The Lost Lost City of the Sun
“Another statue!” Mozenrath’s angry cry rang throughout the desert. It had been the same story for 3 days! Statues pointing to statues, leading him on a seemly endless wild goose chase. How was he ever going to find the lost power of the sorcerer Shmash? Shmash had been a very powerful sorcerer; he had command over the ultimate force, the sun. But before he died he had hide his power somewhere in this desert, challenging anyone to find it. And Mozenrath had already made up his mind he would be that one. The sorcerer sighed and smoothed his ruffled hair. “Well, it seems Shmash had quite a sense of humor.” He chuckled. Xerxes broke into laughter. “BUT I DON’T!” Mozenrath blasted the statue. Xerxes quickly stifled his laughter. Mozenrath raised an eyebrow at the sprites who had halted their work. “Well? Why are you just standing there, you have eyes don’t you? The statue points that way…. DIG!!!!” Terrified the sprites flew into a cloud of movement and sand was flung everywhere.
Nefret wiped the sweat from her brow with her shoulder, a large pot rested on her head. She sat down on the ruins of a building and carefully lowered the pot to the ground, water splashed over the edge.
“The well couldn’t be closer to the digging site. No! The stupid well diggers had to put it all the way in the back of the town!” Nefret grumble as she poured water over her head with a cupped hand. “What kind of people put the well in the back of a city instead of the center?! Probably why the city is in ruin! It was run by idiots!” Nef sighed and replaced the scarf over her head and resumed her burden. She could tell Mozenrath wasn’t happy as she approached. He was sitting on a rock with his head in his hands. “Another statue?” Nefret inquired, but she already knew the answer. Mozenrath grumbled and inaudible response. She looked over the landscape. Barren desert as far as the eye could see with a winding twisting trail of trenches cut through the desert floor. At each curve of the trail stood a statue pointing the way to another statue, on and on. The sprites were working hard, too hard, most looked about to drop dead of exhaustion. Nefret winced at the thought of the poor creatures. “Mozenrath, couldn’t you at least give them a little break? Just a few hours or so, they look so tired.”
“NO, no breaks! The longer and harder they work the closer I am to the power of Shmash!” Mozenrath eyes flashed in a way they only did when he was close to new power. Nefret knew that look all to well, and she didn’t like it.
“What use will they be if you kill them all?” Nefret put her hand on her hips.
“Let them die! There are more where they came from!” Mozenrath took a drink.
“Oh, Moze. Why are you so cruel? Do you ever think of anyone but yourself? If you just put yourself in their shoes for a moment…” She smiled hopefully and smoothed a lock of his jet-black hair. “Just a moment, them maybe your heart wouldn’t be so cold.” Mozenrath jumped up with an enlightened look on his face.
“Yes, now I see the error of my ways!” He said sarcastically. “Your speech has turned me around! I now realize I was only mean to hide the sad little boy in me! Gee I suddenly feel the need to get a pet monkey and wear nothing but baggy pants and a vest!” Mozenrath put his hands on his hips and gave a hero-like smile. “Do you think I could get my hair as poufy as Aladdin’s?” He put his finger to his lips in mock thought. “That would really complete the ensemble!” Nefret balled up her headscarf and flung it at him. He caught it and wrapped each side around his hands. “Come now Nef, you know me as I am and you sill like me. The good girls are always drawn to the bad boys aren’t they?” In a flash Mozenrath had flung the scarf behind her back and drew her nearer. “Lets face it Nefret, evil is sexy!” Nefret smiled slyly and in a quick maneuver she ducked away pulling the scarf with her. When she came to a stop she was behind Moze with the scarf around his neck. She laughed a bit.
“Try anything like that again Mozenrath, and you wont have anything to draw any woman to you!” She whispered in his ear.
“Oh ouch!” Nefret heard Mozenrath hiss as she carried the water to the trenches, her anklet sparkled and flashed in the sun as she did. The sprites descended on Nefret like a swarm of locusts on a field, all wanting to be the first to get a drink.
“Poor little things.” Nefret sighed as she picked up a tiny purple sprite off the ground and placed him on the side of the pot. She cursed Mozenrath for enslaving these tiny creatures. She couldn’t say she really liked them, they had an annoying tendency to be, well, rather annoying. But they didn’t deserve this! It was then Xerxes came to investigate.
“No lag, work!” He hissed. The eel had been given the job of supervising the work in the trenches, and he was taking is responsibly seriously. Nefret too returned to work, she had found it impossible to sit around and watch like Moze, so she had been helping with the digging. She flung basketful after basketful of sand over the edge of the furrow. It had been a few hours and yet another statue had been uncovered. Nefret was feeling a bit dizzy but she passed it off as mere exhaustion. Before she knew it she was on the ground and a bucket of water had been poured over her. She woke with a start; instinctively swinging her fists in the direction the water had come from. She got nothing but a hand full of sprites.
“Oh, I’m sorry!” She opened her hand and looked at the two sprites in her palm. “I must have passed out from the heat, that’s never happened before…” her voice trailed off as she squinted at the tiny sprites. “But, wait…. Is that you? Aladdin, Genie?” The sprite put his finger over his lips.
“Shhhh. I got a tip that Mozenrath was making the spites dig for some magic something or other. I can see it was right.” The Aladdin sprite whispered.
“Yes, the power of Shmash. He has the all the sprites locked up in an old abandon building around here and is black mailing the others to do the work. I don’t know which building, but Mozenrath keeps the keys around his belt. If you want to help you’re going to have to…” But she could go no further, Mozenrath was coming this way.
“Back to work!” He ordered. Then her turned his attention to Nefret. “Enjoying your coffee break? I could get you a pillow, or do you prefer the ground?”
“Ha ha. I’d prefer it more if you’d help me up!” Nefret began to panic as Mozenrath took notice of the sprites in her hand. He picked up Genie by the wings.
“An odd breed of sprite.” He mused. Before he could inspect them further Nefret clasp her hands around the blue sprite.
“Heh, their from Ohio!” she laughed trying to hide her shot nerves. “Ok, little guy, off you go. Back to work. Go on now.
“No, I think we can stop for today. Xerxes! Round ‘em up!” Mozenrath gestured. The sorcerer’s familiar did just that, herding the sprites into a huttled mass and driving them into the city. Mozenrath turned back to Nefret. “You sure your ok?” Nef nodded. “Well, head to camp and rest.” As soon as he was out of sight Nefret took Aladdin and Genie out of the side of her headscarf.
“That was too close! What were you guys thinking disguising yourselves as sprites? Mozenrath could crush you with his thumb and forefinger!” She hissed rubbing her fingers together to show just how effective that could be.
“Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time.” Genie said tapping his two index fingers together.
“Never mind that! We don’t have much time! Nefret do you think you could get a hold of those keys?” Aladdin asked
“Take the keys from Mozenrath? You do know you’re sending me on a suicide mission right?” She turned away with a don’t-even-ask face, but Aladdin’s pretty please face got the better of her. “Ok, wait outside the camp tonight after everyone has gone to bed. I may be able to get them, but if I’m not able too I may end up as a grease mark on the floor.”
***
It must have been about midnight as Nefret lay on her mat opposite Mozenrath. Her body was exhausted from her hard days work, but her mind would give her no rest. Butterflies ran wild in her stomach and she was just shaky at the thought of what she was about to do. Nefret listened to Mozenrath’s steady breath until she was sure he was truly asleep, but it didn’t really matter, Mozenrath was a very light sleeper. Any minute noise or light touch could snap him into full and deadly consciousness. Slowly she got on hand and knees and crept to the wooden box she had brought with her. It held a tiny bit of medical supplies, and she was extremely glad she had thought to bring it. Carefully she took out a glass bottle of sleeping oil. A clink rang out, it was only a tiny noise but it echoed deafeningly in Nefret’s ears. Mozenrath stirred a bit but didn’t wake. She held the bottle under Xerxes nose first since he was the one most likely to wake first. Then she crawled back over her mat and carefully made the trip of several feet to Mozenrath’s side. Slowly she extended her hand out and waved the bottle under his nose, Nefret held the position a while to make sure he got a good heavy dose. Nef pulled the covers away and grimaced to see that the keys were buried several layers deep under his red sash. Cautiously she untucked the end of the belt and began to unwrap. The first layer was loosening as she inched the red strip of cloth from under him. She had to be very careful and it was a time-consuming process, but finally the last loop had been unwrapped and the belt was off his waist. Nefret sighed in relief but she knew the night was only just beginning.
Aladdin leaned impatiently on the side of an abandoned building. Nefret should have been there by now and he was starting to worry.
“Hey Genie, she should have been here by now. Do you think she was caught?” Al asked his friend. Genie looked up from the book he was passively reading.
“Nah, I think if she were we would have heard a blood curtailing cry.” The Genie closed the book. Aladdin’s face twisted into a look of horror.
“Thanks, that was really comforting!” Al protested. He was about to go investigate when a thin figure sauntered out of the shadows. Aladdin’s heart stopped for a moment as he tried to make it out. The figure wore a loose robe tied at the waist and a cloth was raped around her head and face. The figure’s eyes were caught in the moonlight for a moment and Aladdin let out a sigh of relief. Nefret reached inside her robes and pulled out the keys and a red piece of cloth.
“Here are the keys, and take this.” She said quickly tossing him the items.
“What this?” Al looked confused at the crimson strip.
“What else? Mozenrath’s sash.” Nef said with a wave of her hand. Aladdin’s nose turned up slightly as he held out the cloth. He really didn’t want anything that belonged to Mozenrath! “Come on! It’s only a dam sash! It needs to look like you’re the one who got the keys. I helped you out, the least you can do is take my half of the blame!”
“Of course. I was going to do that anyway.” Aladdin stuffed the end of the sash and the keys in his belt.
“Oh I almost forgot!” Nefret again reached it her robes and pulled out a bottle. Genie took it from her.
“Oh how nice. A present for me?” Genie gushed and opened the stopper. He took a whiff.
“NO!” Nefret yelled. “Don’t smell it!” She lowered her voice and snatched the bottle away. “It’s sleeping oil. If he asks, you took it from my medical box and used it on him, Xerxes and myself, got it?”
“Got it!” Aladdin and Genie conferred at the same time. They started off. Nefret sighed as she watched them for a moment. Why are things like this always happening to me? Because I live with Mozenrath, that’s why! He’ll be the death of me one day. She thought somberly. Nefret sighed again and headed back into camp. Warily she crept into the crumbling building where she and Moze had been staying. She was comforted to see that Mozenrath and Xerxes still slept unsuspectingly. Nef silently lowered herself onto the straw mat and covered up, but she found no rest. The night was quiet, dangerously quiet. The kind of quiet that you just know life is slowing down for a moment to lull you into a false state of security, and then smash it all to pieces. The wind blew around the ruined city, a jackal let out a plaintive peal, and Mozenrath’s and Xerxces slow steady breath swirled sleepily in Nefret’s ears. Her eyes began to close and she exhaled slowly. Than a giggle drifted though the air. Nefret listened for a while, but there was only silence. Again her eyes dropped, and then yet another giggle came louder than the last. Nefret looked over at the doorway, a light blew past, then another, then a swarm of tiny twinkling lights. The sprites were free! Nefret’s view of the doorway was blocked off as Mozenrath suddenly sprang up. Nef clamped her eyes shut. Xerxes was also awake. The lord of the Land of the Black Sand took Nefret by the shoulders and shook her forcibly. Slowly she opened her eyes and gave a mock yawn.
“Is something the matter?” Nefret asked a sleepy voice.
“Wake up wench!” He cried. “The sprites are escaping!” Mozenrath screamed as he ran out the door.
“Well geez, didn’t see that one coming.” Nefret whispered sarcastically to herself before she ran out the door after her master. Outside the air was literally ablaze with the tiny lights of the sprites, they laughed and danced at their new freedom. Aladdin and Genie stepped out of the shade of the surrounding buildings into the open street. Al was tossing the keys from one hand to another, bolding mocking Mozenrath.
“Street rat. I should have known!” The sorcerer hissed.
“Hey Moze, how’s every little thing?” the hero asked scrunching up his nose. “Here, I believe this belongs to you!” He took the sash out of his belt and tossed it to Mozenrath. The dark sorcerer caught his belt and with a smile slowly put it back on. “Oh, wait there was something else.. Oh yes, here Nefret, I believe this is yours.” He tossed her the bottle. “Sorry I borrowed it for a while. Hope ya don’t mind!”
“It was rude of you to go through my things without permission.” Nefret smiled secretly as she held the bottle close.
“Oh Aladdin. We seem to be running into each other a lot these days. Tell me, to what do I owe the honor of your visit tonight?”
“We’ve come to take you out shee,” Genie growled in a gangster voice. “Yeah, shee, shee. We don’t need no shtinken reason. Yeah”
“What the scam this time Mozenrath? What’cha hunting for?” Aladdin asked.
“Oh… Nothing really special, just the lost power of Shmash. The ultimate power in the universe.” Mozenrath stated nonchalantly as her shined his fingernails on his chest. He looked at his hand and blew on his nail, then rolled his eyes to Aladdin. “And I will have it! So help me, if I have to rip you limb from limb, I will have it!” He grinned evilly. Aladdin raised one eyebrow.
“Boy, we really ought to find him a girlfriend!” Al whispered to Genie.
“Why would I need a girlfriend when I already have my hands full with her?” Mozenrath pointed to Nefret. Nefret pouted and crossed her arms, she wasn’t all that bad!
“Hum, true.” Aladdin hummed. “But this time Mozenrath you can’t blame her for you downfall. It was all me!” Aladdin pounded his chest with a fist.
“That’s alright.” Mozenrath turned his head into his shoulder. “I rather like blaming you, because then I get to punish you!” He snapped his head up and raised his gauntleted hand.
“Aw, not nice to punish!” one of the sprites said from above.
“Yeah! Forgive!” Another voiced.
“Forgive!”
“Lets all play nice together!”
“Yeah!” All the sprites agreed. They descended in a swarm around Mozenrath. Their voices merged into a high-pitched buzz. “Play. Play. Hide ‘n seek. Seek, seek, hide! Yeah come on!” Several sprites circled around Mozenrath’s gauntlet, more joined and soon there was a ring on light spinning around his hand.
“NO!” the sorcerer cried and tried to pull away, but it was too late, the gauntlet was in the control of the tiny sprites. The ring of light lifted and Mozenrath’s source of power followed. “Come back!” Mozenrath ordered, but there was no reasoning with sprites. They zoomed off into the surrounding desert leaving Mozenrath virtually helpless without an instrument to conduct his power. He looked down at his skeletal hand.
“Hum, tough break Mozy.” Aladdin shook his head. “Well! I think that’s all the business we have to take care of! I’m sure we’ll meet again soon!” Aladdin hopped on carpet and gave a salute with his two fingers. The gang sped away into the night. Mozenrath’s balled his fists in anger.
“Yes Aladdin, we will see each other shortly, that’s a promise!”
***
“Dig Xerxes, DIG!” Mozenrath yelled frantically. They had been looking for Mozenrath’s Gauntlet for over 3 hours and the sun was now well in the sky. Xerxes sped up his work, digging himself deeper into the hole he had made in the sand. Mozenrath was a few feet away working on his own digging project. Nefret had given up on the spot she was searching in and stood over Xerxes hole supervising his work. With a sly smile she turned to go and “accidentally” kicked a mound on sand into the hole. She could hear the eel sputter and curse as she walked away. Nefret walked for a while making her way over a sand dune and sliding down the other side. This looked like an interesting place to her so she began to burrow. As she shifted the sands the side of the dune became unstable and gave way. There in the newly formed gap stood a statue of Shmash, just like all the others, with one difference. He was pointing down instead of straight ahead. Nefret followed his finger to an unimpressive looking patch of ground. With a bit of hesitation she dug her hands into the sand. She was meet with the soft familiar feel of old leather. Nefret smiled as she wrapped her finger around the leather article, but there was something else down there, a cold hard surface. She pulled both objects out. As she had expected the first was the gauntlet, but the next was a shock. An ornate box of solid gold! On the lid was a relief of Shmashe’s face surrounded by the orb of the sun. Wavering a bit Nefret pulled off the lid. Her mouth dropped open as her face was bathed in a yellow glow.
Mozenrath laid his chin on the side of the ditch he was standing in so that from above it looked like a disembodied head laying on the sand. He sighed.
“It’s no use.” The lord moaned. “Gone, it all gone. I had everything, but now its vanished! All hope is lost!” Mozenrath felt like crying. Xerxes lay heaving on the desert floor. He had been digging all morning and most of the afternoon, but he could go no more. Mozenrath closed his eyes ready to die right then and there. Then something brushed against his cheek. He rolled his eyes upward not bothering to raise his head. There stood Nefret her skirt and robe fluttering and whisking around his head. “Oh, Nefret.” He breathed. “Leave me in peace! I wish to morn alone.” Nefret smiled and took her hands from behind her back. She waved the gauntlet around triumphantly. Mozenrath’s eyes widened. He grabbed her skirt in an attempt to get her to bend down, but only succeeded in pulling her into the ditch. He caught the gauntlet as she fell. Mozenrath shoved his skeleton hand into the glove and held it out admiringly.
“Yeah, your welcome!” Nefret moaned as she stood up and pulled herself out of the hole.
***
The crescent moon was high in the sky and the stars shone over the lost City of the Sun. Mozenrath, Xerxes and Nefret had decided to stay one more night before they returned to the Land of the Black Sand. The sorcerer and his familiar were sound asleep and all was still. The City of the Sun lay in peace, then a dark figure slipped out of an old crumbling building. Slowly the silhouette crept into the open street and toward the town well. The phantom placed a golden box on the edge of the well. It seemed to hesitate for a moment then pushed it into the depths of the well. A splashed followed a second latter. Satisfied the form walked away, but as it did the moonlight was caught in a golden anklet.