Chapter 1- 16

Ten minutes later, Ashley, dressed once more in her Lara Croft outfit, led her parents, with Ibrahim trailing along somewhat confusedly, through the nearby mounds and broken ground, towards the hidden doorway that Ali had discovered earlier.

“It’s not much further, just 100 yards or so down into a wadi,” Ashley said over her shoulder.

Ibrahim sped up a little to catch up to Kate and Alex. “Doctor, Missus… where are we going?”

“We’re not exactly sure Ibrahim,” said Kate, “but we are supposed to meet your father there—and I am sure a few things that happened today will make more sense after that.”

Ibrahim looked even more confused than he had when he asked his question, but he shook his head and continued to follow along.

Within a few minutes the small group had wended its way down the wadi to the mysterious door that Ali had found earlier in the day. Where once it had been blocked by debris and a large stone door, now the way was clear.  A cramped dark tunnel ran into the hill, rising as it went in.

Alex looked at what little he could see of the tunnel walls as Ashley led them forward. The walls showed signs of tool marks, but appeared natural in many places, indicating that some sort of natural passage had been modified at some time in the past.

As they went up the small passage, they could see a dim light in front of them. Drawing closer to the end of the tunnel, it became clear that the light was not from torches or electrical lighting, but appeared to be daylight.

Ashley led them out of the tunnel into a small chamber about 20 feet wide by 40 foot long, part natural and part cut out of the native rock. Attenuated daylight leaked into one end of the chamber from several fissures in the rock, focusing like weak spotlights on a humanoid-shaped rock formation at the left end of the chamber from the entrance. Faint traces of red ochre were visible on the formation. The flat floor was covered in a thick layer of colorful carpets and several ornate bronze braziers lined the visible walls

A voice came out of the darkness at the right end of the chamber, “Long ago, when the lands about this place were still green and the rain still fell, men came here, seeking something. Some sought success in the hunt. Some sought success in love. Some sought power.”

Meh-Mem-Sut stepped forward out of the darkness, pacing slowly towards the rock formation at the far end, clad only in her long raven hair.

“Seeing something in the shape of the rocks here and sensing some power here, they danced and sang and prayed for the things that they sought and their imagination and belief went to work…  it awakened me and drew me here, setting me on the path to what I have become. In time their prayers were answered.”

Meh-Mem-Sut stood before the rocks and turned to face the small group, standing highlighted in the weak sunlight, arms stretched wide. Her eyes were glazed as though she looked at something very far away in space and time.

“Belief that is not answered dies… but if it is answered, it feeds upon itself, growing stronger with the passage of time. As belief grew, I grew and as the land faded around us, I was able to keep some small part of it green and alive, until I was imprisoned and my children taken from me.”

“This then,” she continued, “is the place of the beginning—and it is fitting that we make our new beginning here. It is to that end that I have brought all of you here at this time.”

Meh-Mem-Sut gestured and fire awoke in the braziers, filling the chamber with warm light and the fragrance of sweet incense. Ali stood revealed at the far end of the room, naked except for bands of twisted gold about his upper arms and a heavy gold and lapis necklace in the ancient Egyptian style.

Ashley advanced to stand face-to-face with Meh-Mem-Sut with her eyes alight and a smile upon her face.

“My Beloved,” said Meh-Mem-Sut, “are you ready now to take up that which is given to you, to share that which you have, and to bring joy and happiness to the Family?”

“I am, Mimi.”

“So be it!  I take now the name that you give me… and though I am not now that which I once was, I am what I am—I bring you love and strength, joy and health and wisdom and compassion. I will serve you and yours as you serve me!”

Meh-Mem-Sut , now Mimi, gestured again and a collective gasp issued from the small group clustered by the entrance as the chamber spun around them.

Alex almost stumbled as the world swam about him. Recovering he looked down and saw that instead of the work clothes that he had been wearing when he entered the chamber, he now wore only heavy arm bands and a necklace similar to those worn by Ali. Looking at the others by the door he could see that they had changed as well. Ibrahim was attired like he and Ali, while Kate wore lighter and more elegant versions of the jewelry with the addition of pendulous lapis and gold earrings, a slim golden headband holding back her hair, and a fine golden chain around her waist.

Looking over at Ashley, he could see that her Lara Croft outfit had disappeared, leaving her wearing only jewelry similar to her mother’s, her slim, nearly naked body glowed in the combination of fire and sunlight.

Ashley turned to face them, with Mimi standing close behind her, her hands now resting upon Ashley’s shoulders. After a moment, as though giving the others time to recover from the sudden change, she spoke.

“Ali, Ibrahim and Kate, now is the time of decision. If you would be Family and share in the Bonds, then come forward and take your places.”

Ashley stepped forward a half-dozen places. Uncertainly at first, but with growing confidence, Ali and Kate moved forward, knowing where to go almost instinctively. Ibrahim stood uncertainly for a moment, but seeing Kate and his father moving forward, he moved to join them.

Ali took up a position behind Ashley, while Kate moved to stand a few feet in front of her daughter, facing her. Ibrahim moved to stand behind Kate. As they took up their positions, Mimi moved across the chamber to stand beside Alex. As she moved towards him, Alex could feel the energy and heat in the room begin to build.

Mimi placed her hand on Alex’s arm and rose up on tiptoe to whisper in his ear. “Beginnings—new things—are often difficult but, in the end, it is important to remember that we are all Family.”

Alex felt very warm and his body began to respond to the heat and sexual energy that was filling the chamber. Very conscious of the warm, fragrant presence of Mimi beside him, Alex looked back over at the foursome gathered together near the left end of the chamber. As he stared at his naked daughter and wife close to Ali and Ibrahim a wave of mixed desire and jealousy washed through him and, just as quickly, he could feel Mimi’s hand tighten about his arm and the whispered word, “Remember.”

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