Scarab Key Chapter 10: Phoenix Rising, a mummy fanfic

Chapter 10

Phoenix Rising

I ran through the forest, both scared and exhilarated; scared because I had no idea where I was going, I was just trying to get away from those things, I didn't even know what they were. But I had done it, I'd finally beaten that woman for control. I'd never let her have it again, if I could help it. I knew full well she could have let me die at Karnak- but I didn't care. This was my body, and I wasn't going to just share with anyone- especially not someone who was close to the Creature. I'd get rid of her as soon as I figured out how. Perhaps she'd go away at the pyramid. I didn't know, and at the moment I didn't much care. All that mattered was running. If I ran fast enough, I'd survive the jungle, and the night.

At some point, I didn't know how late it was, or how early, I couldn't see the sun for the trees, I came to a river. No way to cross- the side of the cliff, if it could be called that, was far too long. I knew just by looking that I wouldn't survive a jump, or that I'd never reach the other side if I tried to jump across. Perhaps there was a bridge somewhere. I ran at a lighter pace, trying to save some stamina, incase those pygmie things, mummies or whatever, caught up with me.

Nothing ever did. It couldn't have been a few minutes after starting my journey along the riverbank, but I found something I thought might help… a vine. It was hanging down, a little back into the forest, from a tree that looked good and sturdy. I tugged, hard, on the vine. It didn't fall, and there weren't any animals that I could see. I walked backward, even with the tree trunk, ran forward a bit, and swung. Maybe, just maybe, this would be far enough for me to make it.

It wasn't. The vine was long, and it stretched a long way across the river, but there was no possible way I'd make it. I muttered a word I'd heard from both Rick and my father, when they thought I couldn't hear them, that I knew I shouldn't repeat. I was so wrapped up in my disappointment in having one plan fail, that I didn't pay attention at how fast I was swinging backwards. The vine was longer than the distance from the tree to the ground, and I had slid out once I swung, once I was over the river, and now the same length that I thought would have helped me, was the reason that I slammed roughly against the side of the riverbank.

White hot pain exploded from my right arm, which had taken most of the impact. I let out a startled scream, my arm and the right side of my face getting still more nicks and scratches as I scrambled, still clinging to the vine. Well… now it was easy to see that this plan had not been well thought. I turned so that my feet rested on the side of the riverbank. The rocks were rough, but offered no purchase. I'd have to rely on my arms to climb. I reached up with my right.

And screamed again. There was no possible way I could climb on this- the arm might be broken, or fractured. Tears of fear and frustration fell down my cheeks. Unless someone found me, I really wasn't going to get out of this alive, was I?

"RICK!" I didn't know if he was anywhere near where I was, but I screamed his name anyway. "RICK!"

Several more times, the echo of one not dying away before I screamed again… until my voice started to crack. I had no water, and hadn't drunk any for quite some time. This was not good, not good at all. No water, hanging over a river, with some sort of creature attacking everything in the forest that moved. And Imhotep. Nothing was worse than Imhotep. Still, I had to keep trying. "RI-!"

"Sarah!" Not Rick, but a familiar, and welcome, voice.

"Ardeth!" I didn't think I'd ever been so happy to see the man. Well… maybe when I was younger and he saved me from the mummified priest… but there was no time to dwell on that at the moment. "My arm's broken or something- I can't climb!"

"Here, I'll pull you." He seemed to radiate some sort of calm that was reassuring. Seconds later, the vine started moving as Ardeth pulled me toward stable ground.

"Thank you." I breathed out. It was completely inadequate, of course, but I couldn't think of anything else to say.

"I have nothing to bandage it with, and no time to stop." Ardeth was short and to the point.

"Do you know where Rick and Evelyn are?"

"Not too far that way." He pointed me in the direction I'd been running. "Will you be alright?"

"If I hurry." I nodded, and ran off, cradling my arm to my chest.

It was now easy to see that it wouldn't be dark for much longer. The night felt less oppressive, and I could see a bit of pink creeping over the horizon. Wait… morning… it was the seventh day! Immediately I wondered where Alex was. Had Rick found him already? Surely he had, or Ardeth wouldn't have been leaving. I ran faster in the direction he'd pointed me.

"Sarah!" I could have cried again, I was so relieved to hear, and see, Evelyn, who was with Rick, Alex, and Jonathan, of course. "Hurry!"

I did, running across a fallen log- now THIS would have been handy- over the river behind Alex.

Once we were all across… and the log blown up- effectively either buying us time, or leaving us as the only people able to get to the pyramid, it was time to take a breather.

"Come on Mom, Dad, we have to get to the pyramid! I have to get the bracelet off NOW!" Alex was visibly worried, and I knew why. I stood, ready to get going again.

"Oh, leave it on, Alex, it looks good on you!" Jonathan joked. Everyone laughed, save for me and Alex.

"No, you guys, you don't understand! He told me the bracelet will kill me if I don't get into the pyramid before the sun hits it! Today!"

Everyone seemed to automatically turn to the horizon- which was becoming far too light for comfort. Rick took off running, grabbing Alex's tiny wrist in one hand. Evelyn, Jonathan, and I weren't far behind.

Jonathan and I were the first to fall behind- guesturing to Evelyn to keep going. I didn't know about him, but I was worn out, my arm was hurting like none other, and I couldn't seem to get breath in my lungs.

"Jonathan… my arm… it's…" I said through panting breaths.

"What?" Jonathan turned to me, the two of us trying to jog, at least, to keep up.

"My arm is broken."

Jonathan looked like he wanted to curse, but didn't dare. "We'll have to take you to a doctor when we get out of this mess- there's no time to look at it now."

I nodded, expecting it. A few minutes later, we caught up with Evelyn, who was also worn out.

"Rick will get Alex to the pyramid in time." I managed. "I know he will."

Evelyn nodded, but it was easy to see she was less sure.

Nothing else happened… but we all began to fret a little when we could see the sun lighting up the sky- morning came far too quickly. We reached the pyramid a few minutes later.

"They made it." Evelyn sounded like she could cry with relief. "Thank God."

I sighed in relief, offering up a silent prayer of thanks, trying to catch my breath.

They came out of nowhere. There was no way for any mortal man to get across to the pyramid- but Imhotep was no mortal man. I could only stare in shock as they approached us- Jonathan and I flew backwards when Imhotep pushed us both out of the way like discarded dolls, as Anuck-su-namun's knife slammed into Evelyn's gut.

Rick was on his feet in a second. "Evie! No!"

"Mom!"

Jonathan and I could only stand back, Jonathan holding Alex, while Rick fretted over Evie. I could feel tears leaking down my face, part of my brain going into overdrive while the other part refused to process it. Grief is a strange thing- sometimes you cry for days over the death of someone you barely knew- and other times you find you don't have tears the morning after your own mother passed away. It's as different in humans as one human is different from the other- some people handle it better as they get older, and some seem to always stay the same. Evelyn had become my mother, but I found that, after some time, the tears just stopped coming, and the one's that were still there dried on my face. It was certainly a time to mourn, and I did, but I couldn't cry. Grief and mourning did not always mean crying.

Hours went by, and we stayed like this, the sun's changing position in the sky the only sign of time passing. None of us got hungry, and though my throat was parched, I didn't think I could drink water even if it was offered to me. Eventually, Rick stood up, and began to walk towards the pyramid. He asked Jonathan to keep Alex with him, and I stood up and followed.

For a moment, he looked like he was going to say no- tell me to go back and wait with Jonathan and Alex, but I think he remembered. My grief had hardened into a desire to take revenge- I hadn't had a proper one for the death of my own father and "uncles" but I would have it now while we both took revenge for Evelyn's murder.

The pyramid was dark, it was easy to find a torch, but even then, the darkness seemed to hover over us like a ghost. I found a torch easily, as well as oil, and Rick always had a lighter in his pocket. Neither one of us spoke- we didn't need to. No questions entered our minds for it seemed like they would be answered by the other before we could even think them. I led- I could read the hieroglyphs, but it seemed almost like I didn't need to- I found myself turning down passages before I had even glanced at where we should be going.

"You want to be rid of me." I could hear her voice in my mind.

'More than you can possibly imagine.' I replied.

"Tell O'Connell to take the right passage. It will lead him straight to the Scorpion King."

'Why should I trust you? You've done nothing to earn it.'

"That I know. But I am tired already. I was not meant to be reborn, and I don't want to keep existing like this, stuck in a mind not my own. I want to die again."

'How do I know you won't harm Rick?'

"I have no reason to. And you know, as well as I, that I don't act without a reason."

I didn't want to trust her. She left me with no choice. She wouldn't go away, wouldn't die, unless I did whatever she asked. And I had the distinct feeling that she wasn't going to try and kill me. "Rick." I stopped at the passage she told me. "There's something I need to do." I handed him the torch. "Take this, and follow the right passage. It will dead end into the Scorpion King's chamber."

"What about you?" Rick asked.

"I'll follow you once I'm done. " I took another torch off the wall, and he lit it with his.

We parted without a word- this was irregular for both of us, and yet everything had become irregular so that it seemed almost normal.

I listened to the woman as she gave me instructions. I memorized my way, so that I would know where to go when I came back.

"This room, right here."

There was no door, and it looked like some sort of strange… well, actually, it looked like a ritual room.

"Sarah. You must trust me."

"You give me no choice." This time I spoke out loud.

"You have to let me take over."

"No." That I couldn't trust her on.

"Do you want me to continue living in your mind? Listening to your thoughts? Staring at your dreams? Making sure that you know you're never alone?"

I hated her for it. I hated her. I hated her. "Fine." But this couldn't be done any other way.

I stopped thinking completely, letting my mind go blank. In that instant, she took over.

She offered no explination, but I watched her every move. She found a jar, taking powder from it, and blew it on a man carved into stone. I wasn't disturbed by the mummy that broke away from the stone- more disturbed that Imhotep had done this same act. She spoke to it, but that I didn't listen to what she was saying. Something told me I didn't want to know.

After a moment, he nodded.

"Who is this?" I asked her.

"My mentor." She replied, sounding pained. "If only I didn't have to bring him back like this."

I stayed silent. I watched as she sat down on the large, stone table that was in the center of the room, then laid across it. I saw everything like I was the one doing it, and yet I felt nothing.

She watched her mentor after that, staring as he got out a book, and laid it across her, and then prepared his hands. His hands, I could feel- dry, well preserved, and… warm. It was strange to feel warm hands from someone I knew was dead. He began to chant, and I could feel myself being brought to the forefront. My body began to feel like my own again… and that presence in the back of my mind, no matter if Amunet was asleep or talking to me, it was always there, her presence… that began to fade. Fade, until I felt it empty… felt her die again. He took his hands away, took the book off my chest, and let me stand. I watched him as he put the book away, and went and stood at his place in the wall. He began to chant again… and then was stiff as he had been, dead once more.

I lost no time. I took the torch again, running through the hallways and passages, until I found where I had left Rick. And now my revenge could finally begin. The woman was gone- I was myself.

I walked through the passage Rick had, I could still see his boot prints. My arm was throbbing- it had always been, but now it became too painful to ignore. But I had to keep going. Now I could see footsteps of someone else- gone over to the massive statue of a scorpion, and then into the chamber, while Rick's continued on in without turning left or right.

And there were countless scarabs- a river of them. Some sort of writhing, black river with little screeching voices. I fought the urge to gag at so many bugs… my arm hurt so badly! I stopped now, and couldn't help but lean it against the wall, in an attempt to stabilize it and give it something to lean against. It hadn't hurt when I was on the stone table, after all.

Bad move. I'd been leaning against the wall for a few minutes, when still more pain… and the sensation of something crawling… filled it. I looked down at it, and screamed.

There was a scarab in my arm! It crawled at a decent speed, and I looked around for something… I knew already I'd have to cut it out. But I couldn't find anything sharp! Wait… the scorpion. Through my panic, I saw the sharp ends on the scorpion's claws. I ran, pressing down around the scarab in an attempt to hold him still.

I screamed again as I felt the statue peirce my skin. The stone was sharp, it had been carved to a distinct point. But the squealing stopped. I whimpered in pain as I pulled away, and could see my own skin… and the scarab… impaled on the carved claw.

I cradled my arm to my chest. I had to get to Rick. I had to get to someone… this had to be wrapped. It was bleeding heavily… though it didn't seem like I had pierced anything vital. I was crying- that I knew.

"Rick!" Another voice rang out the same time mine did. "Jonathan!" I turned to face him. He had come out, with Alex, on a different wall, but it was adjacent to mine. I could get over there… I would just need to be creative.

"It's a spear!" I could hear Rick shouting to Jonathan. I jumped onto another stone… from the looks of things, I did NOT want to fall in between them… and then another… and another.

And then I saw Evelyn. Had I not been trying to avoid everything that was on around me, my jaw would have dropped. But apparently I hadn't been concentrating hard enough…

"Amunet." Imhotep's voice was alarming to hear. But I had one advantage over him. He didn't know she was gone. I turned to him- he looked concerned for maybe half a second over my arm, before he began to ask me to restore some part of his powers. I made some vague movement with my arms, and I could see the expectant look on his face…

And that was when I kicked him. It wasn't very hard… but I managed a kick to his ribcage. The shock on his face, and the following horror of realization, was as much revenge as I was likely to get, at least dished out by me, in my condition… and I took it with satisfaction. And then did the smart thing and ran for it.

"Sarah! Your arm!" Jonathan and Alex looked up for a moment… before the spear popped out.

Several things happened at once- Imhotep recognized the golden object, and Evelyn began to yell at Jonathan to throw it. I hadn't realized what sort of arm Jonathan had on him, but it was flying quite nicely… until Imhotep caught it, and threw it again after taking the Scorpion King's army for himself. It was a confusing blur… at least to me it was… I was losing blood still…. The next thing I knew, Rick had caught it, and it was all over… we'd won. Again I took utter delight in Imhotep's anguished face.

And it felt like the world was about to explode. The ground began to shake… the chamber was collapsing… but there was no sign of Rick anywhere… or Imhotep, for that matter. But now that the Scorpion King was gone, Imhotep seemed the least of our worries. And then we saw their hands.

"Sarah." Jonathan was careful, and gave my arm a loose wrap. We both had our eyes on Rick the entire time, but I just knew he was going to make it. He had to. It wouldn't be right if he didn't. "I hope it's not too loose."

"It feels a little better." It was a far cry from the actual treatment I needed, but it was better than nothing.

"Evelyn!"

"Mom!"

And we were now focused back to watching Rick and Evelyn, all of us sharing the same silent prayer.

And it was answered. Rick was able to, with Evelyn's help, pull himself out of the (literal) hell hole. I couldn't help but look at Imhotep's face. He seemed to be almost in awe that two people would try so hard to save the other.

"Anuck-su-namun!" He knew he couldn't do it by himself. "Help me!"

No response.

"Help me!"

"No!" And she was off. I think we all gaped after just a touch.

I couldn't help but feel just a tad bit sorry for Imhotep… but that didn't last long.

The pyramid was collapsing, and we were off. Jonathan helped me steady myself as we ran together, enough of us able to read hieroglyphs that no one was the real leader. In a few minutes we were outside… climbing up the side of the pyramid.

It wasn't tall enough. I could see it even from down at the bottom of it, it wasn't tall enough. But still, we kept climbing.

"Come on, Sarah!" Jonathan helped me, and I tried to move fast because he was so determined to stay behind me and help… but it was slow going. And yet, all too soon, we were at the top. I clung to Jonathan, if this was the end, I wanted to be clinging to someone when I died. I began to offer up not-so-silent prayers. But it was the end…

"Oi!" All of us snapped our heads up to the noise at once. Who on earth was that? But I wasn't going to think twice about getting on. Whoever he was, he was a Godsend.

"Careful of her arm." Jonathan and Rick helped me get up. I scrambled out of the way to make room for Rick… wait, where was Jonathan?

I was answered as soon as I heard Rick yelling "It's not worth your life, you idiot!"

"Good grief, Jonathan!" I couldn't help but stare at it once he was on board. But he didn't have enough time to really say much before we were caught up in a cloud of sand. The pilot sailed out of it easily enough… and we were home free. Seconds later, he began squabbling with Jonathan.

Alex came over to me. "Is that lady still….?"

I shook my head, smiling. He grinned, wrapping his arms around me, and I hugged him back with my good arm. "I'm just me again."

"Good." Alex nodded.

I smiled again… before groaning and closing my eyes. I was so dizzy…

"Sarah!" Now that he was able to really see what was going on, Rick was concerned. "Izzy, we've got to get her to a doctor, or a hospital… something!"

"I know one in…" And that was the last I heard. I blacked out completely before I could hear the rest.

A/N: So, this is the last chapter of Scarab Key. I'm sorry to give it such a quick ending, but I know that y'all are tired of waiting and waiting. I really had forgotten where I was going with this- and only recently figured it out, and I'm sure that wasn't the ending I had originally planned. So I hope you enjoyed the last chapter- an epilogue will be up later today.