Battle the Covetous Demon and Mytha the Baneful Queen, as the end game draws near.

Head up the stairs and kill the poison enemy above, then take down the one in the alcove on the middle of the stairs. Go to the top and fight three more enemies then drop into the alcove and claim the Skeptic's Spice.

Go back up the stairs and jump to the platform below and kill the enemies, then go through the doorway on the left avoiding the square lever on the ground (step on it and you'll get hit by arrows). Fight the two enemies and head to the alcove on the left for a Soul of a Nameless Soldier and three Titanite Shards on the right. Open the coffer to find a Heavy Crossbow +3 and 15 Heavy Bolts.

Now go back to the ledge and jump to the stairs on the left. In the room, climb the ladder on the right and go back around and up the stairs to the platform you jumped from. Up the stairs on the right and through the room on the left you'll fight four enemies. There's a coffer here but it's triggered with poison. Inside is a torch. Go through the mist for a boss battle.

Boss Battle: Covetous Demon
Reward: Covetous Demon Soul

This is one of the easiest boss battles in the game - stay to either side of the demon just beyond its arm. When it moves towards you you will automatically move and its arm will be in the way. When the demon shifts to the other side put up your shield or back away. Because it's shifting its weight it's about to roll in your direction. Block the attack and it will suck up all your stamina. Continue to attack the demon, but save some stamina in order to block, and you should have this fight finished in no time.

Now go through the doorway on the side and up the stairs for a bonfire and to meet Lucatiel. Speak to her and you'll get the Ring of Steel Protection +1. Go up to the next room on the left and fight the three enemies for a Radiant Lifegem.

Go through the doorway and over the bridge. Stop at the giant gear and fight the mage knight, using the gear to block any arrows from the archers. Go into the room ahead and right into the hallway. Pull the lever and go down the stairs to fight the enemy on the right. in a chest to the left at the end is a Pike. No go back to the room and approach the ladder at the end. Two enemies will drop down so be prepared to take them out.

At the top of the ladder is another enemy to kill, then a mist door that leads to a bonfire. As well as lighting the fire, light a torch and head back to the makeshift ramp on the right that goes to the windmill. If you now set fire to the windmill it sucks all the poison out of the area.

At the top of the next stairs are three Black Firebombs. There's another pressure plate on the ground here so don't tread on it or you'll trigger a trap. Head to the left to fight the enemy and take the Manikin Mask then go over to the balcony.

Kill the enemy on the balcony and break the railing to walk to the ledge on the left to meet Laddersmith Gillian. Buy the ladder from him for 2000 souls and use it to go to the area below for a Pharros' Lockstone and Twinkling Titanite. You'll be able to find Gillian in Majula now, and he can sell you a ladder for the large well if you haven't gone down there.

Go back to the balcony and chop down the railing at the end for a Simpleton's Spice. Pull the lever and a platform raises to the right. Under it you'll find a Soul of a Proud Knight and a Divine Blessing. When the platform returns pull the lever again and stand on the platform to go up to a coffer with a Mirrah Shield.

Go back down on the platform and climb the ladder to the next platform, then down the hallway to the right and speak to the man in the room below. Go back up the hallway and fight the mage knight being careful around the poison pots. Go up the stairs to the left and kill another mage knight and two pyromancers. Open the coffer (it's trapped with poison) and take the Pharros' Lockstone.

Now go back to the stairs and carry straight on to fight a pyromancer using a ranged attack. You now have to do a very tricky last minute jump to a platform. There's a Radiant Lifegem here and a coffer with a Soul of a Brave Warrior and Crimson Water. Drop to the platform below of a Poison Broadsword and Human Effigy, then jump across to the platform against the wall, go left and up the stairs and you're back on the floor you originally entered the area..

Now go all the way back to area with the ladder in the middle that leads to the balcony. Go up and into the hallway on the left - there's a pot in it - go up the stairs on the left and fight the mage knight and kill the pyromancers near the pots. Go around the corner and up the stairs to fight another pyromancer.

There are two more mage knights guarding the path to the boss, but firstly go up the stairs on the wall near the middle of the room. There are poison pots here which you can destroy, and then kill he poison bugs that are behind the pots. Don't be tempted to open the chest, but pick up the Smooth & Silky Stone and then kill the chest for Dark Gauntlets and a Work Hook.

Go up the next set of stairs and fight the invader for Brigand Gauntlets +5. At the end of the hallway is a hidden button the right. Go there and interact with it and you'll find a bonfire behind the wall. Light it, then head to the other side of the platform for a chest containing a Petrified Something. Now you can go back downstairs and fight the two mage knights before picking up the Poison Stone. Now go through the mist for another boss fight, this time with Mytha.

Boss Battle: Mytha, the Baneful Queen
Reward: Mytha, the Baneful Queen Soul

Obviously keep clear of the poison around the outer edge of the battlefield and stay close to Mytha unless she gets to close to the poison. (If there's poison everywhere it means you haven't set fire to the windmill, which you should go and do immediately).

Mytha uses a spear attack with a three-hit combo and a full body spin at close range. These can be blocked at the cost of moderate stamina loss but she's also quick so you won't be able to get many counter attacks in. She will back away and unleash one of two attacks. She will either dash at you with a spear that can be blocked or evaded left or right, or she uses a magic attack using her head. When Mythat's head begins to glow move quickly to the left or right and dodge as the attack happens.

Staying close to Mytha allows you to avoid the majority of attacks, but again, be careful of the poison and that she will back away.

Once Mytha is dead go through the doorway and up the stairs to use a lift, then through the doorway to reach the Iron Keep.

Back to Dark Souls 2 walkthrough: a complete guide to all locations and bosses