I'm Lara Croft?

Inside the glacier, the chaos intensified. Seeing the sheer number of Deathless warriors overwhelming their ground forces, Hydra and Leviathan gunships hovering above unleashed their firepower. Machine guns roared, shredding some of the ancient warriors, while missiles streaked through the air, exploding against the stone structures and taking out clusters of Deathless.

But the Deathless were not defenseless. Catapults, manned by warriors of the ancient city, hurled vessels filled with Greek fire into the air. The flaming projectiles arced toward the gunships, engulfing them in flames upon impact. One Hydra gunship spun out of control, its tail ignited by the inferno, before crashing into a distant spire of ice.

Amid the chaos, a single Trinity helicopter swept into the glacier, dodging the missiles and flames. Inside, Konstantin stood behind the pilot, his expression resolute. "Ignore the fighting," he commanded. "Take us directly to the Chamber of Souls. Let Leviathan and Hydra deal with the Deathless. We'll reach the Divine Source first."

The pilot nodded, weaving the helicopter through the chaos, narrowly avoiding a burning Leviathan gunship that plummeted past them.

At the same time, Lara and Jacob entered the ancient city through the main passage. The scene before them was pure chaos—gunfire, explosions, and the clashing of blades against modern weapons was seen.

Lara's eyes darted over the battlefield, taking in the chaos. "This is our chance," she said, tightening her grip on her climbing axe. "They're too busy killing each other."

Jacob nodded, but his focus was already ahead. "We need to reach the Chamber of Souls first."

Without waiting, Lara surged forward. She darted through the crumbling ruins, using the terrain and even the Deathless themselves as part of her route. Vaulting off the back of a charging Deathless warrior, she leapt onto a ledge, grabbed a rope, and swung across a chasm.

Jacob followed as best he could, his steps more cautious but determined. "You're insane," he called out to her, watching as she launched herself from one crumbling structure to another, evading stray bullets and flaming debris.

Lara looked back with a grin. "I know!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos. 

At the Chamber of Souls, Konstantin leapt down from the helicopter as it hovered momentarily above the ground. Without hesitation, he sprinted toward the towering entrance, his eyes fixed on his prize. 

Lara reached the top of her climb moments later. With a determined push, she sprinted into the chamber after him, her footsteps echoing in the vast cathedral-like space.

"Stop!" Lara shouted.

Konstantin froze, raising his hand instinctively as he turned to face her. His eyes narrowed as he saw her, twin pistols aimed directly at him, unwavering and deadly. The faint smirk on Lara's face did nothing to ease the weight of the moment.

"So, you finally caught up," Konstantin said, his voice calm but carrying an edge of tension. "You're stronger than your father in every sense."

Lara tilted her head slightly, her pistols still aimed at him. "I know," she said confidently. "And don't even think about trying anything—because you'll be shot in less than a nanosecond."

Konstantin raised his scarred hands, displaying the stigmata as he stepped closer. "I know. But it doesn't matter. My destiny is here, in this chamber. I am blessed by God!"

For a moment, Lara seemed to stifle a laugh, her lips twitching into a faint smirk.

"What's so funny?" Konstantin asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Nothing," Lara replied, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Just the idea that your sister stabbing you through the hands somehow makes you 'blessed by God.' It's hilarious."

Konstantin's face darkened. "You know nothing of faith."

"And you do?" Lara shot back, her voice sharp. "Let's face it, Konstantin—you don't believe in faith either. Deep down, you know you're doing this for Ana. But instead of facing the truth, you delude yourself into thinking you're chosen by God to boost your own confidence. You're not God's chosen one—you're just an insecure little boy trying to save his sister the only way he knows how, without realizing you're going to hurt her even more."

Konstantin's composure faltered, his expression twisting. "What do you mean by hurt?" he asked, his voice quieter now.

Lara kept her pistols trained on him. "Do you even know what the Divine Source really does? Beyond the immortality it supposedly grants? Do you know what happens if you don't meet its requirements?"

Konstantin said nothing, his silence betraying his ignorance.

"It doesn't just grant eternal life," Lara continued, her voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "If you don't have the right… traits, it'll swallow your soul. Consume it. You won't be you anymore—you'll just be its puppet. So yeah, real 'tough love' for Ana, huh? Turning into a mindless shell for some ancient artifact. Great save."

Konstantin's jaw tightened, his stigmata-marked hands lowering slightly. For the first time, doubt flickered across his face.

"You are lying," Konstantin said, though his voice lacked the confidence it held moments ago.

Lara smirked but didn't lower her pistols. "If you don't believe me, then check for yourself. Look at the Deathless—those poor bastards are obsessed with protecting the Divine Source. They're mindless, hollow shells of what they once were. Do you really want your sister to suffer the same fate? There are better ways to help her, Konstantin. This is a world with mutants and people like Captain America. There are solutions to her illness—real solutions."

Konstantin hesitated, his hands slowly lowering. "What are you suggesting?"

Lara stepped closer, her voice calm but firm. "Work for me, and I'll help you heal your sister. I need someone to take charge of the combat arm of my organization—managing soldiers, heavy operations, the loud stuff. You can be my second-in-command for warfare."

Konstantin narrowed his eyes. "And what is your plan?"

Lara's smirk deepened. "Simple. After this, I'll eliminate Dominguez and the Cardinal. My people inside Trinity will wipe out the fanatics, and what's left of Trinity will be absorbed into T.O.M.B.—my organization. If you agree, you can be one of my top leaders, still look for a cure for Ana, and have a purpose beyond false promises and blind faith. If not…"

She tilted her head slightly, her pistols unwavering. "Your brain will end up as a Jackson Pollock painting on the chamber floor."

Konstantin studied her, his expression unreadable, the weight of his decisions pressing heavily on him. Lara, however, remained composed, her mind already calculating her next steps. Originally, her plan was to kill Konstantin and Ana and end the matter decisively. But after reevaluating, she realized that Konstantin's leadership abilities and military expertise could be valuable. He could handle the warfare and battle operations side of T.O.M.B., while Natasha managed espionage, assassination, and covert work.

Giving Natasha all the power wasn't wise, Lara knew. She'd need a balance of power under her, ensuring that both Natasha and Konstantin remained in check while she reigned supreme over the organization.

"You've got a choice, Konstantin," Lara said, her voice soft but with an edge of steel. "Stay on your path to ruin—or join me."

"You know," Konstantin began, his voice steady but filled with an edge of caution, "I was involved in your father's death."

Lara's expression didn't waver. She shrugged slightly, her grip on the pistols never loosening. "And so what?"

Konstantin blinked, caught off guard by her indifference.

"I know Dominguez ordered the hit," Lara continued, her tone almost casual. "You were just another pawn carrying out his orders, weren't you? My cheap father…" She paused, her lips curling into a faint, sardonic smile. "Let's just say I don't have much love lost for Richard Croft. He might've been my father biologically, but the person who truly raised me, who stood by me—that was Winston."

Konstantin studied her, unsure how to respond. He'd expected anger, perhaps even tears, but this calm detachment was unnerving.

"So, if you were expecting some big emotional breakdown or a thirst for revenge, sorry to disappoint." Lara added, her voice tinged with mockery.