Chain of Iron

Chapter Forty-Two

The Shadow Realm looked just as it had the last time James had crossed into this Hellish dimension. There was nothing but sand as far as the eye could see and the sky was dull and grey. Wind whipped by James and ate at his face like mites and he had to squint to see where they were going. He did not know where Lucie and Jesse could be, and realized with a sinking feeling, that he may never find them in this realm. It seemed to go on for miles and miles, looking as if it never ended. Cordelia and Matthew were walking alongside him and he still carried The Mortal Sword.

James felt a rush of something in his veins - something like extra energy or adrenaline and he knew it had not come from Matthew. It seemed as if James had an extra sense of power here in the Shadow Realm; like all of his feelings and awareness was magnified. He had not felt it the last time he had come to here to fight Belial and wondered why that was.

"How will we ever find Lucie and Jesse?" Cordelia spoke, looking lost. "This realm seems to go on forever."

James took a step forward and closed his eyes. Lucie, he spoke out in his mind, trying to call out to her. He felt nothing for a solid ten seconds and then he felt something run down his body and he opened his eyes. James seemed to feel Lucie; like an invisible cord was pulling him towards her and his feet began to move.

"She is near." James said as Cordelia and Matthew followed him. "I can feel it."

James walked through the field of sand, trying to ignore the piles of it that seemed to work its way into his shoes. He did not know how he could feel Lucie's presence but it was like something in his heart was pulling him towards his sister.

"Where is Belial?" Matthew questioned, furrowing his eyebrows. "I do not believe that he would simply allow us to waltz into his realm and rescue Lucie and Jesse."

"Demons work in manipulative ways." Cordelia frowned. "Maybe he wished for us to come into his realm to rescue them."

"It does not matter." James replied. "Either way we would have had to save Lucie and Jesse. If this was Belial's plan all along then so be it."

"Are we close yet, Jamie?" Matthew looked over at him.

James nodded and continued to lead the way. Then, as if it had appeared out of nowhere, a tall tower presented itself. It looked very old and if it were to collapse at any moment. Something told James to look at the top of the tower and that was when he knew that that was where his sister was kept.

"Up there." James breathed. "Lucie and Jesse are being held at the top of that tower."

"We must go quickly." Cordelia spoke.

It then felt as if a cold wind overtook James and he gasped, his insides freezing. There was a voice coming from all around him; whispering his name. He knew the voice to be Belial's and dread washed through him as he knew that his grandfather was close. If James went with Cordelia and Matthew to go rescue Lucie and Jesse, he knew Belial would never allow them to leave.

"You two must go." James spoke then, looking up at Cordelia and Matthew. "Belial is close, I can sense it. I must stay and try to kill him with The Mortal Sword. It is the only chance we have to putting an end to this."

"Let us kill him with you, James." Matthew looked serious. "We can kill him together and then we can all go rescue Lucie and Jesse."

James shook his head. "No. You two must go save them while I distract Belial. We cannot risk anything happening to Lucie and Jesse. This is something I must do."

Cordelia held a hurt look on her face and James found that he did not wish for her to leave him. They had grown very close since they had been married and, aside from Matthew, she was his constant companion. There was also something else that James felt as he gazed at her, but he forced himself to push it away. Cordelia then leaned forward and kissed James on the cheek and then ran off with Matthew towards the tower. He watched them go and prayed to the Angel that Lucie and Jesse would be alright when they reached them.

James then stood by himself and readied The Mortal Sword which he held in his right hand. Just as he had sensed Lucie's presence, he could also sense Belial's. It seemed as though something in the Shadow Realm made him powerful and the thought made James shiver; he did not wish to have heightened powers in a demon realm. It was the complete opposite of a typical Shadowhunter's ability but then again, he was no typical Shadowhunter. The wind seemed to pick up speed all around him and James squeezed his eyes shut for a moment.

When he opened them again, there was a man standing before him. Belial. He was dressed in an all white suit and his ageless face held a bit of dangerous amusement on it. His grey eyes were regarding James with that same amusement and he resisted the urge to flinch. James hated to see his mother's kind eyes on someone he so completely despised.

"I knew you would turn up here sooner or later." Belial started. "They do say a Shadowhunter's sense of familial loyalty runs deep."

"Lucie is my sister; I would have been a fool not to come for her." James glared.

"That may be so, but you are not a full Shadowhunter now are you, James?" Belial grinned dangerously. "No, you have much of my gifts and blood to you."

James grit his teeth. "That may be true, but I am nothing like you. I have chosen the life of a Shadowhunter and I always will."

"You could still have the life of a Shadowhunter if you allowed me to share your body." The demon spoke smoothly.

James scoffed and continued to glare at him. "I could not. I would not be myself anymore; you would overtake every part of my being and my soul."

"Do you take me as selfish, James Herondale?" Belial faked being hurt. "I would still allow your soul to come to the surface at times. I would not simply take over your entire life."

James felt like laughing but did not. Did Belial really expect James to believe him? If Belial possessed him and shared his body, James would might as well be dead. He would use his body to fulfill his demon needs and wear James's body down until there was nothing left.

"I must congratulate you on your marriage." Belial smirked. "Did you appreciate my wedding gift at your ball?"

James tightened his grip on the sword. "Stop attacking those I love; this is between me and you and it always has been. Do not bring my family and friends into this."

Belial studied him for a moment, that same smirk on his face. "Perhaps I should have taken your wife captive, instead of your sister. It is quite clear that you love her more than anything, do you not?"

James froze, his heart beating fast. Belial had spoken the one thing that James had been too afraid to admit to himself; his love for Cordelia. It had always been there, he had realized. He only now could admit it to himself.

"You know nothing of how I feel." James defended.

"I am afraid that I do." Belial gave him an unpleasant grin. "Join me, and I swear that I will never harm a hair on her head. Allow me to share your body and she will always be safe."

James shook his head. "I will never allow you to."

"Then you must pay the consequences. Harm shall come to your precious Cordelia whether you like it or not." Belial's grey eyes were now brewing with something and James raised his sword.

"Not if I kill you first." He did not miss a beat, glaring at the demon.

He laughed. "Oh, James did you really think that I was going to let you escape alive this time? I wore this white suit for a reason; it is your people's mourning colour. I figured someone should honour you as you bleed to death from my demons."

Before James could say anything, there was a loud explosion that came from the sky. He jerked his head upwards to see that there were dozens of demons flying down from the dull and grey clouds and headed straight for James.