GONE WITH THE WIND
 

Part 1

It begins on a dark night
        where a dark man waits
                with a dark purpose...


The sand was intricately patterned from his pacing.  Back and forth, 
back and forth he went.  Not normally a patient man, he found himself at 
the end of it now.  He turned with an angry gesture that set his cloak 
to swinging and was about to wallow in some wanton destruction, when 
something flashed in the moonlight on the horizon.  He paused and 
watched it closely.  It grew larger; a dark shape moving across the 
stars.  He could just make out a figure flying over the sands on what 
looked to be a carpet.  He smiled and folded his arms over his chest to 
wait.  

Moments later, a sleek gray shape slid around his shoulders.  He gave 
his familiar a look that spoke volumes about his annoyance.  "It's about 
time, Xerxes."  The eel cowered under his hood.

The magic carpet slid to a stop in mid-air above him.

"Mozenrath," the rider said with more than a trace of hostility.

"So nice of you to come, Aladdin."  Mozenrath said genially as he bowed.

"What do you want, Mozenrath?  What are you doing here?  Where did you 
get this?"  Aladdin held up a golden object.

"Aladdin, Aladdin.  This is no way to hold a conversation.  Why don't 
you come down here where we can talk like civilized men?"

"Civilized?" Aladdin said with a guffaw.  "I don't think you qualify, 
Mozenrath."

"I'm beginning to think you don't trust me," Mozenrath said with a hurt 
look.

"Trust you?  I'd rather trust Iago with the treasury than trust you.  
I'll stay right here."

"Yeah, he'd rather trust me with the treasury--Waitaminute!" Iago 
shouted when he realized what it was he was saying.

"Very well.  Have it your way."  Mozenrath gestured and floated into the 
air until he was level with Aladdin.  Carpet backed away a little. 

"Now, you're probably wondering why I brought you here."  He gave 
Aladdin a sly smile.

"Presumably to get me to do more of your dirty work--"

"A crude way to put it, but yes, I have a favor to ask of you."

"--And the answer is no.  Come on, Carpet; let's get out of here."  
Carpet turned to leave, but Mozenrath followed and blocked their path.  
Carpet ducked and took off in another direction and the sorcerer behind.

"But you haven't even heard my request!"  Mozenrath called.

"I don't need to.  I wouldn't help you if my life depended on it.  "  

"No, wait!" the sorcerer called.  He sighed and floated to the ground.  
"Aladdin, please.  Just hear me out.  What harm can that do?" he called 
after the trio.

Aladdin gave Carpet the signal to stop.  He looked at Iago who shook his 
head.  Unsure of this new ploy, he gave Mozenrath a long hard look 
before giving Carpet the go ahead to take him back.  Perhaps it was 
better to hear the sorcerer out.  If nothing it would at least give him 
some idea of what Mozenrath was up to, and maybe stop it before it got 
started.

Carpet took him lower and Al jumped off.  He stood a few feet away from 
Mozenrath and crossed his arms over his chest as he unknowingly mimicked 
Mozenrath's earlier stance.  He eyed Mozenrath suspiciously.  Iago 
remained perched on Carpet, where he could watch the goings-on keenly 
but still be out of range of anything that Mozenrath might do.

"All right, but I'm not promising anything," his voice hostile.

Mozenrath smiled graciously and bowed.  "My thanks, Aladdin."  He pulled 
something out of his belt and held it up.  "It's a matter of you can get 
into the Cave of Wonders and I can't."

Aladdin remained impassive.  "The Cave was destroyed.  Abu, Carpet and I 
barely got out with our lives."

Mozenrath scoffed at him.  "Do you really think that the two thousand 
year old repository for the greatest treasures of this world could be 
destroyed by a common street rat and his flea-bitten pet monkey?"

Aladdin bristled and Mozenrath could see he head made a mistake.  "If 
I'm so common, why are you asking me to go in?  Why don't you do it 
yourself, Mozenrath?  I have better things to do than stand around here 
and get insulted by the likes of you."  He turned back to Carpet and was 
about to climb aboard when Mozenrath stepped forward.  

"Wait!" he said; his was hand out as he pleaded with Aladdin.  Aladdin 
drew back and Mozenrath dropped his hand.  "You have a point.  But so do 
I; the cave wasn't destroyed.  The material objects inside can be 
destroyed but the Cave of Wonders cannot."  He turned.  "It's just the 
contents of the Cave that change.  After all, it's where the ill-gotten 
goods of those struck down by the gods go.  There will always be evil 
men in need of chastising, so there will always be a need for the Cave."

"Better be careful, Mozenrath.  You resemble those you're describing so 
disdainfully."

Mozenrath started, but recovered with a laugh.  "Whatever.  There are 
still things there, some of which are of interest to me; one in 
particular," he added.

"What?"  He gave the sorcerer a suspicious look even as he felt his 
curiosity piqued.  What could Mozenrath want badly enough to come 
closest to apologizing as Aladdin had ever seen him to get?   

"A harp."

"A harp?"

Mozenrath played with the scarab half he held and turned.  Aladdin 
thought he looked almost embarrassed.  "Yes, a harp.  A simple harp, 
carved from ebony wood, inlaid with silver and ivory and strung with the 
hair from the mane of a unicorn.  When played, it's voice is so pure as 
to break the hearts of all but the hardest of men."  He looked up, and 
arched an eyebrow at Aladdin.  "I, of course, am immune to it."

Aladdin ignored that comment.  He narrowed his eyes at the sorcerer.  
"What do you want this harp for?  Even if I were willing to help you, 
which I'm not, I won't help you get anything that will put Agrabah in 
danger," Aladdin said.

He turned back and shook his head.  "No, no, nothing like that!  I 
assure you."  Mozenrath sighed and put a hand over his heart.  "I want 
to give it as a gift."

Aladdin stared.  "A what?"

"A gift."  Mozenrath looked heavenward and gestured as he wandered 
aimlessly about.  "Oh, Aladdin, I've been wrong all this time.  I 
thought I could fill my life with my craft and ambition, but all that 
means nothing now."  Aladdin watched him pace about, as fascinated as a 
bird by a cat's eye.  He jumped when he found Mozenrath had wandered  close
enough to put a hand on his shoulder.  "Yes, all that is nothing,  ever
since *she* came into my life."  Aladdin drew back but Mozenrath didn't
remove it. "Come now, Aladdin, surely one such as yourself can  understand
how love can change a man?  You weren't *always* a hero, now  were you?"
Mozenrath asked in a tone not quite mocking.

Aladdin was about to draw back when the import of Mozenrath's words hit 
him.  "What did you say?"  He began feeling a little idiotic asking all 
these questions.

Mozenrath smiled a disarming smile.  "Yes, Aladdin, it's happened.  I, 
Mozenrath, Lord of the Black Sands, have fallen in love.  She is 
beautiful, with skin the color of gold, and hair that shines like the 
sun, and eyes so deep I could lose myself in them."  He moved closer and 
put a friendly arm around Aladdin's shoulders.  "Surely you can 
understand that?"

Aladdin rubbed his chin.  "Well, yeah--"

"If love can turn a thief into a hero, it is so hard to imagine it could 
turn a villain into a man of honor?"  Mozenrath's eyes gleamed.  He 
leaned closer to Aladdin, his smile sly and ingenuous.

"Don't listen to him, Al!" Iago squawked.  "This kid couldn't love his 
own mother."

Mozenrath straightened and Aladdin moved away.  "Leave my mother out of 
this.  And I assure you, I'm just as capable of love as yourself," he 
told the parrot.

"My point, exactly."

Mozenrath started, then smiled.  "Perhaps that was a bad analogy.  But I 
know that my friend Aladdin here will understand.  After all, he has 
found love in the lovely princess of Agrabah."  He smiled at Aladdin 
warmly.

Aladdin still looked suspicious.  "What does this harp do?" he asked.

Mozenrath drew back in surprise.  "Do?  It doesn't *do* anything, save 
make music.  I want it as an expression of my love for this angel from 
Paradise; that's all.  She is a harpist and there is no finer instrument 
to be had."  He dropped his arms to his sides and looked at Aladdin 
through eyes wide and innocent.  "Please, tell me you'll help me."

Aladdin sighed.  "All right, Mozenrath.  Tell me where to find it and 
I'll get it for you."   

"Aladdin, you're making a big mistake," Iago said.  

"Iago, later," Aladdin said.  He handed the scarab half that Xerxes had 
used to lure them here to the sorcerer.

Mozenrath took the halves and put them together.  It glowed briefly 
before springing to life.  It pulled itself from his grasp and raced  off
into the night.

"Quick!  Follow it!" Mozenrath shouted as he levitated himself and flew 
off after it.

Aladdin hopped on Carpet and they followed.  The glowing trail made the 
jeweled scarab easy to follow.  It led them to a dune that look every 
bit as non-descript as the rest of the dunes.  It split and each half 
circled the dune before plunging into the sand.

The sand began to glow where the scarab had landed.  It bulged upwards 
as storm clouds gathered above it.  Lightning struck as the rock bent 
and twisted to free itself from the desert.  The sand surged and forced 
them back.  It was silent a moment, as if gathering it's breath, then 
incredibly, the living stone began to speak.

"_Who disturbs my slumber?_" it asked in a voice as old as the desert.  
It went still, mouth open.  The golden light that had flooded out of the 
cave when Aladdin last asked to enter the cave was gone; now, only 
darkness greeted them.

Mozenrath looked at Aladdin.  He took a step forward.  "It is I, 
Aladdin."

The Cave was silent a moment.  "Enter," it said after a moment's 
thought.

Aladdin took a deep breath.  "Okay, Mozenrath, tell me."

"You'll find it in a room far off the main chambers, stored with other 
instruments.  It's a lap harp, with two curving arms fashioned from 
ebony.  The strings glow, that's how you'll be able to tell it."  
Mozenrath held up his hands.  "About so big.  You'll find it in a case 
of black leather with a scarab stitched with silver thread on the flap."

Aladdin stepped on Carpet and settled in for the ride.  "All right, 
Carpet.  Let's get this over with."  They sailed into the Cave's mouth.

Mozenrath and Xerxes watched Aladdin disappear.  As soon as they were 
gone, Mozenrath said to his familiar, "That was almost too easy, Xerxes.  
But then again, I had an unfair advantage, didn't I?  These hero types 
are so predictable."  He smirked at the eel.  "Perhaps I know him better 
than Jasmine does."  Familiar and sorcerer shared a round of malicious 
laughter.


"Do you know where this harp Mozenrath wants is, Carpet?" Aladdin asked 
the magic carpet as they sailed through the myriad passages of the Cave.  
Carpet held one of his tassels up in a "thumb's up" that indicated it 
did.  Aladdin smiled.  "Then let's go!"

"You're not really going to give it to him, are you?" Iago asked.

Aladdin shrugged.  "I don't know.  I just know that if we don't get this 
harp he'll find someone else to do it.  And that's what worries me."

"But what if it turns out to be dangerous?"

"We'll just have to be sure about that, won't we?  Besides, if *we* have 
the harp, then he doesn't, right?  We'll let him believe we'll give it 
to him to get more information out of him."

They fell silent as Carpet took them through the passages and through 
darkened rooms.  Where once riches enough for a thousand sultans had 
glowed like fire, there was only dark emptiness.  The walls reflected 
every sound back at them; amplified and distorted it until it was no 
longer recognizable.

Just as Mozenrath had said there would be, there were still things to be 
found in the Cave.  The corridors  were lined with all sorts of jumble.  
Many were such that Aladdin couldn't identify, but plainly some were 
barrels and chests and boxes stuffed to overflowing with all sorts of 
unimaginable items.  Chairs, tables, rugs, braziers were stacked 
haphazardly amongst them.

Carpet took them into a chamber that was neither large nor small.  A 
huge harp stood in the middle of the room; its wood glinted gold in the 
directionless light that shone from all around.

Aladdin stepped off Carpet and walked up to the harp.  "Is this it?" he 
asked.  "We'll never get that out of here."

"Al, does that look black to you?" Iago demanded.  

Aladdin started.  "Oh, yes;  you're right."  He turned and began 
searching through the boxes stacked around the perimeter of the room.  
"It would be in a black leather case, he said."  

They searched for a few moments before Carpet gestured.  Aladdin left 
off going through the box he was occupied with and joined the carpet.  
"What is it, Carpet?"  Carpet pointed and picked up a strap and handed 
it to Aladdin.  "Is this it?"  Al carefully pulled the strap and the 
case attached to it out of the crate.  Black leather and a scarab sewn 
with silver thread.  Aladdin unfastened the catches and gently lifted 
the harp out of the case.  Black wood glinted with inlaid silver and 
ivory and the strings glowed blue.

"That looks like it," Iago said unnecessarily.  Aladdin replaced the 
harp and fastened the flap.  He drew his fingers over the strings.  The 
notes fell like rain.  "It sounds harmless enough."  He put it back in 
the case and looked it over.  There was a word under the scarab.  
"_Stridor_," he read.  He looked at Iago.  "Have you ever heard of this 
thing?"

Iago peered down from he perch on this shoulder.  "Never.  That doesn't 
mean it isn't dangerous."

"Well, we have it now.  Let's go."  He and Iago hopped back on Carpet  and
they retraced their route back through the Cave to the entrance.

Mozenrath was lounging on a dune while he waited for them to return.  He 
stood as they burst through the entrance.  Carpet banked, circled to 
come to a stop some distance from him.  As Aladdin stepped to the sand, 
the Cave sank back into the desert sands.  The lights of its passing 
flickered under the sand before dying away.  Iago flew over to the dune 
created with the intention of retrieving the scarab pieces when Xerxes 
zipped in front of him and snatched them up.  

"Hey!  Watch where yer flyin', you disgusting slug, or I'm complaining 
to air traffic control."  The parrot banked and returned to Aladdin's 
shoulder.

Xerxes dropped the scarab pieces into Mozenrath's hand.  He zipped back 
and thrust his face into Iago's.  "Xerxes *not*slug!" he hissed.  Iago 
squawked and lost his balance and fell to the ground with a squawk.  
Xerxes zipped back to Mozenrath.

 The sorcerer tucked the scarab halves away.  "Did you find it?" he 
asked.

Aladdin nodded and patted the case slung over his shoulder.  "Here."  

Mozenrath reached out to take it from him.  Aladdin shook his head and 
stepped back.  "Uh-uh, not yet.  There's this little matter of me not 
trusting you, remember?"

Mozenrath drew back; he covered his annoyance with feigned surprise.  
"I'm hurt, Aladdin.  After everything I've told you, you still don't 
trust me?"

"After everything you've done I don't trust you."

Mozenrath turned away a moment then back to Aladdin.  "What can I do to 
convince you, Aladdin?  That my intentions are honorable; at least at 
the moment?" he added with a wry smile.

"Some proof would be nice," Iago commented from Aladdin's shoulder.

Aladdin snapped his fingers.  "Yeah. How about it Mozenrath?  Got some 
proof this girl exists?"

Mozenrath looked pained a moment, then pulled a pack of papers from his 
tunic.  "Here," he said.

Aladdin took them.  They proved to be a bundle of letters.  Mozenrath's 
name was displayed prominently on the outside in flowing script.

"What are these?" he asked.  He started to open one when Mozenrath 
snatched them away.

"Do you mind?"  He stuck them back in his tunic.  "They're letters from 
her to me.  Personal letters."

"Love letters?  To you?  Don't make me laugh," Iago squawked as he 
tumbled to the sand while laughing hysterically.

Mozenrath glared at the parrot.  "That's not going to be enough," 
Aladdin said.  "There could be anything in those letters; they may not 
even *be* letters.  How 'bout something a little more concrete, like 
letting me meet her--"

Mozenrath snarled and with a lightning quick gesture, he zapped Aladdin.  
Aladdin went sprawling, but the expected impact with the sand never came 
as he found himself hovering several feet over the sand.  Mozenrath 
gestured and the harp disappeared only to reappear in a sparkle of light 
in Mozenrath's hand.  

"Forget it, Aladdin.  There is only so much I'm willing to put up with."  
He flipped back the flap and his face was lit by the softly glowing 
strings.  He covered them again, and slung it over his shoulder.  "My 
thanks, Aladdin, and farewells."  He bowed with a flourish, glowed 
briefly and was gone

Aladdin landed heavily on his backside.  He winced and rubbed that part 
of his anatomy as he climbed to his feet.    

"No ranting about world domination.  That's not like Mozenrath."  
Aladdin climbed aboard Carpet and they turned towards home.  

"Yeah," Iago piped up in a sarcastic tone.  "I do hope he's feeling 
well."  Iago flapped to Aladdin's shoulder.  "Now *he* has the harp, and 
I'm telling ya, Al, Mozenrath did not want that harp just to give to 
some girl.  He's up to something; I can feel it in my feathers."  Iago 
ruffled the items in question.

Aladdin climbed on Carpet and they turned toward home.  "I think you're 
right," he said to the parrot.

"No, I'm--"  Iago stopped short.  "What did you say?"

"I said you're right.  Let's get back to Agrabah and we'll ask Genie 
about this harp.  Then we'll deal with Mozenrath."  

Iago gaped at him.  He reached around and pulled a quill out of his 
tail.  "Here," he said with a wince as he rubbed his posterior.  

Aladdin took the quill.  "What's this for?"

"As soon as we get back, I want that in writing.  'Iago was right.'  For 
the next time you don't believe me."

"Ee-ya-go," Aladdin said, stressing each syllable equally.  He gave the 
parrot an indulgent smile and stuck the quill back in his tail.  Iago 
yelped and Carpet banked and they disappeared into the night.


A flash of light came from the curtained alcove.  Blue-black touched 
with red fire traveled up the rich hangings and chased the shadows away 
for a moment.  When it cleared, Mozenrath pushed the hangings aside and 
stepped into the room proper.  He "listened" with his undersenses and 
smiled when he determined that no one else was in the room.  Then he 
heard the bells.  His smile twisted into a grimace.  He had forgotten 
about the blasted bells.  

He looked around and decided to make himself comfortable while he 
waited.  He put the case containing the harp on a table of polished wood 
and selected an apple from a crystal bowl.  He polished it on his sleeve 
as he sat in a padded chair.  He swung his feet up onto the table and 
amused himself making Xerxes do tricks for bits of apple.

He had just finished the apple when the rich hangings behind him 
stirred.  A woman dressed in crimson robes pushed through them.  She 
caught sight of the sorcerer and stopped.  A look of calculated glee was 
swiftly replaced by a disarming smile.  She went to him and put her arms 
around his neck as she touched her lips to his cheek.  He sat up and 
covered her hands with his own.

"Ah, Mozenrath.  It's getting late.  I wasn't sure you would return 
tonight," she said with a sultry smile.  Her voice was warm, throaty and 
intimate.  He pulled her around and she sat on his lap and put her arms 
around his neck.  She leaned forward and covered his mouth with hers.  
He slid his hands up her back, bunching up the fabric of her gown as 
they went as he returned it.  "Did you get it?" she murmured when she 
finally pulled away.

Mozenrath arched an eyebrow at her.  "I said I would, didn't I?"  He 
waved in the table's direction.  "There."

The woman twisted around.  She spotted the case on the table and stood.  
She pushed her short blonde hair out of her face with a nervous little 
gesture.  "Is that really the Harp of Stridor?" she whispered.  She 
seemed unwilling to move for fear it might prove to be a dream.  

Mozenrath stood and slipped an arm around her slim waist.  He reached 
around her to pick it up.  She snatched it out of his hands.  "No!" she 
cried and backed away from him.  "You mustn't defile the Harp with your 
unbelieving hands."

Mozenrath froze, annoyance warring with amazement on his face.  "What 
are you talking about, Cantera?"

She started, and scowled.  Then her face softened and she returned to 
his side to put a hand on his arm.  "Forgive me, I forgot myself."  She 
turned and replaced the case on the table.  With trembling fingers, she 
opened the flap.  She took the harp out of the case and held it 
tenderly.  "After all these centuries, the Harp of Stridor has finally 
been recovered."  She drew her fingers along the strings, setting up a 
complex series of harmonics.  The bowl shattered.  Xerxes shuddered and 
fell to the floor, writhing in pain.

"Interesting toy," Mozenrath muttered as he watched Xerxes impassively.  
Cantera placed her hand on the strings, silencing them.  Xerxes reared 
up and shook his head.  He darted to Mozenrath's shoulders and buried 
himself under his master's hood.  Mozenrath patted his familiar almost 
absently while Xerxes glared at Cantera.  Cantera shifted her hold on 
the harp and played a short refrain.  Nothing broke this time, but the 
music that came from the harp was as sweet as Mozenrath had told Aladdin 
it would be.  

Cantera's eyes glowed as a smile that was half power-crazed and half 
just plain crazed spread across her face.  Mozenrath didn't see it.  "It 
is not a toy, but a key to power."  

Mozenrath perked up at this.  "What sort of power?" he couldn't resist 
asking.

"Great power."  Cantera returned the harp to its case.  She laid her 
hands on it almost reverently.  She gave him a side-long glance.  Her 
smile turned wicked as she saw the undisguised greed on his face.  
"Tomorrow, you shall see."

Mozenrath gestured.  "Why not now?"  He pulled her around to face him.  

Cantera looked at him, but her eyes were distant.  She shook her head as 
she patted his hand but pulled away.  "I must prepare myself.  A full 
night of prayer and fasting, plus the harp must be tuned properly."  She 
caught the harp up in her arms and hugged it to her.  "I must go," and 
with that she swept past Mozenrath towards the entrance.

Mozenrath scowled in surprise and hurried after her.  "Wait a minute!  
What about our deal?"

She didn't even slow down.  "That's not important."  Her hair bobbed as 
she shook her head.

Mozenrath grabbed her arm and pulled her around.  "Of course it's 
important--to me.  I got you the harp, now give me what you promised."  
Even though he loomed over her by several inches, she was unintimidated.

Cantera gave him a soft smile, but her eyes gleamed with another 
emotion.  "After I have tested the harp."  She glanced out the window at 
the darkened sky.  "It's late.  You're welcome to stay here," she 
gestured around her at the room.  "I will come for you at dawn when I am 
ready, and then we shall test the harp.  Then you shall have your 
reward."

Mozenrath let go of her and narrowed his eyes at her.  "That wasn't part 
of the deal."  Cantera took a step forward to look up into his eyes.

"Is one more night so much to wait?"  She reached up and stroked the 
ebony curls out of his face.  She had to stand on her toes to slide hand 
behind his neck to pull him down so she could kiss his cheek.  
"Tomorrow, I promise," she whispered, then turned quickly and was gone 
before he could so much as twitch.

Xerxes peeked out from under Mozenrath's hood.  "Xerxes no trust."

Mozenrath continued to stare after her, an unreadable expression on his 
face.  "Neither do I, Xerxes.  Neither do I."


Cantera hurried down the corridor towards the temple with her face 
glowing with zeal.  All her life, she had known that she was destined 
for great things, but this was almost too good to be true.  No, she 
thought to herself as she paused and frowned.  She mustn't think that.  
It was meant to be; the great Cacophona had decreed it.  It hadn't been 
coincidence that she had found the correspondence between the former 
High Priestess and Destane discussing the possible location of the Harp; 
her hand had been guided when she saved that particular bundle from the 
fire.

She came to the entrance to the temple and with a wave of her hand 
dismissed the acolyte standing vigil.  The girl bowed and retreated as 
the High Priestess Cantera entered the temple.

Cantera paused only long enough to pull the doors closed behind her 
before resuming her journey.  Past the central room, past the annex open 
only to the higher echelons of the priesthood, to the sanctuary to which 
only the high priestess had access.  She pulled the key from around her 
neck and inserted it into the elaborate lock and twisted it.  She 
slipped inside and pushed the door shut behind her.  

Once inside, she leaned against the door and took several deep breaths.  
After a moment, she pushed against the door and carefully laid the harp 
on the table that stretched along wall.  Carefully, and with a muttered 
prayer, she pulled the harp from the case.  Her eyes were lit by the 
softly glowing strings.  The black wood felt smooth as silk as she 
caressed it.  

Cantera turned and pulled a large chest toward her.  With the same care 
she had used to open the harp case, she opened this chest.  She lifted 
out a large scroll and a single leaf of paper; a single sheet of music.  
She hefted the harp and picked out the tune.

She found herself weeping by the time she plucked the last note, both 
with the magic of the harp and with the joy she felt at having found it.  
After all this time, finally, Cacophona would be free once more!

Her smile turned malignant as she thought of Mozenrath.  The sorcerer 
would certainly get more than he bargained for in the process.  A 
fitting end for one such as him--interested only in his petty ambitions.  

Cantera laid the harp on its case and wiped her eyes.  When her vision 
cleared, she drew a set of tuning forks from the chest.  She pulled a 
chair closer and with the papers, harp and forks laid out before her, 
she set about tuning the harp to the proper frequencies.
========================================================================

Part 2

Xerxes watched his master wear a rut in the ornate carpets that lined 
the floor.  He sensed the sorcerer's uneasiness and slipped further back 
into the hanging in which he was hiding.

Mozenrath was definitely feeling out of sorts.  The blasted bells had 
intruded on his sleep and making it impossible for him to get any rest.  
Tiring of pacing, he tried sitting, but the edginess produced by the 
constant tolling and ringing refused to let him sit still.  He jumped 
back up and started pacing again.

After a few minutes of this, he paused by the table.  He picked up an 
orange, only to slam it back onto the table and turn away in disgust.  

He paused and listened to the distant tolling of the bells.  The big 
brass ones, that he felt in his bones rather than heard, marked the 
first hour after dawn.  Cantera was late and he wasn't going to be kept 
waiting any longer.  He grabbed Xerxes and started for the door.  

And was stopped by the sound of glass bells.  Cantera lifted the 
hangings and stepped into the room.

"It's about time," he muttered, releasing his familiar.  Xerxes gasped 
and flew a safe distance away.

"Forgive me, but there was much to do and it took me longer then I 
anticipated."  She held out her hand.  "Are you ready for a display of 
unimaginable power?" she asked.

Mozenrath took her hand and pulled her towards him.  "I'm always ready 
for that; it's a hobby of mine."  He smiled at her with just a trace of 
his former annoyance.  She returned the smile before pulling him along
behind her and leading him out of the building.

Cantera took him to a courtyard where horses waited for them.  Mozenrath 
bristled at having to resort to such a crude form of transportation, but 
said nothing.  He swung himself aboard and turned his mount to follow 
Cantera through the city.  He amused himself by taking in everything he 
could about the city, out of his natural curiosity.  

Everywhere there was sound.  Chimes hung from every corner of every 
building and added their voices with the help of the wind.  From every 
conceivable material they were fashioned:  Crystal, glass, ceramic, 
gold, silver, brass, copper, wood and every combination in between.  
Windharps set on rooftops, horns, drums, anything that could make sound 
combined to form the voice of the city.  The curved walls of the canyon 
in which the city was set reflected the sound back, so the echoes could 
be heard bouncing back and forth.  It was as if no sound here ever 
actually died; it just merged into the constant discordant symphony.  

It wasn't as if the sound served no purpose other than to drive 
Mozenrath to distraction.  Rather, the entire city was built around 
mechanisms that responded to the varying chords and tones.  They were 
responsible for things as simple as doors that opened in response to a 
series of tones from a particular bell, to small trolleys on tracks sent 
to fetch and carry items for the citizens.

The constant ring, bang, strum, chime, clang, bong, clash, crack, boom 
was palpable as a sense of oppression.  Not unlike the oppression formed 
by the mists and vapors that never let the full sunlight through in his 
lands.  For someone accustomed to the silence of his dead lands, 
Mozenrath felt the constant presence of noise keenly.  It set his teeth 
and senses on edge and made him jumpy.  

On the surface, besides the constant noise, the place appeared peaceable 
enough.  The markets were full of riches and fine goods of all types.  
He spotted people hawking fine silks and linens, delicate fruits and 
foodstuffs that could only have been brought here at great expense.  Yet 
they were being bought up at an amazing rate.  Everywhere, gold flowed 
in great quantities.

He raised an eyebrow as they passed a slave market.  It was then that he 
noticed that the only swarthy complexions and dark hair belonged to 
those in chains.  The natives of the city had golden skins and hair.

Mozenrath turned to Cantera.  "A rich city you have here, Cantera."

Cantera smiled with pride and more than just a touch of maliciousness.  
"Indeed.  We are the wealthiest city in this part of the world.  It is 
the privilege of others to make our nation great, whether by allowing us 
to conquer them or freely tithing their goods to us.  And everyone here 
is wealthy; no one wants for anything," Cantera said as she rode past a 
group of slaves chained together and huddling in line waiting to be 
sold.

Mozenrath looked at Xerxes and smiled.  "Sounds like we could get 
along."  Xerxes tittered.

Cantera sniffed disdainfully at him.  "It is due to the favor of 
Cacophona that we have risen to greatness.  Not some petty ambition held 
by a spoiled princeling."  

Mozenrath stiffened at her words.  "Spoiled princeling?  I'll have you 
know that I'm the most powerful sorcerer of our age, and I've worked 
hard to get my power!"  He clenched his fist and concentrated. His 
gauntlet began to glow with his signature blue-black fire.

Cantera gave him a withering look and pulled the harp from its case.  
Her fingers danced over the strings as she strummed a short tune.  
Mozenrath gasped and doubled over as a sharp pain lanced through his 
head.  Xerxes started and flew at her, but she changed the tune she 
played.  He fell to the ground and only narrowly missed getting trampled 
by the horse.

The music died away and Mozenrath looked up.  "What did you do?" he 
gasped in a stricken voice.

Cantera looked stricken.  She guided her horse over to his and put a 
hand on his arm.

"I had no idea it would have that sort of effect, Mozenrath!"  He looked 
into her brown eyes and searched for deception and found only genuine 
concern.  "Believe me, I thought it would only prevent you from using 
your power against me, not cause you pain."  She smiled up at him; a 
blinding smile.

Mozenrath shook his head, as if to clear it.  He could still hear that 
awful sound in his head, and tested his magic by levitating Xerxes from 
the dust just to be sure the effect had passed.  Xerxes hung limp in his 
hand when he plucked him from the air.

His voice was cold.  "I think I've seen enough.  How about just 
completing our deal and I'll be gone, Cantera?"  He stroked the 
shuddering eel

Cantera's face fell.  "But I can't do that without testing the harp 
first.  Surely you understand that?  What if this really isn't the Harp 
of Stridor?"

Mozenrath stiffened.  "Are you questioning my abilities?"

"No!  Of course not.  I'm merely suggesting that while you may believe 
this to be the true Harp, I must be certain.  Beyond a doubt."  She took 
her hand off his arm put away the harp.  She turned her horse and rode 
on in silence a moment, before calling back over her shoulder.  "Of 
course, you could always just go without your payment..."

Mozenrath nudged his horse to fall in beside her.  "Not on your life, 
Cantera.  I'm not some errand boy that can be put off that easily.  
You're going to pay me what you promised."

The smile on Cantera's face turned as wicked as an Imp's.  "I thought 
you would say that," she said to herself.  Xerxes slipped out of 
Mozenrath's grasp and gave his master a puzzled look at this 
uncharacteristic meekness on Mozenrath's part.  He shook his head then 
assumed his customary place around Mozenrath's shoulders.

They rode on, Mozenrath in sullen silence and Cantera wrapped in her own 
thoughts.  As they neared a huge structure in the center of the city, 
she broke that silence.

"The fools!" she hissed.  

Mozenrath left off his sulking as he heard something in her voice that 
might prove interesting.

"Who?" he asked in an innocent voice.

"Those who think *this*," she spat the word as if distasteful, "will take 
the place of our goddess.  Those who turn their backs on Cacophona 
without whom our glory never would have been possible!  They claim She is 
a legend and will never return.  They use tools and weapons and cling to 
the remnants of her legacy instead of bending their energies to finding 
a way to rescue her!"  Her face glowed with an unholy light.  "They will 
pay for their heresy sooner than they know."  She stroked the case of 
the harp.  "Fools with such little faith.  They will feel Cacophona's 
touch and pray for deliverance!"

Mozenrath rolled his eyes and gave Xerxes a disgusted look.  "Great, 
Xerxes.  We've fallen in league with a raving fanatic," he muttered 
under his breath.  Cantera gave him a sharp glance, but said nothing.  

She guided her horse around the base of the huge dome-like structure and 
beyond.  Mozenrath kneed his horse and followed.  The rest of the ride 
out of the city passed in silence.  Or rather, what silence could be had 
in this city of sound.

Beyond the city, the great cliffs rose above it, isolating it from the 
rest of the world.  They rode through the entrance, framed by giant 
scarabs carved into the rock face.  They had human faces that stared out 
over both the desert beyond and the city that crouched within the 
canyon.

Mozenrath looked up at the sun and wiped his face.  "How much further is 
it, Cantera?" he asked.

"Have patience, Mozenrath," Cantera crooned.  "A short journey through 
the desert is a small price to pay for power, is it not?"  Once outside 
the scarab gates, she touched her heel to her mount and galloped off 
into the desert, nearly riding down a train of slaves entering the 
canyon.

Irritated, Mozenrath dug his heels viciously into his steed's sides.  He 
was rewarded with a scream as it reared up and dumped him in the sand.  
He picked himself up and jerked the horse's reins around.  "I hate 
horses," he muttered as he gave the reins another cruel jerk before 
mounting.  He kicked the horse to a gallop and set off after Cantera.

She had not gone far, instead allowing her horse to drop to a trot.  
They rode side by side away from the city.  "Where are we going?" 
Mozenrath asked.

Cantera shook her head, a secret smile on her face.  "That would be 
telling."  She guided her horse close to his.  She put a hand on his 
arm.  "Have patience, love.  It will be well worth your time."  

Mozenrath gave her a searching look.  There was something in the way she 
said that that he didn't like, but he couldn't tell exactly what it was.  
He glared at her, but covered her hand with his.  She squeezed his arm 
familiarly then allowed her horse to pull away.  Xerxes did a flip in 
the air and shook his head.  Mozenrath ignored him, but his eyes 
narrowed in the eel's direction.  Xerxes cowered and hid himself under 
Mozenrath's cloak.

The sun rose ever closer to the zenith.  The shadows shortened, just as 
Mozenrath's temper.  He was hot and uncomfortable and the benighted 
horse wouldn't stay at a decent trot.  He jerked the fractious beast's 
head up for what seemed the thousandth time.  The horse jerked back and 
nearly unsaddled him again.  

"Cantera," he shouted.  "When--"  He stopped as she pulled up in front 
of an expanse of smooth wall.

She gracefully dismounted and looked up at him.  "We have arrived."

Mozenrath swung his leg over the saddle and dropped to the ground.  Glad 
to be rid of the annoyance of the mount, he gave it a hard slap as he 
stalked away.  It shied and backed into the other one.  They reared and 
managed to frighten themselves even more and galloped away into the 
desert.  

Cantera watched them.  "They have served their purpose, let them go," 
she said in response to Mozenrath's unspoken question.  She resumed her 
steady pace towards the wall.

Her red robes stood out vividly against the ubiquitous tan sandstone of 
the cliffs.  She stopped before the cliff-face and turned to him.  She 
watched him impassively as he slugged through the sand.

"Well?" he demanded.  She arched her delicate eyebrows at him and took 
the harp from its case.  She caressed the black wood a moment before 
putting her fingers to the strings.  She played a short series of notes.  

Mozenrath rolled his eyes.  "Is that all?" he asked.  "We rode all the 
way out here to test the harp on a blank wall?"

Cantera did not look at him; instead she continued to play the phrase 
over and over.  "You must learn patience, Mozenrath.  You'll never 
achieve anything without it."

Mozenrath fumed at her words.  "Can we quit with the character building 
lectures?  I had enough of that from Destane."

He was cut off by a deep grating sound.  Mozenrath started and backed 
away as the cliff-face split down the middle.  Cantera stopped playing 
and remained unmoved by the thought that tons of rock were moving mere 
inches from where she stood.  It pulled back to reveal a thick blackness 
inside.  Mozenrath recovered and rejoined her.  

Cantera titled her chin and somehow managed to give him a long cool look 
down her nose.  "Inside is our destination, not here.  The time is at 
hand."  She flung her hair back and strode purposefully past him.

Mozenrath followed.  He found himself in a smallish box canyon, barely 
bigger than some of the arenas he had seen in Rome.  The door he had 
just passed through provided the only exit.  The walls were sheer and 
unbroken, reaching overhead to meet nearly in the middle.  They didn't 
quite, and the sun, near the zenith, plunged headlong into the darkness 
to form a corridor of light stretching from the entrance to the carved 
scarab on the wall opposite.

Once the door was closed, anyone trapped inside would find themselves 
hard pressed to get out.  That is, someone who wasn't a sorcerer.  The 
wind sped around the walls, tugging and playing at his hood and cloak.  
A huge scarab was carved on the wall opposite the gate, lit indirectly 
from the reflected light down the center of the chamber.

He brought his attention back to Cantera.  She approached the center of 
the area and paused a moment.  She turned about, the wind picking up her 
robes and hair and sending them flying about her.  Rapture lit up her 
face.

"She is here," she said in a voice quiet with awe.

The sorcerer cocked his head to one side and listened carefully.  Even 
though he had heard her clearly enough, there was something wrong with 
this place, something that didn't feel quite right.  A sense of 
wrongness that he couldn't put his finger on.  Then it occurred to him.  
He shouldn't have been able to hear her at all, not with the wind that 
whipped around them.  The wind that tugged and pulled at his clothing 
and threatened to unbalance him.  They should be nearly deaf from the 
howling but instead there was silence.  He turned 'round and 'round, 
listening for the wind, yet there was nothing to be heard.  Nothing at 
all, save his boots crunching on gravel and the sound of his breathing.

"What is this place?" he whispered.  Xerxes shivered under his cloak.

Cantera turned to him.  She had clearly heard him even as the silent 
wind picked her robes up and twisted them around her.  

"A loathsome place.  A place of silence." she said in a strange, distant 
voice.  The odd echoing quality caught his attention and he turned.  She
paced around the cavern with nervous steps; her head was cocked as if
listening to something.  Mozenrath smiled as he realized that the silence
unnerved her as much as the constant clamor in the city had unnerved him.

"They lured her here, and tricked her into this place of silence.  They 
thought to banish her to a another world.  They used the Harp of Stridor 
against her, that thing which summoned her from her original plane, and 
sealed her away into silence.  Then they hid the harp in a place they 
thought inaccessible."  She paused, both in her pacing and her 
narrative.  Her hands shook with the excitement she felt.  "But 
today...Today Cacophona shall be free!"  Her circuit of the cavern ended 
near him.

"Cacophona?" he asked.  "That huge bug carved on the cliff walls?"  He 
forgot himself in his incredulity.

Cantera's face twisted.  She raised her hand to strike him.  He caught 
her wrist before the blow could connect.  "How *dare* you?  Cacophona is 
a goddess!  She lives and She has brought me here to free Her!"  

Mozenrath's eyes went hard with rage.  "You're mad, Cantera.  Cacophona 
is a creature like any other, not a god."  His grip on her wrist 
tightened.

Cantera appeared not to notice.  She twisted her wrist expertly against 
the weakest part of his grasp and broke his hold on her.  

"Think what you like; soon you will know differently, arrogant puppy."  
Cantera took the harp from its case and set it against her hip.

Mozenrath went stiff with rage.  He opened his mouth to deliver a 
withering reply, punctuated by a blast, just as she started playing.  He 
gasped and covered his ears with his hands.

The music bored into his brain.  He could feel the magic behind it, and 
the matching magic that it summoned in this place.  He cursed himself; 
he should have known there was dormant magic here.

He stumbled and looked up.  Cantera stood at the center of the arena 
playing the harp.  Lit from above, by the light that streamed into the 
cavern, she appeared to be standing in the midst of a storm of light.  
The silent wind lifted her shoulder-length hair and the crimson robes.  
Her face glowed from both without and within, enraptured.  

Mozenrath staggered back, towards the door, but he couldn't make his 
legs work.  There was something wrong with his balance; he kept falling 
over.  After picking himself up out of the dust yet again, he tried 
crawling towards where he remembered it to be.  He came up against the 
sandstone wall instead.  He collapsed against it, and pressed his hands 
to his ears.  There was nothing he could to do shut that sound out of 
his brain.

"Stop!" he shouted.  Or at least he thought he shouted it.  He couldn't 
hear his voice over the terrible music.  He felt an overwhelming urge to 
blast her; not one to ignore such impulses, he summoned what power he 
could and flung it at the woman.

And knew immediately that he had made a mistake.  The dormant magic in 
the place, and the magic in the harp leapt to join with his power.  The 
energy bolt folded itself around Cantera and amplified the music.  The 
pain in his head increased until he screamed with it.  The magic here 
melded with his and expanded into a glowing nimbus around Cantera, 
becoming brighter and brighter, until he could no longer look at her.  
He flung an arm over his eyes to shut out the light...

The sensory bombardment increased as another voice joined the harp.  The 
wind, a high-pitched keening filled with a terrible loneliness and pain, 
cried at him, howled at him, raged at him...The wind increased and 
buffeted him from side to side, further disorienting him. He slammed 
into the wall, and slid down to huddle at its base, helpless in this 
onslaught.

As suddenly as the howling had appeared, it was gone.  Silent, too, was 
the harp.  He took a couple deep breaths to clear the memory of the 
pain.  

Mozenrath pushed himself up against the rock wall, leaned against it, 
and gasped for breath.  Xerxes shuddered uncontrollably around his 
shoulders.  Mozenrath stumbled away from the wall, towards the entrance.  
In his delirious state, he had crossed the cavern to the far end.  As he 
passed Cantera, she looked up and her eyes met his.  Lit by the nimbus 
that sparkled and shimmered around her, he felt a stab of fear go 
through him.  Her eyes no longer resembled anything human.  They 
sparkled with an inner, broken light and the smile on her face was both 
the smile of a simpleton with no mind and the crazed smile of one 
completely insane.  Not evil; he had seen the face of evil.  This was 
different; it chilled him to the bone.

He hurried past her.  Nearly at the entrance; only a few more steps and 
he would be out of this trap.  The explosion picked him up off his feet 
and slammed him into the wall.  Mozenrath slumped dazed into the dust 
with a perfect view of Cantera.

The power that surged and flowed around her ran like liquid fire along 
her robes and into her hair.  It flowed from her fingertips as she 
dropped the harp and lifted her arms above her head.  Her skin glowed 
golden in the light.  She spoke and her voice pummeled him.  He 
recognized the words of power and stretched an arm out to her, pleading 
with her to stop, but she did not hear him.  

The glowing nimbus surged outward, nearly licking at his boots before 
rushing inward again.  It spun about an axis just above her head, 
gaining speed and collapsing in on itself.  Smaller and smaller until it 
appeared as if a star had suddenly formed in the arena.  There came a 
ripping sound and the universe cried out in pain as the spinning light 
darkened in the center.  The star expanded, and the darkness with it.  
It widened; a disc of darkness edged with light.  Mozenrath gasped with 
horror as something came through.  A leg; multi-jointed with a hard 
exoskeleton flailed about seeking purchase in this universe.  It was 
followed by other legs, as the portal widened.  At last, a head with a 
pair of waving antennae and huge multi-faceted eyes burst through and he 
found himself staring up into them.  They flickered in and out of 
reality, accompanied by a pulsing whine.

"Say hello to Cacophona, Mozenrath," he heard Cantera say.  "And say 
good-bye."

"You fool."  He could see her smile from here.  There was something 
wrong with her voice.  It echoed as if coming from somewhere outside 
her.  "Such a petty, power-grubbing young fool.  So transparently hungry 
for power; so easily manipulated into doing exactly what I wanted you to 
do.  Your greed makes you frightfully easy to control."  She paused and 
threw her head back and laughed.  

"Ah, yes, there is the matter of your reward, isn't there?"  Her voice 
mocked him.  "Your reward shall be to be the first to witness the return 
of Cacophona, and the first to feel the pain of her voice!"  The 
elemental shifted on her legs and loomed above the small woman.  
Mozenrath saw the rock below her feet melt away into dust as she stood 
there.  "A privilege, no doubtm, you cannot understand."  

"I want to thank you for providing not only the Harp but the catalyst 
for her release.  That was why I brought you here.  I could have done 
away with you in the city; made you my personal manservant, perhaps?"  
She paused as if to savor the thought.  "I needed one last thing from 
you:  Your power.  Power to bridge the gap between this world and the 
world where Cacophona was trapped.  The harp is the gateway, but your 
power provided the key."  She flung her arms above her head and her 
voice rang from the walls.

"You are powerless before her, Mozenrath!" Cantera screeched.  "Why 
fight against the inevitable?  Resistance is useless against Cacophona!  
As all the Seven Deserts shall discover!"  The high-pitched humming 
increased.  Daggers of pain lanced through Mozenrath's head.

Mozenrath tore his eyes away from Cacophona's buggy stare.  He levered 
himself up against the wall and made a dash for the entrance.  The 
elemental flung a leg in front of him and he twisted away just as the 
rock face she touched vaporized.  He flung up an arm but not before the 
rock fragments stung his face.  He risked a look back and saw the hole 
that had been blasted in the wall and floor just from the thing's touch.

Mozenrath directed a blast of magic at her, but the energy flared and 
wrapped around her before dying fitfully.  He covered his ears against 
the high-pitched whine and nearly stumbled and fell one knee.  He tried 
blasting the creature again, but the sound in his head prevented him 
from concentrating.  The sorcerer lurched to his feet and ran.

To be immediately confronted by the giant scarab.  She blocked his way 
with another leg.  He skidded and slipped and fell heavily into the 
wall.  He recovered his balance and chose another direction.

Everywhere he turned, she was there.  He dodged one of her legs, only to 
be confronted by another.  He twisted desperately to the side, again 
sending an ineffectual blast at the creature.  Every place she touched 
left a gaping hole in the rock; soon he was dodging not only the 
scarab's strikes, but having to watch for potholes as well.  She flung a 
leg at him, and he dove under it and rolled to avoid being vaporized.  
He came to a stop against the wall.

"The Great Cacophona has arisen and soon all the world shall fall 
beneath her feet!"  She dropped an arm to point directly at him.  "You 
shall be first to feel her touch, Mozenrath of the Black Sands, and your 
kingdom will increase the wealth and power that is Tinnabula's!"  Her 
voice rose to an ear-splitting screech.

Mozenrath snarled and pushed himself up.  That last roll had brought him 
close to the entrance.  He grimaced as he pushed himself to his feet, 
but he ignored the pain and made a mad dash for the opening.  He dove 
through it, and once out of the confines of the echoing arena, he 
concentrated on his gauntlet with all his will.  He gathered his power 
and willed himself out of there just as Cacophona burst through the 
opening after him.

He fell to his knees again as he slipped back into reality and slumped 
forward on his hands as he gasped for breath.  

He felt his familiar slide out from around his neck, then a nudge.  "Uh-
oh, Boss.  Problem."  
========================================================================

Part 3

Cantera picked up the harp and struck a discordant note in frustration.  
She jumped when Cacophona skittered.  The Priestess slapped her palm 
against the sounding board to stop the sound, and Cacophona quieted.  

_We should not have let him get away_, came the voice in her head.  

Cantera froze.  That had not been her thought.

_No, it was mine_, came the voice again.  "Voice" was too simple a word 
to describe it.  It was a song, full of complex themes and harmonies 
that formed the thoughts and images in her mind.

Canter's knees refused to hold her.  She sank to the sandy floor of the 
cavern and looked up at the creature she knew as Cacophona.  Could she 
really be in her mind?

_Yes, Cantera, I am in your thoughts.  I have been with you for many 
months now._  The creature flickered as she moved.

"I am your servant, my Lady," she said as she leaned forward to touch 
her forehead to the sand.

_We must follow the sorcerer and destroy him.  He is dangerous_.

"He is but a boy, nothing more," Cantera said in dismissal.

_Do not underestimate him, Cantera.  He is powerful._  The creature 
shimmered and flickered as it spoke, then stabilized.  _He should not 
have been able to escape me, yet he did.  I do not like this._

Cantera bowed her head, accepting the admonishment.  

_It is time to begin, Cantera.  My power is in my voice, and before it 
cities shall fall.  Come, there is much to do.  Let us return to the 
city and raise the army.  Then we will take what is ours._


"Mozenrath!"

The sorcerer's head snapped up.  He knew that voice all too well, and it 
belonged to someone who shouldn't be here.  Not in his very throne room, 
his sanctuary.

He staggered to his feet, using the throne in front of him for leverage.  
The weakness, the terrible memory of feeling helpless before Cacophona 
retreated, even as he turned towards the intruders.

"Why, Aladdin," he said as he settled himself into his throne.  His 
knees still felt weak; it wouldn't do to let Aladdin see that. "How nice 
to see you.  How did you get past my Mamluks?"  He made a mental note to 
chastise the ones responsible for letting this nuisance into his 
Citadel.

Aladdin strode forward.  Mozenrath focused his attention on the street 
rat, but noticed the others with him.  The djinn, the magic carpet, that 
wretched parrot and the rancid little money.

"Genie took care of them."

"Ah, it was nothing, Al--" Genie started, but Aladdin cut him off.

"You're not going to get away with it, Mozenrath," Aladdin said.  He 
strode forward.  Mozenrath leaned his chin on his hand and gave Aladdin 
a cool look.  

"I'm afraid I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.  Away 
with what?"  But already his cat-like mind was working on a way to turn 
this situation to his benefit.

"Genie here knows about the Harp of Stridor.  It isn't just a harp as 
you said it was--"

"But you're so right, Aladdin,"  Mozenrath interrupted.  He stood up and 
grabbed Aladdin's arm.  "You wanted to meet this girl, the--light of my 
life, so to speak.  Well, now's your chance."  He concentrated and they 
disappeared in a flash of light.

When they became part of the universe again, Aladdin jerked his arm out 
of Mozenrath's grip.  "What are you doing?" he demanded.  He looked 
around and found himself in an unfamiliar place.  "Why have you brought 
me here?  And where *is* here?"  He looked around and grimaced in pain 
at the discordant ringing of bells all around them.

Mozenrath pulled Aladdin into a doorway.  "To answer in reverse:  
Tinnabula, I need your help and I'll get to that in good time," 
Mozenrath whispered.  "Right now we have other problems."  He held up a 
hand for silence as he listened.  His face grew even more serious as a 
crowd of red-robed guards rode by.

"Need my help?" Aladdin asked in a harsh whisper.  "More dirty work?"

Mozenrath shook his head.  "Not this time.  We have a mutual enemy."

"Why me?"  Aladdin demanded.

Mozenrath turned to face him.  "Why, Aladdin, I needed help and 
naturally I thought of you," he said with a nasty grin. 

"I really wish you'd find some other friends, Moze."

Mozenrath awarded him with a hard stare at the shortening of his name.   
"Besides, you made it too easy for me.  It was very convenient you 
showing up just when I needed you."  He turned his attention back to the 
red-robed army that marched by.

They watched until the troop rounded a corner and was out of sight.  
Mozenrath looked up for Xerxes, who flew down from his vantage point.  
He nodded and Mozenrath stepped out of the doorway and motioned for 
Aladdin to follow.  There was nothing better for Aladdin to do, so he 
followed.  

"Sounds like there's some sort of excitement going on in the city," 
Mozenrath commented as they looked around.  "Xerxes, find out where 
Cantera has been recently," he ordered his familiar.  The eel nodded and 
set off down the street and they hurried after him.  Now that it had 
been brought to his attention, Aladdin could also hear what sounded like 
cheering over the constant ringing and clanging.

"What is it?"

Mozenrath shook his head.  "Religious fervor, no doubt.  It should make 
our task easier, though.  Come on."  He followed Xerxes into the street.

"Wait a minute!  I want some explanations!"  Aladdin grabbed Mozenrath's 
arm and jerked him around.

Mozenrath scowled at him but pulled him into an alleyway.  "All right, 
all right!"  He was about to continue when two guards rounded a corner.  
They shouted and rushed forward.  Aladdin stepped back in surprise, but 
Mozenrath stood his ground.  As they neared, he grabbed one and his 
gauntlet glowed briefly.  The guard slipped unconscious to the ground.

The second guard had targeted Aladdin and had caught the smaller man in 
a crushing grip.  Mozenrath stepped forward and tapped the guard's 
shoulder.  When he turned, again the his gauntlet glowed.  But it was 
dimmer and it took longer for the guard to pass out.  Mozenrath let him 
fall as he leaned against the wall and took several deep breaths.

"What did you do that for?" Aladdin demanded.  

"Thank you, Mozenrath, for saving my life, Mozenrath," the sorcerer 
mocked.  

"I wouldn't have needed you to save my life if you hadn't brought me 
here."  

"A minor technicality," Mozenrath said as he pushed away from the wall.  
He gestured again and the guards' red robes dissolved and reappeared on 
Aladdin and himself. 

"I like putting people in dungeons; I don't like being in them myself," 
Mozenrath said.  "To keep that from happening, we need disguises."  He 
pulled the cowl of the robe up over his head and started down the 
street.  Aladdin followed.  "Put your cowl up unless you want to end up 
in chains."  Aladdin gave him a suspicious look but pulled it over his 
head.  

"I'm still waiting for an explanation," Aladdin said.

Mozenrath made an impatient gesture.  He turned to Aladdin, about to 
make a rude comment, when the other's expression stopped him.  He 
pressed his lips together in annoyance.  He turned back and looked up 
and down the empty street.  "Remember that harp I asked you to get out 
of the Cave of Wonders?" Mozenrath asked as he stepped out of the 
alleyway.  Xerxes zipped back and the sorcerer followed the familiar.

"You said it was for your girlfriend."

"It was," Mozenrath said with a scowl in Aladdin's direction.

"Really?"  Aladdin didn't know whether to laugh in amazement or 
disbelief.

Mozenrath snarled at him.  "Get past it, okay?"  He turned away.  "It 
seems the harp was instrumental in keeping Cacophona safely locked 
away."

"Who's Cacophona?"

"A loud, rather noisy bug that wants to rule the world, squashing as 
much of humanity as she can along the way.  That racket you hear is 
probably the Tinnabulans whipping themselves into a frenzy before they 
go off to conquer the nearest city."

Aladdin sobered.  "And you gave it to her?  What were you thinking?" he 
demanded.

"We had a deal.  I didn't know Cantera was going to turn out to be a 
religious fanatic or that she wanted to let Cacophona free."

"But why give it to her, if you knew that's what it did?" Aladdin 
demanded.

"She said she would make it worth my while.  How was I supposed to know 
he was going to turn out to be a scheming, lying witch?"

"That wasn't exactly what I had in mind when I said you needed a 
girlfriend," Aladdin muttered as he rubbed his neck.

Mozenrath glared at him.  "The next time I want to expand my social 
circle, I'll be sure to get your approval beforehand," he said in a 
voice heavy with sarcasm.  "Some girlfriend.  She was going to let 
Cacophona kill me."

Aladdin snorted.  "Guess we can't all get lucky."

"Most of all, she used me.  She used me to get the harp out of the Cave 
of Wonders then strung me along with promises all the while never 
intending to follow through.  And I don't get used; especially not by 
some female fanatic--"

Mozenrath broke off as Aladdin stopped short.  "So that's what this is 
all about.  You can't stand the thought of getting used like you use 
other people."  Aladdin walked up to Mozenrath and emphasized his next 
words with jabs that caused the taller man to take several steps 
backwards.

"Well, no thank you, Mozenrath.  I'm not going to help you do anything 
just because you don't like getting a taste of your own medicine.  Take 
me back to Agrabah and find another patsy."

Mozenrath pulled himself up to his full height.  "Aladdin, there's more 
to this than that.  If you'd only listen to me," he said as he strove to 
keep his temper under control.  He was doing a remarkable job, 
considering he was sorely tempted to blast the youth.  "Agrabah is in as 
much danger as my own lands.  As is every other nation on this world."

Aladdin shook his head.  "Agrabah.  Now," he said in a voice like ice.  
He pulled the robe over his head and threw it at Mozenrath.  The 
sorcerer caught it on instinct.

Mozenrath shook his head.  "I won't do it."  His temper began to get the 
best of him.  "Either help me stop Cacophona or find your own way home."

Aladdin turned and started down the street.  "Fine.  I'll find my own 
way," he called over his shoulder as he rounded the corner and was gone.

Mozenrath's face twisted as he bunched the blood-red fabric in his 
hands.  "You'll be back, Aladdin.  You'll be back."  He looked up at his 
familiar.  "Go after him, Xerxes.  As much as I'd like to, we can't 
afford to let anything happen to him.  Keep an eye on him, and I'll go 
look for some way to defeat Cacophona."  Xerxes bobbed and swam through 
the air with a flip of his plumy tail.  Mozenrath sneered after him, and 
Aladdin, then turned with a flare of the red robe he wore and went the 
opposite way.


Aladdin hurried down the street.  He wanted to put as much distance 
between himself and Mozenrath as quickly as possible.  He kept one eye 
above him and one eye on the street in front of him; he didn't want that 
creepy eel of Mozenrath's tracking him either.  No sign of him and the 
streets were empty, so he stepped up his pace.

He wished he had thought to insist he keep Genie's lamp with him.  Genie 
had insisted they leave it back in Agrabah.  Of all the times for Genie 
to pick to polish his lamp...He wondered where the djinn was, and if he 
would be able to find him.  

The streets were nearly deserted, apart from the odd Tinnabulan here and 
there.  He wondered where all the people were.  The sound of the ever 
present bells increased the further he got away from the center of the 
city, while the sound of the crowd decreased.  

As he looked around, he was impressed with the apparent wealth of the 
city.  Clean, well-kept, tidy.  The people he did see were dressed in 
fine clothing.  Their golden skins and hair were healthy and clean.  
Clothes were the ubiquitous red robe he'd seen throughout the city, and 
all of find fabrics.  They all seemed to ignore him though; they looked 
through him as if he didn't exist.  That, he thought, no matter how 
strange, was for the best.

And everywhere he turned, there was the sound of bells ringing.  

He turned down an alleyway, thinking that it might provide a more direct 
route out of the city, and stepped into another world.  In the back 
streets, away from the major thoroughfares, the streets became cramped, 
dirty and twisted on themselves in a maze.  And dark.  In sharp contrast 
to the red-robed Tinnabulans, the people here were dark-skinned and 
dark-haired and dressed in rags that he would have been ashamed to don.  
They watched him pass with eyes haunted by hardship.  The children were 
unusually quiet.  Even the voice of the city seemed dampened in this 
place, as if unwilling to intrude on the misery here.  

Aladdin hurried through this region, ready to be out of there.  He was 
in the middle of cursing Mozenrath for interfering in his life yet 
again, when the sound of a man's shouts mingled with a woman's screams.  
Aladdin rushed forward around the corner, and found himself staring down 
the throat of an enraged stallion.  As he pulled back, he saw the woman 
under its hooves.  The rider stood in the stirrups ready to deliver a 
blow with the whip he carried.  Her eyes were wide with fear as the 
hooves of the stallion flashed ever closer.

Aladdin reacted instantly.  He grabbed the reins and forced the 
stallion's head around and down.  The horse fought him, but Aladdin 
threw all his weight behind his grip on the halter.  The horse had no 
choice but to obey.  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw hands help the 
woman to the safety of a doorway.

"Hey!" someone shouted at him.  He turned and barely missed the biting 
end of a whip snapped in his direction.  He caught the lash and pulled 
the owner off-balance.

"Watch it!" he said to the downed man.  There was no time for anything 
else as another attacker came at him from another front.

"You'll pay for that, slave!" this new attacker shouted.  He grabbed the 
whip at his belt and deftly snapped it in the dust.

"Yes," the first attacker echoed.  "With blood!"  He jumped out of the 
dust and charged Aladdin.

Aladdin sidestepped and the first attacker charged into the second one.  
They sprawled together in a tangle of arms and legs.  Aladdin gave them 
a crooked smile.  "That will teach you.  I'm not a slave."

He felt something sharp in his back.  He turned around and found himself 
looking down the wrong end of spear from the third man still mounted.  

"You are now," the mounted man snarled.  He jumped down off his horse 
and advanced on Aladdin.  He pulled a set of chains from the saddle and 
tossed them towards the other two.  "Get him chained.  He'll bring a 
good price at the market.  Look at those muscles.  Strong, and quick.  
Not bad looking, either.  Some wealthy Dame will probably want him as a 
manservant and will be willing to pay top price for him."  He pushed 
Aladdin roughly towards the others.

The other two finally got themselves untangled and caught up the chains.  
Their faces lit up at the prospect of chaining their attacker when there 
was a rush from the nearby alleyways.  The slavers found themselves 
surrounded and outnumbered by men and women wielding spears and swords.  
They dropped their weapons and turned tail and ran.

A large man with dark skin signaled for some of the group to follow the 
slavers.  He waited a moment then turned to Aladdin.

"Thanks."

The man shook his head.  "It is I who should thank you."

Aladdin shrugged.  "For what?"

"For saving my wife's life."  The man held out his hand to the woman 
Aladdin had saved from trampling.  "If you hadn't gotten here when you 
did, she would have been killed."  The woman smiled at him and nodded 
her head.  She pushed her blond hair out of her face.

Aladdin looked around.  "But you outnumbered them.  Why didn't you do it 
yourselves?"

The man looked around and made a mental check of his little band.  The 
ones assigned to deal with the traders had returned.  He gave a signal 
and they melted away into the alleyways.  Al noticed that there were 
fewer than he had first thought.  Where he had thought there had been at 
least a dozen, there were only four.

He turned to Aladdin.  "Appearances can be deceiving."  He picked up his 
spear and started walking down the street, leaving Aladdin to follow or 
not.  Aladdin fell into step with him.  

"We are but a few against many," the huge man said.  "I am Ra'id."

"I'm Aladdin."

"Well met, Aladdin.  This is my wife, Mairiam."  Aladdin nodded to the 
golden haired woman he had saved from the slavers.  She smiled at him 
and nodded in return, her large brown eyes warm with thanks.

"You are welcome to join us," she said.

"Join you?" he asked.

"We are going to try and escape while the bulk of the army is away," she
added.  "Somewhere, there must be *someone* who will know how to stop
her." 

"We are gathering as many slaves as we can to get out of the city," Ra’id
explained.  "Tinnabula will no longer be satisfied with tithes--" 

Aladdin pulled up short.  "Tithes?  Are you saying you came here to be
slaves willingly?" 

Ra’id nodded.  "To spare our cities.  But that is changed, now that she has
returned." 

"Wait a minute, I don’t understand."  Aladdin shook his head as he tried to
puzzly out what they were telling him.  They were assuming he knew what
they were talking about.  "Who is this *she* you’re talking about?" Aladdin
asked. 

They paused and looked at him.  "You have never heard of Cacophona?"

"I may have heard the name," he hedged.  "Who is Cacophona?"

Ra’id and Mairiam eyed him suspiciously.  "She is the patron of Tinnabula;
their goddess," Ra’id said.  "How come you to be in Tinnabula and not know
of Cacophona?" 

Aladdin gave him a half smile.  "I just got here."  When they didn’t
respond, he added, "I was brought against my will." 

They nodded.  "We understand.  You were caught by the slavers."  They
turned and started down the alleyway. 

"No," Aladdin said as he hurried after them.  "By a sorcerer.  To stop
Cacophona." 

"To stop Cacophona?  How can that be?  She has only today returned!"
Mairiam exclaimed.  Suspicion warred with hope on her face.  Ra’id laid a
hand on her arm. 

"Yeah, well, you see--it’s a little hard to explain..."  He rubbed his
neck. "This sorcerer has a grudge against someone named Cantera--" 

"The Priestess!  The one who released Cacophona!  She found the Harp of
Stridor and broke the spell that held Cacophona prisoner.  How does this
sorcerer know of Cantera?"  Mairiam gave him a close look. 

Aladdin turned away.  "Somehow I don’t think Mozenrath is going to like
Cantera taking the credit," he muttered under his breath.  He turned back
to the leaders of the slaves.  "It’s a long story, but Cantera tricked
Mozenrath, this sorcerer, and he doesn’t like it." 

"Is he powerful?" Ra’id asked.  

"I suppose," Aladdin said.  _As far as evil sorcerers go_, he thought to
himself.  "He certainly has a high opinion of himself.  He seems to think
he can stop Cacophona."  Aladdin took a deep breath.  "Look, who is
Cacophona?  Exactly, I mean." 

"Not who, what," Mairiam said.  Aladdin realized that unlike the other
slaves he had seen, her blonde hair and golden skin marked her as a
Tinnabulan. 

"She is a creature of destruction.  She has no other purpose.  A thousand
years ago, after a reign of much bloodshed and oppression, she was
banished to a place of silence.  Hundreds died in preparing the powerful
magicks required to banish her." 

Aladdin sighed.  He hated to admit it, but he was beginning to suspect that
Mozenrath had been right:  They had to stop this creature before she could
muster her forces.  To Ra’id and Mairiam he said, "I think we may be able to
help each other." 

Ra’id and Mairiam looked at one another in askance.  Ra’id nodded.  They
lowered their spears and motioned for Aladdin to follow them.  They ducked
into an empty shop. 

Aladdin took a deep breath.  "Is there anything you can tell me about the
last time this creature was trapped?  I’m going to need all the
information I can get." 

Mairiam sat on a crate.  "All we know is that magic was used.  The exact
legend is shrouded in secrecy by the priesthood." 

"Well, we’ve got magic.  And if I know Mozenrath, he’s finding out just how
it was done as we speak." 


Mozenrath used his wizard's senses to find the trail to Cantera's 
sanctuary in the Temple.  He searched through the many items stored 
there, directing curses in an ancient language at both Aladdin (for not 
cooperating) and Cantera (for tricking him) as he went.  It didn't 
really help matters; it just made him feel better about the situation.  
The diatribe slowed as he came across a cabinet full of magical 
trinkets.  Most were worthless, but he found one or two interesting 
items and he slipped them into his sash.  As recompense for the trouble 
Cantera caused him.

After much searching and ransacking, he came across a chest.  It had 
been shoved back and covered carefully with a black cloth, hidden so 
that unless one were looking for it, one would never know it was there.  
He stumbled upon it by accident, but a wicked smile spread across his 
face as he pulled it forward.  No one would bother trying to hide it if 
it weren't important, so this must be what he was looking for. 

And indeed, that turned out to be the case.  "Cantera," he said to 
himself.  "I am so glad you fanatics are so predictable."  He waved his 
hand over the chest and it sprang open.  He lifted out the scrolls and 
read through them quickly.  He found what he was after, part of it at 
least, and tucked the scroll into his tunic.  He turned to leave, then 
paused.  He tapped his fingers against his lips wondering if he should 
give into temptation or not.  His mouth twisted in an evil smile as he 
decided not to resist.  He turned, conjured a ball of energy, and tossed 
it into the center of the room.  It landed there and smoldered as he 
shut the door and left.  His smile widened as he heard the explosion 
behind him.

He hurried out of the temple as the building began to rumble as a result 
of his indulgence.  Once safely in the street, he sent a mental question 
to Xerxes.  He located his familiar and set off to join him.  Time to 
find Aladdin.


The sun was halfway down the western sky as Aladdin hurried through the 
city looking for Mozenrath.  He had spotted Xerxes some time ago and 
could have sworn he saw him fly this way...

He came across a tall man lounging against a wall as if waiting for him.  
He was dressed in the ubiquitous Tinnabulan red robe, but he recognized 
the smirk half-hidden by the cowl.

"I hate to say I told you so--" the man said.

"Then don't."  Aladdin may have to put up with the sorcerer to try and 
stop this menace, but he didn't have to put up with his taunts.  He 
looked Mozenrath up and down and gave him a lopsided smile.  "You know, 
Mozenrath, red really isn't your color.  Makes you look even more 
unhealthy than usual."

Mozenrath's head snapped up and he gave Aladdin a hard look.  "Very 
funny, Aladdin."  He threw the other robe at Aladdin with more force 
than necessary.  "Your sense of humor is almost as bad as your fashion 
sense.  Put that on before someone mistakes you for a slave and decides 
to slap you in irons."

Aladdin pulled the robe over his head.  "Okay, what do we do?"

Mozenrath pulled a scroll from his robe.  "While you were wandering 
around wasting precious time, I was searching for a solution.  Take a 
look."  Aladdin reached out to take the scroll when Mozenrath pulled it 
back, leaving Aladdin grasping empty air.  "That is, if you can read," 
he said with a smirk.

Aladdin snatched the scroll.  "Of course I can read."  He unrolled the 
scroll and the title jumped out at him.

"_The Song of Cacophona?_" he read.

Mozenrath snatched the scroll out of Aladdin's hands.  "Hey!" Aladdin 
shouted.

"Lighten up, Aladdin," Mozenrath said as he flipped through the scroll.  
"Listen:

"'_Cacophona is the voice of destruction; a sweet song of darkness and 
power.  Cacophona is the strangled cry of her enemies as they are 
silenced by her voice.  None can resist the power of Cacophona's song.  
Cacophona is the holy of holies and shall rule the world._'" 

When he paused, Aladdin just shook his head.  "And you gave her the 
power to release this thing.  Not one of your brighter ideas, 
Mozenrath."

Mozenrath shrugged.  "I made a mistake."  Xerxes nodded, and Mozenrath 
frowned at him.  "You aren't supposed to agree with me on that point."  
Xerxes shook his head quickly and slipped out of grabbing range.

Mozenrath turned his attention back to the scroll.  "'_Beware the song 
of ending, for it is the song of beginning.  What shall bind, shall also 
bring freedom.  That which banishes, shall also summon.  Beware the 
silence that is Cacophona's bane._'"  He let the scroll roll up.  
"That's all there is."

"That's it?" Aladdin demanded.  "Lot of help that is.  'Song of ending, 
song of beginning;' what kind of mystic mumbo jumbo is that?"  

Mozenrath tucked the scroll back into his robe.  "The answer is here; we 
just have to figure out what it means.  Leave that to my superior mental 
faculties."  He gave Aladdin a self-satisfied smirk.

"Yeah, right.  It was your superior faculties that got us in this mess, 
remember?"

Mozenrath shrugged again.  "Nobody's perfect."  He pushed away from the 
wall and pulled the cowl of the robe over his head.  "Come on.  We're 
wasting time."  Xerxes slipped under the folds of his master's cowl and 
hid himself.  The sorcerer started down the street.

"Where are we going?" Aladdin asked as he fell into step with the 
sorcerer.  He pulled his own cowl over his dark hair.

"To find Cantera."
========================================================================

Part 4

Aladdin followed Mozenrath through the maze of streets.  As they hurried 
towards the city's center, more of the red-robed army rode by.  They 
ducked into an alleyway and watched it surge by.

"Here's our chance to get close without being noticed.  Whatever you do, 
don't let your cowl slip," Mozenrath warned.  Aladdin nodded and they 
stepped into the press of people.  They were carried forward towards the 
huge dome that dominated the center of the city.  Soon, they could see 
the huge creature that crouched atop the dome and heard the woman raving 
about the return of their goddess.

They were still quite a distance from the dome when Mozenrath pulled 
Aladdin aside and out of the fray.  In an alley entrance, they watched 
the proceedings.

"What is that thing?" Aladdin asked.  He couldn't take his eyes off the 
creature that shimmered in and out of existence as it crouched above the 
golden-haired woman.

"That's Cacophona.  A variety of air elemental; made of sound waves."

"That's impossible.  How can something be made of sound?  There's 
nothing to sound."

Mozenrath shook his head.  "Sound is made of vibrations.  Feel that?"  
He took Aladdin's hand and laid it on the wall behind them.  Aladdin 
nodded.  "That's sound.  This creature can control those vibrations with 
exact precision.  She can pluck a hair from your head or smash a city 
flat with her voice.  And she's returned."

"Why are you showing me this, Mozenrath?"

"For your health, Aladdin."  Mozenrath's voice was deadly serious.  
"These people won't stop until the Seven Deserts and the lands beyond 
are under their control.  Look there."  Mozenrath pointed and Aladdin 
looked.  He saw a group of slaves in chains being led away.

"They will make slaves out of you, your Princess, her father, everyone 
in Agrabah, while taking the wealth for themselves.  And the life 
expectancy of a slave in Tinnabula is short.  Very short."

Aladdin shivered.  "This isn't like you, Mozenrath."

"What isn't like me?"

"Wanting to stop Cacophona.  I would have expected you to be out there 
helping her."

Mozenrath shook his head.  "Cacophona isn't interested in forming 
alliances.  I'm not a fool, Aladdin.  My lands are threatened just as 
much as Agrabah or Quarkistan or Getzistan.  Conquering the Seven 
Deserts and making slaves of everyone is *my* ambition, and I don't like 
competition."

Aladdin shook his head as he smiled a half-hearted smile.  "Now *that* 
sounds like you."

Mozenrath awarded him with a nod of his head before his mouth twisted in 
a sneer of disgust.  "Besides, I don't like being used to further 
someone else plans."

Aladdin turned his insolent grin on Mozenrath.  "So how does it feel, 
Mozenrath?  Getting used?"

"Shut up, Aladdin, before I turn you into a scorpion and step on you," 
Mozenrath said as he narrowed his eyes at him.

Aladdin refused to be cowed.  "No way, Mozenrath.  It's my turn to 
gloat.  What did she do?  Con you into thinking she'd share her power 
with you?  Or did you think she really liked you?"

Aladdin knew immediately that he may have pushed the sorcerer too far.  
Mozenrath gnashed his teeth and grabbed Aladdin's robe and pulled him 
close.  Aladdin looked startled as Mozenrath leaned close to him.  
"Listen to me, Aladdin.  This is no time to be making jokes about my 
love life.  This thing is lose, and the only person in control of it an 
insane fanatic!"  Mozenrath released Aladdin's robe and Aladdin stumbled 
back.  

Aladdin smoothed the front of his robe.  "Calm down, Mozenrath."

Mozenrath gave Aladdin a black look but said nothing.  He turned back to 
their observation of the dome.  His eyes wandered to the woman in 
flowing red robes.  The wind picked them and her golden hair up and 
flung them about behind her.  "Let me guess.  Your girlfriend?"  He 
glanced at Mozenrath.

Mozenrath's face was unreadable.  "Cantera."  

Aladdin listened a moment.  "Nice girl.  She sounds your type.  World 
domination and all."

"I'm warning you, Aladdin," Mozenrath said.

"Okay, okay.  What do we do?"

"We have to get the harp away from her."

"So why don't you just use your powers to get it?"

Mozenrath shook his head.  "Cacophona disrupts magic.  That's where your 
talents come in, street rat."

"Oh."  Aladdin turned back to his observation of the dome.  Cantera had 
fallen silent as the army marched around the base.  "Why the harp?"

"Whoever has the harp controls Cacophona..."  His voice trailed off.  
Something about it made Aladdin turn.

"Don't even think about it, Moze."

Mozenrath's calculating look turned to one of annoyance.  "Don't call me 
that," he snarled.

"Whatever.  You're not getting that harp."

Mozenrath shrugged.  "Have it your way.  I'll conquer the Seven Deserts 
somehow.  I don't need Cacophona."

"Not while I'm alive," Aladdin said.

"That could be arranged."

Aladdin sighed.  This was getting them nowhere.  "Let's stop with the 
insults and concentrate on squashing that bug," he said.

"I'll transport you to the platform from here.  Cacophona's disruption 
doesn't extend this far.  Get the harp and get away.  When you're clear, 
I'll get you to safety.  Xerxes."  The familiar poked his head out of 
the folds of Mozenrath's robe.  "Go with Aladdin.  You'll have to let me 
know when he gets that harp away from Cantera so I can get him out."  
Xerxes flowed out of the folds and slid around Aladdin's neck.  Aladdin 
cringed but suffered the eel's presence.  

Mozenrath stepped back and gestured.  Aladdin's field of vision 
brightened until he couldn't see anything beyond the light.  Then 
suddenly, it was gone and he was someplace dark.  He looked around and 
found himself behind one of the columns of the dome, behind the woman.  
He slammed up against it as he saw her turn towards him.  Nothing 
happened and he peered around it to check.  She had turned back to the 
crowd.

He looked up.  He could hear the sound of the creature through the stone 
roof.  The whole place vibrated with it; deep enough to feel in his 
bones; high enough to set his teeth on edge.  He looked back at Cantera.  
It still amazed him; a creature made of sound.  Sounded too fantastic to 
be true; then again, he had seen a lot of fantastic things lately.

Aladdin peered around the column, fixed Cantera's position in his mind.  
He thought about the best way to relieve her of the harp.  She had it 
hung carelessly over her shoulder but it might prove to be difficult to 
get it away.  He made a quick calculation and pulled out his knife.  

He took a deep breath and tensed.  "Get ready, Xerxes.  I want Mozenrath 
to get me out of here as soon as possible.  I don't like the looks of 
that crowd."

Xerxes slid out of the folds of his cowl and hovered nearby.  Aladdin 
took several deep breaths, and counted to three.  He gave the eel a 
quick nod then stepped out from behind the column.  He traded stealth 
for haste and crossed the distance to her double-time.  He grabbed the 
strap of the case, and with a quick flick of the wrist, he relieved her 
of it.  He saw Xerxes streak over the crowd out of the corner of his 
eye.

Cantera fell silent and whirled around to face him.  "What?!  How did 
you get up here, slave?"

"What?  Do I have 'slave' written across my forehead or something? I'm 
*not* a slave!" He called as he turned and hared across the platform.

He heard Cantera laughing behind him.  "Another fool.  Do you really 
think that a puny mortal will be able to stop a goddess?"

Aladdin didn't stop.  He nearly slid down the steep side of the dome but 
caught himself.  A group of red-robed guards rushed at him, and he 
ducked them.  He ran through the surprised crowd and ducked into an 
alley.  They pushed their way through after him.  

Behind him, Cacophona flickered as she spoke to her servant.

_Recall the guards, Cantera._

Cantera twisted around to stare up at the creature.  "But, the harp--"

_He does not know its secrets.  The harp has served its purpose.  One 
escaped slave is but one escaped slave.  He is of no consequence._  
Cacophona's form shifted and flickered in and out.  Dazzling colors 
raced across her carapace as she flexed her wing-sheaths and stirred her 
wings beneath them.

Cantera bowed her head and passed along the order.  The guards stopped 
and returned to the dome.


Aladdin slowed and turned around.  He stared aghast at the empty 
alleyway behind him.  He looked over his shoulder as  he felt someone 
come up behind him.  

"They don't even care," he said to the sorcerer as he joined him.  
Xerxes flitted along behind him.

Mozenrath's forehead was creased in thought.  "Yes..." he mused.  "Now 
why do you suppose that is?"

"Maybe the harp doesn't control that thing at all."

Mozenrath made a "hmming" noise.  He took the harp from Aladdin, neatly 
mended the cut strap with a wave of his hand, and slung it over his 
shoulder.  "Perhaps it doesn't control her, but I'm sure it's the key to 
her destruction."  He turned and made his way down the alley.

"How do you know that?"

"Weren't you listening?  '_What shall bring destruction, shall also 
bring freedom.  That which undoes, shall also bind._'  The harp brought 
freedom for Cacophona; it must also be the key to her destruction.  
Cantera mentioned that it was used to banish her last time."

Aladdin wasn't convinced, but right now it was the only lead they had.  
"So where are we going now?"

"Someplace quiet so I can think."  The sorcerer rubbed his temples.  
"Blasted noise.  It's given me a splitting headache."  Angrily, he 
reached out and ripped down a set of bells they passed.  He threw them 
on the ground and trod them underfoot, crushing the delicate metalwork.

"Funny, usually, you're the one that gives *me* the headache," Aladdin 
mumbled.

Mozenrath didn't deign to reply.  He stalked away from the center of the 
city and the horrible noise Cacophona made.  Still close enough to keep 
an eye on the red-robed army and the huge elemental, he found an empty 
building with an exterior stairway that led to an enclosed screened 
rooftop.  He ripped down a few more bells and chimes as he climbed the 
stairs to the rooftop.  He pulled back a screen, looked around, then 
turned and went to sit in the middle of the room.  He set the harp on 
the floor in front of him, pulled the scroll out of his robe and started 
reading it carefully.

Aladdin took up watch at the screen.  They could see the central dome 
from here.  The Tinnabulan army surged around the base of the dome like 
a blood tide.  Even as he watched, the army surged and thinned as it 
moved eastward and out of the city.

"Where are they going?" Aladdin asked.

"How am I supposed to know?  Probably to conquer the nearest city."

Aladdin turned back.  "We have to stop them!"

"Why?  It's not my kingdom; why should I care?" Mozenrath asked.  

Before Aladdin could do more than draw an indignant breath, Mozenrath 
waved him down.  "Calm down, Aladdin.  They're probably not going to get 
very far before the sun sets.  We'll have plenty of time to catch up 
with them before they start moving again in the morning."  Aladdin 
turned back to his watch.

Mozenrath made a disgusted noise and tossed the scroll on the floor 
before him.  "Useless.  Why can't anyone ever just say what they want to 
say instead of couching it in flowery language and obscure allusions?"  
He reached out and opened the harp case.  He pulled the harp out and 
strummed his fingers along the strings.  When it responded with ordinary 
music, he settled it in the proper position and started playing.

Aladdin looked around, startled.  

The sorcerer's face was hidden by the fall of his hood.  Aladdin was no 
musician, but he could tell that Mozenrath played as skillfully as any 
of the musicians in the Sultan's court.  Xerxes gave Aladdin a strange 
look from his spot around his master's shoulders.

He continued watching, and listening, amazed that the sorcerer was 
capable of making anything of such beauty.  Then the sorcerer lifted his 
head and Aladdin studied his face.  His eyes were closed in quiet 
concentration.  Unguarded, the harsh set of his brows and mouth smoothed 
out and he appeared almost human.

Abruptly his mouth twisted and he broke off playing.  His hand clenched 
and the music died a jarring death.  He opened his eyes and found 
Aladdin staring at him.

"What?" he asked.  The music drifted into silence as he took his hand 
from the strings.  

"I didn't know you played the harp," Aladdin said.

"I have seven harps, three flutes, a sitar and a zither in my collection 
of magical items.  Of course I know how to play them.  How else do you 
think I can use them?"  He looked back at the harp.  "My mother made me 
take music lessons for years.  I think she did it to annoy me.  She was 
always doing things to annoy me."  He stroked the smooth wood almost 
tenderly.

"Your--Oh, yeah, I forgot."  Aladdin turned back to watching the army 
leave Tinnabula.

"Are we going to go through that again?" Mozenrath asked without looking 
up.

"Uh, no."  Aladdin glanced around.  He watched Mozenrath fiddle with the 
harp a moment, before his eyes fell on the open case.  Something peeked 
out of it.

"What's that?" he asked.

"What's what?"

"That."  Aladdin crossed the room and reached down and pulled a sheet of 
paper from the case.  He looked at it.  It was in a language he didn't 
understand.  He handed it to Mozenrath.  

The sorcerer looked at it.  "_The Song of Beginning._"

"_The Song of Beginning?_" Aladdin asked.  "Wasn't that what the scroll 
talked about?"

Mozenrath shrugged.  "Unless you can find one that is called _The Song 
of Ending_*me* I'm not sure how much good that will do us."

Aladdin persisted.  He picked up the scroll and reread the passage. 
"'_Beware the song of ending, for it is the song of beginning._'  This 
says they're the same thing."

Mozenrath looked about to deliver a withering retort, when he paused.  
"Let me see that," he said.  Aladdin handed him the music.  Mozenrath 
picked up the harp and propped the music on the case.  His fingers flew 
over the strings.  He grimaced and stopped.  "Yes, this is the tune 
Cantera played when she released Cacophona."  He rubbed the bridge of 
his nose.  "Definitely the same."  He put the harp carefully on top of 
the case.

"Then all we have to do is get close and play that song--"

"If you think it's going to be that simple, Aladdin, you're in for a 
surprise."  Mozenrath stood and started pacing the confines of that 
little room.  "First of all, do you play the harp?"

"No, but you do."  Aladdin watched the sorcerer.  For some odd reason, 
he was reminded of a cat pacing nervously in a cage.  A large cat.

"Yes.  But I can't play that song.  Not on that harp.  It nearly killed 
me when Cantera played it to release Cacophona.  Besides, releasing 
Cacophona was more than just playing the music.  There were other things 
involved, like the place, and a spell, a catalyst.  Magic isn't as 
simple as you think.  We have one possible element, but there may be 
many, many more that we don't even know about."

Aladdin turned away and rubbed his neck.  He pulled back the screen and 
watched the army.  "How are we supposed to find out about them?"

"I don't know."  Mozenrath turned and leaned against the wall.  He slid 
down until he was sitting with his back against it and arms resting on 
his knees.  He leaned his head back and closed his eyes.  

"What are you doing now?" Aladdin asked.

"Thinking."

"You look like you're sleeping," Aladdin muttered.  He looked back out 
at the army.  They had nearly left the city but the vanguard still had 
not reached the cleft in the cliffs.  Sure enough, he could see 
campfires starting in the entrance to the canyon.  They were camping 
inside the canyon for the night.

Mozenrath didn't answer him.  A ragged inhalation made him turn.  

Aladdin watched the sorcerer a moment and listened to his even breathing 
in the ever-deepening gloom.  After a moment or two, his attention 
wandered and his gaze fell on the scroll.  He left his lookout point and 
crossed over and picked it up.  He sat down and squinted at it in the 
rapidly dimming light.  He looked about for anything that might prove to 
be a torch or a lamp of some kind.  Nothing. 

"Mozenrath, could you make some light?"

"What do I look like, a lamp?" Mozenrath grumbled, but he gestured and a 
ball of witch-light flared above Aladdin's head.

He read over the scroll in the thin bluish light.  He kept coming back 
to that one passage over and over again.

"'_Beware the song of ending, for it is the song of beginning.  What 
shall bind, shall also bring freedom.  That which banishes,  shall also 
summon.  Beware the silence that is Cacophona's bane,_'" he read to 
himself.  An idea occurred to him.  "Mozenrath."

The sorcerer started.  "What is it now?"

"These elements, the parts of the spell Cantera used to release 
Cacophona you were talking about.  What were they?"

Mozenrath opened his eyes and looked at him.  "What do you mean?"

"When you said that the harp had been only one element to releasing 
Cacophona.  What were the others?"

"I'm not sure.  I wasn't exactly in a position to observe the procedure 
from a professional point of view."

"Think then," Aladdin urged.  "What were they?"

"The harp, obviously, was one."  Mozenrath said.

"What else?"

"There was the music Cantera played."

"'_Beware the song of ending, for it is the song of beginning._'  That's 
one."

Mozenrath's forehead creased as he puzzled over what Aladdin was saying.  
"Cantera said my magic provided the key to the spell."

"A key.  Keys can lock or bind.  A key can bring freedom."

"'_What shall bind, shall also bring freedom._'"  Mozenrath sat forward 
and took the scroll from Aladdin.  "_That which banishes, shall also 
summon._'  The harp.  The parts of the spell:  The Harp, the Song and a 
catalyst, magic."

"Then we've figured it out!"

"Not quite, Aladdin.  What type of magic?  And we need to find a way 
play the Song of Ending--if it *is* the same as the Song of Beginning.  
And there's the last line."

"What?"

"'_Beware the silence that is Cacophona's bane._'"   Mozenrath's eyes 
lit up.  "Wait.  The cavern where Cantera released Cacophona. I could 
tell there was magic there.  A place of silence.  Complete silence.  The 
wind blows without making a sound."  He paused a moment, lost in 
thought.  "Cantera said Cacophona had been lured there..."

"And Cacophona is a creature made of sound."

"Yes..."  Mozenrath stood and tapped the scroll in his open palm.  "She 
does make that constant annoying buzzing, doesn't she?  What if the way 
to stop her is to silence her completely?"

"How about this place you mentioned?"

"I doubt we'd be able to trick her into going back there.  Never use the 
same trap twice, Aladdin.  But what could silence her completely?"  He 
smiled suddenly.  "A vacuum!"

Aladdin gave him a strange look.  "A what?"

"A vacuum.  A complete absence of everything, including air."

"That can't be done!"

"Yes, it can."  Mozenrath started gesticulating wildly with excitement.  
"You take a glass vessel and remove all the air then seal the opening--
Never mind.  It's from an obscure branch of arcana called Physics.  You 
wouldn't understand.  The point is that sound can't be made in a 
vacuum."

"How do you know that?"

"Because you can't hear the screams when you suck all the air out--"  
Mozenrath at least had the decency to break off with the explanation.

Aladdin drew back, abruptly reminded with whom he was dealing.  "You 
really need some new hobbies, Mozenrath."

He scowled at him.  "It still doesn't solve the problem of how we're 
going to play the music.  Even if I could, I can't play and cast the 
spell at the same time."

Aladdin picked up the harp.  He plucked a few notes.  "Can't you use 
some sort of spell on me?  Genie did it once."

Mozenrath shook his head.  "I can give you the ability to read the notes 
on the page," he held up the item in question, "but if you don't know 
how to play, there's nothing I can do to give you that talent."

Aladdin nodded and slipped the harp into the case.  As he fastened the 
flap, his face lit up.  He slung the strap over his shoulder.  "I think 
I know where we might find some help.  Come on."


"Play the harp?" Ra'id asked.

Aladdin squatted next to the big man.  The room was the dim and dusty 
back room of a local shop.  The shopkeeper had joined the frenzy brought 
on by the return of Cacophona and had left it open.  The slaves took the 
opportunity to replenish their supplies.  They moved silently in the 
darkness while Aladdin, Ra'id and Mairiam spoke

"I know it sounds strange, but Mozenrath and I think we've figured out 
how we might be able to stop Cacophona.  Or at least slow her down.  But 
we need someone who can play the harp."

Ra'id gave Mozenrath a suspicious look.  The sorcerer leaned against the 
wall and studiously ignored them.  

"This is the one of whom you spoke?  The sorcerer?"

"Yes."  Aladdin nodded.

Ra'id shook his head.  "He is so young--"

Aladdin gave Mozenrath a warning look as he felt the sorcerer stiffen.  
He was about to answer when Mairiam put a gentle hand on her husband's 
shoulder.  

"We were young, too, once.  And look at Aladdin here.  Already he has 
the makings of a fine leader and he is much the same age as the 
sorcerer.  Are you not, Aladdin?"

Aladdin was about to answer when Mozenrath did it for him.  "Younger."

Mairiam gave the sorcerer a nod.  She turned to Aladdin.  "Why do you 
need this particular talent?"

"We have the harp Cantera used to free Cacophona.  We think it might be 
the key to imprisoning her again."  She looked at her husband.  
Something unspoken passed between them.  Ra'id's face hardened and his 
shook his head--no.

"I can play," Mairiam said.  Her eyes held Ra'id's.

"No," Ra'id said.  

"Dearest, we must help."

"Let them find someone else.  I don't want you risking yourself."

Mairiam gave him a patient smile.  "You know that we risk ourselves 
everyday here.  As slaves, we could find ourselves ordered to the 
execution block for looking at the wrong Tinnabulan at any moment.  Our 
lives do not belong to ourselves.  If we are to change that, we must 
take risks."

Ra'id stood and paced back and forth.  "We will find someone else to go 
with them."

Mairiam shook her head.  "No.  I will not send someone else to do 
something I would not do myself."

"Would you two please hurry up?  We don't have all night."  Aladdin 
leapt up and grabbed the sorcerer.

"Shut up, Mozenrath!" he whispered harshly.

"How dare you--" Mozenrath started.  Ra'id rounded on him with fire in 
his eyes.  The sorcerer fell silent, but not without giving the larger 
man an equally dangerous look in return.

"I will not allow this," Ra'id said as he looked away from the sorcerer.

When she spoke, it was in a voice soft but full of steel.  "Ra'id, 
husband, we have no choice.  You know that."

"It does not mean I must like it,"  Ra'id said.  He took Mairiam into 
his arms and embraced her.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Mozenrath muttered.  Aladdin pushed him 
out of the room.  

"We'll wait in the alley," he said as he passed the two slaves.

Once in the alley, Aladdin jerked the sorcerer around.  "What is wrong 
with you?  We need these people and all you can do is make snide 
comments."

Mozenrath clenched his hands.  Power flickered around his gauntleted 
hand.  "I'm more than just a little sick of this whole thing, Aladdin.  
Be glad I don't just leave you here to your fates."

Anger getting the better of him, Aladdin shoved his face into 
Mozenrath's.  "Yeah, then who would help you once Cacophona and Cantera 
started marching their army into the Land of the Black Sand?  You said 
yourself you wouldn't be able to withstand her."

Mozenrath's jaw clenched as he glared at shorter man.  "That's the 
*only* reason I haven't divorced myself from the situation yet.  But it 
won't take much, Aladdin.  I'd find some way of dealing with her."

Aladdin sensed that Mozenrath really was nearing the end of his patience 
and thought desperately of some way to get him to calm down.  He didn't 
have to, for at that moment, the door to the shop opened and Ra'id and 
Mairiam stepped into the alley.  Aladdin turned; the tension in the air 
lessened but did not dissipate completely.

"I have convinced Ra'id that I have to go."

"Against my better judgment," the big man added.

Aladdin glared at Mozenrath in a silent command to hold his tongue.  The 
sorcerer scowled and started down the alley.  "We won't let anything 
happen to your wife, Ra'id.  I promise."

"See that you do.  I will not take kindly to it if she is harmed."  He 
embraced his wife and kissed her.  Then he turned back to Aladdin one 
last time.  "When you are in position, send word.  We will be ready."

Aladdin nodded.  Ra'id disappeared into the darkness.  The blonde haired 
woman and the street rat stole down the alley after the sorcerer.
========================================================================
===
Part 5

"Are we ready?" Aladdin asked as they stood atop the great dome at the 
center of the city.  Everything was quiet in the pre-dawn darkness.  He 
thought he could discern the faintest lightening of the sky in the east, 
but couldn't be sure that it wasn't his eyes playing tricks.  Campfires 
dotted the canyon floor like a handful of stars fallen to earth.

"I am."  Mairiam sat comfortably against one of the columns and watched 
the city to the south.  With most of the population out in the desert 
with the army, there were very few people out and about at this early 
hour.  There were a few fires beginning to glow; the slaves rising to 
start the day in their masters' houses.  She held the harp ready.

Mozenrath refused to answer.  He sulked against a column facing 
northeast, looking more like a petulant boy rather than a powerful and 
gifted sorcerer.  Aladdin sighed to himself.  "Mozenrath, will you be 
ready?"

"Will you?" the sorcerer shot back.  Aladdin decided it was best to 
ignore the contempt in Mozenrath's voice.  

"What about the slaves?"

"Xerxes says all that are going are out of the city and in position," 
Mozenrath said disinterestedly  

"And they know to only delay the army's return?"

"I suppose they do, if any of them can read."

Aladdin took a deep breath and prayed for patience.  He turned back to 
watching the eastern sky.

Imperceptibly, the sky lightened.  He didn't notice the change until he 
found he could make out the shape of the cliffs with their carved 
guardians against the lighter sky.  The light turned the sand to silver 
then rose pink.  He straightened and turned inwards.

"It's time, Mozenrath."

The sorcerer pushed against his column and stalked to the middle of the 
platform.  He stopped on the carved panel, next to the huge log hung 
from chains.  He turned to the east, towards the rising sun and the 
gathered army of Tinnabula, and raised his hands above his head.  

"Remember:  The other side of the army, not between them and the city.  
We don't want to get the slaves caught in it."

Mozenrath glared at him but nodded.  He recited the words to the spell 
he had prepared and his gauntlet glowed.  

Aladdin could feel the buildup of power in the air.  The hair on his 
neck stood up with it.  It swirled around him as it rushed in towards 
the sorcerer.  It lifted Mozenrath's cloak and hood as he waited for the 
proper moment--

With a sharp gesture, he flung his hands out, directly towards the 
encamped army.  The power leapt at his bidding and arced across the 
rooftops to the canyon floor between the carved guardians.  Dust and 
rock fountained into the air with the sound of distant thunder.

Mozenrath turned a crooked smile on Aladdin.  "Now *that* was 
impressive."

Aladdin couldn't resist bringing the sorcerer down a notch or two.  "I 
suppose."  Mozenrath ignored him.

The echoes came rolling back to them from around the canyon.  As they 
died, they heard the shouts of the army.  And see something move; 
something huge and not quite *there*.  It shimmered in and out as lifted 
over the army and spun about as if searching for something.

"Time to let them know where we are."

Mozenrath was already concentrating.  This time he flung his arms 
sharply upward and the power fountained through the roof.  The area 
under the roof went dark as Mozenrath's power lit up the morning, 
creating a sign plain for all to see.  The sorcerer wove his hands back 
and forth and the power flared before it twisted in on itself, spinning 
ever faster, growing ever brighter until it formed a rapidly spinning 
star above the dome.  He held his hands aloft a moment, before bringing 
them down.  With a cutting motion, the star winked out, and the morning 
light once again exerted itself.  To anyone who had been witness to 
Cacophona's entrance into this universe, the sign was unmistakable.

Aladdin turned his attention to Cacophona.  She had seen the display and 
was hurrying towards them.

"Here she comes!" he shouted.  Mozenrath stepped back, readying the 
other spell he had prepared.


Cacophona leapt into the air when the explosion hit.  She searched for 
the source of the explosion, spinning about on her central axis.  She 
saw the falling debris and sang.  The rocks shimmered into dust to fall 
harmlessly on her army below.

_Where did that come from?_ she thought to Cantera.  

"I'm not sure--"  Cantera looked back at the city.  She gasped when she 
saw and recognized the display.  The light flared and winked out, but 
there was no mistaking the location it had marked.

"How *dare* he?!" Cantera hissed. 

_I will deal with him.  He may be powerful, but I am more powerful 
still.  Do not be alarmed, Cantera.  He is a fool to call attention to 
himself like this.  This will be no more than a minor delay._

Cantera nodded as the ground sped past below them.  She did not think 
twice about the fact that there was nothing holding her up save the 
complex harmonics of the elemental.  It was not her nature to question 
the miracles that her goddess was capable of.

She looked back and saw the red tide of the Tinnabulan army surge toward 
the city.  She smiled an evil smile and pulled her hair out of her eyes.  
Soon she would teach this upstart sorcerer the meaning of humility...


The red-robed Tinnabulans looked upward as their goddess streaked above 
them on her way back to the city.  Back to deal with this new threat.  
They gathered up their arms and surged back to lend what aid they could 
to the thing they called Cacophona.

Bu as they turned inward towards the city once more, they found the way 
blocked.  Slaves, wielding spears and swords melted out of the gloom and 
engaged the front ranks.  Howling with fury at the impediment, the 
Tinnabulans fell upon the army of slaves.

  
The three of them waited as Cacophona streaked closer.  She was nearly 
upon them when Mairiam began playing the harp.  Mozenrath grimaced, but 
her practices during the night had proven that he could still function.  
It was uncomfortable for him, but not incapacitating.

Outside the confines of the arena, the song swelled and rolled over the 
city.  Aladdin could feel it in his bones, and could tell that Mozenrath 
felt it even more.  Sweat dotted his brow as he muttered the words of 
the spell.  His hands shook as he moved them in the graceful, complex 
patterns required.  Instead of glowing brightly and steadily as the 
others, they shimmered fitfully.  He shook his head and closed his eyes 
and with exaggerated care, continued the incantation.

Mairiam finished the passage and started over.  They watched Cacophona 
fly closer and closer with no sign that the song had affected her.  She 
buzzed with angry harmonics.

Mozenrath shook his head angrily as he stumbled over the words.  The 
lines flickered and winked out.  "It's not working!" Aladdin shouted 
over the whining hum that grew louder as she approached.

Mozenrath crossed the distance to Mairiam and snatched the up the paper.  
"Don't you think I can see that?"  He shook his head.  "Stop," he 
ordered Mairiam.  She stopped.  "This should have worked. '_Beware the 
song of ending, for it is the song of beginning._'  Why didn't it?"

"Maybe you need to play it differently?" Aladdin shouted as he covered 
his ears.

Mozenrath arched an eyebrow at him a moment.  "How?  There are hundreds 
and thousands of ways it could be played.  How do we know which way is 
right?"

"Isn't there anything on that page?  Some clue?" Mairiam asked.

Mozenrath read over the music.  "Nothing."

Mairiam gently took the paper from Mozenrath.  "Maybe you're missing 
something.  Let me take a look."

Mozenrath glared at the insinuation that he could miss something.  A 
equal glare from Aladdin silenced his retort.  He turned his anger on 
Aladdin, instead.

"Here." Mairiam's voice defused the situation.  She showed it to 
Mozenrath.  "This glyph here, the one for 'beginning.'  In Ancient 
Tinnabulan, the glyph for 'ending' is the mirror image of the one for 
'beginning'--Could you conjure up a mirror?" she asked Mozenrath 
suddenly.

Mozenrath gave her a strange look.  "A mirror?  What for?"

"Quit arguing and just listen to her!" Aladdin shouted.  "*Before* 
Cacophona gets here!"

Mozenrath scowled but produced a mirror.  Mairiam put it in his hands 
and held the music so she could see it.  As she tried to pick out the 
notes in the reflected music, it dawned on Mozenrath what she was doing. 

"The mirror image!"  He took the music from her, and said a word.  It 
hung in the air so she could have her hands free.  

Cacophona's entrance on the scene interrupted their plans.  She circled 
the dome, buzzing angrily at them.  The rumbling sound of her presence 
shook the dome.  Mozenrath shouted, "This had better work!  I'm 
powerless so close to her!"

Mairiam braced herself and put her fingers on the strings to play the 
rearranged notes.  The song changed from one of painful discordance to 
one of intricate beauty.  Aladdin looked around uncertain if the 
suddenly bright illumination under the roof was due to the magic in the 
music or his imagination.  

It swelled above the sound of Cantera's angry buzzing.  The scarab's 
harmonics shifted out of phase.  

"Look!" shouted Aladdin.

Mozenrath whirled around.  "It's working!" he shouted.  

The hum they had felt in their bones decreased significantly.  She 
screeched and shimmered violently.  Yet, Cacophona remained corporeal 
enough.  As the colors shifted across her, they saw the red-robed 
Cantera perched atop her.  The elemental banked and flew at the dome.

"Play it again," Mozenrath urged Mairiam as she reached the end of the 
passage.  The scarab strengthened in the pause, and sent them sprawling 
as the dome shook.  Masonry tumbled about them and they narrowly missed 
getting flattened by the larger blocks.

Aladdin pulled Mairiam to her feet.  She pulled the harp around, and 
this time played with more confidence.  The song swelled and joined with 
the voice of the city.  The ever present sound of bells and chimes added 
layers to the music as it grew.  Aladdin could feel the magic of it 
blanket the area.

Cacophona screamed.  The music interfered with her harmonies and forced 
her out of existence.  Cantera slipped through the now incorporeal 
elemental as she phased out and tumbled to the street.  Fortunately, 
Cacophona had dipped until she was no more than a few feet off the 
ground.  The priestess picked herself up out of the dust and gathered up 
her skirts.  She ran towards the dome and up the stairs.


Outside the city, the red-robed army pushed the slaves back, yet they 
could not engage them.  The slaves melted away here, only to reappear 
there.  They dogged the heels of he Tinnabulans, striking then pulling 
back.

Ra'id gave the signal to his seconds.  They nodded and hurried to give 
the order to fall back.  The slaves melted into the mists and the army 
was left with an unhindered path straight to the city.  The Tinnabulans 
dismissed the slaves as beneath their noticed and surged forward eager 
to assist their Goddess.

The slaves hurried through the canyon opening and into the desert 
beyond.  Onward, to warn their cities of Cacophona's return; hopefully 
to report her destruction.  

Once out of the canyon, Ra'id gave a signal to the strange creature that 
had acted as liaison between himself and the boy Aladdin.  The eel 
nodded and flew off.  Ra'id watched the shadows of the canyon walls 
throw the bright glory of the city below into deepening gloom.


Something streaked over Aladdin's head as he looked eastward toward the 
advancing army.

"Xerxes!" he shouted.  The eel pulled up and flew over to him.  "Have 
the slaves pulled back?"

"Yes.  Army almost in city.  Slaves leave."

"Good."  Aladdin crossed the distance to Mozenrath and grabbed his arm.  
"It's time to spring the trap!"

Mozenrath nodded.  "Faster, Mairiam.  We've got to get Cacophona as 
motionless as possible," he said.  

Mairiam nodded and her fingers flew over the strings.  Cacophona 
thrashed her head back and forth in rage at being stopped when she was 
so close, but the song contained her.  She slowed and went still.  The 
flickering became more and more noticeable.  The painful harmonics of 
her being dulled to a throb.  

"Mozenrath!  Look out!"  He whirled at Aladdin's shouted warning, just 
in time to keep from being barreled over the edge of the platform.  
Instead, Cantera's shoulder caught him in the midsection and knocked him 
back.  They fell in a tangle; Mozenrath gasped as she knocked the wind 
from him.  Aladdin rushed over and tried to grab her, but she hooked her 
foot under his and sent him sprawling.  She leapt to her feet and headed 
for Mairiam.

"Stop her!" Mozenrath gasped, trying to regain his wind.  Aladdin 
scrambled up and reached her just before the priestess could grab the 
harp.

"*TRAITOR!*"  she screamed at Mairiam.  The woman ignored the Priestess 
of Cacophona.

Cantera struggled like a wildcat in his grip.  She sat down, to try and 
make him release her.  "No, you don't!" he said through clenched teeth.  
He caught her arm and dragged her up.  He ducked her racking nails and 
got a firmer hold around her waist to drag her towards one of the 
columns.  He hacked off one of the ropes holding up the huge gong and 
used it to tie her to the column.  

"Let me go!" she screeched as she struggled.  "You will never defeat 
Cacophona!  She is too powerful!"

"Well, just see about that, won't we?"  He checked the knots and left 
her.  She twisted her wrists, unmindful of the abrasions she inflicted 
on herself as she worked at getting loose.

He joined Mozenrath as the sorcerer said to Mairiam, "When I start the 
spell, you must not stop playing for anything, do you understand?"  She 
nodded but did not look up.  He looked at Aladdin and waved his hand.  A 
sword appeared in it which he tossed to the street rat.  "In case the 
army gets here before we finish.  Try not to cut yourself."

Mairiam kept playing.  Faster and faster her fingers flew over the 
strings.  Cacophona could barely be seen by now.  She had fallen to the 
ground and was twitching horribly.  The sand and dust surged and 
billowed as if by some unseen hand.  Aladdin turned to mark the progress 
of the army.  They were well within the perimeter of the city by now.  
The first ranks would be on them in a matter of minutes...

"You'd better do it now, Mozenrath."  Mozenrath nodded and started the 
spell.  Xerxes zipped under Mozenrath's cloak.

He felt the power gather around him as he summoned it.  He used the 
words of the spell to hold it in check to give it time to reach its 
peak.  It billowed around him, buffeting him, seeking release.  He kept 
his hold on it until the last possible moment.  He would need every 
scrap of that pent-up power to silence Cacophona forever.  He threw back 
his head and arms as he tried to contain the euphoria it produced.  His 
voice rang hollowly as he recited the spell.

Forehead furrowed in concentration, Mairiam bent over the harp and 
played until her fingers ached.  Over and over, the same lines of the 
song.  Cacophona's shrieks silenced and she phased out completely.

Mozenrath released his spell.  The flash sped forward and engulfed 
Cacophona and exploded.  Air rushed outwards, knocking Mairiam and 
Aladdin to the ground.  With one arm braced against a column, Mozenrath 
forced himself to stay upright.  One slip of his will and they were all 
doomed.  It ripped through him as he forced it into shape around the 
last corporeal remains of the elemental.  When the last bit of 
atmosphere had been purged from the shell he had formed, he clenched his 
gauntlet and with a word, sealed the spell.  Then he sank to his knees 
and gasped.  

The wind and sound died.  The bells that had been set to ringing from 
the wind began falling silent, as well.  Mairiam and Aladdin pushed 
themselves up and joined Mozenrath at the edge of the platform.  The 
sight before them silenced any comment they might have made.

Mozenrath lifted his head to survey his handiwork.  A great silver ball, 
easily the size of the palace in Agrabah hung in the air where Cacophona 
had been.  It shimmered and gleamed in the morning light.  It bulged a 
few times as if something inside were trying to get out, and the 
reflections of the city below distorted.  Eventually, the movements 
ceased and it settled back into the shape of least resistance.

Aladdin helped Mozenrath up.  The sorcerer brushed the dust from his 
clothing.  "What did you do?" he asked the sorcerer.

Mozenrath stood.  "I silenced Cacophona."  

"But what is that?"

"Plath's Bell Jar.  The largest I've ever attempted."

"So now what?" Aladdin asked the sorcerer.

Before he could answer there was a scream from behind them.  Cantera had 
worked herself loose and rushed toward them.  She caught up the harp and 
flung it with all her might at the bubble.

"If that penetrates the shell, we'll be sucked into the resulting 
maelstrom!" Mozenrath shouted.

The harp hit the shell.  The silver substance was sucked inwards as the 
air slammed back into the space inside with a crash.  The harp 
splintered.

The inrush of air pulled them off their feet before knocking them down 
again as it rushed back out again.  The winds picked up speed and sand 
and dust and flung it around the canyon.  It created a spinning storm 
mere feet above their heads.  Aladdin saw Mairiam slide towards it.  The 
wind picked up the dust in the street and scoured the buildings with it.  
The bells of Tinnabula rang out of control.


Ra'id and his seconds watched as the great silver ball that had 
swallowed Cacophona split.  They fell to their knees as the winds picked 
up the sand and dust in a spinning maelstrom.  From the nexus over the 
great dome, it sped outward towards them at amazing speed.  They fell 
back as the horrible winds laden with sand and grit reached them and 
howled at them--and passed over them.  Ra'id and the others looked at 
one another in askance then turned their attention back to the city 
where the storm still raged.


Aladdin reached out his hand to grab the woman as she was dragged by.  
She grabbed it and he pulled her to him.  Sliding an arm around her 
waist, he helped her hang on to the column.

A flash of red made him look up.  The wind sucked at Cantera's robes and 
she advanced on the maelstrom.  Aladdin made a grab for her as she slid 
by, but she clawed at him.  "No!" she shouted.  "Let me go!"  Her nails 
left moist red trails on his wrist and he flinched.  She slipped out of 
his hold and over the side.  The last they saw of her was the blood-red 
robes as they disappeared in the storm of sand.  

"Get us out of here!" Aladdin shouted to Mozenrath.  "The canyon 
opening!  Now!"  He shifted his hold on Mairiam and squinted against the 
wind and the driven sand.  Then the wind was gone.  He looked up and 
down into the canyon of Tinnabula as the storm raged below.

He crawled over to Mairiam and helped her stand.  Mozenrath picked 
himself up out of the dust and watched dispassionately as the sand storm 
buried the city and Cacophona's army.

Eventually, the winds died.  The sand settled and the city was gone.  
It's voice, like Cacophona's was silent now. 

"Tinnabula is no more," Mozenrath said impassively.

"Is Cacophona dead?"

He shrugged.  "How do you kill something made of sound?  Elementals are 
notoriously hard to destroy.  Sometimes they return in a different form.  
The harp was destroyed; without it she can't be summoned that way."   He 
turned his back on the newly filled grave and tugged at his gauntlet.  
"But now that that is taken care of, I have some unfinished business 
with you, Aladdin!"  He summoned his power to blast the youth and the 
woman--

Only to find himself face down in the dust.  He twisted around to find a 
spear poised ready to plunge into his throat.

"I said I would not tolerate anyone trying to harm my wife," Ra'id said.

"Thanks, Ra'id," Aladdin said as he reached down and grabbed Mozenrath's 
arm.  He jerked the taller man to his feet, while several other 
spearpoints joined Ra'id's in keeping the sorcerer quiet.

"I'm glad that I did not trust this one."

"Me, too."  Aladdin took Mozenrath's right arm and made as if to remove 
the gauntlet he wore.

"What do you think you're doing?" Mozenrath demanded.  He jerked his 
hand out of Aladdin's grasp.

"Careful, Moze.  One wrong move and you'll find yourself with a few 
holes in places there weren't meant to be holes."  The spears crowded 
closer.  

Mozenrath stiffened.  Aladdin removed his gauntlet and tucked it into 
his sash.

Ra'id, Mairiam and the others drew back at the sight of Mozenrath's 
skeletal hand.  He sneered at them all, but his glare, full of anger and 
hatred, was reserved for Aladdin.

Aladdin waved the freed slaves away.  "He's harmless now.  Mostly, 
anyway.  Although a rope might keep him from doing any more mischief."  
He grinned his lopsided smile at the sorcerer as he took a rope from one 
of the slaves.

"You wouldn't," Mozenrath said.  Xerxes hissed at him and buried himself 
under Mozenrath's hood.

"Try me."  To prove his point, Aladdin bound the sorcerer's wrists 
behind him.  "There are all sorts of things the leaders of the Seven 
Deserts want to talk to you about, Mozenrath.  Especially the Sultan and 
Princess of Agrabah.  We're not going to let you get away this time."

"I'll get you for this, Aladdin." he said.  

Aladdin just nodded.  "I'm sure you will, Mozenrath.  I'm sure you 
will."  He finished binding the sorcerer's arms behind him, then checked 
the knots.

Aladdin turned to Ra'id.  "Where are you going, then, young Aladdin?"  

"Back to Agrabah."

"Agrabah?  That's nearly a month's ride through the desert."  Ra'id drew 
back.  "We could use someone like you with us."

Aladdin shook his head.  "No.  I have to take Mozenrath back there.  
Besides, the woman I love is there.  I have to return to her."  He 
looked at Mairiam leaning against her husband in the circle of his arm.  
"I think you'll understand that."  They smiled at him.  

"Now I *know* I'm going to be sick."
========================================================================
Epilogue

The wind howled over Tinnabula's grave.  It keened to itself as it 
scuttled and shuffled through the once sound-filled canyon.  It searched 
blindly in the moonless night for the bells that it had so enjoyed 
speaking with.

The wind twisted back on itself and picked up some dust to form a 
dervish.  It twisted its way across the sandy expanses before throwing 
itself upon the rocks of the canyon walls and dying.  The sand settled 
back onto the ground and once more was nothing more than inanimate 
silicates.

The sand surged as something moved under it.  Fingers clawed their way 
out of the sand.  An arm followed; then a shoulder.  Golden hair spilled 
out over the golden sand.

Cantera lay gasping for breath, still more than half buried in the sand.  
She rested her cheek on its rough surface and concentrated not on her 
body nor her tortured lungs.  Rather, she listened to the sibilant voice 
inside her head.

_We shall have our revenge on those who thought to destroy us, Cantera._   
She listened and a smile played around her lips.  "Yes," she sighed.

_They thought to steal our life, but we tricked them, didn't we?_

Cantera nodded.  Her smile took on a devious, almost mischievous, 
character.

_I took refuge in you, my loyal servant.  They may have stolen my voice, 
but I live still._

_Revenge, Cantera, and freedom._  The voice became stronger, louder.  
She nodded and smiled at its message.  Her fingers clenched and her face 
twisted as the voice tore at her mind, but she didn't realize it was 
there.  The only thing she knew was that she had become one with her 
goddess.

_Revenge on the boy who helped him.  On his city, which we shall 
destroy.  But most of all, Cantera, revenge on the sorcerer who took our 
voice from us._  The voice rose to a hellish crescendo in her head.  
Cantera sat up, scattering the sand about her and pressed her hands to 
her temples.  Her eyes flew open and she stared up at the midnight sky.  
They shone with an inner light; a light born of madness.  She screamed 
in unison with the presence in her mind.  

"MOZENRATH MUST DIE!!!"

==========
Copyright 1995 by Wendy Welch Lee; based on an idea by.  The characters
from the Aladdin series which appear here are property of and copyrighted
1992-95 by The Walt Disney Company and used without permission.  The others
belong to me.  You may distribute this work provided this notice is included,
you give credit where due, you don't alter it in any way and distribution is not 
done for monetary gain.  Please do not post this work to any newsgroups 
and/or sites without my permission.  Disclaimer:  Any typos/ 
misspellings are the fault of my word processor and errant electrons 
that may have passed in the dark.