Epilogue

***

With a gentle smile Ardeth folded the letter closed.  He sat for a few moments on his pallet, holding the creased papers.  It was the second letter he had received from Rick and Evy, and he was happy and relieved to know that they were all still well.  He had missed them these past months.  But he was content, for he knew his place was here, in the sands of Egypt.

Rick, Evy, Alex, and Jonathan had returned to their old manor and had spent weeks rebuilding it.  Evy had claimed in her letter that the house would look just like new, and Ardeth smiled as he imagined disaster-prone Evy trying to help Rick rebuild their home.  They were all piecing together the fragments of their lives, Ardeth mused, remembering how the great house looked when he had been there, in rather strenuous circumstances, in 1933.  That house was a symbol to the O'Connells of the strength of their family, and Ardeth understood why they had insisted on returning to it.

Ardeth placed the letter carefully in the bottom drawer of his desk.  According to the letter Anjelica was also living with them, having found a new home with them for the time being.  He was glad that the brave woman had been so warmly welcomed into the O'Connell family.  Whatever else was true about that household, it had enough love in it for a hundred people.

Lifting the tent flap Ardeth stepped out into the warm late afternoon light.  So much had happened in the past few months.  Imhotep had only been defeated four months ago, and already the world was an entirely different place.  Ardeth knew that Pierre had returned to China, and the Med Jai wondered what it was like now in Shanghai.   He would likely never make it there to see for himself, and honestly he was happy to live in the new Med Jai village for the rest of his life.  Briefly, Ardeth wondered why Pierre had not gone home, back to France, where he had been born.  Ardeth suspected that the Frenchman hadn't been ready–he had not yet found what he was looking for.  Perhaps he had not found someone to share his life with.  Not everyone could be as lucky as Rick and Evy O'Connell.

Ardeth smiled as he watched Adil and Dalil struggling to carry a huge barrel of water to the center of the village.  They would both be leaders of the Med Jai someday–soon.  Many had died in the great battle against Imhotep.  The young men would have to rise to take the places of those who had perished.

Despite the many deaths Ardeth was optimistic.  They had defeated Imhotep and survived.  The Med Jai tribe still lived on.  They had fulfilled their duty to their ancestors.  He had not failed.  There was hope for them, for all of them, and their future.  Ardeth's dark eyes followed Dalya, Dalil's sister, as she ran over to the two men to help with the water barrel, and Ardeth wondered why he had never noticed how beautiful she was.  He had known her all his life–when had she suddenly grown into a woman?  With a start, Ardeth realized that his own torn heart was mending.

Ardeth turned to watch the sun setting, a feeling of completeness and triumph coursing through his veins.  He was ready to begin the next stage of his life, to move on.  And he was not alone, nor the Med Jai.  The entire world was healing.  Democracy was returning slowly to the world.  There were still places where bandits and gangs ruled the streets, where lawlessness reigned.  But Imhotep had not ruled so long.  People had not forgotten democracy, and slowly, around the world, leaders took power who swore to hold elections, to protect the rights of all.  It would take time, and more bloodshed, Ardeth knew.

But humans would survive, and prosper, as they always had.

He looked over his shoulder, watching as the Med Jai village was being rebuilt before his very eyes.  His gaze swept over the survivors.  They were scarred, but still standing, still fighting to regain what they had all lost.  Ardeth's heart filled with pride and love for them all.  They had all fulfilled their sacred duty–to help defeat Imhotep.

As his mind flitted back over Imhotep, Ardeth wondered yet again what had happened to him.  They did not know where Imhotep's soul went, and would never know.  But a vague sympathy stole through Ardeth as he contemplated Imhotep's life, which had been spent in noble service to his Pharaoh until his one tragic, costly, fatal mistake.  Had he truly deserved the Hom Dai, the horrible punishment that it was?  Ardeth shook his head, knowing that no one could answer that question.  But he understood that as the Creature, even Imhotep himself did not have complete control over what he did.  He was no longer human, but part beast, a piece of him dark and evil.

Because of his love for a woman, Ardeth reflected, Imhotep had lost his Priesthood, his power, his soulmate, and his very humanity.  Anything that could have held any meaning for him had been utterly stripped away.  Ardeth shivered as he considered how brutal and horrifying that would be.  He knew that sometimes people endure such anguish that they can feel nothing but hate and wish for nothing but revenge.  Perhaps not all was Imhotep's fault...perhaps the Med Jai deserved some of the blame.  Slowly, Ardeth acknowledged that it was the Med Jai themselves who had made Imhotep the walking plague that he was.  They had transformed him into something unholy.  And for that act they deserved some of the blame for what Imhotep had wrought.

Ardeth shook his head gently.  It did not matter anymore.  He took a deep breath, folding his arms across his chest.  Imhotep would never rise again, swallowed by the passage of time and the changing winds of the desert.

The Med Jai, too, had changed.  They no longer had their ancient duty of guarding Imhotep.  But they were still a people, a tribe.  They still had to preserve the ancient knowledge, their history and stories and customs.  Ardeth would not allow the Med Jai way of life to be lost, disintegrated into the sands of the desert that had spawned and nurtured them.  It was their home, and it would never conquer them.

The Med Jai were survivors.  Long after the Gaza pyramids crumbled into the dust, the Med Jai would still live, simply and humbly, protecting secrets of the past.  Such was their duty.  And as Chieftain, Ardeth would lead his people into their new future.

Ardeth smiled and turned his face towards the sunset, towards the sweet hereafter.

***

Far away, in a place of cloud and silver, the voices of the divine once again conversed, musing over the conclusion of their story three millennia in the making.

"So it ends..." the Goddess observed, her voice light and beautiful as a wisp of golden thread.

Another voice rejoined melodiously, the silky sounds melting into the very light and shadow.  "After this lifetime, the Princess and the Med Jai will be welcomed into heaven."

"Indeed sister," the blue God answered, his voice carried across the cloud in the breeze.  "They shall also know eternity...."

The younger, softer voice entered the fray, her voice questioning and full of curiosity.  "Why did we not bring them into heaven three millennia ago?"

"We could not bring any of them home–the Cheftain, the Priest, the Med Jai, the Princess, the Concubine," a voice–or was it two, or three voices?–answered, intoning the names as though in an ancient ceremony, the sounds blending and whirling together in the very air.

The Goddess's words carried a smile as she explained to her daughter the great Mysteries.  "They were still needed on earth, their destiny had not yet come."

The wind danced, twirling in the light, as the many voices–dark and rough, gentle and soft, angry and happy as laughter...melted together.  "They have all fulfilled their ultimate duty.  They are blessed, they shall soon walk between the shining gates and find ecstacy in the arms of God..."

Then, slowly, all of the voices merged, until they were one, a beautiful vibrant melody, a song of eternity.

"I will welcome my children to their gift.  It is the beginning of forever..."

***

~End~

Thanks to Aulizia, Soph, Fan of the Mummy, Jessie C., Towmondler, Deana, Ruse, Sk8ergirl, Sabie, AEM, Mommints, Brittany, and Anya (I think...that was an extreme backwards compliment, right?) for reviewing chapter 35.  Extensive thank yous to everyone in the next chapter.

Your humble authoress, Marxbros