Rick's bar hit something. "Stop!" He tapped the dirt again. There was a hollow thud. "Found it."
Ten minuets later, Rick and Alex dragged a box into the center of the room.
"How do we open it?" asked Alex.
Jonathan pulled out a slim dagger. "With skill!" He turned the box over and slid the knife into one of the edges. He worked his way around it, then turned the box over and gave the top a sharp tap. The bottom fell out.
Jonathan picked the box up again and set it to the side. Lying on the sand, was a book, bounded up with cloth.
Evy opened the cloth. In it lay a gold and black book.
"What does it?" asked Alex.
"Don't let Evy read it," muttered Jonathan.
Evy shoved her brother over into the sand and picked the book up. "I won't. there's not time but that's symbol of love on the front and the goddess that's on the edge is the goddess of love!"
Once they had turned and run out of the chamber, Ariela turned to Imhotep. "They found it."
"Now what must we do?"
"We go deep into the city of the dead, to the pool. There you must raise her. By her grave, where her mummy is."
"But her mummy was destroyed."
"That does not matter," said Ariela. She flipped off the statue and landed with a puff of dust on the floor. "That does not matter." She stopped and looked up at Imhotep. "But you almost must make a sacrifice."
Imhotep landed on the ground beside her. "What?"
"You must give up your life, to prove that your love for the Princess is great than life to you."
"What are you saying?"
"You must give up your wholeness, Imhotep. You can never be whole again. You will retain your human form. You will be no more than sand on wind."
Imhotep looked down at Ariela. "But you will be able to see me?"
"Yes. You will remain forever the guardian of Hamunaptra. And one day I will return, when you least expect it. I will come running through the remains of this once great city, calling your name."
Imhotep picked up a forgotten torch. "Than let us go." He turned and smiled at her. "For that is a good thought indeed."
"There they are!" called Alex. He ran forward.
This time Imhotep and Ariela where at the base of the ruins.
Alex picked his sister up and whirled her around. She was dressed in the gauzy white dress again and had flowers in her hair.
Amir came running.
"Amir," she whispered.
She ran to him and threw herself into his strong arms.
He crushed her to him. "I thought I had lost you." He looked at her. "I can't wait another moment. I love you," he said softly.
"And I love you," whispered Ariela. She touched his face. "But now's not the time for this."
"Ariela," said Imhotep. "Others await you."
Ariela looked over Amir's shoulder. "Daddy! Mama!"
Rick caught his daughter. "Oh Ariela."
"Do you have the book?" asked Ariela.
Evy handed it over.
"Come, we must hurry," said Ariela. She went back over to Imhotep.
He took her by the hand.
"We will meet you by the pools," called Ariela as she was lifted up and away in a swirl of sand. "You know the ones!"
"Come on," said Evy.
Ariela watched as long as she could bear, then she buried her face in Imhotep's shoulder to keep the sand from getting in her eyes and mouth.
Suddenly, they where on the ground again.
Ariela looked around.
"Come."
Imhotep lead her down a long passage of stairs. "I will show you something." he lead her through a long dark passage and into a sunlight room.
"Oh," breathed Ariela.
Gold was everywhere.
"The treasure of the dead," said Imhotep. "When my Princess is restored to me. You and your family and friends may take as much as you can carry." He placed his hand over his heart and bowed his head. "As a show of my gratitude."
"What if it doesn't work?" asked Ariela.
"I have faith in you, young Ariela. Unlike I have ever had faith in anyone before."
Ariela wandered through the ceiling high piles of gold. She came around a corner. And screamed.
Rick stopped. They where nearing the gold room. "What the…"
"Come on!" shouted Evy. She shoved Rick ahead.
They burst into the gold room.
"Do you…" began Jonathan.
Alex shoved him. "Where's Ariela?"
Imhotep was running from the other end of the room. "Ariela," he called.
They rounded a corner at the same time and stopped.
Ariela was staring down at a skeleton.
"Ug!" said Evy.
"Gross!" exclaimed Alex.
"He's still juicy," muttered Jonathan.
"Ariela, come here," said Imhotep. He looked at Rick. "That was your friend. Remember?"
"Beni," whispered Rick.
Ariela had backed up until Imhotep had caught her arm and tugged her away from the sight.
She regained her composure. "Come."