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Part Eleven: The End of Time, ???
Medina, 1000 AD
- After popping through the Gate at the End of Time you’ll wind up in a small house populated by two goblins. You’re now in Medina, back in the Present. These guys are friendly, and if you ever need it you can eat a slice of their cake to restore your HP. This is a one-time offer, so don’t eat it unless you really need it.
- Head outside. You’re now in the midst of a village that’s very much unfriendly to Crono and company’s existence. Be ready to fight if you explore the rest of the village.
- Medina Square is a good starting point. There’s nothing to find, but it doesn’t give you a good shot of one of your future objectives.
- A short trip north of the Square is the Elder’s House. Check the desk on the second floor for a Magic Capsule.
- East of the Square is Medina Inn. You’ll have to fight an Underling and two Diablos to stay here. An easy fight… but the cost of snoozing is a hefty 200 gil. Yeesh.
- South of the Square is the Market. To buy anything you’ll need to fight an Underling and a Gaoler. An easy win, but it’s not worth the effort - the merchant will charge ridiculous amounts of money for items. (65,000 gil for a Zanmato? Nooo thanks.)
- The only other thing to see up here, in the woods to the north, is the Forest Ruins. Up here is a blue, glowing pyramid that you can’t currently penetrate. Check the chest outside the pyramid for a Mid-Ether, then leave.
- Head to the far south. Here you’ll find a cave and Melchior’s Cabin. The Cabin is home to Melchior, the swordsmith, and he offers items and arms at much more reasonable prices. Get suited up and head out. Next stop: the cave.
- (That said, remember the location of Melchior’s Cabin. It’s quite important later on.)
Heckran Cave
- The first thing to note here is that most of the monsters in the cave are resistant to physical attacks. You’ll do best using magical attacks. That said, don’t eat up your MP before you get to the end. At the very least make sure you bring a Shelter. The boss is near-impossible if you don’t use magic. Marle and Lucca are highly recommended as teammates for Crono, as their Antipode Bomb Double Tech can wipe out crowds very easily.
- There are two Underlings inside the entrance. Beat them off with physical attacks, then follow the path deeper into the cave. You’ll find a chest containing an Ether to the right of one of the ladders. Near the exit are three Cave Stalkers and a Djinn Bottle. Take out the Djinn Bottle first to avoid its absorption attack before going after the Stalkers. If you’re low on MP, you can get away with taking out the Stalkers via physical attacks.
- In the next large chamber to the south you’ll meet two Rhino Weevils. These things are highly resistant to physical attacks, and will require magic to effectively kill. The path splits here; go south to start. Beyond is a small path with three Rolypolys that are easy kills with magic. They, along with a fight with three Cave Bats, guard a chest containing a Magic Scarf. This is a great accessory for Marle or Lucca.
- Return to the central chamber and head west this time. Check a chest nearby for a Mid-Ether, then slip north and further west. There are four Rhino Weevils waiting. Just north of them is a chest containing an Ether.
- Head south. In an adjoining corridor you’ll fight four Rolypolys. Further to the west are four Cave Bats that will try to bar you from going north.
- In the northern room you’ll find a Djinn Bottle and three Cave Stalkers. You can avoid them by sticking to the right side of the path. Here you’ll also find another locked, black box. Remember it for later.
- The northern exit will take you out and down into the water in the central chamber. Follow the path south, east, and north to find a set of stairs leading into one final chamber. Use the save point to the left of the stairs - especially important if you’re low on MP - and continue north. Boss time!
Heckran
The cave didn’t have that name for nothing. Heckran looks tough, but he’s pretty easy so long as you mind his attack posture. Normally Heckran stands with his claws outspread, and will use a physical or a water attack on single characters. During this time you’re at liberty to attack him as much as you like. Magic is your best bet, as physical attacks do barely anything. Don’t bother waiting for Antipode Bomb to charge up between Marle and Lucca, as it does about as much damage (if not slightly less) than the girls using Ice and Fire, respectively.
Every now and then Heckran will curl up and dare you to attack. If you take the bait he’ll use Water II, a high-damage, all-hitting strike that can kill your characters if you haven’t been healing a whole lot. Use this short phase to heal your characters, preferably with Aura Whirl, and leave Heckran alone until his counterattack interval runs its course. Keep fighting once it does and alternating between attack and restorative postures until he’s toast.
Part Thirteen: Zenan Bridge, 600 AD