Bad Dream

Chapter 5: Edom

Magnus has been crying since his talk with Brother Zachariah. Just like what he said to the Silent Brother, it's breaking Magnus with Alec leaving him.

Brother Zachariah refused to give Magnus the help he's asking for. The Silent Brother doesn't want to remove Alec from Magnus's memories since Brother Zachariah knows Magnus will regret it sooner or later, which led the warlock to come up with a decision to do it on his own.

He's now standing on a rooftop. Magnus intently watching his and Alec's memories play before his eyes. There are now sparks forming in his hands but instead of the usual blue fire, it was red. Rage, pain, sorrow. All these emotions affecting his power.

Do it. There's a voice whispering beside him. Tempting him to do what he plans to do, removing Alec from his life. But he can't. Magnus can't. He loves Alec so much that even if Alec hurts him in the most painful way possible, Magnus can't bring himself to forget and hate the young Shadowhunter.

The red fire in his arms slowly turning blue, indicating that Magnus is now calming down. He is now watching their memories with sadness in his eyes, no raging feelings, just pure grief.

"I gave back your magic so you'd be strong, not weak." he heard a voice said and then a yellow-gold wire of magic encircled around Magnus. Trapping both of his hands on his sides.

"Let me go!" Magnus struggle to be freed from Asmodeus's magic but it is no use.
"I'm in enough pain without you causing me more."

"Pain is the path to enlightenment."

"And by pain you mean tying me up? Didn't know you had that in you." Magnus is still trying his best to free himself but no matter where you look at it, Asmodeus is still more powerful than him.

"That's what I like about you, Magnus. You still see something positive in every situation."

"I can't see where's the "positive" in this situation, Dad." maybe it is in Magnus's nature to be sarcastic even in front of his father, but it's the only way he knew not to lose his sanity and his will to untie himself.

"Magnus," Asmodeus placed his hand on Magnus's shoulder and forcefully pushed him. The warlock is now on his knees while Asmodeus is behind him.
"By pain, I mean this." Asmodeus grabbed Magnus's chin and made him look up. His and Alec's memories are still playing like a never-ending movie. Every memory, every scene, is replaying one after the other.

If Asmodeus only meant the 'pain' as this — Magnus repeatedly watching himself and Alec meet, getting to know each other, falling in love, and then breaking up — then he would glady watch it with his eyes wide open. Because after all, it is bitter but sweet memory.

But Asmodeus is Asmodeus, he is a demon — a Greater Demon, the most powerful Prince of Hell — and they feed on human emotions, most especially pain¹. Things they do not possess.

"I told you, Magnus. Pain is the path to enlightenment." yellow-gold fire blasts from Magnus's back straight to his beloved memories. Slowly, he watches his memories of Alec disappear into thin air just like how fire turns to smoke when they're extinguished.

"NO!" Magnus cried out. Watching it disappear is like watching someone you love die right in front of your eyes.

And slowly, the pain in his chest climbs up to his head. Like a bolt of thunder struck him multiple times, his body's becoming numb and all he can do is curl up on the floor, as he can't do anything with his hands still tied.