Chapter 4

"Hal? Hally? I can't believe I am going to say this…Lady Halimahotep?"

"Yes my dear brother?" Hally chuckled. She had been awake all the time he called her, but she decided that she liked her real name even more now than ever. "Is there something I can do for you?"

"You can get your smart ass, ass out of bed." Alex chuckled and yanked the blanket off his sister.

"Why, if I were to tell Ardeth how you just spoke to me and how you referred to my derrière, I am sure he wouldn't be all too pleased." Hally giggled and sat up. Alex opened her case and pulled out an identical Kalasiris as the day before. Only, this had a blue Deco Revival with matching jewellery and slippers. And the front veil seemed to have a slight blue tint to it.

"I bet he wouldn't. He seems to be your second mom."

"I know. Now get out so I can get dressed. Or is my brother/bodyguard afraid that an ancient scarab will come up from the ground and bite me while you're not looking?"

"Don't kid about that. That has actually happened."

"Oh really…really?"

"I would get dressed quickly if I were you." Alex left the tent, snickering at how fast Hally groped at her clothes and dressed herself. This Kalasiris was longer than the others. It covered her blue slippers and delicate ankles, and there were transparent pieces of linen falling like the front veil over her shoulders and down to her hands. She saw a hole in the end of it and it looked like the ends were stitched together. She slipped her middle finger through it and found that it wasn't a broken piece of her veil; it was the design of the out fit and looked rather elegant, making her resemble an Egyptian goddess herself. She did the same with the other sash like piece and her other middle finger, and looked to the jewellery. Her head band was the same, but blue, and the same could be said about her wrist and ankle bands. She soon found that there was another set of bands. They rested quite nicely on her upper arms, just hugging both her biceps in between her elbows and her shoulders. There was also a blue box, hidden in the side of the case.

"Halimahotep!" that voice was undoubtedly her mother, so she took the box with her and left her tent. Hally was blinded for a moment, but her eyes soon adjusted to the harsh rays of the sun. "Oh Hally there you are. I can't believe how insistent Ardeth has become about us calling you Halimahotep." She muttered too quickly to not smile.

"Do not mutter dear, it isn't lady like." The impish grin that crept across her full lips made her mother smile.

"You may be a Priestess, but you are still my mischievous little girl now aren't you." She chuckled and lifted her daughter's chin. "I am proud of you. You know that right?"

"I do. And I will not let you or the great God Osiris down. Now, can the chosen one get a little breakfast or am I going on an empty stomach?" Evie chuckled and was glad to have her daughter back to her light hearted self again.

"The Chosen one will be fed. Does this mean you are alright about this whole situation?"

"Yes mother." Hally smiled sweetly and held her mother's hands. "I am ready to do my part. And it is just like Ardeth said. My Journey has been set, only the destination is uncertain. So the sooner I get going." She brought her mother's hands to her face and Evie cupped her cheeks. "The sooner I get there."

"You seem different." Evie stroked Hally's chin and watched as her deep blue eyes sparkled like never before.

"I am fine, better than fine. I feel wonderful. A little hungry…but wonderful all the same." Evie broke out into laughter and loved that her daughter had her humour back. "So just imagine how I'll feel after a good breakfast." Evie laughed again and held Hally's hand.

"Glad to have you back honey. Now, as for that breakfast…" Hally followed her mother (as she was being dragged, remember?) to another tent and saw a large table. Alex and Rick were already sat there with Ardeth, and there were two places left.

Evie sat in between Rick and Alex, and Hally sat between Alex and Ardeth.

"How are you feeling this morning Lady Halimahotep?"

"Much better thank you. Oh, I found something in my case that I meant to open." Hally placed the small blue box on the table and watched for Ardeth's reaction. "What's in the box?"

"Something that I knew you would discover. Are you ready for another story?"

"Do you mind if I eat and listen at the same time?" Hally licked her lips as a full tray of backed beans was placed before her.

"Then here we go. In the time of the Pharaohs, men and woman had different ranks among society. The Pharaoh was at the top and the Hebrew workers, or slaves, were at the bottom. If a man had a higher rank than a woman and he desired her, he had every right to claim her as his wife. Even if the woman objected."

"You mean, forced marriage?"

"Indeed. And the same was for a woman of high rank to a man below her."

"At least it wasn't sexist then." She filled her mouth with hot, wonderful beans as he continued.

"Well, the rules also applied to holy men and woman. If a male of high rank saw a beautiful Isis priestess, and wanted her, he could take her away from the temple and make her have his children. After a long hard petition, the Pharaoh and the High priests of all the temples, made a special clause for them. Every priest or priestess from any temple, would be issued a special signet ring. All of them would have a different symbol on them to determine which temple you served. And the only way for a person of the cloth to wed, is to exchange their rings willingly with another of the cloth. This worked for the Pharaoh as he could keep trace of which priests were in which temple, or if they got together. And it worked for the holy men and women as if you were a female, you were always a virgin to your God or Goddess and only the higher ranking woman had children. And if you were male, then you didn't want a wife to take you away from your worships until you were high enough in the social ladder."

"Good. I am glad they weren't forced into wedlock anymore."

"Indeed. So try and guess what is in the box."

"I am thinking one of those signet rings, right?"

"Yes." Ardeth opened the box and Hally's eyes almost fell into her beans. It was a thick, golden ring with a large chunky Sapphire on it. That rock was bigger than her knuckle! It was smooth and the precious stone was in the shape of an oval, with small incantations carved into the gold part of the ring. "Look underneath the stone." Hally gently lifted the ring, which was surprisingly light, and did as she was instructed. Carved into the gold plate holding the gem, was the outline of a man with a three piece crown holding a hooked cane, and a feathered cane. They were the tell tail signs of one God.

"Osiris."

"Yes. And you were privileged enough to have it blessed by him on your 18th birthday. Well, your first one."

"I forgot about my birthday. Including today I have 4 days left. Ardeth? What would happen if I lost it?"

"Then you better pray that no one ever brings it back to you."

"What? Why?"

"Because if they do, they have the right to your hand for finding the ring and taking the time to return it to you. And you can not refuse them."

"Oh…I will not lose it then." Hally chuckled nervously and finished her beans, marvelling at the ring, safely placed back in its box. She didn't know whether she wanted to put it on. It was hers, but that meant that the Med Jai must have taken it from her old mummified finger before it got to just being in this blue box. Oh come on Hally she told herself. What harm ever came of putting on a ring?

The cool gold metal lipped perfectly over the end of her ring finger, on her none marital hand, and fit flawlessly into place at the base of it. The Sapphire shone brightly in the sun and she discarded the box, no longer needing it. "My my, what a pretty little thing you are. And to think you can cause so much trouble. I will not lose you; I shall make sure of it."

"Halimahotep, it is time that we departed my Lady."

"Very well. Ready my horse Med Jai." She wafted her hand and dismissed him. What the? Her eyes grew wide as she realised what she just said. But Ardeth had gone. Hally looked to her speechless mother and father, (seeing that Alex had gone with him) and gulped. "Did I really just say that?"

"You must certainly did." Evie looked dumbfounded. "My ears must be playing tricks on me."

"I sounded like a snob, didn't I?"

"Sorry hun." Rick stood up and opened the tent flap. "I have lived around you women long enough, to know which questions, not to answer." Rick escaped and probably went to ready his horse.

"Come now sweetie, time to go. Are you sure you're ready for this?"

"Yes mother. I am. Osiris has blessed my mission and believes in my abilities. And so, so do I." Hally stood and her mother led her out the tent. They both had a quick drink of water before they left to the horse pen. It was an over night wooden fence that encircled the horses in the circle. It didn't look very sturdy, but it had served its purpose.

"My Lady." Hally turned to see Ardeth pulling her white horse towards her.

"Thank you Ardeth. And I am sorry about the way I spoke to you before. I don't know what came over me."

"No matter my Lady." He went to push her onto the saddle, but Hally swung her leg over one side and was mounted, ready to go before Ardeth could blink. "It appears, that old habits never die." He smiled and went to his own horse.

For the next few hours, they travelled further into Dendera and closer to Thebes. They were still too far away from Thebes to see the great city, but closer than a few hours ago.

Suddenly, Hally yanked her reins and her horse to a stop.

"Wait." She spoke, her eyes closed. Something had begun to tug at her mind and she felt dizzy. Seeing her slum on the saddle, Alex jumped to the floor quickly enough to catch her.

"Hal? Are you alright?" Alex ignored that he had called her Hal and laid her on the ground. She had fainted. "Hal? Hally! Halimahotep!"

"Hush brother…your voice is so loud that the Gods cringe."

"Thank God you are alright. What happened?"

"I took a swim in the Nile. What does it look like? I fainted, dummy." Alex pulled her up until she sat with her head in one hand and her other hand supporting her. "Anyone get the licence plate of that train?" she chuckled, still slightly dizzy.

"Are you alright? Do you want some water or."

"No. I want some sand."

"Stop kidding around Hal."

"I am not." Hally rose to her feet slowly and cupped a large pile of sand in her palms. "I really want some." She blew the sand hard and it twisted in the air. It then turned into a tornado and attacked the ground. The sandy earth split and cracked, sending the horses wild and scattering the entire caravan. The fierce wind whipped at her hair and kalasiris as it forced the very earth to split. People scattered and ran, covering their eyes from the spinning sand thrown off the tempest of wind. When the tornado vanished and the quaking finished, there was a steep tunnel going deep under ground. "Sand."

"How did you do that?"

"It was simple. I just focused on where I wanted to be and here I am. I felt that I was near of course and the rest just came to me." Everyone was staring at her with wide eyes. "What?"

"Honey, you are speaking ancient Egyptian."

"What?"

"Let me try it this way. You and now we are talking ancient Egyptian. You were earlier too; couldn't you understand what I said to you a moment ago?"

"No, it just sounded like babble. Am I really speaking another language?"

"Yes honey. I think you are getting more and more like your 'old self' by the day. You just did magic. Potent stuff from the looks of it."

"What are they saying?" Rick looked to Ardeth, who seemed to understand.

"My friend, you have lived with a family of linguists and have yet to understand Egyptian?"

"…I'm not good with other languages."

"They are simple conversing. It appears that Lady Halimahotep no longer speaks your language. Only Ancient Egyptian."

"Since when?"

"Since she embraced her past."

"Oh…right…"

"I am going."

"What? Down there! You can't!"

"I must." Hally held her mother's hands and held them close. "If I do not, then ho will I stop this evil from…"

"From what?" Evie turned to see what Hally was looking at. All the Med Jai were surrounded and had guns aimed at them from helicopters.

"Nobody move!" the helicopters landed and masses of armoured men ran with riffles at the ready. "Remain still or get your asses shot!" a tall man in expeditionary shorts and T shirt hopped out the helicopter with a huge grin on his face, and a gun in his hand.

"Allow me to introduce myself." His accent was a clear Australian and so were his alligator boots. "I am Danny Maguire. I will be taking owver this little discavery of yers. With great pleasha. Nice trick you pulled thare miss. What would be yer name mm?" his accent was not understandable at most, so now with no idea of clear English, Hally didn't understand one thing he said. But she did understand the venturous, shameful look in his eyes as they passed over her every curve. "A ralayshon of Clayapatra by any chance?"

"Who is this?" Hally asked her mother and Evie translated. "An Australian? How do you know?"

"His accent gives it away."

"What are you sayin girlie?"

"I am simple translating. Nothing more."

"She not understand what I'm sayin?"

"I fear not. She only speaks Egyptian." Evie nudged Hally towards the tunnel and nodded towards it. Hally broke out in a flat run as every Med Jai exploded into an uproar of swords and guns. Hally only heard the screams of her mother telling her not to look back as she ran down the tunnel. But she was not alone.

Danny Maguire followed her with two men before the tunnel closed after them. All three had enough arms to take on a small army. They were not afraid of getting out when the time came. But getting out, wasn't what they wanted.

"Get tha broad. Find the hawt. Get back here. I hav the boom sticks and will meet ya here when we all finish getting what we can. Gow!"

Hally had run down the first corridor on instinct. But in all there was a junction of three hallways she could have taken. So each Australian took one corridor and agreed to meet back in a few hours.

Hally's heart was racing, her blood boiling in her veins and her Kalasiris fanned out behind her as she ran. Her breaths were laboured and her legs ached for rest, but she would not stop. Not until she came to the end of the corridor. At the end, it opened up into a large, golden room with gold shields and spears on the walls. Glad of her best friend the Sceptre of Osiris, she unsheathed it from her arm band round her left bicep and twist the centre. It immediately shot out into a long staff, not a spear, and she held it tightly, wading deeper into the luxurious room. All the while she looked for any hieroglyphics to indicate where she was going or to watch out for booby traps. So far, they were all tales of Osiris and the past Pharaohs. Then she saw it. Running once more, Hally ran to the end of the room that opened up into a cavern. She wasn't in the Temple yet?

Running even harder, she ran out the room and the dark rock of the cave was so high, that the grand, forgotten Temple of Osiris was well protected from anything from the outside world.

"Here goes." Hally ran towards the temple and noted the multiple statues of lions, falcons and one large dragon at the very entrance to the Temple. All were tell tale signs to which God this temple served, Osiris.

At the entrance, was a large inscription over the door way. "This is the place of Worship. The home of the gateway and the path to the Heart of Osiris. All whom enter will perish by the mighty decree of the Lord Osiris himself. Only the Chosen one may enter and live. Only the Chosen one may enter the gateway and only the Chosen one may retrieve the Heart of the Mighty one. All those whom enter will die. This place is cursed." Hally rested her back against the entrance wall. "Sounds cheery." She sighed and tried to get her breath back…until.

"Oi! You!" Hally turned at once and saw the crude Australian from before. But if he was down here…then my parents are…

"You MONSTER!" Hally's eyes grew misty from tears as she held her staff tightly. If she did anything before she died, she would complete the task given to her, and ensure that this man pay for what he has done.

"Hello girlie. Quite a place ha? I heard two of my men yellin like thei saw death itself. I don't suppose they lived did thay?"

Not only could Hally not understand him, she could care less. She used the universal 'up yours' two fingers sign and ran further into the temple. "Darn." Danny ran up the temple steps and stood right were she had. He didn't understand a scratch of ancient texts, so he just ran straight in to his death.

Hally lay in wait around a pillar in the Hypostyle Hall and twisted the staff until it became a spear. The curse was right. He will die for coming in here…because I am going to kill him. She crouched low and brandished her weapon along the ground. As soon as Danny tripped over it, she launched ontop if his back and brought the spear, straight through his heart. She twisted it until the spear returned to a staff and stood over his motionless body. She had just killed a man, and yet she did not remorse. He got what he deserved and now, he will never get his hands on the Heart. And neither will anyone else.

Hally looked down the corridor and left Danny to rot on the floor. She only briefly used his shirt to clean her staff from his blood, before disappearing down the corridor. Torches lit instantly at each side of her as she walked down the corridor, silently. She had nothing to say nor anyone to say it to. So silence was just fine as she drove deeper into the complex. At the very back of the golden hall, was ironically, the Sanctuary. All the walls were ordained with Hieroglyphs of how to take care of the Osiris statue and Priest duties to him. And there were prayers and a large room within the room in the centre. There is where the God's statue would be kept.

Hally knelt before it and bowed her head.

"My Lord Osiris. What have I done? I have killed. I am not pure enough to be your chosen one now. I confess myself to you and hope that you punish me accordingly."

Hush child. You have not displeased me. In fact, I am very proud of your actions. In one day, you have regained some of your old wisdom and abilities, you have found this place, and you have brought a guilty man to justice. His soul will be destroyed by the devourer in the Hall of two truths, once his corrupt heart tips the scales of Anubis from the weight of his evil doings. You have done well, do not despair.

I will not kill again. Hally sniffled and got to her feet. I will not fail.

Then go to the gateway and walk down the path to my Heart Halimahotep. You will be rewarded for your services and your family will be returned to you upon completion.

You will bring them back! If you were here, and it permeable, I would kiss you right now!

I take the sentiment behind an action kindly. Now go Halimahotep. Go and keep your promise to me and your family, retrieve my Heart and prevent any evil from taking it.

My lord? I have removed the evil threat…haven't I?

Why Halimahotep, your test as only just begun!

A loud clap of thunder and a flash of a bright yellow light, and she was no longer in the sanctuary. Before her, was a large pool of water. From a brief inspection, it looked to be the sacred lake in which priests would have bathed before ceremonies. Yet the water seemed to be flowing in the centre. Hally drew closer and stepped onto the stair way that decent towards the water. The water spontaneously came to life and bright lights swirled with the clear liquid. It swirled like a whirlpool in the centre and separated to make a path for her, like the red sea did Moses. Holding her staff close to her, she walked down the steps slowly and gasped as her slipper like sandals felt the cool, marble floor of the large bath. She followed the path until she stood in the centre of the now enveloping whirlpool that cut off her exit, like it had never been there. At her feet, was a blue ring with Hieroglyphics around the inside of it. "Here lies the gateway to the Heart of Osiris." Hally turned on the spot and followed the writing. All the while, the whirlpool began spinning faster and faster, as if it was hearing the spoken words and was being spurred on by them. "Follow the path of the days of Old." She turned again and the whirlpool secretly made a watery roof over her, only magic stopping it from engulfing her. "Follow your heart and find two. I the Chosen one speak these words and vow to save two hearts from destruction. I will follow the path laid before me by my God Osiris and will not return until the task is done." Hally smiled, glad to have finished the inscription…wait… "Two hearts? Who said anything about there being two?" but her thoughts were cut short as the whirlpool of water, crashed down on her and taking her breath from her. Bright lights, rushing water. All seemed to grope at her body, and she could have sworn that she felt hands groping at her too. Until she did.