"This one here is where we came from. This other leads to the chamber room," Catlanda said, leading them to the furthest one down.
They walked for some time before coming across two more paths. Catlanda was confused and it was apparent to the others as she glanced between them.
"Okay Ms. Know-it-all, where to now?" Rick demanded.
"I...forget. We'll have to split up," she replied.
"Right. Catlanda, Alex and Evelyn are with you. Jonathan, Rick, you're with me," Ardeth said.
"Don't tell me that you're going to leave my wife and son with that brat over there?" asked Rick.
"Well, if you want, you can go with Catlanda," Ardeth told him.
"No way, no how. You wouldn't get me teamed up with her anytime soon. Actually, you'd never get me teamed up with her," Rick protested.
Ardeth gave Catlanda a secret smile before they atarted to head down the tunnels.
00000
Ramses looked down the hallways, glancing between the two.
"They're coming. You take care of the Medjai. I'll get the Spire. Rise up my fallen warriors!" he ordered.
Several mummies rose out of the sand behind him and started to follow him down the tunnel. Laron watched him go before heading down the other.
00000
"How long does this tunnel go on? It's dark," Alex complained from atop Geb.
"Shouldn't be too much further if it's the right one," replied Catlanda, leading the horse along.
Suddenly, Ramses appeared with the mummies behind him.
"Give me the Spire!" Ramses told her, putting an arm forward.
"Never!" she yelled back.
"Then you shall perish along with your friends," Ramses replied as the mummies behind him started to move forward.
Evie pulled out a gun and began to shoot them. She dodged them and continued shooting. A few headed towards Alex. Geb reared up and kicked them away.
"Mom, help!" he cried.
Evie looked and tried to help stop the overwhelming amount that were headed for the horse, as was the Medjai. She didn't see the one behind her...
Catlanda was gasping for air and her arm hurt. She knocked one down before another one came up behind her with a large stone. She stabbed her Spire right through him and brought it back out, knocking him over with the stone on top of him. She looked over at Evie to see one behind her. She ran over and knocked the mummy to the ground but was soon apprehended by the others as well as Evie and the horse. Ramses walked up to them.
"My dears, you thought you could stop the all-powerful Ramses II. Especially when you have nothing to counter my attacks with," he said, laughing.
He looked at the Spire and reached for it but was yanked slightly out of reach. He looked at her, a smile on his face and a snicker in his voice.
"You are in no condition to make demands. You're captured, hurt and still wet from your little ride," he quietly told her.
She snorted and she held onto it with a death grip. Isis growled at the pharaoh, daring him to come any closer but Ramses smiled as he looked at the cat.
00000
Jonathan looked at the sides of the corridor.
"This is such a creepy place," he said.
"Catlanda has this place almost memorized. She's been here many times and found that most of the traps were already activated. That's why she believed that all the traps were harmless," replied Ardeth, as he walked by the now idle Jonathan.
"You know Ardeth, I don't know why she even came along. She's been an inconvience from the beginning as so has that rod of hers," Rick told him.
"I'm sure everything will turn out alright in the end and everything will be explained," Ardeth quietly told himself.
He looked ahead and saw a figure standing in their path. Rick pulled out his guns, prepared for anything.
"I'm so sure that everything will be alright Medjai," the man said.
"Who are you? Why are you here?" demanded Ardeth, putting a hand on his sword.
"He's creepy looking," Jonathan said from behind Rick.
"You mean you don't know this guy?" Rick asked him angrily.
"I do not," he replied.
"Well I know you. You're Ardeth Bay, leader of the Medjai who are sworn not to let evil become free upon this world," Laron said, chuckling.
Ardeth was very surprised. It was obvious on his face.
"How do you know so much?" he demanded, finally pulling out his sword.
"I have my sources and I wouldn't attack if I were you. Your young friend wouldn't like it too much if she knew what you're about to do," Laron said.
"Catlanda! What have you done to her?" Ardeth cried, lunging at him.
Laron stepped out of the way, causing Ardeth to fall on the floor, and tsked.
"Now, now, don't want to lose our temper. I haven't done anything to her - yet. As we speak, Ramses is after the Spire that she carries. I do not know the plans he has for her, or her companions," Laron explained before running away.
"Evie," Rick gasped.
"Alex," Jonathan added.
Rick ran over to Ardeth and helped him up. The Medjai winced a little before they gave chase. They ran until they arrived at a large room.
"This must be what Catlanda was talking about. It's huge!" Rick said, gasping for air.
They walked up to a large platform, amazed at its size.
"This is precisely what she's been talking about. Welcome to my humble abode and prepare to be destroyed," came a familiar voice.
The three looked to see Ramses II standing across from them. Mummies led Evie and Alex into the room while the pharaoh held onto Catlanda, who still had a death grip on the Spire. Geb and Isis were nowhere to be seen and Ardeth was very worried about them.
"Let her go!" pleaded Ardeth.
"I don't think so," came Laron's voice.
Laron appeared from behind a pillar and looked at it, then smiled.
"The Spire of Isis! The key to the last part of the jewel and we have it!" cried Laron, his hands in the air. "My people tried claiming it several years ago but we failed!"
Catlanda and Ardeth looked at each other in total disbelief at what they were hearing.
TBC...