Chapter 23 - The End of the Adventure

Alexa stood in the centre of the temple-summit and knelt down. Lara noticed that there was a small handle in the ground. As she watched, Lexa took hold of it and pulled upwards. A solid block of sapphire rose up, and within this was a magnificent sword.

"The Miran" Lara exclaimed.

"Yes. If I had managed to get it before Herity arrived, I could have prevented all of this destruction from happening. They thought that the sword was destroyed when the Empire disappeared all those years ago. But I knew where it was hidden. And I couldn't stop any of this"

Lexa took the sword from its resting place. Raising it high above her head, she recited an incantation and the Miran obliged by glowing blue, and then a wave of blue energy flowed from it all over the island. Lara looked over the side and saw that all the bodies had disappeared from the sides of the temples.

"It is better if the sword is destroyed, Lara"

Lara nodded in agreement. Lexa took the sword in her hand, and threw it high into the air. It stopped, turned point down, and hovered. Lexa held her hand out, and a ball of blue flame appeared in it. It grew steadily bigger, just as the flame from Aarons hand did, and then Lexa threw it at the sword. It hit, and the sword exploded into a million little pieces of light. Lexa sank to her knees.

She crawled over to where Aaron's body lay on the temple. Taking his head in her hands again, she burst into a fresh flood of tears, and the rain poured even harder. There was silence all around them apart from the sound of the rain hitting the sapphire around them. Lara knew how Alexa felt. She knew that to lose a friend hurt, to lose a loved one hurt even more.

"Lexa? What happens now?"

"To be honest Lara. I'm not entirely sure. This has never happened before" She gave a weak smile.

"But we must get back into the temple, or we will catch cold. Take my hand again"

Lara did so, and this time, she felt herself gliding back down through the temple. When she opened her eyes, they were on the ground of the temple. It was still bright in here. The water running in its sapphire streams, the emerald trees, the bright life all around them. Lara caught sight of the altar at the far end of the temple. She turned back to Alexa, who had stood and was looking around.

"Could you help me please Lara. I must get him onto the altar"

Lara walked to her, and took Aaron's legs. Lexa took him under the arms, and together they walked to the altar and laid him down on it.

"It's not fair Lara. I'm sure there was supposed to be a rule that stated that murder of a watcher was a terrible crime. The previous 3 deaths caused by the Xao-Tul-Ca are supposed to be reversed. But Aaron should be alive if that was true. I just don't understand it"

"Lexa..I'm sorry for your loss. I am. But we really should go. Come back with me. You can stay with me. Be a Tomb Raider. You're good at that kind of thing. And you gotta teach me how to fight like that. Come on"

Lexa started walking back towards the entrance with Lara. Her head hung low, Lara could see the tears as they ran from Lexa's eyes. Each time a tear fell to the floor, a ruby red flower rose. They were walking back across the silver path which ran over the water, when the inside of the temple grew dark.

"Lexa..I thought you said that this was a defence mechanism. This shouldn't be happening should it?"

An mighty bolt of lightning struck behind them. Lara jumped and spun around. Lexa turned, screamed and ran back to the altar. Aaron's body no longer lay there. Where he had lain was a scorched section of sapphire!

"Err..that must have been pretty hot lightning to cause that"

"He's gone, Lara. They took his body too. I won't even be able to see him ever again"

"Do you want to bet on that Lexa?" came Aaron's voice

Lexa's eyes opened wide and looked around wildly.

"Up here"

They both looked up, and on the top of the altar stood Aaron. The breeze whistling through the temple blew his cape about him, and he looked as impressive as the first time Lara saw him.

"The Honour Thyre…It's worked. The ancient Laws have worked. He's back!" said Lexa.

Aaron jumped down and held Lexa close to him. She returned the embrace and looked serenely happy.

"Lexa. I'm happy for you. I really am. But what is this Honour Thyre thing. I've been accused of knowing it, and I've figured its some mystical lore that worked from your time. But what IS it?"

"Oh Lara. I'm sorry. The Honour Thyre - a lore as you say. It was written that a Guardian could be challenged and once the challenge had been accepted and the participants prepared for the fight, if the Guardian was killed it was "legal", if you would prefer it to be put that way. If the Guardian was killed in cold blood though, without the preparation for the fight, the challenger would be cast into the pits of hell to burn for an eternity, and the Guardians wounds would heal. The previous 3 deaths caused by the Xao-Tul-Ca, only if the victims were innocent, would be resurrected. When you shot Herity, you saved him from an eternity in hell"

"Damn! Oh well. Never mind. If I meet him again, he owes me big time"

"Yes. He does. But, Lara, we must go now. I have found my love. The Sapphire Empire is safe, and there is nothing left for me to do. We will return to our own time now. But first, I will give you a gift. Here."

Lexa handed Lara her staff, and showed her how to close it. She then handed Lara a small orb of sapphire with silver filigree patterns over it.

"Hold it in your palm at arms length. It will produce, what you call, a hologram. That will teach you how to use the staff, as you wished. Thank you for everything Lara"

She kissed Lara on both cheeks. Aaron stepped over to Lara and dropped onto one knee before her.

"I too would like to Thank you for all of your help. We couldn't have done it without you. And I also would like to give you a gift. He held out his hands, palms up and the swords of Herity appeared in them.

"I believe you are a collector of rare artefacts. These are originals Miss Croft. I think you deserve them"

Aaron then kissed Lara on the cheek. Lara smiled at them both.

"And I would like to thank you for this adventure. Its been great. Thank you for the gifts"

"Now Lara" said the Guardian

"You must go back to your ship. You have a home to get to, and worlds to save, and people to meet. I feel sure that we will meet again. Goodbye"

Lara turned and ran from the temple. She ran back down through the Sapphire Empire and to the boat that she and Lexa had landed on. The Helicopters of the Xao-Tul-Ca were there on the sand, but there was nobody around so Lara paid them no heed. She leapt into the boat and sped it away. She stopped the boat about 100m from the edge of the shore and turned the boat. As she watched, two small orbs of blue light raised above the Empire and in a flash, disappeared. Lara waved and turned her head back to the island. Once again, the waves began to become rough and Lara held on to the sides. However, instead of sinking back into the ocean. The Empire became transparent, and eventually disappeared, leaving 3 helicopters bobbing gently on the oceans before they sank. Lara smiled gently, and turned the boat back to the ship. She gazed at the gifts in the boat, and then spotted a box covered by a cloth that hadn't been there before. She stopped the boat again, and lifted the lid of the box. Inside, was an exact replica of the Sapphire Empire. The temple, the houses, the trees and the sand. Then she spotted the note.

"Take care of it for us!"

Lara gasped.

"That has got to go in the secret room" she whispered

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Disclaimer: All recognisable characters belong to Eidos Interactive and Core Design. I own the characters Alexa Munroe, Herity and Aaron. And the Xao-Tul-Ca. And similarity to any persons or groups living is purely coincidental!!!

This fic is dedicated to my best friend, Jaina

XXX

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