FF WalkthroughThis chapter covers three major locations: the Ancient Ruins where you'll obtain the Invincible (the most powerful airship), the dark town of Falgabard, and the dangerous Cave of Shadows where you'll claim the Fang of Earth. You'll also unlock the Dark Knight job's full potential here.
Ancient Ruins
Unei joins your party temporarily and guides you to the Ancient Ruins. This dungeon is located on a remote island in the western ocean - use your submarine to surface nearby and land. The enemies here are aggressive but not overwhelming if you've been keeping up with equipment upgrades.
Bestiary Entries
- Pyralis (Entry 134) - Fire elemental, absorbs Fire, weak to Ice
- Dryad (Entry 135) - Plant creature, weak to Fire
- Peryton (Entry 136) - Flying beast, weak to Wind
- Azrael (Entry 137) - Undead, weak to Fire and Holy
Dungeon Walkthrough
The Ancient Ruins is a compact three-floor dungeon. On the first floor, collect the Reflective Mail near the entrance and the Black Belt Gi from the east corridor. The Black Belt Gi is excellent for Monks and Black Belts.
The second floor contains the Chakra Band and Rune Bell. The Rune Bell is a strong weapon for Geomancers. On the third floor, grab the Faerie Claws before approaching the ancient airship dock.
The Invincible
At the end of the dungeon, you'll find the Invincible - the ultimate airship. Unlike your previous airships, the Invincible can fly over mountains and carry other vehicles. It also has a built-in healing chamber and shop. This is your primary mode of transportation for the rest of the game.
Unei stays behind to guard the ruins. With the Invincible, you can now reach previously inaccessible areas, including the dark town of Falgabard.
Falgabard
Falgabard is a hidden town surrounded by mountains, accessible only via the Invincible. Land near the mountains in the far western continent and enter the town. This is the home of the Dark Knights - warriors who sacrificed themselves to darkness to gain power.
Boss: Shinobi
In the waterfall cave behind the town, you'll encounter Shinobi - a powerful ninja boss.
A master assassin who uses powerful physical attacks and throws Shurikens for high damage.
Strategy:
- Shinobi is fast and hits hard - keep HP above 1000
- Use Haste on your party to match his speed
- He has no elemental weaknesses, so use your strongest attacks
- Have a dedicated healer casting Curaga every turn
After defeating Shinobi, search the area behind where he stood to find the Kiku-Ichimonji (Hidden Item 55) - one of the strongest katanas in the game.
Falgabard Cave
The cave behind Falgabard contains four chests with valuable equipment: Thorian Hammer, Ashura, Kotetsu, and Demon Mail. The Kotetsu is particularly notable - it may count as a hidden item for trophy purposes, so make sure to grab it.
Cave of Shadows
The Cave of Shadows is located on an island east of Falgabard. This is one of the most challenging dungeons in the game due to a unique mechanic: many enemies here can divide when hit with physical or magical attacks, creating copies of themselves.
Critical Strategy: Bring Dark Knights to this dungeon. The Dark Knight's special command ability damages enemies without triggering division. If you attack dividing enemies with normal attacks or magic, you'll quickly become overwhelmed by duplicating foes.
Bestiary Entries
- Hellish Horse (Entry 150) - Can divide, use Dark Knight abilities
- Chronos (Entry 151) - Uses time magic, can divide
- Vassago (Entry 154) - Demon enemy, can divide
Dungeon Walkthrough
The Cave of Shadows is a four-floor dungeon. Progress slowly and use Dark Knight abilities exclusively against dividing enemies. The chest locations are spread throughout each floor, with the most valuable items on the deeper levels.
Kotetsu from Dark Knight
Hidden Item: On the second basement floor, speak to the lone Dark Knight NPC. He'll give you a Kotetsu (Hidden Item 56). This may be required for the hidden items trophy, so don't miss it.
Genji Equipment
The Cave of Shadows contains the Genji equipment set - some of the best armor in the game:
- Genji Gloves - B3, central chamber
- Genji Shield - B4, before the boss room
- Genji Helm - B4, east section
- Genji Armor - B4, boss antechamber
The Genji equipment provides excellent defense and magic resistance. Equip it on your front-line fighters immediately.
Boss: Hecatoncheir
At the bottom of the Cave of Shadows, you'll face Hecatoncheir, a hundred-handed giant guarding the Fang of Earth.
A massive giant with one hundred arms. Uses devastating physical attacks and the Quake spell.
Strategy:
- Hecatoncheir only uses Attack and Quake - no other abilities
- Float negates Quake damage entirely - cast it on your party
- Use Protect to reduce physical damage
- Have a White Mage dedicated to healing with Curaga
- Dark Knights and physical attackers work well here
- No elemental weaknesses, so use raw damage output
After defeating Hecatoncheir, collect the Fang of Earth - the fourth and final fang. With all four fangs in hand (Water, Wind, Fire, and Earth), you can now break the seal on the Ancients' Maze and access the Crystal Tower.
Treasure Chests
Ancient Ruins (5 chests)
| Item | Location |
|---|---|
Reflective Mail | 1F, entrance area |
Black Belt Gi | 1F, east corridor |
Chakra Band | 2F, central room |
Rune Bell | 2F, hidden alcove |
Faerie Claws | 3F, before airship dock |
Falgabard Cave (4 chests)
| Item | Location |
|---|---|
Thorian Hammer | B1, left path |
Ashura | B1, right path |
Kotetsu | B2, inner chamber |
Demon Mail | B2, far corner |
Cave of Shadows (9 chests)
| Item | Location |
|---|---|
Lamia Scale | B1, entrance area |
Bacchus's Cider | B1, side path |
Tranquilizer | B2, left corridor |
Lilith's Kiss | B2, hidden alcove |
Genji Gloves | B3, central chamber |
Kiku-Ichimonji | B3, guarded room |
Genji Shield | B4, before boss |
Genji Helm | B4, east section |
Genji Armor | B4, boss antechamber |