Ys IV - The Dawn of Ys
                           FAQ/Walkthrough v1.1
                                6/18/2002
                     by Deuce ([email protected])

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Welcome to the Ys IV FAQ/Walkthrough.  Note that this is NOT meant for the
Super Famicom version of Ys IV, "Mask of the Sun."  This is solely for the
original PC Engine CD version, which is probably one of the best action-RPGs
ever made.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 I.   Version History
 II.  Credits
 III. General Tips
 IV.  The Cast of Characters
 V.   The Walkthrough
      1.  Prologue and Town of Minea
      2.  Town of Promarock
      3.  Village of Arieda/Abandoned Mine
      4.  Lava Pits of Nelgal and Slano's Tomb
      5.  Selceta Forest and Town of Yupel
      6.  Earth Village of Laparo/Templar Castle
      7.  The Sinking Desert/Miyu's Tomb
      8.  Water Village of Libra (aka "The Trouble with Tim")
      9.  The Selceta Flower
      10. Return to Minea
      11. Darm Tower
      12. The Mountain Shrine
      13. Rady's Temple
      14. Moon Village of Serene/Romun Castle
      15. Torie's Tomb (aka "EscherSpace")
      16. Lefance's Tomb
      17. The Forest and The Ritual
      18. The Gold City
      19. Zanria Tower
      20. Lunes Tower
      21. Shrine of the Sun
      22. The Final Battle
      23. Developer's Room

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I. VERSION HISTORY

1.0 - First release.  Complete walkthrough of the game from start to finish.
     Probably overlooked a few secrets and tricks.  If I missed anything,
     Please let me know.  Any and all submissions are welcome.
1.1 - At long, LONG last, corrected a rather obnoxious oversight in the
     walkthrough.  If you are stuck in Serene after getting the Seeker
     magic and the lady won't let you through the door, go to section 9 of
     the walkthrough for the solution to your dilemma.

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II. CREDITS

Falcom - http://www.falcom.com
   For making this spectacular game!  Damn them for not releasing it in
   the United States though... :(  This game is good enough to have been a
   real system-seller.

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III. GENERAL TIPS

1.  Ys is very unique in its experience/level system in that a certain
   creature will not always give a specific amount of experience.  The
   amount decreases geometrically whenever you gain a level.  If, for
   instance, a creature gives you 40 experience points when killed, it will
   only give you 20 experience points once you reach the next level.  When
   you gain yet another level, it will be reduced to 10, then to 5, then
   to 2, then to 1.  The game always seems to round down in this regard.

2.  Because of the experience system shown above, it is extremely difficult
   to overpower yourself.  The game is very strictly paced, and in order to
   make your level unnaturally high, you would have to spend a large amount
   of time killing monsters that are only worth 3 or 5 experience points.
   This is tedious and boring, and it effectively prevents one from
   cheating in this manner, so to speak.

3.  Can't beat a boss?  Gain another level.  Sometimes it makes all the
   difference in the world.  Typically, you should be able to beat a boss
   if the experience point point value of the most common enemy in the area
   is 10 or less.  Of course, at the beginning of the game, experience
   given is less, so make your own calculations there.  If there are some
   monsters around which still give a decent amount experience points per
   kill, then go and kill some of them!  Gaining levels doesn't really take
   that long.

4.  When fighting weaker monsters in close combat, try not to attack them
   head on!  You stand a good chance of taking damage if you do.  Move up
   or down (or left or right, depending on the orientation) one "block" and
   attack.  The creature will almost NEVER be able to harm you like this.
   Just watch out for the ones who change directions suddenly.

5.  When fighting small enemies, particularly quick ones, set the game speed
   to "Slow."  The Fast speed will sometimes allow you to pass THROUGH the
   creatures and thereby make them touch you from behind.  This spells
   damage for you.  And you don't want that, ever, right?  Just be warned,
   sometimes the really quick enemies will be able to do this anyway.

6.  There are a few discrepancies between the instruction manual and the
   game itself.  The most notable of these is the "Rune Seed."  The game
   itself clearly says "Rune Seed," while the manual says "Rune Shield."
   In cases like this, the text of the game always has the final say.

7.  You will periodically hear the characters in the game make mention of
   the words "Akage no kenshi."  If you're wondering what this actually
   means, it literally translates to "red-haired swordsman." :)

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IV. THE CAST OF CHARACTERS

Adol Christin
-------------
The hero of the story, and a wandering adventurer.  He and his erstwhile
companion Dogi are returning to the land of Esteria after two long years of
journeying and adventuring.  Adol is the one resposible for saving the
people of Esteria from Dark Fact, as well as saving the people of Ys from
the reign of Lord Darm.  The climax of this second battle is the one shown
in the game's introduction.

Lilia
-----
A young red-haired girl whom Adol met in Ys II.  After he sought out a rare
herb to cure her of a terminal illness, she developed an extreme crush on
him, and never stops hoping that one day he will stay in Minea for good and
be her husband.

Carna
-----
An attractive young swordswoman, Adol meets her early in the game, being
harassed by some soldiers of the Romun Army.  She turns out to be a loyal
friend and ally to Adol, though he sees very little of her throughout the
course of the game.  She manages to keep in touch with him through the use
of her carrier pigeon, and she constantly offers him advice and the
occasional item of use.

Dogi
----
Adol's best friend, and fellow adventurer.  The two have recently returned
from the land of Dogi's birth, known as Felgana.  He is more interested in
catching up on old times with friends than Adol, as Adol is forever
consumed by wanderlust.  Dogi also has very little tolerance for alcohol,
despite his rather large size. :)

Leeza
-----
A blonde-haired girl who helps Adol recover from a near-death experience.
She has deep emotional ties to the being known as Eldeel, and is sorely
tormented by the changes in her old friend.

Eldeel
------
The last survivor of an ancient race of winged humanoids.  Formerly a very
good friend of Leeza, he has changed in recent times... and is definitely
no longer the kind, caring soul he once was.

Gadis
-----
The powerhouse of the Evil Ones, he is large and strong.  He also has a
very twisted sense of humor, and delights in humbling Adol whenever
possible... also holds very extreme grudges.  He doesn't take kindly to
Adol's constant reappearances in the Evil Ones' plans.

Bami
----
This member of the three Evil Ones is a beautiful but evil sorceress.
She weilds power of the forces of nature, and also possesses the ability
to transform creatures and objects.  She seems particularly entertained
by using her powers to prey on those weaker than her, especially when
they are helpless.

Guruda
------
The leader of the Evil Ones, this blue-haired swordsman is a calm,
calculating man.  He always waits for an opening before making a move,
never giving away too much too soon.  One to be respected, if not feared,
for he is a very dangerous man.  He proves to be Adol's greatest rival.

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V.  THE WALKTHROUGH

Be warned before you begin this, I have included a few spoilers here and
there.  A totally spoiler-free guide is a little more editing work than I
have time for, plus if you need a walkthrough for a Japanese game, odds are
you don't understand what's going on to begin with.

Anyhow, I have attempted to make this as comprehensive as possible, from
solving puzzles to using items to defeating bosses.  It should allow you
to complete the game with a marginal understanding of what's going on.
Unfortunately, my Japanese is not as good as I'd like it to be, so this
will be incomplete as far as story goes.  If anyone wants to email me at
[email protected] and give me full details of the plot, you are more than
welcome.  And so, without further adieu...

1.  Prologue and Town of Minea
   The game opens with Dogi and Adol returning to Esteria after their
   wanderings around the world.  After getting off of the boat, the two run
   into Goban, the thief from Ys I and II.  After a moment or two of
   horseplay, the three continue on to the town, reminiscing.  Goban
   explains that Minea has changed quite a lot since they were last there.

   When you get there, go explore around the town a bit.  The people in the
   shops will recognize you.  Go and visit Sara, the fortuneteller.  She is
   in the building in the bottom left corner of the town.  She will tell
   Adol about a land known as Selceta, and request that he journey there.
   Answer yes, then she will give you an item.  Afterwards, go to the bar.
   Adol, Goban and Dogi will laugh it up for awhile, then the three will
   go to sleep at Goban's house.  In the morning, Lilia will come knocking
   on the door, wanting to see Adol.  Goban goes to wake him, only to find
   that he is missing...

   Elsewhere... cloaked figures stand around a strange altar, upon which
   an almost humanoid form sits.  The flesh begins to form and congeal, but
   it falls apart and melts away.  One of the cloaked figures orders the
   others away, and the three vanish.  The introductory animation sequence
   begins to play.

2.  Town of Promarock
   Adol awakens in the ship, which has journeyed to the town of Promarock.
   First item of business is to get outfitted, so put on that Cleria
   equipment and get going.  Go around the town if you like.  Once out-
   side, fight the monsters until you reach level 3.  It shouldn't take
   more than a few minutes, since you have some of the most powerful items
   in the game.  Follow the path and you will come across a couple of
   solders harassing an attractive young girl.  She seems capable of
   taking care of herself, but one of the soldiers notices you and asks
   if you are friends with her.  They prepare to attack, but the girl
   breaks free and the guards are knocked out shortly after.  She gives a
   quick introduction, says her name is "Carna," and dashes off.  Not a
   moment later, a shouted command of "Don't move!" is heard.

   An ugly, bald man comes out, with a slew of troops following him.  As
   his conversation with the soldiers reveals, this is General Leo.  He
   orders his soldiers to bring out the cannon, and he demonstrates its
   power on a nearby tree.  You are taken prisoner, and your Cleria
   equipment is taken from you.  If that weren't enough, you're dumped
   into a dark cell to boot!  Inside there, talk to your cellmate.  He
   will tell you his name is Duren, and after a short conversation, tell
   you to get some sleep.  Go to the other bed to do so.

   A short while later, you will be awakened by the sounds of combat.
   Who should come bursting into the room but Carna!  She says to keep
   quiet and that she's come to rescue them.  Duren is a little too
   excited to keep quiet, so Carna hushes him and explains that she
   wants to destroy the Romuns' supply of tanks.  Duren notices an
   armory nearby, and you grab some equipment from it.  Unfortunately,
   an alarm is sounded, preventing Carna from accomplishing her mission.
   As the three of you prepare your escape, you are surrounded by
   soldiers, and Duren beats a hasty retreat, leaving you and Carna to
   fend for yourselves.  I recommend wandering around the courtyard for
   awhile and attacking the soldiers.  They're worth good experience and
   are easy to kill.  Just remember, though... if Carna kills them, you
   don't get any experience for it.  When ready, exit out the back gate
   and head southward.

3.  Village of Arieda/Abandoned Mine
   As you approach the south path, some men will jump from the bushes and
   threaten you, mistaking you for a Romun Soldier, due to your equipment.
   Carna will come out and explain to them that you are a friend, and then
   they will let you pass.  Inside the village of Arieda (that's
   Ah-ree-EH-dah) you will run into an old friend... Dr. Flair from Rance
   Village.  Be sure to purchase an Herb from him, and go to upgrade your
   armor and weapon as well.  Speak to the village elder in the northwest
   house and she will explain that her son, Lemnos, was taken prisoner
   inside the abandoned mine just to the north of the village.  She will
   give you the key which will allow you to enter the cave.

   Inside there, your visibility is extremely limited.  The lowest level
   holds nothing of value aside from an Herb.  The higher level holds the
   boss and the Power Ring, an extremely valuable item.  Unfortunately,
   the chest containing the Ring is locked, and you cannot get the key
   yet.  To get to the chest, follow the left wall.  To get to the boss,
   follow the right.  When you reach the boss, you will be best off if you
   are at least level 4 or 5, and have full life with an Herb available.

   *** BOSS FIGHT ***
   The boss is a big spider with obnoxiously long reach on his legs.  The
   pink blob which extends from his mouth is your target.  You need to
   learn how to space yourself so that you hit him without getting hurt
   yourself.  When you hit him, the blob will shift to the hindquarters.
   (Yuck.)  Run down and to the left, then get behind him and attack the
   rear.  It will shift back to the front.  Go around the right side this
   time, and repeat the pattern.  When you get him down low enough, he
   will double his speed.  The only way to attack him at this point is to
   move up and down to hit the blob as it shifts.  You NEED to be as
   healthy as possible by this point, because it will do a lot of damage,
   and it's impossible to avoid.  Use the Herb and keep plugging away and
   the spider will collapse, revealing the injured form of Lemnos.

   Carna will rush in with one of the village fighters, and they will
   take Lemnos back to Arieda.  Fight your way back out and go back to
   the village.  Carna will rush off, much to Dr. Flair's chagrin.  Buy
   another Herb and go after her.  You will find her shortly afterward,
   lying on the ground.  When you try to help her, a monster will come
   out from behind a rock and attack.  Finish it off, then help her.  She
   will ask you to accompany her, so head north into the nearby cave.

4.  Lava Pits of Nelgal and Slano's Tomb
   In the lava areas, you will be aided by Carna, who will follow you
   around and attack any creatures who come close.  She's very powerful,
   and will kill most enemies in no more than two hits.  Don't let her do
   your work for you, though.  You don't get any experience for the
   creatures she kills.  There's no free lunch here, buddy.  You may come
   across a lavaspout that you cannot cross.  There is no way to pass at
   the moment.  When you get the Freeze magic later, you'll definitely
   want to come back here.

   Keep going through the area.  It's totally linear, though it does not
   look like it, so there's no need to worry about getting lost.  If
   Carna gets left behind, keep going.  She'll automatically run in after
   you if she falls too far behind.  You may want to get her "stuck" on a
   ledge so you can attack enemies without fear of her running in and
   stealing your experience points.

   Shortly, you will find a locked treasure chest.  Bypass it for now,
   and keep heading north.  There are two paths, the bottom one of which
   you cannot cross, as there's no bridge across the gap.  Go to the top
   and cross, and you will obtain the Treasure Box Key.  This will enable
   you to open the chest you found a short while ago.  Inside of it is
   the Mattock.

   Now that you have the key, I suggest backtracking slightly.  You can
   now go back into the abandoned mine outside of Arieda to pick up the
   Power Ring, which will prove very useful against what is to come.
   When you return, Carna will automatically be with you again.  Also,
   restock at Arieda if you have to.

   Now, to keep going, go to the upper pathway again, and use the
   Mattock.  The rocks will drop to the gap below, allowing you to cross
   to the other side.  Once across, you will find a small temple.  Go in
   here and continue fighting the creatures to keep your level up.  Just
   remember to keep ahead of Carna so she doesn't kill them before you
   get a chance to.  At the heart of the shrine, you will find a stone
   pillar.  If you touch it, you will be transported to fight with the
   boss.

   *** BOSS FIGHT ***
   The boss is a suit of armor filled with glowing magma.  It attacks
   primarily by tossing out axes at you, which have very slight homing
   capability and return to its hands.  Your safest bet is to focus on
   avoiding these rather than trying to do damage.  After it tosses its
   axes a few times, the lava will leave the suit and begin flowing
   slowly toward you on the floor.  The armor itself will warp to your
   current location.  This is your chance to get in plenty of hits.  To
   make the most of the opportunity, try to keep as far away from the
   lava as possible when the armor warps.  Once you have won, the
   spirit of Slano will grant you magic power, and give you the wand of
   Fire magic.

   Carna is nowhere to be seen... make your way back to the entrance
   and you will find her again, looking for you.  A moment later, your
   reunion will be interrupted by three very vicious-looking characters,
   who refer to themselves as the "Evil Ones."  The first is a large
   man, named Gadis.  The second is a purple-haired sorceress by the
   name of Bami.  And the third, their leader, is a thin, wiry man with
   blue hair, by the name of Guruda.  Bami fires four magical blasts at
   the wall behind you, and monsters begin to form from the stone.  The
   three leave you to be destroyed, but the creatures only pose a
   threat if you're REALLY careless.

   Once they're taken care of, go upstairs, and you will meet the Evil
   Ones again.  Bami prepares to cast another spell to finish you off
   for good, but a sudden tremor in the ground stops her, and you all
   escape.  They promise that you will all meet again.  Once out of the
   temple, head to the right... a fresh pathway will open up, allowing
   you easy access back to Arieda.

   As you approach Arieda, Carna will pull out the Flute of Wind and
   play it.  A small bird flies in and alights on a nearby rock.  She
   gives you the flute and says that she will use this bird, Ruse (or
   Luse, or Ruusu, depending on how you want to romanize it), to keep in
   contact with you.  Just use the flute near those rocks covered with
   white substance.  What is the white substance?  Take a guess... what
   are birds known to produce in great quantities, particularly on
   parked cars?  But since there are no cars around here, parked or
   otherwise, the birds will have to make do with nicely conspicuous
   trees and rocks.

   Now, go back to Arieda and restock, as always.  You may now speak to
   Lemnos in Dr. Flair's office, who will explain to you that he was
   transformed into that spider form by the Evil Ones you and Carna met
   earlier.  Once you're ready, head back to the east and this time,
   head southeast from the cave, into the Selceta Forest.

5.  Selceta Forest and Tree Village of Yupel/Talim's Tomb
   The forest can be a bit confusing, as it has two levels and you must
   pass through trees to get from one to the other.  You should practice
   using your Fire magic on the snakes and animated flowers that abound
   here.  Also, don't forget that you can charge up your magic attack!
   Just hold down the I button until your lifemeter starts flashing
   white, and let go to fire the charged-up blast.  Press the II button
   to cancel the attack.

   As you proceed, you will find a VERY large tree with a doorway at its
   base.  Go inside and climb to the top to the village of Yupel.  There
   is very little you can do in the village aside from journey to the
   upper levels, where there are more monsters.  The creatures here are
   somewhat difficult.  They are fast and tend to move in random
   directions.  Don't be ashamed to use your Fire magic on them, as close
   combat is often inviting severe injury.  In the first area, go to the
   right first, and you will see some of the story of the winged ones, as
   well as be given an orb which will be used later on in the story.  At
   the end of the first area, there will be a Roda Tree Nut lying on the
   ground.  Pick it up and use it if necessary.  If you use it, go into
   the second area and return, then the nut will be there again.

   *** BOSS FIGHT ***
   At the end of the second area, you will find another pillar like in
   Slano's shrine, which will teleport you to fight the boss.  This one's
   quite easy, and you should have no problems if you're level 11 or
   higher.  It's a giant bird that fires sharpened feathers at you and
   periodically divebombs.  Stay out of the direct center of the screen
   and pelt it with fireballs.  When it flies in from the sides, go to
   the opposite side in the corner and fire some more.  If it starts
   divebombing, stick to one of the upper corners, so it will be less
   likely to hit you.  When you are victorious, the spirit of Talim will
   give you the Alter magic for your efforts.  This will slowly consume
   your MP, and turn you into a monster for the duration.  During this
   time, you may speak to monsters, are immune to damage, and you can
   also swim.

   Go back to the village and you will be guided to the elder's house,
   where you will be given the Ring of Roda (though the game says
   "Loda").  This ring is very valuable indeed, as it will slowly restore
   your magic points without the use of a Roda Tree Nut.  Now, exit the
   village and once out of the tree, go to the left.

   You will shortly see a strange-looking creature that you cannot do
   any damage to.  Speak to it in Alter form, and he will tell you his
   name is Robin.  He asks that you find him the "Rune Seed."  It's
   definitely in your best interest to do it for him.  Remember to always
   equip the Ring of Roda when in Alter form, so that your MP level will
   not drop.  Hop into the river, and swim around.  You may notice a
   small island linked to the main land by a rope bridge.  This is where
   you will find the Rune Seed.  You will have to work your way around
   to get to it.  Bring this back to Robin and he will move out of the
   way.  Move to the spot behind where he sat and you will get the Broad
   Sword!  This will be most useful.  Remember Robin, as you will run
   into him later.

   Proceed further and you will overhear the Evil Ones talking about you.
   After they chat a bit, they will leave, and it's up to you to follow
   them.  Take off your Alter magic at this point and head north.  You
   will find yourself on a bridge.  At the end is none other than Gadis
   himself.  He will cut the rope bridge, and you will take a nasty fall,
   leaving you with one hit point.

   As you start to awaken, a pretty blonde girl will run in to help.  She
   will treat your wound, healing you back up to 10 hit points, then she
   will leave.  Sit tight for a few until your HP are back up to maximum,
   then keep going.  You will see her again shortly.  When you do, she
   will tell you this is her favorite place to relax, because she loves
   the view.  She will eventually realize she has somewhere she has to
   go, and will leave.  Follow her, and you will soon reach...

6.  Earth Village of Laparo/Templar Castle
   This place is something of a welcome sight.  You can restock your
   items as well as purchase better equipment.  And you will need it, as
   a somewhat tougher area is up ahead.  You can also talk to Leeza in
   her house at the northwest.  You may want to fight a few creatures
   outside to raise your level a bit.  Watch out for the piglike things
   that spit fire.  Your magic will not harm them.

   From Laparo, head to the left and then up, and you will find yourself
   in a very large courtyard.  There will be some very speedy armored
   enemies here who are also immune to magic and can do a good bit of
   damage to you if you're not careful.  They are reasonably good for
   gaining experience though.

   At the north end of the courtyard (where is it written that all doors
   in RPGs must face south?), you will find the entrance to the castle.
   This place is a bit mazelike, and the enemies inside are dangerous,
   particularly those speedy blue spinning creatures.  On the upside,
   you can gain a lot of experience here.  Search around and you will
   a semi-long hallway with a staircase going down at the north end.
   Halfway through this hall, you will find a strange item on the
   ground.  Once you proceed down the stairs, head to the right and you
   will claim the Shield Ring.

   *** BOSS FIGHT ***
   Eventually, you will run into Leeza again, who is calling out for
   help.  A pair of tentacles creep into the room after her, then pull
   back.  It's up to you to save the day again.  Prepare your Herb and
   Shield Ring, and get ready to fight.  You should be level 15 for
   this fight.  Go into the next room and you will square off against a
   really strange creature.  The tentacles will block your Fire shots,
   and you can only hit it when the body is outside of the "shell."  It
   will also spit out three blobs from time to time, which can be
   killed easily with the Fire spell... but be careful, as they will
   launch projectiles at you, which can do extreme damage in the right
   conditions.  If you're patient, though, you should be able to beat
   this creature without even wasting an Herb.

   When you're done, go back outside to talk to Leeza.  She will notice
   the bandana that she used to bandage your wounds earlier.  She
   thanks you for coming to help her, but says she cannot leave yet, as
   there is still something she has to do.  She walks back into the
   room where the monster was, and you must follow.  (Or else the plot
   cannot continue! *gasp*)

   You will find that Leeza has been taken prisoner by the Evil Ones,
   and Guruda demands that you hand over the magics of Fire and Alter.
   Having no other choice (and just being the sort of guy you are), you
   do so.  Of course, Guruda seems to have no intention of fulfilling
   his end of the bargain, until Duren comes in.  Remember the guy in
   the Romun Castle prison?  Well, he evidently has a bit of a past
   with Guruda, and subdues him, allowing Leeza a chance to escape.
   The Evil Ones fall back, and you follow, Leeza and Duren tagging
   along behind.

   In the next room, you come face to face with Eldeel himself, who
   explains that part of the power he seeks is about to become his...
   he absorbs the energy from the statue behind him, and it shatters.
   He then uses this power on you, knocking you unconscious and nearly
   dead.  Eldeel and the Evil Ones then leave, and Leeza and Duren
   taking you back to Laparo.

   You awaken in Leeza's house, where she and her father explain what
   Eldeel used to be like, and how he has changed.  It seems all of
   Selceta is in danger from what he plans.  They ask that you help
   them in their time of need.  When you exit Leeza's house, go into
   the Elder's house, to the right.  He will give you an item which will
   be used in the next area.

   Remember to equip your Power Ring, since you will have to rely solely
   on your physical strength to keep going.  Now, go back toward the
   Templar Castle and you can go through the newly-opened gate on the
   right.  Follow the path and you will come to...

7.  The Sinking Desert/Miyu's Tomb
   This place is a bit of a puzzle.  The first item on the agenda is to
   attack the big iguana-like creatures to get experience, as they
   should be worth about 45 experience by the time you reach here.  They
   are definitely worth killing.  You can gain a level or two quickly by
   simply moving up and down the first island, causing the lizard to
   reappear again and again so you can kill it.

   Remember, the sands will drag you continually down the screen, so in
   order to cross from one island to another, you need to find the right
   place to start, so that the current will not carry you too far.  In
   the first area, there is a treasure chest containing an Herb to the
   far right if you need it.  In the first area, things are simple.
   Just keep moving downwards and you'll arrive at the "shore."  Go to
   the right and you'll come across a great pyramid, which doesn't seem
   to have any available entrance.

   Duren is over by the pyramid, and he is also wondering how to get in.
   The pathway is hidden, and you must use the item that the village Elder
   in Laparo gave you.  Go to the broken pillar in the top row, the second
   one from the left, face up, and use it.  The pathway will open up.
   Duren will follow you inside.

   Once inside, there will be a multitude of slow-moving brown creatures
   with single blue eyes.  Fight these and/or the lizards outside until
   you reach level 18.  Then proceed to the center of the shrine.  There
   is another pillar which will take you to fight the boss.

   *** BOSS FIGHT ***
   Prepare your Power Ring and Herb, of course.  This guy is a piece of
   cake.  Your only chance to do any significant damage is when his head
   and tail are both sticking up out of the sand.  Attack the tail only,
   or else you'll get hurt.  Move to the left and right over the tail to
   continuously do damage.  Avoid the weird little projectiles that the
   mouth spits out, and be careful, as they will bolt at you whenever
   you are at a right angle to them.  When he's diving in and out of the
   sand, stay as far to the top as you can and he should be completely
   unable to hurt you.  When you're victorious (and you have to really
   be playing around not to be), Miyu's spirit will give you the magic
   of Warp, a very useful spell indeed.

   Exit the shrine to the right, and you will find another area of
   sinking sands, except this time you have to work against the flow.
   It may take a bit of practice, but if you take the time to gauge how
   far you can get, you can make it to the top easily.  Along the left
   side, you will find a treasure chest containing the Topaz, an item
   useful for nothing more than selling later.  Neat to have for a full
   inventory screen though.  The exit is at the upper right corner.

8.  Water Village of Libra (aka "The Trouble with Tim")
   This area will probably prove to be a stumbling block for most players
   their first time playing through the game.  When you approach the
   village, you'll see a man running towards it in a panic.  As you enter,
   you'll overhear him imploring the villagers to help him get back his
   grandson, a little boy named "Tim."  Aside from listen to the peoples'
   heartfelt pleas for help, there's not really much you can do here.  So
   it's time to go and save the kid.

   Before you go charging off, however, make a little detour.  Use your
   "Warp" magic to teleport back to Promarock.  It is the first item on
   the list.  Select it, then choose "hai" (two Japanese characters).
   Once you get there, go to the weapons and armor shops to upgrade your
   equipment.  You will definitely need it.  After you're done shopping,
   teleport back to Arieda (second item on the list) and visit Dr. Flair's
   office to heal up and restock.

   Once you've done this, teleport back to Libra (last item on the list).
   Then, be prepared to do a lot of level-gaining.  The upcoming boss,
   known as the "Ice Immurer" or "Ice Murmur," is quite tough.  I would
   recommend working your way up to at least level 21 before attempting to
   tackle it.  Use the brown creatures and the Godzilla-wannabe monsters
   to gain a level or two, then proceed north and fight the snowmen to
   gain the rest.  There's a blue creature at the top of the mountain,
   which gives decent experience, but it's difficult to catch, and can
   also do a ton of damage to you in a hurry.  You're better off sticking
   with the snowmen.  Remember, NEVER stop moving in this area.  There are
   some invisible enemies which can and will sneak up on you when you
   least expect it.

   Once you're powerful enough, climb to the top of the mountain and
   enter the cave on the left.  The one on the right is a dead end and
   holds nothing of value.  The doorway isn't far.  Equip your Herb and
   Power Ring before entering.  As you enter, you will see the old man
   (Jeff) pounding on a block of ice, inside of which is a little boy.
   He notices you and pleads for your help.  Touch the ice three times and
   the creature will awaken.  With a quick attack, it pushes the old man
   out of the room, leaving you to fight it alone.

   *** BOSS FIGHT ***
   This guy can be TOUGH.  Defeating it will require a lot of patience on
   your part.  If you try to rush things, you will never win.  It splits
   into six pieces, only one of which can be damaged.  This is the one
   with the dark blue figure.  The rest will hurt you if you touch them.
   You will have few opportunities to do damage, and you must make each
   one count.  When it merges, the part you can hit will always fly from
   the bottom right corner, giving you the opportunity to hit it as many
   as three or four times.  As it spins, DO NOT GET CLOSE.  Stay in the
   upper-left corner until it finished forming, then dash behind it to
   the upper-right.  Look out for the blocks of ice it'll drop (just
   avoid the shadows), and move back to the left, in front of it, when
   the coast is clear.  When it splits again, the part you can hit will
   usually go off toward you, giving you another (albeit riskier) chance
   to hit.  Repeat and be as cautious as you can.  Eventually, you will
   win.  It is possible to kill it at level 21 without using the herb if
   you watch the pattern enough.

   Once the Ice Immurer is dead, Jeff will come back in and thank you, as
   will the boy, Tim.  They tell you to go to the back, to the frozen
   village.  Once they leave, head north and enter the open house (there
   is only one).  You will speak to the child, who is the reincarnation
   of the sage, Enzo.  He will detail to you further facts about Selceta's
   past.  As you leave, the woman will give you another orb.

9.  The Selceta Flower
   When you return to the village, all will seem well for a bit, then Tim
   will develop another problem... his legs turn to stone!  (Tim is what
   is known as a "problem child.")  In order to put things right, warp
   back to Arieda and go to Dr. Flair's office.  Don't forget to restock
   if you need to, and answer "hai" (two Japanese characters) when you
   speak to him.  You'll warp back to Libra automatically.  When Flair
   surveys the damage, he concludes that the Selceta Flower could be used
   to fix the curse.  He asks that you go to find it.  Choose "hai" again.
   Now, remember that old guy who always kicked you out of his house in
   Libra Village?  Leave the town, then come back in.  Then go back to his
   house, and he will build a raft for you.  Exit his house and head north
   to get on it.

   The raft is automatically guided, and will take you to your destination
   fairly quickly.  Make sure to move around while travelling, otherwise
   the purple bird-creatures could sneak up on you and do some nasty
   damage to you.  You'll stop off in a cave.  Just get back on the raft,
   there's nothing to be done here... yet.  You'll return here later.

   Once you finish your journey, you'll be in for a surprise.  (You're
   going to love this one.)  Shortly after, you will meet up with the Evil
   Ones again... Gadis will want to just kill you outright, but Bami has
   other ideas.  She puts a curse on you of her own.  Nice lady, eh?
   Anyhow, go up the hill to enter the cave.  Fight the creatures for lots
   of easy experience!  You can go up two or three levels in no time here.

   You will soon enter a small area, laden with rubble.  At the room with
   three other exits, go straight up (to the stairway on the upper-right)
   and follow the path from there.  You will find an old corpse in a dead
   end.  Examine it for another story sequence and another orb.  (If you
   miss this, you will be unable to proceed at part 16.)

   As you proceed, you will find the Selceta Flower and eventually come to
   a spring.  Enter it and choose "hai" to heal and have the curse
   removed.  Then go back out and head north, to the crack in the wall.
   Use the Mattock on it to break out of this prison.  Then warp back to
   Libra!  Dr. Flair will be most pleased to see you.  You will warp back
   to Arieda to go to his lab automatically.  Stock up and wait around.
   It will take a few minutes before the Elixir is ready.  Enter and exit
   a few buildings.  Eventually, you will see a man standing to the right
   of the north gate.  Speak to him, then go talk to Flair again.  Time
   to warp to Promarock!  (I think he's just in this for the travel.)  If
   you haven't already done so by warping back here, upgrade your weapons
   and armor, then head to the shipyard.

10. Return to Minea
   After arriving, you will soon run into Dogi.  After he leaves, go to
   the weapons and armor shops to get better weapons.  You should be able
   to afford it.  Then head out to the field.  Things will look quite
   different from how they did in Ys I.  To the south, there is a second
   Roda Tree, where Lilia is.  Talk to her, then head to the northeast, to
   Zeptic Village.  In there, go into all of the houses.  The one at the
   bottom-right holds Jeva, the old woman from Ys I.  After talking to
   her, go to the southwest house, and talk to Luta Gemma's wife.  Then,
   go to the northernmost house and talk to the village elder.  Once you
   speak to him, you will find Luta in front of his home.  Speak to him and
   he will give you the Silver Harmonica.  Exit the village and go into the
   mine to the north.

   There are no monsters in the mine, so explore freely.  There is a
   treasure chest on the second level which you can open.  When you reach
   the room with the goddesses' statues, stand directly in front of one of
   them and use the Harmonica.  The goddesses will then awaken and speak
   to you, and give you the Mask of Eyes.  Immediately afterwards, someone
   will come in and tell you that Lilia has been captured by the Romun
   soldiers!  Return to Zeptic Village, and Jeva will tell you that she
   was taken to Darm Tower... so head north!

11. Darm Tower
   This won't take nearly as long as it did the first time through.  The
   only enemies will be Romun Soldiers, and they're not that strong.  If
   you do get hurt, remember that you can recover HP on the outer decks.
   When you reach the long passage lined with statues, put on the Mask of
   Eyes and enter the hidden area.  Once inside, switch to another item,
   since you can't see enemies while wearing the Mask.  Get the contents
   of the treasure chest, then go back out and keep going upstairs.  You
   will find a treasure chest containing a strange fruit.  Save this for
   later.  It will raise your level by one instantly when you eat it, so
   it's best to use it only at the end, when levels are harder to come
   by.  Shortly after, your path upwards will be blocked by a collapsed
   stairway.  Go back down to the hallway with the statues, and enter the
   hidden room.  Inside there, use the Mattock on the crack in the wall.
   This will lead you to a shortcut to floor 23.  Work your way through
   the maze of mirrors, and you will reach the very top of the tower
   itself.

   Atop the tower, you will find the captured Lilia, held by Gadis.  As
   it turns out, he has taken control of Keith Fact, who attacks you.
   Don't worry... Fact will defeat you no matter what you do.  He's not
   the real boss.  You will be magically healed, then Gadis will step in
   to fight you himself.

   *** BOSS FIGHT ***
   At level 24, you're pretty well-equipped to defeat him.  At level 25,
   it's a walk in the park.  His attack patterns consist of drifting
   across the screen, shooting five fireballs in succession, charging
   up for a blast of four fireballs at once, a black beam of energy, and
   an attack with his sword.  The ones you have to look out for are the
   beam and the charge-up attack.  The charged attack will take about
   90% of your life with one hit if all the fireballs hit you!  Don't
   rush things.  Take your time to learn his patterns, and you'll be
   fine.  When you get him down to about 50 hit points, he'll start
   attacking three times in a row with his sword.  Just keep moving and
   you should be able to avoid him.

   Once he's defeated, you'll get back your Fire magic!  The Romun
   soldiers will run away, and then Dogi will come in to help, having
   heard what happened from Goban.  Keith wakes up and apologizes.  He
   says that somehow they controlled him because he was the descendant
   of a priest.  The four of you leave the tower, to be greeted by Dr.
   Flair once more.  He says that he finally has the Elixir ready to
   cure Tim.  The two of you warp back together, and Tim is cured.

12. The Mountain Shrine
   All seems well, doesn't it?  Tim's zipping around like a hummingbird
   on crack, and everyone is happy.  However, his attention is taken by
   a strange little yellow creature.  Curiously enough, one identical
   to the form you take when you used your missing Alter magic.  The
   boy chases after the creature, and Dr. Flair asks that you go and
   look after him.  After all, we can't have the townsfolk worrying
   even more.

   Exit the village, and head northwest.  The floating eye creatures
   are tough to kill, and can do a lot of damage, but they're very slow
   and are worth a lot of experience.  Gain a few levels here before
   proceeding.  Enter the shrine when you feel you are ready.

   Once inside, Tim will lead you on a wild goose chase.  He will show
   you how some flame traps work (and singe you in the process), and
   then run off again.  There is a room FULL of these things coming
   up, so SAVE WHEN YOU ENTER IT!  They can kill you in less than a
   split-second.  The proper path is up the left passage, left until
   you are flush with the wall, then rush through the two horizontal
   tiles.  You'll have to move diagonally up-right to get to the door
   unscathed.  It takes practice, but it can be done.

   Eventually, Tim will lead you to a room with two teleporters.  He
   will use the one on the left, but you must use the one on the RIGHT
   to catch him... keep moving until you see a room with an open door
   (NOT a stairwell) then proceed.  You will end up in a very wide
   open area.  Enter one of the doorways at the bottom, and stick to
   down and left when possible.  You'll end up taking a rather nasty
   fall, and be trapped in the room with Tim and the creature.  The
   door is locked.  Fortunately, Dogi will come blasting into the
   room shortly, and lead you to the exit.

   Before you follow Tim and Dogi, however, head Right and then Down.
   You'll obtain the Heal Ring!  A boss fight is coming up, and I
   would recomment being at least level 27 for this one.  If you need
   to gain levels, an excellent opportunity is provided in the room
   just north of the Heal Ring.  Before proceeding, heal up using the
   Heal Ring and prepare your Fire magic, as well as the Shield Ring.
   Use the Ring of Roda to recharge magic if necessary.

   *** BOSS FIGHT ***
   The boss may come as a bit of a shock...literally.  He attacks with
   lightning, and has quite an aggressive pattern.  He first attacks
   with a vertical lightning bolt.  Time your attacks in between the
   bolts, and watch his hands to avoid getting jolted.  Once you take
   him down far enough, the hands will separate and fire two separate
   bolts of lightning while the cloak wraps itself up.  You cannot hurt
   it unless the cloak is open.  The hands will exchange turns firing
   off blasts of blue magic.  Just move slightly after it fires and you
   will not be hit.  After both hands are done, get back in the center
   and attack once more.  Once you learn the pattern, this guy is a
   piece of cake.  After you win, you'll get your Alter magic back, as
   well as the Cleria Shield!

   By the way, if you go back to Arieda, Dr. Flair will have Elixir
   available for you to buy... it will restore your life to full
   automatically in the event that you are reduced to 0 HP.  Such power
   doesn't come cheap, though.  The cost is 30000 gold.

13. Rady's Temple
   Now that you have the Alter magic back in your possession, you can
   once again swim.  Head back to Libra, and hop off the dock to swim
   north.  Once out in the open, head slightly northeast to find a small
   island with a treasure chest.  Inside that chest is the Battle Armor!
   Once done, go north again to go into the cave.  This time, go toward
   the left, and go up to the dead-end wall with the symbol.  Put on the
   Mask of Eyes and you will be able to get through.  Take it off after
   you pass through the door.  Once inside, remain in your Altered form.
   When you reach the first intersection, go down and swim through the
   corridors.  You will eventually reach a dead-end with a treasure
   chest, which holds a key. This key will open the floodgates and allow
   you to access the formerly submerged areas.  Backtrack and this time,
   head up at the first intersection.  You will reach a door, and when
   you open it, you'll be washed up (literally).  A bit embarassing, but
   it'll get the job done.

   Now, go exploring again.  You may have noticed a submerged treasure
   chest before.  Now you can reach it.  In it sits the Timer Ring.  It
   is definitely most useful.  Now, you may want to take off the Alter
   magic and fight some monsters.  There are several places around here
   that are good for gaining levels.  I'll leave it to you to find them.

   When you're ready, go and fight the boss.  The proper pathway is to
   the left of the wide submerged area with two small stairways which
   allow you to get in or out of the water on either side.  It's just
   to the left of where you found the key.

   *** BOSS FIGHT ***
   As always, make sure you're stocked up with your Herb.  I recommend
   level 30 for tackling this one.  Equip the Shield Ring also, as
   you'll have to use your Fire magic, which the Power Ring doesn't
   affect.  The boss follows a fairly simple pattern.  The energy orbs
   it sends out will turn into waves of water that damage you.  They're
   easy enough to avoid.  You cannot hurt the armor in the middle until
   you destroy the two statues on the sides.  Alternate between them and
   you should be able to destroy them in no time, while avoiding the
   water.  Once it's gotten out of its shield, you can then attack it
   normally.  It will fire multitudes of water projectiles at you, in
   some way or another.  Most of these are easily avoided.  If you MUST
   get hit (and sometimes it cannot be avoided) then run through the
   projectiles to take as little damage as possible.  When the huge wave
   sends you back and forth across the screen, try to stay out of the
   armor's way, or else it'll do some nasty damage do you when it
   touches you.  A little perseverence is all it takes.  When you are
   victorious, the Freeze Magic will be your prize.

   *************************** SPECIAL ITEM ******************************
   The next thing you should do is head back to the lava pits.  Remember
   that area with the lavaspout that you couldn't cross?  Use the Freeze
   magic on it and you can pass.  This will net you Samson's Shoes, a
   handy item.  It slows your movement rate to a crawl, but any enemy
   (except bosses, of course) is killed in one hit.  Very handy for
   gaining experience, and surviving some of the later areas.
   *************************** SPECIAL ITEM ******************************

14. Moon Village of Serene/Romun Castle
   Go back to the village of Libra, use your Alter magic, and hop off
   the dock.  Swim to the right, then down to approach the waterfall.
   Once you fall, go to the right and attack the creatures here (use the
   Samson's Shoes) to gain experience.  You can gain two or three levels
   here in no time.  Follow the pathways north to the village of Serene.
   If you go east, you will find your pathway blocked by a large wall of
   rocks.  There is an old woman named Banjo in the center of the
   village who can mix up a potion to blast away the rocks for you.
   Talk to her and she will tell you she needs "Kibie Powder" (That's
   kih-bee-ay) in order to make it.  The only people known to have it
   are the Romuns.  So, warp back to Arieda and head north to the castle.

   Once there, you will need to equip all that old weaponry you stole
   when escaping in order to get the guard to let you pass.  Once inside
   you must go into the prison building, where you were held, and go
   upstairs.  Talk to the soldier standing still in the lone hallway, and
   he will gripe to you about the "redheaded swordsman" for a bit, then
   recognize you, and run off to sound an alarm.  Don't bother chasing him,
   you'll catch up to him later.

   Go back into the first building and you will be able to go upstairs
   now.  As you pass through, you will overhear General Leo in his
   quarters, being in a particularly foul mood to one of his officers.
   He finally gives up and goes to sleep.  Proceed upwards, and you
   will find the soldier who sounded the alarm.  Chase him to the
   dead-end, and he will give you the key you need to unlock the door
   to the Kibie Powder.  Go back downstairs and enter the formerly
   locked door, get the powder, and warp back to Serene.

   To get the Black Potion, use Badou's Ash and the Kibie Powder mixed.
   They are (from the left) the second and third items in the list that is
   presented to you.  Once you have it, head to the wall of rocks and you
   will use the potion.  It will hurt you severely, and an old woman will
   come up, warn you of the danger ahead, and give you the Talisman.  When
   she leaves, sit tight for a few and heal back up.  Then proceed up the
   road.

15. Torie's Tomb (aka "EscherSpace")
   As you proceed onward, you will encounter a lava pit area much like the
   one you went through earlier.  Attack the creatures outside the pyramid
   to gain levels.  I would suggest level 34 or 35, as the boss is quite
   tough, and once inside, opportunities to gain experience are few and
   far between.

   When you reach the pillar and touch it, you will not be warped to the
   boss instantly, like you might be expecting.  You will be warped into
   a very strange world.  Beware of treasure boxes.  Some of them are
   actually monsters, who can do a lot of damage to you.  Test them with
   a blast of Fire or Freeze before approaching.  If it goes through,
   the take what's inside.  Otherwise, leave it be.  They're not worth the
   trouble to fight.  One of them will contain the Magic Ring.  Make sure
   you get this before you fight the boss, or else you cannot go back and
   get it!

   These two areas are quite mazelike, and could give you some trouble.
   It is, unfortunately, impossible to make a map out of such a strange
   layout.  The first is relatively simple.  Step on one of the red tiles
   and you'll be warped to the green tile closest to it.  This will also
   put you on the wall.  (You'll see what I mean.)  The tiles work in
   reverse as well.  Find the Magic Ring here before proceeding to the
   really big tile.  The second area is a bit tougher, and is more of a
   maze.  The arrow tiles may only be crossed one way.  So if you're
   going to use one, save first, so you can avoid having to retrace your
   steps.  Work at it for awhile and you will get it.  It's not as hard
   as it looks.

   *** BOSS FIGHT ***
   This boss is one of the tougher ones.  Looking eerily similar to Darm,
   he attacks with incredible aggression.  Have your Herb and Elixir
   prepared, as you very well may need both of them.  You can only harm
   him when his cloak is red and he is solidified.  Beware the vertical
   bolts of pink energy.  They will drain your HP rapidly.  He will also
   launch little blue energy pellets which do no damage, but serve to
   annoy the hell out of you and keep you from moving where you want to
   go.  Avoid the attacks where possible, and keep plugging away at him,
   and you will eventually succeed.  Level 34 makes for a tough fight,
   and level 35 is noticeably easier.  Once you win, the spirit of Torie
   will give you the Seeker Magic.

16. Lefance's Tomb
   Return to Serene and you'll find things quite different.  Everything
   is destroyed, and there's no one here!  The only living soul is an
   old woman where Banjo used to sit.  Talk to her, and she will take an
   item from you... and then reveal who she really is.  It might not be
   who you expect.

   Once she leaves, make use of the Seeker Magic that Torie gave you.
   It will reveal a hidden entrance, inside of which are the villagers.
   Banjo is still there, and will still make potions for you if you wish
   her to.  The door on the upper left leads to Lefance's Tomb.  Talk
   to the woman and she will let you pass.  Once there, go to the large
   statue in the center, and you will meet the spirit of Lefance
   himself.  He will give you the Shield Magic, as well as give your
   magic a noticeable boost.  You'll find your Fire and Freeze magics
   look considerably different.  There are also three small poles with
   orbs sitting atop them.  Looking into them will allow you to hear,
   once again, the three narratives detailing the story of Selceta.
   When you're done here, touch the glowing statue.

17. The Forest and The Ritual
   You will be transported into a forest.  You'll find your Freeze magic
   works well against the enemies here.  When you proceed, Duren will
   hop down in front of you and talk to you for a bit.  To the north is
   a clearing filled with some tough enemies.  Here is an excellent
   place to don Samson's Shoes and kill creatures for experience.  At
   the gates, there is your friend Robin (the creature who gave you the
   Broad Sword earlier).  Talk to him in Altered form.  He will tell you
   that he is hungry, and ask that you find some food for him.  Go down
   to the forest again, and pick up the seed you find at the root of a
   tree.  Bring it back to Robin (still in Altered form), and he will
   start following you around and attacking enemies with you.  If you
   change back to human form, he will sit still and you can proceed.

   *** BOSS FIGHT ***
   Inside the gates is a temple... and some familiar faces.  Eldeel has
   the Mask of the Moon now, and he is no longer willing to entertain
   your interference.  He sends Bami against you.  She's actually not
   that tough.  (I suppose her most dangerous attack was that annoying
   laugh.)  You'd better be at level 36, or better yet, 37, before
   taking her on.  She has three basic attacks.  One she calls down
   lightning all over the screen.  This is easy to avoid, as you have
   plenty of warning before it starts doing damage.  She will also toss
   out three blasts of ice.  These can be avoided by linear movement,
   so long as you don't let yourself get stuck in the corner.  Her
   flamethrower attack is definitely her worst.  It's impossible to
   completely avoid, so the best you can hope for is to cross through
   it when it's a straight line, directly in front of her.  That way,
   you'll only take one hit.

   Once you've taken care of Bami, Eldeel will perform a ritual to
   raise the Gold City from the depths of the ground.  Leeza is planned
   as his sacrifice, but something happens which stops him.  Let's just
   say Guruda has a few surprises left in him after all.  Afterwards,
   you and Leeza will go back to Laparo automatically.

18. The Gold City
   To get to the Gold City from Laparo, exit the town and head to the
   right.  You'll see a pathway which wasn't there before.  Go inside,
   and you'll run into Dogi.  He will join you and help you fight your
   way through.  Shortly after entering, you'll come upon a locked door.
   Dogi prepares to bash his way through, but is stopped by none other
   than General Leo of the Romun Army... and a cannon, plus a battalion
   of soldiers.  After shoving you aside, he proceeds onward with his
   men.  The pathways are somewhat convoluted, and it's easy to get a
   bit lost.  When fighting, be careful.  Most of the enemies here are
   immune to your magic.  Fight where you can, and if you need to heal
   up, find a secluded corner and put on the Heal Ring.  Dogi will stand
   guard for you, and easily kill any monsters that come your way.  Your
   goal is the large open doorway at the back of the outside area.

   Once you reach here, you will come across Leo and his men again.
   They use the cannon to break through another door, but a pair of
   gargoyles come to life on either side of the door, destroying the
   cannon and the two soldiers who fired it.  Leo proceeds on, undaunted.

   In the next area is one of the more obnoxious challenges in the game:
   the fire tiles, as I call them.  Leo will repeatedly send groups of
   his men through the fire, each one getting a bit farther.  Pay close
   attention to them, as they're showing the pattern.  Once nearly all
   of his men are killed, he continues with the last of his troops and
   makes it through himself.  And it's up to you to follow him.  This
   part is quite tricky, and can take a while before you get the pattern
   down.  Just ONE touch of those flames will kill you, and you also have
   to make sure Dogi is out of harm's way as well, or else he will be
   fried and you'll have to start over.  It took me about ten tries to
   get it completed.  The easiest pattern consists of starting on the
   right side, moving to the center, up the left side, center, then the
   right side again.  You WILL have to be careful though, as some tiles
   will flare up twice before proceeding is safe.

   Once you've made it through, go to the next room.  Leo will be there
   with his men and he will open a treasure chest.  However, it does not
   seem to hold what he is searching for... several blue slime creatures
   rise from the floor and suck the Leo and the soldiers into the ground.
   It was a trap all along.  One of them will also grab you as well.
   Dogi calls out your name, and you land in the basement with the other
   men.  Leo leaves his men behind and runs off.

   At this point, you must proceed back to the room with the fire tiles
   and make your way through them again.  Hey, you did it before, you can
   do it again, right?  Besides, it's a lot easier when you don't have
   Dogi to worry about.  In the next room, you will still have those blue
   slimes to contend with.  You cannot kill them.  They're rather fast,
   and move in a primarily random fashion.  The only way to get past here
   is to use the Timer Ring and avoid them, making your way to the door
   on the far end of the room.

   In the next room, Leo is examining another treasure chest, situated on
   a raised block of stone with a pole at each corner.  He opens it,
   laughing that he has finally found his treasure.  Unfortunately, it is
   also empty.  The eyes above the opposite door begin to glow, and Leo
   is consumed in a bolt of energy which knocks him into a corner of the
   room.  When you talk to him, he says with his dying breath that he
   wonders why he was searching for something that didn't exist.  He dies,
   and the doorway opens.

   As you proceed, it appears that it's a dead end.  Dogi checks the wall,
   and breaks through a hollow portion, opening a path for you.  As you
   enter, a rock falls from above, and Dogi shoves you aside, taking a
   rather nasty bump on the head.

   *************************** SPECIAL ITEM ******************************
   Any time after Leo is killed, you may go back to Romun Castle and look
   for his original equipment.  It is the best equipment available in the
   game, but getting it can be a bit of a chore.  It's in his room, but
   you cannot enter the tower without some way of sneaking by the guard.
   The old "wear-the-enemy-equipment" trick won't work here... you need
   something extra.

   What you need is an invisibility potion.  In order to get this, you
   need to talk to Banjo, who is now in Arieda at the northeast corner of
   town.  To obtain the Clear Potion which will make you temporarily
   invisible, you need the two leftmost items on her ingredients list.
   The second one, Batou's Ash, can be easily purchased.  The first you
   may have a bit of a time with, since you may not remember where you got
   it originally.  But after much searching, I've found out.  If you don't
   have it, warp back to Promarock and head out of the town.  Summon Ruse
   to the tree just outside the town, and he will bring you the item you
   need.  Now head over to Banjo and get her to make that potion!

   Inside Romun Castle, use the item before you go up the stairs and the
   guard will not notice you.  You will blink rapidly when invisible.
   Enjoy the newfound power.
   *************************** SPECIAL ITEM ******************************

   Dogi waves you off, declaring that he's all right and that you should
   go on ahead.  In the next area, the creatures all all armored and are
   immune to magic, not to mention extremely fast.  I recommend using
   Samson's Shoes throughout this place.  Any creature you touch will be
   destroyed, and the safety factor makes it more than worth the tradeoff
   in speed.  You can also use it to gain a few levels, as the creatures
   tend to attack relentlessly, giving you plenty of opportunity to gain
   experience.

   *** BOSS FIGHT ***
   Eventually, you will come across another large open doorway.  Before
   entering, make sure you are level 39 or higher, in order to stand the
   best chance against what is to come.  Within this place sit another
   two gargoyles like the ones that destroyed Leo's cannon.  They will
   come to life and swoop to attack.  They are only vulnerable to magic,
   so get it ready.  Due to their speed, you should also use the Timer
   Ring, as it will buy you a lot of time and chances to attack safely
   that you normally would not have.  They will float around, firing
   blue bolts of homing energy at you.  To avoid these, move in a tight
   circle behind them, and they will be unable to track you.  Five of
   these will typically be fired, then they will switch to a new attack.
   In the second attack, they will each go to one side of the room and
   fly up and down, spitting lasers horizontally.  Stay at the very top
   or the very bottom and you will not be hit.  When one is near the top
   of the screen, get underneath it and let loose with as many bolts of
   magic as you can muster.  Be sure not to get too close.  For the
   third attack, they will come together near the center of the screen
   and unleash a short burst of white energy which will damage anything
   not at the sides of the screen.  After they are reduced to about 1/4
   their total hit points, they will begin firing off extra projectiles
   constantly.  Don't be daunted by this, they're not homing and they're
   not hard to avoid.  Keep pressing the attack.  You should have plenty
   of life left to finish them off, particularly if you can save the
   Herb until now.

   When they're destroyed, go to the room at the back and open the
   treasure chest.  Inside it is the key to the sealed door back where
   you left Dogi.  Make your way back to that courtyard and enter the
   formerly locked door.  You will find yourself back in Lefance's Tomb.
   Talk to the statue again, and he will tell you that you must find
   Guruda and get back the Cleria Sword.

19. Zanria Tower
   Now, you must head to the upper left doorway, which will allow you to
   enter Zanria Tower.  The blue horned creatures on the catwalks are
   worth rather good experience apiece, and are quite vulnerable to the
   Fire magic.  Fight them and raise your experience level.  Once you
   enter, it should look extremely familiar... namely, the Mountain
   Shrine that Tim led you through before.  Notice all those holes in the
   walls where Dogi pounded his way through.

   You will be unable to escape this place.  The Warp magic does not work
   here.  To succeed here, you should go straight up, and then when you
   are warped to the wide open area, go through the bottom passage just
   to the right of the center.  Continue straight and you will be warped
   to another familiar hallway, before a large door.  The green creatures
   here are worth a TON of experience.  However, you cannot hurt them
   without being injured yourself... unless you use the Shield Magic (not
   recommended) or the Samson's Shoes.  Use them to raise your level to
   45 or better, then enter the large door.

   *** BOSS FIGHT ***
   Before you step on the floor tile, prepare your Power Ring and your
   Shield Magic.  You're going to come face to face with an old friend.
   Attack when he is in his solid, humanoid form and avoid the energy
   spheres which fly around.  He's not that tough.  You should have him
   down to virtually nothing by the time your magic runs out, so you can
   afford to take some damage near the end of the battle.  Once you have
   won, make your way back to Lefance's Tomb.  You can now use the Warp
   Magic.  You should have a ton of money by now, so go back to Arieda
   and stock up on everything you can, including an Elixir.  Warp back
   to Lefance's Tomb and go into the right-hand door this time, which
   will lead you to...

20. Lunes Tower
   This place is easier than it looks... the Samson's Shoes will serve
   you well here.  You will have to work your way through a short but
   confusing maze, opening "hidden" passages with the Seeker magic.
   Watch your magic points, as the magic consumes 10 points with each
   use.  Once you've made it past here, you will eventually find a
   Silver Bracelet in a treasure chest.  By equipping this and touching
   a silver statue, you will be warped to the corresponding silver
   statue.  Follow the pathway (it may take some work) and you will find
   a room very much like the one in which you fought the boss of Zanria
   Tower.  There is no boss here, only the Gold Bracelet.

   Once you have the Gold Bracelet, you can warp using the gold statues
   as well.  Eventually, you will find yourself confronted with a room
   full of sliding walls.  This area is quite simple to pass through,
   and shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes to get through.
   After you have gotten out of here, you will find yourself in the
   upper courtyard.  Now, it is time to fight Guruda himself.

   *** BOSS FIGHT ***
   For this fight, you should be level 46 or better.  Equip your Power
   Ring and the Shield magic, and of course, the Herb.  When he leaps,
   he will try to drop directly on you.  If he does, you will be hurt.
   He will then hop up or down.  Here is your best opportunity to do
   damage.  He will warp across the screen, leaving golden scythes
   spinning in the air, which will fly at your current location.  He
   will also sometimes launch eight at once, which will all attack at
   the same time.  With the Shield magic, just ignore the hits (though
   try to avoid getting stomped on, to preserve your Shield magic) and
   press the attack.  The scythes aren't too hard to avoid and don't
   do much damage.  He should be down to around 25% life by the time
   you need to use the Herb.  Finish him off and you will reclaim the
   Mask of Eyes (now the Mask of the Moon) as well as the Cleria Sword!

   Now, you may warp back to Lefance's Tomb (or if you feel like giving
   your thumb and memory a workout, you can go it on foot), and speak
   to the statue of Lefance again.  He congratulates you, and grants
   you more power.  He says that he will transform the magical silver
   armor into gold equipment known as "El Doran."  After the change is
   done, Adol's armor and weapons will glow.

21. Shrine of the Sun
   If you are NOT in possession of the full complement of healing
   items (Herb, Roda Tree Nut, Elixir), warp back to Arieda and stock
   up.  Then warp back to Lefance's Tomb and head to one of the upper
   doors.  Just after going through this door, you should see that the
   doorway above is now open.  Enter this room and step on the tile in
   the center.  The spirits who have aided you throughout the adventure
   will take the Mask of Eyes from you and transform it into the Mask
   of the Moon.  This item is absolutely crucial for you to proceed.

   The wall in front of you will open up in a big way and allow you
   passage.  You MUST equip the Mask of the Moon before entering or you
   will be dead in less than two seconds!  Your HP will drop like a
   rock without it.  If you are not at maximum level, just inside is a
   good place to fix that.  The floating slime creatures are worth
   substantial experience (90 exp at level 47, 45 at level 48).  Be
   careful though, as the other enemies are quick and can do a lot of
   damage.  These creatures are totally immune to your magic.  Sit on
   the stairway with the Heal Ring equipped to heal if necessary.  Once
   you have reached level 49, use the fruit you obtained in Darm Tower,
   and it will put you immediately at level 50, which is the maximum
   attainable in the game.  (You DID save it until now, right?)

   This area is actually extremely short.  You should have no trouble at
   all unless you REALLY screw up.  When you get outside, the music will
   change and you must prepare to fight your final enemy.

22. The Final Battle
   Before you do anything atop the Shrine, use your Herb and Roda Tree
   Nut if your HP and MP are not at maximum.  You will not be able to
   use either of them when you are in battle.  You MUST have the El
   Doran armor, shield and sword equipped, or else you will not be able
   to do any damage.  Leo's equipment will not cut it.  You REALLY
   should be at level 50 by now.  This boss really isn't that hard...
   I'd rank the Ice Immurer as being considerably harder.

   Stand directly in front of the tile just above the stairway.  Equip
   your Power Ring, Shield Magic, El Doran equipment, and the Mask of
   the Moon.  When you come out of the options menu, IMMEDIATELY step
   on, to avoid wasting precious magic points on the Shield spell.

   The boss has three forms, only the first two of which pose any real
   threat.  For the first form, he will fly randomly about the area and
   launch bolts of energy at you.  Don't worry too much about this,
   just chase him down, but avoid the bolts where possible.  When he
   launches a barrage of small yellow blasts, try to stay near the
   center of him, so you can hit without being hit.  The longer you can
   conserve your Shield energy, the better.  He will periodically
   refill his energy, so you want to hit him hard and fast!  The more
   he heals himself, the less powerful the healing.  If you're quick,
   you can kill this form before he even manages to heal himself once.
   You can even end up with around 100 or so MP to spare for the second
   form... I did it on the first try, so can you.

   The second form is considerably different.  Rather than just float
   around, he follows a more recognizable pattern.  He will fire out
   balls of yellow energy, which will explode in all directions.  Keep
   track of where they are before exploding, and you can easily avoid
   the shrapnel.  He will sometimes fly toward the top of the platform
   and swing his sword, launching wide blasts of energy.  He's very
   vulnerable when he does this, so move in to attack.  The most
   damaging (though easier to avoid) attack is when he flies to the
   center of the room and calls down a firestorm.  You can always see
   the shadows of the fireballs before they hit, so you shouldn't have
   much of a problem getting away from them.  When he drops, try to be
   close to him, so you can get in a few good hits.  Eventually, he'll
   go down.  You should still have 120 or so HP by this point, WITHOUT
   having used the Elixir.

   The third form involves much more of a transformation, and is
   mindnumbingly easy.  It's only dangerous if you're impatient.  The
   three green orbs at his feet are his vulnerable spots.  Only one
   will be open to attack at a time.  This is easily judged by looking,
   as the vulnerable one has no flesh covering it.  His one attack is
   a powerful beam of energy from his mouth, which he sweeps back and
   forth slowly.  If you touch it, you'll take MAJOR damage.  But if
   you're patient, he won't be able to hurt you at all.  There are a
   couple of safe spots in the upper corners.  Wait out the beam, and
   strike the orbs when possible.  Each of the three orbs has its own
   individual lifebar, so you must kill each one in order to win.
   This effectively gives this form 1200 hitpoints(!), but you do a
   good bit of damage at this point.  He will occasionally sweep the
   beam across very quickly, and also sweep twice rather than once...
   so be very careful of when you move in to strike.  You should not
   have any trouble with him, though.  If he were more aggressive,
   then there would be something to worry about.

   Once he's defeated, sit back and relax.  Watch the glorious ending.
   You've earned it.  Now see, why don't more companies make endings
   this cool? :)

23. Developer's Room
   Once the credits have rolled and the game is on its final screen
   (it should be pretty obvious when you see it), hold down RUN and
   press SELECT to reset.  Now, go to the title screen and select
   "Continue."  Instead of choosing a game to load, press the II
   button.  A new, third option will appear here.  Choose this to go
   to the Developer's Room.

   In this place, you get to talk to all of the developers of the
   game (though most of them take the form of monster's you've been
   fighting).  If you check your Status and Item screens, you will
   also find that you are in possession of every single item and piece
   of equipment in the game!  This is handy for letting you see what
   you may have missed.  Although, if you followed all the given
   instructions in this walkthrough, you SHOULDN'T really have missed
   anything.

   The most notable thing is the Black Pearl on the top floor.  By
   touching it, you can view all four of the animated sequences in the
   game, see the insides of the houses without the text boxes getting
   in the way.  You can also view the images of people when they speak
   to you outside of houses as well.

   On the top floor, you will find Robin as well.  Switch to your Alter
   form to speak to him, and he will give you a chance to restart the
   game, only this time you will be given the Gold and Silver Bracelets
   at the outset.  The Silver will double the amount of experience you
   earn, while the Gold will double your money.  Select "hai" to do
   restart the game with these.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Well, that's it.  You've played through one of the finest action-RPGs ever
to grace a home console system.  I hope this walkthrough has proven useful.
If you have anything to add, please email me at [email protected] and I will
be glad to include it and credit you as well.