I walked up the ramp from the ledge above the deep pit, into a room with a stone floor and a receptacle on the far wall. I walked over and looked at it. It looked just like it would fit the gemstone, and it did.

As soon as I had placed the gemstone in the receptacle, the floor began to shake. I jumped back and then back-flipped as the floor fell away to reveal a lave pit below. Luckily I had landed on what seemed to be the only safe bit of floor.

From here I could see an alcove just below the gemstone. I took a running jump and landed safely in it. There was nothing there, and I frowned. I turned around and saw another alcove on the opposite side of the room. The gap was too big to chance, especially with all the lava below.

Then I noticed a narrow crevice running along the wall to my right. I grinned and dropped from the edge of the alcove. I edged, hand over hand, around to the other side of the room, and dropped safely onto the floor of the other alcove.

There was a small room beyond the alcove, empty except for the low stone block against the back wall. I ran over to it, and vaulted up. Above my head was an opening, so I jumped up and vaulted into the room above.

As soon as I did, I heard a growl to my right and saw a lion charging at me. His gladiator buddy was right behind him. I drew my pistols, ran forward a step or two and turned to face them, firing the whole time.

The gladiator dropped dead, just before the lion. When they did, I took a look around. The floor was tiled in a check pattern. The roof seemed to be held up by strong pillars, and there was a marvelous view of Rome to my left. Instead of a wall, there was just a railing. From here, I could also see other parts of the Colosseum.

So this is where I had ended up! There were several heavy wooden doors around me, and I decided to head to the far right of the area. As I passed the gladiators body, I noticed a glint near him. I bent to pick it up, and found a shiny, but old, key.

I put it in my shorts pocket, and tried to find a lock that it would fit. The only lock I could find was at the far end of area. When I had reached the heavy double doors, I walked over to the lock and fit the key in.

The doors swung open, and to my chagrin, I saw another large statue. As I watched the statue began to straighten and the familiar blue-green light settled on it giant hammer.

I drew my guns again, and the statue leapt off its base, and the base disappeared into the floor. I opened fire, and just as it got close enough to swing at me with its hammer, I flipped backwards.

It soon fell into rubble. As soon as it did, I ran past it, and into the room from where it came. High on the back wall was a narrow opening, and I headed straight for it. I vaulted up into it, and found a small room containing another pedestal.

On the pedestal was another key that looked just like the one I had used to open the doors. I picked it up, and returned to the large room. There was a pair of doors to the right, and I found another lock. I quickly opened the doors.

I grinned when I saw what was beyond them. I slid down a small ramp and landed on the golden platform just below where I had seen the Philosopher's Stone. But when I turned to face to wall, my grin fell, only to be replaced by a look of anger.

Why that little bloody creep! When I found him, I would break every single bone in his body - slowly. I snatched the sticky note from the wall where the Philosopher's Stone had once been.

Dear Lara, It seems I beat you to the prize after all. Au Revior, Pierre.

I growled as I tore the note into tiny pieces. I was going to hunt that man down and find some slow, painful and ingenious way to kill him!