Saving the Lightwood (BoyxBoy)

Chapter 8: The Tracking

A/N: I'm done with spoiler warnings. More more more MALEC and Animal Crossing: Wild World main theme piano tutorial above.

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"Magnus, I need to know now. Are you absolutely sure that you want to go through with this?" Zachariah asked as Magnus lay himself down on the bed.

"Just do it but tell me one thing." Magnus requested. Zachariah looked at him expectantly. "Alexander won't feel this, will he? I'll get the pain and he won't, right?" Magnus asked.

"That's it exactly. Alexander won't feel a thing. It's a one-way procedure." Zachariah explained. Brother Enoch took his place at the foot of the bed.

Magnus Bane. Are you ready? he asked.

"As I'll ever be." Magnus mumbled, preparing himself, mentally, physically emotionally.

Then we shall begin. Magnus felt the pain slowly build of uncomfortable to flat out agonising. When the pain in his head hit him like a train, Magnus let out a long, blood-curdling scream. All that could be heard in the room was Magnus's long yells of pain.

"Please!" Magnus begged. "Make it stop!" He screamed out again. After a long half hour of pain, it stopped, leaving Magnus on the verge of consciousness. Almost instantly after Magnus had stopped screaming did Izzy shift Magnus so he was propped against her.

"Hey. Hey, Magnus. Stay awake. Come on." Izzy tapped his face lightly. Magnus looked up at her with weary eyes.

"I... I can't." Magnus breathed.

"Yes, you can Magnus Bane." Izzy told him sternly. She raised her eyes to look at Brother Enoch and Zachariah. Zachariah was looking at Brother Enoch with an unreadable expression.

"I understand." Zachariah sighed. "It was unsuccessful. Whatever Lucca has Alexander under, it's strong and not even your link with him will allow us to track him so, we're going to have to do this the old-fashioned way." Zachariah sounded exasperated. He made eye contact with Magnus. "Magnus, that took a lot out of you and you've done well thus far but you need to stay awake a little longer. Can you do that?" Zachariah asked him.

"Please let me rest." Magnus whispered, his head lolling back against Izzy's shoulder.

"No. Magnus stay awake for me." Izzy told him. Magnus's mind was exhausted. It was like healing Alec from Abaddon again. Magnus closed his eyes and, to the sounds of Izzy, Jace and Zachariah yelling at him to open his eyes, he lulled into unconsciousness.

*~+~*

"What are you thinking about?" Lucca asked Alec as he made his way across the room to where Alec lay on the bed.

"N-nothing." Alec stammered.

"I apologise. I did not mean to startle you." Lucca spoke with amusement. Alec shook his head, silently wishing that Lucca didn't know what Alec had just done.

"No no. It's fine. I was just... Thinking. Not about anything in particular. But I was just thinking about how much I want to... Spend the... Rest of my life with... With you." Alec lied through his teeth. Lucca's eyes lit up.

"Oh, darling. I am nearly finished with your special present. Maybe another week or so and I shall have it for you." Lucca grinned before taking off out of the room again, slamming the door shut and the lock clicking back into place. Alec flopped his head back again. Even though he'd slept and moved around, his muscles still screamed at him. The pain was slowly becoming unbearable. That mixed in with a headache.

*~+~*

"How long has it been?" a timid voice asked.

"No longer than it has been when you asked me a minute ago." a second sighed.

"But... It's been a long time..." the first complained.

"It has, yes. Too long. Magnus, are you in there?" the second called out and gently shook Magnus. Magnus knew he had to open his eyes but he was so tired. Plus, even if he tried, nothing would happen. "Magnus, don't make me get Enoch to scout your head to see if you've retreated back into it." Nothing.

"Magnus come on. You're scaring us now." the first's voice cracked.

"Is he not up yet?" a third asked, a little more distant.

"Unfortunately no." the second grumbled. There was the sound of footsteps as the third came forward. A smaller hand landed on Magnus's shoulder and shook him more violently. Nothing again. Magnus lay as still as before.

"Damn." the third breathed.

"How... How long has it been?" the first repeated.

"Jace, I know you're afraid but at this rate, we may have to call it a day and bring in another Warlock." the second soothed.

"But... But Magnus is one of the most powerful out there." the first, Jace, Magnus had picked up, mumbled.

"I know that more than anyone. Magnus and I, we go way back. I'm just as worried as you are. I know that you're worried about Alexander but please, let me go and call another Warlock in, to either wake Magnus or help in the search until Magnus wakes." the second tried.

"No. No, it has to be Magnus." Jace spoke firmly.

"It's OK to ask for another Warlock Jace. Maybe... Maybe Zachariah is right." the third said. There was a pause. "Alright. Alright. It's OK. Jace, calm down."

"What in the name of the Angel did you do to him?!" Jace yelled. Pause. "THEN FIND OUT!" Jace shouted. Was Brother Enoch in there?

Magnus Bane. Can you hear my voice? If so, open your eyes. Brother Enoch's voice rang in his head. Magnus decided to make a conscious effort to open his eyes. After about a minute or so, Magnus succeeded, opening his gold-green cat eyes. The light was blinding to Magnus and so he squinted a little.

"Oh thank the Angel." the third voice whispered, appearing in Magnus's vision. Isabelle. "You're awake!"

"How-" Magnus began before he had to clear his throat. "How long have I been out?" Magnus asked.

"Around about... an hour?" Zachariah said. Magnus groaned and shut his eyes again.

"Any news?" Magnus asked, quietly.

"Nothing has been reported yet but... There's hope yet." Zachariah mumbled. "Plus, you can still speak with him, correct?" Magnus was about to answer when Brother Enoch interrupted.

Unfortunately, not anymore. There were risks with doing what we did, you knew this Magnus Bane. I'm very sorry but the link between Magnus Bane and Alexander Lightwood has been severed. There was silence.

"N... No..." Jace stammered, standing up. Izzy had covered her mouth in shock. Zachariah sighed heavily and lowered his head. Magnus pushed himself into a sitting position.

"This... This isn't... It can't... You're... What..." Magnus spoke. He could barely comprehend. "This means that..."

"It does yes." Zachariah spoke for Magnus. "We now haven't got the slightest idea as to what has happened to Alexander."