I was actually on time this time, guys!! XD


Lara angrily rose to her feet, removing the sword from her back. "You," she bellowed, barely above a whisper. "This is all your doing!" she shouted.

Siamak drew in a slow breath. The look in his eyes read of guilt and atonement, not of anger or revenge like it had been before. He slowly met Lara's gaze. "I should've listened to her," he said quietly.

Lara glared at him, gripping the sword tightly in her hands. "What are you talking about?" she demanded.

"She told me to walk away from all of this," he explained, "to be the leader I'd been thousands of years ago." He hesitated for a moment as he dropped his head. "I thought this would feel…better. I thought that a satiated need for revenge would make me feel complete, but it doesn't." He met her gaze again. "I know this is all my doing. I should've stopped Karel. I should've taken control of Lemuria and done what was right."

"It's too late for regrets now," Lara said angrily. "My daughter is dead. Dead. And you could've prevented it! You could have served proper justice to this realm!" She tried to control her heaving rage by focusing on his sorrowful eyes. "I don't even believe anything you're saying," she said slowly. "Your apology is as shallow as your death. You've only been dead for a mere five minutes."

"I didn't want this!" he shouted. He sighed heavily, closing his eyes. Then, he faced Lara. He gazed past her at Kurtis, a look of sorrow and hatred in his eyes as he held his daughter's cold, lifeless body in his arms. He drew in a silent breath. "Karel is in the arena. He's going to rejuvenate the sword, and if he does that, you will die, and he –" he spoke of Kurtis, "– will be trapped in here forever."

"It sounds fair enough," Lara said coldly. "Why should we get to live when our daughter is dead?" It was more of a statement of fact than a question.

Siamak stared into her eyes, then slowly lifted his hand forward. A ball of orange energy glowed in his hand. "Karel had intended for me to steal her powers," he said. "I couldn't bring myself to hurt her. Instead, I stole some of her energy. It isn't much, but it should be enough for her to survive."

Lara glared at him, unsure if he was telling the truth. She turned her gaze towards Kurtis, seeking his approval, who looked more defeated and weary than anything else. He swallowed his fear, then slowly nodded. Lara turned back to Siamak and stepped aside. Siamak slowly approached Emily, kneeling down next to her as the energy glowed in his palm. He slowly reached his hand towards her forehead, and his wrist jerked a bit. He held his hand in place over her head for a moment, then stepped backwards, staring down at Emily.

Kurtis held the young girl tightly in his arms, repeating one thought in his head – Please, please, please…Lara cautiously – very cautiously – approached her daughter, bending down next to her. She clenched her fist tightly, probably tightly enough to draw blood. She stared down at Emily's eyelids, waiting for them to open so she could see the living blue eyes she'd known for twelve years.

Kurtis looked up at Siamak, as if expecting an answer. Siamak continued to stare down at the child. You said she was going to live…Kurtis wanted to say. But he was cut off by the movement in his arms. His head jerked towards Emily with lightning speed, and he felt Lara's hand on his shoulder as she drew in a gasp, holding her breath.

Emily's eyes slowly flickered open, and she stared blankly at the ceiling above. Then, her gaze slowly turned to her father's eyes. "Dad?" she whispered.

Kurtis felt his heart skip a beat, and he drew her closer to him into a tight embrace, kissing the top of her head. "Don't ever leave me again," he demanded, holding her tightly. He looked up into Lara's eyes as they flooded with tears of relief and happiness. A calm smile crossed her face as she squeezed Kurtis's shoulder with affection. Emily turned over in his arms to face her mother. "Mom," she breathed. "I got him, Mommy. I got Karel."

Lara stared into her daughter's eyes with confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I…" She turned in Kurtis's arms to look over at the dying flames in the alcove beyond. Her face knit into confusion as she pulled out of Kurtis's grasp and gazed up at the empty space in the flames where she'd thought she'd trapped Karel. "He was here…" she said in a small, defeated voice. "I trapped him there…"

"The arena," Siamak spoke up. "He's going to rejuvenate the sword. You need to stop him before he does so."

Lara rose to her feet. "How do you propose we do that?"

"He will have to do it," he said, gesturing towards Kurtis. "It's the only chance you'll stand."

Kurtis rose to his feet. "It's fine," he said flatly. He turned towards Emily to make sure she'd returned to her feet alright, then moved down the corridor, taking the Sword of Light from Lara's grasp. He stopped once he passed Siamak, then turned his head. "You two need to get out of here," he directed to Lara. "I'll handle Karel." Then, he moved down the corridor and out of sight.

Lara turned to face Siamak, trying to figure out what to say. He drew in a silent breath, holding her gaze. "Don't thank me," he said firmly. Then, he took subtle steps backwards until he disappeared completely. Lara slowly dropped her gaze to the floor, then turned towards Emily. "Let's get out of here," she said softly. She approached her daughter, helping her to walk from the alcove, down the corridor, and past the gateway, leaving the realm of Lemuria for good.


Kurtis rounded the corner with the Sword of Light held low in his hand. He'd been here before. Yes, he'd been right here – holding the Sword of Light in his hand as he moved deeper into Lemuria to do away with Karel. This time, he wasn't afraid. This time, he was going to make sure Karel was dead. He turned down the corner into the arena, glimpsing Karel standing on the balcony above. "I was hoping you'd show up," Karel called from above. "It wouldn't be a party without the honored guest."

"So that's your ingenious plan, Karel?" Kurtis returned. "To trap me in here again?"

"You can't kill me without dying yourself," he said. "Siamak was weak, but I am indestructible."

"Siamak was torn between good and bad," Kurtis retorted.

"Am I hearing you defending him?" Karel asked with a grin. "After what he brought upon your darling daughter?"

"Siamak was just a mad dog," Kurtis returned. "You're the one who let him off the leash."

Karel glared at him. "Very well," he said. "Once I rejuvenate this sword, I'll be unstoppable anyways."

Karel reached his hand towards the sword, ignited a burst of green energy in his hands. Think fast, Kurtis, he tried to convince himself. He reached for the Chirugai on his belt, then threw it forward, sending it into the air with a quick slice on Karel's wrist. Karel cried out in pain as the disk returned to Kurtis's grasp. He glared down at the Lux knight, then moved forward again, finally giving the sword the green energy he'd intended it to have.

Kurtis glanced down at the Sword of Light in his hand. Then, he drew his arm back and launched the sword through the air. It sailed through the empty space and towards Karel as he turned forward just in time to see his kryptonite flying towards him. The blade pierced his gut, and he staggered backwards. The sparks emitted from the sculpture holding Siamak's sword, and the entire balcony crumbled, collapsing to the ground below.

Time to go, Kurtis thought quickly. He turned down the corridor and ran as fast he could, glimpsing the glowing light of the gateway ahead. It was so close.

Kurtis could feel the destruction behind him. He could feel everything in Lemuria collapsing, falling apart. As he drew closer to the gateway, he could see the edges drawing in, narrowing into the size the portal had been. No, he thought. Not this time. Not again.


Emily leaned against the center pillar of the temple room just outside of the gateway to Lemuria. Lara paced nervously before her. In fact, Emily had never seen her so nervous. This must be what it had felt like the first time this happened, Emily thought, feeling sorry for her mother. She clenched her fists at her side, praying her father would return safely.

They jerked their heads up when they heard an imploded hum. They could see it from where they stood – Lemuria was crumbling. How? Neither knew, much less cared. All they wanted was to see Kurtis emerging from the abyss.

The edges of the gateway began to dissipate. Emily clenched her fist at her side even tighter. Come on, Dad, she thought nervously. Hurry up…Then, in the distance, she saw Kurtis's figure as he rushed towards the dissolving gateway. Emily took a step forward, preparing to run ahead, but she felt Lara grip her arm to stop her. She held her breath, waiting until she saw Kurtis coming closer. Then, he stumbled to the ground, knocked flat by an explosion in the distance. "Dad!" Emily shouted. She turned to rush ahead once again, but Lara pulled her back even harder.

Get up, Kurtis, Lara thought worriedly. Get up and run! She watched fearfully as the gateway continued to dissolve. He looked up just in time to meet her gaze. Don't leave me alone again, she demanded, communicating through her eyes. The gateway continued to close in.

Lara's grip on Emily's arm tightened to the point where she'd forgotten she was holding her daughter and not a stress-ball. Kurtis pushed off the ground and continued forward, then dived through the portal just as the entire celestial gateway disappeared.

Lara breathed a sigh of relief, then released her daughter. Emily rushed forward to her father, bending down next to him. Lara followed after her, enacting the same motions. Kurtis opened his eyes as he lay on his back. His gaze turned from Emily to Lara, then he chuckled. "You two are certainly a sight for sore eyes," he muttered wearily.

Lara chuckled with relief, then leaned forward to kiss him tenderly. Emily covered her eyes and turned away. "Gross," she muttered.


Awwwww a stupid happy ending. Just like you guys want =P One more chapter though! Catch you Monday :)