Chapter 2: Sunglow Lake, the Mountain Trail and the Elder Mist Trials

Checklist

Sunglow Lake

1. This is the first lake on the map. A merchant stands on the left side; his stock is small but already beats your starting gear.

2. Fishing works from the wooden dock:
   1. Press the action button once to throw the line (you can steer it left or right while it flies), then again to make the lure sink. Drop it near a fish shadow.
   2. When something bites, steer so the fish stays inside the paler band of current, and hold the button to wind it in.
   3. Let go whenever the fish drifts out of that band: the line reddens and can break. Inside the band it never breaks.
   4. If the fish leaps, tap the button while it’s in the air to stun it for a moment.

3. Two species live here, Man o’War and Lunar Trout, and both are easy. Catching everything is worth it for cooking ingredients, and leaving and coming back restocks the lake.
4. Before you go, swim all the way north to a picnic basket with Dairy x5.
5. The Solstice Shrine to the east has nothing for you yet. Return to the world map and take the road to the Mountain Trail.

Mountain Trail: Garl joins

1. The chapter picks up at the camp you set at the end of the prologue. After the scenes, Garl the Warrior-Cook joins the party.
2. He starts teaching right away: pick the Berries from the bushes nearby and cook Berry Jam at the campfire, then rest.

3. In the morning, go north into the cave, beat the Luslugs and climb the cliffs in the centre. The chest on top holds an Abacus, which shows the HP of ordinary enemies (not bosses).
4. Outside again, climb the wall, go right and kick the ladder down. Gather the potato and grain plants beside it, then kick the second ladder down too: you now have a shortcut to the entrance.

Mountain Trail: up to the merchant

1. Return to the area above the campfire and follow the trail up. A group of Rochevres gives the first hard fight here; heal at the campfire afterwards if you need to.
2. From that fight’s spot, slip west through the trees for the hidden Basic Armor chest.

3. Back on the trail, where the stairs start going down, hop off the obvious ledge for Bell Pepper and Tomato plants. Cross the next bridges and pick the Lettuce on the northern edge.
4. The floor ahead crumbles as you walk on it, but it can’t drop you. Keep going and climb the wall to meet the first Wanderer.

5. After the fight, jump the gap to the left (a rope ladder rolls down for you) and climb on. Just before the rope bridge, drop off the east ledge for another Bell Pepper, then cross into the cave.
6. The cave has a campfire, a save point and a merchant. He sells the lake merchant’s goods plus ready-made food, which is pricey while gold is scarce.

Mountain Trail: to the summit

1. Leave the cave by climbing the wall and clear the enemies outside. Then drop down the southern ledge into the cave underneath: climb its wall and circle the room, fighting as you go, to reach a chest with Shiny Pearl x2.
2. Back outside and up again, head left. When you see patches of fog, drop down on the north side for the chest with Recipe: Chaudree.
3. Climb back, keep left past another Rochevre and up to a fight with two Wanderers and a Rochevre, which pays well in experience. Kick the rope ladder in the bottom-right corner down for a shortcut.
4. Jump across the foggy stretch to the left; the lower level there is empty. Climb the wall, take the Lettuce, keep climbing, cross the rope, beat the Rochevre and kick down one more ladder.
5. Ignore the cave on the left for now and climb the north wall. The path ends at the Elder Mist, who explains the trials and lets Garl take part in them. You’re carried straight to the trials camp.

Elder Mist Trials: boosting and the left trial

1. The camp opens with a tutorial fight against a Tern, an enemy that ignores ordinary hits. Hitting enemies scatters small orbs; absorbing them lets you boost an attack with magic, and boosted attacks are what hurt a Tern.
2. There’s a cooking spot at the camp. When you’re ready, step into the left portal.
3. You arrive in the northwest. The chest at the top of the first stairs has Basic Armor.

4. The rest of the left trial:
   1. Press the switch to the south and ride the platform onwards; beat the next Terns.
   2. Knock the right-hand ladder down, descend, hit the switch a second time, then return up and let the platform carry you north.
   3. Clear the last group of Terns. A crystal switch appears: touch it to finish the trial.

The central trial: three questions

1. Back at camp, take the middle portal. There’s no fighting here, just an easy climb with three stone slates that each ask a question.

2. After the second slate, climb up and go right at the top before carrying on: the chest there holds Recipe: Mushroom Scramble.

3. Answer the third slate and touch the crystal switch to be sent back.

The right trial

1. Take the right portal. Walk right, and at the first chance go north to a chest with a Shiny Pearl.
2. Continue down and to the right and climb there. The drop on the left only returns you to the chest. Go north to a fight with three Terns.
3. Keep going down to a switch. Pressing it opens up the Terns’ area: go right, then up, and use the new bridges to head southwest to the crystal switch.
4. At camp, heal, rest and save: touching the orb starts the boss fight.

Boss: Elder Mist

1. Your spells are back for this fight, so you don’t have to rely on boosts. The key piece is the Elder Mist Sword, a separate target with 90 HP.

2. Every turn, have Zale and Garl attack: the sword first, then the Elder Mist. Use their heals when someone gets low and spend boosts whenever you have them.
3. Keep Valere’s MP in reserve so she can break Healing Mist each time it charges.
4. Block the punches well and this fight needs very little healing.

Leaving the summit

1. The Elder Mist names you true Solstice Warriors and shows you a new power. Walk all the way back to the rune stone ahead to try it. A detour to the right first gets you some Grain and Potatoes.
2. The power lets you shift the time of day. Move the reflected light onto the large symbols on the ground; each one you light raises a bridge. Use them to cross the chasm to the west and leave for the world map.
3. Head west to Evermist Island’s Landing and watch the scenes. The journey continues on a new island: Chapter 3.