Lara dodged another of Joachim Karel's attacks, then ran towards the dead body of Eckhardt. "So sorry, old boy. Hope you don't mind me borrowing this," she said, tearing the glove off his hand. Joachim saw her and growled.

"Come back and die quickly, instead of delaying it like this."

She put a finger up in a rude reply, then sprinted towards the ladder upwards. The Sleeper was spinning in his invisible cell, weakly looking around the room. Lara ran towards him and leaped. Catching his foot, she jammed the Sanglyph part of the glove into his body.

The power was absorbed quickly, and she backflipped back to the platform as Joachim howled in pain, the matter encompassing him. She watched smugly as the Nephili writhed in pain, then fell to the ground and dissapeared from view. The Cubiculum Nephili made nary a sound as he died, besides a low moaning.

Suddenly there was a great creaking. The chamber was collapsing. She stood and ran back down the stairs, then back along the path she had taken to reach the Alchemist's chamber in the first place.

The whole tunnel fell in on itself as she reached the place where Kurtis and Boaz had been left. Sighing, she hopped to the ground and looked around. There was the dead carnivorous horror in the middle of the hall, and a headless insectoid body a few steps away from it. And a few steps from that, the Chirugai, covered in blood.

Lara walked slowly towards the Glaive, then kneeled down and picked it up. Her reflection was blocked by crimson liquid that dripped slowly off the metal. She ran a hand down it, then turned around to look for Kurtis. He was nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly the Glaive glowed red as it had so many times before, and pulled towards the tunnel that Boaz had appeared from. Lara pressed her fingers into the holes and held tightly as she allowed the blade to lead her.

The Chirugai led her to the hallway, then hesitated before it turned left. She could see a continuous stream of blood on the tiles of the floor, as if a body had been dragged along.

The yellow hallway eventually emerged into another section of the Sanitarium, one that was deserted. The gates along the way were open wide, with the blood streaks going through them. Frantic, she ran along with the speeding Chirugai until it went limp in her hand. She looked at it puzzled, then spotted a crumpled body in front of a door up ahead.

There was a large hole in his back, which seeped blood, and his eyes were closed. Not dead. Yet.

She felt his pulse, which was faint, then put her ear to his mouth to see if he was breathing. He was. She sighed in relief, then removed her bandages from her pack. Kurtis coughed, then opened his eyes weakly.

"Hello," he whispered.

"Don't talk," she replied, wrapping his stomach.

"How did you find me?"

"Your Glaive. It led me.........rather, I suppose you led me."

"I always was a resourceful one, wasn't I?" he said with a smile, then closed his eyes again.

*~*~*~*

MONSTRUM FOUND!

The last 15 deaths at the hand's of the Monstrum seemed to be an end to the serial killer's career, but early yesterday morning another victim was found. Thomas Ludd-ick, 45, was an employee with the Prague gazette. His burned body was found in the Strahov facility, with the calling card markings of the Monstrum written on the wall in his blood.

However, working from the DNA extracted off the body of Prof. Von Croy in Paris, the police were able to finally determine the identity of the killer. Pieter Van Eckhardt, the true Monstrum killer, was found dead amongst the rubble of the Strahov facility's northern wing. The cause of the explosion is still yet unknown. Also found were the bodies of Joachim Karel, Parisian business man, who the police now know was involved with Eckhardt, and Dr. Grant Muller, botanical specialist.

Also found, alive, was writer and archaeologist Lara Croft, and another male, who was injured. Ms. Croft was taken for questioning, and her male companion, Kurtis Trent, was taken to the hospital for treatment. Details are still few. Police are investigating the incident.

*~*~*~*

Lara set down the paper and sipped her glass. Across the table was a recovering Kurtis, who was reading his own paper. At the till of Cafè Metro, Pierre was having yet another strenuous argument with a caller. The half finished bottle of wine in front of the pair was slowly working it's way down as Lara drank glass after glass.

"You know, I haven't had wine for so long," she said, swirling the deep, red liquid in her glass. Kurtis lit a cigarrette and mumbled his response. Lara snatched it from his mouth and flicked it out the open window. He watched as it flew out into daylight, then pulled another one out of the pack and lit it again. Lara, with a particularly smug look on her face, threw it again.

"Would you stop that!" he exclaimed. She shook her head.

"I already said I wanted you to stop, but you don't listen."

Yet again he pulled out another cigarrette, which Lara snatched before he could light it. Kurtis groaned and surrendered the whole pack. "Now I regret getting involved with you, Croft!" he said in a mischievious tone. Lara shrugged, then whistled to Pierre and tossed him the pack of cig's.

"Keep them, Pierre."

"Merci," he said, removing one. Kurtis glared at her, then returned to his paper. Lara smiled, then went back to her own.

*~*~*~*

A long, white hand reached through the rubble of the Strahov and pushed away some of the rock. One of the investigator's that was working on the crime scene noticed it, and walked over to get a closer look.

In an instant it shot up and gripped his neck, snapping it quickly. The man fell limp, then his body disintegrated. The rest of the white body appeared above the ruins and grinned.

In an instant he changed into a humanoid form, then picked the limp black suit up off the ground and slipped it on. Fully comfortable, he grinned, then walked nonchalantly away from the area.

*~*~*~*~*

UK Gazette- April 24, 2002

Obituaries

Jeeves, Winston C, 1929-2002

Born and raised in Ireland, Winston was drafted for WWII at age 35. There he met Lord Henshingly Croft, also serving at the time, and was rescued from the enemy. Winston left the war and went on to serve as Lord Croft's butler and close associate for 40 years before moving on to work for the Lord's daughter, Lady Lara Croft. He died in the Croft manor shortly after Lady Croft was found at the Strahov. Memorial services will be held tommorrow in Wimbledon, Surrey.

*~*~*~*~*

Aeolus stepped into Croft Manor's courtyard, and gazed around with his bright, red eyes. The sky was a dreary navy blue, shadowing Lara's mood perfectly. He inhaled a deep breath, then walked up towards the door.

*~*~*~*~*

Kurtis set down a sandwhich outside of Lara's locked door, then knocked for the third time that day. As usual, he recieved no reply, but could hear Lara's crying.

"Lara, please come out. You need to eat something."

No reply. He sighed, then turned as there was a knock at the door. Leaving the food, he went to answer it.

"I'm sorry, but she's unavaila-" he began, but was thrown back by a burst of something. He hit the wall and slumped over. Aeolus stepped in out of the now pouring rain.

"Croft!" he yelled. Silence, and then the creaking of a door opening.

"Who is it? Where's Kurtis?"

"He's incapacitated at the moment."

Lara threw open the door wide and jogged out to the hall. Seeing her partner laying on the ground, she dashed back into her room and ripped her pistols from their holsters, then fired at the intruder. The bullets had no effect, and the metal of the Scorpions burned, then melted. Luckily she dropped them just in time.

"Who are you?" she asked angrily, hopping her stair's rail. Aeolus didn't move.

"The Nephilim in the Strahov. You killed them, didn't you?" he asked her. She nodded. He laughed. "Not quite, Ms. Croft."

Her eyes widened in realization.

*~*~*~*

"What do you want with us?" Lara snapped, stepping nearer the Nephili. Aeolus laughed, then waved for her to come closer.

"There's something you didn't know about me, Lady Croft. I can't die-"

"I should think that you can, if you'll remember the flood. I still wonder how you survived."

His suit jacket bulged slightly, and then two long, batlike wings appeared. "Noah wasn't as smart as he professed to be. For one thing, he had a really great roof on that stupid ark."

"Ah. That explains alot." She was now next to him. She felt dwarfed, considering she was only 5'9, while Aeolus was almost 6'5. A small Nephili, but still tall. "So, how did you survive the blast in the Strahov, I saw you dissolve."

"Was that me?" he asked with a smile. An utterly charming, irresistable smile. Lara felt drawn to him, but blinked quickly to shake the thought off and made her way to Kurtis, who was just coming to.

"Well, you certainly don't look the same as the Cubiculum did."

"I tend to intimidate people when they see the fins on my head."

Lara picked up Kurtis and walked around the Nephili, who had no idea there was a secret passage behind her that led to the garage. "I can only imagine." She tapped out a message in morse code on Kurtis's back, letting him know what she was going to do. He nodded weakly.

"So, since you killed my 'brothers', the Cubiculum and Joachim, I'll repay the favor." He drew back his arm to prepare to shoot at her, but she had spun around, kicked a hidden switch on the wall, and was running down the corridor before he could react. Aeolus ran towards the rapidly closing door, but hit it a second to late. He cursed, then ran for the outside.

*~*~*~*

Lara quickly started her Triumph Speed Triple, and helped Kurtis to get on. She handed him her helmet, but he refused, so she slipped it on herself, then hopped on in front of him.

"Hold on," she called, flicking the garage door opener and pulling the bike towards the opening space. Aeolus was standing directly outside. She glared, then sped the bike full speed towards the Nephili. Again he prepared to shoot her, but she pulled to the left, hit a plank laying against some tires, and the motorcycle flew harmlessly overhead. As soon as the tires gained traction, she was off towards the gate that lay open.

Aeolus grabbed her Harley V-Rod and followed, realizing that if he flew he'd be on the front page of every paper in England before he blinked. But the bike wasn't fast enough to catch up at first, and he lost sight of her a few times.

Finally he caught up, but she tricked him again by pulling to the right and crashing down into the trees. The Nephili glared, then sped off to continue on his original task.

*~*~*~*

Lara ripped off her cracked helmet and threw it down into the foliage, then pulled some branches over the motorbike. Kurtis had his Chirugai out, and was looking back up at the road, waiting for any sign.

Nothing appeared for quite a few minutes, so he relaxed and retracted the spikes. Lara shivered in her linen pajama's, so Kurtis handed her one of his shirts. She slipped it on, then leaned against the tree across from him.

"You know, I thought this was all over. This Nephilim and killing, murders and crime...I thought I was free to carry on with my life."

"But it would get so boring," he said with a chuckle. "Although I don't think I like this 'nephel' following us."

"It would get boring, wouldn't it?" She crawled over to him and sat down, warming her bare feet on his leg. "At least life goes on."

"Get some sleep. I'll watch, then we can go in the morning."

"Go where?"

"I don't know. We'll decide when the time comes."

*~*~*~*~*~*

"Hello."

"Can I help you?"

Aeolus's hand shot out and gripped the woman's neck. She tried to scream, but it came out as a small gurgle. Her eyes watched him fearfully. What could a figure like this want with a simple store owner like her?

"I'm hungry," he said simply, snapping her neck and slinging her on the back of his motorbike. When the restaraunt employee's appeared a few minutes later, the door wouldn't be open like it should. But no one would even notice.

*~*~*~*

Lara woke up and realized she was moving again. In her drowsiness, she almost fell from the bike, but Kurtis caught her. She was perched on the seat between he and the handlebars, so that her resting form didn't fall.

"Where are we going?"

"Heathrow airport."

"Why?"

"I know why the Nephel isn't dead."

He tapped a little book that was tied under some black netting so that it didn't get lost. She pulled it out and flipped through the pages.

It was in Latin, another Lux Veritatis artifact no doubt, but had drawings that resembled something William Blake would think up. Images of Nephelim, bowing slightly to something perched stark upright. A staff of some sort. But her Latin wasn't what it was a few weeks ago, and she wasn't able to figure it out. Kurtis, sensing his partner's frustration, translated it for her.

"'If the holy light', that's the staff, 'is merged with the beasts, the power will collapse with the world of sinners as well.' That's not a good thing, in case your wondering."

"Why are they worshiping it?"

"Because the staff is the source of their power. By the way, do you have a visa?"

"Yes. Why?"

"We're taking a helluva long plane ride."

*~*~*~*~*~*

After getting a ticket for the plane just in time, Lara 'discovered' a laptop in a cart of bags. She carried it on nonchalantly, then flipped it open as the takeoff began.

Her first online stop was to check out the staff's origin. Nothing. Next, reasearching some of the Nephilim. Nothing.

"Is there nowhere to get info about this thing?" she asked Kurtis. He typed in an address and turned away to look out the window.

.pr

[Enter Passcode]

[3-1-5-9-7]

[Passcode Accepted. Welcome, Mr. Vasiley]

Lara cocked an eyebrow, then entered a file entitled 'Strahov Archives'.

Instantly thousands of file names having to do with the Nephilim popped up. She grinned, nudged Kurtis's arm, then set to exploring them.

*~*~*~*~*14 Hours Later, Istanbul*~*~*~*~*

The man shook his head vigorously. "I know nothing about any 'tomb'. I'm just a business man." He shuffled back to his fruit stand. Kurtis groaned.

"Nobody knows anything about the place where the Holy Light is sealed! We're getting nowhere."

"Maybe I should go on shadowwhistories again?" she replied, tapping her black backpack where the laptop she'd stolen was hidden. He shook his head.

"That'll go nowhere either. Lets keep asking."

*~*~*~*~*

Aeolus was intimidating to the small airport clerk, mostly because of his height. But he was also charming, witty, and handsome, and the girl found herself in a daze around him.

"I'm sorry sir," she said, "but I can't tell you where Ms. Croft is. That information is classified."

He smiled once more, his eyes shining with false sweetness. "Please, Miss...Clara," he said, his eyes looking at her namecard quickly, "I need to know where she is. You see, Ms. Croft is my wife, and I'm trying to give her our divorce papers, but she keeps running away with a boyfriend of hers. I just want out of this marriage so I can find a woman that actually wants me."

Clara blushed, tapped a few keys on her keyboard, then smiled up at him. "She flew to Istanbul a few hours ago. Would you like a ticket?"

"Please, for tomorrow if you don't mind."

Clara smiled again. What she didn't know was by midnight she'd be dead, her remains devoured by the nephili.

*~*~*~*~*

"I know where it is."

"You do?"

"Would you like me to take you there?"

"Please!"

"Pay up."

Lara sighed in exasperation. She wasn't in a position to pay this woman, considering she'd had to spend her money on clothing in England. The house was a 'no-go' zone while the nephili roamed free.

Kurtis came to the rescue, however, slipping $300.00 into her hand. The woman's face lit up. "Hey, thanks!"

"Just take us where we need to go," he replied curtly. She beckoned for both of them to follow her down the street.

"By the way, I'm Andrea. You?"

"Lara."

"Kurtis."

Andrea lagged back so she was walking beside the two of them on Kurtis's side. "So whatcha here for?"

"Just information."

"Really? 'Bout what?"

Kurtis launched into an elaborate (not to mention phony) explanation of their purpose in Turkey. Apparently they were 'looking to adopt some kids, since Lara couldn't have children'. Even though Andrea shot Lara a sympathetic look, she still giggled falsely at everything he said and seemed to touch his arm every few minutes.

Lara glared at Andrea. If looks could kill, the woman would be beaten, bloody, and in pieces.

"Do you have anymore cash? We'll have to take a taxi, and from there it's a hike. But perhaps both of you would like to stay the night in town, then go tomorrow?"

"How long is the hike?" Kurtis asked.

"About half a day. It's already dusk, and I wouldn't advise going outside at night. All sorts of prowlers; scorpions, bandits........."

Kurtis turned to Lara, who nodded but gave him the 'look'. He raised an eyebrow inquisitively, then grinned at Andrea and said, "Know any good hotels?"

"Yup! After all, I'm a city guide, ain't I?" The plucky American girl ran off. "Come on, hurry up!"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Andrea said good night, then dissapeared into her room (that Kurtis's money was paying for). Lara and Kurtis took the other one.

"At this rate I'll run out of money," he said, sitting down in a chair and lighting a cigarrette. Lara, understanding his stress, said nothing about his smoking again.

"She'll probably lead us out there and then kill us, take our money, and leave."

"Hopefully not."

Lara smiled. "She wouldn't get near, before I kicked her ass." She slipped into the pajama's she'd been wearing since leaving the manor, set down her new clothes on a table, then crawled into bed. Kurtis took a spot beside her, turned out the lights, and they drifted to sleep quickly.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Andrea grinned, then jabbed her scissors into his face. Twisting them visciously, she then pulled them out quickly. Laughing in glee, she stabbed again.

Needless to say, the sock puppet was looking less than happy about his mutilation.

She tossed it to the side, then made herself a drink at the minibar. "Suckers. I'll milk 'em for everything they've got, and then they'll be left at the tomb with no way back." Again laughing, she headed to the bed, slipped on her sock puppet, and hit the ground with a bang.

"Ow........."

*~*~*~*~*

Aeolus, full on Clara (literally), caught his plane. The flight, however, was cut short when the plane dipped downwards and began to speed towards the ground.

Aeolus's doing, by the way.

It hit less fast then it could have, so the ship didn't turn into a burning chunk of metal. Aeolus ate each dead passenger quickly, then flew the rest of the way (54km) to Istanbul.

*~*~*~*~*

PLANE CRASHES IN WILDERNESS, NO SURVIVORS

A plane, en route to Istanbul, crashed a few kilometers from the city. While it didn't light on fire or destroy itself (it coasted to the ground), there were found no survivors; indeed, not even a body was found.

Police in Istanbul are investigating.

*~*~*~*~*

Andrea, sporting a large black bruise on the left side of her face, showed Lara the paper. Kurtis sat in the front seat of the cab.

"Weird, huh? I wonder why there weren't any bodies."

"Maybe they were eaten?" Kurtis suggested, shooting Lara a wary glance.

"Nah. Nothing in Turkey has that kind of appetite."

Lara looked out the window at the dwindling city and sighed. Almost immediately she recalled something Werner had said a long time ago.

'Keep your enemies close, but your friends closer. You never know 'what' they are.'

She glanced to Andrea, who was again giggling and touching Kurtis's arm. The girls eyes seemed to shine. 'I don't trust her one bit.'

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After the cab stopped, and was paid, it sped off in a cloud of dust. Andrea led them to a place to get some camels (they were in the middle of a desert), and three were taken.

Lara got the food, Kurtis the water, and Andrea walked each animal around to get them ready for the long ride.

"Ready?" she asked as Lara approached once more.

"Now or never."

*~*~*~*~*

An hour later, Lara was smiling with glee. She hadn't ridden a camel since 1999, and forgot how much she'd loved it.

Kurtis, who was new to the animal, was looking extremely uncomfortable and kept wriggling in his seat. Andrea rode like an expert.

"Andrea? How long have you been in Turkey?"

"Since my family kicked me out 10 years ago," she replied, grinning. "You should've seen their faces get red, it was so funny!"

Lara leaned back and let the reign's go slack. "I know that feeling."

"You kicked out too?"

"Disowned, kicked out, hated...take your pick."

Trent had fallen asleep, and was hanging off to the left. Andrea tipped him back up straight, supressing a laugh.

As she watched the younger woman laugh, talking about her life and what she used to do, Lara found herself liking her more and more. She just bubbled with enthusiasm, ready to talk about anything.

"Well, we should camp here," Andrea said after a few more hours. The sun was dipping down below the horizon, making the sand turn an eery orange. Lara nodded, halting her camel and slipping off. Her legs, stiff after the long ride, wobbled a bit before they gained their strength back.

She helped Kurtis off his camel (careful not to wake him) and laid him down on the small bedroll. He stirred, then rolled over. Andrea watched him, a smile on her face. After noticing Lara's inquisitive raised eyebrow, she blushed and pulled her blonde hair back into a ponytail. A few strands hanged on either side of her face.

"How long have you guys been.........you know, an item?" she asked after a few more moments. Lara shrugged, throwing some logs into their little fire. The camels formed a ring around the little campsite, shielding off the elements.

"I saved his life," Lara said quietly. "Before that, it was just a game. We'd just be playing around, not serious. Then........."

"Yeah?" Andrea asked, enthralled by Lara's story. There was definately something between this girl and Kurtis. Perhaps lust on the female's part?

'No matter what happens between them lately, I can't start hating her. It's just too hard and a waste of energy.'

"Well...we were arguing.........and then he........."

Andrea smiled, totally understanding. "Well, I hope you guys are happy. Goodnight," she said quickly (a little too quickly). When Lara laid down, she couldn't see the girls eyes glistening, then flashing to anger.

'Every single penny. Every one.'

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

One long, sinewy wing extended and flexed. The other followed, stretched, the beat a little to raise into the air.

The patterned face glared around the countryside. Aeolus had dissapeared only a week ago, and had not yet brought back food, if that was indeed what he was gone for.

"My body aches with the hunger," he whispered. "But the beings that are coming to me....I can feel them. Will they take me, as they took Aeolus? Will they take me and use me, as they did my brother? Or will they destroy me, as the Veritatis wanted?"

He laid back onto the stone slab he had awakened on. "Perhaps I should leave and make my own life, as an insignificant mortal. But if I left here........." He turned back to the Holy Light, that shined with the close proximity to the Nephili.

".........is there no way to have a meaningful life, to forget what I am?" Diomed looked back up to the sky through the cracks in the stone roof. "To be.........human?" A gasp came from the doorway. Diomed turned, only to see Aeolus. "Your back!" he exclaimed happily. The other Nephili, however, glared and spat at him. "You would be human?" "What?" He raised a hand. "You would be human? Then you don't deserve to live."

*~*~*~*~*

It appeared on the horizon, like a large black blotch, but it was the entrance to the tomb.

Andrea smiled and pointed to it. "I was as good as my word, wasn't I?"

"You were," Lara replied tartly. She'd had a horrible night's sleep, and all she wanted at the moment was a nice, fluffy mattress, down-filled pillows, warm, silky sheets.........

"Jeez, don't get too excited," Andrea mumbled, kicking her camel's sides. He began running immediately.

"Kick it's sides, Kurtis," Lara told him when he clumsily tried to get it to go faster. "And when this is all over and done, I'm taking you to riding lessons."

He mumbled something incoherent, then suddenly flew forwards in a burst of speed from the animal. She suppressed a laugh, then joined the two already running.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Diomed paced the stone cell that Aeolus had put him in. Easily escaped with the proper shooting technique, but Aeolus was stronger, faster, and would be able to catch him instantaneously. Not to mention he was injured.

Outside, he heard the quiet pitter patter of feet. Switching to a distinctly human form, he climbed up the stone wall and looked out the small hole.

Three people, two females and a male, were leading camel's towards the site. None seemed all to eager to approach the area, except one girl who was almost jumping in her shoes. She wore a green top, tan shorts, and had two weapons strapped to her thighs.

Diomed liked her immediately.

*~*~*~*

Aeolus ran a hand down the Holy Light and smiled. It glowed at his touch, shined with the power. "This is my only need," he mumbled. "If I stabbed Diomed with it, I'd gain more power. But I'll be alone." He laughed.

"Who cares?"

"Aeolus!" called Diomed from his cell. "Let me out! You can't do this!"

"Really?" Aeolus flew over to the crack in the door. "And what will you do about it, hm? You're helpless, Diomed, helpless."

"No!"

He took his brothers head in his hand. "I'll stab the Holy Light through you, and absorb the power. Thanks for existing, Diomed."

Diomed spat in his face, then pulled away and curled up into the corner.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Maybe we should split up."

"No."

"Yes."

"No!"

"I'll take Kurtis!"

Before Lara could refuse again, Andrea had taken hold of his arm and ran down a dark hallway. A block of stone fell down behind them. Lara groaned, then took the other hallway. Again, a block of stone fell.

There was a certain part of the area where the tiles of the floor became checkered. Each had a different character on them. She stepped on the first, 'J'. Next, she hopped towards an 'E'. Gathering balance, a 'H' was next.

A rumble sounded in the distance, and dirt fell from the ceiling. She waited a second before hopping to the 'O'. Blades swung behind her, covering the air space where she had previously stood. They were rusted to bits, but still cut large cracks in the wall.

Another rumble, and the blades started to come closer. She jumped to a far away 'V', ducked under a spinning blade, stepped onto an 'A', then grabbed the blade, flipped over it, and landed on an 'H'.

All activity ceased.

She sighed, pushed the creaky blade away, then paused. 'What would have happened if I'd stepped on something else?'

Lara picked up a rock, tossed it onto a square (quite hard), and watched as a large stone block smashed down on the whole tiled section. Eyes wide, she walked away slowly.

*~*~*~*~*

Kurtis shook off Andrea and examined the wall. The hallway appeared to be a dead end, with only a few hieroglyphics marking the area. But they were able to be pushed in, like a computer keyboard.

Andrea tapped her foot impatiently. "Why are you looking at that thing? Lets go!"

"Impatience can lead to death, Andrea. No, stop!"

But he was too late. She pressed both palms onto the wall, punching several keys at the same time. He closed his eyes and waited for the pain.

But it never came.

Indeed, the wall swung open instead, and she smiled sweetly at him. "Told ya so! Come on, lets see if it leads to Lara!"

*~*~*~*~*~*

(Author Interlude: English translation of gods name is 'Jehovah', translated from the original in the bible, Hebrew 'Yaweh'.)

*~*~*~*~*~*

Both groups (Lara counting as one) emerged into a large area, with a domed ceiling and a large pool of water in the floor. It shone blue, like the sky that peered through cracks in the roof.

Lara was careful, not charging in at full pace, but slinking around the wall towards what seemed to be a sealed up room. Kurtis was on the other side, whispering to Adrea about the importance of 'quiet'.

After several minutes passed, and no-one appeared, Lara waved for them to cross over. Small sounds were coming from the sealed up room. Andrea stood up on her toes and peeked into the room through a small hole, then backed away. "There's someone- or something- in there."

"What does it look like?" Kurtis asked. Andrea shrugged. A pickaxe appeared from Lara's backpack, spun in her hand, and with a grin, she plunged it into the hole and ripped the stone away.

Diomed's head shot up immediately, and he stood, giving himself a human appearance he had saw Aeolus in, but changing the hair color to jet black.

"Hey, we're not going to hurt you, we're here to help," Lara said soothingly.

'She thinks I'm a human prisoner.' He looked at her warily, then relaxed. Andrea smiled seductively, but was hit in the arm by Kurtis. She glared at him, then pulled a First Aid kit out of Lara's backpack and turned towards Diomed. "You hurt?" she asked.

Diomed smiled, shaking his head. Andrea insisted on checking him for injuries anyway (although it most likely wasn't for the right reasons).

"Who are you?" Lara asked.

"I'm named Diomed," he said in his deep, Turkish accent. He smiled, but it faltered when he spotted Aeolus behind all of them, grinning. "Get down!"

A chunk of rock dislodged itself from the wall where the blast hit it, and smacked into Diomed's head, knocking him unconcious. Andrea crouched beside his crumpled form, while Lara and Kurtis sprinted back out to the main hall. Aeolus did the obvoius, turning his attention onto her and away from his brother.

Kurtis pulled his Glaive off his belt and threw it, allowing the spinning blades their freedom in the large room. At the last second, he took control and aimed for the Nepheli's wing.

Aeolus jumped, however, and was unhurt.

"Come and get me, mortal," he spat at Kurtis, loosing his human form completely. Kurtis gulped, then summoned the Chirugai back, holstered it, and removed two swords from the hands of two skeletons and held them at opposite ends of his body in the Chatka stance.

*~*~*~*~*

"Diomed, wake up!"

The shadows extended themselves, and the voice seemed to be coming from far away, like being in a tunnel. He blinked, trying to see who was there. The memories returned.

Andrea shook him, making his body loose more of it's human shape. She looked at him oddly and backed away slightly as he turned fully back into a Nephelim.

"What are you?"

"A Nepheli."

She watched him for a moment, then crawled forwards and felt a wing with an unsteady hand. He shivered at her touch, and she recoiled her hand.

"Did I hurt you?"

"No." He grinned. "Nobody has ever touched my wings but me. It felt.........different."

Andrea smiled. She relaxed and sat down in front of him. "I'm Andrea. I've actually lived in Turkey awhile. You?"

Neither of them paid attention to the battle after that.

*~*~*~*~*

Kurtis whirled around, swinging both swords out to slash at Aeolus's weak points. The Nepheli parried with his claws and tried to pull a sword away.

Kurtis hopped onto a block of stone and again swung the swords, allowing the hilts to roll over his hands and back into his palms. Grinning, he dove at Aeolus and stabbed out, while parrying with the other blade. Lara, meanwhile, reached for the Holy Light frantically. Andrea was still with the other one in his cell, safe. However, Aeolus turned at the last minute, kicked Lara away, and lifted the staff from it's perch on the altar.

"Lara, move!" Kurtis shouted, trying to get in between her and Aeolus. He crossed his blades in an 'x', stopping the staff from stabbing her.

The two males fought around the side of the pool, until Aeolus eventually discarded the staff against the wall and began shooting blasts at him.

Lara's open window.

She sprinted towards the staff (staying quiet), and picked it up soundlessly. Kurtis saw her through a gap under the Nepheli's arm, and fought him back frantically, nearer and nearer to Lara.

"Aeolus!"

He turned to Lara after kicking Kurtis away again. "What, mortal?" he snapped irritably.

She grinned. "Have your 'treasure' back."

His eyes widened when the shaft impaled him.

*~*~*~*~*

Aeolus stumbled, the blast forming in his hand falling to the floor and dissapearing. Lara slowly withdrew the bloodied staff, then stabbed him again through the heart.

He gasped, and she let go.

"Die," she spat, pushing his chest with her foot.

Aeolus stumbled backwards, his mouth open, and fell back into the pool of water. The blue quickly became crimson. He writhed, screaming silently, and then a flash of light.

And then he was gone. And so was the staff.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Diomed was still smiling at Andrea when the pain hit. It felt like his whole body was filled with splinters and were pressing hard against his skin.

"Diomed! What's wrong?"

He screamed, ripping at his own skin, trying to make wounds and let the pain flow out. Deep cuts formed.

And then it all stopped.

He looked up, sweat dripping off his face. Out in the hall, all fighting had ceased. The pool was bloody and red, but nothing floated in it.

"What happened?" Andrea asked quietly. He looked around the room, then smiled at her again.

"It's gone. The staff, it's.........it's gone! I'm free."

"What?"

He turned to her excitedly. "When the staff was here, if anything destroyed it, I died. So did every other Nephilim in the world. In fact, so did the world. It was considered a sin to kill a pure Nephilim."

"But-" Gesturing to the room outside, he smiled again. "If a Nephilim was impaled on it, both would be destroyed, and the others would not only be free, but recieve his power. That's why I was in pain. I was growing stronger. Aeolus must be gone, and I'm the last one. I'm free to do what I want! I've waited for this chance for so many millenias."

Andrea grinned, finding it impossible not to share his happiness. "That's something I wanted to ask you about.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Lara watched the water swirl for a minute, let her rage seeth, then breathed out. It was over. Eckhardt, Karel, Aeolus.........they were all gone.

"Kurtis?"

A groan from the corner let her know he was still there. She walked over to him as he staggered to his feet.

"Are you alright?" she asked him.

"That was a kick in the head," he said, putting a hand to his forehead. "Is he gone?"

"Yes. Both him and the staff are gone."

"Good. Lets get the hell out of here."

"What about Andrea?"

The two of them looked at the cell, where their guide and a brand new Nephili stood. Both looked ecstatic. Lara drew a pistol that she had up until now forgotten and pointed it at him. "Andrea, step away from him."

"No, Lara, he's fine! He won't do anything!"

She squeezed the trigger warily, then lowered the pistol and walked towards them briskly. "Who is -he-?"

"He's a Nephilim, but he's okay! He's...technically not one anymore, at least not psychologically."

Lara looked up at his face. He towered nearly two feet above her, yet Lara was the more intimidating one. He found himself stepping back.

"Can you two get out of here on your own?"

"Yes."

"Can you stay -out- of my life?"

"Yes," Andrea said, her smile getting wider. "I'm gonna get my own life now. Say goodbye to that stupid guide job!"

"How?"

She took Diomed's hand. "I'm staying with him. We're going to-"

"Don't tell me," Lara groaned. "Do what you want." She stalked back to Kurtis, looking flustered. "I never want to see another Nephili in my life!" she cried, then wrapped her arms around Kurtis and kissed him. Pulling away, she grinned. "Thanks, I needed that."

The two of them left the tomb.

-End

~Epilogue~

The Strahov ruins were cleared in a month, and construction began on a new, better archive building. Many of the libraries around the world were already contributing alot of their books or files.

Inside the concrete shell that made up the building so far, the floor cracked slightly, then burst. A white hand emerged, attached to a black sleeve. Then the rest of him appeared.

Karel snorted, pulled up out of the hole, and screamed in rage.

To be continued...