I navigated an ancient tomb while searching for a silver-eyed serpent. After taking down a cultist silently, I solved a complex puzzle using an oil basin and a mechanism to ignite a fiery path, destroying a massive barrier before rappelling down into a mysterious underground chamber.
I stepped into a dimly lit, atmospheric room filled with gruesome sights. A member of the Cult of Kukulkan walked past a dead body on the floor while several other corpses hung overhead around the room.
It looked as though these victims were local rebels who were slaughtered by the cultists like sacrificial lambs.
I moved carefully, keeping to the shadows so I could take the man down silently in full stealth. After clearing the immediate danger, I searched the environment for a way forward.
It did not take long before I found my first major clue. Carved into the stonework was a distinct serpent with a silver eye, reassuring me that I was on the right track. I pulled out my climbing axes and used them to pry open a narrow, crumbling wall opening.
I squeezed through the tight hole without knowing exactly what lay on the other side. My main goal was to locate the silver box of Ix Chel, and every sign suggested I was drawing closer to the head of the serpent.
To reach the next area, I needed to cross a deep gap. I leaped into the air and deployed my grappling axe to swing across safely to the far platform.
Flames flickered around the perimeter, hinting that I had entered the formal trial of the serpent. Before me stood a large, ancient mechanism. I approached the structure and pushed a heavy stone button to see what would happen.
A central pillar rose, but no obvious pathway opened up immediately. Realizing this was an intricate puzzle, I paused to examine every detail of the chamber carefully.
I noticed that pressing the button had shifted a section of the room near the flames, but a heavy wooden barrier still blocked my advancement. Lara pointed out that I needed to destroy the barrier using fire, matching the trial's theme.
I walked over to a nearby lever mechanism and pulled it, which opened a channel and filled a large basin with a dark mixture of flammable oil and blood.
At first, I tried to ignite the basin by crafting and firing a fire arrow directly into the mixture. However, the initial burn died out quickly without setting the main barrier ablaze, and the pool drained empty again.
Realizing I needed a different approach, I refilled the basin using the lever once more. I then spotted a second mechanism shaped like a snake head. I interacted with the snake lever, which ignited the oil inside the trough automatically and sent a roaring wave of fire flowing straight toward the wooden barrier.
The ancient obstacle caught fire instantly and burned away into ash, opening the path ahead without requiring me to waste any valuable fire arrows, though I already used all the fire arrows from my arsenal.
With the barrier destroyed, I moved deeper into the dark, shadowy corridor. I reached a steep drop-off, attached my rope, and rappelled down into a massive underground area.
The place looked like some kind of ancient ritual chamber designed for blood sacrifices. Another complex puzzle awaited me in the center of the cavern, ready to test my resolve even further.