THE CURSE OF CLEOPATRA

CHAPTERS: The chapters of this story are published live for collaboration development purposes, with a sequence derived from the Chapters below, supplemented with other (unpublished) writings as we progress. The final order for the proposed screenplay may be the subject of additional drafts to suit production of the final movie (producers/directors/actors). Their digital crafting was that authentic, it might as well have been a religious re-awakening of her spirit from the afterlife. A kind of resurrection from the grave, as lesser informed onlookers would believe.

<<<<<< POISON ASP

SERPENTS & SHADOWS

The air in Cleopatra’s mausoleum, usually cool and still, now thrummed with a different kind of energy. Outside, Roman guards patrolled, their heavy boots a constant, dull thud against the Alexandrian dust. Inside, a more ancient, potent rhythm was being summoned. The grief for Antony, still a raw, gaping wound in her soul, fueled a burning resolve. She would not be Octavian’s trophy. She would be an eternal shadow, a curse upon his empire, and a queen reborn.

Her loyal handmaidens, Charmian and Iras, moved with solemn purpose. The chamber, typically a place of simple rest, had been transformed into a sacred space. Hieroglyphs, copied meticulously from the hidden scrolls of the Great Library – knowledge whispered down through generations of high priests – now adorned the walls, inscribed with a mix of powdered lapis lazuli and a paste of myrrh. These were not mere decorations; they were potent invocations, wards against the profane, and pathways to the unseen.

In the center of the room, a small, obsidian altar had been placed. Upon it lay a papyrus scroll, tightly bound, bearing the seal of her distant ancestor, Thutmose III – a king famed for his magical prowess and connection to the underworld. Around the altar, seven flickering oil lamps cast dancing shadows, their light fueled by pure frankincense oil, its scent heavy and intoxicating, designed to bridge the veil between worlds.

Cleopatra, stripped of her Roman silks and adorned only in a simple, unbleached linen gown, stood before the altar. Her dark hair, unbound, flowed over her shoulders. Her eyes, usually pools of cunning, now held an unshakeable, almost feverish conviction. This was not a performance for Octavian; this was for the gods, for her soul, for the very essence of Egypt.

"Anubis, Opener of the Ways, Guardian of the Scales," she began, her voice low, a resonant chant that filled the small space. "He who guides the souls through Duat, hear my plea!"

Charmian placed a small clay bowl before her. In it, Cleopatra mixed her own tears with the blood of a freshly sacrificed dove – an offering for passage, a symbol of the life she willingly relinquished. She traced symbols onto the papyrus: the ankh for life, the djed for stability, the scarab for rebirth, and most powerfully, the Eye of Horus, a potent symbol of protection and royal power.

"Isis, Great Mother, Mistress of Magic, Giver of Life," her voice rose, trembling with raw emotion. "She who resurrected Osiris, hear my prayer for return!"

She lifted a small, intricately carved ebony statuette of Octavian, clutched in her hand. "He has defiled this sacred land," she intoned, her voice laced with venom. "He has enslaved my people, taken my beloved, sought to parade me, the living goddess, as a slave! By the power of the Nile, by the very sands of Kemet, I invoke the curse of the Pharaohs upon his line! Let his empire crumble, let his conquests turn to dust, let his name be forgotten in the winds of time!"

She crushed the statuette in her hand, the brittle wood splintering into a fine powder that she scattered over the altar. Her vengeance, she knew, would be slow, insidious, woven into the very fabric of time. It would not be a swift strike, but a creeping decay, born of her agony.

Next, her focus shifted from wrath to destiny. She sprinkled natron, the ancient purifying salt, over her body, preparing herself not just for death, but for transformation. Her priests had meticulously explained the Book of the Dead, the ancient spells and rituals required for a successful journey through the underworld. She had memorized the negative confessions, the declarations of innocence she would present before Osiris and the forty-two divine judges.

"I have not stolen. I have not harmed. I have not caused pain," she recited, her voice a whisper, her eyes closed, picturing the Hall of Ma'at. Her heart, she prayed, would be lighter than the feather of truth.

Iras, her face streaked with tears, brought forward a woven basket, heavy and laden. Inside, nestled amongst fresh figs, lay two chosen asps. Their scales, a shimmering dark green, caught the lamplight. These were not mere snakes; they were symbols of Wadjet, the cobra goddess, ancient protectors of royalty, and messengers to the afterlife.

Cleopatra held out her arm, her gaze fixed on the basket. This was her final act of defiance, a sacred ceremony of self-liberation. "My body is but a vessel," she proclaimed, her voice gaining a strange, ethereal strength. "My spirit, pure and unbowed, shall traverse the darkness of Duat, guided by Anubis, illuminated by Ra, protected by Thoth. And when the cycle turns, when the stars align once more, Isis, Mother of All, will weave my essence anew!"

She closed her eyes, picturing it vividly: the journey through the twelve hours of night, the trials, the challenges, the inevitable rebirth. She saw herself, not as a woman, but as pure consciousness, riding the solar barque with Ra, ascending to the celestial fields of Aaru, awaiting the call of creation once more. She saw herself, a queen, returning not as flesh and bone, but as an idea, a force, a spark in the future, ready to reclaim her legacy.

A deep breath. A final, silent prayer to the cosmos.

With a graceful, deliberate movement, Cleopatra reached into the basket. The cold, smooth skin of the asp coiled around her fingers. Its head, triangular and deadly, rose towards her, unthreatened, almost understanding. This was not an end, but a meticulously planned transition.

She felt the sharp, almost painless pinprick, a sudden warmth, then a tingling spreading through her arm. The venom, ancient and swift, began its work. She placed the asp back into the basket, watching as its companion, sensing the disturbance, slithered out and delivered a second, equally swift kiss to her other arm.

Cleopatra’s body began to sway. Her vision blurred, the flickering lamps blurring into halos. But a serene smile touched her lips. She had defied Octavian. She had invoked the ancient powers. Her path was set. Revenge would come. Rebirth was assured.

Her last breath was not a sigh of defeat, but a silent incantation, a whisper into the cosmic tapestry: "I return. I shall return."

She sank slowly to the ground, her gaze fixed on the hieroglyphs, her spirit already embarking on its perilous, sacred journey through the shadowy realms of the Egyptian afterlife, a journey from which she fully intended to return. 

To await a rescuer with a solar boat, and alignment with the stars.

TANZANIA >>>>>>

THE BATTLE OF ACTIUM - Queen Cleopatra retreats leaving Mark Antony to lose against Octavian and seek a new deal with Rome.

THE POISON ASP - Hotfoot from Actium, Cleopatra's plan to seduce Octavian backfired leading to a suicide pact with Anubis and Isis

CURSE - Cleopatra pleas gods of Duat, Osiris, Anubis, Ra & Thoth, when stars align once more, Isis, "Mother of All, weave my essence anew."

TANZANIA - THE STORM BREAKS - Fanatical DNA collector, John Storm, finds Homo erectus skull, Olduvia Gorge, in Tanzanian dig site.

WRATH OF THE GODS - 365BC destruction of Thonis and Alexandria, Anubis and Isis watch on in horror as Cleopatra is submerged.

WWII ENIGMA - The birth of computers at Bletchley Park under Alan Turing, and his visits from Anubis and Isis, who see the potential in his ideas.

SYDNEY WILL READING - John's uncle Douglas vanished, declared dead, the adventurer inherits keys and a note from George Franks.

ANGEL OF DEATH - Anubis and Isis occupy Josef Mengele's and Adolf Hitler's subconscious as spirits steering their legacies.

INNER CIRCLE OF SIX - Joseph Mengele's Fourth Reich plans an escape to Brazil to develop Nazi-funded human research laboratories.

NELSON BAY - John visits the coordinates George gave him, to discover the Elizabeth Swann, ARK and Hal, AI computer.

BRAZIL BOUND - Doctor Death bargains for funding and logistics of relocation to Amazon South American base via Argentina.

NEW WORLD ORDER - A former Neo-Nazi plan to regenerate Aryan supremacy, develops into a cause for good.

REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE - Having reached the end of his PhD, William and Jane Bates have epiphanies, Will should follow his dream.

ROADBLOCK - Nobody would fund his R&D, William and Jane Bates are blanked by DARPA, computer and software houses.

THE AFTERLIFE - Cleopatra's tomb lay lost for centuries submerged and out of sight with little change of discovery.

QUANTUM LEAP - Jane and Will find backers, then US military and computer processor chip makers cyber attack, hack and bug them.

WASHING MACHINE - Inventor Franco Francisco comes up with the Incubus, artificial uterus concept while repairing his household appliance.

EXIT STRATEGY - Realising they will always be a target from industrial and military espionage, Jane & Will devise a cunning plan.

PATENT APPLICATION - Franco Francisco files his Claims with the Italian Intellectual Property Office (IPO) in Roma, Italia.

CYBERCORE GENETICA - Nano computer technology is purchased at an auction by a semi religious sect, New World Order.

INCUBUS - Roberta Ferrara secures the expertise of Franco Francisco for knights of the New World Order: Neuwelt Rittertum.

SPLICE - Klaus and Eva von Kolreuter find a way to live forever using cloning technology; Genonimo Investments, Geneva.

TREMORS - Cleopatra's feels vibrations after a shift in the tectonic plates triggered a tremor off the coast of Alexandria.

PANAMANIAN RUNNING MAN - The secret is out, an enhanced human is spotted running at unbelievable speeds.

THE ARK - NeuWelt Rittertum headhunt John Storm seeking access to his genetic DNA map of life on earth, but they fail to reach agreement.

MARJORIE BOYLE - Sam Hollis tracks down sexy backpacker, Majorie Boyle, to Brighton Point in Trinidad, beautiful Caribbean Island.

THE AMAZON - Charley agrees to meet John & Dan at Manaus, but is a little too inquisitive.

OPERATION LEVIATHAN - New World Knights, Klaus and Franco go to Plan 'B' to track and steal the Elizabeth Swann & The Ark DNA database.

TOMB RAIDERS - Safiya Sabuka and Musa Bomani dive among sifting sands to discover precious artifacts and golden treasures.

SCOTLAND YARD - The famous London DNA database is stolen, the biggest data heist to date. The Yard initiates a cover up.

OPERATION ALEXANDRIA - Neo-Nazi occultists recover Cleopatra's sarcophagus from underwater tomb near Palace.

SALVAGE RIGHTS - Entering Cleopatra's mausoleum, locating sarcophagus and raising with air bags to the surface, Safiya Sabuka tomb raider.

COASTGUARD PATROL - Safiya and Musa surface off Alexandria to a waiting customs vessel, they pretend to be sports divers fooling the officials.

UNESCO - Catholic Church fear grave desecration heritage theft, asks agencies for help. Interpol issue Red Notice.

KIDNAP - Charley is taken prisoner but John rescues her, in the process becoming injected with a serum.

SARCOPHAGUS OPENING - The wooden inner casket is opened revealing Cleopatra's mummy, golden crown and death mask, perfectly preserved.

AWAKENING - In the afterlife, the DNA extracted from Cleopatra's mummy triggers a divine stirring with Anubis and Isis comforting the Nile Queen.

REPLICANT - The Society reproduce Cleopatra using Francisco's RepliVator™, uploading synapse sequence and implanted memories.

BRAIN CONDITIONING - Klaus and Franco upload digitally recreated memories in historical order to trigger correct learned synapse firing sequence

REBORN - The former Queen of Egypt speaks for the first time to her creators, proving that her brain is working, the implants succeeded.

FULL STEAM AHEAD - Storm speeds to Thonis, then uses the Swann's AI sensors and the Ark database to find tomb has been plundered.

PROPOSAL - Baron von Richhofen's gambit, a union of Royal ancient and Aryan blood, for strength and intellect, a powerful heir as her successor

RITUAL SACRIFICE - The Baron prepares a drugged Cleopatra for ceremonial impregnation.

MANAUS TO ALEXANDRIA - A hydrogen powered race across the Atlantic Ocean in nine days, John Storm guided by Anubis and Isis.

SANCTUM INTERRUPTUS - John finds secret Nazi hideout near Alexandria, disturbs ritual - rescues Cleopatra, arresting conspirators.

THE CHOSEN ONE - The reincarnated Cleopatra falls for her rescuer. John comes under her spell, despite her being a replicant.

MOVIES, WHAT ARE THEY - Reincarnated Nile Queen asks John and Dan to explain films, they show her 20th C. Fox 1963 Elizabeth Taylor biopic.

MEDITERRANEAN CRUISE - John suggest a tour of the Wadj Ur, Thalassa Nostrum, to relax Cleopatra, Hal plans the ultimate experience.

MUMMY DNA - Dan and Hal discover DNA from the Egyptian Pharaoh's teeth and run the Ark to confirm a match, modern Frankenstein

JOHN'S BLOODLINE - Dan and Hal trace trace John's noble lineage back to the iconic figures of Ancient Egypt & Roman General Mark Antony

DÉJÀ VU - Dan and Hal reveal John's family tree as being related to Roman General Mark Antony via Julia and Queen Drusilla of Mauretania.

MEDICAL EXAMINATION - Jack Mason talks John and Cleopatra into agreeing to a check up at Port Royal, Jamaica, working for NSA and CIA

GEORGE WARNS OF TORTURE - Franks radios Swann to tell John & Dan that New World Knights are being tortured at Guantánamo Bay, you're next.

JESUS CHRIST - Cleopatra asks about this man. John, Dan & Hal explain he is an ancient religious preacher from Galilee, son of Yahweh, Hebrew god.

BIOCORE BRAIN IMPLANT - Dan and Cleopatra drill John's skull, occipital bone implanting biological chip to interface with CyberCore Genetica.

DARPA, NSA & CIA - National security and military intelligence chiefs Iras Charmian and Dr Stefan Raengst, plot to remove all human obstacles.

MILITARY INTERVENTION - The military detain Cleopatra to appease stakeholders, despite media & medical protests. Storm distraught.

BATTLE ARMOUR - Thanks to some unexplained divine intervention, Dan Hawk talks John Storm into wearing a bullet proof suit.

GUANTÁNAMO BAY - History repeats itself, US military kidnap Cleopatra, John forced to rescue puts Elizabeth Swann at risk.

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE - Commander John Storm, in Navy SEAL mode, attacks the Cuban torture camp at Guantánamo Bay, in stealth mode, black op.

MISSILE LOCK - USA military try to hack into Hal, anticipating a strike, as the DOD launch Tomahawks, John hacks into NORAD, and redirects them.

PRESIDENT LINCOLN TRUMAN - Hails the Swann to find out why John is shooting missiles at Guantánamo Bay, Storm sets the record straight. FINALE

CLONING INCUBATOR - After years of experimenting, Franco Francisco's hard work was paying off. His 'Replicator' machine was working well, growing a Cleopatra replicant from her Mummy's DNA. All the nutrients were fed to the embryonic cells, to accelerate the growth rate, without in any way harming the biological perfection of the subject.

  CLEOPATRA SPEAKS FOR THE FIRST TIME FULLY COGNIZANT, INTELLIGENT INFORMED CONVERSATIONS & ENQUIRING MIND - THE ADVENTURES OF JOHN STORM: NILE QUEEN THE MUMMY REBORN OF THE AFTERLIFE

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