The sun dipped below the horizon as the group left the Institute, the fading light casting long shadows across the city streets. Brooklyn was quiet, its usual hum of life replaced by an uneasy stillness that settled over the group like a heavy shroud.
Jace led the way, his stride purposeful, the hilt of a seraph blade glinting faintly beneath his jacket. Behind him, Clary walked beside Orion, her face pale but determined. Simon trailed a few steps behind, his flashlight clutched tightly in his hands, though its beam barely pierced the encroaching darkness.
For a while, no one spoke. The weight of what lay ahead pressed down on them, unspoken but palpable. Clary kept her eyes fixed on the road ahead, her thoughts a turbulent storm of worry and determination. Her mother was out there somewhere, taken by forces she barely understood, and every second they wasted felt like a step further away from saving her.
Orion's gaze swept the streets around them, his expression calm but his body tense, ready to spring into action at a moment's notice. The quiet of the city felt wrong to him, as though the world itself were holding its breath. He didn't trust it.
"Jace," he said finally, breaking the silence. "How do you know we're not walking into a trap?"
Jace glanced back at him, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "We don't," he replied. "But that's the thing about traps—they're a lot less effective when you know they're there."
Orion frowned but said nothing. It wasn't the most reassuring answer, but it was the kind of response he'd come to expect from Jace.
Simon, however, wasn't so easily placated. "Great. So we're just… what? Walking into demon central with no plan? Fantastic."
"We have a plan," Jace said, his tone dismissive. "Get in, get the box, get out. Simple."
"Yeah, simple," Simon muttered, his grip tightening on the flashlight. "Because that always works in horror movies."
Clary shot him a look, her frustration bubbling to the surface. "Simon, this isn't a movie. My mom's life is on the line."
Simon flinched, guilt flashing across his face. "I know that. I'm just—" He shook his head. "Never mind."
The tension between them hung in the air, unspoken but heavy. Orion watched the exchange in silence, his gaze lingering on Clary's clenched fists. He could see the weight of her fear and frustration, the way it threatened to overwhelm her even as she fought to push it down.
"We'll find her," he said quietly, his voice steady. "We'll get her back."
Clary glanced at him, her expression softening. She nodded, the faintest glimmer of hope breaking through her fear.
As they continued down the street, the shadows seemed to deepen, stretching and twisting in ways that defied logic. Orion's unease grew with every step, his instincts screaming that something wasn't right.
"We're being watched," he said suddenly, his voice low but firm.
Jace stopped, his hand instinctively going to the hilt of his blade. "Where?"
Orion scanned the darkness around them, his eyes narrowing. "Everywhere. The shadows feel… wrong."
Clary swallowed hard, her hand reaching for Orion's arm. "What do you mean? What's out there?"
"Demons," Jace said, his voice calm but edged with steel. "They know we're here."
The words sent a chill down Simon's spine. He turned in a slow circle, his flashlight sweeping across the empty street. "I don't see anything," he said, his voice shaky.
"You won't," Jace replied. "Not until they want you to."
"Comforting," Simon muttered, gripping the flashlight like a lifeline.
Jace smirked, drawing his seraph blade in a smooth motion. The blade glowed faintly in the darkness, casting a pale, shimmering light. "Stay close," he said. "And don't do anything stupid."
The group pressed on, their pace quickening. The silence of the city was oppressive now, broken only by the faint sound of their footsteps. Every shadow seemed alive, every flicker of movement sending a jolt of adrenaline through their veins.
Orion's senses were on high alert, his every muscle coiled like a spring. He could feel the presence of something—many somethings—just beyond the edge of his perception. They were being hunted.
The first attack came without warning.
A shadow peeled away from the alley to their left, solidifying into a hulking, grotesque creature with jagged claws and glowing yellow eyes. It lunged at the group with a guttural snarl, its movements impossibly fast.
Jace was faster.
He stepped forward, his blade flashing as it met the demon's outstretched claws. The creature let out a howl of pain as the blade sliced through its arm, black ichor spraying across the pavement.
"Keep moving!" Jace shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos.
Clary grabbed Simon's arm, pulling him forward as more shadows began to emerge from the darkness. Orion took up the rear, his makeshift weapon swinging in a wide arc to fend off the creatures closing in behind them.
The demons were relentless, their glowing eyes and snarling maws a constant presence at the edges of the group. For every one Jace struck down, another seemed to take its place.
"We can't keep this up!" Simon shouted, his voice tinged with panic.
"We don't have a choice!" Jace shot back, his blade cutting through another demon with brutal efficiency.
Orion felt the strain in his arms as he swung the metal pipe again and again, the weight of it growing heavier with each strike. His breathing was ragged, his movements fueled by pure adrenaline.
Clary's heart pounded in her chest as she clung to Simon, her eyes darting between the chaos around them. She had never felt so helpless, so out of control.
"Almost there!" Jace called out, his voice rising above the cacophony.
The group rounded a corner, and there it was—Clary's apartment building, standing like a beacon of familiarity in the chaos.
"Inside!" Jace barked, leading the way.
The group scrambled through the door, slamming it shut behind them. The sound of claws scraping against the other side sent shivers down their spines, but the door held firm.
Clary leaned against the wall, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. Simon sank to the floor, his face pale and his hands trembling.
Jace sheathed his blade, his golden eyes scanning the room for any signs of danger. "They won't come inside," he said, though his tone lacked its usual confidence.
"Why not?" Simon asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Wards," Jace replied. "The building is protected. They can't cross the threshold."
Clary didn't care about the how or why. All that mattered was that they were safe—at least for now.
Orion moved to the window, his gaze fixed on the street below. The demons lingered in the shadows, their glowing eyes watching, waiting.
"We don't have much time," he said quietly.
Jace nodded. "Then let's find that box."
Clary swallowed hard, her fear giving way to a renewed sense of purpose. Her mother needed her, and she wasn't going to let anything stand in her way.
Not demons. Not fear. Not even the shadows themselves.