Chapter 7
Location Unknown,
Dreamscape,
Stonehenge.
Hailey smiled seeing Cal'endranen sitting on a altar stone, but was also accompanied by another a male sitting, on another altar stone dressed in the same robes Cal'endranen, with blue hair but holding an axe where Cal'endranen held a katanna.
"Hello Cal'en." Hailey said smiling.
"Bearer Hailey." Cal'en said rising from her altar.
"Who is your friend Cal'en?" Hailey asked.
"I am Mor'gadranen." The male said rising from his chair.
"I greet you." Hailey said offering her arm in a warrior's greeting to have Mor'ga to grasp her arm. "May I ask where your crystal had been located before the Council gained it."
"Who is this Council?" Mor'gadranen asked seriously.
"The Watcher's Council sir." Hailey answered but Mor'ga still didn't like he knew what the Council was. "Have you ever heard of a champion known as the Vampire Slayer?"
"No that means nothing to me." Mor'ga answered.
"The vampire slayer is one girl chosen into every generation, blessed with the skills and strengths to hunt and kill vampires." Hailey replied but Mor'ga still didn't look like she recognised this. "Ok, where was your crystal left, in whose protection was your crystal left?"
"The African plains." Mor'ga answered.
"One less place for us to less to look in." Cal'en stated.
London, England,
Watcher Council Headquarter, Location Unknown (Mystically hidden).
23:59 24th June 1994.
The vault was in the process of being cleared out, when Hailey re-awoke, finding one of the men that had been here with her sister, watching over her as the vault was being emptied.
"Who are you?" Hailey asked sitting up.
"My original name was Nath'an'ielle." Nathaniel answered. "But these days I go by Nathaniel, so you are on the Quest for the Ashraca crystal, I know you have Cal'en within you now, but who is the second, Tog'acdranen, Mo'cradranen, Mor'gadranen, I don't know any of the others names though."
"Mor'gadranen." Hailey answered.
"So the Council found the temple in the African Planes then." Nathaniel answered.
"What is going on here?" Hailey asked looking around her.
"We are clearing out the vaults then taking them, to Croft Manor where we can see what needs to be done with them." Lara answered. "Are you ok sis?"
"Been better thanks." Hailey replied. "What I want is my bed for at least 24 hours."
"Yes well that will come." Lara answered. "Now you rest while, we finish clearing out here."
"Thanks." Hailey replied looking around to where the crystal had been. "Where are the short sword and boot knives?"
"Here." Lara said pulling up a case placing it in front of her sister. "Why you interested in them?"
"I don't know but I feel they are important." Hailey replied opening the case.
The dragon blade. Cal'en said in awe.
The Light and Dark daggers. Mor'ga answered.
"What?" Hailey asked confused.
Think what you want to ask us? Mor'ga replied. Have you not taught her that yet Cal'en?
We have only just begun our training, she only received the crystal the night before she was kidnapped. Cal'en answered back smartly.
Excuse me I am here you know. Hailey remarked then noticing Nathaniel and Lara starring at her. "I am talking with Cal'en and Mor'ga, in my mind."
Lara stared at her but Nathaniel nodded.
What are these knives and sword? Hailey asked.
The daggers were forged by the last of the original Anla-Shok, as weapons to be used against the demons, together they can kill anything up to the first circle of demons. Mor'ga replied.
First circle? Hailey asked.
Demons come in 9 circles, 9 being the lowest the leakiest, 1 being the toughest, those that are called the old ones now, are from the 3rd, 2nd and 1st circle demons. Nathaniel replied telepathically.
"Ok so you can?" Hailey asked and Nathaniel nodded.
"What?" Lara asked confused.
"She is learning of the nine circles of demons." Nathaniel replied.
Ok so the knives are amazing. Hailey answered. But what of the sword?
Forged from the mothers of the first dragon to die on Earth. Cal'en answered. The power of the sword is able to challenge and defeat hell gods, and any anything else up to Seraphims, the three of them combined make a very dangerous potential, no man can be allowed to hold them together.
So keep the knives together but separate from the sword. Hailey answered.
Yes exactly. Mor'ga and Cal'en said in agreement.
Ok, what about other weapons? Hailey asked.
"There are others including what was known as Excalibur." Nathaniel answered.
"What about Excalibur the sword, Camelot and King Arthur are a myth." Lara answered.
"Not as much as you think." Nathaniel replied.
Hailey closed the case figuring she would figure out to do with them later. "Besides I think someone promised me a lift home, so I can finally go to bed."
"I will transport you both." Nathaniel said smiling.
New York City, New York
North American Illuminati Headquarters.
00:10, 25th June 1994.
Jacque LaFront the current head of the Watcher's Council, stood before his superiors the nine members of the ruling Council of the Illuminati concerning the loss of the child and headquarters. Jacque was sure he and the Ruling Council would be killed and replaced, he knew there was no chance of him surviving but he hoped the information of Charles Raymond's death and his killer, would mean a quick death.
"I submit myself before the Council for their decision." Jacque said kneeling before the nine members. "I failed in killing the child as I was told, and I lost this Council the Watcher's Councils headquarters, and all that was contained within it."
"With the Council headquarter's failure you are dead you know this, why do you come before us?" The first member asked.
"I come to plead for quick death for myself, and to give the Council a chance of survival, and to succeed where I failed." Jacque replied. "I offer information of Charles Raymond's death, one of my people were speaking with him before Charles's died."
"What do you know?" Another member asked.
"Charles informed Liam that another group was muscling in, offering the same or better aid to terrorist groups, with less cost to the terrorist that is all he could tell us before he was killed." Jacque answered.
"We know all of this from his reports." Another member stated.
"But do you have name for the killer of Charles?" Jacque asked seriously. "I have a single name with a middle eastern ascent, the name being Mr Morden."
"Yes that is new." The leader of the council stated. "Kill him instantly."
Another member shot Jacque twice in the head.
"Tell Mr Travers he is now the head of the Watcher's Council, and tell him that retrieving everything that is taken, is a top priority along with killing the Crofts are the top priority." The leader stated. "Send in our American representatives, and they can explain how they lost a most valuable asset of our and how he was allowed to escape."
"Yes sir." The guards replied as two cleaners removed the body.
Surrey, England,
Croft Manor,
00:15
Nathaniel, Hailey and Lara appeared in the study, Hailey collapsed into one of the leather chairs, half falling asleep as the energy boost Cal'en had given her began to ware off, and her body needed rest to re-cooperate.
"Are you ok Hai?" Lara asked worried about her sister.
"It's just starting to catch up on me, I need to get to bed soon." Hailey answered.
"Agreed." Nathaniel answered. "But we need to discuss this quest of yours?"
"What about it?" Hailey asked confused.
"Ok first thing first, where did you come from?" Nathaniel asked.
"2255." Hailey answered.
"How did you get here?" Nathaniel asked.
"Her mother came back through a portal, before giving birth to Hailey." Lara answered.
"What happened to your mother?" Nathaniel asked.
"Died after giving birth to her." Lara answered.
"What do you know about the crystal?" Nathaniel asked.
"The Ashraca crystal was split into 9 parts, and hidden across the world to prevent it's powers and knowledge, from falling into the wrong hands." Hailey replied relaying what Cal'en and Mor'ga told her. "The crystal will allow the Anla-Shok access to the supplies of the old, equipping us to be able to fight the coming invasion."
"What invasion?" Lara asked not having heard of this.
"The demons that once ruled this Earth are now returning." Nathaniel replied. "Prophecy has foretold their return for a long time, it is unlikely that this can be stopped, that is what happened in Hailey's time, but no one was prepared enough to fight. There are very few of us trained and with enough knowledge, to know what is coming and to be prepared to face it when it comes."
"So what do we do?" Lara asked.
"Finding the crystal is the most important thing for the moment." Hailey answered. "After that we need to deal with the Anla-Shok, and organise the hunters of the world into one organisation, organise the hunting teams, form the army needed for what is coming. Nathaniel what do you know of the current state of the Anla-Shok?"
"Not ready or capable of being any kind of army, they have lost their way forgotten the all codes, they care more for surviving than fighting, there has been no new blood for at least one generation, they are just the old families, playing nice." Nathaniel replied and Hailey nodded sadly. "There are those in the ranks that would act, if they were given the right opportunity, if they had help they could become the beginning, but only the beginning."
"So we need to start recruiting then, form a new order from the ashes of the old one." Hailey replied and Nathaniel nodded. "We are going to need leaders and soldiers for this, and I ain't going to have any immediate time, cause once I have recovered and covered some basic training I am leaving on this quest."
"Are you asking?" Nathaniel asked not asking the question.
"Yes I am asking while you?" Hailey asked seriously.
"I would be honoured." Nathaniel replied smiling. "On the condition, that you let me help you with the Quest, and that you call if you ever need help."
"I will." Hailey replied yawning. "And with that I am going to bed, can you two take care of the rest of it?"
"Of course go rest." Lara replied watching her sister head to her bedroom.
"It won't be easy you know." Nathaniel replied also watching Hailey.
"What won't be easy?" Lara asked dreading the answer.
"What has been set in front of her is something I would have never wished on my worst enemy, if I had known what was going on I would have taken the crystal before she bonded with it." Nathaniel replied. "But that is too late now."
"She won't go it alone." Lara stated and Nathaniel nodded. "I promise you that."
"She never was alone, but will she realise that." Nathaniel commented.
London Dock, London,
MI6 Headquarters
10:05.
James walked through into M's outer office, seeing Moneypenny there typing up a report.
"Morning Moneypenny." James said smiling.
"Good morning James is your business finished?" Moneypenny asked looking up from her computer.
"Yep, Hailey is safe & sound at home at Croft Manor." James replied. "Is M available I was hoping to report our results to her."
"Come in 007." M called out from her office.
James shrugged & entered M's office to find her sitting with another man dressed in a suit, both of whom smiled to James.
"Please take a seat 007." M said indicating to the chair in front of her desk. "Would you like something to drink?"
"No thank you ma'am, it is a little early for me." James replied jokingly.
"Right." M said in return then turning to her guest. "007 I would like you meet Lord Andrew Tanner, director of the Paranormal Services Group, attached to MI5, him & his people are charged to with dealing with paranormal threats to this nation. Lord Tanner please meet 007, though I don't like to admit it often he is my best agent, & also can report on the raids, you came here to discuss with me."
"What is your involvement in the raid on Watcher's Council headquarter may I ask?" Lord Tanner asked seriously.
"They had kidnapped & threaten my goddaughter Lord Tanner, Lady Hailey Croft several days ago & Lady Lara Croft asked for my help in rescuing her sister." James replied smartly. "Is that going to be a problem?"
"Not at all, we have had our eyes on the Council for sometime, but we have never had any solid information, to be able to connect them to any criminal activity." Lord Tanner replied & James nodded. "We have tried on several occasion to send agents undercover, but they have always been returned to us dead. No 007 you did what me & my people weren't able to do, & now hopefully the council will no longer be a threat to anyone."
"I wish that could be true Lord Tanner, but the ruling council were able to escape before we could get to them, & we have no idea where they have got too." James replied. "Although we were able to gain 2 important piece of information, the Council was funded by the Illuminati, & they were the ones representing the Illuminati in the middle east terrorist activities."
"Well that is useful information, but again it is nothing we didn't already suspect." Lord Tanner replied. "I don't suppose you were able to gain any information from their databases where you?"
"Quite a bit actually, I will have our people send the information onto you, once we have received it." James replied & Lord Tanner nodded disappearing.