A/N: I think one more chapter and writer's bug with be satiated. Please review! Thx for reading Onward!

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Aladdin & the Heirs of Magic Ch. 35: On the Horizon

Aladdin and Jasmine wordlessly made their way into his room, unaware that Mozenrath and Xerxes were conversing quietly to their far left.

Aladdin gently broke from his intended, rubbing the back of his neck in worry. "Jaz, you do know I want to marry you, right?"

"Yes," she assured him.

"I just can't stop thinking of what's about to happen: war with Desdane, those creatures inside his Citadel…and Sadira seemed to imply that more was coming. I just feel that if we marry today…is it right? Are we thinking about ourselves but not others?"

Jasmine pursed her lips; she could see what he meant…but. "My father, Genie and Sadira want us to marry today. Everything's set and the guests are here, after all."

"I want that too," Aladdin confessed quietly, his shoulders slumping. He didn't care about marrying for the guests' sake; but, it would be callous and rude to cancel things and send them all away now.

He was doing it again, the impulse of the self-sacrificing Hero against Aladdin the man, the human being. But, Jasmine was consoled to know that he still wanted to marry her; his doubts weren't about them, just the timing.

She shook her head, knowing she was giving in to marital jitters; she knew full well in her heart that she and Aladdin were meant to be. She had to stop giving in to fearful stress.

Especially lying fearful stress. Aladdin seemed lost in his thoughts.

"But…is it a good time to marry?" he finally asked.

Jasmine opened her mouth to answer, when a voice behind her said: "Yes, it is."

She gaped; he was awake!?

She spun around; Aladdin was instantly at her side, arm wrapped around her waist and all.

"Mozenrath, you're awake!" Aladdin exclaimed.

The wizard rolled his hooded eyes. "I'm so glad too; for how could I endure another moment without your awe-inspiring insights, Aladdin?" His tone slick with sarcasm.

For all the torment he endured, for all the unimaginable horrors, Jasmine had to admit he still exuded every inch of strength, confidence…and arrogance of the Sorcerer Lord that he ever did.

In a twisted sense, it was impressive.

And his tongue clearly wasn't dulled by what he had suffered. Somehow, that part didn't surprise her.

"How are you feeling?" Aladdin asked, making his way to the cot across from Mozenrath's bed.

"Marvelous," the other quipped dryly and regarded Aladdin a moment; clearly mulling over something.

"Why do you say we should marry today?" Jasmine asked at length, "What difference does it make to you?" He did everything for a reason…and his motivation for that last remark…she was at a loss over that.

"It doesn't; and as for my 'reason,' I'll play it safe and blame it on a head injury," Mozenrath flatly replied as Jasmine sat down beside Al. "But, realistically, this is your only chance; if you don't take the vows today…you never will."

Aladdin stilled; Jasmine felt a cold chill creep over her—despite the scorching heat outside. She glanced at Xerxes; it was a mistake. The pitying expression he wore did not reassure her.

"Why, why do you say that?" she asked, forcing her voice to not quiver.

"Because I know what you're about to face…and you don't."

"Oh?" Aladdin answered his voice stony. "Then, please-" he gestured, "enlighten us."

"I usually do." Was the flippant response.

"Oh, joy; he's awake," came from the lattice doorway, followed by the sound of a throaty growl.

Iago, sitting on Rajah's back with Abu came in; the tiger's golden eyes not leaving Mozenrath even as he made his way to Jasmine's little feet, where he sat—only sat, not laid down as usual.

So he could pounce on Mozenrath if need be, Jasmine intuited. For good measure Rajah bared his massive teeth for the wizard.

Mozenrath seemed to glean as much himself; but he only glanced at the large cat and smirked as though humored by the implied threat. "You have a very devoted pet, princess."

Jasmine stroked Rajah's head reassuringly. Having Rajah on edge would help no one. "He's a good friend," was all she said.

"Hmmm, I wasn't referring to the cat." Mozenrath spared Aladdin an entertained glance, and then petted Xerxes head. It took Jasmine a moment to realize Xerxes didn't repeat his master's words…unlike every other time Mozenrath scored a jab off Aladdin.

Why? Did he not approve anymore? Her stomach twisted hopefully. She couldn't stop her lips from twitching in a tiny smile. Xerxes, to her amazement, saw it and chanced a small smile back at her.

Mozenrath caught the direction of her gaze and narrowed his dark eyes at her, clearly wondering why she was fixating on his servant. His body tensed; Jasmine caught it.

She pressed Aladdin's hand; thankfully her betrothed understood her alarm.

"Why was Desdane able to come back last night, Mozenrath?" he was going to ask that anyways, but since Jaz was worried about something happening, he'd ask now. Get the wizard's attention off of…whatever it was he was focused on before.

Mozenrath's cold eyes scrutinized him. "He used the alignment."

"Of planets?"

Mozenrath only rolled his eyes. The dungeon or dealing with the street rat's endless stupidity? Which was worse?

The street rat; always the street rat; bar none.

"How did he use it?" the princess inquired.

The wizard boy mostly repressed a small sigh. "He said that he was aware I would one day turn against him."

Dead silence all around. Mozenrath nodded; affirming their shock was well-placed. He had known Desdane better than anyone—even that annoying cat sorceress Mirage. But, if he had been caught off guard…it meant Desdane was craftier than anyone ever suspected.

Him included.

"He must have used some sort of relic," he went on, sounding more like musing aloud than informing others; he rubbed his brow again, "all magicians of any measure of power knew for years, decades…centuries even that this alignment was coming-"

Abu gulped.

"But, that doesn't mean that they all wielded enough power to summon strength from it," Mozenrath clarified. "Of all of us, only a few can draw upon an alignment's potency. It's tricky…and extremely dangerous."

"What a shock," Iago mumbled. Crazy wizard boy delving into dangerous magic…say it ain't so….

Mozenrath tossed him a brief glower, but pressed on. "It would have been necessary for him to prepare for many years; possibly 20 or 30, perhaps more."

"But, by what process?" Jasmine asked.

Mozenrath's gaze unfocused, clearly deep in thought. "He would have to extract a vast amount of energy from an extreme magical source—"
"Such as?"

"It's probably what he did with the Phoenix magic he drained," Mozenrath said, pressing his fingers to the bridge of his nose and Xerxes winced—no doubt in sympathy.

"He drained a phoenix?" Aladdin numbly questioned and Mozenrath only nodded but then after a moment added:

"It wasn't a pretty thing to watch; they're ethereal by nature…they become solid only when—"

He shook his head and dropped the subject there.

"But phoenixes are immortal by themselves," Jasmine said, gesturing with one hand, "if he had that magic, couldn't he just use it to be immortal?"

Mozenrath gave her a look that almost resembled respect. "Yes and no. Yes: he did use it to achieve immortality; no, he couldn't use it to stay immortal always in his own form."

Mozenrath watched the light go off in her large caramel eyes. "Oh; so you were still able then, to make him a mamlock. He was still alive, and immortal, just not human any longer."

Mozenrath nodded; glanced at Aladdin. The street rat seemed lost in his thoughts. Incredible—he might actually have thoughts then.

They were probably as rare as the planetary alignment outside, Mozenrath reminded himself.

"But, how could he have used a relic to do all of this without your finding it later?" Aladdin finally asked. "I doubt you don't know every inch of that Citadel. You lived their nearly all your life."

Nearly? Mozenrath thought, nearly? How did he know?

And then epiphany struck: Xerxes. So, his 'faithful' servant had been telling tales to his enemies.

He made a note to find out just how many tales and about what about later.

Later. He pretended to not notice the street rat's slip. "It's easy; he could have simply sent it off into another dimension. It didn't have to remain in the Citadel."

After all, he didn't keep my stolen memories there. The street rat was right: had Desdane attempted to conceal anything from Mozenrath within the Citadel, he'd've found it-without fail.

The large door to their chamber suddenly swung open and a servant rushed in.

She walked very quickly and purposefully up to the princess and street rat, stopping briefly to look him over before saying, "Oh, good, you're awake." And then she turned to his servant.

"How is he, Xerxes?"

"Master feeling better," the eel replied, deciding to rest then on the wizard's shoulder.

Mozenrath clamped his jaw shut to keep from gawking in disbelief. This servant girl…speaking to him? Speaking to his servant? Just walking into their chamber without knocking and asking permission? Incredible! Mozenrath opened his mouth to put her in her place…and then he sensed it:

Magic—coming off of her, in waves.

The exact type of magic he sensed even now mending his body back together.

No; this couldn't be her.

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A/N: Ok, you guys got multiple chapters outta me again today. So, enjoy; plz leave a review!