The Shadow and The Sage Arcana cards in Castlevania: Belmont's Curse are unlocked in completely different ways. You get the first by defeating Death and the second by freeing Queen Eleanor. In this guide, we'll walk you through the routes to both cards, explain the requirements for obtaining them, and show you how to use the Soul Harvest and Mirror Walk spells.
The Shadow is awarded for defeating Death in the Transept of Notre-Dame. Your first encounter with him in the Catacombs of Paris ends in a story cutscene and doesn't award a card. There's no point returning to that arena for the reward, as the rematch takes place elsewhere.
How to Reach Notre-Dame
To enter, you'll need Brauner's Brush, obtained in the Observatory after Carmilla, and The Artist Arcana. To get the latter, return to Brauner's Atelier in the Main Hall and break the suspended sculpture with a downward smash from above.Next, head to the Gallery of Eternal Night. Equip the Masterpiece spell from The Artist card and interact with the large painting of Notre-Dame.Inside, corrupted organ pipes block the way to Death. Make your way down through the cathedral's underground section to the Great Organ Room. You need to find and play three melodies:
Fugue - the spirit beneath the staircase in the Great Organ Room gives you the notes.
Sonata - the spirit beneath the zodiac windows in the Sealed Scriptorium.
Concerto - the spirit at the top of the cathedral spire.
Return to the organ after each discovery. Once you've played all three pieces, the pipes will clear the way into the Transept.Image unavailable
How to Defeat Death and Claim the Card
Use the floating platforms on either side of the arena, and don't rush to counterattack after the first swing of Death's scythe. He can follow it up with more strikes.Image unavailableWhen thin lines appear across the screen to mark incoming slashes, move into a gap between them. If there's not enough room on the floor, jump onto a platform. Toward the end of the fight, Death sends out rings of green blades. Stay near a side platform and move through the openings.After winning, hold the absorb button shown on the screen to obtain the card. Emptying his health bar isn't enough. Make sure you absorb his power before moving on.
What Soul Harvest Does
The spell unleashes a slow but powerful scythe strike. An enemy killed by it releases four sickles that scatter outward. Casting it costs 60 MP.It also has an important use outside combat. Equip Soul Harvest before interacting with the large green clock on the Clock Tower bridge. This opens the proper route forward. Without the spell, the clock sends Rose into Death's trap and a false ending. If you've already fallen for it, choose to continue after the credits and return with the correct card.
Where to Get The Sage Arcana
Queen Eleanor gives you The Sage in the Mausoleum of the Queens at Holy Innocents' Cemetery. But first you need to free her. Simply visiting the cemetery isn't enough.
How to Free Eleanor from the Mirror
In the Mirror Rooms, find the large mirror wrapped in glowing chains and speak to the prisoner. You can find a clue about the seals in the Builder's study in the Clock Tower.Next, reach the entrance chamber of the Hall of Mirrors. There are four seals here. Striking each one triggers an ambush. Defeat all the enemies that appear to break the seal, then repeat the process with the other three.Afterward, follow the mirror maze to the Heart of the Maze. Kneel at the marked spots. A ghostly figure and a map update notification confirm you're making progress.In the room with Eleanor's mirror, read the note about her departure for the cemetery. The queen is free and waiting at her family tomb. There's no need to keep trying to smash the remaining frame.
Where to Find Eleanor After Freeing Her
Head to Holy Innocents' Cemetery and enter the Mausoleum of the Queens. Along the way, dash through breakable vertical barriers and navigate a section with spikes and saws. In the large hall, find the sarcophagus beneath the French royal banner. Eleanor stands in front of it. Speak to her, and she'll turn into golden light. Rose will absorb her power and receive The Sage. You don't need to fight a separate boss for this card.Image unavailable
How Mirror Walk Works
The Sage's spell costs 80 MP and places a mirror at Rose's current position. Casting it again teleports her back and restores 50% of the health she lost after placing the mirror. The mirror disappears after 15 seconds or when Rose returns to it.Place a mirror somewhere safe before a dangerous attack, close in on the enemy, and teleport back if the exchange goes badly. Just keep an eye on the duration. You can't leave an escape route in place for the entire fight.The card's upgrades let you recover some mana, damage enemies along your teleportation path, and survive a fatal blow once while a mirror is active. These are unlockable upgrades, not properties of the base spell.You'll also need the card for the Trial of Prudence in the Gallery of the Four Virtues. Equip Mirror Walk before interacting with the green stained-glass window. Without it, you won't be able to enter the trial.Image unavailable
