Chapter Summaries

Sinafa and Bruffin left Dojibil, while Vifit set out for the inner layer and Madeleine flew toward Watchtower Fortress. In Gravity Garden, Angel explained his involvement with Silver Palm Island to Sanders and released Tulas, who immediately asked when he could return to Firstheart City.

• Sinafa warned Madeleine not to disturb Watchtower Fortress’s stability, then left Dojibil with Bruffin to visit Samantha.
• Vifit said he planned to travel to the inner layer, and Dojibil headed into Boundary Forest to rest.
• Sanders questioned Angel about his changed right hand and the mysterious item missing from Silver Palm Island.
• Angel explained how a strange ship and clues led him to Shelley Garden Well, where he entered Silver Palm Island’s dark space and rescued Tulas without taking the mysterious item.
• Sanders moved their conversation into Gravity Garden and warned Angel not to tell anyone he had visited the dark space.
• Angel released Tulas from the Church of the Dead, and Tulas asked when he could return to Firstheart City to finish his duel.

Angel told Sanders about Jon, a human from another world whose severe injuries needed treatment, and Sanders agreed to help while warning that Jon’s origin must remain secret. Their discussion was interrupted by news that Demon City had imposed martial law, raising fears that the prophesied Demon God’s descendant might be approaching Watchtower Fortress.

• Sanders questioned Tulas about Lucas Skull and planned to search for it with Angel after Maya returned from the Radiant Realm.
• Angel explained that Firstheart City was connected to his work and told Sanders that Jon came from another world and had been badly injured.
• Sanders agreed to do his utmost to treat Jon and said he would speak with Xius and Yurika about the situation.
• Kant told Sanders that Demon City had suddenly imposed martial law and that Sinafa had summoned the fortress’s strongest combatants.
• Sanders prepared to go to Sinafa and asked Kant where Dongla was.

Sanders learned that Demon City’s martial law was tied to a possible Demon God descendant, then returned to find mysterious fluctuations in his residence. Angel admitted he had tested the Dream Conch, and Sanders pressed him to explain what he had really done.

• Sanders told Kant he would protect Madeleine from being killed but would avoid directly intervening in her conflict with Dongla, who was away searching for demon materials.
• Sanders and Kant learned from Sinafa that martial law covered Demon City and the Blackwater Basin, where demons had trapped wizards who Samantha planned to rescue.
• Angel used the Geometric Lock and Dream Conch to pull Sanders’ bookshelf into a dream, while a great being in the Bottomless Abyss sensed traces of a dream.
• Sanders and Kant returned to the study, where Kant used Truthbreaker to detect mysterious fluctuations and Angel admitted he had tested a mysterious item.
• After Kant left, Sanders doubted Angel’s explanation and demanded to know what he had really been doing.

Angel used the Dream Awakening Technique to locate an object Sanders had pulled into a dream and discovered a separate Dream Wilderness where his dormant authority worked. After Angel explained its origins to Sanders, the Gatekeeper’s authority suddenly stirred, suggesting that something from outside was trying to enter.

• Angel fell asleep while constructing a dream-type cantrip, then woke and told Sanders he had sensed the location of the object Sanders had dragged into a dream.
• Sanders and Angel entered a vast wilderness, where Sanders found the bookshelf from his study and confirmed that it had been pulled into the dream.
• Angel explained that the place was a separate Dream Wilderness, where his Dream Gate and Gatekeeper authority let him locate and direct external objects.
• Angel told Sanders how the Dream Wilderness had formed, including his actions to save Jon and his severing of an interlayer space.
• Sanders warned Angel that the Dream Wilderness must remain secret, then asked him to explain its details.
• Angel sensed the Gatekeeper’s authority activate, suggesting that an outside entity was trying to force its way into the Dream Wilderness.

Angel's newly formed Dream Wilderness was attacked by a colossal creature, and its boundary wall shattered despite his Gatekeeper authority. Afterward, Sanders warned him to strengthen the realm's concealment and avoid drawing attention, while making clear that he would support Angel and let him keep the Dream Conch.

• Angel sensed a gigantic eye and hand attacking the Dream Wilderness's boundary wall, and his Gatekeeper authority began to crack.
• Angel warned Sanders, and they escaped the Dream Wilderness just before its sky split open and the realm began to collapse.
• Angel watched his connection to the shattered Dream Wilderness disappear and told Sanders that his dream authority had returned to nothing.
• Angel and Sanders speculated that Dream Realm creatures might be purgers sent against realms with Dream Realm traits that escaped the Dream Realm's control.
• Sanders urged Angel to improve the Dream Wilderness's concealment, protect the Dream Conch, and avoid causing more major trouble.
• Sanders showed that he would not take the Dream Conch from Angel and regarded Angel as more valuable than its immediate benefits.

Sanders learned about the Dream Wilderness’s vast potential and agreed that Angel’s proposed Nightmare Illusion research topic was suitable, while promising to assess Jon’s injuries later. After Sanders left to help rescue wizards in the Boundary Forest, Angel discovered the Dreamweaver Ant was missing and investigated the Soft-State Worm nest, where he found something unexpected.

• Sanders recorded Angel’s account of the Dream Wilderness and recognized the potential of its complete system, Infinite Alchemy, and consciousness glimmers.
• Angel showed Sanders his research topic, “Nightmare Illusion Power and Dream Spells,” and Sanders accepted it as a valid but incomplete proposal.
• Angel asked whether Jon’s injuries could be healed, and Sanders promised to assess Jon’s condition when he returned to the Wizarding World.
• Sinafa summoned the group to plan a rescue for wizards pursued by demons, and Sanders agreed to go to the Boundary Forest and bring up the rear.
• Before leaving Watchtower Fortress, Sanders told Angel to focus on forging the sequel to the Stele of the Strange Ring and asked Kant to keep an eye on him.
• Angel discovered the Dreamweaver Ant was missing, checked the Soft-State Worm nest for the valuable egg, and reacted strangely to what he found.

Angel discovered that the unusual egg had hatched into a creature that produced Soft-State Worms, and he suspected it was their mother worm. He saved it from the Dreamweaver Ants and sought Kant’s opinion, leaving Kant stunned by the revelation.

• Angel found that a giant, snot-like creature inside the nest was producing Soft-State Worm eggs and that newborn worms were feeding it Axo essence blood while defending it from Dreamweaver Ants.
• Angel pulled the Dreamweaver Ants out of the nest and returned them to their original nest to protect the suspected mother worm.
• Angel spotted a flash of crimson light near a distant tower as heavy snow fell, while a white-robed man watched nearby with a blood-red chain.
• Angel met Kant and asked whether he knew what a Soft-State Worm mother worm looked like.
• Angel showed Kant the hatched creature from the special egg, and Kant’s expression froze.

Kant examined Angel’s worm nest and realized that its Soft-State Worms had produced a mother worm through the combined influence of Axo’s life-rich blood essence and the Dreamweaver Ant. After explaining how the swarm’s struggle for survival led to the mother worm’s birth, Kant invited Angel to House of Lilith, and Angel asked whether the mother worm could produce Shapeshifting Softworms.

• Angel showed Kant the worm nest, and Kant recognized that it contained a mother worm surrounded by many Soft-State Worm corpses.
• Angel explained that his Dreamweaver Ant had occupied the nest and that Axo’s blood essence had been stored there, prompting Kant to investigate the blood essence.
• Kant tasted a drop of Axo’s blood essence and determined that its powerful vitality could sustain worm eggs and help them hatch.
• Kant theorized that the Dreamweaver Ant’s threat had stimulated the Soft-State Worms to produce a mother worm that could reproduce in large numbers.
• Kant invited Angel to stay at House of Lilith and cultivate his relationship with Qili, but Angel redirected the conversation by asking if the mother worm could produce Shapeshifting Softworms.

Angel planned to use the Dreamweaver Ants to pressure the Soft-State Worm mother into producing combat breeds, while Sanders considered how to protect Dream Wilderness from its Purgers. At the Boundary Forest passage, Sanders and Samantha encountered the Pilgrim of Misfortune, which walked away from them and made pursuit by the Greater Demons unlikely.

• Angel accepted Kant's suggestion to vary the Dreamweaver Ants' attacks on the Soft-State Worm nest and designed an automated invasion plan.
• Kant asked Angel to reserve a Shapeshifting Softworm for Qili if any hatched, then left to seek help with the Stele of the Strange Ring's puzzles.
• At the Boundary Forest passage, Sanders contemplated how wizards might bring reality's power into Dream Wilderness to repel its Purgers.
• Samantha joined Sanders as they awaited the two Greater Demons, but a crack opened and gray undercurrents began withering the surrounding plants.
• Sanders and Samantha recognized the approaching figure as the Pilgrim of Misfortune and retreated from its spreading aura.
• The Pilgrim of Misfortune headed north toward Silent Coast, leading Samantha and Sanders to conclude that the Greater Demons and the Demon God's descendant would not use the passage.

After the Doom Pilgrim forced Watchtower Fortress to suspend its plans, Sanders read in Frost Moon Confidential that Lucas Skull had been found to be missing. Angel wondered if Toby had taken it, but Sanders told him to keep reading.

• Samantha reported the Doom Pilgrim’s appearance to Sky Island while Sinafa sent scouts after it, and they learned it had vanished into the Gloomy Dead Sea.
• Sanders returned and offered to ask Nis about the Heart of the Swarm laboratory, then postponed Angel’s alchemical task until Watchtower Fortress received new orders.
• Samantha returned from Sky Island with word that everyone would stay at the fortress until Demon City’s martial lockdown ended, then withdraw to Kodo Port if the Boundary Forest remained quiet.
• Sanders summoned Angel after reading Frost Moon Confidential and told him that Lucas Skull had been found missing.
• Angel read that a prophecy said Lucas Skull was not in human hands and suspected Toby had taken it, but Sanders said it was not Toby.

Angel and Sanders read the Stargazing Day prophecies in the Frost Moon Confidential, discussing threats from the Demon God's Shadow, the Nightmare Realm, and the Dream Wilderness. As Angel read further in Sanders's residence, a hunched visitor arrived through the snow.

• Angel and Sanders deduced that a greedy, negative nonhuman with a dark and damp presence might have taken Lucas Skull, and Sanders planned to investigate through Tulas and Maya.
• Angel read the prophecies about the world fusion and the Demon God's Shadow, while Sanders explained Frost Moon's self-interested view of the danger.
• Sanders guessed that Asethos's great work was the Dream Wilderness and reassured Angel that prophecy wizards would take years to understand it.
• Angel read Lapuye's warning about the Eternal Night Kingdom and Fairy Tale World, and Sanders explained that the Nightmare Realm had already spread through Rainbow Dragonfly nests.
• A hunched visitor arrived at Sanders's residence through the snow, led by a cheerful sand rat, and entered as Angel looked up.

Vifit visited Sanders to ask about Cassini and left after renewing his promise to Angel. Sanders learned that Angel had met Time Thief and warned him not to treat Cassini as omniscient or let Cassini’s standards shape his choices, leaving Angel to keep his own path.

• Vifit spoke privately with Sanders, mentioned Cassini, and left after reminding Angel of his promise concerning the Lucky Parchment.
• Angel felt uneasy and planned to search for Toby, but Sanders stopped him and asked what had happened between him and Vifit.
• Angel admitted that he had met Cassini while refining Blood Night's Shelter, and Sanders recognized that Time Thief had marked him.
• Sanders warned Angel that Cassini was not omniscient or omnipotent and cautioned him to remember that Cassini was a thief.
• Sanders urged Angel to keep wearing Blood Night's Shelter to protect Dream Wilderness from prophecy magic and decided Angel need not worry about Cassini yet.

Angel discussed Sanders’ answers to Vifit’s questions about the Eternal Night Kingdom and considered what spell to choose for his spell slot. Meanwhile, a battered witch emerged from a dangerous crossing into Boundary Forest, where the ancient demon Mangimornie awoke beneath the ground.

• Angel learned that Sanders had told Vifit the Nightmare Realm was behind the changes in the Eternal Night Kingdom and that those changes would spread to Western Mosa.
• Sanders reminded Angel to choose a spell for his spell slot, and Angel considered using a mysterious manifestation to inspire an original spell.
• A witch crossed into Boundary Forest through a violent energy torrent, losing her Kuna Hide and barely escaping with a forbidden spell.
• The exhausted witch planned to vent her anger on people near Watchtower Fortress, but the ground began to shake and split open.
• Mangimornie emerged from a pit of scarlet magma and asked who had disturbed his slumber.

Dongla fled the demon lord Mangimornie after accidentally awakening it, and Mangimornie devastated the center of Boundary Forest while pursuing her. At Watchtower Fortress, Kant identified Dongla as the demon’s target and warned that she was leading it toward the fortress.

• Dongla fled as Mangimornie emerged from the pit and attacked her with a rain of fiery sparks.
• Dongla used Void Body to escape the sparks, but Mangimornie caught up and unleashed an attack that erased everything within dozens of miles of Boundary Forest.
• Angel and Sanders joined the wizards gathered at Watchtower Fortress to assess the ominous energy coming from Boundary Forest.
• Sinafa gave Kant a Deep Starry Night Stone, which he crushed to use the Bloodline of Night and investigate the forest.
• Kant discovered that a powerful demon had surfaced through underground cracks and was pursuing Dongla toward the fortress.

Dongla fled from Mangimornie toward Watchtower Fortress, intending to use its apprentices as scapegoats, while Sinafa and the others intercepted her to keep the demon away. They rescued Dongla from Mangimornie’s attack and agreed to restrain him and lead him elsewhere if he kept pursuing them.

• Kant revealed that Dongla planned to draw Mangimornie to Watchtower Fortress and sacrifice its apprentices, so Sinafa, Sanders, and the others set out to stop her.
• Dongla used the Replacer’s Puppet to escape Mangimornie, but it sent her into Explosive Forest, whose chain explosions drew the demon’s attention again.
• Dongla ran toward Watchtower Fortress, and Mangimornie caught up and attacked her with his fist and arrows of fireworks.
• Sinafa used gravity to pull Dongla out of the attack, and she, Samantha, Sanders, and Kant connected with Dongla through the Mind Tether.
• Dongla identified the demon as the fallen former Demon Lord Mangimornie, and Sanders said they could restrain him temporarily.
• Sinafa and the others agreed to keep Mangimornie away from Watchtower Fortress and lead him elsewhere if he continued pursuing them.

Samantha, Sinafa, Kant, Sanders, and Dongla joined forces against Mangimornie, driving it away from Watchtower Fortress but exhausting themselves in the process. After they scattered, Mangimornie pursued Dongla toward the Howling Plains, while the others revealed they had counted on her misfortune to draw the demon away.

• Dongla agreed to help weaken Mangimornie and lure it away from Watchtower Fortress if necessary.
• Samantha trapped Mangimornie in Mirror Maze as Kant, Sanders, Sinafa, and Dongla attacked it together; Kant explained that a frost curse had greatly weakened Sinafa.
• As Mangimornie grew stronger and drove the group to the edge of Boundary Forest, they decided to scatter after its next attack and let its chosen target lead it away.
• The group used instantaneous movement to escape Mangimornie's area attack, but Mangimornie pursued Dongla, who fled southeast toward the Howling Plains.
• Sinafa and the others regrouped outside Watchtower Fortress and revealed they had relied on Dongla's misfortune to draw Mangimornie away.

After learning that Watchtower Fortress would evacuate early, Angel set out to find Toby, who had not answered his summons. He reunited with Bobota, who recalled seeing Toby near Shadow Hill.

• Sanders told Angel that Sinafa had ordered the fortress to evacuate early because of Mangimornie's attack and that he would take Angel back to the Wizarding World.
• Angel tried to summon Toby from the tower, but Toby did not appear, so Angel hurried to search the fortress.
• A drunken apprentice told Angel that Bobota had likely seen Toby the previous afternoon.
• Angel recognized Bobota as the former customer whose blood-red chains he had forged.
• Bobota remembered seeing Toby near Shadow Hill.

Angel searched Shadow Hill for Toby and found evidence that the bird had been fishing there. After questioning two fleeing apprentices, he learned of a hidden cave and heard that a bird matching Toby’s call had been heard deep inside it.

• Angel found Toby’s smoked fish tail frozen in the river ice, confirming that Toby had been at Shadow Hill.
• Angel’s scouting puppets spotted two injured apprentices who had appeared from a concealed route, and he gave them a Broken Fire-Passing Stone in exchange for answers.
• The male apprentice took the stone and led the female apprentice toward the fortress, while Angel watched them leave.
• The apprentices told Angel about Shadow Cave, a hidden cavern beneath the hills where ink-black flying fish monsters had attacked them.
• Angel imitated Toby’s call, and the female apprentice confirmed that she had heard the same cry deep inside Shadow Cave.

Angel fought his way through Shadow Cave, found a group of Mituan Silver Rings, and followed the underground river in search of Toby. He discovered signs that Toby had recently killed a Demonic Beast, then entered a cavern marked by large snake trails and heard a faint chirp.

• Angel entered Shadow Cave and used Frost Runes to kill the flying fish monsters guarding its passages.
• Angel drew the cavern’s flying fish monsters into fighting one another with a Mist Illusion, then finished off the survivors.
• Angel found and collected a group of Mituan Silver Rings from the underground river.
• Angel followed the river upstream and found a recently killed crab Demonic Beast, concluding that Toby had likely killed it.
• Angel entered a cavern with a heavy reptilian stench and numerous large snake trails, then heard a faint chirp.

Angel followed Toby’s faint cries through a snake-infested passage and found him trapped on a cavern wall, protected by fading Gravity Veins. A giant serpent’s oppressive domain filled the cavern, and Angel prepared to risk a one-chance rescue.

• Angel heard Toby calling weakly for help and ran toward the sound through the underground tunnels.
• Angel used Flame Formation Illusory Slaughter and Nightmare Illusion Fear Spell to drive away the snakes blocking the path.
• Angel crossed the underground river and followed an ascending passage, sensing Toby nearby.
• Angel found Toby surrounded by snakes on a cavern wall, with his Gravity Veins growing weaker.
• Angel spotted a giant serpent coiled near Toby’s position and realized its domain field had caused the oppressive fear.
• Angel decided he could not return for Sanders and prepared to seize Toby and escape before the serpent could react.