Oni Part 1

While we were riding up the river, I didn't show my wounds to Lara, who looked worried towards me. I didn't want her to feel even more pressured and guilty for me, which will strain our relationship if she thinks it's her fault.

Almost all my wounds are healed except the chest where Lara shot me, which confused me. I looked at Lara, who was looking ahead at the river and thought to myself. I was so much affected by Lara that my wounds stopped healing. While thinking to myself, I heard voices in my head, confirming my thoughts.

Devil: "it is a constant reminder for me to stay away from her." he said, echoing in my head while I stayed silent. I didn't even try to reason with my other self as I don't know what to say to myself.

While thinking to myself, the boat slowed down. Then after a few minutes, we already reached our destination. Everyone is ready to go with Lara except for me. I know Lara will go against my wishes to go with her as she thinks that I would be dead weight.

Jonah: "Alright," he said while grabbing his gun. "Let's go" Lara looked at us with a sad look on her face as she told us we wouldn't be coming with her.

Lara: "No, I'll need all of you to guard the main entrance while I go after, Sam." she said with a stern look on her face.

Reyes: "you're going in there alone," he said with a worried look on her face.

Lara: "More people mean more danger of being spotted. I need you here as many of those bastards as you can." she said while looking stern at us. "And there will be others… Samurai, the queen's Storm guards. Look anything that's not Sam or me, Shoot it." Jonah went up to Lara and smiled at her.

Jonah: "my little bird, this is not goodbye. I am not going to say goodbye." he said while looking at Lara with a smile on his face.

Reyes: "we got your back Lara," she said while giving her approving nod towards Lara.

Lara then looked at me with a worried look on her face while I only gave a confident smile on my face. I saw that Lara is still conflicted about me, and I don't know how to fix our problem right now. We stared at each other for a minute before she broke off first and jumped off the boat.

I just stayed sitting looking worriedly at Lara as I saw her start climbing up the cliff. When I didn't see Lara in my vision, I still stared at where she disappeared to with a worried look on my face. Jonah saw this and just sighed; he then walked toward the back of the boat and brought out a big container.

It didn't take a few seconds when he brought out a black crossbow and gave it to me. I looked at him with confusion and asked him why he is giving this to me.

Joseph: "Why are you giving this to me," I said while questioningly looking at Jonah who gave an assuring smile on his face.

Jonah: "I don't want you to be looking at Lara like you are a lost puppy wanting for attention." he said while patting me on the back. "Go after her; we could handle ourselves here," he said while giving me a thumbs up. Reyes just gave me a small nod while she was smiling at me.

Joseph: "thank you, Jonah and Reyes," I said while slinging my new weapon on my back. But before I could jump off the boat, Jonah grabbed my arms and said his last words to me.

Jonah: "Oh.. I almost forgot, don't get reshot by Lara, you hear me." I looked at him and gave him a reassuring smile on my face. I then jumped off the boat and started climbing the cliff.

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While I was climbing up the cliff, my chest was searing in pain. I looked up and saw that I am already near the top. So I pushed myself further, disregarding my chest pains.

In a few minutes, I am already at the top of the cliff and saw an old structure where Lara is supposed to be right now. I looked around for any way to cross the big gap I need to pass and saw Lara's line rope still intact.

I then used it to cross the gap and reached my destination. I saw men with what looked like samurai gear. I didn't think twice and fired two arrows. When I saw that the coast is clear from those creatures, I looked around and saw the bridge was down.

I just lifted my bionic arm and fired my grappling hook to cross. When I crossed the bridge and went up the front door, I was attacked by a man who is wielding Katanas. I wasn't faced by this and grabbed the blade with my bionic arm, and broke the sword in half. I then gave him a robust right hook knocking him out cold.

I was going in stealthily, but they found out that I entered the front door and started shooting me with arrows. I then ducked behind a fallen pillar for cover. I then took out an explosive tipped arrow and loaded it to my crossbow and fired it at them. Killing them all instantly, but because of the loud explosion, I just made everyone notice I am here.

Joseph: "Shit…"

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After fighting through hordes of enemies, I am now crossing an unstable bridge. I am trying to block out the wind from hitting my face. All of a sudden, I felt danger was heading my way. I looked ahead of the bridge and didn't find anyone there. I frowned at what I saw as my hair stood up as the danger was coming towards me at a fast rate.

Looking around me, I didn't find anyone at all, but suddenly when I looked down, I saw a giant shadow that was growing. I looked up and saw something falling towards me. I quickly dodge out its way. I scanned the object that was about to crush me. I saw that it was a giant Samurai with a giant club on hand.

Thinking that thing is dead, I was going to pass by it, but suddenly I heard an inhuman growl coming from him. I looked towards him and saw that he was slowly standing up. I was going to shoot him with an explosive arrow, but I remembered that I am on an unstable bridge. So I switched out my explosive arrow to normal ones and started shooting him.

I saw him not flinched at all and started swinging his giant club at me. I then looked around and saw that the bridge was about to collapse. So I used the rage and started taunting him to hit me.

Joseph: "Come on, fatty hit me!" as if that thing heard me, it started swinging his club wildly while I kept dodging his blows. It didn't take long when the bridge became too unstable for two people to stand on it. I then quickly ran away from him and crossed the bridge.

I looked back and saw the thing running towards me, but it was too late, and the bridge collapsed under his heavyweight. I looked at this and sighed in relief. I then scanned the area and saw stairs leading up the cliff. When I reached the top, I saw another bridge, but this time it looked stable.

I then crossed the bridge and saw scorched marks that indicate that something was burning here before. I looked even further and saw multiple footprints which made run towards the windy tower that looked like it was about to fall on itself.

When I was inside the tower, I saw multiple holes making the place windy as I climbed up the tower. All of a sudden, I heard something breaking beneath me. I looked behind me and saw the star collapsing on itself. I then started running for my life while the stairs behind me were blown away due to the strong wind.

I reached the top of the tower and sighed in relief as I saw the stairs behind me disappear. I looked around and saw Lara fighting Solarii men. I then yelled at her to get her attention.

Joseph: "Lara! Over here!" I yelled at her, which surprised her when she saw me. I then started shooting down the enemies with my crossbow while I slowly ran towards Lara.

Lara: "Joseph, what are you doing here," she said with a worried look on her face. I just smile at her worried look on her face.

Joseph: "Miss you too," I said while taking cover from the heavy winds. All of a sudden, Lara was about to be blown away. I then reached out to her and grabbed her hand using my free hand. Lara then used her free hand and struck a climbing ax so she wouldn't get blown away from the wind.

I was looking for a way when suddenly the wind pushed down the tower towards us. I was going to push Lara away, but the thing barely missed us. But I gave us a good cover from the strong winds.

Lara started climbing over the massive structure that was protecting us from the wind. I followed her and started shooting down more enemies with my crossbow while she shoots them with her modified assault rifle. Then two people who have a tower shield came running towards us. I one shield man decided to split up and fight each one of us.

I then ran towards the man who was running towards me and punched his shield with my inhuman strength blasting over the edge. I looked at Lara, who was still fighting her enemies. I was going to help her, but she finished her fight before I could help her. Lara looked at me and gave me an okay sign.

Lara: "We need to hurry up. Mathias doesn't know what he is unleashing onto this world." she said while looking over the dome that is preventing anyone from entering. All of a sudden, the ground started shaking. When I felt the earth was about to give out under us, I grabbed Lara and threw her to safety.

Lara scarily looked at me as I stared at her with a smile on my face as the ground around me started crumbling. Finally, the earth underneath me gave up, and I fell off the cliff.

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---Lara pov---

Joseph suddenly carried me and threw me out of the way while he stayed behind. I looked at him, and he just gave me a reassuring smile while the ground around him crumbled. Then finally, the earth underneath him gave up, and I saw Joseph fall. While he was falling, he said something.

Joseph: "I'll be back..."

Lara: "JOSEPH!... " I yelled for him while he fell off the edge. I ran towards the side and didn't see him anymore. I kneeled and started grieving for him. I then wiped my tears away and looked at the edge and whispered something to myself. "Don't' worry, Joseph, I will not waste your sacrifice.."

I then begrudgingly walked away from the cliffside and started marching against the wind. I climbed over an obstacle and found myself surrounded by enemies. I was going to fight them when suddenly we all heard a loud growl over the edge.

We all looked towards the edge and saw something climbing up when I saw the thing that was climbing up. I cursed myself as I saw the giant samurai that would be hard to kill.

Lara: "Shit, that storm guard will be hard to kill..."