Duhr
Chapter 3
“When your brother arrives Sitt O’Connell do you think we can convince the pilot friend of your husbands’ to check the position of the other Germans?” Selim asked, taking a seat beside Sallah in the tent which had been set up for their translating.
“If we offer Izzy enough gold Selim I’m reasonably certain he’ll do just about anything. He has a great fondness for shinny objects.”
Sallah chuckled. “Shall we call him Kesh then?”
Evelyn laughed. “Ferret? You know that has its appeal.” She took of her spectacles and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “I wonder sometimes how Rick and Ardeth manage with so little sleep. I’ve gotten to rest the last few days and I’m exhausted.”
“And when, if I may be so rude as to ask, did you sleep? Last night when you lay awake with worry because they were not there? The night before when we all dozed a bit seeing my nephew through the fever? Or the night before that when we buried my son and you worried again while they went to Thebes? Sitt O’Connell, I have, thanks be to Allah, two wonderful wives, neither or which do I think sleep when I am facing battle. We all do what we will and can these dark days. You could, I think, do well to join your husband in sleep this afternoon.” Selim smiled.
She flushed just a bit and lowered her eyes to the table top. “And you, uncle of my brother, when will you rest?”
Selim chucked and Sallah laughed and slapped his back. “She has you there, Selim.”
“Very well, wife of my nephew. We shall both fall asleep in our dinners like senile old fools and young Sallah here will laugh at us.”
“Sallah here will join you.” Sallah replied. “But let us try again to think of what we know and must find and learn.”
Evelyn nodded and pulled out a blank piece of paper. “All right, we have the Book of the Dead and the Book of AmmunRa, that gives us spells for healing, for raising those mummy guards and controlling them, and for cursing souls to the afterlife, also for calling on the power of Ammun– which is vague and I’m a bit afraid might summon He who shall not be named. And I’m not certain at all that it would keep him under our control. Rather like inviting Dracula in and then trusting you have enough control not to be dinner.”
Selim looked at Sallah in confusion.
“It is-- like the snake charmer at the suk, Selim. The music will summon the cobra, but are you truly certain it will keep it from bitting?”
“Ah, as you say.” He looked at the list , pleased to see that Evelyn had written it in English and Arabic both. “We have the scepter of Osiris and that of Horus, and his shield.”
“So we do. Which seems to be useful. Of course we have to keep Ardeth from killing himself so he can use them.” She sighed.
“Truly.” Selim agreed, thinking sadly of the great injuries his young nephew had endured so far in this battle. Allah, I am only one old warrior, most merciful, Please if it is with in your will and great plan let him be well– so that he may continue to lead us to victories in your name and find the strength and joy that comes from love and the laugher of children. My sons would be well pleased to follow his.
“Now what do you think it might be that we have yet to find at Ahm Shere?” Evelyn interrupted his thoughts.
“I found a few readable spells on the walls that were left.” Sallah looked over his notes. “Perhaps tomorrow your husband can come with us to see if they are useful in the working of the scepter of Osiris. Could that be what we are looking for?”
“It could be, but I’m not certain.” She shook her head. “Rick said it was a thing. And originally Ardeth said that Ammun said we would find many things. Which usually means more than four. And so far we have papyrus, the Book of the Dead, the scepter of Osiris, and than damned cursed armor. That is four things..so I would think it would be one more thing. And we have three from Hamanaptura. The shield and scepter of Horus and the Book of AmmunRa.” She made another note. “Wonderful, impressive weapons if we were fighting He who shall not be named or the Scorpion King again but I’m not certain about the German war machine.”
“What can we do but keep trying?” Sallah asked.
“And what did Ammun mean by I walk between darkness and light? And while Nefertiri was quite a warrior I’m really rather happy not trying to kill people.”
Selim smiled. “As are most people Sitt O’Connell, however, we all fight when we must. You would fight to protect your son, or your husband if he was injured.” He had no doubt of that.
“I would.” She smiled a little. “But I really would like one of these pronouncements to be a little more concrete thought. You know something say like a nice stone stilla stating: repeat these words and you shall have to power to melt metal into slag. That would be useful. Why can’t we seem to find a spell like that Sallah?”
The younger Medjai smiled. “Perhaps because there were no tanks in ancient Egypt?”
She frowned. “Well now, that wasn’t very foreseeing of the gods was it? How about something that could rip apart a chariot? Could we use that?”
“There is no record of such a spell my friend.” Sallah sighed. “Perhaps, if the Book of AmmunRa who was god of life, and the Book of the Dead, or Anubis, contains spells involving eternity, damnation, life, regeneration and rebirth, we need a Book of Horus, or Sekhmet. But I have never heard of such things.”
“Maybe we should send Izzy, and Jonathan, back to Hamanaptura to see if there is a statue of Sekhmet to dig a book out of.”
Selim looked at Sallah. “Perhaps she has a point my friend. Would you journey to Hamanaptura with me?”
“That is days away Selim and we have only four.” Sallah shook his head. “Or I would go.”
“Can Izzy’s plane make it there and back in two days, Sitt O’Connell?”
“I don’t see why not.” She shrugged. “If they get back in time.”
“As you say.” He agreed.
“I’d truly hate to think the only weapon against the Germans is that damned undead priest. Because I am going to choke on asking it a favor after how horrible its been to...” She stopped suddenly. “Um, all of us.”
“Will you both please assume I am not so foolish to have missed your concern for our young leader?” Sallah looked from him to Evelyn. “Or your husband, Sitt O’Connell.”
Evelyn flushed just a little. Selim only raised one eyebrow in a silent question. “Well, it seemed rude.” Evelyn shrugged. “And he’d certainly hate that we know he’s not well when he’s trying so hard to pretend that he is. Stubborn Medjai, like he should even be up much less riding after nearly dying of exhaustion, and that isn’t even counting whatever beating he took in Thebes. Damn the thing back to hell...pardon my language gentlemen.”
“Allah have mercy. I thought that it might be something like that.” Sallah sighed.
Selim was quiet for a long while, trying to think of what to say. “Did you come to that conclusion yourself Sitt O’Connell or have you some more knowledge of this than we do?”
“Rick said that was what you and he had guessed and then just before they went to nap he said Ardeth had told him something about it because it wasn’t as bad as you’d feared. Something about nothing that...” She stopped again. “Oh dear, this is really not my place.”
“If it is not as bad as we feared I will be content with that.” Selim closed his eyes and thanked Allah. Maybe indeed his nephew had suffered only a beating or even a lashing. Allah, what a thing to be thankful for. Please, have mercy on him oh my God for he is a good man. “So for now we see if there is more to be found in the ruins of Ahm Shere and wait to see what it is that your brother and Izzy bring us and what this surprise we are to receive must be. Allah knows I trust that we are all tired of waiting and that we would be well prepared to win this battle against the crazed outsiders who come to harm Egypt.”
“I think we have ample proof that the gods do indeed care about this battle. So, we check again into what we can unearth in Ahm Shere and then see if Jonathan and Izzy get here in time to go to Hamanaptura.”
“Perhaps Pasha will have news when he arrives. Why do you not try and rest some Sitt O’Connell. I will even rest if you will.” Selim suggested.
“Well, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt any. All right Selim. We have a bargain. I’ll see you when someone comes to wake us when Pasha arrives?”
“As you say.” He agreed. She got up with a sigh and then left. “I need to speak to Arebe for a moment, Sallah, will you be here for a bit?”
“Certainly.” His fellow Medjai replied.
Selim walked over to where Arebe was sitting in the shade with a few others from his tribe. “May I speak with you, Arebe?”
“Of course.” The younger man got to his feet and walked beside him as he wandered over to where the falcon’s were resting from the afternoon sun.
“How long does it take a falcon to reach Abu Simbel? And from there to Aswan?” He asked.
“From here to Abu Simbel perhaps four hours, and then another four to Aswan. Why?”
“And from Aswan perhaps to Komumbu?”
“Again another four hours perhaps five. Do you need a message sent?”
He smiled a bit. “And from Komumbu to Edfu?”
Arebe frowned. “About the same.”
“And from Edfu to Luxor?”
“The same.”
“Good and from Luxor to Hamanaptura?”
“Less than four I would think.” Arebe looked at him. “So will you tell me why you ask?”
“I need to travel to Hamanaptura, and I am not so young and foolish as to do it at once. It is many days ride.”
“So it is.” Arebe frowned again and then just stared at him. “Selim you are not thinking of using that shield that nearly cost us Ardeth’s life?”
He clasped his old friend’s shoulder. “I am. I shall. Allah and Horus willing of course. Sallah and I if it will take us both. There is something there we need to find.”
“Bis’mil’Allah rakhman el rahim.” Arebe shook his head. “Even taking it in smaller steps my friend. I do not think Ardeth is in any shape to try it so soon.”
“No.” Selim agreed with a small smile. “I did not think to ask him to carry us, Arebe. I thought to ask Horus to take us himself.”
Arebe blinked and then he smiled just a little. “And we will tell Ardeth of this when we return I presume?”
“It is, I believe we have determined, easier to ask forgiveness than to get permission.”
“As you say. I will gather my things. When do we go?”
“We?” He raised one eyebrow and looked at his fellow leader. “I thought to go with only Sallah.”
“Horus is a falcon god, Selim. Sallah can read you the inscriptions, you know what it is you seek, but neither of you have a knowledge of the bird which is his totem. I will go with you.”
“I would be honored.” He clasped Arebe’s arm in return. “Now, let us go and get Sallah to acquire the shield form Ardeth without arousing his suspicions assuming of course that he does not sleep through the whole of it.”
Arebe chuckled. “He is his father’s son, old friend.”
“So he is.” Selim agreed, recalling his childhood friend. “So he is.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Evie yawned again as she took off her boots and belt with its now standard accompaniment of pistols and knives. “Was I ever so well armed before I met you, Rick?” She smiled to herself, recalling for a moment her own surprise when her then only guide and comrade in arms had thrown down that roll of weapons on the boat between Cairo and Minya. She put her glasses on the top of the pile and then walked over to where the two men were sleeping so soundly. She had to smile just a bit. “He’s a little big to adopt I think.” She told her husband seriously. Ardeth was lying on his side, once more with his head on Rick’s shoulder. “Then again, sometimes I think he could use the parenting a bit. How young were you Ardeth when you took up the leadership of these people of yours? Sometime you seem so young and then sometimes you seem as old as Egypt. Perhaps I should see if Nefertiri knows you from another life or three, brother of ours.” She shook her head. “You try so hard to keep him safe, Rick. What is it that he faces in Thebes...that you face in Thebes together that frightens you so much for his safety? As if you both think I would think less of either of you if it’s what I fear it to be. Men. I’d just rip its throat out, or worse that’s all.” She shook her head and then smiled again before laying down beside her husband. She was tempted for a moment to put her head on Rick’s other shoulder but that would probably be a little too much familiarity for Ardeth to deal with. Besides it was probably just as bad to point out to them that the way Rick was holding Ardeth was as much like he held Evie herself sometimes as it was how he held their son. No, definitely not a good idea. She frowned and rolled onto her left side and just hugged Rick’s arm around her.
It was only a bit later that she opened her eyes, uncertain at first at where she was. Dreaming. She told herself firmly. Because although the room was definitely Egyptian, and did in some way resemble that of Thebes it was just as obvious to her that it wasn’t. She blinked and then looked down noticing her own light linen shift and jewelry. Hers, Nefertiri’s, theirs maybe was a good description. The far doors opened into the lavish room she was sitting in and she rose to her feet. Then smiled and ran down the steps to the woman who walked in. “Anheratu!”
“Hello sister mine.” The woman hugged her tightly.
“You’re so tall.” She complained, because her memory told her that Anheratu was only a little girl.
“We all grow up, Nefertiri.” The other woman smiled. “You have been a long time away.”
“Have I?” It was hard to remember that now. “What time is it, sister?”
“Toward evening, come, we will go and walk in the gardens. I would talk to you of things.”
“Of course.” She walked with her sister down to the garden, not certain what to think. The sun was setting and the trees and stone walls were streaked with dark gold, hints of red, and darker shadows. Despite herself she shivered.
“Do not be afraid, sister, you walk well between darkness and light.” Anheratu chuckled, a deep rich sound that she couldn’t quite reconcile with her sister.
“How very odd, the High Priest of AmmunRa, brought me that very message from the Lord of all Egypt.”
Her sister smiled. “Did he now? That is good. It is true. Sit here, hmm?” Her sister indicated a bench to their right. She sat down, happy when her sister sat across from her.
“What is it you wanted to talk to me about, Anheratu?”
Her sister smiled again. “You have been a long time away, Nefertiri, and many, many miles, but you remember now do you not how you trained to protect the treasures of Pharaoh and Egypt?”
“I remember.” She smiled a little. “You always wanted to train with me, even though you were so small. Father thought you would be a better warrior than I was someday.”
Anheratu smiled back. “There is some truth to that. However, I am not the one facing a battle now, sister.”
“No.” She agreed. “We have the most formidable of enemies who would try and take Egypt as their own.” She frowned. “Do I recall right that all the Medjai have been called to defend us?”
“You do.” Anheratu smiled. “But you will find, that sometimes, daughter of Pharaoh that it is those that would defend us that we must in turn defend. And warriors, like all men, forget that the women and children they leave behind may be targets for their enemies as well as they themselves.” Her sister chuckled, another one of those dark sounds that she still couldn’t associate with the girl she recalled. “We left you a gift then, Nefertiri, in the citadel of your husband’s god, so that you will remember that.”
“A gift?” She shook her head. “And where in Egypt is the citadel of my husband’s god? I’m not really certain my husband has a god Anheratu.. It isn’t really the sort of question I can ask him.”
Her sister laughed again, and this time it was a lighter sound that she enjoyed. “You will know your gift when you see it, Nefertiri.” A secretive smile. “Teta here will remind you of it.” And she reached over to calmly scratch the head of the large lion that walked up beside the bench and sat down beside her.
“Oh dear...That isn’t a good idea, Anheratu.”
“Teta is a friend, she will do us no harm. Wake, now sister, and know that we are all pleased with you, even Teta and her brothers. You will understand soon enough.”
“Brothers?” She looked to her right only to see a falcon not much different from Horus except for his size siting on the bench beside her. But this falcon was all gold and bright sunlight. And then to her left a large jackal came over and sat down to put its head in her lap. “Oh dear...this isn’t good either is it?”
“As you see, sister. As you see. You will know.” And then her sister laughed that bright laugh again.
And Evie woke with a start, back in the tent in Ahm Shere.
“Oh my, not again.” She sighed.
“You okay love?” Rick asked, having at some point curled up around her.
“Mmm, just a very odd dream.” She smiled. “Is it time to get up yet?”
“No.” He hugged her tightly. “When did you come to sleep? I must have been out.”
“You were.” She smiled a bit more. “You and Ardeth both.”
“I could sleep a bit more.” He admitted with a yawn.
“Good so could I.” She snuggled closer. “No visits from our undead friend?”
“No. Thank god.”
She blinked, not certain for a moment why that made her shiver. “I hope Jonathan gets back soon.”
“Tomorrow or the next day I’d think. If we’re lucky.” Rick sighed. “Sleep well, love.”
“You too, Rick.” And she drifted back to sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Do you truly think this is wise?” Sallah looked at the two Medjai leaders.
“Wise? Perhaps not. Necessary yes. Allah I trust will grant us success or see us into Paradise, Sallah, will you come with us?”
“As if I would not.” He sighed. “Do we go now?”
“We can easily make Aswan before nightfall as the falcon flies. I am not certain of this shield but I think it will do us well.” Arebe shrugged.
“Then we go.” Selim agreed. He thought for a long moment. “Horus, bright son of Osiris, God of Vengeance, grant to us, we beseech you the same speed you gave to our leader, so that we may bring back to him, oh bright falcon of the sun, the objects he will need to vanquish the enemies of Egypt.” He worked his way through the old Egyptian. “Grant us oh bravest of gods your speed and deliver us to the temple of your great father, Osiris, and the mountain of Ramses..” He looked down at the shield all three of them were holding on to. “Ai-Hetem-heset-heru.”
And there was an odd sort of shimmer to the air and then very suddenly they were not at Ahm Shere at all but standing outside the remains of the great temple of Abu Simbel. Selim shook his head and then sighed.
“Are you well?” Sallah asked worriedly.
“Tired. It takes much out of the one who asks I think. But I am no worse than if I had ridden the same distance.” Selim replied and took a long drink of water.
Sallah nodded. “Poor a bit onto the ground Selim, we should offer Osiris a thank you for letting us use his temple to rest, considering.”
“As you say.” He agreed and poured some onto the ground.
“A gift of that which is most precious in the desert to us oh father of gods, great Osiris, most kind and glorious Isis.” Sallah recalled an old prayer carved on one of the walls. “Horus, I beseech thee, unworthy though I am, to take my fellow Medjai and I to thy mother’s temple at Phillae, so that we may reach the objects we would retrieve for our leader so that he may vanquish the enemies of Egypt in thy name. Grant us oh great Horus your grace.”
And this time he could almost feel the rush of the wind around him when before he had felt nothing and then they were standing beside the Nile in the great temple of Phillae Island. He let out his breath in a weary sigh. “As you say Selim. It makes you tired.” He sat on the stone wall near one of the shrines and drank from his own waterskin. “A gift to you, most revered mother of god’s, most brave and glorious Isis.” He placed an amulet of pearl and lapis lazuli at the base of one of the columns.”
“My turn then.” Arebe nodded. “Oh great Horus, god of the mightiest birds of Egypt, grant us I beseech you passage from your mother’s temple where we stand to your brother’s temple at Komumbu, so that we may further our journey and come to the place we need to go. Please oh great god of vengeance. Give us the speed of thy wings so that we may return to our leader successful.” He gripped the shield tighter as Arebe spoke. “Ai-Hetem-heset-heru.” And once again there was a sift of the world but no wind or feeling of exhaustion when it left them standing in the great temple of Sobek, next to the ankh shaped well. The took a few minutes to catch there breath again. And Sallah pulled out a small dagger and dropped it down the well. “A thank you, great god of Nile, for allowing us to rest here, so that we might aid our chieftain in the defense of Egypt.” He looked over at the two tribal leaders. “Are you both well?”
“Still tired, but no worse than I was.” Selim shrugged. “That felt much different than when I offered the prayer.”
“It does indeed.” Arebe agreed.
“My turn again then?” Selim took hold of the shield and he and Arebe did the same. “Oh Bright son of Osiris, please see us safely from your brother’s temple here, to your great temple at Edfu, so that we may find those things we may yet give to our chieftain so that he can see to the safety of Egypt, as the Medjai have always done.”
And then they were standing in the ruined courtyard of Edfu, in front of one of the large statues of Horus. There was a moment of disorientation and the shield in their hands seemed to shiver but nothing else. “I carried this sword into battle oh great god of Avengers when we rode against the Asenusi who had slain my father as thy evil uncle slew thine. Except this gift oh great god of Edfu in thanks for what glorious magic you have given us.” Arebe pulled the sword from his belt and laid it at the feet of the large statues of the crowned falcon beside the entry pylon where they standing.
“THIS MAGIC WAS NOT WILED TO YOU MEDJAI.” Came a voice like the cry of the falcon as it caries its prey back to the sky. And the shadows on the statue somehow shifted and became more like gold than stone, and they...breathed.
Arebe went to one knee his hand on his sword, and Selim and Sallah followed. “Oh great god of Avengers, son of Osiris and Isis...we know we have asked for magic that it not ours. But we borrow it only to see that our leader, has all the weapons possible to face and defeat the enemies of Egypt.” Selim offered quietly.
“YOU ARE KNOWN TO ME, MEDJAI. THE SON OF YOUR SISTER, WHO DWELLS NOW IN THE WORLD OF MY FATHER, IT IS TO HIM THAT I HAVE GIVEN THIS MAGIC AND MIGHT NOT TO THEE. THOU HAS ANOTHER TASK, SELIM AL MOHAMED.”
Selim bowed his head.
“We realize we have trespassed oh great god of vengeance, but we do so not to usurp the place of our leader, or to steal the great gifts you have bestowed upon him in your wisdom. We seek only to keep him whole and bring him that which will help him lead us to victory for Egypt.” Sallah tried.
“YOU SPEAK THE WORDS OF THE EGYPT THAT WAS MEDJAI, AND YOU SPEAK THEM WELL. YOU ARE, AS YOUR TRIBE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A GREAT KEEPER OF THE SECRETS AND HISTORY WE WOULD WILL YOU. BUT THIS MAGIC WAS NOT GIVEN TO YOU EITHER SALLAH AL SALLIN. BUT I CONSIDER THY WORDS WELL WEIGHTED.”
Sallah did not know what to do but bow his head as well.
“Will you not then, oh bright god of vengeance, Heru Hekharte, let us continue the journey we have begun and find the weapons we would return to thy champion, oh avenger of they father Osiris?” Arebe asked finally, softly.
“I COULD INSTEAD LEADER OF THE SEVENTH TRIBE OF THE MEDJAI, NURTURER OF MY CHILDREN, REND THEE ALL TO PIECES AND SCATTER THEE TO THE WINDS.”
“As you and Allah will.” Selim replied.
And the great statue laughed. “ALLAH WILLS WHERE HE WILLS, I WILL HERE, MEDJAI, BUT I DO NOT WILL YOUR DEATHS. YOU TRAVEL BRAVELY UPON A TASK THAT IS FOOLHARDY BUT WITH GREAT HONOR. AND FOR THE GIFT FROM A SON WHO HAS AVENGED A FATHER, AND A MAN WHO WOULD PRAISE MY MOTHER IN HER TEMPLE, AND A MAN WHO WOULD TRAVEL IN DANGER SO THAT HIS FAMILY MAY BE WELL, EVEN WHEN THAT FAMILY IS THE MAN THAT HE FOLLOWS UNTO MY FATHER’S KINGDOM, FOR THEE I WILL ALLOW THIS JOURNEY. BUT BE CAREFUL THAT YOU STAY TO THE LIGHT MEDJAI, FOR MY UNCLE WAITS UNSEEN IN THE DARKNESS AND WILL NOT TAKE KINDLY TO YOUR MEDDLING IN THAT FOR WHICH YOU HAVE NOT BEEN CHOSEN.”
“We shall do as you command oh great god of vengeance.” Selim said quietly. “Thank you, little though we deserve it, we are thankful.”
“YOU SPEAK WELL, SELIM AL MOHAMED. THAT IS GOOD. YOU WILL HAVE NEED OF YOUR WORDS, FOR YOUR GOD IS A GOD OF WORDS, AND AS HE HAS SPOKEN SO SHALL IT BE WRITTEN. AND AS ALWAYS IN EGYPT SO AS IT IS WRITTEN SO MAY IT BE DONE.” And the statue laughed again. “GO NOW TO HAMANAPTURA, I GRANT YOU THAT BOON. BUT BE CAREFUL AGAIN ON YOUR TRIP BACK TO MY CHAMPION’S SIDE MEDJAI.” And then the statue was only stone. And then they were not kneeling before the stone statue at Edfu but before the great gold statue at Hamanaptura.
“Bis’mil’Allah rakhman el rahim.” Arebe muttered with a moan. “La ilaaha Illallah”
“Now I think I know how Ardeth must have felt.” Sallah agreed.
“Then I will tell to you both what I told to him, who are we to know what Allah wills. He shows us the faces of the old gods that the Egyptians believed before the coming of the Prophet, peace be upon him, or before even Abraham came to know of God. So he could show us the archangel Micha-El, and would we then think that Allah was not Allah? No. We accept what he has shown us and allowed us to accomplish and we go on. We have kept for generations the creature in his grave and we know well that there are older magics than Gabriel revealed to Mohamed, peace be upon him. We have known it all our lives. Now, we need to find the statue of Sekhmet.”
“No,” Sallah disagreed. “We need to find the statue of Ptah. He is Sekhmet’s husband and god of writing. And since Horus carried the book of AmmunRa, I do not think Sekhmet will carry the book of war. We might try Hathor instead.”
“As you say, but do not forget that the statue of Anubis had been booby-trapped.”
“No, I had not. That is why you brought me along, was it not? To read these warnings and know what they say?” He smiled.
“We did indeed Sallah, we did indeed.” Selim agreed. And they pulled torches from their packs and went deeper into the remains of Hamanaptura.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rick woke drowsily, not really sure at first what had woken him. He was lying on the pallet of blankets he’d gone to sleep on in AhmShere. Evie was still curled in his arms and Ardeth was lying behind him, once more back to back. He smiled just a bit. Thank you, I know I don’t have any nice words to put it in, but thank you so much for letting him be all right. He’s the best man I know and I’d really like him to survive this okay? He closed his eyes and then gave himself a long moment to feel the anger and rage and horror that he had been pushing aside all morning when he’d thought the damned thing had hurt Ardeth so much. Then he let it go and concentrated on how thankful he’d been when he’d found out it was all right. I don’t like being played with, bastard, not by you and not by your gods. You want me to fight, fine. But don’t you ever mess with my head again like that, or I’ll rip your guts out before I kill you.
“You growl when you are angry did you know that?” Ardeth asked softly. “And as much as I appreciate the concern my friend you will leave bruises if you grip any harder.” Ardeth’s hand squeezed his and Rick realized he had rolled onto his back and put his hand back on Ardeth’s shoulder, his other arm still wrapped around Evie.
“Sorry.” He let go after a moment. “I was just...”
“Assuring yourself I was well.” Ardeth chuckled, and at least there was humor to the sound even if he did still sound exhausted. Rick still felt pretty wiped out himself. “Go back to sleep while we can. No doubt Selim will come to wake us when Pasha arrives and we must have a council of war, and then eat and try and enjoy a little more sleep free from Thebes.”
“I’m willing to skip diner and just sleep.” He agreed.
“As am I.” Ardeth chuckled, but he rolled onto his back and then gripped Rick’s shoulder before putting his arm over his eyes. “Sleep well.”
“So far so good.” Rick nodded and then leaned his head against Evie’s and went back to sleep.
“You would do well to stay angry, O’Connell.”
“What?” He turned toward the voice, not sure where was suddenly.
“You would do well to stay angry.” The words were repeated. And then a man he didn’t know walked out of the shadows. Nubian by the dark almost blue black skin, dressed much like one of the guys at Thebes, and a couple inches taller than Rick himself, and with a lot of muscle. “Your anger gives you great courage. Foolishness at times to be certain, but great courage.”
“Who the hell are you?”
The man laughed. “Whoever I need to be.” He replied. “Did you enjoy the fight today when you slammed your shield into the face of your enemy?”
He smiled a bit. “Yeah, that was worth putting on the damn stuff.” He agreed.
The man chuckled. “Well put, if oddly. Come, we have a long journey and you would get your family back well I am certain.”
“What?” He let one hand move toward the pistol that should have been at his side and wasn’t.
“There is much danger ahead, O’Connell and while your wife has traveled this way once before I think you would keep her to the world of beating hearts for a while yet.” The man smiled. “So, come and we will see if you are made of what I think you are.” And the man just walked toward a opening between two pillars that Rick was damn sure hadn’t been there a moment before.
“I’m really beginning to hate this sort of crap.” He looked around for something he could use as a weapon and then snagged one of the torches from the wall since nothing else was available. The opening led into darkness and the large Nubian was already gone. The room, or whatever it was he was in, didn’t seem to have any other exits though so he followed finally. What was that prayer Evie and Ardeth kept talking about...? Right, May Horus walk with you through all the dark places you must travel. You want to ask him for me Ardeth if you get a chance? He took a deep breath and then stepped between the columns and out of the light and into the darkness beyond.
“Courage at least you do not lack.” The large man was waiting not far into the dark hall. “That is good. You are not, however, quite what I expected in the man who defeated the Scorpion King.”
“I surprise a lot of people.” He shrugged. “So, do I get to know what this is or am I just supposed to go along in the dark?”
The man laughed, a very unfriendly and not even really human sound, that raised the hair at the back of Rick’s neck. “For now, you may follow in the dark in all manner of speaking.” And he headed down the passageway out of Rick’s torch’s light.
“I hate this.” He growled but he followed because at the moment he didn’t see a lot of options.
“Tell to me O’Connell-- that is an unwieldy name, why did you not keep the army of Anubis to command for yourself?”
“Take over the world and all that crap? Right. I live in the world and I sure as hell don’t want to be in charge of it. No thanks. I’ll stick to saving it when I have to from crazy not really dead guys who want to take it over. It isn’t a great job but I’ve kinda gotten used to it.”
The large man paused and then turned back to look at him, and in the darkness of the shadows ahead his eyes were dead black. “You are a most unusual champion indeed, O’Connell. Does life truly mater to you then?”
“Life? Like in me keeping alive or in general like I like the world in one piece and to keep going so my son can grow up happy sort of life?”
The man went back to walking. “Both certainly, but most men are concerned with their own so I will concern myself with the second.”
“Yeah. And since I seem to keep running into crazy guys wanting to take it over, I’ve kinda grown attached to keeping it from happening you know.”
Another chuckle that wasn’t any more human sounding that the laughter. “How very odd indeed. I am beginning to think Ammun should have you as a champion instead.”
“Instead of the undead priest? Great, suggest that to him and tell him to send the damned thing back to hell. That would be fine by me.”
“You do not include the High Priest of AmmunRa, He who is Lord of all Egypt, in your respect for life then O’Connell?” That seemed to amuse him.
“No.” Rick shook his head. “Besides he’s already dead so killing him again is no problem.”
“And those of the place called Germany who threaten Egypt?”
“Anybody who threatens my family is kinda by definition one of the bad guys and they tend to be the people I shoot most when saving the world.”
“Ah. I see. So you have no qualms about killing enemies only family. That is good. That I can work with.”
“Great, glad I could help. Now do you want to tell me what the hell is going on?”
“Hell is an interesting concept you westerners have. We have no such concept ourselves there is only paradise or oblivion.”
“You don’t follow Allah, huh?”
The large man laughed again, the sound ringing off the walls. Rick winced a little at the sound. “No, O’Connell. Allah is a good enough God I suppose, and a fine face for the primordial unknown to have chosen but I will content myself with Ammun’s guidance. It is-- a familiar one.” He paused again. “Courage you have, bravery I can accept, and you do not shrink from killing your enemies. All of this is good, but you have no thirst for the killing O’Connell and that I do not find pleasing at all.”
“Life’s full of disappointments.”
“I am unacquainted with the problems of life.” The man shrugged. “What must I do to find the thirst for blood that you had in you this very morning? It burned like the sun upon the great desert at midday. Perhaps I should summon the High Priest of AmmunRa again. Would that do? Why does Imhotep anger you so, O’Connell? He is, at this moment at least, not attempting to take over this world of life you seem to concern yourself with.”
“It’s a sort of long standing hatred. He tried to kill my wife the first time we met, got an old friend of mine killed, tried to kill me, tried to destroy my world, kidnaped my son, let his nutcase of a girlfriend kill my wife, and now he’s set on making my brother miserable or worse just for fun. Not my favorite guy.”
“Ah, so if I had him slit your son’s throat as I wanted him to do this morning and he would not, that would anger you enough to fight again?” The large man asked. “He is reluctant to do so, but I can be-- persuasive when I need must be.”
“You leave my son alone you bastard.”
“Insults will not be tolerated, mortal. I will present you with your son’s head on a plate if you do so again.” The man turned to look at him and growled, shadows shifting around his face for a moment until it looked nothing like a human face at all but almost like a dog’s. Rick took a step back, instinctively. “Fear is almost as good as anger, but hatred is better.” The thing growled and then was only a very large man again. “So, threats to your son anger you. That is good. I will assume that threats to your wife will do the same. That is one of the reasons you hate the High Priest is it not? And your brother, who I saw in Thebes, does he often share the priest’s bed, O’Connell?”
Rick bit down hard on that, feeling his teeth grind together. He told you it let him sleep alone remember? No believing these guys until we get to ask each other. Bastard.
“You were told no insults. None. In thought or voiced. For that, we shall see how angry you can be, champion of mine. I leave you your nightmare, O’Connell. If you please me, I may let you wake. If not, you will spend the rest of your eternity in it. That is of course, assuming I decide to give you eternity at all.”
“What the hell are you?”
“I am you god, O’Connell. Accustom yourself to that fact.” And the thing was not even close to human now, only a man’s body with a solid black jackal’s head. And the voice that growled from the thing’s mouth was a horrible sound that made even the damned creature when it was barely a walking corpse sound normal.
“Anubis.” Rick swallowed hard and found himself voicing a prayer he’d never really used in his life and meaning every word. “Bismilallah rahman el rahim.”
The thing growled. “You are not a child of Allah.”
“I’m Medjai.” He corrected with a growl of his own. “We are all, children of Allah.”
The thing growled again but it didn’t move toward him any. “Then we shall see, what you are when you are done with the night to come, O’Connell. We shall see indeed what is willed for you.” And then the thing was simply gone, vanished without so much as a breath of wind.
And then he heard Evie scream from somewhere ahead in the darkness and he ran.. Still nothing but tunnel ahead and he pushed himself as fast as he could, as hard as he’d run that race against the rising sun in Ahm Shere. Another scream, too low and hoarse to be Evie’s. Nothing like he’d ever heard from Ardeth before even in the midst of battle , and yet he knew without a doubt that’s who it was. Then Evie let out another scream, full of anger and terror and something worse, something he never, ever, wanted to hear in her voice again. Oh God, Allah, Ammun, please? Let me get there please?
And the long, long hallway of darkness ended suddenly at a sharp left and he was standing at the edge of a chasm and looking straight into hell.
Evie was crouched on the floor holding Alex to her, trying to keep their son from seeing the rest. Her beautiful face marred by one large bruise that he could see clearly across her cheek, as if she’d been backhanded, hard. More bruises on her arms that were wrapped so tightly around Alex. And even from the good twenty feet that he had to be away from them, he could see the way the bruises made hand prints. He growled out a curse, not sure what language if any it was in. And then Ardeth cried out again, not really a scream this time, but something worse, that sound that a man makes when he can’t really scream anymore.
His friend hung from his wrists only a few feet from Evie and Alex, three-quarters turned toward the ledge where Rick was standing. His long hair, hanging in blood and sweat soaked tangles obscuring most of his face as his head lolled forward. Rick was horribly, selfishly, glad he couldn’t see his brother’s face, given the blood and bruises that covered almost every inch of him and the fact that he was completely naked otherwise. Strong hands, that Rick knew first hand could break bones so easily gripped his hips and the damned thing must have thrust again because Ardeth made another of those so hopeless sounds and then the thing laughed, one hand moving to tangle in Ardeth’s hair and pull his head back. “That...was...pleasant enough, Medjai.” It said in what almost passed for a friendly tone. “Shall we see if you can...bear it...again?”
Whatever his brother growled out in harsh whisper was in a language Rick didn’t know. The thing laughed and then released his head to walk over toward Evie and Alex, pulling its own clothes back into place as it did, but not seeming to mind in the least that it was covered in Ardeth’s blood.
“NO!” Rick found his voice in a howl.
“Ah, there you are O’Connell.” The thing smiled over at him. “Come to join us?”
“Rick.” Evie looked up and over at him, so much pain and horror in those beautiful eyes. “Oh God, Rick...”
“Just hold on, Evie.” He told her, searching desperately for some way across the chasm. “Just hold on.”
“Too what?” The thing asked, and then ripped Alex from his mother’s arms.
“No!” Rick, and Evie, and Ardeth’s voices all overlapped in a horrified chorus.
“Here, O’Connell. Catch.” And the thing very calmly snapped his son’s neck with an audible crunch and threw him across the chasm like a unwanted toy. Rick caught him with a lost sort of sob, hearing Evie scream in denial and then sobbing out one of his own as he lowered his son to the ground.
“Alex.” He knew he wouldn’t get a response, because Alex was already dead. Gone. Damn you...damn you to hell... He laid the boy down gently, kissing his son’s forehead once before getting to his feet. And then he didn’t even think, just leapt with every bit of rage he had in him and slammed into the thing across a chasm that there was no way he could have jumped.
The creature fell backward and then tossed him hard into the wall. And then it laughed and slammed him into the corner wall with another wave of its hand. “You can not defeat me O’Connell. You know that.” And it reached down calmly and pulled Evie to her feet. “Say hello to your father and your son for me princess.” And he slit her throat before Rick could even breathe to scream.
“No!” Ardeth voiced the sound Rick couldn’t make, and it was so obvious that he was straining against the bonds that held him. Rick pushed as hard as he could against the wall and then suddenly his arm just seemed to slide into the stone and find a grip around something, a sword, a club, some sort of weapon. He gripped it tightly, his other arm siding into the shield straps and he pulled them both free with a growl. Gold glistened dully in the red fire light, but the scorpion on the shield reared and hissed angrily and he made that one step that covered a dozen and slammed the shield hard into the damned thing’s face again. This time it only stumbled back and he could swing the sword so easily. And swing, and swing, hacking the damned thing into pieces and then as the head rolled free he stabled the now battered golden sword through its chest and pinned it to the floor before kicking the head off the edge of the chasm with a growl. He let the shield fall to the floor and then stumbled over to Evie, kneeling beside her for a long moment, and then closing her eyes. He kissed her as gently as he could, not minding the blood. Then he picked up the knife the damned thing had dropped and went to Ardeth to cut him loose. “Rick...” The whisper was a sob of too much for Rick to hear.
“Shhh.” He couldn’t get his own voice to work yet. Just held Ardeth to him as gently as he could. “He’s dead now.”
“I...tried...”
“I know. Shhh,” He stroked the tangled hair gently, not knowing where else he could touch without adding to the pain. “We need to get you out of here.”
Ardeth chuckled, a dark hopeless sound. “No, my friend...I...will stay here...I think.”
“Like hell you will.” He pushed Ardeth away just a little.
“I am...cold, brother. Is it cold to you?” Strong muscles pushed past endurance trembled under his hands. It wasn’t cold at all, the sweat was running down Rick’s back even now that the fight was over.
“Ardeth...” He shook his head. “Please, I...don’t leave me too.”
“If...I could...I would...not...I...will...see them to Paradise...for you, brother.”
“NO...” He growled out the word, but Ardeth only shuddered once more in his arms and then was just as still as Evie, or Alex. “No...” He closed his eyes and then carefully kissed his brother’s forehead as he had Alex’s and laid him on the blood soaked sand.
“You loose your anger too quickly to despair, O’Connell.” Said the dark voice again.
“Yeah.” He agreed. “I do.” He got to his feet and then went back to the remains of the damned priest and pulled the gold sword free of its chest. “But then again, you let him die pretty quick too. Should of made me work for it, don’t you think?”
“You did that without assistance from me, O’Connell. I told you, you would to well to stay angry it gives you courage and strength.”
“You did.” He agreed again. Then he slipped off his shirt and draped it carefully over Evie, wishing it wasn’t already streaked with blood. “I love you Evie, you know that. Tell Alex I love him too.” He smoothed the cotton a little, not wanting to just leave here there. Then he found the torn remnants of Ardeth’s robe and covered his friend as best he could. “May Horus walk with you through the halls of death and see you safely to Allah’s side my friend.” He whispered it in Arabic, not knowing the Egyptian. “You tell him I avenged you all. Horus I mean. He’s a god of Vengeance right? That’s good. Allah can be pretty vengeful to I recall. That’s better. You tell him I’ll expect you all to be waiting in paradise right?” And then he smiled because it didn’t matter at all. Nothing mattered at all, except revenge. And maybe the old gods would listen when that was all you had to hope for. Hathor, goddess of love, this creature killed my wife I would avenge her, Sekhmet goddess of war this creature killed my family I would paint the sands with its blood. Horus, God of Vengeance this creature killed my brother, your chosen, I would avenge him. Allah, most merciful, this creature killed your children, my family, members of the tribes of the Medjai, I would avenge them. Grant me, just once I pray you, the strength I need to see this through.
“You do not have the right to call on them.” The jackal headed thing stepped forwards with a growl.
“Says who?” He smiled.
“I am your god, O’Connell.”
“No. I’m your champion. That means I beat the last guy who was stupid enough to follow you. Well you know what, you son of a bitch? I’m just a little bit smarter than that. And you can explain to your fellow gods why you tore apart the best hope Egypt had for winning this damned war. And you know what? You can go to hell while you do it. In’sh’allah.” And he swung the sword with a grin and cut the damned thing in half. “Al’hamdil Allah. La ilaaha Illallah.” The arabic came easy.
The jackal head laughed as it fell to the floor. “You will do, O’Connell, strange though you are. Indeed you will do. Go back to your world of life, O’Connell, but keep your sword handy, champion of mine, for Egypt and your family will need it. And if you fail, I will wait in hunger for your soul.” And then it crumbled into sand
And Rick sat up in Ahm Shere and couldn’t even find the words to explain to Evie or Ardeth why he was sobbing and holding them both so damned tight it had to hurt. “Alex...” He got his son’s name out finally.
“I will go and get him.” Ardeth offered. “Easy now, brother, we are all safe now.”
“I’m gonna be sick.” He could feel the nausea rising now. “So...damned much blood...”
“Shhh” Evie rocked him a little, pulling his head to her shoulder as if he was Alex, like she did when they were first married and sometimes the nightmares of all the horror Rick had known in his life still got the better of him before the joy was strong enough to replace it. “None of us is bleeding, Rick.”
“You were...” He touched her throat because he had to feel the pulse there. Had to know it was real. She pressed his hand to her throat and then took it and pressed it between her breasts so he could feel her heart beat.
“I’m right here.”
“I will go get Alex for you, brother mine. But you must let go, hmm?” Ardeth was kneeling behind him, had to be for Rick to still have the grip on his arm that he did.
“No.” He gripped tighter and then loosened his fingers when Ardeth caught his breath sharply. “Sorry...”
“Hush, do not be foolish.” A hesitant hand touched his hair. “We are here, brother of mine. We are well.”
“Don’t go?”
Ardeth sighed. “As you wish. I am right here, I will guard your back, Rick.”
“I couldn’t-- save you.” He whispered against Evie’s throat, trying to still the shakes and failing.
“I’m fine, love.” She replied, her fingers stroking through his hair.
“I do not need to be saved.” Ardeth said gently. “Evelyn does not need to be saved. Alex is safe amongst some of my finest riders learning how to stay in the saddle. We are all safe, Rick.”
“It felt so real. And there was so much blood. And he was just gone, Evie. And I couldn’t save him. I couldn’t save you. Not one of you..”
“It was only a nightmare, Rick. We’re fine.”
“It was no nightmare.” He shook his head. “How does it go, Ardeth? La ilaaha Illallah, right?”
Ardeth wrapped one strong arm around him and squeezed tightly. “Aiwa, akee, la ilaaha Illallah. There is no other God but Allah.”
“Demons though right?” He fought down another shudder.
“Afreet and demons both, brother of mine. Did you face one of them in your battle then?”
“I don’t want to be his champion, Ardeth. I really don’t.”
“Who...oh most merciful Allah, Rick. I did not even think. Easy now, brother of mine. He can not have your soul, akee. Evelyn and I will keep it for you, hmm?”
“Anubis.” Evie whispered softly. Rick growled out the worst curse in arabic he knew. “Oh my goodness that wasn’t a dream. You’re Horus champion aren’t you, Ardeth?”
“I suppose, it could be seen as such yes.” Ardeth agreed. “But I am Allah’s warrior first.”
“That’s what I told him. He said I wasn’t a child of Allah and I told him he was full of shit because all Medjai are warriors of God and guess what, I’m one too.”
Ardeth chuckled. “You are indeed.” His friend hugged him again.
“And if Anubis doesn’t like that he can take it up with Horus, or Sekhmet.” Evie squeezed the hand he still had over her heart. “Or Allah himself. I have it on very good authority Rick O’Connell that you have as much a place in paradise as I do. And I’ve seen mine.”
He heard himself laugh despite the lingering horror. “Really?”
“Certainly.” She caught his chin in her hand and then kissed him firmly. “And don’t you forget it.”
“Right.” He could recall all too clearly how he’d kissed her lips when she’d lain dead on the hot sand. “It was just so real.”
“He is a god of darkness, my friend, little wonder he is well skilled in shaping nightmares. But it was that and only that no matter how much horror he brought you.” Ardeth said firmly. “Alex, Evelyn, and I are all well, brother. There is no reason to fear for us now.”
“I-- didn’t want to live you know? Not if it meant burying you. I didn’t give a damn.”
“You don’t have to bury any of us, Rick.” Evie sighed. “We’re here.”
“You would not let me despair in Aswan, or leave me alone to face my own damnation, so why now do you think we would let you face this without help, hmm?” Ardeth asked.
“You aren’t alone, love.” Evie said firmly.
“Okay.” He agreed, and just leaned his head back against her shoulder and enjoyed the warmth. Ardeth shifted and then took Rick’s free hand and intertwined their fingers, his left arm along Rick’s back so that he could grip his shoulder. It was an odd embrace but it kept him mostly in both their arms without risking Ardeth touching Evie in any way that might be inappropriate. And that was just so very much what he knew as normal that he chuckled and let the horror go. “We’re probably breaking about every rule you guys have about stuff like this aren’t we, Ardeth?”
A small chuckle. “We did that the first night I slept at your back while Evelyn slept in your arms. Allah is merciful for which I am truly thankful, and knows that I mean no disrespect to your wife and only seek to comfort you as I can. Besides, you are here to chaperone as Evelyn reminded me earlier. Surly there is no impropriety at that.”
“There see?” Evie smiled. “God grants absolution when it’s needed. love. Do you feel up to letting Ardeth go get Alex now?”
“What and drag him away from his friends so his dad can be a basket case? I’d rather not embarrass us both to death okay Evie?”
“Okay.” She smiled again. “Now you sound like you too. Feeling better?”
“Less like I’m either going to throw up, tear something to pieces, or fall into a couple hundred myself yeah. Can-- we just do this for a minute or so longer until my heart wants to stay in place too?”
“Of course.”
“Certainly.” Ardeth agreed, squeezing his fingers again. “Asallama, akee.”
“We can hope so.” But he believed it for the fist time in a really long time himself. “In’sh’allah , huh?”
“As if it could be otherwise.” Ardeth shook his head. And Rick forced the horrible image, of the way that long hair had hung over his brother’s face, down with a vengeance. Promising himself he was not going to remember that, or how Evie had tried to hold Alex safe or... He pushed that down too with a force he hadn’t had to use since Evie had died for those few horrible minutes here in Ahm Shere. Later. He told himself firmly. You can fall apart again later when they aren’t around. Just-- let it go now, Rick. And he could hear the damned god’s voice. You would do well to stay angry, O’Connell. And that just made it easier to let go of the anger and steal these few moments of comfort without even feeling embarrassed by them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
. Sallah looked over the inscriptions again and then sighed. “I truly do not think it is booby-trapped but I can not guarantee it because I did not see the inscription at the statue of Anubis.”
“We shall take it on faith then, Sallah, we can do no other.” Selim set the pry bar into place.
“I have a thought, here.” Arebe took the shield of Horus and held it as a buffer between Selim and the wall. “May Horus stand between us and all the dark places we travel.”
“As you say.” Selim agreed and then pulled hard on the pry bar. And the stone moved a little. Another hard pull and it shifted enough that it was obvious it could be removed. There was a gust of wind along the tunnel like the flapping of a thousand wings but nothing else. “We walk cursed sands my friends.”
“As if the Medjai have not done so for ages.” Arebe shrugged. “Thank you once more oh great Horus.” Arebe set the shield down and they got the stone out of the way. Sallah pulled out the chest inside, finding it wholly carved out of piece of red granite with only the lid as separate and made of onyx. He read the inscription carefully. “We should not open this here.” He shook his head. “I will need time to translate it all for certain. But I know that none of us is a chosen of the Goddess of War. And I have no desire to be ripped apart by hungry lions like a gazelle at the mouth of the Wadi.” He traced one line.
“Does it say what it contains?” Arebe asked.
“The Book of War.” Sallah traced the line of hieroglyphics. “It is Sekhmet’s that is certain.” He rose to his feet. “Let us see to the statue of Hathor now, she is a sister goddess to Sekhmet and wife to Horus. Then we shall take the trip back to Luxor.”
“I suppose I shall carry this one.” Selim offered. “Since I pried it loose. Do not wish us ill oh dread Sekhmet. We would carry this to the place of battle and use it only when we can find your chosen to open it.”
Sallah pulled out an earthenware bottle of beer from his pack and set it down in the place of the chest. “In thanks for allowing us to remove this, and in honor of your great victories oh dread goddess of war.”
“Come, before we loose the remaining daylight to travel home in.” Arebe reminded them. They reached the other statue with unusual ease and again there were no curses to be found.
“If you will hold the shield again, Arebe, I will remove this one.” Sallah decided. “Horus you have given us your blessings many time this day and we are forever thankful, grant us this last task to complete here in the City of Dead before we may return to our leader, thy champion.” And he set the bar into place. “Grant us thy forgiveness goddess of marriage, goddess of love, wife of Horus, we mean you no disrespect and would only do what we can to see Egypt safe. We are Medjai or great lady and we need thy husband’s aid and your blessings.”
“Amal, Azza, and Ainya could second the last part I think.” Arebe smiled. “No doubt most women could. Please great lady I would go home to my wife and children, as would Selim. Sallah, we pray, will soon stop being foolish and marry Risi. But we need to get him back to the tribes for that.”
“Arebe...” Sallah grumbled but he pulled hard on the bar. Arebe only laughed and held the shield between him and the seal and then the block shifted, cracking the mortar and when he pulled hard again it slid out onto the sand. And the wind blew about them again, swirling over the statue this time. And he smiled. “Thank you oh bright son of Isis and Osiris, Great Goddess of love we thank you both.” And he pulled the chest out. It like the shield that Arebe still held looked to be solid gold but it was so much stronger than that metal should have been. “I will carry this one.” He put it in his pack and shouldered the heavy weight. “Can you see us to Luxor, Arebe?”
“As Allah and the great gods of Egypt will I suppose.” Arebe sighed. “Let us leave this place of curses once more.” And they each took a grip on the great gold shield. “Grant us once more a safe journey from this city of the dead to the Thebes of the living, the temple of AmmunRa at Thebes. We would see these treasures home to our tribes and your champion, our chieftain oh great Horus. Ai-Hetem-heset-heru.”
And then they were standing inside the great temple of Karnak by the remains of the shrine of Horus. Arebe sighed and then placed a long feather in front of the shrine. “A gift of thanks, bright god of the most wonderful birds of Egypt, that comes from my first falcon, Resha, who now flies the vaulted skies of Paradise. He taught me well to listen to the voices of your children.”
“We thank you oh great god of Vengeance and would journey from here to your temple at Edfu, so that we may once more pay you what little honor we know how and find ourselves one more step toward our tribes.” Selim sighed. “Please, oh bright son of Isis and Osiris, grant us your grace and speed so that we may arrive safely at your temple of Edfu. Ai-Hetem-heset-heru.”
And they were thankfully at the same point they had left Edfu three hours or more ago, in front of the crowned statue of Horus that had spoke with the voice of the god. Selim sat down with a sigh. “Are you all right?”
“I am tired.” Selim replied. “But I have yet I think the strength to see me back to the tribes. Can you take us from here to Komombo, Sallah?”
“I think so.” He replied. But he sat down himself and pulled his waterskin from his belt and drank thirstily. Selim and Arebe followed suit.
“Little have I left with me to offer you here bright avenger, but an old warrior’s thanks and a token of remembrance. This was my father’s oh bright Horus.” And he set a small dagger, with an inlaid handle of mother of pearl and ivory in front of the statue. “Let us go, Sallah.”
“As Horus grants us grace.” He agreed and they reached for the shield again.
“GO BACK TO AHM SHERE MEDJAI, THERE ARE MORE BATTLES TO BE WAGED AND WE ARE ALL WARRIORS FOR EGYPT, AS IT WAS, AS IT IS, AS IT SHALL ALWAYS BE. GO YOU TO MY CHAMPION’S SIDE AND BE WELL. SEE THY WIVES AND CHILDREN AND WIVES TO BE. YOU ARE BRAVE ENOUGH TO SUIT US ALL.” Said that amazing voice that was not a voice and then very suddenly they were back at AhmShere.
“Bismilallah rahman el rahim.” Arebe sat down on the sand with a groan. “What in Allah’s name were we thinking?”
“That it needed to be done.” Selim smiled, but the exhaustion was evident. “Come, let us take our finds back to the tent you and Evelyn have been using and then we shall find Ardeth. Pasha should be here by now.” He shifted the weight of his pack.
“As you say.” Sallah agreed. “Come now Arebe, think of the story you will have to tell your children.”
“They will think I am mad.” Arebe sighed but he got to his feet and they went to put the chests in a safe place and find Ardeth.
Duhr:ToC