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1 day later
Mozenrath glared into the mirror again, his fingers circling the stone round his neck. He had figured something out, at least he hoped he had. He took another sip of juice and settled himself into a comfortable position, and closed his eyes.
They could trap it, confine it, block it with iron and cheap mirror spells, but his power still thrived within him. His gauntlet was restricted by the spells in his manacles, but his own innate power, that which made him a wizard by birth, couldn't be taken from him.
Mozenrath rarely relied on his own power reserves. That could leave his body weakened and drained. Especially since Destain had taught him only enough to contain his own power before forcing him to rely on the gauntlets. But he could feel it there, sleeping, dormant, waiting to be summoned again.
Slowly he extended a hand into his being, focusing to see within himself. Something pulsed and he tracked it, following the scent of energy. It reached out it's tendrils, testing…testing, then smoothing over his out stretched hand. He seized hold of it, pulling the little wisp of power from himself. The manacles began to burn on his wrists, sensing his actions. He froze, moving not a inch, barely even breathing. The heat died down, leaving his flesh sweating in pain.
With a jerk he brought the power home, the manacles reacted, but it was too late, he had brought just a little energy out. Pain seared his arms and chest, straining every muscle in his body. He grit his teeth and withstood it, waiting until he could breath right before looking down into the mirror and gingerly touching his collar.
As the fingers touched the black jewel there, it glowed, a dark power humming in his undersenses. Mozenrath grinned a bit like his old self. A small taste of triumph went a long way, but he was already paying for it. He slumped to the couch, laying his head on the pillow and groaning. That little exercise had barely brought him enough to start a fire, let alone escape the wretched place and extract his revenge.
But he had time, not much, but still time. He crept to the wall and listened to the footsteps, four people, walking in perfect unison. The soft clank of metal hitting against their sides. The guard was changing for the night. Good, he still had a day left. He lay back and closed his eyes, putting himself into a catnap like state from which he could awake at any time. He would start again in an hour, and every hour, transferring as much as he could before the hero and his princess came back.
Jasmine strode through the gardens on her own. Aladdin had more than proven himself in the past few days. With time passing like the wind and the deadline close at hand, she had been doing everything possible to prepare him for his new duties. With a little guiding hand she had him sitting in on council sessions and making judgments on trials. She'd tweaked the beauracracy a little and given him the auspicious title of Grand Surveyor in Absence of Royal Presence. The title was complete camel dung, but it was enough to shush anybody who questioned his authority.
Jasmine picked a lilac from the bush and sniffed it. I should have the alchemists make a perfume of this for me. The scent is so warm this year. While he thoughts were on it she needed to starts getting things ready for Mozenrath. If he was going to become the first concubine of Aladdin's reign, he would need proper attire and accoutrements. That cute little skirt and manacles combo was fine for the playroom, but he was going to appear in public sooner or later. Last night, she and Aladdin had discussed eventually having him instated as some sort of 'wife' , and second wives were nearly as important as the first.
He would look splendid in a dark jade outfit, perhaps with some cream tones. No, better not to go with anything too light, it would only make him look pasty. Keep the colors deep and vibrant to accentuate his almost feminine beauty. One of her little delights was creating outfits for any occasion. It was a hobby she gladly would have let consume her every waking moment. And Mozenrath would be a delight to design for, such an unusual shape and skin tone in comparison to her voluptuous curves and Arabic shade.
Jasmine walked inside, passing a mirror and stopping in astonishment. A little princess dressed in silks, wandering the garden while she picked flowers. How childish she looked, how irresponsible. She knew she was a little naive. It irked on her last nerve how people used her palace upbringing to undermine he opinion. Just because she was blue blood didn't mean she had no idea how the 'real world' worked. Aladdin had the same problem, but on the opposite end. His upbringing only opened him to ridicule from nobility, how he couldn't possibly have the intellect to be a Sultan.
Why? Because he isn't inbred six generation solid? Jasmine sighed. Of course like all other royalty, she had a few great grand uncles and aunts that had intermarried to keep the family name pure, but most were so far back and so detached by marriage they couldn't be considered kin.
But still, that's what made their relationship perfect. She knew the high born and their motives like the back of her tiara, while Aladdin knew the people and their hearts like the back of a wallet. Together they could make Agrabah a thriving metropolis, rich in culture and economy. A bastion of life through the entire world.
And all thanks to a pretty sorcerer named Mozenrath. Jasmine set the flowers down in a vase and changed into a more suitable outfit. A long red sarong wrapped around her hips and tied firm in the center, showing her curvy legs and thighs. A few tactful pieces of gold to highlight where she wanted attention drawn, and her hair worn without decoration, making her seem wild and exotic. With a little hum she took the black stone out and pressed it gentle.
The black knobs on her wardrobe twisted and creaked open, revealing a well lit stair case going up. Nobody besides she, Aladdin, and a few servants she'd trust with her life knew about the secret passage. Aladdin was busy with the tributes and would be for the next few hours. He had things well under control now so she felt perfectly justified in taking a few spare hours to enjoy herself. With a touch she closed the doors behind her and headed up the stairs, her footsteps echoing down.
As Jasmine touched the stone to release the spell on the door, she felt a sharp tingle run through the tip of her fingers. For just an instant, she could swear she saw a little spark run between her and the panel. She gingerly touched it again. Nothing. Well Genie said the iron gets charged sometimes and has to let off energy. She shrugged it off and touched the panel again, opening the unseen door and passing through.
Her feet tapped against the hard mirror floor as she entered and searched out the familiar form. He was on the couch, eyes closed, obviously enjoying his rest. The dim lighting illuminated his soft features, and Jasmine hummed delightedly. "Slave." She whispered in a sing song voice. "Wake up slave, your mistress wishes to be serviced." She held her head high, putting on the most dominating appearance she could.
When he didn't move, she began to grow impatient. "Slave!" she barked and strode over to him, grabbing his arm and forcing him to turn over. "How dare you…" with a gasp she saw his eyes opened wide, full of mirth. For a second she was reminded of Rajah when he had cornered a shrew in the flowerbeds. She turned grasped for the stone around her neck, instincts screaming for her to end this rebellion now.
As her hand clasped the black stone, Mozenrath touched his own, sending a surge of power from one to the other. Jasmine yelled and doubled over in pain, the force sending her to her knees. "How does it feel princess?" Mozenrath questioned in a low, inquire ring tone. "How does it feel to bow?" He focused again out of spite and sent his captor reeling across the floor.
Jasmine caught herself and pushed her body to it's feet. Her legs felt numb and aching, but she forced it to move. With a snap she jerked off the necklace, keeping it on now only opened her to further attack. She lunged for the door, not bothering to hide the brick that would open it.
"Now princess, you just got here. It's rude to just leave without saying hello." Mozenrath chuckled and sent a flash of power into Jasmine's frame, jolting her to the ground. She struggled, trying to maintain her stance and fight. Acting automatically and switched feet and spun her leg around, catching to sorcerer in the ankle and knocking him down. The mirror warped inward, distorting the image. Mozenrath snarled and summoned what he could from the stone. It flared in black symphony around him, an impressive show, though it forced him to waste precious resources. He grabbed Jasmine's leg and pulled her close to him, surging with power. "I think I should thank you for your hospitality princess, after all, you have been such a gracious hostess." He forced the power through the both of them, letting it filter through again before shocking Jasmine unconscious.
He checked her over, once sure she was out, and slumped over. That little display had cost him. He should have been more tactful, waiting till she was engaged in humiliating him before he struck. But the way she had spoken, demanding that he service her. It had struck a cord. So he had abandoned the defensive for a more climactic battle.
No matter.He considered and picked up the discarded black necklace. Concentrating he ran his hand over the opal and was rewarded with a shiver of unguarded power. Stupid girl. He mused delightedly. A professional sorcerer would have placed a trap inside something this powerful, doubly if it held the key to control over his enemy. But that's what you get when you trust a blue buffoon for quality merchandise.
"Well princess." He sneered and picked her up as he gathered power about them. "Perhaps we should continue this discussion at my place." The dark mana swarmed over them, making the silken displays flutter in the breeze. And with that, they were gone.
Genie lifted his head with a start, his comical face looking blanched for an instant. "Um Al." he put a shoulder on his buddies arm and shook him. Aladdin was busy shaking hands and talking excitedly with some members of the local temples and mosques, something about reconstruction. "Al…we've got a problem."
"What is it Genie?" he asked off handedly. He caught the worry in the djinns eyes and bit his lip. "Genie? Genie what is it?" Genie looked up and gulped. With a start Aladdin took off, not bothering to spout apologies at very confused priests. Aladdin ran through the palace corridors, swinging open the curtains to Jasmine's bedroom and bringing out a hidden silver ring with a black opal imbedded in it. He touched it too the wardrobe as Genie followed him inside.
"Jasmine!" Aladdin hollered and felt a black lash of something hit him across the chest. He gasped and landed against his cushiony friend. A villainous laughter rang through the corridors and Aladdin watched as dark power escaped through the cracks under the door. "No. No! Jasmine!" he slammed his hand against the brick and ran inside, eyes searching for some trace of his wife. "Genie!"
"Good thing I put a tracer on these babies." He whipped out a strange looking device made of smooth metal with beeping knobs and buttons on it. He fiddled with the contraption a moment and smiled as he saw a green dot appear on the screen. "Got a mark." He confirmed.
"Let me guess, the Citadel." Aladdin growled.
"Uhm…not quite."
Aladdin turned to his friend. "What do you mean? He isn't going back to the Black Sands?"
"He's not even going anywhere in this dimension." Genie turned on of the knobs again and stuck his tongue out of the corner of his mouth. "I can still se him, but it looks like he's in an entirely different world."
"Can we still follow them?" Aladdin said worriedly.
"Oh sure! Through this universe and at least six others. I tried seven but the Klingon's got really uptight about me mapping their home world…augh!" The Genie wailed as Aladdin grabbed his tail and tore through the doorway to find carpet.
Mozenrath carried the still knocked out princess as he crossed through the borders. From the hot desert sands into the star speckled void, the magic it took was barely noticeable, even with his depleted reserves. It was one of the benefits of being evil incarnates only child, automatic access to her realm. The craggy surface of the asteroids came under his feet and he closed the portal, setting Jasmine down.
With a deft move he removed her sarong, wrapping it as conservatively as possible around his own body. He had no desire to face his mother naked , no matter what the circumstance. Jasmine on the other hand. He looked down at her, a grudging admiration for her body coming through. It was curvy and supple, the even tan on her flesh had to be the envy of any desert women with eyes. Her breasts were heavy, but not disproportionate to the rest of her figure. She was…attractive.
A flash off to his right caught his attention and he stood up. A pair of fire cats were heading his direction. He sighed, admitting that he hadn't expect his presence to go unnoticed long. Mirage had eyes everywhere in her own realm. Bending over, he gathered all his poise and picked up the Sultana. If he was going to face her, it would be dead on.
The fire cats hissed menacingly, and he glared down at them, baring his own tiny canines. "Out of my way flea bag!" he snapped and pushed passed them, the flames licking at his skin. Of course they could look as fierce as they please, but none were stupid enough to risk Mirage's wrath. Mozenrath held Jasmine's naked body in his arms as he walked to Mirage's sphinx like lair. "Mirage!" he barked out and was rewarded only with the silence of flickering flames. Impatience driving at him, he wrinkled his nose. "Mirage!" he snapped so loud it echoed in the endless void. Gritting his teeth, Mozenrath closed his eyes an gave an exasperated sigh. "Mother."
"Yes?" A pair of emerald green eyes illuminated the sky above him. "Darling!" Evil incarnate appeared, her dark feline features a stark contrast to her sons. "Why if I'd have known you were coming I'd have set out some fresh fish…" Mirage's eyes went from her son to the form he was carrying. "Hello?" she murmured as he nose twitched in that ginger feline fashion. Her ears folded back slightly. "Why my dear prodigy…you and Jasmine…?"
"Hardly!" Mozenrath scoffed and dropped her in an undignified heap on the floor. He had to think up an explanation fast. "I suffered a minor setback while attacking the palace…"
"And managed to get yourself captured." She indicated the manacles with a long finger. Mozenrath glanced down and nodded.
"Yes. I escaped. I needed a hostage and Jasmine was…bathing…at the time." He shrugged, hoping the quickly thought up fib would hold. "I needed a hostage. I'm low on power reserves and I…"
"Indeed?" Mirage levitated the princess to eye level. "And I suppose you expect me to let you feed of my energy till your back on your feet." Mirage put a paw against her forehead in a fantastically dramatic fashion. "Haven't I already given you enough? Haven't I raised you? Clothed you? Fed you? A mothers work is never done!"
Mozenrath groaned and rolled his eyes. "Please. You barely managed till I was old enough to be shipped off to Destain's little palace of perversion! Then you stopped by just now and then to make sure I was still breathing." He threw his hands up in the air. "Oh what a dutiful mother."
Mirage hissed. "You ungrateful whelp!" she raised a hand to strike him. Normally he wouldn't have been concerned, his gauntlet was more than a match for her backhand. But at the moment a slash across his cheek was the least of his worries. Jasmine stirred at their feet, her soft eyes fluttering open.
Mirage looked down, having forgotten all about the new captive. "Oh dear me. It seems our little flower is awakening." She wrenched Jasmine to her feet by the wrists. With a sudden start the naked princess came fully aware, gasping in fear.
"Mirage!" Jasmine jerked away, as if the very touch of this cat demoness made her feel foul. "What am I doing here?" she spun and her eyes met Mozenrath, then her sarong around his waist. Her eyes went wide and she tried to cover her nudity, the sudden modesty she displayed made Mozenrath feel just a bit better.
Good. Let her squirm a little. Jasmine wasn't his real goal at any rate. She was just a means to an end. Aladdin was his real tormentor, the real revenge would be extracted upon him. A sudden plan formed in his head and a vulpine grin overtook his generous mouth.
"I'll tell you what your doing here Sultana." He drew the last word out sarcastically. "Mirage here is quite an old acquaintance of mine, and she has generously agreed to take you off my hands. I do believe I am not the only one with a vendetta against Agrabah. And it would be so very stingy of me to keep the fun all to myself."
Mirage looked at him, and in an instant comprehended his meaning. "Yes." She grabbed Jasmine's other wrist and held her an inch off the ground. "I can think of few things sweeter than being your captor fair Jasmine." There was a deep purr in her voice, a noise Jasmine knew from owning little housecats in the right season.
Mirage turned to her (unbeknownst to Jasmine) son. "Now what would I have to give you in order to keep this…gift?"
He displayed his wrists and the strong manacles there. He kept his wrists turned down, hoping to hide the emblem of slavery there. Mirage nodded and set Jasmine down, both women knowing full well she could not escape. Mirage took the iron cuffs in her hands and surged them to the brim with near goddess like power. The pressure was too much, and with a grating snap they fell in half, exposing his flesh and cloth arms.
Mozenrath raised his gauntleted hand with a flare as a maddened grin spread over his face. The blue black power exploded from it, returning to his core and replenishing his rresivouare. "Many thank mo…Mirage." He stopped himself just in time and gave an over indulgent, sweeping bow. "Now unless I'm mistaken, Aladdin is headed for the Citadel by now, I must be there to see he is properly welcomed." He opened a portal, enjoying the long absent rush of time and space at his command. With a final chersire smile at the Sultana, he disappeared.
