a very old creature has lived on the earth for billions of years. Astria had a family and a great life but when your brother dies, you get corrupted and your sister can't manage the pain, how do you stay sane. she doesn't to some people because she...
Jo watched as Ria knelt in front of Sebastian, he felt his heart ache, the pain resembling to someone snapping a piece off and the rest just crumbled into dust. He watched as Sebastian put his hand on her chin and pulled her up, watched him look at her with glee while she looked at him with pleasure. he said something to her, and she turned with menacing black eyes. she pointed her hand towards the group and a bright red spark flew out. Jo pushed MJ out the way and dived with him. He looked back up and where MJ had been standing was scorched. Her hands blackened, black veins burning up her arms, her hair turned into fire and a trail of black slime followed her, dripping off her wings. She lifted up her hands and shot at them all. Everyone they barely escaped from. "She is being controlled."
"what?" Jace shouted.
"she is being controlled by Sebastian. He is diseasing her."
"do you know how to stop her?"
"yes."
"how?" Clary said crawling away from her spot.
"exactly the way you do with diseases. You snuff them out and kill them." he said smiling proudly. He agony stood up and face her. "stop this Ria. You do not have to do this. He is controlling you."
"shut up weak link." She said hoarsely.
"your right I am the weak link, but at least I do things myself instead of others." He stood upright. "Ria remember Sebastian is the one who locked you away. Used you for months and then left you to get out on your own. He did that. Not me. Might have been my body but what did he ask you to call him?"
"Sebastian." His heart fluttered as he got through to her.
"yes, that's right, Sebastian."
"Sebastian, he did it." Her eyes started to clear as she put her arms down.
"no stop this. Don't you see he is manipulating you? Making you the weak link."
Ria's eyes snapped back to black.
"Ria." She turned to Magnus's voice. "he killed thousands of us. He is using you and then he will do exactly what his father did to you, it's in his blood. He is a shadow hunter. He will beat you, torture you until you are useless. You are just a tool."
"shut up warlock. I should have killed you when I had the chance." Sebastian growled.
"see there it is. He just admitted it. Can't you see Ria."
"come on Ria. See for us. Not for them, for us, for me. Please. It's not just you and I against the world, you now have Jo and Magnus." MJ yelled.
Three of people stood in front her, Ria separating them from Sebastian. They all yelled at her. Pulling her back and forth. Left and right, in and out, she felt she was being ripped apart. She felted the power roll through her so much power, she tried grabbing for more she could see the power, but it was just out of reach. Her finger brushed it, the sweat taste of it exhilarate her. She grabbed for more and felt it consume her. Ria felt herself explode and all the darkness shooting out of her. she heard a scream in pain and a thud, but she felt light and free. She opened her eyes, the world was so bright, so colourful, no more tinge. She looked up at her trio and they were smiling with pure happiness. Jo was hugging MJ and throwing him up in the air. she was happy that was the last thing she saw before the blankness rolled in, she heard someone scream "no." as she felt herself fall but never hit the ground.
"no please. Please don't go. Ria. Astria please, please don't. Go." Jo sobbed cradling Ria's head on his legs. "please. I'll swap places. Please. Please. Don't go." Tears streamed down his face. Around him everyone stood frozen. Jo hadn't noticed a hand go onto his shoulder. It was Magnus, he slid his hand down Jo's arm and to Jo's held onto Ria's hand which he too was holding. Another person put an arm around him and hugged him tightly. He looked up seeing the familiar dark hair and glasses poking out of the blue hood, he knew it was MJ and he let MJ hold onto him. They sat next to her body for a long time.
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No one said anything. No one moved. It was MJ who finally spoke. "Pulvis et umbra sumus. For we are dust and shadows. Ave atque vale. Hail and farewell." As soon as MJ said goodbye she began to glow. Golden raise coming from behind her, a ghost of her wings appeared. They stood out against the paleness of her body; her wings were dark as the sky. The rays transformed her clothes from dark to light. He could hear the others around him gasp and the shuffling on the grass as they moved back.
Jo puts his head against hers. Knowing that she was truly gone. That she was somewhere better. That her quest was over. "goodbye. My love." He felt a cold pressure on his cheek and jumped slightly. Startled he opened his eyes. Bright diluted forestry green eyes looked up at him, "Ria."
"Jo." MJ squealed at her voice and gave her a big hug. The three of them laughed at MJ's outburst. "why is everyone crying."
"we thought you were dead." It was Magnus who spoke for the first time since they sat down.
"oh Magnus." Jo watched her intensely as she held out her hand towards the warlock. Magnus took it and helped her up.
She was ghostly white, paler than any vampire. She looked small and vulnerable. She slumped against Magnus and him as they got up. He watched her lean her head against Magnus's shoulder closing her eyes as they headed towards the institute when a voice stopped them, "stop. Give her to me." It was Jace. When Jo didn't move Jace pushed pass him and took Ria off him.
"hey!" Jo said angered. "what the hell give her to me."
"no. You don't get to say anything or do anything with her." It was Alec's voice.
Jo watched as Ria, Jace and Magnus disappeared into the institute they went to follow them when strong arms pulled him bac, he fell taking MJ onto the ground with him. "what the hell." He looked up to find Alec and Isabel towering over him.
"you are not going anywhere and certainly not in there." He looked up at Isabel her black dress blowing slightly in the breeze.
"I need to help her."
"she doesn't need your help and we will never will we need your help."
"she is my friend."
"and she is ours too. You may have been able to spin your web of lies and trick her, but we know who you really are, Sebastian Morgenstern." Alec spat.
"that's not my name-
"will you shut up and let us through." Shocked Jo turned to face MJ. Looking around he too say everyone else was shocked. "we are her family and that is stronger. She may not make it and we will be by her side. We will be happy to fight you to get in there and be with Astria." Jo could see the rage building up in MJ, the same rage that was burning through him.
"Max?" It was Maryse who had spoken. She looked relieved and happy; they could see tears that pricked her eyes. "Max." her voice was gentle, and she moved slowly as MJ was a frightened animal she didn't want to spook. "your alive. How? How long?" she moved to put her arm on his shoulder.
Just as her fingertips touched his shoulders he flinched away, he ran past her and to Jo. Jo picked MJ up the boy closed his arms tightly around Jo's neck. "it is ok. no one is going to hurt you." Jo said in a soothing voice.
"she touched me. How? What is happening to Ria?" he whispered just audible for Jo to hear.
