The Shadow Awaits

Mission Name	The Shadow Awaits
Number	5-2
Start NPC	Any Windurst Gate Guard
Requirements	Sufficient Rank Points
Title Granted	Star-ordained Warrior Shadow Banisher
Items Needed	Star Crested Summons Shadow Fragment
Reward	Rank 6 20,000 gil

← Previous Mission	Next Mission →
The Final Seal	Full Moon Fountain

Replay Cutscenes
The Shadow Awaits (pt.1)	Mashua Heavens Tower
The Rank 5 Mission (pt.1-4)	Goblin Footprint Throne Room
The Shadow Awaits (pt.2-3)	Mashua Heavens Tower

Walkthrough[]

Trading in 3 crystals will unlock this mission.
After accepting this mission, you will receive a Star Crested Summons. Return to Star Sibyl in Heavens Tower in Windurst Walls for a cutscene. Afterwards, you will receive the title: "Star-ordained Warrior"
- Optional: As before, the Star Sibyl guards and other NPCs in Heavens Tower have additional dialogue at this point. Oddly, the two guards nearest the Vestal Chamber only get new dialog after your CS there.
A full party of level 50+ players is recommended for the fight that will take place at the Castle Zvahl Baileys in Xarcabard.

However, the fight is easily soloable by most jobs at level 70+. Though, it is recommended to have a consistent form of dealing physical and magical damage due to the Shadow Lord's behaviour. It is also recommended to have Sneak and Invisible for lower level party members to reduce unwanted battle on the way up. Thus, having a stack of Prism Powder and Silent Oil might be a good idea, if needed.
If you've never been to Castle Zvahl Baileys or Xarcabard, Unity warp to Xarcabard (Level 125 category) and head to (D-7).
If you've been there before, you can warp to Valdeaunia->Castle Zvahl Keep->Home Point #1 which will put you right at the door to the bridge leading to the Throne Room.

Note: Players from different nations currently on Mission 5-2 can join in the battlefield, as it is the same for all 3 nations. All players participating in the fight must be on this mission or higher with their current nation to get in, even if they have done the fight before for another nation.

A character may enter again to do the fight more than once in a row before going back to the Star Sibyl, if another character that did not complete the fight is to initiate the battle.

Upon zoning into Castle Zvahl Baileys (consult the map for ease of navigation), move westward to the 4-way intersection at G-8; head south from here, down the stairs that you will soon come to, and then on to the second map through the border of E-8/F-8.
On Map 2, move south to the bottom of I-9, finding a group of Orcs, then go up the stairs here; move west to G-9 (Yagudo) and go back down the stairs there, being careful to not fall off the circular ledges along the way; go eastward and north to the Morbid Eyes and take the short stairway at the border of G-8/H-8 north; from there move west to zone into Castle Zvahl Keep.
- A short cut on Map 2 is to head to the Goblin Hole at H-6/I-6/I-7. Apply Sneak and Invisible if necessary then drop all the way to the bottom. This will put you on Map 3. Then climb the steps at H-6. This will put you back on Map 2 and behind the barricades. Its a short right turn then almost immediate left turn to arrive at the platform into Castle Zvahl Keep.

Once you enter Castle Zvahl Keep, you will have to open several gates/doors, very often in front of mobs that detect by sight. On Map 1, make your way to either point "A" at H-6 or "B" at H-10 to get to Map 2; on Map 2, strut through a few more doors and gates to "C" at E-8.
On Map 3 you will encounter a series of teleport devices. Be aware that these devices will cancel the Invisible effect after they are used. Also, they will turn on and off from time to time, so you may have to wait on one before it teleports you. Once you use the last device (located at the top-right corner of G-9, point "E") you will be on Map 4; now make your way west, and zone to the Throne Room area via a door at G-7.
Finally, go west all the way across the bridge here to the Throne Room door. Examine the door and, when ready, select "The Shadow Lord Battle" to view a cutscene and enter the BC.

When ready, gather in front of the door. When you enter, a cutscene will take place the fight begins:

This fight has a Level Restriction at level 99, which means buffs will wear upon entry. Level Restriction changed with rise of level cap.
- Trust spells can be called forth upon entry into the battlefield.
You have 30 minutes to win the battle.
The Shadow Lord does not attack until you approach, so there is room to cast buffs before actually starting the battle.
The Shadow Lord has 2 phases:

In the first phase, he alternates between physical and magic immunity. He has magic immunity until around 50% HP, then starts to switch to physical. From this point he will switch about every 5 minutes or 1000 damage.
When he's immune to magical damage (his magic stance), he will mainly cast BLM spells such as elemental debuffs and tier 2 AoE nukes. He also has a weaponskill, Dark Nova (AoE dark damage).

Dark Nova seems to indicate that he will switch to melee stance very soon, after casting a spell or two. So use your TP quickly.

When he's immune to physical damage (his melee stance), he uses a variety of weaponskills: Giga Slash, Kick Back, Umbra Smash. Mages should start dealing magical damage during this stance. Monks can use Formless Strikes to bypass the immunity.

After the first phase is defeated, a brief cutscene leads you to the phase two. He will immediately attack after this cutscene, so there's no time for a rest.

In this phase, the Shadow Lord will do nothing but his Implosion attack. This attack hits everyone in the battlefield, but he only has 4000 HP and should go down rather quickly.
Melee should use their two-hour abilities, and Icarus Wing, if possible, to have TP for their best weaponskill. Mages should cast their Curaga spells, and try to keep Stoneskin and other possible buffs such as Phalanx up, if available.
Since hate is mostly irrelevant in this phase, mages should feel free to spam spells.

The battle ends after the second phase. The Shadow Lord gives experience points for a Level 60 monster.

After the Shadow Lord is defeated, another cutscene occurs. Afterwards you will be transported back to the entrance of Castle Zvahl Baileys and you will obtain the key item: Shadow Fragment.
Return to Heavens Tower in Windurst Walls and report back to the Star Sibyl for another cutscene. You will then be promoted to Rank 6.
- Optional: Again, the Sibyl Guards have additional dialogue at this point.

You can now take Lion's offer and visit Norg to begin the Zilart missions.
If you are lv.65+ you may return to Xarcabard for the initial cutscene to begin Dynamis.
Depending on your progress in the Rhapsodies of Vana'diel Missions, you may get a cutscene when you zone to Windurst to see the Star Sibyl reminding you that you can now progress to the mission What Lies Beyond.

Mission Orders: As written in the stars and interpreted by the Star Sibyl, you are destined to journey to Castle Zvahl, which towers over Xarcabard, the end of the known lands. There, you are to witness what fate has in store for our world.

SPOILER WARNING: Click here for additional details about this story line.