HOLY CRAP I'M ALIVE! IT'S A FLIPPING MIRACLE!

Ok everyone, first, I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry that I haven't updated in months. Literal months. I've been going through stuff, and writers block is also a bitch along with my life. For some reason, I just couldn't get this chapter down, even though I had the next two already to go. However, I found the missing piece about a month ago, when "The Land I Lost" finally came out. Once I read it (at least twenty times), I felt the desire to write again. Now, that was still a couple months ago, but I got the rest of this chapter down on paper during my shifts at work. And finally, I've transcribed and edited the half of the chapter to what I deem as perfection for you all, my loyal readers. I'll have the second half chapter also posted soon, but it'll take sometime to transcribe. However, once that is posted, the next chapter, chapter 20, bill be uploaded within the next few days, since I've had it written for months and it's already finished!

Anyways, I REALLY hoped you enjoy this chapter!


Chapter 19: Silence Before Battle

It was once again a silent night in Krymmeno Florr.

However, this was not the calm, peaceful silence brought on by twilight's grace. No, this was an eerie, thick silence that choked the air. Neither trees nor animals made a sound, as if they could feel the tension in the air and knew what impending doom was about to befall them. Because tomorrow was it. Tomorrow the war would begin. Tomorrow some of them, many of them, would not see the sun set or feel the cool breeze in the grassy fields. All the houses were shut, lights on, as families and loved ones huddled together, spending every precious moment they had with one another.

In the castle, the servants had left to spend time with their loved ones at home and to prepare for the battle at dawn. Those who did not have anyone to go home too remained at the castle, secluded in their quarters together. There was no great dinner in the banquet hall that night, no music or laughter coming from the many game rooms, no sounds of grunts or the clang of blades from the training room; there was only silence. The normally bright halls were dim with weak firelight, casting a shadow over the grand building, a physical representation of what everyone felt.

The group of Shadowhunters and Downworlders sat quietly in the grand library, all of them pensive as the fire cracked in the hearth so loud it nearly felt deafening. Kiara and Alyssa were absent; they wished for some time alone together before the fighting began. All of them planned to do the same with their loved ones, but they first wanted to spend time with each other.

None of them spoke a word; words were not necessary. Everything they wanted to say, everything they felt, everything they feared, the silence conveyed. Magnus and Alec sat on the couch, holding their sons close to them as they clutched them back. Every so often the two boys would switch parents' laps, but there was no kicking or bickering about who sat with whom. Even Max, a nonstop chatterbox, was utterly silent. The two boys knew they were leaving soon and knew that their daddies were going somewhere dangerous. They were afraid to leave them. They were going back to Brooklyn without them, to stay with their Aunt Catrina and Grandma, but they didn't want to go. They really didn't want to go, but they knew they had no choice.

All of them had agreed that they couldn't keep this a secret from Maryse and Catrina, because the two of them would start to get suspicious and they deserved to know what their family and friends were getting into. Earlier that day all the adults had Portaled back to the Institute, sat down with both women and told them what was going on and what they were going to do. Maryse's initial reaction was to tell the Clave, but that idea was quickly diminished when Kiara entered the room. At first, the group feared that the situation would only escalate from there, but their fears were soon put to rest. Kiara spoke with authority and strength, but also kindness and measured thought. Maryse Lightwood was a strong, somewhat terrifying woman in her own right, and the two women together was a somewhat terrifying scene. However, Kiara handled she situation perfectly, and slowly made progress. As she informed Maryse of the stakes and risks involved, her resolve lessened little by little. It took a bit of convincing, along with many promises and explanations, but Maryse inevitably agreed to look after Rafael and Max with Catrina while they were gone and not alert the Clave of their activities.

Catrina, in turn, was terrified when she heard the news, begging Magnus and the others to reconsider. She feared for their safety, their lives, wanting to make sure they knew what they were getting into. Nonetheless, when Magnus introduced her to Kiara and the two women spoke in private, Catrina came around, though she was still terrified for them. It almost surprised Magnus how quickly Kiara got the both Catarina and Maryse on their side, considering they were strangers to each other. Almost. But after seeing how much his sister had grown, it wasn't a major shock. Maybe she should speak to the Clave about banishing the members of the Cohort to Wrangel Island…

All of them had parted with long, tight hugs for everyone, and promises of doing their best to stay alive. None of them said goodbye, as they all knew that would bring bad luck to their chances. Maryse hugged all her children, Clary, Simon, and even Magnus before they left. But what shocked them the most was when she approached Kiara. The two women stood face to face, silent and staring at each other. Maryse's face was stone cold and unreadable, while Kiara's was calm and open. Suddenly, Maryse placed her arms around Kiara and pulled the warlock to her. After a moment of shock, Kiara wrapped her arms around Maryse and gave her a tight squeeze. That was apparently too much for Maryse, who pulled back completely, and took an extra step to separate them for good measure. However, she still looked Kiara dead in the eye, without a sliver of hesitation or doubt.

"I am trusting you, Kiara," she said, her voice soft but laced with steel. "If something happens to any of them, that war will be the least of your problems."

"I understand, Maryse," Kiara replied softly, and gave a graceful bow. Then, she turned on her heel and nearly skipped out of the room. Before going through the doors, though, she stopped to the rest of the group. All of them gaped, their mouths open in shock at what they had witnessed.

"No time for that," Kiara teased. "We still have work to do."

And with they, they left New York.

The rest of the day crawled by at a snail's pace and flashed by like lightning. So much had been done to prepare. Everyone who could contribute contributed in any way. There was an evacuation for those who could not fight in the war, mainly elderly, children, and sick. They were all taken to special locations, each of them Glamoured, to remain hidden and away from the fighting. Many remained in the city, sheltered in their homes, enchanted with protection spells. The wards and dimensional borders were checked constantly, bolstered and strengthened as much as possible.

Those who did not evacuate or assist with it prepared for the upcoming battle. Throughout the city echoed the sounds of weapons being forged in fire, clashes of training swords, and talk of strategy. Kiara had not stopped moving all day, barely spending a moment with any of them. She saw to all the preparations personally, trying to make sure everything was prepared for what would happen the next day. Of course, no one can truly prepare for war, not in this way. Even with the possibility of war looming over the city for decades, the announcement of its arrival was a shock to most. No one would be prepared for what happened the next day.

The rest of the group did what they could to help with the preparations. Alec and Jace helped Hannah train the younger recruits who chose to stay and fight, making sure they had all the equipment and strategy they could use. Izzy and Simon helped with the evacuation, leading groups of families and sickly to the Portals. Magnus and Clary worked with Alyssa most of the day, going over routes and areas to cover, possible breach points, and making potions to store for safe keeping. The boys, in the meantime, were left under the care of the castle staff, who did their best to entertain and distract the children until their departure that evening.

Once the sun set, all of them returned to the castle for a light supper, and then retreated into the castle. Everyone did something different, spent time with someone before switching to someone else. Alec and Magnus went with their boys to the playroom Kiara mentioned before Simon and Izzy took them to watch a movie in the theater (yes, the castle had a frickin' theater). Jace and Clary spent time in the training room before Clary went off to paint in the art studio Kiara mentioned to her, with Simon later joining her. When Rafael and Max came in to spend time with Clary, Magnus and Simon stayed with them while Alec trained a bit with Jace and Izzy. Then Simon and Izzy went back to the library. It was an endless chain pattern, all of them moving and acting, not stopping for a moment, in some type of effort to distract themselves and the boys of the inevitable future.

All of them spent time together and alone; as a family, and as couples; but none of them were alone for more than a few minutes. Eventually, they all gathered into the library, as if a magnetic force pulled them all together. It was where they were all gathered now, spread around the room, the fire crackling in the hearth once more making their shadows dance with life as they sat, counting down the minutes until they had to say goodbye. The sun had long since set, and it was only a matter of time until that moment was upon them.

Looking back, all of them reminisced on how in the previous wars they fought in there was usually some sort of commotion or surprise attack that left no time for silent preparation. Yet Helena was making good on her word, as the remaining scouts and spies had not reported any approaching army or magic activity entering the city. It was far too quiet for any of them to relax. They knew that at any moment, something could happen, but Kiara and Hannah reassured them that though Helena was a sociopath, she was a sociopath that kept her promises. She wouldn't attack them until daybreak. However, Kiara told them to be prepared for battle before sunrise, as Helena would waste no time once she and her army arrived.

For hours they sat there in the silence, or perhaps it was only a few minutes. Time lost all meaning for them in that room. There was nothing except the apprehension, the fear, and the crackling of the fire, which deafened them in contrast to the silence. Max and Rafael swapped parents again.

The door creaked open, and everyone turned their heads, each of them tense. Jace, Izzy, and Alec each placed hand on their weapons as they looked towards the door, wanting to be cautious of anything. Magnus tightened his grip on Rafael a tiny bit, letting his magic flare, as if to scare off any enemies. Clary and Simon just turned to the door, both looking with startled shock at being so abruptly pulled out of the silence.

Lady Hannah stepped silently into the room, her hair and clothes immaculate despite all the hard work she'd done that day. She said nothing, only looked sadly at Magnus and Alec. The boys saw the look and tightened their holds on their fathers, unwilling to let go. In turn, the grown men held the boys closer. Without a word, Hannah opened the door wider for them, her face stony. No one said a word. Everyone stood as one and walked through the door with the queen's aunt.

The halls were dim and empty, save for the occasional guard Kiara had patrolling until daybreak. No one spoke a word as Hannah lead them silently through the labyrinth of passages. It was so strange that the castle was this quiet. Even at night, there was still a sense of life and movement within the castle, even if it was far away. Now, nothing resided. No life, no feeling, no warmth, like walking around in a graveyard. They passed lifeless stain glass windows, and hallowed ghosts of armor. They passed empty, abandoned rooms and dark, concealed corners. The place felt like a labyrinth of horror than a warm, protecting home. Magnus and Alec could feel their sons trying not to cry in their arms. They felt their shaky, uneven breaths against their chests. But even as their chests and throats ached with heartache, they did not slow down. Hannah finally stopped in front of a familiar pair of grand ornate oak doors. She turned back to the group, her eyes brimming with sorrow and heartache. Still, she said nothing.

Slowly, she approached the boys, who looked up when nudged by their parents. Hannah looked at their young, innocent, grief-stricken faces, and her perfect face cracked. A single tear rolled down her cheek, and everyone forgot to breathe. Hannah, tempered, calm, measured Hannah, revealed with that single tear just how terrified she was for what was to come. She leaned down to whisper something in Rafael's ear, so quietly none of them could hear. When she moved away, Rafael nodded his head, but his eyes swam with more tears he refused to shed. She placed a loving, gentle kiss on his forehead, and spoke a few words. Instantly, Magnus felt something change around his son. Something strong was around him, an almost burning sensation. It was so strong it almost made him put the boy down.

Hannah leaned to Max and whispered in his ear too. Max, unlike his brother, did not hold back his tears. He reached for Hannah and grasped onto her cloak, trying to pull her closer, whimpers and sniffles echoing around them in the silent halls. She let him, allowed him to bury his teary, snot covered face into her silk garbs, before giving him a kiss and cast her spell again. Again, Magnus felt a change come over his son, and almost force him to take a step back. Max let go after that, Alec gently rocking him to soothe his cries.

Once she pulled away, Hannah remained silent, simply meeting their gazes. Her face was impassive, but an understanding flowed between them. Finally, she gave a curt nod and disappeared down the darkened halls. When she vanished, the grand doors finally creaked open. Remaining ever silent, the group entered the familiar room.

The grand ballroom was dark and cold, save for only a few candles and the glow of a swirling Portal in the center of the room. To the right, Kiara stood by the Portal, Alyssa at her side. They said nothing as the group approached. It felt like they walked for miles by the time they reached the Portal, dread and sorrow causing the time to slow. None of them wanted to do this, but it was the right thing, and the safest thing. Finally, Magnus and Alec stood adjacent to the Portal, Kiara and Alyssa. Dressed in her battle armor, Kiara reached out to her nephews. Both boys clung to their father's.

"We don't want to go," Rafael pleaded into Magnus' ear. His voice was so unnatural, so scared and young, full of fear and anguish. The sound broke Magnus's heart shattered it in a way he never knew a heart could shatter. His son, terrified and being sent away for his own protection, knowing that being with his parents was not safe for him, it felt like Magnus had failed in some way. Magnus' heart shattered only the way a parent's heart could shatter when seeing their beloved child in such a state.

"I know, but you have to go," Magnus said as he gently unhooked Rafael's arms from around his neck. "Grandma and Aunt Catarina are waiting for you at home. You need to be with them right now."

"But I don't want to be with them, I want to be with you!" Rafael yelled, much to everyone's shock.

Rafael was a quiet, well-behaved boy. Granted, when Alec first encountered the boy at the Buenos Aires Shadow Market, he was guarded and suspicious, since Alec was a Shadowhunter. The Shadowhunters in Buenos Aires had been acting as mercenaries, and Rafe had been abandoned in the Shadow Market since the Dark War. The streets made him hard, untrusting, and stubborn. Being the only Shadowhunter orphan living in the Market hadn't helped either, as he was unlike any of the other orphans, and that in turn, caused him to separate himself from them. However, when Rafael finally allowed Alec close to his heart (almost against his will), the years of fighting and bravado went away, and for the first time, Rafael truly acted as himself. Underneath the hard exterior that he created while living on the streets, he was a scared, lonely child searching for love, safety, and acceptance. Once he had gained that from Alec, Magnus, and Max, the rough edges and walls crumbled fast.

Not once had he raised his voice or started a fight, unless he thought someone was hurting his family (there was one incident at the Institute a month ago which involved Rafael biting a student who was yelling at his "freak of a warlock brother"). He always behaved with respect and kindness towards others, once he had gotten comfortable living in New York. Magnus could count on one hand the times Rafael had been so upset that he had yelled and disobeyed them. This boy, who would grow up to be a demon slaying warrior, was nothing more than a terrified child now and looked like his world was being torn apart.

Magnus looked down at his elder soon, who was burying his face into his chest once more. Then he stole a glance at Alec, who was rocking Max and whispering soothing words into his hair. Their eyes met for a moment, and Magnus could see that this was ripping Alec's heart out too. They never left kids without one of them unless it was an absolute emergency. When they both had to leave their boys, it always felt like a piece of them tore away. They felt incomplete, in a totally different way than how it felt when they were without each other. However, this time, they had to leave the kids behind. It was the best way to ensure their safety. That reasoning and resolve did nothing to soothe the stabbing sensations Magnus felt in his chest.

Magnus turned back to Rafe, and slowly peeled him off his body, placing him on the floor. He knelt to his level, looking him directly in the eye. Tears rolled down the boy's cheeks freely, uncontainable. The fear of being abandoned, the fear of being alone and unwanted was always there for Rafael. At this moment, part of him felt like his worst nightmares were becoming reality. The warlock felt another tear in his chest.

"You have to go, Rafe," Magnus said, trying so hard to keep his voice from cracking. "We need you to be safe, both of you. Your dad and I, we must stay here. It's too dangerous for you."

"Don't care," Rafael said back, his voice thick with tears and defiance.

"Rafe, if you don't want to go for your safety, go for your brother," Magnus said quietly. Rafael's eyes sparked a bit at that statement. The two of them glanced over at Alec and Max. Max was still curled into Alec's chest, as Alec whispered soothing nothings to his distraught baby. Alec's eyes were glistening.

"Max is going to need you," Magnus said, lightly turning Rafael's face to meet his gaze. "He's scared, like you, and doesn't want to leave. But you know it's dangerous for your little brother to stay here, don't you?"

"Yes," Rafael answered quietly. When Rafael had first arrived in Brooklyn, Max immediately clung to the boy and claimed him as his brother. The sudden proclamation had at first shocked the older boy, but shortly after, he felt the same for the blue boy. Many times, when Max was having a fit, upset or scared, Rafael would try to take care of his baby brother. He was always trying to help, make him smile, chase away his bad dreams, help him train. Magnus remembered one time when Rafael observed one of Max's temptation lessons, how he had stood by his brother the entire time, never taking his eyes away from the demon in the pentagram. At one point, it had tried to reach out and grab Max when his toys distracted him. Before Magnus did a thing, Rafael had grabbed the nearest sharp object, one of Alec's arrows, and stabbed it through the demon's tentacle, making it howl horribly and recoil. Max turned his head innocently to see his brother standing between him and the demon, completely shielded from sight and reach. Rafael's eyes had been cold and ruthless, challenging the demon to try to snatch his baby brother again, gripping the black ichor covered arrow with unwavering hands. That demon had promptly asked to be sent back to hell, and Rafael was rewarded with a big hug and kiss from his baby brother. Magnus gave a strained smile.

"He's going to need his big brother there, to help make him feel safe. To protect him and make him less afraid. He doesn't completely understand what is going on here. You do. You understand stuff like this more than he does right now. I know you don't care about being in danger, but we do. If you don't want to leave for your safety, leave to make sure your baby brother is."

Rafael's eyes were hard. Magnus knew what he was saying was unfair to a child, but it was the only way he could think of to try and soothe Rafael and convince him to go willingly. A moment later, the boy looked up, his eyes still hard, and gave a single nod. Magnus then opened his arms again, and Rafael threw himself into them. Magnus clung to the boy for life, trying to convey all he could into the embrace. Rafael placed his chin on Magnus's shoulder, his mouth right next to Magnus' ear.

"Don't leave us," Rafael said seriously, almost desperately. "Come home. Promise me."

"We will," Magnus whispered back. Rafael pulled back then, staring into Magnus' eyes. Then, he turned away and walked to Alec and Max. Alec, looking up, glanced to Magnus, who stood and reached out to take Max from the other man. As Max curled into Magnus's chest and sobbed, Alec knelt to hold his older son. Magnus could make out their lips barely moving but couldn't tell what they were saying. He looked down at Max, his young, innocent eyes so full of despair and pain. Feeling his throat close, Magnus pulled the boy tighter to his chest, placing kiss after kiss on his navy curls.

He didn't know how long they stood there, but eventually Magnus registered a hand on his shoulder. Slowly, painfully, Magnus set Max down on the ground, the baby boy crying out loudly in protest and anger. Feeling his chest wound tear open, Magnus reached his hand up and gripped Alec's on his shoulder. Alec squeezed his shoulder and fingers back tightly.

One by one, the rest of the group said their goodbyes to the two boys. Alec noticed that Jace slipped Rafael a little something that the boy tried to hide in his jacket. It looked like a small knife, or Seraph blade. Rafael tucked it into his jacket and pants, trying to conceal it. Jace, being the last to give his goodbyes, then stepped back and took Clary's hand. Only Alyssa and Kiara had to give their goodbyes.

Alyssa came up first. Her goodbye was abrupt, as if she just wanted to get it over with. They could see the pain in her eyes as she hugged each boy and released them. She gave each boy a kiss on the forehead, then promptly turned and left the room.

Kiara stepped up then. She knelt to both boys, placing a hand on each of their shoulders. Gently, she pulled them to her, their arms wrapping around her torso instinctively. She mouthed something inaudible in their ears as once, and they all saw her fingers spark briefly with magic. She held them for a minute, trying desperately to keep the tears from flowing down her face as well. As she pulled back, she placed kisses on each of their cheeks. When she pulled back completely, she stood up and stepped aside, so nothing was between them and the Portal. That was when they finally registered a third presence. Tracy approached from the shadows and knelt before the boys.

"Hello. My name is Tracy. Do you remember me? I will be taking you home, little ones," she said kindly, quietly. Max shook his head, silent but determined. Rafael stepped closer to his baby brother, taking one of his hands and leaning to whisper something in his ear. Whatever he said seemed to work, because when Rafael began to walk towards Tracy and the Portal, Max followed, keeping his hand in his brother's. The couple yards they walked seemed to go on forever, time slowing and stretching to prolong their suffering. Once they reached the Portal, the two boys turned to look back at them. The pain, fear, and other emotions on their faces cut them all to the core. Then, they were gone, guided through the mist by Tracy, their faces still haunting every one of them.

No one said a word as the Portal vanished. Kiara began to walk past them and to the doors, the rest of the group following her. Silently, they traversed the halls back to their quarters and bid each other a good night. None of them could get the boys' looks out of their minds. If they hadn't been driven to win this fight before, they were now. They were going to win. They were going to go home. They were going to make this place safe.

They were going to hug the boys again.


And here is the first part of Chapter 19! The second part still must be transcribed onto my laptop, but don't worry it is written. I thought I'd have this chapter fully uploaded long ago, but then I kept forgetting or getting busy. So, I hope that this will do for now! I WILL finish this story, I already have almost all of it done!

Please like and leave comments! I will see you again soon, my lovelies!

Love KiaraBaneTMI