Rating: PG13 prolly eventually
Author: Angel - http://www.geocities.com/ninthsaturn
Summary: The ending of the Scorpion King changed and expanded upon. The O'Connells meet up with some strange people that look very familiar. Almost too familiar.
Disclaimer: I don't own The Mummy or it's characters. But I would give a whole heck of a bunch to own Imhotep and Ardeth. ;-)
*
The scene that the small group back in the 30's returned to was different than when Rick, Michael and the others had taken Ardeth from his people. Then the Med-Jai had been restful, but still numbering the stars and ready to fight for the very world they were secluded from. They still numbered the stars, but Rick wasn't sure exactly how many were actually living, breathing men. Soundless and devoid of much movement, the desert before them was littered with shadowy forms. A literal burial grounds for the Med-Jai. "My God," Evy breathed and Rick saw pure shock written on her pretty face.
What could he say? Words couldn't begin to cover what he was feeling right now. He silently thanked God that Ardeth had been spared the awful vision before their eyes. Running fingers through his dusty hair, Rick searched himself for something to say, some sort of answers. He found nothing but unbelieving detachment. When Ardeth found out about this... Rick didn't even want to think about what his friend was going to have to go through. He turned his blue eyes towards his rock, his answers and his love. "Evy, maybe you should take Alex away from here."
She already had the boy close, trying to shield him from what lay ahead. Despite his mother's hold, however, Alex peeked around her and stared in silence at the bloody battle field. "What are you going to do?" she asked softly.
He shook his head, then rubbed through his hair again. "Search for survivors." His voice was thick and heavy and right now he didn't care. This was too much and he was starting to really have it in for this Scorpion King. This was too much. Nearly a whole people lay here in the desert heat with little water and as good as no medical help. The future could handle Ardeth and Jonathan sneaking around, but soldiers that were too numerous to count? There likely wasn't even that many alive right now. He pointed back towards where Michael's car went down. "Make a camp out there, far enough that you won't have to...have to look at this."
Alannah stepped forward then and pet Alex's head absently. "Would you like me to take him? You knew these people."
Evy nodded her head and nudged Alex. "No," Rick said firmly from where he stood. "I want you away from here, Evy."
The Englishwoman shot him an equally firm glance as she side stepped him. "I'm helping, Rick. Thank you, Alannah." She moved to stand before the priests and began talking in Egyptian.
Rick sighed as Alannah left with his son. There wouldn't be any further discussion of that he was sure. When his wife used that tone she meant business. Not that he blamed her, really. They didn't personally know even a quarter of these men, but knowing Ardeth made them feel a kinship towards them. And now they were all but wiped out. Perhaps they were all dead, indeed. Rick didn't know.
What he did know was that now more than ever was he driven to end all these desert horrors. He was angry. Fuming. Hurting. Stalking through the sands, he gazed down at the warriors, searching for any sign of movement. Face after face remained still, chests not rising and falling with the breath of life. Each second that passed away took with it little bits of his hope. Until he heard a sound. It was barely there, but Rick wasn't mistaken when he perceived the groan. He looked for the source.
Rick fell to his knees beside an older warrior whom he'd never seen before. Blood was everywhere. The ex-Legionnaire searched the man's wounds, assessing the damage. He wouldn't live much longer. There was nothing that could be done. Those dark eyes would stay with Rick for the rest of his life, he knew. They gazed at him in such anguish. "To...the death," he whispered.
Nodding fervently, O'Connell touched the man's cheek. "Yes. Your people fought well. You will be avenged." It wasn't much, but it was all he could think to say. He swallowed and watched as the Med-Jai coughed and struggled for air. As the light left his eyes, Rick felt himself fill with something between rage and despair. If the Scorpion King could do this with his army, what chance did they have against him? He thought back to when they'd fought Imhotep. They'd beaten him against all odds. Of course he seemed to have a way of coming back, but at least they'd kept him from the world domination he'd sought.
O'Connell let his eyes wander to where the two of them walked, each checking fallen Med-Jai as they passed. Weird didn't even begin to cover the feeling of working with instead of against this guy. The elder Imhotep seemed laid back enough, Rick supposed, he couldn't help but feel prickly when he cast Alannah those fond looks. Seeing 'Evy' with 'Ardeth' wasn't exactly what Rick would deem a happy thing, but seeing her with Imhotep was downright irritating.
He silently wondered what his future self thought of this self righteous priest.
*
Ardeth startled when the door to his room banged open. Ryan, who'd been taking his blood pressure, walked forward to see who it was. A familiar face made the Med-Jai gasp. If he was here, where were the others? Imhotep, his wrists bound by chains of a strange black color, stumbled into the room and looked up at Ardeth with worried eyes. "King's little chained freak?" Ryan snorted at the sight of him. "What are you doing here?"
Behind Imhotep came the Scorpion King - fully human. His face was amused as he looked the doctor over. "Ryan, what's this I hear about you not being happy with me?"
Ardeth watched as the young physician grew wary, but no less cynical than any other time he mentioned his hated king. "King Mathayus," he said with a small bow. His tone was sarcastic. "You honor us. Wherever did you hear such a nasty lie?"
The King's dark eyes were annoyed as he crossed his large arms. "Spare me the patronization today, Doctor. You're treading a thin line as it is." He nodded towards Ardeth. "I came to see who my guests were." Pacing now, he shook a finger and smiled. "Not Michael. He had shorter hair as I recall. You're his Med-Jai counterpart, though, aren't you?" Ardeth only offered a curt nod. Mathayus rubbed his hands together. "You know, I had wondered where you and Michael went. I was going to kill you, both of you if I could manage." He stopped and gazed thoughtfully. "The very day I had left the future to save myself from death by Rick O'Connell, you appear. Injured, no less. Very interesting."
Ardeth remained quiet a moment. It was better to keep his mouth closed, revealing nothing, and get some of his questions answered as this puffed up tyrant went on. He kept his expression fearless. "I am here. What will you do?"
Mathayus paced a little more, then stopped again. He smiled. "Well, obviously you've got your little secrets and I'm going to have to wring them from you, but I see no reason why you can't enjoy good health, good food and very good women for the time being." The King cocked his head slightly and arched his eyebrow.
His expression unchanged, Ardeth leaned back against his bed, absently tempted to rub at the tubes near his nose. "You will not buy my secrets from me."
The King remained confidently amused as he crossed his arms. "No, you are a warrior," he said matter-of-factly. "I wouldn't expect any less than having to torture you to death to find out as little as why you're here. I only wish you to have something to remember good living by, before your life becomes like Hell." He looked to the chained priest. "Heal he and his friends. I'll return shortly." And with that the Scorpion King left them.
Ryan shook his head, obviously still annoyed by the visit. He leaned back against a counter and looked to Imhotep with a sigh. "Better get the job done before he comes back."
"Yes," Imhotep breathed, nodding once and stepping to care for Ardeth first. His walk wasn't as confident as Ardeth had remembered. The man before him who had gone through hell and back for a concubine that had little or no real love for him and had survived it now didn't even look up much past curiosity. He laid his hands on Ardeth's wrists.
The Med-Jai bent down slightly to try and look into Imhotep's face. "What has happened?" he asked, not sure he wanted to know what could break a man like this priest.
Suddenly two dark eyes met his with such hurt and sorrow Ardeth nearly looked away. Yet there was hope there, a wary hope that seemed afraid to exist in such a time as this. "When you left he destroyed everything," Imhotep replied in low tones. "O'Connell thought he could kill him alone and was proven wrong." He looked around the room then, as if to make sure they were truly alone. Then, moving closer, he whispered, "You must return and stop Rick."
Pushing himself from the counter, Ryan coughed and shook his head at the priest. "Get the job done, Imhotep. You've got four patients to treat."
Imhotep swallowed and gave the Med-Jai a meaningful glance, then grasped his wrists again and began to chant. A strange dizziness washed over him and for a few moments he thought he'd be sick. The leftover pain and weariness in his battered body slowly began to die. He started to feel renewed. Imhotep stepped back and watched Ardeth. "Thank you," he breathed as the dizziness faded. He pushed back the covers, eager to get out of bed.
Immediately Ryan was at his side, pushing him back. "I think you should stay there for a minute. There's no real reason you need to be up and around right this second. Let your body adjust."
Ardeth conceded grudgingly, and sat back, looking at the strange devices on his body. He didn't know everything about this time yet and didn't want to upset the wrong person or do the wrong thing without realizing what would happen. Ryan had seemed apprehensive when Imhotep suggested repairing the past. Instead he opted to try and talk information out of the doctor. "How does he live today, if he was fully human back in the 30's?"
Ryan inhaled deeply, watching as the priest walked on silent feet to where Jonathan lay, repeating the process he'd done for Ardeth. The doctor leaned forward and reached for the tubes on Ardeth's face. He grinned when the warrior wiggled his nose. "Back then, after everything happened, I guess the King thought Imhotep, fully powerful, was worth keeping around. He killed Imhotep and resurrected him as an immortal, then bound him with those chains. I gotta unhook your heart monitor. Open up." He nodded to Ardeth's chest.
At the doctor's command, Ardeth bared his himself and sighed at the large bandage around his body. "Is there something..." he paused and winced as Ryan peeled a small plastic suction cup from him, "...special about those chains? Can Imhotep not break them?"
Shaking his head, Ryan glanced over as suddenly his comatose patient began to stir and groan. "King Mathayus put some sort of spell on them. He can't break them, and if he leaves the palace somehow they'll kill him. Or so the King says." He rolled his eyes.
Tucking that knowledge away, Ardeth looked over as Jonathan began to rouse. He sat up, looking tired and disoriented. Once his eyes hit Imhotep, however, he gave a strangled cry and struggled to get away. "Hey!" Ryan shouted, forgetting Ardeth for the moment and heading to calm his patient. "He's not gonna hurt you, but I might if you don't knock it off!"
Seeing Imhotep's amused grin, Ardeth too had to smile at Jonathan's comical way of reacting to things. And maybe too, it was part of his joy to see his friend alive and well again. "Jonathan, it is all right," the warrior assured him, peeling at his remaining suction cup.
With dubious eyes, Jonathan looked both men over as if they were crazy. It was in that moment, being a little more relaxed, Jonathan realized something. He ignored impending doom to ask, "Where in the bloody blazes are we?" Carnahan wiggled his nose and narrowed his brow.
*
Woohoo!
Thank God ff.net is back! Anyone still remember this story???
Lol. ;) Enjoy and thanks for reading and reviewing!!
You so rock! Oh, and sorry for the sucky chapter name! Lol...I'm
just lost as to what to call these suckers. ;)
-Angel