-*-*-*-*- Tessa -*-*-*-*-

Tessa stood by the window in the drawing room, looking up at the flat grey sky that was being consumed with black smoke and blazing fire. The light made London below look ablaze despite the light rain trickling down from the heavens. Nothing could ever look more terrifying to Tessa. She knew that this was the beginning of the end.

"It's starting," Jem whispered from behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "The Unseelie King's curse. This is what he was planning all along. To bring hell on earth."

"It's the demon realm," Magnus said from the far corner of the room. "He wants to destroy all Shadowhunters. The best way to do that is to bring hoards of demons onto this world, to wipe out the humans and then the Nephilm. It took an angel to save us last time this happened, this time we won't be so lucky." Tessa swallowed hard but said nothing. She refused to show weakness, not when her fiancé needed her to be strong.

Not when Will needed her to be strong.

The door opened and Charlotte walked in, followed by Cecily and Gideon, both of whom looked exhausted. Kit and Jace were behind them, looking very confused at the circumstances. "The Silent Brothers are here," the Head of the Institute said as she sat at her desk. "They have the adamas and are preparing a potion of sorts to treat Will and Gabriel. Henry is with them, but Jem I suggest you go to the infirmary in case Will needs extra treatment." Jem nodded, kissing Tessa on the temple before racing from the room.

"So what's the plan then?" Jace asked, slouching against a wall with his arms folded. Tessa could see clear traces of Cecily and Will in his demeanour. She wondered who his ancestors were. Perhaps Will found someone else and married her, forgetting about Tessa and allowing her to be with Jem. It seemed strange to think of Will with someone else...but she shouldn't even think that.

Charlotte was rubbing her temples with her elbows leaning on the desk. "I don't know," she said finally. "I have no idea what to do. I've already informed the Consul but he is having the same problem in Idris. In fact, it's all over the world. No one can come to our aid if they're fighting their own battles."

"So that's it then?" Kit said with a snort. Everyone looked up at the boy, completely startled.

"I beg your pardon?" Tessa exclaimed.

"You're all just going to give up?" Kit cried. "You know, I haven't been a Shadowhunter very long but I damn well know that they're not meant to sit around and wait for the end of the world. They're meant to be out there fighting it!"

"What would have us do, Mr Herondale?" Cecily snapped. Kit looked at her in exasperation.

"Go out there and fight like the Shadowhunters you're meant to be!" Tessa looked around at the room, watching as every person's face set into a determined expression.

"The kid has a point," Jace said, raising his eyebrows. "And as we're supposed to help you in order to go home, you should probably listen to us."

"Of course I have a point!" Kit said, glaring at Jace. "You're the one who told me that we're descended from heroes and whoever. What were your words again? 'You can't be related to Wi-" As quick as lightning, Magnus snapped his fingers which cut off Kit before he could say anymore.

"That is quite enough of that, young man," he said. "I warned you that you couldn't say anything that might disturb the future!" Kit crossed his arms and rolled his eyes but conceded to the point.

Tessa watched as Charlotte looked up from her hands, staring at the two boys in front of her. She wondered if the Head of the Institute was thinking the same as she was just moments ago. Finally, Charlotte slowly nodded, rising to her feet. Everyone rose with her, waiting for her verdict.

"Kit is right," she said. "We cannot just sit back and allow the Unseelie King to get away with this. Even if fighting him means we all go to our doom, better to die fighting rather than die cowering. We are Shadowhunters after all. The Angel made us to be brave, and that is what we are going to be."

From across the room, Jace sighed. "I've fought in the demon realms before," he said. "The very air drains the energy from Shadowhunters. We're going to have to come up with some sort of plan if we're going to defeat this. Find out where the Unseelie King is and sneak attack from behind. Hit him hard when he's not expecting it."

"I could do it," Tessa suddenly said. Jace's eyebrows shot sky high, but he remained silent as Charlotte squeaked in protest.

"You can't, Tessa," she said. "It's too dangerous."

"I can handle myself," Tessa argued back. "Besides, everyone apart from Magnus and I, will be affected by the demon realm and the demon metal. You can't afford to face him if you're already weakened. Let me change in someone he knows. I can distract him while Magus ends the spell." But Magnus was already shaking his head.

"It wouldn't work, Tessa dear," he said gently. "The Unseelie King is a powerful being that will see through your enchantment. He will not be fooled by you."

"I have an idea," Jace said quietly. Tessa whipped around to face him, her eyes wide. Jace didn't even look uncomfortable under her gaze anymore, just quietly confident in himself.

"What are you talking about?" she asked. Jace glanced at Kit who only nodded.

"I have a...friend in the future," Jace said slowly. "This is going to sound insane but she can create runes. There's one she made that might be able to help us, but I have to remember how to draw it."

"Create runes?!" Gideon exclaimed. "But that is impossible! Only the runes in the Grey book are available to Shadowhunters." Jace only shrugged.

"It's a long story which I can't tell you," he said. "But I can create a distraction by using this rune. You'll just have to pick the person to wear it. It'll have to be someone who can get close to the King without being killed straight away."

"There might only be one person who can do that," Magnus muttered.

"Me," Will's weak voice said from the doorway. Tessa gasped when she saw him leaning heavily against her fiancé, his skin pale and his face gaunt. Cecily yelped and ran at her brother, crushing him with a fierce hug despite him groaning in pain.

"I was so worried," she whispered before pulling back and punching him in the arm. "Don't you ever do that to me again or so help me I'll throw you into the duck pond!" Will chuckled slightly as Jem helped him ease into a chair.

"I'll keep that in mind," he said, closing his eyes for a moment. Tessa slowly approached him as Jem drew multiple energy runes on his parabatai's skin. He met Tessa's gaze for a moment as she picked up Will's limp hand. Will's eyes fluttered open again and found hers.

"Hey, Tess," he whispered.

"Hey, Will," she replied softly. "I thought you were going to die."

"Me too," he said. "But I didn't. I'm still here. And I'm not giving up just yet."

"Will," Magnus said. "Are you sure you're well enough to do this? You have to be at your best to defeat the Unseelie King while I break the spell. I need you to give me as much time as you possible can." Will nodded, ignoring Jem biting his lip next to him.

"I can do it," he said. "Just tell me the plan, and I'll make it happen."

"That will be up to our friends from the future," Magnus murmured, giving Jace a pointed look. Will's head snapped up as if he was only now noticing Jace and Kit in the room.

"Wait a minute, the future?!"

-*-*-*-*- Will -*-*-*-*-

Will stood in his room, staring out of the window at the exploding sky. When he woke up, the first thing he saw was Jem leaning over him, his face pale and worried. Considering when he last saw him, it was a crushing relief to see Jem alive after being held hostage by the Unseelie King. Granted, his parabatai was looking way too tired for his liking, but he was alive and on his feet at least.

Jem had taken him to the drawing room while the Silent Brothers healed a still sick Gabriel with the adamas potion. When they arrived, everyone else was in the middle of a heated argument about what to do next. But when the golden haired boy had said someone needed to get close to the Unseelie King, Will knew that he was the only one who could do it.

"This is a bad idea, you know," Jem suddenly said. Will turned and glanced at his parabatai who was sitting on his bed. "Will, you almost died the last time you saw him. He could do it again and this time...I won't be able to save you."

"I know you're worried," Will said quietly. "But trust me. I can do this."

"And if you can't?"

Will closed his eyes and sighed. "I have to do this, Jem," he whispered. "You wouldn't understand but the King...he took everything from me. He tortured me, made me forget who I was and then almost killed me. I can't let him do it again. I just can't."

"You want to face your fears," Jem said. Will turned his back to the window and faced him. Jem gave him a soft smile. "I know because I used to feel the same about Yanluo. So I do understand, Will. I think I'm probably the only one who does."

It wasn't often that Jem spoke about the demon that killed his parent. Will knew he found it difficult and so he always tried to avoid the subject as much as he could so to limit Jem's pain. But it astonished him now that Jem would bring the Greater Demon up.

Before Will could reply, the door opened and the golden haired boy, Jace, entered. Will still couldn't quite wrap his head around the fact that Jace and Kit were from the future. It didn't surprise him that the Unseelie King's spell had side effects, all powerful magic did, but bringing Herondales from the future...that was a whole different kind of insane.

In Jace's hands, he had a piece of paper which he held out to Jem. "This is the rune," he said. "I could draw it, but I think it would be better if you did it." Jem nodded, examining the rune.

"What does it do?" Will asked. Jace looked up and smirked slightly.

"It takes away your fear," he replied. "My girlfriend calls it the Fearless Rune."

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Hi guys!!!

Right, I know that I am ridiculously late for an update but I have an excuse. For the past two weeks I have been extremely unwell and so I haven't actually done much of anything. So basically I had half a chapter saved on here that I couldn't finish because I was so ill. I decided that I needed to take a break from writing in order to fully recover.

But, on the more positive note, I'm back now!!! And I'm a lot better so yay for me!

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this one! Don't forget to vote and comment!

Love y'all!

CricketCat