City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments Fan-fic)

Chapter 13: Downward Spiral

Maia stifled a grunt as she fell to the floor, the rocks scraping her knees through the holes in her jeans. Jordan moved towards her as if to help her up, but the vampire dragging him jerked him to the side, slamming his head on a trunk of a tree in the process. He moaned softly into the cloth, his breaths heavy and ragged as he was forced to stumble away into the trees. He glanced back at her with eyes filled with pain and anger. Maia tried to call out his name, but her throat seemed to have lost the ability to make sound.

The young male vampire behind Maia snarled in her ear, dragging her upright. They were falling behind the others who were already deep in the forest, dark shadows swallowing their faint figures.

"Move it," he growled impatiently. He had windswept, dark hair and striking obsidian eyes. Maia swallowed the lump rising in her throat. For a second, she had thought he was Simon. Simon, who she would never see again. Who she would never get to say goodbye to. Because by the time the sun rose, they would likely both be dead.

Maia scrambled to her feet as well as she could considering her hands were tied, bracing herself against a tree. Her ankle binds had been cut so she could walk, but really, the vampire was practically dragging her through the forest. Her captor grabbed her by the front of her shirt, clamping his other hand in an iron grip on her shoulder. He steered her forwards harshly, not bothering to hold back branches or make sure she didn't ram into trees, which, she did-a lot.

Even with the heightened night vision of a werewolf, it was hard to see in the dark of the night, made even more difficult by the thick and unforgiving shadows of the forest. Maia could barely see the figure of the vampire, much less where he was leading her, though she didn't particularly want to find out. Ahead, some soft scuffles and the sound of steps could be heard above the quiet chirping of distant crickets, and once, the sound of water slithering smoothly over a riverbed.

After what seemed like an hour to Maia, the vampire finally slowed down. Maia's arm was numb and her jaw sore from the wad of cloth stuck in her mouth. When they came to a stop in what looked like a small clearing, all she could hear was her own harsh breathing. It was as if the world was waiting with baited breath for all hell to break loose.

Finally, a voice broke the crushing silence. "Where is Conrad?" Maureen's voice was controlled, but Maia thought she could detect the tiniest hint of irritation in her tone.

Silence. None of the vampires seemed to think it was a good idea to say anything.

"Well?" Maureen said, her voice louder and higher.

"Don't know," a young man with ice-white hair said. "I didn't see him come out with us."

Maia barely heard the vampire's words. She was focusing on the hunched figure at his feet. Luke. Soft silvery patches of moonlight fell into the clearing through the thin leaves above the small clearing. Her heart sunk like a stone in her stomach as the moon's rays fell on his face. Pale and weak, sweat shining on his brow, Luke looked like death itself. His eyes, though, were open defiantly, his mouth set in a thin line. He was staring at something intently, something to Maia's right. She followed his line of sight as nondiscreetly as she could, aware of the young dark-haired vampire's gaze still fixed on her. Jocelyn stared back, her eyes wide with something that wasn't fear, as Maia expected. The Shadowhunter blinked once then nodded, almost imperceptibly.

Before Maia had time to try to guess what kind of silent conversation were going on between the two, a shrill shriek made her snap her head back to the vampire leader.

"So you're saying he's just gone? Simply vanished?" She said with forced calm, her hands clenched into trembling fists. Maureen snarled, then whirled to her right, grabbing the collar of the vampire nearest to her. "You. You're close to him. Where did he go?"

It was almost comical, watching the scene play out before Maia's eyes. The bulky vampire who towered over Maureen, flinching from the slight teenage girl's sharp words.

"Surely you realize what Sebastian will do if he finds out Conrad is gone? He will punish us all. Starting with you." Maureen said softly as she pulled the vampire closer by his shirt.

He gulped and took a shaky breath, but before he so much as opened his mouth, a brilliant flash of blue light exploded in the clearing.

Maia squeezed her eyes shut, turning away from the flash, the bright light blinding her eyes as it seeping through her closed lids. Suddenly, there was a shout, and piercing screams drilling into her eardrums. Maia squinted around, her eyes watering. Before she could take in anything other than blurred figures of vampires on the ground, hands grabbed her by the shoulders, dragging her away. She shrieked and kicked out, thrashing around wildly. Panic clawed it's way up her throat.

Suddenly, her mouth gag was ripped out, her hands unbound. She whipped around with narrowed eyes, a second from transforming, when-

"Gods, May! It's just me!" Breathed a familiar voice in her ear. Magnus Bane. "Move it. Run, meet at the river," the warlock said, sprinting back to the other Shadowhunters.

Maia stood for a moment in absolute shock, her wrists aching, when her brain seemed to finally catch up with her body. Run. River. She was sure there was the sound of running water a few minutes back and was about to run straight towards it when-Jordan. She couldn't just leave the others. Not when the vampires would soon be getting over their shock.

And it turned out Maia was right.

Magnus stood in the middle of the clearing, blue sparks shooting out of his fingertips with lightning speed towards the shadowy figures at the edges of the clearings. Yowls filled the air as the missiles found their mark. But he was fighting a losing battle. The only advantage Magnus had was surprise. Once that wore off, he was dead.

As she watched, a vampire with dark, raven-blue hair careened to the left, the sparks missing by an inch, and bowled over Magnus in one smooth movement. The warlock's blue fire burned the vampire at contact, but the Downworlder barely seemed to noticed. He let his fangs slip from their sheaths, lunging at Magnus's throat.

Horror tore through Maia as she stood, frozen. She sprinted forwards, but she knew she'd never make it in time. She couldn't save him.

"No!" Maia shouted, just as the vampire bit down, needle-sharp fangs tearing deep into his throat. But the vampire never made it that far. It suddenly froze and fell limply on top of Magnus, a blade through his heart. Magnus, with huge luminescent eyes, pushed off the vampire, his hand at his throat.

"Thanks," he said to Maryse as he scrambled to his feet, the shallow fang marks on his neck already fading to a pink tinge.

The Shadowhunter simply nodded, her eyes murderous. "You two get the last few people still here," she said to Maia and Magnus. "I'll cover you." With Maryse's dark, flowing hair and sharp features, Maia thought she looked just like Isabelle. Brave, fierce, beautiful.

Turning away, Maia's eyes immediately zeroed in on Jordan. He stood in the shadows of a tree, dodging around it's thick roots as a female vampire swiped at him. His ears were pointed and his teeth elongated and sharp, but something seemed to be keeping him from changing completely. Jordan snarled as the white-blonde girl clawed him down the length of his arm. He kicked out at her stomach, his back braced against a tree trunk, but she dodged to the side easily.

"Aw, c'mon!" She said tauntingly as she licked her fangs, swiping at his side again with sharp claws. "Give me a kiss," she whispered.

Jordan growled menacingly, quite a feat, considering the gag in his mouth.

"Have it your way then," she schreeched, launching herself at him. At the last second, Jordan dodged to the left. The vampire barely stopped herself from barrelling into the tree headfirst.

Maia swore as she ran towards them, tripping over roots and rocks protruding from the ground. The vampire, who was circling around Jordan as if he were her prey and she was wondering how to hunt him, didn't notice Maia until her fist connected with the side of her head.

The blonde shrieked and stumbled to the side before whirling around. Maia snarled and plowed the vampire over so that she was kneeling on her stomach. Her fingertips tingled as they morphed into long claws and her teeth sharpened into that of a wolf's. Hissing, she clawed at the girl's pale neck, bringing dark blood to the surface of her ivory skin.

Screaming curses, the vampire launched herself up so that Maia tumbled to the side and kicked her away. Her wounds starting closing up almost immediately, but Maia didn't give them a chance to heal. As the blonde charged forward, Maia swerved to the right and bit onto her shoulder with canine teeth. The vampire shrieked shrilly, clawing at Maia with piercing nails. She could feel warm blood trickling down her arm, feel the vampire trying to shake her off.

Finally, Maia lost her grip and tumbled to the side, breathing hard. She tensed, waiting for the other girl to attack her. Instead, the vampire curled her lip and spat at Maia's feet before slinking into the shadows as if she herself was one. The last thing that could be seen was her blue eyes, bright with hate. Maia growled at her until she disappeared in the dark.

Maia turned to Jordan, who was standing in the exact same position he was in earlier, his eyes huge with disbelief. She couldn't contain a smirk, despite the grim situation, as she pulled the gag out of his mouth and untied his hands as fast as her fingers allowed.

"I'm pretty sure I'm supposed to be the one saving you," Jordan said, his eyebrows high as he pulled her into a quick hug. "Now, run. I hate to remind you, but murderous vampires are raging a war back there." He grabbed Maia's good arm and started at a sprint away from the sound of muffled shouts and schreeches.

Maia shook her head silently and didn't budge. She headed in the opposite direction, her mouth set in a grim line. "I'm not leaving the others, some of them are still back there - Magnus, Maryse-"

Alarm widened his eyes. "They're still back there? Fighting against all those vamps?" He passed a hand over his face, sighing heavily. "Fine then. If you're staying, then so am I. I can't leave you here alone, what type of man would I be then?" Jordan muttered, his hand finding Maia's.

"Don't be a sexist ass," she said lightly as she squeezed his hand once before they both began their transformations.





Alec didn't realize he had moved until he stood six feet away from the dark figure, an arrow notched and ready to fly positioned in his hand. He was faintly aware of Isabelle drawing her whip and moving to stand beside him. Out of the corner of his eye he could see his other friends, poised to fight. His ears rang and in the darkness, the cell looked funny and distorted. Everything he felt seemed different, detatched, like he wasn't actually living his life, rather that he was watching a scene in a movie. A scene of someone else's life, not his.

But he knew everything going on was real. He knew that the person, standing before him with an infuriatingly bemused expression, was real. Because there was no way he could feel so angry at something that wasn't real.

Deathly silence so intense it felt like a wool blanket over Alec's ears settled over what seemed like the entire world and every living creature in it. All the monsters, deafening before, were quiet to the point that Alec forgot they were there. No one made a sound. It was like waiting for a bomb to go off.

Alec couldn't bring himself to look at the dead vampire. Though he barely knew him, he felt a pang in his heart as he realized Conrad had been telling the truth the whole time. He'd risked his life to help people he just met. And now, he was dead. Alec's blood felt hot with adrenaline and rage as he tightened the grip on his bow until his knuckles were white. Until he couldn't stand the silence any longer.

"Why, this is a pleasant reunion," Sebastian finally said calmly, his black-hole-like gaze travelling over each individual person. He stood there, next to the cell doors, all in black like the forboding shadow he was. A long, regal, dark cloak was settled over his shoulders, making his stark white hair seem even more pronounced. As his dark, impassive eyes passed over Alec without a flicker of emotion and landed on Clary and Jace, Sebastian's smile widened slightly. Anger pounded in Alec's ears. This was the person who killed his little brother. Who worked for Valentine. Who brainwashed Jace. Who killed Conrad. He murdered Max.

Sebastian chuckled lightly as Jace stood up painfully, stumbling as he braced himself against the wall. Clary and Simon were on their feet as well. From his peripheral vision, Alec could see the looks of white rage on all of their faces as they stared at the still-smirking figure in front of them.

Another silence. Then, in near sichronization, as if they had planned it-

"Go to hell, you bas-"

"You fricking motherfu-"

"I should've killed your fucking ass when-"

"Worthless piece of-"

"Bitch."

Their shouts ricochetted off the metal cell walls, melding into one loud chaotic noise. Long after the last shout was heard, echoes rebounded eerily in an screaming chorus. Yet another brief silence.

Then, Sebastian burst out laughing. It wasn't a pleasant laugh. It just felt menacing, mocking, rotten. Alec gritted his teeths before suddenly letting his arrow fly. It zipped forwards, almost too fast for the eye to follow, headed straight towards Sebastian's brain.

He dodged it. Simple as that. He leaned back at the last moment, still laughing, an inch away from being impaled. The arrow lodged itself into the metal wall with a satisfying thud. Alec narrowed his eyes. He knew it wouldn't be that simple to kill Sebastian, but he hadn't expected him to dodge his attack so easily. Alec growled as he notched another arrow.

"You're all going to have to do better than that," he said, his peals of laughter dying off as he eyed Alec and cocked an infuriating eyebrow. "I mean, really. Alexander, is it?" His voice turned colder, less fake. "You shouldn't even be allowed in the Clave. As corrupt as it is, it shouldn't be corrupt enough to allow your kind in. I suppose that's why you're such a weak Shadowhunter. If, you should even be called that," he said icily, his disgust clear in his tone as he toyed carelessly with the hilt of his midnight-black broadsword.

Alec's hands shook in rage. But before he could spit out a scathing reply, a snarky voice came from behind his shoulder.

"How about you stop fucking around and spit out whatever crap about world domination you came down here to fricking say," Jace snarled, his voice loud and ringing, despite his pale face. "Actually, even better, how about we just skip the cheesy damn movie explanations where you tell us all your evil plans and shit and get on with the part where we kill you."

"My, my, you sure are fired up, little brother," Sebastian said, casually inspecting his fingernails in a way that made Alec want to kill the bastard by any means necessary. "Sadly, I think that knock to the head made you delusional. Killing me isn't an option for you five. I thought you would've figured that out by now, Jace." He shook his head chastisingly.

"Yeah, well we'll find a way. You better believe that," Clary said. Her voice seemed oddly hollow and devoid of emotion. Alec glanced back at her. Clary's eyes were fixed not on Sebastian, but on Conrad's dead body, lying just outside the cell doors.

Sebastian seemed delighted at her words. "Clarissa, darling sister. How have you been? I haven't seen you in quite a while," he smiled and tilted his head to the side as if they were actually having a conversation. It made Alec want to throw up.

"Go fuck yourself."

Sebastian tutted, a fake smile plastered on his face. But Alec had seen his eyes flash murderously at Clary's words, but the look in his eyes was gone as fast as it had come. "Is that really how you speak to family, Clarissa?"

"You're no one's family, Sebastian," Isabelle said, twisting his name so it sounded like a dirty insult. "You're a murderer. A worthless piece of shit." She snapped her wrist angrily, and her whip raced towards Sebastian at lightening speed.

Alec, sensing his chance, released his second arrow. Sebastian swung out his sword and ducked at the same time. Again, Alec's arrow whizzed over his head and landed inches from the first. His sister's whip was blocked by the sword and curled around it's blade rather than Sebastian. Isabelle yanked her whip back before Sebastian could cut the electrum.

Sebastian continued smiling at Clary as if Isabelle hadn't spoken. He showed no sign at all that anything had just happened. "Really, I find them rather amusing, these attacks of yours. Surely you realize it's futile to fight against me. Jace, you should know better than anyone."

Jace snorted, rolling his eyes. Alec could tell that sooner or later, Jace going to say something so stupid that Sebastian would completely loose it and go on a rampage, and that would be the end for all of them. But Alec couldn't help but relish seeing the slight cracks in Sebastian's smooth facade of control, so he didn't stop Jace when he sneered, "Oh really? I seem to remember stabbing you straight through the heart not too long ago. Or do you not remember that tiny tidbit of information?"

Sebastian simply considered Jace for a moment. His expression hardened slightly and Alec thought Jace must have crossed some sort of line, but when he followed Sebastian's gaze, he realized he was looking at Clary's finger intertwined with Jace's. A milisecond later, his eyes flitted away and his expression smoothened again.

"I know you didn't come down here just for shits," Simon's voice snapped from behind Alec. The first time he'd spoken since Sebastian came. "What do you want with us? Why did you send those vamps after us?"

"I suppose there's no point lying to you," Sebastian shrugged, twirling his huge sword between slim fingers. "Why, I just want to be reunited with my loving siblings," he said with a wide smile. It looked more sinister than a vampire's grin.

"Fat fucking chance," Jace said grimly.

"Siblings my ass," Clary added, her hands clenching and unclenching furiously.

"Well, I didn't really expect you to come willingly," Sebastian smirked, feigning a sigh. "I will regretfully have to use force." He paused. "Just remember that you brought this upon yourselves."

Every person in the room froze, tensing in preparation. It seemed like everyone, himself included, was holding their breath.

Suddenly and without warning, Isabelle lashed out with her whip, and Sebastian exploded into action.

Alec whipped around as he realized Sebastian wasn't standing where he was a second earlier. Instead, he was several feet away, smirking, as he slashed out at Isabelle, who leapt backwards, the blade's tip missing by half an inch. She growled and whirled, ducking low to avoid his next lash. She flicked her whip, lightning fast, and the electrom hissed forwards. Instead of slicing Sebastian's chest in half though, the golden-silver blur smacked harmlessly against the wall, leaving a black whip mark.

"You're going to pay for that," he said, a twisted smile on his lips as he stared at the large rip Isabelle's whip tore through his cloak.

Before Isabelle do much more than hiss between her teeth, Sebastian lunged and slammed the hilt of her dagger across her collarbone. A sickening crack sounded as she flew across the cell. Jace leapt forwards and caught her before she hit the opposite wall. When he looked up, his golden eyes blazed like a bright fire. Clary rushed to his side, her hands fumbling for a stele as Isabelle groaned through clenched teeth, her dark eyes dazed and pained.

A buzzing noise filled Alec's ears as he stared at his sister's prone figure on the cell floor. He rushed forward, the rush of waves blocking his thoughts. He heard Jace yell distantly at Alec as he lurched forward, realizing blatantly that Simon rushed towards Sebastian by his side, his fangs sharp and bared.

Pulling the nearest weapon out of his belt, a pure black dagger, he threw it at Sebastian, who blocked it easily with his sword. Alec flung himself to the left as the black blade came swishing over his head. He notched an arrow as he fell and twisted around in mid-air before he hit the concrete floor, releasing the arrow at the last second.

Alec jumped to his feet immediately and glanced up to see Sebastian's face inches from his own. This time, his face was furious, his eyes glittering dangerously. The tip of his right ear was bleeding, the dark blood dripping on his shoulder. Alec, guessing what was coming, leapt backwards as Sebastian slashed at the spot where Alec was standing less than a second ago.

Smirking slightly, Alec's eyes widened with surprise when he realized the front of his shirt was wet with blood. A shallow cut ran across his chest in a long diagonal. Jace rushed into the battle, a seraph blade Isabelle had passed to him a second earlier in hand. Sebastian lashed out at Simon, who was dodging and ducking so fast, it looked like he was either dancing or having a seizure.

"Are you okay?" Jace's voice sounded distant and echoey in his mind.

Alec was about to reply that he was fine when suddenly dark spots entered his vision, blotting out the faces of his friends. A loud ringing pierced his ears as he sank to the floor as if his legs couldn't support his weight. The world swam before his eyes, rippling in shimmery waves as if he was deep under the water. A pounding began in his head and suddenly his mouth felt dry and parched, the floor freezing on his bare arm. The cut on his chest began to burn so intensely that he couldn't bite back a moan.

He was barely aware of four different voices shouting his name. His vision sharpened and then blurred, making it hard to see what was going on. He could just make out Jace as he sank to Alec's side, his eyes wide and panicked... with something else in them too. Fear? Alec wasn't sure. His brain didn't seem to be functioning properly at the moment. His ears felt like they were stuffed with cotton and the voices that echoed faintly in his head were muffled.

His hearing and vision faded in and out of focus. "What did you do to him?" Alec heard Jace shout as he scrambled to his feet, blade out and ready, Simon next to him. "Tell me what you did!"

"This blade of mine is special," Sebastian's voice sneered. Alec couldn't see him, but he knew he'd have a smirk on his face. His chest burned. He groaned as Sebastian's next words were cut off by a loud buzzing. Izzy's face appeared in his line of vision, her face pale. He couldn't tell if there were tears in her eyes or if he was hallucinating. He could feel the darkness pulling at him, telling him to give up, to let go.

"-his soul will now be completely under my command when he wakes up. That is, if he wakes up at all. Doubtful, considering the demon poison." Sebastian continued. "Highly unlikely he'll live if he doesn't get a healer in... well, fast."

"Bastard!"

"Alec! Alec, listen to me-" Clary. "-be okay." He barely felt the stinging on his wrist where the stele touched his skin. It was gone in a second.

"Why isn't it working? Clary-"

The last thing Alec saw before the pain became too much was Isabelle's terrified face. He wanted to tell her he'd be alright, that he'd live. But he didn't believe it himself. He closed his eyes and finally gave in to the the endless sea of darkness.