Chapter 3: The Magician of Creation

Vulpi looks around since the dungeon suddenly turns into a town, but according to Aladdin, they are still inside the Dungeon. As they ride the magic carpet, searching for the 'Legendary Treasure' that Alibaba was talking about, Vulpi listens both Aladdin's and Alibaba's conversation.

"What is this place?" Alibaba says, looking around.

"A necropolis." Aladdin answers his question, as Vulpi turns her attention to him since this is the first time she hears about it.

"Necropolis?" Vulpi asks as Aladdin nods to her.

"Yes. Ugo-kun told me about it once. Outside of the Strong Room, there's a city of dead, a necropolis. I guess this is what he meant." He explains.

"Wait, that giant can talk?" Alibaba wonders, surprise at the revelation.

"Right now, I can only summon his…" Aladdin's voice fades as Vulpi feels her body pulse. She feels her head is hurting and she sees images that she doesn't know suddenly invades her head as he put her hand on her head, feeling the pain got even worse.

"Vulpi-nee, are you okay?" Aladdin's worried voice startles her.

"Do you have a headache?" Alibaba asks her as she lifts her head to look at them and realize they have been watching her.

"I'm okay… You don't have to worry about—" She suddenly stops when her headache suddenly gets worsen as her face contorts in pain. Vulpi starts to fall forward, but as Alibaba holds her to stop Vulpi falling off the magic carpet and Aladdin starts to panic.

"Vulpi-nee!" He calls as Alibaba let her lean on his chest and his hands are on her shoulders. "What's wrong?!" Aladdin leans closer on Vulpi's pale face.

"Voices…" She let out, barely whispers as Aladdin frowns. "Images…" Aladdin makes a face when he understands what is going on to her.

"I see…"

"Is she sick?" Alibaba asks, looking worried at Vulpi who looks like she was about to pass out.

"She's not. She must have seen something tragic to this city…" Aladdin answers. "Ugo-kun told me that there is a race that can see a tragic scene when they are near or in an abandon city or a village." Aladdin looks at Vulpi who finally passed out.

Alibaba looks at Vulpi, thinking as he says it out loud. "You're saying that she's from that clan?"

Aladdin looks down. "It's seems like it. Every time when we got near the ruins of a village, she had these kinds of headaches before."

"…By the way, Aladdin, what does Ugo look like?" Alibaba asks and Aladdin smiles.

"Ugo-kun does have a head, but he is pretty handsome."

"I see! You're proud of your friend. Introduce me to him when we get your flute back. I want to hear a lot about you." He says as Aladdin returns his smile.

"Sure, Okay!" He says and silence envelops them as they look at Vulpi, who is still sleeping peacefully. Suddenly, Alibaba makes a sound.

"What is it, Alibaba-kun?" Aladdin asks when he hears him made a sound.

"No… it's just that I remember something about Vulpi." Alibaba says, scratching the back of his head as Aladdin tilts his head.

"Ehh… How would you know that, Alibaba-kun?"

"Well, I heard about it a few years ago. But don't get the wrong idea."

"Sorry, Alibaba-kun, your reaction is always the best." Aladdin smiles at him as Alibaba sighs before hearing groan from Vulpi who slowly sits with the help of Alibaba.

"Are you okay?" Alibaba asks her.

"Yeah…" She replies to him, looks daze.

"Does your head still hurt?" Aladdin asks and she nods her head.

Aladdin, Alibaba, and Vulpi push the large doors as light slowly cast them. They walk inside the room in silence until Alibaba breaks it.

"So… Vulpi, where are you from?" He tries to ask Vulpi.

"That's…" Vulpi trails off as she looks down and looks back up. "Hey, is this the end of the dungeon?" She changes the subject obviously avoiding the question as Aladdin looks at the treasures around the room and for some reason they look like rusty silver treasures around the room. Suddenly, they hear a big pound behind them as they abruptly turn around behind them and see a bloodied Goltas towering before them.

"What the-?!"

Goltas falls forward as they separates to avoid for being squished. Vulpi was the first one to react as she checks his wounds.

"This is bad! Front of his body his severely injured!" Vulpi says as Alibaba stares at Goltas bloodied back in shock.

"Those cuts…" Alibaba wonders as he suddenly looks up in the stair.

"Vulpi!" Vulpi looks up to him when she suddenly gets kick by a familiar red-haired girl sending her flying across the room. Morgiana jumps back to her master who has his eyes shadowed. "You bastards!"

"How could you do that to Vulpi-nee!?"

"Don't mess with me… you piece of trash… You peasant! Who do you think you're speaking to?!" Jamil mutters in his breath, loud enough to be heard. Alibaba stands protectively in front of Aladdin who runs to Vulpi since Aladdin doesn't have his flute to protect him.

"Right now, there are no sharifs and no commoners in here!" Alibaba says.

"There aren't any? Oh yes, there are. You're weak and vulgar, and you're lives are worth nothing, you trash!" Jamil says like he had a mini seizure to himself as Alibaba suddenly remembers something.

"Is Vulpi okay?" He thought as he looks where Vulpi and Aladdin, but Jamil points his sword as Morgiana obeys at his silent order as she runs towards Vulpi who just regain her conscious and Aladdin who holds Vulpi protectively when he sees Morgiana running towards them.

"Hey wait!" Alibaba shouts to her, but Jamil blocks him.

"You wait. You still haven't received your punishment."

"Punishment?"

Yes, punishment! Seriously, what the hell are those things? Why did I of all people have to go through that?!" Alibaba furrows his eyebrows in confusion. "It's your fault! It's your entire fault!"

"I don't know what you're talking about, but I think you might have seen some horrible things." Alibaba slowly unsheathes his dagger on his waist then points it at Jamil, who flinches in surprise. "But isn't it a bit too late for this? We're in the middle of the Dungeon. There are no bloodlines, nobility, or fame here! Everyone has to fight for their own lives here. Go home if you're scared, boy!" Alibaba taunts as Jamil widens his eyes in disbelief, but this seems to boiling his blood even more.

"Whatever, shut up." Jamil says as his eyes casts over by his hair. "I guess commoners will only listen to the words of a sword."

"This fool…" Jamil thought. "He had no idea how many years I've practiced sword fighting. And I'm using a noble style passed down only through the royal family. I'll make sure you suffer before you die." Jamil jumps toward Alibaba who made a defensive stance with his dagger.

"First, your legs!" Jamil exclaims excitedly as he strikes Alibaba's leg, but he dodges it swiftly by jumping back. "Nice dodge! But how about this!?" Jamil strikes his left shoulder, but Alibaba just easily dodges at his simple attacks.

"Is this all you've got, my lord Sharif?" Alibaba says as his voice completely changed.

"Dammit!" Jamil curses as he tries to attack him, striking his left shoulder, right shoulder, his head, and other critical areas, but it is no avail because Alibaba just dodges them easily as they were like a child's strikes.

"Why? Why can't I hit you?!" Jamil says, desperately as Alibaba finally raises his dagger to block one of his attacks.

"That is because…" He trails off as he slides his dagger and lifts it then throws it making Jamil's defense off as he put his dagger near his armpit. "You're wide open on this side." He makes his offense attacks as he starts to lecture him.

"Your neck, your elbow, your shoulder… You're wide open everywhere. Didn't your master teach you anything?" Alibaba says while striking Jamil who barely dodges all his attacks until Jamil lost his grip of his sword as he stares at Alibaba in mixture of disbelief and shock.

"This is more advanced than what you can just learn on the street." Jamil thought. "This is real deal…" Alibaba put his dagger vertically on his chest while his other hand is behind his back. "Palace swords play."

"Who are you? Why can you read Tran?! What's going on?!" Jamil says, suddenly scared as Alibaba puts down his dagger with his eyes completely changed.

"I thought I'd forgotten about those days, but my body still remembers." Alibaba mutters to himself as Jamil made a 'tch' sound as he suddenly cries out.

"Morgiana! Help me! Help me right now!" Jamil screams to Morgiana who is fare across the room. Vulpi tries to stand up with a small help from Aladdin as she looks at Morgiana.

"It's pointless. She's too far –" Alibaba gasps when he sees Morgiana flying to him as she tries to kick him, but Alibaba blocks her attack as she lands beside her master. "You got her in an instant?!" He says in disbelief, looking between Vulpi with Aladdin and Morgiana.

"What's wrong? Did you realize something?" Morgiana looks at Vulpi for a few moments before turning to Alibaba when she hears him calling to her.

"Hey, you! How long are you going to obey him?" Alibaba asks Morgiana. "This is a Dungeon. No one would blame you if you abandon him!" He says, sheaths his dagger while he outstretches his hand for her. "You could be free!" Vulpi who is far across the room hears him as she agrees to him what he says. Morgiana stares at the outstretched hand from Alibaba before she slowly walks to him.

"Morgiana…?" Jamil calls in confusion as Alibaba smile widens as he stands up with his hand still in front of him. Instead clasping her hand on his hand, Morgiana grips on his wrist as she throws him at the wall causing the wall to break at the impact. Jamil laughs maniacally behind Morgiana as he walks up to her while messing her head.

"Good girl! You're really are my best slave!" He says realizing that she still hadn't betrayed her. Then Jamil walks to the wall where Alibaba lies in pain and confusion as he starts to kick him.

"You filthy trash! Just because you can swing your sword a little doesn't mean you'll stop being a commoner!" Jamil says as he repeatedly kicking him. Vulpi takes a step forward to help Alibaba, but Aladdin stops her.

"You can't, Vulpi-nee." He says to her "With your body like that, you can't fight." He stares at her beat up form.

"But Alibaba-san is—"

"Leave it to me." Vulpi stares at him for a few moments as Aladdin says to her to stay and he starts to look around searching for something then stops, picking up a staff then walks back to Vulpi who is staring at him.

"You don't even know what slavery is. I'll show how it is done." Jamil walks back to Morgiana then he put his hand on her shoulder with a command. "Kill him." Her eyes widen. "What's wrong? That's an order. You can do it, can't you, Morgiana?" She doesn't move or speak. "You can, right? Right?" Jamil pushes even giving his sword to Morgiana who turns her head to Jamil with her eyes widen in fear as he drops his sword to her hand and pushes her forward.

Jamil then chants 'Kill him' as Morgiana slowly walks forward, one step from every word 'kill' that Jamil chants. A sweat slides on her neck and she lifts the sword vertically as she reaches Alibaba's body with the tip of the sword glaring at his clothed body of his. She slowly turns her head to see her master's cold eyes glaring at her.

"Do it." He says and the sword clinks when she hears it while breathing heavily as Alibaba stares at her when he sees her shaking. Morgiana lifts the sword ready to bring it down while also at the same time, Aladdin lifts his staff, same white birds start to surround it then they hear a loud sound as the blade of the sword disappears. They look at the sword in shock before they turn around and see Aladdin with a staff in front of him.

"What… what did you just do?" Jamil asks, his voice wavering as Aladdin walks forward with Vulpi following behind as they walk to him. They continue to move forward as Vulpi stops behind Morgiana, putting her hand on her shoulder as Morgiana twitches at her touch then turns around and sees Vulpi's outstretched hand. Morgiana looks at her in confusion. Vulpi gives her a look to give her the hidden message as she shakily gives the sword to her as Vulpi smiles at her when she obeys while patting her head.

"Alibaba-kun, are you okay?" Aladdin asks, helping Alibaba sits up.

"Be careful. She's tough." Alibaba says as Aladdin stands up, holding out his hand.

"Give me back my flute."

"Sorry, but this is the only way to keep you away from loser like him." Jamil says with his arms crossed on his chest as Aladdin narrows his eyes.

"Give me back my flute."

"Then you'll have to take by force." He says.

After a few seconds of silence, Aladdin holds out his staff as he takes a deep breath as the white birds swarm around him. Morgiana moves forward, but she is holding down by a barrier, preventing her to move around as Jamil watches Aladdin in fascination.

"It's just like my master said! He's the one who leads the kings. A true great magician of creation! A Magi!" Jamil continues to watch in fascination to Aladdin and the white birds around when he remembers what his master said to him.

"Listen, boy. Soon after I leave, a Dungeon will appear. Ten years from now, a certain boy will come by. He is the one."

"Great." Jamil thought when he remembers. "You'll become my strength, just as my master told me."

"Magi, you'll choose me, right? Otherwise…" Morgiana starts to stand up despite the barrier around her even the floor cracks at the pressure as she mad a stance. "You know, Morgiana is a descendant of the Fanalis. They say her kick is like thunder, and it can tear open the bodies of a hundred lion at once. The strongest beast in Allah's creation." He brags about Morgiana's ability. "So Magi, if you don't want to fall like those pitiful lions, kneel before me!" Jamil swings his arm in cue as Morgiana jumps at Aladdin as she spins around in hair to attack and Aladdin swings his staff causing a blinding light before it disappears with Morgiana nowhere around. Jamil looks around in panic until he sees Morgiana in the corner, covered in a ball of light.

Jamil falls backward when he sees Aladdin walking towards him. "Give back my flute." He demands and Jamil immediately gives his golden flute back before he speaks.

"Wait!" Aladdin turns his head. "You'll make me king, right? I've been waiting for you. I've been waiting for the day that you would choose me! To prepare for this day, I used people, set laws, and start trades. I led Qishan to prosperity! Isn't it great?" Vulpi and Alibaba hear all of it as they make a disgusting face. "I am! I am great! I am an able man! So make me king!" Aladdin stands there listening to his blabbering.

"A king?" Aladdin says in confusion. "I don't know what you're talking about, but you don't seem all that great to me." He says as his voice deepens at the last part before walking back to Vulpi and Alibaba, leaving Jamil. "Are you okay, Alibaba-kun, Vulpi-nee?" He asks as his voice turns back to normal.

"That was amazing!" Alibaba says. "Was that magic? Seriously, what are you?"

"What do you mean, Alibaba-kun? I'm your friend!" Alibaba stares at him, surprise at Aladdin's reply. "Let's continue our adventure! We have things to do!" Alibaba smiles as he grabs Aladdin's outstretched hand when suddenly a magic circle appears under their feet and they hear a booming elderly voice.

"Who will be the one to become king?" They stare at the blue djinn that came out of nowhere who has his arms crossed as he starts to look down. "You?" He turns to Jamil. "No." Then to Morgiana. "Not you." To Vulpi. "It can't be?!" Then he turns to Aladdin. "Oh… it is…" The Djinn trails off as it finally turns its head to Alibaba "…you?"

Alibaba points himself in confusion as the elder djinn snorts.

"What was that just now?! Hey!" The following starts to get inaudible as Alibaba continues to speak in anger.

"Speak properly. I cannot hear you." The djinn says as it starts to shrink as bows at Aladdin. "Well, well, if it isn't a Magi."

"He bows?" Alibaba thought and the golden flute glows around Aladdin's neck as Ugo's muscular body comes out from it as the elder djinn widens his eyes.

"Y-you are…!" He stops when Ugo holds out his hand 'stop' then after that Ugo makes a weird body gestures to Amon as he nods in understanding. "I see."

Vulpi watches both of them 'talking' to each other with a multiple question marks on her head confused at what they are saying.

"What are they talking about?" Aladdin asks.

"He understands him?" Alibaba says, watching both djinn.

"I understand the situation." Amon says as he introducing himself. "My name is Amon. I was made from Politeness and Austerity. I am a djinn who uses fire." He says as he continues. "As the ruler of this maze, I hereby acknowledge that you have conquered the Dungeon." The three of them smiles.

"C-clear? Yay!" Alibaba exclaims as he starts to run the room. Aladdin turns his head to Amon.

"Hello, Amon-kun. I'm Aladdin. Nice to… meet you, right?" Aladdin asks.

"Indeed." Amon smiles at him. "But I know of you, O Magi."

"Magi? What do you mean?" Aladdin asks.

"I would like to ask that too, Amon-san." Vulpi says and Amon turns his head to her.

"And you are…?" He asks.

"My name is Vulpi."

"Vulpi… I see…" Amon looks at Ugo and he makes a gesture 'go ahead'. "A Magi chooses a king. In every age, it is the magician who chooses the kings. The people need a king who can hold them together and lead them to property. There are individuals who are meant to be kings. Our great king sent wise men out into the world to find, lead, and train those people. The great inheritor of our beloved Solomon's spirit. That is you."

Aladdin looks at Amon as he listens at the story as Vulpi also listens.

"If we conquered the Dungeon, that means we can talk all this, right? Right?" Alibaba asks.

"Do as you please." Amon answers as he runs around again while the elder djinn sighs. "Why did you choose such a boy?"

"What are you talking about?" Aladdin asks. "Rather, tell me, what do you mean I inherited his spirit? Who am I?" He asks a little desperate as the elder djinn hesitates.

"Well…" Amon glances at Vulpi before he widens his eyes when he notices the ears on her head. "You… Don't tell me you are…!" The earth suddenly shakes as they lost their footing except for the djinns.

"Wh-what the?" Alibaba says.

"Someone is trying to close the path. That way you will never be able to return outside." Amon says.

"That's not good. Let us out!" Alibaba screams.

"Don't shout." Amon makes a pillar made of light. "Those who wish to return, enter this! This maze will be destroyed."

"Hey, aren't you coming?" Alibaba calls to Morgiana.

"Miss, come on!"

"Why do you still care about him?! He did terrible things to you, didn't he?"

Vulpi notices that she won't go through, she runs toward Morgiana, but Goltas is the first one to do it.

"Goltas? You're still alive?" Morgiana says.

"You must not… let him out." Goltas hollow voice says.

"You spoke."

"I follow… this fool's words… and hurt… many people." Goltas walks forward as he grabs Jamil like a sack. "I shouldn't leave… here. But you are… different. You can… still go back." Goltas says. "Go back home… Morgiana. That's my last wish." Goltas breaks the chain on Morgiana's feet before he turns to Vulpi. "I'll leave her to… you." Vulpi stands there for a while before she nods her head and grabs Morgiana by the wrist dragging her to the pillar.

"I am sending you." Amon says when the four of them are already in the pillar he made. Morgiana watches Goltas walking away from them with Jamil before a large rock falls to them, killing both of them. "This is the last magic entrusted to me by our King Solomon." Amon's voice fades out as he moves to Alibaba's dagger leaving a magic circle on his dagger.

Inside the pillar

"We… conquered it." Aladdin says.

"Yeah." Alibaba responds.

"Our adventure is already over." Aladdin says as he takes a glance to Morgiana who is leaning on Vulpi's shoulder already fast asleep, while Vulpi closes her eyes.

"I'll use these treasures to find my fortune in Sindria. I showed the scrolls, right? That country Sinbad founded. I'll go there to live the Sinbad Dream." Alibaba says.

"That's sound nice."

"Well. I have to go to this land called Balbadd to sort some things. What about you?"

"I don't really know."

"I see. I don't think I could've conquered it if I haven't met both of you. In fact, I wouldn't have even tried. I'm the kind who chickens out when it counts. I've failed horribly because of that." Alibaba looks down. "You can call me a coward."

Aladdin then stands up. "I won't." Alibaba looks at him. "You're a brave. Don't you remember the caravan in the desert? You never got angry, no matter how badly your dreams and angry and risked your life without hesitation. I grew fond of you because of that." Aladdin says. "Don't worry. You're not a coward at all. You're really brave! I know it! It's because you're our friend!"

Alibaba then stands up. "Let's go on together!" He decides. "Don't say that our adventure is over. There's still so much to explore out there! Nothing's over yet. Let's go and see the world! Right, Aladdin?" Aladdin nods.

"I'm looking forward to it! Let's go together, Alibaba-kun!"

After that, Vulpi completely falls asleep as they finally reach the real world.

On the grasslands, a group of men riding horses finds Aladdin and Vulpi sleeping on the grass together as the wind blows.