HOPE YOU ENJOY
PLEASE VOTE
A/N: I keep swapping between Katie and Pidge because when she's more aimed at Shiro, she's seen as Katie. But when she's more towards Lance and the rest, she's Pidge.
***************************************
Meanwhile With the Americans..
James yelled out in the home langue of their hired servants, demanding them to keep going and going as they forced part of an panel within the base of Anubis to open, white steam bursting out with it and spilling over the three servants without any mercy. Melting their clothes, skin and muscle off within seconds.
Antok, Regris, Curtis and Slav all leaned back in fright, wincing at what they were witnessing and feeling a shiver run down their spine.
With Pidge, Lance and Shiro..
It was finally time for a break leaving both Shiro and Katie sitting on two of the statues they were standing on earlier. Lance standing a few feet away, using one of Shiro tools like an golf stick and just hitting tiny bits of rubble like they were a golf ball.
None of them knew where Varkon was still, he had truly wondered off and they did call out for him but never bothered searching. He was an adult and could look after himself, plus, he was most likely looking for the promised gold by himself. They'd go looking for him if he didn't return time it was time to head back to camp.
"So they ripped out your guts and stuffed them in the jars" Shiro repeated as he stared at Katie unsure, making sure he was getting all this down correctly. Lance frowning a bit as he never really did like this topic, it always put him of his food.
"They'd take out your heart as well. Know how they took out your brains?" Katie asked all excited, her eyes sparkling and she stared up at Shiro with such a blissful look he was willing to listening to anything she said right now. Even if it was completely disgusting and he might never sleep again.
"Pidgey, we really don't need to know this" Lance chipped in quickly, wanting to be able to eat later on.
"They'd take a sharp, red-hot poker, stick it up your nose scramble things about a bit and then rip it out through your nostrils" Katie explained anyways, a huge bright smile on her lips as she moved around the tool in her hands showing how it would have gone.
Shiro wincing and looking in pain over the mere thought over it happening and holding his nose a little. Hoping he'd never become a mummy in the future. Lance use to this topic and stuck with an grossed out look as he carried on playing his makeshift golf.
"Ow.Jesus, that must hurt" Shiro complained back, wondering how Katie was so fine with this topic when he felt sorry for the poor souls by just wanting her hand movements.
"No, it wouldn't. It's called mummification. You're dead when they do it" Katie replied with an reassuring smile, placing an comforting hand on his arm in hopes to reassure him over it.
"For the record. If I don't make it out of here, don't put me down for a mummification" Shiro called out uneasy as he looked towards Lance, knowing he'd at least stop him from being turned into an mummy. He was a little scared of Katie practicing mummification on him without his consent if he did die in this place.
"Likewise. I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine, my friend" Lance happily called back, an agreeing look in his eyes as Shiro felt a bit safer now.
"You're both such babies" Katie teased, rolling her eyes playfully while Lance gave a good smack with one of the pebbles.
Freezing up as there was a clinking sound before a low rumbled filled the air. Soon the ceiling between where Lance stood and the other two sat came crashing down, something heavy landing on the ground behind. Lance tensed up, staring straight at the wall ahead and a little too scared to turn around. He wasn't sure what he broke or if he ended up crushing the other two to death, he wasn't ready to find out.
Shiro stepping forward, a bit shaky after the close call as Katie followed along behind him towards the object that had just landed inches away. Both coughing a little from all the sand dust that was kicked up around them.
Lance finally feeling brave enough to turn around, glad to see them both alive as they tried looking over the large, bulky and heavy object. Slowly heading over towards it, a little frightened and awkwardly catching Shiro own freaked out gaze.
This wasn't meant to happen.
"Oh, my God. I-It's a .. It's a Sarcophagus" Katie muttered out in shock, confusion and worry filling her eyes as this wasn't meant to here .. not like this at least. They shouldn't have found something like this at all.
"Buried at the base of Anubis. He must have been someone of great importance. Or he did something very naughty" Katie mumbled out, stepping closer and placing her hands over the top, glancing up from where it fell from. An unsure look in her legs as she tried thinking on why he was buried in such a place and not liking the results.
Katie hurrying off to grab her tool kit before rushing back over to the Sarcophagus. Stepping up on the edge of the base to giver her a bit more height before she started brushing away the sand for her to read the writing over.
Shiro and Lance silently watching her as she did so, waiting for her to read the writing on the Sarcophagus to show who this mummy was during their life.
"Takashi, do you mind grabbing the torch and holding it over this area. I need a little more light to be able to read it" Katie asked as she turned towards him once they mostly got all the sand off for her to be able to read the writing.
"Lance, hover over us" Shiro ordered instead, since Lance stood on the opposite side, already holding an torch. Lance simply nodded, hurrying round and standing on the other side of Shiro, holding the torch up a bit for them to see better.
"So Pidgey? Who is it?" Lance eagerly asked, trying his best to not bonce on the spot.
"He That Shall Not Be Named" Katie read out, falling pale as that wasn't a good sign.
Shiro leaning forward, noticing a dip under the Egyptian writing and blew out the sand showing a star shaped hole in the sarcophagus. Gaining the other two to lean forward, looking to it surprised and thinking over what it was for.
"This looks like some sort of a lock" Shiro admitted, shaking a finger to the dip.
"Whoever's in here sure wasn't getting out" Lance commented with an frown as he stared at the lock, knowing whoever buried him didn't want him getting out, that's for sure.
"No kidding. It'd take a month to crack into this thing without a key" Shiro mumbled back with a frown, glancing to Lance who nodded in agreement. Neither of them had a month to waste on this lock, not when they're here to find Matt instead of actually exploring.
"A key?" Katie repeated, an puzzled look on her face before something hit her.
"A key! That's what he was talking about!" Katie perked up, realization hitting her like a bus as she quickly hurry over to where Lance left his bag.
"Who?" Shiro asked completely confused and wondering what he just missed, glancing to Lance who simply shrugged.
"The man on the barge. The one with the hook. He was looking for a key" Katie explained as she hurried back over, holding the puzzle box from before.
"Pidgin, that's mine" Lance whined back like a child before watching as Pidge opened it up again like she did when finding the map.
Katie simply smiled to him before leaning forward and placing the puzzle box perfectly into the lock. It was a perfect key for it. An smug grin on her face over having the key and working out the real puzzle over it. The two males looking impressed before frowns took over their faces as Varkon scream echoed the halls.
All three rushing out to find him, stumbling into one of the halls when he passed by, running straight towards an dead end. All calling out to him to stop but he just kept running, killing himself as he bashed his head towards the wall.
They all agreed to give it a day after witnessing the guy kill himself. Leaving the body as it was, knowing they'll come collect it before it was time to leave Hamunaptra. It wasn't the best idea to leave a corps outside under the sun after all.
Returning to the sarcophagus in a low mood and collecting their things before heading back above. Leaving the building and going to where they've made their own small makeshift camp during their stay. Pidge and Lance getting the fire going and stayed huddled up as the night chill was a little chilly. Shiro going off to report Varkon death to the other, mostly warning them that something had turned the guy crazy enough to kill himself without warning.
"What do you supposed killed him?" Pidge asked as she used one of the camel chair comfort as a blanket to warm her arms up.
"Did you ever see him eat?" Lance snorted back as he poked at the fire, keeping it going.
"Ow" Lance cried out in pain as Pidge slapped his arm for not taking this seriously.
"I mean it. He might have smelled worse than death itself but still, he didn't deserve to go like that" Pidge huffed back in annoyance as she wrapped her arms around her legs, pulling them close to her chest.
"Seems that our American friends had a little misfortune of their own today. Three of their diggers were ... melted" Shiro voice filled behind them making them turn to see him walking over and he started kneeling beside Pidge, his shotgun still loosely held in his hand.
"What?" Pidge blurted out in surprise.
"How?" Lance asked in shock.
"Salt Acid. Pressurized salt acid. Some kind of an ancient booby trap" Shiro answered with an pained acid, shivering at the thought of more booby traps laying about.
"Maybe this place really is cursed" Lance mumbled out as he went to throw some more wood on the fire but was stopped as a spooky bind breezed past sending the hairs on the back of their neck stand up.
Lance and Shiro sharing a spooked look while Katie glanced between them both before frowning over how silly they were being. There was no point in scaring themselves when they still had to sleep here and spend a few more days in searching for Matt clues. Even if they did get distracted by the sarcophagus today.
"For goodness' sake, you two!" Pidge huffed out, sitting cross legged and getting more comfortable even as the two males beside her seemed rather pale still.
"You don't believe in curses, huh?" Shiro nervously asked, wondering how she wasn't spooked over all this creepy bullshit going on around them.
"Oh, I do but scaring ourselves will only flaw us. We won't be able to sleep soundless and than we'd be cranky and tired by the morning. If we want to finish looking for Matt clue and leave this place than we need to be as close to 100% as we can. Telling spooky stories and freaking ourselves out is more our enemy than any curse" Pidge
"She's got a point" Lance admitted as he kept an unease look on his face.
Shiro simply sighs before cocks his rifle and sending a big grin towards Katie who raises an eyebrow in return.
"I believe in being prepared" Shiro stated towards her and watching as she simply rolls her eyes over him.
Both only turning and saying no more when they noticed movement on her other side. Lance was reaching for Varkon bag left at the camp and the other two frowned at his snooping over the dead belongings so soon. Lance opens the Warden's pouch, the one that held the scarabs. He reaches in, starts scrounging around.
Shiro and Pidge leaning a little closer, wondering if the warden did have anything inside he found before he ended up dead. Both feeling the suspense building as they waited for Lance to say something or pull out an object.
Lance screams in pain and rips his hand back out of the pouch.
Shiro and Katie both jump in fright, shuffling back from him by instincts alone.
"What?!" Shiro yelled back, aiming his gun towards the warden pouch.
"What is it?!" Pidge cried back, holding out a shaky hand towards her brother to be.
Lance sucks his finger, then reaches back into the pouch and pulls out a liquor bottle, the top has been chipped off.
"Glenlivet. Twelve years old!" Lance smiles at the bottle, then turns the pouch inside out and shakes it, nothing but sand is inside it.
"Well, he may have been a stinky fellow, but he had good taste" Lance grinned back impressed before he takes a swig.
Shiro and Pidge laugh, guiltily. And then Shiro suddenly perks up and sticks his ear to the air. Pidge and Lance watch him.
And then a barrage of gunfire is heard coming from the American camp.
Shiro jumps up and throws the elephant gun to Katie within the blink of an eye making her clumsily catch it.
"Stay here" Shiro sternly ordered before hurrying towards the American camp area to see what was happening.
Pidge simply staring down at the gun before quickly pushing herself to stand and going off in the direction Shiro had left wanting to help instead of being hidden away.
"No, wait! Wait for me" Katie called out hoping that Shiro hadn't ran too far ahead to be out of ear's reach.
"Pidgey!" Lance cried back, struggling to get back up straight away before pushing himself up on the third try.
"Excuse me, but didn't the man just say "stay here"? Pidgin!" Lance cried out as he chased after her, the wine bottle still in hand.
The Magi warrior's cry filled all areas of the ruins, forcing everyone awake and preparing to attack as the magi came riding straight towards them on their horses. Swords and guns in hand, slaying down any and hall who weren't their own comrades. It was a one-sided slaughter at first.
"Mr. Henderson! Wake up!" James screamed out, his umbrella and opened still in his hands as he ran towards Antok and Regris shared tent as quick as his legs could take him.
Antok wobbling out, mostly ready to retire for the night before becoming wide awake as he stared at their attackers that clearly outnumber them and the surprise attack didn't help their chances either.
Regris already stood shooting at a few Magi men, gun in either hands and shooting away as much well as he could. A few of the diggers tents already set on fire by the Magi throwing torches to them.
Curtiss stumbled out, half shaven face and his glasses on wonky while he held one gun and shot away as best as he could beside Antok.
Shiro only pulling one gun out, holding it up as he kept his back tightly pushed to an ruin wall. Sneaking round and shooting a handful of the Magi down that had gathered not far in front. Not noticing as Katie came round the other side.
She took aim, never really using a gun before and just prayed for her luck to not be too rotten right now. Her eyes shooting all over the place as horses and camels were left running around as the fire's burned through more of the tents and a few supplies areas. The Magi slaughtered the diggers without mercy, treating them like animals instead of people.
Lifting her gun a little more in fright when she heard an horse neighing behind her and she spun round before shooting blindly at the Magi member. Screaming at them before squeezing the trigger and shooting them straight in the chest. They flew off the horse dead and she landed on her bum, a bit in shock.
Meanwhile, Lance had took to hiding behind a small ruin wall that reached to his thighs when standing. Casual kneeling behind them, drinking away at the wine and loosely holding a handgun he stole from Shiro bag earlier. Lazily shooting any and all Magi that rid past him, not spotting him and getting themselves in the perfect aim for himself as he shot them down with drunkenly ease.
Only yelping when Slav suddenly appeared beside him. Grabbing at the wine and taking more than an mouthful at once. Spilling some down his top and around his mouth while Lance watched in disgust. The guy was wasting good wine right now.
With both being so close to the centre of the battle, horse neighing no longer distracted Lance from keeping an eye ahead. But Slav, he shakily glanced behind them and let fear fill his eyes before he spat out the mouthful of wine he currently had. Spitting it over Lance who turned to him in anger before noticing the magi riding on a horse straight towards them with an khopesh sword raised high above his head ready to strike them down.
Slav running without a second thought as Lance started doing the same. Being shoved back by Slav a little and making him run in a direct line with the magi right on his tail. Lance glanced to his side, meeting with the horse snout and filling with more fear than ever.
"SHIRO!" Lance screamed out like a completely terrified girl making most turn in his direction, Shiro more as he feared that the only actually women on camp was in danger.
Of course Shiro just found Lance tripping over, barely dodging the magic sword that slashed his way. The magi carried on riding forward.
"YOU'LL NEVER MARRY MY SISTER IF I DIE TOO!" Lance yelled out next making Shiro eyebrow twitch over the guy priorities in trying to brag him into helping saving his life.
But still, Shiro placed his gun back in it's holster before tackling the guy of his horse and into the sand instead. Both males leaping back up, the horse left trapped to the ground for now. Shiro with his gun in hand and Keith held his khopesh sword, both ready to fight.
So Shiro shot at Keith sword making it fly out of his hands within the blink of an eye and earning a murderous glare from Keith himself. An Magi angry cry turned Shiro concentration from Keith to another Magi member who came riding towards him with an rifle aimed and ready to shoot him. But Shiro was quicker and show the guy down first, leaving him dead and hanging over his horse riding past.
But Keith was a sly bastard who's got to battle like this one many times before in his life. Pulling out his second khopesh and creeping towards Shiro before slapping Shiro gun out of his hand once he turned towards him.
Now Shiro was without an weapon and forced to stumble backwards dodging all and every slash form Keith sword. Shiro tripping before rolling out the way of Keith attack and about to jump back on his feet when another body bumps into him making them both fall back down in the sand.
"Takashi! I broke your gun" Katie cried out in complete guilt since she didn't mean for it to break and she knew how much loved and cared for all his weapons. She just didn't know how to reload it or really do much with it and once she ran out of battles, it became a hitting bat for her to use against any Magi that tried killing her. Well, until it was cut in half by an Magi she was currently running from.
"Not the time to apology" Shiro simply stated as he quickly wrapped an around her waste and pulling them back when he noticed Keith still waking towards them, khopesh tightly held in his hand.
"But if we're going to die I have to get it off my chest otherwise I'd be living with eternal guilt. I got your gun killed" Katie sobbed back as she felt really bad and wasn't sure how she'd ever make it right. Even if they did end up dead in the next few seconds, she had to tell him how bad she felt.
"Did it keep you safe?" Shiro calmly asked as he moved his gaze from Keith to her making Keith raise an unimpressed eyebrow.
"Mostly" Katie sniffed as she kept edging forward while he was going backwards, mostly forcing her to move in flow with him.
"Than it did it's job well until the end, Katie. I forgive you and I'm glad my gun could help protect you when I couldn't, now, crawl behind me before I've forced to hold your limp body in my arms" Shiro gently smiled back, keeping his gaze locked to her's and trying to keep her as calm as he could, making them feel like they were the only two around right now and blocking out the battle around.
Katie simply nodded and did as she was told, crawling behind him and shyly placing her hands on his shoulder's while he finally stopped crawling. His eyes glancing around for a weapon on something he could use to defend himself from Keith, or at least fight him back enough for Katie to make a run for it.
But than they were surrounded by Magi on their horses, all of them were. Antok, Regris and James forced to stand with their hands up in surrender as a group of Magi surrounded them. Slav and Curtis surrounded by another group of Magi and having to lift their hands in surrender. Lance staying still where he sat with one hand lifted in surrender and the other holding he bottle of wine, resting the bottom on his thigh.
That's when Katie got an eye as her gaze lowered from all around them and to Shiro belt. She held a mini argument with herself before slipping it free making Shiro head quickly drop towards his belt wondering what she just did before a sizzling sound filled both their ears.
She stood up, holding the lit tnt stick in her hands before stepping closer towards Keith. Standing protectively in front of Shiro and glaring down at Keith like she was the keeper of hell herself.
Keith glanced her over, looking into her eyes before knowing she'd really kill them all together right now and right here. She wasn't kidding, it wasn't a bluff he could see through. She'd be ready to die, taking them all down with her and he couldn't let the ruins be exploded like this.
"Enough!" Keith voice echoed through the whole of the ruins making all halt and freeze up before looking in his direction. Shiro standing up and glancing between both Keith and Katie, not sure how to feel right now.
"We will shed no more blood, but you must leave" Keith announced, lowering his sword to show he'd surrender for now.
Pidge keeping her eyes on him, making sure he wasn't going to try anything once her defence was lowered. Her hands shakily holding onto the tnt stick as tightly as she could.
"Leave this place or die" Keith warned as he stepped back, returning his sword into it's sheath before collecting his second that Shiro shot away from him before.
Shiro placing an reassuring hand on her shoulder, knowing Keith meant his words and was getting his men to retreat without anymore deaths.
"You have one day" Keith finally said before hopping onto his horse and riding out with all of his left over men leaving everyone else to just dumbly stand watching them go.
"PIDGEY!" Lance screamed out in horror, looking ready to wet himself as she was still holding the lit tnt and the time fuse wire was becoming rather short now.
"Oh god! How do I stop it from blowing up" Pidge blurted out in panic, shaking the tnt stick about before trying to blow it out like an candle stick, failing to do so.
Shiro rolling his eyes before taking it from her hand and yanking the time fuse out, dropping it into the sand and covering it over before placing the tnt stick back into his bet. Raising an eyebrow as he wondered if she was really the women ready to blow them all up a few moments ago.
"Are you all right?" Shiro worriedly asked, finally turning back to her and knowing she much have been shaken up by the whole thing.
"I think I might be in a bit of shock still" Katie honestly answered with an weak smile as her brain was still trying to cope and take in everything that happened in the past ten minutes.
"Why don't we head back to camp and get you to sit down for a moment. I'll see if the tea survived the attack and brew you some. It'd help calm the nerves and well, hopefully get rid of the shock" Shiro softly spoke as he held her chin, lifting it up as his eyes scanned her face for any worrying injuries or signs she might turn mad on him.
"That sounds rather nice" Katie admitted with a small but warm smile, placing her hand over his that started to hold her cheek.
"Pidgin! Are you okay?" Lance yelled out in panic, ruining any moment that may have started to come for the other two.
"Yes, I'm fine" Pidge sighed, stepping away from Shiro as he lowered his hands and awkwardly hovered to the side.
"Are you sure? You just tried blowing us all up with those dessert people. That's normally a sign that your mental health isn't doing so good" Lance mumbled back with concern, his eyes scanning her over for any real life threatening injuries. Even if he did want to cry over how sandy and untidy her new outfit became during all this mess.
"I just killed my first person, Lance. Maybe freak out once I've wrapped my own head around all these events" Pidge calmly replied with a small smile as she placed her hands comfortingly on his shoulder's to try and focus him on her face.
"Sure, you've got it. Let's go sit you down" Lance smiled back, calming down every so slightly.
"I'll look for the tea bags" Shiro muttered back as he rubbed the side of her his neck, ready to head out over the few supply area's that weren't burnt down.
"Thank you" Katie smiled sweetly and Shiro simply nodded in return, giving her a true smile before heading off.
"That proves it. Old Seti's fortune has got to be under this sand" Regris grinned out, taking this attack as a sign that treasure was hidden below.
"For them to protect it like this, there's got to be treasure down there" Antok agreed with his own smile, looking forward to seeing what type of treasure might be below.
Turning to help look over Regris arm as his friend got cut with the tip of an khopesh sword during the fight. It wasn't life threatening, a little deep bit not overly bad.
"No. These men are desert people. They value water, not gold" Shiro added in his own view, a troubled look in his eyes as the attack didn't make sense in his eyes.
"You know, maybe just at night we could combine forces?" Curtis nervously spoke up, hoping that they'd be able to huddle together from now on in case another attack happened.