Final Fantasy: Lost in Japanese

I thought for sure I was on the right path last night, but unfortunately, I seem to have hit another dead end. As I mentioned yesterday, the narrow mountain valley ends in a desert of shifting sands. This area is a special area that at first glance looked to be one of those sliding path puzzles: you step on a particular square of flowing sand and it carries you to a different location. These usually require a simple process of elimination and deduction to get through.

However, in this case, there doesn’t seem to be a way out of the first area of sand. The area is surrounded by shifting sand, but it all flows to one square in the middle. No matter which one of the outer squares I step on, I always get carried back to the same, beginning section. I’m stuck. I’ve tried every possible combination, and nothing gets me past the start.

I was thinking that perhaps I need to use some sort of levitation spell, but I don’t know any yet. Or perhaps there was a special item that I have that would allow me to pass the sand. But I don’t seem to have anything along those lines either.

Frustrated, I headed back to the Ancient Library to see if I could uncover some sort of a hint that I may have missed the first time. Both Cid and Mid are yapping about not knowing where the Earth Crystal is located, but there are a couple of possibilities that may help me. In one section of the library, there is “The Oldest Book in the World”, which apparently is missing pages. Perhaps I have to find the missing pages, and that will lead me to the Earth Crystal? Also, on the top floor of the library are three books in front of a flame. I must have missed this the first time, but when I approached one of the books this time, it led to a battle that eventually removed the book. I didn’t get anything, but the book disappeared after the battle. There are two books left, both of which give clues. The first says something about a flute in the town of Tycoon. The second mentions something about a Level 5 Blue Mage and Aero.

At this point, I’m baffled. The game has been so easy to follow so far that I have to believe I’m missing something totally obvious. Maybe I need to get something to Cid and Mid in order for them to discover the location of the Earth Crystal? At the moment, I can come up with four possible courses of action:

1. Go to the Crescent Moon Island and see what’s there.
2. Try to remove the other two books.
3. Try to get the missing pages from the oldest book.
4. Try to discover “Levitate” or locate something to get me past the flowing sand.

I have no idea how to accomplish #3 or #4. (Maybe #3 is connected to #2?) But I can start one of the characters as a Blue Mage to help with #2. At the same time, I can head to the Crescent Moon Island and see if that provides some sort of an answer. If that doesn’t, I might learn something there anyway. If I’m still lost, I could try to go back to Tycoon and see if I can find that flute they are talking about.

The other thought I’m having is that perhaps the Earth Crystal lies somewhere within the library itself? Maybe I don’t need to go anywhere?

I still think I’m missing something totally obvious, but for the time being, we’ll take a journey to Crescent Moon Island.