[AUTHORS NOTE: This is an alternate ending to the original ending of Heavenly Fire. Asmodeus took Simon's memories in exchange for the groups freedom. In my tale, different events took place. All other events previous are still kept the same to the best of my ability. A reading of all six books is preferred.]
Clary was alone. The others had vanished from all around her. Asmodeus stood before her in his massive form.
"Where have you taken them?"
"I transported them back to Idris, you are the one who is going to pay the price for freedom." His voice stank of a thousand years decay. What could he possibly want from her? She did not possess anything that he could want. She was not immortal, she was not anything special, aside from the angel blood that ran through her veins.
"What is it that you could possibly want from me?" She asked hesitently. At that he smiled. His teeth were all just a series of broken and mishapen shapes, Were they real bones or just rocks?
He pointed to the dead body of my brother. The brother that never meant anything to me seeing as he was evil and twisted. "You see him? What has he done?" I stared incredulously at the demon.
"What has he done? He has murdered thousands, destroyed families, destroyed lives!" I spat the words out venomously. The demon merely just continued to smile. They relished on pain so why did it matter what one boy did? They loved misery and hurt, the two things Sebastian was good at causing.
"You only have seen one side of the coin." He said. "You have seen the side that is dark and tarnished, but what of the other side? Valentine was the start. He corrupted Jonathan and caused many conflicts between families. He had his little Circle and all his members who loved him adoringly, even your mother. He was the start and he was the end. You do not know your brother or your father yet you hate them. You feel no remorse over killing your father and you feel none for the boy you just killed who was your brother. Why is that?"
If Greater Demons could be killed i surely would have tried by this point. Did Asmodeus understand nothing about what happened? The loss and misery that didnt need to happen just because Valentine and Jonathan had lived? I had murdered them for the right reason and i did not feel bad. " They needed to die. They were evil and only caused pain to others. I am not having this theoretical discussion with you, what do you want?"
At this question his smile, if you could call it that, got even bigger. It was at this point that i was a little scared. Even though i was a trained shadowhunter, my training didnt say what to do when faced with a smiling demon who has your life in his hands. Would he want my life? Would he want something from me that i couldnt possibly give? Or was the consequences much bigger then i had ever hoped to consider.
"It is not something that i want, its something that your going to receive whether you like it or not. I want to show you what life could have been like if Valentine had not been what he was. What life would have been if he had just been a shadowhunter and not seeked to destroy downworlders. What it would have been like if you had had a normal life with a normal family. I will show you all these things and at the end you will be faced with a decision. You will remember all of this world but the other world i will show you will know nothing of it. You will go through stages of life that would have been yours if it had not been so tainted. When you sleep at night, more time will progress. I do not have the time to let you live out your whole life in the Other World, but i do have the time to show you the things you have missed."
What? Show me the world i would have lived in? One where Valentine had not corrupted or stolen so much? What did it matter? It all must surely be an illusion procurred from this Demons mind. Nothing was to be trusted surely from that. So all i had to do was just go through his imaginary world and then me and my friends would be free? Easy.
"If i do that, are my friends and family truly free?" I asked.
"Of course, you have my word. A few hours lost for the sake of the ones you love. I'd say thats a fair trade." Asmodeus said. This proposal was obviously making him happy. For what reason i could not fathom. Yet his idea was an easy one at best. I expected torture or death. Not some fantasy life that doesnt exist. I could make it through that no problem. It surely will be weird and uncomfortable but it was a lesser payment then i expected.
"Okay Asmodeus, i will go to this Other World and i will experience the life i "should" have had. On the terms that when i am done you will send me back. No tricks, no lies."
Asmodeus extended his hand, as if to make a pact. This was indeed a deal, an easier one then i could have hoped for. A few hours and i would be home. With Jace, with my family, back home. I extended my hand and grasped his. In that moment i felt fear, but it didnt last long because before i knew it. Everything had gone black.
