45 Here At Last!

Crynn POV

The second night is the most terrible one I've had in quite a while, and I mean quite a while. Do you know the sensation of falling asleep upright, on a camel and no back rest. If you haven't, then you won't know the suffering I went through. I woke up 10 times throughout the entire journey and in the end, I don't even want to bother taking a nap.

Meanwhile, everyone besides me has their good nights rest, snoring on the camel backs like its their finest bed. Ooh! My back aches! "Aren't we there yet!" I called out, not really expecting a reply, it's probably around 5 in the morning, the moon's setting and the sun's rising, and damn that sun's bright.

"It should be around 30 minutes away," O'Connell replied calmly, beholding the vast horizon with his two eyes, looking all cool like, it would be cooler if only he was on a horse. But I suppose camels are cheaper and O'Connell's quite the cheapskate. "So, how does Hamunaptra look like," so City of The Dead, extravagant name, it only adds more with the immortal buried inside.

"A bunch of worthless old ruins, you'll see when you get there, the opening though is a bit special," he sighed and gave a look of deep contemplation to the distant as if expecting something. "O'Connell! I'm expecting the rewards of our bet!" a sudden voice resounded from the hills beside, an arrogant blonde man wearing some beige pants and suspenders on top of a white button down shirt.

"Henderson! Thought you'd never make it!" O'Connell sarcastically said pointing at the man, now known as Henderson while donning a fake surprised expression. "Well, I'm always there for the final stretch!" Henderson scowled and replied and after, four man on horses came down the hill to join along with quite the large convoy of white-wearing Egyptians coming down on camels and horses.

"Ah! If it isn't the failing Egyptologist!" A fez wearing man dressed in a dirty white tux jacket with a full vest suit underneath and that sarcasm is barely passable and it is clearly directed towards Evelyn even if the man himself never indicated so. "Never thought I'd see the man who cheated for the degree himself!"

Evelyn shot back brilliantly causing the man's expression to falter and turn dark. He glowered, "Why you little!" The man was about to continue before Henderson, stretched his palm in front of his mouth, "We're all going to Hamunaptra together Allen, let's all play nice first, O'Connell! Still remember the rules of treasure hunting!"

O'Connell gave Henderson a raised eye, "First to the treasure gets the treasure!" What sort of rules are that! Isn't it supposed to be, who kills the other person first gets the treasure, that's what Tomb Raider taught me anyway. "Exactly! Let our friendly competition begin on Hamunaptra heh," Henderson exclaimed excitedly while suddenly gripping O'Connell's hand and shaking it.

O'Connell only nodded and the 5 men on horses turned back to their own convoy and following their own separate path and so I turned to O'Connell for some answers, "Mind an introduction on your... 'dear' friends." O'Connell looked towards the five men and then at me.

"Henderson's the blonde, expert gunslinger, top notch mercenary, he proclaims me his rival, not to be underestimated. The man on his right, with the darkest jacket, Daniels, an arrogant man who claims to know everything, he practically announced himself omniscient. The man on the right, round glasses, Burns. An intellectual type, arrogant with Knowledge's backing, the right strategist."

"You already met Dr. Allen, a prick, rumors say he cheated his way into getting his degrees but he's quite the famous Egyptologist and lastly that little cowardly man accompanying them, that's Beni, once a recruit under my command, shamelessly and unhonorably fled the battle on Hamunaptra when I was once the capitaine!"

"Well, anyway we should get going, don't want to lose to those guys!" O'Connell patted the camel twice, having it go faster than before, galloping like a horse. I saw all the others do the same thing of patting their camels twice. What would a rational guy do? Do the same thing of course and so I patted my horse twice and oh it went fast.

Never thought a camel could go this quick, well if you count the territory of deserts, I think camels can easily win as number one desert transportation if not for the uncomfortable wobble backs. And this competition between O'Connell and the opposing side, I couldn't care less, I'm here as a bodyguard and hopefully here for the books.

We continued for another 10 minutes galloping without stop before O'Connell raised his hand to stop and patted the camel back twice again for it to stay. The rest of us followed and our camels stop. I can see Henderson and his team on the far end of our left side, they too stopped. "Everyone! I present you Hamunaptra!" Wait a second, there's nothing, only deserts and high desert cliffs but no ruins or anything indicating the lost city.

"What do you mean! There's nothing," Jonathan beat me to the question of 'where is it?'. "Watch the show, at least the opening of it!" O'Connell smirked at everyone, being the only person in the group to have ever went to Hamunaptra, he must be so arrogant as to tease us with whatever this is.

As the sun continues rising from the east, suddenly out of nowhere a mirage appears from the rippling air, ruins of an ancient place displayed magestically, although tested by time, it's high walls still display the might of the ancient Egyptian Empire. And its huge statues serve to represent the status of the once prosperous and powerful empire.

I and everyone else including O'Connell could only gaze in amaze at the sudden timely appearance of the ruins, Evelyn especially couldn't seem to believe her eyes as she constantly shook her head, opening and closing her eyes. In the midst of it all, O'Connell shouted out, "Everyone! Charge!" following which a similar command resounded from our dear friends on the left.

Finally! This is the last stretch! No more camel riding! I'm here at last!