Another new chapter! I'm so excited! I just got Netflix and there is the whole two seasons of Magi on there! So chapters are going to be coming a lot more frequently now!
Sina wrapped his arms around Nakht, who was trembling with the explosions that shook the hotel. "What's happening?!"
"I don't know. But we're safe here, don't worry." Sina gathered a few more pillows to cocoon the two of them more.
"Where's Masrur, and Mister Ja'far, and Mister Sinbad?" Nahkt swiped a hand over his damp face, a useless gesture as more tears took their place.
"I don't know." Sina scowled. Stupid old man should be here.
"What about Aladdin and Morgiana? What if they're hurt?!"
"I can't imagine anything hurting Morgiana, or Masrur, and they won't let anything hurt the others. We don't know what's happening so we should stay here. It might not be safe out there." Sina tried to comfort his friend.
"Well it's no' very safe in here, brat."
Sina and Nakht startled and looked up to see a dirty teenaged boy in front of them. They didn't hear him opening the door and coming in their hotel room.
He was a thin youth with streaks of dirt on his cheeks and muddy stains on his torn tunic. His teeth were few and a thick yellow color. His eyes were narrow and were heavily lined with thick lashes and deep undereye bags. He held a broken shard of metal that he had partially wrapped in a rag.
Sina tugged Nakht closer to him and further from the young man. "Who are you?!" Sina hissed furiously cursing himself for not noticing him sooner.
"We were given orders to 'ake every rich fucker hostage. That includes you!" the youth used his free hand to wrench the sheet from under the two boys.
"Whoa!" Sina cried out. Nakht let out a startled sob as the boy twisted the sheet around their bodies to trap them in a makeshift bag.
"Let's go then." The youth hummed as he gathered the sheet bag up.
"Let us out!" Sina shrieked as he and Nakht were jostled and bundled up. the youth ignored him as he began running through the hallways. The bag twisted and beat against his leg every few steps. The muffled yelps from the boys came with each hit. As the young man turned the corner he was knocked down by another boy.
"YO! Limner, everyone is on the roof. We gotta go!" the second boy coughed, his voice was raspy and weedy. Sina could hear the sickness in him. His voice sounded…wet? Almost gurgling? What was wrong with him?
"But I got some hostages! What shoul' I do with 'em?" Limner hefted the heavy sack up, inciting a muffled cry from inside. Nakht felt his elbow crack down across Sina's face. "Urk!" he could feel the blood pooling from his nose.
The second boy pushed the bag back down, "Bring 'em. We ain't got time!" he reached for the first boy, limners' arm and yanked him forward. The two youths raced up the stairs to the roof. They emerged just in time to see Masrur plow right through their heavy forces.
"Whoa!" the second boy wheezed out, his voice sounded even reedier with fear, "What the hell is that?!"
"What do you have there, mister?" a soft voice drew the two fog troupe thugs' eyes. It was a little boy with bright blue hair.
"Wha?" Limner gaped. The boy didn't seem fazed at all with what happened. His deep blue eyes entirely focused on the two of them. It made the cool desert night seem even colder to the teen.
"The bag? Does that belong to you?" the boy asked again, curious but patiently. He didn't seem threatening but Limner still felt that shiver of unease that warned him to get as far away from the boy as possible. He took a half-step back toward the roof door.
The muscular redheaded girl next to him, finally looked their way. She looked down at the bag curious. Limner was sure he saw her nose twitch for a moment. Then he was flying.
Wait. What?
He was flying right off the side of the hotel roof! His stomach was shrieking with agonizing pain, because that girl had just kicked him clear across the roof! Just before he went over the lip of the roof, he saw the girl rip open the bag she had torn from his grasp.
Nakht's face was a mess of snot and tears as he leapt out of the bag. "Miss Morgiana!" he sobbed, clinging to the girl. Morgiana awkwardly patted the hysterical child on the head. "Uh, there, there." She cringed.
Sina was still tangled in the sheet but he was beginning to wriggle his way out. He had been jammed in the bottom so he had gotten the brunt of the abuse from Nakht's elbows and knees as well as the banging against the wall and floors on the way up here. His nose was leaking a fair bit of blood and he felt some heavy bruises forming under his clothing.
"Sina, are you okay?" Aladdin helped him untangle from the sheet and began dabbing a bit of the blood up with the corner of the cloth.
"Yeah, just sore. What's happening?" Sina tried shake off the various aches and looked around at the veritable army gathered on the roof. A large furrow was carved out of the stone tile and there were Fog troupe members splayed out surrounding it. It was like a mini tornado swiped through the enemy force. Sinbad, Ja'far, and Masrur were surrounded while Morgiana and Aladdin stood at the sidelines watching, curiously set apart from the chaos, like the audience of some exotic play.
"The fog troop came to rescue Alibaba." Aladdin explained.
"Why was Alibaba here?"
"Morgiana kidnapped him." Aladdin winced. It sounded bad when it was put like that, but there really wasn't a way to make kidnapping sound good, was there?
"Oh. Okay." Sina shrugged and dismissed the scene before him to focus on pulling a sobbing Nakht away from Morgiana. The fanalis girl looked exceedingly grateful as she was let loose. She twisted the damp hem of her dress to rid it of the Nakht's tears and sniffling residue.
Sina pressed Nakht back into his side. "Crybaby." Sina gently teased as his friend's sniffling slowed down. "S-sorry. It was like…like before with Master Fatima. I was scared." Nakht whispered quietly. The purplet scowled at the reminder, he tugged Nakht closer to him. "Don't worry about it. We're okay now. Okay?"
"-Kay." Nakht scrubbed the last of his tears away. "What's happening now?"
"Sinbad and the others are fighting the Fog Troupe. Aladdin's friend, Alibaba is their leader." Sina looked out over the roof as Sinbad confronted the man in the center.
"So, whose that other man?" Nakht pointed subtly to the man with dreads who was shouting hysterically at Sinbad. Nakht gasped with a sickly black smog erupted from the man's sword. Sinbad sat calmly as he was covered in that twisted fog. "What strange Magoi…" he considered it. Kassim began shouting commands at them, embolden with his hostage. The dreadlocked man began jeering at the downed king. "The more you struggle the more you get squeezed!"
"Mister Sinbad!" Nakht squeezed Sinas' arm tightly. Sina gritted his teeth but refused to let Nakht or anyone see how worried he was.
Ja'far twisted around when he heard Nakht's voice. "Boys'!" he looked frantic at the sight of the two of them on the rooftop. "How did you two get up here? Stay over there, okay?!"
Morgiana stepped forward to defend Sinbad, "I'll save him."
Ja'far twisted his head at her as he stood in front of Sina and Nakht. "No need."
With a casual wave of his now glowing hands, Sinbad freed himself.
"What!" Kassim gasped, shocked that his weapon failed.
Ja'far seemed smug. "Well," he explained smugly, "he isn't the conqueror of the seven seas for nothing."
"Magical weapons of such limited power don't affect me." Sinbad informed them casually. His arms crossed confidently as he stared down Kassim.
With a shout, Kassim desperately charged at Sinbad. Masrur was quick to twist his arm behind him, pinning Kassim to the ground. Sinbad stood over him, he hadn't even flinched at the attack.
Sinbad ignored the detained teen and unsheathed his sword, turning passed Kassim. "Now, the only thing I have left to do is capture you and my job will be done here." He faced Alibaba. "Isn't that right, Alibaba the wonder?"
Alibaba's face went pale, he was in stark terror of this living legend of a man challenging him. "Why don't we settle this, general vs general?" Sinbad smirked, he seemed to be treating this almost too casually. "If you wish, take him out. You're a capturer aren't you?" Sinbad subtly flaunted his information on the young Alibaba, all done to throw him off balance.
Alibaba looked down at his small blade, brows furrowed and face pale as it occurs to him just who he is up against. Dark honeyed eyes gauge his opponent, and feeling anxious dread boil in his middle. 'Are you serious, Sinbad?' Alibaba thought, feeling hope dwindle down his spine, leaving him feeling cold. 'You're a legendary dungeon capturer.'
Morgiana looked sidelong at Aladdin, silently questioning his lack of interference. Alibaba was their friend. Shouldn't Aladdin be speaking up for him, or stopping Sinbad? But the magi just stood still, staring at the standoff, gazing at the two royals facing off before them.
Sinbad turned, feeling heavy eyes on him. His eyes met Aladdin's blank stare. Only it wasn't blank. It was a deep soulful stare. As though the boy was peering into his very soul; weighing his worth as a man, as a capturer, as a king, and Sinbad wasn't sure if he was measuring up. He took but a moment to think it through, all the while staring back into Aladdin's eyes.
'This Alibaba is Aladdin's' friend, possibly even his kings candidate. If I defeat him, then no doubt Aladdin will refuse to even consider coming to Sindria. There is no way; I can't afford to lose him! Reim has Sherenazade, Kou has that brat Judal. If Sindria is to continue to be seen as a world power, then it needs a Magi. But how do I stop this? How do I turn this situation around? How can I stop the Fog troupe, Do what is best for Sindria's interests, and keep Aladdin on my side?' Sinbad considered all of this in a small moment, before the standoff was shattered by Kassim.
"RUN ALIBABA!" Kassim Shrieked. "You Bastards, let our leader go!"
"I suppose that's one way to resolve this too." Sinbad humored at the restrained teen. He had a few ideas on how to manipulate this fight, now to see which of them plays out best. He continued talking with a smile. "I mean, the Fog Troupe is history now, anyways."
"Then again, come to think of it," Sinbad smiled genially, turning to look at the blond, "You're not like the others here, are you now? If you want to escape, go ahead. These guys are just people from the slums, but you're not like them. You're different than they are. No matter how hard you try to pretend you're one of them. At the end of the day, you're a royal Prince, Alibaba Saluj-"
"SHUT UP!" Alibaba shrieked, his voice cracking. "Don't act like you know everything! Everyone here is my chosen brother! There's not one difference between them and me! So don't-. Don't you dare make fun of the bond we share!" With a pitched yell, Alibaba summoned his Djinn, Amon.
"Sina and Nakht watched Sinbad goad Alibaba into revealing his Djinn. The fight was visually aweing. Bright dancing flames twisted around Alibaba as he twirled and spun around Sinbad. The Fog troupe members began looking hopeful. Their leader was amazing! He could command fire and flames! He would burn their way to victory! Sina noticed the enthusiastic expressions around them, his own expression dull and pitying as he watched their awed and childish expressions. Nakht whimpered as a stray flame escaped the close quarters of the fight and lashed the air above them. The silverette shuffled closer into the back of Ja'far's robes, for protection.
Sinbad's face was placid as he evaluated the younger man's fighting styles. He noticed the Balbadd royal swordplay, the practiced combinations with the flames, the innate talent young Alibaba possessed. But he had enough.
With a harsh kick and swift strike to center of his chest, Alibaba was tasting dirt. "You have absolutely no idea how to control that Djinn, do you?" Sinbad couldn't refrain from commenting amid shocked murmerings of the Fog troupe.
"ALIBABA!" Kassim dramatically shrieked
"Sorry Kassim," Alibaba wheezed, his lungs felt squeezed and sore. "I just-I Haugch!" Alibaba fell into a harsh coughing fit.
"DAMMITT!" Kassim roared in frustration. "Why'd you have to show up around here anyway?" he demanded at Sinbad. "What's Sindria got to do with any of this?" he glared hatefully up at the King, blaming him for everything. "If you hadn't shown up, the Fog troupe would still be undefeated!"
"You think so?" Sinbad condescended. "You were only succeeding because you were being fed information by a mole in the government. All you ever did was dragged people into fights you had no hope in really winning and try to destroy them one by one. You're so foolish you don't even know how powerless you really are!"
Kassim gritted his teeth in frustration, having nothing to say against the accusation.
Morgiana came up to Ja'fars' side, questioning. "These men, what will happen to them if they are captured?"
"Well, I know it's harsh," Ja'far voice was gentle, those his eyes were professionally blank and uncaring. "but a traitors' fate leads to the gallows." He seemed to have no pity for those who rebel against their king.
"If that still doesn't deter you from making a stand." Sinbad announced to the entirety of the rooftop, the moonlight gleaming off his glowing purple locks, his arms open and welcoming. "Then I might have another option open to you." His face was locked in a charming charismatic grin.
From the sidelines Sina watched this king. A shiver of dread stroked up his back. He could see a hint- just the smallest sliver-of that same charm, that same charisma that Tom Riddle employed in the past. That ever so sure confidence that could motivate even the hardest of men. That would inspire the stoutest and strictest of traditionalist purebloods to eagerly kneel before a half-blooded maniac.
That charm that King Sinbad employed was dangerous. And he wielded it with so much more finesse than Tom ever did. Tom Riddle used his charm like a hammer, slamming his view of the world at others and shattering their own until they could only accept his truth as reality.
Sinbad used his charm differently. He pushed, and tousled his opponents into a corner, he deprived the Fog Troupe of the righteousness of their cause, he dashed their leaders into the dirt in a magnificent show of force, laid out the deadly consequences of their actions. And now that they were desperate, now that they were lost and helpless. He would give them a thread of hope, something that they would instinctively cling to. He wouldn't tell them however, that he would hold the leash of that hope. He would crush the Fog Troupe more efficiently than a hundred soldiers of Balbadd could, and all without spilling a single drop of blood. Sinbad was truly a Slytherin, if ever there was one. That thought made Sina's blood run cold.
Sina subtly pulled Nakht closer to him, taking a half-step closer to Aladdin and Morgiana and away from Ja'far. Ja'far was completely Sinbads' man. And this Sinbad, this King, who had shown so much interest in them; was dangerous. But dangerous to whom was still the question. What was his plan for Balbadd? What was his plan for the four of them? Why would a foreign King care about four random children? What would he have to gain from them? Sina knew that Sinbad called Aladdin a 'Magi' and that somehow meant he was important. But why not just bother with him? Why insist on putting Sina and Nakht in his hotel suite? Were they somehow important to his plans? Or maybe…maybe they were there as hostages? Just in case Aladdin and Morgiana tried to leave. What if he had some elaborate plan to use Aladdin for world domination!? …Or maybe that was giving the old man too much credit? Oh! This was just too much to think of at once. He didn't know what to make of this King Sinbad!
It was times like this that he really missed Hermione!
'Okay, calm down and think' Sina forced himself to take a deep breath, ignoring the concerned look Nakht shot him from the corner of his eye. 'What would Hermione do? What would Ron do?'
Well, Ron would probably start yelling and demanding explanations. Making a scene and all. That probably wouldn't work. So, let's ignore what Ron would do.
Okay so, Hermione! Smart Hermione! Clever Hermione! The cleverest witch of an age! She would… um…She would…she would go to the Library! That's right! Research! He had to find out more on King Sinbad! Where he came from, what kind of country Sindria was! what kind of king he was! That kind of stuff! It was perfect! He'd go to the library and read up on…oh wait.
He couldn't read.
Sina felt a weight of disappointment crash down on him. He can't believe he forgot he couldn't read! He slumped over in exasperation. Feeling all the air around him darken in a cloud of depression.
Nakht began hissing questions at him, tugging insistently on his sleeping tunic. "Sina? Sina, are you okay? Sina, answer me!" he kept his voice low but the silverette could already feel some of the Fog Troupe looking at the two of them in interest. The heavy eyes of so many rough looking adults frightened him. He needed Sina to answer him. What if he was sick again? What if he hit head on the wall when that scary man had them in the sheet-bag? He did have a lot of blood on his face, after all. What if he was dying!? Nakht needed his friend to be okay. He didn't know what he would do with out him. Around them Ja'far and Sinbad were still talking.
Whatever Sinbad had just said made everyone look surprised. Nakht wasn't paying attention though so he wasn't sure what it was. Mister Ja'far seemed extra shocked.
"Wha-!" he gaped at his king. "Sin," he hissed, "you're joining the Fog Troupe?"
"That's right." Sinbad stated confidently.
"And you're going to fight?" Ja'far's voice was breathy and confused.
"That's right." Sinbad grinned, glad that Ja'far was getting it. he crossed his arms with a smirk at the younger man.
"Against the Balbadd regime?"
"Exactly."
"I see…" Ja'far dropped his arms. "But that's ridiculous." He gasped. "The Fog Troupe must be taken down. You promised King Ahbmad so that he would continue trade, remember that?"
"Of course." Sinbad nodded serious. "But now I feel like siding with the Fog Troupe."
"But what you're saying is completely insane!" Ja'far exclaimed trying to reason with his king. "Don't you remember telling us so heroically that you'd made up your mind on your own?"
Sinbad sighed in disappointment. "Ja'far…" he spoke like a disappointed teacher, sad that his student couldn't grasp a simple lesson, He pointed dramatically at him "Now what kind of heartless and callous man are you?" Sinbad demanded.
"Wait, what?" Ja'far stepped back from the accusation.
"You know as well as I do, the miserable state this country is in," Sinbad impressed.
"Y-yeah…" Ja'far reluctantly admitted, already feeling where this was going.
"Yet that wasn't sufficient?" Sinbad scolded, "It wasn't enough to move your soul?"
Ja'far embarrassedly fiddled with his turban, mumbling. "Well, I certainly did think the situation was dire, but—"
"Right?" Sinbad boldly cut across him. Ja'far grimaced. Nakht knew the expression, it was the same one he and the other slaves would have when Master Fatima would throw a tantrum about some petty thing or another. There was nothing they could do about it, so they would just ride out whatever came from it. Ja'far had that expression on now.
"Well that got me thinking!" Sinbad announced happily. "Instead of helping that moron of a king, I want to help out these guys who fight so desperately for the slums!" he looked around at the remaining members of the Fog Troupe. "I'm going to join and fight alongside the Fog Troupe."
Alibaba was sitting up now. He looked confused and slightly frightened of the quick reversal of Sinbad's plans for the Fog Troupe. He didn't know what to make of this seemingly deranged King.
What do you guys think so far? Leave a review! I'm thinking about setting up some outtakes and extra scenes from this fic that won't fully fit in the main story. I got a bunch of throw away snippits that I just dabble with while fighting writers block.
Tell me if I should or shouldn't?