Chapter 3

"Aurea, look out! Jeremiah," Owen cried out as he rushed forward, naming the seraph blade in hand. Aurea ducked just in time, narrowly avoiding claws. Claws? Was this a werewolf? Or perhaps a warlock whose giveaway were claws?

Aurea danced away, distancing herself from the attacker. Ted moved like a snake, fluidly defending herself and lashing her whip in attack. On the other side, Owen slashed at the boy. It seemed, however, that the weapons had no effect on him. The dark haired boy was healing at an incredible rate, faster than anything she'd seen. Faster than a vampire.

She couldn't determine what Downworlder he was, if he were even one. Werewolves didn't have claws like his, impossibly sharp and strangely golden. Neither were werewolves seemingly immune to blades and whips. The boy didn't have the porcelain beauty or speed that vampires had. He wasn't using magic to defend himself either, considering that there were no bright sparks emerging from his fingertips. Aurea exhaled in frustration. Instead of joining her companions in the fight, she chose to analyse his movements. Fighting obviously wasn't doing any good, judging on the little damage Owen and Ted had inflicted.

Studying him closer, Aurea realised that he was not a trained fighter. His stance was all wrong. Legs that should have been positioned wide apart were clumsy and ineffective in closing the distance between him and his opponents. He was reliant on his left hand. Aurea realised that there was a strange bite mark on his other wrist. It probably hurt him a lot, since he didn't fight with both hands. Attacking with both hands would have given him an advantage. The boy didn't seem to be calculating any of his moves. It was as if he were rabid, blindly plunging into any possible course of action.

However, the strange boy was winning as Owen and Ted began to tire. Dark lines swirled under his skin and he smiled manically. Despite his crazed appearance, the boy still looked somewhat human. Human. Boy. Aurea whirled into the battle. Like an agile cat, she avoided his claws and grabbed his right wrist. He hissed in pain. She took advantage of this distraction and kicked him hard in the nuts. He collapsed, writhing in pain.

Owen stared at her. Ted whistled.

"Nice one, Hedgehog. Should have thought of that sooner though," Ted huffed, exhausted from the battle.

"We should probably bring him back to the Institute. I've never seen anything like him. So human, yet so different," Owen suggested, already retrieving some rope to bind him. The boy may be fast healing, but he certainly lacked in strength. He trashed about but couldn't escape. Aurea gazed at him as he bared his teeth to her. She ripped her sleeve and shoved the cloth into his mouth. Whatever he was, she didn't want him biting anyone of them.

It was fortunate that the area was deserted. Mundanes would only complicate the situation further. They brought the strange boy back to the Institute.

He was bound and the cloth in his mouth was, well, annoying. His head had begun to clear as the three strange people carried him. The pain in his wrist had receded to a dull throb once again. One of the three was a guy, tall and dark haired. The other had pretty hazel eyes and long black hair that reached the middle of her back. The last was the golden girl he'd first caught sight off.

As if she knew someone was watching her, the golden girl glanced down and frowned. He blushed, embarrassed. Very kindly, as if she felt bad for shoving the cloth in his mouth, she removed it. There was this question once again: Where were they taking him? In his clouded state, he had heard someone mention the Institute. What on earth was an institute? The metal institution? He struggled a little. Despite not remembering anything, he was certain of his mental state. He knew he wasn't crazy.

"Where are you taking me? I know you think I am, but I'm not crazy," He croaked.

"And he speaks! Good heavens, the angel performs miracles," Ted spoke. She was annoyed by the fact that their one day city tour began with fighting and ended almost immediately after.

"We don't exactly think you're crazy. It's just that... we need to give you an examination," Owen tried to explain. The silent brother kind of examination, he added.

Aurea knew that the boy was lucid again. That was the reason why she removed the gag. She could tell from the way his eyes took in his surroundings. Aurea wanted to know if he remembered anything from his crazed state. Also, she had noted that the wound on his wrist wasn't flaming red anymore.

"Are you... okay? Do you remember anything?" Aurea questioned.

The boy grimaced. "Yeah, well, you kicked me in the nuts. But I suppose that's even, since I tried to bite you first."

Owen's eyes bulged. Aurea nodded and wondered. Ted shoved the gag back in his mouth.

"Sorry, but I don't want to risk you biting us," Ted shrugged. The boy grunted in response.

They rounded the corner and pushed open the Institute's iron gates. Two dark haired men walking in the Institute turned at the noise. One of them had slit pupils, like a cat's. He looked no older than nineteen, elaborately dressed in glittering clothes. It hardly seemed appropriate in the Institute but this was the way Magnus Bane was. Beside him, Ted's uncle, Alexander Lightwood stood tall and upright. Magnus Bane lifted a questioning eyebrow and pointed at the tied up bundle of limbs.

"My, what do we have here? Is it mundane kidnapping time?" He smiled. Alec elbowed him, "Don't give them any ideas... Anyway. Hello, Thaddia and Aurea. And you must be Owen Carstairs."

Aurea replied and gave a quick summary of the situation, "Hello Mr Bane and Mr Lightwood. This boy attacked us and it seems he heals at an astonishing speed. There's a bite mark on his wrist but it doesn't seem to belong to werewolf or vampire. He seems to go out of control only when the wound flames red."

Alec stared while Magnus nodded. "Interesting. Hello to you too, Mr Tied-Up. Well, I suppose you'd better let the others know." He gestured towards the Institute. The boy struggled a little more, as the trio carried him past Alec and Magnus.

Magnus caught a glimpse of black swirls under the boy's skin. Oddly familiar swirls. Where had he seen them before?