Oblivion of Stardust

AN: Hi, everyone; this will, first and foremost, be a love story between Imhotep and Ancksunamun. I need to get the logistics out of the way to set up the framework for my story! I promise it'll be lovey-dovey and romantic. Just hold out! Please leave reviews! That would be amazing!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story from The Mummy (1999) except for my OCs.

Here are some terms to know:

Apep: The God of chaos and destruction. He was a 120-meter-long serpent who chased the dead through the underworld, trying to eat their Soul. He was also said to be the reason for solar eclipses.

Anubis: The jackal-headed God who was the conductor of souls. He would judge of the pure of heart in the Temple of Two Truths. He was the original lord of the underworld. He is said to have created mummification to resurrect Osiris when he was killed by his brother Set (or Seth).

Duat: The Ancient Egyptian underworld.

Horus: Falcon-headed God of the sky. Child of Isis and Osiris.

Isis: Goddess of healing, protection, and magic. She was the sister-wife of Osiris and the mother of Horus.

Ma'at: Goddess of truth, justice, balance, and order. Ma'at was also a group of laws that the Ancient Egyptian people followed to salvation.

Set(h): The God of war, chaos, and storms. He was the brother of Isis and Osiris and was to blame for the death of Osiris. His punishment was to guard Ra as he made his way through the underworld each night against Apep.

Temple of Two Truths:. The golden hall where Anubis took the deceased' heart and weighed it against a feather of truth. The dead would be taken to meet Osiris if the heart was pure. If the feather was heavier, their heart was eaten by a demon, and the Soul ceased to exist forever.

Osiris: Egypt's first pharaoh (according to myths) and the God of the world. Once Set killed him, he became the God of the Underworld.

Ra: The God of the Sun, the other gods, and the father of creation. He rode his boat across the sky each day, lighting up the world. At night he traversed the dangerous underworld, attacked by monsters and Apep. Set guarded him.

"O people of the earth, men and women born and made of the elements. But with the spirit of the Divine within you, rise from your sleep of ignorance! Be sober and thoughtful. Realize that your home is not on the earth but in the Light. Why have you delivered yourselves unto death, having power to partake of immortality?"
― Muata Ashby, Ancient Egyptian Proverbs

There was nothing but pain and darkness. The scarabs had long since feasted upon his flesh. Extracting his life force, using it as their own until they had perished. Imhotep was aware of the oppressive darkness closing in on him from all four sides. But there was something strange about it.

Imhotep lay there in the suffocating stillness. His body was a strange juxtaposition of hot anger and cold sorrow. He didn't know how long he lay there before he was engulfed in a brilliant white light. Using what was left of his arms, he shielded his eyes. How can that be? I don't have eyes anymore, Imhotep thought, grimacing at the sudden brightness. Without warning, the sarcophagus fell from beneath him, and he screamed in terror. I thought my torment was to be undead in my tomb for all time?

Imhotep fell for what seemed an eternity; everything was a piercing white. As his back hit the ground with a thud, it knocked the wind from him. How am I still having all these feelings of living? He groaned internally, lying on the cold ground. Imhotep realized that the bleak darkness surrounded him once again. Forcing himself into a sitting position, he tried to understand what was happening. The ground beneath him felt cold, but it burned his skin where he touched it. He peered into the darkness that lay before him. The air around him seemed to sparkle, challenging him to see what lay beyond it.

The powerful anger inside his no longer beating heart dampened for a moment as anxiety took hold. Where am I? This can't be right, he thought, placing his hand on his head without thinking. Skin touched skin, and as it did, a growl sounded from the darkness. Imhotep froze in place, not daring to make a sound.

Thousands of eyes began to appear, one by one, and the sparkles in the air began to take shape. Each pair of eyes was a different size and color. Some were bloodshot and cold. Others were dopey and lolled in their sockets. Most were hungry. The feeling of anxiety grew within Imhotep's chest. A strange fluttering began as his heart struggled to pound back to life. He scrambled to his feet, the sand beneath his toes spraying in all directions. His black robe spun around him as he tried to get his bearings. The eyes seemed to be waiting for something. Imhotep searched, desperate, for a source of light, anything indicating an exit. As if by magic, a golden door appeared in the distance, materializing out of thin air before his eyes.

The creatures around him began to growl now, a low sound at first, which steadily rose to a loud hum. They seemed to be conversing amongst themselves. Imhotep listened closer. He could almost make out their words, but not quite. They were speaking a language that sounded ancient. As the humming around him grew louder, Imhotep took a step forward, and the noises stopped. The eyes disappeared. The air felt thick with tension. Imhotep took another step forward, the fear threatening to choke him. The golden door in the distance beckoned him, and he broke into a run as fast as he could.

His breath came out in ragged gasps. Imhotep ran as fast as his feet could carry him as he felt the sensation of the hot breath at his heel. The stench of blood permeated his nostrils. The pain of being eaten alive came back now in full force. He could feel rivers of blood running over his skin. His muscles and bones began to waste away and crumble. All he focused on was getting to the golden door in front of him. But no matter how fast he ran, the door seemed to get further and further away from him.

Imhotep cried out. "Please! I'll do anything! Anything!" But all that came out was a chaotic mash of letters as his decaying body began to slow down and fail him. Imhotep fell to the sand then, begging, "Please. I need to see her again." Imhotep wept, crumpling into the sand. "Do whatever you wish with me, but I would do anything to see her again. Just once…"

The hungry creatures had caught up with him, but Imhotep did not care. He lay there, his body oozing out onto the sand beneath him. They began to eat what was left of him. He felt every tooth mark and bone crunch between their teeth. This time he did not scream as he had done with the scarabs. He was too tired to do anything. When they had finished, they each sighed in pleasure, licking their lips. Dissipating one by one into the sparkling darkness, they faded from existence. All but one disappeared. Whispering in the old language, the soul bowed at Imhotep, "Thank you for the delicious meal." Before it, too, vanished into the darkness.

Imhotep's body was obliterated, but he slowly felt his life force begin to regenerate. There had been no answer to his pleas. He dragged himself to the stone steps of the golden door. It now stayed in one place, resigned that Imhotep had lost his battle. Laying there on the cold stone, the golden light from behind the door glowed through the cracks. It was enough to tempt Imhotep inside. He pulled himself up with the ornate handle of the door, and his heart sputtered back to life once more.

Pushing the door open, he stepped into a long room that seemed to span eons. Imhotep looked around at the stone floor. Covered in ancient writings, the words were too old and worn for him to make any sense of. A long red carpet went down the middle of the long hallway, its edges shaggy and trimmed in gold. He looked to his right to see heavy red curtains held back with gold rope. They opened the way to a black abyss spanning the entire left side. Tall limestone pillars separated the curtains. In the darkness, Imhotep could make out nothing more of what lay within. As he stepped forward, torches on the walls began to ignite the further he walked. There were paintings on the right wall depicting the evils done by humanity. Imhotep stared at them, trying to make sense of the images before him. He walked further down the hallway. Each step became more and more painful the further he walked, as if he were walking on knives. The pain became almost unbearable, but Imhotep pressed on, taking in the images before him.

Many of the images displayed the creation of the universe. Depictions of the Gods and Goddesses getting into cosmic battles traversed the surface. He stopped in front of a mural of Osiris and Isis. He looked at the rich details of their painted story and felt his heart beat faster. Osiris, killed by his brother Seth, was chopped up, and his body spread all over Egypt. Isis, distraught, found each part of her husband. She begged Anubis to put Osiris back together, but it was too late. He could no longer live amongst the living. Osiris descended to the Underworld and took over as ruler from Anubis. Imhotep smiled. Isis had been so devoted to her husband that she had gone to the ends of the earth to resurrect him. Their love was greater than all of the wealth of Egypt. Imhotep's smile faltered at that, Ancksunamun. He fell back against the wall and slid to the floor, ignoring the excruciating pain that came with it.

The scent of Myrrh and Frankincense washed over him then. Imhotep could almost feel her presence if he imagined it hard enough. Her soft spiced skin, her voluptuous body, and the way it perfectly fit into his hands. He could feel the gentle curve of her neck as she reached up to kiss him. Her soft pouty lips inviting him in for a taste of her honey. Imhotep groaned in agony. Tears sprang to his eyes as he sat on the floor, his eyes reflecting the fire from the torches. This time they were not lit up with anger, though. He felt nothing but soul-crushing loneliness and anguish.

A flash of color caught his eye, distracting him from the painful memories. He blinked in the dimness and rubbed at his eyes. He swore he had seen movement behind one of the curtains at the far end of the hall. Standing up, he began making his way across the room, his eyes plastered on the curtains. He heard a soft giggle from behind him. Imhotep spun around, his chest heaving. But there was nothing there. Turning around, Imhotep began his agonizing journey toward the end of the hallway. Each step felt like shards of glass. The pain was not confined to his feet anymore; the further he walked, the more the pain traveled up his legs. He kept going, his eyes honed in on the curtain at the furthest point of the room he could see. There it was! A flash of silky black hair adorned with gold swayed as the figure turned partway to look at him. Ancksunamun? His heart began to beat harder in anticipation. He walked faster. "Wait!" he tried to call out, but the words jumbled again, his mouth failing him.

"Ancksunamun!" Imhotep cried out.

The figure's face turned back to look at him, and the room stretched forever. The sweet scent of lotus, myrrh, and frankincense permeated his senses. Now the apparition ahead was walking in the middle of the blood-red rug. The face obscured, he heard the words in his mind, almost taunting him, Imhotep, my love, be with me!

"Ancksunamun!" Imhotep cried out, his words an unintelligible garble. "Please! I want nothing more! Wait for me, my love, stop!"

The figure began to move faster away from him, taunting him, laughing at him. He quickened his pace, the feeling of knives in his feet had now traveled up to his torso. His breath came out in gasps, but the woman ahead continued to elude him. She ran faster and faster and began to fade in and out of view, almost like a vision. The smell of spices grew more robust, and all of a sudden, she stopped. Her back to him, her head hanging low, her body appeared almost limp. Imhotep caught up to her finally and reached out for her.

"Ancksunamun, it is me! Do not be afraid." Imhotep murmured as he went to cradle her in his arms. He was half-crazed with the desire to be near her and hardly noticed the growing pain in his body. When he reached out to touch her, something seemed off about her.

Her hair hung limp around her sallow face, and her skin was gray. Imhotep grabbed her, pulling her into his arms, and as he did, the pain in his torso inched toward his heart. His breath was coming out in heaving gasps now, his forehead slick with sweat. His eyes leaked tears, but he disregarded them. "My love, it is okay. We are together now. Seti is dead. There is nothing to be afraid of here. I will protect you from anything." He murmured, brushing the hair back from her face.

As he spoke the words of love, knives pierced his heart, the pain unbearable. Imhotep almost crumpled to the ground, but not from the physical pain. Looking down at the woman in his arms, the face…there was nothing there. It was an empty abyss of the sparkling stardust he had encountered in the room prior. Imhotep gaped at the sight before him. He had been so convinced it was her.

The abyss where her face should have been emitted colors, almost like a flame. They flickered back and forth. A tendril of concentrated light began to emerge from the black hole, slowly at first. Imhotep stared in fear, unsure of what he was seeing. The tendril grew bigger, beginning to take shape. A small serpent began to appear. Imhotep hastily dropped the body he was holding and backed up, his eyes pinned on the sight before him. The snake started to grow in size. Its skin was red, mottled with black, yellow, and orange scales, which glinted in the torchlight. It unfurled on itself, and bright green eyes stared back at Imhotep, reaching the crevices of his soul. The serpent grinned, its mouth black and gaping. Long white fangs slid down, dripping with poison.

"Imhotep, my friend, you have finally decided to grace me with your presence." The serpent said with sarcastic glee.

Imhotep stared at the green-eyed God, not knowing how to answer. Frozen to the spot, his back hung off the edge of the dark abyss.

"It is an honor to meet a servant of Osiris down here in my humble dwelling," the snake said, slithering closer. "Don't look so afraid, Imhotep. You and I are just getting acquainted." His eyes glinted brighter. They no longer glowed from the torches but shone from an unholy source within.

"Apep," Imhotep managed to say, though the word was almost unintelligible. The word hung in the air before the great serpent stopped his gradual advancement on Imhotep.

"Yes…" Apep hissed. "You know who I am, as well you should. You and I are not so different, are we?" his tongue flicked in and out of his fangs. "I have been informed, sadly, that your soul is not up for grabs, but I have a proposition for you. Come away from the edge." He commanded, leaving little room for Imhotep to disagree.

Imhotep obeyed, keeping his eyes on the great snake, moving to the middle of the long hallway. Blood had begun to drip from his mouth once again. He wished he had jumped out of the room when he had gotten the chance.

"Well, do you want to hear it or not?" Venom dripped from Apeps teeth onto the rug. Sizzling as it seared a hole through the ground, it exposed the sparkly darkness once again.

Imhotep wanted to do nothing but run, but he knew it would be in vain, for this was Apeps territory.

"Yes, what is your proposition?" He sighed, putting his head in his hands. Could he help me bring back Ancksunamun? Looking up at the towering God, Imhotep waited for his answer.

"I want you to help me overthrow Osiris," the snake hissed, "I am tired of him telling me which souls I can and cannot eat. And with him out of the way, Ra wouldn't be far behind." Apeps green eyes shone brighter in the gloom.

Overthrow Osiris? Was he crazy? Imhotep hesitated, not knowing how to answer.

The great God was becoming restless. His tail began to sway. Hissing, his tongue flicking in and out of his gaping mouth. "Well, boy? Will you help me or not?"

"If I do this for you, what is in it for me?" Imhotep questioned, looking up at the God with a challenge in his eyes.

"What's in it for you? Why all the glory in the world, of course! And you will be reunited with your lover."

As Apep spoke those words, the apparition of Ancksunamun appeared in the gloom behind him. Her face was visible now. Imhotep stared open-mouthed. She gestured towards him, her gold-painted body glittering in the torchlight. Her dark eyes shone with love as she looked at him. "Imhotep…" she whispered, beckoning him in. Imhotep's feet moved towards her without even thinking.

"Insolent boy!" Apep spat, his long tail whipped forward, blocking his path to her. "Your answer! Then you may see her."

"Yes, my Lord, whatever you wish… I will do it." Imhotep choked. He turned to look toward his beloved, but her image began to fade in and out.

"Nooo!" Imhotep howled, falling to his knees. "You deceived me!"

The serpent began to laugh, a horrible raspy sound that grated on Imhotep's eardrums.

"What did you expect? Don't make a deal with me if you wish to be compensated for it." He continued laughing. "Just think! A servant of Osiris, now working for me!"

The anger that Imhotep had suppressed began to trickle back into his heart. The feeling of knives that had threatened to keep him hostage to insufferable pain began to melt away. His newfound power began to incinerate the strange hold that the room itself had over him. Imhotep's eyes, trained on the darkness behind Apep, snapped up to the Gods' face. His eyes were ablaze with the same unholy flame he had seen earlier in the Gods' green eyes. His body began to regenerate once more. His taut muscles regrew under his skin, rippling with power. His heart, sluggish in its ministrations, began to pump blood through his veins. But in his face, there was the most change. What was previously a mess of sorrow and deep longing gave way to arrogant indifference. Only his eyes betrayed his true feelings. They burned with the power of a thousand suns.

"You will not take her from me. You will pay for this!" Imhotep snarled.

Looking nervous but trying to hide it, Apep replied. "Oh, I will, will I?" He began to advance on Imhotep, mouth open, his breath stinking of death and decay. "What makes you believe you can get what you desire without my help? What makes you think they will even let you be with her?"

Imhotep had been standing his ground against the beast, but now he faltered. What if he is right? Osiris has to understand why we did it. He has to! Apep took advantage of Imhotep's momentary delay and unhinged his jaw further. Imhotep realized that he had no chance against Apep. Besides, what powers did he even have? Imhotep still felt the burning anger within him but had no idea how to harness it. It was useless to him now. He began to run down the long hallway, pictures of humanity flashing by him in quick succession. The torchlight started to flicker as the monster chased after him.

The room ended. There was nothing at the end of the dark hallway save a large stone wall. Imhotep searched wildly around him for an exit. He looked to the left. Maybe I could jump out into the abyss? He didn't know what was down there, but he was willing to find out. Looking behind him, he saw that Apep was advancing down the hallway at an alarming pace. Imhotep made eye contact with the God, and as he did, his last chance at an exit sealed off, becoming a wall. His eyes wide with fear, he backed up against the wall, ready to meet his fate once again. Well, at least I cannot die here, right? It will be like in the room before. Imhotep covered his face with his hands. He didn't want to see Apep when he decided to swallow him. He felt the hot, stinky breath hit his face, and Apeps fangs pierce the skin on his shoulder blades.

But Imhotep felt no more than that. The room was cold, and he felt the hot breath retract. Imhotep struggled to open his eyes and looked around. Apep was gone. Blood snaked down his arm, mingling with the red rug on the floor, indistinguishable. Wincing at the poison circulating through his body, Imhotep was startled by the sudden change. He slowly looked up to make eye contact with his next visitor.

The figure stood a mere five feet tall, but he commanded nothing but respect and power. Muscular black arms were crossed over the chest in a gesture of displeasure. Lit up by a mystical blue light, Anubis looked down at Imhotep on the floor. His calm eyes betrayed nothing of his genuine emotions. But Imhotep saw a flicker of recognition go through them before it was gone.

"Enough with the games. It is time to face your destiny." The jackal-headed God said, faint annoyance seeping into his voice. "I have been following you for quite some time now, and it seems that you are still hung up on the…female."

Anubis left no room for comment as he waved his hand and forced Imhotep into standing. Imhotep's shoulder stopped bleeding with another wave of his hand. The feeling of slow poison scourging his veins stopped, and Imhotep looked at him with wide eyes. Stumbling over his words, they came out a garbled mess.

"Thank you, my Lord." He tried to say. His mouth leaked with blood.

Sighing, Anubis looked at him. "That is one thing that I cannot fix." He answered as he saw Imhotep's quizzical look. Anubis studiously avoided eye contact.

Looking behind Anubis, Imhotep gasped. Painted on the wall was a timeline of his own life. He walked closer, mesmerized by the amount of detail he saw. Each scene of his life was displayed and scrutinized perfectly. His birth, from a mother and father, that he had never known. It showed his time in the Temple of Ra and then the Temple of Osiris, where he had stayed. Kher-heb had decided that Imhotep had an aptitude for working with the God of the Dead instead of Ra.

His initiation in the Temple of Osiris had been a warm time for Imhotep. He had made friends with many other priests and considered them family. He had healed people and helped with births and mysterious illnesses. He even had been blessed to help some of those very same people on their journey into the afterlife. Moving down the wall, Imhotep stopped. Seti, Imhotep growled in his mind. He had shared many feasts with the man. He had even been part of Seti's military campaigns and his loyal Vizier and adviser for many years. Seti had been his friend. Turning away as the anger began to boil, he walked further down the mural.

Imhotep stopped cold. There she was. Ancksunamun. The painted likeness of her almost seemed to sparkle on the wall. She looked as radiant as the day he had met her. He swallowed back a mixture of tears and blood. He knew what came next. Their passionate affair behind Seti's back. Their endless nights of stolen kisses and secret walks by the Nile. But at the very end, the painted story spoke of death and betrayal. He had to look away, tears forming in his eyes, a lump in his throat.

Anubis had kept a close eye on Imhotep throughout all of this. He seemed very interested in the priests' reaction to the art on the wall. Pushing up his golden bracelets that had begun to slip down his arms, Anubis stood near Imhotep. He placed a hand on Imhotep's shoulder in a kind gesture.

"Come, it is time for you to meet Osiris."