The Crystal of Power

Level created by Klona

Walkthrough written by Nina Croft

Secrets to be found: 2

The level begins with a fly-by showing the tower with several tiers, and of course, a big double door at the bottom level. The goal of the level is to collect four Puzzle Items and two Keys which open the double door. The main gameplay is placed in this tower. Important note: you will have to conserve the Uzi and Shotgun ammo for the final battle, so for smaller enemies use only your double pistols.

CENTRAL TOWER, GROUND LEVEL: Lara begins the level at the entrance, standing on the movable wooden crate. For a start, push this crate aside and take the Uzi clips which will be very useful later. Then jump over the pool to the central platform and once on it, go left, get down in the water and pick up a Small Medipack. Be very careful to avoid corner tiles of this pool, as they contain spikes. Climb out of the pool and go to the double doors. To the right of these doors, in the corner behind the fish statue, there is a wall switch. Pull it to open the door nearby. Go around to the North wall of the tower and climb into the opening there. Pick up some flares from the corner. Go up the stairs and notice the wall torch that should be lit later. Continue going up the stairs and enter the room to the right.

THE TOWER ABOVE THE SPIKE PIT: Across the pit with spikes there is a ladder but the trapdoor above them is closed. To open it, you have to move the pushable vase (which has no spears in it) onto the slightly different floor tile on the right side of the pit (the vase with spears stands on the left side of the pit, and the position of the pushable vase should be symmetrical with this one). However, notice this different floor tile now, as it will be helpful later as well. When you placed the pushable vase correctly, the trapdoor above the ladder will drop. You can cross to the other side of the pit using the rope, but there is an easier way to do it: stand close to the left wall of the room and run jump to grab the first horizontal pool. Hold Action and Forward to swing around and press Jump to jump off and grab the second pole. From there jump to the other side of the pit, climb the central block and go up the ladder to the upper level of the tower.

Jump backwards with twist from the ladder onto the floor and kill one dog lurking in the corner. Pick up more flares in the SE corner near the "fake" ladders and try not to fall through one of holes into the spike pit below. Face the ladder where you have just climbed up and notice one pillar standing to the left of it. The tile to the right of the ladder is marked, but there is no pillar on top of it. Another, pushable pillar is standing in the corner to the right, but you cannot push it towards its proper place yet, as the trapdoor next to it is dropped. You have to raise it first. So, go to the SE corner where you found the flares and run jump over the gap to land in the very corner of the room. Look to the left and above and notice a jump switch. Okay, now go to the left and climb onto the broken pillar in the corner. Jump to the pillar in the middle of the room and notice the closed trapdoor above. From the corner of this pillar jump diagonally to grab the JS. Once you pull it, the trapdoor near the pushable pillar will raise. To Lara's right there are two traps. Go through the left one, as the right is slightly more difficult, due to the skeleton lying there. Once through the trap, jump diagonally to the right to land on the floor in front of the pushable pillar. Push the pillar (towards the West) onto the trapdoor, back flip from it and jump over the gap to the left. Go around and now pull the pillar towards its tile. Once onto the tile to the left of the ladder, the trapdoor near the JS will drop. Return there once again and from the higher edge of the pillar, jump to grab the opening and climb onto the second level.

Kill another dog here, and go around, jumping over the gaps, to the SW corner of the room. Jump up to grab the edge of the slanted pillar, pull up and bounce off backwards to land on the next slanted pillar facing downhill. Keep the Jump button pressed and bounce off to land on the flat corner ledge of the top level. Climb over the low rock to the left and enter the room on top of the tower. Do not try to take double pistols and compass from the tile with skeleton, as spikes will kill Lara (anyway, you don't need these items, Lara has them already; this is just a decoration and a decoy). Kill one dog along the way and notice one RECEPTACLE on the opposite wall. Remember this. In this room there are four low pillars, three of them containing hidden spikes. You have to climb on top of the safe one; if you are facing the receptacle, the safe one is in the far right corner. Climb on top of it and observe the textures. This room serves as the clue to the spiked tiles in the central tower's first tier. Stand in the center of the current room and point Lara towards the block containing the tile without spikes, towards SE. Keep this in mind. Return to the opening where you climbed up. Before you drop down, run jump across to take a SM lying on the floor.

Drop to the lower level, then go to the other side and drop to the first level. Jump across the gap or go through the spikes in the middle to get back to the ladder near the spike pit. Climb down, run jump to grab the rope, swing to the other side and jump off the rope on the other side. Return to the main tower.

CENTRAL TOWER, FIRST TIER: In the shallow pool encircling the central structure, there are four corner tiles with spikes. However, one corner tile is safe. In order to figure out which one, you will have to use the clue you found in the room with the first receptacle. The corner tile in the pool which has the same texture as the safe tile you have just seen is safe. So step on it to lower a trapdoor above the ladder in the central structure. Climb on the central structure, then on a low block below the ladder, and up the ladder to the first tier. Kill a couple of bats once up there.

Notice several things since you are already here: two movable objects (one pillar and one crate), and one dropped trapdoor near the N wall. There is a switch nearby, but in order to get there, you will have to raise this trapdoor first. So, go South, jump to the entrance of the tunnel, stay to the left until the boulder passes away, and climb the ladder there. Jump back from the ladder to land near the closed gate. To the left of this gate there is a wall switch. Pull it to raise the trapdoor you saw earlier. Return to the central tower, and before you jump to the raised trapdoor, do some pushing. First push the crate towards the North (remember, you can climb this crate). Then pull the pillar towards the centre of the tier. Climb over the crate and run off diagonally to the left to land on the other side of the pillar. Push the pillar towards the opposite side of the tier. Now you cleared the way for the upcoming timed run.

Run jump to land on the raised trapdoor N. Turn left, run jump to grab the pole, swing around and jump to grab the second pole. Jump off to land on a triangle-ledge in the corner. Save your game. Run, steer to the left and jump from the outer corner of the ledge to grab the block below the switch. Pull up and save your game before you pull the switch. Pull it to open the gate near the switch you previously pulled. You have to be very fast to get there on time. So, once you pull the switch, side step to the right, roll and run, steering slightly to the right. Jump from the edge to land on the central structure, keep running and go right, jump into the tunnel and quickly grab the ladder. You don't have to climb up, just jump with twist to land in front of the gate, hopefully while still open. Go through, but take care not to rush straight onto the square with concealed burner.

ROOM WITH BURNERS: When the fly-by is finished, save your game. The same goes after every successful jump in this room. Some floor tiles in this room contain concealed burners and you should avoid them. In order to locate the safe from deadly tiles, take a look at the ceiling. Above the safe tiles, the ceiling is textured with slightly lighter textures. Also, when performing jumps (stand jumps or run jumps), do not step outside the blue square of the safe tiles, as Lara will catch the fire otherwise. From the entrance, stand jump onto the safe tile near the wall on the right (diagonally to the left). Look up and you'll see that the next tile, straight ahead, is also safe. Save your game here, as the next jump is rather tricky. Locate the next safe tile near the wall on the left. You have to run jump with curve to the right in order to clear the column and land on that safe tile. Once there, save again, turn to the next safe tile and stand jump onto it. Go to the switch and pull it to open double trap door leading to the upper tier in the central tower. Also notice the second RECEPTACLE near the switch. Now arm with patience and repeat the jumps across the deadly floor in reverse order to get back to the entrance. Return to the central tower and jump over to the central structure.

CENTRAL TOWER, SECOND TIER: In order to climb to the upper tier, you need to push the crate to the tile where the pushable column initially stood (west edge). Climb on top of it and then up to the second tier. Kill a dog there and pick up flares from the floor. You'll see another pushable crate. Pull it once towards the centre of the tier, climb on top of it and drop to the other side. Pick up Uzi clips from the floor and push the crate to the West. Now go to the left side of the crate and push it to the right. Climb on top of it and stand jump to grab the monkey swing above. Swing to the rock with another switch. Pull it to open a door nearby. You cannot return the way you came, so when facing the switch, turn right and run jump to grab the horizontal pole. Swing around, jump off to land on a slanted block in the corner, jump off and grab the second pole. Swing around and jump to grab the ledge in front of the entrance to the tunnel. Pull up, turn left, make a few steps and once inside the tunnel quickly move to the left corner, to avoid the boulder coming from the tunnel. It will kill another dog on its way, so don't bother. Once the boulder lands in the water deep below, enter the tunnel and climb the rock on the left to the door you have just opened with the last switch. As soon as you enter, save your game.

ROOM WITH MANY TRAPS: Don't worry; it looks far more difficult than it actually is. Time the spikes ahead and when they retract, step onto that tile and quickly step off onto the lower floor to the right, where you are safe. Turn to face N. Time the spikes ahead, go straight and continue going forward until you reach the third RECEPTACLE for a star. In this way you triggered the boulder, but it didn't hurt you. Before you proceed, note few details (apart from the receptacle). In the corner to the right of the receptacle there is a pit with spikes and swinging blades above. To the left of the receptacle there is a pushable pillar, but you cannot push it at the moment. So, turn S and wait for the boulder to become still. Once it happens, go towards the spikes, time them and cross them to the other side, where the floor is lower and safe. Turn right and time another spikes. On the lower floor on the other side notice the tile with spikes, skeleton, Uzis and medipack. In order to get the goodies, you need to deactivate these spikes.

So, turn right (towards North) and time another spikes there. On the other side pick up Uzi clips, continue going forward towards the switch to the left of the pushable pillar. Also, notice the pit with spikes below the swinging blades in the left corner. Pull the switch to lower the block in front of the pushable pillar and retract the spikes in the pits. Do not step on the tile where the block was, because the spikes will kill Lara. Instead, take a couple of steps back from the switch and turn diagonally to the left to face the pit in the corner. So, you need to time the swinging blade and to jump into this pit when the blade is away. Pull the switch in this pit to retract the spikes where the goodies are located. Move away from the switch, look up to see the swinging blade and once it moves away take a standing diagonal jump to jump out of the pit and land on the tile in front of the first switch. Now jump over the spike tile in front of the pushable pillar and using the same tactic, jump into the pit in the corner to the right of the receptacle. Pull the switch there and jump out of the pit in the same way as you did in the first pit. Now the spikes in front of the pushable pillar are retracted. Push the pillar towards the wall. Now the spikes on the tile with skeleton and Uzis are retracted, and one trapdoor in the central tower is now raised. Make your way back across the spikes to the tile with the skeleton and pick up UZIS and a small medipack. Go out of the room and jump across to the central structure.

CENTRAL TOWER, SECRETS: Go towards the pushable crate and push it aside (to the left). Step onto the raised trapdoor and run jump onto the small triangular ledge near the wall. On this ledge turn left and stand jump to grab the block nearby. Pull up but don't go up to the block above yet. Instead, drop on the other side of this block to the block below and pick up the Torch. Turn to face the central structure (not the corner) and drop the torch by pressing 1 (not by pressing Space key) to the ground level. Do not drop down to the ground level yet. Climb the higher block and run jump diagonally to land on the trapdoor near the central structure. Cross to the other side, run jump as if you want again to enter the tunnel from which you come out earlier. Do not enter the tunnel but grab the edge of the platform in front of it. Traverse to the left around the corner and drop to grab the crevice in the wall below. Shimmy all the way to the left and pull up into a narrow tunnel in the corner, where you'll find Secret #1: Big medipack, shotgun ammo and flares. Hang from the edge of the tunnel and move to the left as far as you can. Make sure that Lara's health is topped, and then drop down to the ground level.

Make your way around the room to find the torch you dropped. Jump onto the central structure and lit the torch carefully on the flame burning there. Now go to the North, into the first room you entered at the beginning of the level. Remember that unlit wall torch you noticed before? Ignite it to raise the trapdoor in front of the second secret. Return to the central tower, drop the torch into the water and go to the SW corner of the ground level. Behind the fish statue you'll find the crawlspace. Crawl in and retrieve Secret #2: SHOTGUN and two boxes of shells. Crawl out, jump to the central structure and climb up to the first tier. From there climb to the second tier. Once on the raised trapdoor, run jump again to the triangular ledge, jump to grab the rock to the left, and this time climb onto the ledge above. From there run jump onto the third tier of the central structure.

CENTRAL TOWER, THIRD TIER: Kill one dog first. Then approach the skeleton (approach its head) and press Action and Back to pull it away. Also notice that the tile to the left of the skeleton is a bit different than the other tiles on this tier. Push/pull the pushable pillar onto that tile to open one door nearby. Then go across the bridge with plants into the tunnel (South) and climb a couple of stairs to the entrance into the tunnel. I recommend saving your game before you enter the tunnel on your right.

BOULDER ROOM: As soon as you slide down the slope into the tunnel, go into Sprint, as a boulder will start chasing you from behind. Release Sprint key as soon as you step on the small ramp, so that you end up in front of the switch at the end of the hallway. Quickly press the switch to open the trapdoor below Lara and drop onto the bridge in the room below. Now quickly sideflip to land on the floor of the room, before the boulder smashes Lara. Once on the floor level, kill one dog and approach the blocks with four switches. Three of these four switches are "fake", and moreover, pulling them will kill Lara as the tiles there contain concealed spikes. One switch is safe and should be pulled. Observe the floor textures in front of these four switches. Just like in the pool before, the safe switch is the one having the blue floor tile in front of it (the third switch from the left). Pull it to lower the block behind switches.

Return to the bridge and climb up where you jumped off. Approach the boulder and push it towards the block you have just lowered. Once the boulder lands there, a gate will open in the central tower. You can return there now, but it is better to observe the small room adjacent to this before you leave. From the edge of the blocks with switches (where you pushed the boulder off) jump to grab the crawlspace between two windows. Crawl in and crawl out on the other side. Notice two things: fourth RECEPTACLE and the lowered block in the right corner. Once you make notice of these, you can return to the bridge (drop from the crawlspace in the left or right corner, in order not to get stuck inside the boulder). At the end of the bridge, jump backwards onto the slope and bounce off to land into the tunnel above. From there return to the central tower.

WATER ROOM: Jump over to the central structure, and turn right (East). Run jump to grab the edge of the opening where you have just opened the double gates. Pull up, follow the stairs up to the entrance where another fly-by will trigger, showing you the water room with eight UW levers and floating crystals. Enter this room and start swimming. Of eight UW levers, only one works. It is located in the NE corner of the room (look at the blue texture tile just above this lever!). Pull it to drain the room. Now push/pull the pushable column onto the marked tile in NW corner. Doing this will raise that block you saw in the boulder room, to the right of the receptacle. Return to the central tower, go left and re-enter the room with boulder. Crawl through into the small room with the receptacle, climb onto the raised block and then into the tunnel above. Climb a couple of more rocks and turn left at the corner. Another, not so promising fly-by will trigger: four dragons blowing their fiery breath on the top tier of the tower, protecting four gargoyle brains and two keys on the fiery pedestals, with a focus on a crowbar lying next to a poor guy who wasn't so lucky to kill them.

FOUR DRAGONS: Once this fly-by is finished, be very quick, as the dragons can set Lara on fire before she reaches the safe spot. So, get out of the tunnel and climb onto the rock to the left. Run diagonally to the right and jump onto the top tier, where you are hidden from dragons by some blocks. Notice a crystal attached to these blocks within a circle. Stand in front of this crystal until Lara's health is replenished. Also, save your game here before you plunge into this epic battle.

Before the battle begins, note some important things here: not only that these four dragons spit their blue fire balls at Lara and can set her on fire,  but also, Lara is losing air quickly, due to some poisonous gases at this level. You have to be very careful not to let her lose her air. That is displayed in the air-meter just below her health bar. If Lara is about to lose her air, or if she is set on fire by dragons, or if her health is low, you have to return quickly to the tile with the crystal, where she can replenish her health and air, turn the fire off and continue fighting. Also, when you want to shoot the dragons, bear in mind that they are vulnerable only when their head is surrounded with yellow flames. Only then you can shoot at them and if you make a hit, you will see some blood.

There are several ways for beating these beasts, from more risky and direct ways (which are much quicker) to more safe, indirect and easier ways (which take much more time). I will explain one possible easier and one possible risky tactic and you can combine them if you want and can. In both tactics it is important to use the Shotgun as long as you have shells for it. Once you have no more ammo for the Shotgun, use Uzis. Eventually if you don't manage to kill the dragons by the time your Uzi ammo is gone, use your pistols and also, return to the easier tactic. Also, both tactics start from the safe tile.

DIRECT WAY OF BEATING THE DRAGONS: Hug your faithful shotgun and run to the left and around the blocks to face the beasts (do not run out to the right, as there is a gap in the floor, or, if you do, jump over this gap). From smaller distance, shoot the dragon that has the yellow flame on his face. Watch the Lara's air meter. As soon as you have no more than 30% of air, quickly return to the crystal tile to replenish her air. The same goes if Lara catches fire or loses too much health. If you make a hit each time you shoot at dragons, three to four shells will be enough to destroy one dragon. This means that you have more than enough ammo for killing all four of them. However, if you are not so lucky with your shooting, you will have to switch to Uzis and eventually to pistols. Just run out from the crystal tile, approach the dragons as much as you can and shoot. Then quickly run back to the safe tile. Save whenever you return there, and whenever you kill one dragon.

EASIER WAY OF BEATING THE DRAGONS: This tactics works with all weapons, but is especially recommendable if you ran out of shells and Uzi ammo. From the safe tile (facing the crystal) side flip to the left and shoot. Maybe you have to sidestep to the left or right to find the best position for Lara to shoot at dragons. Shoot and watch the air-meter. Sideflip onto the safe tile when Lara's air is down to 20-15%, or if Lara catches the dragon's fire, or when her health is low. From the left side you can kill three leftmost dragons. So repeat this sideflipping left and then back right until you kill all three of them. To kill the fourth, you will have to sideflip to the right from the safe tile, make few sidesteps to the right to have a better aim, and shoot. In this way it is very unlikely to get killed, as the safe tile is in this case one sideflip away. The only way to get killed here is if you don't pay enough attention to the air-meter or if you jump over the edge of the ledge by your own mistake. In this tactic, start with more powerful weapon if still available. If you have to kill the dragons only with your pistols and with the help of this tactic, it may take at least 30 minutes to kill all four of them. Save whenever you make a hit and whenever you kill one dragon, always on the safe tile.

VIDEO OF BEATING THE DRAGONS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lv8A9ozFAgM

FOUR GARGOYLE BRAINS: Once they are all dead, you can collect four gargoyle brains and the crowbar. However, Lara is still losing air even after the dragons are dead, so watch out. Pick up two Mechanical Gargoyle Brains, return to the safe tile, and pick up the other two as well. Note a couple of things at the top tier: two switches are protected with spikes, so you'll have to disable them somehow. Also, there are two pedestals with treasure room keys, but you cannot take them, as pedestals are on fire. So, you have to find a way to disable the spikes protecting the switches and to turn the burners off. You can drop through the gap onto the third tier below. Go S and up the stairs and place the first brain into the receptacle in the small room. Return to the central tower, jump over to the central structure and go left (West). Run jump onto the small ledge protruding from the wall and drop from its left edge on the rock below. From here run jump to land on the metal trapdoor near the second tier.

On the second tier go to the East, run jump into the tunnel and re-enter the room with many traps. In the same way as the first time (only without the boulder) make your way to the receptacle and place the second Brain there. Return to the central tower, jump to the central structure and go back onto the metal trapdoor. Now run jump diagonally to the right to land on the rock with switch. You can drop to the ground level from here, losing a bit of Lara's energy. Once on the bottom level, go around the room and climb into the first tunnel leading to the pit with spikes. Once again, use horizontal poles on the left to go to the other side of the pit, climb the ladder and make your way up the tower to the top level. Place the third gargoyle brain in the receptacle there. Return to the central tower. Now climb onto the first tier and visit the room with burning floor again (sorry, guys, that was not my idea). You have to repeat the same sequence of jumps across the burning floor like you did the first time. Place the last gargoyle brain into the receptacle and make your way back across the burning floor and back to the central structure.

CRYSTAL KEYS:  Climb to the second tier, and run jump from the metal trapdoor to the triangular ledge. From there stand jump to grab the rock on the left, and then climb up to the small ledge above. From there, run jump to land on the third tier. Return to the top tier via the boulder room. Watch out, the air on the fourth tier is still toxic. The spikes protecting two switches are now retracted, so you can use two switches to turn off the burners on the pedestal. Pick up two crystal keys from pedestals and the crowbar if you didn't take it earlier and once again make your way back to the ground level of the tower (drop through the gap to the third tier, run jump to land on the small ledge, drop to the rock below and on the left, and once again, drop onto the block where you found the torch. From there run jump SE to land at the entrance to the tunnel leading to the room with burning floor. From here you can safety drop to the ground level).

Make your way around the room to the double door you saw all the way back in the first fly-by. Use two crystal keys in the keyholes to the left and right of this door, and open the treasure room. Now, when you enter, take a look up to the ceiling. Some tiles are safe, some are not. As usual, blue tiles are safe, so go straight forward to the crystal on the right and pry it out with the crowbar to end the level.

Hamburg, 25.9.2012.