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FW - Molten Cavern
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You enter this level facing whichever direction you were facing when you entered the Archway on the last level, either North or South.
You find yourself on another archway platform with an Hpotion on it and stairs going down to a door. WARNING! Right outside the door is a Mystic Tower and it will attack you through the wall and door. Go around the room and pick up the Hpotion and Anti-venoms.
Head through the door and take out the Tower, which is to your left (E). It will Drop an Amulet of Composure. While fighting it, you will get hit by the fire rings thrown by the Berserker behind the other door to the far E. Save him for a moment and head W up the steep stairs. At the top is another Tower that will drop a Lamp. Another one will appear here later. Follow this around to a locked door with creatures behind it. I just wanted you to see this.
Go back to the room with the Berserker in it and take him out.
(Enough to irritate you, isn't it? Drop & find nothing??? Sheesh)
Walk all the way to the E and then N to find the Save point and an HP trader. Now head out of this room and head S until you see the Fat Mole. He tells you some (soon to be obvious) information about someone named Abraxus then disappears. To the E of him is the Steel Servants room. Enter.
The Steel Servants will not attack until attacked so bide your time. Move to their side and swing once. Usually, as soon as your strength meter is full, they are moving and can be damaged. They are susceptible to smash attacks.
Head out of the room and S through the door, then W. The big guy is (guess who??) Abraxus the Red (fire breathing) Dragon. He is currently having his daily Lava bath and is dreadfully upset at being interrupted, saying something about burning your ass. No, I mean turning you to ash. Yes, that's it. You can move around him (through the Lava) to the platform if you want to, but you also have to contend with many flying, flaming Horned Skulls. Add to that, that even Ice based spells and absolutely no weapons can harm him (right now) suggests you find another way to take him out. Translation: Get a look at him, let him give his schpiel and get out of there.
You will meet Fat Mole at the same place again and he basically tells you 'I told you so' then disappears again. Head all the way back to the locked door at the top of the steep stairs and run into Fat Mole (again). Only this time he is far more helpful. He opens the door as he disappears, but not before telling you that the rooms ahead contain something that will help you with Abraxus. Enter the next room. You may want to use a Fire World Stone here; your option.
These are tough. No weapon did significant damage, no magic either. And they like to breathe fire a lot. Wait to go after the chest until as bit later. Take the other door and go to the next chamber.
After dispatching them, move to the NW wall and pull the chain. Turn around and watch the lava stop flowing. If you stop and think about that, it's somewhat like Abraxus is taking a hot shower and you just flushed the toilet. Heh, heh, heh.
If you wait here long enough or return later, the Lava will cool enough for you to cross and not take any damage. Or you can take about 200-300 HP damage with each crossing. Your choice.
Now go all the way back to Abraxus and voila! he seems to be at a loss for words. It must be awfully cold Lava, the way he just stands there looking real dumb. Why, I bet if you just walked up to him and gave him a little love tap, he would just fall to pieces.
The bow does work against the HS's but not too well. It would be best to use a crushing weapon and either Acid or Ice attacks on them. In the far SW area of the lava is a sword in the stone, the Silent Sword, which mutes your magic totally when equipped. No spell casting. I have been told that other creatures can drop this sword and that when the players got here, nothing was found in the stone. Oh, well.
When ready, step through the archway on the platform that was behind Abraxus when you entered and step into the next realm.