Chapter Summaries

Angel joined Melissa and Benson for a celebration at North Borough Park, while Klein returned to Blackthorn Security Company to investigate a growing threat tied to Lanevus. The chapter ended with Klein realizing the investigation might ruin his day off.

• Angel dressed in a long dress but concealed her weapons and kept a few special bullets for protection.
• Angel met Melissa and Benson, and Melissa asked what Angel thought of Klein; Angel called him a good person but lowered her gaze afterward.
• Leonard told Klein that Lanevus had left a letter describing a bomb that grew stronger over time and could destroy Tingen City.
• Klein and Leonard decided to report the threat to Dunn and seek help from the Holy Cathedral, while Royale investigated construction records for clues.
• Leonard teased Klein about taking his family to the park, and Klein worried that his day off would be ruined.

At a crowded park celebration, Angel was engulfed by gray mist just as Klein learned that Lanevus’s bomb posed an immense danger. Klein recognized that Megose, who arrived at the Nighthawks’ headquarters pregnant with Lanevus’s child, was carrying the bomb—and realized an evil god was about to be born.

• Melissa, Angel, and Benson went to the expanded Street Park to hear Councilor Maynard speak and hoped Klein would join them.
• Angel sensed danger in the growing crowd, but dense gray mist suddenly enveloped her before she could finish warning Melissa.
• Klein told Dunn that Lanevus had left behind a ritual absorbing Tingen’s resentment, and his pendulum divination confirmed that the bomb could greatly harm him.
• Dunn ordered Klein to bring Angel back from the park, but Klein stopped when Leonard cried out at the sight of Megose arriving at the Nighthawks’ headquarters.
• Klein and Leonard realized their spirituality was warning them not to look at Megose, and Klein concluded that the bomb in her womb was an evil god about to be born.

Klein and Leonard discovered that Megose carried the evil god’s child and hurried to prepare Blackthorn Security Company for its descent. After Klein secretly sent a warning to Angel, Megose left for a crowded celebration at Street Park, where Melissa, Benson, and Angel were present.

• Klein recognized Megose as the carrier of Lanevus’s bomb and told Leonard that they needed to alert Dunn and summon support.
• Leonard stalled Megose while Klein informed Dunn, who contacted the Holy Cathedral, the Mandated Punishers, and Machinery Hivemind and prepared to draw the threat into Chanis Gate.
• Klein and Mrs. Orianna evacuated the company’s noncombatants while Leonard kept Megose talking in the reception hall.
• Klein prayed to the Fool above the Gray Fog and sent Angel a warning about the evil god’s child and its location.
• Dunn returned from the basement and told Klein to avoid provoking Megose and retreat to Chanis Gate if necessary.
• Leonard reported that Megose had gone to Street Park, where Melissa, Benson, and Angel were attending a celebration.

After learning that an Evil God might descend in Tingen, Angel sent Melissa and Benson away and rushed to protect the people gathered at Street Park. She drove the crowd off with gunfire, but Councilor Maynard exploded as she confronted him.

• Angel received Mr. Fool’s warning that an Evil God might descend at Blackthorn Security Company and realized Klein was involved.
• Angel told Benson and Melissa to flee Tingen by ship, and they left after Melissa asked her to return safely with Klein.
• Klein warned Angel that Megose had left Blackthorn Security Company and was approaching Street Park with unstable emotions.
• Angel realized the park crowd might be targeted and fired her gun to frighten people into evacuating.
• Angel confronted Councilor Maynard, who exploded before he could finish speaking.

Mr. C emerged from Councilor Maynard’s corpse and sacrificed dozens of people in a massive explosion while attempting to summon the True Creator through Megose. Angel interrupted his prayer and wounded him, but he escaped underground as the Nighthawks arrived to face Megose and the evil god’s child.

• Mr. C burst from Councilor Maynard’s body, killed a bodyguard, and greeted Angel before triggering a devastating explosion that killed or injured nearly a hundred people.
• Angel escaped the blast with Flame Leap and attacked Mr. C as he prayed for the True Creator to descend through Megose.
• Angel froze the podium to block Mr. C’s attempt to escape through the shadows, then set him ablaze with her final shot.
• Mr. C discarded an arm, escaped underground, and left Angel unable to track him.
• Megose approached the park, and Dunn Smith, Leonard Mitchell, and Klein Moretti arrived with saint’s ashes and a golden Charm.
• Megose saw the Nighthawks surrounding her and screamed that they wanted to kill her child.

The Nighthawks fought Megose, whose Blasphemy Utterances were empowered by the Evil God's Offspring, while Mitis joined the battle against them. The chapter ended with Mitis facing Angel as Dunn and the others tried to restrain Megose.

• Megose's roar injured and killed nearby Nighthawks and citizens, but Dunn opened Saint Selena's Ashes Box and bound her with its threads.
• Megose hurled Dunn aside and cursed Angel, who escaped the fatal attack by using Mirror Substitution.
• Leonard used the Blood Vessel Thief to stop Megose's curse, and Dunn reopened the ashes box to restrain her again.
• Mitis ambushed Klein and severed his left hand before dueling the Witch who had killed Randy.
• Mitis evaded Dunn's threads, then turned to face Angel as the Nighthawks attacked the kneeling Megose.

Angel fought Mitis while the Evil God's Offspring's cries drove them toward losing control. As Megose neared death and the True Creator's descent threatened Tingen, Angel fired a Shattered Light Ray that pierced Mitis, Mr. C, and the offspring, ending the True Creator's final cry in the city.

• Angel battled the Demoness of Pleasure, who blamed her for Randy's death and tried to kill her.
• The Evil God's Offspring cried out, destabilizing both Angel and Mitis.
• A second Flaring Sun Charm gravely wounded Megose, while Mr. C and the Nighthawks were left badly injured.
• Mitis lost control and used Staff Substitution to escape Angel's Black Flame, but her body and Beyonder power were failing.
• Angel appeared above Mitis and fired a Shattered Light Ray through Mitis, Mr. C, and the Evil God's Offspring inside Megose.

Ince Zangwill killed Klein, Angel, and Dunn after they stopped the attempted divine descent at the park, then took Saint Selena's Ashes and left Tingen. As Leonard mourned the dead, Ince recorded how events had diverged from his plans and declared that Tingen's story was ending.

• Angel fell beside Klein and used Damage Transfer on Dunn instead of treating Klein's missing arm.
• Ince Zangwill appeared, stabbed Klein, killed Angel, and took Saint Selena's Ashes from Dunn.
• Leonard regained consciousness, found his teammates and civilians dead, and collapsed in grief as the Mandated Punishers arrived.
• Ince read and amended his notebook, recounting the chain of events that led to the park battle and the deaths of the Nighthawks.
• Ince told his carriage driver that the park attackers had been stopped and that someone had saved Tingen.

After Dunn, Angel, and Klein died defending Tingen City, Leonard faced their grieving colleagues and Klein’s family before attending Angel and Klein’s funerals. That night, Klein emerged alive from his grave and looked around in confusion.

• Leonard learned from Royale that a construction company connected to Councilor Maynard had used explosives at Street Park, then said he would leave the Tingen Team and apply to join the Red Gloves.
• Kenley told Leonard that Benson and Melissa Moretti had arrived looking for Klein, and Leonard explained that Klein and Angel had died protecting Tingen City.
• Leonard told Benson and Melissa that the Church and Blackthorn Security Company would provide compensation, then took them to see the bodies.
• Leonard and the others buried Angel beside Klein’s grave, while Melissa cried out that Klein was a big liar.
• Two figures watched the funeral from a hillside before leaving for Serenity Church, and Klein later pushed open his coffin and climbed out of his grave.

Klein resurrected in Raphael Cemetery, mourned Angel, and entered the Gray Fog to divine who had killed her. Angel also awakened at the Holy Cathedral in Winter County, where Arianna arrived to answer her questions and help her.

• Klein discovered that his body had healed after he was buried, then visited his gravestone and Angel's grave.
• Klein vowed to find Angel's killer and used the Gray Fog to divine the person who had killed her.
• Angel questioned Crestet Cesimir about Klein's death and her location at the Holy Cathedral in Winter County.
• Arianna appeared, sent Crestet away, and prepared to discuss Angel's questions beside objects recovered from the Tingen tragedy.

Angel learned that Ince Zangwill used the Sealed Artifact '0-08' to orchestrate the events that led to Dunn Smith’s death, and she set out to pursue him in Backlund. On the train, she passed through Tingen while Klein also boarded, unaware of her presence.

• Angel asked Arianna who killed Klein and learned that Ince Zangwill had used '0-08' to manipulate events in Tingen and target Dunn Smith.
• Arianna revealed that Angel had been buried beside Klein after the catastrophe, but her fatal injuries had healed and Arianna had secretly brought her back.
• Arianna told Angel that Zangwill had gone to Backlund and gave her the task of pursuing him.
• Klein boarded a second-class carriage at Tingen Station, mistakenly took someone else’s seat, and moved to the next carriage.
• Angel rode through Tingen toward Backlund, carrying the supplies Arianna had given her and intending to take revenge on Zangwill.

Angel arrived in Backlund, chose a cheap rental in the Bridge District, and learned how the public had been told about the Tingen disaster. She rented a house under the false name Irene Watson and began her new life in the city.

• Angel arrived in Backlund, struggled with its polluted air, and searched newspaper advertisements for affordable housing.
• Angel read that the Tingen incident had been reported as a gas pipeline explosion and saw that public rumors blamed her for the disaster.
• The newspaper coverage and the catastrophe helped Angel digest a small portion of her Witch Potion.
• Angel traveled to Red Rose Street and met Mrs. Wallis to rent a furnished house.
• Angel used Persuasion to avoid showing identification and signed the lease as Irene Watson.

Angel settled into her new home at 47 Red Rose Street in Backlund, hired Beth as a temporary maid, and prepared to continue her task of infiltrating the Demoness Sect. After falling asleep, she woke at five in the afternoon and wondered why the Tarot Club had apparently convened without her.

• Angel paid Mrs. Wallis for the house at 47 Red Rose Street and learned that the previous tenant had vanished, leaving his furniture behind.
• Angel declined to hire a long-term maid and arranged for Beth to try cleaning the house the following morning.
• Angel explored the streets near her new home, bought alchemical equipment, and hired Beth to clean and do laundry three times a week.
• Angel unpacked her equipment and planned to gather materials and remake her Magic Mirror before falling asleep in the living room.
• Angel woke at five in the afternoon on Monday and wondered whether the Tarot Club had met without bringing her along.

Angel discovered that the mark linking her to the Tarot Club had vanished and chose not to pray to Mr. Fool while relying on the Evernight Goddess Holy Emblem. After preparing protective items and worrying about her dwindling funds, she woke to someone picking the lock of her Backlund home.

• Klein told the Tarot Club that Miss Empress had requested leave for several weeks, and Alger thanked Mr. Fool for helping him defeat Qilangos.
• Angel confirmed that her palm mark had disappeared and decided to postpone praying to Mr. Fool until after she joined the Demoness Sect.
• Angel brewed spiritual paste, made a magic mirror and two Slumber Charms, and spent much of her remaining money on supplies.
• Angel considered finding work and cheaper lodging while reserving her savings for a Sequence 6 Potion.
• Angel heard a thief picking her lock, took her revolver and a Slumber Charm, and crept downstairs using Assassin's Shadow Lurking.

Angel caught Gaoli stealing a document hidden in the study of her new home and used Magic Mirror divination to learn that a scarred man had sent him to retrieve it. She let Gaoli leave with the document, planning to use him to lead her toward the people behind the theft.

• Angel waited in the dark as Gaoli broke into her house and stole a document bag from the study.
• Angel stopped Gaoli with a Slumber Charm, searched him, and found only lockpicks, a chipped dagger, and a few pennies.
• Angel used the Magic Mirror to see a scarred man order Gaoli to steal a manuscript hidden by Quake, the house's previous tenant.
• Angel divined the document's past but received only a vague result, then formed a plan involving the sleeping thief.
• Gaoli woke, recovered the document bag, and hurried away from Red Rose Street without realizing Angel had stopped him.

Angel followed Gaoli to a hideout and took the manuscript after Dominic attacked him and his boss. She discovered that Dominic and Sonia were conspiring to obtain the Third Generation Difference Engine blueprint, and the chapter ended with Angel cornering Sonia as Dominic prepared to fight.

• Angel followed Gaoli from Red Rose Street to an East Borough hideout, where Dominic attacked Gaoli and the guards to get the manuscript.
• Angel took the document bag from Dominic and learned that it contained Turani von Hermosuin's Third Generation Difference Engine blueprint.
• Angel noticed someone hiding behind the desk and pretended to leave, prompting Dominic to attack her and warn Sonia to run.
• Angel fought Dominic with ice and hand-to-hand strikes while Sonia tried to escape around them.
• Angel aimed her revolver at Sonia, recognized her from the Underground Market at Enmat Harbor, and stopped both her and Dominic.

Angel confronted Dominic and Sonia while they tried to steal a manuscript, then followed them to Dominic’s hideout to negotiate over it. Dominic explained their flight from Enmat Harbor and revealed a 2,000-pound offer for the manuscript, leaving Angel weighing the lucrative opportunity against the dangers surrounding them.

• Angel used Black Flame to sever the unconscious men’s mystical connections, then followed Dominic and Sonia to his East Borough hideout.
• At the hideout, Angel questioned Dominic about why he and Sonia had come to Backlund and why they were hiding in the East Borough.
• Dominic explained that an Instigator had influenced Sonia’s father, Hansen Claude, and that the Demoness Sect killed Hansen and Mrs. Steven before Dominic escaped with Sonia to Backlund.
• Dominic said Sonia’s divination had led them to the manuscript, and that a Secret Gathering offered 2,000 pounds to whoever obtained it.

Angel negotiated her share of the Difference Engine Manuscript’s sale with Dominic, while Alger changed course to investigate Miss Empress’s fate and the events in Tingen City. Police officers later questioned Angel about Quake, a suspected Feysacian spy, leaving her wondering whether Senior Inspector Hopper was a Nightmare.

• Angel and Dominic agreed to split the manuscript proceeds thirty-seventy, giving Angel 1,400 pounds and Dominic and Sonia 600 pounds.
• Alger decided to sail to Oravi Harbor so he could contact his Church companions and ask them to investigate Miss Empress and Tingen City.
• Police Chief Dule and Senior Inspector Hopper questioned Angel about a wanted Feysacian spy named Quake, whom she recognized as the manuscript’s previous owner.
• Angel denied having seen Quake and wondered whether Hopper was a Nightmare after the officers left.

Angel suspected Senior Inspector Hopper was a Nighthawk investigating the Difference Engine manuscript, then prepared for his dream interrogation. After repaying her Tarot Club debt and buying supplies, she faced Hopper in a dream and concealed the manuscript and her dangerous items.

• Angel connected Hopper’s mannerisms to the Nightmare she had encountered and expected him to investigate her in a dream.
• Angel withdrew 950 pounds, repaid 350 pounds to Miss Justice, and set aside money for the Secret Gathering and Beyonder supplies.
• Angel bought materials for making Charms and returned home to 47 Red Rose Street.
• Hopper entered Angel’s dream and questioned her about her background, documents, weapons, and Feysac people.
• Angel denied knowing about dangerous items or seeing Feysac people, and Hopper left the dream, waking her.

Angel accompanied Dominic to a secret gathering in Queens Borough to sell the Difference Engine Manuscript for 2,000 pounds. After learning that the masked organizer was a powerful Beyonder, Angel became alarmed when Dominic mentioned Mr. A as a possible higher bidder.

• Angel armed herself, took the Difference Engine Manuscript, and walked through the East Borough to Dominic's home.
• Dominic gave Angel a cat mask and led her by Steam Subway to a secret gathering in Queens Borough.
• Angel and Dominic entered the gathering using a knock signal and waited among the masked attendees.
• Dominic told Angel that the hooded organizer was a powerful Beyonder who had defeated challengers, including Sequence 7 Beyonders.
• Dominic revealed that the organizer had offered 2,000 pounds for the manuscript and mentioned that Mr. A might have offered more, alarming Angel.