Nate takes the lead, back out onto a bridge. "Look at this place. Whole city's resting on this cavern. Doesn't look very safe, does it?" He sighs, the three entering a room at the end.
"That's an understatement." (Y/N) mumbles.
"Here." Sully motions to the handles in the middle. "Give me a hand with this."
Nate grabs one handle and Sully grabs the other, the two go in opposite directions, making the floor underneath sink down.It stops and (Y/N) looks at the two. "It's gonna get hairy, you boys ready for this?"
"Let's do it."
The trio head out and down the slope, into the cistern of the city.
"Amazing." (Y/N) breathes, standing still for a few seconds to watch the water fall, rushing into the abyss below.
"This is how they moved the water to the surface." Nate says, looking at the mechanisms, which were still working, and the pulley systems that pulled the water up.
"Good God. Look at the ceiling here." Sully points and they look up at it cracked and broken.
"I'm surprised this whole place hasn't come crashing down yet." Nate admits.
"I don't know how the hell its still standing." Sully adds, following behind (Y/N) up the stairs towards the door.
Nate goes to one of the handles and points over to the other one. ''Help me with this door.'' He says and she nods, placing her hands on the handle. He gives her a look and together, they push down, the door shooting up.
Sully runs through, followed by the two and then it slams shut behind. They had entered a room with a snake, coiling itself up and around, through the middle of the room. Looking down to the bottom, (Y/N) pulls Nate and Sully back. ''Shit, get down!''
Making their way through the building, the wheels turn, powering the pulley systems, giving them more sound than just the firing of guns.
"All clear. Down this way!'' Nate instructs at the end of the room. Two stairs lead downwards, separated by the flow of calm water and he follows the one on the right, immediately ducking behind cover.
''Ah, crap! Guys, we got more company!'' He yells.
This fight was more hectic then last. More of them were present, and the added firing of an RPG made it harder for them to move forward, but they manage to clear a path.
(Y/N) takes the lead this time, running through a room which looked like it had a built in pool, climbing her way up the sand-covered steps. A grenade is thrown in front of her and she stumbles back into Nate, who instantly pulls her away as the grenade explodes.
Breathing heavily, she gives a reassuring nod to him and they rush up. A silver crate stood in the centre and Sully crouches down. ''Let's see what they're up to.'' He smirks, pushing open the lid, revealing two pieces of scuba-diving equipment, along with a gun sat between them.
''Well, they're definitely going into the water.'' (Y/N) sighs and Sully nods, noticing and grabbing the gun. ''Hey...'' He chuckles, lightly. ''Sweet. I'm holding on to this.'' He states, holstering it and Nate pulls the lid closed again.
He moves on, going to the left handle and this time it's Sully that helps him to open the door and (Y/N) heads in first, closely followed by the two as it shuts.They go across a bridge and past the turning wheels. At the end of their path was a large pool of water and a machine, being operated by one of Marlowe's men.
Sully covers behind the left side of the pillar and Nate and (Y/N) takes the right, hearing Marlowe's orders: ''Careful! Lift it gently.''
She peers out and spies her stood next to the guy operating the winch, which sunk deep into the blue, pulling up the vessel of brass Salim had mentioned. ''You've got to be kidding me.'' Sully states, looking over.
''We've gotta take that thing out.'' Nate whispers back. ''Any ideas?''
''Well, they sure as hell got us outnumbered.'' Sully looks around, turning back. ''Let's.... let's split up, try to flank 'em.''
She turns her head back to Nate behind her, who held uncertainty in his eyes, but tells her the plan and she nods in agreement.
Sully spins, walking away from the two and Nate and (Y/N) does the same. Slowly and carefully, they make their way around the right side, stopping behind a pillar and looking across the water for Sully.
''Where is he?'' (Y/N) mutters and looks out again, this time seeing Talbot raise his gun in her direction.
A shot rings out and she jumps, watching Sully grab the gun and struggle, desperately trying to grab to gun off of Talbot, but to no avail. Talbot hits Sully, making him fall and easily kicks him into the water.
''Sully! No!'' She shouts, running forward, but Nate pulls her back. "Stay here, I'll get him.'' He orders and she nods, watching him dive in.
A few moments later and a rocket bursts out of the water, hitting the winch and breaking it apart. ''No!'' Marlowe yells, and (Y/N) looks down, the vessel falling back down to the depths where it belongs.
Another rocket, and then another hits into the building behind her, Talbot grabbing her and the pair running away, the building collapsing. (Y/N) hurries to where Sully and Nate emerge and pulls Sully up first, letting him lie down and cough, and she helps Nate up too.
''Please tell me neither of you swallowed that water.'' She pleads.
''I - I don't think so.'' Sully coughs out and Nate shakes his head. (Y/N) breathes out a sigh of relief. ''Okay...''
In front of and across the water, the whole spire of the building comes crashing down and Sully chuckles lightly. ''This is why we can't have nice things.''
''C'mon - we gotta move.'' (Y/N) tells them, hauling them both to their feet, the whole ceiling caving in. ''Whole place is coming down.''
''If I had a nickel for every time you said that.'' Sully states, the three being joined by the faithful agents of Marlowe.
''What's with these guys? Don't they know we're going to get buried here?'' Nate yells and (Y/N) laughs. ''Something tells me they don't care.''
''I sure as hell do!''
A man with an RPG join, making the damage even worse then what Nate had caused, but they keep pressing on. ''We gotta get out of here and fast!''
The trio head back out the way they came, yet this time taking a left into a room with a bar, the two doing the same as before: Sully and Nate going in opposite directions, turning the handle around. The floor begins going up like an elevator, greeting them to an ambush. Taking them out, Nate then leads over to a ladder, climbing up and then looking about frantically.
''How are we going to get out of here?''
''Was kinda hoping you already knew, cowboy.'' (Y/N) replies. ''Wait, the gears!'' She notices and rushes over to them, beginning to climb her way up.
''We're gonna have to ride these up, all right?'' She shouts, already moving her way along and up to the next floor.
Taking out the men and then climbing up the ladder, they repeat until they're on a floor with stairs, guiding them to the way out. The ground shakes, making them stumble into the room. Just as they do, so does Marlowe and Talbot and Marlowe spots them, her face turning into an expression of pure hatred and anger.
''You!'' She exclaims and Talbot aims his gun. ''Drake!''
The three hold up their hands, but the ground shakes again, cracking and falling. They fall back onto the only stable part, but Nate slides with the rubble.
''Nate!'' (Y/N) shouts, holding out her hand and just as his fingers brush her palm, he slips past and falls into the quicksand below with Talbot and Marlowe.
Nate and Talbot climb out of either side of the sand, Marlowe still sinking in the middle. She turns at Talbot's desperate cry of her name, reaching out to grab her. ''I can't reach!''
(Y/N) drops down to the lower, sunken ground and lies down. ''C'mon, Nate, I'll pull you up.''
He nods, turning to her and reaching his hand up. ''Nathan!'' Marlowe shouts. ''Drake.'' Nate turns back to look at her, sinking further and further. ''Are you worthy of the name?'' Marlowe then takes off the necklace carrying Nate's ring from around her neck, holding it out in front of her. ''Earn this - as Francis earned it from Elizabeth. Prove your greatness.''
''I've got nothing to prove.'' Nate replies.
''Hurry, give me your hand!'' (Y/N) yells.
''You can't just let her die.'' Talbot shouts across, still trying to reach out to her.
''The hell he can't!'' Sully says.
''Nate, give me your hand.'' (Y/N) orders, one more time, but he ignores her. Kneeling down, he takes off his ammo pouch, throwing it across to Marlowe.
''Here, grab it!'' He tells her and she does, letting him try and pull her out of the sand, but to no use. ''I can't - I can't -''
''What the hell are you doing?'' Sully calls.
''It's no use, Nate. Get outta there!'' (Y/N) adds, but Nate keeps pulling, until he realises it's too late and Marlowe sinks below.
Talbot lets out an almighty cry and the ring disappears with her.
''Nate!'' (Y/N) shouts and he finally turns, pulling himself up the rubble and gripping her hand. ''Come on.'' She strains, pulling him up next to her. The two climb back up to Sully and Nate turns to them, saying only one word:
''Run.''
They do as he says, taking the stairs two at a time. ''Three goddamn bullets? How the hell did you do this with three bullets?'' Sully yells.
The whole place was coming down and they run, jumping over broken gaps as the sand spills out, taking the building with it. Once on more stable ground, Talbot appears out of nowhere, grabbing Nate by the neck and the two of them struggle, tripping over the side.
''Nate!''
The part the two were on break away and Sully pulls (Y/N) back from landing a death like Marlowe. ''We gotta find another way down, kid!''
She follows him across the rubble, the whole building still rumbling and throwing them about. Finally, they land where Talbot has Nate pinned down, a knife dangerously close to his neck.
Pulling out her pistol, (Y/N) shoots him once in the shoulder, making him fall back and Nate stand. ''That'll teach you to bring a knife to a gun fight.''
She aims again and goes to shoot, but before she can, the ground tips sideways, making Nate fall, grabbing onto the ledge. Her gun slips out of her hands and he manages to grab it, stopping it from dropping entirely.
There's another tremor and Nate drops down again. The ground keeps shaking, not stopping Talbot from running at them. He grabs Sully, throwing him to the side and delivering a hit.
(Y/N) grabs him, pulling him away from Sully and he elbows his way out of her grip. Furiously, he slashes the knife about and makes her back up. Sully still lies on the floor, in pain, yet grabs a rock, distracting Talbot. It allows (Y/N) to grab the knife, the shaking making her drop that over the edge too.
With a primal like growl, he grabs her by the waist, slamming her down on the ground, holding her in place over the edge. A kick to the face makes (Y/N)'s vision go blurry and she coughs, weakly leaning on her elbows. The ringing in her ears grows louder, the destruction being muffled.
Talbot stands over her, holding a rock when all of a sudden shots ring out and he stumbles. He tilts forward and heads down towards his end. (Y/N) stands and holds out her hand. ''Thanks, cowboy, now come on!''
He jumps across the gap and she grabs his hand, steadying his landing. Sully had already gotten to his feet, and once seeing they were alright, begins the run once again.
''It's no good. We can't make it!'' He shouts, right at the last hurdle. Four horses ride in front of them, the front one occupied by none other than: ''Salim!''
The three jump onto a horse and Salim leads them out, the statue that once guarded a lost city, falls sealing it off. Once out, the whole thing explodes behind them, blocking off the entrance.
--
The four ride, and once far enough, they stop on top of a dune, looking back at the sinking city.
''My God...'' Sully breathes and Salim mutters something in Arabic, clearly shocked too.
''So much for 'immeasurable wealth', huh?'' Nate says.
''Well - '' Sully digs into his pocket and throws up a few coins in his hand. "It's not much, is it?'' (Y/N) sighs and he smiles. ''It's enough.''
And with that, the four turn, beginning the long ride back to Salim's tribe, leaving the Atlantis of the Sands sinking into despair behind them.