Chapter 15
Lara approached the museum with a feeling of trepidation. As she walked towards the entrance, a chill ran down her spine. She had always found empty buildings unsettling, and the museum was no exception. There was something about the stillness of a deserted place that made her feel uncomfortable as if the silence was suffocating her.
She had permission to enter the museum, but as she stepped inside, she couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. The place felt like a mortuary, with the absence of any movement or sound. It was as if life had been drained out of it, leaving behind only an empty shell.
Lara had always been drawn to museums, fascinated by the stories and histories that they held within their walls. But today, she found herself feeling disconnected from it all. Without the energy of a crowd, the museum felt like a sterile, lifeless place.
The experience of visiting an empty museum has never been a pleasant one for me.
As Lara ascended the stairs to the empty galleries, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The museum was a place that was meant to be bustling with people, not a silent tomb. Even though she had permission to be there, Lara felt like an intruder in the quiet halls. The only source of light came from the few red up-lighters illuminating the paintings, casting an eerie glow over the space. Lara moved carefully, her senses heightened as she listened for any sounds of movement.
Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching, and Lara quickly hid behind a pillar. A man passed by, oblivious to her presence, and Lara swiftly attacked him, rendering him unconscious. She continued up the stairs and opened a door that led to a large gallery filled with artwork. At the far end, she saw a guard from one of the paintings, and he was reaching for his gun. Without hesitation, Lara rushed at him, breaking his left arm and punching him in the temple to knock him out.
Lara searched the unconscious guard and discovered a pass that granted access to restricted areas of the museum. With the pass in hand, she moved down the corridor, her zapper at the ready to protect herself from any potential threats. As she approached a door, Lara carefully peeked inside and was greeted by a stunning hallway. The vaulted ceiling was supported by slender columns made of pearly marble, adorned with exquisite sculptures of deities. The moonlight streaming through the windows added to the hall's beauty, but the red lights dotting the walls and columns served as a reminder of the danger lurking in the shadows.
Lara cautiously made her way through the hallway, keeping low to avoid the laser traps. She couldn't help but think that her larger assets were making it more difficult for her to maneuver. As she reached the end of the hall, a notice board caught her attention. It provided information about the ongoing archaeological excavation taking place beneath the museum's foundations. While this was a welcome sign of progress, Lara's primary access card failed to unlock the entrance to the excavation area located in a nearby alcove. Using C4 explosives would be too risky and attract too much attention. She needed Carvier's security pass to get through.
Fortunately, Lara found Carvier's office without much difficulty and encountered only a few guards on the way. To her surprise, the Department of Medieval and Renaissance Research was located in a modern complex adjacent to the Palais, rather than in the historic building itself. It seemed that the department had embraced a forward-thinking approach, balancing preserving the past with working toward the future. Lara's objective was to reach the dig site without causing a commotion and risking her career. With Carvier's security pass in hand, she was one step closer to her goal.
Lara carefully observed the ordinary office doors as she walked down the corridor, taking note of the plates displaying titles such as "Oils Restoration" and "X-Ray and Spectral Imaging." She continued down the hallway until she came across a door marked "Private: Security Personnel Only." As she approached, she noticed a lone guard lounging in a chair facing several CCTV monitors. A half-eaten pastry and a cup of cooling coffee cluttered the desk before him. Lara applied the same neck-grip technique she had used on the goon in Le Serpent Rouge, causing the guard to jolt and sigh in response.
Quietly and efficiently, Lara disabled the cameras in Madame Carvier's office using a generic pass that she had acquired. With the help of the pass, she gained access to the room, and the locking mechanism indicated success with a green flash. Upon entering, Lara surveyed the office with a sense of admiration. The photographs on the desk, elegantly arranged and presumably depicting Madame's family and friends, caught her attention. "Let's see what we can find," she whispered to herself, determined to uncover any clues that may lead her closer to her goal.
It was evident that Carvier's penchant for meticulousness extended to her professional life as well. The office was impeccably tidy, with a perfect balance of antique and modern furnishings. The interior featured a tasteful combination of mahogany, rosewood, and dark oak, creating a warm and inviting ambiance. The Persian rug in front of the modest fireplace was an exquisite touch, lending an air of sophistication and luxury to the space.
As Lara stepped closer to the paintings by the mantelpiece, her eyes were immediately drawn to the largest and most prominent canvas. It depicted a man, naked and bound in a manner reminiscent of crucifixion, but his arms were restrained by his sides, and a leather hood concealed his features. In the background, a Germanic-style castle lurked, adding to the eerie atmosphere of the painting. Lara couldn't help but feel a sense of curiosity and intrigue as she gazed at the artwork, wondering about its meaning and significance.
Next to the painting, she noticed a book with a notepad acting as a bookmark. The clipped, precise handwriting on the notepad could have only belonged to Carvier. "The Obscura Paintings," Lara muttered to herself as she read the details, committing them to memory. "Five images painted on thick wooden bases...Similar to Russian icons then," she paused and wondered, "I guess?" before continuing to read the notes.
"The paintings were created by the Black Alchemist, Pieter Van Eckhardt, in the thirteenth or fourteenth century. The paintings were seized by the Lux Veritatis and painted over with religious imagery. Each painting has a metallic symbol of power built into it, and together the five paintings hide something called the Sanglyph, or the 'Blood Sign'." The more Lara read, the more her instincts kicked in, and she felt a rush of excitement. She was still on the right track.
She noticed that the Black Alchemist's name, Pieter Van Eckhardt, was the same as Werner's client, which was a bit of a coincidence. She continued to scan through the notes and discovered that the Obscura Engravings were encrypted maps to each painting's secret location, which were made by the Lux Veritatis monk, Brother Obscura. Lara couldn't believe her luck. She had just stumbled upon the information she needed to uncover the Sanglyph.
As Lara left Madame Carvier's office, she couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt wash over her. She had just stolen information about something that could potentially change the course of history, and it made her feel like a thief. She had never felt this way before, even when she had taken ancient artifacts from tombs and ruins. But this time, it was different. Maybe it was because she had met Madame Carvier and had been in her home. Lara understood something of her style, and it made her feel like she had crossed a line.
Despite her conflicted feelings, Lara pushed them aside and focused on her mission. She crept down the stairwell at the hall's far end, careful to make as little noise as possible. Her shadow darted across the walls, and the clanking of her footsteps echoed in the eerily quiet place. She couldn't help but wonder where all the guards were. It seemed strange that such a valuable artifact was being left unguarded.
Lara arrived at Galerie 3 and approached the locked door leading to the dig site. She swiped Carvier's security pass and nudged the door open, relieved that the locking mechanism indicated success with a green flash. As she entered the dig site, she took note of her surroundings. The room was dimly lit, with a few flickering lights illuminating the area. The air was thick with dust and the musty smell of old artifacts.
Lara noticed that the dig site was completely deserted. She had expected to see guards patrolling the area or workers diligently excavating the site. But instead, there was no one in sight. It was as if everyone had suddenly disappeared. Lara couldn't help but feel uneasy about the situation. She had a bad feeling about what she might find at the dig site.
As she walked through the dimly lit space, Lara scanned the area for any clues or information that might help her in her quest. She saw several wooden crates piled up in a corner, covered in a thick layer of dust. There were also a few shovels and pickaxes scattered on the ground as if they had been abandoned mid-use. It was clear that the dig site had been left in a hurry.
Lara's instincts told her that she was getting closer to the Obscura Paintings. She could feel it in her bones. She pushed on, her eyes scanning every inch of the room for any signs of the artifacts she was after. She knew that time was running out, and she needed to find the paintings before it was too late.
As she rounded a corner, Lara saw a glint of light reflecting off something in the distance. She hurried towards it, her heart pounding with anticipation. As she got closer, she could see that it was a small wooden chest, intricately carved with strange symbols and designs. She could feel the excitement building within her as she realized that this might be it - the key to unlocking the mystery of the Obscura Paintings.