WantSome Yaoi RP Forum
The Crypt => Boulevard of broken dreams => The Sweetest Goodbye => Fandom => Topic started by: Cyrce on January 15, 2019, 01:10:25 am
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Continuing from The First Lover (http://wantsome.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=9059)
Imhotep was already making his way to the other side of the city. His first victim was easy enough to dispatch, an middle-aged man that lived alone. Imhotep didn't doubt that the man's screams caught some attention and he didn't stay to see if anyone came by to sate their curiosity. A body drained missing its vital fluids and organs would be a red flag if any of those curious investigators happened to be Medjai. Or A cult member perhaps, if there were still some survivors from the group that had once rallied to him. Either one would not be helpful in his attempt to stay unnoticed for as long as possible.
In the back of his mind Imhotep sensed that his reincarnated lover was resisting. He frowned and paused in his trek to the next of the four poor souls marked by the Hom-dai. Was his reincarnated lover attempting to ignore him. Imhotep chuckled darkly. Same as ever—arrogant, proud and enticingly beautiful. He sent another wave of power in his direction. “How will you make me chase you again, Pakhom?”
Alex glanced at Ardeth and nodded. “I hope you’re right. He made large displays of power before just because he could.” Just because he could do it. The wall of water the priest had sent at his parents when Alex had been a child still chilled him st the memory. He’d also been told about the ridiculous wall of sand the priest had sent at Ardeth and his father the first time the mummy had been brought to life. Something like that would easily lead them to Imhotep.
Alex sighed heavily. This wouldn’t have happened if he hadn’t given his mother those books. He stared at the space between his mount’s ears, hoping that they would arrive at the city and get everything sorted as soon as possible.
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Rick kept riding with the weight of his loneliness and loss dragging him down. He knew he had to be strong for his son but this time felt more final than all the others and he didn't know how to live without his wife. He tried to focus on the fight ahead, on the mission...but while his mind tried to focus something strange and terrible happened. It was as if he were suddenly drowning in a strange power like a warm bath filled with fizzing bubbles. It was a power that made his heart and his body ache, that reminded him of those dark enticing dreams that he couldn't seem to stop having for some inexplicable reason.
His fists tightened on the reigns and he tried not to get swept up in the bizarre sensations. Rick dug his heels into the sides of his mount and urged it on faster towards the city. If he got to the city he knew he would be able to confront whatever was making him feel this, if he got to the city then he could fight it properly and squash the wicked feelings that were hotly curling in his belly and trying to distract him from his grief.
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Ardeth couldn't help but look grim. He had to be the positive one for a change and he was not good at it, not with a grieving friend and his grieving son who he had grown so close to over the years. "Maybe his lack of large displays now is because he is too weak to perform them? Maybe he has a new goal? Together we will fix this somehow..." He reached out as he spoke, they rode close enough that he could touch Alex and he did. Briefly his hand clasped the other male's shoulder and he squeezed it comfortingly.
As they rode he watched Rick wearily, the other seemed more dazed than he should have been and Ardeth wasn't sure if it was the loss of his wife or something more sinister working to put that lost look in the other man's eyes. He knew he had to do something to snap the other out of it but he had no idea what to do.
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Imhotep moved quickly across the back alleys of the city. He needed to clean up those that had manhandled the chest tied to his curse and then he could be with his dear Pakhom. The sooner he could take care of this the better, even if he had to court his Medjai again. It was clear enough that at least courting would be needed. Although it would be easy, Imhotep did not wish to use his powers to ensorcell his Medjai’s mind and manipulate him. His magic had not served him well in Anck-Su-Namun’s case at all. The emotions hadn’t been manipulated but the memories had been forced out and the connection between them was not there as it had once been. Imhotep questioned if there had been anything deeper than his desire to pluck a pretty thing and toy with it for a short time.
The second victim of his curse was easily dispatched as the first had been. These humans had little in the way of defence when they didn’t have their hands on the books. Imhotep closes his eyes for a moment and thought back to his return to the living world. The O’Connells has been there, attempting to fight off that beast. He paused. The Beast was free now. Imhotep had forgotten in the rush of being free and focusing on restoring himself so as to go after his Medjai, but the Beast would be an obstacle to that. His Medjai was still human and could become one of the Beast’s victims. The obvious thing to do would be to ally with those he had left behind. Imhotep inhaled sharply in irritation before calling sand together to form a humanoid shape. The sand took on the properties of flesh and soon what looked like a human stood before him. It was little more than a homonculus, a puppet to serve him. Far more useful and loyal that the human he’d picked up the first time.
“Awaken and find the O’Connells. Bring them to this place so I may speak with them.” With these instructions Imhotep sat in one of the room’s plush chairs and picked up the abandoned tea cup, sipping on it. An alliance with the O’Connells would be dangerous but was needed with the Beast free. After that nothing would keep Imhotep save for his Medjai.
Alex bit his lip. Too weak? The Mummy had managed to make the thing that had been summoned by the rogue Medjai flee at the sight of him. No, the monster had a new goal in mind and the mere thought of the evil he could wreck terrified Alex and reminded him of that time he’d been abducted. He nodded when Ardeth touched his shoulder. “Yes, we have to fix everything that has happened today.” The Mummy, the monster and his mother. They had to fix all of these things.
Alex glanced at his dad, who was now riding ahead of them. His parents had always managed somehow to solve the Egyptian curses that had come their way in the past but without his mother’s knowledge, how would all of this play out? If only the summoning spell she’d cast hadn’t gone wrong.
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By the time they made it to the city Rick have calmed himself a little bit, he had stubbornly shoved the strange feelings that had been overwhelming him away and was refocused and determined. He would find that damn mummy and make sure that he got his beloved Evie back. That was really all that mattered. If he could just focus on that then he would be able to ignored the feelings of grief and the creeping feelings of pleasure that were eating away at his core. Find the bad guy, kill the bad guy, get his girl back. It was simple, easy, he focused on it like a mantra and did his best to ignore everything else. He couldn't even talk to Ardeth or Alex, he was afraid of how he would react or what he would do if he spoke too much to anyone. He needed to stay strong, stay whole, and he couldn't do that very well at the moment.
Of course while he was building up his determination that was when the creepily blank looking man approached them. The other bowed to them and asked them to follow it so that they could speak to its master. Rick knew they were on the right path and turned to look at his son and at Ardeth. "We're following it and we're gonna meet up with that bastard and make him give her back to me." His words were raw and there was a hurt in his eyes that he could not hide. He would follow the creature even if his son and his friend would not, he was determined. The strangely pleasurable pulling in his stomach grew stronger as he followed the thing into the city. Eventually they made it to a building and were led inside and Rick made sure to gather Evie's body in his arms and carry her up and into the lion's den. She sacrificed herself without asking him or Alex, that bastard had a heart he would have to understand and give her back to Rick. Rick couldn't handle it any other way.
The pulsing inside of him was growing stronger with every single step, it felt like moving closer to where the mummy was was building something up inside of him. The strange creature opened the door and it felt like someone was squeezing on his heart. He took all of those feelings and pushed them into a box of grief, he was only feeling this way because Evie was gone. "Bring her back." Were his first words, he hadn't even set eyes on Imhotep yet.
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Ardeth gave Alex a grim yet supportive smile when the other spoke and he nodded. "We will, I give you my word that I shall stay by your side until this is fixed." He just wanted to make sure the vulnerable young man was alright. He told himself his feelings were of friendship or even that they were fatherly. Yet as they entered the city and encountered the odd man his feelings seemed to twist, becoming more protective. "If...if something happens I wish for you to run Alex. I don't want your life to be taken as well."
He spoke grimly, following Rick but feeling increasingly concerned for the other male as they ended up at a strange building. Ardeth didn't want to put Alex through anymore heartbreak but he could not abandon Rick either and force Alex to run away. He felt trapped in this situation and felt like there was no way to bring it to a peaceful end.
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Alex’s eyes widened when the disturbing man approached and led them to a normal seeming home. Why was his father at ease following after someone so clearly sent by the Mummy? There was no guarantee he would resurrect his mother, or that they wouldn’t be killed as well. It made more sense to bring his mother...his mother’s body back to the Medjai and searching for a solution there, with allies at their back. But given how his mother had died, hunting the Mummy was going to be the answer. It only made a difference in how much firepower they had.
Alex took a deep breath and took out his pistol, checking to be sure it was fully loaded. He shook his head and looked to Ardeth. “We’re all in this together. I’m not going to run away after you agreed to stay with me to fix everything.” Blue eyes were both determined and vulnerable as he looked to the older man. He wouldn’t let his fear drive him away from helping his father.
The disturbing man led them to a room where the first thing Alex zeroed in on was a husk of a body and immediately tensed. It was nothing like he’d ever seen before. What had the Mummy done to him? His eyes swept the room and immediately pointed his pistol at the man that was sitting calmly by the window.
Imhotep sipped his tea while he waited for the O’Connells. He had nothing to fear from the older man now. The woman had been the brains of the operation and she was no longer here to strip him of his immortality again. The Medjai was another that relied on brute force. It was an admirable quality but one that group ought to branch out from. Then there was the young man that had been there. If he was correct, the youngest was the boy he’d kidnapped years ago. And a potential threat if the young one tried anything like his mother. He would consider countermeasures for that one later if it proved that a truce was not possible.
His sand servant arrived with the three men in tow and Imhotep’s eyes narrowed at the elder O’Connell’s demand. Bring her back? Did none of them understand what had been done in the first place to restore him to his body. Imhotep set down the tea cup and gazed at the three with a bored expression. “Do you have a sacrifice in mind to use to revive her with? That will be the only way to possibly restore her to life. You will need to kill a woman that is similar enough to her in order to resurrect her.” Imhotep shrugged and gazed at the body in Rick’s arms. “And would she accept that fate? Would she be willing to return through the gates and return to life this way?” It was all sound logic for the priest. Nefertiri has never been fond of the spells that required human sacrifice and the more powerful magic in the Book of the Dead needed just that. Unfortunately, Imhotep has chosen to explain himself in the only language he was comfortable speaking in; ancient Egyptian. Though he had been brought back three times now, he had yet to abandon using the long dead language.
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Ardeth wanted to send Alex away and keep him close all at the same time. He knew what they were doing was a fool's errand but he couldn't deny Rick his vengeance and he certainly couldn't deny Alex the chance to save his mother. He felt trapped as they followed the strange person who was so obviously a tool sent by the enemy. There was nothing he could do or say to change the minds of the men he was with. He just had to make sure to see this all through to the end no matter what else happened. He swallowed hard as he followed them and stuck close to Alex's side.
When Alex spoke Ardeth sighed and nodded grimly. "Okay, okay, my friend. I understand but I wish you would run if it seems as though I shall not survive this." The thought of dying and being the cause of Alex's death was almost too much for him to bear. He was no stranger to the powers of the mummy and so he was able to ignore the horrific sight of the human husk in favor of focusing on the mummy.
The ancient Egyptian the other used was even a bit too old for Ardeth to completely understand although he did recognize a couple of words and none of them were good. What shocked him was when Rick spoke as though it was his mother's tongue, he gaped and looked down at Alex with a confused frown. "Has your father been studying lately?"
The sight of Imhotep sent a strange chill down Rick's spine a chill that was an odd mixture of cold and heat. He glared at the other and clutched Evie's body tight to his chest. The other seemed so damn calm, almost bored of all of this and Rick hated him for it. He knew that Evie had summoned him, that he was their only hope of defeating the beast but he hated the other and all he wanted to do was tear into him, to rip him apart with his hands and teeth until there was absolutely nothing left. His passion and rage towards the other male had never been quite this intense before.
When Imhotep spoke Rick understood him perfectly and he was thrown deeper into his own anger. "Damn you! I'll sacrifice you or that beast! I-I can't just sacrifice an innocent person...Evie would never forgive me. But if her death brought you here than your death will bring her back!" Rick not only understood what the other was saying perfectly but he was also speaking ancient Egyptian. The scariest part of all was that Rick didn't realize he was speaking another language. He was just heartbroken and desperate and felt as though there were a hot whirlpool in his belly. "You are a liar! We can bring her back I know we can. Don't you think you've had enough chances at life? Anck-Su-Namun is gone, there is no one left for you here but I'm here for her..." His voice almost took on a pleading note as he looked down at the cloth covered body of his wife. He was still speaking the other male's language perfectly. He had no clue the changes that were already happening inside of him, the soul that was being awoken once more.
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Alex stiffened as Imhotep responded to his father’s demands. His mother used to speak in Ancient Egyptian at home from time to time so Alex had been the one to interpret for his father. He was piecing together the proper translation for his father and Ardeth when his father responded to the words with ease.
“I don’t think so... Mum or I translated for him.” If his father understood the Ancient Egyptian language, Alex was certain he would have heard his mother lecturing him about the language and what order was proper but that had never happened. Yet right at this moment his father was speaking the language without any issue. “Ardeth, do you think the Mummy cast something on my father when he was first summoned?” Had he lost both his parents and not even known it?
Imhotep has expected a proper response to his words from the youngest male, not the father desperately clutching at Nefertiri’s corpse. Rick O’Connell was making some general errors when arguing that the spellcraft could simply be reversed and Nefertiri could be revived with his own death. Imhotep studied the brash man. They had clashed many times but this was the first time they had spoken. The man must have learned the language from Nefertiri somehow, unless he was another reincarnated soul from that time. Given how unlikely one would have thought it to be for Nefertiri to reincarnate and go against him, Imhotep would not discount that Rick was another soul from the past. Albeit one that did not listen the first time. “Did I say that it was impossible? Only with a sacrifice can she be revived. My death would not bring her back. Nefertiri mixed spells from the Book of the Dead and the Book of Amun-Ra. The beast’s...perhaps, but not likely. The ideal sacrifice would be human and fully mortal. You would need to go to Karnak as Hamunaptra was destroyed...” Imhotep tilted his head, considering what spells could have been mixed together from the two books. “Even then, Nefertiri may have used the incantations to revive me in such a way that her death can not be reversed. I would not be able to say one way or the other unless any of you know which ones were used?”
His attitude remained bored and rather clinical, as though they were discussing a hypothetical situation. Imhotep was not displaying the passion or obsession he had during his first two revivals, where his goals were Anck-Su-Namun and more power. The mention of her name only sparked mild irritation. She was a mistake, all that mattered was Pakhom.
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Ardeth couldn’t quite believe what was going on. Rick seemed like a different person, like a man lost in a dream. The other was a holy artist like him, he was noble and strong but at the moment he seemed like he was detached from the world. It was frightening and when Alex spoke Ardeth’s worries only grew and grew.
“That is what I thought...your father can speak a few languages but I do not remember this being one of his tongues.” He spoke in a low tense voice and frowned. When Alex spoke it only made Ardeth more concerned because he truly didn’t know what was wrong with Rick. “Maybe something happened when she released him but your father doesn’t seem to be in his thrall like so many before him.” His brows furrowed as he tried to figure out just what exactly happened to make the other so changed.
Rick listened to the other male with a growing light of panic filling his eyes. He couldn’t believe any of this, he couldn’t believe this damned mummy. He wanted to run up to the other and punch him until he gave Evie back to him. It was all too much. He grimaced and moved over to the couch, layin Evie’s body down so that she would be safe and sound while he did what he had to do. Rick then turned back to Imhotep and stormed up to him so that they were practically nose to nose. He did t care about the strange twisted feelings in his stomach all he wanted to do was confront the other male. ”I don’t care what you say! I know you can fix this without sacrificing an innocent person! You came back over and over and so did that bitch of yours so you bring Evie back to me!”
As he growled out the words he reached out and grabbed the other male by the front of his stupid robe. For so,e reason just touching the other male made it feel like there was electricity running from his fingertips to his entire body. ”Whatever game you are playing just quit it!”
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A smile ghosted across Imhotep’s face when he grabbed at. O’Connell’s arrogant belief that he could do something to revive Nefertiri was amusing. Did the man think that simply because Imhotep was blessed as the priest of Osiris and cursed by the Hom-Dai that he could reach into the Land of the Dead with no consequences? Sacrificed were required. Osiris was very serious about keeping life and death in balance.
“No. In those previous cases...in the first, Nefertiri would have been sacrificed but wasn’t and the resurrection failed. In the second, Meela Nais was sacrificed for Anck-Su-Namun to revive.” At this distance the other man would be able to see that there was no spark of longing or passion as the woman’s name passed Imhotep’s lips. “As for my own revival, it is tied to a curse. I could curse Nefertiri’s soul and she could revive that way. Do you wish her to be driven to kill when she reawakens? Regardless of what you would prefer to do, Karnak is your destination as it has a sacred pool to summon the souls of the dead.” Imhotep covered one of Rick’s hands with his own. As amusing as the man’s actions were, that did not give him the permission to manhandle him.
Alex lowered his pistol. “So...what do we do now? He’s not a thrall but he’s not like himself. His father was standing in front of the Mummy and shooting would only hurt him rather than the monster. The pistol rounds were useless on the Mummy anyway. This meeting was useless. The monster wasn’t attacking them but also wasn’t giving his mother back from the dead. There wasn’t another option other than that was there?
At the mention of Karnak, though, Alex made a connection that he cursed himself not to have realized before. He’s brought his mother back once before when they were at that pyramid. He could do it again. Wide eyes looked up at Ardeth and whispered urgently. “If he’s telling the truth I could use the book at Karnak to bring her back. I did it once before!”
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Rick didn't get how Imhotep could be so calm, he used to be so full of passion going wild for the one he loved and burning with determination. Now at the mention of Anck-Su-Namun he seemed oddly calm and detached. Even when he said her name there was no spark, no nothing. A part of him deep down felt...happy? Satisfied? It was too weird to understand, he stubbornly ignored the strange feelings popping up inside of him.
You...you bastard! You think you're so smart. You don't understand anything, you certainly don't understand the heart. The words were a bit too eloquent for Rick, but they fit a mouth from long ago perfectly and the words were mirrors of words once spoken. Rick, like Alex only took that Karnak was his only hope for saving his beloved Evie. "Fine. Then we'll go to Karnak, if your useless then we'll just leave you. You can handle the great evil in the world for a change since you don't have some long lost love to revive. Rick spoke gruffly and his fingers curled tighter against the other male's robes. A hand covered his own and sent a strange shock through him, images from the dreams that haunted him flashed through his eyes and the heat that fizzed through him grew stronger. He looked like he had been shocked and he quickly let go of the other. Whatever you're trying to do won't work. He hissed angrily and turned from the other to focus on his son and Ardeth.
Ardeth was kind of shocked by all of this but especially by how Rick was acting, the other male, in his grief was so broken down and it hurt to watch. "I am not sure but I believe we should choose our main goal. Should we focus on the beast, the mummy, or your mother first? I shall follow you in any that you choose." Ardeth knew what Rick had chosen but Alex had a right to decide too and Ardeth trusted the boy more than his father at the moment.
When the other mentioned Karnak it brought back bittersweet memories in Ardeth and as Alex whispered urgently to him he listened and nodded seriously. "Then that is what we shall do. We shall go to Karnak to bring back your mother's soul." Ardeth had hope, he felt as though if anyone could succeed it would be Alex, the boy was shockingly talented.
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Imhotep’s eyes narrowed as words too similar to those told him by Pakhom. O’Connell must be mixed up in his grief to say that. It would be too cruel of Osiris to place the soul of his Medjai into a man that would oppose him so stubbornly. “I am merely well versed in the incantations that you ask to use in reviving Nefertiri. My first life was spent studying and understanding them. Do you not think that I would have made use of the afterlife to learn more of those incantations?” Millennia of existing in the afterlife as something not quite human, of course he would push his boundaries, knowing that he would eventually return to life. Death was only the beginning.
Unfortunately he seemed to have convinced O’Connell that he was somehow incapable simply because reviving Nefertiri struck him as destined to fail. Imhotep didn’t care to correct the group’s foolish hope. Instead he stepped back, putting more distance between them. “If that is what you believe, then I will complete what I must.” The Hom-Dai curse required he end another life and then he would have full access to all his powers. Then he would follow this group to Karnak and see if they had sacrificed to revive Nefertiri or failed. After that perhaps he would go after the Beast he and Pakhom along with a handful of priests and Medjai had failed to kill.
“M-mum first. We need her to take on the other two.” Alex nodded to himself. This ought to work, it absolutely had to. He just needed to read from the Book of the Dead and revive his mother again. He’d done it once before. How could have been so stupid to have forgotten that. He looked to his father, who had finally turned away from the Mummy to focus on them. “Dad, how can we get to Karnak quickly?” Alex has travelled there by train and his father and Ardeth by dirigible but they needed to get to Karnak quickly to revive his mother. Was there a faster way to get there at all?
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"You may be well versed in magic but you don't know Evie and you don't know me. I know we can bring her back and I know she wants to come back. I'm going to save her. I don't know why I thought you would help, you've always been selfish." Rick was absolutely determined and he refused to let what Imhotep said get to him. He should have ignored the other male's presence in the world entirely. It was foolish to think that he would feel some kind of debt to them. Rick just snorted and shook his head, an oddly familiar sense of frustration and disappointment swelled in his belly and he had to close his eyes to ignore it.
"Do whatever you want I don't care about you anymore." Rick's words were icy and he turned back to his child and to Ardeth, the two looked concerned over him but he couldn't seem to understand why. Rick gathered Evie up again and moved closer to the two. Ignoring the mummy completely, the other male wasn't his business anymore, not while his wife was dead. "We can commandeer a plane, I know a couple guys who would give us a lift." Rick always knew a guy or two. His personality always seemed to attract the rough and tumble sort but he didn't mind. All those friends helped him out in a thousand different situations.
Ardeth nodded when Alex spoke and gave the younger male a comforting smile. "It is as you wish, my friend, we shall go to Karnak and save her before we do anything else." He felt relieved when Rick turned around and spoke to them with a bit more normalcy in his tone of voice. "That sounds good, let us go now and get to the airfield." Ardeth liked planes and flight, he found it all to be quite fascinating and in other circumstances he would have been openly eager for another chance to fly. As it was he was grim and determined.
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“You should not presume to know what the gods will allow.” Were these men all that foolish? Incantations were not to be trifled with. It was his own fault for bringing up Karnak, but if they tried to bring back Nefertiri from the dead there would be consequences. There were always consequences. He had to continually re-enact his curse when he awoke, assimilating the fluids and organs of those arrogant enough to open the chest. Nefertiri may resist revival if she had any sense in her, or perhaps she would return having lost that which made her the woman she had been before the return of her memories.
It was not his responsibility. He wasn’t interested in the O’Connell family, only Pakhom was the important thing in this world. But it was odd to be ignored by the people that had once chased after him so wildly. He glanced at the sand human that he had created. He ought to change him into something smaller and innocuous to follow the O’Connells. They were not his responsibility but he was still a priest of Osiris and if they planned on playing in his God’s realm Imhotep ought to be aware of the level of havoc their actions would cause. If he moulded the sand servant into something that did not seem like it came from him, perhaps these men would keep it close. But what...?
Imhotep’s face darkened when he realized what he could send and made a motion to dissolve the sand. The particles blew out of the window and the door. There was one creature he could think of and he was not fond of them.
Alex relaxed a little and nodded eagerly. His father wasn’t speaking fluently in Ancient Egyptian and he was starting to sound more like his normal brash self. This was his father, with strange friends that were criminals in one way or another. And it sounded like they were about to meet another one of them. “Are we going to see Izzy?” Alex had only really met the pirate with the hot air balloon ship once before, when he’s been rescued from Ahm Shere. From what he’s been told, Izzy had been the one to fly his parents to all of his clues and would already know the way to Karnak. He paused and glanced at the Mummy, tightening his grip on his pistol. “Are we really going to leave him sitting here?” They couldn’t really kill the Mummy before dealing with the beast—the monster was summoned because he knew something about it after all.
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"That is a laugh coming from you Imhotep." Rick shot out one last insult, his eyes darkening knowingly. The other male defied the gods time and time again but now he was judging him? He felt like it couldn't get more absurd than that. He took his wife into his arms and turned from Imhotep completely. There was no point in chasing after him if he could do nothing for Evie, there was no point in chasing after the beast too. Rick without Evie, without love in his life, was about as self destructive as one could get. Though he loved his son too the grief of losing his wife was far too strong it overwhelmed his senses completely.
Rick turned to his son and his friend and a fire was in his eyes. He would get Evie back if it was the last thing he had ever done. She was what was real and important in his life, unlike that mysterious figure from his dreams. "Yeah Izzy is out best best, hopefully he's gotten something a bit faster than that balloon ship, we need to get her there as quickly as possible." He spoke with a determined set to his jaw and squeezed her body close as they left the mummy alone. When Alex asked about that Rick just shook his head. "He can't help us and honestly I'd rather not waste my time until we can get your mother back. We can defeat him when she is alive again." Rick believed completely in his wife, he had complete and utter faith in her abilities.
Ardeth observed everything with a serious set to his features, he could see exactly what place Rick was in and knew that the other didn't care about the fate of the world. The other only cared about the fate of his love. It was strange...in many ways the other was so similar to Imhotep, they were both men consumed by love, both willing to destroy for it though Rick was willing to be destroyed and Imhotep was willing to destroy everything. Ardeth worried for Alex as he watched his father grow even more determined. "It will be alright Alex, it does not seem as though Imhotep is searching to destroy the world again so I believe we have time when it comes to him." As he spoke he moved with the other two out of the building and back onto the busy streets.
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Alex nodded slowly but he didn’t quite trust that Imhotep wasn’t trying to trick them all into thinking he was docile. The Imhotep in his memories had always smiled in a strange indulgent way, hiding his true vileness underneath. He couldn’t kill the Mummy though. He didn’t have the power to defeat him yet though. After Karnak and during the trip there he was going to read through both the Book of the Dead and the Book of Amun-Ra until he understood and could use the magic that the monster could command so easily.
As they hurried through the streets he glanced back at the home they left. “I think we should have at least brought him with us. To keep an eye on. He could decide to destroy the world now and we won’t be able to stop him.”
What was wrong in imparting warning to those that were attempting to dabble in what he had immersed himself into? Imhotep waited calmly for the three men to take the corpse and leave the room before summoning the sand servant he’d dissolved back into another shape. A shape he actively hated at the moment. He towered over the servant. “Follow after them and be my eyes. Go.” He growled until the small sand shape left, flicking its tail as it left and sat in the chair. Even though that servant was his, that form he’s given to it...he was sure that those men would not think it came from him.
He’d sent a cat after the O’Connells.
The servant hurried through the streets, hurrying after the three men. As it did, reddish-brown fur formed on its sand body. The form it had been given was similar to a caracal, come up a little higher than a grown adult’s knees. The natives of the city started giving it a wide berth, recognizing the form as a carnivorous predator. It didn’t take too long before it butted up against the three men, squeezing between two of them and glancing back at the three.
-
Rick didn't have time to focus on Imhotep and honestly he didn't want to focus on the other male. If he thought too much about the other things deep in his body started to feel heated and tense. There were strange things twisting around deep inside of him that he didn't want to confront or think about. It was so much easier to just focus on Evie, to put all of his attention and energy on her and her alone. He couldn't afford to think about the mummy, to dwell on the way the other male was making him feel, none of those feelings meant anything.
"He and the beast can fight over the damned world for all I care." Rick grumbled bitterly. "He doesn't seem the same as before, I think we don't have to worry about whatever he's focused on, it doesn't seem to involve us or the fate of the world." He said that part a bit louder and continued his determined trick to the airfield.
When the large cat pushed past him he ended up grunting but the sight of the creature didn't intimidate him. Rick had dealt with many different kinds of creatures before and he was good with animals. In fact there was something oddly familiar and comforting about the large cat and he almost reached down to pet the creature. He stifled that impulse though and focused instead on their mission.
Ardeth was worried about Rick and Alex but the further they got from Imhotep the less frightened he felt for his two friends. When Alex spoke he ended up nodded emphatically. "I wish we could keep an eye on him as well but I believe trying to bring him along would end with a fight that we might not be able to win at the moment. For now we must regroup and do what you and your father most wish to do." He didn't think there was anything in heaven or earth that would alter Rick's path.
The sight of the large predatory cat had him raising an eyebrow and he briefly smiled at the creature. It was dangerous but the large cat was also a symbol of luck and would probably protect them all from Imhotep. He looked at Alex and gave him a reassuring smile. "This is a good omen, Bast blessed our journey."
-
Alex nodded at both his father and Ardeth’s assurances. They were right in a way, from their point of view Imhotep was acting completely differently from what they remembered. He’d keep any eye out though, and be on guard. There was no way the Mummy wasn’t trying to trick them in one way or the other. It just surprised him a little that his father was letting go of rushing after and defeating the monster so easily. The only version of Richard O’Connell he’d ever known was one that would dive headfirst into any adventure. This man that was so wrapped up in loss was so different. But Alex wasn’t much different. This was his mother!
”Let’s hurry.” He muttered and was thrown a little off balance, bumping against Ardeth when the caracal shoved its way between himself and his father. The big cat was a blessing? From his studies about Bast, she had been characterized as a domesticated cat and a symbol of motherhood, but she had once been represented as a lioness and a protectress of Ra. “A blessing... Should we take it with us? Izzy wouldn’t mind having a blessing coming along.” He remembered after he’d been rescued when he was a child a story about his father and Izzy’s escapades that generally ended with his father in a far better position than the pilot they were going to be imposing on.
The sand caracal blinked at all three men. These were the men that had killed his master several times already. His master had gifted him with claws and teeth; he could easily rend them apart. The youngest, at least, wouldn’t be a problem to rip apart. But his master had told him to be his eyes. He would obey. One of the men foolishly thought he was sent from Bast. The caracal made a soft rumbling noise and rubbed against the humans’ legs, winding round and round them. In this form none of them would suspect his true master was watching.
Imhotep closed his eyes once his feline sand servant left his presence. As the servant was purely made of sand and his own magic, it was a direct conduit to his own mind and would be able to enact his will from miles away. It was the ideal warning system and the O’Connells and their Medjai ally did not question the appearance of the carnivorous predator at all. Excellent. Now he could ensure that anything they did at Karnak was under his watchful eye. It was his responsibility as the only priest of Ra to watch over the books that the youngest out of the three carried with him.
Imhotep reopened his eyes and surveyed the room he had been left alone in. There was one more body to absorb the fluids of before he would be free of the fear of felines. Perhaps he could beat the O’Connells arrival to the sacred pool there if he hurried. The priest took a deep breathe, running a hand over his bald head. Almost whole in body and he would be whole in soul and mind when he found Pakhom. After wrapping his face in cloth, Imhotep left the apartment unhurriedly and headed for the outskirts of the city. From there he would ride the sand after the last poor victim of the Hom-dai.
-
Ardeth felt worried for both Rick and Alex but he was also firmly latching onto the hope for something better. Things had to get better, there had to be a way to bring Evie back and hopefully return the two men to their regular selves so that they didn't spiral down into an abyss of despair. He didn't want that, he wasn't sure a world without the strange adventurous family was really worth living in. He loved them and he just wanted to protect them and continue to be a part of their lives. He was determined. When he saw the cat he latched onto the hope that it brought.
"Yes, a blessing. If it wishes to come with us then I do not see how we can refuse, it truly is a blessing and such things are no easily ignored." The way the cat rubbed against their legs, buzzing with pleasure and treating them so affectionately only seemed like proof. "I don't believe Izzy will mind." He spoke thoughtfully as they grew closer to the airfield, the sight of all those flying machines really was thrilling for him. His eyes were wide as he absorbed all the whirling and spectacular machinery.
Rick vaguely listened to his son and Ardeth but he was far more focused on the task at hand and couldn't worry too much about what the other two were talking about. He grunt a little as the cat rubbed against him, moving back and forth across their legs and lacking low pleased sounds. He knew that normally those cats weren't that tame and he wondered if this was a blessing of some sort. Rick didn't reach down to pet the creature but some of the tension in his body did seem to relax at the sight of the animal.
They reached the airfield and it didn't take Rick long to find Izzy, who practically lived on his plane. When he found the other he gave him a desperate serious look. "Izzy we need your help..." The other seemed panicked by the body in Rick's arms and grew flustered at the explanation but his expressions of surprise and worry quickly turned to resignation. There was no arguing with Rick when he was like this and Izzy understood helping his friends, plus he liked the kind woman who had been so good to him before.
"Come on then, everybody in, the blessing too. Lord knows we're gonna need it..." He grumbled and was quick to start prepping his plane for flight while Rick moved into the plane and carefully strapped Evie's body in as well.
-
This was really too simple. The caracal yawned as he followed the older O’Connell onto the aircraft. This group was all too trusting simply because of the form that his master bestowed up him. Now he wouldn’t have to try and follow after the group from the ground, racing a flying craft to their destination.
As the humans piled into the plane, the caracal watched them closely to see which he ought to stay closest to. The one with the books would make the most sense—his master was the true wielder of their power, not the youngest human. But the two others he had followed were the more dangerous ones. He yawned again before settling by the older O’Connell’s feet. This one was the more dangerous of the two, being the one that had ended his master directly. The dark haired one had been in supporting role each time at most.
It was a rare sight to see Ardeth so fascinated by something. The man was always so serious and composed, a guide for Alex whenever he felt at a loss over the supernatural events he and his parents were drawn into. That it was aircrafts of all things to bring out this side of Ardeth was intriguing. No one would think twice about them, but a Medjai such as Ardeth who was used to the strange and the supernatural looked at them in almost childish delight. Alex nodded, drawing the conversation back to their unlikely fourth companion. “If he’s a blessing then taking him along might soothe Izzy a bit.” As if summoned, his father’s friend appeared before them and seemed to try to escape before conceding to help. Alex smiled weakly when he saw Izzy. He felt a little sorry for the man. It was clear that he wanted a quiet life out in the desert but that was never the case for long. Always being dragged around by Alex’s father into one adventure or another. This adventure wasn’t anymore risky than the last, but at least there would be any supernatural walls of water to chase Izzy.
“Sorry, Izzy. It’s just a trip to Karnak. No crazy end of the world stuff.” Leaving out the beast that had been revived by the rogue Medjai would be the safest right now. Especially since they weren’t going anywhere near the thing right now. Alex glanced at his mother’s wrapped body before settling into the back half of the plane and opening up the black Book of the Dead. He needed to prepare as much as possible before reviving his mother a second time and would spent the rest of the flight to Karnak pouring over every inch of the book.
Imhotep flew across the sands towards the last of his victims. It took two days to catch up to the last one. Once that one was done with, he could have set his sights on the beast that had escaped, focused on finding and protecting the reincarnation of his first lover, or on taking over all of Egypt—though dictatorship had never of his interested before and wasn’t now either. Instead, however, the fully-restored priest rode the sands to Karnak. It would take him another two days to reach the decayed city and the sacred pool. Every night, though he did not need it, Imhotep would stop and sit. He would reach out with his mind and touch his Medjai’s soul. But these nights it was different, it felt as though something had changed from when he mediated in the afterlife. Pakhom’s soul has never been a calm one; he’d always carried a restlessness to him. But this time there was overflow of depression. It bothered Imhotep. What had he missed during his revival? The sooner the Beast and the books the O’Connells still had were dealt with, the sooner he could care for his Medjai.
-
Rick was relieved that Izzy accepted them and their weird cat companion. He left Alex and Ardeth to their own discussions and things, instead focusing on the pit of darkness and pain that seemed to be welling up inside of him. He didn't know what to do or how to fix this. He was trusting in his son and the books but the reality of his situation was wrapped up in those blankets and settled in on the seats in the plane.
The caracal didn't do much to soothe or comfort him but when the cat sat at his feel he felt an old yet familiar sadness inside of him. It was strange and he tried to ignore it. That feeling, much like his odd dreams, was something that he just didn't have the time or energy to think about. He couldn't deal with whatever was twisting around inside of him. He didn't want to confront the dark desires and impulses that were twisting somewhere far back in his mind and memory. He had to focus on Evie, he had to save Evie, whatever beast haunted his dreams was merely a dream and nothing more.
---
Ardeth felt thankful to Alex once again as they entered the airfield. He was a bit too overwhelmed and impressed by all the flying machines to be completely at his best and Alex was able to explain everything and get Izzy to agree with them far easier than he could. He was still amazed that such a large heave machine could really go up in the air and fly. It truly was a miracle of man and it impressed and pleased him far more than any dark or strange magic ever could. When they were allowed onto the craft he helped pack everything up inside of it and then took his time in the aircraft, wandering around to look at every single nook and cranny before finally calming down enough to go back to Alex's side and settle down by the young man.
Ardeth could see that Alex was working hard on memorizing the spell and his role and he didn't want to bother the other male so he sat still and silent next to him. He didn't even try to go near Rick because he could see the pain in the other male's eyes and he didn't want to hurt him anymore or upset him more than need be. It was better to just sit in silence and let the two men think about what needed to be doing. When the craft took off he could not keep himself from letting out a small sound of pleasure and his gaze couldn't help but go out to the view from the window.
-
Alex appreciated that Ardeth generally kept his silence during the flight to Karnak. There was more than simply reviving his mother once they arrived at the city. They were all relying on Imhotep's word that the pool at Karnak would revive Alex's mother but there was a chance that the Mummy was deceiving them in some way. To discount anything that the other a. Alex needed to memorize where the general spells were in order to be able to react to whatever would happen once he revived his mother.
When they finally landed, Alex hung back, letting his father pick up and carry his mother's wrapped up body off the plane before he even began to approach the door to get off. He didn't want to think of his mother's...condition. He'd end up breaking down if he did and that wasn't what anyone needed from him when he was now the only one who could read and invoke the ancient magic contained in the two books.
Returning to Karnak was not something Alex had really expected, though. Seeing the sandblasted ruins sent an involuntary shiver along his spine but Alex straightened and walked to where he’d once been caught by Imhotep when he’d been kidnapped. “Dad, I think the pool was that way.”
The caracal kept his place at Rick’s feet until they landed at Karnak. The moment Izzy landed and the door opened, he jumped out and stalked back and forth in front of the entrance to the deteriorated city until all the men disembarked. His master had not yet arrived at Karnak, but he was close. The caracal yawned and choose to follow after the group as they moved through the ruins of Karnak. His master had ordered him to keep watch on these humans.
Several leagues away was the resurrected Egyptian priest, now while once again. Imhotep used his servant’s eyes to check on the O’Connells’ progress to Karnak as he prepared to cover the last stretch of distance between himself and the city. The men had already arrived and were already approaching the edge of the pool it seemed. He would not be able to arrive before they attempted a revival of Nefertiri. It was unfortunate, but better for them to try and fail. He was whole now and could deal with any negative consequences that might arise from the attempt.
The option of completely ignoring the men had crossed his mind but he didn’t trust the O’Connells to leave him be. Better to insert himself into their little group until he could be assured of his own safety. Imhotep chuckled before the sand whipped up around him and he started towards Karnak.
-
Ardeth was silent for many reasons, mainly he just genuinely couldn't think of one thing to say that would make this alright. He felt like Alex's whole world was crumbling around him like that sands of the desert and there was nothing he could do to help the young man or protect him. All he could do was sit near the other and hope that his presence and support were understood by the other male. He sighed out and glanced at the other when they finally landed. He waited for Alex and watched with the other as Rick carried his wife off of the plane.
He moved by the younger male's side, determined to watch over him and protect him while Rick was heartbroken. He moved towards the ruins with Alex and looked at the younger male's worried face with a frown. He briefly reached out and squeezed the other male's shoulder. "We shall not repeat the tragedies of this place, Alex. It will be alright." He tried to sound confident with the younger male as they moved deeper and deeper into the ruins.
---
Rick grunted when his son and Ardeth spoke, he had to show that he was listening but he remembered this place well enough that he didn't need his son's directions. In fact this place seemed more real to him now more than ever. Every step cemented some knowledge deep inside of him that he didn't know he had. He walked with his wife in his arms and felt more confident than he ever had before. It was strange and bizarre and he couldn't explain the feelings that were twisting inside of him.
He felt the presence of something getting closer and he attributed it to the wildcat following him. The presence was larger and darker than the cat but Rick couldn't think about it. He refused to think about it. He clutched his wife's body closer to him and quickly made his way to the heart of the ruins and the pool that would surely bring her back to him.
-
Alex nodded half-heartedly to Ardeth’s attempts to soothe. He couldn’t risk be distracted—the spell would need his entire concentration to call his mother’s soul back to her body. He looked up at Ardeth and forced smile. “Of course not. There isn’t any crazy undead priest trying to take over the world this time.” Just raising his mother back from the dead a second time. Once Evelyn O’Connell was revived, everything would be better and he’d be able to relax a little. Then they’d be getting back on the plane and probably going after the rogue Medjai, unless they came across Imhotep first. Both monsters needed to be put down.
It wasn’t long before the pool came into view. Just a small, shallow body of water. Alex still remembered when he was a child the Mummy had caught him here after the bracelet showed him the next leg of the journey. The monster had walked across the waters of the pool without a care but it unnerved Alex, particularly as the water reflected back an eerie blackness that someone could drown in rather than a smile shallow pool.
“Dad, lay mom down just at the edge.” Alex himself knelt beside the pool, laying the two books out in front of him. He looked to his father, waiting for him to lie his mother by the pool so he could begin the incantation.
The caracal leapt ahead of the last of the men when the pool came into view. It stretched out at the opposite edge and mimicked a yawn before looking back at the humans. Soon they would be attempting to use the books to revive the dead human without any sacrifice. It was aware that this had happened before, when Anck-Su-Namun stabbed the human female outside of the pyramid. Would it be successful? His master was certain that it would not.
Imhotep himself was still approaching Karnak. He was in no rush to confront the O’Connells. His mind was turning over what needed to be done next instead. His Medjai and the newly freed beast were of primary importance, everything else could be left where it lay. Unfortunately, for the beast treating with the O’Connells would be a necessary step. And Imhotep did not want his Medjai exposed to that family. So the beast would come first, but he intended to be a presence within his Medjai’s mind.
-
Ardeth couldn't help but feel a pang when Alex nodded and looked so grim. He wished the boy could just be happy, that his heart wasn't so weighed down with all this tragedy and responsibility. When the other spoke and smiled that small forced smile Ardeth gave the young man a weary smile in return. "That is right, at least we don't have to deal with that priest for now." That was the only positive, Imhotep was distracted with his own troubles and so he wouldn't interrupt what they were doing or try to stop it the way he had in the past. There was at least one small silver lining for them at the moment and Ardeth was willing to focus on it for all of their sakes.
They reached the pool and Ardeth let out a small sigh. This was a place of great power and importance and he still felt that even after all of their brutal adventures. He moved off to the side of the entrance so that he could keep watch and guard his friends while they worked their magic. He kept his eyes on what Alex and Rick were doing but kept the rest of his senses alert just in case something were to happen.
"Right..." Rick murmured lowly when Alex spoke and did what his son said. He laid Evie's body down at the edge of the pool and let out a low shaky breath at how limp and cold she felt. God he just wanted her back, he silently prayed as he let her go and took a step back.
He felt so hollow without her, with the knowledge that his own weakness caused her to sacrifice everything to reach out for help to that damned mummy. Once she was back he would prove to her that they didn't need Imhotep's help, they didn't need to beg for the other to assist them when he was just as evil and heartless as the beast that had been released. The other only knew how to betray others and hurt them. He wasn't like Evie at all, who was so warm and devoted.
For some reason the aching he felt so often recently returned and a bitterness bloomed on his tongue. Imhotep had definitely done some awful things to them personally but for some reason his bitterness toward the other male felt even more personal than before. It was strange and confusing and he wanted to shake his head and clear his mind of the other. None of this mattered he just had to focus on Evie!
-
Alex nodded and tried to relax himself as his father laid down his mother beside the pool. Despite his bravado, he felt unsure of what he was about to do. Nothing was really different from the last time. Just read the inscription and his mother would be back with them. Everything that happened in the last 24 hours, all that grief and powerlessness, would become a fleeting memory and a lesson not to mix the magic of life and death. Alex took a deep breathe as he set aside the Book of Amun-Ra, opening the Book of the Dead. Part of him wished to know what incantations his mother had used to bring back that monster, but that was for later. Much, much later.
After glancing towards his father Alex began reading the incantation. The water rippled in response slowly, the waves growing in size. His hands gripped the book and Alex didn't realize that his voice was growing louder as he finished the incantation. Just like that time in his childhood, a bright light filled the air above his mother's body. He smiled and gave a small laugh as he sat back.
Evelyn’s body didn’t seem to react immediately. There wasn’t a sudden start or inhale of breathe. She lay still as when she was set down. In spite of the beautiful light that had appeared, nothing seemed to change immediately. But her body had already started to warm and her pallid complexion began improving. It wasn’t long before her eyes fluttered open, gaze hazy as she looked to the men standing around her. “R-Rick? Alex? Ardeth? What...? Oh my, Izzy?”
Despite her surprise at seeing all of them around here, Evelyn didn’t immediately stand up as was ‘only proper’. She remained lying on the ground, only turning her head to look at the men around her and smiling at all of them.
At the entrance to Karnak, Imhotep pauses and took in the sight. It had been, from what he understood, almost two decades since he’d last set foot in the ruin but it seemed as though it had been frozen in time since then. The sands had not piled up within the dead ends, columns that had partially fallen were forever stuck at an angle now. As he walked slowly through the ruins, he felt the power that lay at its heart. Power that one of O’Connell’s group was stirring up. Imhotep looked through the caracal’s eyes in time to see the burst of light and Nefertiri awaken. Ah, he had been wrong then. It wasn’t a complete failure of resurrection.
Imhotep folded his arms over his chest and continued to observe through his servant’s eyes. At Rick’s feet the caracal stared unblinkingly at Evie, not making a sound. It almost looked like a statue, just sitting and staring so intently.
-
Ardeth watched as Rick set Evie down and his gaze inevitably turned back to Alex. The other was trying to do a monumental task and he felt so impressed by the other male's courage. He was still a child in Ardeth's eyes and the fact that he was trying to do something so powerful was amazing. The other had his father's grief and his mother's life in his hands and he was handling it so well. When the magic started to work and the light of life filled the beautiful woman, Ardeth ended up gasping softly. Evi was brought back to life and the sight of her eyes opening and the sound of her voice was a huge relief, what was an even bigger relief was hearing Alex's laugh and seeing his joy.
Rick watched what his son did with a weary desperate gaze. The other was trying so hard and Rick appreciated it but he was also so damn fearful for Evie. He just wanted her back, he needed her back and nothing else mattered. His desperation was replaced by hope as the other male's words grew loud and the light started to surround and fill up his wife. Alex was really doing it, he was really bringing her back!
Suddenly her body warmed, his pale skin seemed to fill with the blush of life, her eyes fluttered open and Rick let out a hoarse cry. He stumbled toward her and away from the caracal and fell to his knees on the ground beside her. He reached out as she spoke and his hands shook with emotions. Tears were in his eyes as he looked at his beautiful wife and he felt his heart ache and burst at the mere sight of the beautiful woman.
"Evie...Evie Darling..." His voice was low and broken as he looked at her and caught her gaze with his eyes. He let out a low breathy laugh full of his desperate relief. "Thank god...w-we brought you back, Alex brought you back."
Rock babbled and his hands were open and reaching for his wife. "Never scare me like that again, dammit." He cursed but looked so desperately happy to see her. Her coming back to him almost didn't feel real, nothing really felt real in this moment.
-
Alex didn't crowd around his mother with his father. He was a little tired from all the worry and anxiety that had pressed upon him and his father these past few days. It, it had only been three days since everything that had happened in that cave. He rubbed his face and looked up at Ardeth. "We should give my parents some space and plan what we need to do next." After all, there were those two monsters wandering around the world now, risking the safety of the entire world. And there was also that rogue Medjai that they hadn't been able to capture. Who knew if and when he would come after Ardeth and, by extension, Alex and his parents. It wasn't yet time to rest when there were still so many dangers still to be dealt with.
“Alex did? I hope...” Evelyn paused and reached out, catching one of Rick's hands and stopping him from completely embracing her. With her other hand, she reached out and carressed her husband's cheek. “I didn’t mean to. When I used both books, I may have overestimated myself. I won't be doing that again." She smiled apologetically. Evie's eyes fluttered and she looked down before looking back up at Rick.
Imhotep pulled back from spying on the O'Connells through his servant and instead walked to the pool himself. Instead of striding into the joyful group, he peered in from entryway and watched. Nefertiri was basking in the arms of her husband, who was clearly ecstatic to have his wife back. There was the love that had opened his eyes to the truth of his relationship with Anck-Su-Namun. The priest sighed and folded his arms over his chest, a faraway look in his eyes. Really, his Medjai was just as dedicated, until everything went wrong. He sighed and rubbed his forehead, frowning. There was no need to retread what had happened in the past yet. He needed to find his Medjai before anything else.
When it sensed its master nearing and not watching through its eyes, the caracal followed after Rick. It purred and looked between Rick and Evie. Evelyn blinked at the noise and jumped in surprise when she saw the large cat standing behind. "O-oh my! Rick, where...?" She trailed off and looked at the caracal again before shaking her head. "Nevermind. It's not important. Rick, I am glad to see you." She sighed and leaned against Rick. While her body had warmed from being revived, it was still cooler in her limbs and didn't seem to be warming. Rather, Evelyn O'Connell's body was starting to cool a bit.
-
Ardeth was stunned at what Alex could do, the young man was beyond amazing and he seemed to surpass everyone's expectations of him. When Alex moved towards him he ended up wrapping an arm around his shoulders and pulling him in for a half hug. "You did well. Your abilities always astonish me, Alex." His voice was low and warm and happy, Ardeth felt truly hopeful. He nodded at Alex's words and moved away from the couple with the other. "You're right, we need to plan out what we should do. We need to think of the future now and of our strategy." His words were low and serious. They did have two monsters that they needed to face now and it was important that they focused on the dangers at hand now that Evie was alive again.
Rick felt such a sense of utter and complete relief, he reached out for his beloved wife and let out a small sound when she caught his hand and his face. Her delicate hands were so fragile yet so powerful, they was she touched him moved him. It was like she was the sun and he was merely pulled by her presence. "Thank god for that. Don't scare any of us like that again...you are worth more than this whole damn world Evie."
Rick didn't care about the caracal behind him, he just shrugged at her confused words. "Don't know why it's so obsessed with us, doesn't matter." He murmured and leaned in close to his wife to pressed their foreheads together. He felt her shockingly cool body and wondered why she wasn't warming up more. "We need to heat you use, you're chilled Evie." As he spoke his arms made their way around his wife's body and he pulled her in to hold her. "Maybe we can make some coffee or something to warm you up...We can get out of this place together, nothing else matters." A dark cold place deep inside of him was afraid that this was all temporary but he refused to pay any attention to that fear.
-
Alex leaned against the older man as the Medjai praised him, feeling a little embarrassed and exhausted now that all the stress. All Ardeth was really praising was his ability to read ancient Egyptian. It was the magic of this place that had been the main driving force, coupled with those words, that had revived his mother. Without the powers present it would have been a failure. “It wasn’t that much more than what I did at Ahm Shere.” He scratched his cheek and moved with Ardeth away from his parents.
A foreboding thought flirted through his mind and Alex looked up at the Medjai. “Where do you suppose both of them are? Could they still be in Egypt?” Both Imhotep and that monster were from Egypt’s past but the world was much wider now. The last time they met Imhotep wasn’t in Egypt but in the cold streets of London. What if the Mummy and the monster were already at opposite ends of the earth? Maybe they should have at least dragged the Mummy with them. The old priest hadn’t immediately attacked them when they’d gone searching for him.
The caracal sat ignored by the O’Connells, unbothered by the lack of attention. It did keep close to Rick, however, in spite of Imhotep’s instruction to watch all of the men in the group. Evelyn watched the large cat, sensing that something was off about it, but ignored it in the end to focus on her husband. When he commented on her body temperature, the smile that had been on her face faltered a little before widening, tears forming in her eyes. “Oh, Rick. I don’t think coffee will do the trick this time. Ah...” The words she wanted to say escaped her as she was cradled in Rick’s arms. She wanted nothing more than this, as always, but this time it was not meant to last.
“I used the books to call back the one that had defeated that monster before. You need to work with Imhotep and get rid of that thing. He knows more about that beast than anyone. Do let Jonathan know what happened and ask him to come back. He might not be as good as Ardeth or Alex, but he can help in his own way.” She knew that it was hurting Rick to say all of this, but her return was probably a small gift to properly say their goodbyes. It felt like it had before when she slipped away after summoning Imhotep back from the dead. She didn’t have that much longer left. Evie smiled again and lightly kissed her husband. “I love you Rick. After all of this is over...please be happy.”
-
Ardeth felt a small rush of warmth as Alex leaned in against him, the other had grown so much and he felt like a man now. He could feel the muscles that had been built over the course of many years and even more adventures. The boy was stronger now in far more ways than one, he had truly grown. Alex's humility and bashful words made Ardeth smile a little bit and shake his head. "There is magic in this place but the words are important and the will behind them is important as well. A corrupt or weak will would not be able to do what you have done."
Ardeth couldn't hide his admiration for the younger male, he couldn't hide his fondness either. When Alex brought up the threats his warmth cooled and he grew serious and stony once more. "Imhotep is certainly still in Egypt, this is his land and if he wishes to gain power it will be here...but that beast, I do not know its ways or thoughts." Most of the things Imhotep needed were in Egypt as the land had taken back many of its objects of power and put them back in their own museums but that beast was an unpredictable and dangerous being and could go anywhere.
Rick didn't care about the wild cat, he didn't care about his disturbing nightmares or even the strange need that had been haunting him, all he cared about was Evie. She was in his arms and she was back and that was all that mattered to him. He noticed the tears in her eyes and that brought tears to his eyes, they burned at the sight of his wife looking distraught and when she spoke he started shaking his head desperately. "We'll find something, it will be okay Evie, I swear it..." He clung to her and tightened his own on her weakened body. Her voice broke and he let out a low hopeless sound.
"Dammit Evie...h-how am I supposed to work with that bastard? I'll call for Jonathan don't worry but you know that you are the only one who can really make things work, you've always been the brains of this operation Evie." He joked weakly, trying to argue with his wife and keep her with him somehow. He continued to shake his head and the tears that burned in his eyes started to slip down his cheeks as she spoke to him. The kiss caused him to sob out and he kissed her back roughly, trying to cling to the life in his beloved. "I love you too...please don't leave me I can't be happy without you, I can't be whole." His voice was low and raw and the grief in his eyes was real as he clung to his wife.
-
Alex blushed as Ardeth continued to praise him, his embarrassment spiking with it. “Well, maybe.” It was nice to hear that it wasn’t just that it could be anyone reading from the book and his mother would have been brought back. And it felt like Ardeth was finally starting to treat him like an adult instead of the little kid he had once been. He didn’t need to go back to Cambridge, he didn’t need to spend time with people his own age. Out here in Egypt is where he is meant to be, beside Ardeth and his parents.
He nodded when the conversation fully shifted to what the next step would be now that they had his mother back, “That’s good. We can find one and if it’s Imhotep... I think he knows something about that monster. He said something about it back when my mom first summoned him.” Alex frowned, trying to remember what exactly the Mummy had said that caught the monster off guard and caused it to run away. He looked up at Ardeth, lips pursed and slightly pouting. “We should catch him and bind him up somehow. Do you think that there’s some sort of spell in the books that would help control him?
“You have to. Please, Rick. Whatever Alex did to call me back, it’s not permanent. I have to leave, but I don’t want my boys unhappy.” Evie rubbed Rick’s cheek weakly. “I know, I know. But that’s why I want you to call Jonathan back and work with Imhotep. Jonathan will be able to help as much as he always does. Imhotep, if he’s willing, knows more about this monster than anyone else. More about the books and more about magic. As much as I hate to say it.” She smiled. There was more to be said, like how Evelyn had always felt that there was something more to her husband’s recent behaviour than a few odd dreams, or that she wanted Alex to go for his exams, make a name for himself in his own right rather than following his parents around. But she didn’t have the strength. All she could do was rest her hand on her husband’s cheek. “Goodbye Rick. You will be happy again.” The sad smile in her eyes faded and her arm dropped to her side again. The body in Rick’s arms stilled once again.
From his hidden position, Imhotep could sense the magic that had appeared with the summoning of Nefertiri’s soul back to her body was starting to dissipate. While the fact that the O’Connells had even been able to summon her soul back did surprise him, that her soul was already being called back to whatever afterlife she existed in did not. Well, the couple he envied now had a proper parting instead of being ripped from each other because of a foolish woman’s desperate actions.
-
"It is true, my friend. Not just anyone can read and use the book, your family...you are special." It was true, even though he was a medjai he was was unable to work the magic that seemed to come so easily to Alex. He did admire the younger man and it was at moments like these that he stopped seeing the other a mere child and saw him for the man that he was. Alex had grown up whether Ardeth wanted to admit it or not and there was something there between them that hadn't been there before.
"Yes, even if he hates this world I am sure he won't want another creature destroying it and not him." Ardeth mused in an almost joking fashion and nodded at the younger male's pouting, feeling an odd tug at his heartstrings. "I do not know for certain but we can study the books and hopefully find something that will help us deal with Imhotep..." Ardeth's words faded as he heard and saw Rick breaking down once more. He reached out without thinking and held Alex close. "You did do well Alex but the gods and their will are mysterious. You gave your father a goodbye and that is a far greater thing than many of us ever receive." He spoke urgently into the other male's soft sweet smelling hair.
"Evie Evie...please..." Rick begged his wife but in his heart he knew her words were true, he could feel her life leaving her even as she spoke. He nuzzled his face against her hand and sobbed out brokenly. "How can we be happy without you? Dammit, I'd rather have you than a hundred Imhoteps..." He cursed yet couldn't help but smile back at her when she smiled at him. She was still so beautiful, so perfect even barely hanging on. "I love you, I'll always love you... Evie...Evie!" Her words, her wishes for his happiness felt like a curse, like some terrible weight on his heart. Poor Rick cried out loudly and pulled her into his chest one last time. He clung to her and sobbed but as he cried he accepted that this truly was the end. He didn't believe that he could be happy but he had his wife's wishes for him and for their son and he would try to see them though, he would try to get Jonathon and Imhotep and he would try to save the damn world one last time and then he would wait until he could be back with her again.
He clutched her body and shook as he felt the warmth and strength fade from her frail form.
-
Alex smiled wryly. “Yeah, Imhotep is the type that needs to be in control, isn’t he?” The mummy wanted control over a mythic army the last time his parents had fought him. It had been a little strange, the jump Imhotep had done from the stories Alex heard his parents tell of the first time he’d been revived to when Alex was kidnapped by the monster and the cult that followed him. The first time had sounded more like a bid to reunite with a lost love rather than a bid for power. The second time Alex had only seen Imhotep’s power hungry nature, he couldn’t imagine someone like that wholly loving another person. It wasn’t plausible.
He turned when he heard his father starting to break down again and tried to go back to his side but Ardeth held him back. “No, it should be just like last time. Last time she was fine. She got up and fought the woman that killed her.” His mother had been fine. She’d been really fine. Alex was shaking, a mix of his own grief and powerlessness. Had Imhotep been right and they needed to sacrifice someone so that he could bring his mother back? Could he sacrifice someone else to restore life to his mother? Distraught, Alex kept fighting to get to his parents but he quickly expended the little energy he had left and sagged weakly in Ardeth’s arms.
Imhotep frowned as he heard O’Connell cry out for his wife. It reminded him a little of his own reaction when Anuck-Su-Namun killed herself when they had executed the pharaoh. Desperation and the desire for someone that disappeared right before his eyes. He did feel pity...and empathy for the man. He had foolishly deceived himself then. Imhotep tilted his head and thought back to the day he’d been caught and cursed with the Hom-dai. He hadn’t seen his Medjai that day, but he did wonder if he had the same reaction. All by himself, and Pakhom would not have done anything to end his own life early. Imhotep frowned and looked up, closing his eyes. He gave instructions to his sand servant before withdrawing his senses and reaching out to his Medjai. Rather than being the hot, lust-driven presence he had projected towards his lovely one; Imhotep wrapped his conscious around his Medjai. He wanted to feel a familiar presence after remembering his own stupidity and theorizing on his Medjai’s own loss.
The caracal tilted his head and moved forward and nuzzled against Rick’s arm. It didn’t understand its master. But it would follow Imhotep’s orders absolutely. So it purred and rubbed against O’Connell as he clutched the woman that had been revived and then passed away again. Why was Imhotep was interested in comforting the man that had defeated him twice already?
-
Ardeth ended up snorting at Alex's observations. "That is definitely the truth, my friend. Beings that twist the powers of life and death and wrestle with the very forces of nature definitely want to be in control." It was something he could partially understand as a warrior but it was something he accepted was impossible. Control was something no one truly had, life was far too unpredictable and, at times, cruel. He knew before he even turned and looked that life was once again being uncontrollable and cruel. The cry of his friend and then the heartbroken look of the young man in front of him told him all that he needed to know.
Ardeth held onto the other male, gripping him in a tight yet comforting embrace and shaking his head. "I am sorry, the gods do what they will." He didn't know why this didn't work, he didn't have knowledge of the ancient magics but he knew that life and death were fickle things. Alex fought against his hold but quickly sagged in his arms and Ardeth felt his eyes burn and his heart break even more for the other male. This was all too cruel. He hugged the other close against his chest and whispered prayers of protection and peace against his sandy hair. "I am sorry. I am so sorry, you did all you could, Alex." His words were low and hot with grief.
Poor Rick felt like what little left of his world was crumbling away. This was really the end and he couldn't help but feel hopeless and lost, without her how was he supposed to go on? Her body was quickly growing colder and colder, all the strength was gone from it, all the vibrancy and force. How was he supposed to live in a world where all that was gone? Rick cried again, silent wrenching sobs that wracked over his body as he held her as tight as possible. A wave of something close to comfort washed over him along with the sensation of rough yet silky fur. The warm press of the big cat should have shocked him or made him weary but it felt ancient and familiar to him. His eyes closed and he let out a shuddering sigh and leaned against the wild creature as he continued to hug his wife to his chest. The comforting presence was the only thing keeping him from having a complete breakdown, it was a little bit of stable ground after his entire world had fallen away.
-
Alex leaned against Ardeth, staring sadly at his parents. This really didn't make any sense. He did it all the same as the first time his mother died. Was it because this death was a part of a spell? What had he missed? No. His mother had at last opened her eyes, so that couldn't mean that it was all tied to the spell. Alex chewed the inside of his cheek. The only one that could give any insight into what went wrong was Imhotep, and he had already given himself and his father insight into what was needed to revive his mother. A sacrifice, a life for a life. But there was no way he could go ahead with killing someone else to get his mom back— she wouldn't have wanted anyone to be killed to bring her back.
“We need to tell Uncle John what happened.” Alex swallowed. Uncle Johnathan had left everything of Egypt behind after that last 'adventure'. Always saying that there were too many things order the sand that would kill them. Alex knew that his uncle was attached to his mother Evelyn, and watching his father's reaction was already so heart-wrenching.
Imhotep frowned as he brushed against Pakhom's mind. His lover's mind was more of a mess now compared to earlier, when he'd been taunting and teasing the other through the mental connection he'd created. He needed to get to Pakhom's side soon, and so needed to use the O'Connells and the Med'jai to deal with the beast that had been loosed. However, given their prior confrontations, Imhotep suspected that more than convincing would be required. And their meeting earlier likely would set the tone for all future meetings. How unfortunate.
As the group would not appreciate his appearance now, given their own grief, Imhotep confined himself to focusing on his distressed love.
The caracal nudged O'Connell gently. How long was Master Imhotep going to hide from the O'Connells? Or allow it to change into something other than a caracal? It stared at Rick, who was clinging to the body. This was similar to Master's reaction to Anck-Su-Namun’s suicide? How odd.
How long was this going to go on?
-
Ardeth could practically see the thoughts whirling around Alex's head. He felt so sorry for the younger man and he wished he could just let the other grieve in peace. He rubbed the other with slow soothing circles and let out a low shaky sigh. When Alex spoke Ardeth nodded, though he and Jonathan were very different he still respected and even liked the odd Englishman. "We will contact him after we get out of this place. We may also need to confront the beast or at least I will need to set the other Med'jai on the path." Now that there was no hope of bringing Evelyn back he would have to turn back to his own duties.
"We should go to your father now, you two need each other." His words were rough yet kind and he gently started to set off to his old friend. The sight of the cat comforting him was worrying but Ardeth couldn't fully put a finger on why. There was something strange about it though and he felt like Rick needed to be reminded of the human lives around him that still needed him.
Rick's sobbing slowly lightened and settled to a stop. His mind felt fractured and chaotic but he still had his wife in his arms and he had to care for her body. They couldn't bring her back but he would take care of her, put her to peace. He didn't want this to happen, didn't want to lay her to rest but her words stuck a chord in his heart and he knew he had to obey her. He squeezed her tight against himself and moved one hand up to roughly rub at his eyes before turning to look at his son and his friend. Every part of him wanted to rage and breakdown but that wasn't right.
There was something in the ancient presence in his mind that was allowing him to pulled the pieces of his fractured mind and heart together but it was a slow unsteady process.
"We have to bury her, we have to give her a proper place to rest." He spoke in a hoarse voice, one that was raw with emotion and it was clear that he didn't want to let her go but that he felt he had to.
-
Alex nodded mutely and followed Ardeth to his father’s side. He crouched down and touched the older O’Connell’s shoulder. Blue eyes strayed back to the books, and Alex ached to know more about the incantations within them, where he went wrong and what spells his mother had mixed in the first place to summon the Mummy. Imhotep had been so quick to inform them there needed to be a human sacrifice. Even his mother, despite her past life, needed time to research before coming to a conclusion. There must be knowledge in the priest’s brain that had been lost to time.
He swallowed when his father roused from his grief enough to speak to him and Ardeth. “R-right. A proper place. Yes.” Alex looked up at Ardeth, then Izzy, who’d been awkwardly hanging back. “Um, do you think she’d like to stay here or back home?” His mother loved Egypt, but he couldn’t imagine lying her to rest anywhere but the family plot, with her parents.
Ah, movement. The caracal blinked up at O’Connell, then towards the two other humans. The faster this was over, he could return to his master’s side. And then… He tilted his head before snuffing a yawn and nudged O’Connell once more, this time towards the entrance.
His master had stepped out from behind the wall.
Now completely regenerated, Imhotep folded his hands behind his back, approaching the grieving O’Connells. The last time they had been in such a state, he had been amused. Now Imhotep merely studied the men. He felt pity for O’Connell.
“As I told you, a life for a life. Osiris allowed you a moment but he would never let the scales remain unbalanced.“ Imhotep looked to Ardeth, the back to the O’Connells. Would the older one respond to him as he had before?
-
Ardeth felt sorrow for Alex and Rick, he truly did but he also knew there was truly nothing left to do in this moment. The spells had not worked and the power they had invoked had only given them the miracle of a farewell and not one of true resurrection. It was all so bitterly disappointing but he was determined to be there for Alex and his father no matter what. When Rick spoke of a burial and then Alex responded Ardeth just listened with a patient gaze. They were so involved in their grief that he almost didn't notice the arrival of their visitor but when he saw the mummy he immediately went on guard and stepped forward protectively.
The other was fully reformed and Ardeth felt a sad chill knowing that the other had stolen life once more to become whole. "We would be fools to have trusted you no matter what your words." He spat out at the other, feeling stung on the behalf of his friend and his friend's child. Did Imhotep come just to rub salt into their wounds? He didn't get why the other was here.
Rick listened to Alex with a hollow expression. "She'd want to be with her parents but we should bring some of Egypt with her." Some sand or something else to be with her in the ground. He felt a strong urge to bury her with almost all of her most precious and valuable things, he felt like it would protect her and comfort her in his absence.
He was nudged by the desert cat and he let out a small annoyed sound until he saw what the other was nudging him towards.
The sight of Imhotep whole and the sound of his voice roared around him and poor Rick felt as though all the air in the room was sucked free from his lungs. The sight of the other this way felt familiar and painful, wonderful and terrifying all at once and he didn't know why.
"Osiris be damned and you be damned too." He spoke in a rough voice, raw with pain and sorrow. "You know nothing of love, nothing of faithfulness, Imhotep." The name was said like a curse and somehow there were echoes in his words as if it weren't the first time he spoke them.
-
It made sense. Alex was certain that only his uncle Jonathan wanted nothing to do with Egypt. His grandparents' headstones boasted Egyptian motifs--his mother had once told him they had once made plans to be buried in Cairo before a plane crash took their lives.
Alex shivered. Now that he thought about it, all he had was his father and his uncle Jonathan, who had turned into a lifelong bachelor. His father wasn't coping well and he didn't doubt that uncle Jon would be worst. And they would be by themselves, no extended family to support them with his father growing up in an orphanage and uncle Jon really being the only one left of his mother's family. The young man seemed to fall further into himself even as he kept near his father.
So wrapped up in his shared grief with his father that Alex didn't notice Imhotep's entrance until he heard the monster speak. He stood up, a little too quickly and blinked a few times before inching towards the books.
At first it was the Med'jai that reacted to him, insulting the advice he'd given to them. Imhotep tilted his head slightly, a small indulgent smile growing on his face. "But you did trust my words." They would not have come to Karnak, much less been able to speak with Nefertiri, if he had not mentioned the pool here and they hadn't taken his words at face value.
Loss made fools out of men. Himself and O'Connell alike.
Ah. The older O'Connell was indeed reacting to him again. The smile dropped from Imhotep's face and he moved quickly to grab the other man's jaw, holding it tight, growling. How dare O'Connell speak the last words that his Pakhom had spoken to him. Even now that pain was too raw--his previous revivals had been so focused on Anck-su-namun and consolidating power that it was fresh as the day they were said.
Alex stumbled back when the Mummy attacked his father, fumbling slightly as he pulled out his revolver, as useless as it was against the monster. But it should be able to slow him down enough to get to the books, to stop him from trying anything with his father--Alex tightened his grip, willing his gun hand to stop shaking, and stepped closer to Ardeth and, unfortunately, away from the two books.
"Ardeth, what do you think?" He glanced up at the older man, then back to the Mummy. There had to be something, some trigger. But before his father had thrown around Anck-su-namum's name with nary a reaction. What changed?
The click of the hammer being pulled back stopped Imhotep from picking up the older O'Connell and tossing him into the pool. Instead he slowly released the other, still frowning. "You should not curse the gods. You may yet need their aid. Unless you intend to allow the beast that triggered all of this to roam free." He needed to keep a neutral relationship with these men if he wished to be left to search for his Pakhom. Even if O'Connell was now needling at a sore point, he was ignorant of the true weight behind those words. Imhotep should not have reacted.
And yet... Why then, had it sounded like Rick O'Connell was more than well aware of what he'd said?
-
Ardeth truly ached on behalf of Rick and Alex. His life was so different from theirs but he could still see and feel sorrow for their loss. The Med'jai were born and raised as soldiers, concepts like family and friends were sacrificed for the greater goal of protecting the world from the evil in the sands. They certainly had children but all were raised as equals, all soldiers preparing to fight. The close familial bonds that Alex so cherished was not truly a part of Ardeth's life.
He moved closer to Alex when the mummy appeared and glared when the other smiled and acted do damn condescending. "We went down the only path available to us, nothing more." His words were frosty and his guard was up. He had to protect Rick and Alex and he couldn't allow himself be distracted by the terrible ancient being in front of them.
When the mummy went after Rick, Ardeth pulled his swords out and let out a warning shout. When Alex stepped near him and questioned him, his heart let out a throb of sorrow. God how was he to protect them? "You must get the tools only you can use, my friend. We will protect your father together." He motioned so that he was standing firmly in front of Alex to better give the other cover to grab the books. Alex was a good shot and a decent fighter but Ardeth would not risk the young man for anything in the world.
Rick let out a small sound in the back of his throat when strong fingers grasped his jaw. The touch of those fingers felt like a long forgotten spell and he felt dazed at the flood of feelings that the sudden contact inspired in him. He felt strange and conflicted and for a moment he forgot about everyone in the room besides Imhotep. The movement of his son pulling out his revolver brought Rick back to reality and he let out an annoyed hiss.
What was wrong with him? Why was this monster distracting him from what was important?
"And you should not rely on them so heavily to protect you, Imhotep." His words once again were echoes and Rick didn't understand why they were coming out of his mouth when his usual impulse was to tell the other to go fuck himself and then get to the fighting. Imhotep did release him though and that was enough for him. He shook his head and rubbed at his jaw before turning back to Ardeth and Alex.
"What we intend is none of your business. Why are you suddenly trying to play the hero now? Why aren't you looking for your precious Anck-su-namum or whatever body double for her that you can shove her soul into?" There was real vitriol in his voice at her name and once again he pronounced it with a naturalness that he never had before. Sure she had betrayed Imhotep but that didn't matter, she was the one the mummy chose so obviously he would continue his ridiculous search for her as he had done before. Poor Rick didn't realize how odd his thoughts were about the mummy and his former love, he didn't know why he thought of her as chosen and himself as rejected.
The shadows from the past were welling up inside of him and Imhotep had set into motion things that could never be reversed.
-
Ah, the books. That didn't answer his question, really, but they couldn't let the books fall into anyone else's hands. Alex's eyes darted towards his father when Imhotep stepped away from him. It didn't look like the monster was moving towards the books he'd left by the pool, but there was something...off with his father, just like there seemed to be with Imhotep.
Objectively, even if his mother had been teaching his father how to speak ancient Egyptian, Alex didn't think it should sound so natural. On top of that, the older man wasn't acting like himself. The Rick O'Connell he knew was always action first, brawns while the brains was left Alex or his mother. Now he hadn't drawn a weapon against the Mummy but was arguing with him, like there wasn't a history of violence between the two.
Imhotep's eyes narrowed as words echoing Pakhom's continued to spill from O'Connell's mouth. He stretched the hand that had grabbed the other man's jaw, but didn't turn on the elder O'Connell again. He intended to, if not ally with these men, at least craft a truce where he could exist within this world and attempt to court his Medjai once again.
"Anck-su-namun?" Imhotep frowned, not quite understanding why that woman had been brought up. He hadn't any intention towards that woman, his feelings were overall neutral towards the Pharoah's mistress. The relationship had been a short indulgence he should not have entertained, and it was his fault as much as it had been hers to become involved with one another. Imhotep thought he had made clear he did not intend to repeat the stupidity of his previous incarnations, but apparently not clearly enough for these three men.
"I am not 'playing', nor do I presume the gods' protection. Their aid would be needed against the beast. Regardless if your intentions, I intend seek out Pakhom."
“You’re looking for an eagle?” Alex blurted out as the muzzle of his revolver dropped away from the Mummy. He flushed with embarrassment when Imhotep turned to him with an eyebrow raised and an exasperated expression on his face, much like his teachers when students said something abysmally off the mark.
"Pakhom. He is a Medjai. Isis," Imhotep spared a glare towards the older O'Connell as he brought up the goddess's name, "informed me that he reincarnated while I was within the Land of the Dead. Pakhom aided in locking that monster away. If you intend to fight the monster, he would be invaluable. I have many thing to discuss with him." His expression softened at the end, an echo of his expression whenever he thought of Anck-su-namun during his previous reincarnations, but there was sorrow and regret tied up in it. Not that these men would understand. The relationship had been a secret at the time, he doubted that the Medjai standing beside the younger O'Connell was aware that one of the Medjai that had mummified him had also been his lover.
Well, this was...strange. Alex blinked rapidly, trying to connect what the Mummy had said with what he knew. Imhotep had originally fought against the beast and knowing who else had been there made sense. If they had been reincarnated, then she would have either summoned someone that had no idea what was going on, so it might have been a good thing that Imhotep answered the call.
That was an uncomfortable thought. Alex reholstered his revolver and carefully stepped over to the books, picking them back up. Imhotep didn't move to get at them, though it did drawn the caracal's attention. The large cat stood and followed Alex back to Ardeth's side.
"Dad, maybe we should take him with us this time?" At least they could keep an eye on the Mummy this way, in case Imhotep tried something.
-
Ardeth was also kind of puzzled by Rick's behavior and the easy way he spoke. The other never spoke Egyptian names and words with such ease and naturalness and he wasn't jumping into a fistfight with Imhotep and was just arguing with him. As someone who butted heads with Rick often he knew that the other wasn't usually one for debates and was more likely to start a brawl than do anything else.
This arguing was strange and Ardeth wondered if it was just because of the loss of his wife or if there was something deeper going on deep inside of Rick. He stayed tense as Alex moved over to retrieve the books and frowned as he tried to follow the odd conversation between the adventurer and the mummy. "Alex please keep your guard up, everything feels off." Even the air around them seemed to be filled with more history than usual.
Rick couldn't seem to stop the words from pouring from his lips, the other reached out for him and even though he didn't touch him again there was still a sense of electricity in the air between them. It was odd and tense and poor Rick felt torn and unsure of what he was feeling and who he was upset with. God what was wrong with him? Why was his heart moving in a thousand directions at once?
"Yes, your love, your soul, the one you returned for time and again." Why did he care? Why did he feel such bitterness over that fact? Rick had never cared about Imhotep's tragic romance. He had pitied the other from time to time and he had understood loving someone so much but he had never felt bitter over it, he never had reason to feel bitter. Somehow his stomach was knotted up and he felt as if he had somehow been rejected for her. It was stupid and crazy and Rick didn't know why he felt like that on top of everything else.
Rick was about to scoff at the other male's words until he said that name. That name rang like a bell in his mind and through his body, reverberating and shuddering him down straight to his very bones.
"Not an eagle..." He murmured in response to Alex's words and then shook his head as he felt an ancient cry inside of his heart. What was wrong with him? This was something beyond the despair he felt from Evie's death, this was related to those dark dreams that had been swirling in his mind. Rick didn't want to explore it anymore, he didn't want to think about what this all meant.
He shook his head while the other spoke, ignoring the cries that were raising up inside of him. "How nice...looking for your Medjai now that she is gone." He muttered bitterly and turned to his son when the other male spoke. "I don't care, I suppose him coming along is better than the alternative." He grumbled and moved forward. Imhotep's sad eyes and wistful expression only wounded him more and Rick felt another wave of bitterness and anger that didn't fully feel like his own. He squeezed his wife's body to him a little tighter and then moved forward, there was no reason to stay here and there was no reason to stick around and try to fight with Imhotep or figure out the complex feelings the other male was pulling out of him. He moved and figured that the others would follow.
Ardeth frowned at the back and forth and ended up reaching out to ruffle Alex's hair when the other moved up next to him with the books. "I believe you are right, Imhotep should stay with us. We need all the support we can get." If they were going to defeat that beast they truly would need everything they could get even if everything included Imhotep.
He ended up sighing and following Rick in spite of himself and his worries. He made sure that Alex was walking with him and he watched the carcal with a slightly bemused expression. It seemed as though they had somehow gained the lucky beast and he hoped that it would prove they had some favor in the battle.
"We'll reach out to your uncle once we make it back to the city, Alex. He may be able to help us at least arrange some things." Perhaps the other would come and help them with their battle.
-
“Yeah.” Alex’s eyes bounced between his father and the Mummy. With the books taking up his hands, he wouldn’t be able to draw his revolver without dropping them and they couldn’t risk losing them. It chilled him if Imhotep got his hands on them. The ancient priest was far more familiar with them and who knows what kind of evil he would commit.
But the Mummy wasn’t doing much save for speaking with his father. Arguing? Alex wasn’t sure what to make of it. Instead he edged a little closer to Ardeth, just in case this was a trick. He’d already once experienced how…cordial the Mummy could be even when doing awful things. Hopefully his father and Ardeth would be enough to take on the Mummy.
Imhotep studied the older O’Connell. He’d held himself back from attacking the man, but it was odd. The words that fell from the other’s lips prodded against a pile of regrets that belonged to the past. ”Have I done anything to call her here?” It would have been simple to summon her again when the O’Connells had let him be in the city. There were ample sacrifices there he could have used to revive Anck-Su-Namun. The only thing he would need were the books. But hadn't he made it clear that he wasn't interested in taking possession of them?
The older O'Connell didn't have much interest in listening or understanding any of that, it seemed. The man merely clutched at his dead wife and left. Imhotep frowned, eyes narrowing slightly, and followed after him. The man's grief was not his business, he could wail over the dead as mourners did.it was unfortunate that he woold be unable to aide in what needed to be done. Perhaps Imhotep ought to speak with the Medjai instead. There may be a more productive conversation at this point.
The caracal had watched all of this back and forth without moving. Even after O'Connell left, the feline looked up at its master. It had completed the orders that Imhotep gave and expected to be returned to dust until its master needed it again. Instead it was nudged away in the direction O'Connell had left. The caracal blinked before it moved, slinking forward to catch up to O'Connell.
Imhotep barely spared a glance towards the caracal as the large cat finally moved, slipped past him and bounded forward to the older O'Connell. It would have been easy to send the summoned servant off, safer as well. But having a second set of eyes connected to a loyal servant would always be a boon.
Alex frowned and followed after Ardeth. He'd only just noticed, but... The conversation his father and Imhotep had made little sense to him, but his father correcting him made even less sense. Imhotep had clarified what he meant by pakhom, so why did it seem like his father knew who the Mummy was talking about even before the clarification? Had something otherworldly affected his father?
He looked up to the older man. "Do you think that... After we contact Uncle John, I think we should talk privately once we're back in the city. Just you and I." Alex held in his worries. He didn't feel like he could broach anything involving his father's current state anywhere within earshot of the older O'Connell. Speaking with Ardeth privately later may be the only time Alex would be able to let go and speak freely given the situation. He was sure the Medjai wouldn’t judge him.
The pilot of the flying machine jumped out of his skin when first the caracal, then Imhotep, walked by him. Such an easily frightened man. The caracal settled at the older O’Connell’s feet while Imhotep surveyed the enclosed space. The main structure was similar to a train car from the outside, but seemed cramped when one stepped inside. "Fascinating." The priest gathered his robes about himself as he stepped into the cramped space. " Where do you plan to head to now?" Would O'Connell be running away, clutching at Nefertiti’s corpse?
-
Ardeth sighed a little as Alex spoke. His new purpose would be to protect Alex and Rick no matter what, the beast was out there but after everything they had all been through he couldn't find it in himself to tear his purpose away from two of the men he was closest to in the world. He knew it was selfish and it went against his teachings but he could not betray his heart.
When Alex moved closer to him his arm briefly slipped around the younger male's shoulder in a brief yet genuine embrace. He would protect this boy no matter what. The other wasn't a child anymore but Ardeth's feeling of protectiveness over him only seemed to grow stronger and stronger through the passing years. It was odd and it was something he didn't want to examine too closely.
Rick couldn't think of protecting anyone at the moment, all he could do was ride wave after wave of confusing feelings. "You have not but you have never done anything to call your Medjai. This seems like a new turn from you." His voice was rough with emotions that weren't entirely his. Everything he felt was both familiar and alien to him at the same time. He was the one feeling all of it and he knew the feelings and yet he could have sworn none of these emotions were his. It made things low in his stomach twist and he just felt more and more lost.
He still felt his grief, that was still the hole inside of him...but there were other things now. Old bitter things that he had never felt towards Imhotep before. He held his wife and tried to focus on that, the hole in the center of him was more important than new feelings he had no business catering to. It was more important than any dark dreams of cold blue toned nights and a loved who shone like gold under the flames of torches or of the darker dreams of shadowy hands that crept over his very soul and clutched at it like a proud beast with a kill.
He held onto his wife and ignored everyone else. Well almost everyone else, when the caracal slipped down to lap at his feet, one of his hands actually slipped down and stroked the cat with a confidence and a gentleness that didn't feel entirely his. His fingers kneaded against the soft yet textured fur and he looked out the window hollowly. Imhotep followed along into the plane and Rick didn't look at the other even though there was a tensing in his muscles that showed he noticed him.
"We're going to bury her where she would want to be buried then we will get Johnathan...then I suppose we'll save the world again." His voice was flat and he didn't turn to look at Imhotep. Hell, he didn't even turn to look at his son or Ardeth. He wasn't sure what he'd see or feel if he looked at any of them again in this moment and Rick truly didn't want to do or say anything more that he would regret. The only one he felt even mildly safe interacting with was the caracal for some bizarre reason.
Ardeth and Alex were going to be the last in the plane and Ardeth paused and listened when Alex spoke lowly to him. The other male's words were wise and once again he was struck by how the other had grown into adulthood. "I think that is a wise decision, my friend. I do not fully understand what is happening but I believe it would be good to talk without the eyes and ears of others following us."
Ardeth wasn't fully sure what he was seeing when he watched Imhotep and Rick speak to one another, it was odd, something was clearly off about their interactions but he couldn't play his finger on it. When they entered the plane he gave the coordinates to the pilot and moved so settle into his previous spot sitting with Alex towards the inside so that he could block any possible attacks and protect the other male. "It will be good to call John, your uncle always has unconventional ideas."