Marvel Two-In-One #95
The Power to Live...
Alicia Masters has just received an unexpected package in the mail, while she opens the box Ben reads the letter attached. When the sender states that the contents of the package will make her the first in a "new race" of Egyptian gods, Ben tells her to stop opening it but it is too late. Suddenly the room is filled with an energy that pushes him back and calls to Alicia. Enthralled by what is inside the box, Alicia puts on a strange helmet and tells Ben her intention to join this new pantheon of gods as a bride of Nephrus. When Ben tries to stop her, Alicia fires a powerful beam of energy from the strange helmet that sends him crashing into the wall. He warns him not to interfere with her again or it will cost him his life and departs. When Ben recovers he tries to examine the package and the letter for clues but finds that all evidence of the delivery has been incinerated. With no other clues to follow, Ben decides to go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's exhibit on ancient Egypt to see what he can learn there.
There the thing meets with Egyptologist Lillian Templeworth, who is uneasy with the Thing being in her museum. But when he mentions the "Bride of Nephrus" she shows him a picture of the Crown of Hathor, Ben recognizes it as the one Alicia put on earlier. Templeworth explains that the helmet was recently stolen by Gemal Hassan, the museum’s chief curator until recently. When they begin comparing notes, Lillian suddenly realizes that Alicia being both blind and an artist made her the ideal candidate as the Bride of Nephrus and that Gemal is seeking to locate the long-lost Spirit Gem of Nephrus, which can only be wielded by an ancestor of Nephrus.
At that same moment, Alicia has arrived in New York Harbor, where she summons Gemal in a massive Egyptian ship. Much to the surprise of a dock security guard, the ship takes off into the sky when Alicia climbs aboard. Back at the museum, the Thing and Lillian go over her information on the Spirit Gem and pinpoint where in Egypt it may be hidden. While at that moment in Egypt, the Living Mummy sits upon a sand dune and reflects upon his life. He recalls how he used to be the brave African chieftain named N'Kantu until he was captured and made a slave by Nephrus. He recalls how Nephrus had N'Kantu embalmed and transformed into the Living Mummy. He recalls how after thousands of years beneath the sand he had escaped his entombment only to be hounded and feared by those in this modern age. Suddenly the Mummy's thoughts are broken when he spots a procession crossing the desert. Within it, he sees both Alicia Masters and Gemal Hassan. Due to Hassan's resemblance to the ancient Nephrus, the Living Mummy decides to follow after it to get his revenge against the man who cursed him to live for centuries. While aboard the procession, Hassan gloats that about gaining immortality once he locates the Spirit Gem. When they arrive at the site where the gem may be hidden, Hassan boasts that soon he will become a god.
Not far away, the Thing and Lillian Templeworth have arrived in Egypt and are trying to obtain some camels to travel into the desert. Suddenly they are attacked by a band of locals, but the Thing easily fights them off and the two flee into the desert. Back at the dig site, Gemal is alerted to the approach of the Thing and Templeworth and uses the camp's defenses to try and keep them at bay while they continue their search for the gem. While Ben defends Templeworth from the cannons, the Living Mummy confronts Gemal who flees. In the middle of this Conflict, Alicia is able to locate the Gem and gives it to Gemal. Placing the gem upon his chest, Gemal is then ascended to godhood as his body is possessed by the spirit of his ancestor, Nephrus. When Ben and Lillian arrive at the site they run into the Living Mummy. Before they can decide how to deal with this new potential threat, both Nephrus and his "bride" burst out of the ground. While Ben and the Mummy battle Nehprus, Lillian tries to break Alicia's connection with him. With energies from the Crown of Hathor surrounding Alicia, Lillian tries to break the connection between her and Nephrus by throwing a live electrical wire at her.
As the battle rages on, Alicia wakes up finally free from the influence of the crown. Lilian informs her that she still has the power to control the crown, and so she uses it to blast the Spirit Gem off Nephrus' chest. The gem falls into the Thing's hand who witnesses as their foe begins to rapidly age. Ben then crushes the gem, preventing Nephrus from regaining his power and causing him to crumble to dust. With his ancient enemy finally dead, the Living Mummy then shambles back out into the desert, leaving Ben to be reunited with his love.
Recurring Characters
Thing, Living Mummy, Alicia Masters, Nephrus, Willie Lumpkin
Continuity Notes
The Living Mummy recounts his origins which were first told in Supernatural Thrillers #5.
