The tomb smelled of dust and the acrid chemicals of embalming, if there had ever been a hint of rotting flesh it had long since fled the desiccated corpses of the no longer human guardians. They creaked oddly as they advanced, ancient leather and sinew stretching as it was flexed for the first time in uncounted generations.

"They cannot be destroyed with weapons," Amira cautioned as Mak'um, to everyone's surprise, scuttled forward and snatched up the scroll, narrowly avoiding a decapitating strike from the closest of the creatures. Rhaak and Mak'um exchanged uncertain looks.

"Back into the passageway she commanded, gesturing to the spider web clogged doorway. Mak'um bolted with the energy of terror crashing through the cobwebs into the darkened passageway beyond. Almost immediately he stumbled and clattered across the ground on some unseen obstruction as Amira strode quickly after him.

Once through the archway the light of the torch revealed a long hallway with colorful if faded paintings etched into the wall, festooned with a strange script of letters and glyphs. The floor was in disrepair showing the wear of ages. The thief had evidently tripped on one of the cracks in the sandstone and was even now pulling himself to his feet and tearing frantically at the spiderwebs which practically coccooned his slender body. 

"Wait," Amira commanded as Rhaak backed into the room followed by the slowly advancing tomb guardians.

"Lift me," she directed.

"Master?" the pit fighter asked in confusion, keeping his back to her and his weapon to the creatures now only fifteen paces away.

"I cannot reach the key stone, lift me up." Awkwardly Rhaak tossed his sword to Mak'um, a dubious gesture, and made a stirup of his hands. Amira stepped into into it the slave straightening effortlessly to bring her to the level of the stone archway. With deliberate care she placed two fingers on the key stone. Sand began to fall first in a trickle and then in an increasing torrent. The stones groaned and buckled as the key stone began to fail.

"Put me down, and I suggest you move quickly," she commented, the groaning of the stone arch grew more pronounced and dust rained from the ceiling. Without hurrying she strode down the hall as behind her a titanic crash sounded as thousands of pounds of stone gave way and tumbled into the hallway whipping a billowing cloud of dust around her. No grain of it settled on her as she strode out of the dust storm.

"By Allah," Ma'kum whined, making a sign to ward of evil.

"A witch!"

[@POOHEAD189]