Well, here's a little different version of my Tomb Raider/Legacy of Kain things. I'm not sure if you people will like it as much as the TR/SR series, but it's here for you to comment on. If you like it, I'll continue it, otherwise I won't. For full pleasure, if you've read the TR/SR series, pretend that never happened, okay?

*sigh* Knowing my luck, as I attracted all the Kain fans with SR series, I'll get all the Raz fans with this one. Always works that way. Here you go…

Ah yes! MAJOR MAJOR Blood Omen 2 spoilers! This is effectively a what-if situation of Blood Omen 2 with Lara along from the ride, so a lot of the dialog is taken directly from the game. So expect many spoilers!

Lara stared at the glowing medallion set upon the pedestal. Engraved on the face was a wavy bladed bastard sword with a skull hand guard. A pair of fangs rested in the skull's mouth.

"Now, my little one," she murmured, her fingers inching nearer. "I've been looking for you a long time. It's over now." She gently grabbed it and picked it up, feeling the satisfying weight of the orichalcum. She quickly tossed it over her head, feeling the cold metal settle against her skin and let it fall beneath her shirt. It was a comforting weight, and it almost immediately heated to match her body temperature perfectly. She turned away and headed toward the door which was guarded by a pair of angel statues. Or, at least, she guessed they were angels. Each angel stood with its head bent down in reverence, each holding a copy of the sword engraved on the medallion. Their hands were adorned with three long claws, two main fingers and a thumb, and where their feet poked out from under their robes, Lara could see they were cloven. The beings were strange, yet somehow beautiful and their faces were carved with sorrowful expressions. As she walked through them, the statues suddenly jolted into life, swinging their identical blades, one slamming on the ground in front of her, the other behind her. Where they hit, a blue-silver energy coursed across the ground, forming a giant circle. Along the rim runes blazed into life. The world whirled sickeningly, then rippled and settled into dark alleyways, crammed houses, refuge-strewn streets, and a black sky with an amazingly clear view of the bright stars. A strong stench of humans slapped Lara in the face and she grimaced. The architecture looked like eleventh, perhaps twelfth century Europe. Lara sighed, careful not to breathe too much of the air.

'Did I time travel again?' she demanded of herself. 'Well, I suppose I might as well go and find out.'

She cautiously made her way down the street, sticking to the shadows to avoid sticking out like a sore thumb. There were guards standing all around, each wearing full plate with intricate lines of yellow-orange to accent them. They stood looking over what had to be peasants with a cold expression. Why were they here? And where was she?

There was a sudden scream from down an alleyway near her. She moved back into the shadows and focused her gaze down it. She recognized two silhouettes; one on the ground, apparently dead, and another leaning over it.

One of the guards raced toward the alleyway, and when he got about to where Lara was standing, the yellow on his armor burst into light. He shouted, "Vampire!" as he went by. Lara was shocked a moment, but it quickly shifted to amusement. A vampire?

In the new light, she watched the kneeling silhouette, a male, stand. On his lips was blood. Lara still wasn't convinced, but decided to be open to the possibility when the male opened his mouth and hissed, exposing long fangs. He darted up into a standing position so quickly she wasn't sure he moved. He pounced over the guard and vanished into the dark, obviously trying to loose him. However, the male "vampire" didn't notice or see Lara, and so didn't loose her as he headed through the labyrinth of a city. She noticed he avoided some halls and archways that had green lights on either side. When he drew too close, a green mist appeared across it, and it seemed to block him from entry. Lara found she had no such problem, but didn't want to loose her "guide." She kept up behind him, but made sure she stayed far enough away that he wouldn't notice her. He finally came to a cleaner part of the city, vaulted over a railing to avoid another pair of green lights, and quickly made his way to a shop and entered it. Lara quickly followed, and found herself looking at a small shop that had been neatly pressed away in between two buildings. On its window were the words, "Blue Lady," with "curios" beneath it. She gently opened the door and headed inside to see it was what looked like a pawnshop. She continued in and in the back found a path that went steeply down. She cautiously crept downward and listened as voices suddenly sounded. She poked her head around the corner and saw a large room with high pillars and several people of some sort standing in what was apparently a conference. They all wore outfits typical of the dark ages, and spoke to one with a reverence. The male was the only one who didn't look human; in fact, quite the opposite. He had green skin, long, tapered ears, and yellow cat-slit eyes. Three claws similar to the angel statues adorned his hands, and he nodded as the male who Lara had followed spoke to him.

There was a slight scrape of stone behind her and she spun to see a female who was wearing close to nothing. She hissed at Lara, exposing long fangs.

"I thought I smelled human," she whispered in a feral tone. Lara quickly backed up, pulling out her pistols, as the female made a swipe at her with claws. Lara swore to herself mentally as she realized she had backed up into the main room.

"What's this?" a male voice demanded. Lara connected the voice to the male green-skinned "vampire."

"I found this little human spying," the female answered, swiping at Lara again and forcing her to back up. The male moved where Lara could see him out of the corner of her eye. She quickly glanced around and found herself surrounded by the vampires.

"Well, human?" the male who was obviously in charge inquired. "Were you sent by the Sarafan?"

"Terribly sorry to disappoint you," Lara responded, "but I can't give an affirmative or a negation, as I have absolutely no idea who these so-called 'Sarafan' are."

"She lies," her male 'guide' snarled and moved toward her with deadly accuracy, claws aimed toward her heart. She calmly lifted a pistol and fired once, and he took the bullet in the chest. He let out a surprised roar of pain and dropped to his knees, blood creeping out of the wound. She watched in surprise as the hole began to heal slowly.

"Enough of this," the green-skinned vampire growled. He extended a hand and Lara's attention turned to him. Her eyes widened as he concentrated a moment and a blade appeared in his hand. He swung it once, then met her gaze with a deadly glare and started advancing toward her. Lara brought both pistols up and unloaded two clips, and watched in horror as with inhuman speed, he swung the sword before him, deflecting the bullets.

'Definitely time to get the more powerful weaponry out,' she thought to herself. Then he lunged toward her and she was forced to back flip, trying to stay away from blade. As she flipped away again, she found she had miscalculated the room size and slammed into the wall. As her back hit solid stone, she felt the orichalcum chain slip out under her shirt and when she hit the ground, the pendant hit her chest. She glared up as the vampire advanced, and she watched as one of his eye ridges rose slightly. The sword swung round, but cut too short to hit her skin. Instead, he stopped it in front of her and brought it up, using the tip of the blade to grab the pendant and force her to stand. He grabbed it and jerked, pulling her uncomfortably close to him.

"Where did you get this?" he demanded.

"A tomb," she answered. He hissed, showing his fangs and silently pressing on her that he was loosing patience with her.

"Where?!"

"India," she answered around the pain of the orichalcum chain being dug into the back of her neck. He pulled away slightly.

"There is no such place."

"What are you talking about?" It was her turn to demand answers of him. "Isn't this England?"

"India?" he repeated. "England? Mortal, what are you talking about? You're making no sense. This is Nosgoth."

She blinked curiously. "Now it's you who isn't making sense. What's Nosgoth?"

He looked at her like she had gone insane. "This land is Nosgoth. I would think any mortal would know that at least."

Lara sighed irritably and looked around, saying, "Apparently I didn't jump times, I jumped planets."

"Jumped planets?" the vampire inquired bemusedly.

"Yes. I'm from a place called Earth."

He raised a skeptical eyebrow and looked down at her a moment, pondering what to do with her. Then he raised his hands and her bizarre weapons rose into his hand. He indicated to the male vampire that had been shot.

"Take her to the cell and leave her there for now. I need to decide what to do with this one."

"My lord?" he responded, surprised they didn't get to kill her straight out.

"Do it."

Lara brushed herself off, but promptly glared at one of the vampires as he moved forward to take hold of her. She walked to her "guide" and waited calmly. After all, it was better to have to be locked up for a while and find out about the world than be killed. She felt a tug at her shoulders as the male green-skinned vampire walked up behind her and pulled her backpack of her back. She whirled, but stopped herself from striking out at him as the vampires around her shifted, looking for an excuse to rip her apart. She simply pointed at the male.

"That will be returned to me." She turned to her guide and indicated for him to move. "Lead on."

She was taken to a small cell and quickly ushered in. The vampires walking around her had eyed her curiously as she had walked with grace and dignity to the cell. They glanced amongst themselves, noting silently how she held herself like royalty. The door was shut and locked, and the vampires quickly returned to their leader. Lara walked over and examined the locking mechanism. It was definitely old-style, and made to keep creatures with inhuman strength from breaking it. However, it wasn't designed to stop an agile lock-picker. Lara set to work, and in moments was cautiously walking up the way to get her things back. She slid around into the shadows of the main hall to see only a few of the vampires left, the leader included. There were two females, and one armor-clad male. Her things were on a pedestal on the other side of the room. She glanced around, and her eyes lighted on the tapestry hanging from the column. She grabbed it and quickly climbed to the top, and settled herself on flat stone, prepping to jump to the next column. She heard footsteps coming down the main hall from the shop, but paid them no mind, concentrating on not drawing the vampire's attentions.

"Ah yes," a new male voice stated from below, "whom but the Father of Vampires would lead the resistance? I am honored, Vorador."

"I need no false courtesy from you, Kain," the green-skinned vampire responded. "We are allies only by necessity! But, you are welcome to Sanctuary."

Lara glanced down from the column she was standing on and saw a new male, who she assumed was a vampire. He had pale white skin and long white-silver hair. She turned away and bunched her legs, then launched silently over to the next column top.

"It has not the splendor of your former castle," 'Kain' continued, "but I suppose it will have to do."

"It served, but time is short. The Sarafan's power grows by the day. Soon our every haven will be destroyed. We are facing extinction once again."

Lara glanced down from her pillar top as the white-haired vampire answered, "They thought once before they'd destroyed us, but you proved them wrong. You created a new race, something I would never do and from that race, I had my army."

"Now we are divided."

"And dying! Enrouse yourself! Make more of our kind!"

Lara propelled herself through the air onto another pillar. Two more to go.

"It takes time and energy to create a vampire," Vorador said. "I have not the strength. No, as Umah told you, we must kill the Sarafan Lord. When he is dead, their power will crumble."

Another jump. One pillar left.

"You have gone far already, Kain, and proven to be our greatest ally. We must plan our attack."

There was the sound of movement coming into the chamber. Lara glanced up before she jumped to the last pillar to see another vampire come running in, badly wounded and bleeding.

"Vorador!" the new vampire cried.

"What is it?"

"The west has befallen. Forgive me, sire. Umah has been taken."

"Taken?! How?"

The scout gulped a breath before relating, "Umah was searching the main building in the industrial quarter as you asked. I stood guard outside. She whispered to me that she had found something important."

"What was it?" Vorador demanded.

"I do not know. Before she could tell me, she was discovered by Sarafan Knights. I went to help her, but there were guards everywhere. I could not reach her. I heard them say she would be brought to the Sarafan Keep for public execution."

"NO!"

Lara glanced around her stony perch. She was five feet from the pedestal with her backpack and pistols, and about twenty feet up. She grinned grimly and slowly pulled the tapestry from the dark side up to use as a rope as the vampires below became progressively more agitated.

The scout continued, "Then, the guards were upon me, and I was forced to flee. Forgive me, Vorador."

"We need her information," Kain stated calmly.

"We need to save her life, Kain."

"Yes, of course. So. I am to rescue her, sire?" he questioned in a slightly mocking tone.

"Our kind cannot approach the Keep. We would be instantly discovered. You have the power to disguise your presence, but the chief entrance to the Keep is far too heavily guarded. You must speak with the Bishop of Meridian."

Lara blinked down at the vampires in confusion just as Kain voiced the same objections on her mind: "A bishop allies with us?"

"The promise of immortality can be very persuasive for a bishop whose faith in an afterlife is . . . wanting." Lara nodded sagely from above in agreement and tied the tapestry around the pillar to use as a makeshift rope as Vorador continued, "The bishop knows a secret entrance to the Sarafan Keep. You will find him in the Upper City. Tell him I sent you and he will give you access to the keep."

"And if Umah is dead when I reach her?"

Vorador breathed in deeply. Lara stretched down the rope slowly and carefully began to reach for her pack.

"Then her discovery dies with her, and with it, our hope. Go now, Kain, and find the bishop. Umah's life depends on you. As do we all."

Kain turned to go, but Vorador halted him with a touch to the shoulder. Lara tightened her grip on the rope and nearly touched the pack when it suddenly leaped from the pedestal and came to rest in Vorador's outstretched claw. He handed it to Kain.

"Take this one with you. She just might prove of help."

Lara, still upside down, glared at the two vampires. Kain, in turn, glared at her.

"Do you think me so inept that I'd need a human to help me, Vorador?" Kain growled.

"On the contrary. However, this one might prove interesting to you."

Lara flipped off the rope, having been spotted now, and grabbed her pistols, which were still there. She quickly slipped them into her holsters and stepped toward them carefully. Kain continued to glare at her, but an eyebrow raised.

"Well, she steps lightly enough."

"What you'd find interesting, Kain, is this." He reached out and lifted the necklace from her shirt so Kain could see the pendent. Kain's eyes narrowed.

"Where did you get this, human?"

"A tomb on my world," Lara responded with a slightly upraised lip in a silent snarl. Kain lowered his face so it was level with hers.

"I suppose I have no choice in this matter?" he inquired darkly of Vorador. "Fine." He spat the word out. "But she had better not get in my way."

"Don't kill her, Kain. I think she's of more importance to us than any of us give her credit for."

Kain and Lara glared at one another and snorted contemptuously at ever needing the help of the other. Kain grabbed her bag and turned to walk away. Lara glared daggers at his back, but reluctantly followed him. After all, in a world of vampires and knights, her only bet on her life were the weapons that rested in her bag.

Well, what do you think? Should I continue, or throw it out and work on the SR series only?