Her ragged breaths became the only audible sound around her when she reached the grove. Facing the building, she regarded the place from which she’d fallen, trying to rationalize the wholly irrational circumstances surrounding her survival.

A branch snapped behind her.

Her hands shot to her thighs, instinctively reaching for her fans, but found only one.

Turning back, she found herself face to face with a young man, dark hair feathering just above his eyes and framing his pale face.

“Who are you--”

“They sent me,” he said before she could finish. His cool voice contrasted her combative tone.

“Who’s they?”

“Zanatos.”

Her grip around the concealed fan loosened slightly. “And Jonathan?”

He blinked, and through the lack of light, almost seemed to roll his eyes. “Tch,” was his only response as he headed back into the forest.

Blindsided by his reaction, Lara ran after him, doubling her pace to keep up with his quick movement through the shrubbery. “Hey, who else? What happened to the aircraft?”

She was met by silence as he navigated them into a clearing with less vegetation and more construction.

“How did you find me?”

“I’m here to get you, not explain.” He responded, still facing forward.

Lara paused, incredulous. He was even stonier than Auras.

Continuing forward, they found themselves efficiently traversing narrow, dirt-pathed alleyways between buildings with a newly cloud-obscured moon barely lending them light. She wanted to ask him about the pillar of water spiraling up from the river, stretching nearly as far into the sky as the building she’d fallen from. There’s no way he could’ve missed it -- it had literally come up to meet her.

Yet, playing out the question in her head, she sounded insane -- even hypothetically.

But it was so real!

In the end, Lara’s burning curiosity won the debate against her ego. She began to ask, but froze.

A clicking had bounced between the alleyway ahead of them.

Her guide must’ve also known what lay ahead, as he halted and turned to back-track down the way they’d come. She quickly followed.

Steadily, he crept towards the end of the building beside them and peered around the corner. After a few moments, he ushered them across the opening to the next building. As Lara lightly sprinted over, she saw the creature that had broken the glass and fallen into the river. Its back was to them as it lurked toward the other end of the alleyway.

The young man took the opportunity to turn the corner but collided with someone.

“Oh, shit, sorry man,” said the stranger dressed in ratty clothes. Her guide tensed, but took a deep breath, and continued around the corner.

Lara trailed, but looked back at the stranger. Unease washed over her as she watched him drunkenly stumbled towards the alley with the beast.

“What if he--”

“Keep walking.”

“But he’s going toward it.”

As if to confirm her fears, she heard a terrified yelp, followed by the sounds of a struggle.

Afraid to turn back, Lara covered her mouth, repressing a gasp.

Ahead of her, her guide sped up. “Walk faster.”

The buildings sped past as Lara forced herself after him, muted by distress.

But, at that moment, the fear of falling behind outweighed the guilt of the attack behind them.

Finally coming to a crossroads, Lara could make out a familiar row of brightly lit food stalls a few blocks down to their right.

“Gurram,” she mumbled, before repeating herself more confidently. “Are we in Guarram?”

He met her with silence.

She stopped, struggling to steady her breaths.

“I feel like we should say something -- warn them.”

“Yelling into a crowded area won’t do anything.” He answered, too calm for her nerves.

“We need to tell them!”

“They’ll see two rambling drunks.”

“What if that person needs help?”

He charged forward, ignoring her.

She stood there, planted, until the fervor of anxiety loosened her boots from the ground.

Her mind lagged with a hundred thoughts, numbing her senses to their passing surroundings. It wasn’t until, after a flurry of narrow corridors and alleys, Lara came to as she stumbled over some wobbly stairs.

She paused, looking behind her with growing familiarity and proceeded up the steps past him to the door on the third floor labeled 306.

The door swung open the moment she reached it, revealing the towering frame of the bulky man who’d originally been with Zanataos in Indianapolis.

And from the room behind him, emerged Auras.

She stood on the other side of the doorway, silenced by the shame of disappearing.

“I’m glad to see you’re safe,” said Auras.

Lara reddened, unable to even offer him an explanation. But she was saved by the man from Indianapolis who stood between them.

“Out here delivering pretty late, Lethe.”

She’d briefly forgotten about the man, finally linked to a name, who’d led her back.

Lethe only averted his eyes in response.

“C’mmon, that one was funny. Did you think that one was funny?” He asked, turning his attention to her. “Auras, you thought that was funny, didn’t you?” He added before she could answer.

Auras donned the same trench he’d worn throughout their journey to Circa. “Probably one of your better-timed remarks tonight, Gethon.”

Gethon lumbered past her and down the wooden steps. Lethe swept coolly after him. Lara’s stomach turned with anxiety as she was left with Auras, who had crossed the threshold to stand beside her and was now locking the door.

“Go on,” he instructed.

“Auras-” she began, but he interrupted her.

“No need, go on after them.”

“What?”

“I believe you have something to return.”

Lara stuttered. “Did they tell you? Is that why Gethon was here?” She asked, abashed.

"I was given very little information,” he said. “But, yes,” he added for her benefit. “It appears so.”

“Are you being forced to come with us, now?”

Auras paused so briefly that Lara nearly missed it --

His hesitation.

“I am simply following instructions,” he answered. “As should you.”

He proceeded after the pair, leaving Lara alone at the top of the stairs.