The first thing Magnus saw when he exited the portal was the trail of dead circle member bodies which instantly alarmed him. His wards were down, someone had leaked the location of his lair, and Magnus could pretty much guess who – Elias. It probably wasn't willingly, and the horned warlock was probably dead but still, Magnus felt slight anger that Elias had risked the lives of other warlocks, risked the life of Alexander. Magnus' heart froze, he was scared to walk into his own flat just in case he would come across the dead body of his precious Alexander or to discover the circle members had kidnapped him. A body was flung towards them and Magnus batted it away with his magic. Magnus spied a circle rune and an arrow sticking out the circle member's chest which filled Magnus with hope.
"Alexander" Magnus shouted running down the corridor leading to his apartment not really bothered whether the shadowhunters and mundane were following. His heart was in his throat, as he silently begged to any gods, he might have believed in that Alexander would be fine. Magnus ran through his apartment door which had been left wide open and there he stood; arrow drawn surrounded by dead bodies – his Alexander.
"Magnus".
"Oh, thank god you're alright" Magnus said engulfing the other warlock in a hug which Alec happily returned.
"What happened? Where are the other warlocks?" Magnus said reluctantly pulling away and looked at the bodies, they all belonged to circle members not one was a warlock's body. Alec smiled before using his magic to open the door leading to Magnus' bedroom – inside the room was filled to the brim with warlocks.
"I felt the wards go down, so I made all the warlocks hide themselves in your room to keep them safe. I then fought anyone who entered the apartment and hoped that you would realise what was happening and come back" Alec explained.
"I'm sorry that I didn't come back sooner" Magnus said guiltily, he shouldn't have left in the first place. This necklace wasn't more important than Alexander or the other warlock's lives.
"Don't blame yourself, you wouldn't have known this was going to happen. I don't blame you, so please Mags, don't blame yourself" Alec said instantly recognising what was going through Magnus' mind. Magnus looked like he was going to say something but was interrupted by a familiar female voice.
"Alec" Clary said shocked as she watched her brother pull fully away from Magnus and turn to look over at her.
"Clary" Alec said and before she knew it, Alec was hugging her.
"You're fine. I thought Valentine had you as well as mum" Clary said tears falling down her cheeks and she tightened her grip on her brother.
"No, not long after you stormed off Magnus found me and took me in. I'm so glad you are alright. I was so worried something bad might have happened to you but my phone broke so I couldn't call you" Alec replied. He couldn't believe it; his little sister was here.
"Hey, don't forget about me" Simon whined before the siblings pulled him into their hug.
"I'm glad to see you too Simon" Alec said.
"I'm glad you're okay, dude" Simon answered.
"What no introductions" an unfamiliar male voice said as the friends pulled away. Alec looked over at the blonde-haired boy who was covered in runes just like the black-haired girl beside him.
"Sorry, this is my brother Alec Fray" Clary said.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm Isabelle Lightwood and this is my adoptive brother Jace Wayland. We've been looking after Clary whilst she was unconscious. I now understand why Clary was so worried about Valentine getting hold of you. You're a warlock" Izzy introduced herself holding her hand out for Alec to shake, he looked at it briefly wondering whether it would be contagious but nevertheless shook it.
"I hate to break up this cute sibling reunion, but we came here for a reason" the blonde git-Jace, Alec internally corrected said.
"Hold on the lair location is compromised we need to move. I'm going to send the warlocks to a separate location" Magnus spoke up before using his magic to move the apartment. Alec watched as the bodies of the circle members along with the warlock's disappeared.
"Right, so, how do we summon the memory demon?" Clary asked as much as she would love to just sit down and talk to her brother and tell him everything that has happened these last couple of days - she needed her memories back, if she found out where the mortal cup and then got their mother back they would have all the time in the world to discuss what they had been through. She was just so glad to have her brother back.
"Are you certain? Summoning such a powerful demon could be lethal" Magnus responded he refused to summon such a powerful demon without the young Shadowhunter not being fully aware of the consequences and dangers which came from it.
"I'll do anything to save our mother. Where is the demon?" Clary said sharing a look with Alec who nodded.
"Come with me" Magnus said motioning for Clary to follow, Clary stood still for a moment. This was about saving their mother so shouldn't Alec be involved as well. Alec smiled and nudged her to follow, whispering 'I'll be fine' underneath his breath but loud enough for Clary to hear. Clary returned Alec's smile before walking after Magnus into a separate empty room.
"If a person wants their memories returned, they must draw the pentagram to summon the demon" Magnus said opening the scroll which contained the drawing of the pentagram. Clary took it off Magnus, it was beautiful in a strange way. The pattern was so intricate that Clary was sort of excited to attempt her own version of this.
"I got this" Clary said, though she wasn't sure whether she was trying to reassure Magnus or herself at this point. She had only been in the shadowworld for a couple of days and her life had changed so much that at this point summoning a demon seemed second nature to her already whether that was good or bad Clary had yet to find out.
"Shadowhunter… prepare Clary as best you can" Magnus said indicating for Jace to enter the room as he left. Magnus went straight over to Alec who was stood out on the balcony looking down at the city.
"I assumed that you wouldn't have left your sister's side ever since you were reunited so how come you're out here" Magnus asked putting a reassuring arm on Alec's. Alec gave Magnus a small smile.
"We've both changed so much in the last couple of days. I'm more warlock then I've ever been, and Clary has accepted her life as a Shadowhunter. I don't care for this world's customs, I won't be pulled away from my sister because of our different blood, however, I don't want to feel like I'm intruding on her life. I don't know. Growing up we've always been close and now, I feel like we're further apart than ever and I don't know what to do to change that. Do I tell her or leave her to make her own decision on what our sibling relationship is going to be like" Alec confessed, he was over the moon to see his sister again and it felt like his sister was happy to see him but would that last after all, the friendship that she has stuck up with the two shadowhunters seemed strong and he was worried that maybe, it was stronger than the relationship between them.
"Alexander, I don't think you need to worry. When I met Miss Fray at the club, she seemed like she was in a hurry and when I happen to mention you, it was like that was the only thing she cared about. I highly doubt that Clary will ever choose the shadowhunters over you. You're her brother and nothing will change that" Magnus responded wrapping his arms around Alec and pulled him into a hug. Alec clung to Magnus' body; his head buried in Magnus' neck. His scent was calming, and Alec knew that Magnus was right.
"Jocelyn was right, your artistry is beyond compare" Magnus compliment Clary when his eyes laid sight on Clary's beautifully drawn pentagram.
"I don't know about that" Clary replied as she stood up.
"Oh, the only other person I've known who could draw that well was Michelangelo, who was excellent in bed, I might add" Magnus teased, he looked over at Alec who smiled, shook his head slightly and roll his eyes all at once.
"Yeah, you would say that. I guess that comes from having low expectations" Alec teased right back and Clary nearly took a double take at the relationship which seemed to have formed between her brother and Magnus. She hadn't noticed it earlier, more caught up in the fact that her brother was fine, and he wasn't in the clutches of Valentine. But there was something there… some chemistry that Alec never had with any of his previous boyfriends.
"What are you trying to insinuate Alexander?" Magnus gasped in horror clutching his chest. Alec rolled his eyes once more at how dramatic Magnus could be.
"Oh, I don't know maybe…" Alec started but Clary interrupted.
"Wait did you just call him Alexander. He hates being called that" Clary stated, Alec blushed. 'Oh my' Clary thought, her brother was in deep, but before either Magnus or Alec could respond.
"Can we get back to the matter at hand" Jace rudely interrupted, Clary blushed muttering an apology.
"Okay. We're ready. Everyone takes your rightful place on the pentagram" Magnus said moving to the first free star point available and Alec took his place beside Magnus. Clary, on the other hand, looked a little lost but Jace moved her to a free spot before taking his own.
"Thanks".
"We must initiate a bond. Once this bond is sealed, it cannot be broken until the demon retreats. No matter what happens, we must not let go of each other's hand" Magnus said reaching out for Alec's hand, Alec briefly looked at it before taking it with his own. Magnus entangled their fingers together and Clary smiled, whoever this Magnus Bane really was, he did genuinely care for her brother. She was so distracted that he didn't realise Alec had reached out for her hand until it was directly in front of her face. Clary blushed from embarrassment before taking it, then she took hold of Jace's, Jace took Izzy and then Izzy took Magnus.
"I will lead the ceremony, and you all must do exactly as I say. The demon's name is Valak. And at some point, he will ask for payment in exchange for Clary's memories" Magnus informed them before he started chanting in a language which Clary didn't recognise. The wind started howling as the demon appeared in the circle. Clary was once again lost to her thoughts until Magnus informed them that the demon wanted payment. This whole process just seemed so surreal, yet it was, everything which had happened to Clary these past couple days – it was all real.
"What does it want?" Alec asked looking over at Magnus.
"We must each relinquish a beloved memory of a family member we love the most" Magnus responded. A memory of Alec is taken from Clary, a memory of Clary is taken from Alec. A picture of Izzy appeared from Jace, and finally, a young little boy perhaps a younger brother from Izzy. What happened next was almost a blur, Clary wasn't sure who broke the bond, but the demon was free and both Alec and Magnus were using their magic trying to contain it.
"We cannot contain the demon much longer" Magnus stated and suddenly Jace was in the grasp of the demon with Izzy struggling to pull him away. Clary instantly took out her seraph blade, she had to save Jace.
"Clary, if you kill the demon, your memories will be lost forever" Magnus told her, and Clary froze for a second before making her mind up. She would find another way to get the mortal cup and her mother back from Valentine and with that, she killed the demon. Alec stumbled and nearly fell to the floor if Magnus hadn't caught him. Jace, on the other hand, collapsed face first on the ground and didn't move.
"Jace… Oh, my God. Jace" Clary said dropping down beside him before looking up at Magnus "Is he gonna be all right?".
"I don't know. Does he normally just lay like that without moving" Magnus answered before turning his attention to the young warlock in his arms.
"I feel dizzy" Alec muttered laying his head on Magnus' shoulder trying to block the sight of the spinning room from his vision.
"You just over-exerted your magic; however, I doubt I would have been able to hold the demon for as long as I did without your help so thank you. Although, you need some rest" Magnus responded before scooping Alec up in his arms and carried Alec out of the room.
Although he was initially embarrassed that the warlock was able to carry him with little to no problem. Alec couldn't help but smile and at that moment he knew he was going to be alright, with Magnus and Clary by his side everything would be fine.
"What happened? I heard a lot of screaming" Simon asked, and Alec's eyes widened. He had forgotten Simon was here.
