"Any word from Jace and Clary?" Magnus asked, almost fully replenished. Max had been careful not to be alone with him in case of recognition. He had ducked his head when Isabelle had commended him on his aim.

"No. They should be arriving in Lake Lynn by now." Rafael informed, checking the sensors for further demon activity. He was frustrated that he hadn't had time to hunt down Asmodeus' hounds but knew he couldn't abandon the institute in a time of need - it would be his one day, and he was going to protect it. Magnus often found himself double-taking around the boy - he looked a lot like Alec. Almost everything he did reminded the warlock of his Shadowhunter - same posture, same unruly black hair, hazel eyes and general aura. Not to mention the smaller Shadowhunter that had accompanied them. There was something familiar about him but Magnus hadn't had time to think it through considering their dire situation. He decided to leave it for later.

"Strange. The aerial sensors show no demonic activity." Isabelle informed and Rafael frowned, nodding in agreement. He'd been searching since they got back but they seemed to have disappeared from their radar.

"There's nothing on the ground either." Alec added, looking troubled. "It's like the Edomi completely disappeared."

"Never heard of that. Once they pass through the rift, the demons are here to stay until they're properly banished." Magnus explained.

"Then where the hell are they?" Alec demanded in frustration. Magnus ducked his head, out of answers. Isabelle turned away, looking equally as annoyed as her brother. Max and Rafael could tell that they wanted to get to Jace and Clary. Rafael had this sinking feeling in his chest - it was going to happen soon. He turned to Max who didn't seem to have put it together yet. He was busy mulling over the Edomi's whereabouts, fingers dancing across the screen as he tried to make sense of it. Rafael turned to suggest they take a break when he heard Alec gasp. He turned to see their father hunching over.

Rafael felt his blood run cold as he saw the pain on their father's face. Magnus and Isabelle turned in alarm as Alec grunted in pain. Rafael turned to Max who had turned ashen - finally realising what was about to happen. "Alexander?" Magnus questioned in concern. "Are you okay?" Alec started gasping for air.

Alec scrambled for the hem of his shirt, pulling it up to reveal the glowing mark. "His parabatai rune." Isabelle said shakily. Magnus' eyes locked with her's and they shared in a moment of horror as Alec struggled.

"It's-" Alec got out and his eyes went wide. His thoughts spun with images of he and Jace, panic building in his soul. The pain was unbearable and he felt it reach his eyes as the dread of what was happening hit him full force. "Jace." He forced before crying out.

Tears started streaming down Max's face as his hand subconsciously traced his own parabatai rune which started to itch. He watched in horror at what would happen if he lost Alexandra. He whimpered as his father shouted and groaned in pain, desperate noises leaving him as he pleaded for it not to be true. Rafael couldn't let it go on and smothered his brother's face in his chest, trying to block the sounds getting to his ears. Even though he felt himself flinch with every sound Alec made, Rafael was determined to protect his brother from witnessing it.

Magnus panicked when Alec howled in pain, lunging forward as he fell onto the floor, curling in on himself. He felt tears sting his eyes at the Shadowhunter's suffering and found all he could do was helplessly hold him and wait for it to pass. Finally the groaning stopped and all that came out was sob-like gasps as Alec's eyes frantically searched the room. Isabelle looked distraught and on the verge of tears as she realised what had happened and all Magnus could do was watch in sorrow.

Rafael turned and watched as Alec lifted his shirt and the rune disappeared from his skin. He clenched his teeth and, squeezed his brother tighter. they shouldn't have had to witness that - all the pain and suffering their parents had been through should be in the past. No one should have to re-live them. Their parents were finally happy and now they had to witness this? Rafael wanted to shout at the world and tell it to fuck off. He wanted to storm to Edom and plunge his blade through Asmodeus' chest for putting the brothers through this pain. He hated seeing his father like this. He hated how it would haunt them.

"I ... I can't feel him." Alec's voice came out gruff as he fell back into Magnus. The look of disbelief on his face as he swallowed and gasped for breath, wounded them further. The shock remained when he uttered the words, "He's dead." Rafael watched as his father didn't move a muscle - just stared ahead, completely broken. He watched his auntie slump to the ground with a sob and his papa looked distraught in his inability to help.

Rafael turned to Max who was shaking. "Hey." He whispered. "Just keep it together, it's okay Maxie. This is all in the past, we can get through this. Father's in a lot of pain but we know it will all be okay." Rafael winced as his voice broke a little. Max's sad eyes trailed up to his brothers and his breath hitched when he saw Rafael fighting back tears. He'd been so strong for the both of them. It made something snap in his mind and he pushed down his anxiety. He couldn't keep depending on his brother.

"I know." He whispered back and gave a watery smile. The brothers hugged again as they tried to compose themselves for their family.

"Not long now, I promise." Rafael stated firmly. Once aunt Clary kills Valentine and the institute is no longer at risk, we'll leave. Just a little more." Rafael reassured. Max wiped his eyes and settled with a look of determination. Everything was going to be okay.

They turned as Alec shakily got to his feet. He struggled to compose himself, and Rafael wished that everyone who was staring would just turn away and give him the privacy his father needed. 

"Alec." Isabelle whispered, tears leaking from her eyes. She put a gentle hand on his shoulder. Alec's eyes screwed shut and Max could see the rage wanting to break free. However he held back and straightened up, fists shaking.

"We have to go to Lake Lynn. We're wasting time." He gritted out and Isabelle sighed sadly at the fact that her brother didn't have time to grieve. Everyone was silent as Alec's thoughts raced and he thought up a strategy. "ALRIGHT LISTEN UP!" He thundered, "My team and I are heading to Alicante to provide backup, this institute better be standing when I get back. ARE WE CLEAR?!" Alec demanded and every Shadowhunter nodded stiffly before scurrying away.

"Gear up." Alec croaked and Isabelle, Max and Rafael did as told, grabbing their respective weapons and joining Magnus who wordlessly summoned a portal.

~

"We're too late." Isabelle said in despair as the sky lit up with heavenly energy. Max and Rafael looked on in awe at the atmosphere created by the angel. Even though he knew the wish gets stopped, Rafael threw a worried glance at his brother who was half-downworlder. If Valentine succeeded, he'd lose his brother.

"He's raised the angel." Magnus voiced in horrified awe.

"Magnus, you need to get to safety." Alec warned, panic creeping into his tone. He couldn't lose Magnus too, he couldn't suffer through that loss as well. It'd break him.

Magnus disagreed, gaze not wavering from the lights in the sky. Rafael could see the hints of fear there and hoped he'd never have to see it again. "We need to find Jace and Clary." Magnus took the lead, running towards the lake, Alec close behind. He couldn't help the dread that filled him as he anticipated seeing Jace's dead body. He didn't know if he'd be able to breath if that happened. As they approached the clearing, he saw two figures huddled together and one sprawled to the side. His stomach dropped as he expected to see Jace's vacant expression staring back. However he was pleasantly surprised to find that it was Valentine's body.

He whipped round, hope soaring as the two figures pulled apart from each other's lips. "You're okay!" Alec breathed, relief filling him up as his parabatai turned to look at them.

"Actually they're more than okay." Isabelle breathed with mirth. Jace and Clary stumbled to their feet and Rafael and Max let out a breath. Everything was fine - nothing changed with them being there.

"Thank the angel." Max whispered. Rafael grinned and turned to look at Valentine's body, he stepped closer and checked his pulse to make sure, Max standing on the opposite side, peering down curiously at the mad man he'd heard so many stories about.

"Jace, I ..." They heard and turned to see their father's confused face. "I thought you were dead." He breathed, eyes round in disbelief. "Our rune, it disappeared." He frowned, hungry for an explanation.

"Look at it now." Jace urged and Alec frowned before looking down and lifting his shirt. Max managed to catch a glimpse of Alec's parabatai rune and let out his own breath of relief, fingers skimming his own rune on his hip.

"How?" Alec asked in confusion.

"I don't know." Jace lied and Max turned to Rafael with an annoyed expression but Rafael just grinned - that was a problem for another time. The others turned round and stared at Valentine's corpse.

"It's over." Alec stated, a deep exhaustion clear as day in his words as he turned back to Jace.

"Yeah." Jace agreed and quickly went to embrace his brother who welcomed him. They hugged tightly, Isabelle turning to Magnus and doing the same. Clary couldn't stop smiling though tears did continue to fall here and there. For a moment, everything seemed calm - happy even. Rafael stood up and away from Valentine's dead body and was about to go embrace his brother when suddenly all the hairs on the back of his neck went on end.

Max looked up and felt his blood go cold when a pair of amber eyes looked down on them from above. A growl erupted and the beast lunged. All Max could do was reach out and scream 'PAPA!' as the hellhound's teeth aimed for Magnus' throat. Suddenly, Magnus was shoved out the way and the beast barrelled into a different body. Max's heart stopped when he recognised Rafael's pained cry and the others' yells of panic.

It had all happened so fast. Alec had turned just in time to see a large demonic creature lunging down on Magnus and then Alec was cradling him as he was pushed into his arms. Hands tightening around his love, he looked up in horror as the dog pinned Rafael to the ground and bit into his side. The boy's screams were joined by Max's. Jace and Clary suddenly moved forward, Jace tackling the hound as Clary kicked its face, diverting his teeth away from the young Shadowhunter. Magnus scrambled to his feet and stumbled towards Rafael, immediately trying to heal the wound that could prove fatal. Alec turned just in time to see the hound shake Jace off a good distance into the lake. Alec drew his bow and knocked an arrow but froze once he caught a glance of Max.

The boy was glowing and shaking. The glamour dropped and his runed skin turned a bright blue whilst horns grew on his head. The boy's fists were sparking red and Alec watched the hound turn on Max with a warning growl before turning its soulless eyes on Alec. He felt a shudder go down his spine and his hair raise but he couldn't stop glancing at the blue Shadowhunter.

Max had never felt such fury - the sight of his brother's blood had made him see red. All his magic flooded to the surface and poured from his fingertips. He watched as the beast turned his sights on his other father and only felt the rage deepen. Before the hound could so much as step in Alec's direction, Max grabbed his seraph blade and let his red and white flames fuse with the adamas. He extended his other hand and lit the demon on fire. It screamed out in pain as white flames singed it's already burnt skin. As it started to head for the water, Max conjured a glowing roped of magic and lassoed it round the demon's neck. He slammed it down into the ground and watched it suffer from the angelic flame. However, it wouldn't die without the final blow. Max marched up to it and with all his strength, plunged the glowing blade into the monster's back, through its ribs and into its heart. The demon let out one last howl of horror before it started to smoke and disintegrate into glowing amber ash. As soon as his rage had no focal point, the adrenaline left his body and Max collapsed to the ground, exhausted from how much energy and magic he'd used.

Magnus had been able to quickly remove the poison and stitch up the wound with his magic. Rafael gasped and sat up, although his chest was in agony, he had to make sure Max was okay. He along with Magnus and the other Shadowhunters watched in shock as Max dropped the glamour and became consumed by his magic. "By the angel." Isabelle breathed.

Recognition and worry filled Magnus' eyes as the blue warlock from the other day was revealed and was facing against a powerful high level demon. There wasn't much the group could do however as the boy delivered justice swiftly with the flick of his hand - the beast yowling in pain. Everyone winced at the volume and backed away as the beast stumbled all over the place. Jace was crawling out the lake with a gaping expression as they watched the light show. Rafael didn't care if they were revealed now, he just wanted his brother to be alright and for those damn hounds to be ended once and for all.

Finally the lethal blow was dealt and nothing remained but a pile of ash. "MAX!" Rafael exclaimed and broke out of Magnus' hold to catch his collapsing brother. Everything was quiet except for Rafael's frantic breathing and rambling. "Max! Maxie! H-hey come on, y-you're gonna be okay!" He stuttered.

"What the hell just happened?" Jace exclaimed behind them.

"Max is a warlock?" Clary breathed in confusion. "B-but he has runes!" Clary blurted in confusion. No one could completely wrap their heads around what happened. Magnus, though still trying to process what he had just seen, recognised first that the boy needed help. He went to step forward but Jace held him back.

"It might be dangerous." Jace warned and suddenly, Magnus' protective side flared up.

"He's just a boy and he's hurt!" Magnus all but growled and broke out of his grip. He ran towards the two brothers and knelt beside Rafael who was still babbling in worry, stroking his brother's blue hair. Alec, having not been able to move due to shock, finally snapped out of it when he heard Magnus' words and joined the warlock beside Rafael. Even though a million questions were swirling in his mind, his heart sank when he saw the boy's blue skin turn pale.

"Help him please! Help him!" Rafael sobbed, almost hysterical. Magnus sighed sadly and turned the boy's face to look at him. Rafael looked like he was about to protest when Magnus waved his hand over his forehead and the boy went limp in his hold.

"Magnus! Why'd you do that?!" Isabelle exclaimed, coming closer.

"He needed to be calmed down. There was no way we could have separated him from Max and we need to get him back to my loft immediately. He's had a major magic depletion and it's seriously unhealthy for young warlocks!" Magnus explained and Isabelle looked worried. "Alexander, you grab Rafael. Careful, his wound isn't completely healed yet. I'll take Max." Magnus instructed, picking the warlock up and cradling him to his chest. He quickly gestured for a portal, with some struggle due to the body in his arms and hurried through. Clary gathered the mortal instruments whilst Jace grabbed Valentine, glaring at the body in his hold. They too went through the portal. Isabelle gave their surroundings one last scan and her eyes fell on something amongst the ashes of the fallen beast. Her eyes narrowed and she quickly grabbed it before shooting through the portal that was starting to close.