Mirage versus Phasir
(A/N: Second up today. Will probably put up a third one too to make up for the long absence. Enjoy.)
Mirage appeared back at the temple and scanned the area for her old lover. Then she saw him. He was standing in the entrance to the temple looking up at her coldly, his hair blowing in the wind. The curse of mortality… It almost hurt her to see him so frail; almost, but not quite. Such emotions had left her long ago. She had other dealings with him today. She gave a jaguar's roar as she glared at him. "Mirage, why do you help the two young men? You detest Aladdin, and Mozenrath could overthrow you in a moment if you let him. Join us, my love, and together we will be rid of them both."
"Unlikely. And I am not your love. Not anymore," she answered. She leapt nimbly down the cliff and landed like a cat. She rose up and licked her hand, purring. "Let's get this done already."
"I do not want to fight you," Phasir declared.
"You have no choice," she replied. With a hiss she shot an attack at him. He blocked. She purred. "Not bad, Phasir, but old man, time has weakened you. You're no longer a match for me."
"We will see," he replied. She laughed and leapt at him, claws tearing at him. Desperately he blocked her magic attacks and physical lunges. He got off a blast that sent her flying, but with a meow she was standing again, eyes lighting up as if she were having more fun than ever before.
The two went at each other with blast after blast, but Phasir could feel full well he was weakening against her attacks. She leapt at him, knocking him to the ground, and pinned him beneath her. Both panting, they glared at each other. "I loved you once. But time changes things. Now… now I'm done with you," she said. She shot at him with a blast. He screamed in pain and her eyes softened a moment, but quickly she hardened them again. Soon enough he fell unconscious.
1001 Arabian Nights
She raised her clawed hand, ready to finish him, but she made no move. For a long moment she just looked down at him. Finally she sighed and rose. Not today. She'd made her point; he wouldn't interfere with her wards any longer. If he did, he knew he would die. Mirage turned her back and began to walk away, but all at once a painful fire blast went through her. She screamed in agony and fell to her knees!
"So you beat Phasir. Nice going. Too bad you didn't watch your back," a voice said from behind. The breath of flame stopped and she scrambled up, looking shocked. She turned. There stood Aziz! She scowled and shot at the wannabe, but to her surprise her powers weren't working!
"What?" she hissed in horror, looking at her hands. "No!" He'd weakened her too much! She looked ahead. "I thought we were on the same side!" she shot.
"We were. Until you saved the street rat and the sorcerer," Aziz replied.
"Phasir was not going to have the honor of defeating them before me," Mirage replied. She could still talk her way back into this alliance, theoretically. After all, this creature owed her a lot. From the stars she'd brought him down again, and in addition to his power of illusion she had advanced his abilities further still. Oh he owed her everything.
"You were fine with it if I did," Aziz said.
"I wasn't, actually, but better you than an ex-lover," Mirage replied, folding her arms.
"You're lying, Mirage," Aziz said.
"What would I have to lie about?" Mirage scoffed.
"Alright, so maybe you're telling the truth after all, but let's be honest. Morbia will be much easier to take over if I get you out of the picture now," Aziz said.
Mirage's eyes widened. "What?!" she demanded. Was she really surprised, she asked herself? Not particularly, but nonetheless this development was the last nail in the coffin. She was through with this alliance. "If you want to toss aside our partnership, fine. I'll play that game, and if I can't beat you with my powers, I'll beat you with my claws!" she screamed at him. She leapt, tackling him down. The two rolled across the ground, but Aziz was laughing all the way. All at once he shot her back with a powerful magical breath. She cried out in pain, hitting the ground. She leapt up and ran at him again, but this time the breath he blew was more powerful than ever, and she felt a searing pain tear through her. She shrieked in anguish, writhing. It felt as if it were killing her from the inside! "Help me!" she cried desperately. Soon, though, she felt too weak. With a sigh she collapsed onto the ground and lay still.
"Is she dead?" Fatima asked as she and Minos came out.
"Not yet. Get Phasir inside. If he sees her like this we're in trouble. I'll finish off cat woman," Aziz replied. Minos nodded and scooped up Phasir. Quickly he and Fatima vanished inside the temple.
1001 Arabian Nights
"We shouldn't have left her to face Phasir alone!" Aladdin argued with Mozenrath. They'd been at this a half hour now.
"She'll do fine!" Mozenrath shot. "We, on the other hand, won't if you keep making all that noise. You know as well as I she's more powerful than that old man could ever hope to be."
"But she's not only dealing with him. Minos, Fatima, the Guardian, and Aziz are all there too," Aladdin replied.
"We'll get there soon enough," Mozenrath retorted. "Then you can put your little mind to rest. Pathetic hero, wanting to save even your worst enemies."
"She saved our lives, Mozenrath," Aladdin solemnly said.
"Oh good wittle kitty cat. What do you want me to do, Aladdin, bow to her and offer my life? I've done that already, it didn't work out as I'd hoped," Mozenrath retorted sarcastically.
"Teleport us there," Aladdin replied. "If she's fine, she's fine. We can wait for her to finish. If she's not, then at least we'll be there."
"Will it shut you up?" Mozenrath demanded.
"Is that a trick question?" Aladdin asked. Mozenrath frowned then grabbed his cape, ensnaring them both in it and vanishing in a black sand portal.
1001 Arabian Nights
Aladdin and Mozenrath appeared at the top of the cliff and silently slunk over it. They looked down and gasped. There lay Mirage, motionless! "Mirage!" Aladdin exclaimed.
"I hate being wrong," Mozenrath growled. He leapt over the rock they were behind and started to lead the way down the cliff, but suddenly the temple door opened. The two brothers gasped and dove behind another rock. They peered out worriedly. There appeared Aziz! "What is he doing?" Mozenrath asked.
"I don't know. She must have beat Phasir. Aziz probably took her by surprise. Phasir wouldn't have left her out there. He loved her once," Aladdin said.
"Now, kitty cat, what to do with you? How would you prefer to die?" he tauntingly questioned the unconscious form.
"Execution," Mozenrath remarked. "Diabolical yet clichéd. I'm less than impressed." Aladdin shot him a dagger look. Mozenrath blinked and shut up.
"We could go good old reliable beheading, but that would be a shame. You're a pretty thing. Ooh, burning? Yes, I like the sound of that. This temple could use a good fire," Aziz continued.
"What's your plan, street rat?" Mozenrath asked.
"Plan? You know me better than that," Aladdin replied with a smirk. Mozenrath chuckled darkly. Fine, he could improvise too.
Aziz blew at Mirage and in a flash she was on a pyre and surrounded by a fire that steadily climbed towards her. Aziz laughed and watched. "If he stays?" Mozenrath asked.
"Fight magic with magic," Aladdin replied.
"How about we do that anyway," Mozenrath said.
1001 Arabian Nights
Mozenrath leapt over the boulder. Aladdin gasped, shocked. "Aziz!" Mozenrath viciously yelled.
Aziz gasped and looked up just in time to be hit by a powerful blast and sent flying back. "Cover me!" Aladdin ordered, leaping over and darting towards Mirage.
"Aladdin, Mozenrath!" Aziz exclaimed, recovering. "Oh no you don't." He leapt up and blew a breath at Aladdin. Mozenrath shot, cancelling it out. Aziz scowled. Aladdin was almost at Mirage! Aziz leapt at Aladdin with a battle cry, but Aladdin rolled out of the way and Mozenrath shot again, hitting Aziz. Aziz scowled. Time to get rid of the sorcerer. He blew at Mozenrath. Mozenrath, though, was more than ready. He dove to the side and shot again.
Aladdin leapt onto the pyre, coughing. He squinted through the smoke and spotted Mirage. The flames were licking at her dress! He leapt into action and picked her up, diving out of the pyre and quickly putting out the stray flames. The problem was that now he couldn't move as fast. He darted back towards Mozenrath, but all at once Aziz was between him and his getaway! He breathed before Mozenrath could react, and Aladdin found himself stuck in quicksand! He gasped and called, "Mozenrath!"
Mozenrath sharply looked over and scowled. He teleported immediately to the side of the pit and grabbed Aladdin's hand. With the other he held off Aziz, but this wouldn't work much longer. Mirage was stirring, however. Mozenrath struggled to pull Aladdin out. All at once Aladdin broke the suction and the two brothers, plus Mirage, tumbled onto the ground. They looked quickly up. Aziz was striking again! Mirage's eyes flickered. "Aladdin, your old home…" she whispered softly. She was trying to tell them something! Immediately the two caught on. Aladdin's abandoned house in Agrabah! No one would guess they were there, it was perfect! Mozenrath grabbed both Aladdin and Mirage and transported them all away from the temple, furious to be fleeing again.