Chapter Summaries

Roland confronted Reno over failing to notice Apophis Breo’s hidden army of two hundred Valiant Warriors at Lulong Fortress. He decided to send Apophis to hold Old Pass and granted him a vast territory, but left him to secure it and find his own soldiers and population.

• Roland told Reno that Apophis Breo had produced two hundred Valiant Warriors at Lulong Fortress, and Reno realized the army had been recruited and trained there without his notice.
• Roland reprimanded Reno for neglecting the fortress’s internal security and warned him to watch for corruption by the Nazgûl or dark magic.
• Reno asked what Roland planned to do with Apophis, and Roland revealed he would send him to Old Pass.
• Roland explained that Apophis had been granted a vast territory, but would have to defend it against the Orcs without Roland’s troops.
• Roland said Apophis would need to recruit people from nearby human settlements, leaving Reno to realize those communities would be forcibly incorporated.

Roland struggled to find help planning his wedding to Nyx, but learned that the Swan Knights had been surrounded by the Eastern Yi Chariot People in the northern Iron Hills. He ordered the Knights to prepare a rescue and left to deal with the crisis while Nyx helped him put on his armor.

• Roland asked Reno to help plan his wedding, but Reno suggested consulting Yun Feng, and Roland instead went to ask Adilai for advice.
• Adilai recommended that Roland seek guidance from Lance or Apophis Breo, and Roland set out to find them with Caslo.
• Caslo told Roland that the Swan Knights were trapped in the northern Iron Hills after the Eastern Yi Chariot People surrounded them.
• Roland examined the sand table, learned that Ajax's attempts to drive off the Chariot People had failed, and ordered the Knights to rescue the trapped Swan Knights.
• Nyx helped Roland put on his armor and teased him about his reputation as a war profiteer.

Roland left Nyx and prepared to rescue a surrounded unit of Gondor's Swan Knights in the Iron Hills, bringing Valfay along to help. On the way, Valfay discovered that Roland's Grand Duke Dragon Armor amplified his bloodlust, leaving Roland unsure whether he could safely keep wearing it.

• Nyx saw Roland off after making him promise not to charge the enemy formation or get drawn into a prolonged fight.
• Valfay confronted Roland after spotting Dos in his armor, then agreed to help rescue the Swan Knights because some had elven blood.
• Roland explained that the Swan Knights had entered the Iron Hills' mountain ravines and said he would stop at nothing to win.
• Roland told Valfay he had buried the girl and had Ajax stitch her body back together, then admitted that killing the Chariot People had awakened a bloodthirsty urge in him.
• Valfay recognized that Roland's Grand Duke Dragon Armor magnified dark desires and advised him to treat it as a test of his willpower rather than discard it.

Roland and Valfay prepared to rescue Holfa and the stranded Swan Knights, while Valfay warned Roland not to underestimate the Eastern Yi. On the Iron Hills, Holfa’s group faced dwindling food and no help from the absent dwarves.

• Valfay discovered that Roland’s divine rings were suppressing the Grand Duke Dragon Armor’s violent aura.
• Roland and Valfay set out to rescue the Swan Knights, and Valfay warned Roland that the Eastern Yi were formidable fighters.
• Holfa and his knights shared their dwindling supplies and agreed that forcing their way through would risk casualties.
• Holfa’s group wondered where the Iron Hills dwarves were, then fell silent when they remembered the battle of Moria.

Roland and Valfay discussed the danger facing the Swan Knights as Roland’s party rode through snow toward the besieged order. The Swan Knights were trapped in a dead-end valley by the Chariot People, and Holfa feared they would have to fight to the death.

• Dos bit Roland’s chest, forcing him to strip off his armor before he threw the dragon away and fed him jerky.
• Caslo told Roland that Ajax had objected to him giving the dragon the same name as her younger brother, Dos Antony.
• Valfay warned Roland that darkness was closing in and the Alliance had weakened, while Roland insisted he would keep fighting for his people and the woman he loved.
• Valfay and Roland agreed they had to save the Swan Knights, and Roland sensed that the heavy snowfall would make their situation worse.
• Holfa and the Swan Knights remained trapped in a valley surrounded by the Chariot People’s Heavy Crossbows, short on food and horse fodder.

Roland and his companions launched a surprise attack to rescue Holfa and the Swan Knights trapped in a valley by the Eastern Yi. Roland stayed to heal the rescued soldiers, but a Heavy Crossbow bolt pierced his armor and plunged him into darkness.

• Roland and Valfay agreed to break through the Eastern Yi’s blockade and free the Swan Knights, despite Omsk and Caslo’s objections to Roland joining the attack.
• Holfa prepared the starving Swan Knights to escape after receiving Caslo’s message that help was coming.
• Valfay, Omsk, and Caslo attacked the crossbow crews while Holfa led the Swan Knights out of the valley, with Caldo supporting them from the air.
• Roland healed the wounded as Heavy Crossbow bolts struck near him, then one shattered his shield, pierced his armor, and left him sinking into darkness.

Roland was struck by a magical armor-piercing arrow, and his panicked allies feared he was dying. The young dragon Dos transformed into an adult Golden Holy Dragon, healed Roland, and flew away, leaving Caldo to warn that the mountain range was doomed.

• Roland was knocked unconscious by an arrow, and Omsk and Caslo rushed to protect him as the Lagrange Knights prepared to attack.
• Omsk struck Holfa in anger, while Caslo urged the others to focus on saving Roland rather than seeking revenge.
• Caldo pulled out the arrow and revealed that Roland had only been knocked unconscious because his dragon armor had stopped the bolt.
• Dos awakened, transformed into an adult Golden Holy Dragon, and used Holy Power to heal Roland.
• Dos flew into the clouds, and Caldo warned that the mountain range was doomed.

Roland recovered after being struck by an arrow and learned that Dos had transformed into an adult-like Golden Dragon before unleashing a devastating forbidden spell on the Iron Hills. Roland discovered he had formed an equal contract with Dos, but remained uneasy about whether Dos would stay with him.

• Caslo carried the wounded Roland away from the mountain range, and Roland woke to find that Caslo had stored his equipment and that Dos had flown off.
• Roland learned that Dos had transformed into an adult and gone to confront the Chariot People.
• Roland and Caslo saw a small sun form over the Iron Hills and recognized Dos's Dragon Funeral Ascension spell.
• The spell destroyed nearly half of the Iron Hills, and Roland worried that Dáin would blame him.
• Roland realized he had formed an equal contract with Dos and suspected Dos's transformation was a temporary gift or safeguard from its parents.
• Omsk and the others arrived hours later, and Valfay blamed Roland for nearly getting him buried alive while Roland worried Dos might leave.

Roland and the others dealt with the aftermath of Dos’s Dragon-language Grand Forbidden Spell, which had obliterated much of the Iron Hills. They found the nearby Dwarves alive, but fled before their connection to the destruction could be discovered.

• Dos reverted to his juvenile form, communicated with Roland through their soul contract, and bickered with him about being served and treated like a slave.
• Roland saw that nearly half the Iron Mountain Range had been erased and worried that Dwarf casualties would destroy the Northern Territory alliance.
• Roland considered killing Holfa and the other Swan Knights to hide Lagrange’s involvement and avoid a war with the Dwarves.
• Omsk spoke to Dwarves who confirmed they were safe, though parts of their underground city had collapsed.
• Roland and the Lagrange party hurriedly left without accepting the Dwarves’ offer of hospitality.

After helping Holfa’s forces, Roland negotiated a long-term grain trade with Gondor in exchange for magical alchemical equipment. The deal promised vital food for Lagrange but left Yun Feng facing another enormous workload.

• Roland declined Holfa’s thanks as repayment, explaining that he had helped because he also needed Gondor and Rohan to remain strong.
• Holfa offered grain at cost to feed twenty thousand people for a year, and Roland asked to establish a long-term supply contract.
• Roland proposed trading magical alchemical equipment for grain, and Holfa asked to order custom plate armor with automatic repair, durability, and lightness.
• Holfa agreed to exchange grain for equipment, and Roland prepared to discuss the deal’s details.
• Omsk worried that Yun Feng could not handle the new orders alongside Thorin’s five thousand sets, but Roland insisted that Lagrange needed the grain and planned to avoid Yun Feng’s anger for a few days.

Roland arranged to trade magical equipment for supplies from Gondor and set his wedding to Nyx for December 1st. As preparations began, Nyx reacted nervously to the news, while Lance recorded the couple’s full noble names.

• Roland explained his plan to trade magical equipment with Gondor, and Yun Feng agreed while warning him to keep the deal limited.
• Roland asked Yun Feng about his wedding preparations, but Yun Feng teleported away and left him to meet with Baron Lance.
• Lance told Roland that the wedding supplies were nearly ready, and Roland chose December 1st as the wedding date.
• Yun Feng returned after signing a contract with a noble from Gondor's Swan Knights, and Roland remembered to tell Nyx about the wedding.
• Nyx nervously accepted Roland's wedding news and leaned against him as they agreed to leave the preparations to others.
• Lance recorded Roland and Nyx's full noble names, noting the family names that reflected their royal bloodlines.

Roland rode to rescue Apophis Breo’s troops after Orcs attacked their outpost, while Apophis’s men routed the attackers and pursued them. Squad Leader Olaf and nine Valiant Warriors became surrounded on a hill, leaving Olaf searching for a way to save them.

• Roland learned the Orcs had bypassed Lulong Fortress and surrounded Apophis Breo’s outpost, so he set out with Omsk to help.
• Apophis Breo’s Knights scattered the Orcs, and Apophis ordered his soldiers to pursue them beyond the kingdom’s border while leaving some troops behind.
• Squad Leader Olaf led his men out of the outpost to chase the Orcs rather than stay behind to guard it.
• Olaf and nine Valiant Warriors were surrounded by at least a hundred Orcs on a hill, and Olaf urged them to hold on while he searched for a solution.

Olaf’s Valiant Warriors used War Scythes to repel an Orc charge, but a pursuit squad was surrounded by nearly a thousand Orcs. Roland led a rescue force, while Olaf encouraged his besieged soldiers by trusting Apophis Breo’s military advice.

• Olaf ordered his Valiant Warriors to sweep and hook with their War Scythes, killing more than twenty Orcs and holding the line against rocks and further attacks.
• Roland arrived at Apophis Breo’s outpost and learned that Apophis’s Junlin Knights had routed the Orcs, then criticized him for requesting reinforcements over a minor clash.
• A messenger reported that Olaf’s pursuit squad had been surrounded by nearly a thousand Orcs, and Apophis realized his order to chase them had put the soldiers in danger.
• Roland ordered Omsk to gather troops for a rescue and declared that the kingdom would protect its people, while Apophis recognized Roland’s political victory.
• As the Orcs repeatedly surged toward the hill and withdrew, Olaf reassured his battered soldiers that his military strategy would work.

Roland and the Holy Radiance Knight Order followed the trail of Orc corpses, while Olaf’s Valiant Warriors cut through the fleeing enemy. They found two warriors who had knelt to avoid being run down, and the men blamed their squad leader Olaf for teaching them the gesture.

• Roland urged Omsk to hurry, but Omsk kept him protected within the formation and advanced cautiously.
• Olaf led the Valiant Warriors in striking at the Orcs’ central army and targeting their chieftain.
• Roland followed the Orc corpses through the snow and rebuked Apophis Breo for allowing soldiers to pursue the enemy in dangerous conditions.
• Omsk praised the Junlin Family’s soldiers after seeing the Orcs they had cut down, then spotted figures ahead and called the knights to attention.
• Two Valiant Warriors dropped to their knees to stop the knights from running into them, then said Olaf had taught them to preserve themselves when circumstances demanded it.

Roland found wounded Valiant Warriors who revealed that their squad leader Olaf had split a tiny force into three groups to pursue nearly a thousand fleeing Orcs. Roland ordered the search to continue, leaving Apophis Breo mortified and determined to deal with Olaf.

• Roland discovered that only two soldiers had stayed behind and hurried with them to the wounded Valiant Warriors.
• Roland healed the four men with Holy Light, and Apophis Breo learned that their injuries included broken ribs, a twisted ankle, a broken scythe, and one soldier dismissed for running too slowly.
• Roland learned that Olaf had divided the soldiers into three groups to chase the fleeing Orcs, claiming he was using a tactic learned from Apophis Breo.
• Roland ordered Omsk to gather the Knights and continue searching despite the snow-covered tracks, insisting they would not abandon any rescuable citizens.
• Roland asked Apophis Breo to assess Olaf's movements, while Apophis silently plotted how to punish the reckless squad leader.

Olaf and three Valiant Warriors ambushed the Orcs as they crossed a frozen stream, causing a rout that left hundreds dead. Roland and Omsk concluded the Orcs were likely cannon fodder rather than a main force, but could not identify where they had come from.

• Olaf led his three Valiant Warriors in an attack on the Orcs crossing the stream, and the panicked Orcs trampled and drowned one another as they fled.
• Olaf killed the Orc thousand-chief, and the Valiant Warriors helped turn the rout into a massacre.
• Roland found the four exhausted Valiant Warriors asleep among the bodies and told Apophis Breo to let them rest.
• Roland and Omsk discussed the Orcs' poor bone weapons and unfamiliar totem, concluding they were not the main force but finding no known southern gathering place that could explain them.

Roland discussed the Orc threat and ordered patrols to guard against Orcs and the Chariot People. After meeting Olaf, he told Apophis Breo that he could reward his retainer and grant titles below baron.

• Roland concluded that the Orcs were likely meant to disrupt the kingdom, but warned his commanders not to underestimate them.
• Omsk agreed to expand patrols, and Roland ordered horsemen to watch the western borders for the Chariot People.
• Caslo arrived on Caldo and learned that Olaf and his warriors had defeated Orcs using tactics Roland jokingly credited to Apophis Breo.
• Apophis Breo corrected Olaf as he greeted Roland, Omsk, and Caslo.
• Roland praised Olaf's courage and granted Apophis Breo authority to reward his retainer and bestow titles below baron.

Roland granted Apophis Breo the right to confer noble titles, allowing him to restore his family’s standing and pursue territory of his own. Roland and Omsk discussed the kingdom’s expansion plans and threats before agreeing to remain and protect the others for a while.

• Roland praised Apophis Breo’s ability and confirmed his authority to grant noble titles, while Apophis’s soldiers crowded around him to seek recognition.
• Apophis confronted Olaf for copying his military tactics, and Olaf awkwardly admitted his studies were incomplete.
• Omsk questioned Roland’s decision to let Apophis set out independently, and Roland explained he was honoring their agreement rather than starting an early Age of Expansion.
• Roland told Omsk that the kingdom lacked the money and people to field cavalry against the Eastern Yi, and said he planned to expand east while Apophis handled the west.
• Roland described his hope of reclaiming Lagrange City, and he and Omsk agreed to wait and protect the others before returning.

Roland prepared Flowing City’s limited food and drink for his wedding to Nyx, then reviewed the kingdom’s growing population and military forces. The chapter ended with Yun Feng announcing an unexpected guest.

• Roland coordinated the wedding banquet with Lance and Yun Feng, stretching the kingdom’s scarce provisions to include the residents.
• Roland and Nyx rested together while the city was decorated with red lanterns for their wedding.
• Roland inspected the territory statistics and noted Flowing City’s population had exceeded twenty thousand, increasing pressure on food supplies.
• Roland discovered that Adilai’s ten trainees had joined the Lagrange Knights as vanguard knights, bringing the order to 110 members.
• Roland found Apophis Breo listed as his sole vassal, without any territory of his own.
• Yun Feng knocked on Roland’s door and announced that an unexpected guest had arrived.

Gandalf visited Roland and proposed going to Dol Guldur to confront the spreading darkness. Roland explained that a six-kingdom expedition had already failed and warned Gandalf that the Nazgûl had made the fortress too dangerous to attack, leaving Gandalf considering what else they could do.

• Roland nervously welcomed Gandalf, who noticed his slip about the wizard’s profession and asked why he was not pleased to see him.
• Gandalf said he wanted to go to Dol Guldur, and Roland tried to flee before Gandalf stopped him and insisted he listen.
• Roland recounted how the armies of six kingdoms had been driven from Dol Guldur by the Nazgûl, leaving the Singri Elves shattered and Thranduil’s kingdom sealed.
• Roland warned that the Nazgûl controlled Dol Guldur, that at least four had been there during the battle, and that their decayed figures had appeared at Fortress of Gundabad.
• Gandalf accepted the grim state of the Northern Territory and wondered whether they should do something.