A Vision Changed
Mariana, in a fit of rage, blew up the Kasbah. Evy, surprised, stared at Mariana. This want the Mariana she had come to know, because as they walked down the street, the buildings they walked past blew up…but only the ones that were empty. Evy, worried for her sister-in-law, placed a steady hand on Mariana's shoulder.
" Mariana…please stop.." Evy whispered.
Mariana turned to her. Her eyes were a red color…the color of a death look.
* She doesn't recognize me* Evy thought.
Evy began to lightly shake Mariana.
" Mariana, its me…Evy…stop or we'll never be able to save Rick and Ardeth!" she scolded.
Suddenly, Mariana slumped to the ground and began to punch the dirt.
" The elders were right! I am worthless if I cant even save my own loved ones!" she cursed.
Evy, sympathetically, placed a hand on her shoulder.
" You have more potential…that's why they said that…they are simply jealous…that's all." Evy comforted.
" And you…you should be the one like this…I mean…Rick…is your husband…and you love him so much…and he might die…you should be the one upset because your married to him…I'm not married to Ardeth…its not the same.." Mariana said.
" Now you stop that!" Evy scolded. " It is exactly the same. You love Ardeth, just as I love Rick! I'm no more in love with Rick than you are with Ardeth! The reason I am not on my hands and knees…losing it is because I have been through this before…a lot more than you have. I know…that there is still a chance…to get them back…and it wont be over until I see that its over." Evy continued. " Mariana…all these last 10 years…I have learned you have to keep your head in these situations…no matter what might be happening…if you keep your head…then you see things more clearly…and have a better chance of succeeding. You must trust me on this…I know. Don't worry, we will get them back…or….if it comes down to it…taking there place." Evy finished.
Mariana looked up at Evy and reorganization played on her face as if realizing for the first time Evy was there.
" I…I hope your right." she whispered.
Evy nodded.
" I hope I am too." Evy whispered back.
" What a fine mess this is.." Malik sighed as she shot some more scarabs.
" Rick and Ardeth are captured, and Evelyn and Mariana are trying to save them…so what does that leave me to do?" she paused and shot more scarabs. " I'll tell you…I get to stay here…and watch that bloody child…not to count, I get a blood vision on the whole lot of em dying! So, while everyone else is trying to save one another, I have to bloody fins some bloody….Bloody Hell! What's this?" she stopped, kneeling down to pick up a bracelet.
It was pure gold and an inscription was etched into it.
" The bracelet of Mafdet?" she read. " Bloody hell, why not?"
With that, Malik slipped the bangle over her wrist.
Everything slowed down…no, her senses increased…maybe she had just found a way to help.
Rick woke up, slowly as though he were trying to figure out what was going on. He tried to move, but found he couldn't. He looked to see why, and realized he was chained up to a wall, with Ardeth beside him.
" Dammit!" Rick said struggling with the chains.
Ardeth was now waking up. He had heard Rick muttering angrily, and Ardeth realized why.
" I'm gonna….stupid things!" Rick was muttering to himself.
Just then, the door in front of them opened. Kurai walked in. Both Rick and Ardeth glared at him angrily.
" So, you are awake, good." Kurai said smiling.
" You know, you keep smiling…and someone is just gonna come along and slap it right off!" Rick yelled.
" Really?" Kurai replied. " Well, you seem to be fully awake." Kurai added responding to the fact that Rick smart mouthed him.
" Yeah, and its bad for you!" Rick said.
" Really? How so?" Kurai asked sarcastically.
" Because, were gonna get out of here, then we are going to kick you're ass!" Rick answered.
" Hahah…I don't think so…you cant gout out of those chains…unless someone broke you free of them, which wont happen because they aren't here to save you…or even themselves." Kurai replied grinning yet again.
Both Rick and Ardeth lunged for him, but were restrained by the chains.
* I hope he smiles when we fight him…I'm gonna knock it right off!* Rick thought to himself.
" In a few hours gentlemen, you will no longer be in this world, and I shall control it." Kurai said.
" No…I don't think so." Rick said angrily.
" You wont make it! Your destiny is only to fail!" Ardeth yelled with a scary tone in his voice.
" You Medji and your destinies…a load of crap…remember…a few hours…enjoy them." Kurai replied laughing as he walked away to another big part of the open room.
" Now what? You wouldn't happen to have experience picking locks would you Ardeth old buddy?" Rick asked sarcastically, fussing with the chains.
" No…but Mariana did." Ardeth said with a sad tone.
" Evy would know what to do if she were here…" Rick said almost to himself.
" Don't worry Ardeth…we are going to make him pay!" Rick said angrily.
" Yes…we will." Ardeth replied.
Mariana used her senses to scope the area for Rick and Ardeth. A glimmer of their life forces flickered across her mind.
" There!" Mariana said pointing to a small building on the far side of town.
It was just visible under the night star.
Evy looked at Mariana.
" Is…Are you sure?" she asked.
Mariana nodded.
" They're chained…he's planning to kill them!" she continued.
Evy stared at her.
" H…how do you kno…" Evy started but Mariana interrupted her with a glare.
" I just do, now come on." she said and walked down the street.
Evy shook her head and followed after her. They came up to the building that Mariana had indicated and barged in.
" Rick!" Evy screamed.
Chains rattled in the distance
" Evy?" came a startled response.
Evy looked at Mariana and smiled. Both of them bolted towards the chains. They rounded the corner and the men came into view.
Mariana's smile widened and she flung herself into her master's arms.
" M…Mariana." Ardeth gasped.
She looked up at him and kissed him.
" You mind uh, loosening us? Unchaining us? Whatever you wanna call it?" Rick asked getting his own share of love from his wife.
Mariana nodded and produced a small iron pick. She began to pick the locks.
Evy was studying Rick's chains, messing with them, seeing if she could open them while Mariana was unlocking Ardeth's chains because she knew they should do this as fast as they could. Rick looked at her, then at his sister.
" We thought…you both…were…dead." Rick finally said.
" Well, Kurai mislead you." Evy answered.
" I'm glad he did." Ardeth said looking at Mariana.
" I've almost got it." Mariana said still fidgeting with the locks.
Just as she said that, Kurai came out of no where.
" Look out!" Rick and Ardeth both yelled.
Evy and Mariana turned around just as Kurai waved his hand. They both flew back.
" No!" Ardeth and Rick yelled in unison, fighting with their chains.
Evy and Mariana stood up, both with very angry looks about them that startled both Rick and Ardeth…Kurai noticed it as well.
" You should not have done that!" Mariana stated angrily.
" Really? Why not?" Kurai asked.
" Because you just made me stronger!" Mariana answered.
Kurai looked at her.
" I do not think so." Kurai replied.
" Would you like me to prove it?" Mariana asked.
" There is no need…you will lose…but, if you feel strongly about it…be my guest" Kurai said throwing of his robes.
Mariana smiled and said, " You asked for it!" and she charged at him.
They began hand to hand combat.
" Mariana…be careful!" Ardeth yelled.
Evy stood watching. She didn't know whether to help Mariana fight…or stay with Rick and Ardeth. Suddenly she had a vision. It was Imhotep. She watched her vision, but didn't understand it. Then, suddenly she was back. She realized what she had tucked in in the back of her boots, her sai's. She quickly bent down and pulled them out and ran over to Rick and Ardeth. She began hitting their chains with the weapons.
Kurai noticed her.
" Don't worry about us, help Mariana!" Rick said to Evy who was hitting on the chains hard.
Evy looked at him…and looked as though she were debating. She caught a look in Rick's eyes and then she acknowledged. She ran for Mariana and Kurai, joining in the battle.
Rick and Ardeth watched in horror, afraid that one move…would be deadly.
Kurai realized that these two women before him, were strong…quite strong, so he decided to end it, for he needed to save his energy for O'Connell.
Out of no where, his minions came in and took Evy and Mariana by surprise. They were captured.
" I suggest, no one move." Kurai stated walking in between the space that separated Rick and Ardeth on the wall, from where Evy and Mariana were being held.
" I never predicted this." Kurai started. " What do I do now?" he asked sarcastically looking around, at the four faces glaring at him.
" Perhaps we should…I don't know…teach you gentlemen a lesson." Kurai started.
Rick was studying him…then realized what Kurai was talking about.
" Perhaps the best way to defeat you, is by seeing someone you love suffer." Kurai added looking at the women.
Everyone realized what was happening.
" So, your women will die, in front of your very eyes…although for some of you, it isn't the first…which makes it all the more pleasurable…seeing as how you already know the pain…and I'm sure, you have promised yourself it would never happen again. Yet, they will die, in front of you, and you wont be able to do a thing about it." Kurai finished.
" NO!" Both Ardeth and Rick yelled. " Take us! Not them!" the added.
" NO! Don't…" Evy and Mariana started.
" Fine, I will spare their lives." Kurai replied.
Rick and Ardeth looked as though they had taken a sigh of relief.
" For now!" Kurai added again lifting his hands towards the men.
At that very moment…both Evy and Mariana had the same vision…the vision they had been longing for…the vision of how and when the love of their life had been killed. They looked at each other.
* I'm not going to let him die!* Mariana thought.
* Neither am I* Evy thought back.
With and understanding they broke free. Mariana took all the power she could and sent a blast at that made the man holding her, fly back. Evy got herself free physically, stepping on the mans foot, then hitting him in the head with her elbow.
Just as they were free, Kurai, who had not noticed them escaping, shot a blast towards Ardeth and Rick.
Mariana and Evy started running towards Rick and Ardeth…to intercept the blasts.
Rick and Ardeth saw them coming…they knew…what was going through the girl's minds….they saw it…and everything seemed to slow down. Rick looked at Evy…trying to stop her, but the words were slow.
" No!" they both yelled to the girls, who had now jumped in front of them as a shield against the blasts.
Evy and Mariana fell to the ground.
" Evy!!!!!!" "Mariana!" Rick and Ardeth yelled separately but at the same time.
Evy wasn't moving…but Mariana, lifted her hand and instantly, with all the power she had left, threw a blast of fire at the chains and set Rick and Ardeth free.
Kurai stood there, puzzled and shocked.
Ardeth ran to Mariana, Rick to Evy.
" Evy!" Rick said turning her face up.
" Rick…" Evy said weakly…managing a weak smile.
" Babe..its alright..I'm here…you saved us…" Rick said tears coming…trying to comfort her.
" Ard…Ardeth?" Evy asked.
" He's fine…why? Why…did you do that?" Rick asked almost in anger…that she had jumped in front of him…when he didn't want her to.
" Be…because…I love…you…we..both love you…" Evy replied…taking a small gasp. " Rick…be…careful…I ….saw Imho…tep…in my vision…" Evy said as tears came out of her eyes.
" No! Evy, I don't care!" Rick said.
" Please…don't…ignore Alex…don't give up…on living…" Evy finished and with one last breath…she was gone.
" Evy!!!! Evy!!?" Rick yelled crying. (just a side note: sound familiar?)
Meanwhile, behind Rick, Ardeth was leaning over Mariana. Ardeth's face reflected Rick's as he poked Mariana'a face.
" Mariana?….*poke* Mariana…come back….Please." he trailed and buried his face in Mariana's black robes.
Both Rick and Ardeth turned their heads angrily to Kurai…with tear stained faces. They gently let go of their girls and stood up.
" Die!" Ardeth screamed running after Kurai, sword drawn and pointed at him.
Rick started after Ardeth as his friend charged, then he drew his guns and pointed them at Kurai, then he joined his friend.
A/N: This is a somewhat longer chapter…but, don't worry, its not over yet.