I'm Back! But I have classes starting tomorrow... Crap. Well this chapter is longer than normal so I hope you enjoy. And thank you all for being patient.

I do not own Magi.

Chapter 39: Her Past

Alya took a deep breath when she saw the blue of the ocean change into the lush green of an island. They had arrived at the summit.

She bit her lip as the island grew bigger. What was she going to do? She wasn't ready to see Sinbad- to see her brother. After waking up, she had noticed changes in her personality. Even the way she carried herself was slightly off from before. She had concluded that it was because of her memories. She was no longer the simple girl who was afraid of the unknown. She was a former goddess. Two people clashing in a single body.

Alya was so confused. How should she act? What should she say? She definitely couldn't tell her brother-she had to remind herself to call him thus- about her wound. He would rip Alibaba apart. The poor boy had done nothing wrong. She was the one that had stupidly stepped in front of the blade.

Why had she protected Judal? Why was he so important? Because he definitely was important, she just didn't understand why… Why this? Why that? Everything was the same, but she was looking through different eyes.

"We have been looking forward to your arrival, Prince Kouen Ren." The chorus of five familiar voices announced. Alya blinked. When had she gotten onto land?

She watched silently, uninterested as everyone deposited their metal vessels on a table. Some of them were acting as if this was unacceptable, making Alya want to sigh. This was a peaceful summit; of course you were not allowed to bring in weapons.

"Princess?"

Alya looked at Jafar. "Yes, Jafar?" Her voice sounded flat. She grimaced when she saw Jafar's eyes narrow.

"Are you alright?"

Alya looked around, noticing that the others had gone on ahead. "What would make you think otherwise?"

"You are not acting yourself. You have been inattentive. I can smell blood." Jafar listed off as if everything he said was normal.

Alya sighed. Did he really have such a strong sense of smell? The wound should have healed by now, but he kept reopening. "You have caught me. I was hurt in an accident. Please do not tell my brother. I… don't want him to worry."

Jafar was silent for a while, making Alya worry he had noticed something else was off. Finally he nodded. "I will not, but you do realize he will notice."

Alya nodded. "I'm hoping not, but if he does there is nothing to be done about it."

Jafar narrowed his eyes but turned around. "Well let us hurry. They are waiting." Alya nodded and followed after him. With each step she took, she extended her magic field around her, glad that she had been practicing ever since she noticed her ability. This was an unfamiliar place. She wanted to know where everyone was rather than be surprised.

"Brother," Alya greeted with a large smile upon seeing Sinbad. He sat at the end of a long table, just oozing confidence.

"Alya!" Sinbad exclaimed, standing from his seat. "Welcome back!"

Alya walked past Kouen into her brother's arms. He help her tightly, causing Alya to have to hold back a wince as her wound flared up again.

"How was your trip?" Sinbad asked her, releasing her from his hug and looking over her. There was a look of worry in his eyes. Had he seen some sign of her pain?

Alya forced a smile on her face. "It was rather fun, but it's good to be back with you." From the corner of her eye, she saw Morgiana, Brigit and Olba try to follow her only to be stopped by Koumei's outstretched arm. Her eyes wandered to Alibaba, who looked downcast. Strange.

She looked back to Sinbad. He had seen it too, but he didn't look at all confused. Did he know something she did not?

She frowned but let it go when something appeared in her magic field. Many fluttering lights suddenly appeared in her mental map. How had she not noticed them before? Her head snapped toward her brother where he had retaken his seat. Behind him stood an army wearing fearsome masks.

"The Yambala?! The Magoi Manipulation Tribe?!" she heard someone yell behind her. Magoi Manipulation? Is that why I didn't sense them before? She watched them closely, wrapping her field around them in an attempt to see if there was anything different about them.

Before she could finish, the sound of clanking metal and a multitude of heavy footsteps to her right made her lose her concentration.

"The Fanalis Corps?" a different voice announced.

Alya glared in the direction of the army of red-haired Fanalis. While she had sensed them at the edge of her field earlier, their lights were strange. In fact, the lights of many people here were strange. They were different from the yellow glow of civilians. Even Sinbad… His light was a violet, with a strange endless blackness in the center. The blackness reminded her of black Rukh.

As she stood beside her brother, Alya closed her eyes and reached out to individual lights, learning their differences. It was so strange. The longer she held the field, the more pronounced the differences were.

Her eyes blinked open lazily when she felt three new arrivals coming from the air. Their light had a strange warmth to it that she couldn't quite describe. One felt like Solomon himself, but that couldn't be... "Magi," she whispered. No one seemed to hear her over the sudden yell of "Yunan!"

Alya looked up where her brother was looking. "Sorry to keep you waiting, everyone," spoke one of the lights. Alya frowned, forcing herself to look with her eyes. It was a rather young-looking boy, with braided hair and a strange green outfit. "Well then," he continued. "Let me introduce you to the two friends who will have the leading roles today." He pointed up toward the location of the other lights.

Alya smiled fondly upon seeing Aladdin on a flying carpet with another Magi she did not recognize. No wait, she had seen him. After that fight with that… thing. Thinking about it sent a shiver down her spine. She had never seen something like that before. If only Ugo was here; maybe he could explain what it was. If Ugo was here… maybe he could even help get rid of this curse… Her hand subconsciously touched where she had been stabbed.

"Gathered kings, there is something I want to tell you all. Something that no one knows… about another world. About Alma Torran." Alya blinked in surprise. When had the conversation taken this turn? Had she spaced out again? She frowned, glancing at Aladdin. Was it really safe to tell them about that place?

She wanted to voice her objection, but she had no say in this. Aladdin was Solomon's son… He would have succeeded Solomon as king. Aladdin was the only prince the goddess Alya would acknowledge. And so, it was not the Princess Alya's place to question him.

This thinking made Alya's frown deepen. This is so confusing. I am me… but I'm not me. So when will I be me? she wondered, allowing her mind to wander as she watched Aladdin's projection of memories from Alma Torran. As goddess for most of the beginning, she had already seen much of what was shown and had been present for the rest.

"At the time, they did not know it, but they even had a goddess on their side. The Goddess Alya, at the time nicknamed Alya the Shadow." Alya looked up at the mention of her name. She smiled fondly at the memories that appeared before them all. As she watched, she caught Aladdin's eyes and his flashed with realization.

Alya frowned; she looked different from back then, so how could he notice? She waited nervously for Aladdin to bring it up. After being on edge for so long, she soon relaxed.

Aladdin's retelling soon arrived to where Shiba was brutally killed by Arba. Back then, Alya bad not been there to actually witness the fight. Seeing it for the first time made Alya's blood boil all over again. She wanted nothing more than to rip Arba to tatters. Her hands clenched into fists until her knuckles turned white. Alya watched herself walk away from Ugo, planning her vengeance on Arba… never to return.

Suddenly the images became still as Alma Torran's Alya disappeared from Ugo's sight. "Miss Alya," Aladdin's voice called out. Alya looked up at him in surprise. "Can you guess what happens to Alya of Alma Torran?"

Ah. Here it is. He did notice. Alya smiled sadly and looked directly into Aladdin's eyes. "She learned of Sheba's demise and set out to kill Arba. However, she underestimated the witch and died in a pool of her own blood, unable to do anything... unable to keep her promise..." She looked out into the ocean, making Aladdin frown.

Everyone's eyes fell on her. Some in confusion. Some in surprise. Others… in horror. For a brief moment, she made eye contact with Sinbad, only to wince and look away. There was so much pain and terror in those eyes. Was he imagining her going though it? Imagining himself unable to help? She didn't want him to feel this way.

"How did you..." Aladdin couldn't seem to think of the right words and cut himself off.

She looks back at him with her soft smile again. "She was stabbed right here." Alya motions to where she too was hurt. "But the wound was poisoned with black Rukh and she knew she would not survive." There was silence. She saw Alibaba take a step back, guilt written all over his expression at this new information. "After giving up her throne as goddess to help humans, she felt betrayed… and useless."

Everyone knows! What's going to happen next? Well you'll just have to find out next time~

Comment Corner!

mun3litKnight: For now, I'm simply following the story, so if you keep up with the manga, it's unfortunately not a lot of surprises, besides what i squeeze in for Alya. I'm glad everyone things what I'm adding is cool though :)

Random person: Yep, but I never got to say it before Christmas ended so I thought that I might as well.

kimi: Sorry for the wait. I'm glad you like the past-present Alya predicament~