It was late in the evening, the sun was setting over the clouded sky of the Land of the Black Sand. The last little glints of sunlight dissolving into night. Mozenrath was working in one of the multitudinous laboratories that the citadel had acquired, either by design or necessity. He was researching the domain of his current foe, the Al muddy. Battle strategies, attacks, counter attacks and the like. It had occurred to him that if the seven deserts would benefit from him eradicating at least one of the opposing magical colonies that it would be the land of the destructive mud people. His theory was that if he mixed a certain chemical acid with their genetic makeup then they would revert to their basic elements,earth and water, instead of their current golem like state. It would be a glorious and beneficial campaign for everyone.
Their existence surely must have been the work of another wizard, a half crazed fool who thought it was a good idea to create an earth people army, but of course it wasn't. And the poor fool was probably dead now, swallowed by the earth, entombed in a cavern, or drowned in a wrenched pool of slurrie. Mozenrath involuntarily shuddered, being buried alive was definitely in the top five of his least favorite was to die.
It was never a good idea to create an army. Destane had tried that with the mamlocks and had failed. Well maybe not failed, they were formidable, but they were lazy and reluctant creatures. It had taken everything Mozenrath had to convince them to work at all. Most of them didn't work though, just lurked about. Cluttering the shadows, inhabiting abandoned homes, shuffling about aimlessly. It was like pulling teeth from a roadrunner to get them to look like they were guarding the place, it was even harder to convince them to attack intruders. He had won the battle though, on the premise that if they kept him safe he would never let an outside force destroy them, and there were many that would try. After Mozenrath had subdued... Forcibly reasoned with his old teacher and...coerced Him to retire early for the health of the statedom other kingdoms started lining up to conquer and or destroy them. Something about a city full of un-dead people really unnerved outsiders.
But that wasn't to say that The Land of the Black Sand was exclusively home to the un-dead, there were others. Creatures of the night that kept to themselves that could not and would not be swayed by any display of power or sorcery. Creatures that long ago had made a covenant with their kingdom and abide by ancient rules. Rules that had been inscribed on a stone in a dark cave in a long dead language. And because of those commandments in that cave that all the citizens abide by, that he abides by, they excepted him as their current regent. At least for now. The whole process was complex, intricate and insane. It was ,on a whole, diplomacy at its finest.
A thin shadow drifted over the text he was analyzing. Xerxes was asleep, floating above his master s head in that sea creature way where the subject isn t fully asleep nor is it awake. It s not defenseless, but it s not active. You are fascinating , my companion. He thought as he stretched his cramped neck toward the ceiling. It was then that he heard a soft scratching sound coming from the hallway. Shuffling. A mamlock appeared in the doorway. What in the name of Darkness could they want. thought Mozenrath. The mamlock came closer.
"Yes, what is it?" asked the regent, a little annoyed at being bothered "And so help you, it better be good."
Mozenrath s full attention was on the mamlock that entered the room. It s yellow eyes starring directly into his in an almost taunting way. Mozenrath sighed, suffocating his anger, he didn't t like it when people, especially un-dead people, had the audacity to keep eye contact with mamlock took his saber and raised it so that it was level with its jaw. He then pressed the blade into his lips severing the cords that bound his mouth shut. The blade came away smeared with reddish black blood ,the mamlocks jaw lowered and the revenant grinned wide reveling two rows of sharp jagged teeth. Coagulating blood dripped from the ghouls mouth and splattering on the stone floor. The mouth moved up and down, gnashing the air, the tongue that had been dormant for so long darting in and out.
"hunger..." whispered the ghoul in a raged voice. "hunger..."
Oh no. Whispered the necromancer. He cautiously backed away from the mamlock. He had feared that something like this would happen. It had only been a matter of time. He reached up and grabbed his familiar, the eel gave a start at the sudden awakening but stilled upon sensing his masters level of distress. The revenate did not look away from the living man. It was like an animal eyeing something tasty. Mozenrath started muttering an incantation under his breath, when it concluded a inky black portal opened behind him. He backed through it slowly never loosing eye contact with the creature across from him. Once he was through the mamlock lunged to attack, Mozenrath slammed the portal closed, escaping the vengeful villain.
He knew it was too late, as it goes with any infestation where there is one there are bound to be more. A coup had formed, a rebellion against the living councilman. The Citadel was under attack!
Meanwhile, in Agrabah
Aladdin and Jasmine were in the throne room with the Sultan discussing what would need to be done while he was gone during his journey to discuss peace with a country that lay in the far East. Another ambassador from the south would be passing through in the small regents absence and if the slightest thing went wrong during his visit he might take it as an insult and declare war on the kingdom. They were assuring the monarch that all would be fine, not an ambassador in all the seven deserts would ever find the peaceful land of Agrabah a deplorable place. They were just finishing up when Razoul, the captain of the royal guard approached.
"Your highness," he said, a bit out of breath "We have just received word that there has been a disturbance in the accursed Land of the Black Sand. We fear that they may be gathering their forces to desiccate the seven deserts."
"Good gracious." Exclaimed the monarch "We should take action right away."
"My thoughts as well, Sir. I have ready assembled a small troop for a reconnaissance mission. We will send word back as to what the situation is upon arriving."
The Sultan was bristling with panic. "Good very good. He turned to his daughter and future son in-law. Can you handle this while I m gone or should I stay and send an apology to the King of Siam as to why I won t be arriving in his land"
"Go" said his daughter "the farther away you are from any war involving the Land of Black Sand the better."
"But you and..."
"We' ll be fine, " assured Aladdin "I will go with Razoul personally, if anyone knows what Mozenrath is capable of it's me." A blue cloud of smoke appeared and formed into Aladdin's best friend Genie.
"I' ll go too Al." He said with a grin. We "ll knock the wind out of wizard boy and his slimy compadre."
"No, If it s Mozenrath I don t want to risk you falling to his insatiable thirst for power, also he can detect magic within the city and I have a feeling Razoul wants to stay off Mozenrath s tracking system. You and Carpet should stay here."
"Ahh, I see." Said the djinn approvingly, "keeping it covert. Flying under the radar. But, Al, what if things get bad. What should we do for back up? Maybe Carpet and I could wait outside the city and..."
Jasmine cut Genie off mid-sentance "If things get bad then Razoul will send us a messenger to signal for back up. It would be better to know what we're up against first before charging in with magic. Magic that Mozenrath can pinpoint and subdue right away. This operation will call for cleverness, we all know what that evil sorcerer is capable of."
"Fine," pouted their blue friend "but I m not happy about it."
"Sultan, "said Razoul "If we are going to do this we must leave now."
"Understood, away with you then and God speed."
Aladdin embraced Jasmine and kissed her."See you when I get back.
"It s just another day in the heroic life of Aladdin." She said with a smile, and they parted
Later
Razoul's party entered the Land of the Black Sand with minimal effort, which was no effort. No defense spells or wards. Nothing, it was Erie. They came to the gates of the putrid city and found out why. The city was on fire! Smoke billowed up and mingled with the black skies. It was an empire in chaos, perfect chaos. Low moaning could be heard from within the walls, and primal screeches filled the sky.
"Quickly men" said Razoul "there are living people in there"
"The fiend" said another guard.
They entered the city galloping on their stallions. The sound of moaning surrounded them, it became louder the farther they went in. The city was like a labyrinth, twists and turn. It was very easy to get lost, and the further in they went the tighter it became. The streets narrowed and the buildings seemed to converge in on each other.
"Don t panic in a place like this" said Aladdin to Razoul "with the streets as tight and closed off like this it s far to easy to get turned around or pined in. It was built as a fortress, don t forget that."
"You don t have to tell me that Street Rat. I ve been doing this since before you could walk."
"Point taken, but I know the enemy, and how much he wants to be left alone."
Razoul nodded. They rod on in silence, Mostly silence there was still the moaning and screeching and occasional laughing.
The party rounded a corner and came upon a group of mamlocks. Strike that, bloody mamlocks! They caught sight of Aladdin and the party and attacked. Pulling guards down from their steeds. Biting into their necks. The sound of moaning was replaced by the sound of screaming. Human blood splashed onto the ground. Aladdin, Razoul, and the part of the party that was lucky enough to have not fallen victim to the blood thirsty ghouls fled.
Razoul reached into his saddle bag and produced a flair, he snapped the end of it and it shot into the air causing a bright shock of light to appear in the sky over head.
"What are you doing?" shouted Aladdin.
Signaling our watch, letting them know we need help. Razoul responded.
They heard the screams of a fellow guard from behind them, then the sound of flesh being torn and consumed. Neither Razoul or Aladdin had the courage to look back.
"They arn't human!" exclaimed Razoul Monsters! Green hands rose behind the burly guard and clasped his shoulder, he was immediately taken by the mamlocks. Still screaming the hoard devoured the noble captain. Aladdin tried to turn his horses around and reach for Razoul in a desperate attempt to save him but the mamlocks had started eating the horse. And within five seconds time Razoul, who had been such a constant in the former street rats life was no jumped from the horse, leaving it to its grizzly fate, knowing that he would have a better chance running on his own. He ran but the mamlocks were right behind him, making savage sounds. He could swear he felt a few swipe at his back.
He was a good ways away form the initial attack and had lost most of the un-dead monsters when he tripped on a loose stone. He fell to the ground, landing on something sharp. A dismantled magic detecting crystal. It cut deep into his left leg. Blood started to run down the length of is leg and onto his foot. This only drew more of the hellish things to him. He kept running, looking for access to a roof top but finding non. He was losing a lot of blood and was running out of breath. His body willed him to stop and he fell against a wall.
The hoard was closing in. He could see the yellow in their eyes and the blood on their teeth. Then something strange happened. Just as the evil mamlocks were about to reach him he felt an icy chill run up his spin. Something dragged him away from his impending doom and into darkness.
"Well, well, as if things weren't bad enough." said a familiar voice and then all was dark.
In the grave yards outside of Agrabah
The Grave Robber was sifting through the darkened cemetery trying to determine which plots were freshly installed and if the occupants were worth taking back to the Citadel. The Grave Robber had been snatching bodies since their Mayors in-statement as the head of their town, however most people considered the Land of the Black Sand a Kingdom unto itself. This was simply not true, The Land of the Black Sand wasn't even their towns name, not that any one ever cared. One look at some body from their town and most people would scream, runaway or start gibbering to themselves about how impossible something or someone was and if it were not so insulting it would be hilarious. The Grave Robber found a fresh plot and started digging.
Grave Robber had reached the casket in less then an hour, they were starting to pry the top off when they heard a sound that made them pause. It was a person, carefree breathing, clumsy footsteps, yes, a child.
"Hey, said the voice of an adolescent Whatcha doing down in that hole?"
This startled the Grave Robber, they didn't t say anything, just pulled their hood further over their face and their cloak tighter around them, they didn't t want to scare the kid and have it scream. That would only alert people to their presence and they couldn't have that?
"So, didn't you hear me?" asked the kid "Why are you in the hole, are you plundering this grave trying to steal jewelry or money or something? Is that what your doing?"
The Grave Robber said nothing.
"Do you need any help?" the kid asked "My name's Wahid, I ll help you if i can get a cut of the treasure to. What do you say? Many hands make lite work."
The Grave Robber nodded and Wahid jumped down in the hole with them.
"So what s your name?" asked Wahid.
"I am called the Grave Robber that is my only name."
"Oh...That s an awful lot to say... mister?"
The Grave Robber said nothing
"... Miss?..."
"I am just the Grave Robber, please."
"Hmm, that s ok. Can I call you Rob? Maybe Graves?"
Again, silence from the Grave Robber.
"Yeah," said Wahid, "I m gonna call you Graves."
"What ever works best for you." The Grave Robber responded.
They opened the casket they had been prying lose to find a fresh corpse laying within. The Grave Robber smiled, Mozenrath would be pleased they knew. A whole body and not a scratch on they. She had been beautiful in life and death had not altered her too much yet. She was young, dressed in her finest silks, gold bracelets adorned her wrist and a gold chain with rubies hung loosely around her neck. Most likely a sickness had taken her. The Grave Robber looked over at their new companion, the age of the lady had no effect on the fact , Wahid looked elated to find her.
"Jackpot." Exclaimed Wahid. "You sure know how to pick em, Graves."
The Grave Robber sighed and relived the lovely corpse of her jewels. A veil had been placed over her head, the Grave Robber removed that as well and used it to bag up the treasures. They thrust the whole of it at the child." Thanks," Said the Grave Robber.
"Wait?"exclaimed Wahid, "you dont want any? What was the point of digging her up if you didn't t want the treasure? I just helped you pry up some boards, you did most of the work."
The Grave Robber shook their head and chuckled softly, they picked up the fresh corpse from its unearthed bed and slung her over their shoulder. "Don t worry about the jewels, Kid. I got what i came for."
The Grave Robber climbed out of the now pilfered plot and looked back at their one time accomplice. "Thanks for all your help, people don t usually like talking to me. Maybe one day I ll see you again, have a nice life." And the Grave Robber disappeared with their prize in a puff of grey smoke. Wahid was glad he now had treasure and truth be told this wasn't his first time plundering a tomb, but had the strangest feeling. One that suggested that Yes the Grave Robber would see him again but maybe Wahid wouldn't be seeing them.