Tomb Raider: The Golden Seal

Chapter 28: Werner's Letter

A dirge filled the air, the only sound in the monastery, while the first flicker of dawn was breaking on the horizon.

Kyrie eleison...

Xristos eleison...

Kyrie eleison...

Lara went through the trapdoor. This time it was Minos who guided her, still dizzy because of the mystical experience. Upon seeing the group of monks kneeling in the center of the yard, whose walls and floors were charred as if it had been on fire, she frowned. "What are you doing?"

"We pray the office for the dead," Nikos said, standing up. "We've lost the Lux Veritatis warrior."

Minos cried in dismay. "Impossible! The ritual was fulfilled! Miss Croft..."

"What happened?" She interrupted with a commanding voice.

Nikos looked at her doubtfully. "He killed the Nephilim, sinking the Shard in his heart. But the devil took his last boost to drag him down," he pointed to the window, still splattered in white blood. "Both fell into the void."

Lara turned and walked away with long strides.

"Where are you going?" Said Minos.

"To find him."

The monks looked at each other. "She's lost her mind!" said one. "No one can survive that fall!"

"He can," Lara insisted with a cold and calm voice.

Nikos and the hegumenos went after her. "My child," Minos said sweetly, "you must face the truth. You were too late. Everything you did was very noble and brave, but it's better to let the dead rest."

Lara turned sharply and glared at him. Minos went back, intimidated. She was quiet, peaceful; enlightened. Something told the hegumenos she was right, and not crazy after all. "Whether you like it or not, I'm going to look for him," Lara said with determination. "If he's dead I'll bury him. Nobody needs to follow me." And she went quickly towards the exit. Then she took off the robe - she worn under her explorer clothes, and started climbing down the rock.

Nobody tried to stop her.

(...)

The descent seemed to last for hours, but she finally reached the bottom of the chasm. There, amid sharp stones, she found Karel's corpse, shattered by the impact, the Shard's handle still sticking out his chest. Beside him was Kurtis. He seemed intact.

Lara leaned over him, extended a trembling hand and checked his pulse. He was breathing. He was alive.

Sighing in relief, Lara sat on her heels. Then she noticed a burn had disfigured his shoulder tattoo - the Lux Veritatis symbol was distorted. She brushed the hair from his forehead and stroked his cheek. Then she lowered her hand across his neck, sliding her hand down an arm dirty with a mixture of red and white blood.

"It's wrong to abuse the wounded," a voice said suddenly. Lara withdrew her hand. Kurtis had opened his eyes and smiled with that cynical grin of his.

"Are you okay?"

He sat up and stretched. "I'll survive. Of course, I gotta ask for a raise. I've outdone myself. Twenty feet...Dad would be proud of me," he concluded with sarcasm.

"How did you...?"

"It's called mental suspension. You fall at full speed and within seconds you gotta convince your mind that your body doesn't weigh anything and it's not gonna hit the ground. It's not easy, and I as sure as hell did not expect to achieve it."