Forty Days In The Desert
A Tale of Lent
Part of the Omniverse Project
by Benji: The Vampire Confuser
Highlander belongs to Rysher.
AN: It is my understanding (perhaps I am mistaken) that Jesus' Jewish name would actually have been Joshua. Therefore that's what he's being called in this story.
It was hot. But Tut had grown up in hot temperatures, so it was all right.
Tut sighed. He'd finally found the time to come out here, away from everything, and deal with it. "It" being everything. His second wife, Mary, had died of fever the day before. It had been the straw that broke his back. First had come Immortality, then his once proud homeland had been conquered by the Romans, and now this.
His hope, was that some time alone with his thoughts would help him.
The sound of someone walking nearby swept that away. So much for being alone. he thought resignedly.
He opened his eyes and stood. A man stood on the other side of the small group of rocks he'd lain behind. He was sure the man had not seen him, but he didn't seem surprised.
"I'd thought to be alone." the man said.
Tut smiled. "As had I. Not either of our days it seems."
There was something familiar about this man. His face, his demeanor.
"You're that traveling Rabbi everyone's talking about. Joshua." Tut said.
"You are correct." the man said. "And you are Tutankhamen."
Tut's eyebrow's shot up. "What?"
"You are Tut, born a little over a thousand years ago, gifted by my Father with Immortality."
Tut wasn't so sure about Joshua's alleged pedigree, since he didn't share the Hebrew's religious beliefs, but he didn't bring that up. "Gifted why?"
It was a question every Immortal asked themselves. How? Why them?
"For his own reasons." Jesus said enigmatically. "It is not for any of us to know my Father's mind. Not even me."
Tut digested this. "You know who I am, then you must know what I believe."
"That you still worship the god's of Egypt? Yes. But whether you acknowledge it, or even know it, you still serve my father."
Before Tut could respond to this, the Galilean's eyes narrowed. "We both came to the desert to be alone." he said quickly. "I believe it would be best if we acted on that and separated."
"Oh no," a mocking, eerily familiar voice said. "Let him stay. We're old friends. Aren't we Tut?"
Tut turned, his own eyes narrowing, in hate and suspicion. "Dehok."
"Ooh," the newcomer said. "Haven't heard that one in a while. Not since the Greek Gods and their Champions fled this world."
"Hercules and Xena didn't exactly flee." Tut said.
"Yes, well, take it as you will. But I digress. I no longer go by Dehok. It became tiresome. Wasn't even my real name. The real Dehok was defeated long before we ever met. These days I am known as-"
"Lucifer." Joshua broke in calmly. "This, I believe is between you and I. Leave Tut out of this. His road goes elsewhere."
"You're right Nazareth." Lucifer smiled. "But Tut, it was a genuine pleasure to see you again."
"Go." Joshua said to Tut. The Immortal hesitated. Even if Joshua was what everyone said, would he be able to defeat Dehok? "Go." Joshua said again. "Please. I will be fine. Go."
Tut sighed. "It was an honor to meet you." he said. Joshua nodded in response.
As he walked away, Tut mulled over what had just happened. It was certainly not something he was ever likely to forget. Even if he hadn't had his Immortal memory.
The End
