Disclaimer: I do not own The Mummy, The Mummy returns or even The Curse of the Dragon Emperor. If I did, Ardeth Bay would have a bigger part and Curse of the Dragon Emperor would have never been shown in cinemas without Ardeth Bay. Thank you.

Last time on Cursed: The Med-jai and the Priestesses of Isis have just sworn a blood oath. They are now reluctant allies against the threat brought by the Thief.

16 Before the Storm

Their second arrival at the Priestesses' hidden temple was both better and worse than their first one.

"At least we're not blindfolded this time." Rick muttered darkly.

"Yet," Jonathan added, rather cynically.

Ardeth had to agree. Yes, they were free to move around and her had his personal guard with him but Keaira—the High Priestess—was spitting mad.

Ardeth noticed the silent disagreement between Keaira and her two Seconds. The three women slipped away into one of the many side passages. Unable to contain his curiosity, Ardeth followed as soon as he could.

The disagreement had quickly turned into a shouting match as soon as they were out of sight of the main party. Ardeth had no trouble following them and hiding far away enough for him to remain unseen.

Out of sight but not out of earshot.

"Why did you bring them here?" Keaira demanded, "Here! Of all places!"

"Secrecy comes second to our primary mission. You made that choice when we brought them here the first time." Nabirye answered calmly.

"I brought one Medjai and a handful of foreigners." Keaira retorted, "You brought an army of them!"

"Don't exaggerate." Snapped Nabirye, "Besides, they would not have left this alone. Better we move together than get in each other's way later on."

Keaira gave vent to an inarticulate scream. What followed on its heels was a near ten-minute rant on how they didn't need any help from the Medjai, how the mortals would all die if they stayed and how she just couldn't bear to have even more deaths on her conscience.

"And!" Keaira continued, "Say that they don't die. Say that we somehow manage to imprison the Thief, what do you think will happen next?"

Beneath Keaira's angry façade was concern for her people and fear—a deep seated fear of what would befall them. Ardeth knew what others thought of the priestess. Husam called them demons but he wouldn't be the only one. These women would be hunted, tortured, because they could not die. Ardeth could practically see the thoughts going through Keaira's head:

Rejection and violence naturally followed the discovery of anything different or out of the ordinary. Once their true nature was exposed, the priestesses would know no rest.

Ardeth felt a pang as he wondered just how long Keaira had lived and how many times violence had found them for her mind to be so locked onto this single possible outcome.

"We have no right—no right—to drag them into this!" Keaira argued, "We have to handle this ourselves…"

"Keaira…" Nabirye beseeched her, "See reason. We need help…and they can help us."

"I will not send them to their deaths!"

This didn't sound like the confident leader Ardeth first met. She was panicked and desperate to protect whatever…whoever she could.

"SAFIYA!" Nabirye shouted to focus the younger woman, then continued, "High Priestess, I speak to you as your Seer. We need these people…the Medjai and their foreigner friends…we have the best chance of succeeding with them. Now is the time to act."

"And if we fail?" Keaira asked, "What then, Seer?"

Nabirye sighed, "Then we will need them more than ever." She paused, "I would request to teach the woman while there is still time."

"Evelyn?" Ardeth mouthed silently from his hiding place.

"Enough!" Keaira said loudly, "I may have no choice but to involve innocents but I refuse to plan their future without their knowledge…and you teaching the woman would change her life forever. Call them here—then we will discuss this."

Ardeth heard scuffing sounds then footsteps and before he could decide whether to stay hidden or try to rush back, the choice was taken from him.

"Medjai chieftain," Nabirye greeted him, "The High Priestess would like to speak with you. You may bring your second if you wish."

Ardeth decided to be blunt, "And the O'Connells as well?"

Nabirye's face was perfectly stoic but Ardeth thought he could see traces of amusement in her eyes. Perhaps he simply imagined it.

"Yes, O'Connell and his wife as well. Would you prefer to go ahead? I can call them for you."

"No!" Ardeth cleared his throat and tried again, "No, I can do that." Ardeth said, "Please tell Kea…the High Priestess that we will be but a moment."

He left at a brisk walk back to where he left his men and his friends. And if his pace was quicker than it should be, it was only because they were up against a vicious enemy and not at all because the priestess left him feeling wrong-footed.

He recalled that she called herself 'seer'. Perhaps this feeling came from the knowledge she may have…

"Kareem!" Ardeth called softly upon reaching the others, "Keep an eye on things. I go to speak with the one they call High Priestess. Razim will go with me."

"If you're talking to that mystic priestess lady, I'm going too." O'Connell put in.

Ardeth clasped his American friend's shoulder, "Good, for she has requested you and your wife come as well."

"Evie? What does that wacky priestess want with my wife?"

But Ardeth had already turned away, soon joined by Razim who was called to his leader's side by a hand signal.

Rick scrambled to follow, calling to his wife to join them.

"Jonathan!" Rick added to his brother-in-law, "Watch Alex, would you?"

"But Dad!" Alex protested, trying to follow the smaller group, "Why can't I come?"

"Whoa there!" Jonathan caught Alex and wrapped an arm around his middle to stop him from following, "Your dad said to wait here."

"But…"

The rest of the child's protest was lost to Ardeth as he and the other three strode rapidly to the chamber where the High Priestess waited."

"You all know some of the story…" Keaira started once they were all gathered inside the side chamber, "We've told you parts of our tale and I'm sure that you've figured out more on your own. Perhaps you should relate to us what you know and we will fill in what remains to be told."

Razim and Ardeth exchanged glances.

"There is a legend about a group of priestesses who were cursed…because they failed in their duty." Ardeth began. He proceeded to relate the legend that he shared with Alex.

"We know now that the part about the daughter is true." Razim continued, "That the daughter who carries her mother's curse is Keaira. The boy told us what you shared with him, priestess."

"Alex told us that you're all stuck in some sort of limbo…alive but not truly living, unable to die or pass into your afterlife." Rick said.

Aziza nodded, "Surprisingly, the legend is mostly true. In reality, Sethikhopshijef's minions were responsible for the death of Keaira's father. Her mother chose to die with her lover rather than stay behind. We raised Keaira and it didn't take long for us to realize that the curse had somehow passed onto her. Once she was of age, we decided to elevate her to High Priestess, her late mother's position. Under her leadership, we were able to imprison the Thief in Isis' minor temple. We've protected the site and other religious sites since then. Until that idiotic man somehow managed to steal the Ankh key and open his prison."

"Sounds familiar…" Rick muttered in undertone.

"The Carnahans have a remarkable skill for finding things that should remain hidden." Ardeth told the priestesses, "But they have also shown an admirable ability for helping stop whatever they've unleashed."

"Then I hope the same will be true this time." Aziza said, "You've seen what happens to us when the Thief is able to catch us."

"It's because of how we imprisoned him the first time." Keaira said, "Nabirye and I found the process in our sacred scrolls. We literally took his magic from him and divided it among ourselves so we could fashion a prison strong enough to contain him. Three of our sisters could not handle to sudden influx of negative energy and fell into comas. In order for Sethikhopshijef to acquire his full powers, he must retake what we took from him. But when he does this, he also takes our magic and with it…"

"Most of our life force." Nabirye finished.

"So basically, the bad guy is really powerful and he'll get stronger every time he gets his grubby hands on one of you." Rick summarized, "You need to stop him before he puts all of you in comas. Let me guess, you can't do it alone?"

A tense silence followed the American's words.

"Had I a choice…" Keaira said slowly, "None of you would be involved in this. Had I a choice, we would be the only ones to face that monster…but, as my wise sister-priestess reminded me: alone, we priestesses will not be triumphant—and the world cannot stand against Him."

"I am a Med-jai, Priestess." Ardeth said, firm and determined, "I have a duty to the people of Egypt." It went without saying that he would help fight against this threat.

Keaira lost what little control she had on her expression. "You shouldn't have to!" she burst out, "This isn't your fight! If you and your men go against Him, I—I cannot…"

Protect you…

Ardeth heard the words as if she'd said them aloud. He could only marvel at the strength of the woman before him. Shame at his previous actions threatened to overcome him but he shoved the feeling aside. It had no place here; there was no time…not when a war needed to be fought.

"I cannot demand that you stay away…" Keaira told him, "but I cannot ask you to lay down your lives!"

"Understand this woman," Razim interrupted, "Ardeth has led us, as his father led him. He has led us through victories and defeats. Under his leadership, we triumphed over the Creature twice. The Medjai has kept the peace and known no reward except the praise of our chieftain. We would follow Ardeth to our deaths. Where he leads, we will follow."

Ardeth felt heartened by the belief his second had in him, knowing that Razim spoke for all his men, and by association, all the Medjai.

"The Medjai will always fight to protect Egypt's people, no matter if it is from the Creature or some other otherworldly foe." Ardeth said, firm in his belief in his people, "Our lives belong to Egypt. This is our choice."

Keaira's eyes were sad and so, so old. "So we fight," she said softly.

"So we fight." Ardeth echoed, meeting her eyes.

"One last thing then, before we plan a war…" Keaira said. She turned slightly, addressing the O'Connells directly, "Nabirye has asked a boon of me, one I cannot grant without your permission." She looked to Nabirye, who stepped from her place to the right and slightly behind Keaira.

"I have requested my High Priestess' permission to teach the woman, Evelyn. She has the potential to be as we were once."

"Evelyn would be trained to follow the Old Ways, be a priestess to the Old Gods." Keaira explained further.

Evelyn's eyes widened; they shone with excitement. Her husband did not seem nearly as pleased.

"Teach her what? No way is my wife becoming one of you priestesses." He said heatedly.

"Your wife would not be a true priestess." Nabirye told Rick, "She is a scholar at heart. I would share with her our histories; show her the secrets we have kept hidden. She would become our Keeper of Knowledge. It's holder only…until the day comes when she must pass it on to the ones to come after us."

Keaira turned her endless eyes to Evelyn. She gazed into the other woman's eyes, searching for some sign known only to her.

"It is your choice." She said slowly.

"I accept!" Evelyn burst out, "Teach me, please!"

"Do you understand what this will mean? How your life will change? You must keep this knowledge secret. This burden will be yours to bear until you find the one you must pass it on to."

Evelyn nodded decisively, "I understand. These things…" she glanced at Ardeth, "Some things the world simply isn't ready for."

"And if and when the time comes, will you pass on what you learned to those who are still to come?"

Evelyn's brow furrowed and she frowned, "How will I know who to share this knowledge with?"

"That is part of what will be taught to you." Nabirye said.

"Then I will."

"So be it." Keaira said then to Nabirye, "Your request is granted. Now I have a request of my own: Teach the boy also."

"Boy? What boy?" Rick interrupted, "Alex? No! I refuse."

"Your son is a rare soul, Rick O'Connell. He is a scholar and a warrior both, truly an exceptional child. This knowledge will only help him later on. This much I know."

Rick looked like he wanted to argue more.

"Also, better he learn it from a qualified teacher than on his own." Keaira continued.

Rick exhaled noisily, "It's not like I'd be able to stop him anyway."

"Thank you." Keaira said sincerely, "Nabirye, sister of my mother, I give unto your keeping these two students. Teach them as you taught me so long ago. Guide them well."

"Daughter of my sister…" Nabirye said, reaching out to gently touch Keaira's cheek, "Daughter of my heart, I will teach them and guide them in what time I have left."

"Then go."

Nabirye almost reluctantly stepped away. She beckoned Evelyn to join her.

"Come," she said, "There is much to tell you and very little time."

Keaira waited until the two women left before once more addressing the remaining men. Ardeth thought she looked beyond weary and a quick glance at the only other woman remaining in the room, told him that Aziza agreed with him.

"Nabirye spoke true," Keaira said, "We have very little time. Let us see to our wounded and then…" she tapered off.

"Then we plan a war." Ardeth finished for her.

Keaira nodded stiffly, "Yes, then we plan a war."

TBC

Author's Note: I can't believe that it's been three bloody years since I updated this. Chapter 16 was a hard one to write. First I couldn't write a beginning that transitioned smoothly from the last chapter, then because I couldn't connect the start and the ending of this chapter.

Hopefully, the rest of this story will be easier, especially since I already have the plot outline and bits of it written. We're nearing the end. I expect three or four more chapters and maybe an epilogue, then this journey will be complete.

I finally changed my pen name! You can also find me in Archive Of Our Own (AO3) under the name "Hobbyist_Writer". This story hasn't been uploaded there yet. I want to complete it here before I upload it in the archive. My Rise of the Guardians series "Exception Verse" has been uploaded to AO3. In , it is one story with each one-shot as a separate chapter. I was able to upload each one-shot as a separate work in AO3 and tag them as part of a series.

If you noticed the slight change in the summary (I took out the ArdethXOC tag), you can blame Chapter 14. Originally, I wanted Ardeth and Keaira to eventually end up in a romantic relationship but then Chapter 14 happened (and I'm STILL not sure where that came from) and I just couldn't come up with a logical way for them to be together romantically. Sorry? My characters decided to take control of their own lives and told me that there would never be any kissing between my two main characters.

Thank you for patiently waiting for me to update. I hope that you enjoyed this latest installment of Cursed.

Hobbyist Writer (formerly Sparkalie)