Xelqua goes through Catarina's portal with Maryse by his side which closes in a snap of orange, but as soon as Xelqua's feet latch onto his apartment floor he stares at his family longsword glowing a dark red on a mantle over his fireplace.
Maryse stares at the warlock in silence for a moment before saying his name "Bane?" But for the warlock every nerve ending he had was on fire. Maryse's voice reverberated in the blonde's head forcing him to grasp his head in pain.
"Xelqua, I'm going to grab your hand alright?" The blonde didn't respond to the nephilim not even moving from his position on the cold wooden floor.
Maryse gripped the warlock's hands, interlocking their fingers together. As soon as Maryse touched his hand, Xelqua jerked forward trying to get away from the shadowhunter but only let out a small whine, the first noise he made since entering the apartment.
"Xelqua? What is it? What's wrong?"
"I need your strength please.."
Every shadowhunter has a chance of having pure angel energy in them. The energy was first given to the first nephilim by the high angel siblings Raziel and Kaveth.
"But.. How do you know about tha-"
"I have known thousands of nephilims over the years and I can sense a stronger amount of Raziel's magical signature in you."
"You know what High Angel Raziel's signature is?"
"Yes I do. I'll explain why after but Maryse I.." Xelqua's body clenched tightly as he let out a loud scream and slid to the ground falling to his knees. A dark red magic started to flow from the warlock's palms uncontrollably.
"Take what you need, but how do I give it to you?"
"Focus on the energy deep inside you." Maryse closed her eyes and breathed deeply, releasing an exhale when she felt a pulse of energy light up making her insides crawl.
"I've got it."
"Good, now that you've found it, push it outwards."
As Xelqua said this he felt a rush of energy flowing up his spine and spreading through his limbs.
He was tired, and light-headed from using too much magic to understand how good it felt, feeling Raziel's magic go through him again after years in the mundane world, but soon the pieces clicked inside his head.
Our energies just linked, didn't they. Just like the prophecy.. like Edom's seer Alhaitham mentioned. That a child of a nephilim and a ruler of Edom will join forces. It can't be her surely right?
"Maryse?"
"It's okay Xel.. I'm here."
"Maryse we need to-
"Xelqua.. It's okay. Just rest you need it, I'll be here when you wake up, I promise."
Maryse trailed her hand over the blonde's hair as his breathing began to go steady and he fell limp in the shadowhunter's arms. Maryse forces herself to her feet, holding onto Xelqua as best as she can, bringing the warlock to his bedroom. The warlock went still on the bed, Maryse propped him up against the bed frame as his head leaned itself to the side towards his left shoulder.
Maryse runs a hand over Xelqua's sides, checking him over for any possible wounds apart from his already injured hand and his rather obvious magic exhaustion. The warlock didn't seem to have any other life threatening injuries so Maryse allows herself to breathe a small sigh of relief.
A few hours later Xelqua tiredly rasped "Hey?"
"Hey yourself." Maryse murmured back
"Are you feeling better?"
"Yes, thank you. Maryse, I used too much magic, I'm sorry.."
"It's alright Xelqua, don't apologise. You just overexerted yourself. That's all." Maryse worries,
"Family does that to you. Doesn't it?"
Maryse smiled slightly letting out a soft chuckle.
"Maryse, have you gotten any sleep?"
"No.. I have been worrying about you. Bane"
"Maryse? Why? You need to rest as well."
"Why? Was I worried about you, are you serious! Xelqua!? Your magic was hurting you. You were in pain, I wasn't going to leave you by yourself to wither and die alone, not if I can help it."
"Maryse, I.." Xelqua opened and closed his mouth before mumbling "There is no need. I'm fine.. Just sit." The warlock starts moving to the side of the bed making room before starting with a sigh, "Maryse, I am not joking about resting, I know how you tracked me. Using that rune out of all of them is dangerous, it drains your angelic energy. Like Raziel did in legends"
"You know about the energy that High Angel Raziel gives, how?" Maryse asks as she sits on the bed next to the warlock.
"Hmm.." he softly hums, turning to the nephilim, "It relates back to an ancient tale. Do you know the tale of the Divine?" Maryse wordlessly shook her head.
"For centuries most nephilim believed that it was real but these days most think of it as a myth."
"There are small truths to myths and legends, correct?"
"So do you think that angels betrayed their own?"
"Yes. May I tell you a story?" Xelqua said softly
Maryse nods
"Many millennia ago, Kaveth the high angel and a demon fell in love. Ezekiel But enraged by their love Raziel placed a curse on Kaveth.
It embedded the Kaveth's angel soul with heavenly fire, an essence so strong it burns any and all demons it comes into contact with.
One day a rune appeared on both the angel and the demon's neck, a familiar rune to us in the present day. One of pure angelic energy."
"an Angelic rune."
"Yes"
"The rune's power forced the demonic and angelic energy to converge and burn one another. Kaveth had to create a tangled bloodlinked spell in his shared bloodline with Raziel, ones that only one with both nephilim and edomi energies could unite and have a shared connection due to fate itself. But they had to find a angel with the purest of blood"
"Fate itself? As in a-"
"There was an ancient prophecy passed through generations. A prophecy, where a ruler of Edom and a nephilim would cause either the rise of the darkness or the fall of heavens."
"How do you know all this? Xelqua?"
"Because Raziel is my grandfather."
"Are we ones spoken of in the prophecy?"
"There is a small possibility that is you but I can't be certain"
"How?"
"Before the rune was ever made Kaveth and Raziel created the first shadowhunters, the first nephilims, Jonathan and Alice Shadowhunter. Those nephilim have the same genealogy as their creators."
"So every nephilim in turn directly shares genes with Raziel."
"Yes. Can I have your hand? I need to see something in your energy signature. It should tell me if it's your fate."
Maryse nodded, holding her hand out to the warlock, whose own palm was shining gold. Maryse could feel a new presence, being ignited and flowing through her veins. Maryse looked up at the warlock and saw his small smile.
"So?"
"You share Raziel's blood as I expected. But your angel signature isn't strong enough to be the one from the prophecy.. in saying that however your energy has an unusual property so I need to draw a Enlinkment rune, it is similar to the transmission rune that you nephilim use, it will help you manage the power now going to be flowing through you.
"Wait.. power?"
"Yes power.. You have magic Maryse You now have the possiblity to be more stronger than any nephilim in existance."
"Why do you need the rune?"
"It protects your energy and soul for corrupting itself. In turn making your magic easier to control. Now.. Where do you want the rune?"
"Right wrist, does that work"
"Yeah it works."
Xelqua visualised the rune in front of him and hovered his white stele over the brunette's wrist.
Xelqua finished drawing the rune, the marked edges flickered purple before turning white. "Maryse?" The blonde called out with a small smile at Maryse's reaction.
Maryse was staring at her palm with intrigue and mouth wide as her hand as it was now swirling with her own green magic.
"Is this what it feels like all the time for you, that every nerve ending you have becomes lit up."
"It is."
"I have magic?"
"You do.."
"It is incredible but the Clave they'll-"
"Magic and emotions have a connection." Xelqua interrupted "The stronger your emotions the stronger your magic is. When you are calm and focused, imagine that you have a fearless rune on, the more controlled and focused the magic will be."
"That makes sense."
"Now focus on your breathing and let it reign in naturally." Maryse senses an energy going through her as if she was walking on burning coals making her whimper harshly as her magic flowed through her.
"Did I do it?" Maryse asked with a pant
"Look for yourself Maryse."
The shadowhunter looked down at her hand and instantly noticed that the magic wasn't in her palm. But she could still feel the energy flowing through her veins.
"Come over if you are free tomorrow. We can continue then. I assume you have many more questions."
Maryse opened and closed her mouth when she noticed the tired state Xelqua was in, "You are going to feel very exhausted and need to rest, especially now that you are having access to your magic for the first time."
"I need to get to the institute."
"Maryse?"
"I need to keep up appearances." she said as she let go of Xelqua's hand which she didn't even realise she was tightly holding.
"Is there anyone you trust enough in the institute to know.. or to cover for you if need be."
"Yes. Luscius he's my best friend and I care about him a lot.. I would have to say Imari more. He's like a father to me but he's in Idris. You mentioned Imari before"
"I have. Haven't I.." Xelqua chuckled slightly, "Indeed I know Imari and have for many years."
"Who do you trust more, be honest with me."
"Imari, without a doubt even after Valentine and everything in between."
"Alright.. I think I'll tell Imari. Do you mind if I tell him you are involved."
"That is a choice that is up to you."
"Xelqua?" Maryse mutters softly looking at the warlock in the eyes.
"I am fine with Imari knowing Maryse. Now.. are you positive you want to go to the institute?"
"I'm sure Bane."
"Alright.. I'll portal with you over then. While I'm they're I'll strengthen the wards around your room and your office. You know your magic won't hurt anyone or anything unknowingly unless you let it right. Like I said before, it's tied to emotions."
"Xelqua.. Thank you for well you know.."
"Your welcome Maryse"
Xelqua then opens a portal for him and Maryse to leave through and go to the institute. As the pair go through the portal they are in Maryse's office. "I'll strengthen the wards here first then your room after."
"Alright.. I'll be in my room, I have to make a call."
"Of course. After I'm done I'll turn in for the night, if I don't see you then, goodnight Maryse.
"Goodnight Xelqua." Maryse calls with a smile as she leaves the warlock alone in her office. She sits on her bed and dialled a number, she hasn't called in a few weeks.
"Maryse? Hi, what a surprise."
"Imari, hey,"
"Mari, why are you still awake? It's past 5am in New York."
"I know Ari.. but we need to talk."
"Mari, of course. Are you alright?"
"I'm fine but can you come back to New York?"
"Maryse? You're worrying me, what's wrong?"
"I need your word, can you?"
"Yes. Maryse I will. Now talk to me what's wrong"
"Do you know the High Warlock of New York?" Imari's breath catches at hearing the warlock title before replying,
"That depends who has the role now? And why are you asking me about warlocks?"
"One of the Bane siblings has the role and i-"
Imari's eyes widened as he cut off Maryse. "Did something happen to Xelqua Or Magnus?"
"Magnus is fine but Xelqua."
Imari knows he needs to be formal, non biased but he can't help himself and asks in a panic, "Is he alright? Is he hur- I'll be th.."
"I'm not sure, he seems different after…" Maryse interrupted before trailing off
"After what Lightwood? What happened to Xelqua?" Imari snapped his panic obvious when his voice cracked
"Lucifer, he attacked him. We've been talking for a few hours, he's strengthening the wards around my office now. But I need to talk to you and so does he in person."
"We need someone that we both trust by our sides."
"I'll be there as soon as I can tomorrow Maryse."
"See you then Imari, and thank you"
Maryse walks back into her office and sees a small dagger and a handwritten note on her desk. She grabs the dagger and places it on the side of her desk with a smile on her face before reading the note.
'It seems like I didn't need to be in the room to do both wards after all, Send Ari my love and mention that he owes me a scotch when you see him. Also Maryse please stay safe. XB'