I want to thank all the people who've read, Favorited and followed this story. I'm sorry to say that this story is now coming to an end :'( this is the last chapter. I had so much fun writing this story, I can't believe that it's over.
I'm sorry I took so long to put this up, I was trying to decide on how to end it. But then a good friend of mine who loves this story helped me decide. You know who you are, thank you you're the best :)
Disclaimer: I don not own the Mummy or any of it's characters. They belong to Universal Studios.
Enjoy :)
Chapter Ten: Only the Beginning
Katherine groaned as she stirred awake. Her head was hurting her badly and she felt her stomach was in knots. She blinked her eyes open as she fought back the nausea that threatened to come up her throat. She tried to rub her head to stop it from throbbing, but she realized she couldn't because she saw that they were chained above her head. She looked around in confusion and she saw Evy lying next to her, she was chained down to the table just like she was. Katherine could see that Evy was breathing which meant that she was still alive and the ritual hasn't started yet.
Katherine sighed in relief knowing that Evy was still alive. She then looked to her left and she nearly jumped out of her skin at the sight of a decomposed body lying next to her. She could only guess that this was Anck-Su-Namun, she wasn't moving which was another sign that the ritual hasn't started yet. For some reason, Katherine felt different and she felt something on her forehead, her neck and on her ears.
She then looked down at herself and saw that she was no longer in her big green gown, instead she was in a long white sleeveless gown with a gold sash wrapped just under her breasts and gold sandals. She also had on a large turquoise beaded necklace with a turquoise scarab in the middle along with a ruby above it and other beads dangling off the necklace. On her forehead was a gold crown with wings, a snake on either side of the crown and in the middle of it was a blue diamond. On her ears were a pair of turquoise beaded earrings with the eye of Ra engraved on them.
"How did I get in all this?" Katherine asked herself and as if on cue, Imhotep appeared in front of her "Speak of the devil" she muttered to herself.
Imhotep smirked at her "Does the gown please you?" he asked her.
"I've worn better" Katherine snapped at him with a growl "Why am I dressed up like this?"
"My bride must look her best for her wedding" Imhotep chuckled darkly at her angry glare.
"My brother is going to kill you" Katherine growled at him "I can guarantee it"
Imhotep just smirked "We shall see about that, princess" he ran his hand along the side of her face and Katherine just turned away from him.
"You keep your filthy hands off me!" Katherine snapped at him.
"For the moment I will" Imhotep pulled back "But once the ritual is complete, I will not be able to keep my hands off you"
"And what makes you think I'll let you get away with it?" Katherine demanded angrily.
"You do not have a choice in the matter!" Imhotep told her "I will get my heir even if I have to force myself on to you. If you resist me, I will kill your precious Medjai and I will make you watch"
Katherine gasped "No, you leave him alone or I swear you'll pay"
Imhotep just smirked at her "You are in no position to threaten me, Nefera" he then walked away, leaving Katherine alone with her thoughts.
'Ardeth, Rick. Where ever you guys are, please get here and get here fast!' Katherine thought to herself as a stray tear trickled down the side of her face.
That's when Katherine notices Evy stirring awake, only to find a large rat scurrying across her stomach. Not knowing that Katherine was next to her, Evy moved to the side knocking the rat off her and onto Katherine's stomach.
"Kathy!" Evy shouted in surprise when she saw her friend chained up next to her "You look... different"
"Glad you noticed" Katherine said in disgust as she tossed the rat onto Anck-Su-Namun's corpse next to her "Though, it wasn't of my own accord"
"What do you mean?" Evy asked her.
"Our mummy friend had dressed me up in this" Katherine groaned as she moved her head back.
"Oh..." Evy said in understanding and shivered at the thought of him stripping and dressing Katherine up without her knowledge.
A croaking sound is heard and Katherine and Evy see about a dozen or so corpses forming a circle around the stone slabs Katherine and Evy are on. Imhotep then approaches, carrying the Black Book of The Dead. He then takes the key out oof his robes and opens the Book of The Dead before placing the key back inside his robes.
"O'Connell! Jonathan!"
"Rick! Ardeth!"
Imhotep began to read a chant from the Book of The Dead and suddenly, the misty black spirit of Anck-Su-Namun rose out of the river of the dead. Her spirit floated past Katherine and Evy and onto the corpse, who came alive with a blood-curdling scream. Katherine and Evy both screamed in horror when the corpse looked right them with it's empty eye sockets.
Imhotep then stood over Evy with a long dagger in his hands "With your death, Anck-Su-Namun shall live and I shall be invincible!"
Evy screamed as Imhotep was about to bring the knife down and Katherine looked away, not wanting to see her friend be killed.
"I found it, Evy! I found it!" Jonathan yelled from atop the staircase while holding the Book of Amun-Ra causing Imhotep to stop what he was doing and look up at him.
"The Book of Amun-Ra" Imhotep said to himself as he lowered the dagger and placed it on the table as he walked up towards Jonathan.
"Shut up and get us off here, Jonathan!" Evy yelled to him "Open the book, Jonathan. It's the only way to kill him. You have to open the book and find the inscription!"
"I can't open it. It's locked or something!" Jonathan yelled back to her as he looked down at the book "We need the key, Evy!"
"It's inside his robes!" Katherine had yelled to him.
Suddenly, Rick jumped onto the table and cut one of Evy and Katherine's shackles with a sword he had found "O'Connell!" Evy shouted happily at the sight of him.
"Rick!" Katherine shouted just as happy "Took you long enough"
"You can't rush perfection, Kathy" Rick told her just as Imhotep said something in Ancient Egyptian and the priests soon got to their feet and surrounded Rick. He each of them down two by two with ease while also cutting the shackles on Evy and Katherine's feet.
Rick finished off the last of the priests and looked over at Evy and Katherine "Mummies" he shrugged with a smirk as he went to cut them both free, but he was pulled to the ground by a mummy and held in place by another mummy while one of them walked over carrying a large stone tablet. The mummy held it over his head, chuckling as he was about to crush Rick with it, but he managed to grab his sword and cut the mummy off at his shines. The mummy fell to the ground as the weight of the stone tablet brought him down and crushed him in the process.
Rick then freed Evy and Katherine from the other shackles. Rick looked at Katherine curiously "So, when's the wedding?" he teased his sister who just scowled at him.
"Never speak of this" Katherine told him in a dead serious tone as she ripped off the crown, the earrings and the necklace.
That's when a large group of warrior mummies marched out a pair of doors and towards Rick, Evy and Katherine. They stood before the three of them in a charging position as they all held their weapons above their heads and held their shields in front of them.
"Oh, yeah. This just keeps getting better and better" Rick commented sarcastically as he moved Evy and Katherine behind him while holding his sword out.
"Do something, Jonathan" Evy said in a nervous tone.
"Me?" He asked backing up.
"You can command them" Evy answered him.
"You have got to be joking!"
"Finish the inscription on the cover, idiot! Then you can control them" Evy told him as he went to find a safe place to try and translate the cover of the book.
Suddenly, Anck-Su-Namun appeared behind Evy and began to attack her with the dagger Imhotep had. Imhotep then gave a command and three of the warrior mummies lept over the pool and stood in front of Rick and Katherine. Rick yelled at the mummies, but the mummies roared loudly at him and that's when Rick ran and the three mummy warriors chased after him while Katherine dealt with the rest. She grabbed a spear from a near by statue to defend herself with just as the mummies came at her.
"Not exactly a saber, but it'll do I guess" Katherine said as she blocked an attack from one of the mummies.
Katherine began to fight off the warrior mummies and she was amazed at herself at how well she was able to use a spear. She's never picked one up let alone use one to fight, she's only ever used sabers and guns in her lifetime to fight. She had stabbed one of the mummies in the abdomen and sliced it in half while she kicked another one down in front of her. Then, without warning, another one of the warrior mummies came up behind her and slashed her on her back with it's sickle.
"AHH!" Katherine screamed in pain as she fell to the ground and dropped her spear which bounced off the ground and landed into the black pool. Katherine seethed at the pain she was feeling on her back and held her back as best she could.
The warrior mummy then raised it's sickle, planning on finishing her off when suddenly, it's head was sliced off from behind with a sword. When the headless mummy fell to the ground, Katherine was surprised to see Ardeth there with his sword drawn. She could now see that his black hair was hanging loosely against his strong jaw and she saw another tattoo on his forehead which was written in Ancient Egyptian.
"Ardeth!" Katherine said happily as he helped her up and hugged her tightly. She returned the hug as she wrapped her arms around his neck "I knew you would come" she said as she buried her face in his shoulder.
"Of course, Katherine" Ardeth told her "I would never leave you behind" he then saw the slash mark on her back as he pulled away "You are hurt"
"I'll be fine" Katherine reassured him, but then she hissed in pain as the wound was stinging.
"Really?" Ardeth asked her, not believing her when she was clearly in pain.
"Well, eventually I'll be fine" Katherine told him as she straightened herself up.
"Katherine, I must go" Ardeth told her "There are more of Imhotep's priests heading this way. I must hold them off until you all can escape"
"Be careful please" Katherine told him as she held his hand in hers. He nodded his response and kissed her on the cheek before he ran off to deal with the priest mummies. Katherine watched him leave with a sad smile on her face, praying that he'll be okay.
"I can't figure out this last symbol!" Jonathan yelled.
"What does it look like?" Evy asked as she was running from Anck-Su-Namun.
"It's a... a bird! A stork!" Jonathan yelled his answer.
Anck-Su-Namun was choking Evy as she was trying to stab her with the dagger "A-Amenophus!"
"Oh, yes I see" Jonathan said as he looked back down at the cover.
Meanwhile, Rick was fighting off the last four warrior mummies and they pushed him down the stone staircase. They all had their weapons drawn as Rick landed on the ground and were about to kill him.
"No!" Katherine screamed as they brought their weapons down, but Jonathan finished the inscription and ordered them to stop.
Their weapons were only mere centimeters away from Rick's face and no blood was drawn. They then retracted their weapons and stood in a formation, waiting for orders from Jonathan. Imhotep was commanding them to kill Rick, but they made no move to do so. He was getting angry that they were no longer in his control.
Anck-Su-Namun was still going after Evy and had her pinned up against the wall. She was coming at her with the dagger when Jonathan gave the mummies an order.
"Fa-kooshka Anck-Su-Namun!" he commanded them. The warrior mummies then marched towards Anck-Su-Namun as Imhotep tries to warn her, but to no avail.
"Give me that book!" Imhotep shouted as he stalked towards Jonathan who dropped the book as he backed away fearfully.
"Imhotep!" Anck-Su-Namun shouted.
"Anck-Su-Namun!" Imhotep shouted as the warrior mummies killed the corpse of Anck-Su-Namun. Filled with anger and rage, Imhotep turned towards Jonathan and ran towards him "Now you die!" Imhotep said as he grabbed Jonathan by his neck and lifted him off his feet. Rick ran towards the two of them after he retrieved his sword and chopped Imhotep's arm off, causing Imhotep to drop Jonathan. Imhotep simply grabbed Rick and threw him across the room with ease as he put his arm back on, a sight that had made Katherine want to throw up.
"Evy, I've got it!" Jonathan shouted triumphantly as he held the key in his hand.
He then grabbed the book as Evy ran over to him and took the key from him "Keep him busy!" Evy shouted to Rick who had been tossed across the room.
"No problem" Rick answered weakly as Imhotep approached him.
Katherine wasn't just going to stand by and do nothing while her older brother is getting beaten to a pulp. She then spotted the sword Rick dropped after Imhotep first threw him on the ground not too far from her. She ran over and picked it up off the ground before she ran over to where Rick and Imhotep were. With a yell, Katherine plunged the sword right into Imhotep's back going all the way through. Imhotep put Rick down and turned to look at Katherine with a look of anger on his face as he simply grabbed the blade and pulled it right out of him. He threw the sword to the side as the wound that was once there had regenerated itself instantaneously.
Katherine looked almost shocked at this as Imhotep grabbed her and threw across the room before he turned his attention back to Rick.
"Anytime now, Evy!" Katherine groaned as she got onto her hands and knees.
"Hurry, Evy! Hurry!" Jonathan told her as Imhotep picked Rick up by his neck and hoisted him off his feet.
"You're not helping" Evy said in a sing song voice as she looked through the book.
"Now it is your turn" Imhotep spoke as Rick glared at him despite the pain he was in from being choked by this guy. Imhotep then opened his mouth wide and Katherine knew what was going to happen next, he was going to suck Rick dry just like he did the others!
"No!" Katherine shouted as ran up behind Imhotep and jumped onto his back. She wrapped his arms round his neck tightly, trying to choke him from behind. He managed to throw her off of him and tossed her onto the ground. She tried to get up, but Imhotep kicked her hard in the stomach and she rolled away, groaning as she held her stomach.
"I've got it!" Evy exclaimed "Kadeesh Mal! Kadeesh Mal! Pared Oss! Pared Oss!"
Imhotep then released Rick when suddenly, a blue portal opened at the top of the staircase and the sounds of a whip and horses could be heard. Then, a spiritual form of the God Anubis rides down on a spiritual chariot. He goes right through Imhotep, taking away him immortality and disappearing back into the underworld.
Katherine is able to get to her feet and made her way back over to Evy and Jonathan. Holding his now sore neck, Rick stumbles back over to the others as he grabs his sword. Imhotep looks back at all of them, glaring at them with rage filled eyes.
"I thought you said it was gonna kill him!" Rick stated angrily as Imhotep began to approach him, determined to kill him. Rick held the sword out in front of him in defense and shoved the sword right into Imhotep's stomach. Imhotep raised his hand up to see blood on it and felt confused at the sight of it and the feeling of pain.
"He's mortal" Evy stated.
"I told you my brother would kill you" Katherine said to Imhotep in a whisper as Rick pulled the sword out of Imhotep's stomach.
Imhotep groaned as he held his wound and fell into the river of death. The four of them watched Imhotep began to rot once again. Katherine looked directly at him with a look of disgust as he was sent back from whence he came and where he belongs. He uttered his final words to them before his rotted corpse sunk into the river of death.
"Death is only the beginning" Evy said, translating what Imhotep had said before he was gone.
Katherine knew that this wasn't over, not by a long shot.
Suddenly, the ground began to shake beneath them and the ceilings began to descend around them "Time to go!" Rick shouted as he grabbed Evy's hand and they all began to run. As they were running, Jonathan tripped and dropped the book of Amun-Ra into the water.
"You lost the book!" Evy shouted "Jonathan! I can't believe..."
"Move it!" Katherine shouted as she, Rick and Jonathan all grabbed her and pulled her along with them. They then made it to the treasure room and Jonathan stopped dead in his tracks looking around at all the gold.
"Couldn't we just..." Jonathan began to ask.
"No, Jonathan!" Evy shouted as they all grabbed him and pulled him along knowing that time was of the essence. The walls were now beginning to descend as well and as they were leaving the treasure room, they hear a voice call.
"O'Connell!" Beni shouted from behind them. He was trying to catch up to them and even though Rick tried to help him and encouraged him to hurry up, it was too late. The walls had sealed shut, trapping Beni inside forever.
"Good-bye, Beni" Rick said, somewhat sad for his friend.
"I guess you were right about him getting his comeuppance, Evy!" Katherine said with a smirk as they all continued to run.
"I was, wasn't I?" Evy asked with a small laugh.
They all made it to the surface where the city was crumbling around them. Walls were collapsing, pillars were crumbling and sand was flying everywhere, even the sand they were running on was beginning to collapse beneath their feet. They had gotten a safe distance away where a herd of Camels were and few were running from the destruction while most stayed where they were. When they had gotten far enough, the group had stopped next to a pair of camels and watched as the City of the Dead disappeared beneath the sand. They were all exhausted from all the running, but Katherine was pumping with so much adrenaline after everything that's happened, she wouldn't sleep for two weeks.
It was quite and calm for a few minutes before suddenly, Jonathan screamed when someone grabbed him. He jumped away as the others screamed in surprise and saw that was only Ardeth atop of Storm, with his hand bandaged up.
Jonathan placed a hand over his heart as he tried to calm himself "Oh, thank you. Thank you very much"
"You have earned the respect and gratitude of me and my people" Ardeth told them.
"Yes, well it was nothing" Jonathan told him.
Ardeth then climbed down from Storm as Katherine came over to him and hugged him tightly "I'm so glad you're okay"
"You as well" Ardeth told her as he held her tightly against him.
"How did Storm get here?" Katherine asked as she pulled away from Ardeth and over to Storm.
"I'm not sure" Ardeth told her as he joined her "When I managed to escape out of the tunnels, I saw him standing near the exit, as if he was waiting for me" Ardeth chuckled lightly "I don't know why he was there or how he found his way here"
Katherine giggled as she patted the side of Storm's neck "Good boy, Storm. Good boy" Storm whinnied in response.
"Katherine" Ardeth said as she looked over at him "I found this down in the tunnels" he reached into his robes and pulled out a silver necklace with two gold rings on them.
Katherine gasped "My parents rings! You found them!" she took them gratefully from him and held them in her hand "Thank you" she stood in front of him and looked right into his beautiful brown eyes as a warm smile appeared on his face. Katherine's eyes went from his eyes to his lips, she so badly wanted to kiss them, to feel their warmth. Then, as if he read her mind, Ardeth's bandaged hand reached up and cupped the side of Katherine's face and Ardeth leaned towards her. Katherine leaned in as well and her eyes fluttered closed as their lips touched for a gentle kiss. His lips felt just as soft and as warm as Katherine thought they would be. Then, Ardeth's other hand cupped the other side of her face and brought her closer to him while Katherine wrapped her arms around his neck as they deepened the kiss.
"Oh, please" Jonathan groaned as he rolled his eyes. Evy giggled at the sight as she placed one hand over her mouth while Rick just smiled watching the pair.
Jonathan then turned back to Rick and Evy "Well, I guess we go home empty handed... again"
"I wouldn't say that" Rick said as he looked down at Evy who looked back up at him.
"Oh, please. Not them, too" Jonathan groaned as Rick and Evy shared a romantic prolonged kiss.
"So..." Katherine began as she and Ardeth separated "I guess this is good-bye"
"No" Ardeth shook his head "It is only until we meet again and I assure you, we will"
"Who said you had to leave, Kathy?" Rick asked her and she turned to face him.
"What do you mean, Rick?" Katherine asked him, confused.
"I mean that, I think you should stay here" Rick told her "With him" he gestured towards Ardeth.
"Rick..." Katherine began, not believing what he was saying.
"You were right before, Kathy" Rick said as he walked over to her "You're not a kid anymore and I'm sorry for always treating you like one. The reason why I did was because, well..." He looked down at his feet "I guess a part of me wants you to stay my little sister forever"
Katherine smiled small at him "Rick, no matter what happens, no matter what choices we make, I'll always be your little sister and you'll always be my big brother"
Rick smiled back at her "I just want you to be safe" Rick said to her "And I know you'll be safe with him and I know that he'll make you happy, too. I want you to stay, Kathy, but it's your choice if you want to stay with him or not"
Katherine looked at him and then back at Ardeth and a huge smile broke across her face when she made her choice "I want to stay with him" she then walked over to Ardeth and held his uninjured hand "Being with him, it feels so right. I just feel so complete when I'm with him and I know that this is where I'm meant to be"
Ardeth smiles down at her and she returns the smile as they press their foreheads together and stare deeply into each others eyes "Are you sure, Katherine?" Ardeth asked her "I do not wish to come between you and your brother"
"I've never been more sure about anything in my entire life" Katherine told him honestly "I want to be with you, Ardeth, there's nothing that I want more"
Ardeth smiled at her "There is nothing that I want more than to hold you in my arms forever and always be with you. You do things to me that no other woman I have ever met could ever do. You are the missing piece of my heart and when ever I look at you, my heart feels whole as do I. As if you are the other half of myself that I have been searching for my whole life"
Katherine smiles big at him as tears of happiness fill her eyes. She practically jumps on him and hugs him tightly as she wraps her arms around his neck and he wraps his around her waist and holds her tightly to him.
"I just want to make something clear" Rick chimed in as the two separated from each other "If you hurt her in any way possible, I'm gonna put a bullet in you"
"Rick!" Katherine groaned as she rolled her eyes.
"I assure you, my friend" Ardeth said as he wrapped an arm over her shoulders "I will take excellent care of her"
"I am sure you will" Evy muttered playfully.
"Evy!" Katherine playfully yelled at her who just giggled at her. Katherine just rolled her eyes at her friend "You take good care of my brother, Evy. Because if I find out that he got himself locked up in prison again, I'm coming for you"
Evy just giggled "Don't worry, Kathy. I intend on taking very good care of him"
"Good" Katherine said satisfied with that answer as she walked over to Evy and hugged her "I'll miss you, Evy"
"I'll miss you too, Kathy" Evy said sadly as she returned the hug.
"Don't worry, Evy" Katherine said as she separated herself from the hug "I'm sure we'll see each other again someday. And you..." she pointed over to Jonathan "Stop drinking so much, you're gonna get yourself in real trouble"
Jonathan just chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head "You got it, love"
Katherine smiled and nodded at him "And you, mister" she looked over Rick "Stay out of trouble"
"No promises" Rick chuckled with a shrug.
Katherine then hugged him tightly and returned the hug "I'm gonna miss you, Rick"
"I'll miss you, too Kathy" Rick said to her "You take care of yourself and be careful"
"I will, I promise" Katherine told him as they slowly separated from the hug "I'll write you guys as often as I can"
"See you around, Kathy" Jonathan told her as he patted her shoulder.
Katherine then walked back over to Ardeth who climbed on top of Storm and Ardeth helped her up as she sat sideways in front of him. He supported her by wrapping one arm behind her back and holding her up.
"May Allah smile upon you always" Ardeth blessed them with a hand gesture.
"And... yourself" Jonathan tried to return the gesture, but he failed miserably causing Katherine to giggle.
Ardeth then ushered Storm and he began to trot away with the two of them as they heard Jonathan say "Yes, anytime!"
"Stay out of trouble!" Rick called to them.
Ardeth was smiling down at Katherine with a gleam in his eyes "What?" Katherine asked with a smile.
"I have something for you" Ardeth said as he pulled out a small gold box decorated in rubies and emeralds. He handed it to her and Katherine opened it carefully and gasped at what she saw inside it, there were two items inside. One was a silver necklace with a simple teardrop-shaped sapphire and the other one was a gold rose quartz ring that was also in the shape of a teardrop. Katherine looked up at Ardeth with a shocked and happy expression.
"These belonged to princess Nefera" Ardeth began "Amun had given them to her as a symbol of his eternal love for her and now, I wish to give them to you as a symbol of my eternal love for you" he pulled the ring out of the box and held it in front of her "Katherine O'Connell... will you marry me and be my wife?"
Tears of joy began to spill out of Katherine's eyes, hardly believing what he had just said. She then kissed him fully on the lips as she placed one hand on the side of his face and he returned the kiss. The kiss was filled with nothing but love that they had for one another.
Katherine then pulled away slowly with her hand still on his face as she looked deeply into his eyes "I say 'I do'" Katherine told him with a huge smile on her face and returned the smile. He then slipped the ring onto her left ring finger.
"Rick! Evy! I'm getting married!" Katherine shouted over Ardeth's shoulder when she saw the others climb aboard their camels. They must've heard her because Evy was yelling "Whoo-hoo!" while clapping her hands and Rick and Jonathan waved at them as they began to ride away.
Katherine then smiled again before she turned back at Ardeth and kissed him deeply "I love you, my brave desert warrior"
"And I love you, my beautiful desert jewel" Ardeth said back to her as kissed her gently on the lips. They then rode off together into the sunset on Storm, happy that they have been able to find each other after so long and excited to spend the rest of their lives together.
And Done! I hope you all enjoyed this ending, I sure did :) I will be writing a sequel, but not yet. I have to work on some of my other stories, but I promise the sequel will come. Let here what you thought on this :)