>swordsman enters a land that's being taken over by darkness, vows to free it
>teams up with a soft spoken mage woman
>both come closer together as they purify the land
>they topple the force threatening land
>mage woman is struck down by the one leading this force
>swordsman smites him and vows to protect the land to make sure no one has to suffer this again

then afterwards, in another game
>set decades after first events from above, land is once again besieged, being covered by a mist
>a new swordsman comes to free the land
>teams up with a kobold who tries to pickpocket him originally, after saving his life the former thief vows to stay with him
>friendship forms as they free the land
>last area is a fortress where the swordsman goes in alone
>finds the old swordsman in the middle of the fortress, turns out he was the source of it
>explains how he was aging, gave into temptation but sealed himself away before he could turn further
>only way to save him and the land is to kill the old swordsman
>final fight starts, boss' life gauge is the life meter from the previous game
>you're forced to strike down and kill the last protagonist from the first game to keep him from turning further