West of Words (Alec Lightwood)

🗝 Chapter Fifty-Three 🗝

Varian created the portal with a subtle wave of his hand, nearly cursing himself at how loud the action was. The hope that the belly of the ship was louder than the portal was strong as he practically drug Jace through, some part of him wanting to repay the favor from the last time Jace had thrown him through the portal, but he pushed it away.

The rain started beating down on both Shadowhunter and Warlock as soon as they landed on the other side, and with an ever so slight wave of his hand the rain avoided them as if there was an umbrella above their heads.

"Right, here we are." Varian muttered, pulling Jace through the gravel of the dock, smiling as the Jade Wolf came into sight. He whistled, proud of the echo that went through the parking lot, seconds later a few people came running out of the restaurant. "Luke!"

"Varian?" The man's voice was just barely over the sound of the rain, he crossed the parking lot in just a few steps, a confused look in his eyes as he looked down at the half-dressed-nearly-passed-out-from-pain Jace Wayland.

The young Warlock rolled his eyes, "Right, you standing there watching, or will you give me a hand?"

Luke looked rather flustered, "Shit, yeah." He knelt down for a moment, easily picking up the Shadowhunter and looking down at him in a concerned way. "What happened?"

Varian waved a hand above his head, making the barrier protecting him from the rain extend over Luke as he held Jace. "Valentine did." Luke looked appreciative as the rain stopped beating down on him, he motioned haphazardly at the door of the restaurant with Jace's feet.

"Let's get out of the cold, I'll get the Lightwoods out here and they can get you two back to the-"

"I've got to go back Luke." Varian interrupted, before immediately muttering an apology. "Clary is still there, and hundreds of Downworlders, they need my help."

Luke looked angry, and for just a moment Varian wondered what he had done to upset the man. "Let me put Jace down then, and I'll join you, you shouldn't do it alone."

"And you wouldn't be able to keep up." Varian's reply was not meant to be a slight but it came across as one. "Just get Jace to the Institute, and I'll be along shortly, I promise I'll be alright."

The Werewolf looked disappointed, but nodded nonetheless. The goodbye's were rushed out, and Varian turned back to the water. The same way was used to cross the ocean, the fear of portaling in and getting caught more of a concern now that Jace was no longer on the ship.

Clary was an easy find, her red hair distinct as well as the blood connection between the pair of them, Varian found her in a matter of minutes. She was alone in a cell kept separately from the belly of the ship, and with a wave of his hand the door clicked open.

"Hello love," Varian said it with a smile, pulling himself from the invisible shield that he had been in. Her face lit up in the brightest and most encouraging way as she threw her arms around the young Warlock.

"Varian!" Her voice was luckily quiet, and as soon as she pulled back she had to wipe tears from her eyes. "Did you get Jace out?"

The Warlock nodded with a smile. "He's at the Jade Wolf, you're next, and then the Downworlders downstairs." Varian pulled her into another hug, happy that she was alright, the protective nature of a brother-sister bond peaking through.

The portal appeared with a wave of his hand, and she backed up to it. "Please be safe Varian."

"Of course Clary." Varian smiled, "I promise."

She nodded, and stepped through. Varian took a deep breath, letting the emptiness of the room calm him before reentering the anxiety of the rest of the ship. The path to the belly of the ship was surprisingly empty, but not suspiciously so.

Varian used the connection to Valentine as he went, pulling the smallest bit of energy from the man in a way that he knew wouldn't be noticed. Because of his concentration on the link, the room of cages was nowhere near as overwhelming as before, Varian ducked into the corner, muttering a spells as he hid in the shadows.

It was a simple spell, one that let Varian speak into the minds of anyone he wished, in this case the minds of every Downworlder trapped in the room.

"I am here to help." The words seemed to echo in every mind. "I will unlock the cages, run to the portal, help those that cannot, everyone must pass through. No Downworlder left behind."

Those listening could not respond, but Varian felt the mood of the room shift, no longer was the terror and fear the loudest emotion in the room. The light pink color of hope broke through the gloom.

Varian set his hands flat on the ground, the shudder of the engine and metal of the floor threw him off every so slightly. The locks all clicked at once, an unable to miss crack of them sliding out of place capturing the attention of the few guards in the room. 

Every Downworlder moved at once, the shouts that echoed near deafening as they ran to the middle of the room. Varian forced a portal open, widening it as large as it could go and shuddering at the strain.

Varian forced his eyes off of his hands, looking at the guards that attempted to lift their swords, they suddenly found themselves unable to move. The iron of the ship shuddering under their feet and wrapping up the bodies of each in a grip that held but did not harm.

Mentally he was counting as each and every Downworlder as they passed through, and encouraging feeling filling him as they went. The numbers dwindled, and in minutes they were gone. Even those that were passed out or injured to the extent of immobility were taken through, every Downworlder doing their part to help.

Varian's smile was bright, and as he stood the smile faded and his body swayed. The toll of the portal enough to put a brunt in the energy he had stored up, but not enough to stop the task at hand.

He started forward, his eyes glancing at every cage just to double check the Downworlders, his mind reaching out to brush at the minds of everyone on ship. No mundanes, only the twisted minds and souls of Valentine's soldiers, they could not be saved. The portal had snapped shut the second Varian stood to his feet, and because of its closing Varian took the same path he originally had to get off of the ship, creeping his way through passages and stairwells.

Varian was there, the edge of the ship within sight, and at first he thought it had been a misstep. That he had missed a stair, or caught his toe on a piece of metal, but the opposite was true.

Pain blossomed in his back, Varian passed out before he hit the deck.

Halfway across New York, Alec Lightwood shouted in his sleep, the connection to the Warlock making the wound a shared one.

Magnus Bane panicked.

The world went dark.