The mayor, however, is secretly a member of a large crime syndicate. He hires two hitmen, the horse brothers Balio and Sunder, to exact revenge on the gang for their theft. Balio and Sunder proceed to burn down the trio's home in the woods, violently attack them, and leave them for dead. Awakening a short while later, Ryu finds himself in the care of Bunyan who had fished him out of the river and found no trace of his friends. Believing them to be alive, Ryu leaves Yraald Region and travels to the city of Wyndia. Ryu comes across Balio and Sunder once again in Mt. Myrneg where he is stabbed, but this time, reanimates into a dragon. Upon seeing this, the horse brothers decide to take him to the Royal Family in Wyndia to sell him. Unfortunately, they present Ryu to them as he already transformed back to human. Balio and Sunder are locked up in the prison along with Ryu, where they meet Nina, child daughter of the King. Balio and Sunder trick Nina into releasing them and Ryu manages to break out of his cell. Ryu manages to save Nina, but once again gets beaten by Balio and Sunder. Nina saves Ryu from death, and they flee the castle through the catacombs. Both Ryu and Nina are discovered once again by Balio and Sunder on Eygnock Rock where they are captured and transported to Genmel. Nina and Ryu managed to escape Balio and Sunder, who are now on their trail. Ryu and Nina eventually come across a large tower and meet Momo, an inventor and engineer who is researching the properties of chrysm. Together with her diminutive robotic assistant Honey, the three eventually escape the tower by rocket when a group of bounty hunters arrive looking for them. Momo leads Ryu and Nina to a nearby chrysm research facility which is conducting experiments on plants. There, they are approached by the institute's chairman and colleague of Momo's late father, Dr. Palet, who informs the party of a mutant creature causing trouble at the dump where their biological waste is stored. After defeating the mutant plant creature, it gives up its offspring, whom Nina names Peco, to be cared for in its absence. As the four continue their journey east, they hop onto a cart to be smuggled back to Wyndia, unaware that Palet sold them out to