Chapter 3-
I look towards a huge, cracked column. Swinging my feet and jumping at the same time, I dig my fingers into the cracks and look behind. I grin to myself and think; I pulled off a two meter jump!
I shimmy around the cracks to the other side of the column. I dig my fingers deeper into the cracks and put my feet on the vertical stone wall.
"Hmph" My voice echoes as I jump up onto another crack on top of the first one. I hang on my right hand and take a swift look back. "Here we go" I say to myself as I pump my legs on the column and take a backward flip into the air.
I land on a small, shaky platform. As usual, the wooden platform breaks. But my reflexes aren t quick enough this time.
My left leg goes through the wooden platform and a wood piece pierces the skin of my knee. Ignoring the blisters, I pull my leg up forcefully and examine the wound.
The platform rattles once again. I pull the wooden stick out and take a jump towards the next column.
"Zip?" I say questioningly onto the mike of my headphones.
"Hey Lara... Damn! Look at that!" Zips voice breaks into the headphones.
"What?" I ask, wrapping my knee up in a soggy white bandage from my medipack.
"It's a waterfall!" Zip says.
I put one hand on my earphones and tilt my head, looking ahead.
There is a waterfall. I realize that I haven't been very observant. The column on which I jumped is actually a wall. And bursting out of that wall is and amazingly beautiful, crystal clear waterfall.
"Like I always say... If all else fails, I can get into the postcard business!" I say, smiling to myself. I crouch down on my right leg and pull out my binoculars.
I zoom into the artifact placed on a small portion of land, barely sticking out of the water.
"It's a vase" I say, getting up.
"No. It s not just a vase. It's a container" Zip says.
"How can you see such small details? The last time you couldn't even see a couple of mercenaries!" I exclaim, looking around for any sign of life.
"Oh well. Technology, technology and technology" Zip sniggers at the other end.
"Oh. Ha ha. How very funny." I say dryly
"Time for a swan dive" I smile to myself and punch my arms into the air.
With a swift jump and my hands thrown out sideways, I fling myself off the wall and feel myself falling down into the waterfall.
The water hurts my face and my body and I feel the divine happiness of having pulled off a fantastic dive.
"Wow. The Croft Manor Gym would never offer such perfect water" I tell Zip and climb up onto solid ground.
I look at the pedestal on which the vase is kept. "Look at those inscriptions" I say.
"I can t read any of them" Zip chuckles.
"Let me read them for you. 'Like the blue moon, is this a curse or a boon?'" I read out loud for Zip.
"Okay Lara... Can't help you there" Zip says and I can tell that he is chuckling softly to himself.
"This might be the Curse of Xamballa... Or it could be the Blessing of Xamballa" I tell Zip, grabbing the vase frivolously.
"Well well well . Look who it is... Lady Lara Croft. Archaeologist woman" A voice echoes behind me. I immediately recognize it. I turn and spot the man on the ground next to the waterfall.
"Who is that?" Zip asks into the headphone.
"Monsieur DuPont" I smirk.
"Lady Croft. What a pleasant surprise. I myself was planning to take the artifact. So if you would like to return it like a good girl, you may. Or I could persuade you" Pierre says, pointing his Caliber pistol at me.
"Oh that won t be necessary" I say and pull out my pistol from my holster.
Before I can react, Pierre shoots and I dodge instinctively.
The bullet hits the vase and the vase breaks into two. Black liquid comes pouring out and spills onto my hand. My eyes widen.
"You've been cursed, Lady Croft!" Pierre s voice sounds distant.