The Stone of Alsuria

Rumina looked through her bowl of water, she saw Sinbad standing at the tiller on The Nomad. "Oh, dearest," she said "when are you going to realize that neglecting me is no option, you're just postponing the inevitable." She laught, "Well, I did try this once before, but who says I can't do it again?" The picture in the pool disappeared, Rumina went over to Cicero who was sitting on a bed. She stroke him over the head and the cat purred. "I think you better get down from there Cicero," Rumina exclaimed. "I will be expecting a delivery."

On the Nomad everything went as normal. Firouz were explaining Doubar and Rongar about one of his latest inventions. Maeve was reading in one of Dim Dims books, Dermott sat beside her. Sinbad stood at the tiller, but now Doubar came over to change with him. "I'll take it from here, little brother." "It's all yours, big brother." Sinbad answered. Sinbad went over to Maeve, "What are you reading about today Maeve?" Sinbad asked. "Oh, Dim Dim wrote something about.... have you ever heard of the Stone of Alzuria?" "Well, no, I don't think so..." "Well," Maeve said "I don't know exactly what he meant, but Dim Dim wrote that the Stone of Alzuria is to be found in the Great Temple in the kingdom of Alzuria. Whoever owns it will, if he or she is found worthy of possessing it, have the ability to mist away to any place possible, just by mentioning the name of the place while holding the stone in your hand." "So, where is this kingdom of Alzuria?" Sinbad asked "It's not very far from where we're headed actually, not that I had any plans visiting the place, but....." As she spoke, a man called out: "Waterspout ahead!" they turned and saw a giant waterspout coming towards the ship. "Oh no" Sinbad said with a worried look on his face, he knew by the look of that waterspout who was responsible for it. "Doubar!," he yelled "try to steer clear, full speed ahead!" Suddenly a strong gust of wind grabbed Maeve and threw her overboard. "Maeve!" Sinbad ran after her and was about to jump when Rongar and Firouz grabbed him and held him back. "No!" he shouted "I have to rescue her, let me go!" then he saw Maeve in the water "there she is, throw out that rope, quickly! The waterspout is closing in on us!" Rongar took a long rope and threw it out to Maeve, she just managed to grab the end of the rope, but it was enough to get a better hold, and they pulled her back on the Nomad. "What was that all about?" "I...I don't know, it..it was just like something just grabbed me and flung me overboard." "You mean like this?" Sinbad asked as he was lifted up and thrown towards the end of the ship. "What in the name of....?" Doubar began. Sinbad tried to hold on, but before anyone could reach out to help him, he lost his grip and fell into the sea, and right into the waterspout. "Little brother!" Doubar cried out, but his brother was gone, and a moment later the waterspout dissolved itself as well. "Well, I guess I know where we'll find him, " Maeve said "that waterspout, it was Rumina's doing, and I guess these winds were hers as well."

When Sinbad woke up he was lying in a bed, his hands were tied together in front of him. "Why do I get a strange feeling of Deja Vu?" he asked himself. He sat up and looked around "Ok Rumina, what is it you want from me this time?" Rumina came out from behind some curtains. "Well Sinbad, the usual" Rumina came to sit by Sinbad. "I want you to become my husband. "Great, haven't you tried this before. I already told you, I'm not the settling down type" Sinbad said "But dearest, this time I will succeed. Ok, so I won't be marrying the real you, but don't worry, you will be yourself, in every way, except one little thing, you will be obsessed with me and wanting to spend the rest of your life with me." as she spoke, she threw some magic dust on Sinbad. He tried to avoid the dust, but it fell on him. "I don't like the thought of going back to Rumina's island," Doubar said "you know what happened the last time" "Don't worry Doubar," Maeve told him "maybe we don't have to go there, at least not the way you think" "What do you mean, we have to save Sinbad" "Yes, but could we go to Alzuria first?" "Alzuria? What in heavens name would we be doing there?" Maeve explained to Doubar about the Stone of Alzuria, and he agreed to set the course there. When they reached Alzuria, Maeve, Doubar, Firouz and Rongar took the longboat to shore. "So where to now?" Doubar asked. "Well, according to this map, the Great Temple is here." Firouz said, and pointed at the map "That will be in this direction." Firouz started walking towards a little path between the trees. They quickly made their way to the temple. "Now I know why they call it the Great Temple" Maeve exclaimed. And it truly was large. The couldn't see the end of it, and it was so high that it looked like it touched the clouds. "This is what we saw when we arrived, " Firouz was amazed "I thought it was some kind of a mountain." They walked up the big stairs which lead them to the entrance. The door was so heavy that even Doubar had difficulties getting it open. Once they got inside they saw the Stone on the top of some kind of altar. It was about the size of a fist, and it was encircled by a beautiful blue light. Suddenly the light became brighter and it was as if the ground were shaking beneath them. Maeve felt the presence of strong magic powers entering the room.

The light from the Stone became so intense that they had to cover their eyes not to be blinded from it. Then a voice filled the room "Who are you who disturb the spirits of the Great Temple? "I..I am Maeve, an apprentice in white magic, and this is Doubar, Rongar and Firouz. I seek the Stone of Alsuria." "And do you find yourself worthy of possessing it?" "I.." Maeve began. "Do not have fear," the voice answered "the Great Temple spirits can read your mind, and we can see that you have a pure spirit and a good heart and that your intentions are good. You may take the stone and keep it, but you can also decide to just borrow it, and return it here later. If you decide to keep the stone you must guard it well, don't let anyone with evil intentions use it, because the Stone of Alzuria must never be misused." " I understand" Maeve said. The light faded, and Maeve went up to the stone.

"Well, I guess we don't need these anymore" Rumina said, and removed the ropes around Sinbad's hands with her magic. "Now, dearest, do you care for some food" "I...well, I guess that wouldn't be too bad" Sinbad answered, still looking a little dizzy ".... but, how about ..." he turned and pulled Rumina closer "a kiss first?" After he had kissed Rumina, Sinbad seemed a little confused, he felt like he really loved Rumina, and he would never leave her, but still he sensed that something was not right. But as soon as he looked at Rumina he forgot everything, he felt that she was the only thing that mattered right now, other things could wait. Rumina waved one hand, and a servant girl brought some fruit. Sinbad grabbed an apple and took a bite of it. "So.. when will our wedding take place?" Rumina asked. "Wedding? .. well, as soon as possible I guess." Sinbad said "Really?" Rumina was pleased. "Anything for you my love" Sinbad said as he moved closer to her.

Maeve had the Stone of Alzuria in her hand and she asked the others to lay their hands upon hers. "Take us to Rumina's lair" she said, the stone started to glow, and the four disappeared. They reappeared inside Rumina's lair, there they could see Rumina and Sinbad sitting on the bed, Rumina run her fingers through Sinbad's hair. When Maeve saw Sinbad and Rumina together, she became so furious that she ran forward and tossed a fireball which landed right in front of them on the floor. Both of them leaped aside. "WHAT THE..!" Rumina shouted, then she saw Maeve "You pesky peasant witch! You'll pay dearly for this!" Then she noticed Doubar who stood beside Sinbad "Little brother" he asked "are you all right?" "Well I... " "How did you get in here?" Rumina interrupted, "you couldn't possibly have gotten past all my guards" "We didn't have to" Maeve answered. "But then how did you....?" Rumina suddenly became aware of the stone in Maeves hand. "That stone..it has magic in it...is that, is that the Stone of Alzuria?" Rumina asked. "Yes it is." "Oh, I see..." "Well, now what, are you planning to take it from me?" "What me?, oh no, " Rumina said "I have the ability to mist away to anywhere I please, at anytime I please. I don't need the Stone of Alzuria. But to allow you to have that ability would be foolish of me, don't you think?" Rumina sent a wave of magic towards Maeve and snatched it out of her hand. "No!" Maeve sent a magic wave of her own towards the stone, trying to get it back. The stone were trapped between the two waves of magic, one good and one evil. Then suddenly the Stone started to glow. It absorbed Maeve's wave and reflected Rumina's. Rumina's wave were sent back on herself and she felled backwards. "NO!" Sinbad shouted as he saw Rumina fall. He ran over to her and sat beside her, she was unconscious. "Oh no, wake up, please, my love" he pleaded. Maeve could not believe what she just heard. "Sinbad?" she asked "What's the matter with you? That's Rumina, remember?" "Of course I remember." Sinbad answered "This is Rumina, my bride to be." Maeve was shocked, but she new Sinbad had to be under some sort of a spell, she closed her eyes and tried to catch the spell on him. She frowned, and stretched out her mind to the spell, it was a hard one to break, but she thought she were able to do it. And the sooner the better, she did not at all enjoy the way Sinbad gazed upon Rumina. "Maeve, what are you..?" Firouz began. "Shh! I'm concentrating"..... There, she made it, she broke the spell, but as the spell on him disappeared, Sinbad collapsed. "Sinbad!" The others ran over to him, Doubar lifted up his unconscious body. "Maeve, what did you do this time? Why did Sinbad pass out like that?" " I don't know Doubar," Maeve answered, "but I guess he will be all right when he wakes up. I broke Rumina's spell on him" "Well I think we better get out of here before that witch wakes up." Doubar said. "You're right". Maeve took the Stone and placed Sinbad's hands over it, then she and all the others took their hands over it as well. Maeve said "Take us to the Great Temple".

In the Great Temple Maeve went over to the altar, "O Great Spirit, I have decided to return with the Stone." she said, and laid the stone back on the altar. There was a bright light once again, and the voice appeared. "That's a wise choice Maeve," it said " remember, if you should want to borrow the Stone in the future, you are welcome." "Thank you, but I guess I'll do without it in the future." Once they were outside the temple, Sinbad started to wake up, he were back to his old self, in every way. Maeve explained what had happened to him on their way back to the Nomad.

On the Nomad Firouz were talking to Sinbad, "You know, it was a quite fascinating feeling actually" Firouz said. "What?" "To be transformed by the help of that stone." "Well, I've only tried it the times Rumina misted me away with her, so I had other things on my mind and didn't notice how it felt. Maybe I will get the chance to try it under some better circumstances once." "Yes, maybe you will." Maeve said, having overheard their conversation. "What do you mean Maeve?" Sinbad asked. "Well," she said "when I have studied and practiced more magic, I may someday be able to mist away, like Rumina can.... And then.. well, maybe you and I can mist away together, sometimes" she smiled. "Well....I guess we could Maeve." Sinbad answered, smiling back at her.