Dawn of the Magnificent Obelisk

After pulling up the fabled Tomb Raider from the depths of the deep fissure where she had managed to find the hidden lever that would hopefully be the key to revealing a path forward, both Christian and Lara made their way to the dropped drawbridge. They carefully navigated across its narrow fragile medium and kept their balance as they pressed onwards upon the flyover, otherwise it would have been a long way down into the unknown shadows. Up ahead the duo visually started to make out random pockets of moonlight peering through from the surface above.

"What a neat decorative feature! I wonder who had that bright idea to incorporate this from the past?" Lara commented.

"Indeed, as well as being stylish it certainly helps easing the intense darkness we had to adjust to before!" Christian replied.

"Could it mean something do you think?"

"Possibly, let's hurry and see…"

The further along they went the more intriguing the track they were touring on became. There was more moisture in the air on this side of the underground complex that helped the duo breathe better than the previously stale air. Thanks to implemented spotlights into the ceiling, the pair could also start to make out some various carvings that had been etched harshly within the walls. Regrettably however, majority of these engravings were illegible as they were evidently scrawled hastily and had weathered through the passage of time due to the atmospheric exposure from the cracks and gaps overhead.

"It's a shame these are indecipherable at the moment, I'm curious to know what story or messages they have to tell?" An intrigued Christian stated as Lara took out a pencil and notebook from her backpack.

"At least we can take a few notes and sketches of these and analyse them later on."

"Good point, there may be more to this than meets the eye."

"Here can you shine your light upon this wall, and I'll scribble away…"

Minutes passed and eventually the pages of Lara's notebook were filled with detailed tracings and drawings of what they had observed. Ready to move on Lara and Christian continued through the unknown until they came across their next barrier halting any further progression.

"Ahh no not a dead-end!" He said in disbelief. It was like a pathway that headed straight to nowhere.

"Surely this can't be it…"

"Let's look around see if we can spot any clues as to what we can do."

Both companions had split up into opposite directions and searched around using their flashlights as a guide so they can view and study their surroundings with ease. It seemed that the path they had been following led them to a small room with no outstanding peculiarities about it. Apart from the unlit wooden torches that hung on each side of the area there was nothing else to go on that Lara could see. She thought to herself for a moment as if she were missing something before turning back to Christian who too was observing the circling arrangement of the suspended wooden stems.

"I see we're looking at the same thing, you got a lighter for these torches that are hung around the perimeter?"

"Sure, here we go…"

One by one as each beacon had been set aflame a luminous blazing illustration of a gated archway had slowly appeared before them upon the wall.

"Well, that's one way of showing off a hidden entrance!"

"Particularly one that is oozing full of mystery!" Lara cheerily said raising her eyebrows with a cheeky smile. Christian knew seeing the enthusiasm and joy that she had brought so far that he had chosen the right partner for this excavation. Inscribed on the framework in front of them was of Demotic script and within time they had more luck to decrypt the language written here than the scrawls from earlier.

"It roughly translates to… 'With the secret phrase only a select few may enter without delay, for others who wish to enter the domain look up to the sky and draw the luminous on the tablet before you,' how ambiguous…" Christian stated.

"Vagueness is also what springs to mind, obviously they didn't want just anybody to walk right through…" Lara summed up about the circumstance.

"Well how do we know if after all these years this thing still works? Let me try something."

Stepping back and preparing himself for a run up, Christian attempted to barge straight into the centre of the lit-up decoration. Unfortunately, instead of yielding the desired result of breaking through he clenched his arm in agony.

"Ouch, are you alright?" Lara went by his side showing her concern.

"Ow! Not trying that again, that is properly sealed!" Christian chuckled at their current predicament.

"Oh dear, looks like we'll have to work out the puzzle laid before us." said Lara in wonderment.

"Any suggestions?"

The pair began pacing around the area with silence befallen upon them once again. Lara recollected her thoughts and retraced their journey so far, thinking back if they had missed anything to get to this point like any clues or hints that may help in the current situation. She then stared at the tunnel from before and in that instant an idea flashed like a bolt of lightning in her mind.

"Wait a minute…let us take another look at this passageway we have just come through. I am starting to think these spotlights are there for a reason rather than just for cosmetic purposes."

"You could be right…do you believe it possibly represents the constellations of the night sky?"

"I certainly do, it all seems to be linked to what has been stated here."

Keen on whether this will lead the way forward to an answer, the two explorers shone their lights to the underground shaft roof and paid meticulous attention to the details that were missed previously. As suspected the ceiling above them had depicted a celestial view of the stars, if one were to look observantly you could make out the rough etches that outlined some of them into a pattern. Particularly, there was one spotlight which had caught their gaze and was shining the brightest because of how big the puncture was for it.

"Hang on…Sirius…now that makes sense in terms of what it may be alluding too as it is the brightest star." Lara theorised to which she could see her companion deep in thought.

"But then how would you illustrate Sirius upon the plaque? Perhaps with these outlines you need to include the constellation outline the star is part of as shown on here."

"True, okay let's give it a try."

After memorising the astronomical grouping of the stars that were represented overhead, the adventurers returned to the flamed illuminated gateway. To be able to draw upon the circular tablet that the writing referring to, Lara had picked up a nearby pebble from the dusty floor and began to sketch out a rough drawing of the Canis Major constellation specifically highlighting the brightest star being Sirius. Nothing happened at first much to the disappointment of the team, then abruptly the rust-ridden mechanism behind the scenes had burst into action upon the completed diagram. Amidst all that was happening, the radio suddenly came to life with Ayesha's concerning voice on the other side.

"It's all too quiet, you guys okay down there?"

Instead of being able to reply the two were in fact rendered speechless as the doorway had fully opened revealing the secret behind.

"What the…" muttered Christian before he got lost for words.

The area had opened into a spacious chamber where it looked like a small settlement had previously lived centuries ago. Various buildings of size had been setup around the perimeter, distinguished statues were located all around, and they could also make out pools of water in certain places too. The best was yet to come for the duo though as in the centre of this underground open space was a significant monument that stood out overall.

"Lara? Christian?"

"Sorry Ayesha, we've just stumbled across a big discovery hence our radio silence…" Lara had finally answered the call.

"Gosh sounds like you're onto something, okay I'll leave you to it but if you find out more or something happens let me know."

"We will."

They made their way down utilising the rope that Lara had used before to find the switch for the drawbridge, and then proceeded to the awe-inspiring spectacle that had stood before them. It was a grand obelisk, and both were mesmerised by the calligraphy and artwork that was left unspoilt and preserved even though a mixture of dust, cobwebs and sand were all around them. The further they investigated it the more they found out that there was a deeper meaning to what it had to tell.

"Looks like we have a story on our hands here, want to interpret it as I know you're quite the storyteller?" Christian had gestured to the obelisk and looking towards Lara's direction.

"Why thank you I'm flattered, let's see where it begins…Long ago…"