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Chapter Text

Alibaba opened his eyes. He was...soft. Fluffy pillows under his head, silk sheets cocooning him, and an actual freaking mattress under his body. Alibaba blinked sluggishly as he took in the extravagant room he awoke in. It wasn't as fancy as the rooms in Sindria, but Alibaba couldn't help but feel as though he had seen this place before.

Where was he? And what happened? Last he remembered, Alibaba was fighting against Hakuryuu. And then he died. Or at least, it felt like he died. One second he was screaming himself hoarse at his friend to snap out of it and the next he heard the wind whistling as Hakuryuu's blade struck true. A blinding light enveloped him, warm like a flickering ember of Amon's flames, but itchy as well. Like what little Magoi he had was being squeezed into a tiny bottle. Alibaba didn't think that was how one's soul returned to the Great Flow. He remembered Kassim and his sister's transparent bodies floating away to join the Rukh after the battle that happened in Balbadd. Then again, that was under special circumstances, Aladdin being an outlining factor. Maybe this was how it was supposed to happen. It was the first time Alibaba had died.

The sound of a door opening broke Alibaba's thoughts. A young girl dressed in servant's clothes slipped into the room with a tray held aloft in her arms. Alibaba struggled to sit up, surprised at how weak his body was. The girl heard the rustling of the sheets and squeaked as she looked up at Alibaba.

“Prince Alibaba!” The title startled Alibaba. He hadn't heard anyone call him that since he was fourteen. He was so surprised Alibaba forgot to respond as the servant scurried to his bedside.

“You're awake!” She sat the tray down, the contents wobbling from the sudden movement. It held a small pitcher and basin of water, a rag soaking inside. “The King will want to know immediately.” And off she went in a hustle, leaving the room with barely a sound before Alibaba could snap out of his stupor.

Just what in the name of Solomon was going on? What King? Sinbad? He was the most likely option. He couldn't imagine Kouen being interested in Alibaba's predicament; even if he wasn't involved in a civil war.

But this didn't look like a war camp infirmary, and it was most definitely not a room in Sindria. Besides, the servant girl wasn't dressed like the maids in Sinbad's castle. Their the uniform was more colorful and cut for tropical weather. The girl who had visited was in a simple long-sleeved white dress with a red trim, feet covered in flat shoes that matched. The image pinged in Alibaba's head like he should know where he saw working people wear such a thing. The feeling was getting stronger by the minute as he looked around the room, Deja-Vu overtaking his senses.

Alibaba threw his covers off and was annoyed at how even that small action taxed him. His feet stumbled on the stone floor and Alibaba almost fell flat on his face. He gritted his teeth in frustration. It wasn't just that his body was weak, but it was as if it was just wrong. He kept overstepping and spent more time tripping with his arms pinwheeling than he did actually walking.

After damn near breaking his collarbone Alibaba stopped. He leaned against the bedpost, breath heavy and sweat running down his face. Why was he so weak? And why was it so hard to move? Alibaba glared at the doorway, the one place where he could escape and find out just what was going on. The way his legs were shaking and his heart was beating suggested he take a break however. No need to kill himself once again for nothing. He'd never hear the end of it. He could see Master Sharrkan laughing uproariously at his gravestone now. It would be written: Here lies Alibaba Saluja, a good friend, the boy who could survive a Dungeon and Hakuryuu at his most insane...but could not walk three steps without breaking his neck.

Staring at the doorway only made him want to keep going regardless of the mental image. To keep himself from attempting another embarrassing try for the doors, he swept his gaze around the room and fell short of a full-length mirror in the corner of the room. Gold eyes stared in wonder and absolute horror at the image reflected. His cheeks were fuller with lingering baby fat, the skin flushed red like a fever. He was shorter, hair longer and still sporting that annoying cowlick at the front. The figure in the mirror was the spitting image of Alibaba of eleven years old.

The door opened once more and Alibaba whipped his head to the side and felt the air in his lungs leave him. It felt as though Morgiana had punched him in the chest at full strength. His hands trembled and his eyes widened. Standing in the doorway was Rashid Saluja, former King of Balbadd and Alibaba's late father. Late, as in dead. Dead as in Alibaba saw his spirit join the Great Flow with his mother after Kassim ohmygod-

Alibaba's eyes rolled back as he fell in a dead faint.

Later, Alibaba would beat himself up for not recognizing what was wrong with his surroundings. First, his Magoi, Rukh, soul, the essence of life – whatever they're calling it now, is gone. Or well, not gone, but different. Like a part of it was gone, a missing puzzle piece to a puzzle. Second, his earrings are gone. While he really wouldn't have worried if it were just the golden hoops that he wore at the lobe but Kassim's red earring was gone. He'd wear it at the tip of his ear, and now it was gone. Cause Kassim might still be alive and Alibaba hadn't inherited the ruby hoops yet because-

Another thing, which Alibaba will forever be mortified for not noticing, was that the sword that held Amon was gone. Nowhere in sight. The original vessel, Alibaba's dagger he traded for at the approval of his father, was at his bedside. There was no eight-pointed star etched into the steel, hilt, or sheath. Alibaba had checked over a million times to be sure. Another way he could tell that Amon was missing was that he no longer felt the Djinn's presence within his...self? Gah! Alibaba couldn't even describe how Djinns worked within his own inner monologue.

Putting aside his Rukh, Kassim's earrings, and Amon, the most pressing evidence of things being askew was the dead man sitting at Alibaba's beside. King Rashid looked well for a dead man, grey hair neat and tidy as it fell in waves over his shoulders. Amber eyes pinched with worry as he scolded Alibaba for stressing his body during his sickness. Which Alibaba apparently was, sick that is.

Rashid told Alibaba how he had finally broken the worst of the fever the previous night. He had been bedridden for over a week now, his consciousness weaving in and out with hallucinations and night terrors. Alibaba stayed mute as Rashid talked, his mind still whirring with the implications.

Was everything a fever dream? Capturing Amon's Dungeon, Kassim's death, staying in Sindria, Aladdin and Morgiana's friendship? Could it all have been a figment of Alibaba's imagination? Alibaba let out a huff of air and relaxed into his bed. Rashid frowned when it looked like Alibaba was going to sleep but stopped his lecture and placed the cool rag from the basin onto Alibaba's forehead.

Alibaba waited until he heard his father's footsteps leave the room and the door close shut before letting the tears fall. Images of everything that had happened to him since meeting Aladdin flashed through his mind's eye. Alibaba bit his lip and squeezed his eyes shut. It wasn't fair!

Even with all the hardships, the death, the almost war, the actual war, and the problem of Hakuryuu himself...Alibaba didn't want it to be fake. He made so many friends. Toto, Olba and his band of foster siblings, Sinbad and his generals, Kougyokou (even if her family destroyed Balbadd), Hakuryuu (despite his step into insanity), and most importantly: Aladdin and Morgiana. Everything began and ended with them it seemed. Without them, Alibaba wouldn't have gotten the courage to stand up for Balbadd, the determination to improve himself in wielding a Djinn.

Alibaba didn't want to give up those memories to something as feeble as a fever hallucination. It felt too real, was too important to him. No, Alibaba refused to believe that it had all been fake. He rejected that possibility because it hurt too much to bear.

But, what did that leave him? Here he was, bedridden at Balbadd's palace with a fever. He had just seen and been spoken to, by his dead father. What else could it be? An illusion made by Hakuryuu? Alibaba doubted it, it really wasn't the boy's style. He'd rather face an opponent head-on. So what then? What created this blast from the past-

Alibaba shot up from his bed. The rag fell from his face and landed on his lap, the water soaking the sheets with a light sheen of wetness. He looked down at his hands, hands that were smaller and less calloused. These hands didn't spend three years working as a caravan worker. These hands didn't train under Sharrkan. They hadn't done these things yet.

Because this was the past. Alibaba remembered being sick as a kid. There was a big feast commending a visiting official and Alibaba had gotten sick because he ate food that was poisoned. There had been a small plate of delicacy meat that was from the official's homeland. The man had laughed at Alibaba's open curiosity and told him to have the whole thing. The poisoned food was meant for the man but Alibaba ate it instead, and thus had spent several weeks afterward sick. He barely remembered it happened, save for the fact that it did happen.

So, somehow, someway, Alibaba was in the past.

Laughter bubbled in his throat and he tried to keep it down but was unable to as the sheer possibilities opened up in front of his eyes. There was so much he could do to change things. So many people he could save.

And Alibaba already knew who was at the top of his list. Kassim. Alibaba was not going to let his brother fall in depravity this time around. He didn't care if he had to beat the sense into the other boy's head if need be. Kassim was going to live dammit. Alibaba wasn't sure what he would do first after, save finding Morgiana and freeing her, but he'd figure it out.

But first, he had to get over the last of his sickness.

Chapter Text

Escaping the palace grounds was a lot easier than what Alibaba remembered. He didn't even need to dig a tunnel this time. It had been a few days after the last of the fever left Alibaba's body and he was able to walk without breaking a sweat. Not that walking was any easier. He still had trouble getting used to smaller limbs and limited stretch length. Alibaba was lucky that he had been excused from his training with Barrack. The general would have wiped the floor on him because there was no way Alibaba was in fighting condition.

Instead of waiting for his sense of balance to return Alibaba decided to head into the city as soon as possible. He wanted to see Kassim. In order to leave the palace, Alibaba had waited until after all his studies were over and it was dinner time. He then feigned a lack of appetite, stating that he was still uneasy from his illness. Rashid kindly excused him from dinner and Alibaba hurried to his rooms where he then changed into slightly less conspicuous clothes. He then sneaked his way out to the courtyard and the stables.

Next to the stables was a large tree with large branches. The first time around, Alibaba was too scared to try and climb it to even consider the tree as an escape point. But that was when he wasn't the twenty-year-old boy who had fought a Dark Medium alongside the most powerful people in the world. Now, climbing wasn't even worth a blink of the eye to Alibaba. Of course, it was difficult as hell to pull himself up the branches when his sense of balance was still woozy.

Eventually, he did it and had shimmied along a branch that passed over the high wall of the palace. Looking down Alibaba gulped, earlier bravado leaving him. That was a long drop, and with his luck, he'd break a bone or two in the fall. Maybe this wasn't-

creeeeaaak

Alibaba snapped his head around to look at where the branch he was on met the trunk of the tree. It was breaking apart from his added weight. As it pulled apart Alibaba made a mental note to find a different escape route.

Snap!

Alibaba bit his lip to keep from screaming as he fell. His body hit the ground with a thud and Alibaba clutched his aching head with a whimper. That was going to bruise. He peeked out to the branch that was innocently sitting beside him. Well, at least he was on the side of the palace that didn't have the moat. That would have been worse.

He let himself wallow in pain for a beat longer before heaving himself up and brushing the dirt off his clothes. The first part of the mission: Find Kassim And Hug The Darkness Out Of Him (FKAHTDOOH for short....Alibaba was still working on a title) was accomplished. Now he just had to find Kassim.

Alibaba walked towards the inner city in the dusk light and prayed that things went better this time compared to when he first searched out for his brother. The first time Kassim had been fourteen, so he was doing this a whole three years earlier than the first time. Maybe Mariam was still alive. If she was, Alibaba would make sure that she lived. He would make sure that the slums wouldn't be cut off from the medicine. He didn't know how just that he would.

As he walked through the city Alibaba stuck to the shadows. He didn't want to be recognized as the King's youngest son after all. That and Alibaba wanted to gawk as Balbadd's streets without worrying about people looking at him strangely. Balbadd was so much different to how he last saw it. The people weren't starving, and the air wasn't heavy with depression and anger to the royalty.

People walked the streets with smiles, nobles held parties in their homes with joyous laughter, and there were even still some merchant stands open to the market. In the alleyways, kids ran like devils and crossed into the streets to nab what they could or act as a distraction for others when they couldn't grab and dash.

It brought a happy smile to his face. Balbadd wasn't the best place in the world, Alibaba knew. But the country was his home, and the city was its heart. Alibaba swore that he wouldn't let the Kou ruin what little happiness this city had.

And what better way to start than to say hello to the man who unwittingly helped Al-Tharman take control of Balbadd? Alibaba found himself stopping in front of a very familiar tavern. Kassim had taken him there to get him drunk and reveal secrets of the palace to attack the treasury. Alibaba didn't know if Kassim had fallen that far into darkness yet, so he had to be on his guard.

He didn't know where Kassim was, so the tavern was the best place to start as any. Mentally preparing himself Alibaba walked into the building and swept his gaze around the room. Things were in full swing already, groups of people crowded around tables with mugs of wine and other alcohols and drunken laughter filling the walls. There wasn't much room left open, and Alibaba was unsure if he could find Kassim in this chaos or not. Debating the merit of climbing on top of a table or risk asking around – Alibaba yelped when his arm was yanked and he was pulled to the side.

“Hey!” Alibaba pulled his arm away and turned to glare at his would-be attacker. He fell short when he met a laughing smirk.

“Yo, Alibaba.” Kassim stood tall and proud, head cocked to the side in arrogance and eyes dancing in the firelight. Alibaba's mouth opened and closed silently as he looked at his friend. Kassim seemed....different. He didn't look haunted, or angry, or anything that Alibaba expected. Even the first time when he met back up with Kassim, Alibaba could tell something was up with the older boy. He had ignored it at the time and focused on spending time with Kassim, a mistake that cost him everything.

This time though, Kassim looked happy. Actually happy. He clapped Alibaba on the back and guided him to an abandoned table in the corner, a mug of wine already waiting. Kassim waved his hand above his head, eyes at the bar and Alibaba looked to see the tender nod his head and move to pour another. A server was then sent to deliver the mug to the table and Alibaba found himself in a situation he wanted to avoid. Sitting across from Kassim with a mug of wine at their elbows.

“It's been a long time hasn't it?” Alibaba wondered if he imagined the inflection on the word time. Maybe he was projecting his problems onto Kassim. Alibaba shook his head, that didn't matter. He was here for a reason!

“Kassim! The man who gave you those magic tools ishmph-” Kassim slammed a hand over Alibaba's mouth and muffled his words. Caramel eyes narrowed at him and Kassim raised a finger to his lips. Alibaba nodded his head and Kassim removed the hand.

“Don't worry about that. I threw them into the sea.” That was good. No magic tools meant no unwanted influences to evil – aaaaaaandd wait. Alibaba tilted his head to the side in confusion at Kassim's relaxed posture and unguarded eyes.

“You're not surprised I knew about them?” Kassim's lip twitched like he wanted to smile. He shook his head in the negative, not verbally responding. “And you threw them into the sea?” A nod. And then-

“Well, I didn't know how to destroy them without something as powerful as your Djinn-Equip so the sea was the only option.” The words fell easily from Kassim's mouth. Like he was talking about the weather or what ships had drifted into port. Not impossible information of things that had not happened yet. Alibaba's world tilted on its axis. How did Kassim know about Amon?

Kassim roared out a laugh that startled Alibaba. He had never seen Kassim so free, ever. Not even when they were small tykes running around and causing havoc for Anise in the slums. Alibaba wasn't sure what was going on, but surely it couldn't be bad if Kassim could laugh like that. The boy's mouth was stretched wide into a smile and tears leaked out the corners of his eyes.

“You should see your face!” He chortled. Alibaba felt a blush take over his face and bristled, grabbing a hold of his mug and looking away in embarrassment.

“It's not my fault you're acting weird! Everything is so strange and weird right now.” Alibaba grumbled, giving Kassim a mulish look. Instead of rightfully looking apologetic Kassim just chuckled and grinned with no sympathy whatsoever. Alibaba felt his mind enter a deadpan. That's it. We're no longer friends, I want Aladdin and Morgiana back, they aren't as mean as you.

“You can say that again.” Kassim shook his head and took a swig from his drink. Alibaba held his mug in both hands and furrowed his brows as a silence passed between them. He licked his suddenly dry lips and looked back up to Kassim who was watching Alibaba carefully. The mirth was still in his eyes, but so was an edge of steel that was much more familiar with the Kassim of the past. Like a wolf hiding in a field of flowers. One wrong move and you would awake the beast within.

“How do you know about, that.” Alibaba could bring himself to say it out loud, not where they were currently. There were too many ears, and he didn't want to endanger himself or others because of his own folly. Kassim shrugged, though the way a serious aura surrounded him negated the attempt at nonchalance.

“After destroying the dark Djinn at the palace, that Magi did something. Remember?' Alibaba nodded his head, not needing Kassim to describe anything more to know what he was referencing. He was talking about when Aladdin had made the Rukh visible and let everyone say goodbye to their loved ones before they traveled back into the Great Flow.

“Well, after saying hello to Mariam and following her to the rest of the Rukh, I said goodbye.” Kassim didn't look at Alibaba's surprised face. His eyes were trained on his drink, staring down into the mug as if the wine held the answers of life itself.

“I couldn't just leave, not like that. Not after all I did.” Kassim took a shuddering breath and looked up at Alibaba with a shaky smile. “Besides, older brothers look after their idiot younger siblings, and you looked like you needed all the help you could get.” Crying. Alibaba was crying. Kassim was too, silent tears tracking down his face in parallel to when they were trapped in his mindscape.

He had always wondered, but never confronted the thought. That Kassim was still there, at his side even in death. No wonder he felt so off since showing up in the past. He finally understood what that old man meant when he said that Alibaba had two different flows of Rukh within him. It was Kassim, helping him along his path.

“Well, then you better step it up.” Alibaba said with a scratchy voice. Dear Solomon, he was about to bawl in public and he didn't give a damn because now he had Kassim. “Because I think I need you now more than ever.” And Solomon did it feel good to have Kassim watching his back again. He already felt more secure in whatever would come next. Be it bandits to Al-Thaman themselves Alibaba thought he'd be able to face it if Kassim was there with him.

Because he was there all along in first place.

The first thing they did before talking any further was leave the tavern. Kassim paid for their drinks and led Alibaba through the streets to a back alley where a small house was nestled between two buildings. It was empty, and Alibaba looked around in curiosity as Kassim lit some candles.

“You live here?” He asked. The place was pretty bare, but not completely devoid of life. There was a table with some chairs, top littered with playing cards and homemade dice. There was a sink basin with dishes resting inside waiting to be washed. Off to the side next to the wall were a set of bedrolls, three in total.

“With Zainab and Hassan yeah.” Kassim lit the last candle and sat at the table, kicking his feet up to rest on top of the facedown cards and scattered die. Alibaba took up a seat across from him and twiddled his thumbs as Kassim lit a cigar.

He never saw Kassim's home when he had returned to Balbadd. Alibaba had his own hole in the wall place, and Kassim only ever talked to him at the warehouse that served as the Fog Troupe's headquarters or on raids against the nobles. Kassim didn't trust him with his home back then.

“They're not going to be here for a while. They got jobs on a ship that was heading out to one of the islands.” But now Kassim did trust him, and somehow his two lieutenants had really legit jobs. If Alibaba wasn't so sure of time travel, he'd say he landed in an alternate universe.

“That's...” Alibaba trailed off, unsure what to say without tripping a nerve. Kassim just barked out a laugh, smoke filling the air from the cigar.

“Surprising? A miracle?” Kassim's eye twinkled as he smirked at Alibaba. “You wouldn't believe what it took for them to even consider it. It was like an honest pay was a poison the way they acted.” Seeing Kassim so carefree and not angry was still a shock. Alibaba was still halfway expecting Kassim to flip and start a fight, claiming it had been all a trap.

“Kassim, I know you started to explain it earlier, but why....how do you know about the future?” Why was he so, different? Kassim pursed his lips around the cigar, eyes blinking into half mast as he became more serious. Suddenly, Alibaba was facing the Kassim he knew. The Kassim that rose through the ranks and gained control of all of the slums underground and became the undisputed leader of the city's thieves. The wolf was showing its presence.

“I don't know exactly how it was for you since you weren't already dead when it happened.” 'It' being thrown into the past. “But for me, it wasn't so much as returning to the past as it was remembering a future that had yet to happen.” Kassim rolled his shoulders and looked up at the ceiling in thought.

“There's no good way to explain it, but near as I can figure, the Rukh from that future's Kassim, who had attached himself to your own Rukh, was separated from you in the process of being sent back. Since I wasn't dead yet, the Rukh had nowhere to go but to me. One second I was still angry and frustrated at my own cursed fate in the world and the next I was filled with so much peace.” Kassim chuckled lowly.

“I didn't know what to do with it. Anytime I tried to get angry, to stay angry, that peace would just come back and I'd get memories of the future where you fought against the people who were using me, and I get glimpses of another life where I never cursed my fate at all. A life where we stayed friends and I didn't die.” Kassim crossed his arms, the muscles flexing as he tightened his hands into fists.

“When I saw what that man was a part of, is a part of, I took all those magic tools and fed them to the sharks. I won't let them do that again.” The and I'll make them pay for trying was unsaid. Kassim was always one who believed in returning favors in tenfold.

“Neither will I.” Alibaba drew himself up. He looked Kassim in the eyes as he spoke. “I won't let them destroy Balbadd this time. I don't know how, but I will keep Al-Thaman and the Kou Empire from taking our home.” It was more than a promise. It was an oath. Alibaba would have sworn it on his mother's grave, he was so serious. Balbadd was his home, and he was going to fight for her.

“Eh? Isn't it obvious how to keep that from happening?” Kassim looked at Alibaba like he was missing out on an important detail. Which, was possibly true with Alibaba still trying to get his bearings on this new reality. Being in the past was hard, and weird.

“No. What do you have in mind?” Did Kassim have some insight that Alibaba didn't? He was in the city when Abhmad practically sold the country away to the Kou during the three years Alibaba was away.

“You become King.” Alibaba and Kassim stared at each other blankly at the statement. Kassim had an eyebrow raised cooly while Alibaba felt as though he was frozen. He was probably making a weird face and looked like a duck or something. He did that enough times to know when it was most likely happening. Like now.

“Eh, Kassim, I don't think I heard you correctly.” There was no way. Kassim didn't say that. And even if he did, he couldn't be serious!

“I said: You become King. Of. Balbadd. Like you were meant to.” Nope. Kassim just kept on saying it. Alibaba shook his head rapidly, his eyes widening with panic.

“I can't do that!” Alibaba screeched. Kassim didn't know what he was proposing! Alibaba wasn't meant to be a King! Sure Aladdin had 'chosen' him, but that was only to be his friend! And Amon had no choice but Alibaba because Jamil wasn't even an option to consider and Aladdin was a Magi and Morgiana was....well she was Morgiana. Alibaba was not fit to be a King. He didn't know anything about being King, Rashid taught him how to be a merchant not how to rule a country!

Kassim watched Alibaba's freak out in silence, eyes still at half mast. Alibaba didn't approve of his quietness. Not when it was the older boy's fault for even bringing up such a ludicrous idea. He was just about to snap at Kassim about it because seriously one does not joke about this kind of thing-

“I don't see the problem.” Kassim shrugged. “You were meant to be the next King if I hadn't have gone and fucked things up.” Alibaba's mouth hung open. So many things warred inside him at the moment. Annoyance that Kassim wasn't taking Alibaba's reservations on the subject to heart, anger at Rashid for even thinking of naming Alibaba heir, and sadness at the way Kassim's eyes darkened at the mention of the treasury fire.

“Me becoming King will not automatically make Al-Thamen back down, no matter what visions the Rukh gave you.” It was a low blow, to both sides. Because as much as Alibaba wanted to think himself as a grand hero, he knew the truth. He wasn't just some magical cure-all. There was no such thing.

Instead of snapping back his own argument or insult, Kassim did something that Alibaba didn't expect. He agreed with him.

“I know.” Kassim puffed out a cloud of smoke with an unreadable expression. “But the only reason why Balbadd was captured so fast was that your brothers,” Kassim sneered the word like a curse. “Are in no way able or are meant to rule. You would be able to delay them until we can come up with a better battle plan.” While Alibaba didn't want to agree, Kassim did have a good point. If by some terrifying and unholy reason, he became King, Alibaba would do his damndest to keep Balbadd away from Al-Thamen and the Empire.

“Besides, not everything is going to be the same. I'm here now, and like hell am I going to let you face those bastards alone.” Kassim had a wolfish grin that spelled all kinds of bad news. “You're still going to capture that Dungeon and get back your old strength. And I'm going to train to get stronger too.” It wasn't the most refined plan, a more overshoot really, and it had the drawback of Alibaba as King which was wrong – but. Alibaba could agree with half of it. Of getting Amon back, and of fighting alongside Kassim.

There would be other important things as well, like saving Morgiana and finding Aladdin, but this was a good start.

Chapter Text

Step one to preparing for Al-Thamen was getting Kassim the training he needed. This was easier said than done. While Balbadd was known for its tourists, there were little to none swordsmen. Most were just merchants passing through, and while that could help in getting Kassim a sword to use, it didn't solve the problem of teaching him.

Another option was Barrack, who was teaching Alibaba in the royal sword style. The captain was no Sharrkan, but he was knowledgeable of different sword styles and could at least get Kassim started. The downside of this was getting Barrack inclined to train him, let alone finding the time do so. Barrack was a busy man as is.

Alibaba could request Kassim be trained if he had a legitimate reason for doing so. A simple answer would be to say that Alibaba wanted Kassim as his own personal guard, but that wouldn't do well. Kassim wasn't ready to leave his home in the city, especially when Zainab and Hassan had yet to return home from their job. Claiming to be a personal guard to Alibaba, whether in training or not, would mean Kassim would have to move into the palace. Not that such a thing wouldn't happen in the future. Kassim fully planned on fighting alongside Alibaba and sooner or later the palace would have to get used to seeing the two boys at each other's sides.

So, they were at a crossroads. Alibaba spent more of his lessons racking his brain for a solution than he did actually listening. He wasn't too worried, Alibaba remembered much of his education from learning it the first time around. It did annoy his tutors though.

“Young Prince, I insist that you pay attention!” Lord Vamir was one of his least liked tutors. The man was an older noble with a stick-thin body, balding hair, beady eyes, and a greying beard that could compete with Kouen in pointiness. The biggest thing about the noble that annoyed Alibaba was the man's personality and tone of speaking.

Vamir did not like what he thought was an injustice of having to tutor a bastard prince, instead of teaching the actual heirs to the throne. Because of this, he would always be sneering down his nose while teaching, a patronizing glare and stiff lip being his most defining features. Vamir would speak down at Alibaba in their lessons and make callous remarks on Alibaba's supposed low intellect offhandedly. It was as if Vamir truly thought that Alibaba could not understand nor would ever be able to comprehend a higher learning befitting that of a prince. Alibaba would have written the strained relationship off to him currently knowing everything that Vamir was teaching already, but he remembered that Vamir was just as nasty back then as he was now.

“It might be difficult to understand coming from the streets,” That was a favorite line of Vamir's. Alibaba was wondering when the noble was going to say it this time, he lasted longer than usual. “But in order to not make a fool of one's self, it is pertinent that you know the culture and customs of neighboring lands!” Vamir looked positively ruffled. His arm sleeves were pushed up and his glasses were askew on his nose. This didn't stop him from giving Alibaba his number one glare of – you are a stupid street rat and I am an intelligent noble who deserves a better and more worthy student than you.

“What do you think would happen if the King of Sindria himself visited your father and you did or said something that would insult him or embarrass Balbadd? You could fracture years of relations between our two countries in just one moment!” Alibaba reigned in a snort. There was little that could affect Sinbad in such a way, he was sure. That man would more likely find such a situation hilarious and dive right in and make a fool of himself as well. After going on so many adventures and defeating so many Dungeons, Sinbad had almost no shame and very little could faze him. Alibaba was sure that even Ja'far, the much more sane and sensible of Sinbad's Generals, had come to the point of – I have seen everything; nothing could be worse than Sinbad on a Dungeon spree.

Sinbad. That brought an idea to Alibaba's mind. He tuned out the rest of Vamir's lecture as he tossed it back and forth in his head. Alibaba was known to admire the adventures of Sinbad. Ever since Reimir, Vamir's brother and Alibaba's languages/history tutor, showed him the novels depicting the King in his younger adventuring days, Alibaba had become a big fan. Granted, after showing up in the past Alibaba's open interest died down as he was more focused on more important things. Like figuring out a way for Kassim to learn how to properly fight.

But Alibaba's interest in Sinbad could possibly work in his favor for this. He could approach his father, who would be more likely to actually listen to his request, and use his old idolization as an excuse. He could claim that he was inspired by Sinbad's adventures with his friends and wanted to do the same with Kassim. Not only would it help in getting Kassim the training he needed, but it would also give Alibaba the excuse he needed to be able to travel outside of Balbadd.

Never would he thought that he would want to thank Vamir for anything, but Alibaba now had a somewhat good plan thanks to the older man's want of belittling him. The Rukh really does work in strange ways.

“I'm sorry Lord Vamir.” Alibaba bowed his head in faux shame, the apology tasting bitter in his mouth. “I'll pay more attention to your lessons.” Not likely, but it was the only thing he could say to get Vamir to stop frothing at the mouth. Vamir hmphed and shook his shoulders in a way reminiscent of a bird ruffling its feathers.

“See to it that you do.” He spat, adjusting his glasses back in place. Alibaba forced himself to sit still and listen as Vamir went back to droning on about Balbadd and its various relations to the world's kingdoms. It was much more difficult to do than what he expected.

When the lesson was thankfully over Alibaba sped out of the room as quickly as possible. He weaved through the hallways between passing nobles and servants, heading to where he knew Rashid would be occupied at this hour. It was close to late morning, and Rashid would be holed up in his office, going over documents or trade agreements before lunchtime.

Alibaba made sure to steer clear of his brother's usual hangouts with some of the other court nobles. While Sabhmad wasn't all that bad of a brother, he was a painfully shy man who stuck close to Abhmad. The eldest brother wasn't shy in the least and did not fear to let his negative feelings toward Alibaba be known. Around this time of the day, they would either be resting inside the cool shade of the palace gossiping or be visiting a noble's house and spending a relaxing day there. Abhmad and Sabmad had their own tutors and lessons, though they were much more flexible and compliant to the legitimate sons of the King.

He had luckily been able to avoid his brothers and reached Rashid's office with no trouble. Alibaba inhaled deeply and tried to mentally brace himself before knocking. It was always jarring to see Rashid alive and well. Alibaba could hardly believe his father would get sick in only a few more years, it just didn't seem possible now.

“Enter.” Alibaba carefully opened the door at the muffled command and slipped inside. The office looked more like a study, bookshelves lined with various tomes and his desk neatly decorated with papers and maps. Rashid smiled at Alibaba and waved him forward, setting the scroll he was reading down.

“Ah, I didn't mean to interrupt.” Alibaba stuttered, still uncomfortable in the large presence that was his father. Rashid laughed the worry away and gently pulled Alibaba closer when he stopped a few feet away from the King. Rashid's hands were warm and rough with callouses. This weren't the hands of a nobleman who had never done manual labor. Alibaba didn't know the story behind the texture of his father's hands, but he was beginning to think he wanted to find out.

“It's no trouble son.” Alibaba jumped at the affection inflicted at the claim. When he was younger – or at least when he was eleven the first time – He didn't notice just how kind and loving he father could be. Alibaba had done his best to steer clear of the King, not wanting to be a bother with his obvious street upbringing. Something that he was always reminded of by nobles like Vamir.

“So, what brings you here?” Ah, this was it. Alibaba swallowed the sudden lump in his throat. If this didn't work, he honestly had no idea what they would do. The only other thing Alibaba could think of was to ship Kassim to Sindria or Reim. He doubted Sharrkan would want to take on a student without Sinbad's request and Reim was a nightmare on its own. That and Kassim would refuse to leave Alibaba on his own in Balbadd, thinking that the blonde might try to find a way to avoid the throne. Which, to be fair, wasn't a wrong assumption.

“Well,” He started, suddenly unsure how to express what he wanted. “Reimir told me about the adventures of Sinbad, and I was really impressed.” Alibaba's mind scrambled as he stumbled over his words. Rashid, while a nice man, had a large and enveloping presence that was almost as big as Sinbad's. Alibaba didn't know what to do with it when Rashid focused his whole attention to him. It was like being caught in the gaze of a hawk's golden-eyed stare and he was being evaluated in every sense. Alibaba was sure that he was coming up short.

“Hmm.” Rashid chuckled but his eyes narrowed in thought. “I heard about that, Reimir said you were completely enraptured with the young King's deeds.” Rashid gave Alibaba a sly smirk that caught him off guard. He had never seen such an expression on his father before.

“This wouldn't have anything to do with your nightly excursions into the city would it?” Alibaba flinched, face paling in panic. Rashid knew about Kassim! How? Alibaba was careful when he snuck out. He was never followed, he was sure of it!

“U-uh, I-I mean, er-” Alibaba couldn't come up with anything. His mind was a screaming mess of smaller Alibaba's running around in terror with a giant sign flashing HE KNOWS!!!

Alibaba was screwed.

The King laughed and patted Alibaba on the head. “Surely you didn't think I wouldn't notice my youngest son leaving the grounds at night?” He teased. “It would make for very lackluster guards to be unable to see when someone was sneaking in and out at odd times in the night.” Alibaba should have just made the damn tunnel. They didn't notice that last time and Kassim was in his right mind so there was no worry of a treasury fire.

“I'm sorry!” Alibaba bowed, his face burning with embarrassment. He was done for. Rashid was going to ground him to the palace and give him so many lessons there wouldn't be time for him to visit Kassim. Alibaba was going to have to use carrier pigeons just to stay in contact! As Alibaba was imagining a pigeon clawing his face while trying to attach a letter to its leg; Rashid's laughter died down into soft chuckles.

“Don't look so worried, if I was going to stop you I already would have. Honestly, I'm surprised it took you so long to go out.” That was not what Alibaba expected. He looked up in wonder and honest curiosity. Before, Alibaba never took the time to truly get to know his father. He was too intimidated by him. Now though, Alibaba wanted to change that. He wanted to find out what his father was like. Just who was this man that his mother fell in love with? This was a second chance, and he wasn't going to waste it.

“Did you have me followed?” Alibaba asked, wary. If anyone from the palace knew where Kassim lived, it would be a problem. Kassim, Zainab, and Hassan would have to leave their home and find somewhere else to live. It would be too dangerous not to. Alibaba, while the youngest and illegitimate, was still a prince. There were sure to be people who wished to cause him and his friends harm and Alibaba knew all too well how easy it was to bribe a guard into spilling secrets. Granted the palace guards were harder nuts to crack, but it wasn't impossible.

“No,” Rashid answered honestly. “I figured if anyone in this palace could look after themselves in the streets, it would be you.” It was said warmly, with fondness. Coming from Vamir or Abhmad it would have been an insult. But, Rashid didn't look down on Alibaba's slum upbringing. He treated it as a point in Alibaba's favor. That was something so different Alibaba didn't know what to do with the information.

“Thank you.” Instead, he decided to focus on how he didn't need to tell Kassim to move. He could only freak out about so many things at once, so Alibaba tucked the oddness that was his father into a mental box to be proked at later. Sometime when he wasn't under the watchful gaze of Rashid. Alibaba doubted that much passed the King's notice.

“Having said that,” Rashid's face turned more serious. “I would appreciate it if you let someone know when you leave the grounds. Barrack or I would do. It wouldn't be good to completely unaware of a prince's whereabouts in the case of an emergency.” Alibaba nodded his head rapidly. If it meant he could keep visiting Kassim then he would do it. Maybe even now he could leave during the daylight, though it would be more difficult with most of his time being spent at lessons.

“Right. I will be sure to do that.” Now, back to what he came in for. “And, for what I was saying, I have a friend.” Alibaba hesitated for a moment and pressed his lips together. This was harder to ask than what he thought it would be. Rashid wasn't aggressive to Alibaba's street life, so maybe he'd be more understanding. Maybe, the truth, just a small part of the truth anyway, would go a lot better than coming up with some story.

Alibaba straightened and looked his father in the eyes, praying that his voice didn't tremble with the nervousness that was making his heart beat a mile. “He's like a brother to me actually. He lives in the slums, near where I grew up.” Alibaba waited for something to flash in Rashid's eyes. Disgust, annoyance, veiled disinterest – anything negative. There was nothing of the sort. Rashid sat back and listened openly, giving Alibaba his full attention like he would an official in the court. It was mind-boggling.

“He wants to learn swordsmanship, any style that would be available for him.” Alibaba knew that Kassim wouldn't be allowed to learn the same sword style as Alibaba. Not only was it only meant for the royal family, but Alibaba didn't think it would suit Kassim.

“As you know, the people who come through are primarily merchants, not swordsmen. So, I would like to request that Barrack, or even a different tutor, teach him here.” Rashid didn't comment immediately after Alibaba finished. He stared at Alibaba thoughtfully and it took everything in Alibaba to not fidgit on the spot.

“Why can he not board one of the ships at the port and travel outside the city?” It was a good question, and Alibaba doubted saying that Kassim didn't want to leave Alibaba and give the boy a chance to avoid taking the throne. There was no way Rashid planned on making Alibaba heir this far in advance. It was most definitely a spur of the moment thing created by his illness.

“He doesn't want to leave if it meant leaving me behind.” Which was true in its own way. Rashid nodded his head and hummed under his breath.

“And to what purpose would teaching him serve?” That wasn't something Alibaba expected to be asked. He honestly thought it would be a simple yes or no answer. He floundered on the spot, not knowing what would best convince Rashid in his favor. Seeing this, Rashid smiled.

“I'm not declining, I'm just curious.” The King raised his eyebrows. “That and in any trade or deal, there must always be something of value for both parties. Otherwise, it's just asking for charity, which would put you in debt.” And debt was something to always avoid. Alibaba took the surprise lesson to heart and nodded his head.

“Honestly, I want to go on adventures like Sinbad did, and Kassim wouldn't let me go on my own. This way we can both be prepared.” Internally Alibaba winced at the white lie. His plan was to tie it back to Sinbad and use his inspirational fame as a smokescreen for the real reason, but after seeing this new side to Rashid it was hard. “If you want a more official reason, then it can be like training Kassim as a personal guard? But he doesn't want to live inside the palace grounds.” The last part was mumbled, but Rashid could still hear the words.

“Adventures like Sinbad?” Rashid's look was unreadable, and his voice flat. Alibaba visibly winced this time. Maybe using Sinbad wasn't a good idea?

“Yes?” It came out as a question as if Alibaba wasn't sure. A couple beats passed before Rashid spoke again, an odd gleam in his eyes.

“Very well. A prince having a personal guard isn't unreasonable, and he wouldn't need to live on the grounds so long as he showed up to his lessons promptly. I'm sure his living arrangements will change in the future.” Alibaba perked up. He did it! Rashid approved of the lessons for Kassim, everything was going to be a lot smoother now.

“He'll show, I promise!” Even if he had to drag Kassim by his hair. Alibaba wasn't going to miss out on this opportunity. “Thank you!” Alibaba felt a rush of bravery and relief and couldn't help rushing forward and hugging Rashid. The man startled, hands resting on his back in surprise. Realizing what he did, Alibaba stepped back with a blush and ran out, heading for where he knew Barrack would be. He had to tell Kassim about this.

Barrack didn't make a big fuss about receiving a new student. He adapted well and began to accommodate for Kassim's lack of knowledge while still furthering Alibaba's own training. This was one of the reasons why Barrack was Alibaba's favorite in the palace. He took his job seriously and didn't look down on Kassim or Alibaba from their roots.

Barrack had Alibaba going over his footwork with a dummy in place of a real person. While he would have liked to eavesdrop on what he was talking to Kassim about, Alibaba had to put his full focus on his task. Being eleven again was hard in ways that one wouldn't think at first.

Alibaba wasn't used to having his limbs so short, and fighting with his dagger again was awkward. He had finally gotten used to the larger reach of the sword Sinbad had gifted him as a new vessel for Amon, and now he had to get back into the rhythm of using a knife again. Maybe he needed to invest in a new weapon?

“Gah!” Alibaba groaned from his spot on the ground. He tripped over his feet again. He couldn't wait until his growth spurt. He was tired of these foreign limbs and wanted his old sense of balance back. Alibaba lied down for a moment, chest heaving from the exercise, and glanced over to where Kassim and Barrack were standing.

Kassim wasn't intimidated by Barrack, his back straight and eyes not afraid to meet the General's face. He was flipping a sword between his hands, the hilt moving from one hand to the other with an ease that Alibaba envied. The two were talking, and it was hard to hear but if Alibaba tried hard enough he could catch the words.

“You have no dominate hand?” That was Barrack's deep baritone. Kassim shrugged, gaze flicking down to the sword he was fiddling with.

“Not really. I use my right hand normally 'cause that's what everyone else does. My left isn't useless though.” It couldn't have been because when you were a pickpocket being able to use both hands was a benefit. People watched the right hand more often, expecting it to be the one to filch anything. That wasn't a problem for Kassim though.

“Strike me.” Barrack stepped back and pulled his own sword. Kassim paused, eyeing the older man up and down before pouncing. He shot forward and brought the blade down in a harsh blow, the hilt in his left hand. Barrack blocked the sword and twisted, rolling the blades apart and striking, the steel at Kassim's throat.

“Again. This time put both hands on the hilt of the sword.” Barrack showed Kassim the correct stance and grip before starting again. Kassim didn't lose as fast, but he was clumsier. Barrack stopped and frowned at Kassim.

“Wait one moment. Kaela!” Barrack turned to where a group of soldiers were training. One of the men jumped at the sound of his name and came running. “Let me see your sword.” Kaela handed it over with a shifty look to Kassim that spoke of his displeasure. He smart enough to not voice it however.

“Here.” Barrack held the sword's hilt to Kassim who took it with a confused expression.

“You want me to change swords?” His voice was dripping with how stupid he thought that was. Barrack shook his head though.

“No, use both swords.” Kassim gave Barrack an incredulous look but got into a stance. At the command, they started again. Steel clanged loudly and Kassim lasted longer than he had before this time, using both swords in tandem. He was defeated all the same though, breath coming in heavy pants.

“That seems to be the best style to fit you.” Barrack commented, lowering his sword. “Two-handed would be another good choice but your footwork and balance would need a lot of work. It would be possible, but inadvisable when this clearly is a better option.” Barrack then went on to teach Kassim the fundamentals of double wielding and what swords were used in the style. Kassim would need lighter blades, or would have to build his arm strength. Doing both was suggested.

Alibaba huffed silently and stood up, getting back into his stance. Kassim would be fine in Barrack's hands. He needed to focus on his own training. He couldn't let Kassim get too far ahead of him after all. With a calming breath, Alibaba centered his mind and started again.

Months passed into a year, and both Kassim and Alibaba grew stronger. Alibaba finally got his growth spurt and had a much better time with pretty much everything from walking to his swordsmanship. Kassim became more proficient with his unique sword style, his skill getting higher and higher the more he trained.

Alibaba became busier than he thought possible. Between lessons, training, and spending time with his father, Alibaba had little free time. When he could he visited Kassim in the city, be it day or night, and try as he might it was impossible to keep his identity a secret. Soon the people found the sight of the youngest Prince wandering the market as a common thing.

As Alibaba tried to fit in all the things he wanted to do in his schedule, he found out just how busy he was. It was odd when compared to his brothers who had more free time in their studies. This was something Abhmad took advantage of, only doing what was necessary and no more. Sabhmad was better, spending his off time in the library reading or watching the courts at his elder brother's side. It unnerved Alibaba. As the youngest and an illegitimate at that, child Alibaba's shouldn't have less free time than his brothers. Abhmad especially. As the eldest, Abhmad's day to day must be filled with lessons regarding the task of being the next King. It was strange, but Alibaba didn't comment on it.

He was sure he wouldn't like the answer.

Instead, Alibaba focused more on his studies and learning more about Balbadd and its place in the world economy. Now, Alibaba can see why Al-Thamen had wanted the city in its grasp so badly. Apart from Kouen wanting the world to bow to the Empire, Balbadd was a lot more important than Alibaba expected.

The coastal city traded with a number of nations across the world, running from Sindria all the way to Heliophapt. The only place they hadn't reached was the Kou, and that was because the Empire was secluded and rarely opened its borders to others. Al-Thamen's largest thorn in its side was Sinbad, and Balbadd was Sindria's largest trade partner. Cut off Balbadd, and they put a fracture in their number one enemy. That, and it put strains on other nations as well, causing more waves in the Rukh and making it easier to control the world's trade routes for their own interests.

It made logical sense to capture Balbadd if one was hell-bent on world domination. Take Balbadd, and you essentially tie a noose around the throats of dozens of nations on the map. This information kindled the already roaring flame of Alibaba's want to protect his home. He couldn't let Balbadd fall, no matter what.

Balbadd lived and died by trade. So, Alibaba just had to make sure that the markets stayed open and the ships kept docking in at the port. When Abhmad became King, the trading stopped and the city slowly died as he made the debt to Kou larger and larger as the days passed. So, if his father died once more (if, not when, because Alibaba was going to try and stop that from happening.) Alibaba needed to keep Abhmad from making the same mistakes. Or that he didn't make the same mistake should Rashid name him the heir. Alibaba was still praying that his father didn't do that.

Rashid never made a hint of making Alibaba the King in the times they spent together. Not that Alibaba expected him to. Alibaba was fourteen when that happened, and Rashid was on his deathbed. Alibaba was currently twelve, and Rashid in full health.

Deciding to cross that bridge when he got to it, Alibaba found himself planning the next step in his and Kassim's plans to prepare for Al-Tharmen. After getting Kassim trained up to an adequate skill with his blades and Alibaba finally managing to get used to his younger body, they wanted to to to Quishan. Amon's Dungeon was waiting and Alibaba was anxious to have the Djinn at his side again. For more than one reason.

Amon had become a constant presence, and now without him, Alibaba felt off-kilter. Like he was vulnerable. Also, Alibaba was praying that Amon had zapped into the past as well, or at least gained memories of the future like Kassim. If Amon didn't remember him, Alibaba wasn't sure what he'd do. It was stressing enough when he thought about how Morgiana and Aladdin wouldn't recognize him. He would have all these memories of friendship while to them he'd just be a stranger.

Regarding Morgiana, that was also another important reason to head to Quishan. Jamil wasn't in charge of Quishan yet, but he still had Morgiana in his clutches. That was something Alibaba couldn't let be. Morgiana didn't deserve a slave's life, no one deserved that for the matter. Morgiana was special though. Alibaba knew what she was capable of and what she could become.

So Alibaba needed to get to Quishan as soon as possible. This was understandably hard when he was a prince who was only twelve. Sinbad hadn't even conquered his first Dungeon until he was fourteen. There was no way Rashid was going to just let Alibaba leave Balbadd to go into a potentially life harming situation. So going in a legal and more official manner was out. That was where Kassim and Alibaba's street knowledge came into play.

There were a dozen of ways to leave the city unnoticed. Every street rat that lived in the slums knew where these exits were. Truthfully, leaving Balbadd wasn't the problem. It was what happened afterward. Rashid might (read: Would) send out guards or a specialized team to retrieve Alibaba and haul him back to the palace. That meant traveling would be made all that much harder.

There wasn't much that they could do about it. Alibaba and Kassim made provisions for the expectation, but Alibaba still didn't feel comfortable with just leaving. He had gotten closer to his father since waking up in the past. He knew that his disappearance would send the man into a worry that Alibaba didn't want to cause. So he, against Kassim's advice, wrote out a letter. It was addressed to his father and depicted Alibaba's wishes to see the world and have his own adventure. Alibaba made sure not to mention Quishan or a Dungeon but did tell his father to not worry or send anyone after him.

Alibaba didn't plan on traversing the world yet, just Quishan and back or now. So, ideally, he would be back home within two months. Ideally. Alibaba wasn't getting his hopes up, knowing just how plans could go terribly wrong. Exhibit A: Hakuryuu kicking his ass and his time traveling as a result.

Kassim and he had already left Balbadd. Alibaba had left the palace as he normally would and met with Kassim at his home. Alibaba then changed out of his royal attire and threw on more travel worthy cloth. He had a white cloak, which he wore with the hood up to cover his already turban wrapped head. They weren't taking any chances.

The two boys trailed at the edges of a caravan that was taking the same path they needed to follow. Kassim did all of the talking and spun a story of Alibaba having disfiguring scars to explain why he never revealed his face. The people of the caravan took the story at face value and thankfully no one wanted to see the proof. Three days out of Balbadd and no soldiers were storming up and demanding the return of Alibaba. Maybe his letter did help. Or the soldiers just hadn't caught up yet.

Alibaba was counting on the latter. Praying on it really.

Thankfully the trip to Quishan was uneventful for the most part. No desert hyacinths, thank Solomon, and minimal resistance from bandits. The bandits would have been easy for the caravan to take care of on their own, but with Kassim and Alibaba it was a walk in the park. Kassim made sure to only use one sword while Alibaba refrained from using his full potential. The last thing they needed was to attract more attention to themselves.

They were just under a week away from Quishan. The caravan stopped at an oasis spring and made camp for the night. Kassim and Alibaba sat on the outskirts of the large group of people huddled around the large fire. They were all laughing and talking while eating their dinner, happy to almost be in the city. Quishan wasn't as wealthy as Balbadd when it came to the markets, but it did well for itself. The city was a sitting directly on some of the popular trading routes and travelers often had to stop there for rest. Quishan wasn't the final destination for the caravan they were following, but they were going to pass through.

Alibaba had his back angled away from the firelight as he unwrapped his face to eat the broth they were served. Across from him, Kassim was eating languidly, chewing on the stewed meat that was added to the broth. He watched the caravan lazily, gaze twitching to look at the guard posts every now and then. Alibaba looked as well while eating, savoring the wonderful cooking of Jessa, the caravan leader's wife.

The guards all had their own bowls and had their attention split between watching the surrounding area and the cheerful huddle by the main campfire. If they were in the middle of the desert Alibaba would be worried at that, but they were close to Quishan and were in an oasis. Alibaba couldn't fault them for relaxing. Kassim though, Alibaba noted wryly, did take offense to it.

“Fucking idiots.” He muttered, draining the last of his bowl clean with a scowl. Alibaba huffed a laugh and pointed his spoon at him teasingly.

“What? If we get ambushed do you think you won't be able to take them on?” Kassim threw a crude gesture at Alibaba in response. Alibaba grinned cheekily with a snicker. When Kassim looked ready to dunk Alibaba's face into his food he quickly went back to eating.

“What's going to be the first thing we do when we get there?” Alibaba lifted his head at Kassim's hushed question. Alibaba glanced at the circle by the fire and shrugged.

“It depends.” He made sure to keep his voice quiet as well. The others weren't paying them any attention but he didn't want to risk getting overheard. “I had never been to Quishan until I was sixteen, two years after the treasury. I don't know what it's like now.” Granted, the time difference was only two years but Alibaba knew that a lot can change in that amount of time. He didn't remember any history of Quishan from before he had stumbled there half dead last time. He didn't learn much about it in his studies yet either in this timeline. They were walking in blind essentially.

“There are only two things we need to worry about. Morgiana, and the Dungeon.” This was more of a hiss than a whisper because one of the guards was being switched out and the man had walked past him and Kassim to get more food. Alibaba waited until the man was out of earshot before continuing.

“I don't know where Morgiana is except that she's a slave to a man named Jamil.” Though now he wouldn't be a man per say, but instead a young boy. All they needed to do is find Jamil and they'd find Morgiana. How they would free her would be tricky but Alibaba would straight up kidnap her if worse came to worst. Hell, he might just end up making it plan A.

“A noble prick?” Normally Alibaba would roll his eyes at the title. Kassim had little respect or any nobles or rich people in general, even though Alibaba himself was technically part of such a grouping. This time he just nodded his head grimly. Jamil was the definition of a prick, and Alibaba only knew him for a short time. He doubted that Jamil was any better as a child than when he was a man.

“As for the Dungeon, when I had arrived in the city it was open for anyone to try and conquer. That was five years from now though.” Which could mean anything he knew about Quishan from the other timeline could be null and void. He didn't know if it had different policies before he showed up, and Alibaba had never thought to look it up. Or if he did, Alibaba couldn't remember.

“Don't some Dungeons have guards?” Kassim asked. “So that only rich people can enter?” Alibaba nodded. That was what he was worried about. They might have to sneak their way into the Dungeon, which would be hard because the stairs up were so large it was impossible to not see anyone coming.

“They say it's for only royalty but for the most part yeah.” Guards could be bribed after all. Kassim's lip curled but he didn't comment further. “The first thing we need to do is to gather information. Find out where Morgiana is and anything we can find on the Dungeon.” Alibaba was starting to think that he'd need to expand how long he thought it was going to take to get home.

“Which do we focus on first?” Alibaba frowned down at his bowl at the question. Most of the broth was gone by now. He knew what he wanted to answer that with. Finding Morgiana was a top priority, non-negotiable and he wouldn't leave until she was free. However, as much as he'd like to apply Aladdin's sometimes black and white view of solving problems Alibaba knew that he needed to be smart about this. He could not, under any circumstance, let his identity as a Prince be found out. He couldn't just go to Jamil and order him to hand over Morgiana, nor could he 'buy' her off him. Depending on her situation and Jamil's position in Quishan's nobility Alibaba might have to wait until he conquered the Dungeon to free Morgiana. It left a sour taste in his mouth and made him want to throw up his dinner but it was the truth.

“We'll split up at first,” Alibaba spoke over Kassim when he started to protest. “I know it isn't as safe but we'll cover more ground. You'll hit the streets and find out anything about Jamil and his slaves while I'll find everything I can about the Dungeon.” This was the most logical and efficient way of doing things but Alibaba had a second reason for why he chose it. Kassim was better on the streets and knew how to work his way through the gangs and make the right connections. He'd find everything they need about Jamil in no time. That and Kassim wouldn't be as biased about Morgiana as Alibaba. He would have a better judgment on whether they had to wait to free her or not.

“I don't like it.” Kassim grumbled, crossing his arms. Alibaba didn't like it either, but it was the best plan that they had.

Chapter Text

In looks alone, Quishan doesn't change in five years. Everything looked the same from what Alibaba remembered of the city. Luckily the old place Alibaba had lived in was open now like before. He and Kassim made that their headquarters in quick fashion. Kassim didn't waste time in getting to know the local gangs. He made a map of the city and marked all the different turfs and where to avoid and who was least likely to kill them for fun.

Alibaba hit the markets and worked when possible, doing almost anything that was asked to keep a steady income and to gather as much gossip on the Dungeon as possible. It was pretty much what he did the first time, only he was more picky about what jobs he took and he avoided a certain overweight merchant like the plague. The Dungeon was a common topic for all the tourists and wishful adventurers so Alibaba had no trouble in getting his info. Luckily Amon's Dungeon was not guarded or closed to the public. It was warned against trying though from how many haven't come back. This was good news. It made it less of a hassle for Alibaba and Kassim later on.

Kassim did not have good news for the Morgiana half of the mission. Jamil was currently in Quishan thankfully, and he did have his own set of slaves according to the street talk. The street talk also said that he was a right bastard who held no care for lives beneath his 'station'. Alibaba was not surprised by this description.

The bad news was that the place Jamil was currently staying with his parents was being heavily guarded and no one knew where they kept their slaves when not on their person. They'd be outnumbered if they tried a frontal attack, and they couldn't sneak her out unless they knew where the slaves were housed.

It left them with only one option. Conquer the Dungeon, use the gold from the Dungeon's inner sanctum to buy out all the slaves, and free them all; Thus getting Morgiana out of Jamil's claws. Simple. It still frustrated him that they couldn't get Morgiana out of there immediately.

Alibaba and Kassim were in the market the morning of the day they were going to enter the Dungeon. They were looking for any last minute items they would need for the Dungeon. Alibaba was keeping an eye out for a sword that was more to the style of the one Sinbad had given him since he was still having trouble getting used to his dagger again. He wasn't really expecting anything to catch his interest though, knowing that the likelihood of a good quality sword like that one being in Quishan was very slim.

Alibaba was standing at a stall with a weapons merchant when Kassim stepped neatly to his right. He leaned against the stand facing the crowds with annoyed disinterest. The merchant turned to grab a sword he kept back to show Alibaba and Kassim leaned closer to Alibaba's ear.

“Don't look now but we got company.” Alibaba aborted his instinctive movement to ignore Kassim's order and look. He frowned at his friend who was giving off a familiar aura. Kassim was mad, no furious. Just who was it that he saw?

“Ah, here is the blade Most Wonderous and Kind Customer.” Alibaba thanked the merchant, feeling his eye twitch at the titles. He would never get used to Quishan's weird habits when it came to trading. Why it was necessary for the buyer and the seller to giving flattering titles that only got more elaborate as the deal went on was a mystery to Alibaba.

The sword was good, Alibaba would admit. It was a short sword, more to his liking than a large broadsword. It wasn't anything fancy with a small crossguard and leather wrappings for a hilt. It kinda reminded Alibaba of a bandit sword if he was honest. A really nice bandit sword, but one nonetheless. He lifted the sword up to inspect the blade and turned just so slightly to the general area that Kassim was glaring at.

He almost dropped the sword on his face when he saw it. Reflected on the freshly polished steel was none other than Ithnan himself. Al-Tharmen were here, staring right at Alibaba and Kassim. After fumbling the sword he handed it back to the merchant and spat out a quick gratitude and goodbye before carefully leaving the stall. Kassim followed at a leisure pace, forcing Alibaba to slow down so that he didn't leave Kassim behind; which would risk an all-out fight between the older boy and Ithnan. He knew what Kassim was doing, keeping Alibaba from running like a demented chicken with its head missing. Because that was exactly what Alibaba wanted to do. Ithnan was in Quishan. Why was he there? What did Al Tharmen want in the city? He didn't remember them having any interest in it or Amon's Dungeon. What did his presence mean on the greater scale? Alibaba hadn't done anything to change things too much yet, so why were they here? Did they know he was from the future?

Alibaba fretted within his mind the whole way back to their temporary home in the city. Kassim had taken the led at one point, weaving them through the streets to ward off any would-be followers. Alibaba was grateful, with the state he was in Alibaba wouldn't have been able to do so. He'd have just walked straight back to the house, leading the enemy to where he slept and then would get horrifically murdered during the night.

Alibaba needed to sit down and breathe.

“What the fuck are they doing here?” Kassim roared, kicking the blankets and pillows on the floor across the room. He stormed around the room and threw more things to expel his energy, anger rolling off him in waves. Alibaba for his part just sat on the ground with his back to the door, head in his hands. He was trying to shut his brain down from the vivid images that were terrible answers to Kassim's question.

“You never said that bastard would be here!” Kassim turned to Alibaba snarling, eyes wild. He was beyond furious. “You're supposed to be the smart one so tell me why that fuck is here!” Alibaba swallowed the bile that was at the back of his throat. He knew that Kassim was angrier that he couldn't kill Ithnan for what he did, what he tried to do. There was nothing Kassim hated more than running away. Even if it was the right thing to do.

Alibaba breathed deeply and wet his lips. He needed to gather his thoughts. Al-Tharmen was in Quishan. They saw Alibaba and Kassim. Ithnan might not have recognized Alibaba but he was sure to know who Kassim was. They'd see him and immediately know that he was no longer their pawn in Balbadd's destruction. Kassim's Rukh wasn't the purest but it's a far cry from what it was before. There was no way Ithnan wouldn't notice. With Kassim free from depravity and obviously not in Balbadd rising in power within the slums, Al-Tharman will want to investigate their hold in Balbadd. Ithnan will be sent back out, will discover the fate of the tainted weapons he gave Kassim, and then will most likely choose a different candidate to replace Kassim.

Al-Tharman was going to be in Balbadd.

Al-Tharman was going to step foot in Balbadd and try to set up its demise once more.

Alibaba's heart stuttered, and he thought he was going to die. He saw it all over again. Balbadd in ruins, people dying, children starving, the ports empty, houses crumbling and the all the while the nobles will be partying away without a care. The palace will go up in flames and his father will die and Alibaba wouldn't be able to stop it.

“Oi!” Alibaba snapped back at Kassim's bark. He was crouched in front of Alibaba, body still tense with anger but his eyes not looking like sharp glass anymore. He was worried. Alibaba forced his body to breath and banished the images from his head. He wasn't going to let that happen again. Balbadd will not fall. Not without a fight. Alibaba won't let it.

“I don't know why they're here.” His heart was thundering in his chest, drowning out the rest of the world around him. He looked Kassim in the eye, a heady determination and dark knowledge burning inside him. Kassim physically recoiled, staring at Alibaba in shock. Alibaba barely noticed it, already speaking his next sentence.

“I don't know why,” He repeated, voice shaking with an emotion he was unfamiliar with. “But whatever time limit we had just got smaller.” There was fear, a large dose of it trembling in his vocal cords as he locked away images of a damaged Balbadd. But there was also a steel in the words, not quite anger but in no way passive. Alibaba didn't know how to describe it, but he could feel it soaking into his body. Filling him up until he was ready to burst into a ball of combustion and flames. His fingers itched for Amon's metal vessel.

“We don't have time, Al-Tharmen will be on the move and we're five steps behind.” Alibaba stood up and started to sort through the mess that Kassim had made from his fit of anger. He was looking for the maps they made and the notes Alibaba created on the Dungeon. He had written down all that he remembered of the Dungeon to give them a better advantage. He had no idea how they were going to get past the slime bugs, especially when they formed into one being. Last time he had Aladdin and his power to call on Ugo. There would be no friendly help of the Djinn this time.

“Tch, it's about time.” Alibaba paused and looked at Kassim. He was staring at Alibaba with a considering look, a smile almost curling on his face. Alibaba frowned and went to ask just what he was talking about but Kassim turned away before he could. He started to pack up their things, leaving behind anything unimportant. Alibaba pursed his lips but didn't comment. Kassim would be weird sometimes, he'd just chalk it up to that.

They left the home silently and raced through the streets to the steps that led up to the towering Dungeon. Alibaba mournfully wished for Aladdin's flying turban as he and Kassim ran up the endless amount of stairs. He took his friend's magic for granted and he was being punished. It was unfair. They were winded by the time they reached the doors, sweat pouring from every pore.

“Who the fuck,” Kassim panted. “Put in all those stairs?” Alibaba didn't have the heart to tell him that the Djinn they were after, Amon, was the one to do so. He didn't think Kassim would appreciate it. The two boys took a moment to breathe and to feel life in their legs again. When ready, they didn't hesitate to put their hands on the door.

Any time he entered a Dungeon, which was only twice, Alibaba was always amazed at the sight of the world shining in the great expanse around him. The golden light that shined, pulling him into its embrace and pulling him down further and further at an impossible speed that would temporarily knock him out. The passing between outside and inside the Dungeon was brief, but wonderous every single time.

Still, he'd appreciate not landing face down in a pool of water. Alibaba flailed, almost drowning, and sat up with a gasp. As he was coughing water out of his mouth and lungs he looked for Kassim. The other boy was beside him in a similar state as Alibaba.

Once knowing where Kassim was Alibaba looked around the chamber they landed in. It was a dark and dank area with a crystalized ceiling and rock formations for walls. They were sitting in a dark pool of water and ahead was a giant wall with tunneled entryways. It was exactly as Alibaba remembered. The skellingtons in the water were even in the same places as they were last time.

Wait.

“Run!” Alibaba grabbed Kassim's arm and hauled him out of the water, running as fast as he could to get out of the water. Kassim cursed and tried to get free but Alibaba wouldn't let go intent on getting out of there. When they touched dry land flames from above shot down onto the water, the liquid catching fire and forcing them to jump back at the ferocity of the heat.

“I forgot about that.” Alibaba chuckled nervously. Kassim glared at him and slapped the back of his head, making Alibaba yelp.

“Don't forget important things like that idiot!” He growled darkly. Alibaba quickly stuttered out apologies because Kassim was right. He shouldn't have forgotten the first death trap that was at the start of the Dungeon. It could have gotten them killed, and Alibaba didn't think he'd be sent back in time again if that happened. He had no clue as to why he was in the past, but he had a hunch that it had to do with his fight against Hakuryuu somehow. An accident to be sure because Hakuryuu wanted to kill Alibaba, not this.

Alibaba owed Hakuryuu thanks, however, even with the attempt of murder. Because of Hakuryuu, Alibaba had Kassim back. He had Kassim, Balbadd was alive and well, his relationship with his father was better than before, and he had a chance to get a leg up on Al Tharmen. Alibaba owed Hakuryuu a lot. Enough to forgive him trying, and pretty much succeeding, to kill Alibaba.

Kassim and Alibaba walked further into the Dungeon. It was hit and miss when trying to find the correct path, and more than once the two were back-peddling in fright. Eventually, they found a path that Alibaba vaguely remembered. Their hands were near their weapons, ready to be drawn at a moment's notice. A good thing, because it wasn't long before the slime monsters showed up. Alibaba and Kassim fought in tandem, weaving around each other and striking the monsters with quick efficiently.

Alibaba was hoping to kill the monsters at a fast enough rate that they wouldn't merge into the ultra monster. He was sadly mistaken in that. They still converged into the large form, leaving Kassim and Alibaba to stand shoulder to shoulder at its feet. Alibaba liked to think he had a better look on his face this time around than he did before. Less terrified shock and more...anything else really. It was pointless though. He probably looked like Kassim who was staring up in disgusted horror. Alibaba tried to warn him about the slimes, but seeing the real deal was another thing.

The slime tilted back, eyes dilating and mouth opening wide. Alibaba's breathed hitched and a sudden torrent of fire was being breathed on them. Alibaba and Kassim both dived out of the way, but it didn't deter the monster in the slightest. He continued to spew fire at them and stomped around throwing punches that made craters in the ground when they got too close.

Alibaba cursed under his breath as he took cover behind a cluster of crystals. Hopefully, they didn't turn into eggs like the rest had before. The slime was breathing fire at him, making the crystals heat up and singe his back. Alibaba hissed in pain and pulled his body away from the crystals. They were slowly melting under the heat pressure, meaning that Alibaba didn't have long. They needed a plan now.

The fire disappeared with a screech and Alibaba risked a look around his shield. Kassim had approached from behind and slashed its leg. The slime roared in pain and spat fire at him, making Kassim retreat. The slime ended up hitting itself in the foot with the fires instead and screamed even louder. The foot was now bubbling puddle of goo. The slime didn't take long to regenerate a new foot, but Alibaba's mind was beyond that.

The slime was flammable, more than that, it just couldn't handle the fire at all. It was weak to its own element. Alibaba knew that they couldn't get it to fry its own self. It wasn't a complete idiot and wouldn't let them pull another trick like Kassim did. Not only that but it would need to be doused with so many flames at once it couldn't regenerate.

The starting point of the Dungeon flashed in Alibaba's head.

“Kassim!” Alibaba shouted, darting out from his hiding spot. “I have a plan!” He got in the slime's line of sight and threw a rock at its head, managing to hit it square in the eye.

“Come and get me you weak excuse for pudding!” Alibaba was sure that Kassim was wanting to strangle him at the moment. The slime took offense to the insult and charged, fire roaring from its mouth. Alibaba didn't waste any time and started running as fast as his legs would go. He led the slime on a merry chase through the first half of the Dungeon. He didn't know where Kassim was, but he didn't have time to dwell on it too much. Alibaba had to focus on not tripping and getting brutally killed by the slime.

They ended up at the starting point quickly, the maze of tunnels and the pool of water still there. Just before Alibaba reached the water it was set on fire, resetting whatever clock the flames from above were set on. It took longer than he liked for the water to stop burning, long enough for the slime to catch up.

Alibaba gasped in pain when he was punched back into the water by the slime. He tasted blood in his mouth from where he bit his cheek. The slime followed, wading into the pool without a second thought. Alibaba struggled to stand up, stomach clenching from the pain. He was going to be bruised to hell tomorrow. The slime stopped just before Alibaba, fury in its eyes. It tilted back, preparing to shoot fire at Alibaba one last time. Around him, the air heated up. He didn't have long, Alibaba needed to move. There was nowhere to go however, Alibaba realized when standing up. The slime was blocking the only exit. He had trapped himself. He was going to die.

“Alibaba!” Kassim's shout came from above. He was hanging onto the rock wall for dear life with one hand, the other reaching out to Alibaba. He didn't hesitate and reached up, scrambling up the wall with Kassim's help. It was just in time, because the flames from above and from the slime hit the water all at once, exploding into a wildfire that consumed the slime at a rate quicker than it could regenerate. Alibaba felt a little sorry for the creature as it burned. It had to be a painful death. It was the only thing Alibaba could think to do, however.

“That was your plan?” Kassim deadpanned after the fire died out and it was safe to cross the water. Kassim had been behind Alibaba and the slime, chasing after them since they left the slime's chamber. He had seen where Alibaba was heading for and guessed what he was trying to do, but had thought of what Alibaba hadn't when the slime entered the pool. He jumped up to the rocky wall and climbed at a dangerously fast pace to reach Alibaba in time.

“Did you have something better?” He grumbled, ringing out the water from his clothes. Kassim snorted with a shake of his head.

“Something that didn't get you torched to death would have been nice.” Well, Alibaba couldn't fault that. He would have liked a plan like that too. Burning to death was not on the top of his fancies. He liked being alive.

“Thank you for saving me.” Kassim pushed Alibaba roughly at the words. Alibaba didn't let it get him down. He truly was thankful. Without Kassim, he would have died. Like that time before with Aladdin. He couldn't defeat that slime by himself, he needed the help of his friends beside him. Alibaba was nothing without his allies, and he couldn't afford to forget that.

It was one of the reasons why he didn't think he'd be a good king actually. He wasn't strong like Sinbad or Kouen. He couldn't really do anything by himself without screwing up in some fashion. Kings needed to be strong and independent. Alibaba was weak and the most dependent person he knew. He wouldn't make it on the throne.

Alibaba looked at Kassim out of the corner of his eye. Kassim was a better leader than Alibaba. He always was. As kids in the slums, and as adults in the Fog Troupe. He was able to hold a person's attention, rally them to a cause and make them want to follow him. In a way, he was a King himself.

Alibaba wondered what he'd do if Amon picked Kassim over him? He hadn't considered it before, the thought never occurred to him. Amon was his after all. Being in the Dungeon reminded Alibaba though, that the rules in this place were different from the world outside. Everything was controlled by the Djinn, and if he preferred Kassim he wouldn't even spare Alibaba a glance. Especially if he had no memories of Alibaba.

It'd hurt, he knew. Amon had become a part of him, a friend and ally who fused with his soul and magoi. Alibaba had worked so hard to get stronger with Amon, to master his Djinn Equip and get control of his powers. He felt like a part was missing without Amon's presence at his side. He felt incomplete.

But he wouldn't begrudge Amon for thinking Kassim the better King candidate. Kassim was stronger and more confident than Alibaba. While he had no idea how he'd cope if it happened, Alibaba silently vowed that he wouldn't be angry if Amon chose Kassim. He'd bite back the pain and help his friend because it would be the right thing to do. He wouldn't let something like that ruin their friendship. He refused.

He'd miss Amon though, to be honest.

They came into the chamber with the riddle and the pathway of fire. They stopped at the entrance, surprised. Ahead of them was another group of people. Three of them were finely dressed, two adults the third a child. Alibaba recoiled at the sight of the kid who couldn't even be fourteen. What were they thinking to bring him inside?

Alibaba conveniently forgot that he was technically only twelve now.

Standing dutifully to the side of them was another small group in more ragged clothing. Amongst them was a familiar shade of red. Morgiana. Morgiana was there, younger and with shorter hair but she was there. If she was there, then the kid in the noble clothes was Jamil. What was he doing here? Were those his parents and their slaves? Why were they there?

As Alibaba's mind broke down Jamil looked behind him and saw them. He smiled wide, showing his teeth. “Mamma, Pappa look! Some Peasants are here.” Jamil's parents turned and looked at Kassim and Alibaba with scorn.

Jamil took after his mother in looks. She had a soft face with silky hair that was passed down to her son. She had a few wrinkles but looked young for the most part. She'd be beautiful if it wasn't for the cold look in her eyes. His father was a tall man with black hair, a beard trimmed neatly on his face. His lip was pulled back in thinly veiled disgust as he looked them over.

“Do you think they're who Ithnan was talking about?” The woman asked her husband thoughtfully, ignoring Alibaba and Kassim's presence in the room. Alibaba jolted at the sentence. That answered it. Ithnan sent them in here, but why? Because he saw Kassim? What good would that do? The man hummed under his breath before answering.

“I doubt it. He said the two would be strong individuals who could complete the Dungeon. They look like street rats who followed our trail inside.” He waved a hand to one of the people standing to the side, and Alibaba could see the chains now. Slaves.

“They likely only made it this far by letting us do all the work. Kill them.” The slave, a tall man with shaved hair and a burned face, didn't even blink at the order. He ran at Alibaba and Kassim with blank eyes and a raised sword.

Kassim stepped in front of Alibaba and blocked the downward swing with his left sword and raised the other to the slave's neck. Molten eyes narrowed up at the slave with a promise of pain.

“Back off.” He punctuated the order with a swift kick to the slave's stomach, sending him to the ground. Jamil and his parents watched with bored eyes, taking in the defeat of their slave with little interest.

“I suppose rats do have some teeth.” The man said loftily. Kassim grinned toothily in response, more than willing to show just how much bite he had to the stuck up couple. Alibaba grabbed Kassim's arm and subtly shook his head. He then turned to the group ahead of them.

“My name is Alibaba and this is my friend Kassim.” He will be forever grateful that his mother gave him a common name. It made things easier when he was supposed to be laying low. This way he didn't need to worry too much about using a fake name. Since he was only the third Prince of Balbadd his identity wasn't as widely known as his brothers. Also, as Jamil's parents had pointed out, he looked nothing like royalty at the moment.

“We should work together to reach the end.” Nobody liked the sound of that. Kassim was even giving Alibaba a nasty glare. Still, he pushed on. There was no way he and Kassim could take them all on. It would be hard enough without Morgiana to consider. With her it was impossible. Her Fanalis heritage was strong and Alibaba knew that there was no way they could beat her. He didn't want to fight her anyhow. “This way we all make it out of the Dungeon alive. We don't get to choose who claims the Djinn anyway. The Djinn chooses us.”

They considered Alibaba's words. “I suppose it wouldn't hurt.” The woman said. “It's not like it would choose things as lowly as you two. And we can always use more servants.” Alibaba had to tighten his grip on Kassim to keep him from speaking. It wasn't what Alibaba had meant, but he'd take it if it kept a fight from breaking out.

“They can replace the dead one at least.” Alibaba frowned at the man's words. Dead one? The man snapped his fingers and all of a sudden one of the other slaves stepped out and in the blink of an eye, he shot an arrow into the throat of the slave that Kassim knocked down. Kassim and Alibaba jumped back in surprise. Two more arrows were shot, hitting the slave in the chest. Alibaba's eyes widened and his mouth dried as a cry was trapped in his throat.

Alibaba couldn't believe what he just saw. Young Jamil laughed and asked the man to shoot another. He did. Two more arrows struck the dead body at the child's behest. Jamil's mother told him to stop playing. The father was back to trying to read the riddle for the next portion of the Dungeon.

“Alibaba.” Kassim took his arm and led Alibaba away from the body. Alibaba tore his eyes away and looked at his killer. The slave was back in line, bow tucked away and quiver hanging at his waist. He had no shirt, just pants, and was barefoot. The chains that shackled his feet were rusty as if flecked with blood. He had brown hair and dead eyes, no expression on his face.

“Why did you kill him?” Alibaba asked Jamil's father, knowing that the slave wouldn't answer. The man glanced at Alibaba and rolled his eyes. He went back to the riddle.

“He failed to kill you, making him worthless. I don't keep worthless tools.” Alibaba's hand curled into a fist and he bit his lip. He didn't even call the man a human. To him, they weren't humans, worth nothing more than a good hammer was to a builder. It made Alibaba sick to his stomach.

“This writing is Torran, a dead language only the highly educated would understand.” Jamil's father frowned at the plaque. “I know Torran, but this is some variant or dialect I don't know. As expected of a Dungeon, but it complicates things for us.” He turned to his wife.

“Cera, which one would you be willing to part with?” Cera, who was Jamil's mother, sighed with a pout. She looked at the line of slaves with a critical eye. Alibaba didn't understand at first why, but then he realized. They were going to send one of the slaves through the tunnel where the fire was blazing at random intervals. They were going to kill or severely injure another slave.

“My father taught me some of Torran. May I try?” Kassim tried to pull Alibaba back but he ignored him. He wasn't going to let them hurt another person like that. Not if he could help it. Jamil's father looked down at Alibaba with a raised eyebrow.

“By all means.” He drawled, stepping back. Alibaba knew that he was doing it only in amusement. He thought that Alibaba was bluffing, putting up a front to look better than what he was. Alibaba walked to the plaque and read the words. They rang familiar to him from before. He never remembered the exact words but it was coming to him now. Still...

“Dance around the fire sprouts, the truth is within the dragon's jaws. Everything will be found after the dragon's tail.” Alibaba leaned back and scratched his cheek sheepishly. “..I think.” Cera and her husband stared at Alibaba suspiciously. Alibaba let out a nervous chuckle and scooted closer to Kassim to avoid being stabbed like Jamil had done the last time.

“Not rats.” The man drawled carefully. “Thieving weasels who try to impersonate their betters.” Alibaba practically felt Kassim bristle at the condescending tone. He jabbed his elbow into Kassim's stomach to stop anything drastic from happening.

“We aren't going to actually trust his word?” Cera questioned with a glare in Alibaba's direction. “For all we know, he read the thing wrong and will get us all killed.” She looked over their line of slaves once more with purpose. Alibaba's mind panicked. This wasn't what he wanted!

“Then we'll go first.” Kassim stepped forward, making sure to stomp on Alibaba's foot on the way. Alibaba hissed out a curse at the boy's retaliation. Kassim walked to the corridor and studied the pathway passively.

“I'll go first.” Alibaba bit his lip. That was not what he wanted. Kassim didn't know the real translation! Alibaba couldn't say anything, however, because Kassim didn't wait to do as he said. All Alibaba could do was hope that his friend remembered Alibaba's retelling of the Dungeon.

Chapter Text

Kassim lined himself up and waited for a beat to get the patterns down. When he was ready, the older boy lunged, swiftly prancing around the sprouting fires and hopping the center. It was there that Alibaba knew there was a dragon head statue sticking out of the wall. Kassim was nestled at that halfway point, safe from the surrounding flames. It was hard to see from Alibaba's perspective, but Kassim reached out and put his hand into the open mouth.

The flames stopped completely, making it look as if it were clear. Then, as Alibaba remembered, a swarm of embers formed into a vortex around Kassim. He shouted in surprise, and in a few quick seconds, the flames vanished with Kassim nowhere in sight. Kassim must have taken the secret passage. He better have at least.

Alibaba for his part knew that he had to at least pretend that he thought his brother was dead. It helped that he honestly choked on his words when the flames surrounded Kassim. It brought back flashes of old memories he'd rather keep locked away. Of the treasury, flames at Kassim's back, his cold eyes and mocking thanks. Alibaba's mouth dried and his eyes watered as the memories flashed, but he shook his head to get rid of them. That was the past.

Alibaba swallowed harshly and made sure his hands trembled as he wiped his eyes. Not a hard task. When he steadied himself he caught Morgiana watching him curiously. Her and Jamil's parents. He focused on the latter, needing to convince them more so.

“Hmm, not much love lost is there?” Cera asked archly. “No matter, all the better for us move forward. Isn't that right Jaken?” The man nodded imperiously and moved forward without a word. The archer and Morgiana followed silently, chains clinking slightly with each footstep. Cera huffed, as if cross, and grabbed Jamil's hand to guide him along. Alibaba was being left behind. He bit his lip nervously. This was his chance. He could sneak away from the group and follow Kassim to the treasure room.

Alibaba kept his pace slow to let the others get further ahead. When he reached the dragon, Alibaba kept an eye to make sure they weren't watching as he reached his hand into its mouth. He gripped the hidden handle and twisted, expecting the flames to appear and the secret door with it.

Instead of that, Alibaba was met with silence. Nothing. He frowned and twisted the handle again. Still nothing. That was a problem. Alibaba's eyebrows furrowed in frustration. He was forced to follow Jamil's family. Alibaba didn't know how Jamil had got to the treasure from before without taking the path Alibaba had found.

And this time Alibaba didn't have Aladdin's magic carpet to fly.

The next room was circular with multiple hallways on one side and a plain stone wall on the other. Jaken and Cera had pushed forward in one of the pathways with Jamil, the archer, and Morgiana waiting behind at the wall. Alibaba joined the three in a pensive silence. Jamil eyed Alibaba speculatively.

Alibaba carefully didn't meet the boy's gaze. Truthfully he didn't really know how to be around him and Morgiana. The girl held no recognition of Alibaba, which while logical, still hurt. She and Aladdin became Alibaba's closest friends. He had no idea how to act around her now with that missing connection.

“You don't seem all that sad about your friend.” Jamil crossed his arms with an arched brow. “What were you two thinking anyway? That mere peasants could defeat the Dungeon? That you would be chosen as a King?” The boy scoffed and ran a hand through his hair. He gave Alibaba a mocking sneer that screamed just how much he disagreed with that.

The smart thing to do would be to either stay silent or to pander to Jamil's ideals. Alibaba knew how this worked, how people raised like Jamil were like. He grew up in Balbadd's slums that had more than one corrupt shop owner or disillusioned noble. Not to mention his short stint as a caravan driver for three years. And the short times he visited the royal courts.

Alibaba knew what he should say to keep Jamil on his side, or at least more partial to Alibaba's cause. The problem with knowing what the smart answer was, it was also knowing the right answer. The truthful one that he believed in his heart. Speaking plainly was not a hot topic in the higher social circles, everyone playing certain roles and parts to serve their personal goals. When working as a caravan driver Alibaba knew all about it. Participated even. Aladdin taught him a different route. One where Alibaba stayed true to himself and his beliefs no matter the consequences.

Alibaba shifted on his feet and worked his jaw slowly before responding. Beside them, Morgiana and the archer stayed silent and stared forward with blank eyes. The archer looked half dead with the amount of will missing from his eyes while Morgiana was the picture of perfect control with her emotionless mask. They were doing their utmost to fade into the background. They were succeeding as well, If Alibaba wasn't keeping an extra eye on the two he might have forgotten about them.

“Who knows?” Alibaba shrugged idly, looking up at the ceiling with a wry smile. “We don't choose, the Djinn does. Maybe you will be picked, or maybe one of them.” He waved a hand to Morgiana and the archer. Jamil's mouth parted in surprise. Morgiana and the archer didn't show a large reaction, but their stances did become more rigid. He had their attention as well now.

“In a Dungeon, the rules of the outside world don't apply. Here, there is no social order. No nobles and peasants. No slaves.” Above there was a small square hole in the wall. It was where Alibaba remembered using to reunite with Aladdin. Alibaba hoped that Kassim was alright and would find his way without trouble. He dropped his head down and locked gazes with Jamil.

“Here, everyone has a chance at the prize. It's as the world is supposed to be. Where everyone is free and equal to meet their true potential. They are just as human as you or I, and are just as worthy to receive the Djinn's favor.” Alibaba's smile tugged down sympathetically.

“That you truly believe yourself to be better than them, that you think they are less than human, it makes me almost pity you. The outside world isn't going to bow down to your whims or serve itself on a platter. Humans aren't things you can buy, they are people. And have just as much right to be a King or Queen, as you or I.”

Jamil balked at Alibaba for a good minute, not seeming to fully understand his words. While thinking slavery as a normal and humane thing was inexcusable, Alibaba could almost understand Jamil. He was born into a family that thought such things, raised in an area that was known for its slave trade. Jamil was a product of his upbringing. It doesn't gain him any goodwill from Alibaba, not after seeing him cheer at the death of one of his mother's slaves. Seeing Jamil's parents just made it easier to see how Jamil became the man Alibaba knew him as.

“You can't really believe that!” Jamil shouted incredulously. “These monkeys as kings?” He drew his rapier and jabbed into the side of the archer. The man grunted in pain but made no move to stop him. Alibaba flinched in surprise, eyes widening. “They're worthless! Pathetic worms for meant to follow the orders of those better.” He punctuated his words with another stab. Alibaba's surprise made him hesitate, but he shook himself out of his stupor shortly. As Jamil went for another stabbing motion Alibaba darted forward and grabbed his wrist. Jamil balked at the action as if surprised that Alibaba thought to go against him. He recovered quickly however and yanked out of Alibaba's grasp.

Jamil then brought his arm up to strike at Alibaba. Acting fast, Alibaba sidestepped the strike and lunged forward. Simultaneously pulling out his blade, Alibaba got into Jamil's personal space and grabbed the boy's hand once more and pushed down to disable the rapier. Alibaba's dagger met at Jamil's neck, barely touching the flesh but ready to move at a moment's notice. Plum eyes widened in shock and fear. Alibaba waited for a beat and gently pushed Jamil away. He stayed between Jamil and the other two, blade still out just in case.

The two stared each other down. One in partial fear, and the other in complete defiance. There was a silent beat and then Jamil retreated slowly. His face was chalk white and his hand was shaking. His slow gait gained pace and soon he was running towards one of the hallways. Likely the one that his parents had gone through. Alibaba sighed in relief, not wanting to get into a full fight against the boy. When sure that he was gone for good, Alibaba sheathed his dagger and turned to Morgiana and the archer.

He gave them a grim smile, mentally wincing at Morgina's widened eyes. He looked away to avoid the gaze and was caught off guard by the archer. He was still standing perfectly still, even with the multiple stab wounds that were bleeding profusely. The only thing was that he was now pointing a drawn arrow at Alibaba's face. He tensed and took a step back in surprise, making the archer's arm muscle's bulge in anticipation.

“Don't move.” Alibaba turned back to Morgiana. She was now in her fighting stance, face blank. Alibaba held up his hands in surrender, not completely understanding what was going on. “Lord Jamil's parents will decide your punishment when they return.” Alibaba felt as though the world had tilted sideways. He hadn't faced against Morgiana since...ever? When they first met? It was bizarre and made his stomach twist and heart pang terribly. This wasn't right. They were friends.

But, that wasn't the case now. Not to Morgiana. To her, Alibaba was just a stranger. A stranger who had attacked her 'master'. Solomon, Alibaba was lucky she and the archer hadn't killed him when he first touched Jamil. Why they didn't was a mystery, one that Alibaba wasn't thinking he'd find the answer to. He looked between the two nervously, not knowing what to do now. He was only trying to help, not wanting another unneedful death to happen on his watch.

Neither Morgiana or the archer looked to be speaking anytime soon. Alibaba racked his brain for something to say that would calm them down. Sadly he was coming up with a blank, mind still freezing at being an enemy of Morgiana. She kept her eyes on Alibaba, red orbs hard and flinty. Next to her, the archer's arms quivered with obvious strain. Alibaba decided to avoid Morgiana for the moment and focus on the man. He looked worriedly at the still bleeding wounds. Sweat was gathering at the archer's brow and his lips were pulled into a grimace. He stayed in perfect position for a few seconds longer before collapsing. Morgiana and Alibaba both let out shouts of surprise. Morgiana dashed to catch the archer, gently setting him on the ground.

Alibaba pulled off his overcoat and used his dagger to rip several strips off. He knelt across from Morgiana and held them out carefully. She was glaring at him warily, hand hovering above the archer's bleeding side.

“Here, we need to stop the bleeding.” Alibaba knew better than to attempt at wrapping the archer himself. It would be a one-way ticket to death by Fanalis. Morgiana looked between Alibaba, the archer, and the way Jamil had gone to. She didn't wait too long before snatching the cloth. The archer tried to grab her wrist as she wrapped the wounds. He stopped after she gave him a particularly scary glare. It good to know that Alibaba wasn't the only one to receive those.

“What you said before, you really believe that?” Morgiana's voice was soft, pitched higher than what Alibaba remembered. She didn't look up at him, focusing on bandaging the archer.

“Of course.” It left his mouth without thinking, an automatic response. He faltered afterward, not really expecting her to speak properly with him. Not after facing him down like a desert bandit. Morgiana glanced at Alibaba oddly, eyebrows furrowed. The archer was watching Alibaba closely as well, flat brown eyes unnerving him.

“What are your names?” It was only a matter of time before he slipped and called her by her name. Best to do it after she introduced herself, to avoid any questions. That and Alibaba was really curious about the man's name. He was tired of mentally referring to him as 'the archer'. The other two traded glances briefly before Morgiana spoke.

“I am Morgiana. This is Isvassa.” She tightened the last bandage at this. Alibaba helped her assist in getting Isvassa to sit up. They leaned him against the wall. He looked uncomfortable, his pained grimace getting worse. Alibaba mentally wilted, not knowing how to further help with the pain. One of Isvassa's hands twitched towards something to the left. Alibaba looked and saw that Isvassa's bow and arrows had clattered to the ground when he collapsed.

Morgiana was busy double checking the bandages, a concentrated look saying that she didn't want to be disturbed. Alibaba pivoted in his crouch and gently picked up the scattered arrows and placed them back into the quiver. He then picked up the short bow. Alibaba could feel Isvassa's eyes on him while doing this, the silent stare down intimidating him somewhat.

“Here.” Alibaba smiled nervously as he held the bow and quiver back to Isvassa. By this time Morgiana had finished and both she and Ivassa were staring at Alibaba in surprise. It was odd, and dimly Alibaba wondered if this was how Aladdin felt whenever he called upon Ugo.

Isvassa hesitated before taking the items. He gave Alibaba a short nod in thanks and shadowed his eyes under the fringe of his hair. While they were like this Alibaba took the chance to get a better look at Isvassa. His bandages were slowly pinking but weren't completely red. Alibaba hoped that was a good thing. On his bare chest were multiple scars and previous wounds that made Alibaba frown in sympathy. His face was surprisingly clear of such blemishes, free from damage. Isvassa had long brown hair that was pulled back into a low tail. His complexion was more tan than what Alibaba was used to seeing, indicating he either Isvassa got a lot of sun or he was from a country Alibaba wasn't familiar with.

The three fell into a peaceful silence. The two must have decided that Alibaba wasn't much a threat given the lack of threats or glares. Alibaba also made sure to be careful to not spook them too much. He sat beside Morgiana, leaning his back against the wall. She was sitting with her knees pulled up, a concentrated look on her face.

“I'm sorry about your friend.” Alibaba's lips thinned at the thought of Kassim. While objectively he knew that Kassim was okay, it was still worrying about him being far away. He didn't like the thought of Kassim being on his own in the Dungeon.

“Thank you. I think he's okay though.” At the questioning looks, Alibaba explained further. “I've known Kassim since I was little. He's always been good at getting out of tough spots. Until I see a body, I'll have to believe he's okay.” They didn't look convinced, which was understandable. Kassim had vanished right in front of everybody. Still, Alibaba had to have some reason as to why he didn't look too devastated at the loss of his friend.

“You really believe we are supposed to be free?” She peeked at him with the reapeated question andn change of subject. It pulled Alibaba up short, unused to the more shy version of Morgiana. He didn't answer right away, knowing he had to say his feelings the right way, not just off the top of his head.

“My home is a short travel across the desert from Quishan. Balbadd. Slavery is illegal there. Maybe it's from my upringing, but I truly think that slavery is an inhumane and terrible thing.” Morgiana shifted in her seat and glanced to Ivassa before turning back to Alibaba.

“Ilegal?” Her voice was questioning, head tilted in confusion. Alibaba didn't understand at first, but then he realized. Morgiana was a slave, she hasn't been given a true education other than what was absolutely nessecary.

“Ah, there are no slaves in Balbadd.” This surprised both Morgiana and Isvassa. Morgiana inhaled deeply with widened eyes. She looked to Isvassa who had straightened in his spot, back rigid. They stared each other down for a beat, seeming to have a silent conversation that Alibaba wasn't privy to. It made him wary, wondering if maybe he had misspoke.

He looked up with a sigh, trying to think of something to say that wouldn't scare them off. All thoughts froze in his head however. Above him was Kassim who was sticking his head out of the small hole with a sly smirk on his face. He gave Alibaba a short wave.

“You must be lying.” Alibaba jumped and looked back to Morgiana. Her mouth was pulled downwards into a tight frown. At her sides, Morgiana had fisted her hands. “Slaves are everywhere. There is no escape.” Isvassa was looking down morosely, a white knuckled grip on his bow. Alibaba glanced up and he saw Kassim start to lower a vine. Alibaba suddenly wished for Aladdin, seeing as this won't be the quick escape it was last time.

“I'm sorry you don't believe me.” Alibaba stood up and brushed the dirt off his clothes. It was useless, more of a nervous gesture, as that he would only get dirty later on. “Balbadd has never participated in the slave trade. It's a port city, ships from all over come to trade. From Reim to Sindria. When you get free, you should come. I'll give you a tour.” Alibaba mentally snickered at their dubious expressions. “From there you can catch a ride to anywhere in the world. Maybe see your own homelands again.” The vine reached Alibaba then, touching the ground. Morgiana and Isvassa both looked up in surprise, balking at the sight of Kassim.

Alibaba grabbed onto the vine and quickly began to climb. Kassim also was pulling up with all his might to help. Niether Morgiana or Isvassa made to stop him, still looking upwards in shock. Alibaba managed to almost make it all the way up before Jamil and his parents returned.

Jaken took one look at the escape and his face reddened to a high degree. “Don't just stand there you idiots! Get them!” His scream seemed to shake both Isvassa and Morgiana out of their stupor. Morgiana's face hardened and she stood up. Next to her Isvassa did the same, readying his bow. Alibaba squeked in terror and scrambled to get up. He knew what was going to happen next.

“Hurry Kassim!” Morgiana took a running start and ran up the wall. A feat that was still terrifying the second time. Kassim grunted and pulled up with all his strength.

“You're too fucking heavy. I'm going to tell Hassan to ban you from his cooking.” That was completely unfair. Kassim was just as guilty at steal sweet bread from the other man whenever Hassan and Zainab were in the city.

Luckily Alibaba had made it far enough up that Morgiana wouldn't be able to catch him. Not-so-luckily Ivassa's aim was not affected by his injuries. Alibaba nearly fell off the vine when an arrow sinked into the wall beside him, scratching his cheek and shearing off a few strands of hair. Kassim cursed darkly.

“Bob and weave!” Alibaba spluttered at the barked command.

“How am I supposed to do that?” Alibaba did a little shimmy as he climbed. He doubted it helped in avoiding the stream of arrows that were heading straight for him. He's had three sliced by his arms, one almost hit his neck, and another almost hit his groin area in a terrifying moment.

“I don't know! Just don't get shot!” Very helpful. Alibaba finally reached the hole and let himself get hauled in by Kassim. The two fell into the passageway in a heap, breathing heavily and sweating profusely.

“Go on a diet.” Kassim shoved Alibaba off of him. Aliababa let himself get rolled, lying flat on his back. His arms and legs burned and his chest felt like it was on fire. He hadn't felt this sore since his training with Sharrkan.

The passageway was small, more of a crawlway than anything. It was cleaner than what one would expect, a lack of dust or cobwebs. It was completely dark, with only the opening being the source of light. Kassim was crouched next to Alibaba with an annoyed look. Alibaba awkwardly shuffled into a better posistion to follow him. Just before making their way there was a silent moment where they checked eath other over. Kassim had a few cuts and bruises but was fine overall. Alibaba himself was the same, if a bit more sore from the climb.

“Did everything go well on your end?” Aliababa asked as they crawled through the passage. Kassim was leading the way, putting him in front of Alibaba. The sheaths of his swords stuck out behind him, nearly poking Alibaba's eye out more than once. The further they went in, the darker it got.

“The dragon statue lead me into a passage that took me a different room. When I passed by the hole I heard your voice and followed it to where you were.” It was about what Alibaba expected. When he and Aladdin were here it was the same thing. That meant the room they were heading to was the one with the large doors. Those doors lead to the inner sanctum. It was there that Alibaba was really going to miss that flying turban Aladdin had. The entire dungeon was going to change into a dead city, forcing Alibaba and Kassim to walk the whole distance to the treasure room.

Luckily the distance to the room Kassim spoke of wasn't far. It was slightly smaller than the place Alibaba had been in before. It was bare save for a giant set of doors. At body level, where a doorknob or handle would be placed, was a small gold plating with the indention of a palm.

The two boys stood in front of the doors silently, taking it in. Alibaba was remembering the first time he was there, with Aladdin. Despite his happiness with Kassim being back and at his side, Alibaba felt off. Like it was wrong to do this without his younger friend. Like he was cheating.

“Ready?” Kassim looked to Alibaba with a raised brow. His hands were on his hips, fingers touching the hilt of his blades. Alibaba took a deep breath and tried to calm his thoughts. He would see Aladdin in time, he just needed to be paitent. And even if this was cheating, it was for a good cause. Al-Tharmen needed to be stopped. Aladdin would understand.

“Yeah, I think so.” Alibaba nodded tightly and gave Kassim a small grin. Kassim studied Aliababa for a moment before nodding back. He turned to the doors and squared his shoulders. Alibaba copied, swallowing a lump in his throat.

The lifted their hands and pressed them into the gold indentions. Alibaba closed his eyes as a blinding light enveloped their surroundings. When it was gone he was blinking spots out of his vision. Kassim let out a low whistle at the vanished surroundings. They stood on a lone pillar that overlooked an empty city. Above was a cloudless sky, the sun shining down merrily.

They were one step closer.

Chapter Text

Despite the clear sky and lack of breeze, the temperature was mercifully at a bearable level. Unlike what Alibaba would expect for a fire Djinn. It was especially good for the length of time he and Kassim spent getting down from the pillar. It was a difficult and at times an embarrassing climb. Alibaba will be happy to put it, and the hidden staircase they missed, behind him. Kassim himself was more annoyed with the size of the city. They knew the general direction in which to go, having seen what looked to be an exact copy of the outside of the dungeon in the center of the city from the pillar. They were on the outskirts, forcing the two boys to walk for some time.

Kassim was not a fan of this idea. He was striding in front of Alibaba with a scowl and muttered curses under his breath. Alibaba wisely decided to let Kassim be and keep a wide berth from his friend. Meanwhile, he took in his surroundings. The buildings weren't all that unlike those in Balbadd. Just with more towers accompanied with an elegant aura. If Sindria and Balbadd's architecture ever combined Alibaba thought it would turn out like this.

It was odd this time. The place had a more eerie feel when walking through the city instead of flying above it. The empty buildings and market stood out even more as they passed by dark windows and silent houses. It fully cemented gravity of Alma Torran's fate. Of what Al-Tharmen is trying to accomplish. For a brief second Alibaba saw Balbadd in the city's place. Barren and left to become a relic of a forgotten past. It terrified him.

What was worse was that it could happen to the other countries and cities in the world. Not just Balbadd was in danger, though it was the immediate problem on Alibaba's mind. Al-Tharmen wanted this for the entire world. From Reim to the Kou Empire. It had to be stopped.

“How much further is this place?” Kassim looked back with his scowl in full force. Alibaba glanced up ahead. The tower rose into the sky above, still looking far off. Alibaba grimaced sympathetically and shrugged his shoulders.

“Last time I was on a flying carpet, so I can't give a good estimate.” Kassim's lips downturned more and he spun back around. Alibaba sighed and jogged to catch up with his friend. “I know it wasn't what you expected but at least we are dealing with any monsters!” Kassim gave Alibaba a side glare but huffed out an agreeing sigh. Fewer monsters was always a good thing.

They walked on, Kassim's grumbling dying down. Alibaba smiled to himself, knowing that Kassim's temper was mostly bluster. Kassim was a good man, even with all his faults. Much to Alibaba's embarrassment, it made him worry a little bit. Kassim was a just as good, or even better, king candidate than Alibaba. Amon might choose Kassim over him. Alibaba didn't like to think about it. He missed Amon at his side. It was like missing a limb.

That's not saying Kassim wouldn't deserve it. Alibaba truly believed in the best of his friend. If Amon did choose Kassim, Alibaba would understand. He would be disheartened, but wouldn't object. If Alibaba were to trust anyone with Amon, Kassim would be at the top of the list.

Still, Alibaba wanted Amon to choose him. Odd, when considering his opinion of the Djinn the first time around. Alibaba didn't want power. He didn't even know what being chosen by the Djinn meant. He had only wanted the gold to pay back the treasury and to give him a leg up in becoming a merchant. That and to prove that he could conquer a Dungeon. Being a king was never in his plans. It still wasn't, his insecurities making him shy away from even the thought of it. He needed power though.

Al-Tharmen was going to be hot on their tail soon if they weren't already. Alibaba, as he was now, was too weak to fight against them. That made him a liability. He promised himself that he would do what he could to keep Balbadd from being captured by the Kou again. That he would try to keep Hakuryuu from falling into depravity. To be a better friend to Morgiana and Aladdin. Make himself a stronger ally to Sinbad and the others. Most of those things needed him to have a Djinn. Amon was the only one he knew intimately. If Amon didn't choose him, he would have no idea where to find another. Magi rose Dungeons, and Aladdin wasn't around for him to ask. Alibaba doubted Judal would be kind enough to raise one, and the other two Magi's were too far out of reach.

Alibaba's swirling thoughts carried him to the treasure room. It looked just as he remembered. Dull and near empty. Kassim scowled at the lackluster appearance. He lightly kicked over a rusted pitcher from its perch on a pile of junk. He turned to Alibaba with raised brows and an incredulous tilt to his lips.

“This is what we came for?” He asked, hooking a thumb behind him. Alibaba sighed as he eyed the dusty piles of dishes and broken artifacts. He should have anticipated such a reaction from Kassim. Amon hadn't revealed himself right away the first time either. The problem was that Alibaba didn't know what prompted the Djinn to appear. Alibaba remembered fighting Jamil, beating him, fighting Morgiana, losing against her, and Aladdin calling forth the Rukh.

Seeing as Alibaba could not just ask the Rukh to nicely wake Amon up, they were stuck. Alibaba walked to the steps of the empty fountain in the middle of the room. There he began to pace. Kassim walked around, rummaging through the scattered items on the ground. He found a nearly broken stone chair, dust and cobwebs clinging at its corners. Kassim let out a huff and plopped himself in it. He crossed his legs over its side and watched Alibaba idly.

“I thought Dungeons were supposed to have 'riches beyond belief'.” Kassim lifted his hands to produce air quotes, voice utterly dry. Alibaba paused in his pacing to shake his head at the boy.

“They do after the Djinn shows up. I think.” That's what happened when Amon arrived. Kassim pursed his lips and looked around dubiously. His eyes were squinted, making him look akin to a shifty fox.

“Then how do we get the guy to appear?” Alibaba raised his hands to scrub at his hair in frustration.

“I don't know.” He whined, mind blanking. Kassim turned back to Alibaba with a gaping mouth. He pointed at Alibaba accusingly, eyebrow twitching.

“Aren't you supposed to be the Dungeon expert here?” He chastised. “Call the Akan guy down or something!” Alibaba squawked and bristled, pointed right back at Kassim's childish attitude.

“It's Amon! And I only conquered one Dungeon!” Alibaba lifted his arms up in a frantic gesture. “I'm not Sinbad or anything! How am I supposed to know how this works? Last time there were mitigating factors!” Kassim rolled his eyes, tilting his head back in mockingly.

“Like what?” He questioned. Alibaba fought against scowling at his friend, almost wanting to smack Kassim. It was times like this that he missed Aladdin. He wouldn't be as rude to Alibaba.

“Like there being a Magi! And fighting against Jamil.” Though that fight barely counted. Alibaba had trounced the guy. The real fight had been against Morgiana. Hopefully, it won't come to that again. Knowing Alibaba's luck it wasn't likely, but he could dream.

Kassim was right in his annoyance, however. Alibaba honestly had no idea how to prompt Amon into appearing. He didn't know what had conjured the Djinn the last time. He doubted that it was beating Jamil and Morgiana. While Amon wasn't a battle-thirsty one. Alibaba didn't want to wait for the other group to catch up either. If Amon didn't show up soon then Jamil and his parents would show. They needed to summon the Djinn and quick. The question was only how. He didn't even consider the thought of fighting Kassim. He had done enough of that in the other timeline.

“If you were an all-powerful Djinn, what would get you to show your face?” Kassim yawned loudly as Alibaba spoke aloud. He stretched out lazily and shrugged his shoulders.

“For the idiots to prove themselves to not be completely useless.” Alibaba shouldn't be so surprised at the answer. Really, he shouldn't. It was exactly what Kassim did for the Fog Troupe, so why would he think it any different than for a Djinn. Still, Alibaba paused and looked to the center fountain. Kassim had a point. The whole point for the Djinns is to find worthy and strong kings. For some just surviving the Dungeon is enough, others needed something more. Since Amon hadn't shown yet, he must have fallen into the other category. It was kinda embarrassing that he didn't know this much about Amon. It never really occurred to Alibaba given his surprise at being chosen in the first place. Amon clearly wasn't satisfied with the two boys showing up at the treasury. They didn't have time to wait, so Alibaba needed to do something to catch Amon's attention.

“Amon!” Alibaba brought himself to his full height and forced his words to remain strong. He looked up while shouting, eyeing the ceiling and walls around them. “Kassim and I have conquered your Dungeon and request your audience!” It was a long shot, but it was the only thing that Alibaba could think to do. Nothing happened for a good minute. Kassim yawned again, giving Alibaba an unimpressed stare. Alibaba deflated, feeling defeated. He didn't know what else to do.

The ground began to tremble all of a sudden. Alibaba yelped as he lost his footing, falling to the ground. Kassim clutched at the chair he was in, letting out a loud holler as it fell to the side with him still in it. The air around them seemed to shimmer a bright light, blinding Alibaba. As he blinked spots out os his eyes, Alibaba gaped at their new surroundings. The room was completely changed. There was treasure at every corner, gold and precious gems in plain view. Kassim crawled up his now golden chair, practically swimming in ancient artifacts and gold.

At the center of all of it was Amon. The fountain was now polished, jewels aligning its sides like a crown. Instead of water, bright flames roared inside of it. He floated above it, his bottom half fading into the flaming fountain. Amon was giant in this form, taking up most of the large room with his presence. He looked down at Alibaba's prone form with a heavy frown. The Djinn's arms were crossed, a long-nailed finger tapping his arm methodically. Amon looked just the same as Alibaba last saw him, the being's form unchanging.

A wave of relief hit Alibaba. It was like having a weight taken off his shoulders. He didn't know if Amon remembered him, but just seeing the Djinn made him feel better. Amon had become a part of Alibaba. With his vessel gone, Alibaba felt naked or as if he was missing a limb. It made for a strange year.

“Who will be King?” Amon's voice was a deep rumble that echoed in the chamber. It shook into his very bones, seeping into his body. He traded a hesitant look with Kassim. This was it. Everything after this was up to Amon. He would choose a champion and close the Dungeon. Whether that person would be Kassim or Alibaba was a mystery. One that Alibaba didn't think that Kassim questioned.

“Amon,” Alibaba slowly rose from the ground. Amon focused his narrowed gaze to the boy, causing a shiver of anxiety to flow in his spine. He forgot just how intimidating the Djinn could be. “My friend Kassim and I have conquered your Dungeon. We wish-” Amon lifted a hand. Alibaba nearly bit his tongue as he stopped talking.

“You, who are you?” Amon pointed an accusing finger at Alibaba. He jumped in surprise, not understanding the question. The last time, Amon hadn't asked any questions. He had only looked around and picked Alibaba with a dismissive wave at the boy's question to raiding the treasury.

“I am Alibaba Saluja. Kassim and I are from Balbadd. We traveled here to see you.” Kassim had gotten completely up by then. He carefully made way for Alibaba's side. Amon frowned further and tilted his head to the left.

“Alibaba Saluja.” He repeated slowly. He slowly shrunk down and floated closer to Alibaba and Kassim. “A Djinn controls and knows everything about their Dungeon. That includes those who enter. I cannot read minds nor your memories, but I do have a complete knowledge of your magoi levels and Rukh's signature.” Alibaba nodded along to the impromptu lecture. He remembered Amon speaking something similar when he was helping the others in Zagan's Dungeon. He didn't go in complete detail though. Just where was this going?

“Your magoi levels are beyond the normal levels of one your age. They will only grow as you enter puberty. Not only that, but I feel something familiar within your Rukh. It feels like my own flames.” Amon got within touching distance of Alibaba, now at an average human's height. He pointed at Alibaba again.

“Why do I feel such a connection with you boy?” Without regarding Amon not recognizing him at first, this confirmed Alibaba's sinking suspicions. Amon didn't remember the other future. He didn't know of the bond he and Alibaba held. It hurt, like seeing Morgiana ready to fight him. The idea just didn't mesh right inside his mind. Alibaba was too used to Amon. Thinking of being at square one after everything, it was an alien experience.

It also made Alibaba give up any hope that he would be the one picked. Kassim was a better choice of a King than Alibaba. He knew this. Without the knowledge of the future, Amon had no reason to pick Alibaba. At least, Alibaba started to believe that. Amon mentioned a connection, so maybe there was a hope.

“I'm from ten years in the future. I was in a battle against another Djiin Equip user. They struck me-” -killing me- “And I woke up in the past. You were my Djinn.” Alibaba's words faded away at the look on Amon's face. It was thunderous.

“You speak lies.” He growled, faced pulled into a snarl. The anger coursing through his words caused Alibaba to stiffen in fear and shock. “I have no control over time, and even if I did, to use it to such an extent would be forbidden!” Veins were pulsing in Amon's anger. It was terrifying. It was also confusing.

“I-I don't know how it happened. Maybe it wasn't you-” Alibaba hadn't even thought of Amon being the reason behind it all. He was a fire Djinn. Alibaba didn't even know of any Djinns with time magic. Alibaba didn't even know such a magic existed.

“Only a Djinn would have such power.” Amon pulled back, growing in height as his anger boiled. “Unless you think your enemy did such a thing.” Hakuryuu? Alibaba didn't think so. He didn't want to just send Alibaba away. He was going in for the kill. That and Alibaba didn't know of Hakuryuu having A Djinn like that.

“I don't know how or why, but it did happen! I'm telling the truth!” Alibaba stepped forward with a hand to his heart. It was beating loudly, hammering against his chest like it wanted to break free. “You said yourself that we have a connection! You were my Djinn, we fought together at the sides of my friends! You have to believe me!” Amon's face didn't change. Alibaba faltered, unknowing of what to do.

“Why would I, or any Djinn for that matter, break a cardinal rule for the life of just one human? For what purpose?” He didn't know. Alibaba bit back tears of frustration. He didn't have an answer to Amon's questions. He didn't know why he was sent back or how. Honestly, Alibaba didn't think to ponder on it. He just accepted his new reality and adapted. Amon had a point. If a Djinn was the cause, why would they choose Alibaba over an important law between Djinns? Alibaba had no idea. He didn't think himself worthy of being a king, let alone being worthy of something like that.

Kassim didn't seem to agree. While Alibaba was silent in his swarming thoughts, Kassim stepped up. Anger boiled in his eyes just as they did in Amon's. His hands were fisted at his sides. If possible, Alibaba was sure that the other would attempt to brawl with Amon.

“What the fuck do you know?” He shouted, spit flying like venom. “You weren't there! Bad shit is coming and Alibaba was right in the middle of it. Al-Tharmen is wanting to take over the world and it nearly did several times! If it wasn't for Alibaba and his friends, everything would have been destroyed. He's fought everything from Dungeon capturers to black Djinn and a fucking Dark Medium!

“I don't know everything. The memories I got from my future self's Rukh is hazy at best, but I know damn well that in the future they needed people like Alibaba. So shut your condescending ass up. There are plenty of reasons why you would choose time travel over death for Alibaba. If you weren't blind that is.” Alibaba stared in wonder at his best friend. He was taken aback by such faith. Amon was silent, frown still in place. His eyes were more considerate though. Maybe there was still a chance. Alibaba swallowed the lump in his throat and stepped closer to Kassim. He looked up at Amon with a somber determination.

“I don't think I'm anything special. Not for that.” He paused, frowning to himself. “I don't know why you chose me in the first place. I don't know why I'm here, and I don't know how it happened. What I do know is that we need your help. Kassim is right. Al-Tharmen will make their move soon, and the world will need as many Djinn Equips as possible to fight against them. I'm not like Sinbad, but I want to do what I can to help. I want enough power to protect my friends and family against this threat. So please, trust in me!” Alibaba bowed deeply at the waist at the plea, eyes closed. He didn't dare look at Amon's expression. There was a shifting beside him, and he peeked to see Kassim copying with a disgruntled frown. The air was silent above them. Amon was thinking. Alibaba prayed that the Djinn would listen. That he would choose either Alibaba or Kassim.

After a few minutes there the sound of Amon inhaling a breath to speak. Alibaba internally perked, ready to hear the Djinn's verdict. This was stopped, however. Behind them, there was the sound of the doors being opened.

Alibaba and Kassim rose and turned. Just in the doorway were Jamil's family and a smaller number of slaves. Morgiana and Ivassa were with them. Cera's dress was ripped and singed, and Jakan's head wrap was missing. Jamil was shaking with what looked to be terror, a boot missing. Morgiana looked okay at first, but Ivassa was not doing well. His wounds had reopened, bleeding through his wrappings.

Monsters were trying to pour through the doors. Jakan and two of his bigger slaves slammed the doors shut before it could happen. There was a beat of silence, then the noble looked to Alibaba and Kassim. His plum eyes were wide with madness, mouth pulled taught in anger.

"Not rats, or even annoying pests. You two must be cockroaches." Jakan sneered. He lifted a shaking hand at Alibaba and Kassim. "Kill them!" Kassim cursed under his breath as the two burly slaves came rushing forward, Morgiana sprinting ahead with a hard face. Alibaba panicked. There was no way Kassim could take on all three. He wouldn't be able to handle just Morgiana. Alibaba risked a look back at Amon. The Djinn had retreated to his original position, impassive to what was going on. He wouldn't interfere. Alibaba turned back and wanted to curse. This was not how he saw things going.

He needed to help Kassim. The best thing to do would be to get Morgiana to stop. With a heavy heart, Alibaba made way for her. Kassim was busy blocking the swords from the two larger slaves with his dual wielding, vulnerable to Morgiana's hand to hand combat. Before she could land a kick to Kassim's stomach Alibaba barreled into her, causing them to tumble away. He wrapped his arms around her to keep her from hitting the ground too much, but it backfired. She broke free with little struggle and sent him flying into a pile of gold. As he clambered his way up, Morgiana fell into her fighting stance. Alibaba watched mournfully.

"I don't want to fight you Morgiana." He said while unsheathing his dagger. "Remember what I said to Jamil? In here, slaves and nobles don't matter. You don't have to listen to their orders if you don't want to." She hesitated, and Alibaba felt hope spark. Maybe he'd be able to get her to listen after all. This hope was short lived. Beside Jakan, Cera scowled with a livid face.

"What's taking you so long girl?" She screamed with such ferocity that her hair fell out of their careful curls. "You have your orders! Or do you want to be punished?" Morgiana shook her head sharply and launched herself forward. Alibaba rolled to the right and raised his blade up as he got back to his feet. Morgiana had jumped at him again. He blocked her kick by pushing his dagger against the chains on her feet. It was enough to unbalance her and cause Morgiana to go past him without injury. She fell to the ground in a crouch. Morgiana didn't stay down long.

This wasn't good. Kassim was struggling on his own, and Morgiana was too powerful for Alibaba to defeat. There was nothing he could do just yet. Alibaba sent a mental apology to Kassim and focused back on Morgiana. To call what happened next a fight would be laughable. It was more of a cat and mouse chase. Morgiana would attack, and Alibaba would dodge, sometimes parrying if need be. He was careful to not cut her too deeply or in any vital areas. It wasn't a good plan, and it wouldn't be long until Alibaba ran out of energy. It was all that he could think of though.

"Don't just stand there!" Alibaba dropped to the ground as Morgiana came at him again. Jakan was shouting now. Alibaba wanted to turn, but he couldn't afford to take his attention away from Morgiana. "Do something you useless wraith!" Alibaba rushed forward as Morgiana came at him, surprising her. At the last moment he sidestepped, twirling around her so that he was at her back. This gave him the opportunity to see what Jakan and Cera were up to.

Jakan was shouting at Ivassa. The archer was standing on unsteady feet, face strained with pain. He had his bow raised, an arrow nocked. Alibaba's eyes widened in horror as Ivassa released it. It was likely meant for Alibaba, but when he moved behind Morgiana it put her in the line of fire. There was only a second to react. Alibaba didn't even think, body moving without thought. He ran forward, arm outstretched. Morgiana made a noise of surprise as he pushed her down to the ground. The arrow sailed over her body and struck him, sending blinding pain in his side. The arrow had only grazed him, but it was bleeding steadily.

"Alibaba!" Kassim's voice was fearful. Alibaba grunted out a short reply to let Kassim know that he was okay. He couldn't let something like this keep him down. He had faced bigger things than this. Alibaba gritted his teeth against the pain. Morgiana was staring at him in shock. Understandable considering from her point of view. Alibaba couldn't let her get shot. Not when he could do something about it.

Beyond his notice, Jakan watched the exchange with growing anger. He was tired of the two ruffians who had crashed on their plans to make Jamil a strong leader. Who were they to stand in the way of greatness? Jamil was better than those scum. Jaken and Cera were better. They held a higher lineage, fated to rule! Jakan nodded to his wife, knowing that she would know what to do. She looked as done with this situation as he was. After she took care of the blonde and Jamil's pet, Jakan will deal with the rat and the useless archer.

"It seems that we need new slaves. We have to do everything ourselves." Alibaba looked up from Morgiana. Cera had a strange contraption in her right hand. It looked to be a miniature crossbow. This time there was no time to react. A blink of an eye and Alibaba felt more pain rupture, just under his chest area. He fell to the ground, clutching at the new wound. He coughed, tasting copper in his mouth.

Alibaba found himself being rolled over, and Morgiana was looking down at him. Her face was fearful, and still holding its shocked awe. He tried to smile at her, not wanting to worry his friend.

"Why did you do that?" It took him a moment to figure out what she was talking about. Taking the arrow that Ivassa shot. Alibaba shrugged, carefully pulling himself up from the ground. He couldn't stay down, he couldn't afford to at this point.

"You're my friend. I didn't want you to get hurt." It was as simple as that. To him, it was a tight friendship built in an unshakable bond. It was unfair to Morgiana for Alibaba to treat her with a relationship that had yet to happen. He couldn't help it though. Morgiana stared at him with an open mouth, eyes wide. Alibaba forced himself back to his feet, putting his attention back to Cera and Jakan. Cera was reloading her crossbow while Jaken had Ivassa sprawled on the ground at his feet. The man held a sword up high, ready to strike down.

"You said that Balbadd didn't have any slaves?" Morgiana stepped up beside Alibaba. There was a strange look in her gaze. Alibaba nodded silently to the question. "You said, after this that I could go to Balbadd. That being a slave didn't matter here." He nodded again, then he hesitated. Alibaba looked at the chains on Morgiana's ankles. He didn't have any superpowers like Aladdin to break the chains or the strength needed to do it himself. Morgiana saw his gaze and smiled grimly.

"Don't worry Alibaba, I can still fight." And with that, she was flying. Alibaba gaped as she crossed the room in one fluid leap, knocking Jakan aside with a well-placed kick. A quick twist and Cera was put out of commission as well. Alibaba shook himself out of his amazement and hurried to Kassim's side. Kassim was almost knocked down, But Alibaba arrived in time to block the downward swing of the attacker.

The two boys worked in tandem against the two slaves. Kassim held the high ground while Alibaba went low, dashing in and out of reach to catch them off guard. It was like their training with Barrack. He would have the two team up against either him or a royal guard at the training grounds. Kassim kept the focus of the opponent while Alibaba used his royal swordsmanship to make the final downfall. The two slaves didn't last long against the two of them.

"It's about time. What was taking you so long?" Kassim sheathed his swords with a light kick to the unconscious men at their feet. His voice held a sarcastic tone, eyebrows raised in a challenge. Alibaba sheathed his own dagger with a groan and felt a sudden urge to tangle his hands in his hair.

"I was busy. Being shot." Alibaba pointed candidly at his wounds, blood still seeping out. Kassim frowned critically at them but scoffed in the end. Alibaba whined in pain as Kassim poked his chest unapologetically. "You should have bobbed and weaved." Kassim patted Alibaba's shoulder and moved past him to where Morgiana was staring down Jamil and his parents. Alibaba grumbled as he rubbed his chest, wishing that his friend was just a bit kinder.

"What do we do with them?" Kassim had his arms crossed, yellow eyes unforgiving as he stared down at the fallen nobles. Morgiana left him to stand guard as she tended to Ivassa. Alibaba joined him, sighing audibly. Cera was unconscious with a small bleeding cut on her forehead. Jakan was unarmed and sprawled on the ground with furious eyes, while Jamil huddled between them with fear. Alibaba knew what Kassim wanted. While no longer in depravity, he still had darker Rukh than what was advised. It was hard for Kassim to shake his old ways of thinking. In some ways, Alibaba agreed with Kassim. He knew that Jakan, Cera, and Jamil all did horrible things to Morgiana and the other slaves. Still, he wouldn't bring himself to such a level. It would make him no better than Jakan himself.

"We'll leave them alone for now. I think I saw some rope in here, we can tie them up." Alibaba looked in the general direction of where he saw the rope. "After we get out of here, we'll help Morgiana and the others." One way or another. Alibaba had an idea already forming, but he wasn't going to voice it just yet. Kassim didn't look happy, but he went along with Alibaba's wishes. Alibaba helped him find the rope and tie the others up. He then let Kassim fuss over his wounds and helped Morgiana with Ivassa.

The archer wasn't in good shape. He had burns all over his body, and Jakan added more bruised and cuts to his back earlier. They made more makeshift bandages for the man, but Alibaba was worried it wouldn't be enough. The man needed a healer. Alibaba was better off. The arrow to the chest avoided any major organs, at least given how he wasn't dead yet, and they just needed to staunch the bleeding of both wounds.

"I have chosen." Alibaba and the others all jumped at the sudden baritone of Amon. He floated down from the fountain with a pensive expression. Alibaba unconsciously straightened, heart clenching. Amon was going to name his King. While he held hope, Alibaba doubted it would be him. He didn't do much in the fight earlier. That was Morgiana and Kassim. It didn't matter in a way. As long as whoever is chosen uses the power to fight against Al-Tharmen then it would be okay. Alibaba would need to find another way to fight against the evil organization.

Amon came closer to them, stopping in front of Kassim, Morgiana, and Alibaba. He stared at the three, not speaking for a beat. "I have chosen," He repeated. "You will be King." He pointed at Alibaba. Kassim smirked, leaning back and taking a curious look at the treasures around them. Alibaba spluttered, completely bewildered.

"I have given thought to your words, and while I am unsure as to their truth, your actions earlier have spoken." Amon floated with a straightened back, arms crossed. Alibaba wanted to ask more, but he stopped. While he was confused, Alibaba was sure that Amon had his reasons. He wasn't going to question them. Not when it meant he'll get to partner with Amon again. It wouldn't be the same, but it would be a step up. And make feel much safer.

"Thank you, Amon." Alibaba smiled gratefully at the Djinn, heart relieved. Amon huffed but smiled back.

Chapter Text

Kassim and Alibaba gathered as much of the treasure they could reasonably carry without being targeted on the way back home. Alibaba truthfully didn't need any gold for himself. Kassim was more likely to use his half to help out his neighborhood. Alibaba was more concerned with the less lustrous of items. If there was one thing that Alibaba learned from Kouen Ren, it was that knowledge wasn't just power. It could be leverage as well. He made sure to grab every book and scroll available, stuffing a large knapsack full. The last time he had ignored them, more interested in the gold. Alibaba didn't know exactly what was inside them, or even if he could read the majority, but he wasn't taking any risks.

The rest of the treasure was given to Jamil's family. In exchange for them releasing all of their slaves and vowing to never get involved with the slave trade again, Alibaba promised them the rest of the gold and the bragging rights of the Dungeon. This way they could keep their status in the city and Alibaba didn't get any unwanted attention for capturing the Dungeon. Jakan thankfully accepted and the deal was made.

Amon closed the Dungeon, a much smoother practice than the last time, and the group was stranded at the bottom of a large crater where the Dungeon once stood. After climbing their way out, Alibaba and Kassim left the nobles with the slaves following. They first went to a healer to help get Ivassa medical attention. He was in critical care for a few days. Morgiana stayed by the man's side the entire time. Alibaba and Kassim went back to their house to get better prepared for the travel back.

“It's good to see you're doing okay.” They were at the edge of town. Two caravans were getting ready to depart, going separate ways. Alibaba and Kassim stood across from Ivassa and Morgiana. With the newly freed slaves was the familiar face of Goltas. Ivassa was wrapped up tight in bandages, but he was standing. The silent archer smiled grimly, leaning against the broad strength of Goltas.

“My brother and I will leave for our home territories. It has been a long time since we've seen the plains.” It was the most that Alibaba ever heard Goltas say. Not that he knew him for long sadly. Goltas turned out to be Ivassa's older brother, which was an odd surprise for Alibaba. It made him wonder what happened to Ivassa in the other timeline.

“I hope that the travel there will be okay. It was really nice meeting you guys.” Alibaba stretched out a hand with a smile. He truly hoped the best for them. They deserved it after everything. Goltas nodded his head in thanks and accepted the handshake.

“We are truly in your debt.” The man intoned seriously. “If you ever need it, we will help.” Alibaba laughed nervously at the promise. While it was nice that they were happy and considered Alibaba a friend, this was a bit much.

“Ah, there's no need for that. I didn't do much in the end. I'm just happy you guys can go home.” Goltas nodded once more, but Alibaba didn't think that he took the words at face value. Alibaba figured it was okay. He figured it was about time he stopped protesting about so many things and just adapt as best as he could. With Amon back, he felt a new sense of confidence within. It helped in that regard.

Morgiana spoke her goodbyes to the men as their caravan drove off. She had requested to accompany them to Balbadd. Alibaba had automatically said it was alright, not thinking of refusing. Kassim, while not exactly ecstatic with the add-on, understood Alibaba's stance. The duo turned into a trio, and Alibaba was severely reminded of the lack of Aladdin. The boy would arrive in a few years, meaning it would be some time before Alibaba saw his best friend.

The travel back to Balbadd was as uneventful as the one to Quishan. Minimal bandits (who now dealt with armed caravanners, A tobacco deprived Kassim, and Morgiana. Not counting Alibaba's metal vessel because he wasn't going to use it on bandits), no desert hyacinths, and only one attack by jackals. Morgiana took care of those.

It wasn't the same caravan they had followed to Quishan but Alibaba still kept his face hidden. He was able to get by in Quishan without it but as they got closer to Balbadd he didn't want to risk being found by a patrol of Balbadd guards who were in search of him. Alibaba would prefer to walk into Balbadd of his own volition, not dragged by Barrack's men. He hadn't told Morgiana of his status yet and he didn't think she'd take kindly to such a sight. He didn't want to put the guards through that. That would be cruel.

He told Morgiana that he covered his face because his skin couldn't handle the heat of the sun in the desert for long periods of time. Which, admittedly was true. Blonde hair was a curse in this part of the world. During the night he would take the wrapping off but keep the hood of his cloak up, making sure his face was never in the full light of the campfire. If Morgiana noticed she didn't say. Which meant she was waiting for him to confess because there was no way she didn't notice.

“So, Morgiana.” The three of them were sitting at the side of a wagon away from the campfire. They had already eaten their food and wished the other travelers goodnight. Kassim was leaning against the wheel of the wagon, eyes dark in the moonlight. Morgiana gave Kassim a blank look when he spoke, waiting for him to continue.

“What do you plan to do now that you're free?” Alibaba perked at this. He was curious too. While he would like for her to stay by his side and be his friend like before, he remembered what her original wish was the first time he met her. She had expressed a similar desire this time around in the Dungeon when they spoke.

“I want to go to the Dark Continent.” He thought so. Alibaba tried not to wilt. He would support Morgiana's wish. He did the first time, even when she had a household vessel. Though, Alibaba wondered why she came back so soon. She never told him why she didn't go all the way to her home country. Morgiana curled up against the rock the wagon was sitting by, pulling her knees close to her chest. Alibaba watched her fingers trail the bruises on her ankles.

“Alibaba said that Balbadd would have a ship that could take me there.” Kassim glanced at Alibaba at this. He shrugged at him and gave Morgiana a cheery grin.

“Balbadd's mainly a trading hub with ships coming in from all over the world.” He explained. “There's no way to get to the Dark Continent directly by ship, but I'm sure there'll be at least one to get you close enough to travel by foot.” If Sindria did, Balbadd would no doubt. Not to put Sinbad's country down but Balbadd had more trading ships and traffic flow in its port than what Sindria could wish for. They had people from all over trading in Balbadd's markets.

“You'll just need to speak with the dockmaster in the morning, he'll have a register of what ships are docked at the port. And what ships are expecting to come in.” Not all Captains were able to send word of their arrival granted, but Avner was generally good at keeping track of everything. He'd be able to help Morgiana for sure.

Despite his encouragement Morgiana didn't look all that happy at his news. Panicking, Alibaba misunderstood her silence. “Ah- don't worry he's a really nice guy! I've spoke with him a few times! And I'll be there to help, Kassim too!” Kassim didn't appreciate being volunteered and looked ready to snap at Alibaba for doing so. Luckily Morgiana spoke, distracting him.

“Thank you.” Alibaba's words died at Morgiana's earnest gratitude. She didn't say anything further, eyes looking into the distance. Alibaba wasn't quite sure what to say to that. He was never good with people thanking him. He never thought of anything he'd done to particularly need thanks. Morgiana's freedom and helping her get to her homeland wasn't a favor or anything. She was his friend and it was just something that needed to be done. However, he did know what it was like needing to thank someone, to let them know how much he appreciated their help. If it what she was feeling was like that, then there really was only one thing to say.

“You're my friend, so it wasn't a problem,” Alibaba said with a smile. “You're welcome Morgiana.” She looked up at him briefly and then looked away, her cheeks puffed out cutely. It was probably a trick of the light, but kind of looked like she was blushing.

“In any case, if you need a place to stay until you can find a ship I can help.” Morgiana's flickered to him and back. She gave him a tight nod in thanks. Kassim let out a large yawn and stretched out with a sardonic grin on his face.

“You're an idiot Alibaba.” Alibaba squawked in offense, demanding he take it back. He was only trying to be nice and Kassim wasn't helping at all. It was the best he could do under pressure! Alibaba and Kassim squabbled back and forth like siblings, only stopping when Morgiana started to giggle out of nowhere. The three then were all laughing quietly in the night, all their worries forgotten.

Balbadd was, mercifully, still standing when they got back. The city was bustling in the morning light as merchants set up their stands in the market square. Alibaba and Kassim were giving Morgiana a tour, focusing heavily on the streets themselves than the crowded areas. Alibaba kept his wrappings on even though he felt like he was suffocating inside from the heat. If he took them off all it would take is one look and anyone in the city would recognize him as Alibaba Saluja. He had spent so many times in the city when visiting Kassim that the citizens got used to seeing the third Prince amongst them and would have no trouble pointing him out.

They were slipping through a shortcut from the first district to the port when they were waylaid by a group of teenagers. Kassim had been trailing behind Alibaba and Morgiana as they walked, keen to let him take over as the guide for the girl. He had bought a pack of cigars with some of the gold they had left over and was using the stroll to smoke leisurely. When the three older kids got in their way in the alley Kassim stepped around Morgiana to put himself at the front.

“Yo.” He blew out a cloud of smoke into the air above him. He kept a facade of nonchalance but his body was tense and his eyes sharp. He was prepared for a fight. Morgiana shifted her weight beside Alibaba, getting herself into prime position to launch herself forward if needed. Alibaba for his part tried to blend into the background and not be recognized.

“Well, if it isn't Kassim?” The tallest one sneered. He was a bulky fellow, built for heavy lifting and was an obvious powerhouse. He had a scar above his lip that reached to his chin. Alibaba wondered where he got it from. On either side of him were twin girls, small and lithe. Their eyes promised murder if they saw something they didn't like.

“Dexia.” Alibaba grimaced when Kassim confirmed his suspicion. He hadn't seen Dexia in a long time, even before his father picked him up from the streets. Dexia was from a different part of the slums that Kassim and he had lived in. He was never a nice kid, couldn't be when he was part of a cutthroat gang. The last Alibaba saw him, Dexia and Kassim nearly killed each other in a fight. It was then agreed that neither man would venture into the other's territory.

“Word on the street said that you had left the city.” Kassim took a long drag from his cigar, maintaining his image. He couldn't let Dexia think that he had an edge. He released another cloud with a shrug, face bored.

“And now I'm back.” He scowled at Dexia. “What do you want?” Dexia choked out a laugh and looked at his companions with an incredulous face. They didn't show any reaction, creeping Alibaba out.

“He leaves for half a year and he thinks he's still king of the slums.” He looked down at Kassim with a sneering grin. “I'll be gracious and excuse you this time, but you're now standing in Barasi territory.” Alibaba didn't know who the Barasi were, but they seemed important. Gangs rose and fell in the slums, only four remaining as constant pillars of Balbadd's underground. Kassim didn't show any recognition to the name, which either meant they were a gang that never merited attention or they were a new one that formed while they were gone.

“Who the fuck are they?” Kassim asked when there was no further explanation. Dexia started to laugh again, sounding like a demented jackal. It was worrying.

“Only the biggest gang the slums have ever seen.” Dexia tapped the left side of his neck, just under the ear. There was a small tattoo inked in black there; hard to see unless one knew where to look. The design was a blank coin. What the significance was, Alibaba didn't know.

“They own over half the slums now, and it won't be long till the rest fall in line.” Dexia started to walk backward. The twins turned on their heels and sprinted past him, vanishing in the alleyways. “If I catch you in my territory again I'll fucking gut you.” Dexia then left with a wave of his hand.

No one moved for several moments. The only sound that was heard was the sound of their breathing. Kassim's shoulders were pulled so far back Alibaba was worried that he was going to pull a muscle. Morgiana looked between the boys and the direction Dexia went. She wanted to know what happened, Alibaba could tell without her even saying anything. He couldn't blame her either. After a showdown like that anyone would want answers.

“Alibaba.” Kassim's voice was sharp and Alibaba jumped to attention at the heavy tone. Kassim dropped his cigar and stomped on it before turning around. He was frowning fiercely and looked like he wanted to punch something.

“You need to get out of the streets.” That made Alibaba flinch. He glanced to Morgiana and back to Kassim warily. Surely they still had some time? Dexia and those Barasi might be an issue to worry about, but it could wait until after they got to Kassim's place. He didn't want to reveal his royalty status to Morgiana just yet. He didn't know how she'd take it. She did just get out of enslavement from an insane noble family. She was younger now than when Alibaba first met her, so Morgiana's reaction might be different now than it was then. She might not like him anymore and will want to hang out with a different crowd or something!

Okay, Alibaba knew that was mostly just his overactive imagination but the first part was an actual concern. Morgiana's freedom happened in a much different way this time, at a younger age. This might have been a big enough change to make her reaction to him being a Prince be different than before.

“What? Why? Can't we-” Kassim cut him off with a glare.

“I'm not playing around Alibaba. There's a new power in the slums and we have no idea what places they control or who their allies are.” Alibaba's mouth thinned and he downcasted his eyes. He knew what Kassim was getting at. There was nothing more dangerous in the slums than not knowing who the big dogs were in the streets. Dexia seemed to be a part of this gang, meaning he could have killed Kassim and said he was in the right, that Kassim had broken their deal and trespassed onto his territory. They were lucky that he was after something else.

And Dexia was after something alright. It wasn't like him to miss out a chance to beat someone to a pulp. So he was either ordered to not cause a fight or he was supposed to be after something else. Those girls were a nuisance too. Alibaba didn't know them, and something as rare as twins would be noticeable in the slums.

“What about you?” Kassim had a lot of allies in the slums and had the respect of most of the streets. He also had a lot of enemies though. People who wouldn't give him a free pass like Dexia had. Alibaba wasn't the only one at risk here.

“I'll find Zainab and Hassan. Or that geezer Mirno.” Mirno was one of the biggest names in the slums. The man was old as dirt but he had the biggest gambling and fighting rings under his belt and he ruled the western half of the slums with an iron fist. Alibaba's mother somehow got into his good graces and he had a soft spot for the kids she called her own. He'd keep Kassim safe.

“What's happening?” Alibaba hesitated at Morgiana's question. There wasn't any time left to wait to tell her, but he still didn't know how to go about saying it. Mogiana did not appreciant his faltering and puffed out her cheeks in irritation. Her feet dug into the stone ground, cracking it into small craters underneath her. Alibaba was man enough to admit that he paled in fear. He forgot how much Morgiana hated being left out of the loop.

“Morgiana,” He started. “When I was in Quishan we couldn't let anyone know who I was. It was too dangerous.” And a political nightmare, he added in his head. Morgiana stared blankly at him, waiting for him to continue.

“A-and well-” He stuttered, tripping over his words. “My full name is Alibaba Saluja, the Third Prince of Balbadd.” Red eyes widened, and Alibaba smiled ruefully as she looked at him a new light. It was awkward for him with the knowledge of another time where Morgiana knew him as his dorky unlucky self. She still knew him by that now technically, but not as well as before and it was without the added friendship of Aladdin.

“What does being a Prince have to do with being on the streets?” She asked, surprising him. Alibaba wasn't that to be the first question she'd ask. “If you're the Prince of this country, then why do you have to hide?” It was a fair inquiry. A Prince shouldn't have to hide from his people and it was his own home. He never bothered hiding his identity before when leaving the palace to see Kassim before.

“We've been gone too long,” Kassim explained. He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall of a building. “We know nothing about the Barasi or what their game is in the slums. If Dexia wasn't bluffing out of his ass about them it'll be troublesome.” Kassim frowned pensively and locked eyes with Alibaba. “If they managed to take over most of the slums then they're either really persuasive or very powerful.” And power went a lot longer than words did in the streets. The last time someone took Balbadd's underground by storm it was in another timeline and Kassim was the leader. Something was at play here that they didn't know about.

“You think they have magic tools?” It was plausible. They would definitely guarantee someone respect and power in the streets. Balbadd had many things flowing in the markets, but magic tools were rare as is and Alibaba had never heard of any gracing the markets. If a gang got them, it would come from an outside force.

Al-Tharmen. Ithnan saw Kassim that day they entered the Dungeon. Amon had dropped them in Quishan five months after that day when closing the Dungeon. While thankful he left them in Quishan instead of somewhere across the world, Alibaba wished so much time hadn't of passed. Alibaba had no intention of staying away from Balbadd that long. He forgot about Dungeon's strange time warping abilities though.

“I don't think anything,” Kassim replied. “I just know something is up and you need to get your ass back to the Palace. I'll stay and find out what the hell is going on.” Morgiana had been watching the two of them talk with hawk eyes. She stepped forward as Kassim pushed off the wall.

“I'll stay with Alibaba.” It wasn't a question. Her voice was flat and held no inflection as if she was stating a fact about the weather. Alibaba verbally scrambled at the order.

“But what about going to the docks to find a ship?” They were heading there to speak with Avener and find out when the next ship that would get Morgiana close to her homeland came in. When Alibaba got to the palace it would be forever until he'd be able to get back out. His father wouldn't want to let him out of his sight after being gone so long. Morgiana would be a part of that because he would have to keep her close in that environment. While it would be safer than the slums, the Palace had its own pit of vipers to worry about. Alibaba had always been able to avoid it for the most part, being only the bastard third son, but his return would stir things up. There would be no telling when he and Morgiana might be able to get out.

“The Dark Continent can wait.” Alibaba spluttered at the answer. He thought that she wanted to get there more than anything! It was her own dream! She had no reason to get herself involved with Alibaba's issues! Besides, Kassim might just be paranoid. Dexia was always boasting and exaggerating about something when they were kids. He was probably just trying to look tough to intimidate his old rival.

Alibaba went to point all of those things out, but Morgiana stopped him with a swift stomp of her foot. The general movement of her leg looked less like a stomp really and more of a light tap. The result was the same however. There was now a crater in the stone under her feet, the ground cracking at the edges. The air left Alibaba's lungs and he felt his face pale once more.

“She'll stay with me.” He meekly agreed. Kassim wasn't affected by the exchange and just told them to get a move on. Alibaba did not appreciate how little he cared for Alibaba's fate. Morgiana could swat him like a fly and there would be nothing he could do about it. Does Kassim care? Nope.

Morgiana would never do that of course, but it was the principle of the thing.

The trio separated, Kassim taking the back alleys further into slum territory and the other two taking the main streets towards the palace. As they walked Morgiana asked Alibaba questions.

“What are magic tools?” They were in the second district, where the middle class lived. The shops were open and the morning crowds busy as young woman shopped for better clothing and kids ran around playing. “You mentioned them earlier.” Alibaba looked around them carefully. No one was paying them any mind. He only garnered a few odd looks for wearing his cloak hood up on the hot summer day, but other than that they were relatively safe. He waited until they were further away from a crowd to answer. He didn't want anyone to accidentally overhear.

“They're like my dagger.” He tapped Amon's sheath at his belt lightly. Morgiana knew that he had a Djinn equip and that Amon had attached himself to the blade. Alibaba didn't want to say Amon's name out loud though. Just in case.

“The only difference is what power is contained inside them.” He couldn't say Djinn out loud, so that would have to do. “They're weapons that use a person's magoi to manifest power. They can be used as anything, but they are most commonly used as weapons.” Dangerous weapons. Alibaba sincerely hoped that the Barasi didn't have any magic tools. He remembered what Kassim and the Fog Troupe were capable of with their magic tools.

“Magoi?” Alibaba hummed at her confused whisper. That's right, she wouldn't exactly know what magoi was from her time as a slave. They didn't really teach her that kind of stuff, only wanting her for her natural Fanalis strength and instincts.

“Magoi is...” Alibaba faltered. How did Yamahira explain it that one time? “It's like a power within you, connected directly to your lifeforce. All humans have magoi with varying levels. People with really high levels of magoi become magicians and can do spells with magic tools. The more magoi someone has, the more powerful spells they can use and the longer they can use them. If you use too much magoi up though, it can kill you.” Morgiana still looked confused, so Alibaba didn't explain it well enough.

“I'm not good at explaining it because I don't understand it well myself.” Magic was more Aladdin's thing. “If you want to know more, you can go through the palace library. I'll help you.” He quickly offered his help when he realized that she might not know how to read. Somehow he didn't envision Jamil and his parents teaching their slaves how to read or write.

They were getting closer to the first district, where the Palace was. He wasn't going to be able to walk through there looking so suspicious. Morgiana by herself was going to call attention from her roughneck choice of clothing. Alibaba didn't care what she chose to wear, but the nobles and rich folk of Balbadd will likely look down on her for it.

Alibaba dropped his hood and fixed his face wrappings so that they covered the lower half of his face. He made sure that his arms were visible, the gold cuffs on his forearms showing. It wasn't much and was a drop compared the bucket of trinkets they got from Amon's Dungeon, but it would be enough to show that he had money. Hopefully, it would be enough to get close to the palace. Then all he would need to do was show his face to a guard and they would be able to get in easily enough.

“Why do you think those people would have magic tools?” Morgiana didn't seem to notice the strange looks the people were giving them, oblivious to the stares. Alibaba envied that ability. His show of 'wealth' kept people from trying to shoo them away, but it didn't stop the sly looks and snide gossips. Alibaba loved his country and this city. Really. But sometimes he wished its people weren't so mean.

“To be able to win over Balbadd's underground like that, it would take serious power. Magic tools could provide that.” This all hinges on whether or not Dexia was telling the truth or not. Alibaba didn't think the teenager was lying however. Not when he thought about Ithnan being in Quishan that day.

Chapter Text

When they got to the Palace gates they were stopped by the guards. “Halt. What purpose do you have with the Palace?” Alibaba didn't recognize the guard, he might have been a new recruit. Alibaba gripped the wrapping around his face, flinching when the guard tensed. He quickly uncovered his face before the man decided to strike first and ask questions later. The man didn't react, but the other guard with him did.

“I am Alibaba Saluja, Third Prince of Balbadd and Rashid Saluja's son.” It felt really weird for Alibaba to say that. “I've returned from my travels.” The first guard visibly paled and looked to his partner who was quickly standing straight and holding his forearm across his chest in salute. The guard scrambled to copy, sending his helmet askew in the process.

Alibaba and Morgiana entered the Palace with no trouble after that. Alibaba ducked his head nervously as he heard the whispers of the guards and the passing nobles in the courtyard. Morgiana looked around with a curious eye, taking it all in with a blank look. Alibaba couldn't tell if she was impressed or not.

At the end of the courtyard next to the main doors was Barrack. He was waiting patiently with a stern look, filling Alibaba with guilt. He left the letter behind to try and mitigate any worry or fears for his absence, but he knew that it would only do so much. Barrack likely was angry that Alibaba thought himself strong enough to leave even though he technically hadn't mastered the royal swordsmanship. Barrack didn't know of Alibaba's experience from the other timeline and that he had the tutelage of Master Sharkann, the greatest swordman in the world, under his belt.

“Young Prince.” Barrack greeted, eyes shining. Alibaba smiled up at the man. “It's good to see you've returned in good health.” Alibaba chuckled and shifted on his feet. When he left, Alibaba didn't really put much thought on how he'd be received upon returning. His only thoughts were for Amon and Morgiana. Barrack looked both angry and relieved, and if he was this affected by his absence then Alibaba's father was going to be worse. It kind of made his wary to see his father once again.

“A-ah.” Alibaba floundered. He turned to Morgiana who was standing there with her usual poker face. She looked more out of place with her plain dress and the large bag strapped to her back. Barrack looked at her but didn't comment, waiting for Alibaba to introduce her.

“This is Morgiana, she's my new friend. I met her in Quishan.” Alibaba didn't go into further details. He didn't want anyone, even those in the Palace, to know about his conquering of a Dungeon. He thought that it would be better to keep it as an ace up the sleeve. It was always better to be underestimated after all.

“And what about Kassim?” Barrack asked. The captain stepped back and led the two into the Palace. He was leading them towards a familiar section that Alibaba was hoping to avoid for a bit longer. They were heading towards his father's study.

“Kassim is in the city now, he wanted to see to his house and catch up with some friends.” Alibaba wondered if Barrack knew anything about the rise of the Barasi. It was unlikely, the upper half of the city didn't normally concern itself with the slums unless it had to. Unless the Barasi were attacking the nobles themselves they would be largely ignored.

When they got closer to his father's study, Alibaba felt his stomach drop. There was no avoiding it then. “Barrack, will you please show Morgiana to a room that is close to mine? I need to speak with my father.” Not that Barrack wasn't planning on doing just that in the first place. Otherwise, he'd have taken a different route through the Palace halls.

Morgiana didn't look like she agreed with the request. She fully planned to stick by Alibaba's side, which gave him a boost of confidence. He was really happy to have Morgiana back at his side, she never failed to make him feel like he was stronger than he actually was. It was a special power that she and Aladdin possessed.

“I have to do this alone.” He explained to her. “I'll see you in a bit and give you a tour.” Morgiana pursed her lips unhappily but nodded her head.

“Fine.” She said. “I'll see you later then.” This was not an option, Alibaba could tell. He smiled and nodded his head, knowing that she would hunt him down if she felt it was needed. A comforting and horrifying thing to know.

Barrack led Morgiana away and Alibaba paused at the door to his father's study. He took a deep breath and steadied himself. He trailed his fingers on Amon's sheath to help center his mind. When he was ready he knocked on the door.

“Enter.” Alibaba opened the door and slipped inside. Rashid was sitting at his desk, but he wasn't looking at any documents. He sat back in his chair with his hands clasped together on the desk. Alibaba swallowed his suddenly dry mouth. Right then, his father looked his title. A King of Balbadd. Alibaba shuffled forward and bowed deeply.

“I've returned from my travels Father.” Alibaba didn't rise, staying still while he waited for his father to respond. A few beats passed, and Alibaba feared the worst. Then:

“Alibaba.” Rashid's voice was heavy, stern and scolding all in one. Alibaba flinched. “You left the Palace in the middle of the night without any word and continued to not send any word for half a year. What have you to say of yourself?” Alibaba rose and looked into his father's eyes. They were cold, angry. There would be no getting around this. Alibaba wouldn't be able to conjure some tall tale to convince Rashid. He'd see through it and it would just make things worse.

He couldn't say the truth either though. His father would never believe it. If Alibaba said that he had come from the future from the fallout of two Djinns fighting against one another while he was in the throws of death and he wanted to get his Djinn back to be prepared for a dangerous unseen enemy Rashid would have him committed or thrown onto the street for being insane.

Still, lying wasn't the answer. Alibaba had to compromise. “I cannot tell you all of the reasons why I left, but it was important for me.” He kept his head high as he spoke and maintained eye contact. He hoped his father could read the feelings in his eyes so that he could understand all that Alibaba couldn't say.

“Kassim followed me so that I would not be alone. We never planned on being gone for so long, but there were complications. I apologize for how I left and how long it took to get back home, but I am not sorry that I did leave.” It was a lackluster answer for Rashid, and it wouldn't hold up forever, but it was the best that Alibaba could offer. He didn't like lying to his father, not after getting to know him better in this second life.

“It was important to you?” Rashid's lips were thin as he spoke. Alibaba tightly nodded his head. “And you cannot tell me the full reason?” Alibaba shook his head. Rashid's face soured more at that. Alibaba grimaced but held true. He couldn't tell his father the full truth, no matter how much he wanted to. He couldn't without an proof of had happened.

They held eye contact for a bit more before Rashid sighed heavily. “I suppose I cannot force you to explain yourself if you feel that strongly about it.” Alibaba relaxed minutely at the admission. Rashid sent a sharp look that halted Alibaba's smile. “However, you are a Prince of Balbadd and you have responsibilities. You cannot just run off and do as you please. Do you understand?” Alibaba straightened and nodded his head. Rashid nodded his in return.

“You will attend all of your tutors and will complete all the assignments they give. It will be triple the workload for the time you missed.” That was going to be a pain. Alibaba was busy enough as it was before he left. Tripling the workload was going to swamp him. He didn't complain though, only nodded his head. He would do as his father asked. He was right. Even though he was only the third Prince and not eligible for the throne, he was still a Prince. He couldn't just ignore his responsibilities without care.

Alibaba went to leave after his father dismissed him. As he reached the door his father spoke once more. “Alibaba,” He started. Alibaba turned and was surprised to see a smile on his father's face, eyes warm and inviting. It was as if nothing had happened. “Welcome home my son.” Alibaba's breath hitched.

“I'm happy to be back!” He squeaked, a blush on his cheeks. Alibaba then scurried out of there. Sometimes he just didn't understand his father.

Triple the load of homework was as exhausting as Alibaba expected. He had to do triple the paperwork, deal with tutors like Veimir triple the amount of time, and had little time to himself. In what free time he had Alibaba showed Morgiana around the Palace and trained with Barrack. Kassim hadn't showed and Alibaba was starting to worry about the lack of communication. He was thinking of asking Morgiana to hunt the other boy down and drag him back to the palace. He knew she could do it too, since she did that to him once for Aladdin.

Alibaba put his plans of kidnapping to the side as he went to attend dinner. Normally he would avoid the main gathering of the royal family and eat in his rooms, but his father had requested his presence. Morgiana was with him, attending as his official guest. She now wore a cleaner and less tattered dress, though it was still plain in design. In fact, she looked somewhat like she did in the future after her freedom.

“So this is where you grew up?” She commented as they walked through the long hallway to the private dining room. Alibaba chuckled as he looked at the extravagant decorations on the walls and the servants that were silently scurrying around with their heads downwards.

“Not at all.” Morgiana turned her head to him in surprise. “I grew up on the streets with Kassim. I'm an illegitimate son to the King.” He shrugged idly as he explained. Once admitting that would have embarrassed him. Not for his mother, because she was a light in his life that would never go out. No, he'd be embarrassed because he used to never think himself worthy of calling himself son to the King. It was too impossible for someone born in the streets.

“Where's your mother?” Alibaba's smile faltered, tinged with sadness. Morgiana watched him carefully as he looked away.

“She died when I was young. It was a sickness I think. I can't remember all that well.” He just remembered crying over her body with Mariam, Kassim standing behind them with a darkened face. It then became just the three of them against the world after that. Alibaba would go off doing odd jobs to make money, dragging Mariam and Kassim when he could. Kassim created his own gang and would steal to make up for what Alibaba couldn't get with honest work. It wasn't a good system, but it had kept them alive in their childhood.

“I'm sorry.” Alibaba blinked back the memories and looked at Morgiana. She looked truly sad, eyes unfocused. She was likely thinking of her own parents. Alibaba wondered if she knew them or had any memories of them. He hesitated to ask, not sure if it was his place. This was a Morgiana that barely knew him after all, not the one from the future.

“It's okay. I miss her, but I keep her memories in my heart. I know she's watching over me.” Though if she knew he and Kassim entered a Dungeon on their own accords she might have had a heart attack. Morgiana didn't say anything, but she didn't look as sad anymore so Alibaba counted it as a win. They were getting closer to their destination. He paused before the doors and looked to Morgiana with an apologetic expression.

“I just want to warn you, this might be a bit uncomfortable for you. If you want to leave, you can at any time.” Alibaba was selfish when he asked Morgiana to accompany him to the dinner. If everyone he thought was going to be there, then he knew it was going to be a strained event. Morgiana raised her eyebrows at the warning.

“What do you mean?” She asked, eyes darting from him to the door. Alibaba grimaced, not sure how to explain it without putting anyone in a bad light.

“You'll see.” That was all he could come up with. They were running late as it was and the sooner they entered the better. Still, he wished his father hadn't asked for him to attend. Alibaba opened the door and walked inside. The room was small but homey, with vibrant colors from the lush decorations. The floor had a red rug with plush carpet that felt nice to the feet and was covered in feather-stuffed pillows and cushions to sit on. In the center of the room was a large round table with six chairs that was covered with covered dishes. At the chairs the rest of Alibaba's family were sitting.

Alibaba held the door open for Morgiana and led her to the table. He was seated next to Sabhmad thankfully, but it had the down side of placing Morgiana next to the one person he did not want her to experience. Rashid's lawful wife and Queen of Balbadd, Anahita.

She was a beautiful woman with sharp features. Her hair was a mix of black and white strands, the only indication of her age. Anahita had no defining wrinkles like Alibaba's father, and her figure was that of a twenty-year-old's. She was wearing royal colors with a red and gold sash over the shoulder of the dress. Her circlet crown was fitted perfectly on her forehead, the side tassels framing her face in an elegant manner. She looked like a true Queen of Balbadd. That would normally be okay, but it was known that the family dinners were supposed to be informal and that normally the royal family dressed down for them. Alibaba knew for a fact that when he didn't attend she was in more casual wear.

And that was the catch of it really. When Alibaba wasn't there, Anahita was a lot different he assumed. It didn't matter in the end, since he was there. Only now he had Morgiana with him. Alibaba looked at the set of silverware next to the covered dishing and mentally grimaced. He didn't think they'd be doing a multi-course meal. He doubted Morgiana would know what silverware went with what meal, and he couldn't tell her now.

“It's nice of you to join us.” Anahita greeted coldly, looking at Alibaba and Morgiana with a distasteful expression. Rashid sighed from his seat next to her as Abhmad snickered and Sabhmad gave Alibaba an apologetic look. Alibaba smiled and bowed his head in thanks, his hands fisted on his knees beneath the table.

“I'm sorry for making you wait. I wanted to take a longer route to show Morgiana more of the palace.” Anahita sniffed haughtily and waved her hand. The servants who were attending them that dinner rushed forward and uncovered their plates for the first course of the meal.

“Thank you for coming Alibaba.” Rashid said warmly as they ate. “I truly wish that you would come to this more often.” Judging from the dark look Anahita just sent him, Alibaba was assuming it was only on Rashid's part that he was missed from the dinners. Still, it warmed his heart and he smiled cheerfully.

“I know, but I've been busy with my tutors and I didn't want to leave Morgiana on her own until she got more comfortable in the palace.” Rashid nodded his head and turned to Morgiana with a kind smile. Morgiana for her part was dutifully eating her soup. She was using the wrong spoon, but Alibaba refrained from correcting her because he knew it would embarrass her. He knew because the first time he went to one of these dinners he had done the same thing and Anahita took great pleasure in telling him just how barbaric his eating habits were.

“I'm curious to meet Alibaba's new friend. I've never gotten the chance to meet Kassim in person, so I'm happy that he invited you to join us. Are you enjoying your time in the palace?” Anahita's lip curled as Rashid spoke, refusing to look at Morgiana.

“It's very pretty.” Morgiana nodded. “Alibaba has been showing me his favorite places and helped me read books about my homeland from the library.” There weren't that many books or scrolls about the Dark Continent in their library, but Alibaba was happy to read them to Morgiana when she asked.

“Alibaba also let me train in the courtyard with him and the guards.” Rashid chuckled at that, a twinkle in his eye as he looked to Alibaba.

“Ah, I heard about that. Barrack was telling me how he was enjoying whipping the troublemakers into shape by having your friend practice with them.” Alibaba winced with a smile as he thought about those poor souls Barrack delivered to Morgiana's tender mercies. Morgiana never meant to hurt any of them, and she always held back, but she wasn't Fanalis for nothing. The guards were quick to wisen up and stay on Barrack's good side to avoid training with her.

“So not only is she staying in rooms next to yours but she fights amongst the guards?” Anahita asked. “How unbecoming.” Alibaba's breath faltered and he had to fight against himself from standing up in anger. He knew how it might have looked when he requested that Morgiana was kept near his rooms, but he knew that the palace was a large place and he wanted her to be able to be near in case she needed anything in a hurry.

“Don't worry Mother.” Abhmad spoke, his squeaky voice piping up after he finished eating his soup. “At least he's not as bad as Lord Ervin. Bijan was telling me about his latest blunder of the week today.” Abhmad and Anahita then took over the dinner conversation with gossip that was running within the nobles. As they spoke Alibaba leaned close to Morgiana.

“Are you okay?” He whispered. Morgiana's face was tight and her face slightly flushed. Anahita's implications didn't go over her head. “Don't let what she said get to you. It doesn't matter what others think.” Alibaba assured her. The last thing he wanted was for her to feel alienated. He really shouldn't have asked her to come with him.

“After this, let's sneak out to the city and see Kassim.” Alibaba hadn't been in the city for some time and he wanted to talk with his old friend. If they survived the rest of dinner it might be a good way of blowing off steam from dealing with the tension they currently were sitting in. “I'm sorry I dragged you into this.” He really was. Morgiana looked at him with confusion.

“Is she always like that?” She asked lowly. Alibaba frowned and shrugged, turning to his soup. Anahita normally belittled Alibaba in whatever way possible when he attended these get-togethers. It was why he avoided them when possible. She would dress to her station to remind Alibaba of her status and how he wasn't a true heir because of his mother. It was a petty grudge she held against him but Alibaba never said anything against it. She had the right, Alibaba represented something that she hated to think about. Rashid's infidelity.

“Not always, and normally it's targeted more at me. She's a nice woman I hear, the servants and guards have nothing but praise for her kindness and my Father does care for her.” Alibaba couldn't give Morgiana a true opinion because he had never seen that side of Anahita before. She was always bitter and angry when it came to him. Alibaba didn't want to cause her that pain, so he tended to stay away from her.

Morgiana and Alibaba managed to stay out of the spotlight for the most of the next two courses. Abhmad and Anahita took up most of the conversation, With Rashid making his own comments and attempts to pull Alibaba and his friend into the topic. Every now and then Sabhmad would speak up his own opinion with a nervous titter.

“Ah, a-about that.” Anahita paused in her speaking when her son spoke. They were discussing what parties had been held that month. She and Abhmad were rating them on a scale of how good they were while Rashid sighed in distaste and vocally wished that the nobles partied less and did their actual jobs. It made Alibaba silently snicker.

“L-Lord Bardok said that he was going to host a party but couldn't after one of his ships were raided.” That perked Alibaba's attention. He hadn't heard of any attacks on the docks. That kind of news traveled fast, and normally the King was informed immediately. Rashid looked just as surprised at the news as everyone else though.

“Really? Avner didn't say anything about an attack.” Rashid had already finished his dessert and was leaning back in his chair as everyone talked. He leaned forward at this, wrinkles forming as he frowned. “When did this happen?”

Sabhmad silently quailed at the attention but still answered. “I-it happened two weeks ago. I d-don't think Avner said anything because it happened outside of our waters.” Outside their waters? That would mean it was while the ship was still in transport. Pirates? Alibaba frowned at that. Just how long had it been since pirates attacked Balbadd ships? He didn't know.

“Have other ships been attacked?” Sabhmad jumped at Alibaba's sudden interest. “Does he know anything about the attack itself? How it happened?” Alibaba stopped his questions when he saw Sabhmad sweating nervously. He held in a remorseful sigh. He really felt bad for his half-brother sometimes. His nervousness was really not suited for him. Still, Alibaba knew that when the times called for it his older brother would come through. It was just who he was.

“I-I don't know for sure. I think I heard some others complaining about their ships not bringing in all that they could, but t-that could be different. There hasn't been that many that I know. L-Lord Bardok didn't give any details, just that the ship was attacked.” That was worrying. If Balbadd merchant ships were being attacked then people might start avoiding Balbadd for dangerous waters. Alibaba wanted to ask where on the map the ship was attacked. They might be able to mitigate the damage if they can tell ships to avoid that area. He hesitated to do so because Sabhmad might not know and he looked like he wanted to fade into the background.

“Why the interest?” Anahita asked archly. “Perhaps some of your acquaintances from the lower echelon found themselves a new line of work in piracy?” Alibaba bit his tongue at the jab. Rashid turned to his wife sharply.

“Anahita, that is uncalled for.” She gave Rashid a droll look, unbothered at his anger. “Alibaba has nothing to do with those attacks and you know that.” Alibaba appreciated Rashid's defense of him, but he knew it was useless. Anahita scoffed and set her silverware down and glared at her husband.

“I never said that he was involved, but can we truly know that? The boy ran away without any thought and is gone for six months doing who-knows-what. He refuses to say where he's been and what he did, dragging a ragged girl in his footsteps who could be a thief.” Her dark green eyes were glittering with anger. Alibaba prepared himself for what she was going to say next. He could tell it wasn't going to be good.

“What else could we expect? You know where he was raised, what they breed down there. Thieves and uncouth people who have no respect for honest work. For all we know, his friends are the ones who attacked that ship!” Alibaba stood from his chair with a screech. Everyone's eyes turned to him, but it was Anahita's that burned the most. She stared at him with pure hatred.

“Father, please excuse me. I just remembered that I have an essay to prepare for Reimir.” Alibaba bowed and stepped away from the table. Morgiana stood up after him, following him out of the room without a word.

When they were out of the room Alibaba picked up his pace, almost running down the hallways. Morgiana didn't have any trouble keeping up, worried eyes staring at him. Alibaba's mind was a mess of emotions. But one thing was prominent in his head. As much as he was angry at Anahita for her words against his friends in the slums, she gave him an idea. Dexia said that the Barasi were powerful. Lord Bardok and other nobles were complaining about their ships being attacked outside of Balbadd waters. Anahita said that someone from the slums might be behind it.

Alibaba knew his friends weren't a part of that. He knew it in his bones. But. The Barasi were people he didn't know. They grew in power within a relatively short time while Alibaba and Kassim were gone. And now nobles were being attacked. Alibaba couldn't be sure, but this was suspiciously looking a lot like when Kassim first got the magic tools. He needed to speak with Kassim, but he couldn't leave the palace. Especially after what Anahita suggested. While the dinner was a private affair, Alibaba wasn't a fool. Abhmad will be retelling the whole affair to his friends the next day, and the servants will be gossiping in the night. Alibaba couldn't risk being seen in the city now.

When they reached Alibaba's rooms he sent out the maids that were cleaning and sat on his bed. Morgiana walked up beside him and watched as he tried to think. He felt bad for her. For dragging her into his mess once again. If he had known how the night was going to end he would have just asked her to stay behind.

“She's a cruel woman.” Alibaba started at Morgiana's comment. The Fanalis girl was frowning with disapproval. Alibaba sighed, body deflating and his bones feeling suddenly weary. He could see where she got the impression. Anahita wasn't kind in the least at dinner.

“No she isn't.” He said tiredly. “The Queen is likely angry that my Father let me back into the palace after being gone for so long.” With nothing but a slap on the wrist for a punishment too. It showed Rashid's favor onto Alibaba, which was dangerous when he had yet to officially name an heir. Currently, it was a common assumption that Abhmad will inherit the throne as he is the eldest. However it was tradition that the King of Balbadd would name his heir both verbally and in writing. Rashid had yet to do either, and he was getting on in age. He looked healthy now, but Alibaba knew how quickly that could change.

“She's just worried about her sons, and for what's happening to the nobles.” Because what was happening was a worry. If left unchecked Balbadd could be in trouble. Whoever was leading the attacks were smart. They keep the attacks out of Balbadd's waters to keep the notice away from the King for as long as possible. The nobles will complain but will just think its random pirate attacks.

Which, Alibaba admitted, that could be all it was. He needed more information. How many confirmed ships have been attacked? Whose ships were they, what were they holding? Where were they attacked, in what order? He was missing too much information to make a complete theory of what was happening.

But he couldn't help but feel the Barasi was involved. He thought about Ithnan from that day, the sudden rise in power and now this. It was a similar story that Alibaba had no interest in seeing through to the end. That ended in a treasury fire and the beginning of Balbadd's demise. If it was happening again, Alibaba needed to put a stop to it. First, though, he needed to find out if his hunch was even correct.

“Morgiana, can you do me a favor?” He stood up and began to pace. This was a risky idea, but he didn't know what else to do at the moment. Alibaba needed to know what Kassim had found out. “Can you go into the city and find Kassim? Something's going on and I'm sure he has an idea of what it is.” No one knew the slums better than Kassim. Even if he no longer lived a life of crime, he still had ties to those who did and had an ear to the ground of what was happening in the streets.

“You don't think what she said was true do you?” Morgiana asked. Alibaba quickly shook his head. There was no way Kassim or the others were involved. Kassim didn't have the ability after being gone with Alibaba for so long, and he knew that Zainab and Hassan had gone straight.

“No, but what she said wasn't a complete lie either. There are people in the slums who would do a lot to get back at the nobles.” While the tension between the classes wasn't nearly as high as it was during Abhmad's reign the slums were still angry at the nobles for not helping when the sickness swept through the streets.

“You mean the group that man had talked about.” Alibaba nodded his head. Morgiana was starting to see it too then. Good. “You want to know what Kassim found out then.” She crossed her arms and tapped her left foot idly with a calculating look.

“Yes, but I also want to make sure he's okay. If he got to Mirno's place then he should be fine but I'm worried.” If the Barasi were as powerful as Dexia implied then there was no telling what streets and corners they had claimed as their own. If Kassim wasn't careful he could have gotten himself into some trouble. Alibaba hated not knowing how his friend was doing.

“Okay.” Morgiana stated all of a sudden. Alibaba jumped and watched as she walked towards his balcony. At first, he didn't know what she was doing, and then he realized. Alibaba's eyes widened and his face grew chalky as she stepped on the balcony's railing without fear.

“W-wait!” She either ignored him or didn't hear him because Morgiana bunched up her legs and jumped into the night. Alibaba froze, arm out stretched to the balcony comically. She was gone. He just let loose a Fanalis into Balbadd's streets with no map.

Oh Solomon, what has he done?

Chapter Text

Over the next few days, Alibaba was busy with his tutoring and fretting over Morgiana. She hadn't returned yet and it was worrying him. Alibaba hadn't heard of anything terrible happening in the city but that could just mean there were no witnesses.

He was sure that Morgiana was fine, the girl was nigh indestructible and had an innate fighting skill. She also wouldn't hurt anyone that didn't deserve it. But he also knew how the slums could be and he wasn't sure if it was ready for a Fanalis on the hunt.

In order to keep himself from going crazy in his worry for his friends, Alibaba threw himself into his schoolwork. He was in the library looking for a book to help when he saw Sabhmad at one of the tables. He was reading a scroll contently, no one else around. He must have maxed out his social meter with Abhmad earlier and escaped to the library. Normally Alibaba would leave him alone, knowing this was his brother's safe haven in a way. However, Alibaba needed to know more about the attacks on the ships. With Morgiana yet to return and no word from Kassim, he couldn't pass up this opportunity to speak with his brother alone. Any other time he'd be with Abhmad and his groupies. Alibaba couldn't approach at that time. He wouldn't be able to get a word in edgewise to just speak with Sabhmad. This was a perfect chance.

“Sabhmad.” The older boy jumped when Alibaba spoke. He must not have noticed Alibaba's approach. Alibaba set his books down on the table and across from the other boy. He tried to give a reassuring smile, but he wasn't sure how successful it was.

“Alibaba,” Sabhmad muttered in surprise. “What do you want?” Sahbmad didn't curl into himself as much as he would outside of the library. He must feel really comfortable here. Alibaba mentally sent an apology, knowing the conversation might ruin what relaxation he had.

“Well, I've been thinking about the attack on the ships. I'd like to know more about them.” Right now Sabhmad was his only source of information for the attacks. Whatever he knew would be a big help. Sabhmad frowned and squirmed in his seat.

“I-I really don't know much.” He admitted softly. Alibaba shook his head and waved at the insecure aura his brother was admitting.

“Whatever you do know would be a huge help!” He said. “I don't know anything about them, and you're the only one I could think to go to.” Sabhmad balked in surprise at the declaration. He pointed a shaky finger at himself.

“Me?” Alibaba nodded his head rapidly with a happy hum.

“You're really smart Sabhmad, I'm sure you know more about this than what others do.” And Alibaba meant that. Sabhmad was a smart man, always was. He was just painfully shy. Sabhmad was always able to see things that others didn't and was a great help with the rebellion in the other timeline as their palace informant. Alibaba always had a great respect for his brother since then.

“W-well. If you think so.” Sabhmad said this slowly as if expecting Alibaba to retract his word. Alibaba waited patiently for his brother to continue. When there wasn't any rejection, Sabhmad swallowed nervously and started to speak.

“The first I heard of it, it was last month.” So it started while Alibaba was gone. He expected that, even if he was hoping for a different answer. “Lady Leania had mentioned her husband wasn't able to attend a luncheon because he was busy arguing with the captain of his latest shipment. Half of the ordered goods were gone.” That was a lot, whoever attacked had a large ship and plenty of help. Why only take half though? Why not the whole thing?

“What was the shipment?” Alibaba tried to think of who Lady Leania was married to, but it escaped his head. He was never good at remembering people who didn't make a large impression on him.

“Cloth mostly, I-I think a lot of the shipment came from the islands on the outskirts of Reim. They sell their cloth for cheap, so it wasn't that much of a loss, but Leania said her husband was furious.” Alibaba didn't blame the man. Even if the product was cheap, the sea-fair and the market loss was enough of a dig into his pocket to cause a ruckus.

“The next I heard of an attack, it was a few weeks after that. Lord Nab's ship from Partveria was attacked. They took seventy percent of the supplies. What was taken varied from more cloth to small weapons.” Once again, they didn't take all of the supplies. They left some behind. Why? What was the point of doing that?

“Were there any official reports on the attacks?” If Alibaba could find a full manifest then maybe he'd be able to find out just what things the pirate had left behind. Sahbmad shook his head though, dashing that thought.

“As far as I know, none of the attacks have been reported to the dockmaster.” That was strange. Alibaba frowned at the news. The nobles were complaining about attacks, but they weren't reporting them? It was counterproductive. Suspicious too considering the amount of money they were losing. Alibaba could only think of one reason why the nobles weren't reporting the attacks. They didn't want their ships to be inspected or to give over the full manifests. That would mean illegal goods.

But smugglers weren't a strange sight in Balbadd. For the most part, they were harmless; passing through with the understanding to pay an unsaid tax and move on without any trouble. There was little that nobles needed to truly worry about getting caught messing with. One of which made the hairs on Alibaba's arm stand up. One thing that was not allowed in any circumstance was the buying and trading of slaves. If that was what was left behind...Alibaba shook his head. He couldn't get ahead of himself. There was no need to through assumptions where there wasn't proof.

“Do you know where in the waters the ships were attacked? Or if there were any details of them?” Sabhmad shook his head again. Alibaba wilted. It was a long shot. The nobles liked to complain, but they were smart enough to not give out too many details if they were dealing in shady businesses. It looked like Alibaba was going to have to wait for Kassim and Morgiana to get back to him.

Either that or he caught Avner before the man left the palace. He met with Rashid each evening to give a full report of the day's port. Alibaba doubted the man would give him any clear answers though. This technically wasn't Balbadd's problem since the attacks were outside their waters and the attacks weren't often enough to cause a true panic.

All Alibaba could do now was wait.

 Fortunately, Alibaba did not have to wait for very long. It was in the middle of the night and Alibaba was awoken by a noise. He stilled in his bed as he heard footsteps in his room and hushed whispers. He reached to his nightstand where Amon's dagger was resting and flew out of bed with the blade at the ready.

“Who's there!” The whispers stopped immediately at his order. Alibaba stood straight and refused to let the sudden silence unnerve him. There were intruders in his rooms and it was too dark to see clearly. There was a breeze from the open balcony. Alibaba had been leaving it open for Morgiana in case she needed it to get back inside. He wondered if this was her. He heard a man's timber of voice though.

“Answer me!” He gripped Amon tighter. He couldn't release any of Amon's flames in the room. There were too many flammable things around. Besides, revealing that he had a Djinn Equip was something to avoid for as long as possible.

“Paranoid much Lord Prince?” The title was a mocking drawl. A very familiar drawl. Alibaba dropped his arms and turned to light a candle. The added light brightened the room and Alibaba was able to see who was in his room.

“Kassim? Morgiana?” They were standing at the foot of his bed, calm as can be. Kassim was dressed differently than how Alibaba last saw him. His pants and shoes were the same but under his over the shoulder sash was a red short-sleeved tunic. He also had a gold necklace on his neck with a ruby at its center. Alibaba wondered where Kassim had got it. He didn't remember seeing it within Amon's treasures. Then again, there was so much there Alibaba probably wouldn't have noticed it.

“I found him,” Morgiana reported, looking all too much like a cat that brought its master spoils from a hunt. From the way Kassim's hair was mussed and how he was tilted away from Morgiana, Alibaba didn't think the analogy was all that far off. Kassim must have been brought in by flight-via-Morgiana. A truly terrifying and knowledgeable experience. Alibaba could empathize.

“T-thank you Morgiana.” He smiled nervously and sat the candle down on the nightstand. Now that he knew who was in his room he was able to calm his heart and set Amon down as well. Kassim was right, he was being paranoid. Alibaba didn't have enough enemies to worry about an assassin in the night.

As he shook his head from how silly he was being, Alibaba noticed something tucked under Kassim's arm. It looked like rolled up parchments. Seeing it brought Alibaba's mind to the situation at hand. If Morgiana and Kassim were there now, it meant he was going to finally get answers on the Barasi.

“What did you find out?” Kassim's mouth turned down, making Alibaba's stomach clench. It wasn't going to be good news then. Kassim went to the center of Alibaba's room and sat on the floor.

“Get some more candles lit and sit down,” Kassim ordered. “It's going to be a long night.” Alibaba shared a look with Morgiana. She looked as grim as Kassim, which furthered Alibaba's worry. This was bad. Maybe even worse than what he thought.

Alibaba quickly lit a few more candles to help brighten the room. They made sure to not light too many to arouse attention from anyone watching outside but Alibaba wasn't all that worried about that. Most people were asleep at this time and the guards didn't usually look up when keeping an eye out.

“Dexia wasn't kidding when he said the Barasi were powerful.” Kassim started. He rolled out the parchments he brought with him onto the floor. They were maps, three to be exact. One was of the waters surrounding Balbadd's marine space, one was of the city itself, and the other of the desert routes that led to the city. He focused on the one of the city and brought out a small bag from his pocket. Opening it revealed pebbled rocks from the streets.

“Where did you get these?” They were of good quality and surprisingly up to date. Alibaba didn't know where in the slums one would be able to find maps like these.

“I managed to catch Zainab and Hassan before they left for the islands. They gave me these copies from the ship.” Ah, that was right Zainab and Hassan now worked on a ship that traded between the surrounding islands and the mainland. It was good to hear that they were doing alright.

“They took out Mehdi, Reza, Vahid, Sepehr, Omid, and even Musa.” With each name, a rock was placed on the map, showing which gang territories were captured. Alibaba gaped at the Barasi's influence. That was nearly all of the slums! Three of the four main pillars of the slums were absolved. Kassim pointed to the few places that the rocks weren't placed.

“All that's left is Mirno, Papak and his brothers, Tirdad, and what scattered brats that haven't run to the Barasi for protection.” That was not a lot. Alibaba studied the map carefully. Papak and his brothers ran the brothels, protecting the girls from rowdy customers and making sure they were paid fairly. They held firm in the slums' main street for the nightlife. Mirno's business was snuggled next to the western wall, near the gates there. Along with his gambling and fighting rings, Mirno helped smugglers coming in on foot for a fee if they went through that gate. Mirno and Papak's gangs were the largest territories that the Barasi hadn't captured.

Tirdad and his people hung around the docks, picking up what work they could by the ships that pulled in there, helping those that were carrying not-so-legal merchandise that needed to get off the ship. Tirdad was responsible for supplying most of the black market's merch. He was the slums' very own trader. Alibaba didn't know the man well, only second-hand information. What he heard while he was still living on the streets was that the man was someone with high morals despite his place in the slums. There were things he refused to touch or sell from the docks. Alibaba remembered a time that Kassim had thought about moving them to Tirdad's territory. Kassim planned on working for Tirdad for protection so that Alibaba and Mariam would be safe. Then Rashid picked up Alibaba and the rest was history.

“How were they able to take over so much?” The Barasi had nearly three-fourths of the slums under their belt. It wouldn't be long before they got the others at the rate they were moving. It begged the question of what their secret weapon was. Kassim sighed heavily and cracked his neck.

“Before that, have you heard about the naval attacks on noble ships?” Alibaba nodded his head, recalling his talk with Sabhmad and the dinner with the family. He never was able to catch Avner alone, and he was hesitant to speak with him in the presence of others. Alibaba didn't want to make a huge deal out of it only for the whole thing to just be simple pirates who were being antagonistic. His father didn't seem to be concerned, or at least he wasn't doing anything about it.

“Noble shipments are being attacked outside our waters. They're thinking its pirates.” Though Alibaba was starting to doubt that even more now. Kassim wouldn't have mentioned it unless the Barasi was involved.

“They're not wrong,” Kassim said. “It is pirates that are attacking, but the Barasi are the ones commissioning them. The pirates attack, steal what was ordered and then some for themselves and then meet up to deliver the goods.” Kassim pulled out the map of the sea. He cleared off the pebbles on Balbadd's map and starting setting them onto the new one.

“Zainab and Hassan don't know how many ships were attacked exactly, just those that their captain knows and the ones that are near their ship's route.” Still, there were a surprisingly large amount of pebbles being placed. The islands were relatively safe, but the attacks were worryingly close to their waters. Other areas were in the direct trading routes for Reim, Partveria, and Heliophapt. Not Sindria though. Those ships were untouched. Smart. If Sinbad heard his ships were being attacked he'd jump on the next one to find out what was happening. They wouldn't want to risk that.

“I've asked the small brats if they knew what was being taken on the ships.” Kassim meant the orphans that were left on the streets. They were scattered out in the slums, leaking into every territory. They were normally left alone by the gangs, seeing no harm in them running around so long as they don't get in the way. Kassim capitalized on that as a kid and in the other timeline. The kids became his informants for the price of a few gold coins or just a hot meal. Kassim might call them brats, but he had a soft spot for the kids since he was one growing up. When running the Fog Troupe he used the kids as runners, messengers of sorts, to get information around and rumors started at his beck and call.

“At first, I was told the same line each time. Cloth, food, wine, and weapons.” Kassim's eyes darkened and his mouth soured. Beside him, Morgiana stiffened and Alibaba saw her eyes tighten. Alibaba straightened as he felt fear strike down his spine.

“What are they really taking?” He asked hushedly. He was afraid of the answer. If it made those two react in such a way, it had to be terrible. Kassim barked a sardonic laugh, looking too much like the old Kassim for Alibaba's tastes.

“Oh, they are taking that. But they're also taking slaves and way more swords than what's advertised. A couple of older brats told me after they ran a milk run for the Barasi. When they found out, they wanted to leave. I told them to go to Mirno or Tirdad.” Alibaba felt sick as Kassim's scowl deepened.

“They were found dead in the waterways the next morning, stripped and beat to fucking hell.” Alibaba bent over, eyes wide. He knew the dangers of the slums and of betraying a gang, but that was something else. The Barasi were ruthless, and they weren't going to leave any loose ends to hang. Two kids, and who knew how many others were dead because of them. The nobles didn't know because they didn't care. The ships weren't reporting the attacks because they were dealing in slaves and illegal weapons. Avner had no official reports to give Rashid so the King couldn't do anything.

“It just gets fucking better. They're not only hitting the water but the trading caravans too. Mirno's furious because it's cutting into part of his profits. The Barasi have got bandits covering the desert trading routes all around the city. How we got here without encountering any was a miracle.” Kassim made new markers on the next map, setting up numerous dots all around the city.

“How has no one caught this?” The ships were one thing, but the trading caravans too? This was ridiculous! Alibaba looked at the three maps together and blanched at the implications. Right now, the damage was minimal and in its infancy. In the future though? This could get ugly for Balbadd and it could happen really quickly. The more people get attacked the less people will want to risk the chance of coming. That would bring less people to the market, which will damage Balbadd's profit. When Kassim had attacked, it was one swift blow that gave the monarchy a debilitating injury. This was a sickness. Slow, painful, and deadly. The longer it went on unnoticed or untreated the worse it will get.

“How should I know?” Kassim asked. “Do you have any idea just who your precious nobles are? Cause they're into some shady shit.” Alibaba felt his hackles rise at the tone Kassim was using. He was nearly snarling, sounding like he did when they were leading the Troupe. Alibaba knew that he and Kassim were different and could never be the same. Still, he didn't like hearing his friend when he was like this. It reminded him too much of when he wasn't able to snap his friend out of the darkness.

“I don't condone what they're doing. You know that.” Kassim frowned at the rebuke but didn't argue. Alibaba took what wins he could and continued on. “That being said, if this goes on there will be trouble. We have to stop both the Barasi and get the nobles to justice.” To catch the nobles they just need proof which wouldn't be easy by any means, but it will be less complicated than the gang. The nobles would still have a sale bill of sorts for their 'purchases' and 'goods' if they found those, connected them to both the nobles and the slave traders, the job will be done.

The Barasi though, to stop them they have to know how they were able to do all they could. To be able to afford both bandits and pirates they'd have to be really well funded or they had a different ace up their sleeves. And if it was the latter, it must have been a pretty big ace.

“Without joining you can't get much information about the Barasi themselves. What little I got was from the dead kids.” Alibaba flinched at the reminder of the two informants. Kassim's eyes were bitter and his mouth turned down. He must be furious that they didn't get to Mirno or Tirdad in time.

“Luckily, one of them got a look at one of the supply deposits the Barasi have hidden. He said that there were piles of weapons, enough to arm an army.” That could not mean anything good. They might be preparing for an all-out gang war. Who they would strike would be anyone's guess. Mirno was the most powerful but Tirdad had the best defense. He was by the docks and had contacts with a lot of the captains. It would only take a few words before he cleared out and got his people to safety. Though, that could be a tactic in itself. Get Tirdad to leave and take over the territory then. Papak and his brothers were relatively safe, being the most visible of the gangs. People would notice if anything happened to them. That was a flimsy defense though.

“He told me where the place was and I went there with Morgiana.” Kassim waved a hand at the redhead. “She found me the day after I met with them. We snuck inside the storehouse. Just like the kids said, the place was filled. The Barasi are getting ready for something.” And what was that exactly? A gang war? Or worse? Whatever it was, Alibaba knew that it needed to be stopped.

“While we were in there, a couple of guys came by.” Kassim's face turned grave. Alibaba wondered just what could be worse in the situation. “One had a sword with him. They were too far away to hear but we saw him melt steel with just one touch of that sword.” Magic tools. That just made everything worse.

“Where would they get something like that?” Magic tools were rare in these parts of the world. Alibaba never heard of one gracing their markets. Could it be Al-Tharmen? Did they visit Balbadd after seeing Kassim in Quishan? Were they trying to speed up their plan to take Balbadd?

“Kassim left to tell Mirno.” Morgiana piped in, speaking for the first time in the discussion. “I followed the two men to their base.” Alibaba shot a betrayed look to Kassim.

“That's too dangerous! Kassim why'd you let her do that?” Kassim scoffed at Alibaba's question. He reached into his pocket for a cigar, finally giving into his urge to smoke.

“You really think I had any say in that? She just up and left me without a word.” That did not surprise Alibaba actually. Morgiana glared at Alibaba as if daring him to reprimand her. Wisely, he chose not to.

“What did you find out?” Morgiana nodded her head, glad that he didn't push the issue. He still didn't like the thought of her going out alone in the slums while the Barasi were in control. He didn't even like Kassim being out there, and he knew the slums like the back of his hand.

“I don't think it was the main base. It was too small and there weren't any smells of large gatherings of people.” Smell? Oh, Alibaba forgot. Morgiana, being a Fanalis, had better senses than an average human. They were the best hunters of the Dark Continent for that reason.

“There was a small gathering there, six people. Three men and three girls. I recognized two of the girls, they were the twins that were with that man the day we got here.” The twins with Dexia. Alibaba didn't know who those two were. He looked to Kassim in a silent question but the older boy just shrugged. He didn't know either. These Barasi were complete mysteries.

Morgiana shifted in her seat, an uncomfortable look on her face. “I wasn't able to overhear much before being caught. They said something about their plan almost being ready, and that they had to speak to some man about their magic tools.”

“You were caught?” Alibaba exclaimed. “What happened, were you okay?” She looked fine, and obviously, she got away but that could mean anything. Morgiana looked at him in surprise but nodded her head silently. Alibaba sighed. “Good. I'd hate it if you were hurt trying to help me. Thank you. You did a good job.” With what she overheard, it implied that someone gave the magic tools to the Barasi. Alibaba had a pretty good guess who that was. Al-Tharmen was on the move, and like Alibaba thought they were five steps behind the group.

“I wanna know how she was found out,” Kassim stated, eyes darting to Morgiana's still form. “I thought you Fanalis were supposed to be the best hunters or something? Doesn't that imply you can be stealthy if needed? Can't be a good hunter if the game hears you.” That last bit was said mockingly. Alibaba hissed his disapproval at Kassim. Sometimes Alibaba wondered if Kassim liked playing as a bad guy just for fun. There was no reason to be mean to Morgiana about this.

Morgiana's hands curled into fists and she stared down at the ground. Her lips drew thin at Kassim's words and she looked like something was bothering her greatly. Alibaba worried that Kassim had hurt her feelings.

“One of the men was Fanalis. He smelt an intruder. I was able to leave before they saw me.” Fanalis...Alibaba's eyes widened. There was a Fanalis in Balbadd that wasn't Morgiana? That was unbelievable. Alibaba turned to Kassim.

“I don't remember any Fanalis in the slums.” That would have been something he'd have noticed. Kassim looked at Morgiana carefully. He then tilted his head back and blew out a cloud of smoke above them lazily.

“That's cause there wasn't any. These Barasi have a lot of new faces.” Kassim scowled at the ceiling. “And we still don't know who the leader is.” Alibaba shuddered in his mind. The Barasi were powerful, with five upper echelons. They knew the twins and a Fanalis were there, but the other two were unknown. And then there was the leader. Which of the five was the leader? Or was the leader even there that day when Morgiana spied on them? What were the Barasi after? Why were they doing this?

“Wait,” Thinking of the five people and the three that were known made something pop in Alibaba's head. “If that man was Fanalis, wouldn't he be able to track you?” Morgiana said that the man had smelt her, meaning he had her scent. If Morgiana could hunt humans by just their scent, then couldn't he? What if he followed her to Kassim, or to the palace?

“No.” Morgiana shook her head. “I covered my scent by jumping in the water and rolling in the dock's fish haul.” Alibaba and Kassim stared in wonder at that. Kassim's mouth was open in surprise.

“That's why you smelt like dead fish when you got to Mirno's?” He asked. Morgiana nodded sharply. Alibaba couldn't help but chuckle at the image of Morgiana diving into a pile of dead fish to cover her scent. It was a humorous thought. He wondered how the sailors and shipmates thought when they saw it. Mirno's reaction to seeing her would have been hilarious too. Morgiana sure knew how to make a first impression.

The good humor passed, and Alibaba was faced with the issue once more. Al-Tharmen was behind this, Alibaba was sure. They had a rising gang looking to cripple the noble's trading for an unknown reason other than just pure hatred for the higher class. They armed to the teeth and had an unknown amount of magic tools. One confirmed that had a distressing ability. Either the sword acted as an acid, or it heated up so quickly and so much it was able to melt anything like molten lava. Alibaba hoped for the latter. Amon would be able to defend against that.

Well, he would if Alibaba could get his magoi in order and be able to summon the Djinn's power properly. Coming back to the past sent all of his senses into a knot that he had been able to mostly get over by now. All except his magoi. It was a misshapen thing now. He had the magoi of when he was a normal twelve-year-old, and then the magoi of when he was a twenty-two-year-old Djinn user who could do a full equip. He never noticed the change in his magoi because he was never able to sense that kind of thing. The only reason he knew was because Amon had commented on it shortly after the Dungeon. Alibaba hadn't practiced summoning Amon's powers, scared he'd mess up and burn the palace down.

They were outnumbered, outpowered, and they needed a plan of attack now. He couldn't let this go on. Not with Al-Tharmen involved, with the misdeeds of the nobles going unpunished, with the death of two kids who just wanted to survive. This had to stop, but where to start. Alibaba wasn't any good with leadership or planning. He was a trader on the best of days! Nothing more. Kassim would be better at this. He was the true leader of the Fog Troupe and the rebellion in the other timeline.

“Do you have a plan Kassim?” The older boy looked over the maps with a critical eye. Alibaba looked as well. There weren't enough pebbles to cover each map, but he remembered what they all looked like. There was too much. The Barasi were hitting too many places at once. They needed to whittle it down but to do that they'd have to stop the power roll they were on. They had to stop the gang's growth where it was before it got any larger. To do that, they'd have to get the rest of the slums united. Kassim saw the map that Alibaba was focusing on. Balbadd's streets were a complicated maze to a stranger, but Alibaba had lived there for enough years to know each street and what gang owned what block. Kassim knew more.

“It'll be insane,” Kassim commented. He must be thinking of the same thing that Alibaba was. That gave Alibaba hope, if Kassim thought of it as well then it was an idea worth thinking about. “It's never been done before.” The warning was half-hearted though.

“Can you get Mirno, Papak, and Tirdad to meet together?” Alibaba asked. Kassim sighed and rolled his eyes at the request. “I know it's never been done but if we can get what's left of the slums to form an alliance of a sort it'll be harder for the Barasi to expand.” The whole reason why they were able to get so far so fast was because of their magic tools, yes, but it was also how the gangs isolated themselves. Each one for their own, never looking out for their fellows. It worked in keeping their families safe from turf wars but when faced with the Barasi it was dangerous.

“And how do you plan on convincing them to do that?” Kassim asked with a sarcastic edge. Alibaba shrugged, truthfully not having a single clue. Those three were some of the oldest and most powerful of the slums. Mirno was one of the founding pillars of the slums. He honestly didn't think that they'd listen to him or Kassim, mere pups in comparison. One a street rat playing at being royal and the other a wolf who left his territory and disbanded his pack. The odds were against them but Alibaba didn't care. They had to try.

“The first step is getting them to meet in the first place. We'll worry about the rest then.” Not the best way to deal with it, but it wouldn't matter if the three men didn't meet. Kassim looked like he wanted to argue but stopped himself.

“Fine.” He groused. “We'll try your crazy idea. I'll see if I can get Mirno to speak with them.” Because if Mirno called on someone to talk, they came. No questions asked. If they got Mirno to agree, the others would come. Though, Alibaba admitted, Mirno would be the hardest to convince.

“You're going to be the one to talk to them though.” Alibaba blanched at that. He spluttered, arms flailing wildly and almost knocking over a candle.

“What?” He squawked. “I can't do that! I'm on house arrest right now! I can't leave the palace and you're much better at these kind of things!” Kassim was the real leader between the two of them! Why couldn't he see that?

“Hah?” Kassim looked at Alibaba incredulously. “What the are you talking about idiot? I don't do wimpy stuff like that! You do the talking!” The two delved into a petty argument then, demanding that the other be the one to speak to the gang leaders.

Morgiana watched silently with a smile on her face.

Chapter Text

The next morning Kassim was gone. Morgiana carried him back to Mirno's and returned back to the palace. She was sleeping in her room now. In the end, it was agreed for Alibaba to speak with Mirno and the others. Alibaba had no idea what he was going to say though.

He put that aside for the time being and focused a new problem. He needed to leave the palace. To do that he would need his father's permission. Really, it was too soon after his return to be asking his father for any favors. This couldn't wait that long. There's was no telling when Kassim could get Mirno to agree, and then it would be only one chance. There would be no rescheduling.

Besides, Alibaba wanted his father to know what was happening. It was a King's duty to know the state his city was in. Even all the way to it's poorest district. If they didn't know or were willfully ignoring it they were failing in their responsibilities. That was something that Alibaba believed in. He knew that his father wasn't ignoring the problem. Either his hands were tied with legal restrictions of the nobles refusing to report the attacks or he wasn't aware of the intensity of the problem itself. Alibaba was counting on both being the answer.

Getting permission to leave the palace wasn't just for the meeting either. Alibaba needed to practice using Amon. The Barasi had magic tools, so he needed to be prepared to fight against them. If he couldn't control Amon because of his added magoi, Alibaba would be in big trouble. He had a head start in the training by already having an idea on how to summon and control Amon. All he needed to do was get used to the new magoi amount he had. It couldn't be that hard. He managed in Reim to get used to Kassim's added magoi to his body. And at least he didn't also have that added boost in his magoi. Kassim's magoi left him like his Rukh did, going to the present Kassim when Alibaba arrived in the past. If that was still with him, Alibaba would technically have three different sources of magoi to contend with. Too much. Alibaba was happy just dealing with two different magoi reserves.

Step one in defeating the Barasi: Getting control of his magoi and making it conform into one solid reserve; and getting Mirno, Papak, and Tirdad to agree to an alliance. Both needed him out of the palace grounds.

“Again!” Barrack barked. Alibaba grunted from his place on the ground. Barrack was relentless in their training that day. It was hard for him to keep up. Too many thoughts on what was happening were going through his head. They kept him from focusing. He was worried about Kassim, about the Barasi, about not being enough to get Mirno and the other two to agree.

He gritted his teeth and shook the thoughts away. There was nothing he could do until he spoke with his father. Alibaba stood up on shaky legs and got back into his stance. Sweat was pouring out of every pore and he felt like he was going to drop. Barrack eyed the position of his feet and gave a sharp nod. Alibaba rushed forward, dagger outstretched and body dancing as he tried to disarm Barrack. He was getting better, more used to his body and the feel of his dagger again. It won't be long until he was back in tip-top shape.

Barrack was on the defensive, blocking and parrying what he could. Alibaba kept his weak points guarded or only left them open for moments at a time to keep the older man from getting an edge. It was hard, pushing his younger body in ways he didn't before. He was treating it like he was twenty-two again. He knew that it was probably dangerous to do so, but he couldn't help it. It was just too frustrating being so weak compared to then. Al-Tharmen was at their doorstep and he wasn't ready.

“Gah!” Barrack knocked him down again. Alibaba lied sprawled on the ground with his chest heaving. He heard Barrack's footsteps get closer. He let his mind wander again.

“That's enough for today.” Alibaba squeezed his eyes shut at the order. “You're not focusing. We'll try again tomorrow Young Prince.” Barrack helped Alibaba up and sent him to the baths to clean up. Alibaba glared at his hands while he was soaking in the water. He needed to get better. As he was now Al-Tharmen and the Barasi could walk over him no problem. This was starting to get ridiculous.

It didn't help that he could feel Amon's power thrumming under his fingers each time he picked the blade up. He could practically taste the potential power at his beck and call. It was invigorating and distracting. It was terrifying. Alibaba never truly wanted power. It was a dangerous thing to have. Dangerous, but needed. If he was going to battle Al-Tharmen and the Barasi's magic tools he would need Amon's power. It still scared him though. He had heard too many stories of good men who went mad with power. Alibaba hoped that he wouldn't be one of them.

When he reached the baths Alibaba soaked in the hot water with a hiss of relief. He let his mind wander as all his troubles to his current predicament float in his head. He couldn't let himself be this weak for much longer. Alibaba reached to the side of the tub where his clothes and things were. He picked up Amon's sheath and pulled out the dagger. It didn't look all that different now. If he tilted the steel just right he'd be able to make out the seal traced onto the blade. The dagger was warm to the touch, it had been since Amon was sealed inside. Like he was bursting at the edges to be released.

He brought the dagger to his chest and closed his eyes. Alibaba calmed his heartbeat and tried to empty his head. Amon's power was simmering within the seal, just out of reach. Alibaba couldn't exactly speak with the Djinn, not while outside of a Dungeon or without the aide Aladdin. They were connected though. A King Vessel to his Dijnn. Alibaba didn't hold much in the official titles but he knew that Amon was there, listening.

Amon....please hear me.

Alibaba felt the water around him start to heat up. The hairs on the back of his neck rose and a familiar hum was thudding in his chest.

I need to be strong enough to defend against Al-Tharmen. I want to be able to protect my family, friends, and my people. Please, help me.

The words left his mouth unbidden as if he were in a trance. “Djinn of Politeness and Austerity, lend me your sacred power...AMON!” Alibaba's eyes opened with renewed clarity and power. The water in the bath was at a boiling point and when he called Amon's name it exploded up like a geyser. Alibaba's concentration flicked out as he spluttered water out of his nose and mouth.

In the end, he was left naked in a near-empty tub holding his dagger limply. Alibaba was sure he looked like a wet rat too. Water was everywhere, soaking the entire room. He winced while looking. The maids were going to flip when they saw the mess.

The good news, Alibaba mulled while cleaning up what he could, was that he could access Amon's power. The bad news was that he couldn't control it. There was too much power in that. He was lucky that he only was able to call up heat instead of actual flames. If he summoned Amon's flames in such an unstable manner he'd be a charred chicken.

His experiment just further proved that he needed training. He couldn't do it at the palace either. There were too many eyes, and the nobles loved their gossip nearly as much as their money. News of him having a metal vessel would travel quickly. He didn't want the Barasi or Al-Tharmen to know about it just yet. Which meant he needed to find a secluded area to train. It'd have to be away from the palace.

It was nearing lunchtime. Alibaba would be able to catch his father in his office if he hurried. Alibaba quickly dressed and left the baths to speak with his father. The sooner he spoke with him the better. It would give him more time to work with.

Alibaba was able to get to his father's study without any trouble later that day. He rapped on the door twice and waited for his father's permission to enter. He couldn't help but be slightly amazed at himself. In the past and in the other timeline Alibaba never would have thought of seeking out his father on his own volition. He didn't want to bother the King. Now here he was, comfortable enough to knock on his father's study without being called after.

“Enter.” Alibaba slipped inside and shut the door behind him quietly. Rashid didn't look too busy thankfully. He had a few documents out on his desk and was reading a book. At the edge of the desk was a plate of food, but there was no servant in view. They must have just delivered the meal and left then. Rashid put the book down when he saw who entered.

“Alibaba.” He greeted with a smile. Alibaba smiled back and approached the desk. He felt suddenly nervous. His back was ramrod straight and palms sweaty. He wasn't here to see his father. No, he was there to speak with the King. Rashid noticed Alibaba's serious aura and gave him his full attention.

“Father, there is something I need to discuss with you.” Best to be professional. Rashid watched him carefully, hawk eyes taking in everything. He dipped his head for Alibaba to continue, staying silent. Alibaba swallowed his dry throat and worked his mouth to try and talk. Words were escaping him. Just how would he start? He needed his father to listen and agree with him.

“Do you remember when Sabhmad mentioned that attack on one of Lord Bardok's shipments?” It was a week ago, so it shouldn't be too hard to remember. That there was no way the other attacks hadn't been missed by Rashid either.

“Yes, I do recall that. Do you have information about the attack?” Alibaba hesitated. He wanted to tell his father everything. Starting with the fact there were some nobles who were helping buy and sell slaves at their own docks. Smugglers weren't strange at Balbadd's docks, so long as they paid due and didn't cause trouble it was okay. If they were caught they were fairly punished and sent on their way. It was different for slaves though. Balbadd had a no tolerance for the slave trade. The punishment could be life in prison up to death.

Such a heavy crime cannot be accused without proof. Alibaba had none except for the word of two dead children. For now, he would have to let it go. It went against his nature and his conscience, but he assured himself that the nobles would be brought to justice one way or another.

“What I'm about to say has to stay between us.” Before leaving Kassim said it was suspicious how easily they were finding the noble ships. Good luck was stretching it. Someone was leaking information and there was no telling where. Alibaba doubted the source was in the palace but Kassim made him promise to be careful.

Rashid straightened in his seat and raised a curious brow. “I see. Alright.” He was curious, which was good. It made him open to what Alibaba was going to say.

“When I got back, my friends and I were accosted by a man called Dexia and two others. I was hiding my face so they couldn't see me, but they did see Kassim.” Alibaba figured it was best to start at the very beginning. “Dexia warned Kassim about a new gang that is gaining power in the slums. They call themselves the Barasi.

“Kassim stayed in the city to find out more about them. I recently was able to speak with him. The Barasi are the ones behind the attacks. They're hiring pirate ships to attack and steal the merchandise on the ships. They've also enlisted bandits to hit caravans coming to Balbadd.” Rashid's eyebrows furrowed at the news. He set a hand up to pause Alibaba.

“Do you know where on the map?” Alibaba nodded his head. Rashid reached into a drawer in his desk and pulled out a more detailed map than what Kassim had. Rashid had Alibaba point out what places he remembered Kassim showing him.

“These are what Kassim was able to find so far, there's no telling how many others were hit.” For every one they found it would be prudent to assume two more were attacked that they didn't know about. That's how fast the Barasi were moving. Rashid looked at the map with troubled eyes.

“We'll have to gather a troop of soldiers to hunt these Barasi down. They needed to be stopped.” Rashid said. Alibaba shook his head fiercely at that. They couldn't send in the guard. The palace soldiers, while strong in their own right, stood no chance against magic tools. Balbadd was not a military state. It was a trading nation that managed to avoid conflict by its connections to the other nations in the world. They also didn't know just how large the Barasi were, where their headquarters was, or who their leader was. Alibaba also knew that sending guards into the slums on a manhunt would only fester more aggression from the citizens towards the throne. It was too soon after the plague and the quarantined fire.

“Don't do that!” He said. “The Barasi have taken over almost all of the slums and have too many members to be able to capture them all. You'll have to take out the leaders, who have confirmed magic tools.” Rashid paled. He reached out and grasped Alibaba's shoulders in a tight grip. It surprised Alibaba. He knew his father would get upset but he didn't expect this.

“Are you sure? They have magic tools?” Alibaba nodded his head. Rashid pulled back and started pulling out parchment and ink. “I'll contact our allies in Sindria. We don't have the power to defend against magic tools.” He meant Sinbad. That wasn't a bad idea really. Sinbad would be more than enough to defeat the Barasi with his seven Djinn. Still, Alibaba didn't like it. Balbadd should be able to solve its own problems. That, and Alibaba didn't know how long it would take for Sinbad to respond but it wouldn't be soon enough.

“I don't think that's a good idea either Father.” Rashid paused in his actions to listen to Alibaba. “It would take too long. The Barasi are gaining power quickly and are moving fast.” They needed to take care of the problem as soon as possible. Before Al-Tharmen could spin any more discord in the city through the Barasi.

“Then what do you suggest?” Rashid asked. He didn't look convinced of Alibaba's reasoning. He was just letting Alibaba have his peace. It was a show of respect that Alibaba appreciated, even if it stung his pride.

“Let me handle it for now. The Barasi are smart and are being careful. Kassim thinks there might be someone in the nobles who are leaking information to them. We already have a plan to help stop the Barasi gaining any more territories in the slums.” Though whether the plan would work or not was a long shot. Rashid didn't need to hear that.

Rashid frowned. “Let you handle it?” He repeated. “What will you do about the magic tools?” Ah, that. Alibaba's hand reached to his belt where Amon was strapped. He bit his lip and glanced over his shoulder. They were alone, and the servants would be busy in the kitchens. The guards outside wouldn't be listening in. Or would they?

Alibaba looked back to his father and lifted the dagger from its sheath. He tilted it just enough for the light to catch the seal. “About that, I have a plan.” Rashid's eyes widened. Alibaba sheathed the dagger and gave his father a sheepish smile.

“You were wondering what I was doing while I was gone.” Alibaba tapped the sheath lightly. Rashid looked between Alibaba and the dagger with a shocked expression. Alibaba didn't blame him. He'd never expect him to conquer a Dungeon either. He still sometimes was in disbelief at his luck.

“I came here wanting to ask permission to leave the palace grounds so that I can investigate the Barasi. I'll need a flexible schedule and I promise once this is over I'll make up all of my studies tenfold!” Alibaba bowed at the waist in his request. Rashid didn't reply at first. Alibaba worried that he'd be denied and he'd have to start sneaking out.

“Stand up Alibaba.” Alibaba rose and looked up at his father hopefully. Rashid's face was stern and heavy with seriousness. He wasn't treating this request lightly. “I will send word to Sindria and ask our allies for their help.” Alibaba's shoulders dropped. Rashid was going to deny him. He didn't believe in Alibaba. He should have seen this. Alibaba wouldn't believe in him either. To Rashid, he was a twelve-year-old kid who had run off for half a year to chase after Sinbad's stories.

“Your plans for the magic tools aside, it is a serious issue that those experienced should have to deal with. Not a young Prince who is only twelve.” Hearing Rashid verbally say what Alibaba feared hurt. It snapped at his pride and his heart. He had grown used to his father's favor of him. He forgot that Rashid had to think like a King and do what, to him, would be the safest option for the kingdom. Letting a half-cocked kid and his friends at a problem like this was not an ideal plan.

“That being said,” Alibaba glanced up from the ground at that. He had looked away from his father as he rebuked him. Rashid's face was tilted, a thoughtful look on his face. “You know the city and have contacts there that I and our allies do not. You will have a better chance of gaining more information about what is going on. I will allow you to monitor the situation and leave it in your hands until our allies can help.” Alibaba gaped. He didn't understand. Didn't his father just say that he wouldn't be able to handle it?

“I'll grant your request to clear up your schedule for this purpose. This stays between us. If your friend Kassim is correct then we will need to proceed with caution.” Rashid went on to come up with a cover story for Alibaba to use if anyone asked why he wasn't so busy with his tutors anymore. Alibaba listened idly, mind whirring. He was still confused. His father was granting his request but was still calling for Sinbad.

It sent mixed signals to Alibaba. Was it because of his age? Alibaba had trouble remembering how young he actually was most of the time. He still felt like a twenty-two year old, not eleven. Rashid might also be calling for Sinbad to help Alibaba with his Djinn, now that he knew about it. Or it could be a combination of the two. Alibaba didn't know. Whatever the case, he was getting the free time he needed to be able to practice and go into the city. That was what was important. Everything else can be picked apart at a later date.

By the time he left his father's office, it was nearing the evening time. He had a new schedule wrote out, with barely anything written in. When Alibaba asked for free time, he wasn't expecting this much. He had one day with all of his tutors, three mornings with Barrack, and that was pretty much it. The rest was blank, free for him to choose what to do with. It gave him plenty of time and then some to start tackling the Barasi and his Djinn training.

Things were starting to look up.

Morgiana walked with Alibaba through the streets of Balbadd. She stayed a silent companion as they traversed the marketplace in the second district. She made sure to keep vigilant in case the Fanalis she had seen was nearby.

“Morg, look at this! It's so pretty!” Morgiana looked at the necklace that Alibaba was holding. It was simple in design, gold fabric set in three layers with a red bead at the center of each layer. Morgiana had to agree that it was pretty. The merchant at the stand was an elderly lady. A young woman and her daughter were standing beside her. The little girl giggled and jumped up and down with a smile.

“Look mama, he likes the one I made!” The girl rushed forward and tugged at Alibaba's pants. “You should buy it, mister! I worked very hard on it!” She smiled up with a gap-toothed smile. The mother reached forward and brought her daughter back to her side. She bowed her head with a worried look

“I'm sorry your highness, she just gets so excited.” Alibaba smiled and knelt down to the little girl's level. He asked the girl how she made the necklace, further exciting her. Morgiana watched as he encouraged the girl and complimented her craft. If Jamil or his parents were the ones standing there, they'd demand the girl be punished for her impudence. Alibaba was different though. He smiled. He thanked the girl.

It was confusing to Morgiana. Alibaba was different from Jamil and his parents. He hated slavery, and he thought that all humans were equal. That alone set him apart from her old masters. What really was surprising was that he was of a higher station than what Jamil's family was. He was a Prince, third heir to a throne. And yet, he looked at those under him with kindness and warmth opposed to sneers and disgust. It was different than what she was used to. As a slave, all of her masters were of a high station. She was Fanalis, therefore expensive. All of the nobles or wealthy people she had met were nowhere as kind as Alibaba.

He was an enigma she didn't understand. Her dream was to go to her homeland, to see the place her heritage was from. Yet, she found that she didn't quite want to leave yet. Not when Alibaba was still a mystery to her. She wanted to know what made him different. Was it how he was raised? He said that he grew up in the streets with Kassim. From what Morgiana had seen, those who lived there came out as rougher creatures. Darker and more cynical towards life. Dire wolves.

Alibaba wasn't that. He was bright and warm. He was like the rising sun on a misty morning. He brightened everything he touched, just by being himself. Morgiana didn't know what animal he was like. She had never met something like him. It made her instincts falter. In the wild, or auction houses, faltering instincts could get you killed.

So she observed him. She wanted to know what he was. Morgiana also wanted to help him with his current troubles. He and Kassim saved her from Jamil's family. That was a debt she could never repay, but helping Alibaba save his home from this strange enemy will help. Not only that, but she wanted to stop the ships with the slaves on them. Alibaba looked so stricken at the thought of slave ships passing through Balbadd's port that she knew he had no idea. When Kassim told her about them, she had wondered. But seeing Alibaba's face confirmed it.

Morgiana also wanted to see that other Fanalis again. She had never seen another of her kind since she was a small child at her parent's side. That was so long ago, she couldn't remember their faces. She wanted to know what her fellow Fanalis was doing with the Barasi. Was he a slave as well? He didn't have chains on him, but Morgiana knew about unseen chains. She still had some on her own heart from her time as a slave. She didn't know how long it would take for them to vanish.

“Aha, I'll take it Lady Kara!” Morgiana blinked back into awareness. Alibaba gave the elder woman some gold, the necklace still in his hand. The little girl was beaming and her mother was looking at Alibaba in awe. Morgiana smiled at the child's expression. She looked so innocent.

“Here Morg!” Alibaba held the necklace out to her. Morgiana stared at it blankly, taking the necklace from him. “It's for you!” The little girl was looking to her now, green eyes bright. Morgiana hesitated. She never had anything of her own before. There wasn't a time she could think that she had worn jewelry.

“It'll make you look really pretty miss!” The girl exclaimed. Morgiana looked at the happy expression on her face and the hopeful one on Alibaba's. Was such a trinket so important? Morgiana studied it more. It was pretty, the smooth silk fabric cool on her skin. It was nicer than the things she had seen Jamil's mother wear. Was it really for her?

“Go on, try it on!” Alibaba smiled at her. It was so bright. Just what was he? Morgiana took the necklace and clasped it around her neck. Alibaba and the girl oohed and awwed with applause. The two older women looked at her with kind expressions. Morgiana felt herself blush. The elder woman, Kara, handed Morgiana a mirror. She looked at her reflection.

It was a bit big on her, the bottom string of silk resting on her chest, but she would grow into it. Morgiana wasn't sure, but suddenly it looked a lot more beautiful now than before. She liked it. She handed the mirror back and looked away from the others. She didn't know what to do with the feeling. As a slave, there was no use liking or disliking anything. Slaves didn't have opinions. They weren't human, they were tools or pets. But she wasn't a slave anymore. Morgiana was free now and could have her own opinions.

Alibaba bid the women goodbye and promised the child he'd visit again. They continued through the street at a slow pace. Alibaba was stopped every now and then by merchants wanting to show him their wares or to just say hello. Alibaba was well liked by his people.

He had told her that before leaving for Quishan he had come into the city many times to see Kassim. The citizens had grown used to seeing him running around and liked to chat with the Prince. Morgiana understood why they wanted to be near him. Alibaba had a sense around him that made people want to flock to his side. He had to be a bird of some kind. Not one of prey. He didn't have sharp talons that she could see. Alibaba didn't like violence. He used his head to solve things.

As they walked Morgiana caught a familiar scent. She turned and saw Kassim in a darkened alley. He nodded to her and left. Morgiana touched Alibaba's arm as he pulled away from a food vendor. He took one look at her expression and knew. She watched as his face dulled slightly, taking on a more serious outlook. He was still bright, but his smile was heavier. She wasn't sure what to liken the expression to. It was odd seeing it on his normally cheerful face.

They slipped through the crowds and entered the alley when no one was looking. Kassim was waiting for them with two others at his side. Alibaba recognized them.

“Zainab! Hassan!” He hugged them both. Hassan was a large man, built firmly with large muscles that could haul large weights. Zainab was smaller, her thin body built for speed and her smile as sharp as the spiked piercings in her bottom lip. An ox and a jackal. An odd combination, but they smiled at Alibaba with warm eyes. Zainab nudged Alibaba's side teasingly.

“You and the Boss just can't seem to stay out of trouble can you?” She groused. Alibaba weakly fended her off with a laugh. Kassim rolled his eyes and looked to Morgiana.

“You see anything?” He meant the Barasi and their Fanalis. Morgiana breathed deeply and took in the scents around her. Kassim: tobacco and dirt, Alibaba: faint embers, Zainab and Hassan: Salt and water, the market was wafting in the air and the people were all a mix of combined smells. The Fanalis man was not among them.

“No, I haven't smelled him.” She would smell him before she saw him. He was Fanalis, so he would know how to hide. He didn't know what she was though, so he wouldn't think to hide his scent. Kassim looked at her oddly but nodded his head.

“Alright!” He snapped, cutting off Zainab and Hassan's teasing of Alibaba. The three looked to Kassim sharply, stopping their playing around. “The meeting's taking place at the Old Grounds, neutral territory. We have less than an hour to make this work cause that's all they're willing to spare to hear.” That wasn't a lot of time. Alibaba looked nervous. He was going to be the one to do the talking. Morgiana didn't know why he was so worried. Talking was something he was good at. If these were good people, she was sure Alibaba could convince them. He had that effect.

“Zainab, Hassan.” The two straightened their backs. “You two are going to be Alibaba's 'guards' with me and Morgiana. If anyone tries anything stupid or you see something, tell me or her.” Kassim ordered. The two nodded, accepting it without question. Zainab rested her hand on her hip where a whip was lassoed to her belt. She gave Morgiana an appraising look.

“You must be strong if Boss trusts you.” She grinned toothily. “Good. Not enough bitches in these parts.” Though crude, Morgiana knew a compliment when she heard one. She smiled. Hassan didn't comment, only dipping his head in her direction as a show of his acknowledgment. Morgiana felt like she passed an unspoken test.

“Come on Zainab, don't be like that.” Alibaba complained. He gave Morgiana an apologetic smile. “Sorry about that. I think the sea life got to her head. I'm sure it will all be okay.” Zainab pushed Alibaba roughly into Hassan and flicked her hair in his direction. Alibaba squawked like an offended chicken at her back. Kassim rolled his eyes again and followed her, taking the lead. Hassan lightly pushed Alibaba forward and let Morgiana go in front of him.

They kept that formation all the way to where the meeting was. Kassim in the lead, Hassan in the rear, and Alibaba between the two girls. It was a good line up, the best defense for Alibaba. Morgiana didn't know anything about Zainab or Hassan but she could guess. Hassan was tall and wide, a good guard against a rear attack. He could block an attack to give them time to retreat or form an attack. She also assumed that he knew how to use his fists, given the lack of weapon on his person.

Zainab walked with confidence in her step, hand never straying from her whip. She knew how to use it and wouldn't hesitate to do so. Morgiana knew that jackals were dangerous not only for their speed and teeth but for how cunning they could be. Zainab was probably full of surprises.

Morgiana had a better understanding of Kassim. She knew that he was proficient in the use of dual wielding those swords of his. He had a new weapon with him though. Two small things tucked into his belt at the sides of both sheaths by his hips. Alibaba noticed them too.

“Kassim, what are those things next to your swords?” Kassim glanced back idly and looked down. He touched one of the weapons and smirked.

“I don't know what they're called, but I swiped them from Quishan.” He must have meant the Dungeon. Alibaba had told her that he didn't want anyone knowing that he had a metal vessel if possible. Morgiana understood. Being underestimated was an advantage that one wouldn't want to give up. It helped her plenty of times.

“What do they do?” Zainab questioned, looking at them curiously. Kassim pulled one out and held it behind his back without pausing in his stride. Zainab took it and looked the item over. It was small and shaped in a sideways L with a hoop at the junction where a lever rested. Zainab held it so that the curve was in her palm, a finger automatically resting at the side of the hoop and lever.

“Pull that trigger and a blast of fire shoots out. I almost set Miro's curtains on fire with them when I was checking them out.” Zainab whistled and handed it back when Kassim reached back for it. Alibaba's eyebrows were raised up high.

“What about your swords?” Kassim shrugged at his question.

“I like these more.” Alibaba frowned at that.

“Barrack won't be happy about that. He's been asking after you.” Kassim and Alibaba argued some more, bickering like children. Zainab and Hassan both weathered it with amused looks. One wouldn't believe Alibaba and Kassim brothers until they spoke with each other. They squabbled like two children on a playground sometimes. It always made Morgiana happy to see such familiarity between them. She liked even more when they included her in it. Alibaba did that effortlessly as if she was always a part of their family. Kassim was more reserved, but not unkind.

“It's nice to know you two haven't changed.” Zainab said with a sardonic laugh. Kassim and Alibaba told her to shut up, making her bristle and join in the argument. Hassan shook his head with a sigh and smiled down at Morgiana.

“They're always like this. You get used to it.” Morgiana's heart warmed and she brought a hand to the necklace that Alibaba gave her. She wondered, was this what a family was like? If so, she wouldn't mind being a part of it

“Heads up!” Kassim barked suddenly, stopping the squabble. They had come to their destination. They walked out of an alley and crossed a bridge to an open field. The place was dead with only a single tree as a sign of life. Old buildings stood with the marks of fire damage.

In the clearing three other groups were present. One had an old man who stood as tall as Hassan with a bald head and a shockingly white beard that reached his chest. He was dressed plainly, a white tunic and pants with a black sash wrapping around his neck and shoulders like a scarf. He leaned on a cane and had a stern facial expression, enhancing the scar that crossed his left eye. Morgiana recognized him as the man Kassim had been staying with since his old home was in Barasi territory. He was Mirno. The man had brought four others with him, all large powerhouses with large muscles and obvious fighters.

Across from him was a younger man with dark hair cut close at the face and left loose in the back, a black band tying it into twin tails. His face was tattooed with tribal markings around his face to look like he was wearing a mask over a pair of dark green eyes. He was wearing tight pants and a red sash at the belt that held a sword at his hip. He wore a black jacket over a white tunic, a gold choker at his neck. Behind him where three others dressed similarly with curved swords at their hips.

Between them was the last group. A lithe man with brown hair and grey eyes watched the others around him carefully. He was dressed like Hassan, with pants and no shirt apart from a sash thrown over his shoulder and chest. His chest had scars on it, showing his evidence of winning dangerous fights. With him were two similar looking men and two others who towered at seven foot.

Kassim led them to the clearing and came to a stop when they reached the semi-circle. He let Alibaba stand in the front with him and the others flanking the Prince. Morgiana watched the surrounding area carefully as silence prevailed the meeting. She didn't see anything in the empty buildings or the city behind them. For now, they were alone.

“Well, if it isn't his Royal Majesty!” Mirno huffed, looking at Alibaba carefully. “And here I thought you lot were too good for us rats.” Morgiana tensed at his tone of speaking. Mirno was gruff but reservedly kind to Kassim from what she had seen. Why he was treating Alibaba with such hostility was beyond her. Kassim said that Mirno had helped him and Alibaba survive when they were younger. Shouldn't he be treating Alibaba the same as he did Kassim?

Alibaba didn't flinch at the comment but his lips did thin into a grimace. “I'm as much of a rat as I am a royal Lord Mirno.” Mirno scoffed at the respectful title Alibaba used but he didn't interrupt. “I know plenty of people who come from these streets who are worth more than some of those who live in the first district.” Morgiana knew who he was talking about. The slave dealers, whoever they were. Alibaba didn't condemn people from what she's observed, but he had a firm moral system.

“I'm confused as to why we're here.” The brown-haired man was the one speaking now. He looked at each group with suspicious eyes. “I was told that Mirno wanted a summit with me and Tirdad, something about Kassim getting his Troupe back together.” He frowned and pointed at Alibaba. “I wasn't told that the third Prince would be here.” That man must have been Papak, making the other man Tirdad. Mirno huffed again and tapped his cane onto the dirt.

“That's because I thought that's what Kassim was doing. He wanted us all to meet, saying he wanted to speak with us all.” He glared at Kassim. “What's the meaning of this boy?” Alibaba looked to Kassim with wide eyes. Kassim didn't look worried, keeping his poker face up.

“I let you think that cause if I told you Alibaba was going to be the one speaking you wouldn't show.” He shrugged and glanced at Alibaba with a deadly smirk. “If you want to think that way, go ahead. But I'm not the one running the gang now, he is.” Kassim pointed at a panicked looking Alibaba. This was not discussed beforehand. Zainab and Hassan balked at the statement and looked to their proclaimed boss like they wanted to object. They kept silent, however.

Morgiana scanned the area again and caught the gaze of the man who must have been Tirdad. He smiled at her with a tilted head. He looked like a cheerful guy, an almost fatherly aura around him. Morgiana didn't trust it. She didn't smile back at him. His smile widened and he let out a loud chuckle that caught everyone's attention.

“We're already here Mirno, Papak.” He said. “We might as well hear what the boy has to say. I'm curious. I thought only the Barasi had a Fanalis at their command.” He sent Morgiana another smile. Alibaba bristled and shook his head.

“She's my friend, not my subordinate. Ignore what Kassim said, I'm not running a gang these are just my friends doing me a favor.” He sent a light glare at Tirdad and the others as he said this. Morgiana did not mind the assumption Tirdad made. Alibaba was kind, and she didn't mind following him for now. Still, his refute of the statement made her want to smile.

“I don't care what you're doing. I won't listen!” Mirno stated. “We're leaving.” He went to turn around, his followers surrounding him immediately. Morgiana glanced to the others. Alibaba visibly faltered before a spark of determination lit in his eyes. Morgiana watched, transfixed. He looked like he did in that Dungeon and was facing down Jamil's parents.

“You all have a common enemy, the Barasi!” He shouted. “They've taken over the slums one gang at a time and you're all that's left. The four pillars are gone and we all know who they will hit next. They've already started the attack.” He was looking right at Mirno's group. They had stopped when Alibaba spoke. Like they were compelled to listen. The guards moved and Mirno turned around to look at Alibaba in a new light.

“Speak.” Alibaba's chest was heaving as if his words from before took all his energy to say. His eyes kept that same look of molten gold though. His voice didn't shake when he continued.

“They've hurt the caravans coming through, making the traffic in the west gate come to a still. You have the fighting and gambling rings but as they recruit more and more people that will dry up as well. Their territory is beginning to meet yours. It wouldn't take much for them to start harassing those who have to go through their alleys to get to your business.” Mirno's face darkened as Alibaba spoke. He was not taking kindly to the facts that Alibaba was delivering. Behind him, his guards were shifting on their feet with anxious energy. They wanted to strike and were waiting for a command.

Morgiana kept her body loose but ready. All it would take is a twist of her foot and she would be able to launch herself to them before they even took a step.

“They plan on backing you into a corner.” Alibaba looked to Tirdad next. “All the Barasi need to do is get you to retreat your people into the ships to take your territory. They have enough people and weapons to run you out or risk an all-out war. You care for your people too much to risk that.” Tirdad gave a thoughtful shrug but didn't comment.

“Papak, all they need to do to get you and your brothers is to bribe the guards to their cause instead of yours. They have the gold to do just that given that they can get both bandits and pirates in their pockets and not go bankrupt.” Papak scowled and looked to the two men who bore a resemblance to him. They must have been his brothers. Alibaba looked to the three leaders and stretched his arms out wide.

“The Barasi want to rule over the slums and are just days away from accomplishing that!” The three leaders all startled at the exclamation. They looked to each other and to their companions with guarded expressions.

“And what are you proposing?” One of Papak's brothers asked. “You still haven't said why you gathered us here.” Alibaba swallowed before speaking again. Morgiana kept an eye on both him and their surroundings. She didn't sense anything yet, and neither had anyone else. That was a good sign.

“An alliance between your gangs.” This was met with surprise. Mirno had a distasteful frown on his face while the other two gaped at the suggestion. “If you three promise to come to each other's aide if the Barasi attack you can halt their progress. As powerful as they are no one can take you all on at once.” Morgiana heard a noise from behind. She turned her head carefully and looked to the bridge and waterway behind them. There was nothing noticeable there. Red eyes narrowed.

“The Barasi are up to a grander scale of attack that we don't know about!” Morgiana kept an idle ear to Alibaba's words while looking for the source of what she heard. There was nothing behind them that suggested that sound. It was a scratching noise, like a foot crunching onto the dirt.

“Their first step is to take over the slums. Then they are going to start attacking the nobles by stopping the ships that come through. You all know how that has been going, imagine what they could accomplish with the rest of the slums under their command?” She looked beyond the bridge, to the alleyway that they had used. It was darkened with shadows, but she saw something small there. A dog. Was that what she heard?

“And why should we stop that?” Mirno's booming voice distracted her. Morgiana turned back to the conversation. Zainab and Hassan were tense at the older man's anger. He was red in the face and glaring at Alibaba with a hatred that shocked her.

“You damn nobles killed us! Razed the streets without care for our lives or homes! Look at this place!” Mirno waved his cane around the clearing and to the damaged buildings. “Your lot did this! People died! And did you care then? No! You only come when some upstart brat goes and annoys the nobles and their pockets!” Morgiana felt her mouth turn down as he got more erratic. He looked seconds away from issuing an order to attack.

“You weren't here! You left and started living the life and only care for how much money those bastards are making. You don't care what happens to us! You didn't care when Mar-” Kassim stepped forward with a thunderous expression.

“Shut the fuck up.” He held up one of his unnamed weapons, pointing it at Mirno. His guards all bristled and got ready to charge. Zainab and Hassan were quick to flank him and make them pause. Morgiana kept her place at Alibaba's side. The blonde looked heartbroken. His eyes were watering and his lip was bleeding from how hard he was biting it. Morgiana didn't know what was going on or what Mirno was talking about. She knew that she didn't like that look on Alibaba's face though, and that was enough to make her angry with the old man. She wished to face him down with the others, but she couldn't leave Alibaba on his own.

“You have no Goddamned right to speak about her like that old man.” Kassim hissed. “Alibaba had nothing to do with that shitstorm. It was fucking terrible but what did you expect him to do? Clap his hands and make it all go away? Mariam was sick and was going to die.” Tears were falling down Kassim's face, contrasting the sneer he wore.

“What they did was wrong. It was fucked up and I will hate those bastards until the day I fucking die, but Alibaba didn't get Mariam sick. He wouldn't have done what they did. These streets are his home as much as that fucking palace, or did you forget who his mother was? Huh?” He looked to the others furiously. “What about you fuckers? You remember her? She worked her ass off to feed us. Worked in your fucking house Papak. Alibaba is as much as a fucking slum rat as the rest of us, so listen to what he has to say or get the fuck out and die to the Barasi. I don't care.” He spat at Mirno's feet and stepped back. Zainab and Hassan took their places back at Alibaba's side.

Mirno's face was screwed into a sour expression, hatred still burning in his eyes. He made a strange gesture with his hands and barked out an order at his followers. They left without a word. Alibaba watched the older man leave with a sorrowful expression. Papak and Tirdad watched the whole ordeal silently. When Mirno was gone Tirdad tsked.

“I never did like that guy.” He piped up. “His personality leaves a bad taste doesn't it?” He shrugged his shoulders and lifted his hands in a 'what-can-you-do?' manner. “Still, I'd like to hear more of this grander scale thing you think the Barasi are on.” His cheerful smile turned serious and he crossed his arms while looking Alibaba directly in the eyes.

“The Barasi haven't just been hitting the noble ships, but mine as well. I don't take kindly to that.” He looked to Papak briefly. “I'd be willing to form a pact if you are Papak. Power in numbers and all. The Small Prince has a good point about my people's position.” Papak shuffled on his feet and looked to his brothers for a moment. They seemed to have a silent conversation before he turned back.

“I'd have to speak with the rest of my brothers, but for now you can count us in. I want to hear more as well.” Alibaba's face brightened, but he still looked to where Mirno left with a troubled look. That man would become a problem later. Morgiana was prepared for that outcome. Her opinion of him was low anyhow. She didn't know what he was about to say before Kassim stepped in, but whatever it was made both Alibaba and Kassim sad. Even Zainab and Hassan had looked bothered at the end of it.

Unforgivable.

Alibaba talked further about the Barasi and what their actions were causing and how it could affect Balbadd. They listened carefully and gave him their full attention. They looked to him with respect they hadn't before. The meeting lasted until the evening time, well past the hour time limit that Kassim had warned them against. The three leaders of the groups had discussed all that they knew of the Barasi. They left with the promise of meeting again at a different location.

Papak and Tirdad left, leaving them on their own in the clearing. Alibaba seemed to wilt into himself, his former bravado leaving him. Kassim was still mad from Mirno, Zainab and Hassan were watching him carefully.

“Well, that wasn't a complete failure at least.” Alibaba offered meekly. Kassim spat on the ground again, as if Mirno was there still.

“Old man wouldn't know a good idea if it hit him the balls.” Alibaba frowned but didn't refute it. Instead, he turned to the tree that stood in the clearing. He walked over to it, kneeling at the base. It was then that she noticed the stone. Kassim turned his back to it as Alibaba traced the letters engraved on it. Zainab stepped beside Morgiana and watched Alibaba with a sad expression.

“Kassim's sister, Mariam, died when the plague was going through the slums.” She pulled her bottom lip into her mouth, flicking the piercings against the upper lip. “They wouldn't give out medicine to us, blocked the slums off and burned the buildings and the infected dead bodies. Called it a quarantine. We made a memorial stone for those who died and put it there. This is all that is left of the old slums.” She shook her head and turned to Kassim.

Morgiana turned Zainab's words in her head. Kassim's sister. Alibaba said he grew up with Kassim and considered him a brother. That meant this Mariam was like Alibaba's sister. And Mirno was going to use her name against him like a weapon. No wonder Kassim looked ready to kill at the time. Morgiana looked to Alibaba. He was standing from the headstone and heading back, his face sad but not defeated.

“What did you mean that Alibaba's the new boss?” Zainab poked Kassim in the arm. He scowled and pushed her arm away. She stepped back but kept her gaze on him. Alibaba stared at Kassim as well.

“I want to know that as well. Kassim, you're the boss of the Troupe, not me.” Alibaba frowned at his friend in worry. “I'm not running a gang.” Kassim laughed and smiled at him.

“Might as well be now.” He shot back. “You're the brains of the operation right now, even Tirdad and Papak could tell.” He pulled out one of his new weapons and twirled it on his finger. He looked at Alibaba with an amused eye. “Alibaba, you just started a gang war.” Alibaba's faced paled and he looked stricken.

“Oh Solomon, you're right. What have I done?” He wailed. Morgiana huffed out a laugh as the others continued to tease Alibaba.

Chapter Text

Despite having a free schedule, Alibaba was surprisingly busy now. Kassim wasn't kidding when he said that Alibaba had started a gang war. The Barasi had noticed the sudden partnership between Tirdad and Papak and were getting restless.

Papak reported that he saw some of the Barasi going to Mirno's suggesting that they might be allying themselves to him. Alibaba hoped that Mirno's pride won out and he didn't join them. For now, they were at a tentative stalemate with the Barasi. If Mirno threw his lot in with them it'd spell trouble. They had to prepare for that possibility.

That found Alibaba speaking with Tirdad's fellows. Tirdad was friends with a number of smugglers and other captains of ships that sailed through Balbadd's waters. Now that they were able to halt the Barasi's take over of the slums they had to focus on their attacks on the traders. They decided to start with the ships being as they were hit the most and had the bigger impact. It also gave Alibaba the ability to look further into what nobles were messing with the slave trade.

Alibaba spoke to the smugglers with Tirdad's approval and convinced them to band together in the cause to stop the Barasi. It was easier to get them to his side because they were all tired of the attacks and wanted it to stop as well. They all got together and poured over the maps looking at the places the ships had been hit and at what times. If they found out where the pirates were coming from they might be able to stop it all in one go.

As for the ships that belonged to the nobles, that was a different manner. Those ships were captained by people Tirdad didn't know or refused to deal with. Alibaba knew why that was in a quick manner.

“Slaves have been brought through Balbadd waters for many years Small Prince.” Tirdad explained patiently. They were in one of his warehouses on the docks, a long manifest on the table between them It held a record of ships that Tirdad knew or suspected to be dealing in slavery or other highly illegal hauls. It was a long list. Too long. Alibaba stared at all the ship names with a horrified expression.

“They never set foot on the land of course.” He continued. “They keep them below the deck or disguise them as crew members. They dock, give a fake manifest with perfectly normal merchandise, unpack what was ordered to be delivered, and then get on their merry way.” Tirdad shook his head sorrowfully.

“I don't know who pays them or who gets paid, but it happens much too regularly for it to be a small guy. The last I knew of, the ships were normally from Reim. That's all I can give you. I kept my people out of that business.” Reim, where the arena and the gladiators were. Alibaba remembered that country, meeting Toto and fighting Garda. They had slaves there, he remembered. Most of them were put into the gladiators though. Whoever was doing this had a connection to Reim.

“Do you know when these ships come in?” Tirdad looked up as he mulled the question over. Alibaba looked at the list again. The Barasi were focusing on these ships because the nobles can't report them without incriminating themselves. If they can hit one of the ships before the Barasi though, not only will that put a dent into them but it will let them free some slaves and find evidence of the trading.

“I'll have to speak with some contacts but I'm sure I can come up with something. Why?” He asked why but his smile suggested he knew just what Alibaba was thinking and wanted him to say it out loud.

“We attack the ships first. Free the slaves, take the illegal merchandise, and gather the evidence against the nobles to send to my father.” Tirdad's smile widened and he let out a booming laugh. Alibaba jumped as Tirdad threw an arm around his shoulders and pulled him close for a side hug. His eyes glittered with amusement.

“I've always liked you Alibaba.” He said. “I was beginning to doubt our monarchy but seeing you has renewed my faith!” Alibaba panicked at that. He quickly shook his head and tried to pull away. Tirdad let him go with his grin still in place.

“Please don't say that.” Tirdad shouldn't place such a responsibility on Alibaba. “I'm not in line for the throne, my brother Abhmad is.” Rashid had never peeped a word of making Alibaba a legitimate heir. Tirdad's expression didn't change, however. He was an oddly cheerful man for living in the slums, Alibaba noted. It reminded him of his mother in a way. She was always smiling no matter their situation.

“If our dear King places that frog on the throne, my opinion of him will reach an all-time low.” Alibaba gaped at the frankness that Tirdad had said it. He practically whistled the statement with a happy smile. Alibaba shook his head once more.

“E-even so, I'm not going to be King. We need to focus on the Barasi and not on that.” Because it wouldn't happen. Alibaba was damn near about to stick his fingers in his ears and starting singing to keep from hearing people say that. Kassim, now Tirdad. The next thing he knew Papak and Morgiana will start on it too!

“That's just the thing, Small Prince.” And what was with that nickname? Alibaba wasn't that short! “The two legit heirs aren't doing a thing about the Barasi, but you are. Why is that?” Tirdad hummed. Alibaba frowned at the older man

“Sabhmad was the person who brought it to my attention. Abhmad is likely busy with his tutors but if he had the chance he'd be trying his best to stop it too.” He defended. Tirdad hummed again and shrugged with a quirk of the mouth.

“Still, I find myself growing very interested in you. After all, a Prince just suggested we raid a noble's ship like pirates.” Tirdad slapped the table with his fist. “I haven't had this much fun since I was a tyke on the Islands learning how to captain a fishing boat.” Tirdad slapped Alibaba on the back and left the room laughing. Alibaba stared at the empty doorway bewildered. Tirdad was from the islands? He didn't know that. Alibaba thought he was from the mainland. It explained the tattoos he supposed, even if he didn't know what they meant. He shook his head at Tirdad's antics and followed the man into the other room.

Like the last few days, Alibaba and the others were meeting to configure where and when ships were pulling through from Reim. With that country being their only clue so far, it was the only thing to do. As they poured over the documents and ship logs Alibaba had asked Tirdad and Papak, who offered to help after their general meeting for the gangs, if they knew of any secluded places he could train.

“Why?” Papak gave Alibaba a suspicious look that would have been more intimidating if he wasn't wearing a pair of large glasses on his face. “You have some secret weapon you haven't told us about?” Alibaba was unsure if he wanted to tell the other two about Amon. He trusted them to an extent and they were all working on an understanding of divulging what useful information they had with each other to keep ahead of the enemy. However, Amon was different. It was something more important than the footwork and workings of the Barasi.

“Oh don't look so constipated Papak.” Tirdad blew a razzberry at Papak, making the other man lean back offendedly. “It's not like you or I have shown all our cards on the table either.” Tirdad set his arm on the table and leaned his head on his hand.

“There a place on one of the islands I know about, but that's a bit out of the way.” Alibaba glanced at Papak with an incredulous look He just blew the other man off and went to answer Alibaba! Papak growled and threw his stack of papers from his clenched hand at Tirdad.

“Show me some respect dammit!” He hollered. Tirdad waved frantically as the papers hit his face. Alibaba watched as Papak lectured Tirdad on being respectful to one's elders while the other sucked on his finger where he got a paper cut. These were two of the biggest names of the slum's underground crime network. And they were acting like kids. Alibaba wished that Kassim or Morgiana were with him instead of running around training and gathering information. Just so that there was someone else to see this.

Kassim was busy getting what dirt he could on the Barasi, recruiting who he could to their side on the way. Zainab and Hassan took a leave of absence from their boss to help him. Morgiana spent her time training with the guard at the palace while she and Alibaba were there or was doing the same with Tirdad and Papak's strongest followers. Unsurprisingly she was able to kick all of the ass. Alibaba felt sorry for each and every soul that went against her.

Tirdad reminded Alibaba of Sinbad in his carefree ways. His smiles and cheerful demeanor still reminded Alibaba of his mother, but the personality was like a childish version of Sindria's King. Oh, Tirdad could be serious when the time called for it, but he seemed to prefer to make everything a personal joke to amuse himself with.

Papak was a more serious man, making all of his decisions carefully. He cared for his brothers and the girls who worked in their houses deeply and took his leadership of both very seriously. That being said, he was a good man who always gave Alibaba his attention with a seriousness others wouldn't. He was kind of like an older brother, which made sense since he was the eldest of his siblings.

“Now,” Papak turned to Alibaba. “As much as it pains me to say it Tirdad has a point. I don't have any really good places to suggest though. Other than the Old Grounds that is.” Tirdad perked up and nodded his head with a thumbs up.

“That place would be perfect! No one goes there!” Alibaba thought about that. He had considered the Old Grounds before but was unsure. It was separated enough from the rest of the city that it should be okay. As long as Alibaba was careful with his flames that was. His training grounds could easily just become a signal flare to the enemy.

“I'll think about that. I just want to be careful. An ideal place would be where a fire wouldn't be able to spread into the city.” Alibaba scratched the back of his head idly.

“Fire?” Papak asked. Alibaba nodded. Papak exchanged a look with Tirdad but thankfully they didn't pry. Alibaba wasn't sure what he'd do if they did. Papak took his seat again and grabbed a random paper from the table to look it over.

“I wouldn't know of a place then. Everywhere my brothers and I are situated are in the city.” He shrugged his shoulders and went back to the document. Tirdad took his seat as well and leaned back in it with his arms crossed.

“Somewhere you can set fire to everything without worry.” He hummed. Alibaba chuckled nervously and waved his hand idly to catch Tirdad's attention.

“That's not what I said, I don't want to do that.” He corrected. Sadly, he didn't think that Tirdad heard him. The older man kept humming under his breath and looked up in thought.

“Well, if you go far enough into the Old Grounds you should be fine. The place is damn near burnt to the ground anyway, so no one will notice any more fire damage. There's also the west docks,” Tirdad looked to Papak. “You hear of anyone claiming it?”

“The place is crawling with Barasi and guard.” Papak gave Alibaba an apologetic look. It was looking like the Old Grounds would be his only choice in the matter.

“I haven't had this much fun since I was a tyke on the Islands learning how to captain a fishing boat.”

Tirdad's words were echoing in his head as he climbed aboard the ship in the late night. On the deck, several of Tirdad's men were preparing to set sail. Tirdad was at the helm looking like a cheerful pirate ready to take the seas by storm. Alibaba gaped from his spot between Kassim and Morgiana who were joining them on the raid.

“What are you doing up here?” Alibaba asked when they reached Tirdad's side. Tirdad yipped, not barked because he wasn't as gruff as that, a few orders at the men and woman on deck before turning to Alibaba. In the dark his tattoos on his face made him look more sinister and predatory, making his grin all the more creepy to look at.

“Why, I'm captaining the ship. I've always wanted to do a raid like a pirate, but I've never found a good reason to!” Alibaba stepped back and let Tirdad continue his orders. He didn't think that Tirdad would want to involve himself this much in the Barasi's business. They must have really done something anger him to rally this much attention from the man.

Alibaba led Kassim and Morgiana below deck to the captain's quarters where he knew the maps and other important documents would be held. The three of them had been so busy lately they hadn't had any time to go over just what was going on.

“We found a pattern in the ships coming or going to Reim.” He explained while pulling out a map of the waters around Balbadd's marine space. “We made it up from the attacks the Barasi made and Tirdad's contacts with the other captains. Between the two we think that ships coming from Reim will take this route into the western docks,” Alibaba traced a finger over the route. “Or through the needle, between Kano Island and the mainland.” And there he traced the second one. He tapped the second route idly and looked up.

“Tirdad said he didn't think they would take this one because of how dangerous it'd be. It's a small valley between the island and mainland's mountain ranges and is filled with rock formations and whirlpools. He said that only the best of captains would be able to sail it.” And Tirdad did not hold the captains of these rival ships in any high regard. Kassim looked at the map carefully with a pensive expression.

“What course will we be taking?” He asked. Alibaba ran his finger in a wide arc that curved into the western sea. His finger trailed, turning southward. the plan was to hit the ship just after they passed Kano Isle. It was a longer route, but Tirdad said it would keep them from being easily seen.

“We will be going this way. If we sail now in the night and the wind is favorable Tirdad said that we could make it around in three or four days. We plan on intercepting the ship here.” Alibaba pointed at a different point of the map, some miles away from the Islands. From what they had been able to figure, the Barasi wait until the ship gets closer to the Islands and is at the edge of Balbadd's waters.

It was going to be a close call if it goes well. They won't have much time on the ship before they would need to leave. They didn't want to get into a marine battle against the Barasi. They didn't know how many pirates they had on call or what their ships were outfitted with. That and the ship they were using wasn't meant for such a thing. The Freeway was built for speed and maneuverability.

“That gives us a small window of time to intercept, raid, and escape. We can't waste any time or we run the risk of getting caught by the Barasi.” Kassim's foot tapped the ground slowly as Alibaba explained. He was grimacing at the plan. Alibaba didn't blame him. It was a rush job, thrown together in a hurry when they finally found a ship they knew would be coming in. Kassim didn't like sloppy planning. He knew that it could get his people killed. Still, Alibaba was confident they could do this. It wasn't the best of plans, but between the three of them, Tirdad's marine savvy men, and Tirdad himself – Alibaba was sure they could win this battle.

“Mirno's been getting a lot of company in his gambling halls lately.” Kassim muttered off topic. Alibaba's face tightened at the news. He was worried about that. “I can't get too close because the old man has his people keeping an eye out for me but he's been getting more traffic his way than normal.” Meaning the Barasi might still be visiting with Mirno, trying to form a pact like the one Tirdad and Papak had.

They were in a better position in the case of that happening than before, but Alibaba was hesitant to say they were completely prepared. Mirno was powerful and had a lot of people under his belt. The Barasi had a good armory that changed warehouses nearly by the day. Kassim had tried running a raid with Papak to destroy one of the caches they knew about, but the storehouse was cleaned out when they got there.

They have more people banded together against the Barasi now. The captains of the smuggling ships, Islander ships that wanted the potential threat gone, and the slow number of people Kassim recruited to their side. It wasn't quite an army, but it was close enough of one that made Alibaba nervous. He was reminded of what Kassim had told him.

You just started a gang war.

That wasn't Alibaba's intention but it was what happened. He only just hoped he didn't make a mistake. There were so many people who were looking to him for plans and leadership that he had to force his back to straighten and his voice not to falter. Alibaba wasn't a good leader. He was a terrible one who had some good luck and a few good ideas every now and then. He could pretend though, pretend and pray that he was doing the right thing. His father had sent that missive to Sindria nearly a month ago. It was only a matter of time before Sinbad was there to help. Alibaba was surprised that he hadn't popped up yet.

“We'll be ready.” Alibaba jumped at Morgiana's statement. She stared at Alibaba with a blank expression, eyes beady. Alibaba didn't know what Mirno did to garner her ire, but he was not envious. Alibaba smiled at Morgiana and sighed.

“Thanks.” If she believed they'd be okay then it couldn't be too bad. They couldn't worry about 'what ifs' now anyway. They had to focus on what was in front of them.

There was a bang on the door and it swung open. Tirdad stepped inside with a fearless stride. His happy-go-lucky aura was gone, leaving a more serious intention behind. He was in his 'boss' mode then. Tirdad looked at the maps that the three were going over with a nod.

“You've caught them up then? Good.” Alibaba moved to the side as Tirdad took a seat behind the desk. He looked right at home then. Like he was born on a ship meant to rule the seas with a quirky grin. Tirdad forward and tapped the map with his knuckles.

“We have a couple days before getting to where we want so that gives us time. What will we do if the Barasi converge while we're there?” He looked at the three of them firmly. “We have to be ready in that possibility. This ship won't last long in a battle. We don't have the firepower to fight back.” There were only two cannons that Alibaba knew about and not much ammo for them in the first place. They kept the decks light for better speed.

“If they attack we'll be ready.” Kassim said, not offering more. It wasn't enough for Tirdad.

“That's my crew up there and this is my ship. I need to know exactly what you will do.” Alibaba glanced at his friends. They had spoken about what they would have to do in that situation. The plan was that they would provide a distraction for Tirdad to escape. With Amon, Alibaba could now summon large amounts of flames and was almost at a partial equip. Kassim's new weapon choices, he calls them flame cannons, had a good distance. He could fire a volley for a sufficient amount of time before his magoi was used up. After that, he still had his swords. Morgiana herself could probably launch herself at the other ship and wreck it to pieces all by herself.

“Kassim has a long ranged weapon that can be used as a distraction, and Morgiana and I will board the pirate ship if need be to give you time to escape.” Alibaba said. “This is why I needed a place to train, I've come a long way since then.” Not far enough, but for now it would do. Alibaba just hoped none of the pirates had magic tools as well. Tirdad's eyebrows raised and his knuckles paused in their rhythmic tapping.

“Fire huh?” He must be remembering what Alibaba had said that night in the warehouse. Alibaba nodded his head. Tirdad took a moment to think it over before giving them a sharp nod. “I'll take that for an answer for now. Next time, have a more coherent plan.” It wasn't a request. Alibaba's back straightened and he nodded his head. Satisfied, Tirdad started to go over their plan to take the ship with them. They had to do it perfectly to avoid any mishaps.

“When we intercept there won't be much time Small Prince.” He reminded Alibaba. “The ship won't let us board them all nice like.” That was true, and the Freeway's battle prowess would be the same against the Reim ship as the Barasi's. They wouldn't be able to force their way in like a normal raid.

“I'll take care of that.” Morgiana stepped forward. Tirdad gave her a considering look at the calm statement. Alibaba gave her a more concerned expression.

“Are you sure Morgiana? There will be a lot of people there, and it will take us time to get across.” They didn't have the normal tools for boarding ships like pirates did. They'd have to do it the old-fashioned way with planks and plain swinging from the ropes to the other side. Morgiana didn't look worried in the slightest. She stretched her toes and loosened her shoulders like she was about to go into the attack right then and there.

“I'll take care of it.” She repeated. Alibaba bit back his argument. If she wanted to do it then he wouldn't stop her. Alibaba had full confidence in her strength. If she needed help then he and Kassim would be there to lend a hand.

“Well, there's that taken care of.” Tirdad commented with a sly smile to Morgiana. “After boarding the ship my men and I will wrestle control of the top deck. You, Small Prince, will go below with a small number and find the hot goods, incriminating paperwork, and any potential slaves.” He frowned up at Alibaba while listing it all out. “I'll show the men you'll be commanding after this. Will you be able to do all that?” It was a lot to accomplish in a short amount of time. Still, it had to be done so Alibaba would do it.

“I'll figure something out.” He promised. He already knew that Kassim would be with him in the search. Morgiana would go below the decks but they'd need her up top helping with the take over of the ship. Alibaba planned on sending Kassim for the papers. They'd be in the Captain's quarters and he was the faster lockpicker between the two. That and Alibaba personally wanted to be the one to free the slaves. It felt like a burden that he had to fix himself.

Balbadd was supposed to be a place free of slaves and some of the nobles are dealing with the trade. As Prince, it was his responsibility to find out who and to stop it from happening. It might not be his direct fault that they were on that ship, but Alibaba still felt like it was his duty to make sure they all were out of their chains himself.

“After that, it's just a matter of getting back to the ship and hauling ass before the Barasi show up.” Tirdad stood up from his seat. “Not the most complicated of plans, but that's how I like them. Short, sweet, and to the point.” His serious demeanor dropped as he gave them a happy grin.

“Let's get started then.”

Tirdad gave Alibaba five people for the raid. Ansel, a scarred man with a toothy grin and the demeanor that Alibaba expected that of pirates they were competing with. Hakim was the youngest at seventeen and looked like a boxer. He said that he once won a competition in Mirno's fighting rings with nothing but his fists. Vito, a silent man with a more wiry body and a wicked aim with his throwing daggers. Another man built like Ansel by the name of Zeke, and a fox-eyed woman by the name of Nina.

Nina had experience on a ship and helped Co-Captain one of Tirdad's merchant ships for him so Alibaba decided to send her with Kassim for the papers. She'd have a better idea of what to look for than Kassim who would have just grabbed all the papers available at random.

Ansel and Zeke got along well with each other so Alibaba decided to pair them with Hakim to go find any of the illegal merchandise like weaponry or such. They'd be able to haul more at a quicker pace with their combined strength. That left Vito to go with Alibaba to free any potential slaves. Another reason why he chose Vito to go with him is that the man had said that he was a good lockpick as well, so if they couldn't find any keys to free the slaves they'd have that available to them as well.

The days passed quickly and before he knew it Alibaba was standing on the top deck in the morning light with Kassim and Morgiana at his sides. In the distance, a ship was coming into view, the Reim shipment. Tirdad started calling out orders and the ship picked up speed towards the ship. This was it. Alibaba looked to his friends, hand clenching Amon's dagger tightly.

“Are you guys ready?” It was too late to back out now. They had to be ready, no matter what. Morgiana loosened her muscles and hopped lightly on her feet. She gave Alibaba a sharp nod in confirmation. Kassim fingered his flame cannons and smirked.

“Don't be a pansy Alibaba.” Not quite what he wanted to hear but Alibaba would take it. Kassim and Morgiana would do their parts with Tirdad leading the charge above deck. Alibaba just needed to do his part.

The Freeway got closer and just as the Reim ship, named Summer's Eve, started readying cannons Morgiana bunched her legs and jumped. The Fanalis strength launched her high into the air and cracked the wood planks that she had stood on. Alibaba watched in awe as she landed on the other ship with ease, downing three men in the process. She quickly went to work and was destroying the crew, keeping them in a big enough frenzy to keep them from firing.

“Move your asses!” Tirdad shouted at their crew. Alibaba and Kassim were helping them get ready for boarding, hauling the large planks and dancing through the other bodies that were pulling ropes and moving sails. “You don't want her taking all the good ones do ya?” In another life, Alibaba was sure that Tirdad was a fearsome pirate.

Once they were close enough the planks were set and men were swinging from the Freeway to the Summer's Eve. The two ships were in complete chaos with fighting going on everywhere. Alibaba was sure he saw Morgiana throw four men into the water at a point. Tirdad was at her side laughing like a lunatic as he shamed another two men in sword combat by slicing their clothes to shreds.

Alibaba ducked and dodged around bodies with his group around him, knocking down anyone who was in the way to the below decks. The clock was running and they needed to hurry. They forced their way inside and split up as planned to their designated areas. Vito was in front of Alibaba, leading the way to where they might have been keeping any slaves.

There was a trap door beneath some barrels that they found. When opened it had a staircase that led into a large cellar with barred cages. Inside them were people huddled together for warmth. Their feet and hands were chained together. There was no key hanging around so Vito had to make quick work of the locks with Alibaba keeping an eye on the staircase.

The slaves were all looking at them in scared surprise. Alibaba was sure that they looked a strange sight. Vito's tunic was armed to the teeth with throwing daggers and his face pulled into a mean looking grimace. Alibaba himself had his face wrapped and hidden away with only his eyes visible. You could hear the commotion that was going on above them with little muffled between the levels. In their shoes, Alibaba himself would be worried.

“Ali!” Alibaba turned to the staircase at his alias. Hakim stood at the base, having come down while Alibaba was looking over the surroundings. Hakim moved his eyes over the room with a downturned mouth and crossed his arms. Alibaba frowned at the boy and walked to him.

“What are you doing here?” He asked. Vito paid them no mind, focusing on getting the cages unlocked. He managed to get one already and had moved on to the next. The people inside the cage didn't move, waiting to see what happened next. “You're supposed to be Ansel and Zeke.” Did something happen? Hakim rolled his shoulders and gave Alibaba an apologetic look for deviating on the original plan.

“We found their weapons haul and there wasn't much in goods there, illegal or not. I guess this was supposed to just be a slave ship.” He nodded to the cages at that. Alibaba silently agreed. They must have been coming into Balbadd with the excuse of bringing in weapons and armor from Reim. Balbadd didn't trade much in that with the other country, but it was common practice for some merchants to pay a ship to haul it to another city for customers who lived outside of Balbadd. That and Balbadd was often a resting point for ships who had other shipments to make.

“They sent me back here while they hauled what they needed to the ship. They'll come here to help after that.” It was different than what they planned but Alibaba could adapt. He nodded his head and waved Hakim forward. Alibaba stepped to the first unlocked cage and swung the gate open.

“I know this seems confusing for a lot of you but there's no need to be scared.” The slaves all looked to Alibaba with either distrustful or hopeful looks. “We're going to get you off this ship and onto ours and help you escape. You will be free people.” Alibaba put a hand on Hakim's arm. “We don't have much time, so please follow Hakim. He'll lead you to our ship safely.” The hardest part will be making it up to the top deck. Once up there their crewmates will help pave a way clear for them to the ship. It was the in-between section that would be more dangerous.

“Come on guys, let's get off this punty raft!” Hakim conformed to Tirdad's usual expression and smiled brightly. The people were slow at first but it didn't take long for them to listen. They all wouldn't pass up the chance to escape.

Ansel and Zeke came down as promised soon after Hakim led the first group out. They took out two more groupings while Alibaba and Vito stayed behind. There were three more cages to unlock, with five to ten people in each one. Alibaba winced at the numbers. This was more than what they expected. It was just as Hakim said earlier. This was more of a slave ship than a merchant one.

“Oi!” Alibaba looked back from the staircase he was guarding when the male voice roared out like a war cry. It was towards the back, in the last cage. He glanced back at the staircase and to Vito who was busy with a different cage. He was on his third pick with that one, the lock was more difficult than the others. He couldn't be distracted now. Decision made, Alibaba quickly jogged to where the voice came from. He'd be quick and find out what the man wanted.

When Alibaba got to the last cage he had to do a double take. The cage held more slaves than the others. Inside most of the occupants gave a wide berth to the giant of a man at the center. Alibaba looked up neck arching, and gaped. The man was a Fanalis, of that there could be no doubt. His hair was messily cropped short, as if someone had taken a butcher's knife to it, giving his already intimidating figure a manic look. The man stood at least six foot tall, arms bulging with muscles, and a Glasgow smile on his left cheek that could give nightmares. Alibaba's mind pinged with memory as if he had seen the man before. He wouldn't know from where, sometime from the future no doubt.

“Yes?” Alibaba was surprised at how level his voice came out. He was really a ball of nerves at seeing such a figure. The man's aura was vibrating with something that automatically put Alibaba on edge. The man looked down at Alibaba with a slight frown, eyebrows crinkling doubtfully. Alibaba suddenly felt like a mouse before a lion.

“You're going to break us out of here?” He rumbled, disbelief oozing in his words. Alibaba mentally winced as he nodded. He knew that he didn't make for an impressive figure. Not as a twelve-year-old. This man seemed to be someone who respected strength too, of which Alibaba did not look to be swimming in.

“Of course!” He assured. “I know we don't seem like much, but I promise you'll all be out of your chains soon.” Even if he had to use up all his magoi melting them. Though, Alibaba frowned as he looked closer at the bindings on the man. It was different than the normal chains the other slaves were wearing. They were wood-made cuffs with metal rims around the ankles and wrists, a frim padlock keeping them in place. That would take a careful eye to get rid of if they couldn't lockpick it.

Vito finished the cage his was on and joined Alibaba. He startled at the sight of the Fanalis, but didn't let it distract him for long. He bent down and peered at the cage's lock, idly gnawing on his bottom lip. After a moment he looked up at Alibaba with a shake of his head.

“This will take some time Ali.” Alibaba was worried about that. They didn't have enough time as it was. “I told Hakim and Ansel to go ahead to help with the Captain on top deck.” Meaning they were on their own for now. Alibaba bit back his initial want to reprimand Vito for giving the order. Alibaba wanted as many people as possible in the case of something going wrong. He couldn't blame Vito too much however. Most of the fighting must have been over by now, and Alibaba was a newcomer to Tirdad's ranks. He gave Vito a tight nod, signaling him to get on with the lock.

Alibaba stood at Vito's back, keeping an idle eye on the stairway. Inside the cage, the slaves were murmuring amongst themselves. The Fanalis didn't join in, eyeing both Alibaba and Vito with a narrowed gaze. His gaze stayed on Alibaba for the most part.

“Are you in charge of this?” The man asked brusquely. Alibaba glanced at Vito, who had tuned out the world around him. He hesitated for a moment, and then shrugged. It was a surprisingly hard question to answer. In a way he was, helping pull together the plan for the surprise raid. At the same time, he wasn't, Tirdad holding most of the reigns and having the most people at his command. All Alibaba had was Morgiana, Kassim, Zainab, and Hassan. Even then it wasn't the same, Alibaba refusing to 'command' them.

“I'm working with the Captain of the Freeway. Together, we're going to free you and the others.” Alibaba smiled even though the man couldn't see it. “Are you from Reim?” He fuzzily remembered Muu Alexius and his mention of the Fanalis Corps. The man huffed with a twist in his expression.

“No. I was put on the ship to be sent to a new owner.” Alibaba nodded, stomach tying itself in a knot. It hurt to think that someone from his city was helping these traders. It was wrong. Alibaba rolled his shoulders in an attempt to shake the feeling away. He couldn't lose his focus now.

“What's your name?” The other slaves kept to the back of the cage, avoiding any conversation. Only the Fanalis stayed where he was, uncaring of the newcomers. Alibaba didn't really expect an answer. He just didn't do too well in silence during stressful times. The quiet could mean something troubling was on the way.

“Lo'lo.” Lo'lo glared at Alibaba as if daring him to comment on the odd name. Alibaba wisely didn't say anything. Not that he would in the first place. Lo'lo's very being screamed aggression, and judging from the impatient tapping of his foot, he didn't have much patience.

Morgiana was going to want to meet him. She might even leave with him once he was freed. Alibaba was under no illusion that Lo'lo was going to want to stay behind once those cuffs were off and he had some gold in his pockets. Morgiana would have more reason to go with him than to stay behind. Lo'lo was one of her people after all. Alibaba wouldn't stop her. She deserved this connection in her life, even if he'd miss her.

Alibaba's thoughts faltered as he heard footsteps from the stairs. He turned, wary but expecting Ansel or one of the others. The fighting above seemed to have died down, meaning Tirdad had control of the top deck. Sadly, Alibaba's initial fears were right. Three mean sauntered into the prison, and given the way they held their swords, Alibaba doubted them to be friendly.

Alibaba glanced at Vito. The man had blanked out his surroundings, focusing on the lock. Three picks lied broken on the floorboards beneath him. Alibaba couldn't bother him now. He would need to take care of the three intruders himself. The man in the front smiled cruelly.

“You bastards may have the Captain and the top deck secured but we ain't letting you get away with the big score!” He patted a key ring at his hip. “We're gonna kill you two and have that Fanalis take back the ship and the goods!” Alibaba got into a ready stance, Amon's blade held tight to his chest.

“I won't let you pass.” He needed to knock these men out quickly. If he was fast enough and Vito hadn't unlocked the cage yet they could use those keys. There wasn't much time though, and Alibaba was outnumbered. The best he might be able to do is hold them off until Vito had a chance to help or one of the others returned.

Whatever the case may be he couldn't lose.

Chapter Text

One of the traders stepped back as his companions surged forward. They were both large men in their prime with bulging muscles that spoke of years with experience in beating others up. Alibaba rushed up to meet them, wanting to put some distance between him and Vito.

He slid to the ground to duck a sword aiming for his head and kicked at the man's ankle. The man cursed as he faltered and Alibaba wasted no time springing back up and twisting around the other man to stop him his tracks.

Steel clashed and Alibaba dug his heels in while twisting the sword to the side to push the blade away and nimbly jump back a step into his ready stance. Behind him, Vito cursed as another pick broke. Alibaba couldn't dwell on that for long because the two men were at it again.

Alibaba was twisting, turning, and sometimes twirling as he danced between the two swords. Every time one would go to take a step closer to Vito Alibaba was there to block him, dagger out and ready to attack. The men had more strength between them but Alibaba was quick on his feet and was able to get a few good slashes in. Nothing life-threatening, just enough to slow them down. He didn't want to kill them.

“Quit screwing around and kill the little bastard!” The keyholder then joined in with a fury and Alibaba was on the defensive. He gritted his teeth as one sword nicked his arm and another his leg. He was stuck blocking the leader's sword from disemboweling him. Alibaba huffed and twisted his heel to get a better grip and pushed. It didn't move the man far but it was enough for him to dart back and attack the two others before they could get to Vito.

The three vs one fight went on for much longer than Alibaba should have been able to handle. He was barely hanging on, several slashes on his torso, legs, and arms. Only a few were deep enough to scar but he was running out of energy fast.

If this went on much longer he'd be killed. Alibaba couldn't call on Amon's powers. He didn't have a fine enough control for such close quarters. It was frustrating for him as he was losing the battle. He could defeat these men if he could go all out, he knew that for a fact. He couldn't though. Not without risking hurting the others on the ship.

While Alibaba was trying to form a plan he was forced to block an overhead strike. While his arms were raised in the block a foot struck out and kicked him in the unprotected diaphragm. Bile and saliva were coughed out as Alibaba was knocked backward by the force of the kick. He fell back into the bars of the cage next to Vito, his head hitting the metal with a loud bang.

Chest heaving Alibaba looked at Vito. The man was frozen, eyes hard and hands empty. “I'm out of lockpicks.” Vito took one look at Alibaba and the men attacking before launching himself at them with two daggers in his hand and another two already flying into a pair of legs.

“You okay kid?” There was a rough tap on his back between the bars. Alibaba looked behind him. Lo'lo had walked up to the bars and had, he guessed, 'lightly' nudged him with his foot. His head was cocked to the side, and an odd look in his eyes. Alibaba breathed deeply and gave a sharp nod. He rose back onto unsteady feet and pulled his shoulders back. As good as Vito was he would need help against all three of the men. There was no option now but to defeat them and take the keys. Alibaba looked back at Lo'lo and the others. He had to win. There was no other option.

“I swear on my life you will be free by the end of this.” The promise was said with a steel in his voice Alibaba didn't know he could possess. Lo'lo blinked, and the other slaves all visibly faltered and shifted on their feet.

Alibaba then went back into the fight. Vito and he worked together to push the men back, working in tandem like they had fought together for years. Alibaba's legs and arms screamed at him but he didn't care. He couldn't lose here.

Power thrummed within him, churning within his chest and flowing into his arms. Amon heated in his hands, steam rippling from the blade's surface. Alibaba breathed deeply and focused. One mistake could set the whole ship on fire. Vito side-stepped, blocking an attack from the right, left foot kicking out to knock down the man from the center. That left Alibaba to take care of the man on the left. He darted in and rose his dagger in defense against the blow aimed for Vito's back. He gathered a small amount of his magoi and released with a growl, pushing back against the stronger opponent.

Steel melted and the man fell on his behind with a shocked expression, sword melted in half. Alibaba called back his magoi and fought to stay upright. His younger body was not as stable as his older one. His stamina was low, as was his pain tolerance. Any second now he'll drop.

Still, he pushed on. The leader had gotten back up. Alibaba let Vito deal with the other lackey and rushed forward. He needed those keys. The man was spitting mad as they fought, making his moves sloppy and easy to read. Alibaba knew when to count his blessings. He ducked under a slash that would have decapitated him, memories flashing to a different battle in a different time for an instant, and he lunged. One hand thrust up into the man's stomach with Amon's hilt, the other snatching the keyring. The man gasped in pain as Alibaba darted out of his sword length, keys ripped from the belt.

“Fucking hell!” The leader snarled up at the Alibaba and raised his sword into the air. Alibaba's eyes widened as a magic seal began to glow on the blade's surface. They had a magic tool!

“Get back!” It was said too late. The sword illuminated a bright white and the man threw it at Alibaba and Vito's feet. Alibaba covered his face as it exploded, tiny slivers of steel flying in the air and scratching his arm to pieces. Vito and Alibaba were blown back and knocked to the ground by the blast. Vito's head hit the metal bars at the nape of his neck and he was sent unconscious. Alibaba was sprawled at the edge of the last cage, body trembling and hands empty. He had dropped the keys and lost his grip on Amon from the explosion.

The two other men who got caught in the blast were bleeding heavily but moving. What was that man thinking to set that thing off? What kind of tool was that?

“What a mess.” The man complained. He slowly got up and dusted his clothes off. “Kaki told me not to buy knock-offs like that but it did come in a pinch.” He walked to Alibaba and leaned over him with a scowl. Alibaba coughed up bile as the man kicked him in the stomach and chest.

“Damn brat. You're probably ten years old from how short you are.” Alibaba shakily lifted a hand and grabbed the man's ankle. He couldn't stop. He couldn't afford to lose. His arm was kicked away and another volley of hits to his body was sent. “Doesn't know when to quit.” Alibaba couldn't think as the man continued to kick him. The man turned to the slaves with a sneer.

“Did you guys really think that this brat would free you?” He asked with a mocking laughter. “Don't get so cocky. You're less than cattle. Don't think otherwise!” Alibaba struggled onto his knees at the pause in the man's beating. He shakily grabbed Amon, the dagger had landed just out of his reach earlier and forced himself to stand. His face wrappings were coming loose, covering only the lower half of his face now. He could feel a trickle of blood from a cut on his face.

“He's wrong.” Alibaba's words were heavy, and his chest heaved with the amount of effort it took to stand. “You are worth no more or less than anyone else. We are all human. You deserve to be free!” Alibaba held Amon up to his chest in an unsteady ready stance.

“Balbadd is a country free from the slave trade, and I will not forgive anyone who brings it into her waters or land!” The words flew from his mouth like fire, heating his resolve and bolster his last remaining reserves. He had plenty of magoi, and Alibaba was tired, worn, and angry. A small but steadily growing part of him was starting to think that setting the boat ablaze just might be a good idea after all. Amon hummed in his hand, and a sense of approval, yet disagreement, washed through him. Amon understood, but reminded Alibaba of his roots. Destroying the ship would strand these people out for sea predators and storms. They'd die. Not to mention those you might be harmed above deck. Tirdad's own people. Alibaba's friends. No, starting a fire wasn't the answer. No matter how tempting.

“No slaves huh?” Alibaba and the man both turned at the cackling laughter from the cage. Lo'lo's cuffs were gone, lying open on the floor. The key ring was dangling in his hand, tinkling as his laughter bellowed. “Sounds like my kind of place!” He dropped the keys and walked to the bars, taking one in each hand and yanking outward. The metal groaned as it bent under his strength. The slave trader backed away slowly as Lo'lo forced an opening in the cage. The man's face paled, arms shaking. He tripped on the down figures of his companions. Lo'lo stepped out with a manic grin, eyes narrowed at the traders.

They tried to run away. It was useless in the face of a pissed off Fanalis. Lo'lo dashed forward, grabbing two by the back of their shirts and kicking the leader in the back. The man cried out as he hit the ground. Lo'lo carried the other two into another cell. He ignored their begging whines, rolling his eyes in the process. 

Alibaba relaxed his shoulders when he didn't do anything more. Lo'lo threw the last one in the cage, the man landing on top of his comrades, locking them inside without care. Alibaba sheathed Amon and knelt beside Vito. The man was out cold. He pulled an arm around his shoulders and heaved, grunting with Vito's added weight.

“Lo'lo, I know it may be too much to ask, but can you help cover us up to the top deck? There might be others that Tirdad had missed.” Alibaba worried that Lo'lo might have been insulted at the request, but there was no need. Lo'lo grunted with a shrug, fingers flexing as if preparing for the possible fights. Alibaba thanked him and slowly led the remaining slaves to the above deck.

Luckily there wasn't much resistance. What enemies were left had been easily taken care of by Lo'lo. The man knocked the slave traders aside like rag dolls, uncaring of how much damage was done. It made Alibaba wince, but he didn't say anything.

Alibaba limped through the doorway to the top deck and was relieved to see that Tirdad had the rest of the Summer's Eve's crew tied up and their weapons tossed to the side. Tirdad and some of his men were standing around the crew with their swords to the prisoners' necks to keep them from trying anything funny. Kassim was with them, Morgiana nowhere in sight.

Tirdad and Kassim both looked over when Alibaba walked onto the deck with the group of ex-slaves trailing behind him. Tirdad's face was tight and his mouth was pulled into a sharp frown. He took one glance at Vito and the look turned even sourer.

“Ali!” Kassim ran forward and grabbed Vito's other side. He looked over at the cuts and burns on Alibaba's arms worriedly. Alibaba ignored his friend's silent fussing and looked to Tirdad. Something had happened.

“I don't want to know.” Tirdad stated tersely, snapping an arm out in a silent gesture for his men to board the Freeway. Tirdad then pointed a sword to the east. Alibaba looked and paled at what he saw. In the distance, moving at a rapid pace, were four ships bearing pirate flags. They ran out of time.

Tirdad led them onto the Freeway with a tense set on his shoulders. He was already ordering his men to start setting the sails and the prow board. The second everyone had left the merchant ship the last boarding plank was yanked away and thrown to the side. Alibaba was half leaning on Kassim as he watched the crew work as fast as they could. They had traded Vito off to his crewmates, and Kassim had then thrown one of Alibaba's arms over his shoulder without question. Alibaba was grateful, even if he didn't say it. His mind was elsewhere.

“Can we outrun them?” The Freeway was built for speed. Maybe, if they hurried, they could escape. Tirdad turned to the incoming ships and narrowed his eyes. He worried his lip for a second while thinking it over.

“No.” He finally answered. Alibaba sagged. Tirdad looked Alibaba over and lingered on the numerous injuries that were showing. “Can you fight?” It was a baseless question. When the pirates reached them they would need every able person to fight. Besides, it was Alibaba's responsibility to take care of this situation. Alibaba touched Amon at his belt. He then looked back to the ships.

“We were only expecting one ship.” He admitted morosely in place of an actual answer. Four ships were too many. The Freeway was small and fast, not built for battle. They had a fair good of numbers on their side with the ex-slaves but most of them were untrained and still in chains. And, in any case, the four ships could still overwhelm them in numbers if they all decide to board. He was better with Amon now, but that would only go so far.

He never thought that four pirate ships would come for the Summer's Eve. What was on the ship that was so important? Tirdad hummed and moved his eyes to Lo'lo. He was looking around the ship, his intimidating figure unnerving some of the crew.

“The only reason they would send in that many ships was if they knew the Summer's Eve had a Fanalis with them.” That actually made sense, in a morbid way. Fanalis were rare and expensive. Not mention how powerful they could be. If the Barasi was able to another on their side, apart from the one that Morgiana had seen, then they would be terrifyingly powerful.

“In any case,” Tirdad continued. “We knew the risk of raiding the ship. Now we get out alive.” He narrowed his eyes at the enemy harshly and began to shout orders at his men. Alibaba frowned to himself. Tirdad's words were probably supposed to be inspiring but it only filled him with worry.

“I understand.” No matter how weak he was after his fight on the Summer's Eve he would need to help. Alibaba needed to keep his word. Tirdad has his people start giving weapons to the passengers that could fight and send the ones who couldn't down below.

Morgiana ran up from below deck and Alibaba saw her visibly pause at the sight of the other Fanalis. She stared in open-mouthed wonder at the large man. Her stupor was quickly broken however and she made way to Alibaba and Kassim.

“You're hurt.” Morgiana stared at Alibaba's injuries critically. Alibaba shrugged with a mental wince. Compared to some of his past battles this was nothing. Still, his small twelve-year-old body wasn't used to such pain.

“I'll be fine. We have bigger things to worry about.” They had gained distance from the merchant ship, but it was to no avail. The Basari pirates didn't even bother stopping at the Summer's Eve. Instead, they bypassed the ship to chase after the Freeway.

“You've seen the ships?” She asked. Alibaba and Kassim nodded, both looking out to the approaching enemies. It was only a matter of time before they were attacked. Morgiana crossed her arms and began to tap her foot in agitation. Alibaba didn't blame her. It was nervewracking, the wait.

“We can't let them get within canon distance,” Kassim stated, eyes on the crew who were setting up the canons and preparing the ammo. Alibaba looked to them and to the hastily armed ex-slaves. Kassim was right. Once within that distance, the Freeway was done for.

“We'll stick with the original plan.” Alibaba stated, body tense. “Kassim you need to stay here to help Tirdad. Morgiana, how close do they need to be for you to jump there?” Morgiana looked at the waters carefully with a tilt of her head. After a beat, she shook her head with remorse.

“Too close.” That wasn't ideal, but Alibaba had a backup plan.

“How close do they need to be for you to throw someone there?” Kassim blinked in shock as Morgiana once again judged the distance. Alibaba understood perfectly on what the other boy was thinking. It was an insane idea. Yet, it had worked once before. Or, it would have if not for the meddling Judal.

“Not much longer.” Alibaba nodded. That was good. The ships were steadily getting closer, they had to hurry. Morgiana went to find the prime area for the launching point. Alibaba paused before following, grabbing Kassim's arm just as the boy went to help Tirdad.

“When it comes to it, leave without me.” Alibaba ordered. Kassim opened his mouth to protest but Alibaba shook his head. “No. I mean it. When Tirdad gets an opening and you won't have time to wait, leave. We have to get these people to safety.” Kassim frowned. Alibaba wouldn't be budged. His life wasn't worth the ones on their ship.

“You're not saying if.” Kassim noted blankly. Alibaba didn't comment, keeping his words the same. There was no way he'd be able to get back to the Freeway before they needed to leave. This wasn't some battle they can win. It was a race for time, and Alibaba was just trying to buy them some more of it.

“Please.” Kassim frowned but nodded jerkily. Good. Alibaba released him and smiled underneath his mask. He gave his friend a pat on the arm and began to turn back to find Morgiana. As he did so, Kassim lightly punched him in the shoulder. It nearly made Alibaba topple to the ground.

“Just don't fucking die.” Kassim sneered. “I don't care if you have to swim back to Balbadd, you will come back.” Alibaba huffed at the demand as he righted himself. He didn't plan on dying in this excursion. Far from it. There was too much he needed to do. Still, the sentiment was nice to hear. Especially considering their past.

“Okay, Kassim.” He promised. “I swear I won't get killed.” Kassim nodded jerkily and left without another word. Alibaba hurried to Morgiana, who had found where to launch him from. She was getting into position when Alibaba felt an arm fall onto his shoulders. He oofed as added weight was put on him.

“What's going on?” Lo'lo looked past Alibaba at the incoming ships. Alibaba felt his face pinch. He helped these people to escape only to fail them now. It was infuriating. He gripped his dagger tightly and pulled it out of his sheath.

“Those ships are a group of pirates working for a gang called the Barasi.” Alibaba explained. “They originally planned on raiding the ship you were just on. Now they're coming after us.” Around him, Tirdad's crew were arming themselves to the teeth in preparation. Cannons were getting stationed and ammo was being loaded.

“Did they mean to free the slaves?” Alibaba blinked in surprise at the speculative tone in Lo'lo's voice. He was smiling with glee, though his gaze was distracted. Every now and then he glanced to Morgiana who was studiously not looking back, eyes focused on her target ship. Alibaba opened and closed his mouth a couple of times before answering, not knowing exactly how to describe it.

“They raid the ships for all the goods they can take, leaving behind only a skim of what was there.” Alibaba lifted a hand to the people behind them, all the ex-slaves arming themselves and willing to fight for their freedom.

“They've been hunting merchant ships heading for Balbadd, taking weapons and armor before leaving. We decided to raid one before them; take what the Barasi would and bring it to the city in our own ship and free any slaves we might have found.

“While we have no proof, Tirdad suspected that the pirates were planning on taking you guys and selling those who wouldn't be good for fighting and keeping the rest for themselves. The Barasi have been gaining in numbers too quickly for it to just be people from Balbadd's streets.” It made Alibaba angry. Slavery shouldn't exist, and these Barasi, who were from Balbadd, were taking a part of it. They were worse than scum.

“And now they've come to take the cargo back.” Lo'lo finished with a growl. Alibaba nodded his head. The Barasi were almost upon them now. He walked in front of Morgiana and put his feet into her laced hands, balancing one hand on her shoulder. She grunted and bunched her muscles, and with a roaring shout, she lifted. Alibaba shot through the air, sailing in the sky towards the closest ship. Alibaba steeled his breath and held out his dagger.

It caught into one of the higher mast sails, helping in his descend. He landed on the main mast and looked down at the small figures of the pirates. They didn't notice him. Good. Alibaba breathed deeply once more and called forth Amon's power. Flames surged around him, liting the mast and sails on fire as he jumped down.

Normally such a fall would kill a man. With Amon's power, however, the flames made him stronger and helped cushion the fall. As he landed Alibaba stabbed his dagger into the ground and surged his powers outwards. A fire erupted in all areas like a bomb, exploding around him and below the decks, carving a giant hole as if the ship had been sliced in half. Alibaba rose up, hand molten black and breathing heavily. In his hands was Amon's Sword. He had done it. A partial equip.

Around him, pirates were closing in with death in their eyes. They weren't happy that he destroyed their ship. Alibaba turned his head to peek over his shoulder. One of the other ships turned to get closer and help. The other two continued on. Alibaba mentally nodded to himself. He then surged forward and fought off the mobs of pirates. Between his swordplay and Amon's powers, he was able to hold them off long enough for the other ship to get close enough to swing across to. Alibaba kicked away a pirate who had got too close and jumped back to a more open area. He lifted his sword and gathered his magoi. Flames surged around him, circling around his body in a vortex and coating his blade. With a roar of power, Alibaba brought the sword down on the wooden deck and pushed. Fire blazed, shooting through the ship and out, effectively cutting the thing in half and setting it all ablaze.

The pirates all gaped in horror or were diving for cover. Alibaba used the opportunity to snag a low hanging rope and swung across to the other ship that came to aide its friend. Alibaba had to hurry. He only had so much magoi, and there wasn't a lot of fire around to replenish it. In the distance he saw one of the two ships that had continued on slowing down with their sails on fire. The work of Kassim no doubt.

The second ship wasn't as easy to fight in. Alibaba was running low on stamina and power, and it wouldn't be long before he would need to call back Amon. He couldn't use his full potential in the partial equip because he needed to focus half of his energy on his numerous injuries. A full equip was out of the question, Alibaba nowhere near the place he needed to be to have enough control over such a thing. Alibaba was starting to think the worst when he was knocked back to the ground by a scarred pirate.

The man grinned and raised his saber up to strike Alibaba down. Alibaba grunted in pain and raised Amon defensively. There was no need, however. Suddenly a looming figure landed in between them, crunching the wood planks with the amount of force from their entrance. Alibaba looked up in awe as Lo'lo faced down the man with a scornful glare. He had grabbed the sword mid-swing, not even flinching as the blade cut into his palm.

Lo'lo yanked the man forward by the sword and jerked his knee up to hit this man in the stomach. The pirate gasped in pain, eyes rolling back and falling to the ground in a dead faint. Lo'lo looked around at the suddenly petrified pirates and scoffed.

“Weak.” He turned to Alibaba and yanked up. Alibaba yelped in surprise, the shock making him lose control of his equip and causing Amon to turn back into a dagger. Lo'lo didn't blink at the commotion and hauled Alibaba over his shoulder like a sack of flour. He glanced around once more before lifting his right leg.

With a powerful show of strength, Lo'lo struck at the main mast. The wood creaked, cracking at the impact of the kick. Lo'lo scoffed and kicked it again. The mast fell, falling onto the other sails and taking them down with it.

“You were taking too long.” Lo'lo grumbled, batting irate pirates out of his way to the railing of the ship. Alibaba couldn't speak, still in shock, not that he had much time to do so. Lo'lo quickly bunched his knees and soon they were flying through the sky, Alibaba screaming in complete terror all the while. As they sailed through the air, Alibaba saw that one of the other ships was dead in the water, sails burnt to a crisp and a hole busted in the side. The other ship looked completely wrecked as if tangling with a sea monster. The top deck was littered with cracks and damages, masts torn down, and several pirates swimming for life in the waters around the ship. Alibaba couldn't help but think it had to do with Lo'lo.

Suddenly they were back on the swiftly retreating Freeway. Lo'lo set Alibaba down with a wild grin, eyes dancing with amusement. At least someone had fun in all this. Morgiana and Kassim rushed to catch Alibaba's wavering form, the other crew members all formed a circle around him. At the helm, Tirdad watched Alibaba with a speculative eye.

“We did it?” Alibaba questioned. Kassim glanced to Lo'lo and the watching Tirdad warily before nodding. Alibaba felt his mouth turn into a wobbly smile. “Okay. Good.” Alibaba promptly fell into a dead faint.

Alibaba did not die.

He took time to take that thought in. He did not die. Somehow they lived through a naval battle with the Freeway's less than favorable odds. Alibaba found himself waking the next day when they were halfway to the other side of the Islands. He was bandaged up to hell and had not only his friends in his room but Lo'lo as well. The only place he wasn't wrapped up was his face, the covering he used to disguise himself gone.

They were all spread across the small room. Kassim was sitting across from Zainab and Hassan playing a game of cards with a crate being used as a table. In the center was a pile of golden jewelry and some coins. Morgiana was sitting on the floor with her back to his bed. Across from her, leaning against the door to the room, Lo'lo watched her in some sort of staring contest. Upon seeing Alibaba wake, Lo'lo transferred his attention to the blonde with a grin.

“Look who decided to join the living.” Kassim folded his cards and took a drag from the cigar he was smoking with a bored air. Across from him Zainab and Hassan stared each other down, daring the other to fold as well. Morgiana stayed silent but smiled in relief at him.

“What are you doing here?” Kassim and the others, Alibaba understood. He expected that Lo'lo would be with the other ex-slaves. He though the other would be up there planning his future as a free person. Maybe it was because of Morgiana?

“Everyone up there is boring.” Lo'lo shrugged at the deadpanned statement. Alibaba felt his mouth drop at the answer. It was so childish. This guy had to be at least twenty-one! Lo'lo tilted his head to the side and eyed Alibaba with a gleam.

“You're interesting.” He continued. “I want to know more about those bara people you talked about.” Alibaba looked to Kassim for a possible answer. Zainab and Hassan paused in their game to listen in the conversation, eyes on the other boy as well. Kassim glanced at Lo'lo, to Alibaba, and then to the ceiling. He shrugged, leaving it up to Alibaba. Great help, that one.

“The Barasi are people who are trying to hurt Balbadd by controlling the trade routes,” Morgiana spoke up, blank voice carrying out in the small room. Alibaba startled, not expecting her to speak. She stared down Lo'lo, unafraid despite her very small stature against him.

“Trade routes that include slavery.” Lo'lo pointed out, poking a finger in her direction. This rallied Alibaba to speak up.

“Slavery is banned from Balbadd and her territories.” Alibaba looked down at his clenched hands. “Whoever is allowing this to happen here will be brought to justice.” Alibaba would make sure of it. There was a reason why slavery wasn't allowed in the country. To do so went against all the morals and honor of Balbadd's first Kings.

Lo'lo eyed Alibaba for a moment like a cat watching's its prey. “You feel pretty strongly about that huh? How are you going to accomplish that?” Kassim and the others bristled, only Morgiana and Alibaba staying relatively calm. Alibaba held up a hand to keep them from speaking, knowing it would only cause an unneeded argument.

“I have contacts. And my standing in the country is...high.” Alibaba couldn't reveal much more. Lo'lo didn't say anything at first, but after a beat, he gave another shrug. Alibaba felt a pressure move from his shoulders as if he had passed some test.

“Tell me when we get to Balbadd. I want to fight those Barasi.” Lo'lo walked to a corner and plopped himself down with a yawn. Alibaba floundered, not knowing exactly was going on. Lo'lo wanted to fight the Barasi? Why?

“Why?” Alibaba repeated out loud, confused. Lo'lo sent him an annoyed look.

“Because if I'm going to live in that city, I have to make sure it really is free of slavery. And it sounds like a good fight.” Lo'lo fisted his right hand and cracked its knuckles. A fiery aura took over his body as he began to laugh darkly. Alibaba scratched his head nervously, unsure as to what to do. He didn't expect this. It wasn't like he could just bring him home.

“Don't even think about it.” Alibaba looked to Kassim, who scowled at him. “I don't even have a place, and you know Papak won't take him.” Kassim pointed at Alibaba with arched brows. Alibaba sighed, knowing that was the truth. Papak and his brothers were selective in who they took in, and Lo'lo would probably scare off customers and frighten the workers. Tirdad might have a place for him, but Kassim was already using the man's generosity on Alibaba's behalf.

Alibaba looked to Zainab and Hassan, who studiously ignored him. “Sorry Ali,” Hassan apologized, his single eye crinkling at the corner. “We have to ship out with our Captain soon and well, you know.” The first rule of the slums. Don't let anyone you don't trust know about your home.

“What are you guys talking about?” Lo'lo looked between them curiously. Alibaba sighed again, wanting nothing more than to sleep for a thousand and one nights.

“Well, if you're going to stay in Balbadd you'll need a place. The Barasi have most of the available slums conquered, and any other district would be too expensive. Mirno hasn't been welcoming to newcomers ever since the Barasi started hanging around his halls...” Alibaba trailed off mind blanking on where else Lo'lo could stay. The Fanalis gave him an odd look as if Alibaba had spoken gibberish.

“That's stupid. I'll just stay with you.” Alibaba froze. Below, Morgiana huffed out what sounded a lot like a laugh. Alibaba sent her a betrayed look. This was not funny. Lo'lo wanted to stay with Alibaba? That couldn't happen! No way! Alibaba despaired at the thought. All the reactions of the nobles, having to reveal his true identity to Lo'lo, and having to ask such a large favor of his father once more?

Not happening.

Chapter Text

“-And that's how it is. May he stay with me for the time being my King?” Alibaba was bowed low at the waist before his father at the royal court. He was lucky in being able to get a semi-private audience with his father. Around him were nobles of the highest authority that were brought into court by the royal house themselves. Alibaba could feel the scornful whispers and stares from most of them. Those were Ahbmad's friends he figured.

King Rashid sat at the throne with a silent regard for his youngest son and his new companion. Behind Alibaba Lo'lo stood at attention. He did not bow or show any deference to the King or the court. He was dressed in a combination of island garbs and pilfered Reim armor. Alibaba didn't exactly approve of the second-hand stealing. The plan was to distribute the stolen goods into the market as planned, with the illegal goods given to Tirdad's smuggling contacts to get rid of. Still, Lo'lo did look better now. He looked nothing like the slave he once was.

“When you went to visit the western Isle, the ship was blown off course and you ran into slave trading pirates?” Alibaba could feel the skepticism in King Rashid's voice. “And you then freed all the slaves on the ships, amongst whom was a Fanalis? A Fanalis that wishes to stay with you?” Alibaba nodded his head sharply, not daring to look up from his bow. He bit his lip harshly while waiting for the verdict.

“This is ridiculous!” The voice was from the left, a nasal tone that belonged to Lord Varanci. He was in charge of mitigating the relations between Balbadd and Quart, a small city to the north that had rich mines. He lived in the first district and had a nice home that was often home to parties for the rich. Abhmad liked to visit him often, Sahbmad in silent tow. Alibaba never met the man long enough to have a proper opinion.

“We all know what Fanalis are and what they are capable of!” He continued in a harsh shout to the others in the court. “If word gets out that the third Prince has a troupe of them living in his quarters they'll think that they are his own personal guard or soldiers! They might even think that Balbadd is trying to arm itself with the warriors and be more wary to trade with us!” Alibaba bit his lip harder. He was scared of this. He had tried to explain to Lo'lo that he couldn't just let him stay with Alibaba, that he had to get permission. Lo'lo didn't understand, not knowing that Alibaba was a prince. As a last-ditch effort, Alibaba had let that spill, nearly getting strangled by Kassim and Zainab for the reckless choice. Lo'lo still didn't budge however. To him, Alibaba being a prince just meant that he should be able to do whatever he wanted. A nice sentiment, but wrong.

“Two Fanalis is hardly a troupe Varanci.” This was from the left. An aged voice of an elder wise with years. Alibaba peeked through the fringe of his hair and saw that it was Lord Farrow. He was in charge of the fishing company at the docks. There were rumors that he planned on retiring from court and giving the seat to his grandson who was currently running the business. He had a calculating gleam in his eye while looking over the Fanalis.

“Though I suppose you do have a point, if drastic. Supposedly Reim has its own squadron of Fanalis for war-time conflicts. People might think of that when news of the Prince's friends gets leaked out.” The old man pursed his lips thoughtfully but didn't say anything more.

Those two men's statements was like letting floodgates open as the other nobles began to speak their own doubts and worries about Lo'lo. No one liked the idea of Alibaba letting him stay at the palace. Throughout it all King Rashid was silent. He watched Lo'lo carefully. Alibaba didn't dare rise from his bow. Behind him, he heard the sound of Lo'lo shifting on his feet. In the small time since meeting Lo'lo Alibaba had learned that the man was kind, but had a short temper. Alibaba prayed silently that Lo'lo could stay under control just for this moment.

“And how do we know if what the Prince said is true?” Lord Gavun asked with a side eye to Alibaba. He twisted his mustache with one hand and readjusted his tunic with the other. “He didn't board any of the royal ships or let any of the guard attend him. For all we know he's lying about the whole thing.” Alibaba visibly faltered at this, wincing. There was shuffling behind him again, and he felt a hand press onto his shoulder as Lo'lo stepped forward. Alibaba looked up in panic, flinching at the wild ferocity in the man's gaze.

“What the hell is your problem?” Lo'lo growled, eyebrow twitching. Alibaba feared that he may have even seen a vein throbbing. “He's your Prince! I thought that made him more important than squabbling pests like you!” Lo'lo crossed his arms, staring down all those who dared meet his gaze. Alibaba's mouth dropped open at the brashness of Lo'lo's words. Did this guy have no sense of his surroundings?

“I'm so very sorry!” Alibaba dashed forward to stand in front of Lo'lo. Nervous sweat ran down his face as he faced the outrage of the nobles “Lo'lo isn't used to the courts, and he means no offense.” Alibaba studiously ignored Lo'lo as he continued to stare down the nobles in defiance. Everyone could tell that he did mean to offend. Alibaba's mind stuttered, scrambling a way to fix this. Before he could think of anything, Rashid raised his hand to silence the room.

“ While Lords Varanci and Farrow make good points, I see little to worry about.” Rashid's voice cut through the room like a sharpened blade. “Balbadd is known for being a peaceful and non-aggressive country. We are merchants and traders, not warlords. Our allies know this.” He looked over at Lo'lo with a speculative eye. His gaze moved over to Alibaba, filled with intent. Alibaba knew what it meant. He had some explaining to do.

“I trust in my son's word for how he came across his new friends. I see no true reason to deny his request.” It would be a hard conversation to have, but Alibaba couldn't help but feel the bloom of happiness of the approval for Lo'lo.

Dexia shuffled on his feet nervously. The veiled woman behind him was silent, nose held high in contempt at the ragged surroundings. It irked him. The noble thought herself too good for main base and slums in general, even if she was dealing with the Barasi. Some high horse she was on. Dexia didn't voice his opinion. He wasn't stupid enough to do that.

He wasn't the smartest thug in Balbadd, but he wasn't an idiot either. Dexia knew when to keep his head down, mouth shut, and follow orders. He survived the slums this long knowing when and where to throw his alliance. When Kassim had up and left, for the blasted upper classers no less, there weren't many options left. Mirno's lot were a rough bunch that Dexia hung with for a time, but he couldn't stand the old man. Tirdad was a loon, and after a few altercations at the red light districts Papak and his brothers wouldn't take him in.

Then the Barasi started up. Dexia could see right away that they were going to be powerful, and signed himself up real quick. His intuition was right, given how much territory and members now in the fold. They had guards in their pockets, Port workers, bandits, pirates, and even informants in the palace itself!

Dexia glanced back at the woman. She was a new addition. Only recently joining the cause. Lady was high in the social food chain too, with the firm requirement that her identity remained secret to everybody save for the bosses. Dexia figured her to be a regular at the palace courts, given the way she walked and talked in a constant sneer.

He didn't know why she showed up that day. As far as he knew, the lady was scheduled to show for another week. Something must have happened. There were rumors of a botched run with some shipments. Dexia didn't know much, having been on his own assignment at the time. Whatever it was, he figured it to be important to bring her all the way down here. He led her to the boss' private quarters, and kept his eyes down as she passed him into the room. He stepped back from the door to keep away any instincts to eavesdrop. Dexia wasn't willing to tempt himself. The boss and captains would not take kindly to him sticking his nose in business above his station.

Dexia knew better than to push his luck. He had seen what the Barasi does to traitors.

It took some time before they were able to garner a proper plan against the Barasi. The raid against Summer's Eve was fast and loose, both plan and execution flimsy despite the results. It was discovered that the Barasi's weapons and armor was mostly procured from the desert bandits. The ships were raided for the slaves, where the Barasi would add the captives to their numbers or sell them off.

Tirdad and his men worked on the ship raids. They would free the slaves, find what evidence they could in the manifests, and then leave the ships to go on their merry way. Lo'lo would often join in on the raids, happy to wreck a ship or two in the case that the Barasi's pirates showed up mid-raid. Alibaba could tell when the pirates had intercepted Tirdad's group. Lo'lo would return with a smug air and insist on retelling the whole adventure in extreme detail. It almost made Alibaba feel bad for the Pirates. Almost.

A majority of the slave shipments were coming from Partveria, with a few coming from Reim, Artmyra, and the Akita islands. That stuck out to Alibaba, because the last he knew, Akita didn't trade much in human trafficking. Not to say it was non-existant, but it was odd. Alibaba put the thought to the side, given that it had the least amount of shipments anyway. Seeing the pattern had also given Alibaba more insight as to why Sindria's ships were never hit. Sinbad was a mitigating factor to be sure. Of that Alibaba had no doubt. No one would be stupid enough to anger a King who had conquered so many Dungeons. Yet, even without that, the Barasi wouldn't attack Sindria's shipments. Sindria didn't trade in slaves, having the same policy as Balbadd on the subject. Because of this, the Barasi wouldn't need to mess with Sinbad. Not when they were only after slaves in the sea-fair.

As for the bandits, that was dealing in a more delicate manner. Almost all of the main trading routes that were used were being attacked. It left little wiggle room for caravanners. It also didn't help that the attacks were seemingly at random, or would happen in two different places simultaneously. The troubling part was that there was no sight of a possible base for the bandits, or for the Barasi whole either. It was difficult to anticipate the attacks or help defend against them. Frustratingly enough, the Barasi had a solid hold with the land trade.

The Barasi were up to some end game that Alibaba couldn't see. There was no telling how close they were to achieving it when he didn't even know what the goal was. Any moment now could be the critical one. That wasn't even taking in the factor of Sinbad. It had been almost a month since Rashid sent word to Sinbad. The man was likely on his way to Balbadd at the very moment, giving Alibaba a small window of time with his current leeway on the situation. When Sinbad showed up, he'd take the reigns and Alibaba would likely be benched.

When Alibaba revealed the truth of what happened with the Summer's Eve and Freeway's battle, he was furious. Alibaba had never seen his father so angry, it was terrifying. Rashid was near ready to storm Lord Danca's estate – he was the one who hired Summer's Eve's services – and demand answers. Rashid didn't, given that there wasn't much proof to be had that didn't contradict what Alibaba had reported to the courts. Instead, Rashid was helping Alibaba in discovering the reason behind slaves coming to Balbadd. He was the one who given Alibaba access to so many scrolls and files. Truthfully, if Alibaba thought he was swamped, he knew his father was ten times more busy in the research. Hopefully he had gotten further with their only clue. The emblem.

Each manifest listed a different name that routed to a different noble house, leading to various countries and outer cities from Balbadd. The only connection they could find was a small emblem that was indicated with each purchase referencing 'Miscellaneous Goods'. That usually meant cloth, jewels, tools, and books. In this case, it could only mean the slaves. Alibaba had been pouring over the emblems for each noble house, searching for a match. The emblem was of simple design, a small dove with a wreath on its head and a branch of honeysuckle in its claws.

His room was covered in scrolls. The amount was so thick that Alibaba was sure that Lo'lo could go swimming in it. Alibaba was about to take a break from his research to head towards the Old Grounds for training. His control with Amon was slowly but steadily getting better. He was becoming more confident in preforming his partial equip. It wouldn't be long before he could control his Magoi enough to do a full equip.

After training, he'd visit Papak's place where Kassim was staying. Alibaba needed to check in with them to start plans for what they were going to do about the bandits. Trying to stop the bandits in one go was too ambitious, even if Alibaba wished to do so. They had to focus most of the efforts on the slave ships and were spread too thin because of it. The Barasi had more numbers on their side, While the Underground Alliance – as the slums have taken to calling it – were barely scraping by.

Alibaba cleared out the mess of scrolls before leaving, knowing he'd be too tired to do it later. He couldn't let the maids clean it up. The scrolls themselves could sometimes have sensitive information. With Alibaba's lack of progress finding the culprit to the slaves, he wasn't trusting many in the palace or its courts. Kassim's skepticism may have rubbed off on Alibaba, but it didn't hurt to be careful.

It was the mid-afternoon, so Alibaba had a few hours worth of training he could do. He was determined to acquire his full equip as soon as possible. They had no idea just how powerful the Barasi's magic tools were, or what else was up to their sleeves. At this point, Alibaba wasn't going to risk anything.

Barrack was in the courtyards with the guards, watching over their practice drills. Alibaba approached him, dressed in more civilian clothes for his outing. Barrack noticed him, nodding his head silently as Alibaba stepped up beside him. The man let out a hearty chuckle and tilted his head to the right.

“Your friends are putting on a show.” Alibaba looked to where Barrack had indicated. Over in an empty pavilion, Morgiana and Lo'lo were sparring. Alibaba's mouth dropped as he watched. Morgiana was like a flying dancer, leaping in the air and twisting out kicks with amazing precision. Lo'lo was grinning fully, laughing as he blocked her easily. He wasn't doing much, re-directing her blows with ease. Morgiana wasn't off-put from it, merely landing in a crouch just to launch herself once more. It reminded Alibaba of her spars against Masur when they were in Sindria.

“A-ah. At least they're having fun.” Lo'lo amusement was obvious, while Morgiana's less so. The girl was normally stoic, and her expressions hard to read at times. Alibaba could tell she was enjoying herself though. Her brows weren't furrowed as much as when she was angry or frustrated. Though, she was perhaps taking the spar more seriously than Lo'lo. Alibaba watched them further, wondering who would win. Morgiana was constantly on her feet, while Lo'lo stayed in his place without worry. It was soon becoming apparent that while she was impressive, her stamina was running out. Lo'lo, who hadn't moved much, was still in top shape. He was also proving that, currently, he was more skilled than she was. Sadly, Lo'lo would be the winner. Alibaba was rooting for Morg.

“Barrack,” Morgiana landed on the ground in a crouch again. This time she didn't get up. Alibaba used the break to speak with the captain. “I'm going to head into the city. I won't be back until late tonight.” Barrack turned from Morgiana's spar and frowned at Alibaba.

“That late? Excuse my manners sir, but are you sure that will be safe?” Barrack glanced to the palace gate dubiously. “There have been rumors about the lower districts. It is not my place to intrude, but I worry that it does not bode well.” Alibaba flattened his lips. He knew that people were talking about the Alliance's war against the Barasi. They were in a power stalemate, with the Alliance steadily taking control of the sea, and the Barasi still holding the land trading hostage. He hadn't thought that word would reach as far as the palace so quickly. Things were still pretty under the radar considering, what with the nobles refusing to report the ship raids. The only reason that they hadn't heard from the markets was that most of the traders robbed were planning on trading in the lower districts.

Alibaba paused that thought. The lower districts. Only the mid-low classes were being affected. The lower class especially. The caravans trading in the upper districts, where the nobles and well-off middle class traded, weren't touched. It was as if the Barasi were being extra careful to not tip off the palace what was happening. Or, they were ordered to by someone in the courts. They already knew that there was spy for the Barasi in the courts. It was the only way they were able to gather their information on the ships.

What if their spy wasn't a subordinate, but a partner? Like Alibaba was for Kassim in the Troupe. They give information out for either a price or other incentive, with a promise of the Barasi leaving the upper districts alone. The Barasi, wanting to gather as much goodwill and followers in the slums and small districts would agree without hesitation. It was a perfect ploy to not only trick the nobles into placidity but the regular civilians into thinking that the nobles were purposely messing with their trade. Fester ill between the classes as the lower districts lose more and more in the markets, and the nobles continued to only get wealthier.

“Young Prince?” Alibaba startled, mind snapping back into the present. Barrack was looking at him curiously, a hint of worry still in his gaze. Alibaba swallowed the sudden lump in his throat. He needed to discuss this with Tirdad and Papak. No need to get ahead of himself. They'll speak about it together, and if they think it's plausible, he'll report it to his father. He was due to check in with him soon, giving the King an update on the Barasi.

“I know what you're talking about.” Alibaba gave a weak smile. “It's sort of one of the reasons why I'm going. Kassim lives there and, well-” Alibaba hated deceiving Barrack like this. The man was trustworthy, of no doubt. Still, Rashid had ordered this to be kept under wraps. Not only was there a spy in the palace, but a noble was dealing in slaves. It was a political nightmare. If word got out to the city? Alibaba didn't want to imagine. The whole point to his training and getting Amon was to avoid a rebellion after all.

“I understand.” Barrack sighed. “Please be careful, and tell Kassim that I want to see him. He's missed several training sessions.” Alibaba promised with a guilty wince. Kassim's been too busy on the streets to really come to Barrack's lessons. Alibaba knew that the boy was training when possible, with both his swords and flame canons.

There was a shout to left, where an altercation was happening between two guards. Barrack sighed once more and gave Alibaba an apologetic farewell. Alibaba grimaced as the man began to shout without mercy at the two guards. Alibaba was guessing that it wasn't the first offense.

Morgiana and Lo'lo must have seen him because when Alibaba turned they were heading his way. She had sweat running down her face, but her breathing was normal. Lo'lo looked perfectly fine with a smug smile.

“It's good to see you're both working hard.” Alibaba said. They likely only sparred due to boredom. At least, on Lo'lo's half. The man was always ready for a fight. “Especially you Morgiana. You did really well!” Alibaba gave her a thumbs up. Morgiana blushed at the encouragement. Lo'lo grumbled under his breath, eyebrows arching.

“Hey, I was the one who won the fight.” Alibaba chuckled at the put-out tone. Lo'lo shrugged with a shake of his head. “Whatever. Morgiana might be quick, but her strength is lacking.” Morgiana didn't seem put out by the matter-of-fact way Lo'lo delivered the words.

“Well, you are older. And bigger.” Alibaba pointed out needlessly. “And she's much stronger than people who aren't Fanalis.” Lo'lo blinked, as if he hadn't even considered that. Knowing him, he hadn't. Lo'lo forgot his own strength plenty of times. One time he broke one of the doors to Alibaba's room by accident. The man apologized heavily for it. Alibaba waved it off, still amazed at the show of strength. Lo'lo was a fearsome opponent. Morgiana was brave to spar with him.

“I want to be stronger.” Morgiana's words were small. Alibaba barely heard the near whisper. He looked to her in surprise. She had a determined expression, eyes earnest. Morgiana reached a hand up and touched the necklace he gave her.

“I want to be able to help Alibaba like he was able to help me. I need to get stronger for that.” Lo'lo hummed in consideration. It did explain why Morgiana would constantly drag him out for spars when he wasn't out wrecking Barasi pirates. Alibaba pursed his lips, hesitation making him unable to speak at first.

He had thought about it, unsure it if was proper. Morgiana had no ties to him personally, not like the Morgiana of the future he knew. Telling her about household vessels and asking her to become one was asking too much. He hadn't even discussed it with Kassim yet. Alibaba didn't know if there was a proper way to approach the subject. Sinbad had told them about it the first time, all but requesting Morgiana to become a member of Alibaba's household for him. A fact that irked Alibaba somewhat now when he thought about it. His other household members, Olba and Toto, had become members on their own. They received their vessels without Alibaba's notice, signing up without thinking to ask or be asked. It left Alibaba floundering somewhat now.

Thinking about Olba and Toto made him miss them. Toto was a great teacher in Reim. Olba and his siblings held a soft spot in Alibaba's heart as well. Olba had looked up to Alibaba, and with him the others. They had wanted to follow him, a touching sentiment. In dark and quiet times, Alibaba would think on them. How they were. Toto was likely okay in the hands of the old teacher in Reim. Olba and his siblings were another matter. Were they okay? Or had they been ensnared by that witch who they called 'Mother'? Were they trapped into becoming her pirates already?

Alibaba had to force himself to push those thoughts aside. As much as he worried for his friends, he had other things to deal with. Just like when he first arrived in the past and he couldn't help Morgiana. He would help them. Eventually. There were steps to doing so, the first one was dealing with the Barasi.

The rival gang had metal vessels with unknown powers and at least one Fanalis. Morgiana wanting to be stronger wasn't a bad thing. It made sense. If she had her household vessel, Alibaba knew she would be a great asset. She would be better protected also, having more fire-power at her disposal. Alibaba nodded his head to himself, decided.

“Well, I might be able to help with that.” Alibaba kept his voice low. Morgiana and Lo'lo perked in interest. Alibaba jerked his head towards the palace gates. “I'm going to head into the city, I'll tell you on the way.” Lo'lo and Morgiana traded looks but nodded. Alibaba wasn't expecting Lo'lo to accompany them, but he wasn't going to run the man off. He was sure that Morgiana would have told him about it anyway. The Fanalis had become close in their connection to each other.

Alibaba waited until they passed through the first and second district, wanting to be further from the prying eyes of the wealthy nobles. As they entered the third district, he slipped into familiar back alleys that led to the Old Grounds.

“What I was talking about before,” He began, slowing his walk into a more leisure pace. “As a Dungeon capturer, I have a metal vessel.” Alibaba smiled as Lo'lo blinked in surprise. He forgot that Lo'lo didn't know about Amon. “I met Morgiana when I was in Amon's Dungeon.” He elaborated.

“Amon, a Djinn, is housed within my knife.” Alibaba patted his sheathed vessel. Morgiana nodded along as Lo'lo looked at the gold hilt with curiosity. “That makes it a metal vessel. With Amon, I can have something called a Household. Someone with a close bond with me, or who chooses to follow me, or help me capture other dungeons, could harness a similar power of Amon's by becoming a member of my Household.” Alibaba held up his hand and waved it quickly as he saw Lo'lo and Morgiana start to have questioning looks.

“Ah, not that I plan to capture other dungeons.” Amon had said he couldn't have a second Djinn that time when they were in Zagan's Dungeon. And, frankly, he really didn't want to go through that kind of hell again. No thank you. “And you don't have to stay with me if you don't want to. I know you want to go to the Dark Continent, Morgiana. And, as for you Lo'lo, well...” Alibaba trailed off with a shrug. He honestly had no idea what Lo'lo's plans were. Whether he wanted to stay in Balbadd or go was up to the man himself. Alibaba didn't even know if he would want to become a member.

“But, it's an option. I wouldn't mind you becoming a member if it meant helping.” Morgiana looked to be thinking carefully. Lo'lo didn't seem to be bothered all that much.

“I don't need any fancy powers. I'm strong enough as is.” Lo'lo reasoned. Alibaba nodded, understanding. Lo'lo was powerful, and he didn't mind that the man passed up the choice. Truthfully, Alibaba wasn't sure how he would feel if Lo'lo accepted. It was hard to imagine anyone other than Morg, Olba, and Toto as his Household.

“How do I become a member?” Morgiana asked. Alibaba thought about that. Memories from the future could be hazy at times. They came upon the bridge to the Old Grounds. The place was deserted, making it perfect for his training.

“There's no ceremony, if that's what you're wondering. All you need is something that you would keep on you at all times, something that's made of metal.” Alibaba smiled as he remembered the gauntlets that Morgiana had tried on when Sinbad was explaining it. “If it has a deep significance or bond to you, it would be better of course.” Just like how Amon had transferred straight into Alibaba's dagger. While it wasn't worth much financially, it did remind Alibaba of good memories of his father when he was younger.

“It just needs to made of metal?” Alibaba blinked at the sudden excitement in Morgiana's words. He nodded his head mutely. “I- I have my old shackles.” Morgiana's feet twisted on the ground and her head was facing down. “I couldn't bring myself to get rid of them, so I brought them. I've had those for so long. Then you helped me break free, from both the physical and invisible chains I wore. I think, now, they serve as a reminder that I choose freedom.” Morgiana looked up with a kind smile. Alibaba paused, feeling a smile on his own face. It would seem, no matter the time-line, she held the same beliefs.

“Okay. We'll take the shackles to a smithy to repair them into something better.” Alibaba had a feeling he knew what design she was going to ask for. Lo'lo dropped a hand on Morgiana's head and ruffled her hair playfully.

“I don't understand, but you certainly seemed determined. Be sure to impress me with these new 'powers'!” Alibaba laughed at Lo'lo's request. The man seemed to always be ready for a fight. He might have made a good gladiator.

Morgiana and Lo'lo began to lightly spar again, this time with Lo'lo actually giving her tips. Alibaba left the two to their business and pulled out Amon. Closing his eyes, Alibaba focused inwardly on his magoi. It was still startling to him somewhat. Looking back, or forward in this case, Alibaba's magoi was nothing to be impressed with. While above average, it was a drop in the bucket compared to his fellow Djinn Equip users. Even Kougyoku had a better pool of magoi. When Kassim's magoi and Rukh merged with his it became slightly better. Not enough to impress however. In actuality, Alibaba wouldn't be surprised if he was the weakest of his peers. Granted that could mostly be from his lack of experience in comparison to theirs. Alibaba didn't think much on the technicalities, just on the facts.

Currently, he wasn't so sure about his 'ranking'. Likely still the same with his lack of control, but there was something certainly different. It was odd having the different amount of magoi. Amon had said in the Dungeon that it was yet to completely form, which implied it growing. The concept was strange to Alibaba. He supposed it made sense that one's magoi grew with their maturity, but with his mental capacity of twenty-two years it was hard to not think himself fully grown. If what Amon had said was true, then Alibaba could expect that his original magoi supply, from when he was grown in the future, would be double the amount. It skewed the mental chart he had for magoi amounts and strength he had. He had no idea just where he'd fall on the scale, or where he even was currently.

The heart of the matter, Alibaba supposed, was his own mind. Alibaba was ninety-percent sure that he could skip straight into his full equip now. It was a scary thought. Before, Alibaba's control was so fickle that it hadn't even crossed his mind. Amon was still new, if a familiar and warming presence, and they hadn't been able to properly connect. As he trained, Alibaba was able to get a better grasp of his magoi and power.

The risk of him setting the city ablaze was minimal now, and Amon was more settled in his vessel. Like a soft hum in the back of his head that Alibaba could only hear if he paid attention. It was suspicious how quickly he had become adjusted to the influx of power. Especially considering Amon's first interaction with the boy. Amon had doubted Alibaba's claim and had no idea of the bond they once shared. Even when choosing Alibaba, the boy feared that they wouldn't have the same connection.

And, Alibaba supposed they still didn't. Amon was never talkative, having the ability in rare instances when special circumstances were met. The best Alibaba had to go off of was how much ease he had at coaxing his Djinn's powers. In the start, it was flimsy at best. Now Alibaba could summon flames without a second thought. It was a startling progress that he didn't think possible. He didn't know what had changed. Whether it was Alibaba, in his steady process of sorting his magoi out, or Amon himself, was a mystery.

In the end, Alibaba didn't dwell much more that random musing on the topic. Alibaba needed the power to face against Al-Tharmen. He doubted a full equip would be needed for the Barasi, but the option was a calming thought to have.

Not that he really planned on testing his theory. The fast power growth was suspicious to Alibaba. He didn't feel comfortable in trying, only for it to blow up in his face. Literally. Instead Alibaba focused on his partial equip. While performing the equip and holding it was no longer much of an issue, Alibaba needed to practice his skills with Amon's sword. The giant broadsword was difficult for his small body and natural affinity for short swords.

Flames erupted around Alibaba with a minimal push of his will. His dagger morphed, elongating into black molten steel. His hands and forearms dark, looking as if he were part of a volcano himself. Alibaba lessened the flames and hefted the sword up in a testing grip. The weight was heavy, his arms straining to keep the sword aloft. Alibaba made a note to do more strength training for his arms. Alibaba was sure he made a comical sight – a small twelve-year-old holding such a giant sword. He was dwarfed by it when nineteen, let alone now. Alibaba fixed his stance, left leg going backwards to support his weight as he straightened his back. He gave a few practice swings before launching into a more complicated routine.

Alibaba's sword control wasn't the best, given the size difference of when he was older. He was much more used to his current height now, after a year and a half of it. Having Amon's sword complicated things, however. Having the sword in hand brought back memories and instincts from when he was taller. There were somethings he just couldn't do, whether from lack of muscle strength or his height. It was frustrating at times for Alibaba.

That was the whole point of training though. Alibaba went through his regular routine, pooling out a steady stream of magoi. He didn't summon any flames, focusing on his swordsmanship. Mentally he went through Sharkann's tutoring. He didn't train with a broadsword for long because Sinbad gifting him the royal sword. Alibaba would admit to missing the blade, but he didn't plan on his dagger getting broken again.

Time flew by as Alibaba trained. He didn't pay much attention to his surroundings, so intent on his task. He was determined to have better control before having to face the Barasi head on. Something that he was sure to happen. The Barasi wasn't just going to let Alibaba and his friends impede on their plans. No, Alibaba was sure that there would be retaliation soon. He just hoped that no one would get hurt.

That would be easier to ensure if they had any idea for what the Barasi wanted. The simplest answer would be anger at the palace for the plague. For Kassim, that was enough to start his gang. Still, he hadn't attacked any nobles or the treasury until he had ample opportunity in the form of a naive Alibaba. The Barasi are putting all their chips in from the get-go.

It didn't make any real sense to Alibaba. The only thing they seemed to be doing was rob the nobles and merchants of weapons merch and take slaves into their gang. It was as if they were stocking up for a war. But against whom? Balbadd's royalty? A different gang? Alibaba was in the dark, and he didn't like it.

It was with these troubling thoughts in his head that Kassim came running into the area. Alibaba stopped where he was, panting heavily and wiping sweat from his brow. Kassim's face was pulled tight and had a dark look in his eyes. Alibaba released his equip. Something had happened.

Lo'lo and Morgiana paused in their sparring as well. When Kassim reached them he had the whole group's attention. He was breathing heavy as if he had run across the whole city. Whatever was going on it must be important. Alibaba's head ran through several scenarios. Most of them were for the worst case possible.

“Mirno's men have the Barasi tattoo.” Kassim spoke tersely, visibly seething. Alibaba blanched, feeling his heart drop. Mirno had joined the Barasi. The playing field was no longer in their favor. This was bad. Alibaba crossed his arms and tried to clear his head.

With Mirno throwing his weight into the ring, things changed. If they acted fast, then the ripple effect won't be as bad. The Alliance had to make the first move. It was the only way to keep their momentum from being halted. There was a raid planned that night for a suspected base just outside the city. Alibaba had planned on speaking with Papak and Tirdad about its plans after his training. He'd have to bring up the new information as well.

Mirno- Alibaba looked out towards where he knew the gambling halls were. Mirno had helped him and Kassim out when his mother died. Alibaba was always intimidated by the powerful figure in his childhood. He was gruff but not unkind to them. Alibaba never got back in touch with Mirno before. Alibaba never found out what happened to the other man in the future. When Kassim ruled the slums, Mirno and his halls were gone.

“We have to let the others know.” Alibaba sheathed Amon and turned back to his friends. Lo'lo looked bored, the significance of the situation going over his head. Morgiana, who did, was more reserved with expectance. She was waiting for Alibaba or Kassim to take the lead. Kassim still looked furious, fists clenched with anger. Kassim was closer to Mirno, having stayed with him longer than Alibaba did.

The four raced through the streets to Papak's main pleasure house on the outskirts of the second district. He and Tirdad would be waiting there. At the doors were a group of beautiful women in scant silk clothing trying to attract business. They recognized Alibaba immediately, one of the girl's sauntering to him with a sweet smile. Alibaba couldn't help the blush that overtook his face as she wrapped an arm around his shoulders to hug him close to her bosom.

“Here for the royal treatment, Master Prince?” Her husky voice was punctuated with giggles from her companions. Bypassers chuckled at Alibaba's shyness, men giving him thumbs up while their wives clucked with disappointed expressions despite the smiles tinging their lips. Kassim rolled his eyes, but Alibaba could tell that he was mentally making fun of his predicament. He smirked mercilessly while linking arms with a busty girl with green hair hanging down to her waist.

A few of the girls flocked to Lo'lo's side with awed expressions. He looked down at them in mild amusement, head cocked to the side as a girl glued herself to his side. Morgiana was the only lucky one, standing amidst them with a blank expression. She eyed Alibaba carefully, causing him to blush more at the embarrassing situation.

He froze as the woman next to him leaned down to whisper in his ear. Her lips were dangerously close to his earlobe, and he cursed his change of luck. Sure, when he wanted to go to pleasure houses, he'd get mauled by a beast of a woman who should not have been the number one pick. She was always kind, make no mistake, but Alibaba would sooner peg those behemoths as trained warriors than sex workers. Yet, the one time he wasn't at the red light alley for pleasure, he had to be picked by the beauties. He wasn't the hormonal infused teenager of his youth, and while he was not unaffected by a woman's beauty, he wasn't as continuously enamored about it like Aladdin! Coupled with Morgiana's unwavering stare, he just wanted to melt into a pile of goo.

“Master Papak and Tirdad are waiting in the loft suite for you.” Her breathy whisper was unheard by the others, except possibly Lo'lo and Morgiana. Alibaba nodded his head jerkily, feeling his face heat up more from the whistles of the other patrons entering the building. He was going to kill whosever's idea of a cover story this was.

“My friends and I would like the Royal Treatment, ah-” He blurted it out awkwardly, faltering when he realized he didn't know the lady's name. Normally the matrons Papak's buildings would meet Alibaba outside when the meetings were held on his territory. The woman laughed, hugging him tighter to herself in her mirth. Alibaba felt like he was going to die.

“Mou, I didn't know Master Prince was so ad~ven~tu~rous!” She sang out playfully with a wink, grey eyes glittering in the dusking light. “My name is Dione.” Dione practically glided as she escorted Alibaba inside. His friends trailed behind him, waving goodbye to the other workers at the doors. The building as warm and dim with candlelight. Laughter echoed as girls entertained with dancing and serving drinks. As they walked up the stairs Alibaba could see customers being guided into private rooms. Judging by the smirks and whistles by those who noticed him, most thought Alibaba would be getting the same 'treatment'.

Papak's personal room was wedged in the far corner of the upstairs floor. Two of his brothers were guarding the doors, eyes narrowed as they watched the going ons below from the balcony. If Alibaba remembered correctly, they were Merikh and Bahram. They stood tall at the door with stern expressions. There were rumored stories about those who caused trouble in Papak's houses. Those two were always involved with the most terrifying ones. These were the two who followed Papak to the alliance proposal.

The brothers tensed at the initial approach, but relaxed when recognizing the group. They were dressed lightly despite the night air outside and had no visible weapons. They must have been brawlers and dealt with rowdy customers with their brute force. A different approach than Papak. Alibaba knew the man was a master with his spear. He was on par or better than most of the royal guard.

“Merikh,” Dione came to a stop with an alluring smile at the taller brother, eyes playful as she continued her role. “My customer here wishes to receive the Royal Treatment with his friends.” Merikh looked them over critically, frowning as he took in Kassim's weapons and the two Fanalis.

“Don't cause any trouble.” The implications of what would happen if they didn't were clear. Baham opened one of the doubled doors for them to file through. When they were all inside, Alibaba tried to think of the thudding sound of Baham closing it to be non-malicious. He somewhat succeeded.

Dione separated from Alibaba immediately when the door shut. She gave him a smile before moving to a part of the room were other girls dressed similarly were waiting. The office was warm in the candlelight and the flames from the fireplace. Tirdad was lounging in a window seat with delicate throw pillows. The window was open, and he had one leg hanging out its side. Upon their entry, he turned to give Alibaba a cheerful grin and wave.

Papak was sitting at his desk on the east side of the room. He had his reading glasses on, leafs of paper in his hands. Behind him were racks of various weapons lining the east wall. His favored spear leaned against the desk to his right side. Between the desk and the fireplace were a few red-leathered chairs. Alibaba took a seat with Morgiana and Kassim. Lo'lo stood at their backs with a bored yawn.

Papak shuffled through his paperwork diligently, a frown marring his face. Whatever he was reading, it wasn't good. Guiltily, Alibaba wished that it was for the man's business instead of the alliance. They had enough problems in that area as it was.

“You're a bit over-protected today Small Prince.” Tirdad pulled his leg in and faced the group with interest. He eyed Alibaba's company with a mysterious smile. Alibaba blushed in the sudden spotlight and was unsure what to say. He hadn't meant to make a power-move or anything of the sort. It was just that Kassim had the first-hand knowledge of Mirno's actions. Alibaba didn't even think to tell Morgiana and Lo'lo to stay behind. He doubted they would listen to such a request anyway. This was why he shouldn't be King. Alibaba had no idea what to do in these kind of situations!

“Leave it Tirdad.” Papak sighed, dropping his papers. He lifted his glasses onto his head and rubbed the bridge of his nose tiredly. Papak sent Tirdad an annoyed glare that sent the other into lifting his hands in mock surrender.

“He's in territory not his own, and it's not like I don't have my own back up with me either.” Alibaba blinked in confusion at the statement. Papak's brothers were outside the room. While that wasn't too far away, it would take precious moments to get to Papak when facing against Alibaba's friends. He looked around the room once more, thinking he had somehow missed another person.

There was no one else, save for the small group of girls hanging in the background. They were in the small corner of the room, next to the weapon racks. They talked amongst themselves quietly with smiles and secretive glances. At first, Alibaba thought nothing of it. He figured that the girls were on break from work and were just resting upstairs. Or something. Honestly, despite traversing pleasure houses with Sharkkan and Sinbad in Sindria or once having a prostitute mother, Alibaba had no idea how these places were ran behind the scenes.

Then he noticed something gleaming from the corner. One of the women, a short-statured girl with short hair pinned back with flower pins, had semi-hidden garter belt underneath her slited skirt. On the garter belt were long metal pins. A few even had specifically colored gems at the top. She caught Alibaba's stare and smiled with a coy wink and blew him a kiss. Alibaba snapped his gaze away with new understanding. Papak was smiling fondly at him.

“It's bad for business if one has to keep throwing out bad touching customers left and right. And let me tell you, over ninety percent of my business are such customers. My brothers are good for the more obvious problem cases, while my elite shoo out the less obvious. Men don't realize their being thrown out as easily when it's done by a beautiful woman.” He leaned back in his chair and shot Tirdad's surprised face a look of disdain.

“You were the only one foolish enough to show up on your own.” Tirdad shrugged, eyes still lingering on the group of women. He looked back to Papak endearingly, ignoring the scoffing comment and smiled. It held the same effect of an insult to Papak, who scowled back.

“And here I thought we were all friends. I'm hurt.” He placed a hand on his chest. Normally, Alibaba would enjoy the banter between the two leaders. Tonight was different though. Before Papak could retort, Alibaba leaned forward with purpose.

“We've come across something important.” The two men paused and took in Alibaba's serious tone. Papak straightened and composed himself into a more professional manner. Tirdad shifted in his seat, smile still in place.

“Funny that Small Prince, so have I.” He swept his hand out to Alibaba, giving him the floor. Alibaba took a calming breath, still getting nervous when put on the spot. Kassim liked to tease him about it in their off time, but Alibaba just couldn't help it.

“Mirno's men have shown to have the Barasi's mark.” It was a short statement that spelled out a long list of problems. Papak inhaled deeply with a frown, sharing a dark look with Tirdad. The smuggling king crossed his arms with a twist to his lips.

“That explains some things, and leaves other questions.” He murmured quietly to the room. Alibaba nodded, though he didn't know just what Tirdad was alluding to. Perhaps to whatever news he had brought?

“Kassim was the one to bring me the news. I came straight here, so he would be better at explaining.” Alibaba hadn't thought of asking Kassim to elaborate. The information was so important he wanted to get it to the others as soon as possible.

Kassim didn't look as angry before. He was more calm now, less likely to lash out. Alibaba was glad for that. He didn't like seeing Kassim like that. It reminded him too much of when Kassim was sinking into depravity. That was a dark time, for everyone. Kassim wasn't falling anytime soon, logically Alibaba knew that. Still, he would much rather see the smiling face of his friend than the bitter twisted snarl he held for Mirno's latest actions.

“I was at Gina's bar, scouting out the area.” Gina owned a bar just inside of the south western half of the slums, near the west docks. She was a hardened woman, thought to be an ex-pirate or smuggler. She was a no-man's land of a sort. Gina didn't tolerate fighting of any sort, and was strong enough to throw down with anyone who broke her rules. They were thinking on speaking with her, maybe pull her to their for a safe house. It would give them a foothold to the western districts, and get them closer to those docks.

“It was looking good until Seo and Lea walked in.” Kassim leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed. Seo and Lea were names that Alibaba recognized. Kassim ran with them back when Alibaba was still staying in Mirno's care. It was in the short period between his mother's death and being taken to the palace. Judging by the dark look in Kassim's eyes, it was not a pleasant reunion.

“They are the reigning champions of Mirno's fighting rings. He uses them as his personal dogs now. I was in the back, so they didn't see me at first. When they did, I was approached.” Kassim paused, sending a quick look to Alibaba. “Mirno was offering his regards and an apology. Wanted to make amends and give me the opportunity to speak with him.”

“He wants to recruit you.” Papak's voice was cold, but not unkind. He was frowning as he watched Kassim's scoffing shrug. Alibaba worried his bottom lip at the revelation. He didn't think Mirno would try that. He knew where Kassim's loyalty was, of that there was no doubt. It wasn't fair to Kassim though. Mirno was one of the few people that Kassim respected when growing up.

“I told them to fuck off.” He spat in distaste. “Mirno was the idiot to not listen. Seo and Lea didn't get the point at first, but when they did, I saw it. Seo has the tattoo on the inside of his wrist. I saw it when he tried to shake my hand before leaving.” Kassim's face looked odd when he said that. He was holding something back. Papak and Tirdad noticed, waiting a beat for Kassim to elaborate. When nothing came, Tirdad took the spotlight.

“Word is that Barasi have been more prolific in the western docks than normal. As if they own the place. With Mirno's blessing, they might as well own it. They get most of their profits from the ships coming in from the west.” Tirdad tapped his fingers on his knee in a rapid pattern. He pursed his lips thoughtfully.

“If we want any good progress on that front, we need Gina's support. She'd be a valuable spy. I have history with her that might make her lean to our cause.” Knowing his personality, Tirdad most likely overestimated such a bond. They needed the help, however, so Alibaba wasn't going to contest it.

“More importantly, I have a lead on our slave traders.” Alibaba straightened. He noticed both Lo'lo and Morgiana perking as well, red eyes focusing on Tirdad's form. The smuggler smiled toothily at the attention. Any news on that front was good, considering the wall that Alibaba had hit.

“The seal we found on all the documents, I think I know where it's from. I asked around a few of my old crew, and one mentioned that he had seen it before.” Tirdad paused, the tapping on his leg coming to an abrupt stop. This made Alibaba more interested. If Tirdad couldn't speak about this in a relaxed manner, then it was doubly important.

“He's been sailing around the eastern seas lately. He was on the coast of a land to the northeast of us. It was controlled by what he called the Kou Empire. One of the ships in the port had the same brand on their boxed merchandise.” Alibaba's stomach dropped out. Kou Empire.

Truthfully, there wasn't much that Alibaba found wrong with the Kou. Or, at least, with the royal family. He didn't agree with the nation's hell-bent determination on world domination. Plus the whole thing with Al-Tharmen using it as their main base. Those were negative factors when dealing with the Empire.

The royal family, however, was different. Difficult and annoying, yes. Evil though? No. Kougyoku was a naive girl who deserved better than a life as a caged bird, and Kouha was a reckless hellion that should never be left in charge of anything. Kouen was a beast of a man, more general than King, and in certain aspects Alibaba could respect him. Sometimes. Alibaba had no real interaction with Hakuei, other than fighting with her against the Dark Medium. Hakuryuu was a complicated matter.

Koumei was the only one he held any real issue with. Koumei was the one who officially took control of Balbadd after Alibaba's retreat (kidnapping by Sinbad). He was the one who turned the city into a depressing state that sucked the life and soul from the trading hub. He was cold, logical, and was very good with his job. Alibaba would likely always harbor an odd relationship with the man because of this. Alibaba wasn't one to hold grudges, not in the ways that others would. Revenge was a foreign concept to him, unlike Hakuryuu. He'd rather make friends than enemies, and really, everyone deserved a second chance. Well, anyone who was willing to try to make amends or compromise.

“Serse was only at port for a few days, and he said that he wished they hadn't been there at all. That the Kou was something to run away from, as quick as possible.” Tirdad obviously took his friend's warning seriously, with how straight his posture was. Alibaba was happy that he was taking it seriously. This changed nearly everything. There was a Kou agent in the nobles, possibly in the palace, already. Before the treasury fire, before what would have been Kassim's revolt. Alibaba pondered on the implications. Was his return to the past what changed this? Or was the Kou always here, even then, and they just never found out. It always did bug him how Abhmad became so trusting to the other nation. He might not be the most likable of people, but he wasn't stupid.

Somehow, between now and an undetermined future, the Kou had the ear of Balbadd's palace. Or, in the worst case scenario, they already do. Have had the implant long before Alibaba's trip into the past. It was hard to think about. To even imagine. Like Balbadd's fate was doomed from the start. Alibaba couldn't let himself think that way. Rukh guide him, he was going to stop this. One way or another. The fierce emotion startled him, It coursed through his veins like a rampaging fire. Alibaba would not stand for this. Balbadd was his home. He was going to protect it until the end. From outside enemies and those within if needed. He's fought against the palace before, and he'd be willing to do it again.

“We're looking for a noble or family that has roots outside of Balbadd.” Alibaba surmised. Alone that would be just as impossible as before. Balbadd was a melting pot of nationalities, from the slums all the way to the nobles. But-

“Someone from the Kou.” Papak hummed thoughtfully. Alibaba nodded. It should narrow the list down significantly. The Kou have been isolated for so long that he doubted there would be many immigrants from the Empire. Papak looked to Tirdad with a pensive face.

“What do we know of the country?” Tirdad held up his hand in a see-saw gesture with a shrug. Right now, the Kou haven't made any big waves politically. Not that Alibaba could remember at least. He had never heard of the Kou until after Sinbad and Kougyoku arriving in Balbadd. Not that his lack of knowledge meant much. He had spent a long time staying low, closing his ears to anything out of his sphere of relevance as a wagon driver. He didn't want to risk being found and dragged back to the palace. That and he had wanted to run away from his past.

So, Tirdad wouldn't know much. No one would, barring Sinbad and his generals. Alibaba was faced with a new dilemma. He did have information on the Kou. Too much for a small prince of Balbadd. If he blurted everything he knew, Tirdad and Papak would have questions. Ones that he couldn't answer. Not without revealing the complete truth. Then they would lock him up. Time travel was impossible. A pipe dream that only the crazy truly believed.

“They are a militant country. One that has been expanding.” Tirdad stressed the last word with a quirked brow. Papak's lip twitched and his fingers clenched into tight fists. There was a silent conversation working here. A significance that went over Alibaba's head.

It didn't go over Lo'lo's.

“They're trying to take over this place.” His deep rumble was matter-of-fact. Bored even. He liked action, leaving the meetings and planning to the likes of Kassim and Alibaba. He preferred to be the battering ram to the Barasi, knocking them down with a roaring shout and praise to little Morgiana in his shadow. His comment threw Alibaba. He wasn't expecting Lo'lo to really take any part of the meeting. Not until they worked into the raid's plans at least.

His observation was not untrue. The Kou were after Balbadd. Alibaba has known this from the start, with his memories from Before. Lo'lo had no knowledge of the future, of Balbadd's fall to the Kou. Alibaba tilted his head as he thought, running over the conversation once more. How had Lo'lo come to that particular resolution?

The Kou had a plant in Balbadd's upper tier. No one knew just how high that was. That plant was either working with the Barasi or were being thwarted by them, all the while the Barasi had their own spy. Two spies, or one. Alibaba honestly didn't know which would be better. The Barasi were working slowly to an unknown end, one that likely spelled out nothing good for Balbadd and its capital. If left to fester, it could cripple the peace. Fracture it in a way not unlike how Kassim had once upon a time.

The Kou were either a feared or unknown country. Mysterious to the world from lack of knowledge, and feared by those they conquered. Slowly, they have been moving across the map in search of power, information, and land. Expanding.

They had a foot in Balbadd, the hub of the world. The Kou wanted power and land. Combined, it certainly looked like the first step in a long con to domination. Alibaba blinked in shock as it added up within his head. This kind of strategy reminded him of Koumei. Koumei, who preferred a silent take over without any fuss. Who was easily the smartest of the Kou, who was the mastermind behind Kouen's strength. Alibaba felt a surge of irritated respect at his once adversary. Koumei, like Hakuryuu, would always hold strange emotions for him.

“Then we stop them.” Alibaba started, mind snapping back to the present. “We start with shutting down the Barasi and finding the traitor in the palace. The bandit raid going down tonight, what have the scouts reported?” It was time to jumpstart their efforts. The sooner this was dealt with, the better. Al-Tharmen will not step foot in Balbadd ever again. Not if Alibaba could help it.

Chapter Text

“Promising news, for once.” Papak reached onto his desk and pulled out a sheaf of paper. He held it out for Alibaba to grab. Leaning forward to grasp it, Alibaba noticed that it was a hand-drawn map. It was crude in nature but gave a general picture of a piece of the desert north of the city.

“The X is where the encampment is. It's just past the dune valleys, and on the eastern side of an outcropping of rock.” Alibaba tapped the marking with interest. Papak leaned back in his chair and took his reading glasses off.

“The Scouts reported that it was a large base. People were going in and out, so it was hard for them to get a headcount. The estimate is upwards to eighty men.” Eighty? That was more than what was expected. Definitely more than what was needed for a sub-base. Was this the main hideout?

“What do they have stored there?” Kassim leaned over to take a look at the map himself. Alibaba could feel Lo'lo hovering over his shoulder and Mogiana copying Kassim's movements. They were interested in the raid as well.

Papak shrugged idly. “Mostly weapons, packed up in crates and ready to move at a moment's notice. It looks like they had recently set up camp as well. We have to be careful out there,” He warned seriously. “It's dust storm season, and there have been reports of multiple storms the last two months.” That could pose a problem. Dust storms were difficult, near impossible, to predict. Most of the time one won't know a storm is coming until the sand clouds were well on their way over the horizon.

“How many men can we spare for the raid?” Alibaba questioned. Tirdad and Papak glanced to each other at this. Their looks weren't reassuring.

“Not enough for eighty men,” Papak admitted. “We're spread thin as it is. This is a gang, not an army” The man had a point. Eighty men weren't quite an army, but it was a large number. What's more, Alibaba knew that Papak, and Tirdad for the matter, might start running low on resources. With Mirno's added weight to the Barasi, they might start fighting back. That implied casualties and deaths to their people. They couldn't afford to risk too many men in a fight like this now when real fighting might only be around the corner.

“Don't look so scared Alibaba.” Lo'lo rumbled, smacking Alibaba's back. Alibaba yelped as he was nearly sent sprawling onto the floor by the force of the friendly pat. “A single Fanalis is enough for a whole troop of men. We have two.” Lo'lo grinned down at Alibaba with a clenched fist held up to his chest, thumb sticking out to point at himself.

Alibaba turned to Morgiana, who stared back with a solemn expression. They both wanted to go on the raid. Alibaba himself had already decided on attending, and honestly, their help would be much appreciated. Still, he hadn't expected them to want to join in so quickly. It was reassuring. Alibaba glanced to Kassim. He was staring at the map with a scowl, eyes narrowed carefully.

“What do you think Kassim?” The other boy shook his head slowly as he looked up from the map.

“Something isn't adding up. Why would they settle that far into the desert when the storms are about?” Alibaba paused at the question. It was a good point. Normally when people hear of the storms, they try to avoid the desert sands. Not go and set up a camp in them.

“They have a Fanalis with them.” Morgiana reminded quietly. “If he is there, then he might be able to predict the storms.” Alibaba looked to her and Lo'lo in surprise. That was news to him. He never recalled a time, present or future, where that talent showed up.

“Fanalis can predict dust storms?” Papak's voice was dubious in his surprise at the fact. Morgiana pursed her lips thoughtfully, glancing to Lo'lo. The older man took the cue to speak, his own gaze oddly serious as he explained.

“Possibly.” He admitted. “I've never been traded within the desert so I can't be sure. Our senses are enhanced though, and we might be able to tell when the winds give a sudden change.” He shrugged at the end, his knowledge spent. Tirdad hummed under his breath with a toothy grin.

“Maybe I should liberate some Fanalis of my own then. The quicker one can tell when a storm will hit on the sea, the better.” Lo'lo and Morgiana both gave him side-eyed looks that Alibaba couldn't decipher. Tirdad must have, however, given the dark chuckle he gave in response.

As much as the good having two people on their side that might be able to warn against the weather, Alibaba was still worried. Because if this was true then the enemy would be foolish to not place their Fanalis there. Eighty men, and a Fanalis. So much for this not being an army.

“Well, any chance of us not joining this raid is null.” Alibaba decided. Not that they weren't planning on it in the first place. He looked to Lo'lo in askance. “If their Fanalis shows up, will you be able to keep him busy?” They would need Morgiana to help with the numbers of the other bandits, and Lo'lo was the more trained fighter of the two. There was no way anyone else could take on a Fanalis barring Alibaba with his Djinn. He would be needed in helping fight against the sheer numbers of the enemy, however.

Lo'lo didn't respond verbally. Instead, he just grinned with a deathly gleeful look in his eyes. With that decided, it wasn't long before they settled on the minor details. They were going to ride out in the night, hoping to use the darkness as a cover. It would take a little over an hour's ride if they kept at a medium pace. The last thing they needed was to tip the enemy off because they were in too much of a hurry.

Alibaba sent a small prayer into the Rukh before leaving Papak's.

Cool desert air was nice to the skin if chilly. Alibaba sat on his horse with a pensive expression hidden behind his mask. The camp was in the near distance. Their campfire and torches just visible from where Alibaba was waiting. They had sent out two scouts to get a better look at the layout before going in.

Compared to the known forces of the camp Alibaba knew they looked underwhelming. Twenty-five men and women from Tirdad and Papak's people added with Alibaba and his friends. Against eighty men, possibly including a Fanalis. It was near suicide.

“Don't look so worried.” Kassim pulled his horse up beside Alibaba. The other boy was masked as well, and one of his flame cannons already out. Alibaba sighed with a shrug. He knew that he wasn't making for an inspiring picture at the moment. He just couldn't stop his running thoughts. So many things could go wrong. Not to mention how many people could get hurt. How anyone expected him to be a leader when he could barely handle this kind of pressure was beyond Alibaba.

“I just wish that the numbers were more even.” It would certainly calm his nerves. Kassim scoffed with a shake of his head.

“Wishing is for pathetic idiots. Man up and face the reality Alibaba.” Alibaba winced at the scathing tone his friend used. It was harsh advice, but he couldn't refute it. Wishing was all he did when he was hiding as a wagon driver. That got him nowhere. It wasn't until he went back to Balbadd that anything happened.

Alibaba went to comment further, apologize, but he caught sight of the scouts returning. He let out a sharp whistle and turned his horse to descend the dune they were waiting on to return to the others. Kassim followed shortly with the scouts.

Achava and Cephas were two weedy looking individuals. They worked for Papak, though Alibaba wasn't sure what they did exactly. They entered the center of the raiding party, panting and heaving after running so hard. Alibaba hopped off his horse and got a spare canteen of water to give them. Cephas nodded in gratitude as he took a drink and handed it off to his companion.

“Well, there is good news and bad news.” He started, face morphing into a slight mournful position. Alibaba mentally cursed in advance, wondering just what had happened now. Achava, now refreshed, pitched in as well.

“There aren't many guards patrolling because it looks like they are getting ready to move the camp.” Well, that was the good news. Fewer guards meant increasing odds at surprising them. Though it was strange that they were moving camp. Had there been a leak somewhere about the raid?

“What else?” Kassim leaned on the pommel of his saddle, eyes narrowed dangerously. Achava gulped in fear while Cephas winced.

“Ah, you asked if there were anyone who looked like Miss Morgiana and Sir Lo'lo,” He gestured to where the two Fanalis were standing at the edge of those surrounding them. Morgiana stood tall and dainty with her face mask, posture unfailing. Lo'lo was towering over everyone and his own mask was lazily put on. He had been complaining about it the whole ride there. They needed the masks to remain somewhat a mystery to the Barasi. The last thing they needed was to tip off that the youngest prince and his friends were in on the Alliance.

“There wasn't anyone that we could see like them!” Cephas hurried to say at the dawning looks of horror around them. No worries about a Fanalis then. Good. “But, there is one problem. Um, it looks like they gained more people in the camp from the last report.” He paused, glancing at Achava before continuing.

“Like, they have at least twenty to thirty more bodies.” Twenty to thirty? Alibaba gaped at the mere thought. Ninety to a hundred bandits? Against twenty-five ruffians with no formal training? This was insane! It was impossible! Alibaba stood up from the crouch he was in and fought the impulse to tear at his hair.

Okay, this isn't so bad. He's gone through worse odds before. Remember the Dark Medium? There were only nine of them to defend against the massive beast before the reinforcements arrived. Of course, that was a massively different scenario, and there were reinforcements to be had in the first place. Solomon, Alibaba was screwed.

“Without the Fanalis, we'll have more room to give to Lo'lo,” Alibaba said mechanically. Hopefully no one noticed his sheer panic. “He and Morgiana should be able to help with the numbers, but we can't fully rely upon them.” Alibaba refused to put everything onto their shoulders. Everyone was going to do their part in this. They all nodded to his words, though their looks weren't convincing. They were just as scared as Alibaba was. Which – fair. Still, going into battle like this would be terrible. Moral needed to be boosted. Or something.

Another thing to add to the list of 'reasons why Alibaba should never be in charge'.

“They might have more numbers than us, but remember. They're just bandits.” Alibaba said, as though bandits weren't a problem. “They are only here for the gold, while we are trying to defend our home and lives against the threat of the Barasi. Just because we are small, doesn't mean we aren't powerful.” He said this with a pointed look to Morgiana's small stature. A round of chuckles echoed in the group and Alibaba felt his chest loosen.

“We are trying to avoid a major loss of life, so don't focus on fighting unless necessary. We want to dehabilitate the Barasi. Destroy what supplies you can. The less they have at their disposal the better. The Barasi can hire as many goons as they want, but materials and goods are not as easy to come by.” He rolled his shoulders and rested his hand on the hilt of Amon.

“Kassim and I will be in the thick of it with you, providing support and cover when possible. We are all in this together. As long as we remember that, then I think we'll be fine.” The men looked to have eased, faces less scared and more ready for the oncoming fight. Seeing this, Alibaba nodded.

“You all know the plan, now let's do this.” Alibaba didn't get back on his horse. His style of fighting wouldn't accommodate well to it. Instead, he gave it to one of the other men, who had a saber as a weapon.

The group split into two troops, Kassim leading eleven while Alibaba had twelve. Lo'lo was with Kassim's troop, while Morgiana stayed with Alibaba. It was a risky ploy, especially with the added numbers to the Barasi.

Alibaba and his people were going to go in for a frontal assault, attracting most of the camp's initial attention. Kassim would go around to flank them from the northeast in a surprise attack. With the Barasi having such high numbers, they couldn't have gone for a straight attack. Having a Fanalis with each group also helped even the odds. Now all Alibaba could do was pray that it worked without a hitch.

As they got closer to the camp, Alibaba got a better look at what they dealing with. Cephas was correct in reporting that there weren't many guards. The outer edges of the camp were bare of any patrols. He could see people milling about further in from the gaps between tents. It looked like there was some sort of celebration going on. Alibaba felt a smirk form on his face.

That was a ploy that he honestly didn't think would work. When they first heard news of base's position and began planning the raid, Alibaba visited one of his friends in the middle district. He was an older gentleman who had a moderate business in the wine trade. Alibaba mentioned how he knew of a trader in Quishan who had good quality wine for a fair price. The man, Calev, was eager to impress Alibaba. He ordered a large shipment of the wine whose travel had crossed paths with known Barasi bandit routes. Alibaba felt bad for tricking his friend – and fully planned on repaying Calev somehow – but he couldn't regret it too much. The bandits must have raided the shipment and felt like dipping to the goods.

Just as they entered the camp Alibaba let out a sharp whistle. The reaction was immediate. All around him his group charged with varying war cries. Morgiana stayed at his side, watching impassively as the men charged and set about destroying the goods and tents.

Naturally, this caused the camp's attention to be aroused. As the enemy began to converge, she shared a look with him. Alibaba nodded his head minutely and the two were off. Morgiana launched herself in the air and into the center of a large group of bandits. Yells of pain and terror were shortly followed. Alibaba himself darted forward, pulling out Amon and letting trails of fire spill out without fully transforming the blade.

Tents caught fire as he ran past, spooking people and horses alike. Alibaba made sure the horses were untethered before setting them free. Ahead, he saw more men rousing from their drunken stupor. Alibaba flowed more magoi out and let his partial equip take form. There was no time to take a slow pace at this. They needed to get in and get out quickly if to succeed.

Amon answered his call with ease and his treasured blade formed in Alibaba's hands. Alibaba dashed forward with inhuman speed, fire sparks trailing where his feet had been, and he dived into the thick of it.

Fighting against a large group of people was a terrifying and confusing experience. One wasn't really conscious of what was happening apart from immediate reactions. Dodge here, dive there, twist, stab, slash, jump, and push out a wave of fire when surrounded too much. It wasn't unlike the times when he was with Kassim's Troupe, though that was mostly all for a show when he battled against guards. A magic trick, if you will. This was a real fight, however, and Alibaba couldn't afford to lose.

Alibaba fought his way to the center of camp, where most of the people were. His own people were still on the outskirts, following his orders on destroying the camp as a priority. Morgiana and Alibaba were trying to catch all of the attention that they could. Judging by the number of bodies falling from the sky, Alibaba guessed that she was doing okay.

He had just taken out his own large group of enemies, wondering just when Kassim was going to show, when something flickered in the corner of his eye. He inhaled, hair raising on the back of his neck, but wasn't quick enough to respond. Or to be more accurate, his new opponent was faster.

Pure unadulterated pain erupted in his side as he was flung across the camp, body skidding through the roaring campfire. Alibaba landed face-down in the sand, the taste of copper in his mouth. His ribs were on fire and he had to fight the impulse to cough.

Across the way, body flickering from behind the fire stood a tall and powerful figure. Long red hair trailed down his shoulders, Reim armor shining in the moonlight, and red eyes that regarded Alibaba with cold curiosity.

Fanalis.

Alibaba struggled to stand up, body screaming in pain and his magoi straining after the dehibilitating blow. This complicated things. The Fanalis waited patiently as Alibaba righted himself. At his hip was a sheathed gladius. He must have punched or kicked Alibaba earlier then.

“Most people would have died from that.” The man commented, voice a soothing alto. It was a contrast to the utter chaos around them. Alibaba spat out the blood in his mouth got back up. This was going to take his all.

Alibaba breathed deeply and eyed the fire in between them. An idea popped into his head, one that under normal circumstances, he'd never consider. Then again, this wasn't a normal situation. He dashed forward and stepped into the fire, praying that he was right.

The Fanalis had tensed in preparation for a fight but paused in confusion at Alibaba's premature stop. After all, who steps into flames willingly? Luckily Alibaba's theory stood though, and the fire was absorbed into his sword. Feeling recharged, Alibaba's body flickered as he moved. He had planned out running to the side to get an attack at his unprotected flank. The Fanalis must have seen through him, however, because Amon only met steel.

Red eyes met gold for a moment and it felt as though time stood still.

The Fanalis shifted his feet and pushed, overbalancing Alibaba. He then took the moment of weakness to send another kick to Alibaba's side. He has knocked several yards away. Luckily it was the opposite side of the last blow, so he didn't have to worry about any ribs being crushed. Instead, he just felt constant and pulsing pain in his entire torso.

“Your weapon is impressive with that power.” Alibaba struggled to stand back up. His younger body was not as resilient as his older self. The Fanalis didn't look bothered. In fact, he even looked a bit bored.

“Still, magic tools are useless against the might of a Fanalis.” The man flipped his sword, catching the hilt in a grip more suited for a spear. He frowned at Alibaba with a tilt to his head, red eyes showing no emotion.

“Before I kill you though, what did you do with the slaves on the ships you destroyed?” He said this with a pointed look at Alibaba's sword. So he must have recognized the destructive power of Amon to those first ship raids Alibaba accompanied.

“I set them free.” Alibaba spat, mentally cursing as his arms crumpled once more when trying to get up. He was being more than useless right now. He needed his body to listen to him and get up. “Slavery is illegal in Balbadd. It shouldn't exist in the first place.” When he finally managed to get into an upright position he looked the man in the eyes. The Fanalis was still staring calmly. Like they had all the time in the world to chat.

“You can be free too. If you help us and let us help you. I'll see to it you have safe passage to wherever you wish by the fortnight.” The man's ankles were showing, and Alibaba could see the dark bruises of where shackles once rested. They looked fresh as well, indicating that this man was not as much a free agent as they presumed.

“Lies.” Alibaba balked at the accusation. “I've seen that small cub of yours. You're no better than the Barasi. Besides, after they reach their goals, they'll set me free. You're too late.” Small cub? Morgiana? Alibaba's head was spinning with the implications that the man had given.

“Instead, I think it'll be me to set her free.” The man's face twisted and he launched the gladius as if it were a spear. Logically that wouldn't work, but as one of the world's best hunters, the Fanalis made the impossible look easy. Alibaba rolled, lifting Amon to block the sword.

There was no need, however, because a large body landed in between them. Alibaba looked up at Lo'lo's back in awe. The man was grinning maliciously, red eyes dancing in the firelight. The other Fanalis cooly took a step back, face calculating.

“Looks like I will have a challenge after all!” Lo'lo bellowed with a laugh. He turned his head to look at Alibaba over his shoulder. His mask had gotten torn at some point, showing his scarred face in a creepy manner.

“You should get going. There's an annoying guy to the south of the camp that needs your attention.” Lo'lo then looked back to the Fanalis across from him. “OI! You better give me a good fight, Or I'm going to be really pissed!” Lo'lo then launched himself at the other man with a cackle of delight. The two delved into an intense battle that was hard to keep track of. Alibaba huffed out a breath, relieved with Lo'lo's arrival.

He had been worried about what to do next. Alibaba didn't want to fight at full power against someone he knew was fighting against their will. Or, at least in this case, was being blackmailed. It was clearly becoming apparent to him that it wouldn't be an option, however. He couldn't afford to mess up so badly again. Alibaba stood up fully and raced to the south of the camp with a mental promise to himself. No more holding back. He couldn't protect his country if he was dead. The risks of revealing his powers were worth it, given that he knew the enemy would find out sooner or later. Al-Tharmen already had an idea, Alibaba was sure. There was no point in keeping himself in 'check' as it were. He won't be as powerful as his older self, that was evident with his current body's limitations. Still, it might give them the edge they need to win this fight against the Barasi.

Alibaba felt his heart warm with the new resolve as if Amon was agreeing with him.

When he came to the side of the camp that Lo'lo had indicated, Alibaba was surprised at what he saw. Kassim was cursing up a storm as he was blasting fireballs at a person who was literally floating in the air. A small tornado of sand was beneath the person, keeping them afloat. They lifted a hand and a sudden gust of sand and winds whipped around the area in a localized dust storm.

Suddenly, the base's location and the sudden rise of storms made sense to Alibaba. They'd set up camp, stay for a set number of days, and then leave under the guise of a storm. Whoever this person was, they had a magic tool. It wasn't a faulty one like what he had to face before either.

Alibaba gathered his magoi and lifted his sword to point at the person. A twister of flames shot out at the person, catching them off guard. The storm sputtered to a stop as they fell to the ground. Alibaba used the moment to dash forward, not wanting to give an inch to the enemy.

“Call for a retreat!” Alibaba shouted while passing Kassim's coughing form. The camp was thoroughly destroyed, by both the efforts of the Alliance and the Barasi's response. It would be enough to hinder the Barasi's desert front. They didn't have the manpower to take on a Fanalis and a magic tool at once with this many possible casualties. It was time to retreat and regroup for now. But in order to do that, Alibaba would need to distract the magic tool user.

The user looked to be a female with dark hair and milky skin. She glared at Alibaba as he approached. On her right hand was a peculiar jewelry ornament. It was an obsidian ring on her middle finger that was chained to a matching metal claw on her pointer finger. On the ring was a glowing seal. That must have been the magic tool.

“How dare you!” The woman screamed, outraged. “My hair is ruined now!” The comment almost made Alibaba falter, given the oddness. She swept out her hand and a trail of sand rose from the ground and flew to Alibaba with sharp speed. He swerved out of the way, running forward in hopes to get into her space.

The woman was not one to be easily pinned. The sand she sent his way dropped and the sand beneath her rose up to give her an aerial advantage. Alibaba cursed, debating his magoi depths and whether he could attempt a full equip. There was a banging sound from behind him and a large fireball arced over Alibaba's form and sailed to the woman. She twisted her hand and a gust of wind sent a wall of sand to block the fire.

“If you die, I'll fucking kick your ass!” Kassim's parting shot was muffled from the sudden onslaught of a sandstorm thrown in Alibaba's path. Alibaba jumped out of the way and gathered as much magoi as he could.

Spirit of Austerity and Decorum, Amon, please grant me your power.

It wasn't the correct incantation, more of a plea mixed with deep emotions and memories from when he last had his full equip. He did his best to avoid thinking on the image of Hakuryuu's scythe coming towards him. The pull from his magoi faltered, scaring him. Maybe he had misjudged? Was he not ready for the equip? The hiccup passed briefly, sending a wave of warmth into his body. Fire blazed around his body. The sand beneath him burned, and the melting grains gave an image of him standing on molten lava.

His form had changed, falling morphing into the same image of his Djinn's powers. Flames surrounded him like a holy ring, his hair longer and clothes changed into something more royal than even what his family would wear. Alibaba let out a triumphant grin and steadied his stance and grip on his sword. Ahead, the woman cocked her head to the side in interest.

“Well, looks like you aren't as useless as I thought.” The woman lowered to the ground, letting four twisters of sand rise around her as her feet touched the ground. Her face was calm and confident. With good reason as well. This was going to be a tough match for Alibaba.

“Are you with the Barasi?” Alibaba questioned. He needed to keep her busy. Just long enough to let his troops retreat. The woman scoffed with a flick of her hair.

“For now. The ruffians pay well if nothing else. Not to mention their taste in jewelry.” Her head tilted with a grin as she lifted her hand with the magic tool. “You must be that pain in their side that's taken over the sea trade. I could get a good raise for your head.” Alibaba tensed as her grin widened more and her hand rose into the sky.

“Enough to get me a new wardrobe.” And with that, she dropped her hand in a sharp downward motion. The twisters howled as they moved towards him with the intent to surround. Alibaba shot up to the sky, inwardly smiling at the surprised look on the woman's face, and he rushed to each twister with a precise slash of his sword.

A concentrated wave of flames cut through each twister cleanly and causing them to dissipate. The woman scowled and made herself rise into the sky as well. A swipe of her hand brought in another localized dust storm his way. Alibaba dodged, diving to the right and shooting towards the now undefended enemy.

He brought Amon's sword down, but the woman blocked him with her magic tool. This close, he could see the green flecks in her grey eyes. Her mouth was gritted into an irritated scowl. Alibaba put more power into his sword, arms flexing as he pushed down. The magic tool's power source, which was taking the brunt of the force, began to crack.

“You fucking BASTARD!” The seal glowed once more, and as she screamed a gust of wind erupted between them. Both the woman and Alibaba were blown out of the sky. Alibaba barely managed to keep himself from landing on his injured sides. The woman landed almost a whole dune away. Her clothes were ripped from the wind blast and her hair a wild mane around her shoulders.

The magic tool she had broken apart, falling to the ground in pieces and leaving her hand bare. She stared at the pieces in utter shock. Alibaba risked a glance back to the camp at this moment. The camp was still smoldering. There didn't seem to be much fighting anymore and he could see small dots in the distance. Then the retreat was successful. Good.

“You're pathetic.” Alibaba's world became pitch black before he could find the source of the new voice. He was encased in pure sand that was threatening to suffocate him. Alibaba focused on his magoi and let his flames grow hotter and he blew the sand away a moment later. Rising to the sky, Alibaba searched the battlefield for the newcomer.

A broad man dressed in common clothes stood on the ground calmly. He had a spear in his hands, a glowing seal on the blade. A split second made Alibaba think of Hakuryuu, but he shook it off. Across the dunes the woman was trapped as well, only her head visible around the sand trap. She was obviously squirming and struggling to get out.

“It was a lucky shot, Reyes! Nothing more!” She shouted with fervor. “Let me out and we can kill him together!” Reyes sighed, and with a simple tightening of his grip on the spear, the sand surrounding the woman shrunk. With a horrifying squelch, the woman became lifeless and the sand-colored a dark red.

Alibaba could only stare as Reyes dropped her lifeless body without a second look. Alibaba had trouble tearing his eyes away to look at this new player. Seeing the obviously disturbed face, Reyes shrugged.

“I was going to let her live, if in deserved humiliation. But she revealed my name. That couldn't go unpunished.” Unpunished? Alibaba's felt his flames flicker at the incredulous thought.

“Your name is worth her life?” That is ridiculous. This man was a monster. Reyes pursed his lips with another shrug.

“Perhaps not. But she had made other transgressions. Such as losing her weapon and letting the base be attacked.” Reyes pointed the tip of his spear at Alibaba. “Though this wasn't a complete loss. Just as you have learned the name of the Barasi, so have I learned the real name behind the Alliance. I didn't believe Mirno before, apologies My Prince.” And with a short bow, a spiral of sand shot to Alibaba. He managed to deflect the brunt of it with Amon's sword. Instead of shooting through his heart, the sand slid off the side and cut Alibaba's cheek instead.

Heart thudding, Alibaba quickly skid backward. This was bad. Alibaba's reserves were dangerously low and this man obviously just at the start of his own. Not only that, this was the perfect environment for him. Reyes smiled as if he knew the thoughts running through Alibaba's head.

“That's right. May the Palace fear my power.” He stood tall, looking the prim and proper man despite his meager clothes. “It's time that the nobles recognized the true power of Balbadd. The slums will rise, and by the end of this there will be a new King.” Alibaba was forced to quickly dodge another five sand spikes. Reyes didn't have to move as he fought. More spikes were conjured up, and Alibaba's reaction speed was dwindling. He had numerous cuts on him now. Luckily nowhere vital. But given the sadistic grin on the man's face, that was on purpose. Reyes was toying with him.

Alibaba felt his energy fading. Any moment now he'd lose his equip. At the height, he was he'd break something on contact. It wasn't the same height as the last time his lost his full equip mid-battle, but it was still a respectful distance.

This was a very terrible situation. Solomon, Alibaba thought frantically, a miracle would be very nice right now. Because this was heading nowhere good.

And, as if answering his prayers, a distinct chirping sound was heard. Alibaba, now breathing heavily and trying to see through the blood that trickled down his forehead, looked to the north. There were three dots rushing towards the battlefield from the camp. Shooting through the sky from those dots was a bright white/blue light. Lightning was crackling in the air and Alibaba could almost taste the movement of the Rukh around them.

This could only be one person.

Reyes frowned, facing the newcomer with reservation. With good judgment because not a moment later a lightning bolt of pure power was sent to the man. Reyes flourished his spear and a thick wall of sand blocked the attack. To the surprise of Reyes, the lightning blasted through the sand without trouble, turning what sand it did hit into hot glass, and a blink later there wasn't anything there. No Reyes, nor his magic tool.

A very much younger version of Sinbad in full Baal equip floated to Alibaba's side. His sword was still out, and his eyes narrowed to where Reyes once stood.

“He escaped.” Sinbad murmured softly. “Must have used the sand as a transport somehow.” Well, that spelled nothing good. Alibaba sighed, finally letting his grip lighten on his sword.

“Probably went to the actual main base.” He muttered with a frown. And wasn't that the clincher? This wasn't even the main base they thought it was. Obviously, otherwise, Reyes would have been here from the start. Not that this base wasn't important. But it still felt like salt into the wound.

“The stragglers from this camp seem to be retreating into different directions.” Sinbad looked back to the scrambling forces of those the Barasi hired. Alibaba wasn't that worried. They had figured most of the Barasi's men were hired on thugs. Those were probably bandits jumping ship as it were.

“There's no point in following them. The Barasi wouldn't let them in on an important secret such as the real base.” Alibaba was sure of this now, after what Reyes did to that woman. “Their Fanalis ally might be worth it, but that's near suicide.” To follow a Fanalis without getting caught? Hah. Good luck.

“Maybe,” Sinbad smirked and looked to Alibaba with impish humor. “If you're not a Fanalis. Masur should be able to do it if the trail's fresh enough.” That was a good point. Alibaba nodded, noticing as the dots from earlier got closer. He could see the faint sight of Jafar on one horse, Morg and Kassim on another, and a riderless horse being led by Jafar's. That one must have been Sinbad's.

“You're taking this in more stride than most I know would.” Alibaba blinked in surprise as Sinbad's face was suddenly in his. The man was looking over Alibaba curiously and hummed with a nod.

“When I received news that Rashid's youngest got a Djinn, I wasn't expecting you to have already made it this far in training.” Alibaba leaned back at the attention and tried to look elsewhere.

“I had reason to learn.” That was the best answer he could think of at the moment. Sinbad hummed once more but didn't press thankfully enough. The two lowered to the ground and released theirs equips. Alibaba nearly fell to the ground as all his injuries came back in full focus. He was thankfully saved from Morgiana jumping off the horse and catching him before he faceplanted.

“Oi! Just because I said not to die doesn't mean you get to pass out either!” Kassim called out. Alibaba sighed leaning into Morgiana. He was going to feel these wounds in the morning, he just knew it.

“Sin, I specifically told you to not go ahead of us.” Jafar scolded from his horse, eyes glinting with irritation. It was weird to see Sinbad and Jafar so much younger. They were dressed in less noble clothes, traveling leathers in place of silk and cloth. At least their dynamic was the same.

“Haha, it was fine Jafar!” Sinbad chuckled with a cocky grin. Jafar's brows twitched and he looked ready to tackle Sinbad.

“You wanted to fight a person who controls sand IN A DESERT!” Alibaba turned from the bantering duo and looked to Kassim. Morgiana helped him get to the horse. She was small enough that they could barely squeeze the three of them on the horse, if in discomfort.

“What's the final report?” Alibaba murmured quietly. Kassim rolled his shoulders as Alibaba and Morgiana finished getting settled on the horse. His knuckles were white around the reigns. The hesitation brought a spark of fear to Alibaba. Something happened.

“We were lucky,” Kassim muttered. “No confirmed deaths yet, but the casualties are more than what's good. It might put us back on this front. That sand user showed up just as we were retreating. He didn't waste much time on us, but it was enough.” Damn it. Alibaba bit his bottom lip. Even if they destroyed the camp and found out the identity of one of the Barasi's big players, this was not a win.

Glancing to Sinbad, Alibaba's worries deepened. His control of the situation is starting to fall out of his grasp. His father will want Sinbad to take over from here on out. A smart move, considering what Rashid knows. And, if he wants to be critical to himself, it just might still be the smart move. This was a blow to their resources that they couldn't afford. Especially with Mirno joining up with the Barasi. It still bit at him though. Alibaba wanted to be the one to fix this. To protect Balbadd.

It looks like Sinbad's going to finish the job like last time.

Chapter Text

When reaching Balbadd they came to a problem. Sinbad and his group wanted to go straight to the palace. The reasoning was sound. King Rashid needed to hear of the raid's news and learn of Sinbad's arrival. Apparently, Sinbad had just arrived and hadn't checked in with the palace yet. Something that Jafar lightly berated the young King for.

Alibaba and his friends needed to go to the slums. Tirdad and Papak needed their own reports. Alibaba had a responsibility to check in, not only as the 'head' of his own faction in the alliance but also out of respect for leading Papak and Tirdad's people into the raid. If as many people were hurt as Kassim implied, then not going wasn't an option. It wouldn't be right politically, nor morally. Alibaba wanted to check in with the people he led, and help with the aftermath if possible. Or, at least, apologize to Papak and Tirdad for failing. It was the right thing to do.

“We'll have to split.” Alibaba explained in a tired voice. He was exhausted, both mentally and physically. The raid was draining on so many levels, not to mention the slow sense of doom Alibaba felt in his stomach since Sinbad's arrival. Alibaba liked Sinbad. Truly. He saw the older man almost as an uncle or mentor figure.

But – Sinbad tended to take charge. He liked to jump into a situation and solve it of his own accord, without involving those who had put in all the groundwork. While that was nice in some cases, such as when the Kou suddenly arrived in Balbadd that one time, but it also rankled in the fact that he simultaneously usurped both Alibaba and Kassim from their places in the Slums that very same day.

And how he had almost shoved Alibaba on the throne without really asking if Alibaba wanted it.

So, Alibaba liked Sinbad. Respected him. And he'd always feel indebted to the man. But those feelings were reserved for Alibaba alone. Kassim held no love for the man or his household. Kassim didn't like it when outsiders came in without permission.

This was a fact that would be replicated by Tirdad and Papak. It was an almost instinctive reaction among the slum rats of Balbadd. Alibaba even had it, even if he was able to push past it. Tirdad and Papak would not appreciate some newcomers showing up to take over all the work they had already done. No matter the person's status.

“I don't see why we can't just come with you.” So when Sinbad said this in response, it complicated things. Alibaba shared a look with Kassim, who looked just as tired – if a bit more annoyed.

“It's complicated,” Alibaba said. “They know me and-”

“They'll have to learn of our presence sooner or later Prince Alibaba.” Jafar cut in smoothly, voice kind in its sternness. Alibaba blinked, caught off guard.

“Your father made it apparent that we were to take charge of the situation when arriving,” Sinbad added with an apologetic smile. “It sucks I know, but trust me when I say it might be best. We've had our fair share of fighting upstarts like this.” He leaned over and clapped Alibaba's back with a hearty laugh.

“I'm impressed with how far you've gotten yourself though! A full equip already! Reminds me of myself at your age!” He let out a cackling laugh. Jafar quickly smacked Sinbad's head to cut off the noise.

Alibaba felt himself almost sink as they bantered with each other some more. They were treating him like a child. Which made sense. For all purposes, Alibaba was twelve. It rankled, but lately Alibaba had been garnering respect and earned a place of equal standing of people the same age, if not older, than Sinbad.

So this was a jarring reminder of Alibaba's age.

“Even if you need to meet them, that can be arranged later.” Alibaba tried again. “They'll need time to prepare.” Or at the very least, have some kind of warning of a newcomer entering the game. Which brought on a whole other slew of problems.

“We don't have time though.” Sinbad pointed out, face adopting a serious expression. “I know that you might think this is under control, but the sooner we can get on this the better we can help. Trust me.” Sinbad sounded so sure, and Alibaba was sure that he meant it truly.

But Sinbad didn't know the full situation like Alibaba did. Nor did he understand the customs of Balbadd's slums. While there weren't many, they were treated as law.

“...Even if we part you'll just follow us, won't you?” Alibaba questioned, already knowing the answer. Jafar looked completely innocent with a poker face. Sinbad grinned brightly, not even denying it.

“Probably.” He admitted. Alibaba sighed deeply. He looked to Morgiana and Lo'lo. Morgiana was still on the horse with Alibaba and Kassim. Lo'lo had left the tracking of the Barasi Fanalis to Masur and joined the party to Balbadd on his horse.

“Get Tirdad and Papak to meet at the Old Grounds.” He ordered. “Tell them that we have a new alliance member who wants to meet with them.” They both nodded and splintered off, but not before Morgiana gave Alibaba worried frown. He smiled and waved it off.

Alibaba's injuries could wait.

“What are the Old Grounds?” Sinbad asked curiously, watching the figures of Lo'lo and Morgiana fade into the streets.

“Neutral ground.” Kassim answered suddenly, voice tight. He knew what Sinbad's presence meant as well. “It's not like we'd walk you straight into the headquarters of the two largest gangs of the slums.” Sinbad frowned in confusion.

“Why not?” This made Kassim clench his teeth, and Alibaba could almost see the frustration in his friend. To save them all, Alibaba spoke up.

“It's the rule.” He explained in a rush. “You never give out the location of someone's home without explicit permission.” Because in the slums that could mean life or death for some. While Papak and Tirdad's people are in relatively public spaces, the rule still stands. It's a show of respect. One that Alibaba knew better than to go against.

“Huh.” Sinbad hummed. “You know I never got your name.” He said this to Kassim. The other boy tightened his hands on the reigns. Alibaba bit his lip with worry. He didn't think that Kassim was still this upset with Sinbad.

“Kassim, slum rat of Balbadd, at your service.” The title was almost spat, irritation lacing his voice.

Sinbad and Jafar both looked taken aback at the caustic attitude thrown their way. Jafar himself was starting to look particularly annoyed. His eyes were starting to narrow with a grim expression the more Kassim was being rude.

“Well,” Sinbad said after a beat. “I'm Sinbad, ship rat from Sindria. It's a pleasure to be working with you.” His voice was humbled and amused. It surprised both Alibaba and Kassim. Ship rat? Just what did that mean?

After that Sinbad and Jafar asked simple questions on the Barasi situation and the slums itself. When finding their knowledge of the slums lacking, they were surprisingly willing to learn more. Alibaba did most of the talking, with Kassim sliding in his own commentary now and then.

When they reached the Old Grounds, the others were already there. In a mirror of when they first came together, sans Mirno. Papak with two of his brothers to the north side, Tirdad to the east, with Virno and Hakim. Lo'lo and Morgiana stood to the west, waiting.

After they got off their horses, Alibaba raised a hand in greeting.

“Papak, Tirdad, sorry for calling you away like this. We won't be long.” They couldn't be. It was dangerous to pull away Papak and Tirdad from their bases after the hit they just took. Papak set his shoulders back and crossed his arms. He struck an intimidating pose, unlike the more lax version that Alibaba had grown to see behind closed doors. Tirdad was much the same.

These were the leaders of Balbadd's most notorious gangs, in full might.

“It had better not be Alibaba,” Papak grunted. “I've got men that need tended to.” This was said shortly, with laced anger. Alibaba winced. From the east, Tirdad tsked.

“Now don't take it out on the Small Prince.” He defended with a sly grin. “We knew the odds.” His gaze roved to look at Sinbad and Jafar. “I'm more interested in our guests.” Sinbad took his cue.

“Hello, friends of Alibaba!” Sinbad stepped forward with a grin and wide gesture of arms. Papak's brothers and Tirdad's crew tensed, but their leaders held the signal to stand down. Alibaba pinched the bridge of his nose. Next to him, Jafar was doing the same.

They literally just told Sinbad to stay in his own corner during the meeting.

“I am Sinbad, King of Sindria. King Rashid Saluja sent word to me of the problem you're having with the Barasi, and asked me to give my aide in squashing the threat.” Sinbad mimed this by smacking a fist into his palm.

“Is he always this dramatic?” Kassim whispered in an unimpressed drawl. Alibaba wanted to defend his long-time friend and mentor but.....

“Yes.” He and Jafar answered at the same time, faces drawn chalk white and soulless.

“And what help would that be?” Papak questioned. “Are you going to use your legendary magic powers to find and kill the Barasi's leaders?” He scoffed at the end, face set into a fierce scowl.

“Well, not exactly,” Sinbad admitted with a pout. “But I will be lending any resources I have to the cause. Already I have one of my men tracking a high ranking Barasi member. I have full trust that Masur can bring us closer to at least one hideout of theirs.” Hopefully. Alibaba straightened his back and tried to look Papak and Tirdad in the eyes.

“King Sinbad will be a great asset at our disposal. With Mirno siding with the Barasi, we need all the help we can get.” This was a fact. Mirno's alliance with the Barasi was a dangerous thing.

Tirdad and Papak stayed silent for a beat, both taking their time to take this in. To accept a complete outsider into the situation went against everything that was normally done in the slums. It was bad enough that they were already working with Balbadd's crown.

“Well, more help is good help at this point I suppose.” Tirdad shrugged with a lazy face. Papak was still frowning, but he did nod.

“It'll certainly give us more breathing space.” He then looked directly at Alibaba. “And you.” Alibaba jumped, body tensing. Papak's gaze was intense, as if he was looking into Alibaba's soul. Most of the people in the raid were Papak's people.

Alibaba held his breath, prepared for the deserved anger and lecture that was surely coming his way.

“Go home and get some rest.” Hah? Papak frowned. “You look dead on your feet. Report in later, after you're well slept and fed.” Well, that was unexpected.

“A-ah. I will.” Alibaba nodded with a mumble of disbelief.

It looked like they were going to leave then, but Sinbad spoke up once more.

“Actually,” Tirdad and Papak paused. Sinbad faced them down with a cheery smile. “I was hoping to be present during that talk. I'll likely have more information from Masur by then to add.” The two men regarded Sinbad carefully for a beat.

Then, without a word, they nodded to Alibaba.

“Thank you.” Alibaba bowed his head. Papak copied the action, while Tirdad did a full half bow in a flourish.

“See you around, Small Prince!” He taunted with a song, disappearing into the night. Papak wasn't far behind.

That left Alibaba and Sinbad's groups behind. Alibaba nearly slumped to the ground with relief. That did it. Papak and Tirdad were willing to let Sinbad into their headquarters. That made things so much easier.

It also made Alibaba's stomach sink, as he felt the pressing weight of his eventual removal getting closer. His father was serious when he said Alibaba was just a place holder for Sinbad. It was only a matter of time.

“So that's how it is.” Rashid rested his chin on folded hands. He was sitting at his desk in the private office near his chambers. Alibaba, Sinbad, and Jafar were sitting in the room across from the King. Alibaba was still sore from his injuries. His bruises and cuts were bandaged, giving him an almost mummified look. It was embarrassing but needed.

Sinbad hummed under his breath after Rashid's full explanation. Sinbad then glanced at Alibaba. “Anything to add Prince Alibaba?” This sent an uncomfortable flush to Alibaba's cheeks. It was weird to be called that by normal people. By Sinbad was worse.

“Please, just Alibaba.” He insisted. “And, yes. We have a new lead on the traitor.” Alibaba looked to his father with a determined face. Finally, they had a breakthrough. “The brand that we've found with each shipment, it's been traced to the Kou Empire. Whoever the traitor is, they'd have ties to that country.” At the very mention of the Kou, Sinbad and Jafar tensed. Rashid's eyebrows curved down in serious thought. He leaned back in his chair and pursed his lips.

“The Kou.” He murmured. “They're a mysterious bunch, from what I know. They kept to themselves for centuries, doing no trade with us.” He turned to Sinbad. “I believe you've had more dealings with them, correct?” Sinbad leaned forward in his seat. He leaned his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands together.

“I have.” He intoned with a dark and serious face. “If the Kou are involved, things are worse than they appear. Much worse.” Rashid didn't show any outward response to the foreboding sentence. Instead, he steepled his fingers and met Sinbad's gaze.

“Tell me more.” He ordered softly. Sinbad glanced at Alibaba with hesitation. Alibaba stiffened, and tried not to show his discomfort. Sinbad wanted to know if Alibaba should remain there. That...hurt to be honest. Alibaba has been in the thick of this since the start. Since before the start. It was now that he could see some differences between the past and future Sinbads. In the future, Sinbad was more open. Or, at least, he appeared to be.

That might have only been a result of Alibaba being the only viable candidate to take on the Kou at the time. What with Ahbmad practically throwing the kingdom at Kou's feet with its debt and Sabmad with little power to stop it. Sinbad at the time didn't have his Djinn equip.

Which, left Alibaba really.

Thinking of it that way, where Sinbad didn't come to Alibaba out of belief and trust in the blonde's abilities, it soured the mind. Alibaba didn't like thinking that Sinbad had no real trust in him at the beginning.

Yet, judging by the Sinbad of now, that was the case. Alibaba frowned to himself. It didn't matter if Sinbad didn't fully trust in Alibaba. It only meant that Alibaba had to prove himself capable.

“The Kou used to be small, but grew when two kingdoms unified under one banner. They then expanded, becoming what it is now.” Alibaba spoke up. The room looked to him in surprise. Alibaba forced his nervousness down and pushed on. He had to do this.

“I don't know much, just what information Tirdad's sailor friends could garner. The Kou have continued to expand.” Alibaba straightened in place. His body protested the action but he ignored it. “Tirdad and Papak think that Balbadd might be next on the list for the Kou.”

Rashid frowned and looked up at the world map that was hanging on the wall behind him. “That doesn't make much sense. We're so far out, and with our friendship to Sindria...” He trailed off.

“That might be so, but we are a trading hub of the world.” Alibaba countered. “We might not be as big or powerful as Napolis in Reim, but that might be the point. We're closer and have a relatively small military. This whole time the Barasi have gone out of their way to avoid getting attention from Sindria. At first, I thought that was just from fear of King Sinbad. That might be true, but the family funding the Barasi, who has ties to the Kou, might have made that an order.” Alibaba nodded as he made his point.

“Alibaba is right on one count at least.” Sinbad piped up. “The Kou are looking to take new territories. I've heard reports of attempts into the Tenzen Plateau. The Kou also have Dungeon capturers in their army and the royal family. And a Magi. No offense intended, but if they were to invade now you would have little chance against them.” He gave Rashid an apologetic wince.

Rashid waved it off without a care. “I'm not ignorant of my country's shortcomings.” He raised a brow to Sinbad. “This isn't a matter of brute force. It's a matter of finding a way around this without a fight.”

Sinbad leaned back with a smile and lifted his hands in a calming gesture.

“I agree.” He paused. “But you need to understand that there is more to the Kou than just a good military and expanding territories.” Sinbad then began to speak of the real problem. Al-Tharmen. Throughout the whole lecture, Rashid sat at full attention. The King soaked in the information without comment.

Alibaba for his part, stayed silent. It was better that way. He could get away with mentioning the Kou's history and possible military movements because of Tirdad's contacts. But he had no excuse to know about Al-Tharmen.

“They have some end goal I'm unsure of,” Sinbad explained. “What I do know is that wherever they go, despair and destruction is left. And I think that either the Kou is a part of it, or that Al-Tharmen is assisting and funding them in Dungeons and magic tools.” Which is true. Alibaba bit his tongue, wishing that he could tell them that while Al-Tharmen is in Kou, not all of the royalty is a part of it. As much as the Kou gave him trouble and he disagreed with them, Alibaba had to be fair. He honestly didn't think that Kouen knew about Al-Tharmen's true presence. Alibaba didn't think he'd like the idea of a force like that secretly controlling his actions.

“And they've set their eyes on us.” Rashid commented with a frown. Sinbad nodded. “What do we do about it?” He asked. Sinbad smiled once more.

“We foil their plans, and force them to back off.” He glanced at Alibaba. “Starting with ending this war with the Barasi and getting Alibaba here trained up.” Sinbad leaned over and clapped Alibaba's shoulder. Alibaba yelped in pain and surprise at the action.

“If you show Al-Tharmen that you're not some easy conquest they'll be forced to back off. And after that, if you join the Seven Seas Alliance, you'll be sending a clear message to Al-Tharmen.” Sinbad's smile was bright and blinding. Next to him, Jafar gazed at Rashid with a soft nod of agreement.

For a second, Alibaba just felt an urge to agree. It made sense. Al-Tharmen and Sinbad were clear enemies and although they've made their advances against the man, it's clear that Sinbad is still a threat. The Seven Seas Alliance would ensure that if the Kou Empire and Al-Tharmen attacked, Balbadd would have support. It would also give them pause to even attack in the first place.

When thinking of it that way, it made logical sense.

“He shines too bright.” Aladdin's words echoed in Alibaba's mind, shattering the thought process. This wasn't any different than when Sinbad took over the Fog Troupe.

Sinbad, here to save the day.

Alibaba looked to his father. Rashid sat back in his seat with a regal expression. As if pulling on a mask, he looked like a King in full. He threaded his hands together and pursed his lips.

“Balbadd has always been independent. For as long as the Saluja clan has ruled, we have kept that independence. I will not be the King to give that up.” He intoned flatly as if he had spoken the words before.

“That might be the case but times change!” Sinbad leaned forward in his seat with an urgent look. “Time changes a country and its ruler must be prepared to make those changes for the better of the kingdom. You taught me that.”

Rashid shook his head slowly. “Be that as it may, some things must remain unchanged. Our independence is a vital role in our culture and stance in the world. Not even the threat of this Al-Tharmen or Empire will change that.” Rashid's voice was firm and unwavering. He gazed at Sinbad with a hard expression that showed his resolve.

It awed Alibaba to see his father like this. To hear his father defend Balbadd's way of life without hesitation. Alibaba felt his heart begin to thud and the feeling of a million butterflies in his stomach. Was this what kind of King his father was? He had never seen this side of Rashid, in either life.

“And what if the Empire were to attack right now? How would you combat that? You need the help of the Alliance.” Sinbad was close to standing up now in his insistence. Meanwhile, Rashid stayed calm.

“I will do as we have always done. This is not the first time a bigger nation has sought to capture our kingdom and it won't be the last.” Rashid looked to Alibaba after a beat and eyed him consideringly.

“Alibaba,” He started. Sinbad and Jafar jerked their eyes to Alibaba as if they forgot he was there. “Tell me, what would the people think?” Alibaba blinked in surprise.

“You want me to speak for the people?” He asked in confusion. Why choose Alibaba for that? Rashid nodded his head to Alibaba.

“You've been on the streets the longest than anyone else in this room. You know the people more than either of us.” Rashid gave Alibaba a small but encouraging smile.

Alibaba inhaled deeply. This was serious. Alibaba couldn't mess this up. He sat up in his chair and tried to gather his thoughts together. Having all of the attention on him was nerve-wracking.

“Well, to be fair,” He started. “Joining the Alliance at this time wouldn't be a bad choice. In truth, it would greatly benefit us in terms of solely in the effort against the Kou and Al-Tharmen.” Sinbad's smile grew as Alibaba spoke.

“Having said that,” Alibaba paused and looked to Sinbad. “If we were to join the Alliance, then we risk losing one of our largest trading partners. Parthevia.” Parthevia wasn't a part of the Alliance. To join the Alliance might make the other country pull back it's trading ships. There was no secret of the tense nature between Sindria and Parthevia. Alibaba didn't know the full history, but he did remember a lesson on a fatal attack Parthevia dealt to Sindria in its first years of life.

Sinbad frowned and pulled back into his seat. Beside him, Jafar was perfectly still as he watched Alibaba carefully. Alibaba swallowed the lump in his throat.

“Even if we were comfortable with risking that, I don't think the people would be happy with joining the Alliance. We're an independent people. We like making our own choices and standing on our own. Even if the Kou were to storm the city tonight, I can name plenty of people who would fight to the end before giving up our independence.” Tirdad, Papak, Kassim, Morg, Lo'Lo, the coastal Islands, even Mirno. They would all defend this country for as long as possible, in their own ways. And Alibaba would be right there with them, in the thick of it.

After a long silent pause, Alibaba panicked.

“But I really shouldn't speak for everyone! I mean I'm just a single person If you want the true opinion you should ask the people themselves!” Silence remained. “Like a vote.” This was said in a squeak.

Rashid had a mysterious smile on his face. He was looking at Alibaba with something that looked a little bit like pride. Alibaba was caught off guard.

Rashid then turned back to Sinbad. He held up his hand in a 'what can you do?' gesture. “My son has explained then situation well enough for me. I'm sorry Sinbad, but I cannot join the Seven Sea Alliance.” He gave a short head bow at the apology.

Sinbad deflated in his seat. He looked to be contemplating something internally. Beside him, Jafar straightened up his back. Jafar neatly folded his hands into his sleeves and cut his gaze to Rashid.

“And what if we were to deny any aid to the Barasi or the prince's training unless you do join?” He asked softly.

Suddenly, there was a tension in the room that wasn't there before. Rashid stiffened and met Jafar's eyes. Alibaba's breath shortened as the two men stared each other down. Jafar in demanding defiance and Rashid with an unyielding fire.

“Is that the course you wish to take?” Rashid asked calmly after a beat. Jafar raised a brow and shrugged.

“We have no gain in this otherwise.” Alibaba shifted in his seat with an awkwardness. He didn't like the sudden atmosphere. It felt as though they were on the brink of a fight. With that thought, Alibaba cut his eyes to Jafar's hands. They were still hidden in his hands.

Did Jafar have the same weapons as he did in the future? Even if he did, there was no way he'd attack Rashid. Right? Jafar was a friend. There was no way. Alibaba refused to believe it and willed his nerves to settle.

Rashid folded his hands and leaned his elbows on his desk. He looked his most serious that Alibaba had ever seen him.

“Then I would have no choice but to no longer consider you or Sindria as Allies to Balbadd.”

Chapter Text

There was a long silent pause in the room. Alibaba found it hard to breathe at the bold declaration made by his father. Jafar's eyes glinted in a dangerous way that made the prince uncomfortable. Rashid looked just as deadly, gold eyes piercing with an unreadable intensity.

This isn't good. Alibaba thought frantically. They needed Sinbad as an ally. At least when it came to the full threat of Al-Tharmen, if not the Barasi. He was a powerhouse of strength they would need in any direct fights against the organization.

Alibaba couldn't voice this. No matter how well a standing he has with his father, this wasn't something he could disagree on. Not vocally. His King has just set an ultimatum and Alibaba had to show a united front to support him.

So now he needed to start thinking of workarounds. What to do if they don't have Sinbad's help. This was something he didn't even think to have to worry about. Sinbad, for all his faults, was a good person deep down. He wanted to fight for the good of the world. He wanted to make it a better place. That meant his goals and Alibaba's should align.

Alibaba would have to gather another council with Papak and Tirdad on the next step. There was no getting around the fact that the attack on the Barasi was a failure. Even if they were able to destroy a good amount of materials and cut down the numbers on the desert trade, it didn’t compare to what they lost. People injured, the knowledge of Alibaba being involved with the Underground Alliance.

Maybe it was time that they gave up on the desert front. There were already talks of trying to regain control of the slums. They had put it to the side in favor of desert trade routes. If they leave that completely, however, it leaves room into taking back the slums. It'd have to be slow and carefully done. If the upper districts get wind of a gang war of such an epic proportion it already was; the nobles would raise hell in courts out of fear.

The only reason they've had such success in doing all this is that it's remained a secret. A hidden war among the streets of Balbadd. Alibaba wanted to keep it that way for now. The last they need is for panic among the citizens.

Alibaba would ask Kassim to help Papak in this venture. Kassim took over the slums by force once, he could do it again. With the help of Papak and his brothers, it'd be a good start. Alibaba might ask Lo'lo and Morgiana to help with that as well. Their combined force would be near indestructible. Then again, it might be better to assign them to the ships. Fanalis running around the slums would be noticeable.

These thoughts ran through Alibaba at an inhuman speed as he panic planned for this new outcome. Alibaba didn't want Sinbad's help to be rejected. Yet, he also knew that his father would not budge on this point.

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” Everyone jumped at the sudden intrusion of Sinbad's roaring laughter. He lifted his hands in surrender and threw an arm around a disturbed Jafar. “Now, now, let's not get hasty.” Sinbad chided with a cheery grin.

“If King Rashid doesn't want to join the alliance then that is up to him. It's not like we're getting absolutely nothing from this Jafar!” He explained with confidence. Despite Sinbad's carefree words and actions, Alibaba did not relax. Neither, he noticed, have his father or Jafar.

“Oh?” Jafar questioned idly with an annoyed twitch as Sinbad jostled him. Sinbad's grin grew as he nodded.

“We get an ally against Al-Tharmen. Anyone who fights against them is a friend, whether they're a part of the alliance or not.” Jafar sighed and nodded in agreement with the idea. Alibaba glanced at his father, who leaned back in his seat with a more calm and less intense aura. It was only now that Alibaba let himself relax in his seat with an audible sigh of relief.

This was too much for his heart.

“Then we can expect your help in guidance in our efforts to rid Balbadd of the Barasi?” Rashid asked finally. Sinbad and Jafar both nodded with differing exuberance.

“We'll get rid of the upstarts, and help train Alibaba with his Equip.” Sinbad paused and gave Alibaba a curious look over. Alibaba eeped at the close inspection. “Though,” The elder man mulled with a scratch at his chin. “Alibaba doesn't need much help it seems. That was a full Equip I saw you in right?”

All the attention was on Alibaba now. Much like before, when Rashid had pulled Alibaba in for the debate of the alliance, Alibaba grew nervous. He forced himself to straighten his back and pretended that this was just like the old days. When he was training under Sharrkan. Or, better yet, that this was a meeting with Tirdad and Papak in one of the warehouses. This wasn't a highly important and possibly historically changing meeting between the Kings of two nations. It certainly wasn't a meeting that almost ended with a once peaceful trade and semi-alliance between said nations devolving into a tense and broken friendship.

Nope. This was fine. Everything was fine.

“Yes,” Alibaba answered carefully. “I've been doing my own training when possible, trying to work out my metal vessel's powers as quickly as possible. The Barasi have an unknown amount of magic weapons so I thought I should put my training as a priority.” It was also to help possibly combat an attack by the Kou directly. They wouldn't send in the whole Ren family just to take Balbadd, and Alibaba wanted to get to a point where he could confidently say that he could fight off at least one of their Dungeon Capturers.

Granted that would be hard considering the abilities some of them possess. Kougyoku would be an absolute nightmare with her water Djinn. She could drown the whole city with a flick of her wrist.

“That's good.” Sinbad praised. Rashid smiled at Alibaba, causing the boy to blush somewhat. “That means we don't need to put all of our attention to that, and can instead focus on the Barasi.” Sinbad clapped his hand together with a wink. “Not to say that we'll forgo training altogether. You did well for learning on your own, but I'll what I can do to help boost your fighting abilities.”

This was good and strange. Alibaba wasn't sure what Sinbad could teach him that Alibaba hasn't already figured out. He knows Amon inside and out. What's more, this is a completely different approach than before. Last time, he had thrown Alibaba at Sharrkan and didn't bother to check in on the progress. Now he was giving him personal training?

Of course, this could just be that Sharrkan didn't come with them.

“What we need to do is find out what our next step will be.” Jafar smoothly cut in. Rashid nodded at this with a deep look.

“With this lead on the traitor, I can narrow down the options of who in the nobles is spying.” Rashid said. That was good news. The sooner they find the traitor, the better.

“I can get a meeting arranged in the slums.” Alibaba offered, thinking of his idea from before. Sinbad nodded at this.

“Good.” He agreed with a smile. “I can talk to them about what to do next. We need to know more about how the operations have been running to pick up where Alibaba left off.” Alibaba blinked in surprise. Oh. Right. Sinbad was taking the reigns. Alibaba forgot.

As if hearing his thoughts, Sinbad glanced at Alibaba with a soft smile and wink. “Don’t worry,” He promised. “We’ll keep you in the loop and include you in the efforts. Your progress has been impressive, and I don’t plan on putting your abilities to waste.” His words were reassuring as his face turned apologetic.

“Still, you’re father was right to call us in. Jafar and I should take the lead from here.” Alibaba nodded mutely.

It was time to step aside for Sinbad to save Balbadd. Again.

Incense wafted in the air with a pleasant smell of spice and smoke. the opulent room was illuminated by nothing but candles. The balcony doors were open to let a soft breeze into the room. Anahita stood in the doorway to the balcony and stared up at the full moon.

Rashid was working late again. Lately, he’s been so busy. He wouldn’t tell her with what. It irked her, but Anahita held her tongue. She knew better than to pry too close. It would do her no good. Sooner or later her husband would explain. He would tell her his secrets and pull her close into his mind and heart. As it should be.

Anahita was Queen. That was not a token title. She ruled just as much as her husband did. Just as much as her son would in the future.

And he would . Ahbmad was the rightful heir to the throne. Anahita would accept no other scenario. Sahbmad wasn’t built for the position, the boy too soft and easily scared. He would be better served as an advisor or perhaps giving him lordship over a company. Something of his own but out of the spotlight. Yes, that would be good.

Anahita cared deeply for her children. Loved them. She would give them the best and nothing less. The deserved that and more. They were Princes. Royalty. They were made of higher quality than the common man. Of this Anahita was sure.

Which was why she was concerned. Rashid was giving his bastard child too much attention. He was giving Alibaba leeway and free reign to do what he wanted. The boy didn’t need to attend classes anymore. He was treating them as an option and not as a necessity.

And now they had guests. Royal guests. King Sinbad and two of his generals were visiting and what did Rashid do? No banquet or proper event to greet them. He didn’t have his sons, his proper sons meet with the King. Speak with him, learn from him.

No. He had Alibaba spend time with Sinbad. Train with him. Study under him.

The courts whispered of this. They watched and gossiped as Alibaba thrived under the attention his father gave him. Whispers of a new King prospect. Of a new heir.

No. Anahita thought harshly. Her sons would rule this country. Just as they were born to do. Anahita was Queen, and her sons were destined to rule just as much as she was. It was their fate.

She would make it so .

“You called for me?” Anahita turned to Cera, who stood timidly in the room. Anahita smiled softly at the handmaiden.

“My husband is going to working late.” She explained. “I have made him a brew of tea that my mother would give my father in such times. Take it to him with my blessing and wishes for his swift return.” Anahita swept her hand to point at a table. On it was a silver platter with a decorated kettle and cup filled with a warm liquid.

“I understand.” Cera bowed and gave Anahita an understanding smile.

It was rare that Alibaba had downtime. With everything going on, the Barasi, training, looking for the spy, he had barely any time for himself. Not that he was complaining of course. Alibaba was determined to help and protect Balbadd. If losing some relax time was a price to pay, then Alibaba would ante up.

That said - 

Hot baths were the best thing in the world.

Using Amon’s influence to heat his bath water was probably not a good use of his magoi. Alibaba didn’t care. It made the water a heavenly hot temperature that felt amazing to his sore muscles. Fog wafted from the water and filled the bathroom to give it an almost sauna effect. No one was around to notice the oddity, and Alibaba was going to enjoy it while he could.

Alibaba had healed nicely after the failed desert battle. There were minor scars on his arms and a single one near his left eyebrow. Apart from that, he was good as new. Other than the number of bruises he received from Sinbad’s training. It was said training that led him to find solace in the baths.

His body was sore from training with Sinbad earlier. If he thought that his training with Sharrkan was hell - Sinbad was the devil incarnate. They trained at the Old Grounds, per Alibaba’s request. He didn’t want the courts knowing of his Metal Vessel just yet. It was bad enough that he was getting attention from the nobles from Sinbad’s teachings. It didn’t look good, politically speaking. Alibaba was a bastard son, out of line for the throne. Getting this special treatment, while his elder brothers didn’t?

Alibaba hasn’t seen the Queen glare at him with such anger at dinner in his life. Either of his lives.

So discretion was key. Sinbad had agreed to this, even if he disapproved of the reasoning. He reminded Alibaba that there was no hiding this forever. Alibaba was a King Candidate now. The news would be broken to the courts, and the world, sooner or later.

“It’s best you control how that information gets out than to have someone else have control of how the story is told.” Sinbad had imparted with a surprising amount of seriousness. And Alibaba understood the advice.

It’s just - Alibaba did not acquire Amon to claim a throne. Alibaba was not throwing his hat into the proverbial ring at being ‘King of the World’ or whatever it is the Djinn represent. Alibaba didn’t fully understand, even after Aladdin explained what happened at Alma Torran. He didn’t need to understand because he knew what he needed Amon for.

To save Balbadd. To stop Al Tharmen. That’s it.

Alibaba was a simple man with simple pleasures. His home and family being safe, and nothing else. He wasn’t power hungry like the Kou. Or overly adventurous like Sinbad. Frankly, Alibaba would have been just fine living out his days in the Slums with Kassim and the troupe like the old days.

But he couldn’t go back to that because Mariam and his mother were gone -

Or he could just stay at the palace, maybe be a scholar or merchant. Try to bridge the gap between the classes. There would always be unrest, but maybe there could be something done so that people didn’t feel hopeless about their position in life.

If he was to be an adventurer then he’d like to do it as an explorer. Maybe buy a ship, pack his friends on it and see the world. Traveling the seas to find new and exciting countries and people. Aladdin would like that, Alibaba thought.

Alibaba sighed and sunk in the water at the thought of his friend.

He missed Aladdin. Deeply so. The boy was like a brother to him, much like Kassim. Alibaba wondered where the Magi was at this time. Was he still with Ugo? Or was he wandering the land on his own?

Thinking thoughts like that brought Olba and his siblings to mind. Then Toto and the Yambala tribe. Garda. of everyone he met and made friends with. Everyone who wouldn’t know him. Because he hasn’t met them yet.

It was a depressing line of thought that Alibaba tried to avoid. There wasn’t much he could do for them. Not now at least. Maybe after they solve the Barasi issue. Of course, there was no telling how long that could be.

The meeting with the Underground was in the evening. Alibaba needed to report to Tirdad and Papak from the failed attack against the desert base. Sinbad was determined to be in attendance and Alibaba honestly couldn't think of a reason to say no. Sinbad needed to be in touch with the other leaders and get brought to speed from their perspectives. That said, Alibaba was unsure how Sinbad would react to Papak's office location.

He was decidedly not nervous about the meeting that night. He was just highly aware of its importance. Sinbad needed to be accepted by Papak and Tirdad for this to work. Sinbad was charismatic, but Alibaba was nervous to rely on that alone. Papak’s business made him resistant to such personalities and Tirdad was - Tirdad was Tirdad. In another life, he was sure that Tirdad and Sinbad would have been friends. Those two together would have been a chaotic force that could have taken over the world. That said, Tirdad was anything but beholden to higher officials. As he was now, Tirdad might find it more fun to humor Sinbad before yanking the rug out from under him.

So Alibaba had to pray that Sinbad didn’t upset Papak or give Tirdad an excuse to do anything extreme. Surely the Rukh could understand the plea. Right?

“Right.” Alibaba sighed under his breath. Solomon himself couldn’t guarantee that wish. It was best to go in and roll with the punches. Sinbad was a wild card sure, but Alibaba had been with Papak and Tirdad enough to know how to navigate around them. Besides, there were other things to worry about. Like making sure that no one drew any connections between the royal visitors to prominent gang leaders in the slums. Or the current gang war that was currently spreading through the city.

The war was still mostly kept under wraps within the slums. It’s been branded as a minor gang war so that the nobles don’t get too worried. It was enough truth to make them feel as if they were informed while keeping them out of the real situation. Despite this, gang wars came with their own problems from the guards. There are more patrols on the docks and markets. Some are even making patrols through select parts of the slums. Normally the slums were left to themselves, without much interference from the guards.

This made things a little bit harder to do. While the Underground had the support of the palace, it was unofficial. So they still had to dodge the guards. Alibaba and his father did their best to make it easy to do so. They’d let Tirdad and Papak know of the guard shifts and patrol routes. Something unheard of before then. Alibaba saw his father’s visual discomfort as he handed the scroll with the information over. Later, when Alibaba handed the scroll to Tirdad and Papak, they looked just as confused and shocked at the situation.

When Alibaba asked his father why he was doing this, when he obviously didn’t feel comfortable with it, Rashid had let out a large sigh.

“Desperate times, my son, lead to unconventional situations. When your back is cornered, you have to come up with creative and once thought impossible ideas to fix your problems.” Alibaba took this advice to heart. It wasn’t something he was unfamiliar with. He had plenty of times when thinking on the fly led to rather surprising plans and forms of action. He didn’t think his father subscribed to the same form of thought.

To say the least, it’s been an interesting few weeks in Balbadd.

“Alibaba?” Morgiana’s visage appeared within the fog, face warm from the heat of the room.

“Augh!” Alibaba nearly drowned himself from surprise. He didn’t hear her enter at all. Morgiana waited patiently as Alibaba hacked water out of his throat. Once he was sure that he was fine, Alibaba looked to Morgiana with a wary shock. Just what brought her in here?

“Is something wrong?” He asked, voice cracking from his embarrassment.

Morgiana shook her head. “It’s almost time to leave. The servants said you were in here.” What? Alibaba looked behind him and cursed when he saw that the sun was no longer shining brightly through the lattice windows near the ceiling. He had spent too long in the bath.

This, Alibaba thought to himself in an annoyed tone, was why he couldn’t have nice things.

“Okay, I’ll be ready soon.” Alibaba said with a deep sigh. He couldn’t believe he had spent so long without realizing it. Morgiana nodded jerkily and backed out of the room. Alibaba reached into the water where he had set Amon down and pulled the dagger back out.

“Why didn’t you tell me how much time had gone by?” Alibaba muttered to the dagger before getting out of the bath. The dagger warmed, sending a lot of steam off as the water evaporated off and left it dry. It was almost as if Amon had given Alibaba an annoyed snort in response.

A fair reaction, considering Alibaba had him underwater for so long.

“I’ll put you in a fire later tonight.” Alibaba reasoned. He could fill a bowl with coals or wood and light a small fire in his room before bed.

Alibaba paused abruptly at the idle thought while getting dressed. Light a small fire in his room before bed for his dagger to rest in? What had become of his life?

Shaking his head, Alibaba finished getting dressed.

Chapter Text

Morgiana was waiting outside the baths. Maids giggled as they walked by, causing Alibaba to blush and hurry to get on the way. The last thing he needed was for any untoward rumors circling the palace about the two of them. It wouldn’t be fair to Morgiana, and the Queen would be a terror about it.

They gathered Sinbad and his generals under the guise of showing them around the city. Sinbad made a show of it, flustering anyone that tried to pry any deeper. Thankfully the trip to Papak’s was easy to traverse. The people had grown used to Alibaba running through the streets in the last couple of years. They waved hello and shouted joyful comments but otherwise didn’t bother the group. Instead, they kept a respectful distance, while still sending the prince teasing glances as they reached the brothel.

The girls outside immediately sprung into action. Sinbad was all but surrounded by the girls, being cooed at without mercy. Jafar and Masrur weren’t left out either, though they didn’t look as enthused as Sinbad.

“Master Prince,” demured Dione, who slipped an arm around his shoulders. “What lovely guests you’ve brought this evening.” A smile graced her lips as she eyed Sinbad and his troupe. “May I offer the Royal Treatment?” The other girls sighed and groaned sadly at the words. Alibaba nervously nodded, refusing to look anyone in the eye.

No matter what - this was humiliating.

“Well then, follow me.” Dione nodded to three of the girls and they cheered, following the group into the building and up the stairs. The place was lively that night. Most of those who would have noticed them were too busy being entertained by the women.

Merikh and Bahram were standing guard at the office, like before. They were let in with the same warning to not cause any trouble. Once in the office, the girls separated from them and gathered in the back corner of the room.

When Sinbad looked like he was going to complain at their lack of presence, Jafar elbowed him in the side. Thankfully.

Papak was at his desk, reading glasses gone and papers cleared. Tirdad was in his usual spot by the window, Kassim and Lo’lo’s forms with him. They were prepared for what came next.

After giving a respectful bow, Sinbad took a seat in front of the desk. Masrur stood behind his chair silently. That left the other chair open. Alibaba looked to Morgiana, who shook her head. He figured as much, but it didn’t hurt to make sure she didn’t want the seat.

After he sat, Alibaba nodded to the other two leaders.

“Thank you for gathering. There is much to be discussed to bring King Sinbad up to speed on our efforts and to make a plan going forward.” Alibaba glanced between Papak and Tirdad. They stayed silent but didn’t object. So, that was a good start.

“Alibaba has given me a good sense of what position you’re in now.” Sinbad cut in. “You’ve managed to make the Barasi back off in the sea, but not the desert. To be frank, from what I’ve heard, you might as well give up on that front.” Sinbad shook his head. Alibaba winced. He might have thought the same, but did Sinbad have to be so blunt about it?

Papak leaned back in his chair. “The same thought has occurred to us as well. Alibaba has Kassim aiding me in looking for a way to possibly take the slums back.” He motioned towards Kassim, who shrugged. Sinbad nodded his head sharply.

“That’s good! If you can take the slums back, even if it’s block by block, it could help hinder their movement in the city.” Sinbad then crossed his arms and dropped the usual cheerful attitude for something more serious. 

“Most of the bandits scattered across the desert after your attack. One group, containing what seemed to be the higher ups of the camp and that mysterious Fanalis man, went a different direction.” Sinbad nodded to the silent form of Masrur. “Masrur followed those men to the west gates, where they disappeared into the city.” That made sense. Mirno’s largest gambling hall was by the gates. They could have gone through there and either holed up or dispersed through the city.

“So they're hiding out with old Mirno eh?” Tirdad hummed, tilting his head back in thought. Sinbad shook his head.

“I don’t think so. It would be too obvious. I think that they dispersed into the city, using the traffic as a cover for the escape.” There was no way Masrur would be able to pinpoint the strangers in such a large crowd. Not without help that is.

“It brings us one step closer at the real headquarters. The one with the bosses.” Alibaba nodded along to the reasoning. It certainly made sense. However, there was something that Alibaba didn’t agree with.

“I don’t think the real headquarters is in the city.” He confessed. Sinbad looked at him in surprise. “I don’t see Mirno offering his home that much to them. Not with the alliance being newly made. And we would have noticed the Barasi congregating anywhere else.” The hardest part about nailing down the Barasi was how scattered they were in the city.

It was almost like a giant spider’s web. Nowhere was truly safe and you couldn’t see where it ended or began. It drove Papak insane, the man often ending up ranting in their meetings over the matter. Tirdad was no help, often antagonizing the other man for his own amusement.

“Regardless, we know where one of their important numbers was last seen at.” Jafar offered. Lo’lo let out a huff of impatience.

“The Fanalis,” Morgiana said aloud. Her eyes were troubled. “He’s the Barasi’s slave.” That still stung Alibaba’s heart. Someone from Balbadd was using a slave as one of their fighters. Who knew if it stopped with the Fanalis man. Perhaps it went even further than that.

Alibaba certainly hoped not. He was praying that Tirdad’s predictions to be untrue. To think that they were raiding those slave ships just to get their own gang numbers. It sickened Alibaba.

Sinbad nodded solemnly to her. “Exactly.”

Papak nodded, though he still kept a neutral face. “Kassim’s already started a form of attack. He’s been adept at moving my men in the right direction.” As Alibaba had predicted.

“I know the slums better than my right hand.” Kassim pipped up. “Give me enough time and men, and I can clean it up.” This was said with a dark grin that reminded Alibaba of the Fog Troupe days. It seemed that Kassim had been wanting to get back at the Barasi even more than Alibaba realized.

“That, however, is only the start of what I have planned.” Sinbad said suddenly. It caught the attention of everyone. Papak raised his brows in interest.

“Oh?” He asked. “What is the rest of this master plan?” Sinbad’s smile only grew.

“We get the Barasi nervous, make them think we’re coming for their territories in the slums.” He explained. “Then, when we get them flustered, we set a trap.” A trap?

“A trap?” Lo’lo repeated Alibaba’s thought out loud. Sinbad nodded.

“Yes. We hold a large meeting, one that they can easily notice, and bait them into attacking. If the leaders of the Underground Alliance were present, they would be forced to send in their top members.” Sinbad leaned back in his chair smugly.

“We then capture them, and get information on the rest of the group and finish them off for good.” The plan was solid. and it certainly was achievable. Alibaba could see it working. Yet, there was something he didn’t like.

“An interesting way to further the plot, King Sinbad.” Tirdad said, eyes twinkling. “Using us and our people as bait for the evildoers before swooping in to save the day.” The captain clapped softly with a teasing smile. “I approve.”

“I don’t.” Papak snapped with a frown. “It’s too dangerous. We have no idea how strong their ‘top members’ are. They have magic tools!”

“And we have metal vessels.” Sinbad countered easily. “And household weapons. Trust me when I say that I can and will accomplish this. You have my full promise to protect your people and end the Barasi in one fell swoop.” Sinbad held Papak’s eyes with a solid intensity that made the air feel almost thick. It reminded Alibaba of the few times that Aladdin summoned the Rukh.

Papak didn’t respond at first. He still looked conflicted. Alibaba understood. It put his people, his own brothers, in danger. But, it was a good plan. The sooner they took down the Barasi, the better. It would bring them closer to finding the palace spy, and ensuring that Al Tharmen lost its footing in Balbadd.

“Papak, you need to have faith in your people.” Alibaba spoke up. Papak looked at Alibaba, and when he didn’t protest, Alibaba continued. “You and Tirdad are great leaders. Your people trust you, and they are strong individuals themselves. They know what they can handle. And, when a fight breaks out, I know they can hold their own. I also know I can count on you and Tirdad in the fight. You both are strong enough to do this. To finish this fight.” It was important that he got this point across. Tirdad and Papak had done so much work, had done so much in this war that Alibaba knew he could trust in them.

They didn’t need Sinbad saving the day. They could stand on their own and Alibaba just knew, Sinbad or not, that this was something they could accomplish. Because they were stronger together, and because they were two of the best people Alibaba had met. Crazy as well, in regards to Tirdad, but the fact remains.

Sinbad being there only made it more possible to win. Sinbad was the insurance they needed, but Tirdad and Papak were the fighting force. The battering ram to the front.

“Well, if that doesn’t invoke patriotism I don’t know what does.” Tirdad teased, causing Alibaba to blush.

“Tirdad!” He hissed. Why did that man insist on that train of thought? The man chuckled but thankfully dropped the subject.

“Fine.” Papak sighed before turning to Sinbad. “We’ll let you know when it's time. I’m counting on you for this to work.” Sinbad nodded. Papak then looked back to Alibaba. “I’ll be needing Kassim for a longer period.”

“That’s fine.” Alibaba nodded. Kassim would be the best instrument in this.

“I’ll have Jafar help as well. He’s good with underhanded warfare.” Sinbad said. Jafar twitched at the description but nodded with a bow.

“I’ll be happy to help.” A glance to Kassim showed him none too happy at the idea either. Alibaba sent him an apologetic smile. While Kassim wouldn’t like it, having Jafar would help a lot. So the other boy would have to suck it up.

“I need to train more as well.” Morgiana commented with a frown. Sinbad perked up.

“Masrur could help with that.” Masrur nodded silently. Morgiana looked up at him curiously, and from the back, there was a grunting sound.

“Hey!” Lo’lo growled. “I’m her sparring teacher. If you want in you have to beat me first brat!” He cracked his knuckles with a menacing aura. The insult was odd, given that Masrur looked to be the same age as Lo’lo.

For his part, Masrur didn’t look troubled. Though, he did eye Lo’lo with a small smile that sent shivers down Alibaba’s spine.

“Well!” Tirdad clapped. “It looks like we have a clear path of action. I can’t wait for the fireworks to happen.” He let out a cackle and jumped out of the window . Papak sighed.

“One of these days he’s going to break his neck.” He muttered in an almost wistful manner. Alibaba chuckled. Sinbad barked out a laugh of his own at the exit.

“I like him! I wonder if I can convince him to visit Sindria?” The look on Jafar and Masrur’s face spelled the doom of such an event. Alibaba sympathized. Still, he couldn’t rid his mind of the adrenaline rushing through him.

This was it. This next step would bring them closer to shutting down the Barasi. They couldn’t afford to mess up. Not for the larger plot at hand, nor for those involved. Alibaba refused to let this be a repeat of the desert raid.

They were going to win.

“Do you know what Sinbad will say tonight?” Morgiana asked. Alibaba let out a reluctant frown. They were on the way to pick up Sinbad for the new meeting. Kassim and Papak’s efforts in the slums have been successful. More so than what Sinbad and Papak expected. Alibaba knew better.

Kassim had done this song and dance before with less on his side. They started by taking control of the docks. Something that became easier with Gina’s help. Somehow Tirdad was able to convince her to help. Not without complaint, but enough to get the western docks under their control. Then they expanded Papak’s territory forcing the Barasi gangs to retreat back. Block by block, gang by gang, they knocked off more and more pegs from the Barasi map. Now they were mostly huddled near Mirno’s territory or scattered in small groups across the city.

Now was the time to spring the trap. It’s been baited as a large gathering of the Underground Alliance. All three heads would be present, including a good portion of the combined people under their command.

“Not really.” He admitted. Sinbad said he had a speech ready to further sell the point across. Alibaba was hesitant but agreed nonetheless.

“He wants to show off.” Morgiana said with a petulant look. Alibaba blinked in surprise at the irritated tone she used.

“Do you not like Sinbad?” He asked curiously. Morgiana purposely kept her eyes away from Alibaba as they walked.

“I didn’t say that.” She mumbled with a blush. That was different. Morgiana was fine with Sinbad in the old timeline. Not that she interacted with him a lot. Alibaba had only known her to stick close to Masur. Granted that was after the short time she traveled with Sinbad and Aladdin.

Now, she spent most of her time with either Masrur or Lo’lo. The two men would trade off on her training. Lo’lo didn’t like sharing the teacher title, but he admitted that having Masrur help while he left to fight the pirates was good.

Though the initial spar between the two adult fanalis was terrifying. Morgiana had stars in her eyes while Alibaba had fear in his.

Still, she never showed this kind of attitude to Sinbad before.

“You’ve spent too much time with Kassim.” Alibaba concluded. Kassim was, by far, not Sinbad’s fan. Sinbad nearly represented everything that Kassim hated. A smug and rich royal that had a personality that bordered on arrogance and was prone to childish antics. Then there was the shrewd nature that Sinbad was able to get his way with everything.

Kassim was happy to not be in a position to deal with Sinbad. Or Jafar. Especially Jafar. Alibaba couldn’t count the number of rants, and complaints he heard from Kassim about Jafar.

“Whatever the case, we’ll find out soon.” Morgiana didn’t comment, but he did see her pout turn into a determined line. Alibaba hoped for Sinbad’s sake that he doesn’t do anything to anger the girl. She looked ready to pounce.

She’s spent too much time with Lo’lo too. Alibaba thought decidedly.

Sinbad was waiting in the courtyards near the gates. The guards in the area looked positively nervous and stressed. Stories of Sinbad and his feats reached numerous ears, and they likely were shocked to be in the presence of such an individual.

Alibaba sent the guards reassuring smiles as they joined the group. One guard looked positively happy at the arrival. Sinbad had sidled up to him and was pestering the poor man with questions.

“So where can I find the best entertainment? I’m sure that something new has popped up since my last visit here!” The guard was visibly leaning back from the casual grasp Sinbad locked him in, arm around the shoulder as if they were old buddies.

“The Serpent’s Shallow is a well known tavern that holds shows of talented dancers and singers once a week.” Alibaba reported to the King. “Please stop pestering the guards Lord Sinbad” Sinbad laughed and pulled away from the now relieved guard.

“We’ll have to visit there sometime then!” Sinbad cheered. “Now, are you ready for another round of training?” Ah yes, the excuse they were using for them to be out this late. They made sure to leave through these gates to go to training to make it somewhat obvious. This way, there wouldn’t be too many questions. Jafar and Masur had left earlier in the day and would meet up at the Old Grounds.

“Morgiana wanted to come this time.” The guards visibly winced. Morgiana looked the same, but the guards seemed to act as if she was giving one of Lo’lo’s grins. Sinbad didn’t seem to notice and nodded along.

“Of course, the more the merrier!” Sinbad started the trek out the gates. Alibaba and Morgiana followed suit.

“Good luck my Prince.” And, “May the stars have mercy on you.” were said quietly by the guards as they passed. Alibaba sighed but didn’t say anything. In truth, if he were to be sparring against Morgiana, he would need all the help and prayers he could get.

Thinking on Morgiana’s strength, Alibaba noticed a difference in her dress.

“Do they fit well?” Alibaba asked while pointing at the cuffs on her wrists. They held the same design as before, with a ruby set in and chains wrapped up just above the tops of the cuffs. Morgiana held up an arm with a smile.

“Yes.” Alibaba smiled back. That was good. He was happy to help her with that. If being a Household member was something she wanted, then Alibaba would provide that without issue. Sinbad looked back and let out an impressed whistle.

“Those look lovely on you Miss Morgiana.” He complimented with a smile. Morgiana ducked her head shyly. “You know, those would be perfect for a Household vessel.” Wait, no -  Alibaba felt his stomach twist.

“With your bond to Alibaba, you could easily garner the Djinn’s favor and get a small part of its power.” Sinbad continued, heedless of Alibaba’s mental panic. Morgiana, also unnoticing of Alibaba, nodded.

“Alibaba mentioned that to me. He said it would make me stronger, so I decided to join his Household.” She explained quietly. Sinbad hummed under his breath and sent an interested smile to Alibaba.

“Ah, I read about it in a book about Dungeons and Equips.” Alibaba said with a nervous laugh. Sinbad stared for a moment longer, but then shrugged and left it be.

“You’ll have to show me that book sometime!” Right. Alibaba wanted to melt into a puddle.

Thankfully, they came upon the Old Grounds by then. Kassim and Lo’lo were waiting with Jafar and Masrur. The pair of duos were standing apart from each other, with the Fanalis standing in the center. Kassim and Jafar seemed to be purposefully looking in opposite directions.

“It’s about time.” Kassim muttered as they got closer. Jafar scoffed as he took his place by Sinbad.

“Patience, as they say, is a virtue. As the Prince’s right hand, I’d think you take that to heart.” He said with a cheery smile that sent shivers down Alibaba’s spine. Sinbad sent Jafar a confused look.

“But you hate waiting on me all the time-” Sinbad cut himself off with a yelp of pain. Jafar didn’t look to have moved, but his smile was more pointed at Sinbad now.

“I believe we must go now, my King.” He said politely. Lo’lo let out a large yawn as he and Masrur joined their respective groups. Alibaba shook his head and decided to not question it. Instead, he looked to Kassim.

“Is everything in place?” Kassim glared at Jafar a second longer before letting out a snort and turning to Alibaba.

“Yeah. It’s at Tirdad’s docks.” Kassim then began to stride forward. Alibaba sighed and exchanged an amused look with Morg and Lo’lo before following suit. They made quick talk going over the plan on the way there.

Papak and Tirdad would begin with opening words before giving the floor to Sinbad. Sinbad would then give out his speech. Tirdad would have his crew stationed at the exits to notify them of any movement towards the warehouse.

When they get the notice, everyone will hide. The warehouse has a hidden exit into the old cistern system under the city. It spanned all of Balbadd and provided a quick and easy escape. There were only a few exit points, Tirdad’s warehouse being one of them. When all of their people were safely hidden Alibaba, Sinbad, and their allies would hide elsewhere in the warehouse.

When the enemy entered, they would wait for Jafar’s signal. At the signal, they would attack.

It was a simple plan, but it was one that just might work.

There were more people than Alibaba expected at the warehouse. Boxes and crates were cleared out to make room for people. At the back, there was a stack of crates that made a makeshift platform. Tirdad and Papak were there, waiting.

Getting through the crowd wasn’t too difficult. Men and women cleared a path as they came through with minimal effort. There were times when a sailor would call out to Lo’lo, the most prolific in their group with the ship raids. The odd captain or two would also give short nods to Alibaba in greeting. Most of them were those that were friends of Tirdad’s. There had been a few times when they were still planning the raid on Summer’s Eve that Tirdad had taken Alibaba to meet with them.

Those that were a part of Papak’s brood had instantly recognized Kassim. They gave him brotherly claps on the shoulders in passing or helped cleared a path. Alibaba didn’t see many of the girls from Papak’s houses, not that it was strange. He assumed that they were at hard work making things look as normal as possible in the city. Or perhaps more likely, they were entertaining as many as the guard as possible to give them more leeway.

Sinbad and his generals got their own fair reception as well. They were looked upon with questionable looks by those who didn’t recognize their status. Those who did watched with either wary or baffled eyes. Sinbad smiled cheerily at the crowd, but for the most part, kept a serious persona.

“Alibaba.” Papak watched as they climbed up onto the temporary platform. “I hope this works.” His eyes strayed to Sinbad at this, mouth forming a straight line. Beside him, Tirdad let out a cackle and threw an arm around Papak’s shoulder.

“Aw don’t worry so much!” He chastised. “If anything, this will be sure to garner an interesting night.” Papak threw him off with ease, but Tirdad didn’t look bothered. If anything, his body became more relaxed. The man leaned back on his heels, hands clasped behind him and a toothy grin adorned his face.

“I’ll be sure to carry us into this next victory.” Sinbad promised. Papak didn’t look convinced but nodded.

“We best hurry this along,” He said with a quick look to the exits. Tirdad’s people were positioned as planned. As much as this was a trap for the Barasi, they risked getting the attention of the guards as well. The last thing they needed was that. The guards would ward off the Barasi, completely wasting this opportunity. Not to mention what they would do to gathering.

“Quiet!” Tirdad ordered sharply to the crowd. The people all came to attention, the murmurs and conversations coming to an end. “We’ve been fighting against this scourge for the last three months.” He looked over the crowd with a calm but fierce aura.

“It’s been a long and hard fought war. Many of you might think it a pointless one. That the Barasi are fated to run us all through.” Tirdad looked out at the crowd, and let out a toothy grin. “Well, I say that until the Gods themselves announce our defeat, WE STILL HAVE A FIGHTING CHANCE!” He roared. The crowd cheered back with equal enthusiasm.

Papak took this chance to step forward. “Friends from the mainland and seas alike, the Barasi think we are weak. I say, given the sudden lack of their ships in the water, that is simply untrue.” He grinned darkly. “And by the day they run and hide as we take back the slums. As we take back our homes and lives from these rats!” More cheers were shouted. Tirdad and Papak both glanced to Alibaba with an expectant look.

Oh. Oh no. Alibaba shook his head sharply. This was not part of the plan. He wasn’t supposed to give out a speech. What would he even say ?

“Don’t be shy now.” Alibaba heard Sinbad’s cheery whisper in his ear before getting shoved to the front of the stage. He froze, looking out at the gathered crowd. The men and women were dying down in their cheers at the pause.

“Uh -” Alibaba swallowed a sudden lump in his throat. Tirdad was smiling at him, and Papak just looked patient. As if they thought he had something planned for this. He glanced back where his friends were still waiting. Sinbad was giving him a thumbs up, with Jafar giving him an apologetic grin beside him.

Lo’lo and Masrur were missing, likely keeping watch. Kassim stood at attention with Zainab and Hassan at his flank. He rolled his eyes at Alibaba’s panic. Morgiana, just off to the side, watched with an intense gaze. She held her arms behind her back, hands clasping her newly forged household vessel.

Suddenly, Alibaba knew what to start with.

He turned back to the crowd and straightened his back. “Friends,” He began. “Brothers and sisters. The Barasi have made many aggressions against us. Some that one might call expected. Expanding and taking turfs is just a part of the slum life.” Alibaba knew all too well. While he was taken out of the slums at an early age, that didn’t mean he didn’t see his fair share.

“But they do not care for their people. They kill and abuse those that do their dirty work.” Those children that tried to get Kassim’s help at the start. “They hire outsiders, pirates , to work for them.” This caused several of the sailors to rumble with anger. Even those who lived on the mainland knew of that kind of blasphemy. Pirates were worse than bandits and were given the worst punishments for their crimes.

“They have bandits attack caravans of innocent people coming to trade here.” Even without that woman on their side, the bandits were still a thorn in the side. Merchants trying to get into Balbadd by the desert were going down by the week. It was only a matter of time before they stopped altogether.

“And what is worse,” Alibaba paused. “Their greatest sin is that they taken in former slaves and instead of freeing them, they induct them into their own personal army.” That Fanalis man was damn near proof of that. Even if the Barasi had the same goals as the Fog Troupe, the same ideals and history, this is what made them different. The Fog Troupe, for all their best intentions and their faults, would never have resorted to such a practice. Kassim would have let the slums burn before he took former slaves and forced them to work for him.

“They recruit people into their fold with promises of power, safety, and a common goal against the nobles. They claim to have the higher moral grounds while stooping to the same practices as the traitorous nobles they claim to despise!” Alibaba felt his chest burning with a sudden passion. A fury.

In the crowd, the people listened intently. Heads were nodding and faces of righteous determination met Alibaba. They understood. They knew the point that Alibaba was trying to get across before he even said it.

“I know, without a doubt, that not a single one of you would stand with them. That you would condone such heinous acts. Because you are true children of Balbadd. Whether you are from the slums, the islands, or even from the palace walls - no true son or daughter of Balbadd would stand for this. If we are to burn out the corruption that has infected this city, we have to start with the Barasi.” Alibaba clenched his fists, thinking of the manifests of ships he poured over with Tirdad and Papak months ago. Before they boarded the Summer’s Eve and freed Lo’lo and the other slaves.

He thought of Tirdad’s tired look when he explained that those ships were common. That nobles in Balbadd have been in this trade for years without anyone knowing. The echo of his father’s outrage at the news rang in his ears. And the image of those freed from the Summer’s Eve, of the hope and confusion in their eyes, burned in Alibaba’s mind.

“The Barasi are wrong .” Alibaba finished with a deep breath. “No matter their words or their power, they are wrong. What the nobles involved have done is not something to defend. They are worse than the scum in the water, but if you do as the Barasi do - treating your people like pawns to sacrifice and the victims of slavery as new soldiers then you are no better than the nobles you condemn.”

Alibaba swept out his hands, gesturing to those on stage, and to the crowd, “This is more than just some crown funded gang war. This is a fight for Balbadd. We are fighting the Barasi in defense of our people, our home, and our very morals.” And when the Barasi are done the nobles are next. Alibaba thought silently. This was going to end on all fronts. If it was the last thing he did.

The crowd was silent - but not in a bad way. They were standing tall, heads high with equally determined looks in their eyes. As if they heard Alibaba’s silent promise. Swallowing the lump that was forming in his throat, Alibaba stepped to the side.

“King Rashid knows the danger of the Barasi. In an effort to help our cause, he called for the help of King Sinbad of Sindria.” Alibaba looked to Sinbad and nodded. The older man smiled and walked forward to the center of the stage.

Despite facing a silent judging crowd, Sinbad looked to be thriving in the spotlight. He grinned down at the people without hesitancy.

“I couldn’t speak any more clearly than Prince Alibaba.” Sinbad admitted. “He’s right. The Barasi are a poison that needs to be weeded out. They deal in cruelness and fear - completely separate from the ideals that formed this great country.” The crowd listened as Sinbad spoke. Like always, Sinbad had that charismatic effect against crowds. It was easy to follow in his lead and agree with what he proposed.

Not that it was a bad thing. It was certainly helping now.

“The Barasi are taking your homes, and are trying to strike a division among the people to brew a civil war.” Sinbad said with a shake of his head. “Mind games. They’re treating the people of Balbadd like game pieces and the city as their own playing board. Their only purpose is to sow discord and despair into the people. They want you to lose and feel like there is no hope in winning.” Sinbad then leaned into the crowd with a mischievous smirk. It gave off the image as if he were imparting a secret.

“But they are the ones who should be hopeless. They can’t take hope from you. I won’t let them. My generals and I will beat the Barasi down and make them regret ever thinking that they could attack your great people.” It was moving. Alibaba could have seen where that would have worked.

Normal civilians and those who were part of a rag tag resistance group would have lept for joy at the promise. Alibaba knew because he had seen it happen before. When the Kou was trying to marry into the crown and Sinbad promised to help fix the social gap between the classes.

Now, on the other hand, it didn’t fall with the same impact. The crowd was still nodding in agreement, but they weren't shouting and cheering as one would expect from being faced with such a promise. These people are fighting a losing war, like before, but they aren't desolate.

Unlike the slums from the other timeline, these people were actively fighting the threat. They were robbing small time nobles and hoping for the best. They went out and looked for a fight with the Barasi, and they did so with an intention of winning.

They didn’t need a promise for someone else to win the fight for them. Not when they had put so much effort in already. Sinbad still smiled brightly and didn’t seem bothered by the muted response. Honestly, it was probably better this way. The more noise they made, the more likely they’d get the attention of the guards.

Sinbad probably thought of that.

“Alibaba.” Kassim leaned into Alibaba’s side and pointed to one of the lookouts. They were giving the hand signal for company. Alibaba straightened and reached a hand to Amon. This was it.

The Barasi were here.