Land of the Dead - Climbing Back to the Upper Level

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Step back down onto the flat part of the hammer and turn to face out over the pool. Jump to the top of the nearest square pillar and from there to the top of the carved pillar that you moved earlier.

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Turn right and jump from the movable pillar to grab the edge of the stone slab that juts out from the walkway ahead. Pull up to stand on the slab, but do not drop down to the walkway, since this triggers the appearance of 2 or possibly 4 Mayan thralls from the gap on the right. Instead just turn around and jump back to the carved pillar.

NOTE: Jumping from the pillar to the slab and back again seems like nonsense, but for some reason it triggers the accessibility of the grappling ring on the upper snake head. If you don't jump to the slab first, Lara will always target the screw or the snake on the other side the pool.

Tomb Raider Underworld screenshot
While standing on top of the carved pillar, tilt the camera to look up at the carved serpent head high above. Grapple the metal ring under its chin.

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Now step off the pillar to dangle from the cable. Lara's weight pulls the serpent's mouth open so the pool starts to fill again. Go quickly now before Lara drowns in the toxic water.

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Climb the cable until Lara is hanging just below the serpent's chin. Turn to the left just a little so Lara is facing the stone block beside the serpent's neck.

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Swing forward, jump to grab the block and pull up. Now Lara is safe from the rising water and you can take your time.

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