MY ENEMY'S KEEPER

Copyright 1995 by Wendy Welch Lee.  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 are mine.  
You may distribute this work provided this notice is included 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.  
==========
Part 1

The sun drifted lazily towards the western horizon.  A lone figure on 
horseback rode steadily towards the south; the shadow it cast became a 
grotesque parody of both animal and man.

Aladdin found the steady plod plod of his horse hypnotic and his mind 
wandered far afield.  It was odd being on his own, without one or more 
of his friends around.  Yet, it felt right, somehow.  It reminded him of 
everything had had gained, and allowed him  the opportunity to get back 
in touch with himself.

Aladdin pushed his turban back and looked up at the sun.  A couple more 
hours of light left.  No matter how comforting the solitude, he would be 
glad to get home to his friends.  He found he almost missed Genie's 
antics and Iago's rants.  But most of all he missed Jasmine.  He pulled 
his turban back on straight as a lazy, content smiled curved his lips 
upward--

Something gray zipped in front of him and disturbed his thoughts.  He 
pulled up hard as it flew in front of him a second time.  The horse 
bucked and sidled nervously as he drew his sword and swatted at the 
thing with the blade.  It flew at his horse's face and the stallion 
reared back with a scream.  When he regained control of the beast, the 
creature hung in the air nearby, just out of striking range and Aladdin 
got a good look at it.  

"Xerxes!" he cried and spurred his horse forward and bringing his sword 
to bear.  "What are you doing here?"

The eel drifted backward, his face reflecting indecision.  He was 
plainly unhappy to see Aladdin, but agitated about something else as 
well.  He looked back over his shoulder then flipped and swam at 
Aladdin.  

"Aladdin, come.  Mozenrath, hurt."  The eel circled Aladdin's head 
before halting before him.  

"I'll bet 'Mozenrath hurt.'  Well, I'm not falling into any trap that 
he's come up with this time."  Aladdin turned his horse and made as if 
to ride away.  Xerxes flew around and wrapped himself around Aladdin's 
wrist.

"Hey!  Let go!"  He tried to shake the eel off.

Xerxes uncurled and hovered in front of Aladdin.  "No trap.  Master 
hurt, injured.  Back there.  Aladdin help!"

The import of what Xerxes was saying registered.  "Mozenrath's hurt?"  
Xerxes nodded, bobbing up and down as he did so.  "Xerxes, if this is a 
trick--"

Xerxes shook his head.  "No trick.  Master hurt!  Aladdin, come!"  He 
swam off back the way he had come then turned and waited for Aladdin.

Aladdin sheathed his sword.  "I'm going to regret this, I just know it," 
he muttered as he turned his horse.

He followed the eel through some twisted rocks and into a low, narrow 
wadi.  The walls closed in and forced him to dismount and go on foot.  
As he rounded the corner of a large rock that was wedged between the 
walls of the wadi, a blast blew fragments from the rock and sent them 
zinging by his face.

"Hey!" he cried as he fell back

Xerxes flowed past him.  "No, Master!  Xerxes get help!"

"What makes you think I need help, Xerxes?  I don't need help."  The 
voice shook in obvious contradiction to that statement.

"Mozenrath!" Aladdin called.

"Who's there?" came the response.

Aladdin took a breath and edged around the boulder.  "It's me."

Mozenrath looked at him.  He was lying against a pile of rocks, dressed 
in what had once been dark finery, but now torn, covered with rock dust, 
and stained with blood.  Mozenrath's pale features were ashen under the 
smear of blood that trickled from a gash on his head.  His eyes 
glittered brightly with pain and he laughed feebly as he saw Aladdin.  

"Aladdin."  He smiled crookedly, but pain turned it to a grimace.  
"Well, isn't this grand?  The last person I expected."  He looked at 
Xerxes in irritation.  "Your idea of help leaves much to be desired, 
Xerxes."  

"Xerxes find only Aladdin.  Aladdin help."

Mozenrath gestured impatiently and ignored his familiar.  "Why don't you 
join me, Aladdin?  I was just about to conjure up a little feast--"  He 
broke off and his face twisted.  Xerxes hovered over his master and 
watched Aladdin with wary yet concerned eyes.  Mozenrath leaned his head 
back against the rocks and shut his eyes.

Aladdin took a cautious step forward, wary of both the sorcerer and the 
treacherous footing.  There was no response from Mozenrath, and when he 
reached his side he saw why.  The sorcerer had passed out.  Sweat dotted 
his brow and there was a liquid quality to his breathing that boded ill.

Aladdin knelt by Mozenrath and looked him over.  His eye fell on the 
gauntlet.  Taking a deep breath, Aladdin slipped it off.  He couldn't 
help shivering as his fingers brushed the cold, bare bone of Mozenrath's 
decimated hand.  

Xerxes flew at him.  "That Mozenrath's!  Give back!"

Aladdin batted him away.  "Just taking the fangs out of his bite, that's 
all.  I'll give it back--eventually."  Xerxes glowered at him.  Aladdin 
waited while the eel settled around Mozenrath's shoulders, then he 
examined the other quickly.  A long jagged gash on his leg seeped blood, 
and Aladdin was sure that there were two, maybe three, broken ribs.

As Aladdin was cleaning and binding Mozenrath's leg, the sorcerer came 
around, forced to consciousness by a fit of coughing.  Aladdin held his 
shoulders as the coughing racked him.  The fit passed and Mozenrath 
leaned back, wiping blood from his mouth.  

"I need some things from my horse."  Aladdin left the sorcerer and went 
back to his horse.  He rummaged through his saddlebags for Genie's lamp, 
but couldn't find it.  He paused in thought; he was sure he packed the 
lamp for emergencies.  Perhaps he had changed his mind at the last 
minute and left it with Jasmine.  He shook his head, wishing he could 
remember for sure.  He sighed, shrugged and led the horse as far into 
the wadi as he could.  He pulled the saddle and the saddle bags from the 
beast's back and returned to Mozenrath.  

Mozenrath had not moved during his absence.  Aladdin tended to the rest 
of his wounds then offered Mozenrath some water.  Mozenrath drank 
eagerly and Aladdin had to force him to stop.

"Not too much, this is all I have until we reach a well.  The closest 
one is over a day's ride away; more than that on foot."

Mozenrath looked up.  "I know of a well not far from here.  Two, maybe 
three hours' walk."  His eyes glinted a moment, but Aladdin let it pass 
as pain.

"Where?"

Mozenrath gestured toward the west.  "There."

Aladdin climbed the sloping sides of the wadi and looked westward.  The 
sun was quickly going down, and they wouldn't get far.  He turned South, 
towards Agrabah and home.  He debated it a moment; Agrabah was three 
days away, riding at a trot.  It would take five, maybe six at a walk.  
They would need water.  He came to a decision and descended into the 
wadi again.

"We'll stay here for the night, then visit this well of yours.  Once we 
get water, we'll set out for Agrabah."
He set about gathering what little wood could be found to build a fire.  
Mozenrath smiled and cocked an eyebrow at Xerxes.

"You won't regret it, Aladdin."  

Aladdin looked up from laying the wood from the fire.  "Oh, I'm sure 
will."  He brought out his flint and steel from his belt when Mozenrath 
spotted what hung else hung there.  He sat forward, hissing in pain and 
flung up his hand.  His face twisted as he stared at the bleached white 
digits of bone.

"How dare you!" he shouted, then fell back as the pain became 
unbearable, forcing him back.  "Give it back!"

"Not yet, Mozenrath.  I'll return it after we get to Agrabah.  Not 
before."   

Mozenrath's eyes narrowed to slits as Aladdin began striking the flint 
against the steel.  Mozenrath twisted his fingers and fire blazed from 
the wood.  "I'm not completely helpless without it, Aladdin, make no 
mistake."

Aladdin fell back before the sudden blaze, eyes wide.  "I'll have to 
remember that."

Mozenrath leant back exhausted, and clutching his side.  Aladdin offered 
meat and bread, which the sorcerer turned down.  Aladdin left them 
within reach, dividing the meat and tossing some to Xerxes.  

"So, Mozenrath, what happened?" he asked as he wrapped himself in his 
cloak.  When Mozenrath looked at him blankly, he gestured at the 
sorcerer's wounds.  "This."

He gestured upwards, at the top of the wadi.  "My horse was spooked by a 
basilisk.  Stupid beast.  It threw me and I went over the cliff."

Aladdin looked up then back at the sorcerer.  He smiled an ironic smile 
then shook his head.  "I know you, Mozenrath; you'd never get caught out 
here like this just by falling off a cliff.  What really happened?"

Mozenrath gave Aladdin a disgusted look.  "Have it your way, Aladdin.  I 
jumped off the cliff for the fun of it.  I've always wanted to 
experience the agony of death by dehydration first hand."  He looked 
away.

"Why bother riding when you can use your powers to take you anywhere you 
want to go?" Aladdin insisted.

Mozenrath was caught off guard a moment, then his face assumed that smug 
quality that drove others mad.  "You win.  I was going to Keshvar."

Aladdin sat up.  "The Land of Efreets?"

Mozenrath nodded.  He looked at Aladdin with heavy-lidded eyes.  "Yes.  
One can't get there using magic.  I hardly wanted to trudge through the 
desert on foot."

Aladdin jumped up and scanned the top of the wadi.  "We're not--"

"Sit down, Aladdin; you're making me dizzy," Mozenrath ordered.  He put 
a hand to his head.

Aladdin turned on him. He grabbed Mozenrath's tunic and pulled him up.  
"Are we still in Keshvar?"

Mozenrath gasped.  He grabbed Aladdin's arm as Xerxes hissed and flew at 
his master's attacker.  Aladdin batted him away.  "No!" Mozenrath said 
through clenched teeth.  Aladdin released him and he fell back gasping 
like in pain.  Aladdin straightened and loomed over Mozenrath.

"No," the sorcerer repeated.  "The borders of Keshvar end some distance 
from here."  He winced and glared at Aladdin.

Aladdin studied the other a moment before squatting near the fire.  He 
stirred it up.  He sat back and wrapped himself into his cloak.  "This 
well of yours.  It doesn't lie inside Keshvar, does it?"

"No, it's not in Keshvar.  It's perfectly safe."  He smiled down at 
Xerxes as he stroked the eel; a secret smile that Xerxes returned.

Aladdin eyed the two warily but said nothing more.  He continued to 
watch the cliffs until the fire died down and the moon rose above the 
cliffs.  It silvered the wadi and picked out Mozenrath's pale features.  
The sorcerer had fallen into the sleep of the exhausted; fitful and 
filled with pain.  Finally, Aladdin, too, slipped into sleep.


Aladdin was already awake and packing by the time Mozenrath woke.  For a 
moment he couldn't remember where he was and sat up in a panic as he 
heard someone moving nearby.  

"Oh, it's you," Mozenrath said blandly.  He leaned back against the 
rocks and took several deep breaths.  His injuries had worsened during 
the night and he was sore and stiff.  He tried to settle himself into a 
comfortable position, but the rocks seemed intent on making him as 
uncomfortable as possible.  His hand throbbed and added another level to 
the pain.

Aladdin set a clay mug full of steaming tea near him along with some 
meat and bread.  The smell and sight of food turned Mozenrath's stomach 
and he turned away.

"You have to eat, or you'll not have the strength to ride."  Aladdin 
picked up the mug and held it out.  Reluctantly, Mozenrath took it and 
the bread. 

"I'm touched," Mozenrath said slyly as he sipped his tea.

Aladdin didn't look up from his preparations for the day's journey.  "I 
would do the same for anyone."

Mozenrath's lip curled.  "Noble Aladdin.  You know that if our 
situations were reversed I would let you rot here."

Aladdin stood and picked up the roll.  "I know."  He disappeared around 
the boulder.

Mozenrath waited a moment, listening to the quiet pop and crackle of the 
fire.  He had nearly dozed off when he felt a push against his hand.  He 
looked up.  

"What are you doing, Xerxes?" he demanded of his familiar.  The eel was 
tugging at a familiar object.

"Xerxes take this.  Hide 'til Aladdin gone."

Mozenrath picked up the battered, ordinary looking lamp.  Unremarkable 
in appearance, yet he could feel the power within it.  He smiled 
wickedly at Xerxes.

"Well done, Xerxes."  He tucked the lamp into his sash and leaned back 
against the rock.  He grimaced as the pain in his ribs and leg warred 
with the dull pain in the ravaged remains of his hand.  He clenched and 
unclenched his hand to ease the pain, but the dull ache within the bones 
was a constant reminder.  He dozed off and when he awoke the sun had 
moved up over the cliffs and he was alone.  Panic gripped him as he sat 
forward.  "Aladdin?" he called.  Nothing.  "Aladdin!"  His voice shook.

A skittering of rock on rock alerted him.  He looked around and found 
Aladdin sliding down the side of the wadi.  Mozenrath covered his panic 
with anger.  "What are you doing?" he demanded.

"I need to get you out of here somehow.  I was trying to find a way to 
bring my horse in."  He approached Mozenrath and stood over him.  
"There's no way.  We have to go to it.  Do you think you can walk?"  

Mozenrath glared up at Aladdin and pushed himself forward.  He fell back 
with a gasp.  Aladdin instinctively extended his hand to help.  
Mozenrath reached out just as instinctively with his skeletal hand.  
Aladdin withdrew his hand before he could close his fingers over it.  
Mozenrath curled his lip at Aladdin, but withdrew his right hand and 
extended his left.  Aladdin took his arm and slung it around his 
shoulders.  The sorcerer grunted with pain as Aladdin helped him up, but 
he didn't say anything.  By the time they had made it around the boulder 
blocking the entrance to the wadi and to Aladdin's horse, though, he was 
sweating and gasping with pain.  Aladdin leaned him against the horse a 
moment and panted.  The sorcerer was slim, but more solid than he 
looked.  A thought occurred to him.  

"Mozenrath, can't you use your magic to get on the horse or heal your 
wounds?"  He narrowed his eyes at Mozenrath.  "Or even out of here 
altogether?"

"Give me back my gauntlet and I'll see what I can do," he gasped.  He 
leaned his forehead against the saddle and panted.

Aladdin shook his head.  "Sorry, can't do that."

"Then, no, I can't."  His voice was muffled against the saddle cloth.

Aladdin shrugged and gave Mozenrath a leg up into the saddle.  The 
sorcerer slumped forward and threatened to fall off, but Aladdin managed 
to get him upright again.  Xerxes, who had been following along settled 
himself around his master shoulders protectively.  Mozenrath reached up 
and stroked the eel almost tenderly as Aladdin led the horse back out of 
the wadi.

Up and around the low walls, Aladdin headed off in the direction of the 
well.  Mozenrath squinted into the distance and smiled a secret, 
devilish smile.
==========
Part 2

"There."

Aladdin looked up.  Mozenrath pointed towards a pile of unremarkable 
looking jumble ahead.  They resembled not so much a well as a natural 
pile of stones.  A lone palm tree was the only indication that there was 
even water here.

Aladdin looked around.  "Are you sure?" he asked as the horse came to a 
halt beside him.  He scanned the horizons nervously, not quite trusting 
Mozenrath.  He looked up at and squinted agaisnt the glare at the 
sorcerer.

Mozenrath nodded.  Mozenrath's already pale features appeared drawn and 
chalky.  Dark smudges under his eyes made them appear even larger in his 
narrow face.   The blue-black curls that escaped his turban hung limp 
and damp around his face.  His breathing was harsh and uneven.

"Yes, I'm sure," Mozenrath snapped, too exhausted to think of a better 
comeback.  Aladdin grinned insolently up at him as he pulled the 
waterskins from the saddle and slung them over his shoulder.

"Just checking."  He saluted Mozenrath jauntily and marched off to fill 
the waterskins.  Mozenrath muttered and leaned forward.  He swung his 
leg around and ended up falling off the horse.  He caught himself barely 
in time to prevent his landing in an undignified heap at its feet  

The sorcerer panted and leaned against the beast as Aladdin returned.  
He took the reins and held it still.  Mozenrath ignored Aladdin's 
outstretched hand and pushed away from the beast and limped to the well.  
He collapsed against the side of it and ripped off his turban.  He 
pulled the bucket up and splashed his face, and shuddered at the 
unexpected cold.  He drank deeply, then leaned against the well and 
pushed his damp hair out of his face.  Some carvings on the side of the 
well caught his attention.  He pushed away the sand from the base to 
reveal a figure of a woman in a high crown.  She held a jug from which 
water poured onto the roots of a pomegranate tree.  A peacock sat in the 
tree.  

Mozenrath smiled secretly; the legends were true.  As he looked away, a 
movement on the horizon caught his attention.  His smile tightened as he 
glanced at Aladdin.  He picked up his turban and replaced it and levered 
himself to his feet.

"We've got company," he said.

Aladdin had been tying the waterskins to the saddle and looked up at 
Mozenrath's voice.  He saw the dust on the horizon.  "Who could that 
be?" he wondered aloud.

"The King of Efreets, most likely," Mozenrath said.  

Aladdin turned on Mozenrath; the sorcerer smirked at him.  "You knew!  
You tricked me into bringing you into Keshvar!"  He reached down and 
pulled Mozenrath to his feet.  Mozenrath's face twisted at the rough 
handling.

"I may have," he said between clenched teeth.  He deliberately reached 
up and grasped Aladdin with his skeletal hand, hard.

Aladdin released him quickly, and let him collapse onto the sand.  
Mozenrath glared at him but pushed himself up onto his good knee, then 
lurched to his feet.  He put his hand on Aladdin's shoulder and gripped 
it hard when Aladdin would have moved away.  He watched with Aladdin as 
a lone rider on a magnificent steed approached.  Hounds larger than any 
Aladdin had ever seen before milled ceaselessly around the rider.

"Amir Umarah, Lord of Keshvar, and his pack," Mozenrath said.  "It's 
said that the pack are the souls of those who entered his lands and 
failed to come out again.  Do as I say or we'll find out first hand 
whether it's true or not."  Pain made his voice ragged, but Aladdin 
could still hear the insolence in it.

Aladdin glared at him out of the corner of his eye.  "All right, 
Mozenrath.  This is your game.  What do we do?" he said through clenched 
teeth.

"Stand absolutely still and let me do the talking.  This isn't the 
Sultan of Agrabah, you know.  The Amir has to be handled delicately."  

Aladdin frowned at the dig but did as Mozenrath said.  When the sorcerer 
shifted his grip and nearly fell, Aladdin gripped his arm to support 
him.  He felt Xerxes slip between them as he hid himself in the folds of 
Mozenrath's cloak.

As the hounds neared, they became distinct and separate.  They were huge 
animals, standing nearly as tall as a man.  Their heads were heavy-jawed 
and thrust outward.  They looked strong enough to crush bone.  Their 
eyes glowed like coals, and their voices echoed mournfully.  The hollow 
baying put him in mind of the tormented sound of lost souls.  

The lone rider among the hounds rode a stallion finer than any Aladdin 
had seen.  It pranced, placing it's delicate feet daintily and arched 
it's fine neck.  Aladdin's attention was drawn to the huge hound that 
stayed near the fabled King of Efreets.  It was the color of old blood 
and larger than any of the other hounds.  It's shoulders were heavier 
and covered with a coarse mane.  Although it appeared as a fearsome 
hound, horns sprouted from it's brow; black, curved and wickedly 
pointed.  As Aladdin watched, it looked at him and he saw its eyes were 
blue.  

He shivered and Mozenrath nodded.  "The pack leader.  She's more 
dangerous than the rest of the hounds together."  

Aladdin tore his gaze away from her eyes.  "Mozenrath, I'm going to get 
you for this," he said.  "If we live."

"I'm sure you will, Aladdin.  I'm sure you will."

The King of Efreets reined up before them.  His hounds continued to 
circle restlessly around the well and the two intruders.  The Amir 
looked down his long nose at them and smiled coldly. Mozenrath squeezed 
Aladdin's shoulder in warning.  "Bow, you idiot," Mozenrath ordered.

Aladdin took in the King's raiment at a glance:  Black turban, crimson 
mantle, cream trousers.  His beard reflected the color of his horse 
which shone like the sun at dawn.  His eyes burned the color of flame.  
Aladdin swallowed and bowed as well as he could without taking his eyes 
away.  Mozenrath followed his example, though the movement brought a 
grunt of pain from the sorcerer.

"Few come uninvited to Keshvar and fewer still leave alive," Umarah 
proclaimed.  "Tell me why I should not let the dogs take you?"

Aladdin felt Mozenrath stiffen.  "We claim the right of Anahita, 
Protector of all waters upon the Earth."  Aladdin drew back in shock as 
Mozenrath invoked that name, but the sorcerer's fingers dug into his 
shoulder and stopped him.

Umarah raised his ruddy eyebrows.  "A _judagar_," he said, using the 
ancient term for sorcerer.  "One who knows the ritual.  Very well!"  He 
clapped his hands and the hounds quieted and sat.  The sudden silence 
was deafening.  The pack leader growled but sat in the sand by the 
Amir's horse.  

Umarah swung down from his horse and came to stand before them.  He 
stood with his hands on his hips and looked them over.  

"Tell me your names, travelers, that I might know you," he commanded.

"I am Mozenrath, Lord of the Black Sands, and my companion here is 
Aladdin of Agrabah," Mozenrath said. 

Umarah inspected Mozenrath.  "I know of your lands, _judagar_.  A most 
inhospitable place.  Tell me, why do you lean upon this Aladdin?"

"I was injured in a fall and Aladdin has been generous with his help and 
his strength."  Aladdin narrowed his eyes at Mozenrath's mocking tone.

Umarah waved his hand and Aladdin felt Mozenrath stiffen.  The sorcerer 
gasped once in extreme pain, then stood upright and took his hand from 
Aladdin's shoulder.  He bowed to the Amir.

"Many thanks, Amir, for the healing of my injuries."  Aladdin heard the 
false sincerity in Mozenrath's voice and winced.

Umarah shook his head.  "I have done nothing.  The waters of the well 
are truly responsible for your healing.  You have been dealt greater 
hurts than they can heal, Mozenrath.  The price you pay for your power 
is indeed great."  

Aladdin turned as Mozenrath involuntarily flexed his fleshless hand.  He 
heard the dry rustling of twigs and turned away sickened.  Umarah 
continued.

"Anahita has forsaken you, _judagar_, else you would have been healed by 
the waters of the well."

Mozenrath looked at his hand; at the bleached white bone.  His face 
clouded a moment and something Aladdin could only describe as regret 
passed over the sorcerer's face.  It passed as quickly as a hawk's wing 
over the sun.  His face hardened and he clenched the skeletal digits.  
He looked up at Umarah.  "I demand that you heal me!  That's the purpose 
of this well, isn't it?  For healing?"  He voice bordered on 
desperation.

Aladdin grabbed Mozenrath's arm and pulled him around.  "Are you mad?" 
he demanded.  Mozenrath shoved him aside, but Aladdin retained his hold.

Umarah shook his head.  "That I cannot do."

Mozenrath jerked his arm out of Aladdin's grasp.  He snarled at him, 
hooked his foot under Aladdin's and neatly tripped him.  Mozenrath 
snatched his gauntlet out of Aladdin's belt and jerked it on.  He dealt 
Aladdin a magical blow that left the other's senses scattered then faced 
Umarah.

Umarah had not moved during the scuffle and remained as immobile as a 
statue as Mozenrath faced him.  His eyes sought out Mozenrath's beyond 
the sorcerer's glowing hand.

"If the well won't restore my hand, then I'll destroy it!"  When the 
King of Efreets still did not respond, Mozenrath clenched his fist.  
"Did you hear me?" he yelled.  He blasted the well with his power.  The 
rocks blasted into thousands of fragments that scattered around the base 
of the palm.  Mozenrath turned back to Umarah.

Umarah's eyes slide aside and he held up his hand.  Mozenrath glanced 
around and saw Aladdin ready to pounce on him.

"Be still, lad, there is no need."

Mozenrath laughed wickedly in Aladdin's face and held up his hand to 
blast the street rat.  

Umarah gestured.  The glow about Mozenrath's hand died.  Mozenrath 
stared at his hand in wide-eyed amazement.  "No," he said, and flung his 
hand towards Umarah.  The last of the glow sputtered and died aborning.  
As the glow faded, Mozenrath's face twisted in pain and clenched his 
fist, jerking it back.  He sank to his knees.

Aladdin watched Mozenrath struggle.  Umarah watched also, impassive, 
before gesturing again.  He twisted his hand in a sharp motion.

The sorcerer cried out in pain.  He flung his gauntleted hand open 
before him.  Umarah made a quick gesture and the gauntlet slipped off 
and flew to him.  Mozenrath brought his injured hand to his chest.  His 
teeth were clenched and he blinked tears of pain out of his eyes as he 
glared hatefully up at Umarah.

Umarah held the gauntlet lightly in his hand.  "The Hand of Fahra's 
alGhul.  A powerful trinket for one so young, Mozenrath.  It is not 
something you give up lightly."  It flared then faded out of existence.

"No!"  Mozenrath cried. He surged to his feet.  "My gauntlet--"

Umarah cut him off.  "You'll find it won't give you up easily, either.  
Already you can feel the effects of being parted from it, can't you, 
Mozenrath?  The brief moment when you won it back from your enemy only 
makes this second deprivation worse."  Mozenrath glared at him, eyes 
dark with anger.

Umarah sighed and turned to Aladdin.  "Your place in this in 
unfortunate, Aladdin of Agrabah.  I see that you brought Mozenrath here 
with no foreknowledge of what he had planned.  You took the gauntlet 
from him?"

Aladdin swallowed and nodded.  "It was the only way I--"

Umarah cut him off with an impatient gesture.  "It matters not; I can 
make no exceptions.  You have brought dishonor upon Anahita by coming 
here with treachery in your hearts.  Thieves, both of you."  Umarah 
waved his hand and a battered brass lamp appeared.

"Genie's Lamp!" Aladdin exclaimed.  He glared at Mozenrath.  "I knew I 
had it.  How did you get it?" Aladdin glowered at Mozenrath.

"Don't be a fool, Aladdin.  Xerxes took it when you weren't looking."  
Mozenrath brushed the dust from his clothing, a fastidious feline 
gesture.  Like a cat, his composure was already coming back.

Aladdin looked away disgusted and crossed his arms over his chest.  "I 
knew I should never had trusted you.  The minute I saw it was you, I 
should have left and let you rot."

Umarah made a slashing motion with his hand.  "Do not add to your 
crimes, Aladdin."  Genie's lamp glowed briefly and went to the same 
place as Mozenrath's gauntlet.  "You have each stolen something of value 
from the other.   Mozenrath, you used your powers against the one who 
helped you when in need and Aladdin, wished the other ill.  You have 
defiled this place, a place of healing and this evil must be atoned."  
He dropped the waterskin into the wrecked hole that was left of the well 
and pulled it up.  He spilled the water on the sand; ut ran black.  "You 
see?"

He circled the well leaving the two men standing there fuming at one 
another like two children caught stealing sweetmeats.  He turned back to 
them.  "By rights, I could demand your blood to cleanse this place."  
They paled and looked at each other.  "But I shall not demand that 
ultimate price.  Instead you will perform a task for me:  Find the 
Senmurv, Guardian of the Tree of Seeds, and ask her to for a seed from 
the Haoman plant.  That plant will heal this place of your misdeeds.

"There are provisions:  You must both make it to the Senmurv.  If one of 
you dies, the other will also perish.  Your lives and your fates are in 
each other's hands."  Umarah gestured and a large hourglass appeared in 
the air before him.  The sand had run into the bottom chamber and Umarah 
turned it so that the bottom chamber was on the top.  The sand remained 
where it was.

"This glass marks three days.  You have until the sand runs out to make 
your request to the Senmurv.  If by the time this sand runs out you have 
not reached her, you will both perish where you stand.

"Mozenrath, you will be unable to use your magic, save for what you can 
manage without your gauntlet."   Umarah spoke a word and they fell to 
their knees gasping for breath.  They felt a constriction about them, 
then just as suddenly it was gone.

"Your souls are now joined.  Should one of you die, the other will join 
him."

"Your possessions shall be returned to you when you have completed your 
task."  He clapped his hands and two horses, one the color of the noon 
sun and one the color of the moon at full, appeared beside him.  No 
finer animals than these would be found in the stables of humans.  So 
delicately formed, they looked unreal; more an artist's rendering of the 
perfect animal.  Their eyes were full of fire and they danced lightly in 
place, ready to be off.

"I shall provide you with these mounts and supplies to last you.  Know 
this:  My hounds keep all intruders out of this place.  Once you leave 
here, you are fair game.  Beware them."  

He gestured and the sand in the glass began running into the empty 
bottom chamber.  "Three days."  And then he and his pack faded away like 
spirits.  Only the echo of his voice remained.  "Three days."

==========
Part 3

Aladdin blinked.  Suddenly, the well was once again a tumble-down pile 
of rocks and the lone palm the only other sign of life.  Only the horses 
remained to remind them that Umarah had been there.

Aladdin came back abruptly as Mozenrath swung into the saddle with 
practiced ease.  He dragged the beast's head around and dug his heels in 
savagely.  The stallion screamed, reared, and leapt forward.  Aladdin 
watched in amazement as it streaked across the desert toward the rising 
sun.  A streak of silver like a falling star.   Xerxes flipped fin over 
tail as he sped after his master.

Aladdin pulled his steed around and swung up into the saddle.  He kneed 
the animal forward and leaned low onto its neck as it plunged forward 
after Mozenrath.  

Aladdin could hardly feel the beast touch the ground and wondered if it 
were flying over the rock instead of running on it.  He urged it on, 
faster and faster until he had closed the gap that Mozenrath had put 
between them.  Slowly, surely, the horse pulled abreast of Mozenrath's 
steed.

"Stop!" he yelled at Mozenrath.  Mozenrath gave him a wicked smile and 
just kept going.  The horses were plunging headlong neck to neck by now, 
nostrils flaring and hooves pounding.  

They raced for a few moments before the horses, on some unspoken cue, 
began to slow of their own accord.  They slowed to a walk, then stopped.  
Neither had broken a sweat nor were they breathing hard.  

"What do you think you're doing?" Aladdin demanded.

Mozenrath turned and placed a booted foot in Aladdin's stomach and 
pushed--hard.  Aladdin slid off the horse and into the sand, whooshing 
as the breath was driven from his body.  He lay there gasping as 
Mozenrath jumped down from his horse and landed in the sand near his 
head.

"Hey!" Aladdin croaked and rolled away.  Mozenrath lifted his foot and 
Aladdin caught it.  He pulled and Mozenrath fell.  He twisted and landed 
facing Aladdin.  He scooped up a handful of sand and tossed it at the 
street rat's eyes.  Aladdin ducked then reached out and grabbed 
Mozenrath's collar.  He pushed him into the sand and planted a knee 
firmly on the sorcerer's sternum.

"Let go of me!" Mozenrath snarled.

"Why?  So you can attack me again?"  Aladdin leaned on the sorcerer a 
little.

"Stop!" Mozenrath gasped.  Aladdin eased up.  Disgusted at himself and 
the sorcerer, he released Mozenrath and climbed to his feet.

"What a mess," he muttered, turning to the horse.  "And it's all your 
fault."  Aladdin began checking the horse over.

Mozenrath pushed himself up onto an elbow.  "Oh, right.  Blame me for 
everything."  He put a hand on his chest and winced.  "I think you broke 
a rib."

"That's not all I should have broken," Aladdin muttered.

"Hardly a charitable sentiment," Mozenrath remarked as he levered 
himself up out of the sand.

Aladdin spun around and shoved his fist into the sorcerer's face.  
"Let's get this straight:  The next time I find you injured in the 
desert, you're on your own, got it?"

Mozenrath smiled mockingly up at Aladdin.  "If you only knew how 
ridiculous you look."

Aladdin drew back.  "Yeah?  Well, you don't exactly look like a dew-
covered rose, yourself."  Aladdin turned back to his horse.

Mozenrath looked down at himself.  "I suppose you're right."  He stood, 
went to his horse and mounted.  He sat looking down at Aladdin, who 
seemed to have forgotten the scrap already as he ran his hand 
appreciatively over the horse's flank.

"They're magnificent." Aladdin said.

"Are you going to admire horseflesh all day or are we going to get on 
with this?" Mozenrath demanded.  He kicked his horse to a walk while 
Aladdin mounted and matched speed with him.

"I suppose you're right," Aladdin said.

Mozenrath snorted.  "At least one of us has a brain."

Aladdin grinned.  "Why thank you, Mozenrath.  I'm glad you recognize 
that fact."

Mozenrath laughed.  "You?  Have a brain?  Please, Aladdin, don't make me 
laugh."  Xerxes joined him in a round of diabolical laughter.  "That's 
like saying the desert is made up of a little sand."

"Go ahead, laugh, Mozenrath.  But this time it looks like you and I 
operate on the same level."  He nodded at Mozenrath's outraged look.  
"This is one where you're going to have rely on your wits."

"Oh, I have wits, Aladdin.  The question is do you have any?"  

Aladdin just smiled.  "I have more than you'll ever have," he said.

Mozenrath sniggered.  "Is that right, street rat?  And just how is 
knowing how to pick pockets and stealing bread going to help us?"

Aladdin shielded his eyes and scanned the horizon.  "There's more to 
being a street rat than nimble-fingers, Mozenrath."

"Oh, I forgot.  Do I really need fleas?" Mozenrath asked innocently.  He 
and Xerxes looked at one another and laughed.  Aladdin did not deign to 
reward him with a reply.

The desert gradually changed from a sandy floor to broken rocks as they 
neared a line of cliffs.  They were forced to turn to the side to look 
for a way up.  

"Where do we find the Senmurv?" Aladdin asked as they searched .

Mozenrath gave him a disgusted look.  "Don't you know anything?  On the 
summit of Mount Hara."  He pointed east.  "There."  

Aladdin looked where Mozenrath pointed.  "There?  It will take us longer 
than three days to get there!"

"But we only have three days, don't we?"  Mozenrath stopped and 
indicated a narrow wadi that led up into the cliff.  "What about this 
one?"

Aladdin rode over to inspect the wadi.  He nodded and turned his horse 
into it and started up.

Aladdin looked back at Mozenrath and asked what had been running through 
his mind since meeting with Umarah.  "What were you expecting back 
there?  That you'd be healed, just like that?  No questions, no tests, 
no price?"

Mozenrath scowled.  "I wasn't expecting to have to tag along with you to 
Mount Hara, for one thing.  If you hadn't spoiled my plans, I would've 
been home by now."   He cursed his horse as it slipped on the scree.  It 
recovered and staggered up the wadi.

"In case you've forgotten, if I hadn't happened along, you would most 
likely be dead by now."

Mozenrath laughed, a sharp, short bark.  "Hardly.  It takes more than a 
fall to kill a sorcerer."  He paused a moment.  "And, yes, I was 
expecting to be healed, no questions asked.  That's what the well does; 
it heals people."  He fell silent as he worked on guiding his horse 
through the narrow passage.  The footing grew increasingly treacherous 
as the rock became ever more unstable and rotted underneath.  The horses 
began losing more ground than they were gaining.  

Aladdin looked up at the top of the wadi.  It was too steep.  He swung 
down and led the beast.  Mozenrath did the same.

They went slowly and carefully, picking the best and least treacherous 
path through the rocks and debris, yet disaster struck.  At the top, 
when it looked as if they were going to make it, Mozenrath's horse 
slipped and fell.  It screamed as they heard a sharp cracking noise.  
Mozenrath was dragged back several feet before he let go of the reins.  
The animal slid to a stop against a boulder and lay still.

Aladdin slapped his horse on up the last few feet of the wadi and 
slipped and slid down to the horse.  A quick look told him what he 
needed to know.

"Its leg is broken."  He looked up at Mozenrath.  The sorcerer leaned 
against a boulder several feet up the ravine.

Aladdin stroked the animal's muzzle.  Its eyes were glazed in pain.  
"Can you do something?  With your magic?" he asked Mozenrath.

Mozenrath sneered.  "Waste my magic on an animal?  Why bother?"

Aladdin took a deep breath against the rage he felt building inside.  
"We can't just leave it to suffer.  If you won't do it, I will."  He 
took the dagger he wore in his belt and quickly and neatly dispatched 
the animal.  He lowered the great head to the rocks and turned to 
Mozenrath.  The entire task had taken but a few seconds and the once 
magnificent beast was now nothing more than food for the scavengers.

Aladdin dragged the saddlebags off its back and turned to go.  He found 
Mozenrath staring at him.  "You've never seen a dead horse before?" he 
asked as he shoved the bags into the sorcerer's arms.  Mozenrath's 
expression changed from one of shocked amazement to anger as he slung 
the bags over his shoulder and followed Aladdin up the wadi.

At the top, Aladdin busied himself with the horse.  "We'd better see 
what we can fit in here," he said as he pulled open the saddlebags and 
began rummaging in them.  He tossed out several items to make room for 
the food in Mozenrath's bags, then tied the waterskins to the saddle.  
He swung into the saddle and held out a hand for Mozenrath.  The 
sorcerer looked at the other with more than a little contempt but took 
his hand and swung into place behind Aladdin.  Aladdin turned the horse 
and kicked it to a trot.

The line of cliffs up which they had just come formed the first of a 
series of 'steps.'  At the top, they were forced to turn aside and ride 
along the base of the second step searching for way up.  As they rode, 
Mozenrath cautioned that the Amir's lands would likely be full of traps 
and pitfalls.

"You see traps everywhere, don't you, Mozenrath?" Aladdin asked with a 
sigh.

"I'm usually right," Mozenrath replied.

"Doesn't it get tiring, though?  Seeing treachery everywhere?"  

Mozenrath thought a moment.  "No," he said somewhat surprised.  "It 
doesn't.  I enjoy treachery; it's my hobby," he added with a laugh.

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me," Aladdin muttered.  "Why can't you do 
things other people do, like collect stamps or something?  You probably 
see a trap when you look in a mirror."

"Mirrors make very good traps, actually."  He scanned the cliffs as they 
went by them.  They rose sheer and unbroken beside them, no wadis 
leading up this time.

Aladdin raised his eyebrows.  "And just how do mirrors make good traps?"

Mozenrath grinned.  "Who would suspect a mirror of being a trap?"

Aladdin drew back.  "Mozenrath, you really need to get out more."

Mozenrath only laughed.  "I knew you wouldn't understand, Aladdin.  
Power has no meaning to someone like you.  Look at you, you run around 
playing at hero when you could be ruling Agrabah."

"I'm not ready to rule Agrabah.  That will come.  I spent eighteen years 
as a street rat before I met Jasmine, and now I'm seeing the world.  I 
don't need to rush into these things."

Mozenrath curled his lip in contempt.  "That's the difference between 
us, Aladdin.  You have no ambition, while ambition is what drives me."  
He held up his hand, clenched into a fist.  "I want power and lots of 
it."

Aladdin shook his head pityingly.  "Look what it's cost you."

Mozenrath flexed the fleshless joints.  "There's a price to pay for 
everything," he said at last.

"When does it become too high?  When will your pain stop, Mozenrath?  
When will you quit paying for your power?"

Mozenrath lowered his hand and his eyes became distant.  "You can't 
possibly understand.  True, it's painful, but the ability to control the 
power is reward in itself.  It can't be explained to someone who doesn't 
know what it's like.  It's like asking your Genie to give up his power; 
it's asking him to give up something of himself."  Mozenrath fell 
silent.  

"What about Jafar?" Aladdin asked.

Mozenrath paled.  "What about Jafar?"

"He wanted unlimited power and he got it.  Along with shackles, a lamp 
and a geas to obey the rules of the Lamp."

Mozenrath narrowed his eyes at him and gave him a suspicious look.  He 
turned back to his survey of the cliffs.  "And you destroyed him."  He 
paused before continuing.  "Jafar was stupid and let his greed rule him.  
I won't make such mistakes."

"I've heard that before."

"I'm sure you have," Mozenrath remarked in a dismissive manner.  He 
pointed beyond Aladdin.  "Is that an opening?"

"It looks like it might be.  Let's check it out."  Aladdin kicked the 
horse to a trot and approached the spot Mozenrath had pointed out.

Indeed, it was an opening.  Barely large enough to admit the horse, yet 
it squeezed through with a little coaxing.  

The opening led them to a pass lined with steep cliffs on either side.  
The horse's hooves echoed strangely against the rock as they started 
down the pass.  

After only about a ten minute ride, it narrowed down to just a few feet 
across and took a sharp turn.  They rounded the bend and found 
themselves confronted by a small pool of water.  A trickle ran down the 
wall opposite and fed it.  Aladdin turned the horse to go around it when 
Mozenrath laid a hand on his arm.

"Stop," he said.  Aladdin pulled up.  

"What?" he asked.  

"Over there."  Mozenrath nodded towards the opening of the pass beyond 
the pool.  "See it?"

Aladdin looked and at first he didn't see what Mozenrath was talking 
about.  Then it moved.  

"What is it?" he asked in amazement.  

"_Felix aculeus_.  Or for the less educated among us, a cactus cat.  
Magical creature that is part cactus and part cat.  Rather intelligent 
for something that's a mutant vegetable."  

Aladdin looked closer at the cat as it blinked at them.  It lay 
stretched across the pass on the opposite side of the pool.  It filled 
the gap.  

As he watched, it yawned, stretched and rose.  Aladdin sat back and 
caused the horse to dance backward.  Once he got the horse under control 
again, he turned to Mozenrath.  

"That thing is huge."  

Mozenrath nodded.  "Yes, isn't it?"  

Aladdin turned his attention back to the cat.  It had settled on its 
haunches and was staring at them through slitted eyes.  It stood half as 
tall as the horse at the shoulder and was as long as the equine.  Not 
built quite as solidly as Rajah, but still it looked solid enough.  
Slender, stiffened spikes decorated its ears, giving them a tufted 
appearance.  Thorns like soft quills served as its 'fur,' green and 
brown striped.  It worked its toes in and out like a housecat as it sat 
there and watched them, and Aladdin could see the wickedly curved claws 
flash in and out.

"Is it friendly?"  

"Does it look friendly?"  Mozenrath looked up the pass walls.  "There's 
no way to go around it."

"Do you think it's just passing.  Maybe if we wait, it will move off."

Mozenrath pulled a sleeping Xerxes from his shoulders, where the 
familiar had been securely wrapped during the journey here.  "Somehow I 
hardly think that's likely.  Xerxes, make yourself useful and see if you 
can lead that thing off."  He tossed him away as Xerxes yelped.  The 
familiar twisted and barely missed getting a dunking in the pool.  He 
gave Mozenrath a reproachful look before swimming off toward the cactus 
cat.

The cat did not move as Xerxes swam closer.  When the familiar was about 
to float right over it, the cat leapt and swatted at him, tossing him 
back into the pass.  It landed lightly and resumed its watchful pose.  
Xerxes screeched and swam quickly away.  He returned to Mozenrath and 
burrowed under his cloak.

"I'd say that it's not just sitting there looking regal."

"That's hardly conclusive evidence, Mozenrath.  Xerxes may just not 
appeal to it as palatable.  I know I wouldn't think of him as 
particularly tasty."  Xerxes hissed at him.

"Then you go over and ask what it does find palatable.  I'm sure it will 
tell you--right before eating you.  They are carnivorous, you know," 
Mozenrath remarked.

Aladdin thought a moment.  He rubbed his chin as he pondered the 
situation.  Without consulting the sorcerer, he slid from the saddle and 
drew his sword.

"Aladdin, just what are you up to?"

"We've got to get around it somehow."  He made his way around the pool 
towards the cat.

As with Xerxes, the cat watched disinterestedly as Aladdin came around 
the pool.  Even then, it responded only by settling down and shutting 
its eyes for a nap in that infuriating way that cats have.  It wasn't 
until Aladdin was almost upon him that it reacted.  In full fury, it 
shrieked and attacked him.

As Aladdin fell back before its attack, Mozenrath stood up in the 
stirrups.  He clenched his fist in impotent rage as the boy stumbled 
backwards towards the pool.  The cat dashed forward, moving in for the 
kill.

"Aladdin, you're going to get us both killed!" he shouted.

Aladdin didn't hear him, of course.  He was busy trying to evade the 
cat's attack.  The smooth, slick stone of the rocky basin proved his 
undoing as his boot slipped and he tumbled backwards into the pool.  The 
water fountained up around him and sent ripples outward towards both 
Mozenrath and the cat.

The cat shrieked with unholy fury and leapt straight into the air as the 
water surged around its paws.  Mozenrath gawked as it flashed out of 
range of the water and crouched with its tail lashing behind it.

He clenched his fist and summoned his power.  A whirling began in the 
water that soon grew and expanded into a spout.  Aladdin staggered out 
and leaned against the wall, watching as Mozenrath guided the flow up 
and towards the cat.  Its eyes went round with horror and it climbed the 
walls of the pass to huddle on a narrow ledge.  With his knees, 
Mozenrath guided the horse around the pool and through the narrow 
opening while holding the cat at bay with the threat of a good dowsing.  

Aladdin followed and climbed behind Mozenrath once they were past the 
cat.  Its green eyes shone balefully down at them and it hissed at them.  

"Mrrrrrooowwwrrrrrrrr!" it growled.

"Try it and you'll get wet," Mozenrath said.  He motioned with his hands 
and the waterspout dropped to flood through the narrow opening.  The cat 
hissed at them again but made no move towards them.  

Aladdin stared at Mozenrath.  "You understand it?"

"Of course I understand it."  Mozenrath looked over his shoulder at him 
with a puzzled expression.  "You don't?"

Aladdin shook his head.  "No," he said.

Mozenrath shrugged and faced forward.  Aladdin thought that perhaps it 
was a good thing that he didn't elaborate.

The pass widened quickly on the other side of the narrow bottleneck 
guarded by the cactus cat and sloped gently upwards to the top of the 
cliff.  The path led into a building of sorts at the top.  There was no 
way to go around; their only route lay through the massive opening at 
the top.  

Mozenrath looked back at Aladdin and Aladdin shrugged.  "It's the only 
way."  Mozenrath nudged the horse into the doorway.

It proved to be a sort of enclosure for an arena of sorts.  The wall 
curved around to form a circular structure with columns ranged around 
the perimeter of the area.  The floor fell away in tiers before them, 
forming an amphitheater.  The whole thing was open to the sky, and the 
noon sun slanted steeply inside, forming dark shadows and lighting the 
dust motes dancing in the air.  

By some trick, the light fell directly upon a magnificent creature 
stretched out on an oblong marble block in the stage area.  The horse 
slowed and stopped as Aladdin and Mozenrath looked down on the creature.  
Ten times bigger than any lion they had ever seen, it looked serenely up 
at them out of green eyes.  It smiled slyly at them as it stood and 
stretched in typical feline fashion.  Huge wings sprouted from its 
shoulders and they caused a stiff breeze as it flapped them to stretch 
the muscles.  

It shook its black mane before settling itself back on the block and 
gazed up at them with a toothy grin.  Aladdin noted a wicked looking 
scar that crossed over its left eye.

"Welcome, visitors, the Sanctum of the Sphinx."
==========
Part 4

The cultured, silky voice reverberated off the walls.  The horse spooked 
and pranced.  

"Come forward so that I may look at you," it ordered.  They dismounted.  
Cautiously, they descended the tiers. The horse's hooves rang hollowly 
on the marble floor as they led it behind them.

"Who are you?" Aladdin said

"That's easy. I am the Sphinx, Master of Riddles."

Aladdin opened his mouth to speak when Mozenrath lurched forward and 
clamped his hand over Aladdin's mouth.  Aladdin glared at Mozenrath.

He grabbed Aladdin's arm and squeezed in warning.  "Shut up, fool," he 
snarled at Aladdin.  "Greetings, Master of Riddles."

Aladdin pulled away.  He grabbed Mozenrath, "What did you do that for?" 
he demanded.  Mozenrath glared at him and was about to answer when the 
Sphinx answered for him.

"Because he was afraid that you might ask me another question.  I am 
Master of Riddles; there is no limit to the number you may ask me."  It 
chuckled and examined its claws.

Aladdin and Mozenrath turned to the Sphinx.  "None?" Mozenrath asked.

"None.  You may ask as many as you wish.  Only when you ask me one I 
cannot answer will you be able to leave."  The grin turned decidedly 
hungry.  The great paws clenched the stone, claws digging huge gouges 
out of the marble.  Its wings shifted restlessly.

"Riddles." Aladdin said, feeling rather witless.

"Riddles.  Never in ten thousand years has anyone asked me a riddle that 
I have failed to answer."  It rested its chin on its paw and its elbow 
on the other paw as it gazed down at them.  "And I don't expect to find 
the unanswerable riddle for another ten thousand or so.  But ask away."  
It pointed at Mozenrath.  "You first."

Mozenrath tapped his fingers against his lips.  He thought a moment 
before nodding and clearing his voice.  "All right, answer this:  'It 
cannot be seen, cannot be felt, cannot be heard, cannot be smelt.  It 
lies behind the stars and under hills, and empty holes it fills.  It 
comes first and follows after; ends life; kills laughter.'"

The Sphinx raised its eyebrows.  "Very good.  The dark.  What about 
you?" it said as it dismissed Mozenrath and turned to Aladdin.

Aladdin took a deep breath.  "Okay..."  He thought a moment.  "Here's 
one:  'Voiceless it cries, wingless flutters, toothless bites, mouthless 
mutters.'"

The Sphinx grinned.  "The wind."  It looked at Mozenrath.  "Your turn."

Mozenrath looked desperately at Aladdin.  "'This thing all things 
devours; birds, beasts, trees, flowers.  Gnaws iron, bites steel; grinds 
hard stones to meal.  Slays kings, ruins towns; and beats high mountain 
down.'"

The Sphinx raised his eyes skyward.  "Is this the best you can do?  Of 
course it is," it answered itself.  "Time.  What next?"

Aladdin put his chin in his hand and thought.  "Come on, ask me a 
riddle," the Sphinx ordered.

"Wait a minute.  I'm entitled to some time to think, surely?"

The Sphinx sighed.  "I really need to get the rules changed.  It would 
be so much easier to eat you after you'd only asked me one apiece 
instead of having to wait until you pass out from exhaustion.  Remind me 
to talk to the rules committee."

Aladdin looked up.  "You're going to eat us?"

"Yes, yes.  What do you think this is all about?  I sit here answering 
questions for my health?"  It turned to Mozenrath and pointed a claw at 
him.  "Your turn again."

"How do we get out of here?"  Aladdin gave him a quizzical look.  
Mozenrath shrugged.  

The Sphinx laughed.  "Very good.  A clever one.  You don't, because you 
have to ask me the unanswerable riddle."

"But what if we did?  Ask the unanswerable riddle?"  Aladdin had to 
admire the sorcerer.  He had recovered his poise, and now stared back at 
the Sphinx with a coolness that matched the Sphinx's.

"You won't, but since you're asking a rhetorical question, I suppose I 
can give you a rhetorical answer:  You'd go free because I would be 
compelled to fly up and dash myself against the walls."

"You'd kill yourself?"  Aladdin asked, appalled.

The Sphinx frowned.  "Of course not.  I'd just dash myself against the 
rocks here a few times, pull out some of my feathers and tear out some 
hair.  What, you think I'm crazy?"  It shrugged and waved a paw.  "It's 
a Sphinx thing."  It turned to Mozenrath.  "I believe it's your turn."

Mozenrath thought a moment.  "What do I have in my pocket?"  Aladdin 
gaped at him.

The Sphinx opened his mouth then paused.  He leaned down and gave 
Mozenrath a toothy grin.  "You are a naughty boy."  He straightened and 
assumed a bored expression.  "Nothing.  You don't have a pocket.  Next?"

Aladdin glared at Mozenrath and the sorcerer shrugged.  "It was worth a 
try," he said.

Aladdin thought desperately for a moment before asking the first thing 
that popped into his head.  "Why is a mouse when it spins?"

The Sphinx opened its massive jaws to answer when it froze.  It put its 
paws on the stone upon which it lay and leaned down close to Aladdin.  
"What did you say?" it asked, enunciating each syllable carefully.

A glimmer of hope flowered inside Aladdin.  "Why is a mouse when it 
spins?"

The Sphinx shut its green eyes and sighed heavily through its mouth.  
The wind ruffled Aladdin's hair and clothing and sent him staggering 
back.  Mozenrath grabbed his arm to steady him.  

The Sphinx raised its head and put a paw across its eyes.  "That's what 
I thought you said.  What you just walk in here and ask the right 
question?  The question that no one has asked in ten thousand years?"  
It leaned down and fixed Aladdin with a green eye.  "Have you been 
reading the script?"  

Aladdin gave a half-hearted guffaw and whispered to Mozenrath, "This 
thing sounds like someone else I've met."

"Well, go on," the Sphinx said to them.  "Go on.  The exit's that way."  
It made shooing motions with its paw.  It heaved itself to its feet and 
spread its wings.  "You don't think I'm going to let you watch, do you?"  
It's voice hardened.  "Get out."

Aladdin and Mozenrath wasted no time getting.  They hurried to the horse 
and mounted.  Aladdin kicked the horse to a trot and hurried it towards 
the exit.  The rode out of the Sanctum and onto the next plateau.  When 
the Sanctum had fallen behind, they heard crashing noises and the ground 
shook.  The horse spooked and took off at a gallop.

Aladdin let it run for a few minutes until they were clear of the 
Sphinx's Sanctum, then pulled the horse to a walk.  It pranced unhappily 
but obeyed.

Mozenrath twisted to look back at the Sanctum a moment, as he tapped 
Aladdin's shoulder.  He turned and leaned forward.  "'Why is a mouse 
when it spins?'  What kind of question is that?" he demanded.

Aladdin smirked and shrugged.  "I don't know.  Just something I heard 
somewhere.  From some doctor."

"Doctor who?"

"That's just it; I can't remember."  He shrugged and turned back to 
their journey.  


After a couple hour's ride the terrain grew more rocky than sand, though 
there was still plenty of the latter.  They spotted a rare splash of 
green among the shimmering mirages that played about them.  Aladdin 
looked up at the sun and took its position.  He turned towards that 
flash of green, for in the desert where there is life there is water.  
Soon they came to a small oasis.  With the persistent tenacity of life, 
the presence of water had encouraged the growth of several small palms 
and a few other plants in the midst of lifelessness.  They dismounted 
under the shade of the palms.

Aladdin looked about.  "Nice.  Funny, I don't remember seeing it on any 
maps, though."  He led the horse under the shade of the palms.

Mozenrath gave him a look that said volumes.  "We're still deep in 
Keshvar.  You don't think people come here everyday, do you?"  He 
stalked away.  Aladdin watched him go then tied the horse to a tree and 
pulled the saddlebags down and opened them.

He dug food from the loaded saddlebags.  He passed Mozenrath's share to 
him and went to sit under the palms and they ate in uneasy silence.  
Mozenrath threw bits of food in the air for Xerxes to catch, and chewed 
his own disinterestedly.  He answered Aladdin's attempts at conversation 
with monosyllabic grunts until even the usually irrepressible Aladdin 
gave up.  

The strain finally began to tell.  Aladdin stood and stomped over to the 
spring.  It sprang from between a jumble of rocks and trickled into a 
rocky basin before sluicing away into the sand.  Aladdin cupped his 
hands and was about to bring some water to his mouth to drink when 
Mozenrath lurched to his feet and knocked his hands away.  The water 
fell onto the sand and was lost.

Aladdin bounded to his feet and confronted Mozenrath.  "What are you 
doing?" he demanded.

Mozenrath took his arm and waved him to silence.  "Quiet.  This whole 
place has the feel of a trap."

Aladdin pulled up short and glanced around, wondering what the sorcerer 
felt.  "How so?"

"Things just don't feel right.  Everything is too--perfect.  Xerxes," he 
called.  

The familiar swam into sight.  "Yes, Master?"

"The water.  Check it out."  Xerxes nodded and swam over to the little 
pool.  He hovered over the surface.  He sniffed delicately then swam 
back to Mozenrath.  

"Water bad.  No drink."  Mozenrath favored the familiar with a stroking.  

"How is the water bad?" Aladdin demanded.

"Sleep.  Water make sleep," Xerxes said self-importantly.

"A sleep spell, eh?"  Mozenrath moved off around the little pool, 
scuffing the sand with his boots.  "Why would there be a sleep spell on 
a spring where nobody comes?"  He stood and looked at the sun, then 
east, then west.  "Unless..."  He moved off out of the circle of trees 
still examining the sand.

Aladdin decided that discretion was better than stupidity and took a 
drink from one of the waterskins on the saddle.  He watched Mozenrath 
scratch around in the sand.  He replaced the skin and decided to see 
what the sorcerer was up to.  He followed Mozenrath around the spring.

"Still smell a trap?"

"Believe me, Aladdin, when you have as much experience as I do with 
laying traps, you become familiar with how they feel."  He paced around 
a bit more.  He paused and squatted, brushing aside the sand in front of 
him.  "See?"

Aladdin looked over Mozenrath's shoulder.  The sorcerer moved aside the 
sand to reveal a jumble of bones.  They had been bleached white by the 
sun.  As he removed the covering sand, the grinning visage of a human 
skull stared up at them.

Aladdin drew back as Mozenrath uncovered more bones; animal as well as 
human.  "Convinced?" Mozenrath asked.

Aladdin nodded.  He started back to the oasis, taking the shortest route 
around the spring.  "Let's get out of here, then."  

Mozenrath straightened and turned.  He saw a slight surge in the sand as 
Aladdin neared it.  "Aladdin!  Stop!" he called.

Too late.  Aladdin took one step and floundered.  Black goo surged up 
his legs and swiftly engulfed him to his waist.  Mozenrath ran to him 
and grabbed his arm.

"Still putting your best foot forward, eh, Aladdin?" he asked as he 
shifted his grip to under Aladdin's arms.

"Very funny, Mozenrath.  Would you like to dispense with the jokes and 
get me out of this?"  Aladdin struggled against the pull.  "What is this 
stuff?  It's like that stuff you used to trap me to bring Genie to 
Dagger Rock."

Mozenrath winced.  "Don't remind me of Dagger Rock.  I'm *still* 
suffering from claustrophobia thanks to that princess of yours."  
Mozenrath shifted his grip so he could free one hand.  "Don't move.  It 
only makes it worse."  He waved his hand and Aladdin felt the hairs on 
his neck stand on end.  Something like a breeze but cold and full of 
energy.

Mozenrath face twisted with strain.  "Do exactly as I say.  Hang on, but 
whatever you do, don't struggle against it."  He gripped Aladdin under 
the arms and pulled, steadily but gently.  Aladdin watched the stuff 
surge up his legs, then fall back a ways.  The cold feeling increased.  
The pressure on his legs increased then began to lessen.  With a final 
slurping gulp he was free.  Mozenrath dragged him back out of reach of 
the stuff and dropped him.  

Aladdin scrambled further away as the stuff surged under the sand.  
"What is that stuff?"

"Armis slime.  Useful in small quantities, but they can be troublesome 
when they get larger."  Mozenrath dusted off his tunic.  "I said this 
place felt like a trap, didn't I?"

Aladdin got to his feet and kicked a glob of black goo off his foot.  
"All right, all right.  You've made your point.  I think it's time to 
leave."  They got no further than that when a raging howl came out of 
the desert behind them.  They turned and stared at the thing that rose 
out of the sand behind them.  

"What's it doing?"  Aladdin shouted as he fell back before it.

"I don't think it liked having lunch snatched away!" Mozenrath shouted 
back.  The Armis assumed a roughly human shape and lurched after them.  
It sent long arms of slime toward them as it shambled after them.

Aladdin and Mozenrath scrambled for the horse.  Aladdin stumbled and 
Mozenrath dragged him to his feet but not before one of the tentacles 
looped around his foot.  It pulled the two of them from their feet as it 
dragged him back.  

Mozenrath scrambled up and set his feet in the sand and pulled, but it 
was no use.  The thing was several times his size.  Aladdin slipped 
further and further towards it.

"Do something!" he shouted at Mozenrath.

"Quiet!" Mozenrath yelled.  He closed his eyes and gestured and again 
Aladdin felt that cold wind engulf him.  The thing shrieked in rage and 
pushed against the spell.

Suddenly, the pressure from the spell snapped and Mozenrath gasped.  He 
shook his head.  "It's too large.  I can't control it when it exerts its 
entire will."

"Lot of help you are," Aladdin snapped.  "What kind of sorcerer are 
you?"

Mozenrath narrowed his eyes at him.  "If I didn't need you to get out of 
this myself, I'd let it have its lunch, do you know that?"

Aladdin held on tighter to Mozenrath as the Armis dragged them further 
into it.  The slime was up to his knees now.  "I'm sorry, Mozenrath.  
I'm sorry, now just get me out of this thing!"

"What do you think I'm trying to do?"  He strained against the pull of 
the thing.  

"Mozenrath," Aladdin said as calmly as he could.  "If  you don't do 
something in a hurry, we're both going to be lunch for Globby here."

"I know!"  Mozenrath retorted.

"You used this stuff at Dagger Rock!"  Aladdin looked back.  His foot 
was only inches away from the thing now.  "You must know something about 
it!"

"I didn't have this much of it!  I didn't know these things grew so 
big!"  He looked around and spotted the horse.  He gestured again.  The 
Armis surged again and Aladdin's legs disappeared under the black stuff.

"Mozenrath!!" Aladdin shouted.  The horse's reins untied themselves from 
the tree and floated towards Mozenrath.  He snatched them and pressed 
them into Aladdin's hands.  

"Hold on!"  He let go of Aladdin and snatched the rope off the saddle.  
He looped it under Aladdin's arms.  The other end he secured to the 
nearest tree.  He concentrated and Aladdin could feel the beginnings of 
the spell again.

"Xerxes!" Mozenrath shouted.  "See if you can distract it!"

The sorcerer's familiar had been hovering out of the way and now he 
streaked in front of the thing.  It "saw" him and turned to swat at him.  
Great droplets of black goo fell from the arm it grew and narrowly 
missed the eel.  He screeched and flew away.

The distraction worked a bit; the spell increased and forced the 
creature to let loose of Aladdin enough to slide down his legs.  Aladdin 
pulled himself along the rope.  Mozenrath panted and leaned against the 
horse.

"It worked!" Aladdin said.

"But not enough," Mozenrath replied as the goo surged back up Aladdin's 
leg.  "What we need is a bigger distraction."  He looked up at the 
horse.  An idea came to him.  He swung into the saddle and yanked the 
reins around.  He guided the horse around to the far side of the Armis.

The pressure of the spell increased until Aladdin thought his ears would 
pop.  Slowly, painfully slow, the Armis released him as the spell forced 
it away from him.  

Without warning, the Armis changed its attack.  It left Aladdin and 
surged toward Mozenrath.  The spell broke as the horse danced aside and 
Mozenrath kicked it to a gallop.

"Get away from it, Aladdin!  It can't survive away from the water!"  
Aladdin scrambled up and fumbled with the rope as he back-pedaled away 
from the Armis.  Finally, the rope came free.  He turned and ran out 
into the desert and put as much distance between himself and the oasis 
as possible.  Winded, he stopped and looked around for Mozenrath and 
spotted Xerxes flying along beside him.  He spotted Mozenrath racing 
toward him and the Armis close behind.  He didn't wait for Mozenrath; 
instead he turned and began running as fast as he could away from the 
oasis.

He heard the thunder of hoof beats and the horse's harsh breathing 
beside him.  He turned and grabbed Mozenrath's arm and swung himself up 
behind the sorcerer and held on as the horse flew over the desert and 
put the creature behind them.

Mozenrath glanced over his shoulder.  "Where's Xerxes?" he called.

Aladdin looked around, unable to locate the familiar.  Then he felt 
something burrowing under his tunic and around his waist.  "I've got 
him!"  He patted the spot and then concentrated on hanging on.

The howling of the Armis fell behind them, only to be replaced by 
another howling.  Mozenrath pulled up the horse and they stared around 
in horror as hundreds of hounds poured over the horizon and raced 
towards them. 
==========
Part 5

Aladdin looked around.  "What's that?" he asked.

Mozenrath went pale, not a good sign.  "Umarah's hounds.  They've got 
our scent."  He pulled the horse around and kicked it to a gallop.  
Aladdin had to grab at him to keep from falling off.

"Umarah's hounds?  What are they doing here?"

"Hunting us!" Mozenrath snapped.  "What else do you think hunting dogs 
do?"

"But why us?" Aladdin said through clenched teeth, as he tried not to 
let Mozenrath anger him.  He pushed Mozenrath's cloak out of his face 
and held on.

"Weren't you listening to Umarah?  They hunt all intruders in this 
place."  Mozenrath glanced back at the hounds closing in.  "We're 
intruders so they're hunting us.  Is that clear enough?"

Aladdin didn't answer, just concentrated on not falling off.

As fast as the horse ran, it could not outdistance Umarah's hounds.  
They found themselves encircled and trapped.  The great stallion 
screamed and reared as the hounds snapped at its hooves.  Unfortunately, 
it dumped them to the ground in the process.

Aladdin rolled nimbly to his feet and had his sword out all in one 
motion.  Mozenrath was only a fraction of a second later.  Then the 
hounds were upon them.

Aladdin fought like a dervish, slashing this way and that, while 
Mozenrath used precise, controlled blasts against the hounds.  Between 
them, the ground was soon littered with the bodies of the hounds.  

Aladdin and Mozenrath fought back to back, sword and magic, yet the 
things still came.  They poured forth like a wave of terror, their ruddy 
coats gleaming in the sun like fire.  Teeth snapped at their heels and 
dragged at their clothes.  There seemed no end to them.  On and on they 
poured across the desert.  

One got a little close and snagged Mozenrath's cloak.  Already 
exhausted, it didn't take much to pull him off balance, and he fell to 
his knees.  Immediately the hounds pressed their attack, crowding closer 
and closer, sensing weakness.  Emboldened, several rushed forward and 
kept Aladdin's blade busy, while others pressed the attack on Mozenrath.  
He yelled as one caught his foot in its mouth and began dragging him 
away from Aladdin.

Aladdin turned and grabbed Mozenrath's wrist.  Mozenrath held on, and 
kicked at his attacker.  Aladdin neatly dispatched the hound and hauled 
Mozenrath to his feet.

Shaken, Mozenrath forgot himself.  "Thanks," he muttered.

"Don't mention it," Aladdin replied automatically.

They turned back to the fray, when suddenly a great baying deafened 
them.  The hounds turned, and fell silent.  As suddenly as they had 
come, they melted back into the desert.  Aladdin and Mozenrath looked at 
one another as that call came again, closer this time.  They backed away 
as a huge hound flew over the desert towards them.

Mozenrath fell back before the beast,  and pulled Aladdin with him.  She 
followed, eyes glowing like a gas flame.  A low rumbling came from her 
throat that they could feel in their bones.

"The pack leader," Aladdin said.

Mozenrath nodded.  His eyes were glued to the beast.  "It is said that 
ten men cannot kill her."

Aladdin gave him a quick glance.  "Well, we're not ten men; we're two.  
Be ready," he warned as he brought his sword up.

Mozenrath nodded dumbly as he panted with exhaustion.  The beast swung 
her great head around then turned her attention to Aladdin.  She studied 
him a moment before fixing Mozenrath with her blue eyes.

Aladdin took the opening.  He rushed forward and slashed at the beast's 
legs, then retreated quickly as she spun about to face him.  

To his surprise, she dismissed him and turned her attention back to 
Mozenrath.    She advanced on him and he stepped back.

"Mozenrath, don't move."  Aladdin jumped over a rock and came to stand 
by the exhausted sorcerer.  She knew the sorcerer was the weakest of 
them and Aladdin knew she would concentrate her attack on him.

"Now what?" Mozenrath asked in a voice raspy with fatigue.

Aladdin his sword on the beast.  She glowered at him and gnashed her 
teeth but kept her distance.  

"How's your magic?" Aladdin asked.  Mozenrath shook his head.

"No good.  I can't manage anything else."  Aladdin risked a glance at 
the sorcerer and found himself flat on his back, knocked to the ground 
by a red blur.

Aladdin gasped, but pushed himself up in time to see the beast hurl 
herself at Mozenrath.  The beast lowered her head and scooped him up and 
over her back.  He rolled off, landing hard against the rocks, only to 
have her turn and trample him as she passed.  She skidded to a halt, and 
turned.  She howled as she rushed in for the kill.

Aladdin jumped to his feet and slogged his way to the fallen Mozenrath 
before the beast reached him.  He lowered his sword at her but she 
skidded and pulled up.  She glared at him through eyes red with rage.  
She howled and snapped at his sword, nearly dragging it from his grasp.  
Aladdin stood over the sorcerer, holding off the beast.  "Mozenrath?" he 
asked.

"What?" the other croaked.  He clutched his arms to his sides.  

Aladdin couldn't disguise the relief he felt, but he covered it with 
anger.  "You idiot, why didn't you stand still like I told you?"

Mozenrath looked at him through eyes slitted in pain.  "Call me an idiot 
again, Aladdin, and I'll--"

Aladdin made a chopping motion with his hand.  "Never mind, Mozenrath, 
you can thank me later."

The beast charged, trying to drive Aladdin away from Mozenrath.  She 
feinted several times, kicking up sand in her efforts to scare him away 
from her prey.  Aladdin stood his ground, and refused to be drawn away.  
The beast howled with rage.

Mozenrath groaned and tried to rise.  Aladdin motioned him to stay down.  
"Play dead," he ordered.

"What?" the sorcerer demanded.

"What part of 'play dead' don't you understand?  Play dead; lie still; 
don't move.  I think she'll leave you alone if whe thinks you're dead."  
The beast charged again and Aladdin had to sidestep quickly to avoid 
being trampled himself.

Mozenrath did as Aladdin ordered and remained motionless in the sand.  
Aladdin's theory seemed to work.  The beast concentrated on him, 
forgettting about the 'dead' sorcerer in the sand.

Aladdin sidestepped another attack by the pack leader and thought 
furiously about how to get out of this situation.  As he returned to 
Mozenrath, he spotted the stallion.  

"Mozenrath, can you bring the horse here?  Like you did at the oasis?" 
he asked.

Mozenrath grimaced and Aladdin saw him clench his devastated hand.  The 
reins lifted into the air and drifted in their direction.  The stallion 
followed.

The pack leader noticed the movement and swung her head to follow the 
horse's progress.  She pawed the sand and took a step in its direction.  
The horse threw up its head and pulled back.

"Stop," Aladdin said to Mozenrath.  "We don't need to lose another 
horse."  The reins dropped and Mozenrath gasped.  Once the horse stopped 
moving the beast turned her attention back to Aladdin.  

"It's no good.  She's between us and the horse.  Maybe if you--"

"Forget it," Mozenrath interrupted.  "I can't do any more without rest.  
My powers are spent."

Aladdin cursed.  Aladdin looked around and saw a patch of green in the 
desert beyond.  An idea shimmered into being as the heat glare shimmered 
around them.  He gauged the distance to the horse.  "Do you think you 
can run?"  Mozenrath nodded.  "Okay, get ready to move."

Aladdin shifted his grip on his sword and turned his attention to the 
beast.  "I think I can distract her enough to let you get to the horse.  
I just wish we'd been able to get it closer."  

"Xerxes.  Have Xerxes bring it around."

Aladdin looked around for Mozenrath's familiar.  "Xerxes, bring the 
horse," he ordered when he found him.

Xerxes nodded and flew over to the horse.  He caught the reins and 
pulled.  The stallion threw up its head but followed the eel.  Slowly, 
Xerxes led the horse closer to the pair.

Aladdin kept his attention focused on the pack leader, ever alert for 
the slightest shift in her attention.  "Can you see them?" Aladdin 
asked.

"They're almost here.  Two dozen paces, no more."

The beast's attention shifted to the familiar and stallion.  "Xerxes, 
stop!" Aladdin shouted.  He glanced over there quickly then stepped away 
from the mage.  "When I say run, run.  I'll cover you."

Aladdin took another step away.  "Hey, ugly!" he shouted at the beast.  
She looked over at him.  "Over here!"  He took a few more steps and she 
started toward him.

Aladdin increased his pace.  The beast threw back her head and roared.  
Aladdin's eyes went wide as she lowered her head and charged.

"Now, Mozenrath!  Get out of there!"  He threw himself aside as the 
beast rushed at him.

Mozenrath didn't waste any time.  He sprang to his feet and ran to the 
horse.  "Good job, Xerxes," he told the eel as he pulled himself into 
the saddle.  He pulled the horse's head around and looked about wildly 
for Aladdin.  He spotted him playing dodge with the beast some distance 
away.  Mozenrath urged the stallion to a trot.

The beast skidded to a stop as he rode into her line of vision.  She 
stopped and turned her baleful stare on Mozenrath.  He seized the 
opening and kicked the horse to a gallop.  In a flash he was at 
Aladdin's side.  Aladdin vaulted onto the horse behind Mozenrath and 
Mozenrath kicked the stallion's flank savagely and it took them away 
from the beast.  She roared with rage at the deception.

Aladdin touched Mozenrath's shoulder.  "Lead her back to the oasis!" he 
shouted.

"We'll never outrun that thing!"

"We don't have to!" Aladdin shouted back.  Mozenrath glanced back at 
him.  His eyes went wide and he smiled as he caught Aladdin's meaning.  
He leaned forward and urged the stallion to greater speeds.  

They neared the churned up sands of the oasis and Mozenrath turned the 
horse towards the black pit of the Armis slime.  It had nearly finished 
covering itself with sand, but they could see the outline of its liquid 
body under the sand.  The pack leader's breath was hot on their necks as 
the horse stretched itself to the limit.  

"What now?" Mozenrath shouted.

"Head straight for the Armis.  When you get there, jump!"  Aladdin 
looked over his shoulder at the beast and could count the teeth in its 
gaping jaws.

"What?!  Are you mad?"

"Quite possibly!"

"We'll never make it!"

"Just do it!"

The horse thundered up to the edge of the churned sand and Mozenrath 
gave it the signal to jump.  Aladdin held on as he felt the powerful 
muscles beneath him gather themselves to thrust the stallion from the 
ground.  Effortlessly, the great steed launched itself from the ground 
and sailed over the Armis and cleared it with room to spare.

Aladdin twisted around as Mozenrath pulled up on the reins.  The 
stallion turned sharply, and Aladdin slid off.  He landed heavily, and 
stared back in horror as the pack leader bunched itself to leap over the 
Armis.  No, he thought to himself.  It can't!  As cleanly as the 
stallion had made the leap, the beast sailed over the black slime of the 
Armis.

Aladdin cringed as he saw the thing rushing towards him.  Gaping jaws 
revealed teeth yellow and jagged.  He threw an arm up and waited.  The 
impact never came.  The Armis howled as the pack leader reached the apex 
of its flight.  Black slime surged upward in an incredible wave.  The 
pack leader screamed as the stuff engulfed it.  

The beast landed short of Aladdin and it scrabbled in the sand by 
Aladdin's feet as it struggled with the Armis.  Aladdin kicked himself 
backward as the Armis pulled the beast into itself.  Within moments, 
there was no trace of it.  The surface of the black pool surged and 
bubbled for a moment before it quieted and went still again.  Aladdin 
stared at it in horror.  

He looked around as he heard the sound of hooves behind him and the 
heavy breathing of the stallion.  Mozenrath stared at the black pit as 
well.   Xerxes flew to his master's side.  Mozenrath ignored him as he 
continued to stare at the place where the pack leader had disappeared.

Aladdin let his head drop back to the ground and panted with relief and 
exertion.

"We'd better get going," Mozenrath said.  His voice sounded thin and 
brittle, near cracking.

Aladdin nodded, his eyes shut.  He opened them and squinted against the 
sun and saw that it was more than halfway along its journey to the 
western sea.  "It would be best to get in as much traveling as possible 
between now and dark."  He pushed himself up and to his feet and began 
walking away from the setting sun and towards the distant mountain and 
their goal.  Mozenrath kneed the horse into a walk alongside him.  

Aladdin stroked the stallion's neck as it plodded along with him.  It 
felt damp, but not overly so.  Aladdin took the bridle and pulled him to 
a stop.  The horse snuffled at him, blowing into his neck.

"He should have burst his heart after a run like that," he said.  "But 
he's barely broken a sweat."

Mozenrath waved his hand.  "The steeds of Amir Umarah are famed for 
their stamina."

Aladdin nodded and resumed his walk.  Soon his own heart slowed to a 
dull throb.  He stopped and let the horse pull ahead of him.  

"Mozenrath," he began awkwardly.  The sorcerer turned the horse to look 
at him.  "Thanks for saving my life.  From the Armis."

Mozenrath pinched his lips together and looked away.  "Don't mention it.  
Really."  He turned the horse again and started off.  Aladdin stepped 
back, anger warring with confusion.  As he stood there, the horse turned 
around and Mozenrath brought him back to Aladdin.  He held out his hand 
and Aladdin took it and swung up behind the sorcerer.  They rode on into 
the desert in silence.
==========
Part 6

They rode in silence until nearly sundown.  The terrain changed around 
them, becoming more rocky as  grasses and shrubs took root in the soil, 
changing the land from arid desert to plainsland.  The triangular shape 
of Mount Hara loomed over them.

It was nearly dark when Mozenrath pulled up beside a small tumble of 
rocks. 

Aladdin looked around.  "We're stopping?"

"It's almost dark.  We shouldn't be moving about within Umarah's lands 
after dark."  Mozenrath slipped from the saddle and stumbled into the 
stallion.  It whickered softly, and moved away.  Mozenrath scowled at it 
and straightened.  "Besides, I'm exhausted."

Aladdin nodded absently.  "Almost being something's lunch twice in one 
day will have that effect, I suppose."  Mozenrath glared at him.  
Aladdin waited for Mozenrath to move away then slid from the saddle as 
well.  He pulled the saddlebags and waterskins from the horse, then the 
saddle.  He rubbed the beast down before patting its flank 
affectionately.  He picked up the bags and joined Mozenrath.  Behind 
him, the horse began tearing at the short grass.

Mozenrath had collapsed under a small tree with his head on his arm, and 
eyes closed.  Aladdin gathered up some dried wood that was scattered 
about and set about making a fire.  Just as he had it laid out, 
Mozenrath stirred and gestured with his fleshless hand.  Fire sprang 
from the wood.   He sat up and held his hands out over the fire as he 
inspected his handiwork.  They shook, and his face was gray with 
exhaustion.  Aladdin wondered what he looked like himself.  He felt as 
if he had been stretched in several different directions at once then 
left to dry out in the sun.

Mozenrath looked at his shaking hands and tucked them under his arms to 
stop them.  Aladdin could see that the sorcerer was on the verge of 
collapse; his whole body shook.  He looked like death warmed over.  His 
usually pale features were chalky and stood out in stark contrast 
against the deepening gloom.

Aladdin dug food from the saddlebags.  He split one of the loaves of 
bread and handed it to Mozenrath.  The sorcerer shook his head and 
looked away.  

Aladdin silently insisted that Mozenrath eat his share.  Mozenrath gave 
him a hard look, but took it.  He tore off a bit and chewed 
mechanically.

They finished in silence then as the fire dimmed they slept the sleep of 
exhaustion.


A persistent light woke Aladdin.  He stretched, grunted in pain as he 
encountered the soreness in his muscles, and sneezed.  He opened his 
eyes and looked around.  The sight that met his eyes bore no resemblence 
to his cozy hovel or the room he was welcome to use at the palace.  He 
sat up and looked around and reached for his knife.  When he spotted the 
dark-clothed figure across the remains of the fire, he heaved a sigh as 
memory returned.  He slumped back into the warm hollow his body had made 
in the sandy soil.  He shut his eyes again and tried to ignore the 
bright sun as it crept over the horizon.  

As much as he relished a few more moments of sleep, he didn't want those 
extra moments meaning that they wouldn't reach the summit of Mount Hara 
before the sand in Umarah's glass ran out.  Aladdin sighed and pushed 
himself up again, pulling his cloak tight against the chill.

He reached for the extra wood he had stacked nearby and put it over the 
now cold ashes of the previous night's fire.  He looked over at 
Mozenrath, and found him awake.

"How about a fire?" he asked.

Mozenrath sat up.  Aladdin sat back in shock at how ill the sorcerer 
looked.   Eyes and cheeks sunken and hollow, he looked like one of his 
Mamluks.

Mozenrath put his face in his hands and leaned forward onto his knees.  
Taking several deep breaths, he swallowed hard against the nausea.  He 
held out his hand and concentrated.  When his power did not respond 
right away, he felt a flush of adrenaline.  His face flushed as fear 
gnawed at his stomach.  He took a few more deep breaths to control his 
racing pulse and again concentrated on bringing fire to the dry wood.  
It was painful and hard, but he managed to start the fire.  When it 
caught completely, he slumped forward and shook with the effort.  Xerxes 
slid over his shoulders protectively.

Without a word, Aladdin filled the small pot with water and put a bit of 
dried meat in it and set it on the fire to simmer.  He divided the bread 
and put Mozenrath's share near him.  Mozenrath ignored it.  When the 
water had boiled and formed a thin broth, he poured it into one of the 
mugs and held it out.

"Drink this," he said.  

Mozenrath looked up.  "What is it?"

"Broth."  When Mozenrath frowned and shook his head, he sighed in 
annoyance and set it down.  "Mozenrath, we've been through this.  
Besides, it will help you feel better."

Mozenrath glared at him.  "What makes you think I need to feel better?"

Aladdin guffawed and shook his head.  "Looking at you, that's what.  You 
look like one of those Mamluks of yours."  He held out the mug again.  
"What's wrong with you anyway?"

Mozenrath took the mug and sniffed at it.  He grimaced, but managed to 
down some of it.  "Being separated from my gauntlet."

"That's it?"

"It's not just a glove, you know," Mozenrath shot back.  Aladdin had 
been right in one respect; he was beginning to feel a bit better with 
something in his stomach.  He picked up the bit of bread and soaked a 
little in the broth.

"It's an object of power, endowed with a life of its own.  There is a--
bond--between us.  The longer I'm separated from it, the more I feel the 
effects."  He scowled at himself; why was he being so chatty?

Aladdin shook his head, and downed his broth.  "Where did you get such a 
thing?  And why would you want it?"

Mozenrath looked into the mug.  "My mother."

Aladdin looked up.  "What?"

Mozenrath gave him a disgusted look.  "Not what; who.  My mother."

Aladdin shook his head.  "Sorry, I just never thought of you as having a 
mother."

"Everyone has a mother."

"Why would she give you something like that?"

"She had it and I wanted it.  And she didn't give it to me; I had to 
earn it."  

"Did she know about its powers and what it would do to you?"

"Of course she did.  She made it."

Aladdin sat back, appalled.  "What kind of mother would do that to her 
son?"

"A powerful one."  Mozenrath managed a smile as he thought of her.  "A 
very powerful one."

Aladdin narrowed his eyes at him.  "Who is she, anyway?"

Mozenrath looked at him sharply.  "No one you'd know."  He drained the 
last of his broth and handed the mug back to Aladdin.  "I think it's 
time we got started, don't you?" he asked, neatly dismissing the 
subject.

Aladdin nodded and stood.  He kicked sand over the fire and made sure it 
was out.  He left the saddlebags to Mozenrath and went to saddle the 
horse.  Minutes later, they were on their way eastward, traveling ever 
closer to Mount Hara and the Senmurv.


They rode for nearly an hour with no interruptions.  No traps; no 
creatures attacked them.  Indeed, if it hadn't been for the company each 
kept, it might have been pleasant.  The land gave away from sparse 
plains to lush grasslands and the grasslands to patches of forested 
land.  The air grew warm, yet not unpleasantly so.  Birds flew around 
them, and Aladdin saw hawks circling as they looked for food.  Once, in 
the distance, he spotted a lion.  He kicked the horse to a canter to 
avoid meeting it.  

As the morning wore on, the effects of being parted from his gauntlet 
eased up.  Mozenrath began feeling if not at his best, at least the 
weakness wasn't devastating as it had been that morning.  He was able to 
ignore it, providing he didn't need to call on his powers for anything 
more than the simplest tasks.  

As it was, the first sign Mozenrath had that anything was wrong was when 
Aladdin rubbed his forehead, as if trying to rub a headache away.  The 
motion caught his attention and he watched Aladdin closely.  A 
shimmering at the edge of his vision directed his attention away from 
Aladdin, but when he turned to look at it, there was nothing there.  A 
vague feeling of uneasiness came over him, though and he looked back at 
Aladdin.

Aladdin shook his head as if to clear it and was staring off in the 
direction Mozenrath had seen the shimmering.  He put a hand on Aladdin's 
shoulder and gripped it, hard.  "What is it?"

"I'm--not sure.  There's something out there..."  He trailed off as he 
stared out into the distance.  Mozenrath looked and saw nothing but a 
small copse of pine trees.  

"Tell me what you see," he demanded.  The feeling of uneasiness 
increased the further they rode, until there was a slightly 
uncomfortable feeling behind his eyes.  He concentrated on that feeling 
as he tried to determine what was going on.

"I--I don't know.  It's something--It looks like a person."  Aladdin 
fell silent and squeezed his eyes shut then opened them.  "It's 
Jasmine!" he shouted and flung himself off the horse. 

The movement nearly dislodged Mozenrath, but he recovered.  He got the 
horse back under control and sent it speeding after Aladdin.  He 
muttered a few choice curses under his berath.

Aladdin headed into the copse of pine trees without stopping to look 
back.  Mozenrath pulled the horse up, and flung himself off.  He rushed 
after Aladdin, losing him in the dim light.  The copse was darker than 
it should be and he could feel the magic that flooded the area.  It 
washed over him and made his skin crawl.  Something waited for them; now 
that he was in contact with the magic, he could hear its call, but his 
abilities enabled him to ignore it.

He caught a glimpse of a dark shape off under the boughs ahead of him 
and he rushed after it.  He blundered into Aladdin, literally, as the 
other had tripped in his headlong rush and become entangled in the 
undergrowth.  Mozenrath rolled him over and grabbed his tunic to help 
him up.  Instead, Aladdin grabbed his arm and forced him down.  
Mozenrath again found himself with Aladdin leaning on his chest.

"Aladdin!  What are you doing?" he gasped.

"Let her go!"  Aladdin's knife flashed and Mozenrath felt it's sharp 
edge pressed into his neck.

"What are you talking about?" he managed to get out.  He looked into 
Aladdin's eyes and knew that the street rat saw something he didn't.  

"Let Jasmine go, Arbutus.  I won't let you have her!"  Aladdin pressed 
the knife harder against his neck.

"Who's Arbutus?  I'm Mozenrath!"  He knew immediately that that had been 
a mistake.  Aladdin's eyes clouded and he shook his head. 

"Mozenrath?"  The confusion in his eyes flared into rage.  "What have 
you done with her?  Where is Jasmine?"  

Mozenrath held up his hands.  "It's okay, Aladdin.  Jasmine's safe.  
Trust me."

"I'll never trust you, Mozenrath.  Tell me where Jasmine is or you'll 
suffer."  Mozenrath winced as the sharp edge of the dagger dus into his 
throat.

Mozenrath curled his lip at Aladdin in disgust.  "Fine, Aladdin.  I'll 
take you to her.  Just let me up."

Aladdin thought about it a moment then sat back.  He pulled Mozenrath up 
by the tunic and kept his knife close to the other's throat.  "No 
tricks," he said.

Mozenrath looked at the other over the gleaming knife.  "No tricks, 
Aladdin.  Jasmine's right behind you."  He held up his hand and pointed 
behind Aladdin.

Aladdin started and turned, releasing the sorcerer.  Mozenrath touched 
Aladdin's shoulder with his skeletal hand and power flashed between 
them.  Aladdin slumped to the ground.  Mozenrath gasped and held his 
hand close to him, biting his lip against the pain.  He stared down at 
the unconscious Aladdin and shook his head in distaste.

"Great," he muttered as he leaned down and grasped Aladdin under the 
arms.  "Loverboy is seeing phantoms.  Just what I need.  Why couldn't 
you keep a cat or something?" he asked the other as he started back 
through the trees to where he'd left the horse, dragging Aladdin.  
Aladdin, as expected, didn't respond.  

He reached the edge of the copse and the horse.  It flung its head up as 
the sorcerer approached it and danced backward.  Mozenrath dropped 
Aladdin and looked around.  Something had followed him out of the copse 
and came slithering towards him.  He could barely see it, but he knew it 
meant them harm.  Taking a deep breath, he directed a blast in its 
direction.  The shape reared back at the impact and slipped back under 
the trees.

Aladdin moaned and stirred.  Mozenrath looked down at him.  Aladdin 
opened his eyes and stared madly around.  He saw Mozenrath and scrambled 
backward. Mozenrath hit him with the same spell as before.  

Somehow, Mozenrath managed to get Aladdin on the horse.  He climbed into 
the saddle behind him and turned the horse towards the mountain and 
their goal and set off.
==========
Part 7

The grasses and disparate copses gave way to dense forest before Aladdin 
began stirring.  Mozenrath summoned Xerxes.  "Go see if you can find 
some water ahead, Xerxes.  Make sure it's not spelled."  Xerxes nodded 
and swam off.

Aladdin moaned but remained unconscious as Mozenrath came to the small 
stream Xerxes led him to.  He pulled the horse up, and seeing no other 
way to get Aladdin off, he pushed him off.

The rough landing jarred Aladdin awake.  He groaned and looked up as 
Mozenrath dismounted.  "What happened?  Where are we?" he asked as he 
looked around at the little clearing.  

"You had a run-in with a phantom," Mozenrath explained as he dumped a 
waterskin next to him.  He took the other one and strode to the stream.  
He held his hand over it and double-checked Xerxes' diagnosis.  
Satisfied that it was indeed magic-free, he plunged the waterskin into 
it and filled it.

Aladdin groaned at the pain in his head.  Mozenrath looked over his 
shoulder at him.  "Sorry.  Circumstances called for something crude and 
simple.  It should wear off quickly.  Drink something; it will help."  
Aladdin unstoppered the waterskin and drank.  

"A phantom?" he asked after draining the skin.  He handed it to 
Mozenrath, who took it to fill it.  He got up and pulled some food from 
the saddlebags.

"A magical creature that lures its victims using their memories, usually 
those of close friends and family."  Mozenrath arched an eyebrow at him.  
"You were off chasing your girlfriend through the forest."  He came and 
sat across from Aladdin, and arched an eyebrow at him.  "Fortunately for 
you, I'm immune to such things."

Aladdin looked around.  "Are there any more of these phantoms around?"

Mozenrath nodded.  "Undoubtedly.  This whole area is filthy with magic."  
He smiled at Xerxes as the eel settled around his shoulders.  "Feels 
like home, doesn't it, Xerxes?"   Xerxes nodded and pushed against 
Mozenrath's hand.

Aladdin scowled and ate his food.   He kept seeing things out of the 
corner of his eye, yet there was nothing to see when he turned to look.  
He jumped when Mozenrath told him to calm down.

"You're going to wear yourself out, if you don't," he continued.  He 
leaned back against a tree and closed his eyes.  Aladdin glared at him 
and got up.  He went to the stream and scooped some water up to scrub 
his face.  He looked up as he wiped the excess water away and thought he 
spotted something on the other side of the stream.  He jumped across, 
using a stone in the midst of the stream, and landed lightly on the bank 
on the other side.  He started off under the trees, following the 
flickering movements.

Back at the stream, Mozenrath looked up.  Not seeing Aladdin, he sat up 
and looked around.  "Aladdin?" he called.  He was about to stand when a 
rushing pressure forced him back.  He fought against it and climbed to 
his feet.  "Aladdin!" he shouted.

He heard a shout and leapt across the stream in its direction.  He took 
not more than a half-a-dozen steps into the trees when he found Aladdin, 
frozen in mid-shout, arms outflung, surrounded by a glowing nimbus.  He 
reached out and grabbed his arm.  He pulled him back and the nimbus 
died.  Aladdin gasped and slumped to the ground. 

"Will you never learn about looking before you leap, Aladdin?  How many 
times have I warned you about traps?"  He looked the other over; Aladdin 
appeared unharmed.

Aladdin sat up.  "What happened?" he asked in a shaky voice.

"I just saved your life--again.  You nearly got yourself--and me--
killed."  He looked through the trees.

He approached the place he had found Aladdin and passed it.  Nothing 
happened.  He looked around, searching for something.  He turned back to 
Aladdin.  "Come towards me.  Walk slowly and be ready to stop the moment 
I say."  Aladdin climbed to his feet and did as Mozenrath ordered.  When 
he got within reach of Mozenrath, the sorcerer flung up his hand.  

"Get back!  Now!"  Aladdin hopped backward as a rush of lights converged 
on the spot where he had been standing.  They passed through Mozenrath 
with no effect.

"Just as I suspected," he said conversationally as he rejoined Aladdin.  
He took Aladdin's arm and steered him back to the stream and their 
horse.  "There's a barrier to keep out your type."

Aladdin jerked his arm out of Mozenrath's grip.  "Just what do you mean 
'my type?'"  

Mozenrath waved his hand dismissively as he crossed the stream.  "The 
hero type:  Unimpeachable moral character, heart of gold, diamond in the 
rough.  That sort of type.  Personally, I rather approve, but it's going 
to make getting to Hara rather difficult."

Aladdin looked back towards the barrier.  "Why would there be such a 
barrier here?"

"Probably to keep people like you from getting to the mountain."

"But why can you get through and I can't?"

They had reached the clearing.  "Turnabout is fair play, isn't it?" 
Mozenrath asked as he climbed on the horse.  "The Senmurv is unwilling 
to suffer evil in her presence.  It's only fair that someone feeling 
slighted by that prejudice would put up a barrier to keep others away 
from her, too."  He looked at Aladdin over his shoulder as Aladdin 
mounted behind him.  "It's something I would do."

"I'm sure you would, too," Aladdin muttered.  

Mozenrath grinned at him before continuing.  "A more likely explanation 
is it was put there as a sort of a test.  Just another obstacle for us 
to overcome by forcing us to cooperate."  His voice reflected his 
distaste.

"So what now?"

"We look for a way around."  Mozenrath turned the horse to follow the 
stream.  He looked around for Xerxes.  "Xerxes, get your worthless hide 
over here."  The eel flew out of the trees and hovered next to 
Mozenrath.  "Go back that way and see if you can find a way around or 
through the barrier.  And hurry!"

Aladdin watched the eel fly off.  "Isn't that something we'd best be 
doing, too?  Hurrying?" he asked.  Mozenrath nodded and pushed the horse 
to a trot. 

They didn't have far to ride before coming up against a sheer cliff.  
Mozenrath pulled the horse to a stop.  "Looks like we can't go any 
further this way."  Aladdin nodded and they returned they way they came.  

When they were nearly at the clearing, they caught up with Xerxes.  
"Well, Xerxes?"

He shook his head.  "No way.  Cliff."  

Mozenrath sighed heavily and slid off the horse.  "Stay here," he said.  

Aladdin jumped down from the horse.  He secured the reins and hurried 
after Mozenrath.  The sorcerer was already disappearing through the 
trees towards the barrier.  Aladdin stepped up his pace and caught up 
with him just as Mozenrath was stepping across the barrier.

"I thought I told you to stay put," Mozenrath said without turning 
around.  He stopped five paces into the barrier and let his arms hang 
loose at his side as he extended his senses outward.

"I just wanted to see if there was anything I could do to help."  

"Right, Aladdin.  I'm sure you did."  He probed the barrier, testing its 
strength.  No way to dispel it, not with his powers diminished.  

Aladdin looked guilty.  "It's not that I don't trust you, Mozenrath," he 
started.

Mozenrath snorted and glanced over his shoulder.  "That's news to me."

Aladdin gave up.  "All, right, Mozenrath, I don't trust you.  I came 
along to make sure you didn't do anything treacherous.  Happy?"

Satisfied with what he had learned, Mozenrath turned and joined him.  
"Happy?  I won't be happy until we're out of this mess."  He strode past 
Aladdin and returned to the horse beside the stream.  Aladdin followed.

Mozenrath sat down against the tree he had been leaning against earlier.  
Aladdin looked down at him.  "Well?"

Mozenrath waved his hand at him.  "Have a seat.  Let me think this 
through."

Aladdin refused to be silenced.  "You're just going to sit there?"

Mozenrath adopted a look of infinite patience.  "No, I'm not just going 
to sit here.  I'm going to try and figure out how to get you through 
this barrier so that we can get to Mount Hara.  Satisfied?  Good.  Now 
sit down."  Aladdin found himself sitting, suddenly.

He jumped up.  "Don't ever do that to me again, Mozenrath.  Not ever.  I 
don't like you using magic on me."

"Aladdin, will you please shut up--"  He got no further.  An altogether 
too familiar howling rose out of the forests behind them.

Mozenrath jumped up.  "The hounds."  He whirled around.  "Xerxes, go see 
how close they are."  Xerxes flew off.  

Mozenrath grabbed Aladdin's arm and dragged him over to the horse.  "Get 
on," he ordered.  One look at Aladdin quelled any protestations from 
that quarter and Aladdin swung into the saddle.  

Mozenrath took the reins and led the horse across the stream and into 
the clearing before the barrier.  Xerxes flew into the clearing.  
"Close, Mozenrath.  Too close," he reported.

The sorcerer nodded.  He turned to Aladdin.  "Aladdin, there is way to 
get you through the barrier, but--"  He paused.

"What?" Aladdin asked.  The howling was getting louder.

Mozenrath looked up at him.  "I have to cast a spell on you.  And you 
have to let me."

Aladdin sat back, making the horse dance.  "What are you babbling 
about?"

Mozenrath shook his head impatiently.  "I never babble.  Those hounds 
are angry over the death of their leader.  They're after blood; ours.  
There is only one way to go, and it's that way."  Mozenrath pointed 
towards the barrier.

"But I can't go that way!"

"Then stay here."  Mozenrath dropped the reins and marched toward the 
barrier.  "Shall I tell the princess you loved her?  I'm not quite sure 
how she'll take the news coming from me, but I'll be happy to pass on 
any last words you might have for her..."  He let the implication trail 
off.

Aladdin looked around, and hit the pommel of the saddle with his fist.  
"All right, Mozenrath.  You win."

Mozenrath came back to the horse and once again took the reins.  It 
sounded as if the hounds were breathing down their necks.  No time for 
anything fancy, he thought as he pulled the spell he needed up in his 
mind.  He tried to cast it over Aladdin, but it slipped away and 
wouldn't take hold.  

He tried again, with the same results.  He shook his head to clear it 
from the backlash and gritted his teeth in anger.  

"Look, if this is going to work, you have to trust me to protect you."  
He held up his hand at Aladdin's expression.  "I know, I know, you have 
no reason to trust me, and I'm not going out of my way to provide you 
with any.  I don't like this any more than you do; I like it less, in 
fact.  You have a choice, Aladdin:  Let me help you or take the quick 
route to Paradise."

Aladdin looked beyond him at the deceptively easy way through the trees.  
"You don't think I could just ride through it?"

Mozenrath shook his head.  He smiled, tried to be reassuring, but 
underneath he was seething with anger.  "No, that would get you a first-
class ticket to the Abyss.  I've been to the Abyss; believe me, you 
wouldn't like it."  He paused before trying a different tack.  "I'm not 
sure how I would do it, but if you don't agree within the next five 
seconds, I'll find some way to do it without your agreement.  It might 
mean losing your mind, Aladdin, but as long as you're alive, I'd be 
alive, too."  Maybe threats would get his attention, he thought.

Aladdin glared at him, then nodded.  "Do it," he said.

"Think of something, anything but the situation here."  Mozenrath 
repeated the spell and covered Aladdin with it.  

The image of Jasmine filled his mind and he winced.  "No!  Not her!  
Something inanimate; something familiar.  Xerxes, where are those 
hounds?" he called.

"Still looking.  Have five minutes, tops," the eel said.

Mozenrath relaxed as the princess was replaced with an image of a 
battered brass lamp.  He nodded.  "Good.  Now keep thinking of that."  
The spell fell into place and Mozenrath tested it.  It held, barely.  
Aladdin paled, but said nothing.  His eyes grew distant.  Mozenrath 
mounted with his help and they started through the barrier.  The hounds 
broke into the clearing just as they passed through it.  The one in the 
lead leapt through it, only to be frozen in place by the magic.  The 
hounds could not pass through the barrier.  They fell back and milled 
along it, baying at their prey safe on the other side.

Mozenrath turned his attention to getting Aladdin through alive.  It was 
the hardest thing he had ever done made harder by this already 
overextended talents.  He shuddered as the magic of the barrier tugged 
at the ragged edges of the spell covering Aladdin and ripped it.  Each 
rip proved harder and harder to repair. His eyes shut against the 
strain; he was barely able to cling to Aladdin to keep from tumbling off 
the horse.

The presence of the sorcerer in his mind nauseated him, and Aladdin had 
to keep fighting down the revulsion that threatened to throw off the 
spell.

"You're fighting me," Mozenrath croaked.  Aladdin forced himself to 
relax.

The howling of the hounds fell behind them as Aladdin guided the horse.  
Xerxes flew ahead to warn him of pitfalls and dangerous areas, and still 
the barrier persisted.

For two hours the torture lasted.  Mozenrath kept the spell up, fighting 
against its imminent collapse with sheer willpower.  When they finally 
broke through the other side of it, it was as if they had been swimming 
under water all the time and forced to hold their breaths.  The spell 
exploded outward without the pressure of the barrier bearing down on it.  
Mozenrath cried out and fell from the horse.  Breathless with relief at 
finally having that choking presence lifted from his spirit, Aladdin 
wasn't quick enough to keep him from falling.  He jumped down and 
crouched by Mozenrath's side.

"Mozenrath?" he asked.  The sorcerer's breathing was shallow and ragged 
with pain.  He gripped Aladdin's arm.  

"Get--away--from--me," he croaked.  He pushed away from Aladdin.

Aladdin sat back.  "I want to help."

Mozenrath shook his head.  "No.  Just get away."  He paused and licked 
his lips.  "Now." he added.  

Aladdin moved away, leaving the sorcerer.  He lead the horse around him 
and tethered it to a tree.  Aladdin gathered wood and laid a fire, since 
it would seem that they weren't going any further that day.  Indeed, the 
sky was darkening; already the eastern sky was beginning to fade to 
night.  

Aladdin started the fire and ate his share of the food.  He kept an eye 
on Mozenrath to make sure nothing crept out of the darkness and attacked 
him.

It was full night before Mozenrath showed signs of stirring.  He sat up 
and moved into the light of the fire.  Aladdin could see him trembling.  
He took the mug of broth and bread without word and downed them both 
with more enthusiasm he had shown for food in the past two days.  He 
avoided looking at Aladdin.

Aladdin threw a stick into the fire.  "Mozenrath--" he started.

"Don't say anything."  Mozenrath's voice was harsh and cold.

"I was going to ask what you did.  How did you get me through the 
barrier?"

Mozenrath looked up.  His eyes were haunted, yet if anything they showed 
more hatred for him now than previously.  "I made the barrier think you 
were me.  You became part of me."

Aladdin swallowed.  "I don't understand."

"It's an interrogation spell.  I modified it so that instead of 
displacing your mind entirely, I only cloaked it from the barrier 
spell."  He looked away.  "It wasn't easy.  It was never meant for that 
purpose."  He held out an unsteady hand and pointed at the dried wood 
Aladdin had stacked nearby.  Nothing happened.

"My power is depleted to the point that I can't even start fires.   The 
most basic of all spells, and I can't even shape the power to do it," he 
finished savagely.  "I'm powerless because of you, street rat!"  

Aladdin sat back.  "You're blaming me?"

"Yes," Mozenrath spat.  "Want to make something of it?"

Aladdin couldn't believe his ears.  "You're something else, Mozenrath.  
We wouldn't be in this mess if you hadn't--"

"Oh, shut up, Aladdin."  Mozenrath pulled his cloak about him and lied 
down with his back to the fire and to Aladdin.

Aladdin shook his head in disbelief.  The sooner this was over the 
better.  He pulled his own cloak around himself and settled down to 
sleep as well.
==========
Part 8

They slept late the next morning.  When Aladdin pried his eyes open, the 
sun was already well up.  He sat up and reached over to shake Mozenrath.  
"Wake up!  We need to get going."

Mozenrath started and grabbed his arm.  He sat up and looked around.  
"Oh, it's you."  He released Aladdin.  "What are you carrying on about 
this time?"

"It's nearly midmorning.  We have one day to get to the top of that--" 
he pointed up at Mount Hara looming above them.  "Or have you 
forgotten?"

"No, I haven't forgotten," Mozenrath sneered.  He waved Aladdin away. 

They were underway in less than five minutes, opting to eat on the way.  
Neither spoke and they traveled under a blanket of uneasy silence.

A couple hours after they had struck camp, they encountered a wall.  The 
cliffs they had encountered on either side of the barrier narrowed to 
form a pass across which a huge wall blocked their way.  The center of 
the wall was a raised panel carved with a huge bird.

"A dead end," Aladdin said to no one in particular.

"What a lousy place for a wall," Mozenrath muttered.  He swung down and 
walked up to it.  Aladdin followed.

He looked to either side.  The cliffs were sheer and would not be scaled 
easily.  "I don't suppose it's possible to go around.  

Mozenrath shook his head.  "No time.  We have to figure out how to get 
through this."  He ran his hand over the carvings he could reach.

"How?"

Mozenrath let his hand drop to his side.  "How should I know?" he asked 
in disgust.

"You *should* know," Aladdin commented as he joined Mozenrath at the 
wall.

Mozenrath turned to stare at him.  "Why?" he asked.

"You're the sorcerer.  You've known about everything else:  Umarah and 
the well; the hounds, the trap at the oasis, the barrier.  Why not 
this?"  Aladdin gestured at the wall.

Mozenrath turned and leaned against the wall and laughed.  It was full 
of amused outrage.  "'You're the sorcerer, Mozenrath,'" he mimicked.  
"'You should know everything.'  Well, I don't." He crossed his arms over 
his chest and looked at Aladdin through narrowed eyes.  "Besides, I 
don't do walls. *You’re* the street rat, Aladdin.  How about using some 
of that street rat ingenuity you're always going on about. *You* find a 
way through."

"All right, all right.  Keep your turban on; I didn't mean anything by 
it."  He searched the wall.  After a good ten minutes he sighed and 
shook his head.  "I can't find any type of release mechanism."

Mozenrath hadn't moved.  "You won't.  It's a magical release."  

Aladdin turned on him.  "What?  You knew it was a magical release?  And 
you had the nerve to insinuate that this might be something I could 
find?" he demanded.

Mozenrath tilted his chin up and looked at him down his nose.  "I can 
sense it's a magical release, but that doesn't necessarily mean it takes 
someone with magical skills to open it."

Aladdin sighed and let go of his anger.  This was no time to argue.  He 
was about to say something else, when something occurred to him.  "You 
said you could sense it.  I thought your power was gone."

"I was mistaken," was all Mozenrath would say.  Aladdin stared at him a 
moment longer before turning back to the wall.  

"Okay, if it's a magical release that doesn't require magic to trip, 
maybe it's a sign, or a password.  We just need to find the right one."

Mozenrath snorted.  "Sure, Aladdin.  How many solutions could there be?  
Do you really expect it to be that simple?  That all we have to do is 
wave our arms and say 'open sesame' and it will open?"

Mozenrath's eyes went wide as the wall creaked.  The wall swung open 
behind him and he tumbled through onto the sandy path beyond.  He landed 
heavily enough to knock the wind out of him.  He lay gasping in the sand 
as Aladdin stepped through and leaned over him.  He grinned down at the 
sorcerer in that insolent manner of his.

"I hate to say I told you so, but--I told you so."  He gave Mozenrath a 
jaunty salute and lead the horse around him.  Mozenrath gave him a black 
look before he squeezed his eyes shut and concentrated on getting air 
into his lungs.

"It looks like we've reached the base of the mountain," Aladdin said 
conversationally.  

"Does it?" Mozenrath said.  He tried desperately to ignore Aladdin.

"This trail leads right up it.  Looks pretty easy."

"You don't say."  Ignoring him didn't help.

He heard Aladdin mount the horse.  "It's nearly noon."

He opened his eyes and squinted at the sun.  "So it is."  No, ignoring 
him definitely didn't work.  Perhaps a fireball would, he thought.  Yes, 
a fireball; a nice hot fireball.  It was bound to at least make him feel 
better.

He heard the horse being turned.  A shadow fell over his face.

"Are you coming or are you planning to watch the clouds all day?"

Mozenrath shut his eyes again.  "Sometimes, just sometimes, you really 
wind me up, Aladdin."  He rolled over and forced his abused body to its 
feet.  He climbed clumsily onto the horse behind Aladdin.  "Come on, 
let's get this over with.  I can't wait to be on my own again, away from 
you."

"You haven't exactly been a picnic either, Mozenrath," Aladdin said over 
his shoulder as he turned the horse up the trail and sent it up at a 
trot.  

The sandy trail turned to rock within moments of leaving the wall 
behind.  While easy going at first, the trail turned treacherous and 
they were forced to abandon the horse.  Mozenrath looked on in silence 
as Aladdin pulled the saddle and bridle from the horse and stroked its 
head a moment before slapping its flank.  It whinnied and took off down 
the path back the way they had come.  He shook his head in irritation 
and turned to continue climbing up the trail.  Aladdin watched as the 
horse disappeared then turned to follow Mozenrath.

The trail soon became steep and difficult.  Twice they had to backtrack 
and take another way up the mountain as false trails led them to sheer 
walls or deep clefts.  They climbed in silence, concentrating on getting 
up the mountain as quickly as they could, but remaining in one piece.

As the day wore on, Aladdin began seeing signs that Mozenrath was near 
the end of his strength.  Several times he had to stop and wait for the 
sorcerer.  But Mozenrath continued to pull himself along.

Then as the sun was about two hours from setting, Aladdin was waiting 
for him to catch up when Mozenrath slipped and fell.  He slid down the 
slope for several yards, coming up against a boulder just short of a 
thousand foot precipice.  

Mozenrath clung to the boulder, intensely aware that the other side of 
it hung out over nothing.  He felt his fingers slipping and he slipped 
further around it.  He scrabbled for a handhold, but there were none to 
be found.  His bone fingers slipped on the rock and refused to find 
purchase.

"Hold on," Aladdin called down.  "I'm coming."  He reached the sorcerer 
just as Mozenrath's precarious hold slipped.  

"Aladdin!" he called as he went sliding around the boulder.  Aladdin 
threw caution to the wind and slid the rest of the way.  He caught 
Mozenrath's hand just before it slipped from the rock.  He braced 
himself and took the other's weight and held him dangling above the long 
drop below.  

Mozenrath scrambled for a foothold even as he scratched around for some 
sort of purchase he could gain with his skeletal right hand.  He looked 
up and saw Aladdin grimace with the strain.  

"Quit kicking, Moze," Aladdin said through clenched teeth.  Mozenrath 
went still.  He looked down and wished he hadn't.  

Aladdin managed to shift his hold on the sorcerer's arm.  Pain seared 
through him, but Mozenrath clenched his jaw against it.

"I can't hold you.  Give me your other hand!" Aladdin shouted.

Painfully, Mozenrath brought his right hand up.  Aladdin grabbed it and 
the pain nearly drove Mozenrath unconscious.  Aladdin heaved and pulled 
Mozenrath up a ways.  Mozenrath found footing and helped haul himself 
over the ledge.  He used the adrenaline rush to help him get back to the 
relative safety of the path before collapsing.

Aladdin dropped to the path some distance away from him.  He rubbed his 
hand where Mozenrath's bony digits had dug into the flesh and eyed the 
other distastefully.  Mozenrath huddled over his hand, cradling it.

"Are you okay?" Aladdin asked finally.

"No," he gasped.  The pain made it difficult to speak.  He shook his 
head.

Aladdin sighed and looked away.  He would be glad to get rid of 
Mozenrath.  All he wanted right now was a bath and some clean clothes.  
He looked back in surprise as Mozenrath spoke.

"It's the Senmurv."  He held up and flexed his hand.  "Her nature repels 
evil.  My hand is the physical manifestation of the bargain I made with 
evil, so it is where I'll feel the pain first, and most."  He clenched 
his hand and grimaced.

Aladdin looked away then stood up.  "We'd better get moving.  There 
isn't much light left."  He started up the trail.  He paused and looked 
back.  At first he thought Mozenrath wasn't going to follow, but the 
sorcerer pushed himself up and followed.  He kept his right hand close 
to his body.

They managed perhaps another hour's journey up the mountain before 
Mozenrath collapsed against the mountain.  "I can't go any further," he 
panted.  Aladdin looked up then back down, weighing whether or not he 
should continue.  He turned back to Mozenrath.  "How much time do we 
have left, according to Umarah's hourglass?"

Mozenrath looked up and his eyes lost their focus.  They slid shut as he 
bowed his head.  "We have until mid-morning, tomorrow," he answered.  

Aladdin returned and again sat a ways away from the sorcerer.  "I 
suppose this is as good as place as any to rest.  I don't suppose you 
could magic up a fire?"  He nodded as Mozenrath shook his head.  "I 
thought as much."  He leaned back and made himself comfortable and in no 
time was asleep.  Mozenrath looked at the youth; he wouldn't be getting 
any sleep that night.  Not with the way his hand throbbed.  However, 
contrary to that thought, he slipped almost immediately into a troubled 
sleep.


Aladdin woke the next morning feeling more refreshed than he had 
imagined possible.  He sat up and stretched.  He looked up and gauging 
by the amount of light in the sky, judged that he had about five hours 
to reach the summit.

He shook Mozenrath awake.  The other stirred and looked around.  He felt 
disoriented, but he hauled himself up and plodded up the trail after 
Aladdin.  It became steeper, but less treacherous than the lower areas.  
Eventually, it formed a long stairway that wound around the ever 
decreasing girth of the mountain.  They plodded along, going up step 
after step after step after step...  

Their world diminished to encompass the next step up and nothing more.  
Up and up they went, around and around the mountain, but still the 
summit remained out of their reach.  As the sun rose in the eastern sky, 
Aladdin tried to judge how much time they had.  He asked Mozenrath.  
"Another hour, if that," the other replied.  Aladdin stopped and looked 
up.  Would they make it in an hour?  He wasn't optimistic. 

Mozenrath plodded on past him without comment.  Aladdin turned his 
attention from the distant summit back to the problem of reaching it.  
He followed Mozenrath, but soon outpaced the sorcerer as he weakened 
further.  Finally, after pulling ahead of him by a quarter turn of the 
staircase, Aladdin paused and looked back.  Mozenrath had sunk down on 
the stairs and leaned back against the mountain.  Aladdin hurried down.

"Come on.  We can't stop now."  

Mozenrath shook his head.  His face was gray.  Xerxes hissed at Aladdin 
from his position around Mozenrath's shoulders.  

"I'm not leaving you here.  You might fall off the mountain or 
something."  

Mozenrath opened his eyes and gave him a baleful look.  "I can't go any 
further.  I don't have the strength."

Aladdin reached down and pulled him up by his arm.  "Then I'll lend you 
mine."  He slung Mozenrath's arm over his shoulders and turned.  

Mozenrath gasped as Aladdin started dragging him upwards against the 
repulsion.  The dull throbbing in his arm and hand flared to a searing 
pain.  He pulled against Aladdin.  "Stop!"

Aladdin pulled harder and didn't stop.  "No."  Relentlessly, Aladdin 
dragged him upwards.

"You don't understand.  The Senmurv--"

Aladdin tightened his grip on the sorcerer's arm.  "No, I don't 
understand.  All I know is that you're coming with me, if I have to drag 
you the rest of the way."  

Mozenrath's mouth twisted with the effort, but he managed to stumble 
along.  He let Aladdin guide him and just concentrated on getting up the 
mountain.

That hour lasted an eternity.  The top of the stairs came in sight and 
Aladdin finally had to stop.  He let Mozenrath's arm slip from his 
shoulder and the sorcerer slumped down, barely conscious.  He leaned 
forward, hands on his knees, and panted with exertion.  He got his 
breath back and was about to pick up the dazed sorcerer, when someone 
spoke.

"Leave the sorcerer.  If you bring him any closer, he will die.  Come 
alone."

Aladdin looked around for the source of the voice, but found no one.  He 
gave Mozenrath one last look and mounted the last of the stairs.  Less 
than a quarter turn and there was the last step.  Aladdin sank to his 
knees in relief, and then looked to see the ultimate goal of the climb.  
His jaw dropped and he pulled off his turban.  

There, bursting from the very heart of the mountain, was the Tree of 
Seeds.  Jagged rock projections rose up like guardians around it.  The 
Tree itself twisted around on itself, as if someone had taken its trunk 
and braided it together to form a massively thick trunk.  It was larger 
than the largest onion domed tower of the palace of Agrabah.  Its 
branches wound around and back on themselves, before returning to the 
mass of the trunk itself.  They rose to support an umbrella-like canopy 
of green.  The leaves were every color of the rainbow, and every leaf of 
every plant sprouted there.  Fruits of every shape and size hung from 
the boughs.  They gleamed golden in the mid-morning sunshine.  

But no matter how magnificent the Tree was, it was eclipsed by the 
heavenly bird that roosted in it's branches.  It was to her that Aladdin 
had bowed.  Deep purple in color, her feathers gleamed with a golden 
sheen.  Her tail, folded behind her, shimmered with golds, purples, 
blues and reds.  As he watched, she turned her golden eye on him and 
opened her tail to it's full glory, like a peacock's tail, but a hundred 
times more magnificent.  The Senmurv.

Aladdin shook himself and found himself face to face with the Senmurv.  
She had flown down from the tree to settle on a limb that hung down 
nearly level with him.  She leaned her graceful neck down and looked at 
him squarely in the eye.  Her eyes shone like gold, yet they were as 
deep as the darkest well.  

"I've been waiting for you, Aladdin of Agrabah."

He shook his head.  "You have?  How did you--"

"I know everything that happens in this land."

"But I thought Umarah--" 

She shook her head.  "Umarah is my servant.  He does as I bid, and it 
was I that sent you on this quest."  She opened her wings and glided to 
a lower branch.  Aladdin turned to follow her progress.

"Why?"

"Aladdin, there are things that must be done.  I knew Mozenrath would 
defile the Well of Anahita with his evil, and that you would help him 
atone for his deeds."

Aladdin felt anger rise up in him.  "Why didn't you just stop him, if 
you knew?"

She looked at him with eyes so old he thought he might drown in them.  
"That is not my way."

"So there really wasn't any reason to put us through the last three days 
of torture, is that right?" he asked in a voice harsh with anger.

She put a wing on his shoulder.  "Wrong, Aladdin.  There is a purpose 
for everything that happens.  Sometimes the reasons aren't apparent to 
those who are part of the pattern.  In a sense, I used the _judagar_ to 
bring you here, so take comfort in that fact.  It wasn't you who were 
manipulated, but Mozenrath.  I sent the basilisk that caused his horse 
to throw him."

He felt his anger slip away.  "But why?"

She smiled at him and stroked his cheek.  "That would be telling.  Some 
very powerful forces have taken an interest in you and I wanted to see 
you for myself.  Up close and personal, shall we say?"  

Aladdin smiled a half-smile.  "I suppose I should be flattered."

She patted his shoulder.  "I have other reasons as well, and they 
include Mozenrath.  But those reasons are my own."  She gave his cheek 
one more stroke before taking off in a flurry of feathers.  Aladdin 
ducked his head to avoid her mighty wings and when he straightened, he 
saw that she had flown halfway around the tree.  She pulled down one of 
the golden fruits and held it.  He approached her and she turned and 
fixed him with a gaze as sharp as glass.

"Inside this fruit is the seed of the Haoman plant.  Do you know of the 
Haoman?" she asked.  He shook his head, no. 

"It is a plant of healing, and gives one supernatural powers.  There is 
no sickness or hurt that cannot be healed by the Haoman."  She held the 
fruit out to him.

Aladdin took it gently.  It was smaller than an orange and a perfect 
sphere.  "Nothing?"

She shook her head.  "Nothing.  This fruit must be planted next to the 
Well of Anahita--by Mozenrath.  It will grow into a lush plant and the 
Well will become an even more sacred spot.  Out of his evil, great good 
will come."

The Senmurv looked to the sun.  "Because you were tricked into this 
journey by Mozenrath, it is only fitting that I should give you a gift, 
therefore I give you this:  Once the Haoman has grown, pluck a few of 
its leaves.  Keep them or give them away as you see fit."

Aladdin bowed his head.  "Thank you."

"Do not thank me, Aladdin."  She paused.  "You do not need to do this, 
you know."

Aladdin looked up.  "What?"

"The bond between you and Mozenrath is lifted.  It was his evil that 
defiled the Well, not yours.  If you wanted, I could send you back to 
Agrabah now.  The _judagar_ will remain and I shall have Umarah spill 
his blood by the well to water the Haoman seed.  The evil will be 
cleansed and Mozenrath will never trouble you again."

Aladdin took a step back.  "I can't do that!" he gasped.  "I can't 
sentence someone to death just like that!  Not even Mozenrath."

"What about when you become Sultan?" she asked.

"Well, that's different.  Those men will be criminals, murders--"

"Mozenrath is evil.  You know that by the pain he felt coming here.  
Nothing that is evil can survive in my presence.  He has tried to kill 
you; he tried to take your friend.  He means to conquer Agrabah and as 
long as you stand in his way, he will try to hurt you in whatever way he 
can find.  Can you deny this?"

Aladdin frowned and looked away.  "No, but that's different."

"How?" she demanded.

"Criminals are tried; evidence is used to prove they did what they're 
accused of."

"Your own experience is not sufficient evidence?"  She fixed him with 
her eyes.  He felt a strange sensation wash over him as he saw they were 
black instead of gold.  "You see?  You know he is guilty.  Let me send 
you to Agrabah now.  Umarah will deal with Mozenrath.  The Land of the 
Black Sand will fall and become just a story shared over a fire."

Aladdin backed away, surprised by the vehemence in her voice.  "No!" he 
shouted.  "No," he repeated a little less forcefully after she reared up 
and spread her wings in surprise.  "I can't do that.  Not this way."

The Senmurv settled back down and arched her graceful neck and shut her 
huge eyes.  "