Souls of Hell - A Shadowhunter Story

Chapter 1

||When demons and angels rise||

Julian thought that maybe using mundane transportation to go to New York for the very first time would be a great experience for the travel year. It certainly wasn't. At least for him although Emma seemed to enjoy it a LOT. And she was the one who handled most of the travelling formalities. But, it made him happy to see Emma so excited at the prospect of visiting New York and staying with Jace and Clary. Ever since the dark war, Emma had grown close to Clary and Jace (on whom she used to have a crush), who was and still is her idol. He only smiled as he looked at Emma trying to hail a taxi in New York while holding her bulging suitcase.

At last, Emma managed to get a taxi and surprisingly managed to fit in their luggage (Emma's suitcase obviously taking up most of the space) in the trunk. They were finally settled in the back seat when Emma asked, "Are you excited to meet Clary and Jace?"

"Yeah, I am."

"Last time that I had talked to Clary, she told me that she'd acted on my advice and asked Jace to marry her."

"Oh really?"

"YES! And coincidentally, Jace too proposed to her the same night."

Julian only laughed at this. As openly and lightly as he hadn't in the years before.

"I assume that the two of them said yes?" Julian questioned.

"Uh huh. Clary told me that it's all very exciting and new for Jace."

"That's great," he replied placing a small kiss on her head. Emma only grinned at him.

Their conversation was interrupted as they reached their destination. After paying the Taxi fare, Emma and Julian made their way to the New York institute which appeared as an old, gothic and ruined cathedral to mundanes. To them, It appeared as a magnificent cathedral with it's ancient spires rising high in the sky over the modern backdrop of the city and the towering skyscrapes. 

Emma approached the door with Julian right behind her, dragging their luggage. The doors swung opened and behind them, stood Clary and Jace, the heads of the Institute. Emma immediately jumped into Clary's arms which were held wide open for her. The two girls hugged each other quite fiercely. Jace shook hands with Julian and smiled at him. 

"How are you doing Clary?" Emma asked breaking away from the elder girl as if she didn't talk with Clary almost every second day.

"I'm really great. How is your travel year going?" Clary asked excitedly.

"I hate to break up this reunion but I think that we can all go inside and continue this discussion?" Jace quipped in before Emma could say anything.

"Great idea," Julian agreed while Emma looked slightly flushed with excitement (and embarrassment).

Jace and Clary led the way to one of the Institute's many bedrooms. Ever since the establishment of the Clave-in-exile in New York, the Institute was buzzing with activity. Julian was a bit surprised to see an increase in the resident Shadowhunters. But it was expected. The new Consul Alec Lightwood had made New York the center of the new Shadowhunter Government and hence, the important Conclave members were currently residing at the Institute, Julian thought.

 Shaking off the thoughts, Julian looked at Emma who was talking quite animatedly with Clary. Jace on the other hand, seemed to be looking at Clary the way he looked at Emma. It felt good to be a normal Shadowhunter teenager for once, Julian thought.  

After finally depositing their luggage in one of the rooms in the institute, they made their way to the library for some more greetings and introductions. Emma felt really happy and at peace in such a long time. Emma caught up with Julian who was ahead of her and slipped her hand into his. She only grinned at him while he looked at her so lovingly. 

"We're in the library," Clary exclaimed as she threw open the doors.

Jace looked like he was trying to muffle his laughter at Clary's cute behaviour. But Emma couldn't blame him. She recalled how excited Clary had been when she first told her that she and Julian will be visiting New York Institute for their travel year. She did love the idea of hosting her friends, Emma thought.

Inside the library, Alec had occupied one of the tables with papers and files piled up around him. He looked really tired and his face a bit taut. But as soon as he saw all of them come in, his face lit up with a smile and his blue eyes seemed to sparkle with joy. He grinned at Jace and Clary while looking at her and Julian.

"So our guests have finally arrived," he remarked with that grin still on his face.

Julian extended his hand to him and Alec shook it. Even though all of them had fought together under the banner of Livia's watch, Emma still felt awestruck with Alec's presence. Sure he was just as old as Clary and Jace but somehow being the Consul his presence felt a little authoritative. But he just eased everyone all the same. The ring  on his left hand gleamed as the sunlight reflected off it. It reminded Emma of his beautiful wedding at the beach. They were  really  a couple meant to be together, Magnus and Alec, she thought.

Suddenly, a scream rang through the room and Emma, horrified, saw that it was Clary who then, collapsed. Jace was quick to catch her but it was scary. Clary's eyes had rolled up when Emma and the others gathered around her. She was breathing too quickly and heavily. Finally, with a long gasp, Clary woke out of whatever it was. 

"Clary! What happened? Are you okay?" Jace asked frantically as he put his arm around her protectively.

"I'm alright, honey but we need to go," Clary replied with a sense of urgency in her voice.

"Go where Clary? And why?" asked Alec.

"Three arrows farm. I'll explain on the way," she replied.

"We're coming with you all," Emma said.

Alec arranged the papers on the desk on which he was working and turned to call someone, probably Magnus. Clary would definitely have a good reason to tell them to go somewhere. And Emma was correct because Magnus walked out of a Portal with his young sons, Max and Rafael moments after Alec ended his call. At that point, Simon and Isabelle too, entered the library hoping to maybe talk with Clary or Jace, Emma thought. Usually Shadowhunters out on missions had to report to the head/heads of the Institute. But it was chaotic as everyone prepared to leave for the three arrows farm. Emma couldn't remember when she had heard of it. 

Magnus did wave at her and Julian but wasted no time in talking as he made his way to Izzy asking her to talk care of his kids who was confused but nodded nonetheless. Clary and Jace, meanwhile, were talking with Simon who, was only nodding gravely. 

"It is for the good that you and Izzy stay at the Institute in case of an emergency. We'll explain later," Jace explained.

All of them, Julian, herself, Clary, Jace and Alec stood behind Magnus as he created a Portal to three arrows farm. Clary went first followed by Alec, Jace, Julian and finally Emma and Magnus. 

The ground underneath Emma solidified as she stepped out of the Portal. She looked around and saw that her surroundings consisted of a farmhouse and a lake. Suddenly, she realized that Simon Lewis had gotten Glorious from the Angel Raziel in this very lake. History is useful after all, Emma thought. 

Clary began speaking, "When I collapsed in the library, I got a vision. It was the angel Raziel... He was coming out of this lake," she motioned towards it, "And I somehow knew at the moment that we needed to be present here. It was somehow intent in the vision."

As soon as Clary finished, the water of the lake started turning golden and Alec brought everyone's attention to it. Even Emma was taken aback with it. Everyone stared at the lake as it glimmered and ripples were being generated in it. The light was blinding as something was rising out of the lake. Emma shielded her eyes but she did see the outline of the wings and paled as she realized it was an angel. 

The light dimmed a little and she noticed that others too were looking at the angel too. She realised from a thousand drawings and paintings who the angel was.

It was the Angel Raziel.

He addressed all of them at once, "Nephilim, I stand before you with a grave revelation."

To be continued...