CHAPTER 9 - PART 2

In the dark city of Karak Lord Aswad was sitting on his throne staring at the water mirror in front of him. Disappointment was clearly showing on his face as he rubbed his chin softly.

Faaris, the dark warrior was pacing from one side to the other of the room. He was obviously annoyed.

"But how?" Faaris said. "How can this be possible? No way! There was NO way for Ali to escape his fate... you saw how close he was, Aswad... how come he resisted it? This has never happened to me before!"

"You did your part." Aswad responded softly. "I'm not going to blame you, for I know this is not your fault."

"That kid has just beaten me for the second time in his life, Aswad!" Faaris said annoyed. "This cannot be happening! He should be dead by now! I planned it all... I was sure he was going to kill himself.. and he was this close! What happened?"

"He is strong." Aswad said. "We cannot underestimate the power of the Lion of the Desert... and I'm worried. This is really dangerous. He is so close to Karak now... and he has the map. He could be here any minute now and we cannot allow that to happen."

"I want to finish him!" Aswad was saying. "I want to kill him with my own hands!"

"And you're going to do that." Aswad said. "But right now we have something to do... the Lion of the Desert is not dead, but he's lost his spirit. I'd say he's a dead man... a dead man walking. You took all his soul away from him. You did it just fine, Faaris. It's only matter of time and I know you can stop him before he reaches Karak."

"I'll do it!" Faaris said. "And then I'll kill him... this time I won't fail!"

"I just cannot understand." Aswad said. "How can this be? How can that feeling called 'love' be so powerful? That something that escapes my magic and my knowledge."

"Believe me, Aswad, what's between Ali and his girl is something really powerful... the kid was strong enough when I first met him... he was strong enough even without her... but now that he has her... he is simply invincible."

"He's proving that." Aswad replied. "And I'm worried."

"Don't be... I'll finish the Lion... I'll kill him even if it takes my life."

Aswad nodded.

"You will... but first let's take care of Azul."

"Oh yes." Faaris smiled. "You have a twisted mind, Aswad, no wonder why you are the lord of Karak."

The sorcerer smiled.

"I need to finish her before I can perform the ritual... and knowing Ali I really must hurry things now. While you're away getting rid of him, I'll take Azul. But first I want to break her... things will work better that way."

"Well..." Faaris said. "Bring her in... I'm ready."

"This is going to be a piece of cake." Aswad nodded and looked at Majid, who was by the door. "Let the girl out, just as we planned it."

"Yes my Lord!" Majid bowed and left the throne room.

"This is going to be good." Faaris rubbed his hands in anticipation of what was coming.

* * * * *

Azul was in her room. She was staring absently at the window, a deep sadness reflected in her blue eyes and fear in her face.

"What am I going to do if he comes in?" She was thinking. "I cannot allow him to lay a finger on me... oh no, I won't allow that! I'll never be his... never..."

She looked at the sketch of Ali and herself she had drawn and sighed deeply.

"I trust you, Ali... I know you're coming. I know you'll be here in time to rescue me. I've tried, my love... I've really tried... but I'm trapped. I cannot do this without you."

Azul sighed deeply and stared at Ali's image in the sketch.

"You are just so wonderful." She thought. "And it feels so different when I think about you and me... and our kids... than when I think of Aswad and what he wants from me... no! That's just unthinkable! I will never allow him to do that... never!"

Suddenly she heard some footsteps in the hall outside her room and he stepped back in terror, for she was afraid of Aswad opening that door. But he recovered her confidence when she heard Majid's voice. The captain of the guards was talking with the man who was guarding the door.

Azul went to the door and pressed her ear against it, trying to listen to what they were saying.

"... for Aswad had some plans for the Lion of the Desert..."

"Ali!" Azul smiled as her heart throbbed with joy. "He's talking about Ali!"

"So," The guard said. "You want me to abandon my post, captain?"

"As I said," Majid's voice was heard. "There are more important things right now... Lord Aswad ordered that."

"But no one will be watching over the girl."

"That doesn't matter... she's not going to run away... now go!"

"Yes sir."

"And if you need anything, I'm in the throne room... I need to know that news about the Lion."

The sound of footsteps told Azul that the two men had gone. She smiled mischievously and opened the door a little. The hall was completely lonely.

"Ali!" She said. "I'm sure you're coming now! That's why they are so nervous... oh, I need to know that news as well... I have to go to spy on Aswad... I need to go to the throne room!"

She left her room slowly, and very carefully and with an experience born from practice she sneaked all her way to the throne room. She needed to know.

When she was close enough to the throne room she could hear voices and laughter inside. She frowned for she expected to find a more tense atmosphere, not a festive one. She pulled the door a little, the door that was right by the throne and she peeked inside.

The first thing she saw was Aswad sitting on his throne. He was talking to a man. A man dressed in desert black clothes. She had no idea who that man could be but she had no time to try to figure it out for he was already talking.

"I thought it'd be harder. But it was not. Ali and I fought in the deserts four years ago and I knew he was a strong man. I was afraid of find him again, not a boy anymore, but a man... little did I know of the kind of weakness he had."

"What?" Azul whispered. "Who is this man? What is he talking about?"

"I'm really satisfied with the results of your mission, Faaris." Aswad said. "It was amazing."

"Faaris?" Azul said. "Isn't that the man Ali fought during his journey to Baghdad?"

"It was easy enough." Faaris smiled. "I didn't even have to fight him. He did all the work for me. Just a couple of words and he was finished. The rest of it came so easily. She really was his greatest weakness."

"What are they talking about?" Azul was very concerned.

"I told you so." Aswad smiled. "She was indeed his biggest weakness. But this worked wonderfully and we have nothing to worry about anymore, for the Lion of the Desert is gone."

"No!" Azul whispered stepping back. "No... that cannot be! I cannot believe that!"

"This is just perfect. Azul has to give up now. There's no one there to save her anymore. I know she had all her faith in him... and he ended like this... killing himself."

Azul's blue eyes opened wide in terror as she put her hand on her mouth and gasped. But before she could even think about what she had just heard, Aswad was talking again.

"And you know what my favorite part was, Faaris?" Aswad laughed. "That he killed himself because he thought SHE was dead. Ha! She practically killed him herself... Isn't irony just wonderful?"

Faaris and Aswad laughed happily.

Azul felt she couldn't breath. Her legs felt so weak that she had to lean against the wall looking for support. She was feeling so dizzy. She felt she was about to pass out.

"It was easy enough." Faaris was saying. "As soon as I told him that she was dead, that you had sacrificed her to take her blood he just... freaked out. He was lost. He didn't even fight... he just... gave up right there. When I presented him with the proof, with that necklace of hers... he was finished."

"No!" Azul said covering her mouth. "No Ali! Please Allah, no!" A tear escaped her eye and ran down her face. "Please All Mighty don't let this be true... no..."

"I always thought it'd be more hard to finish him." Aswad said. "After all the tests he had to pass and all the troubles he had to defeat. I thought he'd be stronger than this. It's amazing what Azul could do to him... to think he went through so much... to think he worked so hard... that he sacrificed himself in so many ways... to think he never lost hope... and most of all, to think he was just in front of Karak... and he killed himself."

"No!" Azul was whispering. "No, that cannot be!"

"He was so close." Faaris nodded. "And he failed in the final steps... and all because of her... for he died pronouncing her name."

"Ali!" Azul whispered as a trembling sigh came out of her chest. "Please no!"

Aswad laughed and with a movement of his arm a image appeared in the water mirror. From the spot Azul was standing she could perfectly see that image. Her heart stopped when she saw Ali...

He was hunched over with his head bowed and his body was shaking violently. He was pressing desperately the small diamond against his heart and muttering her name over and over, calling her his "blue eyes". He was crying violently.

Azul couldn't help it, she started to cry at the sight of that painful image.

All of a sudden Ali took off his dagger. Azul's eyes opened wide with terror reflected in them. She opened her mouth and shook her head.


"I killed you, my love..." Ali was saying as he pressed the tip of his dagger against his stomach. "I don't deserve to live... I deserve this..." Ali said as a single tear was running down his face. "Azul... I didn't deserve you... forgive me my love... forgive me, my blue eyed angel..."

Azul stepped back. She just couldn't believe what was happening right in front of her eyes.

"Ali!" She said desperately. "Please... don't do that! Please stop!"

Ali let out a last trembling sight and lifted his dagger over his head with a quick movement, trying to give more power to the stab that would kill him.

"I shall die pronouncing your sweet name for the last time... Azul." Ali said and closed his eyes.

"Ali! NO!"

Azul couldn't stop herself, she pushed the door of the throne room and ran in the water mirror direction, screaming for Ali to stop. Aswad and Faaris exchanged looks and smiled malevolently.

But as soon as Azul was right in front of the water mirror the image she saw was one she'd never forget...

She stopped short and gasped when she saw Ali stabbing himself.

"NOOOO!" She screamed as she had never done before. "ALI! PLEASE! NO!"

She fell to her knees just as in the image in the mirror Ali's limp body fell on the sand. The only thing Azul could see of him was his back, for his head was turned away from her. He was lying motionless on the sand... on the sand that was slowly taking a blood-red color.

"Ali!" She said hunching over, not wanting to see that image. She started to cry. "No Ali! Why did you do this? Why?"

"And so the Lion of the Desert died." Faaris said.

"I'm so sorry you had to witness this." Aswad said placing his hand on Azul's shoulder. "Had I but known you were spying on us, I'd never have shown you this image... it's just to painful... I'm sorry Azul... I'm really, really sorry."

"No... Ali!" She was crying but keeping her face between her hands as she was on the floor, hunched over. "This cannot be happening... not you Ali... not like this... I've kept all my faith in you, Ali... you just cannot end like this... for the first time in my life I think we're going wrong, Ali... so wrong... please, tell me this is only a dream..! Tell me this isn't true... tell me you didn't do that to yourself! Please Ali! Please!"

"I'm sure he can hear you in your prayers now." Aswad mocked her. "And I'm sorry for what you lost. I know you loved him deeply."

Azul lifted her face and sent Aswad the most evil and killer look.

"You know nothing!" She said standing up slowly. "You know NOTHING!"

She couldn't control herself. She threw herself on Aswad and started to punch him with all the strength she had in her body.

"You murderer! You killed him! You killed him!" She was screaming over and over while beating Aswad.

"Hey!" The sorcerer said trying to defend himself, for her hits were really painful. "Stop it!"

Faaris laughed amused and Majid came to grab Azul and he practically had to drag her away from Aswad. She was desperately trying to free herself from Majid's grip. Aswad shook his head and frowned fixing his clothes.

"If you have to blame someone." He said coldly. "Then blame yourself, Azul! YOU killed him... you are the one to blame! He did that to himself because of you!"

"NO!" She cried. "You liar!"

"You can think what you want... but admit it, Azul, you only came into his life to bring tragedy to him. First you sent him to that war, only because you were there to confuse him... because he rejected Princess Salma for you. And you know how bad that war was for him... and you were the one to blame... and now this."

"If it wasn't for you," Faaris said. "He'd be safe and sound in Agrabah, married to a princess and ruling a kingdom. None of this would be happening if it wasn't for you, Azul... Aswad is right, YOU killed him."

"No!" She was crying. "No... that is not true!"

"You saw it yourself, Azul." Aswad said.

"Ali would never do that! He would never do something so awful!"

"You know better than anyone in this world how impulsive your boyfriend was. When he was upset he just... didn't think, did he?"

Azul lowered her head and closed her eyes. Rebel tears were escaping from the corners of her eyes. She knew Aswad was right about Ali. He was explosive when he was mad.

"Well," Faaris said to Aswad. "My job is done. But if you need any further proof, Azul, well... take this."

By saying that he handed Azul Ali's blood stained, ripped shirt from the tip of his sword. Azul looked at him and took the shirt on her hands.

"No!" She said desperately. "This is Ali's shirt... this is..."

"All that's left from the boy." Faaris smiled at Aswad. "By now his body must be jackal food."

"Ali!" Azul said pressing the shirt against her. "No... please, don't! Oh All Merciful Allah, please no! Let this be a dream... only a nightmare... but not this Allah... anything but this!"

"You know," Faaris said. "I wanted my revenge on that boy for years. But it seems you took revenge for me, Azul. For you killed him."

"NO!" She was saying rubbing her cheek against Ali's shirt. "No... this cannot be true! This just cannot be!"

Faaris looked at Aswad and nodded.

"I guess I have to go now. I have many things to take care of."

"You'll get your reward, Faaris." Aswad said. "As for you, Azul... I guess it's better if you end torturing yourself with this... things happen, you know? And life goes on."

By saying that he took Ali's shirt from Azul's hands and threw it to the snake-shaped torches he had on both sides of his throne. Azul only looked at it, unable to stop him. Ali's shirt consumed in fire almost instantly and she closed her eyes. In the water mirror she could still see the image of her Ali dead on the sand.

She wanted to be strong. She wanted to cry and to scream but she didn't want to break like that in front of Aswad. So when the sorcerer ordered Majid to take her to her room she went by her own will. She needed to be alone. Before leaving the throne room she took a last look at the image in the water mirror. She sighed painfully and closed her eyes, not wanting to see that anymore.

"Ali!" She said as a tear was running down her face.

When Aswad and Faaris were alone in the throne room they started to laugh.

"See?" Aswad said. "I told you it'd be really easy to break her with this. Now she's vulnerable as never before and I have to take advantage of that."

"When will you perform your ceremony?"

"In a few hours. I'll go to get ready now. As for you, whatever you do, I want Ali dead. He cannot get close to Karak, is that clear?"

"Don't worry about him. I'll kill him with my bare hands."

"I am counting on it, Faaris. Both, Ali and Azul are really weak right now. We cannot lose the chance."

"And we won't." Faaris smiled. "Now I'm going... I have a job to finish."

Faaris left the throne room and Aswad laughed softly staring at the image of Ali in his water mirror.

"I cannot believe how easy this was. Now I have to get ready for the ceremony. Very soon, young Azul, you will be mine. If everything goes well you'll be the mother of my child very soon."

He waved his arm at the mirror and the image disappeared.

"Now I'll go to prepare everything for the ceremony... and then I'll pay a visit to you, Azul... one last visit before the big event. I just want to make sure you're suffering enough. You thought you were smarter than I, that you could control me. Now you know who's holding all the cards. I have your soul now... and soon I'll have your body as well."

He laughed happily and left the room. He had a lot of things to prepare for the ceremony and he didn't want to lose any more time. According to his plans Azul would be his that very same day.

* * * * *

Azul was lying on her bed. She was staring absently at the window, a blank expression on her face. She was not thinking at all. Her mind was blank. Her look was totally lost in space. She was breathing softly and slowly.

As soon as she had come back to her room she'd had a terrible breakdown. She had cried all her pain out, all her frustration out. She had cried her heart out. All of a sudden her whole world had been destroyed and all life had been sucked out of her. She thought there was nothing left she could do. She was lost, hopelessly lost. No one would come to rescue her. And she hadn't any strength left to go on in life. She only wanted to curl up and die.

She had cried until she had no more tears to shed.

And she was laying on the bed, motionless, silently. She was totally lost in her own thoughts... even though her mind was blank.

"You are gone." She whispered after a long while. "You are really gone... Ali... why? Why did you do that? That's not the way things were supposed to be Ali... why did this have to happen? Why Ali? Why?"

She closed her eyes. She wanted to cry again, but she had no tears left to wash her pain.

"I'm so tired." She thought. "This is the end... this is how everything ends."

As much as she was trying to avoid it, that image of Ali stabbing himself kept replaying over and over in her mind. She just couldn't take it out of there. Ali's last words and the dagger ending his life. Ali taking his own life... for her.

"It's all my fault." She said absently. "Aswad is right... I killed you, Ali. I loved you so badly... that I killed you... I'll never forgive myself for this... I deserve to die. I never deserved your love... I only caused you troubles and pain... and at the end I killed you my love... may Allah have mercy of my soul and forgive my faults... because I know I will never be able to forgive myself... oh Ali, what did you do to yourself? What did I DO to you?"

She let out a trembling sigh and buried her face in her pillow.

"If only I could've stopped you, Ali... if only I could've been there... oh Ali, I swear on Allah I would've died for you. I would've given my life for yours. Why Allah? Why him? Why Ali, who was the most noble and loving man on Earth? Why him? Why didn't you take MY life instead? Why my Ali?"

She stared absently at the window, her head resting on the pillow. A single tear was escaping the corner of her eye and running down her pale face.

"If only we had the chance to start this all over again, Ali... from the beginning... from the moment I saw you come inside that room in Agrabah's palace that evening... from the moment you took my hand in yours and you kissed it... from the moment I laid my eyes on you for the first time. I'd never allow this to happen again, Ali. I swear on Allah I'd rather die for you. But all our hopes and dreams are gone now... Ali, my sweet and beloved prince... my silly boy... Why did things have to be this way? Why?"

She was silent for a while. All the scenes of the blessed life she had shared with Ali came to her head, one after another. The good times and the bad times. All the laughter, the happiness, the craziness. All the times they had laughed together, all the times they had cried together. All the love they had shared.

"All is gone." She said at last. "You are gone... I killed you, Ali. And I didn't even have the chance to tell you how much I love you. I always wanted to be yours, my prince. In heart, soul and body... but now we'll never have the chance... everything has finished for us. And now... I only want to die."


The door of her room opened slowly but she didn't move at all. She knew it was Aswad. She had no strength left in her body. She knew she was now at his mercy. She thought there was no point in fighting her destiny. Now that Ali was gone nothing really mattered to her anymore.

"Azul." He called softly. "Are you feeling alright?"

She didn't respond. Aswad went to the bed's side and stared at her with a worried expression.

"You don't look good."

But Azul wasn't moving at all. She was just laying on the bed, hugging her pillow and staring absently at the window.

"I'm so sorry you had to see that." Aswad said pretending to be concerned. "I never wanted you to witness something so terrible. But I never knew you were spying on us. Had I but known!"

"Go away!" She said softly but firmly.

"I know... and I understand. You want to mourn him all alone. And I respect that. He was a good boy. A little clumsy but a cute one. I'm sorry he had to end like that. I'm sorry he had to be the one who was trying to destroy me and Karak."

"Just go!" She said in the same tone.

"I'll go." He said. "I just wanted to tell you that I'm getting ready for the ceremony we'll perform. I think this is a good time, knowing how sad and hurt you are... at least your child will give you strength to go on in life. And don't thank me. This is really my pleasure."

"I will never be yours!" She said coldly. "I belong to Ali! I'm his! Forever his!"

"But the boy is dead, isn't he?"

"That doesn't matter... I'll be his forever!"

"Oh Azul!" Aswad said taking the sketch of Ali and Azul that was on the table and ripping it down the middle, separating Ali and Azul. "You know you never were his... and you will never be. Your precious prince is dead, Azul... forever gone!"

Aswad threw both parts of the sketch to the floor. They fell slowly and landed softly. Azul looked at them and then looked up at Aswad frowning and getting a determined expression on her face.

"There's more than just one way to belong to someone... and in our hearts Ali and I were always together... maybe we never had the chance to consummate our love but what we had between us was much more than just that, Aswad! He was mine and I was his... and this is going to stay like that forever! We'll belong to each other forever... no matter what!"

"Yeah, yeah... whatever." Aswad smiled. "And you loved him so much that you gave life to Karak... and took his life... isn't that just a little ironic?"

"That was YOUR scheme of things, not mine!" She screamed standing up and facing Aswad.

"Right." Aswad responded in the same tone. "So I've proved my power is stronger than your love. I've made my point now. For you are totally alone now, Azul. You are at my mercy and there's nothing you can do to defend yourself now. You were so proud of your love, so sure of it. And where's your love now, Azul? Your precious prince was strong, for he kept himself looking for you, fighting for you, facing every single test just for you... and how did he end? He ended in the desert, he died completely alone out there, by his own hand... and YOU are the one to blame! You and only you, Azul!"

She turned to the window. She didn't want to break herself in front of him. She was trying hard not to cry. Aswad smiled evilly.

"You will be mine today... you will be mine the way you never were his. You'll bring life to Karak, just the same way you brought death to Ali."

He laughed softly and went to the door.

"Be prepared, Azul... today's the day. And there's nothing you can do to avoid it. You cannot save yourself and believe me, no one is going to save you either."

Aswad left the room and closed the door behind him.

Azul looked at the door. Rage and hate were reflected in her blue eyes. She looked at the floor and she picked up the two halves of her sketch.

"I'll go to the end." She said. "If not for me, for you Ali... for you and for Agrabah. I won't allow this to happen. Aswad will have to kill me first. I'm totally destroyed, my heart has been broken into little pieces and I know I'll never be able to put myself together again. I'll mourn you for the rest of my life, Ali... but right now I'm going to fight. Aswad won't take me... I'd rather die..."

She pressed the ripped sketch against her heart lovingly and closed her eyes. Tears were running down her cheeks again.

"No matter what he says... I'll be forever yours, my sweet prince... and you'll be forever mine... forever Ali... forever!"

Azul's heart was broken and she felt she had no reason to go on in life. But she was determined not to let Aswad go on with his plans. She was going to fight in the name of Ali. In the name of that endless love she had for him. She was willing to give her life for Agrabah. She'd rather die before allowing Aswad to lay a finger on her. And she promised herself she was going to be strong, she was going to fight... in memory of her beloved and sweet Ali.

* * * * *

Aswad went to his throne room laughing happily. Majid was following closely. The Lord of Karak sat on his throne and looked at his guard.

"Well, I guess today's the day. Today that woman will be mine."

"Do you have everything ready, sir?"

"Everything, Majid. Tonight when the sun sets I'll perform the ceremony... and once it's done I'll take her. I need a child and she's going to give it to me. But most of all, I want her, Majid. I really want her. When she first arrived in here I only saw a helpless woman. But little by little she's been growing on me. Now I really want her."

"But what will happen with the Lion of the Desert, my Lord?"

"Oh, Faaris will take care of him. I was very specific in my instructions. I want him out of the way, whatever it takes. Today the Lion is going to die... and his woman will be mine. Forever mine. She refused my offer to belong in Karak. She refused to be my queen... she cannot refuse to be my woman, and you know why? Because she has no other choice."

"She's going to fight, my Lord. We all know how brave and how resourceful that woman is. It's not going to be easy."

"If she wants the fight then I'll have to fight too. Don't worry Majid, everything will be just fine. I'm not willing to give up. Not now that we are so close to a complete victory. As soon as I perform that ritual... she will be mine."

"So, any special order, my Lord? Do you need something? Do you need me to do something for you? To get something for you?"

"No, I think I have everything prepared and ready. We only need to wait for the sunset to come, for that's the right time to perform the ritual. Now we only have to keep an eye on Ali and Faaris, for that is going to be a very interesting battle. It's funny, I'll see the Lion dying twice in just one day."

"We are almost free then, Lord Aswad." Majid said. "The Lion is going to be out of the way, Azul will be yours, Karak will have Azrak's blood ruling in it."

"Life couldn't be more perfect." Aswad laughed. "Now go and keep her safe and under a severe vigilance. In only a few hours I'll go to find her, and when I do that, I want her to be ready and waiting for me."

"I'll personally take care of her until then, my Lord." Majid bowed.

"Perfect... now go!"

Majid left the throne room and Aswad laughed. He waved his hand at his water mirror and the image of the desert appeared right in front of him.

"In a few hours everything will be done." He said happily. "As for now... let's see the fall of the hero. This is going to be a battle I don't want to miss. I'll see you die, Lion of the Desert. Tonight I'll take your beloved Azul as my woman and you cannot stop me from doing so, for tonight you'll be nothing but a ghost."

He laughed softly and leaned back on his throne, ready to witness the last battle between Ali and Faaris.

* * * * *

Ali was ridding Reeh. They were galloping across the golden dunes of the desert. They had been on the way all day long, non stop, from the break of dawn. Now that they had the map with them Ali wanted to arrive in Karak as soon as possible. He wanted to arrive in that cursed city, he wanted to destroy it, he wanted to kill Aswad with his own hands and take revenge on Azul's dead. But most of all, he just wanted to go back to Agrabah and to his parents.

He didn't want to think of Azul. He had been trying to avoid it all the day for he wanted to keep his mind focused on Karak. But as much as he was trying to get her out of his mind, she was all he could think of.

Azul... his Azul. His blue eyed angel.

"Two years." He was thinking. "Only two years and yet you changed my life forever. We were together for so little and yet you'll live here in me for the rest of my life. Until yesterday whenever I prayed I asked Allah for a long life. A long blessed life by your side, my love. But now, now I only want to die. Now I keep praying to Allah to take my life... I want to be there where you are, my angel. I just... I cannot go on in life without you."

The wind of the desert brushed away the rebel tear that was running down his face. He sighed deeply and lowered his head.

"I know if you were here you'd keep telling me not to give up. You'll be telling me that I have to keep trying, to keep fighting. You'd be telling me that everything is going to be fine. But now... look at our reality, Azul. Look at where we've come. This isn't what I had planned for us. This is not the future I wanted for our love. I wanted to place the world at your feet, blue eyes. I wanted to make you the queen of my world. And instead look at what I've done to you. Things shouldn't be this way. You never deserved this. You deserved better, my angel. You deserved everything. You deserved a better life, you deserved someone who'd been there with you when you needed it. And I deserted you, Azul. I failed you in every possible way I could fail."

He shook his head. He didn't want to think. He didn't want to torture himself anymore. And yet, as much as he kept himself trying to keep his mind away from her, the sweet image of his beautiful blue eyed angel kept haunting his thoughts.

She was there, in his mind. She was laughing, smiling at him. She was there with him, so happy, so full of life and so full of love. Her eyes were shinning with joy and the gorgeous smile on her lips was enough to make things right for Ali.

"And I'll never have the chance to see you like that again, blue eyes." Ali said bitter-sweetly. "If only we had a second chance... if we could start this all over again!"

Ali spurred Reeh. He wanted to go faster. He wanted to reach Karak before sunset. He was determined to be in the city before the sun set that evening. They were real close, he could tell that. And he was not going to give up. Not then that he was almost there. Not then, when he wanted to wash Azul's blood.

"I know I shouldn't be thinking this kind of stuff." He said sighing. "Mom and dad always told me revenge is not a good thing. But how in Allah's name could I forgive or forget something like this? They took my life away... they killed my Azul."

He shook his head and as much as he was trying to avoid it a sob escaped his soul and tears started to run free down his face silently.

"Why you, my sweet girl? Why you? Why not me instead? I'd given my life for you. If I could, Azul, right here and right now I'd give my soul in exchange for your life. If only I could!"

Ali brushed the tears off his face but his thoughts were getting darker then.

"I can't even think about that, my love... about the moment you died... the moment when they took your life away from you... away from me... the moment they... no... no! I don't want to know... I don't want to think... I don't want to imagine... that terrible moment when you... when you..."

Faaris' words came to his head: "She was brave to the end. She died pronouncing your name."

"No!" He said, his body shaking with his cry. "Why Azul? Why?"

Ali put his hand inside his shirt and felt the little diamond there. That little blue diamond that had been on Azul's neck for the past two years. From the night they had gotten engaged. That little diamond was always so close to her heart. That was the only thing he had left from her.

"This," He said. "And my memories... how could I live without you, Azul? How could I go back to Agrabah and tell them that... that I let you die!"

Ali kept blaming himself for Azul's fate. And as much as he wanted to stop thinking about it he just couldn't. But little by little those dark thoughts were replaced with the memories of the happy days. Even though tears were still running down his face a small smile appeared on his face.

He remembered that day when she had been looking for something all over the place. He had been just staring at her for several minutes seeing how busy she was looking for whatever she was looking for. She was searching all around the room. He finally asked her what she was looking for and she responded that she had been looking all day for a kiss but that she couldn't find it anywhere.

Then he had smiled realizing that he had been so busy that day with his royal duties that he hadn't had the time to tell her how much he loved her. But she always found the way to make him remember the important stuff.

"Oh, so you are looking for a kiss, huh?" He had asked her mischievously.

"Oh, never mind!" She had said throwing her hands around his neck. "I guess I've found it now!"

They had kissed then playfully. They had started to laugh in the middle of the kiss until they had to pull away.

"So, was it the kiss you were looking for?" He had asked her.

She had meditated it for a couple of seconds, a really thoughtful expression on her face. Ali had thought she looked just so cute then.

"Actually," She had said finally. "I don't think that was the exact kiss I was looking for, you know... the one I was looking for was bigger and sweeter... and longer."

He had laughed. She always managed to make him laugh. And of course at the end Azul had found exactly the kiss she was looking for.

Ali chuckled sadly at that memory. But his soft laughter soon became a deep sigh and then his face was covered with sadness once again.

"Oh Azul!" He said. "Why did things have to be this way between us? Why did I have to be so stupid, my love? Why did you have to be so special, so absolutely wonderful? Why did I have to love you the way I do? Why did you have to love this silly guy the way you did? Why did you put your life in my hands? Why did you trust me so much? Why did you love me so much when I didn't deserve to be loved? Why Allah? Why did you send me an angel... knowing that she had to go back to heaven so soon?"

He bowed his head and tears started to run down his cheeks again.

"But know this, Azul... even if I am a stupid, worthless man... even if I failed you... even if I abandoned you... even if I killed you... I just want you to know... I just want you to know that I loved you... more than my life, more than my soul. You were everything to me, my blue eyes. You were my entire world. I loved you so much that I only lived for you. You had my life, my heart and my soul in your hands, my princess. I devoted all my time to you during the two years we were together... all my thoughts and all my prayers were for you and only for you..."

Ali brushed the tears off his face and sighed deeply.

"I loved you so much that I wanted to protect you from any harm... I wanted to take care of you, to hold you, to keep you safe in my embrace... I wanted to take all the dangers for you. I wanted to fight all your battles, take all your wounds on me... all your pain on me... all your tears on me."

Ali smiled weakly even though tears were running down his face non stop.

"I loved you so much that I always felt completely comfortable with you... I felt comfortable acting silly around you... being myself when I was with you. I never hid anything from you... Azul, you liked my silly jokes, you enjoyed my stupid games... you laughed at my ridiculous stories. And every time I could see the flame of love shinning in you gorgeous blue eyes. You really enjoyed my company... Azul, I know you loved me for real, for who I was... with my good things, with my faults... you loved the man. You loved me. We shared all our feelings, all our dreams, our goals, our fears, just everything. You were my best friend all along, blue eyes, from the very first moment. From the moment we met for the first time, from that moment I was under your spell. From that moment I adored your personality... your easy laugh... your mischievous smile, your beautiful and deep blue eyes. I adored you, my angel. You were my everything."

Ali sighed again and his teary eyes scanned the horizon. They had to be near to Karak by then, he thought. Only a couple of hours to sunset.

"I loved you so much, Azul, that I was willing to fight for you, to sacrifice myself for you, to die for you if my life was required. Even though at the end I failed you, my love... but I'd die for you... I'd give my blood, until the last drop of blood in my body for you. If only you could believe me!"

A single tear ran down his face.

"And now this is all I have... memories... memories of the good old days. And I miss you, Azul. I miss you as I never thought I'd be able to miss anyone. Then I thought you are forever gone... forever. That word was so beautiful when I thought of the two of us together forever... but it sounds so awful when I think that this means now the separation. You and I separated by death... forever. What am I going to do without you, sweetie? I always believed in our relationship. I always thought we'd be together forever, through the good times and through the worst of times. I always had faith in our strength as a couple. I wanted to fight for us, to never give up on us."

He sighed deeply and his body trembled. It was just too painful for him.

"I loved you so much that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. I wanted to be there for you whenever you needed me... whenever you wanted me... I never wanted to leave you... I never wanted to live without you."

He gulped and closed his eyes. His face reflected his deep pain and his desperation and loneliness.

"But they all are just memories now... memories and broken dreams. For you are gone my angel... gone forever. For we'll never had the chance to live a life together, to build our future."

A sob escaped his throat.

"We'll never have the chance to be in each other's arms... I'll never have the opportunity to wake up in the morning having you by my side... of looking deep inside your royal blue eyes again... of seeing your smile or of hearing your laughter... to feel your soft small hands caressing my face... or your lips touching mine... oh Azul! I loved you so much! I will love you so much for the rest of my life! Why? Why did things have to be this way? Azul... my love... what have they done to us?"


Suddenly something brought Ali back to reality from his thoughts. Reeh neighed when he realized that right in front of them a lonely figure was approaching them quickly. A dark figure mounting a dark horse. Ali recognized him immediately and he put his hand on the handle of his sword.

"Faaris!" Ali said in a tone of voice that was filled with hate and rage. "We meet again!"

"Prince Ali of Agrabah!" Faaris yelled at him when they were close. "We meet in the field of honor!"

"What do you want from me this time, Faaris?" Ali yelled. "Isn't the fact that you took all my hopes and dreams away enough?"

"I told you to leave your quest. I told you to go back to Agrabah. I told you not to get close to Karak."

"I'd never go back to Agrabah without finishing you and Karak first!"

"You are stubborn, Prince Ali." Faaris said grabbing his sword. "I gave you the chance to live, but you wasted it. Now I'll send you to hell... you should be thankful though, I'll send you with your beloved Azul!"

Rage appeared on Ali's face. Hate as he had never felt before, as he never thought it could be possible before. A expression so terrible appeared on his face that Faaris stopped for a second.

That was enough for Ali. He didn't even take off his sword, instead he jumped from Reeh's back to Faaris, groaning and tackling him off his horse.

The two men fell to the ground, but as soon as they were there, Ali was already punching Faaris.

"You killed her!" He was screaming like crazy while beating Faaris over and over. "Damn you, Faaris! I'll kill you! I'm going to avenge her death... I hate you! Murderer!"

Ali's reaction was so unexpected that Faaris couldn't even react. He wasn't even defending himself. Ali was trying hard to hold back his tears. He was acting like a mad man, punching Faaris' face over and over. He was totally out of his mind.

"Stop!" Faaris said grabbing Ali's neck. "What is it with you, kid? She was only a woman... the world is full of them! You are a prince, for Allah's sake. You can have any woman you want at your feet! A better woman than she was!"

"You!" Ali said punching his face again. "Don't you ever say that again! She was the best! She was everything! She was... she was my Azul!"

Faaris' nose and mouth were bleeding already but Ali continued beating him. He wasn't thinking.

"She was worthless!" Faaris screamed. "She was nothing but a stupid woman! Her blood had magical powers, but other than that she was totally worthless!"

Ali's eyes reflected all his hate. Suddenly his dagger appeared there. He was holding it over his head ready to stab Faaris. The dark warrior smiled and brushed the blood off his face.

* * * * *

In Karak the Lord of the Dark City was staring at his magical water mirror. He groaned madly and stood up.

"NO!" Aswad screamed. "This just cannot be! That stupid Faaris has failed! The Lion is still alive and he's almost here... and it's almost sunset!"

"But the Dark Warriors are after him." Majid said. "They will take care of him. He cannot beat all of them."

"But with that cursed jewel his horse has he'd be here before Faaris' warriors can reach him. I cannot take any chances, Majid... this is an emergency now."

"The Lion of the Desert cannot do anything against Karak, my Lord. He is just a boy."

"A boy that has proven he's stubborn enough to be reach Karak. No Majid, I'm not risking what we have. In a few minutes the sunset will start... and even if I know Faaris is a good warrior capable of stopping the Lion, that cursed boy has proven he's resourceful enough to defeat the Dark Army."

"So what are we going to do now, my Lord?"

"The only thing the Lion cannot stop... bring the girl to me now."

"Now?"

"Yes... the sun will set in a few minutes and the stars will appear. In a hour we'll have all we need to start the ceremony... prepare the girl, Majid... we are going to start things now."

"In one hour everything will be ready."

"Yes... and for Faaris' own sake I hope he can stop the Lion before he arrives in Karak. If he doesn't stop him, at least I want to make sure she's mine before the Lion arrives in here. I cannot afford losing her. I cannot afford losing Azrak's blood. This is something I'm now willing to lose. She is mine now and there's nothing the Lion of the Desert can do about it."

"So, your orders are...?"

"Prepare the girl... I'll prepare the ceremony and the city defenses. We have to hurry, now go!"

"Yes my Lord!" Majid bowed and abandoned the throne room in a rush.

Aswad looked at the image of Ali in his water mirror.

"You are close... dangerously close, Lion of the Desert. But you could never stop this from happening. You can fight the entire world if you want. But your girl, your beloved Azul will be mine... in the way she never was yours."

Aswad waved his hand and the image disappeared form his water mirror. He turned around and opened his spell book, preparing things for the ceremony that would be held in only an hour.

* * * * *

In the deserts Reeh was still running down a plain valley. Ali kept looking over his shoulders at the dunes behind them trying to locate the dark warriors that were behind them but they weren't coming.

"I think we lost them!" Ali kept saying. "But we cannot be sure... we cannot take things for granted Reeh... run!"

He looked at the sky. Sunset was ending and the first shadows of the night were covering the land. He looked over his shoulder one more time and spurred Reeh.

"On the dunes!" He commanded. "We'll have a better point of view from up there!"

Reeh neighed and started to climb the sand dunes. Ali was looking back over and over, still afraid of the warriors that were chasing them.

"It'd be harder for them to follow our trail now that's getting dark!" Ali said. "And we cannot stop now... now that we know we are so close to...."

Ali didn't finish his sentence. By then Reeh had reached the highest point of the dune and he had stopped suddenly. Ali's eyes widened with surprise at the sight they had right in front of them.

Under them, in the plains on the other side of the dunes there was a city. A city standing all alone in the middle of the desert. A big city surrounded by high and impressive walls. A huge palace could be seen in the middle of the city. It looked so lonely, so scary, almost menacing standing there in the middle of nowhere. It was a mysterious city. A dark city... it was...

"Karak!" Ali said under his breath.

Ali's heart was beating faster and he was hardly breathing at the sight of that city. That place he had been looking for during only Allah knew for how long.

Ali gulped and ran his hand through his messy hair. He was all teary eyed. Reeh looked at his master questioningly.

"We are here, Reeh." He said. "We did it... we are really here."

The horse neighed softly.

Ali shook his head and rubbed his temples. His head was paining him.

"We still can do some good." He whispered. "We are too late for Azul... but... we still can save Agrabah..." Ali's voice trailed off and he sighed deeply.

Reeh snorted nervously and hit the ground with his hoofs. Ali looked down at him and then looked over his shoulder. He gasped when he saw the dark warriors appearing over the dunes behind them. There were still at a reasonable distance from them but Ali knew they'd reach them in no time.

A determined look appeared on his face as he spurred Reeh.

"C'mon boy!" He said firmly. "To the gates of Karak! Go!"

Reeh neighed loudly and started to descend the high dune, running like the wind in Karak's gates direction.

"We are here!" Ali kept saying to himself. "We are finally here... oh my blue eyes! Here's where you were... here's where you were waiting for me... here's where you..."

He didn't end his thought but he didn't cry either. He promised himself that while he was in Karak he'd be strong. He wouldn't allow himself to break there. He was going to be a courageous, brave, fierce warrior. He would have no mercy. He was there to destroy that city and that was what he was going to do. Even if that took his life.

It didn't take long for Reeh to reach Karak. As they were approaching the gates of the city, Ali started to feel something. There was something in the air. Something magical. As if the air of Karak were charged with sparks. There was some kind of tense calm around them.

And the closer they got to the city, the higher and more menacing the big walls seemed. When they finally arrived at the gates of the city Ali looked up. They were huge. Little did he know those were the same gates from where Azul had almost escaped the city a few weeks ago.

"We're here!" Ali said dismounting Reeh.

The land was already covered by the dark of the night. Ali stared at the huge gates and the high walls for a couple of seconds. He approached the gates and placed his hand on them, but the moment he touched the wooden doors, something like a electric shock ran across his hand and threw him away, sending him to the floor. He screamed in pain and Reeh backed, neighing scared.

"That hurt!" Ali said pressing his hand against his chest.

He looked at the walls and then sent a pathetic look at Reeh.

"How am I supposed to cross those gates?"

The horse snorted and made soft noises and came to nuzzle against Ali's side. The prince of Agrabah frowned and removed his cape, discovering his satchel there.

"The book!" He smiled. "You are smart, Reeh!"

He took out the book and opened it to the last pages, but nothing happened. Azrak was not telling him anything.

"C'mon!" Ali said annoyed. "Say something!"

He paged through the written pages almost nervously and he stopped when he saw the music sheet there. He looked at Reeh and laughed.

"The snake flute! That could work!"

Ali took the flute out of his satchel and looked at the giant walls of Karak. He sighed deeply and shrugged.

"It worked with the stone gates of the Sanctuary... maybe it could work here... let me try..."

By saying that he started to play the melody he had learned a few days ago. And at the sound of that music the doors of Karak started to open slowly. Ali smiled but he kept playing the song until the doors were completely open.

"Way to go!" He said placing the flute in the satchel and mounting Reeh. "Let's go boy! Let's get inside this hideous city and destroy it once and for all... with Allah's help we'll be on our way back to Agrabah by dawn! Go!"

Reeh reared on his back legs and neighed loudly. Then he ran to the entrance of Karak, but as soon as they tried to cross those gates the same energy that had hit Ali before shocked them. The prince of Agrabah and his loyal horse were sent back to the floor. It had been painful.

Ali groaned and rubbed his head. He was feeling dizzy. Reeh was trying to get up and shaking his mane furiously while making all kind of noises.

"So that was dumb." Ali muttered.

Almost instantly his eyes opened wide and a smile appeared on his face.

"The amulet!" He said triumphantly while taking the medallion out of his satchel. "Azrak told me I should wear the amulet when I was in Karak, remember? He said this amulet would protect me all the time. He said I should never take it off while I were in Karak."

Ali took the amulet and stared at it. He saw the inscription on the back of the medallion.

"Show no fear." He said.

He looked up at Reeh and patted his head.

"I'm sorry pal, but I guess you'll have to wait out here. The medallion can protect me but you'd be in danger. You stay here, okay? From this moment I'm on my own. Wish me luck."

The horse nuzzled against Ali's neck. The prince hugged his big head tightly, scratching the back of his ears.

"Thank you Reeh... you've been the best. I'll be back... but if I'm not, then you have to go back to Agrabah. Promise it to me, Reeh. If I don't come back you are going to go back to Agrabah."

The horse snorted softly and Ali patted his head.

"Good boy... now wish me luck... and may Allah help us!"


Ali put the medallion around his neck and approached the gates of Karak. He gulped when he thought of the possibility of another electric shock but he tried to push those thoughts out of his mind.

"Show no fear!" He repeated himself. "Show no fear!"

But as soon as he was going to step in Karak a big explosion was heard. It was so terrible that it sent Ali back to the ground. The prince of Agrabah had to cover his eyes for the bright was too intense for his eyes.

He felt an intense heat and when he opened his eyes his mouth hung wide open and an expression of amazement, surprise and terror was on his face.

For the huge walls of Karak had suddenly transformed into fire... huge, enormous, high fire walls.

"All Mighty Allah!" Ali muttered under his breath.

At the same moment Ali heard Reeh's impatient neighs. He looked back at his friend who was trying to tell him something.

"Oh no!" Ali said when he saw the reason of Reeh's restlessness. "The warriors are here!"

Indeed, the dark warriors of Faaris were almost there, descending the dunes around Karak. Ali could see Faaris leading them and he knew they would reach him in less than a minute. He looked at the walls of fire in front of him and then at the dark warriors behind him.

His expression changed from fear to determination. He patted Reeh's neck.

"Run Reeh! Go boy! Escape! Go! Go!"

The horse neighed nervously not knowing what to do. He looked at the giant walls of fire and then at the dark warriors and then at Ali. He was terrified.

"Go Reeh!" Ali urged him. "GO!"

The horse neighed not very convinced but ran away following Ali's orders. Ali looked at him. He knew the warriors would never reach him. He looked back at Faaris' men who were almost there.

And then he looked at the walls of fire in front of him.

He took the amulet in his hand and read the inscription again.

"Show no fear!" He repeated.

He took a deep breath and his hand touched the small diamond he had over his heart.

"This is the last obstacle." He whispered. "The last step... the last leap... a leap of faith... a leap of faith across the fire..."

Ali looked at the walls of fire and determination appeared in his face. It was the determination of his heart. His heart was strong enough to take that last leap of faith. He was just burning at that moment. Burning in hatred for Aswad and Karak in a whole. And the desire not only to avenge Azul's death but also to finish his mission and go back to Agrabah.

He looked back at the warriors. They were practically there by then. Ali nodded.

"Show no fear!" He said again. "For you Azul... no fear!"

By saying that he closed his eyes and jumped into the fire just in time to avoid the attack of one of Faaris' warriors.

It was a leap of faith.

And Ali passed through those walls of fire unharmed.

He fell to the ground and for a second he was motionless. Then he groaned and opened his eyes. His head was spinning around and he felt so dizzy. He shook his head and tried to stand up.

"What happened?" He said.

But when he looked around him he understood what had happened. He was inside Karak's walls. He was inside the dark city. He was standing in a long and dark street that led to the dark palace that could be seen from there in all its glory.

"Oh Allah!" Ali said. "I did it! I'm inside Karak!"

He looked at the walls. From inside they were solid stone. He gulped when he remembered what he had done, jumping into the fire like that.

He looked at himself trying to find some burns or wounds but he was in perfect shape. His clothes were all wore out after his journey across the deserts and his cape was ripped but he wasn't hurt.

He brushed absently the dust off his clothes as he stared at the palace.

"That is where I have to go." He said firmly. "And I must hurry, for Faaris is still after me."

Ali took the small diamond he had around his neck and kissed it softly. Then he made sure he had his sword and his dagger in his belt and the three crystals and the book in his satchel. Then he secured the amulet around his neck and covered it with his cape. When he was ready he put his hood on and fixed his cape around his shoulders, pressing his A+A pin against his heart.

"This is it." He said as a terrible expression appeared on his face. "This is the end."

And with that the brave Prince of Agrabah, the one known as the Lion of the Desert started to walk in the palace direction, determined as never before to destroy the city and that sorcerer named Aswad in Azul's name.

"Show no fear!" He kept repeating to himself.

It was the beginning of the end of Karak.

*        *        *

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