Lara Croft and the Amulet of Cleopatra
Chapter 1
The chamber was smaller than expected, there was barely room for the podium and the long casket that lay within. The walls displayed hieroglyphics depicting Anubis granting eternal life to a woman, but the full story was hidden in the shadows caused by the flickering torchlight.
The archway where Lara stood was guarded by two golden soldiers - each with a larged, curved sword and ruby eyes - a sure sign that this was an important room. As she entered the resting place, she ran her hand along the wall, as though feeling it would help her to recall a history long lost. Her eyes followed the part of the story that she could see on the walls, and as she proceeded forward she heard a loud click from under her left foot.
"Oh no," she whispered aloud.
There was a brief sound of heavy stone shifting, then settling into place somewhere above her.
That was all. Lara stood in place for a few moments to see if there was more, but there wasn't. Must have been a faulty trap, she thought. She looked around the crypt and the only change she saw was that the flames were slightly larger on the torches, which made the gold of the guardians shine a bit brighter.
She let out a short breath of relief and continued in. A short 'click' was heard as she stepped off of the trigger, but the room remained calm.
Walking alongside the casket, she noticed the emeralds and rubies laid into the lid, larger than any she'd seen. The jewels were amazing and they cast their tinted shadows on her arms as their reflective faces danced in the torchlight.
As impressive as they were, Lara's curiosity was not directed at them, but instead to the podium at the head of the casket. It was set facing her, and she felt as though some priest or religious monarch should be addressing her from behind it.
The podium, like the guardians, was made of gold. It was cool to the touch and shone brightly when the layers of dirt were removed. Hieroglyphics were engraved into the stem, and small rubies and emeralds were used for eyes and various other elements.
Her curiosity was appeased as she rounded the podium. Sitting on top, under a thin layer of dust, was a single piece of parchment. The dust was just enough that she couldn't clearly see its contents. It appeared to be a drawing, but of what she couldn't be certain.
She reached out and gently touched it; hoping she could lift it just enough to uncover it without damaging it.
As her hand touched the parchment, a small flash of white light flicked from the contact point. A light but noticeable breeze entered the room from an unknown source, and a sound like blood being drawn into a syringe could be heard moving through the walls.
A soft, yet powerful female voice sounded from the empty room.
"At last! After all of the waiting, a worthy sacrifice has come! Thank you for coming prepared, I don't like waking up for nothing!"
The voice then murmured something that Lara couldn't understand, and when she finished the golden guards shook and trembled. Lara wasn't sure what to do, but the word" sacrifice" wasn't appealing. So, on instinct, she rushed for the door. You can't fight a disembodied voice, she told herself.
As she was about to burst back into the previous room, two long, curved blades dropped inches in front of her face and barred her path. The eyes of the guardians were glowing red, but the rubies were gone, leaving dark pits in their absence. The guards moved their bodies to block the door and scowled down at Lara, cutting off her escape completely.
"I wouldn't test them," the voice returned, "Sometimes they won't even listen to me."
Lara quickly reached to her sides and raised her dual pistols, her favorite weapons and dearest possessions. A barrage of bullets erupted from both barrels to find a home in the golden soldiers.
After emptying a full clip in each head, the guardians' faces were unrecognizable and Lara's guns were smoking from their brief exercise. With a slight, satisfied smirk, Lara reloaded her pistols and proceeded toward the guards. She could now move them so she could escape the crypt.
When she started to reach out to move the first, its face melted and re-formed to its original scowl. A quick glance showed the second guardian mirroring the action of the first.
Lara took a frightened, hasty step back as they stepped into the crypt room. They were enormous, and their slow advancement forced her back one step at a time. They dragged their large swords along the ground, which made a creepy wrenching noise. Suddenly, they both lunged forward, causing her to jump back in surprise.
She found herself lying on her back in a long box.
This is it, she thought to herself. The coffin must have opened while I was distracted by the guardians.
"Perfect!" The disembodied voice screamed with glee, "The artifact and the sacrifice shall lay together in eternal slumber."
Lara couldn't move. She saw darkness closing in around her and heard the scraping of the coffin lid being replaced.
"I hope you have enjoyed your life," the voice said, "Now enjoy your eternal sleep!"
The final words were left echoing as the coffin lid snapped into place.