Imhotep stared at the lifeless body on the altar, feeling totally empty. He had done it. Perhaps not in the way he had imagined, but he had killed her- and he felt no different. It still hurt to think about her, to think about Rick and Evelyn together. His hand was still clenched, he realized, and he slowly uncurled it. Evy lay there, dead eyes staring at him, mouth still open with shock and pain. His knees gave out and he fell to the stone floor, gasping for breath. He didn't know what was happening; it felt like there was not enough air in the room. Chest heaving, he clenched his fists and tried to slow his breathing. He felt dizzy from hyperventilating, and he could not make his legs lift him, though not for lack of trying. He put his hands to his head and tried to calm down. After several shuddering breaths, he was no longer dizzy, and he could stand. Swaying slightly, he concentrated on staying upright on his feet.
Moments passed in silence as he struggled not to collapse again. When he felt stable, he walked towards Evy. He supposed matter-of-factly that shock or perhaps disappointment had caused his breakdown. He looked down and brushed a lock of hair back from Evy's face, then withdrew his hand. It was still painful to look at her. A lump rose in his throat. He would never be free. He would never escape his hellish torture, not even in death. He had already tried death. Drawing shaky breaths, he realized that Evelyn had been correct in her statements. Killing her had not helped him. Killing everyone in Egypt would not help him. Nothing could help him. That crushing realization brought him to his knees again. His despair was enough to merit suicide, but that was no escape. He could not go anywhere that his torn heart would not go with him. Alone and helpless beyond belief, Imhotep put his head in his hands and wept.
With a rush that he felt rather than heard, Ardeth was suddenly in Hamunaptra. He blinked in the suddenly dim light, such a change from the flames of Hell. He could feel Osiris and Anubis behind him. They were very silent, as if communicating to each other in their minds. Ardeth thought that they probably were. His eyes adjusted to the light, he looked around the room. This was the temple sacrificing chamber in- "Oh, Allah," he breathed, heart breaking. Lying still on the altar was Evy O'Connell. No, he hoped. No, no. He went over and bent low, looking into her face, and knew that she was gone. He let out an explosive breath that was more like a moan, and didn't bother to wipe away the tears that fell. "Oh, Evy," he whispered. Poor Rick. Poor Alex… he suddenly noticed that desolate sobs were echoing through the room. Whipping around, he saw- himself. His fists clenched. "Imhotep," he said. Imhotep did not look up. It was so strange, watching himself cry as if the world was ending. For a moment he felt sorry for him, wondering what could have happened to make him so sad. But the moment ended, and anger flaring, he swung at Imhotep's head, and passed right through him. Thrown off balance, he tumbled to the floor.
"Mortal," he heard Osiris say. "Do not bother. You are as good as a ghost, here." Ardeth looked up, startled; he had not realized that the Gods had finished their conversation. Anubis strode over to Imhotep. For the first time, Ardeth noticed that their footsteps made no sound. The jackal-headed God bent over the weeping man, sneering. "So," he said. "This is the man who has dared to challenge the Gods." Osiris walked over, eyes full of sadness.
"This man is suffering unbearable pain…"
Anubis growled. "He will be, when I begin my punishment."
"He is already being punished, Anubis."
Anubis straightened and stared at Osiris. "You mean…"
Osiris shook his head. "You will be allowed to punish him, Anubis. Just try to be gentle; he suffers more than you know."
Anubis made a whuffing sound. Ardeth would have smiled if he had not been so upset, because it sounded like the dog-version of a scoff. Imhotep suddenly looked up, face streaked. His eyes narrowed. He said something in Ancient Egyptian that Ardeth could not understand. Osiris lifted his eyebrows and smiled. "He knows we are here." Osiris said something in a voice that echoed strangely, as if there were two of him. Imhotep's eyes widened. "Osiris?" he whispered.
Osiris' eyes flashed; his gentle face set in formidable lines. "Imhotep, you have insulted the Gods." Ardeth saw his face freeze in fear, and it gave him a shiver. "M-my Lord," Imhotep began. Ardeth blinked. He had not thought that Imhotep knew English. "What offense have I committed?"
Anubis gave a literal bark of laughter. Imhotep flinched. "This is what you have committed, mortal." Imhotep's eyes swiveled to Ardeth, who realized uncomfortably that he was visible. Imhotep's lips parted slightly with astonishment and fear as the Gods became visible as well.
"My Lords…" Imhotep started. Then he stopped, and he looked surprised. His face relaxed, and he said easily, "Take me in, then. Punish me, my Lords. It is no more," he practically shouted, "than I have already suffered." He was not quite yelling at the Gods; he had more sense than that. Anubis looked surprised.
"I did not think that he was in this much pain," The cruel-faced God said to Osiris. Ardeth glanced at Imhotep, but it was obvious that he did not hear.
"Yes…" said Osiris sadly. "It is surprising." Then his face hardened again. "But the fact remains… you have killed a mortal, apparently," he told Imhotep, glancing at Evy somewhat indifferently, "and you have as good as killed another. For that you must be punished, Doomed One. No one may escape from Hell and not feel the wrath of its keepers." Ardeth shivered at the name he called him. Doomed One. What did that mean?
"It means, mortal," Anubis told him quietly, "that this man will never be free of the suffering he knows now. Not unless he can learn to heal and repent." And he would never learn, Ardeth knew. Imhotep was not the kind to forgive or forget. He was listening to Osiris now, standing indifferently, as if he had experienced worse than the anger of the Lord of the Underworld. Ardeth watched him, reviewing what he knew about the Creature from his people's history. He was a savage, emotionless monster who lived only to kill. But that image did not match up with the anguished, broken man he had seen sobbing just a few minutes ago. Ardeth was becoming conflicted. His uncertainty, however, was kept at bay by the sight of Evy's lifeless body, lying in the edge of his sight. As long as she was dead, Imhotep was guilty. And for that, he would have to die.
Ardeth heard footsteps above him. Everyone looked up save Osiris, who shut his eyes momentarily. "He is the husband of this," he said absently, pointing to Evy. "He comes with scores of Med-jai." He opened his eyes. "He intends to kill you," he told Imhotep calmly. "He will not succeed." Imhotep looked at the ground. "It would not matter if he did," he said in a low voice. "There would be no difference." Ardeth was not listening; he had heard only that his Med-jai were coming.
"They will not be hurt, will they?" he asked anxiously. "The Med-jai." Osiris looked at him with a touch of amusement.
"Your Med-jai are safe." Ardeth reddened slightly. He didn't know how they could have been hurt- he was acting like a worried midwife. But even so, he was glad to know that they would be fine. You never knew when dealing with the Creature. Although… it didn't seem that Imhotep was feeling up to destroying anyone at the moment. He was sated with Evy, he thought, fists tightening at the thought. The footsteps came closer, and he heard his chief-commander's voice. "This way," he heard him say in Arabic. Ardeth's eyes strained towards the entrance and he saw his commander enter cautiously, sword in hand. "My chief!" he exclaimed as he saw Imhotep. Then he saw Ardeth. His eyes widened. "Allah help us," he said in their language. A few Med-jai hurried in after him and froze when they saw the situation. Many made warding signs when they saw Anubis and Osiris. The Gods looked at the stunned warriors calmly.
"We have visitors, Anubis," Osiris noted. The other God nodded.
"Yes," he said.
