Disclaimer: I don’t own Aladdin. The item Griffinbread is mine. This story takes place after “A Vocal Hero” and “Eye of the Beholder”, but before “The Hunted.”
Chapter One- The Perfect Revenge
Mozenrath was in a bad mood, a very bad mood. He spent the morning prowling around his kingdom, blasting any Mamluks in his way. He restored them once he had passed, but destroying and restoring his undead army did not make him feel any better for the cause of his bad mood still lived: Aladdin
He clenched his fists as he stormed into the Citadel. All my magic and magical beasts I could control and every time Aladdin thwarts my plans to rule the Seven Deserts. There has to be a way to get rid of him. Mozenrath went to his library, idly running his fingers along the books’ spines. A repository of magical spells and knowledge that could bring countless cities to their knees and yet it seem Agrabah was immune to his powers.
He grabbed a book at random and stalked off to his laboratory; as he did so, his sidekick, Xerxes, flew to his side. The sight of the eel calmed him somewhat and brought his attention to another matter. “How is my eternal servant?” he asked.
“Amin cleaning dungeon as ordered,” the eel hissed.
Amin Diamoola was a thief he had hired to kidnap the Sultan and bring him to Mozenrath; to accomplish that, he had given Amin a bag of tricks to use. One was a golden powder to turn the Sultan into a small gold statue. That one worked perfectly but his escape had been hampered by Aladdin’s friends in addition to the hero himself. Amin really blew it when he used the Stone of Transformation to become a griffin. The toenail of a griffin was needed to return the Sultan to normal and thus he had bought every griffin he could and then destroyed them to keep the Sultan a statue. It ended badly for Amin as, to repay Mozenrath for the tricks and then failing, he was to serve Mozenrath forever. The whole fiasco was more of a win-win for him as, on one had would have the Sultan as his prisoner to ransom for Agrabah’s surrender, and on the other hand, he would have an eternal servant to make up for not ruling Agrabah.
“Excellent. When he is done, he will wait for me in my Throne Room. I may take my frustration out on him.” Mozenrath smirked as he entered his lab and set the book on the bookstand. He imagined turning Amin into a mouse for amusement or to spy, he hadn’t quite decided. He turned the pages, brooding on defeating Aladdin. A shame he’s an enemy instead of an ally. No one would be able to stop us if we combined our skills.
The word ‘griffin’ jumped out at him from the book and he focused on it. The page was titled Griffinbread and below it was a recipe for the bread as well as a description of what it did. Hmm…a bread that will gradually turn any human who eats it into a griffin, gradual being a few days. Furthermore, if it’s given by the baker, the one who consumes it will obey him and that includes those who share in the bread. Best of all, once consumed and changed, no magic or item can undo it.
An evil smile curled his lips. This was how he would get his revenge on Aladdin. He would bake this Griffinbread and then he would sell it to Aladdin while in disguise. He knew the bread would be irresistible to all but the baker and that Aladdin would no doubt eat it as well as share it. Those who partook of the offered bread would become obedient griffins as well.
He looked at the ingredients and found that, naturally, it required griffin parts like feathers and claws. He had had the foresight to collect griffin parts before he destroyed his bought creatures. He ran a finger down the list and along the instructions. They indicated that the bread would only be big enough to change at most two people per loaf. His smile grew. If I phrase it right when I sell it to Aladdin, he will share it with Jasmine. Then, I’ll have two griffins under my control. He marked the page before closing it, gathering the magical ingredients, and carried them to his kitchen where he began to mix them with the usual ingredients needed for bread. He was soon in front of the fireplace, watching the bread rise while he imagined himself with Aladdin as a griffin and bowing to him in loyalty.
Aladdin casually walked through the marketplace with Abu on his shoulder as usual. It was a beautiful afternoon and he was sure it was going to be a lovely evening. He had planned a romantic dinner for Jasmine. He had decided to have it out in the courtyard and would have Genie conjure a table, two chairs, romantic candlelight, and one of Jasmine’s favorite dishes. He also made it clear that it was to be the two of them. He didn’t see their dinner being ruined by the guys’ presence as they weren’t on an island of treasure this time.
Still, I feel like I need to buy something special to add to dinner, he thought as he walked past a blank space between two unattended and empty stalls. Something… His thoughts trailed off as an unbelievably mouth-watering scent reached him. He turned around to see a stall which he could have sworn hadn’t been there earlier. An array of bread loaves of various sizes laid on the counter and, right in the middle, was a loaf that was enough for two people and that sweet smell was coming from it.
“Excuse me, sir?” he said to a tall man.
The vendor, wrapped in a hooded cloak and a scarf over his lower face, turned to Aladdin. His black eyes looked warmly at him. “Ah, young man,” he said in an equally warm voice. “Welcome to my House of Breads. Each one baked by my own hands.”
“It shows.” Aladdin admired the breads before gesturing to the middle one. “What kind of bread is that? I’ve never seen one like and it smells so good.”
“Ahi, it is a family specialty one and the ingredients are rare and hard to find.” His eyes twinkled and the edges crinkled, hinting that he was smiling under the scarf. “Tell me, do you have a young lady in your life? Ah, you do,” he said, the last statement spoke as Aladdin blushed slightly. “I would be willing to sell you my family bread as it is really meant for couples, married or not.”
“It is?”
“Yes. Both of you break it and eat it together as a way of confirming one’s commitment to each other.”
Aladdin could hardly believe his ears. He had been thinking of getting something special for dinner and such a thing had landed in his lap! “How much?”
“I would normally charge ten dinar, but I am open to a haggle.”
Aladdin rummaged through a small bag he had pulled out of his vest. “Ten is fair,” he said as he pulled out the coins and handed them over.
“Thank you and here is your bread. I hope you and your young lady enjoy it.” The vendor wrapped the loaf and handed it to Aladdin.
“I’m sure we will.” Aladdin smiled as he left, looking forward to sharing something special with Jasmine and proving that he truly did love her. The price he paid for it did seem cheap for so rare an item, but he wasn’t going to make a big deal out of it.
Mozenrath vanished the stall and the bread before removing his cloak and scarf, the latter revealing a grin of triumph. Success and it was easier than I thought. I was certain that I would have to do a sales pitch to get him to buy it. And if he didn’t buy, I would have given it away. Fortunately, the story I crafted and the phony romance behind the bread did the trick.
I have no doubt that he’ll share that bread with Jasmine as soon as he can. If he does it tonight, the first hints of their changes will show in the morning. I will use my magic to spy on them to see when they eat the bread and then when they begin to change.
Mozenrath teleported back home and entered it to find Xerxes flittering around. When he saw his master, he flew to his side. “Master succeed?” he asked.
Mozenrath stroked the eel’s head. “It was too easy. Once Aladdin and Jasmine eat it, I will be one step closer to having two obedient griffins.”
Chapter Two- Consumed
Aladdin put the wrapped bread under the table next to his chair with satisfaction. The bread would be the perfect way to end the date. He could hardly wait to taste it. Surely, it would taste as good as it smelled.
Wait, he thought. How can a bread still smell good long after it was baked? That makes no sense. Then again, it is a family-made recipe; maybe there’s an ingredient that continuously exudes a scent despite being mixed and heated. That could be it.
&&&&
Jasmine smiled as she primped in front of her vanity. Aladdin had promised a romantic date tonight, just the two of them. She sincerely hoped so as sometimes the date didn’t go as planned. She wasn’t about to forget the island date, thought the story of the girl and her prince was pretty romantic. Still, I would like a simple date with no monster, no enemies, and no guys.
The soft sound of music reached her ears. Curious, she got up and headed for the balcony. She stepped up to the rail and looked down into the courtyard. There, far from the fountain, was a table for two with lit candles and one of her favorite meals sitting on it. Aladdin, stood beside the table wearing his prince outfit and looking up at her while Genie played a violin nearby. When Genie saw that Jasmine had noticed, he vanished in a puff of blue smoke. Then Carpet soared up to her and folded part of himself into steps so she could climb up onto him. She did so and Carpet flew her down to Aladdin and he held out a hand to her. She took it and, once on solid ground, Carpet flew off and out of sight.
“Aladdin, this is lovely,” she commented as he helped her sit.
“I promised a romantic date for just the two of us and I wanted to make sure I did.”
“It’s off to a good start. I was hoping for a simple date with nothing to distract us from each other.”
Aladdin took his seat and the two spent a quiet, casual dinner, chatting about trivial matters and laughing over funny anecdotes. Aladdin felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end as he drank some water near the end of dinner. He twisted around in his seat to see if someone was around, but he saw no one.
“Aladdin?”
He turned back to Jasmine. “Sorry. I felt like someone was watching us.”
Jasmine stared past Aladdin, trying to see if she could spot someone watching them, but she saw nothing. She focused on Aladdin who had been looking past her too. “I don’t see anyone,” she said.
“Me either,” he replied. “I had felt the hair on my neck stand up, though.”
Jasmine was silent as she pondered this. “Are we sure we’re alone? Where are the others?”
“Well, Iago is visiting Thundra for a few days and the others are playing a board game.”
“In other words, they’re too busy to spy on us.”
“Exactly.” Aladdin cleared his throat. “Jasmine, I have a surprise for you. Something special to top off dinner and this date.”
“Oh?” she asked as Aladdin reached down and brought up a package.
“I met a merchant who was selling bread loaves and I bought one that is made only by his family.”
“Really?”
Aladdin nodded as he untied it. “He also said that if a couple breaks and eats it, it will re-affirm their love for one another.”
Jasmine was intrigued. A bread to strengthen their love? Was such a thing possible? The cloth covering the bread fell open and she promptly forgot her doubts as a sweet smell wafted from the loaf. “Hmm, smells so good,” she sighed.
“I thought as much when I first smelled it and I still think that.” He inhaled deeply and his body almost tingled from the sensation. He picked up the bread by one end and extended the other to Jasmine.
She took the end and gripped it tightly as both tugged and the loaf broke in half. She licked her lips in anticipation before bringing it to her lips and taking a bite. A sweet honey-like taste greeted her tongue and prompted her to continue eating. She lifted her eyes to see Aladdin also eagerly eating his half. Yes, we love each other and, by eating this bread together, we have just re-affirmed our commitment to each other.
Aladdin felt like he was in heaven. The bread was soft and very sweet to him. It exceeded all his expectations of how it would taste. He noticed that Jasmine was eating her half and had a dreamy look as she did so. Her expression made him glad he had bought this bread and shared it with her. The perfect end to a romantic night.
Mozenrath focused his attention on the couple, using the fountain’s water to spy on them. The initial start of the spell caught Aladdin’s attention, but it soon passed, and Aladdin clearly dismissed it from his mind.
He watched in boredom as the couple had a leisurely romantic dinner, the brief check that they were alone being the only interesting point to him until Aladdin had brought out the bread. Its scent clearly affected Jasmine when it was uncovered ad Aladdin was still in love with the smell.
He watched with interest as Aladdin explained the supposed romance story before holding one end and offering Jasmine the other. A smile appeared on his face as they broke the bread and then it grew as Aladdin and Jasmine both consumed their half. He ended the spell and laughed in triumph.
They’ve eaten it! The magic within the bread is now inside them. I will check in on one or both of them in the morning to insure that their change into griffins is proceeding. They will be my loyal pets as the consumption of the bread is the cause of the change.
Speaking of the change, each one is unique to the person while the end result is not. Hmm…I wonder what part Aladdin will have and which one Jasmine will have. I will check on both of them in the morning.
&&&&
“How did it go Al?” Genie asked Aladdin as the teen came home now in his street clothes.
“It was perfect,” Aladdin said with a sigh and a smile as he laid on his pillows. “Jasmine loved every moment, especially the bread at the end.”
“She liked it, huh?” Genie knew what Aladdin was talking about as he had told him and Carpet about his encounter with the merchant.
“I would say she loved it.” Aladdin sighed happily at the memory before he curled up and his eyes slid closed which prompted the others to go to sleep. No one, not even Aladdin heard the soft purr that came from the slumbering hero.
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“Oh, Rajah,” Jasmine said to her tiger as she removed her hair ties. “It was the best Aladdin and I have had in a long time. I think the bread was the best part.” She licked her lips as she recalled the taste of it. “I had no idea that bread could taste so sweet or even smell that sweet, which is a bit odd. It wasn’t warm and usually bread only has a scent when it’s freshly- baked. I think I’ll ask Aladdin about that tomorrow. He might have an answer.”
She rose from her vanity seat, stroked Rajah for a little before kissing his head and climbing into bed. Rajah curled up near the bed, closed his eyes, and was soon asleep, purring. Jasmine smiled down at him. His purring was soothing to her and it easily lulls her to sleep. Tonight was no different. She listened to the purr until she fell asleep, unaware that she was purring, too.
Chapter Three- The First Changes
Aladdin felt something tickling his arm the next morning. It felt like feathers and he cracked open an eye to see white feathers, the tips tickling his flesh. He sat up and the feathers moved away. He rolled his shoulders as something seemed to be sticking to his back and he felt a weight back there. He looked over a shoulder and his eyes widened.
He…had…wings! A pair of white wings protruded from his back and had ripped through the back of his vest. How did this happen? It has to be some kind of magic and, if that’s the case, there’s only one thing to do. I must go to the Tree of Renewal. Of course, I’ll need my friends’ help.
Genie slowly rose from his lamp with a tray of food but when he saw Aladdin, the tray fell with a clang that woke Abu and Carpet. “A-Al?” he gasped.
“Yeah, it’s me. I don’t know how this happened, but obviously we know how to undo it.”
“The Tree,” came Jasmine’s voice before she appeared in her robe and hood. She stared at the wings for a moment before Aladdin asked, “Do you want to come?”
“I should. Look.” She turned around and lifted the robe to reveal a lion’s tail sticking out of her pants. Aladdin gaped at it until Jasmine dropped the robe. “How? What did this?” he wondered.
“It could have been the bread,” Jasmine said. “We both ate it and now you have wings and I have a tail.”
Aladdin thought it over for a moment before saying, “Jasmine, we might be changing into griffins. We both ate the bread and griffins do have wings and a lion’s tail.”
“Either way, let’s get going before you two get worse,” Genie cut in. He put the couple and Abu on Carpet before he flew beside Carpet and out into the sky. Aladdin folded his wings against his back to prevent them from catching the air and pitching him off Carpet. He frowned at this little annoyance before thinking, The sooner we get to the tree, the better.
Mozenrath woke early the next morning and used his magic to spy on Jasmine via her mirror. He saw her asleep with a tail hanging over the side. He smirked as he shifted the spell t view Aladdin and his eyes glittered in satisfaction at the wings. It has begun. Within a day or two, they will fully become griffins and when I appear before them, they will follow my orders. I expect that they will resist as they will still be human in mind and able to talk. But the magic in the bread will compel them to obey eventually. Mozenrath continued to watch as Aladdin awoke and discovered his wings, he spoke of curing himself, and Jasmine showing up mentioning the Tree of Renewal and showing her tail. Once the gang had left, Mozenrath ended the spell and laughed.
The tree will not cure them. They will become griffins, there is no way to stop it. Hmm…I have the perfect way to test their loyalty. Griffins are capable of tearing a man in two. I can order one of them to kill Amin while having the other tear apart a training dummy. It will take a little time to get them to truly accept their situation, but it will be worth it.
&&&&
Aladdin climbed off Carpet as they prepared to cross the swamp as they had done the first time. He stretched his wings and got a shock when he saw that they had grown wider and bigger during the trip and his fingernails had formed into claws. He turned to Jasmine to see that her eyes were blue and eagle-like.
She saw him staring and asked, “What is it?”
“You have eagle eyes and they’re blue,” he said.
Jasmine averted her eyes and said nothing. This wasn’t the first time she had been transformed. She had been a rat, various forms due to Genie’s cold, and a snake woman. In her opinion, the snake had been the worst; she had had nightmares about it for weeks. I can admit, becoming a griffin is better than my other changes, but the question is the bread. Did the merchant knowingly sell Aladdin the bread, meaning for us to be griffins? Or was it a mistake, realizing it after we ate it? I would sure like some answers once we’re cured.
Aladdin, as they walked, wasn’t handling the situation as well as Jasmine. It made sense as when one considers that Aladdin didn’t undergo transformations that often. It was usually Iago, Abu, and Jasmine that were targeted. My defeat or destruction is what my enemies are after and change my friends to keep them out of their way.
Aladdin’s thoughts turned to the merchant and hindsight kicked in. He hadn’t given any thought to his lower face being covered or that he was robed. Was it possible that the merchant had been an enemy in disguise? If so, who? He dismissed some of his foes as they were short and not magically inclined. That left him with two possibilities: Mirage and Mozenrath.
Mirage is capable of changing her shape, but she usually disguises herself as a woman. Her schemes normally involve destroying me or something I hold dear, like my love for Jasmine. Magical bread would be something she would do, but why target both of us and why change us into another form when the tree can change us back?
What about Mozenrath, though? He wants to rule the Seven Deserts and uses magical creatures to do it or uses them to help him gain more magic. I remember Amin saying Mozenrath cornered the market on griffins before hiring him and that he had a thing for griffins. I think Mozenrath, after collecting claws and feathers from the griffins, destroyed them so we couldn’t return Sultan to normal. Also…he’s the same height as the merchant! Aladdin’s heart pounded at these realizations. It seemed quite likely that Mozenrath intentionally sold him that bread in order to turn him and Jasmine into griffins. But for what purpose? Possibly to use us to conquer the Seven Deserts. It also could be a revenge thing and Jasmine is just a bonus for him. Well, he clearly didn’t think we knew about the tree, so this is another failed plan. Jasmine and I will not help him rule over everything.
Aladdin unconsciously used his wings to sail over large patches of the swamp and, when he did realize it, he smiled a little. I can fly, he thought, thrill welling up inside him. My wings are big enough to support me and since I’ll be losing them before I know it, I should use them. It would be nice if Jasmine and I could fly together once she gets her wings.
Jasmine, her robe and hood discarded, kept her tail curled around a leg to keep it out of the way as they made their way across the swamp. She was relieved that there were no robbers this time as she had enough to deal with. She didn’t like having eagle eyes before getting anything else, besides the tail. Eagles have an intense look to their eyes and now so did she even if she wasn’t intending to look intimidating. A quick movement was caught out of the corner of her eye and she looked over at it.
Aladdin was soaring over the ground with a small happy smile. She felt jealousy go through her. She wanted to fly! It didn’t seem fair that she had to walk while he got to fly. She then blinked and vigorously shook her head. What am I thinking? I shouldn’t be jealous! We’re being changed into griffins and we’re on our way to undoing it. Let Aladdin enjoy his wings and who knows? I might get wings along the way. Her eyes darted around and she almost gasped. She was seeing things that were at a great distance or seeing tiny bugs flying over the water’s surface. The detail she was able to see on the bugs or any creature far away was incredible. I had learned that eagles have sharp eyesight that helps them find prey when they are flying. Well, as griffins are half-eagle, they also have that same eyesight and since I have eagle eyes, that sharp eyesight is mine too.
Chapter Four- Changes and Desire
Aladdin moaned softly as he gingerly flexed his wings. Jasmine perched herself on the same rock she had sat on when they first searched for the tree, her tail uncurled and lying beside her left leg. She arched an eyebrow. “Overdid it?” she asked.
“Yeah. But, it was amazing,” he answered.
“I could tell. Perhaps, I’ll get mine before we reach the tree.”
“Maybe. I see you’re looking up now.”
Jasmine smiled. “You wouldn’t believe what I can see with these eyes. It’s incredible.”
“That’s nice to hear. Listen, Jasmine. I think this was a lame plan of Mozenrath’s. When I think of the merchant, he was the same height, he wore a robe and hood, and had a scarf over the lower half of his face.”
“Mozenrath? Why would he want to change us?”
“Use us to rule the Seven Deserts, I would think or keep us as pets. But it won’t work as the tree will cure us.”
She nodded and looked over at the tunnel they had to take. “This part of the trip is the most dangerous part.”
Aladdin nodded, remembering it well. “Genie, the cover you put on the top is still there, right?”
“Say no more, Al. I’ll zap it away in an instant.”
“That just leaves the dog,” Aladdin said. “Well…” he trailed off as pain stabbed through him. He groaned and he heard Jasmine groan as well. Aladdin felt as if he was growing more muscles. The pain receded and he opened his eyes to find everything seemed a little smaller. He turned to see that Jasmine had indeed gotten taller and bigger and had sprouted a coat of golden fur. We’ve both gotten bigger; at least half as big as griffins.
Jasmine stared at her furry arms before looking at him and then behind and to his right. “You’ve got a tail now,” she said.
Aladdin looked back and saw a long lion’s tail, the end swishing along the ground. “Let’s hurry,” he said before leading the way into the tunnel. We do need to hurry. Jasmine and I don’t need to change any further, though we probably will.
Jasmine brought up the rear, using her eyesight to keep an outlook for the dog. It was the dog that made this part of the journey dangerous. She knew it was a guardian in a way, but it seemed to be vicious in its duty. So far, no sign of it and I don’t hear anything either.
Her thoughts turned to her previous conversation with Aladdin. Was this really a plot of Mozenrath’s? The transformation part was more Mirage’s style. Mozenrath usually acquired the real creature instead of changing someone into one. But just because he hasn’t before, doesn’t mean he wouldn’t do it. If his plan is to enslave us, how would he do it? Perhaps a magical collar. Aladdin told me of his first encounter with him and the magic-eating creature he was tasked with collaring in order to save Genie. Jasmine pondered this as they walked, content in doing so as Mozenrath clearly didn’t know about the tree.
&&&&
Mozenrath sat on his throne, watching the group as they proceeded down a tunnel. He was pleased at how Aladdin and Jasmine’s progression to griffins was doing. Jasmine already had the fur, eyes, and tail of one while Aladdin had the wings, front claws, and tail. Both had gotten bigger, at least half the size of a full-grown griffin.
They still need to change more, obviously. As it so happens, night is about to fall and surely they will want to stop and resume their journey in the morning which will be perfect as they will change more as they sleep.
The whimpers of Amin caught his attention and he looked disdainfully at his servant who was in an energy cage, the space between the bars was too small for anything to escape. “Stop your whimpering,” he sneered. “You knew the consequences of failing me. You will do as I say and I think I will use a spell on you.” He fired his magic at Amin and he cried out in pain and fear as the spell engulfed him. When it cleared, a white mouse was where Amin had been. He squeaked as he scampered around the cage.
Mozenrath smirked and laughed at the mouse. “I will reverse it once I have my griffins,” he said to him before turning back to the group of friends who were reaching the end of the tunnel.
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A howl of rushing air was heard as the group approached the Tunnel of Wind. The updraft ran up against the cover overhead, making the wind howl at it couldn’t escape. A snap of Genie’s fingers made the howling cease as the cover vanished and the air could escape.
“Let’s go,” Aladdin said, leaping into the updraft and was sent up and out. Jasmine followed as did Abu, Genie, and Carpet. They quickly left the area and were where Jasmine had filled their water holders on their first trip before they stopped. Aladdin looked up at the sky. “Let’s stop for the night and start again in the morning.”
Jasmine reluctantly nodded as did the others before Genie zapped up a fire and food. She wandered over to the river and crouched over it, her mixed-up reflection looking back at her. Her appearance was so bizarre right now and she was a little afraid of how she would look in the morning.
“Jasmine?”
She looked over as Aladdin came up beside her and crouched also. “I’m afraid of how much I’ll change overnight,” she admitted.
He put a hand on one of her hands. “I know, but we need to rest and the rest of the trip will be easy.”
“What if we wake up and find we’re too big to ride on Carpet? How will we cross the chasm?”
Aladdin rustled his wings a little. “You might grow wings overnight. If not, I’ll carry you over.”
Jasmine tilted her head a bit. “Yeah, I might and you could.”
Aladdin smiled at her as he stood up and she followed suite. When she did, he was struck by how big and tall they really had become not that long ago. We may well be as big as adult griffins in the morning. It’s likely that we’ll be all griffin when we reach the tree, which is fine. When Jasmine and I were full snake people, the tree’s fruit was able to change us back.
They returned to the campsite to find Genie cooking up meat on a strange object instead of using the campfire. There was a plate of already cooked meat nearby and a plate of raw meat next to it. It was the second plate that drew Aladdin’s attention and a low growl came out. He blinked a little at this. He was starting to make lion sounds. A growl sounded behind him and he looked back to see Jasmine also stunned at the sound.
Genie looked at them upon hearing the growls and then at the uncooked food before giving it to his friend. “You and Jas would probably prefer it this way.”
“We…would?” he asked before swallowing back his saliva as the raw meat’s scent filled his nose.
“Well, it’s just that, uh, griffins prefer raw meat. I can cook them, though,” he said, hastily adding the last statement.
“It’s fine, Genie,” Jasmine said, leading Aladdin away to sit by the fire. “I know you’re fighting the griffin’s desire for uncooked meat,” she said softly to him. “I find it disgusting too, but fighting instincts is a losing one.”
“Yeah, you have a point,” Aladdin said before picking up some meat and eating it as did Jasmine.
Chapter Five- Plan Revealed
Aladdin felt quite warm as he awoke the following morning. He sat bolt upright, however, when Jasmine screamed. His eyes opened and darted over in her direction to see that she had gotten bigger but her legs and arms had become legs and her hands and feet were paws. A small patch of brown feathers were around the base of her throat.
“Oh, Jasmine,” he said, a clicking sound heard after it. “What?” he asked in confusion and that click was heard again. Something yellow in front of his eyes made him cross his eyes and focus on it: His nose and mouth had formed an eagle’s beak!
Jasmine was alarmed over her changes. She still had her human head, but her body was that of a lion. All that’s left to gain are the eagle features. I have the eyes and I can feel some of the feathers growing. But, I still don’t have my wings. That’ll probably come last. She focused on Aladdin who was running a clawed hand over his new beak; in addition to that, his fur had appeared and he was bigger like she was. He’ll definitely have to carry me.
Aladdin felt the smooth beak under his fingers. His changes were so random, part-wise. First it was eagle, then lion, and now both. He now had a fur coat like Jasmine and both were the size of adult griffins but Jasmin had all the lion parts plus eagle eyes and some feathers. She looks more like a griffin than me. But, of course, this isn’t a competition and we’re supposed to be human and we will be very soon. Still, this beak is kind of cool.
Genie followed behind the group as they headed to the next leg of their journey. His friends were more griffin than human at this point. Jasmine, with four paws, had to walk on all fours. Aladdin still walked on two legs and was a mix of lion and eagle while Jasmine was mostly lion. Both were the size of adult griffins which made them huge. Good thing we’re close to the tree, they need to be cured.
The bridge was still there and looking as unstable as before. Jasmine looked over the edge and then the distance the bridge spanned. She looked over at Aladdin. “Well, you said you’d carry me.”
He nodded. “Let me just see how to manage it.” He flapped his wings to hover before flying above Jasmine. He lowered himself down to seize her around the middle. He flapped his wings and they were soon slowly making their way across.
They were about halfway there when Jasmine felt her nose and mouth itch and stretch out into a golden-brown beak and her neck and head itched. My head is becoming an eagle head. She felt Aladdin’s hold slip and she snapped, “Hey!” Her beak clicked as she spoke.
“Sorry. My hands are trembling. I think they’re about to change.”
Jasmine panicked. If Aladdin’s hands became paws, he wouldn’t be able to hold her and she would fall! “Aladdin, hang on! We’re, we’re almost there!”
“I’m trying but I can’t hold back the change.” He saw the edge and swung Jasmine toward it just before his arms, legs, hands, and feet became legs and paws.
Jasmine flew toward the edge, her paws spread wide to expose her claws. They snagged the edge and her back legs scrabbled against the rock wall. She felt her claws losing their grip and a pain in her shoulder blades. She craned her neck to see a pair of brown and white wings on her back. She desperately flapped them and she rose into the air before moving forward and landing on solid ground. It’s done, she thought. I’m fully a griffin.
“Jasmine, I’m so sorry,” said Aladdin, landing as a full griffin as well. His feathers were white like his wings and his eyes were gold. “I was afraid of dropping you and hoped I could throw you to safety.”
“It’s all right,” she said. “I understand and I got my wings.” She tilted her head at them.
“They’re lovely,” he said.
“And made the wait worth it.”
“Al! Jas! Come on, the Tree awaits!” Genie called. Aladdin and Jasmine exchanged looks and their tails swished excitedly as they ran after their friend.
&&&&
Mozenrath smiled happily as he viewed Aladdin and Jasmine’s final forms. They make magnificent griffins. The time for me to appear is approaching. Once they eat the fruit and don’t change back, I will appear and explain why it failed. I will also reveal my control over them. They will not believe me but once I issue a command and they obey, then they’ll believe me and accept that they will now belong to me.
&&&&
Aladdin and Jasmine gazed reverently at the tree and the fruit that hung from the branches. Genie went up to it, plucked two, and went over to the couple. “Open up,” he said before tossing a fruit into each mouth. Jasmine’s teeth, a lion trait, cut and shredded the fruit before swallowing it. She waited to feel the fruit’s warm feeling as it changed her back to human. When it didn’t happen, she was confused. It was the right tree, the right fruit, and it tasted the same as it did before, so why didn’t it work?
“It’s not working,” Aladdin said, confused and worried. “Why haven’t we changed back?”
There was a brief silence before a voice called out, “I can answer that.” The group looked in its direction as a rift opened in the air and Mozenrath came through it to hover in mid-air, a book under one arm.
“Mozenrath,” Aladdin growled. “I thought so. This is another lame scheme of yours.”
“A scheme, yes but far from lame. I’m sure you figured out that it was the bread that caused your change. That bread is called Griffinbread and it changes any human who eats it into a griffin permanently. Furthermore, if the baker personally hands it over, that person will obey him as will anyone he or she shares the bread with.”
“That’s a lie,” Jasmine snapped.
“Not really. It’s all right here.” Mozenrath opened the book, levitated it to the group, and turned it around so that they could see that he was telling the truth.
“So,” he said as the book closed and returned to him. “You and Jasmine belong to me now and once you obey me without question, you will help me conquer the Seven Deserts as well as be my pets.”
“We will never obey you or help you rule or be your pets,” Jasmine said and Aladdin nodded.
“Really? Allow me to change your minds. Aladdin, bow to me.” He pointed at the male griffin and then the ground before him.
Aladdin managed a snort. Did Mozenrath really expected him to obey him just like that? I’m too strong-willed to listen to an enemy and I will not be his slave or pet.
“Aladdin, I said bow,” Mozenrath pointed forcefully at the ground again.
Aladdin glowered for a moment before it faded and he sank into a bow. “Master,” he murmured.
“Better,” he said. “It’s clear that I will have to train you long and hard to achieve the results I want.”
“Aladdin, no! Don’t listen to him!” Jasmine exclaimed.
“Believe me, I don’t want to, but my body’s making me.”
“That’s the magic of Griffinbread,” Mozenrath said. “I made it and sold it to you; as a result, I now control you and your girlfriend since you shared it with her.”
“No…leave her be,” Aladdin said, sounding as if he was fighting Mozenrath’s control and trying to rise to all four paws.
“Forget it.” He snapped his fingers. “Jasmine, come to me.”
Jasmine was about to tell him no when her body moved on its own and stood before Mozenrath who smirked before looking at Genie, Abu, and Carpet. “I suggest that you don’t try to rescue them. They are mine now.” He waved his hand, and he and his new pets vanished from the scene.
Chapter Six- Resist and Submit
They reappeared outside the Citadel and Aladdin found he could move again. He wasted no time in taking to the air and streaking off for the desert. Mozenrath made no effort to stop him and Aladdin wondered why. If he’s going to control me, he should be stopping me. Aladdin shook his head as he flew. He shouldn’t question his good fortune.
Jasmine watched her boyfriend fly away and looked curiously at Mozenrath. He wasn’t stopping him which made her suspect that he had already anticipated an escape attempt as soon as they arrived home. Mozenrath looked up at her with a satisfied smirk. “He won’t get far. I knew that one or both of you would try to escape and had already put in place a way to stop you. Honestly, I thought Aladdin would try something as stupid as trying to escape.”
An eagle scream of pain suddenly rent the air, making Jasmine wince while Mozenrath was calm. When the scream had ceased, the dark wizard said, “Jasmine, fly me to your mate.”
“Mate?” she repeated as she laid down to allow Mozenrath to climb onto her.
“Yes. You are griffins now and they have mates, not boyfriends or girlfriends.”
Jasmine digested that as she headed after Aladdin. She also realized that her suspicions of a ward or barrier to keep them trapped were correct. I figured he would do something like that and that’s why I didn’t fly after my mate. I don’t want to obey Mozenrath, but thanks to the bread, my body responds to his commands.
The form of a gold griffin with white feathers lay on the ground and Jasmine swooped over and landed near it, allowing her rider to dismount. Aladdin’s paws twitched and his eyes blearily looked at them. Mozenrath folded his arms as he looked at him. “I see you met up with my lightning barrier. Anything that meets up with it will get quite a shock. I knew you would try to escape and clearly you underestimated my abilities to trap you. It seems your mate has more sense than you do.”
“I…will escape,” Aladdin panted as he staggered to his paws.
“No, you won’t. Your body will carry out my commands even if you disagree with my decisions. Of course, I would rather that you obey me, body and mind. It would be much easier for all of us.”
Aladdin gave a real growl. “Never.”
Jasmine looked at her paws, thinking. Easier for all of us if we obey him whole-heartedly? Easier how? If I ask him, I may get a vague answer, but if I simply obey him, I’ll find out by being rewarded which is what one gets when they listen.
“Now, I am going to ride you, Aladdin, and I order you to fly me back to my home.” He snapped his fingers and a heavy metal collar appeared on Aladdin’s neck with a handhold on the back and a long metal chain hanging from it. He picked it up and held it out to Jasmine. “If he tries to harm me in any way, tug on this to stop him.”
“Yes, Master,” she replied as she took the chain in her beak. She saw Mozenrath’s pleased expression before he boarded Aladdin, who had given Jasmine eyes full of horror at her compliance.
“Now, fly,” he said and both griffins did so. Jasmine purred softly as they flew. Flying was a wonderful feeling and it almost made giving up her humanity worth it. She felt the chains’ slack tighten and she saw Aladdin streaking for the barrier! She braked in mid-air and yanked on the chain. There was a startled squawk and she yanked again.
“Jasmine, to me!” called Mozenrath and she did so. He mounted her back, conjured a manacle to bind Aladdin’s wings and added more chains to it and Jasmine’s beak. He straightened his turban before saying, “Oh, yes. He certainly needs training. I thought he would try to shock both of us, hence the chain I gave you. Home, Jasmine.”
Jasmine wheeled around and headed for the Citadel, easily hauling her boyfriend beneath her. She knew her actions probably horrified her mate and, once they were alone, she would explain her actions. It may not make sense to him, but if I can find out what kind of rewards are given, it could lead to being allowed to roam beyond the kingdom.
She landed outside the Citadel, gently putting Aladdin on his paws first. She leaned down to let her master off. He opened the doors with his magic and, as he entered, said, “Jasmine, place Aladdin in the dungeon and then come to my Throne Room.”
Jasmine bowed as her beak was full and then headed downstairs, pulling the chains to get Aladdin to follow. The two griffins descended into the dungeons and Jasmine pulled him into a cell that she suspected was strong enough to contain a griffin. She used her beak, paws, and tail to secure the chains to a ring.
“Jasmine, why are you listening to him?” Aladdin demanded. “We need to escape.”
“I know that,” she said softly. “I’m thinking that if I obey him whole-heartedly, I may be given rewards like being allowed to roam freely. Of course, that may take some time.”
Aladdin nuzzled her cheek with the side of his beak. “Clever. Say, if you can persuade him to let you see me…”
“I believe I can do that, but it will also take time, so please be patient.” She left the cell, closing the door, and locking it with keys she had found using her tail. She put it on a key ring well out of Aladdin’s reach before heading up.
She entered the Throne Room and bowed before Mozenrath who was on his throne. She saw Amin in an energy cage out of the corner of her eye, but said nothing about it.
“Your mate is a stubborn one, something I’m familiar with but I was sure I would be able to control him,” he muttered bitterly as Jasmine bowed.
“Master, I may be able to convince him if I were to speak to him.”
Mozenrath regarded her for a moment before saying thoughtfully, “Yes, that may work. But I will tell you when to talk to him.”
“As you wish, Master.”
“Good. Now, I want to test your griffin instincts, specifically what your species is known for.”
At this, Jasmine’s head turned to Amin and Mozenrath smirked as she fully stood. “Yes. I want you to tear Amin in two. Now that I have you and Aladdin, I no longer have a use for him.”
Jasmine’s mind raced as Mozenrath spelled the doors shut to prevent Amin’s escape. I can’t kill him. I’ve never killed anyone before. It seems I will, whether I want to or not as I will be ordered to kill. That being the case, if I let my instincts take over, killing Amin will be easy.
“Jasmine, kill him,” Mozenrath said as he vanished the bars.
Amin let out a scream of terror as Jasmine crouched and growled at him. Her eyes clouded over as she tapped her griffin instincts. Her claws unsheathed as she stalked forward. Amin screamed again as he ran for the doors. Jasmine snarled as she sprang toward him, her wings helping her glide forward. Her beak opened wide and her forepaws were outstretched as she pinned her victim against the immovable doors. She latched her beak around his middle and shook her head furiously, ignoring the man’s screams. She kept shaking him until she had torn Amin into two pieces which fell to the floor and she gave an eagle scream of triumph.
Mozenrath laughed after she had screamed. “Excellent! Very good. Tell me how it felt.”
Jasmine, her instincts suppressed, turned to Mozenrath, came closer, and bowed as she sought to describe the kill. “It felt good, but I feel a bit guilty doing it.”
“I suspected you would. I will work with you so that you will have no qualms about killing.”
“Yes, Master,” Jasmine replied, knowing that he would keep his word to make her a true killer.
Chapter Seven- Complete Control
Aladdin awoke the following morning, his stomach rumbling with hunger. He hadn’t eaten anything since the fruit and he was also thirsty. He heard footsteps and looked over to see Mozenrath at the door. He opened it and pushed it closed behind him before he busied himself with re-arranging the chains. “I assume you’re hungry?” he asked once he was done. A loud gurgle was heard and the wizard smirked. “I thought so.” He waved a hand and a platter heaped with raw meat appeared along with an enormous bowl of water.
Aladdin dipped his beak into the bowl and gulped down the water which re-filled itself. A bottomless bowl, he thought as he started on the meat. I definitely won’t go thirsty.
Mozenrath watched with folded arms as Aladdin ate and drank. He had presented Jasmine with the same breakfast and she eagerly ate it, admitting that the fruit was the last thing both of them had eaten. When Aladdin swallowed the last of his food, Mozenrath spoke again. “Now, that you’ve been fed and watered, perhaps you’ll be more reasonable.”
“Never,” Aladdin growled.
“I will discipline you to get you to obey, but I’d rather entire you to obey.” He laughed at Aladdin’s parted beak and seeing him recoil in surprise. “I am not the complete villain you think I am. Think of how I treated the wind jackal.”
“But I also recall how you treated the sprites,” Aladdin countered.
“Yes, but I had no intention of keeping them whereas I will keep you and Jasmine, who killed Amin yesterday, by the way.”
“No,” Aladdin whispered in horror. “She wouldn’t. She didn’t.”
“Oh, she would and she did. I could tell that she had let her griffin instincts loose during the kill; no doubt to suppress her doubts of killing. She was of two minds when I asked her how it felt afterwards. She said it felt good, but she also felt guilty about it. I promised to work with her so that she won’t feel guilty about killing anymore.”
Aladdin couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Mozenrath was going to turn Jasmine into a killer and him as well if he submitted to him. “Mozenrath, you will not make Jasmine a killer.”
“I already have and will keep doing so. You can’t stop me from training you two to obey me.”
“I can stop you.”
“The only way to stop me is to kill me.”
“Kill? No, I can’t do that.”
“I know and by the time you are capable of murder, you will be my loyal pet.” He patted the beak and then jerked back when Aladdin snapped at him. The gauntlet glowed and he fired a blast of magic at Aladdin that made him screech and fall on his side, paws twitching. “You will learn respect and be loyal to me! Your friends have clearly accepted that you belong to me!” snapped Mozenrath as he left, slamming and locking the door.
Jasmine licked her beak of water as she laid on one side of the Throne Room. Her master had left to feed Aladdin and see if a full stomach would make him more reasonable. She doubted it. Aladdin was a strong-willed man, er griffin and did not willingly do what he felt was wrong. She sighed softly. He needs to acknowledge that we’re griffins and that Mozenrath is our master due to the bread we ate. If we obey, he will reward us. Jasmine was aware of what she was thinking, but wasn’t concerned about it. She didn’t realize that by killing in true griffin fashion while letting her instincts guide her, she had fallen deeper under Mozenrath’s control.
The room’s doors burst open and Mozenrath stormed in. Jasmine cringed as he went past, took his seat, and fumed. His eyes fell on the cowering female and his anger melted a little. “It’s all right, my pet. I am not angry at you, it is your mate that angers me.”
“He was unreasonable, Master?”
“Correct and I suspect you knew that would happen.”
“Yes, Master. He needs to accept that we’re griffins now and that you are our master.”
Mozenrath inwardly smirked. Jasmine is definitely in my control. Her murder of Amin has brought her to accept her new life. That is what Aladdin needs to do. Once he has killed, he will be loyal to me as well. I could send Jasmine to speak to him and then have her hone her killing skills with some of my undead servants. Yes, that sounds perfect. “Jasmine, after your next meal, you will try to convince Aladdin to submit to me. I will send for you when I am ready to have you hone your killing skills.”
Jasmine bowed her head. “Yes, Master.”
&&&&
Aladdin glared at Mozenrath as his food was brought to him, but Mozenrath simply put the plate down and left. He went to the meat and sniffed it. It smelled of only meat and then began to eat. He had been suspicious of a powder or potion to make him accept Mozenrath as his master, but nothing smelled or tasted different from his morning meal.
I will not give in, he thought. I will keep fighting and find a way to escape. He swallowed the last of his meat and laid down to wash his paws and beak. He wondered when Mozenrath would try to persuade him again until he heard claws clicking and the rustling of wings. He stood up and faced the door, his tail swishing happily. “Jasmine!” he called.
The female griffin appeared and used her tail to use the keys to open the cell. She purred as she nuzzled him and he responded in like. “Jasmine, tell me the truth. Did you kill Amin yesterday?”
“Yes, I did,” she said, still purring. “I was conflicted in the aftermath of it, but now I’m not.”
“You’re not?”
“No. It felt good to let instinct guide me and it made everything clear to me.”
“Clear how?” he asked, afraid to hear her answer.
“I’m a griffin and Mozenrath is my master.”
“No,” he said in soft horror.
“Aladdin, you shouldn’t fight it. Submit to Mozenrath and we can be together all the time.”
“Jasmine, no. We’re humans and no one is our master.”
“We’re not human anymore and we can’t be human again. We’re permanently griffins and we’ll have a comfortable life as Mozenrath’s pets.”
“No,” he repeated.
Jasmine growled and smacked his head with the back of her paw. “Stop being so stubborn! This is our life now and you might as well get used to it!” She stalked out of the cell and locked it. She was hanging up the keys when a rift opened to her left and Mozenrath’s voice called, “Come to me, Jasmine.” She fired one more intense glare at Aladdin before leaping into the rift which closed behind her.
Aladdin moaned as he sank to the floor of his cell. Jasmine had fallen completely under Mozenrath’s control and was trying to get him to join her. She had admitted to killing Amin, being conflicted soon after it, and then had time to reflect on it before deciding to obey him. She seems happy to be his pet. I want to be with her but I’m not in love with the price. I will not be Mozenrath’s pet or listen to him. I know that I am somewhat under his control, but I will not let it go any further than that.
He pulled himself into a ball as best he could since he was still chained and fell into a fitful sleep where he was with Jasmine and both carried out the orders of their master.
Chapter Eight- Foe Assessment
Mozenrath frowned a little as Jasmine appeared. Her hackles were raised and soft angry growls came from her beak. “Is there a problem, my pet?” he asked.
“Yes, Master. My mate is still being stubborn. He refuses to submit and accept our places in life now.”
“Well, don’t you worry. I have another plan that is guaranteed to work. Now, I have brought some of my Mamluks for you to practice on. Be as brutal as you wish as I can reassemble them.”
Jasmine’s eyes snapped onto her targets. They were better than dummies as they moved and had some facial expressions. She growled as her claws came out. The desire to tear them apart rose up inside her and she snarled as she leaped toward them. She swung her paws, sending the heads of two flying. Her claws shredded the chests of two others and she tore the others in two. She soon stood in the midst of Mamluk body parts, panting with excitement and a deep purr being heard.
“Not bad,” Mozenrath said, waving a hand to restore his guards. “Let’s work on being neat and precise in your attacks. If you can make your claws so sharp that it’ll cut through your target before they realize what happened, that would be excellent.”
“That will take time, Master, to get my claws that sharp.”
“Not really. Griffins are part cat and felines have a tendency to sharpen their claws. I can provide an appropriate item for you to do that.”
“I would like that,” she said before turning to neatly and precisely tear down the guards. She succeeded in that Mamluks had no blood to spill or organs for that matter. She used her claws and beak to rip off the limbs, sever the heads, and tear the bodies in half. She screamed in triumph and the laugh of her master was music to her. She knew then that she would do anything to make him happy.
Jasmine laid curled up on cushions in a spare room, purring softly as she slept and unaware of Mozenrath looking in on heir. He had thought he would have to lock both griffins up and harshly train them to obey. Instead, it was only Aladdin who needed to be locked up and trained. Jasmine, due to her princess upbringing to listen to her father and uphold the laws of her kingdom, was more willing to obey him. He had been able to tell that she obeyed of her own free will at first, but upon her first kill, she was now fully under his control.
She will do whatever I tell her. If I told her to kill her father or Aladdin, she would do it without hesitation. I told her that I have a plan to bring Aladdin under my control. It will take very little time once I speak to him.
Aladdin lifted his head to give Mozenrath his now-standard glare as the wizard entered. He was angry at Mozenrath for everything that had happened lately: Tricking him into buying the bread, locking him up, trying to convince him to obey him, controlling Jasmine, and using her to convince him to submit.
Mozenrath merely smiled at Aladdin’s glare. “I thought I come down and have a little chat.”
“I won’t obey you.”
“Now, did I say anything about that? I’d rather hear about your adventures and particularly your foes. Aside from me, who is your greatest enemy?”
“That’s a rather broad question. Could you be more specific?”
“All right. Who is the most annoying?”
“Well, there’s Mechanicles. He’s usually building machines to clean the world. One time, he wanted to boil the ocean and steam clean the earth. Every now and then, he comes up with a plan in order to get revenge on me.”
“An inventor with an obsession for cleanliness. Pathetic.” Mozenrath’s lip curled at that last word.
“Yeah. He’d be forever trying to clean the Al-Muddy if he knew about them. I also find Abis Mal annoying in that he’s rather dim-witted. He gives thieves like me a bad reputation as he’s clumsy at it.”
“How is he annoying? He doesn’t sound like a threat.”
“Oh, he can be a threat, especially if he’s using magical items or creatures. He once stole the Sands of Time and tried to change the history of Agrabah’s founding past.”
“Fool. The Sands of Time is too dangerous to mess with. Only someone magical like me should handle them.”
“He once tried to rule Agrabah by putting Rock Ifrit venom in the Sultan’s bath oils.”
“I see.” This character is clever at times it would seem but quite annoying. He would be the perfect person for Aladdin to kill. He let Aladdin vent about other foes, major and minor and he found a couple fascinating before the griffin fell silent. “I look forward to hearing more about the examples you mentioned next time I want to talk,” Mozenrath said at last. He reached out and managed to stroke Aladdin’s feathered head before leaving. He had a prisoner to locate and kidnap. I’ll put him in Aladdin’s cell and order him to kill his foe. Of course, if he doesn’t, I know Jasmine will as she is fully in my control.
Aladdin watched Mozenrath leave, feeling that he had just seen a side of him he never would of thought he’d see. He did say he’s not the complete villain I think he is. Until now, I had only seen the villain side as I’m refusing to serve him. It was nice to tell him about my other enemies. I think I will tell him more when he comes to talk to me next time.
Jasmine was gleefully sharpening her claws, admiring the effect. She had woken up to find a large vertical post covered in carpet nearby. She knew this was for working on her claws. She had raked them up and down for a little while before deciding to explore her home. She started with the familiar path to the dungeon and met up with Mozenrath coming up the stairs with a triumphant look. Has he convinced Aladdin or is he getting there? “Master?” she inquired.
“My plan for Aladdin is proceeding nicely,” he said, joy evident in his voice. “I got him to speak of all the enemies you and the others faced and I have chosen the perfect one for Aladdin to kill.”
“Who?”
“I believe Aladdin said his name is Abis Mal.”
“Yes,” Jasmine growled. “He needs to die. He tricked me a couple of times and it still angers me.”
“Was he using you to rule Agrabah?”
“One time. The other was to get rich.”
“Tell me about the time he used you.”
“He used a flower called the Blue Rose of Forgetfulness. I think the name’s self-explanatory.”
“Indeed and I’ve heard of it. Continue.”
“He was going to use it on Father, but Abu stole it and gave it to Aladdin who gave it to me. I remember sniffing it and about to tell him that he remembered the anniversary of our first date. After that, I remember nothing until Aladdin truly did remember and when he said he loved me, the rose died. Genie did restore it and temporarily wiped out Abis Mal’s memory and those of his men.”
“I assume Aladdin told you what happened as you clearly did not remember what went on while under the rose’s influence.”
“Only from what I had said. I believe Abis Mal told me I was some kind of villainess. Scourge of the Desert; that’s what Aladdin said I was calling myself as I didn’t know anything about myself, not even my real name.”
“You must have been a deadly enemy.”
“I suppose so and I am now.”
Mozenrath patted her neck. “You are and once I kidnap Abis Mal and put him in the cell with Aladdin and your mate kills him, he’ll be your deadly partner.”
Chapter Nine- Total Submission
Abis Mal laid back in his hideout, relieved. He did not enjoy being a freak on display due to an unfinished potion. Said potion had worn off a week ago and he and his associate escaped their cage and fled home. The indignity of being put on display angered him and he swore to get even with Aladdin.
“If only that potion had been completed, I would have pulverized him,” he muttered bitterly. “And I’m not trying again. That mother griffin was scary. If I never see another griffin again, it’ll be too soon.”
“I’m afraid to say that you will be seeing another griffin again,” a voice said, echoing in the air.
Abis Mal scrambled to his feet and stared around to spot the intruder. “Who’s there?” he called.
“Someone who also has a grudge against Aladdin.” Mozenrath appeared out of the darkness. “And if we joined forces, we would vanquish him at last.”
“Tried that once. Aladdin beat me and Mechanicles again.”
“Ah, but I have powerful magic. I could make you anything you wish.”
“Anything? Like having super strength?”
“Yes. You were muttering about a potion earlier, am I correct?”
“It was to give me super strength. It was missing the talon of a baby griffin.”
“You don’t say? You are in luck. I can help you brew that potion as I have the egg of a griffin that will hatch very soon.”
Abis Mal’s face lit up. “You do? You can?”
“Of course.” Mozenrath, now next to Abis Mal, drew his cloak around them both and they vanished from the hideout.
They reappeared in the dungeon and outside Aladdin’s cell. The griffin looked over at them and Abis Mal, upon seeing him, gave a scream of terror.
“I said you’d be seeing a griffin again,” Mozenrath said. He waved a hand and Abis Mal vanished briefly and reappearing in Aladdin’s cell at the same time the chains binding Aladdin fell away. “Aladdin, kill,” the wizard ordered, putting sufficient iron in his command.
Aladdin immediately growled as he turned his eyes on the human who trembled and whimpered before him. He stalked toward him, his tail whipping back and forth and his claws coming out.
“Nice kitty,” Abis Mal squeaked. “You don’t want to kill me.”
He’s right: I don’t. But I’ve been ordered to kill and besides, his pleading is getting on my nerves. He crouched down and lunged forward, but Abis Mal moved out of the way. Aladdin pursued him for a moment before stopping. The cell wasn’t too big, but high enough for a griffin to stand. Consequently, Abis Mal was running in a circle and Aladdin just stood there. I’m not going to chase him. I’ll just end up dizzy and that’s not dignified. I have another way to end this.
Aladdin’s tail then snapped out and wrapped around his prey’s legs. Abis Mal gave a big gasp as he was hauled off his feet. The tail flipped him into the air and his legs slid between the griffin’s open beak before it closed around his middle. Aladdin shook his head from side to side before his beak snapped shut, the two halves of Abis Mal falling to the floor.
Aladdin blinked and looked down at his fallen foe. He backpedaled and sank to the floor once he reached the other side of the cell. “No,” he said in soft horror. “I…killed him.”
“You did and it was a delight to behold,” Mozenrath said. “I’ll leave you to deal with your actions and then return to talk some more. I’d like to hear more about this Mirage you mentioned. She sounds like an interesting individual.” He swept upstairs, certain that when he next came down, Aladdin would be under his control. He will not receive the same rewards as Jasmine due to his reticence; at least not at the same time. For example, he will not be allowed to fly around like Jasmine is right now. He glanced up at a window and saw her fly by. He went to the front door and they opened at his approach. He looked up at the female before calling her to him. She landed gracefully and ben one foreleg while lifting the other foreleg in a bow. “Master,” she said.
“The plan is now in motion,” he said, running hand over her beak as she had lowered her head. “Abis Mall is dead. Aladdin is horrified by what he did and I am giving him time to think it over.”
“I needed time to think when I killed Amin, so giving Aladdin time is a good idea.”
And it shouldn’t take long, he added silently as he allowed Jasmine to fly around some more. After all, it took only one kill and some sleep for Jasmine to submit fully to me.
Aladdin laid curled up in his cell, his back on his kill, unable to face it. He reflected on it in his mind. Mozenrath ordered me to kill and I obeyed because I ate the Griffinbread he sold me which made him my master. His order of me bowing to him caught me off guard and I’ve fought back since then. Jasmine had thought obeying him willingly would result in an escape plan, but she ended up being his loyal pet. She sees nothing wrong with listening to him.
But I won’t be like that. I will not give in. He sighed softly as he shut his eyes and fell asleep, his mind still re-living his kill. Then, he began to dream about hunting and killing as a griffin would do, being with Jasmine as a mate, being a father, and all while obeying his master.
Jasmine soared over the Land of the Black Sand, feeling the wind in her fur and feathers. The barrier had been removed as Mozenrath knew she wouldn’t try to escape, for honestly, why would she? She was a griffin forever so she couldn’t be human again much less rule Agrabah as she was. But, here with room, food, and a loving master, she was content to serve him. Now, if only Aladdin would come to the same conclusion, she thought as she swooped overhead.
&&&&
The sound of footsteps and the smell of meat woke Aladdin from his deep sleep. He lifted his head and craned it to see Mozenrath opening the door and then close it. He waved a hand to vanish the split corpse and its consequently mess before he put the food down. Aladdin rose, stretched, went to the food, and began to eat. He felt his fur being stroked as he ate and he purred at the feeling.
“We like that now, do we?” Mozenrath asked.
“Yes, Master.”
A smile curled Mozenrath’s lips. “It seems you’ve had a change of heart since we last talked.”
“Yes, Master. I’m a griffin and you’re my master. I regret fighting what was clear to you and Jasmine. I will obey you.”
Mozenrath knew Aladdin wasn’t lying. “I’m glad you’ve come around. So, you will help me to conquer the Seven Deserts?”
Aladdin bent his forelegs and bowed his head. “Yes, Master. I will help you.”
Mozenrath patted the beak. “Good. Now, follow me upstairs where I will show you to your room and I expect you to stay there until I summon you.” Mozenrath left the cell and headed up with Aladdin behind him. He was highly pleased. Both Aladdin and Jasmine were permanent griffins and loyal to him. I will eventually rule the Seven Deserts and with my pets, no one will oppose me. I’m certain of that.
