((A/N: Apologies for the delay. School has a nasty habit of eating away my free time. But without further ado, here is the 3rd chapter. :]))

"Prisoner here, master!" Xerxes donned a fanged grin while reporting to the throned warlock.

"Excellent work, Xerxes." the man petted the eel's head, and then looked at the helpless Rumina. His skin is pale and the pupils in his eyes are as black as his hair. His lips are rather broad and well endowed, and his curly ebony hair would have been shown, had it not were concealed by a turban-nightcap hybrid. He wore clothes which were entirely colored a shade of dark blue, and his upper clothing had a thick black line with a gold "s" pattern placed in the middle. He wore a black cape as well, and his feet are covered with curly toed shoes. His left palm was naked, but his right hand was concealed by a brown gauntlet.

"You should know by now that just because you are a woman, does not mean that you can waltz into my territory uninvited." the black & satin clad man spoke to Rumina in his usual snide tone.

Rumina looked abashed at the man's condescending remark, and was about to lash out on him with her magic. Trouble is, her powers were currently drained, and she was held captive by the Mamluk guards. That prospect alone made the witch feel bitter.

"Just who do you think you are? Most importantly……." Rumina asked with a skeptical look, but the man interrupted her second part of the question.

"Silence! I will be doing the questioning first." he glared at his prisoner and got off his throne. He walked towards the apprehended Rumina and began to examine her appearance with slight curiosity.

"So, who are you, and why are you here? Are you a spy of the street rat? Or a measly assassin sent by the envious competition? Not that they are capable of boosting over my pedigree. Answer, before I turn you into a smoldering pile of ash." asked the warlock.

"Who am I? You ask who I am?!" Rumina laughed as if she was insulted by a bad joke. "I am the daughter of the greatest sorcerer of the east, Turok! He and I can turn you into a slug under a mere moment! And as for me, I'm Rumina, and I can assure you that my kind would never associate in the peasants' line of work!" the sorceress replied coldly.

"Daughter of the greatest sorcerer, you say?" Mozenrath rested his fingers under his chin and pondered Rumina's claims for a bit. "If you claim such background information about yourself, why not I meet your father in the flesh? Or witness in awe of your spectacular magical feat?" the sorcerer asked sarcastically.

"I….." Rumina too, paused for a moment. Her embarrassing predicament increased its enormity, since Turok was dead afterall, and she cannot demonstrate her magical powers (let alone revive her father on her own.)

"Father's dead." Rumina answered back and tilted her head down while feeling ashamed. "Not once, but twice. No thanks to a troupe of sea-dogs."

"Crushing story." Mozenrath replied, not feeling sorry for her at all. "But I remember Turok, actually. Quite on par with Destane's might, I have to admit and he was also once his colleague. But he can't be all that mighty when he died recently by the hands of a sailor, no? It's a pity that great wizards like your father or that silly Jafar are destined to perish prematurely, but it gives me the advantage of being above all in the long run." Mozenrath sarcastically chuckled, much to Rumina's dismay.

"Speaking of Destane, where is he and what have you done to him?" demanded Rumina.

"Ah, Destane. As much as he was a dear father to me, he just had to be dealt with. His kingdom was never his, but mine alone, and now he came to become one of my shambling minions." Mozenrath gestured towards a green-toned Mamluk, who wore a brown turban and a grey set of robes.

"His present appearance is quite befitting, don't you concur?" Mozenrath smiled sinisterly, while Mamluk-Destane looked hollow and emotionless. "Why do you care? Dare to seek refuge under his wing?" sneered Mozenrath.

"I……. wait a moment! You can't possibly have enough power to beat Destane if you aren't daddy himself. I think that you are using a pseudonym, disguising your old appearance with a young, handsome one, and pulling a nasty old prank against me to show your true colors, Destane." Rumina remarked, and Mozenrath seemed offended that she bothered to fathom such a ridiculous theory.

"You abandon logic, woman. I AM Mozenrath, and not Destane. Those are my true colors, and if you desire proof, then here it is." Mozenrath waved his gauntlet-worn arm and the Mamluk suddenly began to speak in his former voice.

"Daughter of Turok, if you would be wise enough, you'd best restore me through your powers that you will regain. Do not trust this cheeky urchin, he brings nothing but ruin to everything I've ever….."

"And this is the part where you shut up, Destane." Mozenrath silenced the Mamluk with the voice muting spell.

Rumina was shocked to hear Destane's voice. It all made sense to her now, why the Citadel is no longer under Destane's rule. His protégé has indeed taken over through traitorous sorcery somehow, and this Mozenrath really reminded Rumina of herself. Although she wouldn't think twice about betraying her father, she would defiantly take pleasure in conquering someone's kingdom for her own benefit, providing that if the former owner aggravates her to the point where they are digging their graves. She found him quite attractive as well, and slowly, the remnants of her lust for Sinbad began to disappear into obscurity. She begrudgingly felt smitten to Mozenrath, despite him treating her like filth.

"Why did you betray your own master in the first place?" blinked Rumina.

"A magician never divulges his secrets." replied Mozenrath, as he dismissed Mamluk-Destane.

"Fine then. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt." the sorceress rolled her eyes.

"So Rowena…." Mozenrath began.

"Rumina." the witch corrected him.

"Fine, Rumina. So now that you are here, perhaps I could commence your execution?"

"No!" Rumina vehemently protested. "I could be of some use to you. I swear on Iblis' name!"

"Oh?" Mozenrath rolled his eyes. "And how would a powerless wench like you be of any use to me?"

"I will answer, once your cadaverous troupe lets go of me." Rumina suggested Mozenrath.

Mozenrath sighed. "Very well." he cued the Mamluks to release their hold on her, and Rumina then walked up to Mozenrath, resting herself on his lap and throne.

"Do you find me desirable, darling?" Rumina whispered seductively to the sorcerer. She placed an arm around him, and playfully felt his skinny chest. Mozenrath's eye twitched as he looked offended, and he then pushed her off his side. Rumina fell down on the floor, annoyed by the man who rejected her advances.

"Ah! What did you do that for?!" she exclaimed bitterly.

"You harlots are all the same. Seeking your powers back just to satisfy your hungry lust, and I find it very revolting. I should just reduce you to a shambling corpse if you don't prove a legitimate reason to stay in my kingdom anymore." warned Mozenrath with a frown.

"I just want my powers back, plain and simple." demanded Rumina.

"And why? So that you may overthrow me?" said Mozenrath in a slight paranoid undertone.

"I'd love to, but I'd rather not." teased the witch, as she got up the floor. "My main motives are the kill Sinbad and his crew and will rule all of Baghdad. I will be glad enough to tell you the secrets and weaknesses of Sinbad, dear." Rumina assured the pale sorcerer.

"I normally abhor teaming up, but perhaps I could take a few notes, in case if I were to receive an unwanted visit from the sea-scum you mentioned. Not that I can't deal with them myself, hah!" confidently replied Mozenrath.

"And which kingdom are you planning to conquer?"

"Agrabah, at the moment. It is quite slippery to obtain, due to a stubborn diamond in the rough." he glumly responded back.

"Agrabah, eh? Read that in a few tomes I've come across. Not precisely conquer worthy, but whatever floats on your ragged boat, Mozenrath." nonchalantly responded Rumina. "But what is this "diamond in the rough" you speak of?"

"Aladdin." he hatefully uttered. "That street rat has the audacity to survive after each one of my plans to subdue his life!"

"Don't you love it how such lowly scum has the audacity to thwart our plans?" Rumina sarcastically remarked, sensing a kindred spirit in the fellow black arts practitioner.

"Oh yes. One day, that pathetic rat will be too fat to crawl into a safer hole." the sorcerer clenched his gauntlet clad fist hatefully.

"I think I might be able to help you conquer the street rat and your stupid kingdom, afterall, he can't be that slippery when dealt with the right serpent." teased Rumina.

"Don't get cocky, wench." Mozenrath warned her, while Rumina glared at Mozenrath for the pejorative term.

"I don't suppose you're all talk. How about you demonstrate me some of your powers? Like, say, bring my own back?" she suggested the wizard. "I'm beginning to loathe this dismal predicament." Rumina yawned.

"Well, aren't you dependable." Mozenrath rolled his eyes. "How about you answer me this question: what is a crystal of ix, and what word is used to release its magical captor?" he asked the woman a question which the answer only the magical knew. He expected her to falter and fail to back up her words, but he was proven wrong by her pending answer.

"A crystal of ix is a magical crystal which sucks in anything of magical providing, providing its owner knowing the right words." Rumina answered back confidently. "Ixtala for capture, Ixtabor for release."

"Correct." nodded Mozenrath. "Very well, I suppose I could comply, being at your predicament at one point of my life." he sighed.

"What do you mean?" blinked Rumina.

"I will tell you later. Now, follow me." Mozenrath ordered the witch.

"Come on, tell me! And where are we going?" wondered Rumina.

"Follow me. There is a chamber which holds the solution of regaining your powers." The sorcerer responded in an icy tone.

"Fine fine, whatever you say, your highness." Rumina rolled her eyes and half-sarcastically concurred on Mozenrath's not-so-request. As the sorcerer vacated his throne room with his eel familiar, Rumina walked behind him and ventured through the dark blue colored hallways.

"My my, I could get used to living here." Rumina admired the morbid hallways.

"Don't get too comfortable." Mozenrath responded as they reached a door.

"Ladies first." Mozenrath courteously opened the door for Rumina. The woman smiled at the sorcerer and entered the room. Mozenrath then pushed her down the spiral staircase.

"…..?" Rumina uttered out a cry, as she rolled down the stairs and landed on the ground below. She was now in the dungeons, and weakly got up to see Mozenrath slamming the door shut and locking it up.

"What the…? Hey, let me out, you backstabbing fool!" Rumina screamed out and ran up the stairs. She banged frantically on the doors, but Mozenrath did not listen to her pleas. He laughed at her while she screamed "LET ME OUT!" repeatedly.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did you say something?" Mozenrath mockingly replied to her, and pretended to be deaf to her screams.

"Whatever happened to me regaining my powers?!" panicked Rumina as she banged the door harder.

"I hate to burst your naive little bubble Rumina, but I lied." he sneered, and earned a loathe marked frown from Rumina.

"Naïve, am I?! You sorry little liar, when I get out, you're going to wish that you were never walking on your two legs!" Rumina shouted back at Mozenrath with seething hatred.

"I am so mortified at your cruel piercing words." Mozenrath sarcastically replied, and Xerxes added on his part of the statement. "NOT! Hehehehehe!"

"Let me go! Please!" her screams' anger tone melted into begging pleas.

"There can be only one ruler of the seven deserts." Mozenrath gave Rumina a cold gaze from the bars. "And that ruler is none other than I!" he pointed to himself.

"But I can help you. You need me, I know you do!"

"Hah! You're nothing but a scheming wench. I am well aware of your breed. What if I did have the solution to your power restoration? What will you do then? You will seduce me and leave me for dead. Would you not do that?" Mozenrath accused his prisoner. He was met with no reply from Rumina, which left him to say "I thought so."

"I will decide on your fate tomorrow. But right now I deserve a well suited rest." Mozenrath yawned, and proceeded to retire to his bedroom. Xerxes on the other hand, remained floating and stared at the helpless Rumina for a bit.

"I can't believe this." Rumina sighed in a defeated tone, and tears rolled down her eyes. She seemed finished; Mozenrath seemingly marked her fate for death, or worse, being a part of those festering Mamluks. The mephitic eel looked almost sympathetic towards her, for he saw a bit of his master in her personality. "Please, anyone, let me out!"

"Well? What are you waiting for Xerxes? Come." Mozenrath paused to walk, and ordered his familiar to accompany him.

"Okay Master, Xerxes follow!" the eel nodded and glided behind Mozenrath as he left Rumina cold and alone in the dungeons. Mozenrath's malicious laughter echoed throughout the halls, while two Mamluks emerged from the floor and guarded the prison door. Rumina slumped down beside the door and started to bitterly weep to herself.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile in the streets of Basra, Sinbad and his crew were busy re-stocking provisions for the Nomad ship. Unbeknownst to them, Turok, in his raven form stood above a minaret not too far from the port, and spied on their activities.

"Soon Sinbad, you will be the one without a head, and your foolish crew for that matter!" Turok's evil voice rang aloud only in his mind, and continued to fix his stare on the crew, who then proceeded to split up and head to the marketplace. Down there, Dermott, Maeve's brother-turned-hawk, noticed that something was amiss in the air. He squeaked and flapped his feathers intensely, much to Maeve's surprise.

"What's wrong Dermott? You were just fine until now." the Celtic sorceress mentally spoke to Dermott.

"Nothing, just a chill in the air." Dermott telepathically responded back. "Though I have a bad feeling of the events that are to happen." he ominously fortold his sister.

"What do you mean? Please tell me, Dermott. Does it involve Rumina?" Maeve looked perplexed. Before Dermott could answer, Sinbad casually approached Maeve, while the others were checking around their respective favorite stalls.

"Everything alright?" the sailor asked the redhead.

"Yeah, we still have to get some things here. Oh, and Sinbad….." Maeve looked at Sinbad with a serious expression.

"Yeah? If you want to talk, I'll open my ears to anything." he smiled at her, but the smile wore thin when Maeve started to walk away from him.

"I have to see Caipra for a while. Be back with you in a while, okay?" Maeve turned around briefly told Sinbad where she was headed to next.

"But what about the provisions? We don't have much time for chit-chat here." Sinbad replied, but Maeve and Dermott was long gone by the time he finished his sentence. He shook his head and said "just come back on time, Maeve." Like the sorceress, Sinbad himself had a whirlwind of thoughts spinning around his head. What was the connection between Maeve, Dermott and Rumina anyways? He didn't want to pressure her on that question, in fear that their friendship may get detrimental beyond repair. He took one last look at the alleyway which Maeve ventured into, and headed towards the sword shop to purchase better weapons for future battles.

Still perched atop the minaret, raven-Turok continued to spy on the crew, and he decided to fly above where Maeve was headed to. He stood on the roof and spied through the hole which showed Caipra's somewhat dilapidated room.

"Hello, anyone in here?" Maeve knocked on the door, which awakened Lady Caipra. She woke up from her chair and headed to the door to see who is behind it.

"I was expecting your appearance sooner or later, Maeve." Caipra smiled at Maeve, and welcomed her in her abode.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile in Mozenrath's dungeon, Rumina ceased to cry and walked down the flight of stairs. It was very dark in there, and that attribute of the room contributed to Rumina tripping down the stairs and hurting herself. Eventually she found herself a torch which she used to light the room below. To her disgust, her cellmates were a bunch of dead skeletons. Aesthetically she adored them, but with their rotten smell hanging about, she loathed that part of it.

"Great, just great. Look what kind of sand pit you sunk yourself into this time, Rumina! Why didn't I go elsewhere?! I have like a lot more territories to dwell in!" grumbled Rumina to herself, and she kicked a skull on the ground out of frustration.

"I hate this place, I hate the lack of powers I have, I hate Mozenrath, and I hate Sinbad and his pesky crew. I will see them all dead!" Rumina said hatefully. "Scratch! Wherever you are, come back and get me out of here!" she called out for the devil.

No response was heard. "Scratch!" Rumina screamed out again, but the same results were met.

"So much for the answer to my prayers, you disgusting, slothful ram of a devil. I wish father was alive, so he could get me out of here and put that wonderbrat in his place." anxiously mused Rumina to herself, and held herself from not shedding anymore tears. She paced around endlessly in the darkness and was worried about what fate Mozenrath would put her through in the end. Tomorrow would approach soon, and until then, she is nothing but a pathetic prisoner in the land of the dead.