Hour XI

There are ruins beneath that old base in the cliffs and something in there led them to believe they could control the storms.

Alexander is determined to find out what they discovered.

"Onii-san?"

"Izumi…" The brunette said while they were in front of a metal gate that's too heavy to move on his own. "You're not supposed to follow me!"

He spoke to the girl in a scolding manner since they all don't know when these Solarii brothers will make their next move.

"Sorry, but Jonah wanted me to give you these."

She handed him a black high-tech compound bow with a skeletal designed frame and a rope ascender that will no doubt work like a power winch, taking them he gave her a smile. "Thank you Izumi!"

"Be careful."

Shooting a rope arrow into the gate he used the ascender to bust it open then used the axe to turn the crank so the lift can come down. He let out a cough when some of the dust got inside of his mouth. Climbing up to the top Alexi rolled his neck to work out the kinks then continued to work his way up even better.

≿—- ❈ —-≾

What the hell are we doing here? There's fucking Oni in that tomb!

Calm down, we got orders from the man. No one goes in or out.

The brunette rolled his eyes once more because the Solarii are nothing more than big babies… well. These ones at least.

They'll kill anything that sets foot in there.

The man with him let out a laugh.

You been listening to the O.M.S crew?

Yeah… they said some guys went in there on a salvage job and never came out!

The're fucking with you, brother. Those bozos like to make shit up, don't believe any of it.

Alexander shot both of them at the same time with his pistols and quickly realized that trips to the shooting range with Roth were worth it.

Maneuvering the rock walls, he pulled himself up on the ledge and used the ascander to pull the barrier away on the other side then jumped over to it and inside of the base. Looking down he can see a rock wall, water, fallen debris, skulls and soft orange-colored light flickering down below as well.

Hooking onto the rock Alexander made his way down and into the water where he shivered violently immediately for how freezing it is, quickly wading through it he ate some fruit that were on the ground but still fresh and not bruised at all before climbing another rock wall and squeezed through a hole in the wall.

But when he quietly climbed down to more safer ground he overheard two men talking about himself of course. Peering through the open door Alexander spotted back to back and so had to take them out fast. Once they were taken care of the brunette pushed a green button that opened the large metal door beside the control panel and took a moment to look around the well-lit area.

"Hmm... the tomb must be in the lower levels."

Alexander said to himself but unfortunately when he tried to open the door at the bottom of the stairs it won't budge and the lift has seen better days so he has to do a bit of tinkering.

Pressing the elevator button it lowered just enough to where the first gear is exposed and climbed up on the crate to the side then used the axe to pry it off, hoping up on the lift Alexander crossed over to the back right corner and climbed through the rectangular-shaped opening before dropping down into the other side.

One.

Two.

Three.

X marks the spot.

Taking cover behind blue-colored barrels Alexi lit a fire arrow, pulled back the string while aiming at an explosive barrel and watched as it killed the thug's stationed there; after looting their bodies took a quick moment to write into his diary then pushed another green lit button that revealed the heart of this place.

"Wooow…!"

Alexander exclaimed in childlike wonder with the same look in his brown eyes at this amazing place and just took a moment to take it all in before walking up the stone stairs towards the dais and closely examined the long dead General. "Gomenasai, demo sore ga hitsuyō."

When he took out the katana the craftsmanship was still there and still sharp to, lucky him eh? Looking at the painted murals Alexander saw the General and his men protecting their Empress while their horses rode on the clouds themselves but that can't be all that's here.

Tapping on the hilt of the katana in random spots he found a secret compartment which held a hidden scroll inside; strapping the sword to his hip the brunette unfolded the scroll and read the ancient Kenji.

≿—- ❈ —-≾

"I have failed my Empress, the ritual was corrupted. The Priestess knew only death could save her and took her own life."

'How awful.' The brunette thought while slowly pacing about the floor and kept reading.

"Now the first and the last Empress lives a half-life, a soul in a decaying body. Her rage became the storms and would not stop while her soul is tied to this earth. My Stormguard are sworn to protect her, they must continue but I cannot."

Stopping in his tracks Alexi put the scroll safely away then took out the map that he got earlier to closely find the location for the Ritual Chamber but how is he going to convince the others on going there?

As soon as he put the map away the enemy made itself known by caving in the only way out of here or is it?

He took care of thugs up on the platform first since they have a higher advantage point then he does, then decided to use his new weapon on a few unlucky souls who were blocking the new entrance.

Pulling himself up onto the platform Alexander stayed away from the flames while moving onwards only to slip down a mudslide and thankfully hooked onto the rock wall on the opposite side; as he climbed to the top Jonah came through the walkie-talkie panting and frantic while gunfire can be heard in the background.

"Alexander! Where the hell are you?!"

"Oh, no! What's happening!?"

"We're under attack and we need help…!"

The talkie produced static now, wonderful.

Distinguishing the lighter just as he came out of entrance Alex spotted an arrow post, knowing the routine he shot a rope arrow and slid down the rope bridge but unholstered one of his guns when he heard two soldiers talking.

We shouldn't be here.

No shit but we got no choice.

Those Outsiders holed up on the beach, why aren't we going there?

Father Mathias doesn't want anyone poking around this old base.

Hmm… interesting. Very, very interesting.

But what about the Oni?

Calm down! We should be okay out here.

The brunette smirked at those words. 'Oh, how wrong they are!'

Once we find the man and kill him, we'll join the others and attack the beach.

Sneaking up on top of one; Alexander put a bullet to his head then plunged his sword into the thug's back, cutting the spine and thereby killing him instantly.

≿—- ❈ —-≾

"Jonah, you're hurt!"

Using the last bit of bandages and gauze that he had left the brunette helped Jonah to his feet but what the man said next made Alexander's blood boil. "During the attack they took Izumi and they just disappeared! I-I tried to kill as many of them as I could but…"

"It's not your fault Jonah… They've taken her back to Mathias, fuck!"

Inlet, they need to use the inlet to get closer.

"Let's go."

We're getting near the end and soon Rise can begin!

≿—- ❈ —-≾

As you just read Izumi was the one who gave Alexander his new bow and ascender but how she got them we'll never know but I gave him the very last one the black one because the one that Jonah gives Lara on the Shipwreck Beach in the video game is ugly.

Just so you know ahead of time my Dear Readers in Rise there will be a gay relationship that I had invisioned for a little while now and maybe it'll be my new favorite thing.

Here are the translations:

Gomenasai, demo sore ga hitsuyō: Sorry but I need it or {I have to use it}.

L-O-V-E Y-O-U!