Chapter 4 - Springing the Traps


The following morning, after the cue ball ectomy provided by the genie and a reluctant Abu, Iago flew away to find Aladdin.

"I'm glad you were able to cover for me last night, Jasmine," Aladdin addressed in the Princess' bedroom.

Aladdin's voice suddenly got Iago's attention.

"Again, thanks, Aladdin," Jasmine replied. "And I'm glad that Father's able to forgive me, at least. But still, I haven't figured out a way for the two of you to patch things up, so far."

They heard the bedroom door creak. Iago was eavesdropping, and he tried to sneak away.

"Iago?" Aladdin noticed.

"Uh," the parrot began as he flew into the room, "I just thought of a way you and the sultan can patch things up. He might enjoy a nice scenic carpet ride."

Jasmine thought about Iago's suggestion.

"Not a bad idea," she agreed.

"I'll bring Genie," Aladdin suggested. "He was a big hit with the sultan."

"No, no, no," Iago waved his wings in disagreement. "I mean, Genie's, uh… He's too flashy, he's too loud. You'd never get a word in."

"Good point, Iago," Aladdin agreed.

"You need some quiet time with Father," Jasmine said to her boyfriend. "Let him get to know you."

"Yeah," Iago agreed. "And I… I can take you to the perfect spot."

"Great," Aladdin agreed.

"Come on," Jasmine began, "let's get Father." The two were about to exit the room. "Thanks for the suggestion, Iago."

Iago groaned. "Wait a second!" he called.

"Yes, Iago?" Aladdin replied.

Iago was about to warn them, but he saw Jafar's menacing eyes glaring at him through the curtains, giving him a "not a word" warning.

"Uh… I'll be along in a minute."

The two resumed on their way to the sultan. Iago felt a bit guilty. Jafar physically crept behind him.

"Excellent," he brooded.


In the gardens, Jasmine led her father along the way to Aladdin's golden-tasseled flying magic carpet.

"After you, Your Highness," Aladdin nervously offered.

The sultan frowned while hopping on, but brightened while the carpet rode him around. Aladdin and Iago hopped on when the carpet descended.

"All right, Carpet, let's go," Aladdin said before the carpet rode off.

"Have a good time," Jasmine waved.

Just then, black sand swirled around the unsuspecting princess, and she screamed when they swallowed her in.


She found herself inside a dank realm full of black sand.

"Greetings, Princess Jasmine," Mozenrath greeted from behind, startling her.

"Who…" she gulped. "Who are you?"

"My new master, of course, dear princess," Jafar replied, startling her even more, "and my new friend, Mozenrath."

"Jafar?!" Jasmine gasped. "I shouldn't have expected you to return."

"All part of the plan," Jafar continued. "Welcome to the Land of Black Sand. My most-feared rival Destane ruled this land, at least until Mozenrath here stripped him of his magic, as well as his humanity. Now he works as a useful but harmless slave to him."

"Destane was more of a father figure to me, really," Mozenrath added. "Now he's nothing more than a mamluk."

Destane, who had a zombie-like appearance, walked to the three.

"Not so intimidating without your magic, are you, Destane?" Jafar taunted.

"You may gloat all you want, Jafar," Jasmine began, "but Aladdin will defeat you, like he did last time."

"I believe that Mozenrath and I have ample time to prepare for his arrival."

"Alas," Mozenrath lamented. "This gauntlet I wear drains my life force little-by-little." He removed it, once again revealing his skeletal hand. Luckily, he held the black lamp and rubbed it. "I wish to be immortal."

"Your wish is my command," Jafar replied, raising his arms.

In an instant, Mozenrath glowed, and the skin on his right hand rematerialized. He enjoyed it.

"That was one wish, my friend," Jafar recalled. "Take your time with the other two."

"Thank you, Jafar," Mozenrath replied. "I will be sure to make them wisely."

"I'm sure you will," Jafar agreed.

Jasmine hung her head sadly.


Back on the surface, Genie and Abu were enjoying a picnic at the garden.

"It doesn't get any better than this, eh, shaggy?" Genie addressed. He then pulled out a couple drumsticks from his basket. "How about a nice drumstick?"

He gave one of them to Abu.

"This could use some secret herbs and spices," he continued.

As Abu chewed on his drumstick, a spider crawled onto it. Abu, noticing, pitched the drumstick away, and chattered in fright as more spiders crawled in a swarm in front of them.

"Spiders!" Genie shouted.

He magically put on his exterminator uniform and prepared to spray.

"Things could get ugly."

He sprayed fumes from the gun, but the spiders swirled around into a tornado. The tornado formed into a giant…

"Jafar!" Genie continued, taken aback, as Abu cowered.

"Sorry to spoil your picnic, boys," Jafar replied. "But I can't have any genies mucking about, ruining my plans."

"But you're a genie yourself," Genie pointed out. "We all know that genies can't kill."

Jafar turned his hands into fire-breathing snakes, which fired their breath into him, barbecuing him.

"But you'd be surprised what you could live through," Genie coughed.

Jafar laughed. "You always were good for a laugh."

"Oh, yeah?" Genie replied.

He fired a few lighting bolts at Jafar, seemingly reducing him to nothing, before laughing back.

"Who's laughing now?"

Jafar laughed back, rematerializing.

"Why, I believe it's me," Jafar replied.

The genie fought back against Jafar many times, but after a brave struggle, he was defeated.


Back in the Land of Black Sand, Jafar trapped Genie inside a glass ball, and suspended Abu in chains next to Jasmine.

"That wasn't too difficult," Jafar said, stretching his arms. He then addressed Mozenrath, "Come, my friend. We have other lives to ruin."

With that, the two disappeared in a puff of black smoke.