Chapter 30-

Jonathan's putrid breath tickled Ravena’s ear. She rolled her eyes in annoyance and jabbed his stomach with her elbow. Rick shook his head menacingly, silencing their movements. They were right outside the courtyard where Evy was being held, hiding behind a partly knocked down vendor’s stall. Sati and two other men were the only Medjai that stayed with them; the rest had gone to find Imhotep. It was Sati’s and Rick’s job to rescue Evelyn, and at the moment they was trying to figure out a possible way to do that.

“I say we go in the courtyard right now, grab her, and get the hell out of there!”, said an anguished Rick.

Sati shook his head.

“No, we cannot. We will wait until Ardeth and the rest of the Medjai reaches Imhotep, and while they distract them, we will rescue the woman. We have to wait for the signal.

The “signal”, was just a white piece of fabric that was to be waved at a certain time. The atmosphere buzzed with the electricity of heart-wrenching anticipation. Rick rubbed his hands anxiously, while Ravena leaned against the Jonathan. She rubbed her shoulders absently, although there wasn’t a breeze at all. She knew wicked immorality lurked about, obviously because Imhotep was around. They could only stare in horror as the first match was lit. Rick made a small, scared noise in the back of his throat, using all his willpower to not run over there, but just in case, a Medjai held onto his arm. Ravena didn’t even bother to look when the match was thrown onto the large amount of logs and wood surrounding the pole in which Evy was tied up with. Jonathan could only look at his sister for a split moment, unable to bear what he saw. Her face was stained with dried, cracked blood, and tears spilled steadily against her pale face. Everyone focused on the scenes around her. Suddenly Sati stood up, Ardeth was standing up in the window, waving the white cloth, and doing some strange sort of sign language. Apparently, Sati understood.

“Ravena, Ardeth wants you to go up there with the amulet right now, HURRY!”

Ravena jumped up, nodded, and dashed into the building that held Imhotep. Sati turned around to face Rick, and slowly, he nodded his head.

Evelyn could feel her soul practically tearing away. The bells had rung, it was time to begin, and she was utterly scared. Who would take care of Alex and Jonathan, who would take care of Rick? She closed her eyes and shook those thoughts away. They would save her, they had too, and she couldn’t ever imagine dying. What would happen when she died, would she be reincarnated, or go to heaven, or become a ghost? So many questions, but when she opened her eyes all those thoughts dispersed without a trace. Evelyn was surrounded by skeletal remains, the priests of Imhotep. She leaned back her head against the pole and let out a heart-wrenching sob, the priest up front just smiled. He stepped up, and with only a single breath, he lit the match. Evelyn could only focus on the flame, vibrant but still, holding her life in its crimson eyes. It flickered with the breeze that had just picked up, and Evy blocked out all images except for that miniscule blaze. It was truly frightening. The priest flung it on the logs, and a steady rise of flames grew, licking at Evelyn’s slender feet, ready to swallow her whole. Suddenly, the windows up in the building where Alex and Imhotep exploded. Something was happening up there, and then, she heard a cry that lifted her spirits immediately, Rick!

Ardeth felt the pain rip through his as his whole body was thrown by some mystical force against the stone wall. The room was lighted up only by matches, and frankly, the Medjai weren’t holding up all that well. They had walked into that room confident and hopeful, only too so far get their asses kicked. Ardeth lifted his head and grimaced, but then he looked at Imhotep and smiled, he wasn’t going to be weak, he wasn’t going to let Imhotep enjoy this. They had fought courageously, but so far was unable to do anything damaging. Ardeth had fought like a lion, doing the best he could, but he was no match to an immortal. The sounds of clanking swords had echoed into the room, skill with these weapons obviously evident. It should’ve been made an art, Ardeth handled it so well. He stood up straight, and held up his scimitar. Ravena had better hurry up, Ardeth wasn’t capable of holding Imhotep off much longer, he started to feel that the sadistic man was just keeping him alive so far for fun! Imhotep clenched his jaw and gave a tight smile, walking over to where the Medjai leader stood, rubbing his wrist. Ardeth’s men had surrounded Imhotep, but with orders they to do nothing, except stick their scimitars up in the air. Ardeth grinded his teeth and with a battle cry, lunged towards the evil man. Without tearing his eyes away from the Imhotep’s cold, stony eyes, he ran over and thrust the scimitar into the marked chest. Unfortunately, no blood came out. Imhotep looked down while Ardeth took it out and stabbed him again. Still, nothing happened. Imhotep smiled and shook his head, waving his finger.

“Tsk, Tsk”, Imhotep hissed amusedly in ancient Egyptian, “Stupid man, you should know by now that that won’t work, I am immortal, and you don’t have your book of Amun Ra.”

Ardeth gritted his teeth again.

“Nothing will stop me from trying, you are lower then dirt Imhotep, you never deserved that curse that made you like this, you deserve much worse.”

Imhotep’s eyes darkened with anger. He grabbed the scimitar away from Ardeth, and looked into his eyes.

“You shouldn’t have said that. I must bid you farewell now, and then I shall own everything.”

With those last words, Imhotep lifted the scimitar up, and scythed into Ardeth’s flesh. The brave Medjai leader let out a small cry in the back of his throat, before slowly falling to his knees. He looked down at where the sword lay in his flesh, blood spilling down onto his hands. He tightened his fingers around the handle, and slowly, with agonizing pain, drew it out, dropping it on the floor, stunned. Ardeth was about to fall back when suddenly he heard Ravena’s frightened voice, screaming...

To Evelyn, it seemed like an eternity had passed. Her head rolled to the side an a dazed manner. She stared bewildered at the scene around, consumed with fighting and extreme violence. Surprisingly, the only thing that came into her mind was that Alex had better not be watching this. When Evy saw Rick lunging towards her, relief consumed her empty soul. That feeling fled when the head priest jumped in front of his path, daring him to a challenge. Knowing Rick, he took it, glad to beat them up after what they were about to do to his wife, the person he could not live without. The crowd had dashed away immediately when the caught sight if the Medjai, but Jonathan was already passed out, probably by fainting. Sati was up front, slaughtering many of the priests along the way. Evelyn couldn’t ignore the flames licking at her feet, which had turned into a full-fledged blaze. It was truly frightening, but she knew Rick would come for her soon. Sati jumped in front of her, attempting to cut her away from the tight ropes that bound her hands together. He lifted up his scimitar, but was sidetracked by a different priest, she watched in fright as the two fought together, never letting weakness show. Sati quickly killed him, but a cry from one of his Medjai made him go running back into the violence. Evy would have to rely on her husband to save her. Suddenly, gunshots rung out, it was Rick. Of course, he always held a gun, Evy nearly giggled when she imagined him with a scimitar. She shook those thoughts out of her head and watched him carefully, trying to avoid the fire whose heat was nearly suffocating her. When it seemed like Rick was going to win the fight by pinning down the priest with his knee, Evelyn cried out to him.

“Riiiick! Be careful!”.

Her husband looked up surprised, grinned, put the gun to the priests temple, and shot him twice. Rick then got up, and ran over to where Evelyn was tied up, scrutinizing how he was going to rescue her. What the hell, he picked up a scimitar from a dead Medjai, and rushed over to her, not caring about the fire he was jumping over. Rick latched onto her, slipping a hand around her slender waist. He whispered in her ear.

“Evy, I love you, and I’m going to get you out of the hellhole.”

Rick slashed at the ropes, thankful when the strands came loose. Soon, Evelyn was free, and the last priest was killed by Sati. Rick picked up his weak wife, and jumped down onto the ground. Once there, she wrapped her arms around his neck and sobbed into his chest. -Oh yeah, Imhotep is definitely going to die for this-, Rick thought to himself.  Sati motioned for everyone to head up into the building, having to tap Rick on the shoulder to get his attention during this far from blissful reunion.

“No, what did you do?!!!” cried out Ravena.

She rushed over to Ardeth, bent over, and placed a hand on his wound. Imhotep just smiled, but which disappeared when he looked out the window. He stared in horror as he saw that stupid man, Rick, hold Nefertiri. How DARE him to touch Imhotep’s possessions. Tears spilled down Ravena’s face as she cradled Ardeth’s moaning head in her lap. He wasn’t dead yet. The Medjai surrounded their leader, not understanding how he couldn’t have died. Imhotep stared back at the woman, his face etched in sadness because of Evy, but quickly turned to anger. Ravena lifted her head, her eyes filled with fear, horror, and rage. She slowly got up, grimacing with all these unwanted emotions in her. Ravena took the Star of Hephaeliates from one of the Medjai, and gave a small grin at Imhotep. He stared, horrified, at the Star. How was this small woman capable of retrieving it? Ravena bounced it up in the air, catching it with one hand. She walked slowly around Imhotep, enjoying how meek he was at the sight of the Star.

“Does this little ol’ thing scare you, Imhotep?” she said in ancient Egyptian.

Imhotep threw away his look of fright from his face and turned it into disgust.

“You’re not brave enough to use that against me, you’re just a silly woman, you could never defeat me.”

Ravena clenched her teeth, fuming with anger.

“Its also called woman’s liberation, asshole.”

Imhotep’s brow scrunched up in confusion, but stared in surprise as Ravena placed the stone against the edge of a nearby table.

“All I have to do, Imhotep, is too recite a couple of words to make you weak, take a chip off of this Star, put it in your mouth, and say the final chants. I think it sounds pretty easy.”

With that she started to slam a pointy part of the Star against the edge of the table, until a small piece broke off, revealing hints of small emeralds and amethysts. Imhotep stared in horror as Sati and everyone else arrived at the doorway. Nenka stared meekly in the corner, no one even noticed she was there. Imhotep cried out to her, angrily.

“Nenka! Come here this instance and help me!”

Nenka gulped and looked around the room, resting her gaze on Ardeth. She leaned against the wall and folded her arms.

“No”, she replied simply.

Imhotep stared in disbelief at her, and walked slowly up to her, his face never changing. Ravena started to grin.

“What did you say”, he said slowly, hissing each word.

Nenka stared smugly back at him, a smirk playing on her lips.

“I said NO!”

She turned her head to the side and looked at Ravena.

“I think I want to be part of this woman’s liberation thing, I’m quite sure I can be pretty good at it.”

The Medjai laughed, amused at the surprised, but fuming look on Imhotep’s face. He lifted his hand to slap her, and couldn’t hear Ravena reciting the first words that were supposed to make him weak. It worked, Imhotep could feel exhaustion seeping through him, starting with the feet up to his head, making him feel light-headed. He sunk down to the ground, dazed. Ravena motioned to Nenka.

“Nenka, catch this and put it in his mouth!”

She threw the piece of the Star over to Nenka, who caught it gracefully. Imhotep opened his mouth to protest, and then Nenka stuffed it into his mouth. He was too weak to spit it out, he just moaned with frustration. Ravena stepped up to say the final verses, the ones that would end his life, but Evelyn stopped her by placing a hand on her arm.

“No, please let me say the chant”, Evy said quietly.

Ravena stared at her in silent understanding, before nodding her head. Evelyn walked up to Imhotep and sat on her knees. She stared in his fearful, but courageous eyes and she could feel a connection being made. Evy ignored it, and started to say the words. Imhotep could only focus on her closed eyes, and her parted lips, mouthing the words slowly. he could feel burning in his head, which spread down to the rest of his body. Evy lifted her head, and gave him a sorrowful look, before reciting the last word. Imhotep could only stare into her eyes, which calmed him down. Suddenly, he could feel agonizing pain for a split-second, before darkness finally set in. He was dead. Finally. Evelyn looked up.

“It’s over.”