Ultimatum (version 5)

That evening, after the plagues were cast upon Egypt, Norman walked all the way through Egypt back to Adrian's temple. He looked at one of the cracks at the bottom right side of the left sphinx, which was destroyed by the plagues. He walked into what looked like an old hiding place where Adrian always went when they were younger. "Adrian?" Norman called, knowing that particular room in the temple. "Adrian?" Norman called again. "Oh, let me guess," said Adrian sarcastically. "You want me to let your people go." He took a drink of wine from a goblet.

"I hoped I would find you here," said Norman, trying to keep himself calm. "Get out!" hissed Adrian, throwing the goblet at the ground near Norman's standing point. Norman flinched, but he was not ready to give up. "Adrian, we must bring this to an end." Adrian didn't respond. He just sat there angrily. "Adrian, please!" said Norman, willing to say anything to who he called his "brother". "We could always talk here." Adrian continued to just sit there, silently and angrily breathing, saying nothing.

Norman sighed coldly. The memory of the very room he stood in brought something back to Norman's mind. "This place... So many memories. I remember the time you switched the heads of the Gods of the temple of Ra." Norman smiled. Norman was about to leave, but Adrian spoke up this time.

"If I recall, you were right there, switching the heads right along with me," said Adrian cruelly. "No, it was you. I didn't do that," said Norman. "Oh, yes, you did. You put the hippo on the crocodile, and the crocodile..." said Adrian, just enough to get Norman to remember it all again. "...On the falcon." Norman smiled slightly. "Yes," said Adrian. "And the priests thought it was a horrible omen and fasted for two months! Father was furious! You were always getting me into trouble." Adrian angrily walked away, much further into the dark temple, but Norman followed him.

"But then... Heh... You were always there to get me out of trouble again." Adrian chuckled lightly, looked at his ring, lost his anger and suddenly looked very sad. "Why can't things be the way they were before?" Norman could only give a reassuring smile at the memories they brought up again.

"Father?" said a voice. It came from a small slender mouse. He had tan fur, brown eyes, small whiskers, and wore only a white kilt with red belt-like wrap, a golden brightly jeweled collar, and matching armbands. He was holding a torch in his left hand. His name was Joey Wellington, and he was Adrian's son. "It's so dark," said Joey. Adrian noticed his son standing there. They moved closer together. "I'm frightened. Why is *he* here? Isn't that the mouse who did all this?!" There was a pause. "Yes," said Adrian, knowing the plages that were brought to Egypt. "But one must wonder *why*."

Norman started to look very angry. "Because no kingdom should be made on the backs of slaves. He said, "Adrian, your stubbornness is bringing this misery upon Egypt. It would cease if only you would let my mice go." But Adrian and his tortured youth were unwilling to succumb to Norman's common sense. "I will not be dictated to. I will not be threatened. I am the Morning and the Evening Star. I am Pharaoh." "Something else is coming," Norman replied, much angrier. "Something much worse than anything before. Please. Let go of your contempt for life before it destroys everything you hold dear. Think of your son!"

Joey became more frightened. Still holding the torch in his hand, he moved closer to his father. "I do," said Adrian, but he too was getting angrier. "You mice have been nothing but trouble." He turned to the hieroglyph that depicted Rathoug ordering the firstborn of Norman's ancestors to be stolen by the Egyptians, thrown into the Nile, and eaten by the crocodiles. "My father had the right idea about how to deal with your people." Hearing this made Norman very angry. "Adrian!" Adrian was still not done. "And I think it's time I finished the job." Norman was furious. "ADRIAN!!!" Adrian just about reached his breaking point by now. "And there shall be a great cry in all of Egypt, such as never has been nor ever will be again!"

Well, these words were just too much, even for Norman. He was horrified and enraged. He saw the painted likeness of Rathoug pointing at the Egyptians, ordering them to throw the babies into the Nile again, and turned to Joey, who gasped in shock. He looked at Adrian, his father and then looked at Norman, now on the verge of tears. Norman shook his head in fear but soon got his courage and anger back as he said, "Adrian, you bring this upon yourself."

That night, some of Norman's folk were doing some things thanks to Norman's message from God. They marked the broken down quarters, their resting shacks with blood they got from a lamb that they drew blood from and used them to mark the lintels and posts of every door of those quarters so that a difference would be told by something God might send, and they had torches so they could see what they were doing.

"God has come to me again, saying: take a lamb and with its blood mark the lintel and post of every door. For tonight, I shall pass through the land of Egypt and smite all the first-born. But when I see the blood upon your door, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not enter." said Norman to Olivia, Arden, and Scotty uneasily, before allowing the straw blinds to roll back down over the window and before they went to sleep while Norman awaited the next given moment.

When Adrian said "And there shall be a great cry in all of Egypt, such as never has been or ever will be again" in the temple earlier, he did not know, that his prediction was just about to come true, but not in the way he thought it would.