Labyrinth of Amala



The Labyrinth of Amala is an optional dungeon available in the updated re-release of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne, titled Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne Maniax (Lucifer's Call in the PAL release). The dungeon that contains both valuable treasures and dangerous curses. It is based somewhat on the Japanese netherworld 'Makai', but also has a few similarities to the Christian underworld, Hell.

It has five floors in descending order, and travel between the floors (Kalpas) can only be achieved by using Warp Zones. There are many demons that inhabit the Kalpas in the Labyrinth, and as the number of the Kalpa increase, so does the strength of the inhabiting demons. At very bottom of each Kalpa is a peephole which serves as a communication device with the Old Man in the Wheelchair and the Lady in Black. The Lady in Black offers the Hito-Shura many valuable bits of information, which explains many previously unresolved plotlines in the original story.

Each floor is unique, and has its own sub-basements and mazes within. Each Kalpa requires specific Candelabrum to enter, which may be obtained by defeating the Fiends in order. Any Kalpa beyond the first also require the preceding Kalpa to be beaten before they can be reached.

First Kalpa
This is the first available Kalpa, explorable upon defeating the Fiend Matador. It is the most benign of the Kalpa in the Labyrinth; the walls and ceiling are colored white, the inhabiting demons are fairly weak, and there are a few beings within who can offer valuable assistance. These include Kamara, who can provide hints to where any available Fiend battles may be; a Shady Broker who provides a demon with many "exploration"-type skills; and the cheapest of the Dark Doctors, who will heal an entire party for a single fee. This level is more or less an imitation of Heaven.

Second Kalpa
This Kalpa is available after defeating the Fiends Daisoujou and Hell Biker. Before entering this Kalpa, a lofty voice calls out to the Hito-Shura. It requests him to leave the Labyrinth of Amala, and asks him if he will continue. Regardless of his answer, the voice tells him to leave the Labyrinth and never return.

The actual Kalpa itself is similar to the previous Kalpa, but the condition of the walls and ceilings are greatly deteriorated. The demons in this Kalpa are somewhat stronger, but the most distinguishing feature of this Kalpa is the 'Cursed Corridor'. Walking through the corridor is the equivalent of walking over damage floors; however, the damage cannot be avoided. To add to the danger of the corridor, it is filled with high-level demons that, when combined with the damage of the Corridor, can easily kill any weakened travelers. This is very discouraging, but if one can survive the Cursed Corridor, an Efreet will award them 250,000 Macca.

This Kalpa also houses the valuable Moon Key, which needed to open various vaults, one of them in the First Kalpa, and the Black Visor, a device used to "communicate" with past battles, essentially replaying them with the current lineup, in the special Burial Chambers. This Kalpa, while very limited in their use has the first instances of fake walls and one-way corridors.

On an interesting side note, this floor contains souls of various Messians and Gaians, the two major forces in Shin Megami Tensei and Shin Megami Tensei II; these Messians and Gaians are the sacrifices provided by Hikawa to trigger the Conception and the birth of the Vortex World rather than inhabitants of a previous world.

Third Kalpa
When the Hito-Shura first arrives outside this Kalpa, he is encountered by the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (White Rider, Red Rider, Black Rider, and Pale Rider). They ask if he will "travel the noble path", but warn that he will lose his humanity in doing so. If the Hito-Shura agrees, they are happy, and ask him to defeat them to prove his strength. If he refuses, they are angry, and say that they will lie in wait for the Hito-Shura in the Vortex World and kill him if they find him. Either way, the first three Horsemen must be defeated before the Third Kalpa can be explored.

The Kalpa itself resembles the last, but its condition has deteriorated more than the Second Kalpa. Its walls and ceiling are an orange color, and the air is somewhat hazy. The path that is traveled through the Kalpa varies greatly depending on the explorer's stats and demonic race (in the Hito-Shura's case, this means what type of Magatama he has mastered). When the Demi-Fiend has traveled deep enough, he is confronted by Dante.

Dante understands the full picture more than the Hito-Shura, and warns him not to continue. Regardless of the Hito-Shura's answer, he warns that he will kill the Hito-Shura should he try to progress. If the Hito-Shura continues, he will have to play a game of cat-and-mouse with Dante while progressing through the maze in the Kalpa. Eventually Dante battles the Hito-Shura. After taking quite a bit of damage, Dante compliments the Demi-Fiend on his style and hands him his Candelabrum, which is needed to explore the next Kalpa. He then leaves, saying he hopes they'll meet again.

After Dante is defeated, Black Frost can be found in the maze, in the first switch room. He says he has returned from death, and wants to be stronger. Since the Hito-Shura is the one who defeated him, Black Frost believes that by joining up with him, he can gain more power, and joins the Hito-Shura's party without his consent.

Fourth Kalpa
This Kalpa is available after defeating the last of the Fiends; Pale Rider, The Harlot, and Trumpeter. This Kalpa begins to reveal the true nature of the Labyrinth; a lot of one-way passages, damage floors, cursed zones, pitfalls, and dangerous demons. The physical appearance of the Fourth Kalpa is very surreal, with the cursed areas having a hazy atmosphere and dark corridors.

The Fourth Kalpa contains the unique "Twelve Meters Of Eternity", a warp area which leads to a different place depending on the phase of Kagutsuchi.


 * During an odd-numbered phase, it will lead to the Road to Hell, which is a dead-end path containing only a few treasures and a hidden Burial Chamber.


 * During a half or full Kagutsuchi, it will lead to the 'Hell Treasury', an area resembling a vault that contains large amounts of Macca, as well as a special warp zone that grants a lot of money but leads to a dead-end area with a teleport tile to return to the vault entrance.


 * During an even numbered phase that is not half or full, 'Hell's Maze' may be accessed; With the "Afterlife Bell" (found in Zoshigaya Cemetery after obtaining information from one of the spirits in the Maze), the souls of Futomimi and Sakahagi can be allowed to pass on if they are found, which unlocks them for fusion in the Cathedral of Shadows.

The final area that can be accessed via the "Twelve Meters Of Eternity" is Hell's Hall, which is only accessible during a New Kagutsuchi phase, considered the darkest hour. It is a very dangerous place; like all the other areas, it forbids the use of a map; the corridors are all cursed and high-level demons run rampant around. In the inner sanctum of Hell's Hall, Tyrant Beelzebub lies in wait. In order to proceed to the Fifth and final Kalpa, Beelzebub must first be defeated. After doing so, all of the cursed areas (including the one in the Second Kalpa) will be cleared.

Fifth Kalpa
The last Kalpa in the Labyrinth of Amala. It can be accessed immediately after the Fourth Kalpa is completed upon obtaining the Star Key from Loki, and activating the switch from the Fourth Kalpa using the alternate Warp Zone in the Third Kalpa. The Candelabrum required to open the Fifth Kalpa is none other than the one given directly to Hito-Shura by the Lady In Black.

The Fifth Kalpa reveals the true nature of the Labyrinth; Magatsuhi flows throughout the corridors, attracting both weak and deadly demons. The corridors themselves can deceive travelers; sometimes what seems to be a wall is nothing more than an illusion. Some doors within the Kalpa require a being of certain ability and appearance; if that being does not meet the door's requirement, they are instantly killed.

The Hito-Shura encounters Dante in the very first room of the Fifth Kalpa. Dante offers his services to the Hito-Shura, and proposes a coin toss. If the Hito-Shura calls the toss correctly, Dante will only require one Macca to recruit; however, if the Hito-Shura calls the toss incorrectly, Dante will require half of his total Macca to recruit. Dante uses the same coin from DMC2 in the toss. Whether or not the Hito-Shura decides to recruit Dante, he can continue into the Kalpa.

If the Hito-Shura progresses far enough into the Fifth Kalpa, and has kept the Pixie who joined his party back in the Shinjuku Medical Center, a special event can occur where the Pixie (or it's 'descendant') is upgraded into a level 80 Pixie with powerful abilities.

If the Hito-Shura continues to explore the Kalpa, near the bottom he will encounter the physical form of the lofty voice from the Second Kalpa: the Seraph Metatron. He is angry that the Hito-Shura has disobeyed his command, and has either unknowingly or willingly aided the "fallen angel". He says he cannot allow the Hito-Shura to continue, and attacks him. He must be defeated to descend to the bottom of the labyrinth.

Trivia

 * Amara (Amala) refers to Amaravati. In Hinduism, Amaravati is the capital of Svarga, a temporary paradise where the dead and gods reside. It is ruled by Indra and located on Mt. Meru.
 * Calpa (Kalpa) is a Hindu concept. Hinduism states that the universe is going through a constant cycle of reincarnation, and each "life" is called a "Calpa."