Chapter 22 - The Watcher, and a Temple Top Battle
"Dark in here, isn't it?" said a voice out of the darkness. A male voice!
"Lexa?" said Lara.
"Who is that?"
"You know Lara, I don't know who or how he got in here..or how I get the light on"
"Allow me to help"
A small blue flame appeared, apparently floating in mid-air, but as Lara saw the flame get bigger, she
saw that it rested in a mans hand. The flame slowly rose, getting bigger as it did. At the top of the temple,
it exploded into sparks and rested in a chandelier at the top. Light flooded the temple, and she saw that it
was almost a replica of the temple back in the Egyptian desert. She looked back to Lexa who was
smiling, and tuning her gaze to where Alexa was looking, saw a tall man, dressed in a black suit, with
long black hair and a black and silver cape. He held a silver staff, identical to Lexa's and looked, to
Lara's ideals, magnificent.
"Aaron!" Lexa exclaimed, and ran to him.
"Your highness" he said, and bowed before her.
"Please Aaron. No more formalities. It's been too long"
He stood, and then bent to kiss Lexa. Lara smiled, and then felt sad, realising that she would never again
feel Chase's arms around her, or the feel of his lips on her lips, and hear him tell her he loved her.
"Lexa. I'm sorry if I scared you in Italy!"
"What?"
"I was standing on your balcony when you caught sight of me. I had to keep an eye on you. I'm your
watcher. But I also had to see you again. I missed you so much"
A sudden bang brought them all to their senses.
"The Xao-Tul-Ca!" exclaimed Lexa.
"Miss Croft" said Aaron
"Yes?"
"I must thank you for all of your help. And now, I believe that we must ask for your help just this one last
time. We need to defeat these people, and then we will return to our time, and you will be troubled by us
no longer"
"Sure" said Lara
"Let's kick some Xao-Tul-Ca butt"
"We must go this way. Lexa, do you have your staff?"
"Yes Aaron"
She took it out of her pocket and transformed it into the staff form. As she did so, her appearance
changed, and she became the Guardian, instead of Alexa Munroe. The Guardian stood before Lara and
smiled. She had long red hair which was braided with silver thread, and a silver circlet about her head,
embedded with sapphires. She was dressed in a skin tight dress of silver that accentuated every perfect
curve with a flowing skirt-section, and a floaty sapphire blue cape that was see-through. Holding the
staff, she looked every inch the Guardian and Empress. Next to Aaron, Lara could see that the two of
them were very powerful.
"You look good Lexa"
"Thank you Lara. Now, this way. To the top of the temple"
"How?" Lara said, and winced as another band vibrated around the temple.
"Take my hand"
Lara did so, and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, She, Lexa and Aaron were standing
on the summit of the temple, looking out over the sea. They could see the helicopters on the sand below
them, and Lara couldn't believe how high up they were.
"Lara, if you take care of the normal soldiers, we'll take care of the Xao-Tul-Ca"
"No problem"
"They're coming up the outside of the temple"
"And these are already at the top of the temple!"
Lara turned round at the sound of the new voice addition to the group, and came face to face with the
leader of the Xao-Tul-Ca. She had expected an old man, looking his age, which was what she was used
to dealing with when she met with leaders of organisations and groups. Instead, she was met with an icy
glare from a young man with long silver hair wearing a green suit. He was also powerfully built and Lara
thought, absolutely gorgeous.
"Why is it all the good looking ones are either evil, non-human, non-mortal or complete bastards?" she
thought to herself
"Why indeed, Miss Croft? And I was thinking, why do I always have to kill the good-looking women"
"Maybe you're jealous that they might just be better looking than you?"
"Maybe fate is telling you that you should be looking for a man with a slightly evil streak. You seem to be
able to elude death, and you have killed so many people and stolen so many priceless artefacts that
maybe you should give in to it"
"The people I kill are never innocent, and why should I give in to what? There is nothing tempting me!"
"Oh really? Not innocent? What about the men in the helicopters?"
"Xao-Tul-Ca. Eat or be Eaten?"
"A philosopher, Miss Croft. How about the soldiers making their way up the sides of the buildings? They
are innocents. You have a perfect view down on them? What is to stop you from just firing?"
"I wasn't planning on shooting them in the head…maybe the legs or something. The they have a fighting
chance"
"Noble sentiments? But will you keep to them?"
"I'm not promising anything!"
"Maybe I can help you. How about you give in to your evil streak. Join me, and become mine. You are
most delectable Miss Croft, and you would make a fine edition to my collection!"
"Collection of what"
"Why, Lovers Miss Croft. Women simply throw themselves at my feet just to get a glimpse at my riches
and power"
"Erghhh. You disgust me. I would rather kiss a snake! And Herity?? What kind of a name is that??"
Herity's sneer turned very rapidly into a look of hatred, and his cheeks coloured.
"You would dare make fun of a godly name?"
"Isn't godly to me!"
At that moment, Herity turned, and caught sight of Alexa and Aaron making their way towards him.
"Ahh, Miss Croft. A neat trick. You almost had me. But now, Guardian, and you Watcher. We fight!"
"Lara! The soliders"
Lara grabbed her guns from their holsters, and performed a backwards somersault off the top of the
temple. Landing about 10 steps down the side, she shot all the soldiers who were nearing the top on her
side. Somersaulting off the side again, she performed a twist and shot the soliders making their way up.
Reloading her guns, she ran round to the next side.
"One side down, 3 to go!"
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Meanwhile on the top of the temple, Herity had drawn two silver swords from the air around him. Alexa
and Aaron stood by, staffs at the ready for the fight.
"Lets see if you can handle me, with you 2 againts 1. Maybe it will even the odds for you, but I doubt it"
And so the fight began. With a sword in each hand, Herity began attacking them. Each of his moves was
countered by both of them. And in turn, each of Alexa's and Aarons blows were met with the sword
blocking them. With each blow, Alexa got angrier and angrier, and the sky once more began to grown
dark. Herity spun his swords faster and faster, and lightning struck all around them.
Lara had since finished off the soldiers on the temple, and had only 8 bullets left. She scrambled back
up to the temple top to see the most spectacular fight she had ever scene. If she hadn't known it was
real, she would have enjoyed it. But she could see that Herity was indeed a master swrdsman and was
beginning to gain the upper hand. Staying out of sight, she watched as the Guardian and the Watcher
fought side by side, until Aaron slipped! Herity sauntered over to where Aaron had fallen and sneered.
"Goodbye Watcher. You'll meet your love in the after-life"
He plunged the sword down through Aarons heart, and withdrew it again.
"If you have any last words Guardian, I'll let you say them. Then we continue"
Lexa ran to Aaron's side. Cradling his head in her arms, she began to cry, and the skies opened and it
began to pour with rain.
"Oh Aaron. I'm so sorry" she sobbed.
"Don't be..L.e..xa. I'm sor…ry I couldn't protect y..ou..bet..ter. I lo..ve you!"
Lara was moved to tears as Aaron's last breath rattled from his body and his silver staff melted to the
ground. Silence was all around, as the rain continued to pelt down.
"Guardian! Stand up and fight me. If you die, you die with honour. If not, I will kill you now and take the
throne. You have lost Guardian. Admit defeat. You have lost everything. Your love, your friend, Miss
Croft, who by now is lying dead at the bottom of this temple. Your family, Your throne. Everything "
"Nooooo!!"
Alexa stood, and prepared to fight again. Lara stood up on the edge of the temple behind Herity, and
motioned to Lexa to stay quiet. Lara took out her gun and fired. The remaining Xao-Tul-Ca dropped like
flies, and Herity whipped round to face Lara.
"YOU!!! You are supposed to be dead. Once again Miss Croft, you have eluded death. I begin to think
that you are an immortal yourself. You may have killed them, but they mean nothing to me. And when I
have killed the Guardian, I will kill you!"
"I've had death threats before Herity. And I have had death threats against my friends. None have ever
succeeded"
"Today, a death threat will succeed"
He turned, and threw his sword at Alexa. It pierced her chest, and she fell to the ground. But, Alexa
began to laugh.
"Ahh Herity. You stupid fool. We had not prepared for fighting again. You just broke the most sacred
rule from the Guardians temple"
Realisation dawned on Herity, and he cried out. Turning on Lara, he cried,
"You tricked me. You ARE an immortal. Nobody except an immortal could have known the Honour
Thyre. Please..I beg of you. Have mercy on me. I don't want to suffer the consequences. Please..Kill me
now."
"Why should I take pity on you, and kill you, when you caused so much suffering to others? Why should
I release you, when you have just killed a person who I called my friend?"
"But she won't die..you are an immortal. You know the Honour Thyre. You should know that she won't
die"
"I am not an immortal Herity. I am an archaeologist"
Lara turned, and shot him. Straight in the head. As he hit the ground, his body turned to dust and was
washed away in the rain. The sword in Alexa crumbled, and the wound in her side healed.
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Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to Eidos Interactive and Core Design. But Alexa Munroe,
Aaron and Xao-Tul-Ca leader Herity all belong to me.
This fic is dedicated to my best friend Jaina
XXX
Please Read and Review.
Almost done now.
I Love all of you faithful fans of my fic.
