Ecclesia is the clan's base of operations, an establishment formed by Barlowe for the purpose of eradicating Count Dracula. The building serves as a training center, a library, and a laboratory where researched are glyphs and their application plus other magical techniques. In game terms, the simply designed Ecclesia exists mainly as a storyline apparatus, starting with the hostile confrontation between Shanoa and Albus, who becomes enraged when informed of his ineligibility for the Dominus-hosting sacrament; he later sabotages the ceremony whereby Shanoa will become the bearer and steals the power for himself, an interruption that leaves Shanoa unconscious and in a state of amnesia. Shanoa will discuss these happenings with the disappointed Barlowe and train accordingly in her new quest to track down Albus and reclaim Dominus. She'll return sporadically to discuss matters with Barlowe and later engage him in combat when events take a turn for the worst.

Shanoa trails Albus to the Monastery, a sacred place that fell into disrepair when its constituents, the monks, fell to plague and more indulgent lifestyles. It's now a refuge for criminals and, of course, the strange creatures who always seem to appear when Dracula is about to return. This is the perfect hiding place for Albus, who needs to stall for time and put into action a much more devious plan. It's here where Shanoa will earn her first ability ("back") glyph, Magnes, which she'll need in order to scale the Monastery's holy-them halls. Standing in her way is the area's boss, Arthroverta, whose defeat will clear the way to Albus' chamber.

When Albus escapes, Shanoa's pursuit will lead her to the largely-void-of-life Wygol, a sleepy village founded by Father Nikolai and later populated by those seeking a peaceful life. Now that the monsters have returned, danger lurks in the surrounding wilderness and threatens the village's tranquility. This is understatement, as the village faces a serious predicament: Twelve of its habitants have gone missing, kidnapped by what Nikolai can only describe as "that man." He asks that Shanoa rescue the villagers (so that the Wygol can again function) and guesses as to the man's possible whereabouts. As Shanoa frees villagers, she can return here to take on "Quests," purchase items from a shop, and generally gather information.

Shanoa's destination is Minera Prison Island, which is placed far to the east. She must first pass through Ruvas Forest, an old, winding road from Wygol that passes through these woods. As the official game description tells us: "Legends whisper that wayfarers lost along this forsaken path will find themselves in another world." Despite the mumbo-jumbo, Ruvas is actually a short path (measuring only three rooms), leaving only the appearance of new, tougher enemies as the only real psychological impediment. (Of interest is that the area's background graphics are recycled from the woods seen in Symphony of the Night's opening.)

Ruvas Forest exits into the Kalidus Channel, a volatile river highly susceptible to changes in the weather. Sudden, violent conditions caused by strong southern winds cause ships to capsize, their crews often sent to a watery grave. In the interim, Shanoa will simply pass over its surface, hopping boxes and rock formations while avoiding mermen and other sea life. She'll return later to explore the channel's watery depths, a maze of similarly designed caverns, as populated by more vicious (and usually poisonous) species of sea life and the souls of sailors, who are doomed to wander the undersea maze for eternity.

She finally arrives at the island, which houses an abandoned prison that was once populated by petty thieves and criminals long forgotten by society. Due to the presence of strange figures (including "the man"), the island's lighthouse is still in service. Shanoa will quickly learn of the prison's activity when immediately met by the area's boss. Now that she knows they're aware of her presence, Shanoa will have to sneak into the prison, avoiding the searchlights, and then rush through its barred holding cells and heavily secured passageways (not to mention what appears to an infirmary converted into a Dr. Frankenstein-style lab). She indeed locates Albus, the abductor who planned to horde the villagers here. Strangely, he leaves to her care a part of Dominus and then flees. To exit the facility requires more dodging of search lights--the failure of which will result in the ringing of an alarm bell and the appearance of nasty foes like the Evil Force and Tin Man, who at this point are too high-level for Shanoa to manage.

The Lighthouse is an important landmark for seafaring folk who attempt to negotiate their way through the channel's rough waters. Its very existence is a riddle, as no one knows who built it, who tends the light, or what causes the island to tremor and shake. After clearing the spiky entrance (meant to deter intruders) using her glyph powers, Shanoa enters the building, onto its long elevator shaft, and is surprised by the appearance of the huge Brachyura, a seemingly invincible crab-like creature. Chased by the beast, she's forced to scale the shaft and ultimately defeats the creature by activating the elevator and crushing it to death on the ground floor. She then returns to its top to secure the Vol Fulger attack glyph before leaving the lighthouse from its lower exit.

After returning to the Kalidus Channel and swimming her way through its haunted depths, Shanoa arrives at the Tymeo Mountain range, the region's largest. It's said that hikers foolish enough to traverse these peaks tell of a strange howling that can be heard in the caverns below. The sometimes foggy mountain range is home to rope bridges; dead trees whose climbable branches serve as nesting ground to crows; falling, rolling rocks; carved passages containing treasure; and at its base a series of caverns stuffed with enemies and other dangers like falling stalactites. The area's much broader right side will for now go unexplored (as she doesn't yet have double jump, which is needed to reach it), as Shanoa will exit to the left.

To the west of the Tymeo is Misty Forest Road, a path enveloped in a thick fog regardless of the season. It, too, has legendary significance, as rumors speak of unwary travelers who were tempted by the mist's "whisper," which is said to swallow them up and lead them astray, never to be seen again. Bereft of such urgency, Shanoa will quickly travel through the misty road largely unhindered by frightening atmosphere, neither its enchanted enemies nor its graveyard plus shrouded-evergreen visuals no deterrent.

Skeletons seem to have a need to mark their territory (as they did in Harmony of Dissonance), which is why on a moonless night they open graves, steal the skeletal remains, and using their prize build a temple from the bones of the fallen. It works, too, as a recruitment tool for the boney undead, which rise from their tombs in search of a new home. Shanoa will wander through the cave's many rooms--whose walls, floors and platforms are composed wholly of bones--and battle its skeletal enemies exclusive to them. Undead humans, dragon heads, and dinosaurs are just some of the habitants. After defeating the cave's guardian, Shanoa will again find Albus, who as a gesture releases a villager but makes known his intent to head back to Wygol.

She returns to the village and learns of Albus' stealing of villagers' blood using a new type of machine. He fled to an old mansion beyond a cove, which Shanoa can reach by passing through Somnus Reef--an area of calm and gentle seas and warm water but known more for its dangerous ocean-floor riptides. Like she did in Kalidus, Shanoa will trail the reef's surface by hopping onto boxes and rock formations while dealing with mermen. The path leads directly down into the watery depths, which are packed with the worst of the game's sea creatures (larger and still poisonous). After a bit of swimming through the depths' narrow passages and large gulfs, Shanoa will find a bit of dry land and encounter the boss and master of this place; she'll then continue to explore the depths before arriving back at the surface and exiting to the right.

Next stop is the Giant's Dwelling, a deserted estate that once belonged to local authorities; though, no one dares approach the place, as legend tells of a fearsome giant who has since taken up residence. The old mansion, with its rotting infrastructure and property littered with ditches, has seen better days and better habitants. Though not her primary target, Shanoa will tangle with the mansion's owner (the Goliath for whom this place is named) before again coming face to face with Albus, who continuing to be erratic in his behavior leaves her another piece of Dominus.

Shanoa heads west to Tristis Pass, a rough cut through the mountains through a place said to be a march of the dead. It's just another flavor of mountain range (this one mist-free and with an actual mountain view), featuring more of the same rope bidges, crow-infested dead trees, and carved passageways with their poisonous array of enemies. As it did in Tymeo, the path winds through the caverns below, an icey locale whose very appearance is described as an eeire blue glow formed of countless tears shed in grief for the lost. The long climb back up through the mountain will lead her to its left exit.

As an extension of the mountain range, these cliffs were once the site of the local harvest celebration. Since then, the fruitful land has withered, its barren landscape absent of laughter. The rocky Oblivion Ridge is a rather small area (like others of its kind reliant on the swarms of minor enemies packed into each room) and only a short trek stands between Shanoa and the area's midland boss. In following, Shanoa finds a piece of Dominus--a trap, as she's ambushed by Albus, who attempts to absorb all three glyphs at once. When the process fails for reasons beyond Albus' understanding, he is again forced to again flee. Shanoa heads back to Ecclesia to discuss these happenings with Barlowe.

Barlowe senses that Albus' tracks lead to the graveyard, so he sends Shanoa on her way. Traveling north, she arrives as Argila Swamp, a festering wetland putrid with decayed leaves as fallen from the rotten trees. The swamp features patches of dry land but by rule long stretches of marsh (which apparently reign over an abyss down to which many travelers have been dragged); simply walking in it will slow Shanoa's progress. This will be trouble when she's surrounded by the swamp's habitants--the mutated plantlife, among which are the poisonous Chosen Unes, and flying terror known to legend as the Jersey Devil. The path through this connector areas is fortunately short.

The Mystery Manor is the subject of local legend, as the mansion was the scene of a number of bizarre murders. Though it was supposedly burned down, it indeed remains standing and has recently been host to a series of curious incidents. The mist-enshrouded, decayed mansion is home to some of the more terrifying-looking foes (like the chainsaw-wielding Mad Butchers), but it's otherwise nothing you haven't seen if you remember the Giant's Dwelling. Of difference is that the manor has its own cavernous basement, which is where you'll find Albus hiding. There will be no escaping for him, this time, as the former friends will finally be forced to battle over the fate of Dominus.

The Training Hall is one of two hidden areas you'll uncover if you locate Castlevania's secret entrance after defeating Blackmore. Scouring the hall is purely optional, as it has no storyline significance. Though, you may want to face its considerable challenges if you want to earn some rare and highly desirable items. The Training Hall is comprised of ten rooms, each with its own trial. These include combinations of moving platforms, swinging scythes, flame-spouting devices, devil wheels, and an occasional enemy. Shanoa won't be able to use her Volaticus glyph to fly about the place (which would kill any sense of challenge), but her Magnes ability will be put to the test, some more sadistic than others. Following a round trip, she'll secure her prize and then find herself right back near the entrance.

The other area unlocked is the Large Cavern, which is the next in what's becoming a tradition of gauntlet-style challenges (following Circle of the Moon's Battle Arena, Curse of Darkness' towers and Portrait of Ruin's Nest of Evil). The focus of the Large Cavern is nine rooms that feature combinations of the game's tougher enemies; in fact, many of these supreme minor enemies (like the Weapon Master and Demon Lord) exist only for the sake of the Large Cavern. The challenge is easily described as "insane," as one not well versed in the game's mechanics (or "flying") will stand no chance against foes capable of killing in a few hits. Clearing a room requires defeating all enemies or inflicting enough damage to where the magically sealed door opens almost mercifully. The final challenger is Jiang Shi, a pseudo-boss who stands between Shanoa and cavern's grand prize.

After returning to Ecclesia to speak of Albus' failings and fight a power-starved Barlowe, whose actions help bring about the return of Count Dracula, the empty Shanoa tasks herself with ending the threat by heading to Castlevania. After cutting through the forest, she breaches the castle gate and treks through the main halls (mostly through the now-wavy latter rooms of which) and its typical enemy selection. The overall level design is not what you'd expect (lacking a merman-dwelling room and such), as the boss-free path leads directly to the castle's upper-left portion.

The Library, though in reality free of bloody tomes, is the most literal of its ilk, as the earlygoing features rooms whose walls and floors are comprised entirely of books and loose pages. The rest of the area features a more classic design, with only bookshelves, writing desks, globes and other normal research material; for sake of consolidation, the library even features its own food market. The reward for reaching the library's top floor is a battle with a seemingly invincible boss, the Wallman, whose eventual defeat will earn Shanoa the Paries glyph, which will allow her to walk within walls. With this ability in hand, she cuts back through the entrance and then into the following area. She'll return here later in search of one of three Cerberus glyphs.

After using Paries to walk through an obstructing wall in the entrance, Shanoa will descend into the Underground Labyrinth, whose many vertical chambers are site of the prison cells that now house the remains of both their creators and castle-goers foolish enough to enter this place. As an early glimpse of what awaits here, Shanoa will sometimes enter rooms illuminated only by foreground-placed candles, which cast on the labyrinth's walls brilliant but oppressive shadows; this is preview to the battle with Blackmore, a shadow puppeteer whose latest creation isn't there for your amusement.

After Blackmore is defeated, Shanoa will ascend up into the castle's center--the barracks, which encompass a courtyard and several buildings, which she'll move between. There's a noticable pattern: A building area with its zigzagging rooms packed with annoying, obstructing enemies like the Tin Man, Blade Master, and Lizardman Blade, followed by connector--an outer passageway patrolled by one or two enemies and blanketed by the distinct visual of rapidly flowing dark clouds. This all works to usher you over to the castle's right side.

The barracks is your direct path into the Mechanical Tower, by definition your average series clock tower. Despite a few horozontal rooms populated by Lizardman Blades and Automatons, the Mechanical Tower features vertical or large, square rooms dominated by expected themes/decor: Gears, pistons, cogs, spike beds, large clock structures, and (for the rooms that require jumping from gear to gear) the usual never-ending stream of Medusa Heads. More than ever living up to its designation as a "tower," the exceptionally long trip upward will culiminate with a battle against Death, who's been known to hang around this area. Shanoa will for clearing the area will earn the second of the Cerberus glyphs.

Still needing the last of the Cerberus glyphs, Shanoa heads to the Arms Depot, the castle's armory. As you would expect, this weapon-themed area is home to the more equipped of Dracula's dark forces, including the three brothers of knighthood and usual gigantic guardians. The backdrop--which has in view weapon and armor displays and heroic statues--should distract from the boring level design as you lead to Shanoa to a dead end but a desired location. It's here where she'll battle one of the series most supreme bosses, the humongous Eligor, and after its destruction (which is no easy feat) earn the last of the Cerberus glyphs.

With three Cerberus glyphs in hand (or mind), Shanoa can head to the Forsaken Cloister, which if traveled to earlier will reveal only an upper path blocked by a Cerberus statue. After using all three glyphs and enchanting each head of the statue, it'll give way and remove the barrier to the Final Approach. This T-shaped area has only a few narrow halls, flanked with the always troublesome cave trolls, and its eventually traveled vertical passage, which Shanoa must fly up while fending off Winged Guards and stone-inducing Medusa Heads.

The castle's heights are cryptically referred to as the Final Approach, a harbinger of things to come. Like the Master's Keep, Pinnacle and Top Floor from previous games, the Final Approach is domain to the game's most lethal (non-Large Cavern) minor enemies, who are encountered two to a horizontal room (like the Final Knights, the strongest of their kind) or in packs as assigned to the large square rooms, which are all similar in design and feature narrow pathways as sandwiched by zigzagging platforms. Combat is a must, as attempting to force your way past enemy clusters will result in certain death. After alternating between a series of such rooms, Shanoa will suddenly arrive at the remains of a long stairway, revealing that the Final Approach is home to the castle keep, itself. One last push will land her in the throne room, primed to take on the Dark Lord.