Chapter 12

There was a moment of total silence and then suddenly, a light came from inside the altar, bathing the stone and Ardeth's body in a blue light. Rick and Evie took a step back and stared at the scene in front of them. Areth's body was engulfed in the light and they couldn't believe their eyes, when the Medjai's ashen face was overlaid with the image of the face of Anubis. To their amazement, Anubis rose almost as if out of Ardeth's body and towered over them, a ghostly image.

"I have no need of this one or his sacrifice." Anubis spoke. "He has fought bravely to return what rightfully belongs in my world and what did not belong into this. There is much more work for this one and you. He is worth more to me in this world than in the next."

Then Anubis sunk back over the body of Ardeth and the light travelled down his body and rested on his left arm. After a few seconds, the light pulsated and then disappeared into Ardeth's wrist, leaving a black mark where it had vanished. Evie stepped closer and as she lifted Ardeth's hand, she could see that the fresh mark on the inside of his arm was the head of Anubis.

Rick looked at her questiongly and Evie shook her head. "The Pembridge scholars never wrote about this." she whispered. Then she glanced down at Ardeth. "Rick, I-I-I think he's breathing!"

The American sat down next to his wife and reached for Ardeth's hand. Then after what seemed like an eternity, Ardeth's eyes openend slowly and looked up at Rick. "The baby?" he whispered.

Rick's face lit up with a relieved smile. "Welcome back, buddy." he said emotionally.

Ardeth looked from Rick to Evie, obviously waiting for an answer to his question.

Evie nodded. "It is not our place to break the news to you. That right is reserved for Zamira, but your wife is pregnant."

Ardeth's eyes started at her blank. "It is impossible. How do you know this?"

Rick slowly placed a hand on the Arab's shoulder. "Rashid told us when we were waiting for you to wake up back in Cairo. He told us what happened to Sami and how sad he was that you two never had children after that. And then he said that his wife spoke with Zamira's mother and she told her that Zamira had a surprise for you. That you two will have another child."

Ardeth's face was like that of a statue, not sure if he should believe the words of his friends. And they were his friends and would never lie to him in such a cruel way.



EPILOGUE

The sunhad begun to set as the group reached the Medjai camp. In the day they had been gone, it appeared that almost all the damage had been repaired. Ardeth's men galloped ahead into the camp and shouted victoriously, announcing the successful outcome of the fight. As Ardeth and his friends also rode into the tent village, he spotted his wife standing amongst the other women of the tribe. He reined his horse to a hold, jumped off and he and his wife rushed into each other's arm. After a few seconds, Ardeth pulled away and placed a gentle hand on the stomach of his wife, his eyes finding hers, looking into them questioningly. Zamira's eyes filled with tears and she nodded. A big smile lit up Ardeth's face and he lifted his wife up into his arms, laughing happily. The men and women of the Medjai had watched their leader and his wife and realising what Zamira was telling her husband, they cheered and clapped their hands in joy. In one day, they had lostntheir leader twice and hen was returned to them twice. And now there would be another Bey soon to continue the leadership of the Medjai.

Rick and Evy had also dismounted from their horses and stood side by side as they watched the reunion between Ardeth and Zamira. Rick enclosed his wife in his arms and gently placed a kiss on her head. Behind them, Jonathan groaned.

The world was alright again.



On the ridge above the camp, a lone figure watched the celebrations below with and expression of open hatered. Then he reared his horse around and vanished into the depth of the darkening desert.



THE END