Shadows danced gently along the window panes as moonlight filtered through the trees, the leaves casting ghostly shadows across each sheet of mottled glass. The air in the room was warm tonight, as spring was slowly making way for summer.

Lara lay in bed, eyes toward the dancing shadows, but unseeing as her mind churned with unsettling thoughts.

It had been seven years since Yamatai. She had come so far and done so much in that time, yet the thought of returning to the island had her stomach in knots. Lara Croft was known to be ambitious, ruthless and, above all, fearless. There was nothing that she couldn't do.

A sigh as Lara turned onto her back, throwing the covers aside and staring at the ceiling. So many of her expeditions had been similar to Yamatai in some ways. Bloodshed, pain, seemingly impossible climbs, a touch of the supernatural… these were all part of her. But she had hardened to them. Back on Yamatai, she had been filled with fear and doubt. The thought of returning to the island brought back a small part of that version of her.

That isn't who you are anymore, she told herself silently. Not even close.

For the third time that night, she picked up her phone, the screen glowing in the darkness, and scrolled through her contacts to Sam's number. Again, she decided not to send a text to her old friend. She shouldn't worry her about this. She knew Sam would probably tell her not to go, anyway.

It didn't seem like Lara had much choice but to revisit her past, though. There was no way around it. She let out a small, bitter laugh and threw her legs over the edge of the bed. It seemed sleep would not come to her, so she decided to make better use of her time.

She quietly padded through the empty hallways of Croft manor. Pre-Yamatai, Lara had come to loathe the manor, but a few years later, she had accepted her old home again. The library had proven useful countless times and the gym kept her strong and ready for anything. The memories of her parents were no longer painful, but rather warm and fond. The place was no longer lonely, either, despite the fact that only she and Winston remained as permanent residents. Lara enjoyed the solitude, if she was honest.

The click of a lamp switch bathed the library in a soft glow.

An old book lay open on her desk. Lara turned a few pages until she found a beautifully detailed ink drawing of a Japanese temple on a mountain side, a tall statue on a mountain in the distance. A female figure, draped in a kimono, a halo-like disc behind her head, rays protruding from it, resembling the sun.

When Lara had first seen it, she had felt the blood drain from her face. Her lips parted in a soft gasp, she'd traced her fingers over the page, remembering seeing those exact statues on Yamatai, particularly the one that stood over the mountain village. She'd gazed up at that same awe-inspiring figure as she waited for Roth to wake up after the wolf attack. A slight smile graced Lara's lips as she thought of Roth. To this day, she carried his words and his teachings with her. She wondered what he'd think of her returning to Yamatai after all this time.

Lara turned another page, to another ink drawing. Just as detailed, it depicted a crown, tall and elegant, peaking to resemble a flower. Lara would recognise that crown anywhere. The image of Himiko, risen from the dead, had been etched into her mind forever. Now presented in this book as a powerful artefact, it had been surreal to Lara when she'd first turned that page.

An artefact with such power, of course, could fall into the wrong hands if Lara didn't go after it herself. She had seen first-hand how dangerous Himiko had been – what if the Sun Queen had gained her power from this crown? Lara couldn't let anyone get their hands on it.

It was said that the crown would return to the temple when it was no longer owned by someone. Himiko had been killed, so if this legend was true, Lara would be able to recover it there.

Lara closed the book heavily. She needed to clear her head, so she went back to her bedroom, changed into track pants, a cropped sports top, and running shoes.

She ran down the sweeping staircase she'd played on as a child, and opened the manor's heavy front door. Lara breathed in the crisp late night air and cracked a genuine smile.

Lara had worked with Alister twice over the past year. The man was resourceful, and had been able to give her leads and information that she hadn't found anywhere else.

He had called her just less than a week ago to inform her that a certain group had found information about a powerful Japanese artefact. The fact that he refused to tell her who this group was frustrated Lara, but she listened to what he had to say. When he'd said that this 'crown' could have possibly been a part of Yamatai, Lara had scoffed. She'd seen enough of that island to last her several lifetimes. Besides, this artefact could have been anywhere around Japan.

Alister had told her of some books she could get her hands on that might give her some clues, and that he would continue his own research. She'd taken the opportunity to remind him that she hadn't actually agreed to anything, but had started tracking down the books as soon as she'd ended the call. Finding them had not been easy, but it had at least been quicker than expected.

After finding that it did seem to be a part of Yamatai, Lara had called Alister to somewhat reluctantly reveal her findings.

"Will you do it?" he had asked hesitantly.

Lara had been silent for a moment. She'd known what was at stake if the truth behind this myth was as accurate as the books said, and if this artefact matched Himiko's power, it being found could result in disaster. Still, the thought of returning to Yamatai after all these years was unsettling. "Let me think about it," she'd replied.

Alister had started to say something then, but Lara had hung up before she gave him a chance to say anything more. She couldn't let anyone see that side of her – the trembling, tearful girl freshly washed up on Yamatai.

Now, in the dead of the night, she dialled Alister's number.

He answered immediately. "Lara?"

"I thought you might still be awake," she said with a laugh.

"Always research to be done," he said, sounding less amused than her.

"I'll do it," she said.

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "Great!" Alister replied. "I was starting to worry I'd have to find someone else. I don't think I know anyone who could take on-"

"I'll start making arrangements in the morning," she said, cutting him off before he could start practically gushing.

This was it. She was returning to Yamatai.