Incarnation of Solomon

A childish mentality will get him nowhere. Answering to this… boy’s provocations would prove to be counterproductive, so he shook his head and sighed.

His silence continued until they reached a beautiful field adorned with flowers and other green life.

“…This place is… breath-taking.” Eyes widening, the magi let out a chuckle as he ran towards the middle of the flowers and spun happily, before he flopped down, face-first on the blossoms.

”I think I’m going to camp out here!”

He really wouldn’t be doing anything else. Everything else could wait after he’s well-rested. He then propped himself with his elbows, whilst he used his palms as some sort of platform for his chin.

”This world, with all its beauty, is meant to be lived in, not die for.”

It was… nice, being able to hear a close friends voice. She hadn’t been especially lonely — Masrur providing the company she needed during training. Yet she disliked loneliness, and only seeing Aladdin and Alibaba during dinner and when they went to bed at night just didn’t seem to be enough. They didn’t speak, they just ate or slept, each one disappearing when morning broke through the window without a word.

"I’ve been… Alright. Martial arts training is improving my physical skills, so I should be strong enough to help you and Alibaba now…!"

She replied, a spark of elation in her words. That’s what she wanted — To be the strength they needed. To be their ‘wings’. To be useful and helpful towards the two who had set her free.

”Mor-san is already very strong.”

True enough, her lineage dictated that her physical stats should be higher than most humans, because she had little aptitude for the use of magic due to her lack of magoi. “Even without all the training, you’re already a great help.”

He would never, however, dissuade her from training. He understood her need and want to become stronger, for he and surely his king felt like they needed to improve too – to get stronger so they can protect those who were important to them. As a magi, he was practically required to be strong, as a king candidate, Alibaba could not be weak, and as a household vessel, Morgiana needed to be able to support them, that much was certain.

The enemies will only get stronger from this point onward, after all.

”I’ve been fine. Yamu-san’s a great teacher!” His eyes lit up at the mention of his mentor. Yamuraiha was a genius and was also very beautiful. “She’s really kind and patient with me. I’ve learnt a lot from her. Though…”

A sudden thought, a trivial but a nagging one.

She looked up, completely lost in the memories of her past. “I still miss him terribly, even after all this time…”

Aladdin’s question pulled her out of her train of thought. She looked back at the boy as if surprised by his presence. “Ah, do not worry about me, child,” she said, forcing a smile. “It is just that these days I do not have much of an appetite.” 

She let out another sigh. She had hoped this would be enough to calm him, but it seemed that Aladdin was able to tell that there was something more that was bothering her. He is a Magi, after all. Of course he can sense such things. 

”Someone that radiant – I would find you odd if you did not miss him.” If he were in Scheherazade’s place, he would’ve missed his king candidate dearly as well. Why, just a few months separation from Alibaba was difficult to deal with – what more if he had to go by without him for centuries?

The shift came quick, and he was adept enough to adapt. He gave her a stern look at her leeway reply, but his gaze soon eased when she decided that hiding the truth from him was futile and that telling him the truth was for the best. The truth that was let out of her lips did not surprise him as much as the high priestess probably thought it would.

Instead of a frenzied response to the revelation, Aladdin was eerily calm to the extent that even he was a bit disoriented by his lack of outburst. But then, death was a natural phenomenon, and though they were magi, they too had to die eventually – Scheherazade has escaped the inevitable for far too long. There was an urge inside of him to help the other to stay alive, but he thwarted this urge, in case it overpowered the more rational side of his thinking.

”I don’t really think that it’s a burden – being told something like this,” sincerity oozed from his words as he smiled softly at no one in particular. ”Death… is something that comes when it must – it is an inevitability. All rukh must return to the great flow immediately for the sake of this world’s stability. A new magi shall be born from the old’s spirit, and so repeats the cycle.”

A deep breath.

Not that she actually cared.She was more intrigued to see the little boy coming to her palace. Something she definitely did not expect from someone like him. However, now was the perfect opportunity to get to know this boy more.

The ammount of pureness of the Magi’s Rukh was making her lose her nerves little by little, and her smile almost cracked, though she managed to remain impeccable and graceful at the eyes of the Solomon’s proxy. How much did she wanted to claw all that Rukh away, tear appart, destroy it until there was none, nothing at all. Then, she could inject her own corrupted energy into the boy’s soul and it would be so wonderful and beautiful to see…another corrupted Magi, just like her precious Judal. Such idea was enough to send little shivers of excitement down her arms and legs.

Momentary seriousness and then some.

His lips formed into a fine line for a millisecond as he observed his rukh fight against the tainted rukh that were trying to pollute the pristine of his own life force. His disorientation lasted for about a whole ten seconds, before he managed to fortify his sphere of comfort against the offending invaders.

At that, his smile returned and he bowed. “I believe Uncle Kouen arranged for our meeting to be private.” He was not afraid, far from it actually. ”Hakuryuu onii-san not only had fun in Sindria, but he has learnt a lot. Also, he has managed to conquer Zagan. He’s grown stronger.”

He’s not vulnerable to your mind manipulation any longer.

Bad idea messing with your friend,Aladdin.Now you’re gonna pay.

"You little—-"He quickly grabs him in a headlock and gives him a noogie."Acting innocent all this time when you already knew this stuff?Prepare yourself for punishment!"A mischievous grin forms and adorns the former prince’s feature as he starts tickling him.

In between fits of laughter, the younger persevered to loosen the grip on him, but to no avail, until a sudden idea hit him. Trying not to make it too sturdy as to avoid hurting his friend, Aladdin established a borg around himself so he could be freed from the latter’s revengeful torture.

To much avail. No wonder, seeing as he used drastic measures.

Judal shrugged at Aladdin’s question. "Up to you, I guess… I was just talking about how much I didn’t like pipsqueaks though, so I wouldn’t be." The male’s hands slid into his pockets as he bounced back onto his heels- Aladdin was a weird kid, and the elder magi didn’t always quite understand his angle. As much as he thinned his eyes and cocked his head, it didn’t help clear his view.

Pleasant memories, they were – his memoirs of meeting the prince and all the fun memories they had while travelling together. ”And Magnostadt is a great country….” If not for the obvious discrimination between magicians and non-magic folk.

”Why don’t you like children?” A purely curious question meant to sate the smudge of inquisitiveness that popped up inside him, nothing more.

Faster…. Faster… Faster….

He had to ran as fast as he could. Or else he too will be eaten. The monsters were following him… He could tell for sure that they were following him. If he wouldn’t be fast enough those sharp big teeth would taste his flesh and there would be no escape…

               Ouch….

Though it wasn’t the first time he actually fell on the ground. Yet he feels he wouldn’t have had any time to catch his breath. He had to keep going. He just remembers what his brother had told to him… He could join him on his quest to conquer a Dungeon. He just had to stay close to his brother. That was all the male asked for and yet he seemed to have failed in it. Though his brother is experienced in this he isn’t. Probably… He would never make it out anyway. With his sword Nyoi Rentou he kept going. He had slain and definitely hurt some of the Dungeon Monsters when he got separated of his older brother. But would it be enough to find him again..? And escape from them alive?

                                                   A door..!! The exit…?!

A huge door came in his sight quickly. Yet he could hear the screams from the monsters behind him. He had been slowing down with running right? After all he got tired and his little legs can’t carry him that far… But maybe it would be save behind the door! If he could just keep it up a little longer! With all his strength he had left he managed to make it to the door… To pull it open and just barely on time even to close it..! Was… he save now…? The place where he appeared to be now was so quiet… Carefully he turned around and all he saw where just buildings. Looking like they haven’t been used it hundreds of years. Could he go back..? Yet as he tried to grab the doorknob it seemed to have disappeared into the nothingness. Is this even still the Dungeon…? Though soon enough he just fell on his knees. Hands covering his delicate face out of fear…

But he didn’t let that dissuade him, he had convinced himself that he wanted adventure, and adventure he would get. He didn’t exactly mean to get into this pickle of a situation. He didn’t expect to wander too far from the Palace, nor did he expect himself to let loose his rather irresponsible rationality and forget to leave some sort of markings, so he could return home in one piece.

In short, he was lost.

Lost and alone.

Fear ran rampant, but his sense of adventure was more dominant than the smudge of gutlessness in his veins. He has spent far too long cramped inside closed space. A little sight-seeing wouldn’t be too bad, and he was certain that Ugo will find him and retrieve him when he woke up from his slumber. Everything would be fine.

Left, right, right, left.

Step, step, step.

See, analyze, understand – discover, analyze, understand.

A cycle and then another, a rhythm of sorts was established, but was soon abolished by frantic footsteps and the faint sound of sobbing somewhere near him.

Curiosity always being his most dominant trait, he immediately searched around for the source of the foreign sound, which was, he discovered after a minute of searching, was a boy with pink hair who was huddled in a dark corner.

Disbelief, amazement, disbelief, awe ----- insatiable curiosity.

Unabashedly, but warily did he approach the being not too far from where he stood. When he was near enough, he stretched his reach and allowed the tip of his pointer finger to poke at the latter’s back.

It was pretty annoying, actually.

He always talked like he knew everything, like he knew better, and then gave his shitty, beaming smile like he just wanted everyone to hold hands and agree (agree with him, of course.) Aladdin seemed to cling onto his ideals with a resolve as strong as the elder magi did, and maybe that was what made him so frustrating.

Now, though, now? The kid wasn’t smiling, nor were his rukh behaving the way Judal was used to seeing. They were calm and still- deathly so, Judal might have described them as at risk of making an awful joke.

He was alone too, muttering something about his own death, taking… something or other, even with the crisp air and silence he couldn’t quite make it out from the shallow cave he’d hidden his presence within. The oracles ears strained to hear anything further, but all that could be made out was the sound of water lapping up at the sand, then scuttling back into the ocean.

Ten seconds passed, then ten seconds more. Judal’s patience finally ran short.

"Oi oi, awful depressing statement there. Sounds like baby magi is a baby martyr!" While Aladdin’s soft voice had melted into the calm scenery, Judal’s cut through it like a hot knife through cold butter. His rukh screeched as they fluttered from the cave, then dropped down from the edge of the cave to the beach front, following the male’s body.

"Can’t say I’ve seen you like this before." Somehow, even Judal looked more serious than usual. Situations between countries had been tense and that easily could have been the cause, though somehow, that didn’t seem to be quite it.

The cloud of black faltered when their owner did, ceasing further movement a small distance away from Aladdin. "Not that I’d be against obliging your request, but I’m too curious to do it without knowing- what’s got you so down?"

”So you heard, huh?”

How to appease this situation was still a wonder to him, and frankly speaking formulating a viable explanation for himself was an idea too far-fetched for a tired mind that has yet to get a wink of sleep. Besides, he saw little to no reason as to why he should explain himself to the eavesdropping personnel. He knew it would be foolish to ignore the obvious demand in the dark mage’s inquisitiveness, so he might have to reconsider his initial decision to simply remain silent.

He will not respond to his taunting, but he was heavily aware he has to respond somehow.

“I don’t think my course of action involves martyrdom.”

He truly didn’t, if anything it might be outright defiance against Solomon’s ideologies. “I’ll just be doing what I’m meant to do, after all.” His sentence hinted finality, though he doubted Judal will take his subtle warning to not pursue the topic anymore if he found interest in it.

Think.

His mind was at an impasse. Peace surrounded them as nature took joy in being beautiful and calming – the gentle crashing of waves against shore, despite the lull of the sea. “Well, it’s just one course of action to take – there are still other paths to thread.” There were none, none that was solid and full-proof like this one, though. “Also, it’s natural you haven’t seen my face display any other emotion than glee, anger or seriousness. We don’t exactly spend a lot of time together.”

Taking a deep breath in, he slapped both his cheeks moderately as to wake him up – a useless gesture, but a gesture nonetheless. “What are you saying? I’m not down.” He wasn’t, really. “I’m being pensive,” he grinned almost mischievously.

And off to the expected, he went.

”So, what are you doing here?”

Changing the course of discussion might be for the best, his brain wasn’t so organized as to have the capability to provide Judal’s impending questions with sensible answers that won’t give away too much, and would sate the other’s curiosity. All he could really do was offer vague answers…

But… perhaps…

He yawned again, wide and unseemly, as evidence to waking up to attendants who busied themselves to set his things in order for him. As evidence to the disorientation he felt.

              What to do… What to do…

That’s when a sight of a certain boy caught his eye. At first, he was sure he had seen a delusion, but a second check confirmed it.

"Aladdin!" He called, raising a hand. "Damn. I wasn’t told you were here. I woulda come greet you if I had known. Sorry, sorry." A carefree apology passed over, ignorant of his friend’s actual purpose there.

                        “Well, whatcha up to? You lost or somethin’?”

”Kouha-kun, it’s been a while!” A grin and a wave back, then momentary pensive gaze towards his friend’s subordinates. “Besides, I don’t want to disturb you from your work or anything…”

Kouha was a different case, those serving beneath him were another. Even if the third prince welcomed him, his hospitality did not extend to those below him, no matter how loyal they were to Kouha, since they were also loyal to the Empire (which was, unfortunately, under the influence of the Organization.)

It would not be long until they get hold of the news of his ‘visit.’

Straining to maintain his smile, albeit the situation, the young magician deemed it best to answer Kouha’s question as a futile attempt to appease his servants and simply to give his friend a viable rejoinder to his query.

“Actually, I am kind of lost… I wandered here… accidentally. I think I rode the wrong caravan somewhere along the way.”

"If that is the case, I could assist you to the next town. The woods are filled with monsters, so it is dangerous for people not from the areas to go through the forest. The yoma in this area are abnormal. They work in groups and, of course, their mimicry of humans is perfect. We’ve lost a lot of merchants lately. That’s the price of living near monsters though."

She really was tired of the everyday yoma coming and taking all the merchants, but she had made is clear that they don’t attack the town. Enough dead yoma quickly turned them away. This wasn’t enough to sour Riful’s good mood. She placed her hands behind her head as they walked.

"Hopefully who ever has been pursuing you has stopped. Not many people come here. It’s peaceful compared to most of the little villages, but the journey here is dangerous. If the yoma don’t scare them away, then they would have to rather brave. I known of only one group of people who would risk such a thing. It would be a rather hopeless situation if they were the ones following you."

”If it’s not too much trouble, then by all means, I would like it if you could take me to the next town.”

It was trouble enough, he thought. But since she was kind enough to offer, he would be polite enough to accept her kindness, especially since said kindness worked to his favor. He hasn’t the time to consider further consequences for Al-Thamen was probably right on his heels. The longer he stayed in this town, the higher the probability that it and its villagers would get involved, and a greater casualty was what he wanted to avoid at all costs.

”But don’t worry, I won’t be a burden. Despite how I look, I’m a magician!” He grinned at her as he thumped his chest proudly, not to gloat – only to reassure her that she won’t have to do the fighting alone when the time of danger came knocking at their doors. “Also, even if they try to mimic humans, I can probably tell whether they’re doing so.”

He trusted the rukh to inform him whether their company was human or not.

He walked alongside her. Truth be told, normally he would be upset over the news that people were getting killed by monsters, but it was an everyday occurrence.

“So, monsters in this area are called yoma… What do they look like?” He was curious. It was the first time he heard someone give name to monsters.

"Well…for starters, there’s your clothes." Bri looked him over once, biting her lip. "Then there’s this location…I’m from the city. I don’t live anywhere near a desert for miles…in fact, I’m pretty close to the beach." A nervous smile tugged at her lips, and she started to nervously chuckle as she spoke. Her hand reached up to scratch her cheek, before she started twirling a lock of her hair on her fingertips. " I’m really tempted to believe you but…onto your next question, I don’t know what I’m doing out here?”

”I… I don’t mean to offend, Miss Bri, but I can see where you’re coming from.” Alright, back to being serious. “So, technically you’re saying that you live someplace that has a different environment and, judging from how you took my clothes as a factor for confusion, a different culture entirely.”

He crossed his arms as he thought about the prospect of discovery in her words.

“A city, you say? Perhaps if we wander around, we can find the city that you live in. Also, getting you home is probably for the best. I bet your family will be worried when they notice that you’re missing, especially if what you say is true, that you have no recollection whatsoever of coming here.”

A smile intact on his youthful features, the magi shook his head.