Part Two of Come Home, Clary!

The next several days were like Hell for Clary. The illness racked at his body, causing fever to burn like fire and chills to burn like ice. He spent most of the time trapped in sleep, terrorized with horrible dreams. In one, he brutally murdered Queen Horn. In another he destroyed Sforzendo and the people who dwelled in it. In countless others he joined the Hamelin Army.

At last, the illness began to fade. The fever and chills were soon gone, and with them went the horrible nightmares. Soon he awoke from his sleep, full of restless energy.

Yet now he had odd feelings. Even in the dungeons he felt as if he belonged in Hamelin, and shuddered at the thought of returning to the ever-sunny Sforzendo. The people he had formerly thought of as his friends, he now mistrusted, yet he felt a deep respect for those he once considered his enemies. Had he had a mirror, he would have noticed a more frightening change. His eyes were now blood red.

Before long, a guard came to his cell with the keys and released him. Glancing at him uneasily, the guard lead Clary through the hallways. Eventually, he recognized the route to be the way he had taken to get to the balcony a few days ago.

Once they reached the balcony, the guard left him alone. Walking out onto the balcony, Clary found Lord Bass waiting for him. "Clary, it is good to see that you are feeling better," Bass greeted as he looked out over the bleak landscape.

Clary paused, unsure of what to do. At last, he made his decision. Wordlessly, he kneeled, much as he used to do for Queen Horn. Without turning, Bass said, "I see you have had a change of heart."

After a pause, Clary said, "Hai, Bass-sama."

Unseen to Clary, Bass smiled wickedly. "Then you wish to join us in the Hamelin Army?"

"Hai, Bass-sama," Clary said again.

"You shall need to be tested first," Bass said thoughtfully. "Retrun to Sforzendo. In time, I shall contact you with your task."

Clary shifted uneasily at the thought of going among those he now thought of as his enemies. "Hai, Bass-sama," he said at last, and stood to go.