The
smell of rotten flesh smothers the room, once it appeared. Painful cries erupt
from the dying demon as it crouched over, slow vanishing, leaving pieces of
decaying flesh and thick, black blood. A normal person would run leaving all
their sanity behind them, but these aren’t regular humans. These are Shadow
Hunters, part angel part human. Having a life of isolation and death, Shadow
Hunters never know if they’re going to live to see the next battle as they kill
demon after demon. But, that doesn’t make them any less human.
Whole
lists of emotions flood the human mind every day. If it weren’t for emotions, we wouldn’t be
considered humans. When someone dies the feeling of grief fills their chest
because they are realizing that the person isn’t ever coming back. When a new
child is born happiness and love bubble up inside the parents and family.
Shadow Hunters have those feelings as well; the only difference between
themselves and other humans, is that a Shadow Hunter is trained to not show
their emotions. Many humans cover their emotions, but sometimes they slip. In
the novel City of Bones Isabelle, a Shadow
Hunter and Clary, a normal girl are having a conversation about Shadow Hunter
life, when it turns from Clary asking “’Is Alec gay?’ Isabelle’s wrist jerked.
The eyeliner skidded, inking a long line of black from the corner of Clary’s
eye to her hair line.”(211) Shadow Hunters are suppose to be as emotionless as
a statue and yet, Isabelle dropped her mask giving off the impression of how
shocked she truly is. Then Isabelle completely loses yourself farther by
yelling about the laws of Shadow Hunter life with tears streaming down her
face, tears of fear for her older brother.
Not
only do Shadow Hunters have feelings for one another, but they all have
children and families. In America most people get married because of love,
along with Shadow Hunters. They marry out of love and have children to prove
their love. But one Shadow Hunter loving the other isn’t the only reason they
have children, another reason they have children is because they want to keep
their family name going. Just as humans, Shadow Hunters have lived for
thousands of years, their family name staying the way it was, keeping to the
principles of the old life; similar to the medieval times where humans idolized
their family crest. Showing their family pride by parading around town swinging
their flags, sewing it on their clothing, and even bragging about what each
color and symbols within the crest mean, showing the emotions of pride and love
for their families.
Although
Shadow Hunters are ruthless killers, they still have their own social
endowments. All humans have social endowments no matter if they are positive or
negative. Humans brought up in a positive endowment have a high social status,
are very accomplished, and mentally stable. Unfortunately, humans that are
brought up with a negative up bringing are the complete opposite. The same goes
for Shadow Hunter children, even though they have different standards to live
up to. Jace’s up bringing for ten years was very hard: being abused emotionally
and physically and constantly told lies by the man he believed was his father.
Jace was described emotionless, not giving away what he was really feeling,
only standing there wearing that cold mask, becoming a spitting image of his
father. While Alec, Jace’s adopted brother, was brought up with love and
affection. He showed his emotions and even the fear of the Shadow Hunter community
finding out his sexuality.
Even
though Shadow Hunters slay poisonous demons, weld enchanted swords, and have
extra abilities they are still human: leaving to go on family trips, learning
about not only their world but the human world as well, mourning over the loss
of a fallen comrade, and loving their families with all their heart. Everyone
has a little angel in them, but for Shadow Hunters, the human side dominates
over, only letting glimpse of that angel appear.
