Mozart tossed and turned in his sleep. Through the fog of his dreams, visions came and went, making real rest impossible.
He saw Director Dyer and his glowing, mind-controlling headband part through the mists of dream. The red lights were not the dull, glowing red they were earlier in the night. No, now they were pulsating spotlights cutting through the dark, causing Mozart to shield his eyes. His head throbbed in coordination with the red lights. He could hear the scientists words echo through his mind, even if Dyer's lips didn't move. Yet, the "words" were unintelligible. He could tell the scientist was trying to give him orders. Orders he felt compelled to follow.
He dropped his hand to stare into his tormentor's eyes. He cut through the blinding, painful light in time to see the smile of the man. It was hungry and desperate, though the words Mozart continued to hear were unlike any language he was familiar with.
As Art tried to concentrate on the words he heard, a set of claws ripped through Dyer's enormous head, and a hurricane of black, inky darkness swirled from inside. As it twirled around Mozart it whispered to him. The words were still unintelligible, but began to morph into something more recognizable. The voice too changed, first from something harsh and commanding to something more feminine and reassuring as it continued.
"The awakening...has begun...the interloper stirs...the gates will fall."
The swirling blackness began to form into something more tangible, and before long took the visage of a snarling jackal-human hybrid. The void behind it began to take the shape of San Maria, but Art could see ti was burning. The smoke and the flames mixed with the darkness of the dream, giving the frog the thought that he was in hell.
Before he could completely despair however, a light emerged from his chest. He looked around and saw that there were four other lights just like it floating beside him. All five sped towards the carnage, and in a flash it was wiped away. In its place was a gigantic frog, almost like a God.
"Chosen,"
it said in the same voice he heard before.
"This burden falls on you all. Protect the gates, or everything will be lost."
With that, Art woke with a yell.
**********
The knife sliced through the man's throat with ease. His comrade attempted to raise his weapon and fire on her, but instead she flicked her wrist and tossed the knife his way, embedding itself in his throat. He choked on his own blood as he clawed the weapon out, before falling to the floor.
She snarled as she recovered her knife, wiping the man's blood on his black cloth face covering. It wasn't worthy of touching her weapons. These fake warlords were nothing more than children playing pretend in a sandbox the rest of the world didn't care about outside of what comes out of the ground. The could have their caliphate. But what they found in this ancient chamber was hers.
It had taken her so long to find it. The Medjay had done their jobs well for all this time. Even as Egypt transformed itself over the years, they had moved the sarcophagus across the globe. They had fulfilled their mission the Pharaohs had given them all those years ago. It was worthy of respect, she had to admit. Her own bloodline had failed at the same time they were so devoted.
Outside she can hear the gunfire of the warlords. They clearly believed in vain that they could repel her men. They could not, of course. The soldiers of the All-Seeing Eye were the best of the best. Trained across the world but brought together by their combined faith, they could stand against any foe.
She wound her way through the stone passage way, running her fingers over time-worn glyphes and paintings. This tomb was not originally meant for its current occupant. Whoever it originally housed had been moved long ago, of course. Taken by one explorer or colonizer or another. It seemed like the Medjay had been using such already-plundered tombs to hide their charge. She discovered dozens of past hiding places. It took her a while to find this one, but this was it. Her search was over.
In the end, the Medjay were undone by panic, as most fools were. They knew the All-Seeing Eye had opened and was searching for its master. They came here, in the middle of a warzone, and that brought the attention of the warlords. They killed the Medjay guards and took their prize, though they did not know what they had obtained.
The woman crossed into the final tomb chamber, and in the middle, the black, gleaming sarcophagus stood. She felt herself drawn to it. For years she had searched, and finally it was in her grasp.
Footsteps approached from behind her, and she turned to find Koga, her lieutenant.
"Kemsit," he nodded to her before laying eyes on the tomb and smiling.
"So here it is after all this time.""Yes," she smiled broadly,
"prepare the ritual."She watched as the mystics set up and began the chant. Her heart rose to her throat as the sarcophagus began to vibrate, and the lid cracked open. From inside flowed a black, viscous fluid that looked like oil but smelled of death. The vibration stopped just as the lid was pushed off from inside the coffin.
Two strongly built, caramel-colored arms thrust out of the liquid, and pulled up the body of a man that looked more like a statue than a human. He stood at near seven feet tall, and his bald head reflected some of the faint light in the chamber. Scars from countless battles covered his skin, and even after all this time he strode powerfully and confidently out of the grave.
He opened his eyes and looked down on her and the other men of the Eye. Without thinking, she took a knee in front of him,
"Grandfather."His eyes narrowed before a smile crept across his face,
"Granddaughter. It has been that long, then."Kemsit looked form side to side and hesitated,
"Uh...yes. It has been...longer than you had anticipated. Our bloodline has failed you for too long. But now your crusade can start once again.""Rise, child," the Jackal said to his descendant.
"I desire to breathe the free air once more."She walked next to her ancestor, in awe of his power. As he passed his new followers, he was handed a black cloak, which he donned. Looking down on her, he said,
"What is your name, child?""Kemsit, Grandfather," she responded dutifully.
"Ah, like my queen," he smiled.
"Like your grandmother.""...yes," she nodded.
Before long, they were outside, and the Jackal got his first look at the modern world. He shielded his eyes as he was bathed in a spotlight from one of the Eye's circling helicopters. In front of him, a row of all terrain vehicles surrounded the tomb, all of them manned by armed foot soldiers. As his eyes swept over them, they all dropped to a knee, reflecting his presence.
The moment clearly moved him. But not just the show of devotion, but the vast technological marvels he now witnessed. The Jackal knew he had slept long. He felt it in his bones. He could never have guessed at the true length of his slumber, however.
He looked down at Kemsit,
"How...how long has it been?""Thousands of years," she responded with a combination of venom and shame.
"Your descendants before me turned the Eye into a simple cult. Used its followers to feul their own greed. Until I discovered your texts. I redeemed the All-Seeing Eye and began looking for you to fulfill my birthright.""And for that you are blessed, my child," he smiled at her.
"And the key?""We have some leads."**********
Angel woke with a gasp. Her head pounded and her mouth was dry as if she had the worst hangover of her life. But she knew she hadn't drank
last night. Hell she was at work until late and then came right home.
She worked late. The words rattled around in her head for a while before it came rushing back. She had been jumped by frogs. Giant, mutant frogs. There were a few of them. They took her ID to get into the IDRG building.
"Shit," she muttered to herself.
A wave of panic spread through her. What if something had gone wrong there? What if she would be blamed? No one was going to believe that a bunch of big frogs had taken her card from her. What was she going to do?
Feeling herself beginning to hyperventilate, she rushed to the window to get some air. There, on the fire escape right outside, was her key card.
