Chapter Summaries

Rayne decided to join the High Council himself later and helped establish the Aix Combat School while expanding his Heavenly Soldier force. He accepted Zoltan’s invitation to visit Molten Keep, where he arrived with a show of strength and came face to face with King Magna Copperring.

• Rayne abandoned the idea of having Reslin seek a seat on the High Council and decided to pursue one himself when the time was right.
• The Aix Combat School opened with more than a hundred students, and Rayne quietly placed four of his clones among its teachers and students.
• Rayne continued creating Heavenly Soldiers until their number surpassed fifty, accelerating the clearing of Shield Island and freeing him to focus on research.
• Bulestan told Rayne that the three Dwarf Kings wanted to discuss his city-building plan in Molten Keep, and Zoltan persuaded Rayne to accept the invitation.
• Rayne traveled to Molten Keep with twenty-four Extreme Warriors and met King Magna Copperring, a Saint Tier Dwarf Warrior.

Rayne visited Molten Keep at the invitation of King Magna and assessed the Dwarves’ strength and worsening resource pressures as he toured their underground kingdom. He met the other two Dwarf kings, Solingar Shardstar and Dain Ironhand, setting the stage for talks among the three kings and Rayne.

• Rayne greeted King Magna, recognized his exceptional Lightning Affinity, and realized the Dwarves had arranged the visit to gain leverage in negotiations.
• King Magna escorted Rayne and the Extreme Warriors through Molten Keep, where the Dwarves stared in shock at the all-Legendary Barbarian force.
• Rayne observed that Molten Keep’s crowded population, limited resources, and poor equipment reflected the Dwarves’ growing need for new living space.
• King Magna showed Rayne the Great Forge, where Dwarf smiths used lava to forge Mountainbreaker Armor.
• Rayne entered the palace and met Solingar Shardstar, king of Supreme Mountain, and Dain Ironhand, king of Lone Peak.

Rayne negotiated with the three Dwarf kings over Molten Keep building Gotham City on Shield Island, refusing to reveal how he trained the Extreme Warriors and explaining how the city would be defended. The Dwarves offered to settle in Gotham and provide an elite army, but Rayne suspected their offer concealed a problem and left the decision pending.

• Dain Ironhand demanded the Extreme Warriors' training method, and when Rayne named his head as the price, Dain tried to cut it off before Solgrin Starshatter stopped him.
• Rayne assured the Dwarf kings that Gotham City would be defended by powerful allies and forces, including the Extreme Warriors, followers of Eilistraes, and Blood Elves; the kings agreed to tolerate working alongside them.
• Rayne revealed that he had invited Master Oruoin, Lord Hellfire, and a Titan Elder to join the defense against the Death Lord and Sazastan.
• Solgrin Starshatter demanded a Dwarf district and representation in Gotham's ruling body, but Rayne refused to allow residents outside his authority.
• Solgrin offered a permanently stationed army of three thousand Dwarves, led by a King of the Hill who would swear loyalty to Rayne, and Rayne asked for time to consider.
• Rayne returned to the palace and asked Zoltan to invite him to his home.

Rayne learned from Zoltan that the dwarf kingdoms faced a population and food crisis and hoped to use Gotham City as a foothold for reclaiming the New Continent. Zoltan also revealed that the appointed commander was likely Kastaggin, an Ironbeard heir whose ambition to revive his clan made him a target of King Solgrin.

• Rayne and the Extreme Warriors reached Zoltan's home, where Rayne and Zoltan shared stout before discussing the dwarf kings' proposal.
• Rayne refused to grant dwarves powers beyond Gotham City's laws, and Zoltan explained that the dwarf kingdoms' overcrowding and food shortages were driving them to seek new territory.
• Zoltan said the kings might use Gotham City as a springboard to reclaim the New Continent, while Rayne resolved not to surrender control of the city to them.
• Rayne asked about the King of the Hill assigned to the expedition, and Zoltan identified Kastaggin as the likely commander.
• Zoltan explained that Kastaggin gained his standing after studying Rune Knowledge Rayne and Zoltan had recovered, then took the Ironbeard surname through his grandmother's bloodline.
• Zoltan revealed that Kastaggin possessed the Ironbeard Clan's Book of Hatred and sought to revive the clan, making him a threat to King Solgrin.

Rayne recognized that Solgrin wanted to send Kastaggin to the New Continent, then rejected the three Dwarf kings’ terms for building Gotham City. The kings tried to retain him, but Rayne left negotiations unresolved after deciding he would hire an Imperial construction crew instead.

• Rayne learned that Solgrin hoped to remove Kastaggin from the Supreme Mountain and saw the disagreement among the Dwarf kings as leverage in negotiations.
• Rayne and Zoltan discussed Roger’s new life and card-playing victories, then Zoltan promised to visit Jubilee Mountain City for a rematch.
• Rayne confirmed that he had obtained Thunder God's Hammer three years earlier, and Zoltan warned him that Kastaggin was searching for it.
• Rayne told the three kings that he was withdrawing his intention to cooperate with Molten Keep and planned to hire an Imperial construction crew.
• Solgrin and Magna urged Rayne to reconsider, but he insisted that they had shown no sincerity and stood by his decision.

Rayne forced the three Dwarf kings to accept strict terms for moving Dwarves to Gotham City and providing a legion, while threatening to cancel the deal unless they halved the construction payment. Facing a population crisis and Solgrin’s fear that he would be unable to restrain himself from killing Kastaggin, the kings agreed to Rayne’s demands.

• Rayne turned to leave, but Dain Ironhand blocked his way before Magna apologized and persuaded him to sit back down.
• Rayne demanded that Dwarves obey Gotham’s laws, limited their district to one-twentieth of the city, capped the first migration at twenty thousand, and required registration for every resident.
• Rayne accepted a five-thousand-strong Dwarf Legion only on the condition that its members counted against the Dwarf population quota and received equal treatment at his expense.
• Rayne demanded that the payment for Gotham’s construction be halved and that the Dwarf district’s construction costs be deducted, then left the kings fifteen minutes to decide.
• Magna and Solgrin reminded Dain that the Dwarves had no better solution to their population crisis, and Solgrin admitted he feared losing control and killing Kastaggin.
• Solgrin agreed to Rayne’s terms, and Dain reluctantly agreed as well.

Rayne secured the three dwarf kings’ agreement, attended a banquet where Ubman and the Extreme Warriors impressed the dwarves, and prepared to sign the contract at Molten Keep. As the ceremony began, Rayne spotted Kastaggin Ironbeard’s hostility and suspected trouble.

• Magna told Rayne that the three dwarf kings accepted his demands, and they agreed to hold a formal contract-signing ceremony the next day.
• Magna hosted Rayne at a grand banquet, where Dain Ironhand invited the Extreme Warriors to join the festivities.
• Ubman defeated several dwarf challengers in bare-handed bouts before a high-tier Legendary dwarf fought him to a draw.
• Rayne reviewed the bilingual contract and confirmed that it matched the terms they had agreed upon.
• Rayne entered the signing ceremony and noticed hostility from Kastaggin Ironbeard, who exchanged a tense glance with Solgrin.

Rayne attended the three Dwarf kings’ assembly, where they signed a cooperation pact to build a city on the New Continent and form the Three Hammers Legion. Solgrin named Kastaggin commander and ordered him to serve under Rayne, but Kastaggin challenged Rayne’s strength, and Rayne refused to fight him.

• Magna introduced Rayne to the gathered Dwarfs and announced plans for a Dwarf district and permanent legion in Rayne’s new city on Shield Island.
• The three Dwarf kings and Rayne signed a cooperation contract under the gaze of Mahar, and the Dwarfs celebrated the agreement.
• Solgrin announced that the Three Hammers Legion would be led by Kastaggin, who refused the appointment and resisted Solgrin’s order to go to the New Continent.
• Kastaggin invoked Grimnir’s doctrine against swearing allegiance to the weak and demanded that Rayne defeat him to prove his strength.
• Rayne refused Kastaggin’s challenge.

Rayne refused to let Solgrin manipulate him into challenging Kastaggin for free and demanded five million Gold Shields, which Solgrin accepted. Rayne and Kastaggin met at the Ironforge Arena, where Kastaggin offered to split the payment before the duel began, but Rayne refused and the two prepared to fight.

• Rayne rejected Solgrin’s attempt to arrange a challenge with Kastaggin and demanded five million Gold Shields to intervene.
• Solgrin agreed to pay Rayne five million Gold Shields, and Rayne formally challenged Kastaggin in Grimnir’s name.
• Magna arranged the duel at the Ironforge Arena, where thousands of dwarves gathered to watch.
• Before the fight, Kastaggin offered to split the five million Gold Shields with Rayne, but Rayne refused to cooperate or throw the match.
• Kastaggin warned Rayne that he would not hold back, then summoned a warhammer and great axe and unleashed his power.

Rayne faced Kastaggin in the Ironforge Arena and overwhelmed the King of the Hill with mirror images, lightning spells, and his enhanced strength. As Kastaggin lay dazed and unable to counterattack, Rayne raised his hammer for a potentially decisive blow.

• Rayne assessed Kastaggin’s powerful earth and lightning abilities, then strengthened Mirror Image and Lightning Combo before the duel.
• Kastaggin empowered himself with earth magic and Blood Rage, while Rayne transformed into a towering, armored warrior with wings and a greatsword.
• Kastaggin opened the duel with a hammer-and-axe strike and Earthquake Strike, but Rayne evaded and sent mirror images to attack with Thunder God’s Spears.
• Rayne used Lightning Five-Strike Combo to smash Kastaggin into the ground, while the King of the Hill rapidly recovered and continued fighting.
• Rayne struck Kastaggin down again, leaving him dazed, then flew in and raised the Thunderbolt Hammer over his skull.

Rayne used his Mirror Images to wear down Kastaggin, then overwhelmed the King of the Hill in his Titan Giant form and forced him to surrender. Kastaggin accepted service under Rayne, who tasked him with Gotham City’s construction and security.

• Rayne’s Critical Annihilation missed when Kastaggin used Earth Walk, and Kastaggin counterattacked with a wave of earth that injured several Mirror Images.
• Kastaggin transformed into his Earth Incarnation form and fought off the Mirror Images, killing one before the others resumed their attacks.
• The Mirror Images used Void-Splitting Swords, Thunder God’s Spears, and spells to keep Kastaggin at a distance while his rage grew and he tried to cast Lightning Storm.
• Rayne emerged from concealment after the Mirror Images silenced and blinded Kastaggin, then seized him and repeatedly slammed him into the arena floor.
• Kastaggin surrendered and pledged to serve Rayne, who asked him to oversee Gotham City’s construction and security.

Rayne secured Kastaggin’s allegiance and five million Gold Shields, then advanced preparations to build Gotham on Shield Island. After his Rayne's Heavenly Soldiers cleared the island of undead, Dwarves began purifying the land and constructing the city’s defenses while Rayne continued work on the Titan Engine.

• Kastaggin pledged allegiance to Rayne after losing their battle, and Solgrin agreed to pay Rayne five million Gold Shields.
• Rayne received the gold, returned to King Kong Fortress with Zoltan, and later sent Zoltan to Jubilee Mountain City to meet Master Roger.
• Rayne assigned a substitute to organize Gotham’s construction, while he returned to King Kong Fortress to research the Titan Engine.
• Rayne's Heavenly Soldiers destroyed the last undead army on Shield Island and confirmed that the island had been cleared.
• Dwarf Priests continued purifying Gotham’s land as Dwarf craftsmen built roads, temporary lodgings, and a twenty-mile city wall.
• Rayne's Heavenly Soldiers went to the Obsidian Tower to help Reslin arrange the Hess Magic Array, while Rayne watched the Titan Engine with anticipation.

Rayne successfully tested a Titan Engine and began developing Power Armor and other engine-powered weapons. As Gotham City’s defenses took shape and undead forces gathered across the strait, Rayne brought a new weapon to the city wall.

• Rayne tested the Titan Engine for more than four hours, confirmed it remained undamaged, and continued testing it with a heavier Source Crystal rod.
• Rayne organized twenty Rayne's Heavenly Soldiers to research Power Armor and other weapons, and their first finished product emerged after a little over half a month.
• Rayne arrived in Gotham City, where Bulestan reported on construction progress, new arrivals, and an undead probe across the East Strait.
• Rayne reassured Bulestan that Gotham could repel the undead and said he had been waiting for their army to attack.
• Rayne opened a Portal to the city wall, where Kastaggin joined him, and installed a massive metal weapon that astonished Bulestan and the Dwarves.

Rayne revealed and tested the fully automatic Electric Light Cannon, a new weapon capable of rapid fire, sustained beams, and a devastating high-power blast. Kastaggin and the other Dwarves were awestruck, and Kastaggin offered to become Rayne’s follower if he taught him how to make the cannon.

• Kastaggin and Bulestan examined Rayne’s cannon and learned that he had named it the Electric Light Cannon.
• Rayne had Dwarf artisans build a cannon tower on the city wall and installed the weapon, explaining that it fired automatically without operators.
• The Electric Light Cannon’s first firing mode shot rapid beams across the strait, destroying a swath of forest at a range exceeding four thousand Blades.
• Rayne switched to a sustained-beam mode that cut through trees and melted the ground, and Kastaggin recognized the attack as Electric Light Ray.
• The cannon’s third mode launched a charged ball of energy three thousand meters, blasting a large clearing and producing the power of a Ninth Circle Spell.
• Kastaggin offered to swear lifelong loyalty to Rayne in exchange for learning the Electric Light Cannon’s manufacturing method and principles.

Rayne prepared Gotham City for the Scourge Legion by building defenses and mobilizing allies after discovering that a hidden undead vanguard was marching toward Shield Island. The undead army reached the northern horizon as Rayne, Kastaggin, and their forces stood ready to meet it.

• Rayne refused to share the Electric Light Cannon's core technology but gave Kastaggin its rune array and design blueprint, then explained that the cannons could defend themselves and self-destruct against attackers.
• Rayne's Heavenly Soldiers built thirty-five Electric Light Cannons while Bulestan arranged them along Gotham City's western coast and eastern approaches as construction of the city wall continued.
• Rayne's scouts discovered that more than seventy thousand undead were gathering near Averken, while the region's tombs were empty and the main Scourge Legion force remained hidden.
• A concealed undead army emerged from the northern river valley under a Legendary High Tier Death Knight and a Lich, then advanced toward Shield Island.
• Rayne alerted his teacher and the Titan Elder, and his forces teleported to Gotham as Kastaggin gathered the Dwarf army and residents at the Highland Fortress.
• The Extreme Warriors, Gunwing Knights, Rayne's Heavenly Soldiers, Three Hammers Legion, and Wizerland Wizards took their positions, and the undead appeared on the northern horizon.

Rayne and Gotham’s defenders used the Electric Light Cannons to devastate the undead assault, while Rayne absorbed the resulting souls to power his elements and clones. The apparent attack proved to be a distraction when Rayne’s Heavenly Soldiers spotted the elite Dark Souls Knights emerging from a Portal east of Gotham.

• Rayne waited until the flying undead approached Gotham’s walls, then ordered the Electric Light Cannons to destroy them before they could attack.
• The cannons blasted the undead army at the East River, melting its ice crossings and killing thousands as Rayne absorbed their souls to replenish electricity.
• Rayne used the overflowing Soul Power Pool to advance several elements, empower his mage clones through Soul Ascension, and raise other abilities.
• Rayne told Kastaggin that the ground army was likely cannon fodder, but his searches initially revealed no sign of the Scourge Legion’s Floating City.
• One of Rayne’s Heavenly Soldiers spotted a huge Portal more than ten miles east of Gotham, with squads of elite Dark Souls Knights charging through it.

Rayne killed the Apocalypse Knight, advanced the Wish Spell to the Eighth Circle, and used Precognitive Teleportation to intercept the Scourge Legion’s portals. While Gotham’s defenses battered the invading Dark Souls Knights, Rayne’s Mirror Images attacked a vast undead army beyond the portal, where Soul Saint Lich Pramon destroyed most of them and then headed for Shield Island.

• Rayne killed the Apocalypse Knight and absorbed its Soul Power, using the excess to advance several Elements and raise the Wish Spell to the Eighth Circle.
• Rayne and his Mirror Images cast Precognitive Teleportation to detect and intercept a portal while the Dark Souls Knights charged toward Gotham’s Highland Fortress.
• Gotham’s Electric Light Cannons broke the knights’ Wraith Soul Force Field and destroyed many of them before they could reach the fortress.
• Rayne and his Mirror Images attacked the portal as it opened, killing the Dark Souls Knights who emerged and sending four Mirror Images through before the Liches closed it.
• Beyond the portal, Pramon destroyed three Mirror Images with powerful spells, while the last escaped using Rainbow Cloak and Mind Leap.
• Pramon entered the Astral Plane and traveled toward Shield Island.

Rayne ordered the Gunwing Knights to retreat as the Dark Souls Knights poured through a Portal toward Gotham, then confronted the army himself. He held the Portal while his mirror images slaughtered the undead, until Saint Tier Death Knight Elon Ravennaut appeared.

• Rayne saw the Dark Souls Knights emerging in overwhelming numbers and ordered Deson to retreat the Gunwing Knights toward Gotham.
• Rayne refused Kastaggin’s request to send the Three Hammers Legion against the advancing undead and teleported to the Portal.
• Rayne annihilated a Death Knight squad, killed a Lich, and used his Antimagic Field and Thunder Slash to block the Portal.
• Rayne created ten mirror images, sending eight to attack the Dark Souls Knights while he and two images held the Portal.
• Elon Ravennaut approached the Portal, and Rayne recognized him as a Saint Tier Apocalypse Knight.

Rayne overwhelmed Aerenus Ravenheart, the Apocalypse Knight he had defeated years earlier, but a Soul Saint Lich named Pramon interrupted the fight and escaped into the Astral Plane. Rayne then defeated the weakened Apocalypse Knight, leaving its fate seemingly settled as the battle ended in darkness.

• Rayne taunted Aerenus Ravenheart and used Mirror Images and a Thunderous Charge to knock the Apocalypse Knight into a crater.
• Rayne grew into a Titan Giant, pinned Aerenus beneath his foot, and attacked the armor covering the knight’s true soul.
• Pramon, a Soul Saint Lich, struck at Rayne with Death Finger, introduced himself, and then escaped through the Astral Plane rather than fight.
• Aerenus attacked Rayne with the Nether Soul Domain, but Rayne resisted its effects, seized the Apocalypse Knight’s mace, and threw him toward a Mirror Image.
• Rayne and his Mirror Image battered Aerenus with their warhammers, and Rayne brought his hammer down on the Apocalypse Knight.

Rayne killed the Apocalypse Knight and used Precognition Teleportation to intercept the Scourge Legion’s reinforcements while Gotham’s defenses cut down the first Dark Souls Knights. At a vast enemy staging ground, Soul Saint Lich Pramon destroyed three of Rayne’s mirror images before the last escaped, and Pramon headed toward Shield Island.

• Rayne killed the Apocalypse Knight, absorbed its Soul Power, and raised Wish Spell to the Eighth Circle.
• Rayne and his mirror images used Precognition Teleportation to locate a Portal, while Electric Light Cannons devastated the Dark Souls Knights charging toward the Highland Fortress.
• Rayne intercepted the Portal with his mirror images and stomped apart the Dark Souls Knights emerging from it.
• Four mirror images crossed through the Portal, where they attacked the Liches and destroyed a Teleportation Array before Soul Saint Lich Pramon eliminated three of them.
• The surviving mirror image escaped Pramon with Rainbow Cloak and Mind Leap, while Pramon traveled through the Astral Plane toward Shield Island.