Perry – Hey, sorry I've taken a while to finally get this up. In truth it'd probably be a longer wait but a lot of rather tragic things have happened around us at the moment. I've been looking for a way out and I had this story to do so I've written. Anyway, it's worked and I've been trying to come up with these scenes of how to start the first chapter; I just hope that I've got all of the characters in character. If there is something that doesn't seem right just tell me in your review please. -hint hint-

Mangoskin93: Thanks for the review. I'm glad that you thought the original prologue had the doom and gloom feel, I just fear I have lost that feel in the updated prologue and more than likely in this chapter too. I'm sorry if it has. It's hard because doom and gloom hasn't really started in this chapter. Thanks again!

Gianni Lee: Thanks for your review too! I hope I've still got your attention, because as I've said before I think it might have lost it. Hopefully it hasn't, but I fear it has. I hope that the updated prologue is up to the old one's standard, hopefully better, but I'm a realist so I doubt it. I do hope that you like this chapter and the new prologue though. Thank you again!

Cursed

Chapter One

At the age of just 20 years, Professor William E. Dawson was the youngest recognized Egyptologist expert of his era. The only child of two highly regarded Egyptologists themselves, Dawson had been on between 15 and 20 digs before he was even 10, and able to read Hieroglyphics at the tender age of 14.

He was a tall man, weedy even, neither ugly nor exceptionally handsome: pale skinned, blue eyed, red haired. Fair even. English, never with a tan, he was one of the typical English, cursed with the ability to go from white to lobster red in minutes.

His eyes were watery blue, the very pale color you will often see the sea take on a hot summer's day. They were wide, inexperienced eyes, innocent, round. With eyes like that it was difficult to believe that he was a young man, not a child. It was not the eyes themselves that gave that impression, but rather the way he would use them, the complete and utter awe at seeing something so simple and yet so new that would light up his eyes, making them sparkle with joy like a young child does on Christmas Day.

Thick fiery hair sat on top of his head, tidily swept to one side and not a hair out of place. The red hair contrasted his personality immensely. Dawson was a mild-mannered man, meek almost, quiet, hard to anger, the complete opposite of a stereo-typical red-head. So when it was that he walking into the Cairo museum, Evelyn O'Connell had no trouble whatsoever in distinguishing him.

"Hello, I was lead to believe that you were expecting me." He politely addressed her before promptly introducing himself. "I am Professor William Dawson, maybe you've heard of me?" He held out a hand friendly.

"Professor Dawson? It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Evelyn O'Connell." Evy replied as she stood, taking his hand. "Yes, I was told that you were here hoping to research something, maybe if you tell me then I might be able to help?" Dawson smiled timidly.

"Er… yes. I think perhaps we could go somewhere else a little less crowded?" He asked as he gestured with a hand at the crowded room.

"Yes we could go to the Museum library, you will be wanting to use the books soon I imagine."

"I say Alex, what do you think to this?" Alex looked over to his uncle; a curious expression decorated his face, to see him holding a small golden amulet in the center of his palm.

"I think that dad will kill you if you've spent all the money on that." Alex replied picking it up curiously, inspecting it carefully. "How much did you pay for it anyway Uncle John?"

"I found it, some unlucky chap ran by and dropped it right in front of me." Jonathon replied off-handedly. "What do you think it's made of?"

"Gold." Alex replied instantly. "Definitely ancient Egyptian, I've never seen anything like it before, but I doubt it's of any importance. Probably just a neckalace that some rich Egyptain woman had made for her. Somebody dropped it in front of you? Are you sure?"

Now 15, Alex had grown up a lot over the 7 years since he had an ancient Egyptian bracelet stuck on his wrist, been kidnapped by an undead mummy and his really creepy girlfriend, dragged on a wild goose chase around Egypt, and brought his mum back from the dead. He hadn't had anything nearly as exciting happen to him since though.

"Yes I'm sure." Jonathon answered defensively taking the amulet back from his nephew quickly as said nephew looked at him disbelievingly.

It was only then that Alex realized that they had been walking down the street while they spoke, and now he was in an area of Cairo he did not know.

"Uncle John? Do you know where we are exactly?" Whatever reply Jonathon had was not to be heard though as a black cloaked figure ran straight into him, knocking both he and the person to the floor. The figure was up in a matter of seconds disappearing swiftly down a nearby alley, melting into the shadows.

"I say! He took my necklace!"

"No. Those books were of no use to me either!" Dawson was heard to be exclaiming to Evy and Rick (who had found them in the Library at some point and had been since unable to leave politely, much to his chagrin) later after he had searched the Library. "There's a time period, before Seti, where nothing is recorded. No Pharaoh, no tombs, no records, absolutely nothing. I want to find out why."

"Are you sure? I mean could it not be that it's so far back that they did not record anything?" Rick suggested off-handedly and Dawson looked at him in exasperation.

"There are things documented from before that time, pharaohs and hieroglyphics and things like that. And of cause there are pharaohs after, but there's absolutely nothing between them." Dawson explained as though talking to someone younger, earning him a glare from Rick. But Dawson was in his element, deeply involved in his speech, and so did not notice. There would be no stopping him now, until he was done. "I believe that someone intentionally took those records and destroyed them. It had to be someone from that time, and they must have had a reason to do so. I want to prove my theory and find out that reason."

"It's in my experience, Dawson, that some things are better left well alone. There are some very nasty things down there under the sand." Rick suggested not so subtly, remembering his own experiences with undead mummies.

"Do not be ridiculous Mr. O'Connell, surely you do not believe in all these curses that the locals make up-"

"We do not make them up." A heavily accented voice interrupted causing the two Egyptologists and the American to spin around in shock revealing a black clad woman standing directly behind them.

The woman was obviously one of Egyptian origins. Her eyes were almond shaped, ringed with kohl, intensifying her natural exotic look that many Egyptians possessed. They were close but just not quite mysterious, the color of pure chocolate, so dark that finding the pupils in them was difficult unless one looked closely. They looked out warningly from a mocha skinned face with delicate features. Her eyebrows elegantly sat dark against the white of her eyes. Her lips were full and only a few shades lighter than the rest of her face.

Thick, midnight hair cascaded in loose curls down her back, ending at her waist as it danced slowly in the wind. The aura of experience and knowledge hung around her, as did danger and a sense of awareness, and yet somehow this did not scare either of the O'Connells. They had felt this before. It was the same aura associated with their Med-Jai friend Ardeth. In all the 17 years they had known him, he never lowered his guard; he had always been alert. Although, as they usually only saw him when there was a crisis that might have had something to do with it.

The woman was wearing the traditional robes, long and black, leaving almost nothing to be seen of her except her face. Although even through the baggy and vague clothing it was obvious that she was a short woman, petite. Small, slender and slight.

"I beg your pardon miss, but surely you do not believe all of the rumors and legends that revolve around your people."

"I believe them because I have seen their affects and even in action. My people themselves are legend." The Arabic woman answered plainly. "And if you are as smart as you think you to be, you will take my warnings serious, or the consequences will be beyond anything you have every thought of." Her eyes shifted from the Professor to Rick. "I believe you know what I mean O'Connell?" Her duty done, the woman disappeared, her figure becoming vague and blurred as gradually it melted into the shadows surrounding her.

"Well, they certainly are strange here, are they not Mrs. O'Connell?" Dawson inquired shaking his head in disbelief as she just looked after the woman confused. "Did you know her Mr. O'Connell? She seemed to know you."

"No." Rick snapped.

"She reminded me of an old friend though." Evy interrupted, attempting to smooth the bluntness of Rick's tone.

"Maybe it was your old friend and she has just changed a lot?"

"I sincerely hope that he has not changed that much." Rick chuckled at the image of a female Ardeth Bay.

Dark eyes watched over the sea of gold with a watchful and protective look. It was no good. His power was weakening, and with it the seal. His chains were weakening too, the amulet found, and the duty almost forgotten. It was not looking good.

The worst thing was that he was completely helpless to do anything, to help them, to prevent this. He could only hope that his people were able to prevent the oncoming storm before it reached the stage that he was enabled to step in himself. By that time however, he knew that the chain would have started and nothing would stop the beginning of the end.

He knew it would be useless once he was released. Even the creature paled in comparison. This would end in the destruction of either mankind or his charge.

The irony was not lost on him, he had spent his entire life not knowing what it was that he must do, and now he knew he was powerless to do it.

If only he could warn them of what he could foretell would happen.

"It has begun."