I'm Lara Croft?

Crimson Fire, realizing that Lara understood everything depicted in the murals, let out another demonic growl from deep within.

Lara frowned. "What do you mean, 'It was true'? And how am I able to understand you? Could you speak normally?"

Crimson Fire nodded and let out a harsh cough before speaking. "I was communicating with you telepathically. I can talk normally—I'm just used to speaking in that other manner for these hundreds of years playing theater with the natives."

"Great, so I don't have to listen to those demonic sounds," Lara said. "But what did you mean by 'It was true'?"

"I can't say much," Crimson Fire replied, "other than that you were expected. A mortal who knows secrets beyond her power."

'That kind of expected. The truly powerful beings—like the Living Tribunal or omnitemporal entities such as Michelangelo—must already know about me. They've probably laid out plans and schemes.'

She wasn't naive enough to think they didn't. Over the years, she had made many theories, one being that the Living Tribunal is already preparing or is gonna prepare her in the future as a whetstone to sharpen its successor, Adam Warlock, or something along those lines—one possibility among thousands, but a favorable one than the other theories. And Lara didn't particularly care, so long as they didn't kill her or threaten her interests. She wasn't insane enough to declare war on the Living Tribunal, or Eternity, Infinity, Death (who is being followed by the ultimate simp, Thanos), or any other cosmic entities just doing their jobs. If the big bosses wanted her to do something, she'd do it for the right reward—provided it didn't hurt her own interests.

Her curiosity sparked, Lara asked, "What are you? I can feel we share something."

"We both carry the blood of a certain race," Crimson Fire answered. "Don't ask which; you have to discover that for yourself."

'Party pooper,' Lara thought. "So," she continued, "what's the deal here?"

"I'm the executor," Crimson Fire explained, "and you are the carrier."

"You mean I'm Ix Chel and you're Chak Chel?" Lara asked.

"Yes," Crimson Fire confirmed. "In Paititian belief, I am Chak Chel and you are Ix Chel. But let's not use those terms. We both know they're just fake identities and names to hide the true nature of this."

'So Xquic might be a fake identity chosen by whoever created the Box and the dagger,' Lara surmised.

"Shouldn't Unuratu be Ix Chel?" Lara asked, recalling that, in the game, Unuratu believed it was her destiny to embody Ix Chel.

"That's what the Paititians believe," Crimson Fire said. "But the real carrier was chosen long ago—you. If you're wondering why, ask yourself this: Why don't you desire the Celestial's power trapped in the Box?"

Lara knew precisely why. There were better ways to gain power in a world like Marvel, and the Star Child's energy carried his imprint. Absorbing it would be a shortcut from level one to one hundred, but she knows that after that process she will not be herself or just pop like a balloon. She also felt that Crimson Fire did not say the full truth, but she could not force her when she got bitch slapped faster than she could see by her.

"You have greater vision than many far more powerful than you," Crimson Fire explained. "A typical being would be devoured by that power. They wouldn't stand a chance as its carrier before I as the executor could give the power to the sun."

"So, what are those creatures outside—the Yaaxil?" Lara asked.

"You know how, in the past, Deviants created various servant races?" Crimson Fire replied. "They're essentially the same, but forged by Xquic, they may resemble humans, but they are not."

Suddenly, Jonah's voice crackled over Lara's radio: "Lara, can you hear me?"

"Yes, what is it?" Lara responded.

"Remember when you said that removing the Box from the Mission of San Juan could trigger a mudslide? Well, it happened. We think Amaru got the Box, and Unuratu is missing."

'Ugh, damn it', Lara thought. 'Couldn't you have been as inept as you were in the game, Amaru?' "If Unuratu is missing," she said, "then Amaru must have captured her and forced her somehow to spit out where the box is."

Crimson Fire, having heard everything, departed the way they came, calling back, "I'll wait for you at the City of the Serpent."

Lara nodded and took a shorter path forward. Almost immediately, a powerful earthquake shook the chamber behind her, collapsing it entirely. When the room was completely buried, the tremors subsided.

Arriving at the rebels' headquarters, Lara found Jonah, Etzil, and Uchu—Etzil's surrogate father, bald, blinded in his left eye, and bearing a noticeable scar.

"What happened?" Lara asked.

"We're preparing an attack on Amaru's forces in the City of the Serpent," Uchu replied, "but we need to act quickly. The eclipse is almost here."

Just then, a group of rebels rushed in. "Uchu, Prince Etzil—we found Unuratu. She's…dead. We've brought her body here."

At these words, Uchu and Etzil immediately ran outside to see for themselves, leaving Lara and Jonah behind. 'She died just like in the game. Damn,' Lara thought.

Jonah, who had stayed more with Unuratu and the rebels, looked visibly more upset by Unuratu's death than Lara did. A few minutes later, Etzil and Uchu returned.

"We can't wait," Etzil said, anger sharpening his grief. "We have to attack now and stop Amaru."

Uchu tried to interject, but Etzil cut him off. "My mother's funeral and my coronation can wait until we destroy the cult and Amaru. Then I'll be coronated as the true king."

Lara nodded in agreement. "Fortunately for you guys, we have an advantage: the Yaaxil can lead the charge while the rebels support from behind."

"Yaaxil?" Uchu asked, uncertain. He knew about the protector goddess who were dedicated to guarding the Silver Box of Ix Chel, but not why they would also attack.

"Yes," Lara explained. "I've encountered them. They want the sacrifice to go forward correctly, so they're determined to stop Amaru from abusing the power of Kukulkan."

Inwardly, Lara mused, 'Better to call it the Star Child rather than Kukulkan. Still, I can't exactly tell them their entire belief system is just a lie concocted by higher powers, turning them into mere pawns in someone else's game.'