Chapter 4

Evy and Rick were over in their part of the camp, getting ready for bed. While everyone else was doing the same.

" Rick, do you think Ardeth is alright?" Evy asked concerned for the Medji.

Rick looked over at his wife

" He'll be fine... although he will be determined now more than ever to get Mariana back." he sighed

Evy nodded

" What about this girl Malik? Do you think she'll take advantage of Ardeths being lonely as a chance to step in?" Evy asked suddenly suspicious.

Rick shrugged

" I don't know." he answered

" You know, its rude for people to talk bad about someone they just met." came Malik's less than amused voice.

Rick laughed.

" True.. forgive us.. but its natural for us to be wary.." he said

Malik shrugged

" And to answer your question, No, I won't take Ardeth from Mariana, because I know her to well to do that." she stated angrily

Evy stared at Malik

" How long have you known her?' she asked suddenly suspicious.

Malik shrugged again

" Only since she was little.. about 2 or 3... we were best of friends until she wanted to be a Medji... and I became a tomb raider.." she stated

Rick nodded his head in understandment. Jonathan yawned and hugged Malik. She stiffened.

" Goo....d .. night... e'ryone." he said drunkenly.

Alex came over and guided him to his bed.

" We better follow soon if we're gonna get back to Mariana's body." Rick yawned.

Malik Yawned

" Oh I forgot to tell you.. the Ouashi.. have already taken Mariana's body to Hamunaptra.." Malik stated coolly with another yawn.

Rick grabbed her by the robes

" When were you going to tell us this?!" he asked as Evy stood up and looked nervous.

Malik detached herself from him and scowled.

" As soon as Ardeth fell asleep of course..." she commented

Suddenly there was a rustling beside them and Ardeth numbly stepped out of the shadows.

" They have her body..." he said

They stared at him

" He didn't hear our conversation right?" Rick asked Evy

" Its his connection with her." Evy said shaking her head

Malik nodded.

" Seems to be that way." Malik replied.

Ardeth was already starting to pack his stuff to leave.

" Ardeth really lover her doesn't he?" Evy mumbled. Rick sighed and nodded.

" Yeah, just about as much as I love you... but not as much." Rick answered as he went to hold Evy, who was feeling sorry for Ardeth.

" Ill go wake up Alex and Jonathan." Rick said and walked away.. first giving Evy a look of confidence saying "dont worry it will be fine.. were together."

Rick walked over and looked down at Alex who was sleeping

" Alex..come on get up." Rick said softly touching Alex on the shoulder

"hmm.. what dad?" Alex said still sleeping

Rick realized that Alex was just too tired, so he picked Alex up softly and carried him to one of the camels and sat him up.

" Just stay steady Alex, don't fall off sleeping." " Ill be on in a minute and you can lean on me." Rick said

Ardeth was already on his horse.

" Ardeth," Evy started as she walked up to him

" I just want you to know that, I'm sorry for the way I have been with Mariana." she said sincerely looking Ardeth in the eyes.

" You had every right to be suspicious and cautious of her. Especially with what you two have gone against." Ardeth said understandably

" Well, I know, but, I just wanted you to know that I will do anything to help you get her back." " You helped us get my son back, and I owe you more than I could ever repay you for that." Evy finished.

They looked at each other with understanding and gratitude.

" I thank you.. my wise friend." he said softly

" Its the least I can do my friend." Evy answered

" Evy, come on." Rick said motioning for her to come get on her camel.

" Get on.. Ill be back in a minute. Im going to wake Jonathan." Rick said

" Alright." Evy answered

Rick walked over to Jonathan.

" Jonathan... Jonathan." Rick sighed.. " Alright.. then.." Rick said as he kicked sand into Jonathans sleeping face


" Arggh! What?" Jonathan said sitting up and wiping the sand out of his eyes.

" Get up, get your stuff and get on the camel." Rick said sternly

" Alright.. in a bloody minute.. I have to recanoint my eyes." Jonathan said still rubbing them.

" Now!" Rick said as he walked away

" Alright! Geesh." Jonathan yelled getting up as he grabbed his stuff and ran for a camel.

" Alright.. everyone ready?" asked Malik

" Yup." Rick said getting on the camel and Alex leaned up against his dads chest and Rick rapped his arm around him to hold him in.

" Alright. Lets go." Ardeth said. They all rode off.

Meanwhile, with a head start and half way to Humanaptra, the group of men who stole the scroll, were sitting in front of a fire laughing and drinking. The leader, was sitting quietly as though he was thinking. Finally, the leader spoke up.

" Everyone quiet!" he yelled and the men got quiet.

" Listen, our original leader is dead because of that wretched Medji girl who cant mind her own business." he started

" Yea, I don't think we'll have to worry anymore." said one of the men laughing.
" Hush!!" yelled the leader. " Anyway, that makes me the leader." he said

" In order to bring the our master back, we need a body." he said

" Well, um, don't we have one sir?" asked one of the men?

" Yes, but we need another for the sacrifice." he answered.

" But isn't that what this one is sir?" the man asked nodding to a wrapped up body.

" No, she's just a body that will be used to transform him, but for him to come back, we need a sacrifice." the leader snapped. " One who is strong."

" Well, who would that be?" the man asked

" Perhaps someone of great importance, one with a history." he said grinning evilly.

" But now, enough.. we must first get to humanaptra." the leader said and the men acknowledged.

Meanwhile the group is still traveling in the desert, but they are sleeping sitting up on the horses. Evy is the only one awake. Shes thinking.

" She's a good kid." Evy thought. " Besides, she's training to be a Medji, so she has to be a little stubborn and tough, but then again, I'm tough and I'm not training to be a Medji." she continued thinking. " There's just something I cant figure out about her." Evy thought to herself. " There's something in the way she acts and her attitude.. sometimes.. it just seems so familiar." Evy thought, but her thoughts were interrupted by a soft tough on the shoulder.

" Hey.." Rick whispered softly, the way he did when they had been on the dirigible and Evy had been worried about Alex.

" You're awake.. I didn't mean to wake you Rick." Evy said softly.

" No, you didn't wake me.." he answered softly as he pointed to Alex who was leaning on him sound asleep. Evy smiled sweetly at the site of her son.

" So what were you thinking about?" Rick asked quietly

" Mariana." Evy answered

" Mariana?.. Since when?" Rick said getting a little louder but Evy nudged him and he gave an "oops" face.

" Rick, I'm not as mad toward her as I was. Its, I don't know.. something about her now just.." Evy started

" Bothers you." Rick finished. Evy looked at him and continued.

" That makes me feel sage, or at least somewhat safe anyway." she finished

Rick looked at her puzzled.

" Really?" Rick asked.. " Well, I hope you figure it out soon."

Alex moaned and they hushed for a minute. Then Rick woke Alex enough to tell him:

" You can have this camel.. Alex, I'm gonna ride with your mom." Rick whispered

" Good.. now I can get some sleep." Alex said still asleep. Evy smiled and stopped her camel.

Rick climbed up behind Evy and grabbed the reins, putting his arms around his wife.

" Do you get any bad feelings about Malik?" he asked Evy as they started riding again.

" No, she seems like she really wants to help." Evy answered.

" So what is this? Some new thing where you figure out if people are good or bad?" Rick asked in a sort of sarcastic way.

" No, that's not what I'm doing, its not my right anyway. But out of these past 10 years, I've learned to tell, whether people have good intentions or not." Evy answered

" So basically, what I said." Rick said

" Rick that's.. not.." Evy started

" I know babe." he said holding her tighter for comfort.

" What about Ardeth? Should we be able to do this while Mariana is gone?" Evy asked

" Do what?" Rick asked

" Be.. well the way we are.. married." she said in a quiet voice.

" Evy, it wont matter to Ardeth, he's not holding anything against us for being normal or married. He understands and he appreciates us being here to help. That's all that matters to him." Rick answered seriously, but in a calming voice.

" I guess your right." Evy said.

" Lets just get some sleep, it could be very hard tomorrow.." Rick said and Evy looked turned her head up at Rick.

" For those guys to get past us.." Rick finished with a smile. Evy smiled.

" As long as were together." she thought... " That's all that matters."

Ardeth woke with a start. His camel had stopped and someone was shaking him awake.

" Ardeth, wake up..." Malik said prodding him with her hand.

" I'm awake.. Malik.. stop." he said coldly

Malik jerked back

" Sorry." she said and walked over to her camel.

Ardeth sighed. This was going to be a long trip to Humanaptra.

" Are you okay Ardeth?" Evy asked while Rick held her in his arms on the camel.

Ardeth winced. He was happy that they were together.. but... he was .. a bit.. well.. jealous of them being together.. safe and sound, while his love's body was at the moment with awfully bad stinking man who couldn't know there sword from there.. well.. he didn't like the fact. He looked away and nodded, putting on a fake smile.

" Yes, I'm fine." he said through clenched teeth.

" The sooner I find Mariana... the better." he thought to himself.

Rick watched Ardeth out of the corner of his eyes. Ardeth didn't seem to.. well overly happy.

Meanwhile.. the group of "thieves" have reached Hamunaptra.

" Nomi! The body has been prepared." a short boy screamed showing the half dressed body of Mariana next to the pyre.

He nodded his head.

" Good, prepare to wake the master Kurai." he instructed

The little boy bowed and left.

" Finally, Master you will have a body of your own." he whispered.

The men gathered around the altar.

" From the depths I call thee, I summon thee to this vessel laid before you. Come Master Kurai.. rise." Nomi read from the scroll as the men were chanting around"

" Yat-tu-ay" " Yat-tu-ay." They chanted

Mariana's body began to rise.

" Finally.. a body... now I can deceive those humans into thinking I'm one of them." the enety hissed, then a cackle rose from her chest.

" Ardeth!! he's in my body!" came Mariana's voice in his sleep.

He jolted up and ran to Rick

" He's possessed her body..." he told Rick waking him up.

Rick arose with a jump

" Wha..? who?" Rick asked sleepily

" The one they are resurrecting.. has possessed Mariana's body." Ardeth answered

Rick looked dumbfounded

" Evy wake up!" Rick said tapping her gently

" What?" she asked standing up

" What is it?" she asked

" Mariana is in trouble." Rick answered quietly not to wake the others.

" What do you mean in trouble?" Evy asked

" She's not.. she has been possessed, or rather her body has been possessed." Ardeth answered. " By the one they were resurrecting.

" You know this for sure?" Evy asked seriously

" I'm positive. She called to me." Ardeth answered.

" Oh yeah, by that link thingy you guys have." Rick said with a puzzled look questioning what he had just said.

" Yes." Ardeth answered.

" Well, what are we going to do?" Evy asked.

" I think , the best thing we can do right now is wait." " At least till morning so we can figure out what to do." Rick said.

Ardeth looked worried.

" Don't worry Ardeth.." Evy said " Her body should be safe right now, he's using it just to be alive, so it should give us some time to figure out what we are going to do." Evy said

" She's right." Rick said " Her body should be safe for now. Don't worry, we will help you get her back." Rick said comforting Ardeth

" Thank you, my friends." Ardeth said with a week smile.