Path of Exile 2 (PoE 2), the highly anticipated sequel from Grinding Gear Games, immerses players in a dark, unforgiving world of intricate lore, brutal combat, and deep character progression. Act 2 marks a pivotal shift from the claustrophobic horrors of Act 1 into the vast, sun-scorched deserts of the Vastiri Plains, where ancient ruins whisper secrets of forgotten gods and corrupted empires. Among the trio of flexible quests that define this act-"A Theft of Ivory," "A Crown of Stone," and "The City of Seven Waters"-the latter stands out as a haunting exploration of divine tragedy and elemental fury. Poe 2 Currency becomes essential here, allowing players to trade for fire-resistant gear or skill gems to survive the scorching trials ahead.

Unlocking the Quest

To unlock "The City of Seven Waters," players must first progress through "The Trail of Corruption," defeating the miniboss Jamanra at the Halani Gates. This confrontation, a chaotic melee against a sand-swept zealot wielding jagged blades infused with corrupting energy, sets the stage for Act 2's branching narrative. Upon victory, return to Zarka at the Ardura Caravan, the nomadic hub where merchants hawk wares and quest-givers dispense cryptic wisdom. Zarka, a weathered seer with eyes like polished obsidian, reveals fragments of a shattered relic-the Horn of the Vastiri-tied to ancient elemental pacts. Her tale unfolds: long ago, the Water Goddess Halani blessed the city of Keth with seven sacred springs, turning arid sands into verdant oases. But corruption seeped in, twisting her benevolence into a curse of endless drought and spectral torment. Your task? Venture into Keth's buried shrines, confront the forsaken guardians, and claim the Essence of Water to shatter Halani's eternal suffering.

Journey to Keth

The journey begins by consulting the Desert Map at the caravan, directing your party to the ruins of Keth. This sprawling open zone, a labyrinth of crumbling ziggurats half-buried in dunes, teems with environmental hazards and opportunistic foes. Sandstorms whip up suddenly, reducing visibility and spawning mirage-like illusions that mimic distant allies-only to dissolve into venomous scorpions or spectral archers. As you trek toward the Lost City, the air grows thick with humidity, a mocking prelude to the parched hell within. Keth isn't merely a backdrop; it's a character in itself, etched with faded murals depicting Halani's fall: her once-flowing tresses of azure waves now chains of brackish sludge, binding her to a throne of salt and regret.

Optional Boss: Kabala

En route, astute explorers may stumble upon the Viper Pit, lair of the optional boss Kabala, Constrictor Queen. This serpentine horror, a colossal constrictor with scales like hammered bronze, coils around a rune-inscribed altar. Kabala's fight is a test of mobility and crowd control; she lashes out with tail sweeps that summon grasping vines from the sand, ensnaring the unwary. Her constriction attack, a phase-shifting grapple, drains life and applies a stacking poison debuff-counter it with swift dodges or area-of-effect purges. Defeating her yields the Book of Specialization, granting +2 passive skill points, and potentially the Kabala Clan Relic, a shard for the side quest "Ancient Vows." This detour not only bolsters your build but echoes the quest's theme of corrupted guardianship: Kabala, once a devotee of serpentine water spirits, now perverts their legacy into a tool of domination.

The Buried Shrines

Pressing deeper, the Buried Shrines emerge-a multi-level dungeon carved from sandstone veined with crystalline aquifers. The first level, the Vestibule of the Rains, greets you with pattering echoes of phantom droplets, but no relief comes. Enemies here are water-warped abominations: bloated hydrozoids that burst into acidic sprays upon death, and drowned sentinels wielding tridents that channel chilling torrents. Navigation demands caution; false floors crumble into spike-lined chasms, and pressure plates trigger cascades of debris. Keep an eye peeled for the "Elemental Offering" chamber, a side room where you choose between fire, water, or lightning vases. Each yields a unique ring-fire for penetration boosts, water for ailment mitigation, lightning for shock amplification. Opt wisely based on your class: a Witch might favor lightning's volatility, while a Mercenary thrives on fire's raw damage.

Azarian the Forsaken Son

Descending to the second level, the air turns fetid, laced with the brine of decay. This is where the narrative tightens like a noose around the Shrine of the Water Goddess. Guarding the entrance stands Azarian the Forsaken Son, the quest's apex predator and a boss whose mechanics punish complacency. Azarian, a hulking figure clad in barnacle-encrusted armor, once Halani's favored champion, now embodies her rage. His arsenal revolves around fire and flood duality-ironic for a water deity's tomb. He summons geysers that erupt in random patterns, forcing constant repositioning, while hurling flaming braziers that ignite the floor in creeping infernos. Avoid directing his line-of-sight attacks toward these braziers; shattering them prematurely floods the arena with uncontrolled flames, turning the room into a deathtrap.

Preparing for Azarian

Preparation is key. Stack fire resistance to at least 60%-crafted via essences or vendor recipes using POE 2 Currency-to blunt his pyretic barrages. For melee builds like the Warrior, flank him during his channel phases, exploiting brief windows when his guard drops. Ranged classes, such as the Ranger, should kite around the periphery, using the arena's pillars for cover against his sweeping cleave. Azarian's enrage phase, triggered at 50% health, amplifies his deluge slams into room-wide tsunamis laced with burning embers; counter with mobility flasks or evasion skills. Upon defeat, he crumples in a spray of evaporating ichor, unblocking the northwestern passage to Halani's sanctum.

Confronting Halani

Stepping into the inner chamber feels like breaching a forgotten elegy. Halani lies enshrined on a dais of eroded marble, her form a spectral silhouette of rippling mist, eyes hollow with millennia of agony. She pleads in a voice like distant thunder over waves: "Mortal, end this torment. Let fire consume what water has drowned." Behind her, the Everburning Cinder glows-a relic of opposing elemental fury, its flames eternal and unquenchable. Interact with it, and watch as inferno clashes with aqueous despair. Halani's essence ignites in a cataclysmic ballet: steam billows like grieving spirits, and from the ashes coalesces the Essence of Water, a shimmering vial pulsing with purified azure light. This artifact isn't just loot; it's a narrative fulcrum, symbolizing PoE 2's core philosophy of balance through destruction. The gods of Wraeclast aren't benevolent; they're forces in perpetual war, and players are the reluctant arbiters.

Returning to Zarka

Retracing your steps through the shrines, now eerily silent save for the drip of residual moisture, you emerge into Keth's blinding sun. The trek back to the Ardura Caravan is fraught with empowered remnants-corruption echoes that spawn elite packs with enhanced abilities-but nothing compared to Azarian's wrath. Hand the Essence to Zarka, who reacts with a mix of reverence and sorrow. "The waters flow free once more, exile, but the desert remembers." Her reward: a Level 1 Uncut Support Gem, a versatile tool for socket customization, plus progression toward "The Trail of Corruption Pt 2." This gem can link to your primary skill, amplifying damage or utility-crucial for the act's escalating challenges.

Thematic Depth

Beyond mechanics, "The City of Seven Waters" enriches PoE 2's lore tapestry. It delves into the Ezomyte pantheon's fractures, where elemental deities like Halani clashed with solar tyrants, birthing the Vastiri's nomadic creed. Scattered codex entries in the shrines-fragments of clay tablets-reveal Halani's bargain: she traded her vitality for Keth's prosperity, only for the Seed of Corruption to invert her gift into famine. This quest humanizes the divine, portraying gods as prisoners of their own power, much like the exile's cursed immortality. It's a microcosm of Act 2's themes: in a world of shifting sands, truth erodes, and redemption demands sacrifice.

Class Strategies and Secrets

For class-specific strategies, consider the Monk's spirit attunement; their water-infused strikes trivialize hydrozoids, but falter against Azarian's flames-pair with a fire-ward talisman. The Sorceress excels here, chaining lightning through wet foes for chain reactions, though her fragility demands preemptive shielding. Warriors should invest in mace nodes for stagger on Azarian's charges, turning his aggression against him. Inventory management shines too: the quest's drops favor elemental mods, ideal for crafting resist-piercing amulets.

Multiplayer and Endgame

In multiplayer, coordinate elemental coverage-one player tanks flames while another disrupts geysers-amplifying the quest's replayability. Secrets abound: a hidden Golden Tomb in the Lost City yields rare uniques, like the Ring of Seven Springs, granting +20% water penetration. Completing this alongside "A Theft of Ivory" and "A Crown of Stone" assembles the Horn of the Vastiri, unlocking "Ancient Vows" and its relic-forging ritual.

Conclusion

Yet, for all its triumphs, "The City of Seven Waters" underscores PoE 2's punishing economy. Rare drops demand investment, and gearing for Act 2's bosses often requires POE 2 Currency trades. As you ponder your next delve, remember: Wraeclast spares no one, but the prepared thrive. If currency's tight, consider safe ways to bolster your stash-perhaps even options to buy POE 2 Orbs for that crucial upgrade.