Striking Distance

by Macx

set after Redemption. Scarab calls three Soul Hunters to find Rapses' soul and not even the mummies can protect their prince. An uneasy alliance between Anubis, Morrigan and the Guardians is formed to find a way to defeat the apparently invulnerable creat

This story is (kinda, not really, in a way....) a sequel to both Rebirth and Redemption. The time between the idea for actually really writing it and finishing the story was just two weeks. Proof-reading the piece or work took a bit longer due to a one-week vacation in Toronto g>
As the other two stories, this story is heavily leaning toward Anubis in some areas, but the mummies have their share of story-time as well. This is a MA! story after all g> I hope you don't mind the Anubis stuff though (and the *slightly* mushy end ...*coughcough*).

Copyrights for all MA! characters belong to whoever holds them (I'm not the one). Morrigan O'Connor was given birth by my Weird Braincell(tm). Please tell me before using her in a fanfic.

Have fun reading! Comments always welcome. Flames can be left at Hellmouth.

Striking Distance
by Birgit Staebler
mac@gno.de

The room was almost dark, the only light coming from dimmed halogen lamps dotting the walls. The walls formed a cone as they rose around the sole figure occupying it, and a large panorama skylight was set into one wall. The figure stood around a kind of black cauldron. Whatever was inside the cauldron, it bubbled softly, curls of steam rising to the ceiling high above.
A golden snake slithered over to the cauldron, raising itself on her muscular body to peer inside.
"It smells terrible," Hekka sniffed and grimaced.
"Then it's almost done," the figure replied, turning away from the bench it had stood at. Dressed in his usual purple robes, Scarab strode over and sprinkled something reddish and green into the soup.
"You remember what happened the last time you tried this?" Hekka pointed out.
Scarab shot her a dark look. "This time I know what I'm doing."
"Where did I hear that before?" the golden cobra muttered and curled up on the nearest work bench. "Calling otherworldly creatures..." She shuddered. "As if gods and demons from our world weren't enough already."
"Shut up, Hekka!" Scarab snarled, eyes fixed on the soup. It had turned a shade of red. "I have to concentrate!"
Hekka snorted but kept her silence. Scarab began a long chant, waving his hands over the cauldron and the cobra watched in morbid fascination as the steam rising out of it became more surreal, more like smoke, turned a sick shade of green and blue, and coalesced into something much, much larger. Scarab raised his hands and the cloud of smoke parted into three almost equal worm-like shapes. They grew clawed hands and ridges along what had to be their backs, and red, slitted eyes opened over large maws full of sharp teeth. One of those things floated too close to her for her liking and Hekka hissed at it. The creature was not impressed.
"Ah, good!" Scarab called, rubbing his hands. "Very good."
"What are they, Scarab?" Hekka demanded.
"These creatures, my dear, are the best hunters you can think of. Set them onto a track and they won't stop until they have found their prey."
"And that would be....?"
"The soul of our young prince Rapses, of course." Scarab strode over to the waiting spirits, smiling broadly. "And the best is, no one can see them."
"Well, I can."
"You are one of the very few, Hekka." Scarab chuckled. "They are invisible to the humans. Old souls, like ours are, can see them, as could the souls of those humans who are lucky enough to be reborn, but the mundanes are blind."
Hekka regarded the three ghosts with distaste. "And they will find Rapses?"
"Of course they will. These Hunters hunt by scent, not the shape of a physical body, my dear Hekka." Scarab came over to her and grabbed her around her neck. Hekka's reaction was the usual: her lower body curled slightly and straightened out, forming the sorcerer's staff.
"How do you know how the prince smells?"
"The scent of his aura if indistinguishable."
"But you weren't able to 'smell' him before, oh great sorcerer. The amulet protects him."
"No magic will be able to protect him from these hunters. They are impervious to magic interference. They will hunt for a 3500 year old soul with the marks of a pharaoh on them, and there is only this one." Scarab walked back to the waiting Hunters. "Go, my minions. Find the accursed boy and bring him to me -- alive!"
The ghosts circled the room once, then whisked silently out of the building, taking flight into the night sky.

* * *

Presley ran as fast as he could, aware of only the creatures hunting him. His breathing came in ragged gasps and he stumbled over the next flight of stairs, almost falling. His backpack seemed to have acquired more weight and his legs were growing heavier as well. The amulet around his neck was bouncing against his chest.
"C'mon, guys!" he panted. "Saving time's almost up!"
The creatures shrieked in what he thought was triumph and Presley winced. The streets were empty, no one was around, and he had no clue where exactly he had run to. Rounding one corner the boy suddenly found himself back on one of the livelier streets. Gulping down breaths of air, Presley tried to find out where exactly he was..... and heard the shrieks again. He expected people to scream in fear and run, but strangely enough, no one reacted.
"What....?!" he muttered.
The wispy things that had hunted him through half of downtown appeared behind him, looming over the humans, their bodies nothing but foggy clouds, but he had seen and felt how substantial they were when attacking him. An old lady who passed right by the closest of the three didn't even seem to mind the gaping mouth and slitted eyes.
And the thing charged.
Presley started to run again, shoving through the evening crowds, eliciting protests and yells of how the younger generation was so rude and thoughtless. He didn't care. He knew what he was seeing and what was after him!! God, how he wished to hear the squeal of the Hot-Ra's wheels and the battle cry of his friends. Where were they???
And then he ran smack into someone. Presley had just ducked around another corner and tried to press through a narrow gap between clothes on a rack when he ran into a soft obstacle, toppling them both over.
"Sorry," he managed, clambering to his feet and trying to run away.
His right foot got stuck in some of the clothes and he stumbled again. Strong hand clamped around his shoulders and steadied him.
Shrieking could be heard again.
Presley's eyes widened in fear.
The creatures bore down onto them, eyes roaming the shop -- and then they passed over him.
"How....?" he whispered.
"Are you....okay?" The last word trailed off and Presley blanched as he looked up and right into two very light gray eyes. He didn't know why, but the dark-haired man seemed familiar somehow. And then the image shifted and for a brief second Presley thought he was looking into pure white eyes in a jackal's face. He blinked and the image shifted back.
"Young man!" a new voice boomed and Presley flinched, turning to see the shopkeeper bearing down on him like those weird creatures had only seconds before. "What did you think you were doing?!"
The boy fumbled for words. Not only had he run over a customer, he had also wrecked two coat and pant racks. "I...I....."
"He's with me. Sorry about the mess," the woman he had toppled now said, dusting off her jeans.
"You should take better care of how you raise your son, Miss!" the shopkeeper declared.
The woman and the man gathered some of the scattered clothes. Presley just stood there, breathing hard, slightly stunned. Adrenaline was still pumping through his veins, but he was slowly deflating. The woman and the man talked briefly to the shopkeeper, then the woman turned to him. Presley gasped as he finally recognized her.
"You are...."
"I know who I am," the woman said briskly, voice low. "Let's get you out of here."
She pushed him gently to the exit, though Presley was reluctant to leave. What if those things were still out there? He shivered briefly.

Morrigan O'Connor stepped out of the clothes shop, eyes scanning the pier. Everything seemed normal, but she knew that a few minutes ago something had happened. She had seen it out of the corner of her eyes and her magical senses, her Other Senses, had tingled, but she wasn't sure what it had been. Looking at the boy, Presley Carnovan, the reincarnation of Rapses, she knew she wasn't wrong. He looked scared out of his mind. And where were his four Guardians?
"Presley?"
The boy swallowed and looked at her. Yes, he was scared.
"What happened?"
Before he had a chance to explain, there was something brushing over her Senses and she started. Morrigan looked around and she thought she saw ......something foggy and large, with eyes and claws. It was as if she was seeing it overlaid by the people and the pier, but it was definitely there. The thing flew past them, not really seeing Presley, though its eyes were fixed right on him for a second, then it disappeared.
"What in the name of......" she started. "What was that?"
"A Hunter." The quiet voice was at her left ear and she tried not to flinch. She should be used to it by now.
"Hunter?"
"Creatures from the spirit world. Ghosts."
Morrigan looked at Presley, who's eyes were wide as he looked at her companion. From his chalky appearance the boy was ready to call it a day before he lost his lunch.
"Come on," she said quietly and squeezed his shoulder. "Let's find a quiet place and talk -- and wait for your Guardians. I suppose you called them?"
Presley nodded mutely.
"I wonder what's taking them," Morrigan muttered, scanning the area. Except for the normal crowd on evening tourists and shoppers, no one was around. The Guardians would stand out immediately and normally you could follow the screams of scared people.
"Let's go," her companion said quietly.

* * *

The fighting was over and only dust remained behind, among the rubble some hard to identify colored pebbles. Shabti never left much to ID behind, though if the Shabti broke only into a few pieces, the police investigating the 'crime scene' had some more strange clay remains to puzzle over. This time there had been a lot of Shabti attacking, pouring out of every crack or hole, and the four mummy Guardians had been hard pressed to stay in control of the fight. In the end they had won, but it had taken up valuable time and even more valuable power.
"I can't find the amulet of the prince!" Rath shook his head, slight desperation in his voice as they stopped near the Fisherman's Wharf where the last blip from the magic amulet had come from.
"What's wrong?" Ja-kal demanded, eyes hard. Like all of them he looked worn out, but determined.
He was more or less annoyed because of the time they had lost getting here. And now there was no sign of the prince. A cold feeling of dread spread inside the leader of the Guardians and he squelched it. Were they really too late? Or had Rapses fled to a location too far away for Rath to detect him? But the amulet's power had no limit.... they could find him everywhere.
"I don't know!" Rath sounded annoyed as well. He was confronted with a problem he had not expected and he didn't want to ponder what the consequences might be.
"The prince is in a magical null-zone," a quiet voice suddenly said.
The four Guardians whirled around, Nefer-tina already raising her whip. The man they now saw held up his hands, a slight smile around his lips. He looked like any other ordinary man, with black hair, light gray eyes and a slightly tanned skin. He was dressed in black jeans and a white shirt, and jogging shoes. How had he crept up so silently?!
"I'm not the enemy."
Ja-kal eyed him warily. Something about this man was odd. There was some kind of aura around him, something he didn't like, something he classified immediately as ..... an opponent. His tension grew as he met the gray eyes. Then the image blurred and started to shift. Ja-kal blinked, shaking his head as if he could clear it like this. Still, the appearance of the man was... unreal.
"Magical null-zone?!" Rath echoed, eyebrows rising.
"Who are you?" Ja-kal asked, his stance battle-ready.
"A friend. Your young prince is with a friend of mine and they are waiting for you." He turned and started to walk away. "Follow me."
Three pairs of eyes turned to cast a questioning look at Ja-kal. Their leader shrugged briefly. "Let's go," he decided. "Be ready for everything."
He didn't like it. Not at all. Whether this man was a friend or not remained to be seen, but he wouldn't trust him immediately. Something put him off, set him on edge. Ja-kal couldn't put his finger on it, but the man was dangerous.

* * *

Presley held a milkshake, willing his hands to stop shaking. He had had encounters with Shabti, gods and Scarab, he had been threatened and the prince's soul nearly removed before, but these things.... He shivered. They had not really looked all that dangerous and they had chased him almost all the way down the pier and back up again. There was no hiding, no dodging and being out of sight didn't mean he was safe. And the worst was .... they were still around! Now and then he could see the ugly forms of his hunters circling close by, sniffing as if they were trying to get his scent. He felt the soul of pharaoh cringe each time one of those things came close, and once it was so close he just had to reach out and would have touched it.
He had never been afraid before.
Why now?

Morrigan O'Connor sipped at her soft drink, eyes drawn to the spot where one of the fog creatures circled, unseen by any other visitors or shop owners. She looked at Presley who seemed to be truly frightened.
"It's okay," she said quietly, bestowing a smile on him. "They can't find you."
"But they keep looking at me!" he protested.
"If my suspicions are correct, they don't go by visual or audio or anything. They hunt by aura."
"You mean... the soul of the prince?"
Morrigan nodded. "I'm not really all that knowledgeable in ghost matters, but I think in your case I can be pretty sure what they are after."
"But why could they smell it before and not now?"
Another smile. "That's another theory of mine: you are in a magical null zone."
Presley frowned. "What zone?"
"You remember the episode with Set?" He nodded. "Well, you might remember that I'm a witch." He nodded again. "I'm not really good at it and most of the time I don't even know that I'm doing magic, but one talent I have all the time is creating magical null zones. Those things seem to hunt by magic, so if there is a kind of neutral field around you, they can't see the aura."
"Oh."
"Rapses!"
The exclamation interrupted the explanation and Morrigan quickly darted a look around to see if someone had heard and was looking. No one seemed to care and since they were sitting in a shaded place, right under a pair of wooden stairs leading to the next floor of an old, remodeled warehouse, they were protected by the twilight as well. The four mummies, clad as usually only in their bandages, joined them. She sighed.
"Couldn't you at least have tried plain clothes?" she muttered, scanning the area again.
Okay, so San Francisco harbored a great many different people and someone dressed up as an Egyptian mummy might not stand out, but she didn't want to risk anything. She looked at her companion and he nodded briefly.
"I'll scan the area," he said quietly and slunk off into the crowds, almost disappearing right away.
"Get me a coffee," she muttered. "Black."
And Morrigan was left with four mummies and a reborn prince.
"I don't understand it!" Rath muttered, sounding rather irritated. "The detection device is still not working! And the amulet is right in front of it!"
"Are you okay, my prince?" Ja-kal wanted to know, sounding worried.
"What took you so long?" Presley asked, trying to sound normal, but Morrigan heard his fear. Out of the corners of her eyes she saw another Hunter brush by.
"We were held up by Shabti...."
"Wow, what was that?!" Nefer-tina exclaimed, interrupting Ja-kal.
"You can see it?" Morrigan asked neutrally.
"If you mean the big, ugly thing with the red eyes and claws, yes I can see it." The mummy's eyes narrowed. "But no one else can."
"Except Presley and me," Morrigan agreed.
Rath looked up from the study of his detector. "See what?"
"That." Nefer-tina pointed at the Hunter.
Rath's eyes widened. "What is it?" he blurted before he could stop himself.
"A Hunter," Morrigan explained.
"Hunter?" they echoed.
"Don't ask me more about it. I only know the name. Seems like they are after your prince and if I'm not completely wrong, they hunt by magic alone."
"They?" Armon echoed, looking around. "I can only see one."
"There were three," Presley mumbled. "They were suddenly there and no one else saw them. I thought I was hallucinating until one did this." He held up his back-pack and everyone saw a large gash in the material where a claw had ripped it nearly apart. "They find me wherever I go.... It's freaky!"
"We will protect you!" Ja-kal told him, placing a firm hand on the boy's shoulder.
"How?" Morrigan asked neutrally.
The leader of the Guardians shot her a sharp look. "We are his Guardians. We can protect him!" His eyes narrowed. "And what have you to do with any of this?"
Morrigan smiled. "Presley ran into me."
"And since then those things keep looking for me. Morrigan said she is creating a null zone."
Rath regarded her thoughtfully. "The man who led us here mentioned this null zone as well."
"He's a friend," she said calmly.
"Ah. The one who gave you the amulet?" the scribe asked, voice slightly pointed.
Morrigan smiled. She was still wearing the amulet of Anubis and is was plainly visible on her shirt. "Yes." She met Rath's eyes again and he seemed to grow even more thoughtful.
"So how do we get rid of the Hunters?" Armon asked practically.
"I have to find the scrolls dealing with spiritual beings," Rath answered. "Only if we know what we are up against can we defeat it."
"Do you think Scarab sent them?" Presley asked Ja-kal.
He frowned. "Maybe. Come, let us take you home."
"Wait a second," Morrigan called as they all rose. "I don't think you got what this is about. The moment Presley leaves the null zone, they are on him again!"
"We can protect him," Ja-kal told her, voice dangerously quiet, a warning that she was getting too personal with her remarks.
"Okay. Fine. How do you fight spirits?"
"We kick their Tut!" Nefer-tina growled.
"If you can find it, great! They are not corporeal!" Morrigan shook her head. "You wouldn't be able to hit them!"
"We are Rapses' Guardians," Ja-kal repeated. "We can protect him and we will!"
"Whatever suits you," she muttered, sitting back again, scowling. "Go and see how you can defeat them."
Ja-kal shot her another dark look, apparently immensely challenged by her mere presence. Why? She hadn't done anything!
"They cut open my backpack," Presley now said.
"Which means they are more than mere fog," Rath agreed. Morrigan scowled silently at him. He frowned, then scowled as well. "What?" he demanded.
"Nothing," she answered evenly. "You know everything, you go and find out first hand."
The pier had emptied of people in the meantime and shops had closed down. Morrigan couldn't see any sign of the Hunters but if her rather leaky memory of spirits didn't fail her, they would be close to the place where they had lost their prey. At least most of them. The others or other would go and widen the search pattern. Hunters never gave up. Watching the four Guardians walk toward where they had hidden the Hot-Ra, Morrigan grumbled to herself. In a few seconds those things might just pop up and make a grab for the prince, and the Guardians wouldn't be able to lay a finger on them!
"The Hunters will be on them soon."
She jumped. "Geez! Wear a bell around you neck!"
He smiled and placed a coffee in front of her. "That would take all the fun out of it, Morrigan."
She snorted.
"You let them go?"
"No, I hid them in a subspace pocket! Of course I let them go! Care to tell me how I can apprehend four Guardians?" she asked acidly.
"Not with your charming personality, I'm sure."
Another snort and a rather dark look. She sipped at the coffee and grimaced. It was almost cold. "So, what now?"
"We wait for the screams."
Morrigan raised an eyebrow. "And then?"
"We bail them out."
"Oh, no! I offered help, they refused! I'm not a baby-sitter for the bad times and to be chugged out when the High and Mighty think they know how to do it without help!"
Light eyes met hers and she read amusement in them. It roused her temper and she glared at him.
"You know you are the only one who can help him right now."
"He has Guardians. They want to protect him," she managed through clenched teeth.
"He's just a boy, Morrigan. He is afraid."
"I'll say it again: Guardians. He has four of them!"
"He needs a Shield."
"And his friends need an attitude adjustment!"
"Look who's talking."
The glare intensified. "I'm not a witch. I'm a computer engineer!"
"But Shielding comes naturally to you. It's a Talent."
She growled. "I helped before and what I got was a lot of trouble, a scratched face and a subtenant!"
He smiled. "But you loved it. Morrigan, you know you are the only one who can help right now."
From not far away came a yell and then she heard and almost felt the crackle of magical power, followed by the distant boom of explosions. A few screams followed. Morrigan looked at her companion. He smiled.
"Manipulative little bastard!" she growled.
"Hey, what did I do?"
She rose and shot him a dark look. "You owe me one, Anubis."
She shrugged and rose as well, following her. "Don't I always pay my debts?"
He got no answer and had to smile, then jogged after the running form of Morrigan O'Connor.

*

Armon swung his golden arm and tried to hit the shadowy form of the Hunter, but he passed through its body and nearly lost his balance. Cursing softly he tried it again, and again the result was the same. Nefer-tina's whip had the same effect: none at all. Ja-kal's efforts were just as futile and Rath's magic only kept the Hunters away, but it didn't destroy them. And they were apparently growing accustomed to the bolts of power. They were pressing in.
"We can't stop them!" Nefer-tina yelled.
Ja-kal shot another arrow, but it didn't hit the Hunter. It passed through and burned a hole into the pier. Suddenly one of the spirit demons lashed out and instead of passing through, the clawed hand hit the falcon Guardian full in the face. Ja-kal gave a yell or surprise and pain, then he plummeted out of the sky. He hit the roof of the nearest warehouse, bounced off and crashed hard onto the concrete in front of the pier.
"Ja-kal!" Nefer-tina screamed. "NO!"
The Hunters bore down on them, the slitted eyes fixed on Presley, who stumbled away. His face was chalky white and a grimace of pain. The soul inside him squirmed in fear and terror. A hand gripped his shoulder and he jumped, giving a gasp of surprise.
"It's me," Morrigan said.
The Hunters stopped barely five feet away, eyes still fixed at him, but they didn't approach. One floated closer.... and through them. Nothing else happened.
"What....?" Nefer-tina whispered, jaw hanging open.
Armon didn't even manage a coherent sentence. He simply stared. Rath's eyes were wide open.
"Impossible!" he finally managed. The Hunters circled, looking, searching, but they didn't seem to see Presley at all!
Ja-kal stumbled to his feet, rubbing his sore shoulder. He joined his team and met Morrigan's eyes. There was no triumph in them, only determination.
"She is really creating a shield of non-magic around Rapses," Rath muttered, highly fascinated. "But how?"
"Don't ask me. I don't know." Morrigan stayed where she was as Ja-kal approached.
"This could be a trick!" he said darkly.
"Oh, yeah, right!" She snorted.
"You are allied with Anubis!" Ja-kal accused her.
"So?" Morrigan frowned. "And drop the word 'allied'. I'm not working for him!"
"Anubis helped us in the past," Nefer-tina reminded her leader.
"It could be a trick!"
"Don't you have any better lines, Mr. Leader?" Morrigan stabbed a finger at him as she continued. "What do I have to gain from standing around and waiting for these monsters to disappear? I have a life! I work! And I have better things to do than baby-sitting! That's your job!"
Ja-kal glared; she glared back.
A sigh could be heard and Morrigan transferred her glare to the silently approaching figure of the dark-haired man.
"We are just trying to help," he told them, smiling faintly.
Rath frowned at him again. "Have we met before?"
"Several times," was the calm answer. His eyes brushed over the hunting demons. "How about we leave?"
"Good idea," Armon muttered.
Ja-kal shot the two new-arrivals a suspicious look, then he nodded and gestured at them to leave. Police would be here soon because of the noise and the destruction. They couldn't risk exposure. He didn't like the fact that Rapses kept so close to Morrigan, but he had to allow it. Apparently she did create a kind of shield around the prince, but he didn't have to actually like her for it. She was an ally of Anubis and though she had helped them in a fight against Set, he had to consider the fact that she and Anubis were friends. By the gods, she even wore his amulet! Ja-kal still couldn't believe that the jackal-headed god was on their side now, even though Rath had come up with a few interesting facts. Old habits died hard....
And then there was the stranger whose name they didn't know. Something ticked Ja-kal off about him; something was wrong. Every time he tried to get a clear look a him, the image shifted and he thought he saw something beneath the outer appearance of a human. Rath seemed to have a suspicion, but he hadn't said anything yet.

They had driven to a small park where they could be alone. Ja-kal had no intention of taking Morrigan or the stranger to the Sphinx. Squeezing into the Hot-Ra had been a bit of trouble and the winged Guardian had flown to this place. Now they stood around or sat on the children's playground, Presley keeping close to Morrigan. Ja-kal felt something rise inside him again and he squelched it.
"I'm not trying to be a surrogate Guardian," the woman now said, audibly keeping her temper in check. "What you are facing isn't a foe you can smash or shoot. Those Hunters are spirits and they hunt the aura, not the human being."
"And you can take them out?" Armon asked, no mocking in his voice.
"No. I don't even know all of what they are. I'd have to search through Grandma's library." Morrigan rubbed her nose. "Listen, this was coincidence."
"Like last time?" Ja-kal asked pointedly.
"No, last time I was told by *someone* that all I had to do was walk into this warehouse and talk to Set, not explain myself to some trigger-happy Guardians and be accused of being a lackey of Anubis!" She raised her eyebrows.
"Considering that Anubis is our enemy..."
"Was," she interrupted.
"How can we be sure that he isn't just playing tricks!?" Ja-kal demanded.
The dark-haired man shook his head and pushed away from the swings. "I knew it," he muttered and walked away.
Rath's eyes narrowed. "It is him," he said softly.
"What?" Ja-kal demanded.
"Oh, this is going to be fun," Morrigan muttered, patting Presley on the shoulder, and rose. She walked over to Ja-kal.
"Listen to me, Mr. Invincible. Your precious prince is in danger, I'm not all that hot on playing bodyguard, but until you find a way to stop those things, I'm the best chance he has. And you are lucky: I work for free."
Ja-kal met her eyes and glared. Morrigan glared back. The man in the back rolled his eyes.
"This is an open ploy to find our hiding place!" the mummies' leader declared.
"Did I even mention in one sentence that I want to go with you to your hiding place? I don't think so!"
"Rapses is not going with you!" Ja-kal stated.
Morrigan counted to three, calming herself. "You really don't understand, do you? These things get a whiff of his aura outside the null field and they are on him again! No one can see them but you, Presley and me. I can't magick some kind of protective field around him! I am the field."
"Ja-kal, she helped us before," Nefer-tina argued.
Ja-kal's expression said it all.
"How far does this shield stretch?" Rath asked to the young woman.
"Not far. When I don't concentrate about three feet around me. If I concentrate, maybe a normal room. If I have to, it goes further."
"We could guard the young prince at home," the scribe decided. "He has to be home at night or his mother will be suspicious, so one of us can keep watch."
"And I get to sleep on the floor?" Morrigan sighed. Rath raised an eyebrow and she groaned. "I hate the floor."
"Whoa, guys, just a second!" Presley now interrupted. "How do I explain a woman staying overnight in my bedroom?"
Morrigan grinned. "Well, do you have a girl-friend?"
Presley grimaced. He seemed to be coming out of his shock. "No."
"Then I still have chance. No, seriously. He's right. How do I explain it to his Mom?"
"You hide until the mother of the prince goes to bed," Armon said, shrugging. "No big problem."
"Oh, I just love hiding out in the wardrobe," Morrigan muttered.
Ja-kal still didn't like it. He scowled at his friends. Morrigan raised one finger as his expression brushed over her.
"Don't tell. Let me guess. You think it's a trick, right?"
It earned her dagger looks.
"Ja-kal, please," Presley said. "You guys find a way to get rid of those monsters and I stay in Morrigan's null field, okay? And if you say no, I'll make it an order!" he added angrily.
Ja-kal winced, eyes widening slightly.
"Way to go, kiddo," Morrigan muttered.
"Hey, where's the other guy?" Nefer-tina suddenly asked.
Everyone looked around and Ja-kal's face grew dark. Morrigan sighed.
"Probably home to water the plants," she muttered. "Coward!"
"We can't let her know where the prince lives!" Ja-kal now stated. "It is too dangerous!"
"You want to rent a hotel room?" Morrigan asked pointedly.
"We could blindfold her until we arrive," Nefer-tina offered.
Morrigan sighed. This was childish! And she told them. Ja-kal glowered at her again. Well, that was childish as well!
"If we let her know where the prince lives," the falcon guardian argued, "Anubis will so as well!"
"Your point being?"
Another glare. "You are...."
Morrigan's brows drew together and she raised one hand. "If you say lackey, I'm going to forget that I'm a lady......"
Ja-kal blinked, slightly stunned.
"No one accuses you of anything," Rath now interjected reasonably, "but you have to see our point. You and Anubis share a ....link.... and he was our enemy."
"Exactly. Was. Anubis has changed; he is back to his old self and he has proven several times already that he means you no harm. If you have to blindfold me, okay, but you might want to remember that I am in a magical null zone. He wouldn't be able to find me." She omitted the fact of the pendant which was more or less like a homing beacon for him.
Rath met her eyes, nodding slowly. "And he has left already."
"Come again?" Nefer-tina asked.
"The man who led us to the prince, it was Anubis, right?" the scribe asked.
"You seem to know it already. Why need an answer?"
Ja-kal stared at her, mouth opening, then closing again. "Anubis?!" he finally managed. "This man was Anubis?"
Morrigan nodded, so did Rath.
"But... he looks human!" Armon sputtered.
"Only on the outside. See, he has to move around between humans and he can't actually deploy so much energy to morph each time. It's very straining. So he is wearing a kind of shield, a mask," Morrigan explained. "I can still see him as he is... And it seems that your ancient souls are piercing the mask as well, though they haven't done so completely yet. And he means you no harm," she added. "Now, we can stand around and argue about this all night; fine with me. But your prince has to be home soon, I suppose, so how about we get over the shock and annoyance, and get going?"
"I'm all for it," Presley muttered.
Ja-kal swallowed his anger and nodded. "Blind-fold," he decided.
"If you insist." Morrigan surrendered. There was no arguing with the leader of the Guardians anyway.
Five minutes later they were on their way, Morrigan O'Connor sandwiched between Rath and Armon on the back seat, Ja-kal following the Hot-Ra in the air.

* * *

"What?!" Scarab thundered. "He is gone? How can Rapses be gone?!"
Hekka raised her head and quickly ducked again as a vase flew her way and shattered on the wall. "Bad day, oh mighty one?"
"The Hunters lost their prey!"
Hekka hid a smile. "I told you so."
Scarab snarled. "They couldn't have lost the trail! It's impossible! No spell can mask an aura so completely and even if Rath's spells keep the soul of the prince hidden.... the Hunters would find a way through. They have never failed, not even against the mightiest sorcerers!"
"Well, maybe they have grown old..." the cobra started.
Scarab's expression silenced her, though it didn't take the smirk off her features.
"Something is wrong! Nothing can hide the soul...." The sorcerer walked over to the vast shelves of books. "I need to look into this." He glanced at the hovering Hunter who had reported back to him. "Go and search!" he snapped.
The creature disappeared.
Hekka shrugged, as much as snakes could shrug, and followed her master.

* * *

Luck had been on their side. Amanda Carnovan had not been home -- still cooped up in the museum -- and getting in had been easy. Ja-kal had insisted on Kati staying until one of the mummy Guardians would be back since they had to recharge in the sarcophagi. Presley found it strange to have a grown woman sitting on the floor, back against the wall, and studying the room. Presley felt a bit embarrassed about the mess, the clothes lying on the floor, toys and school books piling up, the skateboard somewhere among the stuff. Looking at the books, he remembered that he still had homework to do.
"Anything I can help with?" Morrigan asked, scratching the holy cat between the ears. Kati was clearly enjoying it.
"Uhm, geology assignment?"
She grimaced. "Not my strong point."
Presley smiled. "Well, if you want to watch some TV.... Mom won't be home till later tonight....."
She shook her head. "Nah. I'll just do some work on my laptop."
"You need a phone line?"
Another shake of her head. "I won't send what I'm doing tonight. It can wait."
"Uhm, Morrigan? Can I ask you something?"
"You already are," she answered with a fine smile.
"Was this man really Anubis?"
She nodded.
"He looked... different."
"Different head." There was a wry smile on her lips. "Changes people profoundly."
Presley found himself smiling as well. "Why did he help me?"
"Why does he do anything? Presley, I'm not sure. The first time was because of revenge. He had to redeem himself in his eyes and he wanted revenge on Set. This time.... you happened to need our help and we decided to give it. Anubis is not the god you remember. He is what he was before Set wiped his mind and implanted false memories."
Presley nodded. "Rath said something like it."
"And now you want to know everything, right?"
He shrugged.
"Don't you have homework?" Morrigan asked pointedly.
"Errr... well.... it can wait." She raised an eyebrow and the boy sagged a bit. "Okay, okay, okay."
"I'll tell you all about it when you are done. Deal?"
"Deal!"
The next two hours were spent in almost near-silence. Presley was busy with his homework assignment and Morrigan kept herself occupied with the laptop. Kati curled up on Presley's bed, deciding to take a cat nap.

* * *

Morrigan hadn't slept well. Using Presley's sleeping bag hadn't really cushioned the hard floor and when she woke at 5 am, she felt totally sore. It was already dawning outside, but her mind insisted it was the middle of the night. Dragging herself out of sleep, Morrigan sat up and yawned, nearly choking on the yawn when she discovered the shadow next to the skylight. She blinked and discovered that it was one of the Guardians. Armon, to be correct. The Guardian waved and she waved back, tired.
Presley was still asleep. He had apparently tossed around quite a bit because his blanket was in disarray around his feet and his sleeping position was... awkward to say the least. Smiling, Morrigan disentangled herself from the sleeping bag and tried to work the kinks out of her neck. She longed for some coffee and a hot shower, but with Presley's mom probably home, she couldn't. Instead she popped open the laptop and smothered another yawn. She had one of those really expensive PowerBooks with a satellite uplink -- courtesy of her last employer -- and she logged in on her home terminal. Morrigan never liked to be called a computer geek, but she was effectively one. Computers were her world; well, ancient gods were it now as well. Touching the pendant around her neck she wondered if Anubis was anywhere near the terminal in the living room.
- You are up?
The message appeared on the open channel and Morrigan grimaced. - yes, believe it or not.
- Hard floor?
Though it wasn't possible, she thought she could read mild sarcasm in the two words.
- Found anything on the ghosts? she asked instead of answering.
- Found several volumes of ancient books in the attic. I'm still trying to get a hang of the style of writing.
- Don't play book critic, find the ghosts!
- Hard floor indeed, was the reply. - You are cranky.
- Stuff a sock in it.
- Add a 'very' to the cranky. Morrigan, I'm doing my best, but reading books is not my favorite past time.
- And baby-sitting isn't mine, especially when under the watchful eyes of mummy Guardians all night. I need a coffee and a shower and it looks like I won't get any of it any time soon. If you have to go behind the Western Gate to find the answers, do it.
She could almost see him grimace. Still not totally back to his old self, Anubis hated the idea of facing what lay behind the Gate. It reminded him of what he had been and something he was still desperately trying to find in his messed-up recollections.
- Nu?
- Yes?
- Get me out of here!
- You are doing fine, Morrigan. Just hang on.
She sighed and signed off.

Presley's mother left the house at 7.30 am, probably on her way to work.

Presley woke at nine. By that time, Morrigan had managed to be reasonably awake and had completed a small program she had promised a friend. She still had to run a test, but it at least she had the basics now.

The Guardians arrived around ten. Ja-kal had not changed his approach to Morrigan and she simply sipped at the coffee she had made herself while Presley was busy devouring his cereal.
"We'll have to get you to a safer location, my prince," Ja-kal now said.
Morrigan didn't say anything, just nursed her coffee.
"Where to?" Presley wanted to know.
The mummies looked slightly caught. Morrigan kept her silence. They'd have to decide on their own. She was just running along.
"I can't stay here all day," Presley continued. "With Morrigan as my bodyguard, I can't exactly hang out with Mom."
Ja-kal frowned. He was clearly caught. His eyes caught Morrigan's but she didn't even smile. Her face was totally neutral. The leader seemed to struggle with himself as his mind presented him with an easy solution, which his instincts didn't want to accept and which his emotional side fought desperately. Finally he sighed deeply.
"Do you know a place where Rapses would be safe?"
"My place," Morrigan answered levelly. "I wouldn't have to be in the same room with him. I lived in the house long enough to let the null zone seep through every part. Presley could move freely, though leaving is out of the question as long as I don't accompany him."
"What about Anubis?" Nefer-tina wanted to know.
"What about him?"
"Anubis is known to be a hunter of souls," Rath now spoke up.
Morrigan whirled around and stared at him with eyes flashing dangerously. "What are you implying?!"
"That he might be involved in this. The creatures hunt the aura of Rapses; his soul creates the aura around Presley."
The White Witch stared at him with a lethal expression. "I won't say what just came to my mind because it would be a personal insult and considered foul language," she said, voice nothing but a harsh whisper. "But if you keep this attitude, Mr. High and Mighty, you'll find yourself with your back against the wall one day and no one willing to help. Trusting someone is not your strong point, but I think I know my instincts. They are not very favorable when it comes to you!" She stabbed a finger at him. "You are notoriously xenophobic!"
"Xeno-what?" Rath asked, raising his voice.
"Oh, forget it! I'm offering help and you keep on insulting someone I consider a friend!"
"Anubis is dangerous to the prince," Rath argued.
"And you are a danger to my blood pressure!" She threw her hands into the air. "Fine! I offer help; you refuse it; I'm out of here! See how you deal with this yourselves!"
She started to walk when Ja-kal stopped her. Morrigan shot him a challenging look.
"I made my decision," he said quietly. "I don't trust Anubis as you do because my experiences with him are rather negative, but I agree that your place would be the safest for the prince. My decision can't be made by personal feelings; Rapses comes first. His safety is the first priority."
Presley walked over to the them. "Listen, guys. I'm the prince here and my decision is that I'm going to stay at Ms. O'Connor's house. Mom won't be here all weekend and I told her I'd go to the mall or hang out with friends. This will be okay until you find a way to fight back those Hunters."
"One of us will stay there with you," Ja-kal decided.
"Bring you own pajamas and I can cram you in the guest room," Morrigan told him with a shrug.
"Where is Anubis now?" Ja-kal wanted to know.
Morrigan shrugged once more. "He might be in, he might be out. And even if he is in, it's a neutral zone, a null zone. He won't magick anything and he won't attack your precious prince. Give us some credit at least!"
"Nefer-tina, you'll stay with the prince," Ja-kal decided. "We others will find a way to end this."
With that decided, the small team started moving, Morrigan trailing behind.

* * *

Morrigan unlocked the door to her home, ushering Nefer-tina and Presley inside, wondering if Anubis was in. The house was silent, but that didn't mean anything. When she dumped her backpack with the laptop in it on the kitchen table she discovered a post-it note on the fridge.
'Gone shopping'.
She removed it, shrugged and threw it away. Nefer-tina scanned the room while Presley walked around and whistled softly.
"Neat."
He had discovered the computer station. Morrigan smiled, unpacked the laptop and plugged it into the station to transmit the data she had hacked into it this morning.
"Make yourselves comfortable. The fridge is not exactly overflowing with stuff, but Nu has gone shopping, so it should be stocked soon. I need a shower."
Nefer-tina shot her a surprised look at the fact that an Egyptian god was shopping for groceries, then she just flopped down on a chair. Presley grabbed the remote and switched on the TV. Morrigan smiled and went upstairs to indulge in some hot showering and relaxation.

An hour later she felt almost human again. She had listened to the accumulated messages on her answering machine. Em – Emily Sanchez who hated to be called 'Emily' – had called her a few minutes after she had finished with the answering machine.
"Hey, what's cooking?"
"Nothing much." Just a few mummies down in the living room, some ghosts chasing an ancient soul and Anubis has gone shopping.
"How's the subtenant? Getting along?"
Morrigan could have sworn there was a leer in Em's voice. Ever since the medium had found out about Anubis rooming in with her friend, Em had not given up. At first she had not known who the 'new guy' was, mainly because she had accidentally run into him shortly after Anubis had discovered how to appear completely human, but a month after that the secret had been revealed. None of her friends had shown all that much surprise or amazement. They had accepted an Egyptian god in their midst and a role-playing evening had proven to be quite entertaining. Considering that Em was a medium and Danny was frequently visited by ghosts, this was rather normal.
"Yes."
"Something I should know about?"
"Em...." Morrigan started, a warning in her voice.
"Hey, what did I say?"
She sighed. "That's the problem. Uhm, Em, question..."
"I'm listening."
"Do you know anything about Hunters?"
"Hm, no, not really," Em replied. "Problem?"
"Most likely. I can't tell you right now, but if you can find anything on ghosts called 'Hunters', let me know."
"Sure. Sounds like a problem though."
Morrigan sighed again. "Yes. Em, just call me if you hear something. I'm dealing with it now."
"Okay. Say hello to Mr. Gorgeous for me."
Morrigan rolled her eyes and hung up. Typically Em!

* * *

Scarab surfaced from his search through the books and frowned.
"Found something?" Hekka asked he walked into his room, dark clouds on his features.
"Yes," he growled.
"Oh, those must be good news," she teased.
Scarab sank into his chair, tapping his chin. "Magical null zone."
Hekka shot him a quizzical look. "Null zone?"
"The soul of the prince must be somewhere where magic cannot penetrate."
"I thought you said there is no such place."
Scarab scowled. "And there isn't!"
"Well, but you said...."
"I know what I said!" he hissed.
"So?"
The sorcerer drummed his fingers onto the desk. "Someone has created a magical null zone and Rapses is currently in it. We find the null zone, we find him."
"How do you find a null zone?" Hekka wanted to know. "It's not exactly like Frisco is a magic city."
"No, it isn't, but there are methods to find null zones." Scarab smiled. "And if I know where the null zone is, I know where the prince is."
"Good luck on that quest," the snake muttered, curling up.

* * *

Rath was buried hip deep in scrolls, books and papers, his desk cluttered to the point where stacks of the research material were tethering dangerously close to the edge and threatening to keel over to splatter on the ground. He had made his way through the first fifty editions of demons and spirits, but he had over one hundred more to go. It was a tiring search, mainly because these spirits were apparently not of Egyptian origin. Scarab had called something from the spirit world that was native to another culture. Rath's scrolls contained little of other cultures and so he was hunting for at least a few hints in his scrolls as to what the Hunters might be.
He heard a soft clatter from the kitchen area and tried to ignore it. Armon was searching for something edible and he was doing so noisily. Finally the large mummy Guardian walked into the room, trailing the whiff of overripe cheese and garlic. Rath wrinkled his nose. This was worse than the fish sandwich from a few days ago, but not as bad as the cheese and undefinable-mixture-of-things pie.
"Hey, Rath! Found something?"
"No, because I have to suffer through your smelly concoction every hour on the hour!"
"I'm hungry!"
"Hourly?"
Armon chewed on his latest 'snack'. "So what?" he mumbled.
Ja-kal strode into the main room and cast Rath an interrogative look. The scribe just rolled his eyes and went back to work.
"Nothing, I take it," their leader said.
"As long as I'm disturbed on a regular basis like this, I can't get anything done around here!" Rath complained, annoyance in his voice.
Ja-kal just walked off, worry waving around him like a living being. Rath watched him, then sighed deeply. He understood his friend's worry because these ghosts were nothing they had ever faced before. You couldn't hit them, you couldn't shoot them and there was no hiding from them. At least the prince could not hide himself, except in magical null zones. Rath tapped his chin, wondering if Morrigan had found out some more about the Hunters. She was a witch – a non-practicing one, but a witch nevertheless – and she had said she'd look the creatures up in her books. Had she found something?
Pride and the feeling of failing rose inside the scribe and he clenched his hands. He was the prince's Guardian and he should find those things out! Not some bystander! Hunching over his scrolls he went back to work. He would find something and they'd beat the Hunters.

* * *

Hunters were not overly bright creatures. They existed solely because of the calling, the Summoning, and when their work was done, they went back into the oblivion they had been called forth from. Still, they had enough wits to understand most of their master's words and gestures, not just the magic commands that made them act. Right now they knew they had failed and that their master was enraged about it. But it wasn't their fault. Magical null zones could not be pierced by any means at their disposal. They had to wait for the master to act. Until then, all they could do was roam the city where their prey lived in and hope to get a scent.
No one saw them.
No one felt them.
They kept on hunting.

* * *

Presley yawned and walked down the stairs. He like Morrigan's house, but he hated being cooped up somewhere. Entering the living room-kitchen combination he heard the TV. It was early afternoon and cartoons were on. He knew Morrigan was upstairs and hacking away at her computer for some answers as to what the Hunters really were and that meant the only other occupant of the house was probably in here. Presley hesitated. He knew who this man was and it frightened him a little. Anubis was on his side; he had told him so months ago, he had saved his life, but Presley remembered the time the jackal-headed god had helped sacrifice him to the Eye of Darkness. Dark and bad memories tended to stick around.
Nefer-tina was here as well and she would protect him! Squaring his shoulders, Presley walked over to the kitchen. He opened the fridge, got himself a coke, and then popped it open. As he went to have a look at the couch area, he half expected to find Anubis in his Egyptian-style skirt and wearing the bracelets. Instead he only discovered a dark-haired man with very light gray eyes, reading through books. Nefer-tina was nowhere to be seen.
"Uhm, hi," he stuttered when Anubis looked up.
"Hi. I don't bite."
Presley winced, watching the image shift, then he was suddenly looking at the Anubis he was used to. His soul was adapting to the shield. "I didn't...." he started.
"Your eyes say it. It's okay. It's a natural reaction." Anubis hadn't moved so far and Presley slowly walked over to the chair farthest away from him.
"Considering I have faced gods before....."
"Mostly with your Guardians close by...." Anubis added.
"Yeah, well...."
The paranormal entity closed the book he had been reading and met the boy's eyes. "Rapses, I don't mean you any harm; and even if I had ill intents, this house is neutral grounds. My magic doesn't work here and I won't attack you with mundane weapons ever. I'm not a malevolent spirit; I never was. Set made me into what you faced before and I'm working hard on finding myself again." He shrugged. "Would you feel better if I weren't around?"
"You live here!" Presley protested.
"I could decide to take a longer walk." Anubis smiled. "My past doesn't make it easy for you to trust me and I won't try convincing you that I'm the good guy. Egyptian myths and legends have me right, but you met the other me, the one that had been changed and twisted. Do you want me to leave?"
Presley chewed on his lower lip. "Morrigan might be annoyed at me if you leave."
Anubis chuckled. "You don't wanna know how often she has kicked me out of this house."
"Twice in the last week," Morrigan said and smiled wryly. She moved around the couch and pushed Anubis' feet off it, plopping down in the empty place. "Where's Nefer-tina?"
"Outside, checking the area," Anubis answered.
"Found something?"
"A lot of weird stuff."
"And that coming from you."
"You?"
"I've a search running. I'll check back with what has come in later tonight. So," Morrigan turned to Presley, "you okay so far?"
He nodded. "Just a bit bored."
She grinned, then sobered. "Listen, if you have a problem with Nu's presence here, tell us. No one will be angry at you. Least of all me."
Presley shook his head. "No, it's okay, just a bit.... strange."
"I can relate to that."
"Thank you," Anubis muttered. "I take that personally."
"I meant it that way."
Presley was playing with a TV magazine. "So you found a way to hunt these things down yet?"
Morrigan shook her head. "I hope your friend Rath is luckier. So far I've come up with a lot of obscure references and more questions. I'm currently trying to log into a Net version of Tobin's Spirit Guide, but my search engine is coming up dry so far. I'll keep at it." She leaned forward. "Listen, if you want to call your friends, do it. I won't ask you to show me to their hiding place, but I know you'd feel better with one of them here."
Presley shook his head. "No, I'm okay. And the others are probably busy right now."
"Not too busy for their prince, right?"
He grimaced. "I'm okay here. Do you have some comics or video games?"
Morrigan smiled. "You are talking to a computer wizard, kiddo. Of course I have games." She rose and gestured at him to follow. Anubis put his feet up again, smiling briefly, then went back to reading.

* * *

Scarab had locked himself in his study for the better part of the morning and Hekka had seen him only once when he had gone to search for a book. She kept herself occupied with watching her favorite soaps, emptying a bag of chocolate chips -- now she felt stuffed -- and browsing through some old, dusty scrolls for some entertaining black magic.
"Hah!"
The exclamation let her raise her head out of 'Evil Spirits of the Netherworld', a rather interesting scroll. Scarab walked into the room, face gleaming with evil triumph.
"Found something, master?"
"Yes. Twenty-three null zones!"
Hekka frowned. "Quite a lot."
"My Shabti are checking them already. We'll find Rapses and then I have what I always wanted!"
"A Nintendo Playstation?" the cobra joked.
Scarab scowled at her. "The immortal soul of Rapses," he told her firmly.
"Oh, yes, right." Hekka curled up and regarded her master. "Are you getting rid of those ghosts now?"
"Not yet, my dear. They leave when their job is done, and that is to find the ancient soul of the prince. Don't worry. The moment I know where he is, they will bring him to me."
"But they can't get his scent inside this null zone, at least you said so."
"Null zones are created by objects or people." Scarab smiled evilly. "I'll destroy the null zone, they grab the prince, we win."
"Ah." Hekka refrained from commenting and simply settled back to watch what was happening next. This would prove to be interesting.

* * *

Morrigan had the portable phone crammed between ear and shoulder, walking around the attic where her grandmother's library was and searched through the volumes.
"What's it called again? .... Oh, yeah, right.... got it.... no, nothing in the index.... listen, can you fax the stuff to me? Or email?" She took a few more books and started to walk down the stairs. "Uh-huh... yes, we have a bit of trouble with this kind of ghosts, but nothing that bad.... no, we don't need help." She chuckled a bit. "I'll call in case we do...yes, yes...." She turned and headed for the kitchen where the smell of coffee wafted from, all the time talking into the portable. "Oh, yes, thanks for reminding me,.... will do...sure...yes.... Thanks, Ray. I'll call back the moment I need more. Say hi to Egon for me. Bye!"
Morrigan hung up, grabbed for the cup of steaming black liquid on the kitchen counter and then headed for her favorite couch. Nefer-tina and Presley were watching TV. Anubis, who had made the coffee, smiled briefly, then poured himself another cup. He had developed a liking for coffee since he had decided to be human most of the time.
"Okay, news!" Morrigan pronounced, putting the books on the table. "Our ghosts are Sumerian."
"Sumerian?" Presley echoed.
Nefer-tina only looked perplexed.
"Really old, really scary," Morrigan explained. "I called a friend of a friend and he gave me access to Tobin's Spirit Guide – their version. The one on the OccultNet is not really complete. Hunters are from the so-called Netherworld."
"Like the world behind the Western Gate? Where souls go?" Nefer-tina asked.
"No. It's more like a kind of multi-layered dimension where demons, ghosts and even gods reside. The Netherworld is s mixture of all kinds of spiritual afterlives or hells or even heavens. It has good and bad sides. Whoever has access to this world, can call forth whatever spirit he needs."
"Scarab!" Nefer-tina hissed.
"Most likely. The Hunters are mindless creatures, fixed on an aura and hunting it till they succeed. They are corporeal to a degree since they can grab and hit objects, but most of their body stays ectoplasmic. The seconds when the creature materialize are so brief, you have barely realized that they are vulnerable before they go surreal again."
Presley looked scared again. "Any way to catch them?"
"Short of calling the Ghostbusters? Not that I know." She gestured at the books. "I want to go through these first. The guy I talked to said that maybe high energy discharge, directed at the Hunters, might force them to spontaneously materialize in the corporeal world, but that's really just a theory. Another way to get rid of them is to give them what they want, but that's not an option here."
"Number three is me hiding here for the rest of my life?" Presley asked weakly.
Morrigan shook her head. "No. The one who called the creatures can send them away again, but for that we need to get Scarab in a position where he would do it."
"Tough," Nefer-tina agreed.
Morrigan suddenly sat up, tilting her head. "I think your friends are here," she muttered and rose. Walking over to the glass sliding door that lead to the back yard, she opened it. Rath stepped out of the shadow, followed by Ja-kal and Armon.
"I thought you would hear our presence," the scribe remarked.
"This house has been in the possession of witches long enough to alert its owner," Morrigan smiled. "Come on in. I think I found something you might want to know."

*

Rath shook his head and looked up from the information on the computer screen. He wasn't comfortable with this technology; books were more his liking. What he had read sounded rather outrageous, but after meeting spirits from old gold diggers, Rath had a more open mind concerning netherworld spirits that didn't come through the Western Gate.
"So how do we fight them?" Ja-kal asked practically.
"Right now there is no real clue," Morrigan answered. She was perched on the arm of the sofa on which Anubis had settled down.
Ja-kal frowned.
"These spirits are quite resistant and a friend's friend, who I called, told me that they might be stopped through strong energy discharges, but I don't know if it destroys them."
"Maybe we can send them back to wherever they came from," Presley spoke up. "It worked with the others."
"Others?"
"Gold diggers."
"Ah." Morrigan shrugged. "Well, these things don't have unfinished business that keeps them here; they were called. According to my information only the one who called them can send them back."
Rath sniffed. "Any magic wielder can do that."
She raised an eyebrow. "Okay, be my guest. You know what they are, let's try and find a spell to banish them."
The scribe shot her a strange look. "I have to research this spell."
"The attic has a nice collection of books."
"I meant my own."
"Egyptian stuff."
Rath frowned in disdain. "Yes, Egyptian spells. What is there to criticize?"
"Nothing, but the Hunters are not from your world. Their place of origin is the Netherworld and that's where you have to look to find a counter-spell or a way to fight them off." Morrigan raised one shoulder in a half-shrug. "I'm no expert either, but I have the books somewhere for sure. Grandma was a real collector of 'All Things Spells'." She smiled.
Rath sniffed again. "It might be interesting to take a look at those witch books."
"Oh, don't fall all over yourself in joy," Morrigan mumbled.
Anubis elbowed her gently and she glared at him.
"So what do I do until you guys know how to get rid of the nasties?" Presley wanted to know.
Silence.
"Oh....."
"My prince, you are in danger as long as the Hunters are free and searching for you," Ja-kal finally breached the silence. "Admittedly, this house is the safest option right now and until Rath finds a way to defeat the spirits, you have to remain here."
"What about tonight?"
Silence again. Morrigan cleared her throat. "If it has to be... I'll do the floor routine again, but I'm not sure whether not I can evade Mrs. Carnovan again."
"I can't really tell Mom that I'll spend the night somewhere else," Presley muttered. "Maybe if I can get Walter to cover for me...."
"And you can get his parents to cover as well?"
Presley sighed.
"We need to find a way to make this work," Morrigan muttered.
"Sneak out at night?"
The four Guardians frowned and Morrigan chewed on her lower lip. "Does your Mom check on you at night?"
"I'm thirteen, not some little kid!" Presley told her, tone of voice slightly offended.
Morrigan chuckled. "Okay, what time do you need to be back in the morning?"
"Mom let's me sleep in on Sunday, but I guess I should be back around 6."
"Worth a try."
"One of us will stay with you throughout the night all the time," Ja-kal decided.
"Only if you bring your own sleeping bag."
He shot the woman an irritated look. Morrigan just shrugged it off.
"We will drive you home tonight and back here after your mother has gone to sleep," the leader of the Guardians went on. When Morrigan gave him a pointed look he added, "With Ms. O'Connor."
"Until then we have enough time to take a look at the spell books," Morrigan continued. "If you want to, that is." Her eyes held a slightly amused expression as she looked at Rath.
"It might prove convenient if I study your books," he answered haughtily.
"Thought as much. So.... you guys can make yourself comfortable if you want to stay. I'll show Rath the attic." She rose and looked expectantly at the scribe.
Anubis remained on the couch, meeting Ja-kal's wary expression with a neutral one of his own. All could see him just as he was and Morrigan knew he wasn't inclined to play along the mummy's lines because Ja-kal was just waiting for him to make a wrong move. Finally he shrugged and rose as well, heading over for the kitchen and the fridge. Armon's eyes lit up, but Ja-kal held him back, gesturing to gather and have a little chat.
Returning from the attic, Morrigan joined Anubis who was pouring himself a glass of orange juice. "You okay with this arrangement?"
"You mean how do I feel about four Guardians who'd rather see me beyond the Western Gate than hanging around here?" He shrugged. "I think I can handle it."
"So you'll stay?"
"Can't leave you alone like this, now can I?" There was an amused glint in his eyes.
Morrigan held back a snarl and simply glared. Anubis smiled slightly, his eyes glinting with amusement. She hated him even more for it.
"Go and make yourself useful!" she snapped. "Do the laundry."
Anubis chuckled.

* * *

Nine null zones had been checked. No sign of the prince. Scarab sat at his desk, fingers drumming on the surface, waiting.
Nine down, fourteen more to go.
Hekka lay curled up close buy, battling with a nutcracker and some walnuts. Now and then he could hear the dry sound of a shell cracking. It was the only sound, aside from the soft hum of the air-conditioner.

* * *

Morrigan sat in her computer room, staring at the screen, feeling frustrated and more annoyed than usual. Rath was up in the attic and browsing through Grandma Winter's books and his whole manner had told her what he thought of witchcraft that was based on anything but what he knew. Narrow-minded, pig-headed, stubborn, arrogant..... she could go on for hours. At least he had a slightly open mind for the far-off possibility that witchcraft could help.
The other mummies were clustered in the living room with Presley and Ja-kal was doing hourly checks on the surroundings. Morrigan had told him that nothing could get that close to the house without her feeling it to some degree, but the mummy had made it clear he didn't trust her. That was where the frustration rose from. They needed her help but they didn't trust her for more than a few basic things. In times like this she wished she had the ability to fling spells.
"Hey," a soft voice interrupted her dark thoughts and a hand came to rest on her shoulder.
Morrigan craned her neck and looked into Anubis' calm face. "Hey yourself. What's up? Ja-kal waving around his bow and arrows?"
"Not yet. How are you?"
"The usual."
"On top of the world?" he joked.
She grimaced. "Have you ever tried to work with Rath?"
"Ah, well, not really. You see, the last time we met he tried to blast me to bits...."
Another grimace. "That was rhetorical, Nu."
He started to gently massage her cramped shoulders. Morrigan leaned into the strong hands and sighed as she began to relax. "You are hired," she muttered, eyes half closed.
"I thought I already was," he whispered into her ear.
"Hm, now I'll think about paying you."
Anubis chuckled softly, applying pressure to a hard knot in the left shoulder. "Did Dr. Stantz call back on the Hunters?"
"Yes. He gave me some helpful hints as to where to find more and I've been digging ever-since, but there is nothing about a banishing spell. All I find is the usual 'The one who called them is the one who gets to kick them back' stuff."
Anubis peered at the screen. "So our key to it all is Scarab."
She nodded.
"But he won't be very much inclined to help."
Another nod.
"What about the theory of trapping and destroying them with a large amount of energy?"
"If you tell me where we get so much energy from.....?"
"There are four Guardians who might be able to help. And if I stay out of your null zone, I can add what I have as well."
"Worth a try."
Anubis smiled. "Never say I have no good ideas again."
"We'll talk about it when it works," she countered.
"You think you can convince Ja-kal and company to risk their prince for a theory you have?"
Morrigan's expression darkened. "Watch it, Nu....."
"Just stating the obvious."
She pushed back her chair and rose, a decisive expression on her face. "Okay, then let's see what he has against the plan this time."
Morrigan stalked out of the room. Anubis watched, smiling. He liked this mortal.

* * *

"No!"
"That is outrageous! Unacceptable!"
"We have to assure the safety of the prince....."
"Anyone want that last sandwich?"
Anubis leaned back, keeping out of the immediate circle of attention while Morrigan silently let the four Guardians voice their objections. Presley just sat there, eyes wide with disbelief.
"You want to use me as bait?" he finally asked.
Morrigan nodded.
"No, we won't!" Ja-kal decided, face hard.
"Ja-kal," she finally said, voice quiet but loud enough to catch their attention. "The ghosts won't go away like this. They will stay until they have fulfilled their mission, and that is to catch Presley. If we can destroy them, we have to use this chance."
"You don't know whether or not it works," the Guardian stated.
"No," she confessed. "But I asked professionals in this field and their expertise says we need to trap the ghosts with energy. Since the Hunters are immune to attacks with only one kind of energy, we have to work together and apply two kinds."
"Which would be the second?" Rath wanted to know. "I suppose you mean my magic as the first source."
Morrigan nodded. "And Anubis would be the second. His magic is totally different from yours."
Rath cast a look at the silent figure in disdain, but he refrained from commenting.
"We can't risk the prince!" Ja-kal argued again.
"You are not risking him!" Morrigan shot back. "In case this gets out of hand, all Presley has to do is enter my null zone."
The four mummies frowned.
"It sounds like a plan," Armon finally broke the silence. Ja-kal shot him a dark look and the larger mummy just shrugged. "Well, it does!"
"Too risky."
"Not if we are prepared," Rath said thoughtfully. "Rapses is always safe as long as the null zone protects him, and with Ms. O'Connor close by, she could shield him immediately. The Hunters don't go by sight. We have seen their reaction before."
Ja-kal scowled, but he had to confess that it sounded logical. Still, his instincts screamed in protest. Staring at the coffee table he tried to find a solution. There was only one, because the other meant hiding like cowards and hoping that one day Scarab would grow tired of waiting; and it would mean a lot of changes in the life of the prince. It was unacceptable and the other solution was at least partially manageable.
"Okay," he finally said.
Morrigan nodded, then glanced at Anubis. He remained where he was, just watching.
"We need a solitary place for the battle," Ja-kal went on.
"I think we can find one. I'll get a map." Morrigan rose and walked to her desk.
"Rath, do you think this will work?"
The scribe shrugged. "One kind of energy can't destroy the creature, but two can – if the necessary power if behind the blasts. We can only try and cross our fingers."

*

Ja-kal was prepared. His weapons were all fully charged, his amulet held a maximum of power and he was ready to fight their opponents to his last breath. The idea was dangerous but also logical. Rath had confirmed Morrigan's findings again that the creatures could be destroyed by a high amount of energy, and now they had to test if they had the amount necessary.
Presley sat on the bench in plain view, no one else around. They had moved out of the city area to a park outside. At this time of the year and day there was barely anyone around. Morrigan had moved back so Presley would not be touched by the null zone and Anubis had taken a position away from her as well. Somehow he had suspected he'd take on his jackal-headed form, but he still looked human. Ja-kal felt unwell working with their former enemy. He couldn't tell what he was thinking and how he would act. As much as he wanted to think him on their side, he was still a god; and Ja-kal had been raised to respect gods. His short existence as a mummy in this world had also shown him to be wary of their intentions. Anubis had proven helpful the last time he had shown up, but that had been months ago.
"I can see something," Armon suddenly announced, snapping Ja-kal back to reality. "There!"
Ja-kal narrowed his eyes as he discovered the cloudy forms of the three Hunters converging on Presley's position. The boy had seen them as well, his eyes widening with fear. He tensed visibly and Ja-kal could almost feel this tension inside himself as well. Presley only still sat where he was because his Guardians were close by. Glancing at Rath, the falcon Guardian saw him nod. He was prepared.
The first Hunter circled closer, then shrieked and lunged at the reborn prince. Presley gave a yell and dove off the bench.
"Now!" Ja-kal shouted.
Rath raised his hands and muttered an incantation. Energy formed around his hands and curled into two brightly green balls, ready to launch. Rath flung the energy at the nearest hunter. Ja-kal had grabbed some arrows in the meantime and launched several of them in rapid succession. The two forms of energy slammed into the ectoplasmic body -- and the Hunter's shriek turned into a roar of fury.
"It's working!" Nefer-tina yelled, running for Presley to defend him against the other Hunters. Armon had joined her.
Yes, it was working, but it had not yet been enough. The Hunter they had hit turned toward Rath, who it had deducted to be the more dangerous of the two attackers, and swiped its claws at him. Rath ducked out of the way and the tree he had stood in front of now featured two long furrows.
"Hit it when it materializes again!" Rath shouted.
The Hunter surged forward to catch him, claws swinging dangerously close to his face. Ja-kal lost no time and launched another flock of arrows. This time the effect was much more pronounced. The creature howled in pain and staggered -- as much as a cloud-like being could stagger since it was floating. Rath added his own magic to the energy already crackling over the Hunter and the ghost retreated. The other two were hesitating and Nefer-tina threatened it with her whip. She knew it was no real weapon, but for now it kept the Hunter in check.
Anubis raised his hands and Ja-kal saw raw energy matter coalesce around his fingers, crackling loudly, then snapping off him like a whip. It hit the already weakened ghost and the Hunter shrieked loudly, this time in pain and fear. Rath added his own power once more and now the effect was even visible. The Hunter turned a sick red and orange shade, then cracks appeared in its ectoplasmic body. Its shrieks went almost beyond the audible range -- and then it shattered. Ja-kal swallowed, staring. It had simply broken apart, the bits and pieces exploding all over the area.
Armon jumped and tackled Presley, throwing him to the ground, hunching over him protectively. The other two Hunters howled and one lunged at Rath, who was staggering dangerously, weakened by pouring so much energy into these few blasts. Anubis reacted, attacking him in turn, but his energy alone was not enough. The ghost was driven back, but it didn't follow its 'brother' and exploded. Somehow it seemed strangely unaffected; maybe just slightly bothered. Anubis strengthened the feed and the Hunter hissed, retreating out of range.
Rath steadied himself against a tree. "The amount of magic needed to hurt them is too much!" he panted.
Ja-kal saw Presley running for the null zone, which meant Morrigan, guarded by Nefer-tina. Launching more arrows he felt his own power starting to fade. He was charging every shot with a maximum of energy, which was several times the normal charge. It was taking its toll. The same went for Anubis. The jackal god's face was a determined mask, but his lips were pressed into a thin, white line and he looked a bit pale. Presley had now reached the safety of the null zone and it was visible immediately. The ghosts stopped, sniffing, looking puzzled. They had lost their trail.
"Rath?" Ja-kal asked.
The scribe shook his head. "I'm almost out of power. I can't channel more energy..... One more shot maybe.....but I'm not sure it is enough to destroy a second ghost."
"We have to try!"
Ja-kal charged his last batch of arrows. A warning beep chimed from his amulet and he closed his eyes, sending a prayer to his patron god. Then he fired them all. Rath channeled what magic he still could -- and his armor disappeared with a shrill warning beep a second before he was totally defenseless. He gasped softly, tried to uphold the charge, but it was too much. The energy stream dwindled and when he collapsed, it dissipated. Anubis had launched a last attack as well, but the ghost was almost invincible to one single attacker. It simple snarled and then rushed off, followed by its brother.
The falcon Guardian stood on shaky legs, breathing hard, shivering with the weakness he felt. Rath sat on the ground, eyes closed, panting as if he had just run a marathon, and his bandages were crackling and smoking with the remnants of the magical overload.
"One down," Anubis croaked.
Ja-kal eyed him. Like everyone else he appeared exhausted. His eyes had an almost dull shine and he was trying not to lean onto a bench. Morrigan and Presley, followed by Nefer-tina and Armon joined them.
"You've got to get back into your sarcophagi," Morrigan said calmly. Her eyes brushed over Anubis and he gave her a weak smile. "I'll get Presley home and we sneak off after mom goes to bed."
Ja-kal had no energy to argue, and it had been their plan. "Nefer-tina...."
"I'll get you guys home first, then set up camp at the prince's home," she said.
He only nodded.

* * *

Three more null zones were declared not to be the location of prince Rapses.
And one Hunter had .... disappeared.
Scarab gazed thoughtfully at the large statue at the other side of the room. Somehow the mummies had managed to destroy one Hunter, but that didn't mean all that much. They couldn't repeat it because the other two were now immune to this kind of magic. Rath had probably flung some energy at it, maybe even Ja-kal, and in the end the ghost had dissolved, but the mummy Guardians were now defenseless again.
Except for the accursed null zone.
Scarab thought hard. None of them could be the reason for it. Rath hadn't created it by magic and no magical object was involved, so how had they stumbled over this phenomenon?

* * *

Nefer-tina had the first guard at Morrigan's home. Presley was in the guest room and sleeping, protected by the null zone, while Anubis and Morrigan were downstairs. Nefer-tina had zapped through the TV channels and was now listening to the quiet conversation between the two unlikely allies. Anubis had not said much throughout the last hours and he had left the group when Nefer-tina had driven Presley and Morrigan to the Carnovan home. Now he sat on the couch, appearing exhausted.
Anubis rubbed his snout, sighing. "It's no good to try again," he answered Morrigan's previous question.
"Why? You destroyed one!"
"But when we targeted the second one, it had no effect. You see, one attacker couldn't harm the ghost; it took more power and, most important, different power. When we attacked the second one, it was almost immune."
"What do you want to say?"
He looked up and met her eyes. "They adapt."
Morrigan's mouth open and closed again without saying something. Finally she blurted. "You mean... like a damn Borg?"
"Borg?" Anubis echoed.
"Forget it. TV show. It all comes down to those critters adapting to energy and we can't hit them again, right?"
He nodded, closing his eyes. Nefer-tina came slowly closer.
"We can't repeat the attack and destroy another?"
Morrigan shook her head. "Looks like they somehow manage to adapt to the energy that harmed another of them. We are once again powerless."
"What now?"
"I have no clue. I want to talk to Rath. I guess he comes here with your car when we get Presley home again?"
"Yes."
"Do you have any way to get in contact with him now?"
Nefer-tina shook her head. Morrigan sighed, rubbing her eyes.
"You should go to sleep," Anubis said softly.
"Stop mother-henning me. Doesn't suit you. And you need rest as well," Morrigan snapped irritably.
"Well, since Presley is using the guest room...."
"I have a couch."
Nefer-tina watched them bicker, smiling slightly.
"Okay," he muttered, eyes gazing out of the window. There was only the velvety darkness of the night and the few scattered diamond-like lights of stars.
Nefer-tina settled down in one of the easy-chairs and grabbed for the remote, then stopped. "Ah, lemme guess: the couch you are talking about is this one down here?"
Morrigan and Anubis exchanged a look. Morrigan finally sighed, grabbed the ancient being's arm and dragged him after her. "Behave," was all she said, then they were walking up the stairs.
"Good night!" Nefer-tina called.

* * *

Anubis was awake. He was tired but he still couldn't sleep. His magic had been depleted quite severely, but not as badly as when he had been spat out of the dimension the Eye of Darkness resided in. He shivered. Memories of that time always made his skin crawl. He sat on the floor on the camping mattress Morrigan had unburied from the attic, listening to the regular breathing of the woman in the large bed not far away. Morrigan had fallen almost immediately asleep, too tired from everything to resist sleep; too tired to even undress properly. Anubis stretched out a magical finger and checked her. He rarely did this because it was an intrusion into privacy, but through the amulet he had a link to the human and he used it to be in touch with her presence. He knew she sometimes felt it, or had felt it in the beginning, when he had reached out each time one of those terrifying nightmares had hit. Morrigan had never mentioned it, nor had she asked.
The jackal-headed being sighed and rested his head against the wall, staring at the ceiling that was almost invisible in the dark. He involved her in almost anything he did and this time it was something big again. Protecting prince Rapses was not his duty, not had he any obligations, but he felt he had to pay back at least some of the debt he believed he had toward the boy. It had been pure coincidence that Presley had run into them and he knew his decision had been made on instinct. Now they were stuck with this 'mission'. Okay, he could remove his presence and let everyone else handle this, but Morrigan was his friend. She was involved because she was a Shield.
Anubis rubbed his snout, eyes drawn to the sleeper again. He owed her a lot, mostly his sanity, and now she was in big trouble again. Maybe he was a magnet for trouble....
A wry smile danced over his lips. Trouble was no word for what they were in right now. One down, two to go; and Scarab. Anubis lay back and tried to relax. He had to restore his powers as much as was possible in a null zone.

Four hours later he was woken by Morrigan's sleepy muttering and cursing about ungodly hours of the night as she dressed. Presley was ready to go back home and Nefer-tina was already waiting. Armon was at the boy's house and would take over from his fellow Guardian.
"Go back to sleep," Morrigan yawned as she discovered that he was awake.
"Only if I get the bed."
"In your dreams!" she growled. "Next thing I know you are shedding all over the place!"
He smiled, then rose fluently, watching her tie her shoes. "Take care."
Her brows drew into a steep line at his tone of voice. She let it go, grabbing for her sweater, and left. Anubis stood in the twilightish room, mind racing to find a solution.

* * *

It had been risky.
They had discussed it long and hard.
And in the end Presley's annoyed order to shut up and listen to reason had stopped them.
"My prince, you have to understand...." Ja-kal tried.
Presley shook his head. "No, you have to understand! Morrigan is the only reason why I'm not in Scarab's hands and why those Hunters haven't found me yet! I hate to be trapped in my room with the danger of Mom discovering I have a visitor! I don't want to be under constant guard in her house either! Why don't you blindfold her again and she can come with us? You'll be around me at all times." There was a pleading tone to his voice. "Ja-kal, please...."
The leader really didn't like it. He looked at the silent witch who hadn't even tried to help Presley in his case. She and Anubis were connected in more ways than one, and somehow he wasn't at ease with the fact that he was something like her patron god. She didn't worship him and she wasn't a disciple of his powers, but she bore his amulet. Ja-kal was drawn between his instincts to protect Rapses under all circumstances and from whatever he felt was a danger to the boy, and reason. Morrigan was a normal human who happened to have a few powers – which were, as Rath had once sneered, 'laughable compared to real magic-wielders' – but she tried to help. If it weren't for her link to Anubis, he might even trust her.
In the end he had given in and Morrigan had only sighed and rolled her eyes when they had insisted on blindfolding her.
"Nice," she now commented as she walked around the large main hall of the Sphinx, then looked curiously at Rath's scrolls. "Fitting in a way. What is this? A forgotten realm?"
"Excuse me," the scribe interrupted and snatched the nearest scrolls out of her reach. "This is my desk. Would you mind?"
She shrugged and walked over to the stairs, eyes traveling over the four sarcophagi. She sat down on the upper stair and looked at the four mummies.
"Okay, what now?"
"Now we will try and find a way to destroy the other two ghosts," Rath told her haughtily.
"Well, good luck. We managed to get rid of nasty number one only because there were two kinds of energies hitting it. The other two are now immune. Got any other magic left?"
"My dear Ms. O'Connor, I am a magician of the highest order!" Rath told her, slightly irritated.
"But your magic always has the same taste."
He sniffed. "Magicians have a whole spectrum of magic to pull from!"
"But the spectrum is always the same; it has the same power signature. Those things are immune to your magic now." She nodded at Ja-kal. "And to your arrows."
"What about me and Nefer-tina?" Armon asked.
"Can you focus your energy in some way?" Morrigan asked.
"Uhm, well, I can kick their Tuts....."
She smiled. "I know, but you don't discharge energy while you hit them."
Rath tapped his chin. "But we might be able to focus both Armon and Nefer-tina's energy."
"How?"
"I don't know yet." He walked over to the work desk and searched through his papers and scrolls. "But I know I read about an amulet once...." He trailed off as he started to read.
Morrigan shrugged as Armon gave her a questioning look. Presley sat on another table, legs dangling. Armon decided it was time for a snack and disappeared in the small kitchen area – which was dominated by a very large fridge.
"I think we'll have to go shopping," Nefer-tina muttered.
Ja-kal looked at Morrigan again, who was sitting silently in the middle of the hall, fingers playing with the amulet. He bit his lower lip, then decided he had to make a first step. Pride or no pride, she was an ally of sorts.
"Morrigan?"
She looked up, slightly startled by his appearance in front of her. "Yes?"
"I want to thank you for what you did for Rapses so far." It took a bit of an effort, but the words flowed easier than he had thought.
Morrigan blinked, suspicion flaring briefly. "What brought this on?"
Ja-kal shrugged and sat down beside her. "I thought it was time to accept."
"Accept that I'm a thorn in your side?"
Ja-kal smiled briefly. "Are you always this straight-forward?"
"Ask my friends. The few I have, that is. And somehow I hit the truth behind it nine times out of eight."
In a way she was always in the defense, Ja-kal thought. She had no other weapons than her sharp mind and her equally sharp tongue. She was no warrior and she wasn't a magician, nor was she a full witch. Her powers were passive; she had no control over them. Nothing about her was out of the ordinary and he knew that any attack on her would be over in seconds, with her on the victim's side.
"You still don't trust me," she now said.
"I don't know what to make of you," Ja-kal told her honestly.
"Well, few do. Listen, I'm not some kind of super-hero who wants to bail you out of every trouble there is. I didn't want this bodyguarding assignment! It was a coincidence. And so is my association with Anubis. The guy fell out of my hallway mirror, for crying out loud!" Morrigan shook her head. "It was pure coincidence."
Ja-kal looked surprised. "Anubis fell out of your mirror?"
She nodded. After a moment's hesitation she added, "Okay, I'll give you a little insight, but don't think this means anything. I'm not trying to convince you that he's on your side; you have to come to this enlightenment all alone on your own, Ja-kal. I just want you to understand, okay?"
He nodded. Morrigan started to relate the events of how she had met Anubis and what had happened in the Eye of Darkness to him and Ja-kal listened in horror, surprise and amazement. She told the story in a totally neutral way; there was no judgment and she didn't try to justify whatever Anubis had done. He was aware that Presley was listening in as well while Armon was in front of the TV and munching a bowl of popcorn. Rath was buried in research. When Morrigan had finished, the falcon Guardian studied the floor.
"I understand a bit more now," he finally said. "Whether or not Anubis has changed from the opponent I'm used to has to be seen. He helped us," he confessed. "And he hasn't turned on us yet, but I'm..."
"Wary," she finished when he stopped. "Suspicious, cautious, alert, on guard...."
He gave a wry smile. "Yes."
"You are entitled to it. You have a duty and I won't get in the way. I'm just a sidekick here and not even very good at it."
Ja-kal was silent for a while. He was just about to say something when a beeping noise could be heard from the backpack Morrigan had carried with her. She quickly grabbed it and pulled out a slim, black laptop. At his questioning look she shrugged.
"I keyed in an automatic alarm to be notified when I'm getting mail from someone about our problem." She popped open the laptop and typed a few commands. "Hm, an Internet address. This'll take a while. Do you have a socket somewhere?"
Ja-kal looked around, searching for a wall socket. He knew some things about modern technology, but he had never really considered getting to know his home so closely that he knew where the sockets were....
"Over there," Presley saved him the embarrassment. "I'll show you."
Morrigan nodded at him, then rose and followed the prince. Ja-kal watched her thoughtfully.

* * *

Rath, sitting as far away from the edges of the null zone as was possible, was absorbed in his work. In front of him on the desk lay two shapeless pieces of gold, both surrounded by a faint green aura as he worked his magic into them. One of the amulets suddenly flowed into a new shape, the second one followed. Rath took two ruby red stones and carefully placed them into each amulet, and watched as the gold moved and flowed around the stone. The aura increased. He knew it would take more than this small display of amulet creation magic, but he had the basics established. Now he had to bind Nefer-tina and Armon's amulets to these new ones.
Taking the two amulets in question – the other two Guardians had left them with him at Rath's request – the scribe began to the intricate work of combining two independent power sources within two other amulets. He had to be careful not to cast a lasting spell. The binding had to break the moment the energy was discharged or Nefer-tina and Armon would forever be hindered by the second pair of amulets.

* * *

Morrigan had been hunching over her laptop for hours now, as absorbed in her work as Rath was in his. She didn't care what the others around here were doing as long as Presley didn't leave the area of her now maximized null zone. The laptop wasn't the normal run-of-the-mill computer; like most of the equipment she used at home it had been crafted for one person after her rather personal wishes and requirements. Morrigan had no use for the normal notebooks, mainly because she needed to run program simultaneously, check on data and create graphics all in one. The little laptop she carried was light-weighed, it had a satellite uplink and it was very, very fast. A friend had cobbled it together and always gave her the latest in updates.
Now she typed several commands into the turbo-powered Pentium and watched the satellite uplink as it established itself, encoding her transmissions automatically. Since she was working freelance for companies she usually uploaded whatever she created and for that she needed the encoding. Companies wanted their files protected and she didn't want her creations to fall into other hands. Then she had access to whatever he wanted. No normal surfer would ever stumble into this area of the Internet. The access numbers to many of the boards, ftp, html and http sites were far from common knowledge – except when you were in the Occult Communities and an Internet buff. She sped along the information links of OccultNet until she arrived where she had wanted to.
"Okay," she muttered. "Let's see..... Bingo!"
Hunters. A whole bunch of information on the critters and each page was nastier than the first. Usually there were always three and just like Anubis had told her, they adapted to what destroyed one of them. They would hunt until either their Summoner sent them back or they had fulfilled their cause. Nothing new there. Morrigan asked for the Summoning spell and read it over, understanding only half of it. She saved the spell to show it to Rath; he was way better than her at this magic stuff. Then she paged through hand-drawn pictures of the ghoulies and ghosties until she finally reached the last page.
"Found something?"
She looked up, startled. It was Nefer-tina. Morrigan shrugged.
"I'm not sure. Nothing we hadn't known before and some useless information as well. I have the Summoning spell and maybe Rath knows how to use it to send them back, but otherwise all I've read says we can't win against them. Either Scarab sends them back or we devise new ways to destroy the next."
The female Guardian sighed. "Dead end again."
"Not completely. If Rath finds a way to use your and Armon's energy, we have at least one kind of magic to throw at these things which they haven't tasted before."
"But it won't be enough."
Morrigan shook her head. "Sadly enough no."
A chime alerted her to an incoming mail and she opened it. It was from Anubis. A small smile fluttered over her lips and she read the contents.
"He can't be serious!"
The exclamation startled Nefer-tina and Ja-kal looked over from where he was teaching Presley how to handle the bow.
"What is it?" he wanted to know.
Morrigan's gray eyes were lit up with a mixture of anger and disbelief. "I think I need to take time out to give him a reality check!" she snarled. She rummaged through her backpack and produced a cell phone, punching in a number with vicious stabs.
Ja-kal shot Nefer-tina a questioning look, but she could only shrug. Armon was oblivious to the commotion as he watched a World Wrestling tape. Rath was always oblivious to everything when he was at work.
"Yes, it's me," Morrigan growled into the phone. "What do you mean, I could be the other energy source?"
Ja-kal looked surprised and the coldly voiced question even attracted Rath's attention. Morrigan was listening to the person on the other end of the line, her face turning into a deep, dark frown.
"You," she finally said, "are out of your mind! I don't have magical powers! .... I wouldn't call *that* powers... I'm a passive witch, get that into your thick skull...no!" She rolled her eyes, then froze. "What?!"
Morrigan snapped her cell phone shut and looked at Ja-kal.
"I need to talk to Nu – in person. I think he is slightly out of his mind!"
"I could have told her that from day one," Rath muttered and Ja-kal shot him a sharp look.
"What did he say?" he then wanted to know.
"That I could be the second power source to take out the Hunters. But it's impossible! I don't wield magic!"
Rath frowned. "Maybe not actively, but you are a witch and you create this null zone."
"Not consciously."
"But it needs power and you pull it."
She scowled. "So what? I do it subconsciously! I can't suddenly fling lightning bolts! I can't even float a pencil!"
"Anubis seems to think you can."
Morrigan snorted, not voicing the nasty thought she had had about Anubis and thinking.
"He wants to meet with you?" Ja-kal now asked.
"No. I'm meeting him. I need to set his head right!"
"Which means Presley has to go with you," Nefer-tina concluded.
"Since I can't actually tell Nu to come here – wherever here is – I think that's what it comes down to." Morrigan looked at Ja-kal.
The falcon Guardian glanced at Rath, who only shrugged. It was his decision alone. "I'll drive you," he then decided. "The others will stay here. Rath, how are you on the amulet?"
"I think I'm on the best way...." the scribe said, sounding a bit evasive.
Morrigan hid a smile as she walked over to the Hot-Ra. Ten minutes later they were on their way, Morrigan as always blindfolded.

* * *

"You are a witch, Morrigan," Anubis repeated what he had said several times already.
"I know what I am! You don't have to tell me over and over again! But I'm also a passive witch and I don't wield magic! Read it from my lips: I am untalented!"
Anubis shook his head. "No. Your body pulls magic all the time, it knows how to handle it. It's just that you don't know how to handle what is inside you."
"And I don't plan on throwing fireballs or cast spells. I'm just fine as I am. I like my life!"
"I don't want you to turn into a full witch, Morrigan, just be open to the possibility of letting your body channel the energies it can pull."
She rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache creep up on her. Rath 'hmmmm'ed.
"With the amulets focusing Nefer-tina and Armon's power, and Morrigan attacking the creature with her magic, we could get rid of them."
"And what if it only destroys one of the two?" Presley wanted to know.
"Then we have to think of something new," Anubis told him, shrugging.
"Wohw-wohw-wohw!" Morrigan called. "Wait just a second! We don't even know if this plan works!"
"It will work," Anubis simply said.
"Oh, yeah, right! Like the experiment with the microwave! You said the same when you nearly exploded that!"
"That was different."
"Oh, right, this time it's me you are experimenting with!"
He tilted his head. "I'm not experimenting. I know."
Morrigan closed her eyes. "I just love it."
"It is possible that it works," Rath agreed, slightly surprised about his agreement with Anubis himself.
"I'm not a lab rat!"
"I never said so. All you have to do is let me trigger your magical talent for a brief moment," Anubis explained calmly. "Whatever happens then, it won't last for more than the time you channel the energy. Afterwards you'll be back to normal."
"'Whatever happens'...." Morrigan echoed. "Oh, I feel so much better now! I need an aspirin."
"It'll be okay. Trust me."
"I'll quote you on that."
"And I'll protect you," Anubis added softly.
"You and what Starfleet?"
"You're watching too much TV," he muttered.

* * *

Scent.
It had returned. Their prey was out in the open.
The two remaining Hunters turned away from where they had searched for the scent and quickly moved toward the new position.

* * *

The battle field was an empty parking lot belonging to a shopping mall outside the city area. No one was here after closing times and even the employees had left by now. Ja-kal looked around, checking that they had no witnesses, then nodded at Nefer-tina and Armon to take their places. Anubis was with Morrigan, talking softly to her while her face was drawn into a dark scowl. She was gesturing animatedly and he thought he knew what she was saying, but the jackal god only smiled.
Ja-kal wondered about their relationship again. So she had nursed him back to health after he had appeared in her home, and he had stayed for a while. Anubis had left and returned when Set had freed himself out of the Eye of Darkness as well. Afterwards he had stayed – for some reason or other. Morrigan and Anubis seemed to bicker and fight on a constant basis, but the underlying tone was always the same. They were friends and they worried about one another. Morrigan had defended Anubis vehemently and Anubis was ready to protect her against whatever was thrown at the witch. As strange as it was to his instincts, Ja-kal felt acceptance grow inside his rational mind.
Anubis had changed.
"It's time to start this," Rath interrupted his thoughts. "The amulet loses power with every minute and I don't know how long the Hunters need to pick up the aura again."
Ja-kal nodded. "My prince?" he addressed Presley. "You should take your place now." Presley swallowed. "I'll be with you," the falcon Guardian added with a smile, clasping his shoulder in a gesture of support.
Presley nodded mutely, eyes wide. Then he and Ja-kal walked away from Morrigan's position to get out of the null zone.

*

The Hunters came about twenty minutes later and they shrieked in triumph as they discovered their prey right in front of them, not moving, ready for the taking.
Anubis watched them, eyes narrowing. The urge to morph into his natural form was great, but he knew he couldn't hurt them in either form. All he could do was coax Morrigan into releasing her powers. He knew she could do it. He had felt her potential before, but she had no direct access to it. What she needed was someone to guide her hand to the power core and then let her do the rest. Her body would move on instinct, he knew. She was a witch and even though she had no active powers, her body would know what to do.
It was time.
Closing his eyes he reached for Morrigan's presence. Anubis felt the null zone around her, but the amulet was his way inside. He sensed her reaction to his touch, then he broke the one way door to the world of magical powers. It was so easy for him.... and so impossible for her to achieve ever.

Morrigan's eyes widened abruptly and her dark hair crackled with energy. Rath stumbled back, eyes just as wide, but his showed stunned surprise while Morrigan was briefly panicking. She had never felt such power before; at least not coursing through her own body. She could almost taste it! It was everywhere, in every molecule of her body, and it was something she suddenly knew how to wield. Her eyes sought for the reassuring calm, gray eyes of Anubis. He smiled, nodded almost imperceptibly. Nefer-tina and Armon stood on the other side of the empty parking lot, the amulets Rath had created hanging around their necks.
The first Hunter came into sight and Presley's face drained of blood. As much as he knew about these things and as much as he trusted into his now six guardians, the ancient soul inside of him was terrified of the soul hunters. Ja-kal, fully armored, stood next to him, battle-ready but aware that he would be powerless against these creatures.
It stretched out one clawed hand, materializing for just one instant to grab its prey.
-- now —
The voice was not really a voice, not even a sound. Morrigan couldn't be sure what it was, but it gave her the start signal. And her body followed it as well. She felt the power unleash onto the Hunter as it swept close, and it was an incredible feeling. A surge went through her and it was the most beautiful sensation she had ever had. Morrigan stretched out her arms, aware that she was pulling power, that someone was guiding her through it all, then she drowned in the overpowering sensation of magic running right through her like a conduit.

*

Rath whispered a short incantation and activated the amulets. He felt them draw on Nefer-tina and Armon's powers, then a streak of red and purple lightning arced from the two mummy Guardians to the Hunter. It had been stunned by Morrigan's magic already and now it shrieked in pain. The second one was already retreating, seeing it had no chance unless the other would be destroyed and it developed an immunity to the weapon. The first Hunter shrieked louder and tried to wriggle out of the energy trap. Morrigan pulled more power and Rath saw Anubis' brows rise in surprise and slight shock.
And then the Hunter died. Like its brother it exploded into a myriad pieces. Nefer-tina and Armon's armors disappeared after a short burst of beeping. Morrigan just stood there, dazzled, eyes clouded, breathing hard. The other Hunter had fled again, probably waiting for the adjustment and to come back later if it caught a scent of Presley's aura again.
"Is everyone all right?" Ja-kal asked.
The others nodded and Morrigan simply gave him a weak smile. Anubis joined them, keeping close to Morrigan without actually being close enough to crowd.
"We should leave here as quickly as possible," Rath advised. "Scarab might try something. He must be aware of our position after this... display."
"Your place or mine?" Morrigan asked, starting toward the Hot-Ra.
Anubis was just fast enough to catch her as her knees gave way. "Yours," he decided, looking at Ja-kal who nodded in agreement.
"Nefer-tina, Armon, you need to recharge. Rath and I will stay with the prince. We'll take Morrigan's car."
"Don't dent it," the woman muttered, sounding exhausted.
Rath gave her a haughty look. "I can drive very well, Ms. O'Connor!"
"Hope you are insured."
Leaning heavily on Anubis she walked toward the old van, Presley and Ja-kal piling in after them. Rath took the driver's seat.
With everything set, they drove off – or 'lurched' in Rath's case, who was trying to get a handle on a stick-shift.

* * *

Hekka watched pottery shatter against one wall and then turned her head to watch her master pacing. Scarab was not happy. Somehow the mummies had managed to defeat a second Hunter and the last one was currently hovering in the vast room.
"Never send ghosts to do a man's job," the golden cobra muttered.
Scarab glared at her. The Shabti searching the null zones had not yet reported back with success and his ghosts were being destroyed.
"They had help this time!" he snarled.
Hekka shrugged – at least she gave the impression of a shrug. "So?"
The sorcerer stopped pacing and looked at the waiting Hunter. "Whoever is helping them must also be responsible for the null zone. Whoever is helping them must have magical knowledge."
"So we are looking for another sorcerer?"
"Or a witch."
"Ah." Hekka smiled. "Which means we are now looking for a man or woman able to create a magical null zone?"
"Correct, my dear." Scarab smiled evilly. "And the moment we have found this person, we'll destroy him."
"Oh, Scarab, you are so much fun to be around."
The smile turned even more evil.
"But how do you follow the trail?" the cobra asked.
"Whoever helped them left quite a magical trail, Hekka. With a bit of my own magic, I think I can trace it." Scarab walked over to the shelf full of potions, dried stuff and spell books. "This will be easy. The magician didn't really try to hide himself."

* * *

Morrigan lay curled up on the couch, a cup of tea in her hands, grumbling about not having coffee. She knew caffeine was not really good for her drained system and that tea calmed her more easily, but she still craved for a little boost. Anubis sat with her, silent, just watching. Nefer-tina and Armon were recharging, Rath had stayed with them because he wanted to experiment on some new amulet to maybe create another form of energy, and Ja-kal was with Presley in the upstairs room.
"How did you do this?" she asked quietly.
"I opened the link from your body to the magic you pull. You can't do it yourself, but your body can use it." Anubis shrugged slightly, almost apologetically.
"Ah." She sipped at the hot liquid. "I feel like crap."
That drew a smile. "You are not used to it."
"And I don't want to get used to it. I'm fine just the way I am. I might be titled a witch, but I like my passive powers as they are."
"Nothing of this will stick around, Morrigan. I promise."
"Good."
Silence settled for a while, broken by Ja-kal and Presley walking into the living room.
"Hi, guys," she greeted them. "Tea anyone?" Presley grimaced. "I have soft drinks in the fridge," Morrigan added with a grin.
"Sounds better."
Ja-kal sat down in an armchair as Presley darted off to get something to drink. "The prince has to go to school tomorrow."
Morrigan sighed deeply. "I know. Big problem. We can do the house swapping over and over again, but I can't exactly shadow him throughout classes."
The mummy nodded.
"Can't he play sick?"
"Mom wouldn't buy it," Presley said as he returned, flopping onto the smaller couch. "I don't have a temperature, I don't have a cough or a sneeze...."
"We can't let you attend educational courses as long as your safety is not insured, my prince," Ja-kal decided.
"If the principal calls Mom...."
"There is a possibility," Anubis spoke up, playing with a pen. "I don't like proposing this and I know you won't like what I have to say, but.... it seems like the only way."
Ja-kal raised one brow and Presley looked at him.
"There is a way to influence your mother, Presley, to give her false memories for just one day.... like you coming down with a one-day fever. Or longer if we can't solve this problem within he next twenty-four hours."
Presley gaped. "What?!" he finally exclaimed. "Don't tell me you want to zap Mom with the scepter!"
Anubis shrugged slightly. "It's all I can contribute as a solution."
Ja-kal's face darkened, but he didn't outright object.
"Will it hurt Mom?" Presley wanted to know.
Anubis smiled slightly again. "No. And as far as I can recall, you used it on a friend of yours – without hurting her."
The boy blushed, mumbling something. Anubis held out his hand, palm up, and the staff magically appeared. Ja-kal tensed immediately.
"I'm not going to use it," the jackal god calmed him. "It has a safe-guard against unauthorized use now and if you want to do it yourself, I will take off the safe-guard for the one using it. You did it before; you know how it works." He placed it on the table. "It would alter your mother's memories for a day. She would call in that you are sick at home and we have about one more day to solve this problem."
Presley chewed on his lower lip, then nodded reluctantly.

* * *

Scarab laughed out loud, triumph in his voice. Hekka slithered over and cast him a questioning look.
"I found the place, Hekka! Now I have them!"
"How can you be sure?" the snake wanted to know.
Scarab stabbed at a map that had been hung up to show where null zones had been discovered in the San Francisco area. "It's a null zone, the house belongs to a woman called Morrigan O'Connor and she is known in the Occult Community."
"Quite some detective work, master."
"All it needs is time, patience and asking the right questions." Scarab smiled darkly. "The Shabti are already closing in. I think it's time to join the party." He grabbed Hekka by the neck.
"The mummies will most likely be there."
"I can deal with those meddling Guardians. I have enough Shabti this time to keep them busy."
"And the witch?"
"I'll deal with her as well...... But first...." Scarab snapped two words in a language that hadn't been heard in millennia and the last Hunter popped out of existence. "I don't need this one any more. Now we can get what is mine!"

* * *

Anubis sat on the stairs, gaze fixed on the horizon. He could see the Golden Gate from here, shrouded in midday mist, and all the sounds were from very far away. He hadn't liked changing Amanda Carnovan's memories, but it had been necessary. Presley was inside, playing a new video game Morrigan had pulled down from the net, and Nefer-tina was trying to beat him at it. Rath was somewhere about, Armon was in the kitchen and Ja-kal....
... had just appeared behind him.
"Can I help you?" Anubis asked quietly.
Ja-kal walked down the stairs and looked at him, a strange, slightly puzzled expression on his features. "Why do you do all of this? You are a god. You normally don't help mortals without being summoned."
"Maybe I was."
"Morrigan said you crashed out of her mirror."
Anubis grimaced and his eyes darkened. "Yes, well... right."
Ja-kal sat down as well now, still keeping a wary distance. "Morrigan also said you are back to what you are supposed to be."
"She did? Well, I hope she meant it as a compliment." He was silent for a moment. "The humans' history books have me right; it was Set who changed me beyond recognition and used me and my powers for his plans." He looked at Ja-kal. "I'm serious, very serious, about helping you. I have yet to find every bit of me again and I suspect a lot was destroyed because I was under the spell for over 3500 years, but what I remember of my old life.... it's not in any way connected to fighting anyone. I developed the Scepter of Forgetting and it backfired on me and on a lot of people. It's my responsibility."
Ja-kal was silent again, finally nodding. He understood. A big part inside of him understood.
"I can't ask you to trust me," Anubis repeated what he had said days before. "Just give me a chance."
"I will. I have learned to extend trust to all kinds of people, and even though you were on the side of our enemy, I believe you have changed. You saved Rapses before."
"Thank you," Anubis said sincerely.
The sat together silently, Ja-kal trying to fit the picture of Anubis on their side firmly into his world view. It wasn't easy, but he would get there. His thoughts turned to Scarab. Their enemy, their only real enemy ever since they had been alive in ancient Egypt, had not acted so far; at least directly. But he wouldn't sit back much longer. He would act.
Soon.

And it was very soon

*

They had found them.
In her own home!
Morrigan felt outraged and frightened in one, but the outrage was the strongest. Scarab must have searched for a blind spot, a magical null zone, and though there were probably over a dozen in San Francisco, he had finally found her. Null zones could exist because of numerous probabilities and variables. Either an object or a person produced it and sometimes a spell could help as well. Scarab must have worked pretty fast to find her within such a short time.
She dodged the attack of one of the Shabti, rolling over the hard street, wincing as bruises made themselves felt. She wasn't a warrior! She wasn't even good in sports! Armon had told her to simply kick the clay creatures or hit them hard because then they would fall apart. Morrigan had tried it, but now she had a bruised ankle. Those things were very solid!
Secretly she was glad that the fight was taking part at this time of the day because the houses lining the streets were empty, their rich owners off to spend some time at the company, in the health club or following their past times. Morrigan was an exception in this community of people with a lot of money, but she had always liked it here. It was quiet....
"Duck!"
Morrigan followed the order immediately and ducked. The Shabti blew apart in a shower of baked earth that rained down on her. She stumbled to her feet, coughing, looking around. There were a dozen more of those things.
"Witch!" a dark voice suddenly snarled.
Morrigan whirled around.
She didn't know what exactly it was, but something hit her in the side of the head and the world exploded into pain and a lot of brightly colored lights. She collapsed, dimly aware of all the hubbub around her and some clawed feet next to her. Her body was radiating pain from the blow and she knew she'd pass out any moment. Concentrating, she tried to hold on to her consciousness.
Someone pulled her up and slammed her hard against the wall. "Time to reward you for your meddling."
Morrigan glared at Scarab. "Got to hell!" she hissed.
"You first."
Blackness swallowed her.

Rath had seen Scarab move, but it had been too late to act. Their enemy had landed behind Morrigan and had lashed out, catching her in the head, and she had collapsed. Blood was flowing freely out of a head wound. Now he grabbed the woman and held her up in front of him like a shield.
"No!"
The exclamation turned into a growl and Rath turned. Teeth bared Anubis being fixed Scarab with glowing eyes. There was a gleam in the sorcerer's eyes, an almost triumphant smile on his features. The Shabti pulled back out of battle and formed a protective half-circle around him.
"Surrender the boy or the witch dies!" Scarab called.
"No," Anubis snarled. He caught Ja-kal's eyes. "Don't even think about it."
"Our lives belong to Rapses," Ja-kal said softly, "but Morrigan is an innocent."
Anubis' ears flattened to his head. "I know what she is," he told the mummy levelly. "Rapses' safety is primary. I deal with Morrigan's. Just be ready to either retreat very quickly with your prince or to attack Scarab." He turned to Scarab and walked toward him.
The sorcerer grinned a bit as he discovered him. "Ah, Anubis, old friend. Come to free your plaything?"
Anubis, looking a bit strange dressed in jeans and a shirt, growled softly. "Release her."
"Or what? I know she is creating a null zone and that magic won't penetrate. You can't threaten me, Anubis. I'm safe." His eyes narrowed. "But your prince isn't because I have more ways to fight than with magic."
He pointed his claws at the group of mummies and a purple beam of light shot forward, exploding just a few feet away from Presley.
Anubis quickly searched for the power point of the pendant around Morrigan's neck. It was there, weak but present. He could use it to channel a short burst to annihilate the null-zone, but it would be dangerous -- for both him and Morrigan. The pendant was the only way to do it because it was magic inside a null zone. The last time he had used it to jump to her position inside Set's fortress, now he had to channel energy through.
'Whatever happens now, I'm sorry in advance,' he thought, lips a thin line.
Anubis was no Guardian and he didn't see himself as one, but he couldn't allow Scarab to gain control over the immortal soul of prince Rapses. And he couldn't allow an innocent to be hurt because of it. Morrigan was under his protection and she would always be. The pendant showed it and he knew it. Anubis inhaled deeply, then touched his power source, calling upon his magic.

Rath felt it. Anubis was pulling power from all over the spectrum, but what for? Everything they could throw at Scarab was eaten up by the null zone and attacking with mundane weapons would result in the death of Morrigan O'Connor. So what was the plan?
The Guardians stood protectively around Presley, Anubis a few feet away. There was still too much distance between them and Scarab to act quickly if he was caught off balance. Rath winced as the power build-up was hitting the limit. Even gods had one at which they could wield so much magic safely and Anubis, though powerful, was no exception.
What was he planning?

Anubis whispered an apology and then unleashed the power along the connection to the amulet. At first nothing happened. Then the pendant flared with a brilliant blue light. Magic flames leaped out of it, crackling, snapping, licking for the purple and gray figure holding the unconscious witch. The fire grew in size, touched the hand and arm holding her, and Scarab gave a yell of surprise. His hand opened and Morrigan fell to the ground in a lifeless heap.
"What is this?" he screamed.
Anubis closed his eyes, sending more power through, piercing the magical null zone with it and attacking Scarab. He drove him two steps away from Morrigan, then started to sprint.
Shabti began to block his way. Some started to explode even before they came close, others were felled by a whip or a sword.
"Save your prince!" he yelled at Rath who briefly appeared at his side and took out two Shabti.
Then he ducked under Scarab's shot, rolling toward Morrigan. He winced briefly as he saw the bleeding head wound, but he had no time for this. Grabbing her, Anubis pushed himself to his feet, aware that now he was even more limited in his actions. The null zone enveloped him, the pendant his only way to act, but he didn't really dare. He had hurt Morrigan already.
Hot pain exploded in his back and he screamed involuntarily. Falling forward, Anubis cushioned his companion's fall, slamming down hard enough to let him see stars in front of his eyes. A hot blast of energy tore into his side and he gasped, nearly blacking out. His magic was nearly depleted and attacking Scarab with his bare hands would get him nowhere.
"You won't get away that easily," Scarab said darkly, claws poised for another strike.
Instead he got three flaming arrows in the back. Howling, he turned and focused on Ja-kal. All around him Shabti turned to dust and his chances of getting Presley were dwindling. Snarling, the sorcerer finally made a decision.
"Next time!"
Anubis was breathing hard, trying to get to his feet, but his limbs refused to coordinate. He felt so weak...... He was aware of Scarab taking off to get to safety and of the rest of the Shabti exploding, and of Morrigan moving faintly beneath him.
"Morri?" he whispered hoarsely, rolling off her.
She opened her eyes, looking dazed, then her eyes widened as she discovered him in his 'natural' form. "What happened?"
"Scarab happened." He briefly closed his eyes in pain as the wounds on his back sent flames of agony through him. They were pretty deep, he knew.
Morrigan moaned softly and touched her head, coming away with blood on her hands. "Damn," she muttered. "Not again...."
Anubis smiled dimly.
Steps could be heard and Morrigan squinted at the approaching figures.
"Are you all right?" Armon asked, worry in his voice.
"Oh, yeah, having a ton of fun bleeding on my best sweater," Morrigan mumbled, feeling her head swim.
"We have to call an ambulance!" Presley exclaimed.
"And a vet," she added, swallowing hard to chase the nausea away.
"Thank you," Anubis breathed sarcastically, fighting the pain.
He pulled a bit of power to ease it and exhaled in relief. Sitting up he tried to evaluate the damage to Morrigan's body. She looked okay, except for the deep cut on her left temple – which was bad enough.
More Guardians came.
"No ambulance," Morrigan decided, clenching her teeth as she tried to sit up.
"You need a doctor," Anubis told her softly.
"And how do you explain it? Fell against a table?"
"Possible."
"Are you all right?" Ja-kal wanted to know, repeating Armon's question, though Morrigan wasn't sure whether he meant Presley or her.
"I'll live."
"That gash looks nasty," Presley remarked.
"And it hurts nastily as well, thank you." Her eyes met Anubis'. "Can you get me inside?"
He smiled dimly. "Not without making your headache worse."
Ja-kal nodded slowly. "Rapses is right. You need a healer," he addressed Morrigan.
She sighed, touching the gash again. It hurt like blazes. "Okay, okay.... but the explanation will be threadbare at least!"
"I'll help out," Anubis offered, smiling.
"Oh, fun."
Armon helped getting her to her feet and Morrigan nearly fell down again. Her vision started swimming again and she gasped.
"I don't feel so good," she managed.
"Hospital," Anubis decided.

* * *

The emergency room of the hospital was crowded. Nurses and doctors flocked all over the place and the nurse who had taken her here was already gone. Morrigan lay on the bed, eyes fixed on the ceiling. Her head still hurt. She had been seen by one of the doctors, he had cleaned and stitched the wound on her head, and now she was waiting for a nurse to process the paper work. She had given a good version of how she had been hit by someone, how this someone had left her lying in the little side street she had been found in, and how he had taken her money. One nurse had muttered about drug addicts getting more and more dangerous these days, but no one had questioned her statement. She was just the victim of a brutal robbery.
Anubis, fully 'cloaked', had gotten her to the hospital, telling everyone he was a friend who had been worried because Morrigan had been gone for a while and hadn't come back. From somewhere he had produced fake papers of his identity and where he lived – close to where she had been found – and everyone believed them so far. Luckily no one had asked her about more injuries; the skin where the amulet lay on felt sensitive and sore.
"Hey," a soft voice said and she turned her head, squinting at the too bright light.
"Nu?"
He smiled. "I'll let that go because you had a blow to the head," he told her gently. "How are you?"
"I had better days. When can I get out of here?"
"Tomorrow."
"Tomorrow!? I don't plan to spend the night here!"
"Oh, yes, you do."
"No, I don't!" Morrigan grabbed her head and moaned. "Damn headache."
"You are staying," Anubis decided. "You have a head wound. You need observation."
"Observation my grandmother!" she growled and crossed her arms in front of her chest, scowling as much as she could with her forehead hammering like mad.
Anubis shrugged, immune to her glaring. "They are still writing papers and I think you have to file this with the police as well."
"Great!"
"It'll be okay, Morrigan. Nothing will come out of this. The moment they clear you, I'll get you home. Earliest time tomorrow though."
She sighed. "Don't tell me you learned how to drive in the last coupla hours."
"No, but I mastered the technique of hailing a cab."
Morrigan only grimaced at the mild sarcasm.

* * *

In his pyramid-shaped skyscraper, Scarab fumed silently.
Thwarted again! And this time he had been so close!
Damn those mummies! Damn them all the way to the Netherworlds!

* * *

Home sweet home.
Morrigan sank into her bed, dead tired. She wanted nothing more than sleep. Someone took off her shoes and she forced her eyes open.
"I'm old enough to do that on my own," she protested.
"And sick enough to throw up because you bend over," he countered. "Morri, relax, okay?"
She sighed. As he helped her with the shoes, the woman gave him a closer look, frowning. "How bad is it?" she then asked.
Anubis looked up, puzzlement on his canine features. "What?"
"How badly are you hurt?"
He shrugged, wincing a bit. "Nothing that some magic and time won't heal."
"In this house your magic is limited, Nu. I think we still have some anti-septic....."
He pushed her down as Morrigan started to rise. "It's okay. You need rest and I can take care of myself, okay?"
Their eyes met in a battle of wills, then she finally muttered something rude in defeat. Anubis smiled and pointed at the bed.
"Sleep."
"Yeah, yeah..... Mind turning around while I change? Or even better: leave."
"You heard the doc. I have to make sure you don't keel over."
"You can do that from that corner over there." Morrigan grabbed her pajamas as Anubis obediently stood in the corner, back turned to her. When she was done he turned back and helped her tug in. "You'll make someone a good mom one day," she teased.
Anubis grimaced. "I can see that this blow was really bad for you. Go to sleep."
He left silently, closing the door after him. Only when he was outside and downstairs in the living room did he allow to give in to his own fatigue, calling what was left of his depleted magical powers and relaxing as they started to heal his wounds.

* * *

Presley lay on his bed, relieved as he had never been before to be home and in his own room. The last days had been too much in his opinion, especially giving his mother a different set of memories. He still didn't like it. Elaine had been one thing because she had tried to expose the mummies, proving their existence, and involving him. His mom.... He sat up. His mom was a totally different topic. She was his mom! Having her ask him how he felt, and Presley lying that he was much better and that it was probably nothing, was really bad on his conscience. Still, it had been necessary to save his life.
Presley sighed and zapped through the program, finding nothing to hold his interest. Disgusted, he threw the remote onto the bed and let the MTV channel play in the background. Nefer-tina wanted to pick him up in a few minutes and he should get ready. He was looking forward to a really normal evening with his Guardians, though he doubted it would be as usual. Stuffing some things into his backpack he finally left, descending the stairs, glad his mother was held up at the museum once more.
A thought struck him.
Ten minutes later he was inside the Hot-Ra and Nefer-tina was as usual disregarding most of the traffic rules. Almost normality.
"Uhm, Nefer-tina.....?"
"Yes?"
"Could we drop by the hospital?"
She gave him a surprised look. "What for? Do you feel sick?"
"No, I want to visit Morrigan."
"I thought she would be out of the hospital this morning?"
"Oh." Presley chewed on his lower lip. "Could you drop by her house then?" Nefer-tina frowned. "I'll be safe there. Really!"
"I know that, my prince, but...."
"Please!"
The charioteer sighed deeply. "Okay," she finally gave in.
"Thanks."

* * *

Anubis had been walking the streets for hours, ever since Morrigan had gone to sleep. His mind was turning the events of the last days over and over again. When had he made the wrong decision and when had everything gone downhill, ending with Morrigan hurt and very nearly dead? He stopped and sighed deeply, feeling a headache creep up on him. His back throbbed from the healing wounds and the blast injury in his side. They would heal – faster if he were to remain outside the actual center of the null zone, which meant Morrigan, for a while – but they were also a reminder of his failure. Staring at the street, Anubis tried to get a grip on himself and his life, such as there was. He had returned to a world of confusion and the eternal search for his old self mere six months ago. Morrigan had been a vital part in his regaining control of his memories and his emotional backlash, but he was still looking for a great part of himself in his mind. He knew who he was, he knew who he had been, and he knew his powers, but that was about it. He couldn't access all the power spectrum available to him and sometimes he fell back into despair about his situation. He had been a powerful deity once, a creature created by man's belief. Belief in ancient Egyptian gods had dwindled, his powers had dwindled, but he was still very strong.
And he had decided to hide under a human facade. It wasn't as bad as it had first seemed and he was getting used to it all, but now and then it launched him into an identity crisis. Morrigan had a knack getting him out of it, mostly through her no-nonsense manner, but not always. Like right now.
He should have protected her!
Wearing the amulet meant just that: she was under his protection. He had failed her –once again. The first time, when he had fought Set, she had been in a lot of danger despite his reassurances and she would have come to more harm than just a few scratches if not for help. Now she had come away with even more serious injuries.
Failure.
Anubis screwed his eyes shut, inhaling deeply. Morrigan trusted him, she sheltered him, she tried to help, and he repaid her by sending her into dangerous situations and nearly killing her. She was not some kind of follower or a disciple; she was an ally and a friend. And now it was even worse.... Opening the access to the amulet and channeling his power through her had left marks; marks she would never be able to shed again. He had changed her against his better knowledge -- and against her will. Anubis didn't know how much he had changed, but introducing a magically talented human being to the magic of a paranormal entity..... The moment he had acted he had not thought about it, and only now was the weight of his decision crashing down on him.
"Sorry," he whispered inaudibly.
Mind torn between the decision to leave Morrigan to spare her further complications, trouble and, on top of it, injuries, and the insane wish to just turn back time and make it all undone so he could stay, Anubis continued his lonely walk.

* * *

Presley walked toward the small brick-stone house, the street silent, everyone out to work or whatever the owners of the buildings around here did. He knew this was one of the really good living areas around San Francisco and throughout the day there was rarely a lot activity -- except for security. Nefer-tina had parked the Hot-Ra in a small side street and was currently hiding not far away. It gave him a feeling of safety, but it annoyed him as well.
Presley stopped as he saw the Egyptian god sitting on the stairs. It was Anubis and though he had changed clothes and washed off the soot and dust, there was an aura of sheer exhaustion around him that he couldn't hide. He sat with his head buried in his hands, unaware of his surroundings.
Or nearly.
"Hello, Rapses," the quiet voice startled the boy.
"Uh, hi. Is Morrigan in?"
Tired eyes met his. "She was when I left."
Presley took several steps forward, about to pass the ancient Egyptian god, then stopped again. "Are you okay?"
Anubis managed a rather convincing smile, but not convincing enough. "Yes."
Presley hesitated once more, then said, "Thanks for your help. I know Ja-kal isn't big on saying thanks, but I wanted you to know that I appreciate what you did."
Anubis smiled again, looking very tired. "You are welcome."
"Why did you do it?"
A surprised expression crossed his features. "Why?"
"Yes, why? You aren't my guardian, you aren't even involved in any of this."
"I am. On many levels. Set stole my identity and my life; he used me to serve Scarab. I was forced to turn against what I believed and nearly hurt or killed Rapses' soul on several times, driving it into Scarab's reach. There is a lot I still have to make up for."
Presley shook his head. "Not to me."
Anubis shrugged but said nothing.
"Do you think Morrigan wants visitors?" the boy asked after a while.
Anubis glanced at the house. "Probably," he answered silently. "You can go in if you want to."
Presley climbed the stairs, wondering why Anubis was sitting here instead of inside with Morrigan. He had yet to figure out their relationship, but he had always thought them to be friends. Sighing, wondering if he would ever understand this, Presley went inside, feeling a bit awkward since he didn't have to ring.

* * *

Another two days passed and for Presley Carnovan and his Guardians, life went on as normal. Ja-kal continued teaching him the secrets of the Boomer-Ra, Nefer-tina nearly totaled the Hot-Ra in a wild test ride, Rath had something close to a heart attack because of it and went off grumbling to himself about how he was only the mechanic around here and no one appreciated his work; and Armon was busy cataloging Beefy Burger drive-ins and restaurants on a map Presley had bought for him. Just the normal, run-of-the-mill days.
Somewhere else in San Francisco, normality was something wished for but not yet achieved. Morrigan O'Connor was feeling better and except for the occasional stinging sensation and a small headache or two she was almost back to normal. The events had shaken her a bit, but cleaning up around the house, resting when her body decided she was still too sick to do more, was one way to deal with it. The problem was Anubis. He had changed. Morrigan couldn't put her finger on it, but the jackal-headed paranormal entity was behaving oddly. It started with his sudden non-human appearance. She didn't mind that he was looking his old self again, but something was wrong. Then there was her own itchy feeling about something. It was as if she was suddenly aware of some kind of energy close by. It made her body tingle, though not unpleasantly, as if alerting her to the energy's presence, then the sensation was gone.
When Anubis showed no change in behavior the next morning, Morrigan sighed and decided to get it over with. They had to talk.
"Nu?"
Anubis looked up from what he was doing -- whatever that was -- and for a brief moment there was panic in his eyes. Morrigan felt a stab of suspicion. Something was definitely going on and since he wasn't about to admonish her about the preferred nick-name she had for him, something was very, very wrong!
"We have to talk?"
"Uhm, sure... about what?"
"You. Me. What happened."
Anubis winced slightly. "What happened?" he asked weakly.
Morrigan's eyes narrowed. Something was really, really wrong. "Maybe I'm just imagining this, but things have changed. I have changed."
Another wince and she knew she was on the right track.
"What happened to me?"
Anubis' eyes widened in something akin to fear. "Nothing!" he blurted.
She met his frightened eyes. "Nu....?"
"It shouldn't have happened!" he whispered. "I didn't think it would be like this!"
Morrigan raised an eyebrow. "What would be like this?" she probed.
Anubis fidgeted, trying to meet her eyes but failing. He stared at the floor. "When I channeled my powers through the amulet.... part of it traveled through or into your body. It...errrr... it stayed. I can still feel it. It's there."
Morrigan sat down -- hard. "You mean, I'm harboring your powers?"
He nodded. "Some of them at least. As a witch you might be able to master all of the power that is stored in you."
"I'm not your run-of-the-mill witch! I can't use magic actively!"
He swallowed. "This one you might."
"And if not?"
"Uhm, it's not dangerous. You are just storing it. Your body is used to storing energy, but you never felt it before. The amulet is my connection to you and now... now it channeled power."
"*You* channeled power through me," Morrigan snapped. "Through a human body about which you didn't know a thing! I trusted you! We never talked about something like this!"
"I'm sorry!" Anubis blurted. "Please, believe me that if I had had another choice, I wouldn't have done it! I hurt you through it and I didn't want to! I had to make a decision to save your life!"
Morrigan swallowed hard and inhaled deeply, quite aware of this. "I know," she said softly and rubbed her head. "Listen, I didn't want to snap. I'm sorry."
Anubis sat hesitantly down beside her, reaching carefully out to touch her arm. Morrigan didn't move away, but he let his hand fall down again.
"What I did.... I should have thought about my actions, but all I saw was you and Scarab... and how he was about to hurt you," he whispered. "I had to act."
Morrigan looked at him and deep inside her she felt his pain. He was truly agonized over this. "You didn't have to," she said softly, probing how far this went, how much was really true. The reaction was a wide-eyed stare of utter confusion. "You had no obligation to save me."
Now the pain was visible in every feature of his face. If he could have, Anubis would have paled. He sucked in a choking breath of air, trembling.
"You are an ancient paranormal entity. I'm mortal."
"No!" he cried. "Stop it!" Anubis had jumped from his seat, shaking his head in denial.
Morrigan saw a reaction she had hoped to get and she felt sorry about having to pressure him into it. She and Anubis had lived together for more than six months and she had realized that he cared, that he was not some power-corrupted, magical creature that was above caring for 'mundanes' and mortals.
"What is this amulet, Nu? What is it really? I know it helps you to perform a bit of basic magic and the shape-changing within a null zone, but what is it for real?"
He looked caught, eyes widening. When he saw her expression, Anubis sighed heavily. His emotional state was totally off-balance now. "It's a link to you as a human, Morrigan. It helps me stabilize whenever I get unbalanced, whenever nightmares haunt me. It gives me my powers in an area where I shouldn't have any and it..."
"Yes?"
He inhaled deeply. "It lets me protect you."
Morrigan shot him a startled look, but Anubis refused to meet her eyes again. "Protect me?" she finally managed. "I need protection? From what? Mice in the cellar?"
Anubis winced. "No." His voice was almost inaudible. "When I told you that the pendant means protection, I told you the truth. It gives me the ability to be with you all the time." He wrung his hands. "I owe you a lot, Morrigan, and I can never repay it. I thought.... I thought I could maybe show my gratitude by placing you under my protection for all other gods to see. San Francisco harbors the Western Gate and supernatural beings cross over now and then." He sighed. "I didn't want you to get hurt any more. I failed. Again."
Morrigan stared at him with conflicting emotions. On one hand she was angry because the amulet was his way to keep taps on her. He was spying on wherever she went! On the other hand she was flattered by how much he cared. Okay, so she knew he cared, but not so deeply! He lived in the same house she did, they shared time, they joked, fought and bickered, but this....
"Nu....."
"I'm sorry," he repeated again and finally looked at her. His eyes were filled with pleading and his canine features were drawn into an expression of desperation. His long ears were lying flat on his had in a gesture of real fright. "I lied to you. I'm truly sorry."
He was a paranormal entity. He had powers. He could return through the Western Gate whenever he wanted. And now he was pleading and apologizing.
"Whatever your decision is, I'll accept it. I know I was invited here on your terms and I broke an agreement." His voice shook.
"Where would you go?"
His ears lay tightly on his head. "Back."
"But you told me there is nothing to go back to. And Set is there as well."
"I can handle it."
"Nu?"
He looked at her. "Yes?"
Morrigan smiled slightly. "Stop lying to me." Anubis shrank back under her look, fingers clenching into fists. "It's okay," she said softly. "I think I'm more flattered than angry. You can stay. I won't throw you out."
The ears moved up slightly. "Really?"
Morrigan nodded. "Just one request."
"Yes?"
"Don't lie to me again?"
Anubis smiled dimly. "Never," he whispered.
Morrigan smiled as well. She touched the amulet and felt it pulse under her touch. Now that she concentrated on it, she also felt the power. It was alien but also familiar because it was Anubis' power; she had been in its vicinity for months now. Looking at him again she saw anxious eyes watching her.
"I won't take it off," Morrigan told him honestly. "I actually like it."
There was this smile again. It was so small and hesitant that she felt like hitting herself for her earlier reaction. Giving her ego and her pride a kick, Morrigan took one dark hand and squeezed it.
"Nu, it's okay. I just wish you had been more honest."
"Sorry," he repeated dejectedly.
Morrigan forced him to look up, holding the jackal head between both hands. "Listen to me," she said firmly. "It was sneaky, but I understand it in a way. I'm really flattered because it shows you care." She gave him a crooked smile. "Hey, it might one day come in handy."
He tried another smiled and she suddenly leaned forward and gave him a hug. Anubis stiffened, startled.
"Don't get the wrong idea," she growled, frowning, as she detached herself. "This was purely friendly."
"Uhm, of course." But his mind was reeling as he watched her leave.
After a few seconds he finally unfroze enough to morph into his human form. He was a bit shaky and he knew he looked pale, but his composure was slowly returning. He followed Morrigan to the kitchen area where she busied herself with a sandwich. After another two seconds he decided he needed a walk.

* * *

Morrigan was with her friends -- two of them at least. Danny was thoughtfully chewing on his lower lip while Em frowned, equally thoughtful.
"Want me to have a Look?" Danny finally asked.
Morrigan hesitated, then nodded. The middle-aged man closed his eyes and the part of Morrigan that was the witch felt him probe. It was a faraway tingling and she was only aware of it because she was concentrating. Em rose and got a new bottle of lemonade and some more cookies. Danny finally nodded slowly.
"There is a connection from your magical potential, your passive side, to a new power core. I can't define what the core harbors, but I can tell you that it is a lot; and strong."
Morrigan closed her eyes, calming her tightly-strung nerves. "Do I have active access?"
"Not any I can see."
"Good."
"But.... if your body accepts the new power source, you might get active access...."
"Just what I always wanted," she muttered darkly.
"What about Anubis?" Em now asked.
Morrigan sighed deeply. "He apologized deeply, profoundly and over and over again. I believe him that he never wanted it to end like this and I know he saved my life."
"He's staying?"
She nodded. Em smiled in relief. "I kinda got used to him." Morrigan rose. "I'll see you in a few days."
She left and walked slowly along the street, ignoring tourists with cameras and children begging their moms to buy them something or other. After a while she noticed that she had arrived near the Golden Gate, which now stretched over her. Waves broke against the shore and the wind blew the salty spray into her face. Hugging herself, Morrigan sat down on a fallen tree that had been lying here for years. After a while she became aware of a presence. Anubis hesitantly approached, then sat down. Morrigan stared out over the water, aware that his presence was a gesture of support and friendship.
It was all she needed right now – and all she could handle.