SHINING IN THE DARKNESS 

 SYNOPSIS

 Princess Jessa was very insistent. It had been one year since she last went
to the shrine and paid homage to the soul of her late mother. King Drake
found it hard to deny Jessa anything, but the idea of her going out of the
castle alone was horrifying.

 Drake summoned his strongest and most loyal knight, Mortred, and asked him
to escort Jessa to the village. This he did, and then, when Jessa begged
him to, he took her on a walk outside in the wilds. Mortred told Jessa the
stories of the wilds, and how they've served as training grounds for young
knights. Jessa was fascinated and asked to hear more.

 A day has passed, and neither Mortred nor Jessa has returned. King Drake is
worried sick, and organizes a search for the missing pair.

 This is the beginning of SHINING IN THE DARKNESS, the most enchanting and
colorful RPG currently available for the Sega Genesis. This is it: the RPG
that _outshines_ the legendary series of PHANTASY STAR games. Tedious once
in a while, SHINING IN THE DARKNESS still provides a challenging, campy,
fairy tale adventure that will charm players of any age.

 STARTING OUT

 First, name your main character. You can use up to five letters. I named
him Darth, and will use this name for uniformity's sake when referring to
the main character in the future.

 Listen carefully to the old sage that helps you out at the start. He tells
you of a threat that may engulf the kingdom of Thornwood in darkness. You
can prevent this. He makes mention of two friends you have, named Pyra Myst
and Milo Brax. You'll meet them later on in the game.

 The Sage ushers you into the castle. You cannot do anything now except for
listening to the conversation between the king and his court. The king and
his minister do most of the talking for now. The Minister introduces you
to King Drake and mentions that you want to join in the search for Jessa
and Mortred. Drake questions Theos, his counselor; Theos will explain how
you want to find the Princess because finding her will lead you to Mortred.
The king will then speak to Tristan, who will say you are younger than any
of his knights, but you are second only to your father when it comes to
swordplay. King Drake, trusting him completely, tells you to find Jessa.
The Minister will give you 200 gold pieces and tell you to purchase some
supplies, and then return to the castle for further instruction.

 You gain control of Darth only after leaving the castle. You cannot enter
the Labyrinth yet. Enter the village and look around. Old Vik's tavern is
the place to go right now.

 The tavern is the place for gossip; the people here learn about progress
you make in your quest by picking up information from the castle after you
make a report to King Drake. The most important people in Old Vik's tavern
are Old Vik, Lupo, Dai, and Edward. Mrs. Vik, Gatt, Tack, Gnorn, and Dyan
are there mainly to provide a bit of character depth and thereby flesh out
the tavern as an RPG setting. Talk to everyone in the tavern to acquaint
yourself with the characters. You'll learn how to replenish hit points at
the tavern from Mrs. Vik: to the left of Old Vik is a bell that will summon
the girl in charge of the rooms. Dyan and Dai are fraternal twins who like
to come to the tavern to eat and talk to Edward. Dai is a knight of Baron
Vyrun; he says Vyrun is a gentle man, but he hasn't been himself lately.

 Gnorn will say one important thing to you now: nobody believes him when he
talks about a creature he saw on the hill. His friend Tack doesn't believe
him either. Old Vik will say that a lot of strangers have showed up about
town, helping look for the princess.

 Browse the inventories of the shops. One of them is not open yet, so shop
over at the Armorer, the Alkemist and the Weapon dealer. You can buy either
a Short Sword or a Gauntlet. If you are playing for the first time, buy a
Gauntlet for the protection. Then go to the Alkemist and buy a few Wisdom
Seeds and Herbs. Save at the Shrine, then return to the castle.

 Talk to the king, and he'll instruct the Minister to fill you in on all of
the details. The Minister tells you that you must first determine where
Princess Jessa is; she was last seen in the vicinity of the Labyrinth, but
nobody is sure if she's there or not.

 Suddenly, a man appears in the throne room with a clap of thunder. He will
tell the king that his name is Dark Sol, and he has come to take over the
throne. If Drake agrees to the demand of Dark Sol, he can have back Jessa,
who Dark Sol says he is holding as a hostage. Tristan and Vyrun challenge
Dark Sol, but a few claps of thunder puts them in their place. After a few
final words, Dark Sol disappears. The king is horrified at what happened.
Vyrun doesn't trust you because you are so young, but the Minister makes
him behave. Tristan has full trust in you, and tells you to teach Dark Sol
some manners. Theos will explain that Dark Sol draws power from the forces
of Darkness, and one who wields the power of Light may defeat him.

 When you leave the castle, King Drake will give you permission to enter the
Labyrinth. Stay close to the entrance until you learn how to map it, and to
use the Wisdom Seeds. The Labyrinth layout is extremely complex, and your
quest will be quite long and hard if you can't map it properly. The levels
of the Labyrinth are all 30x30 hexes square. The Slimy Ooze are the least
powerful monsters you find, but take care around Cave Slugs and Pitworms.
If you didn't buy a Gauntlet, they'll be tough to fight off, even with the
Short Sword. When you gain a level or two, you can venture further from the
entrance, but start bringing an Angel Feather with you when you do.

 The second time you enter the Tavern, Dai will be gone; Dyan says he's been
summoned by Baron Vyrun. Edward won't be there the next time you stop by;
in his place will be a traveling bard named Krun who is there to give you
an earache if you answer Yes to what he'll ask you.

 Lupo will tell you a little bit about Baron Vyrun, and Old Vik will insult
you by telling you not to trust your two friends, who have come by looking
for you. Gnorn saw the creature again on the hill, but everyone still feels
he is seeing things.

 Take it slow and easy while exploring the Labyrinth. You'll find some Herbs
and an extra Bronze Knife in chests there, along with some gold. As you
acquire experience and money, you can venture further northwest and upgrade
your combat gear. Every so often, one of the shops will acquire a special
item which you can buy immediately or later in the Special Deal category.
Most of these items will be much too expensive to buy right away.

 When you are eighth level, armed with a Bronze Saber, and wearing a Leather
Helm and Fur Robe, you'll be ready to try taking on a deadly monster in the
center of the Labyrinth. When you're facing east at coordinates 11E-18S,
a Kaiserkrab will confront you. This beast has about 60 hit points, and it
will hit for about 14-19 damage. Take three Herbs and a Healer Fruit with
you to heal yourself in battle.

 The Kaiserkrab has custody of an item known as the Royal Tiara. You'll know
right off that it's special. Rest at the tavern and talk to Lupo. He will
identify the Tiara as a gift from the king to the late queen; now Jessa's.

 Go to the castle. The man in the blue robe is back; his name is Melvyl. He,
and anyone else you talk to, will say that you should bring the Tiara over
to the king. The king says he gave it to Jessa when she was 12, and he now
suspects that Jessa is somewhere in the Labyrinth. Talk to anybody; they
ask if you found the tiara inside the Labyrinth. The Minister will then say
that if the Princess is held inside the Labyrinth proper, you can't hope
to rescue her alone. He'll advise you to form a party for your search, and
then return to him.

 Talk to Vyrun. He'll say that he has heard there is a secret entrance to
the upper labyrinth. Melvyl the Mage knows the Labyrinth well, and he can
give you information.

 Melvyl tells you that the Labyrinth was once a training ground for young
knights. Its prime challenge lies in the upper levels, but you won't even
be allowed to enter them unless you are deemed worthy by the ancients. To
become worthy, you must face and pass the Trials of the Ancients. None who
recently faced the trials came back.

 Now speak with Theos. He'll say that the Trials begin beyond a door which
opens with the Dwarf's Key. There are four Trials: Strength, Courage, Truth
and Wisdom. If any knight ever passed these trials, there is no record of
it and the knight is no longer among you.

 Exit the castle, go to the village, and save the game. Now go back to the
castle and talk to Tristan. He will take the Tiara and give you 200 gold
pieces, then advise you to find the two friends you have in the village.
He warns you to regard the words of the minister, and avoid further entry
into the Labyrinth while alone.

 Reset the game. That's right, _reset the game._ You want to keep the Royal
Tiara, and you can do this if you do not talk to Tristan, or save the game
before talking to him, then reset the game after talking to him..

 Go to the tavern. Old Vik is arguing with your friend Pyra. Pay attention
to the introductory sequence; it's an entertaining scene that gives you an
in-depth look at Pyra's personality.

 When you and Pyra leave Vik's tavern, you have an encounter with a lizard
man. While mostly for entertainment, the sequence foreshadows an important
event. The lizard man's name is Gila; he's a mercenary hired to find Jessa.
In return for his seeming rudeness, Pyra casts a Slow spell on him as he
leaves to return to his search.

 Reenter the tavern. Vik will mention that Milo came by, looking for you.
Vik thinks you should not trust Milo (he's "got shifty eyebrows") but you
will need his abilities.

 Dai and Edward are back. Vyrun wants to send all his best men to face the
Trials because he still is wary about your age; Dai is to participate. Dyan
is grief stricken; she thinks she'll never see Dai again.

 You'll find Milo in the Shrine. Take him into your party, then reenter
the Shrine and save the game.

 Take Milo and Pyra to the castle and talk to the Minister. He'll now give
you a Dwarf's Key to pass the Bronze Door. Theos will explain how the four
Trials work. First is Strength: you need only defeat whatever you meet.

 Have Pyra equip the Royal Tiara; it's a powerful headgear when worn. Enter
the Labyrinth and work Milo and Pyra up a few levels. If you pass through
the Bronze Door, approach any and all left turns backward; Kaiserkrabs will
only approach just before you make a left turn. Right now, Milo and Pyra
aren't strong enough to tangle with a Kaiserkrab.

 Before entering the Cave of Strength, be sure to buy Milo a Short Axe and a
Leather Shield. It might also help if you get Pyra a Short Sword or Bronze 
Saber. Don't buy the Morningstar for Milo unless the weapon dealer gets it 
in _before_ you buy a Short Axe.

 Each new cave has stronger opponents than the previous one. Be prepared to
take more damage and deliver an extra blow or two. As a rule of thumb, you
should have all characters at around 10th-11th level to begin the Trial of
Strength, 14th-15th level to do the Trial of Courage, 17th-18th level to
do the Trial of Truth, and 20th-21st level to begin the Trial of Wisdom.

 THE TRIAL OF STRENGTH

 The Cave of Strength has new monsters that are tougher than what you faced
in level 1 of the Labyrinth. Beware of the Scavengers that can cast level
one Blaze spells. Any monsters able to use magic is dangerous and should
be dealt with first in an encounter.

 You'll find a few Wisdom Seeds in the cave; use them, and any seeds you buy
at the Alkemist, sparingly. You must be able to draw reasonably accurate
maps to succeed at this game. You'll find lots of useful items in the Cave
of Strength, including Herbs, money, Wisdom Seeds, and some combat gear.
Three of the chests contain monsters called Chestbeaks. These are vicious
little nasties, with 100 hit points and able to hit for 25 damage. Use a
Slow spell on Chestbeaks, and throw a Blaze or Freeze spell or two for good
measure. Chestbeaks don't possess any special items but they're worth good
experience and gold.

 Be careful crossing over puddles in the Cave; some of them will turn into
water elementals called Killwaves. A Killwave is weaker than a Chestbeak,
but it's not a slouch either.

 At coordinates 24E-10S, you will meet Gila again. He has been wounded badly
during battle, and that Slow spell by Pyra didn't help him either. He makes
you agree to help him escape with his life. While Gila is in your party, he
will occasionally join in battles. A monster in the Cave of Strength hit
by Gila will almost surely be slain.

 When you find a glowing red wall, go up to it and it changes into a mural.
Step through it to pass the Trial of Strength. You will be teleported just
outside the cave entrance; a section of wall will break away, revealing a
path to the Cave of Courage.

 Report to the King. During the Trials of the Ancients, Melvyl keeps record
of the Trials you have passed, while Theos and the Minister tell you a bit
about the next trial. The next Trial is the Trial of Courage. The Cave is
a place known to instill fear within magic users, and will test bravery.

 Rest at Old Vik's tavern. After doing this, Gila will take his leave, and
repay you for saving him by telling you about the Orb of Truth, which is
hidden in the Cave of Courage. While Gila was paid to find Jessa, the Orb
was what he really hoped to find. He will leave it be since he realizes he
has been bested by the Labyrinth.

 THE TRIAL OF COURAGE

 Starting with this Trial, you'll find a new obstacle: corridors filled with
slime; each step you take in a slime filled passage will rob Milo and Pyra
of one magic point. That's the reason why the Trial of Courage puts fear in
the hearts of magic users.

 Of course, the monsters here are more powerful than those you faced within
the Trial of Strength. In addition to that, the goodies you will find here
are more valuable.

 One of the chests holds a Chestbeak, and you will also randomly encounter
Cybloks. Cybloks are stronger than a Kaiserkrab but not quite as strong as
a Chestbeak. The boss enemy for this Cave, however, is the Tortolyde. You
must find and cross through a lower level to reach the Tortolyde's lair.

 The Tortolyde is a giant monster, but it's not much stronger than a Cyblok.
Nonetheless, it is a fearsome beast, with the ability to use a Quick spell
on itself. A Slow spell will counter that effect, and a few combat spells
will help penetrate the Tortolyde's tough shell, which serves as a shield
to reduce damage taken from blows.

 The Tortolyde has the Orb of Truth on its body. If you are low on supplies
and magic points after defeating it, return to the village and heal before
going back into the Cave. Try to find all the chests in this Cave, because
you can use all the items you find. If you happen to find the magic mural
and pass the Trial before completing exploration of the Cave, go back into
it to find any items you missed.

 When you pass through the mural, you will be sent back to the entrance to
the Cave of Courage. Heal yourself at the tavern and talk to Lupo. He will
tell you how the Orb or Truth is able to reveal a demon sealed in a wall.

 Report to the king, and talk to Theos and the Minister for details on the
Trial of Truth. The entrance to this cave is carefully hidden, and you'll
need the Orb of Truth to locate it. Vyrun is unhappy because all but one
of his men have abandoned the Trials.

 THE TRIAL OF TRUTH

 At coordinates 16E-20S, you will now notice a glow in the north wall. Use
the Orb, and a Grimwall demon will be revealed.

 The demon has about 70-80 hit points, and at this point in the game, can do
up to 30-40 damage. As you get better armor, its attacks grow weaker. Pass
the Grimwall and find the entrance to the cave to the northeast.

 Beware of the stronger opponents you will meet here. Some of them can use
breath weapons which will duplicate the effects of spells, but cannot be
deflected by the Magic Mirror. If the Alkemist obtained the Mirror by this
point, wait 'til you begin the Trial of Wisdom before buying it.

 The puddles have a new type of water elemental called a Sea Stallion. This
beast has about 100 hit points and it hits very hard. Respect it. Three of
the chests hold Ghosts which hit very hard and can cast the automatic-death
causing Desoul spell. Beware of these enemies and attack with no mercy.

 Hopefully, the weapon dealer obtained the Thornwhip by this time, and you
have enough money to buy it for Pyra. Milo should have a Morningstar, and
Darth, a Longsword. Pick up the best armor you can buy.

 This cave has a new feature: spinner plates on the floor which will rotate
you 270 degrees clockwise. After you have the hang of them, you'll be able
to use them to get you where you want to go.

 There are somewhat fewer goodies here than in the previous cave, but they
are more valuable. See if you can get the Woodstaff and Chainmail. One of
the slimy passages leads to a False Idol.

 The northwest section of the Cave has nine hexes that appear open, but when
you try to step on them, sections of wall drop down from the ceiling. This
is designed to confuse you and throw you off guard. Bring a Wisdom Seed or
two when you map this area. If you go back to the castle and talk to Theos
after visiting this part of the cave, he will tell you that things are not
always what they seem, and you must decide what is true and false. There
are nine hexes that appear to be open area but are actually walls.

 When you find the red wall, you will find you cannot walk through it. Use
the Orb of Truth, and you will see it is a false wall. Go down the passage
behind it and turn left when you hear the voice that goes, "Woe is me."

 You'll find a girl behind a gate. She tells you she is Princess Jessa! She
says that you must put the False Idol in the niche up ahead to free her. If
you're suspicious, you should be, but for now, do as she says, then return
to her. Sure enough, it's not Jessa, but a monster called a Doppler, which
attacks after being freed. Lucky for you, the Doppler is not that hard to
defeat. It does have the potential to hit very hard, however, so don't get
cocky in battle.

 The Doppler guards an item called the Rune Key. After you get it, proceed
down the corridor. Take a sidetrack into the slime-filled passage to get
the Battle Axe for Milo, then proceed to the true mural. Walk through it to
pass the Trial of Truth.

 Report to the king and talk to Theos and the Minister. Theos explains that
the Cave of Wisdom is full of traps, and your mental capacity will be put
to the test by your ability, or lack of the same, to avoid the traps. The
Minister says a huge stone door seals the way to the Cave. Go to Old Vik's
tavern, where Lupo says the Rune Key will open this door. Rest up and save
the game before continuing.

 THE TRIAL OF WISDOM

 You can pass through the Grimwall to take a shortcut to the Cave of Wisdom
providing, of course, that you keep the Orb of Truth. The Cave of Wisdom
has the strongest monsters you've yet faced, and it won't be long until you
encounter the first trapdoor. Lots of trapdoors are found here; falling in
one will drop you down to one of five lower levels. One of the lower levels
holds a chest with the Firesword, a weapon for Darth that's two times the
strength of a Longsword and can throw a level 3 Blaze spell when used as an
item. Don't overuse it because it'll break if you do.

 At coordinates 9E-27S, if you face to the east, you'll find Dai wandering
about. He has found his way into the Cave of Wisdom, only to fall through
a trapdoor and get lost. He'll join up with you to get back to town. When
Dai is with you, he sometimes attacks enemies you encounter; he won't do a
lot of damage, however.

 If you return to town with Dai before completing the Trial, visit the king
in the castle. Vyrun will thank you for saving Dai, and wish you luck in
completing the last Trial. Then bring Dai back to the Tavern for a reunion
with Dyan and Edward. Edward will say he will help you any way he can, but
it's not until much later that he does.

 You'll find valuable items inside the chests in the Cave of Wisdom. Among
them are two Maps which show all the trapdoors in two large areas. You'll
probably fall into a number of them before you find the maps.

 Beware of the Krusher monsters in the Cave. If you get Milo up to 23rd-24th
level during this Trial, use a Desoul spell on them.

 If you complete the Trial before you finish exploring the Cave and all the
lower levels, return as necessary to get everything. You'll find a Mithril
Ore in the Cave which you will need badly in a short while.

 When you finish the Trial, report to the king. You'll notice that Melvyl
is gone again. The king and Tristan will praise your work, and say it is
up to you now to rescue Jessa. If you speak to the Minister, he'll ask you
if you know where Melvyl is; you may become suspicious about him.

 The Tavern is now closed, but Old Vik lets you in when he sees it's you.
Watch the following scenes which will introduce Mr. Brax and Mrs. Myst to
you. They'll stay in the tavern for the rest of the game. Dai, Dyan, and
Edward will be there also, but Lupo, Gatt, Tack and Gnorn will be gone.

 The Trials are completed. Save at the Shrine and prepare for the next step.

 NEW SHOP

 After speaking to the king, the tent in town is now open. The Trader makes
his shop here. You'll find all kinds of new goodies for sale. Indulge in a
few upgrades, like a Leather Robe for Pyra, a Battle Hammer for Milo and a
Steel Shield and Helm for Darth.

 The Trader is a skilled craftsman. He can repair any equipment that's been
damaged from overuse. Better yet, he can fashion new equipment out of raw
metal, like the Mithril Ore and Dark Block you got in the Cave of Wisdom.
There's one problem. Custom items are very expensive to make, and any item
fashioned from the Dark Block will be cursed. Sell your Dark Block to the
Alkemist and save up the money to buy a Mithril Ore she should have gotten
in by now. Have the Trader make Armor for Darth and a Shield for Pyra. Exit
the town, then reenter; the items he made will be ready. Here's a little
trick: the Armor made for Darth isn't meant for Darth, but for Milo. It has
to be made for Darth, because if you get Armor made for Milo, the Trader
will make a Lightrobe. By getting it made for Darth, the Trader will make
real Armor, which Milo can also use. The Mithril Armor is much stronger.

 THE LABYRINTH PROPER

 If you think your quest is near over, think again. The princess is held in
the Labyrinth Proper, and all of the work you've done was just to get into
the place. Everyone should be about 25th level or so. Darth should have a
Steel Helm, Firesword, Bronze or Iron Armor and a Steel Shield. Milo should
have a Magic Hood, a Battle Hammer, Mithril Armor and a Madu. Pyra should
be outfitted with the Royal Tiara and Thornwhip, a Leather Robe and Mithril
Shield. Pyra should keep the Orb of Truth; you'll find a few Grimwalls in
the Labyrinth Proper.

 Theos tells you that there are five above ground levels to the Labyrinth.
This is slightly misleading. The main level, which links the four Cave of
the Ancients together, is the first level of the Labyrinth. There are but
four "Upper Levels" to the Labyrinth Proper. You are now ready to go into
the second level.

 Remember the corridor that the first Kaiserkrab emerged from? Follow this
corridor to the red wall. It changes into a mural, and opens up so you can
step onto the teleporter.

 The real fighting begins in the Upper Levels. New creatures like the Reaper
and Berserker, and stronger versions of familiar monsters, like the Billow
and Deadhead, will appear here. Stay close to the teleporter until you go
up another level or two and earn the money to have something made from the
Mithril Ore found nearby. If you have enough money, get a weapon made for
Pyra (the Trader will make a Mithril Rod, a powerful striking weapon); if
not, get a Shield made for Milo.

 Beware the Brikeye monsters you will meet here. Use Slow and Screen spells
on them, so they'll be easier to hit and can't heal themselves. Brikeyes
will be very tough at first, but they grow proportionately less difficult
as you grow in strength.

 Explore the correct passage, and you will locate a chest behind a statue.
Approach the statue; it will animate as a Sentinel and fight to guard the
chest's contents. Sentinels are quite strong, and it takes a coordinated
effort to beat them. This Sentinel's chest holds a Great Axe for Milo.

 Near the top of this level, you will find a door that leads to an exterior
passage. This passage does not show on the auto-map. Unless you've become
well-acquainted with how to map the Labyrinth, this passage is certain to
throw you off track. When you emerge back in the Labyrinth, use a Wisdom
Seed or View Spell so you can get the coordinates of where you are.

 The monsters get much tougher on this side of the level. Beware of the very
nasty Kromeball monsters in the long corridor. You'll find another Magic
Hood, a Firestaff, and a couple of other handy items in side passages.

 When you reach the end of this long passage and begin crossing the final
leg of level two, you may meet Kamil monsters. Kamil always try to attack
in groups of at least two, and will call for help if alone. When at least
two Kamil are present, they execute a lethal dance that drains everyone in
the party of 15 hit points per Kamil.
Don't take chances with these beasts; use your strongest spells on them.

 One passage near the end of the level has numerous side-branches, each with
a Sentinel. Kill the Sentinels to get the goodies. You'll get some money, a
useless robe, and a suit of powerful Sun Armor for Darth. This Armor will
provide him with a modest amount of fire resistance once equipped.

 When you see the hole in the ceiling, turn around and walk backward until
you're right underneath it. Then turn again and proceed forward. If you are
adjacent to the hole while facing it, a dangerous beast called a Headhunter
may pop down and attack.

 Near the stairs to the third level, you will find a fountain that is gold
rather than blue. Go up the stairs to level three, then exit the Labyrinth
and report to the King.

 XERN

 Where Melvyl was standing is now an aged man named Xern. You have to talk
to the King first; he will identify Xern the Elder as Melvyl's teacher in
the mystic arts. He'll then tell you to speak with Xern.

 Xern will confirm any suspicions you might have had: Melvyl is Dark Sol.
Xern then gives you some information about the Labyrinth. It was built by
the Ancients to serve two purposes: to seal in the Darkness, and raise a
champion should the need arise. Xern tells you that Melvyl, lusting after
power, found his way into the darkest areas of the Labyrinth and now wants
to unleash the forces of Darkness on the world. Xern will give you a magic
Medallion, and explain how to use it in conjunction with gold fountains.

 When you return to town, stop by the Tavern. Old Vik will tell you that a
man named Melvyl is here to see you. You'll find him sitting by the table.
Pay attention to the sequence which follows. Melvyl admits to being Dark
Sol, and invites you to join him. You refuse, of course, and Dark Sol brags
that you can never stop him.

 Rest up and save the game. Return to the Labyrinth and deposit half of the
medallion into the golden fountain on level two. But try to work your level
up to 30 or so before exploring level three thoroughly.

 Most of level three is a single, very long and twisting corridor. There's a
point where you can take a shortcut, but it's filled with slime. You will
soon meet a monster that resembles a Tortolyde. This Shell Beast is a great
deal stronger, of course; approach it with caution and fight it fiercely.

 At the end of the long passage, there is a hole in the ceiling. Approach it
carefully to get the Mystic Rope from the chest behind it. Use it to climb
up the hole and go down the passage on level four to get the Endurostaff.
Use spells to get through it. After you have done this, return to town so
you can rest and save the game.

 Buy back the Dwarf's Key and find the two pits in the Cave of Strength. The
Mystic Rope will now let you cross to the other side of one of the pits by
falling down it and then climbing up again. You'll get a Mithril Ore; have
the Trader forge a Mithril Rod (if he hasn't already done so) for Pyra, or
a Mithril Axe for Milo if Pyra has a Mithril Rod. Sell the Endurostaff; it
is cursed. Sell back the Dwarf's Key and return to the Labyrinth. Do not
use the Medallion; walk through level two to climb up the first two holes
in the ceiling; the coordinates for these are 15E, 25S; and 1E, 11S. The
first hole leads to a Great Flail (a weak weapon). The second hole leads
to a Grimwall which hides a treasure chest with the Storm Sword. This very
dangerous weapon is nearly twice the strength of a Firesword, and can cast
level two Bolts on command. Don't go up the hole at 22E, 3S on level three
until everyone is level 35 or better, and Milo and Pyra both have weapons
made out of Mithril.

 Once you get past the long, twisting passage on level three, you may begin
to encounter Scizzars, which are like souped-up Kaiserkrabs with murderous
frosty breath weapons. Grab the Fruit and Herb-Water from chests you'll see
along the way and proceed.

 Climb up the hole in the ceiling (but be sure to approach it backwards, if
you don't want to fight the Soulthief that may pop down from it) with the
Rope. Use spells to defeat the strong monsters in the section of level four
you will cross. The chest holds Holy Water which will let you safely loose
any cursed item you might mistakenly equip. Go down the stairs back to the
third level and get to the other side of the cell bars you passed. You will
get another Mithril Ore. When you get it, return to town. If Milo does not
have a Mithril Axe yet, get one made for him. If Milo and Pyra both have
Mithril Weapons, have the Trader make a Lightrobe for Pyra.

 Here is where I'll reveal another one of my little secrets. Magic Mail, for
sale in the Trader tent, is actually a little stronger than a Lightrobe,
and Pyra can wear it. So why make the Lightrobe? Because it's something the
Magic Mail is not: it's "blessed with power," meaning it has a small amount
of magic resistance. If all three of a character's protective gear items
are "blessed with power," their magic resistance adds up. This is also why
you might not want to get a Mithril Hood made for Pyra: it isn't "blessed
with power," while the Magic Hood is.

 Past the hole in the ceiling that led to the Holy Water and Mithril Ore,
and you'll see a Grimwall over to the right. Destroy it and snatch the Ice
Staff behind it. You'll pass the back end of a one way door (the side you
can't pass through) and a set of cell bars with a chest behind it. Then you
will find the front end (the side you can pass through) of another one way
door. Use the two one way doors to go behind the cell bars. You'll get the
Light Helm, one of the four Arms of Light, from the chest.

 The passage ends at 30E, 3S at a hole in the ceiling. Climb up it with the
Mystic Rope, cross a short passage on level four, and fall down the pit to
the last leg of level three. Heal all characters up to full hit points when 
you turn north, because you will meet the strongest boss yet after another 
step. It's a four-armed skeleton, the mighty Blackbone. It doesn't have as 
many hit points as the Shell Beast, but it hits a good deal harder. Beat it, 
look at the gold fountain, go up the stairs to level four, then return to 
town. Rest at the Tavern and save the game at the Shrine.

 Report to the king and pay very close attention to the sequence which will
follow. Watch the battle between Xern and Dark Sol, and observe how easily
Dark Sol defeats his mentor. Dark Sol will then give a disturbing clue that
pertains to your father, when he will refer to you as the "son of my dear
Mortred." The King and Minister will be left in a state of shock. Speak to
Theos; he'll talk to Xern, who will identify the source of Dark Sol's new
power as a very ancient and terrible spell called Demonbreath.

 When you are strong enough to make it through all of level three without a
significant amount of trouble, fetch the medallion half out of the waters
of the level two fountain and take it to the gold fountain on level three.
When you're strong enough, go up the hole in the ceiling at 22E, 3S. You
will find a statue that animates as a Guardian to the chest behind it. The
Guardian is a good deal more powerful than any Sentinel; use Quick, Boost,
and other spells to help beat it. The chest holds an Elven Hood for Milo.
It's a bit stronger than a Magic Hood and it's also "blessed with power."

 The monsters on level four are really troublesome. The Deathbringer can use
Level 2 Revive spells on monsters you have already slain, and the Deathmask
can strike a special blow which will kill you automatically. There's also
the Troglodytes and the occasional wandering Scizzar. Watch your back.

 You'll find a Fruit, Herb-Water, and Steelwhip in chests along the way to
the middle of level four. If you find a one way door, don't go through it
yet, until after exploring the center of the level. You must pass over two
spinner tiles to do this.

 West of the second spinner leads you to four chests. Two of them turn into
dangerous monsters called Handeaters. The other two chests contain powerful
items. One is a suit of Frost Armor for Darth that provides him with some
cold protection. The other has a Heal Ring which can produce a Level 3 Heal
spell on command. The Heal Ring also raises the defensive strength of the
character holding it, and provides a bonus to his or her protective gear
as well. The bonuses are not that big individually, but they add up.

 North of the second spinner, you will see a hole in the ceiling. Go past it
and find a Grimwall past the slime. Behind the wall is a chest that holds
the second of the Arms of Light: the Lightblade, the strongest weapon in
the game. Now climb the hole in the ceiling and use spells to fight your
way to the chest. It holds the last Mithril Ore you'll find. Have it made
into a Mithril Shield for Milo or a Lightrobe for Pyra immediately. After
doing this, your armament should be as follows:

 For DARTH: Lighthelm, Lightblade, Frost Armor, Steel or Magic Shield.

 For MILO: Elven Hood, Mithril Axe, Mithril Armor, Mithril Shield.

 For PYRA: Magic Hood, Mithril Rod, Lightrobe, Mithril Shield.

 If, by chance, you are so lucky as to find a seventh Mithril Ore as random
treasure, have it crafted into a helm for Darth, and then have Milo put it
on. The Helm is better than the Elven Hood. But don't sacrifice a Mithril
Shield to make a Mithril Helm, even though this will give Milo a slightly
greater defensive strength. A Magic Shield is not "blessed with power,"
and you want three protective items with magic resistance. Granted, even
with three protective items that are "blessed with power," the total magic
resistance is nominal, but it's much better than no resistance at all.

 JESSA

 When you find the one way door, pass through it into the western sector of
level four. Run from any Blackbones you may meet if your magic points are
running low.

 Walk down far enough, and you'll hear a voice call out, "Who's there?" Keep
going straight ahead, and the voice will stop you, with horrible news. If
you go down the passage any further, the voice says, Mortred will kill you
all. Mortred was once a gentle man, but is now a servant of Darkness. He
is also far too strong to fight, with the powers of Darkness behind him.

 Back up a step and turn left. You'll spot the true Princess Jessa. She'll
verify that Mortred, your father, is indeed a servant of Dark Sol now. She
also tells you that Mortred guards a key to her cell. She begs you to try
and slip past Mortred to retrieve the Cell Key.

 Unfortunately, you won't get far down the passage before a booming voice
stops you and tells you to prepare to die. A massive figure in crimson will
march forward to meet you, and you'll know right off that he is bad news.
Worse news, in fact, than you might have ever hoped for: you must engage
your own father, Mortred, in mortal combat to free Princess Jessa.

 THE DARK KNIGHT

 Mortred is now the Dark Knight. He is completely devoted to Dark Sol, and
he doesn't even recognize you as his son. He is the strongest enemy that
you have faced so far. He will attack once or twice per round, determined
randomly, with a huge crimson sword.

 Mortred hits for about 100 damage in a normal strike, but he can reach 300
if he lands a critical hit. Even with all three party members at level 40,
you shouldn't be surprised if Mortred defeats you. Cast Level 2 Boost and
Level 2 Quick spells at once. Sleep,
Slow, and Muddle have no effect upon Mortred.

 After delivering 1250-1300 points of damage to Mortred, you will knock off
his Dark Helm. You must mete out 500 to 600 points more to defeat him. If
you do, he will fall to one knee, and the white glow in his eyes goes out.

 Mortred will suddenly be free of the grip of Darkness, and he'll remember
everything. He had received a sword as a gift from Melvyl, and this Dark
Blade robbed him of his will. Listen closely to Mortred's dying words, as
he praises you for freeing his spirit from the Darkness, which he renounces
once and for all. Just before dying, Mortred will tell you to get the Cell
Key which is just ahead, and free Princess Jessa.

 Get the Cell Key, and find the nearby gold fountain. Go up the stairs, then
return to Jessa and release her with the key. Jessa will mourn Mortred's
death, and ask you to return her to the castle.

 If you want a laugh, take Jessa into the tavern twice and answer "Yes" to 
Old Vik's question. You'll have to go to the castle eventually, since you
won't be able to rest at the tavern until after you drop Jessa off.

 The King will give you a Magic Ring as a reward; this ring restores Magic
points. Rest at the tavern, save at the Shrine, then go through the four
caves again to raise all of the cell bars with the Cell Key. You will get
a second Magic Ring from the Cave of Truth, a Demon Staff from the Cave of
Courage, and a Forbidden Box from the Cave of Strength. The Demon Staff is
a strange weapon that throws a Level 2 Muddle spell on command. The catch
is that your party is affected also. You can use it in battle in the Caves
if you want to see a few spectacular battle tactics, including (yes, I'm
serious) _Judo throws._ The Forbidden Box produces all kinds of bizarre and
strange effects. Be ready for almost anything when you use it in battle!

 After getting the Ring from the Cave of Truth, you won't have to face any
more Grimwalls, so you can sell the Orb of Truth.

 The bars on level 2 of the Labyrinth hold a Barrier Ring. This ring gives
Defensive strength bonuses like the Heal Ring, except the bonuses you get
from the Barrier Ring are bigger. It can also throw a Level 2 Quick spell
on command. The bars on level three will give way to a passage containing
the third Arm of Light: the Light Shield.

 THE TOP LEVEL

 After rescuing Jessa, you will get a valuable clue from Edward. He'll tell
you about a Water Spirit, the patron of the Shining Knight. After you find
all four Arms of Light, you must find the Spirit's fountain on level five
of the Labyrinth. You must also gain a Vial holding the tears of a woman
who holds you dear to her heart.

 Level Five of the Labyrinth is a very rough neighborhood, and the corridor,
at first, is long and one way, going completely around the remainder of
the level. Beware of Blackbones which occasionally pop out of the ground.

 When you reach the inner part of the level, the monsters really start to
get dangerous. Dragonfyre, Kamiliun, and Colossus are too powerful for you
to treat them with less than complete respect. The strongest of the Water
Elementals, the Syrens, erupt out of the puddles, and the strongest of the
sub-bosses, the lethal Bildblok, will pester and harass you. The chances of
fleeing a Bildblok are good, which is fortunate because its breath weapon
is something you don't want to be the target of.

 As you go up the eastern portion of the level, you'll find another Magic
Ring and a Handeater. Proceed forward and you'll eventually come across a
spinner tile that, if stepped on when facing west, drops you into a covered
pit. Near the stairway you use to get back up to level five is a chest with
another Dark Block which you can sell for cash.

 At coordinates 3E, 26S, face east and you will see a fountain that pulses
gold, blue and pink. There's nothing you can do with it yet so continue to
move upward until you find the chest with the Light Armor, the last of the
Arms of Light.

 THE WATER SPIRIT

 When everyone is at least 50th level, you're ready to finish the game. Stop
by the castle. Jessa has broken down and told the king and court about how
you were forced to slay your father in battle in order to rescue her. All
of the castle people are shocked and saddened to hear the news.

 Talk to Jessa, and she will begin to cry. Theos will quickly catch Jessa's
tears in a vial. Talk to Theos and he will give you the vial. He's learned
from Edward that a vial holding the Princess's tears will serve you well.

 Take the vial to the fountain and use it there. The tears will summon the
Water Spirit, who will bless you and give you the power to use the Arms of
Light to their fullest. She will then tell you to stop by her fountain any
time you are badly wounded, for her waters are there to heal and comfort
you. Any time you visit the fountain again, all your hit points and magic
points will be restored. You're now the Champion of Light: the Shining
Knight.

 Past the spirit's fountain, you will meet the most powerful creatures in
the Labyrinth. Battle them with magic spells so you can work everyone up to
level 50 or better. Then get ready to complete your task.

 Pick up the Miracle Herb over at the Alkemist shop. Ensure that Milo and
Pyra both have Magic Rings. Put the Barrier Ring in Darth's inventory and
the Heal ring in Milo's or Pyra's.

 Cast a Peace spell when you reach the Water Spirit's fountain, then turn to
face it and get healed. Go to where you found the Light Armor. Just west
of the area is a pit. Fall in and get the Miracle Herb from a chest in the
area of level four you'll fall into. Go up the stairs back to level five.
_Do not_ fight any monsters. If you are high enough in level, they cannot
block you from fleeing.

 When you see a passageway lined with fire pots, go past it and you'll find
a third Miracle Herb. Make sure each character holds only one. Your party
should now have the following inventories:

 DARTH: Arms of Light, Medallion, the Barrier Ring and a Miracle Herb.

 MILO: Elven Hood, Mithril Axe, Mithril Armor, Mithril Shield, Magic Ring,
Miracle Herb.

 PYRA: Magic Hood, Mithril Rod, Light Robe, Mithril Shield, Magic Ring,
Miracle Herb, (optional) Magic Mirror.

 Either Milo or Pyra should hold the Heal Ring; preferably Milo.
 
 Go up the corridor with the pots of fire. The red wall will change into a
mural when you reach it. If anybody is wounded, heal them with Level two
or three Heal spells and use Milo's Magic Ring to bring his magic points
back up to full. Then pass through the mural.

 DARK SOL

 Dark Sol will appear before you, and congratulate you. He's been bored for
a while, having no challenges to his power until now. He will waste very
few words before the showdown begins.

 Pyra should immediately use her Level two Boost, and Darth should use the
Barrier Ring. Now fight Dark Sol hand to hand; Pyra should use no magical
spells yet. Dark Sol will retaliate with Level three Bolts, and a weaker
form of his Demonbreath spell. These spells cannot be deflected by Pyra's
Magic Mirror. Try to wait as long as you can, until everyone's hit points
drops to around 100, before casting a Level four Heal spell. The longer you
can wait, the more attacks Milo can make. Dark Sol will get in one or two
attacks a round, randomly determined. In his wizard form, Dark Sol can take
about 1500 points of damage.

 When you defeat Dark Sol, he will cry out to the Darkness against his fate,
and beg it to give him its all, that he might yet give it the world. After
a second, the Darkness will heed his words, and change him into a terrible
monster with a huge spiked tail, and two demons for arms. Then the _real_
showdown will begin.

 Once more, Dark Sol gets one or two attacks per round; the arm that will
make each attack is randomly chosen. The right demon-arm is armed with a
scimitar and shield, and will execute physical blows. The left demon-arm
will throw Level three Blaze or Bolt spells.

 You must recast the Level two Boost and Quick spells. Do so, then, in the
second round, use Pyra's Magic Ring to restore her Magic Points. Now the
heavy artillery (Pyra's mighty Level four Bolts) should be brought out to
bear. Milo should continue to battle hand to hand; his Mithril Axe, aided
by a Boost, will do more damage than his strongest attack spell. Besides,
you want to save all his magic points for Level four Heal spells.

 After taking another 1800-2000 points of damage, Dark Sol's demon-arms will 
fall, and his tail will come up. He will begin to fight with the tail and his 
Demonbreath spells. The latter, when used, will now be full strength, and do 
heaps of damage. The blessing of the Water Spirit is specifically designed to 
reduce the damage you'll take from the spell. As before, try to put off 
healing the party as long as you can. You'll need to deal out 1100-1200 more 
damage to finish Dark Sol off completely; this gives him a total of about 
5800 hit points.

 After defeating Dark Sol, you will be teleported out of the Labyrinth and
unable to reenter. You will all be completely healed. You can stop by
the town if you want, but all of the shops will be closed; only the Tavern
and Shrine will still admit you, and you can't save at the Shrine.

 If by chance, you never rescued Dai, he will turn up safe and sound at the
Tavern. Despite a sprained ankle, he made it back to town.

 Report to the king to bring about the saddest part of the game, its closing
sequence. I call it the saddest part of the game because I didn't want it
to end (g). Oh well, there's always the chance of a sequel.

 SHINING IN THE DARKNESS is published and distributed by Sega of America.

 This walkthru copyright (c) 1992, by Voltron. All rights reserved.

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