Disclaimer: I own nothing except OC's
Inside the pyramid, Imhotep had just walked into one of the chamber and started to walk down the stairs. He was outraged at Anck-su-namun for killing his wife's reincarnation. He had already planned to bring Tia back in her body but now he would have to use more power so that he could separate the two from each other.
Anck-su-namun on the other hand followed Imhotep with a smug smirk on her lips. She had finally been able to kill the woman like she'd wanted to 3,000 years ago. And as long as Imhotep didn't get his hands on the black book (which she held firmly in her own) she would be able to seduce her way into his heart once again.
Imhotep had just finished walking down the stairs, standing on the Scorpion Kings seal. Immediately the two Anubis statues standing side by side shot out black smoke at the man making him scream in pain and for Anck-su-namun to back away in terror. After the smoke had disappeared Imhotep kneeled over to catch his breath, feeling disorientated. He had only felt that pain once before and terror ran through him as the realisation struck.
He quickly tried to use his powers on the nearby bench filled with goblets and plates but only succeeded in making it rattle a little. He tried again as desperation ran through him receiving the same results.
"The great god Anubis ... has taken my powers. It seems he wishes me to fight ... as a mortal". Imhotep muttered to himself being heard by Anck-su-namun who looked around with wide terrified eyes.
~*Break*~
Rick hugged his son to him, holding him tightly as Jonathan kneeled by his sister, just sitting there watching her peaceful face as if she may jump up at anytime and claim it was all a joke. Although he knew better as he knew Katharine would never do anything like that to the people who loved her, especially Alex and Rick. Jonathan looked over at the man who was holding his son to see him looking at Katharine's body with an empty look in his eyes making Jonathan shiver and turn away.
Rick pulled away from his son as anger and determination washed over him. He had to stop Imhotep from waking up the Scorpion King and kill Anck-su-namun for what she had done to his wife.
"Stay here" Rick ordered him receiving a small teary eyed nod in return. Standing up he took on last look at his beautiful wife just laying there before heading into the pyramid.
~*Break*~
Rick was walking through the pyramid, torch in hand when the walls suddenly turned gold making him whirl back in astonishment. He had to wonder if this is how Kat felt when she had her visions. Rick had cried all the tears he had over his wife and the only thing he had now that was keeping him going forward was Alex and revenge on Imhotep and his un-dead mistress.
~*Break*~
Outside Jonathan and Alex backed away from the pyramid as a loud noise resounded from inside it and as shadow descended over the landed before moving away. As they both had their back turned neither saw the shadow of a scorpion make its way up the pyramid before disappearing.
Jonathan and Alex relaxed and sat back down once the shadow's had disappeared. Jonathan watched as Alex started to cry again as they sat across from Katharine. The sight of her so quiet and so still made Jonathan look away from her and nudge his grieving nephew.
"Try to think of it like this, Alex. She's gone to a better place. You know, like it says in the good book". Jonathan tried to calmly say with his throat clogged up. Of course it was hard to think like that as all that was going through his head was that his little sister was gone.
"The book"! Jonathan hadn't noticed Alex's head pop up at the mention of the book until the boy had spoken.
"What"? Jonathan asked his nephew, very much confused.
"That's it. Come on, Uncle Jon"! Alex exclaimed excitedly as he pulled his Uncle to his feet. He knew how to save his Mum and it had to work. It had to! "Come on! Come! That's it! The book"!
"What"? Jonathan repeated as he was pulled to his feet by the 8 year old.
~*Break*~
Rick walked into a room where he heard a man grunting and groaning, slowly looking around the corner, glaring when he saw Hafez. He walked into the room which had an enormous statue of a scorpion at the end of it, smirking when he realised Hafez's hand was stuck inside the statue.
"You're too late, O'Connell. I have released the Army of Anubis. Lord Imhotep shall soon kill the Scorpion King and take command". Hafez boasted with a smirk not noticing the empty, hollow and angry look on the man's face.
"Not after I get through with him". Rick growled as he picked up one of the nearby statues battle axe. He quickly turned around when he heard Hafez screaming from behind him. Expecting an attack he was confused when nothing was there and yet Hafez continued to scream, his arm being pulled into the statue further as if someone or something were pulling on it.
Rick watched with a grim satisfaction as the man pulled his hand out of the statue only for nothing to be left except the raw bone. Walking away with a sadistic smirk on his face he left the man to face his pain on his own.
~*Break*~
Imhotep walked up to the entrance of the chamber, determinedly. Powers or no powers he was going to kill the Scorpion King and take control of his army so that when he brought his wife back nothing would ever be able to harm her again.
"I must now face the Scorpion King". Imhotep spoke as he threw off his robe while Anck-su-namun look at him in confusion. He didn't have his powers anymore so why would he risk his life.
"No. You must not. Without your powers he will kill you". Anck-su-namun protested as she pointed to the doorway, ignoring the glare Imhotep sent her way.
"It is my destiny. Nothing will stop me". Imhotep yelled at the woman as he snatched the Book of the Dead from her hand and held it up in front of him. Anger crossed Anck-su-namun's face as she realised that he meant to bring his wife back after he had defeated the Scorpion King.
"NO"! Anck-su-namun yelled as she threw the book down on a nearby rock. "I don't want to lose you again". She begged of the man as she held his face in her hands. She had to try and stop him from bringing Tia back even if that meant doing the one thing she hated, begging. She went to kiss him only to be roughly pushed back.
"I was never yours". Imhotep growled before running into the chamber, leaving Anck-su-namun screeching in rage behind him.
~*Break*~
"You realize, of course, that this can only be done by someone who can actually read ancient Egyptian. I don't know about you, but I'm a tad rusty". Jonathan told his nephew as they walked down the corridors of the temple with Katharine being carried in Jonathan's arms. Alex had told Jonathan his plan to save his Mum with the black book, Jonathan had been a little cautious about the idea (seeing as what happened last time hey messed around with that thing) but he was willing to try anything to bring his sister back.
"Now where"? Jonathan asked himself as he looked from left to right before Alex suddenly spoke.
"We go right".
"How do you know"? Jonathan asked when he heard the knowing tone in his young nephew's voice. Alex merely pointed at the wall with his torch.
"Kasheesh Osirian Nye". Alex spoke as he pointed to the words on the wall before translating them into English for his Uncle. "Basically, this way to Scorpion King".
"Mum taught me". Alex finished sadly as he looked at his Mum lying in his Uncle's arms before taking off down the hall.
"This just might work". Jonathan mumbled, happily as he watched his nephew walk off down the hall proudly before following him.
~*Break*~
Anck-su-namun stood still as she looked down the corridor Imhotep had just ran into half an hour ago when she heard a cough from behind her. Turning around she saw the brother of Tia's reincarnation, making her scoff in disbelief.
"It's time someone taught you a lesson, wench. Come on" Jonathan goaded the woman making her roll her eyes and slowly walk down to the meek man, not noticing Alex sneak up from behind her and grab the black book.
"This is for my sister". Jonathan snarled at the woman, his hands up in a fighting stance. Anck-su-namun rolled her eyes before leaping forward and scratching the man across the cheek with her nails.
"OW"!
~*Break*~
Rick was walking towards the chamber where a large gong was sounding from, a glare on his face just knowing it was Imhotep. The firelight danced across his face as the flickered away in the room. He entered the chamber to see statues of Anubis and Scorpions spread throughout with gaps in the floor that fire burst from. He looked around the room, quickly catching sight of Imhotep, glaring at the man; Rick silently made his way towards him.
Rick hurled himself over the gap in the floor, nearly yelping when he saw the disfigured features of humans reach up for him. He landed on the edge of the floor and nearly fell back into the pit when a loud roar echoed throughout the chamber making the ground shake like an earthquake. Rick gained his balance and started to bring his axe down onto Imhotep only for the attack to be blacked at the last minute with Imhoteps staff.
Both struggled with each other for a moment before their weapons flew out of their hands and into the pit. Rick quickly jumped forward slugging the man across the face, getting the shock of his life when Imhotep stumbled back slightly before wiping the blood away from his mouth.
"So you wish to kill me? And then you would kill him ... and send his Army back to the Underworld. Claiming Tia all for yourself yet again Perseus. This I cannot allow". Imhotep growled as he calmed himself before getting into the fighting stance. Perseus would not have his Tia this time. Rick heard the words Tia and Perseus and knew Imhotep was referring to Katharine in one way or another making Rick growl.
Imhotep roared before Rick leaped forward to punch the man again only for his attack to be blocked and be backhand across the face before he was punched in the gut. Imhotep kept backhanding Rick and kicking him across the face before pushing him up against one of the statues by his throat.
~*Break*~
"Is that all you've got"? Jonathan goaded after Anck-su-namun had pushed him backwards. The woman smirked before she scratched the man in the face again and again making him squint in pain before blindly leaping forward and punching the woman across the face.
Jonathan smiled giddily for a moment wishing Katharine and Evy had been there to see that before getting serious again, watching as the woman moved to one of the nearby statues, grabbing a pair of Sais making Jonathan look around with wide eyes before grabbing his gold stick to defend himself with.
"Hurry up, Alex"! Jonathan yelled to his nephew knowing he wouldn't be able to keep this up much longer.
"Hootash naraba oos Veesloo. Ahm kum Ra. Ahm kum Dei". Alex chanted the spell as he sat next to his mother. Anck-su-namun made her way to stop the boy before Jonathan leaped forward leaving Anck-su-namun no choice but to turn around and fight.
~*Break*~
Rick flew across the room as Imhotep kicked him away making Rick groan at the fact that the Mummy may still have a bit of his supernatural juice left inside of him. Rick quickly got his bearings rushing forward and punching the man repeatedly in the face before whacking him in the back then the stomach making Imhotep groan and bend over slightly in pain. Rick quickly ran over to one of the Anubis statues to grab the battle axes giving Imhotep the chance to grab his own weapon.
Imhotep swung towards Rick with his double sided axe as Rick used his weapons to block each coming blow before he was able to turn the tables on the man making Imhotep have to block his blows until Imhotep used one side of his axe to lift himself off of the ground and kicking Rick in the chest making him fall back into one of the fire stands, spilling fire and oil around the floor. As much as both men were fighting to stop the other it also became a fight for Tia/Katharine.
~*Break*~
"Efday Shokran ... Efday Shokran ..." Alex shook his head in frustration. He couldn't remember the last and final symbol. "Uncle Jon, I don't know what this last symbol is"!
"What's it look like"? Jonathan asked as he blocked each of Anck-su-namun's swings.
"It's a bird! A stork". Alex yelled out to his uncle as he made flapping notions with his arm. Jonathan quickly whacked Anck-su-namun over the face making one of her Sais go flying as Jonathan smiled.
"I know that one! I know that one"! Jonathan exclaimed excitedly as a wave of Déjà vu came over him. Anck-su-namun used his distraction to jump up and wrap her hand around his neck, her Sai raised above her head, prepared to strike.
"Then what is it"? Alex yelled in frustration, sounding just like his mother. Jonathan pushed Anck-su-namun away from him letting him catch his breath.
"Ahmenophus"! Jonathan yelled with his arms raised letting Anck-su-namun wrap her hand around his neck again, pushing him back into one of the statues.
"That's it"! Alex exclaimed in excitement. "Efday Shokran Ahmenophus"! Finishing the enchantment Alex watched in shock as his Mum's form started to glow gold. His eyes widening in shock.
~*Break*~
Imhotep blocked the axe that was coming down towards him letting Rick swing his other axe up into the man's weapon, breaking it in half. Imhotep stumbled back with the force of it as Rick leapt towards him. They both started to block the other's attack before another loud roar echoed throughout the chamber this time much louder and much closer as it once again made the room shake, making both men stumble away from each other.
~*Break*~
Jonathan gasped in pain when Anck-su-namun slashed him across the chest with her weapon making him back away into the nearby statue. Anck-su-namun smirked as she raised her hand to stab her Sai through the man's heart.
Only for a hand to reach out and stop her.
"Why don't you try to kill someone other than my family for a change"? Katharine snarled at the woman making Anck-su-namun's eyes widened in disbelief as she was shoved away from Jonathan.
"Oh my God, Katie"! Jonathan exclaimed in happiness as he looked at his sister with a huge smile, getting a small smile back.
"Take Alex. Go and help Rick". Katharine ordered her brother as she shoved him over to her son while keeping an eye on the evil woman in front of her.
"But Mum ..." Alex argued as Uncle Jon wrapped his arms around him and started to pull him away.
"No buts Alex". Katharine interrupted as she walked over to the statue near her and grabbed the Sais. "I'll be just fine
"We did it Uncle Jon. We did it"! Alex exclaimed happily as Jonathan started to pull Alex down the tunnel.
"Right, partner. Now let's go help your dad".
~*Break*~
Imhotep and Rick had just slammed their weapons against each other's and were pushing the other forward making them come to a complete stand still as both men were equal in strength. They were growling and glaring at each other hatefully when the doors beside them started to open, distracting them quite efficiently.
Rick watched with wide eyes as the doors opened wide, revealing a dark figure clinging to the ceiling. The legs started to unfold before it lifted its head up and growled as it started to lower itself to the ground. Both Imhotep and Rick looked at each other before detaching their weapons and running in the opposite direction of each other.
The Scorpion King came out from the darkened room and into the light where Rick nearly choked on his own spit when he saw the thing. It was part man and part scorpion except the scorpion part of its body was larger than a horse. Both men backed away slowly with their weapons held in front of them in a defensive position as the Scorpion King walked towards them both.
Imhotep jumped across to a small platform, throwing his weapons down the pit, quickly as he knelt just as the Scorpion King reached him.
"I am your servant! I am your servant! Imhotep bowed to the half man half scorpion who looked him over.
"We shall see". The Scorpion King scoffed distrustfully. Rick watched on not understanding a word the two were saying as he had never picked up on ancient Egyptian like his wife and son had. Imhotep hid a smirk as he looked over at Perseus, a plan coming to him.
"But he was sent to kill you". Imhotep told it as he pointed over to Perseus who looked at him blankly before Imhotep once again lowered his head. Rick watched as the Scorpion King turned to him with a glare. Understanding hit him at what had just happened when the Scorpion King started after him making Imhotep smirk. Tia could not blame him if the Scorpion King did away with Perseus and then he could be there to comfort and love her as he should have 3,000 years ago.
Rick threw his axes at the thing as he backed away as fast as he could but they merely bounced off of him. Rick ducked as the Scorpion King came after him as he tried to find some way to beat this thing.
~*Break*~
Katharine and Anck-su-namun circled each other as they surveyed the other. While they did this Anck-su-namun noticed a certain glint in the woman's eyes that she had only ever seen once before in her life.
"Tia". Anck-su-namun stated as she looked at the woman who only smirked and shook her head.
"No, my name is Katharine just like it's always been". Katharine denied smirking as a confused look crossed Anck-su-namun. "But you see, aren't Tia and I one and the same, Anck-su-namun"?
Anck-su-namun's eyes widened as she looked at the woman in front of her. It was still Katharine O'Connell but it was also Tia. When that child had brought his mother back to life as he had no skill in the process of the enchantments he'd ended up binding both Katharine and Tia together as one.
"Can the same be said for you? Is the young Meela anywhere inside there"? Katharine asked the woman. She was still herself but she had all of Tia's memories and skills. It was hard to explain but it was like she was Katharine and Tia at the same time. Anck-su-namun growled at the woman, not answering knowing she'd forced Meela to kill herself so she could take over the body. But here was Tia yet again, acting nobler than she could ever be by letting her reincarnation be the one in control.
"You always were a jealous one, weren't you"? Katharine goaded as she continued to smirk as she watched the anger build on Anck-su-namun's face "Especially when it came to me. My father loved Nefertiri and I more than he ever loved you. I had the man you desired more than anything ... but only for his power". Anck-su-namun growled at the memories Tia continued to bring up.
"So you tied to destroy my life. Just because I was lucky enough to have a great life". Katharine continued as she ignored the woman who had started to smirk.
"But you didn't. You see, I didn't expect you to keep an eye on me as you deservingly rotted away in the underworld ... so you wouldn't know ..." Katharine trailed off as Anck-su-namun's smirk fell from her lips.
"I remarried ... to Perseus and I had a wonderful life but you? Where did everything you did to try and destroy my life get you"? Katharine asked as she finally stopped circling the woman, twirling her Sais as she got ready.
Anck-su-namun merely screamed at Tia before leaping forward and lunging at her. Katharine immediately blocked the attack that she had seen coming, calmly blocking the angered woman's attack, who got one up on her as Katharine tried to kick her legs out from underneath her. Anck-su-namun smirked as she pushed Tia into the nearby wall making her grunt.
"You have remembered the old way". Anck-su-namun commented as she smirked only for her head to go flying back when Katharine head butted her.
"That's a little something new"! Katharine smirked before kicking the woman in the face and elbowing her in the stomach making her bend over in pain. Katharine quickly twirled around as she swung the Sai toward Anck-su-namun.
Anck-su-namun lifted her head up as she looked at Tia with outrage on her face.
"Oh I'm sorry did I scar that pretty face". Katharine taunted using the words that Anck-su-namun had 3,000 years ago during their last fight. Anck-su-namun huffed before throwing her weapon to the side and running away from the woman into the scorpion chamber. Katharine hot on her heals.
~*Break*~
Rick ran past Hafez who was still shivering and whimpering from having had his hand chewed off. The Scorpion King stopped in front of Hafez giving Rick enough time to hide away as he tried to think of plan. Rick winced when he heard the dying screams of Hafez. As much as he hated them man that was most definitely a painful way to go. Rick backed up to the wall behind him as he caught his breath, looking to the side before he had to do a double take at what he saw.
His tattoo on the man's arm and he was holding a stick exactly like Jonathan's.
Rick quickly ripped his leather cuff of as he compared the two tattoos before he backed away and looked at wall with wide eyes. The pictures showed a man lift the stick up and extend it into a spear before throwing it at the Scorpion King, killing it.
Perseus stood in a crowd of people as he watched Seti lead his best friend and the woman he loved down an aisle to where Imhotep stood waiting for her. He watched with pain eyed and a fake smile as Tia married Imhotep. When the two were pronounced husband and wife and were allowed to kill he let himself release a tear that he had been holding back the whole ceremony.
He'd lost her before he had even had the chance to tell her he was in love with her.
~*VISION-Break*~
Perseus now stood with the Medjai as he watched Tia walked down another isle but this time by herself and with a sombre expression on her face not the smile that he so loved to see on her. He watched as she knelt down in front of the priest who made her vow to protect, nourish and love the people of this land like her father did before her. Once she had sworn to always do so the priest laid the intricately designed circlet on top of her head before she stood to face the crowd.
Perseus let another tear fall one of pride and sadness as he wished that her father and sister had been here to see this.
~*VISION-Break*~
A few years after Imhotep and Anck-su-namuns betrayal saw Perseus and Tia closer than ever. There were even a few bets going about the palace as to when the two would finally tell each other of their long hidden feelings.
It was night as Tia and Perseus walked about the castle just talking like they usually did before Tia swooped forward and kissed him. Perseus's eyes flew wide open wanting to kiss her back more than anything but instead he made the most painful decision ever and pushed her away.
"You should not have done that my lady". Perseus mumbled before starting to walk away only to be pulled back by Tia.
"Perseus". Tia mumbled confused as she laid a hand on his cheek making Perseus lean into it.
"I have loved you for most of our lives and I can't do this when you're still in love with Imhotep. I have more respect for myself and for you then that". Perseus mumbled in answer to her unspoken question only to receive a watery chuckle in reply. He looked up to see his best friend and his queen smiling softly at him.
"Perseus there will always be a part of me that will love Imhotep and I will always feel the sting of his betrayal but do you know why Imhotep hated you so much"? Tia asked as Perseus shook his head. He hadn't known why the man had hated him and despite the feeling being completely mutual, he had the one thing that Perseus had wanted for so long. That was why he had been so outraged when the man had betrayed her in the worst possible way ... with Anck-su-namun no less.
"Because before we were married he tried to make me choose between you and him". Tia answered making Perseus all the more confused. "I told him if he loved me as much as he said he did he'd accept my friends and that meant you more than anyone".
"Perseus, he hated you because he knew given the choice ... I will always choose you". Tia smiled as she caressed his cheek, Perseus's eyes widening as a smile started to lighten up his face before he leaned forward and kissed her.
As the two stood there and kissed they didn't notice the passing servants exchanging their pay.
~*VISION-Break*~
Perseus now stood at the end of the aisle as he waited for his bride to join him. Since he had been teen he had only dreamed about the day he would finally be able to call Tia his wife never did he actually believe that it could or would happen.
His breath caught when he saw her walking towards him. She had elected to walk herself down the aisle saying there was only one man she had ever wanted to do that but he was gone. Unlike the public affair that Imhotep and Tia's wedding had been the two of them had decided to keep this personal and among their closest friend.
When the priest announced them as husband and wife he smiled at Tia before pulling her to him and dipping her backwards, kissing her as he made a mental promise to himself to never hurt her like Imhotep had done. But he knew he never would anyway ...he couldn't.
Rick gasped as his sight came back to him finally understanding how Evy and Katharine had felt when they had their visions. Everything Kat had told him he now knew was the truth, not that he'd doubted her, but now he'd seen it with his own two eyes.
Katharine looked exactly like Tia and he looked like Tia's second husband Perseus.
"Okay, now I'm a believer".
AN: Hey guys hope you liked this chapter and Rick's flashbacks of Perseus. I really wanted to give you a feel of just how much Perseus and Tia had loved each other and how their lives had been in this story as they won't be mentioned much if at all in the last and final story.
Last chapter of Year of the Scorpions will be up tomorrow. That thought actually makes me a little sad :'(