In this level you encounter Werner in a race. The path and the difficulty of it differ depend on whether or not you found all 8 Secrets in the previous level. There are many possible routes you can take, the availability of which depending on whether or not you are ahead or behind Werner. Some times Werner will block your way if he is leading the race, so in that kind of instance you will need to find an alternative route. If you found all the Secrets you will need to follow the long and difficult route. If you did not then you are presented with a much easier one.

Werner: And now for the last. You are an exemplary student Lara, although you have not yet learned the root of all adventuring, the craving to win, at whatever cost. I throw down the gauntlet to you, my child. Whoever is first to the Iris claims the prize.

Lara: Watch your back old man. I warn you, I'll pull no punches.

Werner: Hahaha!! I expected no less! On the count of three; one... two...

Heretical Path (if you have found all the Secrets)

Werner begins to run even before he finishes counting, and that's why to begin with he will be ahead of you. Quickly drop onto the ground and sprint towards the far left corner. Go through the opening and follow the hallway around to the right. Stop at the edge of the spiked pit and take a standing jump over it. You may need to step forward a bit to reach the edge of the next spiked pit. Tap back once and take a running jump over it. Keep running through the next hallway and take a running jump over the next pit to grab the opposite vine infested wall. If you jump off the very edge, you will be able to grab the top of the wall, saving you crucial seconds. Pull up at the top and turn right. Alternatively, you can take a running jump to the tree roots on the right, saving even more crucial seconds, as you land directly on them without having to grab and pull up.

Enter the hall with the arched doorway on the right. Werner went to the right and through an open door. If you have been quick up until this point, you may be able to pass through this door before Werner closes it using a lever.

• If you manage to do that, you end up in a room with a pool (there is an underwater switch that opens a door in the water. Do not bother with it as it leads you to another pool where you cannot climb out, and you will need to return back). Go to the left around the pool and jump onto the block (you waste time if you try to climb on it). Quickly climb into the passage above and to the left, and run off the ledge diagonally to the left. If you drop down forwards, you will end up in the pool below and you will waste time climbing back out. Go to the left around the pool and enter the opening on the left. Follow the passage around to the right.

• If you did not manage to go through the opening, and Werner blocks your way, go to the left and through the other opening. You may need to wait a while for the door to open. Follow the passageway until you reach a wooden decrepit bridge. Run over it until you reach the first slide. Start sliding and jump forwards at around about the halfway point, pressing Action to either grab the back end of the next slide, or to lower the angle of Lara's arch and land on the next slide. Keep pressing the Jump button to land on the opposite side or grab if necessary and pull up. Follow the passage ahead around to the left and jump onto the block. Drop down at the other side and immediately go through the opening on the right, ignoring the pool ahead as it is a dead end and Werner is coming from that way. If you did not hesitate at all before this point, you should be far ahead of Werner. Follow the passage around to the right.

If everything went well and you are ahead of Werner, there should be a wooden bridge above the pool.

• If the bridge is still there, sprint past it and follow the twisted hallway to emerge inside an area with a pool and a ledge above it. Cross the ledge to the other side and go through the open door. Follow the passage around to the left. (Do not bother with the pool here. The underwater switch and the niche on the left of the door close it, and you will need to take a longer route thereafter by following the upper ledges.)

• If Werner has beaten you to this point, he may or may not have lowered the bridge. If he has not, cross it and go onwards as described above. If he has, jump into the pool below and swim through the underwater tunnel to reach another pool. Climb out of the water at the other side and go through the open door. Follow the passage around to the left. (Do not use the underwater lever in the previous pool or the niche on the left of the door because you will close it, and you will need to take a longer route by following the upper ledges.)

Take a running jump over the spiked pit to grab the vine covered wall opposite. If you jump from the very edge you will be able to grab the top of the wall. Pull up and take another running jump over the next spiked pit to grab the next vine covered wall. Again, if you jump from the very edge, you will be able to grab the top of the wall. Pull up and enter the next room. Climb through either of the two openings - there is a block in front of the right one that you can jump on, earning crucial seconds.

• If you are ahead of Werner at this point, you have already won the race. There should be a wooden bridge above the pit. Sprint past it and climb through the left opening. Go to the left and enter the doorway on the right. Follow the passage around to the left and cross the grey ledge to reach the opposite side. Head to the front of the big statue and drop through its mouth. Follow the only passage of this area to the end and go through either of the two openings. Congratulations!!!

• If Werner is ahead of you at this point, you just lost the race. Werner has already reached the opposite side and cut the bridge down. You need to use the rope which wastes considerable time and energy. Once you make it to the other side, climb through the left opening. Werner has already closed the door on the right and you do not have any other choice but to carefully drop down into the pit. Two doors have been opened and three boars released. Climb up the vine covered wall on the left hand side. Drop through the statue's mouth and follow the only passageway of this area to the end. Go through either of the two openings.

Tips - It is really important what you do in the first choice as described at the beginning of the walkthrough. If you sprint and pass through the door before Werner closes it, you will have fewer chances to make it past him than following the left way. This is because all the time you will be at the same point where Werner is. One wrong step and he will lead the race. If you go through the left way though and do not hesitate at all you will get far ahead of Werner and it will be easier to beat him.

Route of the Virtuous (if you did not find all the secrets)

Werner begins to run before he's finishing counting, and that's why to begin with he will be ahead of you. Quickly drop onto the ground and sprint ahead. Follow the passage around to the right, and then to the left as it emerges outside again. Keep running and take a running jump over the pit. Climb onto the upper ledge and take a running jump over the second pit. Drop down at the other side.

Here the camera angle changes and you lose control of the Look button. If you have not hesitated up until now, Werner will be here too. He will go down, so quickly drop down before he does and go through the open door. If Werner passes through the door and you are quite a bit behind, he will try to close it using a mechanism. You still have time to pass through the door and leave Werner behind. If you do not make it and Werner manages to close the door, you will not have any other choice but to climb up the wall on the left of the door and drop into the room behind the gate. Note though that you will waste time (there is a vine covered opening opposite the door, but do not bother with it as it leads you behind).

Quickly jump into the opening on the right (you waste precious time if you try to climb it) and follow the twisting passage. Keep running and take a running jump to grab the opposite side of the pit. Here Werner goes to the right, around the outside of the pit, so if he is a little bit ahead of you, you still can take him over and grab the lead. Pull up and enter the doorway ahead.

Follow the path as it goes and you will eventually emerge in a pit with a wooden bridge above it. You can traverse over to the other side by grabbing the bridge, but instead of doing that, drop down, sprint to the other side and climb out using the wooden handholds on the wall. This route is faster than traversing using the bridge. If Werner is a bit ahead of you, he will traverse across and you will cover more distance that way.

In the area with the rocks, Werner tries to climb up the blocks in the middle, losing a lot of time. If he is a bit ahead of you and you can see him climbing up the blocks, quickly go to the left hand side and jump onto the block there. Climb onto the upper block ahead and do a roll. Take a running jump to the opposite walkway and then to the next one.

• The walkway in front of the vine covered opening is the critical point for you in the race. If you were the one who first stood on this walkway, you have already won the race. Go through the vine covered opening and sprint past the wooden bridge. The big doors should be open now, so go through them and follow the passage. Congratulations!!!

• If Werner was the first one who stood on the walkway in front of the vine covered opening, he will cross the bridge and will stand in the middle of it. The big doors will close and he will start running towards them. You have to open those doors by using the niche on the right of them. As soon as you do it, Werner will pass first and you will lose the race. Follow the passage as it goes.

[Note - If you stand on the walkway in front of the half vine covered opening and for some reason you do not cross the bridge to the end (i.e. you fall down halfway through), Werner will cross the bridge, the doors will start closing but he will manage to pass through.]

Tips - Werner may lead the race during the whole process. Even if he is a bit ahead of you, do not hesitate. Keep going. As long as you can see him, you still have the chance to get him. The most important place of the race is the area with the rocks. Werner loses a lot of time trying to climb up the middle blocks. If you climb on the blocks on the left though (even if he reached this area first), you can still beat him. Do not forget that the critical point is the walkway in front of the vine covered opening.

If you win the race

Werner: And so, the pupil excels the master. I congratulate you on your agility. Take your prize from the plinth. You have earned it.

Lara: In the time you took to find your way here, I've examined the inscriptions. It warns of vengeance on those who remove it.

If you lose the race

Werner: Ha! I am not such an old man after all, ja? Come here, child. The mechanism will require us both to release it.

Lara: The plinth inscription warns vengeance on those who remove it.

... and the cut scene continues...

Werner: Ah!!! Ancient hocus pocus. Forget this nonsense and come over here!

Lara: I don't count poison darts and triggered entombment your average child's tea party. I feel we should lend this some respect.

Werner: Ah, and you are the world-famous archeologist adventurer Lara Croft, ja? No, no, I am the reknown archeologist adventurer Werner Von Croy and you will do as I say! Go to wall and pull the lever!

Lara: What was it that you said? Disrespect is the route to carelessness?

Werner: I am weary of this. Pull the lever now Miss Croft.

Lara: On your head be it Von Croy.

Werner and Lara pull the levers and the sphere in the middle of the room reveals the Iris. A bridge also unfolds and Werner crosses it reaching the Iris.

Werner: Have faith in experience child and you will learn more than simple.

Werner is ready to get the Iris but the earth starts to shake.

Lara: You were saying?

Werner loses his balance and he falls to the side. His foot though is caught by a nippy ledge and he's now swinging.

Werner: My leg!! My leg!! I am trapped!! My leg is trapped!! Help me Lara!! Help me!!

Lara: Hold on! I'm coming back to get you!

The sphere closes, trapping Werner inside.

Lara: Werner!!

Lara realizes that the place around is ready to crash. The walls start falling down and Lara manages to escape performing a low somersault below the falling walls.