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Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals ( エストポリス伝記II Estpolis DenkiⅡ in Japan ) is a RPG game with puzzle elements developed by Neverland and published in Japan in 1995 by Taito, and in North America and Europe in 1996 by Natsume and Nintendo respectively, for the Super Nintendo video game console.

Storyline

The story is centered around the hero Maxim, a swordsman from the town of Elcid who is born with a natural ability to fight and is destined to destroy the Sinistrals. Throughout his journey, he meets other warriors who are able to confront the Sinistrals as well. The game is a prequel to Lufia & the Fortress of Doom, set ninety-nine years before it, telling the story of how the Sinistrals first appeared in the world and the battles fought against them. There are also several references to events and objects seen in the first Lufia game, such as the Priphea flowers. The story ends in the same way Lufia & the Fortress of Doom began.

The game starts off with a red-headed man (Maxim) walking to a residence house in the town of Elcid. Tia, a childhood friend, pays him money for getting rid of the monsters. Tia expresses concern that Maxim does not have a "normal job." Maxim goes through a practice dungeon and then has dinner with Tia. After the dinner, a guard runs to the town, and delivers some unfortunate news-- a horde of monsters have flooded the cave and have blocked access to the north town, Sundletan. People become worried if the monsters will come to this town. Maxim sets out to rid the cave of monsters.

Maxim single-handedly beats the monsters and their boss, and gets the key to Sundletan back. Maxim ponders why monsters would disrupt human life. A green-haired woman named Iris comes to Maxim and mysteriously tells him his destiny is to save the world. After this event, the player can either head back to Elcid and have an extra sequence with Tia, or simply head to the next town, Sundletan.

When Maxim arrives in the small town of Sundletan, he arrives just in time to feel an earthquake. He gathers information and finds rumors that a giant catfish living in Lake Cave (next to Sundletan) has been causing the earthquakes. Maxim sets off to deal with the problem. When Maxim finally goes through the caves, he confronts the source of the earthquakes himself, the Catfish. The Catfish refuses to stop the earthquakes despite Maxim's negotiations, and they engage in battle. After Maxim defeats him, the Catfish listens to Maxim and promises not to make the earthquakes in Sundletan anymore. Maxim, done with the job, heads back to the town. However, when going back to the town, the guard says a young woman has come looking for Maxim in the cave. Maxim goes back to find Tia, trapped by monsters. Maxim defeats the monsters and saves Tia's life. Tia explains she wants to go with Maxim in his journey, but despite his pleas for her to not go, he allows her to go anyway. Maxim tells Tia that he has a destiny that needs to be fulfilled. They then set off for the Kingdom of Alunze.

When they head into the town, they find out that a coronation ceremony is about to start and Maxim and Tia head to the throne room to see. During the ceremony, two thieves disguised as messengers managed to steal the crown and escape to the basement of the castle. Maxim and Tia, hiring themselves as vigilantes again, follow them through the dungeon. After the long route, they confront the thieves, but leap into a trap. Fortunately, the thieves push the wrong button and spring the trap on themselves. Maxim and Tia retake the crown, but find no trace of the thieves. They return the crown, just in time for the ceremony, and are given a reward by the King. Maxim and Tia head to Tanbel.

Unfortunately, the town of Tanbel is inaccessible due to a kid named Abel taking it and playing a game of treasure hunting by himself in the Alunze Northwest Cave. Maxim and Tia volunteer to help take the key to continue the journey. After retaking the key, Maxim and Tia unlock the door to the shrine to Tanbel. Maxim and Tia goes to the town, greeted by the woman they met earlier, revealed as Hilda. She introduces her brother, Guy, the local swordsman. Guy challenges him into a skirmish. Unfortunately, a red spiked-haired man barges in, looking for a fight. He lets the party fight his followers. After Maxim and company win, the man escapes, with Guy's sister, Hilda. The party, now with Guy, head to the tower to save Hilda. After the long ordeal with monsters in a tower, they finally confront the man, revealed as Camu. Camu is surprised to see they made it to the top of the tower but challenges all three of them into a fight, which he loses. After his defeat, he secretly uses magic to shut the door behind them, and mentions small info about 'Sinistrals.' The tower begins to shake, but Iris appears and transports them all to Tanbel. Guy, after fighting alongside with Maxim and Tia, decides to join the party. They head over to Clamento.

When the party arrives in Clamento, a small town similar to the likes of Sundletan, with a small glass crafts shop. The owner of the small town is identified as Rochy. Rochy takes the opportunity to ask the party to acquire the 'Ruby Apple' located in the North Cave. When the party find the Ruby Apple however, they are surprised by a giant Tarantula, which the party defeats. After the battle, the party notices the Ruby Apple has been smashed. When the party goes into the room above, they spot the glass craftsman from Clamento, named Jaffy. The party had come just in time to save him and as a reward, he gives the party a craft of the Ruby Apple. Apparently Jaffy had made two of them in Narcysus and sold one to a rich man. Somehow it reached the North Cave and became a fabled treasure quickly. Maxim quickly thinks of a plan and sells Rochy the glass Apple, then gives the money to Jaffy and his wife to help them pay the bills. He also buys a set of earrings for Tia, and the party continues to Parcelyte Kingdom.

Rumors of a female Parcelyte Soldier named Selan are abound. The party sees her in town stopping two boys from bullying a young girl named Lemmy. Maxim and company visit the castle and talk to the King. The King of Parcelyte has heard of Maxim by the King of Alunze and sends the party on a quest. Selan, showing off her talent and saying she can do it all by herself, is shunned by the king and told to join the party on the conquest. Selan joins reluctantly, and is distrusting of Maxim. When the party fights the two bosses, Danielle and Pierre, Selan's knowledge and strategy defeat them. They return to Parcelyte afterwards, and the King gives Maxim an award. The celebration is cut short with news that the neighbor town of Gordovan. Maxim immediately leaves for Gordovan, and Selen requests to come with the party.

They find Gordovan destroyed but the people unhurt. They all tell of a monster of a Man named Gades who destroyed the city just to prove his power, before disappearing into the Tower to the west. The Party hurries to the tower and reaches the top, there they sense an extremely strong energy force. Gades introduces himself as Gades, Master of Destruction. He easily beats the party and disappears. Iris comes and revives the party, then reveals more of Maxim's destiny. She says Guy and Selan are also destined to fight with Maxim against the Evil Light. Maxim asks Iris why she is traveling, Iris reveals she is merely looking for answers. Iris does not mention Tia's destiny.

The Party returns to Parcelyte and reports the situation. A messenger reports Guy's sister is in critical condition, Maxim orders him to go back to her. Guy is reluctant to leave the Party in their time of need, Maxim requests the aid of Selan again. The party splits apart, with Guy heading home and Maxim, Tia and Selan heading onward towards Gades. Along the way they encounter two pivotal characters with a rivalry; Dekar of Bound Kingdom and Idura, one of the Sinistrals' lieutenants. Dekar handily beats Idura's monsters, but the Prince of the Kingdom recklessly follows Idura to the ruins of the old castle. Dekar goes to rescue him, and Maxim follows in secret. Idura traps Maxim, Tia and Selan, throwing waves of monsters at them. Dekar manages to outflank Idura and breaks his magic, forcing him to retreat. Maxim and Dekar return to Bound Kingdom with the prince. Upon return, Maxim learns that Gades visited the kingdom and said Seim Island, the island Parcelyte is on, will be sunk and Bound Kingdom destroyed. Guy returns just in time to hear the news and meet Dekar. Maxim is forced to make a choice, and decides to evacuate Seim Island, and also to not take Tia or Selan for fear of their lives. Selan agrees on the grounds of Maxim's good judgment, but Tia protests. Selan calms her and the two leave. Maxim, Guy, and Dekar head to the eastern tower for the final showdown with Gades.

The three warriors manage to defeat Gades after a vicious battle. Gades retreats down a collapsing hall, and Maxim follows, but Dekar and Guy are cut off. Gades activates the machine that will sink Seim Island with his dying breath. Maxim hears a familiar voice and looks to see Selan and Tia have followed the party to ensure Maxim is OK. Maxim orders the party back to Seim island while he fights through the last hordes of monsters by himself, along with his faithful capsule monster. Maxim manages to deactivate the machine, but it takes his life in the process. As he lies dying, Iris warps in and takes mercy on him, she warps his body to Parcelyte. It is unknown whether Maxim survived by his own fortitude and being warped away from the tower, or Iris restored his life. Selan tearfully greets him, unable to hide her feelings for him anymore. Tia cannot watch the scene, and decides in order to make Maxim's life less complicated, she must let him go. Before she leaves his life forever, Tia talks to Dekar, revealing she is in love with Maxim, but not Maxim the warrior. She is confused at the fact she can't cry. Dekar says her tears have not dried up yet. Tia vows to find a man as good as Maxim, and leaves on her own journey.

Maxim and Selan are married soon after the destruction of Gades, and spend a year in a house they buy in Parcelyte. They also have a son together: Jeros. Idura kidnaps the baby Jeros and lures Maxim and Selan to the northern Parcelyte tower. Idura says he must end Maxim's bloodline, as it is dangerous to his "boss." Iris warps in and saves Jeros, and Maxim and Selan defeat Idura, who retreats quickly. Iris reveals Maxim's destiny was to die in the tower, and peace would return to the world. However, she interfered, for reasons unknown, and Maxim left a descendant. His fate has been altered, and she can no longer see the flow of time. She reveals Maxim must again travel and fight to defend those he loves. She disappears, and Selan says she will go with Maxim in his travels. Maxim disagrees, but Selan says she is no ordinary mother, she has the ability to fight and will use it to defend her son.

The couple leave their son in the hands of Selan's Aunt and travel to the port town of Aleyn. Along the way, Guy and Dekar join them once again (Guy for the fourth time.) The party arrives in Aleyn to find the ships destroyed by Idura. The Party travels to Phantom Tree Mountain to obtain a lightweight wood called Phantom. They rescue the lead shipbuilder, Jyad, and retrieve the tree from its Guardian Lions. After spending a few days on furlough, the ship is built and the Party heads to the Ancient Cave and Narcyssus: the city the fake Ruby Apple was bought by a mysterious rich warrior. The city comes under attack by a mysterious flute which lures all the young, unmarried women (therefor not affecting the elderly or Selan) to The Tower of Sacrifice. The Party falls into a trap by Idura once again, except for Dekar, who sees Idura's patterns of attack. However, Idura tricks Dekar by lowering the trap's walls, to which Dekar walks in to check on the hostages. Idura raises the walls again, to which Dekar promptly breaks with his pure strength. The party beats Idura once again, and he retreats once again. Before he does, however, he warns the party that all Four Sinistrals are revived, and Gades is the weakest of all of them.

Maxim plans his next moves carefully, and decides to follow Idura for more information. They follow him to the Shrine of Karloon. They find Iris trapped by Idura and rescue her. The party finds Idura and corners him in the basement. Idura reveals Amon, Master of Chaos, has discarded him from the ranks and he has nothing left to lose. After the battle he activates a magic destruction barrier to destroy the shrine and everything in it. Dekar sacrifices himself to destroy the barrier and allows Iris to warp the rest of the party to safety. Iris leaves to pray for Dekar, and Maxim deeply wonders if his decision to follow Idura was right at the price it has cost him.