Immortals: Pendant of Power

by Brenton Bloch

died.  Why the hell would dad want to find this guy?  What is there left to find of him really?  And from what I can tell they never made a tomb so where would dad look?  Egypt...maybe the wording on the books will help."  He thought.

  He walked back to the books and discovered, with his dad's notes to help him, the location of a tomb where he was secretly buried.

  "Inescapable to all who enter.  Trapped forever within the trials fated to look upon power in exchange to never see the light of day.  What kind of warning is that?  I don't care how hard it is.  I'll solve the trials so I can punch that excuse for a father in the face."

  I walked back to the computer to input the coordinates and book a flight to Egypt with hidden money my father had stored.  Gathering up supplies from around the house I carried them to the library.  I put them all into a traveler’s pack and attempted to clean the mess of books off the ground.

  While stacking the books, I heard a footsteps from behind and before I could react a gun was pressed against the back of his head.

  "Who...?"  I attempted to ask.

  I fell to the floor as the gun was fired.  The bullet piercing through my skull, continuing past the brain and out the other end.  Laying there unconscious and at anyone's mercy, my blood dripped across the floor.

  Ch. 3: An Annoyance

  Eyes opening, consciousness returning and ceiling in sight.  I find myself on a cozy white bed covered in blankets.  I sat up to examine my surroundings, realizing I was still in my house.  Dark green walls of a room that I haven't used in years.  Nothing but a comfy bed and a small television to entertain me.  Hearing footsteps I jumped out of bed and turned my back to the wall ready to ambush whoever struck me that seemingly fatal blow.  A shadowy figure walked in and I suddenly realized who it was.

  "Juley, you idiot."  I said with a blank face.

  She stepped forward and revealed herself.  A girl no more than eighteen years old, long brown hair with hazel eyes.  Dressed in a black t-shirt and thin red coat, which was mine until I got too big for it.  Light blue skinny jeans and...I never paid any attention to her shoes.  Her face was still full of color.  For what she just did I expected her to be worried and pale but I think she knew I would recover.

  Due to the fact I have the power of rapid cell speed and replacement, basically cell regeneration, I'm able to heal from a bullet to the head in under a half an hour.  I'm a bit weak at first but it's fairly close to being immortal.  With enough severity I could die but the only way to truly kill an immortal is to obliterate all their brain cells.  She knows of my powers and my bloodline which is why she is my only friend.  This is her idea of a joke but I don't find it too funny.

  "You could have done permanent damage.  You know that don't you?"  I bickered.

  With a smirk.  "Calm down, I missed the memory section of your brain so you should be fine.  And it's not like I destroyed every cell, just a lot of them.  Like you always say the more it happens the faster the process goes right?"

  "That doesn't mean to shoot me when you want.  You know I'm weak when I heal."  I explained.

  She was always impulsive but the only one I could trust.  After my father left I thought about ending it all.  I pulled the trigger outside, near her house, and found myself in her bed recuperating.  When I awoke it was as much a shock to me as it was to her.  I started to acknowledge her more and since I dropped out of school she became the only one to talk with.  At that moment I discovered my power, which led me to learn and from then on I stayed in the library.  Rarely would she check up on me but I preferred to be alone.

  "So what's up?  What are you doing?"  She asked, quickly changing the subject.

  I proceeded to tell her everything that led me up to my trip to Egypt and Pharaoh Ptolemy VI Philometor.  I expected her to be revolted by the idea of having her come with, knowing it would be too dangerous.  But instead it ended up like...

  "Oh I want to go! Can I go? Please, please, please?!"  She begged.

  "Fine..." I agreed with a blank face "But remember what this trip is about."

  Grabbing the bags I walked out of the room to head off to the airport.  Juley, however, fantasized about how she would see all the great monuments, most importantly, the sphinx.  Better to crash her daydream when we get to the tomb then to hear her whining on the plane.

  We boarded the plane and after a long trip got our luggage, me having to carry Juley's because according to her heat stroke happens three times faster carrying heaving objects.  I think she completely ignored I would succumb to exactly what she said.

  Trudging through the sand.  "When are we going to get there?  Where's the Sphinx?  Is it close?  Are you even listening to me?"  She asked on and on.

  "No Juley I'm too busy listening to the sand and the complete nothingness all around us.  I told you what this trip was about.  We're going to the tomb of Pharaoh Ptolemy VI Philometor to see what my father discovered, that's all.  No side trips."  I said crashing her spirits.

  "Okay.  Hey look a tomb!"  She shouted.

  "Did she hear a word I said?"  I whispered to myself shrugging in indifference.  "What?!"  I yelled surprised.

  The tomb that the books and my father located was seen in the distance.  I started to bolt for it forgetting all about...what’s her name?

  "Hey wait up!"  She yelled but knew it wouldn't matter.

  "Finally I can solve these stupid puzzles and kick my old man right in the face!"  I yelled excited.

  Ch. 4: Egypt Awaits

  "Here we are.  According to the books this is an unknown tomb.  Even ancient Egyptians didn't know who built it, but they took the design for themselves like humans always do."  He informed her arrogantly.

  "I know you hate humans for what "we" did to your people but, hey, flesh and blood human right here."  She told him.

  "Sorry.  On with the history lesson.  No one knew how to open it because it needed a password which if you have the books it's easy.  Ptolemy...VI...Philometor!"  He hollered the password into the air.

  The entrance doors slowly opened, spilling out sand and bits of clumped rocks before a loud sound echoed through the tomb as the doors stopped.  Dark and damp I reached my hand into one of the bags and pulled out two flashlights.

  "Here, you're going to need this."  Tossing her the flashlight.  "And don't be frightened or fascinated by every little thing."  I told her coldly.

  Walking in, they turned on their flashlights and saw the innards of the mysterious tomb.  Dark sandstone were used for walls and growing on them were moss and cracks that leaked water.  The ground was shifty because of a thin layer of sand and up ahead they found a closed door.

  "What's behind it?" She asked, frightened.

  "From what I gather from my father's notes there are 4 rooms total.  This one which is the entrance, the first room of traps which has a warning about the first challenge.  The second room which makes you fall into a dark abyss if you're not careful.  And the final room houses the first half of the sacred pendant.  Hopefully my dad will be somewhere in here."  I explained.

  "Not to be harsh Scott but wouldn't your dad have died spending three years in here?"  She asked him.

  "If he was smart, no way."  I reassured.

  Walking up to the door I found the warning of the first room: Those who venture into this tomb, know your lives will be doomed.  As you take your last breath, welcome and embrace your death.

  "What a lame warning.  Obviously they've never met an immortal before."  I said in confidence.

  Together, we pushed the door open to reveal an empty room with a door on the other side.  It had no writing on it but looked the same as the other door.  Juley, being as stupid as ever, walked forward without a care.

  "What's the big deal? Where’s the traps?"  She asked.

  Suddenly I heard a sound from the walls as needles sprang out heading for Juley.  I ran as fast as I could.

  "Juley watch out!!"  I screamed grabb
ing her and shielding her body with mine.  "AAAHHH!!!"

  The needles pierced my skin, some going completely through to the other side of my body.  I could feel every needle as they pierced me and made holes with blood pouring out.  I covered my head to protect my brain cells to assure I would survive.

  "I'm sorry Scott I didn't know" She said about to cry.

  "You idiot.  I told you this place was booby-trapped, why the hell would you just casually walk into it?"  I replied angrily.

  "Instinct I guess."  She told me trying to act happy which ultimately failed.

  I stood on my feet after a bit of wobbling and feeling needles stick further into my skin.  I found my eyesight was starting to blur.  Probably from the blood loss or trying to comprehend the stupidity that left me in this situation.

  "Are you okay?  Right of course not.  What do you want me to do?"  She asked, worried.

  "Pull out the needles quickly and ignore the screaming.  The quicker it gets done the faster I can heal."  I directed her.

  "Ok here it goes."  She started grabbing needles and blood started flying.

  After a few minutes of shear agony all the needles had left my body.  The holes were dissipating as my regenerative power showed itself.

  "Okay I'm fine let's get going."  I told her.

  "But don't you need time to rest?"  She asked me, still worried.

  It was true I wasn't at full strength, but after coming so far I wasn't going to wait any longer.  I knew I could handle a lot more than this and compared to being