I'm Lara Croft?

Seeing the sniper pause, Lara gritted her teeth and pushed past the searing pain, forcing herself to run toward the mine entrance.

"Bang!"

Another bullet screamed past her, grazing her side and tearing through her jacket as she pushed forward. Blood loss blurred her vision, but she kept moving.

The mine entrance loomed closer. Lara summoned every ounce of strength she had left and leapt. Her timing was perfect—just as she dove into the cover of the cave, a bullet slammed into the ground where she had been moments before.

Inside, Lara slumped against the wall, her body trembling as blood pooled beneath her. She clutched her stomach, her breath shallow and labored. Her vision swam, and she coughed violently, more blood dripping from her lips.

Hearing the commotion, Jacob emerged from deeper within the mine. His eyes widened as he saw Lara, standing but barely holding on, blood staining her mouth, stomach, and back.

"Bandages… and get me to the valley… and do your weird prophet shit," Lara rasped, forcing a wry grin despite the pain. She remembered how Jacob had healed Jonah in the game—with that strange blue dust and a prayer. As her vision darkened, she collapsed to her knees, muttering, "Don't let me die, you old relic…"

Her eyes fluttered closed as the world faded into black.

At the same time, the Winter Soldier stood up from his perch and turned to face the Hydra commander. His expression was stoic, his voice cold as he asked, "The girl escaped into the mine. Should I pursue her?"

The commander shook his head. "No. Baron Strucker didn't send you to hunt down a girl for Trinity. If she escaped, she escaped. Your new orders are clear—locate Black Widow operatives, KGB agents, and Leviathan forces. Eliminate them."

Bucky's face remained emotionless as he gave a sharp, mechanical nod. "Orders received," he replied, his voice devoid of any emotion, before turning back to prepare for his next mission.

Lara woke the next morning in a wooden house within the valley. As she sat up, she noticed her wounds were healed, though her body still felt weak. A good meal and some rest, she thought, would likely restore her fully. Glancing at her clothes, she saw her shirt had been sewn and her jacket neatly repaired and draped over a chair.

Getting dressed, she shrugged on her jacket and stepped outside. A woman wearing Byzantine-style clothing made of animal leather approached her. "Jacob is waiting for you," the woman said, her tone polite but firm.

Lara nodded and walked till she found a meeting spot. As she neared, she saw Jacob, Sofia, and several Remnant warriors huddled around a wooden table, discussing their plans. Their conversation focused on evacuating those who were too young, old, or weak to fight. Sofia was tasked with gathering them in the Acropolis Tomb for safety.

Sofia noticed Lara approaching and said, "You really got my father out of the gulag."

"Yeah, it wasn't that hard," Lara replied casually, before nodding toward the table. "What are you planning?"

"Our battle strategy," Jacob said simply.

Lara crossed her arms, a sly smirk forming. "I've got an idea that might mitigate almost all your casualties."

Sofia's brow furrowed, and she asked, "What is it?"

"Don't fight," Lara said, her tone blunt. "Just leave."

The room went quiet, and a wave of tension spread. The warriors exchanged uneasy glances, and Sofia's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean by that?"

Lara met their gazes head-on. "Instead of risking your lives fighting enemy head-on, funnel them all into the ancient city. Let them focus on finding the Divine Source there, and once they do… someone else can handle the killing for us."

Jacob nodded knowingly. "The Deathless," he said, his voice grave. "Relentless, undying warriors, with superhuman strength and a singular drive to kill anything that enters the city."

Before Jacob could continue, Sofia interjected, "And what do you mean by 'leaving'?"

"This valley is about to become a war zone," Lara said, her tone sharp. "If you don't want to see your people wiped out in a crossfire between Leviathan and Hydra, you need to leave. Somewhere safe, like Canada or even back to Greece. Let me tell you something—those two organizations are far more powerful than Trinity. They wouldn't need an army; they'd send one superpowered subordinate, and all of you would be gone."

The hostility in the air thickened as the warriors bristled at her words. Sofia looked at Jacob, seeking reassurance.

"She's telling the truth," Jacob said solemnly. "Our people would die in an unwinnable fight. Survival must come first."

Sofia's voice cracked with disbelief. "What are you saying? You're planning to destroy it?"

Jacob hesitated, unable to answer. Lara stepped forward, taking the lead. "The ancient city?" She mimicked an explosion with her hands. "It's going boom. And the Divine Source?" She pretended to grind something into powder with her fists. "It's going to be dust."

Sofia's wide eyes darted to Jacob, looking for confirmation.

He sighed heavily. "The Divine Source cannot fall into the hands of Trinity or the successors of the Brotherhood of the Spear."

Sofia's face twisted with emotion as she realized what Jacob wasn't saying. Destroying the Divine Source would kill him. Unable to process the weight of it, she turned and stormed away, leaving the other Remnant warriors confused and uncertain.

Lara watched her go, then glanced at Jacob. "That went well," she said dryly.

Jacob sighed again, his face lined with sadness. "She'll come to understand. In time."

After some additional planning at the table, Lara and Jacob stepped away to speak privately.

"You should reveal your identity as the Deathless Prophet to your people," Lara said, her tone firm. "It's the best way to convince them to leave."

Jacob nodded thoughtfully. In this generation, only Sofia knew his true identity. For centuries, he had faked his death, skipping a generation before returning to his people as a mysterious figure, ensuring they wouldn't recognize him.

"It's time for them to know the truth," Jacob said quietly.

"Good," Lara replied. "Once you've done that, have your people break into small groups and take different routes to a single destination. If they all leave at the same time, they'll be easy targets."

Jacob listened intently as she continued. "We'll also need to disclose the location of the Divine Source to Trinity. It'll give them something to focus on, taking the heat off your people so they can get out before this entire place goes to hell."

Jacob sighed, the weight of centuries of leadership bearing down on him. "You're right. This valley is no longer safe, and my people's survival must come before anything else."

Lara smirked and patted Jacob's shoulder. "And don't worry about the Divine Source," she said confidently. "While Trinity, Hydra, Leviathan, and the Deathless are busy tearing each other apart, we'll use the chaos to reach it first. When the time comes, we'll destroy it—but not too quickly. Let them deal some damage to each other first."

The next day, Konstantin and a Hydra commander stood in the observatory, their conversation hushed but tense.

"We've confirmed the ancient city of Kitezh lies beneath the glacier," Konstantin said, his voice laced with conviction. "And within it, the Divine Source."

The Hydra commander nodded, his expression neutral but calculating. "Are you certain the Divine Source is real? If it turns out to be a myth, Baron Strucker will not be pleased."

Konstantin's gaze hardened. "I'm certain. My people have even encountered the so-called immortal soldiers guarding it. They may be powerful, but against modern weapons, they are no match."

The Hydra commander rose from his seat, smoothing his uniform. "It's been a pleasure working with you. Our team will need until tomorrow to demolish the glacier and access the city."

Konstantin offered a thin smile. "Take your time. The pleasure is mine."

As the Hydra commander left, Ana entered the room, her expression filled with unease. "Are you sure Hydra won't turn on us once they have what they want?"

"Of course, they'll turn on us," Konstantin replied dismissively, pacing across the room. "But while their forces are locked in combat with the immortal soldiers, we'll secure the Divine Source for ourselves. Once we have Yahweh's immortal army, Hydra—and anything else—will no longer be a threat."

He raised his hand, showing the scarred flesh across his palm. "I am chosen by God. With His gift, I will ascend, and you will live to see it."

Ana nodded silently, masking her unease. She glanced at the scar on Konstantin's hand, knowing its true origin. It wasn't divine intervention—it was her doing. She had stabbed him through the hands years ago, twisting the knife in both a literal and metaphorical sense. The act was deliberate, calculated to deepen his faith and make him malleable. Once a man who questioned everything and wandered without direction, Konstantin was now consumed by his belief in his so-called divine purpose, a belief she had carefully manufactured to control him.