Kind friends and companions, come join me in rhyme
Come lift up your voices in chorus with mine
Let us drink and be merry, all grief to refrain
For we may and might never all meet here again
_
There was naught but silence in the dark halls of the Citadel. No craven thing stirred. No noise split the dour mood of its long corridors and empty rooms. One might have thought the place abandoned. It should have been. Life did not stir here. Even the hope of life had long since dried up and turned to dust in its corners. Even the moon seem to hide her face behind the heavy black clouds as evil things took place in the laboratory between two evil sorcerers.
The doors flew open as a man in bloodstained robes stumbled from them. He gasped, grasping at his chest, clawing at the dagger hilt. He could not get a grip, it was too slick. He made a noise of extreme pain and the red thickness gushed out of his mouth.
"Having trouble?" The cold, mocking voice said at his back, the shadow of a tall, lean young man falling over him. A gloved hand reached forward and yanked the blade free as a pale hand grasped the old man's hair and shoved him to the ground.
He could not answer of course. Mozenrath had punctured his lungs. He was going to die in shuddering, gasping agony.
But not yet.
A blue black flame engulfed his body, forcing him to lift onto his hands and knees as he tried to crawl away, tried to escape. Even known death was coming did not ease his adrenalin. If anything it spurred him on relentlessly. Destaine was fighting for his life. And his pupil was proving a worthy opposition.
"You know I used to be terrified of you." Mozenrath said conversationally, his boot heels clicking as he strode forward, kneeling to look his old master in the eyes. "I used to stay awake at night, watching the doors, grasping my blankets…so frightened that you would come for me again. Even when I was dead inside, when everything you had done to me turned from pain to emptiness, I still watched." He used his magic to raise Destaine's head. His face was a strange mixture of curiosity, dread and reckless joy. As if he could hardly believe he was doing this, even as he turned the knife in his hand.
"You made me feel that fear Destaine. You made me cringe in my bed. Do I make you cringe now old man?" He brought down the knife into Destaine's lips, slicing them open from one side to the next. "Do I Make You CRINGE!" Mozenrath kicked him in the head, sending him sprawling. He spurt up blood again, spraying it out on the tiles. Mozenrath scoffed. "You disgust me do you know that? I can't believe I ever feared you." He lifted the blade, looking at the thick, congealing blood. "I thought about ending it quickly, poisoning you perhaps…but no. No I wanted you to see this coming. I wanted to draw it out until you knew…" he sneered hatefully.
Destaine tried to say something, but all that came out was a wet, gurgling noise.
"How does it feel?" Mozenrath whispered softly. If it surprised his old master to see his pupil weeping openly, he did not show it. "How does it feel to be so entirely helpless? To know there is no hope. No escape." The young man drew close to him. "You made me know. You spent every second of the last fifteen years making sure I knew how that felt. And in your last moments in this life…I want to make sure you know exactly what I have planned for you."
Perhaps it was magic. Perhaps the old mage was more resilient than he seemed. Or maybe Mozenrath kept him alive from pure spite and malice. But Destaine lingered through the night, as Mozenrath described down to the last detail what he intended to do.
When Destaine died, Mozenrath could feel it. It should have been freeing. It should have given him some level of peace. But there was nothing. Just a deep hollowness in his chest and gut. There was a sudden breaking. Mozenrath dropped the knife and began to sob, gathering his knees up to his chest. He pressed his head down and let everything loose, screaming into the darkness till his throat went raw. He raked his hands through his hair till a thin trickle of blood came down his face and he shook uncontrollably.
"Master?"
The little eel surprised him so terribly that Mozenrath jumped. Cold, almost silky scales met his hand as the mismatched eyes looked up with uncertainty. "Master…Destaine hurt again? Master alright?"
Mozenrath trembled, calming himself by gently stroking the eel. 'No Xerxes. Master alright." He said as levelly as he could. "Destaine never hurt gain."
The flying creature went quiet, waiting until he felt the young man's breath steady before asking. "Master leave now? Him and Xerxes go far away?"
Mozenrath stopped stroking the eel, his hand resting on the dorsal fin. His dark eyes traveled along the dank walls of the only place he had known for over a decade. He knew every niche and corner, every room and stone and depth of this Citadel. In it's own strange way…
He could not call it home. There was nothing home like about it. But it was his sanctuary. The only place where he could have the solace he held so dearly. This place was like an infection. Once it took hold, it spread in your veins until you were just as sick.
Slowly he raised his gloved hand. Xerxes sniffed at it cautiously and hissed with strong disapproval. Mozenrath swatted at the familiar but knew full well why the eel was so displeased. Even now he could feel the dull throbbing under the soft leather. His skeletal digits were making a soft sound inside. He started to remove the glove, then changed his mind. He couldn't handle the sight of it right now.
At the time he had thought little of the price paid. It had been anguish to give, a burning slicing scouring of his flesh. But he had endured. He had held on because he knew the results would give him the ability to defeat Destaine. And here lay the proof. The corpse, quickly chilling on the stones of the floor, still stared at him with vacant wonder. The battle between the two magical powerhouses had been bombastic. Now the old man was just another dead thing in a dead land.
"Master…we go?" Xerxes asked again.
"Go?" Mozenrath stood, a slow smile creeping upon his face. "Why go when there is still so much here left to use?" he strode into the laboratory, looking about at all the objects and vessels of power. "This is my land now, my Citadel…my stronghold. Destaine taught me too well to ever give up a resource." He smirked as he passed by a mirror. The smirk turned to a frown when he remembered the ugly pants, shirt and apron he wore whilst under his old masters care. "Ugh! First a change of clothes I think. Some a little more suited to my new station as lord of the black sands." He chuckled, the flying creature snickering alongside of him. "And then…" his eyes drifted to the tapestry on the wall. Sewn with both magical and seaming expertise, it reflected a world of strange monsters who devoured magic. "…then I have a few ideas."
The blossom hovered above a limpid pool, it's petals wafting in the air about it. Leafy tendrils draped down from the sacred reliquary, making little circles in the water. It was the color of pearls, luminescent in its own source of light. It hummed with transcendent power.
Even Aladdin could feel the vibrations in his skin as they approached the Blightsbane. Mozenrath too seemed a little taken with the floribunda. He gazed at it with an expression between awe and his usual avarice for all things magical.
Approach the Blossom of Mithras and be healed.
The voice echoed off the walls with soft candor. Aladdin looked over at the necromancer and jerked his head to the pool.
Mozenrath seemed surprisingly hesitant as he approached. There was a small set of steps leading up to the pool. He walked up them as the blossom power vibrated in his head.
Embrace the blossom and be healed. The voice said.
Taking a deep breath, Mozenrath reached up to accept the flower.
A violent energy roared in the room, the petals turning from white to red angrily. Mozenrath shielded himself as he was flung from the pool across the room, the rose returning to its sacred shades.
"You have failed the tests. You are unworthy to receive the blossoms healing."
"What? NO!" Mozenrath soared to his feet, charging the flower.
"Mozenrath don't!" Aladdin called out, grabbing him by the cloak and yanked him back.
"Let go of me Aladdin!" Mozenrath challenged, jerking himself away. "Why? How did I fail? I made it here didn't I?"
The blossom hovered complacently. You failed at the Barrier of Cleansing. Were it not for Aladdin you would have drowned in your own past and become flotsam for the waters. You are unworthy to be healed. Leave. Your presence is anathema to us.
"That…that isn't fair!" Mozenrath railed, his gauntlet flashing with hateful power. "I made it here after all this! I demand to be healed!" He raised his hand to strike out at the wronging object.
"Mozenrath no!" Aladdin grabbed him by the wrist, pulling him away. "Just because it didn't heal you doesn't mean it won't heal others! You can't just destroy it!"
"Why not?" Mozenrath yelled back. "What do I care? Don't you get it Aladdin? It's over! I…nnnnnnnnnnnngHAAAAAAAAAAAA!" he screamed, the burning tearing through his body like an inferno of pain.
"No." Aladdin reached out, this time to help, but the sorcerer threw himself away from the hero, landing on the tiles as he writhed in agony. Aladdin was too stunned to do anything as the blight continued to take its price. His skin turned to ice and he was forced to see Mozenrath in his most vulnerable state as his muscle became bloody ash on the ground.
"You can't let this happen!" he turned to the blossom, accepting that it was conscious in its own right. "You were made to heal! How can you let him suffer like this?"
The necromancer's suffering is not our concern young Aladdin. You passed the barriers. Should you wish to be healed and made whole form your past sins, we shall gladly make you such. The blossom shined in his eyes with acceptance. Let the sorcerer die, young Aladdin. He is not worth the expenditure on your part.
Another scream broke through the room and Aladdin felt sick as he saw the skin peel away from Mozenrath's torso and stomach. It was encroaching on his spine and ripping across his hips. Everything being eaten away at a rapid pace. The sorcerer was looking at him desperately, clinging to himself as though trying to hold it back.
Leave him Aladdin. Leave him and be healed.
"I…I can't." he turned back to the flower. "I can't just leave him like this! It's wrong!"
Your nobility of the heart does you credit hero. But do not be fooled. The sorcerers passing is a blessing in disguise. Approach the blossom Aladdin.
He turned back to see the blood pouring from Mozenrath's jaw line, encasing his handsome face as it tore through his cheek and lips. "Aladdin!" Mozenrath cried out, begging for something, anything to be done. His ravaged face was a grotesque parody of beauty and horror. One half still looked out through a pleading emotive eye, while the other was bereft of life or sorrow, a skull with bits of blood and muscle hanging from it.
Aladdin grit his teeth and spun back around to the blossom. "I forfeit my healing!"
The blossom halted in the air, it's glow becoming focused on Aladdin. Everything went silent.
"I forfeit any right I have to be healed and pass it to Mozenrath!" Aladdin insisted.
This…can not be accomplished.
"Yes. Yes it can! I passed the barriers, I won the right to be healed. Well there is no prohibition saying it has to be used on me." Aladdin said quickly, knowing that time was short. "The right to be healed is mine, I'm claiming it for Mozenrath."
The blossom seemed to be contemplating his argument for a terribly long time. There is a cost.
Aladdin nodded. If nothing else his time with the sorcerer had taught him that. "I'll pay it. Whatever it is. Just…stop this." He said in a pleading tone.
Embrace the blossom Aladdin.
He ascended the steps before the pool, arms outstretched as the pearlescent glow overtook his frame. The light flooded into his frame and for a moment, Aladdin knew what it meant to be in the presence of the divine.
Mozenrath could feel life ending. There was no longer a heartbeat or breath to him. Only pain and despair. He lay motionless on the ground, the blighting taking all from him as he began to pass into death and darkness. He would have wept, but his tear ducts were being eaten away. He could not even sob any longer as his vision became obscured by light.
A warmth spread over his body. Pain halted.
So this is dying. It is not so bad.
A flush encased him and he could feel a resonant tingling in his hollow rib cage. It feels…good even. He had not expected this. A lifetime of evil necromancy didn't exactly lead one to believe that the afterlife would be anything but ones torments being revisited upon them. But this was…pleasant. It was as though strong, warm arms were being wrapped tightly about him, holding him until all else faded.
The throbbing inside his body became intensely fulfilling. He could feel the tingling spread throughout his bones and finger tips. He could feel hot salty tears running down his face. He could feel breath, blood and life being pushed into him. Slowly, a thudding began to call out from his chest.
A heartbeat.
He opened his eyes and saw the outline of a familiar face wreathed in golden light above him. It was smiling, it's open mouth pouring out aetheric energy. It held him as flesh was renewed, covering his body and bones. As the last of his limbs were again made whole, the figure lifted the once ravaged hand, the first price he had paid to the glove. Mozenrath watched as it too was made human in front of his eyes. He let out a heavy breath and felt a strength he had not known in ages come over him.
The light faded and there was a new flush of embarrassment as he realized Aladdin was cradling him in his arms. The two men locked eyes and Mozenrath found the will to speak first.
"I think you can put me down now."
Aladdin turned bright red and released the sorcerer, rubbing his neck as he stood and the blossom again spoke to them.
The sorcerer has been healed Aladdin. Though for better or worse, your actions were righteous. We expected no less of you hero.
Aladdin got the sensation that he had been used and crossed his arms irately. "And what about the cost?"
The life that remained to you, and that which would have been Mozenrath's, has been joined and divided. Should you avoid unnatural destruction, you shall both die in the same moment, of old age.
Aladdin felt a sense of dread. "So…how long is that?"
No man may know his own hour of death young hero. Though one may postulate that yours…and now Mozenrath's is far from turned.
Relief washed over him and Aladdin smiled. "Thank you. You probably won't hear Mozenrath say it, so thank you twice."
The light warbled, as though chuckling. You have passed the final barrier, Aladdin. The Barrier of Sacrifice. If you wish, you may take some of the petals from the sacred pool. They have not the power of the blossom, but they may heal a wound which otherwise might end a life. This will serve you well…hero.
Aladdin bowed, sensing that it was the right thing to do, and dipped his hand into the pool, gathering up some of the petals. Despite the chill of the water, the petals themselves were as warm as the blossom had been when he embraced it.
You should go. While you may return whenever you do wish, the sorcerers presence is still a blight to us. We would not suffer him longer.
Aladdin looked behind him, not surprised, but disappointed to see that Mozenrath seemed to have regained his aplomb and was leaning against the door frame. He could obviously hear everything being said about him and was glaring at the Blightsbane as though he would like to blast it away. "Thank you once again." He said and bowed, walking out through the stairs with Mozenrath beside him. As soon as they were out of earshot he turned to the sorcerer. "You could at least pretend to be grateful you know. I pretty much just gave up half my life to save you."
"Don't be so melodramatic Aladdin. You should have paid more attention to what was being said."
"What?"
"The bloom…or whatever power is behind it, took the rest of your life plus whatever years I would have had if I had not put on the gauntlet. It added them together and split it evenly between us. We could have a hundred years left…" his mouth turned up at the corners. "…or at least…I could."
"Mozenrath don't you dare!" Aladdin dodged the flash of magic as it crashed from the gauntlet. It was not hard. Even the necromancer seemed to notice that the flames were not as bright as they had once been, nor as quick to respond.
"The connection is gone." Mozenrath said sourly. "It appears you did manage to heal me Aladdin. Allow me to thank you!" another angry energy shot through the air, arching high as Aladdin pulled to the left, kicked off the wall and charged the wizard.
"You ungrateful ass!" He shouted in Mozenrath face as he knocked him to the floor. "After all that you still have no regrets!"
"Oh big surprise hero!" Mozenrath kicked out, catching Aladdin in the knee and bringing him down. "What did you expect from me?"
Aladdin snarled and surged forward, catching Mozenrath in the gut as the gauntlets magic went wild over his head. "Yeah well apparently your mother isn't the only one who's good at backstabbing!"
It was such a low blow that Mozenrath was actually shocked. His eyes flashed and he brought down his fleshed fist into Aladdin's jaw. Knocking the hero off of him and sending him sprawling. "This ends now Aladdin!" he raged as the magic built in his palm.
Aladdin turned over to face his nemesis. He would not be able to get up in time.
Mozenrath was looking right at Aladdin's deep brown eyes. His fingers were hooked, containing the blaze of blue-black flame. It was roiling higher, the energy coiling out from between his glove as the heat could be felt at a distance.
Aladdin though he was saving his victory. But seconds ticked by, and Mozenrath did not fire.
His face was twisted with internal rage. His eyes locked on the hero. The man who had saved him. Who had defied greater powers at the cost of his own years to restore someone who had never caused him a day's peace. Mozenrath's upper lip twitched in rankled fury. He inhaled sharply through his nose and screeched "Fuck!"
Aladdin flinched as the bolt encroached his face…
…and left a wide char on the ground beside his head, missing him but for a few singed hairs.
The shock was written plainly on his face as he looked back up and the furious man. Mozenrath slapped his palm to his forehead and ran his gloved fingers across his face, obviously more angry at himself than the street rat. "Just this once Aladdin!" he insisted, a single finger held between them. "Just this once."
Aladdin scoffed. He couldn't help himself. He began to laugh so loudly it echoed off the walls. Mozenrath gave him a look full of loathing and derision. "I don't believe it." He said as he began to stand up. A hand thrust itself in front of him and he chortled to see Mozenrath rolling his eyes at him.
"Just come on dammit I don't have all day!" Mozenrath snarled as Aladdin accepted the help and stood.
"No. Just the rest of your life." Aladdin just couldn't resist teasing.
"You will not get a thank you out of me."
"Wasn't expecting one Moze."
"Ugh!" He grabbed his turban and for a moment it seemed like he would cover his entire head with it if it would not have looked so undignified. "I just want to get out of this damn temple and go back to my Citadel!"
"Nuhuh." Aladdin said firmly as they walked out into the temple proper. "The deal still stands Mozenrath. You are effectively banned from the seven deserts. The Citadel isn't yours anymore."
"Don't tempt me street rat." Mozenrath glowered. "What's to stop me from waltzing right back into the black sands and taking back what's mine?"
"Well for one…we've already blocked it."
"You did what?" Mozenrath said with deadly calm.
"We blocked it. Remember when I sent Genie off to look for the first marker at the Tree of Renewal? Well I already knew where that marker was. We just needed to keep you busy long enough for him to zip back to the Citadel and set up a barrier against you ever getting back there." Aladdin gave a sly grin, entirely too pleased with himself. "I'm not an idiot Moze. You didn't think I'd actually trust you to keep your part of the bargain did you?"
A vein began throbbing against the sorcerers eyebrow. "I should have blasted you when I had the chance." He said out loud, but one couldn't help but notice that he did not raise his gauntlet.
"You might want to save your energy!" The bright red parrot flung himself at Aladdin's chest, landing there with a look of panic.
"Iago!" he looked at the birds disheveled state. "What happened? Where's Genie and Abu?"
"While you two were playing Tomb Raider, your buddy Destaine decided to pay a little visit!" Iago let out. "He took blue boy and the monkey back to the Citadel! He said if Moze doesn't show up he's gonna fricassee the both of them!"
"Oh I'll show up." Mozenrath said with deadly inflection. "This time I'm going to end that twisted old fiend permanently!"
Aladdin swallowed and put a calming hand on Mozenrath's shoulder. "No. You won't."
"What? What do you mean?" Mozenrath gestured into the distance. "Never mind I deserve my revenge, I'd have though you at least would want to rescue your friends."
"I do, and I will. But you're done Mozenrath." Aladdin said smoothly. "You've been blocked from ever getting close to the black sands, remember, not to mention it would violate your banishment from the Seven Deserts." He explained. "You don't want to have come this far just to get beheaded do you?"
"No one's going to behead me Aladdin. But I have no intention of allowing that abomination of humanity to sit on my throne in my kingdom."
"He won't. Destaine is our problem now. We'll deal with like we have every other threat." Aladdin tried to assure him.
"Oh really? How do you intend to do that without the gauntlet? It was the only reason I could weaken him enough the first time to deal a death blow?" Mozenrath said, raising his gloved fist.
"Yeah…about that…" Aladdin held his position, licked his lips, and pulled Mozenrath against him.
"Ala-umph!"
Iago's jaw dropped, trying to reconcile what he was seeing with the reality that had existed but a split second before.
Mozenrath's eyes were wide, Aladdin's hands grasping his wrists firmly, but not at all unkindly. He stared, the heat spreading across his lips as he blushed bright red. Somewhere in the back of his head, he knew he could stop this with just a single movement. But he didn't. His eyelashes fluttered. His rigid posture went a little lax. With sudden curiosity, Mozenrath swallowed, closed his eyes, and sank into the kiss.
It lasted a wonderfully long time. When Aladdin finally broke contact he was a little satisfied to see Mozenrath entirely at a loss for words. His mouth was slightly open, his cheeks pink, his eyes wide and vulnerable.
Aladdin savored this moment of rare shyness, because it wasn't going to last. With a sheepish smile, the hero showed Mozenrath the brown glove he's snatched during the brief interlude.
Mozenrath's head snapped down to his newly refreshed hand and back up to Aladdin. The pink in his face went violet as he roared. "You bastard!"
Aladdin jumped to the side and onto Carpet, who had been clever enough to hide during the earlier battle. (Or who the authoress had completely forgotten existed until it was convenient to the scene) They soared quickly out of Mozenrath's reach, hanging just close enough that Aladdin could still talk to him.
"I'll get you for this you street rat! So help me I'll...!"
"Moze stop." Aladdin said with sincere inflection. "You said once that you tried to run…that you would have left it all behind if you could have…but you didn't know how." A little spark of shame in those dark iris made Aladdin's more brazen. "Well this is the second chance most people never get. It might even be your last chance to have a life without all of… this!" he hefted the glove. "And I'm not going to give you a choice Moze."
All of this seemed to be registering to the sorcerer as he set his hands on his hips and frowned. "But what about Destaine? Do you really think he'll let me run? Don't you think he'll hunt me down when he's through with you?"
"No, he won't. Because Mozenrath is dead." Aladdin hadn't planned on this. It came to him with sudden inspiration like many of his other ideas. "Iago, remember this so you can confirm it. Mozenrath, lord of the land of the black sand died in the Temple of Mithra. The Blightsbane found him unworthy and refused to heal him." That much was true. "After that nothing could be done. We failed."
Mozenrath's lips parted. "I…I don't understand."
"I'm making you take this chance Mozenrath. As far as the rest of the world, including Destaine, is concerned, you're dead. Mozenrath is gone. Which means the man he might have been still has a shot at a different life." Aladdin put the gauntlet in his pouch. "I'll keep this, you won't be needing it any more. We'll use it if we need to against Destaine. And I promise you I will finish the job."
"You actually think you're ruthless enough to do it Aladdin?" Mozenrath was doubtful.
"With anyone else, probably not. But I'm starting to understand why you did what you did in the first place." He leveled out with the sorcerer, giving him one last look in the eyes. "I'll keep your secrets Moze. They all died with you, so what does it matter right?" and with that, the multicolored carpet rose high into the sky, sailing off back to Agrabah. Aladdin couldn't resist looking over his shoulder at the lean figure becoming smaller as they left.
"Are you sure that was a smart decision kid? I mean leaving him alive like that…" Iago had apparently recovered from what he'd seen and was back to his old self.
'I'm starting to realize I don't make a lot of smart decisions." Aladdin answered with some sarcasm. "But at least I try to make the right ones."
Iago rolled his eyes. "Yeh? And how often does that work out for you?"
To be continued…