A Warrior is Molded: Book One

by In Pursuit of Magic

Dying is scary. Forgetting you died is Bliss. Until Kathrine took a whack to her head at age three. She remembered her old life from her childhood to her death. She took it in stride until she found out who she now was. Kathrine Warren and she was in Raccoon City. In trying to prepare for her future, many changes occur. One big change involving a notable Island Known as Yamatai.

13. Chapter 11: Finding Sam

Chapter 11: Finding Sam

So sorry! I Nearly forgot and was binging Castlevaina! I don't own anything. Resident Evil belongs to Capcom and Tomb Raider belongs to Core Design, Crystal Dynamics, and I think Square Enix. The only thing I own is the changes made to the stories of the Tomb Raider games/comics and Resident Evil games/comics/CG movies, the persion that has taken over Kathrine Warren's life, and Rose Warren. This story also will be bloody, violent, and have curseing. It's rated T for Teen.

Country: Philippine Sea, State: South of Japan, City: Dragon's Triangle, Place: Yamatai, Area: Helicopter Hill, Month: August, Day: Tuesday 18th, Year: 1998, Time: 10:45 PM…

Kat shook as she slowly pulled her belt from her slobbery lips. "L-Lara…can you tell if…those herbs in that crate…are they viable?"

Lara turned looking. She crushed some of the leaves. "Not the red ones…but…the blue and green seem somewhat viable. They probably won't heal like you've described. Not all the way." She pulled out the green, started to crush up the leaves, and got out some of the bandages from their pouches that they had saved.

Together the pair applied the herbs to the wounds before wrapping them up again. Kat pulled her boot on as Lara put the lighter onto her bow and taped it in place with the electrical tape. Once Kat had her belt into place, she stopped Lara.

"What?" Lara asked her frowning.

"The Herbs…they only grow in Arklay." Kat told Lara. "I think I know whose Helicopter this is."

"Whose?" Lara asked unsure.

"Umbrella's." Kat said as she pointed into the other crate she had opened. "I don't know many groups that have that symbol on their uniforms."

Lara frowned and looked inside. She gaped as she pulled up an army green vest with the Umbrella logo on it that had a pair of swords crossing over it, a shield in the center, and the acronym 'U.B.C.S' on the bottom.

"What's U.B.C.S.?" Lara asked as she dropped down the vest and looked to Kat worriedly. "And…why would Umbrella be here?"

"Umbrella Biohazard Countermeasure Service." Kat recited as if it was drilled in. "They…are sometimes good, and sometimes bad. They are a mixed bag. But if they are sent anywhere and they seemed like they're there to help, they also have some members of their group looking for something. Like maybe samples or felid testing." She looked to Lara. "They could be here for me, because of me being the mayor's daughter and all that…which I doubt. Or they came to get samples of Himiko."

"Himiko?" Lara asked confused.

"There is another version of Himiko's legend. One where she came to the island to isolate herself, because she was a carrier of a deadly disease. One touch to her skin and you wither to black and become sort of like a zombie. But a rage and pain fueled one." Kat explained. "If Umbrella came out here looking for Yamatai, they must've heard that version and came out here looking. But also, if it was U.B.C.S. soldiers, most were likely told they were on a rescue mission."

"Jesus." Lara hissed angered by this information. "So, we have to keep an eye out for them too?"

Kat sighed and shook her head. "I'm getting the feeling that they were woefully unprepared for the Salorii. Just like they will be unprepared for Raccoon City's fall."

"But some will survive in that right?" Lara voiced.

Kat swallowed and nodded.

"Great." Lara sighed but shook herself. "We should get moving. Salorii, Umbrella, Himiko, whoever, they don't matter right now. Sam dose."

Kat nodded and they left the helicopter. Looking ahead into the distance toward the palace, they could see some fires. Lara pulled her radio from her belt along with Kat.

"Roth, can you hear me?" Lara asked before releasing the talk button.

A pause, but no answer.

"Roth?" Kat asked.

"Lara! Kat! Are you both alright?" He asked them, making them feel relieved.

"We're fine." Lara told him, her voice a bit scratchy from the pain she and Kat had just shared.

"You don't sound fine to me." Roth said concerned.

"We're fine, Roth." Kat assured calmly.

"Where are you two?" He asked sighing at the pair's stubbornness.

"We're in some kind of shantytown, near the fortified palace." Lara informed.

"I'm still coming down the hill. How'd you two get down there so fast?" Roth asked shocked.

"Long story." Kat stated flippantly. "But it's not important."

"I can see the town from here…Are you two near that large gate?" He asked them.

"We can be." Kat stated as they looked to it. "We're heading there."

"It's the outsiders!"

"Oh shit!" Lara hissed as they popped their radios to their belts and ducked for cover.

"There!" A man yelled and fired a gun into the air and flare flew up.

"Fire! Fire!"

Lara and Kat drew their weapons for the firefight. Men screamed as Kat and Lara fight with fire arrows and well-aimed rifle shots. Barrels exploded, men burned, men were shot and neither Lara nor Kat seemed to care. What was the worst part as they switched from one weapon to the other? That they lost count of how many men they killed when it was over. They moved around and found another diary page. This time from a Salorii member.

Mathias has us look for physically strong men for the brotherhood...but none too smart. They must be willing to take orders and work. Any who question or resist are immediately killed. The women...Mathias decides their fate. Most are sacrificed to the dark walkers...but some are chosen for the ritual.

We put up with this insane ceremony. Some brothers are even starting to believe in it. Something clearly controls the storms around this cursed island, and it will never let us leave. Father Mathias claims to speak to it...her. This Sun Queen spirit or whatever it is. I do not know what to believe. I'm just doing what I can to survive.

"This is insane." Lara muttered. "I know what's going on, but…Mathias is…"

"He's a cult leader." Kat stated simply.

Lara nodded. "I hate cults."

"Me too." Kat agreed as she tucked the note away.

They soon found another page and it was showing signs of a revolt, yet the men were still very much crazy.

There are over a hundred of us now. We've started work clearing out the old palace and soon construction will begin on a city around the base of the mountain. The Japanese built a cargo hauling system here years ago that we've gotten up and running again.

Mathias claims we're building in honor of the Sun Queen, like some ancient Egyptian monument. But it's obvious what's going on here. Mathias is stalling for time. This massive project is just to keep them distracted. Even with the rituals and storms and rampant killing, it's only a matter of time before they turn against him.

When they do, I'll be ready to take control.

"Organized, but just like other cults, just as mad and easy to fall apart if not careful." Lara stated shaking her head annoyed with this. "Why do they write it down?"

"Like we do. Keep their thoughts from crowding their heads. As mad as they are." Kat stated tucking this page away aswell.

They even found another body strung up like Stefanie.

"Another sacrifice…" Lara breathed out looking down as Kat rubbed her wrists remembering that could have been her. "My god, what's driven them to do this? I don't understand."

"I don't either, Lara. I don't either." Kat told her then her eyes widened. "Remember when I said that U.B.C.S would be woefully unprepared?"

Lara nodded seeing the red and white Umbrella U.B.C.S. logo on a shoulder of the stung-up body. "Definitely unprepared for this…"

That is when they were ambushed. Men were terrified of the two damaging their 'Alter' and struggled not to do so themselves. The pair left after killing them and got over to the gate. The moment they were on the ground and heading toward it, they stopped as more Salorii showed up.

"Move in! Move in!" Yelled the lead one that ran along the top of metal rooftops.

He and a few others jumped from the roofs onto ropes and zip lined down and behind Lara and Kat. The gate closed, keeping the men and young duo in this part of the town.

"They're trapped!"

"Surround them! There's nowhere for them to go!"

Lara glared and drew her machine gun making Kat wish she had something that fired more ammo like it. Lara pulled the trigger and killed a guy and set off a red barrel explosion.

"Holy shit!"

Kat drew her revolver and took aim at the barrels. When men got close and Lara was not firing at them, Kat set off the barrels, killing the men in the fiery explosions.

"Rush them!"

When shield guys showed up, Kat would switch to her rifle and take aim at the eye slot of the shield.

"It's just two girls!"

If they got to close, she or Lara would duck and then shoot for their head when they tried to slash at them.

"Those two girls are kicking our asses!"

"Just keep at it!? They can't stop all of us."

"Oh really?" Kat yelled at them. "From here it looks like your dropping like flies!" As she opened the slide wheel of her revolver and used a speed loader on it to get it loaded.

It seemed like the Salorii were ignoring her and Lara, if they spoke at all, as they kept talking to each other.

"Alright, get around…we can catch them!"

Kat switched to her rifle and took aim at a shield guy. A pulled trigger and he dropped as the bullet cut through the eye slot.

"Go in from the side!"

"Thanks for telling us where you'll go…" Kat mutter switching to her handgun.

"God, Kat, this isn't the time to make quips from the 80s." Lara said shaking her head.

"Hey, I'm trying not to freak out so I'm making quips like Spider-Man." Kat told her as she fired a shot but missed.

"Here, use the shotgun." Lara said handing it to Kat.

Kat took it, and though uncomfortable with it, felt better than having to reload her rifle repeatedly and being careful with her handgun. She loaded a shell and aimed at a pair of men that were coming at them from the side. A pull of the trigger and the shotgun jostled her whole body. The men went down with scrams of pain as the shotgun pellets hit their chest and stomach.

"Let's do this, brothers! Don't let them escape into the city!"

Lara set off a few barrels to explode. Just like that, it was over. No more Salorii yelling or screaming.

"Let's get moving." Lara voiced as she put her weapons away.

Kat nodded and held the shotgun to Lara. "Here."

"Thank you. But you sure you don't want it?" Lara asked.

"No, I'm not comfortable with it. It felt like it was going to throw me to the floor." Kat told her.

Lara smiled but nodded. "I get it. It's not for everyone."

Kat walked to the gate, pushed her axe handle into the wheel, and tried to turn it. "Lara, it's jammed."

"Shit." Lara hissed and looked up at the gate then saw it.

Some cloth wrapped around wood was what was jamming the gate. Lara drew her bow back, flicking the lighter open and on, lighting the arrow. She aimed, then loosed. The arrow hit and the wood and cloth ignited a second later. The pair watched at it burned quickly. Three snaps sounded as the wood fall from their holds and turned to embers and ash on the cobblestone.

Kat nodded and turned the winch. The gate lifted until it was open. Kat pulled her axe from the winch and followed Lara through the gate. They found a camp right there and sat for just a moment. Cleaning weapons and Lara put together a new one.

"Think you can handle an assault rifle?" Lara asked her.

"Yeah…Maybe." Kat said as she was handed the gun.

"Let's get moving." Lara stated. "Sam's waiting for us."

Kat nodded. They stood and moved onto the path but slowed their walking when they heard a shout.

"Stop the old man! He's getting away—"

They looked to the side and saw a bunch of men running and jumping onto the zip lines in the distance.

"What's going on?" Lara asked.

Kat thought for a moment then her eyes widened. "Grim! They're after Grim!"

Lara's eyes widened too. "Shit."

"He…he should be fine. He's a tough Scotsman." Kat assured. "And we'll find him."

"I need you to tell me, in your memories…what happens to him?" Lara asked. "I need you to tell me everything the moment or before it happens."

Kat nodded. "Grim gets captured in front of us. They try to use him as a hostage and he refuses to let that happen, he throws them, but falls with them off a cliff…" She told her feeling guilt rise again. "The problem is…I don't know how to stop that. There is too big a gap. They had a machete to his throat. If we shot him, his body could jerk and cut Grim's throat anyway…Lara, I want to stop his death, but I don't know what to do."

"I'll think of something…" Lara muttered, but even she was having a hard time trying to think of how to help him.

It was easy to come up with a way to save Sam. But to prevent Roth or Grim's deaths? It was hard. How do you convince someone who wants to get everyone off the island to not get on a helicopter, but risk someone else possibly burning to death on a rooftop? How do you save someone who has a sharp object held at their throat with no way to take out the one holding the object without hurting the hostage? This was one of those bullshit ethics morality questions that Psychology majors deal with or ask people for survey projects.

For the moment though, they moved on and searched. Maybe they could find Grim hiding before the Salorii did and all sneak to the palace together. They found another diary page in their search close to the gate. This time it was from Mathias.

24 October 1994

My patience has been rewarded. At long last, I have my lieutenants, my enforcers of the way. The storms brought me exactly the men I need to begin building the Solarii Brotherhood. Strong of body, weak of will. They were broken in the storms, weakened and vulnerable. I raised them up again. Now they serve me, and through me...her. The Sun Queen. She is showing me the way. She has always shown me the way. I cannot deny what I have seen. Soon, neither will they. She is everywhere on this island!

But...the Solarii Brotherhood must grow. We will recruit as many as we can. I will draft laws, create a code for them to live by. They will build for the Sun Queen while I search for the key.

"If I didn't know Himiko could really be influencing them…I'd say he's had a psychotic break…but I still say he's insane." Lara stated.

"I'm sure he wasn't sane before he got here." Kat stated as they tucked the page away.

They jumped over the railing and crossed a pond of murky water before stepping up some stairs into a sort of shelter. They then heard Grim's voice in the distance. Yelling.

"Get your hands off me, ya bloody bastards!" Came a think pissed off Scottish accent.

"Oh my god, Grim!" Lara gasped knowing that voice anywhere.

The pair bolted toward a bridge.

"A prisoner's escaped!"

"Hey! Need some help up here!"

"Come on! Let's go!"

Lara and Kat pulled out their weapons. Lara her machine gun and Kat her new assault rifle.

"Fuck you! Boil yer head!" They heard Grim yell as they spotted two men climbing a ladder.

"Oh goddamn it! Get up there!"

"Easy, old man! Take it easy!"

Kat did not hastate and opened fire on one of the men on the ladder. He screamed and fell back off it to the ground as she and Lara crossed the bridge. Lara took the other one down as another guy was sent flying from the top of the platform. They looked up to see Grim looking down at them and looking relieved to see them.

"Lara, Kat, up here!" He called getting them to come to the ladder.

"Grim, you escaped!" Lara smiled happily.

"They couldn't hold me." He chuckled as the girls got to the ladder. "Get up here, we need to get the others." He said as Lara got onto the ladder.

"Grim, we have to tell you something—"

"Watch it, girls, you've got company!" Grim interrupted.

"Light them up!"

Kat spun and gasped as she and Lara dashed for cover.

"Girls, they've got fuckin' dynamite…take cover!" Grim yelled as a bundle blew up by the ladder.

More dynamite flew just as Lara and Kat pulled their legs behind cover, and the ladder came down were they had been. Looking at each other in shock, both knew how crazy the Salorii were, but just when they thought it couldn't get worse, it does.

"Outsiders, give it up!" Yelled one making both roll their eyes annoyed.

"Not a chance, you bastards!" Lara hissed as they switched to better cover and pulled their weapons again.

"Sound the alarm!"

They then heard wood splintering making Kat groan as she checked the sights of the assault rifle. "They just blew up the bridge."

"Yep." Lara nodded peering around their cover to take out a guy that tried to throw a stick of dynamite.

"Gods below…" Kat hissed before joining Lara in firing at the men, setting of some dynamite by two and killing them in the subsequent explosion.

"They're hiding…flush them out! Come on!" They heard as they reloaded then switched to new cover, separating.

It was honestly a miracle, in Lara's opinion, when it was over and the men were dead and bloody, wood splintered everywhere. They stood from their covers and moved over to where the ladder had been, seeing Grim coming down the second ladder to the level above them.

"Girls, you're alive." Grim smiled looking at them.

"Just barely…" Lara called up.

"We heard the men talking, are the others in a cave somewhere?" Kat asked him.

He nodded. "Still locked up inside…But I don't know if they're still in the caves."

"Girm, I need to tell you, if you get caught, try not to get to close to the edge of something. Or be mindful of anyone around you. Please." Kat begged.

"What's got ya so twisted up, girl?" Grim asked then shook his head. "Nerve mind, it's too hard to talk up here. Get up here, we'll talk more then, and get the others out together!"

"We can't climb up there from here." Lara told him.

"The ladder's gone." Kat informed.

"Ahh, damn it." Grim growled and looked down annoyed. "Well, they got some kind of setup for haulin' cargo." He told them gesturing to said system of moving cables and basket gondola-like things. "Maybe you two can use it to come around the other side?" He offered.

"Alright, we're on our way." Lara called to him. "And, Grim, take what Kat said seriously. Please." She begged.

Grim rolled his eyes but nodded. The pair searched the bodies before jumping onto one of the ropes and beginning to climb to the other side where the destroyed bridge had led. Once they dropped onto the metal sheet that served as the floor, they climbed up a wood and metal tower. Letting go of some ropes they spun at the yells from Salorii.

"The outsiders are here! Warn the others!"

Lara took aim and fired a shot from her machine gun at a red barrel. It exploded and killed two of the men before she shot and killed the third one. The pair then jumped on a zip line and dropped to some cover. Kat and Lara tag teamed, Kat taking down men from the upper levels and Lara the lower levels. Once they were dead, Lara and Kat ran then jumped to the next platform, timing it just right the windmill arms did not hit them. The moment they landed, they had to duck for cover. Ducking more gunfire.

"How's your ankle doing?" Lara asked as she reloaded her shotgun.

"The herbs are helping. So, did cauterizing it. Same with my hand." Kat said as she pulled her assault rifle from her back. "How's your side?"

"Same. The herbs are definitely helping." Lara agreed as they peeked over cover and the men were reloading. "They're reloading. How many of them are there?"

"Good." Kat said as they came out of cover and fired on the men.

They quickly dispatched them. Then searched the area. In their climbing around, they found another diary page. Again, from Mathias.

21 January 1997

The Solarii, my warriors of the sun, they have grown strong in number. And I have discovered everything I require to move my plans forward. It is time for us to move inland.

We will build our city high up in the mountains, around the old palace. From there we can protect ourselves from the Oni guardians and I can access all points on the island swiftly. I must be prepared to capture anyone who comes to this place. I know now what I seek. The key to escaping this place...and perhaps much, much more. It may take years, but I will find her.

"He's talking about Sam." Lara stated. "And Himiko's vengeful spirit." She stated tucking the page away. "They had no proof that Himiko was the cause…they just blindly believed."

"He is a cult leader. They usually are very charismatic but also weak-willed individuals." Kat sighed. "We have got to get Sam away from him. She's very independent and he's not going to like that for long."

Lara nodded and they walked back to the moving cargo system. Lara jumped up and grasped the wood on one as Kat jumped for the next one. Pulling themselves up they stumbled a bit as their separate platforms of cargo moved on a cable. They soon came close to the platform that they had last seen Grim.

"Grim?" Lara called out. "Are you there?"

They then saw Grim run out from cover. "It's a trap, lasses!" He yelled at them.

Men came out running at Grim. Lara drew her bow as Kat drew her rifle.

"Show 'em yer teeth, girls! Give 'em hell!" Grim yelled and was grabbed from behind and pulled out of sight.

"Oh, no." Lara breathed gripping her bow and an arrow.

Lara then once she was close to a ledge, jumped off her gondola and looked to where Grim had been. Kat soon followed and they turned to look at where a few men were readying for attack.

"Grim?" Kat called out worriedly, thinking about Grim's possible death.

"Kill them!"

It was a hailstorm of bullets and fire arrows from both sides. The occasional explosion from Lara or Kat hitting a red barrel with either bullet from a rifle or fire arrow from a bow. Neither woman stayed still though. They jumped, ducked, dodged, bobbed, weaved, in and out of cover, moving from one to another. They were making the men angry, just by not staying still and letting them kill them. Kat was so focused at that point that she was not even making jokes. Both were dead quiet as they took aim and pulled triggers or loosed stings.

Just then, one of the men came out with Grim, a sharp blade to his throat. Kat's eyes widened in horror and shock. Her white knuckles on her assault rifle, a weapon that would not be good to get rid of the man. Lara's bow would be better, but she would still have to aim, drew, and loose before the man pulled on the blade.

'No…nononono!' Was the only thing going through Kat's head as she took aim at the man, uselessly.

Lara already had her bow drawn and aimed. She was having a mental panic attack as well. But visibly was trying not to show it. The knowledge of what Kat knew and told her hung in the air. Two other men came out, both wielding pry axes; they stood to one side of the man that had a hold of Grim.

"Drop your weapons!" The man holding Grim threatened glaring at the young pair. "Or we kill your friend!"

Grim looked unafraid of death but was more concerned for the girls. "Don't fuckin' do it!"

The man glared at the women then at Grim. He then dragged the blade of his machete across his throat; just enough to draw some blood, but it was enough to send panic through the two. Lara slackening her arms and lowering her bow as Kat moved to put down her rifle.

"Okay, okay, okay!" Lara and Kat called out as they moved to put their weapons to the floor.

"That's nothin', pal." Grim growled loudly, though he did sound pained. "I grew up in Glasgow."

Kat and Lara slowly stood from putting their weapons on the ground. They raised their hands, hearts hammering in their ears. Adrenaline was running high, and it was not coming down any time soon.

"Now kick them off the edge." The man ordered.

Just as he finished the order, Grim leaned forward then rocketed his head back. The back of his head cracked on the man's nose, breaking it and sending blood flying. The man fell back as Grim ducked down a moment. Grim elbowed him in the stomach before flipping him over his shoulder and down into the chasm below the platform. Gripping the machete, he stole from him, he spun and slammed the sharp blade into the head of the guy that was running at him from behind.

By then Lara and Kat had their weapons and struggled to take aim. If they loosed an arrow or pulled the trigger at the wrong moment, they could hit Grim and not the men. The man who took the blade to the head dropped as Grim turned to the last guy. Grim ran at him as the man fired off a few shots from his shotgun.

Grim rammed his shoulder into the man's stomach, aiming to send him flying, but made it so neither Lara nor Kat could shoot. With a whining crack, Grim and the man hit a metal wall. The man looked to Grim angrily, but Grim simply smacked his head to the man's in a solid head-butt. The metal began to fall apart, and the man started to fall. Grim turned his back to him at the wrong moment.

"GRIM!" Kat screamed as the man's hand gripped his shoulder, pulling the elderly Scotsmen with him.

"No!" Lara yelled as they both fell over the edge.

Both looked away as the yells from Grim and the Salorii faded. Both lowered their weapons in shock. They knew it would happen…but they could not stop it. Grim was dead. No one could survive a fall like that.

"No…" Lara breathed. "Grim…"

They both looked to each other as determination set in. Grim may have died and they couldn't prevent it, but they had a plan for Himiko.

"We'll make them pay." Lara stated through gritted teeth.

Kat nodded. As guilty as she felt, she was also pissed and wanted the Salorii to pay. "We have to get to the Palace. Find Sam."

Lara nodded as they jumped onto rope lines. They began climbing across the gap to the platform where Grim's fight had been. They looted the Salorii corpses before climbing a ladder to the upper level and jumping onto another rope line, climbing to cross another gap. Halfway across them looked back as they heard yelling.

"Hey, come on, there they are!" Yelled one of the men as they climbed up to the platform. "Cut the line!"

"Lara, move!" Kat yelled as they faced forward.

"I'm on it!" They heard as they climbed quicker than before.

Lara and Kat felt the line jerk a moment but kept going. Fire arrows flew passed them as they climbed, just barely missing them both. A hard cut of a machete and the rope went slack on Lara and Kat, dropping them mid-air. They gripped the rope as they swung toward the stone wall of the pillar they were headed toward.

When they smacked into the stone, Lara lost her grip and just managed to sink her axe into the stone, Kat managed to grip the rope before sinking her own axe into the stone. They both relaxed a moment before an arrow pinged off the stone between them. They gasped and looked to the men behind them.

"I got them!" One man yelled as he drew back a new arrow.

Then his head snapped to the side with blood flying. A second later, they all heard a loud cracking pop eco around them. The man fell and dropped dead over the side.

"Shit!" The other man yelled turning in the direction of the gunshot.

With a spray of blood, his head snapped back before falling dead with a small spin. Just a second later, another cracking pop echoed out. Lara and Kat shared a look before they moved to start climbing.

"I've got you covered girls." They heard from their radios. "You're clear to climb up."

Once at the top Lara sighed. "Thank god." She panted and helped Kat up.

Looking to the side, they saw the glint of a sight scoop from Roth's sniper perch. They both felt relieved to know he could see them anywhere they went. Both pulled their radios and put them to their lips.

"Roth…" Lara began.

"Yeah?" He asked them.

"Grim's…dead." Lara informed mournfully.

"They tried to use him as leverage against us. Make us surrender…" Kat informed looking down.

"But he wouldn't let them." Lara finished.

Roth sigh looking away a moment. "Grim you…you stubborn bastard."

"I'm so sorry, Roth." Lara voiced sympathetically.

"I tried to warn him…but when the moment came—"

"No…Don't be sorry, Girls." Roth told them stopping them from apologizing farther. "Just make it count." He told them. "We'll raise a glass to the old man when we get out of here."

"Roth?" Kat began then looked at Lara. "If you get in a moment, where you think to block a blow with your back…duck down to shield." She tried hoping that it would work.

"Why? Kat, is there something you know?" Roth asked her.

"I remember a Helicopter crash; you and Lara were there. Lara was too weak from resuscitation, I think, and a tomahawk was thrown at you both. You turn and let it hit you in the back, blocking it from hitting Lara." Kat explained. "That's why I was saying try to duck it."

"Thanks for the warning." Roth told her. "But…" A pause. "Never mind. Thank you."

"We'll try to get closer to the palace." Lara said bringing the subject back to their mission. "Can you cover us again?"

A pause as Roth checked over the bridge through his scoop. "Yeah." He told them "I've got a clear sight with my rifle until the palace wall."

"Okay." Both nodded before putting their radios to their belts then turning to climbing a ledge for the bridge.

Just as they jumped to start their climb, they heard a buzz from their radios. "Rescue chopper N888RC responding to SOS, inbound from freighter Trinity."

Kat jolted at the name as they both reached the top. 'Trinity…shit, they're as bad as Umbrella.'

"This is Conrad Roth of the Endurance." Roth's voice replied as they rushed through a doorway. "Do you copy?!"

There was only static interference.

"Girls…did you hear that…?" Roth asked them as they found a small campsite. "A rescue helicopter is inbound!"

Lara looked to him. "That's great news, Roth." She told him watching Kat.

"Set up a signal and be careful. That's the chopper I remember." Kat said carefully. "Lara and I are going in for Sam and the others."

"But, Kat, maybe I should—"

"This isn't like the pilot, Roth." Lara stressed. "I got Sam and the others into this mess; I'm going to get them out." She looked to Kat. "And Kat is a good enough friend to help me."

Kat nodded. "We'll get Sam and the others out. Get them safe. And keep them that way."

They put their radios to their belts and checked over their weapons. Cleaning them, reloading them, fixing them up to be more effective. As they did, Lara looked to Kat.

"You stiffened." Lara pointed out.

"Sam and the others are more important right now. Trinity is not a good group. Bad as Umbrella." Kat told her.

Lara looked worried. "What dose Trinity do?"

"It's hard to remember…but they look for anything dealing with immortality, magic, or powers. Sort of the more mystical version of Umbrella, from what I remember at least." Kat told her.

"And…what do they have to do with me?" Lara asked making Kat close her eyes.

"A lot. Part of your past, your present and your future." She looked to Lara almost pained, she didn't know how to tell her that her father was killed by them and didn't commit suicide like she'd thought. "It'd be too painful to go over right now."

Lara frowned. "What do you mean? Kat, your sound like an Oracle from the old myths."

Kat stiffened with a cringe. "Please don't hate me for this…Your dad…he didn't kill himself."

Lara stared at her quietly.

"Trinity killed him. He got too close to a truth and refused to work with them." Kat told her feeling better that she wasn't keeping it a secret anymore.

Lara looked down. She felt pained. The past few hours she had been thinking that she was responsible for her father's death. That because she didn't believe him, his own family, that he lost faith in life. But now?

"You're…not just…" Lara looked down. "You'd never lie to me?"

Kat shook her head. "I'd never lie to you. "

Lara looked down. She would need time to process that. She sighed. They didn't have that kind of time though. "Let's…talk about this later. We've got to get to Sam."

Kat nodded as they both stood and made their way to a rickety bridge. They ran across it coming to a rotten gap. They both jumped, not wanting to have the wood collapse beneath them. Once they pulled themselves up, they heard their radios buzz again.

"Alright, you two, that bridge is swarming with guards." Roth told them.

They paused taking out their radios. "Great." Kat stated sarcastically.

"Any ideas?" Lara asked.

"It'll be tricky." Roth told them as they slowly walked up some steps. "But you both can probably make your way across underneath."

They looked to the bridge seeing the many ways they could do just that. This made Kat swallow a bit thickly.

"I was afraid you were going to say that." Lara stated shaking her head.

"Don't worry, I'll be covering you the whole way." He assured as they put their radios to their belts.

They jumped up and pulled themselves through a window. Dropping down and looking around, they could see they were just below the stairs up to the upper part of the bridge. Climbing and pulling each other up them got to the beginning underside of the bridge. They nodded then jumped to the first platform. Their hands grasped the edge, but the weight of them both on the old wood, it cracked and splintered, forcing them to quickly clamber up on top before it broke away completely and dropped them in the valley below.

"Girls, I've got them in my sights." Roth reported as they slowly stood.

"Here goes…" They nodded then ran and jumped to the wood that rather looked like a ladder.

The moment they landed, wood splintered from their footholds, making them grip with their hands and dangle for a moment. They shimmied and side jumped to the next sent of wooden handholds, splintering more wood.

"What the hell is going on down there…do you think they got the outsiders?" They heard from above them.

Climbing up the wood, they pulled themselves into a crouch and slowly moved along a low pathway.

"Don't worry." They heard another say. "If they didn't, then they'll come to us."

"Father Mathias will send us to the Oni if we don't find them." They heard as they came to a spot of the bridge that was open and could see some of the men.

"Only if we fail. And we won't. The Sun Queen is with us."

The pair froze as a man came into view and looked down. His eyes landed on them and narrowed as he bent over a bit.

"What the—"

His head then snapped to the side with a spray of blood, soon followed by a cracking pop. Kat and Lara gasped lowly as his body fell into the hole. They both just barely grabbed the wooden pole as he crashed through the floor. They pulled themselves up and started to shimmy to the right.

"Sniper! Take cover!"

They could hear the men's confusion and fear as they shimmied along the wood to pull themselves up onto it like a balance beam.

"I thought I lost you girls. Are you two okay?" Roth asked them through the radios.

Lara jumped first as Kat pulled out her radio. Lara gripped the other wooden beam and pulled herself up.

"That was way too close for comfort there, Roth." Kat told him.

"I don't see him!"

Lara climbed up to the side of the bridge as Kat but her radio back to her belt then jumped to the wooden beam Lara just climbed off.

"He's in the cliff side shrine! Open fire!"

Lara shimmied to a small gap in the bridge's wall as Kat joined her.

"Stop!" They froze at Roth's voice. "…Don't move, they'll see you…"

They stayed where they were and waited for Roth's que.

"Wait…"

"We're sitting ducks out here!"

A crackling pop sounded after a body fell passed them.

"Go now!" Roth told them.

Lara swung then jumped to the next part of wood, Kat right behind her. They moved along it only a few lengths before…

"Stop! Hold it…" Roth called, letting them know men could see them if they moved. "Almost got him…" Two shots and wood splinters as bodies fell. "Move!"

They moved forward a bit more.

"Stop! Wait…" Roth said making them freeze. "Wait…" Four quick shots and a body was sent falling down. "Girls, I think you're clear."

Lara sighed as she pulled her radio out, shifting her grip. "Thanks for the cover, I think that makes us even." She then put her radio back and moved to the new opening in the bridge.

Lara pulled herself up and onto the edge and sat for a moment with her back to the bridge. She held her arms to Kat.

"Yeah, I should think so—" Roth cut himself off as she spotted a man sneaking up behind Lara. "LARA, look out!"

Lara screamed as a pair of arms wrapped around her neck from behind. "Let go!"

"I'll break this girl's neck! Surrender!" The man threatened, tightening his grip.

Kat froze. She had no clue what to do. She couldn't do any flip tricks to get up there. She couldn't grab him and pull him off without pulling Lara off. Lara elbowed him in the ribs, making his head move out from behind Lara's. That was all the window Roth needed and the man's head flew back with a massive amount of blood spray.

He fell limp and started to fall with Lara over the edge. Lara screamed as Kat jumped at her. Kat grabbed Lara's hand, turned so they landed on the wooden part of the lower bridge, and broke it free, turning it into a ladder. Both of them grabbed the wood and swung a moment.

"They went over…is she dead?" They heard one of them.

They quickly climbed up and pulled themselves onto a bit of platform.

"I don't know, I can't see." They heard as they jumped to their feet, knowing they had to run.

"She might still be alive…keep looking-There she is! She's got a friend! They're below the bridge! Fire! Fire!"

"Girls, there's too many of them. Get out of there!" Roth told them almost panicked.

They jumped from the platform of the bridge to a roof of a metal building. It shook and whined as a bomb missed them. They moved to stand and slipped, sliding down the roof and jumping off it to the next one, all as bullets zipped passed and behind them, missing them by inches as they kept moving. They continued running and jumping, from one roof to the next, to wooden bridges, and back to another roof.

They jumped off the corner of a roof as it collapsed under them. They pulled out their axes then sank it into a stone wall. Even though they were around a bend and out of sight of the bridge, they did not rest and started speed climbing up the stone wall. They pulled themselves up and got a bit down the path before pulling their radios.

"Roth…" Lara spotted a tunnel and looked at Kat with a nod. "We're heading in."

"Are you about this sure, Lara?" Roth asked them.

"We'll get them. We'll come back. I swear it, Roth." Kat told him.

"I promise…" Lara added as they put their radios away. "What do you remember?"

Kat thought about it as they walked down the tunnel's path. "That you find Sam, but they are about to start the fire ritual. You try to stop them but get catch and watch as they start the ritual. Himiko sends a strong blast of wind to extinguish the flames saving Sam from being burned." Kat told her as Lara lit their torches. "You escape, but only after Sam is take into the palace from the lower tunnels."

"So…we have to just let Sam possibly get burned? I can't sit back, Kat." Lara told her.

"I know…" Kat told her.

"So, I want you to stay back in the shadows and follow Sam. Wherever they take her." Lara told her. "I'll distract them. Maybe they'll believe I'm alone."

They crouched down, as the tunnel got smaller.

"Maybe…Are you sure?" Kat asked.

"I'll need you to guide me through the palace." Lara told her. "Why is it when you talk about your memories, that you keep changing out if you are present or not?"

Kat cringed as they sank into the flooded part of the tunnel. "Because…I'm not present. I'm back in Raccoon, blissfully unaware of Irons or the fate of Raccoon."

Lara's eyes widened slightly. "So…whenever you say we…you're modifying what you know."

Kat nodded as they came to the end of the tunnel and stood from the water, dripping wet and a little cold. "Yeah…"

"So, do you know when Raccoon goes to hell? Maybe I can help." Lara offered as they jogged down the cavern.

"No. I'd love the help, Lara, I really would, but I don't want to risk you ending up in the hands of the US Government after we get out." Kat told her, knowing she would stick with Leon and Claire meaning joining STRATCOM at the end.

"What can I do, Kat? I want to help you." Lara told her.

"I'm not sure yet. But for now, let's focus on Sam and the others." Kat told her, neatly stepping around the question for the moment.

Lara nodded but planned to bring it up again later. After climbing up some stairs and rounding a corner or two, they stiffened and moved slower. They heard voices and saw a lot of light, prompting them to extinguish their torches and pull out their silent weapons.

"My brothers, listen to me now." Mathias called as Lara and Kat slowly peered around a corner seeing lots of candles and stairs. "Out in the world, we were nothing." Lara and Kat pulled back against the wall and took a few breaths; there were a few men in their way. "But here…here, we are the Solarii," Lara and Kat moved around the corner, moving in and out of cover quietly and quickly. "The Sun Queen's children." They were closer to the stairs. "She brought us here for a reason. I know you want your freedom."

By the end of that sentence, Lara and Kat were close enough. They ducked to either side of the hallway and peered around the corner. They could see several Solarii members gathered by the steps. At the top by a hole in a wall that was covered by a waterfall, was Mathias in his cult leader robes. Next to him, tied tightly to a wooden post, her legs surrounded by thatch and kindling was Sam. They had even gagged her to insure she couldn't speak. The wooden post she was tied to had branches at the top to look like a rising sun.

"I know you want to escape this place." Mathias continued his speech. "But to do so, we must release our Queen." He said gesturing a hand to Sam as if Himiko was already in her. "Like us, she is a prisoner." He turned to a terrified Sam and pointed at her. "If we can free her, we free ourselves!"

"Sam!" Lara gasped, but her voice luckily did not carry.

She looked to Kat and saw her loading a bolt into her crossbow, her eyes locked on Mathias. It could all end here. She could kill the fucker right then and there. she'd read enough documents to know that planet of the men would crumble without their leader or rise up to take his place…she lowered her weapon a little, realizing that if she did then she couldn't predict anything.

"This girl…" Mathias called as he raised his staff above his head with both arms. "She carries the blood of this land." He nodded. "She could be the key." He said as Sam whimpered into the gag and struggled to get away but could barely move. "The Ritual of Flames will show us the truth!"

Lara swallowed as she looked at Sam and Mathias. Mathias lowered his staff a bit and looked to his left, gesturing for a man with a torch to come forward.

"Himiko, you are the first and the last…" Mathias called as the man looked to Sam as she started trying to yell and struggle more. "Speak to us now!"

Lara stepped out. Her bow drawn back, and an arrow nocked. Lara then loosed. The arrow flew and sank into the side of the man who held the torch. Blood popped from his head as he dropped. Mathias looked at the man shocked and growled in anger, spinning around to see Lara. Sam's head turned and her eyes widened, she tried shouting Lara's name, but the sound was muffled.

Lara had nocked a new arrow and tried to shoot Mathias. But a man football tackled her just as she loosed. This sudden movement sent the arrow off course and it missed Mathias. Lara was flipped over the man's shoulder and slammed to the floor, her bow scattering away from her hands.

"You killed our brother!" One of them yelled as the other held Lara down and he started punching and kicking her in the face, chest, and stomach. "Now I'm going to kill you!" they both were kicking her now. "This is for Vladimir, Outsider."

Kat gritted her teeth, unable to watch. She lifted her crossbow aiming at one's head gripping the next bolt. She pulled the trigger. Her first bolt sank into his head as she stepped out of cover, loading the next bolt.

"Dmitri!" The other's eyes widened as she ran at Kat yelling at her as she took aim and pulled the trigger.

Just as the bolt sank into his head, she was taken to the ground and held. Both she and Lara were in pain and voicing it.

"You were supposed to hide!" Lara managed.

"I couldn't watch!" Kat yelled back.

"Enough!" Mathias called out. "Bring them to me." He ordered the men that had jumped to keep both pinned down.

The girls were stripped of their ranged weapons. Only their axes, torches, Kat's knife, pouches, radios, and Kat's satellite phone were left on them as they were pulled to their feet and held tightly. They were dragged up to Mathias and forced to their knees in front of him. Lara was still a bit weak from the beating she took so her head was lowered, and blood covered most of her face from cuts and a dripping nose. Kat started to gather spit in her mouth, breathing through her nose in an angered way.

Mathias grabbed the loose hair of Lara's ponytail and lifted her head to look at her face. "Every creature in nature will turn and fight," He let go of Lara's head and moved to Kat grabbing her hair and pulling her head back. "When it's very survival is at stake."

He was close enough. Kat puffed up her cheeks then spat at his face. The thick silvery, bubbly glob hit the side of his cheek and nose. He did not seem too bothered by it, he simply let go and whipped his face calmly. A hard crack to the back of her head, Kat hissed out in pain, her vision dancing a bit.

"So, don't think I don't understand you, girls." Mathias continued as if Kat had not spat at him. "I've just been doing this a lot longer." He then turned to the gathered crowd. "Ready yourselves, brothers!" He called as the hands that held Kat and Lara tightened painfully. "Our queen is about to speak!" He called as he picked up the fallen torch and turned to Sam as she started screaming into her gag again with wide panicked eyes. "Speak to us! Himiko!" He called then tossed the torch onto the pyre.

"Sam!" Lara and Kat yelled to her as the fire began to spread. "No, no, no, Sam!"

"Speak to us through the flames!" Mathias called opening his arms and grinning like the mad man he was.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Lara cried as Sam screamed feeling the heat licking at her feet and legs.

"Sam! Look as us! You'll be okay! Trust me!" Kat yelled to her.

"Just look at me…look at me, okay?" Lara yelled to her friend.

"HIMIKO, YOU BITCH! YOU WANT HER?! PUT OUT THE FUCKING FIRE!" Kat yelled glaring out the waterfall.

Kat's insults might have worked a little too well. The wind that came roaring through was stronger than before. It not only blew out the fire, candles and buffeted everyone, but it also sent the waterfall inside and drenched everyone, knocked people over from their standing positions and sent fracturing cracks through the wood of the pyre. When the wind died down, everyone was soaking wet, the only light in the area was from the waterfall. Mathias looked to a scared, confused, and relieved Sam with a look of shock and admiration.

"She…" Mathias took a breath as Sam sagged fearfully on the splintered pyre. "She's the one." He turned to his followers with renewed vigor, a kind of energy that had not been there before. "Soon my brothers…we will be reborn!" He called beaming as Lara and Kat looked at each other worriedly then to Sam as Mathias turned to Sam. "Take her to the throne room." He then turned to Kat and Lara as they struggled. "Your fight is over, creatures." He then turned back to watch as a man untied Sam and took a gentle but firm hold of her.

Lara and Kat's hands where then pulled behind their backs and they were lead away from Sam.

"We'll find you, Sam! I swear it!" Kat called out to her as they were pulled away.