P4
Introductions were immediate before even grasping the golden knobs of the entrance doors. Standing tall and frail in a sharp black robe with a blood-red sash holding up a narrow waist, an almost intimidating figure stood silent, twirling a golden scepter around in his long slender fingers. Its snakehead top glared through ruby eyes at what the man otherwise looked past. With his free hand, he tugged at the curl of his beard which bounced to his chin. "Squawk!" A rather pudgy red parrot sat perched on the man's horned shoulders.
"Ahh, Ja'far! How good of you to meet us outside!" The sultan's words were granted barely a reaction from the man standing bored within the shade of the grand entrance doors. "Yes, quite… And to whom may I give the "honor" of speaking to?" His tone was low and just as vile as his vibe; the words just seemed to seep out of the pursed lips on his long face. Though the sultan appeared unbothered by his advisors demeanor, it was clear Lady Holly and Aladdin had their own chills. Lady Holly hesitated to speak for a moment, but owed the man a chance to skip improper first impressions. "Lady Holly, Templar of the Chantry, emissary from the kingdom of Ferelden." Though her titles were given, she kept from extending a hand out to greet the sultan's advisor. "Charmed, Templar. As for the other, lowly thieves need not bother introduce." Aladdin squinted his eyes, bothered by the advisors cold shrug. "Ja'far, our guests are seeking out the location of Mozenrath's kingdom. Would you be so kind as to direct them to the palace war room? I'm certain we've maps of the extended desert." The sultan pushed the doors open with lowly force to reveal the luxurious main chamber of the palace. White marble floor, pillars to match with gold leaf lining, grand windows arched along the walls and an open skyway stretched along the curved dome of the ceiling revealed the wonders that stayed hidden within the heart of the poverty-stricken city. There was even a great beam of light shining through the skyway window that focused on the cold marble throne at the far end of the chamber. Behind the seat of the sultan, a red satin curtain barely revealed a pair of portcullis gates. "The far gate on the left is where you need to go. Now if you'll excuse me, I believe it's time I try to retrieve the city folks." The sultan scurried off with his guards leaving Ja'far with his guests.
Aladdin and Lady Holly remained glancing at the tiny ruler as he disappeared beyond the heat waves under the desert sun. Ja'far however, moved forward. His legs barely moved under the robe as he walked. It was as if his feet slid along the marble flooring. He paused at the war room gate and waited for the pair to catch up. While Lady Holly and Aladdin made their way casually through the vast hall, the parrot on Ja'fars shoulder began to speak. "Diamond in the Rough. Do you remember? It's him!" he whispered into Ja'fars ear. Ja'far replied with a smile that quickly morphed into a devious grin. "I am aware. We will have to separate the pair." Ja'far glanced over at his scepter, staring eye-to-eye into the ruby eyes of the snake. "What's the plan?" Ja'far shushed his parrot with the extension of his index finger brushing against the tip of his curved beak. "I don't need one just yet. But I dare say it's about time we pay Hades a visit. We'll just let the street rat and the Templar move on a bit before intervention is necessary. Besides, Mozenrath is no pushover. He'll keep those two busy awhile."
With a twist of his boney hand, a hidden pull lever behind the satin curtains covering the back wall of the chamber was pulled, releasing the lock mechanism from the portcullis doors. The gates lifted slowly but in time for the Templar and the thief to move into the war room without having to wait for the gate to pull up completely. "The maps you require are tucked away in the cabinet. Each scroll was painted by hand by our scholars and the material is just as delicate. Do NOT toy with them… Or steal them, street rat. If you'll excuse me, I've other matters to attend to." Eyebrows arched, nose and chin pointed up, Ja'far gave leave abruptly. Already used to his attitude, Lady Holly and Aladdin gave the advisor no heed.
Directly behind the sultan's throne, a clever switch lied to be touched; a switch, in the form of loose chip of marble. Ja'far made sure the coast was clear before he toyed with the device. Upon touch, the sound of stones scrapping could be heard from behind the satin curtain lining the wall. Ja'far pulled the curtain up to reveal a passageway. Dark, drafty, and chilled, the crevice in the chamber wall was just as cold as the advisor's demeanor. Ja'far entered the passage, dropping the curtain behind him while doing so. When the last bit of sunlight that illuminated a few inches of the passage were snuffed out, a line of torches on the wall became animated and cackled with fire one-by-one as it guided the advisor down a flight of stairs. The dwellings were deep and the air became more dry and frigid with each descent. Finally, the base was in sight. Mechanical toys were piled in a corner while a lab overlooked it from the other side of the lair. Complimentary to the lab, a shelf lined with bubbling potions and ancient tomes sat everstill and coated with dust from probable lack of use. But the main sight of the room was a tall mirror framed up on the southern wall as if it were a door. Ja'far approached the mirror and placed the palm of his hand on its cold reflective glass. "Grant me entry to the Underworld." he whispered. The advisor removed his hand and in doing so, a ripple effect emitted from the motion. The surface of the mirror began to move like liquid and the reflection began to fade into something else. The shine on the mirror was gone and the sight within revealed a hollow crevice of ember-struck cave lining. A wailing cry greeted Ja'far. It wisped by, pulling at the threads of his black turban. "Iago, stay behind." he whispered to his parrot. Iago flew off his master's shoulder and perched up on an unused beacon holder at the lab. Ja'far took his leave, walking through the mirror to enter the Underworld to seek audience with an old friend.