I

Jafar was wallowing in his cell, he had convinced himself that his stupid bird had squaked his beak and gotten caught. After venting his frustrations with some yelling at the walls, he resolved himself to scheme his way out of this jail. His best hope was that the captain of the guards still held loyalty for Jafar. He suddenly heard a loud clank above him and looked to see Iago struggling to pull the lamp between the bars of the cell window. He could hardly believe his eyes as the bird flapped down and promptly dropped the lamp into Jafar's eager hands. He could hear the distant voices of the people of Agrabah, gathered together at the front of the palace. As the crowd continued cheering at the news of Princess Jasmine's chosen suitor, Jafar placed his hand to the side of the lamp, and with a victoriously wicked grin began to rub it.

Blue smoke erupted from the lamp and the djinn appeared before Jafar.

"I see a new master, I shall grant thee three wishes. What is thy bidding?" The djinn spoke with fervent intensity, his voice seemed to rattle Jafar and Iago's eyes.

Jafar took a deep breath, thinking briefly of everything he'd gone through to come to this moment. "I wish to rule on high, as sultan of this land."

"Thy wish is granted, master." And with those words, the skies above the city of Agrabah grew angry with black clouds, day seemed to turn into night as the sun was blotted out. A great earthquake began shaking the ground beneath the feet of the people. Terror filled the air and screams from the crowd emanated. Above the crowd on the terrace the former sultan, princess Jasmine, and Aladdin in his princely disguise stood with fear visibly showing on their faces, watching the unholy skies in disbelief while trying to maintain their balance with the shaking ground beneath them. A few buildings around the city could be seen collapsing.

The earth adjacent to the palace jutted in altitude, as if it were attempting to strike at the heavens. It formed into a mountain and a staircase made of onyx appeared leading to the summit, which flattened into a plateau.

Behind the palace, A massive figure appeared like it was rising from a hole. It was the djinn, now appearing in a similar color as the night sky, with black smoke swirling around him. His head was high enough to brush the cloud cover that had formed at the start of this event.

The djinn placed his hands firmly on either side of the palace, digging into the ground. He lifted the palace into the air and continued raising it high above the city towards the mountain. Some large chunks of earth fell from the palace into the crowd below crushing them. More screams and cries were heard. It seemed the whole city was screaming. Those noises coupled with the sounds of the earthquake and the thunder coming from the clouds in a cacophony brought the three on the royal terrace to tears. The former sultan clutched his chest as he bent to his knees, he couldn't bring his head up to watch any longer.

The palace darkened as the djinn placed it at the mountain summit, nestling it securely on the plateau. This now utterly black palace looked down on the city and the earthquake waned into tremors. The monstrous djinn faded into black smoke and dissipated.

The clothing from the former sultan disappeared, leaving him entirely nude in front of the people of Agrabah. He tried in vain to cover his shame and the crowd gasped as the new sultan stepped onto the royal terrace, garbed in the attire of the sultan. Jafar smiled proudly as he strode confidently toward the edge of the terrace.

"Jafar! You vile betrayer!" The former sultan hurled at him as he walked past. Jafar stopped in place and turned to him.

Iago chimed in, "That's sultan vile betrayer now!" and flew into the side of his face in a denouncing slap. Jafar smirked at the sight.

"You would do well to know your place old man, if you wish to keep what's left of your life." Jafar added, then turned back towards the people below him, continuing to the edge of the terrace. The former sultan, completely defeated, began to cry aloud and bowed down to Jafar. Princess Jasmine witnessed this and felt disgusted, she turned to her Prince Ababwa for answers.

Aladdin was out of options, his only thought was to attack Jafar straight on, perhaps he could push him off the terrace into the crowd. He started marching towards the new sultan, not realizing Jafar was watching his every move. "Guards! Seize him!" Jafar commanded as he pointed at Prince Ababwa. Without hesitation the two guards stationed at the terrace entrance moved forward and grabbed him by the arms. Aladdin's strength could not match the two guards and he was held in place, struggle as he might. "Excellent work! Hold him there, I want him here to witness this." Aladdin couldn't do anything but look on with a grimace as Jafar prepared to address his new subjects. The crowd meanwhile continued to scream and cry at the horrors beheld to them. Some tried in vain to rescue loved ones that were killed in the debris, others were heard booing as they saw the well known vizier taking power.

"People, people… Please, calm yourselves. I will have order in my kingdom." Jafar bellowed in an attempt at quieting the crowd. This didn't work, they were especially outraged by the last comment. People began shouting and cursing at Jafar. They absolutely refused him as rightful ruler. Some even tried hurling stones at him, shouting that he killed people they loved. Aladdin saw this and a spark of hope appeared on his face.

"That's right Jafar, you aren't of the royal bloodline. You can wish yourself into the position, but the people will revolt and overthrow you. Are you going to spend another wish to force people to accept you? Would that even work?" Aladdin proclaimed this loudly so the whole crowd could hear him.

"I AM sultan. The royal bloodline doesn't exist anymore. There is a new order, my order! You WILL bow before ME!" Jafar was shaking with anger, he screamed the words to be certain that every person present heard every word.

"We will never bow to you!" Princess Jasmine shouted back, she stepped forward to ensure the whole crowd could see her. The crowd erupted in cheers after hearing her voice. At that moment, a head sized stone was hurled onto the terrace, Jafar saw it and ducked out of its way. Iago on the other hand had not noticed it, and was in its path as he perched on Jafar's shoulder. When Jafar ducked, Iago instinctively flew in place to keep his position. The stone smashed hard into Iago, his body clung to it as it fell to the ground and Iago was flattened beneath it. He let out a final painful squawk, Jafar looked to it and a glimpse of grief shown on his face but faded just as quickly. Boiling mad, Jafar brought forth the magic lamp in plain sight and rubbed it violently. The djinn appeared once again and before he could say anything Jafar shouted to everyone.

"If you will not bow before a sultan, then you shall cower before a sorcerer!" He turned to the djinn, "My next wish is to be the most powerful sorcerer in the world!"

The djinn pointed his finger at the center of Jafar's forehead. "Thy wish is granted, master." Jafar's sultan garb turned black, his serpent staff returned and the serrated grin on his face reappeared. The crowd fell silent at this spectacle.

"Now then," Jafar struck the butt of his staff to the terrace floor and a resounding crack emanated, instantly everyone in the crowd dropped forcibly to their knees and bowed their heads. "That's much better. So you see Abooboo, these ARE my subjects."

"How can you do this to people, they've done nothing to you!" Princess Jasmine plead to Jafar. Jafar turned and walked over to her.

"Ah, my princess, you are so quick to judge. You know nothing of my past." Now within arm's length, he began to reach out his hand towards her.

Suddenly Jasmine's tiger, Rajah pounced and bit Jafar's arm. Jafar screamed in pain. "Contemptible beast!" he jabbed his staff at Rajah and an electric zap sent the tiger flying into a far wall. Rajah collapsed where he fell. Jasmine cried out for him as Jafar waved his staff across his bitten arm, healing it instantly. He opened and closed his hand a few times to make sure he healed it properly, when he turned to see Ababwa lunging at him atop his magic carpet. The two guards who held him were lying on the floor, having been knocked off their feet by the flying carpet. Jafar quickly pointed his staff and sent a zap into the carpet. It hurled Ababwa who fell to the floor tumbling. The carpet then froze in place and started to unravel.

The former sultan, regaining his composure stood up to face Jafar. He pointed, "How dare you practice dark magic here, Jafar, you know it is forbidden in this kingdom!"

"Yes, I do know that it is forbidden-was forbidden under your rule. In fact..." He grabbed Princess Jasmine violently by the arm and dragged her toward her father, "Why don't you explain to the princess how that law came to be. Tell the princess about her mother!"

"Father? What is he talking about?" Jasmine fearfully inquired.

"No please! I beg of you, don't do this." The former sultan pleaded to Jafar. "You can't-"

"Tell her!" Jafar pointed his staff at the naked old man.

"You don't understand, she was calling evil spirits!" He looked down to his feet. "What was I to do? You were just a baby, I didn't know what she was capable of." The former sultan looked up to Jasmine with a forlorn face.

"What do you mean father? What happened to mother?" Jasmine's eyes welled up with tears. Jafar interrupted.

"She was my teacher, Princess. A powerful witch, and your father forcibly took her as his wife. Isn't that right old man?" Jafar accosted him.

"It- It's true. She denied me as a suitor so I blackmailed her father to force his hand. When I realized her evil nature I exposed her deeds to the people of Agrabah, they saw her as a blasphemer of Allah." The former sultan was attempting to explain his reasoning to his daughter.

Jafar spoke again, "She had a pure heart, not once did she ever use her power for personal gain or to attack anyone else. Sometimes her practice got a little dangerous but she always remained in control. It was one of these sessions where your father discovered her practice. He was terrified and furious." Jafar turned slowly to face the former sultan, "And what did you do at that point?"

The former sultan paused for a few moments then began sobbing, "I- I had her seized and… sentenced, to beheading." The old man bawled out, "I'm so sorry princess!" He dropped to his knees as he cried. Princess Jasmine cried as well, her feelings in a flurry. She felt afraid, sad, furious, and betrayed. She wrapped her arms around herself and closed her eyes in tears as she turned away from her naked father.

"How convenient for you to become the sole ruler of this kingdom. I'll make an example out of you old man!" Jafar jammed his staff into the floor and it stood in place. The crowd no longer under the spell to bow down, turned their heads up in silence to watch. Jafar stretched both his hands out in front of him toward the former sultan. He lifted the naked man into the air telekinetically, and moved him slowly away from the terrace, so that he was in the air high above the crowd. The former sultan was flailing wildly and screaming in high pitched tones, he could feel his heart hurting in his chest from his terror. He thought at that moment he might die of a heart attack. Jasmine, still crying and confused, looked towards her Prince Ababwa who was still knocked unconscious from being thrown from the carpet. She watched in horror the spectacle before her, and the crowd below was gasping.

"Let it be known that those who do not submit before me shall be culled. I want you all to witness the beginning of a new era for Agrabah. Together we will flourish under my rule, we will conquer our enemies, and any who oppose our great kingdom will be devoured by it! Hail your new ruler!"

The crowd cried out, "HAIL JAFAR!"

And as the crowd chanted, Jafar brought his arms out widely, forcing the former sultan's four limbs to be fully outstretched. He then brought his hands together in an echoing clap. The former sultan suddenly exploded, blood and viscera rained down upon the crowd, bathing them in a twisted baptism. The screaming in terror returned, and this brought a smile to Jafar's face. Princess Jasmine bent over and vomited, tears streaming down her face in fear. Her whole body trembled.

The noise of the explosion and screams from the crowd jolted Aladdin awake, as he regained conscious it occurred to him that his nightmare was actually happening. He looked around to see a pile of yarn not far from him, further he saw the princess bent over, crying and vomiting. He saw Rajah's body against the wall, lifeless. He didn't see the former sultan anywhere, only Jafar looking down over the crowd, laughing. He peered over the edge to see them covered in blood and couldn't bring himself to believe what his mind was piecing together. He darted over to the princess and wrapped his arms around her as she cried. "Oh Prince Ali, why is this happening?" Aladdin felt his heart sink at that moment. Jafar turned to face them.

"So Abooboo, you've decided to join us again. How was your nap?" he jeered. That name, Aladdin thought. That's right.

"Abu!" Aladdin yelled at the top of his lungs, Jasmine flinched from the noise. Just then, the huge terrace doors burst open and Ababwa's elephant came trundling through. The elephant charged Jafar who only yawned and pointed his finger at the large animal. Abu's massive body shriveled back into his monkey form and promptly collapsed, his heart frozen permanently.

"Princess Jasmine." Jafar called her name to gain her full attention. "I can't imagine what you must be going through right now, finding out that your father lied to you, and was responsible for the death of your mother." He put on a facade, a face of sorrow. "But at least you still have the strong and great Prince Ali Ababwa to lean on. At least he wouldn't betray you, right Abooboo?" As he spoke these words the clothing on Prince Ali began to change, suddenly he was back to wearing the ragged clothing of Aladdin, the street rat.

"Ali?" Jasmine squeaked out with tear filled eyes.

"I'm afraid not my dear. You see, the great Prince Ali was all the time merely Aladdin, masquerading as royalty to deceive you into marrying him. Yet another liar in your life." Jafar was smiling as he mocked.

"Princess, I wanted to tell you, I'm sorry. I'm just-" Aladdin could no longer speak.

"Ah ah boy, commoners shouldn't address royalty so casually. Besides, this is no tribunal. This is judgement, come here and stand before the people of Agrabah!" Aladdin was magically pulled forward and held in place at the edge of the terrace so the crowd could see him. They started shouting at Aladdin, some were saying he was a thief, others were angry that he pretended to be royalty to deceive the princess.

"Silence, silence my good people!" Jafar addressed the crowd. "You are right to be outraged. This boy was caught trying to deflower the princess. He even had your former sultan fooled, but not I. I knew straight away what he intended, but they didn't believe me." The crowd booed as they heard Jafar was not believed. "The boy is beyond guilty. We caught him trying to kidnap the princess and locked him in the dungeon. He was sentenced to death but managed to escape the dungeon before his execution. Now he's caught yet again, this time inside the palace walls!" The crowd roared with fury. "What should we do with him my people?"

All at once the crowd chanted repeatedly, "Execute! Execute! Execute!"

"Very well, you heard the people, Aladdin. I hereby sentence you to be executed immediately. Guards!" Jafar judiciously brought forth the palace guards, knowing how much they've wanted to redeem themselves after allowing him to escape their jail. The two guards grabbed Aladdin again and the captain stepped forward, drawing his scimitar as the guards forced Aladdin to bow his head to the floor. "Captain, I give this criminal to you as a gift. Please know I don't hold the guards responsible for his escape, and I thank you for your great effort in protecting the Palace and the Princess."

"Thank you my sultan, we swear allegiance to you." The captain proclaimed. The princess was curled into a ball, desolate and abandoned. She couldn't do anything but lay there and cry as the man she thought she loved was to be executed. The captain bent down next to Aladdin and muttered a curse only Aladdin could hear. He then stood his full height, brought his scimitar up above his head and held it in pause. The crowd fell silent in anticipation. He brought down his blade with one swift movement, slicing through Aladdins neck as if it wasn't even there. Blood spurted from his neck and the head rolled off the side of the terrace and into the crowd. They cheered as someone caught it and raised it up above and chanted "Long live the Princess! Long live Jasmine! Long live Jafar!"

Jasmine passed out where she laid, the voices chanting her name fading away.