Part 1: Zenith Academy

Main Walkthrough

The journey begins! You will immediately get kicked out of Mooncradle after completing the final trial of Zenith Academy, and unfortunately there's no backtracking to the village right now. We'll come back here later to see if there's anything worth grabbing. Head north to Forbidden Cavern, and interact with the front door to head inside.

Forbidden Cavern - Enemies

  • Luslug - 15 HP

Save up outside the dungeon, then head in. To the north - the chamber where the kids got attacked earlier - you'll hit a dead end, though it's obvious there are puzzles hiding the way forward. Ignore this chamber for now and take a left.

Hop your way west in the next area and you'll run into three Luslugs. They're now easy pickings, thanks to all that training. To the left of the Luslugs is a climbing wall that will take you to the top of a platform mechanism. Hop on top and it will sink back to ground level, raising platforms on your right. Use them to make your way east, and back to the starting area.

Shimmy your way to the northeast, along the starting area's upper path, and you'll find another cave exit. Look south of this exit to find a chest containing an Adventurer's Vest. This is equipment, and you'll want to throw it on one of your characters before getting into another fight. 

North of here is another side chamber with more Luslugs to pulverize. North of them is a lever, though it doesn't do much yet. Climb the ledges on the left side of the room, making your way to the upper half of the right side of the room. Here you can jump down onto another platform mechanism, which will raise everything on the left side. 

Climb the western ledges again and this time you can get at a chest containing a Forbidden Cavern Key. Hop back to the ground, then pull the lever. This will lower the ledges and allow you to get at a big keyhole. Use the key on the keyhole and you'll open a doorway to a decorative passage, within which you'll find a scroll for the Mending Light Combo. This will come in very handy, as it restores everyone's health.


Head west out of this passage and you'll wind up beside a climbing wall. Scale it, then use the tightrope across the middle of the area to get at a chest containing a Leeching Thorn. This is an accessory that absorbs health via physical attacks, and is well worth equipping before you get into any more battles. 

Return to the scaling wall and check the platform to the southeast. If you hop on it will slide back to the entrance of the Forbidden Cavern, releasing a flock of Luslugs. You can use the ladder behind the platform to climb back up to the top of the area, if you wish, though your business is down on the ground, as the way to the north is now open.

You'll find a broken bridge in the next room, forcing a diversion across a gap to the west. Head through the wall and you'll find a small campfire where you can heal the party, as well as a save point. Use both, then proceed north. Something nasty awaits.


Bosslug

Weakness: Moon, Sun

Well, that's... gross. The Bosslug is less powerful than it looks, though you still shouldn't rest on your laurels. The Bosslug uses the following attacks:

  • A projectile spit at a single target
  • An AOE slam that drops rocks onto the party
  • Acid Bug Bombs, which releases Bossbugs
This fight starts off fairly simple. The Bosslug will either hurl up its guts at one character or release a Bossbug. If given a few rounds the Bossbug will explode in the face of one of your party members, inflicting medium amounts of damage. Inflict enough pain and the Bosslug will begin knocking rocks on Valere and Zale's heads, as well as releasing multiple Bossbugs in one round. Its normal spit attacks will also speed up, and unleash multiple globs in a single volley.

This is your first 'serious' boss, but the Bosslug still shouldn't give you a ton of trouble. Start off strong, using Skills to rip through the Bosslug's HP right from the get-go. This will get you to its second phase with plenty of HP to spare. At this point you should rein in your MP use a bit, particularly for Valere. Her Skills can quickly wipe out any Bossbugs that Bosslug releases, saving the party from harm. Zale is best kept on healing duty if he's not needed to open any Locks, though he can also take out Bossbugs if need be.


You'll receive the Boss Slugged Achievement for defeating the Bosslug. Check the cave it was guarding to find a chests containing 60 gold and another Adventurer's Vest, then check to the right of the Bosslug's clearing to find the path to the exit. Head south in the final hallway to activate the bridge back to Mooncradle, then head north to exit the Forbidden Cavern.


Return Trip

Come back to the Forbidden Cavern once you have the Mistral Bracelet, later in the game. Through the western tunnel from the entrance you'll find a large, conspicuous block. Blow it out of the way to find a chest on the other side. It contains a Rainbow Conch.

Main Walkthrough