Quesada's Swan

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Now that I have the Aqua Cape, I start to try it out using it on the whirlpools near the Pond.

I head out to the portal near the Pond.

I jump over the bridge and swim to the small whirlpool taking me to the lake near the large whirlpool.

With the Aqua Cape equipped, I go in the large whirlpool and find myself in the Fairy Pond.

The music for Meia's Dream is also used here!

A lizard comes and greets me with his blade!

I proceed ahead, jumping on small pieces of land and avoiding the fish underneath!

I'm now near a fork, left leads to shallows and two teleporters at the end, with a set of spiked balls on the water. Right goes to the same way, though there's a secret passage right of that. The way is blocked by large boulders though.

Another passage back at the fork is a set of stairs leading to another teleporter.

I take the stairs and head into the teleporter.

Now the music here is less comforting.

I'm now underwater!

I jump down into the chasm below after misjudging the distance of the next step!

I find my way through the high rocky walls, crossing south. I see another teleporter on the other side.

I go back up by using a huge bubble the size of a tiny moving platform.

I take the teleporter back to the surface, and make my way to the southeast fork, where another teleporter awaits.

I warp underwater to a high ledge, where down below are some spiked balls chained to the sea floor.

I land down slowly near a chest containing herbs. After seeing another chest, I reach for that too, which has a Life Vessel inside!!!

My health is now at 35!!! Whoo!

At the bottom, there's a press switch below. I press it, where some rumbling's going on. After reading the prompt, which says a low rumble was heard, I head straight to the passage where the boulders were.

I break one spiked ball's chains with the sword, causing it to float up and make a minor avalanche above. I do the same with two more.

I warp back to the surface and warp to the next teleporter.

---

I'm now at the southern part of the underwater chamber I went to before. Nothing's here, so I warp back.

The boulders blocking the way are gone!

At the end of the passage is another teleporter. I warp forward!

I'm now underwater again!

I move east and push the boulder at the edge, breaking its twin on another wedge of land!

Because Alundra's jumps get slower yet higher when underwater, I have to be careful here. I keep saying "I have to be careful here" a lot...

A lot of just underwater jumping at the moment...

After reading the guide again, I jump east from a certain stone of land. I manage to grab herbs from a chest, and keep on jumping...

I manage to make it to a teleporter at the south end! I warp, where I'm now on the other side of the Pond cavern.

Another teleporter is at the top of the tall waterfall, so I head south, and jump down...to a duo of lizards! And moving spiked balls!

I head to the teleporter on the other end of the passage, where I'm now underwater once more!

I cut the chains off all the spiked balls, stand on a rising bubble (air bubbles in this game are like rising platforms), and jump through platforms of land until I reach a chest of herbs.

I grab another chest of herbs on a rocky platform and jump down to the sea floor.

Next I use the rising bubbles to reach a chest on a high northwest ledge, which has...more herbs!

I see two more teleporter panels, where I jump east to the nearest teleporter, which takes me back to the surface, at the top of the waterfall!

I warp back underwater and use the far east teleporter. I'm now in another area at the surface of the Pond cave, where more spiked balls are on the water!

Owch!

---

A tunnel at the north end lies forward. In there, I see a hall of fairy statues, and at the end, a fairy fountain.

In a flash of blue light, I'm greeted by the fairy called Stenia.

Stenia, Queen of the Waters, explains about the history of the gods, especially the Gazeck, which Nirude was one of them.

The Giants were carved by ancient humans, and there were seven of them, and became what the humans had seen them as: gods.

The Giants were selfish and tried to kill each other just to be loved by humans...except for Nirude.

Stenia mentions Melzas again, and refers to him as another god "using fear to gain the faith of humans."

Melzas, however, was also afraid of the humans, who could take his power away. So he decided to kill people who threatened his power.

Wait a minute, does that mean that Sybill was murdered because her visions threatened Melzas's power? Along with the other villagers too?!

However, the Pond cave is beginning to collapse by Melzas's interference. Stenia's final move is to bring Alundra one last gift...a Fiend Blade!!!

Lucky there's no time limit in this cave!

The rumbling and shaking's getting worse!

I'm out of the Pond!

So now I have an upgrade of the Sword now!!

I swim south to the area near the Fire Manor, and head north, saving my progress again.

I check the map again, and notice a chest on the left side of the land near the area where I got the Water Book. After finding a secret slope leading to the area, I get the Gilded Falcon from the chest!

Now I think it's time to visit the Riverside Pub and make use of the Secret Pass I snatched a while back...

Here's the map for the Pond.