Chapter 35
Kurtis heard several shots fire behind him as he angrily threw his shirt away. He wasted no time aiding Lara in her assault. He quickly stood from his placement upon the ground and eagerly left his cover, ready to destroy Mariana, ready to end this horrible reality.
He saw the repulsive demon before him as he appeared into the open. Mariana had gained the strength to stand since he had completed his onslaught of bullets, but the rounds that rapidly fired from the 9mm that was held right beside him had returned the lost damage; Mariana was stumbling once again, the close range of the bullets tearing her body apart faster than it could heal.
Kurtis rushed toward the demonic figure, holding his shoulder firmly outward, a glow beginning to emerge from its surface, forcing the demon to look upon the ancient marking.
An instant passed in the time of hours until Mariana suddenly began to scream, the vision of the lighted brand causing her body to experience the most horrid reality the creature had ever known, pain.
The brand was working, slower than it had effected the lesser wraiths, but still, it was actually working. Kurtis felt himself smile as he watched her, the combined efforts of himself and Lara Croft actually working to destroy the one thing that had plagued his life since he was a boy.
He would never have to worry with it again, Mariana was dyin-
A sudden clicking noise alerted Kurtis toward Lara and he sighed. He watched with fear as the empty cartridge fell from the weapon she held, the extra defense needed to keep Mariana where he wanted her had failed.
An immediate response followed as Mariana's wounds healed, the lack of bullets making the brand a mere side issue to the demon. She fiercely showed her evil smile as she growled, the brands effect no longer holding her steady. She quickly launched her foot toward Lara, meeting its tip with her temple, sending her sprawling to the floor. The demon then rushed forward, anger in her eyes, anger toward the Veritatis warrior who had nearly ended her life.
She lifted her arms as she lunged toward him, her fingernails extended, ready to deliver revengeful pain.
Kurtis felt his back hit hard against the stone floor as Mariana landed atop him. Her hands gripped around his shoulders, forcing her nails deeply into his flesh, grinning with delight as he screamed.
Kurtis forced his torso upward, trying to throw the demon from his waist, his efforts failed, the pain increasing.
Mariana quickly released the grip she had upon Kurtis's skin and redirected her hands around his broad shoulders, lifting his upper body toward her own. The demon smiled and playfully bit her tongue as she gripped the man's neck, pressing her thumbnail at the center of his throat, preparing to press it forward, impaling his wind pipe and ending his life.
Lara shook her head violently as she spastically blinked her eyes, a pain at the side of her head causing her movements to slow. Her mind stopped as a memory appeared, a memory of Mariana, of Kurtis!
She quickly lifted her head from the floor searching the room for-
She gasped; Mariana sat upon Kurtis's waist, a natural weapon at his throat, soon to cause his death. She forced herself from the floor as she pummeled her feet forward. "No!" Lara screamed as she rushed toward the demon, ready to throw her body forward and land a hit upon the bitch that wished so eagerly to end their lives. She was ready-
Her movement stopped out of fear, stopped because she knew what was happening, knew of the destruction that was about to occur. Mariana had released Kurtis's form from her grasp, knowing that Lara was rapidly approaching from behind, knowing that Lara was about to attack.
Kurtis gave a shout of warning as Lara stared at Mariana, watching as the demon clasped her hands together and closed her eyes, chanting the words of evil just as she had before, a faint glow erupting from her palms. The words were different this time, and Kurtis knew it, knew that the same energy would not result from the ancient sorcery, but something different, something less deadly but more efficient, something-
Kurtis cried out to Lara once again as Mariana lifted herself from him and turned back toward her current attacker. The glow within her palms grew brighter at that moment, and instantly rushed forward, a bolt of energy aimed squarely at Lara Croft.
The force of the blow lifted Lara from the floor and slung her across the room, her body weightless compared to the power behind Mariana's attack. Her limbs waved helplessly as she gasped from surprise, until her body connected again with the floor, her head receiving most of the blow. Her form slid lifelessly on the marble floor until it finally halted near the room's entrance within a shadowed corner.
Kurtis painfully lifted himself off of the floor and slung his foot forward, connecting it hard with Mariana's waist, knocking the demon to the ground. He quickly recovered his stance, and ran for the room's entrance, to Lara, terrified of what the energy may have done. He had to help her, had to know that she was alright, had to-
He halted as he felt the presence of the evil spirit behind him, his previous attack not slowing her whatsoever. He breathed deeply before turning to meet her.
The form of her face was astonishing, so uneven with it's heritage: so ugly yet so beautiful, so old yet peaking in it's feminine beauty, so full of anger yet he could see the sorrow and love in her eyes. She let out a grimacing smile as she casually started toward him.
Kurtis readied himself, readied himself for the sudden attack that the demon had planned. She always enjoyed surprises, no matter how horrible. Her evil form continued closer, eventually so close that he could have touched her.
Kurtis slowly gripped the Churigai at his waist, cautiously preparing for an attack of his own. He studied the demon's movements as she stared at him, the same teasing glow in her eyes. Her body was still, ready for anything, ready for the assault he was about to unleash.
As Kurtis slung forward his blade, his act was disappointed as he felt the emptiness of nothing before him. He looked forward but the demon was gone, her quick movements evading his lesser advances. He gritted his teeth and cursed with disappointment.
A sudden noise directed his attention upward, the sound of trickery which was greeted by the form of evil as his eyes met the demon that had escaped from his onslaught. She was hellishly floating near the ceiling, her eyes wide as she laughed at him. Mariana's glare quickly changed however, and she looked away from him, her attention grabbed by something else, something at the corner at the room's entrance, the limp figure of Lara Croft, her body slightly moving, slowly awakening from unconsciousness.
Mariana looked back at Kurtis and smiled.
Kurtis shook his head as fear entered his mind, realization of Mariana's thoughts becoming known. He pleaded with her in a silent stare that he knew the demon would never grant.
Mariana shook her head before rushing forward.
"No!" Kurtis shouted, as the spirit suddenly left her position above him, quickly flying toward the woman he loved.
He raced after her, running faster than he ever had before, the lining pillars darting past his head, becoming a blur from his desperate speed as he rushed forward. He had to beat Mariana, had to get to Lara before the demon did.
Her slender form was coming closer, appearing nearer to him with every step of his feet, every beat of his heart. Lara was there, directly in front of him; he could touch her. He reached out for her body, mere feet away. He had beaten Marian-
He felt his body meet cold stone as he dove forward, nothing around him except the bending of the wall. Lara was gone. It wasn't possible. She was just here.
The sound of a pained sigh entered the space above him and Kurtis directed his eyes upward. He sighed and shook his head with fear as he saw Lara, hanging limp in the air, Mariana across the room controlling her every movement.
"No!" Kurtis shouted again as he lifted his arms, trying to reach Lara, trying to pull her away from the demon's hold. She was too far away, to far for him to reach, and Mariana's grip was too powerful for his mind to break. He had to reach her before-
His mind stalled once again as he sighed with sorrow. The demon had started speaking, speaking in an ancient cursed tongue, the words of sorcery, the words of possession. He couldn't let this happen, he had to act now. Kurtis quickly threw his feet forward desperately running for Mariana.
Lara slowly drifted toward the demon that controlled her, toward a fate more horrible than Kurtis could allow to happen. He desperately tried to reach them, desperately tried to save Lara from this terrible event; it was impossible, they were to far away, to high for him to reach. He desperately threw up his churigai, only to see it deflected by a force-field that the ghostly bitch had built up around the two. His mind strayed to other efforts; he tried to lift himself, tried to use his powers to benefit; he was to weak.
Kurtis cursed and screamed as he stared at Lara, her heavenly form being condemned from its innocense by his inability to help her.
Kurtis was forced to shield his eyes as a blinding white light suddenly burst from Mariana's body, slowly spreading throughout the room until passing through Lara's fragile form. He felt a tear run down his cheek as the wraith brought her body closer. Mariana grasped Lara's arms and pulled her form toward her, slowly absorbing her life as the energy grew brighter.
Kurtis's eyes were fixed upon Lara as he helplessly stared. He sighed with hatred as she seemed to unconsciously scream, the demon's figure clasped against her own.
The light instantly grew stronger as their bodies met, before exploding into an amazing shower of fire, a force that knocked Kurtis to the ground. He shielded his eyes, watching Lara as she suddenly fell forward, her body meeting the demon's.
And she and Mariana became one.