𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐎𝐇'𝐒 𝐓𝐎𝐌𝐁 ── AHKMENRAH

𝐗𝐗𝐈𝐕. 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐔𝐁𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐑𝐔𝐁𝐈𝐂

I could vividly remember being trained, well over the course of the three years seeing numerous visions of myself — well, Ramla. I knew how to get out of the hold the guard had on me, I knew how to get rid of them all within minutes but knowing what Kahmunrah would do, I felt more helpless than I had ever felt before.

Helpless and vulnerable I watched Kahmunrah's guard's remove the pins to Ahkmenrah's sarcophagus. I watched as it flew off scaling in the air to the opposite side of the wall. Ahkmenrah thrashed in the hold of two guards as they began unwinding his bandages. Kahmunrah was communicating to my father explaining how he had come back to life and all that nonsense that was going to bore me to death.

Kahmunrah held up a hand signalling for his guards to stop unwinding Ahkmenrah's bandages. I saw the familiar mop of dark curly hair and my heart came to a complete and utter standstill. "Do not let them near one another," Kahmunrah spoke to his guards and my dad turned his head ever so slightly to meet my eyes.

"Now I know who these two are, my baby brother Ahkmenrah – the perfect and favourite child who got everything, even the throne — and then there's his little guardian girlfriend Ramla... but who are you?" I allowed my eyes to meet Ahkmenrah's green eyes for the first time, I was expecting to see a deep disappointment in them but I saw nothing else but love.

My dad shifted his footing saying nothing. "Did you not hear what I just said? I am Kahmunrah, a century-old Pharaoh who was dead but has come back to life!" I rolled my eyes knowing what Kahmunrah had done to steal the throne and I made a sound in the back of my throat. The two guards who held me back tightened their grip on me. "Um well, that's nice...erm...welcome back. I'm Larry Daley...of Daley Devices."

"Now, this very moment is the beginning of a new era the extended rein of Kahmunrah... Now just hand me the tablet." I didn't exactly know what Kahmunrah would do with the golden tablet, but Ahkmenrah who was a few metres away from me paled and it was then that I knew it must have been even worse than what I was expecting. A chorus of protests rattled through the storage container and somehow despite his size, Jed was the one that was the loudest pleading for my father to protect the tablet. Ahkmenrah suddenly thrashed against the guard as he was brought forward to Kahmunrah who gave me a dark smirk but Ahk spoke nevertheless. "You disgrace our family, mother and father would be ashamed of you." Kahmunrah laughed, clutching his sides, then his face fell plank and his hand rose up bailing into a fist then colliding with Ahkmenrah's face.

I screamed, using all my strength to propel myself forward onto the ground as I fought against the two of Kahmunrah's guardians in a familiar dance-like manner. I was doing rather well, better than I had hoped until my feet were swept from under me. Kahmunrah had seen my reaction then turned from Ahkmenrah to me with a wild, insane smile. My arms were locked into a hold that I knew would be hard to escape from as I was pushed to my knees.

Adrenaline pulsed through me and I had never recalled being so angry, "TOUCH AHKMENRAH AGAIN I WILL KILL YOU AND THIS TIME I WILL NOT MISS!" Somehow Kahmunrah seemed to find it even more hilarious, tasting the blood in my mouth from when one of the guards had hit me, I spat the blood onto Kahmunrah's face. "Always such a feisty and stubborn little thing, you are dear Ramla," Kahmunrah spoke as he wiped the blood and spit from his face. "I suspect that was why father chose you for such a sacred and honourable duty, yet you hesitated and I killed you."

Ahkmenrah shuddered and met my gaze, looking for something as I turned my gaze to my father who clutched the gold tablet tighter. "I'm getting off track, silly me. Now, Larey Daley of Daley Devices, you must hand me the tablet. You do not know the power it holds, you see bringing the dead back to life is just a simple party trick. And with the tablet, I shall unlock the gate to the underworld and bring forth my army from the land of the dead... so if it is not too much to ask..." I watched as my father was surrounded by the guards as Kahmunrah folded his hands behind his back, "hand it over."

My dad's eyes looked over at mine as if he was pleading for me to trust him and to my own dismay, he handed the tablet of Ahkmenrah, a powerful item that I was supposed to protect. "Wise decision..." Then Kahmunrah's gaze shifted to my own, "Ah, four of you stay and watch the two of them... let Larry Daley of Daley Devices do what he wishes." Dad gave me a secretive wink and it was then I knew he had a plan and I managed to relax just a little bit. "I thought you wanted the cube."

Playing along I cried out, "Dad you can't if Kahmunrah gets it then that means–," Kahmunrah cut me off before I could continue my charade. Ahkmenrah looked over at me and raised an eyebrow and I saw that he was very confused but tried not to show it. "Stop," Kahmunrah demanded to his guards as he turned towards my father with curious eyes.

"What cube?"

"The Cube of...Rubic?"

Then I cut in saving my dad for making a fool out of us, "The Cube of Rubik you know, it has the power of those who oppose you to dust. Jeez, Kahmunrah, I thought you had brains with you know, from being a serial killer and all..." Kahmunrah stalked over to me in a very royal and graceful manner. "Now Ramla, take me to this Cube of Rubic. If you try anything, you know that I will kill everyone you care about in a blink of an eye." I smiled ruefully, despite the threat because this time Kahmunrah wasn't going to win.

The guards only let me go and I stood up trying to think of something to allow both my father and Ahk to come with me. "I need Ahkmenrah and my father to accompany us. Ahkmenrah knows how to use the Cube and my father knows how to open it," I stated, using the emotionless tone that I hadn't used in thousands of years. Kahmunrah's eyes narrowed somehow believing me despite the odds. "Very well then, you know Ramla what I will do if you try something."

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Kahmunrah clutched the tablet as I could feel the sharp-pointed spear at my back pushing me forward. "Here it is," Dad muttered as Kahmunrah spoke impatiently turning to me, "Open it." Breathing sharply I locked eyes with my father as he unlocked the latch.

The rectangular wooden crate blew apart into jagged pieces as dusty red coloured tentacles flew out, grabbing hold of one of the six guards. A guard of Kahmunrah's looked down at me with an emotionless expression as I stole the staff and whirled lightly on my feet and struck the guard down to his feet. I had barely managed to jump over the octopus' tentacle before the guard as thrown in the air colliding with a crate height above the shelves.

Reaching out on instinct to protect Ahkmenrah, I didn't even realise that I was pushing him, forwards forcing Ahk to run as my dad slid on the floor catching the tablet in his hands and Kahmunrah let of commands to his guards to receive the three of us.

EDITED: 24th of December 2019