HEA Magnus POV
Demon infested world:
Magnus threw himself back on the roof as the Kraken disappeared, and with it, all of the demons in the alley below them. Alec sat down beside him, still holding his hand and not very subtly checking Magnus' pulse. His Shadowhunter was a ridiculous mother hen. With a glance at the empty rooftop across from them, Magnus winced.
"So does this version of me hang out with Ragnor?" Magnus asked hesitantly almost afraid of the answer. It would be good to see his friend again and right now he could definitely use the wisdom. He and the other Alec had barely had time to catch their breath before the demons had descended.
"I've only seen Luke, Raphael, and Catarina." Alec said apologetically, while he scanned the area looking for threats.
Magnus gazed into the darkness above them, telling his friends that this world's version had been inhaled by a demon of legend was not something he was looking forward to. If they were anything like his family, it was going to get loud.
"What was that thing?" Alec asked as he sat down fully, shoulder to shoulder with Magnus, catching his breath and apparently satisfied that Magnus was fine and nothing was going to eat them.
"It predates any Shadowhunter texts on demons. To my knowledge it hasn't been seen since before the war of the fallen and the birth of Edom." Magnus leaned over so Alec would put an arm around him. He hadn't had a chance to even tell Alec about the summoning ritual for the Archangel. That was still blowing his mind. Racking his brain for any obscure reference, and still he was coming up short.
"The war of the fallen?" Magnus hummed.
"There were many wars in the realms before the war that drove the angels to fall and create their hell dimensions. Collectively they're referred to as the war of the fallen. Shadowhunter codexes are light on the details from what I remember, but hell wasn't created overnight, and neither were the demons that inhabit it. The Kraken is actually relatively harmless, it's a gateway between Limbo and hell if I remember correctly though it does herald a host invasion so it's not to be taken lightly. Only this time it seems to have been a mechanism to get those two out of here. A bit extreme, but it seems to have done the trick. Which of course makes me wonder why that particular method was used."
He couldn't see Alec's face, but he knew it was pinched. Anger at the Clave for not educating his people properly, and well deserved, making him tense. "So they're probably okay?"
"I think yes. There are a lot of moving pieces darling, and I don't think the angels are quite done with us yet. We should go tell his family that he's not coming back for a bit. Then we should really talk about how we're going to shut down the rifts to hell."
"How do you know there are rifts?"
"Because, the demons are coming in large numbers and I bet far more frequently than they should for it to be summonings or stragglers. I've also noticed the near total lack of your people here, so you can explain that to me on the way back. We need to get this under control, let's go find the others."
"Magnus, do you think we could set up some sort of communication between us and home? Jace, Clary, Izzy, well everyone really, are probably freaking out. I want them to know we're alive."
"Yes love, we'll work on getting that sorted as well. I have some ideas." Magnus waved his hand and a portal appeared, only for it to fizzle out almost immediately. Strange, his magic wasn't depleted. Magnus was mid hand raise to try again when Alec stopped him.
"Oh the other you, he mentioned portals were unstable during waves. Not sure what that really means, but that's what he said."
Magnus frowned. "Just how much time did you spend with this other me?" He raised a questioning brow.
Alec spluttered, then narrowed his eyes. "How much time did you spend with the other me?"
Magnus cleared his throat. "I asked you first."
Alec raised a brow and crossed his arms. "What exactly are you implying?"
Magnus put a hand on his chest and faked an outraged gasp, "Me, nothing. It was a simple question. One that you're not answering…."
Alec turned his back and started walking towards the fire escape, his shoulders shaking. "Are you laughing Alexander?!" The Shadowhunter kept walking. "Alexander! Get back here."
Alec dropped onto the metal stairs, his head disappearing from view, but Magnus could hear his laughter loud and clear. He huffed. Then a shout came.
"Come on Magnus, you know you're my favorite."
8∞8∞8∞8∞8∞8∞8∞8∞8∞8ALT Alec POV
Limbo
Alec threw out a hand to grab Jace, but he stumbled when his hand went right through the ghostly silhouette of his parabatai. "Magnus you heard him right?" he asked pleadingly, fearing he'd finally lost it. Gone entirely off the deep end. The Clave had been worried about him for awhile, and hell Izzy had him on constant surveillance. If his last name had been anything else he would more than likely not be here now. The Clave's patience was very finite.
"I heard a voice say your name, yes. Who was it?" Magnus asked him, and Alec could barely breathe through his shock.
"So he could be here, but…ugh" Alec ran a hand over his face and resisted the urge to scream into the distance. He felt Magnus' hand on his shoulder and tried to draw in a steadying breath. Now was not the time. "My parabatai, Jace."
Alec saw Magnus wince and an extremely gentle hand stroked across his back in comfort before Alec shrugged him away. "It's Limbo Alec, there are probably a great many people here. We should look around." Magnus couldn't keep the hurt look off of his face at Alec's behavior, but gave him an understanding look and turned away.
Alec shook off the weight of exhaustion and ran his steele over several of his runes. Magnus took note, but he made no comment. This one was so much different. The other version of Magnus wouldn't have been able to keep silent, at both the rune activation and the rebuff of his touch. This version of Magnus, the one that said his name exactly like the one in his dream, was harder. His eyes weren't glamoured, his body wasn't as relaxed, and he watched the world around him with a cold calculating stare ready to strike. But he still had something of a soft spot for Alec. Had he known the Alec of his world? Had something happened between them? This Magnus wouldn't be applying glitter any time soon, and Alec felt a pang at that realization. What had happened to him?
Shaking off his musings of the warlock, he looked around and then blinked. Distracted as he had been by Jace, he'd barely noticed his surroundings. Trees surrounded them, beautiful browns covered in bright green moss. Golden leaves covered the floor, and it smelled like a fresh morning. "Magnus, is Limbo really supposed to be some sort of forest glade?"
"If you're asking did we land in the right place? Then the answer is yes. This is Limbo, the air tastes of waiting and death. As for how it is meant to look, I don't know that any recorded descriptions have ever been recovered. The songs of poets, and the dreams of artists, but never any eye witness accounts."
"How can Jace be here? He's got angel blood, I mean I thought you had to be unaware of the heavens before you could be sent here." Alec patted his chest in search of the ring that he wore around his neck. Comforted by its presence, he bent down to check his boot laces, blinking his eyes as he shook away a wave of dizziness. He wasn't going to hold out much longer, runes or no, he was running on fumes.
"That's one way of seeing it, another is that the soul deserves neither heaven or hell and so they wait for judgement here. Or if you believe in reincarnation, it's a place to wait until your soul is recycled. What this realm is truly for, only the Angels really know."
Alec couldn't help the way he watched Magnus, staring up at him from his crouched position. This was the one. The one he had to protect from himself. If he knew magic and the Angels, it was a cleverly designed punishment despite what Uriel said. His dream had brought him peace, and there wasn't even half a chance that they would allow that for him. So, this Magnus was in danger every moment he spent with Alec. He wasn't about to let someone else be punished for his choices. Jerking his laces tight, he stood up resolute in his need to get as far away from the man as possible before he did something he couldn't take back. Which meant finding a way out of here and fast.
The forest looked like the Fae realm, but it didn't feel alive like the Fae. Alec felt nothing, it was still and heavy. Magnus was walking around touching things, bringing leaves to his nose to smell and pushing things around on the ground with his boots, attempting to orient himself if Alec wasn't mistaken. The other Magnus had been quick to adapt, but this one was observing his surroundings. Testing the boundaries. Ensuring that whatever they were walking into wasn't going to take their heads off. The soldier in him respected the care Magnus was taking. It was startling how much he trusted the warlock, he was barely an acquaintance, but Alec had no trouble believing that Magnus would do all in his power to keep them safe.
After another look around Magnus stopped and put his hands on his waist. His look turned apprehensive, but he said confidently "I think we should rest here."
Alec frowned, not at all pleased. "We need to keep moving."
Magnus tilted his head and gazed at him seriously. "I might agree, but I think it would be best for both of us if my magic was fully restored before we ran into anything too sinister."
Alec let his brow raise, damn the man for being so sensible. With an aggrieved sigh he said, "Did you find something we should worry about? This isn't exactly defensible."
Magnus nodded and pointed to the tops of the trees and the too bright sky. "I'm not certain the light from the sky is a sun, everything here is very artificial, and if that's the case we will most certainly run into magic. I'd rather be at my best than be caught off guard. And I can do something about our defenses."
Magnus opened his hand palm up and deep purple light began to glow from his hands. A little flourish and Alec could feel wards surrounding them. "It's not perfect, but it will alert us if anything comes too close." Alec wasted no time after that and dropped down to the ground with his back to a tree. He'd barely had his eyes closed for a minute when Magnus' voice broke the stillness of the air and made him tense. "The tattoo on your chest, you rub it unconsciously, is it different from your regular runes?"
The question was asked with a curious but hesitant tone and Alec had to hold back a groan. His first reaction was to lie, but something in him just wouldn't stand for it. "Yeah it's different. A warlock gave them to me several years ago."
Magnus hummed quietly. "Ragnor Fell?"
Alec winced. "Yeah."
"He was a very close friend of mine. Did you know me in your world?"
Alec stretched his legs out. "I knew of you, but I never met you personally."
"So you're not married?" Magnus asked, and Alec wanted to stand up and walk over to get a good look at him, knowing his expression would reveal far more than his tone. Alec didn't answer. Waiting to see exactly where Magnus was going with this. "It's just you wear a ring on a chain around your neck, I thought maybe you…."
Alec was intrigued. "I what?"
Magnus laughed and Alec could hear the hurt in it. "I thought that your partner had died and that's why you didn't wish to be near me. I see now that it's just me."
Alec wanted to shout at the heavens in frustration. It was for his own good. Damnit. But he couldn't stand the sound of Magnus in pain even if it was just emotional. This man was responsible for the purest moment of peace he'd ever experienced in his life, even if it was only a dream and would never come to pass, even if Alec was never going to tell him, he wouldn't purposefully cause him to suffer. Not if he could help it. "Hey no, it's not...I'm just trying to wrap my head around everything. I swear, it's not you. I didn't know you, but I'd heard of you Magnus. Your reputation precedes you. Clearly you're not all that different here than you were in my world. You treat people generously. More generously than I...they deserve." He quickly recounted the same story he'd given rock star Magnus about his sacrifice and his suspicion of the Clave.
"I sincerely doubt the Clave's version of events is honest." Magnus said darkly.
"It seems unlikely. What about me, did you know the Alec of this world?"
"No, I know none of the younger generation of Shadowhunters. You've all been gone for 20 years." Alec startled and turned over. Questioning Magnus. A world without his people to control the demons. Hell, he'd barely had time to notice that none had appeared when they fought the Kraken. So wrapped up in himself. Hell. Magnus gave him a quick recap and he pondered what this had to with the Angel's plans. He wasn't here by accident. Neither of them were, and if his run ins with Angels in the past were any bar to go by, they were not in for an easy time. Sleep came swiftly, even if his thoughts were consumed with the man laying a few feet away from him.
Alec opened his eyes with a snap, and cursed when his eyes zeroed in on the empty spot where Magnus had stretched out. Either the warlock took off on his own, or he had disappeared back home, or he was in trouble, Alec couldn't even begin to guess. Napping in Limbo was apparently the wrong decision though he couldn't deny he felt better. The sky above hadn't changed, so he couldn't even take a stab at how much time had passed. Going over every inch of the clearing revealed footprints thankfully, so Alec followed them cautiously. He still very nearly stumbled over Magnus.
"If you even think about telling me that you felt something, and that's why you wondered off on your own, I'm going to…" Magnus didn't let him finish before he jerked him down behind the tree where he was crouched. Alec didn't miss the way the warlock gave him a once over. Appreciative but also concerned with his well being. He'd known this man for hours and he showed him far more courtesy than his own family. It was laughable. As hard as this version was, he still couldn't hide his
Alec leaned in close when Magnus motioned for him to, and nearly jerked back when Magnus put his lips close to Alec's ear. "I heard something." Was all he whispered, then he turned and pointed. Alec wanted to collapse on the forest floor and curse god. Both for what was in the clearing and how desperately he wanted to push Magnus back onto the forest floor and bury himself in the Warlock and never come up for air.
"What the hell is that?" He whisper shouted in Magnus' ear.
"A revolution, a revolt, some sort of renegade alliance of demons, your guess is as good as mine. We're damn lucky they didn't stumble across us on their way here." A Stonehenge sat upon a small hill before them, the forest clearing packed full of demons of every kind. Many Alec had only ever seen pictures of, and many he didn't even have that for reference. They surrounded a stone slab, and upon it stood a good looking man with sandy hair and a business suit. Smooth polished face, delivering a speech in what Alec could only assume was a demonic language.
"Who is it? And what's he saying?" Alec asked while mentally counting their numbers.
"I have no idea who it is, the crowd's not exactly being helpful. And as for what he's saying, it's a call for the demons here listening to rise up against their masters, which he is implying is both heaven and hell. They both need to be destroyed for the world to be free. He's an incredibly captivating speaker even if he is speaking a dead language that I am having an incredibly difficult time following."
Alec rolled his eyes. "Is he just practicing, because demons don't speak English or really speak at all."
"Well that's where you're wrong Lightwood, many species speak the demonic languages, but it is highly unusual for them to be gathered like this. There are demons from hell dimensions that don't even intersect." They both leaned a little further out to catalog the demons in the clearing, Magnus using Alec to balance himself.
"These aren't wrong like the ones in your world. They don't have the mutations." Alec reached back behind him to pull his bow and blade forward, when his hand touched nothing he cursed. He'd been so exhausted the night before he hadn't realized his weapons were missing.
"What mutations? We didn't get a chance to discuss." Magnus asked him seriously, his flashing cat eyes startling Alec from trying to remember the last time he'd seen his bow. How could one man be so damn distracting.
"The silver, and the speed, and the just general wrongness. The species of demons on your world have enhancements." Alec frowned as he watched the demons bow to the speaker. He indicated Magnus should pay attention with a tilt of his head. "Is he a greater demon do you think?"
Magnus shook his head and held his hand palm up towards Alec, a small tiny blue flame engulfed his hand. "I checked, there's nothing demonic in him. He registers more Angelic than he does Demonic, but he's not exactly an Angel either. He's something, but I genuinely don't know what."
Alec looked at the hand in front of him and had to clench his own into fists. Magnus was not to be touched.
No matter how curious Alec was, or how it might hurt his feelings to have Alec pull away from him.
His own hand was rough and calloused, he wondered if Magnus' hands would be soft, or rough because warlocks didn't care about that sort of thing happening. His nails were black, and he had several rings on his fingers but they were far more muted in their style than the other version of him. What the hell was he thinking? Just because the other Magnus was interested in his version of Alec, didn't mean this one even wanted to give him the time of day. He probably had no desire to let Alec touch his hand.
The man in the clearing wrapped his speech up and a portal opened behind him. He stepped through and the demons began to disperse, through portals of their own. Magnus sat down fully on the ground and Alec watched him try to sort out what they had just seen. Shaking his head he looked up at Alec, "We should try to track your parabatai."
Alec startled, "what?"
"Uriel said connections we'd lost. I presume she meant your parabatai. He must have passed in your world, do you carry a memento? He's a ghost or a shade here, but there might be enough of his soul that my magic can trace him." Magnus asked as he stood from the ground. Alec frowned, a wave of anger at the casual mention of Jace being dead, but he pushed it down knowing Magnus was just being practical. Reaching for the necklace, he pulled it over his head and held it out to the warlock. Nodding respectfully, he took the ring and closed his eyes. Less than a minute later they were trudging through the woods.
Alec couldn't help the grumble that came from his stomach, nor could he help his reaction to the look Magnus sent him. "I'll just use a rune."
"You'll do no such thing darling. A rune is no substitute for actual food."
Just call him a puddle. He was a warrior for god's sake. Warriors did not puddle. Except apparently when Warlocks looked at them with gentle motherly looks and offered to conjure them meals. He melted with no hesitation.
"Really Alexander, it's no trouble. When was the last time you ate? Please sit. What would you like?" Magnus looked at him expectantly.
Alec blushed. Why was he blushing? How had he not realized having Magnus' full undivided attention was almost too much. His stare was too knowing, his eyes far too piercing. "Whatever is fine." Then followed it up with a hasty thank you, lest Magnus think him rude.
Magnus waved his hand and a table with what looked to be several burger options laid out. "I hope something appeals."
"It smells amazing." He said leaning over and grabbing a burger from the table. Magnus didn't bother to step around him, just leaned in right behind him grabbing his own burger. His chest was flush with Alec's back, and Alec froze. Magnus' face was right beside his, and his whispered words sent a shiver right through Alec.
"If you need anything Alexander, anything at all, just ask." Magnus slowly pulled himself away, and Alec finally let out his breath. Well strike his earlier thought from the record, Magnus was definitely interested. Fuck.
He turned around to face the other man and was met with a wicked smile and a wink. Alec scowled. "Are we almost there?" Taking a petulant bite of the burger in his hands, he watched as Magnus nodded and waved his hand, the table behind them vanishing from the forest. Then he started walking again.
They both polished off their burgers very quickly and when Magnus finally called a halt, Alec was pleasantly full but still confused about why Magnus had selected that moment to come onto him. He'd been so well behaved before. It was odd. Did it have anything to do with the questions about the tattoos the night before? What was that anyway?
"This is the place." With a wave of his hand he indicated a shrub.
"Magnus, that's a bush."
He snickered and Alec rolled his eyes. "Yes well darling, the magic doesn't lie and it says your parabatai is here. Somewhere." Looking around he saw nothing. Frowning at Magnus he walked closer to the bush and tried to move passed it, but when he did, he felt magic surround him on all sides. Locking him in place.
"Magnus don't!" He shouted, but it was too late, Magnus followed him inside.
"Well this is unfortunate." He said with an irritatingly cheerful voice.
"Can you get us out or not?" Alec growled.
"Patience Shadowhunter." Magnus blinked a few times, then the magic around them receded and they collapsed onto the cavern floor. "Looks like a secret entrance. That's always fun."
Alec groaned. "I honestly thought you were different from the other you, clearly I was very wrong."
Magnus laughed. "Oh you are entirely like the other you, though not as happily married or well balanced emotionally as he is, you both have the same wrinkle right here." Magnus poked his forehead, "When things are going badly anyway."
"What happened? Where did serious business Magnus go, I want him back." Alec huffed.
Magnus cackled. "Oh he's still here, I've just decided you're not who I thought you might be. Therefore welcome to Magnus' inner circle, where I treat you like family."
"No, nope, no. I had one of those, and quite frankly…"
"Shhhh." Magnus whirled around. "Something is here."
Alec jumped to his feet reaching for the bow that wasn't there and cursing while pushing Magnus behind him. "Magnus can you…" That was all he got out before a bright green light flashed surrounding them and what felt like a portal opened up under their feet. They stumbled when they landed, and Alec looked around suspiciously. They were in a cavern room with a chest. No doors, no windows, no markings, just the chest.
Magnus didn't even bother to look around, he just strode forward and threw open the lid. "For Angel's sake Magnus be careful." Magnus looked over his shoulder and rolled his eyes.
"Warlock." He said sarcastically pointing to his chest and rolling his eyes at Alec's over protectiveness. "Clearly we were meant to see whatever is here, but I think it's for you." He waved Alec over, and Alec gaped.
Inside was the most beautiful piece of weaponry he'd ever seen in his life. Bow. The best...most beautiful...glorious….ugh he could barely contain his need to whine. Black matte, long, comfort grip guard, but what he couldn't take his eyes off of was the black dragon wings that made up the upper and lower halves of the weapon. He'd never seen anything like it, and he couldn't resist reaching out a hand for it. Lifting the bow from the chest, it felt perfect in his hands. The right balance as if it had been tailor made for him, but it had to be centuries old. Just under the bow, resting on the velvet lining of the box was a quiver of arrows and a seraph blade. "What are they made out of?" He asked Magnus.
"Your guess is as good as mine. The more interesting question is who did they belong to and why are they being stored in Limbo of all places."
"Should I even be touching this?" He asked cautiously.
"Alexander, if I'm not mistaken that Bow has some sort of enchantment on it, angelic in nature or close to it." Alec dropped it back into the box without hesitation. "No no. Take it. I think you're meant to have it. Look." Magnus pointed to the carvings on the wings that made up the bow's limbs. 3 symbols neither one of them recognized, but the fourth was slowly revealing itself to be an Angelic deflect rune. It was now taking up space on the upper half of the bow. "It's marked for you." Alec hesitantly reached out and picked up the weapon again. This time taking the blade and the quiver as well.
"This isn't an ordinary seraph blade."
"No, I don't imagine it is if it's stored in a chest in Limbo." Magnus said thoughtfully, and Alec had to take a deep calming breath. As he did, the green light was back, blinding them. Alec wasted no time and wrapped himself around Magnus.
"Honestly Shadowhunter, I am in no need of this coddling." Magnus said into his ear, his warm breath sending shivers down Alec's spine.
"Until magical explosions and weird magical shit stops happening around me, I'm not going to stop making sure you're okay." Alec said stubbornly.
"So you're my bodyguard now is it?" Magnus was quietly laughing at him and Alec knew it, but he'd be damned if he let anyone die in his place. Not again. Ignoring Magnus knowing look, he did a quick internal check to make sure everything was in working order.
He pulled back slightly expecting to see another room, only this time instead of being surrounded by a cavern on all sides, they were back in the forest, and a very ghostly Jace was standing before them.
"Alec!" He shouted in shock, then he came forward like he was going to hug Alec but pulled back when he realized it would be useless. Confusion clouded his face. "What are you doing here?"
Alec shrugged. "Angels." He said short and clipped. Magnus stepped back and looked over at him in question, but said nothing. Jace was wearing his black pants, leather jacket, Shadowhunter gear, and his runes were still intact. He didn't look any different than the last time Alec had seen him alive, well despite his transparency.
"It's about damned time. Did they send you here to get the Shadowhunters that are imprisoned back home? Are you going to stop the Demon rebellion?" Jace asked seriously crossing his arms over his chest.
Alec and Magnus looked at one another. They clearly had a lot to talk about.