Izzy and Jace waited anxiously in the head's office, the last days they had spent on edge, angry and afraid. The silence between them grew uncomfortable as both had many things to say but still remained unsure where to start.

"... He must be fine, right?" Izzy glanced over to Jace, he of all had been under a great amount of stress as despite the parabatai rune he could not feel his brother.

To be in the dark, forbidden to know of his parabatai's well being, it haunted Jace Herondale day and night. Sleep was a gift he didn't feel worth of earning, rest was something he simply couldn't do when his brother could be suffering all alone.

"I tried Izzy... So many times I have tried to see him through our bond but something is blocking it... Most likely the silent brothers." Jace let out a breath, feeling unsettled constantly, he could no longer stand properly as the feeling of fear and concern suffocated him.

"... It's Alec we are talking about... He must be..." Izzy could not find the strength to finish her sentence, she knew her brother is the strongest and bravest of all...

But what does strength and might do under the eye of the Clave, when he indeed has something to hide. "... The girl... What if they found out? He could be accused of treason."

Jace's jaw tightened at her remark, his heart throbbing with anger and frustration. "... He should have handed her over to the Clave... What he is going through, it's not worth it."

"... Jace... I think it's best we follow his lead, Alec is not naive, he knew the chances and decided to take them on." Izzy spoke softly, trusting her brother's lead.

"Do you agree with him?" Jace glared, not hating his sister but certainly not finding sense of what she is saying. "Alec is too good for this world, he thought he could do it alone... If he had let us help, then it would have been better."

"What could have we done? Alec always held all the responsibility for himself... I hate that about him." Izzy sighned, feeling her head and heart heavy with regret.

"We could have shared the burden." Jace replied simply, cursing himself for not just sticking up to his parabatai's side as he should have.

"Yes, and make things worse... Like we always do for Alec." Izzy started feeling her own anger build up, getting defensive as she did feel at fault for all this mess.

He never trusted them fully, they didn't let him.

"Better than leaving him alone to bear it all... We shouldn't have listened to him and followed him." Jace sighned, pushing himself away from the wall before starting pacing back and forth.

"... What difference would that make? What has been done is done." Izzy clarified sternly, they had to focus and find a solution.

"... We could hand over the child, maybe that will help Alec's situation..." Jace spoke abruptly, finding the idea somewhat assisting.

"Alec sacrificed himself for that girl... Are you seriously considering it?" Izzy asked with hesitation, yet not completely against it.

Who knows what they are doing to her brother in the catacombs...

"If it means it will get him out of there then yes Izzy I am highly considering it!" Jace and Izzy didn't feel right about such idea, they remained quite trying to think of their options. "... Maybe it won't be so bad for her... Who am I kidding, Jace, we can't."

"You can't! If I knew where Alec hid her then I would have already been on my way to get her." Jace grew his speed, huffing and running his hand through his hair aggressively. He felt like he is about to explode.

Izzy let out another sigh, how did they fuck up so badly?

The door opened without a warning knock, Maryse stepped in with her head held high, closing the door behind her soundly. "Robert will not be participating."

"He would not have been much of help anyways." Jace spoke under his breath, feeling impatient and agitated. "How is the Clave? Still feeling like putting him behind bars despite his flawless testimony?"

"It wasn't flawless... We all know it." Maryse gave them a knowing stern look. "It all started with the wrong move before it escalated to this... You should have stopped him."

"... We regret not having done so." Jace admitted in defeat, letting his body slump on one of the chairs.

Izzy frowned, feeling something odd was being implied. "Alec did what he thought best."

"Really? Hiding and running off with a warlock child mid mission, I still can't believe what he was thinking..." Maryse shook her head, still unable to take in her son's actions. "Fortunately, his act has not being noticed by the council... For now."

"... How do you know of that?" Izzy recalled back then when her mother had asked her directly but she had refused to give her the truth.

She couldn't snitch on her brother.

"I told her... Don't be mad Izzy, among us Maryse is the only one accustomed to the Clave's bitchiness and salty behaviour... If there is someone who knows how to handle them it's her." Jace provided Izzy with the lost slots, explaining himself. "We can't help him but maybe she can."

He bore no regret in his choice this time.

"Alec isn't going to be happy." Izzy huffed, settling down. "What's the situation now? What is Alec ought to face?"

"... Alec spoke of ideas against of the Clave's customs and rules... He threatened them and went against their orders." Maryse started with a determined look, her fear sealed away in the depths of her heart as of now, she needed to stand strong. "... He will keep his life but, there is a choice to be made."

"Alec showed his teeth? They must really be a-"

"Jace, cut the insults and jests, we have to focus." Maryse warned, analysing further. "Yes, Alexander was impudent but it did work well in his favour... He achived his goals despite the means that will follow. He managed to stall, give himself another week before the second trial... He tried to woe the Clave heads and bring new ideas... I thought he almost had them."

"Despite his promising words they denied him, am I getting this right?" Izzy asked in reassurance.

Maryse nodded. "He wanted change and acted on his ideals without permission of the Clave during the worst of times... In the end, despite his passionate ambitions, he didn't get through to them."

"Why? Was Alec speaking that unreasonably?!" Izzy let out a breath, irritated at the feeling of anxiety and anger that has been taunting her ever since they took her brother away. "Alec is not one to speak bullshit!"

"... Indeed, Alexander is not one to speak thoughtlessly... This time too, his saying was inspiring." Maryse hid a soft smile before it managed, she had no right to be proud of him now, not when she can't even hold him. "Alas, the Clave does not seek change."

"... I will speak to my grandmother." Jace stood but was settled back down in a heartbeat by Maryse. "There is no way of changing her mind."

Jace held her gaze, how pained she looked... There was more to it, something she wasn't telling, this is where her sorrow laid.

"...Why will there be another trial? What happened... We weren't there so please tell us." Izzy didn't understand what had went wrong exactly as she knew her brother well, he wouldn't blandly insult someone without proper reasoning. "Alec wouldn't bark without purpose, it's not like him."

Maryse hesitated, would it even matter if they knew?

Of course it would.

"... Alec brought the idea of joining forces with downworlders so occasions like Iris Rose will be better handled... Adding that the nephilim hybrids should be tought how to be a downworlder as well as their nephilim side... Equally." Maryse let it sink it for a minute, frowning as the two hunters didn't seem all that terrified of the fact that such words were spoken within a courtroom where the judges are not ones to favour the downworld.

Izzy remembered back at the new law, how she had begged Alec to do something about it. 'Oh brother... What have I done to you?'

Jace on the other hand frowned, surprised. "There are nephilim hybrids?"

Izzy stiffened at that, where there? She could only name one and that was because she had crossed paths with her on multiple occasions.
"... I can only remember Helen Blackthrone?"

Maryse nodded in understanding, not surprised of their ignorance, after all, it was intended by the higher ups. "Most hybrids that can't keep up with our lifestyle, the responsibility and power that comes of being a nephilim... They are striped off their runes and thrown out."

"... That's cruel." Izzy left it at that, gazing upon her mother with a new sensation, disappointment. How can she allow this to happen? For so long did her mother stand as a Clave head yet she didn't think that such treatment is inhumane.

The Clave doesn't like change.

"What happens to them?" Jace asked with concern, his mind unsure what direction to follow.

"They... They are left somewhere in the middle, denied by the shadow world, each side declining any relations to them." Maryse didn't dare elaborate further as the turth only got worse. Most hybrids either join the mundane world, surrounded by people who will never fully understand them... Or they take their own lives.

"... I can't understand what was so wrong of Alec to be treated like a criminal." Izzy shook her head, finding the situation a tragic comedy. "Why would the Clave be threatened of it all? Don't they wish to help their people."

"The answer to your question Isabelle is very simple... The right of power." Maryse took a deep breath through her nose, settling opposite of them, her voice calm, as if teaching a heartless lesson. "People who can yield both magic and angelic power... They are a threat."

She made a small pause before continuing. "They are blessed with excessive power, strength that if they decided to use against the ruling party... It could cause a rebellion."

"The Clave won't hesitate to exterminate the ones who can shake their seats and take everything that once was considered theirs... They are a threat to them... You understand?" Maryse stared at them, edging them to follow her string of thought.

"... And having someone like Alec... Who is well estimated and respected by his comrades to support the growth of their biggest enemy..." Izzy stalled, trying to take in what she was hearing.

"The hybrids are for the Clave a poisonous root they need to take out... No one had shown any interest in watering the broken branch until Alec." Jace finished, pacing his palm over his eyes, soothing himself.

Trying to hold back.

"...They view Alec as their enemy." Izzy let out a shaky breath, terrified, after years of proving himself, will her brother really vanish because of the wits of the power thirsty?

"Alec made sure to show his famous upbringing, mentioning his long heritage that if tarnished would arose questions and other responses they would rather not encounter..." Maryse spoke with a calm but stern demeanour, prideful for her son to use what's rightfully his to handle a situation that threatened his position.

Yet, it wouldn't be enough for now.

The Lightwood name is being chased into the mud, it is not a time to question the ones above... They are vulnerable.

Maryse could only wish for future glory, for the family to win against everyone who wants to drag them down, into the depths of Edom.

"The Clave has decided upon two punishments." Maryse had to avert her her gaze, unable to carry her confidence with what she is about to say. "He is to either get stripped of his runes..."

"WHAT?!" Jace jumped on his feet at that, finding the news unbearably disturbing and baffling. "I won't let them!"

"How can they make such decision?! Are they brainless-"

"OR!" Maryse cut in, her eyes remaining low as she gritted her jaw. "... His memory to be trampled with, such harmful ideas to be pushed away, locked."

Jace and Izzy remained there frozen at the heinous outcomes that awaited their brother. "... Are you being serious?"

"I tried everything but they are determined... They made me choose and after consideration, I went along with the second option." Maryse's voice was devoid of any emotion, her eyes betrayed her however, having turned glossy.

Despite being a head council herself, despite her power, it didn't compare when you were outnumbered...

You can't win a fight on your own, not one like this.

"YOU! You!..." Izzy walked towards her mother, her own tears running down her face. "Why are you taking him away from me?! From us?!"

"It's not as simple as it seems." Maryse whispered, tugging her daughter close to an embrace.

Izzy pushed her away. "No!... No."

Izzy walked pass Jace, aiming for the door, she could no longer be here listening at the injustice made upon her brother. Jace didn't hesitate to follow her lead, only throwing a glare at the older woman who simply watched them leave, her pitiful eyes on children who didn't understand the depth of the situation, of the circumstances that are to behold.

"... We are not going to let them touch him." Izzy spoke, her voice eerily still.

"Let's go get our brother back." Jace spoke lowly, his voice unwavering against his dwelling of hatred and fear.

The duo kept moving carelessly of what was happening around them, their only wish and need, to free their brother of the shackles of the cruel, of the mad who decides to hurt their own, they would turn the silent brothers' cave inside out if they have to.

On the other hand, Alexander Lightwood still remained locked in his cage, succumbed in the dark.

A shadow hunter is ought to adjust under any circumstance, this time too was no different from the rest. Alec had taken a seat at the back of his cell, in the darkest corner.
His back leaning against the harsh uneven brick wall, his hands resting over his knees, his gaze upright, no longer trembling under the low temperature, having overcome the intense humidity, his breathing was deep yet low.

The hunter remained as still as ever, waiting.

The second trial was approaching, undoubtedly, he will be taunted tonight. They just loved to bring him and his family down, to ridicule the young hunter for opening his mouth and pointing a finger at them.

Any possibility of him catching his breath and making up his mind, any possible light of hope within him they wanted to crash.

Isn't that why they placed him in such place? So the cold would fog his mind, his body turning paralysed.

They wanted him weak and disoriented, hungry and pathetic.

In a place where sleep could bring death, where the food is never enough, devoid of warmth and people to talk to.

Alec knew he is serving his punishment without even a public declaration of his accusations. He is being tortured despite of being guilty and not.

"... Ha." Alec let out a strained laugh, he couldn't remember what they had even accused him of. Was it that he believed in senseless ideas? That he seeked the help of a downworlder without permission? Or is it that he fled from his responsibilities?

Maybe it was all these at once.

"... It's fine." Somehow Alec could not bring himself to be regretful. It wasn't just that Catarina and Madzie were safe but the fact that he dared speak his mind despite the endless rejection.

His grandfather who had passed away almost a decade and half by now had said something about dare, something about his name. "Alexander... The protector of people... Mundanes and not."

Alec let out a bitter sigh, his heart aching. Maybe, among all, Gideon Lightwood would have been the one to listen to him, truly listen to him. His grandpa always spoke of how daring it was for people to speak their minds despite all odds.

Back then, his young self had asked if most people are daring and how does someone become a fearless person. His grandfather had answered that not many are this daring and if they were, they didn't get to live long.

"Why?... Because the path they chose is full of hardships... Yet a glorious one." Alec recalled, whispering the words. "... What to do glory if you are alone celebrating?"

"... Is glory even about celebration?" Alec then asked himself, remembering how his kin valued such thing above all. "... A glorious path... It can be anything and nothing all together."

"What to do glory and the gifts within it when you don't feel righteous of the path?" Alec kept mumbling questioning and answering with uncertainty, what he once knew becoming doubting.

The silence provided rather kept his brain active, running through endless thoughts with new eyes.

Maybe his stay at such inconvenient place was the break he needed to short everything out.

"What are you mumbling on about?"

Alec didn't raise at her presence, her position having grown insignificant in his eyes. "..." He did feel another presence with her though, she had brought a friend.

"Not even a greeting? Maybe your grace will do the honours in exchange of bread?" Victor Aldertree cued, mocking the nephilim. "You know... You should respect me more, after all, if it wasn't for me, who else would spare you another chance?"

"I wonder, how far are you willing to go for a piece of food? Even bread that has been spat on, it should be a craving by now." Victor continued, chuckling at his own joke.

"That should be enough." Imogen made a step forward, gazing sternly at the shackled hunter. "How have you been child?"

Alec moved his eyes over to her, staring with a piercing gaze over the slums that had so much passion, such desire to diminish him. "What exactly are you here for? I thought visits were against the rules? Maybe law is not above us after all."

"... You seem hurt child. Is it your pride that can't take the burden or is it something else?" Imogen kept calling him child, small and naive to the real world. That's how she viewd Alexander Gideon Lightwood, a dreamer of falsehood.

"I am not insane." Alec said again, refusing to admit his only way out. If he did admit of what his mother was trying to push then things would have gone a lot smoother for him. As long as he didn't speak of his harmful ideas that is of course.

He would have been in Idris now, taking a break.

Instead he refused to call his beliefs unsettling and wrongful, taking place in a shell designed for murderers and criminals of the shadow world.

His heart still stung at the words of insanity, especially after being spoken by his own mother. She would rather take a punch and let the family fall than stand up straight and protect, support her son. Alec felt betrayed as he knew Maryse to be ruthless and stern with most things, being respected and admired.

Why couldn't she do the same for him? Be ruthless for him instead of against him.

"I see you haven't yet understood the depth of what you believe in... As I said before Alexander." Imogen hushed a whisper, approaching his cell even closer, her brows scrunched together in utter disgust.

"Those laws that deny close relation and cooperation with the Downworld are there for a reason!" She could only hiss at the nephilim who didn't change his expression or standing, her words didn't reach him.

"Your generation is ungrateful." Imogen spoke sternly, her silent rage noticeable. "Laws stand to protect you, denying them will only bring harm, what is it so hard to understand?"

"... If it's so bad, so awfully terrible, then please do explain why." Alec's voice despite of his dry throat was loud enough to echo.

Aldertree rolled his eyes, this nephilim is destined to never learn. "As amusing as your stubborness is Lightwood, it's getting tiring to have to explain everything to you."

"As far as I am aware, we never before crossed paths." Alec didn't mock, he was tired of wits and an perplexed words, for now, he wanted a sincere conversation of why was all this happening in the first place.

"... You should have known by now, that we are beings blessed by the highest of goods... The angel blood that runs through our veins, the laws we create are words of the holy." Aldertree spoke with might, as if his words carried a great sense of who as the nephilim kin are and what is rightfully theirs.

"If you bring low borns to such high standing, isn't it ruining, undermining all the nephilim kin has brought forth? The angel's will, it gets tarnished... Such disrespect, the holy won't allow." Imogen finished, her gaze growing formal, confident and praiseful at their truth.

The nephilim kind is above all.

"Isn't it peace that angels seek? Isn't this the purpose of our existence? We are chosen to fight, to keep balance between the two worlds, to protect the weak... Yet it all goes to grumbles when it comes to downworlders?" Alec interjected, finding their reasoning hypocritical.

"Those beings if you remember correctly are halfbreeds of demon spawns. Are you standing here to say it's possible that two kins, one with angel blood and the other with demon blood, are capable of understanding eachother?" Aldertree spoke with an expression of disbelief, as if the mere thought of the two kins being equal was crazy and problematic to the point were it shouldn't have been a concern in the first place.

"If we didn't understand each other then bonds wouldn't be created between us... The reason why so many shadow hunters aren't open of their relationships with downworlders is because of the prejudice you keep pushing... As the council, shouldn't you-"

"You can't-"

"I didn't finish." Alec made sure to not be cut off again, not this time. "I have seen countless couples of nephilim and Downworlders, their biggest issue really is the pressure the Clave puts into the racial gap. Other than that, they can be presumed as any mundane partnership."

Alec stared at them for a moment, knowing they won't understand. Such people, who command such cruelties, do they even cherish the concept of love?

Alec decided on a different approach. "I have a question for you this time..."

"Why are we treating them as if they are the same brainless and monstrous devils we hunt? Downworlders have conscience, they have passions and morals just like us. So why are we treating them as if they are below us?"

"Simply because they are." Imogen didn't hesitate to give a clear answer. "They only fool around, cherishing what life has to offer while we stand training since our childhood to carry the task of world balance. We loose people and get hurt as we go with our lives until we are no longer able to stand. What do they do that can be considered important? To be able to take a seat at our table."

"Calling someone's life insignificant just because they live it as they please is truly a sin you should not take lightly." Alec slowly emerged from the floor, heading closer to the iron bars. "How can you be so certain that is all they do? How can you say that such a mass of people are all doing the same thing... It's impossible to take that answer and run with it."

Alec rested his face between the irons, his gaze glowing of determination and challenge. "Just because you are jealous of them doesn't mean you can hold spikes against every single downworlder."

Alec watched as Imogen turned pale in rage under the weight of his words, her voice devoid of any emotion. "What did you just accuse me of?"

Even Aldertree had lost his words after that, remaining still, forzen of what was implied.

"You use their way of life as an excuse to hate on them, bringing up our life's purpose to show how different we are, how they are not ought to be taken seriously because they live their life as they want." Alec elaborated, looking down at the shaken woman with a nonchalant expression.

'How daring and beautiful it is for people to live the way they desire, how can anyone hate on that? I can only find myself jealous.' Alec left such remark for himself alone.

"That sounds like you can't bear the thought of protecting people who live in the same world as you yet bear no responsibility... You are mad that they don't bear any burden because you do."

"Why protect people who are never going to return the favour? That's what I heard by your statement." Alec didn't change his demeanour, he wanted Imogen to feel as she does right now.

Angry and wronged.

"... You won't understand however many times it is explained to you." Imogen sighned, despite the vein on her forehead that was ready to burst she kept her cool. She turned, signaling to Aldertree it's time to make their leave.

"... How can they return the favour when you won't let them to?" Alec let his last words echo, his eyes steady on his target.

"... They are incapable of anything significant. Letting them in, it would only bring ruin." Imogen responded, refusing to let this slide smoothly.

"If you met them, then you would know how wrong you are."

"Have you? What is that makes you so confident?"

"I met a downworlder once... Once was enough to make me want to lift my blade against any harm that might come their way."

"Would they do the same?"

"Does it matter?" For Alec Madzie had given him what he wanted, she still yarned for life despite her hardships. That was more than enough for him, to know the child he had protected is still wishing for happiness.

In truth Alec wished for Madzie to never have to lift a blade against anyone, he wished her a life of peace and enjoyment.

"... I pity you Alexander... I truly do." With such words Imogen left, calling close to her a silent brother she spoke with a flare of sheer hatred. "Let him burn, make sure the sword pierces through his skull... When the stars aline in two days time, make his leave as suffering as possible, his soul must pass on tortured just like a traitor's worth."

"Isn't it two days too long?" Aldertree asked displeased, regardless he did not receive an answer immediately.

Imogen had a clear vision of who Alexander Lightwood was, a man who would do anything for a change that wouldn't fond either her or her allies.

"Let him perish, make it look like an accident." Aldertree spoke, his voice low so it was only the two of them that could hear.

"You take me for an amateure?" Imogen hissed at the disrespect but let it go, returning back on his question towards her delay. "They say people can tell when their time comes... I want Alexander Lightwood to feel his end approaching, to feel powerless and helpless as his last nights go by. I want him to live his last days in regret."

Aldertree could only nod, taking out his watch to take a look at the time, it was indeed late, it's better if they head out now.

Imogen turned for one last time to gaze at the fallen heir, her gaze cold before turning frightful. For a second there, she thought she saw something, something dark behind the hunter that locked eyes with her.

Returning her gaze back at the hunter she felt her breath get caught between her lungs. "..."

The nephilim looked as if he knew what she was thinking, what she had whispered. As if he knew everything, as if it was whispered to him through the whistling winds of the cave.

Despite that Alec Lightwood remained unafraid, unchanged.

Behind him stood a form of shadow, spreading from his sides as if the hunter had grown wings that towered over the ceiling, almost reaching her.

She blinked away her fright only find things as they were. Only a moment's worth was such sight. Alec Lightwood retracted back to his cage, his eyes never leaving her till the end.

"Even if he did comply with his memory being treated, getting his mind fixed... It wouldn't be enough." Aldertree kept on, Alec Lightwood had grown to be a thorn on his side. "His soul is too ill to be saved."

Imogen didn't respond, just kept on walking, relieved to have the Lightwood boy taken away from her path.

Such people are indeed not destined to live long enough.

"He needs to understand that the law isn't always kind, angels can be cruel." Imogen left it at that.