The room was silent a moment after Clary's minor meltdown. Magnus couldn't help but envy them. They were just like any other couple; accepted. He cleared his throat and all eyes snapped to him.
"Clary, Jace your friends and family here have explained the situation here to me and I will do all I can to help but you must understand that I will not put myself or Alec at serious risk," he revealed regretfully.
"Of course," Jace said; he had expected no less.
"Now the flames Jonathan used are a common trait of a demon blooded being. The flames change colour depending on the age of the person or creature," blue flames suddenly came alight in Magnus's hand, "you see mine are blue, which would tell you that I am of great age. A very ancient warlock, much older than myself, would have pure white flames. All demon blooded things start out with black flames.
Now you say Jonathans are still part black meaning he has only been in touch with his powers for no more than a decade. This also tells us that he is weak in comparison to most."
The whole room listened enraptured, hanging on his every word.
"But don't let that fool you. If Valentine," Clary shuddered, though Magnus chose not to acknowledge it, "taught the Old Magic to him I fear this may be worse then it seems."
"What is the Old Magic?" asked Luke.
Magnus reached up briefly to touch the hand of his beloved which lay encouragingly on his shoulder.
"The Old Magic is a very dark, very potent magic that was taught centuries ago. Those who knew it were the most evil and foul creatures one could come across. It corrupted all who used it. Only a very few still know of it and how to use it, though even they are withering away or are locked away. If anyone would know it would be Valentine."
"So if Jonathan does know it?" Luke questioned again.
A troubled sigh left Magnus and Alec squeezed his shoulder in silent comfort.
"If Jonathan does know it then he will have several advantages. One being he can dream walk, which is what you experienced last night...," he looked conflicted for a moment.
"Just tell us Magnus," Jace grumbled, wrapping his arms tight around his girlfriend from behind.
"He can kill you, in your dreams, and if he gains enough power...that death can penetrate through to the real world," he said sorrowfully.
A small cry choked from the women in the room while the men just moved closer to them, renewing the power of their hold around them.
"Is there anything you can do to protect their minds?" asked Jocelyn hopefully.
"I'm afraid not. The mental shields I would usually erect are specific to the creature, being or entity I am blocking out and as Jonathan is something we have never encountered before there is no spell to block him," he admitted sadly.
"So you know of no other like Jonathan having ever existed?" asked Jocelyn helplessly, glancing at her daughter.
"No but I have some contacts who may know something. They have been around many centuries," Magnus replied.
Jocelyn just nodded, looking slightly dejected.
"You said there were several advantages he would have. What are the rest?" inquired Robert, his face crunched with worry. Maryse was sat next to him her eye trained watchfully on her adopted son.
"There are three more key advantages he has. One is that he is impossibly fast and strong. By fast I do mean fast quicker than a jumbo jet and the strength of a thousand men. Two he does not sleep. When he is in your dreams he is in a trance like state. Should you find him in that time he will not be aware of you therefore giving you one of the most opportunistic moments you could hope for. And three he cannot die without a bronze blade to the heart. He can be wounded but he will heal within moments. Use those few moments wisely," the warlock informed them monotonously.
"Can he control demons like Valentine did?" asked Maryse nervously.
"Maybe one or two but not the extensive numbers Valentine did no."
Maryse let out a small breath of relief.
"What can we do about the dreams for the time being?" Jocelyn asked.
"Now as parents you aren't going to like this but it is the best solution. They need to stay together, the closer they are the more powerful they are. The best place to stay would be at the Lightwoods as you will all want to stay together obviously," he advised.
"Wait you said we'd be more powerful if we were closer, does that mean we have similar powers to him?" asked Jace with an almost excited gleam in his eye. Testosterone.
"In a form yes. He is fast and strong, you can leap building. With for you dear Clary, he is smart and cunning, you can draw new runes to outwit him. As for dream walking you both have an essence for lack of better word. It won't stop him but you can reduce your own pain and heal wounds to a degree," Magnus enlightened him.
From then on Jace tuned out as the adults asked inconsequential of him. Instead he looked down at his oddly quiet love. She had not spoken a word during the whole information exchange, though that didn't worry him; it was the fact that she had released his hands. She was like a ragdoll in his arms, unresponsive as if the whole weight of the world was upon her shoulders.
Quietly and inconspicuously he led them out of the room, through the house and out the back door. A large tree sat along the fence line in the small backyard, there were a few flowers dotted here and there. The grass was damp from a light shower of water the plants received in the early morning so he sat them down on a small patch of root run ground under the tree.
Clary continued to stay silent as he sat them down, his back against the tree, her between his legs with her back and head pillowed against his toned chest. He decided not to question her; she would talk when she was ready. A light breeze was flowing through that yard. It was peaceful if only for a moment. He could have easily fallen asleep any other day. But now he didn't dare.
But then he looked down at Clary. Apparently she did. She was asleep.