Chapter 1: The Beginning

As Lara walked down the hallway of the Croft Manor, she remembered the artifact that she recovered yesterday, right before she went into a deep dreamless sleep. With the thought of the artifact she turned on her heels and ran to the study. When she opened the door, Lara found it still on her desk, it was rather unusual relic. A round stone about 6 cm diameter, covered with strange yet familiar runes. Lara knew a lot of ancient languages and she was sure that she has never seen this one on another relic or engraved anywhere during her adventurous 25 years of life. The marking looked strangely familiar none the less. She looked at a peculiar rune and then realized that she did know this language!

'It can't be true…' she thought as she walked to her book shelf. When she finally found what she was looking for, Lara removed the book from the shelf and opened it to the last page: The Alphabet of Sindarian. All the runes from the stone and on the alphabet matched.

'Oh bloody hell! This stone has elvish on it! And Middle-Earth elvish at that!' then her curiosity spiked up and she decided to translate it.

Mutter the darkness that kept us awake,

Close the distance that made you brake,

Never again to see your true self,

Unless the counter spell whispered in fence.

'Hmm…' she thought after speaking the translated markings out loud 'I suppose I'll just have to wait and see, huh?' and with that she went to her bedroom and to sleep.

"Lady Croft!" someone shouted from the door of Lara's room.

"Oh for heavens sake… LET ME SLEEP!"

"My lady, there is something wrong with the study!"

"Wha-? I don't understand… Hillary, please just calm down, get me some tea, and explain what happened." Yawned Lara at her friend and most loyal butler. She then went for a quick shower and put on some black linen trousers with white T-shirt. After braiding her hair back into a waste long French braid she set at one of the couches situated in her room and waited.

When Hillary returned with her tea, she thanked him and motioned to proceed with the story of what happened in the study.

"I was thinking that perhaps you were in the study since it is already 11 o'clock in the morning." Began Hillary, "but when I entered you were not there, and the black stone you brought was projecting a blue, shimmering, oval-shaped-like something…"

"A blue, shimmering, oval-shaped-like thing? Huh… Well why don't we go and see what it is?" with those words Lara finished her tea and calmly walked out of the room towards her study. Hilary followed but not before replacing her finished cup of tea into the kitchen. When he arrived to Lara's study she was already inspecting the blue, oval-shaped-like thing and the stone lying on her desk.

"This definitely came from the stone… I wonder if… Nah, that's impossible… But what if?" He heard her mutter.

"What was that Miss?" he asked resisting raising an eyebrow at her behavior.

"Oh! Hilary your back" Lara smiled at him however he could clearly see that something was bugging her. "I was just inspecting this portal. I have a feeling that it can transport a person into Middle Earth however where in there exactly I am not sure."

"Miss Croft, Middle Earth is a made up. It's from a fiction novel! You cannot honestly think that this would get you-"

"Hilary!" she interrupted "That is what we thought about everything! From Pandora's Box to the Illuminati and the bloody Triangle of Time! If it doesn't exist then why are the markings on the stone in Sindarian? It has to exist…" she finished and sighed sitting down on a nearby chair resting her head into her hands.

Hilary simply looked at her shaking his head and turned to leave. But Lara had different plans for him "Hill come back. Look, I'm sorry for bursting like that I'm just tired of people telling me that things don't exist."

"Sure Lara, no problem. Now would you require you back pack packed?"

Lara's smirk was all he needed as an answer.

Once Hillary left the tomb raider alone, she began pacing the room in search of her copy of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. After about two hours of searching all over the place Lara decided to just take the small book titled Guide to Middle Earth and its Peoples. Laughing silently at her fondness for the trilogy that almost bordered on obsession she ran t her room being careful to avoid the portal in the middle of the study.

After tripping on the staircase and almost walking into a wall Lara finally reached her room. Now not to be mistaken, she was as far from being clumsy and disoriented as one could be but today our tomb raider's mind was occupied with thoughts of the fellowship of the ring and Middle Earth. When her mom read to her the books for the first time Lara found herself wishing to be part of the fellowship helping them destroy the Ring and save Middle earth from the Shadow from the East. When she watched the movies she fell even more in love with the series. Now it seemed her wished of when she was small are coming true.

A little after Lara finally got to her room Hilary came in with her black backpack packed with her cloths, a first aid kit, and spare ammunition.

"When do you plan on leaving?" He asked Lara after handing her the backpack.

"As soon as possible, so I would think as soon as I get my sword, bow, and reasonable clothing" she answered. Hilary yet again shook his head and left after a quick glance at his friend.

Lara went to change her attire into something more appropriate for possible fighting and climbing which resulted in her tight black pants, a black tank top, and a black jacket (AN: like the one in the game Tomb Raider Underworld). She finished her out fit with her black boots inside of which was a hidden knife, a black cape, and a belt with her guns tucked into the thigh holsters. She picked up her backpack leaving her room and walking into the armory which was located in the basement. It was a huge square room with all walls being covered in various arms varying from bazookas, to knifes, to bows and crossbows. In the middle of the room was a table onto which Lara put the cloak and the backpack.

Lara walked up to the opposite wall picking up a bow and a set of 50 arrows, and her sword. Lara examined the beautiful sword she ordered about two months ago. It was about a meter long for double handed use and very light. The blade was about five centimeters wide and thin with engravings near the handle saying "Blah Blah Blah". She had to laugh at the words from one of her friend's favorite songs. Quite honestly, Lara despised Ke$ha but her best friend who ended up making the sword for her wanted to add a touch to be remembered by and Lara couldn't say no.

After doing a couple of practice strokes with her sword she sheathed it back and attached the sheath to her hip belt. Adjusting her weapons and checking if her guns had new ammunition in them she headed for her study grabbing her backpack and cloak from the table on her way. Sprinting up four stair cases which led to the study she reached it in no time and only slightly out of breath.

"I see you decided to take your other weapons too?" she turned to see Hilary lounging against one of the bookcases and Bryce sitting with a sad look on his face on the chair at her desk.

"Lara did you plan on leaving without saying bye?" Bryce asked accusingly.

"Oh please! Not like I don't know that Hilary will tell you about my leaving" laughed Lara in reply. She walked up to her two best friends and gave them both hugs after which turning to the blue shimmering portal.

"Well boys, wish me luck!" She grinned at them and before anyone could stop her walked through the portal.