#conidentalec

He stared at the bracelet that fell from her wrist. It was the last thing he had left of her.

She was gone.

The city proceeded to plunge into darkness, swallowed by the unforgiving sea.

Alec couldn’t believe their luck.

First the giant robotic lobster that destroyed their submarine and cost them the life of almost the whole crew. Then all the obstacles on their way down, from walls to machines failing and bridges falling.

The fiery fireflies and the collapse took the price though.

He heard the screams of Isabelle as they descended, and he called out for his siblings and friends on the way down, hoping they would make it. Also, praying he would make it.  

Then everything went black.

Valentine lit a match illuminating the darkness. “Alright, who’s not dead? Sound off,” he grumbled.

It was soon followed by moans and groans of everyone alive.

Valentine turned on one of the car lights and looked around. “Isabelle, give me a damage report,” he asked.

“Well,” Isabelle started, checking everything with the lantern she was holding, “not as bad as it could have been. We wrecked two vehicles but the digger looks like it could still run. Lucky for us that we landed on something soft”  

“Pomez ash,” Simon exclaimed from a little mountain, playing with the dirt and looking awed by it. “We are standing in the base of an dormant volcano,” he went on.

Iris hit Simon in the head with a bengal and proceed to shoot upwards, watching the bullet go up. “It just keeps going,” she murmured.

“Maybe that’s our ticket out of here,” Jace said. In that moment, the bengal hit the roof and exploded.

“Maybe not,” Iris said with a grimace.

Simon fixed his glasses and gestures wildly with his hands. “The magma has solidified into the valves of the volcano and blocked the exit.”

"Hold on, back off, " Maia exclaimed, speaking for the first time. "You're saying this whole Volcano can blow any time?" She asked worriedly.

Simon got close to her. “No no no, that would take a massive explosion of grand magnitude to happen.”

They all turned their heads to Jace, who was fiddling with TNT. He looked up. “I probably shouldn’t do this here, right?”

“If we blow the top off, maybe we could get out of here. What do you think, Mr. Lightwood?” Valentine inquired. Silence answered. “Mr. Lightwood?” he asked again, looking around.

“Alec!” Isabelle screamed into the cave, looking around anxiously for her brother.

Alec slowly returned to consciousness, feeling like a train fell over him. Maybe it did. He opened his eyes slowly, things coming into focus...and suddenly facing strange tribal looking masks, worn by people with spears and arrows.

He did the sensible thing.

He screamed and gasped, trying to get as far away from them. His shoulder stung at the movement. He looked down and realized he had a bloody gash there, most likely caused by the fall.  At this movement, the closest one of the… tribal people took his mask off.

Alec was rendered speechless. He was the most beautiful man Alec had ever seen. The dark bronzed skin had blue patterns embedded in it, they covered all of him. His dark hair was streaked with silver highlights, his brown eyes shone like ambers and his glossy mouth, hung open, looking awed at something, at Alec. As if he couldn’t believe what his eyes were seeing.

Alec probably should pick his jaw from the floor and get his act together. He then remembered his wound and gasped in pain, grabbing his shoulder, and that seemed to snap the man out of his reviere because he came closer, invading Alec’s personal space and looked him in the eyes. Then he picked up the diamond that was hanging from his neck, put it over Alec’s wound and then touched it, blue lights coming from his hands. Alec was shocked at the feeling, and when the man removed his hands he realized the wound was gone.

Alec sighed in relief and the man smiled at him.

Of course, it was at this moment that the universe decided to interrupt them, in the form of the digger coming out of the wall, causing everything to tremble and scaring the tribal people. He couldn’t let them get away.

“Wait!” he got up, trying to chase them but damn, they were fast. “Who are you... where are you going!?” he kept screaming while trailing behind them. “Come back!”

He kept climbing rocks behind them and suddenly… he was standing in front of the most beautiful view he had ever seen. He barely noticed the others arriving, rooted in the spot at the sight of the enormous flying city surrounded by waterfalls and clouds and blue skies everywhere.  

“ Holy cow! ” Simon exclaimed somewhere behind him.

“It’s beautiful,” Izzy whispered.

Maia went to stand by his side and patted him in the back. “Lightwood, I’ve got to handed to you. You really came through.”

In that moment, they heard some kind of war screams and suddenly they were surrounded by the tribal man again, their weapons aimed at them.

“Oh, I take that back,” Maia said.

“Holy catch, who are this guys?” Valentine asked, reaching for his weapon.

Alec was still in some kind of dream. “They gotta be Atlanteans!”

“What?” Iris said. “That’s impossible.”

At this, one of the masked man started talking in some unknown dialect and pointing at them, like demanding an explanation.

“I think it’s talking to you brother,” Izzy murmured in Alec’s ear.

The tribal man continued, walking forward and talking to Alec. Alec stepped forward and spoke to the man, reassuring him they where here to do no harm.

Tha man removed his mask and -Alec realized it was the same beautiful man who healed him- asked him about their intentions, seeming surprised he knew the language.

Alec answered him, ‘they were exploring’ and again ‘they had no intentions of harming anybody’.

The man answered him with a big smile and Alec turned around to his companions. “They’re good.”

At that Valentine stepped forward, past Alec, and started speaking to them with a smile. “We are explorers from the surface world. We come in peace.”

The dark skinned man gestured behind him with a flourish to the city. “Welcome to the city of Atlantis.” He then proceeded to grab Alec by the hand, dragging him along like an excited kid. “Come, you must speak with my uncle now.”

Alec was happy to oblige, sue him. He barely noticed the others trailing behind.

The scenery was amazing. He didn’t know what to focus on. It was like a mix of lava and water, two juxtaposed elements combining together to create something surreal.

Because of the awe he was experiencing, he didn’t pay any attention to the other conversations, like the one between Iris and Valentine that would change everything.

“Commander, there wasn’t supposed to be anyone down here. This changes everything,” she told him.

“This changes nothing. Everything is going to plan,” Valentine snapped at her.

After a while, they were standing in front of two imposing stone doors. The guards opened it, revealing stones, vegetation and animals all living together in harmony. In the center, there was a stone throne with a huge lake in front of it. Sitting there was an old man with pale skin.

The dark skinned man stepped forward and kneeled in front of the old man.

“Greetings your Highness,” he started in atlantean. “I brought visitors.”

“Magnus,” the old man started, “you know the law. No outsiders may see the city and live."

Alec gulped hard and started panicking at this. Were they going to die? Just for seeing the city? This must be some sort of joke.  

"But Uncle! These people may be able to help us!" the dark skinned man exclaimed with pleading eyes.

"We don't need help," the king replied.

"But Uncle---"

"That's enough," the king said. "We will discuss this later."

Alec could feel the disappointment and sadness from the beautiful man. He felt the same. There's was nothing left to--

"Your Majesty," Valentine stepped forward, "on behalf of my troop,  may I say it is an honor to be welcomed to your city."

"Valentine. Commander," Alec hissed, "this isn't a good idea"

"You presume much to think you are welcomed here," the king replied.

"Sir, we've come a long way looking--"

"I know what you seek," the king interrupted Valentine, "and you're not gonna find it here. Your journey has been in vain."

"But sir, we are men of science," Valentine continued, "we're here in the pursuit of knowledge."

"You claim to be a man of science and yet carry weapons," the king retorted back.

"Weapons allow us to remove obstacles," Valentine replied.

"Some obstacles can't be removed just by force." The king got up at this. "Return to your people. You must leave Atlantis immediately."

Seeing things could get out of control, Alec got near to Valentine and whispered, "It’s best if we do as he says."

Valentine sighed at this. "We will leave. But may I respectfully request one night? It would give us time to rest."

The king seemed to ponder. "Fine. One night. Then off you must go."

That seemed to end the discussion and everyone turned to leave the throne room. Alec looked back and saw the dark skinned man give a sigh of resignation with watery eyes. Then the doors were closed.

"Your heart has softened Magnus. A thousands years ago you would have killed them all on sight." Ragnor sighed and lay down, watching his nephew stare at the closed doors.

Magnus turned around indignantly and approached, gesturing wildly with his hands. "A thousands years ago our streets were lit and our people didn't have to pick up scraps to eat at the edge of a crumbling city" he shouted.

"Our people are content," Ragnor told him.

"Our people don't know any better!" Magnus picked a wet drag and cleaned Ragnor's face,  "We were once thriving and now we live in ruins. The kings of the past would cry if they could see how low we have fallen."

"Magnus--" Ragnor chastised.

"If these outsiders," Magnus interrupted him, "have any way to help us understand our past, perhaps we can save our future." His eyes were pleading by this point.

"What they have to teach us, we have already learned," Ragnor retorted.

"Our way of life is dying," Magnus whispered.

Ragnor took one of Magnus’ hands between his, "our way of life is preserved," he told him. "Magnus, when you get the throne, you will understand." He cupped his nephew’s cheek with his other hand and Magnus nuzzled it and closed his eyes tightly so he wouldn’t cry.

"So how did it go?" Isabelle -Izzy- asked him excitedly as soon as the doors closed.

"I don't think the king and his nephew think alike when it comes to us" Alec told the team when they reunited outside. "He seems to like us, but I don't know, the King seems to be hiding something."

"If he is hiding something, I want to know," Valentine said.

"Yeah, someone needs to talk to that boy," Iris suggested.

"I can do it," Simon exclaimed happily from a corner.

"Someone with good manners," Maia commented.

"I have good manners!” Simon shouted.

"Someone with good people skills," Jace added.

"I will go!" Simon kept going.

"And who won't scare him away," Maia added.

"Someone who can speak the language," Isabelle commented.

"For the sake of the mission, I will go!" Simon insisted.

They were none having that, though.

"Thank you for offering, Lightwood. You're a good man." Valentine told Alec as he patted him in the back.

Alec was checking his language book, oblivious to the banter but perked up at this.  

He looked dumbfoundedly at the retreating team, leaving him alone to wait for the King's nephew.

Isabelle kissed his cheek and hugged him briefly. "Go get him, tiger," she told him with a wink.

He was screwed.

Alec watched from a column as the dark skinned man stepped out of the throne room. He went to hide and took a deep breath.

"Okay, you can do this," he told himself. "Don't take no for an answer. You have some questions and won't leave without answers. Yeah, that's it."

Alec stepped out from behind the column and started speaking when--

The man wasn't here. What that hell? He was just right here, walking the aisle of the throne room.

He sighed, already resigning himself when suddenly someone grabbed his arm in a lock and before he could scream covered his mouth with the other hand. He grabbed the wrist that was against his hand and felt warm skin under his fingertips and a breath against his ear. “I have questions for you” someone--the dark skinned man he realized-- murmured against his ear, breath hot with every word, “and I won’t take no

for an answer.”

He removed his hand from his mouth enough from Alec to mumble an, “okay but why--”

“Shhh,” he interrupted him, “come with me.” The man smiled and proceeded to drag him by his arms.

They climbed slippery rocks full of vegetation and vines,and ended up in some kind of forest.

“Oh, I have so many questions to ask you,” the man exclaimed excitedly as they stepped down from a rock, turning around to see him struggle for a bit. It was slippery, sue him. Apparently he was impatient because he grabbed Alec by the hem of shirt and tugged him down. “You are a scolar, right? I figured by your ugly set of clothes and that book you carry around,” he told Alec. “What is your country of origin? When did the flood reach there?” he started rambling.

“Eh, um, wait a minute,” Alec interrupted him. “I have a few questions for you too. So let’s do this. You ask one and I ask one, what do you think?” he asked nervously, afraid that maybe the man would say no. But he just gave him a reassuring smile and nodded.

“Very well” he said, swaying his shoulders a little. That movement shouldn’t be as entrancing as it was.”What is your first question?”

“How did you get here?” Alec blurted out and started rambling, “not you as a person, but your culture, as in all the people who live here, I mean--” he took a deep breath and tried to focus. “How did all this, end up down here?” he finally asked.

"It is said that the Gods became jealous of Atlantis," the man answered and started walking, "and that they sent a big cataclysm that buried us here. Honestly, all I can remember is that the sky turned dark and people were shouting. And then a blue light covered the city, it took my mother as if it was magic. My uncle told me it was calling for her. I never saw her again," he ended narrating, looking at his feet.

"I’m sorry," Alec told him, and he truly meant it, "if it is any consolation, I know how you feel in some way. I haven't spoken with my parents for a very long time and--wait a minute" Alec realized something, "what are you telling me? That you remember because you were there? That's not possible. That would make you like, an eight thousand years old man."

The man shrugged with a smile, "Yes, I am."

Alec stared at him dumbfoundedly, "Oh, okay… you look good." He blushed furiously after he realized what he said. He cleared his throat, trying to dissipate the embarrassment, "do you have any questions for me?"

"Yes," the man exclaimed, "how did you get here?"

"Well," Alec started, scratching the back of his neck, "it wasn't easy, but with the help of this book we found our way." He showed him the book and the man took it, looking through it.

"You can understand this?" he asked him, still not looking up.

"Yeah," Alec answered, "im a linguist"

"This right here, you can read this?" the man asked eagerly.

"Yes I can, just like you," Alec replied and saw how the face of the man fell. "You can, can't you?"

"No one can," the man answered, "such knowledge was lost when the cataclysm happened." He suddenly perked up, like the solution to all his problems was right in front of him, "you can teach me!" he asked - more like demanded.

"Um, yes, I guess I can--"

The man dragged Alec by the arm, "Come! You have to see this!" They halted in front of some kind of stone fish.

"...Is this a vehicle?" Alec asked.

"Yes, but no matter what I do it doesn't work." The man replied, looking a bit like a child throwing a tantrum. It was adorable.

Alec realized he was staring and snapped out it, focusing on the instructions that were on the stone fish.

"Did you try putting the crystal in?"

"Yes."

"Did you put your hand on the pad?"

"Yes."

"Did you turn the crystal to the right?"

"Yes!"

"While your hand was on the pad?"

"Ye--! Ah, oh. No, I didn't," the man answered.

Alec grinned and got up. "Well, that's your problem. That's an easy thing to miss, you deserve credit for getting this far honestly--" he shut up abruptly at the unamused face the man was showing. "Um, why don't you try it now?"

The man ignited the vehicle and started levitating. "It works!" Alec exclaimed happily and stared at him, who was also grining widly.

"I wonder how fast it goes." Alec touched something and the fish promptly moved forward and then made a zig zag, almost crashing into them if they hadn't ducked down. The fish crashed into a wall as Alec and the man stared at it.

After a bit the man started laughing and Alec couldn't help but smile. "So, who wants a ride?" He asked him jokingly and was rewarded with a smile.

Alec was so smitten.

They started walking again with apparently no destination, when Alec realized something.

"You know, we were never properly introduced. I’m Alec," he told him with a smile.

The man looked at him and smiled. "My name is Magnugakash."

"Magnuka-Magnuskash," Alec tried but for some reason he couldn't say it. "Is there a short version?" he asked, blushing a little. Hold it together, Lightwood.

"You can call me Magnus," The man - Magnus - replied.

“I can remember Magnus,” Alec answered with a small smile.

They kept walking and arrived at a river, and Magnus pointed at all the people who were fishing, working together. It was beautiful to see.

One man just caught some kind a lobster and threw it in Alec’s direction. He barely caught it, and the thing was thrashing and trying to bite him.

Magnus laughed and took the lobster from his hands and bit it hard on the neck. The lobster went limp immediately. “Here,” he said, putting it into the bag Alec was carrying around. “Tell me more about your companions. Your doctor, is he the blonde one?"

"No, that's Jace, my brother. His deal is explosives and such. Our doctor is Maia, the girl with the afro."

"Oh, so your mechanic is the one who keeps talking, then?" Magnus inquired.

Alec snorted. "No, that would be Simon. And he is our... dirt expert kind of guy. Our mechanic is actually my sister, Isabelle. She's the best."

"She sounds like it," Magnus told him. "It is time for dinner, we should get in."

They were in front of some sort of big, stone tent. Alec didn't even realized they’d arrived. He felt a hand tugging his own and looked up to see Magnus dragging him.

"Come, sit with me," he told him with a smile.

Alec had no objections.

They ate sitting close together, conversation buzzing around, his siblings and friends merging with the Atlanteans. At this sight, he dared to feel hopeful. He looked at Magnus, sitting close to him, talking and eating excitedly, smiling at everyone.

Alec smiled. Yeah, hope was a good feeling indeed.

Later on, Magnus took Alec on another walk. Magnus was carrying a lantern to show the path and they were surrounded by fireflies, casting lights and shadows on everything around them. Alec was honestly so mesmerized.

"You know, we were hoping to find buildings in ruins and broken pottery...but instead we find a living and thriving society." A firefly came to rest on Alec's arm and it tickled. Alec giggled. Actually giggled . "You know, these ones are kind of cute when they're no trying to set you on fire."

He looked up and saw Magnus had a sad expression. "We are not thriving," he began, "true, our people live, but our culture is dying, every year a little bit more."

Alec sighed. "I wish I could do something."

Magnus gestured around them. "I brought you to this place to ask you for help. There's a mural here, with writing all around the pictures--"

Alec got excited immediately at the prospect of helping. He took the lantern from Magnus and pointed it at the big stone. "You came to the right guy. We can start with this column right here and---Mm, Magnus, what are you doing?"  Alec asked him, a little stunned at the sight of Magnus stripping off his clothes.

Magnus shot him a smik over his shoulders as he continued to strip. "You do know how to swim, right?"

"Oh, I swim pretty boy," Alec blurted out and then cringed realizing what he said, "I swim pretty good, pretty good." He then stripped off his clothes too and was left in his trousers, joining Magnus at the big --river? lake?-- he was getting into.

"Good," Magnus said, giving him a knowing smile. Shit, he noticed his slip. "It is a big distance to where we are going."

Alec couldn't help but smile back through the embarrassment. "Lead the way"

Magnus took a deep breath and dived down. Alec followed soon after. They started diving through rubble and big pieces of stones of all shapes. Alec couldn't believe all of this was down here, wasting away.

They kept swimming for a while and Alec was starting to panic a little. Could Atlanteans breath underwater? Magnus seemed unfazed as he kept swimming but Alec was getting a little dizzy from holding his breath so long.

Finally they seemed to reach their destination, as Magnus got up for air in what seemed like the inside of an cave, followed by Alec who coughed his life out.

Magnus held his head between his hands and stared at him with a fond smile. "Are you alright?"

Alec coughed a little more and tried to smile back. "Well, I didn't drown so--"

"Good," Magnus exclaimed, "follow me," and he dived back in.

Alec sighed before submerging. The things he did for knowledge. He followed Magnus to the biggest set of stones that were there, all ancient texts and drawings being illuminated by the crystal hanging from Magnus neck.

They were close, Alec noticed. And promptly focused on reading and deciphering what was in front of him. Down there was not the place to die from staring a pretty boy. A very, very, pretty one.

Besides, he had a duty to fulfil.

He couldn’t believe what he was reading. He looked at Magnus and gestured for them to go up.

“I can’t believe it!” Alec gasped as soon as he hit the surface, followed by Magnus. “It’s the whole history of Atlantis, just like Plato described. I mean, he was off in some aspects but he got most of them right--”

“The streak of lights I saw,” Magnus interrupted him, and in this moment Alec realized how close they were. “That were in the middle of the city. What did the writings say about them?”

“I don’t know yet, but we are gonna find out.” Alec replied and dived back in. They studied the drawings from afar, getting close when some details caught Alec’s attention. Little by little he was understanding everything, making sense of it in his head.

He stared at the big drawing of what looked like big statues of men forming a giant crystal with their hands and everything clicked. He looked at Magnus and touched the crystal that was resting on his neck.

Magnus stared back at him, not understanding what he was trying to communicate. Alec pointed up, signaling for them to get out.

“It’s the heart of Atlantis!” Alec gasped once they were out.  

“What?” Magnus asked.

“I thought it was a power source,” Alec continued, grabbing the the crystal Magnus had, “but it’s actually the heart of the whole city, of the people, and the bright lights you remember. It’s all of it, somehow”

“But that’s impossible,” Magnus whispered.

“It’s what’s keeping you guys alive,” Alec said, a little too somenly for his taste.

“But where is it now?” Magnus asked.

“I don’t know, but there’s gotta be something in my book about it,” Alec replied and suddenly he realized how close they were, breathing the same air, Magnus staring back at him with wide eyes full of questions.

Alec gulped. Magnus looked beautiful and he was only human. He thought he saw Magnus’s eyes flicking to his lips for a moment. Could this mean…?

Magnus got closer, he could feel his breath against his mouth, but other than that didn’t make a move, giving Alec the chance to hold back.

Fuck it , Alec thought. He was surrounded by all the knowledge he’d craved all his life and he had a beautiful man in front of him. He deserved it.

Alec leaned down and kissed Magnus softly, sighing contently at the intake of breath Magnus took. Their lips molded perfectly like they were meant to be together, moving softly, testing the waters. They parted after a while, breathless and Magnus looking all god like with his bronze skin glistening with water, tattoos contrasting with it, lips parted, his inked hair with silver streaks pushed back, and eyes wide staring at him like he held all the answers. Maybe he did.