i'm back! :) sorry it has taken so long but visiting family and not having a lot of time to write delayed me in getting this chapter finished and i got writers block on how to get the chapter to 'flow' although i don't think it flows much at all, out of all chapters i have written i find this one to be the worst and more confusing and VERY complex, and complicated, so if there's any confusion or anything like to say please PM me or REVIEW! i love reviews so please review tell me what you think! and if have any questions please, feel free to PM me anytime. :D thanks for reading and thanks for waiting patiently! I love my readers. :)
TMI & all characters belong to Cassandra Clare the poem in beginning belongs to the rightful owner his/her name is written at bottom.
Cedars and the westward sun.
The darkening sky. A man alone
Watches beside the fallen wall
The evening multitudes of sin
Crowd in upon us all.
For when the light fails they begin
Nocturnal sabotage among The outcast and the loose of tongue,
The lax in walk, the murderers:
Our twilight universal curse.
Children are faultless in the wood,
Untouched. If they are later made
Scandal and index to their time,
It is that twilight brings for bread
The faculty of crime.
Only the idiot and the dead Stand by, while who were young before
Wage insolent and guilty war
By night within that ancient house,
Immense, black, damned, anonymous.
'The Curse'
by
John Berryman
Soon enough the cab had pulled to a stop by the sidewalk of where their destination was, it was pushing late afternoon as Isabelle opened the cab door and climbed out followed by Magnus and finally Simon who stood looking up at the building next to Isabelle as Magnus paid the cabby, and he moved out on his way, and turning back to them, Simon looked up at the semi fancy apartment building and asked,
"Is this it?"
Isabelle and Simon looked to Magnus, who nodded,
"Yep, this is it." He replied fixing his jacket that was splattered now with dark dried blood, which stood out in colors of rust on Magnus's fancy gray jacket.
Simon and Isabelle held back as Magnus bounded up the steps, and they followed quietly behind, Isabelle still clutching the shopping bags in her hands, as they gazed around the streets around them, not wanting to take any chances of being seen by anyone who may be passing by on the street behind them or the sidewalk.
Magnus stepped up to the buzzer by the entrance of the apartment building and hit the button next to 1590 and waited, it was only several seconds before a voice appeared on the other end,
"Hello?" it was clear and crisp, with the faint sound of an accent clearly audible, but Simon couldn't tell what origin it was.
"Magnus Bane here, we arranged a meet?" he said rather sweetly,
"Ah yes," the voice said, an amused tone within it, "Come on up."
"Thank you." Magnus replied, as he turned away from the intercom system as the door buzzed and he opened it up, holding it for Simon and Isabelle to slip in, which they did as Magnus looked out behind him to be sure they weren't being watched before closing the door behind him, firmly shut.
Simon looked around the dimly lit foyer, as the light bulb in the fixture above let off an eerie greenish glow in the dim light of the overcast sky outside, the eerie light patterns it casted on the ceiling above the fixture caused him to shudder and made him wonder if this was a normal apartment complex or one that housed more otherworldly beings, not wishing to think on that possibility Simon focused his attention on where they were headed to and turned back to his companions, as he followed Magnus and Isabelle to the stairs and up them.
"Can we take the elevator?" Simon suggested, after several minutes of silence, the building didn't appear to be that old, and knew an elevator should be around there somewhere.
"Although it has one, I would not recommend using it." Magnus informed, as he walked up the steps in front of them,
"Why's that?" Isabelle asked, her curiosity getting the best of her,
"It has a very bad tendency of habit to get stuck, and not want to move." Magnus replied, and paused to turn and face them; Simon and Isabelle paused to look at him, "While you're in it."
Magnus grinned slyly; Simon and Isabelle looked at each other, Simon thought on what it would be like to be stuck in an elevator with Magnus and Isabelle for who knew how long, and shuddered, it was not something that he would add to his list of to do's, and as he thought, Magnus turned to continue walking up the stairs, chuckling quietly.
"That's a good reason." Isabelle observed quietly, still talking about the elevator, with a bored tone and a slight smirk as they continued up the long stairway, searching for the location of where they were headed.
Soon after what seemed like many long minutes before them, and a long uneasy but not quite uncomfortable silence, they came to a long hallway on the second or third floors; Simon wasn't quite sure which floor they had stopped at, from not quite paying attention at where they had stopped after following Magnus up the long staircase.
Simon looked around himself at the eerie and deathly silent hallway they walked down, the way their footsteps echoed around them reminded him of an old hotel, one of those possibly haunted ones like the haunted hotels that he would sometimes see about on TV around Halloween time, he shuddered inwardly, when Magnus came to a stop, making Isabelle stop and Simon who was lost in thought about haunted hotels and TV, ran into her without looking, slightly dazed as to what happened, Simon blinked and looked to Isabelle who turned her head toward him, her face screwed up in a terrible scowl as she shot him an evil look in which he returned with a sheepish smile, that caused her to turn her gaze away quickly.
"Would you two quit clowning about?" Magnus told them, his tone held a playful hint as though he was actually rather enjoying what had happened, when Simon ran into her, "We have strict business to attend to, not act like the Three Stooges."
Isabelle opened her mouth to speak, when Magnus raised his hand to silence her,
"Don't worry, if there ever comes a time where we must become the Three Stooges you can be Larry, I'll be Mo, and of course Simon can be Curly."
Simon pursed his lips in a pout, "But I want to be Larry,"
Magnus looked at him, his mouth set into a frown, as Isabelle looked at them both confused,
"What is a Three Stooges anyways?"
Magnus and Simon exchanged looks as Magnus looked to Isabelle and shook his head before turning back to where he stood; Simon looked at her in utter disbelief.
"You don't know what the Three Stooges are?"
"No, should I?" she asked, her eyebrows knitted together as she asked,
"Well I'd think so yes, the comedy of their show is hilarious." Simon began, about to go more in depth when Magnus cut him off,
"You can be David Letterman later; right now we need to focus."
Simon looked at him again, "I'd rather be Jimmy Kimmel or Ryan Seacrest thank you…"
Isabelle looked at them again shaking her head in confusion and muttered, "Men."
Pretending as if he didn't hear her comment, and realizing Magnus hadn't, Simon turned his attention to what Magnus had stopped at.
Simon looked at the door before them, the one that Magnus now stood in front of and noticed it was a normal average brown in color, and the 9 in golden numbers of 1590 that hung on the door, was upside down like the small nails that held up the numbers had fallen out leaving only one as it dangled on the brown apartment wood door.
Magnus sighed and turned to Simon and Isabelle before he knocked on the door they had stopped in front of.
"Okay." He whispered getting their attention, as he looked around as if making sure nobody was listening in, and the gesture once again couldn't help but to make Simon wonder if the apartment complex housed others beyond the mundane world by how he whispered, to be sure what he said couldn't be heard.
Simon and Isabelle both looked at Magnus, and listened carefully with their full attention focused on his words,
"Given both of your state of being, and well being, please don't talk unless I tell you too, the last thing I want is to be embarrassed."
Isabelle smirked, when Simon opened his mouth to speak, having thought that Magnus was going to reveal something very important they needed to know before entering, and since it wasn't he was about to counter act Magnus's words with a smart comeback, but alas Isabelle beat him to it,
"Where's the fun in that?" she said in a bored tone, her eyes lighting up like twin pieces of shining obsidian.
Magnus sighed agitated already at Isabelle's apparent attitude, "Just don't screw up."
"Don't worry, we won't," Simon was sure he spoke for both him and Isabelle, especially from the way Isabelle paused, and he shot her a pleading look, if they were going to be able to find out anything with Magnus's help with their situation they had found themselves in, they needed to comply to what Magnus asked of them, after all it wasn't everyday that the warlock offered his services, especially in the affairs of Shadowhunters, and then after a hard moment of thinking on what Simon said, he hoped that she was finally realizing what he had.
Isabelle soon nodded slowly in agreement to Simon's words much to his shock and surprise, Isabelle was rarely agreeable, especially with him, and Magnus returned their gestures with one quick nod himself before turning slowly and while facing the apartment door, knocking on it before them with three firm wraps, that echoed before them all around the otherwise deserted hallway.
At first Simon heard nothing, but then heard someone moving around within the apartment itself and then finally after several long seconds the sound of a voice saying,
"Come in."
Soon Simon realized it was the same voice from down below just moments before,
Magnus opened the door slowly, and peeked in, Simon and Isabelle and her shopping bags not far behind looking for the source of the voice.
Simon looked around himself as he stepped into the apartment, it wasn't anything fancy he observed, but rather plain, the walls were an off white beige with photographic artwork lining the walls, as he looked at each piece he found the majority were taken of trees, and famous buildings, like
the Atomium, the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, the Empire State Building, and the Colosseum done all in black and white film.
The sweet scent of flowers filled his senses as they walked quietly and slowly down the small hall into the larger room at the end.
"Rather bland place isn't it?" Isabelle whispered, getting shot a look from Magnus as she shrugged indifferent, not caring at all at the actions her words may cause.
Walking into the larger room before them, Simon remained silent, taking Magnus's advice from just moments ago, and not wanting to offend anyone before they got the information they sought first.
"Ah." Magnus began, his voice cheery, as Simon looked to him, Isabelle standing holding the shopping bags awkwardly to the side, "It's nice to see you again…"
Magnus smiled, as Simon looked from him to where he was looking to, to see on the shadowy far end corner of the room they stood in was a figure setting in a rocking chair, a book opened on their lap and as Simon saw them look up slowly closed the book replacing it to the table next to them, cover down so Simon nor Isabelle could make out the title.
Magnus paused taking in the shadowy appearance with a grin, "Well, somewhat see you."
"As you too Magnus," the voice rang out again, with a slight amused tone, the crisp words they spoke formed like they had been spoken ages before and now in the present as well, and Simon knew the voice was defiantly feminine, "It's been awhile, sense you've come to visit for more than a few minutes."
Simon looked to Magnus whose gentle grin held a hint of sadness, Isabelle stood awkwardly holding the shopping bags tightly on the handles, and Simon noticed the woman in the shadows looked down at her delicate hands as the silence hung in the air.
"It has." Magnus agreed quietly, looking at his sides at Simon and Isabelle, before resting his eyes back on the shadowed figure in the corner.
Simon watched as she lifted her head, still masked in the shadow of the room, as the gray pale dim light poured in from the outside through the window not far from them on the side of the room.
Simon looked at Magnus, who stared ahead, Isabelle fidgeted clearly not enjoying the uneasy silence, when the woman spoke again, her tone now concerned, as she stood up.
"Did something happen?" she noted their appearances, grime, dirt, and dried blood.
Magnus, Simon and Isabelle all gazed down at themselves and their appearances, Magnus had dried blood caked to his black shoes, his jacket and clothes also held hints of dried blood here and there, and the scuff mark was bright red on his darker skin, his eyes bright. Simon could only imagine what he looked like with his ripped pant leg on his jeans, and the claw marks shredding his hoodie and shirt, exposing the pale skin of his chest, and then Isabelle, the cuts on her face and above her eyebrow, and her black gear splattered with black and red of demon and human blood.
"Oh no, nothing overly terrible just some demons, nothing too big to handle," Magnus waved away the woman's worry with a hand in the air,
Simon saw the woman before them, her features sharper as she came closer to the pale light, raise an eyebrow as she took in the words Magnus said, he flashed a grin, when she spoke again.
"When you called earlier, you seemed very concerned…" she began,
"Yes," Magnus began, gazing from Simon who watched the woman, to Isabelle who looked genuinely bored, and then back to shadows. "We need your help."
She sighed slightly, and stepped forward one step, "How can I help?"
Simon looked from her to Magnus, who took a deep breath before he spoke,
"You've done a lot of research, on Shadowhunter runes, and you know a lot on Shadowhunter lore, some things that been forgotten that you somehow found, and I was hoping maybe you can help me…" Magnus paused as Simon and Isabelle looked at him, and he back tracked,
"Help us, I mean with a rune. And even if you don't know the information we seek, you can maybe tell us who does."
Simon looked back over at the figure and saw that she remained still as she listened to what was said before she laughed once a sound that rang through their ears, Simon heard Isabelle suck in a soft breath and hold it, as if she were worried that Magnus was wrong, and they'd get nothing they sought from this mysteries woman before them.
"You're much older than me, Magnus, you helped to find out what I am but then you come to me for help, I never thought I'd see the day…" she told them, as she shook her head with another laugh, and Magnus laughed once too.
"I know, it seems unlikely that the great Magnus would need help with anything, especially such as this, but I've done research I've looked through everything and I have found very little on the rune, and what I have found just tells me what style it is, not what it does, or the effects."
Simon listened as he looked at the woman before them; she smirked slightly, and replied,
"I suppose I could take a look and see what I may be able to tell you." She said slowly, causally even like she didn't mind helping them.
Magnus smiled, "Excellent."
"Yes," she agreed, slightly confused it seemed, "But just know, that I may not be able to tell you a lot as is, I may know some things on runes from doing my own research but if it is long forgotten there may not be anymore records of the rune."
Magnus nodded, "I understand, but we still need to try, it's very important."
Simon saw the woman nod, and he sighed to himself half with relief that she would at least try to help them, half with concern that even if she did try there'd be no way to know for sure what the rune did or what it even meant other than what Magnus had told him before. It was cursed, it was one of the Seven Bone Star runes, but what did that mean? Simon hoped they could at least try to find out something about it, something that may help them determine how to help Isabelle, he look over at her from around Magnus and knew that she still held her breath as if she didn't like how the conversation was going, and she didn't seem to trust what was happening before her, Simon tore his eyes away from Isabelle and turned to look back at Magnus whose emotion appeared to be unreadable to Simon, which he wasn't sure was a good or bad sign, and didn't think to ask when the woman spoke again.
"Do you have it with you?" she asked slowly, her voice Simon noticed for the first time sounded tired, "The rune?"
"We do." Magnus answered, sounding indifferent, "The only problem is it's not in a book or on a piece of paper I'm afraid."
"Oh, no I wouldn't think it would be." She replied her voice solemn, and slightly hollow, as Simon noticed she tilted her head to look at Isabelle, he could barely make out a deep sadness in her eyes as she noticed the gear Isabelle wore, as if she knew that Isabelle was a Shadowhunter, and the thought filled her with a uncanny sadness, a sadness that was bone deep, Simon quickly turned away, wondering to himself who this woman they'd come to meet was exactly.
Magnus nodded and turned slowly to Isabelle, who looked up at him with skeptical eyes.
"She needs to see it," he whispered to her, when she shook her head.
"No."
"Isabelle." Magnus warned with an agitated tone,
"No." Isabelle replied stubbornly, her eyes narrowing at the woman in the shadows; Simon noticed she now stood very still, despite Isabelle's changing attitude.
Simon saw Magnus open his mouth to speak again, when Isabelle cut him off, not taking her eyes off the shadowy end of the room for even a second,
"Not until she shows herself, in the light." Isabelle declared, as Magnus, Simon and Isabelle all three looked back to the mystery person before them.
Magnus looked at Isabelle again, his eyes hard.
"Isabelle, don't be ridiculous, she doesn't have to if she doesn't want to, you're a guest—"Magnus began, Isabelle glaring at him and then back to the shadows when a voice cut him off.
"Magnus, it's fine, I don't mind."
All eyes turned to the woman, her voice sounding more tired as they stood, as she spoke this time with a sigh.
Magnus looked from Isabelle to the shadowed figure, and narrowed his eyes, before setting his mouth in a hard line; Simon could clearly see he wasn't happy with Isabelle in that moment.
Simon looked back at the woman; a small smile was on her lips as she spoke this time her voice holding a hint of humor,
"It's not like I'm a vampire that can't go in sunlight." She laughed once slowly, as a half smile threatened to spread across Magnus's lips, but he seemed to fight it away,
Simon turned his head to Isabelle, who looked triumphant as a wicked grin crossed her face, making Simon quickly turn his head back toward the mysterious lady in the shadows, he focused on her shape, not taking his eyes away from her form in the shadows of the large opened room, the dim light spilled in the window, making the room look light gray, like a blank painters' canvas.
They watched as she moved from where she stood closer to them, Simon kept his eyes on her, the pale shadows masked her features so he couldn't see them clearly, but as she stepped closer, Simon found she looked familiar somehow, but he wasn't sure in what way or how.
She was tall, and had long dark brown hair that was curled and in waves down her back although it was neatly pulled up, her skin was pale but Simon noticed held not scars from Marks that were long used, meaning she wasn't a Shadowhunter, her eyes were a deep set gray, and Simon was reminded of the sky outside or better yet of the sky in winter when the world had turned white and the skies a deep gray, she wore nothing fancy but a pair of straight leg jeans and a green teal sweater, her mouth quirked up in a half smile, as she stepped forward into the pale light with a slight breath, Simon could tell it was almost as if she were slightly self conscious of herself, but the way she carried herself from where she had stood, to where they could see her, Simon noticed a certain fierceness in the way she moved, that reminded him of someone but he wasn't quite sure who.
Simon was thinking, Magnus spoke again with a slight sigh,
"Simon and Isabelle," he said motioning to them, Simon stood up straight focusing on the woman before them, as Isabelle smirked dropped the shopping bags by her sides as she crossed her arms, "I'd like you to officially meet, Theresa Gray."
"But everyone calls me Tessa." She was quick to say, with a nod, and Magnus smiled softly with a slight nod to himself,
Simon looked at Tessa calmly trying to find out she looked familiar to him, as Isabelle remained silent and narrowed her eyes into slits that reminded Simon of an angry snake, Simon glanced at Isabelle and then back at Tessa whose sharp gray eyes pierced Isabelle's as they locked gazes, a mocking smirk spread across Isabelle's lips.
"You're a rune's 'expert'?" Isabelle asked with a sneer, "You don't even appear to be a Shadowhunter."
Magnus shot Isabelle an irritated glance, as Isabelle held her gaze, an unknown emotion danced in her eyes, as Simon swallowed hoping that Tessa wasn't easily offended, but by what she said next Simon figured she must not have been, or was just good at hiding emotions.
Tessa looked at Isabelle, cocking an eyebrow before answering, "Expert? Oh glory, no, I am no expert of course after some…" she paused thinking carefully, looking away from them and Simon wondered what she could be thinking on that hard that she shivered slightly with a sigh before she continued but didn't get the courage up to ask before she spoke again,
"Some friends of mine who were Shadowhunters had taught me some but very little about the runes I read the Codex and expanded after that," she spoke slowly, her words formed and chosen very carefully Simon could tell, she paused, her eyes holding that sadness again when she continued,
"I had to do something with immortal life."
Simon's head shot around to look back at her as he took her in slowly, immortal life? He looked to Magnus who stood still and quiet and looking at nothing it seemed in particular, and Simon couldn't help to wonder was she a warlock, a vampire, or a faerie? Simon figured Magnus had already had issues with vampires, something he had said before, and she had said she wasn't a vampire only moments ago, and the fair folk although he didn't know much about them, didn't appear to care about Shadowhunters politics and Tessa before him didn't strike him as a one of the fae world, she didn't have the physical look nor the same look in her eyes that Simon had noticed by the ones he had met had, so Simon suspected the former thought of warlock than the two latter options.
Isabelle placed her hands on her hips and glared, the smirk still in place, her eyes dark and sparked with an unreadable expression, Magnus and Simon watched as Tessa smirked as well, and mimicked Isabelle's movements, making Isabelle cock a brow above one of her nearly black eyes.
Magnus laughed with a shake of his head, as Isabelle huffed a deep breath and Simon stood awkwardly still trying to find how Tessa was somehow familiar to him.
"You'll get a run for your money on this one Tessa," Magnus's lips twitched at the corners as he motioned to Isabelle, who turned her glare from Tessa to Magnus, who smiled sweetly and turned back to Tessa with a playful glint in his eyes. "She's more stubborn then you."
He chuckled, as both young ladies gazed at him, threatening to make Simon laugh, but he held it in,
Tessa half smiled, but it didn't touch her eyes as she looked at Isabelle with a stern look,
"So I see." Tessa told him, as she gazed at Isabelle and slowly held out a hand, Simon looked at Magnus, as he gazed over at Isabelle, who looked down at Tessa's hand with a confused expression replacing the expression of untrust that she wore a minute ago.
"If you have come for my help finding out about this rune, I will do all I can, but in order for me to help you, I must at least gain a slim piece of your trust." Tessa told Isabelle, who looked from her hand back up at her face, and with a slight look of confusion masked by a look Simon rarely saw in Isabelle's eyes, vulnerability.
Magnus and Simon both watched, as Tessa stood very still, Isabelle looked at her again and finally after what seemed like ages, with a small sigh of defeat she raised her hand up and slowly took Tessa's.
Tessa smiled softly, her expression held an old tiredness that Simon sometimes saw in Magnus's expression as well, and he wondered when he too grew older in his immortal life, if he would also possess that same expression. Simon pushed the thought away, not wanting to think on it, as Tessa spoke again, this time her voice was light and held a strong undertone to her words.
"Well, now that you see me," she began as she released Isabelle's hand slowly and stepped back from her, Isabelle looked away from Tessa's gaze as she continued, "And you know who I am, should you introduce yourselves or should we get down to the rune work?"
Tessa gazed at them, looking them over when Simon spoke up, after the silence began to creep in, a silence that was beginning to become very uncomforting.
"I'm Simon Lewis. Daylighter vampire." He told her, holding out her hand as she shook it, her eyes sparked as she grinned slightly,
"Oh yes, I've heard about you, it's nice to finally meet you," she told him, and Simon was tempted to ask what she had heard about him when Isabelle spoke next, her voice cold but not icy.
"Isabelle Lightwood."
Simon saw as Tessa's expression changed, as she looked over at Isabelle, her mouth twisting up in a grin,
"Lightwood?" she repeated, as she looked at Magnus who appeared to be fighting off laughter,
Isabelle's expression became annoyed, "Yes, Lightwood, is there something wrong?"
"Oh no, no nothing wrong, just I knew some Lightwoods once, strong family…" Tessa told her casually, but Simon saw something in Tessa's expression as she eyed Isabelle, like she wanted to say more but decided against it, Isabelle smirked again and held her arms firmly by her sides, when Magnus then spoke,
"And I am the Magnificent Magnus Bane, High Warlock of Brooklyn also known as, as sexydevilbane804 on MSN." Magnus grinned, as Tessa, Isabelle and Simon looked at him.
"So I see…" Tessa laughed at Magnus's joke, as Simon and Isabelle looked at each other,
"Sexydevilbane804?" Isabelle asked, raising an eyebrow as she looked from Simon to Magnus,
"MSN?" Simon replied, looking at him like he couldn't believe the warlock actually had and account on MSN.
Magnus waved a hand in the air, "Yes, now it doesn't matter, shall we get to business now?"
"Yes." Tessa agreed, as she walked back over casually to Isabelle, who inhaled a rough breath,
"Now that you can see me, you know who I am, I know who you are, and may I now see the rune?" Tessa asked her voice calm, holding no impatience in her tone.
Simon watched Isabelle carefully, as she stood awkwardly and seeming unsure about what she was going to say, Magnus watched both Isabelle and Tessa carefully, as if he were worried of what Isabelle may do, but finally as Simon noticed how gentle Tessa seemed to be in her actions but even in her being that way, Simon could still see that sort of fierceness he saw before was still there in the way she carried herself, and Simon couldn't help to wonder once again, the how and why she seemed to look familiar somehow to him, he hadn't thought he'd ever had met her before, but he couldn't be sure and he decided not to think on it too much, and pushed the thought away for good, at least for that moment and time, and he figured he'd have some time later to try and puzzle it out.
Seeing Isabelle's hesitation, and the hard expression of un trust raising up on her face, Magnus opened his mouth to speak, when Tessa stopped him, as she looked at Isabelle and spoke slowly,
"I won't bite, promise." Tessa told her, making a criss cross motion over her heart, sealing the promise she told Isabelle. Isabelle watched Tessa like she was crazy, as Tessa smiled softly, Magnus watched on silent and still, his expression impatient and irritable.
They all stood for several moments, silent and still, as Magnus began to form words to speak, when Isabelle finally sighed deeply,
"Fine." She grumbled roughly, as Magnus laughed once with bitter impatient humor,
"Finally she answers." He said sarcastically, gaining an evil look from Isabelle as Tessa stood quiet and patient, and Simon watched on wondering what may happen next, Isabelle turned and looked away from them, her hair hiding her face as she slowly reached up and unzipped the front of her Shadowhunter gear, the sound made Simon want to look away, but as he tried to look away, he knew he couldn't he had to see it, the rune he had to know exactly the precise detail of it, he had to know if it looked like he remembered, he only saw it briefly when Isabelle had showed him and Clary the night before, but he knew he had to see it, really see it, and he had to find, try and find out what significant part of it was linked to his dreams and what it may mean to him, Isabelle, and the future.
Isabelle moved aside the gear covering her shoulder with a thin pale hand, flecked with pale scars, as Tessa and Magnus watched intently on what they were about to see, Simon was unsure what he had expected in the dim light that surrounded them, the night before he remembered how it glowed, and he wondered if it would be glowing now.
They watched, as Isabelle hesitated, as she closed her eyes and finally slowly, she pushed back the black of her gear, her pale hand still covered with scratches and grime from the demon fight not even hours ago, Simon held his breath, as the room around him grew silent, so silent he could hear the heartbeats of all those around him, and finally, even in the dim watery sunlight, they saw it.
Simon heard, Tessa gasp slightly, as Magnus's expression grew dark and grim, Simon looked to Isabelle, as she shut her eyes and swallowed hard, there on her shoulder, it didn't glow like it had before, but it shimmered in a dark color of coppery red, the outline shimmered a golden hue.
The lines crossed around themselves, creating a star like symbol, the eye toward the top of the star point once again mesmerized Simon, as the colors stood out on Isabelle's pale skin, the rune itself now looked dangerous, and menacing where in his dreams it had not, but he noticed also at the very same time it settled a strange unexplainable calm over Simon, a feeling that made him feel strangely uncomfortable, as Isabelle, opened her eyes slightly at first and then fully, and noticing the looks she had gotten from them, recovered the rune, with the dark colored gear and turned her face away from their gazes, Simon tore his eyes from her as well, as the silence crept into the room once more, the dim light shone as the gentle tap of falling raindrops was all that was audible other than the slow breathing, and beating hearts.
Finally Tessa turned to Magnus, who looked at her, Simon turned to them, as he glanced at Isabelle who now gazed out the window, her eyes held a sense of void, as he sighed.
Simon watched as Tessa pushed by Magnus toward a small shelf in the far corner containing some books on the slender shelves.
Confused, Simon watched as Magnus moved toward her as Tessa pulled books from their resting places on the small shelf, only replacing them when it wasn't the one she was seeking.
"I know it's here." She muttered, as she searched and Simon looked to Isabelle, who had her arms around herself, and Simon noticed she was almost shivering, as she gazed out the window, he took in her sight in the dim watery light, as the raindrops that fell onto the window reflected onto her pale skin, Simon held his breath, realizing how dark Isabelle looked in that moment, from her black gear to her, wavy dark hair, and her darkened eyes, set in the pale mask of an unreadable expression, in the gray gloom she seemed to glow, and Simon stepped forward to tell her everything would be okay, even if he didn't fully believe it himself, he knew he had to try and comfort her, but he never got the chance for Tessa had found the book she had been looking for.
"Here it is." Her calm accented voice held a hint of relief and something else, Simon couldn't place, and wasn't sure by the sound that he wanted to.
He saw Isabelle turn her head toward them, her brown eyes narrowing as she locked eyes with him, and he knew his eyes held a sense of worry, but she shook her head slowly, before tearing her gaze away and walking over to the table Magnus and Tessa now stood at, Magnus gazing at the book Tessa had opened flipping through the pages, and with a sigh to himself, Simon walked over to the other side of Tessa opposite Magnus, and stood behind Isabelle who also gazed down at the pages Tessa flipped through as she looked for the right one.
"I remember seeing something similar to the rune that you showed me, I remember hearing about some things on it…it's not used anymore because it was the first of its kind, and not a good kind either." Tessa's voice although held a grim tone, still remained calm, and Simon wondered if she was always like that, it seemed despite the possibility things could be bad, she still seemed to remain calm, and he was unsure how she did it, and wasn't sure he wanted to ask, afraid of the answer he may get.
Simon looked around Isabelle's shoulder, the scent of her dried blood, mainly the blood still matted in her dark hair made his head spin, as the scent of her blood always did, but he ignored it, and focused on the sweet smell of flowers, the scent he always had associated with Isabelle.
Simon gazed down at the book before him that Tessa flipped through the pages, it was a thick book, bound in a dark red leather, the letters he saw a flash of on the cover were black and in a language he didn't recognize but, he figured the word runa meant rune.
After minutes of searching for the right page, Tessa paused, and opened the book to where it laid flat on the table, as she pushed the flower arrangement in the large vase in the center to the side, as she gazed down at the page.
"There." She breathed, a little breathlessly as Magnus, Simon and Isabelle all crowded in leaning over her shoulders to get a closer look.
There on the page before them, Simon saw with shock were illustrations of a battle, large demons roared, with tusks and horns extended, charging toward warriors wearing armor and holding glowing swords with wings as the two forces rushed toward one another, in the heat of the battle, and above the scene across the border were several delicately drawn runes, the one Simon saw that was two toward the left looked exactly like the one drawn upon Isabelle's shoulder, as each on the page before them glowed eerily copper, gold, and pale ice blue in the dim light of the battle scene drawn on the page.
As Simon glanced at it, taking in the sight he could almost hear the demons roaring, hear the sounds of their snarling and howling, and metal sword upon flesh…
Simon snapped himself out of the thoughts, just as Tessa leaned over the page and began to read.
"Os Stella Maledictio." She began, looking up at Isabelle and Simon, her eyes a bright gray nearly silver, and seeing their puzzled looks she said, "Bone Star Curse."
Simon felt himself grow cold, as he noticed Magnus's expression darken, and all was silent until Isabelle spoke, her voice hard and strangely calm.
"Keep reading…"
Tessa nodded, and leaned back over the book flipping the page over to a page full of words that Simon couldn't make out in the small print as she began reading, the runes of the Seven Bone Stars were all sketched in a circle, much like a summoning circle Simon thought, after having seen Magnus summon demons and even the Angel before.
"Os Stella, or Bone Star, is a style of rune created a long time ago beginning as an experiment gone wrong. The story goes that a small group of Shadowhunters grew unsure of how to handle the growing rate of demon hordes entering the dimensions of Earth. So they poured through knowledge and books passed down from other generations searching for a solution, but when none came, they gave up on the thought of a way to end the coming hordes, when one day someone came along with something to tell them, something they thought was impossible."
Tessa paused and looked to those around her, who all gazed back at her.
"What was it they thought to be impossible?" Simon asked quietly, as he noticed Isabelle look up from the book at Magnus and Tessa.
Magnus had his mouth turned into an uneasy frown,
"Nephalem." He told them darkly, as Tessa looked back down at the book in front of them, and Simon and Isabelle looked at one another before Isabelle spoke.
"What is a 'Nephalem?'" she asked, her voice holding an edge Simon hadn't heard before.
Magnus didn't answer but turned back to the book, when Tessa spoke.
"Nephalem are said to be the opposite of Nephilim, where Nephilim are half human half angel, the Nephalem are half human, half demon."
Tessa looked up at them, her gray eyes unreadable, as Simon turned his head to Isabelle, who had a skeptical smirk on her face.
"That is impossible." She snapped, "Everyone knows the direct blood mixture or demons and humans result in warlocks. Even you have said that yourself Magnus."
Simon looked from Isabelle to Magnus, who remained his eyes on the book; Tessa too looked at him when Isabelle's voice softened as she spoke again.
"Is there something I'm missing?"
Magnus turned his head then to look at her and spoke, "Most accounts of a demon and human union results in warlocks, like me, yes, but in some cases there are times where it creates something else."
"What may that be?" Isabelle asked, her voice turning hard again, "There are no gray areas, there are warlocks, then there are Ifrits, ones who can't do magic."
Magnus gazed at her, his eyes holding a sense of unfeeling, "There is always gray area, Isabelle Lightwood, and if you have not be taught that maybe you should return to your studies. Nephalem are the counter species of Nephilim, they are created as the Nephilim were created, but they weren't created by any Greater Demon such as Sebastian is trying with Lilith, they were created to set the world of demons to bay, by the Demon of Remorse."
Isabelle remained silent, as did Tessa who didn't look up from the book in front of her, and Simon got the feeling that there was something more to this then what they were saying.
"So, you mean that there was already an Infernal Cup like the Mortal Cup if he created the race of Nephalem?" Simon asked, Magnus who looked at him, but it was Tessa who answered.
"It has never been proven, it's said that all Nephalem were put to death, or in hiding from fear of the Nephilim, they were part of Downworlder society, but always placed under the presumption of being warlocks when they were not, the ones who are in hiding now are in hiding as warlocks. It is thought a long time ago, there was another Cup, but whereas Sebastian is looking to create a race of Dark Nephilim, the one used to create the Nephalem was different, and made out of remorse and sadness, rather than death and destruction as Sebastian has in mind."
"So, let me get this straight," Isabelle spoke up crossing her arms, "You mean to tell me, that long before the Nephilim there was a fighting race of half demons named Nephalem? Well if they were so strong then why were Nephilim even created?"
"That's just it, Isabelle. They weren't. Nobody for sure knows how it all pieces together; some believe that Jonathon Shadowhunter asked the Angel Raziel to create Nephilim in order to aid the Nephalem in their battles, because whereas the children of Shadowhunters would be Shadowhunters themselves, the Nephalem had difficulty having children, much like warlocks." Magnus said, "But given the fact the future generations of Shadowhunters know nothing of the Nephalem, it is possible that they were created for the same purpose, but by different blood sources, and knew nothing of each other until that one day, when they found each other by accident."
Simon took this in as he looked at Tessa who had her hands rested on the table, her mouth turned in a slight frown, as he turned his head back to look at Isabelle.
"You're telling me, aside from werewolves, warlocks, vampires and faeries, there are other Downworlder species out there that nobody knows about?" Isabelle said, unbelieving anything she were hearing.
Magnus sighed and rubbed a hand over his face as he looked at her, "You know werewolves and vampires are created by direct demon diseases that alter the mundanes DNA, yes?"
Simon and Isabelle nodded, as Simon tried to see where this could be going, but was unsure, although he was nearly sure it had something to do with something they hadn't wanted to tell them, something Magnus and Tessa both knew, and something she were hiding from, especially by the way she had held still and silent half the conversation.
"You know that warlocks are usually the result of a human and a demon? And that, Ifrits are warlocks who cannot perform magic?" he continued,
"Yes." Isabelle whispered, "And all warlocks, possess a certain Mark that makes them a warlock."
"Exactly." Magnus continued, his voice holding a hint of relief at hopefully Isabelle finally catching on, "Nephalem, unlike Warlocks have no marks that separate them from humans or even Shadowhunters, and they look as human as you." He told Isabelle, who considered this a moment, and answered.
"You mean then, that Nephalem, half demon half human, but not warlocks, have the exact same abilities as a Shadowhunter but the opposite?"
Magnus nodded, "Yes. Everything is either seraphic or demonic in allegiance, whereas the Nephilim were created with angel blood, by Raziel, the Nephalem were created of demon blood by the Demon of Remorse, who after becoming a fallen regretted his choice, but knowing that God can never accept his loyalty and forgive the choices he had made, he forever becomes a wanderer, not wanting to accept being a part of Satan's cruelty, he wanders in the Between, of Heaven, Earth, and Hell."
"What did they use for power? If Shadowhunters have the Book of the Gray containing runes of seraphic power, did the Nephalem have one of demonic ability?" Simon asked curious now on what this all had to do with being connected.
"That is a good question that I have no answer for." Magnus replied, warily, when Tessa replied, right when Isabelle opened her mouth to speak.
"But I do."
Everyone turned to Tessa, who had finally spoke after the such debate that left Simon's head spinning, so much information and still half of it made no sense to him, he wasn't sure any of this ever would in his mind, he got the basics, all Downworlders had demon blood in them someway, somehow, all Shadowhunters were part angel. After that, he always got lost.
"They did have a unit of power similar to the Shadowhunters, where the runes of power used by the Nephilim are angelic power, the runes of the Nephalem weren't, and neither of the two could exchange runes, the angel runes didn't work on the Nephalem, and the demon runes of their power didn't work on the Nephilim, they were separate units, opposites of each other but in ways wanting the same cause."
"Demon runes? That can't be true; all runes are created by the Angel." Isabelle countered what Tessa told them.
"Not all." She said, "As with everything in this world, there are opposites, good and evil, vampire and werewolf, angel and demon, in this case it is Nephilim and Nephalem."
Isabelle crossed her arms, "And how come I've never heard of these Nephalem before, until now?"
Tessa sighed, when Magnus spoke again,
"Remember when I told you, that there were runes that were not known that were old and illegal and outlawed?"
Isabelle nodded slowly, her eyes growing wide as she began to come to a form of skeptic realization, as Simon did.
Magnus's cat eyes sparked with the vibrant color of green in the dim light, "Since the runes of the Nephalem are not angelic and are unable to be used on Shadowhunters, they wouldn't teach you about them, and as Tessa said most have either been killed, long ago or they are in hiding, the species as a whole is believed to be dead."
This for the first time in several minutes made sense to Simon, of course the Shadowhunters wouldn't be taught about a species that, they probably didn't trust to begin with, and was also thought to be dead, there'd have been no point in bringing up something like that to the younger generations when mainly they were trained to hunt and kill demons and protect humans, it wasn't until the recent years that they even begin to believe Downworlders weren't all evil and demonic abominations.
"So, if the demonic runes of the Nephalem couldn't be used on the Shadowhunters, what does all this have to do with the Bone Star runes?" Simon asked, after thinking on the subject for several minutes.
Magnus then looked from Simon and Isabelle to Tessa, clearing not knowing the answer to this question as he had stated before, that is what brought them there in the first place, to learn of the Bone Star style of rune.
Tessa looked from them back to the book, before signing and closing her eyes, as she began to speak.
"A small group of Nephalem sought out the Shadowhunters, revealing themselves for the suggestion of an alliance between the two, reluctantly the Shadowhunters agreed, this is when they began to learn about each other,"
She paused watching them all carefully in a slow silence, as a low rumble of thunder sounded outside the window of the now darkened sky, as it signaled a coming storm.
"It isn't stated or quite known how they came to be, there are many skeptical tales about how they came to be, but somehow, the runes of the Bone Star style can be used on all races of Shadow World warrior, I don't mean like, warlocks, vampires, and werewolves, but I mean the Nephilim and the Nephalem, somehow in some way these runes were created to work as a binding to them, a mix between two certain styles that are now after the curse was set in on the style of runic power, known to have the curse of the Deadly Sins and counter curse of the Heavenly Virtues."
Tessa paused with a deep breath again as she closed the book and looked down at it, her eyes bright in the darkened light of the nearly black sky outside, as she took in the cover of the book, and continued as if she had memorized the information.
"Some say an Angel found out, and cursed them for inner mixing, some say a Greater Demon tricked them into thinking the mixing of the two types of runes would aid in their alliance, either way, a curse was set on the Bone Star style of rune, the main style being known as, the Rune of Divine Amaranthine."
Simon looked out the window as another rumble of low thunder in the distance rumbled and the rain had begun to pick up, at the sound of the name of the rune, everyone had grown silent, when Tessa continued.
"There are Seven Bone Star runes, which are cursed with the seven sins, each style of each rune was cursed with a single one of each sin, however, all the styles have the powers of all the seven, with one individual being more dominant, the main style, being that of the Divine Amaranthine would be the main style of all the cursed, being of amaranth means to be everlasting, to be undying, to be forever beautiful such as vanity itself, but within the mixing of the demonic and seraphic elements, it can also be a rune of wrath, being that each emotion one feels while possessing the rune, will be heightened if not careful, anger becomes rage, sadness becomes sorrow, and so on."
Everyone held still, as they took this information in, and Simon stole a peek over at Isabelle who hid her face behind her long black hair, when Tessa spoke again,
"The rune translates into the Rune of Divine Immortality, it is the immortal rune, that takes affect after the death of the one it is drawn on, death is the way to activate the curse of the runes, however it is not known exactly what each curse does, other than give you weakness of the sins they are cursed of, and the curse of immortality, and being of amaranth, the everlasting. The runes being mixed of demonic and seraphic turns the bearer be them Shadowhunters or Nephalem, into something else entirely." Tessa spoke, her voice growing softer in several places in her speech, as she took a seat at the table, her elbows resting there as her teal sweater looked darker in the gray light, Simon saw out of the corner of his eye, Isabelle raise her head, and speak, her voice void of all emotion.
"What do they become?" she asked quietly, almost a nonexistent whisper, and Simon saw Magnus close his eyes and turn away, as Tessa's deep set gray ones, holding a hint of what looked to be regret deep within, but Simon couldn't tell if it was a long lived before regret or a regret lived in the present.
"After death and the runes are activated, once the Shadowhunter or the Nephalem are reborn into the world once again, the curse alters the blood, making them, demon, angel, and human, Zaiphiens." Tessa said when Simon looked to Isabelle, her eyes were hard and cold, her breathing had picked up as she looked to Magnus.
"You knew?" she said, icily, a rage forming in her eyes which confused Simon, had he missed something? The warlock opened his eyes slowly, and turned toward her, and exhaled a breath before answering.
"I hadn't known the rune was somehow connected to them until now." He defended,
"You knew!" Isabelle shrieked, "You knew what a Zaiphien was before we even came here! You wouldn't tell me when the demon told me that is what I had become!"
Tessa and Simon looked at each other and then back to Magnus and Isabelle, confused looks both clouded their expressions.
"I knew what a Zaiphien was, yes, a hybrid between, angel, demon and human, but not how one was created." Magnus replied, he didn't shout, his voice was the opposite as it trailed off.
Isabelle's expression grew dark; when she spoke again her voice was like acid. "Only faeries are angel and demon blood."
Magnus sighed inwardly and looked at her straight on, and spoke, interrupting what Tessa was about to say,
"Yes, the Fair Folk are of angel and demon blood, but they are only angel and demon, Zaiphiens are of angel, demon, and human blood, their forms are conflicted, their blood unsure what form it wishes to take, they can't do magic, they are the wanderers in limbo, from an experiment gone wrong, they can be perfectly fine one minute and the next, unpredictable."
Magnus's eyes shone bright, the only light Simon had noticed in the room was from the faint glow of the gold green eyes that held a stare as hard as diamonds.
Isabelle turned from him swallowing, "So what does all this mean?" she asked quietly.
Tessa sucked in a breath before she looked from the stormy sky back to Isabelle.
"It means, I'm afraid that you are very unfortunate to have had this rune drawn on you, Isabelle Lightwood, and after your death it was activated, what the full extent of the curse upon you bearing the Divine Immortality rune of the Seven Bone Star style, is unknown, but what I can tell you is the demonic and seraphic energies in you, mixing with the human blood you have left will make you as Magnus said, fine one moment and unpredictable the next, the best I can say for you is stay away from every heightened emotion imaginable, or you may just do something you'll regret…"
Isabelle shut her eyes tightly swallowing hard, as the words sank in, she was a monster now, she wasn't no longer on the side of the Shadowhunters, she was something she had wished she's never find herself saying she had become, she knew the demon energies burned in her now, it was like a throbbing ache to her chest, to her shoulder, and it shook her to the very core, but even in knowing, now finally knowing, she would not give up the fight.
"Is there anyway to counter it? You said there were others, created in the opposite?" Simon asked finally speaking up after witnessing all that was going on around him, and even if all this seemed too odd and awful to be truth, he had grown to keeping his mind opened, and knowing it was usually the most awful of things that were usually the truest.
Magnus crossed his arms and looked out the window, as Tessa looked at him, and realizing that he no longer seemed to want part in the conversation continued.
"Yes, there were another Seven, that were also mixed of rune styles, but where the Bone Stars are more of the curse of the seven deadly sins, the Seven Blood Star style were made as counter curses, although also mixed of demonic and seraphic, they were more seraphic in style than the Bone Stars."
"How do you counter it?" Simon wanted to know, but all Tessa did was shake her head, as she looked at him with saddened eyes.
"I do not know that part of it, I'm afraid."
Simon cursed under his breath as he saw Isabelle bite her lip, and speak.
"So you don't even know what kind of curse is on me other than I'm likely to feel very heightened in emotion and be unpredictable? What kind of curse is that?" she said, her tone matched her eyes in bitterness.
"Your heightened emotions of instability can trigger the meanings of this curse of the rune, I didn't say that being heightened in emotion and unpredictable was the curse, but the unlocking of it and since these runes haven't been spoken of for hundreds of years, no nobody knows what they do." Tessa replied her eyes fuming as Simon could see anger welling up in her.
Isabelle bit her lip again and fidgeted before speaking once more,
"I could lose myself," she stared at Tessa, and they locked gazes, "I could become the monster inside, this demon." She spat the word, making Simon flinch at the amount of venom behind it, "And not remember a thing, no remember anyone…I could become something else entirely because now I am cursed, and we have no way of knowing how to counter it, or what it even does?"
Magnus didn't move, as Simon looked from him to Tessa who didn't tear her gaze away from Isabelle, until Izzy taking a deep breath and gazed down at her hands, breathing heavier than before as if the full extent of the conversation had hit her, she slowly backed up against the wall nearest her, and slid down it with a small thud, her head resting in her shaking hands.
Simon saw Tessa's expression of sadness, again, that deep one that touches the soul, before she turned to face Simon, her gray eyes once again holding the fierceness that reminded him of someone, but he was unsure how or who, and pushed the thought away again as he focused on her next words.
"I will do everything in my power, to find the counter curse, before whatever is locked within that rune is released, I will find out how the counter runes work, and I will help you find a way to put this to right, on this I swear."
Simon swallowed as he looked to Isabelle who now had her head and arms both resting on her legs that were pulled up to her chest, but Simon could notice no form or indication of emotion coming from her, before he turned back to Tessa and nodded once, she returned the nod and looked to Magnus.
Magnus was staring out the window at the falling rain, as it patted against the window, the thunder rolled rumbling deeply outside, cracking as the lightning flashed once, lightning up Magnus's face when he turned to face them, his expression once again, not much to Simon's surprise was unreadable.
Simon turned his attention from Magnus as his eyes rested on Isabelle, he was unsure on whether it was a good idea to ask if she were alright, or to leave her to her thoughts, but Simon knew, the later rather than former was bad for all Shadowhunters, so while Magnus and Tessa remained silent, and Tessa stood from the table to begin searching through the books on the shelf once again, Simon stood still as Magnus went back to gaze out the window, each flash of lightning lighting up the glitter that still clung to his dark hair, and Simon saw the dark red and black spots of blood that looked eerily stained on his clothes with each flash that illuminated his shadowed form, and shuddered, slowly Simon turned from watching Magnus, and slowly went over to Isabelle, who still leaned against the wall, hiding her face he slowly knelt down and sat next to her, and looked over at her, he reached his hand out to touch her but hesitated when she moved, lifting her head up and leaning back against the wall, Simon watched her silently as placed his hand back on his lap, as Isabelle the back of her hand across her face, and Simon gazed at her, she wasn't crying, Isabelle rarely cried about anything, but her face was pale and her eyes wide and dark, her expression was void.
"Izzy." Simon whispered, as she turned her head slowly to look at him, as if realizing for the first time that he was there, and turned to look away. "Are you alright?"
Isabelle laughed once without humor, as she looked down at her hands, the pale scars stood out in the dark light of the storm outside, as the rain came down, and the thunder roared.
"Am I alright?" she asked, looking over at him, her eyes large and Simon could see the gold around the black of her pupil. "After all we've learned, after knowing what I've become, you ask if I'm alright?"
Simon remained silent, and looked away from Isabelle, who held her mouth in a tight line; her pale skin glowed creamy in the gray light.
Simon looked over at Tessa who was gazing down at a book opened in her hands, and Magnus looking over her shoulder, as they quietly murmured about something within its pages, Simon sighed and closed his eyes resting his head against the wall, how had it come to this? How had Clary possibly seen a cursed demon rune? How was it even possible for her to think the Immortal Rune of the Seven Bone Stars was even an advanced healing rune? Now as Simon brushed onto the subject, he had no idea, but he knew that the subject would defiantly come up when they saw Clary at the apartment, he needed to know exactly what she saw the night Isabelle had died, what had come to mind, even if Clary told nobody else of what she had seen, he knew he had to know.
Opening his eyes, Simon turned his head to look at Isabelle, as she still gazed down at her hands, involuntarily he smiled softly, as she turned her head to face him and blinked in the light, Simon knew no matter what had happened, no matter what Isabelle may be, he would do everything he could to help her, to save her, to put things to right, and he couldn't believe he would actually believe what he thought next, but he knew he would do all he could to save Isabelle, even if it meant letting her go.
The smile disappearing from his face he turned from her, as a confused expression crossed her sharp features, and she spoke.
"Simon?"
Not looking at her Simon gazed down at his shoes, when he felt a cool hand touch his arm, and finally turned to see her leaned over, in her eyes held worry and anger, masking the sadness she felt deep within herself, the knowing of everything she had ever known, being replaced by things she hadn't known, and never had until now.
"I'm sorry Izzy." He said softly, as her expression softened at his words,
"What for?" she asked, as she leaned back against the wall and stared ahead,
Simon gazed at her and then followed her eyes to rest on the far wall as well when he spoke,
"For everything,"
Isabelle looked at him, and he looked back at her, her eyes unreadable, but sparking with the anger she had kept in her expression, but Simon knew deep down she was upset, more upset then she was showing.
"There is no reason for you to be sorry Simon; you didn't draw this rune on me."
Simon looked at her then sharply, "So you're blaming Clary then?"
Isabelle didn't answer only turned away to gaze ahead, her eyes hard.
"Isabelle, look at me!" Simon demanded, his voice so loud that even over the thunder, Tessa and Magnus gazed over at them, Isabelle turned her head slowly, her eyes held no feeling, as she spoke.
"Well who else am I to, Simon? She's the one who drew this thing on me."
Simon shook his head as he moved away from her standing up, Isabelle standing up as well, as he gazed at her, his eyes narrowing.
"You can't blame Clary, someone showed her that rune in her mind, I'm sure of it."
Isabelle crossed her arms, "That is impossible, everyone knows it, Shadowhunter children are blessed when their born and little so no demonic influences can't touch their minds."
"Yes, demonic what if it wasn't demonic?" Simon answered his voice raising as he couldn't believe despite all they had found out that she would automatically blame Clary.
Isabelle smirked, "Go ahead, say something about how it's not a demonic influence, blow everything I've learned I know out of the water as everything else has!"
Simon sighed, shaking his head, before looking at her, and sliding back down onto the wall running a hand through his hair, only to find that places were matted together with blood and other grime from before.
Simon didn't dare look up, but could see Tessa and Magnus watching them, Tessa still holding the opened book as Magnus peered over at the pages, ignoring everyone Simon gazed back down at his shoes, until a shadow in front of him blocked what little light was left in the room from the stormy outside.
Simon looked up and squinted in the shadows, and noticed it was Isabelle, who rested her hands on her hips, as she gazed down at him, her eyes sparked with flames of anger, anger that everything she had lived for and known was not the whole truth she had believed it to be.
Simon sighed as he saw Isabelle kneel down in front of him, before she turned her head to look at Tessa and Magnus, who had gone back to looking and discussing something in the book they were reading.
Isabelle sighed and turned back to Simon,
Simon looked at her face, but avoided her eyes when she spoke,
"I'm sorry Simon," she told him quietly, as he raised his eyebrows in question, was she actually saying sorry? Another shock from Isabelle of the day, she didn't say sorry to him often if ever either.
"What for?" he asked, echoing her words from moments ago, and she looked down at her hands and lifted them up where he saw the tiny pale scares of rune patterns from before, long used runes that left their traces as a map on her skin behind.
"These." She began, now looking at them herself, Simon gazed at the scars and listened to her words, "Knowing that now, these were all for nothing."
Simon looked up at her then, her eyes angry and sad at the same time, when she turned her head and spoke again, "I can never use another Shadowhunter rune again, after this, after what I've become, they won't work on me anymore, not with demon blood in my veins..."
Simon listened as her voice trailed off, and the low thunder rumbled, as she plopped down beside him, sighing.
He followed her move as she leaned against the wall as well and looked over at him, her eyes darker as she spoke again, her mouth barely moving,
"I'm as good as nothing, to anything now,"
Simon looked at her, and answered when she looked away, "You are still Isabelle Lightwood, Izzy doesn't matter what may be in you it doesn't define you, you can still do what you always have done."
Isabelle smiled coldly, and looked at him, her eyes bright, "How can I kill something I'm now part in alliance with?"
Simon took in her words, the coldness of them before he spoke, softly.
"Not everything that has demon in them is evil."
Isabelle turned from her gaze, as he even knew she knew that to be true, if she had believed everything with demon in them to be evil and to be destroyed, she'd not been there right now with Magnus and himself, for each had a form of demonic presence in their blood, being Downworlders.
"I don't want to be a Downworlder." She whispered softly, as she stared ahead at the wall again, Simon looked over at her, seeing her eyes too wide for her face, he guessed she were fighting off tears, without thinking or taking much thought into his actions, Simon leaned over in a swift smooth motion and put his arm around Isabelle's shoulders.
Feeling her stiff involuntary movement, she let him lean her toward him, until her head was rested on his shoulder; she blinked several times, before gazing up at him.
Simon looked down at her with a small smile, "Being a Downworlder isn't so bad,"
Isabelle didn't answer just looked toward Magnus and Tessa who were now in a slightly heated conversation about the book Tessa held.
"It is, when you're a Shadowhunter first." She told him with a sigh.
Simon took this in and then answered, determined to make her feel better anyway he could,
"Luke used to be a Shadowhunter, now he's a Downworlder and he's just fine."
Isabelle shook her head, "It's not the same."
Simon looked at her surprised, "How isn't it?"
Isabelle leaned away from Simon and looked at him, "Because Luke doesn't seem to mind at all, he was part of Valentine's Circle, if he hadn't become a werewolf, who knows what punishment he would've gotten."
Simon looked up at Isabelle as she stood up before he spoke this time,
"Your parents were in the Circle too, and they don't seem too bad off."
Isabelle smirked, her eyes narrowed, Simon knew she hated talking about her family.
"Yeah? Well because of it, they're only allowed to Idris on official business."
Simon opened his mouth to speak again, when Isabelle stopped him,
"NO, just no! Stop talking about my family!"
Simon closed his mouth with a sigh getting up again, and gazed at Isabelle who clenched her fists at her sides.
Simon shook his head and looked at her, giving her a long hard look, before going back to the original subject that started the whole conversation.
"No, I don't think it was a demonic influence that showed Clary that rune, but I think it was an influence outside of that, what I don't know yet, but I intend to find out."
And with his last words hanging in the air, Simon moved away, passed Isabelle toward Magnus and Tessa who looked up at his approach, both looking ragged and tired, and just plain and clear as day, annoyed at something.
Simon let out a breath he was holding and spoke, "Is there anything else we need to know?"
Tessa looked at Simon and then Magnus who looked down at her and shook his head once slowly, making her turn back to Simon, when Magnus spoke.
"At this time, no, I don't think there is, however Tessa is going to dig up more searches on the runes, the curses, the counter curses and anything else about the Nephalem and Zaiphien species."
Simon nodded once as Magnus touched Tessa's shoulder with a weak smile and she returned the gesture with a tired look of her own before he moved away passed Simon before turning around to face them once more,
Simon gazed at Tessa, her eyes pale in the light, as the thunderstorm still circled the atmosphere outside the window, when Magnus spoke.
"Thank you, Tessa for everything you've given us, it's been very helpful and has put us in a clearer view then we were in before." Magnus told her with a gentle wave of his hand,
"Anytime, and anyway I can help I'll be glad too, I'm sorry I could've give much more, but as I stated there aren't a lot on these runes." She released a sigh Simon had noticed she seemed to have been holding as Magnus nodded.
"That is a tricky task."
"It is." Tessa agreed, as she looked down at the book she held, Simon looked from her to Magnus who looked at Isabelle who was once again looking out the rain splattered window.
"Well, my lovely companions of crime, demon fighting and trouble beyond the norm, I think this is our cue to head back to headquarters and regroup to the next move." Magnus told them, an air of his humor coming back in his voice, as he fought to keep the growing tension between Simon and Isabelle minimal.
Simon nodded glancing at Isabelle who turned back to look at them, her expression blank once more.
As they walked toward the hallway that lead back toward the entrance Simon paused to look at Tessa, who smiled softly, and spoke saying one last thing.
"It was nice meeting you, Daylighter, and I hold to my promise,"
Simon nodded with a quick nod before saying, "I believe you."
He turned his head to walk down the hall, before he could see which expression cross Tessa's face, surprise, relief, confidence? He wasn't sure as he walked down the hall first, unsure at first to who was following behind, but by the sound of their footsteps he figured it was Isabelle, and Magnus must been behind her.
Sighing to himself, slowly Simon opened the door to the apartment, and stepped out followed by none other than Isabelle, and Magnus close behind as he shut the door behind him and gazed at them, in silence.
Isabelle remained quiet, as her breathing returned to normal from just moments ago when she had been breathing heavy and Simon wondered if that was one of the signs of her emotional levels heightening in danger zone of the runes power, but unsure if he should ask or what the answer might be to it, Simon kept quiet himself, as the three traveled down the stairs and back through the foyer, in silence.
When they reached the main doors to the apartment complex, Magnus gazed at Simon and Isabelle, with a raised eyebrow before he opened the door and they stepped out into onto the steps, as the sounds of the storm and rain amplified around them.
Simon out of habit put up his hood, despite the ripped pant leg, and shredded clothing he worse exposing the skin of his chest and stomach, as Magnus turned to them finally speaking.
"So, where to now my partners in horrendous crime?"
Simon looked to Isabelle, who didn't answer or appear to hear or care as she gazed out watching people jolt from cars and down the street holding newspapers and other objects over their heads to avoid the pouring rain.
Simon shook his head once and looked back to Magnus who eyed them, curiously.
"I need to get blood, I'm nearly out and food for the 'headquarters' for those who eat, we have nothing." Simon told him slowly, "So I guess to the store."
Magnus narrowed his gazed and looked Simon over and with a twitch of his lip and a raised eyebrow he answered, "Well, most certainly dressed like that you won't." he said, as Simon gazed over at Isabelle who didn't appear to have grabbed the shopping bags from earlier, but Simon knew after all she had learned she may not have even remembered or cared, but he was almost certain Tessa knew who they belonged to, and wouldn't bother anything in them.
"I could change, but we forgot the bags." Simon shrugged, as Magnus shook his head.
"No, don't worry I'll retrieve them later, their safe where they are, and I suggest how about you two head back to the apartment, fill in Clarissa on all we have learned so far, and I got to the store and pick up things that are needed, and we all meet back at the apartment?"
Simon considered this a moment, and finally nodded with agreement, after all he was beginning to feel very tired, all he wanted to do was set down and never have to move again or feel again, Simon glanced at Isabelle who turned to look at them right when Simon replied.
"That's a good idea, I guess, that way we can then go over where we go from here after everyone returns." He said with a tired tone, and Magnus nodded, his cat eyes holding a spark of worry when Simon turned away to look at Isabelle, who smirked at the pouring rain.
"Are you ready?" he asked her quietly as she looked toward him and then back out at the rain, her voice holding no emotion.
"Yes." She said, low enough Simon had to lean in to her head, "The sooner we get back the better off we are."
And with the last words, Isabelle, walked off the curb into the rain, as she began walking down the sidewalk uncaring of the cold rain falling on them, Simon with a sigh and a small look to Magnus who only nodded with a small smile and sad gleam in his eyes, before he turned himself heading the opposite direction, Simon watched him and looked up to the gray sky, and with a shake of his head and a relaxing breath to himself, he stepped out into the cold wet himself, walking after Isabelle, as the thunder and lightning rumbled and flashed all around them, and Simon couldn't help as he walked to be fearful of what may lie ahead for him, Isabelle, their friends and the future that may hold for them.
OK. Sooo...I know if you add characters from TID into your stories it should go into the Crossover section, but being that this story here is mainly about Simon and Isabelle and characters from TMI with only maybe one or two cameos from a single character of TID in this case Tessa Gray, I find it pointless to put this in the Crossover category since this may be one of only two times Tessa appears, and why i chose her was because i had to have a immortal character that Magnus knew, Tessa fit the category and she is also one of my favorite characters from Cassie Clare. 3.
Anyways, this chapter is very complicated, complex, and downright confusing, but i had to find a way to fit everything together and that was SO difficult, but i think it did an alright job, i guess...anyways, review please, tell me what you think, what you'd like see in upcoming chapters, if you have any questions about anything, PM me or REVIEW i love reviews. :) and the next chapter be up soon since i am now home and my writers brain is flowing once again! :) LOVE MY READERS!
Thanks for much for reading! And taking time to review! IT means a lot to me and it means a lot to the contiunation of the story! :D