Night 31- Solomon's Wisdom

Magi © Shinobu Ohtaka

Shahra © Me

Alozza © Darkdarlking98

"Aladdin! You're here!" Alozza exclaimed, happily.

Shahra, ignoring her own injuries, ran up and nuzzled Aladdin, who giggled and pet her gently.

"I'm happy to see you, too, Shahra," the young Magi said.

"So, you finally decided to show your scrawny little ass, huh, kid?" Judar asked. "Well, this time, I'm not losing to you, because now, I've got a Djinn of my own!"

Cassim roared powerfully as he said this.

"So, why don't you show me yours?!" Judar asked. "Come on!"

'…Maybe Aladdin can win this with his Djinn, too,' Sinbad thought. 'It's our only chance!'

A pause…but then Aladdin turned around and walked toward Sinbad.

"A-Aladdin?" Alibaba asked.

"Hey! Where are you goin'?!" Judar questioned. "Turn around, you little pansy!"

When Aladdin didn't answer him, Judar growled in frustration before he sent ice spears down at him. However, Aladdin glared back at him and raised his hand, and suddenly, a large orb of light formed around him, and two dragon heads emerged from it.

"That dragon borg of yours, again!?" Judar asked. "I didn't come here for you to show me that!"

He then sent more spears of ice at Aladdin, but the dragon heads grabbed the spears and shattered them into pieces…and then a third head appeared and headed straight for Judar.

"What the-" the Dark Magi started before the head slammed him into the palace's outer wall. "UGH! Ugh…what the hell?! Now that borg of his has three dragon heads?!"

"Uncle Sinbad," Aladdin said as he walked up to him. "Are you okay?"

"Y…yeah, I'm fine," Sinbad answered.

'Did he just call me 'Uncle'?' he thought, confused.

"Anyway, Aladdin," he told him, "quickly! Summon Ugo!"

"He's right, Aladdin!" Alozza shouted. "Ugo's the only one who can fight this thing!"

"…Yeah…about that," Aladdin said, gripping his flute…which is missing the eight-pointed star. "Ugo…Ugo's not coming back."

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!" everyone questioned.

"What do mean, 'not coming back'?!" Judar questioned in an annoyed tone.

Aladdin stared at his flute sadly.

'That was the last time I'd ever see Ugo again,' he thought as he thought back to when Ugo and Sheba sent him out of the Sacred Palace.

"…Without a Djinn," Judar sneered, "you're nothing but a weak little kid. Get the hell outta my sight!"

He then sent a giant ball of black magoi at Aladdin, who just stood there, glaring.

"ALADDIN! RUN!" Alibaba shouted.

"ARE YOU CRAZY?!" Alozza cried. "GET OUTTA THERE!"

Aladdin glared as he gripped his staff.

'Ugo…isn't completely gone,' he thought as he threw his arms up, causing a huge ball of white light to surround him.

'What's this?' Judar thought. 'Divine protection from the rukh?! No…it's something else…something different!'

Aladdin raised his fists…and suddenly, what looked like two more fists, a lot bigger than his own, appeared from the ball of light.

'Ugo and Mother…they left me some power!'

"What is that?!" asked a soldier. "It looks like…a white giant!"

Above Aladdin, a giant being, made entirely of white rukh towered over him…and it looked just like Ugo.

"It can't be…!" Markkio whispered. "He's mastered the Djinn Formation Art?!"

"What's up?" Judar asked, looking bored. "It may look like a giant, but it's only Heat Magic!"

As Judar said this, the white Ugo suddenly disappeared, turning into red flames.

'Heat Magic?!' Sinbad thought. 'Aladdin can actually do that?!'

'…To be honest, I always had the potential,' Aladdin thought. 'That's why Mother gave Ugo to me for birthday. Whenever Ugo was using my magoi for his own magic, he was actually training me through the flute, so that someday, I could use magic, too!'

"You're really boring me, twerp!" Judar shouted. "Just die already!"

He then sent Cassim after Aladdin.

"ALADDIN!" Morgiana cried.

"RUN FOR IT, ALADDIN!" Alozza shouted.

Shahra let out a worried roar, but Aladdin remained still as he raised his staff.

'Mother…Ugo…thank you,' he thought. 'I know you were both worried about me…but I'll be just fine on my own…because you both showed me…that I can do this!'

"HALHARL INFIGAR!" Aladdin roared.

BWOOOOOOOM! He released a powerful blast of fire from his staff, completely engulfing Cassim!

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" Judar screamed as he was sent flying.

"What…in Solomon's great name was that?!" Alozza questioned.

"Aladdin…!" Alibaba whispered in awe.

The heat from the blast was so intense, it caused the ice spears that kept Sinbad pinned to the wall to melt.

"I'm free!" Sinbad exclaimed.

"Are you all right, Uncle Sinbad?" Aladdin asked.

"Y-yeah, I think so," Sinbad answered.

"Morg, Shahra, Alozza," Aladdin said. "Could you take Uncle Sinbad into the city? Someone's there waiting for him."

"Wait, are you sure?!" Alozza asked.

"What about you?" Morgiana asked.

"I'll be fine," Aladdin answered. "Just hurry!"

"…You better know what you're doing," Alozza said, worriedly. "Morgiana! Shahra! Let's go!"

"Right!" Morgiana answered as she helped Sinbad to his feet and hurried out of the courtyard.

Just then, Judar came out of the large hole in the wall he made when Aladdin sent him crashing with his new attack.

"Heh!" he smirked as the black rukh swarmed around him again. "Is that the best you got?! Don't disappoint me, you pipsqueak!"

'Dammit, it didn't work!' Alibaba thought. 'But somehow…Aladdin seems different today! Maybe he can win this without Ugo's help!'

A pause, but then Aladdin sighed.

"I'm gonna be honest," he said. "I don't think I can beat Judar."

"HUH!?" Alibaba questioned in shock.

"Alibaba," Aladdin began, "the thing is I just learned magic, so I'm not very good at it, yet. I'm still inexperienced, unlike Judar…so I'm not sure if I can beat him this way. So that's why I need your help. If we work together, we can win this!"

"I would if I could, little buddy," Alibaba said, "but I can't…my sword is broken, and I almost have no magoi left…so I can't fight him!"

"That's not true," Aladdin said as he touched his hand…and white rukh started to surround him. "Look closer."

Alibaba looked up and gasped upon seeing streams of white light, flowing from the city.

XXX

Outside, the people continued their revolt.

"Kill the royals and the nobles!" shouted a man with dreadlocks, but then BONK! He was hit in the back of a head with a frying pan by another man.

"Dumb-ass!" he shouted. "What good will that do?!"

"Prince Alibaba said everything was going to change in Balbadd!" cried the mother as she held her wailing baby girl.

Outside, the soldiers are trying to subdue the rebelling citizens…and to their surprise, other civilians were helping!

"We had decided we were going to change this country with our own hands!" shouted Balkirk.

"We had made a vow!" Sabhmad exclaimed.

"WE WON'T GIVE UP!"

Suddenly…bursts of white light came from the people…and formed into a giant white bird!

XXX

"Don't you hear it, Alibaba?" Aladdin asked. "The voices of hope and faith coming from the people's hearts. This land still has hope…and the will to overcome their fate instead of cursing it…and it's because of you!"

"…Because of me…?" Alibaba whispered with tears in his eyes.

"That's right," Aladdin answered. "The Great Rukh leads life ever onwards…and that means we can still fight!"

Just then, the giant rukh soared overhead, and Aladdin opened his arms.

"Now…GATHER TO ME!" he ordered as the avian being flew toward him.

"Tch!" Judar scoffed. "Trying to do more Heat Magic, huh?!"

Aladdin quietly chanted to himself, and the rukh began to swirl around and around, being absorbed into the center of his forehead.

"Aladdin!" Alibaba exclaimed. "What's happening?!"

"Heat Magic?" Markkio questioned. "No…it's something else."

Soon, the rukh spiraled around Aladdin, forming into two gigantic arms!

"No…it can't be!" Markkio whispered in horror. "Now I'm certain…he has obtained it! SOLOMON'S WISDOM!"

SHEEN! Aladdin's hair parted…revealing an eight-pointed star, glowing on his forehead!

"Aladdin…your forehead!" Alibaba exclaimed in surprise.

Then, Aladdin raised his hands…and thee light turned into a large number of humanoid beings, large and small, until they all shrank into the seal on his forehead.

"W-what was that?!" Alibaba asked.

"I had everyone's spirits come to lead you and your friend," Aladdin answered.

"Huh?" Alibaba muttered, confused.

"That monster," Aladdin said, gesturing to Cassim, who had generated from Aladdin's attack. "He's your friend, Cassim, isn't he? He's trying to drag everyone down into the darkness with him…and you're the only one who can help him. So use your sword to dispel the darkness from his heart."

"…I want to," Alibaba answered as he looked down at his broken sword, "but…my sword is-"

"Don't worry!" Aladdin assured, holding up his staff, which glowed a bright red. "It'll come back, but only if we work together! HALHARL INFIGAR!"

"Again with the same spell!?" Judar questioned. "I told you it's not gonna work, kid!"

A pause…but then Aladdin turned to Alibaba…and sent the blast of fire at him!

"W-whoa, whoa, whoa!" Alibaba cried. "What are you doing, Aladdin?!"

But then…the eight-pointed star seal on his sword absorbed the blast…returning it to the Sword of Amon!

"W…what in the name of Solomon…?!" Alibaba whispered in shock.

"For now, all I can do is use Heat Magic," Aladdin answered. "Luckily for you, your weapon is flame-based, and I'm sure this isn't just a coincidence, Alibaba! NOW GO!"

"You got it!" Alibaba shouted before he charged at Cassim, who glared at him.

'Cassim…this time I swear…I'm going to save you!'

With that, he jumped into the air, preparing to cut Cassim down, but Judar got in the way!

"Hold it, you little shit!" Judar barked. "You're not winning that easily!"

"HALHARL INFIGAR!" Aladdin shouted as he sent another blast of fire at Judar, who used Thalg Al-Salos to block. However, he was distracted, Alibaba finally hit the mark and stabbed Cassim in the stomach and unleashed a gigantic burst of flames, causing the Dark Djinn to roar in pain.

"Hmph!" Markkio scoffed. "A Dark Djinn is invincible. Your attack is sure to backfire!"

Just then, black tendrils came out of Cassim's body…and wrapped themselves around Alibaba's limbs!

"W-what the-?!" Alibaba questioned as he found himself being pulled into Cassim's stomach. "L-lemme go! STOP IT! ALADDIN, HELP ME!"

But it was too late. Alibaba was gone.

"Heh!" Judar grinned. "Looks like the Djinn swallowed him. Guess you guys were nothing but talk, after all."

Aladdin turned and glared at Judar.

"Oh, come on," Judar said. "It's your fault your friend's dead."

"…There's something I need to show you," Aladdin said.

"Oh, really?" Judar inquired, grinning. "And just what is it that you need to show me, hmm?"

Aladdin's forehead shined…and then Judar gasped as images appeared before his eyes: a burning village, a man and a woman with tears in their eyes reaching out and a tiny pair of arms reaching out to them, then he saw the man and woman on the ground in bloodied heaps…and finally, a mysterious hooded figure reaching out to him.

"W…what's going on?!" Judar questioned as he clutched at his head. "Cut it out…cut it out…CUT IT OUT!"

THUD! He fell to the ground, writhing around as if in pain.

"Judar!" Markkio cried.

XXX

Meanwhile, in a dark void, Alibaba is floating endlessly until he seemed to stand on the surface of a dark sea.

"W…where am I?" he asked.

"You're inside the Dark Djinn, Alibaba."

"Aladdin?" Alibaba asked.

"Look around, Alibaba…can you see your friend?"

Aladdin looked around…and gasped upon seeing Cassim, standing in the middle of the darkness.

"Cassim!" he exclaimed.

"This is the form his rukh have taken. Try and talk to him, Alibaba."

XXX

Outside, Judar growled as he stood up, holding his head while glaring at Aladdin.

"…What the hell did you to me?!" he questioned.

"…Alibaba," Aladdin said. "I'm going to buy you some time, so hurry and help you friend!"

XXX

Alibaba hesitated for a moment…before he took in a deep breath and approached Cassim.

"Cassim…we have to talk," he said.

"…Alibaba," Cassim said as he turned and glared at him. "Go away…I have nothing else to say to you."

"Cassim!" Alibaba said as he put his hand on his shoulder. "C'mon, you don't know what you're saying!"

"Will you WAKE UP, already!?" Cassim questioned as he slapped his hand away. "Don't you get it?! I HATE YOU!"

Alibaba gasped in shock.

"W…what?" he asked. "C…Cassim, you don't mean that-"

"YES I DO!" Cassim shouted. "And it's not just now…I've hated you ever since we were kids!"

"What?!" Alibaba questioned.

"Back then…" Cassim hissed, showing the memory of when Alibaba left to live in the palace with his father and they had that fight. "…And then…" He then showed the memory of when they reunited as teenagers, when Cassim raided the palace and lit the courtyard on fire with the Fog Troop. "And then, too!"

The final memory was him and Alibaba and their fight that happened several days ago.

"All my life," Cassim snarled, "I was trying to drag you down into the very pits of despair!"

As he spoke, Black Rukh swarmed around him.

"ARGH!" he roared, more out of frustration than pain. "Are we really that different!? ONLY I WEAR THIS KIND OF DARKNESS ON MY HEART!"

"Cassim…!" Alibaba whispered, both horrified…and sad.

"Am I the only one…who was born to be a worthless scumbag?!" Cassim questioned.

"Cassim…why…?!" Alibaba whispered.

XXX

Outside, Judar was using his Thalg Al-Salos spell against Aladdin, who used his dragon barrier to shield himself. The three heads of his barrier smashed through the ice spears before heading for Judar, who dodged and tried to hit Aladdin with more ice spears.

"Alibaba!" Aladdin called out. "Solomon's Wisdom gives me the power to make one hear the voice of the rukh! It's the power of prophecy!"

XXX

"Aladdin?" Alibaba asked as he heard the boy's voice.

"What you're hearing is the voice of Cassim's rukh, and the rukh never lie! That's why what you hear…might end up hurting you greatly! But I know you can win!"

Hearing that caused Alibaba to put on a determined expression.

"You risk it all to save others! You're a brave man! You're my King's Candidate, so you have to win!"

"…Get ready, Cassim," Alibaba said, the white rukh swelling around him. "I'll bring you back…even if it kills me!"

"Bring it on," Cassim hissed, the black rukh also swelling until their both of their rukh clashed!

Until Next Night…

We're nearing the end of Balbadd, people!

Review, please!