Chapter Summaries

After awakening Unstable Precognition, Ailin glimpsed a vision involving Senne, War Beasts, and a threat to Kaer Morhen, then dealt with Mary’s request to join the mission to rescue Henn Gedimidis. He demonstrated a network of simple flesh rituals that created an Eye of True Knowledge, but a Crystal Bird arrived before he could explain further.

• Ailin awakened the Unstable Precognition talent and recognized Senne in a vision about War Beasts, Long-ears, and freaks.
• Mary asked Ailin to persuade Vesemir to let her join the rescue mission, and Ailin agreed only to put in a good word.
• Ailin reflected that Philippa Eilhart was better suited to the dangerous mission and worried that Tissaia de Vries might be seeking a replacement for her.
• Ailin inspected Mary’s ritual array, invoked Manifest the True Moon, and used it to reveal a distant Rock Troll through an Eye of True Knowledge.
• A Crystal Bird fluttered down as Ailin prepared to explain the connected rituals to Mary.

After Francesca Findabair sent a desperate warning about Ban Ard’s undead assault and plague, Ailin rushed to help the Free Elves and sent them the Specter Oil recipe. He weighed the danger of intervening against Ban Ard and the Rissberg Civil Conglomerate, just as the system announced that the Elder Power had finished being absorbed.

• Ailin received Francesca Findabair’s urgent account of Ban Ard’s necromancy, poisoned rivers, and the Free Elves’ mounting losses.
• Ailin sent the Free Elves the Specter Oil recipe, then hurried to Kaer Morhen to prepare a ritual.
• Ailin warned two apprentices to inspect everyone entering Kaer Morhen for disguises and illusions.
• Ailin concluded that the Free Elves needed saving but doubted the School of the Wolf could withstand Ban Ard and the Rissberg Civil Conglomerate.
• The system notified Ailin that the Elder Power had finished being absorbed.

Soyer, Vera, and the Witcher Masters discussed the refugees, a plea from Himeles Findabair, and the danger of the Free Elves’ coming war. As they debated sending help and handling Rado, Aristo confronted Soyer for placing Kaer Morhen’s burdens on Ailin, and a knock interrupted the argument.

• Vesemir reported that the refugee crisis had stabilized and that Ernie and Klar were helping keep order in Kaer village.
• Aristo read Himeles Findabair’s letter asking the School of the Wolf to shelter some Free Elves if they broke through, and Soyer and Vera argued over the Mountain Folk’s history.
• Vesemir warned that Ailin must not learn about the Free Elves’ plight, but Vera explained that Adda of Vengerberg had borrowed Ailin’s message bird, so he would find out eventually.
• The group agreed that Soyer and Vera would go to help the Free Elves, while Vesemir and Dante warned that Rado’s presence was attracting spies and could pull Kaer Morhen into political trouble.
• Soyer said Ailin would handle the situation, and Aristo angrily accused him of abandoning his duties and placing too much responsibility on a fourteen-year-old.
• Someone knocked on the door of the lord’s hall as Soyer began to answer Aristo.

Ailin explained that Philippa Eilhart would take Rado off the School of the Wolf’s hands, then revealed his prophecy that Senne would attack Kaer Morhen with War Beasts. He announced he was going down the mountain that night, and Dante was left alone with Soyer to ask how he had gotten Lady Vesemir pregnant.

• Ailin told the gathered leaders that Philippa Eilhart was arranging for Rado to leave with her, and they agreed to let her take him in exchange for a favor.
• Ailin warned Vesemir, Aristo, and Dante that Senne planned to attack Kaer Morhen with War Beasts, but said the school would be ready.
• Ailin announced that he was going down the mountain that night, and Vesemir and the others failed to persuade him to stay.
• After Ailin left, Aristo and Vesemir went to attend to their duties while Dante stayed behind with Soyer.
• Dante furtively asked Soyer how he had gotten Lady Vesemir pregnant.

Ailin hunted the necrophages near Kaer village and learned that the boy the witchers hoped to take in was Eskel. After seeing a fleeting vision of Eskel as a scarred adult witcher, Ailin left the village to pursue an undisclosed mission.

• Ernie told Ailin that the witchers had found a bereaved boy who wanted to become a witcher, and Ailin instructed him to explain the trials and consider other homes for orphans.
• Ailin slaughtered the ghouls and rotfiends, then told Ernie to return with others to collect the monsters’ materials for points.
• Ailin learned that the boy in the village was named Eskel and saw a vision of him as a scarred adult witcher.
• Ailin declined to approach Eskel, said he had seen what he wanted, and rode out of Kaer village as the sun set.

Ailin reached Passerlon Forest and weighed how to disrupt Ban Ard’s siege of the Free Elves without making their situation worse. Meanwhile, Sorcerers Shaquille and Valerius began sneaking into Kaer Morhen, where the Killer Trail’s traps lay between them and their destination.

• Ailin slaughtered a horde of ghouls after teleporting into Passerlon Forest, then used the stars to orient himself toward the Free Elves’ camp.
• A system notification recorded Ailin’s low-rated subjugation and marked his ghoul and rotfiend hunting quests ready to complete.
• Ailin reached Ban Ard’s camp and considered using Planetary Alignment to destroy its supplies, but worried the summoned monsters would scatter and fail to break the blockade.
• Shaquille and Valerius emerged from a portal near Kaer Morhen, turned invisible, and watched the empty Killer Trail before Shaquille led them onto it.
• Shaquille warned Valerius that portals could reveal them to witchers and carefully guided him through the trail’s traps toward Kaer Morhen.

Valerius and Shaquille watched Kaer Morhen while plotting to sneak inside and unleash the Rissberg Civil Conglomerate’s War Beasts, but they found the fortress more heavily guarded than expected. Meanwhile, Ailin infiltrated Ban Ard’s military camp and followed a corpse-strewn trail into the mountains, where he uncovered a horrifying scene.

• Valerius asked Shaquille whether the War Beasts could defeat Soyer, and Shaquille explained that Senne wanted the School of the Wolf to suffer devastating losses.
• Shaquille and Valerius spotted guards at Kaer Morhen’s gate and decided to wait for someone to leave so Valerius could use illusions to help them sneak inside.
• Ailin crossed Ban Ard’s military camp unnoticed and entered the forest beyond it.
• Ailin fought wild dogs, Ghouls, and Giant Ghouls among heaps of human corpses, completing several hunting quests as he went.
• Ailin wondered why the road held no living people and why Ban Ard’s army had left the dead untouched.
• Ailin stepped past a broom bush and heard shrill screams, revealing a horrific scene ahead.

A witcher discovered that Ban Ard’s sorcerers had turned nearly ten thousand soldiers into undead and raged at the devastation. In a hidden cave, Malachi pushed the ritualists to expand their ambitions beyond the elves and target Kaer Morhen, just as the witcher’s wolf-head medallion began to hum.

• The witcher saw the undead spreading across the forest and realized Ban Ard had transformed its soldiers through necromancy.
• Malachi and the other ritualist sorcerers celebrated their undead army and discussed using it to drive the Long-ears from hiding.
• Malachi challenged Ignaz about Senne’s orders and argued that the nobles had more reason to fear the ritualists than the reverse.
• Ignaz revealed that Senne had sent Shaquille, Valerius, and the Rissberg Civil Conglomerate’s War Beasts to Kaer Morhen to attack the School of the Wolf.
• Malachi urged the ritualists to use their undead army against Kaer Morhen and ultimately help Senne conquer the Northern Continent.
• The witcher’s wolf-head medallion suddenly began to hum.

Ailin received Francesca Findabair’s farewell message as the Mountain Folk prepared to leave, then donned the Conqueror’s Armor of the Wild Hunt as the undead fell silent and Planetary Alignment began. At the Mountain Folk’s camp, Francesca chose to fight rather than flee, but Ailin’s brief reply arrived and sent her rushing outside to look at the sky.

• Francesca Findabair told Ailin that the Mountain Folk had destroyed many of the Sorcerers’ monsters and would soon leave for their Promised Land, then asked him to call her Enid once more.
• Ailin sent a reply to Francesca and watched the messenger bird fly east before putting on the Conqueror’s Armor of the Wild Hunt.
• Ailin’s Ghoul quest became ready to complete, Planetary Alignment began, and the night turned scarlet as the undead stopped howling.
• At the Mountain Folk’s camp, Francesca refused Carla’s attempt to take her to safety and insisted on dying in battle for her people.
• A messenger bird brought Francesca Ailin’s message, which said, “Enid, look up at the sky,” and she ran out of the cave.

Francesca realized Ailin was nearby after receiving a message, but before she could find him, a Conjunction of the Spheres opened over the region and drew Ghouls into the Withering Woods. The sky cleared and the undead resumed their attack with fewer numbers, leaving Himeles to lead the Mountain Folk in a counterattack while Francesca and Carla concealed what they suspected about Ailin.

• Francesca rushed from the cave after receiving a Crystal Bird message, but Carla caught up with her before she could find Ailin.
• The Veridian Barrier shattered, then portals cast by Adda of Vengerberg and Himeles Findabair failed as a scarlet moon and spatial disturbance heralded a Conjunction of the Spheres.
• Ghouls poured from black holes into the Withering Woods, drawing much of the undead away from the Mountain Folk's valley.
• Carla recognized that Francesca's messenger bird might connect the Conjunction to Ailin, but Francesca denied receiving a letter and Carla agreed to say she had seen nothing.
• Adda of Vengerberg sought Francesca, and Himeles noticed that Francesca and Carla seemed unusually lighthearted while keeping something from him.
• After the black holes closed and the remaining undead attacked again, Himeles raised his sword and ordered the Mountain Folk to counterattack.

Ailin watched the first-stage ghoul Planetary Alignment unleash ghouls and six unfamiliar Large Monsters into the Withering Woods, where they fought the undead under the hidden Ban Ard Sorcerers’ control. After realizing the Free Elves could now escape but deciding to hunt down the necromancers, he searched for a way to lure them out; the System then offered him a Main Quest called “The World’s Revival.”

• Ailin observed three Corpse Kings and three Corpse Queens lead the ghouls against the undead, and wondered where the unfamiliar monsters had come from.
• Ailin detected no Ban Ard Sorcerers but noticed the undead had become organized, leading him to conclude that the ritual had blocked spatial teleportation rather than controlled the undead.
• Ailin decided to kill the Sorcerers who practiced necromancy even though Francesca’s Free Elves could now escape through portals.
• Ailin concealed himself in a pine tree and considered how to bait the cautious Ban Ard Sorcerers into revealing themselves.
• The System announced that the first stage of the ghoul Planetary Alignment was complete and offered Ailin the Main Quest “The World’s Revival.”

Ailin waited for Ban Ard’s sorcerers to finish hunting the monsters brought by the second Planetary Alignment, but they searched the Withering Woods for him instead. As he triggered another alignment to escape their encirclement, the Wild Hunt appeared in the lightning-lit sky.

• Ailin reviewed the rewards of past Main Quests and learned that the World’s Revival quest required one more Stage One Planetary Alignment.
• He watched the undead army destroy the ghoulish creatures, while deciding to delay the next alignment until he could use the opportunity to eliminate more monsters.
• Francesca sent Ailin a message about the Free Elves’ casualties and destination, and Ailin told her to leave without worry.
• Ban Ard’s sorcerers abandoned the Free Elves and used a growing undead force to search the Withering Woods for Ailin.
• As the undead closed in, Ailin triggered a Rotfiend Planetary Alignment, and the Wild Hunt appeared amid the lightning.

During the Planetary Alignment, Ailin hid in the Withering Woods as the Wild Hunt arrived and effortlessly killed seven Corpse Lords. The Wild Hunt discovered his hiding place, but a powerful magical eruption interrupted their attack.

• Lightning and falling Rotfiends devastated the Withering Woods as Ailin recognized Centurion Regis among the Wild Hunt and realized he could not fight them.
• Seven Corpse Lords emerged from a black hole, and the Wild Hunt killed them instantly with sweeping sword strikes.
• Ailin concealed himself with "Night" while the Wild Hunt searched the woods, and the Main Quest completed as he struggled to find a way out.
• Nearly half the Wild Hunt dived toward Ailin's hiding place after a Skeleton Knight signaled, but white-hot flames surged from the ground in a powerful magical eruption.

Ailin escaped the Withering Woods after the Ban Ard Sorcerer’s spell struck the Wild Hunt, while the trapped Sorcerers realized their portals could not work. As the Wild Hunt attacked, Malachi urged them to hold out for help, and a scarlet eye watched them.

• Ailin watched the Ban Ard Sorcerer’s flames engulf Regis and the Skeleton Knights, then slipped away through the distracted undead after embedding a red crystal in a zombie.
• Ignaz blamed Malachi for provoking the Wild Hunt, but Malachi explained that spatial turbulence had sealed the area and trapped them.
• The Sorcerers failed to open portals, and Malachi told them to survive until Senne and the legendary mage Otolan could arrive.
• Leota suspected an unseen third party had caused the Conjunctions of the Spheres, but Malachi warned him to keep quiet until they survived.
• The Wild Hunt launched silver-white sword lights at the ritual array, and Malachi saw a scarlet eye watching them.

Ailin watched the Wild Hunt battle Ban Ard’s Sorcerers from hiding and realized Ban Ard might view the Wild Hunt as a threat to exploit rather than an unbeatable enemy. When Otolan and Senne joined the battle, Ailin wondered who had been left behind at Ban Ard.

• Ailin used a zombie carrying an Eye of True Knowledge to observe the battle safely from his cave.
• The Wild Hunt battered Ban Ard’s defenses while the Sorcerers counterattacked, and Ailin questioned why the Wild Hunt fought in an orderly pattern.
• Ailin realized Ban Ard might want to capture Wild Hunt members to prove its strength and support its bid to establish a kingdom.
• Otolan arrived with Senne and many Sorcerers, prompting Ailin to wonder who was still at Ban Ard.

Ailin took advantage of the sorcerers’ battle with the Wild Hunt to travel to Ban Ard and help Vilgefortz rescue Henn Gedimidis. He reached the city and found Lydia van Bredevoort waiting at the contact address, as Vilgefortz had arranged.

• Ailin left the battle site and headed for Ban Ard, deciding the sorcerers’ absence gave him a chance to find Henn Gedimidis.
• Ailin bought a horse from Old Hans and learned that Ban Ard depended on nighttime deliveries of food and lumber.
• Ailin entered Ban Ard New City easily and saw its damaged walls, construction crews, and many refugees.
• Ailin followed Vilgefortz’s address to Shayra’s Courtyard, where Lydia van Bredevoort told him that Vigo had asked her to wait for him.

Ailin completed the first stage of the World's Revival quest and received Soul Domain (Beginner), then met Vilgefortz to discuss rescuing Henn Gedimidis. Vilgefortz explained that he had expected Ailin to arrive, and Ailin requested a secret room to prepare before they left.

• Lydia van Bredevoort led Ailin through the gallery to a room with a Kilometer Scope, where Vilgefortz soon joined them.
• Ailin completed the first stage of the World's Revival quest, received Soul Domain (Beginner) and 280 Experience Orbs, and accepted the second stage without fusing with the reward.
• Vilgefortz told Ailin that Senne had taken control of Ban Ard and that he had identified Henn Gedimidis's approximate location, but still lacked details about the guards and traps.
• Vilgefortz said he had expected Ailin to come because Ailin repeatedly appeared at pivotal events, prompting Ailin to wonder whether others had noticed his pattern and grown suspicious of him.
• Ailin declined to leave immediately to rescue Henn Gedimidis and asked Vilgefortz to arrange a secret room so he could prepare.

Ailin fused the Soul Domain, discovered it was an embryonic realm that required souls to unlock its functions, and opened a Storage Cave for his preparations to rescue Henn Gedimidis. He spent Experience Orbs to learn Trap Sense and Grounding, and the chapter ended as the newly unlocked power stirred the Dragon Call node.

• Ailin waited until Vilgefortz and Lydia van Bredevoort left, then fused the Soul Domain through the Witcher's Handbook.
• Ailin explored the ruined village in the Soul Domain and found that it could admit souls but had no other unlocked functions until it contained more souls.
• Ailin concluded that the Soul Domain might be the embryonic form of a divine kingdom and decided to focus on preparing for Henn Gedimidis's rescue.
• Ailin spent 100 Experience Orbs to unlock Spiral's Storage Cave and tested its ability to store and retrieve objects.
• Ailin opened Beast Roar: Trap Sense for 90 Experience Orbs and Roar: Grounding for 189 Experience Orbs.
• Ailin watched the crimson light from Roar: Grounding wash over the Dragon Call node, making its words flicker.

Vilgefortz and Lydia van Bredevoort helped Ailin enter Ban Ard by posing him as a young sorcerer, and Vilgefortz joined him to rescue Henn Gedimidis. They left Lydia to watch the academy as Vilgefortz prepared to guide Ailin through Senne and the Rissberg Civil Conglomerate’s traps.

• Vilgefortz praised Lydia van Bredevoort’s landscape paintings and explained that he planned to side with Ailin to help Henn Gedimidis.
• Ailin emerged from the basement with a newly ferocious aura, and Vilgefortz told him that portals could not reach Ban Ard because of Jonas’s Spatial Containment Ritual.
• Vilgefortz escorted Ailin through Ban Ard’s front gate by presenting him as Linai Wolfgang, a fourteen-year-old noble with newly awakened Sorcerer Talent.
• Inside the academy, Ailin saw guards accepting bribes while Vilgefortz explained that the gate’s security was largely ineffective.
• Vilgefortz sent Lydia van Bredevoort to watch the academy and told Ailin that he would help rescue Henn Gedimidis, using his knowledge to guide them through the traps.

After Senne berated the Ban Ard Ritualists for failing to capture the elves, Otolan called them over to inspect a zombie with an unusual ruby-red eye. Malachi recalled sensing a presence and seeing a similar zombie during the battle, and Otolan removed the creature’s right eye for further examination.

• A Rissberg Sorcerer told Senne that the Wild Hunt had vanished and reminded him that Ban Ard had let the elves escape.
• Senne chastised the Ban Ard Ritualists for using necromancy on ten thousand soldiers without eliminating the elves.
• Otolan explained that the Wild Hunt had left after failing to find its target, while Rissberg Sorcerers lamented missing the chance to capture one for research.
• Otolan showed Senne and the Ritualists an ordinary-looking zombie whose left eye was an unusually vivid red.
• Malachi recalled seeing a similar zombie during the battle and sensing that something had looked at him.
• Otolan removed the zombie’s ruby-like right eye.