"I mean, the Divine Source is the only artifact that my father spoke of. But like you've said, the tales that are spoken of similar to this are countless. If it seems like Trinity still remains active, then perhaps you should indeed keep close to their tracks." Sophia walked as graceful as the way she spoke. Lara matched her pace effortlessly as they strolled through the village in the upper cliffs of the Geothermal Valley.

"That is precisely why I'm back here. To investigate any further information. I appreciate you letting me have another look around." Lara came to a halt at the edge of the wooden walkway that descends down into the valley. Her eyes cast around everything in her peripheral vision. She caught a glimpse of several people patching up their buildings. "If there's anything I can do to help while I'm here, please don't hesitate." Sophia smiled.

"You've done enough already, Lara. All that I ask is that you be careful with our ancestor's belongings inside the tombs. So much has been disturbed by Trinity already." A pang of guilt hit Lara. She swallowed the feeling and promised Sophia that she'll be careful. Sophia embraced her. After the two shared a hug, they each turned to go their separate ways.

Lara eagerly made her way down the ramp that she's traversed so many times before. She dipped beneath the pool of water to the right and proceeded to swim under the waterfall and into a hidden passage that leads to a familiar tomb. Carefully, she lowered herself down inside its depths, scrutinizing every inscription on the walls that close her in. She examined anything that could have a possible connection to the concept of the immortal soul, the Prophet. She traveled for a mere few minutes before stopping. "This is foolish...Kitezh is where I should be looking. I didn't get to explore the city itself much."

With that conclusion, Lara turned back and made her way back out into the valley.

"Back already, Miss Croft?" Lara spotted a man gathering wood near her as she climbed out of the cool water.

"You caught me off guard with that name. I got so used to 'outsider.'" The man laughed.

"Well you deserve the respect of being addressed by your name after all you've done for us." Lara adjusted her ponytail before having a seat on a rock. She retrieved a stick she's been keeping in her quiver and began to sharpen one end to a point with her knife.

"I'm honestly surprised that no one here is upset now that the Divine Source is gone," she replied. "I feel like a destroyed a vital part of this community." Lara paused before tying a few feathers to the stick and returned the now crafted arrow to her quiver. She took out another stick.

"Sophia said that you've made the choice that Jacob couldn't make." The man tied a bundle of wood together. "He was afraid of letting us down by revealing the truth to us." He strapped the bundle to his back and walked past Lara.

"You've made the right choice, Croft." Lara nodded in understanding as he left, half-reassured yet partly unsure. She geared up and headed for the city of Kitezh, no longer hidden beneath the ice. Choosing to take the same passage she used to first return to the valley from the city, she began the long walk. She traveled and rested for about two hours, watching the landscape transition from green grass to white snow as she walked.

Nearing the location of the city, Lara zipped up her red coat as the wind began to pick up. She surveyed the area below her as she approached the massive hole that the city sits in. She spotted a sturdy-looking plot of ice hanging down towards the city. After attaching rope to an arrow, she aimed for the ice and let it fly. When it makes contact, she tested the strength of the line and tied the other end to a nearby pole. The line held well when she climbed on and activated the rope ascender.

When she reached her goal, she plunged two climbing axes into the ice and carefully moves around to the other side, where she saw the highest building of the city up close. Lara hooked her grapple line onto one of her climbing axes. She took a deep breath and leaped out into the open air, letting her grapple shoot out above her and grab the edge of the roof. She began to scramble down towards the streets of the city. About halfway down, a ledge crumbled at her touch, leaving her to plummet towards the ground. Lara crashed through the roof of another building and landed on the hardwood floor, taking a grueling hit to her whole body. "Ah shit...I already broke that promise to Sophia." She cradled her head with one hand. Another noise nearby reached her ears. "Now what did I break?" She glanced up to see the damage, but instead found a shadow flash past a wall in the building right next to her.

Lara quickly jumped to her feet and took cover next to the remains of the wall in the building she currently was residing in. She pulled out her pistol. From her angle, she spotted a man hiding behind another wall with a gun pulled as well. She crept down to the streets to get a closer look. Finding refuge behind a cart, she examined him further. "It doesn't look as if he belongs to Trinity...but then again, I guess you never know."

Keeping her gun straight out in front of her, she ran towards the stranger.

"Drop it!" she demanded in the most forceful voice she could muster. The man's eyebrows rose. He immediately threw his arms into the air.

"Hey, wait! It's okay."

"Drop it!" Lara repeated. The man grunted in frustration and tossed his pistol towards her. It landed between the two of them. Lara stepped closer to him, kicking the the gun away, while training hers on him.

"What are you doing here? Who are you?"

"The name's Drake. Nathan Drake. I'm just having a look at these old ruins."

"What for?" Nathan kept his hands in the air.

"I'm just touring. Can we just have a friendly chat?" He laughed, either out of hysteria or humor.

"One more lie and your tour will end," Lara declared harshly.

"Not a fan of jokes, I see." He exhaled another small laugh. "I'm just looking for a lead." Lara quirked an eyebrow.

"A lead for what? How did you find this place?"

"An old friend. He told me that an organization found it and abandoned it."

"Trinity," Lara whispered with agitation. "How did he get that information from them?"

"Who knows? Sully has many connections."

"Why isn't Sully here with you? Did Trinity send you here?" Nathan smirked.

"Sully hates the cold. And I'm my own boss, darling." Lara stared him down for a moment and lowered her weapon.

"You should leave."

"Psh, speak for yourself." Nathan placed his hands on his hips. Dirt cloaked his black jacket, which looked light in weight. A flashlight of some sort was attached to his temple. His dark brown hair looked almost black from where Lara was standing.

"I'm welcome here." Lara leaned over and took his gun off the ground.

"Oh, come on. You can't say you haven't explored some forbidden territory." He studied her from head to toe. "Especially with all that gear...Damn."

"I have my reasons, which I don't have to explain to you." She quickly stood up straight, pretty sure of the fact that he wasn't just staring at her equipment. She holstered her gun and tucked his in the back of her cargo pants. Backing away a few steps, she kept her eyes on his hands.

"So do I." Nathan walked towards her.

"And what reasons are those?" She equipped her pistol once again.

"I'm here to see what that organization might have missed since they seemed to have left the city so quickly after finding it...Trinity, you called them." Lara made eye-contact with Nathan.

"Believe me when I tell you that you do not want to get involved with them." Nathan laughed yet again.

"It's a little too late for that. Sully's been tracking them for months."

"Just as you are too late to find what's here. The only valuable thing has been destroyed." Nathan took a step closer to her.

"Then why are you still here?" Lara trained her pistol on him.

"Leave it to me to worry about that." Nathan raised his hands slightly.

"Trust me for a second, would you?"

"Give me a reason to," replied Lara. Nathan turned his back to her.

"You can search me if you want. Just don't blame me if you lose control of yourself. No shame in it, either." His comment caused Lara to roll her eyes.

"I can control my drives just fine. I'm a little worried about you, though, so let's just keep the distance we have."

"Suit yourself." He faced her again. "So now what?"

"You march out of here."

"I'm not leaving without having a look around."

"Neither am I. You walk ahead." Nathan obeyed her.

"You've been here before, obviously. Shouldn't you be giving me a tour?" His humorous remarks drew a sigh from Lara's lips.

"You'll warm up to me eventually. Every woman I've come across has given into my charm at some point or another."

"Look, I don't need to know your history regarding women and I certainly don't want to be a part of it," Lara stated.

"Just give it time." Lara sighed again. They walked towards the palace gates.

"Why bother coming back here, if there's nothing valuable?"

"Sometimes information is far more valuable than the money obtained from artifacts," Lara answered vaguely.

"What kind of information is it that you are looking for?"

"Just information having to do with connections to other areas of history."

"Connections are always good." The conversation fell silent as they continued to stroll through the city. Lara stopped and knelt down when she saw an inscription in a rock near a cave. She kept Nathan in the corner of her eye.

"What's this?...'The Prophet has blessed us with protection...This blessing resembles the same blessing given-'" She notices that a small section of the rock as been broken off. She continued onward. "'Let us appreciate this blessing like those who have appreciated the blessings of the immortal soul before and during our time now.'" Lara's eyebrows rose. "So there are other secrets like this. But where?"

"Perhaps this would tell you." Lara looked to her left to see Nathan offering a small section of a rock to her. She holstered her weapon and took the piece, placing it where it belongs.

"'The same blessings given to others around the world.' Hm...Doesn't tell me much..." She stood up straight.

"Well, I'm sorry if my contribution was of no help to you!" Nathan mumbled. Lara blinked without any form of expression displayed on her face. It was clear that she was barely tolerating his bantering attitude.

"Stay close. Wouldn't want you to get lost." Nathan shook his head and smirked as he began to walk with her. They reached the palace gates together. The entrance was now blocked by a large pile of rubble.

"There's never a direct way in, is there?" Nathan questioned. He looked over when Lara failed to respond. To his surprise, she was already climbing her grapple up and over the rubble. Lara awaited Nathan's arrival at the top. He appeared, clambering up and over a few feet from her.

"Impressed yet?" Nathan took a few breaths in between words. Lara revealed a slight grin.

"Not the slightest."

"Now you're just giving me a hard time." Nathan strode over to where she was standing. "This have any special meaning to you?" He gestured towards the patterns engraved in the tile flooring before them.

"Perhaps."

"Well?"

"It won't mean anything to you, now that the artifact's been destroyed," explained Lara.

"Try me."

"Can't you decipher them for yourself?" Nathan simply grumbled and squatted down. Brushing his fingers along the patterns, he studies them.

"They seem like repetitive symbols. Symbols used to honor somebody. Perhaps that Prophet you mentioned?"

"Right."

"Care to fill me in on who exactly that is?"

"I've little time for story-telling, Nathan."

"Then show me around. I can piece it together, I'm sure."

"What choice do I have?" mumbled Lara quietly.

Together, the two explored for a little while longer, each taking in their own information and comparing interpretations. Lara seemed to be of more help to Nathan, thanks to the edge she had regarding the knowledge of the place. After a steady investigation of the palace, they began to double back the way they came.

"So what exactly does Trinity want?" Nathan asked.

"Power. They think that by obtaining power of some sort, they can 'cleanse the world of sin.'"

"What kind of power? Like money?"

"Something like that," said Lara, choosing to keep it simple.

"Sounds very similar to the type of people I've come across."

"What is it that drags you around the world?" asked Lara.

"Mostly curiosity." Nathan smiled. "The riches that sometimes come with it don't hurt, though."

"Hm." Nathan picked the conversation back up.

"So, did you find what you came for?"

"To an extent, yes...What about you? It seems that you've hit a dead end."

"I never reach a dead end. Only new beginnings. I suppose my next step is investigating Trinity."

"I really don't advise getting involved with them."

"Why not? Afraid that I am a threat to your campaign?" He tossed her a smirk.

"I suppose not. Not so far." Lara smiled faintly, trying not to think about her father. Nathan continued to smile.

"See, you're warming up to me already, Croft."

"How did you know-"

"I've seen you in the archaeological journals. Lara, right?"

"Yes." Lara leans against a nearby wall and looks down as a smile stretches across her face, one that was half-filled with shame.

"I suppose you've seen all the comments about how 'crazy' I am." Nathan duplicated her expression.

"Well, yes. But I don't think that at all." Lara faced him. "You seem more intelligent than anything." Nathan stood next to her. "In fact, I've seen unbelievable things on my expeditions as well. So I understand the kinds of things you've been through." Lara pushed off the wall and continued to walk. She looked down to hide her troubles. "How could he...how could he possibly understand the loss, the betrayals, the guilt..."

"Any chance I could get my gun back, sweetheart?" Nathan remained standing by the wall. Lara pulled it from the back flap of her cargo pants and approached him. Noticing that Lara was offering it to him, Nathan reached out to grab it. Lara resolved to pulling it back. She stared dead into his eyes.

"Whether it's now or if we meet again, give me any reason to distrust you, I won't hesitate." Nathan nodded in understanding as she held the gun out to him again. He took it. Lara began to turn away.

"Hey, wait." She stopped. Nathan caught up with her and offered his hand as well as a flirty smile. She took his hand as he leaned in, supporting his weight by pressing his other hand on a nearby wall.

"Thanks for the tour. Allow me to leave you with a token of my appreciation." He suddenly released her hand and placed his own hand around one side of her face. "I do hope we meet again, Croft." He leaned in further, inching his lips towards hers. Lara halted him by placing her hand on his chest. She removed his hand from her face.

"I told you...I want no part in your history," she reiterated in all seriousness. She backed away, leaving Nathan in awe. As soon as she got far enough away from him, she turned to climb up back to the world above.

"A tough one, she is," Nathan said to himself as he holstered his gun and looked all around him. "You don't stand a chance with her, Drake."