A/N: Hello? Surprised to see something more of this? Me too.

I was prompted by The High Warlock of Glitter to write this, and surprisingly the idea formed in my mind, so I decided to try it. I leave an open ending for now, in case the inspiration hits me again in near future.

Enjoy reading.

THE TRUTH OF DEALS

Through the past years, Magnus was astounded by the strength Alec Lightwood had himself. As the warlock observed him during demons attacks or fights with downworlders or shadowhunters who rebelled against the new order, he could tell, that the boy, now a man was special. He could slay the strongest demons without any effort, unlike his siblings, who, Magnus considered to be stronger than him.

One night, after an attack of a warlock, when Alec was hit with the strongest curse Magnus had ever had heard about, Bane decided to investigate his late husband, especially, after his brother-in-law confirmed his suspicions.

Yes, after three years of courting, Alec proposed to Magnus. The warlock was beyond shocked then. He loved his hunter, with his whole heart, he was his first true love. Even though the shadowhunters accepted downworlders almost as they equals, it was strange thing to them being in close relation. Especially, when Alec was the head of New York Institute, while Magnus held the position of head of the Downworld. Every shadowhunter and downworlder looked askew at them, as they had seen each other as enemies despite the new order. They looked at them even more odd, when they adopted their two sons.

"Papa? " Little Max came to their bedroom, while Magnus was performing a spell to scan Alec's body. "Will daddy be ok?"

"Of course, blueberry," Bane smiled at his six year old son and took him in his arms. He sat the boy down on his laps and stroked his black hair lightly. "Daddy will wake up soon. Where's your brother?"

"Rafe sleeps. Uncle Jace tired him out today." Magnus nodded to that, as the boy yawned in his arms, curling in his laps. "Can I stay with you and daddy?"

"It won't be comfortable. Come on, I'll take you to the bed and tell you some story, ok?" Max eagerly agreed with his father and let himself being carried to the old bedroom of Alec in the Institute, where they were currently staying. His other son, eleven year old Rafael was already sleeping, squeezing the old gray bunny, he had gotten from Max, when Rafe joined their little family.

After Max had fallen asleep curled up to his older shadowhunter brother, Magnus went back to the infirmary.

"Do you think he'll be alright?" He heard Jace's voice, as he sat down by the bed. Soon, the blonde man joined him. "Magnus?"

"Tell me, how did it happen, Jace? How could you not feel him? " Magnus asked, remembering, as they found Alec an hour after he had been attacked by Marcus, the warlock from Italy, an enemy of Magnus. He knew that it will be pointless to attack Bane, as he held the biggest power in the whole shadow world, so he aimed the attack on the beloved of Bane. His husband, Alec Lightwood.

"I don't know. The truth is...I've told Alec about it already, but he just waved it off, and said that I must be mistaken." Magnus was silent, waiting for more explanation. "Lately, I can't feel our parabatai bond at all. Especially during fights. All I feel is coldness and emptiness, as if Alec was dead."

"He's not dead, Jonathan." To emphasize this, Mangus grabbed Alec's wrist to feel his pulse. The warlock flinched, when he felt the cold temperature of Alec's body. Magnus knew this coldness, he knew it by his heart, but he had hoped to be wrong. He took a deep breath and turned to Jace once again. "Monitor us. If you won't be able to feel Alec's heart beat, press your stele to my heart, the burn will bring me back."

"From where? " The man asked. "What are you going to do, Magnus?"

"Discover what had Alec done to himself." With that he closed his eyes, emptied his mind and whispered a spell to connect himself with Alec's body, mind and soul.

At first something was trying to block him, push him out of Alec's body, but Bane braced himself stronger and pushed forward, until he found himself fully inside of his lover. Usually, when Magnus connected himself to somebody, he could see the color of their aura, according to which species the creature was. If it was human, it was plain blue. If it were a demon, it was red. If it was a greater demon, he could see different colors, based on their magical signature. When it was a shadowhunter, the aura should be bright, angelic gold.

This should be Alec's color as well.

Yet, it wasn't.

It was black, shimmering with green-gold, like the eyes of Magnus and his father.

He had hoped to be wrong. He wished to be mistaken, alas, he wasn't. He knew he was right, the moment he found himself in the so familiar place with white walls and a bony throne in the middle of it. The throne, where Alec was seating now, eyes closed, steady breathing, as if he was meditating.

"Alexander." Magnus voice was stern and filled with anger, as he took a step towards his husband. The young man was startled by his voice, as he opened his eyes in a shock.

"Magnus?! What are you doing here?"

"Oh no," He shook his head, while looking sternly at his husband. "I should be asking this, darling. But I'll ask something else. What have you done, Alexander?!"

"I don't know what you…" Alec responded, getting up from the throne. He walked closer to Magnus, but the warlock took two steps back. It hurt the shadowhunter.

"Don't play dumb, Alec. No one can step into Edomus, except for me, my father and those, who share our blood or power. So, I'm asking again. What have you done?"

"Nothing, my lo…"

"Stop lying, Alec. If you won't tell me, I'll call on my father and ask him." Alec remained silent, though he came closer Magnus, blocking him with his arms, before he could walk back more. Magnus could feel the coldness of his body again, which made him shiver. "What have you done, Alexander?" Magnus repeated in a softer voice, while looking down in Alec's blue eyes. "Tell me."

"I've done everything I could to save you." At first, Magnus didn't understand this. It all seemed to be surreal. Yet, there were still so many unspoken things, so many hidden truths. "I couldn't let you go."

"Did what? When? " Again, Alec fell silent and avoided looking in Magnus's cat eyes. "I wasn't in any…" Then it hit him, hard, as a memory from eight years ago flashed in his mind. He saw the scene from Edom behind his closed eyes. He had seen Jonathan, and himself as he was taking the magic of his father back from the boy. Once again he felt the ripping of his insides, as the power was consuming him alive.

"Magnus!" Alec's scared voice startled him and forced to snap his eyes open. The blue eyes of his husband were filled with concern, he was grabbing his arms strongly, holding Magnus close to his body. "Sweetheart? Are you alright?"

"What have you given up for my life? " Even though Magnus already knew the answer, after all he had seen the inside of Alec's body and his essence, he hoped this to be lie. But it wasn't. "Your soul…" The other man nodded once, rising his hand up to Magnus's cheek to stroke it gently. "Alec…"

"I'd give up my life for you. I love you just as much as I loved you back then in Edom. I'd do everything for you, Magnus. Even offer myself to the Devil." Alec's voice was strained, yet there was affection heard in it. "And I would do it again, if it'd mean for you to be safe, by my side. That's it."

"No it's not," Magnus said with a resignation. "It's not that simple. You have no idea, what you have brought on yourself, my love. But fear not, I'll free you of this deal."

"Magnus…" before Alec had a chance to stop him, the warlock was whispering the familiar words of a prayer to his father.

Edomus filled itself with the hell's coldness. Ice blue flames concerned themselves in the middle of the room, around the bony throne. Black smoke, shimmering with green-gold sparkles formed around the throne, before they turned into Magnus's father's body.

"My sons, " he addressed them both, offering them a crooked smile. "What ills you?"

"You had no right!" Magnus was the first to speak, coming through the flames to stand before his father. "Give Alexander his soul back!"

"He made a deal with me."

"He didn't know the consequences." Magnus said back, growing impatient with every next second. "Free him of the deal."

"I can't, my boy," Asmodeus's voice was stern, his face stoic. "He offered his soul willingly."

"Of course he had! You promised him my life!" The demon shrugged his arms nonchalantly, smirking. "You lied about consequences."

"I know about them, Magnus," Alec spoke for the first time since Asmodeus came to Edomus. He walked towards them. The hell's fire did nothing to him, as it sensed his new essence. "I know everything, what is in the deal, Magnus. I agreed to it."

"You don't know!" Bane protested loudly. "Did he tell you that you will spend your eternity in Edom? As his pawn? You would be the eternal warrior, always on the line of death, but never truly be dead. Did he tell you that? Did he tell you that you'll be his entertainment until he deems you to be useless and finally let you die? Did he tell you that you'll be the one to taunt those who will come to Edom?" Alec's eyes were wide open in a shock. "I thought so." Once again he looked at his demonic father. "Release him of the deal, father and I'll give you what you want. Willingly."

"NO!" Alec protested, drawing Magnus back from Asmodeus. "You can't give him your immortality, Magnus. You'll die!"

"I can't let you be his servant, my love." He leaned down to capture Alec's lips in a soft kiss. "Take care of our boys. Tell them that I love them. I love you, Alexander."

"No! You don't! If you'd love us, you wouldn't leave us." Alec seethed with rage, squeezing Magnus's wrists to the point of almost crushing the bones. "If you'll do it, I'll hate you forever. I rather be his servant after death, than for you to be dead now and leave me and our sons."

"So? I love your quarrel, but I have no more time." Asmodeus spoke, looking smugly at his bony fingers. "My son, are you giving up your immortality for the soul of your beloved? Or I'm keeping Alec's soul forever. Or if you won't make a decision quickly, I just kill you both and take you with me now."

"You can't kill me," Magnus stated firmly, giving his father a pointed look. "If you would, my power wouldn't serve its purpose in Edom. For the power I need to willingly call on you at my last breath and plead you to take me to our home realm for eternity."

"My, my, you indeed have the knowledge of your bloodline, my son." Asmodeus commented lightly.

"I met Amand once, my older brother. He shared the knowledge with me before his death." The demon hadn't said a word to that. "Now. I make you a deal, father. I'll give my immortality and power willingly to you on my death, if you promise to give Alec his soul back. When I die, all my power will rebuild the whole Edom. I can promise you, that during my remained lifetime, I will gain the power of other warlocks and demons so you could be even more powerful after my death."

Asmodeus seemed to consider Magnus's offer with a thoughtful look. His gaze skipped from his son to the hunter before him. He observed them accurately, as Alec tried to convince Magnus to forget about the deal and let him be Asmodeus's servant. Although having the hunter killing demons for Asmodeus was a great deal, his own son offered him something much better. Magnus's power was indeed something to desire. And given up willingly, along with his immortality, would serve its purpose and make Edom the most powerful realm in every dimension.

"I accept," Asmodeus stated, holding his open palm up to the two men. A second later, golden ball appeared in the middle of it. "Here's your soul, my little hunter." Magnus smiled relieved, turning his cat eyes on Alec. "But the question is, whether you want it back and give up on the power I offered you."

"Alec…" Magnus started, but the hunter quickly cut him off.

"No." Asmodeus snapped his fingers and Alec's soul disappeared from his hand. "I want to keep the power."

"Alexander!"

"I need to keep you and our boys safe." He stated, looking directly into demon's eyes. "I don't want to die on a battlefield, leaving you and children alone. With his power, I'm able to keep all of you safe, to be with you for a long time. I won't leave you in five-ten years. I will actually live to see my children being grown up, to see my grandchildren, maybe even great-grandchildren. We can have the future, Magnus. Don't you want this?"

"See? He doesn't want to break our bond, my son." Asmodeus popped in, getting up from the throne. "As much as I love to participate some more in this family drama, I must hasten my go. There are certain matters that need my attention. Farewell, my sons. Give my greetings to my grandchildren. I do hope to meet them one day."

"After my dead body," Magnus responded with malice in his voice. Asmodeus left Edomus in a black smoke, leaving the two of them alone. They looked into each other's eyes for a while, breathing hardly, as Edomus's air became thick again. Finally, after what it seemed forever, Magnus opened his mouth. "You made a huge mistake, Alexander. Deals with my father are never good. You will stop being shadowhunter eventually. It started already. Jace cannot feel your parabatai bond anymore. Soon, the runes will stop working on you as well."

"I don't care." Alec lowered his voice, stroking Magnus's long, black hair. "I rather stop being shadowhunter than let anyone of you get hurt. I love you so much, Magnus. I couldn't bear to lose you our our kids."

"With every amount of power you take from my father, you will become eventually a demon." the warlock explained the consequences his father seemed to forget to mention. "You won't be able to step into the Institute anymore or handle your stele or your seraph blades. You will be part demon, like me, or maybe even more, since I'm not using strictly Asmodeus's power."

"It does not matter," Magnus sighed with resignation, feeling defeated. "As long as I'll be with you and kids, I can even be a demon."

"I don't approve this. " Alec nodded to this. If the situation was different, he probably wouldn't like Magnus doing such a thing as well. He would try to stop him from risking his life like that. Yet, on the other hand, Alec needed to protect his family, at all costs. "But I will learn to live with this. But you have to tell your family about your deal."

When they woke in their bodies, back in the Institute, Alec before Magnus, the hunter described in his mother, brother, sister and step-father the truth hidden behind his sudden strength. His family, as predicted by Magnus, disagreed with Alec's idea as well. Even though they were a family for years now, Maryse glared Magnus, as if she was accusing him of being the cause of the deal. She wasn't very far from the truth. Magnus knew, that Alec acted on his feelings. In one hand, he was glad that he still lived because of his beloved. But on the other hand, he couldn't stop feeling pain at the thought of Alec not being able to die as a true shadowhunter like he deserved.

Later at night, when Alec laid in bed next to their sons, snoring softly, Magnus stroked his hair lightly, looking at their family. They were perfect, loving, amazing, something that Magnus never thought he could have. He wanted to last them as much as they could, but also, he wanted to save Alec's soul from his father's grasp, without losing his own life.

For that, he needed to contact his old friend, who could grant him the heaven's help.

A/N: Did you like it?

Review if you feel like to,

Intoxic