About ten years ago I was playing SoM and did something so that when I returned to Luka after the Witch's Castle section, she didn't send me after Undine and I couldn't learn any magic or get into the Underground Palace. She kept saying something like "the power of the seed in the Underground Palace is getting weak, hurry!"

But somehow I was able to return to Pandora and get Phanna to disappear, triggering the Pandora Ruins quest. After completing it and the Scorpion Army incident in Gaia's Navel, the Iffish finally appeared in front of Undine's cave and I could get inside.

But I didn't go there until after (gasp) the Upper Land and the Wind Palace, meaning Sylphid was my first magic in that playthrough of the game! I made it all the way to the Matango/White Dragon caves before bumping into the Gnome Crystal Orb - then I had to go back and get Undine and Gnome before proceeding.

I can't quite remember how I triggered this unusual change in the story line. Specifically, I seem to remember not visiting Luka earlier in the game, though when I tried it again recently she just told me to "look for the Underground Palace" without ever giving me the spear!

How do you get into the Pandora Ruins without getting Undine or Gnome first?