Chapter 18: Corrine's Sacrifice

In the dungeon
Treasure room

"My true objective is all of you." The man says.

"What?" Alibaba questions.

"I will have Solomon's Wisdom and King Alibaba's life to offer to our Father and bring the Vulpe clansman to our side. All is according to Al-Thamen's agenda."

"As if we'd let you do that!" Alibaba shouts and the woman swings her staff, ordering the snake to attack them again but Aladdin blocks its attack again with his borg.

"Hakuryuu-oniisan, take Mor-san and the child somewhere safe!"

"Okay!" Hakuryuu shouts as Alibaba rushes towards him to pass Morgiana to him.

"Take care of her!" Alibaba says and after he passed Morgiana to Hakuryuu, he feels a sharp pain on his shoulder.

"The curse mark is throbbing. Did I use too much magoi?" Alibaba thought as Hakuryuu takes Tiare and Morgiana to a safe place. Alibaba then turns around and both him and Vulpi draw out their daggers before Alibaba activates his Djinn Equip and Aladdin gets his staff ready.

Meanwhile

Hakuryuu and Tiare are running through the streets of the city. Then they look to the side of the battlefield as they see more rock snakes fighting the three. Tiare then grabs Hakuryuu's back and he turns around.

"Don't worry." He reassures her. "Those three will not lose. Let's go!"

On the battlefield

The three snakes then attacks Aladdin head on sending up dust clouds.

"Aladdin!" Alibaba and Vulpi shout.

Once the dust settles down, a large hole is on the floor where Aladdin was standing.

"Oh my. Was he crushed into pieces?" The woman asks.

"Fool. Did you really think he could be stopped by such weak power?" The cloaked man questions and they see Aladdin rises out from the hole as he has his borg already up and lands near the hole.

"I suppose not. He is Magi." The woman says and jumps off the remain of the rock snake with the black haired man, helping her land on the ground.

"Pleasure to meet you. I am Dunya Musta'sim, princess of the country of Musta'sim. This man is my knight Isaac. Pleased to make your acquaintance." The woman, Dunya introduces.

"Did you say Musta'sim?" Alibaba questions.

"Oh my, do you know of it?"

"It was a relatively large country in the west, wasn't it? But I heard that it fell to Magnostadt about ten years ago."

"May I ask a question, Alibaba-san?" Dunya asks. "Why are you alive?" This causes to shorten his breath. "How could a prince who allowed his country to be overrun and destroyed possible live with himself?"

"Balbadd hasn't been destroyed! It's become a republic and is surviving just fine!" Alibaba retorts.

"In name only. It is essentially a country controlled by Kou, correct?"

Alibaba takes a back from the questions as he gets dishearten. "That's…"

"The fact that you are still alive must be some mistake. Therefore, I will correct that mistake and kill you! With this dark metal vessel."

"Dark metal vessel?" Vulpi repeats.

"Yes. Using a dark metal vessel created with black rukh as its base by the Organization, for the Organizations. Though, I believe this explanation might be a little redundant for you." The man says.

"Redundant?" Alibaba repeats.

"Ithnan-sama, Isaac, please do not interfere." Dunya requests and Isaac steps back. "I want to show the Organization my power." She then suddenly stabs herself with her staff shocking to them.

In Alibaba's eyes, he sees Cassim's figure substituting Dunya when Cassim stabs himself with his blade.

"Stop! Stop, Cassim!" Alibaba pleads as he starts to panic.

"Alibaba-kun!" Aladdin calls.

"Alibaba-san, please calm down!" Vulpi tells him and the black marks begins to grow.

Then Dunya's body begins to morph as her staff merges into her body as she turns into a black djinn.

"A… black djinn!" Alibaba exclaims and he recalls Cassim version of the black djinn as he starts to lose his composure.

"Alibaba-san!" Vulpi calls as she goes towards him. "Snap out of it!"

The black djinn then gathers sand around her hands.

"The sand!" Aladdin says.

"Witness the power of the dark metal vessel, Al-Kaus!" The man, Ithnan says. "Dunya can control magnetism, moving sand and mineral matter at will."

The gathered sand goes to the black djinn's fingers, making them into claws and they shoots towards Alibaba.

"Watch out!" Aladdin shouts as he pushes Alibaba and Vulpi away from the attack and he puts up his borg against the attack. "Alibaba-kun, that's not your friend! You need to snap out of it!"

"You're right. I'm sorry, Aladdin, Vulpi." Alibaba apologizes.

"Let's go, Alibaba-kun, Vulpi-nee. Halharl Rasas!" Aladdin shouts as he fires fireballs at the djinn, which are destroyed from the sand claws. Alibaba then charges at the black djinn, but Isaac appears before him as they battle each other.

Meanwhile, Hakuryuu and Tiare are standing in front of the strong room where the djinn Zagan resides as they pant from running to find it.

Aladdin continues to use his borg to block the sand claws from Dunya and Vulpi charges at Isaac as he blocks each attack from her. Alibaba then charges at Isaac, but Isaac attacks him as Alibaba block each attacks until he swings his sword. Despite that, Isaac dodges the swings.

"He's fast! Even with all that armor!" Alibaba says and Isaac yawns before he stares at him.

"What terrible sword skills. Why would a Magi choose a boy like this?" Isaac questions and Alibaba grits his teeth. "You, that fox girl and your Magi leave a bad taste in my mouth." He says as he sets to get ready.

"He's going to strike!" Alibaba thought and he blocks Isaac's attacks.

Meanwhile, the sand around Dunya's arm rapidly rotates like a drill and dives down to stab the borg causing it to shatter and sends Aladdin flying.

"Aladdin!" Vulpi shouts.

Alibaba stands far away from Isaac as he pant from exhaustion and blood trickles down his face.

"This guy…" Alibaba thought.

"This person…" Aladdin thought as he lands on the ground. "Her attacks are definitely stronger than my borg!"

"His sword skills are way more refined than mine!"

"But…"

"That's not all I've got up my sleeve!"

"Hear me rukh!" Aladdin thought as he gathers the rukh on his staff before firing white shots.

"Simple magoi shots?" Ithnan questions. "That will never work."

Alibaba dissolves his Djinn Equip as his sword reverts to his dagger.

"Giving up?" Isaac questions and Alibaba remembers what Sharrkan says to him.

"You're Djinn equip weapon doesn't fit your sword-fighting style at all. There's a better way for you to do this."

"Ever since then, I've thought about my palace sword style. My sword-fighting style doesn't depend on the weight of the blade to swing it around." Alibaba thought and looks at his dagger. "In other words, the best way for me to do this is…" Alibaba grabs his dagger with his two hands and focuses his magoi as the flames erupts from his feet to his dagger. "Compress the Magoi and control it!" Alibaba activates his Djinn Equip again, but his dagger remain the same as it turns black and he sets his dagger.

"Djinn Weapon Equip: Amon's Treasure Sword!" Alibaba calls and he starts his counterattack.

"Hm, you've gotten a little better." Isaac says and they quickly cross their blades against each other. "But not good enough." He says ad blood comes out from the cut above Alibaba's eye. However, part of his armor got broken off as his sleeve is cut.

Aladdin continues to fire the magoi shots as Dunya begins to push back.

"Dunya is starting to get pushed back?" Ithnan says and he realizes something. "She doesn't have enough magoi! He's worn away her magoi bit by bit with those little attacks?"

As Aladdin continues to fire the magoi shots he remembers what Yamraiha told him.

"Do not forget, Aladdin. You are a Magi. You are loved by the rukh, and their inexhaustible supply of magoi to you is something that no one can beat!"

Aladdin then forms a large bubble and throws it at Dunya which it splits apart as they bind her on different parts of her body to the wall. As for Alibaba, he slices Isaac's limbs off except his left leg. Aladdin gathers the rukh on his staff and raises it.

"Halharl Infigar!" Aladdin shouts as he about to shoot his signature move until Ithnan fires lightning at both Aladdin and Alibaba.

"Your power is truly impressive." Ithnan says. "But this is not over. You will have the honor of witnessing what the dark metal vessel can really do!" Ithnan then turns around to Donya. "Dunya. You will not be able to fulfill your mission like that." Lightning surrounds his staff. "Awaken, dark metal vessel!" Ithnan sends lightning at Dunya as she remembers her painful past and gets out of the bind before her body revert to normal as black rukh comes out.

Is she returning to normal?" Alibaba asks.

"No, she's…" Aladdin trails off.

Black armor appears on her body as she holds a black sword.

"This is the true form brought about by the dark metal vessel. It's a full-body Dark Djinn Equip!"

"Dark… Djinn Equip?" Alibaba questions.

"I apologize for my unladylike display." Dunya says. "But now I shall fight you in this form." She then floats up as the three quickly splits up as Dunya dives down.

"I can feel a sharper, stronger, power now. I'm sure my borg won't hold against it!" Aladdin thought and jumps away. Dunya then turns her sword into chain scythe.

"She transformed!" Aladdin exclaims.

"It takes but a second to transform the sand I've gathered into a hardened weapon." Dunya explains as sand gathers at her weapon. "An ever-changing metal blade!" She whips down her weapon as the chains ties around Aladdin as the scythe about to stab him. However, Vulpi blocks the scythe with her dagger and Alibaba cuts the chain.

"Thanks, Alibaba-kun, Vulpi-nee!" Aladdin says.

"It's three-on-one! Let's do this!" Alibaba says as Dunya lands next to Isaac.

"This is no time to sleep, Isaac. Wake up." Dunya orders.

"Yes, My Queen." Isaac speaks and floats.

"W-what's going on?" Alibaba questions as Isaac's limbs comes back to his body. "He didn't spill a single drop of blood! He can't be human!"

"Isaac is my eternal knight. He will accompany me forever. We have sworn to one day take back our lost country of Musta'sim! We will not allow you to get in our way!" Dunya says.

"Household Vessel: Al Kaus Kauza." Isaac says as he quickly appears in front of Alibaba and nicks his face.

"Isaac's Al Kaus Kauza uses the repelling magnetic force between his armor and the ground to move at great speed. Can you keep up?"

Alibaba begins running away as Isaac quickly moves around Alibaba as Alibaba tries to follow Isaac with his eyes but Isaac quickly disappears.

"Behind you!"

Alibaba quickly turns around and blocks Isaac's attack.

"Allow me to help!" Hakuryuu shouts and about to slash Isaac but he quickly moves away.

"Thanks!" Alibaba says.

"Hakuryuu-san!" Vulpi calls out as she catches up to the two boys.

"Where's Morgiana?" Alibaba asks.

"In the treasure room." Hakuryuu replies.

"Did you find it?"

"Yes."

"Also, Alibaba-dono–" Hakuryuu is cut off as they see Isaac behind Vulpi as she barely turns around as Isaac about to strike her.

"Watch out, Vulpi!" Corrine shouts as it jumps in front of Vulpi and takes the blow which causes Vulpi to widen her eyes in shock.

"CORRINE!" Vulpi shouts as the spirit's body drops down and Isaac goes back to Dunya's side. Vulpi quickly picks the her up. "Corrine! Corrine!"

"Vul… pi…" Corrine trails off.

"Hang in there, Corrine." Vulpi tells her as tears begins to come out.

"You know… Vulpi… I'm not really a Spirit. I was artificially created."

"What are you saying, Corrine!"

"Your dad found me near the village and I told him what I am."

"Please, Corrine, don't talk anymore!"

"I'm really happy that I got to know you, Vulpi."

Corrine's body begins to glow as she begins to disappear leaving the bell collar.

"Corrine…" Vulpi cries as she brings the collar to her face.

Meanwhile, Alibaba and Hakuryuu rush to Aladdin's side.

"Alibaba-kun, let's stall for time. I have a lot of magoi. But they will eventually run out." Aladdin says.

"Got it." Alibaba says and turns to Hakuryuu. "Hakuryuu, we'll–"

"Is that really the smart thing to do?" Ithnan questions and shows the Organization's forces coming closer to Sindria.

"Sindria?" Alibaba says.

"The barrier's been broken!" Aladdin exclaims.

"Those men are with the Organization!" Hakuryuu says.

"What are you up to?! Are you going to wage war with Sindria?!" Alibaba questions.

"It's all your fault, King Alibaba." Ithnan says. "It's because you ran and hid in Sindria that we decided we could no longer leave that country alone. Or Sinbad. Luckily for us, his power is currently sealed."

"No… because of me…"

"That's right, King Alibaba. Everywhere you go, there will always be chaos, fighting, and death. That is your fate."

"My… fate…" Alibaba repeats.

"Alibaba-kun!" Aladdin calls.

"Do not listen to him! The Organization has always had their eyes on Sindria!" Hakuryuu says which snaps Alibaba out.

"Oh no, we have a troublesome prince." Ithnan says referring to Hakuryuu. "Dunya, he's one of Judar favorites. I'm also kind of interested in him. If possible, I'd like to take him alive."

"That's impossible. I shall kill them all with my extreme magic." Dunya says.

"Extreme magic?" Aladdin thought and both Ithnan and Isaac move away from her as Dunya sets her weapon ready.

"Extreme Magic: Rea Baldo." Dunya says and the black rukh shoots upwards.

"Be careful! This could be a problem!" Aladdin says.

"We have no choice but to fight it!" Alibaba shouts. "We have to get Zagan's power as quickly as we can and bring it back to Sinbad-san! We won't let you get what you want!" The black mark begins to grow and Dunya floats upward as a huge eight-pointed star appears above her.

"Yes, wonderful. Finally!" Ithnan says. "King Alibaba, Sinbad, it's time to fight, to hate. That is my goal."