Time Forgotten

Chapter one: Dog warrior

His chest rose and fell slowly with each breath he drew. His body was tense but he didn't complain. He made every effort not to move during the procedure. "We're almost done." Rath said quietly as he took the last snip of his surgical grade scissors to the wrap around the man's neck. "You'll just have to keep the skin clean, but it should not degenerate." It came off slowly along with the piece that usually covered the bridge of his nose. "As long as you take care to keep it clean and regenerate yourself and your amulet when you should that is."

"I understand." Ja-kal murmured softly His hand rose and he ran his fingers over the black hieroglyphs on his arm. Tattoos from a forgot age, placed on his skin before his mummification.

"You've been quite quiet this evening, Apophis got your tongue." The scholar said slowly as he drew the last bit of wrap away from the darkened skin of the hunter. "What's on your mind?"

Ja-Kal turned his head away and shook it slowly; his dark hair cut short falling in little streaks over his eyes. "Tia again is it?" Rath nodded slowly. "She would not want you to be miserable. There are plenty of … 'fish in the sea' as our prince would say." Rath murmured slowly reaching back for a cloth dipping it in a small bowl of water before ringing it out.

"I know." The hunter had no words to express himself fully. His hands balled into fists, as he closed his eyes and counted silently to ten. He opened his eyes as the cold cloth touched his neck slowly. He sat still as Rath applied the wet cloth over the hunter's back and neck to remove the last vestiges of the wraps they had worn for hundreds of years.

"You have scars." Rath said slowly his hand running over the deep marks on Ja-Kal's back. It was both a statement of physical fact as well as emotional.

"It's nothing to worry over now I suspect." Ja-kal said slowly dismissing any subtext the scholar would want to put to him.

"And neither is Tia." Rath smiled and turned dropping the cloth in the washbasin and turning to him. "Remember to use the lotion on your skin if it starts to flake."

Ja-kal pushed up off his knees to stand and reached back for the black button down shirt. "I will." Pulling the shirt on he quickly buttoned it. He then reached down grabbing his amulet and lowered it over his head around his neck. He centered it and then slowly put it beneath the shirt. "And get some rest."

"I will try."

The scribe's head turned slightly. "Is your sarcophagus not comfortable?" Rath asked with a hint of sarcasm.

"Rath…" Ja-kal gave him a disapproving look. "I do not wish to have conflict with you as Ra had with Apophis in the days of old."

"Ah the falcon and the serpent yes." Rath smirked. "Very appropriate metaphor I should think." The intellect smirked and leaned back on his table crossing his arms over his lab coat. "I'm not your enemy Ja-Kal. I am your friend, I just want what's best for you emotionally." It was fact and there was no way around it. The scribe's stoic face was a solid stone and he wasn't going to budge on the subject.

Ja-Kal froze and turned back. "Rath you serve as our Doctor, as our Engineer, as our faith healer, and so much more…. but this …you cannot help me with."

"With a broken heart of course not." Rath nodded. "I know that very well Ja-Kal. I just want you to know that I'm here if you need me, that's what friends do." Ja-kal nodded and turned to the door to the main hallway. "That's what family does for one another." Ja-kal froze slowly but pressed into the hall.

He was getting tired of this constant confliction. Right now he needed rest. Moving down the hall he saw Nefer-Tina sitting on the couch with a teenage Presley through a side doorway far door. The young man laughed with her at the late night talk show they were watching and Ja-kal turned knowing his prince was safe and trailed down the hallway quietly lost in deep thought.

His dry dark fingers trailed along the walls as he moved down to his room. He pushed open the door and then stepped inside. He closed the door slowly. His back pressed against the door as his full weight pressed it closed. He looked up at his tomb, his not so final resting place. "Ra give me peace. Isis guide me as you did your son Horus after the death of his father, show me how to carry on." He shook his head "After all this time." He pushed forward to his sarcophagus and reached up unbuttoning his shirt and pitching it aside.

He lifted the lid of his resting place slowly He'd taken to laying his coffin flat it was easier on his, old bones. As he stepped in and sat down Kathi jumped into his lap. "You should be with the Prince sacred one." His fingers rose to pet through the feline's long fur. The cat protested and pushed her hand repeatedly purring as she coiled in a circle and lay down. "Very well…but tomorrow night you sleep in your own sarcophagus." Ja-kal leaned back and pulled the lid down over himself and the cat.

In the dark his amulet gave a soft blue glow. Kathi's amulet began to glow as well but she was sleeping far down in the coffin at his feet. His fingers reached up and he traced the names inside of the coffin. "Tia…Padjet." He murmured and shut his eyes. The Hunter lowered his head in defeat and sleep took him as his amulet began to regenerate him.

This was turning out to be one of the worst days of his life; save for the day they had all been killed and buried along side their prince. The sorcerer leapt to the roof and moved quickly out of sight. "Go!" Ja-kal commanded pointing down the far corridor of the alleyway. "get clear of the roof." Scarabs minions began to jump down into the alley. Ja-kal Shot two in the air before they could reach the ground.

Nefer-Tina took out two more with her whip. "Let's move!" She called.

Moving around the side of the building mummies waited along side the far wall, but a sound caused each looking to one another with question. "Move." Ja-kal warned. "Fast as you can, get to higher ground." He looked up. "We have to keep scarab out of this collection." They were guarding a private collection of Egyptian artifacts from being taken by Scarab. Specifically scrolls that the sorcerer could use to gather more power.

Prestley pressed his back against the wall and panted for breath. "This is insane." He grumbled and held his boomerang to his chest.

"It is not always meant to be easy young prince." Rath said slowly.

"Higher Ground move!"

As their leader spoke they began to scatter. Before Nefer-Tina could get far Ja-kal grabbed her wrist. The dark feline turned looking him directly in the eyes. The falcon did not waver. "Get the prince out of here now. He's not trained for these numbers, there's far too many." He demanded. "Get him away and once you're out of danger send Rath back to me, you and Armon stay with the young prince. " She nodded slowly and turned away from him. He watched her go, and stop to look back at him for only a moment.

"Be careful Ja-Kal we cannot stand to loose you." She said and gave him a curt nod before turning to follow the Prince and Armon out of the mess of buildings and the large number of Scarab's soldiers.

Scarab lifted his hands "Grant me power!" He called to the darkness, and his powers began to swell. Ja-kal's head turned up and he looked in horror.

"Ra this is not how I wanted to start the day!" Ja-Kal pled as he turned around the corner pulling his bowstring back his arrow set and ready. But Scarab let out a lash of light that temporarily blinded the hunter, and allowed the sorcerer access to the building. Within moments the sorcerer had blasted a hole in the side of the building the size of a small car and made his way inside.

"Perfect, what is left of the Pharaoh's texts. Ah and some of my old scrolls." The villain smiled as he moved forward to a glass case of scrolls, intent to break into it. On the top shelf of the case rested four golden jars.

"Hold it." Ja-kal warned from the opening in the wall that scarab had created to enter the room housing the collection. "Don't even think about it Scarab!"

"Too late Ja-kal, you are too late." Scarab reached out and grabbed a small jar from the ground and shattered the glass to the cabinet and began to grab up the items inside.

In his haste Scarab knocked one of the four golden canopic jars within the cabinet. The jar fell over and scattered it's ash around. A Golden sarcophagus nearby began to glow. Scarab shook his head turning to the bright glow. "There were only four." He growled and backed away slowly grabbing two of the scrolls knocking more over in haste.

The front burst open and the male within stepped out. "With the Strength of RA!" He cried and suddenly in a flash, which Ja-Kal shielded his eyes from, the being transformed. The orange and gold mummy with the head of Anubis growled as his staff extended to scarab. "You harmed my king." He said slowly. "His rightful rest disturbed. As the hunter follows his prey I shall hunt you until you breathe no more."

Scarab laughed. "I haven't taken a breath in years boy." He looked back at Ja-Kal who stood in shock, and shook his head. "I have what I came for." And with that the sorcerer vanished in a cloud of dark smoke.

The orange warrior stepped into the purple cloud of smoke and choked slightly as he shook his head and allowed his staff to touch the ground. "I must find him." The dog warrior's deep voice echoed in his mask. He was older than Ja-kal by at least twenty living years, and it was evident on his face through the opening in the mask.

Ja-Kal looked at him slowly. "The Prince didn't have anymore guardians." Ja-Kal said slowly. "Who are you?" He drew his bow, as the Dog headed warrior shook his head and chuckled slightly. "Answer me."

"I am not a guardian of the Prince." The man said slowly. "I am a guardian of the Pharaoh." He tipped his head "What Prince do you serve young man?"

"Rapses." Ja-Kal said holding steady the bow. "I serve the reincarnated Prince Rapses." He pulled the bow steady.

"The Prince who was murdered by the Sorcerer…" The dog-headed warrior turned and put a hand to his chin stroking the bandages there. "The same one who was here tonight?"

Ja-Kal nodded tense. "Yes.." the tension in the room rose as the bow string tightened. "who are you?" The hairs on his arms began to rise.

The man turned and waved a hand over his amulet as his armor receded. The man was tall, with long dark hair that hung at his shoulders. Their were streaks of grey that fell in his blue eyes. "I am PadJet, Son of Ja-kal, son of Tia." He said firmly. "I am the Pharaoh's guard, his companion, and friend. You may call me Jet." He turned to his coffin and pulled out his pipe from a jar in its base.

Ja-kal froze, his bow lowered instantly. "P-Padjet?" he muttered. "Son of Tia?" He swallowed and took in the older mans image again.

"You stuttered young man. I did not." The warrior said collecting the canopic jars of his pharaoh. He sighed at their condition as he placed them in a cardboard box from the ground nearby. "I am sorry my king that I was not more diligent in my service." His voice was low and reverent. He placed the pipe in between the seams on the wraps on his left arm.

Raph appeared in the opening where the wall had been blown open. "Ja-kal, Scarabs forces have vanished." He blinked looking at the mummy before him. "Who in the name of Osiris is that?"

The warrior turned. "Ja-Kal?" It was Jet's turn to be shocked as the old man's blue eyes widened. "Good Ra above." He murmured and reached up pressing the black locks of hair out of his eyes to get a better view of the man with his father's name.

The sun was brighter than he expected this early in the morning. Ja-kal stood on the long left side leg of the sphinx holding his cup of coffee. He stood in jeans, boots and a white t-shirt. "Morning." Nefer-Tina smiled softly.

Ja-kal turned his head slightly as he watched her approach him and nodded. "Indeed our lord Ra is bright in the heavens, and he lights our path." His attention turned back to the bay.

She smiled. "It's good to hear you speak of him again." She said slowly pulling her red blanket around her arms. She was still in her red flannel pants and her long black t-shirt, but she was wrapped up in her blanket the only thing sticking out was he own coffee cup from between the blanket's folds. "I know you've had a lot on your mind recently. With Jet and all." She looked down noticing the older man exit the sphinx slowly taking long lingering steps his hand tracing the leg of the building.

A black Doberman at his heals; the dog's bandages had been removed like his master's, but he was still unnatural looking.

"Yes." He couldn't lie about that. "I'm working it all out. We're talking about a lot of things. We got his Sarcophagus and his familiar's Sarcophagus moved to the empty room in the back of the Sphinx." Ja-kal sighed low. "We still have much to discuss when we find the time."

"Will you find the time?" She asked.

"I am certain we will, Ra willing."

"Promise?" She asked stepping up beside him.

"Of course." He said slowly and then took a sip of his coffee to prevent himself from having to say more.

"Presley says we'll have a new home soon." She nodded. "He's using some of the money from his mother's winnings to purchase us a proper home." The teen's mother had won the state lottery and she'd split it with her son. Presley had promised them a home.

"He should not have to." Ja-kal was fervent in his belief.

"And why not?" Nefer-Tina protested coming to his front to look the hunter in the eyes. "The pharaoh had always provided us a home before and you didn't contest the decision then."

Ja-kal tipped his head slightly; she had a very good point. "I suppose that is true." He conceded. "However please ask the young prince to allow us to help him in the search. We need somewhere safe, and secluded, where we have easy access too him at all times." He looked down. "And Jet will need a room now as well."

Nefer-Tina smiled at him. "Of course." She touched his arm. "You're a good man." She said softly. "Honest and true." She looked down at Jet one more time. He looked down at her with an inquisitive look. "We should all tell you more how good you are to us all." She said and moved away to walk back inside. "Breakfast in ten if Armon hasn't eaten it all."

Ja-kal smiled, and looked down to the main entrance and saw Jet had sat on a bench on the main sidewalk. Smoking his pipe. He was quiet. He'd been older in his death than his father, and it was unusual to Ja-kal to see his son, who appeared far older than himself, sitting there in the sunlight smoking a pipe and thinking.

The Dog, Imeut sat at his feet; tongue hanging out as he watched cars pass with fascination.

Ja-kal looked down at his coffee a moment before he turned to make his way inside. He looked back once more at Jet before he sunk inside.

This would be a difficult transition for him. His son returned, but much in age; older than himself. Leap-froging through time like they had all done was taxing enough, but he felt he had been left behind. He tried not to let it get to him, he should thank Ra for his son's safe return, but something plagued him still.

Ja-kal decided he would focus on their move first and foremost. Perhaps that would help him get his mind off the Dog Warrior, the staff bearer, and the older man, who was also his son.

The other thing on the hunter's mind was the scrolls taken in the break in. What had Scarab found, and what could he do with what he had taken? The warrior came back to his mind, what would Jet know about what was taken?

To be continued...