Clary Fray

I'm leaving the hospital today, only because they won't let me stay any longer.

It felt so much easier to live inside that neat little white room. Now I have to go outside and face reality. It's not something I'm looking forward to - a world without Jace hardly seems one worth living in.

The only good thing about me being kicked out is that Sebastian has finally promised me answers. He's going to explain my memories. When I was in the coma, I think I dreamt many things from the other world I see in my mind. It's become hard to know what is real.

Simon, who's been here off and on since he woke me up, is going to escort me back to 4. My brother was supposed to, but he said something about wards being lifted and having to send a message, so here I am with my best friend.

He's standing outside my room, waiting. He looks worried. "You gonna be alright, Fray?"

I take a deep breath and nod. Simon clasps my frail, cold hand in his confident, warm one. "I'll be okay as long as you're here."

My best friend smiles and wraps his arms around me. "I'll be here for as long as you need me."

When we leave the hospital, Simon leads me through a bunch of random sidestreets until we reach a grassy area in front of a fence. It has been explained to me that Magnus was going to make a portal but he could only do so from certain spots in district 14 because of the complicated magical barriers within the district.

A minute or two after we arrive, the portal shows itself and we step through. I find myself in Magnus Bane's apartment, which is currently looking rather desolate compared to the last time I was here. Gone are all his lavish decorations and 'borrowed' furniture. It hardly looks like anyone even lives here.

The warlock smiles at us, but he looks sad. I wonder... "Magnus... whatever happened to Alec once Sebastian replaced him?" I ask. That was yet another thing my brother had not been forthcoming about, merely saying he was somewhere safe.

Magnus's expression is pained. "He... I know where he is. I can't tell you. It's not an ideal location, but it's where he has to be."

I frown, dissatisfied, but I know he must have a good reason for keeping it to himself. "Sebastian here?" I inquire.

My friend nods. "He's in the parlor. Just got here a minute or two ago. I must say, I'm looking forward to this. I've never seen the whole story explained to a subje- er, a commoner."

I raise an eyebrow, but don't question Magnus on what he stopped himself from saying. It sounded like he was about to say subject. Am I a 'subject?' What does that even mean? Perhaps it's something my brother will explain.

Sebastian greets me with an affectionate smile and kiss on the cheek, but barely spares Simon a glance. "Glad to see you've arrived safely, sister. Now, let's not dilly-dally, as I've got other business to attend to. Er... is he staying?" He looks at my friend somewhat disdainfully.

I take Simon's hand. "He stays."

My brother gives him a wary look. "Fine. But remember - and this goes for both of you - nothing I tell you here leaves this room. It that understood?"

I nod, as does Simon, and I wonder what could be such an important secret. My friend and I take a seat on the rather plain-looking sofa across from the chair that my brother has seated himself in. "We're ready when you are."

Sebastian glances up at Magnus, who gives an encouraging nod. Then he begins his tale.

"Jace -" I wince at his name "-once told you a very wise thing, Clary. All the stories are true. Although shadowhunters tend to apply this rule only to the elder tales, it applies to many more recent things as well. Well - things that don't exist in Fandom - but they did Before.

"Within the world that you see in your memories, there were many stories widely accepted as fiction that were in fact true. People like J.K. Rowling - You may find that the name Harry Potter sounds familiar - and Rick Riordan - he wrote Percy Jackson and the Olympians - were mere humans who discovered worlds within their own and wrote about them.

"The world was living in harmony, mundanes blissfully unaware of the other worlds existing within their own. Then, all at once, everything went wrong. A pixie named Opal Koboi had been plotting behind the scenes, using time travel to construct an elaborate plan that would reveal all the hidden worlds. She figured that once everything was exposed, most everyone would end up being killed in the ensuing war and the strongest would survive. Those would serve whatever purposes she required them for. She laid her plan well, and it almost succeeded.

"She was able to expose many communities, including wizards, demigods, and even shadowhunters. The world was thrown into chaos, and there was mass destruction everywhere. This is where the president comes in. She, along with some other rulers of various societies, had become aware of Opal's antics. They realized that the world was already beyond the point of repair, but they found a way to save some of the people.

"They laid an intricate plan for Koboi's assassination, and it succeeded, but the toll of the pixie's actions was already great. The earth known to us had to be abandoned, along with a good deal of the people living on it. But many people with irregularities, as well as some with none, were rescued by the president and her friends.

"The President took these people of legend, and she modified their memories. Made them believe they had lived all their lives in the land of Fandom - an alternate reality where they were safe. Back then, she wasn't the President. Her name was Elara, and she was heartless. Other leaders saw something in her that scared them, so they didn't allow her to take a high position in government. That didn't stop her.

"Elara was more powerful than they had reckoned for. She could do great and terrible things. Gradually, she took control of anyone who stood in her way, either through threats and blackmail or through mind control. She rose through the ranks. Finally, she made herself the 'President' - in reality, the dictator. And she put the Fandom Games into practice as a more efficient selection process."

"Selection for what?" Simon asks tensely.

Sebastian sighs. "The founders of Fandom never intended for this to be a permanant home. They wanted to find the strongest of the people - the best of the best - and establish a new civilization elsewhere. Elara's predecessors had a more humane system, but she wanted to speed it up. Pitting the heroes against each other in a fight to the death was more efficient."

It's a lot to process at once. The idea that I am from another world - that I had another life, and it was taken from me by people who called themselves saviors.

"Why don't I remember anything after my mom and Luke's wedding from the old world? Shouldn't I remember all the stuff you talked about? The exposure and all the craziness afterwords?"

Magnus, rather than my brother, answered this question. "Everyone's memories of the events surrounding Koboi's attack were completely erased, while the others were only blocked. For you, Clary, those memories were recovered when Sebastian showed himself."

"But... why not just completely erase all the memories? What if something accidentally made someone remember, like it did with me?"

Sebastian shrugs. "The intention was to restore all the memories of the chosen once they left Fandom. There have been hiccups, when people's memories came back unexpectedly. Generally they are locked up as madmen when they try to tell other people. Sometimes they have to be killed."

Magnus stands up suddenly, his eyes flaming. "That's what that place was? Those aren't mental patients in that hall! Those are people who've remembered! You told me they were being taken somewhere safe, Morganstern! Not locked up in cells to really go crazy!"

My brother remains calm. "They are safe, Magnus. And so is Alec."

The warlock freezes, wipes all hint of emotion off his face, and sit back down.

The threat was impossible to miss. Behave, or he'll pay.

Sebastian is still as manilulative as ever, and he has all the control. I am still at his mercy, and I must confess I don't think him sane.

I am very afraid.

Omg shoot almost 4 months since the last update😥 I'm so sorry I've been swamped with homework, play rehearsals, and friend drama. Hope you enjoyed the update! Thanks for sticking with me :)