A bustling city can be seen as merchants, peddlers, tourists, explorers, and soldiers are walking about under the scorching sun. Tall palm trees can be seen around the city as it provides the much needed shade for the city's inhabitants. The river Nile was filled with various sizes of boats being used for transport or for fishing. This city is known to be the capital of Egypt — the city of Cairo.
In a secluded part of the city, a blue portal suddenly appeared. It expanded before stabilising the surrounding space. A foot suddenly stepped out before a few more steps revealed a man with two ladies in modern attire appeared. As they all stepped out, the blue portal behind them closed as if it never existed. These are Y/N, Wednesday, and Enid along with Thing.
Enid complained, "It's soooo hot!! We gotta change into some cooler clothes."
Wednesday agreed, "Indeed, our attire is not very conductive in this heat. Perhaps some stores here will provide a solution."
I looked around and noticed the pyramid ahead and said, "It looks like we're in Egypt. See the pyramid in the distance. I have an idea what world we are in but I have to make sure. I'll have the Shadow Knights as well as the birds to scout the city. If my guess is correct, we will earn a lot here in terms of magic and wealth."
Wednesday and Enid were visibly excited hearing that. A whole new world and new possibilities excited them to no end. They were wondering what would happen in this new world.
I took out a backpack and shuttled around the city with Wednesday and Enid to find a place to exchange gold for some British pounds. From the looks of the British soldiers stationed around the city, Cairo is still a colony under British rule. This narrows down the time period from 1882 to 1952 and increases the certainty of what world we are in.
Wednesday and Enid were taking the sights as they had never left the United States back in their world and coming to Egypt was a new experience for them. The heat, the people, the weird smells, and the tourist attractions were an absolute joy to them. Though they wish they could change into something cooler so they could acclimate to the weather here.
I looked at the two girls with a smile on my face. It seemed like yesterday that I was in the same situation as them when I first went into their world. That excitement will keep them in their hearts every time we move to new worlds.
Concentrating on the task at hand, I asked a few merchants to point me to the direction of the gold exchange building. A few gold coins loosened their tongues and immediately pointed to the right direction. I reminded the girls to follow and Thing to stay inside the bag for now since I think people will be frightened to see a walking severed hand. I assured Thing that things would change soon.
It only took ten minutes to arrive at the gold exchange building. I exchanged a few gold bars for about fifteen thousand British pounds. I allocated five thousand pounds to each of us for daily use. This would be enough for use in this time period.
The year is 1925 according to the people at the gold exchange. So I took Wednesday and Enid to the bazaar to shop for some ethnic clothes for the city and for the desert should they wander there. After shopping for a few hours, we headed up to one of the nicer British hotels in Cairo and booked the penthouse suite for a week.
It will take some time before the Shadow Knight and Shadow birds to return from their scouting mission. Until then, me and the girls are going to enjoy the life of a noble here in Cairo. The food service was great but British food was really never my favorite.
I opted for some Egyptian cuisine and the girls agreed with my suggestion. The night was gorgeous as the night sky illuminated the city with the pyramid and the Nile river as the backdrop.
After a relaxing night with Wednesday and Enid, it was still around 11pm. I figured I should head down to the bar and have a drink. Before I head down, I left a few Shadow Knights to guard the room.
The bar is filled with both locals and other Brits either drinking or smoking on the side. I asked the bartender for some whiskey before leaving a considerable tip. The bartender became more enthusiastic and got a whole bottle of whiskey and glass for me.
I took the glass filled with whiskey and slowly drank it savoring the taste. The rich, smooth, and smoky taste lingered in my mouth before it reached my stomach. More people came to the bar as the night went on.
A shrewd man came to the bartender next to me asking for liquor. He noticed me drinking alone and proceeded to introduce himself, "Evening Chap, mind if I drink with ya? Nice night to have a drink."
I turned to him and replied, "Indeed it is. So how come you came to the bar? I'm assuming you're here to blow off steam or run away from something."
The shrewd man questioned, "Why do you say that? Do I look like I'm trouble?"
I took another drink and pointed towards the bar entrance and replied, "Well a young woman is angrily looking at you so I'm going to say, yes."
The young woman yelled out, "Jonathan!! You dare take something from the museum!!"
The shrewd man named Jonathan immediately got scared and tried explaining, "Evy, you gotta believe. I didn't take anything from there!"
The angry woman known as Evy didn't believe a word Jonathan said and grabbed his ear and twisted it.
Evy roared, "I'm not going to listen to your nonsense, Jonathan! You better return that artifact to the museum tonight or else!!"
Evy looked at me in embarrassment and explained, "My apologies. I did not expect Jonathan to make a friend tonight. I forgot to introduce myself, my name is Evelynn Carnahan. My idiot brother is Jonathan."
I chuckled and held out my hand and said, "It is not a problem at all. Your brother had a guilty look on his face when he asked for a drink so I thought he'd be in trouble. My name is Y/N Ashborn. I am pleased to make your acquaintance."
Evelyn shook my hands and thanked me, "Thank you for looking after my idiot brother. Thanks to you, I was able to catch him. If you need anything, you can find me at the Cairo Museum of Antiquities. I bid thee: Goodnight Mr. Ashborn."
I also greeted farewell, "Good night to you as well, Ms. Evelyn. And Jonathan, I'll see you sometime."
Evelyn walked out of the bar with Jonathan in tow as she was still twisting her brother's ear for stealing an artifact.
Looking at the two siblings confirmed my assumption, it really is the world of the Mummy. From the looks of it, I still have one more year before the start of the plot. O'Connell must still be a colonel in the French Foreign Legion.
There's plenty of time to explore and learn hieroglyphics from Evelyn. It will really be handy for both the Book of the Dead and the Book of Amun-Ra to recite the spells inside. The Book of the Dead will be left to Wednesday in the future as a grimoire and I'll also update it in case we encounter more obscure spell books in the future.
There is also the Spear of Osiris at Hamunaptra and the Bracelet of Anubis in a ruined temple at Thebes. The Bracelet of Anubis will be given to Enid so she can take command of the army of Anubis but I'll have to take control of Anubis' part of the underworld to take his army.
Thinking for a while, I snapped my fingers before exclaiming, "The answer should be in the pyramid in Ahm Shere. When Imhotep stepped between the two Anubis statues, Anubis took away his magical prowess to face the Scorpion King as a mortal. Perhaps there's still a wisp of Anubis' divine thought in those statues and that could be the key to the army."
I shook my head and thought, "I really shouldn't think too much and just go with the flow for now. There's still a year to prepare and learn at the museum with Wednesday and Evelyn. I'll most likely go around with Jonathan to see if I can pick something up. He really has a weird way of acquiring valuable relics despite his nature."
I headed back upstairs after downing my last glass of whiskey. I took a quick bath before climbing on the bed with Wednesday and Enid. Our first night in the world of the Mummy came to an end.
The next morning came as the sunlight hit my face waking me up from my sleep. I opened my eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling before looking out the open balcony to see the pyramid outside. I finally realized I was no longer in Wednesday and Enid's world and now in the Mummy world.
I patted both their butts, waking both girls in the process. Both Wednesday and Enid looked at me groggily before laying back down.
I just shook my head before washing up and getting ready for the day. I went downstairs to grab breakfast and headed back upstairs for the two lazy girls. I entered the room before setting the breakfast on the table by the balcony.
I sat on the edge of the bed before completely waking up both Wednesday and Enid. They just rubbed their eyes before walking to the bathroom to freshen up. It only took a few minutes before they came back out after washing their faces.
I called them over, "Morning you two. Sleep well last night? I got some breakfast downstairs for us to eat. I'll fill you in on some information I found out last night. So for now, let's eat."
They began to dig into the food as the local cuisine had its own distinct taste satisfying their taste buds. Breakfast quickly ended as the temperature outside started to slowly soar with the rising sun.
Wednesday looked over to me before she asked, "Mi Amor, what information did you find last night? Did you figure out what world we are in?"
Enid also looked over in curiosity. Despite her cheerful nature, she's very observant to her surroundings albeit not as much as Wednesday.
I smiled and calmly replied, "I did. After I went to the bar last night, I found the brother of the heroine of this world and concluded that we have a whole year before the plot of the world starts. This would be the world of the Mummy as it mostly revolves in resurrections of mummies and the usual subsequent end of the world."
I looked at both Wednesday and Enid before continuing, "Just like your world, I would consider you and Enid, the protagonists of your own world. As protagonists, you receive more luck from your world."
Wednesday and Enid were astonished to find that they were the protagonists of their world. They both looked at each other before shrugging it off. Now that they followed me in shuttling through the multiverse, they were free from the constraints of the world and free to make their own future.
Wednesday continued asking, "I assume we will be heading to the desert a year later. Will there be anything hindering us?"
I replied, "There will be some obstacles in the beginning but I ultimately believe "obstacles" will help us instead. After all, we will be facing off against a 3000-year old Mummy with powers over the 12 plagues of Egypt."
Enid widened her eyes while Wednesday just opened her mouth in shock. They never thought they would already be entangled with someone who could bring the end of the world so quickly but they calmed down immediately.
They also have their own protection, which was me. As a person who travels the multiverse, I have future knowledge on what can be used to combat or vanquish the walking doomsday figure.
I watched as their expressions changed from shock to relief as they remembered I would be the insurance to make sure nothing would happen to them. They are correct to think that as they are my women and I will protect them with my life. I will not betray my promises to them.
Enid sighed in relief and wrapped her arms around my neck and said, "So what are we going to do for a year?"
I enjoyed her enthusiasm and replied, "For now, Wednesday should learn how to read hieroglyphics as this would be integral to destroying said mummy and her future. She also needs to continue studying with Goody with her spell book. Besides that, we can just act like tourists and enjoy the sites. Maybe we can find some curios at the bazaar. Also if you are not used to staying here, I still have the luxury RV that is air conditioned with a built-in kitchen as well as a shower and TV. I believe Enid will run out of things to do so I brought a lot of movies for you to watch when I went raiding before."
A sudden thought cut off my thinking before digging through the movie pile before finding the movie. I cheered and handed the movie to Wednesday and Enid.
I excitedly said, "It seems like this world was also pooled in your world as a form of a movie. With this, you can watch and learn more of what's to come in a year."
Wednesday and Enid looked at the movie in their hand before asking me to bring the RV later so they can all watch it later. Fortunately there's plenty of time so they would like to tour around Cairo to enjoy the scenery. This lasted for a week before their enthusiasm lowered down.
Both Wednesday and Enid bought various little trinkets and jewelry as well as clothes. My favorite was the belly dancer outfits. It truly was magnificent to see them both in them. One is black while the other is blue. Pretty sure you know which color is for which girl.
That night felt like I was a pharaoh of Egypt. I woke up with my two ladies still sprawled on my body in bed. We just enjoyed our "honeymoon" and let loose as their responsibilities are no longer as constricting as before.
A week full of excitement passed by quickly as we see all three are headed to the Cairo Museum of Antiquities dressed more in line with the current era. We opened the door leading inside and was intrigued by the various artifacts on display.
I feel some shadows can be resurrected from mummified Egyptian warriors in their sarcophagus. This trip may be worthwhile as resurrecting these Egyptian warriors will make it easy for me to read their memory to understand and learn ancient hieroglyphics.
I looked at the girls and said, "We better find Ms. Evelyn so she can give us a tour of the place. I'm sure she should be able to help Wednesday study hieroglyphics. This concerns her future after all. I'll take out the RV later so we can watch the Mummy movie later so you girls get a better idea of what's to come."
Wednesday asked, "This concerns my future? Can you give me a hint, Mi Amor?"
I rubbed her head before replying, "You'll get clues when we watch the movie later. I'm sure you'll enjoy it very much. I will have to keep some surprises for you both."
Enid was starting to get jealous so I rubbed her head as well to appease her. She just smiled in victory for the comfortable head rubs.
We walked around the exhibits of the museum and saw many artifacts from the reign of Seti I of the New Kingdom. From the various mummified remains, many lingering spirits are ready to join the Shadow Army but I will bring them in after we get more acquainted with Ms. Evelyn, lest she view us in an unfavourable light.
Enid was also enjoying the various paintings in the exhibits while Wednesday was entranced with a black stone slab filled with hieroglyphics.
I looked at Wednesday with praise as she found the stone slab containing the information where both "Book of the Dead" and the "Book of Amun-Ra" are located.
Though a bit curious on how she ended up there, I walked by her side before asking, "Is there something that intrigues you, Mi Cuervo?"
Wednesday kept staring at the various hieroglyphics before answering, "I do not know what compelled me to this stone slab but my intuition tells me this is very important to me. Though I know not at this moment."
As Wednesday slowly raised her hand intending to touch the stone slab, a shout interrupted her action, "Please keep your hands off the stone slab, Miss!! They are only meant for viewing, not for inspecting!"
A man dressed in a British suit stood before us. He looked Egyptian from his looks and accent.
The man explained, "Dear guests, please respect these priceless artifacts and only view them from a distance. I am terribly sorry. I forgot to introduce myself, my name is Dr. Terence Bey. I am the curator of this museum."
I stepped up and held out my right hand and replied, "We appreciate the warning. We will be sure to keep a distance. My name is Y/N Ashborn, an adventurer of sorts along with my travelling companions."
Dr. Bey appreciated the honesty and shook hands with me as he treated us more in a more amicable way. He asked if there is something he could do to help. I asked Dr. Bey if he could direct us to Ms. Evelyn as she told me she would be here.
Dr. Bey had a headache about Ms. Evelyn Carnahan; though she is studious and dedicated to her work, she is prone to trouble and accidents. Despite his reluctance to let us meet each other, he could only sigh in defeat and led us to the library where Ms. Carnahan mostly resides.
We were led to a huge library filled with books and scrolls. It was categorized by the author who wrote them as well as other snippets of writing. It would not compare to the library of Alexandria but it can serve as a start of recovery. On one of the ladders reaching the top of the bookshelf, stands Ms. Evelyn Carnahan. She was returning checked out books and tidying up any loose pages in those books.
Looking around the library, I see no signs of Johnathan anywhere. He should be around bars or the bazaar. Perhaps pickpocketing or conning an unsuspecting merchant or resident. After returning the appropriate book to the shelf, she looked towards the entrance and saw Dr. Bey led a young man with two young ladies looking around with curiosity.
Dr. Bey shouted, "Ms. Carnahan, you have visitors. Please entertain them during their stay."
Along with that announcement, Dr. Bey left the library in a hurry before Ms. Carnahan had the chance to ask for an increase in position in a more hands-on experience.
Evelyn climbed down from her ladder before walking towards us. As she got closer, my familiar face emerged from her memory from a week ago. The same face that helped her find her brother Jonathan before he got into more trouble. A smile surfaced on her face before extending her hand.
I extended my hand and shook hands with Evelyn, "Ms. Evelyn, it's good to see you again. You may just call me Y/N. No need to be so formal between friends. I hope you are doing well. I hope Jonathan is keeping out of trouble as well."
Evelyn responded happily, "Likewise, Y/N. You may also call me Evelyn or Evy for short. Jonathan is still causing trouble but he seemed to have slowed down recently. He has been hanging around the bars around the city."
She noticed the two ladies behind me and asked, "And who might these two ladies be?"
I called over Wednesday and Enid and introduced, "Evelyn, this is Wednesday and Enid. They are both my companions as we travel around the world."
Evelyn greeted them as Wednesday and Enid did the same. Evelyn was quite curious how two young ladies who are more inclined in a more comfortable setting are here in a strange land accompanying me.
Wednesday and Enid both told Evelyn that they are here to learn more about the world and broaden their horizons. Evelyn happily jumped in and started a conversation with the girls as her drive to learn more about Egypt and its secrets fascinated her.
The conversation lasted for fifteen minutes before apologizing for ignoring me. I assured her that I did not mind. If anything I was thankful the girls can have another friend to be with in this city.
I asked Evelyn, "I have a selfish request, Evelyn. Is it possible for you to tutor Wednesday in learning ancient hieroglyphics? I believe she's interested in learning more about Egypt and its history."
Evelyn thought about it before agreeing. This made both me and the girls relieved as this decision would certainly make future goals easier to achieve. After getting to know each other more, we all went our separate ways and made another appointment to meet up in a few days.
We returned to the hotel before packing up the rest of our stuff and checking out. We found a flat space near the city before putting up various tarps to cover the RV from the sides as the RV will recharge with the solar panels up on top. I also laid down a fire pit as well as cushions to stay warm at night as we can stargaze.
After setting everything as they will be staying here at this camp for a year. I also release the Shadow Knights and Shadow birds to guard the RV in the surrounding perimeter in case some foolhardy miscreants want to spoil our new home.
I cooked us some barbeque over the campfire while we watched the stars litter the sky as the moon hung over the horizon.
The ancient feeling of Egypt ran through the desert as whatever horrors buried underneath the sands are eager to be unleashed upon the world.