Aladdin looked around the room, frowning as he headed into the place. They had taken a pause to fix his makeup, but now the focus was completely on the mission at hand. Aladdin gripped the metal rod under his dress, entering in front of Judal and looking around the room.
The room looked expensive like everything else they had seen. Always in extravagance, these violent things. He missed the country, the peace. When this ended, he would return to that. No more of this fancy living and expensive taste. The happiest people were the people who understood what they couldn't get with their wealth.
"Can I help you sir and lady," a front desk attendant asked.
"We're here to get to safety deposit box belonging to Solomon. He's my sister's real dad." Judal smiled as he said this, holding Aladdin's hand.
"I see. Can I see some identification, please?"
It was going to be sooner than they had hoped that they would be pulling this trick. "Sure," Judal replied. "Let me just-" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a wand, "NOW CHIBI!"
Aladdin held his wand straight up, aiming for the lights above them. He sent it shattering, causing the electricity to become wild. The electricity crackled through the air, starting to burn all the fabrics in the room, the curtains on the walls fell, lighting some of the chairs on fire. Judal kicked up another stroke of electricity, sending it towards the front desk. The desk caught fire as well, making people scream as they ran.
There wasn't a moment to spare. Taking Judal's hand into his own, Aladdin ran forward, around the desk to look at the computer. A list of names were on it as Judal slit the throat of the attendants behind the desk. Aladdin scrolled down, looking over them all before he found it. "Ju. It's 572. We need to get back there immediately!"
"Come on," Judal threw him over his shoulder, running towards the back before he paused, taking a nearby door instead.
"Judal! We ne-"
"Stairs brat!" They descended downwards. "What we want is going to no doubt be downstairs."
"Right!" He aimed another attack towards the stairs. The figures tumbled towards them only to be swept up and thrown at the doorway.
"Left or right," Judal asked loudly.
"Left!"
Right they went, heading down the hallways of boxes. The various locks reflected back at them as they went deeper into the dark downstairs. There were no lights, no windows. The air was thinner down here. They continued running until Judal felt a wall bang against his knees.
"Are you okay," Aladdin looked down only to feel Judal's lips press against his.
"It's time to split up. Something is coming, can you sense it?" Judal pulled back and smiled a bit.
There was something building. They could feel it. Illuminating their rukh, they looked to either end as they hurried towards the deposit box. Deeper into the depths they went. The secrets locked away around them grew larger in their containers. There were bigger safes, more locks attached to them.
More and more around them, until they both came to a stop.
The safe was small, about the size of a car window. Aladdin ran his hands over the flute sticking out of one of the locks. "Someone has been here…"
"No shit. It's called the Al Thamen. Open the safe while I watch the area."
Aladdin leaned closer. "I don't have any idea what the password is."
"My thigh."
"what?!"
Judal shoved his pants down a bit, showing the hint he had received from the Al Thamen. "I stole a bit of information from the Al Thamen. Figure it out."
Aladdin nodded, looking back at the safe and thinking. The flute was a good hint if that was what it was there for. There was something about this hint that seemed famil-
"Aladdin, are you trying to play that flute again?"
Aladdin looked up, smiling at the figure coming over to him. "I wanted to play a nice song for you. Your birthday is tomorrow after all."
Ugo smiled down at him as he held the stuffed animal in front of him. "You forgot the first lesson."
Aladdin hugged the stuffed rabbit and frowned. "What lesson is that?"
"Posture," Aladdin murmured, beginning to move the letter dials.
"Posture?" The man next to him frowned, looking over at him in surprise.
"It's the first lesson in music. If you don't sit properly, you can't play at all. It sounds all messed up." He clicked the last letter into place and smiled. "We're finally there. You're going to be cured."
"I'm going to be complete." Judal smiled, "Open it."
Aladdin pulled the lever, feeling the gears move within the safe. The door creaked, moving open. The anticipation and excitement grew within him, making him want to smile more until-
There was a letter within.
ALADDIN
"What's in it," Judal asked, watching the surroundings carefully, prepared to fight.
"Nothing."
"What? What do you mean nothing?!" Judal looked over, moving to grab the letter and ripping it open to read the page. His body was shaking, his jaw clenched. The anger radiated from his entire being. "The hell… That bastard…"
Something flew passed them, a blaze escaping and setting a set of papers on the wall on fire. The blaze illuminated a bit of the room.
"Oh there you are…" Judal tossed the paper at Aladdin before he moved forward, holding his wand at the ready. "I sensed another here. I should have known it would be you… who else would take such a thing. Did they force it on you or-"
"You have caused all of this. There's been so much loss, so much pain. I'm going to stop this all right now."
That voice!
Aladdin gaped as he looked up. There was no way…
Sinbad lit a fire from the end of his weapon, moving forward. Those golden eyes gleamed in the light of the flames. He was different though. Veins were appearing from the side of his face. His arms were shaking as he looked at them both.
Judal shoved Aladdin behind him, creating a crackling electricity.
"Go, Chibi, check any names associated with Solomon." Judal looked down at him, "if not, then go to our family and wait for me. You understand?"
"We will leave together when I find your cure," Aladdin replied, beginning to run for it.
"Aladdin! Where are you going," Sinbad's voice called. "We haven't gotten to talk!"
"The boy is going to be talking to only me," Judal smiled. "Does it hurt when you breathe? I bet you really would like to destroy something as well. How does it feel to be just like me now, idiot."
"I am going to take him back."
"Have they told you the stories?" Judal threw the electricity back at the other. "Did they tell you that you were a king? King of the seven seas, the king of Sindria? Did they tell you about how you were oh so powerful, wielding seven djinns and having the world in your hands? I bet you believed them."
Sinbad threw the attack back at him, making Judal duck behind the safe door to avoid a face aimed shot. "You are the reason the families are all fighting! You are the one who destroyed Alma Toran. You and Solomon together… But you failed to get the cure from him. He betrayed you. Does Aladdin know that?"
Judal smiled, "Is that what they told you? How quaint. It must appeal to your inner hero to be the one to defeat the big bad guy. Thank heavens you can just kill me."
Another exchange of fire went between them, hitting one another in the center and making both parties fall back. Judal was the first to his feet, running forward and grabbing Sinbad by his tie and slamming him against a nearby safe.
"Does it hurt? Do you want more power?"
"Die," Sinbad replied, sending him flying towards the opposite side of the space. He screamed in pain, trying to put out the flames. He created ice, sending it flying at Sinbad and hitting him. They both fought to get up, running along the hallway towards the entrance again.
The flames and ice hit everywhere, leaving no object unmarked. Ice clung to the safes, fire burning the paperwork in the room. There was light, but it was a flickering, murderous light. Judal slashed across Sinbad's face. Sinbad punched Judal. The physical hits added onto the magical ones. Judal's cheek burned, slowly healing as Sinbad ignored the spear of ice sticking out of his left thigh.
Both the figures began to shake uncontrollably, creating more ice, more fire, more electricity that made the lights in the room flicker on and explode into a shower of glass and wire.
"Lose control with me, Sinbad," Judal egged on. "Show me how much power you think you have!"
Aladdin was hurrying in the opposite direction, deeper and deeper into the realm of this hell. Figures were running after him as he ran, his body slipping into a nearby empty safe and closing the door until it was almost shut. The figures ran passed, yelling about the intruder. They had to find him.
He didn't dare breath as he waited. His hands fingering the letter before he illuminated the small space with a single rukh.
The bold lettering reflected back at him. His letter… his letter from his father, it was right here.
Dearest Aladdin,
I am the biggest of fools, am I not? If you are reading this, then it means that what I feared is true. Gyokuen is a fraud. Worse than that, she is a religious cult fol7ower and has been using me to her own ends. To think that I married her and took you away from the most wonderful woman in the world is almost too much to bear.
My apologies could never fill the gap I have created in your life. My love could never reach you in the manner that your mother's could. Please, Aladdin, if you are reading this, know that I did love you. I loved you more than you could ever understand. I am a foolish, weak man. I give my trust too 3asily, I am hurt to simply, and I have ambition that will murder me one day.
No doubt soon I will be dead.
Your mother, Leraje, was an astounding woman. Find her. If you are here it means that you are an adult, it means that Ugo was entrusted to you and followed my instructions. I told him to protect you and take you to a place where no one would reach you. I gave him everything he would need. Don't follow in my footsteps son. I wish I could see you turn 6. I bet you grew up to be handsome.
Grow up strong. Stay away from these people and their goals. Have friends, live somewhere beautiful. Find someone that loves you like your mother loved me and you cherish them. You make sure you give them all the love they deserve. Trust me, son. When you sacrifice your happiness for material things, for glory; only death and misery come. Do not associate with these people. Ever. Stay away from Gyokuen. Stay away from Ithnan. Stay away from my monsters.
With most tender of love,
Solomon
Aladdin felt himself shake as he read the letter. He wiped at one eye, looking around the inside of the safe as he tried to keep himself quiet. Solomon… he had known near the end that things were falling apart. He had been a good man deep down inside.
"I'm sorry, Solomon…" Aladdin held the letter to his chest and let the first few tears fall. "I'm so sorry, father… I have failed." He had found the monsters and the monsters had found him.
He read the letter again through his tears, frowning as he looked closer.
religious cult fol7ower…
trust too 3asily…
turn 6.
736…
"The safe was a clue…" Aladdin climbed out and checked the numbers, looking around carefully to see if anyone was around. The room was empty and quiet.
He began to hurry down the hallway.
The real safe was ahead.
A dark flicker floated behind him as he ran, unnoticed by the boy. A single black rukh that guided a lone figure moving through the darkness.