The sun had long since set and the moon was high in the dark sky. Lara entered the Bublin camp, shocked by what she found. A few Bublin corpses laid in a pile.

She continued through the camp, unable to find any Bublins, let alone Sam. The path to Arbitar's Grounds was clear. There was a trail in the sand, like something--or someone, had been dragged along the ground.

The sand was stained with blood, making a path towards the prison. If it was all Sam's blood, he must've been extremely weak by this time, or already unconscious from the blood lose.

Lara ran up the path towards a tall white stone staircase. She ran up the stairs, two at a time, and when she reached the top she bolted through the doorway into the prison.

It was different from what she remembered. There'd been quick sand in the first room and a few platforms leading to the other side of the room.

But this time, it was clearly different. There wasn't any quick sand. The floor was all stone, but there were still the stone platforms leading to the other side of the room.

"I wonder..." Lara took out a bomb, lit it and threw it at the floor. The bomb went right through and exploded. The floor twitched, it was nothing but an illusion. "Set up by Zant probably."

All throughout the prison were more illusions. They'd been placed above many dangers that Lara would've seen right away from afar, rather than nearly falling into them.

She entered into a dark chamber. Four blue flames flickered in tall lanterns above a staircase. On the floor in front of her, was a dusty cloak, the remains of a Poe.

Again, there was some blood on the floor, leading towards and up the staircase. Lara felt in her bag for the black and red stone and realized it was gone.

"Sam, I can't believe you!" she exclaimed. "Took the stone before you were captured."

At least she knew he'd gotten this far. But how much farther had he managed to get before he ran into more trouble. Lara ran up the stairs and followed the thin trail of blood.

The trail stopped in the middle of the next room. The wall to the north was opened. It was wrong, it was all wrong. The wall was supposed to be closed until after the mini-boss battle.

"He couldn't have killed Death Sword, not with that amount of blood lose--" Lara pondered. "...Unless it wasn't his blood!"

She drew out the black sword and looked at the tip of the blade. The blood had dripped farther down the blade and was continuing down to the hilt.

"Oh, man!"

She put the sword away again and bolted through the doorway, up a few staircases and into a large circular room. This was the final room, the lair of prison's monster.

She hadn't expected what she found. The creature was already dead and the doorway outside was open. Had Sam really managed to get this far without help and in such short time?

Lara ran across the room and through the doorway to the outside. She bolted up the staircase to the right of the door and ran down the hallway at the top.

She entered into the clearing at the top of Arbitar's Grounds. A figure stood infront of her, a tall boy. His face was hidden under a dark hood, but Lara could see his sharp canine teeth glowing in the darkness.

"So, came after all did you?" the boy asked. "Too bad, you're far too late."

He stepped aside and Lara gasped. Sam's limp body lay in the sand, blood dripping from his mouth. Fury rushed over her. Her bottom lip trembled, she clenched her hands into fists.

"He must've been very important to you. That's the thing with you humans, you've all got to much emotion."

"Just because humans have emotions, doesn't mean elves or vampires don't either. We both know that Seth! I created that element in you!"

"Oh, but that is where you're wrong." Seth slowly walked towards Lara. "If you remember correctly, you made me into this heartless orphan, am I correct?"

"Don't come any closer," Lara growled. "I know that walk, it's to alert your prey you're going to suck out it's blood!"

"Very good, you can keep up with your own creations. Too bad your just a weak human and have no control over me!"

Seth leaped at her. Lara jumped back and ran for the stairs. She hadn't gone more than a few steps when Seth grabbed both her arms and held her tightly.

"You should also remember," Seth whispered into Lara's ear. "No human can out run an elf or a vampire. Any last words?"

"Other than to wish that a half-blood like you would get hit by a train," Lara snapped. "No."

"A wise choice. But, I don't like the scent of your blood. Too sour. So, instead-" Lara felt a sudden jolt of pain in her neck. She couldn't help but cry out. "-I'll let your blood get sweet."

Lara's knees gave way under her. She gasped for air, it was becoming hard to breath. She heard a sound behind her, like a fire had been lit.

Seth yelled then turned into a bat and flew off into the night. Lara fell from her hands and knees and hit the cold stone. Weakly, she looked towards the clearing.

Her vision was blurred, but she saw that Sam's body was gone. She felt two arms wrap around her waist and pull her up.

"Lara!" Sam's voice exclaimed. "Lara, say something!"

"I thought," she managed to say. She looked up into Sam's face, he wasn't dead. "I thought you were dead..."

"C'mon! Stay with me! Don't die!"