Apart from the back alleyway, which seemed darker than what it was, the marketplace happened to be closing up in the golden-violet sunset. As they walked along, they came across a vendor who sold fruit packing up shop. Mozenrath picked up a few dates from a small wooden crate just as the merchant turned around to pack up, and coupled them in his gauntlet. The merchant hadn't noticed, and continued packing up. "How much do you know about the Ring of Amara?" He asked as they continued walking.

Aladdin looked back at the merchant, wondering how he didn't just see or hear him. "The Ring of Amara? Never heard of it."

The merchant gave Aladdin a strange look as he stacked empty wooden crates on top of each other.

"Figures," Mozenrath sighed. He didn't have time to explain a convoluted history of paradoxes. "Long story short, Amara was a powerful witch who specialised in divination. She instilled her essence in her favourite ring that she never took off. The ring, itself, is cursed. Those who have been reported to have found the ring explained they could hear a woman's voice, whispering in their ear. These reports always state that the voice would tell the recipient of harmless secrets the people around them have."

"Ok… so how does that make the ring cursed?"

"The ring can't be taken off. Not to mention that the ring would start out with telling the recipient harmless secrets, to gradually ageing the person with the knowledge of catastrophic events that would plague their dreams. Whether if these visions actually held truth to them is uncertain. Eventually, most likely due to lack of sleep, they weren't able to differentiate nightmare from reality. Every report I've read on it states those who were in possession of the ring ended up clawing their own eyes out."

Aladdin's upper lip curled up in disgust. "Ok… but what does that have to do with the black sand?"

Mozenrath pinched the bridge of his nose. "You've seen what it can do. What do you think could happen if the black sand were amplified by the Ring of Amara?"

Aladdin frowned a little bit, trying to work out what he meant. Then it dawned on him. The black sand at a catastrophic level. "Oh…"

"Now, I'm sure you know I haven't told you everything. Think of it as insurance on my part. Though, I'm sure you can appreciate not liking being falsely accused." Mozenrath stopped to face Aladdin.

"Wait, hang on. If you're not behind this, then how do you even know the ring is involved somehow?"

"Insurance."

"Seriously!?"

"Hey, Al! I tracked down the source. It seems the Wiz-kid was here at some point. Recently, too…" Genie poofed into existence with a metal detector that guided him towards Mozenrath's feet.

Mozenrath folded his arms, and gave Genie a 'really?' look.

Aladdin looked at the metal detector, and glanced up to Mozenrath. Only just realising that Mozenrath somehow hidden himself. Mozenrath glared at Aladdin, as if to say not to give him away. So Aladdin looked back at Genie. "Uh, yeah… I confronted him about that. He says he doesn't know why or how the sand got here."

The metal detector disappeared, and Genie looked at Aladdin as if he's grown another head. "And you actually believe him?"

"He seemed… sincere." Aladdin shrugged helplessly. He wasn't sure if 'sincere' would ever be the correct word when describing Mozenrath.

"Wait, Al… Wait… You confronted him!?" Genie towered over Aladdin. "ALONE!?" He shrunk to place his hands on Aladdin's shoulders to shake some sense into him. "Why didn't you take me with you!?"

"Yes, Aladdin. We both would like to know."

Aladdin didn't bother trying to stop Genie from shaking him. "I… didn't want him to get you, Genie."

Genie stopped shaking him, and his eyes softened. "Al… kid… he's also dangerous to you, too."

"I can handle myself, Genie."

Genie let go of his shoulders, and narrowed his eyes at him. Genie then poofed into a balding small man, wearing a white lab coat and a stethoscope, while Aladdin fell into a chair that poofed into existence. It got dark when a slideshow of inkblot images started. "Y'know the kid's insane, right?" Genie put on a voice to suit the character.

"I know, Genie."

Mozenrath rolled his eyes.

The slideshow, and the chair disappeared. "Y'know he's kidnapped me within the first day of knowing him, and almost made me thirdacc chow, right?" Genie poofed into a bowl of food meant for a pet with a face on it.

"But we saved you, and I made him send it back."

Mozenrath sighed, and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. Deciding that this was going to take a while, he started eating the dates he got from earlier.

"Y'know he's set up traps before, right?"

"Yes, Genie. I was used as bait at Dagger Rock."

"Y'know he has an army of the undead, right?" Genie poofed into one of Mozenrath's mamluks wielding a scimitar, bringing the edge to under Aladdin's chin.

Aladdin was unbothered by the image, or the sword he felt at his neck. "Which he halted before they attacked me."

Genie poofed back to normal, and the scimitar disappeared as well. "Y'know he's lied before, right?"

"I know, Genie."

"Y'know he's tried enslaving me, right?"

"I know, Genie."

"Y'know he's tried absorbing me and Eden, right?"

"I still can't believe she actually fell for that." Mozenrath chimed in between dates, amused.

"I was there, Genie." Aladdin frowned, and casually went to where Mozenrath stood to purposefully stomp on his foot as casually as possible, and faced Genie. Mozenrath recoiled slightly. He frowned at him. He was about to shove him, but thought better of that.

"And you still believe him!?" Genie was still as bewildered as he was when Aladdin said he confronted Mozenrath alone.

"Genie…" Aladdin sighed. "I'm not saying he won't turn on us. I'm saying he probably wants to know why, as well. And if something is using it, and he hasn't given them permission to… then it's probably something big. Something that even Mozenrath is concerned about."

Mozenrath scoffed. If he was 'concerned', as he so aptly put it, then they all should be fearing for their lives. Yet there was no fear.

"… You actually believe him?"

"I don't believe he's being entirely honest with me, but I don't think he's lying about that. He could be up to something else—."

"If you, the Genie, or your friends end up raiding my citadel, then the history about the ring will be the last piece of information I give you."

Genie looked at Aladdin strangely, waiting for him to continue.

"— not that I think that'll happen any time soon…" Aladdin finally continued.

"You're sure, kid?"

"Positive."

Genie slumped his shoulders, and heaved a heavy sigh. "Alright… if you're suuuuuuuure…" Genie stretched out the word, wanting Aladdin to go against what he previously said.

"I'm sure."

Genie sighed again, and was about to poof before Aladdin stopped him. "Genie, wait… Mozenrath's willing to give us information, and mentioned something about the Ring of Amara amplifying the black sand. Can you find out exactly what we'll be up against if that ever does happen?"

"The Ring of Amara…hmm… that sounds familiar… Alright, I'll look into it." Genie poofed.

Aladdin then looked back at Mozenrath, mimicking him, smirking, and flexing his eyebrows at him. "I'm sure you can appreciate I have my own insurance, as well."

Mozenrath shoved him extra hard for stepping on his foot, and for making a mockery of him. "I don't look or sound like that."

Aladdin laughed, "but you do!"

"No, I don't. It's a good thing you're not an actor, because you make poor impressions."

Aladdin smirked at him, though he didn't say anything else about that. It was enough to know that Mozenrath was bothered by it. "Anyway… is there anything else you think might be involved?"

"There is, but that will have to depend." As far as Mozenrath knew, he wasn't sure if the ring would be involved at all. Though at this point in time, it seemed like a very strong lead. If the past was anything to judge by, at least. And as far as everything else, well… he'd need to see how the Street Rat handles the situation before he begins feeding him future information, and potential misinformation. He intended on executing his latest scheme, after all.

"Depend on what?"

Mozenrath folded his arms at him. "Whether if I can trust you with further information."

Aladdin frowned at him. "Fine. Is there anything else you can tell me about the Ring of Amara?"

"No. Though I will say this; if the ring is found to be used in conjunction with the black sand, then I won't be able to control it. So I most likely won't be able to help you if you end up fighting against it."

"What!? Why!?"

"Insurance." Mozenrath opened a portal, and stepped through it. Leaving Aladdin alone.