Jafar's staff emanated an energy that crackled with malevolence… and a blast of fiery red magic struck the guard leading the charge. A glowing aura took hold of the stunned man, and the rest of soldiers one by one, rendering them paralyzed. They all slumped, and fell to the ground.
Mirage was certainly impressed by how swiftly Jafar had incapacitated those men. What else can he do?
Another squadron of guards thundered towards the villains from behind. Mirage turned and slashed with her hand, slicing the musclebound captain Razoul into bloody ribbons with her magic - and the defeated illusion dissipated into the air. The rest of the soldiers ran away in absolute terror.
So far, so good.
"Hm… it's still too bright and cheery around here..." Mirage snatched Jafar's hand once more, and levitated them both high into the air. "Let's set the scene before we cause any more carnage, shall we?"
Jafar nodded, eager for Mirage to witness more of his power. "Leave it to me."
He twirled his staff, ushering in low, rolling dark clouds over Agrabah, blanketing the 'sky' above them and looming with the promise of a storm. Jafar commanded the clouds to a swirling tempest, bringing on a powerful wind that would easily knock down the weak.
"Now thunder..." Mirage hissed, exhilaration pulsing through her veins.
"Yesss, and lightning!" Jafar cheered madly in agreement.
A bolt of lightning tore through the darkened air, a blinding flash of electric fury. It struck the ground with a resounding impact, the shockwaves sending the citizens scattering for shelter. Some stumbled and tripped over themselves in their haste to escape the storm and the evildoers that controlled it. The resulting crashing thunder was deafening, the force of it making the very buildings shudder.
Jafar and Mirage were absolutely enthralled by the chaos and fear they had caused so far… and they were even more delighted when the lightning sparked a small fire in the marketplace, setting a stall of exotic fabrics ablaze.
"Fire!" Mirage seized this opportunity to introduce the likeness of her fire cats. She birthed them from the fire already started by Jafar, and they emerged prowling - massive blood-red beasts with their fur aflame. Quickly they spread out through the streets of Agrabah, burning anything that could be caught on fire and feasting on the fear of the people.
"AhahahahahaHAAA!" The two villains laughed together hand-in-hand, sharing in the absolute joy of destroying this kingdom they hated so much.
"Yes, this is what I live for!" Mirage exclaimed as they floated leisurely above, surveying their hard work. "Their fear is so sweet, so delicious…"
"Indeed!" Jafar agreed with vigor, smiling brightly at his partner in crime. "But getting my revenge against Aladdin is all I care to live for."
His dark eyes began scanning the streets below, longing to see the street-rat so he could kill him. The real Aladdin wouldn't have taken so long to confront him…
"Really? Then what do you plan to do with your life afterwards?" Mirage questioned him.
"Rule Agrabah, of course! With an iron fist." Jafar then paused, thinking. "And… perhaps assist you with your exploits from time to time, should you ever need me. This is quite a lot of fun, after all…"
Mirage felt the most ridiculous giddy feeling well up inside her when he said he would help her in the future. The thought that their alliance would continue on after they achieved their own goals… it excited her.
"Well good, because the deal with Hades means you and I will get to fight together in the future anyway. It's non-negotiable, sooo…"
"So I'm tethered to you then? For life, more or less?" Jafar grinned slyly, teasing her. "Oh how will I ever survive being around you so much?"
Was he flirting?
Mirage smiled radiantly at the sorcerer, unable to resist teasing him back when she was already so happy.
"I see how strong you are. I think you can handle me."
Smoke from the fires billowed all around them, so thick now that it had risen and completely surrounded them like an impenetrable cloak. Blind to Agrabah for the moment, the two of them could only see each other.
Mirage was awed by the man before her. Jafar was strong… and elegant… and an absolute joy to work with. She'd always loved bringing wrath and suffering to Agrabah but… never more so than with him by her side, she realized. She'd almost forgotten that this was all only her own illusion… because this moment between them was so real, it was almost frightening.
Embers danced and swirled in the darkness, bathing Mirage's feline face with their gentle red glow. Jafar's breath caught in his throat, completely entranced. She was enchanting… perhaps even beautiful. How could he have not seen it before? Not only that, but he was discovering that she was his true equal. He never thought he'd enjoy anyone matching him in power. But perhaps, just perhaps, he can make room… for someone like her.
Mirage's expression suddenly changed, her eyes widening as if she saw something he couldn't.
"What's the matter?" Jafar asked in a hush.
Mirage's green eyes refocused and darkened, and she grinned knowingly. "Behind you."
Jafar whipped around just in time to see Aladdin zooming towards them on his magic carpet, the young man's gaze fixed on Jafar as his target.
Jafar snarled and charged up his staff for a blast, but he didn't have enough time. The boy swooped down, grabbed a fistful of Jafar's cloak, and tore the former vizier away from Mirage.
He was being dragged through the air by his robes. His legs kicked with fury as the ground raced far below. He couldn't see Mirage anymore. Wind rushed past his ears loudly, but he could hear the boy grunting, straining to hold on…
Jafar felt a rush of adrenaline fueled by his hatred, and he used it to swing himself back and forth like a pendulum. When he had enough momentum, he summoned all his strength and backflipped, landing on the carpet safely. He only took a moment to regain his senses before he lunged, tackling Aladdin.
The two men wrestled in a battle of strength, Jafar pressing down with his staff with all his might and Aladdin pushing back to keep the staff from crushing his neck.
"You're dead, boy." Jafar seethed between ragged breaths. "You, and everyone you love!"
Lightning crashed dangerously close, blinding them briefly and bringing their struggle to a halt. The startled magic carpet spasmed and began to lose altitude at alarming speed. Panic coursed through the hero and the villain as they plummeted together. They were going to crash!
"Miraaaage!" Jafar screamed as the ground rushed towards him, seconds away from impact…
A cat-like yowl erupted in the distance in reply. In an instant Mirage teleported and casted a levitation spell, freezing Jafar, Aladdin, and the carpet in midair, about twenty feet above the palace gardens.
"That was close," Mirage sighed as Jafar caught his breath and calmed himself. "It's a good thing we're working together then, isn't it?"
With a wave of her hand, she tossed Aladdin and the carpet away, discarding them like trash. The villains watched with a great deal of satisfaction as the young man fell and crashed into a water fountain and rolled onto the ground, breaking every one of his bones no doubt.
Mirage and Jafar descended upon their fallen enemy. They took a moment to savor the pure agony that twisted the boy's features, wishing only that it were real…
Aladdin groaned painfully, struggling to glare up at the two dark figures that stood over him in a final act of defiance.
"You should be happy you're only a mirage of Aladdin…" Mirage began, her words dripping with venom.
"Because if you weren't, we wouldn't put an end to your suffering so soon." Jafar finished, grinning a most savage smile.
In unison, the sorcerer and the sorceress charged up their magic, the entire garden being cast in flashing red and green luminescence with the joining of their power. And together they blasted Aladdin into utter oblivion, never to be seen or heard from again.
When the deed was done and the dust settled, the two villains shared a look that was all at once triumphant and disbelieving.
They had won.
This training session had been a marvelous success!