Previously: Chroias, Mozenrath’s girlfriend, accompanies Moze and Nefret to Agrabah where they fight with Aladdin. The battle strengthens Nefret’s and Chroias’s friendship. Seeing that the girls had become friends and that his master now has both the girls, Xerxes became jealous. He stole the gauntlet and framed Nefret. Nef was banished, But Chroias uncovered the treachery of Xerxes and she and Mozenrath headed to the Elision fields (where Chroias hide Nefret) and asked her to come home. Now they go back to the Citadel to confront an unsuspecting Xerxes……
Disclaimer: Mozenrath, Xerxes, Aladdin, Jasmine, Genie, Abu and Carpet are property of Disney. Chroias belongs to Kalynnn Osburn. Nefret and Anubis are mine. Rated Pg for suggestive content.
Chapter 21 (by Kalynn)
Chroias cast a dark look
at the eel that was evenly mimicked by Nefret. Mozenrath himself had to admit
the two looked scary. Nefret nodded to Chroias and they snatched the eel before
he could make it any further. "All right you little no winged viper, you
thought you were going to get away with it didn't you?" Chroias hissed in
his face.
Nefret
snatched up the eel. "You know Xerxes I never thought you could betray
Mozenrath like that? I mean sure I don't always agree with his plans for world
domination and subjecting the world to his tyranny, but I'd never pull something
like that!"
The little eel gazed up at his master. "Master can no believe. Nefret betray you. Chroias betray you. Both lie..." The gray creature screeched as Mozenrath slapped him to the floor.
"Xerxes
how could you do this to me?" he said in a voice that betrayed his
emotionless face. "I can't believe you would back stab me so hard."
Chroias
snatched up the slimy thing. "Well as we say in Tarturus the punishment
should fit the crime." She slapped a cage around the eel. “And since
Nefret was punished she should fit your crime."
The
plum haired girl turned to Mozenrath for confirmation. He nodded to say he had
already agreed to this arrangement. "All right Xerxes. You and I have never
liked each other. In fact when I first got here you called me a tramp."
"He
called you what?" Chroias said fangs barred.
Nefret
waved her off. "But after this I think even your master agrees that you
have to be punished. " she bowed her head slightly "So the punishment
is...."
Nefret raised
her head and looked over the bridge of her nose. The eel’s eyes were as wide
as saucers. He had a good idea of what was coming next, and it involved a
chopping block, an axe, and his head. But her next words strayed from his
imagination. “…Banishment from the Land of the Black Sand.” Xerxes breath
caught in his throat, technically the sentence was less than death, but for him
it might as well have been the highest punishment. Out of the corner of her eye
Nef caught the flash of her master’s throat has he gulped. A pang of guilt
stung her mind. Even though Mozenrath was furious at his familiar now, she knew
they had been a team for a while. He had been here when she had come to serve
Mozenrath, and who knows how long before then. The punishment she had just
handed down would affect her master as well as that slimy basterd. With another
breath she continued. “You will spend the night in the dungeon and at dawn you
will be exiled for the next 18 years!” She had picked that number
because by that time she would have served her 20 years and she would never have
to see him again. Everyone looked over a
bit taken back.
“Are
you sure you don’t want him eternally…” The demon began to speak.
“I
have made my decision!” Nefret snapped a bit to harshly.
Xerxes looked to his master for help.
“Master,
I no betray YOU!” He hollered pleading for mercy but admitting to his guilt at
the same time. “You can’t let girl make your choice!”
Mozenrath
face was as dark and hard as stone. “Nefret belongs to me, she is mine. You
betray her, and your betraying ME! You just better be grateful she was merciful.
I’m my opinion she was to lenient.” He looked at Nefret, but she was already
on her way down the hall, Chroias closely following. With a wave of his hand the
cage containing the eel was chartered off by a mumluck, and the sorcerer headed
to his room to retrieve a few things. Nef had changed from her elaborate golden
robes to her normal outfit and Chroias was helping her remove the jewelry she
was given while in heaven. They promptly disappeared in a poof of smoke, heading
to wherever they came from. A small knock came at the door and Mozenrath walked
in. Nefret looked up with a small grin.
“I
hadn’t expected my room to be here. I figured you would have destroyed all my
things in a fit of rage.” She and Roias laughed.
“That
was scheduled for this evening.” He mused. He looked back up to see an
is-there-something-you-wanted face on both the girls. He held up the anklet in
silent reply. A heavy click rang out and Nef scowled a bit as her anklet was
snapped around her ankle once more. “Welcome back!” Mozenrath chuckled
knowing what she was thinking. Nef’s tongue was about to make an appearance
out of her mouth, but she stopped herself as her lord produced her ring from his
cloak. It slipped back to it’s home on her pinky and she smiled, happy to have
it back. Chroias and Mozenrath looked at each other and smiled a bit.
“Sometimes minions are more trouble than there’re worth.” He sighed. This
time Nefret didn’t hold back and stuck out her tongue, but, fortunately for
her, Mozenrath had already turned his back and was walking out the door.
Xerxes
Hissed to himself in his cell. He couldn’t believe his master had let Nefret
banish him. She was his underling, and he was allowing her to hand out sentences
like she owned the place!!!! Well it seemed his master had gone a bit soft, and
had been ever since his girlfriend had arrived. The sour thoughts left a bad
taste in his mouth. But he wasn’t without defenses. He would retaliate; he
would do exactly what he was accused of if that’s what it took. After all, he
knew Mozenrath more than anyone else, all his strengths and weaknesses,
everything!
Chapter
23 (by Kalynn)
Xerxes
rattled the bars of his cage. Oh what he was goona do when he got outa here!
Those little brat's were gonna get it. 'But who I tell' he mused to himself.
"Tell hero." he said aloud and twitched around to see who was
watching. "Tell hero all master’s weakness. Hero come and crush master,
crush Nefret, crush Chroias. Xerxes laugh." He sat at the bottom of the
cage after this unusually complicated speech, a content smile on his lard-lipped
face.
Chroias hugged her friend once they were
out of Mozenrath's site." Oh God's and hell fire do you know how much I
missed you?" she said in a single breath of air. The plum haired girl
returned her friends hug. "You could have kept the jewelry you know."
she said softly.
Nefret laughed. "I would have
rather kept the servants." she winked as Chroias busted out laughing.
"Hay looks like your not such a
goodie two shoes after all." Chroias placed a comradely hand on her
shoulder. "I guess that answers the virgin question."
Nefret let out a half indignant half
embarrassed scream and began chasing Chroias down the halls of the Citadel.
Unfortunately they took a wrong turn and collided straight with Mozenrath. The
sorcerer toppled over in a flurried of robes and 'oufed' gently when Nef and
Chroias tumbled on top of him. The two girls laughed loudly and Chroias planted
a gentle kiss on Mozenrath's lips. "Hi love." she said softly as
Nefret picked her self up from the tangle.
"Hello." he said in a slightly
distant voice. "Didn't I mention something about you two not running around
the hall."
"Hello do we look thirteen?"
Nefret said in her typical sarcastic voice. " I mean yes daddy." she
said in a girlish voice as Mozenrath shot her a withering look. Chroias kissed
Mozenrath again before his mouth had a chance to retort. He growled gently as
she finished and stalked off. Nefret walked up to her friend and gave her a
quizzical look.
"God's I didn't know Xerxes meant
that much to him." she said softly.
"They were together almost before I
was here." Chroias said. "I almost hate to do this to them. Besides
me, he’s the only one who knows what Destain's real tortures were."
Nefret gave her another questioning
look. Chroias glanced behind her to see if Mozenrath was away. "Here."
she handed Nefret a black hardcover book with gold bindings.
"Admittance" Nefret said out
loud.
"It technically hasn't even been
written yet." Chroias said cautiously. "So I shouldn't really show it
to you." She gave the book a pitying glance. "But it's the only way
you can ever truly understand."
Nefret nodded and took it. "I'll
read it tonight." She began to walk away.
Chroias stopped her. "Nefret, you
can never ever tell Mozenrath about this book. Never." She pressed her nail
gently to her friend. "He doesn't even know he's going to live this long.
Or that he has it in him to forgive the things in this book. If he isn't allowed
to discover it for himself, he might end up nothing more than a hopeless old
man, with nothing but sad memories." The demon touched the book closely.
"This," she said with finality. "This book will be his last
chance at Elisyium."
Nefret nodded, realizing the intensity
of the situation. "I swear he'll never realize it was here." she
hugged her friend and the two retreated for the night.
Chapter
24 (by me)
It was well past
midnight, and the citadel was quite, even Xerxes had fallen into a restless
sleep in his cell. Everyone was safely away in slumber, everyone that is but
Nefret. She was past the point of getting any rest this night. It had been a few
hours ago she had started the book. The first of is was things she already knew,
Mirage was his mother, he became Destain’s apprentice and was mistreated. But
after that, oh sweet Hathor! A few times she had flung the book away was if it
were a rearing cobra, but she had forced herself to the end. But only because
Chroias seemed to feel she needed to know. Now she stood bracing herself at her
dressing table, her heart was racing and her shoulders trembled. In the mirror
she could see the black kohl had melted under her burning hot tears and now ran
in sooty streaks down her face. Her shaking hands brought a wet cloth over her
face. ‘I never…never knew. He had mentioned….. that one mumluk he is
Destian, he is the man from the book. I saw him everyday and never…….It
happened right here, in this Citadel, in these very halls, in these rooms.”
She reared her head up shaking it violently, half because she realized she
couldn’t breath though the cloth, and half trying to shake her jumbled
thoughts away. She looked desperately to her chamber door. ‘I shouldn’t…..
But I cant be alone right now……I just CAN’T!”
Chroias was having a very good dream, and it has to be said that Nef’s servants made an appearance, when her eyes cracked open. Had she heard something? She listened intently and it came again, a small timid knock. Behind the door Roias found Nef. She was quaking slightly and her head was downcast, but the demon could tell she had been crying.
“Chroias?” But her voice failed her. With an understanding smile Roias pulled her in the room and set her down on the ottoman.
“I didn’t know it would upset you so much.” She wiped away some stubborn kohl that had refused to come clean when Nef washed her face.
“You think I’m heartless?” She was a bit angry but then dropped her head away. “You must think I hate Mozenrath cause of the way I treat him. I’m always cutting him short and spouting off sarcastic comments. But had I know….. this!” She gestured with her arms as if all of Mozenrath’s past were in front of her, which was how she felt.
“I know. I know you don’t hate him. But you can’t treat him differently now, he might get suspicious.”
“Ha, don’t worry. I don’t think I even know how to treat him any other way.” She was silent for a moment. “Roias, will he really live that long? Will he really…..?”
“He will live for longer than you can think ahead, and will see things you can’t begin to imagine. And yes he will watch Aladdin die, and you for that matter. Agrabah will fall and other nations will rise in its place, leaders will come and go, wars will start and finish, but he shall endure.” Nef looked at her friend with narrowing eyes. “Yes, because of the sharks tooth.”
“Do you think I did him more of a disservice and a favor? He has so much pain, should he really have to carry it that long?” Nefret was suddenly worried.
“In the end he will forgive, and that makes a thousand lifetimes of pain worth it.” By the time she fished the sentence, Nef had fallen asleep slumped on the ottoman. An extra blanket was thrown over he before Chroias returned to bed.
The sun was mounting in the sky burning off the pre-morning mists as the three figures stood near the border of Mozenrath’s domain. The cage was tossed heavily onto the desert floor while the eel hissed angrily. A pit weighed heavily in Nefret’s stomach, this scene was all to familiar, but at least she wasn’t on the receiving end this time. Second thought’s had been nipping at her all morning. ‘An eye for an eye’ she repeated to herself, but she still hated to break up he lord and his pet, especially after the information she had been privileged to last night. The situation played out just as it had a few days before, no words were exchanged as the cage was open and Xerxes slowly swam away.
“Mozenrath, if you want to stop him, go now. I’ll understand.” Nefret looked to her lord, but he didn’t take his eyes away from the horizon. He slowly shook his head. “Then… if he learns his lesson he can come back. I give it 6 months.” Her voice turned brisk and Mozenrath struggled to hide the slight grin that was tugging at his lips. “Yeah your welcome.” She grumbled. If it hadn’t been for the damn sympathy she now felt for Mozenrath that eel would be in BIG trouble!
Xerxes swam slower and slower until he had come to a dead stop, slowly doubling back to look behind. Mozenrath, Chroias, and Nefret had disappeared. His hideous face was graced by an equally hideous expression. Mozenrath was a power hungry man, and nearly all of his power had once belonged to someone else. And it was a given that none of the former owners were very pleased with their loss. He had made many enemies in his years, and even his own mother wasn’t very fond of him, but the question now was which one to go to! Mirage? Kartom? The Sprites? Hadim? Aladdin? All of the above? Aladdin seemed the most logical choice, he had taken in Jafar’s parrot after all. But would he be willing to ruthlessly crush Mozenrath? And if he were, would he be willing to take out Nefret and Chroias as well? Perhaps so if Xerxes told the right story. And if this fell through the eel could list at least 5 other people he could go to, and that was just off the top of his head! With a slight snicker the sand eel picked his first course of action, heading to the sparkling city of Agrabah.
Chapter
25 (by kalynn)
Nefret watched
Mozenrath sulk across the throne room. She turned to Chroias and the demoness
nodded. She had no love for the eel either, but he had been a big part of her
lovers life. "I do feel kinda bad about this." Nefret said in a low
voice.
Chroias
rolled her eyes. Nefret was a dear friend and a great gal, but she had
absolutely no stomach for the more ruthless aspects of revenge. "I
know." she said in an attempt to be sympathetic. " Moze isn't happy
about it either. I think it's time for me to pay him a little night time
visit." she cooed and smiled seductively.
Nefret punched her lightly in the arm.
"God is that all you ever think about?" she said loudly.
"Hay you try going celibate for a
centuries and see how chipper you are when you get out!" Chroias nicked the
marble of the wall with a claw. "I have Mozenrath and every opportunity.
I'm gonna use it." Nefret shook her head. At least talking to her friend
_________________
The
little eels mind, unfortunately was far from being off Nefret and Chroias. He
grinned as he saw the towers of Agrabah palace above the sand dunes. Grinning,
he shot off for the palace.
_________________
Mozenrath sank down into his tub. He
hadn't had the opportunity for a hot bath since bringing Nefret back. And the
underworld left an unpleasant chill behind that sunk right through to his bones.
He submerged his head momentarily and let his hair soak. He pulled back up and
began to search absently for the washrag nearby. The water in his eyes prevented
him from seeing it. Suddenly his hand touched cloth and he whipped the wetness
from his eyes. Of course the sight that meet him as he opened his eyes was,....
stunning to say the least. His moth hung open for a split second before he found
the words. "Chr...Chroias." His eyes moved up and down her long body.
"I umm! I wasn't expecting you.."
The demoness placed a long claw
delicately on his lips. "Shhhhh." she whispered. "Just
relax." Mozenrath decided he
couldn't be possibly more...tense.
_____________________
Xerxes flew past the guards gripping
hands and up to the hero's arm. Immediately a sword meet his air. "I don't
know what Mozenrath's plot is this time. But your not going to be around to set
it off." Aladdin sliced the air above the eel. Xerxes screeched and dodged.
"No no plan, no trap. Xerxes here
to help." the eel confessed. "Mozenrath betray Xerxes, kick Xerxes
out. No have home." He thought before adding the next part. "Xerxes
no have friend." he said in the most pathetic voice possible.
Aladdin paused his attack and waved off
Jasmine who had been preparing to strike behind the eel. "What do you mean
Mozenrath betray?"
__________________
Mozenrath
looked at the sleeping figure beside him in the bed. She had fallen asleep at
least a hour ago, but his thought's kept him awake. And his thought's weren't on
his lost familiar either. They were more on loyalty, and commitment. Life time
commitments to be more specific. He pushed a stray green hair from out of
Chroias's pale face. She moaned slightly and pulled Mozenrath closer to her. He
sighed as the warmth from her body sank into his. 'I do love her don't I?' he
questioned himself. 'I mean you don't spend seven years with a person you don't
at least have extremes affection for.' Mozenrath, for the first time in a long
time, very unsure of himself.
Nefret sighed and looked at the book
again. The gold words Admittance stared out at her in a moonlight shining. She
had promised never to tell anyone about the contents of that book. 'But there
are people who could help him.' she sighed . Her faithful dog Anubis sensed his
mistress’s frustration and rubbed his wet nose against her hand. Nefret hugged
him gently. 'Would anyone be able to survive under such conditions?' She mused.
'If Mozenrath had grown up different would things really be any better?' She had
heard in the temple that the God's had their own purpose and everything happened
for a reason. 'What could possibly be the reason for this?'
Chapter 26 (by me)
Aladdin listened intently to Xerxes. It would be impossible
to retell his tale word for word, verbatim, just as it was hard to fully
understand. Xerxes never did have a gift for conversation. But it went
something like this. Mozenrath’s girlfriend had moved in and she and Nefret
had united. United in a plot to combine their separate forces in order to help
Mozenrath. However the eel had misgivings about the plan, and expressed as much.
Seeing his power to pursued his master the two girls turned against and framed
him. Now Xerxes could see his master’s ruthless nature for what it truly was,
evil. And having nowhere to turn he came to Agrabah. “Help hero make right.”
The eel added as sincerely as he could. It took all his self-control to keep his
lips from turning up into a smile. He could tell by the look on Aladdin’s face
his that he had fallen for the tale hook line and sinker! The eel was feeling
quite proud of himself, it had taken all of his smarts (such as they were) to
come up with that story, and the hero was always a sucker for a sad tale. “I
know Citadel, know avoiding traps, magic sensing lights. Know MOZENRATH!” He
hissed. With a rather thoughtful nod Aladdin looked to Jasmine for confirmation.
She still wasn’t completely convinced, but enough so to give it a chance.
~~~
Mozenrath pulled himself out of bed, careful not to wake Chroias as he untangled himself from her arms. He was still feeling a bit depressed about the loss of his pet, but Chroias had managed to relieve some of that sadness. Soft footsteps echoed off the walls as Mozenrath made his way down the hall to the study. He stopped in the doorway when he saw the room was occupied. Nefret sat singing quietly to herself as she flipped through the Citadel accounts. His minion looked up abruptly as the sound of Mozenrath footsteps reached her ears.
“Good morning my lord. Were is Roias?” she added stretching her neck to the side to look over his shoulder.
“She’s still asleep.” He entered to room continuing as he walked. “Your up early. What are you up to?”
“What you enlisted me to do.” She returned her eyes back to her work. “Thing have been rather….. busy lately and I’ve fallen behind. I’ve made sure breakfast is ready.” Mozenrath seemed a bit surprised, she was actually being…….rather nice. He decided not to say anything, after all who knows how long this mood might last! “I’ll have breakfast sent up to Roias, she must be very tired after her exertions.” Nefret added. Mozenrath rolled his eyes, he knew it wouldn’t last long! Anubis trotted up to Mozenrath, his tongue lulling out the side of his jaw. The dog was large, and even beside Mozenrath he came to about mid hip. Moze absentmindedly ran his hand over the dog’s head.
“Well, after you finish come and eat. Get away from me dog.” He added as he turned away, but not before giving Anubis a firm pat on the neck.
~~~
Aladdin and the usual gang stood hesitantly at the border of Mozenrath’s kingdom. Impatiently Xerxes swam head, doubling back to give them a hurried glace. With a deep breath Al planted a foot heavily into the black sand, and the other fell in behind him. So, they were heading into another confrontation with the hero’s most deadly enemy, but this time they had help. A former insider who knew all the tricks, traps, and most importantly knew the mind of the sorcerer himself.
Chapter 27 (by kalynn)
Aladdin glanced up at their gray
compadrea. He still didn't trust the little creature, in fact he didn't really
want to come to the Citadel at all. He had never faced a pure blooded demon
before and had absolutely no idea how to react if she were to get rowdy. Being
street born, Aladdin had a natural mistrust of things he didn't know. "How
much fur..."
"Shuuh!"
Xerxes said in a loud whisper. "In Mozenrath's throne room. Most traps
here. Step only on black panels. "He said and motioned to the floor. The
black panels were sunken in slightly from the display area. Aladdin nodded and
motioned to Jasmine. His foot tapped one of the black tiles. The princess nodded
to show she got the message.
_____________________
Nefret
sat munching on a falafel while to demoness and Mozenrath seemed to be intently
talking about something. She had already leaned in as close as possible in an
attempt to hear the conversation, but a harsh look from her master said she
wasn't allowed to get any closer.
Of
course this only infuriated her. She hated not knowing what was going on and
hated even more when she knew that at least one of the two things they were
talking about was something she didn't really want to know. And when Mozenrath
placed a hand on his girlfriend’s waist, she got a pretty good idea as to what
they were speaking of.
For
a split second Nefret found herself thinking about Aladdin. Then she dismissed
the idea quickly. True she was a little lonely for male companionship, but not
enough to let those thoughts and emotions dominate her.
Anubis
sat gently beside his lady. Suddenly his ears shot straight up and his body
tensed. "What is it Anubis?" Nefret asked quietly. A low deadly growl
emerged from his throat, catching both Chroias and Mozenrath's attention.
"What's
the matter with him?" Chroias asked and gave the dog a friendly pat on the
head. Anubis jumped up and made a swift pointing motion to the door.
"Someone's
coming." Mozenrath let his gauntlet flare up.
The
doors flung open to reveal both Aladdin Jasmine, and a triumphant looking
Xerxes. "There there." the eel shrieked as he pointed to the sorcerer.
Aladdin
nodded as Jasmine withdrew an odd looking implement from her clothing.
Nefret
heard a gasp from behind her. Fear was evident on both Mozenrath and Chroias's
faces. "What is it?" Nefret questioned. All she could see was a
glowing.
Chroias was the first to find her wits. "It.. It’s a Cryptic!!" She screamed.
Chapter
28 (by me)
“A Crywhatic?” Nefret’s face twisted into fear as she turned around.
Chroias was unable to answer. The faint glow of the Cryiptic had enveloped her
master and Chroias and they seemed ravaged in pain. Aladdin’s genie had taken
refuge behind a wall with the label “Anti anti-magic barrier” smacked on it.
A sudden ach made Nefret look down. Her own hand was glowing and throbbing in
burning pain. She ripped the ring from her finger and flung it away, but unfortunately
Mozenrath and Roias could not dispose of their magical power as easily. A
small thread of mist was flowing slowly out of both Mozenrath and his demoness,
and she know exactly what that was, their essence. The smoky fingers reaching
out desperately to the power hungry Cryipitic.
“No.” she whispered to herself suddenly realizing what this…..
thing was going to do. Steal their souls! “Anubis attack!!” she ordered and
the hound obeyed. Jasmine screamed and tossed the Cryiptic to Aladdin. The dog
doubled back on itself and leapt at the hero, a blur of jaws and raw power. But
he was able to fend Anubis off with a well-timed swing. A heart-wrenching yelp
rang out as he crashed onto the table, sending the breakfast meal flying in all
directions. Infuriated Nefret charged Aladdin hitting him head on before he had
a chance to act. Nefret landed on top of him several feet away where she
desperately wrestled him for the strange artifact that was killing her friends.
But each time Aladdin was able to elude her grasping hands. Xerxes watched from
behind a column as the misty treads snaked their way to the two people fighting
on the floor. Aladdin forced a bent leg under Nefret and placed his foot on her
stomach. Swiftly he extended it, throwing her backwards, but not before she
grasped for the item in his hand with one last desperate reach. Nefret hit the
wall with a sickening crack and a gasp as the air was forced out of her body.
She soon realized that cracking sound had been one of her ribs breaking as the
dull throbbing made itself known. Aladdin sat up and looked down at his hands,
his empty hands. With a slight smile Nefret lifted her arm and opened her
fist to proudly display what she now had.
“Nefret…don’t. Please don’t Nef.” He pleaded. This was his greatest opportunity to rid himself and the world of the sorcerer.
Nefret suddenly turned dark. “Forgive me Aladdin, but this is one thing I can’t let you do. Not to Mozenrath, and not to Roias. And especially not all because of Xerxes”
“No.” he whispered slightly edging toward her. “You don’t have to do this. They aren’t your friends! Just come to me and everything will be fine.” He breathed reassuringly, as if he was speaking to a scared child. She shook her head seriously and raised her arm, the muscles tightening like an over coiled spring. The she released, her arm shooting down. There was a cracking, akin to the sound of a breaking egg, as the Cryiptic smashed into the ground under the heavy pressure of Nefret’s forcing hand. All were silence of a moment, and the only sound was that of the artifact slowly cracking. A thin spider’s web of fractures marred the surface, growing at an ever increasing rate, until it was too much and the Cryiptic burst and laid open like a flower in bloom just as Mozenrath’s and Chroias’s smoky essence reached it. The treads reared back as if surprised that the voice that had been so sweetly calling for them to join it was gone. Then they coiled around in a long column before shooting back to their owners. Both Mozenrath and Chroias drew an audible breath as their souls returned to them. Mozenrath looked around a bit dazed. Everything around him seemed far away, like watching it from another room. Aladdin was kneeling on the ground, Jasmine standing beside him. The genie was still behind some kind of shelter, and Xerxes was huddled behind a column. Nefret was slumped against a wall holding her side with a dejected looking Anubis resting his head in her lap. Chroias was beside him, seemingly in the same state he was. All in all everyone looked a bit worse than they had the last time he saw them. Chroias was also regaining her senses and it was becoming quite apparent to her what had transpired while she was out. Both raised themselves off the ground and glared at the heroes.
“We’re in trouble.” Aladdin informed his group as his face paled a bit.
Chapter
29 (By Kalynn)
A low, unearthly
growl emerged from the demoness's gullet. Her eyes began to glow a dark bloody
red as her hair fanned out from behind her. Her tail gave a sadistic twitch back
and forward. "Just who do you think you are hero?" Her voice had a
whispery wind like quality to it. As though she was just barely controlling her
temper. "Do you have any idea exactly what that would have done to
us?" Her lips pulled back in a fearsome snarl. Her clawed fist shot out and
snatched the hero's wrist. "This is what it would have done!" she
screamed as her magic made the hero's body turn green. Aladdin felt the pain
before he actually was able to get it. White-hot burning power ripped through
his body, he screamed.
Jasmine didn't hesitate; she slammed
full strength into the demon. Aladdin felt the presence let him go and slumped
to the floor. "I don't know who you think you are, but that happens to be
my husband." she snapped her whip out.
Chroias rolled out from under the royal
pain. "Oh another girl with a thing for leather." she mocked. A twist
of her wrist and a long bullwhip made a long overdue appearance. "Shall we
dance." she growled.
Mozenrath barely managed to lift himself
from the floor when he saw Nefret. Her head was slumped painfully against the
cold marble, and a small caught on her part showed she was bleeding internally.
With a quick look to see how his girlfriend was doing against the hero,
Mozenrath pulled Nefret over to him. "Nef. Nef." he whispered.
Her expressive eyes opened. Her faithful
dog Anubis whimpered as she tried to speak. "I... Moze the crystal."
"It's ok you destroyed it."
The sorcerer looked up at the dog. "Guard her." he said in a low
unnecessary threatening voice. Anubis would have been prepared to guard her
regardless of Mozenrath ordering him so.
Mozenrath walked calmly over to Aladdin.
The hero was just managing to pull himself to his feet as a large black boot
planted it's self in to his side. "Well hello Al. How have you been."
He noticed a familiar shape flying about. "You!!!." he called as
Xerxes giggled nervously. "And to think I even felt sorry about banishing
you!" He screamed.
Suddenly Jasmine stopped fighting.
"Huh?" Unfortunately her astonishment stopped her from avoiding the
right hook from Chroias. The hell bread punch landed directly on the
princess’s jowl. The princess went sprawling and landed on the cold floor.
"DAMN!!" Chroias said licking
the small lash that Jasmine’s whip had given her." Haven't had a fight
like that in at least a decade." She
glanced over at what Mozenrath was looking at. "HIM!" she called out.
A bolt of pure green hell fire shot out at the eel. "I can't believe you
have the gall to show up here after what you did!!!" She hurled another
blaze at the eel. "I'll roast you straight down into the pit of
blaze!!"
Nefret coughed again and Chroias finally
seemed to notice how her friend was. "Oh by the Olympians!" she forgot
about the eel for a split second. "Nefret?” she asked to see if her
friend was ok. She gently lifted the plum haired head and stroked a lush curl
from the face. "Nef you ok?" Anubis whined again beside her. "Nef?"
The beautiful eyes were closed. "No! DAMN IT NO!" she said, "It
can't be possible!"
Mozenrath looked paler than usual.
"She ..Tell me she isn't?"
"No not by a long shot."
Chroias opened one of the eyes. "She in a magicoma."
Aladdin
finally rose from the floor. "A what?"
"A magicoma. That Cryiptic had so
much force in it when it exploded it shoved her into a semi conscious state. I
can make a mind connection with her, but we have to find the cure." she
rubbed the tanned head. 'Nef' she pushed into the girls mind. 'Nef can you feel
me'
Chapter 30 (by me)
The battle paused for
a moment as everyone looked with bated breath to the demon and the young girl
lying so perfectly still beside her. Chroias closed her blood hued eyes, and
through them she could now see into her friends minds. It was an endless world
of a rather dark shade of purple. Memories wafted around in small bouts of fog.
Memories of her father, a strong and intelligent looking man. Memories of the
temple and even some of the Citadel flowed through Nefret and Chroias in turn,
all racing at the speed of light, and yet somehow entirely lucid. “Nef?” the
demoness called intently.
‘Roias is that
you?’ Came the answer much to Chroias’s relief. ‘Roias, what’s going on?
I was hurt and Mozenrath was by me, then…… then I closed my eyes, and when I
opened them again I was alone, here.” He voice had changed drastically from
her customary sarcastically sharp tongue to a slightly more childlike one.
“Nefret listen
to me, the force contained in the crystal knocked you out when it was
released.” She explained cautiously. She could feel a slight confusion and
something close to panic buzz in the Egyptian girls mind. “Shhh, you just
rest, Moze and I will find a way to bring you back.” Chroias cooed softly,
reassuringly. That seemed to lull the buzz into a low hum; she trusted them to
take care of her, she trusted them with her life. Then another emotion swept through Nefret’s mind like a
wild fire, and without expressing it Chroias knew. The fight was still in
progress and they were both absolutely unaware of what was going on outside this
safe little space Nef had retreated to in her own psyche.
Mozenrath forced his eyes away from his girlfriend and minion just long enough to cast a look upon Aladdin and Jasmine who was coming to a few feet away. The hero and his entourage’s concern had overpowered their better fighting instincts. The sorcerer couldn’t believe he had almost missed this opportunity, and with a quick snap of his fingers this undead servants rose from the ground to take hold of the courageous group. By the time the thought of resistance had sunk in the act was futile. “Take them to the dungeon….. All of them!” He added after the quickly retreating eel. Xerxes let out a screech as a mumluk rose from the ground in front of him, it was to late to turn back and he found himself in the thing’s grasp.
“This
isn’t’ over!” Aladdin yelled angrily as he was pull away.
“You are so right.” Mozenrath grinned to himself.
“Moze.” Chroias soft voice brought him back to reality. He crossed
the room in a few quick strides and knelt by the two women he shared his life
with. One his lover, and the other
his servant and friend. Chroias slowly smoothed Nef’s furrowed hair.
“She’s alright for now, but we have to find the cure soon or she will slip
farther and farther away until she’s….. gone.” Roias hated to say the last
word, but it was the truth. Mozenrath’s head dipped down for a moment. In
thought, anguish, prayer? Chroias couldn’t tell. It rose again quickly, but
gave no indication of what his prier emotions were, for now it was hard and
business like.
“Well than lets not waste time we don’t have.” That said he motioned for her help, and together they carried Nefret off to bed. With a short whine Anubis gathered his master’s ring in his mouth and trotted along after them.
Chapter 31 (by kalynn)
Chroias looked casually behind her. "Moze." she
whispered. "We can't just leave Nef here by herself." She hated to
make a suggestion but care for her friend overcame that. "Moze, you have to
let them go.
A look of pure rage came over the sorcerers face. "Never. I finally have them, no possible way you can tempt me into letting them go!!" He growled in her face. The combination of Nefret's illness and the fact that he had almost lost his soul was getting on his nerves.
"Moze somebody has to watch over her. We cant bring her It would be far to dangerous." Chroias tried to reason with him. "Please I have a link with her mind but I don't know how long the distance will keep for. I need to know she will be safe." She didn't wait for him to answer before she pulled him down for a long kiss. "Mozenrath please." Her eyes turned a dark bloody red.
Mozenrath sighed. "I'm doing this because Nefret needs someone right now and I can't be here.” He growled in a dark voice as he began to unlock the chains to the hero's manacles. "You will stay here and guard her." he motioned.
Chroias reached out. "Just a minuet." she grabbed Jasmines arm and hauled the princess to her feet. "I may want Nefret to be helped but I'm not fool enough to think you'll just stay here instead of trying to find a way to get her out." She looked at Mozenrath as if he had no choice in her next decision. "Princess goes with us." A small voice nagged her in the back of her head. Nefret was strongly disapproving of her friend’s idea. 'I don't have much of a choice Nef' she mind called back. 'They'll try to take you away.' she murmured. 'And very soon here something is going to arrive that I will desperately need you for. And Moze will need you for it to.'
With that final call of Nefret's questions in her head the demones disappeared with Mozenrath and Jasmine in a green puff of smoke.
Chapter
32 (by me)
Aladdin
stood for a moment looking at where Mozenrath, and more importantly his wife,
had been. He didn’t seem to have much say in this situation. But then again,
were Mozenrath was concerned there were never many options. Genie was locked in
some magic resistant box, and Jasmine was….. Jasmine was Allah knows where,
and he was here. Aladdin was stuck between a rock and a hard place, on one hand
his instances told him to grab Nefret, and the imprisoned Genie and get the hell
away from here, but he knew in his heart that if Mozenrath came home to an empty
house he would…… well lets not think about that. With a sigh he snapped
himself out of his thoughts and approached Nefret’s bedside. Her chest rose
slowly and steadily, just about the only sign she yet lived. Bandages around her
ribs gave the impression of halfway-prepared mummy.
“Well
I guess it’s just you and me.” He exhaled deeply and reached for a basin on
the dressing table to mop her fevered brow.
“You know, your masters a real ass!” The comment was directed to the
plum haired girl, but he was really only talking to himself. “Really I don’t
see why you put up with him. And that demon of his…. Well she’s just scary!
You sure do find strange crowds to run with.” If she had been awake Nefret
would have laughed, but she was hushed and unresponsive to him and his
attentions.
‘Roias
where are you going anyways? What’s coming? Is Jasmine all right? Chroias are
you listening to me?’ The words grew in volume in the red-eyed demons mind
until she could ignore them no more.
‘If
you would just give me a chance to answer!’ Nefret’s mind grew quite and
Chroias continued. ‘The first two answers will come in time, when you need to
know, and not before. As for Jasmine…’ she looked back to the woman who was
dragging her feet defiantly behind them. ‘She’s sulking. Very Princess
like.’ She added with a giggle. ‘How are you doing?’
‘Oh,
all right I guess. Are you sure leaving me with Aladdin was a good idea. He was
the one who broke my ribs if you recall.” Nefret voiced indignantly.
‘If
YOU recall, you were sitting on him trying to scratch his eyes out!’ Chroias
pointed out. No words where given, but Roias knew Nefret was put out.
“Are you speaking to Nefret?” Mozenrath eyed the smug grin on his
lovers face. “Tell her she can be a real pain sometimes.” He said gruffly,
but just a bit on the playful side.
‘Mozy says hi.’ She informed he friend through their mind link. Nefret grumbled something in response, but her voice was fading, and fast. ‘Nefret?’ silence met her resounding question and the demoness could no longer feel her friend. “Dam it all to Hades!” She whispered harshly. Mozenrath looked over inquisitively. “I’ve lost her.” She explained. “See, didn’t I tell you that…"
“EXUSE
ME!” They darted around to the direction of the voice. Jasmine had halted her
step and was balling her fist crossly. “I refuse…”
“Your in no position to refuse anything little princess. You just worry about your pretty painted toenails and your hair, and come along like a good little hostage.” He taunted. Jasmine was unable to answer however as her chains were given a sharp tug and she was hauled along behind the sorcerer and the demoness. “How much longer?” he returned his attention to Chroias.
“Almost
there.” She breathed. It was funny, you have a mind link with anyone for any
length of time, and there’s a strange feeling of loneliness when your left
alone in your own mind. She already missed that damn plum haired minion she had
once wanted to kill.
***
‘Roias?
Roias??!!!!!!!!” Nefret was practically screaming at the top of her lungs in
her mind. But she was alone. She wondered what was going on, had Aladdin stayed?
Were Moze and Roias close to getting a cure? Was jasmine well? And just what the
hell was supposed to be coming that she should stick around for???
With a huff she put the thoughts out of her mind, she would get no
answers till Chroias got back, maybe not even then.
Chapter 33 (by kalynn)
Chroias silently cursed herself for breaking contact. She
glanced behind at the angry princess. She had to admit she could tell why
Aladdin would be attracted to the girl. She supposed in human terms Jasmine was
rather pretty. Medium build, black hair, and brown eyes. Decent body, and the
outfit she wore almost showed as much as Nefret's. She concentrated, again
trying to find her friend. 'Nef
Back in the citadel Nefret heard the small blip of her friends presence. The words came out garbled and harsh. 'Nef...we...in...have to ..be home....soon. Aladdin treating...you well?'
Nef made sure it was Chroias. 'Yes I'm being treated well. Where are you.' she
Chroias
heard treated well and where. She frowned unhappy with the connection. 'In
Gartacuna'
A
frown crossed Nefret's face. 'Where' she questioned again
'Gartacuna
old haunt of mine' she winced as the connection with Nefret was broken.
"Damn it." she cursed loudly breaking Mozenrath and Jasmine from their
heat induced trances.
"Problem?"
Mozenrath looked up at his girlfriend. "What happened."
"The
blasted connection broke again." Chroias felt her eyes turn red. "Were
completely on our own now." she mused and glanced at Jasmine. "Come on
princess. You are what we really don't need at the moment."
The
royal pain looked up. "I don't know who you think you are, but how can you
possibly love a man like Mozenrath is beyond me.
Chroias
gave her a hard slap and then administered a quick one to Mozenrath when he
laughed. "That was for being a jerk." she said to his surprised face.
"And as for you little princess, that was for the commentary. I don't care
what you think I am but insult my boyfriend again and my claws come out."
She gave the princess a cold look "And I'm sure several things are beyond
you."
Mozenrath
rubbed his jaw gently. "So what exactly are we after here?"
Chroias
smiled. "It's called a Phoenix tear. The bird of the sun has such extreme
magical properties that it's impossible for a sorcerer to get near it." She
smiled. "Just three tears are enough to cure any illness. That's where
Jazzie here comes in."
Mozenrath
stared at the princess. "How."
"Well
like the mythical unicorn only a princess can get close to the phoenix’s
feathers without being charred." she grinned at her boyfriend. "We're
just lucky she doesn't have to be a virgin to."
Jasmine’s
cheeks blushed brightly. Chroias sighed. "The Phoenix isn't very heavily
guarded, certainly nothing you and I can't handle, but from the nest on it's up
to Jasmine to get the tears." She looked at the Princess. "Listen up
throne girl. You don't have to hurt the bird to get it to cry, all you have to
do is pet it directly behind it'd crested head. Directly were the blue and
yellow fire meets. It's loves to be scratched there and will immediately cry
small gold tears." The demoness produced a small vile. "Get at least nine
tears in here."
"Nine?
But I though you said only three were needed." Jasmine looked suspiciously
at The green haired girl.
Chroias's
head lowered slightly to her stomach. "I'll be needing the other's for
something."
Chapter 34 (by m
Sweat trickled down the princess’s forehead and he skin
glittered a bright red, the fire reflected off her skin. As predicted the
guardians of the Phoenix were pushovers, well for the demoness they were. Smoke
rose in spirally wisps from the nostrils of the firebird, it was aggravated.
Having witnessed its protectors fall and an unknown figure edging toward it the
bird had promptly dug its claws into the floor and waited for a clash. But it
seemed to sense the blood Jasmine carried, blue blood, royal blood. Jas relaxed
a tad as the bird withdrew its deadly grip on the floor below and rested its
head on its taloned feet. The demon had been right, while it was hot it was not
unbearably so, for her at least.
Mozenrath and Chroias stood a ways away, just watching. Princess Jasmine’s outline had been reduced to nothing more than a vapory mirage against the tremendous heat of the Phoenix. Roias was carefully following their hostage’s every move; Mozenrath on the other hand watched the demon out of the corner of his eye. Something was up, she knew something and wasn’t telling. It was no use asking, he decided. She was stubborn and independent, always had been, and he knew nothing would be revealed until she was good and ready.
The wavering hand of the Princess of Agrabah stretched out. Closer and closer, drawing back a bit and then proceeding again. Finally she tapped her slender fingertips to the feathers and drew the hand back to inspect it. No burns, not even hot! With a sigh her hand shot back up and gave a slightly playful scratch just behind the crest. A rumble sounded deep within the Phoenix’s throat, strangely cat-like. Glittering droplets clung to the edge of the firebird’s eye, and then slowly they fell, one by one. In a swift motion Jasmine unstopped the vile and held it to the bird’s cheek. ‘1.2..3…4 5….’ She counted silently in her head. “9!” She shouted triumphantly. Though she didn’t know why she felt so proud, helping Mozenrath wasn’t exactly a great achievement.
The two watched as the princess half trotted and half drudged her way back to them and deposited the vile in the green haired woman’s hand. “Well I guess royal pains have a use after all.” Chroias breathed holding the vile to the light and smiling.
Aladdin was trying to get Nefret to drink. He held the cup to her lips and tipped it up, but unfortunately he only succeeded in drenching her face and hair. With a sigh and a concerned face he gave up and hoped the others would be back soon. Now that was a change, he actually wanted Mozenrath around. Well, maybe not so much Moze, but the woman he had taken with him. It was then he saw a burst of green smoke, and the three appeared in the room, just as they had left it, if not a bit sweatier looking. The sorcerer scowled at the hero, but he could not accuse him of neglecting his responsibilities. Nef did appear to be comfortable.
‘Nef, I’m back!’ Chroias mind linked to her friend. ‘I’m here’ she reiterated when no response came to her. ‘Nef?’ She was only meet with a slight whisper of incoherent words. In the time since they had last linked Nefret had retreated deeper into the magicoma, almost beyond reach. She could feel her friend blinking in and out of her mind. “Oh gods, we were almost to late!” She looked at Moze who gave her a confused face. “Give me the vile!”
Chapter
35 (by Kalynn)
Chroias pulled the vile desperately from
Mozenrath’s hands. "One for the body." she said as she placed a drop
on Nefret's lips. "One for the mind." she placed a drop on Nefret's
head. "One for the soul." she whispered as a drop was placed in
Nefret's mouth. She hid the vile away in the folds of her short skirt.
Nefret made no response. "Damn it Nef." she leaned in close to
her friend. "Come on Nef your stronger than this."
Still no response. "Nefret. You’re my friend. There's something
coming, something I need you for. It's never happened to me before and I don't
know how Moze is going to take this. I don't know how I'll do it." she
begged in so low a voice even Mozenrath couldn't hear what she was saying. The
green haired woman brushed Nefret's cheek. "Please Nef. You damn
minion." she said in an exasperated voice.
"I though we were beyond the whole minion
thing?"
Chroias forgot herself entirely. "You
little....." Nefret's face almost looked in pain as Chroias hugged her.
"Oh dear gods. I thought you were..."
"Did I hear what I think I heard." Nefret
looked pointedly at Chroias's slim taunt belly. She conceded her movements.
"Are you..."
Chroias placed a clawed finger to her lips and
nodded to Mozenrath. "Later."
Mozenrath had almost forgotten himself and barely
contained his movements with Aladdin standing right behind him. "Sometimes
I think your far more trouble than your worth. First with Hadim, then with my
mother, then with this again." He shook his head. "You have the most
incredible lucky streak since that street rat."
Nefret was too weak to find if her lord was joking
or not. "Oh I wanna sleep for a month."
Mozenrath looked pointedly at Aladdin. "You
should be leaving hero." he grinned sadistically at Aladdin. A blue-black
glow surrounded them as they disappeared.
Nefret wasn't so weak that she couldn't scold.
"Moze!! Come on he took really good care of me." She heard Chroias
whisper something like 'I'll bet he did.' and berated the demoness with a course
look.
"I didn't hurt them Nef." He grinned.
"Simply put them in a place where they won't be in the way for a small
amount of time."
"Oh and where would that be?" Nef growled
at him.
"Nowhere." he said and shrugged.
"Not that it is any of your business." he said a flicker of his old
angry self returning. "Now I would suggest you go to your room, and get
some sleep."
"Oh she'll be in my room for the night."
Chroias said suddenly. "Don't worry about a thing." she said as a
slightly worried look hit Mozenrath's face. "Were only going to be
gossiping about how cute you are when your nose gets all wrinkled up, and your
lip pouts out..."
Mozenrath didn't wait for her to finish before he
made a horrible gagging sound and retreated. Nefret giggled, happy to see
something was getting back to normal.
"Now you said later." she whispered
quietly as Chroias opened the door to her room. "Come on am I right?"
Chroias took a deep breath. In a split second a thousand thoughts streamed through her mind. Every one of them far to jumbled for her to fix out. Only one irrespirable fact stood out. 'What is father going to do to Moze.' But as she looked as Nefret's face she blurted out in one breath. "I'm pregnant."