Chapter 11

Ja'far told them everything. Like the tide rushing up, the words fell from him like they never had before.

Aladdin and his friends sat quietly as Ja'far recounted the whole of it. He started from the beginning in Valafor's dungeon. The whisper of a bond, the years that had passed, and the tugging in the night. He told them what had passed since the battle in Magnoshdat. The drain, the dreams, the burnt forest, the dying fire, and his own magoi depletion. He finished with how Sin had used magoi manipulation to choke the bond and tamp the communication, a truly fatal move.

Ja'far did not, however, tell them of his love. That part was strategically left aside. It was not a critical piece he needed to reveal.

When he was finished, he felt withered and tired. It was as if he'd physically fought when in reality all he'd done was speak his piece, uninterrupted all the while.

"And that is the bulk of it," Ja'far said heavily.

"Wow," Alibaba said, "I didn't realize that was even possible. A magoi bond between two people! Have you ever heard of that Aladdin?"

Aladdin shook his head. "I never have, but it makes sense, doesn't it? I'd bet it's the reason Mr. Sinbad was able to pull you from depravity. His rukh must have sewn it together to keep you from falling, and it's just never gone away since your lives are so well intwine,"

Ja'far stared at the young boy in awe. A Magi, not a child. Ja'far repeated.

He cleared his throat and tugged at his sleeve. "Now, if we could find a way to reopen the bond, I could lend my magoi to Sin once more. It would bide us more time to figure out a permanent solution,"

Aladdin leaned forward curiously. "Mr. Ja'far? When you see Mr. Sinbad in the burnt forest, how do you get there?"

Ja'far opened his mouth to answer but then closed it again when he realized he hadn't a clue. "I suppose I've never noticed exactly how I end up in the dream world. I just tend to fall asleep and when I open my eyes and I'm suddenly there, just like any other dream. It's hard to recall exactly how it begins," Ja'far pursed his lips and thought on it for a moment more but still couldn't cobble up an answer.

Aladdin shrugged, "Just a thought,"

"But if you did remember how you got there, maybe you'd be able to find the path again and open it back up! I think Aladdin's onto something," Alibaba said with conviction.

Ja'far sighed and rubbed at his forehead roughly, trying to think, but came up short once more "It's no good. Each time was a little different. Once I woke at the bottom of a quarry, and the next on top of a mountain. It didn't really matter where I started though, I just had to follow the chain,"

"Oh," Alibaba said, deflating just a bit. "Well maybe all you have to do then, is find the beginning of the chain. Aladdin, you said you could still see the bond, right?"

Aladdin nodded furiously. "Yeah! It's like a little piece of shimmery thread. Like a spider web made of gold!"

"Mr. Ja'far?" Morgiana said, speaking for the first time since he'd sat them down, "I don't think we'll make much progress until we see you two together. Can we visit King Sinbad?"

Aladdin nodded brightly in agreement as did Alibaba.

Ja'far's knuckles cracked as his folded hands clenched too tightly in his lap. Slowly, he unlaced his woven fingers and steepled them beneath his chin, closing his eyes. The last vision he had of Sin was frightening. A bloody, motionless, sickly vision. He was scared to face it, if truth be told.

Ja'far finally nodded, tense as swollen wood ready to buckle.

"Yes. We can visit King Sinbad now,"

They were silent as they made their way to the hospital wing. The only sound that broke the quiet was the hurried clap of shoe soles on stone. Ja'far swallowed audibly as the door came into view. The two guards on either side looked even more stoic and sombre than usual. Their eyes were the only thing that moved as Ja'far came to stand before them, his three companions in tow.

He gave them a nod, just hardly tipping his chin to his chest, but they understood. The guard on the left stiffly reached forward and grasped the handle, pulling the door open wide enough for them to enter. Ja'far paused for only a moment before nodding to Aladdin, Alibaba, and Morgiana to follow.

His robes danced at his ankles as he strode into Sinbad's hospital room.

There were two staff medics at either side of Sin's bed, and by the window, stood none other than their teal haired magician.

"General Yamuraiha," Jafar said curtly as she turned to face the new comers.

"General Ja'far, A- Aladdin?" Yam's far off look melted as she recognized her student, " What are you doing here? Ja'ar why have you brought-"

"I have a good reason, Yam,"

She gave him a bewildered look but moved to meet them none the less, bending to Aladdin's level to embrace him in a hug.

"It's good to see you again, Aladdin" She said. "What have you been up to since the ship returned?"

"Trying to figure out what the heck is going on around this place!" Alibaba answered before Aladdin could. He was looking nervously towards Sinbad's bed.

Ja'far anxiously allowed himself a glance at his King. Sinbad was paler than ever. His skin was ivory white like he'd lost all of his blood during last night's events. The sight made Ja'far feel sick to his stomach but he strode carefully over the bed, the sword he'd slipped into his belt noticeably heavy on his hip. He placed Baal's sword neatly onto the night stand aside Sin, handle intentionally towards the bed, as if ready for Sin to grasp the hilt.

Ja'far breathed out sadly.

Even up close it was hard to tell that Sin was breathing.

"We were getting worried," Aladdin said, pulling away from Yamuraiha slowly, "We heard really terrible rumor's, Yam."

She smiled sympathetically. "I'm sorry Aladdin, but you still aren't even supposed to know about this. It's dreadfully dangerous for the word of Sin's condition to spread about. We'd be surely targeted if the wrong people found out our King's fallen ill," She shot Ja'far an angry glance. "All the general's had sworn to keep this problem amongst ourselves and the staff,"

"Don't be angry at General Ja'far, we cornered him! And besides that, we're going to help him cure king Sinbad!" Aladdin said.

Yam looked at Ja'far dubiously. "Explain,"

Ja'far took a deep haggard sigh and nodded. After sending the medical staff away, Ja'far recounted the whole story through again. Alibaba, Ja'far, and Morgiana sat patiently as he spoke. Yamuraiha reacted precisely how he figured she would, thinking him cracked under the pressure and down right delusional until Aladdin chimed in.

"He's not crazy, Yam! I can see the bond as clear as day! It's like a tether running between Mr. Ja'far and Mr. Sinbad!" Aladdin insisted.

"But, but, how is that possible? Nothing like this has ever been documented. Not in any of our books, or our oldest scrolls," Yam had sunken onto the room's chaise as Aladdin had explained the strange, visible bond hefting truth to Ja'far's story. "I suppose I should have known, though shouldn't I? I've been saying it the whole time myself. Sinbad's magoi has been bubbling up from no where. It didn't make any sense. It's been yours all along, hasn't it?" Yam fixed Ja'far a gaze.

He nodded back grimly.

She laughed suddenly, sounding on the verge of hysterics. "And when you nearly collapsed with magoi depletion yourself, this whole mess was the reason behind it I suppose. A-and last night when you ran for the medics, you were bleeding too. Of course Sin wouldn't let you carry on like that, giving your own life for his. That's why he put a stop to it,"

"He should have let me carry on. His life's much more valuable than mine," Ja'far said fiercely.

"You know he would never..." Yam said quietly, gripping her fish eye staff and falling quiet.

"And he's a fool for it!" Ja'far growled, eye's growing hot with bitten back tears. A damn fool for leaving me when he's knows he's my purpose in the world! He's going to leave me with nothing left to fight for.

"Mr. Ja'far!" Aladdin said suddenly, his shrill words breaking the tension, "There's a swarm of rukh all around you! A-And the bonds started to glow!"

Yam jumped to her feet in alarm, while Morgiana and Alibaba stiffened as if preparing to fight.

With wide eye's Aladdin slowly approached Sinbad's bed. His blue braid and bangs were swaying eerily in a silent wind that only appeared to affect the little magi.

Ja'far stared, transfixed as Aladdin closed his eye's and rested his pale hand over Sinbad's broad chest. The ghostly wind seemed to whip around the young Magi even faster and a magical buzz had taken to the air.

Ja'far let out a startled yelp as an electric zing hit him in the chest, sinking down to his very center. His hand shot up to cover his heart as the bond gave a little tug.

It's there! It's really there! Ja'far sank slowly to his knees, a tear falling against his will.

Yamuraiha seemed to have been jumped just as much as Ja'far. Her eyes were now darting frantically between the Cheif Advisor and the King as if she was only now truly believing the tale. Aladdin's vest and pants were becoming caught up in the magical gale as he stood over Sin and the ephemeral hum was growing more oppressive, making the room's air feel thick like butter.

Alibaba and Morgiana were both intensely focused on their friend, still as statues.

Ja'far could do nothing but remain on the floor, tears streaking soundlessly down his cheeks as the bond gave several more feeble tugs in rhythm with what he was sure was Sin's heart beat.

After two more breath's time, Aladdin's shockingly blue eyes opened and the strange tension gradually melted away.

Aladdin pulled his hand from Sin's chest and turned to face them all.

"I know how we're going to save Mr. Sinbad,"

Aladdin's plan was crisp, and simple. It was something only a child could have imagined up, and only something a magi could carry out.

Several hours later Ja'far found himself walking hurriedly to General Yamuraiha's office. She had gone there to prepare herself. Clear her mind and review incantations and the like. She'd be the one ensuring Ja'far didn't die during the ordeal, after all.

Ja'far on the other hand, had spent his time pacing about the palace distracting himself as much as possible. It was a funny thing, preparing yourself for something that might very well kill you. Ja'far should have been used to it by now, but it wasn't often that his own death would definitively bring with it the death of another, and that simply wasn't an option.

Ja'far tried not to imagine all the things that could go wrong.

He wrapped on Yamuraiha's door briskly before letting himself in, closing it softly behind himself.

Yamuraiha was standing by the window, her back to him as if she hadn't heard his knock.

Ja'far cleared his throat, hands wringing within his sleeves, "Morgiana's just told me that Aladdin's set to go. Everything is in place. Are you ready?"

When Yam finally turned, Ja'far was shocked to see tears in her eyes. She shook her head and pursed her lips, studying his face with too much intention. "Oh Ja'far, I..I have something to tell you,"

Yam's eyes welled further and several tears fell to pepper the tile floor like raindrops.

Ja'far bit his lip uncomfortably, "General Yamuraiha, perhaps whatever it is should wait until later. We don't have much time-"

Ja'far stumbled back as Yam suddenly threw herself into his chest, embracing him tightly. The weight nearly toppled him backward but he managed to find his balance. "Yam!? What is it!?"

Ja'far didn't know what to do with his hands at first, but he awkwardly settled them onto her shoulder blades. Ja'far stiffened further as he felt her begin to shudder.

She was crying.

"I-it's okay Yam," He patted her back a few times stiffly in his best attempt at comfort. At least it was better than the last time he'd been confronted by her in this way.

"Oh Ja'far," Yam hugged him tighter, sobbing. "I-I saw you! I saw,"

Ja'far froze and his hands stilled as he processed her words, thoughts sent into a racing spiral. "Wh-what are you talking about?"

She sniffled and took a deep, steadying breath. "I saw you and Sin lying together late last night. Before everything went to hell. You were asleep in his arms and the way he held you, I knew. It was just so obvious. He loves you," Yam released her grip and pulled away. Her teal eyes swam in crystal tears and her cheeks were flushed red from the crying. "And you love him back, don't you?

Ja'far didn't know what to say. He gaped at the wizard before him like a fish out of water.

"No one was supposed to see us," Ja'far choked out after an exaggerated moment.

Yam gave him a sympathetic look. Of course she did. He'd caught her in the same act just a day ago.

"It doesn't change the truth, Ja'far. That's what formed the bond to begin with, isn't it? It's another puzzle piece that fits just right. The bond was formed by love,"

Ja'far opened his mouth to retort but then closed it again, teeth clicking together sharply.

Yam shook her head. "Don't say anything else. I won't tell anyone what I know, but Ja'far, we can't afford to lose either of you. So I'm telling you, use everything you've got to bring him back. Use this-" She pressed her hand firmly over his heart, "to save him,"

Ja'far stared into her determined eyes, at a loss of what to say.

"There," she said abruptly, breathing out shakily and giving his arm a squeeze before striding past him towards the exit. "It's off my chest. Let's go save our king,"

Delayed but not forgotten! Leave a review and maybe I'll post another chapter sooner than later! This story's getting close to the end!