A long time ago, the small kingdom of Vittoria (???? Bythol in the PSP version's Japanese localization, Berimya in the SNES version's English localization) was built around a lofty tower, which pierced the sky. The people of the city, guarded by a mighty Dragon, lived in peace and abundance. However, King Bistalle (Berebus), the ruler of Vittoria, desired to expand his kingdom and ordered the scholars to research the Tower. Soon he was brought a tome written in an ancient language. As they were deciphering the tome, some scholars feared that they might be laying their hands on the forbidden knowledge of the ancients. The tome reads, "The Great Guardian of Vittoria, the Dragon, and the Essence of Power lies in the top of the Tower; the one who possesses the Essence will possess all." Undaunted by these otherwise ominous words, Vittoria decided to make this Essence of Power his own. He secretly organized an army which soon attacked the Tower and overwhelmed the Dragon. But as Bistalle grasped at the Essence of Power, the Dragon gave up its own life to destroy it. The Essence, losing control, transformed the King into a hideous monster and sank the entire kingdom of Vittoria, including the great tower, under the ground. All people on the surface forgot about Vittoria and the Tower in its center, and a thousand years passed. One day, a swordsman named Ares (????????? Ares Toraernos[5] / Varik) is pursued by his nemesis, the sorceress Dela Delon (???????, transliterated as Dora Doran in The Dark Revenant to match the katakana and renamed Alexis in the English SNES version[3]) who seeks revenge for his slaying of her master. When Dela catches up with Ares and attacks, her magic causes the ground beneath them collapsed and both fall into the cursed Ruins of Vittoria. The player assumes the role of Ares and must escape from the dangerous ruin, with the vengeful Dela constantly in pursuit of him. She is also interested in escaping the maze herself and the two meet repeatedly. Whether or not Ares helps her in peril during the certain late events of the game, the ending changes slightly.