Chapter 16: Escape From The Underworld part 3

(*FLASHBACK TO AGRABAH*)

One year. Iago, son of Hades, had been learning dark magic from the evil sorcerer Jafar for one year. Iago picked up spells and techniques very quickly. Under Jafar's guidance, he had become more powerful. However, Jafar had to stop looking for the third genie in order to have the time to train Iago. Jafar never told Iago of his plans to enact the three genies spell. Enacting the spell would make Jafar more powerful than a god. It wouldn't be smart to tell this to a god. Today, Iago was waiting outside in the courtyard for Jafar to arrive for another day of magic training. He waited for twenty minutes with no sign of his teacher. Annoyed by this, Iago used magic to transport himself inside Jafar's bedroom. He thought perhaps Jafar had overslept. However, there was no one in here. It was mostly empty except for two strange looking lamps on a small table next to his bed. Iago went over to the table, which was right next to a large window, and picked up a bottle. He felt a strange connection to the bottle and he couldn't figure out why. He did not know that it was his own older brother who was trapped in the bottle as a genie. Hades had never told him about Amara, or the three children he had with her. He told Iago that his mother, Megara, died in childbirth. Iago continued to inspect the bottle. Suddenly Jafar walked in and stood in the doorway.

"Put that down!" Jafar yelled.

"You were late." Iago said. "I came looking for you."

"I said put it down!" Jafar yelled again.

"What's in this bottle?" Iago asked. "Why is it so special?"

"I won't say it again." Jafar said.

"You don't scare me Jafar." Iago said. "I'm a god. What can you do to me?"

Jafar then used magic to make the bottle disappear from Iago's hands and reappear on the table. Jafar then thrusted his arms forward, magically sending Iago flying backwards. Iago shattered the window and fell hundreds of feet to the ground in the palace courtyard where he and Jafar were supposed to have magic training. However, Iago used his magic to land unharmed on his feet. Suddenly, Jafar appeared across the court from him in a cloud of magic smoke.

"How dare you challenge me!" Iago said.

"You have no respect for your master." Jafar said.

"You're nothing compared to me." Iago said.

Suddenly, Iago thrusted his arms forward and unleashed a blast of fire at his teacher. Jafar countered by thrusting his arms forward and unleashing another beam of fire at Iago. Their two magic beams met in the middle and become locked. Jafar and Iago tried to push their magic beams closer to their enemy. Jafar's beam was moving closer towards Iago, who was shocked that he was losing to Jafar.

"Had enough yet?" Jafar yelled.

"I don't understand!" Iago yelled back.

"You have great power, but you're angry." Jafar said. "You're not focussing. You need to channel your magic."

"You don't know me!" Iago yelled.

Then, Jafar's beam of fire reached Iago, causing him to fly backwards in a flaming blast and land hard on the floor.

"Maybe next time you'll listen to me." Jafar said.

"There won't be a next time!" Iago yelled as he stood up.

"Fine." Jafar said. "Then you are no longer welcome here. Begone and never return."

Iago then disappeared in a cloud of magic smoke. Jafar hated to admit it, but he easily could've lost to Iago. He was almost eighteen, but he already held great power. Jafar feared that if Iago were ever to return in the future, and had learned to actually focus his powers, he would not stand a chance.

(*PRESENT DAY IN THE UNDERWORLD*)

Rafi and Hercules ran through the dark caves of the Underworld. Rafi had broken his cousin out of Hades' prison and started to escape. Then, they overheard Cersei telling Hades that she had conquered Wonderland in his name and imprisoned Queen Anastasia. Rafi and Hercules decided that they needed to free Anastasia and the three of them would leave together. Rafi knew Hades wasn't telling him the whole truth. Apparently his father was in the business of conquering entire worlds. He figured Anastasia might at least know something about that as well. Unfortunately, Cersei spotted Rafi and Hercules and hastily informed her cousin Hades. The God of the Underworld, furious by his son's betrayal, sent his demon assistants (Pain and Panic) to recapture Rafi and Hercules. Eventually, Rafi and Hercules came to a room. Inside the room was a large cage with only one prisoner: Anastasia.

"Rafi!" Anastasia yelled. "I thought you were going to see your father."

"I am." Rafi said. "My father is Hades, but please believe me I'm nothing like him. I understand now why my mother and Taj never talked about him. He's terrible. This is my cousin Hercules."

"Nice to meet you." Hercules said. Anastasia smiled at him, noting his handsome face. However, it only reminded her that her fiancé was trapped as Cersei's servant back in Wonderland.

"Wonderland has been conquered by Hades' demons." Ana said. "We've got to get out of here."

Rafi and Hercules started to look around for a key to unlock the cage, but found nothing.

"I don't see anything." Hercules said.

"The cage can only be unlocked with magic." Ana said.

"You have magic don't you?" Rafi asked.

"It can only be opened from the outside." Ana said. "Rafi, you need to open it."

"I don't have magic." Rafi said.

"Yes you do." Hercules said. "Your father is Hades and your mother is one of the most powerful sorceresses in history. You absolutely have magic."

"You're the son of Zeus and Hera." Rafi said. "They're both gods. Why don't you have magic?"

"I gave it up." Hercules said. "I gave it up so I could be with Meg. I didn't realize she was tricking me on behalf of Hades."

"So you're a normal human?" Rafi asked.

"No. I'm a god." Hercules said. "I have super strength and speed, but I don't have any magic. I can't conjure a lightning storm or a fireball."

"Neither can I." Rafi said.

"Yes you can." Ana said. "You just have to unlock your powers, like I did all those years ago."

"How?" Rafi asked.

"I'm going to teach you, but we have to do this fast." Ana said. "The Queen of Hearts taught me to unlock my magic by using my anger and ambition to focus. That is the way of dark magic. I want you to focus on your feelings of happiness. Think of everything good in your life and use that to unlock light magic. Think of how much your mother loved you before she died. Think of Taj and Cyrus. Think of your niece Sophia. Close your eyes and think."

Rafi closed his eyes and thought about what Anastasia said. When he opened his eyes again, the cage was gone and Ana was standing next to them.

"I did it!" Rafi said. "How did I do that?"

"I'll show you how to control your power later." Ana said. "What matters now is that you've unlocked it."

"Can we get out of here now?" Hercules asked.

"I can't just magically teleport us out of here." Ana said. "This is the realm of Hades. I cannot leave without his permission."

"Follow me." Rafi said. "I know a way out. It requires magic, but if I'm as powerful as you say I am, we should be able to get through without any problems."

While Rafi, Hercules, and Anastasia were finally leaving to escape the Underworld, Taj, Cyrus, and Victoria were coming up with a plan to rescue Alice from the Queen of Hearts in London.