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These demons have an impossible amount of teeth. Alec counts at least three rows of gnashing, sharp fangs in each mouth. And if this isn’t intimidating enough, they also have curled, six-inch claws protruding from their scaly hands and feet. There’s about twelve pairs of red eyes fixed on the group of Shadowhunters, and Alec doesn’t like the odds of them getting out of here unscathed.
Of course, Jace fights with the ferocity of two Shadowhunters, and Alec and Isabelle can surely hold their own. Alec’s main concern is with Clary Fairchild. The fiery-haired girl has been training for under a month, yet she holds herself with the confidence of someone who has been training for years, and she lashes out like a viper whenever Alec comments on her inexperience.
But confidence doesn’t stop demons from killing you.
“Get back,” Alec hisses, pushing her behind him, raising his bow again. She lets out a yelp of defiance before Jace voices his agreement, and then she settles for grumbling behind the three of them.
Usually, their formation is different. Alec will seek out the best vantage point in the room for his archery. Jace and Isabelle often fight back-to-back, empowered by each-other’s strength and protected by their big brother’s vigilance. This time, they must organize their formation around Clary.
If Alec had time to be angry about her presence on this mission, he would – but he doesn’t have that luxury.
Jace begins to goad the demons, who have been watching them hungrily and smelling the air. These are Lyxen demons, known for group-thinking rather than individual impulses. They won’t approach unless provoked as a collective.
“Hey, shark-faces! What are you waiting for?” It’s not his best insult. He’s thrown off his game, too.
The Lightwoods have an unspoken plan. Jace will try to lure as many of the demons to him that he can; while they’re distracted, Alec will cover Isabelle as she gets Clary out of here. Alec watches the demons’ eyes focus on Jace as he continues to spew insults, and he hears Isabelle whisper, “Get ready to run.”
“Okay,” Clary responds. Her pride is wounded, but she recognizes the severity of the situation.
“Come and get me, you scaly bastards!” He throws a loose piece of concrete and it hits one of them solidly in the middle of the face.
Suddenly, raucous noise fills the echoing space of the abandoned warehouse as the Lyxen demons push against each other to get to Jace. Their teeth are gnashing and their claws are scraping against the concrete. The noises out of their terrifying mouths sound like the snarls of a pack of hyenas. Isabelle pulls Clary with her in order to skirt past.
They don’t get very far before a rumbling sound emerges from above them, and suddenly a mixture of heavy wooden beams and concrete is raining down on Nephilim and demons alike. Jace and Alec skirt past most of the debris, but Clary and Isabelle can’t escape. As the dust clears, the Lyxen demons stumble around in confusion. The Parabatai scramble to their feet and yell the women’s names.
They hear somebody coughing and Clary’s voice rings out, “I’m okay! My leg is stuck!”
“What about Isabelle?” Alec demands.
Clary frantically looks around for her companion. When she sees a pool of black hair to her left, her heart feels trapped under a concrete block as well. “Izzy?” Reaching forward as far as she physically can, Clary can grasp Isabelle’s arm. She finds a pulse. “She’s unconscious but she’s okay!” She hears Jace swear in relief.
“Keep an eye on her! Don’t try to move!” At this point, Alec has discarded his bow and is using his seraph blades to slice at the demons, standing back-to-back with Jace. “We’ll take care of the demons and then come get you!” Clary counts about six scaly bodies littering the warehouse ground around the Parabatai. There’s an equal number surrounding them and attacking at a ferocious speed.
Clary is astounded by the display of physical prowess. It’s as if they have a unified consciousness – when Jace crouches, Alec swings his weapon over his golden head; when Alec jumps, Jace does the same. She was wrong before about the Parabatai bond– it’s so much more than a friendship. It’s incomprehensible to her. It’s a fluidity and strength that Clary could never hope to achieve. It occurs to her in this moment just how inexperienced she is. She thought she learned quickly, but now she sees the difference between a month of training and over a decade of training. It’s no wonder Alec is always babying her on missions.
She wants to help them. Even though she’s not as good as them, surely three Shadowhunters are better than two? Clary attempts to move from under the debris, but her right calf is pinned under a heavy piece of concrete. The movement twists her knee and a bolt of pain shoots through her body, causing her to shout.
Alarmed at the sound, Jace turns to check on her. Though he knows the group-think of Lyxen demons prevents any rogue attackers, his rationality leaves him and his attention is split. Taking advantage of his weakened defense, the Lyxen demon charges Jace, smashing its large skull into his chest and sending him flying backwards into the concrete wall. It takes only a second for Alec to react. Before the demon can pounce on Jace’s fallen form, his Parabatai kicks it in the face and stabs it through neck.
Alec has no choice but to place himself like a shield between his unconscious brother and the four demons remaining. They drool and snarl at him, but seem uncertain with the change of dynamic. Alec has a few moments to catch his breath.
Clary is struck by the image of him. He’s standing with his feet planted, blood running down the side of his face, teeth bared, and seraph blade in hand. She realizes that she has vastly underestimated Alec Lightwood. Blinded by her own priorities and wounded pride, she has failed to really see Alec for who he is. A protector. Regarding him now as he stands, ready to die in defending the people he loves, she feels a great rush of admiration and regret.
Alec spares a quick glance over to where Clary and Isabelle are trapped, confirming their safety. Clary gives him a nod, hoping it conveys at least a few of her feelings. Stone-faced and determined, he turns back to the pair of Lyxen demons in front of him. With a snarl of his own, Alec charges.
He’s in a difficult position, wanting to create space between the demons and his Parabatai, but wanting also to stay close enough to ensure Jace is not vulnerable to attack. Because of this, Alec is fighting swiftly but dangerously, putting himself in positions that leave openings for the demons to strike. Incredibly, he deflects each of their attacks at the last moment.
But the Lyxen demons are pushing him backwards in their brutish attacks and Alec is simply tiring too quickly to keep them away. Their battle edges closer and closer to the fallen form of Jace. Alec’s concentration is split between fighting two opponents and keeping track of his brother.
There’s an opening in his defense and one of the demons smashes its skull into Alec’s chest as he’s leaping backwards. Clary can almost see the breath leave his lungs, and he stumbles backwards and falls. The demon pounces and Alec’s shout echoes in the room as it sinks its many teeth into his right side.
“Alec!”
Clary has a view of the back of the demon, and she watches as the tip of a seraph blade punctures through its skull. The creature falls to the side and crumbles into a gooey pile of smoking ashes.
And Alec, incredibly, stands up to face the last Lyxen.
He was a strikingly powerful figure a few moments ago and, while he has the same determined fire in his eyes, he is battered and shaking. Clary feels as if her heart is lodged in the back of her throat. Alec sways on his feet, one hand grasping his blade and the other holding on to his side, which is dripping blood. Clary has no idea what kind of poison is in those teeth.
Left alone, the demon is uncertain. It has no others of its kind to follow, but it senses Alec’s vulnerability. Alec looks straight into its red eyes and growls, “Come and get me.”
The demon lunges. In an incredibly ferocious movement for someone bleeding so much, Alec decapitates the creature, sending its large head across the room before it into ash like the rest of its body.
The Shadowhunter stumbles from the force of the strike and catches himself on a nearby wall, breathing hard. His seraph blade clatters to the ground. His voice echoes in the sudden silence of the warehouse. “Are you okay, Clary?”
“…yeah.”
“Is Isabelle okay?”
“She’s still out, but I can see her breathing. She looks okay.”
“Okay.”
Alec moves to check on Jace, but his knees buckle on the first step and he crumbles to the ground. Clary shouts his name but he doesn’t move.
“Shit.” Frantically looking, she catches a glimpse of her phone a few feet away from her. The screen is cracked but it lights up when she presses the button. Opening her contacts app, her thumb hovers over Simon’s name. Her best friend has always been the person she calls in any kind of emergency, but she’s not sure if he would be able to drive here in time. And even if they could get everyone into the van, where do they go? Not a mundane hospital. The Institute? Would they get there in time?
She knows who to call. He picks up on the second ring. “Clary? Is everything alright?”
“Magnus, you’ve got to help us.”
She explains to him the situation as quickly as she can and he hangs up immediately. Seconds later, a violet colour fills the warehouse and Magnus Bane steps through the portal, looking fearful and determined.
His cat eyes scan the room quickly before they settle on Alec, crumpled beside his Parabatai and covered in blood. He falls to his knees beside his boyfriend and gently turns him onto his back. With one hand emanating healing light into Alec’s chest, the warlock reaches and touches Jace on the forehead. Clary watches with fascination as a faintly gold shimmer covers Jace’s skin, and the creases in his forehead disappear.
Magnus flicks his free hand and suddenly the debris begins floating in the air as if the gravity had been sucked out of the room. Her leg free, Clary crawls closer to Isabelle. “Go,” Magnus says, and a portal appears beside them. With one last look to the warehouse – once dark and deadly and now filled with a constellation of concrete and the glowing light of magic – Clary thinks of the Institute and pulls herself and Isabelle through the portal.
***
Jace wakes up in the infirmary with a hell of a headache.
He welcomes the familiar sense combination of disinfectant and chatter as he marvels at the fact that he’s still alive. For a few moments, he remains still and listens to Simon and Clary discuss Shadow World history. Slowly moving his head to the right, Jace opens his eyes and smiles at the sight of Isabelle sleeping peacefully. She has bandages on her wrist and leg, but her make-up free face is serene.
Jace turns slowly to the left and sees exactly what he was hoping to see.
Alec, alive and well, is sleeping on the cot next to his brother. He’s very pale and there are large, blood-soaked bandages on chest, but he’s alive. Seeing Alec wounded in the infirmary is an unfortunately familiar sight in the New York Institute, especially during the Lightwood siblings’ reckless first years of missions. However, this particular occasion was pleasantly unfamiliar to Jace.
Magnus Bane, looking exhausted but accomplished, sits in the chair next to Alec’s bed, watching the Shadowhunter’s face with an impossible amount of love and concern. His long, tan fingers are gently stroking Alec’s hair. Without looking away from his unconscious boyfriend, Magnus says, “How’s your head?”
“Not bad, considering,” Jace replies. “How’s he doing?”
“He’ll make it.”
“I’m sorry for getting him into trouble again.”
At that, Magnus looks at him. Before he can reply, Alec groans. “Magnus?”
“Yes, Alexander, I’m here.”
At the disruption, Simon and Clary surround them. Clary activates Jace’s Iratze. Before the effects of the rune pull him back into unconsciousness, he steals one last look at his Parabatai. Alec is clearly in pain but the look of appreciation and comfort on his face as he stares at Magnus is what allows Jace to fall asleep in contentment.