By May It Be
~~ Authors Notes:*SLAPS SELF* UUGGGGGGGGGGHHHHH THIS TOOK SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO LONG I'm SOOSOSOSOSOSOO SORRY!!! Well, Thank you all for the reviews, I hope this one is ok. And a SPECIAL thanks to Deana for getting me off my tusshie to get this written and for all the names and translation help! Shukran Sadiqi! Anyway, Enjoy! ^_^
Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Mummy', 'The Mummy Returns' or any of the characters belonging to them. (Just the bad guys, 'Heneb and Andrahi, Taniif and other Misc. characters you don't recognize.) So please do not sue me I have no money this is just for twisted entertainment purposes only. However, the idea's and plot for this are solely mine. Do not take them please, ask first if you want them and can do better justice to it. Sankyou!
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Chapter Seven……… "Strange Side effects."
"Th-thank you all for coming on such a sort notice." Ardeth spoke weakly, his shaking fingers spread flat against the giant rectangular wooden table before him, his legs quivering beneath him.
The twelve Elders nodded their heads in respect to his words, their eyes however shaded and despairing at the state of their master and beloved leader.
"However," Ardeth sighed, limply falling into his chair as his strength gave out. "The terms—on which you were called here—are of the utmost importance..." He took a deep breath, running over his carefully planned out speech for the third time in his head; just for good measure.
"As I am sure you have heard by now…I have ordered the Med-jai of Abydose…to be on their guard and to strengthen their perimeter… as well as for Hamunatra." The weak Med-jai said, pausing for their replies then continued, turning his eyes away from the O'Connell's and Taniif at his left. "As I am also sure, you have been informed of my…current predicament…"
One of the eldest men of those gathered nodded his head, shifting forward to lean his black clad arms on the table. "What do they want in exchange for the antidote?" he asked, running his thick fingers over his trimmed white beard, trying to hide his own nervousness.
Ardeth raised a brow and shifted his eyes toward Taniif. The older Med-jai simply shrugged nonchalantly, trying his best to look calm and unfazed when inside, he felt anything but. "I thought you wanted to be the one to inform them." Taniif replied, crossing his arms on the thick polished wood.
A thin smile of thanks curved Ardeth's lips as he returned his attention back to the rest of the group. "They-they want the book of Osiris… the book of souls," he stated deadpan, waiting for the inevitable reaction.
He was not to be disappointed.
The entire assembly went into an outraged uproar in a matter of seconds at the omission. "WHAT?! Are they crazy!?" One of the Elders yelled in disbelief, his graying wavy hair flailing about his ears as he fervently shook his head in anger.
"What could they possibly want with the book? The creature has already been lost in the depths of the underworld, he can not be risen again!" Another Elder stated, his long white hair pulled back into a kinky braid half hidden by his headdress.
At the mention of Imhotep, Evelyn and Rick's eyes went wide, taking in the conversation as best they could. He can't be raised again, he CAN'T!!
Asim shook his head, his one eye staring sternly but kindly at his fellow Elder, the hideous scar marring the left side of his face giving the impression of a mad and ferocious warrior. "You are wrong, Te'nab, he can be brought alive a third time, but they need the blood of the Chosen one to do it." He spoke softly, staring at the braided one, his voice gentler then his appearance would lead one to believe.
"No one even knows where the book is! The knowledge of its resting place was lost with the Chosen one, when the book took his life three thousand years ago!" Sallah quipped, leaning forward and bracing his weight heavily against the table, his fist pounding suddenly against it as he stood. "They have done all of this for nothing! So many dead, and now our Chief is to follow! They go too far!" the brash Med-jai yelled, his eyes ablaze with disgust.
Ardeth shook his head, slowly forcing himself rather shakily to his feet. He hung his head at the weakness and vertigo the effort caused, gasping in heavy breaths, his full, slight weight braced against the thick tabletop as he tried to regain enough strength and breath to speak. "Please, take…your…seats and calm down..."
The brash Sallah opened his mouth to counter, his fist clenching. "But, we do not have—"
"Please, let m-e speak…" Ardeth interrupted, the weakness inside him blatantly making itself present in his voice and drawn face, his not quite whispered plea enough to stun and silence the entire room.
Weakness was not something Ardeth Bay experienced often, let alone displayed for others to see. He was the Med-jai's strength, their very core; that's how they have always known him.
Ardeth gulped down another breath and shakily shifted his feet below him. "None of you…have heard the whole story behind the Book of souls," he stated instead of really asking, but the room collectively nodded their heads in answer anyway. "Should I explain it then?" he asked this time, watching each member of the room closely. Again they all nodded, albeit somewhat hesitantly, none of them quite sure he was fit enough to talk as much as the story would require of him.
It was Ardeth's turn then to nod as he collapsed again in his chair, this time heavier and harder then the first, his breath still ragged.
"When The Creature priest and Anck-su-namun murdered Seti, the princess ordered that he be forced to suffer the curse of the Hom-dai. However, the curse required the use of the Book of Osiris, and to use the book…one with a pure heart must sacrifice their soul and life giving blood to the book and the burden of its protection." He stopped to take a breath. "The person chosen, if strong enough…would not actually die, but instead his soul would be fused to that of the books for all eternity until he is released and another sacrifice is made." Ardeth paused, blinking his eyes to rid them of the sweat trickling into them.
Taking another deep breath, he continued.
"At the time the Med-jai king was an elderly man reaching the last of his years…his only son…who was himself in his early twenties, was chosen. The binding…was a success and the curse was cast. As I am sure you already know." He spoke the last looking in the O'Connell's direction, who both immediately adopted embarrassed expressions. Ardeth's lip quirked slightly before he turned back to the Elders and continued his story.
"However, there was one side effect of the binding that no one expected...the book itself had a soul, of that the Chosen one knew, but he was unaware of the book's ability to be human…at least in the sense of having human feelings and reactions to the things around it. The Book eventually...fell in love with the Chosen one, madly in love…it even created a child from the Chosen one's soul and blood; forbidding him to have a mate save the book herself." He stopped again, regaining his breath, studying the stunned expressions of the tent's occupants. He gave them no time to reply, trying hard to finish the story before he collapsed completely into unconsciousness.
"In the course of but a few years, the book creature became so…insanely jealous…of the Chosen one and those around him…for the fact that the Med-jai, his family, and the princess could touch him and love him in a way she couldn't, that in a blind rage she murdered them all, the Chosen one included, leaving alive only the child she had created for them." Ardeth stopped, taking in deep gulps of air to regain what he lost during his tale. Reaching up, he silently wiped at his forehead with his sleeve, leaning further back into his hard chair.
Evy brushed a wayward curl from her eyes, shifting nervously in her chair at Ardeth's unconcealed weakness. "What happened to the child? And the book?" she asked, still trying to process all the information she had just swallowed.
"The child was raised to be the new Med-jai king…he being the rightful heir. As for the book… it and its secrets were entrusted to the…child as well." Ardeth responded, turning his attention to his foreign friends.
"And the book, where is it now? Do you even know?" Asim questioned, tapping his fingers on the tables surface, his one eye intense and focused.
Ardeth turned back towards the Elders. Sighing softly, he leaned forward against the wood, crossing his arms as he closed his eyes. "It was passed down through the Med-jai king's bloodline…generation after generation it was kept safe in a different secret place with each….the book is now and has been since the beginning of my reign…in my possession."
"WHAT?! Why have you never told us this before?" Sallah exclaimed, shooting forward in his seat, his eyes wide.
Ardeth waved his hand slowly, motion him to stay silently. "I was forbidden to speak of it…let alone allow anyone to know of its whereabouts…I am only telling you all this now because the circumstances demand it of—"
Ardeth gasped sharply, his eyes squeezing shut tight against a sudden bolt of pain lighting along his spine.
"Ardeth!" Taniif gasped, rushing to his friend's side, grabbing his arm to hold him steady as he wavered in his seat. The Elders and the O'Connell's all shot to there feet as well, stopping when Taniif motioned them to stay where they were.
"A-ana tayyib…" Ardeth breathed in reply, tightly grasping Taniif's hand as another wave hit, then passed just as quickly.
He's becoming worse every minute, Taniif thought. Allah, please help him!
Shuddering, Ardeth's breathing began to slow, his strength for the third time giving out. Collapsing forward weakly against the tabletop, he rested his fevered brow against its cool surface.
"Ardeth?" Taniif whispered, crouching down to look up at his friend's face. The Med-jai chief managed a weak smile of reassurance.
"Ana tayyib Taniif. Shukran." Bay replied, pushing away from the table and leaning back in his chair.
"So what are we going to do then? Give them what they want?" One of the previously quiet Elders spoke hesitantly, folding his hands on the table's polished surface, glancing around at his fellow Med-jai's serious and worried faces.
Ardeth swallowed and sternly shook his head. "La," he replied, his voice almost a whisper.
"But—!"
Ardeth gently shook his head again, effectively interrupting the Elder's sentence. "I will never give them what they want."
The Elder sadly sat back in his chair, his eyes downcast.
Rick felt sympathy for the Med-jai; he understood how he felt; he himself had felt the same when he had previously received that answer. Rick lowered his own head, his eyes however still locked upon Ardeth's frail form. Next to him, Evelyn shifted closer, wrapping her thin arms around Rick's, holding tight.
"As I previously told the O'Connell's, I will die before I allow anyone to posses the book," Ardeth said gently, wiping again at the sweat beading across his tattooed forehead. "Then you condemn yourself to death," Ahmad replied, reflexively placing his hand on the hilt of his scimitar.
The Med-jai Chief sighed again. "I have already accepted the consequences of my decision...I am willing to die if it will keep the book…and the rest of the Med-jai safe."
"If we can not change your mind, then why was this meeting called?" Hafen asked, placing his elbow on the armrest and his chin in his fingers.
"For two reasons." Ardeth paused, glancing at the O'Connell's, momentarily catching Rick's gaze before he continued."The first is to discuss the protection of the Book and The Med-jai...and…the second, is to…legalize an heir..."
The room suddenly went deathly silent.
None of them had been prepared for that task. The choice was the King's of course, but the Elders had to legalize and accept the new king-to-be before it became law. None of them were ready, to do so would mean finally admitting that Ardeth Bay, current Leader of the Med-jai, was indeed going to die; a notion they still found themselves not quite believing.
Asim swallowed, stroking his beard nervously again, trying to hide his concerned frown. "Whom do you choose?" he asked, his eyes starring straight through Ardeth.
Bay paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts, and then turned again towards his foreign companions.
"O'Connell."
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~~~~~(The honey covered brushes swiveled delicately over his skin, sealing over and filling in the bloody hieroglyphs carved upon his body, leaving in the soft bristles' wake a sharp stinging pain. Andrahi held his breath as the last of the glyphs were brushed with the thick yellow sweet, watching the patterns of the dancing shadows against the ceiling of the chamber, as he waited for the gel to harden enough for him to move.
His fingers stretched against the cold stone surface of the sacred pedestal, bending slightly to run his nails against the strong marble repeatedly almost in a soothing petting motion.
The palace painters replaced their brushes in their pots and stood, gathering the rest of their materials as well. "He is now ready." The Elder spoke, nodding his head respectively to 'Heneb as he approached, his eyes lowered.
'Heneb nodded in return. "Thank you. You may retire now," he replied. The two palace painters bowed again before hurrying on their way.
"Have the priest brought. The ceremony will now begin," 'Heneb spoke sternly to one of the large Med-jai warriors standing guard at the circular chambers entrance.
"Aiwa, ya sidi," the guard replied before bowing low in respect, and turning to leave.
'Heneb turned back towards his cousin in the center of the room and sighed, picking up the sacred book of Osiris from its place and carried it over to his beloved Andrahi. "Are you ready, cousin?" 'Heneb asked, placing the book on the pedestal next to Andrahi, looking down into his eyes.
The longhaired Egyptian nodded, slowly pulling himself into a sitting position with a clipped wince, then turned to kneel in front of the book. "As ready as I will ever be," he replied, squeezing 'Heneb's hand for reassurance as his cousin's fingers wrapped around his own thin ones.
Andrahi smiled softly at the worried expression his cousin wore and reached up silently, passing his hand over 'Heneb's face to smooth it out. "I shall be fine, 'Heneb. Do not worry," he whispered softly, his smile widening slightly.
'Heneb nodded, a small smile curving his own lips, despite his constant misgivings. "You'd better," he demanded, squeezing Andrahi's shoulder one last time before turning and walked back to his place by the entrance.
Andrahi swallowed and nodded to the torch tenders. "Begin!" he ordered in a stern voice, lowering his eyes to the book before him.
Black dust flecked with gold was thrown into the four blazing torch pots and the fires hissed in reply, sending billows of choking black crackling smoke into the air. Andrahi lowered his head more and in a strong booming voice that could not have naturally come from his not-quite petite form, began to chant out the spell across the cover of the silver book.
His thin fingers curved around the handle of the sacred blade at his side, picking it up and raising it to his chest.
'Heneb winced in sorrowful anticipation but kept his eyes locked in place in respect, swallowing hard.
"Book of Osiris, accept this sacrifice of blood and bind with my soul, for all eternity!" Andrahi demanded, dragging the blade deep into his flesh. Thick red quickly welled to the surface and began to seep down his chest.
Placing the blade again next to him, Andrahi pressed his hand flat against the wound, rubbing in a small circular motion. He released a breath through gritted teeth when he pulled his bloodied hand away, each appendage completely drenched in red.
Carefully, Andrahi placed his hand onto the flat center on the book, watching with wide eyes as the silver began to hiss and melt beneath his fingers and conformed to his hand. "Ana qibil. Ga hina, walad…" A whispered feminine voice rang through the room, startling all of its occupants. A sharp blast of white light rose from the book, surrounding Andrahi's body, hugging tight around his shaking form, his eyes suddenly glowing with the same ferocious deadly light.
His slight form instantly collapsed on top of the silver mass, his hand still imbedded in the cover.
"Andrahi!" 'Heneb yelled, rushing forward towards his younger family member.
"Stop!" The same female voice ordered again, yet this time a body, however ghost like, was connected to it, standing in front of the pedestal, hand outstretched.
'Heneb slid to a halt, slamming rather roughly into an invisible force, preventing him from nearing Andrahi.
The tall, transparent apparition turned towards Andrahi's crumpled form, however looking up above it, instead of at it.
Above Andrahi's body was a faint, shimmering image of his own soul, kneeling in the same position his body had been in a moment before, confused and dazed. "Ga, walad." The spirit spoke again, reaching up to Andrahi's ghost, who hesitantly took her hand and stood, moving off the stone pedestal to stand next to her.
Andrahi was taken aback by the spirit woman's appearance; she had long, thick, black hair and wide coal eyes, painted in the traditional style, with full rose lips and gold skin.
She was his exact image! His female twin!
"Do not fear me, I have accepted your offer and have come to claim your oath of forever and meld with your soul." She placed both her hands on his face, cupping his thin cheeks with the most tender of touches. "Do you pledge me forever, child?" she asked, locking eyes with him as she leaned forward.
"Yes...yes, forever," he whispered, leaning forward into her touch, his eyes glazing over.
The woman smiled and closed the rest of the distance between them, pressing her lips firmly against his, releasing her own energy into his soul as her own soul began to devour his.
Both spirits suddenly vanished in another harsh blast of white light, this one with such force that all the room's occupants found themselves on the floor.
"Andrahi!" "Heneb yelled, shooting to his feet when he noticed the absence of the younger Egyptian on the pedestal. Running as fast as his leg would carry him, 'Heneb rushed to the long stone table and jumped over it when he spotted the crumpled form behind it on the sandy floor.
"Andrahi!?" he called again, falling to his knees next to his cousin, scooping him up to cradle the thin form in his strong arms.
"Andrahi!!!!")~~~~~~
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The tall Egyptian sighed, watching the sunset calmly, a strong breeze billowing through his brown and red robs, rustling against his face wrap. The sun drifted low in the sky, dancing across the mountains of sand, casting pink and orange shadows of light about them. It was breathtaking to watch. Moreover, he had watched it a million times before, never once tiring of the gentle play of rough lights.
The large camp behind him was alive with the wind, the men going about their lives and work quickly, silently, each warrior keeping to himself.
A fierce looking man dressed from head to toe in blood red ascended the dune the older man was standing upon, holding his face wrapping firmly in place. Silently he approached his master, bowing low in respect as he came to a halt just behind him. "Ya sidi." He spoke in a deep bass, his eyes down cast in respect.
"Is everything prepared?" the tall Egyptian leader questioned, never once taking his eyes from the horizon.
"Aiwa ya sidi," the warrior replied, his head still bowed. However, his eyes were up, staring darkly at his master's back.
"And the men are all ready?" the Egyptian asked again, clasping his hands behind his back nonchalantly.
"Aiwa. They are prepared," the Arab replied, glancing back at the encampment as the dinner fires suddenly exploded to life.
The Egyptian smiled and nodded, pleased. Slowly he turned towards his subordinate.
The Arab man suddenly fell to his knees, bowing low on the ground as his master's face cloth fluttered loose, revealing his face.
Intaf laughed, replacing the cloth. "Good. We shall attack at dawn. Those accursed Med-jai will fall easily, and then we shall move on to the temple," he stated surely, walking in long strides past his still kneeling servant, a wicked smile still twisting his concealed features.
"Aiwa Ya sidi," the Arab warrior replied, slowly returning to his feet.
Intaf paused, turning back to the other man, his eyes glinting with malice. "Oh, and Sa'neer, have my blades polished and sharpened. They will get much use tomorrow; I wish them to be presentable."
Sa'neer smirked in reply, chuckling as Intaf walked away.
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Me!
O'Connell blew out a steady breath, cramming his hands into his pockets as he walked through the thick Med-jai camp. He moved with his head down in heavy thought towards his tent, mulling over the conversation he had witnessed this afternoon.
Me?
He carelessly threw open the tent flap and sauntered in, heading for his bed, watching the patterns of the rugs beneath him as he passed.
Why did he have to say me?
Rick sighed, running his fingers through his unruly sandy blond hair, laying back on his bedroll.
I'm not a leader, let alone a king! I'm not even true Med-jai…so they can't accept it…can they?
For the hundredth time these questions and many more like it ran through O'Connell's head, worry after worry playing out before his tightly closed eyes. Sighing heavily again, he turned on his side to get some rest.
It's been a looooooong day…maybe if I just rest…
"O'Connell!!" Taniif cried, bursting into his and Evelyn's tent, startling the American awake within moments of him falling asleep.
"Whad?! Whad is id?" Rick slurred, sitting up and sleepily rubbing his eyes.
"You must come! Now!" Taniif replied, his tanned face flushed and frantic, his almond eyes wide.
The tattooed man's fear registered suddenly in Rick's mind, jolting his mind rather roughly back to reality.
"Come? Where? What happ—?" Oh no, Ardeth! Please God NO! His mind screamed at him. He finally rose to his feet at Taniif's insistent tugging on his sleeve.
"Something is wrong!" Taniif replied, pulling Rick out of his tent and through the camp at a near run. "Something is terribly wrong!"
"The poison? Is it—?" Rick began, unable to voice the rest of his thought, swallowing hard as a lump began to form in his throat.
"He's reacting to it," Ardeth's third in command replied, lowering his head in fear and anger. "It's too soon! Allah, it's just too soon!!!"
Oh God…
Ardeth!……
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TBC! Hehe I'm so evil! ^,__,^
Lol, that's all for now. I had originally meant to make it longer but I'm so mean I just HAD to leave it there. Hehe *grins*
Ok, again I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry this one took SOOOOOOOOOOO freakin' LONG to get done but this story is starting to get away from me. Hopefully, The fact that its 10/11 pages long makes up for that ^_^ lol! Well yeah anyway it's a very odd chapter and not much really happened but I hope it was ok anyway. You have to do some pointless exposition or else you'll never know what's going on right? Anyway, thanks again for reading! Oh and another VERY special shukran to Deana for ALL the GREAT help you gave me for this chapter ^_^
I hope you all enjoyed it anyway. Please come back for more!!
TRANSLATIONS
"Aiwa" = Yes
"Ya sidi" = Sir
"Ana qibil" = I accept
"Ga hina, walad." = Come here, child.
"Ana tayyib" = I'm alright
"La" = no
"Shukran" = Thank you
"Ga walad." = Come, child
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