Matsuo Shin and The Secret of the Dead
Matsuo Shin and The Secret of the Dead is story 5 of the continuing adventures of Matsuo Shin.
Plot Summary
Interested in exploring possible evidence of Martian culture in the tombs of ancient Egypt, Matsuo managed to convince the University of Tokyo to sponser a dig in Egypt under the pretexts of finding a lost pharoh's tomb. Accompanied by Eiry, Matsuo soon arrived in the city of Cairo and meets up with a fellow archaeologist assigned to "assist" him, Professor Adio Mubarak. However, Matsuo suspects that the professor in fact was only sent to keep an eye on him, as the government does not trust him or his claims of a new discovery.
Spending a night at a hotel, Eiry sensed that they are being watched and returned to their room just in time to stop a mysterious man from nearly killing Matsuo. Matsuo chased the figure outside, but lost him. Returning to his room, he found that much of his research on the area of the City of the Dead was missing. However, Matsuo still remembered much of it, so in the morning they met with Adio and along with a guide and several assistants and helpers, set out into the desert to find the city.
Arriving at the probable area of where the remains of the city are, Matsuo and the others set up camp and began to survay the spot. Almost immediately, Adio and Matsuo once more begin to argue, forcing Eiry to separate them. This does not last long as they are soon attacked by a group dressed entirely in black. While most of the invaders are driven back, much of the equpitment is damaged. However, in the ensuring chaos, one of their number is knocked out and left behind. He is tied up as the archaeologists retire for the night.
Reeling from nightmares and unknown visions, Eiry awakened and went to speak to the captured man. At first he didn't want to, but he then revealed himself to be a member of the Madji, and had attacked them to stop them from digging in the site, stating that while a great evil had once laid there, there was "a greater evil beneath that." Later toward morning, however, they discovered that the man was gone, and assumed he had escaped.
The next morning, the team began work on the dig, though Eiry was still troubled by the man's words, and especially his sudden disappearance. Adio brushed this off just as several workers fell through the ground. Running over, Matsuo and Adio find a massive hole, presumably caused by the weakening of the ground during the dig. While Matsuo suggested caution, Adio ignored his warnings, wanting to be the first to make whatever discovery there is down there.
Climbing down the hole, Matsuo and Adio discovered a large hidden tomb, the walls of which are covered in both Martian and Egyptian. While Matsuo studied the heiroglyphics, hoping to discover who the tomb belonged to, on the surface the camp was suddenly attacked by the remaining Madji, forcing Eiry to defend herself.
In the tomb, some of the workers found a bound sarcophagus. Moving away from his work, Matsuo examined it, discovering more Martian writing on its side. After copying it for later translation, he agrees with Adio on opening it. After the lid is removed, they found a perfectly perserved mummy, its face covered by a golden mask. Looking over the body, Adio noticed a jewel in the shape of the Eye of Horus embedded in the center of bindings. Even though Matsuo tried to stop him, Aido removed the jewel. Almost instantly, the two archologists were blown off their feet by a burst of power. The workers, meanwhile, were devoured by a swarm of scarabs, which then surrounded the mummy.
On the surface, the battle was interrupted as pillars of scarabs burst from the sand. Several of these workers were also devoured by the insects as the now living mummy rose from sands. One of the Madji screamed out the name "Karas" and tried to attack the mummy. However, it simply disarmed the Madji and snaps his neck with a simply blow. Turning away from the remaining Madji and Eiry, the mummy vanished in a storm of sand and scarabs.
Underground, Matsuo managed to keep most of the roof up using his powers and was forced to admit that most of the story he gave Adio and the university was a lie, and that he came here for his own personal reasons. Adio, as well, admitted his own jealousies and suspicions of Matsuo, with both agreeing to set aside their diffrences. Their discussion was interuppted as a group Madji make it down, pulling Matsuo and Adio back up.
The leader of the Madji introduced himself as Cassim Bey. They soon learn from them that the tomb was that of Karas, a son of Seti I. It was said that he grew greedy for power and tried to usurp the throne of his father using the "ancient weapons of the gods," as well as the Cult of Suhtek. However, with assistance from Hathor, the prince was captured and cursed to remain sealed alive in a tomb forever. Now he is sure to try to once more find the secret hiding places of the gods' weapons. Matsuo and Eiry quickly realize the importance of finding the place where the weapons are hidden.
In the desert, Karas made contact with the remaining members and descendents of Cult of Suhtek. Allying himself with the band, Karas revealed his plan to try to reconquer the lands he feels are rightfully his. When one of the cult members questioned his ability to make the plan a success, Karas killed him with a blast from his wrist. He then announced that they were to go immediately to the "vault of the gods," and that all who stand in his path shall be destroyed.
Back at the camp, Matsuo went through his notes while Eiry spoke with the Madji about where the weapons of the gods may be hidden. Matsuo seemed fixated on one series of writings in paticular when Cassim Bey revealed that while the true name of the place where the weapons are hidden has been lost to them, they know that it is located near the north-eastern delta of the Nile and that a city was built over it. They quickly realized that there is a site located on that area and after a quick check on maps that had not been destroyed in the battle withe Madji, they make plans to go to Tanis.
Following Karas across the desert, the group find that he has left a trail of dead bodies. They were soon ambushed once more by the scarabs, but Matsuo blasted most of them apart with his powers and learns that the insects are in fact a cybernetic weapon. Once in Tanis, the group was attacked by the Cult of Suhtek, along with seemingly controlled natives. Spotting Karas retreating for a small cave in the sand, Matsuo, Adio, and Eiry broke off from the group and chase after him. Following Karas into the cave, they found him standing before a large sealed door with Martian writing on it.
The three try to stop him, but Aido and Eiry were knocked aside by while Matsuo was blasted in the shoulder, stunned. Karas then spoke strange words, causing the door to slowly open. As Adio and the others looked on, groups of Anubis like robots walked out and headed for the surface. Before he leaves for the surface himself, Karas spoke again, and a group of hefty looking mummies emerged from a group of sarcophogai. Although the mummies were stronger, Adios discovered that by attacking the small pyramid in the back of the cave, the mummies could be disabled. Fighting back, Eiry and Matsuo managed to knock out the rest of them, discovering that they were merely robots. Finally realizing the full truth of WHO the gods Karas speaks of were, Matsuo rushed back up, Eiry and Adios following after him.
Above, the battle was being lost, the Madji being forced back by the Anubis-robots. Spotting Karas, Adios grabed a gun and tried to shoot him, but the bullet was deflected by a strange forcefield. Karas then announced that his reign had begun as a huge shining pyramid-like ship rose from the sand, with Karas at the top. Matsuo took a gun and made a run for it, grabbing onto part of the ship as it rose into the air. Matsuo climbed toward Karas, but got a back hand to the face, sending him tumbling back toward the bottom. Matsuo declared that he wouldn't let Karas use the Osirian technology as the ship containues toward its destination: Cairo.
Matsuo once more managed to get to the top and fired the gun at Karas, who once more deflects the bullet, but opens himself up for attack as Matsuo slams the butt of the gun in his face, cracking the mask and revealing Kars' rotting face. When he covered his exposed face with his hands, Matsuo took the opportunity to shove the jewel back into the mummy's chest and use a Martian chant. Shreiking, Karas returned to dust, and the pyramid ship began to fail and explode, forcing Matsuo to jump off. Using his powers to land safely, he tried to rejoin the others.
Back at the battle, the robots failed and exploded one by one, powerless without their master. The remaining Cult of Suhtek members fled into the desert. Matsuo returned during the celebration and related the defeat of Karas, explaining that since the powers of the Martians had kept Karas alive, it took the ancient words of Martians to defeat him via one of the inscriptions on the tomb wall.
A few days later, Matsuo finished work on the tomb with help from Adio, along with work on a seperate tomb found not far away. Sending out a press release on the find, Matsuo contacted his sister about shipping the Martian artifacts back to Japan for private study, while Adio promised to help Matsuo with getting past the Department of Antiquities. However, Matsuo suddenly received a phone call from Sir Reginald with news of an interesting find in Greece, which Matsuo eagerly agreed to. Eiry returned home, while Matsuo headed for Greece.
Much later, at Cambridge, a certain professor of archology read a news report in the paper of a newly discovered tomb in egypt with a photo of the finder, a red haired young man wearing a brown fedora and dark leather jacket...
Items Recovered
- Martian Headdress - Late Celestia era
- Martian Goddess Statue - Late Celestia era
- Martian Cermonial Knife - Late Celestia era
- Martian Parchements - Early Celestia era
- Martian Statue - Early Celestia era
- Osiran Weapons (broken)
- Egyptian Tomb - untouched
