Rating: PG13 prolly eventually
Author: Angel - http://www.geocities.com/saturnfiction
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. ;-)
*
Ardeth led Imhotep and Michael through the maze of Med-Jai and jackals, ignoring the gasps and questions at seeing two of him and Imhotep trailing. The sea of swords clashing was thick with bloodshed. "We will need weapons," he breathed to his companions. They stopped and he took the scimitars of his fallen comrades. He threw one to Michael, who widened his eyes and frowned at having such a delicate weapon tossed and then made a move to do Imhotep the same honor.
A hand caught his and wrenched the scimitar from his grasp. Isfahan glared at Ardeth and shook his head. "I do not understand who this other man that is you is, but I know the dark one. You dare give this creature the weapon of a Med-Jai?"
The priest crossed his arms at the tone and glared the Med-Jai down. Ardeth exhaled and looked around at the battle being waged. They needed every hand they could get and while he balked at believing everything Michael told him about the changes that would take place, he knew the chance had to be taken. He spoke in ancient Egyptian for the priest's benefit. "My friend, I cannot explain everything now. But he will help us, if we let him. A future will come for him, when he will change and do this weapon honor. I have seen his future."
At that Ardeth could see Imhotep's discomfort at being referred to as such. This younger priest seemed unready for the change, and yet he had stayed behind to aid them. Without waiting for Isfahan to comment, Ardeth gave him the weapon. Imhotep took it with a wary expression and turned his eyes on the battle.
Ardeth met his fellow Med-Jai's gaze and saw confusion there, but a willingness to trust his judgment. He nodded and turned back to Michael. The psychologist looked nervous about fighting in so close a battle with so many foes. His eyes trailed back to where Imhotep's car had driven off, then looked up. "It is strange to fight beside one's self," he commented, then took a step into battle. Ardeth smiled and joined him.
Weapons clashed and the fighting became almost a blur of motion. What had happened last time, Ardeth wondered as he thrust his weapon into an oncoming Jackal. It hissed out of existence and another took it's place. He irritatedly supposed to himself they could have left the future with a little more information.
Isfahan fought by his side, grunting as the sword of an enemy swiped his shoulder. "So, who is this other you, who is not? Does he enjoy the battle as much as we?" His friend grinned and kicked back a creature, then promptly lopped it's head off.
"That, my friend," Ardeth answered between defending himself against attacks, "is Michael. He has my spirit, or will in the future."
The other Med-Jai grunted and glanced over, watching Michael somewhat clumsily ward off an attack that nearly made him lose his grip. Ardeth's counterpart grumbled and continued. Isfahan laughed. "I see the resemblance already."
Ardeth shook his head with a grin and kicked one of the creatures into another. "I am a better swordsman than you and you know it, friend. When this is done we can test that if you'd like."
"Perhaps." Isfahan toppled to the ground as a Jackal shoved him and two others came into the attack. Ardeth swung his scimitar gracefully and one of the enemy grabbed his wrist in mid air. It made ready to run Ardeth through, but a blade met it's neck and it became dust and behind Michael nodded his head and turned back to the battle at hand.
Bay fought the other two Jackals off of his friend and helped him to his feet. "Are you okay?" he asked.
Isfahan gave him an ironic look and brushed by, entering the battle once more. "Where did the others go? Was O'Connell not with you? The others?"
Glancing over the field out of his own curiosity, Ardeth spotted Imhotep fighting somewhat further than Michael. A few Med-Jai seemed to hover between the Jackals at hand and ending the priest's life, but for now all was well enough. He was fighting for instead of against them and was safe. "They went to the pyramid to stop the Scorpion King."
The other exhaled and looked at the fighting around them. "They are but babies in a war like this. Yet they defeated the priest, so they must have some strength. How will they manage to get beneath the pyramid?"
Ardeth frowned at this and sidestepped a sword. "Beneath the pyramid? Is that where he hides?"
Isfahan grunted. "That's where the fully human one keeps the half-beast. We think that is where his weakness is. It must be killed with the Staff of Osiris."
It made perfect sense suddenly. Ardeth blinked, thinking through what he knew of the other timeline. If O'Connell had tried to defeat the fully human Scorpion King, that may have been where his failure had come in. "Michael!" he called, dusting yet another Jackal.
His counterpart hacked and slashed his way to where Ardeth fought and breathlessly gasped, "Yes?"
Ardeth shot a glance to the fighting priest. "I need you to go to the pyramid as quickly as you can, Michael. Take Imhotep with you, for there is strength in numbers."
"But..." Michael began, but Ardeth cut him off.
"No. This is more important." An Anubis being landed it's sword into Ardeth's forearm, causing him to groan out and stop fighting momentarily. Michael deflected a killing blow. "You must tell O'Connell to kill the scorpion beast below the pyramid and ask him to get the Staff of Osiris from Jonathan or Izzy. One of them had it, the last I saw. If I know my friend, his first instinct will be to fight the man, but that may well be what caused the destruction before."
Isfahan knitted his brows at the twin men. "What are you speaking of? Destruction before?"
Ardeth shook his head and motioned Michael onward. "I will tell you later, Isfahan. Go now! Get the priest!"
Nodding his head and looking once more at the battle he was leaving, Michael turned away and ran for Imhotep. Ardeth spared a glance now and then to watch as the priest at first looked dubious, but finally agreed. "I will honor this weapon, Med-Jai," he seemed to force himself to shout as they departed.
Bay shook his head in disbelief. Who knew the future and even the present would turn out so strangely?
*
Imhotep pulled up outside the outskirts of Ahm Shere and looked to the blue haired woman beside him. "You should stay here," he whispered softly and Rick shared and expression with Evy. This was still quite weird to him and seeing the priest acting sweet with his wife was not one of the better things life had to offer. It irritated him quite thoroughly, actually. But at Evy's command he said nothing and hadn't since they began this journey towards death.
Rick frowned and leaned back as Alannah inevitably refused to stay behind. It wasn't like he could not see that coming. Evy would likely say the same exact thing in the same exact tone. He looked at his son in the front seat between the two and shuddered at the thought of Imhotep having a child with this woman who looked so like his wife. Evy caught his fleeting expressions and nuzzled into his neck softly, whispering, "I know. Don't think I don't feel strange watching him kiss me." She laughed and squeezed his thigh.
With a grin Rick bumped her with his side and looked to Jonathan and Izzy, cramped together to his left. "You two get to stay behind," he told them in a voice that left little room for argument.
Nodding in appreciation of that idea, Jonathan smiled and replied, "Excellent, Rick. We'll stay here."
"Yep," Rick said, then leaned forward, tapping his son on the shoulder. Alex turned around with a miffed expression, already having guessed what was coming. He was a very smart kid. "Stay here and guard your uncle, will you?"
Alex rolled his eyes and muttered, "Yeah right. Sure thing, Dads." He moved to turn back around, but was stopped by his mother, who whipped out a hand and took a hold of his shirt. Much to Rick's discomfort, she leaned forward as far as she could, squishing him into her brother even more, and hugged Alex.
It was then Rick realized this was it. They were going to leave this car and possibly never come back. The thought made his stomach muscles clench as the priest and his blue haired princess got out. Evy gave her brother a serious expression and said, "Take care of him." She said it with a swallow.
Jonathan nodded his head and took her hand, squeezing it. "I will, old mum. Don't you worry. You two come out safely, okay?" Evy nodded and wiped her cheeks, then got out.
Rick inhaled deeply, hating this moment. Hating everything that lead to this moment. "We'll," he began, uncertain about what to say. There were too many things he wanted to convey, but at the same time he knew he had to be strong for Alex. So he kept it simple. "We'll be right back." He gave his friend and his brother-in-law a wave and messed up his son's hair, winning a groan and a playful batting of smaller hands. "Be good, Alex."
He got out and looked ahead. The pyramid of the Scorpion King loomed on like doom beckoning him. This was where he had failed last time. This was where he would win this time. He had to. Running a hand through his hair, he looked to the other three that waited. "I guess this is it."
It was Imhotep that spoke first and Rick found his calm acceptance of him a little unsettling. "We will succeed," he said, sounding every bit as confident as he ever had. Rick grunted, remembering the chagrin that had spread across his features when Evy had stripped him of his immortality. He hadn't succeeded back then. Still, he nodded and allowed the man his peace. This wasn't the time for old fights to resurface.
Evy looked about to say something, but was silenced when a sound filled the air. In a loud voice, strong, intelligent and amused, the Scorpion King yelled, "So you have come to face me!" They all looked into the oasis, seeing him walk towards them, alone and armed. The sight seemed ridiculous, one man against four foes, but it wouldn't be that way for long. Not when they were getting their butts kicked.
Rick pulled out a gun and kissed his wife, then looked to the priest. "Guess it's time. Think we can make it?"
The mummy looked on their approaching enemy with a grim smile. He drew his guns. "We shall see."
"Right," Rick breathed as his old enemy began towards the approaching, dark stranger. Alannah soon followed, but Evy waited. He leaned down and nodded to the front seat. "Jonathan, drive. Now. He's coming here."
Evy's brother complied with wide eyes. Rick could sympathize with that fear, but unlike Jonathan, there wouldn't be escape for him.
*
Imhotep looked at this Med-Jai that was not curiously as they traveled in silence. He wondered about a lot of things, like how he could have ever come to view these people as friends, how he could forget Ancksunamun for Nefertiri. It had troubled him greatly to see the vision of his future self being passionate with her. It made him angry on some level, especially there at first, but now he wanted to know what could drive him to such madness. He glanced this Michael person over, thinking about the irony of always having to share his women with other men. "What is she like?" he asked in a low tone, aware that this man and his future self did not have the best of friendships.
His dark-haired companion looked out towards the direction they were headed distantly, then took a breath. "When it comes down to it, Imhotep, she is everything to me and everything to you. The future you would say so, at any rate. He claims she is a lot like the Nefertiri you knew so long ago, but tempered with Evy's wisdom."
Inhaling, the priest shook his head. "But you would share her?" He had wanted Ancksunamun all to himself, so why should Nefertiri be any different?"
Michael frowned, obviously at odds with this conversation. This man did not want to share Nefertiri. "I love her," was his answer, however and he sighed. "And she loves you."
"And you hate me." It wasn't a question, exactly, but Imhotep wondered if there would be any reply to that. He wanted desperately to understand his future self. That future would likely die with their success, however. This timeline had already been changed.
The other man shook his head and stopped. His dark eyes met Imhotep's sincerely. "I do not hate you, Imhotep. I thought I did, but I know I do not. Not if you love her."
Bothered by this friendship, Imhotep looked away and continued on their path. "We speak of things that may never come to pass now."
"That is true," Michael breathed, the concern in his voice unhidden. "I only hope for her sake time takes the memories away from her. Our friends in the future were given new pasts to remember, but they still held the old memories as well. If things change and you are taken from her, it's going to break her heart."
Imhotep grunted at that. He was always breaking her heart, it seemed--killing her father, trying to kill her new incarnation. Who would have thought he would break her heart with his own death? Rubbing his wrist absently, he thought of Ancksunamun and her betrayal. A part of him refused to believe it. He had given up so much for this woman and now this? What did he have now, but his curse? He would be lucky of O'Connell didn't turn his wrath upon him when this was finished.
A sound from ahead caught their attention. Looking up, Imhotep saw that thing his future self had been driving. It headed for them. Immediately Michael began waving his arms.
When the car pulled up they were greeted by only three faces. Jonathan looked around in puzzlement from the driver's seat, then pressed a button. His window rolled down and he spoke in his own tongue. Imhotep envied his future self his knowledge of that language. Nefertiri's brother and the Med-Jai exchanged words for a few moments, then his companion motioned towards the car. "Get in. We've got to get to O'Connell."
*
This was a loosing battle. Evy knit her brows in worry when Rick hit the sand again. Something wasn't right. They were getting nowhere fighting this man. Not even Imhotep seemed able to defeat him. "What are we going to do?" Alannah whispered, her eyes trained on her priest. Imhotep received fairly nasty punch to the stomach and she gasped. "Evy, this isn't going well. We aren't making any progress, except to entertain that jerk."
Evy shook her head, looking through all of her knowledge for anything that could give her a clue how to defeat this being. Nothing had prepared her for this. Rick took another hit and Alannah fired a shot at the Scorpion King, who laughed at her attempts. The blue haired woman smoothed a lock of her hair behind her ears and groaned in dread. This was not going to turn out pleasantly if they didn't think of something fast.
With a condescending smile this huge man, this Scorpion King raised both of his hands grandly and boomed, "Enough!" The fighting stopped at his command, both Imhotep and Rick waiting in silence for what would come next. The Scorpion King lowered his arms and raised his chin, regarding his opponents with a raised eyebrow. "You are formidable, for mortals." He began to circle the two men and Evy suddenly had a very bad feeling about this. "You fight together with such valor, you who were once enemies. It seems you've made quite the career out of being a pain in the ass, Imhotep. I give you credit for that, but for that you will be the first to receive my anger. If you come willingly I will allow your Alannah to live. If you do not, I will kill her before your eyes. I give you my word as a warrior. What do you say to this?"
Imhotep dropped his weapon to the sand and gave Rick a meaningful look, asking him to see an end to this if he could. Her husband nodded, but Evy's attention was drawn to Alannah. She had clasped her arm and had a panic stricken expression written across her mirrored features. "This was my dream, Evy. Imhotep is going to die."
Widening her eyes, Evy turned back to watch what she was helpless to stop. God shield her from the thought of mourning this man, but she could see his goodness reflected in the love Alannah had for him. This was going to be a devastating blow. Imhotep approached the Scorpion King and bowed his head, accepting his fate for the woman he loved. He had suffered so much for love for the past 3,000 years and would be denied again.
The dark king Mathayus pulled a dagger from his belt and uttered dark words that Evy found distasteful to her ears. It was a spell from dark roots, speaking at length of the blood of Anubis stripping the curse from the man before him. He was removing the Hom-Dai, but it was more than that. These words laid another curse on him, one that took away admittance to this world from Imhotep's spirit. He could never be raised again, never reincarnate if this curse worked. Final death.
Footfalls came from behind and Evy turned seeing the other Imhotep and Michael enter the scene, both watching what was happening with wondering expressions. The younger Imhotep furrowed his brow, hearing the words of another curse be placed on himself, his future self. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could a cry broke the silence. The older Imhotep fell back into the sand, his hand clutching a fresh wound on his stomach. Alannah screamed and ran to him.
Whimpering quickly words of love and pain to her dying lover, Alannah did not even try to stop the tears streaming her cheeks. "Alannah," Evy heard Michael whisper painfully. She looked and his eyes were turned down, unable to watch this scene they had stumbled into.
Mirroring his actions, the younger Imhotep stretched out a hand as if it would bring him closer to the situation. "Nefertiri," he breathed and Evy could hear the change of heart beginning in his voice.
This was going to end here. They would fail here and the younger Imhotep would die. She could see that acceptance written in the eyes of her husband as he came towards her, saying, "Evy." Rick touched her face and glanced back at the dying priest, then nodded towards the open desert. "Run away. Run and never stop, Evy."
"I'm not leaving you to die," she told him firmly, torn in two inside. Alex's face kept resurfacing in her mind and although she knew Jonathan would raise him well, she knew he would miss them so much. She wanted to run away and save her son, but how could she leave her husband behind.
Michael shook his head and put his hand on Rick's arm, then produced something with his other hand. The Staff of Osiris. "We may yet have hope, my friend." He pointed towards the pyramid and placed the staff in Rick's hands. "Beneath the pyramid he keeps his past self, his Scorpion counterpart. The key lies in killing him. Go, Rick and win this war for us. I must stay and protect Alannah."
Rick nodded his head and looked back down at his wife, his blue eyes filled with so many words and promises of feelings. Instead of voicing them he pulled her into his arms and kissed her with as much passion as she had ever felt. Evy prayed he was not walking into doom. "You come back to me, Rick O'Connell," she said as if it would warn him of dire consequences should he disobey. He nodded and touched her cheek, then ran off to his destiny.
Imhotep followed and for a moment Evy worried he would do something to betray them, but Michael's hand on her shoulder forestalled and inclinations of joining her husband and the priest. They heard a laugh and turned back as the Scorpion King hovered over Alannah, kicking the leg of her dead lover. "I promised you would live, Blue and so you will. As my slave. The others I think I'll murder while you watch for all the trouble you've caused me."
"You cruel bastard," she hissed and he only laughed again, the sound filling the air like a slap in the face.
Mathayus crossed his large arms and shook his head, tsking. "Now, Alannah, one shouldn't speak to their king in such a manner. Don't make things worse for yourself and your friends..." He trailed off and looked up, noticing that Michael stood in place of Rick. He hadn't noticed and Evy's heart overjoyed at that small bit of hope. But what would he suspect now? "Where is he?"
"Forget O'Connell," Michael shouted in challenge, taking up the scimitar in his hand and advancing. "Worry about me instead, because I have come to end your life!"
Alannah scrambled to her feet, yelling, "No!" She stood to block him. "I can't lose you too."
Taking her arm in his free hand, Michael shook his head and shoved her aside as the Scorpion King held his dagger up. "I have to, Alannah. For the future."
The younger version of herself backed away with tearful eyes and turned to her for comfort, though she had little to offer. The world seemed to be crashing down around them, but they still had hope. Evy drew Alannah aside, ignoring the sound of blade hitting blade from nearby. She touched her hair and offered a wan smile. "Rick's looking for the other Scorpion King, the one from this time. Michael says that's the way to defeat him. He's distracting this one so Rick can do what he has to do." The other woman looked so frightened and hurt, so torn for her dead lover. Final death was a horrible thing that even Evy herself could feel the effects of. If Rick were lost with no hope of ever seeing him again... Evy pushed thoughts of that away and motioned towards the fight nearby as Michael fell to the sand with a grunt. "Let's help."
Alannah tucked her blue hair behind her ear and smiled sadly, then nodded her agreement.
*
Well, here be this, after so long. :D Thank you Deana, Lula and Marcher for reviewing the last chapter! I'm glad you liked it! Just one more chapter to go!!! -Angela