Tomb Raider 8: Underworld

LEVEL 7: ARCTIC SEA - PART 3: OUT OF TIME

Health Items: 6
Treasures: 0
Relics: 0
Keys/Puzzle Items: 0

The goal here is to destroy the device so Natla will not be able to use it. This is a multi-step process, and there are several possible ways to complete all the steps. The first thing you'll need to do is move three carved panels in order to expose three power nodes. The nodes are located at the base of each of the angled buttresses that support the central tower. Then, you must smash the three power nodes to destroy the device. Below I have described what I hope is the most direct route to each panel and node.

MIDGARD SERPENT DEVICE - MIDDLE LEVEL:

Step forward and pick up the health potion. Stand at the edge of the curved walkway facing out toward the center of the room. Wait for one of the moving platforms to approach from the left and then jump forward to grab the edge of it. Pull up onto the platform, ride it around the circle and jump off onto the reddish ledge with the metal ring.

CLIMBING DOWN TO THE LOWER LEVEL:

Grapple the ring and step back off the edge. Let out the cable to lower Lara toward the ledge below. Since that ledge is not directly below, you'll have to swing forward and then release the cable to land on solid floor. Pick up the health potion. Don't linger here too long or Natla starts bombarding Lara with fireballs.

LOWER LEVEL:

Throughout your explorations on this level, numerous Yeti thralls spawn out of the pool. If you stay alert, you can destroy most of them before they get to you. Natla also arrives periodically to pelt Lara with fireballs. These don't do too much damage, but if Lara is standing near the edge of a ledge, the force of the blow can knock her into the pool. So try to avoid them if possible as you make your way around the perimeter.

While standing on the ledge where you got the health potion, face the center of the room. Take a running jump down to the ledge below. If you swan dive or roll when Lara lands, she won't take any damage.

EXPOSING THE FIRST POWER NODE:

After dealing with the next crop of Yetis, go to the right edge of the ledge (i.e., right when facing the center of the room). Start at the inner corner (i.e., closest to the center of the room, where the gap between ledges is narrowest) and jump across the water to grab the higher ledge ahead. Pull up, turn right and run forward into the alcove.

Push the carved panel with the glowing blue symbols forward as far as it will go. This exposes a power node on the back of the structure above. This is one of three power nodes you must later destroy in order to prevent Natla from using the device.

Step away from the panel and smite another couple of Yeti thralls. Then run to the end of the walkway and turn right. Continue around the circle, first jumping down to the nearest wedge-shaped ledge. Again, be sure to make the jump near the end where the gap between ledges is smallest. Cross this ledge and jump to grab the higher ledge ahead. Pull up.

EXPOSING THE SECOND POWER NODE:

If you look to the right, you'll see that this ledge is broken and does not extend all the way out to the carved panel. So ignore it and continue around the circle. Jump down to the next wedge-shaped ledge. Jump to grab the edge of the higher ledge ahead and then pull up. Turn right, go to the carved panel and push it as you did the other. Doing this exposes the second power node on the back of the structure above.

Deal with a few more Yeti thralls and then continue around the circle: Go to the end of the walkway nearest the center of the pool, jump down to the wedge-shaped ledge on the right, jump to grab the next higher ledge, pull up and turn right.

CLIMBING BACK TO THE MIDDLE LEVEL:

There's a health potion on the low stone step at the end of this ledge. Watch out for Yetis and fireballs. Grab the health and then step into the narrow space between the support columns. Chimney jump up to the handhold on the left wall. Climb along the handhold to the right, jump to grab the next handhold, and then climb around to the back of the column.

Continue climbing to the right and then jump straight up twice to reach the uppermost of the three handholds here. Climb to the left and then jump the gap to grab the flat ledge on the left. Pull up, vault up onto the ledge just ahead and turn right. Step to the edge and jump forward to grab the nearest corner of the ledge above. Pull up.

MIDDLE LEVEL (again):

Move to the edge of the ledge so the central tower is on Lara's left and she is overlooking the wide, curved ledge below. Ahead you'll see the metal ring you used to climb down to the lower level. Jump down to the wide ledge and go forward past the metal ring.

Natla resumes her fireball barrage at this point. So go quickly and carefully from here. Jump the gap in the ledge and run forward toward the large stone structure with the two lines of red glyphs on it. This is one of three similar structures supporting the angled buttresses that hold up the CENTRAL STRUCTURE. I refer to them as buttress supports.

Alternately, starting from the high ledge you reach after climbing up from the LOWER LEVEL, wait for one of the moving platforms to come into range and then jump onto it. As it moves around the circle, turn to face the edge of the room. Ride past the ledge with the metal grapple ring and jump off on the ledge near the buttress support.

DESTROYING THE FIRST POWER NODE:

Use the low block on the side of the buttress support to climb onto it. Pick up the health potion at the front corner and then go around to the back of the structure. Stand close to the power node and press Interact to smash it.

Cinematic: The destruction of the power node causes a chain reaction, in which the angled buttress above breaks into fragments, which are then added to the rings of moving platforms.

Go around to the front of the structure and drop down onto the ledge overlooking the center of the pool. Wait for one of the moving platforms to approach and jump onto it. Ride it past the gap in the walkway, where a large waterfall spills from the ceiling, then on past the entrance. When the platform approaches the next tall stone support pillar—the one with the two carved serpent heads—jump onto the ledge in front of it.

CLIMBING TO THE UPPER LEVEL:

Between the two halves of the support pillar is a tall, narrow alcove containing a health potion.

NOTE: If you don't see an alcove here and instead there's a solid stone block, then you missed something earlier. You'll need to return to the LOWER LEVEL and push the carved panel at the base of this structure in order to expose the alcove on the MIDDLE LEVEL and the power node high above on the UPPER LEVEL. To get back down to the lower level from here, jump onto one of the moving platforms, ride around to the reddish ledge with the metal ring and jump off there. Then follow the instructions for CLIMBING DOWN TO THE LOWER LEVEL, above. Push the carved panel, as described in that section, and then return to the MIDDLE LEVEL and the support pillar with the two carved serpent heads.

Jump into the alcove and pick up the health potion. Then chimney jump up the sides of the alcove to grab the handhold on the right wall. Climb to the right, around the corner and on past the rough spot on the front of the column. Continue climbing around to the right side of the column and onto the nubby stone handholds. Climb up the rough handholds as high as Lara can go.

At this point, a brief situational adrenaline sequence occurs. Time slows and the camera shifts to Natla hovering behind Lara. She launches a fireball and you must jump straight up to avoid it and grab the next set of handholds. If you are successful, things return to normal. Otherwise, Lara dies and the game reloads with her clinging to the front of the column, and you have to try again.

Once you get past the adrenaline sequence, continue climbing to the top of the rough stones. Climb to the left as far as possible and then jump to grab the horizontal handhold beyond. Traverse around to the small ledge on the front of the column and pull up. Jump forward to grab the ledge ahead and pull up once more.

UPPER LEVEL:

Now Lara should be standing on the broken circular walkway on the level above the one where you began. Natla moves around to hover in front of Lara and starts hurling fireballs down at the walkway. As if that wasn't enough, a Yeti thrall materializes out of the waterfall just ahead, and 2 more Yetis approach from the far end of the walkway. Use the hammer to deal with the nearest foe first. Then, if you stand back between the waterfall and the stone support pillar, you can kill the other two Yetis as they approach, while remaining out of Natla's firing range.

After you've taken care of the Yetis, run or sprint forward along the walkway, moving counterclockwise around the huge circle and doing your best to avoid the fireballs and the flaming areas that remain on the floor where they've hit. You're headed for the reddish-colored wall just behind where Natla is hovering. There's a metal ring high on the wall between the two lines of red glyphs. Grapple the ring and swing across the gap to the other side.

NOTE: It's possible to climb down the wall here or up to the ledge above, where you can see a health potion; however, if you've followed this walkthrough, you shouldn't need to return to the lower level again, and you aren't quite ready to climb to the very top.

EXPOSING THE THIRD POWER NODE:

After grapple swinging across the gap, follow the curved walkway forward toward the next buttress support (i.e., the stone structure with the two lines of red glyphs on it). Natla tries to slow you down with more fireballs, and another Yeti thrall materializes from the waterfall ahead. Work your way past those hazards. Then run into the small alcove at the front of the structure. Push the carved panel as far as it will go. This exposes a power node on top of this structure. You'll need to destroy that a bit later on, but you can't reach it from here.

NOTE: This is the node you were not able to expose earlier because the walkway leading to the corresponding carved panel on the LOWER LEVEL was broken. Although this is the third power node exposed, it will actually be the second node to be destroyed, as described in the section that follows.

CLIMBING TO THE NODE:

Let go of the carved panel and turn around to face the CENTRAL STRUCTURE. There are no moving platforms within reach, so you'll have to climb to the next power node. Run back to the left along the curved walkway. When you reach the red wall, grapple the ring and this time climb up the wall. When Lara is hanging just below the ledge on the right with the health potion, begin running from side to side. Run back and forth several times to build momentum and then, when Lara runs to the right, jump to release the cable and grab the ledge. Pull up and take the health. Then turn around and climb up to the wide ledge above.

DESTROYING THE SECOND POWER NODE:

Move to the edge nearest the center of the room to trigger a checkpoint. Then go around behind the stone wall to take cover from Natla's fireballs as you wait for one of the small floating platforms to come within range. Jump onto it and stand at the outer front corner as the platform moves past the small waterfall and on toward the next buttress support (i.e., the large, stone structure with two lines of red glyphs on it). Jump to the nearest corner of the buttress support when it is close enough to reach. Go around to the back and smash the power node.

Cinematic: The second buttress breaks apart and its components join the rings of moving platforms. Then the scene shifts to the entrance. Amanda arrives pursued by a huge Yeti thrall. She stumbles and falls from the ledge but staggers to her feet and manages to hold off the thralls using the power of the Wraith Stone. Natla soon notices this and sends a fireball hurtling toward Amanda. Before she can get up again, we see more thralls lumbering along the hallway.

CLIMBING THE CENTRAL STRUCTURE:

Your goal now is the remaining buttress support. However, there is no moving platform high enough to take you there directly. Instead you must take a roundabout route.

Go around to the front of the buttress support and face the central tower. Wait for one of the moving platforms to approach and jump onto it. As the platform moves around the circle, continue facing the central structure and step to the front edge of the platform. Wait for one of the platforms in the next ring to approach and jump forward to grab the edge. Pull up to stand on top of it. At this point you should be circling on the uppermost ring of moving platforms.

Step forward to the edge of the platform. When it moves past one of the handholds on the cylindrical CENTRAL STRUCTURE, jump forward to grab it. Now watch the moving ring above, and when one of the horizontal handholds is approaching but is not yet directly above, jump straight up. The ledge should move within grabbing range by the time Lara reaches it.

Ride this ring around until it passes beneath a group of closely spaced horizontal handholds. Climb up onto them and continue climbing until Lara is holding onto the top one in the group of four. Jump straight up to grab the lowest handhold in the next group. Climb around to the left side of the panel and then jump straight up three times to reach the highest handhold on the side of the panel. Then climb back to the right and up to the top of the next four closely spaced handholds.

Another short situational adrenaline sequence happens here. Time slows as Natla hurls multiple fireballs. To avoid them, drop down so Lara is hanging from the lowest handhold in this group. The fireballs should then impact just above her. Once the sequence is over, climb back up and jump to grab one of the moving handholds above. Hang on and ride the moving ring around to the right.

DESTROYING THE THIRD POWER NODE:

When the handhold passes over the sloping buttress, let go to land on it. Slide all the way down to the buttress support below. Turn to face the power node and press Interact to smash it.

NOTE: The third power node to be destroyed is actually the second one you exposed by pushing one of the carved panels on the LOWER LEVEL. It doesn't really matter as long as you smash all three, but there may be some confusion because the nodes are exposed and then destroyed in a different order.

Final Cinematic: The third buttress falls apart just as the others did. Now, with nothing supporting it, the central structure begins to wobble. Natla, outraged, flies down to the base of the tower and tries to prop it up. Lara sees what she's doing and hurls Mjolnir down toward her. Her aim is true; the hammer strikes with a huge flash, knocking Natla into the pool below. The tower tumbles down after her.

As the walkways crumble and the water level rises, Lara runs for the exit. She finds Amanda lying on the floor and tries to help her up, but Amanda shoves her away.

"After killing the Midgard Serpent, Thor dies from its venom anyway," Amanda taunts.

"Not if you clear the corridor and get us out of here," Lara replies. Amanda tries, but the Wraith Stone is apparently drained.

"Out of juice," she says. "Just like Bolivia. The good news is we saved the world. The bad news is now we're going to die here. . . just like your mother."

Lara turns toward Amanda, ready to strike, but stops short. Amanda's mention of Bolivia and Amelia has given Lara an idea. Just like the ruins where she last fought Amanda, and the ones in Tibet where her mother was lost, this room contains a circle of standing stones and a portal. She runs to this dais with Amanda limping after her.

Lara examines the sword in the stone. "Mother must have tried to use it to escape but didn't know how." She presses the sword into the stone, raising the ring-shaped portal. The glyphs on the standing stones begin to glow red.

"If pulling out these artifacts always brings you here, what will happen if I'm already here?" she wonders aloud.

"Maybe you'll go to hell," Amanda snarls.

At first Lara doesn't understand why the portal has not activated. Then she spots a chunk of one of the steles lying on the floor. She lifts it back into place but finds she can't hold it there and reach the sword at the same time.

"Damn it! I can't reach the sword." Then realization dawns. "But you can," she tells Amanda.

Amanda looks at her skeptically. "What about you?"

"I can reach you if you hold out your hand."

"You trust me?" Amanda is incredulous.

"We're out of time!"

Amanda's conscience struggles with her hatred and selfishness. Then, miraculously, conscience wins. "Now!" she yells, as she yanks the sword from the stone and simultaneously reaches for Lara's hand.

Thousands of miles away, in a ruined monastery in Tibet, another portal is activated. Lara and Amanda tumble out onto the floor. As Lara picks up the sword, Amanda clutches the Wraith Stone, now recharged. The two old adversaries eye each other warily.

"So it's back to this, is it?" Lara asks.

"What? You think we're even?" Amanda replies.

Lara stows the sword behind her, allowing Amanda the upper hand. "Will killing me make us even?"

Amanda ponders this for a moment then limps away, leaving Lara alone in front of the broken pedestal. Lara picks up a few tattered sheets of paper. We see that they are leaves from her old journal with childlike drawings of Yetis.

"Goodbye, Mother," she says softly. "Rest in peace."

As she leaves the ruins, the camera pans up to a hole in the roof, and we see snow falling from a darkening sky.

- THE END -