Isis sat around a fire next to Ardeth as the sun sank slowly and the stars began to shine.

"You were right." Ardeth looked at her curiously.

"What was I right about," he asked.

"There's nothing like a sunset in Egypt." Her words made Ardeth smile. Oma and a few other Medjai soon joined them.

"I wonder where Lin is." Isis said glancing around.

"Well I haven't heard any explosions so she can't be getting into too much trouble." Ardeth joked.

"Ardeth I'm hurt by your lack of faith in me. I don't need explosives to wreak havoc." Both Ardeth and Isis turned to see Yasmin standing behind them with a black clad Lin next to her. Her new clothing was a mix between what was considered women's traditional attire and the Medjai uniform. Isis jumped up.

"Well that's different. A head scarf with, a bell sleeved shirt and black pants. Are you hot in all that? Where'd you find those clothes?"

"Actually they're cooler than you would expect. Yasmin and I went foraging in the city. I mixed and matched as usual using my own spare shirt. She also brought me to the hot springs which I stayed in for quite a while. Next time there's a sandstorm I'll be sure to take cover instead of trekking to a city of the dead, too much sand involved." Isis laughed and the three women sat around the fire.

"So how did your lesson go?" Ardeth asked Lin.

"Maybe you should ask Yasmin." Lin replied studying the fire intently.

"She did well. Give her a few months and she could be very good. The talent is there if not the time to practice." Lin didn't comment suddenly feeling embarrassed by the praise. She saw Oma studying her out the corner of her eye.

"So Isis what did you do today?" The girl said, changing the subject.

"I went with Ardeth to his grandfather's home to have lunch and learned about herbs and their healing properties. Then we toured the city a bit. All of our supplies have already been packed so tonight we can simply relax and turn in early."

"Sounds like a plan. Ardeth I have to tell you, I love this city. It's so different from home. Why would you ever leave this place?" The Medjai around the fire hid their grins at the girl's comment. Even Oma shot Lin an appreciative look.

"I would not have if a certain mummy hadn't been shipped over seas. As it is I think I'll stay here where alcohol is not allowed and there are no drunks to get me into trouble." Everyone chuckled at this. Oma's voice caught everyone's attention and Lin was not surprised that his topic was a serious one.

"Yasmin tomorrow you and a dozen others will head out with us. Take horses and meet up with Omar and his men." Yasmin tensed.

"Is something wrong?" The woman asked.

"Not with Omar, but a few of his men have contracted some sort of illness and need aid. We will join you after visiting the Black Temple."

"The Creature's doing?" One Medjai asked, Lin recognized him as the one who had let her use his scimitar her first night with the Medjai.

"Most likely, bring enough rations to last a while. I do not know how long you will have to stay out there. Once with the ill we can't take any chances of bringing a plague into the city." Yasmin nodded. Women appeared carrying bowls and trays of food and drink. There were no stories or myths tonight but simple conversation that could not keep anyone's mind off of the coming troubles. Lin retired early and Isis soon followed with Ardeth as her escort.

"I'll see you in the morning." Isis was surprised when he kissed her softly before leaving. She entered the tent to find Lin already asleep. Lying atop her own mat she drifted off quickly.


Sun streamed in through the crack in the tent flap right onto Lin's face. With a groan she turned over.

"Oh no you don't, get up. We're running late as it is. Yasmin demanded that they let us sleep in and we're wasting day light." Isis' voice came from somewhere to Lin's left. She threw a cushion at it.

"Get up or I'll tell Oma you dreamed about him last night." Linb bolted upright on her mat.

"I did not." She replied angrily. Isis smirked.

"Yes, but he doesn't know that." Lin growled and began getting her things together. When they were both ready they left the tent. The others were waiting for them near the gates of the city with camels and horses stomping about impatiently.

"Good morning." Isis greeted everyone cheerfully. Lin merely nodded and accepted a cup of something from Yasmin that burned her throat a bit as it went down.

"That stuff is strong. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now I suggest you get on your camel. We have many miles to go to reach our destination." Lin nodded and found her camel relaxing in the sunlight.

"Well don't you look energetic?" She commented climbing on up into the saddle. Isis soon followed suit. Ardeth and Oma led the way out of the city. Lin looked back as they topped the rise. Somehow she had the horrible feeling she wouldn't see this place again.


Days, they had been riding for days. While Isis normally wouldn't be so frustrated by this, the pain in her shoulder came and went more often with each passing day. Ardeth and Lin shot her worried looks often as they rode and even Oma tried to offer her support. The other Medjai had separated from them yesterday at dawn. Isis hoped they would be able to help their fellow warriors recover from whatever illness Imhotep had sent there way. Meanwhile Horus was bringing strange reports from all over Egypt not only about the country but about the world. Strange canine like figures had been seen walking about in places. They would disappear quickly when spotted. Isis had not called upon the soldiers of Anubis yet somehow she was losing her control on them. Lin had been pouring over the inscriptions in the black book. Not reading aloud but trying to find spells and incantations that would help her against Imhotep.

"Another day and we should be to the Black Temple," Ardeth's voice pulled Isis from her thoughts.

"Good, the sooner we get there, the sooner we find a way to break this curse." Her tone was cheerful even if her eyes held just a hint of her worry. Ardeth took her hand briefly and gave it a brief squeeze. Lin rode by them grinning and clicked to her camel asking for speed.

"I'd rather pick up the pace and get there early tonight. I don't feel safe staying out in the open desert like this." Ardeth mulled over her words before speaking.

"That is a thought. Oma what do you think? Do we camp at first dark or continue on?" The man in question looked thoughtful for a moment before casting Lin a sidelong glance.

"She's right. I would feel better knowing our camp rested in the shadows of the temple. If we pick up the pace we should be there only two to three hours after dark."

"Isis what do you think?" Ardeth asked turning to the girl whose hand he still held.

"I say we go for it." Ardeth nodded at her words.

"Alright, since we are all agreed let's get moving. Now is the time horses would have been appropriate."

"I told you," Lin said in a singsong voice.

"But camels will do," Ardeth continued as if the green eyed girl hadn't interrupted him. Clicking to their camels, the four set off at a jarring canter.


The black temple was not black from what Isis could see. It was made of marble and limestone like most ancient Egyptian monuments still standing. They camped right outside the main entrance and left the camels hobbled not too far away. As they got ready to lie down and catch a few hours sleep, neither girl mentioned the eerie feeling the temple gave them. Isis didn't mention the things she thought she saw out of the corner of her eye, and Lin refrained from speaking of the voices she heard.

The morning came all too early and the bright sun rising at dawn did nothing to quell the girls' apprehensions. Now all four young people stood before the temple entrance.

"No weapons are allowed and neither is magic." Ardeth told the two. Lin grinned when she saw Isis hand him a dagger out of her boot.

"Oh so you did bring your toothpick." She teased the other girl.

"Of course, a girl should never go anywhere without some protection."

"That wouldn't protect you from a bunny honey." Lin replied sweetly and Isis stuck out her tongue.

"Will you two please be serious?" Ardeth asked. The girls looked at him and straightened.

"We are Ardeth but there's no sense in acting gloomy." Lin retorted. Sighing Ardeth briefly pulled Isis to him.

"Both of you be careful understood?" Isis nodded, enjoying the feeling of his arms around her.

"We'll be alright. You can't kill bad grass," Isis' choice of words made Ardeth smile. Lin walked closer to the entrance.

"Well come along kid before I die of old age. You two behave while we're gone."

"Don't stay any longer in there than you must," was Ardeth's final warning. Lin shot Oma one quick glance before following Isis into the temple and then darkness swallowed them.

"How are we supposed to see anything or find out how to break this curse if the temple is pitch-black?" Lin questioned.

"Something will come up." Isis replied in a confident tone. She took the silent grunt from her right to be Lin's assent but then realized that Lin had stopped walking.

"Hold on there Sis I hit something. I think I know what it is." Isis heard noise in the dark and scuffling footsteps and Lin went about whatever it was she was doing.

"And then Lin said let there be light and behold the temple shown in the flame of a candle." Lin remarked as light began to grow in the room. She had found a torch and lit it with one of her many hidden matches. Moving forward she handed Isis another torch and the two continued onward. Coming to a hall they lit every possible torch and watched in awe as from there the magic of the temple took over. The black temple was black indeed, and covered in prayers to Osiris and Anubis. The floor appeared to be of jet and the walls were covered in marble, mosaics, and hieroglyphics.

"Well I'd say we're going to right way." Lin said pointing to one specific depiction on the wall. A figure had fallen at the knees of Anubis and a familiar tattoo of the Cursed One was on the figure's shoulder. Isis took the lead heading deeper into the heart of the temple. The hair on the back of her neck stood up as a wind blew around her. The air should be stagnant here, the wind could never possibly reach this far inside. The next chamber held a small meditation pond, a set of stairs, and pillars that were parallel to the stairs and at equal height to the steps themselves. Taking the set of rough stairs, Isis ascended to what appeared to be the Holy of Holies inside the temple. What met her eyes as she entered made her feel faint.

"Isis, Osiris, and Ra," Lin's voice whispered from behind her. Isis knew what she meant. There before them was a mural with Isis' face as the Cursed One. It started at the left with her meeting with Anubis. From then on it depicted to trip to the temple, the uprising of the warriors, and Isis' death.

"Well that's odd." Lin said stepping forward. She cleaned away the dust covering part of the mural. The last panel was split into two halves. In each Isis was lying with a Medjai whose features could not be made out, but in one they were both depicted as dead while in the other it was the soldier of Anubis who perished and the tattoo had disappeared from the Cursed One's shoulder.

"So there is a way to break the curse." Isis' words were merely a thought she'd accidentally spoken aloud. Up until now she had had her doubts.

"Yes, but this doesn't say how. All we know is that a soldier of Anubis comes at night and tries to off you. Whether the curse is broken when you kill him or something else happens isn't shown."

"Still it's a start. We at least know when to expect an attack. We should get out of here. I doubt we'll find anything else of importance and Ardeth said not to hang around." Lin nodded in agreement and the two turned to go back the way they'd come. What they weren't expecting was the jackal headed warrior who stood outside the doorframe into the small chamber waiting for them. Lin cursed softly while Isis looked around. What she hadn't noticed before was that on the top of each pillar lay a weapon. Lin tried to distract the soldier shooting Isis a knowing glance. Praying that her luck would hold she ducked around the creature, jumped from the stairs down to a lower pillar, and quickly tried to balance herself. The pillar shook but did not fall. Grabbing the spear that lay at her feet she saw Lin being backed into a corner. With a cry to catch the soldier's attention Isis threw the spear. It hit him squarely in the chest but he seemed unfazed. Isis' shoulder was burning again. Glaring at the creature she growled.

"Back to the underworld you filthy, flea-bitten mutt." She focused all her will and sent the creature back. Lin pressed her back against the wall and slid down into a sitting position.

"I don't know what scares me more. Seeing one of them face to face or seeing you throw a spear in my direction." The girl tried to speak lightly but her voice was a little higher than usual.

"You're alive aren't you? Are you alright?" Isis asked studying the stairs and trying to figure out how she would be getting down. Lin nodded hiding her arm from view.

"I'll be fine. Now if I were you I'd shimmy down the damned thing. I'll wait for you at the bottom." Isis nodded and began to slowly ease her way down the pillar. It was slow going but she finally felt her feet touch solid ground.

"Come on, let's get back before Ardeth really gets worried," Lin urged, grabbing a torch and leading the way out. Isis followed.