The Infernal Devices Rewritten

Chapter 20 - The Infernal Devices

Chapter 20

The Infernal Devices

The Shadowhunters and mundanes of the London Institute - along with Magnus Bane - stood in a half circle, completely ready for the oncoming fight. They circled the Portal, but Henry was hardly openly proud of it. He was strangely serious as he strapped on his weapons and handed out contraptions of his invention for additional destruction.

They were waiting, Will knew. Waiting for the Silent Brothers to arrive.

"How does it work?" Gabriel finally asked.

"You visualize where you want to go and you step through." Henry said with a surprising curtness.

Finally, after what could have been hours of silence, the Silent Brothers arrived. They were armed and Brother Enoch held an extra robe, which he extended to Jem.

"Thank you for responding, Brother Enoch," Charlotte said formally.

There was a slight dip of the Brother's head in recognition but no other formalities as Cecily stepped up, glancing back to Will before focusing on the top of Cadair Idris.

Gabriel was the second to step through with no hesitation, Will was the third, glancing back to Jem who now donned Silent Brother robes - the last part of Evan's kick-butt plan coming together. Jem nodded to Will before he stepped through, Jem three footfalls behind him.

"Ah," A voice from the cave's doorway mused, "Not so unlike Evan's story, then."

Groggy and feeling much better than she had in days, Evan opened one eye to see Magnus Bane -

Magnus Bane.

"Tessa!" Evan yelped, shaking the older, sleeping girl beside her. Evan lept from the bed before Tessa was fully awake and met Magnus on her side of the barrier. "And what do you mean it's not unlike the book?"

Magnus shrugged and tossed a bag at Tessa, who barely caught it. "Get dressed. The Shadowhunters are here now. Apologies, by the way, that it took so long. We couldn't seem to find the right runes for the Portal."

Tessa blinked. "They're here?"

"Oh, yes," Magnus grinned. "Better get ready, ladies, we are expecting a fight."

"Did Will read -" Evan started, only to be interrupted by Magnus.

"Yes, he did. Quite helpful." Magnus said, turning around so the girl could change. "Get dressed."

Tessa handed Evan her gear before dashing behind the Chinese screen in the corner with her own. Evan didn't mind, all she needed was for Magnus not to look. She slipped the gear on under the dress, wriggling slightly out of the dress as she slipped into the top part, fastening each hook and strap of leather. Her injured wrist was going to be a problem - she could hardly move her fingers.

"Magnus?" Evan said, about to reach out and touch him, only to be blocked by the barrier.

Magnus turned and looked down at her poorly wrapped wrist. And frowned. "I'm not very good at healing."

"You don't have to be good." Evan said. "I'll re break it if I have to. I just have to be able to fight for a few hours."

Magnus frowned at her but took down the barrier between them, unwrapped the bandage and frowned more deeply at the sight of her wrist. Not only was it oddly bent, but it was turning colors, stiff and oddly shaped. Not good. Magnus did his best with what he could; brought down the swelling, which hurt, and tried to set it - which made Evan's knees buckle and chest deflate with pain. When Tessa emerged, Evan's wrist was still badly bruised and slightly swollen, but moveable.

Weapons were strung on Tessa and Evan's weapons belts. Tessa had a sword, Evan had her mace - she'd have to remember to thank Cecily - a sword and a spike-tipped mace. Over her shoulder, she had a bow with her quiver full of arrows strapped to her thigh.

"Ready," Magnus said, not asked, as he set off down the hall.

"They're all alright, then?" Tessa asked with a slight breathlessness.

"For now." Magnus glanced back at her.

Cecily didn't look around the room that she knew would look like Saint Paul's dome. She didn't pause to look around, she didn't think back to when Will had taken her to the cathedral after Evan had whispered something in his ear, pecked his cheek, and sent Cecily a grin before wandering off deeper into the library. She didn't think about the inscription left by Christopher Wren: Si monumentum requiris, circumspice. "If you seek his monument, look about you."

She didn't think about how Will explained that Wren wanted to be remembered for his workers rather than words on a tombstone. She didn't think about how this labyrinth of stone was Mortmain's way of remembrance.

She didn't look at the inscription on the wall as she'd ran to Sophie with the rest of the Shadowhunters on her heels.

THE INFERNAL DEVICES ARE WITHOUT PITY.

THE INFERNAL DEVICES ARE WITHOUT REGRET.

THE INFERNAL DEVICES ARE WITHOUT NUMBER.

THE INFERNAL DEVICES WILL NEVER STOP COMING.

Cecily tried not look at the row upon row of hundreds of thousands of automatons that were now animated by demons as she grabbed Sophie and hauled her back farther away from the creatures. Cecily watched as Henry knelt but touched nothing and said "The ouroboros. The symbol of the containment of demon energies." Henry stood and with swing of his blade, cut the automaton lengthwise, carving the box of demon energies. "He's been giving them consciousness and will -"

Henry backed up two more steps, next to Charlotte, although the automaton did not move. There was a whirling echoing throughout the domed cavern. The warriors readied themselves.

Cecily stood back with Will, looking up to him, the necklace around her neck pulsing.

"Are you ready?" Will asked as the automatons moved swiftly.

"I was born ready." Cecily replied, striking alongside her brother and his brother-in-arms-and-oath and her family-in-war.