Chapter 14: Sand Spectres
Mozenrath frowned. "My patience wears thin. Change of plans - instead of waiting until nightfall to make my first move, I think a mid-afternoon disturbance will be appropriate. No one will expect a calamity in the middle of such a calm, sunny day in Agrabah. What do you think Xerxes?"
Xerxes grinned. "Me like new plan."
Genie frowned from the anti-magic dome he was trapped within. "I told you before, and I'll say it again. I'm not doing anything to cooperate with the likes of your Black Sand Magic. Understatement of the millennia."
"I don't think you have a choice in the matter, Genie. With the artifact in place, I can harness your magic to create some very troublesome beings. I'm willing to bet that even Aladdin won't be able to stop it. By the way, Komal," Mozenrath paused as his new servant stood to obedient attention. "I have a mission for you in Agrabah. I want you to target a certain aforementioned prince. Prove your loyalty to me in this task and I'll reward you handsomely. Do what you want to the others who might get in the way, including your sister. I don't doubt your magic alongside mine and Genie's will be able to wreck havoc for everyone else in Agrabah. But to complete this specific task - your stealth is something that I really want to use to our advantage. Remember that Aladdin is quick on his feet. Slowing him down will be the key to his undoing."
Genie's face turned pale as he watched Komal bow in front of Mozenrath's standing form. "It shall be my duty."
Aladdin woke with a start, realizing the sunrise had hit his eyes at an odd angle through his room window. "Oh no, I overslept." He'd planned to wake somewhere close to dawn, thinking it would be enough time to get ready and travel to the Land of the Black Sand with the others. However, it seemed that he'd slept for longer since the sun was higher in the sky.
"Not by my watch," Jasmine said. The princess was already awake.
"How long have you been up?"
She shook her head. "Enough to get almost a full night's rest. You seemed like you needed more time."
Aladdin groaned. "If we wait too long, Mozenrath might get impatient and try something. If I know him well enough by now." He paused, looked at her thoughtfully as he sat up.
"Lati and Abu were both worried about you, but I think they'd be willing to get going whenever you're ready. Iago was still sleeping, though I think he stayed up late in the gambling dens. Carpet's ready to go whenever we are."
"Okay, that's good to know. Iago can sleep on the way." Aladdin smoothed his hair back away from his face. "Think this is one plan we'll have to play by eye and ear. We'll meet up at the Palace, strategize, and go all out to get Genie and Komal back from Mozenrath's clutches."
But the moment that the group reached the outskirts of Agrabah, Jasmine was the first to note something was very wrong.
"Guys, not only did I just hear screaming, but the area surrounding the city is completely empty."
Abu winced. "Uh oh."
Aladdin's jaw clenched tight. "Of course Mozenrath got here first. And the Sultan might be in trouble." Aladdin turned to Jasmine. "Let's check on your father and then we'll see what's going on in the city."
"Wait. I don't know if that's the best plan," Lati interjected. Her words surprised all of them, including Iago, who looked like he'd rather be anywhere else. Carpet stopped in mid-air, hovering over the city and waiting for instruction.
"What's going on Lati?" Aladdin asked, hesitant. She was holding back something, but he couldn't say what. Not intentionally though. He had the sense that she was really scared. Her hesitant glances between all of them before looking over the city skyline was enough proof of that.
"I could be wrong, but I have a really bad feeling. The magic in the air within the city is strong, enough that I can sense it."
"Are your powers returning?" Jasmine asked.
Lati shook her head. "Not yet. But if I can sense magic in the air around me, that's a good sign that they're coming back sometime soon. Either that or the magic source in Agrabah is so dangerous that even I can sense it."
"No doubt if Genie were here, he'd be on alert too," Aladdin said, sharing a look with Jasmine. A silent agreement between them passed before Aladdin spoke again. "Then we change plans. Figure out the threat in Agrabah before it reaches the Palace and help anyone we can along the way."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, time out!" Iago snapped. "You all are suggesting we go knee deep in the sand of the Agrabah city's streets, find the dangerous magic being WITHOUT ANY MAGIC TO FIGHT IT WITH?"
"Oh boy," Abu said, agreeing.
Carpet was getting more than a little impatient, tapping one of his knobs like they were wasting time.
"Fighting is one thing. I don't think we can unless Lati gets her powers back or we know exactly what we're dealing with," Aladdin quickly added. "But we can figure out where that screaming was coming from. Carpet, you follow?"
Carpet, spurred on by Aladdin's prompting, sped in the direction they needed to go.
Aladdin, Jasmine, Lati, Iago and Abu moved cautiously through the streets of Agrabah as Carpet floated near them. It was way too quiet at what would normally be a bustling day at the Marketplace. But there were no street vendors, no kids playing in the alleys. No one at all. The silence made all of them uneasy, but Abu's fur stood out like he'd taken a shock at some point.
Another scream from a nearby alley caught their attention. "Someone, anyone, help me!"
"This way!" Aladdin ran in the direction of the man calling for help. Lati and Jasmine took off behind him. Abu barely managed to keep clinging to Aladdin's shoulder, and Iago and Carpet brought up the rear.
They arrived just in time to see a man buried up to his chest in sand in the middle of the alley. Something had dragged him down into the ground.
"What in the world?" Aladdin rushed over to the man, grabbing his hands. It took a few tries, but Aladdin, Jasmine and Lati were able to pull the man out of the sands. But whatever danger the man was in, it had disappeared the moment they arrived.
"Oh thank goodness for all of you. I thought no one would hear me, that I would drown in the sand." The man was a merchant that Aladdin and Jasmine recognized as a regular in the Marketplace.
"What caused you to be half buried like that?" Jasmine asked.
"It was a sand monster that tried to drag me down with it. It tried to choke me!"
Aladdin shared a weary, knowing look with Abu. "The Al-Muddy?"
The merchant shook his head. "No, this was different. These were more like...sand spectres. Sand ghosts. Very sneaky and appear almost out of thin air!"
Lati's eyes widened. "Sand ghosts! No doubt the work of the artifact that Mozenrath has in his possession."
"Wait, sand ghosts? Those actually exist?" Iago frowned. "And why does it sound worse than the Al-Muddy?"
"G-g-ghosts?" Whatever patches of fur on Abu hadn't been standing on end, they fully raised at that moment.
Aladdin winced. "That's new to me, I'll admit. And from what Lati says, if it's Mozenrath's doing, that explains a lot."
Jasmine folded her arms across her chest. "They definitely sound more sneaky than the Al-Muddy. If they're swirling sands that shift with the wind, that's going to be hard to catch. Especially if they're capturing people or whatever else they can grab in the wind."
Abu looked equally anxious, nearly jumping as he felt something stir against his tail. The monkey screeched in alarm, but when he looked behind him, nothing was there. Just sand kicking up in the streets from the wind. The merchant looked horrified, struggling not to shake. So did everyone else.
Aladdin scowled at the monkey. "Don't do that. You just gave us the creeps. Looks like whatever that monster might have been, it's gone now. Let's see if there's anyone else we can help, while we take him home."
They all walked together to make sure the merchant returned home safely. They went through the streets of Agrabah, hearing various calls for help. Each time the group helped several other merchants who had been pulled down to their waists, shoulders, and feet in the sands. And every single one explained they'd been dragged into the sand by sand specters that had appeared out of nowhere. There had been a couple of other people - who had been captured by Al-Muddy before - who clarified the specters were nothing like the Al Muddy.
"I think they've taken several people away already," one street rat said after Aladdin and Jasmine had helped her. "I saw it myself, your highnesses. One of my younger brother's friends was playing with him in the street. Suddenly the wind had kicked up. Not unusual to have a breeze like that in the middle of the day, but instead of being warm, it was cold - like ice! We weren't sure what to do. At first we thought it was a blessing considering the heat, but then my brother saw it. We all started to run. My brother was able to get away, thankfully, but we saw his friend get dragged off. Not under the sand like the others, but so far and fast that there was no way we could chase it. Then it came back and tried to drag me beneath the sand. I told my brother to save himself, so he left. But I knew he didn't want to. He went to tell our older sister. I haven't seen him return for me, so I think others like that monster might've got him. Definitely think there's more than one."
"We can make sure you get home safely, then look for your brother and his friend," Aladdin assured, but the little girl seemed doubtful, even up to the point they arrived to her older sister's home. She welcomed her younger sister with open arms.
It took everything Aladdin had to convince both of them to stay where they were, giving assurances that he would find their missing brother and friend.
Abu - after they'd left the home - scolded Aladdin slightly for telling them something they weren't certain they could do.
Jasmine frowned. "I agree with Abu. That was not a promise we could easily keep." Lati seemed a little preoccupied, while Carpet and Iago seemed to wisely stay out of the argument.
"I didn't want them taking on the search themselves and going missing or getting hurt. And who's to say we won't or can't find the missing?" Aladdin said, quickly on the defense. "I think we can. And we will get to the bottom of this. Feels like we're so close." Aladdin paused a moment, lost in thought as he silently, carefully considered something. Abu wondered what the prince was thinking, but felt the wind around them kick up again. This time, he could feel a chill at the end of his tail.
The monkey swallowed against the screech building in his throat, but there was nothing to stop Abu from screaming when something - a firm hand - yanked him by the tail from his perch on Aladdin's shoulder.
"Abu!" Aladdin cried as he saw the monkey being carried away in a something that looked like sand made cloud monster, complete with a lurking form and claws. Abu screamed for help as he was quickly carried away down a nearby alley. Aladdin was quick to spring into action, running fast and closing the distance between them.
"Aladdin, wait! Carpet, follow him."
Carpet was able to speed off, carrying Jasmine, Lati, and Iago as they chased after Aladdin, Abu and the sand ghost.
Komal had eyes on Aladdin and the rest of the group, made sure to use his magic to hide his presence. He was surprised at first to see his sister returned, in full body, but unable to use her magic. Otherwise, it would have been very easy for her to sense him. He might have been pushed to abandon his mission, since getting Lati's body back had been part of the draw to help Mozenrath. But Mozenrath had promised Komal something else - change of plans. Bring Aladdin to me, alive or dead, and I will make sure this Genie's power remains yours to wield. For whatever your desire may be. I won't fool you again.
The sand ghost had done its job - providing a distraction. Taking Abu one way. Komal used his magic to create a distraction to lead Aladdin in the opposite direction from where Abu was taken. The others could follow the monkey. He wanted Aladdin alone.
Aladdin looked around. "He was right here, just a skip behind him. Which way did he go?" the prince said aloud. Komal had been about to strike, but pulled back when Aladdin noticed a few kids he seemed to be looking for, calling for help. Ah, the brother and the friend.
Aladdin helped pull the kids out of the sand. "You guys all right? I know for one of you, your sister was looking for you. She's at home, safe."
One of the boys - the brother - had hair and eyes that were similar to his sister's. He was surprised. "You saw her? She's really okay?"
Aladdin nodded. "Yeah. My friends and I helped make sure they got home. I can take you two back, if you like."
The boy shook his head. "No, we're good, Prince Aladdin. Our home isn't far from here, so we can get back. Those sand ghosts won't get us twice! Thanks for helping us."
The other boy looked starstruck. "Wait...this is Prince Aladdin? Married to Princess Jasmine? Future Sultan?" The other boy must not have grown up in Agrabah to have met the prince, Komal reasoned.
Aladdin grinned. "The one and only." Komal watched carefully. Some part of his humanity felt stirred at the sight of the prince's ease with the kids. Brief conversation between them about the current situation and the children noticing the scar across Aladdin's chest.
"Are you sure you're okay?" The boy familiar with Aladdin asked.
"Yeah, I'm good. This'll heal - it's not as bad as it looks. Once we get rid of the sand ghosts and make sure Agrabah's safe, I'll find you guys and tell you what happened that had me get this scar."
The boys eyes lit up. Komal had to admit, it reminded him of the stories some of the heroes in his former village used to tell of their adventures. Aladdin was that hero to these young kids. Komal's pursuit and honing of his magic had been in part because he wanted to be that hero to the youth in his village.
He never imagined that crossing the wrong sorcerer, experimenting with forbidden magic would lead to him and his sister losing their bodies. Being trapped in the chiasm for as long as they were, until Aladdin and his group arrived. Who knew if there was anyone left in the village they left behind? If there was a village left at all.
The memory - and the loss - made Komal bitter. Jealous that Aladdin seemed to have everything. His kingdom, his family, friends, a Genie - all the things and all the power. It pushed him further into the dark parts of himself. Away from the humanity that had brought him some comfort.
Komal hadn't noticed the kids had left, but he did notice that Aladdin was on alert. Probably sensed something in the alley path with him, but didn't know it was Komal. Ah, the magic. Careful. If a non-magic human could sense the swell of his power based on Komal's warring emotions, that would do no good.
Komal wouldn't attack the prince then. He remembered Mozenrath's warning. Aladdin was best subdued when he wasn't expecting it.
Aladdin waited a few more more moments, before he let out a long breath. "Hang on Abu, I'm coming." Continued on his way in the opposite direction. Away from the others, away from Abu.
Right where Komal wanted him.
"Abu! Aladdin!" Jasmine called. She, Lati, and Iago all continued to hover on Carpet in the middle of an alleyway. They heard the monkey, but the ghost had moved so fast, it was hard to tell where he was.
"I can't believe we lost them so quickly, in broad daylight." Lati said with a sigh.
Carpet pointed upward as Jasmine looked at his knobs.
"I was gonna suggest we look topside too," Iago said, with a wince. "Away from these sand ghosts prowling the streets. They might try to grab us too."
"Also to give us a better view at where Abu was taken." Jasmine nodded. "Go for it, Carpet."
Didn't take them long to find Abu, who was still screeching for help. The sand ghost kept moving erratically, like it was trying to wrestle with the monkey to keep him from screeching. While also keeping distance from anyone pursuing them.
Whoever or whatever these sand ghosts were, Jasmine realized they were smarter than they seemed. Which would make it harder to catch.
"Everyone, I think we might need to plan on cornering that sand ghost if we want to get Abu back. It's just as fast as Carpet moving through the streets like this," Jasmine said.
"Let's hope it doesn't move in a space where it can call friends," Lati said.
When Lati and Jasmine both looked at Iago, the bird flinched.
"Not the ladies an' the rug tellin' me I gotta be bait!" Iago complained.
Carpet nodded with his knobs.
"Fine, let the bird show you how it's done. And the monkey's gonna owe me extra sweets next time we have a banquet for stickin' my neck out. Hey, you lousy excuse for a sand ghost, try to keep up with me!"
Iago did catch the eye of the sand ghost as he flew down to the street level, past where Abu and the sand ghost hovered. But instead of letting Abu go, it carried Abu with it chasing after the parrot.
"That's definitely not how I expected that to go," Jasmine said, wincing.
"It's a distraction. If we corner it, it should go away. They don't like attention," Lati said.
Jasmine, Lati, and Carpet flew down, following the ghost, Abu and Iago. Iago was huffing and puffing, up until he reached the dead end of an alley. But as the bird squawked, thinking he would get snatched, the sand ghost saw it was cornered, with nowhere to go between where Iago was and Jasmine, Lati and Carpet were at the end of the only exit to the alley. It released Abu and dove into the sand. Disappeared without a trace.
Abu coughed and sputtered, accidentally getting a mouthful of sand. Iago clicked his tongue as he perched near the bird.
"As I said, you owe me big time."
The monkey looked more than a little confused at being part of a deal he hadn't heard about, scratching his head with a paw.
"I'm so glad you're okay, Abu. That was a little scary," Lati said.
Abu was very glad to see both Lati and Jasmine. But then the monkey had mild panic when he didn't see Aladdin.
"He was running after you. We lost track of him," Jasmine explained.
"Oh no!" Abu said.
Before Jasmine could respond, all of them heard a familiar, screaming voice. But not who or how they thought it would be.
"Aladdin! Stop it, leave him alone!"
"Who is that?" Lati said, alarmed.
"That's Siva, one of our friends," Jasmine confirmed. "Come on, let's hurry. Sounds like Aladdin's in trouble."