-RESIDENT EVIL IS IN THE PROPERTY OF CAPCOM-

Hi guys! Happy new year in advance! I hope you're all having a good time wherever you are! :)

This story is starting to getting more and more spicy. Things you wouldn't expect will about to happen. Stay on your guard ;)

Whenever I compose a new chapter, that also involves reminiscing through the game and I just realized how much I missed playing this. Leon, if you're reading this, I want you to know, I MISS YOU SO FREAKING MUCH! XD :') don't be jelly, Ada, okay? Mehehehehe.

I'm currently finding an app or anything that'll help me create a good cover for my stories, so I'm open for suggestions. Thanks :D

PS: I OWN NOTHING! I ONLY OWN TIFFA AND HER STORYLINE. EVERYTHING ELSE BELONGS TO CAPCOM.

The picture on the right are the "Armaduras" or the armored knights that Ashley dealt throughout the game. ;)

Once again, happy new year and please enjoy your reading ❤ and oh, VOTES and FEEDBACKS would be VERY appreciated.

-Lyn

IX.

I've always believed that in every tragedies, some people has to die. That sacrifices had to be made. I learned to believe that when my family died six years ago.

The door opened from when we came and a familiar voice called out.

"Leon!" Luis' voice called out from the doorway. He held out a sample of the parasite on his left hand and a bottle on the right. "I got it." He stated in triumph with a smile.

His smile didn't even last long. His eyes went wide and something went off about him. Something has impaled his chest from behind and it gone further into his chest, making him scream in pain.

The tentacle had sent him on air and made him drop the sample of the parasite and someone caught it.

The tentacle slammed Luis on the floor, leaving a large and fatal wound on his chest.

Saddler smirked down at us. "Now that I have the sample, you serve me no purpose!" He said, referring to Luis.

"Saddler!" Leon screamed, venom deep in his voice.

"My boy, Salazar, will make sure you follow the same fate." And with that said, he exited the concourse, taking the sample away with him.

We ran into Luis, a pool of his own blood all over the floor. "Stay with us Luis!" Leon pleaded as he try to aid on his wounds.

Tears started to prick my eyes because we both knew that his wound is too fatal to be treated. There was nothing we could do.

"I am a researcher... hired by Saddler. He found out what I was up to... Hehe..."

"Don't talk," Leon scolded and Luis groaned in pain as he tried to push Leon's hand away and handed the bottle instead.

Luis struggled to breathe and talk. "Here," he handed a bottle of capsules. "It should suppress growth of the parasite... The sample..." He reminded. "Saddler took it. You two... have to get it back..."

With his dying wish, he closed his eyes eternally.

"Luis!" Leon called out. "Luis!"

Tears rolled down my cheeks as Leon had a dark expression on. He pulled out Luis' hand to his stomach and stood up and looked up at the bottle on his hand.

"They'll pay for your death, I promise." Leon swore as I wiped out my tears. It broke my heart that we didn't have the time to mourn for him. He was such a great friend to us, even for this short while.

"They'll pay, alright." I mumbled as we walk away.

Everything seems to be lost and messed up until we heard a scream of a very familiar voice calling out for help.

"Help!" Ashley's voice screamed from the lower platform.

"Ashley," Leon mumbled as we ran to descend the stairs that leads to a perfect view of Ashley struggling to get out of those metal bars around her body.

Leon looked at me and I nodded. He pulled out his Rifle and peeked on his scope to shoot the bars.

Ashley screamed when Leon shot the first bar around her torso. It echoed the whole concourse. And after shooting the ones on her stomach and legs, she screamed nonstop. I wanted to cover my ears.

When Ashley was fully free, she finally acknowledged our presence. I smiled and waved my hand at her. She put her hands on her hips as I saw her mumble something.

And suddenly, shutters opened and Zealots came out charging towards Ashley.

"Ashley, get outta there!" Leon exclaimed as I saw Ashley's horror, frozen state.

Ashley didn't move an inch but instead she ducked. Leon looked at me and I immediately understood what he meant.

Right, we need to cover her.

I pulled out my Semi Auto Rifle from my back and aimed at the Zealots coming out from the left side of the hall while Leon on the right side and around Ashley.

When everything seem to quiet down for a while, Ashley stood up and walked around to the only door to the exit.

She tried to open the door but it wouldn't budge. She started to panic and bang on the door weakly.

"The door is locked, I can't open it!" She exclaimed.

Shutters opened again and another batch of Zealots came out, including a leader in red. There are also Zealots that held cross bows and aimed straight at us.

The archers either missed or we dodged despite the small space Leon and I shared. I quickly returned the favor.

The leader Zealot ran to the other side, making it hard to aim at him. When he seem to get steady, I fired at his chest, making him only flinch and it looked like I didn't inflict any damage at all. I fired at his knee, making him kneel and I shot him on the face and he hit the floor.

I was about to fire one more when I heard a click on my Rifle. I peeked out and groaned. Talk about wrong timing.

"I'm out," I informed with a sigh.

"Okay," Leon agreed. He took the last shot to the Zealot and he lay dead.

Ashley stood up and walked towards the dead body of the leader Zealot and searched something.

"I got the key, I can get out!" Ashley informed in relief and came back to the brown wooden door and without a halt, she closed the door behind her.

I sighed as I came walking down the circling concourse and Leon followed.

"Here," he handed me a box of Rifle ammo.

"Thank you," I mumbled as I unloaded my Rifle, dropped the empty clip to the tiled floor, making a click sound and reloading it with a fresh clip. "Do you think she'll find her way back?" I asked.

Leon turned to look at me, a glint of determination lingering in his eyes. "Of course," he smiled confidently. "She's a tough girl, you know."

•••

I was alone.

Even though Tiffa and Leon were there, I just can't seem to see a point in coming back.

The hall was silent, elegant decorations were also there, statue and pillars. There is only one way that succeeded beside a typewriter.

I walk forward, only seeing a Zealot facing a fireplace and his back at me. I put a hand on my chest, terrified at how defenseless I was. I curled my fist and ran right pass the Zealot who almost tackled me from behind.

Bars blocked the other side of the room and a crank was on the left side, blocked by long table. I could crawl under the table and operate the crank but I don't know if I could open the bars on time. To my right was a lantern, I dashed to the lantern and threw it at the Zealot charging towards me and he danced with the flames.

As the Zealot hit the ground, I saw a mouse hole. I think it's better than to operate the crank, it'll take a lot of time and it's risky.

I crawled under the table and through the mouse hole, seeing as I was on the other side of the room.

Another Zealot was facing side view from me and I was slightly surprised that he didn't saw me from the corner of his eyes. A lantern was once again resting on a desk and I slowly made my way for it, not taking my eyes off the Zealot.

And before I could grab the lantern, the Zealot turned on his heels and charged towards me. I shrieked in shock as I grab the lantern and shoved it on his face and running away to avoid getting hit by the fire.

Beside the bars were another lantern and the Zealot was still alive. When the he was about to get on his feet, I threw the lantern and he danced again with the flames.

He's still alive? Crap.

I spotted another lantern surrounded by tables and I quickly make my way for it. I crawled under the table and glanced at the Zealot who was already running for my way. I threw the last lantern on him and hoped that that'll kill him for good.

I sighed in relief as he disintegrated and I crawled under the table to take a look at the cranks on both opposite sides of a criss-crossed bars.

I operated the crank on the left side first and the vertical bars ascended. I also operated the right side and the horizontal bars turned right.

I walk towards and saw a blue metal door with a symbol. I opened it and revealed a strange room with four or five stairs descended.

On the left side, there is a letter lying across a table of some sort.

"Butler's Memo," I mumbled the letter's title to myself.

"Knowing that Sr. Ramon Salazar had no family, Lord Saddler must have used his strong faith in the Los Illuminados to his advantage to talk to Sr. Salazar into undoing the seal of the Las Plagas once done by his ancestor.

Sr. Salazar would never do such a thing unless he was in some way being used unknowingly. I should have sensed the Lord's dirty scheme sooner. I feel I'm partly responsible for all of this.

I have no idea as to what the Lord is planning, but Sr. Salazar was just being used.

It is too late now however, Sr. Salazar has already taken the Plaga into his body.

There is no turning back once the Plaga has turned into an adult in the body.

The Plaga parasite will not die unless the host dies. There's no cure. Perhaps, Sr. Salazar may have been vaguely aware of the Lord's plan all along. But it's hard to tell.

Nevertheless, there's nothing I can do about it now.

I have served the Salazar family for generations. I am prepared to continue my service until the very end."

I walked towards the wall with a design of shields and swords and felt a slight shiver on my feet.

Hey, I feel a draft from down here. Maybe there's a secret passage from the other side.

I turned on my heels and found a dais.

Huh? Wait a sec. There's a round hole in the center.

And I needed to find the missing piece that'll fit in there.

I tucked the letter into the pockets of my skirt and made my way out.

I walk on the right side of the hall and there was a wooden brown door that seemed old. Behind that door was a very dusty dark room that was not cleaned for like years. Spider webs swarmed the ceilings and walls and a flashlight covered in dust was on the floor.

I prayed that it would still have batteries and to my relief, it was. I lighted the whole room and rats escaped to the light, making me frown. There was a button on the wall on the left corner. I crawled under the table and pushed the button, making the bars lift up. I walk through the bars and saw a Stone Tablet mounted on the wall. There was another switch and I pressed it, the bars behind me lifted. This was some sort of puzzle. I needed to find the switch that'll open the bars that would lead to the door succeeding.

I noticed something hidden behind the shelf. I pushed the shelf and there revealed another switch. I punched the switch and the bars lifted that lead to the door.

Behind that door was pitch black nothingness. Having a flashlight was an advantage or else I would never go through the darkness. I walked forward and felt this creepy atmosphere, knights were standing on the corners and I felt they had eyes piercing mine.

I reached through large room filled with knights, an unfinished puzzle in the middle. I think I've seen that picture or symbol somewhere and it gave me a clue to what it originally looked like.

I arranged the stone puzzle for a few minutes until it only left with a missing piece.

I pulled out the Stone Tablet and it fitted perfectly on the stone puzzle. I heard something operated, making me flinch and pointing my flashlight to the source of the sound. A shutter lifted up and revealed a room. I sighed at how jumpy I was.

Anyways, I entered the room and found various treasures like Gold Bangles and Spinels. But there was a treasure that's different from the rest. A round crest was mounted on a statue's bosom. I slowly pulled out the Salazar Family Insignia and the shutter closed, making me flinch once again.

Joy.

The statue rotated, causing the dust on the ceiling to fall that's been lingering on it for years. I felt it entered my nose and in an instant, I freaking sneezed twice.

A chest was replaced and I opened it, revealing a part of something, it looked like a part of something, it was a Serpent Ornament. I took it and the shutter once again opened, making me flinch again.

"God, are there still jump-scares?" I mumbled to myself as I roll my eyes. I was about to make my exit when I heard metals hitting the ground, coming closer to me.

I hovered the flashlight to the knights that's been charging towards me with their long axes and spear that's eager to impale or stab me, anything that'll inflict damage on me.

My mouth parted in shock as it swing its weapon on my face and I ran through the table, playing tag with them. The knights were like seven to eight feet and I felt devoured.

I ran right pass them in full speed and came back to the creepy knights standing on the corner, except that it was holding its axe in a stance that is ready to hit a log. And that log is me.

I fall back and hit the ground with my butt as it swing its axe on the floor and it fall to pieces. I stood up as I heard the sound of clanking metals from the distance and ran my way back.

I pushed the door and punched on the switch, descending the bars to prevent the knights to gain access to me.

I sighed in relief, ditched the flashlight and exit the abandoned room.

I made my way back to the blue metal door with the strange dais. As expected, the Salazar Family Insignia fitted perfectly and gave me the chance to turn the dais. The secret passage was revealed, a ladder ascended and a long, narrow way.

And I hope that'll lead me back to Leon and Tiffa.

•••

"What's taking her so long?" I asked impatiently for the nth time as we stroll around the concourse for about one and half an hour.

Leon didn't bother to answer my questions anymore because he is also becoming impatient. But not as impatient as I was.

The door we checked earlier from which we are sure that was locked opened, revealing a very familiar girl and locked eyes with us.

Ashley smiled ear to ear as she ran to us. "Guys!" She shrieked as she practically gave us a tight death hug.

"You did good," Leon chuckled as he rub circles on her back.

Ashley pulled away, a worried expression on her eyes.

I frowned. "Ash, what's wrong? Are you hurt?" I asked worryingly and put a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm..." She trailed off. "I'm sorry if I was..." She looked down, seemingly ashamed to mention it.

I looked at Leon who was looking at me with a silly smile.

"Don't worry about it." Leon amended and Ashley lifted her head, a smile forming on her lips. "Come on, let's move on."

Just as we are about to make our progress, Leon's radio made a noise. He rolled his eyes and pulled it out from his belt. I shrugged and turned to Ashley as Leon dealt with Salazar over the radio.

"So hey, Ashley," I whispered to her and she looked at me. "Tell me about your wonderful adventure." I inquired then wiggled my eyebrows and grinned.

She rolled her eyes, chuckling to herself. "I don't think "wonderful" is the right word to describe my adventure." She informed me with a laugh.

"All spoiled thanks to your interruption." Leon retorted over the radio with an eye roll. "Why don't you do us a favor and leave before the audience gets pissed off?" Leon smirked at his sly remark.

Ashley and I giggled and turned our attention at each other. "I got ran over by a couple of cultists, a dusty abandoned knight room with some puzzles and guess what's the most horrifying thing that's happened to me?" She asked and I smiled.

"I never remember being part of your crappy script." Leon retorted.

"What?" I asked just for her to continue.

"The armored knights moved!" She shrieked in disbelief.

My eyebrows furrowed. "No way."

Ashley nodded. "Yes way," She sighed. "It's like they're possessed or something." She mumbled.

"Okay," Leon called out which caught our attention.

"Done already?" I asked and Leon nodded, unsure. "Aw, I wanted to hear a bit more of the sassy Leon." I pouted and Ashley giggled.

Leon rolled his eyes. "Let's move."

We moved to the succeeding hallway that I've been itching to check on for the last one and half an hour. Leon positioned himself and held the left door knob while I held on the right one. Leon nodded and we quickly opened the door and pointed our guns in different directions. The area was clean.

It was a grand granola and a caterpillar ride (or that's what it looked like) was on another left room and a lift that lead to another metal double doors from the distance.

I looked down at the lift and my eyes widened. "Sweet baby Jesus," I mumbled in horror as I watch the abyss of lava flowing down.

"I'm gonna go," Leon informed and turned to us. "Stay here."

Now I don't have any objections on that one. I nodded. "Sure," I agreed. "I'll keep an extra eye on Ashley from now on." I reassured him.

Leon nodded and proceeded to lift his feet on the space to get on to the other side. Leon didn't spare us another glance and slammed the metal door behind him and now, we're alone.

I sighed and sat on the cold floor. Ashley followed. "Remember the last time Leon left us by ourselves?" I asked her.

Ashley didn't answer for a moment, focusing her eyes on the ceiling, probably thinking. Then she smiled. "I fell asleep."

I chuckled. "Yeah," I agreed. "Leon sure always stick his neck out for us."

"And we're just sleeping." Ashley added with a giggle.

I giggled back. "But he said that once we finish this, we can have all the rest that we deserve."

"I can't wait for that moment." Ashley sighed.

"Me too." I nodded in agreement.

I never once cared about the time but now that I'm on standby, I can't help but get curious to what time it is. I mean, we barely slept and ate.

"What time is it?" I asked.

"I'm hungry so..." She trailed off. "Maybe supper time or so?" She looked at me with questioning eyes. "Why do you ask?"

I shrugged. "Just curious."

And the rest of the time spent is us sitting on the floor, fighting to stay awake and waiting for Leon to emerge.

"After ten decades," I mumbled as Leon was standing on the lift that's coming back to us.

Ashley just giggled beside me.

Leon smiled as he stopped in front of us. "What?" I asked.

"I thought for a moment that when I come back, I'll see you two asleep again." He stated with a smile.

I rolled my eyes playfully. "Sorry to disappoint you."

"Let's go," Leon beckoned and took the lead to the catterpillar ride.

Ashley and I sat on the right side, Leon in front of us.

Steffany used to love catterpillar rides.

We just sat there, waiting for the ride to come to a halt and taking us to God knows where.

We stopped by a metal door. Leon let us come out first and he followed.

Leon unlocked the door and we were once again back to the Audience Hall.

The hall where there was the beautiful wall decoration and the missing Ornaments.

Leon pulled out a Goat and Lion Ornament while Ashley pulled out the Serpent Ornament.

We watched Leon as he put the pieces to where it belonged and the wall descended, giving us access to the golden double doors.

"Okay," I whispered to myself, getting ready to another chapter of tragedies.