Chapter 13

Achylis fled once but this time was diffrent on her part. She wasn't excited about it but she wasn't about to be defeated by something like light. She wanted to be the one that was all powerful even though she boubted herself she still wanted everything taken from them not her, them. " witch of a Bitch." Achylis disappeared into thin air before anything could really destroy her. Lara on the other hand followed Nathan and Drew after Nathan had broken part of the tree that had a door shape around it. The only thing that wasn't making sense to her was just the part of Aizora and Marie. How do I kill the light inside of her without killing herself. She only thought to herself as Aizora inside of her only pulled the last thing she could. The symbols on the coin alone had the power she needed. Every emotion Achylis had the way she felt about everything Aizora could feel it and hear her.

AIzora for once wasn't having it and Achylis held her ground, Achylis was getting stronger and Aizora wasn't exactly trying. AIzora only screamed as she tried to not black out from Achylis, she didn't want to see anything else from her. She didn't want to fear herself or worse kill herself but everything inside of her because of Achylis made her someone new someone she would regret. Aizora didn't even know it yet as she tried again and this time she called for the dead Ancient Warriors to do her work considering her disadvantage. Aizora stared hard at the glow she noticed it wasn't the usual yellow shade but a deep red. She didn't understand as she didn't know how to do anything she wasn't AChylis, and it said a lot everything she had done to her made her want to do everything she thought she wasn't capable of. If only she knew of the power she held.

Nathan And Drew kept going as Lara only thought to herself how things could go. She wasn't sure about anything and she followed Drew as he seemed to know exactly where to go and she didn't know how to feel about it. They didn't go far until the door of the huge tree didn't want to open. Nathan kicked it down and soon realized the stairs weren't stable. They did however lead to an underground cave that opened up to a forest below. It only got lower than that as they had to climb down more. What happened next made her think Achylis had something to do with as she to started to hear whistling. " Okay, now I hear it. WHistling, why. " Lara turned staring hard at her surroundings questioning the sounds, all though nothing seemed to happen Nathan jumped at the sound. " I don't like it, somebody shut it off." Nathan grabbed his ears as if in pain just hearing it, yelling when Marie showed up. " Shit woman."

Marie glowed as they all stared as Drew only wanted to make sure he was okay, only what he needed to do was worry about himself. Nothing compared to the power in Marie the only thing Lara was understanding was the hosts weren't in the right bodies. If anything to much was going on and even Averia knew that. Averia and Achylis didn't have the right bodies and Averia already knew that as AChylis only became more angry because of it as she showed what Aizora feared most.

Aizora didn't know how to say it the words that she forced herself not to say, the screams she tried to keep inside of her. It took everything in her to not cry even though it seemed real everything she had been through on the journey and the only thing she saw was darkness over the trees as cracks laid out every where even underneath the dead bodies, the families. the town she grew up in. She couldn't help it as several tears fell as she noticed something in the corner of her eyes as she looked back at the faceless demon that ran at her. Her scream died out as the darkness fled inside of her as the only thing she had time for was nothing as her mind left. Achylis didn't have full control over her as she used her like a rag doll, then Achylis showed up again only with her own body not killing her yet as Achylis wanted her to suffer. Aizora didn't know why, maybe it was only because she realized Aizora only awaken her but didn't realize it was what she wanted. AIzora fought with herself as she finally felt defeated until she found Marie laying there in not even a heart as she only muttered the one thing as she cried for her friend. " Not you, It's not you. What did I do? " Aizora didn't want to lose her best friend not again. Aizora held her arm as Marie didn't just die but she faded away as the wind blew the dust further from Aizora. Aizora had enough as she finally had enough. She didn't understand how she had done it in the first place as shesuddenly had the coin even in the vision Achylis had given her.

She forced AChylis out of her somehow as the coin in her handonly possesed what she had before. Aizora understood the red glow from the coin and it meant death the only thing was AChylis still breathed. " I'm untouchable. You want death, i'll show you you're death." Waves and waves like the ocean rolled at her as the coin didn't just glow brighter but a barrier outfolded infront of her. She didn't question it before something hither inside of the force she only let it as inside of her felt 10 times better than before. " You don't control me, you never did. If anything you've only taught me how to destroy you even you don't have but yourself. " Aizora only growled out at her saying it as Achylis felt the presence of others. " No, This is how it ends." Achylis knew from the first day of Aizora in her that Marie had the special touch and could see things no one else could. the only problem of that was, she didn't want to see the good or love. She didn't want to see the friendship. What she wanted was for everyone to suffer.

Aizora didn't want to give up and that said a lot, but When AChylis saw her next victum even if Marie could defeat her she still saw herself as the god. It was to unexpainable before Marie saw AChylis and then Aizora; only standing in front of them, it felt weird and a bit off. Achylis wanted to be back inside of AIzora as she only did the only thing nessesary pulling the darkness from herself and her hands out stretched trying to grab out at Marie. Marion had fled she didnt want any part of it as she knew what Achylis was and what she was trying to do. Achylis was angry beyond angry but the General watching from a far was speechless as the right hand man spoke to him in fear. " What should we do? " He didn't want to bea part of something that was like this. "nothing. " He knew if that was him it would end in tragic death for even himself and now he only understood, He didn't want that. Achylis screamed in blood murder as Lara and Nathan sneaked the snake and spider orbs together as the light formed from it. It caught them off gaurd as it fell from their hands as it just floated in the air. The light got brighter before the light consumed Achylis very being, drowning out the scream that followed as Aizora's coin glowed black. " The fuck, that seemed to easy." Aizora was relieved and worried at the same time, it wasn't how she thought it would end and the coin itself didn't need to just lay around. " THe well. Drew where was that again?" Aizora didn't realize the way she had said it but she wasn't rude about it as Drew didn't say anything just yet. Marie only stayed her distance thinking it wasn't really her as Aizora felt the nightmare resurface.

" Um you need the well to destroy it the only problem is I don't exactly know where it is." Aizora remembered Achylis words as she still haunted her . " At some point they fall, they always fall." She still thought of everything Achylis had shown her there was no way she was ever going to forget it, even with the way she tried. She still wondered why Achylis never really tried to kill her then again she still felt drained and dead. it was one thing for her to be used but another to be dead. Aizora saw the pain of fear in Achylis as she tried to over power them before it all happened. Power and Control on her coin made her think she could kill her too. Lara could see the pain in between Aizora and Marie and she knew if she was still possesed she'd be trying to kill them instead of staring at them in sadness. She also knew the source of this death curse lies in a trap - filled tomb underneath a lost city but she knew there was no city. The death curse not only prevents the raising of the dead, but also causes everything that Achylis had done to whither and die. o

They needed their rest they really did. That night they got their rest as they all processed the entire journey as Lara only thought about everything else and how Achylis just vanished back into the coin to easily than expected. She had finally switched with Nathan before noticing AIzora still awake. " You alright?" LAra could only imagine what she had went through as she still looked scared but better. " I don't want to wake up and be wrong." Lara could tell she just wanted so badly to sleep. The dark cirles underneath her eyes didn't just say it, even her voice broke. LAra felt bad, but what could she say or do to really make it better. She didn't realize Marie was still up, looking over at Drew he was out of it. Marie still didn't seem sure with everything as she sat next to Aizora as Aizora tried to keep it together. Marie didn't say anything as she just held her hand and laid her head on her shoulder. Marie could feel AIzora loosen up and relax before she laid her head on MArie's head. That morning Aizora honestly didn't want to wake up she was to tired. She was happy that she didn't wake up in Achylis as her hand wasn'tholding Marie's. She wasn't upset about it as long as she didn't have to worry. She still couldn't get Achylis's voice out of her head and she didn't have to close her eyes to still see everything she had ever show her.

Aizora looked at Marie as she helped Lara cook breakfast, it smelt great and AIzora was starving. Hearing her voice calmed her seeing her friends as they still didn't know how to handle the situation with her but they eventually gave in and spoke to her. " How are you feeling?" Drew was the first to speak to her and if AChylis was still in her mind Kill him, kill them, get it over with. She didn't know how to even respond to the question as the only thing she could do was say she wasn't sure. Drew seemed worried about her and she didn't know if that was a good thing or bad as she only gave in. She wasn't really a bad person, was she? She saw how her friend looked at her it gave her hope and she felt 10 times better everytime she saw her. she felt like she could breathe freely only she still felt the overwhelming strike of Achylis, she was never going to leave her alone. Aizora never realized the part where she was light and Marie was darkness to her not even that made sense, but it still worked. everything happened for a reason. AIzora still saw the faceless demon running at her only everytime she saw it she could also feel the pain even when the lightning from the darkness around AChylis didn't even hit her.

Even after breakfast she still couldn't fathom everything but she followed along side them walking towards someplace only Drew could see as Lara talked to him. Drew walked ahead of Marie and her as Marie breathed in the fresh breeze around them. " You and Nature." Aizora half smiled as only a little laugh barely came out of her. whistling was heard all around them as Aizora questioned everything, She remembered it from before but it wasn't Achylis and she knew that. Achylis was only scared of one thing and that was Averia being so much powerful than her, Aizora had power as well but she didn't want to touch the coin not ever again. She tried so hard to not even think she just wanted a clear mind, relaxation. She turned to Marie it was the only person that knew her that knew everything about her. " Do you regret doing anything, like coming here trying to end something that was probably unstoppable?" Marie regretted asking the question as she saw in the corner of her eye of Aizora tensing up as she blinked hard. " No." They walked for a while hearing the whistling as it got louder and louder. " Wish that would stop." Nathan covered his ears looking at Drew as if judging but he couldn't blame him on that, they all wanted that to stop. " Drew are we there yet?" Lara asked pratically yelling even though they only heard it in their heads.

Drew didn't even know where they were the only thing he did know was that the whistling came when the trail left. It didn't make sense and he looked at everything around him to see if he could still see the spark. " They're coming. " Marie thought maybe it was just her imagination seeing half human half whatever they were. It crept her out and she wasn't sure what to do other than wanting to run for her life. " What? Who? " Nathan didn't even know if there was anything worse than what hes already done or seen like Achylis. " OKay Drew Why are we still standing here? " The whistling finally stopped as everything seemed to quiet. " Marie are we okay? should we be running for our lives?" It was two good questions but MArie only saw the Warriors fighting away making sure the non humans wouldn't prevail, it confused her because she was sure she had killed them. She thought that because of the knife, then again Aizora still had the coin. " Weird, it was gone now it's; okay whatever. Lets continue." Drew didn't waste his time standing there all though it was weird and they all judged everything that happened in the 1 minute they stood there for. Lara walked with Marie talking about what all that was as Nathan still gave Aizora the look. Aizora knew she had the power even without touching the coin and AIzora also knew Averai was quiet and patient just watching waiting inside of Marie.

Aizora remembered Achylis and Averia the exact words if only she could forget, didn't she have the power to do that? Aizora felt creeped out following someone who she went to school with since the 5th grade. She trusted them but at the same time she was still dreading everything because they weren't done. " You see the Warriors and the non human things fighting? Woah." AIzora listened in on nathan and Drew as LAra spoke to Marie. She didn't feel like talking anyways she just finally wanted to listen to other people for once instead of having someone laughing in her face or screaming at her. Drew saw the trail leading towards another cave of some sort. " That's not scary." Nathan said staring out at the loomy arch over the cave entrance. everything about sent out a wave of a vibe. Drew didn't want to lead and he was glad that Lara went ahead of him as they all followed after her. Drew felt every bone in him scream at him as the noise was heard all through out their minds.

Aizora was reminded of the secrets in the cave she understood immediatly as MArie as gave her a look before the look on Drew's face went pale. " I hate this part." Nathan and Lara didn't get it and they both had confused looks on their faces as they both only realized what he meant after they all heard the voices getting louder. Aizora however heard a voice she wanted out of her head from the first moment she was in Achylis. " You're the monster, pathetic, you could still kill them even in your sleep." Aizora shuddered as the feeling went down her spine and even though everyone had their own thing even Nathan and Lara this one was diffrent. It wasn't secrets it was the one thing they didn't want to hear from the people in their lives. Marie shook her head hard hearing Lara gapping out like she wanted to breathe more air. Nathan stared out around him as if something or someone was there with them. Marie heard achylis's voice. " to bad so sad, not gone yet. just imagine a world without everything. what do you get, haha nothing. " Marie stared at Aizora thinking the worse about where they were going and if they were walking into a trap. Marie grabbed ahold of everyone moving around them as Aizora honestly didn't want to leave her side, as she was the one thing keeping her sane. Aizora followed after Marie like a lost puppy as they both ended up leading them into somewhere deeper holding onto the heart of her soul AIzora wanted to so badly turn around instead of doing anything. She'd rather be alzy if anything then again she again didn't want to be alone.

Everything ended up being just like LAra and Nathan thought only Drew thought something trap wise was supposed to happen by now. " This is new but not surprising, Lara would you help me with this?" Nathan asked pulling the door garage up from the floor with the help of Lara. Marie was still looking around the large room until a swooshing sound was heard as fire erupted from the arrow Lara shot. She didn't ask as she only saw a dark scarry path littered with webs. " Fuck I hate spiders. " She wasn't joking MArie didn't like snakes either and yet she loved nature, of course everything screamed at her becasue it was nature but there were a lot of good pictures she could take. Marie tried to not think on the spiders and being underneath the earth, made her think she was fighting against the dirt as she began to die from lake of oxygen. She didn't like how her mind worked as Averia was silent to silent.

It was as if Averia wasn't even there but she knew she was waiting and watching everything. What could go wrong now, if only Drew hadn't thought of that very thought. " A diffrent part, these should lead down further into a forest, maybe." AIzora looked up at LAra as if she didn't really know as MArie went in ahead of anybody as Drew followed suite. They had to eventually crunched down before it opened up into a wider cave as they all could stand. " Oh my back. " Nathan grabed out at his back as Drew poped his bones stretching at Nathan cringed hard at the noises. " Feels much better. " Drew looked back at him as he felt the burning look from the side of his face. " Can I help you?" He wasn't rude about it but he definately meant it. " Sorry. " Marie still lead the way as Aizora was behind her. " Spikes, back up. NOW!" " Back up !" She yelled it trusting the voice as she was barely in the way as spikes came from one side of the room. " Woah." Lara wasn't surprised and neither was Nathan as Drew grabbed at his body as if he wasn't a fan of anything.

When Achylis saw everything even from the coin she wanted to laugh, but if anything she couldn't do that or move. Her anger radiated from the coin and she knew that Aizora felt it. Aizora didn't just give up on it, she just didn't want any part of it ever again, she never wanted Achylis if anything Aizora never wanted anything like this. Lara knew what she had went through and she felt that Pain radiating from her meanwhile Mariedidn't know what to do even when she felt the stirring from Averia and the further they went the worse it got. She didn't feel the physical pain but everything she suddenly saw didn't match up with anything which confused her even more.

" Nothing compares to your gracious." A woman holding a baby dancing singing brushing her finger over the babies nose. The baby closed her eyes breathing falling asleep in sync of the woman's singing. The baby slept soundly for the woman before she quietly sat the baby in the basanett. The phone only rang once before it stopped all together. Marie didn't understand what she was seeing as everything seemed to freeze and the go back to its own. The woman never really got what even happened with the landline as her husband walked into the room before something dark came from the other side of the room. The woman became frightened in worry grabbing her baby before it disappeared in her hands and a Teenager came from the darkness as if on cue when the baby disappeared. " Loss is bigger than love, but what's worse than death; pain. What's worse than pain, death. Watch the world burn with me, it'll be fun."

It was surprising when MArie realized she never blacked out but she still saw it, hearing Drew who somehow got in front of her talking about something before she finally understood. Two pharohs on either side of the colums stood out. vines hung from everywhere as Nathan Drake looked below them from the bigger room as they all looked out at the not so much of a view. Lara only wasn't really impressed as she lit the stone path that was already filled with oil. It lit up quickly filling every oil champer as they saw everything from below as well. Aizora on the other hand wanted to be back out side, thats where she'd rather be. They followed after Nathan Drake and Lara Croft making sure that they only stepped where they stepped. Nathan was very aware and wasn't amuzed for some reason as Lara and Nathan seemed to be on the same page about something as The rest of them only did exactly they did. " Seems to be way to easy." Nathan was speaking to LAra but they all heard them talking back and forth as Drew only questioned why it was to easy. " usually there's more than traps, usually there's also riddles and puzzles you'd have to find in order to get to the next level." Lara explained it like it was only a game only it wasn't it was real life.

" Are we missing something?" Marie asked as AIzora didn't like the feeling of something else happening. She felt the coin as if it was burning her alive. She didn't want to be a pansy but she hated feeling like this, weither or not MArie had already been through it she only wanted to do what was nessesary scream it out, but she didn't have a pillow to do that. If anything Lara was hesitate before opening the door they had came to as they all stared at the stairs leading down. " More stairs, Nathan you go." Drew stood behind Nathan as if using him as a shield as Nathan only gave Lara and himself the look before complying. They followed one by one as Aizora eventually grabbed MArie's arm wondering how she wasn't freaking out, She seemed to be warpped in her own world. Aizora didn't question it before feeling the coin cool before Nathan asked for it. Aizora didn't want to touch it again she just wanted to let out the scream that would follow if she did. She pulled it from her pocket as it only laid it on her palm as she gave it to him. They were already at the bottom level as Nathan went towards the dark gloomy side as a well sat there. LAra didn't know really what to expect if anything they were just holding their breathe waiting for anything to stop them.

" The coin should rest in the book and thrown in the fire pit. It's how it goes, once done I'll bepart from you, but you'll never forget." Marie walked up beside them as she only asked for Lara's fire before simply bropping it as it went 17 feet before hitting more oil as the fire suddenly erupted right in front of their faces as Aizora only grabbed the coin and almost threw it in as Marie grabbed it and then grabbed the book from her bag. She never understood how magic worked but she wanted this over with. She did exactly what Averia said and threw it into the fire as apart of her felt gone. They backed up as the fire only showed Achylis in chanis with Averia in the air above her. Aziora felt relieved and much better, but she also wanted to leave right away. " it's destroyed, finally." Marie honestly wasn't sure if they could go back the same way until Drew accidentaly fell through the wall. " Omg." " Shit, Drew." " Can he hear us?" They couldn't see anything at first as MArie only took a leap of Faith and jumped down from where they originally where. " Ah! Okay. " Marie didn't watch them jump through but she did however noticed Aizora look a little better than before. " Hey. " Aizora didn't understand why she felt 10 times better even after Marie smiled and said hey. Marie didn't feel any better about it as she said the same thing. " Hey."

Lara and Nathan seprated from them eventually telling them goodbye as Drew only wished to follow after them, only they had their own home to get to. " I honestly don't know if that was worth it. I'm surprised I'm not dead." Drew went on for 30 minutes straight but not once did Marie or Aizora complain for once. it felt amazing to finally feel like it was just them against the world and not the other way around. They camped out for several nights as Aizora finally became herself before Marie got to finally speak to her. Aizora wanted to talk about it but at the same time she was just happy Marie didn't push her. " Seriously though I need to shower. I wish we still had the tent." Marie was saddened by the too but it was nothing compared to nature and it said a lot. She didn't want to really spend another minute in it.  Aizora still felt very hallow and tormented to a point were everything around her made her jump.

Marie's mother wasn't just worried but she was scared and when they all had came back she wasn't angry but cried in her daughter's arms. " Don't you ever do that again. I was so worried. " Marie understood and she knew she was grounded but she honestly wasn't surprised, she had missed her 20th birthday and had totally forgotten about it, and on top of that Aizora's birthday was coming up as well. Drew hung out with them almost every single day after that. Aizora had promised Marie a surprise but even though it wasn't as great as the tent, Aizora didn't ever want to be alone after the whole thing and it bothered her that she wasn't the same woman before everything that happened.  Aizora knew it would never change and she couldn;t excape just like Achylis had said the only problem she had was she wished it were just dreams, figments of her imagination. Aiozra was never gonna live this down and she knew even though she was extremly tired she was going to wake up every night with nightmares. Drew understood that Marie and him were never really going to happen and he didn't know really how to take it. Drew went back to college and actually missed the adventure.

They didn't care if it was more dangerious as they eventually went with Drew and Nathan Drake to Berlin, and then to the Philippines. Aizora felt a part of herself was going to be used again but that was only because she still felt so hallow and numb, not once thinking of her friend that wasn't just possessed.