Chapter Text
The gates of hell are open night and day;
Smooth the descent, and easy is the way:
But to return, and view the cheerful skies,
In this the task and mighty labor lies.
Virgil , Virgil's Aeneid
Roman epic poet (70 BC - 19 BC)
Chapter 1 – Distracted
‘I’m pathetic’, Alec thought to himself, not for the first time that day. He knew he should be more focused on his current task, patrol with his siblings, but his mind kept returning to the night before and the party at the residence of the High Warlock of Brooklyn ‘Mmm, The High Warlock of Brooklyn, beautiful gold/green cat eyes, tan skin, tall, colorful, bright, glittery, sigh’. “Stop it!” Alec exclaimed.
“Stop what?” Izzy asked, a bit confused.
“Huh?” Alec asked, blushing. ‘Shit, did I say that out loud???’.
“Dude – what is wrong with you today?” Jace questioned. “You have been off in space all day. What gives?”
“N-nothing, sorry. Just focusing on the mission. Yeah, y-yeah, focus. That’s what we all need to do. J-just focus.” ‘Crap, now the stutter - awesome!’
“Yeah, Alec. We all need to focus, and keep our heads on the mission, not ‘other things’”. Izzy smirked, using air quotes when she said ‘other things’. Alec hated Izzy’s air quotes.
“Somebody want to fill me in?” Asked Jace.
“Alec’s just a little preoccupied, that’s all.”
“On what?”
“Nothing!” Alec spoke in his commander voice, hoping to end the conversation. “I am not preoccupied. End of discussion.” He could feel his blush spread as his parabatai focused in on him.
“Ok, no worries Alec, relax. Just asking.” Jace conceded. He could see something was on Alec’s mind, but he knew him well enough to know he wouldn’t say anything until he was ready. Jace would just have to get the information from Izzy when Alec wasn’t around.
The Shadowhunter trio continued on their patrol through the streets of New York. Along with the rumors of Valentine’s return, there had been an increase of demonic activity lately. Patrols were increased to meet the demand.
Tonight’s patrol bordered on boring, absolutely no activity whatsoever, and Jace was babbling once again about Clary, the red-haired girl who had become the latest thorn in Alec’s side. Alec really had no desire to hear about how amazing Jace found the annoying girl who thought of nobody but herself and her needs. From the moment she appeared at Pandemonium, the downworlder club, and saw them dispatch that demon, she has been following Jace around like he is her own personal savior. Jace, in response has insisted on praising her and talking about her non-stop. Alec didn’t like to admit that Clary’s recklessness was only part of the problem. He also, if he was to be perfectly honest with himself, was jealous that she had gotten the reactions from Jace that Alec had all too often dreamt of receiving. Alec knew he was being stupid, Jace had no idea of Alec’s feelings, nobody did. Well, maybe Izzy, to some extent, but not really, she just more ‘suspected’. Jace didn’t know Alec was gay, and Alec had absolutely no intention of telling Jace, or anyone else. It was considered a disgrace for Shadowhunters, end of story. Alec wasn’t going to bring dishonor to his family name, or risk having Jace look at him like he was damaged.
Izzy seemed equally infatuated by Clary’s pet mundane, Siegfried – no Sheldon – no - whatever, so she joined Jace as he continued to talk about all of Clary’s attributes, interjecting some of her own about what’s-his-name. Alec felt his mind wandering to the previous evening. Clary had once again had some drama about her missing mother and her missing memories. The Silent Brothers were able to confirm that a spell had been cast on her to, in essence, remove the Shadow World from her mind. They weren’t able to restore her memories, only the Warlock responsible could have a hope of doing that. The only thing the Silent Brothers were able to confirm was the Warlock’s name: Magnus Bane.
Izzy mentioned that she heard Magnus Bane was having a big party and thought they should go. Alec had zero desire to go to a party, he hated parties, and crowds, and people, and talking, and anything that could be considered social. Alec was just no good with social. He knew he was awkward, growing up at the institute, trying to hide who (and what) he really was, made sure of that. Alec trained hard, but he knew he wasn’t the fighter his adopted brother, and now his sister, was. Alec was an archer, better at defense not offense. He was ok with that. As the archer, he was able to keep his team alive when they threw themselves into dangerous situations, which they were prone to do often. Alec was content with staying in the background, being invisible, being unnoticed, not having to interact – it was safe. So, when Magnus Bane, probably the most breathtaking man Alec had ever laid eyes on, said, “You, pretty boy, call me?” Alec just assumed he was talking to Jace. They were always talking to Jace. Nobody ever saw Alec when Jace was around, hell, nobody ever saw Alec when Jace wasn’t around. When Alec realized the Warlock was talking to him, he was convinced he felt his brain short-circuit.
‘And what was my oh, so brilliant response?’ He chided himself. He was pretty sure it was something suave and sophisticated along the lines of, ‘Uh – um – I – w-what?’ Then, if he recalled correctly, he turned and ran away. ‘Arg! Why am I so awkward????’ he groaned inwardly.
Lost in his own thoughts, Alec missed the signs until it was much too late.
“Alec! Look out”
Izzy’s cry of alarm jerked Alec out of his mortifying recollections enough to allow him to turn and protect his head from the full force of the blow coming from the demon that had managed to get close without him noticing. ‘So stupid’ Alec thought as he reached for his Seraph blade. This was no demon Alec had ever seen before, he didn’t know what it was or what it could do, and had no desire to find out. It was fast, though, very fast. Thank the Angel Jace was faster. Jace shoved Alec to the side with one hand as he drove his own blade through the demon’s eye with his other. Alec felt his head hit the brick wall behind him while he watched his siblings dispatch the demon in front of him. The near blinding pain in his head caused his knees to give out as he sank slowly down the wall to a sitting position on the ground. ‘They are amazing warriors’ he thought with pride.
Seeing the area was secure, Izzy ran to Alec and knelt before him. “Are you ok big brother?”. He didn’t look ok, he was pale, more so than usual, he had a dazed look on his face, and one of his pupils was dilated, that couldn’t be good.
“WHAT THE ACTUAL HELL ALEC?!?” Jace yelled as he walked over. However, taking one look at Alec’s face, his tone changed immediately. “Oh, Shit. What’s wrong, did it get you?”
“Alec, look at me.” Izzy quietly commanded.
Alec looked at his beloved little sister and smiled, she was so fierce. “Why do you look so sad Izzy?” he asked quietly. “I’m fine, really.”
“Tell me what hurts.” She asked, pulling out her stele so she could apply the iratze rune.
Alec had to think about that, but thinking was becoming difficult. ‘What hurt?’ “My head, but it’s not bad. I feel kind of floaty. It’s ok.”
Isabelle put her hand behind his back with the intention of helping him lean forward so she could see the back of his head. She pulled her hand back, confused by the warm wet feeling it was suddenly coated with. Her look of horror was matched by Jace’s as their eyes met: her hand was covered with blood.
“Alec, I need you to lean forward. Can you do that for me?”
Alec couldn’t understand what she was saying. He knew he should comprehend her words, they seemed to be normal words, but his brain was just so fuzzy.
“Alec, buddy,” Jace began, kneeling next to his brother, “are you in there?”
Alec turned his head toward his parabatai’s voice, “Hi.” He said with a smile, then frowned. “Jace, Izzy is sad. Why is Izzy sad?”
“She’s not sad buddy, she just wants to look at your back. Here, let me help you.” Jace placed his hand behind his beloved brother’s shoulders and leaned him gently forward.
The look on Isabelle’s face said it all. The demon had managed to tear a 6-inch jagged hole in Alec’s back. Jace could see the white of Alec’s bone in the gash, and the beginnings of black lines already fingering out from the wound spreading venom throughout his system.
“We have to get help.” Izzy said, fear coming through with every word she spoke.
“I know, but I don’t think we should move him too much. I don’t want to inadvertently spread the poison more than it has already. Do you think the Silent Brothers can get here in time to help him?”
“The Silent Brothers? I doubt it. They will come when they feel like it, not when we need them. How about Magnus Bane? How far is his place from here?”
“With a speed rune, I can get there in about 7 minutes and bring him back here.”
“Then go!” Izzy commanded.
“Magnus Bane” Alec said dreamily. “He’s sparkly.” Then everything went black.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Magnus was in a good mood, a very good mood. He wore his most comfy fluffy socks, had a vodka martini in his hand, and Chairman Meow in his lap. Project Runway was about to go on, this week was the unconventional challenge, his personal favorite. Magnus had been in this wonderful mood all day, and he knew why; the blue-eyed Nephilim boy.
Magnus wasn’t a fan of Shadowhunters, as a whole they were an arrogant, un-yielding bunch with very few exceptions. That blond who was with Clary was a prime example. How he had the nerve to come in here and ‘demand’ Magnus cure Clary by ‘order of the Clave’ please. He was lucky Magnus didn’t slip him one of the fairy drinks and turn him into a sniveling rat for a while, maybe something for the Chairman to play with. That being said, the blue-eyed boy was quite adorable, why he was hiding in the back of the group so quiet, Magnus hadn’t a clue. Someone like that should be on display for the world to see – ok, maybe not – maybe just for Magnus to see. And that cute little blush when Magnus asked him to call him – amazing. Then the stutter, Magnus almost grabbed him and kissed him right there, probably would have if he hadn’t run away so fast. So hot!
Magnus’ reminiscing was interrupted by the insistent buzzing of his doorbell. Annoyed, he snapped his fingers to open the intercom and boomed, “WHO DARES DISTURB MAGNUS BANE, HIGH WARLOCK OF BROOKLYN?”
The voice that came over the intercom was a shock, “It’s Jace, the Shadowhunter, I was here last night for the party with Clary and my siblings. I need help.”
‘The Shadowhunter from last night??? Really?’ Magnus couldn’t believe his luck, was it true? “Are you the one with the blue eyes?” He asked a bit hopefully.
“Blue? No, my eyes are gold.”
“Oh.” Magnus replied with a tone that was equally annoyed and dejected. “Go away.”
“Wait, I need your help. We need your help. There was a demon attack not far from here and Alec, the one with the blue eyes, was injured. It’s bad, really bad.”
Magnus was dressed and out the door before Jace finished his sentence. “Where is he?!?” He demanded.
Jace, startled by the sudden appearance of the Warlock, said, “We were near Prospect Park when we were attacked.” A portal appeared in front of him.
“Let’s go!” The Warlock demanded, grabbing Jace by the arm and stepping into the portal, not waiting for a response.
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Izzy was terrified for her brother. He passed out shortly after Jace left and hadn’t regained consciousness. She healed what she could with a few iratzes, but that wouldn’t help with the venom. When the portal opened not far from her, she nearly cried with relief.
“Izzy!” Jace called. “How is he?”
“It’s not good. Please Magnus, help him.”
Magnus looked down at the unconscious boy before him, so pale and still. “What kind of demon did this?”
“I don’t know.” Izzy cried. “I’ve never seen one like it before.”
Without another word, Magnus picked Alec up in his arms and strode toward his portal with Jace and Izzy trailing closely behind.
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Arriving back at the loft, Magnus strode directly to his bedroom and lay the young Shadowhunter on his bed. He sent off a quick fire message then turned to the others. “Tell me exactly what happened.”
Jace told Magnus about the demon with Izzy interjecting details here and there.
“And you didn’t recognize it?” Magnus asked.
“No, I have no idea what it was.” Jace replied.
“Don’t you people study demons at that institute of yours?”
“Well,” Izzy began sheepishly, “usually Alec takes care of that kind of thing.”
“Helpful.” Magnus grumbled. “Ok, describe it.”
Jace and Isabelle gave Magnus as much detail as they could remember, watching as Magnus’ eyes grew larger and larger. “No.” He whispered, “It can’t be.”
“What?” Isabelle begged, “What is it?”
Magnus snapped an ancient looking book into his hands and searched the pages. “Is this what you saw?”
Jace saw the nightmarish being that had attacked, “Yes! What the hell is that thing?”
“This is bad.” Magnus muttered. Just then his doorbell rang. Magnus snapped the door open without asking who it was. “Cat! He’s in the bedroom!”
Catarina Loss, one of Magnus Banes oldest and dearest friends entered the loft and immediately got to business. “Magnus, what kind of demon was it?”, she asked. Magnus showed her the picture and watched as she paled. “It can’t be.”
“Cat, can you help?”
“I can work at keeping him alive, but you know what needs to be done.”
“I know. How did it get here?”
“A problem for another time.” She replied. “For now, if you are seriously considering what I think you are considering, then I am going to get him stabilized as best I can and you need to get a team and get prepared.” With that cryptic statement, Catarina walked into the bedroom.
“Magnus!” Jace demanded, pulling on his arrogant Shadowhunter persona. “What the hell is going on? Who was that? What kind of demon was that? What team? What do you have to do?”
“Hold your horses Goldilocks!” Magnus retorted. “Time is of the essence and I am only going to go through this once, when everyone is here.”
“Now hold on!” Jace began, but he was quickly cut off by Magnus.
“No! You hold on! You asked for my help, and I will give it, but not for you, for him. Don’t make me regret it. I don’t have time to deal with your ego so listen up and listen good. Your brother is in trouble. We need…”
“Trouble! What do…” Jace yelled over Magnus.
“Jace! SHUT UP!” Isabelle said, cutting him off. “Please, Magnus. Tell us what you need.”
“Thank you, Isabelle, I’m glad one of you has some brains. There is a lot that needs to be done, and we need five people total to do it – not counting Catarina. Catarina Loss, the Warlock with your brother, is one of my oldest friends and a very skilled healer. She won’t be able to heal him, as you heard, just keep him stable. We have to heal him, but again, it will take five of us; one for each point of a pentagram. Best if you get Clary and her Mundane here immediately. I’m going to get a potion and charms together, let me know when they get here and I will explain the rest.” With those words, Magnus turned towards his apothecary.
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By the time Clary and Simon arrived, Magnus had prepared the necessary items and was watching Catarina with Alec.
“You’re insane.” She told him, not looking up from her task.
“I know.”
“Why are you doing this Magnus? Since when do you help Shadowhunters to this extent?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?” She looked at him curiously.
“I don’t even know this boy. I only met him last night, and didn’t know his name until about an hour ago.”
“Magnus, what’s going on?”
“I just, I don’t know.” He shrugged. “I met him last night and he is just so, different. I can’t explain it. It’s like he is the opposite of blondie in there. There is no arrogance in him. Do you know, when I was explaining to Clary how all teenagers feel like they don’t belong and how they are convinced their problems are the worst in the world, so much worse than anyone else’s. I told them about my stepfather, when he tried to kill me when my Warlock mark materialized. Do you know what he said?”
“What?” She said, with a strange look on her face.
“He looked me right in the eye and said ‘it wasn’t your fault; you can’t help how you were born’. A Shadowhunter, telling me something like that. It was so – so…”
“Kind?” She asked.
“Kind? Yeah, kind.” He mused.
“Oh, Magnus.”
“What?”
“You’ve got it bad for this boy.”
“No, not possible. I don’t even know him.”
“Say what you want, but you are about to step into hell for a Shadowhunter. Why do you think that is?”
“Crap! No, I won’t fall for a Shadowhunter, no matter how pretty his eyes are.”
Catarina smiled fondly at her friend as he walked back to the living room.
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“Ok, listen up.” Magnus began. “I won’t be repeating myself, so pay attention.”
“What…” Jace began.
“And no questions until the end.” Magnus stated abruptly. “The demon that attacked Alec is rare, so rare in fact we don’t have a name for it. I have only seen one once, many hundreds of years ago. It is the offspring of two greater demons, Mara, the demon of nightmares, and Agramon, the fear demon. What it was doing here, I haven’t a clue, someone had to have summoned it, not my problem right now, it is gone.
The problem we are facing is the venom of this demon doesn’t act like you would expect. When someone is infected, the victim falls into a comalike trance effectively trapped in a nightmare. He won’t realize the things he is experiencing aren’t real. The victim cannot get out on his own, so most wither and die overtime, if they don’t die from the nightmares first.” Magnus saw Izzy was about to interrupt so he held up his hand.
“While he is in this nightmare state, any injuries he sustains will manifest into the real world, so most don’t survive long. This is where Catarina comes in, she will be watching him and healing what she can to keep him going.
Our job is to enter into Alec’s nightmare and pull him out. We have to stay together when we do this, if we are separated, we won’t be able to leave until we are all together again, so that is a must. The problem we are facing is, any injuries we sustain while inside will also manifest on the outside. To help, Catarina has already contacted some friends, Warlocks, who can help her. We aren’t going to wait; they should be arriving soon.
What we will face inside Alec’s mind won’t be Alec’s nightmares, those are for Alec to face. The venom will attack our subconscious as well, all very metaphysical and difficult to explain so I won’t, just understand it will pull out our fears and use them against us.”
Magnus handed each person a ring that was woven with strands of Alec’s hair. “Wear these rings at all times. Once inside, they will draw us toward Alec. If we are separated, they will all lead to the same place, so they may be your only lifeline. Now, remember, this may be a nightmare land, but it is also a dream land. What I mean is this, you won’t have weapons when you arrive and I won’t have magic. It may be possible to attain those things though, with a little time. If we can figure out a way to manipulate the dream land, we may be able to manifest some help. Not a lot, but even small help is better than no help. Now any questions.” Magnus didn’t wait for a reply. “Good, let’s go.”
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A pentagram was drawn on the floor of Magnus’ bedroom, with his bed in the center. Alec lay unmoving on the bed. Magnus, Isabell, Jace, Clary and Simon each stood at point. Catarina went to each person with a small vial of potion.
“Now,” Magnus began, “when I give the signal, drink the potion and take the hands of those next to you.” Magnus nodded and everyone did as he instructed. “Here we go.” As one, the five travelers fell limply to the floor.