Here is this Epilogue and some snippets into the beginning of Lara's new adventure! Enjoy!
Epilogue: Yamatai
Three Years Later…
15:00…
15th January 2013…
(Scene: John Adams Hall, University College London, Endsleigh Street, London/Lara's POV)
I can't believe Sam and I are in the second semester of our Final Year! It's so surreal! I never expected time to go by so quickly, I'm already worrying about my final exams because they'll dictate if I get my degree or not. I'm nearly finished my dissertation, lecturers have noticed by the time I started the second year of the course, I was kind of more intelligent than the other students, being able to process information much faster. They obviously took it as photographic memory and knew I was getting bored in some lectures despite the fact I was listening to them. So, in one of them, they decided to challenge me a little, though it didn't happen in all of my modules, they made me do this dissertation paper in place of a standard essay. A dissertation is what I should be doing if I decide to go for a PhD! Not a Bachelor!
Hell! Mr Connolly asked me specifically to accompany him to go to an Archaeology Convention to meet a guest speaker, Verner Von Croy, an old friend of his. Also to my luck, Dr James Whitman was attending too. I was able to speak to them both for an extended period of time. Never in my life have I been glared at by the other students in my course, I actually broke down crying in Sam's arms, telling her perhaps I'm too smart for all this. Pathetic as it seems, I had the idea I would have to suffer my last year with a group of students who are ready to murder me. Sam was very supportive and I would feel awkward on my own, so I asked Connolly, if I could take my girlfriend as well and of course, he was fine about that. Turned out it was the best time of lives so far, Sam even got her chance to film me acting like a child in a candy store.
First Year, Semester One, I have to say, was the craziest! I thought I was going to have a normal college life, then Sam just waltz in, the werewolf curse shit gets thrown into the mix and on top of that, to finish the stew, I was being pursued then by Werewolf Hunters! So myself, Sam and Roth, along with Winston were fighting for our lives. Thankfully no one died, on my side, I did kill in my werewolf form, but it was to protect Sam when they took her. Roth and I decided to make that an exception and that was their downfall. We were successful in killing Lieutenant Jenkins, I pushed him, using the force and strength of my body over the guard rail in the power station, where they brought Sam. Unfortunately, my actions caused me to fall off as well.
We both fell, landing hard. Thankfully being a werewolf, my bones are somewhat denser than the normal human, so it only resulted me in dislocating my shoulder. It still was painful. The fall severely injured Jenkins, who still managed to pull himself up, limped towards me, hellbent on putting a bullet in my head. I though it was the end until Sam! That foolish idiot of a friend and lover, started to fire at Jenkins. I wanted to crawl over to her, but my injured shoulder wouldn't let me, I was in too much pain. Sam soon ran out of bullets, I feared the worst as Jenkins was going to shoot her first, then come for me. Thankfully he didn't, Lieutenant Jenkins was killed by the single bullet from a bolt-action sniper rifle. I looked up, seeing Roth and I sighed, but still in pain.
Roth came rushing down to me, he set my bones back in place and it was not pleasant as my screams tore the power station down. I think I also, may have gripped Sam's hand to tight and so, may have bruised her hand. Authorities soon came, after the construction workers heard the commotion from the outside and called the ambulance and police services. I was brought to the hospital, Sam joined me and Roth was held back for questioning, there was nothing to worry about though, Roth handled it very well.
Finally after that little adventure, things calmed down. Sam and I continued on with college, even though I was around Sam like a god damn guard dog. When she wasn't around with me, I was jumpy and nervous, with reason. If Sam was taken once, it could happen again! My thoughts on what happened were broken when Sam entered the room, throwing herself on the couch next to me. To be fair though, I had fun at the First Year Christmas Ball. I enjoyed the slow dance in particular, our movements synced so well. Then, I treated Sam to surprise picnic at Kew Palace, Richmomd, it was much better than the ball. We talked and laughed, I taught her a few basic star constellations and where to locate the North Star.
"Hey." I simply greeted,
"Hey to you too Wolfy." She smirked as I cringed upon hearing that random nickname. Really Sam! Wolfy!?
"So Samantha. If my memory serves me correctly, you promised to tell what you know about Yamatai back in First Year. Which you didn't!" Seriously! She promised me, then left it hanging for three years! All Sam did was smile cheekily.
"Oops. Must have slipped my mind.",
"Very funny." I said dryly, "Now tell me!",
"Alright! Hold your horses!" My girlfriend cleared her throat. Just tell me the legend, don't make a big theatric out of it! "Many thousands of years ago, Queen Himiko ruled the land of Yamatai. The sun rose at Himiko's command and she ruled everything its rays touched, from the mountains to the sea and beyond. But one day, Yamatai simply disappeared without a trace, forgotten in time."
Sam finished the shortened tale. It's definitely worth looking into, though there were some areas of it that I'm kind of… wary of. How can I woman wield so much power? It almost seems shamanistic or elemental, there's no way! Thus goes off the laws of logic and reason, heading into an area that father would understand! Not to mention, how can an island just disappear!? Unless we for some random reason, compare this to the vanishing of the great city Atlantis. And to think Himiko is Sam's ancestor, it sort of creeps me out.
"I'll be looking into it. Guess we could ask Roth and look for funding for this expedition." Sam looked at me wide eyed, she was in complete shock.
"You mean… you want to…" She stammered,
"Yes, I want to find Yamatai." Without warning, Sam kissed me, followed by a bear crushing hug. "This is going to be the best adventure ever!",
"I love you too. Now, I have a dissertation paper to finish.",
"Killjoy." Sam pouted and I just laughed, walking into my bedroom. This maybe the expedition I need, to make my mark on the world when I graduate. Explorers have repeatedly failed to find the island, they either gave up or weren't looking in the right place. Yet, what is lost in history, will be found again and I will find Yamatai.
Six Months Later…
Expedition Duration: Day 22…
23:00…
27th July 2013…
(Scene: SS Endurance, Dragon's Triangle, Off Eastern Side of Japan/Lara's POV)
A famous explorer once said:
"That the extraordinary is in what we do, not who we are."
I have finally set out to make my mark. To find adventure.
Time Unknown…
27th July 2013…
(Scene: Location Unknown/Lara's POV)
I wake up, gasping and most terrifyingly, finding myself hanging upside down at a fair height. The wooden boards underneath me are rotted, old, they look like they would break at the slightest shift in weight. I really don't want know what is below me. I look around, another wrapping next to me, a large fire. Oh god! Where am I!? Calm yourself Lara. Escape first, then regroup with Sam, Roth and the others. But still in my terrified state, I yell out.
"Sam!?" My voice echoes the cavern, "Roth!? Jonah!? Reyes!?" Is calling out for help even going to do anything? "Help!" I struggled in the wrappings. First priority, get out of these bindings. I see a beam across from me, can be easily set alight. I look at the old cloth, that gives me an idea, but this is going to be a painful way of getting out. What choice do I have? No pain, no gain right? Here goes nothing.
But instead, adventure found me.
There's the tease for the nest story! The promo may give a few insights, but we all know how the game goes. Just add the werewolf element to it. I may also throw in a few extras that could've been added to the game!