Chapter 16 - How He Turned Heaven Against Him

I left the library shortly after Jace. His room was right next to mine, which obviously displeased me and I'm sure him too.

Nonetheless, my room was more than I expected and far better than my room at the Institute. It was large and spacious, with dark parquet floors and a heavy but incredibly soft burgundy carpet covering almost the entire floor. There were two large windows, to the left and opposite the door, which let warm sunlight into the room. It had started to snow outside and small white flakes settled on the windowsill.

Looking down the street below offered a peaceful vista. A few Nephilim walked quickly across the street. The picture reminded me of New York when I was standing on the balcony at Magnus Bane's and watching the people there. The people there seemed much calmer compared to the Shadowhunters, even the workers hadn't scurried down the sidewalks like they did here. What immediately caught my eye was the Nephilim's distorted facial features, as if each were carrying a terrible fate on their shoulders. The people of New York had seemed a lot more relaxed and even happier. So what was it that made the Shadowhunters different from the humans? Was it their additional knowledge of this world and the dangers that seemed to lurk everywhere? Or was it the important task, the protection of this world from all the demons, the relentless fight against creatures that would always be reborn and return?

I sighed and turned away from the window. I was sure that even as a Shadowhunter you could have a decent life if you just opened yourself up to it. But most of the Shadowhunters I'd encountered seemed to embody the exact opposite: closed to the world and its beauty, always appealing to the traditions laid down centuries ago. It occurred to me that the Nephilim might dig their own grave with it.

My gaze roamed the room and lingered on the oversized four-poster bed, which definitely could have accommodated more than one person. The four pillars at the corners of the bed held dark gray curtains that could be closed and opened at will. There was a bedside table next it. As if by themselves, my legs carried me to it and in a slow hand movement I let the book fall on it. The cover seemed much brighter than the dark red of the carpet.

Exhausted, I flopped down on the bed and ran my fingers over the smooth duvet cover that someone had already put on the bed. I looked in the mirror of the wardrobe, which was to the right of the door and took up the entire wall. Hundreds of items of clothing would fit in there, I thought to myself and my eyes wandered to the foot of the bedside table where my black bag was standing. The person who prepared the room for me probably brought it up here as well.

Looking in the mirror, I saw that I was still wearing the white dress. With a sigh, I pulled it over my head and tossed it toward my bag. I was too exhausted to unpack my things or pay attention to order. In two quick movements, I also kicked my boots towards the closet and then slipped under the heavy covers of the bed. It wasn't until I moved my head to the side that I realized I'd forgotten to draw the curtains. But I didn't care because I was too tired for the sun's rays to stop me from sleeping.

oOo

Bright, almost golden light blinded Clary as she opened her eyes again. The sun's rays made her green eyes shine like emeralds. It took a few moments for her eyes to adjust to the light; then they widened as Clary saw the place she was standing in front of.

She couldn't find a word that would adequately describe what lay before her. She was at a staggering altitude, far away she could see the silver billows of water, glowing in the sunlight. But it seemed as if the water was so deep below her that it was just a glimpse of something, without her being able to reach or get through to that place. Something in her mind was aware of a barrier between the two worlds.

Clary looked up, breaking away from the waves, and felt the peaceful sense of perfection spread in her chest. A relieved sigh escaped her lips as if she had been holding her breath for years. Now that she was standing here, she could no longer imagine life without this wonderful peace that filled her.

Smiling, she raised her head and saw birds flying in the sky, with their majestic wings they soared through the cloudless blue. A light breeze blew through her red hair and left a pleasant chill on the back of her neck. For a moment she closed her eyes, then tried to take in her surroundings, to take in everything to make the state last forever. She breathed in the clear but sweet scent of the air, which smelled of flowers and grass. It smelled like a sunny summer day.

When she turned around, she saw a meadow that seemed to stretch into infinity. In the distance white clouds seemed to frame this entire place. Upon closer inspection, Clary noticed the figure kneeling in the soft grass with its back to her. For a moment she just stood there, unsure whether to approach the figure. But then she took a decisive step forward and as she got closer she finally realized that it was a man. Clary had never seen anyone with such a fair blond as in this second. It shone so brightly at her that it almost didn't look natural. And yet something in her head seemed to know that all of this was natural and real.

The blond man kept his head down and didn't seem to notice her at all. She had stopped a few yards behind him. His hands were clasped in his lap and his lips opened and closed in an erratic rhythm. Clary couldn't hear what he was mumbling. He was clad in gold combat armor that gleamed in the sunlight. Various runes were carved into the metal and a long sword lay in the grass to his right. It wasn't a Shadowhunter sword, yet it was made of adamas and again had runes emblazoned on it.

Clary took another step toward the man, but as soon as her foot touched the grass, a strong wind blew in her face. She flinched in surprise when the clouds seemed to shift in the distance and a huge white staircase appeared. It was several tens of meters wide, so it was perfectly visible even from this distance. The stairs seemed to have no end. The steps reached far into the sky, like staring at the horizon of the sea and you could only see up to a certain point. Clary felt a strange feeling as she considered the possibility that the stairs might just end in nowhere.

But it wasn't that thought that caught her breath. It was the other figures with great white wings on their backs, flying up and down the stairs. They were dressed in light-colored tunics that reached down over their bare feet and hung down by gravity. The flapping movements of their wings seemed too slowly to really support the weight of the angels. Wide-eyed, she watched them as they floated gracefully through the sky as if dancing.

"God spoke to Moses and thus speaks to you: I will send an angel to go before you, and I will drive out all your enemies."

Startled, Clary turned to the man kneeling in the grass. He had raised his head and was staring into the distance with wide eyes, an almost tortured expression on his face. Seeing him like that hurt her so much that something inside her seemed to rip. She didn't even know him.

But suddenly glaring flames blazed up around the man, encircling him from all sides, leaving him no chance of escape. Clary felt the heat of the fire, threatening to singe her skin, even though she was still several yards from him. She gasped and stood there for a moment, not knowing what to do next. Then she approached the circle of fire, reached out and tried to call out to the man, who was barely audible behind the blazing wall. But her words caught in her throat as another jet of flame shot up. She felt the fire closing around her fingers and biting into her skin.

Then the beautiful place was gone. Darkness spread around Clary and for a moment she felt like she was falling. She had to blink before she adjusted to the blackness in front of her eyes. She was in a kind of room that reminded her more of a man-made cave. It was lit by torches of witchlight, casting an eerily shimmering shadow on the ground. Against the brown walls stood a multitude of cages, stacked side by side and one on top of the other and of various sizes. Clary had to cover her mouth with a hand as she realized what was inside the cages. Or rather who.

Werewolves, some in their human form and others in their wolf form. Vampires with their throats slit or body parts missing. Tiny little elves, some of them had their wings brutally ripped out. Witch creatures, under whose skin unnatural blue lines stretched all over their bodies. They were all completely naked and bound by heavy metal chains. Some of them were dead, and those who weren't stared at her, eyes drooping, as if they were about to fall lifeless. A foul stench hung in the air, smelling of excrement, sweat and death. Clary wanted to scream out loud, but her throat was too dry.

Clary turned sideways and saw the man who was now standing almost directly next to her. He had risen and his sword rested in his right hand. With a mixture of surprise and horror, she spotted a pair of large wings on his back. The angel turned his face to the side and she could look him straight in the face. He had angular features and a perfectly symmetrical face with a pair of golden eyes that held an expression so angry that Clary felt a rush of cold.

When the shadowworlders squatting in the cages recognized the angel, their exhausted eyes suddenly widened. They stared at him in blatant disbelief, as if they hadn't believed in his existence until that moment. Some even let out a wail.

The angel was still standing in the blazing circle of fire and facing him were two men. The smaller one's face was hidden in a black hood, so that only a deep black could be seen. A long red tail poked out from under his cloak and he was clutching a white book with black claws, which he had instead of hands.

To his left was a much taller man, standing perfectly erect and arching his back. With a kind of dismay, Clary noticed the dark runemarks snaking in elaborate curves along his uncovered body. A triumphant smile graced his mouth, but with his severe and sharp facial features it seemed all the more sinister and menacing. He ran a hand through his blond hair, which was slicked back.

The angel looked down and stared at the runes that had been drawn on the summoning circle and a piercing, loud and angry cry escaped him. The entire cave seemed to tremble for a moment as the sound of his scream echoed off the walls. Not a second later he raised his free hand and a bright flash of light shot out of his palm. So bright that Clary had to look away for a moment.

The Nephilim laughed as the flash of light was stopped by a transparent wall and ricocheted back at the angel. The angel sagged and Clary wanted to rush to help him, but an invisible force tied her feet in place. The Shadowhunter approached him, unsheathed his own sword, and held the blade out to the angel. In an agonizingly slow movement, he ran the silver tip of his sword down his neck. Red blood spurted from the delicate wound and trickled down his throat. Scattered drops fell on the Shadowhunter's seraph blade, and the sword glowed at the touch. Angelic blood.

Seemingly satisfied, the Nephilim drew back his blade and ran a finger along the red tip. Then he looked at his red-stained finger and licked it. The hooded figure seemed to snap out of its rigid state and raised a hand. He mumbled something in a language Clary had never heard before. Dark shapes flew through the darkness. They were shackles made of demon metal, Clary realized with shock. A split second later, they closed around the angel's arms and legs, making him cry out in agony as he touched the metal. He shook his bonds, but it was no use. He seemed to be chafing the already bruised patches of skin even more.

When the angel lifted his head once more, he looked the Nephilim straight in the face. A golden spark blazed in his eyes and an indefinable look of heavenly wrath lay in his eyes. Worse and darker than anything Clary had ever seen.

But the Shadowhunter only twisted his mouth in a smile. White teeth peeked out from under red lips. "For all who obey God, his angel surrounds them with mighty protection and brings them to safety."

-

What do you think? Please tell me! :)