Chapter 15 - Traitor

Siva didn't think of himself as the heroic type. If anything, Aladdin had helped him so many times before in various adventures that the idea of the tables turning where he would help the brave prince felt far and few between. But, the present situation was opposite of what he knew, demanded a response. Siva had been helping get a few people into safe spaces away from the streets, due to the appearance of the pesky sand ghosts.

But Siva's attention had turned hearing someone in distress. Like the person was struggling to take a breath, not able to scream. Siva couldn't tell who it was at first.

The other voice had been what made the merchant run in the direction of the scuffle. A menacing, frightful voice. "That's right. You'll die a slow, silent death by sand. Or at least be subdued enough to have Mozenrath kill you himself. I would let you choose, but I'm wiling to let the deed be done."

"D-don't...do this. Mozenrath...is using you." Very familiar voice. Siva saw Aladdin being choked by two sand ghosts who had him by the throat. Directed by the magic of a stranger Siva had never seen. So this is the frightful source of those things. Siva had barely managed to get away from one of them himself. But to see the prince tormented in this way - it stunned and angered him.

Two of the sand ghosts became four, surrounded Aladdin, to make matters worse. They were trying to kill the young prince. Forced Aladdin to his knees, looked ready to pass out. Siva knew what he had to do.

"No! Aladdin! Stop it! Leave him alone!"

Startled the sorcerer, whoever he might be. Enough for Siva to shove him from behind to the ground. The grip the sand ghosts had on Aladdin released. Aladdin collapsed to the sands, coughing. "Siva." He was alive, thankfully. But Siva saw the marks on Aladdin's neck. Bruises from the hands of the ghosts.

"Don't interfere, merchant!" Siva realized he was in fight for his own life as the sorcerer turned his attention away from Aladdin. Barely dodged two magic attacks and a sand ghost trying to grab him under the mysterious sorcerer's direction.

"Run. Get away." Aladdin was warning him, even with a waning voice while he lie on the ground. But Aladdin wasn't the only one who had a tendency to be stubborn.

"I'm not leaving you, your highness." Siva could see Aladdin was grateful for the help, even as he recovered. But Siva barely dodged another blast from the attacker.

"Stay out of my way! This is not your fight!"

"No, but that is the prince of my kingdom and my friend you're attacking. That won't do." Siva did have a distracting potion under his cloak. He always carried it for protection, was something he used for street thieves that meant him harm. But this was a prime way to use it as he threw the vial at the sorcerer. Mist swarmed over him, making the aggressor cry out.

Siva took the opportunity to break away from the sorcerer, rush over to Aladdin. "Come on, your highness, let's get you out of here."

"Thanks, Siva. Didn't know...he'd attack me like that." The prince's voice was still weak, as he tried to speak. "Tried to talk him out of it." Siva helped steady Aladdin. But he knew well enough that it was better to put distance between the man attacking and themselves.

"Did you know that man?" Siva asked.

Aladdin nodded. "That's Komal. He's not himself. Under the control of Mozenrath."

Siva winced. "If I had known that, I would have thrown the other potion in my cloak."

Aladdin raised a brow. "You have something for that?"

"Yes. And it's very effective. Of course it makes the target sleep for a bit, but it's very effective for breaking mind control spells. Found that out by accident. Meant it to be a healing potion and it turned out to be...something else."

Aladdin looked like he wanted to laugh. "Well, that works." The prince looked over his shoulder, smile faded quickly. Saw that their 'sorcerer' had broken free of the distracting mist. Eyes were wild, fixed on Aladdin. Low growl from his throat. Siva realized he'd been quickly forgotten. This was the gaze of someone who was out to kill. No negotiation. And Aladdin was the target.

"Think it might be a good time use it," Aladdin said. "It's the only way I know how to stop him so that he doesn't hurt me or anyone else. Or himself."

"I don't think that's a good idea, especially with his command of magic." Even as Siva spoke the words, their attacker moved quick. Didn't give him the chance to craft another plan.

Guess I can't say no. Siva realized he needed to act, threw the second vial from his cloak.

It was supposed to hit the sorcerer, direct target and perfect aim. That is, if it hadn't been for the woman who suddenly appeared. Moved in the path the very last minute.

"Stop! Komal, STOP! Leave Aladdin alone!"

"Lati, no!" Aladdin said in alarm. Siva was equally alarmed.

Too late. The vial hit the woman's back, plume of the potion's mist spread over her, and made her fall to the ground. Even Komal was taken aback.

"Lati!" Genuine panic. Siva felt overwhelmed with guilt. He knew Aladdin did too, based on the prince's heartbroken expression. If they had only waited a few more moments.

Jasmine, Abu, Carpet, and Iago joined them at that point, all genuinely worried.

"She ran ahead of us. She knew her brother was here. What happened?" Jasmine asked, stunned.

"Stepped in front of him. We couldn't stop her. We were only trying to stop him from hurting anyone else." Aladdin explained. He winced, placed a hand over one part of his neck.

"Aladdin, you're hurt. And your voice," Jasmine started, but they were all interrupted by Komal's scream of rage. Made Iago, Abu and Carpet shrink back.

"Seems whatever you all did to separate Lati from Aladdin's body worked, but you turn around and hurt her?" Komal snapped. "Traitors. All of you."

"It was an accident, Komal," Jasmine tried.

"It's not what you think!" Siva added. "That spell only has the effect of..."

"I don't care!" Komal screamed. "The only thing that happens now is that I take him to Mozenrath. Do what I originally planned before any of you showed up!" Pointed his finger at Aladdin, as if he held a dagger in his hand.

"Komal, please, don't do this," Aladdin said. Siva knew the prince was trying to reason with him, even then.

"I will hear nothing else from ANY OF YOU!"

Wasn't long before the finger became a open hand. The magic blast that came from Komal wrapped itself around Aladdin before any of them could respond.

"No! Let go!" Aladdin struggled against several sand ghosts that grabbed him, pulled him towards a magic portal that opened.

A rush of magic aimed by Komal headed in their direction. It was all that Siva could do to grab Jasmine and move out of the path of the blast. Iago and Carpet moved out of the way too.

Abu had dodged it, but had been quicker than any of them to follow Aladdin and the sand ghosts through the portal Komal had created.

By the time Siva recovered to realize what happened, the alley was quiet. Komal was gone. Aladdin was gone. As was the monkey.

"You mean to tell me we went through all that trouble to find Abu, only for him to waltz through a portal after Al back to the Land of the Black Sand?!" Iago sounded very, very annoyed. "What a waste of time. If I had known that, I wouldn't have been decoy!"

Siva shook his head, looked over to Jasmine. "Are you all right, your highness?"

Jasmine groaned. "I'm okay. Wish that hadn't happened."

Siva ducked his head. "It is my fault."

"No, Siva. No matter what Komal might've said, the rest of us could tell that wasn't what it looked like. He was genuinely hurt that Lati was caught in that, but he wasn't willing to listen. What spell was that?" After Siva explained, she understood. "Hopefully Lati wakes up sooner than later, buy us time to convince her brother not to do anything with Mozenrath. I don't think Komal would hurt his sister, even if he is controlled by Mozenrath's magic. But I'm worried about Aladdin and Abu."

"Are you traveling to Mozenrath's palace? May I join you?" Siva really wanted to go. He was worried about Aladdin too. Felt guilty that his friend had been caught despite his efforts to help.

"The more the merrier," Iago said, annoyed and exhausted as he lay on his stomach on Carpet's ready surface.

Carpet nodded with his knobs to show he agreed with Siva coming.

"Well, that makes three of us," Jasmine said with a small smile. "Yes, Siva. Please do. I hope we can get to them in time."

Aladdin took a moment to adjust to the familiar prison. He'd passed out sometime in the journey back to the Land of the Black Sand. Knew that he was in Mozenrath's castle. Hands tied behind his back. But at least his legs were free to move. He wasn't sure if that was intentional.

Also didn't realize someone else was in the room with him until the familiar voice spoke. "Wakey, wakey, street rat."

Of course it was Xerxes. "Not nice to see you either," Aladdin said. "And while I'd never deny that I grew up a street rat, I'm a prince. In case you missed the memo."

"Oh, he knows. But it doesn't change how he feels about you. And it wasn't a compliment." Mozenrath moved into Aladdin's line of sight from the darkness. The Black Sand sorcerer flexed his fingers casually. "Did you have a nice nap?"

Aladdin snorted. "Wasn't exactly by choice. So what happens now, Mozenrath? If you think you can keep me here, you're wrong."

"Oh you don't have to worry about me for the moment. Thanks to Lati's actions, I've had to focus my time fixing the extraction machine. It should be finished soon, courtesy of a certain Genie's magic helping the process."

"If you did anything to hurt Genie, I promise you, I'll..."

"I don't think you're in any position to argue," Mozenrath snapped, cutting Aladdin's words short. "And I would be less worried about your Genie than what Komal's going to do to you once he finishes tending to his sister. I remember hearing him say that you were responsible for an attack on her?"

"It was an accident!"

Mozenrath pretended to be shocked. "Oh dear! Well, that's unfortunate. I guess you'll have to tell Komal that yourself when he's finished. Hopefully he'll listen to you. I might've shared his outrage and said you should be punished for it."

Xerxes shared a knowing look with Mozenrath, before they both laughed. Aladdin scowled at both of them.

"If it makes you feel any better, Prince of Agrabah," Mozenrath said as he turned to leave. "I did tell Komal to spare your life. He's become very good with the magic he wields since regaining his body. But I have a feeling when he's done with you, you're going to wish your death were a little more...expedient."

Xerxes laughed. "Slow painful death for Aladdin."

The door slammed shut behind them, leaving Aladdin in the darkness of the room. Aladdin let out a long, shaky breath. Closed his eyes. Took a breath and refocused. "Guess I'll have to figure out a way to get out of here before Komal arrives. Or figure out a way to break Mozenrath's spell on him." The prince looked around the mostly empty room. It was one of Mozenrath's usual palace rooms, but there was nothing in his line of sight that he could see would help him.

He started working against the knots of his binds. Pleasant surprise to him that it was easier to work against them than expected. "Xerxes must have tied these, it's way too sloppy. Only thing he did right was layer multiple ropes. Knots themselves are weak. If I can just get these off before..."

Door slammed open, shadow in the light from the door making it very clear who it was. Aladdin realized he had no time left.