RISE! (Imhotep and Layla)

Imhotep had been sleeping in the abyss that was the underworld for years now. It was a lot shorter than his last trip to the underworld he admitted but this time he knew his stay would be shorter. His followers knew that he was oh so much more than some legend on some old ruins now. Now they knew that he was real and would be reborn!

After all, Death is only the beginning.

The words of power echo'd around him and he could feel life beginning to return to his wreck of a body. He was ready! He was ready to be free once more! Free to take his rightful place as ruler of the entire world!

As soon as the lifeforce was back in his body he was up, breaking through the amber that had wrapped itself around him in his eternal slumber. He marched around the little courtyard as he examined the people who had resurrected him. It was clear that they were all his servants but they seemed to be of different skin tones. A thought came to his mind very quickly,

"What year is it?!" he growled out at them all, noting how many of them cowered from him, "What has occurred since my defeat?!"

Layla was not sure that Imhotep would be happy to see her amongst his new followers, she knew that when she had been resurrected she had been so because of her weak connection to the Priest in Egyptian literature of the court. Perhaps after all these years the link between them was finally broken, or at least broken in his heart and mind.

Last time she was told, Imhotep was purely concerned with bringing back Amuk- Sun- Amun from the dead, she was barely even mentioned.

Now, learning some modern dances of the day she had been summoned to the resurrection room, her love was alive and he was speaking. She could hear the powerful voice from down the corridor, the tremors it sent through her were the same. Since she was young she knew Imhotep was destined for greatness and Layla had not desired to hinder him, as she would have done.

Seeing Imhotep with the new body of Anuk beside him made her heart pang, his new love for her had stung and still did so, but she was happy he had found such love even if it was not with her.

"It is the year of the Scorpion my lord." The Curator replied "Many things have occurred, many wars, but also many advancements of science and technology. But, we each have a surprise for you, as an offering of celebration in your returning."

Gesturing for her to step forwards, Layla did so. Her head bowed down as was proper when addressing a higher member of class than yourself. Silently she waited for permission to speak.

Imhotep watched at the woman who looked like Anuk seemed to gravitate towards him. Inside he felt the slither of annoyance that he always felt with the woman. Like he was nothing but a meal ticket to power to her. It was something that he had ignored in life and the first time he was resurrected... but he didn't ignore it this time. He nodded to the woman who looked like Anuk before freezing and turning to the fat man,

"Truly? It is the year of the Scorpion?" he demanded before laughing, a deep and cruel sound that vibrated throughout the courtyard, "Then soon I shall conquer the world with the army of the Scorpion King!"

Upon hearing of the wars and advancements he shrugged a little bit and waved them away. Wars happened every day and advancements in science and technology held no interest to him seeing as neither was able to harm him even slightly. When he said there was a surprise he hummed even as he looked over his arrayed possessions,

"Bring forth the offering." he demanded as he picked up the book of the dead and stroked it's cover fondly, whispering to it, "Hello old friend... we shall do wonders together..."

When the offering stepped forwards he paused when he noticed something... familiar about the woman. His eyes would have widened but that required eyelids,

"Woman!" he commanded, his voice holding a slight shake of excitement in it as he tried desperately to see if it was who he hoped it was, "Let me see your face woman..."

Layla bit her lip softly when she heard Imhotep speak, she thought that she could hear the very power in his voice make the ground tremble around her. Although it pained her so to see the man she loved reduced to such a thing in front of her, she knew that it would only be a matter of time before he was resurrected and whole once more, he would be as he used to be with her.

That was if, if he still held any interest for her which Layla herself was not hoping too hard for, he had not shown any sign in their lives that he had wanted anything more to do with her. Especially not when he was with Anuksunamun.

When he spoke to an 'old friend' her heart sped in her chest, could he possibly mean her? But no, no he did not mean her, instead he was talking to the Black Book, the book of the dead. Layla was worried for her love Imhotep, such work with the book was what had gotten him down this path in the first place.

In turn, Imhotep did speak to her and Layla raised her head, a small smile on her lips as she did so. Although looking upon him did chill her to the bone, it was good to finally be with her long lost friend again, she had never thought she would get a second chance at life, now that she had, maybe things would be different this time?

Still remaining silent, Layla heard the intake of breath from Anuksunamun, who was definitely not happy to see her here but...there was nothing for it. She had been resurrected and Imhotep had seen her presence. Surely he would not send her away?

"What is this servant girl doing here?" Akunsunamun hissed "Why was I not informed of her being brought here?"

Imhotep looked up from the book of the dead even as he thought about the one woman that he really wanted to resurrect from the dead. His childhood friend and love, Layla. He wanted her to be with him once again now that class wasn't such a big issue. But it was unlikely to ever happen, Anuk had told him that in life she had forsaken him. Of course Anuksunamun was a pathological liar but he was given no evidence in life to suggest otherwise.

But here she was.

If Imhotep had a heart right now he was sure that it would be beating a tattoo against his chest as he looked at his childhood friend and first love. He swallowed a little bit but because he was a mummy, little happened. Seeing her smile, he grinned wickedly (the only type of smile he could actually do without skin),

"Ah Layla!" he called out to her, reaching out for the tips of his bony fingers to touch her cheek ever so gently, "You have been reincarnated whole my dear... It is so very good to see you my old friend! I have missed your company."

He scowled a little bit when two guards quickly moved to try and take Layla away. They were both instantly flung away as Imhotep used his powers on them. He growled and Anuksunamun cowered backwards slightly. He addressed everyone,

"If she is a servant girl then she is MY servant." he declared forcefully before nodding to Layla, "You are all of the surprise? You are by no means a small gift."

Layla was holding her breath while she awaited the reaction to her return, she didn't know if she would be welcomed or not, and if not, she could be sent back to the afterlife rather quickly it had to be said. Maybe she would be sent back still by Anuksunamun despite the wishes of Imhotep, this woman was not above murder to get her own way in the great scheme of things.

The wicked grin that she was given by her love made her heart quicken a little bit, it was out of a small amount of fear, but also of sadness. What dark magic had been wrought upon his body? Was he even...the same Imhotep that she knew all those years ago. Not once in that meeting at the party did he mention the depths of darkness he had descended into.

It frightened her, the damage he had done to his soul.

But he was still her love. No matter what.

"I only wish I had been so, but no, it took several attempts to bring me into this body. They are no High Priest, like you, my Lord." she murmured softly, gently leaning her cheek against his touch, enjoying the contact despite his decayed state "I too have missed being in your presence."

Gasping softly when Imhotep used his powers to stop her from being taken away, Layla looked up more at him, so that she could take in the whole scene around her without fear of someone punishing her for it. It truly was a different time. There were no slaves here, or looked like there would be ever again. Yet, she still felt like she was one, in the presence of the two chiefs from her past.

"I am happy to be so." Layla whispered, a gentle smile on her lips.

The curator and one of his Guards, where supposed to be bestowing another gift to Imhotep but, it appeared as if that had not gone as planned, so, Layla thought it best to recover the event for them so he would not be displeased; "I am the only surprise for now, although another will follow from the Curator. I believe however, that my lady might have another surprise." Layla commented with a bow of her head.

Imhotep could not express how happy he was with the return of Layla, his oldest and greatest friend, to his side. Of course she was welcome here and he would have to make sure that Anuksunamun and all the others knew that she was well and truly off limits to them. If they touched or harmed her in anyway he would kill them with but a thought. Even Anuksunamun was not about his wrath... though he was unlikely to kill her.

He knew that he was very different to how Layla would remember him.

The Imhotep she would remember would be a mixture of himself as a young man and later as a High Priest, two very conflicting images. However, now there was another layer to add to him. He had been freed from the underworld after all... he had seen the underworld. Twice now in fact, and it had changed him to be certain,

"Of course, no one else would have the same experience." he agreed even as he smirked at how she followed his touch with her cheek. Gently stroking her, he couldn't help but agree with the sentiment she was offering, "Your presense has been greatly missed as well my friend..."

She was his and that was that! He would not have anyone working to undermine that, not even Anuksunamun! He was the ruler in this little group and that went uncontested. Anyone to contest his control over all of them here would be killed. He smirked happily when she said that she was happy to be his servant. Hearing that there were other surprised, he waved a hand,

"Unveil these surprises to me." he demanded of the minions known as the curator and Lokna. Or whatever his name was, "Show me the gifts you bestow upon your Lord Imhotep!"

Layla stood from where she had been kneeling and moved to stand slightly behind Imhotep himself, as was the proper procedure when following orders from someone a higher class than you. If was often the way that you weren't supposed to be seen, you were supposed to be able to hear what they wanted you to do, and then do it. It was the life she had been condemned to and the life Imhotep had escaped, but, now, she wondered if it had done him any good.

Deciding that there was nothing much to be said in return to his statements, Layla merely replied with a soft smile, wanting Imhotep to know that she had missed him, and that she cared for him. There were many things that her heart wanted to say to him, but, she didn't think now was the time, or the place for them to be said.

Would there ever be a time and place, now he was so changed, would he really be interested in her seeing as she did not have any power so to speak of? This doubt was ringing clear in her mind.

Anuksunamun smirked a little bit when he asked to see the gifts that she had brought for him, clicking her fingers she had the woman Evelyn - or Nefertiti resurrected - that Imhotep had encountered before. The woman who had caused both of their deaths once more. She knew that he would take great delight in seeing her dead.

"My gift to you my Lord is so much greater, I have the woman, Evelyn. I knew that it would give you great pleasure to watch her die." she grinned wickedly as Evelyn was carried in on a wooden bed, her hands shackled to the top of the wood so she couldn't move.

As the woman was moved towards the pit of flames, Layla's mouth opened in shock and her eyes fixed on the floor. It would give Imhotep great pleasure to watch a woman die? No matter what the woman had done, the sweet Imhotep would never wish death upon another person, unless it was absolutely needed for sacrifice or if the person had committed such a gross crime. Had this woman done such things?

"Revenge is a much sweeter dish than a mere Servant." she quipped "Why, anyone could be a servant should you wish it, perhaps even myself." Anuksunamun purred, making Layla's already quite low self esteem hit 20 feet below the floor "Don't you think so, girl?"

"Of course, my lady." Layla whispered quietly "You have offered quite the gift, I am certain my Lord will enjoy it."

Imhotep had to admit that the gift that Anuksunamun give to him was something he had been wanting for a long time, ever since he had been killed that second time. Evelyn. She was once his chosen human sacrifice but she, her brother and her... love interest, had destroyed his plans and killed him. The defeat still stung now, even though he felt a stirring of respect for his enemies. That was how it should be. Respect those who defeated you... but forever plan their demise. He smirked a little bit,

"It will give me great pleasure to see her burn." he agreed with a smirk before glancing at Layla, "We shall see what is a better gift however. I have a feeling I know which is better."

He was a little bit angered by Anuksunamun's attitude and snapped his head to her, causing her to reel back slightly in surprise and fright,

"My servant Anuksunamun..." he whispered harshly, "Do not presume you have any control over what is mine."

After that... well after that the whole thing went to hell in a hand basket. It seemed that the 'love interest' Rick had become the husband. And the two of them, along with a descendant of the pharaoh's bodyguards, made their escape, to be pursued by his mummified guards. Annoyed that his resurrection had been so interrupted, he sent the guards after the family in order to kidnap the boy. Apparently he had the bracelet that he needed.

Growling a little bit in annoyance, he gestured for Layla to follow him and made his way up to the nearest room, trying to find the ancient clothing around. He found himself a black cloak that he covered most of his body with. He paused for a moment,

"Layla I want you to try and tell me things you remember about us." he told her simply as he closed and locked the door, locking Anuksunamun out, "Things from before."

Layla was so confused about everything, she had thought that she still loved Imhotep, but he was much changed since she had last spoken to him, even more than he had been when he was a boy and they had been together. He seemed so much focused on death and killing, he was the Hom Dai curse embodied so that was expected but...but it made him just so different!

Biting her lip she was lost in thought until the sounds of the gun shots had disturbed her, making her scream loudly. Such sounds! She had never heard such sounds! Explosions were all around her, the air was flying with bullets, small metal things that she saw then could kill a human from meters away! Such weapons were surely unfair! How could an opponent fight back from such a range!?

Torn between sticking by Imhotep and running and hiding, the fright in Layla overtook her and she dashed to one side to hide behind a heavy stone sculpture, a bullet flew by her and hit the wall behind her. Her heart was in her mouth at how close it was to her body, how it could have harmed her.

Now that the attackers were gone, Imhotep had summoned her and she bit her lip once more, nodding her head she followed with a now bowed head. Until they reached the room that Imhotep was satisfied with, Layla was worrying about all of these new things in her life, these weapons, this change in Imhotep, Anuksunamun's attitude towards her. How could she cope?

Blinking Layla frowned softly;

"I remember everything there is to remember my Lord." she whispered softly "I remember we use to sit by the Nile, under the shade of the nearby trees, with our picnic of bread, honey and dates. We used to talk of our grand dreams, your hopes of being a Priest, mine of...well, not ending up as a simple dancer."

Pausing, she continued; "The nights we walked under the stars in Thebes, stealing kisses in abandoned streets." Layla blushed brilliantly at this admission before averting her eyes away from his form completely, unable to look at Imhotep now he had been with Anuksunamun, now he loved another it felt wrong to mention their love "You enjoyed watching the slaves building the monuments, especially the new temple you planned and did worship in. You wanted me to join you, and I am sorry I was not able to my lord. Have I...Have I said enough for your liking, High Priest Imhotep?"

Imhotep was glad to see that Layla remained unharmed even after such a fight with their stupid little gun things. They would have killed Layla though so his hatred of the weapons had gone up leaps and bounds just on that alone. He didn't want her to be hurt, she was his and he would have her protected after all. Once they were alone he took the chance to give her body a once over to check to see if she had been hit.

Satisfied that she hadn't been hit, his expression softened a little bit when she said that she remembered everything about them when they were both alive and younger. He coughed a little bit before nodding a little bit with a small smile,

"Yes our picnics and our starlight walks... they had become very popular for couples to do now I understand...?" he asked her quietly before smirking a little bit, "You have said enough for my liking Layla... and when we are alone I am Imhotep."

Moving closer to her, he touched her cheek and suddenly the whole room seemed to change to the image of a street under the stars. In Layla's mind's eye he would appear whole and younger than he looked before,

"You remember?" he asked, holding his hand out for her to take, "You remember we walked down this road a hundred times just talking about each other?"

It was killing Layla to see her love looking like this, imagining the pain that he might have gone through made her heart ache. Why couldn't she have helped him? Because she was a mere dancer, and no dance could make these people change their minds about doing what they had done to Imhotep. Perhaps if she had but tried, he would not have to have lived with this awful curse, perhaps he could have just died normally, peacefully and happily.

When he told her that their activities had become popular in the modern culture, Layla shrugged her shoulders with a gentle smile on her lips, of course having been born into this culture only a few days ago she had not had much chance to experience the romances of this time. At the instruction to call him Imhotep Layla nodded her head and her smile grew lightly;

"As you wish it Imhotep." she stated "I do not know what is popular with the romantic culture of today, as you can imagine, I have not had opportune moment to be romanced."

The touch of his hand on her cheek transported her back to when she was younger, when he was younger, and back to that street. It was such a shock to her system to suddenly be here again, it was like she was reliving a memory. A beautiful series of memories with her lover Imhotep. Although, it pained her heart to see this.

"I remember." Layla whispered, her fingers lightly tracing against Imhotep's although not grasping his hand in her own "Although much has changed since then it would seem. You are not the man you once were." she stated, letting her fingers drop "The Imhotep I knew, would never have taken joy in seeing someone die. I am not certain about this new...motion in you, although I do not suppose my opinion is any matter to you." Layla added with a soft smile, hugging her arms about her chest.

Imhotep was aware that it was going to be awhile before she really relaxed around him again. He was something of a monster to him, even if she didn't admit it out loud. After all, he was a million miles away from being the Imhotep that she had fallen in love with all those many, many, years ago back in Thebes. At this moment in time, just having her refer to him with only his name was the best that he could hope for.

He nodded to her in understanding,

"I fear that my own experience is out of date by some ten to twelve years." he admitted with a frown before shrugging a little bit, "But back then what we did in the far past was accepted as something to be imitated in modern society."

He could see that transporting the two of them into this memory, however temporary, was something that made her both very happy and very sad. It was entirely understandable he had to admit but still. Standing there, he blinked a few times before nodding,

"I will never again be the man I once was. Things have changed and I have changed more than most things." he told her bluntly before sighing a little bit, "Then you must have forgotten just how valued your opinion is to me?"

Shaking his head a little bit, Imhotep let the little spell fall and moved over to the window to look out over London,

"I am a creature bound to a curse Layla." he told her honestly, "What would you have me do against it?"

Layla was not interested in the experience that Imhotep had of romancing from modern day times, any romancing that was done would not have been with herself after all it would have been with her...and the thought of them doing together what Layla had held special in her heart between her and Imhotep made her blood boil and her mind race with unpleasant images.

When he honestly admitted that he would never be the man that he was, Layla sighed and looked at the floor, the hope she had been kindling was slowly going out. Things would never be as they once were and it broke her heart to know that their chances of being happy together were so dashed they could never be reformed.

Now, looking at Imhotep, the mummy that he was and being in the surroundings that they were, Layla hoped the feelings of sadness would have left her but, alas that was not the case. They stuck with her and made her heart heavy with their burden.

"I have not forgotten, I just feel the need to...ask again given the changes that have occurred." she stated with a small smile "My opinion matters so much to you then I shall give it in response to your question, though there seems little room for a response."

Sighing softly, Layla approached the window where Imhotep was looking out of and stood beside him; "There is nought to be done against your fate, and saying that you should not have done it in the first place is nothing short of patronising but, the fact remains, you are different to the man I was friends with, to the man I..."

With a small pause, Layla turned her gaze away from his face, to look down at the window ledge; "Time is what is needed. For me to think and realise whether I am...having feelings for the man you are, or the man you were. If indeed that is something you wish me to do, if not, I will be more than happy to continue being your servant." bowing her head slightly Layla wished she could be back in those days, to be simple, to hold Imhotep's hand, to kiss his lips. Not here.

Imhotep didn't know what he had been expecting but he supposed he had gotten his real answer right? She wasn't sure if she loved this version of him or the older version of himself. It was... reasonable, he decided. It was logical to assume that she could only love one and he was damned sure that she would never be able to love him as he was now. She was too kind and too gentle to back him in his quest to conquer the world.

He swallowed a little bit of phantom saliva before nodding to her. He had opened the floodgates and he would allow her to tell him exactly what she thought about him. It hurt to know that she was very unlikely to agree with a lot of what he was planning on doing,

"You believe that I have changed on a fundamental level." he told her. It was not a question though it might have sounded like one, "Give me your opinions about whatever you feel like talking about Layla."

It hurt a lot more than he was expecting it to.

It was clear from the way she was speaking that it was his change to what he had become that was keeping her from accepting him. She needed time to adjust to the change and he couldn't blame him. Reaching down, he gently placed the black face mask onto his face to hide his undead state for the moment,

"I wish for you to think about it and I shall think about whether or not I deserve your affections." he told her simply, trying not to let on that he felt the heart (which he didn't physically have) beginning to crumble away in it's massive amounts of pain, "I will not have you as a servant... I might not be able to give you your other dream... a happy life with a loving husband... but I can make you my equal in everything."

Layla had a question that she wanted to ask.

She was unsure as to whether it would be an appropriate question however given what might have happened between the two of them, Imhotep and Anuksunamun but she wanted to know. Layla needed to know what had happened.

"I was, hoping, I might be able to ask a question." she whispered softly "If you want me to give you my affections, does that mean that the love bestowed upon you by Anuksunamun is no longer enough for you? Has something happened to alter your love? I only ask because...well because last we met you seemed so resolute in it's certainty. Yet here you are asking me for my affections. I just, don't understand."

When Imhotep placed the mask on his features, and this meant he had the total appearance of a man, the robe covering the rest of his body, Layla felt like she would be able to have a productive conversation without worrying about him. Without worrying about how he must be hurting. Placing a hand on the cool cheek of the mask, Layla smiled gently, and let it grow, with the happiness of being here with Imhotep once more.

"Then equals we shall be." she grinned "Here is to a future with us together, as hopeful friends. What an adventure this shall be."

-Fin-