Hamfruitcake What up. Bringing you knowledge and biscuits. Seriously, tidying my room today and found multiple unopened packets, will be eating well for the next few days. Have my Kleenex at the ready for this page.
Finding the Lunar Harp[]
First talk to the guy on the left when you enter and tell him you want him to excavate the Lunar Harp, when he asks what else to look for ask for just the Harp and then set about looking for it with the diggers. Press 
to set them in place. Set off the explosion with again and tell them where to dig depending on where they are facing. The Harp should be near where the smoke is rising on the top part of the screen so set of your explosion near there to hopefully find it. This mini-game is another infuriating example of why this game continuously ticks me off for no good reason.
When you've found it head through the Sleeping Forest to find your way to City of the Ancients.
Land of the Cetra[]
In the next screen you will find a chest with a Water Ring straight ahead, pick it up and immediately equip to which ever party member you fancy, it will be invaluable to you later on. The random encounters here will be no issue for you, just slightly irritating as the tension builds. Go through the hollow log into the next screen to find yourself in yet more dried out sea scenery. Out on the World Map you have an oppurtunity to save then head into the city. When you get to the fork go right, the first path on the right will have a house where you can find a Guard Source. The next house along will have a chest with an Elixir and some beds. The team suggests we take a break so go ahead, in the middle of the night Cloud will wake up and suspect something strange is happening. Time for a walk about.
Sinister music is playing you know something bad is going to happen. Head back to the initial fork you came to and take the middle path, Cloud can hear Aeris but all I hear is sinister music... Approach the giant shell in the water to go inside, don't forget to run past the middle bit and pick up the Comet materia before taking the magical staircase down into the unknown. Now this is a real city.
There'll be a save point when you reach the bottom of the staircase so save if you wish at this point. When you're ready walk down the stairs and Cloud will head up to the altar alone to find Aeris praying. Some hero this guy is, for some stupid reason the game makes him draw his sword and it's our responsibility to cleave Aeris... As she kneels defenceless before us, there is no stopping him. Your team thankfully yelp and stop you but it's too late... Sephiroth descends and finishes the the task at hand. The music at this point is seriously disturbing. Then Aeris' materia clinks away and hordes of nerds, myself included depending on my hormones, descend into floods of tears as Aeris's Theme solemnly plays.
Cloud feels his anguish and despair and drops one last bombshell before flying away.
| Boss Battle : Jenova Life |
There's something seriously upsetting about partaking in this fight whilst listening to Aeris's soft and saddening theme playing in the background. At this point if you can see the screen through the tears in your eyes there will be a bittersweet irony that this is a water favouring beast. Your limits and Lightning magic should succeed in felling this guy. Big Guard and regular curative spells go without saying of course. Again this is another boss who does not appreciate being poisoned so don't bother, just hit it with your physical attacks, limits and Trine and Beta which serves you surprisingly well. |
Sephiroth's bombshell lands and we get to say goodbye to Aeris, your team mates will mostly try to be strong and respectful or do what Yuffie does and run off crying. Then Cloud respectfully lays Aeris to rest in one of the most confusing cutscenes I've ever seen, if it's so deep for her to fall that far how is Cloud even standing there? Still a very sad and touching scene.
Cloud's resolve seems set even though he's uncertain of who, or what he is... But he knows he has to take on Sephiroth, it's his destiny.
End of Disc 1.