Warning: the author has had ideas, ideas that wont leave them alone, what follows is an exorcism of their own demons. Reader discretion is advised. Contains language.

It was the second day of the winter solstice, the moon was full and the stars aligned just right, the curse of the mamlock had been lifted from Destane and Mozenrath was running for his life. Destane had returned using the ancient magic of the dead and had managed to restore his body to its previous form. Needless to say, Mozenrath's previous Master was less than pleased with his apprentice.

"Mozenrath!" bellowed Destane.

'Shit.' Thought the young sorcerer 'Shit, I'm dead...so very dead. Or worse. Probably worse than dead.'

"Master, what should we do?" asked Xerxes, Mozenraths eel familiar.

"The Hell if I know."Replied the young sorcerer. "At present, we're running."

"Mozenrath, you ungrateful son of a jackal tongued whore, face me."

"Master?"

"I'm thinking, Xerxes, I'm thinking."

"The gauntlet?" suggested the eel meekly

"What?" asked Mozenrath, " Are you insane? The Gauntlet isn't going to be powerful enough to defeat Destane now. Not while he is still full of life power from coming back from the undead. The best the gauntlet can do is help us escape, which I'm afraid would only delay the inevitable. No, Destane wants me dead, which is probably the best I can hope for...unless..." a half formed idea whispered its way through the young magicians mind. "Yes... I suppose a full on confrontation might be possible...No, it's too risky. The consequences would be...no, but"

'but what choice do I have.'

"Mozenrath!" bellowed the Old sorcerer again.

"Xerxes," said Mozenrath, " Go. Find help. I don't care who you find, just find someone."

" Master," said the eel timidly, " what if I can't find anyone."

There was an electric pause that filled the air, then Mozenrath quietly said "Then don't come back at all."

The eel gulped "Don't worry, Master, Xerxes won't fail. I will come back." And with that the eel flew away out the nearest window and into the darkness.

Mozenrath admired his companion's bravery but did not expect to see him again, at least not in this lifetime. 'be safe, little friend' He ran. As quick as his feet would carry him, he ran down the shadowed halls of the citadel to a very specific library. Once in he used his magic to barricaded the door with tables, chairs and free standing bookshelves. He knew that any use of magic would alert Destane to his location, which is why he hadn't used it untill now. Magic users could sometimes sense if and where others of their kind were within a given radius of their person, something about auras being connected by the spectrum. Destane had explained it once when Mozenrath had been younger, back when his Master had been sane and not Hell bent on killing him or trying to drain his life away. He piled the barricade as deep as he could, hoping to buy some time.

He went to the back of the library to a center bookshelf and pulled a large black and blue tomb off the shelf. The book had no title, just the image of an eye and old archaic words that were almost too faded to read under the eye. A type of subscript, a warning, Mozenrath hurriedly flipped through the pages untill he found the entry he needed. There was a red slip of paper tucked between the pages that read "Hey, what are you doing? No, reconsider your options. Just, No"

Mozenrath shook his head and discarded the scrawl. 'I can't believe I'm going to do this, Destane told me to never do this. Do I face my old master or face the unknown.'The devil you know or the devil you don't? And does it really matter? you're kind of dead either way.

Mozenrath sigh and read the forbidden words on the page aloud. Intentionally pronouncing each and every syllable, intoning them with magic, summoning his last hope.

"Abyssus Abyssum,
Abyssus Abyssum.
Brevis ipsa vita est
sed malis fit longior.
Dico vobis,
quia novissima
hora est!"

The book flew from his hands and hovered in the air emitting a low hum. There was a great flash of light and then everything went to black.
Enter the void.
The room became unimaginably cold and there seemed to be no sense of place, just empty space. There was a faint pin prick of light. It flickered twice then grew to a terrible blinding white.

"You called for me?" said an amused voice.

"y-yes." Mozenrath coughed. The air had turned cold.

"And?" asked the voice, a bit bored

" I need help."

"So you have come to me?" laughed the voice. "Fool, no one ever comes to me for help."

"I am no one." Answered Mozenrath.

"Clever Fool." Laughed the voice. "alright, you have my attention. One who is none, what do you seek?"

"Power."

"Ugh...boring. As if I havent gotten that request before. Boring, unimaginative, and predictable. Humans are all the same. No I will not help you."

"I just need it for a little while. A man seeks to destroy me, I want to live."

"Ahhh, so it's life you are seeking. Well, now that's different. Not unimaginably different, but I don't get too many requests for it. Hmmm. Who is trying to destroy you? You got a bounty on your head or something?"

"My old Master, a wizard. Destane."

"Destane?! That's... interesting."mused the voice.

"Do you know him?"

"What? Doesn't matter. Sure, Human. I can give you life, but are you willing to pay the price?"

"What's the price?"

"Nothing much really, I get lonely. You of all people understand that, right. I've been incorporeal for so long. I just want to feel something. All I want is a well tended to vessel. A warm blooded mammal preferably."

"Is that it?" asked the young wizard, slightly baffled

"Yeah, sure."

"You just want a vessel."

"Yup, but I want to choose my vessel. If I can't choose my vessel the deal's off"

"That sounds reasonable." Said Mozenrath.

"So do we have a deal?"

"Umm...yes." said the sorcerer uncertainly, then with more confidence "Yes."

"Then we should shake on it."

Mozenrath extended his hand and another hand, black and fashioned from void, reached out for his from the light. He grasped it and could hear faint laughter coming from within the light.

"So how do we choose your vessel?" asked Mozenrath.

"Oh well you know, I was thinking about walking around till i decided on...PICKING YOU!"

The light became a violent red and crippling pain jolted through the magicians arm and into his body.

"Wait what?"

"Too late ,loser."

"NOOOOOOO!" screamed Mozenrath and the world dissolved around him.

"Sorry, kid." Laughed the voice, "You're my meat puppet now."

Kanika opened what would have been Mozenrath's eyes, that is if Mozenrath had been in control of his body. 'What a moron. Making deals with demons. Pfft! Hadn't anyone ever told him that it was a bad idea. Pfft. And now he was trapped in his own mind, a quiet observer while Kanika piloted the body.'

"You said you wanted to live, kid. Well, I'm gonna show you how it's done."

Meanwhile, Destane had found where Mozenrath had hidden himself away. A library, typical Mozenrath, surrounding himself with knowledge and power. Destane wasn't going to kill his confused apprentice, he was surprised at how resourceful the young man had been. Transforming Destane into a mamlock during his whole insanity phase, and trying to drain the life out of Mozenrath. But in fairness it hadn't been his fault. Stupid gas leak, neurotoxins had coulded his judgement and made him do things, awful things that he couldn't full remember. Magic sucked sometimes.

And although being a mamlock for a few months had cured him of insanity, it didn't stop Destane from being pissed. He had been undead after all, which hurt and above all was demeaning. And to top it all off, Mozenrath had been running the place, and running it right into the ground. That kid was not management material, maybe production or on a creative comity but definitely not management. Destane didn't know what a fitting punishment was for his apprentice's transgressions, but he would think of something. Perhaps he would alter Mozenrath's age, start from scratch with a manageable child, instead of dealing with an unrulely, irresponsible young man. It was a thought for now.

"Mozenrath, open this door Now."

silence from inside.

"Mozenrath, I mean it. Right now or so help me."

Low and familiar laughter this time, laughter that brought back distant memories. A slow chill crept down Destane's spine 'why would his apprentice have chosen this library? Why would he have risked using magic when he knew I would sense it. Why?'

realization hit the sorcerer like a ton of sand.

'No, he wouldn't. I never told him. It was a secret. No'

From the other side of the door, "Destane, guess who's back?" said a menacing sing song voice.

'Oh Shit.' Destane ran, away from the door. There was a violent blast, books and paper exploded everywhere, Destane had escaped the worst of it but was still a little rattled. Good thing he was still regenerating from being a mamlock.

A figure emerged from the dark and the dust, hovering in the air, eyes glowing red and hands alight with black fire. It was Mozenraths body but the old sorcerer could see the monster within.

"Destane, did you miss me? I missed you."

"Kanika." Spat the sorcerer. "Damon, get thee out of that boys body."

"Nope." Replied Kanika, " I like it here, I even got an invitation, so you can't make me move shit, old man."

"Kanika, that child belongs to me. He's my apprentice."

"That's not what he said."

"It doesn't matter what he said, I'm his Master, I make the rules. Now leave his body before I make You leave his body."

"Like you made me leave your wife's body? How did that go again?"

Rage colored Destane's voice,"silence, Demon. You will not speak of her."

"Oh, still a sore subject I see." Said Kanika through a shining smile, "If it makes you feel any better, she's burning in Hel. With the rest of the wh..."

Destane whacked the demon in the face with a weighty tome "I said shut up."

"Ouch." Said Kanika in mock pain. "I guess first blood belongs to you, old man." Mozenrath/Kanika's eyes took on a darker shade of red "My turn."

Xerxes was flying at a breakneck speed across the barren desert landscape, there had to be someone, a caravan, marauders, bandits or thieves of some kind but there was no one. No one ever traveled through the Land of the Black Sand. His Master had said anyone, or to not return, could his Master been implying that he was not to return? Perhaps. But Xerxes would return, the familiar was determined to save his Master.

Suddenly red and blue lights appeared in the air above the eel, followed by a tightly meshed net. The net ensnared the tiny creature.

"Well look what we've got here." Said an all too familiar voice.

"Genie," spat Xerxes. Aladdin came into Xerxes view behind the blue menace, the human was sitting on the enchanted carpet. "And Aladdin." Contempt was palpable in the eels voice. When his Master had said 'anyone' the eel was certain that it did not extend to his Masters mortal nemesis. Xerxes was certain that Mozenrath would have rather died a thousand deaths than receive help from Aladdin and his annoying friends.

"Arg, me matey." Said the Genie, who was now wearing a ridiculous seaman's costume, "The time be right for catching all sorts of creatures from the briny blue"

The eel rolled his eyes and concentrated on chewing through the net.

"Not so fast there." Exclaimed Genie, as he turned the net into a solid glass orb that dropped into Aladdin's hands. He then proceeded to add insult to injury by tapping on the glass. "Magic proof, Al, no way the wornderworm escapes."

"Good work, Genie." Then the hero turned his focus to their new captive. "Alright, Xerxes. Where is Mozenrath and what evil is he planing?"

"That's none of your business."

"Come on, Xerxes. We know you never leave his side. Where is he?"

"Nope, Xerxes not talking. Jump off a cliff, Aladdin."

"Maybe i can get some answers out of him, Al." Genie transformed into a Japanese chief, " Ever try sushi?" The eel paled a little.

"No, Genie, that won't be needed."

"So, what, Al? Are we doing a catch and release?"

"I was thinking more along the line of catch and keep." Said the hero. "Xerxes, if you don't tell us whats going on right now I can guarantee that you will never see your Master again."

Xerxes sighed, clearly defeated "Fine,...Master is..."

"Yeah, go on." Coaxed Genie.

"Master is in trouble." This garnered worried glances from both the hero and the Genie. " Destane has returned and seeks revenge on Mozenrath."

"Wow, that's bad." Said Genie.

"Didn't Iago say that this Destane guy was worse than Jafar?"

"Pretty sure he said Jafar was afraid of him."

"Well that settles it, Genie. Xerxes, lets go save Mozenrath."

And they sped off to the Land of the Black Sand and what was most likely their doom.

Books and paper were scattered on the floor, wood splinters and other unidentifiable shards punctured the walls, Destane was not winning this battle. Even with his powers and life fully restored he was no match for Kanika's divine determination to turn the sorcerer into a sticky smudge. Destane gathered all his resolve and ran. If he could just get into the open, maybe then he would be able to subdue the demon within his apprentice. 'Just have to reach the door.'

"Destane, where did you go?" yelled Kanika, "You can't leave just yet, not when we're having so much fun."

'Just get to the door Destane, just get outside.'

But it wasn't meant to be. Just as the sorcerer reached the exit, the doors blasted open throwing the sorcerer ten paces back. A blue genie and a youth on a magic carpet blocked the exit, the youth was holding a glass orb that contained... what ,a snake... no ,an eel, Xerxes.

"I don't have time for this, you fools."

"Xerxes, is that Destane?" asked the youth.

"yes," answered the eel, "But something's not right."

"Wait, what?" asked the Genie.

Two glowing eyes appeared behind the unexpecting trio "Hey, Kids. Wanna see a dead body!?"

The trio screamed as black energy barely missed Destane. "Kanika, leave them alone."

"Destane, I didn't know you were expecting company. Maybe I would have dressed nicer."

"Mozenrath?!" stuttered Aladdin.

"Hardly." Answered the demon, "But I'm glad you like my meat suit. Hey, wanna help me kill this sorcerer?"

"What...I don't...What's going on."

"Boy, get away from that demon." Shouted Destane, "Kanika, this is between you and me."

"Naw...See, I'm in a really good mood and I'm feeling generous." Mozenrath/Kanika draped their arm over Aladdin's shoulder. "Ah, what the Hel," they said with careless abandon, "Painful deaths for everyone!"

"I've never been more confused." Mummbled Aladdin as he put distance between him and Mozenrath.

"Thats what you get for walking into a shit storm, Kid." Laughed the demon from inside Mozenrath's body. "Let that be a lesson to mind your own business. Not that you're ever going to get the opportunity to apply it. Now, excuse me while i murder this wizard."

"Not today, Demon!"

"Oh, you are too funny, Dez." The demon shot another energy blast from it's hands.

"Genie," cried Aladdin, "The Gauntlet, Mozenrath draws his power from the Gauntlet."

"I don't think that's how its working, Al."

Kanika turned to gaze at the hero, then glanced at the Gauntlet. "What, this thing? Why would I care about a lesser energy source when Mozenrath is providing all the energy." Kanika pulled the relic off with their teeth revealing the skeletal arm beneath. Kanika laughed and muscles and skin started to regrow on the barren appendage. "Dude's got a lot of rage, and I can feed off that. I don't know what you did to him, Des, but he does not like you. Well, that's not completely true, I know exactly what you did. And, Wow, can I just say I'm impressed."

"Mozenrath is still in there? Mozenrath, can you hear me?" yelled the old wizard.

"Oh he can hear you, he just can't do anything about it, like a coma patient. Wow that brings back memories. I never told you this, but your wife."

"You hold your tongue!"

"When I was in your wife,"

"Silence!" Destane blasted Kanika with his own energy, Genie shielded Aladdin, carpet and Xerxes, who was still in the glass ball, by magically erecting a steel wall.

"She fought so hard for her freedom, guess she loved you, or whatever."

"I said shut up!"

"Is that why you went crazy and started abusing your assistant? I can get behind that kind of insanity."

"You don't know anything, Demon."

"Oh on the contrary, I know almost everything." Laughed Kanika, and then more darkly said "I'm inside your assistants head, his memories are my memories."

"It's complicated." Grumbled the wizard.

"Alright," said Genie, "I have had enough of whatever this is. No more." Genie attacked Kanika/Mozenrath forcing them both to the ground. Which gave Destane enough time to create a summoning circle with his magic to trap both the demon and the genie inside.

"No," Cried Aladdin as he rushed to his friends aid.

"Stay back, boy." Said Destane, "This is tricky business."

"But he's my friend."

"Which one?"

"The Genie." Said Aladdin a bit indignantly.

"Oh, I thought maybe you were talking about...never mind. The Genie is your friend, not your slave?"

"I freed him."

"What?" said Destane in a horrified voice "Why would you do that?"

"Because he wanted to be free." Answered the hero.

Laughter emanated from with in the circle, it was Kanika. "I thought I recognized you. Morticin, it's been far too long."

"All Genies, sprites, and elementals are derived from demons." Explained Destane, "and All demons were once angles. If a demon wishes to give up its demonic ways, tries to regain their grace or gain a soul they can take on the form and limits of the afore-mentioned. This gets them out of Hel, but the wickedness is still there, they usually end up lost and confused and ultimately leave mass destruction in their wake. That's why you can't free them, on the likely chance they will return to their demonic ways."

"No that can't be true." Argued Aladdin.

"The truth hurts, Kid." Said Kanika from within the circle, arms crossed, sitting on Genie's immobile body like some savage king. "Well, Destane, looks like you've got me trapped, again. What do you think my next move is going to be?"

"Kanika, a sware, if you don't leave that body right now I will destroy you. Not just send you back to Hel, but wipe you from the face of existence."

"Oh,no. Destane, look what's inside the circle," Mozenrath held up a piece of debris, " A sharp shard of something. Hmmm, I wonder what I could do with it."

"Kanika!"

"Whoops." Kanika stabbed the shard into Mozenraths side, blood bloomed out around the opening and started to pool on the floor. "Wow, this sensation is fantastic, kind of dizzying. What do you call it? Pain? Sure is fun."

Aladdin looked on in disgust "Why are you doing this, Mozenrath."

"Um, that's not my name."

"Don't speak to it, boy." Destane's magic circle was wavering, he really had to concentrate to keep it intact. "That's what it wants. If you want to help, find some salt."

"Why salt?"

"Just do it." Said the wizard irritably.

Aladdin ran over to the still captive eel and broke the glass orb. The glass dissolved into sparks and Xerxes was free.

"This way," said the eel. The pair disappeared down a narrow hallway.

"So, it's just you, and me, and Mozenrath, not that I expect him to contribute to this party."

"You underestimate him. He will find his way back."

"Doubt it," sneered the demon "He's broken, Destane, absolutely worthless, why are you even bothering trying to save him?"

"That's none of your business." Spat the sorcerer.

"Is it because you and your now dead wife never had a child? Because she couldn't conceive a child?"

"silence, demon."

"It is." Mozenrath/Kanika's face glowed with triumph. "I knew it. That's why you didn't just flat out kill him when you came back from the undead. That's why you let him hear you, you wanted him to know you were coming... and that's why he never killed you. Love. Pfft." Laughed the demon "Humans never cease to amuse me, I'm going to have so much fun killing him. And more than that, watching you watch me as I kill him."

"Not if I have anything to say about it." Said Genie, suddenly cord wrapped around Mozenrath/Kanika's wrists and ankles. Cords that sunk into the floor and bounded them in place.

"Hmm, anti-magic rope, well played, Morticin. Well played"

Aladdin and Xerxes reappeared with large bags of salt. "Alright," asked Aladdin, "What do we do with the salt?"

"Pour it around the circle." Directed Destane.

"Bondage, Morticin?" asked Kanika, "Really, i thought you had more taste than this."

"Oh my Gods, Kanika." Exclaimed Genie "You are just the worst."

"I strive to make the boss man proud."

"Whatever." Shrugged Genie.

"Circle is complete." Exclaimed Aladdin.

Destane released his hold on the magic circle and it dissipated.

"What now?" asked Aladdin

"Now we try to perform the exorcism."

"Better hurry," said Kanika, "I am, after all, bleeding out."

Destane stood over Mozenrath/Kanika's body with a worn leather book in one hand and a pitcher of water in the other. Aladdin, Xerxes, Carpet and Genie watched from outside the circle, in case something went wrong.

"Hey, what are you doing?" asked Kanika, sounding slightly worried.

"Getting rid of you." Answered Destane.

"What's the pitcher for?"

"Oh, you'll see."

Destane began to read aloud from the book and pour the contents of the pitcher onto Mozenrath's body.

Exorcizamus te,
omnis immundus spiritus,
omnis satanica potestas,
omnis incursio infernalis adversarii,
omnis legio,
omnis congregatio et secta diabolica,
in nomine et virtute Domini Nostri

Mozenrath/Kanika screamed as if in pain, Destane didn't stop.

Jesu Christi,
eradicare et effugare a Dei Ecclesia,
ab animabus ad imaginem Dei conditis
ac pretioso divini Agni sanguine redemptis

Black smoke rose from the young wizards body, but then it took on a more liquid form and coated his skin. Mozenrath opened his eyes, they were lit with white inner fire "You won't win, Kanika. I won't let you." Screamed Mozenrath.

"That's it, Mozenrath," Yelled Destane, "Fight!"

A great howling filled the citadel, the magical bonds caught fire and burned and singed the flesh they were bound to. Mozenrath/Kanika hovered off the ground, black smoke emerged from Mozenrath's body, swirling in the air above. "This isn't over!" said a voice that filled the air, "I'll be back, Destane. I'll be back."

"No you won't." Said Genie as he rushed into the black swirling air.

"Genie, no." Aladdin screamed, but it was too late. There was a great explosion and the black void screeched in pain. Black and white light swallowed everything and then there was nothing. Mozenrath's body plummeted to the ground and landed on carpet who had been ready for such an event. Carpet gingerly placed the body on the ground in Destane's arms. The old wizard checked for a pulse and couldn't find one.

"No," Whispered Destane "Why does everything I love die?"

Mozenrath coughed "You loved me?"

"What, of corse I do. You beautiful, wonderful, mistake." He held the boy closer to him, "We can fix this, we can fix all of this. Don't worry, it's going to be alright."

"I loved you too," said the young magician, "You were my father."

There was a timid silence and then "I'm sorry," said Mozenrath quietly, "for everything."

"It doesn't matter now." Replied Destane.

"It does...goodbye."

"Mozenrath, no. You're not going. I forbid it."

White light particles shimmered in the air, and Aladdin was baffled that Genie was nowhere to be found. Aladdin, said a voice from the air. "Genie?"

"I've finally found my grace, I can go home now, Aladdin. But before I do, I think I can help them."

"What? How?"

"just watch, this will be goodbye. But not forever, I'm sure I will see you again."

"Goodbye, friend. Untill we meet again." Said Aladdin.

White light surrounded the sorcerers and flowed into them. Color started to return to the younger mans body, Destane checked for a pulse again and to his relief found one. "Thank you," Whispered Destane, "Thank you."

Well, that's , Comments, Concerns? Let the author know what you think, reviews are always welcome. And hey, thanks for reading.