Godfrey approaches Gareth. Gareth: So you really won't yield the way, then? Gareth: Arrogant fellow.
Godfrey: Warriors only debate with arms. Godfrey: If you have qualms with my method, then let us duel.
Gareth: You're downright the pettiest -
Godfrey raises his axe, gigantic, into the air. All the Tarnished are unnerved.
Gareth steels himself, regardless.
Godfrey: ...Hmm. Godfrey: I can admire your resolve.
Godfrey: Then, let's agree on these rules of conduct: Godfrey: I swing at you three times. Godfrey: If you survive, you get the path.
Gareth: I take those rules.
Gareth's knight: This man is a fool. Gareth's knight: Gareth has a hunk of metal in his arms. Gareth's knight: I saw him fend off a dragon.
Godfrey flexes his muscles. They are bigger than the Tarnisheds' heads.
That same knight gulps. He does not want to be Gareth right now.
Gareth braces himself.
Godfrey raises his axe over his head.
The axe-head meets Gareth's shield; the impact makes a sound of thunder. Gareth is blown backward, water foaming beneath him.
Gareth lands on his back, splashing water on him.
Gareth's knights run to him. Gareth's knight: Gareth!
Godfrey: Hmm...
Gareth is gathering himself. Gareth: I... my head is ringing... Gareth: I did not think to brace myself better...
Gareth: That man has the strength of giants in 'em. Knight: But that's good - you withstood the strength of a giant!
The knights help him up. Knight: Only two more blows, and the Erdtree is ours!
Godfrey comes closer to Gareth. Godfrey: I've taken stock of your mettle. Godfrey: I won't need the third one.
Godfrey raises his axe.
Gareth braces.
The panel is all black.
Knight's voice: Gareth. Gareth.
Gareth opens his eyes. Knight's voice: He's awaking.
Gareth is staring at the sky, the cliffs of the Ravine yawning above him. Knight: Don't move so sudden now.
Gareth tries to stand up. Gareth: What hap- Gareth: Ahh! Pain shoots up his sides. Knight: I told ye not to move so soon.
Gareth lies on his back, patting his sides. He is bandaged up. Gareth: Bandages? What... Knight: Do you remember what happened?
Gareth: ...I remember, I was blocking Gottfried's blow. Knight: First or second? Gareth: ...There was another one?
The knight points. Across the village, one can see a conspicuously human-shaped hole punched into the masonry of the ruins. Gareth: Oh.
Knight: I'm glad you're alive. Knight: I've never seen something fly so high, except in tennis.
Gareth is disconsolate. Knight: Ah. Sorry.
Gareth: Don't be. Godfrey's voice: So the challenger has awakened.
Godfrey: No hard feelings. Gareth: I'm alive. I shall be thrilled with that. The knight excuses themself.
Godfrey, handing out Exalted Flesh: Try some. Gareth reluctantly sticks his hand out.
Godfrey: I will say, it's good someone knocked sense into you. Gareth: ...
Godfrey: Did you think you would storm the place and seize it yourself? Gareth: What - Gareth: Yes, of course. We have enough men for it.
Godfrey: Good man - Godfrey: People die.
Gareth: Oh, shut it. Gareth: I've seen too many men die. Gareth: I've experienced countless woes. Gareth: Don't preach to me about faith and security.
Godfrey: And so that absolves you to send men to ignominious deaths? Gareth: It absolves me nothing. Gareth: There are things that have to be done.
Godfrey: What a convenient set of ideals. Gareth: And what do you suggest, in all your wisdom?
Godfrey: I can suggest nothing, to men who do not acknowledge how weak they are.
Godfrey: A man who cannot shoulder his knights' fears, is but playing a lord.
Gareth: Spare me your lectures. You've already won. Gareth: But they hunger to see the Erdtree; I cannot control them. Godfrey: Hmm.
Godfrey: Indeed, when will it be the right time?...
In Godfrey's mental map; he sees three burning lights on a darkened map of the Lands Between. These are all revealed to him through the insight given him by grace. Godfrey, in card: From the north, a light is descending, a long time already. Godfrey: From the east, a light wavers, and is curving towards the lake. Godfrey: And from the south, a dim light, now bright, is making its way valiantly here.
Godfrey: Great warriors are approaching. Godfrey: This will be fun.
Gareth, closing his eyes: Rhys? Are you there?
Rhys's voice: Gareth? What happened?
Gareth: I was...inconvenienced. Gareth: Where are you now?
A view of the Gate Town Bridge. To be clear, I know nothing about engineering. The workers from Stormveil are trying to clear the ruins of the old, stone bridge, and are building the framework for a new wooden bridge. Would the Tarnished be able to build a bridge so quickly? I have no clue! It's a fantasy realm, whatever, they use magic or something. Rhys: I'm at the Academy. Gareth: What?
Gareth's voice: How did you get there so quickly? Rhys: It's been three days since last I heard from you, Gareth.
Gareth's voice: What?! Rhys: What happened?
Gareth's voice: I...hit my head quite hard. Rhys: Hum.
Gareth's voice: So you have the medallion? Gareth's voice: How are the bridges developing? Rhys: The southern bridge is developing well. It should be done in a day.
Rhys's voice: However, the northern bridge is having difficulty. Rhys's voice: Problem is that it's very high. Gareth: I see.
Rhys's voice: However, the scholars and the engineers have devised a quick solution to get the knights at the lift. Rhys's voice: What is the situation at the Ravine?
Gareth: ...It is not scaled yet. Rhys's voice: How come?
Gareth: ... Rhys's voice: Gareth? Hello?
Rhys: Well, it doesn't matter. Rhys: We're limited by the bridges anyway.
Rhys's voice: I'll take my rest now. I've been waiting for a message from you for days. Rhys's voice: I'll let you know when the army is ready to pass. Gareth: Thank you, Rhys.
Tarnished, offscreen: Hey, help the man! Gareth: What's this clamor?
The Tarnished have gathered around the northern part of the Village. They are looking up. Gareth joins them. Tarnished: I've seen a lot of things, but that seems unreal. Tarnished 2: Can he hear us? Tarnished 3: What a sight. Gareth: What are we all looking at?
A Tarnished points. Gareth looks up.
A Tarnished, namely Great Horn Tragoth, is, with his gigantic hammer on his back, the Giant-Hammer, climbing down the Ravine with his bare hands. Tarnished: Where by Marika did he come from...
Godfrey: Ha ha! What an interesting fellow. Godfrey: Leave him. Godfrey: If he chose to scale the Ravine himself, he's fine. Godfrey: If not, then it's his own fault.
Tarnished: How did he even find a foothold on that thing?... Tarnished 2: What's on his back? Gareth is astonished as everyone else.
When Tragoth has descended to a certain height on the Ravine, he allows himself to fall. The Tarnished scatter. Tarnished: He's falling! Move!
Tragoth descends; a great amount of water is kicked up by the impact of his fall. The Tarnished cringe back.
Tragoth, his knees bent, observes the Tarnished around him. Tragoth: ... Tarnished: ...
He collapses, sitting down. Tragoth: I'm beat.
Tragoth: Good fellows, Tragoth: if I could touch on you, can someone fetch me something to eat? Tragoth: I've been climbing down for days.
Tragoth is eating bread and conserving his energy. Tragoth: Thank ye. Corhyn: Where did you come from?
Tragoth: Um. Tragoth points up there. Patches: That's decidedly not helpful. Patches: What does "up" mean?
Tragoth: Oh. Tragoth: Altus. Tragoth: Sorry, I forgot Mt. Gelmir is also above the waterfall.
The Tarnished are shocked. Tarnished: You climbed down from Altus Plateau? Meilyr: Awesome. Tarnished 2: How?!
Tragoth: I... Tragoth: used my hands. Tragoth: I'm sorry, I don't quite understand your question.
Tragoth: A Finger Reader told me I was needed down here. Tragoth: The lift doesn't work, so I climbed down.
Tarnished: You climbed down, with this thing on your back? The Tarnished tries to move the Giant-Crusher. Tragoth: I wouldn't move that if I -
The hammer falls; it crushes the Tarnished's foot. They scream. Tragoth: I warned you.
Other Tarnished help the victim. Godfrey: Sir, I'm sorry to say this, but we intend to climb up the Ravine and clear it. Godfrey: You're a brave man; will you join us?
Tragoth: Of course. Tragoth: My hammer is yours. Tragoth and Godfrey shake hands. Godfrey: I'm in your debt.
Tarnished: With those two, we shouldn't have any issue crossing to Altus Plateau. Tarnished 2: I might as well sit out the expedition then.
Gareth: Maybe I should head to the Academy instead and help with the bridges... Yuina, from a distance: Gareth?
Gareth: Yuina? Hello!
They shake hands. Gareth: I'm surprised I didn't see you here initially. Yuina: ...I got lost.
Yuina: The Tarnished tried to push through the Liurnian Highway, but the... Yuina: horned men kept tearing down our ladders.
Gareth: And then you got lost. Yuina: Yes.
Godfrey, interrupting: So, are you the last of the Tarnished from that march? Yuina: We left a week ago so... Yuina: Yes, I think so.
Godfrey: Wonderful. Godfrey: I think we're almost as ready as we can be.
Gareth: Almost? Everyone who wants to ascend is here. Gareth: What else are we waiting for?
Godfrey: The wind. Now, be quiet.
Gareth is seething. Godfrey, thinking: Now one is left. Godfrey: Or...not?
Millicent is at the Sword Monument on the Liurnian Highway.
She reads it. The words inscribed are translated. Card: This marks Malenia's southward march Card: The Blade of Miquella and her Cleanrot Knights Card: Grant her wings never be clipped
In Raya Lucaria again. The sorcerors employ golems to build the bridges and fortifications, with the engineers giving guidance.
Rhys, under the watchful eye of moonlight, is leading the Cuckoo Knights, patrolling the highway to Dectus. He is getting a feel for leadership, which is not a thing that comes intuitively to him. Reane is close by because, honestly, Reane is the only one with any military experience.
In the moonlight, the Raya Lucarian scholars are testing giant magic arrows with their golem. They are also testing giant pots full of reactive glintstone.
In Limgrave, the Tarnished subdue the Runebears outside of Mistwood. Kenneth is urging them on. Some of the Runebears they try to capture, to use later in battle.
The residing army in Stomveil practices drills, some as cavalry and some as infantry. They are preparing for their arrival in Leyndell.
At dawn, a large contingent of Banished Knights depart from Stormveil Castle. They have made a truce with the inhabitants at Stormveil and head to Gareth to formalize it.
The Ravine-Veiled Village. The Tarnished are moving about; you can focus on any number of interactions here, based on the characters as defined. The Prophet and Hyetta would be meditating; Patches and Boggart would be arguing; Diallos and Gareth would be brooding; etc.
A boot enters the scene.
It is Millicent. Millicent: Hail. Millicent: Are you all ascending to the Altus Plateau?
Godfrey: Yes, miss. Godfrey: In fact, you're right on time. We're going now.
Godfrey: Do you want to break fast first? Millicent: ...A bite, I wouldn't mind.
Gareth looks at Millicent's stump of a right arm. Gareth: ...
All the Tarnished have gathered around Godfrey. They are by the ladder leading upward to the ruins. Godfrey: Alright, you lot. Godfrey: Now is the right time to bring up this topic: Godfrey: who wants to join the march?
Godfrey: A few of us will act as scouts, assessing the occupancy of the ruins, Godfrey: and then the rest can help afterwards in clearing up the ruins, for general travail and whatnot.
Gareth: I and my knights will go. Godfrey: No, you won't.
Gareth: I tire completely of your obstructing - Godfrey: The pass is narrow and I won't exert nursing raw knights. Godfrey: Choose a few of ye.
Gareth: Fine. Gareth: Myself, him, her, and him.
Godfrey: Very good. Anyone else?
Patches: I'll sit this one out, chief. Rya: Eh-heh... Hyetta says nothing.
Diallos: Well, I - I - Diallos: don't have my climbing kit on me, unfortunately. Godfrey: No worries. Godfrey: You'll prove your worth later.
Corhyn: I'll stay behind. The Prophet raises his hand; Meilyr too. Meilyr: Who refuses adventure?
The Prophet nudges Boggart. Boggart: ...
Boggart raises his hand. Boggart: Big Boggart has a fee, y'know. Yuina also raises her hand.
Millicent: I shall go.
Gareth: You? Gareth: Miss, you're missing an arm.
Gareth: You should stay here. There's no shame in it. Millicent: I'm going. Millicent: I'm not shy to danger.
Godfrey, smiling: Your grave then. Godfrey: The lass knows how to advocate for herself.
Gareth is disgusted by Godfrey's constant wishy-washiness and vagueness. Cuckoo Knight, raising hand: We were sent here by Sir Rhys - Cuckoo Knight: I don't want him to think the Cuckoo are cowards.
Godfrey: Pick only the best of ye - Godfrey: we're getting near to twenty; 'tis too many.
Godfrey: A compact force needing little instruction is best for this. Cuckoo: Agreed.
Cuckoo: Then us three will be fine. Godfrey: Excellent. Then, Tragoth, Gareth and I will be the vanguard. Gareth has a skeptical look on his face.
Godfrey: Warriors, ready? The picked Tarnished return his exhortation.
Godfrey, Gareth and Tragoth climb the ladder first.
The trio continue ascending ladders, with the Tarnished following closely behind.
The Tarnished, reaching the last of the ladders, see before them a mine.
The Tarnished survey the mine. The walls are streaked with a kind of green ore. In comparison to the usual decay in the Lands Between, this mine has a feel of activity: there are boxes full of crystals, wagons and barrels are scattered about, and a miner is actively working in it, albeit his skin is made of stone. Gareth, to the miner: Excuse me, sir, can you tell us anything concerning this place?
The miner continues working, ignoring Gareth. Gareth: ... Godfrey: You're not going to get an answer out of them. Godfrey: They've long lost their minds.
Godfrey: Their bodies are devoted solely to the act of mining. Gareth: Who did this to them?
Godfrey: ...What? Gareth: This isn't how men should be, right?
Godfrey: And how do you think? Gareth: What? Godfrey: How should men be?
Gareth: Free... Thoughtful... Happy... Godfrey: You should exchange your armor for a toga. You're better off a philosopher.
Godfrey: Miners mine. Warriors war. Godfrey: World's simpler that way. Gareth sneers at Godfrey.
The Tarnished climb the ladder at the back of the first room.
The Tarnished enter another part of the mine, laid out similarly like the previous one.
They see another miner here. Gareth: This is...quiescent, so far. Gareth: If the whole trip will be like this -
Smoke bombs are thrown at the Tarnished; the Tarnished try to wave off the smoke.
The Vulgar Militia, small, knee-length sized people, descend on the Tarnished, from the ceiling of the mine.
A Vulgar Militiaman lands on a Tarnished's shoulder, their sickle raised in the air.
The Vulgar Militiaman slices the Tarnished's throat, splattering the mine floor with blood.
Gareth raises his greatshield over his face, blocking a Vulgar Militiaman from reaching him.
However, another Militiaman on the ground, using his Shotel, pierces Gareth in the knee through his plate armor. Gareth: Ahh!
Godfrey crushes a Vulgar Militiaman in his hand, while strikes are deflected by the thickness of Tragoth's armor.
Millicent cuts some Militiamen in two; Yuina, predictably, fumbles.
Meilyr bashes a few in the head; he has one in his mouth. Meilyr: Ho ho ho! The Prophet sets one ablaze.
Boggart bashes one into bit. Boggart: Sod off, bugger!
The smoke dissipates; the Militiamen scurry.
Godfrey: Little rats...
The Militiamen hide in choice places on the ceiling of the mine. Godfrey: Well, Godfrey: Anyone can shoot them down?
The Militiamen throw bombs at them.
The room becomes filled with poison gas.
The Prophet gets a full whiff of the gas.
He, as well as Yuina and Millicent, begin vomiting.
A Vulgar Militiaman tries to cut Yuina.
Godfrey crushes them under his foot.
Godfrey: We're getting slaughtered. Godfrey: Move back!
The Tarnished retreat to the previous room; the Prophet, Yuina, and Millicent are carried. A Tarnished has their head bashed by a ball-and-chain.
The three sick Tarnished are lain down. They are turning pale, their breathing ragged. Gareth: Yuina...
Godfrey: These are veterans of the battlefield. Godfrey: I figured this pass would be well-defended.
Explosive stone clumps - bombs, essentially - are thrown at the Tarnished. Godfrey: !
Godfrey bats one away, but the rest land at the Tarnished's feet, exploding fragments into the Tarnished flesh.
Godfrey: Do we really have nothing to close the distance?! The Prophet struggles to stand.
Tarnished: Man, rest. Tarnished: Corhyn'll cure you below -
A fire is produced in his hand. The gold of grace envelopes his eyes.
He presses the fire into his chest, casting Flame, Cleanse Me.
The fire radiates through his body, returning color to his cheeks and warmth to his flesh. Godfrey: ...
Then, with a scowl on his face, a giant ball of fire blossoms in the Prophet's hand. Godfrey: Tragoth. Gareth. They nod at him.
He throws the fireball, as another salvo of Explosive Stone Clumps are tossed at them.
The fireball and the clumps connect, exploding; the direction of the smoke and ash is towards the Vulgar Militiamen, stunning them and obscuring their vision.
Godfrey, Tragoth and Gareth plunge through the smoke cloud, with Gareth lagging behind because of his wound. Godfrey and Tragoth slay a few Militiamen, but Gareth is unable to muster the strength to do anything except defend himself.
The Militiamen attempt an orderly retreat, returning to the ceiling again to wear out the Tarnished's strength.
The Prophet, however, throws another fireball, aimed directly behind them; the resulting smoke and heat makes them wary of turning back.
The other Tarnished, through a side movement, slay the Vulgar Militiamen.
The Vulgar Militiamen are caught in a pincer, slaughtered left and right by Tarnished.
The Vulgar Militiamen, in a suicidal act, raise their poison bombs over their head, intending to throw them at their feet.
Millicent, however, has recovered, and cuts them all up.
The remaining Militiamen try to retreat to the nearby lift.
A fireball falls on them, smoting some.
Godfrey and Tragoth then corner them, right before the lift. Godfrey: You fellows want to keep us company?
The Militiamen look behind them, the Tarnished following closely.
They raise their hands in surrender. Militiaman: Fine.
Gareth: You can talk? Militiaman: And piss too, just like you.
Godfrey: Do you have an antidote for your poison? Militiaman: Nah. Militiaman: Whose life are we trying to save?
Gareth: So you're hired by - Militiaman: Morgott, the Veiled Monarch. Militiaman: Who else wouldn't want your lot on Altus?
Godfrey: ... Gareth: Send Yuina down. Gareth: Millicent, are you okay? Millicent: Aye.
Boggart, to Millicent: Crazy constitution on you, girl... Millicent ignores him. Yuina: N-no, I'm fine... Yuina coughs uncontrollably. She is sweaty and her face is flushed. Gareth: Come on now...
Yuina: No. Godfrey: Lass. Godfrey: We can't have people carrying you. Yuina: Who said I need help?
Godfrey shrugs. He has seen many a hot-headed person. Godfrey: Fine. Gareth: ...
Gareth: If you die - Yuina: I've died before.
Gareth: - I'll be upset. Yuina: ...
Yuina: If I don't overcome this, Yuina: then it'll be better if I die.
Yuina leaves, ignoring him.
Gareth, to himself: ...What makes someone give up their life?...
Godfrey: Two dead. Others wounded. Godfrey, to Gareth: You, stay in the back. Godfrey, to Boggart: Boggart, you're in front.
Boggart: Fuck no, chief. Godfrey: I'll return you the favor. Boggart: Whatever.
The Tarnished are on the lift, with the Vulgar Militiamen. Godfrey: Man, Godfrey: Call them.
The Militiamen call out in their own language, for the people above the lift.
The platform is raised up; the Tarnished ascend.
The Tarnished push the Militiamen on the ground, muffling their voices on the platform.
Darkness as the lift ascends the ancient architecture of the ruins.
The Tarnished reach the lift's highest height; around them are more Militiamen and stone-skinned miners, who have exerted themselves to raise the lift.
The Tarnished slaughter the Militiamen; the miners, glazy-eyed, stand and watch.
The Tarnished, then, slaughter all but one of the Militiamen; they gag the last one. Militiaman: Mm-mm-mm! They tie the last one on Gareth's shield.
The vanguard - Godfrey, Tragoth and Boggart - run forward, with the Prophet following closely by. They defend the Prophet, as a giant fireball hums in the Prophet's hand.
At the end of the passageway is a wooden platform, where the Militiamen are gathered around. A statue of worship can be seen here. The Prophet slings the fireball in the center of the Militiamen.
In the smoke and panic, the Tarnished slaughter the Militiamen.
The militiamen drop their poison bombs onto the ground, spilling gas over.
The Tarnished step back; the Prophet readies another spell.
He casts Whirl O Flame; a spiral of flame sweeps the Militiamen, killing those who hadn't succumbed to the toxin.
A few Militiamen attack the march's rear; a Militiaman runs toward Yuina.
A close-up of Yuina's pale, sickened face. Yuina, thinking: I would have no life without Miquella. Yuina: I wouldn't have made it this far, without my god.
Yuina: Then, I won't go any further, without Miquella's blessing! Yuina: I must believe, and believe alone! She raises her sword up.
Her sword is overcome with light.
She cuts the Militiaman in two.
The color and vitality have returned to Yuina's face; she rests on her knee, panting. Gareth, watching: ... Gareth, thinking: The color has returned to her face.
Gareth, thinking: What a strange - A sickle swings to a Tarnished.
Gareth blocks the sickle. Gareth: Woah!
Meilyr grabs the chain of the sickle, pulling the Militiaman toward him.
He then kicks the Militiaman into the far distance. Meilyr: HIYA!
Meilyr, crouching and picking his nose: They're not worth eating, these cretins. Gareth: ...I would imagine.
Meilyr: You promised me a feast, if you recall. Gareth: That's true.
Meilyr: Well, we'll eat in Leyndell, then. Godfrey: They're escaping through that shaft!
Godfrey and Boggart rush through the mine shaft, leading to the open air. The Militiamen are, as he had said, escaping.
They kick toward Godfrey and Boggart a bomb, shaking with fiery energy.
Godfrey knocks Boggart back.
He hugs the bomb to his chest.
It explodes, blowing him backwards.
Boggart hovers over him. Boggart: Marika's tits! You crazy bastard!
The Tarnished stand over Godfrey, concerned; the blast has exposed a layer of tissue and muscle, fringed with blood. It is a truly horrifying sight. Gareth: ... A Tarnished is crying, horrified by it. Boggart: He's dead. Tragoth: ...
Godfrey's finger stirs.
Godfrey: I'm...fine... Boggart: Hell you are!
Godfrey: Heh... I wouldn't be an old dog if I hadn't suffered worse... He tries to sit up. Godfrey: Ahh...
Gareth tears off the cape to his armor; he hands one end to a knight of his. Gareth: Here, we'll bandage you up.
Godfrey: ...I suppose I can't go around wearing a wound like this in front of the troops. Godfrey: Thanks.
Godfrey: Do you want to take command? Gareth: ... Gareth: Your judgment has been keen so far.
Godfrey finally stands up, leaning on his axe. Godfrey: I'm not one to sit around anyway.
Godfrey: Tragoth, Boggart, Meilyr, pursue the stragglers. Godfrey: We'll follow close behind.
Boggart: Alright, chief.
The Tarnished walk out of the mine shaft; outside, one can see the giant statues of the Erdtree Sentinels before the Grand Lift of Dectus, and a large rock formation which I think is where the Church of Inhibition is located. The rest of Liurnia is behind them. Boggart: Too late -
The Vulgar Militiamen are already ascending the lift. Boggart: - they've made their escape. Boggart: And our only way to get up, too.
Gareth: ... Gareth: Meilyr. Meilyr, clenching his club between his teeth: You got it.
Godfrey: Hold on, hold on. Godfrey: You are fine with scaling that?
Gareth: He's done it before. Meilyr, glaring at Gareth: Usually on the promise of a full belly.
Tragoth: I'll go with you. Meilyr: Not too...heavy, you think?
Tragoth: I'll be fine. Tragoth tries to balance himself on the beams of the lift.
Tragoth: See? These are sturdy. Tragoth, careful, tries to support himself properly to raise himself on the slanted beam above. Meilyr gets annoyed.
Meilyr: You're too slow! Meilyr leaps on Tragoth's head and ascends the second beam like a monkey.
Godfrey facepalms. Godfrey: That naked ape is going to get himself killed. Gareth: From what I've seen of 'em, I would be surprised.
Meilyr climbs and climbs.
Meilyr reaches the top, where the Vulgar Militiamen and the stone-skinned Miners are. The Miners are immobile, holding the lift up.
The Vulgar Militiamen pounce on him.
Meilyr kicks them off the lift.
A Vulgar Militiaman crawls on his back, intending to slice his throat.
Meilyr bashes them against the beams of the lift.
Meilyr axe-kicks the arms of a Miner, forcing him to let go of the lift.
The lift descends; Tragoth finally arrives, climbing over the lift.
Tragoth bashes Militiamen and miners alike with his hammer; Meilyr grabs onto the mechanism pulling the lift up.
The rest of the Tarnished ascend.
The Vulgar Militiamen, again, flee, down the wooden scaffolding of the ruins.
Tragoth and other Tarnished pursue them.
As they enter the wooden scaffolding, the Vulgar Militiamen, hanging on the edges of the scaffolding, climb up.
They slice off the Achilles tendon of a Tarnished.
Unable to keep balance, they fall off the ruins.
They fall, screaming in the abyss of the precipice.
Boggart smashes the Militiamen with his Iron Balls. Meilyr also kicks a few off.
The Militiamen retreat even further.
As they head deeper into the ruins, a Giant Bat, overhead, awakens.
The Bat swoops down and eats one of the Militiamen whole.
More Bats arrive. The Militiamen, surrounded by the Tarnished and the Bats, are hesitant.
The Militiamen climb down the wooden scaffolding; they're so small and light they make it look easy.
Tragoth steps on one of the Militiamen's fingers, forcing them to fall down the ruins. He squares himself against a Bat.
He smashes the Bat into a pulp. Other Tarnished join him, as Millicent and the Prophet.
The Bats retreat; they are pursued by Boggart and Meilyr deeper into the ruins. This panel reveals the immensity of the ruins, particularly this area.
Meilyr and Boggart stop dead in their tracks; they see many Bat heads bunched together, staring at them.
Boggart: Come on! Boggart: One damn thing after another! The Bats, now in a larger gang, attack Meilyr and Boggart.
The Prophet throws an immense fireball at the throng of Bats, setting them ablaze and scattering them.
The Tarnished slay the panicked Bats.
With the Bats dead, the Tarnished try to climb the ladder leading even higher in the ruins.
A Harpy swoops down from the heights of the ruins, flying towards the Tarnished climbing the ladder.
The Harpy grabs the Tarnished by the head, and screams in their ears.
The Tarnished, disoriented and in pain, falls, landing on the person below them. Gareth happens to be below them.
Tragoth, above, shoots a crossbow bolt into the Harpy's head, slaying them.
Tragoth: Are you alright?! The Tarnished recover, trying to get up. Gareth, shouting: I...I think so. Gareth is touching his sides; his ribs may be broken. Gareth: Ow...
Gareth moves his hand, which was under the falling Tarnished's head; he has blood and brain matter smeared on it. Gareth: Oh...
More Harpies swoop down, attacking Gareth and the Tarnished who have not ascended yet.
Godfrey slams his axe against one of them, reducing them to a pulp on the ground.
Blood leaks from Godfrey's wound; clearly, it pains him to move vigorously. Godfrey: We're almost at the top. Godfrey: Heart, now!
The Tarnished fight off the Harpies; some Tarnished try to climb the ladder, with Tragoth and the Prophet supporting them.
The Tarnished now on the higher level, they maneuver through the ruins with more Harpies gathering around them.
One of the Harpies sweep by, cutting their talons against Gareth's face. Gareth: Ah!
The Harpy belches, letting loose noxious gas into Gareth's face.
Gareth, disoriented, retches. Millicent cuts the Harpy in half.
Millicent, in the Harpy's breath: Hmm. Smells like home. The Prophet, in the background, is burning Harpies.
Harpies overhead throw Large Glintstone Scraps down on the Prophet.
The Scraps shatter on the ground, releasing glintstone fragments against the Prophet's body. The Prophet cringes. (I know this diverges from how Large Glintstone Scraps works in the game, but I can't think of an easy, simply reason that the magical bolts home on the player - nor what "magical bolts" are, from a standpoint of physics.)
Meilyr leaps onto the ladder above and bonks the Harpies on the heads.
Tragoth lays the Prophet down.
Tragoth removes the Prophet's shirt, revealing all the shards in the Prophet's flesh. Tragoth: Hell...
He tries to pull them out, but the Prophet flinches.
The Prophet tries to push Tragoth off, and stands on his own. Tragoth: ... Godfrey: Tragoth, we have to move.
Godfrey: I think we're almost at the peak. Godfrey: We can lick our wounds there.
The Tarnished climb another ladder.
At the top of the ladder, the Tarnished can see the Harpies singing in harmony.
From their lament, one can see the air become sinister, and grieving, vengeful spirits swirl around the Tarnished's head.
The Prophet, limping on one side, conjures an immense fireball.
The vengeful spirits rush toward the Tarnished; the Prophet throws the fireball against the spate of them.
The Harpies are set ablaze, shrieking in the inferno.
Gareth, his face scarred, blocks the spirits from reaching the Tarnished; like gas, they deflect off his greatshield.
The vengeful spirits, in spite of the Harpies dying, continue; the Tarnished cut them apart.
A vengeful spirit enters a Tarnished; they are overcome with woe. Tarnished: Ohh... Ohh...
The Tarnished raises their thumbs into the air. Gareth: Don't!
The Tarnished gouges their eyes with their fingers.
The Tarnished perishes. Another spirit chases Yuina.
The horde of spirits knock Yuina backwards, disarming her.
A spirit enters into her; she screams, filled with the spirit's resentment. She claws her face and her eyes bleed.
Gareth pushes off the remaining spirits, who dissipate.
Gareth picks Yuina up. Gareth: Are you okay? She looks exhausted.
Yuina: Yes... Yuina: If only because of gold.
The way being clear, they look at the lift in front of them. Godfrey: Another damn lift... Godfrey: Couldn't they put a ladder here? Meilyr: I can see the stoneskins up there.
Gareth turns, revealing the hostage Vulgar Militiaman tied to his back. Gareth: Can you do anything about them?
Militiaman: Fine. Militiaman: I admire your tenacity.
Militiaman: But, untie me afterwards. Gareth: No tricks. Militiaman: Sure.
Militiaman, in a different language, shouts an order at the miners. The Tarnished are standing on the lift.
The miners comply, raising the Tarnished up.
At the top, Gareth unties the Militiaman from his back. Gareth: As part of our deal. Militiaman: Thanks.
Militiaman, pointing to the cave nearby: That's where the final lift is. Militiaman: It's by pulley, so you can operate it yourself.
Gareth: You're not going to stop us? Militiaman: The fact that you made it this high, means we failed, means our lives are forfeit to Morgott. Militiaman: We've no choice but to pack up.
Militiaman: Water drips into the cave; you should rest in there. Gareth: Thank you. Gareth: ...If I pay you, will you act as a messenger? Militiaman: No. The Militiaman leaves.
After the Tarnished's struggles they can see, from the cliff, Liurnia below their feet, wrapped in mist; the Grand Lift of Dectus is shown fully now, including both cavalry statues and other statues of guardians at the gate. Godfrey: A third of us dead, Godfrey: and another third wounded. Godfrey: But, I think this is it.
Gareth: Who will we send back? And how? Godfrey: Man, half my stomach was blown out. Godfrey: Let me rest, and we'll discuss tactics after.
They enter the cave. The ruins of what I think is an ancient aqueduct is revealed to the Tarnished. The air is cool and moist, with some pockets of light overhead. The crumbling pillars and the waterway to the west makes one think this was built by an ancient civilization - and, based on the vegetation growing over the masonry, now forgotten. Millicent: Wow. Millicent: Who do you think built this? Boggart: Someone with far too much time.
Godfrey, the Prophet, and Yuina rest. Meilyr drinks the water at the ruins' bottom. Meilyr: Wonderful. I'm parched.
Gareth moves to the back of the room. Gareth: Ah, the lift must be there.
Godfrey's ears prick.
Godfrey: Wait, Gareth...
Godfrey: Gareth. Gareth! Something heavy stirs in the room. Gareth pauses.
An immense hand, covered in black scales, reveals itself behind the aqueduct.
A giant beast emerges from the aqueduct, its mouth foaming with magma. It is the size of the a troll - its length is probably that of the aqueduct - and it is covered in hard, black scales. It has the countenance of a dragon, with shriveled, flightless wings on its back. This is Magma Wyrm Makar.