He had found her! The woman who had bewitched him with her ancient songs and chased his demons away. Even though she had protected him from the darkness, she seemed still afraid of him and would vanish if he tried to touch her. He had wandered the halls and rooms of the endless labyrinth. He had stumbled upon a door that was locked and would not bend to his will. Curiosity welled up within him as he wondered what lay beyond the door and so glanced through the keyhole…
A veiled woman was sitting in front of a mirror and there was bright light coming from a hearth. With hesitant hands, the maiden took off her veil. As she raised her head, her face was reflected in the silver mirror. Imhotep gave a strangled cry for he recognized his mysterious savior by the way she moved her shoulders. Desperate, he pounded against the strong barrier with his body. All the knowledge of years of fighting in single hand combat kicked in as he knocked down the barricade. Imhotep heard the nameless woman cry in alarm as the door came down with a crash. Looking up, he saw her backed against a wall, her pale face illuminated by the light of the fire. He saw to his astonishment that she looked far different from what he had imagined her to be. She had white skin and her eyes were a brilliant blue. Her ethereal beauty stunned and frightened him. But as he continued to gaze at her, he noticed that her face bore a somber, wary expression.
Looking into her eyes he saw tenderness, reproach, fear and sadness...the same gentleness that had protected him and drove his demonic tormenters away. Something stirred within him as he noticed this. His heart ached to touch this woman who would not anyone come near her. He wanted to tell her that there was no need to be afraid but he still could not speak. He walked slowly forward, extending his hand toward her. As he did so, she averted her gaze. Suddenly, the corner of his eye caught a flash of brown. He turned toward the mirror…
and screamed.
There was a monster in the mirror. A mummified, decaying corpse. A nightmare from the darkness. But he screeched even louder as he realized that it was HIM in the glass. He looked down at his skeletal hands and then back at the woman. His wind raising howl had snuffed out the flames of the fire and now there was darkness in the room. There seemed to be no light in the cell except her. Her skin was paler than before but she did not seem to be moving. Her hair seemed to meld with the blackness around her. Imhotep could see that they were not the only two in this chamber. He could make out a tall form that stood behind the maiden. The sinister being raised a grisly hand and touched the woman's face. In horror Imhotep witnessed as the evil hand was turning the woman's entire body into ice. He lunged forth…
and smacked right into a gleaming wall of ice. He saw that the woman was staring blandly back at him, imprisoned by a wall of ice. Bellowing, he pounded on her frozen prison trying to tear it apart. But alas he could not…
he was once again alone.