A Familiar Savior.

Malik read the inscription that was on the bracelet. There was a flash of light, then she almost dropped it when she saw who was standing in front of her.

" I…Imhotep!!!" she shuddered.

He walked over to her and shook her by the collar.

" Where is Kurai?!" he asked in Egyptian.

Malik pointed.

" Thank you." he said and let her go.

She waved him off.

" No problem. Wait a minute…I just had a civilized conversation, with a dead guy, who tried to take over the world…and has no ounce of goodness in him." Malik said to herself w/ a puzzled face.

" The fort is safe now. The other commanders have destroyed his minions." Shakiri said to Jonathan and Alex.

" Ah, good, good for them, but are we still in danger?" Jonathan asked.

" I do not thin so, but, we are staying until your family returns, for when they return, then we will know it is safe." Yakah replied.

" If they return…" Jonathan sighed, before he could stop himself.

Alex looked at him sadly and went and sat down. Jonathan realized what he had said, and walked over to him. The two Medji kept watch.

" I'm sorry Alex…it's just that every time this happens, and the more it does, I think, they might not make it…but I have complete faith in your dad, even though I cant say the same for him, but I know you dad will do whatever he can to keep you and your mum safe, including saving the world. So don't worry Alex." Jonathan said sincerely.

" Thanks uncle Jon." Alex replied with a weak smile.

The two Medji smiled.

" ARRGGH!" Rick yelled as he flew back and hit the floor. " Son of a ARGGH!" he said getting hit yet again, as Ardeth landed on him.

" You fools…do you really think you can defeat me?" Kurai said angrily.

" You just keep that positive attitude! You'll need it!" Rick yelled running towards Kurai, who waved his hand and Rick flew back.

" You are not as wise as I thought you were!" Kurai said.

Rick stared at him angrily. He felt something…something within his very soul. Then he saw it…an old mirror against the wall. He realized what to do. He pulled out his gun and aimed.

Ardeth looked at him as though he were crazy.

" You think you can will me with a gun?" Kurai said laughing.

" No, I don't, but I don't care anymore!" Rick replied.

Kurai stopped laughing.

Rick pulled the trigger and hit the mirror.

Kurai barely realized what Rick was doing when he felt pain. He yelled and moved out of the light. He then came to another part of the room and tried to use his powers, but looked as though he was struggling.

All of a sudden, Ardeth got a feeling inside too.

" It has temporarily disabled his powers!" Ardeth told Rick.

Hearing this, Rick aimed another shot at the mirror.

" ARRGH!" Kurai yelled.

" Shoot all of them!" Ardeth yelled getting up and he ran toward Kurai.

Rick did, then covered Ardeth's back. Seeing that Kurai had to fight almost as a mortal, Rick threw his guns and ran for him as well. They began fighting.

As they were fighting, Rick couldn't help but think about what had made him see the mirror…the feeling he had gotten…it was Evy. He remembered his sister telling him that Evy was the one who had helped him to believe at Ahm Shere. He realized that Mariana must have somehow helped Ardeth figure out Kurai was mortal as well.

Rick was taken out of his thoughts as he got a hard blow to the face. He then punched back at Kurai, and got him harder.

" Remember my promise?" Rick yelled, as Kurai stepped back a few steps from being hit. " Well, I'm gonna wipe that smile right off of your dead ugly face!!!" he added as he punched Kurai yet again in the jaw, then hit him in the stomach.

Kurai flew back and landed on Ardeth, who did the same. Then, just for the fun of it, which was unusual for Ardeth, he pushed him into the light.

" ARRGH!!!!" Kurai yelled at the light then as Rick landed on top of him to pin him down.

" Now, you are the one who is gonna suffer!!" Ardeth said as he stood over O'Connell.

" I do not…ARRGH!" Kurai started but was cut off by Rick's deadly grip on his neck.

" I'm sick and tired of you bastards!!" Rick yelled " You come back to try to destroy the world, not giving a damn about who you hurt! Well, guess what, its stops here and now!" Rick yelled pushing harder on Kurai's neck. " I want you to know, if you ever thought, you could make me weak by killing my wife, you were damn wrong!" Rick yelled.

" You just made the situation much worse! You just made me want to kill you even more!" Rick said with a very evil tone in his voice that made Ardeth take a step back.

" I'm finished! It stops with you!" Rick finished.

Kurai, under the circumstances, forced yet, another smile.

Ardeth winced at the site…he knew…it was going to get ugly.

Rick saw the smile, and began punching Kurai over and over in the face. All his anger coming out of him full force.

Kurai didn't even make an attempt to break free.

Meanwhile…in a corner of the room, Imhotep had been watching, he had just come in as Rick tackled Kurai to the ground.

* So, O'Connell is here to save the world once again.* he though to himself.

* And the Medji as well. Perhaps I should take them by surprise.* he finished thinking as he began to walk towards them.

Rick was still over Kurai, beating him, Ardeth had by now, joined in.

At this point, Kurai was tired of the beating. He used all his might and hit Rick so hard, he flipped over and hit the ground.

Ardeth looked at Rick and when he turned back, all he saw was a flash. Ardeth landed beside Rick, who was trying to regain his strength.

Kurai had his powers back.

" You fools…I will not lose to you…for I am not my brother and I have no woman as a weakness." Kurai said lifting his hand.

Suddenly, another voice came.

" You are right, my brother, you are not me." Imhotep said as he came out of the shadows.

Rick and Ardeth went pale with anger…and also surprise…as they understood every word coming out of his mouth.

Rick, as fast as he could, crawled for his gun and turned back over and aimed.

* Rick…look out for Imhotep…* Rick remembered Evy saying before she died. He glared at Imhotep.

" Brother…" Kurai said surprised. " Your…"

" Not a word." Imhotep interrupted. " So, you both are here yet again…" Imhotep said towards Rick and Ardeth, who were still on the ground.

" What the hell are you doing here!!!!???" Rick yelled in pain.

" It is very simple…" Imhotep started but was interrupted by Kurai.

" To kill you!" Kurai interrupted.

" Perhaps, it best you not interrupt me again brother!" Imhotep scolded.

Kurai looked at him strongly.

" That is not why I am here." Imhotep continued.

" Why are you here?" Ardeth asked.

Imhotep turned to his brother, and sheered, " To destroy my brother." Imhotep replied as he turned back to Rick and Ardeth.

Rick and Ardeth were dumbstruck.

" Remember…O'Connell…and you, Medji…" Imhotep started. " Death is only the beginning, but forever may not be long enough for you're love." he finished.

Ardeth and Rick stared at Imhotep, in shock…Did he just give them advice…friendly advice…did he just save their lives?

Imhotep turned back to Kurai and placed his hand in front of him and began to chant. There was a great flash of light, and then a scream…then there was silence.

Rick and Ardeth looked to find both brothers were gone.

" What the hell just happened?" Rick asked still oblivious to what had happened.

" I do believe…our enemy, just saved our lives." Ardeth replied.

" But…" Rick started but was interrupted by movement behind him.

Both he and Ardeth looked.

" Mariana!" Ardeth yelled getting up and running to her.

" Ardeth…" she said weakly.

Rick had ran over to Evy…trying to tell himself she was alive…there was hope.

" Is…he gone?" she asked still weak.

" Yes, he is dead…you did well my love." Ardeth said holding her.

" Goo..d….where's Rick?" she asked worriedly.

" He is with Evelyn." Ardeth replied.

" I…I think I'm going to go to sleep now." Mariana said and closed her eyes.

" Mariana?!" Ardeth whispered. But he realized she had just passed out.

Meanwhile, Rick was bending over his wife. She hadn't moved…or said a word.

" Evy….please….co…me back!…don't…leave me please!…Alex needs you…I need you!!!" Rick said beginning to cry. " Please…come back!" Rick continued holding his wife's lifeless body in his arms.

Ardeth had walked over.

" Rick…is she…" Ardeth started, but got the answer by Rick's sad moans and yells for his wife.

" Why! Why did she do that? Why did they do that!" he asked Ardeth, looking up at him with tears in his eyes.

" They didn't want harm to come to us." Ardeth replied sadly.

" They knew…we didn't want them…I would have took their place…" Rick replied.

" We both would have my friend, but their hearts wouldn't allow it." Ardeth replied almost beginning to cry for the pain his dearest friend was in.

" Its not fair!!" Rick yelled, as the crying got worse.

" O'Connell, things might have been different if they had not known what was going to happen, they knew they couldn't prevent it, and they did." Ardeth replied.

" Ma…Mariana…is she…" Rick asked.

" She is fine…she's just passed out, but we should go back…we cant take a chance." Ardeth answered.

Rick, looked at his sister, then at his wife. He knew, he should take care of Mariana...there was nothing he could do for Evy…not at this very moment.

" Well….then…lets get out of here." Rick said in somewhat of an angry voice, as he picked Evy's body up in his arms.

" Right….O'Connell…" Ardeth started.

" Not now." Rick interrupted as he turned and headed outside.

Ardeth watched him sadly, then picked Mariana gently up in his arms as though not to wake her, then he followed.