AN: Welp... The scammers have invaded my reviews. FFN doesn't allow me to remove the review unfortunately, so it stays. Do not fall for this, people.
Sorry for the delay, folks. It's been a rough week, but thankfully it's all good now. Here is the new chapter I worked on while I still wait around for patch 1 for the remasters.
Cheers!
The aching behind my head was possibly one of the worst, if not the worst pains I had experienced. The ringing in my ears was drilling straight into my brain. Labored breaths continuously escaped me, echoing in the darkness. The wound that Boaz had left me on my back had also started burning. I shut my eyes as I laid on the unforgivingly cold stone, teeth bared. I could feel fresh blood soaking my flank.
My ears barely picked up on Lara's sharp grunt as she dropped down near me. I attempted to raise my head just while her hurried footsteps drew closer. She shone the flashlight right at my face, the light burning my eyes.
"I'm okay…" I said, fighting the words to get them out. "I just need to take a breather."
A soft sigh escaped her.
With her help, I dragged myself toward one of the pit's walls and rested my back against it.
"Let me take a look at that." she murmured, getting down to my level.
"You seemed eager to get yourself killed to save me." She raised a brow.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"You didn't stop to think." Her eyes narrowed. "You don't have a death wish, do you?"
I locked my stare into hers. "I owed you one, remember?" I said under my breath. "Now we're even."
"Are you always this literal, or is this a one time thing?" she scoffed.
I let out a sharp exhale. "Definitely not a one time thing." I mumbled.
"By your logic, you owe me another." she joked, pointing at my abdomen. "Boaz."
"Just don't get into something that would make me pay that back." I said, attempting to retain the playful tone as best I could. Yet, a bitterness from deep within me plagued it despite my tries.
Lara raised her head, a certain spark in her eyes.
She tilted her head slightly. "I'll try not to." she said, the phrase fleeting with her breath.
She then looked me in the eye, like she was trying to see through my gaze and peer right into my mind.
Her stare swiftly diverted from me. A sacred silence fell between us soon after.
She then whipped out a medpack. I closed my eyes, my breathing still sharp.
"Doesn't look too bad." she mumbled, her attentive gaze scanning me. "This could have ended up much worse for you. You're a lucky bunch."
"You say so?" I muttered.
She raised a brow. "Those fancy powers of yours wouldn't be able to fix a broken neck, would they?"
I scoffed in response.
"Speaking of your powers, I've been meaning to ask you…" she paused. "Where do they come from?"
"Passed down from my father." I replied quietly. "All members of The Order have powers, though the type changes from family to family."
The Chirugai freed itself from me, its blades shooting out with a metallic ping just as it rose in the air. Fresh blood from the beings stained the weapon, glistening with crimson shimmers under its golden light. It started hovering just above Lara's shoulder, the soft whir from its spins echoing in the cave.
"Your family had telekinetic abilities, then?" Lara asked.
"Correct. And a bit more than that."
"Do you know how these powers work?"
I flashed a smile through the pain. My powers seemed to have piqued her interest.
"All human beings have a vital energy running through their bodies; that keeps them alive. That makes up their consciousness. Life force, if you will." I explained. "My bloodline was able to manipulate this energy at will."
"How does this benefit you?"
"My telekinetic abilities rely on this. If I channel it towards an object…" I stretched my arm toward the plaster roll on the ground and tipped it over. "...I can make it move."
"Doesn't this interfere with your bodily functions?"
"The amount of energy I typically use for telekinesis is very small, so it regenerates in seconds. Say I tried to move a building, it would kill me; since that would deprive my body of all vital energy. I can also direct it towards a wound to make it heal quicker."
Lara had just begun to swiftly disinfect the area. I slightly flinched just while a wave of stabbing ache overtook me.
"Some Lux Veritatis members were able to leave their bodies behind after death, so that they could guard the paintings." I continued.
"I got the chance to meet them." She flashed a half smile. "They put up a good fight. I personally wouldn't bring swords to a gunfight, though."
She swooned her head at the Chirugai. "And what about this?"
"It was made specifically for me, with my father's order. It's got some of the vital energies of all Lux Veritatis members within it." I said. "It's got a mind of its own, but it only obeys me."
I continued. "It has a definitive goal; to protect me, no matter what happens. Y'know… If you had harmed me back in the Louvre, it wouldn't leave you be till it killed you."
Her eyes narrowed. "You think a metal frisbee would be able to kill me?" she asked, voice deadpan.
"It's indestructible." I explained, stretching my arm forward. The Chirugai perfectly slipped itself through my fingers, the blades retracting. "Forged from meteorite alloy."
Lara snickered slightly. "I'd surely find a way."
She then quickly got to her feet. "There. Not my best work, but it will keep you from bleeding out."
Without another word, she walked over to the ledge, and pulled out a grappling hook from her backpack.
She shot a quick glance at the tool she was holding. "You know what this reminded me of… One time I used this, the man aiding me got mauled by a pack of wolves." She looked over her shoulder in my direction. "Glad to see you didn't share a similar fate."
"How reassuring…" I mumbled as I stood up, holding onto the wall behind me for support. I had begun feeling better, but the now dull pain refused to cease.
Lara flung the hook toward the top of the ledge as I made my way to her, my steps heavy. She was aiming the flashlight right at the spot colored by my bloody handprint, her gaze locked above us. A sharp clink signalled it digging into the rock. She then gently tugged at the rope a few times, allowing the tool to sink deeper into the surface.
"You're a natural." I teased. "Brava, Miss Croft. Color me impressed."
"Couldn't expect any less from me, could you?" she replied, flashing a winning smile. "I'm just getting back into it."
She grasped the rope tightly, pulling herself up. After a brief pause, she began to make her way to the top, every move of her body steady.
After getting herself up on the crest, she shone the light down at me. I finally let my body freely hang from the ledge, the back of my head still throbbing with ache. She reached over and helped me up. She then quickly removed the hook and placed it back into the backpack.
The motionless bodies of the creatures laid sprawled on the ground, a halo of blood surrounding each. We drew closer for a detailed look. The grim realization soon set between us.
Just like the inmates, these were people. And the more I looked at the sight, the worse it got.
Their jaws were cut out and removed from their skulls. The mandibles were suspended by a metal mechanism, making the mouths appear much larger. In lieu of the teeth were silver implants, looking so sharp they gave the impression they could chew through bone. The forearms were amputated. What replaced them was prosthetics, which bore terrifyingly long claws. The legs were broken from the knee. The bottom parts were inverted and forced back into the joint. The knees, therefore, bent the other way.
"Ah shit…" I said under my breath. "Poor bastards."
"But why were they keeping them here?" Lara mumbled.
"Eckhardt probably did not want them in the Strahov. The place already was infested with abominations. Well, it still is." I responded. "They were either the product of a blown experiment, or simply Eckhardt's sickly mind. Considering just how fast they were despite their… state, I'd say the former."
Without further exchange of words, we headed to the exit of the cave.
A chilling breeze hit us as we resurfaced.
"I think we deserve some sitting after all that." Lara said, sighing.
"I'll get a fire going." I responded.
In a matter of seconds, I wandered into the forest, letting the birdsong carry my thoughts away.
The branches above me blocked out most of the sunlight, drowning everything around in a gloom-filled shadow. Thick patches of grass laid at my feet. A gentle wind blew through the trees. The air smelled like spring, that would yet to come.
I collected a few dry saps and returned to our spot. I set fire to the stack with the lighter and watched as the flames arose, the soft crackles caressing my ears.
My gaze slowly rose from the fire and fell on Lara, now sitting across me. She had pulled her legs close to her chest. The embers of the fire were reflecting off her warm brown eyes, creating a homely sight. Her neatly braided hair was slumped over her shoulder. Auburn fringes kissed her face.
Whether it be driven by my father's endless lecturing during the training sessions, or my own curiosity, I always had a thing for reading people like an open book.
But it surely didn't take much to know that Lara didn't need anybody by her side. I was well aware that I could get this close to her only because she allowed me to.
I had spent the last decade distancing myself from anything and everything. I had worked on building walls around me, brick by brick, piece by piece. Walls I thought would shield me from the crooked world I was born into.
But every time I laid my eyes on her, I could feel them coming apart right in front of me.
Part of me wanted to stay away, and to keep my distance and to play into the antisocial-mystery-man façade further.
But another part wanted me to lend myself to the gravitation she had on me.
And the latter seemed to prevail.
Chapter End Notes: Reviews are highly appreciated and encouraged (Real reviews, not scam ones). So if you're enjoying this so far, please let me know. Thank you so much for reading!