Seeing Jade falling towards the floor far below Rath took several steps towards her until Chontra cleared her throat and he spun around in time to catch a fireball that sent him to his knees with a grunt.
"You shouldn't turn you back on me, Rath or I might get upset." Chontra taunted, noting that Jade had disappeared from view. she strolled towards Rath as Presley pulled him to his feet and with a quick nod to the prince he stepped in front of Presley. "Relax, Rath your precious girlfriend is safe." She added, waving a hand towards the edge of the roof and Rath turned his head enough to catch sight of someone who shot into the air. Hovering just out of range Scarab smirked down at the mummy and his prince and Rath drew in a breath he didn't need once he saw the villain was holding a limp Jade in his arms.
"For now, Rath unless you decide to do something foolish like attack me and my grip just might weaken and..." Scarab warned and Rath sheathed his sword, crossing his arms against his chest as he narrowed his eyes. "That's better. Chontra, you can handle things here." He added, shifting Jade to one arm and as she groaned he aimed his hand towards the ceiling. A quick blast blew a hole in the roof and as plaster flew down barely missing Rath who shielded Presley, Scarab flew through the exit point leaving Chontra with a smirk on her face.
"You heard the man he only wants to talk to her." Chontra commented and Presley snorted, crossing his arms as Rath turned his attention back to his former student. "Now just remember that if you or your friends try to follow either of us Jade will pay the price for your foolishness." Chontra warned, her hand glowing and Rath steadied himself for the fireball he knew she'd sent his way.
Laughing she sent the fireball towards Rath and he quickly pulled his sword free, blocking the blow but it was only a distraction and when he looked back she was gone. Shaking his head Rath held his sword at his side staring at the spot where Chontra had been until Presley placed a hand on his shoulder and Rath sighed, unable to believe that Jade had been kidnapped by his oldest enemy.
He and Presley made their way down the escalator to the floor below nearly running directly into Ja-Kal, Armon and Nefer-Tina. Seeing them standing there in their disguises Rath glared at them and without speaking he pushed past them leaving Presley behind in his haste. Once they returned to the ground floor they looked at their prince.
"Where were you guys?" Presley asked as they followed him down to the ground floor. "Chontra came after us and Jade's been kidnapped by Scarab."
"Scarab and Chontra are working together?" Ja-Kal asked and Presley nodded, all four keeping pace with Rath in the lead his shoulders hunched.
"Yeah I just said that. I don't know why but they were after Jade and not me this time." Presley explained as Rath slowed, running a hand over his face.
"But why did they want Jade?" Armon asked Presley who just shrugged looking towards Rath who finally turned around his eyes narrowed at his friends.
"Chontra was just the distraction while Scarab took Jade. If you all had been there this wouldn't have happened." Rath snapped at them and Ja-Kal shook his head, stepping forward to face the scribe.
"Rath, you can't blame this on us. Jade's your girlfriend remember?" Nefer-Tina pointed out and Rath threw up his hands, stomping out of the building without looking back. The trip back to the sphinx was a silent and very awkward one and once Nefer-Tina parked the Hot-Ra Rath jumped out, heading quickly towards the building.
The rest of the mummies and Presley found Rath pacing the room with the sarcophagi, glancing at the miniature pyramid from time to time. Finally he shook his head moving towards it though as soon as he paced his hands on the pyramid he blinked at it. "Even if I find out where they're keeping Jade she'll just be put in more danger if they find me there. What do I do?" He whispered not realizing his friends had followed him until Ja-Kal cleared his throat and he turned his head, staring at their leader.
"I know you're angry but this wasn't our fault." Ja-Kal told him and Rath crossed his arms, leaning back slightly against the pedestal that held the pyramid. "We came to rescue Prince Rapses."
"Jade might not matter to you but she matters to me." Rath replied in a low voice barely able to contain the anger he felt at his former student and their worst enemy.
"Jade tried to protect me even though she's not a guardian." Presley added and Rath nodded, a thin smile on his lips when his friend spoke. "Ask Rath."
"It's true. She protected Presley until I managed to get there. But I couldn't stop Scarab from escaping with Jade without putting our prince in more danger." Rath agreed, looking down at the floor in front of him. "I wasn't strong enough to defend Jade and now Scarab has her."
"We didn't know that, Rath. How can we help?" Nefer-Tina asked and Rath brightened until he remembered that he'd given his word he wouldn't come after Scarab or Chontra.
"We can't go looking for Scarab or Chontra." Rath said and everyone started to speak at once until he held up a gloved hand. "If they find that I've broken my word they'll harm Jade."
"Then what do we do?" Ja-Kal asked and Rath scratched at his chin thinking as he spun around. "Rath, there has to be something we can do to help Jade."
"Ja-Kal, I already told you we can't go looking for Jade." Rath sighed, looking down at his amulet for several seconds. Then he found himself smiling and everyone stared at the mummy as he ran his fingers over his own amulet. "But I might have a way to track Jade without alerting Scarab."
"How exactly?" Nefer-Tina asked as he held up his amulet and with a smile still on his face he raised his hand. As his fingers glowed the amulet glowed green and he laughed, finally realizing that he had the answer sitting between his fingers. "Rath?"
"I put a spell on Jade's amulet earlier while I was trying to remove it. Using my magic we can track exactly where she is and see through her eyes as well." Rath explained, taking his hand away from his own amulet which ceased glowing.
"So we'll know when Scarab isn't watching Jade and then we can plan a rescue?' Armon asked and Rath nodded, unable to understand why he hadn't remembered the scrying spell earlier.
While Rath worked on tracking me I groaned, opening my eyes only to instantly close them once my vision cleared enough to reveal Scarab who stood before me.
"Must be having a nightmare because I never have dreams about overly pale men who haven't stepped out in the sunlight in decades." I muttered, hearing a snigger in the background as Scarab narrowed his eyes at me.
"Be quiet, Heka. No one asked for your opinion." Scarab growled and I gave him a tiny smile, raising my head as he stared at me. "Where did you come from?"
"That's why you kidnapped me?" I asked him and he blinked as I tried to move only to find I could only move my head slightly forward. Turning my head slightly I noticed that I was bound to a wall my arms and legs tied and I snorted. "You could have just asked me."
"Scarab, Jade's not a normal mummy." Chontra replied stepping into my view and I narrowed my eyes at her as she looked at me with a faint smile on her lips. "Oh don't look at me like that, Jade. You knew this was coming."
"You're just jealous because I didn't need a love spell to get Rath to notice me, Chontra." I countered and she actually blinked at me, raising her hand with a sneer on her lips and I rolled my eyes when her hand glowed purple. "Trust you to attack someone who can't fight back." I snorted at her and Heka sniggered for the second time.
"Jade's clearly a mummy. I think someone needs their eyes checked." Heka commented, staring at me and I rolled my eyes as Scarab pushed her away.
"So you were human once?' Scarab asked and I nodded as much as my chains would allow. "Interesting. Chontra was telling the truth. How did this happen?"
"How should I know? I woke up like this, Scarab." I sighed and he raised an eyebrow at me. "Before you ask of course I know who you are. My friends warned me about you." I answered with my eyes narrowed at him.
"Curious. But did they warn you how powerful I am?" He asked, raising his hand and I yelped as my chains glowed a strong current of electricity running through them.
"Apparently not, Scarab. But I thought you wanted her alive...in a manner of speaking." Heka asked and Scarab shook his head at her looking at me when I groaned. Shaking my head I glared at Scarab who just offered me a cold smile.
"Tha...that really hurt." I complained and Scarab shrugged crossing the room before he stopped at a stone table. Stretching my head forward as far as I could I stared at a book resting on the table and after I noticed Scarab smiling at it I frowned, a chill running through my spine that had nothing to do with the room's temperature. "What are you planning on doing with me?" I asked him but Scarab ignored me and I snorted glancing up at the chains keeping my hands trapped against the cold stone wall digging into my back.
While Scarab studied the book I shifted my hands around trying to pull them free and after watching me for several minutes Chontra gave me a cold smile, stepping close enough to stare down at me. "That won't work, Jade. Those chains are enchanted to prevent anyone from escaping. Even using magic won't help not that you can cast spells anyway."
"Since I'm stuck here for the time being why kidnap me? Aren't you after Prince Rapses?" I asked her, tugging at the chains holding my arms.
"Of course we are, Jade and what better way than with you as bait?" Chontra commented and I rolled my eyes at her causing the enchantress to smile at me.
"You told Rath not to follow you or Scarab. Why would he follow me after that warning?" I countered and Heka smirked as she slithered over to my feet.
"Of course he'll come looking for you. You didn't think Chontra gave you that amulet for no reason?" Scarab asked, walking towards me with the book in one hand.
"Rath can see me right now?" I asked Scarab and he nodded his hand beginning to glow as he made his way back to me. "How exactly?"
"Since the amulet's tuned to you he can just use magic to track you. Which would make finding you that much easier and I can't have that. Not until I'm ready."" Scarab chuckled and I cried out as my chains glowed, a much stronger electrical current ripping through my body. My back arched and then everything grew dark the last sounds I could hear were someone's laughter.
"Much better. I was getting tired of all her talking." Scarab muttered, looking at the unconscious mummy slumped against the wall the chains he'd enchanted the other thing keeping her upright.
"Are you completely sure that Rath and his friends will show up to save her?" Heka asked and Scarab fixed her with a glare that had her rolling her eyes.
"Of course he'll show up to save his friend. I've seen how much that mummy cares for Jade first hand." Chontra commented and Heka hissed, giggling until Chontra raised an eyebrow at her.
"You're jealous of Jade aren't you, Chontra?" Heka asked and even Scarab chuckled when Chontra rolled her eyes at the snake, narrowing her eyes at Jade who didn't even stir when she raised her own hands at the unconscious mummy.
"Not until Rath shows up, Chontra. I still need her in one piece." Scarab warned and Chontra sighed her hands losing their purple glow before she stormed out of the room.
"If I didn't know better I'd think that Chontra was jealous of Jade." Heka commented after Scarab picked her up and he chuckled, glancing down at the book he still held. "Now what exactly are you going to do to Rath once he shows up? Send an army of Shabtis his way?"
"Of course not, Heka. I already have an opponent in mind for Rath." Scarab answered and Heka blinked at him as he set her down on the table. "One he won't be able to defeat."
"Not Talos again?" Heka asked and Scarab shook his head, smiling when she frowned at him. "Geb? Not Anubis and Set? Those two always mess everything up." She added and he just chuckled, looking towards Jade.
"Not after the last few times they've failed to capture Prince Rapses. I could tell you but that would ruin the surprise. Just be patient and you'll see." Scarab answered and Heka just hissed, shaking her head as she slithered after Scarab when he crossed the room.
"I just hope you know what you're doing, Scarab." Heka muttered as they turned the corner.