[dramatic orchestral music playing]
[Ethan grunts]
[yells]
[monstrous snarl]
[Ethan grunts]
[Hannah] Arisen.
Arisen.
Arisen! There are too many of them.
[echoing] We should retreat.
Arisen!
[both grunt]
-[Ethan grunts] -Arisen.
Arisen!
The Dragon is our goal. You must not forget that.
There's no need for this fight.
You're right.
[rumbling]
[Ethan panting]
[skeleton army growling and sneering]
[birds cawing]
[Ethan and Hannah panting]
[Ethan grunts]
[groans]
[Hannah] Are you all right?
[Ethan] I'm fine.
-[Simon] Hello! Who's that? -[both gasp]
[Simon] Identify yourselves!
[guard] Easy, now. Leave your sword be.
[guard 2] What are you doing out here this late?
[skeleton army approaches]
[guard] Here they come!
-[guard 2] Stay behind us! -[Simon] The dawn is about to break!
[skeleton snarls]
[guard] Huh?
[chuckles] They're... They're running away.
It was brave of you to stand your ground. How did you know they would retreat?
It's more experience than bravery. This isn't our first encounter with them.
Come, let's get you two-- [gasps]
[Hannah] It's you!
[dramatic orchestral music playing]
[Simon laughs]
You went into the church to seek safety from the rain?
I mean, technically, you were safe.
From the rain, at least!
-[laughs] -[Balthazar chuckles] Don't laugh, Simon.
It's not their fault. They couldn't have known.
[Simon chuckles] I know, I know. They just have the worst luck.
First the Griffin, then the Lich...
What's a Lich?
[Balthazar] Did you encounter the floating corpse
dressed like a clergyman in the church?
We did.
Killing that monster is our new assignment from the capital.
[Hannah] The capital knows about this creature?
Indeed.
That city was once a thriving metropolis,
but it was abandoned several centuries ago.
Because of that, no one had need for the road...
until the Dragon came.
[Ethan] What does the Dragon have to do with it?
[Simon] It burned everyone's homes to the ground.
As a result, once good people have turned to thievery and murder to survive.
Merchants needed new routes...
routes that were safe.
So they began using the road again
and coming into the city.
They didn't know.
Just like you.
After we parted ways with you before, we returned to the capital.
We were given easy duty, but that didn't sit too well with us.
We failed our mission.
I couldn't live with that shame.
[Simon] Balthazar is the third son of an impoverished nobleman.
There was no land or wealth for him to inherit.
His entire life has been about building his name up through the military.
Did a great job of it, too.
Became a decorated officer that succeeded in every assignment he's ever been given.
[clears throat] Until this one.
I see.
Are you nobility as well?
Me? No. [chuckles]
Just a childhood friend dumb enough to follow him anywhere.
I never asked you to.
No one else is going to save your ass every time you blindly run into trouble.
I do fine on my own, thank you.
Food should be ready.
-Eat up. -I'm fine, thank you.
OK.
How about you?
You're an odd pair, all right.
Since you're here, anyway, do you think you'd mind giving us a hand?
With the Dragon wreaking havoc across the land,
the Royal Guard has been stretched thin.
This sorry lot is all the capital could spare.
[sighs] Simon never was one for tact.
But, to be honest, I was going to ask.
Your assistance would be greatly appreciated.
I helped you last time because I felt like I had to,
not because I wanted to.
We get that.
But this time we'll be able to offer you a handsome reward.
Right, Balthazar?
Of course!
Although, to be honest, we don't have much to give.
Why would you tell him that now?
I thought you were supposed to be the one with tact.
[Ethan sighs]
[Simon] Please, Ethan.
Innocent people are being attacked.
I know you're not the kind of man who'd just let that happen.
That has nothing to do with me.
My goal is the Dragon.
I've almost lost sight of that with these meaningless distractions.
[both gasp]
[Hannah sighs]
[both sigh]
[Simon] Hmm.
Listen.
You want the Dragon?
I could give it to you.
I know where the Dragon's lair is.
What?
Simon, stop it.
[scoffs] I don't care about tact.
This is serious, Balthazar.
Tact is for politicians and liars.
If we return to the capital without succeeding in this mission,
your reputation will be in shambles.
Everything you've built, gone.
They won't let you guard the latrine!
[Balthazar] Hmm.
[Simon] How about it, Ethan? Do we have a deal?
[Ethan] Hmm.
Y-You might not trust me, but you do trust Balthazar.
He can tell you I'm not lying.
Then let's get this done with.
[Simon] First, some rest.
I know you didn't get much sleep in that church.
I don't need rest.
[Hannah] Arisen, he's right.
I don't need rest!
[both gasp]
You might not, but our troops do, and we're going to need their help.
We can depart in the afternoon.
[Simon] Well, he's certainly changed.
-[Hannah] What do you mean? -[Balthazar] Simon's right.
Something seems... different about him.
Humans are emotional creatures.
They're prone to changes, aren't they?
I get it, but... [sighs]
And despite what he says,
I know he is tired.
She's changed a bit, too, quite frankly.
[footsteps]
[Simon] The Lich used to be the priest of this church.
They say he was a man of great integrity.
I mean, that's what you'd expect from a man of the cloth.
But that's not who he really was.
His heart was filled with greed.
And while he may have been able to keep that a secret in life...
in death, this city was not so fortunate.
He terrorized it, killing people
and taking every valuable he could find from them.
That's why they abandoned this place all those years ago.
[Ethan grunts]
[guard grunts]
[Simon] So, the legend is true.
-[gasps] -[Ethan] What legend?
[Simon] I never believed it.
This treasure is everything the Lich has been able to get its greedy hands on.
[Hannah gasps]
[coins rattling]
The Lich thinks we have come here for its treasure.
[Balthazar] Well, now what?
Perhaps we could, you know, reason with it?
[Balthazar] It is beyond reason, you dolt!
[dramatic orchestral music playing]
[Lich roars]
So, this is what human greed looks like in the flesh.
Quite pathetic.
[Lich roars]
[Balthazar grunts]
[guard screams]
[Ethan grunts]
[Hannah grunts]
[Balthazar grunts]
[Simon grunts]
We thought we planned this out so well.
[grunts] Attacking during daylight hours.
Sure would be nice if we weren't fighting in a damn cellar!
[Balthazar] Clever remarks won't help!
[Simon] Won't hurt, neither!
They'll wear us down. We need to take the Lich out!
[Ethan] Leave that to me.
That's not a plan! Not like our plans work out well, anyway.
[Ethan panting]
[yells]
[Lich roars]
[Ethan grunts]
[Hannah gasps]
[Ethan grunts]
[groans]
[Hannah] Arisen, are you all right?
[Ethan snarls]
[Balthazar] The creature is already dead! Piercing its heart will not defeat it!
[guard screams]
[Ethan grunts]
[Hannah gasps]
[Simon grunts]
[Hannah grunts softly]
[Simon grunts]
-[Balthazar grunts] -[Simon grunts]
[Balthazar groans]
[Simon] That's... not great.
-[coins rattling] -[Simon] Huh?
[Hannah panting]
Look here!
I've got some of your precious treasure!
She's leaving us?
[Lich roars]
[Hannah panting]
[roars]
[Hannah panting]
[all gasp]
[Hannah gasps]
[both grunt]
[all gasp]
[Lich roars]
[Balthazar grunts]
[all grunting]
[roars]
Clever girl.
Take it!
Strike the Lich down! Now, Ethan!
[Hannah breathes raggedly]
[Ethan yells]
[Ethan exhales]
Balls of brass.
[Ethan grunts]
[Balthazar] Any survivors?
[Simon sighs] No.
Damn it! [sighs]
We'll need to give them a proper burial.
Their poor families, they'll be destitute.
[Balthazar exhales]
[Simon] Being a soldier may seem grand, but the reward is not.
And the duke doesn't hand out a death gratuity.
[Ethan] Luckily, you've got money to spare.
[Ethan's voice echoes] Luckily, you've got money to spare...
That's not how it works.
He doesn't have to know. [echoes]
Are you mad?
Your efforts and the efforts of your men deserve rightful compensation.
If the duke is so greedy that he won't do that,
take matters into your own hands.
[Simon groans]
[Balthazar breathes raggedly]
Where is your honor?
We are soldiers.
We live by a code.
Without it, we're no better than common rogues,
lacking discipline and led astray by mindless impulses!
[Balthazar] I'm sorry, old friend.
[metallic scrape]
[gags]
[both gasp]
[Simon groans]
Balthazar... you... [grunts]
[rumbling]
[both gasp]
[both grunt]
[Simon grunts]
[Simon groans]
[coughs]
Why?
Ethan's right.
We've worked so hard
and have nothing to show for it because of the duke's greed.
You're a nobleman.
Where's your honor?
What's honor for a nobleman with no money, nor lands?
I'm just another grunt in the eyes of the duke.
With all this, I can start a new life in a new world,
a life worthy of a nobleman.
You're a damned coward.
[grunts]
And a bastard!
[Balthazar] You're a good man, too good a man.
You could never betray your code.
Goddamn right.
[grunts]
[Balthazar] The world is a complicated place, Simon.
It's not black and white, like you think it is.
Those in power want to stay in power,
and in order to do that, they have to keep us down.
I'm tired of being treated like a dog.
I deserve this.
You sound like the Lich.
[straining]
Blinded by riches.
[coughs]
I'll return your sight!
[Balthazar sighs]
[Ethan grunts]
[grunts] Simon!
Where is the Dragon?
Tell me!
Where is the Dragon? [grunts]
[Simon grunts]
[Balthazar grunts]
[Simon groans]
You're not afraid to fight dirty, eh?
You must adapt.
It's the only way to survive in a world overrun by sin.
I'd rather die!
[grunts]
[yells]
[Balthazar gasps]
[groans]
[gasps]
[breathes raggedly]
[ragged breathing continues]
[Ethan grunts]
[gasps]
[ragged breathing continues]
Thank you...
my friend.
-[grunts] -[Simon gasps]
[footsteps on treasure]
[Simon breathes raggedly]
Where is the Dragon?
[chuckles]
Not one for tact, either, are you?
No.
[chuckles]
Tainted Mountain.
The Tainted Mountain?
You've heard of it?
It's one of the northernmost mountains.
They say it used to breathe fire.
[Simon] Aye. That's the one.
That's where the Dragon has made its lair.
Ethan... [coughs] ...please do me one last favor.
Put me at ease.
[Ethan grunts]
[Simon breathing shakily]
Wait.
What will become of Balthazar?
He died with greed in his heart
in this unholy place.
Is he destined to the same fate as the Lich?
I don't know.
Please...
if he becomes the Lich...
Not my problem.
[chuckles]
You're a cold bastard, Ethan.
Don't worry, Simon.
You woke him from the spell cast by the treasure.
His soul is at rest.
[chuckles] Such an odd pair.
You two really have changed.
[Simon groans]
[birds cawing]
[horse whinnies]
[woman and man panting]
[man] Oh, yeah!
[groans]
[woman moans]
[monstrous shriek]