Disclaimer: I do not own anything in regards to the Tomb Raider franchise. Alas, this is a pity… this story is for the utter amusement, entertainment, and bewilderment of the fans who appreciate Lara as being one of the best games in the world! -Batman

Author Notes: I like getting into the part of the characters that you do not see. What happens 'in between' Lara's excursions? How does she interact with the people in her life when it is not over her headset?

Chapter Fourteen: "The mighty Odin sees all things! You think your army will save your pitiful hide?! I will plunge my great weapon into your black heart and leave TAR you wretched fossil!"

Croft Manor, England–One month later

Zip was working all day running information and cross references on all the stuff that Lara and Valkyrie had been looking into. They were going through the vault like mad communicating to him each item and to check for any ties to the Atlanteans or the Avalon legend. He was cracking his neck back and fourth and moaning, his dreads hung lazily to either side as he did so. He rubbed his eyes with the back of both index finger knuckles and yawned. "I am so fucking TIRED!" he moaned and plopped his head onto his desk. "Ow."

Through his headset he heard the deeper voice of Valkyrie come through. "You moaning and groaning as you are and I will start to think you were becoming a thrall up there." hearing Lara giggle in the background as she marked things off her clipboard.

Zip's eyes slid over toward his earpiece and narrowed. "How the Hell do you figure that? You should be down there singing, rhyming, or humming. Oh, how about this? Mirror mirror on the wall, who's the creepiest of them all? I dare to wager, I dare to say, that Valkyrie would win that any day. Voice so deep, tone so strong, tell me mirror, am I wrong?" he rolled his eyes as he plopped his head back down yawning again.

Valkyrie's voice replied "Oh, so YOU want to rhyme? How about…." Here she clucked her tongue "I tell you a story? I read this somewhere and I think you could relate to it. It goes like this…" she lifted a few boxes out the way for Lara before she went onto her story…

A flat-chested young lady read an article in a magazine that stated Dr.
Bumbutu in Africa could enlarge your breast without surgery. So she
decided to go to Dr. Bumbutu to see if he could help her.

Dr. Bumbutu advised her, 'Every day after your shower, rub your chest
and say, 'Scooby doobie doobies, I want bigger boobies!'

She did this faithfully for several months, and to her utter amazement
she grew a terrific D-cup rack!

One morning she was running late, got on the bus, and in a panic
realized she had forgotten her morning ritual. Frightened she might
lose her lovely boobs if she didn't recite the little rhyme, she stood
right there in the middle aisle of the bus closed her eyes
And said, 'Scooby doobie doobies, I want bigger boobies.'

A guy sitting nearby looked at her and asked ' Are you a patient of Dr
Bumbutu's?'
Yes I am.. How did you know?'

He winked and whispered, ' Hickory dickory dock...

Lara burst into tears covering her mouth at the obsceneness of the tale, and Winston coughed feeling quite unsure of how to even begin to say how improper that was.

Zip's left eye was twitching and his brow was deeply furrowed between his eyes. "Val…what the hell does that have to do with ANYTHING in regards to me? Were…were you just telling a joke? What the HELL are you trying to say?"

Valkyrie smiled in a most devious fashion flipping her sanguine braid over her left shoulder "Well, all in all Zip. It doesn't need to be a rhyme to send a message. Either you are born equipped with a good tool or you spend most of your life being the tool. If you would understand it better I will give a rhyme right back to you. Hickory dickory dock, try not to be such a…"

Lara interrupted quickly "Valkyrie! A lady just must not adventure to such lengths!" she coughed shaking her head wildly in a plea to stop.

Valkyrie sighed softly and shrugged her shoulders. "So let's just leave it at that then shall we? Righty-o and all that."

Lara was wiping her eyes with a tissue trying to fight off the deep blush of her cheeks, and Winston being the distinguished gentleman that he was, found that he had errands to do, and this was also to help save Zip's dignity.

Zip just sat there, mouth wide open. He could not believe that this doppelganger just dissed him like that. This wench was getting more and more either like Lara or had gone way beyond her. "Yeah….I think I'm going to check into seeing if I can track Amanda and this Sonya character." He cleared his throat as he turned to his screen now typing away.

Wiltshire, England

Amanda was not at all too talkative since Japan, every time she gazed into a mirror she saw the cuts and bruises on her cheeks, arms, and legs from the shards of glass that flew about while she was sent twice window shopping trapped inside that car. She and Sonya were in England one week now, and she still was fuming over the ridicule that Valkyrie laid upon her and Sonya. She sipped a latte that she asked Sonya to get along their way as she now sat in a grassy area off the main road. They had done nothing but drive since they arrived in Wiltshire. She was still deep within her thoughts as Sonya walked over and sat next to her.

Sonya too was not much on words, she was humiliated that she let the foul creation under her skin making her lose her cool demeanor. She had a bandage around her neck where Valkyrie had left a knot with an ice pack underneath. She felt as if she not only let herself down, but her mother, as well as Amanda. "You going to say anything?" she regretted asking that, it was a stupid question and knew Amanda would point that out, but Amanda gave no response. Her blue eyes looked at Sonya for a moment and surprisingly Amanda leaned in from the left placing her head into Sonya's left upper shoulder. Sonya took in a short breath softly before snaking her left arm around Amanda's waist pulling her a bit closer. "You must be really in a foul mood." She attempted to jest.

Amanda ignored her jest, or didn't hear her make it "I was thinking. Is it worth it?"

Sonya's eyes widened, she knew Amanda was sulking as much as she was, but to ask if her dream of Avalon was worth it? Sonya found herself deeply worried. "Amanda! Do not give up on your dream of…"

Amanda shook her head "No, not that. I was wondering if-" she sighed heavily "I lost someone I loved deeply once. James…he helped me find the original piece of what eventually became Excalibur. He faced off with Lara…and he lost. The bitch just keeps on taking everything…as if it was all hers to begin with…" her eyes watering a bit. "I don't think I could suffer if I lost you too in all this bullshit. We were strangers, then we were friends…." She sighed heavily and wiped her face into Sonya's shirt.

Sonya found herself smiling as she kissed the top of Amanda's head. "You honor me, but I have no intention of dying. You will not lose another friend you cared for dear, but the sentiment is very well regarded."

Amanda laughed for the first time even if it was softly "Idiot. I loved James, and that is why it hurt so much when I lost him." She lifted her face and used her free hand to wipe her eyes. Her eyes fell on Sonya's slightly frowning expression which Sonya's face slowly came to change as a wave of shock fell across it. Amanda smiled softly "This is the first time I seen you to be the one who was slow." She shook her head as she stood up dusting off her bottom of grass. "We have one last chance to stop her, if we can't KILL the bitch, then we may be able to at least make her disappear."

Sonya watched Amanda stand silently, and her eyes followed her as she walked away. Sonya again, was at a complete loss for words. She stood and followed Amanda back to the car where Amanda waited for her to catch up. Sonya opened her mouth but no words came for awhile until she said "Wha-what do you mean disappear?" she unlocked the trunk and rummaged through a cooler for an iced bottled water. She needed to cool down a bit.

Amanda's eyes followed Sonya as she did this and found herself smiling. "Don't tell me I have you hot and bothered yet again Ms Von Croy." Amanda smiled more "You being Ms insistent and bold as you were should have known that your charms would break the unbreakable eventually. We will have our time Sonya. You and I…." here she blushed deeply "But business before pleasure this time. I know where Lara will end up, where this will all end. Stonehenge. It will be there that we wait for Lara and her mirror bitch. I….we will have our chance….darling." she muttered softly and was relieved that Sonya heard her through that low mutter for Sonya went deathly still as she drank the water. 'Message received Amanda thought' "We have a lot to plan for. Let's get started." Getting into the car as she started dialing numbers on her cell phone.

Professor Worth's King Arthur Museum, England- Two days later 10:15pm

Lara slowed her motorcycle down and took her sunglasses off. "Oh, smell that sweet air Valkyrie. Home is such a blissful thing." She smiled enraptured with the scenery and the moment. "It seemed as if it were only yesterday I was fighting a distempered serpent down here." She added nonchalantly as she took Excalibur off the side of the bike where she made a special bracket to hold it.

Valkyrie who was sitting behind her on the bike let Lara's waist go and cracked her neck with her left hand. "Indeed, your home is beautiful." She got off the bike to stretch her legs. "So, are we to do as planned at the great stone circle after this little excursion?" she smirked knowing Lara's pride in her country would be lit. "This place….I seen it in a memory of yours, didn't I?" she placed the hammer of Thor upon her back after unzipping her leather jacket that Lara provided her.

"If you are referring to going to Stonehenge being the excursion?, The answer is yes. According what Zip found out we will be heading there when we conclude the business here. You still get flashes of my past?" looking out the corner of her eye for a moment. "That's got to be a pain luv, after all, seeing things you never did, and knowing things that you know you shouldn't. Can't be all that fun."

Valkyrie nodded once and followed Lara towards the museum. Lara stopped and closed her eyes, she knew Lara was perhaps reliving a memory here. Zip was insistent on not being able to support them here for some reason. It was Winston who later told Valkyrie that it was one of the places that Alister was once with Zip and Lara.

Lara sighed softly and held up her index finger of her right hand "Give me one moment please." She asked as she tilted her head skyward and took a deep breath.

-Flashback-

Lara remembered meeting Zip and Alister, who were waiting in the van. Zip asked Alister if he was sure about the map. Alister said that he was, although there was some nonsense about the discovery of the King Arthur's real tomb, but soon discredited, and another roadside attraction was born (meaning Professor Worth's King Arthur Museum, where they met Lara).

Later in the tomb…

Lara remembered entering the Temple. Alister asking what she is looking at and she replied a myth, except it is real. As she passed in front of the tombs, she said that they are all there - the court of Camelot. Alister asks if she was sure and Lara replied that she has no doubt about the authenticity of this tomb. She approached a statue which is surrounded by a lighted shield. Lara said that there was not only one Excalibur or one Merlin. They keep seeing swords and dais in all over the world, simply because they are everywhere. In their case, their Merlin was killed and their sword was left in pieces.

-End Flashback-

Lara's eyes moistened a bit before she looked over her shoulder finally at the silent Doppelganger "Good times those were." She huffed playfully. "Well, let's go. I have to revisit good old 'kingy' and that water 'thingy' that guarded him. No doubt in my mind it still remembers me…" she winced at the look the serpent beast once gave Lara as she escaped. "I bet it has a very long memory." She sighed.

Valkyrie snorted "You seem to have that effect on people…or things." She smirked. Let's go make Japan proud and make a dish out of this thing."

Lara shuddered "My dear, if you saw this thing…you would not think on how it would taste."

Valkyrie shrugged and kicked the door in "Eat or be eaten they say." Walking now into the museum.

Lara shook her head a moment and muttered "Just don't apply that to me and we will be fine."

It took a better part of 2 hours for Lara and Valkyrie to re-navigate where Lara had once been before because it had caved in to great length so there were other paths they had to be inventive about taking to get through. After swimming through the waterways where many coffins resided, Lara wished there were coffins that she could stand a lot on as she once did before. Having Valkyrie there was a plus with her shadow powers she was able to shimmy down the slicker walls and reach down or through to help Lara through tougher areas. Eventually they arrived at the broken gate that Lara once shot down as a barrier to separate the sea creature and herself. "This is where things are going to get really ugly." Lara glanced at her. "If it doesn't already know I'm here, it won't be happy to find that I came to pay another visit." Taking out a small blow torch she burned through two of the segmented bars and allowed Valkyrie to pry them open enough to slide through. As they ventured to the bottom and found the grand lake where the broken bells that Lara once used to distract the monster was. Her skilled eyes started gazing upon the murky water carefully. No signs of ripples, no hint of a shadow underneath, nothing but dead silence. "Oh dear…" Lara whispered "I think it is waiting on us…"

Valkyrie walked past Lara suddenly casting her leather jacket aside and drew the hammer of Thor off her back. "We have 'these' this time." Referring to Excalibur and the hammer "If you bring the booted feet, a worthy ass will await them. So, time to kick some ass." She quirked an eyebrow as she went down to the water edge as she saw old bullet casings all over the place where Lara apparently had a gunfight.

Lara's mouth fell open slightly as she whispered urgently "Blast it Valkyrie! We must be cautious!" and no sooner than these words escaped Lara's lips there was a burst of water and a deafening shriek. "Confound it all!" she muttered disapprovingly.

Valkyrie ignored Lara's protest and smiled a little despite herself when the creature popped out the water trying to claim the element of surprise. Valkyrie was already in mid spin as the creature shrieked, and as the creature's face calmed after its battle cry it was then that Valkyrie released a shock burst from the hammer which hit the creature dead in the face causing it to be cast back into a stunned state of pain. Valkyrie wasting no time spun again and this time threw the hammer at the creature's head. No sooner than she let it fly from her hand she used her shadow speed to jump over the protruding rocks that were above water. The hammer went right through the creature's neck, and just as quickly she was behind the creature already to catch it with her right hand.

Lara stood there utterly stunned, she had such a time with this creature and Valkyrie made it seem as if the thing was standing still. She was torn between awe and annoyance, which was to be expected, she was human.

Valkyrie ran up the creature's back as it bled from the new neck injury and soared into the air above it. As she could go no higher she flipped forward once in the air, and sailed down with the hammer above her head in both hands slamming it through the creatures skull sending it quickly into a sharp rock that was in front of it which impaled through its thick skull from the bottom for good measure. Valkyrie landed in the water of blood and guts, swimming deeper as she swam towards Lara now going through the cleaner water as she distanced herself from the fallen beast. She planned to wash herself off by doing this as she made it back to the bank.

Lara saw Valkyrie's glowing eyes as she came towards the water surface. As her head emerged from the water she brought herself out, wiped her eyes of excess water, and then ran her right hand from the top of her head to the back pushing water out. Her left hand did one solid drain motion down her braid before she flipped it over her shoulder behind her again. "Lovely day for a swim." she winked placing the hammer upon her back once again.

Lara sheathed Excalibur and started towards the underground fortress that would lead down into the tomb of King Arthur. She didn't like what she was thinking and the way it made her feel at the moment.

Valkyrie was surprised Lara had no retort to her remarks. She knew Lara was a bit worried about the creature's rage after all this time and thought it would be better if Lara was unharmed so she could concentrate fully on the task before them. She felt these cool vibes from Lara however, and being Lara with the flaws removed she knew all too well that Lara was feeling a bit in-efficient after that show. 'So much for taking the initiative' she thought.

As Lara slid down the rope she tied a the top she went over to where the giant broken bell was laying that she once used to break the golden crystal that encased Arthur's body. "We are going to need this…" she never told Zip or Valkyrie what she was looking for because she knew that being Tomb Raider, others would not always see you eyes to eye when it comes to 'needed things'. She climbed up the crystal rubble and reached up with both hands towards Arthur's head and removed his crown from his skull and then turned away and jumped down.

Both of Valkyrie's eye brows went up simultaneously. "You are just going all out aren't you?" she smiled wickedly. "A girl must have the complete set." She laughed.

Lara shook her head as she removed old hair from the crown as she wiped it off before placing it into her backpack. "I had to think about it. Last I was once here, Alister and I noticed that wekept seeing swords and dais all over the world, simply because they were everywhere. So in this case, 'our' history of 'our' country, our Merlin was killed and our sword was left in pieces. Arthur's crown which was integral to his position as much as Excalibur was went to death with him. The ruling symbolisms were the sword and crown which represented royalty. I think this crown will allow us to use a doorway to get to his kingdom, Avalon, Camelot, whatever you want to call it. I think there is a portal here that I may now be able to use." She sighed hopefully as she started looking around. "There is a bit of untold history, unrecorded I am assuming mind you….that his crown was once stolen and he sent his knights high and low to find it. There was no way to know for sure today how long it was before he got it back. It was however 'who' brought it back that is relative to this twist. A woman, born of nobility but not of royalty somehow got his crown, and brought it back to her king." Her eyes falling upon the broken crypt of Bedivere. I read the inscription upon this stone last time I was here, and it was this that made me think. Bedivere returned a fragment of Excalibur to Arthur after the other pieces were carried off by the knights. This fragment was left with Arthur to help him leave this mausoleum when the time came." She looked at Valkyrie who was nodding approvingly to Lara's thinking.

Valkyrie looked skyward "So you have the sword…. you will be recognized as Arthur as I was Thor to Odin because I held the weapon. Fucking brilliant Lara." She grinned at the intensity of the thinking of the Croft woman before her. This was it, the final pieces…near the end of the journey…then she and Lara could close this infernal book about this Avalon crap and move on to kicking some Atlantean ass.

Lara took the crown back out her pack and slowly placed it upon her head. Nothing happened, that was until she drew Excalibur and there were several small glowing stones that shown the same light as the portal in Nepal that her Mother once went through. The light from the crown cast a green illuminate laser upon the sword, and the would be resting place of Bedivere which was broken started rumbling as the rocks floated up and cast a form of an incomplete doorway which the light finished by connecting them. The shimmering image of Stonehenge appeared rippling as if it were a watery surface. Lara's eyes were wide in fascination as she walked slowly to the portal. "This is how the legend of the lady of the lake must have started. The sword…may have been passed through one of these portals to Arthur, the chosen of this time…."

Valkyrie was in awe as well as she whistled lowly with the impressive turn of events that she witnessed. She began following Lara through the portal that welcomed both of the women as they flowed through. "This saves us from driving there at least" she mocked.

Lara gasped as she found herself exiting the south archway at Stonehenge. She almost giggled in amazement as she looked over her shoulder to Valkyrie who was just coming out and returned Lara's smile with her own. The smile did not last long.

Then suddenly the sounds of thirty guns clicking as safety's were removed, and the glimpse of a jeep with a gatling gun on its back harness manned by a mercenary. The men were adorned in pitch black clothes, and equally black face coverings of various masks, face shields, or sunglasses. The gatling gun operator gave two warning spins of the huge gun which spun deeply whirring as if to let a barrage of bullets fly. He grinned cockily from behind the intimidating weapon.

Lara's smile faded into an angry grit of her teeth as her eyes narrowed in violent slits. To her left she heard a deep breathing close to her. When she looked out the corner of her eye she found the familiar ghastly abomination of the wraith stone looming over her and Valkyrie. "Amanda!" she hissed.

Amanda was leaning against an archway directly across from the one Lara appeared out of. For this occasion Amanda wore skin tight black nylon running pants and a matching black tank top exposing her tattoos on her belly and arms, it wasn't about style, this was for up close and personal. Sonya was just now walking over to Amanda's side from another archway. She discarded the usual sunglasses she used to hide her unearthly eyes, wearing cotton black tights and a loose blouse that exposed on shoulder with bell sleeves. Her magic would be at work today. They ordered the men to position themselves at various places among the great site waiting for hints of anything a day after Sonya and Amanda arrived there. Any sign of a helicopter, motorcycle, car, but no one ever expected to see her just appear. Amanda and Sonya paid top dollar however because the minute the portal that Lara came through started shimmering they all turned their attention to that focal spot and converged on the location in wait expertly. The mercenaries were briefed about the demon doppelganger as well. Amanda's folded arms gave way to the rapping fingers of her left hand to drum rhythmically against her right bicep. "You feel that rage Lara?, that burn inside of disbelief?, crushed hopes?, and the feeling you worked hard for is going to be taken? THAT! Lara….THAT! Is what I have been feeling EACH AND EVERY FUCKING TIME you found yourself privileged to take something from me! At each turn you were there to spit on my face! Not this time BITCH, THIS time I am kicking your ass and breaking the smug smirk off your proper British lips!" pointing at Lara now with her right hand trembling with rage. "Drop the fucking sword, the fucking crown thing, and tell that yellow cat eyed bitch to drop that hammer!"

Valkyrie tsked "That's not nice. I'm not a cat."

Amanda stomped her foot "SHUT the FUCK UP!"

Sonya was silent for the moment, this was her first time meeting Lara Croft face to face. She took in a slow deep breath "You have dishonored my family name, my Father, and put my Mother, and I through more pain than you can ever imagine. I never thought it would be possible to hate anyone I never met with such detest to my very core of being. I am sure your…'thing' that you call Valkyrie already informed you of me. I will not bother to go into introductions. In the name of my Mother and Father I will have you ended here, this day, somehow.

Valkyrie was already gauging the scenario. They were really well prepared this time. They were too close and too ready for her to catch them off guard. Even if she were to make a move they would only shoot Lara. "Phh" she huffed "We can take them Lara." She said arrogantly which even made Lara look at her as if she was bonkers.

Amanda motioned for the men to ensure that Valkyrie made no movements towards Lara, and the other side to keep Lara in their sights if Valkyrie did try anything. "Cocky bitch. This is checkmate! I was WAITING for you and Lara! This time I am going to be the hero because we are sending you to Hell or the hospital! We OWE you that!"

Valkyrie rolled her eyes up into her head "You 'know' you were insured so what's the problem with a few boo-boo's? and besides you had your 'special friend' to lick your…ahem wounds when we kicked your ass, or anything near it." She smirked.

Amanda's and Sonya's face burned hotly. The mercenaries all kind of looked at their two employers with both a bit of uncertainty and a humored disbelief because in dark corners they spoke if the things they would want to do to either. One mercenary spat out his cigar "Ga-dammit. Fucking figures." As others shook their head for a second.

Lara's eyes widened as well as she whispered towards Valkyrie "You never told me THAT little fact. Amanda….has come a long way since James…." She could not even find her anger that she just had a moment ago as she now just blinked innocently.

Valkyrie snickered as she used that moment to put her hand into her pocket using her shadow speed, and now she raised the hammer from its binding causing all of them to tense again watching her closely as she placed it on the ground slowly. The hand that went into her pocket in a fist still "I'll give you credit girls and boys. You really were waiting for Lara and I, but what about my new friend Muffins?" Lara shot her a glare as if to say wtf? Muffins?

It was Amanda's turn to tsk and shake her head "She's bluffing." She was glad to take the attention off her and Sonya. "She is trying to buy time. Alright, now drop the sword Lara." Sonya stood ready in case of anything sneaky.

Valkyrie gave her infamous smirk as she tilted her head to the left slightly "I 'did' warn you." She then casually said aloud "Come Muffins. These men want to hurt Momma." Her eyes smiled wickedly.

There was a loud howl and the men now had something else to divide their attention. The huge Anubis warrior appeared at its new master's command and started tearing through the mercenaries like wind through trees. Valkyrie kicked Lara in the ass sending quickly to the ground as she swooped down using her shadow speed grabbing her hammer and upper-cutted the man nearest her who was distracted by what they have NOT been trained to be ready for. His head went sailing into the air and she was already sweep kicking the next man who opened fire sending him to his back only to slam the hammer into his chest.

Lara pulled Excalibur out and swung with one hand as she stood sending 4 men spiraling into the stone's behind them crushing various bones. She then sought out Amanda who was already being pulled backwards by Sonya who was casting spells at the Anubis to keep it away from them.

Amanda screaming furiously as she pulled her own fire arm and waved her hand to attack the Anubis "No! NOOO! No no NO! fucking NO! this isn't happening again! Get them!"

Valkyrie threw the hammer at the jeep as she heard the whur of the warming up gatling gun. The hammer smashed into the gun and man exploding them both on impact and causing the bullets in the chamber to fire wildly around for a moment. Valkyrie saw what was happening and took full advantage. She used her shadow speed again to grab a man by his neck and position his head. To her the bullets were flying in slow motion, and one stray bullet sank right between the eyes of the man she held there, again she grabbed another and repeated, she kicked the next one towards the gun to receive two bullets in the back. The last man near her was focused on Lara and Valkyrie appeared before him, kneed him in the groin and roundhouse kicked him into the exploded gun to receive the last of the wild fire bullets. She now turned her attention to Amanda and Sonya as well.

Lara was just finishing off doing her own attacks. Punched one merc in his neck, did a jumping spring kick sending her knee into his rib cage, and as she started coming back to the ground she swung Excalibur at the next two sending them directly at the Wraith to be shredded instantly to pieces as it was attacking 'Muffins' . She stood and walked sideways keeping her eyes on Amanda and Sonya until she got to Valkyrie. "You alright?" she huffed catching her breath.

"I need tea." Valkyrie replied casually. Lara blinked and blew a bang of hair from her right eye. Valkyrie cracked her knuckles and found herself grinning again "You know what I love about being you Lara? I make you look good when I kick ass." she winked.

Lara found it both funny and yet not funny at all! "Hey, don't go trying to replace me!" she warned.

In Lara's ear came Zip's voice full of background noise of some sort "Head's up. Don't get caught up in the moment Lara! Stay focused. Those bitches had you and Val in their paws. You are lucky Val kept that pet a secret. I forgot all about it in Japan!"

Lara nodded "I think Sonya and Amanda did too."

"Hey." Valkyrie interrupted "His NAME is Muffins. M-U-F-F-I-N-S"

Zip "….."

Lara "….."

Muffins was still hot in battle with the wraith and neither seemed to be giving ground to the other. Amanda was still doing her best to keep the wraith busy as they gained distance while Sonya threw spells. Sonya screamed in sudden pain falling to her knees coughing which caused Amanda to break concentration. When she looked she saw a tall dreaded bronze man standing there who punched her right in the face sending her off her feet into a daze. He had just sent a body blow to Sonya's stomach knocking the wind out of her.

Lara gasped in shock "Z-Zip?!"

Zip nodded to her once as he walked over and stood over Amanda. He leaned in and ripped the wraith stone off her neck. "This shit is OVER you crazy bitch!" and threw the stone onto the ground outside of her reach.

As Amanda reached out to reclaim it she witnessed the stone shatter before her eyes after a gunshot was heard. The wraith screamed angrily as it vanished forever into a wild poof of black smoke. Her eyes wide her head turned slowly back to Lara who had the same exact expression as she did. Amanda's eyes went over behind her where Zip stood there with the chamber of his 9mm smoking. "THAT. Was for Alister!" he spoke through bared gritted teeth that came out more as a snarl. He holstered his gun and ran his hand through his hair as he walked over to Lara "I'm sorry. That is why I told you I didn't want to watch you go through that King Arthur's tomb place again. I saw Amanda and Sonya's cards were used in Wiltshire so I came to support you both, and avenge Alister."

Lara held a hand up and nodded. She understood completely.

Valkyrie now turned the Anubis to pounce on Sonya who went still beneath the creature's massive frame in fear of what it would do next. She now knew Valkyrie kept what she had herself repaired to use against Lara and the doppelganger, and was curing herself for her oversight. "I told you once before, when one lives reckless, they tend to end up wrecked." She walked over and crouched down next to Sonya. "All this time, you looked at your cursed eyes that your Father passed to you and hated them, hated Lara for YOUR Father's actions, his choices. You should learn to move on doll. You have found love, and you have found that your place is not tend us…one way or another as you so well put it." Pulling the hammer closer to Sonya's face.

Sonya's eyes glew brighter as once again her rage built.

Valkyrie scoffed "If the toy is not a good toy, then the toy deserves to be broken." She held the hammer close and tightened her grip on the hilt of the mighty weapon until it crackled with energy. "You hate us because you see us." And pressed the hammer across Sonya's eyes burning them closed sending Sonya to shriek in agony and pain.

Lara ran over and pulled Valkyrie back violently "What are you doing?! Have you gone mad?!"

Zip covered his mouth with both hands as he back peddled in disbelief "Oh shit!" he spoke muffled through his hands.

Amanda screamed in an unmannerly fashion, as if she watched James die again and tore past Lara and Valkyrie skidding to her knees over to Sonya who was thrashing under the Anubis warrior. "Sonya! OH MY GOD SONYA!" she cried aloud until her voice went hoarse. "I hate you! I HATE YOU LARA! I HATE YOU!" her voice seemed almost to growl now as he reddened teary eyes glared wide in a wilder stronger hatred of Lara.

Valkyrie snatched away from Lara's hands and backed up once. "It's time she had her flaws removed." Looking over towards Sonya and Amanda. "This will bring them closer." She shrugged and dispersed the Anubis warrior that still held Sonya firm on the ground. Valkyrie now stared at Lara "I thought you of all people would want this to be over."

Amanda leaned in and kissed Sonya deeply not knowing what else to do. "I love you. I love you Sonya. Don't leave me….don't leave me…" she rocked the now whimpering Sonya in her arms.

Sonya blindly lowered her hand slowly and listened to where Lara's voice was. "I love….." her hand glew "you too…" and sent a blind spell that hit Lara square dead on in the chest sending her hurling suddenly. Excalibur flew from Lara's hand wildly and landed embedding deeply into Zip's chest sending him to the soil with a solid thud as death claimed him instantly. Valkyrie was hit partly because of where she was standing and held her right side with her left hand as her right hand extended as she reached for Lara who was already out of her reach.

Lara flew backwards towards the east facing arch of stones. The crown started to glow as did Excalibur and the stones shimmered as light appeared causing yet another gateway. "Valk-" and through the portal she went with a staggering Valkyrie clamoring towards it only to be too late. The crown now out of range, gone, the sword stopped glowing.

Valkyrie fell to her knees, her side in great pain and threw her head back and let out a howl that would shake any feral beast into fear.

Amanda watched the scene play before her eyes and already was dragging Sonya to a truck. "We gotta go….oh my GOD! We have to go NOW!"

Sonya was gasping in pain demanding to know what happened. Amanda fastened Sonya's seatbelt and explained along the way the miraculous events that just unfolded. Sonya found herself smiling if even a little bit.

Amanda was laughing nervously as she could not help but think that her wish came true. If they could not kill Lara, they could at least make her disappear. "Fucking A….." she muttered and reached her right hand off the wheel of the truck while her left hand steered. The right hand clasped fingers with Sonya's. "NOW, we are done darling. We are going to go where that bitch cannot find us!"

Sonya smiled and returned the tightened hand lovingly.

-End Chapter 14.

Next in chapter 15- The final Chapter!

AN: Here are some more small updates:

~ I am so sorry it took me so long. The laptop I once saved all my info on died, so I lost the last two chapters at once. I have been re-gathering, re-typing, and trying to piece everything back together. Also my son has been keeping me busy. Thank you all for your patience.

- review by

Chris on 'chapter 5 '

I have mostly been enjoying this so far, though one element is this chapter is practically absurd - why would the Great Wall of China have a secret entrance accessed using references to an alphabet (English) that didn't exist when the wall was built?

-response

~Thank you so much for your communication and insight. I thought of various ways to show the Chinese alphabet but it gave me characters which would not show up on Microsoft word, and I did not want to confuse anyone. So I left it to be assumed that Lara was reading it all in Chinese since it is relative to her character to speak many languages flawlessly. You have my fullest apologies for any confusion.