The two cautiously entered the tomb. The walls were carved as a giant dome. The room was lite by light that mimicked soft, blue moonlight from a shaft that seemed to reach all the way up through the Throat of the World. In the center sat a semi dome altar decorated with emblems of Akatosh covering it. A large statue of Akatosh in his dragon form loomed over the altar.
"There it is. The heart of stone, the altar of Akatosh." Indy approached the stone carefully and inspected it. An the top of the dome was a divot carved for a key to fit. The key, the gauntlet. Indy pulled the decorative gauntlet from his satchel and secured it on his hand, the dark green metal reached up this his elbow. He looked at the altar, then checked out the room, then finally looked back towards Tava. The moonlight played well on her caramel skin. The honed thief was showing a hint of shy regret. Her eyes staring at the ground, pushing the dust and gravel around with the tip of her boot. Trying to think what to say, Indy started to scratch the back of his head, but the heavy gauntlet prevented that. "This has been one Hell of an adventure." Indy muttered out. Tava's eyes sharply pointed towards the bumbling professor. He could feel those emerald greens stabbing at his soul. "Listen. I've enjoyed experiencing this new culture, this whole new world. You were a good guide and a loyal partner." Her eyes burnt deeper,
"Just a guide and partner?" she asked smugly. Indy cracked his half smile,
"Among other things. But I've got to get back to my life, my 'plain of existence'. I've people back there waiting for me. Work to be done." Indy dribbled out his reasons for leaving. Tava's eyes simmered down.
"In my line of work friends and allies are hard to come by. There is no honor among thieves. Living alone in the shadows." Tears started to collect in her eyes. Indy caught her in a comforting hug, the best he could think to do on the fly. Her head stay against his shoulder for several long seconds. She finally pushed back and stood there staring at Indy. "Go, you need to get back and I've got work to catch up on." she ordered him through sad breaths. Indy started his approach to the altar and turned back again one last time.
"You have my watch again, don't you?" he asked through a forced smile. Tava sheepishly smiled back and started to dig for it in her pocket. Indy raised his hand, "Don't. Keep an eye on it for me." Tava had found the watch and fiddled it between her fingers,
"This one will go in my private collection." Indy turned back to the stone and inspected the keyhole closer. He fit the gauntlet down into latch until the metal clanked against stone. Rays of white light blasted from the altar dome and traveled over the room up through the celling shaft. As noise filled the chamber and the rift started to open a monstrous roar erupted. Indy yelled to Tava over the noises,
"What was that?"
"I don't know, sounded like it came from the mountain's peak." Tava replied frantically. Before Indy could reply, the white light overtook him and blinded him. He felt weak and finally passed out.
Indy woke up later laying on a cold stone floor. He looked around, picked his hat up off the stone. A familiar cold had returned to the air. He stood up an realized he was in a stone room.
"Did it work?" Indy believed he was still in the Medieval world. The gauntlet was gone from his hand. "It had to have worked." Indy wandered out of the stone room and into another one. "Wait." This room looked familiar to Indy, "This was the foyer of that castle ruin at the Sweden dig. I'm in my dig site." Indy's voice was elated, "I'm back! I made it back!" He ran through the ruins to the edge of the dig where his camp was, "HEY! Jimmy! Anyone up there?" The archaeologist's screams attracted some lowly diggers at the topside camp. They looked over and scurried to get a ladder down to the lost professor. They came back with a ladder and Indy ascended out of the site. He started trudging across the Swedish snow.
"Indy? Where the Hell have you been? I've spent the last week out in the woods trying to find you!" the familiar voice of Jimmy echoed across the camp from his tent. Indy waved him off, he could catch up with Jimmy later. He was just glad to be back in Sweden, back on Earth, but he could use a break from his crazy adventures. Take some time for himself to lay down in his tent. Indy pulled his tent flap back and closed it behind him. As Indy hung his jacket up on a hook he realized he wasn't alone in his personal tent. He turned to see someone sitting on his cot reading a book. He pulled out his Smith & Wesson from it's holster.
"Who are you?" The figure pulled their nose from the book to reveal a beautiful woman, flowing black hair covering green eyes. The tan vest over her white blouse and knee high hiking boots suggested she was a fellow archaeologist. She looked at Indy,
"Sorry. Talia Montesomer. I was exploring a possible historical site located in this region." she couldn't hide the Spanish accent in her voice. "Me and my dig team came across what I assume to be your site. Wanted to know if I could make this a joint venture. That oafish American told me to wait for you." Indy sat down at his desk. He kicked his feet up on the rail of his cot as he listened to the story.
"Sounds like Jimmy. You want to help me dig up this castle? You need class credit or something?" Indy joked at her.
"Dr. Jones. I am one of the leading professionals in the field of archaeology where I'm from." The Latina in her voice started to boil up.
"Easy, doll. You and your crew can help us out." Indy chuckled. Talia replied with many thank yous, Indy silenced her with her hand. Talia turned back to her research notes while Indy got comfortable. He started to doze off to sleep then something caught his eye. From Talia's vest hung the chain of an antique pocket watch. Indy cracked a happy half smile and tipped his fedora down over his eyes.
