They tied the O'Connells, Johnathan and Ardeth up, but only their hands.

'You shall bear witness to what shall take place,' Merisa told them as they walked to where the O'Connells had entered the ruins.

'I swear, if you even look at our son the wrong way…' threatened Rick.

'Relax, Mr. O'Connell.' Merisa smiled. Rick couldn't believe she had the gall. 'I just said that to scare you and make you comply with our wishes. It is not our nature to kill.'

'Could've fooled me.'

'You don't kill, so you bring back a supernatural being to do it for you?' said Evie in disbelief.

Merisa turned on her. 'How is that any different from you and your meddling that brought the Mummy back to life? Did you ever consider how many lives were wasted because of your stupidity? Do not dare try to guilt me.'

Evie fell silent. In a way, Merisa had hit the button. Many lives, people she didn't even know, were destroyed because she had awakened the Mummy. Though that could never happen again, she realised she had almost lost her son last time because she had read from a book, just a book.

They had stopped in front of where the entrance used to be. Merisa pointed the ankh at the ground. Lightning fell and hit the sand, which in the heat, became a glass floor. Through the glass, an altar could be seen. Merisa raised the ankh up and the earth shook. The altar rose and broke through the glass, sending shards everywhere. However,t he ankh created a shield which protected all of them.

'My friends,' said Ardeth softly, 'do you have any idea how to stop this?'

'None, whatsoever,' answered Johnathan confidently.

'Then I will try.'

Ardeth rushed the priestesses. He managed to knock a path through them as he headed for Merisa at the altar. But she could hear him coming. She whirled around and blasted him back with the power of the ankh. Alex went to him to check if he was alive. He was, just knocked out.

'You will not stop this, Medjai! It is time to finish what was started so long ago!' She placed the blade against her palm and sliced it open, then smeared her blood over the top of the altar. 'O blood of the living, give my goddess form.'

She placed the ankh on top of the bloody altar. 'O ankh of Ra, unlock what was lock, release what was capture, return what was lost, judge what is left!'

The dark clouds seemed to swirl above the altar and again, lightning struck. But this time, it was multiple strikes and all at the ankh. As the ankh began to crack, golden light streamed through and a faint roaring could be heard.

The chanting of the priestesses grew louder and louder. The wind howled and thunder cracked. It began to rain. The blood on the altar ran down the sides and the discoloured water pooled around the bottom.

Finally, the ankh smashed and scattered. The golden light was released and all covered their eyes from its searing intensity. When it faded, the turned to see the figure of a woman standing on the altar, but with discernable cat-like features. Her body was covered in fur, covered by a shorter version of the Egyptian dress she was frequently depicted in. Her feet were lion paws, her hands had claws and her face was a mix between a lion and a woman. To top it off, lion ears protruded through her hair.

All the priestesses bowed before the goddess. Johnathan instructed the O'Connell's to copy them, so as not to be too conspicuous from all the robed figures and become singled out with dire consequences.

The lioness goddess surveyed this scene and seemed to smile, before she roared in the dark:

'I AM SEKHMET, DAUGHTER OF RA, AND JUDGEMENT IS NIGH!'