"We thought you'd be here-" Alec said when we portalled into Lilith's castle, where Jace, Isabelle and Meliorn were.

Simon stops before he and Isabelle could touch, swallowing hard, "Izzy, you okay?"

"Is Meliorn okay?" I slowly walked over to Jace, who was putting pressure on his bleeding wound.

Clary questions, "What happened to him?"

"Where is Lilith?" Magnus asked.

"She's gone." Isabelle replies, "She turned into this enormous flying wraith."

Jace looked up at us, "One of her wings sliced right through Meliorn."

"We'll help." Magnus nods at Lorenzo.

"I'll take care of the bleeding." Lorenzo said, as they began healing Meliorn, Jace coming to my side.

"Look, I've seen Lilith like that before-" I looked between everyone, "When she stole a sliver of my soul to possess Jace- she was strong enough to murder Ithuriel."

Alec asks, "Where is she?"

"Coming for Magnus." Jace exhaled slow, putting a hand on my back, "She wants to reopen the rift."

When we heard the familiar roar, Magnus looks back, "Oh, looks as if she's found me."

Simon remarks, "Not a good look on her."

"Stand back." Magnus and Lorenzo took a step forward, combining their magic and blasting it toward Lilith, but it wasn't enough to hold her back.

Alec then shot a few arrows, but again, nothing happened, her starting to charge towards us.

Isabelle didn't let that happen, guarding up, using her Heavenly Fire to keep Lilith back no matter the amount of protests and shouts for her to not do so.

When she had killed Lilith, she lit up in flames, collapsing onto the ground in pain, Clary's eyes widening, "We have to do something-"

"Magnus, heal her-" Alec said.

Magnus and Lorenzo were trying, "I'm trying-"

Simon cuts in, "Well, try harder!"

"It's not working." Lorenzo stopped in a grunt.

Magnus huffed, "The heavenly fire's stopping us-"

"I- uh, what if-" I thought quick, looking around, "What if I put the Alliance rune on her? That way- we all have a piece of the flame- put it out all together?"

"How do we know it's not gonna fry us up?" Lorenzo asked, "Remember, we all have demon blood now."

"We all have Nephilim blood, too." Alec mentioned.

"We need to trust her on this-" Jace sides with me, nodding, "Do it, Zee-"

Isabelle whimpers from the ground despite the pain, "It's too dangerous-"

Simon replies, "Izzy, if it's the only way to save your life, we're all gonna die trying."

"What are you doing?" Magnus asked me when I pulled out his stele and grabbed his hand to put the rune on him as well.

"We all need to be connected-" I said, as he nodded at me, my hand gliding as I drew the rune on him.

I crouched, quickly grabbing Isabelle's hand, drawing the Alliance rune on her as well, "It's okay- just hang on a little longer-"

Right when the rune was intact with her skin, I helped her up with the help of Alec, immediately being lit up in flames, a gasp leaving my lips.

Jace grabbed my hand without hesitation, as one by one everyone connected themselves, burning alive.

After enduring the pain for a few moments, the Heavenly Fire blasted from us and into the sky, ridding us all of the flames we were engulfed in.

Alec breathes out, "Thank the Angel you're okay-"

"Thank Zee." Simon immediately threw his arms around Isabelle, hugging her tightly because now he could.

"Don't-" I moved into Jace's side, breathing heavy, "It was all of us-"

"Isabelle might be okay, but- it appears Edom is very much not." Lorenzo points out at the explosions that were happening all around us.

Clary questions, "What's going on?-"

"It looks like the heavenly fire destroyed Lilith." Magnus explained, "But- the chain reaction is destroying the entire realm."

Jace nods, "Then we should get out of here-"

"Wait." Alec cuts in, "Don't we have to close the rift?"

"There's no reason to close it if Edom doesn't exist anymore." Magnus quickly opened a portal for us to go through, "Come on- hurry!"

"Let's go!" Jace grabbed my hand and ran through the portal with me, as we left a Edom in ruins.

-

"They're getting married." I smiled lightly at the fire message invitation Jace and I had just received that morning while getting dressed in his bedroom.

"They're not wasting any time-" Jace softly laughed at the invitation, "It's happening tonight."

I only smiled wider at the invitation, "I can't think of a couple more perfect for each other."

"I can think of one." Jace's gaze on me made me look up at him, as he slowly walked towards me, setting down the fire message, slowly getting down on one knee, "Zee?"

My eyes slightly widen, taking a small step back, "Jace-"

Jace's serious expression turned into a devious smirk, "Will you give me a second while I tie my shoe?"

"That was not funny!" I hit him with the fire message when he bursted out into a fit of laughter, falling back onto the ground, holding his stomach.

"God, Jace-" I fell onto my knees, grabbing his hands to pull him up so he's seated, pushing some hair out of his face, "Will you be my date?"

Jace held my hands, "Well, I thought that was already a given, since you're my girlfriend."

I shrug, "I need constant validation or I'll think that you don't love me anymore."

"Yes, Zee, I'll be your date." Jace shot me a look, before ruffling my hair, "What's on that mind of yours?"

I look at him, "What do you mean?"

"You have your worried face on." Jace ran his fingers through my hair, "I can tell the difference because it's rare seeing you with a happy face on-"

"Shut up." I lightly hit his arm, then sigh lightly, "I just wish we could be celebrating without Jonathan still lurking out there- you know? I don't know, what if he ruins the wedding or something?"

"He won't ruin the wedding." He intertwined our fingers, "But- there's always gonna be demons lurking."

"Edom may be gone, but- there's plenty of other Hell realms still out there." Jace said, "That doesn't mean we can't come together and celebrate a wedding- it's what we fight for, right?"

"So- we can live and love in peace." Jace softly smiled at me, "You taught me that."

"Alright, alright-" I playfully push away from his, "You win."

-

"Wait, wait- I thought you were a werewolf." Underhill's voice filled my ears when I walked through the Ops Center, "Former alpha of the New York pack, if I'm not mistaken."

"No, no, you're not mistaken-" Luke's voice followed, "I mean, uh-"

Underhill questions, "So, then, what the hell is-"

"Hey, Underhill, it's okay-" I smiled when I saw him, taking a few steps closer as Luke walks past him and hugged me, "It's just my dad, Luke- hey-"

When we pull away, I gestured, "What happened?"

"Well, the Praetor made me inject myself with the Downworld cure." Luke was covered in runes, "But- instead of becoming mundane, I became what I was before I turned-"

I softly smile, "A Shadowhunter."

"Good news is, I'm back where I belong." Luke smiled, "Working beside you, helping mundanes and Downworlders alike."

I reply, "I'm happy for you-"

"Thanks, kiddo-" Luke ruffles my hair, "Look, I have to catch a Portal to Alicante for a debriefing, but- I wanted to stop by just so you know that I'm okay."

I cross my arms, "You're better than okay."

"Tell that to Alec- I gotta go tell him that I'm gonna miss his wedding." Luke said, making me laugh lightly as he walks past me, my eyes following him, only to see a bright glow in the hall across from us.

"Hey, Luke-" I called out after him, staring at it, "Do you uhm, see that?"

"See what?" Luke looked back at me, "You okay?"

"Oh-" I waved him off, still being able to see it, "Sorry, I thought I saw something-"

Luke nods, "I'll catch you later-"

"Yeah-" I said, before slowly following the bright light, watching as it went right into my room.

I exhale slow, opening the door, shutting it behind me, squinting my eyes at the bright light until it had faded.

And it faded to my Mom.

"Oh my god-" My heart stopped, "Mom?"

She softly smiles, "Hello, sweetheart."

"Is it really you?" I was frozen in my spot until she nodded, as I rushed to her, hugging her tightly, "Mom-"

"I am so proud of you, Zee." She held me tight, rubbing my back when I started to sob, "Of the woman you've become."

I slowly pulled away from her, sniffling, holding onto her arms, "I miss you so much-"

"I miss you, too- more than you know." She put a strand of my hair behind my ear, "But- that's not why I'm here- Angel Raziel sent me."

"Raziel?" I repeat, "Why?"

"He believes that if you'll listen to anyone, it's me." She sighed, wiping my tears, "Those thousands of years ago, he gave Jonathan Shadowhunter each of his angelic runes for a specific purpose."

"Zee, the fact that you can create your own runes without Raziel's blessing-" She slowly sat me down on my bed, "Well, he does not look kindly on that."

"But- the runes I create- they help people." I sniffled, "They help Shadowhunters- I-"

"That may be true, but- you've been taking advantage of your gifts." She reminded me, "You felt the angels' resistance, but you pushed through anyway."

"When you drew your Necromancy rune on Valentine, you broke a fundamental tenet- the dead shall stay dead." She recalled, "And now, this Alliance rune, uniting Shadowhunters with demonic blood- and for Raziel, that was the last straw."

"I did it to save my friends' lives." I told her, my voice quiet, "We had to save Magnus- and Isabelle was going to die-"

"I understand." She squeezes my hand, "Zee, your compassion is one of the many great traits about you- but,the angels, they see it differently."

She sighs, "They perceive you as disrupting the natural order."

"So- they send you here to scold me." I stared at her, "Why are you here, Mom?"

She swallows hard, "They sent me to tell you not to draw another rune of your own ever again."

I got up, "What?-"

She got up as well, looking sad for me, "If you do, as quick as they gave you your gifts, they will take them away."

"But-" I began, but the same light from before shined, as she disappeared right in front of me, "Mom?"

-

"We've just been informed that a string of demonic attacks have taken place at Institutes worldwide with massive casualties, both mundane and Shadowhunter." Alec announced at the briefing, "Whoever or whatever is carrying out these attacks is not stopping- and there are several Institutes currently unaccounted for."

"What about Los Angeles?" Isabelle asked, looking up at him, "Have you heard from them?"

Alec sighs, "Nothing yet."

"I'm going there right now." Isabelle immediately said, looking at me, "Zee, can you make me a Portal?-"

My heart stopped, "Uh-"

"Wait- look at this." Underhill's words saved me, making us all head towards the screen he was at, Robert and Max on the screen.

"Hello?" Robert said, "Can you hear me?"

"Dad, yes." Alec spoke up from behind me, questioning, "What happened?"

He replied, "Jonathan Morgenstern attacked the LA Institute a few minutes ago."

Clary tensed, "I had a feeling it was him."

"How many casualties?" Alec asked.

Robert sighs, looking down for a moment, "He killed everyone except for me and Max."

"By the Angel." Isabelle gasped.

"He only spared us because he wanted us to take his message directly to Zee." Robert's words made my heart stop, "He's taking down every Institute in the world, and he's saving New York for last."

Jace asked for me, "Why?"

Robert's next words made my heart break, "Because he wants Zee to watch the world die, knowing that it's all her fault."

-

"He's not showing any signs of slowing down." Alec said to us as we were surrounded around the table in the Ops Center, "Denver and Chicago have already been hit, and hundreds of Shadowhunters and at least mundanes have already been killed."

"The news is calling it a string of chemical weapons attacks." Simon mentioned, "People are being told to stay indoors."

Magnus also mentions, "Lorenzo and I have the warlock community at the ready."

"We're detecting a strong demonic presence in downtown Toronto." Jace came to my side and pulled up the hologram onto the table we were at.

"Same energy signature we've seen in the other attacks." Isabelle stares at the hologram.

Alex exhales, "He's heading to the Toronto Institute."

"I'll assemble a team." Jace began walking away.

"Not yet." Alec stopped him, "I'm not sending anybody on a suicide mission- this is not the same Jonathan as before, and he's more powerful than ever."

"I'll go on my own." I suggested, speaking for the first time, looking up at Alec, "I can stop him."

Alec immediately denies my idea, shaking his head, "That's not gonna happen."

"Well, why not?" I cross my arms, "He won't hesitate to kill any of you- but, I know he won't kill me."

Clary looks at me, "Can you be sure about that?"

I nod once, "I know him."

"And what if you're wrong?" Simon cuts in.

Isabelle shook her head, "It's too much of a gamble."

"How many more people have to die for this to be put to an end?" I looked between them, "I can handle this- I am the only one who can end this, so let me end it."

"What happens if you get there and you can't take him out? He's pretty much invincible now." Jace shook his head at me as well, "It's too dangerous, Zee-"

"I don't care how dangerous it is." I cut him off, placing my hands flat on the table, "I'm the only one that can get through to him-"

Alec stares at me, then sighs, placing his palms against the table as well, "We'll be right behind you."

Simon nods, "We'll be there to back you up."

"No." I deny, "You come anywhere near him and you're all dead- if I go alone, there's a better chance that we all make it out alive."

My eyes fell onto Alec, "Trust me- please."

"Then we'll watch you on the monitors." Alec sighed again, "Anything happens, we're coming right in."

"Thank you-" I stood straight, then clear my throat, "Uh, Magnus, I'm gonna need you to portal me in."

He gives me a weird look, as I rub the back of my neck, "I've never been to Toronto?-"

He nods, "Of course, biscuit."

"Hey-" Jace grabbed my arm, his voice low, looking down at me, "Are you sure about this?"

I nodded, "I'm sure."

-

"You took your time." Jonathan said when I came out the portal, wearing a new look.

"I'm unarmed." I had my hands up in surrender, "I just want to talk to you- okay?"

"I knew you'd come eventually." Jonathan stood still, "It's kind of ironic, considering all those years when I needed you, you were never there."

"Well, I'm here for you now- I promise." I took a few steps closer to him, "Please just stop the killing and talk to me-"

"Stay back, Zee, or I will end you, too." Jonathan warned me, "I mean it."

"Jonathan, I know you may not think so- but, you and I? We've always been connected." I stood still, "When you were in Edom, crying out for me, I was dreaming about you."

Jonathan stares, "You dreamt of me?"

"Yes, yes- I dreamt of you." I took a step, small tears burning in my eyes, "And I am so sorry that I was never there to save you- I am so- so sorry."

"When I found out that I had a brother, I knew you needed someone- and I was prepared to be that person for you." My voice went quiet, "Jonathan, I wanted to see the good in you- I wanted you to be loved, just like you deserved- to have a family-"

Jonathan's voice lowered; vulnerable, "And then you turned your back on that family."

"I tried not to." I said, "I wanted to believe in you, Jonathan- I wanted so badly for you to get the happiness you deserve-"

"Even when I was younger- you were there, in my dreams." My voice broke, "You were always there for me, and it makes me feel less alone."

"Jonathan, you know just as much as I do that our family is our biggest source of heartbreak." I slowly walked closer, standing directly in front of him, "But- despite anything you've done and what we've been through, or how much I wanna fight it or wipe it away, I will always love you- because you've always been there."

Jonathan looked up at my words, small tears forming in his eyes, "I love you, too, Zee."

I nodded lightly, tears starting to fall from my eyes and I hugged him, drawing a rune onto my palm despite what my mother had told me, wings like his sprouting out from me and wrapping around him.

"Zee?" Jonathan fidgeted in my hold, his voice breaking, "Zee, you're hurting me-"

I started to cry, holding onto him tighter, "It's okay, Jonathan- it's gonna be okay-"

"I can't breathe." Jonathan slowly started to collapse, as I let go of him, laying him down onto the ground, "Let me go."

"I am-" My wings disappeared, slowly kneeling next to him, dropping my stele as his hair faded from blond to his normal color, "I'm so sorry."

When he stops breathing, I sniffled, tears falling free, "Ave atque vale."

"Goodbye, Jonathan." I caressed his cheek, breathing slow, "Goodbye."

I slowly got up, taking a few steps back, when I looked down, noticing my angelic rune disappearing from my arm, my heart shattering, "Oh no-"

-

"Hey, guys-" I gave my friends my best smile at Alec and Magnus' wedding, hiding my arms behind my back.

Isabelle looks at me, "Zee, you look absolutely stunning-"

"Look who's talking." I looked around for a moment, "I was wondering if any of you guys had seen Clary? I've been look for her everywhere-"

When they all shook their heads, I looked at Simon, "All right, well- Simon, can I steal you for a minute?"

"Yeah, sure." Simon walked away from them, standing by me, "What's up, Young? Or should I say Herondale-"

I blink, "What?"

"Oh-" Simon covered his mouth quickly, "Nothing, what's up- what do you need?"

I stare at him, "Simon, you just-"

"Nope." Simon shook his head, "What's up?"

I shot him a look, before sighing, grabbing his hand between both of mine, "I just want you to know that having you as my best friend, as kids and now- dealing with all that we've dealt with- I don't know what I would've done without you."

"Thanks, Young- I feel the same way." Simon smiles, "Why does this feel like some weird goodbye?"

"It's not- I'm just- sentimental-" I lied, tearing up, "Can't a girl get sentimental?"

"Of course- by all means, get sentimental." Simon laughed lightly, as I gave him a tight hug, knowing this would be my last one.

I slowly pulled away, giving him a soft smile, sniffling, "Okay, go get her-"

-

"Jace, I'm tired- I don't wanna dance anymore-" I groaned lightly when he pulled me along, not having the heart to tell him what was happening to me, "I already saw your moves-"

"We're not dancing-" Jace pulled me out of the Institute, intertwining our fingers, "We're walking-"

"Why are we walking?" I looked at him, my heart aching, "I wanted to have some more champagne-"

"No, no- I need you sober." Jace lightly shook his head, walking down the quiet path with me, as we were just surrounded by darkness.

"Why?" I asked quietly, my heart starting to race.

"You know, being at this wedding, it's made me think-" Jace was walking slow, "I was brought up to believe I had to be perfect- the perfect warrior, the perfect soldier, the perfect son."

"Even when I came to live with the Lightwoods, I believed that if I wasn't perfect, they'd send me away." Jace continued, "I didn't think anyone could love me unconditionally, no matter what mistakes I made."

"And then you showed up, and you broke everything I believed into pieces." He said to me, slowly coming to a stop, grabbing both my hands, "Everything."

Tears started to burn in my eyes, a playful smile on my lips, "I'm sorry."

I was going to miss him so much.

"Well, don't be." Jace softly laughed, looking down at me, "You're the best thing that has ever happened to me, Zee Young-"

"You picked up my broken pieces and pieced me back together one by one, until you could look at me and see a happy man." Jace took my hand and put it over his heart, "You mended my heart."

"That was all you." I tear up completely, my voice quiet, shaking my head lightly, "You're the reason you're the man you are-"

"Because I met you." Jace started to tear up himself, "I found my one- god, my soulmate even."

I softly laughed, tears falling from my eyes, "You paid attention to the movies I made you watch?"

"I took some notes, yeah." Jace put a strand of my hair behind my ear, "Although, I don't need any to wow you."

I giggle, but barely, "You're not wrong."

"I love you." Jace stares into my eyes, sniffling lightly as he was now crying too, "You're my heart."

"And you're mine." I sniffled, feeling a rune on my back fade, "I love you more than you'll ever know."

Jace sniffled again, slowly letting go of me and getting down on one knee in front of me, "Zee-"

"Jace, this isn't funny-" My eyes followed him, hugging myself when I no longer felt his touch.

"I'm not joking." Jace kept his eyes locked with mine, putting out a small black velvet box out of his pocket, opening it up to reveal a diamond ring sitting right in the bedding, "Zee Young- will you marry me?"

"Jace." I covered my mouth, taking a step back, my eyes glued to the ground, my only thought to how he would feel if I said yes and then disappeared from his life, "Oh my god-"

"Please say yes." Jace took the ring out of the box, tossing it to the side, holding the ring up, "Marry me, Zee-"

I slowly kneeling, just nodding my head lightly, not having the heart to say no for the sake that I was leaving him, "Yes-"

Jace slipped the ring onto my finger, pressing his lips into mine, as I could barely kiss back, and that was when Jace knew something was wrong.

"Hey- hey," Jace slowly pulled back and grabbed my face, wiping my tears that just kept coming, "Is everything alright?-"

"No-" I cried, shaking my head, "No, it's not-"

"What's wrong?" Jace asked me, scanning my expression, "You can tell me anything-"

"I should've told you- I should've told you before, but- I didn't have the heart to- and now you've purposed-" I was at my breaking point, "I'm- I'm slowly turning mundane again-"

"You're what?" Jace's eyes widen slightly, looking at my eyes, noticing all my missing runes, "How?-"

"The Angels- they're punishing me for pushing past their resistance with my runes- they're going to strip me of all my memories-" I held onto his arms, tears falling free, "I'm so sorry- I should've listened to you-"

"You won't remember me?" Jace looked heartbroken, "Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

"Because I knew you'd try to do everything you could to stop it, but there is no stopping this." My voice got quieter, as I could barely even speak, "Even if I don't remember you, you will always be in my heart, Jace-"

"Zee!" Clary's voice made both Jace and I's head turn to where the sound came from, as she quickly ran towards us, still dressed up from the wedding, looking at Jace, "Did you propose yet?-"

I pulled away from Jace, stumbling to my feet, grabbing Clary's hand, "Clary, I have something to tell you- I have something to say-"

"No, no- it's okay." It was then I noticed the tears in her eyes, "I already know-"

"What?" I was confused by her words, looking at my older sister, "No, Clary, you don't understand-"

"Zee-" Jace slowly got up, staring at me from behind, "Your runes-"

When he said that, I looked down at my arms, watching as all the runes that had disappeared engrave back onto my skin again.

I looked up at Clary, and noticed her runes missing.

My eyes widen, "No-"

"I negotiated a deal with the Angel." Clary finally told me, "Me instead of you-"

My heart broke, "Clary- you can't- do this-"

"It's already done." Clary squeezes my hands tightly, "I don't have much time, I want you to know that- I love you so much-"

"How do you know? How- I didn't tell anyone-" Tears were burning in my eyes for what felt like the hundredth time, "I- didn't want anyone to know until after-"

"I found my letter in your nightstand- I found- all the letters." Clary's eyes were filled with tears, "I didn't want you to lose your happiness- not after Jace told us he was planning on proposing to you-"

"You can't go down for me, Clary." I felt guilt burn in my chest, "This isn't your fault- you don't deserve this-"

"You don't deserve this." Clary emphasizes, "Zee, I was there in Edom with you- and I won't let you lose the only part that makes you feel like you belong."

"You've found your one- and, you're going to be married-" Tears fell from Clary's eyes, "All I ever want is for you to be happy- especially after all you've suffered."

"I- I was going to ask you to be my parabatai-" My voice shook, stuttering over my own words, "You have to be at my wedding- I'm getting married, Clary- this- I don't want you to leave-"

"I know- I know," Clary pulled me into her chest, hugging me tight, "It's okay."

I started to quietly cry, "I can't lose you-"

Clary held me tight for a few moments, before letting go of me even when I tried to hold on when only one rune was left on her body, taking a few steps back from me, "You have to let me go."

"Clary-" I covered my mouth, watching as the rune disappeared from her body, her hand touching her cheek, looking confused as to why she was crying, before slowly walking away.

I wailed out, collapsing into Jace, as he comforted me, as I had just watched my sister turn into a stranger.

authors note:

i'm genuinely so proud of this chapter.

i was crying while writing the last scene because this book is coming to an end. but, worry not !

there is going to be one more chapter.

a very short one, but- there'll be more

i just didn't have the heart to end it yet, i wasn't ready for that step. i've never actually ever finished a book before- so it's a weird sensation.

but, thank you for 59k !!

go read redamancy !

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