Tomb Raider:
Warlock of the Dark Chapter one

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Tomb raider characters or anything. don't copy this story or post it on any website or anything without my permission.

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the story so far.
This story takes place shortly after the Angel of Darkness and Tomb Raider: Legend.
Lara had found Kurtis Trent with the guidance of Kurtis's Chirugai Blade, he was badly wounded, but with Lara's help he was able to get medical attention. Lara had gone back to the Croft manor and began the quest of seeking out Excalibur. shortly after encountering her old friend Amanda, Lara hears of a cavern rumored to have a hidden secret. curious to know what that secret may be, Lara headed out on her next quest.

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chapter one: the cavern.

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It was cold in the cavern, the thick damp air made it hard to breath. Carefully stepping along the wet gravel of the caverns floor, Lara hit the switch on her light source she always carried with her on her journeys. She peered around at the ceiling above her. Spider webs and moss seemed to be the main decor. Walking along, she came to a large area that divided into two paths in a 'Y' formation.

''Well.. This is interesting.'' she said talking into her headset.

''So which way you gonna go Lara?'' asked Zip.

'Well... Left has always seemed right.'' she replied with a sly smile.

''Right.. Okay.'' Zip said with a sigh.

''So I take it you're going to the left Lara?'' Alister asked taking a deep breath.

''Hey Alister, Good to have you on board.'' Zip said while typing on his keyboard.
''Yes I suppose..'' Alister replied in a low voice.

Lara moved down the caverns halls examining the surroundings, Engraved markings on the stone walls caught her eye. Brushings off the moss and layers of dust, she examined them closely running her fingertips along the patterns. She did'nt recognize them to be of any ancient writings of her knowledge. Brushing a lock of hair from her eyes she reached in her pack and began jotting down the engravings in her journal.

''Is something bothering you Alister?'' Lara asked still studying the symbols on the wall.

''No no... Its nothing Lara.'' Alister replied to her, not convincing her any.

''Yeah there is, 'And' its name is Kurtis.'' Zip said with a chuckle.

Lara heard Alister grumble quietly at Zip's comment, Not understanding what Kurtis had to do with Alister's unpleasant mood.

''Kurtis? What about him, He's still in the hospital.'' Pausing, she thought for a moment. A tinge of worry crept over her, What if he had taken a turn for the worse..? ''He's all right is'nt he??'' Lara asked trying to hide the worry in her voice, She never did like to show her emotions. Her focus was lost on the wall engravings as she listened intensely for their answer.

''Well...'' Alister paused clearing his throat.

''Aw hell, Kurtis called here looking for you last night Lara.'' Zip said cutting in. '' I told him where you were, and now this morning the hospital is calling trying to find him. So I guess he left without being officially released.''

''I was going to get to that...'' Alister interrupted.

''Yeah sure you were.'' Zip replied sarcasticly.

''Boys enough.'' Lara snapped frowning to herself. She sighed. ''Do you have any idea where he might be?''

''Nope.''

''Not the slightest...''

''Find him.'' she said taking a deep breath. No one has ever made her feel the way Kurtis had. Ever since the day she first encountered him in the galleries. His cobalt blue eyes were captivating and intrigueing... They stirred emotions in her she had long locked deep within herself. She hated the fact she could'nt control these emotions, and she hated that she could'nt openly share them with him. She did'nt even know if he felt the same towards her, and in ways she was affraid of the answer... The fact she was confused and affraid angered her abit.

''What are those markings on the wall Lara?'' Alister spoke suddenly causing Lara to snap out of her thoughts and back into reality. Blinking a few times and taking a deep breath, she refocused her attention on the engravings.

''I'm not sure. But first things first Alister. Find Kurtis.'' she replied sternly.

''I'll mark the patterns in my journal. You can study them later.''

Moving on she came to a large room pillars lay crumbled, leaning against what looked to be stairs at one time long since past. The air was stale, making her cough a few times as she peered down over the edge. Looking downwards toward the bottom it was only three or four stories down, only she would'nt be taking the stairs.

''Looks like I'll have to climb down.'' Lara said smiling to herself. She could hear Zip shake his head over the headset.

As she began climbing down, the dark gray stone was slippery. and had a tendency of crumbling on her. Nearing the bottom she reached over grabbing an edge to support herself as she moved down. Losing her footing on the slippery stone, she gripped an edge with her left hand hard, and as a result it broke off from the stress crumbling to bits causing her to fall straight to the bottom.

''Bugger!'' she yelled, hitting the floor abit hard.

''Lara you alright?'' Zip asked her over the headset concerned.

''I'll live thanks, It was only a short fall after all.'' Lara replied dusting off her cargo pants. Flipping her long braid back over her shoulder she looked around at her surroundings. There were a few passages that had collapsed long ago and were blocked off quite well. A large seem was slightly visable on the far wall, Two collums stood on either side of it, decorated with carvings of snakes and fire.

''Climbing gear Lara... Climbing gear.''

''Any luck finding Kurtis?'' she asked ignoring Zips little comment. He had a tendancy of repeating the same one.

''Nope, sorry Lara. Alister went to check out those markings you saw awhile earlier.''

''I see..'' she said with a sigh moving towards what appeared to be a door. ''Hmm... Theres a door down here.''

''Careful Lara. That looks like deathtrap material to me.''

''Oh come now Zip, Alittle excitement is always welcome.'' Lara said cheerfully pulling down the chain causing the door to open. Looking down a long hallway towards a large room at the other end. Lara reached into her pack pulling her binoculars out. Peering down the hall she zoomed in on an object sitting in the middle off the room. An old book sat opon a pedestal, Open and unaffected by dust.

Tucking away her binoculars she grinned. ''Looks like there is more to this place after all.''

Cautiously she moved down the hall, a static crackle was all she heard in her headset and she clicked it off. Looking side to side as she heard slight crumbling. Suddenly the walls began to close in on her sides. She sprinted towards the room quickly, bars shot out infront of her nearly impaling her as she leaped backwards. Turning back she darted towards the entrance of the hall. Speared bars shot out blocking that path.

''Bugger!'' Lara gritted her teeth as the walls closed in on her. She looked all around for a way to stop them. Then she reached the bars at the end and attempted to get through them. Suddenly the bars grew hot burning her hands she moved away from them, The walls were close now she pressed her back against one wall and pushed the other with her legs. Her light source had run out and turned itself off to recharge.
Having no effect what so ever she seriously began to wonder how she was going to get out of this. A small gap was near the top of the walls where the stone had broken away, It was'nt much but perhaps she could fit there. Then she could go from there. Quickly she began climbing up between the two walls. Gripping tightly she tried to hold herself up while the walls closed in closer.

Suddenly the walls began to jerk back, they seemed to struggle to move forward but were held back. Sliding down quickly Lara ran towards the room with the book, the path into the room was still barred. Lara decided to run towards the entrance hoping it was opened. To her disappointment she found the bars were still there.

''Bugger...''! she clicked her light source on, her eyes widened as she sighted halfway across the room she came in, Kurtis standing there. His hands were held infront of him as he seemed to be pushing apart the walls from where he stood.

''Kurtis..!'' she called to him as she realized that he was in fact the one moving the walls.

''Lara... on the count of three move quickly through the bars.'' he said gritting his teeth. ''1...2...3..!'' With a swift downward motion of his hands the bars dropped and the walls sprang back behind her as she leaped forward in a diving roll, Coming to a quick halt she stood up looking back at the trap.

Kurtis staggered holding his abdomen as he leaned back against a broken pillar breathing heavily. He closed his eyes thankful that he had made it to her in time. Lara quickly moved over to him, grabbing onto his shoulders to help him stay up as he sank lower.

''Kurtis what are you doing here?!'' she asked looking him over concerned.

''Zip... He told me that you had come to this cavern...'' he paused catching his breath. '' I came here before when I was younger... I was after that book on the other end, But its guarded by something... Something more then just that trap.''

Lara peered around, A rope was hanging from where Kurtis must have come down. ''Lets get out of here'' she said to him with a smile. His blue eyes looked back up at her as he nodded.

They made their way through the cavern, Kurtis was still clutching his abdomen grimacing in pain as he stumbled along side of Lara.
She moved over to him and put his arm over her shoulder to help him move along. ''Lean on me..'' she said sliding her arm around him for support. He did'nt object to her help. Reaching the exit, Lara looked up at the dim evening light of the setting sun above, and began to climb up the rope. She paused seeing Kurtis slump down against the wall breathing hard and jumped back down.

''No... I'm alright hurry up before it closes off. it does everynight... '' he spoke softly looking up at Lara. She looked beautiful standing there in the evening light, Even with the current situation Kurtis could'nt help but notice, and there was'nt anything or anyone he would rather see in his last moments of life if he were to die here. He smiled slightly as he thought this to himself.

''I'm not leaving you down here alone Kurtis.'' Lara replied kneeling down next to him.he obviously knew alot more about this place then she did.

''You'll be stuck here till morning if you don't go now...''

''Then we either hurry or we both stay.'' she said stubbornly. She was serious and stubborn, And she was pretty much demanding that he go on. With the options she'd given there was only one choice to him. And he liked that about her.

Kurtis grinned to himself at her stubborn attitude. He was so tired, he had pushed himself to the limit back there, His entire body screamed at him with his every breath, but he would push himself further on, he would'nt let Lara spend a night in such a place, Even though he new she was a strong woman, he could'nt help but want to protect her. His feelings for her drove him onward as he stood up and moved over to the rope. ''Alright Lara... lets go...''

Helping Kurtis at the top she pulled him up, taking a few moments to breathe some fresh air into their lungs. They began to walk slowly downhill towards the boat Lara had come over to the island on. The evening air was crisp with a chill, a slight breeze made its way through the tree's that surrounded them. A jetski was parked nearbye that Kurtis must have used to get to the island. Lara climbed aboard the boat and turned helping Kurtis aboard, He stumbled and collapsed on the deck. Lara quickly moved down next to him as he kneeled clutching his abdomen. He turned over sitting with his back against the railing. Lara was kneeled down infront of him, she could see blood was seeping through his shirt.

''Come on, Lets get you inside.. We need to stop the bleeding...'' she said helping him to his feet. Guiding him carefully down into the cabin of the boat, she lead him to the cot were he could lay down.

Kurtis sat inside the cabin on the small bed, Lara had gone up to start the boat. A few mintues more had past before she reappeared.

''The engines broke... Looks like we arent going anywhere.'' she said dropping her pack and placing her guns on the counter. With a sigh she clicked her headset. ''Zip do you read me?'' She waited hoping for a reply.

''Hey Lara, What happened down there?'' Zip replied suddenly.

''I don't have time to explain right now Zip, I need you to get out here and fix this bloody boat ASAP, I don't know what happened but the engines not starting, Also, Kurtis needs medical attention right away'' Lara said sternly.

''Kurtis? Kurtis is out there with you?'' Zip asked Surprised. ''I'll send help right away for you, But... how'd he get there?''

''I'll explain later Zip.'' she briefly thanked him and clicked off her headset.

Removing the headset from her ear she went over and got out the first aid kit from the cabinet. Walking over to Kurtis she placed it down opening the kit.

''Noone will probably make it out to us untill morning, So I'll have to clean up your wound.''

''I'm alright Lara.'' he said smiling at her.

She smiled back at him, She could'nt help it. The features of his face looked so handsome in the dim lighting of the room. She let out a slow sigh, placing her hand on the side of his face.

''I never did get to thank you for helping me back there...So please, let me have a look at it...''

He looked into her eyes for a moment, Then removed his shirt slowly. Trying not to be distracted by the fact he was shirtless, Lara removed the blood soaked bandage from the wound and dabbed the blood gently off his abdomen with a cloth. The wound was quite large where Boaz had struck him, but healed over a good abit. She noticed that it was only bleeding from a small spot. Glad it was'nt too serious where his life would be in danger. She began wrapping it in a fresh bandage, her touch was gentle on his skin, and the pain became less noticed to Kurtis as he watched her care for him. She closed the kit and went to stand up, Kurtis gently grabbed her hand. She turned, her eyes met with his. They leaned closer to eachother, their faces less then an inch apart.

''Thanks...'' Kurtis said, his voice barely a whisper. Lara felt her heart race as he spoke to her. '' Anytime..'' she replied, her voice low and soft.she found herself lost in his eyes. Her hands moved resting on his bare shoulders, Kurtis's hands moved around her waist and up her back sending a shiver up her spine. A moment passed before they closed the gap between them as their lips met in a passionate kiss.

They held eachother close as they kissed. After awhile they both paused looking into eachothers eyes.

''We should get some rest.'' Kurtis spoke softly brushing a strand of auburn hair from Lara's face. She smiled nodding in agreement with him. Slowly she laid back, guiding him down next to her slowly. Her head rested gently onto the soft pillow. Lara slid her arm over Kurtis's torso holding him closely. He wrapped her in his arms kissing her lips tenderly.

Lara smiled. ''Goodnight Kurtis...'' she whispered resting her head under his chin closing her eyes.

''Night Lara.'' he replied smiling, he was at peace for once in along time as he held the one he loved in his arms. He feared he would never have had this chance the day he fought Boaz... But that was all behind him now. He was here with her now, And he never wanted to part. He held Lara tightly as he drifted into a much needed sleep.

End of chapter one.

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