Chapter Summaries

Unas killed Lucifron after a desperate fight on the lava sea, but he lost consciousness and drifted away from the island. Meanwhile, the human forces defeated the Flamewakers and learned what had happened to the missing Warden, though they had no way to search for him.

• Unas endured Lucifron’s ambush, grabbed the Flamewaker chief by its tail, and spun it before smashing it against a reef.
• Unas killed Lucifron with Firekiss, saw that his experience had reached only 76%, then passed out and drifted across the lava sea.
• Angela built an ice fortress while Marcus led the gathered fighters in routing the Flamewakers; Nightmoon returned with her pursuers, who were routed too.
• The Flamewakers found Lucifron’s corpse and, after learning that humans had invaded, launched a failed attack on the fortress.
• The human forces captured most of the Flamewakers and killed those who fled, but could not find Unas.
• Natasha extracted the prisoners’ memories and revealed what had happened to Unas, while Huoye insisted his fire protection mixture would keep the Warden alive.

Bri Cinder fished Unas out of the lava and sold him into slavery under Holder Blackbeard, who branded and whipped him before sending him to the Black Furnace. Unas was then imprisoned with Morebi Ironmountain, from whom he began learning about his situation in Blackrock Depths.

• Bri Cinder hauled Unas from the lava, took his jeweled sword, and dragged him home to sell him.
• Holder Blackbeard claimed Unas as his property and had him branded after Unas refused to submit.
• Blackbeard ordered Unas whipped and sent to the Black Furnace, and his men locked him in a cage and transported him to a dark cave.
• Unas noticed that his wounds were healing but his strength had not returned, and he questioned why he had been captured.
• Morebi Ironmountain introduced himself as a captured soldier, and Unas asked him about Blackrock Depths, Blackbeard, and the Black Furnace.

Unas learned that he had been captured and was being sent to the dangerous Black Furnace, where he met the imprisoned Dark Iron Dwarf Ironmountain and learned that his treasured sword and ring had been taken. The prisoners and their guards arrived at the mine’s entrance, where rival groups of soldiers nearly clashed before Emperor Thaurissan’s order stopped them.

• Ironmountain explained the Black Furnace’s deadly conditions and told Unas how he had been captured while serving Mountain Lord Rendaen.
• Unas and Ironmountain agreed to help each other, and Ironmountain explained that their weakened state came from a potion that would wear off.
• Unas discovered that his Firekiss and Fire Ring were missing, and Ironmountain said the sword would likely reach a collector or the royal treasury while the ring could have gone anywhere.
• Dark Iron soldiers transported Unas, Ironmountain, and an injured Orc through the tunnels to a hall surrounding the sealed mine shaft.
• Unas realized that he had been branded with his master’s mark as rival soldiers threatened to attack Blackbeard’s guards, but Thaurissan’s ban on fighting forced both sides to back down.

Unas was sent down a shaft into an underground hot spring, where Hart and other humans rescued him and learned he was a Paladin from Lordaeron. After explaining the mine’s dangers and group rules, Hart led the humans toward their gathering area, while Tieshan departed with the Dwarves.

• The Dwarves opened the iron gate and forced Unas down a dark shaft, where he slowed his fall with a spear and landed in a hot spring.
• A Dark Iron Dwarf shoved Unas away, but Hart swam over and helped him reach the shore.
• Unas introduced himself as a Paladin of the Argent Dawn and used Sacred Shield to demonstrate his Holy Light magic, while avoiding questions about how he had arrived.
• Rams asked Unas to heal Uncle Sam’s broken leg, but Hart stopped him and explained that humans had to travel in groups of at least five for safety.
• Tieshan left with the Dark Iron Dwarves, and the other two human slaves arrived; Hart then led the humans toward their gathering area.

Unas treated Sam’s badly infected broken leg and learned how Black Furnace’s slaves were divided into rival gangs by their owners. Rams then brought Unas to meet Riedel, the Blackbeard Gang’s human leader, where a guard mocked the claim that Unas was a Paladin.

• Rams led Unas to Sam, a wounded miner who doubted Unas was a Paladin.
• Unas reset Sam’s broken leg, cut away the dead flesh, cauterized the wound with gunpowder, and used Holy Light and buffs to help him recover.
• Rams explained that the mine’s slaves belonged to four owner-marked groups that competed for ore, while humans joined together for protection and formed smaller gangs.
• Unas learned that his Blackbeard mark meant he belonged to the Blackbeard Gang, while Rams belonged to Coldsteel.
• Rams took Unas to Riedel’s cave, where a guard recognized him as the new Paladin and laughed at the claim.

Unas entered Riedel’s cave and fought the three mercenary brothers after demanding to be their boss. He left them convinced he could defeat them easily at full strength, while his injuries and the effects of the drug still limited him.

• Unas dodged the guards’ attacks, knocked them down, and entered the cave after Rams fled back to work.
• Riedel invited Unas to join his brotherhood and described the scars he and his two brothers had earned as mercenaries.
• Unas said he would join only if he could be the boss, prompting Riedel’s brothers to attack him.
• Unas used his buffs and Sacred Shield to hold his own against all three brothers, and Riedel stopped the third brother from bringing weapons into the fight.
• Unas claimed the drug had reduced his strength to thirty percent and pointed to his back wound, making the three brothers lose their will to fight.

Unas formed a temporary alliance with Riedel and learned how Blackbeard’s human slaves were exploited and why escape was so difficult. He vowed to save the slaves, then settled into the White Cave to rest while considering his next move.

• Unas claimed leadership after defeating Riedel’s group, but agreed to a temporary alliance when Riedel offered guidance and cooperation.
• Riedel showed Unas the storeroom and explained how Half-Face collected ore and food while extracting protection fees from the slaves.
• Riedel explained that trading day opened the only passage out, but guards and Dark Iron Dwarf mages made escape attempts deadly.
• Unas rejected Riedel’s advice to abandon thoughts of resistance and vowed to save the slaves.
• Quinn escorted Unas to the White Cave, where Unas asked about their weapons and later accepted grain delivered by the watchdog.

After recovering from his injuries, Unas met the human leaders of four mining groups and heard their plan to reclaim a dark iron vein from the Smolderthorn Trolls. He suspected Riedel wanted to use him as a weapon and leave him exposed to danger.

• Unas woke after sleeping for more than twenty hours, recovered his strength, and went to meet Riedel.
• Riedel introduced Unas to Luther, Frank, and Bas, the human leaders of the Coldsteel, Angerforge, and Firerock groups.
• Riedel explained that the Smolderthorn Trolls and Blackrock Orcs had seized a dark iron vein discovered by Luther's men.
• Riedel proposed taking back the vein while the Blackrock Orcs were away, and Unas suspected Riedel was trying to get rid of him.
• Luther, Frank, and Bas were tempted by the plan because trading dark iron could provide much-needed food for their people.

Unas joined a tense discussion about taking a dark iron mine, then inspected the mining area and agreed to heal injured workers. After demonstrating his Paladin magic to the miners, he followed Rams to find the wounded.

• Riedel urged Frank, Luther, and Bas to seize the mine, claiming Boss Half-Face would help in exchange for half the dark iron, but Bas warned the deal was dangerous.
• Unas declined to weigh in on their plans and said he would fight for his people, then went to inspect the mining area.
• Unas saw slaves from Coldsteel, Angerforge, and Firerock mining dark iron, and Rams hurried over to ask about Sam's recovery.
• Rams asked Unas to treat other injured miners, and Unas agreed to go with him.
• When the foreman questioned whether Unas was truly a Paladin, Unas cast Blessing of Might on him, Rams, and nearby workers before setting off with Rams.

Unas treated injured slaves, learned about the factions and dangers in the mine, and decided to become the humans’ leader by defeating Half-Face and eventually the Smolderthorn Trolls. After Guluo challenged his claim to be a Paladin, Unas reached Blackbeard’s mining face and ordered the tunnel to the Trolls’ territory opened so he could guard it.

• Unas healed several injured slaves and learned from Hart and the other young men about the human factions, the Trolls, and Half-Face’s influence.
• Unas resolved to become the humans’ leader, overthrow Half-Face, and begin by confronting the Smolderthorn Trolls.
• Guluo questioned whether Unas was a real Paladin and challenged him to a fight, but Hart and the others held Guluo and his companion back.
• Unas suspected someone might be using Guluo to undermine him, then went with the slaves to Blackbeard’s mining face.
• Unas learned the tunnel was blocked because Trolls raided the humans and ordered the foreman to open it, declaring that he would guard the passage.

Unas lured and killed several Trolls in the narrow passage, then helped the humans defend its entrance when a larger group arrived. After leveling up and restoring his strength, he charged into the tunnel with his shield and Reckoning, but retreated when the Trolls proved too tough to kill with impact alone.

• Unas guarded the passage, ignored the foreman's warning, and entered the Trolls' side to scout the terrain.
• Unas tricked a Troll with a bag of fluorescent wheat and killed it with his iron spear and Silver Hammers.
• Unas killed four more Trolls in the tunnel, gained experience, and retreated with their corpses as a larger group approached.
• Unas warned the humans, and the foreman sounded the alarm as Blackbeard's slaves gathered to throw rocks at the advancing Trolls.
• Unas held the entrance, killed three Trolls while taking injuries, and leveled up, restoring his strength and stamina.
• Unas charged into the tunnel and unleashed his stored Reckoning, then retreated when the Trolls survived the impact.

After killing eight Trolls, Unas faced a tense standoff between the human slaves and the Burning Thorn Tribe. He pushed Riedel to renegotiate for a duel with Jinsai, leaving the chapter with Unas confident he would win.

• Unas learned Lay on Hands, then waited at the cave entrance after killing Trolls and arming himself with their gear.
• Riedel and the other bosses arrived, and Unas claimed he had taken the weapons while scouting; Frank identified Firekiss as the Flame Knight's weapon, and Unas admitted he was the Flame Knight's successor.
• Unas boasted that he had killed eight Trolls, inspiring the human slaves to shout that the Holy Light would prevail.
• Riedel returned from negotiating with Jinsai and said the Trolls would withdraw if the humans returned the five bodies, but Unas refused and proposed a duel instead.
• Riedel renegotiated, and Jinsai agreed to fight Unas, demanding that the humans compensate the Trolls for their eight dead if he won.

Unas defeated the Troll leader Jinsai in a brutal duel, then used his victory to rally the human slaves against the Trolls. He armed the first volunteers and led them in pursuit of the retreating Trolls.

• Jinsai emerged after using the Trolls' Blood Sacrifice Method, and he and Unas began fighting immediately.
• Jinsai's berserk strength overwhelmed Unas at first, but Unas activated his invincibility and battered him with Silver Hammers.
• When the shield's protection ended, Jinsai kept fighting despite his shattered body, so Unas used Divine Protection and attacked again.
• Unas flew above Jinsai and drove a greatsword through his skull, killing him as his accumulated injuries took effect.
• Unas called on the slaves to follow him and kill Trolls, and Luther and others answered his call.
• Unas distributed spare weapons to the volunteers and led them after the retreating Trolls.

Unas led the humans to defeat the Smolderthorn Trolls, capturing most of the tribe and taking its mines and supplies. After leveling up and gaining Divine Storm, he gathered the leaders to decide the prisoners’ fate and ordered half of them killed.

• After Jinsai’s death, Unas led the humans through the passage, where he, Luther, and Hart held off the trolls and broke their resistance.
• The trolls surrendered as their forces collapsed, and Unas continued the pursuit through the eastern mines until the humans captured the tribe’s living quarters.
• Unas reached Paladin level 33, learned Divine Storm, and had his people seize the trolls’ ore and food before locking up the eighty-nine prisoners.
• Unas asked his leaders whether to kill the captured trolls; Frank argued they were needed as laborers, while Bas supported killing them all.
• Unas dismissed the concern that the Blackrock Orcs might retaliate and decided to kill half the prisoners.

Unas executed Troll prisoners to gain experience, leveling up and learning Righteous Shield Strike, then stopped the killings to prioritize securing the mining area. He distributed the Trolls’ food and ore among his allies while keeping Riedel under watch over his secret informant.

• Unas ordered Luther to sharpen saw blades, Bas to bring him strong male Trolls, and Frank to guard the entrances and residential area.
• Unas questioned Riedel about his report of a Blackrock Orc attack and demanded the identity of his informant, while Riedel refused to reveal it.
• Unas beheaded Troll prisoners until he reached level 34 and learned Righteous Shield Strike, then halted the executions to focus on holding the mining area.
• Unas had Riedel and his brothers carry the executed Trolls and battle casualties to the storeroom, while Luther secretly watched Riedel for signs of escape.
• Unas distributed the Trolls’ stored food and ore among the leaders’ groups and ordered them to guard the entrances and exits.

Unas uncovered Riedel’s betrayal and survived his attempt to drown him in a flooded cave. After killing Riedel’s brothers and followers, he forced Riedel to reveal a shared hidden stash in the Troll territory and took its weapons and supplies.

• Unas patrolled the mining faces, dismissed his exhausted men, and heard Riedel confess that Jinsai had helped him plot against Unas and expose the Dark Iron Vein.
• Riedel lured Unas into a secret cave, blocked the entrance, and opened gaps in the walls to flood it with hot spring water.
• Unas smashed through the cave wall and escaped as the cave collapsed, then killed Riedel’s followers and brothers and broke Riedel’s legs.
• Unas forced Riedel to lead him to the hidden storeroom he had shared with Jinsai in the Troll territory.
• Unas took the provisions and weapons from the stash and left the remaining goods for the sentries.

After executing Riedel, Unas consolidated the human forces in Black Furnace and learned about the growing power of Torbjorn and the looming conflict with the Orcs. Half-Face sent an Ogre named Isaac to eat the Troll corpses, signaling that he accepted the humans’ victory and would likely recognize Unas if he showed obedience.

• Unas executed Riedel, then reorganized the human miners and formed a guard, assigning Luther to train the soldiers, Bas to scout, and Frank to oversee production.
• Frank explained that Torbjorn controlled Black Furnace’s armory and had become the strongest faction leader, while a war between the Orcs and Dwarves seemed imminent.
• A messenger reported that Half-Face had sent an Ogre named Isaac to meet Unas, and Frank explained that the envoy suggested Half-Face was prepared to accept him.
• Isaac demanded Troll meat, so Unas led him to the corpses, where the Ogre ate eagerly and promised to put in a good word with Half-Face.
• Frank told Unas that Half-Face would not avenge Riedel or Jinsai and would acknowledge Unas if he showed obedience at the right time.

Unas traded the Troll corpses to Isaac’s Ogre clan for food and took Isaac’s spiked club after defeating him. He then went with Frank to meet Half-Face in the Dark Iron Dwarves’ settlement, while the guards returned to protect Unas’s territory.

• Isaac ate three Trolls and agreed to take the remaining corpses, but told Unas that Half-Face controlled the weapons and wanted to meet him.
• Unas challenged Isaac, dodged his sneak attack, and beat him until the Ogre surrendered; Unas took Isaac’s spiked club in exchange for the Troll meat.
• Unas ordered his guards to carry more than eighty Troll corpses to the Ogre lair, where Chief Ulak welcomed the group and offered a feast.
• A messenger from Half-Face invited Unas to meet him, and Unas sent the guards back despite Luther’s objections, making Luther’s appointment as captain official.
• Unas and Frank followed the messenger toward Half-Face’s cave in the Dark Iron Dwarves’ settlement.

Unas defeated Rejiya and Ka De'er in an unarmed fight, impressing Half-Face with his Divine Storm. Half-Face then took Unas to a hidden armory and offered him weapons and armor for his people.

• Half-Face welcomed Unas and let Rejiya and Ka De'er challenge him to a fight without weapons.
• Unas used Divine Storm to knock both Trolls down in seconds.
• Half-Face praised Unas's strength and sent everyone else away to speak with him alone.
• Half-Face said he would not use Unas's human followers against him and proposed that they become friends.
• Half-Face led Unas through a locked iron door into a hidden armory and told him to choose whatever weapons and armor he wanted.

Unas accepted Half-Face’s weapons and agreed to lead an assault squad in a secret alliance’s attack on Torbjorn’s Arsenal. After returning to human territory, he asked Frank to find an Orc who had once tried to escape, then studied a map of the Arsenal’s routes.

• Unas took weapons and shields from Half-Face’s armory, and Half-Face revealed a joint operation against Torbjorn’s Arsenal and recruited him to lead its assault squad.
• Unas asked to bring fewer human soldiers, and Half-Face appointed him captain with Isaac as his deputy for an attack planned after the week’s trading day.
• Unas returned to human territory with Frank, who described a female Orc’s failed escape attempt and explained that detection barriers now guarded the passage.
• Unas told Frank he could fly and promised to return for him if he escaped, then asked Frank to find the female Orc in the Southern District.
• Unas distributed weapons and shields to his soldiers, ordered them to train, and studied Half-Face’s map of the routes around Torbjorn’s Arsenal.