With the exception of the plot and the original characters that are depicted in the story, the author makes absolutely no profit off of this work of fan fiction, and no copyright infringement is intended on the franchise of Inuyasha and Ouke no Monshou that rightfully belong to its owners Rumiko Takahashi and Chieko Hosokawa.
Hello everyone and welcome to another back to another segment of The Time Traveler's Pharaoh! Firstly, I would like to profusely thank the readers for being incredibly patient and supportive of this story. It's gotten chaotic in my corner of the world, but I am hoping things will calm down by mid-April or at least May so that I can write more. I'd also like to give a big shout out to MyWorldHeartBeating and Cyrus559 for helping me create an amazing chapter for everyone to enjoy!
So without further ado, let the show! :)
The stench of stale air perfumed the dark tomb as Isis led the excavation with Carol's bizarre fireless lamp in hand. Judging from the fact that this area had not been disturbed by outsiders until now, this site had been sealed in another era. The priestess' eyes narrowed, inspecting the stretched tunnel with a scrutinizing frown. In truth Isis had no idea what she was looking for.
Back when she had reigned over Giza at the peak of its glory, her people would fill the chambers of their tombs with priceless artifacts they wished to take with them to the afterlife. They also warned their predecessors to never disturb their eternal slumber lest they were prepared to face the consequences of desecrating the dead.
Isis cast a look over her shoulder, where Carol and the others followed before she chuckled darkly. Ironically she knew the potential danger they were putting themselves into: revenge, casted upon the defilers who would risk their only chance of a peaceful afterlife for a glimmer of gold. After all, that was the whole reason why she had been resurrected from her own tomb.
The undead princess had to wonder...what would it be like if she told these simpletons the truth? Perhaps met with skepticism, perhaps even imply that she was being silly. Either way, it was an entertaining thought as the group descended down the sand-covered stairs once they reached the end of the tunnel.
When they reached the final limestone step, Isis raised the light down another murky corridor.
"What are you stopping for? Do you see anything?" The bandit's voice which came from behind, creating an echo which bounced into the darkness that lied ahead.
Isis shrugged. "Just a tunnel that goes deeper into the earth, and sand. A lot of it."
"We'd better watch out for traps! Who knows what was hidden in the tomb thousands of years ago to keep robbers away?" Carol exclaimed before adding, "Danger and adventure here we come!" Jimmy raised an unimpressed brow at the blonde.
"Have you been watching Indiana Jones again, Carol? This isn't anything like those films!"
"Definitely not like Tomb Raider either," Ryan muttered under his breath though his words were loud enough for Isis to hear and stare at him with a scandalous frown.
"Be that as it may, we are raiding a tomb whether we like it or not!" Isis said sharply.
Ryan blinked. "I was referring to a movie, Isis." Now it was her turn to be confused. She wasn't quite sure what he meant by a 'movie' though she had an inkling it was another of the countless customs she has yet to understand about this bizarre world.
"If you don't see anything, then keep going!" The bandit snapped impatiently, pushing a squawking Professor Brown in such a forceful manner that the others were forced to move forward. "Nothing interests me as little as nothing!"
Isis and the others mumbled, but she did as he said nevertheless. If any luck, there would still be some ancient traps in here which she could use to take revenge upon the man for forcing her to enter this tomb and for his impudent treatment towards Egypt's queen. At this point, the Rido clan have become far more bearable than these bandits.
Unwanted as the thought was, Isis found herself comparing the Rido family with the grave robbers outside and how different they were. When she first met them, the undead woman wanted nothing more than to eradicate them from existence as penance and return her beloved brother back to his resting place.
However she has only been partially successful in this endeavor, staying under the same roof as these outsiders because they believed she would be a good influence to the rambunctious, unladylike Carol. One thing led to another as she slowly began to tolerate them for the sake of her quest.
In regards to her current feelings toward them, even after they allowed her to stay with them as she searched for Memphis, she honestly did not know. Half of her wanted to kill them, while the other part of her mind kept whispering that their definition of an 'excavation' was a stark contrast to what the bandits were doing: the Rido family were doing these excavations so as to preserve Egyptian history by placing the artifacts in a museum. These scoundrels simply wanted to reap the profits from the treasures they would steal. Isis continued to walk while pondering about what all this meant, so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice how the temperature began dropping around them. It wasn't long before she halted in front of a sealed door, its origins revealed when the others shined their fireless torches upon the stony face.
"My, I have never seen a door like this before!" Professor Brown exclaimed and stepped next to Isis as he placed his hand on it. "This could hardly belong to a tomb! Why would one even be here in the first place? Very peculiar, isn't it?"
Isis felt equally stunned at this discovery; it definitely wasn't a sealed wall, or even a false door made from clay to trick grave robbers. The door stretched up to the ceilings, and when Jimmy shined his torch directly at its center, the group saw a crack down the middle.
This 'door' was actually a set of doors made from solid bronze. The color had faded with time, emitting the stench of mildew from its green visage. However, that did not stop the group from gazing upon the tiny hieroglyphics that decorated the frames.
Ryan, Carol, and Jimmy soon came to stand by Isis' side. If they were able to push the door open simultaneously, then the entrance would be wide enough for all five of them to enter at once. Just when they were about to get ahead of themselves, Professor Brown noticed another oddity of this tomb. Fumbling through his pockets, he pulled out a magnifying glass and told Jimmy to bring his torch a little closer.
"My goodness!" The old man gasped. "There's a seal here! A seal made from molten pewter! And these hieroglyphics!" He turned his attention to the door frames. "In all of my years as an archaeology professor, I've never seen anything as intricate as these!"
Isis glanced at the markings on the door, translating inside this mysterious crypt.
"Hark!
Doomed be thy who enters this chamber against the will of Sekhmet,
The Lady Warmonger and Healer."
The misplaced priestess blinked, tilting her head as she shared a glance with the blonde-haired teen standing beside her. "It seems that we cannot trek further. It's possible that there might be a trap rigged to these doors if we try to open it -"
"Hell no! We've come this far, and I'll be damned if I allow any other scavengers to claim what I found first!" The bandit leader growled. His sunglasses were taken off his face a long time ago, at least after descending into this area.
Ryan gave their 'host' a concerned frown. "Wouldn't that be exactly what the architects want us to do? Isis might be right. Whoever sealed this door thousands of years ago, they clearly did not want intruders entering or allowing something to leave!"
"Piss off! Move over and watch me!" The brute snarled, pushing his way through the Rido clan and shoving Isis to the side.
Pulling out a crowbar from his sleeves, the bandit raised it above his head and allowed the weapon to land on the door with a loud 'crack'. His men quickly followed his example. Try as they might to pull their weight into this laborious task, the seal remained shut. With a frustrated hiss, the bandit ordered the petrified group to assist them via the persuasive display of his loaded pistol.
Given the fact there wasn't' enough room for everyone to help out, Jimmy and Ryan took the crowbar from the bandit once his cronies had backed off. Ever so slowly the door began to groan as the ancient seal came undone. Carol had to cover her ears as the sound of bending metal increased, unwillingly to listen to the eerie noise that bounced off the tunnel.
With a loud crack, the seal shattered beneath the men's ambition, allowing the doors to be pulled open on its ancient hinges for the first time in thousands of years. However all that everyone could see was more darkness.
"Who will have to honor entering first?" This time it was Professor Brown who spoke. Everybody looked at each other's face with their torches, hoping that somebody other than themselves volunteered. Isis sighed at the group's cowardice.
"Very well, I shall go first." After all, I'm very much aware of what a tomb looks like from the inside. Isis thought to herself, brushing past Ryan and surging forward towards the unknown. Everyone else soon followed suit.
The chamber was unusually large for a tomb, if it was even a sacred resting place for the dead. Isis swiped the light beaming from her fireless touch across the walls to the floor and roof. The dimensions were rather impressive. Even the ceiling was higher than the doors on the outside. Still…
"If nobody has been here before, then why is it so empty? There is no gold, no food, not even pottery where someone would want to take with them to the afterlife," Isis frowned, bringing her torch down the middle of the chamber when her gaze caught the sight of a large structure. Kohl-lined eyes widened. A sarcophagus? That's truly what was hidden behind the doors? Who is even buried here?!
Professor Brown slowly crept towards the sarcophagus, stopping in front of it as his keen eye observed it carefully. "It is very strange indeed as you've just said, Isis! Even though this area is barren this sarcophagus shows no signs of disturbance. And every grave robber worth their trade is aware that the mummies inside of them are literally wrapped up in priceless artifacts."
And as if on cue, everyone's attention turned to the bandits. Their leader had a scowl on his face, warning them of his displeasure about their findings. "Who the hell who would be buried in a grave without gold or jewels!" He growled lowly, turning his burning gaze onto the group as he pointed the crowbar at them. "Open the sarcophagus and see what you can find! There must be something valuable in there!"
The Ridos, including Isis, were aware that the man still carried the gun in his pocket and would use it at any time. They also knew he would rather have one of them open the sarcophagus instead of having his own men do the job, whether it was due to loyalty or just collateral, they didn't know. But no one seemed eager to move forward to the next stage, not even Professor Brown nor Carol. Eventually, it was decided that the task would fall upon Isis' shoulders once more. Retrieving the crowbar from their esteemed 'host', she marched up the steps of the sarcophagus and stopped in front of it.
Although it was in pristine condition after being preserved for thousands of years, the ancient casket truly looked as if it had grown from the floor itself. It consisted of two enormous granite pieces, the lower part erected up to Isis' stomach. The inside would be carved out as the main sarcophagus, with the single piece of flat stone acting as the upper part or the 'lid'. It wouldn't be too surprising if the lid itself weighed a tremendous ton!
"How could anyone remove this lid, let alone transport it all the way down here including the body that's inside?" Isis muttered under her breath as she examined the top. It was strangely ornamented, to say the least.
For a grave, the outer coffin would normally be decorated with scenes from the book of the dead, just like the surrounding walls should contain the life story of the person buried here. Insead of seeing any clues that could give Isis a hint about who was resting in this place, there was only an artistic eye adorning the middle of the flat rock, staring upwards at the undead priestess.
All seeing and never blinking.
Seeing it made Isis' eyes widen in surprise before she smirked. Turning around, her gaze fell upon the group. "It appears that this coffin is...much sturdier than I originally anticipated. However, if everyone were to help push the lid, then I may be able to pry it open as we had done with the door." The raven-haired woman watched the bandit's brow twitch till he grumbled in agreement.
"You heard your friend. Go over there and help her. This time, I'll be the one to use the crowbar. I don't need to remind anyone to not pull any funny business, do I?" His hand hovered his pocket. Everyone shook their heads. "Good. Come on, we don't have all night." Including the ringleader, two of the bandits walked over to the sarcophagus. The other one stood guard by the door.
While Ryan and Jimmy grumbled under their breath, Carol and Professor Brown pushed them forward standing beside the crooks. The ringleader pulled up the sleeves of his robes and grabbed the crowbar from Isis, smashing the tip between the bottom and the lid.
Carol put her hands on the side of the granite lid and waited for the others to do the same. "Aright everybody, we push on three. Are you ready?"
"Yes!" they answered simultaneously.
"One-"
"Two -"
"And three!" At that moment, everyone simultaneously pushed. Carol grunted. "It's moving! Come on, we gotta do it harder! Push!"
The sound of stone sliding upon stone filled the room and inch by inch did they manage to push the lid away, revealing the silhouette of another sarcophagus under them. They kept on pushing until the weight of the granite let itself tip over on the other end and landed sideways on the floor with a 'bang'. Stale air stung their noses as the crook used his torch to illuminate their discovery.
Amongst the collective gasps that reached his ears, the leader grinned greedily. "Now this is more like it!" The ancient sarcophagus beneath the limestone was on the same level of preservation as the famous King Tutankhamun's golden funeral mask, if not moreso. The coffin glittered in gold and lapis lazuli, artistically crafted that was beautiful to look upon. But once more there were no clues on who or what was buried here. There weren't even any canopic jars, in which organs would have been removed during the mummification process. And Isis wasn't the only one who noticed this.
Carol leaned towards Isis and whispered, "Is it just me, or did this just become even stranger. I have never heard about a tomb that is so intact yet so devoid of… anything! There is nothing here that seems right, it's really starting to creep me out. It's as if no one wanted this person to be remembered!"
Isis once more turned to the blond girl and whispered, deliberately loud enough to be heard by the others yet still pretending it only was meant for her. "That's true, but never underestimate the cunning nature of the human heart, Carol. It's possible that the golden relics our esteemed 'friend' desires may be tightly wrapped in the mummy's bandages. If we push some in our sleeves and pockets, we might be able to save of them -"
"Oh no you don't! Don't try any funny business with me!" The bandit exclaimed sharply, pointing his pistol at the women. "You will not steal from me, whatever is inside there belongs to me."
"No it doesn't!" Carol barked back. "You claim that we aren't that different from you, but you're wrong. This tomb, and everything here, belongs to Egypt. Not a private collector nor someone like you. We didn't come here to steal anything. That is not what an archaeologist does. You won't get away with this! You'll pay for your crimes, one way or another!"
Carol's unexpected and passionate outburst actually amused Isis, it seemed the girl was just as brave as she was foolish, but it seemed to serve the purpose even better than she could have hoped for. The girl's passionate outburst angered the man enough to fall into her trap.
"Step away from the tomb, now. No one touches the mummy except for me!" He waved the gun around, prompting the rest of the group to take several steps backwards till the bandit nodded in approval. "Good. Now stay there and be quiet. As for the women, come over here and shine your lights on the tomb. Try anything funny, and you'll be dealt with promptly by myself or my friends. That goes for the men who want to try being a knight in shining armor."
Carol and Isis did as he said and pointed their lights such that he was free to use his crowbar to remove the last obstacle. They heard him grunt, followed by the sound of cracking wood. They saw him smash the crowbar inside the stone sarcophagus a couple of times, but couldn't see what damage he might have inflicted upon the golden one due to the tall granite rim that shielded it. However, he obviously managed to remove it and found the mummy when he laid down the bar and began fumbling around inside with one hand, as the other still held his gun.
"Say Carol? Do you remember the poem we discovered inside my br - the other sarcophagus?" Isis inquired innocently.
The American blinked. "Yeah, I do. Why?"
"Have you been able to decipher it? I'm sure a student under Professor Brown would have solved it easily."
Proud and a little embarrassed, Carol answered. "We have obviously solved the second verse: 'Under a guard that never sleep who is neither accounted for among man or beast. Has no mouth, has no claw yet thread uncareful and death's the law.' We found something which was guarded by a Sphinx, which neatly fitted the description. And there was the third verse: 'Across the ocean, over the dune, In truth, justice, and goodness, my life is of Amun. A sweet curse on me you bestowed blessed by gods, your immortal beloved.' That one sounded like a proclamation of love, do you perhaps think that the person buried here is…?"
Isis smirked. "An interesting theory. But what about the first verse?" Carol immediately recited it.
"Away away in desert sand. I lie immortal till mortal touch my hand. Cannot age, cannot die under the watchful gaze of Horus' eye."
With a triumphant grin on her lips, Isis averted the light from her fireless torch away from the grave robber and towards the lid where Carol could see the single ornamentation. Bluebell orbs widened in realization. "Horus' eye!" Carol whispered.
"Hey, bitch! You're supposed to shine the light over me, not somewhere else!" The bandit snarled, glaring at the smirking Egyptian.
"And death's the law!" Isis concluded morbidly.
"AAAAAAAARRRGGG!"
The man shouted and screamed in absolute terror, causing everyone to turn their flashlights toward the bandit elder to see that his face had twisted deathly white by sheer horror. The gun he had been holding fell to the floor when he released it in order to grab his other hand.
Five collective light beams then moved down to shed light on the arm he was clutching. Attached to his right arm which he had used to ravage the mummy, was another hand. Bony and blackened by age, it had emerged from the tomb and held the paralyzed man.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIII!"
Carol, her brother, Jimmy and Professor Brown's equally terrified screams filled the chamber, drowning out Isis' spine-chilling laughter.
Please feel free to review or PM me with any questions, comments, or constructive criticism. Thanks to everyone who has favorited, reviewed, and added The Time Traveler's Pharaoh to their alert lists. Feedback is the source of an author's inspiration and growth!
