You know something? I really wish that Fran was in this game. I dig the accents that Vanille and Fang have, but Fran's was the best. But then again what I, Cymbeline thinks is not important to this walkthough, or to you.
Sulyya Springs[]
Like all areas of Gran Pulse your going to want to develope your characters as you enter the area, seeing as how the enmies have an annoying tendency to raise in difficulty quite quickly here. You can also upgrade either Vanille's or Hope's weapons and make them rank two. It can wait, but you could do it now. Don't upgrade Fang's though becuase a better weapon is waiting for her. Save, then continue forward.
In this slightly more open area, open the treasure sphere you see for Strange Fluidx13. Before you can reach it though you get a Snow scene...but at least Vanille makes it better. Looks like a Serah and Vanille flashback so its much better than a Snow scene. After you get the treasure sphere continue forward and as a note everything you face here is weak to fire so a Firaga and a Fira will tear the HP from larger groups. Open the treasure sphere here for Enigmatic Fluidx10. Now jump down from the rock and run straight to the water. Examine the whirlpool to discover another Pulse Fal'Cie. Doing so opens up some new areas with some treasure for us to get. Jump back to the area with the first treasure sphere (to your right) and then head to the platform that rose from the water (again to your right) and open the treasure spheres here for a Reptide Ring and some Uraninite.
Head back and on the second platform go to your right and jump to another platform. Jump to your left and open the treasure spheres here for a Mnar Stone and a Water Charm. Now continue up the platform and kill the enemies guarding a treasure sphere with an Aquabane Brooch. Turn around from the treasure sphere and jump to the next platform and open the treasure spheres here for Seapetal Scalex5 and Moistened Scalex6. After you have those return to the main path and follow it into a cave. The cave is like every other cave we've ever been in and is extremely linear. On your way through you'll see a treasure sphere with Abyssal Scalex7. When you reach the end of the cave you get a Lightning and Snow scene where they promise to see Serah again someday. Thats great and all by why did they make it an FMV? Don't you normally save stuff like that for the interesting scenes?
When your back in control turn around and save, then continue forward down the linear path opening the treasure sphere on the way for a Cie'th's Tear. After that is just a straight walk to Taejin's Tower.
Taejin's Tower[]
Ahhh Taejin's Tower, home to many mandatory Mark Battles and an actual Boss Fight. This is our last area before Oerba, we're almost there. Develope your characters, then save and continue onward. The path to the tower is fairly linear (much like every area outside the Steppe) so just follow the path forward. As you exit the walled in path to see Taejin's Tower, and the Fal'Cie that guards it. I doubt there's any suspence here but that Fal'Cie's the next boss. Anyway ignore the Cie'th Stone and continue forward. The Managarmr ahead is weak to Water so be sure to soak him. When you reach a more open area guarding by flying enemies (weak to Lightning and Wind) follow the cliff's edge to your left all the way to the end and open the treasure sphere here for Sinister Fangx20. (Mystic Tower and Combat Clinic both work wonders for killing the Managarmr). After you get that just follow the linear path into Taejin's Tower.
Once you enter the tower, follow the curving path into the large area know as the Ground Tier. Once here our helpful Gran Pulse tour guides will tell us all we need to know about this place. So the voices in our heads are statues and we need to do monster Marks in order for them to open the way up the tower. Before riding the elevator up to the next tier, we want to open the treasure spheres on the ground floor first. Turn around and look to your right to see a treasure sphere with 4,721 Gil. Then make your way around clockwise, defeating the Managamr and looking past him and slightly to the left to see a treasure sphere with a Sparkbane Brooch. If you have trouble finding it go to the ramp leading up to the elevator and turn left, head straight to the wall and look to the left to see the sphere. Now go around to the back of the elevator and open the treasure sphere hidden back here for Chipped Fangx11. Now go up into the elevator and ride it up to the Second Tier.
Once here go and save, then head around the ring. As we go around the Fal'Cie will block our path with fire, but open a way through the wall. BTW I love Vanille is this scene "Hi...Hi there." I got a kick out of that but then again thats probably just me. When your ready head through the wall and accept the statues mission: Mark Mission 21! We will come back to the tower to do these later so just win the battles for now and focus on a 5 Star rating your second time around. The mark is in the area to the left of the area you are in, so head that way. Also the Pulsework Gladiator's resist everything but Water so use that to your advantage. A Preemptive Strike is really helpful here. Anyways make your way to the mark and take him on.
Now examine the statue by you to recieve Mark Mission 22. The mark: Ambling Bellows is two room to the right of where we are now.
Activate the third and final statue on this level to accept the last mark, then head around one room to the left and get a Preemptive Strike on him.
After that the way is opened, and we can continue on through the tower. But first, give that Warrior's Wristband to Fang, to further increase her Strength Stat. As you go forward you get a scene where those stone statues save us from the Fal'Cie that we'll end up having to kill anyways. Now continue forward and go all the way to the end of the loop to reach a treasure sphere with Spark Plugx5. Turn around and go into the room to your right, and up the stairs to continue through the tower and my walkthrough.