The reanimated Stormguard Zombie—the former Solarii Gunner—was terrifying. It moved with a jerky, unnatural grace, its massive, plated body now immune to pain and driven by a low, ethereal blue light that pulsed in its eyes. It was blocking the only way down the rickety metal stairs.
Lara and Leo stood pressed against the railing, the exhilaration of sending the signal instantly replaced by white-knuckled terror.
"It's undead, Leo! It shouldn't be possible!" Lara gasped, her mind reeling from the impossible sight.
"It's the island, Lara! The Sun Queen's power! Normal attacks won't stop it—we have to aim for the core or exploit a physical weakness!" Leo yelled, his Meta-Strategist II trait rapidly analyzing the new threat profile.
[Enemy Identified: Stormguard Zombie (Tier 2)]
Armor: IMMENSE. Weakness: Explosive Trauma, Focused Headshot, High Electrical Discharge.
Current Status: Blocking Egress.
Leo's mind worked with lightning speed. Explosives. He had the schematic for the Improvised Grenade but lacked the raw materials (powder/chemicals). Electrical Discharge. They'd just used the lightning to send the signal, and he was still smoking. Headshot. The most viable, but the plating made it a gamble.
The creature lunged, its massive, serrated machete swinging in a wide, silent arc. Leo shoved Lara aside and ducked the blow. The machete bit deep into the metal railing, sending sparks showering.
"Fire Arrows, Leo! Burn the body!" Lara screamed, scrambling backward and grabbing the Pry Axe.
"No! Fire only slows them! We need penetration!"
Leo knew what they needed. Looting the dead Gunner had provided a massive Loot Bag, and inside, Leo's hands quickly found two compact, heavy objects he had recognized instantly but hadn't mentioned: two automatic 9mm pistols—the Gunner's personal sidearms. They had been tucked away, waiting for their next owner.
He tossed one to Lara. "You know how to use this?!"
Lara, whose natural skills included firearms training, caught the pistol with practiced ease, instantly chambering a round. The change in her demeanor was instantaneous—the primal fear replaced by focused, determined combatant. "Better than an axe in a close space! Where do we shoot it?"
Leo grabbed the second pistol. He felt a surge of confidence; he may not have been a natural shooter, but his high Dexterity (11) and his newly acquired weapon meant he was capable.
"The eyes, Lara! They're glowing! It's the energy source! Focus fire—center mass and the head!"
They moved into position, flanking the slow, methodical monster.
Lara opened fire first. BAM! BAM! BAM!
The bullets slammed into the Stormguard's chest plating. The sound was deafening, the metal PINGING as the rounds were absorbed by the armor. The creature didn't flinch, its vacant blue eyes fixed on Lara.
Leo aimed, channeling his entire focus through his Dexterity (11) and Mind (9). He compensated for the pistol's kick, aiming for the narrow, unarmored gap where the neck met the torso. He squeezed the trigger.
BAM!
The round hit the gap. The creature shuddered, the movement slower than normal, but it didn't stop.
"Head!" Leo screamed, reloading with lightning speed. "We need a simultaneous hit! I'll draw its focus!"
Leo sprinted across the platform, forcing the massive creature to turn. The Stormguard lumbered after him, its machete rising for a crushing overhead strike.
"NOW, LARA!"
Lara was already aiming. As the Stormguard's head tilted slightly to track Leo, Lara squeezed the trigger. BAM! The round struck the face plate, shattering a piece of bone-like armor.
At the exact same moment, Leo pivoted, firing the final round in his clip. BAM! The bullet found its mark—a micro-fracture in the exposed lower mandible.
The synchronized impact was finally enough. The Stormguard let out a silent, final spectral scream. The eerie blue light in its eyes flared violently, and then went out.
The immense creature crashed to the floor, metal on metal, completely inert.
[Major Boss Defeated: Stormguard Zombie (Tier 2)]
[EXP Gained: +1500!]
[Host Level Up! Level 8 Reached!]
[New Attribute Points Available: 3]
Leo dropped the empty pistol, his ears ringing. He and Lara stood over the body, both shaking, both utterly exhausted. They had defeated an impossible enemy through sheer coordination and tactical firepower.
Lara slowly lowered her pistol, her eyes still fixed on the motionless corpse. "I don't know who you are, Leo," she said, her voice heavy with awe and terror. "But you're the only reason we're alive. You knew exactly where to aim, and you knew about the guns."
Leo was too drained to lie. He slumped onto a crate. "We're partners, Lara. That's all that matters. You gave the strength, and I gave the strategy."
He retrieved his dropped pistol, securing both his and Lara's new Tier 2 Weapons.
The victory was massive, but the exhaustion was greater. He had leveled up, but his Stamina (12) was completely depleted. He knew the cost of his progression was dangerously high.
He was about to allocate his new Attribute Points when his Meta-Strategist II trait gave a terrifying, final warning.
System Alert!
[CRITICAL THREAT: Proximity to External Hostile (Tier 3)]
Analysis: Signal Success has attracted major hostile elements.
Threat: Ship approaching fast. Origin: The Trinity Organization.
Leo stared blankly at the tower railing, his fatigue instantly forgotten. He had been so focused on the Stormguard that he had forgotten the larger threat. He hadn't just attracted rescuers; he had attracted Trinity—the shadowy organization that hunted the supernatural and threatened Lara in the later games. The plot was accelerating, and he had jumped far beyond the scope of the first game.
The sound of massive rotor blades, heavy and low, sliced through the storm.
"Lara!" Leo shouted, grabbing her arm and pointing out to the stormy sea. "The signal worked! But not the way we hoped! We have incoming! Helicopters! They're not ours!"
A massive, black military helicopter, bearing no visible identification but moving with cold, professional menace, broke through the cloud cover and was closing fast on the tower. Its spotlight snapped on, bathing the transmission tower in blinding, white light.
They were found. They were not saved.
Leo knew Trinity didn't come for rescue; they came for containment, and their methods were brutal.
"We have to get off this tower, NOW!" Leo yelled, grabbing the Tier 2 Climbing Gear from the dead Gunner. "They'll blast this thing to pieces!"
He grabbed the gear, shoving the three unallocated Level 8 Attribute Points to the back of his mind. Survival took precedence over progression.
Lara was already at the edge of the platform, the helicopter's spotlight blinding her. "The only way down is to rappel! The ladder is broken!"
The helicopter was directly above them now, its rotors deafening. A dark figure dropped from the chopper on a fast rope—a soldier in full tactical gear, carrying a high-powered rifle.
Leo looked down at the sheer drop, then at the soldier descending above them. The game had just escalated from a survival horror to a full-scale military action.