there since the cave had been opened.
As Aladdin suspected, once Jaha held the lamp, he wrenched his arm away.
This was why the boy had not removed his grappling hook from the lamp.
Aladdin fell. As he slipped free of the cave’s lip, he grabbed the cable still connected to the lamp’s handle and tugged. The brass work flew out of Jaha’s grasp and returned Aladdin’s. He could hear Jaha’s scream, the rage of the cave, the collapse of various piles of treasure, and the repetitive click-click-click of the contraption on his back. He twisted as he fell, turning in the direction of his desperate yank against his ornithoper’s starter cord, and he held his breath as the click-click-click turned into a clack-clack-clack . He felt himself lurch, and suddenly he swooped up into the air, his body spinning like a top. He was descending deeper into the cave, deeper into the collapsing towers of precious metals, gems and trinkets.
Aladdin twisted the throttle, feeling a surge of heat as the boiler released precious pressure. It helped him get out from under the rich man’s avalanche, but it would not help him escape the underground prison.
Aladdin plummeted to the ground, hitting a pile of treasure that scattered bowls and coins everywhere. He pushed up with his arms and looked behind him. Sand from outside was now pouring into the mouth of the cave. The slab that had one been blown clear by Jaha’s bombs now slid down the dunes to return to its original resting place. The madness unfolding around him compelled Aladdin to run deeper into the vault, looking for any safe shelter from what appeared to be his fate underneath the sands of the great desert.
Five
You will find your destiny as he promises, but perhaps not in the fashion that you may imagine.
His mother’s words offered little comfort within the silence of the underground vault with its great hatch now back into place. At least the torches had not extinguished themselves once the cave was sealed. Instead, the lights continued to flicker happily, casting light on what could be all the wealth of the world.
Aladdin emerged from his shelter, a small golden shrine that had probably been hollowed out for a statue or perhaps a sacred urn. He was trapped in a kingdom of wealth, and yet not a scrap of food was in sight.
There was very little of the footpath visible; it was either covered in gold and silver trinkets, or reclaimed by the sand. He had just been grateful the shrine provided a safe haven from the chaos triggered by removing the lamp from its pedestal. Something Jaha failed to mention to him. He promised himself to ask his “mentor” about this oversight when he could.
He was trying to figure out where he was within the cave, but nothing looked as he had originally saw it.
“I am in trouble,” he muttered, his own voice the only sound within the massive cavern.
He took a step and felt something bounce against his thigh. He looked down to see the cause of his current strife—the plain brass lamp the All-Powerful Jaha.
Jaha had been more than willing to sacrifice Aladdin to the cave in exchange for the piece of junk. He held it up into the light, considering what was worth the life of another. Perhaps there was an inscription leading to another treasure on it?
Aladdin looked around himself. Greater than this trove?
Then the light caught a pattern; it was no larger than his thumb, but it was a crest or standard of some kind. He had missed that when he first looked at it. The details of the shield, however, were obscured by what appeared to be dried oil or soot.
Aladdin gathered up the end of his sash, spat, and tried to buff away the grime covering the new discovery. He could feel through the fabric the thin engravings, and with each pass of his thumb across the mark, more details were coming into focus.
The signet suddenly popped loose, or it depressed into the lamp. Aladdin could not be certain as when it happened, as a quick, hard jolt
As Aladdin suspected, once Jaha held the lamp, he wrenched his arm away.
This was why the boy had not removed his grappling hook from the lamp.
Aladdin fell. As he slipped free of the cave’s lip, he grabbed the cable still connected to the lamp’s handle and tugged. The brass work flew out of Jaha’s grasp and returned Aladdin’s. He could hear Jaha’s scream, the rage of the cave, the collapse of various piles of treasure, and the repetitive click-click-click of the contraption on his back. He twisted as he fell, turning in the direction of his desperate yank against his ornithoper’s starter cord, and he held his breath as the click-click-click turned into a clack-clack-clack . He felt himself lurch, and suddenly he swooped up into the air, his body spinning like a top. He was descending deeper into the cave, deeper into the collapsing towers of precious metals, gems and trinkets.
Aladdin twisted the throttle, feeling a surge of heat as the boiler released precious pressure. It helped him get out from under the rich man’s avalanche, but it would not help him escape the underground prison.
Aladdin plummeted to the ground, hitting a pile of treasure that scattered bowls and coins everywhere. He pushed up with his arms and looked behind him. Sand from outside was now pouring into the mouth of the cave. The slab that had one been blown clear by Jaha’s bombs now slid down the dunes to return to its original resting place. The madness unfolding around him compelled Aladdin to run deeper into the vault, looking for any safe shelter from what appeared to be his fate underneath the sands of the great desert.
Five
You will find your destiny as he promises, but perhaps not in the fashion that you may imagine.
His mother’s words offered little comfort within the silence of the underground vault with its great hatch now back into place. At least the torches had not extinguished themselves once the cave was sealed. Instead, the lights continued to flicker happily, casting light on what could be all the wealth of the world.
Aladdin emerged from his shelter, a small golden shrine that had probably been hollowed out for a statue or perhaps a sacred urn. He was trapped in a kingdom of wealth, and yet not a scrap of food was in sight.
There was very little of the footpath visible; it was either covered in gold and silver trinkets, or reclaimed by the sand. He had just been grateful the shrine provided a safe haven from the chaos triggered by removing the lamp from its pedestal. Something Jaha failed to mention to him. He promised himself to ask his “mentor” about this oversight when he could.
He was trying to figure out where he was within the cave, but nothing looked as he had originally saw it.
“I am in trouble,” he muttered, his own voice the only sound within the massive cavern.
He took a step and felt something bounce against his thigh. He looked down to see the cause of his current strife—the plain brass lamp the All-Powerful Jaha.
Jaha had been more than willing to sacrifice Aladdin to the cave in exchange for the piece of junk. He held it up into the light, considering what was worth the life of another. Perhaps there was an inscription leading to another treasure on it?
Aladdin looked around himself. Greater than this trove?
Then the light caught a pattern; it was no larger than his thumb, but it was a crest or standard of some kind. He had missed that when he first looked at it. The details of the shield, however, were obscured by what appeared to be dried oil or soot.
Aladdin gathered up the end of his sash, spat, and tried to buff away the grime covering the new discovery. He could feel through the fabric the thin engravings, and with each pass of his thumb across the mark, more details were coming into focus.
The signet suddenly popped loose, or it depressed into the lamp. Aladdin could not be certain as when it happened, as a quick, hard jolt
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