Alex swore to himself that if there were ever a second chance, he would never put on the Scorpion Emperor's bracelet again.
If he hadn't worn it, he would never have met Imhotep, a twisted, terrifying lunatic.
The man was horrifying to look at.
Once, Alex had seen a scarab crawl out of Imhotep's own body, only for Imhotep to crush it between his fingers and swallow it without the slightest change in expression.
Just remembering it made Alex's stomach churn.
Ugh…
"What are you thinking about, kid?" Imhotep's voice snapped him back to reality.
"N—nothing," Alex replied quickly.
Imhotep's gaze dropped to the bracelet. "So. The bracelet tells you where it is?"
Alex hesitated for a fraction of a second, then nodded stiffly.
"…Right here."
Everything had begun when Garfield appeared in the sky above the train.
At that moment, Alex had been sneaking out of the restroom when the Scorpion Emperor's bracelet suddenly activated again.
A new projection appeared, its pointer aimed not at the desert…
…but straight into the sky.
Alex didn't understand what was happening, but he was clever. Instinctively, he tried to hide the projection.
Unfortunately, Imhotep had already regained part of his power.
Alex might have been smart, but he was still a child. Against someone like Imhotep, he never stood a chance.
After a brief but terrifying interrogation, Alex broke and told him everything, the strange behavior of the bracelet, the sudden guidance, the impossible direction.
Combined with the spatial fluctuations Imhotep had sensed moments earlier, the conclusion became obvious.
Whoever had triggered the disturbance was connected to the Scorpion Emperor's bracelet.
So Imhotep boarded the train again, this time escorting Alex personally, and began searching car by car.
They moved steadily forward until they reached the final carriage, the supply car.
Outside, the curator grew increasingly anxious.
If Imhotep acted recklessly here, their search for the Scorpion Emperor's oasis would be over.
Why?
Because this carriage held their food, water, and weapons.
Destroy those and continuing the journey would mean certain death.
"Move. Start searching." Imhotep shoved Alex forward, his face dark.
Alex's hands trembled, but he clenched his fists.
You can do this, he told himself.
You're brave. You're smart.
He raised his wrist and followed the bracelet's guidance step by step, walking deeper into the carriage until he reached an invisible boundary.
The moment he tried to step forward, a strange resistance pushed him aside.
Alex instinctively detoured around the spot affected by the Muggle-Repelling Spell and continued searching.
Nothing.
Eventually, he returned to Imhotep and lowered his head. "I… I didn't find anything."
"Do it again." Imhotep had been watching him closely.
Alex swallowed.
Under Imhotep's terrifying stare, he raised the bracelet once more and walked forward. When he approached the same spot, the repelling force activated again, subtly steering him away.
He searched the rest of the carriage.
Still nothing.
This time, when Alex returned, he said nothing, only waited.
Imhotep had noticed it. The invisible rejection.
After a brief silence, Imhotep pointed sharply.
"Go there," He ordered. "That spot."
Alex obeyed. The instant he stepped close, the repelling force activated for the third time.
Imhotep's expression changed.
"So that's it…" He murmured. "An expulsion spell."
He extended his hand, ancient incantations spilling from his lips. "Reveal your true form."
A surge of power struck the hidden area and was stopped cold.
The defensive barrier Garfield had set up flared briefly, absorbing the attack.
The surrounding space twisted, distorted. For an instant, the vague outline of something orange appeared.
Imhotep frowned deeply.
His strength had been weakened far more than he thought. Not only had he failed to notice such a basic concealment spell earlier, he hadn't even managed to break it now.
"…Troublesome," he muttered.
Imhotep tried again. "One, two, three, four… four, three, two, one."
Another spell slammed into the hidden barrier, nothing happened.
The disbelief on Imhotep's face deepened as he continued chanting, curse after curse, striking the same spot… and failing every single time.
Inside the barrier, the victim of this relentless assault finally opened his eyes.
Garfield, a kind-hearted, cute, and easily irritated orange cat, was very angry.
Sleep was sacred.
And someone was rudely attacking his napping spot.
Garfield slowly lifted a paw, casually dispelled the layered knots and barriers around him, and stared straight at Imhotep.
"…You bastard." He said calmly. "Are you addicted to attacking me or something?"
His tail flicked. "Believe it or not, I'll personally send you to Anubis."
"…"
An orange cat was talking.
Imhotep staggered backward several steps, his legs nearly giving out.
In ancient Egypt, cats were sacred, they were guardians of the pharaohs.
Messengers of the gods.
And Imhotep… Imhotep was a sinner.
He feared cats more than any blade or spell. He could not and would not raise a hand against one.
"M–Messenger of the Cat God…" Imhotep whispered hoarsely.
He retreated another two steps.
Alex, seeing salvation, immediately ran to Garfield's side.
Garfield narrowed his eyes. "What? Is it wrong to be a cat? You discriminating?"
Imhotep shook his head violently. "N–No! Absolutely not!"
Garfield crossed his paws, clearly displeased. "You disturbed my sleep, Imhotep. What do you think should happen?"
Imhotep's mind went blank.
Wait.
Wasn't he supposed to arrest me?
He asked desperately, "Aren't you… an emissary sent by the gods to capture me?"
"Capture you?" Garfield scoffed. "I don't have time to deal with half-dead souls."
"I'm here to clean up the junk Anubis left behind." He waved a paw dismissively.
That sentence crushed Imhotep's remaining composure.
This cat not only spoke Anubis's name directly, there was also no fear.
This thing… is not afraid of gods.
Then one terrifying realization followed another.
"So…" Imhotep asked carefully, voice trembling, "What… are you?"
Garfield yawned.
"Well," he said casually, "I'm the apprentice of the Supreme Mage of Kamar-Taj."
Imhotep's soul nearly left his body.
"And." Garfield added, "also the third prince of Asgard."
PFF~!
Imhotep spat out a mouthful of ancient blood on the spot.
Of all things…
Kamar-Taj.
Asgard.
Two names that now ruled this era of Earth. Behind Imhotep, the curator's eyes flashed with golden light.
Asgard.
The curator's heart raced.
If Imhotep could grant divine power… then what about a real god? A son of Odin?
Just as he was about to step forward, Lock-Nah grabbed him tightly.
"Curator." Lock-Nah hissed, "Don't be stupid."
The curator twitched.
Imhotep swallowed and asked, almost pleading, "Then… what are you going to do with me?"
Garfield laughed. "Nothing."
"I'm not interested in you. Live or die, that's your problem."
He pointed lazily toward the horizon. "I will only handle the aftermath."
Imhotep felt overwhelming relief.
"Waaah!" Alex, meanwhile, burst into tears.
The train continued rolling forward.
Ahead of them, the desert shimmered and the oasis shaped by Anubis's power drew closer and closer.
꧁𓊈𒆜༺⚜༻𒆜𓊉꧂
PhantomDream