I'm back! Wow, I've really left it late this time! I'm so sorry for the lateness of this update; I've just suffered intense LOM (Lack-Of-Motivation) to get up and write…as well as do school work! School! OMG, I'm in year 11 now, so yes, work has increased, another factor distributing to my inflating time loss!

I shan't ramble any further! Onwards march!

Recap:

Nadira and the Gang

"Ok, you want the short version then? Well listen, because it's not coming twice!" I burst, surprising the fuelled males as I began to circle them "Well…Let's just say that my grandmother, wickedly poisonous woman made a deal with Jafar a long time ago, something that would benefit both of them greatly. In order for this to happen, she waited, for the stars to arrange themselves in some ridiculous combination, and basically manipulated myself and my mother in incredibly scarring ways until we were of use to her, and that time has come, as she needs us to open some stupid portal for her and Jafar which will lead directly to the place where a potion that grants immortality and powers beyond belief lies!"

Tali and Najila

"You think they have no idea about the prophecy, Jafar? That Nadira is the only one who has misinterpreted it?" she paused, a small but murderous laugh escaping her, sending a vicious chill through my bones

"No, Jafar, you are very wrong…after all, you have as well…"

Nadira, Nasheeta, Najila, and Jafar

"Wait for a moment," she ordered wickedly. We nodded, as she pulled out some potion bottles and began mixing something. We were to wait, until that potion was mixed. From the corner of my eye I saw Jafar standing near Tali, and it made my blood run cold. God, I really hoped that nothing messed up, because the dangers that lay beyond…well, they were unthinkable.

Najila finally finished mixing the potion, and turned to us with a threatening grin, before saying one dreaded but needed word,

"Ready?"

Chapter 36: The Isle of Secrets

I glared at Najila, locking my eyes with her threatening pupils. I looked over at Tali, motionless on the ground with Jafar standing just a few feet away his vicious gaze fixated on me. My mother hovered behind me, her expression reading a million different things. Finally my gaze returned to my grandmother, her stare propositioning me with wicked ambition, I really hated her. Then I remembered everyone else, waiting in worry and fear, not knowing what would happen in every second that passed.

"Ready," I said.

Najila grinned maliciously, grabbing my hand and my mother's, and placing the potion she'd mixed in the centre of our circle. I held my mother's hand to complete the link, and the instant I did, a powerful rush surged through my arms. It was so strong to the point that it felt like a jagged knife was slashing at my insides. My mother looked like she was in the same pain, if not worse. Najila continued to chant, her face concealing any signs of pain. Somewhere in her chant I think I blacked out, I was aware, but saw nothing but black. Suddenly a dark purple light burst out of the potion, shattering my darkness. The purple light continued to rise, releasing a vibration that resonated fiercely through the marble platform. I ignored the knots forming at the pit of my stomach, and focused only on the bursting light.

The stream of shimmering amethyst light finally broke free of the platform and rose into the air swirling and flowing until its two ends joined and locked, forming a circle of light. The portal then opened, Jafar strode forward, dragging Tali with him, and went through immediately. Najila and Nasheeta followed, and then I.

"Is it time yet?" Jasmine murmured softly. Aladdin's gaze darted around nervously, but nothing he focused on made things any clearer. Sharif paced restlessly, cursing under his breath.

"Sharif would you just stop pacing, it's driving my crazy!" burst Aladdin.

Sharif came forward angrily "What is your problem? It's like everything I do is wrong, well screw that! This probably wouldn't have happened if you'd just gotten over the idea of Tali and me,"

Aladdin stared at Sharif in disbelief, using all the power in his body to refrain from acting out his anger. "You'd better hope that nothing's happened to her, or it's your funeral," he muttered under his breath, before walking away from him. Ishaq stood up, noting the increasing tension between Aladdin and Sharif.

"I know you both have problems with one another, but for the Tali's sake, could you both just get over yourselves? For one second?!" he said in a burst of impatience. Both Aladdin and Sharif were stunned at Ishaq's sudden interjection. A silence dispelled over the dark room, making the four occupants more uncomfortable than before. Jasmine was lost in her thoughts; she shoved aside reminders that she was angry with Aladdin, and tried to focus on the task at hand. It didn't matter though, what was really bothering her was the amount of times she'd gone through such an ordeal. How many times was it that their worst enemy had come back? As much as she tried to forget, it always seemed to haunt them, and haunt them without warning. How long can one live like this? She wondered fearfully.

A few seconds passed, a few seconds that felt a like lifetime, or at least, a few seconds that could take a lifetime away, no matter whose or how precious. Everyone was wrapped in a cocoon of their own fears, and no one was willing to speak to one another, or to speak in general. After a few moments Jasmine broke the monotony of silence "Is it time?"

Sharif looked to Ishaq, who looked to Aladdin. "Yes, I think it's time," Aladdin answered commandingly. He turned to Jasmine, noting the mixture of pain and fear on her face. Yes, he was mad at her, yes they hadn't really talked it out, but in moments like these, none of it mattered. What she was feeling, he felt, only he felt it worse, just knowing that she was hurting inside. He waited for her agreement before proceeding. She nodded slightly, and walked over to him, squeezing his hand, just to let him know he wasn't alone, and never would be.

"Um, what exactly were the words?" Aladdin asked worriedly.

"You don't remember the words? Oh great," Sharif muttered in annoyance.

"Do you?" Aladdin cut in sharply.

"I remember them," piped up Jasmine. The three males turned to her, their gratitude evident. She took the bottle from Aladdin, her nerves racing as she touched the cool surface of the glass. The black mist inside the bottle swirled ominously, which if opened would be like unleashing a storm. This thought distracted Jasmine for a moment, forcing her to tear her gaze away from the bottle.

She breathed deeply "Ready, everyone?" Their apprehensive looks were enough to amplify her worries.

"Well, could you answer?" she burst nervously. This time they all nodded vigorously. Ordinarily Jasmine would have laughed at how looked when they shook their heads in unison, but right then laughing was the last thing she could think of doing.

She touched the wall which Najila had touched only minutes before, the spot was still warm from the effects of the magic. She closed her eyes, unsure of how to fall into the deep concentration, and just hoped it would come on its own. Forcing everything out of her mind, she poured her effort into the words she would recite. Jasmine inhaled heavily then chanted "Enchantra Portustratus Abhiyar!" And in an instant, they were gone.

Keeping a portal open with wind is hard, you know, and if they'd arrived a moment later I think I might have collapsed in the process. Jasmine appeared first, the others just after. A tiny fraction of my fears were gone now that they'd managed to reach safely. They all came forward immediately, and I dropped my wind before they noticed. Quickly, I pulled Jasmine through, and then the others. The portal virtually spat them on to the ground, and then it vanished. I sat up, Ishaq gave me his hand and pulled me up "Are you ok?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm fine, thanks," I answered softly. He caught my eyes off guard for a moment, forcing my heart to skip a beat.

"Um, Nadira, what's going on here?" said Aladdin, gesturing his arms at our surroundings. I turned to face what he was alluding to. We were suddenly standing on a narrow gold path, floating on a plateau of air. The place where we'd landed out of the portal was gone.

"Um, don't look down," said Sharif. Naturally everyone looked down. My breath froze when I saw what lay below. The darkest sapphire water I'd ever seen stirred violently below us, probably a few thousand feet below us, its aggressive movements appeared hungry, as though it were licking its watery lips. The random swirling of dark water, churned its vicious threats in my stomach.

"Well, I didn't know this would happen," I conceded nervously. The gold path we stood on led far off into the distance, towards an island surrounded by mist and jungle. I stared up what seemed to be the sky, which had turned to the colour of dark amethyst, and took a deep breath.

"I guess that's our island," said Ishaq.

"One question," Aladdin cut in.

"How did you manage to stay here, without them getting suspicious and where exactly did they go?" He brought up an excellent point.

"Who cares? We need to get going," insisted Sharif.

Aladdin glanced angrily at him "We need to know, Sharif, 'cause we've been in this sort of situation before and we cannot afford to lose it by being hasty," he answered sharply.

"I told them I'd stay here, because I said I knew you'd try and come here, and I'd be here to stop you," I replied, before they could further their fight "They disappeared in an instant, so I don't exactly know how to find them, but I'm guessing that island is our best bet,"

"Let's go," spoke up Jasmine, whom I think was becoming impatient with Aladdin and Sharif. Without another word, we treaded carefully along the gold path, continuously averting our wandering eyes from the deathly waters below.

"This is the life!" boomed Genie, as he sipped a cool drink while lying in a hammock on Pearlie's family tree.

"Tell me about it!" shrieked Sheila, as she did in her usual manner.

"Sure, if you like nutty triplet cockatoos!" Iago groaned under his breath, he loved Australia and Pearlie…but not her brothers.

"Iago, what's got your feathers into a frazzle?" squealed Sheila.

"And then you've got this one," he groaned further. "Now, now, now!" Sheila burst in incredibly high voice "We can't have unhappy campers on this trip!"

Iago flew up to the branch where Genie and Sheila were. "Unhappy campers? I'll give you guys unhappy campers!" he blurted, shaking a wing ferociously in the air. Genie looked at Sheila who appeared as puzzled as he did. Genie morphed into psychologist, and donned a coat and notebook, while Sheila turned into a chaise, grabbing Iago and placing him there. "Now whatever it is, I'm sure we can sort it out," Genie said, scribbling "Casefile1282736: mad bird" on his notebook.

"Sort it out? Sort it OUT?!" Iago yelled in distress. Genie exchanged glances with Sheila, the chaise, and scribbled further "Iago needs help, lots of help," Sheila morphed another version of herself out of the chaise. "Now, darl, tell Auntie Sheila all about it," she crooned comfortingly.

"Am I the only sane one here?" wondered Iago. "Well, why don't you tell us and we'll find out!?" Genie bellowed happily.

"Where do I begin?" muttered Iago "Well, first Abu and Carpet ditched me and went to the Great Barrier Reef, which they did on purpose because they know I don't like water, THEN Pearlie has to go to some cousin in the Blue Mountains, because they've had a baby, then the WORST…I had to stay with Lenny, grrr, and B-Benny, and Kenny,"

Sheila and Genie stared Iago and burst out laughing, "Poor Iago had to stay with sweet Lenny, Benny and Kenny, aww," said Sheila, bursting into a fitting of her shrieking laughter.

"They're not sweet!" Iago protested fiercely "They are COSMIC Chaos!"

Genie morphed into an Olympian God "I know all about the Cosmos, and the only thing disturbing it the utter lack of ambrosia! We MUST get more ambrosia!" He started throwing thunderbolts around manically, and managed to scare a flock of birds in the nearby trees. "Oh…" he said "Whoopsies!"

"So tell us what happened," insisted Sheila. Iago sighed "Well, it went something like this,"

"So now we just get through this jungle, then?" said Sharif, more than a hint of annoyance in his voice. Truthfully, I couldn't help but agree with him. We'd just walked along that gold path, where nothing but air and fatal waters lay below. I haven't the slightest idea how I made it across without spiraling into the water, or knocking someone over, but we all made it safely across.

We all turned to face the jungle. It looked amazing, like a lush tropical hideaway. Species of flowers I'd never seen before adorned the draping vines of the tall, proud trees. The greenery was so rich, so dazzling, like the heart of an emerald. Round ripe fruit hung conspicuously from the trees, ornamental temptations for hunger "It looks like a trap," decided Aladdin "We should go around,"

"A trap?" echoed Sharif "Nah, it's just a regular tropical jungle, going around would be a waste of time," I could see Jasmine shaking her head in disbelief, from the corner of my eye. Sharif and Aladdin launched into an argument as to whether to go around or through. "Stop!" screamed Jasmine and I. Jasmine went over to both of them.

"Can't you two co-operate for just a moment!?" she reprimanded them "That's it, the way I see it, it doesn't matter which way we go, around or through, it will be the same!"

Sharif looked skeptical "Then let's split up, some go through some go around, and we'll meet on the other side," he said. I was worried, splitting up could be more dangerous than anything we might meet, not that it mattered it had already been decided.

"Fine, Jasmine and I will go around, the rest of you go through," said Aladdin. Jasmine didn't bother to argue; she wanted to find Tali and knew when Aladdin was so fired up to do the same, it was no use. We separated into our respective traveling groups.

I turned to the others and shrugged "Well, see you on the other side,"

Najila and Jafar, stood in a dark chamber, devoid of any light except for the on exuded from a pool of water in a pedestal stand. Najila and Jafar stared into the pool, where they could see Aladdin and everyone heading off in different directions.

"Curses!" screeched Najila "I knew they would try to get here but I didn't think they'd actually succeed so quickly! We haven't even located the potion yet!"

Jafar's sinister feature twisted into a wicked glower, he came forward and stood directly in front of Najila. His face returned to its usual stare, distinguishingly intimidating. For a moment the air between them froze, Jafar played timing well, after all. "Najila," he said in a voice that made unctuousness sound artful "tell me that was a vile vision of deceit that I will forget in a moment because it was a mere illusion,"

"We both knew they'd get here, and that Nadira was going to help them" Najila replied icily, her tone changed to wicked glee "So they've arrived a little quicker than usual…not a problem,"

Jafar raised an eyebrow "What do you propose?"

"Why not have someone pay them a visit?"

Najila pulled a small snake out of seemingly nowhere and dropped it into the vision pool, watching the snake dissolve into a watery darkness.

She swirled the pool with her finger and smiled.

"Done,"

Reviews are much appreciated:D