Edited: March 1, 2022
The American's along with Katherine, Rick and the others soon made it back to Cairo. Ever since they left, everyone has been on edge and they keep looking over their shoulders and with good reason. Knowing that a living corpse is on the loose could put a fright in anyone. Katherine was still thinking about what the creature said, calling her Nefera and Ardeth Amun, which caused her to keep going back to her dreams and visions.
Right now, she was sitting in Evy's room watching and listening to her and her brother having a heated argument with each other. Both Katherine and Evy have changed into a fresh set of clothes with Evy wearing a white long sleeve blouse, a long khaki shirt, black shoes and she had her hair up in a neat bun. Katherine was wearing a floor length low shoulder green dress with ruffles along the collar, sleeves and the skirt of the dress, and black shoes. She had her hair up in a half bun style with the rest of her curly hair flowing down her back.
"I thought you didn't believe in that fairy tales and hokum stuff?" Rick asked as he carried some of Evy's clothes over to a suitcase "Shoo!" he yelled at the white cat that laid on the suitcase.
Evy picked up her cat as Rick opened the suitcase "H-Having an encounter with a 3,000 year old walking, talking corpse does tend to convert one" Evy put her cat down as she removed her clothes from the suitcase.
"Tell me about it" Katherine said to herself from her spot on the bed as she picked up the white cat and began to pet her gently.
"Forget it!" Rick said as he emptied out Evy's draws and placed the contents into the suitcase "We're out the door, we're down the hall and we're gone"
"Oh, no we are not!" Evy protested as she removed the contents from the suitcase.
"Oh, yes we are" Rick stated as he picked up some books.
"Oh, no we are not" Evy said back "We woke him up and we are going to stop him"
"We? What 'we'?" Rick asked as he tossed the books into the suitcase "We didn't read that book. I told you not to play around with that thing. Didn't I tell you not to play around with that thing?"
"Right then" Evy said as she unloaded her books from the suitcase "Me, me, me, me, I, I, I woke him up and I intend to stop him"
"Oh, yeah? How?" Rick asked "You heard Kathy's boyfriend, no mortal weapon can kill this guy"
"He's not my boyfriend" Katherine pointed out as Rick picked up a type-writer and was going to put it in the suitcase.
"Well, then we're just going to have to find some immortal ones" Evy said as she grabbed the type-writer from Rick's hands.
"There goes that 'we' again" Rick said as he placed his hands on the suitcase.
"Would you listen to me?" Evy asked as she closed the suitcase, unintentionally slamming it close on Rick's hands "We have to do something! Once this creature has been reborn, his curse is going to spread until the whole of the Earth is destroyed"
"Yeah and is that my problem?" Rick asked harshly.
"Rick! How can you be so selfish?" Katherine asked, not believing what her brother is saying.
"You stay out of this, Kathy!" Rick told her harshly as he pointed at her.
"Well it is everybody's problem" Evy stated "And you shouldn't speak to your sister like that!"
"Listen, Evelyn" Rick began "I appreciate you saving my life and all, but when I signed on I agreed to take you out there and to bring you back! And have done that! End of job, end of story, contract terminated! And you leave my sister out of this!"
"That's all I am to you, a contract?" Evy asked, somewhat hurt by what he said.
"Look, you could either tag along with me and Kathy or you could stay here and try and save the world" Rick said, avoiding her question "What'sit gonna be?"
"I'm staying" Evy said defiantly.
"Fine!" Rick said as he walked away from her.
"Fine!" Evy said back to him.
"You coming, Kathy?" Rick asked his sister, who hasn't moved from her spot on the bed.
"I'm staying, Rick" Katherine told him.
"What? Why?" Rick asked her.
"Because" Katherine began as she stood up from the bed and the cat lept off her lap "I want to help Evy fix this mess"
"Why? You weren't the one who read from the book" Rick asked, bewildered.
"If you know me as well as you think you do, Rick, then you know that I am loyal to my friends and Evy is my good friend" Katherine said as she placed a hand on Evy's shoulder who smiled at her and she returned the smile "So, I'm going to stay here and help her fix this whether you like it or not"
Rick sighed, "Kathy..."
"No, Rick!" Katherine shouted at him suddenly "I'm not a child anymore! I can take care of myself. If you want to run away, go right ahead, I'm staying here to help and see this through"
The two siblings stared each other down for a few minutes, waiting for either one of them to back down. Rick knew he wasn't going to win this argument because when Katherine sets her mind on something, there's no changing it.
"Fine" Rick growled as he stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind him.
Both Katherine and Evy huffed in irritation after Rick had left "I apologize for my brother" Katherine said turning to face Evy "He can just be so... infuriating sometimes"
"I see what you mean" Evy said as she took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down "Thank you for standing by me, Kathy. It means a lot to know that you are willing to help me"
"Of course, Evy" Katherine said with a smile "You're my friend and I stand by my friends no matter what"
Evy returned the smile "Would like to help me clean up before we head to the library?"
"Sure" Katherine answered as she and Evy began to pick the clothes up off the floor and reorganize the books. After a few minutes of cleaning, Katherine had something important to ask Evy "Evy, can I ask you something?"
"Of course, Kathy" Evy answered as she hung a few of her dresses in the closet.
"Do you believe in reincarnation?" Katherine asked as she placed a few books on the shelf.
"As a matter of fact, yes I do" Evy answered as she picked up another dress from the floor and straightened it out "Why do you ask?"
"Well" Katherine began "For the past few days I've been having these strange visions and dreams that take place back in ancient Egypt" Katherine then continued to explain to Evy about Nefera, Amun and how she is in the place of Nefera in the dreams and visions. When Katherine finished explaining this, Evy was silent for a moment to let all what she just said sink in before Katherine continued.
"Back at Hamunaptra, the desert man, Ardeth looks exactly like Amun from my dreams and visions" Katherine explained "In the tunnels when Ardeth and I encountered the creature, he had called Ardeth Amun and referred to me as Princess Nefera"
"I see" Evy said as she nodded her head and thought for a moment. Her silence had made Katherine nervous, she was afraid Evy thought that she was crazy.
"Kathy, I think these dreams and visions you're having are memories" Evy began after a long silence "I believe that you were Princess Nefera in a previous life and now you're experiencing her memories. The same with that desert fellow, Ardeth, it is quite possible that he was Amun in a previous life as well"
"So, you don't think I'm crazy?" Katherine asked her, hopeful.
"Certainly not" Evy told her "You have no reason to lie to me about any of this and in the short time I've gotten to know you, I can see that you are a very honest person"
"Thank you, Evy" Katherine said with a huge smile as she hugged Evy tightly who also returned the hug.
"Anything for a friend, Kathy" Evy replied with a smile.
Soon after the two of them headed for the library to look up everything they could that would help them in aiding to put the creature back in his grave. For half an hour the two women had been in the library when Evy suggested that they get some fresh air which Katherine agreed to. They both took a few books with them to read as they were walking outside, they both heard the sound of thunder and knew that a storm was approaching.
"Oh, Evelyn! Kathy!" They stopped and looked behind them and saw Rick running towards them.
"Oh, so you're still here?" Evy asked him with a smirk.
He chuckled at her comment "We've got problems"
"What kind of problems?" Katherine asked him.
Before he could answer, the sky roared to life and fireballs rained down along with hail. Rick was trying to lead Evy and Katherine away from all the carnage as the fireballs were destroying buildings and hitting people as they were set on fire. Katherine and Evy were horrified by this as Rick brought them to a stairway and stopped for a moment.
"Hey!" Rick yelled as he climbed onto the steps and pinned Beni against the wall.
"Beni, you little stink-weed. Where you been?" Rick asked him, but before Beni could say anything a loud roar is heard from above them. Katherine felt her heart drop when she heard that, she knew that it was Imhotep. While Rick was distracted, Beni was able to run away while Rick led Evy and Katherine up the stairs.
They then headed upstairs to Mr. Burns room where the source of the roar had come from. When they arrived there, Evy and Katherine gasped in horror at the sight of Mr. Burns now a dried up corpse, he looked like he had the life sucked right out of him.
The creature was standing by the fireplace and it became clear that he wasn't as rotted before, he was looking more human than he was before. When he saw Rick, Evy and Katherine he roared at them and they all stood in shock.
"We are in serious trouble" Rick stated as he aimed his gun at the creature. He began to shoot the creature, but the bullets were having no effect as they went right through him and hit the wall behind him. Jonathan, Daniels and Henderson soon entered the room and before they could even comprehend what was happening, the creature tossed Rick right into them and they all hit the ground.
The creature then caught sight of Katherine and Evy, he began to approach them, causing them to be backed up against the bookshelf. Katherine would have tried to defend herself and Evy, but she didn't have her saber or her gun with her.
"You rescued my from the undead" Imhotep spoke to Evy "I thank you" He then looked over at Katherine and a smirk split across her decomposed face "Soon, Nefera you shall be mine and that pathetic Medjai will no longer be a problem"
He then looked back over to Evy and was leaning in to kiss her when suddenly the sour notes of a piano played, which caught the creatures attention. He looked behind him to see Evy's cat and he shrieked in fear before he transformed into a whirlwind of sand and he disappeared.
"We are in very serious trouble" Rick stated as he sat up.
The group had followed Evy to the museum where she was sure that the curator would be able to give them some answers. When they walked in, they were all surprised to see Ardeth there speaking with the curator.
"You!" Evy explained as Rick, Jonathan and the Americans all pulled out their guns.
"Ms. Carnahan, Miss O'Connell and gentlemen" The curator greeted them casually.
"Ardeth, what are you doing here?" Katherine asked, surprising the others, minus Evy, since she had already knew what his name was.
"Do you really want to know or would you prefer to just shoot us?" The curator asked rhetorically.
"After what I just saw" Rick said as he put his gun away "I'm willing to go on a little faith here" the others soon put their guns away and they all sat down in the exhibit as the curator began to explain everything.
"We are part of an ancient secret society" the curator began "For 3,000 years we have guarded the city of the dead. We sworn at manhood and all our power to stop the high priest Imhotep from being reborn" he sat down in one the chairs.
"And now because of you we have failed" Ardeth stated bitterly.
"And you think this justifies the killing of innocent people?" Evy asked, appalled.
"To stop this creature? Let me think" the curator pretended to think.
"Yes!" Ardeth and the curator both said together.
"Question" Rick said as he raised his finger up "Why doesn't he like cats?"
"Cat's are the guardians of the underworld" Katherine answered as she held her hands in front of her as she looked over at her brother "Everyone but you knows that, Rick" Rick just rolled his eyes at her.
"She is right" The curator said "He will fear them until he is fully regenerated"
"And then he will fear nothing" Ardeth added in.
"And you know he gets hisself fully regenerated?" Daniels asked, standing next to Henderson who was sitting in one of the chairs.
"By killing everyone who opened that chest" Henderson said as he inspected his gun.
"And suckin' 'em dry that's how!" Daniels said, panicking now.
"Jonathan, will you stop playing with that?" Evy scolded as Jonathan was messing around with a replica of Pharaoh Seti 1.
"When I saw him alive at Hamunaptra" Evy began "He called me...Anuck-Su-Naumn"
Ardeth and the curator looked at each other in shock as Evy continued "And then just now in Mr. Burns' quarters, he-he tried to kiss me"
"It's because of his love for Anuck-Su-Naumn that he was cursed" The curator stated "Apparently even after 3,000 years..."
"He is still in love with her" Ardeth finished.
"Yes, well that is very romantic, but what does it have to do with me?" Evy asked them.
"Perhaps he will once again try to raise her from the dead" Ardeth deduced worriedly.
"Yes, and it appears he's already chosen his human sacrifice" they both looked at Evy who had a look of horror on her face.
"Bad luck, old mum" Jonathan said to her.
"He also referred to me as Princess Nefera both at Hamunaptra and in Mr. Burns' quarters" Katherine spoke up, getting everyone's attention "When we were at Hamunaptra and Ardeth was helping me to get Mr. Burns out of the tunnels, he had called Ardeth Amun. Do these names mean anything to either of you?"
"Princess Nefera was the eldest daughter of Pharaoh Seti 1" The curator began "She was also the elder sister of Princess Nefertiri. She was betrothed to Imhotep and set to marry him by her next birthday"
"But her heart had already belonged to another man" Ardeth stated as he looked over at her "Amun. The chief of the Medjai. It was forbidden for a Medjai and a Princess to be together, so they had to keep their love a secret. Imhotep had found out about their love and he became enraged because only he alone was to have the princess. The night of Anuck-Su-Naumn's death, Imhotep had killed Amun and Nefera when she refused to be his" he then walked over to Katherine and stood in front of her "It is said that Imhotep placed one final curse, saying that Nefera and Amun's souls will never truly be together until he is defeated once and for all"
"How would the Medjai and the Princess know that they found each other?" Katherine asked him as she looked into his beautiful brown eyes.
Ardeth swallowed hard as he stared into her intense brown eyes "It is said that the Princess is known for being beautiful, kind, intelligent, having a good heart and loyal to others"
"You just described Kathy there, old bean" Jonathan said, but neither of them heard him. They were too busy lost in each other's eyes.
"What of the Medjai?" Katherine asked him "What is said about him?"
"That he was known for being a brave warrior, handsome, strong and honorable" Ardeth answered her.
"Like you" Katherine stated as they were mere inches from each other "My brave desert warrior"
"Yes, my beautiful desert jewel" Ardeth said as his gaze moved her eyes to her lips.
"It has now become clear that Amun and Princess Nefera have found each other at last" the curator stated and everyone looked at the pair in shock, aside from Evy since she already knew this and Rick's mouth had dropped open in surprise, not knowing any of this.
Rick then cleared his throat when he noticed that Ardeth and Katherine were a little too close for his liking "I hate to break this up, but we still have a big problem on our hands"
"He is right" The curator said as Ardeth and Katherine looked at him "However, it may just give us the time we need to kill the creature"
"We will need all the help we can get" Ardeth said as he looked up in the sky and moved away from Katherine slightly "His powers are growing" everyone looked up and saw an eclipse forming.
"'And he stretched forth his hand towards the heavens and there was darkness throughout the land of Egypt'" Jonathan recited.
On impulse, Katherine grabbed the hand of the nearest person, which in this case happened to be Ardeth. They looked at each other and their eyes locked, there was a sense of fear in them, but also a sense of comfort.