GROUNDWORK FOR GETTING THE RELIC:  As you probably noticed during the earlier cut scene, the RELIC in this level is one of the Thor statue's eyeballs.  Getting it is a bit complicated but well worth the effort.  First drop back down to the central platform and return to the big screw.  Grapple either of the rings on it and turn it back to its original position.

You'll know the screw is all the way up when you see a cut scene of the Thor statue lowering its head and moving the hand holding the hammer back toward its chest.

Now go to the ornately carved pillar on the other side of the screw.  With Lara wearing the belt and gauntlets, it glows with blue energy.  Use your Thor strength to push the huge column along the groove in the floor until it stops in the depression at the end.  With the column positioned here, you'll be able to use it later to jump across to the hammer and get the RELIC.

CLIMBING TO THE MIDDLE LEVEL:  Climb back on top of the column where you found the health potion earlier.  Turn away from the Thor statue toward the serpent's head and grapple the ring on its chin.  Jump off the column to hang from the cable.  You need to move fast now, since Lara's weight on the cable opens the serpent's mouth, causing toxic water to flow back into the pool.  If you don't get off the cable before the rising water reaches Lara, she'll be killed.

So quickly retract the cable until Lara is hanging just below the serpent's head.  Turn on the cable to face the column.  Do not swing back and forth.  This will take Lara right into the cascade coming from the serpent's mouth.  Instead just jump forward off the cable to grab the handhold ahead.  Climb to the left and pull up onto the brownish stone ledge between the columns.

IMPORTANT:  If Lara dies before reaching the next checkpoint, the game will reload, and the screw and column will still be in their original positions.  Be sure to raise the screw and move the column again before going on.  Otherwise, you won't be able to get the relic later.  If you forget to do this, you'll have to lower the water level again and drop down to the central platform to rearrange the screw and column.

MIDGARD SERPENT POOL – MIDDLE LEVEL (again):  When you pull up onto the brownish stone block beside the serpent's head, 2 Mayan thralls rise out of the pool a the right end of the ledge.  Another pair of thralls takes their place when they fall, but after you've dealt with them, it's safe to move on.

Go to the end of the ledge and jump across the gap in the floor to grab the lowest of the stone handholds on the wall.  Climb up the three stacked handholds and along the top ledge to the right.  From there, jump across the water to land on the rough stone ledge to the right.  (This is the same ledge you climbed earlier after crossing the crumbling handholds on the square columns.)

Jump up to grab the metal beam and pull up.  Cross the beams as you did earlier, this time jumping the gap where the crumbling section was before.  Drop down on the other side.

Turn so the pool is on Lara's right.  Another 4 Mayan thralls—first two, then another two—rise up from the pool ahead.  Destroy them all.  If you still have some grenades left, you may want to jump out to the pillar in the pool, as described in the next paragraph, and blow up the thralls from safety.

OBTAINING THE RELIC:  Climb onto the rough stone block that juts out over the pool.  Jump from the end of the block to the top of the column you moved earlier.  Turn left and jump to the top of the next column.  From there, jump to grab the edge of Thor's hammer.  Pull up, step up onto the highest part of the hammer and press Interact to take the RELIC that is Thor's right eye.

NOTE:  If you can't get the relic because you didn't realize you needed to move the pillar and hammer, you can still do that now.  Just return to the other side of the MIDDLE LEVEL and lower the water level again.  Then climb down to the platform in the middle of the pool.  Loosen the big screw and move the column with the blue runes (as described above).  Then climb back up here to retrieve the relic.

CLIMBING BACK TO THE UPPER LEVEL:  After taking the relic, step back down onto the lower part of the hammer.  Grapple the metal ring beneath the first serpent's head.  Then jump off the hammer to dangle from the cable.  Lara's weight pulls the serpent's mouth open, so the pool starts to fill again.  So go quickly now before Lara drowns in poisoned water.  Climb the cable until Lara is hanging just below the serpent's chin.  If necessary, turn on the cable so Lara is facing the stone block just to the left of the serpent's neck.  Swing forward and jump to grab it.  Pull up.  Now Lara is safe from the rising water and you can take your time.

Hop down on the other side of the block.  Climb the rocks on the left.  Then climb along the narrow handhold around the corner and on to the left.  When you can't climb any farther, jump back to land near the entrance.

MIDGARD SERPENT POOL – UPPER LEVEL (again):  Before leaving this area, pick up the last two treasures.  With the stairs that lead out of here on Lara's right and the pool on her left, run forward to the corner.  There's a carved block here that you passed earlier.  Only now, with the belt and gauntlets, the runes on it glow.  Pull the block away from the corner to reveal 2 treasures (49 and 50/50).

RETURN TO THE SURFACE:  Now that you have all the treasures and the relic, head for the exit.  Follow the stairs up to the first cave-in.  Climb through the opening in the rocks and drop down on the other side.  Get back on the motorcycle and follow the passage to the next cave-in.

Dismount and push the carved block on the left forward as far as it will go.  Now you can drive the motorcycle through the gap.  Pick up the XIBALBA KEY from the floor here if you didn't get it earlier.

Then continue up the stairs to the LORDS OF XIBALBA STATUE ROOM.  There are 3 giant spiders here now.  If you want to, you can stop and kill them or try and run them over.  Or, just ignore them and drive on.

Continue up the stairs and along the twisting passageway.  Jump the first 2 pits using the log ramps and then stop the bike to avoid sliding into the third pit.  To raise the ramps, first jump to grab the lower of the horizontal poles on the right.  Climb in toward the wall and pull up to crouch on top of the pole.  Then wall jump up to the higher pole.  Pull up to stand on top of it and walk to the end.  Jump to grab the pole on the other side of the hallway.  Climb in toward the wall, turn right, swing, jump and grab the light-colored handhold on the support column ahead.  Lara's weight pulls part of the column down, raising the ramps above the pit.

Get back on the bike and use the speed burst to get across.  Follow the hallway back to the entrance room with the large spike pit.  Dismount here and place the XIBALBA KEY in the empty spot to the right of the switch.  Then pull the switch to open the exit.

Position the motorcycle facing the exit.  Again, use the speed burst—hold the brake (Jump), rev the engine (Forward) and then release the brake—to race forward, jumping the deep pit in the doorway and landing on the ramp beyond.

Cinematic:  Lara emerges through the Xibalba gate and it begins to close behind her.  She stops to phone Zip and report on her progress and have him send the hammer's coordinates to her PDA.  Lara also asks if he's made any progress on his “other project.” Zip says he hasn't tracked them down yet, though it's not clear at this point to what or whom he is referring.  Lara says she'll call again when she reaches her next destination, Jan Mayen Island, in the North Atlantic between Norway, Iceland and Greenland.

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