Prerequisites: AF Firefly Lamp, AF Trembling Spoon

   This quest is the first in the dragon storyline, one of the three major story arcs. To begin it, return to Lumina after creating The Underworld on the map. (You may want to bring Bud along.) Head to Bright Moon Street and you'll find Pokiehl waiting for you. Talk to him and he'll ask you if you've ever wondered what it would be like to visit the Underworld. Answer "yes." (If you brought Bud, Pokiehl will also add more to your World History Encyclopedia -- assuming Bud hasn't already met Pokiehl, of course.)

   Now go to The Underworld and touch the tombstone. You'll fall down into the Underworld proper. (If you hadn't talked to Pokiehl, the tombstone would be inactive.) Larc will greet you upon your arrival and ask for your assistance. Team up with him and head through the cave entrance to the west. Meet the Shadoles here, then continue down the passage. Head right another screen and go through the first door you come to.

   You're now on the second level of the Underworld. Proceed through the next screen, then go through the door on the right of the screen after that. Talk to the Shadoles in the Baptismal Chamber; they'll inform you that you Olbohn's permission to perform the Baptism of Flames. Leave the room and take the southeast exit. Most of the doors here are blocked until you receive the Baptism; indeed, the only one that's open is the one that leads to Olbohn's room. Reach it by taking the passage on the far left, then going right until you come to the first door. Olbohn agrees to let your hero receive the Baptism and summons a brown Shadole. Have the Shadole warp you back to the Baptismal Chamber. Receive the Baptism of Flames.

   You can now go through all the doors in the hallways around Olbohn's room. In the initial hallway, the rightmost doorway (not counting the tunnel into the other hall) is the passage further down. All the other doors lead to chests: a Ghost's Howl, an Angel Feather, and a Dangerous Eye. If you've completed some of the Jumi quests, you'll also bump into the deceased Jumi in these rooms. (Note that the left exit from the initial hall takes you to the right exit on the secondary hall, and vice versa -- don't get confused!)

   After cleaning out all the chests, proceed down to the third level. The rest of the area is straightforward; eventually, you'll reach the Shrine of the Faces and the boss, Hitodama. Hitodama is just a little floating skull; however, every so often, it will disappear and light up one of the four stone faces. The face will then fire at you. It doesn't have a lot of HP, so just pummel it when it's in material form and dodge away from the glowing faces. The Hitodama can empty your special attack gauge with one of its attacks, so use your STs as soon as you can.

   When Hitodama is defeated, you'll automatically be taken to see Larc's master, Drakonis. Drakonis explains his situation and gives you the AF Skull Lantern, which will create the first of the dragon lairs: the Norn Peaks. You're then warped out of the Underworld, with Larc still accompanying you.

   Note that you can now return to the Underworld whenever you want; just touch the Macabre Tombstone and you'll be warped down. (There's also now a Shadole at the entrance who will return to the surface.) Larc can also be re-recruited at the Tombstone if you "lose" him.

Li'l Cactus' quote: "Down to under-world."
Cactus Diary:
"A dog-faced dragoon came out and took my master downstairs when master touched a tombstone. How am I supposed to picture this? It's really tough."