Chapter 21 - The Empire Revealed
"I'm sorry Lara. There was nothing the doctor could do"
Lara was silent for a moment, and then looked up at Lexa.
"You know, sometimes we hated each other. But in truth, Chase was the best friend I ever had"
A solitary tear traced its way down Lara's cheek. She never cried. In fact, the last time she had cried was at her father's funeral. Through the years, Lara had lost more friends and acquaintances than she cared to remember, and through being a solitary person, combined with the numerous losses she had suffered, she had learned to control her emotions, and eventually, not to feel loss at all. However on this occasion, it hurt.
Lexa watched Lara, and her own heart recalled how she had felt as she lost her own family and friends.
"Come on Lara…we have to hurry. If I want to be successful, we only have a short time. Captain, move the boat to the deeper water beyond the light here..make sure that you are at least 200m beyond the border. Go..as fast as you can. Lara, come on. You there..get into this ship quickly"
The other men in the boat leapt up and clambered up the ladder as fast as they could. The small boat was securely fastened to the yacht, and Lara felt the ship turn and speed off in the direction Lexa has pointed.
"Lara?"
She looked up. Lexa was holding out her hand to her.
"Come on"
Lara took her hand, took a deep breath, and remembered what she was here for. As ever graceful, she took a leap onto the back of the yacht and held on tight. In a few minutes, the boat was positioned safely and Lexa walked with Lara up to the navigation deck. Lexa stopped, and looked out through the window, and placed a small talisman on the dashboard.
"Captain, don't remove this talisman, and the ship will be safe. Move it, and the yacht may be in danger. And You or I don't want to face the wrath of Lara after losing this ship. Do you understand me?"
"Yes Ma-am"
"Good. Stay well Captain"
"She leaned up to the captains ear and whispered"
"Keep an eye on Mr Carver if you please"
"Ma-am?"
"Trust me Captain"
"As you say"
Come on Lara, we have an empire to find"
Lara grabbed her rucksack, which contained guns, ammo, the 4 pieces of the key, and her camera. Plus a few flares and her ever-present medi-packs. The 2 of them leapt into the boat, and Lara deftly untied the knot and started it up.
"Go to the edge of the discolouration" said Lexa.
"But don't go beyond it…"
Lara did as Lexa said, but then looked up. In the distance, she could see 3 black spots moving towards them.
"Lexa, we have to hurry. Your friends have sent reinforcements. And I can't fight them from here."
"I agree. Hang on to something Lara"
Lara grabbed onto the handles of the boat and watched as Lexa began.
Lexa raised her arms to the sides, in a "T" position. Lara saw her lips move, but heard no sound. The wind began to blow, faster and faster, and the air around Lexa began to shimmer with a blue iridescent sheen. The sea began to toss, but the little boat remained fairly steady, as did her yacht. The wind blew harder, and Lara could now hear the words that Lexa was saying. They seemed to be whispered, but loud, and grew louder with the blowing of the wind. She could hear them clearly now, but didn't know what they meant. The sky grew darker, and the wind blew stronger. Thunder crashed all around them, but still, the little boat remained steady. Lara shielded her eyes, as the biggest bolt of lightning crashed down before them into the centre of the lighter patch of sea. And instead of disappearing, it stayed. And the water swirled around them now, and spun up into a twister. And through the spray and water, Lara could see a dark mass rise up from the ocean. It rose, and the lightning rose with it, touching one point only. And where the lightning struck, she could see the colour. Blue..a deep blue. Shiny, smooth and
"Sapphire!" Lara whispered.
The lightning bgan to dim, and the water began to become calm again. The wind dropped, and the sun came out. And in the bright sun, the glory of the Sapphire Empire was beheld by all.
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The temple of the Miranis people stood proud above the rest of the city. Surrounding it, buildings rose, each carved from sapphire, and still in the most perfect condition. It seemed that 10,000 years in the sea meant nothing to it. Among the buildings, Green plants with the most magnificent flowers bloomed, trees grew in all shades of green, and the city was surrounded by a wall of the shimmering silver material. The boat bobbed at the edge of the shore which was white sand. Lexa leapt out.
"Come on Lara. We've got to hurry. I could only hold those choppers with the storm. They are still coming"
"How do we get in? There are no gates"
"This way!"
Lara followed Lexa, who ran to the wall, and placed her hand on it. The wall melted away to allow them to pass, and then ran in rivulets down to the waters edge, creating filigree patterns on the sand. They ran through the city, hearing the thump of the choppers blades through the air. And then, the sound of them landing.
"Come on Lara…we have to hurry. We must get up to the temple. From there, my power is strongest"
They continued running, but stopped dead when they heard a new voice. A voice that struck terror into the heart of Lexa.
"EMPRESS!!!!. I know that you are here. I must thank you too Miss Croft, for leading us here, although when we catch you, you will die a most horrible death for killing 24 members of our little group. To kill a Xao-Tul-Ca priest in my day, was punishable with death, so you shall suffer 24. For 10,000 years we tried to find the Empire, and take it back. And now, we shall do so"
"You've got to be kidding me, Herity. You may have been the head priest, but you will not take this Empire. It does not belong to you. You will only use it's power to destroy the world"
"You've got it wrong Empress. I will only use it's power to destroy you, and so rid us of the evil that you caused in the Empire"
"I didn't cause any evil. You were the one who ordered the deaths of all those innocent people. And you told them I had ordered it"
"And who would they believe Empress?? The all-powerful Goddess who never shows herself, or the priest who is closest to the people themselves?"
"This is why the Empire was sunk and protected Herity. To prevent the jealousy and hatred and greed of men like you from ever gaining what was not their's to have"
"Quit stalling Empress. Take us to the temple, and hand over the throne. We will let you die with honour if you do as I say, and if not, you will die the death of a commoner"
Lexa beckoned to Lara.
"It's not far to the entrance of the temple. Will you fight with me? If we get there, I can stop them"
"I will fight. I will kill them all if I have to. They killed Chase!"
"EMPRESS!! Give us the key"
Lexa considered the options, and chose one which she thought was a long shot, but might just work.
"I don't have it Herity"
"What! Don't lie to me. How would you find your way here if you didn't
have the pieces?"
"I'm the Empress Herity. Remember? And the All-Powerful Goddess. I can remember you know"
"But you can't get into the temple without the key Empress"
"Wrong Herity. I can, YOU CAN'T"
"You're lying" Herity screamed.
"Run, now Lara"
They ran up towards the temple, and dived into the shelter under the canopy. The temple glittered Blue and silver, and the great doors in front of them sparkled. In the doors lay an imprint of the pieces of the key.
"I need the key Lara!"
"I thought you didn't. I told them that…then they would stall and try to figure out what to do next"
Lara tipped the pieces out. Lexa picked them up and fitted them into the door.
They melted, and fused together, creating the seal of the Guardian on the door.
"Now what?" said Lara
Lexa laid her hand on the door. They could hear the sound of the Xao-Tul-Ca crashing through after them. The doors silently opened, the seal pulling apart like water, and they walked into the darkness of the temple as the doors closed behind them
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Disclaimer: I do not own any recognisable characters. Eidos Interactive and Core Design do. (Shame) I own the character Alexa Munroe, and if you wanna use the name in any of your fics, please let me know.
This fic is dedicated to my best buddy Jaina
Please Read and Review. This story is almost finished.
