The man who designed the water pit had realized that the artifact is actually deadly as well, so he built the pit to collapse on anyone entering it. However, the team learns too late that the entire island is sitting over a massive natural void in the ground, and that anyone removing the sword will collapse it. When Neidelman attempts to regain the sword, ignoring the warnings of the rest of the treasure-hunting team, he fatally irradiates both himself and another character before the island collapses beneath the sea and the sword is lost forever. Neidelman is also lost in the collapse.