Topic: The First Lover { Cyrce & Gardenia-mooN

[Cyrce]

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.

[Gardenia-mooN]

"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.

[Cyrce]

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?

[Gardenia-mooN]

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.

[Cyrce]

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?

[Gardenia-mooN]

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.

[Cyrce]

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?

[Gardenia-mooN]

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.

[Cyrce]

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?

[Gardenia-mooN]

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.

[Cyrce]

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.

[Gardenia-mooN]

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.

[Cyrce]

“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?

[Gardenia-mooN]

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."