Asr
Chapter 1
“Adham...” Ardeth went to his knees beside his cousin. “Allah have mercy...”
“Ardeth?” His name was a groan. “I-- feel very odd.”
“Lay still?” He was not certain where to start to help, Adham’s robes were in tatters but there was no blood that he could see.
“I...can sit up...I think. Truly.” His cousin’s voice was stronger now. Evelyn came over to kneel beside him and put her hand on the middle of Adham’s chest, over his heart and then gasped as a dark red glow the color of fresh blood spilled over them both.
“Hetrem-heset-Sek-ha-mut.” She whispered. And apparently the goddess was listening.
“Adham?” Selim came over as well and the rest of the tribal leaders followed.
“I really am well I think...only winded. I expected to be dead.”
“I have never known a man to survive such as that.” Husan shook his head. “And I have never seen anything so brave. Allah have mercy on us all, Adham what were you thinking?”
“That Mohamed can lead the ninth tribe without me. But without Ardeth and his allies we are all doomed.” Adham replied. “Dying for Egypt is what we do is it not?” He smiled a bit. “You may let go now, please, Sitt O’Connell that is not proper.”
Evelyn pulled her hand away. “I don’t understand, Adham. You really should be dead you know.”
“Why do you not ask your cousin now, Ardeth as to what gifts he might have found, hmm?” Ammun’s High Priest asked him.
“Truly. At some point cousin, did you receive a gift from someone that might be an artifact from ancient Egypt?”
Adham shook his head but then stopped. “I have not thought of that in years.” He dug under his robes and pulled out a large gold medallion. “Khalifa, my daughter, found this for me when she was just walking. She wandered too far from camp one day and came back with it. I always wear it to battle now.”
“May I see it? Please?” Evelyn asked. He pulled the cord from around his neck and handed it to her. “Great Sekhmet, Lady of the Wadis, wrath of AmmunRa.” She whispered in Egyptian tracing the image of the lioness on the front and then turning it over. “Drive forth the fire and the pain oh defender of Egypt, as the lioness drives the hyena from her young. Step between me and my enemies and keep us whole so that we may stand with thee in thy battles for the glory of Ammun and Egypt and Pharaoh.” She read the inscription and the medallion glowed the same red the light wrapping around her hands and arms like fabric and for a moment the woman he had grown to know since Hamanaptura was not there at all only Pharaoh’s bright daughter. And then she shook her head and sighed. “Oh my.”
“Keep it. I would say it belongs to you now.” Adham smiled and wrapped her fingers tighter around it. “May it keep you well and safe Princess.”
“In’sh’allah.” She smiled.
“Let Leila find you some robes that are in one piece Adham and make certain you are well.” He put in. “Then if and only if you are, see to the moving of those launchers please. Otherwise tell me who amongst those your men may do so with confidence.”
“I will do so.” Adham shook his head. “Truly Ardeth I am well. And if I am not I am not going to lie about like an old man when there is battle to be faced. Help me up, cousin.”
“As you say.” He pulled his cousin to his feet and hugged him tightly. “Thanks be to Allah that you are well.”
“Truly.” Adham agreed but hugged him back and then went to his own camp to change.
Ardeth took a deep breath and turned to those men assembled there. “Now, I find myself with a task I would never have thought. Who in the name of Allah did this?” He looked from one to the next to the next slowly.
No one spoke for a long while. “I do not know who did, Ardeth, I can only swear to Allah that it was not I.” Sura said finally.
“Selim you were with me, Husan you with Adham, Evelyn will you and Jonathan take Alex back that way with my uncle and the two men amongst my tribesmates I know I can trust at the moment please?” He gave her a hand up.
“All right, Ardeth.” She agreed. Alex came to her side and she put her arm around him, the medallion around her neck now, more of a pectoral given how small she was compared to Adham.
“We will stand with you in this, Ardeth.” Selim said firmly.
“No.” He shook his head. “Not this time, Selim. This falls to me, Allah have mercy on us all.” He looked at the remaining men. “Sura has sworn to me that he did not do this and so I must believe him. Sura you may if you will go and stand there.” He indicated an area not far from Selim and Husan.
“I swear to Allah, Ardeth I did not toss that weapon.” Arebe spoke quietly. “Truly I have no knowledge of the weapons at all.”
“Then go and stand with Sura.” He nodded.
“I have many grenades with me, Ardeth. But I did not throw one at you or our most unusual ally. I swear it to Allah.” Pasha spoke next.
He nodded and let the older Medjai go and stand with Arebe and Sura.
“Will no one here have the courage to speak and claim his actions? Are we cowards now as well as traitors and fools?”
“I think you are mad and this is insanity but I did not try to destroy you or the creature.” Gamal spoke quietly. “I swear it to Allah.”
He truly was not certain whether to believe that or not but he nodded finally. He looked at the remaining Medjai leaders and the band leaders that were also present.
“If I had wished you dead, Ardeth, we would have crossed swords yesterday. I swear to Allah, chieftain I did not throw that grenade.” Kashim spoke next.
“There is truth in that Kashim. Go and stand with the others then.” He sighed. “So, who speaks next? Abdul? Jalil?”
“I did not do so, Ardeth. I swear it to Allah.” Abdul spoke next.
“Nor I, Ardeth. My oath to Allah I did not throw that grenade.” Jalil spoke last.
“Then the leaders of my tribes at least I can trust. And the rest of you?” He looked at the other men calmly.
“I swear to Allah, Ardeth I did not do so, even though I have a great many of those grenades with me.” Asyd spoke first.
In truth he had not doubted his friend at all. “That is good to know, Asyd. I will free you with Husan to go and see to those tasks we must perform.” He nodded.
“I have only realized now, Ardeth, that Jubran is gone.” Mohamed spoke up. “He was beside me earlier. When did he leave?” And glanced over at his father, Pasha as he spoke. “And I give you my oath to Allah, that I did not throw that grenade.”
“Did anyone see Jubran leave then?” He asked.
“No doubt there was time between when the grenade was tossed and you began this oath taking though.” Pasha said harshly. “I am ashamed beyond words that it may be one of my tribe who did this, Ardeth.”
“It is no shame to you, Pasha.” He shook his head. “I will have an oath from each of you left unsworn and then we will go find Jubran. Was there anyone else present before who is not here now?”
There was a pause while they thought that through. “No I do not believe so, Chieftain. Therefore let me swear that it was not I who tossed the grenade. Truly I would blow myself up more likely.” Malik, Arebe’s eldest son put in.
“Go stand with your father then, Malik. Your oaths Faysal, Ali?”
They both swore it quickly enough and he sighed. ‘Then we go find Jubran. Truly I am saddened beyond words to even think of it. But I will not abide a man who would be such a coward.”
“Why don’t we get some use out of this instead?” Evelyn put in and handed him the book of Horus which apparently his brother had brought along with the others.
“Thought you guys might need the book of Ammun or the book of the Dead.” Rick shrugged. “And I figured the other two couldn’t hurt.”
“Read that one.” Evelyn went toward the back of the book she had placed in his hands.
“Would that I could.” He tried to find the first few symbols in his memory to see if it was one of the ones Sallah had taught him. Evelyn smiled and read it for him. He sighed, and then raised his eyes to the morning sky and repeated it. And Horus came winging over his head from wherever he had been that morning and streaked toward the river and then an arrow of blinding light came back with a crash of a thousand weapons banging together and dropped a very shocked Jubran in front of him. “Thank you bright son of Osiris. Truly I am grateful.” He looked at the man before him and then shook his head. “What have you done Jubran?”
“Failed.” Jubran answered with a snarl.
“So I see. Then you are a coward, a fool, a traitor, and incompetent. Truly your father, may he rest in peace with Allah must be mortified.”
“I will not speak to you, you are as unclean as the creature you have brought here.”
“I am your chieftain.” He corrected coldly. “But at the moment I do not care if you speak to me or not. Pasha, I will grant him for the sake of the family he may have amongst your tribe this day to pray to Allah. We have to much killing to face already. Will you see that he is bound and relieved of all his weapons? Then set two of the elders who can not fight with us today to guard him with pistols and tell them to shoot him dead if he tries to run again.”
“Certainly, Ardeth.” Pasha agreed.
Jubran lunged to his feet and Ardeth calmly struck him hard across his jaw and sent him back to the sand. Pasha came over along with several of the others and got the younger man bound and taken away.
“Allah that is something I never wanted to do.” He sighed.
“You did well.” Selim said firmly and gripped his shoulder. “And it settled those who were not certain of following you today to see you do so. We are all well, praise be to Allah. I will go and see to my tribe, Ardeth. Asyd went to the horses and Husan and Adham have gone to move the battle line. I will be honored to ride with you to it.”
“I doubt I will need my horse today, Uncle.” He tapped his shield. “But I thank you for the thought. We shall meet on the western dunes at ten and ride to where we would have the battle be.” He decided.
“As you say.” Selim agreed.
“Allah hamdas aha, Medjai.” He offered to the remaining men.
“Allah hamdas aha.” They replied and truly it was a prayer he meant.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Is Adham really all right?” Rick asked.
“Fine. It seems we have that last gift the old gods will us.” He smiled a little, sadly. “Though a less heart rending way of insuring we found it would have been kind.”
“Truly, Ardeth, if I had known what the weapon was I would have kept your cousin from it. Bravery and insanity both must come with the bloodline no doubt.” Ammun’s High Priest spoke quietly.
“There may yet be truth to that.” He agreed. “Will you see that those tanks are re-buried, Priest of AmmunRa?”
“Certainly.” His guest nodded. “You would do well to guard his back here as you do in Thebes apparently O’Connell.”
“Apparently.” Rick agreed with a sigh but there was something to the look that passed between his brother and Ammun’s High Priest that he did not understand at all. Then his erstwhile guest summoned that great wind again and was gone from AhmShere. “And he thinks you’re nuts?” Rick sighed.
Ardeth nodded. “I will never understand how the creature thinks. I suppose I shall go ahead and keep this Evelyn, thank you for getting them for us, Rick.” He picked up the rucksack Evelyn had pulled the book of Vengeance from and put the great alabaster book back inside. It took a bit of maneuvering to get the pack on one shoulder and his shield onto his arm. “It will be a bit awkward to fight but doable I think. Perhaps we might leave the books with Sallah at a given point behind the line and come back for them as we need them.”
“That might work.” Rick agreed.
“It would save us from having to carry them about and they do weigh a lot. It may not bother the creature but I’m going to get very tired, very quickly.” Evelyn sighed. “We can leave the book of the dead here. And if the creature doesn’t mind carrying his that leaves only mine and yours to leave with Sallah anyway.”
“Then we shall do that. Let us go speak to Sallah.” He decided.
“Why don’t we do that? You can get him back to bed and I’ll be back to see you in a few minutes all right?” Rick asked.
“But dad.”
His friend smiled and rolled his eyes but there was no doubting the love in his eyes as he looked at Evelyn. “I knew it.”
“Come on, Alex. Your father’s right. Neither he or I is going to be able to concentrate on fighting German tanks if we don’t know you’re safe.”
“Can I at least go check on Lesha first mom?”
“Well all right. We can do that.” She ruffled her son’s hair. “See you in a few minutes then love.” She leaned up and kissed his cheek. “Don’t let him get killed before we start fighting German’s all right?”
“Was that to me or to Ardeth?” Rick chuckled.
“Both of you, certainly.” She sighed but she took Alex’s hand and they went toward the horses. Rick picked up the other carrying bags.
“These things are heavy.” He agreed. “You okay?”
“I am disappointed in my people and truly torn over what Jumah has done. But thanks be to Allah it did not harm to anyone so I shall find it in my heart to live with it yet.”
“It isn’t your fault not everyone can cope with all this Ardeth. Sometimes I think it’s pretty amazing we aren’t all nuts as the damned thing by now.”
“There is some truth to that.” He agreed. And there was so much he wanted to say and had no words for but it must have shown in his eyes because Rick only sighed.
“Yeah, me too. Come on, let’s get these to Sallah and find a minute or two to talk, huh?”
“I would like that.” He agreed. It took only a bit to find Sallah and he agreed eagerly to watch the books for them. Risa seemed glad that it would keep him from the main fighting. And Ardeth found himself with no doubt that the two would be married very soon indeed. Sallah was explaining the various books and their uses and some of the spells to her as they left. They went to the storage tent where the armor of the Scorpion King was still waiting. And he was glad for the fact that none of his tribesmates was likely to come inside for anything. “Rick, I...” He turned to look at his friend and then sighed. “I do not have the words I could wish for.”
“Me either. I just-- wanted a few minutes to tell you how really perfect that was, you know? And that I really wish we’d had another few hours.”
He felt himself flush but he smiled. “And I.” He agreed. “You are-- the best friend I have ever had. And more than that, and I am thankful to Allah that I have met you.”
“Me too, Ardeth. Me too. No matter what happens today. Okay?”
“Can we find the self-control between us do you think for me to hug you, brother mine?”
“Sure we can.” Rick agreed but there was a sadness to his eyes that Ardeth wished he could ease. He pulled his brother close instead and simply hugged him tightly taking what comfort he could from the strong arms around him and hoping to give his brother at least as much in return.
“Allah willing my friend, we will see each other later, and speak of this more.”
“In’sh’allah, huh?” Rick hugged him tighter for a minute. “But if we don’t that doesn’t mean I’m going to regret it a bit okay?”
“Nor I.” He agreed. “I still owe you a party do I not?”
“You owe me a few days of parties, Ardeth.” Rick hugged him again and then let go. “But I’ll take one really great one.”
“Truly, I would not mind a few days without worry myself. Let us go see to the enemies of Egypt my friend and see what we can achieve.”
“Might as well get the damned stuff while were here.” Rick sighed but he drew the armor back out of its crate carefully and got it into the rucksack he’d left there. Then they headed back toward their tents. Ardeth looked up at the sun as Horus gave a shrill cry and came circling down to perch on his shield rim.
“Hello my friend. Are you ready for our battle today?”
Horus tapped his beak against Ardeth’s jaw and then settled himself. “Guess that’s a yes?”
“I will certainly take it as such, yes.” He stroked the soft feathers with one finger. “Do not let the Germans shoot you from the sky my friend, I can not know for certain that the Priest of AmmunRa would bring you back for me again. Thought no doubt he would enjoy finding me another gift I will not refuse. But I shall let you go to the banquet and be a good guest instead of me, all right?”
Horus gave an annoyed chirp and snapped lightly at his finger.
Rick chuckled. “Guess he doesn’t like that idea any more than I would, huh?”
“Apparently not. I was only teasing, Horus. But I would be truly thankful if you survived our battle well.” He glanced eastward. I will do whatever it is you will me oh most merciful Allah but I would ask that you see my friends safely through this day. My duties can be carried by those who come after me, but my friends have wives and children to see to.
Horus chirped again and then began smoothing a lock of his hair with his beak. “What is a man to do with such friends?” He chuckled himself and it lightened his heart a little.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“You know this just might work after all.” Rick looked along the very well camouflaged line of cannon and grenade launchers back to the dunes that easily concealed the Medjai warriors.
“You should be of better faith O’Connell. We may not be used to fighting tanks but when it comes to desert warfare we have more knowledge than most.” Adham smiled. “We are fighting at a time of day I would not choose but besides that we have two very great advantages. Surprise and weapons they are no more familiar with than we are with their tanks. We at least know their tanks are coming.”
“There is truth to that, Adham.” Ardeth agreed coming over to stand beside him and look out toward the western dunes. “Do you suppose, priest of AmmunRa that you will know in advance of their arrival?”
The creature looked out over the sands and then up at the sun. “Certainly.” He nodded. “How much warning will we need?”
Ardeth looked at Adham and Husan. “Three miles or so.” Adham decided.
“That will do for the cannon as well, although I think we can reach a bit farther.” Husan agreed.
“Will you perhaps know how many leagues that would be?” The damned thing asked Evie.
“I wouldn’t have the slightest idea actually. Do you Sallah?.” She turned to the Medjai who was standing just a bit away with the three books.
“I would need paper and a bit of time for the conversion.” Sallah replied.
Ardeth smiled a bit. “We are forgetting the intervening millennia again are we? Say from Ammun’s Temple at Thebes to the temple of Mut.”
“Ah, that I can understand.” The thing nodded. “Very well then, Ardeth I will tell you when they reach that distance. But these tanks move very quickly, likely they can cover that distance faster than your horsemen.”
“I expect they can. I would rather spare the horses the heat and let them circle around behind to deal with those who follow the tanks.”
“And leave the tanks to us.” Rick agreed. “Works for me.”
“Are your men able to fight in a sandstorm, Ardeth? I do not know how controlled I can keep the winds and they will be blowing from here toward the rear of the Germans.”
“Fighting in sand is something we are very good at.” Ardeth smiled. “Let us hope the German’s are less so.”
“Germany’s usually colder than England, Ardeth. I doubt they have much practice at this.” Evie put in.
“Then we have another advantage. I must go see to the other leaders. Will you stay here with Rick my friend so that he may send you to me if the German’s arrive before I get back?” Ardeth lifted his forearm and Horus hoped down from the shield with a flap of wings. “Do you mind?”
“Nah, hello Horus.” He held out his arm and then thought about it. “Is this stuff going to bother him?” He indicated the armor.
“That I had not considered. Let us not take the chance, hmm? You will stay with Adham instead?”
Horus fluffed his feathers and then launched himself into the sky circled once and came to rest on Adham’s shoulder
“I will send him to you if need be, Ardeth.”
“Only let him fly, I will watch for him.” Ardeth agreed. “And no doubt I can cover the distance as quickly as he can today.” He clasped Adham’s free shoulder and then headed down to the lines of horsemen.
“How long do you think it will be?” Evie asked.
“Ammun said before midday, I would say it can not be more than a quarter of an hour.” The damned thing answered but he didn’t take his eyes from the horizon. “How long will it take you to site your targets, Medjai?”
Adham spoke to Husan in the language of the tribes and then answered. “A minute or so. Why?”
“It will do us little good to have me cloud their sight with sand if it also keeps you from hitting your targets.”
“There is truth to that.” Adham agreed. Husan muttered something but he nodded.
“Was there not a blessing you wished to invoke Princess?”
“There was. I suppose I should do it now, I think it’s supposed to be given right before battle and this is close enough.” Evie agreed. “May I have my book, Sallah?”
“Certainly.” He pulled out the book of War and handed it to her. Rick just watched as she slid her mask down into place and then opened the book, and faced back toward the Medjai. “Wait a moment...Drat, Ardeth isn’t here. You’ll have to do. Rick love you can stand there, and you can stand there.” She pointed first to her left and then to her right.
The creature only chuckled. “Certainly, Princess.”
Rick smiled himself and took the right side, keeping well away from her just to be safe though. He wasn’t sure what the invocation was exactly, catching only about three of the words, maybe. But there was a low rumbling roar and then a flash of shadow and light played over the dunes from where they were toward Ahm Shere.
“Thank you.” Husan put in quietly. “I will pray to Allah that it is successful.”
“Do you speak Egyptian then Husan?”
“Not that well no. But enough for me to have some idea of it yes.”
“It is a fine invocation.” Sallah agreed. “May it bring us victory.”
“Allah hamdas aha.” Adham nodded. “In’sh’allah.”
“We can always hope.” Rick agreed.
The creature turned back to gaze out over the dunes and then looked back up at the sun, apparently unbothered by the unrelenting brightness. “Send Horus for Ardeth, Medjai. We go to war.” He said calmly.
Adham launched Horus into the sky and a moment later Ardeth was back standing beside them. “So it comes at last. Allah grant us victory my friends. Cousin, Husan, I will see you both later or in Paradise. Allah grant you safety though.”
“As he wills it, Ardeth.” Adham replied.
Rick pulled out his spy glass and looked toward the western horizon of dunes. Finally, he got a flicker of sunlight and metal and it gave him a reference point. “Here Adham this might do you more good today, I’m going to be down in the middle of it.” He held the glass out carefully and the large Medjai leader took it.
“Thank you, Rick. Good luck to you, and to you Evelyn. Allah forgive me I suppose I must wish you good luck as well.”
“You get kinda used to it after a while.” He smiled at the annoyed look Adham gave the creature. Ardeth smiled a bit and squeezed his cousin’s shoulder.
“Allah is merciful, he will forgive you.”
“As you say. Let us blow them to hell then, Husan.”
“In’sh’allah.” Husan agreed and they both headed to their main batteries. Rick pulled his shield down onto his left arm and the scepter of Osiris with the other, twisting it out into a spear. Ardeth had done the same, and Evie drew her daggers.
“Allah willing I will see you all later. If not, do not make me come to this bar of yours looking for you all right my friend?”
“Bar?” Evie put in.
“Figured Fiddler’s Green beats hell on any given day.” He smiled.
“Well now, that I can certainly agree with.” Jonathan held his rifle in a confident grip Rick didn’t even question this time. “Take care sis, Rick, Ardeth.”
“You too, Jonathan.” Evie transferred both knives to one hand and hugged her brother tightly with one arm. “I love you, you know.”
“After all these years of putting up with me of course I do.” Jonathan hugged her back and then let her go quickly and nodded to him and Ardeth before moving over to the camouflaged area where Sallah waited with the books and took careful aim over his rifle.
Rick couldn’t really make out the tanks only flashes of sunlight on metal ahead of them and then there was a half-muffled explosion from their left and a mortar of some sort went flying through the sky and exploded into the mass of glittering steel.
“Now.” Ardeth ordered and the creature raised both arms and summoned that great wall of sand and it swept down over the dunes and slammed into the Germans.
Rick gave Evie a last quick look and then let the armor give him the speed and amazing distance covering ability that it had the day before and simply aimed at everything steel he could find to cut into..A few minutes into the battle the Germans began to get themselves under control and started to return fire, probably without sighting because the sand swirling all about them made it impossible to get any bearings. He slashed his sword across another huge wheel track and the tank came to a grinding halt. Then the top opened and he barely had time to think before a rain of bullets fell down on him. And it was the strangest thing in the world they way they just parted around the shield or ricocheted off it. He took as good a leap as he could and struck the startled man holding the gun with a swipe of his sword as he went over the tank and came down on the other side. For good measure he took out the tread on that side too and then went back over the top to chop double handed into the gun barrel and shear that almost in two.
He came back the ground and looked around, trying to find any sight of Evie or Ardeth, but he could barely make out the tank beside him. Then one of the Medjai appeared on horseback and almost ran him down. "Grenade?" He yelled indicating the open tank beside him. The man pulled one from a bag he was carrying primed it and lobbed it with amazing accuracy right inside the open hatch. Rick grinned and ran on in front of the horseman and toward the next flash of metal he could see, but the thing was already overturned and several Germans had gotten out. Rick leapt over that one, taking out one of the escaping men as he passed. Someone, either the Medjai or the Germans, lobbed a shell into the desert floor a dozen feet to his right and he rolled with the blast as best he could coming up hard against another tank. The armor seemed to simply absorb that blow too but he bounced off the tank and landed in the sand none the less, trying to get his breath back. Not that it was really possible with the crazy swirling sand. Coughing, he got to his feet and then raked his sword blade along the tank he had bounced off of. It gouged deeply into the metal but didn't seem to do a whole lot of good. He moved around to the back, and slashed across the fuel tank instead, jumping back as the gasoline gushed out and onto the sand. He switched his sword to his left hand got a stick of dynamite out of his vest with his right and then stuck it in his belt to get the match. That took a bit of doing but he got the damned thing lit and then made the leap back to toss the whole lit stick toward the gashed fuel tank and tried to leap away just as quickly. It mostly worked because the explosion only knocked him onto his back and sent him skidding through the sand. He raised his shield against the mass of falling metal debris and decided that, that was definitely not something to try again.
"Rick!" Evie came running up beside him. "Are you all right?"
"Fine. You?" He got to his feet.
"How many of them are there?"
"I don't have a damned clue!" He yelled back over the din. "I think I've gotten five now."
"Me too, maybe six. This is insane. Can we find him and get this sand to stop?"
"If we do it's just going to let them see what they're shooting at. Just keep going in the direction they're coming from and hope sweetheart."
"All right." She agreed and then headed out in front of him a bit to his left. He went right and kept slashing and stabbing at everything he could. Then out of the sand came a whole car full of Germans with guns. He raised his shield, wondering desperately if it was going to keep him from getting flattened. He dove to the right as the car swerved. Before he could turn back to it a shriek he recognized all too well came from somewhere in front of the car. One of the mummy guard type things he'd faced twice now landed in the middle of the men and began tearing them and the car itself into pieces, not seeming to mind the bullets they kept pumping into it until they were all dead. Then it shrieked again and disappeared back into the sands.
"Oh this is just fucking nuts." He shook his head and then headed forward again.
Then suddenly the sandstorm just stopped. And the sun was bright overhead. There were a lot more of the tanks and cars and men stretched out before him. He caught up with Evie who'd just diced up one of the tanks huge tire treads. "Can you get back to Sallah and those books?" He asked. "I can do this but I don't have a hope in hell of reading those things."
"All right." She agreed. "Ardeth went that way and Imhotep is back in there somewhere." She indicated the still moving wall of sand.
"That makes sense. Take care, huh?"
"You too, love." She nodded and then disappeared back into the swirling sand he'd just come from, which was good because it had been pretty obvious to him that she was almost falling over unconscious on her feet. Not he admitted silently that he was doing that much better himself. There were a whole lot of the horsemen about in the area outside the swirling sand and more than a few of them lay dead or dying as he ran past. It was all he could do to keep hacking away at the tanks, trying to either stop them, or do enough damage that the guns couldn't fire. It was harder through here though because apparently the Medjai on the dunes behind them could get clear aim down into these tanks and were lobbing both cannon shells and grenades at the tanks as well. He tried to keep some sort of count in his head of how many tanks he saw disabled but it was getting harder and harder to think with the sun beating down now and adding to the exhaustion the armor was causing. And it was a damned good thing the armor didn't weigh anything while he was wearing it because there was no way he could have kept swinging the sword if it did.
Another of those rectangular roofless cars came speeding by and rained another volley of bullets at him. The faces of the men inside when he came through it all with a grin and slammed his shield into the lot of them was almost funny. The one driving screamed first and collapsed over the wheel. Rick just jumped free figuring anyone still in the car was either dead or would be as the thing plowed obligingly enough into another of the tanks. Didn't seem to hurt the tank any though so he headed back that way. It was getting harder to find the strength to hack through the metal of the huge tire tracks and even harder to leap up onto the top to chop through the gun but he managed it. The turret top opened and he didn't even bother to look just knocked his shield into the guys face. He screamed and fell back down inside. Another man came out, gun in hand and Rick swung the sword backhanded, slicing him pretty well and figuring the poison would do the rest. He jumped back down and looked around the disaster of the battlefield but amazingly enough there didn't seem to be any more tanks moving around. A good two hundred or more of the Medjai were riding west probably chasing after some of them.
A huge swirl of sand solidified back into the damned thing beside him. "O'Connell." The thing looked almost as exhausted as Rick felt, which coupled with the Medjai robes he was still wearing made him look just about human.
"I sent Evie back to see to the books. Can you get back there and see how many of them are getting away? We really don't want them going for reinforcements if this isn't all of them."
"There is logic to that. I set the guards on the last few tanks going east. Are you well?"
"Tired as hell, but yeah."
"Good. Have you seen your brother then?"
"Evie said he went that way." He indicated to his vague left. "I'll go find him. Or if he went back to use the book of Horus let him know I'm all right. I'll make sure all of these tanks here are really dead."
"As you say." The creature nodded. "We may have won yet."
"God I hope so." He looked over the smoking mess of sand, machines, men and horses and shook his head.
The damned thing only nodded again and then swirled back into sand and was gone. Rick found a few tanks that could still maneuver some and solved that by slicing through the turrets and dropping a lit stick of dynamite down inside. But after the third time of managing that he couldn't really find the strength to jump away fast enough much less try and jump up on another.
The last one that was still lumbering around that he could see was headed east and he figured Evie or the creature could deal with it. He just stood there for a bit trying to catch his breath and then looked up at the loud piercing cry that came from above him as Horus streaked down over his shoulder and a bit back toward the swirling sands that were moving westward. He followed as quickly as he could still move. "Ardeth!"
Horus cried out again from his right and he caught sight of the falcon perched on one of the tanks and flapping its wings. And it didn't take much at all to figure that out. Somehow he made those last few steps and then stopped. There were a whole lot of dead Germans, horses, and Medjai in a half-formed Wadi. Horus soared by him again and landed on someone in the mess. So Rick followed, his mind clearing a little with the adrenaline. He stopped, realizing there was no way he could help if he killed any survivors, including Ardeth, by walking through them in the poisoned armor. He got the damned stuff off and into a pile. There wasn’t anyone moving about but he pulled his pistols anyway and worked his way through the bloody tumble of men and horses. It seemed wisest to just shoot both the horses he could see flailing about since if they'd been in any condition to get up they'd have done so. Horus flapped his wings again and then butted his head against one mostly buried form. Rick managed to get there finally, and pulled the two dead Germans out of the way with a groan. It was getting really, really hard to think. Ardeth was lying face down in the sand and it took him a bit to get his friend turned over. Horus butted his head against Ardeth's with a chirp.
"Come on now, we won. Don't be dead okay?" He blinked even as he heard himself speak. Oh yeah, that made sense. "Ardeth?" He holstered one pistol and felt for a pulse. And there really was a god because he found one. "Okay, that's good. So, what's wrong, huh?" He tried to find some sort of injury but Ardeth's robes were pretty well drenched in blood, not, Rick realized that he was much better. "Do you know what's wrong with him?" He asked the falcon still perched on another dead German.
Horus flapped his wings and then inched forward and pushed his head against Ardeth's again, toward the back.
"Okay..." Rick wasn't sure if it made sense to listen to the bird or not but he reached gently behind his friend's head and sure enough there was a pretty large bleeding gash along the back of his skull and a growing knot. "Snuck up on you, huh? Bastard." Rick grumbled. "Okay. Where's your shield? We gotta get back to camp."
"Monster!" The word came from behind him and he stared to turn but the bullet slammed into his shoulder and he lost his grip on his pistol. Horus took off with a screech and Rick grabbed for his other gun and fired. The German who was still yelling at him in yet another language he didn't get toppled off of his tank and onto the ground and Horus landed full strike on his face and began tearing. Rick figured that meant if he wasn't dead from the bullet it didn't matter.
"Oh...hell Ardeth...Evie's never gonna forgive us you know." He chuckled but it was just to hard to think about it. He laid his friend down and then just curled up over him. And then just let himself collapse mostly on top of his friend and there was nothing left to fight the darkness with.
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Imhotep moved the bodies of the dead Germans and Medjai aside with a thought, ignoring the fact that it took far too much energy to manage so simple a task. O'Connell was lying face down, mostly covering Ardeth who lay beneath him. And it was obvious that the American had taken off the armor of the Scorpion King at some point. He lifted O'Connell aside carefully and checked both young men to see if either was breathing. Ardeth groaned, opening his eyes with a wince. He voiced a silent prayer of thanks to Ammun that the young man still lived. Truly Ardeth, I would not loose your company however strained it may be. I have grown fond of this game between us. He started to help the young man sit up but Ardeth only groaned and reached for his brother.
"Please? Can you-- help him?" The Arabic was a mutter but he followed it. "He has been shot."
"Shot?" He repeated the word and then reached for O'Connell again. "I will see to your brother if I can, Medjai. Are you well enough? There is too much blood about for me to tell."
"My head hurts too much for me to know." Ardeth replied. "But I-- do not think I am injured otherwise."
"As you say." He reached back over to place his hand on O'Connell's chest. "How does one heal a shot?" He asked uncertainly. He could find the hole that was torn in O'Connell's shoulder but it seemed more complex than that.
"Suppose he was stabbed, and the knife blade broke off inside. Like that." Ardeth levered himself onto his arm.
"Ah, he is breathing at least. Let me see." He closed his eyes and concentrated as best he could on the unfamiliar wound, it took more strength to keep the thought so controlled as to only find the metal lodged at the end of the wound and draw it out. Then he pulled the book of AmmunRa from the bag he had brought it in and read the first spell for healing he could find. And Ammun was most kind once more this horrific day for the wound closed. "He has bled a great deal, Ardeth. We need to get him back to camp. And you are not much better, let me see to your head, hmm?" He helped Ardeth sit up wincing himself at the smothered cry that caused. "I am sorry, Ardeth."
"Bis..mil..Allah..." Ardeth groaned. Imhotep moved so he was crouched behind the young Medjai and could brace him some and see to the severe blow it was apparent he had taken.
"Lean forward a bit. Rest your forearms on your knees if you can." He kept one hand on Ardeth's shoulder and opened the book of AmmunRa to the correct page with the other. Then he glanced up at the sun still bright despite the haze of sand and smoke and recited the prayer. AmmunRa was more merciful still because the long gash healed to nothing under his fingers and even the swelling was gone. Ardeth let out a sigh that somehow mixed relief and utter exhaustion.
"Allah, have mercy..." The young Medjai shook his head, but it was worth the energy it had taken to heal them both to know that the pain was gone.
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Rick could hear a mumble of voices from somewhere but moving toward them felt like swimming through syrup of some sort. And his left shoulder was burning so badly. He coughed a little, and that hurt even worse but it was getting so hard to breathe. Too damned much sand and smoke in the air, he recalled. Sand and smoke...tanks... Germans. Oh yeah, we're in a war O'Connell. Wake up, stupid...Ardeth was hurt remember? You can't die now you stubborn crazy Arab. Not now...please...God, Allah...anybody? Ammun? Horus? He tried to get his eyes open and then suddenly the pain in his shoulder eased a lot. Ardeth's voice caught his attention, full of pain and concern, but he couldn't grasp the words. Then another voice that he didn't want to hear. He forced his eyes open finally, but it was so hard to focus. He tried to move to find his brother but nothing seemed to be working and the darkness was pulling him back under. Ardeth made a strangled sort of groan and he turned his head that way, trying to move, help, something. Long dark hair, matted with blood covered most of Ardeth's face, but Rick could see enough to know he was hurt. So much blood he could see it wetting the dark torn robes. Then Ardeth muttered something low and rough and Rick's mind caught on the fact that his brother wasn't alone, one hand gripped his shoulder and although the man behind him was mostly a blur he knew without a doubt who it was. No. Not going to happen...you son of a bitch...no...Oh God...please...
"Allah-- have mercy..." Ardeth whispered.
Give me the strength to do this you son of a bitch, and we can play in hell as long as you want. Please! He thought desperately, reaching for the only weapon he had, and the scepter of Osiris twisted into a spear without him realizing he'd even moved and he lunged forward and buried it deep into the thing's side. "Go to..hell..."
"Rick." Ardeth reached for him, pulling him close, strong arms around him but shaking with exhaustion or worse. And he wanted to say it would be okay now, wanted to hold his brother back, but the strength he'd gotten from somewhere for that lunge was fading.
Ammun tells me more than one of us will be walking the halls of Anubis, O'Connell. So it is likely he is lost to us both. He remembered the damned thing saying in Thebes. And that was okay, really, as long as Ardeth was going to be free from the thing it was worth it. Evie would be really angry at him when he woke up though. Darkness came back up out of nowhere and he was falling down a very long slope for a very long time before he came to land in a room he recognized all to well. But he had the strength now to get to his feet and his shoulder didn't hurt anymore. Maybe that bit about it not hurting when you died was true after all. He got one of the torches from the wall sconce and looked around for the passage that had to be there. "Back to this again huh? At least you could have found me something different for hell this time you son of a bitch. This is getting old."
"Rick!" Evie's scream carried from somewhere up ahead and he winced knowing there wasn't going to be a damned thing he could do but go and watch her die. But he couldn't ignore the plea either. So he cast a quick prayer to any god that would listen that his wife, son, and brother were still safe in the real world and went to face damnation.
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Imhotep took hold of the spear O'Connell had driven into his side and gave thanks to Ammun that he was not nearly as mortal here as he had feared he would be.
"Rick!" Ardeth grabbed for his brother. "He is our ally. Allah, are you all right, Imhotep?"
He found a smile despite the very odd feeling of being run through and it was easy enough to pull the spear out. "I will be. O'Connell."
But O'Connell was already slumped back in Ardeth's arms unconscious. "I do not think he realized what was happening." Ardeth offered softly.
"No doubt, he might have heard you when you sat up and struck at the first enemy he could find. It is the sort of foolishness he would do. Come, we will find a way to get you both back to Ahm Shere. Where is your shield, Ardeth? I will ask the bright son of Osiris myself to carry us to your people."
Ardeth shook his head a little. "I had it with me...over here then..." He tried to balance his brother in one arm and dig amongst the sand and bodies to his left with the other.
Then the falcon that he had gifted Ardeth with not all that long ago came winging out of the sky and landed calmly on a bit of gold protruding between bodies. Imhotep reached over for the shield and the bird gave an oddly annoyed squawk and jumped aside. The shield was indeed where the bird had been and he picked it up.
"Thank you my friend. Do you come with us then, or fly for yourself?" Ardeth looked over at the falcon as if expecting an answer.
The bird fluffed its feathers, smoothed them and then launched itself back into the sky.
Imhotep sighed. "He grows a great deal more like his namesake does he not?" He smiled a bit and then se the shield on his arm and reached over to more or less put his arms around Ardeth and O'Connell both as much as he could.
"He will stab you again if he wakes you know." Ardeth chuckled just a bit, but there was utter exhaustion to the words and he did not even seem to mind the half-embrace.
"Most certainly he will try." He corrected with a smile of his own and then took a quick moment to press his lips against Ardeth's. "Thanks be to all the gods, Medjai that I have you yet to tease. I will even thank Ammun for your brother, annoying though he is for the joy it brings you to have him well."
"Thank you, for his life, Imhotep. I have not the energy to make it well worded."
"You did fine, Ardeth Bay." He looked up at the sun and smiled. "Great Ammun, thank you for our victory. Please my god, find it in thy heart to ask the bright son of Osiris to let me use the gift of his grace to see the rest of Egypt's champions safe. The leader of the Medjai is too injured and exhausted to make the journey on his strength and Horus' grace alone."
"Entu-hetrem-heset-heru." Ardeth sighed.
And the falcon that bore the name of the god screamed out overhead and then they were in at the area along the dunes where they had gathered to wait for the Germans. There were Medjai about to take the two wounded warriors from him. Nefertiri came over at a run and checked her husband first.
"He has lost a great deal of blood." He offered. "But the wound is healed now."
"He was shot." Ardeth added in Arabic. "But as the priest of Ammun says, he managed to heal the wound. He was conscious for a bit but now he is not."
"And you?" Nefertiri asked reaching over to grip Ardeth's shoulder.
"My head is still sore, but again the wound where the coward who snuck up behind me to hit me with the back of his rifle is gone now."
"Then I owe you my thanks all over again, Imhotep. Truly, you have saved my family and helped us win this war. I am very grateful indeed." The words were formal in the ancient tongue but he did not doubt their sincerity or the honest gratitude behind them.
"We are all, champions of Egypt, Princess. But you are welcome." He replied. "The book of AmmunRa has many spells for healing. Will your people allow me to use some of them, Ardeth?"
"If I must find the strength to stand beside you and make them do so. "Ardeth nodded. "Let us see to the wounded."
"Most of the wounded have been sent back to camp, cousin." The large Medjai who's robes he was wearing came over and took over supporting Ardeth. "How badly are you injured?"
"I will be well." Ardeth sighed. "We need to check the field for wounded. And if there are any Germans left alive enough to question, I would know if this is over or if there are more coming."
"Husan and I can see to that, Ardeth. You will be unconscious soon."
"Adham speaks truly, Ardeth. Please, chieftain go and rest. Allah willing we will not need such fighting as you and your allies have done today again. But I would you were well to lead us, just in case it is so."
Ardeth smiled a bit. "Even after today?" He asked, and it seemed there was more to the question that the obvious.
"Most assuredly, Ardeth. I am an old fool who now knows better." The man reached over and gripped Ardeth's arm. "My sword and my horse are yours, chieftain, on to Paradise. No matter who you chose to ally us with for the good of Egypt."
"Then it is worth nearly losing my head." Ardeth sighed. "Will you-- come to Ahm Shere priest of Ammun, and bring the book of the living? It may be that there is yet some help we can be to my people."
He chuckled. "Now not only do you want me to fight with the Medjai you expect me to heal them so that they can hunt me down again later?" He looked up at the bright sun. "AmmunRa grant me patience Medjai. Certainly, Ardeth Bay, I will do what I can once more for the good of Egypt."
"Your compliance is of course, appreciated."
And he had to laugh at that. "We will discuss compliance and what it entails later, Ardeth, far be it from be to be a poor guest now." He turned to find Nefertiri, her brother, and the Medjai Ardeth had left the great books to with O'Connell. "Can you stand well enough to see if Osiris' bright son will take us all the way to Ahm Shere now, Ardeth?" He asked.
Ardeth nodded, but he leaned on the spear of Horus almost as much as he had on his cousin as the larger man let go. "Can you two get him to his feet then?"
Nefertiri's brother nodded. "Let's get him upright, all right, Sallah?" They managed it with some work.
"Good. If you will then hold onto this?" He put the shield out so that Nefertiri and her brother could grip onto it as well as the other Medjai. "Ardeth?" He offered the young man his free hand which Ardeth gripped with a sigh. "Please Bright Horus, Avenger of thy father Osiris, see us now to the camp of the Medjai where we may tend to our wounded." He asked, slipping back into Egyptian with a sigh. "Grant us oh god of Vengeance your grace."
And Osiris' bright son was kind indeed because they were all back in Ahm Shere in a large compound where many of the Medjai women were caring for the wounded already.
People came and helped Nefertiri and the Medjai get O'Connell onto one of the pallets. Ardeth was still standing, leaning on his spear as if was a staff and Imhotep sighed but moved to his side and gripped his arm. "Ammun but you are as stubborn as the Nile himself, Ardeth. Shall I find the power to keep you on your feet?" He asked quietly in Egyptian. "Are you yet so uncertain of your tribesmates that you will not show weakness in front of them?"
"I am-- uncertain that they will remember you are an ally if I do not stand here to remind them of it, yes. And you are still my guest so I will do as I can to see that we do not reward your aid with the enemy we faced today by trying to chop you into pieces."
He chuckled. "Your brother has tried that already. Come then my foolish Medjai and I will be a good guest indeed and see to the healing of your tribesmates that I can."
"I would be thankful. However, I am still not yours, thanks be to Allah. Do not make this uneasy alliance more difficult, priest of AmmunRa?"
He smiled. "As you say, Ardeth." He walked over to where the Princess knelt beside her husband. "Will you allow the Medjai with you to read from Sekhmet's great book, Princess so that we might use those spells for the healing of the wounds of war?"
She looked up at him, dark eyes haunted but with all the strength and courage he had always known her to have. "My husband is well enough, for which you have my thanks. I will take the book of Sekhmet, Sallah and walk with the priest of Ammun and see what we may yet accomplish."
"Will you let me carry it for you Sitt O'Connell. It is very heavy and forgive me for saying so you look as if a strong wind would knock you to the ground."
Her brother said something to her in English and then helped her to her feet, keeping his arm around her for a long moment. She smiled, leaning against Jonathan and it was very odd how different she could be from the Princess he remembered and yet look so very much the same. She said something else to her brother in English. The man nodded again but he didn’t look pleased..
"Will you sit down, Ardeth?" She asked.
"Not quite yet." Ardeth disagreed. "Let me find Selim or see if Adham is back yet, or Arebe or Pasha perhaps. Any of them I would trust to walk with you Priest of Ammun."
"Pasha is here, chieftain. His leg is very bad." One young woman who was walking by indicated an area of pallets a bit away.
"Then we shall start with that area." Evelyn sighed. Her brother let her go and went toward the tents where undoubtedly Ardeth’s family and young Alex were. And they began to work their way through the wounded, reciting spells and working what magic the gods still granted them this most horrific and miraculous day. The healing seemed in many respects to take far longer than the battle had but it was somewhat less exhausting. Nefertiri's brother came back from the battle area with the man Ardeth had introduced as Selim, his uncle. One of the women he recalled from breakfast came over as well with water and karkaday and mint tea. He had not realized he was even thirsty until he drank some. And then it came to his mind that truly Ardeth and Evelyn both had to be ready to fall with exhaustion. But some of the outright horror and fear had begun to ease from the Medjai he tended as Ardeth walked beside him and spoke quietly to those of his tribe who were wounded. And it seemed to help them some to see their young chieftain alive and victorious if not well. Most asked how the battle had gone and if Ardeth knew of the welfare of other people within their tribe. And always Ardeth found the strength to answer and share a prayer for whoever was among the unknown. But more and more of the Medjai were coming back from the field and slowly a growing picture of the victory and its great price became apparent even as they tended to those who could be saved or offered quiet prayers for those who were beyond healing.
"Ardeth, I am well enough to walk with the Priest of AmmunRa, nephew. Truly, no one will try again to harm him here. Go and rest before I must carry you like a child and you lose all the dignity you are holding so tightly." Selim spoke finally.
"There is truth to that, uncle. Truly, I am as shaky as a newborn foal. I will go and sit with Rick for a while and see if we can rouse him enough to get him to drink."
"Thank you Ardeth." Evelyn got to her feet from where she was kneeling beside a warrior who had been badly wounded by an explosion. She raised herself up on her toes and kissed his cheek. "Rest brother of ours. There is unfortunately much work left to be done."
"As you say." He smiled a bit.
"If you find yourself in Thebes, Ardeth Bay, will you do me the courtesy of telling those there that I will no doubt miss seeing AmmunRa into the sky once more while I am here."
"Certainly." Ardeth nodded. "But for all the exhaustion I feel I do not know that I can sleep yet." He went back over to where O'Connell was lying and sat down. It was somewhat harder to get the Medjai to allow him to use the spells of the book of AmmunRa but Selim would offer them much the same assurances Ardeth had and it seemed to help.
Asr:ToC