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***
Daniel strained against the invisible force crushing him against the ceiling.
Every muscle in his body tensed, enhanced strength surging… but it didn't matter. Imhotep's power held him like an insect trapped in amber.
"Dammit…!" Daniel hissed through clenched teeth. The force only tightened.
He could feel it now — if he stayed like this, pinned and helpless, they were all dead.
No more waiting.
No more holding back.
"Fuck it," he breathed, voice low and cold. "Let's get this over with."
His hand slipped into his inventory, fingers brushing the weapon he'd hoped he'd never have to use.
The Sword of Death.
The instant it appeared in his hand, the blade erupted into swirling black mist, shadows leaking from its surface like smoke escaping a dying fire.
A violent chill rippled through the chamber — torches flickered, flames shrinking back as if afraid.
The temperature dropped so fast the air turned sharp.
O'Connell shuddered. "What the… shit is that? I'm getting a seriously creepy feeling from it."
Daniel didn't answer.
Because the blade wasn't just reacting — it was awakening.
The black mist coiled around his arm, then crawled across his chest, shoulders, face… until his entire figure dissolved into a silhouette of living darkness. Only two glowing blue eyes remained visible, burning with unnatural light.
The invisible force pinning him shattered like glass.
Daniel dropped from the ceiling, landing on one knee, the sword buried point-first into the stone floor. The impact sent a shockwave of cold wind rolling through the chamber.
For a moment…
everything was silent.
Even Imhotep paused.
Daniel rose slowly, each movement unnervingly calm, the shadows clinging to him like a cloak woven from nightmares.
He leveled the blade at Imhotep — the mist curling off it like hungry smoke seeking a soul.
His voice came out deeper, colder.
"It's time…"
He stepped forward, shadows surging behind him.
"…you return to the dead."
A reaper — standing right in front of them.
Imhotep recoiled. His half-regenerated skin cracked as he hissed in ancient Egyptian
"How do you possess the power of the dead?!"
Daniel didn't even pause.
"I don't know what you said," he replied, grin widening into something inhuman. "But you're still fucked, bald guy."
He launched himself forward.
The chamber exploded with motion — WHOOSH! — shadow trailing behind him like black fire. His sword came down in a vicious arc aimed at Imhotep's neck.
Imhotep extended his hand — CLANG! — a blade shot into his grip, barely catching Daniel's strike.
The impact sent a shockwave across the floor. The Golden Book flew from Imhotep's grasp and skidded away.
Daniel twisted his foot and kicked it further across the chamber, sending it clattering against a stone pillar.
Imhotep snarled as sand peeled off his arm in chunks.
Daniel didn't give him a second.
"Round two, mummy boy," he growled — and disappeared into black mist.
He reappeared to Imhotep's right, sword already descending — SHHRAAANG!
Imhotep blocked — barely — stumbling from the force. Another swing came instantly, horizontal this time — KRAAANG! — slamming into Imhotep's blade and pushing him back several steps.
Imhotep tried summoning a sand wave, but Daniel cut straight through it — FWOOOM! — scattering the sand like exploding powder.
"You call that a defense?" Daniel taunted, voice echoing unnaturally. "Pathetic."
He lunged again.
This time a barrage — six rapid strikes in the span of a heartbeat.
CLANG! CLANG! CRACK! CRASH!
Every hit forced Imhotep back, sand spraying from his body with each blow. The priest lost footing — staggered — then lost control entirely.
The invisible bindings on O'Connell, Jonathan, and Ardeth Bay shattered — THUD! — they fell to the ground, coughing.
Daniel didn't even glance back.
He reached into his mist-covered torso, pulled out the key, and hurled it across the room.
"Release Evy and use the key and read the damn spell!" Daniel shouted, his voice echoing through the chamber like rolling thunder.
He couldn't kill Imhotep with the Sword of Death — not like this.
A weapon that powerful shouldn't be wasted, and from the way the blade pulsed in his grip, it was obvious: unless it pierced straight through the target, the sword wouldn't activate at all.
The key spun through the air — glinting once before O'Connell snatched it out of the air with both hands.
"On it!" O'Connell barked. He turned sharply. "Jonathan, go and help your sister! And you—help me find that damn book!"