DYNE'S MONUMENT:

The game begins with Alex at Dragonmaster Dyne's monument, talking about his dream of having an adventure. Suddenly, you hear someone calling Alex's name. After a short cut-scene with Nall, Alex's best friend, you turn to leave the monument. As you walk away, an earthquake shakes the ground. You are confronted by Ramus in another cut-scene. He reminds you of Alex's desire for adventure and suggests you go to the White Dragon Cave with him to get a diamond. This, he tells you, you will sell for "big bucks!"

Before you can answer, Ramus says he'll grab some snacks for the trip and meet with you later. With that, he hurries away.

Enter the town of Burg.  

BURG (FIRST TIME):

Walk forward into Burg. This is your chance to explore the town, get to know it a little.

The first house you see when you enter is Alex's house. Go inside and talk to your parents, talk to everyone, etc. Even try to talk to the cats and chickens! Nall comments on them. A lot of the dialogue in this game is really funny, so make sure you talk to people.

When you're finished exploring the town, you must go find Luna to practice your song. This is the way, from Alex's house:

Go down across the small bridge, turn right, and up a much longer bridge. Walk forward and you'll find yourself in a forest. Walk forward even more and you get to see a cut-scene of Luna singing. You end up talking about the White Dragon Cave, and Luna insists on going with you. But she says to go and see Alex's parents first.

So, head back to Alex's house. Talk to his dad, who gives you a flame ring, and permission to open any treasure chests in the house. Go downstairs and grab the stuff inside the treasure chests in the basement, and equip the weapons Alex's dad gave to you (otherwise, they won't do you much good).

You most likely don't have any money to buy any more items or weapons, so when you're ready, meet Ramus at the village exit (from Alex's house, go down across the bridge, left, and down a little). You'll see Ramus standing there. Sure, he looks like he has blue hair, but he's there.

Leave the village and head for the cave.  

WORLD MAP (TO THE WHITE DRAGON'S CAVE):

To get to the cave, you have to go north, all the way until you reach the end of the left mountain range. Go around that mountain range, all the way back down until you see a cave. Enter the White Dragon's Cave.  

WHITE DRAGON'S CAVE:

You could probably find your way through here by just wandering around, but I'm going to try to provide complete instructions anyway, just in case you get lost (or don't feel like wandering around ^^).

When you enter the cave, the first thing you see is a big pillar of ice blocking your way. After some dialogue, Alex uses his flame ring to melt the ice, and you are free to enter the cave.

By now, you should be saving. Press the O button to get to Nall's save menu, and select a file to save to. Save often, because if you get killed, you start from the last point you saved at, and it gets pretty annoying having to do things over. Luckily, you can save anytime, anywhere. So save often! I speak from personal experience!

Walk forward into the cave, and you will be confronted by a monster. As I said before, if you can avoid monsters, please do. You have a slight lack of HP and MP right now, and the monsters wear you down very quickly. My advice would be to have Alex normally use regular attacks, with a magical attack against some of the tougher enemies, like the Albino Baboons or even those creepy diamond things. Have Luna heal your party, and when everyone's energy is full or fairly close to full, have her attack or use items. Have Ramus attack or use items. You probably won't find the need to use items very often, but if you do (say, Luna and Ramus have fainted and you have no way of healing yourself, etc.), then try to have Luna or Ramus use them. Alex's attacks often hurt the most, so you want to have him attack whenever possible.

But, back to the present. Walk forward into the cave, and you'll see another ice pillar. But you can't use your flame ring on this one. Go left to find a treasure chest containing an herb. Then follow the "path" up and round a corner. You'll see a stairway. Go down it. See those shiny diamond-things? Those are enemies! And easy to avoid, luckily. The flies, you can't say the same for (why are there flies in an ice cave anyway?), but most enemies you can trick into charging at you or get around them somehow. You don't always want to do this, because you need to level up, but if you're low on HP and MP, it's a good trick to learn.

Go left and up another stairway, then forward. You'll see the Albino Baboons. Don't fight them; they're pretty strong--you can defeat them, but it drains your HP and MP much faster. To get past one, wait until it charges (the last possible second, if you're brave), and then move out of the way. The Baboon should run right past you, leaving you free to continue your journey.

Use this technique to get past the Albino Baboons. There is another treasure chest with an herb inside. Round the corner and go down. You'll see two stairways, go down one. There's a staircase to the right. Go up and right through a place filled with ice crystals and Albino Baboons, and then go down and right a little until you see another stairway. Go down and right again to find a treasure chest with an herb. Go left, down, and left. There's a doorway facing four pillars of ice. Go inside.

Walk forward and you'll see a cut-scene of Quark, the White Dragon. You talk to him a bit, with Ramus asking for the diamond but begging the dragon not to eat your party. Quark answers that if you really want the diamond, you'll have to complete the Dragon Trial, which is locating the Dragon Ring and bringing it back to him. He heals you and tells you to go.

Come back out of Quark's lair, and go left, up the stairs, and enter another doorway. If you did kill any Albino Baboons before, DO NOT kill them now. You need them to help you complete the trial. As you can see, there are several ice crystals blocking your way. You noticed how if you let a Baboon see you and stand still until it charges, it will race right past you? Well, you can use this to your advantage even more. Stand in front of or behind the ice crystals blocking your way, and get the Baboon's attention. Use the same technique as before, and if you're lucky, the Baboon will run directly to where you were previously standing and break the ice crystals. If you're lucky. These Baboons don't have great sense of direction, so it may take several tries, but be patient, and you'll get it. Enter the doorway on the other side of the ice crystals.

In the next room, go down and left. You'll see a treasure chest surrounded by ice crystals. It contains a starlight, which refills magical power. Like all items found in treasure chests, obtaining it is optional. If you want to take the time to get the Albino Baboon to smash the crystals around it, go for it. Either way, when you're ready, go up and through the next doorway.

Inside are two treasure chests, each surrounded by ice crystals, as well as an Albino Baboon. If you only have the patience to get the AB to crash the crystals around one of them, go for the top one. It contains the Dragon Ring. (The bottom one contains 250 silver.) After you get the Dragon Ring, Nall suggests you go back to Quark and show it to him.

Retrace your steps back to Quark's lair. He'll give you the diamond, allow you to keep the ring, heal you, and then you're free to go. But be careful; any enemies you killed previously have returned since you entered and reentered Quark's lair.

You have two options about leaving the cave: Walk out manually, or use your Dragonfly Wing you got from the treasure chests in Alex's basement. Taking the time to walk out may be annoying, but it isn't very hard, doesn't take very long, and will help you level up (I'm usually around level four by the time I leave the cave). Besides, Quark did heal you. But if you really want to, use the Dragonfly Wings.

If you choose to walk out of the cave, go back to the area full of ice crystals and Albino Babboons. Go up to the top of this area. There's an ice crystal blocking a shortcut that leads to the entrance of the cave. Get an AB to break the ice crystal blocking your way, and head on through back onto the world map, back around the mountain range, and back to Burg.  

BURG (SECOND TIME/AFTER WHITE DRAGON'S CAVE:

When you enter the town, Nall suggests you go to the goddess statue. This is supposed to show you that goddess statues heal you, in case you didn't know already. In any case, after you heal yourself, head to the shop to sell the diamond. But once there, the shop owner tells you that no one in Burg can afford a diamond like the Dragon Diamond, and that you'll have to go to Meribia.

When you go back outside, Luna says you should go see Alex's parents. But when you cross the small bridge to get to Alex's house, Ramus stops you for a "man-to-man talk." He asks Luna to go on home, and then speaks to Alex and Nall, asking you to go to Meribia with him. But he also tells you not to tell Luna.

Okay, if you're like me, you'll go and do the exact opposite of what he tells you, and go talk to Luna. But all that happens is that she gets angry that you can't tell her about your talk, and how you agreed not to keeps secrets, etc. When you're ready, leave the village for the world map.  

WORLD MAP (TO THE WEIRD WOODS):

Head for the large, brownish clump of trees to the southwest.  

WEIRD WOODS (WITHOUT LUNA):

You're in a forest covered with fog. Navigate as best you can through the forest, but you haven't gone very far when Ramus stops you, warning of the woods being haunted. Go a little further and Ramus suggests you go back. Go even further and Ramus gets so scared he runs out of the forest. You follow him, and (WORLD MAP) Nall suggests you just go home, so head back to Burg.  

BURG (RETURN FROM WEIRD WOODS W/OUT LUNA):

Walk into Burg and head for Alex's house. Ramus apologizes and suggests you try again in the morning, and also that you tell Luna where you're going. He goes back to his house, and you should head for Alex's.

When you get there, talk to Luna. She'll get mad at you. Talk to your parents and then Luna again. She'll apologize for getting mad at you, but insist on going with you the next day. She hints to talk to your parents. Talk to them, and night will fall.

That night, Luna has a familiar dream, concerning a baby and a strange-yet-familiar-looking man. Awakening, she gets up and notices Alex is not in his bed. She goes outside to the monument, where Alex is playing his ocarina. She talks to him about her dream and the adventure they are going on tomorrow, teasingly reminds Alex to brush his teeth, and goes back to bed. The screen fades out to morning.

The next morning, leave your house. Buy any weapon upgrades or items that you may need, and then meet Ramus at the town entrance/exit. Talk to him a bit, and then leave for the woods again.  

WEIRD WOODS (SECOND TIME, WITH LUNA):

Enter the woods. Ramus, once again, complains of the fog. Nall argues with him, but Luna intervenes. She turns and starts singing. Slowly, the fog fades away.

After some more dialogue, go forward. There are two paths. The bottom one has a treasure chest with an antidote. Grab that and take the top one. It splits off into two more paths. Take the bottom one again and go down, staying near the crop of trees to your right (as you are looking at them--they are on Alex's left) and go down for a treasure chest with another antidote. Go back up and take the top path straight up until you see another treasure chest with an antidote. Continue on that path for, once again, a treasure chest with an antidote. Continue going left and you will see another two paths. Take the bottom one and go left for a treasure chest with an antidote. Continue on that path and it will split again. Take the bottom one of those two for a treasure chest with--an herb! Ha, you thought I was going to say antidote, right? Admit it, I thought I was going to, too!

Go up and take the top one this time, all the way, straight up, for another treasure chest with an herb. Go back down and climb a small hill for a treasure chest with an antidote. Continue--go rightish--and upish an you'll see another treasure chest with an herb. Round the corner and you'll see a big, open space. Walk up and left and you'll be ambushed by several monsters. You try to run but several more appear. You're surrounded.

Suddenly, a strange man appears. He asks if you need help. Say yes (if you say no, I sure hope you saved by now--even if you can beat them by yourself, you may as well ask the guy to help. He can hit three people in a row, gains back his HP after every turn, and one of his attacks will kill off a monster. He can't use magical power, but hey, he doesn't need to. His HP is at 999, his attacks are high, so he really doesn't need it) and he'll help you defeat the monsters. When the screen shows the woods again, all the monsters run away, and you see a cut-scene of the man. He talks to you and laughs. Starts a fire to cook dinner. Introduces himself as Laike.

Laike (who will appear several more times in the game) talks to you about Dragonmaster Dyne. Comments on Alex's green eyes (yes, the green-eyes-thing again). Eventually, your party falls asleep.

When you wake up in the morning, Laike is gone. But you're near the exit, and with you HP and MP completely restored. So, continue. You'll come to two paths. The top one has a treasure chest with an herb. The bottom one you should follow straight down, and there's the exit!  

WORLD MAP (TO SAITH):

On the world map once more, cross a small bridge and go south along the coast. You'll see a small town, almost on a penninsula. Enter the town of Saith.  

SAITH:

Enter Saith. Go downward to the goddess statue and then explore the town. You'll hear several things about the ship to Meribia, and about a new magician of the Magic Guild. When you're finished exploring, go to the docks (at the very bottom/south end of the town) and enter the building there. Talk to the captain at the back of the room. Talk to the dockmaster. He'll give you a full explanation of what happened. He says that the captain was gambling and lost the sea chart. He drops a hint that the gambler was Brett, and that he's in the bar.

Head over to the bar. Brett is at the back of the room. Your party asks him for the sea chart. He says to gamble with him first, and then he'll talk about it with you. Say you'll gamble with him.

Pick heads or tails; it doesn't matter which one. You'll lose. Choose again. Once again, it makes no difference which you pick. You lose again.

Ramus pulls the rest of your party aside, and claims that Brett is cheating. He says to try to win one more time.

Talk to Brett again. Ramus will bet the Dragon Diamond and catch Brett cheating. You'll get the diamond and two hundred silver back. Talk to Brett once again and he'll say he traded the chart to an old woman in the forest northwest of Saith. He gives you the fortune cane (a good weapon for Luna).

Buy any items or weapons needed (you will want to upgrade your weapons and armor periodically when you enter new towns). Leave Saith.  

WORLD MAP (TO HAG'S FOREST):

On the world map, go north along the coast, on the left side of the mountain range (the side opposite of the one you used to get to Saith). Enter the relatively small forest with a house in the center, the Hag's Forest.  

OLD HAG'S FOREST:

Ah, the Old Hag's Forest. Hope you like beetles and flies. And large, scary-looking bees. And booby-trapped treasure chests!

Okay, walk into the forest. To the left and right, you'll see treasure chests. Don't open them! They're "trapped chests" and set loose assorted flies and beetles upon you. As a general rule, don't open chests that have a slight circle of mud surrounding them, and you should be okay.

Go left. Don't open that one you first noticed; instead, open the one above it on a small hill. You'll get an herb.

Continue. Follow the path around, then go up for a treasure chest with an herb. Continue going right/northeast. Ignore the chest surrounded by a circle of dirt. Go up/north and open the one there for four hundred silver.

Come back down and continue going right. The path will split, with one going right and one going up. Take the one that goes up. You're out of the forest! Well, the part of the forest with monsters, anyway.

Walk forward and you'll see several strange basket-like things lying on the ground. Nall suggests it's some kind of trap to catch something. All of a sudden, you hear shouting from further on up the trail. Everyone walks forward, and you see that one of the traps is moving. After some reluctance, your party helps the guy out of the trap.

Witness, "Nash and His Hair." It's the cut-scene introducing Nash. You'll know it when you see it.

The guy introduces himself as Nash. He talks of being a great magician. Luna asks him to come with you. With a very arrogant and superior grin, he agrees.