Better Angels

Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

THE DREAM

Magnus and Leo woke up in a meeting hall of some sorts along with Will, Jace, Clary, Alec, Chiron, and Nicholas Flamel. Surrounding them were several giant white arches that used to glow with a heavenly life. A wind rustled around them bringing with the smell of death and the sound of millions of souls burning. The trees drooped and had lost all color. Everything that used to be vibrant and alive was now dead. The once elegant white round table sat cracked in the middle of the broken marble floors. Magnus, Chiron, and Nicholas recognized this place as Victoria’s true home. The one from an ancient civilization that no one remembers. Whenever Victoria needed to speak to them in private she would summon them in a dream to her home in her mind, a mind palace, but then it had been vibrant and full of life. Victoria would always have one of her happier memories of her home surrounding her. The king and queen always full of warmth and love while her siblings were always goofing off with Victoria. It was always a sight to see Victoria before the curse. But now her mind palace was grey and the valley that lay below them was burning with fire.

“Where are we?” Will asked his voice coming out in a whisper that then echoed across the vaulted ceilings making his wince.

“We’re in Victoria’s mind,” Chiron answered. The old centaur had swapped his horse form for his wheelchair.

“Her mind…” Will echoed. The centaur nodded. “Why would we be in her mind?”

“Under normal circumstances this place would be used as a meeting room of sorts when Victoria needed to talk to Magnus, me, or Nicholas.” He sounded weary as his eyes bounced around the meeting hall, soaking in how dark the place had become since the last time he’d been here.

“Wait so whose brain are we in?” Leo asked nervously. It was the first time that anyone had noticed him standing in the corner.

“You met her once, Leo. She was the red head that greeted you when you first came to Camp Half-blood.”

Leo raised his eyebrows before a realization dawned on him. “Oh, you mean archer boy’s girlfriend,” Leo pointed at Will before quickly bring his hand back down, and stuffing it his tool belt. It was still shaking. Gaea’s voice was nagging him again. It was stronger here.

The Shadowhunters had slumped in the chairs that surrounded the broken table, except Isabelle who stood tall with her brow crinkled in concern for her brothers and Clary. Will slowly approached the table and glanced at Isabelle before taking a seat. He only looked a little bit better than the sick Shadowhunters there was still some color in his cheeks and his blue eyes still held a spark of life in them.

“Will, buddy, you don’t look too hot,” Leo walked over to Will and took the seat next to him.

“I could say the same about you, Leo,” Will laughed weakly.

“Yeah, well, that’s what happens when I've been living on the streets of some god-forsaken Greek city for a full week. All the while out running mobs and attempting to find somewhere to stay, and I’m starving.”

“What happened to the Argo II,” Will asked as he leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

“It crashed when Gaea rose,” Leo whispered. His words were haunted with fear and his voice cracked on the word “rose”.

Will’s eyes snapped open and he sat up straight. “The Argo II crashed a week ago when Gaea rose?” Leo nodded. “How did she… a week ago? That’s when Victoria disappeared. Could Gaea have taken Victoria?”

“I’m afraid that it is much worse than that,” a voice called. Everyone turned to look know that sweet voice. At the end of the meeting hall were stairs leading nowhere at all, but it was who was coming down them that made them all gasp. She stood draped in sunlight bringing life and happiness to the hall again. She was clothed in a white dress that shimmered and trailed down the stairs as she glided effortlessly down them. Her golden red hair was braided over her right shoulder; she even had a smile on her face when she greet them. Victoria’s soft green eyes landed on Will who had stood from his seat and rushed forward to the foot of the stairs. When she took Will’s arm there was a burst of bright light that draped everyone in light. It was blinding and shocked all of the inhabitants of the hall. The sick Shadowhunters covered their eyes while everyone else just squinted to see past it.