DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl or any of the characters included in the package. I do like to play with them and often end up giving them back worse for the wear. (Especially Captain Jack Sparrow!) ;

CLAIMER: I do, however, own the plot of this story and all my OC therein. Some stay around, some don't. That's life, ne?

Part 18: Uncertain Conclusions

Blood flowed freely down Jack's chin and each time he coughed with exertion blood spatter stained the sand at his feet. The once tan-colored battlefield was now crimson from blood involuntarily contributed by each man.

The fight had started quickly, magical energy coming from one man and wounding the other, only to be returned. Almost an hour had passed and both men were showing signs of tiring.

The two circled each other dangerously like two cats on the prowl. Judging by looks Jack had taken the worst of the hits as blood covered his tan skin. Wounds had been inflicted by means all but mortal, draining both his physical and mental strength.

However Dozell was tiring fast as well. He had lost less blood but the strain he had put on himself from using his ancient powers was making itself known.

'I must end this now,' Dozell thought darkly to himself. He knew his powers could not hold out much longer without a respite. Gathering a good portion of his remaining strength he sent an orb of transparent energy toward Jack. The older was far too weak and exhausted to dodge and even if he were strong enough, the impact came too fast. Jack was hit in the chest and received a bruised gash before falling to the ground and remaining there, unmoving.

The group watching gasped in horror as Jack made no move to escape even as Dozell stepped forward with a fistful of conjured purple fire.

"Jack! Get up!" Ana's scream carried across the sandy dunes but had no effect on the one it was meant for.

A dark grin twisted Dozell's otherwise handsome features and the fire surrounding his hand disappeared. With a flick of his wrist he conjured a coil of rope which he fashioned into a lasso. He slipped the loop around Jack's ankles. "Sorry brother," he growled, spitting out the word as if it were poison, "but Egypt cannot have two princes."

"Ye bloody coward! Let 'im go!" Ana screamed as Dozell began dragging Jack's unresponsive body across the pale grit leaving a trail of packed, bloodied sand. She drew her pistol on impulse, thumbed back the hammer and pulled the trigger.

The echo from the shot was heard by all but the bullet bounced off Dozell's back without leaving so much as scratch, having been deflected by a shield of energy.

"No, let him go!" Chelsea begged, watching in horror as Dozell drew a knife with a jagged, rusty blade from his boot.

"Sorry ladies but survival of the fittest. I've been waiting far too long for him to pay." Dozell turned for the pyramid. Just because his brother had to die did not mean that his bones had to be left to bleach on the sands of their homeland. As a citizen of Egypt it was his responsibility to see that the 'pharaoh' got a proper burial.

"Pay fer wha'?!"

Dozell looked over his shoulder with a hard gaze. "For taking my throne and making my life miserable. Father liked him simply because he was older. As was the custom of our people, the oldest inherits everything. Of course, on the event of his death," he nodded toward Jack, "it all falls to me." He twirled the knife with a sinister grin.

"Why do you even care?! Look around you; this kingdom is long dead. Why shed innocent blood over protecting it?" Chelsea argued.

"You're wrong, my dear. By asserting my claim over both the Black Stone and the throne I will have the power to revive this nation and bring it back to power. Which reminds me…" He leaned down and ripped the cord holding the black opal roughly from around Jack's neck before fixing the tie around his own neck. "And now there's only one thing left to do." Dozell took up dragging Jack toward the pyramid once more and the collective group could only watch in confused horror.

Ana staggered to her feet and watched with a frightened gaze as Dozell twirled the rusty blade about his fingers as he nonchalantly dragged Jack across the sand. Tears began to form at the corners of her eyes but she refused to let them fall. She had lost Jack thrice now. She didn't want to lose him again.

Soon Dozell and Jack had disappeared into the pyramid, hidden in the shadows within.

- - - - -

"Do you see? Even with the pharaoh in control your weak mortal has managed to ruin things! The kingdom is lost!"

"Just wait a moment, Anaia. Don't count Jack Sparrow out just yet."

"What makes you so sure he can do anything?"

"Just trust me. You may be surprised."

- - - - -

A single shot rang across the sand. Will, Chelsea, and Ana looked to the ground in defeat.

It was really over.

Jack was dead.

Ana slowly dropped to her knees in disbelief, numbed by the unregistered fact of Jack's death. "He's…gone…"

Will's head shot up suddenly as a thought occurred to him. "Not necessarily. Dozell was only armed with a knife. Not a gun."

The three exchanged quick glances before rising and dashing into the pyramid. All of them were unprepared for what they found.

Jack and Dozell stood locked in tight combat, each with a knife in hand. Jack's pistol lay on the floor, its one shot used. Blood ran thickly from a bullet would in Dozell's side and Jack had a long cut on the left side of his face. From the looks of it Jack had the advantage.

The small group watched as Jack pulled back and dashed forward again, cleanly slicing Dozell's arm and getting no mark in return. Jack then stepped back once more and raised an arm using his ancient power to throw the younger to the ground and make his weapon go skittering out of reach. Jack stepped forward slowly and kicked Dozell in the ribs.

Hard gray eyes glared down at the man struggling to draw himself up and away from his reincarnate brother. The tip of a Jack's knife imbedded itself in the stone mere inches from Dozell's head.

"Jack, what're you doin'?! He tried t' kill you; kill him!" Ana called out, anger at his odd actions tingeing her voice.

"I cannot."

"What?!"

"Even though he is my enemy he is also my brother. I cannot stain the sands of our homeland with his blood without destroying a part of myself." Even as he spoke, Jack reached down and ripped the cord holding the Black Stone from Dozell's neck and secured it in his fist. "We must return her."

Will, Chelsea, and Ana followed Jack in silence down the maze of corridors until they found themselves before the chink. Jack dropped to all fours and crawled along, followed closely by the others. They turned sharply, which threw the others off a bit and continued until they entered the Treasure's chamber. They remained silent as Jack walked over to the ornate pedestal and reverently placed the Black Stone on the lush pillow. As he paused to stare at it he seemed to grow weaker; his shoulders sagged and his legs began to tremble as if they would give out at any minute.

The hiss of metal flying through the air and then the thunk of it landing in flesh shattered the silence.

[a/n: Please review.]