Stronger Than Heaven

Chapter 8

The portal closed with a snap, spitting Jace and Alec out right in front of the LA Institute. Jace looked around frantically, his eyebrows furrowed and his eyes in a panic.

"Clary!" he called out. Portals only worked if the person knew how to use it, or at least was given proper instruction. She couldn't have remembered using a portal, or even what the LA Insitute looked like for her to properly portal where they were. For all he knew, she could be stuck in limbo. "Alec, she could be anywhere." His voice shook. Not again. Not the pain of losing her again.

Alec nodded, the concern evident on his face. "I know, Jace. Listen. You're in a tough situation, I get it. But so is the LA Institute." In front of them, light could be seen flashing through the windows and the screeching of demons pierced through the air. "I'm going to give you a choice. Help me save them inside, which will be quicker since you're one of the best fighters. Or look for Clary."

Jace nodded, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. He felt a sudden resolve and he knew what he needed to do. "I'm a Shadowhunter. And she would want me to fight. She would want me to save others above her." He took a deep breath. "So I'll fight." He took off at a run and Alec followed him. "The sooner we can kill these sons of bitches, the sooner I can get to Clary."

Alec gave him a nod. "We'll get this done together."

-

Clary landed with a thud, the ground below her hard and... earthy? Gasping, she scrambled to her feet, brushing the dirt off her hands onto her dark grey jeans. She looked around, her surroundings unfamiliar and...

"Beautiful," she whispered, the panic suddenly dissipating and instantly replaced with a sense of peace.

She was in a forest, that she knew. Sunlight peeked through the evergreen trees and birds chirped and danced through the branches. The air smelled of fresh pine and the remnants of a bonfire from miles away. She could hear the faint rush of water, letting her know that there was a river or a stream nearby. She followed the sound, hoping that it might lead her to somewhere...anywhere.

The trees became less dense as she got closer to the water and soon, she came to a gentle running river. Her instincts told her to go left, so she did, following the river along for what seemed like miles. As she walked, she thought of Jace and the feelings that his mere presence elicited in her. She barely knew him but yet, it was as if he was ingrained in her every being. She couldn't explain it... except that it felt like a love stronger than anything. It rejuvenated and scared her at the same time. Why can she not remember? And why wouldn't he tell her anything?

Suddenly, in the middle of a thought, she stopped. Something was poking up out of the trees. Something tall and glistening and immaculate. It glimmered in the sun like a crystal tower. Her gaze shifted to the right and she saw another tower of the same material. She turned her head and saw another one. She started to walk faster and finally, she reached one of the crystal towers. She realized they were placed strategically in a massive circle formation, some farther than the eye can see - as if they were there for protection.

"A glamour," she whispered, when she saw the telltale waves in front of her, almost invisible to the eye. Cautiously, she stepped one foot on the other side of the tower, and then another, and another.

As the glamour disappeared and she walked all the way past the towers, the most breathtaking view of a beautiful city set atop a hill appeared out of thin air. She gasped, taking in the sight in front of her. Ancient looking buildings, cobblestone streets, cozy houses, and... Shadowhunters. With runes all over, some in casual clothing, some in gear. A city of Shadowhunters walking across the streets, young children practicing with swords and laughing, couples holding hands.

Where am I? She thought to herself.

She kept walking, her heart pounding against her eardrums. As she walked, heads began to turn and she noticed some of their expressions turned into shock and surprise. She seemed to be getting a lot of those nowadays.

"Hi," said a small voice, nearly making her jump out of her skin. She turned to look at who the voice belonged to. It was a child - a little girl with big blue eyes and dark hair.

Clary cleared her throat. "Hi," she replied, her voice shaking. "May I... may I ask... where I am?" she asked softly, ignoring the increasing stares and whispers from the growing crowd surrounding them.

The child giggled as if she had heard the silliest thing in the world. "You're in Alicante."