A/N: I'm back! A little "Het Huis Anubis" mixed in for ya! And if you know the plot of season 2 of HHA, then you know where I'm heading with these next few chaps! If not, sit back and enjoy the story.

And on that note, anything you recognized from this world goes rightfully and respectively to their original owners.

The Mark of Death

There was a silence that fell upon the Anubis kids, as Amneris gave the new information. Mara was descendant of Amneris' bloodline? So what did that mean for Nina?

"Wait!" Nina shouted. "What do you mean I'm 'Anubis's Chosen One?'"

Amneris smiled. "There's a reason only you could truly see and hear Sarah, Nina. Think about who Anubis is the god of, child.

"Children, Anubis is one of the gods next to Osiris that is closest to death. And death involves spirits and ghosts, ghosts like myself and Sarah. Nina only you could truly use the locket of Sarah and restore the Cup, but not to the full extent, nor unlock its true power," Amneris said, her tone ending sadly.

"Eh?" Amber questioned. "What does that mean for Nina, then? Does that means she not, like, super powerful with that gorgeous locket?"

Everybody turned to stare at the blonde-girl in amazement. Amber, however, wasn't trying analyze the situation.

"So does that mean only, Mara do that? Only Mara fully, you know, like, totally, make the Cup of Ankh powerful again, or something like that?"

Amneris smiled and her eyes brightened. All while Amber was saying this, the Anubis kids were looking at her in shock and dazed. Even Fabian seemed stumped at what Amneris was saying, which was a lot.

Jerome turned his head from Amber to Amneris, who was gleaming with joy and power. "Is this true?" he asked. "Is she right? Please tell me she's not!"

WHACK!

"OW!" He yelled and turned and saw Mara glaring at him. She turned away from him and smiled at Amber, but she had a confused look flashing in her brown eyes.

"Amber, how did come up with that?" Joy asked.

"I find it helpful if I think like Mara, but only for a second, 'cause then I find it disturbing," Amber responded.

Mara smiled. "Glad I could- wait! Disturbing?" She snapped, her eyes flashing red with anger.

"Yeah, I began see myself transforming into you and I freak out, and freaking out cause wrinkles. That is so not good."

Mara glowered, and stared down Amber as she continued to talk about wrinkles. Then Amber faltered.

"Sorry," she murmured.

Mara nodded.

"Well," Patricia started, "that was-"

"Cool!" Alfie sang. "Not to you, Amber, but sweet!"

"Uh, Alfie, how is that sweet?" Fabian and Nina said at the same time. They looked at each other and blushed.

"Well, see-"

"Alfie, shut up," growled Amber, uncharacteristically.

"Shutting it!"

Amneris looked on in total amusement. They argued, yet were friends and family. Something Zeno, Raven, and that cursed ghost Senkarah, did not truly/fully understood. There was so much love (romantic and friendship) in the air, Amneris' undead heart swelled with happiness. Then there was a sudden pang. She never truly got to fully experience this love. She had it all-a husband and a son. But that cursed woman took that away from her. Her love died untimely and her son was claimed by the Cursed One, and she herself died later than her love, but still so young. Died of broken heart.

Amneris then looked over at at the Anubis kids. Patricia and Joy were silently talking in the hallway now. Amneris knew the young dark-haired girl was fantasizing over another resident named Mick and Patricia, although rolling her eyes, supported her best friend. Such a strong one indeed. She turned to Amber and Alfie. Amber needed Alfie, Amneris noted. Not that Amber entirely knew it, of course. And Alfie needed Amber to knock him with some common sense. Ironic considering, Amber was oblivious to almost anything common unless their live depended on it. It made her chuckle.

Fabian and Nina were amazing. They were truly in love. Such love radiated off of them. No matter how many fights they had, the love was strong enough to get through the most toughest of challenges. And Nina was the glue that held everyone together, even if no one else realized it. But something was missing between them. Rather, there was something that was too much. They depended on each other too much. And when the time came, that would either be their rising hand or their downfall.

Amneris then looked at her descendant and Jerome. Whether Mara knew, they were meant for each other. The Lady of the Past saw what other did not. Jerome loved Mara to the fullest. It wasn't an obsession or a crush, as people of today called it. Jerome needed Mara to help him. His eyes showed the emotion he physically did not. Mara was his strength, that much Amneris knew. And Mara needed Jerome. They were opposites, yet completely balanced each other out. Amneris was reminded so much of her long dead lover, who she missed and for some odd reason saw in Jerome. Amneris just hoped that their undiscovered love for each other (in Mara's case, however) will save each other in the end. And maybe, just maybe, the Power of the Cup could be restored.

The Sibunas, Joy, and Mara rejoined, still confused about Amneris' admittance of Mara being her descendant.

"I still don't understand," Patricia said. "What can Mara do?"

Amneris responded, "Mara can restore the Cup." She said as if that explained everything. "There's a new mystery beginning, children. A mystery that could help or destroy you. First, you must restore the Cup as Sarah wanted. But beware the Raven. He will stop at nothing to get you, Mara Jeffrey. And you, too, Nina Martin. Also beware the Cursed One. She is looking for you Mara. She wants the true Chosen Ones for herself. Zeno will return. Be careful.

"Secondly, once you've restored to the Cup- are you listening? This is important- find the Tear of Isis. But a warning; new enemies will rise and old ones will fall and rise. They will stop and nothing to get to you. All of you. Especially you, Mara. As my descendant you are in the most danger. Beware of betrayal. Trust a few. Trust no one else. Not everything is as it seems, dears.

"However, the Cup is your goal. Trust each other. Let friendship be the shining key to unlock doors. If your friendship is strong and your love for one other (here all of the Anubis kids blushed), no enemy can stop you. I must take my leave. The Eye will guide you. The challenges ahead will be arduous, scary, perilous, and test your friendship and limits.

"There will be time when the challenge seems like a lost cause, but if your willing to stand for all and all for one, the tasks will be easy. If you lose sight of this, the quest will be your doom and death. Once you enter the door, there is no turning back. You must complete the tasks fully and correctly. The Frobisher-Smythes did not make the tasks easy. Fight. Only when the 7 tasks are completed, can the Cup be truly restored. However, a time limit. You have until the sunrise on eighth day to restore the Cup. Only one with a pure heart can find the Chamber of Love and in turn the Tear of Isis.

"So now, I take my leave. I wish all of you good luck. Friendship and love share a cord. Don't break it. Go for it. Don't give up. I will see you, hopefully, in the Antechamber. Good-bye, my dears, and best of wishes," Amneris concluded, shimmering into a gold outline and flashing away into the sound of wind chimes.

The Eye of Horus shined and the wall behind them opened again. The hallway was dark and smelled of fear, or maybe that was just them. Mara, Joy, and the Sibunas looked apprehensive; all were scared that this might be the last time all of them would see Anubis House.

"Who's ready?" Nina asked.

Everyone looked at each other.

"Are you sure, Nina?" Mara questioned.

"No, but if it means help Sarah, I'm in. So who else is in?"

One by one hands rose. Amber and Alfie were hesitant than Fabian's, Joy's, and Patricia's. Jerome rose is hand slowly then shot it back down, to only be called, "Coward!" by Patricia. Jerome rose his hand halfway up. Nina took it, and she turned to Mara.

Mara wasn't sure. Her life was a risk! More so than the others. Even more than Nina! Mara then locked eyes with the Sibuna leader and felt a spark of determination. But when she the blue eyes of Jerome, her determination faded. She felt as she would be sick. Jerome's eyes were pleading her not to do this quest. Yet, there was support in those eyes, saying he would support her with either of those choices. She felt a fire light inside her and the spark of determination returned full force. For some reason, she was happy that Jerome would support her no mater what. His opinion mattered more than others' own.

She rose her hand fully. "I'll do it."

Nina smiled and put her right hand over her right eye and said, "Sibuna?"

The others smiled and repeated the action. "Sibuna!"

The Anubis kids gathered supplies, entered the forbidding hallway, and the wall shut, closing them off the last remaining safe hold of the House of Anubis.

In the dark corners of the school hid three figures. Two covered in all black clothes, one waring a bird mask and the third was much different.

The third was transparent, dressed in a linen dress and covered in gold, caramel-color skin, and long raven hair. However, unlike Amneris who had a warm presence, this one was colder, and had a much paler outline. Her brown eyes were sparking with anger and hatred.

"Fools!" she hissed at the two men, her tone bitter, icy-cold, and raw with anger. "You waited too long! They've entered the path."

The Raven stuttered. "My Lady, I'm sorry. We did not-"

"Silence! You disobeyed my orders!"

"How so?" Zeno challenged.

"ARGH!" The pale lady yelled. "By being fools and not listening to me in the first place. You arrogant, petty, pesky, human males decided to do things your own way. Now we're behind the idiot children, the Descendant of Amneris, and the Chosen of Anubis."

"Shut up!" Rufus roared. "We can't exactly enter the house, can we? Stupid. Lady, my-"

"WHAT?"

The Raven murmured a curse and Zeno stared wide-eyed at the Ghost Lady.

She hissed, "Fools! You have been fools! And now, you shall pay the price. You have until eighth day at sunrise to bring me the Descendant of Amneris and the Cup. Bring them and you will be rewarded. Don't and you will pay."

She rose her hands and they shone with magic. The turned into a bright, white light and Ghost Lady held out her palms toward the two men, with the palms facing up toward the sky. She then turned her left had into the position where her palm now face the two men. The light pulsed and the men flew back. The Ghost Lady turned her head in sick amusement. The men were panicking and backing away in terror. She then in turn did the same for her right hand. Another pulse of light and magic. The men flew back. She laughed harshly.

She walked closer to the men, who now had nowhere to go. Her eyes lite up in amusement and the men became her toys. She whispered, harshly, "I warned you, did I not?"

Her hand shined again and shot out towards them and the Ghost Woman place her hand their arms and their arms turned to white light.

"I warned you! Now pay!"

There was an unearthly scream. The white light receded. The Ghost Lady backed away from her work as the men looked at her in fear.

"Bring me the Descendant of Amneris, the Chosen of Anubis, and the Cup. If you do, you will be rewarded," the Ghost Lady reminded them. "Don't and you pay. The price? Your life!" She laughed. "Go! And bring me what I asked or suffer a most horrible death."

The maniacal ghost woman faded with dark clouds coming over her and was gone. The men looked at each other. They then looked down and saw a black tattoo. A jackal head.

"The Mark of Anubis," the Raven whispered.

Zeno nodded. He was silent. He then whispered:

"The Mark of Death..."

A/N: What did you think? Like? No like? Neutral? CC? Leave it in a review. And like me on Facebook under Anubis-Eye of Horus!

See you next time!

~Anubis-Eye of Horus