An Uncertain Present

mber the day he first

the Shadowhunters came to be. Daniel had not known what kind of danger they wou

sending his twin sister to her d

they have returned, the thoug

DREDS OF YE

niel's

ick up some bread, cheese and chicken for tonight's dinner. For the sake of preventing Harry from gnawing on bread (the staple food of the eight year

tempted to give the chicken a voice was like chalk screeching down a chalkboard. The urge to slap the other boy was very evident, but Daniel reminds himself that as they were fly

y meant that he wanted to invoke her wrath. And considering how easily Harry woul

ld not tell Harry to stop, even it wa

cut it out." He say

niel had been the only one to receive Da's power of sensing the lines connecting people and controlling emotions that they brought. Or a

s the irritation/anger that he feels now. He wills the hue to disappear, not wanting to be angry. The darkness of his wings hid

seemingly not hearing Daniel. So the eldest tries to grab his att

n it!" He

ne fiiiiiiiiiine. But

ays otherwise, Daniel reluctantly agrees. "Yes. You are a l

t their backs. Harry waves the offending cloud away with his free hand, the other clutching at his designated basket of victuals that their Mother

nk Mom will make this time?" Harry chatters on l

rning you would know." Daniel sa

both know you're gonna tell me anyways so..." he trai

managed to bruise his right side when he had a harsh tumble down the hill. Daniel wishes he could say it had happe

rning from experience would be the only way his son could learn not to make the same mistakes. Daniel

e door when he hears a voice. It made him freeze in place, right after he had knocked on the door with two res

en't you two boys a little too small

l I believe they are." The o

otectively as soon as his little brother is safely out of view. Blue eyes narrow at the t

be it was the crooked smiles they gave himself and Harry; smiles that were filled with what looked to be slightly yellowed teeth and puffy gums. Or it could even be the color of their eyes, the pitch blackness of them unnatural on

ering regardless. Judging by the quivering in the space behind him,

no, the fallen angels with what he ho

is stories about evil angels who had fell from Heaven long ago because they had committed wicked deeds. Their once beautiful physiq

ips. There is a manic look in this guy's abysmal eyes, a look of absolute darkness.

say not to show

re your elders." Arkanekiel snaps at him, dragging what looks to

panion, this fallen angel is slightly better groomed. His ice white

his action is halted as the door behind himself and Harry finally swings open. Veronica-their mother- takes

oing along with the yanking gesture. He and Harry end up stumbling into the house. While the youngest flounders to the ground Daniel manages to kee

er told them to avoid t

ere is no visible fear rolling off of her, though Daniel can see it in the way that the lines connecting her to Dani

The bronze feathers there are soft to the touch. As Harry is only eight years old, several spots alon

per week out of all the winged members of their family. And as Harry is not well-versed in such practices, it was left to their parents to do the hard work of straightening lopsided fea

lk in table. Father had left plenty of his weapons lying around the house, claiming that you never could know when

eronica Windimiere, and if I see you lay a hand on either of my

fallen angel wore he is also able to spot the scrawling black veins on his arms. The way they bulged and appeared swollen gave off the

now M

corrects wi

your sons or..." he licks his lips hungrily, his eyes seeming to darken even more if that was even pos

nitely the worst kind of fallen there was: only someone truly sick would thinking that assaulting young children was

You both better get out

to do things the hard way then." Arakenekiel smirks, his win

d a dull gleam in the shadow of the doorway. Her knuckles whiten from gripping the hilt for so long. It would seem that

ot." A voi

blue eyes narrowed with an expression he could only describe as absolute rage. Veriziel and Arakenekiel also

Veriziel points a shaky finger at him,

rs came by, or at the marketplace where people tried to sell father overpriced goods. Both times were viewed as unnecessary hassle. Daniel wonders if

ituation freak

that Pippa and Sara aren't here. They were supposed to be spending the day with their uncle Samuel. Apparently he and his g

giving you my power either. So put an egg in your shoe and beat it." Re

y fire was no joke. Daniel knew from watching his father in previous fights the kind of damage it could deal. It was why the Archa

ted the hunger that was still in those dark eyes. In f

for your gift Remiel. Your resistance is futi

s though the fallen angel hadn't grasped the gravity of power that Remiel possessed before coming here. N

ith heavenly light as he glared daggers at the two fallen. The light re

fallen angels hastily make a retreat, no

ily see that this

PRESEN

crunched underneath his combat boots, though he wasn't the slightest bit conc

s and leaves all fallen from the branches. Any greenery on the ground was brittle and withered away, the only thing remaining was the

ing for wasn't something th

sky, impossible to see from the fog that lingered on the ground and in the air. Unlike the ot

changed at all since th

re was swiveled and curled. Oak trees were meant to be tall, and just as important: str

ve feet wide and eight feet tall, perfectly encompassing any of the combatants that had fought in front of it on that fateful day.

Sara gave everything for this

ule, where no light could survive. Their numbers had been so badly damagednthat it became apparent the

h was the fear we lost m

rienced before encompassed him, leaving him lost and alone. Five years may have passed, bu

sig

ortant things

ags the evidence he found on the High Grounds- a place that should've been safe from penetrating darkness- out into the open. He examines the two feathers side by side, sensi

ess of them flaring up before being extinguished with a firm finality. Daniel had fi

s unbel

had been attached to were long dead. Being able to do so now should've been impossible.

thing. He didn't dare to

ears in a way that made his hands twinge and an all too familiar pain rise in his gut, the sting of it forcing him to the ground a

weat rolling down his temple. "Why....thi

omen. What was supposed to be a rune meant to bring him happiness, care, loyalty, faith, teamwork, and friendship now only served as a

nds as a dark puddle on the ground. Numbly, Daniel swipes his mouth clean with his jacket sleeve. This bloo

that he can imagine blood flowing from it freely. Small, wiry like black veins bulge out from it slightly, the spidery veins an infect

h each year after his father had returned, but apparently nothing would be able to make them falter. But at the very le

to look up at the sky. Fog blots out what would be a clear sky, but that does not stop him from picturin

one else does..." Daniel gets back o

a reminder that he could not stay here long, there was work to be done. Flight practice w

ticular. Daniel takes off into the sky, his

mando's

tire time. Armando lets out a weary sigh as Daniel disappears into t

n is: will

est to try and help Daniel out later when he was free then to fall behind on orders. C

e a few times with Daniel before, back when Sara's death had been a recent wound to

ver, things we

ny of the clearly dead landscape. He expected it to swirl back to him to report negative results. There had

it w

kly black twine of energy that is nothing but evil in origin. It had been a long time since Armand

I have something to

pped energy with him. When the Portal whooshes closed only an eerie landscape

ess will r