Hi all! I am so so sorry that this has taken so long. I know that you're getting tired of reading that as much as I'm getting tired of having to type that to you. But this past semester was extremely rough, so here I am now, bearing the only Christmas gift I have! I hope to finish this story before next semester starts, that way we won't have to worry about my lack of free time, but I can't make any promises.
As always, please let me know what you think of this chapter and the story as a whole! I tied up a lot of loose ends in my mind tonight, so I can't wait for you all to see what's in store!
Enjoy!
As soon as Alec woke he knew that something was horribly wrong. Before he'd finished taking a single breath, he knew that he was no longer in Idris. The life and magic that filled the air in Idris was startlingly absent now, and Alec didn't need to open his eyes to know that he had been yanked out of the Shadowhunters' land. In the next couple of seconds before opening his eyes, Alec quickly registered the fact that there was a deep and dark magical presence around him as well, and he knew that likely meant that Asmodeus was still with them. Alec opened his eyes as carefully as possible, though he knew that if Asmodeus was anywhere near him that the demon likely already knew that he was conscious. "Alexander," Alec heard his father whisper as he began to sit up.
The relief in Robert's voice wasn't hidden in the slightest, and Alec immediately began to wonder how long he'd been unconscious. Before he could ask any questions, Robert was by his side, quickly assessing Alec to see if he was injured or not. As he tried to wave Robert away and convince his father that he was fine, Alec slowly began to register that Ragnor was also there with them. Wherever there was. But the biggest concern to Alec was that Ragnor seemed to be in chains, and that could only mean that Asmodeus wanted to eliminate any use of magic. Which meant that they were utterly defenseless at the moment. "What happened?" he asked, ignoring the fact that his voice was hoarse from the weight of his unconsciousness.
"Asmodeus shipped us back to New York after Magnus pulled his little stunt. He plopped us here in Renwick's and left before we could even ask the first question." Ragnor's voice was ice cold, and Alec hated to admit that it was something he was beginning to get used to. With all the chaos around him at the moment, the fact that Ragnor was still impossibly angry with him was the one thing that anchored Alec to the present moment. At least Ragnor's anger was something that he could understand, something that he could deal with. And then Alec remembered everything that Magnus had told him about Reid, Ragnor's adopted son, and he began to wonder if this was why Ragnor's voice was so cold at the moment.
Alec let the silence stretch out before them as he finally got to his feet, realizing that the longer he sat on the ground, the harder it would be for him to eventually get up. He made a very quick assessment of himself, but not because he was particularly worried that Asmodeus had done anything to him in the short time that he'd been unconscious. Alec wanted to make sure that nothing more had happened to Magnus since Asmodeus had pulled them from Idris. He sighed in relief has he slowly began to register the fact that the most recent wounds were the cuts he'd sustained when the window had broken. Magnus was fine, at least for the time being, and that was really all that mattered. "What I don't understand is why Asmodeus would take you too," Alec finally said, directing this comment toward Robert.
For a moment, Alec thought that Ragnor was going to interject, but then Robert finally replied, saving them from whatever snarky comment the warlock likely wanted to make. "I've been trying to figure that out myself," Robert said, his voice distant and thoughtful. "If Asmodeus wants to hurt Magnus, then it makes sense that he would take you and Ragnor, but I mean nothing to Mangus." Alec was relieved to hear that there was no anger or resentment in his father's voice, only a distant sort of curiosity as to the nature of the situation. It was very clear that Asmodeus was planning something, and that very thought made chills run down Alec's spine. He didn't know much about Asmodeus other than the things he'd learned in history lessons, but that was enough for him to know that anything Asmodeus planned would not be in their favor.
Alec wasn't sure how long they sat in silence, thoughts of Magnus consuming him until he almost forgot what kind of situation they had found themselves in. Beyond anything else, Alec wished he could reverse time and take back everything that had happened between him and his soulmate. The fact of the matter was that his father had been right, that the only thing that truly mattered was the fact that Magnus was his soulmate. And he knew that he shouldn't have let his emotions get in the way to the point that he'd let Magnus go. He'd let Magnus out of his reach and now he was in the hands of quite possibly the most dangerous being on earth. Now he was sitting in the middle of the most dangerous situation he'd ever been in, and the only thing Alec could focus on was the worry that was overwhelming him. The worry that Mangus might never understand the depth of his love.
For several long moments, Alec tried to shake himself back into reality. He tried to remind himself that he should be worrying about what was right in front of him, about how they might get out of the situation with Asmodeus, but every time he so much as blinked, all Alec could see was Magnus staring back at him. Which wasn't a particularly new sensation in and of itself. Except that now every time he saw Magnus staring back at him, he couldn't suppress the guilt he felt, he couldn't shake the thought that Magnus might never understand the magnitude of the love that Alec felt for him. But Alec was suddenly pulled back into reality when the door to their room finally opened, revealing the one person he wanted to avoid at all costs. He shivered as Asmodeus strode through the door, shutting it behind him in a very final way.
The only thing Alec knew to do was stand, quickly becoming acutely aware of the fact that the only object in the room other than their bodies was the set of chains hold Ragnor to the wall. Alec wasn't oblivious to the fact that a fight with one of the most powerful demons to ever live would not end well for them, but especially not when they had no weapons and no access to any sort of magic. "I have the three of you here for very specific reasons," Asmodeus said, the tone of his voice sending chills through Alec's body once more. "But let's not get caught up in the details just yet. I think it would be much better if we had a bit of fun first." Alec felt his stomach roll at Asmodeus's words, knowing full well that any fun the demon had would mean quite the opposite for them.
When Asmodeus reached up to snap his fingers, Alec couldn't help but flinch. But in the seconds following, he quickly realized that nothing in their surroundings had changed in the slightest. But that made absolutely no sense because Alec knew all too well that Asmodeus wouldn't be smiling in the way he was if he'd done absolutely nothing. Alec also knew that the demon didn't need to snap his fingers to make his magic work, that he'd done so for dramatic effect. So in the end, all he could do was look directly into the eyes that reminded him so startlingly of Magnus and say, "What have you done?" Alec wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer, but he knew that this would all eventually come to smack him in the face, so he didn't let his gaze waver as he stared Asmodeus down, drawing on every bit of courage he had left.
Alec refused to flinch or so much as blink when Asmodeus began laughing. He wouldn't give the demon that sort of satisfaction. "I've just taken this opportunity to leave my son a little gift, that's all," Asmodeus said. Alec didn't need to look to see that Ragnor had stiffened at this, his chains rattling ever so slightly as he reacted to what Asmodeus was implying. Before they could do anything else, however, Asmodeus waved his hand and suddenly there was a mirror on the wall before them. Except Alec couldn't see himself in the mirror because it wasn't a mirror at all but a portal-like look into Idris. Alec only knew this because he was staring at Magnus who was standing in the very place they'd left him in the Academy's library. "I wouldn't want him to miss out on the fun," Asmodeus continued, giving Alec the most sickening sort of wink.
Before Alec could process anything else, Magnus seemed to be overtaken by pain and he doubled forward before Jace or Clary could reach him. It only took a few seconds before Magnus passed out altogether, and Alec knew this was because he was so extremely low on energy from the magic that he'd used to try to protect the Cup. But in those few seconds, Alec saw the worst sort of fear flash through Magnus's eyes, a fear that was far worse than the pain that Magnus seemed to be in. "What did you do to him?" Alec demanded, tearing his eyes away from the mirror as Jace raced to Magnus's side. "I'll tear you to pieces," Alec spit at the demon, only to be interrupted by another fit of laughter from Asmodeus, signaling just how ridiculous it was to think that Alec could ever do such a thing to such a powerful demon.
"I'm simply giving Mangus a bit of motivation, that's all," Asmodeus replied, his voice so casual that Alec would have almost said he was bored. "I didn't hurt him exactly," he continued, and Alec felt the sickness in his stomach deepen. "I simply gave him the impression that I am hurting you," Asmodeus concluded, solidifying the fear that Alec had seen flash through Magnus's eyes just before he'd passed out. If Magnus thought that Asmodeus was torturing him then it was only a matter of time before Magnus would track them down, bursting in to save the day no matter the cost. Especially if Magnus told Jace about this new turn of events when he woke up. The two of them were likely to come bursting in without so much as a single word of plan in place. And Asmodeus knew this all too well.
"You want Magnus to do something for you," Ragnor said, pulling Alec out of the whirlwind that was his mind at the moment. The way that Ragnor had spoken left no room for interpretation. It was simply a statement of fact. "You didn't want the Cup for no reason at all," Ragnor said clearly beginning to work his way through the situation at hand. "Whatever you plan to use it for, you need Magnus's help. And you think that by pretending to torture Alec that you can finally convince him to work for you." Asmodeus simply kept his gaze fixed on Ragnor, and Alec couldn't help but wonder what was going through the demon's mind. But then Ragnor spoke again and he suddenly no longer cared what Asmodeus was thinking. "My question is this: why pretend to torture Alec instead of actually torturing him?"
Alec did his best to reign in the look that he gave Ragnor, to pretend that he wasn't at all concerned by Ragnor's question. But he couldn't help but feeling as though Ragnor was actually asking Asmodeus to torture him. He couldn't shake the feeling that Ragnor wanted him to be hurt, wanted him to be affected in the way that he had affected Magnus. Asmodeus, however, simply laughed once more, and Alec couldn't help but flinch away from the demon, his laugh pure evil in almost every way possible. "I have my reasons, Ragnor, rest assured of that," was all he said before he turned to leave the room once more, leaving them staring at one another without the slightest idea of what to do.
"Under no circumstance will you go marching into Renwick's while you are in this condition, and most certainly not without an actual plan," Tessa was saying, her voice just as stern and stubborn as it had always been. But Magnus simply didn't give a damn what Tessa told him he could or couldn't do. He was going to do whatever it took to get to Ragnor and Alec. He'd worry about himself at a later date. But he knew that Tessa and James were not going to take kindly to that sort of response, so he simply kept his mouth shut for the time being. The last thing that Magnus wanted to do was worry them more than he already had. There was no reason to bring them into the mess that he seemed to be creating around him.
But nothing could seem to persuade them of the fact that he suddenly felt perfectly fine. He'd spent so long feeling physically ill that he'd almost forgotten what it was like to be perfectly healthy. But the one thing that Magnus knew at the moment was that he felt as though he had never been forced to spend his days over the toilet from illness. He felt as though he had never once coughed or blown his nose over the past couple of months, and though it worried him as well, it certainly made his decision much easier. He hadn't had any trouble making a portal to get them home, and that had been Magnus's first sign of difference. After he'd exhausted himself on his father, making a portal should have been next to impossible. But he'd easily sent Jace and Clary back to the Institute to retrieve Isabelle, stepping through into his own apartment and calling Tessa without a second thought.
Not long after calling Tessa, a single piece of paper had suddenly landed in his hands, and Magnus hadn't needed to look at it to know what it was. His father wanted him to meet at Renwick's so that they could talk further. Something about wanting to get out of Idris because of all the angelic nonsense around him, but Magnus knew that Asmodeus always had his reasons, and the angelic nature of Idris was certainly not one of them. But Magnus hadn't had much time to truly think about the situation because Tessa and James had arrived within minutes, ushering in with them yet another wave of pain that gripped Magnus with a fear he'd never before experienced. Yet after several more waves of the pain that was coming from Alec, Magnus's fear had begun to turn to a rage so strong that he felt he was going to suffocate if he didn't do something about it. And soon.
His father had done so many thing in his immortal life. But this was it for Magnus. This was the tipping point, and he had firmly decided that he was going to rip Asmodeus to pieces if that's what it took. But now he was sitting waiting on Jace and Isabelle, though Asmodeus had said they were welcome to show up at Renwick's at any time. Magnus barely registered the fact that Tessa was still talking as yet another wave of pain rolled over him, forcing him to grip the couch with everything he had, forcing him to look away from Tessa's concerned gaze as he closed his eyes and begged for the pain to end. It wasn't that Magnus exactly cared about the pain itself, at least not where he was concerned. He'd endured so much pain throughout his life, and he could endure whatever his father through his way. But Magnus found himself begging for this pain to end, the thought of Alec experiencing it hurting him far worse than the physical pain itself.
Magnus was torn away from his thoughts as the door opened and Clary strode in before Jace and Isabelle, their fear mirroring his own in the most heartbreaking of ways. So he tried to reign in the pain, to make it seem as though it really wasn't as bad as it was, but every single time he thought he'd gotten ahold of it, the pain would come crashing down again, hitting him in a way it hadn't before. "You can't go like this," Jace said, his voice tight and even, as though he was trying to hold himself together. "It would be impossible for you to so much as think straight when you're in pain like this, much less for you to fight properly." Magnus knew that what Jace was saying made sense. He knew that Tessa's words had made sense too, but none of that really mattered to him at the moment.
Standing up, Mangus pushed Tessa's hand away as gently as possible, trying to firmly show her that he wasn't going to back down. "The only way my pain is going to stop is if we get to Alec and we stop Asmodeus," Magnus replied through his teeth, though he wasn't sure if this was from the pain or from his anger. "I am going to Renwick's, and whoever would like to join me is welcome do to so. But that is the end of this conversation," Magnus continued, walking toward the door as best he could, willing the pain back. Just as his hand came to rest on the door, however, Jace's phone began ringing, and despite himself, Magnus paused to listen to what was going to happen next.
Though Magnus didn't get much from Jace's side of the conversation as the young Shadowhunter simply listened for a moment before saying, "She'll be there soon." and hanging up the phone. "Go back to the Institute," Jace said, turning to Isabelle, his voice leaving no room for negotiation. "Valentine dropped Simon off at the Institute but since he can't go in and Hodge can't get out, they're having a hard time determining if he's okay, and also keeping him there," Jace added as a side note, though Magnus knew that if Simon was truly a vampire they were going to have one hell of a time keeping him there instead of allowing him to feed. "Clary and I will go with Magnus, you go take care of Simon."
Magnus was surprised by the gentleness in Jace's voice, but he also knew that Jace had given no room for argument from either Isabelle or Clary. It would be much easier for Simon if Clary was far away from him at the moment. Magnus knew all too well that being near to someone he knew so well would only make things worse for Simon, something that Jace seemed to understand as well. To Magnus's surprised, Isabelle simply nodded, slipping out of the door before Magnus had time to even think another thought. "So how are we getting into Renwick's while keeping some semblance of surprise?" Jace asked, turning to Magnus before the door had even closed behind Isabelle. It wasn't hard to see the tension in Jace's body, the fear that was pulling at his heart, and for a moment, Magnus allowed himself to remember that he wasn't the only one who was scared. He wasn't the only one who cared deeply for Alec.
"We're not," Magnus replied, his voice just as cold as he'd expected it to be. "With my father, you cannot even begin to get the upper hand. And frankly, I am tired of running and hiding and sneaking around. So I don't know about the two of you, but I am simply going to walk into Renwick's and face that son of a bitch and whatever happens next is something I'll simply have to deal with." Magnus began moving toward the door once more, not wanting to remain there a second longer than he had to. "And would one of you please contact Raphael? Tell him what's going on and maybe get him to help Simon?" he asked just before he stepped over the threshold, knowing that James and Tessa would do exactly as he'd asked, trusting them to get the job done just like they'd always had. His only hope was that he could trust himself just as much as he trusted them.
As soon as they entered Renwick's Magnus knew what had to be done whether he liked it or not. "They're on the third floor, fifth room on the right," Magnus said to Jace, his tone carrying what he hoped was at least a bit of authority. "I'll meet you there soon," he added, hoping that Jace wouldn't pry further. Surprising him not for the first time, Jace simply nodded and motioned for Clary to follow him toward the stairs, leaving Magnus staring into the building that was as empty as he felt. Somehow, he put one foot in front of the other and allowed his senses to carry him toward his father. It wasn't hard to pinpoint his father's location, not with the magic that was radiating off of him. So Magnus made his way toward his father, attempting, and failing to slow his mind.
At long last, Magnus felt the pain subside, and he would have smiled in that moment had it not been for the fact that he was suddenly facing Asmodeus once more. "Magnus, son," Asmodeus said as soon as he saw Magnus. "Now all you've succeeded in doing is trapping poor Jace and Clary along with the others." Magnus wanted to wince at the joy and amusement in the demon's voice, but he forced himself to stand his ground, to keep the emotion off of his face and not give Asmodeus the satisfaction he was looking for. "My, what a mess you have made," Asmodeus said, his voice carefree and light, betraying just how much he enjoyed watching the mess unfold around him.
"That's okay," Magnus responded, forcing his voice to be just as light as his father's had been. "Because you're going to let them all go. All five of them. And you're going to let them go unharmed." It had taken centuries, but Magnus had eventually learned his lesson where his father was concerned. He was going to be as specific as he possibly could, not giving Asmodeus any room for interpretation. "You want something from me, and I'm going to give you whatever that is, so long as you let them go unharmed." Magnus hated staring into his father's eyes. He hated the emptiness that he saw staring back at him. But staring into Asmodeus's eyes, he willed the demon to believe what he was saying. He willed his father to take the bait.
And then suddenly Asmodeus was smiling, and Magnus knew that he'd gotten past the worst part of the night. If he could just get Asmodeus to let the others go, that was all that really mattered to him. "You would do whatever I asked for a man who will likely never love you again?" Asmodeus asked, his words sending Magnus reeling. "I saw the way his eyes flashed when I said your name, son. Your precious Shadowhunter is hurt and angry and he broke your heart. And yet you stand before me ready to give your life away for him." This was more of a statement than a question, and Magnus knew all too well that a reply was not needed. They both knew that this was the truth, that Magnus was so hopelessly in love that Alec's own love, or lack thereof, didn't have any weight on the situation.
So Magnus simply stared his father down, unable to trust himself to speak any more than was absolutely necessary. "Very well," Asmodeus said, his smile seemingly widening, and Magnus repressed a shudder at that thought. "They are free to go so long as you perform one simple task for me," he continued, and Magnus simply nodded, not trusting his voice, not trusting the situation in the slightest. "Three days from now Valentine Morgenstern believes that I will be handing over the Mortal Cup to him," Asmodeus said, his voice betraying just how foolish he believed the Shadowhunter to be. "And that is the night that Valentine Morgenstern will die by your hand." At that, Magnus couldn't help but snort, the entire situation suddenly becoming utterly ridiculous.
Yet Asmodeus simply acknowledged this with a slight smile, more of smirk than Magnus had seen from him before. "Yes, that will make you quite the hero to those darling Shadowhunters, won't it?" Asmodeus said, but Magnus wasn't oblivious to the sarcasm and hatred dripping from his voice. "After that business is taken care of, I am going to walk you through a conversion ritual of sorts, and then you will be free to go." At that, Magnus's mind kicked into overdrive, but he only allowed himself to raise his eyebrows in question. "You're going to change the allegiance of the Mortal Sword and the Mortal Cup," Asmodeus clarified, his voice just as casual as if he'd been telling Magnus that the sky was blue. "You will get more information as I see fit."
Asmodeus's voice was excruciatingly final, and Magnus watched as his father turned his back, fully prepared to leave Magnus in the middle of the mess that he had created. "Wait," Magnus said, his voice echoing in the emptiness of Renwick's. To his surprise, Asmodeus did stop, clearly intrigued by whatever had given Magnus the courage to challenge him in any way. "I want to make a deal with you," Magnus said, ignoring the fact that his mind was screaming at him to stop. He would deal with the consequences as they came to him. At least that's what he kept telling himself. "The dream you sent me about Ragnor. I want you to stop it. I know you have that power. So I want you to keep Ragnor alive, and I don't care what I have to give you in return."
At that, Asmodeus turned back to face him once more, and Magnus involuntarily took a step backward as he registered the flash of fire and joy in the demon's eyes. He knew just how dangerous his words were. He knew that this could very easily mean the end of his life. Or worse. But Magnus didn't care. All he could see was Ragnor with demon's claws sticking out of his chest. He'd already failed Ragnor once. He wasn't about to fail Ragnor again. "I'll give you the chance to change your wording, son," Asmodeus said, clearly amused by the defiance in Magnus's statement. But Magnus was already shaking his head. He'd made up his mind far before he'd set foot in Renwick's that night.
"You're going to keep Ragnor alive," Magnus repeated, hoping that his tone left no room for any challenge. "I will give you whatever you want in return. If that's my life, then so be it. If that's working for you, then so be it. Ragnor will not die." For a moment, Magnus was seized with the fear that Asmodeus might reject him, that the demon might enjoy watching his life fall to pieces at the loss of Ragnor. But then Asmodeus smiled once more, and Magnus reminded himself that it was simply too good of an offer for him to pass up. It was everything Asmodeus had been working toward for centuries. There was no way he was going to let this chance go. And that was perfectly fine with Magnus.
"What about your darling Shadowhunter?" Asmodeus asked, sending chills down Magnus's spine. Surely Asmodeus wasn't going to ask for Alec. He'd be insane to ask for Alec. "What would your soulmate think if he knew that you were so willing to throw your life away for your friend's sake?" Magnus relaxed, knowing that Alec was safe for the moment. That was all that mattered. As long as Ragnor and Alec were safe, he could continue going, he could continue doing whatever had to be done to ensure that that never changed. No matter what Asmodeus did to him, that would always be the one thing that mattered.
"As you so kindly pointed out, Alec does not care at the moment," Magnus said, willing it to be true as he spoke it. The only thing he wanted right now was to get Alec as far away from the pain and the hurt as he possibly could. But Magnus was becoming increasingly afraid that that was going to be impossible. "Let him go, keep Ragnor safe, and I don't care what happens after that. Time will go on. Alec will heal." Magnus forced himself to believe it. He forced himself to make those words truth. Because otherwise he would back down. Otherwise, he would run to Alec now and never look back.
Asmodeus studied him for several more moments, and Magnus could feel himself breaking under the demon's gaze. But he forced himself to calm his thoughts, to simply get past this moment and into the next. If he could keep Alec and Ragnor safe, then nothing else in the world mattered. "Very well," Asmodeus said, and Magnus felt himself release the breath he had been holding. "I will tell you what I wish for in return when I find it," he concluded, and before Magnus could protest, he was gone. All that was left was the sinking feeling that Magnus had just made the biggest mistake possible, but he pulled himself out of his mind for the time being, turning toward the stairs and forcing himself to deal with the consequences as they came.
Alec felt himself hit the ground. He heard Magnus calling out to him. He felt Jace's hand on his shoulder. But none of that mattered. The only thing that mattered was the fact that Isabelle was sitting on the steps of the Institute, Max hanging limp in her arms. This couldn't be happening. There was no way that his little brother was gone. That was impossible. Alec registered the tears running down Isabelle's cheeks. He registered just how cold Max's hand was as he took it in his. He registered the fact that his father had come to sit beside of him. But none of it made any impact on him. Not when he felt Simon walk up behind them and suddenly he found himself on his feet once more, seraph blade in hand.
"What did you do to him?" he demanded, the tip of his blade coming to rest none too gently on Simon's throat. For a moment, it seemed as though Simon was going to fight back, and Alec felt himself tense up at the thought. But then Raphael's hand reached up to push the blade away from Simon's throat, and Alec surprised himself by allowing the vampire to do so. He simply wanted answers, and if Raphael had them, that was all that mattered. But then Alec had the sudden irrational thought that maybe Raphael had hurt Max in some way, and he felt rage flare up within him once again. "Who hurt him?" he asked, this time his voice much softer than he had wanted it to be.
"It wasn't Simon," Raphael replied, his voice infuriatingly gentle. Alec hated the pity he heard. He wanted nothing of it. "When I got here, Simon was helping your sister fight off demons," Raphael continued, clearly uncomfortable at having to tell about the things that had happened. "The demons somehow got inside of the Institute, something I've only ever seen once before," he said, his eyes darting toward Magnus, clearly speaking of something that Magnus had seen once before as well. "Your sister got hurt, and seeing as neither Simon nor I could enter, your little brother rushed to help her. He saved her life," Raphael concluded, stepping out of Alec's way at long last. Alec felt the seraph blade slip out of his hand. He heard it hit the ground. He heard his father say his name. But he couldn't hold onto any of it. He could hold onto the reality before him. Because if this was reality, then he wanted nothing of it.
Before Alec fully registered what was going on, he was already halfway through the Institute. Before Alec fully realized that the aching in his chest wasn't going to ever go away, he was already to the greenhouse. But it wasn't until he reached Max's favorite stop that he allowed himself to collapse once more. It wasn't until he hit the ground that reminded him so much of Idris that he allowed the tears to escape. He welcomed the pain and the ache that he knew would never leave. They were what he deserved for not being here for Max. They were the only things that made sense at the moment, and they were the only things that were keeping him tethered to himself, the only things keeping his heart inside of his chest.