A/N: OK so this was going to be the last chapter but then... well you'll see. ;)
Chapter 40
Three days later, Lucius landed back on New Thundera, with him came the doctors who were looking at helping the injured ThunderCats. Lion-O greeted him and quickly brought him up to speed. The Lunatacs had been sent on their way. Whizz-Ra had returned to the spirit world and the announcement of Sahara's ascension to Leader of the ThunderCats had been made. Repairs continue to be done around the capital city and slowly but surely the population was returning for cleanup and getting their lives back on track.
"Forgive me my King but how did Mandora take the expulsion of the Lunatacs?" Lucius asked when they were safely out of earshot and inside their shared office.
"She was fine with it, it was telling the rest of the universe that has been tricky. Some have said we had no right. Others think our corner of the galaxy is better off without them. Either way the spells cannot be duplicated without Mumm-Rana, Sahara, and Whizz-Ra and I hardly believe all three will be seeing each other soon. So hopefully now life will slowly return to normal," the lion explained.
"What of Sahara's little predicament? With the Egyptian wizard gone, what has to be done?" The reptile asked.
"She must enter the Book of Omens, something he could not do, and have the Guardian separate them. It doesn't sound all that complicated but the Book has a way of making things complicated," Lion-O said. Lucius nodded and sat down at his desk, looking over the mounds of paperwork that had found their way to it.
"I see we're back to the paperwork," he chuckled.
"And it never looked better," the lion laughed. The two settled into their usual routine of shuffling papers, making sure New Thundera worked as it should.
"Are you sure about this?" Tyler asked as he and Sahara stood in the Antiquities Room, in front of the Book of Omens.
"We're out of options. Unless of course, you'd like to leave Mumm-Rana where she is. That way we'll always have a prying, peeping mummy in my head so she can watch us when we're busying doing things that no one should be watching," she pointed out.
"Well move along then," he gave a slight smile.
"On it," the litah smirked, leaned over, and gave him a peck on the cheek. Then she opened the Book and grabbed the Sword.
"Back in a flash," and just like that she was gone. Tyler swallowed hard and picked a place to sit on the floor.
"YOU HAVE COME BACK AS I KNEW YOU WOULD," the Guardian boomed.
"Well it isn't every day that you have a mummy stuck in your head," she dead-panned.
"YOU WANT HER TO GO BACK TO THE ASTRAL PLANE AND I WILL DO THAT BUT AS EVERYTHING HAS HAD BEFORE, THERE IS A PRICE," the Guardian told her.
"I have paid the price many times over don't you think?" Sahara asked.
"TO SEND SOMEONE TO THE ASTRAL PLANE, THE DOOR MUST BE OPENED. THE DOOR ONLY OPENS UPON THE DEATH OF SOMEONE WHO DESERVES A PLACE THERE," the Guardian continued.
"You expect me to kill someone so you can pull Mumm-Rana out and then close the door behind her? If that is the case, I will live with the burden," the litah shook her head.
"I AM AFRAID IT IS NOT SO SIMPLE. CONDEMNING MUMM-RANA'S SOUL TO ETERNAL UNREST WILL HAVE CONSEQUENCES BEYOND WHAT YOU CAN COMPREHEND. DEATH OR FACE ANIHILATION OF THE GALAXY," it said.
"Who will destroy the galaxy?" Sahara asked.
"THREE CENTURIES FROM NOW, A GREAT EVIL WILL ARISE. MUMM-RANA WILL BE NEEDED TO FIGHT THE BATTLE AND YOUR DECENDANTS WILL HAVE ALL PASSED ON. IF THE LAST OF YOU DIES WITHOUT FREEING MUMM-RANA, THE GALAXY WILL PERISH," the flaming eye told her.
"You know this?" The litah found it hard to believe.
"I AM ALL-SEEING AND ALL-KNOWING. NOW MAKE YOUR CHOICE. WHO SHALL DIE TO OPEN THE PORTAL?" The Guardian was losing his patience.
"I will. I cannot send anyone to their deaths. It is my burden to shoulder," she said.
"SO BE IT," with that the Guardian waited as a large man with a jackal's head stepped out of the shadows.
"Sahara, I am the Great God Anubis. Hand me the Sword of Omens," he said. She did as she was told and the jackal god took the mighty weapon in his hand and shoved the blade into her stomach. Pain shot through her and the world quickly went black.
To Be Continued…