Chapter 10
The trip to Abu Simbel went quickly, eventually leading the group to the Blue Nile. Ardeth hadn't moved from Caroline's side, trailing after her while they double checked their supplies. Knowing they were likely to travel for another few hours, she decided to lay down. She wanted to be as well rested as possible for the upcoming controntation. The next hour passed slowly, the propellers of their craft the only sound. Laying beside Caroline, Ardeth felt when her body began twitching in her sleep.
Her brow was crumpled, indicating a bad dream so he tried soothing her without waking her. Without warning light burst from the woman's skin and she became hot to the touch. Ardeth turned his head away while shielding his eyes, everyone else turning away in the same moment. The light dimmed then Caroline's whispering voice broke the silence.
"Something's coming!"
A deep rumbling drew everyone's attention to the direction they were going. A sense of unease spread through the group even though they didn't see anything. Seconds stretched on and tension rose as the rumbling became louder. As the air itself seemed to begin shaking, Izzy cried out from the wheel.
"We're in TROUBLE!"
A wall of water, impossibly high, was rushing up the canyon toward the dirigible. There were many shouts of alarm which cut off when Izzy pulled a large switch. The dirigible shot forward, propelled by the large tanks as they spewed fire. Caroline tried to stand up, her hands glowing slightly. A sharp pain stabbed into the woman's brain; sharp enough to drop her to the floor again while she slipped in and out of consciousness. Thankfully Ardeth had thrown his body over hers and grabbed the side rail to keep them both from moving. As her vision faded in and out she realized the wave had continued to chase them. There was a brief moment of the group seeing Imhotep's face in the water. Suddenly they were falling and when they crashed, Caroline lost consciousness completely.
When she finally struggled back into awareness, Izzy was the only person left at what remained of the dirigible. Not wanting to wait in case something happened to Alex, the others had pushed on. Caroline took the next several minutes to help Izzy make changes to the thrusters. He was hoping to turn the dirigible into a hybrid hot air balloon. Once she had helped as much as possible the woman checked her weapons, grabbed a small flashlight, then began running through the jungle. The dark wasn't helping and made the jungle that much more treacherous.
"Come on! There has to be a better way to do this! Think!" Caroline hit the ground with her fists. She was in her hands and knees after falling for what seemed like the hundredth time. Her flashlight wasn't giving off enough light, the batteries almost gone. A branch creaked overhead, indicating something large was in the canopy overhead. Straining to see into the nearly pitch black foliage her light caught the glint of reflected eye shine. The large animal was a sleek black panther, staring at her curiously. Its bright yellow eyes watched her intelligently as it tried to decide if she was a threat.
An idea began forming in her brain as she stared back at the feline. The statues of Sekhmet always showed the head of a lion and it was well known that cats see extremely well in the dark. Closing her eyes despite the large predator in the canopy, Caroline searched for that bright heat inside her mind. Knowing what she was looking for, the spot was easy to find. Eyes still closed the woman grabbed the heat and began pulling it to the front of her mind. She could hear and feel the wind tearing at the jungle around her, getting stronger the longer she held onto her spot. Power, white hot and astonishingly strong, cascaded into her body. Every vein, every muscle, every fiber in her body felt like a live wire except there was no pain. She began to lose herself in the feeling.
"Caroline!" A woman's voice, strangely familiar, shouted in her ear. With a gasp she opened her eyes and looked around. Her vision, previously lacking in the fading light, was now crystal clear. Her hearing had also improved exponentially. She could hear every rustle of foliage, the tiny heart beats of the animals around her, even the distant sound of Imhotep's group. Caroline looked around for whoever had shouted; she couldn't see anybody but she still felt watched.
"Semi? Is that you?" A dark chuckle sounded from behind, causing Caroline to spin around quickly. Standing a few feet away partially hidden by plants stood Caroline's teacher. Nearly six feet tall, Semi had her long black hair pulled into a high ponytail which greatly enhanced her featured. She was absolutely gorgeous with high cheek bones, full lips, sun kissed brown skin, and striking gray eyes. The smile on her face was full of warmth while the rest of her posture screamed danger.
"It is me child. Tell me, do you understand what I'm saying?" Semi spoke in Ancient Egyptian and Caroline understood every word. Once the younger woman affirmed she could, her teacher smiled brightly. "Good. Now, let me show you just a little of what you're capable of."
Without further explanation the large woman sat directly on the jungle floor. Used to her teacher's strange ways and knowing she wasn't likely to get any answers just yet, Caroline joined her. For a moment the women only stared at each other. Both were shaped for fighting; strong muscles, fierce expressions and the Arsenal's both women carried could attest to that. Suddenly Semi grabbed Caroline's hands and instructed her to close her eyes.
"Look around yourself; not with your eyes but with the heat inside you. This jungle has a few surprises in it. Feel for a life force that's not exactly human anymore." Student followed the instructions, nodding when she found the little spots Semi was talking about. Caroline's eyes snapped open, exposing bright yellows cat eyes. Her teacher snarled in custody then whispered into Caroline's ear.
"You can control them, use them to your advantage. Use them to kill your enemies."
A.N. This is all I have written for now! I'm leaving the country and won't have internet for a while but I promise to update when I can! Please review and let me know what you think! Much love, Kelly.