Alexander Highland

## Biography

His father was a shadow hunter in the clave and had a one night stand in the Mundane world. As the shadow hunter left, he forgot his stele behind as he was rather drunk and, unbeknownst to him, nine months later Alex was born. His mother, Isabella, was nothing but a prostitute and sold her body to pay for a lousy apartment. She had a bleak expectation from life and never dreamed of anything more and spent it losing her mind in a man or a bottle, sometimes a blunt. She was somewhat happy and satisfied with it. The only relationship she considered to be serious was a big drug dealer, who the streets called "Mozart", but they broke it off after a few months. Directly after her break up, she slept with the shadowhunter.

Life continued as normal for Bella until three months later when she realised she was pregnant. She was tempted to have an abortion as she didn't have a life to support a child but her own morals forbade her from doing so and six months later she had a baby boy in her arms. Unable to provide for the baby as well as keep up her job she eventually became homeless as she wasn't able to pay rent money. She tried to sell the stele but no one would take it. She didn't throw it out as it was the only thing that linked back with Alex's father. Moving from suburb to suburb, this continued for three years as they scavenged for food. One day, she walked into a bar, Alexander attached to Bella's leg and her ex is at the bar staring at them, and more specifically Alex.

Her ex had done nearly every crime in the book and was feared across the undergrounds. He lived by two rules:

1) Don't care for anyone. They'll tear you down.

2) Don't share information unless absolutely necessary

But, even though he knew Alex wasn't his child as he didn't look remotely like him, he faked it and told Bella that Alex was his. Despite the first rule, he believed that he might be able to repent for some of his sins by giving the boy a home. Taking Alex was easy, as Bella never particularly loved her son and had considered leaving him in front of a church or something similar times and the ex, whose name was Jordyn, gave her some money and drugs in return.

For the next few years, Alex was happy. He was raised by Jordyn and considered him family and didn't remember Bella or cared enough to try and find her. Severely kept in the dark about what his father's career was like, he became known as Mozart's heir and people knew well enough to stay away from him. As he grew up, he did see the downworld but learned quickly that no one else could, so he kept his mouth shut and turned a blind eye. He still kept the stele with him, though.

When he was fourteen, his father's business got rocky and a rival decided it was time to get rid of him. By doing this, he tried to make him snap by targeting Alex. When he was walking home, a car sped past and shot him in the stomach. He was only a few meters away from his home which allowed his father to take him to the hospital. He was infuriated, though, and he tried to kill the rival. The rival was expecting this and the police stopped him. He was charged with attempted murder and was given a life sentence.

Alex was placed into foster care and moved from house to house until he met a warlock. Alex always kept the stele on him and when the warlock saw it, he contacted the closest institute. The silent brothers found him to be a shadowhunter and he was soon integrated into the London institute and grew as a prominent fighter and took his job seriously. After spending some time in the institute, he began to research and consider different shadowhunter names, finding names that once had a rich history but had died through lack of children to carry on. He decided, eventually, to create the name "Highland" as his own.

## Personality

Alex can be a rather reckless and impulsive, not really caring for his own life. He enjoys partying and drinking and often gets himself and others into trouble just for fun. He has very little respect for authority figures and mouths off to anyone he finds controlling and is known to be violent towards those who antagonizes him.

In times of need, however, Alex can be very practical and more grounded, taking on a more responsible role. When he tries to do something rather unreasonable or something that makes no sense, he does his best to worm his way out of it through loopholes. He hates people trying to protect him, though, and always tries to prove to others that he can take care of himself.

Alex can be very sarcastic and sharp-tongued at times and always has a smart ass comment ready, and always bites back with a witty insult. He doesn't hesitate to speak his mind and can be extremely stubborn in his opinions. Other times, when he's more relaxed, he can be flippant and snarky.

## Skills and Abilities

Nephilim Physiology: Shadowhunters possess a variety of enhanced physical and mental abilities granted to them by the blood of the Angel Raziel flowing in their veins and also by the angelic Marks of the Gray Book. They also have the power to perform tasks unique to their species, such as the ability to use and call on the power of the angels for their seraph blades. This includes enhanced strength, agility, coordination, and stamina, which only improves over time and practice.

Runic Magic: Due to angel blood in their veins, Shadowhunters are able to apply runes on their skin without any danger. These Marks, in tuurn, give varied effects that serve to benefit the wearer.

## Possessions

→ A wedding ring worn on his index finger

→ Two seraph blades

→ His gear, witchlight, stele.

→ A necklace with a badly damaged cross hanging off it, which he usually keeps hidden under his shirt.

## Relationships

*Jordyn Emerson*

Being the man who raised him, Alex looks at him as a mentor and a father. Resulting in this, he adored Jordyn and was adored back. He rarely visits him in jail, though, and hasn't revealed the truth, nor does he plan to.

*Bella*

Doesn't care for her and has no desire to go look for her.