Two thousand years ago in Central America a battle was waged between Totec, the Guardian of the Light, and Xolotl, the Keeper of Darkness. Totec's army was defeated but he survived the battle and found a way to imprison Xolotl in the mirror of smoke and become its immortal guardian in the form of a stone statue. In the present day, Lara Croft reads of the legend and attempts to finds the mirror. While examining it, she is caught unaware by a band of mercenaries that, led by the local warlord, followed her into the temple. The warlord takes it from Lara and unintentionally releases Xolotl. Totec comes to life and he and Lara must stop Xolotl before the light of dawn.