Chapter Seven
Cairo
The night security guards of the Cairo Museum failed in their grounds-search to notice the man swathed in dark robes, standing in the shadows behind a large statue of Anubis. The man grinned from inside the black hood, which only revealed to the world the dark full lips of someone long dead.
Neferkaptah was fully regenerated. Clutching the sacred Book of Thoth tightly to his chest with one hand, Neferkaptah peered around the corner of his hiding place, sufficiently pleased that the two guards' footsteps were now dying on the marble floor of the museum. He pulled back the hood slowly, taking in the fullness of his surroundings with bright clear eyes. Wholly, and completely, Neferkaptah was truly a sight to behold. His hair; thick, black and dry, was cut just above the eyebrows, and fell just upon his darkly tanned, muscular shoulders. Neferkaptah would have been considered quite dark, even for an Egyptian, but mostly due to the fact that in his former life, most if it was spent in the searing sun, farming.
Because of the farming, Neferkaptah was blessed not only in height, but in well developed muscles. All his life, Neferkaptah dreamt of joining the Pharaoh's royal army, or perhaps even becoming a Med-Jai, anything but a farmer. He knew he would have made an impressive general. Which was why he smiled so cunningly now.
He ran his hand alongside the glass coffin of a decrepit mummy, arms wound tightly to its chest, empty eye sockets staring out of a leathered face.
"You will rise again countryman, and you will soon serve me." He whispered huskily in Egyptian. Still, the mummy stared unknowingly, long dead to the world.
Neferkaptah sneered at the rows upon rows of glass coffins, just as this. They would all join him, not nearly enough for a formidable conquest, but enough of a start. Neferkaptah thoughtfully glanced out the sunroof, and into the starry clear Egyptian night. Perhaps it would be wise to recruit mortals, some of this time.
Neferkaptah had only been somewhat astounded with this new world. It was not of great concern to him, he had all eternity to learn of it, then destroy it. True, the once great temples and palaces of his time were all but ruins, but all the more better to make his move soon. He found in this time, no one knew of the legend of Neferkaptah, but he would soon change that. The people here were ignorant of his past, which would make his quest all the more easier.
But the weapons, now that was something to be wary of. He had first seen one in the pale man's bedroom. Although he barely felt the hard shiny rocks pelt his decomposed flesh, he nevertheless grew curious. Which was why he would need someone's help. Not just one, but several.
He shook the thoughts out of his head as he knew this would all come in good time.
But another thought jolted him. Mi-Aset. His blasted, disobeying wife. She could pose a problem. But why hadn't he seen anything of her yet? Perhaps she eventually crumbled. Or escaped. Or maybe she was hunting him, waiting for her perfect moment to strike with cat like precision.
Neferkaptah again looked to the pitiful face encased beside him. They would take care of her. He smiled again, and took off his robe, revealing a half-naked Egyptian, clothed in only a gauzy wrap around his midsection, and slight sandals upon his dark feet. Neferkaptah lay the book down on an awaiting podium, seemingly placed for this particular moment.
He opened his book, inhaling all of its majestic glory gratefully. His fingers danced across the engraved hieroglyphics, savoring this long awaited moment. Slowly, methodically, Neferkaptah began the incantation which would bring the dead back to life.