Union Of The Sands
(A/N: Second up today.)
The Citadel
Sadira read over the scroll, scrutinizing it. She added every ingredient mentioned and followed the recipe to the letter. She had to perfect this. "One wrong move and I could spoil everything," she muttered to herself. "Let's see, carrots, peas, potatoes, lamb. Wow, stew is hard to get right." She stirred it carefully then removed it and tasted it. She coughed. "Ew, this taste's disgusting!" she exclaimed. "Ugh, what am I doing wrong!" she cried, pulling her hair. "Cooking cannot be this difficult. It's just like mixing up potions," she insisted to herself. "Maybe if I add some pepper," she mused aloud, taking down the pepper. She began to put it in, but all at once a whole stream of black appeared, going into the soup. "Whoa, too much!" she exclaimed. "Wait a minute…" She squinted then gasped. That wasn't pepper. It was black sand!
It suddenly lunged at her. She screamed and turned, trying to flee from it. The sand followed her swiftly. She scooped up her own sand and muttered a chant, tossing it back at the black dust. The two meshed and for a moment neither moved. There was the exit, she was almost on the streets! Maybe she could make it to the palace in time to get help! All at once, however, it was in front of her! She slid to a halt with a scream as the sand engulfed her, swirling around blowing her hair and dress everywhere. She tried to fight it off, but all at once she disappeared in the malicious column, screaming for the others!
1001 Arabian Nights
"Master figure out?" Xerxes questioned as Mozenrath poured over a scroll and a small bowl filled with all sorts of items.
"We'll see," Mozenrath replied, obviously exasperated. Xerxes wasn't surprised, as he looked around. Ingredients were spread everywhere around the study, bowls shattered, all from failed attempts to get this one spell working. It began to move. "Yes, yes…" Mozenrath said, growing more and more excited as it grew. All at once, however, it coughed and died. Mozenrath gasped. "No!" he shouted furiously. "What do I have to do! Xerxes, get me the fairy dust!" Throwing his hands up in the air as Xerxes darted out, he called to the skies, "Isn't there any goddess left out there that will still help me!"
Almost as if in response, he heard a scream and looked up with a gasp. The sand was swirling. All at once it spat out its latest victim, Sadira! As she fell she screamed. His eyes widened as she fell into his arms. He looked down at her in surprised shock.
Recovering, he villainously smirked, saying, "Ah, how convenient. Sakira, oh wait, Sadira."
On seeing him she gasped. "Mozenrath!" she angrily exclaimed. Not angry at him, per say, but angry she was blushing as she realized she was in his arms.
"Oh how precious. That shade of red really does suit you," he pompously declared.
"Put me down you jerk!" she insisted.
"If you insist," he answered, casually dropping her. She cried out in pain as she hit the floor.
"Ooh!" she exasperatedly said, scrambling up as she hid her hurt pride. "You kidnapped me! How dare you!"
"Now Sadira, kidnapped is such a strong word," Mozenrath easily replied as he clasped his hands together. "Now, my goddess…"
"Wait, goddess? Have you lost your mind? I insist you let me go this minute! Who do you think you are! I am an amateur sorceress of the sand witches," Sadira protested, stomping her foot.
"Come now, don't be so modest goddess," Mozenrath cooed. She seethed, though honestly she should have been flattered at the title of goddess over witch.
1001 Arabian Nights
"Mozenrath, fairy dust," Xerxes remarked through a mouthful as he suddenly appeared again. Mozenrath frowned at him and snatched it, looking back at the bowl in annoyance.
Curious, Sadira followed his eyes and glanced over the scroll. "Fairy dust, really? I wouldn't advise that sorcerer boy."
"Coming from an amateur sand witch?" he asked.
"Your funeral," she answered.
He paused, sharply looking at her. After a moment he pulled the fairy dust away, saying, "And what would you suggest?"
She harrumphed then picked up a handful of sand, muttering a spell Mozenrath was familiar with. One of the lowest and easiest there were. If she thought that would work… She put the sand in the bowl. This time, however, from the bowl sprang shrieking phantoms that flew up into the air! Mozenrath gasped in shock, then quickly shot them with his gauntlet, seizing them all and dragging them down, forcing them into a long vial. Sealing them in, the vial glowed green as the creatures tried to struggle out. Soon enough, though, they calmed down and simply swirled there. Mozenrath grinned cruelly then handed it to Xerxes, saying, "Xerxes, store this."
"Okay," Xerxes agreed, taking it in his mouth and flying off with it.
"No 'thank you?'" Sadira sneered.
"Unlikely," Mozenrath replied, roughly seizing her face between two fingers and frowning at her. "You are my prisoner. You will do as I say."
"I'd sooner die," she growled loathingly.
"That can be arranged," he threatened, gauntlet glowing as he held it close to her face. She tried to draw her face away, sharply hissing in pain as the burning drew so close.
1001 Arabian Nights
"Let me go," she begged. He obeyed the request. She swallowed as the gauntlet calmed down. "What do you want from me?" she questioned tightly, fearfully looking around the Citadel. Wow, she'd never really gotten a good look at it. It was sort of creepy. Actually, really creepy.
He dramatically sighed, answering, "It pains me to admit it, but believe it or not, I'd actually like your help."
"Why would I help you?" she retorted, forcing down the fear and uncertainty she felt; and that was a lot. Mozenrath was powerful, far more than she.
"Because, dear Aladdin's life hangs in the very balance," Mozenrath replied.
Sadira gasped, drawing back. "What have you done to him!" she demanded.
"Why, nothing at all," Mozenrath replied.
"Then why does his life hang in the balance!" Sadira inquired.
"Because, Sadira, the sand witches have my brother," he answered.
She gasped, paling. After a moment she recovered, shouting, "Liar! They're trapped in the Pit of Mists! They can't even get him. They're powerless down there."
"You would think that, but alas, things change, mistakes are made," Mozenrath replied.
"What do you mean?" she suspiciously asked.
Mozenrath shifted uncomfortably, almost like he was embarrassed. She tried to read whether he was acting or not, but couldn't. After a moment he answered, "I played around with the wrong spell and something happened. My goal was to open a viewing portal to the Pit of Mists, for curiosities sake. Instead of opening a portal, it empowered the witches with a burst of energy which they immediately utilized against Aladdin. The old hags do hold a grudge. It wasn't enough to release them, but enough to ensnare my brother in their grasps; and incidentally the rest of Agrabah. I got you out just in time."
"I-I don't believe you. I just saw Aladdin. You're lying! Why would you want to help him anyway? You hate him," Sadira retorted, folding her arms suspiciously.
"Alas, despite my hatred for my brother, I do still owe him my life. We have no time to waste! His very existence is at stake," Mozenrath replied.
"Show me Agrabah!" Sadira yelled.
"If you insist," Mozenrath replied, waving his hand and opening a viewing portal.
1001 Arabian Nights
Sadira gasped. Agrabah was engulfed in a ball of sand! It wouldn't be possible for anyone to get out or enter without being killed!
"No!" she exclaimed. She covered her mouth and shook her head in denial, tears coming to her eyes.
"Illusion?" Xerxes asked Mozenrath in concern.
"What do you think?" Mozenrath answered. Walking up to her he soothed, as he placed his hands on her shoulders, "Now, now Sadira, don't get upset. There's still a chance to save your beloved Agrabah and dear sweet Aladdin." Her shoulders slumped under his gentle grip and she crossed her arms, silently crying as she looked out the Citadel window towards Agrabah. "I need your help, though. I don't have any power over the pit of mists. You, on the other hand, do." Waving his hand, the Staff of Doom appeared. She looked over at it. He offered it to her, and gently she took it. "Will you help me, or not?" he whispered closely into her ear. She shivered as his lips brushed it. Whether of disgust, anticipation, or a mix she wasn't sure, but she was betting on a mix.
"I'll… I'll help you. For Aladdin," she finally answered.
"Perfect," he declared, twirling a strand of her hair around his finger. Disgustedly she pulled free and ran away from him. "The very top of the stairs passed the library; that will be your room. We start when I've prepared everything we'll need."
She paused, then looked coldly back still crying. Gods only knew how she hated him. Swiftly she turned and ran from the room, from him, from everything. Immortals she couldn't shake the feeling she had. Mistrust and fear and…and pity; and whatever else she felt towards him were all coming to light in an onslaught. She just wanted to sleep it off and wake up to find this was all some nightmare. Something told her she wouldn't be that lucky.