Chapter 1
Surrey, England,
Croft Manor,
20:00 20th June 1994
Hailey Croft was sitting in the study in with her legs folded under her, besides a crackling fire reading a book on ancient Egypt, ancient societies had always been an interest of hers. But she supposed her 'sister' Lara Croft may have been an influence on that, as she was a world wide tomb raider and archaeologist.
Though Hailey knew Lara wasn't her biological sister, this didn't matter at all to her, the only family she had ever known as Lara and Hilary, and maybe Lara's father, but she didn't remember him, as he had disappeared the year after she was born. Hailey knew nothing of her mother or even who her father was, she had been told her mother had appeared before Lord Croft, Hilary an eleven year old Lara, being chased and she had been extremely worried for her child, so Lord Croft had agreed to raise the child as his own to protect her and then her mother had died.
She had just completed her GCSE a week ago, and was on her summer holidays before returning to school in September to do her A Levels, while she knew they were important for her future. Part of her felt that there was something else she needed to be doing, something even more important, but she just couldn't figure out what it was.
Moments later Lara entered the study smiling, as seeing her sister with her head stuck in a book, it pleased her to see her sister taking an interest in the past, rather than worrying about her future. Lara didn't think Hailey had realised, but herself and Hilary had noticed that she had seemed distracted lately, worrying about who she really was and where she came from.
Lara could clearly remember the day her little 'sister' had arrived, she knew that she and Hilary would have to take her to Stonehenge, tomorrow evening, for the sakes of a promise Hailey's mother had asked. She also feared whatever did happen at Stonehenge tomorrow, would change her little sister for the rest of her life, whatever destiny had in store for her Lara was sure it wouldn't be nice and easy and that worried the Tomb Raider, but she also made herself a promise that she would walk the same path as her sister to protect her.
Smiling to herself she sat opposite Hailey in the other big comfy leather recliner. "So Hailey, how does it feel to not to have to worry about school, for another 8 weeks."
"Yes." Hailey answered non-enchanted.
"So what are you doing for your birthday?" Lara asked.
"Party last weekend." Hailey answered. "You were away didn't think you'd mind."
"Course not, so what about tomorrow?" Lara asked.
"Hilary said something about a day trip to where you found me." Hailey answered.
"Yes Stonehenge." Lara answered. "Is where we found your mother."
Location Unknown,
Dreamscape,
Stonehenge,
Hailey found herself on a altar in the centre of a stone circle, which she recognised as being Stonehenge, but what confused her was where was the field that surrounded Stonehenge. Only outside of the circle was purely white light, she realised this could not be Stonehenge but then what was it and why was she here, the last thing she could remember was lying down to sleep.
"Ok what is going here?" Hailey screamed.
"Calm down my daughter." A woman dressed in robes said stepping out of the altar.
"Who are you?" Hailey demanded.
"I am your mother Alexandra." Alexandra said smiling.
"Mother." Hailey asked in shock Alexandra nodded.
"I needed to see you once before it begun." Alexandra said sadly.
"Before what begins?" Hailey asked confused.
"Your Quest." Alexandra answered, but Hailey still looked confused. "Don't worry soon you will now, I wish you didn't have to do this but you are our only hope, for the future my child you must complete the quest no matter the cost."
"What quest, what is going on here?" Hailey asked confused.
"You will learn that soon." Alexandra answered. "Just know I am sorry for you having to deal with all this."
Wiltshire,
Stonehenge,
23:59, 21st June 1994.
Hailey and Lara stood either side of the altar, wondering what was going to happen next, they had been here since mid day having brought a picnic lunch and Hilary having brought take away for dinner. Neither of them were sure what was meant to happen, Hailey had said to Lara and Hilary that neither of them needed to stay, but they had both insisted on being here with her.
Hailey had said nothing of her dream last night, figuring it was just her imagination, and she wasn't even sure why she was here at all, she figured her real parents had just abandoned her here years ago, and the Croft family had found her and raised her as their own. But she figured she would humour Lara and Hilary, staying here until gone midnight thinking that should satisfy their curiosity.
Moments later on the alter a white light flashed leaving a crystal attached to a chain lying there.
"Was that it?" Lara asked confused.
"I don't know." Hailey answered feeling drawn to the crystal picking it up, feeling the urge to place it around her neck she did. "Ok now-"
Lara managed to catch her as she passed out.
"Lara what happened?" Hilary asked rushing over.
"That crystal appeared in a flash of white light, she put it on and then passed out." Lara replied pointing to the crystal around Hailey's neck, while carefully laying her sister down. "I think this was meant to happen, but for as of why or how it happened I don't know, and think the best thing we can do is wait and see."
"Agreed." Hilary answered, he himself was unsure what was going on here, not in all his years had he seen anything like this before, and he had been alive a thousand years.
Location Unknown,
Dreamscape,
Stonehenge,
Hailey found herself in the white space from her dream last night, but instead of seeing her mother she saw another woman dressed, in black body armour with human features and lime green hair. She was sat on the centre altar, with a katanna sword resting in her lap with her back to Hailey.
"Who are you?" Hailey asked confused.
"I am the first on the old." She replied sheaving her sword.
"Old what?" Hailey asked.
"The first incarnation of the human race." She answered. "I am the mother to humanity."
"Why am I here?" Hailey asked confused.
"Destiny and Fate created you, you birth was foretold at the fall of the demons last time." She answered seriously. "It was prophesised the demons would return, and unless you came back to help prepare man kind for the war, humanity will die and fall."
"What do you mean?" Hailey asked still confused.
"Let me tell you a story of the history the human race." She said turning to Hailey and a chair appeared for Hailey to sit in. "The first evolution of man kind developed on Earth 2,000,000 years ago, where we fought with the elves and dragons on Earth, for 500,000 years, until a peace accord was struck between the humans, elves and dragons."
"Elves and dragons are just myths there are none on Earth." Hailey stated.
"Not anymore they aren't they moved to another realm, but that comes later." She answered. "With our three races in peace, we developed amazing technologies and began to explore the universe, making peace with alien races, and we formed an alliance between the alien races, with the Anla-Shok created to govern."
"Sounds perfect so what happened?" Hailey asked. "And also what is your name?"
"Cal'endranen." Cal'endranen answered. "After 300,000 years of peace things began to go wrong, people began rebel wanting power more than they could gain in the Alliance. Dark and powerful magic users, summon the first demon into our dimension, to be killed by the demons, it then went onto replace one of them and began influencing the human race towards the destruction of the alliance of the Anla-Shok.
"The demon then went onto to summon it's own brethren, the last of the Anla-Shok of the time, were able to prevent the demons from leaving Earth, and the dragons and elves fled this realm. For nearly a million years the demons ruled the Earth, but the reformed Anla-Shok along with the armies of Atlantis were able to banish the ancient demons from the Earth. Leaving the lower circle demons and creating the vampire race, here on Earth hoping they and those humans dark enough to follow them to return them to Earth."
"What does this have to do with me?" Hailey asked. "Also if Atlantis was real where is it now?"
"Atlantis was sunk in the final battle with the demons, approximately 15,000 years." Cal'endranen answered. "With the banishment of the last of the ancient demons, the old ones like me had to pass beyond the human form to ascend as it were, we left the Anla-Shok to guide fight the remaining demons and so they have done so for the last 15,000 years though they lost all the technology they once had."
"Ok but seeing we aren't over run by demons, I really don't see the problem." Hailey answered.
"The darkness has been increasing steadily for the last thousand years, and at the beginning of the new millennium, the first demon that invade Earth all those years ago, will regain a human host and will bring about the return of his brethren on the Winter Solstice of 2005." Cal'endranen answered. "This has all happened before, the human race was un-prepared to fight such a war, and by the year 2255 there were very few free humans left. Which is why you conceived, with your altered DNA and your mother came back to this time."
"What do you mean altered DNA?" Hailey asked concerned.
"Before you were born your DNA was alter, while your mother was pregnant with you." Cal'endranen answered. "When we awaken these gifts, you will have photographic memory, with the memories of soldiers and commanders, enhanced sight, hearing, speed and strength."
"So why am I so important if this has already happened, can I really stop it?" Hailey asked.
"With the right tools and information, you may not be able to stop the first's opening the gates, but you will have an army dedicated and properly armed to face it." Cal'endranen answered.
"And how am I meant to do that?" Hailey asked.
"With the Ashraca crystal, of which you are wearing one of nine segment of." Cal'endranen answered.
Wiltshire,
Stonehenge,
01:00, 22nd June 1994.
Lara and Hilary were becoming very worried about Hailey, she had been unconscious for an hour, the only reason they hadn't done anything was because everything looked like she was simply asleep. Both of them of the last hour had thought, maybe she had just fallen asleep without a problem, but then both of them had thought of why they were here and had decided it was very unlikely.
Moments later Hailey sat up on the altar where she was sleeping smiling, but with a look in her eyes neither had seen in her before, the look of determination and resignation. Lara began to wonder what had happened while her little 'sister' was dreaming, that look in her eyes reminded of those who knew what they had to do, but was highly probably a suicide mission.
"Hailey you ok?" Lara asked concerned for her little sister.
"Yeah I will be." Hailey replies trying to deal with what Cal'endranen had just told her. "Can we go please, I need time to deal with what I have just learned."
"What have you learned my dear?" Hilary asked concerned for someone he thought of as a 'daughter' like Lara was a daughter to him.
"Fate and destiny Hilary if that is your real name, fate and destiny." Hailey answered.
"Hilary is my real name to that I promise." Hilary swore and Hailey nodded.
"Never doubted your care and commitment to us Hilary, just wanted to know whether that was your real name." Hailey answered and Hilary nodded.
"What is going on Hailey?" Hilary asked worried and concerned.
"Fate and destiny Hilary, lets just say things are coming to a head," Hailey answered. "And I have been charged with seeing the survival of Earth and of humanity, unless we wish to repeat the 1 million year occupation from before."
"What?" Lara exclaimed in shock.
"What help do you need?" Hilary asked camly.
"What is going on here, who occupied Earth and enslaved humanity for a millions year?" Lara demanded.
"Lara sister, you have had dealing with demons and vampires right?" Hailey asked and Lara nodded. "Well those demons you have dealt with were lower circle demons, most of them are just interested in making lives for themselves and nothing else right?"
"What do you mean?" Lara asked confused.
"There are nine circles of demons Lara, the only circles that remained on Earth were 7, 8, 9, and most of them are peaceful and refused to return as they knew they could create better lives for their families here on Earth." Hailey answered. "The most other 6 circles of demons and vampires are the ones we have to worry about."
"So what do we do?" Lara demanded.
"I try find the remaining pieces of this crystal, and hope it will be enough with what it will show for the future to be safe." Hailey answered seriously.