The Angel-Blooded One (Shadowhunters ff)

11 - The Plunge

Clary

Emerging from the swirling portal onto the shores of Lake Lyn felt like a plunge into the past. The cool night air carried the scent of pine and damp earth, a stark contrast to the stale, wood-paneled walls of the manor. Relief washed over Clary, not for having arrived, but for the simple fact that the portal hadn't deposited her at the bottom of the lake – a feat she'd come to consider a personal victory.

She'd fled the manor in a rush, spurred by Oskar's pronouncement. "Your friends are in Vienna," he'd said, voice filled with urgency. He had promised to stall her friends, and offered a brief, awkward embrace before Isaac whisked her away through a portal.

Gazing at the familiar curve of the beach, a fist clenched around Clary's heart. The place was laced with chilling memories of the last time she'd stood at the edge of Lake Lyn, the weight of the world pressing down on her. Valentine, dead by her hand before his wish could be granted. This was also where Jace had... The memory, sharp and painful, threatened to pull her under.

Alone on the desolate shore, the enormity of her situation suffocated her. How did one summon an angel, let alone one as powerful as Raziel? Even if she succeeded, what then? Ithuriel's warnings about Raziel's wrath echoed in her mind. A dry chuckle escaped her lips – well, here's hoping he was feeling merciful tonight.

Taking a fortifying breath, Clary approached the water's edge. Doubt gnawed at her, a relentless voice whispering of failure. But a louder voice, Ithuriel's, urged her forward. This was the path laid before her. She just had to take the first step.

With trembling fingers, she grasped her stele and closed her eyes. Darkness engulfed her. Then, slowly, memories of the past, fragmented images from her dreams, coalesced, forming a single, glowing symbol. With a practiced hand, she etched the rune into the air, its golden light a beacon against the vast, inky canvas of the night sky.

A sudden tremor shook the earth, and the surface of the lake churned violently. As the swirling energy subsided, a figure materialized before her, composed entirely of searing white light – Raziel.

"Clarissa Morgenstern," his voice boomed, a celestial tremor that resonated through her bones. "What audacity compels you to summon me after my explicit warnings?" The air crackled with his suppressed power.

Clary met his furious gaze, her voice surprisingly steady despite the tremor in her hands. "I came to ask for forgiveness. Please, Raziel, I just... I want my life back."

A scowl, like a storm cloud forming, darkened Raziel's luminous features. "Forgiveness? After your blatant disregard for my instructions? After your reckless use of runes? No, child. I was merciful once. But now, your defiance has consequences."

He raised his hands, gathering power. A blinding light erupted from his form, aimed directly at Clary. Time seemed to slow as a primal scream ripped from her throat. In a desperate reflex, fueled by a love that burned brighter than fear itself, a forgotten rune, etched into her memory from a half-remembered dream, flared to life on the back of her hand. A burst of countervailing energy, raw and untamed, shot forth, clashing with Raziel's attack in a deafening explosion that lit up the entire forest. The shockwave sent Clary flying backward, the taste of blood metallic on her tongue. Dazed, she looked up to see Raziel, his form momentarily staggered by the unexpected resistance.

"Impossible," he breathed, his voice devoid of its earlier fury, replaced by a profound curiosity that crackled in the air. The celestial being hovered above her, his gaze fixed on the rune glowing on her hand.

Clary lifted her chin, her heart pounding against her ribs. "Please, Raziel," she pleaded once more, her voice barely a whisper hoarse from the exertion. "Just let me be."

Raziel stared at her for a long moment. "I don't think the decision lies with me anymore." With that, he reached out a hand and swept her upwards. They vanished into the night sky, leaving only the echoes of their encounter lingering in the wake of the explosion.

***

Jace

The emerald light of the portal fizzled and died, leaving Jace sprawled on the damp forest floor. A suffocating stillness hung heavy in the air, broken only by the ragged gasps escaping his own lungs. It was an unnatural silence, the kind that pressed against your eardrums and screamed of danger. No chirping crickets, no rustling leaves, no distant hooting of owls – just a thick, oppressive quiet.

Oskar's words echoed in his mind – Clary's recovered memories, her fear of Raziel's wrath extending to those she cared for. A pang of guilt, sharp and unexpected, ripped through him. She should have confided in him. Maybe then, they could have faced it together, as they always had. But she hadn't. She hadn't wanted him to get hurt.

Suddenly, a blinding flash of light pierced the darkness, followed by a deafening explosion that rattled the very ground beneath their feet. The world lurched, throwing them all off balance. Adrenaline surged through him, erasing the dread and replacing it with a primal urgency. "Clary!" he yelled, his voice echoing through the silent trees.

He took off at a sprint, pushing his legs to their limits as he tore through the undergrowth, his heart a frantic drum against his ribs. The once familiar path to Lake Lyn blurred into a chaotic mess of trees and shadows as a primal fear clawed at him. With every frantic step, images of Clary flashed through his mind – her laughter, the way her fiery spirit ignited a spark within him, the memory of her touch, sending a tremor of longing through his body. No. He couldn't lose her again. Not like this. Not when they had just begun to find their way back to each other. The thought of her facing Raziel alone fueled his every step. He would find her. He had to.

Finally, he burst through the trees and gasped. On the shore of the tranquil Lake Lyn, there was a smoldering crater, a testament to the raw power unleashed here. The air crackled with a lingering energy. Panic clawed at his throat as he called out for Clary, his voice echoing in the quiet forest. No answer came.

Jace sank to his knees. Tears welled up in his eyes, blurring the image of the crater before him. The image of Clary's face, etched with fear and determination, flashed before him. He had failed her. He hadn't been there when she needed him most. A choked sob escaped his lips, a raw expression of the despair and helplessness that consumed him.