I HOLD NO CLAIM TO ANY OF THE ORIGINAL MUMMY CHARACTERS! NOTHING! :(
Chapter Ten
A Queen and a Princess
"Evy!" Eirika and Rick were both over the woman as Timothy andJonathan held Alex away while Lock-Nah and Ammina just watched. No one noticed as Imhotep and Anck-Su-Namun moved past them and into the temple.
"What do I do?" Rick cried, his hands shaking as he cleared the hair away from his wife's face.
"Take care of Alex." Was her answer. Eirika felt her sister's grip on her hand falter.
"No." Rick mumbled. "Sweetheart, no."
Her eyes began to flitter. "I love you." Evelyn whispered.
"Evy," Eirika cried. "No, you can't! Don't-No!" Rick joined her in his cries as he lifted her to him and began to rock her back and forth. Timothy clenched his fists and Ammina closed her eyes, whispering some Arabic words under her breath. Jonathan hugged Alex to him as the boy began to cry as his father begged for his wife to come back. Eirika dropped her sister's hand before standing up and turning to the temple. She went to take a step forward but Lock-Nah grabbed her shoulder.
"What are you doing?"
"What do you think I'm going to do?" She growled. "I'm going to go beat the hell out of the bitch that killed my sister!"
"You don't know what's in there," He told her,
"No, but I do know who just walked in there and I'm going after them!" Eirika pulled away from him and stomped into the temple. Lock-Nah stared after her for a moment before moving after her.
Ammina watched as Eirika and Lock-Nah disappeared into the temple. She didn't have to think really hard on what they were going to go do and she didn't have to think hard on who was going to follow them, either. Rick and Timothy soon left after them, leaving her and Jonathan out here with Alex. She didn't know what to think now. What was going to happen? Evelyn was dead and now…now Imhotep was going up against the Scorpion King. Would Rick and Timothy be able to stop them?
She prayed so.
They were silent for a little longer but it was soon cut off by a shadow, in the shape of a scorpion, flew over their heads, heading out across the desert. The Medjai knew what it was.
"The army of Anubis!" Ammina cried. ~Please, stay safe, brother. And you as well, Taylor.~
"What do we do now?" Alex asked his uncle.
"Just wait, I suppose." The man answered him as he sat down across from his sister's body. "Sit and wait for Rick and Timothy to finish this all again." Alex fell silent, cradling his head in his arms. Jonathan watched him for a moment before decided to try and cheer his nephew up. "Try to think of it like this, Alex." He began. "She's gone to a better place. You know, like it says in the good book."
Alex jerked his head up. "The book. That's it."
"What?" The man asked.
"That's it. Come on, Uncle Jon!" Alex grabbed Jonathan's hand and dragged him to his feet. Ammina hurried after them. "The book!"
"You're a genius, Alex." Ammina grinned, knowing what the child was thinking off. "Jonathan, grab Evy!"
It took Jonathan a moment but he got what their intentions were. "It…it just might work. Why didn't I think about it before? But the book…Imhotep and Anck-Su-Namun had it! How are we going to get I from them?"
"That's why I'm here, Jonathan, remember?" Ammina grinned. "Don't worry. This'll work! It has too!"
~I was caught up in the moment
We were alone and you seemed to harness the light
Even though I felt cold inside
When you told me it would be alright~
Timothy kept silent, not wanting to say anything as Rick led the way down the hall. He didn't know if how rick was feeling was the same he felt when he thought Taylor had died, but…
Speaking of his sister, if Tim ever ran into her again he was going to beat some sense into her. What in the hell was she thinking? It wasn't that she ran off with Ardeth. It was the fact that she didn't tell him before she did so. He would have like to have known so he could at least say goodbye. This wasn't going to be the last time that he saw his sister, though. Not after all the crap they had gone through together. Those Medjai guys were going to have to deal with constant visits from Timothy Lucas Craft, no matter what they believed.
The temple lit up in a blast, shocking Rick and Timothy. "I guess that there's no need for the torch anymore." Tim shrugged as they entered the room at the end of the hall. Timothy raised a brow at the sight of Hafez, his arm stuck in a statue of a Scorpion, but ignored him as he and Rick both took notice of the weapons that the statues in the room were holding. ~Just like last time, huh?~ Tim sighed as he took a sword. ~just a little different…~
"You're too late, O'Connell." Hafez announced. "I have released the Army of Anubis. Lord Imhotep shall soon kill the Scorpion King and take command."
"Don't be too sure on that pal," Tim snorted.
"Not after I get through with him." Rick growled. They went to move on but readied themselves for an attack as Hafez began to scream. The sounds of flesh tearing rebounded on the walls. Hafez turned around, still screaming, and showed them what was left of his hand; which was nothing.
"Good lord," Timothy frowned with a sick look as slobber seemed to drip off of it. "Well, you'll know next time not to stick your hand in a hole in the wall, right?" The elder man ran off, holding his arm to his chest. Timothy gave a look at his own hand before turning and following Rick down the next hall.
~I had given up control and
I didn't focus hard enough
To see the warning signs
Your heart is serpentine~
"Are you all right?"
"No, Lock-Nah, I'm not all right. But I'm sure, as I'm ripping that woman's throat out, I'll feel a little better."
He wasn't sure what to do, what to say at a time like this. He was, and he'd never admit it aloud, nervous about what was going to happen. What his next steps were going to be. But that was something that they could figure out later. Right now, he had to-
Lock-Nah jumped as the torches on the wall light up, giving the temple a strange, golden-like glow. He looked around them and shook his head.
Eirika paused for a moment before a large door at the end of the hall. A separate path led to the right and she was going to turn to follow that but something caught her. A strange…force.
~What do you think, Amunet?~
The Princess was silent for a moment. I can feel it too. I'm not sure what it is, but…
~But?~
The choice is yours, Eirika. It may help, it may not.
~What would you do?~
This is no longer about what I would do, Eirika. As long as I can stop him, then it matters not to me.
~Is that right?~ She took a step towards the door and pushed it open. Lock-Nah, brow raised, followed her.
The room was covered in golden trinkets and jewels of all sorts and silk cloths off all colors. Lock-Nah looked at it all in awe but Eirika's gaze was caught by the back of the room. Two thrones were sitting on the wall. One of the seats was empty but the other held a woman, a man standing at her side. Both of them watched as Eirika stepped closer, Lock-Nah behind her.
The woman was tall and nicely stoned for a woman, like she was a warrior from the Ancient times. Her skin was tan, her eyes a dark brown, and her long black hair was pulled over her left shoulder in a braid that curled in her lap. She was dressed in a golden top that just covered her breasts as a matching skirt hung on her hips. Golden bracelets covered her arms and ankles and she wore a blank face as Eirika paused before her.
The man beside her held the same characteristics, giving off the feel of a brother to the woman in the throne. His black hair was shorter though, and shaved on the sides as a scar could be seen across his chest. He wore no gold, and just dressed in tight, brown leather as a sword was on his back.
"Are you the ones that summoned Ahm-Shere?" The woman's voice was firm and strong.
Eirika squared her shoulders. "Not willingly, to tell you the truth. We're here to stop Imhotep from taking control of Anubis' army."
The woman shared a glance with the man beside her before turning back to them. "What are your names?"
"I'm Eirika, and this is Lock-Nah."
"And hers?"
"Hers?" Eirika was confused for a moment until she felt like something was being sucked out of her. Moments later, Amunet stood beside Eirika and Lock-Nah. The man took a step back in shock but quickly regained himself.
"Amunet." The Princess nodded.
"Ah. So you are Imhotep's wife." The woman closed her eyes. "And I take it that you are here to stop him also."
"Yes." Amunet nodded.
"And you," The woman turned to Lock-Nah. "You have changed sides. But I wonder why."
"Ha. The answer stands before you, Iltani." The man chuckled. "Men do a lot of strange things when it comes to women."
"Yes, I know. Trust me. I remember all the things that you and Cassandra used to do." She paused for a moment. "If you are here to truly stop Anubis' army from rising, then I ask you to stop Mathayus as well."
"Mathayus?" Lock-Nah asked her. "Do you speak of the Scorpion King?"
"Is that what you call him now?" The man shook his head. "I still remember when it was brat, or dumbass."
"Enasar," The swift tone held a chuckle to it but also another that told the man to halt in his foolish words.
Enasar bowed his head. "My apologies, my Queen."
"Queen?" Amunet asked.
"Just who are you?" Eirika asked her.
"My name is Iltani." The woman told them. Lock-Nah's eyes went wide as Eirika just stood there, confused. The Queen smiled. "Mathayus is my husband."
The woman understood it now. "You're the Scorpion King's wife?"
Iltani nodded. "Yes, and this is my brother, Enasar."
"Do the two of you not agree what Mathayus has been doing?" Eirika asked.
The Queen closed her eyes. "It's not that I don't agree. Mathayus has, shall I say, lost his mind ever since…"
"Ever since Cassandra and myself were lost to the plague that wiped out most of our land five thousand years ago," Enasar continued. "Since then, with the thought of ruling over all the known land, he got worse and worse. Not even the Queen could do anything for her loved one so she just followed. The events at Thebes finally drove the final peg in. The man we both knew is no longer there, ever since he made the pact with Anubis."
"I would take care of him myself, but…" Iltani shook her head. Eirika understood what she was saying.
"Now both of the men we love are going on a rampage, trying to control the world." Amunet closed her eyes. "I know how you feel, your highness."
"If you truly do, then I ask you to stop him. Stop them both." Iltani told them.
"We will try."
"You will not try," Enasar growled. "You will."
Eirika shook her head with a small smile. "I should introduce you to Timothy." She told him. She turned to Lock-Nah. "Come on."
Amunet watched as the two of them left the room but she stayed, staring at the Queen. "I have a question." She began. Iltani stayed quiet. "You claim that your husband went insane before he turned to Anubis. What…what made you stay by his side instead of leaving him, or relieving him of his mind?"
Iltani was silent for a moment, a small smile on his face. "I believe that you already know the answer to that question. I…my brother and I grew up with Mathayus. He was my best friend. My life. My whole world. I could never truly raise a blade against him nor could I leave him. I had already lost my brother and my sister. I refused to lose another that deeply cared for. I doubt that I could bare it."
Amunet nodded. "For all that has happened, I am truly sorry."
"It is not your fault," Enasar told her. "Just be sure to put a stop to your own man."
The Princess and the Queen shared another look. Amunet gave her a reassured nod before fading away, joining Eirika once again.
Enasar glanced at his sister. "What do you think is going to happen now?"
Iltani closed her eyes. "I'm not sure, but whatever it is we will face with the strength and power of the Akkadians."
Enasar gave out a huge grin. "There's the sister I know. Where has she been the last five thousand years?"
She gave a small smile herself. "Trying to find answers for herself, I suppose." She closed her eyes again. "Enasar, do you…do you regret anything that we've done? Anything at all?"
The man looked at his sister before shaking his head. "Nothing at all, My Queen."
"Good." She opened her eyes again, a fierce light in them, announcing that she was ready for their fate. "Neither do I."
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