Chapter 5: Rumplestiltskin Part 3

It happened instantaneously.

Kassim burst into action by leaping off the carpet before it touched the floor. He whipped out a dagger from his belt and clashed it against Jamil's hastily drawn sword. Goltas seized after Kassim—Alibaba stiffened in apprehension—but Kassim proved to be too quick, too agile, too adroit to allow himself be caught. Alibaba watched in astonishment as the dreadlocked man exchanged blows with blades and evaded a death sentence promised by the guard's superior strength.

Alibaba jolted in surprise when he felt Alamir rip away from his arms, and turned around to see him charging into the direction of Maimoonah who was slinking back into the shadows. The blonde felt a fleeting sense of bewilderment—wasn't Alamir so afraid of the magician that he recoiled from the sight of him?—before he shook his head and chased after the younger boy.

"Al, wait! Alamir!"

Alamir, however, did not heed to the orders that were yelled at him. Instead, he latched his tiny fists onto the billowy fabric of Maimoonah's robe before the magician could entirely submerge himself into the darkness. The child yanked and actually managed to pull the old man out of the depths.

"Give me back Ugo!" Alamir cried desperately.

To Alibaba's horror, Maimoonah curled his knobby fingers around the boy's neck and snapped them shut in a trap-like grip. Alamir mutely gasped and his hands flew up to the hand.

"Insolent boy!" Maimoonah rasped.

"Al!" Alibaba lurched forward and wrapped his arms around Alamir's torso. He then threw his foot up and thrust it against the magician, propelling him and Alamir to tumble backwards. The old man gave an angry squawk before retreating back and finally disappearing.

Alamir scrambled out of Alibaba's hold, pausing at his hands and knees, and stared mournfully where Maimoonah last stood. "Ugo…"

Alibaba propped himself onto his elbows, letting a moment of hysteric confusion pass over him. Just what was going on here…?

His attention was, once again, diverted, when he heard a shout of "Carpet!" Kassim, who was still keeping up his dance between his two opponents, barked out, "To Alibaba!"

The carpet that had been lying flat a couple feet away from Kassim's fight began to float upwards and zoom towards in Alibaba's direction. It took a few seconds for him to register that he was seeing a rescue mission in process, which Alibaba seized this golden opportunity with fervor. He forced his weary self onto his feet and hoisted Alamir from the ground, announcing, "Our ride is here."

"What—oof!" The blonde unceremoniously dumped the boy onto the carpet and threw himself a seat before it could swerve into a sharp turn while increasing its levels higher into the air. With the carpet tilting into an upward slant, Alibaba held on tightly to the edges of the carpet as Alamir clung onto him.

The carpet's speed marginally slowed as it coasted above the three men's heads. Kassim deflected the swooping arc of Jamil's sword, but the force knocked the dagger out of his grip. Without even halting in each step of his movements, Kassim narrowly skipped to the side before Golta could take a swipe at him. Kassim's eyes flickered up and met with Alibaba's. A slight nod was given, Kassim then hopped onto Golta's arm before the burly warrior raised it and climbed onto those wide shoulders.

He leapt.

"Kassim!" Alibaba caught the length of his arm. "Gotcha!"

"Carpet, outside," Kassim commanded.

The carpet instantly shot upwards—Alibaba and Alamir both made startled noises at this—and made its way out through the same window it had entered by with Kassim still hanging off to the side. The change of air brushed against their skin as the sun glared down at them. With great effort, Alibaba heaved Kassim aboard and shared heaving breaths with the man who collapsed on top of him.

"Things certainly escalated quickly," Kassim said, rolling over.

"I'd say," Alibaba muttered. "You sure picked a fine time to show up, you prick."

"Well, at least I made it. You can show a bit of appreciation to your rescuer, Princess."

Alibaba was sorely tempted to give a returning jibe. He had been meaning to ask about Kassim's new development in fashion since their recent reunion—because, really, he was wearing bearskin; what happened to the heavy jewelry that he had dangling around his neck?—but held his tongue.

This was not the time to allow his temper be colored by annoyance nor was it for trivialities. The circumstances were currently too dire for that, so he couldn't afford to lose his rationality.

"What held you up?" he asked instead.

"Guards who caught Yunan and me snooping in places that were prohibited to anyone who wasn't the master of the town. They called over their friends after the initial scuffle, and I had to make a hasty retreat while Yunan went into hiding. I'm sure that they were none too happy about letting us get away since we discovered something very interesting."

"Is that where we're headed?"

"Yeah. The guards had a Fanalis with them, though, so we're going to have to tread carefully."

Alibaba's eyes snapped at Kassim. "A Fanalis?"

He nodded. "Red hair, distinctive eyes, and monstrous power. She's young, though—probably a few years younger than us. And by the state of her clothes and the manacles on her ankles, I'd say she's a slave."

"Are you talking about Morgiana?"

Alibaba and Kassim looked at Alamir, the one who spoke. "You know her, Al?" Alibaba asked.

"I always see her around the master and she's the only girl I know who can carry a large barrel of wine in each arm with ease."

Sounded like a Fanalis.

"So, who's the kid?" Kassim quirked an eyebrow.

Oh, right. "This is Alamir. He's—well, he's a former servant of Master Jamil, I guess. But Al's been forced to work for that man and had his magic sealed."

"A magic-wielder?" Kassim sat up and appraised Alamir, curiosity glinting in his eyes. "Where are your parents?"

"Kassim," Alibaba hissed in chastisement.

"I don't have parents," Alamir answered without hesitation. His face became somber as despondency made itself clear in his gaze. "It was just me and Ugo…"

Ugo—there was that name again. Alamir had told him that Ugo was a friend of his, someone who he had not seen since his service to Jamil. From what Alibaba could gather, Maimoonah had done something to Ugo that apparently distraught Alamir more than the magician stripping him of his name and sealing away his magic. This Ugo-person was perhaps alive, but what exactly was his condition?

"Yunan told me about him. He's the magic kid who spun straw for you in Yunan's place, right?" Magic kid? Alibaba wryly repeated the moniker mentally before nodding. Kassim continued, "He mentioned about sensing suppressed magic in—what's his name?—Alamir. Do you know the magician who did this to him? And how many magicians does the master have siding with him?"

"I just saw one," Alibaba said. "You probably saw him too. That old man wearing the heavy robes."

"That thing was a person?"

He had forgotten about how splendidly boorish Kassim could be, and he couldn't tell if his former childhood companion was worsening or not. Then Alibaba was struck with irony because the same boorishness was once part of his personality until nobility courtesy that was beaten into him had erased that trait. He probably behaved like a snob when he and Kassim had met before King Rashid died. Funny how he was thinking about it now.

And, admittedly, Alibaba did initially perceive Maimoonah as a ghoul than a man. He even dubbed the magician as an "it" briefly.

"Apparently. Also, he was the one who caused Al's magical shortage."

"Okay, so you discovered one magician. How about the Magi?" Kassim urged.

Alibaba's pressed together tightly. He answered, "Um, no."

"No?"

"I was basically imprisoned. I wasn't permitted to venture outside." He wiped the sheen of perspiration from his forehead. "Didn't Yunan…?"

"He got a vague idea of just how your accommodations were going to be like, but we hoped that you could still find the Magi."

"Yeah…"

In the silence that followed, Alamir then cut in uncertainly, "Cinderella, didn't you tell Master Jamil that I'm a Magi?"

Kassim snorted at that. "You're no Magi, kid—I can guarantee that."

"How?" the child asked, puzzled.

"Because there is no way that a Magi would have his abilities limited by a magician. Magi are, by default, stronger than all magic-wielders. Chances are that you possess promising talent, but you don't have what it takes to be a Magi." He shrugged. "Sorry, kid."

Honestly, what did being a Magi entail? Yunan had been dismissive in his explanations earlier and assured Alibaba that he would learn more of these magic-wielders who could "utilize magic far better than any other magician." Alibaba didn't particularly care about Magi, yet, with the reverent description that Kassim offered readily, he had to wonder.

"I told Jamil that you were a Magi so that he wouldn't hurt you," Alibaba said apologetically to Alamir. "I was scared that he would."

"Oh."

"Although, Maimoonah did seem like a strong magician and you are quite young…"

"Not a chance," Kassim rebuffed. "Trust me on this, Alibaba. I've got three years of experience to your three days."

"Right, because your worldly-wise viewpoint can be trusted," the blonde said sardonically, and he inwardly cursed himself for falling into the unnecessary ribbing. The situation at hand wasn't so dire anymore now that there was a solid idea of what they had to do, but to ridicule Kassim—

"Like your worldly-wise viewpoint on scrubbing floors and washing dishes?" the other remarked. He donned a face of indifference even though he might as well be smirking. The condescension was heavy, regardless. "You must tell me, Princess, on how you managed to get relegated from royalty to a maid."

To ridicule Kassim was asking to be ridiculed back, and Alibaba was no good at keeping his emotions in check at times. "Would you quit calling me Princess—!"

"I don't care," Alamir curtailed sharply, and the words that were ready to jump from the two older boys' tongues died.

"Al…?"

"I don't care if I'm no one special, that I'm not this Magi that you guys are looking for. I'm guessing that was why you were at the castle, Cinderella, and I'm sorry that you didn't. But this just adds clarity to the issue here: You still have to help me."

Alibaba withdrew, stunned.

"Normally, I don't like making people owe me anything, but I don't have any available options open to me. You gave me 'worthless trash'—" Alamir winced from quoting Jamil's crude statement "—when I helped you spin the straw, and now you've brought me along with you. I can't complete my service to the master anymore."

"It wasn't like he was going to free you in the end, Al. He was using you; he wasn't going to let you go," Alibaba countered with a frown.

"But you don't know that for sure. And, now, I can never know either because he undoubtedly won't release me if I return to him when he's under the impression that I'm a Magi."

Alamir looked so different from the jovial ten-year-old boy who desired friendly company and enjoyed nonsensical conversations. It was like meeting a stranger. In that child's place was a determined and solemn young man who got nothing to lose other than his precious friend.

"I need your help in rescuing Ugo and regaining my magic."

And Alibaba…could not sympathize with the boy. He could face sideways and stare at Kassim, but he wouldn't see someone who he was willing to sacrifice everything for; perhaps in the past when they had been friends, but these times had considerably changed. All he had going for was his own life and this destiny that was supposed to make everything better. He loved Balbadd, his homeland, albeit he wasn't certain if he would die for it.

He could—and would—dedicate his life in bringing the country back to its former glory, but sacrifice was another thing entirely.

Alibaba hadn't felt what the boy felt, but he could understand. A tightly-knotted bond to be severed by loss would ruin any person, and any person would go at lengths to make sure that bond was secure. Those were the fundamentals of humanity, after all.

"Alright, alright," Alibaba sighed. "It is the least that I can do for you."

"Seriously, Alibaba?"

"What? I owe him," he said defensively, glaring at the older boy.

"You're promising to risk your life for this brat's friend all because he spun straw for you," Kassim deadpanned.

"Look, it's more complicated than that."

"More like he successfully guilt-tripped you."

Alibaba bristled. "Kassim, this is a decision that I have made myself. I made the choice of bringing Alamir along and I made the choice of helping him out; I intend to see through my promise. What that has got to do with you hardly matters."

"On the contrary, it does matter. If you're involved, then Yunan is involved; if Yunan is involved, then I'm strung along for the ride."

"You never did explain to me what your connection is to him," Alibaba probed, eyes narrowed.

"And so I haven't," he agreed with a drawl.

Getting the hint that he wasn't going to hear an explanation, Alibaba huffed and turned away. "Anyways," he muttered, "do you know where Ugo is, Al?"

"Oh, um!" Alamir straightened up, jarring when the attention was directed back to him. "I know that my name is locked inside my flute, which M-Maimoonah has."

"And Ugo?"

"Ugo is inside my flute."

Alibaba opened his mouth, and then closed it.

"Magic defies laws of logic," Kassim said.

"Yeah, I've noticed, Kassim. Thank you very much," Alibaba snapped through gritted teeth.

So much for keeping his cool.

"What did he mean by having his name locked inside his flute, by the way?"

A minute later of soaring across the sky, they already reached a corner of the town that Alibaba hadn't explored before. It was uncharted area to the blonde because he would have had remembered seeing an embellished palace that topped Jamil's fancy castle. It was situated in the town looking horribly out of place with its ivory walls and golden accents and heavily armed stiff-backed soldiers.

"The owner has elaborate tastes. Does the master's mother reside here?" Alibaba wondered.

"Not quite. You know how I said that we went somewhere prohibited?" Kassim said lightly. "That entrance over there with the many guards was the prohibited part, actually."

"What? They post guards just to protect one door?"

"To prevent anyone from entering, genius."

"I know that! I mean—why that door specifically? Unless there weren't any other openings to break in…"

"There aren't, so they watch the entrance."

"I'm going to assume that there weren't this many guards in standby," he said, shooting a dry look at the elder. "I'm also going to assume that there were guards there anyway. How did you and Yunan manage to bypass them and reach the entrance?"

"Since Yunan was awfully curious and, for some reason, couldn't conjure magic to discretely make it there himself, I was the one to create a diversion while he gone to investigate."

"Huh." Alibaba peered over the frayed edges of the carpet once more. "Is Yunan inside the palace?"

"Yeah. I don't see that Fanalis girl anywhere. Must've taken off after Yunan."

"So, how are we going to get inside?"

"Well—"

"What are we doing?" Alamir tugged on Alibaba's sleeve. "I thought we were going to rescue Ugo!"

"We are! Uh, we will. But we need to get to Yunan first. You remember him, right?"

Fingers still snagged onto the sleeve, Alamir's worried expression pinched into thoughtful remembrance. "Your uncle? The man with the long hair? He's a magician too." He then brightened. "If we retrieve your uncle, then he can help save Ugo?"

"That's the plan." Partially. "He's a Magi, so there's a guarantee that saving Ugo would work." Possibly.

"Your uncle is a Magi?" Alamir radiated awe and hopefulness. "Do—do you think he can defeat Maimoonah?"

"I believe so… I haven't known him for very long." The blonde's eyes flickered at Kassim. "But according to Kassim, Yunan should be able to do so."

Kassim made an impatient sound. "If you ladies are done chatting…"

Alamir's brows furrowed. "I'm a boy."

Kassim shot Alibaba a "is this kid serious?" look.

Alibaba coughed into his fist. "Erm. The plan, Kassim?"

"No plan. We dive."

"What?"

Without preamble, the carpet skewed downwards and gravity played its part in dragging everyone to its hurtling descent. The only noises that filled Alibaba's ears were the swooshing of the sliced air and the shrieking that his and Alamir's voices combined produced.

The entrance of the palace was coming closer and closer fast and—and there wasn't a door but a swirling vortex.

"Kassim, you bastard—!"

And then everything went dark.

"Cinderella! Cinderella, wake up!"

Alibaba groaned and groggily opened his eyes. Where was he…?

"Cinderella!" A face swam into his field of vision, and it took him a moment to recognize that it was Alamir. The child's features melted into that of relief. "You're awake! I'm so glad."

"Al?" Alibaba sat up and paused when his head was lightly spinning. "What happened?"

"I think we entered that palace through a portal. After that, I woke up finding us here."

"Here" happened to be a cave. There was soft glow of light within the rocky tunnel. He haphazardly surveyed the area and saw shallow waters nearby. Not only that, but what he was sitting on was an engraved symbol. He scooted away and gasped when the symbol was the same eight-pointed star mark that had been on Prince Kouen's sword. He traced the grooves with his fingers and wondered what this meant.

A Kou prince with a sword that possessed magical properties. This symbol. A portal that took him to an entirely different destination.

And…he remembered travelling through a pillar of white…

Alibaba paled when it dawned on him.

"No way."

"Cinderella?"

He read a few scrolls about the astounding feats of Sinbad, the King of the Seven Seas, the years he acted as the third Balbaddian prince. They were tales that inspired him fantasies of pursuing his own adventures and discovering treasures that could turn a destitute begger into a king. Afterwards, as he matured, Alibaba didn't have the same enthralled conviction that the stories were true. But now…

"We're in a Dungeon!"

He didn't know why he didn't see it before that night in the Crown Prince's room when the glowing symbol should had been an obvious indicator. Maybe it just had been a long time since he could collect his memories of King Sinbad's stories, but, holy cow, Prince Kouen conquered a Dungeon and they were inside a Dungeon!

Alamir shuffled a few steps backwards when Alibaba hurriedly pushed himself on his feet. "Careful there."

"We're in a Dungeon, Al," Alibaba whispered. He was feeling an amalgamation of emotions—wonder, terror, incredulity, excitement. That all then collapsed into one—anger. He spun around, eyes roving with new acuteness. "He knew! Kassim, that bastard!"

"Cinderella?"

"Where is he, Al? Where is he? I'm going to strangle that son of a—"

"Now I know for sure that the two of you aren't friends," Alamir sighed. "Kassim isn't here. He wasn't when I woke up. Do you think that he left us?"

"I don't think he would," Alibaba said, digging his fingers into his hair in frustration. "Then again, I don't quite know him as well as I used to."

"Maybe he landed somewhere else. Let's go look for him." Alamir took his other hand with both of his and led him towards the end of the cave. Alibaba wanted to protest, but, then again, how else was he going to strangle Kassim if he wasn't here?

The light grew much brighter after striding down the tunnel. Alibaba squinted at the white blindness, reflexively bringing a hand over his eyes. A few seconds later of adjusting, he brought his hand down and his jaw dropped.

It was an enormous cavern with several passages dotting its interior sides with stairways connecting them. Above, a scintillating sun flared as the cavern's only source of illumination. It was eternal daylight within this enclosure, Alibaba knew for certainty, and finding either Kassim or Yunan would be their challenge here.

"We really are in a Dungeon," the blonde said numbly.

"You're going to have to explain to me what a Dungeon is, Cinderella. Or is it Alibaba? Kassim called you that, but I wasn't sure if it's your real name or not."

"Alibaba is my real name. Sorry, Al. I couldn't exactly give out my identity when I was going undercover."

The younger boy nodded. "I understand. You pretending to be a girl was also an undercover thing too, right?"

"What? You can tell I'm not a girl?" Alibaba asked, surprised. He didn't dare give in to the hope of someone finally being able to see that there was no way he looked like a girl, but a twinge of delight warmed him. The good feeling right away vanished when Alamir made his response.

"When we were flying out of the castle, I was holding onto you and…" Alamir made an evocative cupping gesture at his chest and enough was said. "You didn't…"

"Is that how you differentiate between men and women?" he exclaimed bewilderedly.

He scratched his head underneath his turban. "You're pretty like a lady, but you don't have…" Again with the obscene gesture.

Disgruntled, Alibaba swatted his hands down. "Al, cut it out."

"But it's true," Al said, pouting in confusion. "All ladies have boobies. I know because whenever I bury my face into a man's chest it's just flat and hard. Ladies' chests are squishy and soft and nice to rub my cheeks against."

It was as if the air had been cut out from him. Alibaba managed to choke out, "You…and…boobies…?"

Alamir, however, continued on, oblivious to the other's seething. "Although, I met a man with boobies that were like lady boobies, which was really weird. He was angry that I grabbed him."

Alibaba was not going to be jealous of the little twerp, but damn it all! He was seventeen and had not once touched a maiden's chest, and yet this kid here proclaimed that he had been plunging his face into several breasts despite being ten! As if the comment about his pretty self hadn't been damaging enough, it was a bucket-load of salt being poured onto his festering wounds having to hear that Alamir had more experience that he did.

Alibaba hung his head in despair.

"Cinder—I mean, Alibaba, are you alright?" Alamir queried in concern.

"All but my pride, Al," Alibaba sighed glumly.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. I don't know why your pride isn't alright, but maybe if we busy ourselves in finding Kassim and your uncle then you could distract yourself."

"I suppose you're right. Let's get to it, then."

The two stepped forward, beginning their search.

And what a long search it was.