The library filled with the sounds of battle as the pixies threw bombs and the warriors went after the soulless. Zira stood in front of a group of white wolves that showed up at the last minute. Percy came to her side to hold her hand. She looked up at him with eyes shimmering silver/blue.
“Niamh?”
She tightened her grip on his hand with a smile as her eyes went over the group. They were mostly young, scared but a bit determined in their stance. They were ready to fight, but Niamh still felt guilty about failing in the past. She didn’t want to disappoint them. Those emotions felt familiar to Zira. She was the same way. Trying to do everything by herself but no more!
“Niamh,” Zira said, “we can’t do this alone, anymore. If we’re going to stop this we’re going to need all the help we can get.” Zira could feel Niamh agreeing with her as she looked over the white wolves in the circle.
“I know that I’m asking a lot from you all,” Niamh started. “Doing this takes a lot of courage and trust, mainly from your side. I would be afraid if I were you…”
“But we’re not afraid,” one of the white wolves said, “because of you. Momma Essie believes in you, Niamh. She told us what you did in the past. If not for you, we probably wouldn’t be here today.”
“You sacrificed yourself for our future,” another said. “I think it's time we fought for it too.”
An agreement went over the group as they joined hands leading up to Percy. He held out his hand for Niamh to take. When she did, she could feel the love and support from all of them combined. Tears flowed down Niamh’s face as she covered her mouth to stifle her cry. It has been a while since she has felt this kind of support. It reminded her of all those she lost before, of a time when they had peace even for a little while. It reminded her of home.
“The last time you fought this demon you were alone,” Percy said. “Let us help you.”
Niamh grabbed the hand on the other side to complete the circle. The eyes of each white wolf began to shimmer like hers. The flow of power moved from them into Niamh. She could feel herself getting stronger. She had never taken this much power before. The strength of it brought her to her knees, but before she hit the ground, she felt strong arms wrapping around her waist.
"I've got you," Isaiah said, pulling her to her feet and holding onto her. "Come on, Zi, you can do this."
Niamh could feel Zira's resolve getting stronger and pushing her forward, but still, the power felt too great. Niamh almost pulled away when she felt Percy’s grip tighten.
"Don't be afraid,” he whispered to her. “You’re the strongest person I know. Just embrace it. Let us in.”
Niamh couldn’t help but smile at his words. She embraced everything flowing through her. A bright light washed over all of them. It took only seconds for it to dissipate. Some of the stronger white wolves were breathing heavily on their knees while the others were fast asleep on the ground. Niamh walked towards them only to be stopped by Percy, who was struggling too.
“Don’t…worry,” he struggled to say. “Just…finish this.”
“He’s right,” Isaiah said, helping Percy to his feet. “We’ll keep cover down here. You stop Clary.”
Zira gave him a sharp nod before turning around and running towards one of the lifted platforms. She used her newfound powers to move the platform up until she got to Clary. Her back was to her as she stared at the ball of energy before her. She had the Alpha King by his throat, unmoving. Though Zira could hear a faint heartbeat. He’s still alive.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?”
The voice that spoke didn’t sound like Clary at all. It was rough and demonic. Clary turned around and Zira took a step back. A momentary flash of Alaia gave Zira pause. They shared the same crazed look, ashen skin, and black eyes.
“You can have him now,” Clary said, smiling at Zira’s expression before throwing the Alpha King’s limp body towards her. Zira stopped his body from falling over the cliff. “Took a minute to get what I wanted, but nevertheless, it is done.”
“Clary, don’t do this. You can still be a hero. For yourself, for your people,” Niamh said to her. “You will be forever trapped with that demon. Never making decisions for yourself…for those you love.”
Clary blinked a few times and Zira could see her resolve wavering. Something Zira said had to be getting to her. She could see Clary’s eyes changing while shaking her head, pacing back and forth.
“No,” Clary half-laughed. “This…this will get me what I want. Safety for my people.”
Finnick appeared before her, clearly agitated by her hesitancy. “Do not let her fool you little one. She only cares about herself and no one else. Everything she has done has put the people close to her in danger. The same goes for Niamh, too.”
“Finnick,” Niamh’s voice rose through the air as he regarded her. “You have let that demon poison your mind. Made you kill your only brother. Lose the love of your life.”
“LIES,” he spat at her. “You know as well as I that you loved another.”
“And I loved you, Finnick,” Niamh said softly. “I chose you, didn’t I?”
Finnick only laughed and shook his head. “Your words meant nothing to me the moment you saved Percy’s life.” He turned to Clary. “Let’s finish this and you will have what you want.”
“Clary, don't,” Zira said, stepping closer. “Think about Malachi and Ezekiel. They are-”
“I’m doing this for them,” Clary shouted, interrupting her. “I can’t even mark them, afraid something might happen to them, and I can’t go through that again. This will keep them safe.”
Zira was only a few feet away. “Clary, Malachi is hurt. Ezekiel and all the other white wolves are hurting right now, and you have the chance to save them. We can save them. Together.”
“Malachi?” Clary looked at Zira with tears falling down her face, but her eyes were still black. “He’s...no, he’s hurt because of the Alpha King,” she said. “He forced Malachi to attack us but no more! I will keep them safe no matter what. I have the power,” she said, bringing her attention back to the ball. “And it’s in the palm of my hand.”
“Clary, no!”
Zira ran towards her, trying to grab her hand. Clary could see her coming and sent a huge lightning bolt her way. Zira was too close to dodge and instinctively blocked the bolt with her arms. Instead of a shock, the bolt danced around her body before being absorbed. Zira looked shocked and noticed Clary was sharing the same expression.
“That was freaking cool,” Zira said while throwing fireballs at Clary, moving her away from the ball.
With ease, Clary dodged her attacks, retaliating with her own. Instead of trying to hit Zira, she hit the ground around her. A blast hit near the Alpha King, flinging him off the platform. Zira turned to catch him only for Clary to grab her and fling her toward the ball. Zira slid close enough to touch it. She could instantly feel all the power that was there mixed in with the demon’s darkness.
For a moment, she could feel the demon speaking to her. Calling out to her and promising her things if she submitted to him. Though under all that power she felt fear. Was it her own? Darkness clouded her mind until she heard a voice breaking through.
“Don’t let him in, Zira,” Niamh said, struggling to shield her mind. “That fear is not yours but his. He’s scared of us because we are stronger than him. Push through.”
“There is no fucking way I’m letting someone else in our minds,” Nina growled.
Zira fought through the darkness with their light and with a little push from Nina, she made it out. The spot she touched swirled with light matching the light on her hands. An idea came to her as she reached out her hands into the ball only to feel Clary grab her wrist.
“That power is mine,” Clary said, sounding more like Finnick as she pushed Zira back.
Zira held onto Clary’s wrist and went to grab the crystal, but it wasn’t there. In place was a tattoo of the crystal in Clary’s skin. Clary laughed.
“I figured you might try something like that, so I infused it,” Clary said, successfully snatching the crystal off Zira’s neck and squeezing it until it cracked in her hands. Clary threw it to the side.
“No!” Zira caught the necklace before it went over the edge. "Niamh?"
The usual glow was blinking on and off. Zira covered it with her hands, bringing it to her chest. She couldn’t feel anything. Niamh was gone. The only thing she could hear was the sound of Clary’s demonic laughter.