This level is something completely different from the usual Indy-like style. You're inside
some "multi-dimensional" substance, which allows you to access different places from the
levels you've already been to in reality through special portals. To activate a portal you'll need
a Tool from Beyond. You can pick up some treasures and health items in those small reality
incarnations along with the 3 King Sol's gems required to finish the level. Anyway, you won't
be able to imagine stuff like that in your wildest dreams. Aetherium looks very strange but
you'll get used to it quickly. The main idea is that all the locations of this level are connected
through other-dimensional power tubes/currents. You are safe and free to choose any
direction while you are inside such current. To leave the current use Alt, as usual. You will
also meet Marduk's two incarnations on this level. And, of course, you will have to win the
final battle to finish the level.
Leave the current and land to a ledge below. You're near the lower levels of the Aetherium,
atop some cubic structure connected throughout with those tube tunnels. To enter the current
hang and drop to it – it is safer then jumping through it. You can fly anywhere you want but
generally follow the map and you won't get lost. Note that you can enter the core of the
multidimensional cube from several sides. Each time you will find yourself in different tunnel
leading to some location in reality. But first enter the green tunnel (look at the game's hint
map) which leads to a blue room with the Tool From Beyond. Pick it up and notice another
tunnel below in the far wall of the room. It leads to the upper levels of the Aetherium, but
first, return to the multidimensional cube and explore all its sides.
Find purple tunnel which lead to the Mines in Meroe. Get [Treasure #1:], cash box
and a poison kit. Look for the orange tunnel leading to the wooden Idol in Palawan Lagoon. Pick up the
health leaf and [Treasure #2:], silver coins on the other side of the statue. Go
back through the tunnel to its end and swim down. You will land at the floor of the whole cubic structure.
Shoot the spiky bugs then find a crawl passage. Crawl in and get [Treasure #3:],
an Aetherium Gem. Swim up the central current and enter the cube from another side. Swim through the
tunnel with the rotating rings. You should come to a portal leading to where you placed the
candles at the end of the Tian Shan River level. Turn right at the candleholder and find the
ledge with a skeleton, [Treasure #4:] gold coins, and a medipack. Proceed to the next portal and
enter the room. Shoot the strange creatures and explore the surroundings.
You can see poor Sophia in a distance. Approach the opening in the center of the arena. If you
look down, you will see the blue room where you found the Tool from Beyond. To get to the
[Monkey Island Easter Egg:], do a running jump into the opening in the center of the room.
You should land in the Aetherium. Swim to the end of the tunnel with the orange or brown
stripe. At the end you can turn toward a portal and go to Palawan Island or go through the
new portal opposite the Palawan one to the Monkey Island. Go through the Monkey Island
portal. Look at the pictures on the walls and get [Treasure #5:], a golden idol from the table.
Find a tunnel which leads to the top of the Aetherium. Instead of going straight through the
small patch of Aetherium into the big room, swim up towards the top. There are several exits,
but you'll need the one through which you can see a gem on the floor. Go through the
entrance and collect [Treasure #6:] Aetherium gem. Now follow the tunnel to its top and leave
the current in the room with Marduk. You can't beat him with your usual weapons, "there
must be another slightly different way". In fact there is: find Teotihuacan portal and take the
mirror from the goddess statue. Armed with the mirror you would be able to reflect Marduk's
electric blasts and finally kill his reincarnation. Blue tunnels around the arena lead to its
bottom level. Go there, kill some monsters and find the pink corridor which leads to the
portal. Pick [Treasure #7:], a silver bar near the walkway and a mirror from the statue. Exit the
portal, turn left and follow the corridor to the end. Blast the floating creatures, and find
[Treasure #8:], an Aetherium gem in a small alcove.
You're back in the Marduk's room. To kill him get armed with the mirror and try to reflect his
blasts to hit him. Marduk can float slightly or high above the ground. In each case you should
find an appropriate position on the corresponding arena level. Run upstairs along the green
ramp or downstairs after each direct hit. You'll need to hit Marduk about 6 times before this
reincarnation dies. Take the pink gem (Marduk Medallion) which left Marduk and place it
into a slot in the wall – the electric ball will lower down. You can whip it to charge your whip
with electric blasts. Whip it 5 times and get 25 electric whip hits. After it you will have to get
back to this room and recharge.
Swim down the other blue tunnel and whip the electric ball with BMW sign – the door will
open. Again swim along the current and enter the outer arena. You will see large gears located
near the walls and floating Sophia. Watch out for Marduk's ghost floating in the center. Whip
the electric balls of the inner chamber to close its inner gates (it powers the gears). This will
also lower down the crystal with Sophia and free her.. just for a moment. Marduk reincarnates
into vicious Sophia-Marduk. Don't waste your whip electric blasts trying to fight her now.
Just avoid the flying monster. Around the arena on the same level you will also find three
portals leading to the 3 King Sol's crystals. Collect them all.
Find a tunnel that leads down below to the floor of the arena and swim down there. You will
see three doors with the slots at the bottom of the arena – install all the three King Sol's Gems
there and open the portal behind each door - the machine will experience a severe damage.
Collect the goodies inside each portal (medipacks, poison kits and [Treasure #9:],
cash box). It
will also reveal a stone structure in the center of the arena and shrink Marduk-Sophia. Climb
the structure and fight the beast with your whip. To beat Marduk-Sophia you will need a large
number of medipacks. You'll have to let her get as close to you as possible before whipping
with electric blast. She will need a lot of whipping, trust me (about 10 or more hits). Don't
waste your whip blasts unless you're absolutely sure the beast will attack you face to face. If
you run out of whip blasts – ascend one of the tubes and recharge the whip in the Marduk's
room. Sophia is released with the death of Marduk's second reincarnation. View the
melodramatic cut scene and get back to the controls.
Run inside the opened portal - everything is shaking around you. Try not to pay attention to it
and concentrate on jumps. Your goal is to get to the top of the shaft. Finally pick up the level's
last [Treasure #10:], a silver idol behind the fallen pillar on your left.
Climb out and shake hands with Sophia and … Volodnikov, who turns to be a nice guy appreciating a true
archeologist in Indy and offering rivers of vodka to celebrate the happy ending of the level.
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