Chapter five: Splash

Alec had gone to the council meeting with Magnus. After days of agony, he had gotten bored sitting around all day and every day – he needed to get out and go somewhere. Even if that meant traveling into the heart of his seemingly current enemy.

But when he and Magnus had neared the front of the new council building, he was told he couldn't enter. Apparently the council wanted some kind security and secrecy, even though there was no vow or rule stating such a thing. Magnus had wanted to walk Alec back to their place, but he had declined. He was fine, standing there alone. He was nearing age nineteen – he wasn't a baby anymore. Therefore, he need not to be the one babied.

Besides, Alec thought. It's better to listen in. Being the mischievous teenager he was, he decided to trek into the back of the building – just where one of its large windows were plastered onto its stone wall. He had climbed one of the medium-sized trees close by and crouched, propped against one of its many sturdy branches.

By the time he had started to listen in, the meeting had already began. About one half of the seats were actually filled in – which meant Magnus's earlier statement was correct. The council was falling apart, and people were disappearing. Not in little amounts, but in large numbers. Where had they all gone?

As Alec stared on, he saw more and more arguments break out. There were so many, Alec couldn't hear or focus on one voice. There was a sea – a sea of clashing voices, as powerful and as deadly as storm waves.

The seats were lined in a circular motion; one that made him dizzy from staring at in his current birds-eye view and dramatic height. There was a podium, located in the circle's center – one, he realized, that held his mother. He was far away, but close enough to see her expression of clear exasperation.

Her hands held onto the podium's sides in a strength Alec always knew she beheld. Everything in her features always held power; it didn't matter where she was, or what she was doing. Everything in her and everything about her held some sort of power.

Alec saw this, even when a small child. And still, as an adult, he looked up to her. She was the symbol of strength; a symbol of strength he always wanted to be.

"ENOUGH!" Her voiced boomed and echoed through the building like thunder. The people located around her hushed like silenced rain. "I will not have this," she said, shining in her newly gained defiance. Despite her power and force in her tone, people dared to look at her in disgust. Alec guessed that podium wasn't supposed to be hers. "You're all pathetic."

It was then her toned quieted, and Alec was left to douse in a muffled silence. He couldn't hear anything because of the window; only the yelling and shouting could be distinguished outside of the building.

Alec sighed, disappointed. He jumped down, knowing it was pointless to stay up there; it would only make his legs numb and sore in the morning.

Oranges, reds, and yellows splattered the sky, as if it were their canvas. There was puddles everywhere, as it had rained the past few days in a row. They didn't look muddy or dirty, but nice. They were strangely clear, unlike the polluted ones Alec had seen in New York City.

He crouched down, placing his hand in the one nearest him. Alec watched as the puddle rippled in a sudden bother, spattering the sun's setting rays that bathed in its small waters.

Orange reflected off the buildings and trees around him, creating a scene of nothing but light. Alec had watched as the oranges grew stronger and faded through the puddle's reflection. The sun's rays filled up his sleep-deprived face in ease.

Why? Alec thought to himself. Why must everything be so beautiful, in such an accursed place? He let his fingers dangle through the water and create more ripples. He felt like he was trapped in this world, a world he was thrust into.

Alec felt something touch his back and scrape down in a skewed angle. He watched his reflection – he watched as his eyes, the things Magnus had loved so dearly, squint in what he thought was pain. A demon had appeared behind him, clawing at his back as if he were game.

Alec didn't struggle or try to move. He just watched; watched in pain. He heard people walk out of the council building and even more people walk by. Alec knew there was no way they had seen the demon looming behind him – they would have done something, wouldn't they?

He felt blood drip down his back and soak his cloak. He felt as the demon tore in further, as though it wanted to reach bone. Alec felt and heard it mumble things: things he couldn't understand.

Things that broke off as the puddle splashed, drenching him in cold water. He looked up and saw a woman standing there as her children rushed away, shamelessly. "I'm sorry," she said, sincerely. "My kids were playing… I'm sure they didn't mean to get water on you." Her long blonde hair rushed in the wind, covering half her face. She looked to be in her late twenties.

Alec saw her face contort as she saw his. "It's alright," he said, standing up and looking away. Blood still ran down his back, as if it were still tearing under the demon's claws. He cursed it as he felt faint, a sign of too much blood lost.

He strode towards the emptying entrance, desperately trying to find Magnus. There was no way he could reach around to place a rune on his back, and he didn't want to ask a stranger to do it. It would cause too much of a scene – too much of a scene that any of them would need.

He pushed through people, staggering around and defiantly looking strange. By the time he had found Magnus (who immediately said he was looking for him, too) all of the council members and those waiting for them had cleared out.

"Magnus," Alec heaved, grabbing onto his shirt. "It got me."

He had then blacked out, knowing Magnus would do anything for him and would do anything to save him.

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I know the reflecting demon thing is get old. But it's going to change up in later chapters; I promise. :) Thank you for all the reviews, by the way. Sorry -- it's hard to reply all the time and/or keep track as to who I've replied to in the first place.

So thanks to all that have reviewed so far – it really means a lot to me and brings amazingly dorky smiles onto my face. :) So, yeah, my thanks to: Zenycat, xocandoodle, Kara_leafgiggle_smileyface3, ChampionShoes, Katara-alchemist, hi, Frizwizz, ShiroKitsume, Rin1290, Iceprincess89023, SilverAngrywolf, hi (Again? Same person? I dunno lol), LOLqueen, , DisturbingEmily and Cynoyonrae.

I hope I didn't miss anyone.