Chapter 05: A Tentative Deal

Mozenrath had been experimenting with a number of different spells and plans in the Land of the Black Sand well into the night. But he was not expecting his mortal enemy to show up in front of his Palace Gates. At least for how Xerxes told it. Aladdin was the type that would sneak his way into any particular venture for certain reasons. But the sorcerer hadn't done anything to warrant Aladdin paying him an unexpected, intentional visit.

Xerxes had been loud about the whole discovery during a time when Mozenrath needed quiet to focus his magic. "Master! Master! Aladdin here!"

The interruption had cost Mozenrath a spell he would have rather seen through to its end. The sorcerer turned to Xerxes abruptly, eyes flaring. "How many times have I told you not to interrupt me during my experiments? I gave you very specific instructions during times like this that I was only to be interrupted during times of...wait, what did you say?

Xerxes was notably less enthusiastic about his discovery this time around. "Aladdin here?"

"That seems too good to be true, especially for a former street rat who knows more corners to hide around here than anything else. Even he wouldn't be stupid enough to waltz in my castle to demand an audience with me." Mozenrath used his magic to open a display portal. Sure enough, walking into the castle front entrance and through the halls was none other than the Agrabah Prince. "Perhaps I held him to too high of a regard. He'll meet his end soon enough ...wait."

Mozenrath's voice trailed off as he realized the truth, his eyes first going wide with shock, then shifting to more amusement. "Well, well. It looks like our visitor might be Aladdin in the flesh, but certainly not in spirit. So he did run into trouble in the valley after all."

"Trouble? Not Aladdin?" Xerxes asked, confused.

"I'll explain, since you don't have the Sight of Darkness that I have as a wielder of the Black Sand. Aladdin's body is possessed by a spirit under a curse of darkness. From what I can tell, there are two wayward souls in Aladdin's body at present. That could cause issues in the essence of all three souls in Aladdin's body right now, if left to stand. This spirit's a man slightly older than Aladdin and I both. I would take it that the other spirit is his sister, based on how similar their features are."

Xerxes peered hard at the vision portal, expecting to see what Mozenrath did, but giving up after several moments of watching the Prince wander around the castle, he turned back to the sorcerer and shrugged. "Me not understand."

"Well it's fortunate for both of us that I do," Mozenrath said cooly. "The other tell-tale sign that the person we see before us isn't Aladdin is how he's moving about the castle. He's been to my kingdom enough times to know his way around, not wander aimlessly through it without purpose. No, this is someone who has never met me, but knows the kind of magic I can wield. He's seeking my help." Mozenrath chuckled a little. "Well, I would be rude to not greet a guest. Very well. I can let him know that I'm happy to help him. Just not for free."

Lati was silent as her brother took hold as the dominant spirit in Aladdin's body. She would have been much more hesitant entering Mozenrath's castle, but she observed Komal walking with the confidence of one ready to challenge anyone. Komal was still careful, of course - they didn't know if they would have to deal with entities that meant them harm. Neither one of them knew how to navigate the sprawling hallways and kingdom of the Black Sand.

But it wasn't long before the sorcerer entered the area to greet them himself, flanked by a flying monster and what Lati recognized to be a mamlock. "So it would seem that I have unexpected guests tonight. A bit late on the hour."

Komal gave a short bow of apology. "Great One Mozenrath. I've travelled from afar to meet you personally."

Mozenrath half smiled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "While I'm very familiar with the man whose body you inhabit, I take it that you are not - as I would assume - Aladdin, Prince of Agrabah." It wasn't a question. Of course he would know. Lati figured that Mozenrath must have powerful magic to call from if he could detect Komal's spirit in Aladdin's body. She wondered if he could detect hers. Internal spirits could communicate with each other inside the same body, but only the dominant spirit could communicate with anyone outside of it. That was true even for sorcerers. No matter what she might say in the moment, Mozenrath wouldn't be able to hear her unless she became the dominant spirit. Komal had been the one to tell her that he would take dominance, explain the situation. So she listened.

Komal cleared his - Aladdin's - throat. Aladdin still had the same voice, but Lati could recognize Komal's formal, no-nonsense, calm tone. "My name is Komal. My sister Lati and I were able to break part of a confinement spell in the Valley of the Ill Fated just days before. It involved us merging with the body of Prince Aladdin in order to escape. But what is easy to do by inclusion is much harder than extraction. We were wondering if you were able to help us restore our bodies and disentangle from the essence of the prince."

"It seems this might be a discussion that I'm curious to hear more about, so I'll make our environment a little more accommodating." Mozenrath used his magic to transform the room to one with very lavish decorations, including a sofa where the sorcerer motioned Komal to sit.

Mozenrath took a seat on an opposite sofa, with the same flying monster settling near the armrest. The mamlock continued to stand. "If you're wondering if I have the capabilities to help you, then that's certainly the case. I get that you two are not true spirits, you were cursed into spirit forms. In short, you want your bodies back. Don't need to hear an explanation of how you got there. But you should know I don't do charity work when dealing with matters of dark based magic. Especially not with the art of the magic that's Black Sand."

"I would never think to approach you without an equitable trade to offer, which is why I came to make my - our - bid to you personally."

"I'm listening, from one magic user to another," Mozenrath said, his grin widening. This time it definitely reached his eyes.

Komal explained knowing about the artifact; where it was located, how it was contained, and that it could be stolen and brought to him for Mozenrath's use. Lati was stunned at how much Komal remembered from the conversation Genie had with Aladdin. She had heard part of it, but part of her energies were directed towards healing Aladdin's wounds, so she hadn't been able to take most of it in.

When Komal finished, Mozenrath looked about as pleased as they expected him to be. Lati felt a tight knot in her spirit stomach, realizing they were going to steal the thing that had led to the magic accident that almost killed Aladdin. Neither she nor Komal had been responsible for that, which was probably why Komal thought it would be a good trade for the sorcerer. While her brother might've been able to give that explanation to himself to justify what they were offering, she still wasn't okay with any of it. Of course, Mozenrath could always say no. Then they would have to seek another powerful being's help, based on Komal's detection skills.

But Mozenrath - to both Komal and Lati's surprise - nodded. "Very well. You have a deal. If you bring me what I want, I'll perform the extraction. No hesitation."

"Huh?" The creature floating next to Mozenrath looked puzzled, but Mozenrath glared back.

"Don't question me, Xerxes. It's a good trade. I'm happy with it."

Komal nodded quickly. "Yes, it is a great trade."

"Hold, I only have one stipulation to make in this." Mozenrath held up a hand, his expression more serious. "You must bring me the artifact within the next three days. This is a grace period as well as a test for you. If you can't bring me the artifact, then I will not help you. Do you agree to this?"

"Absolutely. Three days is plenty of time for our talents." Komal stood up, made another short bow. "We will not take up any further of your time tonight, as we will need to make preparations to complete this mission."

"Do what you must," Mozenrath said calmly. "I'll be waiting for you here in my domain."

It wasn't until Komal had stepped outside the Palace that Lati dared to ask her brother the question burning in her mind. "Didn't that seem a little easier than what we thought would happen?"

Komal laughed. "All the more reason for us to do it. We'll have that artifact in his hands in the next few days, knowing what we know. And considering Aladdin is a former street thief, it should be easy to use his abilities to get the artifact using his body. We can turn it over without anyone knowing, and get our bodies back. And then you won't have to worry about Aladdin anymore. Promise."

Lati wasn't sure what to say, but she hoped that things would be as easy as Komal promised.

"Me not understand." Xerxes seemed disturbed by the fact that Mozenrath so easily agreed to the spirits' terms.

But the sorcerer hadn't lost his smile once since the exchange. Mozenrath clicked his tongue mockingly. "I'm disappointed in you, Xerxes. I would have thought your twisted brain could grasp what happened back there better than the mamlocks working the floor."

Some of the nearby mamlocks sensed that they had been insulted somehow, but couldn't understand for what. Xerxes, though, definitely caught the dig.

"Why make deal?"

"Let me put this in a way that you can understand. When making deals, those two clearly didn't know two things that I already did. First is to be careful for all that you ask for in wording. Second, make sure you know all the terms you're agreeing to."

Mozenrath waited a beat as Xerxes thought about it for a long moment, before suddenly realizing the full scope of his master's plan. "Wait...yes! Good plan."

"I always know what I'm getting into before I agree to anything, Xerxes. Let's see if those two truly get me what I want. And I'll gladly give them their bodies back, regardless of the cost." Mozenrath's laugh echoed long and loudly throughout the halls of the castle.