Chapter Summaries

Rogue questioned Gray Mother about the Witches, Bonfire, and the shattered world's past, but she could offer only fragments of what she remembered. The chapter ended with Rogue asking why she was willing to tell him so much.

• Rogue asked whether Gray Mother and Bonfire had agreed to have Witches sacrifice themselves and store their souls in daggers, and she explained that they guided Firewood Collectors and might otherwise become Remnant Fire.
• Rogue asked who held Bonfire's will, and Gray Mother directed him to Yagony, explaining that Yagony and Bonfire had once been Firewood Collectors of the Eternal Altar.
• Gray Mother said Sekasi had been taught by Yagony before joining Altar Firewood Collector, whose members shared origins with the Firewood Collectors but held different ideals.
• Rogue asked what had happened at the Eternal Altar and caused the world to shatter, but Gray Mother said the catastrophe had erased memories and she did not know its cause.
• Rogue asked about Ashes, the Great Death Fire, Gergada, and the Gullad Empire, but Gray Mother knew only scattered information, mostly about the Fire Aspect Temple and Witches.
• Rogue asked why Gray Mother was telling him all this despite his lack of ties to the Fire Aspect Temple or Eternal Altar.

Rogue met Gray Mother, who blessed him and sent him back to Yagony. He negotiated an alliance between Candlefire and Bonfire, securing useful intelligence in exchange for cooperation against their shared enemies.

• Gray Mother told Rogue she had answered him because his fire was warm, blessed him, and opened a portal to Yagony's room.
• Rogue returned to the Fire Aspect Temple and challenged Yagony to explain what Bonfire wanted from Candlefire.
• Yagony proposed an alliance against Fallen Fire Twilight and the Ash Guide, whose attacks had weakened Bonfire's Firewood Collectors.
• Rogue demanded useful information about Kindling, the history before the Extinguishing Moment, or Fallen Fire Twilight, and asked to meet the Bonfire behind Yagony.
• Yagony said he had authority to provide intelligence but could not arrange a meeting with Bonfire, and he and Rogue negotiated the alliance's specifics.
• Rogue warned Yagony that Candlefire would only cooperate if the information was true, then told him to hold out longer.

Rogue secured intelligence from Yagony about a possible Time-Layered Core, a former Kindling God, and past eras, then began preparing Candlewood Island for war. Meanwhile, Storyteller witnessed strange purple tentacles appear in Shadow Cavern before the Letis concealed them.

• Yagony gave Rogue coordinates for a fragment that might contain a Time-Layered Core, information about the Kindling God Suspended Sun Frost Tower, and records of eras marked by nightmares and seafaring.
• Rogue agreed to cooperate with the Firewood Collectors after verifying the Core information and returned to Candlewood Island.
• Clemo apologized for exposing himself to Yagony, but Rogue reassured him and identified Ryan as a likely link to the Yasum Firewood Collectors.
• Rogue decided that Candlewood Island must prepare for a large-scale war to obtain the Time-Layered Core.
• Storyteller saw purple tentacles tear into Shadow Cavern, then watched a group of Letis hide them and claim a pet had escaped.
• Storyteller suspected the tentacles were significant and resolved to tell the other players about them.

Rogue told Nonia that the Fire Aspect Temple had never truly sought the Fire Lord, and she affirmed that she had found her own Fire Lord in him. Meanwhile, a maintenance-free update announced a large-scale war over the Suspended Sun Frost Tower, and summoned players gathered at Candlelight Hall to receive a special mission.

• Ryan told the Storyteller's replacement that the mad soul had vanished from the tomb and that it no longer affected him, then gave him tree fruits.
• Rogue explained Gray Mother and the Fire Aspect Temple's history to Nonia, who said she had found the Fire Lord in her heart.
• Li Miao and Landfall logged in and learned that a large-scale war over the Suspended Sun Frost Tower was beginning.
• Li Miao and Landfall received Candlelight's Summons, while Invincible and other players without summons were barred from entering Candlelight Hall.
• Brother Mangzi noticed Li Miao's arrival and said the Candle Keepers should now be able to come out.

Li Miao learned that Candlewood Island was preparing for another large-scale war after Candlefire and the Candle Keepers made contact with the Fire Aspect Temple. Rogue sent an elite squad of players through a portal to scout an unknown enemy in a frozen wilderness.

• Yuanfang explained how the newly posted profiles of Gray Mother and Yagony connected to Candlewood Island’s coming war.
• Rogue summoned the players, offered them the chance to withdraw, and assigned them a scouting mission; Niuniu clarified that he only wanted to ask about preparations.
• The players accepted the mission, which offered Spirit Candle’s Blessing II or War Contribution, and Rogue enhanced their Replenish Wax Blocks for the journey.
• Li Miao and the other players gathered supplies and planned their skills, with Yuanfang advising them.
• Rogue opened a portal, and the nearly twenty-player squad entered the snowy wilderness to scout the unknown faction.

Yuanfang led the players across a frozen landscape toward an unusually bright area, where they discovered a colossal monster called Decaying Frost Breath. After observing it without being detected, they returned to report their findings and learned that the monster’s presence could cause decay to accumulate.

• Yuanfang noticed that the cold reduced casting speed and combat skill performance, then led the players toward a brighter area across a shattered glacier.
• Li Miao and the players rode shields down a snowy slope, boarded Submersible Ghost Submarines, and traveled across the glacier without encountering trouble.
• Yuanfang spotted Decaying Frost Breath resting on an ice block and told Li Miao not to attack while they observed it.
• Decaying Frost Breath sensed someone watching but did not discover Yuanfang and Li Miao, who returned to their submarine and informed the others.
• Brother Mangzi said his Decay progress bar had increased when the monster’s cold wind passed him earlier.

Yuanfang’s scouting group found the frozen corpses of Firewood Collectors and learned that Storm Church members were guarding a supposed holy ground on a nearby island. After overhearing the guards, the players discussed whether to capture them and waited for Yuanfang to decide what to do.

• Wang Dao found frozen, decayed bodies in the water, and Yuanfang identified them as Firewood Collectors killed by the Decaying Frost Breath.
• The players discussed the connection between decay and the Storm Church as they continued scouting.
• Yuanfang and Tianji approached a frozen island, spotted a watchtower, and hid when two men swept ashore like hurricanes.
• The two men complained about guarding a Storm Church holy ground and mentioned a lump of rotten flesh on a stone disk.
• The players debated capturing or killing the guards and left the decision to Yuanfang.

Yuanfang’s team scouted a network of Storm Church camps and discovered that their forces included powerful leaders and multiple Decaying Frost Breath beasts. After Wazai and Li Qun were exposed and killed a patrol while escaping, the Storm Church alerted its camps, and Yuanfang called the players to gather near him.

• Yuanfang held the players back from attacking and led them to scout a larger Storm Church camp with over a hundred believers and a portal-like device.
• Yuanfang split the players into pairs, and they found more camps, bannered ships, Storm Bishops, and several Decaying Frost Breath beasts.
• Wazai and Honored Elder Liqun were discovered by a patrol of Storm Church members and Frost Rotten Hounds while observing a ship.
• Wazai and Li Qun transformed into giant worms, swallowed the patrol, and fled, but the patrol had already sent a warning to the camp.
• A Storm Bishop ordered the camps to raise the alarm, and the Storm Church dispatched patrols as Niuniu and Mushroom worried that scouting had become difficult.
• Yuanfang messaged everyone to conceal themselves and gather near his position after discovering something important.

Yuanfang and the others reached the Suspended Sun Frost Tower, where they identified the Storm Church’s forces and learned that a Storm Bishop had summoned a Hurricane Great Eel while fighting Wazai. With their reconnaissance complete, Yuanfang led the group in a direct assault on the tower.

• Yuanfang and Tianji observed the Storm Church’s fortified settlement around the Suspended Sun Frost Tower and identified Afsaemon’s Chain Hammer patrolling beneath it.
• The Candlelight Pioneer quest updated after Yuanfang and Tianji identified the hostile faction and its numbers and distribution.
• Yuanfang read Wazai’s messages revealing that a Storm Bishop had summoned a Hurricane Great Eel and was overwhelming Wazai and Li Qun.
• Landfall destroyed a patrol member and a Corrupted Ice Dog before Yuanfang told the group to target the Suspended Sun Frost Tower and leave someone to watch for reinforcements.
• Yuanfang led the charge toward the tower as Brother Mangzi transformed into a werewolf and Li Miao carried Landfall on his shield.

Yuanfang, Tianji, and the other Prison Players attacked the Storm Church stronghold, where a powerful Storm Bishop summoned Decayed Warriors and turned the fight against them. As Wazai battled another Storm Bishop, a hurricane signal warned that the stronghold was under attack.

• Yuanfang killed a Storm Church patrolman, and Brother Mangzi smashed a Rotten Hound as the group entered the stronghold.
• Tianji and the other players attacked the Storm Believers, but a Torchfire-level Storm Bishop shattered Landfall’s meteor and countered their spells.
• The Storm Bishop spread corrupted pus that summoned Decayed Warriors, reversing the players’ numerical advantage as Tianji charged and Yuanfang held off the Bishop.
• A Storm Warrior Recruit activated the stone stele beneath the Suspended Sun Frost Tower, sending a hurricane signal to nearby camps and ships.
• Wazai was hurled onto the ice by a Storm Bishop after Li Qun disappeared, and the Bishop realized the signal meant the stronghold was under attack.

Wazai attacked the Storm Bishop to keep him from returning to the Storm Church base while Rogue coordinated a large-scale player assault on the Storm Church. Parun infiltrated the Church’s ranks and went to investigate the base as players gathered to enter the war zone.

• Wazai revealed himself to the Storm Bishop and attacked him after recovering with a Replenish wax block.
• Parun, disguised as a Storm Believer, learned that the base was under attack and decided to investigate while his friends stayed behind.
• Rogue noticed Parun, then ordered Candlefire’s power to target the outlying Storm Church camps and prepare for portal reinforcements.
• Candlefire announced a regional war against the Storm Church and directed qualified players to the portal outside Candlelight Hall.
• Light Rain prepared for battle and joined the players charging through the War Portal.

Pelly witnessed the Storm Church garrison face a massive assault by Candle Spirits, while Rogue discovered that the Lord of Storms had attacked him in the Dark Boundary before. After the Lord of Storms refused to reveal what he knew, Rogue chose to fight.

• Pelly watched the Storm Bishop kill an invader and led the believers toward the center of the garrison.
• A tremor shook the Suspended Sun Frost Tower garrison as Candle Spirits emerged from portals and charged the defenders.
• The Storm Bishop unleashed [Corrupted Frost Breath], whose corrupted breath killed dozens of players before the believers began resisting the assault.
• Rogue received a message from the Lord of Storms, who claimed he had already paid for their previous conflict in the darkness.
• Rogue recognized the Lord of Storms as the attacker from the Dark Boundary and tried to question Him about the past.
• The Lord of Storms refused to reveal secrets about the Extinguishing Moment, so Rogue decided to fight.

Rogue attacked the Lord of Storms while Candlefire forces invaded the Suspended Sun Frost Tower, and players joined the battle for War Contribution. The chapter left the Storm Bishop rallying his defenders as players fought the Decaying Frost Breath with mixed discipline.

• Rogue overwhelmed the Lord of Storms with Spirit Candle power, then held back to let players earn War Contribution and fight the enemy forces.
• Parun realized Candlewood Island had helped him reach the tower and set out to return to his companions.
• At the Suspended Sun Frost Tower, the Storm Bishop received a divine decree and used it to rally the Storm Church and urge Candle Spirits to surrender.
• Li Miao and Mushroom watched the Storm Bishop’s display while the Spark Guild president tried to coordinate players attacking the Decaying Frost Breath.
• Players suffered corruption and deaths from the Decaying Frost Breath, while dozens of Dark Navigation Spirit Ships launched Strong Capture Nets and the group began attacking it.

Players fought the Storm Church and its terrifying giant beasts in a chaotic battle, using their Candle-granted abilities, varied builds, and numerical advantage to hold the battlefield despite heavy casualties. The Storm Church believers began to lose heart, with one concluding that they probably could not win.

• Players relentlessly attacked Decaying Frost Breath despite its deadly Decaying Storm, ice attacks, and rotting-flesh monsters.
• Storm Church believers were shaken by the players’ apparent fearlessness and willingness to die for Candlefire.
• Players used Spirit Candle abilities and curses to interrupt believers’ skills and overwhelm them in close combat.
• Players from many builds coordinated charges, summons, meteors, and ranged attacks to restrain the giant beasts and control the battlefield.
• A Storm Church believer collapsed in despair and said they probably could not win.

Rogue bluffed the Lord of Storms into pouring more power and reinforcements into the battle, confident that Candlefire had enough wax oil to keep reviving players. At the Suspended Sun Frost Tower stronghold, Yuanfang ordered the Prison Players to retreat, while the Storm Bishop sent Afsaemon's Chain Hammer inside the tower to investigate its mysterious tremors.

• Rogue claimed Candlefire's power was endless and acted as though his forces were weakening, prompting the Lord of Storms to increase His power and send more reinforcements.
• The Storm Church's battlefield forces recovered their footing as ships and camp portals brought in believers and giant beasts.
• Li Miao asked Yuanfang what to do as the Prison Players faced mounting pressure, and Yuanfang ordered a retreat toward the perimeter.
• The Storm Bishop noticed the Suspended Sun Frost Tower trembling and ordered Afsaemon's Chain Hammer inside to delay whatever was there.
• After the tremors subsided, the Storm Bishop left the stronghold to pursue the retreating Candlefire forces.

The Storm Church’s forces struggled against the players, whose relentless attacks and fearless deaths steadily turned the battle toward Candlewood Island. Rogue tricked the Lord of Storms into committing his remaining strength, leaving the conflict poised for a decisive clash.

• The Storm Bishop joined the battle and found the players’ endless reinforcements, evasive abilities, and suicidal attacks difficult to overcome.
• Some Storm Church believers fled or faltered, but devout monks executed those who retreated and forced the rest to keep fighting.
• The believers’ morale weakened while the players grew more eager to fight for War Contribution, shifting the battle toward Candlewood Island.
• Rogue noticed the Storm Church’s reinforcements dwindling and decided to provoke the Lord of Storms into risking more of his strength.
• The Lord of Storms mistook Rogue’s taunt for a sign of weakness, and the Storm Bishop unleashed his trump card as Rogue privately celebrated the deception.

Pelly and the Storm Church fought the players as the Lord of Storms blessed his followers with immense storms, briefly turning the battle in their favor. When another wave of players arrived, Rogue revealed the Lord of Storms had been deceived, but the god severed his connection to the stronghold and escaped before Rogue could trace him.

• Pelly watched Hobbes die, then attacked the players with the Hand of Xinbu before they killed him with their prayers.
• The Lord of Storms blessed the Storm Bishops and followers, who unleashed massive ice storms that killed players and disrupted their formations.
• The Storm Church briefly regained ground, but a seemingly endless new wave of players appeared from the snowy mountains.
• The Lord of Storms realized Rogue had tricked him about the players' dwindling numbers, and Rogue used Spirit Candle's power to reach for him.
• The Lord of Storms severed his connection to the stronghold and fled, leaving Rogue unable to trace him to his main body.
• Rogue turned his attention to the battlefield and contacted the will of Spirit Candle.

The Storm Church lost its divine support and abandoned its stronghold, ending the regional war in Candlewood Island’s favor. Rogue saved the Storm Bishop from corruption, and the Bishop ordered his followers to surrender.

• The Storm Church’s portals closed as the storm weakened, and the Storm Bishop failed to reach the Lord of Storms or use his blessing to escape.
• Players received notice that the Storm Church had abandoned the stronghold and celebrated their victory, while some followers continued fighting until players subdued them.
• The Storm Bishop’s corruption spread through his body after the Lord of Storms’ suppression vanished, and he severed his arm to try to stop it.
• Rogue used azure candlefire to remove the corruption from the Storm Bishop’s severed arm and explained that the Lord of Storms had abandoned him.
• The Storm Bishop thanked Rogue and ordered his remaining followers to surrender.

After Candlewood Island's victory, Rogue questioned the surrendered Chaman about the Storm Church, the Lord of Storms, and the Suspended Sun Frost Tower. Rogue extracted a Time-Layered Core from the tower and prepared to learn more about the mysterious being inside it.

• Storm Bishop Chaman surrendered with some of his subordinates, and Rogue reshaped Chaman's arm before questioning him.
• Chaman told Rogue that he did not know Redwellgerg's coordinates, but a burned blessed stone statue had given Rogue a vague direction to the Storm Church's heartland.
• Chaman revealed that the Lord of Storms had experimented with Corruption and ordered him to inject its power into someone inside the Suspended Sun Frost Tower.
• Rogue brought Chaman to the tower, extracted its Time-Layered Core, and watched darkness consume the surrounding area while the central base remained intact.
• Rogue stored the Core without using it to advance his rank, contacted a nearby Spirit Fire Port, and asked Chaman who was inside the tower.

Chaman told Rogue how a captive in the Suspended Sun Frost Tower had survived repeated corruption and reached a balance with it. Rogue entered the tower and subdued the figure, removing its War Helmet and revealing that it was a red-haired woman.

• Chaman explained that corruption had repeatedly consumed the captive’s body, but a strange power restored it and left it balanced with the corruption.
• Chaman said the captive’s violent outbursts forced him to fight it regularly, and that the Lord of Storms had seemed pleased by the situation.
• After Candlefire anchored itself, Rogue entered the Suspended Sun Frost Tower and climbed through its vast, connected spaces.
• Rogue reached a snow-covered level, where he found Afsaemon's Chain Hammer dead and encountered the corrupted figure wearing an ancient War Helmet.
• Rogue suppressed the figure’s saber attack with Spirit Candle Power and removed its War Helmet, causing its body to shrink and revealing loose red hair.