[◈] Curse of the High Priestess

2 | 17 ⌋ The Cost of War

The face of the Scorpion King loomed over the desert, casting a shadow that made the brethren wonder if they'd lost - until the face turned into a cloud and forced itself back into the pyramid with such force, that it began dragging everything else with it. 

The pyramid began to crumble. Boulders fell from the roof. Pillars broke off, piece by piece. Hasina looked around and found Alex and Johnathan hidden behind the immortal images. She tried to go to them, but the quake grew stronger. Anck-su-namun stood beside her, trying to look for her lover. 

"Rick!" She called out, but no response. 

Instead, a hand appeared from one of the canyons on the ground. Her heart stopped when Imohtep met her eyes. Had Rick taken his place in the underworld? Her worries simmered slightly as another pair of hands appeared beside Imhotep. She smiled as Rick's eyes appeared over the edge. 

"DAD!" Alex watched his father struggling to escape the deadly pit. He wanted to go to him but knew it was too dangerous. 

Rick watched as his reborn wife looked between the falling boulders, understanding the glint in her eyes. "Hasina, no!" He glanced between her and their child, "Both of you! Get out of here!" 

"Not without you!" Hasina darted across the room, evading the falling points from above. Alex shouted at her, worried he'd have to bring her back - it gurt losing her the first time, and he didn't want to witness it again. Johnathan yelled for Rick to hang on - much to the latter's chagrin. 

Hasina pushed herself to reach him, no matter the cost. With a small jump, she landed near his hands. "You're so stubborn," Rick grunted as Hasina pulled him up by his collar, "why couldn't you just leave?" 

Out of breath, Hasina responded, "I won't lose you." Their eyes met, foreign feelings clashing within, "not again."  The sound of thunder echoed outside, cutting the trance they were in; Rick turned, grabbed her waist, and pulled her out of harm's way. In the midst, Hasina's eyes met Imhotep's.

Memories of their lives in Thebes flashed instantly, cutting off the air in his lungs. 

"I only wished for your happiness," his words echoed between them. He glanced between her and Anck-su-namun, who made no move to help him. 

"And I wished for you to be better than this," Nabila whispered. 

"Anck-su-namun," Imhotep held his hand out in her direction, "help me!" Her eyes widened at his words, and something within him hardened, "Help me, please!"

Hasina watched as Imhotep struggled to stay above ground with the dead taking hold of his lower body. She looked at Anck-su-namun as Imhotep pleaded with her again.

Anck-su-namun looked at Hasina, recalling the vision.

Flames of red and blue scorned her skin. Her screams fell on death's ears. She begged for release, to be back home - to no avail. In the distance, a shadow watched with a smirk as she begged for mercy. 

Anck-su-namun hissed and ran out of the tunnel, ignoring Imhotep's final call to her. She refused to fall into Nabila's trap; a vision is nothing but a ploy, and she refused to fall victim. 

Imhotep looked at Hasina and Rick; his eyes glazed with regret. Without hesitation, he let go of the edge of the floor when a hand grasped his wrist. He looked up and saw Nabila - or rather, her reincarnation. A small smile appeared on his lips. How often had he reached out for her to be at his side?

"Let me go," he whispered, ignoring the flames pecking his skin. 

"There has to be a better way," Hasina struggled to pull him. Looking into his eyes, the realization sank harder than the Titanic. "You wanted me to be by your side since you woke, yet you leave without so much as a goodbye?"