Uncharted||His Love [Book 3]

Chapter 22 - The Atlantis Of The Sands

Nothing works, until he suddenly reacts to silence, grabbing (Y/N)'s arms. "(Y/N)! No... please." He yells, shaking her. His hands run from her face back to her arms and then her stomach. "Please... no." He pleads and she pulls away.

"Nate? Nate!" (Y/N) shouts, backing away from his crazed state.

His head snaps towards Sully and then he runs over to him, catching Sully off guard. "Uh, kid, what the hell is he doing?"

"I don't know, something's in that water!" (Y/N) replies, running over. Grabbing Nate off Sully, she turns him to face her, his face pained, but he stumbles away, his hands dug in his hair.

"No, no, no." Nate, without any warning, jumps down from the ledge to the area below.

"Shit. Shit, Sully!" (Y/N)'s voice is frantic, grabbing his hand and pulling him with her to chase after Nate. Noticing that he's pulled out his gun, Sully pushes her behind a pillar.

"The kid's gone nuts!" He exclaims, hearing shots go off.

Once it had all calmed down, they come out of cover and run to slip into the lift with Nate, just as the doors close. He doesn't say a word or acknowledge their presence, but once they get to the bottom, his stance changes.

"Talbot! You come back here you son-of-a-bitch!" He yells, running out.

"Talbot?" (Y/N) questions, looking at Sully, who looks just as confused as she was.

"You're dead! You hear me, you're dead!" Nate shouts.

Heading out of the lift, the two look around this part of the city, carefully following behind Nate. He was stumbling about and Sully and (Y/N) stop when he does.

"This has to be something big, he's completely delusional." She says and Sully sighs, rubbing his eyes. "This is way too much."

Both notice the silence and (Y/N) closes her eyes for a second, silently praying, but panics when she opens them. "Nate?" (Y/N) shouts and Sully groans. "Shit, kid, he's gone. We took our eye off the ball."

"Let's just keep going."

The two continue through the city of Ubar, not really saying anything to each other, but the same thought gnawing away. Voices ahead catch them off guard and they crouch behind one of the fallen stones. "So, we're in agreement we just shoot our way through?"

"Read my mind. Why change now, huh kid?" Sully replies and she chuckles. "Absolutely no reason at all."

Loading her pistol, she gives him a reassuring smile. "One little fight won't hurt."

But it's never that simple.

They had the joy of spending their travels through Ubar, not by enjoying the sites, but enjoying the fights. Losing track of where they were, all they did was take out the men in their way, jump over ledges, and find themselves deeper into the city itself.

By the time the pair got to a bridge, silence had taken over, but they kept a tight grip on their guns. Right at the end of a the bridge sat a room. (Y/N) makes her way in first, keeping an eye out.

"Okay, it's clear." She calls and Sully enters. "Man, after all that, it better be." He grumbles, stretching.

"And still no sign of Nate." She sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"He'll turn up, he always does and then, when we get out of all this, you can put your ring back on." Sully says, taking the woman by surprise and she stares at him. "Excuse me?"

"The ring, y'know, marriage, blah blah." Sully continues.

"Yes I know what ring you're talking about. Why would you think I'd put it back on?" (Y/N) asks.

"Well it's clear you love him, even when he is delusional. It's meant to be." He replies, shrugging it off. "Boy, do I wish I had a cigar with me."

She rolls her eyes at his easy change of topic, but can't help but think about what he said. The thoughts quickly leave at the sound of yelling and firing, making (Y/N) lead Sully behind a wall, crouching down. Footsteps come closer, slowing down and Sully stands, slowly looking out of the tiny holes.

"Is that you, kid?" He calls. Wearily, he steps out and (Y/N) follows, her breathing steadying. "Oh, thank God."

Sully throws down the big gun he had been using, moving his way closer to Nate, who just stares at them with confusion. "You all right?" Sully asks. "Man - we had a hell of a time -"

He's cut off by the pistol being raised, Nate seemingly unsure of what was going on.

"What's the matter with you?" (Y/N) says, desperate to get Nate back.

"How do I know you two are real?" Nate quizzes.

Sully holds up his hands, walking closer until he grasps the gun, lowering it. He then proceeds to flick Nate on the forehead. "That real enough for you?" He puts the gun back in Nate's holster. "Don't ever point a gun at me again."

(Y/N) smiles in relief, hugging him instantly and feeling safer in his embrace. "I saw... I saw them shoot you. Both of you - right after the eclipse." He explains, his arms tight around her waist.

"What eclipse?" She frowns at his words, pulling her head back to look at him. "Nate, you went nuts after you drank from that fountain."

"It's the water. That's what destroyed the city." Sully adds. "Not the 'wrath of God'."

Gently, (Y/N) pulls his arms away from her, letting him sit down and recollect his thoughts. "The whole water supply is tainted with a sort of hallucinogenic agent. Probably drove everyone mad." She states.

Nate shakes his head, understanding it all. "That's what Marlowe and Talbot are after."He groans in annoyance, letting his head fall into his hands.

"Oh, man, yeah... Remember, Cutter said they controlled their enemies through fear." Sully reminds them.

"This will definitely do it." (Y/N) whistles.

"But, wait, it doesn't make any sense - how do they think they're getting the water outta here?" Sully asks.

"No, it's not the water. It's what's in the water." Nate corrects, looking back up.

"Come again?"

"Listen, just bear with me for a second. Salim told us that Iram was cursed when Solomon imprisoned the evil spirits of the Djinn inside a vessel of brass, and then cast it into the depths of the city."

"A genie in a bottle." Sully says in disbelief.

"I know it sounds pretty crazy."

"So you reckon that's why Elizabeth and Dee sent Francis Drake out here in the first place?"(Y/N) asks.

"Yeah. It wasn't treasure they were after, it was power. Only once Drake realised he abandoned the mission. He lied to the Queen, told her he didn't find anything and then hid all traces of his voyage." Nate says.

"Rewrote history." He finishes, his eyes lit up from piecing it all together, but holding that glint of sadness. Sully and (Y/N) share a glance, sort of speechless from it all.

"Well, who are we to argue with Sir Francis?" Sully jokes.

(Y/N) holds out her hand to Nate, who takes it, pulling himself up. He gives her a longing hug, pulling back to see his face full of gratitude.

"Whaddya say we go down there and end this thing?" She says, smiling.

"Once and for all."