Stupid Mage

Magnus portaled us into the institute with ease. I wasn’t the only one losing my lunch. Though I had come prepared this time, my own trash can. Alec had laughed at me. He wasn’t laughing now while they cleaned up blood. He commented. “Must be your world.”

He took me down to the cage with Ant in tow. Magnus followed but we were joined by Alec’s siblings and Clary. Simon was not around. Too bad that he’d be fun with Ant. He didn’t get pop culture anymore than the Shadowhunters.

The human Mage looked even more rumpled than before. He looked more hopeless too. The cage was not really a cage more like a transparent box. I stood outside the cage and wove a pattern of fire inside the box much to Magnus’ surprise if his gasp was anything to go by.

“Wakey Wakey.” I said. “Time to talk. I’d hate to let my friend lay into you again.” Ant smiled to send home my point. I heard Jace scoff. He didn’t sound happy with my methods.

The man just stared at me with whose eyes. “You should be dead. ”

“Well I ain’t. ” I smiled a toothy grin at him. “Talk to me. I might let you live. ”

“Your reputation precedes you. You don’t kill. ” He was a pompous in his attitued.

“For you I could make an exception. You tried to kill me. ” I made sure to supply him with an evil grin.

Fear rose in his eyes. Ant laughed. “I think he should be more worried about Mr Sparkles here. I think he feels your hatred of thing beneath you. ”

The man in the cage sneered at Magnus. “Filthy downworlder.”

Alec frowned. “You know what a downworlder is?”

Magnus answered. “He’s from here. I know him. ”

I raised a whistling eyebrow. “Say what? ”

“I thought he was dead. ” magnus said. “That’s why he could make a portal in your world. ”

“The ascended must die. ” He raised his hands and blue fire whipped from his hands through the cage. Magnus was casting. Alec stepped between me and the Mage and knocked me out of the way. Ant had a sword of fire in his hand and was in the cage before anyone could react. The sword sank deep and the man screamed as the spell turned in on it self engulfing him in flames. Ant jumped back.

Jace frowned as he helped me up. “We’ll that was not productive. ”

Magnus spoke softly “We still have the Shard and the Book of the White. ”

“That doesn’t explain why a warlock from your world was in mine.” I said sadly. “There is too much we don’t know now. Too many additional questions. I’ll help you figure this out.” I looked at Alec, “While your boyfriend helps me find a way home. Do we have a deal?”

Alec smiled. “There doesn’t need to be a deal. But yes I would be grateful for your help. You and your bodyguard.”

Jace did a double take, “He has a body guard? What? Why? Huh?”

Ant grinned, “He is the most powerful supernatural being in our world at the present. My mother fears him, he fears my mother. But he rules over the Venatori.”

I interrupted Ant, “Which are like you, here, shadow hunters. People who were born and breed to patrol the supernatural races.”

And glared at me, “This is my story. Thank you. ” He looked at the large blonde with a grin and smiled. “What he said. He rules the Creed of Celestial Beings. Which is basically an organization that in the past has been hell bent on destroying the Venatori.”

It was Alec who interrupted this time. “How the hell does that even work? How can he rule to opposing entities.”

Ant grinned. “It’s not easy. But he’s doing it. The Venatori hate him for making changes. The CCB hates him for making changes. But those are the radicals. The normal people trust him. He makes friends at the bottom and lets the people at the top hate him. What’s better in the long run?”

Magnus smiled. “Alexander, that sounds very much like you.”

Alec blushed but Magnus was beaming with pride at his boyfriend. “It’s better to start at the bottom.” I said, Ant took my meaning and rolled his eyes. Alec glared at me with a look that said shut up, I hate you and oh my god I can’t beleive you just said that. I grinned at the bashful archer, “Sorry, I couldn’t help it.”

Ant made a flourish, “Can we leave this place? Nothing more here to do. We should probably check out that place we portaled into a little more throughly. Magic was used, you think you can spare Mr. Sparkles from finding our trip home Nox?”

Alec frowned, “That’s not his name.”

Ant grinned his fangs glinting in the flickering lights of the magic. “I’m well aware his name is Magnus Bane, while perfectly fitting, I like Mr. Sparkles. He reminds me of a cat Ryan had once.”

“Wait?” Alec looked back at Magnus then back to Ant, “You can see through his glamour? You see the cat eyes while everyone else sees brown?”

“It’s a shadow thing”. I noted. “Old vampires powerful in shadow can see through anything. Ant has the advantage of having the most powerful shadow vampire as his mother. So he’s learned to peirce many veils. But yes Ant, Magnus can help. Another few days or months here isn’t going to kill us.”

Magnus frowned, “I don’t know about that. You weren’t exactly yourself these past few days.”

I laughed, “Nice of you to notice, but I’ll be fine.”

“He’ll just fake it till he’s fine.” Ant frowned. “Can we leave this dreaded place now the magic is making me itch.” Ant scratched at his arms and looked at the magic box the dead mage lay.

They went up the way they came down and ran into the Lightwood parents just as they rounded a corner.