Tomb Raider: The Golden Seal

Chapter 1: A Visit In Surrey

Tomb Raider: The Golden Seal

The first thing she did, before even giving herself time to recover, was come back to the place where she had left him. She was greatly dismayed when she could not find him.

She found the corpse of the abomination that he battled, but at the spot where Kurtis had fallen there was nothing but a large pool of blood, and in the middle of it, his wondrous weapon, the Chirugai. Lara picked it up and when she did, the disc suddenly began to faintly vibrate in her hand and started to pull her away. She arose and turned toward where the disc led her, but then its blades retracted abruptly. Before her awaited looming darkness.

Lara clutched the Chirugai in her hand and smiled. She didn't fully understand what it all meant, since she knew as little about that strange magic as she did about its owner. Despite this, she knew in her heart that no matter how serious his wound, he was out there still alive, and he was calling for help.

The adventurer went into the darkness, following the lead of the Chirugai, searching for Kurtis Trent.

Chapter 1: A Visit in Surrey

After the ordeal in Prague, Lara returned to her Manor. Winston could see that she was upset and moody, and understandably so; after all, the French police were still handling her as the number one suspect for Von Croy's murder, since they had no other suspect in the Monstrum case... but it seemed as though she didn't care about that.

What was she supposed to tell them? That the Monstrum were actually two people, a fallen angel and an 800-year-old alchemist? That both of them were now dead and, even worse than that, she was the one who killed them? Not a very convincing story, but Winston didn't need explanations. He knew Lara very well and everything she said could be trusted; when it was all said and done, she was far more like a daughter than an employer, and in the past he has heard far more outlandish things from her for him to question her on this. But now she seemed to dwell in another world, spending her days examining that weird star-shaped bladed disc she'd brought with her from Prague, waiting to see if it moved. But the Chirugai was motionless, cold. Since its last vibrations at the Strahov - drawing her towards a possible path - it hadn't shown another signal. It was dead, and so was its owner – as far as she knew.

Lara refused to believe it. Not because she felt something special for that stranger, well, at least nothing except a little loyalty and maybe some responsibility. He'd entrusted her with the Periapt Shards so that she could kill the Black Alchemist; he'd helped her to escape by covering her retreat...she owed him, at least, some thanks. She had to give him his weapon back. She had to tell him that the Lux Veritatis' mission was fulfilled, that his greatest enemies no longer existed...

A sound woke her from her thoughts. She jumped off the couch and answered the door before Winston, troubled by age, could reach it. None other than Marten Gunderson, the Cabal Mercenary Leader, greeted an astonished Lara by aiming a gun at her face.

"Leave us, Winston," Lara ordered while staring down Gunderson.

"Where is he?" the killer asked.

"Who?"

"Your friend. The last Lux Veritatis. He's not dead, and we need him."

"For what?"

"That's not your business."

"Get out of my house!" She commanded, and went to close the door, but before she could he turned his gun to Winston.

"You'll speak by hook or by crook..."