Chapter 21

Kurtis quickly purchased the tickets for the earliest flight to Samandira, and eagerly made his way back to Lara, slightly afraid of leaving her alone.

He stared at her from across the empty airport, contemplating the possible thoughts she may be having and the emotions she may be experiencing. Her shoulders were drooped, the position making his assumptions of her condition a worried one. He started toward her.

"Lara?"

Kurtis stopped as he stared at her features, her eyes red and swollen as tears ran down her cheeks.

She quickly looked away, embarrassed by her emotions as she wiped away the dampened streaks. "I'm fine." she spoke lowly.

Kurtis neared her. His hand gripped her shoulder, delivering comfort and caring.

Lara shrugged away. "I said I'm fine."

"But you're not." he returned, crouching beside her, ignoring her gestures for him to leave.

She shook her head, forcing her emotions to stay inside; it was impossible.

Her head instantly fell, caught by her hands, held tightly as she sighed with sorrow, the tears streaming faster now. She felt Kurtis's hand against her back, and slowly looked to him. "It's all my fault." she spoke through saddened moans and spastic breaths as she stared into his eyes. "He died. Because of me, he died."

"Don't." Kurtis spoke sternly though his voice was soft. "He died because of them, because that's what they do, destroy life." He stopped as he shook his head. "We have to stop them."

"We will." Lara quickly returned, staring at the floor, her teeth clenched, anger replacing sadness.

Kurtis smiled as he stood. "So it is we?"

Lara nodded. "We."

He gently brushed the loose strands of hair away from her eyes. "I like that."

Lara didn't answer, but simply stared, unsure of the meaning behind his statement, but nevertheless, eager to get to Samandira, eager to enact her revenge.

She quickly grabbed the bag at her side, never looking at Kurtis as she passed by him. She stared forward.

Her body angrily rushing toward the Turkey air terminal.

(-)

Lara's hand gripped firmly around the rubber-ended binoculars as she held them to her eyes. She took in the city-scape before her, and stared at the small pointed arch that Kurtis had confirmed as the Samandira Cathedral of Constantine.

While the structure's roof could be seen clearly when searched for, the immense arches and buttresses of the other mosques and churches blocked the placement out, commanding eyes to look upon them and all of their brilliance.

The town was large, but not overly so. The red roofed buildings were packed tightly together, seeming to make one large structure, with the exception of the tall religious formations that appeared periodically throughout the view.

Everything seemed to be dead as the sun beamed down forcefully upon the quaint buildings, its noon day face plaguing onlookers with sweat and discomfort. Some elements of green could be seen in the distance, but most had been destroyed by heat, and "human development."

Lara started down the barren hillside in which she stood as she saw Kurtis pass beside her. Their feet slowly crushed the dead grass within the un-leveled field , turning it to dust beneath their heavy boots.

They had received an excellent view of Samandira from the slightly elevated position, and could clearly see their path through the moderately crowded streets that awaited them. The cathedral wasn't far from their position, and Lara was anxious to see it. She couldn't wait to lay her eyes upon all of the Lux Veritatis architectural elements placed within a public place, rather than a hidden cavern or secret contrivance.

They quickly walked down the uncongenial streets, keeping their eyes from connecting with the locals, not wishing to be the target of beggars and solicitors, or muggers for that matter.

Lara saw the dark entrance of their destination appear around a corner as they continued forward. She felt her feet move with slight anxiousness, bringing the building faster toward her.

Lara looked upward as her movements suddenly stopped.

She stared at the towering structure above her with confusion. Its once beautiful features were completely gone, leaving the barren and disgusting look of age and not caring.

A stone made wall arose highly before her. The grayish color the structure should have honed, was turned green from mold and uncontrolled vines, which covered ancient carvings and arches, cracking and destroying them.

The few gargoyles that remained visible, held the same broken features, as erosion and time caused their own destruction.

Other than the expected malformations, the architecture of the church held different textures and colors, and seemed to construct the features of a maze rather than a cathedral. Lara summed the building up in one word, disappointing.

"That's it?" Lara asked, unenthusiastically.

"What?" Kurtis returned, wondering about her inquiry.

"It's ugly." Lara answered with a slightly disappointed expression. "I was expecting some amazing piece of architecture from your ancestors."

"They had more important things to worry about." He answered with a smile. He winked at her, and started up the stairs toward the main entrance door.

"Apparently." she spoke to herself. She shrugged her shoulders and followed him.

At the door Kurtis suddenly stopped. "Are you ready for this?"

"Please." Lara sarcastically answered. "It can't possibly be as bad as the exterior."

Kurtis forced open the door, and held it wide as if daring her to go inside. Lara went in without hesitation, but stopped immediately once she was through the doorway. She stared with surprise.

(-)

The balding man kept an eye trained on the two figures before him, positively identifying them as the ones he was to search for, the woman with the braided hair and the Lux Veritatis warrior. He watched them timidly as they walked down the street, eyeing the buildings surrounding them. He sighed with pleasure as they started up the stairs of the Samandira Cathedral of Constantine. They were definitely Lara Croft and Kurtis Trent. He smiled, picking up the cell phone that lay in the seat beside him, rapidly dialing numbers as he brought it to his ear. The payment was surely his now; his hirer would be pleased.

(-)

Lara continued to stare as Kurtis directed her forward, her eyes trained on the structure that surrounded her. The interior of the cathedral was unimaginable.

Giant stone pillars lined the walls for what seemed a thousand feet high, caressed by slight carvings which told ancient stories, hidden within the stonework. The gothic architecture of the ceiling and stained glass structures gave Lara an eerie yet awed feeling as she slowly stepped forward.

Massive statues of knights and ancient nobles stood in rows near the center of the huge rectangular room. Paintings were hung low as to be looked upon by all, but Lara could see no pews whatsoever. The building reminded her more of a museum than of a cathedral.

This room was not natural for the churches of its time. Rather than one huge hallway graced by another, this cathedral seemed clumsy, as though certain sections had been built at different times. Though awkward, it was the most beautiful cathedral she had ever seen.

"This is the Catholic entry room." Kurtis began "The main worship hall is through there." He pointed to a giant cedar door on the far side of the room. "The church bishop should be inside."

"So this is just an entry hall?" Lara asked "I thought it looked a little strange. I didn't even know cathedrals had entry halls."

"This cathedral is special." he told her. "When my ancestors constructed it, they knew what they were building for."

As they continued toward the doors, Lara helped herself to the inscriptions on the statues she passed. This place was amazing. She wondered why she had never heard of it before.

"The archbishops of the olden days," Kurtis began as if reading her mind, "tried to keep this place as secretive as possible. That's why the outside walls look like shit. It was actually built like that so only the clan would worship here."

"Why build anything?" Lara asked with curiosity. "Wouldn't the next test be better hidden without this gigantic building directing attention to it?"

"Yeah, but this place must have been built as a marker. It's a lot easier this way." He answered with a smile. "It also gives an explanation." He continued. "These old churches are mazes themselves. Seeing someone go down a passage here means nothing, but seeing someone disappear into a hillside can raise suspension."

"Right."

Kurtis's hands reached out and pushed open the giant cedar door. An immense light seemed to flood out of the room, and the two were forced to look away. As Lara redirected her eyes, she had to fight to keep from falling to her knees.

Before her was the most brilliant thing she had ever seen. A huge annular room, even bigger than the previous, circled around them. The walls were constructed of marble, a type she had never seen before, that glistened as though crystals ran throughout its entire surface. Above her, she stared as immense arches pointed to the heavens.

She saw hundreds of solid cedar pews lined in several rows throughout the room. In an extremely wide pathway through the center of the angelic benches, stood several statues lined in two rows, much like the room before. Though beautiful in itself, it in no way compared to the object in front of her.

Almost the entire opposite side of the room was constructed of pure stained glass. This extravagant window hugged half of the wall and ran upward, caressing parts of the ceiling as well. It curved around, identical to the room itself, giving off shades of every color imaginable upon the walls, turning them brilliant purples, greens, and reds.

Kurtis saw Lara's jaw drop and smiled to himself, "Amazing isn't it?"

Lara simply nodded her head and quickly headed toward the colorful masterpiece. She was even more amazed as the glass design became more evident. The black iron made no pattern at all, unlike most stained glass windows, but the colored glass itself formed a perfect and recognizable object.

"It's your tattoo." She spoke lowly, as Kurtis appeared beside her.

"Yeah." he simply stated.

Lara jumped with surprise and came out of her trance with the window, as a loud noise sounded through a set of double doors on the adjacent wall. She eyed the place from which it came, and instinctively placed her palms by her 9mms, waiting for some ancient evil to confront them. The noise sounded strange, as though someone where singing.

The doors suddenly burst open, and Lara unsheathed her weapons. The noised stalled, and all she could see was darkness throughout the newly exposed hall. She stared forward, watching, waiting for the moment she would be forced to kill.

"Put that away!" she suddenly heard in a loud and aggravated voice. She then saw a short, slightly rounded man walking limply through the opened doors. She realized this man was the church bishop by the extravagant clothes that adorned his plump figure, and quickly holstered her pistols. She then saw several other men accompany him, dressed slightly less elegant than the first.

"How can I help you sir?" He asked Kurtis, not even acknowledging the striking woman standing next to him. Lara remembered how the catholic church saw woman as lower beings than men. She clutched her fist at the idea, but looked to Kurtis when she realized that it was something she had never seen him do.He looked at her as a equal, and she admired that in him. She smiled to herself, and quickly focused on the bishop and Kurtis's rapid conversation.

"I'm sorry my boy," she heard the priest say in response to Kurtis's words. "But we have never had a pastor named Konstantine here." he paused, timidness and anxiety in his vocals. Why?"

Kurtis thought. His mind focusing on the correct words. "Perhaps the name Trent then?"

The bishop slightly shook at the name. The man seemed nervous. Lara watched cautiously as he wiped the slight perspiration from his brow. She saw the other men watching Kurtis closely, staring at the Lux Veritatis warrior in a strange way. They listened with devious expressions.

"No." the short bishop stated with firmness. "Never heard of him either."

Kurtis seemed to grow impatient as the annoying little man refused his requests. He calmed himself, and tried his best to hold in his aggravation. "Padre," he began, "may we speak with you alone for a moment ." Kurtis eyed the principled men surrounding them, staring like vultures at a wounded animal. He didn't trust them. "Do you have a separate room away from the main worship area?"

The bishop began to shake furiously. "No." he quickly spoke with a slightly commanding voice. "I think you should leave."

Kurtis angrily eyed the man, then turned to Lara and nodded, as to warn her of his next actions.

"And take this foul woman with you." The bishop continued, gesturing to Lara. "Desecrating the lord's house with such weapons of destru-"

The bishops words were stopped as Kurtis lunged forward, grabbed the man's arm, and forced it behind his back. He twisted it harshly as if to break it, but didn't.

Lara saw one of the church priest start toward him. She quickly leveled her gun. "Don't." she said aloud to the frightened men. They slowly backed away from Kurtis, and looked on with fear.

"Sir Bishop," Kurtis said in a calm voice, as his captive let out slight winces of pain. "is there somewhere quiet where we can speak?" Kurtis asked again in a slower yet more urgent tone.

"You'll never get the Via-" Kurtis quickly clasps his hand over the old man's mouth before the words could get out, just incase one of the parish followers had received a visit from his demonic friends. He quickly forced the man forward, and through the door in which the priest had entered. Lara kept the priests at bay as she followed her companion and the terrified bishop. She slammed the door behind her as she entered the hallway, turning the bolt lock above the handle.

Once through the darkness, Kurtis released the man's arm and set him in a wooden chair, which sat in the middle of the small, office-like room.

"Now," Kurtis began, with his hand still covering the bishop's mouth. "Will you let me explain something?" He asked, and slowly took his hand away.

"I know who you are." The bishop desperately began. "You're the wraiths that the elders warned us about. You will never get it, it is for the final savior only."

Lara watched Kurtis curiously as she saw him grab the base of his own shirt and quickly pull it over his head. She quickly looked away and bit her thumb, not wishing to bring up any intimate memories of him from before.

"The true savior can only-" the frightened man halted his words as he eyed Kurtis's chest. "The brand." he spoke in an astonished and extremely low voice.

Lara jumped away as the man leaped from his chair and fell to the floor.

"Master!" the bishop shouted, as if praising Kurtis. "I did not know it was you."

"You were just doing your job." Kurtis sullenly spoke, pretending to know what he was doing. "Now you have to help me do mine."

(-)

The bishop, after several protests about Lara's involvement in the mission, hurriedly led them back outside to the main chamber. He quickly shunned away all the priests, and walked to the center pathway. "It is sad my son, but these seats used to be full. Even I remember such a time. It is hard to believe that so many have perished in so few years." he chatted as he led them onward. "The tunnel is what you seek. That is where your work shall be continued."

The bishop suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned to Kurtis. He seemed as though he could sense, or hear something in the other room. "They are coming." He shouted as he turned back to the companions. He quickly grabbed Kurtis and blessed him. "You must have faith my son! You must have faith!"

"What are you tal-" Kurtis stopped as the door from the entry hall suddenly burst open. The doors stood still, emptiness within, gaping wide and greeting them through to some evil demise. Kurtis stopped his breath as he heard the slight clinking noise of metal on metal.

Lara and Kurtis looked at one another, speaking with there motions and knowing the destructive noise from past encounters. They quickly ran in opposite directions, taking cover behind the spaced statues. Lara grabbed the pastor and jerked him down with her, away from any soon to be present danger.

A deadly silence filled the room before the noise sounded again.

"Watch out!" Kurtis shouted as a grenade passed swiftly through the doors, and made its way toward them. He covered his head and fell to the floor as the explosion sounded. Kurtis could feel the room shaking and his ears slowly muffling out the world around him. He struggled to open his eyes as the shaking ceased, and daringly raised them to see if Lara was hurt. Instead, another explosion greeted his senses. He quickly covered his head as fragments of marble and cedar where blown throughout the room. He slowly took his hands away, and flipped himself over, his back against the cold floor.

He reached for his Boran X, but was disrupted as he saw the statue above him violently rocking forward. Kurtis quickly rolled sideways as the stone figure crashed into the floor where he previously lay, now inches from his face.

"Lara!" he shouted, worried at what the explosions could have done. He slightly raised his head to see over the newly fallen debris that separated her from him. He cringed as he saw a pool of blood where Lara had been hiding. Fear entered his stomach at way may have happened. Ignoring the danger, he foolishly stood to reach her, afraid at what he would find. He then heard a rapid clicking noise in the distance.

"Get down!" Lara's vocals suddenly sounded as she saw him standing up.

The voice came as a heavenly sign of relief as Kurtis fell to the floor, bullets racing toward him. He hadn't seen the enemies that stood by the room's entrance, machine guns in their hands, anxiously waiting to destroy his life. He could hear the base of the fallen marble statue shattering behind him, as lead tore the placement apart. He grabbed his weapon, ready to do his own damage.

"What's going on?" the bishop asked as he grabbed Lara. She had just noticed the gaping hole in his side where wooden shrapnel had torn away his flesh.

"The real wraiths have come to see you." She answered, as she pressed one of her hands against the wound, trying to prevent the rapid bleeding. She equipped a pistol with the other, as the bullets came nearer. She lowered her head as the stone before her slightly crumbled, destroyed by the onslaught of hot lead. She retook her stance, steadying her right knee and lifting the left, bringing her foot to the floor. She aimed, ready to pull the trigger, when the bishop reached out and grabbed her arm.

"No!" the bishop shouted. "You mustn't fire. You must have faith! You must have faith!"

Kurtis suddenly stopped as he heard the bishop crying out. He thought for a moment, using what little time he could afford. "I must have faith?" He said to himself. He looked at the gun in his hand. "It's a test."

"You must have faith." the bishop repeated, starring at Lara

She heard a bullet pass by her ear. "Fuck that." She spoke. "Kurtis is the one who needs faith, not me." She leveled her pistol once again, aiming at the forehead of the wraith before her's human form.

"It is a test for you as well!" the bishop hurriedly shouted before he fell backwards, the loss of blood disorientating his mind.

Lara stared at him. "Why am I being tested!" she shouted as the bishop's eyes slowly closed. "What am I meant to do! Lara shook the pastor's limp body, but he was already dead. She didn't understand. What did she have to do with this, or anything?

Kurtis stared at the gun, wanting to fire back at the ruthless demons who were destroying his life. He clenched the trigger, ready to kill, but threw the weapon aside. He knew what he had to do, and he knew how frightening it was. He spotted a statue of the Virgin Mary a few feet away, the blue cloth draped around her face. "Great Test." he spoke to the statue as he stood, and walked out into the isle, away from his cover. Bullets grazed the air beside him, as he spotted the enemy. He started toward them.