- Vision Of The Past

Lara was no longer in the narrow walls of the labyrinth, but now within a void of emptiness.

'Well, looks like I'm back to here again' Lara observed. Looking around there was no sign of Tim, but she had expected that. Instead someone else was present with her. A man dressed in ruby red robes was standing a few meters ahead. His golden yellow eyes were reading and studying her, and then he began to speak in a peaceful tone.

"I welcome you to this realm, from here I can portray my message to you. My name is Rhamoon. I can sense you have been to this place before Lara Croft, I'm very pleased to meet you." He said with a smile.

"Yes I have, previously I met the magician guardian from the city of Mystiaja here. He gave me a message and clue leading us to where we are now." Lara explained, Rhamoon nodded in response to her answer.

"Hmmmm, okay. Before I tell you my message, I would like you to watch what I'm about to show you. It's a vision of the past of how I became a guardian of the artefact which you seek." Rhamoon clapped his hands together and all at once the environment changed.

The sands of time began to whirl round as images of various Ancient Egyptian buildings, ornaments, people, and landscapes were flying backwards in different phrases in time. Right up until the clock stopped, and what Lara was now seeing was a full marvellous city. Mainly looking at the town centre, it definitely was in full flow with a lot of people going about their daily business. It primarily featured agricultural land, and furthermore there were also workshops, market stalls, statues, monuments and homes set up around the place. One particular statue that had caught Lara's attention straight away was sculpted after Rhamoon, when his popularity was at it's highest peak.

The Ancient Egyptian city was a breathtaking view, but this rare awe-wondrous showing soon came to an end as Lara spotted two peculiar characters going towards a grand palace. The two looked very similar to the ones that visited the magician back in Mystiaja, and they certainly had a strange aura about them. They approached the door and knocked quite brutally. Immediately someone promptly answered.

"Ah, you've finally arrived. We've been expecting you...Have you brought it?" The person who opened the door hastily asked.

"Yes we have, quickly we must not delay, we have to give this to Rhamoon and inform him about the importance of this object!"

"Of course, please step inside... you haven't been followed have you?"

"No..."

They headed on indoors, and the scenery of the realm changed again from the outside of the city to the interior of this building. Inside the palace was decorated to a large scale with luxurious furnishings, red banners as well as curtains were hung up all around and a narrow yet subtle carpet trailed into the next room. A fountain had been installed in the centre of the entrance, running and circulating water at a full flowing rate. Quite a few people were present in the lobby too, some were socialising, while others were serving an assortment of refreshments. It seemed more or less to be an open area for the public, but looked more like an eventful gathering. There was no doubt that this was the house of Rhamoon.

The strange pair followed the carpet into the next room, where it featured two huge staircases going left and right for the upper levels, and directly midway ahead was a doorway. Through this doorway led into another room, where Rhamoon himself was seated on a comfortable throne-like chair overlooking the little gathering whom were partying in the space. When he spotted the two new visitors, without delay he dismissed everyone out of the chamber until it was just the three of them.

"I welcome both of you to my home... Ah I see you've brought the artefact, it is an honour to serve my duty as a guardian to this precious relic." Rhamoon warmly welcomed the duo, though they quickly shrugged it off.

"The order entrusts you with this special artefact Rhamoon. You have excellent reputation amongst the people here, and we have heard things back at our order that you are a respected man with a good heart. However we must reinforce our goals to you. If this relic should fall into the wrong hands dire consequences will arise for the world. These artefacts are not meant to be used by any means. This is why we chose you to be a guardian of this specific sacred object. Keep it a secret to only yourself. We permit the people you trust your life with knowing about this, but misjudge the people who you think are your closest friends, and it will be your greatest regret in your lifetime. Do you accept the responsibility of this artefact that has been bestowed upon you?"

"I do. I have one final question for you both if I may ask?"

"Please do ask. But on the condition that this would be your only question to us, then we must make our leave."

"What was the reason choosing me as guardian for this significant relic. There must be others who possess the same or better attributes than myself?"

"Aha, that is a very good question. We will tell you, but only with a partial answer of the reasoning behind your selection. You will not know it yet but within yourself...you have a hidden power that has not been unlocked thus so far. It depends on how you view it to be, a handful of people would say it is a gift, though some may see it as a curse."

"Okay, I will keep my promise, and safeguard the artefact until the very end of my life."

"Very good. Farewell Rhamoon." The pair bowed to Rhamoon, and very soon after the two departed from the land and went into the distance. This was when Rhamoon ended the vision for Lara to observe. As he concluded and closed the vision around the realm, Lara noticed a sad expression across Rhamoon's face. She instantly understood that he felt a lot of guilt in nearly failing his mission for the unknown order that gave him the responsibility of guarding the artefact. There were so many left open questions Lara wanted to ask, and desirable answers that she sought after. Unluckily for her though there was a very limited amount of time left to ask those questions except for one.

"I'm sorry for what happened to you Rhamoon. I read the hieroglyphics in the tomb that you were betrayed by two of your closest allies, that must have hurt badly... So does the artefact still dwell in the tomb or has it been moved since?"

"Thank you Lara, I knew you are a kind person. Yes, it is still resting deep within the tomb as far as I know. Not in the labyrinth mind you, that was a diversion trap to trick intruders, but it is elsewhere. Now I must tell you my message, as I will shortly be forced to disappear from this world. You may have heard this before, but I'll tell you anyway." Rhamoon began to close his eyes and chant the following passage.

"Long ago there were three...Three mysterious relics, unnatural power hidden within, believed to be not of this world...They were separated from each other given to three guardians...For those who have defeated the guardian of each relic would obtain the power they hold...One in India … One in Egypt...One in France...They all combine into one to..." Rhamoon stopped midway through his sentence, knowing that she may find out the rest another day.

"Hmmm, that's quite different. I had only heard part of this message before from the magician in India, but he stopped after the line, ' For those who have defeated the guardian'. But why won't you or the magician tell me the full piece?"

"It is not my place to tell, you'll find out later on if you continue this journey into getting the last relic. Now my advice...Lara, be wary with the people who you are with on this adventure, I do not know truly where their hearts lie as my powers are limited in this realm, but be careful when you go back. I have also appeared in Tim's mind and shown him the same vision as you, but gave a different message as it is hard to say where his future will go. I will give you the next clue to the whereabouts of the third and final artefact, then I must make my leave."

"Despite what the passage says, I sense that the third relic has already been discovered, though it was many years before your time-frame. It has since been away from land, and now rests somewhere in the north from it's original resting place. I shall now go on that note, good luck in your quest Lara."

"Thank you Rhamoon, good-bye."

Rhamoon gave one last smile at Lara, and walked away. The realm began to vanish into darkness, and Lara felt herself being transported from dream back into reality.