they had received. Not that it mattered to them. They were prisoners, and prisoners were a threat until proven harmless.
The guards each took something out from behind their backs. A moment later, each of the Shadowhunters and the warlock felt a sharp pain in their neck. The guards then quickly removed the syringes from their necks, and pulled them back towards the doors. As they were dragged away, all of them felt their eyes grow heavy. They had been drugged with a sedative. All of them gave one last look to the queen, before they couldn't keep their eyes open any longer.
"After all," the queen's voice said quietly, as they each were consumed by sleep. "I should show my older brother care he showed me all those years ago. Don't you agree, Mags?" That was the last thing they registered before all of them entered a world of darkness.
Dun Dun DUN! Magnus has a sister?! What do you think? Good idea? Bad? Meh? Let me know! Next chapter coming soon! Have an awesome day!
