You’ll need three yellow fragments to travel to the past for the first time in the game. You can find all three fragments in the starting island. You’ll have to follow the main story for an hour or so before you can unlock the Shrine of Mysteries and find the fragments.

Keep in mind that during this first part of the game there are no battles, so you don’t need to level up or search for gear yet.

Note: this guide is for the 3DS version of DQ VII, where the first chapter was abridged compared to the PSX version.

Finding the first two fragments

Follow the main story until you unlock the Shrine of Awakening. Talk to the small winged ghost and then head to your right, the first Yellow Fragment is between the two statues. Now head to your left and you’ll find the second Yellow Fragment in the same room.

Finding the Saint’s pieces

Before getting the third fragment, you’ll have to talk to the ghost again. He’ll tell you you need four sacred items to proceed, one for each statue in the main room.

Exit the shrine, and in the world map, head west and then north. To the ruins to the east of Estard. You’ll find the first two pieces here.

Enter the ruins and push the block with an eagle symbol to your left. Go down the stairs and follow the path to find two switches on the floor. Step on both of them to bring the Saint’s Helm closer to you so you can grab it.

Now exit the catacomb and head to your right. There’s another block with an eagle symbol, push it and go down. This catacomb is a mirror of the previous one, but you’ll find the Saint’s Armour here.

Exit the ruins through the northern exit, and follow the path until you find another set of ruins, the remaining items are there.

The catacombs in these ruins are also mirrored from the previous one. You’ll find the Saint’s Sword at the catacomb on the left, and the Saint’s Shield on the right.

Now that you got all the sacred pieces. Head back to the Shrine of Awakening. Place each item at their respective statue. From left to right, the order is: armor, shield, helm and sword.

Finding the third fragment

Now that you unlocked the back door at the Shrine of Awakening, head there, and after some dialogues, you’ll be able to place fragments at their respective pillars. Choose “Select Pillars”, then “Yellow Pillars”, and choose the pillar on the top left.

Place the two Yellow Fragments you got before in there. Now you only need the third one.

Exit the shrine now, and after another dialogue, Kiefer will go home and leave your party. Go back to Pilchard Bay and you’ll find out the Hero’s father returned.

Go to your house and talk to Pollock. He’ll tell you he found a strange tablet in the sea, and he’ll give you the third Yellow Fragment.

You got all the pieces now! Run to Estard’s Castle and talk to Kiefer to make him join your party again. Head to the Shrine of Awakening with both of them and Maribel will join your party too.

Now all you have to do is to get to the same room as before and place the last Yellow Fragment. Your party will be teleported to a strange land, and you’ll be able to continue the main story.

From this point onwards you’ll encounter monsters, so be ready!