Rite of Courage

Your next Rite will take you into the bowels of the underworld, Hades. Your task is to take water from the River Styx, to which even the God's do binding.

Start out by going to your room. If a purple box isn't on your chair, sleep a day. Pick up the Box of Chocolates. If you check it out in your inventory, it'll say it smells like over-ripe fruit. Give it to Salim-ANYTHING that smells like overripe fruit is BAD!

If you're playing as a Wizard or Thief, or just don't want to fight a boss, buy a Pepporoni Pizza, a Gyro, and some Chocolates from Marrak. Also make sure you have LOTS of Healing and Stamina items. Now head out of Silmaria.

On the map, there'll be a skull-like marker. That's the next stop. Once there, you'll see a dead body by yet ANOTHER broken Dragon Pillar. Fill up a urn with water from the part of the stream closest to the body, then pour it out at the other end. If you examined the pillar like I told you to, you'll recite the verse. After a Wrath of God-like scene, you'll be by the Gates of Hades.

Try walking in. You'll be forced out by Cerberus, the three-headed gaurd dog. He'll demand that you either bribe him or die. If you're a Fighter or Paladin, fight him. He has three life bars, but isn't all that difficult. After you beat him, he'll leave. Wizards and Theives should give him the Pepporoni Pizza, the Gyro, and the Chocolates. He'll then let you in.

One thing in Hades: unless you're a Paladin, and have the Destroy Undead spell, DON'T FIGHT! The skeletons are easy to beat, but the Shades and Manes are among the hardest enemies in the game! Head right until you reach a deep cliff. Fighters and Paladins have to jump, so make sure you're at full health. Wizards can just cast Levitate. Thieves need to climb down using the Rope and Grappel. Now continue on.

Eventually you'll reach a place with two pools of water. The whirlpool has Lethe Water. The river has what you're looking for: Styx Water. Fill up two Amphoras; one with Lethe, one with Styx. Don't leave Hades yet, though.

Go up and ALL the way right to reach the entrance to Hades. The Gaurdian of the Dead will stop you on the cliff, and inform you that your presence has disturbed two of the souls: Erana and Katrina. You may chose one to be released. I usually choose Erana, but Katrina is also good. After this, you'll be asked to make the ultimate sacrifice. Say you will. You'll die, but be restored at half your vitality. The soul will then leave.

NOW leave Hades. Just go the way you came in. Once outside, the little cave entrance will close. Return to Silmaria and give the Lethe Water to Salim. Now show the Styx Water to the gaurd, like always, to end the Rite.