[Zeromus_X]

---------------------------------------
5.8 Core of the Moon (Part One)
---------------------------------------

To reach Zemus’ lair, the crew must travel to the core of the moon, which is below the Crystal Palace. Before, you couldn’t enter, but now that the Tower of Babil has fallen, the seal is broken.

Go to the chamber behind the room where you met FuSoYa earlier. You’ll see the eight Crystals of the moon, and you can even talk to them for information. Apparently Golbez and FuSoYa have already entered the core, to confront Zemus some time ago. In addition, there are many powerful weapons that once posed a threat to Lunarians sealed in the core along with Zemus. Pretty interesting place.

When you want to enter the final dungeon, step on the tile in the center of the Crystal room. After a ten-minute lightshow, the Lunar Crystals will teleport you to the lunar subterrane. You can teleport back by stepping on the same tile. Before entering, I recommend stocking up on Hi-Potions, Ethers if you have enough Gil, and every other type of medicine, like 20 of each status ailment medicine. You don’t want to use up too much MP on the trek down. Buy three sets of 99 Hi-Potions so you can heal in between battles with them, without using MP. Also, buy 99 Lives if you haven’t already. I highly recommend getting all the summons if you’ve missed any, especially Bahamut. Also, sort out your inventory. Give all unnecessary items to the Fat Chocobo or sell them, especially useless ‘spell items’ which just waste space in your inventory.

When you’re ready, step on that tile. The Crystals say they’ll guide you to the core.

At the entrance (the teleport pad), head up, and then left. You should see a ‘missing shadow’ on the wall to your left, a false wall. Go left through it, then down, then left, and follow the ledge to reach a teleport pad. Step on it, and you’ll be warped to an enclosure in the first floor. You should see some stairs north of you. Go down them, and you’ll be in an enclosure in the second floor. From here, follow the path until you reach a chest above you that is a monster-in-a-box. It contains two Warlocks and two Karys. Leviathan or Bahamut and the men attacking will finish them. You’ll get a Sage (Sage’s Staff) for winning. Equip this on Rosa, it’ll raise her Will by 15 points. Now, from that treasure chest, head left, and down, to another teleport pad. Step on it.

Now you’ll be in another area. Just follow the path until you reach another set of stairs. You’ll be in a hidden area in the third basement. Follow the path until you reach an altar with a floating sword on it. Have Rosa cast Float on the entire party. Put Rydia, Rosa, and Kain in the back row, and Edge and Cecil in the front ranks (two spaces in front, three in back). Heal up the party and examine the weapon. An evil voice says the following:

“To the seeker of this blade, I bring death!”

You’ll then be assaulted by the first of the Core’s bosses.
----------------------------------------
BOSS: White D. (White Dragon)
HP: 32,700
Experience Points: 55,000
Gil: 0
-----------------------------------------

Being the first of the Lunar bosses, the White Dragon isn’t too tough. Still, don’t let your guard down. First off, the White Dragon absorbs thunder-based spells, so Blitz, Ramuh, and Bolt 3 are a no-no. Second, the White Dragon has a few tricks up his sleeve. He uses ‘Blitz’, a weak single target thunder-elemental attack. This is nothing to worry about. However, he also has ‘Gaia Rage’ as a counterattack to summons, an attack that does around 700 damage to all your characters, something to worry about. However, with Float on, that’ll nullify the damage of this attack. Another of his attacks is the infamous ‘Storm’ which lowers everyone’s HP to single digits. This is very dangerous. Immediately heal after it. He also regularly uses Slow throughout the battle to hamper your characters’ speed. However, even more obnoxious than that, is his regular physical attack which can really hurt your front lines (over 1,000 damage!). But here’s a surefire strategy to take him down. Before the battle, you should’ve cast Float on everyone. Now Gaia Rage will be nullified. Now, have Edge use his Ninja skill, ‘Image’ to cast Blink on himself. Then have Rosa cast Blink on Cecil. Now the dragon’s physical attacks are meaningless. Just have Cecil and Edge whale on him for the whole battle, Kain Jump, Rosa recover the party from Storm, and Rydia summon Bahamut. Not a single characters should be wounded with this strategy.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After defeating the White Dragon, you’ll receive the legendary weapon, the Murasame, for Edge. Now use Exit to teleport out of the core, and recover the party with the two healing pads in the Crystal Palace. Then, save, and return to the core’s entrance.

Now, from the entrance, go up the steps and this time to right. There’s a very noticeable false wall to your right. Go right through it, up, and right to reach an outside ledge. Follow it to a chest that is a monster-in-a-box. It contains two RedGiants (Red Giants). Bahamut and attack them, and you’ll get Ninja (Ninja Gear) for Edge after winning. Now go back to near the entrance, and go down this time. You’ll see a set of stairs leading down to the second basement, go down them.

In the second basement, go down from the entrance, and right, following the path. You’ll eventually be at a dead end, that is actually a false wall. Go right, through it. Then, go up. Right when you’re at the right of a chest in the wall, take a left. Then go down, left, up, and right. Open the chest for a FireLash (Fire Lash Whip) for Rydia. Then, go back on the main track of the false wall. Go up. Then go left, and walk through an enclosure, and go through another short false wall passage to the left. You should be right below a set of stairs. Don’t go through them yet. Instead, go to the left. Open up the chest containing a Dragon (Dragon Shield) for Kain. Now go down the stairs.

You’ll now be in the third basement now. Go down, and you should immediately see the stairs to the fourth basement. Ignore them for now. Instead, go down a bit further. Six steps down and four steps right of the stairs to the fourth basement is a false wall. Go right, through it. Then go up, and right, to reach an enclosure with a chest. Open it up for a Dragon (Dragon Helmet) for Kain. Then, from this enclosure, go right through another false wall. Then go down, left, down, and left to reach a lower enclosure. Open the chest up for Dragon (Dragon Armor) for Kain. Then go left to another chest, which contains Dragon (Dragon Gloves) for Kain. Now go all the way back to those stairs, and go down to the fourth basement.

As you enter the fourth basement, you’ll be on the top platform of many platforms stacked together by columns. Go all the way to the right of the top platform, and open a chest with Artemis (Artemis Arrows). Then go down the steps to the second platform. Go to the left, and you should see a doorway. Go through it, and enter a mini-chamber. The chest inside contains an Elixir. Now go outside back to the platform. Go all the way to the right, and you’ll find more steps leading down. Go down them, to a third platform. Enter the doorway here to access the next area.

In this big chamber, open the chest in the upper right corner for a Blizzard. Then go to the lower left corner, and open a chest with a X-Potion. Then go through the exit on the left side. When you come out, you’ll be in the other side of the lowest platform. Open the chest on the left which is a monster-in-a-box containing a Behemoth. Use the same strategy as you did when you fought these in the Cave of Bahamut. You’ll receive a Stardust (Stardust Rod) for Rydia. It increases her Wis (Wisdom) by 20! Now go down the stairs below you to the fifth basement.

Go down the steps, ignoring the mysterious unreachable door and sword to your right. Open the chest on the very left, which is a monster-in-a-box with Red D. And Blue D. (Red and Blue Dragons, respectively). Use Bahamut and be constantly healing your party from their assaults. Cast Blink on Cecil, Edge should use Image, Rosa should thereafter constantly be healing, and Kain should be Jumping. Keep up the damage, and recovery, and you should win with minimum hassle. You’ll get a Crystal (Crystal Shield) for Cecil for winning. Then go through the doorway to your right.