The next day, everyone was searching around the palace in Agrabah, and even within the city, but they were unable to find either Genie or Razoul. Many had doubts as to why both had disappeared. Aladdin did not suspect anything strange about the absence of Genie, since he knew that he would sometimes go around, especially knowing the problems there are, but Iago, the red parrot, emphasized Razoul and his obsession with his duty as a guard, and of course, his absence was already reason to be alarmed.
"I'm beginning to think that Iago is right," Jasmine said after meditating, while they were all gathered in the throne room. "This absence is nothing normal."
"Yeah, plus the genie should have shown up by now this morning to nag us about waking up early," Iago said. "For once I slept well until you woke me up to find the genie and the big guy."
"Is it always like this?" He asked Kairi to Jasmine.
"Every day. Sometimes less, or sometimes worse." She answered.
"But where can they be?" The Sultan asked concerned until he looked at the door and was startled. "Who are you?!"
They all turned, finding someone in front of the door. Kairi was surprised to see the woman in the red robe whom she met earlier and instinctively put her hand on the back of her neck.
"You will never find them here." The woman said, clearly faking her voice, so no one could recognize who she was. "The Fallen captured them. They're in Mechanicles' hands. "
"Seriously?" Aladdin asked.
"Tell me, who are you?" Kairi asked, but she didn't answer and threw a sphere to the ground, causing a burst of light. When it faded, she was gone.
"Who would she be?"
"Does it matter?!" Iago said. "Now we have very serious problems! Without the Genie, we are doomed! We can't do anything without him!" Said the parrot in despair.
Calm down, Iago. It will surely be hidden somewhere near the city," Aladdin said.
"But where Aladdin?"
Kairi started to think. "What if we look at the stone monster?" She proposed.
"You mean the same one that Genie destroyed? No trace remains of it!" said the parrot.
"That's true..." She said. Then she began to think. "I am a scientist capable of creating destructive machines, who don't think of anything other than conquering Agrabah, who does nothing more than clean everything that gets dirty, and who is also in league with the Fallen." Kairi mused, trying to put herself in the shoes of Mechanicles.
"Her reasoning is not wrong," Iago commented.
Kairi continued. "If I wanted to conquer the city, I would make sure that my… robots, could reach Agrabah in no time, so it would have to be less than a day away, but at the same time, it would have to be well protected to avoid a frontal attack, so it should be easy to defend…"
"If we put it like that, I think I have a theory of knowing where it is," Iago said, thinking about those details. "The only place that fits like that is a mountainous canyon. It's easy to get to, but a good defense there would be deadly."
"Could you take us?"
"Are you kidding me? If I'm right, nor crazy I would go there!" Iago said abruptly. "Neither would you if you had common sense!"
"What can we do to convince you?" Kairi said with a sweet face.
"Forget it! That won't work for me!" The parrot said flatly, turning his back to her, crossing his wings.
She stopped looking at him with tender eyes, wondering how to convince this stubborn parrot to help them.
"Well, do what you want, but I think you'll run out of some of the loot," Aladdin said, winking at Kairi, as she looked at him confused.
Iago turned to him. "Loot? What loot? "
"Mecanicles needs material to create its machines, and of course, it will need gold and jewels to pay for the components," Aladdin said. "And most likely these Fallen are paying him with gold and jewels needed for his machinery."
Iago started thinking about that and smiled. "Well, if you put it that way, I think it wouldn't be a bad idea to stop by and lighten his load of gold."
"I think that would be nice," Aladdin said.
Kairi was surprised at how 'easy' it was to convince the parrot if thou know how to do it.
Aladdin, Kairi, and Abu, perched on a Magic Carpet, really surprising Kairi that it existed despite Sora's extraordinary stories, they followed Iago closely as they flew over the desert to a high canyon, moreover, from the heights they found a huge metal structure in the center of the canyon, and they decided to lower their flight height to fly inside the canyon at a slower speed. After several meters of flight inside, they stopped and hid behind a large rock.
Looking carefully, they found a Mecanicles scarab robot patrol, and some armor armed with spears patrolling the cannon.
"I knew it!" Iago exclaimed in a low voice. "I knew those things would be around here!" Said the parrot and turned around. "Well, I'm getting out of here. Good luck." Suddenly Aladdin grabbed it with his hand.
"Wait a minute!" Aladdin said without raising his voice. "If we go alone, they will surely discover us. And who knows what they might do to Genie and Razoul."
"I don't care about Razoul! And the Genie cannot die so easily," Iago replied.
"And what about the treasure?"
"I don't care! To catch it I need to get to it! What treasure could I get if they first turned me into a Beijing Parrot?" Iago said.
"You know of a secret route that leads us close, right?" Kairi asked.
Iago began to think. "I think I have an idea. An underground tunnel that leads into the canyon." Iago said. "Jafar and I used it to mislead anyone chasing us out of the palace, and if I'm not mistaken, he should leave us behind that building."
"And where is?"
"Further back, a few meters from here."
"Take us there."
Iago led them to what appeared to be a cave of sorts that led down below the ground. After descending several meters, they found that the cave was completely filled with layers and pillars of ice. Even parts of the ground were frozen.
"It's here?" Aladdin asked.
"I think so," Iago said. "The last time I passed by this was not covered in ice."
Abu started to 'speak', but of course, they couldn't understand him, so they asked Iago to translate. "The monkey says this is not normal. And he is right. With the heat out there, this ice should have turned into water. "
"Whatever the reason, we must continue. It may be our only route to get there. " Kairi said.
"Okay, but I'm in the middle," Said the parrot.
"In the middle?"
"Yes, in the middle. And why not behind? For a good reason," Iago said. "If I go in front, I will end up triggering a trap, and if I go behind, something will catch me and nobody will notice it. So I plan to go in between. "
"It has its logic," Kairi said, and Aladdin and Abu nodded their heads.
The group advanced through the frozen cave, making sure every couple of meters that they were not being followed from behind, nor that they had company ahead. Although despite that, they could not shake the feeling that something, or someone, was watching them... from the very ice.
They soon reached a kind of large cavity that was larger compared to the rest of the cave but still completely covered in ice. In the center of the cavity, there was a kind of person-sized ice stalagmite, as if it were the focus of the ice, although apparently, that frozen stalagmite seemed to be the focus of all the ice in the cave.
When Kairi entered the room, a layer of ice appeared without warning and plugged the entrances and exits of the cavity, leaving Aladdin and the others outside.
"Oh great!" Iago said angrily. "I don't know why but I already saw this coming!"
"Are you OK?" Kairi asked from the other side.
"We're fine," Aladdin said. "It's just that this ice sheet has blocked our way. Don't worry, we'll try to break it."
"Don't bother." Said a female voice. Kairi turned around, though she didn't see anything. She was alone, but it seemed like there was someone else in there. "That ice won't break unless I allow it." Kairi looked around, trying to figure out where the voice was coming from. "Don't bother looking. I'm in this room, but you won't see me until I see it fit." Said the voice. "Tell me who you are?"
"My name is Kairi, and I am a Princess of the Heart," Kairi said, pulling out her Keyblade. "And a Keyblade apprentice."
"Keyblade, huh?" Said the voice. "I hadn't heard from them for a long time. Since the age of fairy tales. "
"The age of fairy tales?" Kairi asked.
"That's right, the age that existed long before this era, when the worlds were one, before the Keyblade War." Said the voice.
"I think I already know what happens," Iago said from the other side of the ice, somewhat disturbed. "I believe we are in the domain of Shiva!"
"Shiva?" Kairi asked looking at the path blocked by the ice.
"Yes, an Eidolon of ice! Many know this being as the 'Ice Queen', and it is very dangerous!"
"It seems that the parrot knows what he is talking about. Maybe I'll have him as a pet when this is over," Shiva's voice said.
"Are you an Eidolon?" Kairi asked.
"Indeed, my dear," Shiva's voice answered. "Anyway, what brings you here?"
"We are attempting to enter a Fallen base outside the cave. Maybe out there we will find a secret entrance."
"I see." She said. "I know about them, but I'm not interested in having them around, as well as having intruders like you." She said and there was a moment of silence. "And speaking of you, I can feel your power. Yes, you have the power of a summoner, but a bit strange it seems."
"Does that matter?" Kairi asked, looking around.
"Well, you could say I've come up with a game."
"A game?"
"That doesn't sound good at all," Iago said on the other side fearing anything.
"Is simple. You against me. If you win, you can use my power and you can cross the cave. But if you lose, I fear you will be ice statues in this cave, forever."
"Don't accept and let's get out of here!" Shouted Iago.
"He's right, it's very dangerous!" Aladdin said.
Kairi thought for a moment and finally looked up at the ceiling. "I accept!"
"As if I could see it coming!" Iago said. Kairi could imagine him with his eyes closed, with a wing covering his head.
"Very good. But let me tell you something." Shiva said, and suddenly, the ice stalagmite began to break, until it broke into pieces, and in its place, a woman with blue skin and purplish-blue hair appeared, totally naked if it were not for the plates of white ice that covered her breasts and crotch, with ice boots on the legs and ice pauldrons on the shoulders. She looked at Kairi with her icy eyes. "I always play rough."
Kairi settled into a defensive position, awaiting a first attack from the Eidolon.
The Ice Queen began by moving her arm like a fan, throwing several ice stakes at Kairi, which she dodged by rolling to the side and took the opportunity to launch a Firaga at her, hitting her side, but that did not make her lose her composure and she responded with a Blizzaga that hit her in the chest, knocking her to the ground, but fortunately didn't freeze her.
Shiva stretched out his hand towards her and from it released a blast of icy snow. On instinct, Kairi rolled to the side, avoiding the area where the snow fell, watching as the area froze with a layer of ice. Kairi watched as the icicle passed her and jumped back, avoiding two other icicles. Upon landing, she fired a Firaga at Shiva, but she responded with a Blizzaga, countering both attacks with an explosion. Because of the smoke, Kairi didn't see Shiva throw another Blizzaga at her, hitting her in the abdomen, knocking her to the ground. Fortunately, it didn't end up frozen, which started to be strange.
"That's funny? By now you should be frozen." Shiva said surprised. "It doesn't matter, that changes nothing."
She threw more icicles at Kairi, and Kairi dodged them by turning to the side. She knew that if she didn't turn the situation around, she would lose, and then she couldn't save Genie or Razoul, and the others would end up frozen, but Shiva's attacks were very quick.
Wait, quick?
Shiva prepared to throw her frozen snow, but Kairi seized the opportunity and threw an accurate Firaga, hitting the snow by the hand, causing an explosion that blinded her for a moment. Kairi used that occasion to channel the energy of the Chocobo into her. When the smoke disappeared, Shiva was not able to see Kairi, until she struck her from behind with the Keyblade.
"How dare you?" Shiva asked annoyed, turning and throwing an ice dagger at Kairi, but Kairi quickly eluded the attack, allowing Shiva to see her in the outfit reminiscent of a Chocobo. "I see, so you can use the power of a summoner, but in this case materialize that power in yourself. This will be interesting," She said, throwing a Blizzaga at Kairi.
She easily avoided the attack and launched several Firaga, hitting her, but Shiva began to send a shower of icicles at her, not leaving her even a moment's breath to launch another Firaga, but was not expected to see Kairi jump over the icicles towards her and hit her in the face with one leg, throwing her to the side. When she gathered herself, Shiva threw her icy snow at Kairi, but she was able to avoid the freezing snow and get close to her for a few good blows until she knocked her to the ground on her back.
Kairi braced herself in case she did some trick or something.
"You are good, human," Shiva said, as she got up. "I must admit, it's been a long time since I've seen someone fight like you."
"Thanks," Kairi replied, relaxing.
"As I said, if you beat me, you could acquire my power, but seeing how you channel that power..." Shiva said, looking at his outfit. "Hmm, I think I have an idea." She raised her hand and from it appeared an orb of blue light, which slowly approached Kairi, and entered her. To her surprise, she felt not cold, but warmth. "I think this will be enough."
"Err... Thanks?" Kairi asked confused.
"Don't worry, little one." She said. "If you meet another of my fellows and win, you will acquire their strength in the same or similar way. Depends on the situation. And just so you know, you won't be able to combine two powers at the same time. You'll have to use one at a time, although you sure won't have a problem with that."
"I hope so."
"Anyway, I think I have to go now," Shiva said, confusing Kairi. "You have already discovered me, it's only a matter of time before those Eidolon hunters look for me here." She said and soon vanished without a trace, catching Kairi off guard.
"Don't worry, little one. I have a gift for you. Come to the surface, and you will see." Shiva's voice sounded around him along with his cold, although this time it was more pleasant. "And don't worry, I'll tell the others about you, so don't worry."
Kairi didn't know how to take that last part, but her thoughts were interrupted when she heard how the ice that covered the exits of that cavity broke, leaving the passage free on one side, and the other leaving Aladdin, Abu, and Iago to enter the room.
"What happened?" Aladdin asked.
"I think he lets us continue," Kairi said.
"Okay, I guess this will be a no-brainer by now but..." Iago said calmly before raising his voice, echoing throughout the cave "I want to get out of here right now!"