Chapter 5: Maze of Sand and Thorns

"Out of one maze right into another," Aladdin muttered. "At least we're finally outside." He looked around the area from the staircase leading from the underground maze. The area they stood within was a path of dark brown rocky walls covered with sharp, thorny vines and large flowers much like the poisonous ones they'd seen underground and in the Palace. The hue of the flower petals were a very deep red in the full moonlight, almost like the color of blood.

"What are those things anyway?" Iago said, catching up with Aladdin and perching on the Prince's shoulder as the parrot caught his breath. Abu followed at Aladdin's heels, oohing at the sight before them.

"Blood poppies," Aladdin said. "I think that's what Jasmine called them. Mozenrath used those flowers and filled them with Black Sand magic in order to spread the poison, like smoke from a fire. That's what took us out before. If the poison was active back then, no reason why they wouldn't be dangerous here once the magic's activated. We need to be careful around them. There are more here than there were underground."

Iago frowned. "You can say that again. As tired as I feel, I don't feel like snoozing against my will in the middle of a death maze. Still, we're in open, fresh air - gotta be better than the stuffy place we just came from." Iago flew above Aladdin and Abu, high enough to see over the edge of the maze. The bird's jaw dropped as he surveyed the path ahead. "Guys, you gotta see the view! This maze doesn't look so bad."

Abu pointedly screeched that neither he nor Aladdin could fly, but was surprised when Aladdin, who saw a path to climb up the vines to the outer edges of the maze wall, started climbing up to see what Iago could. When he reached the top, Aladdin surveyed the area in awe.

"It doesn't look like the maze is all that long to travel from up here," Aladdin said. "But I would bet the sight up here is deceiving. If we had Carpet, we could just fly over all of this without a problem at all. Makes sense why Mozenrath was calling it a test." Aladdin turned to look at Iago over his shoulder as the bird flew closer to Aladdin's side. "Looks like you're gonna have to be our eyes topside getting through this maze, Iago."

Iago groaned. "At least it's not me being monster bait." He gave Aladdin a side eye glance. "Hey, you guys may not have wings, but no one's sayin' you can't walk along the top of the walls of the maze."

Aladdin shook his head. "Normally I would think that was a good idea and go that route. But this place isn't like traveling the building tops in Agrabah. The gaps are too wide between the maze walls to leap across. Plus, the vines are really easy to trip on - thorns and all. Falling from this high up would really hurt." At that moment, Aladdin felt his vision blur again. The effect made him feel vertigo from being so high from the ground. He started to sway, but regained his balance quickly by shifting his feet once the flicker of it passed.

"Kid, you good?" Iago said.

"I'm fine," Aladdin said, his voice quiet as he closed his eyes and held a hand against the side of his head. "Think the mist I breathed in earlier is still messing with me. I was in the thick of it much longer than you guys were." He looked at Iago over his shoulder, brow furrowed with concern. "You two still good?"

Abu shrugged his shoulders, screeching that he was fine.

"Yeah, what the monkey said," Iago followed.

"Good. Let me get down from here." Aladdin found it harder to get down from the edge of the wall than climbing up. His hands had to find creative ways of avoiding the thorns of the vines crossing over each other along the sides of the maze wall. When he found there was no route for him to climb down without impaling his hands, he jumped down, having enough space to do a brief flip before landing gracefully to the sandy floor of the maze.

Abu whistled, clapping his paws together in applause. Aladdin gave a brief bow, playing along with his friend.

"Showoff," Iago muttered.

Aladdin laughed. "Betcha can't do something like that all the way up there. Seriously though, let's keep going. We'll follow your lead. Let us know if you see any traps or monsters along the path above. We'll avoid those paths where we can."

Iago rolled his eyes. "Like I said - I'm the most useful bird around these parts."

As Iago flew ahead of them, Abu scrambled up Aladdin's leg and arm to perch on the prince's shoulder. He looked slightly sullen, screeching and shaking his fist at the bird flying ahead of them in the distance.

"Don't fuss over him, Abu. He wants to get out of here and back to Agrabah as much as we do. It's been a long day. Being away from the banquet also means we can't really enjoy the event we put our hard work into, so he's probably sore about that." Aladdin let out a long breath before another thought occurred to him. "You get the feeling that he's really bothered by Mozenrath's words from earlier?"

Abu nodded. "Uh-huh."

"Thought as much," Aladdin said, pausing for a long moment before speaking again. "None of us are useless. If we come up against something we have to stand against that we can't avoid, we'll deal with it then."


Genie was not happy about the current plan, but an emphatic and upset Agrabah princess wouldn't take no for an answer. As she rode on Carpet alongside Genie, the two were silent as they made their way to the Land of the Black Sand. The two had to be very stealth about their current plan, as they not only had to wait until the end of the banquet, but they also had to wait until the Sultan was asleep. Genie assured the Sultan that things would be under control, that they not only figured out what happened to Aladdin, Abu, and Iago, but that he could rescue all three of them on his own.

Jasmine had disguised herself and snuck out of the Palace, meeting Genie on the outskirts of Agrabah with Carpet before the two took off. Jasmine had been pretty passionate in her insistence to go with Genie. In the end, Genie couldn't tell her no.

"Genie?" Jasmine said, breaking the silence between them. "I know you're worried about them, but there's definitely something else on your mind. I can tell."

Genie spoke in a voice that lacked his usual peppy energy. "How?"

She raised a brow at him. "I can see the word 'thoughts' running around your head in circles right now."

Genie looked up and realized that Jasmine was right. The letters that spelled out "thoughts" were written in Comic Sans and were buzzing around his head like a swarm of bees. He scowled. "Well, that's definitely annoying. One moment." He used his finger to conjure a ball of magic, zapping the letters away one by one until they were completely gone. Then he groaned. "I was just thinking that we wouldn't have to be doing this if I'd reached Al and the others on time before they disappeared. If Al's really poisoned and we don't make it there in time..."

She shook her head. "It's not your fault. I'm sure wherever they are, Aladdin's making the most of the situation. So are Iago and Abu. But we do need to hurry. Do we need to go through the plan again, or are we clear?"

Genie transformed into a gem, shining a bit too bright in the moonlight to the point where Jasmine had to shield her eyes. "Crystal clear. Just hoping that Mozenrath falls for it. You and Carpet know to make yourself scarce, right?" He transformed back into his usual form.

"While you're creating the distraction, we'll be searching for a way to get to them. You said it's likely they're trapped in some dimension controlled by Mozenrath's magic?"

"Yep. Where there's a dimension, there's gotta be an opening somewhere. I would look for a mirror in one of the rooms in Mozenrath's palace. You can tell the difference between a regular mirror and a portal mirror. You and Rug Man will have to find that opening, fly through it, and get Al and the others out, lickety split."

"Okay. Just be careful, Genie. If something goes wrong, then we'll circle back to help you as soon as we can."

As they approached the door to Mozenrath's Palace, Genie floated off, giving Jasmine a quick thumbs up just before she flew away on Carpet out of view.

Mozenrath had been waiting, appearing in a wave of magic just before the closed doors. Genie had turned to knock on the door, but stopped as a grinning Mozenrath greeted him. Genie's eyes bulged out of his head in shock, and he fell back to the sand with a groan.

Mozenrath didn't seem fazed. "Welcome Genie. I was expecting you. You're earlier than I anticipated."

"Can you NOT do that?" Genie said, getting to his feet and brushing sand off his big blue arms. "Appearing behind anyone, let alone a semi-phenomenal being, without warning does not work for said being's long term health. Especially when you're trying to recruit for life-long servitude."

Mozenrath groaned with disgust. "Fine. I'll give you a warning next time. I see you didn't come alone. I thought I made it very clear that the Princess was not welcome here."

Genie scowled, folding his arms across his chest. "She wanted to escort me personally, making sure you didn't try anything funny. She's going back to Agrabah now."

Mozenrath looked skeptical, but he saw Jasmine and Carpet fly away in the distance, her gown illuminated in the light of the full moon. "Still dressed in her fancy costume from the banquet, I see. Very well. Good that she's willing to know her place in this situation."

"Where are they, Mozenrath?" Genie asked, not waiting for any other comments from the sorcerer as he tried to keep his temper from rising at the disrespect for Jasmine.

"Since it seems you're keeping your end of the bargain, I'll be happy to keep mine. Just be sure not to try any funny business of your own. I'll be happy to destroy them if you cross me the wrong way." Mozenrath opened the door, motioning Genie to come inside as Xerxes eyed them with curious interest.

"You know, even if you're recruiting me through eternal servitude, does it mean I really have to get along with this guy?" Genie asked, giving Xerxes a side-eye glance and pointing to him. Xerxes didn't seem pleased at Genie's attention either, hissing at the semi-phenomenal being.

"Xerxes, what did I say?" Mozenrath warned. "Genie is our honored guest, and you know what will happen if you treat him any less than that, right? I hope I don't have to give you another reminder again."

Xerxes got a fearful look on his face in that moment, drawing back from Genie. "Yes, Master."

Genie raised a brow as Mozenrath addressed him again. "He won't bother you again, for now."

As Mozenrath turned his back and moved forward, Genie eyed Xerxes again, but the monster looked so fearful that he darted ahead, as far away from Genie as he could manage. "Something makes me think I don't want to know what that 'reminder' was," Genie said under his breath as he followed them through the main hall.


Iago had a brief look of panic and squawked just before he flew down to where Aladdin and Abu stood at a four way section of the maze. He nearly crashed into Aladdin, but Aladdin reached his hands up just before Iago could crash into him, holding the bird gingerly away from him.

"You see where we need to go?" Aladdin asked.

Iago struggled to get his breath. "Only one way we can go from this, the other three are just dead ends. That's the best news I can give you. The bad news is coming round the corner in a sec."

Aladdin saw the shadow just as Iago stopped speaking. He instinctively took a few steps back, almost backing fully along the maze wall. Abu started to screech, his fear of the shadow evident in his dropped jaw, but Aladdin was quick to gently cover the monkey's mouth. Aladdin felt his own stomach start to turn, but kept silent, watching carefully as the monstrous shadow slithered into view.

Another invisible sand magic monster, Aladdin thought. A cobra this time.

"That thing is huge!" Iago said in a harsh whisper. Aladdin put a finger to his own lips as the shadow monster moved past them.

"It didn't see us," Aladdin said, keeping his voice low. "We need to sneak behind it and not draw attention. Too large for us to take on directly." He uncovered Abu's mouth, carefully stepping forward. "Stay close, guys. Try to stay as close to the wall as much as you can, but watch the thorns."

Iago flew behind Aladdin wearily, with Abu scurrying along the sandy ground, following behind the both of them. Abu wasn't careful enough as his vest got caught on the thorn of a nearby vine. The monkey struggled to yank himself free of where his vest was snagged. Had he been more patient, he could have easily unhooked himself with just a few tugs, but the awkward angle made him over estimate the strength he needed to pull himself free. He was sent spinning backward on his last pull, fast and unable to stop. He screeched in alarm.

That caught the giant shadow cobra's attention. Its hiss echoed through the walls of the maze and in the night air. Aladdin realized there wasn't much else they could do but run.

"Way to go monkey! Now it's comin' after us!" Iago shouted in both annoyance and fear.

Aladdin used his arm to scoop Abu up from the ground, just before the shadow could snatch Abu in its clutches. It was hard to tell where the shadow ended and the actual being's form began, but Aladdin didn't hesitate. "Keep going along the path, hurry!" he shouted.

The three of them ran for their lives as the shadow cobra slithered after them, hissing and snapping its jaws in alternate rhythms. Aladdin knew the cobra was closer than it appeared. He was able to run with Abu and put a fair amount of distance between himself and the monster. But Iago wasn't able to fly as fast as Aladdin and Abu were able to make ground through the path in the maze. The bird made the attempt to fly higher to evade the path of the monster, but he didn't judge the distance between himself and the shadow well enough.

It wasn't long before the monster suddenly flickered into existence, it's mouth opening wide to devour the bird.

"HELP! It's gonna EAT ME!" Iago squawked. Aladdin turned, stopping long enough to watch in helpless horror as the shadow sand snake quickly clamped its mouth over the bird.

"Iago! NO!" Aladdin shouted. But he realized, with some relief, that the bird was trapped inside the monster's mouth. He was loudly banging around inside, puffing out the monster's cheekbones while squabbling to be let out.

"Abu, I gotta go help him. See if you can find an exit ahead," Aladdin said as he set the monkey down to the sand. Abu screeched in protest, but Aladdin shook his head. "I'll be fine, just go. I'll get him out of this, promise!"

Abu reluctantly ran ahead of Aladdin while Aladdin weighed his options. The snake was obviously distracted, attempting to swallow Iago, but failing as Iago tried to fly against the snake's mouth. Its body continued to flicker in and out of form, its shadow the only solid proof that the serpent remained in the same place. Aladdin had no weapons to fight with, but he did have a plan that he figured would work if only he had enough time to gather what he needed.

He realized that the vines along the wall of the maze were dry and could be pulled away with a little effort. He needed a stretch of vines with thorns, long enough to wrap around the shadow cobra's neck. It wasn't the most precise weapon but it was the only way to fight back that he could think of in the moment. A few of the thorns pricked his hands, but Aladdin bit back against the pain as he pulled what he needed from the wall. Once he had the vine in his grasp, he used the momentum he had to run behind the monster. As it regained its solid form, Aladdin used the opportunity to run up the cobra's back like a long staircase.

The shadow cobra was so startled that it barely had time to register Aladdin wrapping the thorny vine around its neck until the prince pulled it tight, making the creature gag for breath. Aladdin pulled as hard as he could, allowing the thorns to sink into the monster's neck. The snake hissed in pain, opening its mouth for a brief moment, but not giving Iago enough time to fly out.

"Let. Him. Go." Aladdin said through his teeth as he pulled tighter on the vines gathered in his hand. He used every bit of strength he could to tighten the vine around the monster's neck, choking it to the point where the shadow snake couldn't take any more. It spat out Iago a fair distance away.

"Yuck! Bleh! I can't believe I was ever stuck in that thing's mouth!" Iago shouted as he lay exhausted on the sandy floor of the maze.

Aladdin didn't have long to consider Iago's reaction as the shadow serpent used what remaining strength it had to throw Aladdin off its back in a series of writhing motions. Aladdin struggled to keep his balance, at first keeping his hands tight around the tangled knot of vines around its neck, but one move sent him flying off. The serpent's scream drowned out Aladdin's own as the prince hit the ground hard enough to rattle his teeth and send shocks of pain through his shoulder and back.

Almost as soon as the encounter began, the form of the shadow cobra crumbled, its once towering form melting away to a mass of dark sand that clashed with the floor of the maze.

Abu returned then, screeching as he saw Aladdin and Iago both still lying where they'd fallen on the ground of the maze. The monkey reached Iago first, cringing as he realized what was keeping Iago from regaining flight. The bird's wings were covered in a gooey, thick, clear substance, which wet every bit of the birds feathers. When Abu asked how Iago was, the bird turned on him.

"Does it look like I'm all right?! Not only did I get trapped in the jaws of a giant cobra, I'm covered in serpent spit! Not my finest moment here!"

Abu drew back from the bird in disgust. "Eww."

"Ugh, definitely need a shower now, seriously," Iago said.

"At least you're still in one piece," Aladdin said from a distance away. "I was afraid that thing sank its teeth into you for a bit there."

"Wow, really touched that you were so concerned for my well being," Iago said sarcastically. The bird attempted to shake off the goo that covered his feathers. Much of it did come off, but Abu screeched as he attempted to flee some of it from getting on his fur.

When Iago finished, the bird realized Aladdin was still laying on the ground, trying to recover his breath. The bird squawked as he realized Aladdin's hands were covered in bleeding cuts. They looked bad even from a distance, but the look of pain on Aladdin's expression was enough to signal to both the bird and monkey how bad they were.

"Kid, what did you do to your hands?" Iago said, waddling over to where Aladdin lay with Abu close behind.

"From the vines I used to choke that monster to keep it from eating you. Looks like that was enough to defeat it," Aladdin said between ragged breaths. "Didn't think it would work, but glad it did."

"Now would be a fine time for that healing magic to kick in again," Iago said. "You're not lookin' so hot right now."

No sooner than Iago had spoken the words did Aladdin notice the change in the wounds on his hands. His eyes widened as he witnessed the wounds healing themselves, blood disappearing as quickly as it'd come. Abu screeched in panic as he pointed out the magic, his fur standing on end. As Aladdin sat up, the only remaining marks on his hands were thin red lines where there had once been seriously deep and open wounds. He turned his palms up and down, clenched his hands into fists and released them. No pain, no soreness.

"What does this keep happening?" Aladdin asked aloud, his voice quiet.

"Ya think Mozenrath's behind it?" Iago asked, swallowing against a lump in his throat.

"Gotta be. This realm's full of his magic," Aladdin said. "But for someone who wants to kill us, I don't understand why he'd use his magic to heal my wounds. Doesn't make sense."

"Call me paranoid, but there's gotta be a catch somewhere. Don't get me wrong - I'd be happy to have my wounds healed in a pinch like that."

Aladdin's brow narrowed. "I'm thinking along the same lines. But I don't think we need to focus on that too much right now. We need to keep up our pace to get out of here." Aladdin looked up, looking between Iago and Abu before speaking again. "Abu, did you find an opening ahead for us?"

Abu screeched and motioned in a series of gestures that answered Aladdin's question. Iago groaned in response.

"Great, two dead ends and only one of them has a door that takes us back underground," Iago muttered.

Aladdin shook his head. "That's where we need to be, then. We've been going the right way so far based on your directions, Iago. This maze seems like it's taking us along a path that loops between above and below ground. If that's what we need to do, then that's where we'll go." Aladdin stood, brushing sand from his clothes. He felt sore along the side of his ribs where he fell from the shadow cobra, but he knew nothing was broken, only bruised. "Lead the way Abu. Sooner we get outta here, the sooner we get back to Agrabah. And the faster we move, the more likely we won't run into one of those things again."

Aladdin followed Abu, with Iago waddling along the sands at Aladdin's feet, his feathers still damp with the thick goo.

"Ugh, I hope this stuff dries off or we find a spring somewhere here so I can wash it off and fly again," the bird muttered. "Not likely in this evil domain, but it would be a nice change of pace."