Two friends, Richard and David, survive a deadly hunt one night. Each returns to their daily life with a heavy heart and deep emotional scars. Richard returns to his mother and sister, and spends his days making sacrifices, turning his back on the life he believes he wants to do right by his family in the wake of his father's death, even though he detests the thought of spending the rest of his life as a village blacksmith. David wanders the countryside sharing an embellished version of the deadly hunt's events in an attempt to gain a reputation, a few drinks, and some companionship to help him through the night. Thanks to his burgeoning reputation he starts down a dark life path. When a sorceress hears the embellished story, she sends messengers out for the two men and brings them back together. Through thinly veiled threats and a grandiose promise, she coerces the two to undertake a journey to eliminate a hated rival to bring a long lived grudge to an end.