Recaps

Shade told a story about Eternal Crystal, in which a merchant tempted several characters with crystals that answered their desires. While the others resisted or turned back, Shade pursued crystals containing the Moon’s fragments, hoping to see her.

• Shade chose to tell a story about greed, temperance, and Eternal Crystal, writing it on World Tree Bark.
• A Gray Wolf Girl rejected crystal glasses, and Emilia refused a potion deal that would give her an advantage over her friends.
• Elfina Wilde gave up trading for more crystals because she needed to return to her duties at the Academy.
• Iluna traded increasingly costly goods for Eternal Crystals that slowed time, but refused to sacrifice a soul and threw away the crystals she had collected.
• Shade learned that some Eternal Crystals contained fragments of moonlight, then traded increasingly valuable goods to amass crystals and pursue a vision of the Original Moon.

Shade completed the Crystal Light story by refusing to give up his pursuit of the Silver Moon, and the deity granted him a second chance by turning Temperance into power. He awoke in the tower with a new Spirit Rune and Mystic Lock.

• Shade met the merchant in the Crystalline Forest and demanded the final crystal so he could see the Original Moon.
• The merchant warned Shade that taking the crystal would end the story and urged him to temper his obsession, but Shade reached for it even after seeing Luvia's eyes.
• Shade became an Eternal Crystal Statue, then used his Soul Power to break free and hurled himself and the last crystal into his gathered crystals.
• The crystal forest expanded in brilliant moonlight as Shade's Destiny Ring absorbed the radiance, and the deity granted him a second chance to learn Temperance.
• Shade inscribed the Silver Blasphemy Ling Rune - Crystal Light and obtained the Thaumaturgy Mystic Lock - Crystal Light.
• Shade opened his eyes before the blackboard on the tower's highest floor, with the complete story of Crystal Light floating beside him.

Shade realized he had failed the deity’s lesson on Temperance because he still could not let go of his desire to reach the Primordial Moon Remnant. The others tried to help Miss Maze leave the abandoned Academy, and Shade used Lingquan Enlightenment to restore her memories before she faced the god.

• Shade accepted that he had failed the final lesson, gained the last eight-ring Spirit Rune, and wondered whether he could still reach the Primordial Moon Remnant.
• The god explained that Miss Maze had remained at the Academy for centuries, unable to let go of her life as a teacher, and invited the others to help her.
• Iluna, Emilia, Miss Wilde, and Miss Bister met Los Metz at the Academy gate and urged her to leave; Miss Bister condemned her for confusing obsession with devotion.
• Los Metz broke down, and Shade used Lingquan Enlightenment to restore her memories before telling her to decide for herself whether to leave.
• Los Metz turned toward the Academy Castle and saw the god walking out of the light.

Los Metz became an Angel as the deity ended the final lesson and gave gifts to the students before they were separated from the collapsing Academy. Shade remained behind with the deity for one last look around, carrying Miss Bister’s Moon Pendant as a keepsake.

• The deity comforted Los Metz, whose appearance transformed into that of an Angel before Shade and the others.
• The deity sent Emilia and Miss Wilde toward their shared time, gave Iluna a golden-wing mark, and awarded Miss Bister her glasses.
• As the Academy began to collapse, the girls were pulled away from Shade, who tossed Miss Bister a piece of World Tree bark.
• Miss Bister threw her Moon Pendant to Shade, and the deity let it pass through the gate.
• Shade followed the deity into the fading Academy after agreeing to take one last look around.

Shade and the cat witnessed the Strange Tree Academy god depart, receiving a final gift before being carried away from the Void. Emilia awoke among Unicorn foals and recognized the city below as Saint Byron's.

• Shade learned that the god and Strange Tree Academy would vanish, and the god said his obsession could Freeze Spacetime.
• The god advised Shade to cherish mortal life, then sent him and the cat away and bestowed Miracle and books for his Moon Library.
• Shade heard the departing god's Words of Sublimation before a phantom tree carried him and the cat through the Void.
• Emilia awoke among Unicorn foals, remembered falling into the Void with Miss Wilde, and wondered if she had reached Saint Byron's.
• Emilia saw an ancient castle city with Saint Byron's school crest and enrollment banners, confirming that she had arrived at the academy.

After returning to her own time, Shibel Beast realized her memories of Ashes River Valley were fading and used Shade’s bark to preserve a record of her companions. She planned to hide it for Shade and Iluna to find in the future.

• Emilia arrived at Saint Byron's Witch Academy with Fiona and Miss Wilde, who brought her to meet Principal Feliana and Teacher O'Lanod.
• Shibel Beast awoke at her campsite in Acorn Forest and confirmed that her journey through Ashes River Valley had been real.
• Shibel Beast lamented being separated from Shade, Iluna, Emilia, and the others, and resolved to remember their adventure.
• When Shibel Beast’s memories began to fade, she used the glasses to resist their loss and carved crude portraits of her companions into Shade’s piece of World Tree bark.
• Shibel Beast decided to hide the bark and leave a riddle at Saint Byron's for Shade and Iluna to discover in the future.

Shade and Iluna returned from their adventure through the Time Key, where Iluna learned Emilia had been sent back to the middle of the Fifth Epoch and gained power from an Angel. Shade then told the Witches that Emilia was safe and proposed dealing with the remaining obstacles before she returned.

• The Time Guardians invited Miss Bister to join them, but she refused and promised not to show anyone the World Tree bark.
• Shade asked the Tree Father for power against the World Tree Remnants, then returned with Iluna to the Radiance Messenger.
• Iluna told the Witches that Emilia had been taken back to the middle of the Fifth Epoch, and Miss Danist left to investigate at Strange Tree Academy.
• Iluna showed the Witches an Angel's mark that could temporarily raise her power from Ninth Ring to Thirteenth Ring.
• Shade explained that Emilia had arrived at Saint Byrens Comprehensive College and would return within four days, then urged the Witches to deal with their remaining obstacles.

After planning the next battles, Shade studied a Youthful Immortality Leaf and discovered clues to a ritual that could turn one of his Spirit Runes into a Core Ling Rune. He suspected the ritual and the origins of his body were tied to the collapsed Moon Tower on Kalas Mountain, leaving him with nine riddles to investigate.

• Shade assigned Luvia and Bella to investigate the Bennett children's bloodlines, prepared the academies and the Church for a battle against the Watcher, and chose to investigate the dragon beast's nest first.
• Shade absorbed the information in a Youthful Immortality Leaf and learned the requirements for a Newborn Ritual that could transform an existing Spirit Rune into a Core Ling Rune.
• Shade guessed that the ritual's components might involve the Philosopher's Stone, Lady Helena Carter's remains, Astrologer Euclid's finger bone, and the collapsed Moon Tower on Kalas Mountain.
• Shade concluded that he needed to discover the origin of his body and solve nine riddles, many likely connected to the Moon Tower.
• Shade examined Miss Bister's silver crescent Pendant and wondered whether the Newborn Ritual celebrated or granted rebirth.

Shade tested the new abilities of his Cherished Item thaumaturgy by signing his name on cards, Illustrious Miss's ship, and Matilda. The experiments revealed that signed objects gained strength and control while signed people received enhanced physical and spiritual protection, and the chapter ended with Matilda kissing him.

• Shade signed several Rhodes Cards, strengthening them enough to withstand his Moonlight Slash, and accidentally damaged the ship while testing them.
• Shade signed his name inside the ship's Captain's Room and discovered he could partially control the ship and perceive activity in its cabins.
• Shade signed Matilda's hand and found that she gained physical and spiritual enhancements while he could sense her emotions and protect her soul.
• Shade observed that his protection over Matilda weakened with distance and that her signature faded quickly.
• Matilda kissed Shade and told him he was still happy despite the kisses happening in the wrong order.

Shade learned that the grave in the Dragon beast nest was a Tree Hollow preserving Kindel’s corpse, and he uncovered its contents without disturbing the powerful curse and roots. The Pointy-eared Elf began working to open the Tree Hollow, expecting to finish before nightfall.

• Shade recalled the Tree Hole Spell, which created a time-stasis hollow inside a tree for storing items.
• Shade, Sylvia, and the Owl reached the Dragon beast nest and found the grave at its deepest point.
• Shade revealed the grave pit with the Black Key and found a living tree trunk wrapped in roots beneath the soil.
• Shade identified the trunk as a Tree Hollow preserving Kindel’s corpse and warned that disturbing its roots might release the Dragon beast and Paradox Worms.
• The Pointy-eared Elf arrived on Little Liana and said she could open the Tree Hollow, though it would take until before nightfall.

Margaret discovered that her missing half-sister Ashley Bethany had died and become a ghost in a well, so she and Shade visited her to learn what happened. Ashley revealed that she had been shot after stumbling upon two people meeting secretly in an alley, leaving Shade and Margaret with a possible murder to investigate.

• Margaret told Shade that records had identified her missing younger half-sister as Ashley Bethany, who had vanished two years earlier from Creekwood Town.
• Shade recognized Ashley’s name and explained that he had encountered her ghost in a well at an abandoned Lumber Mill camp.
• Margaret asked Shade to take her to Ashley, and he brought her to the camp, where she confirmed they had found the right person.
• Shade asked Ashley how she had died, and she recounted being shot after entering an alley and witnessing two people meeting secretly.

Shade and Margaret helped Ashley Bethany recover her corpse and leave the well so she could search for her long-lost twin brother. After Margaret departed, Luvia asked Shade to divine the Chosen One Ritual and its first candidate.

• Shade and Margaret learned that Ashley Bethany wanted to find her twin brother, and she rejected a photograph of the man William Anjou had killed as a false lead.
• Ashley agreed to leave with Margaret, and Shade retrieved her decomposed corpse and the bullet from her chest.
• Flora examined Ashley's soul and confirmed it was stable, while Vanessa criticized Margaret's distraction and Flora offered to send local helpers.
• Margaret thanked Flora, met with Vanessa, and left to continue her search for Ashley's brother.
• Luvia told Shade that Megan and Audrey had sent two Multi-Eyed One's Eye Coins and proposed divining the first candidate or the Chosen One Ritual.

Shade and Luvia investigated the Chosen One Ritual and concluded that its tree planting might create a new sapling to stabilize time. That night, Shade and the Great Witches began an operation against the dragon-beast, which ended with Bill Kamora trapping it in a Dragon-Hunting Net.

• Luvia divined that the complete Chosen One Ritual could be found through Shade’s copy of Creekwood Town and the World Tree, then identified planting a tree as its central requirement.
• Shade worried Emilia might have to become the World Tree, while Luvia proposed that the candidates’ gathered power could instead grow a time-stabilizing sapling in Vesta Woodland.
• Shade and the Great Witches loosened the roots around an old man’s corpse, and Shade struck its neck with a crimson greatsword.
• A Black Dragon attacked the hill with black Thunder, but the blast marked the operation’s start as the group drew it into a coordinated assault.
• The Hunting Griffin’s Flute, the Dawn Church’s Divine Ritual, and other attacks weakened the dragon-beast’s defenses and forced it to flee.
• Bill Kamora manifested his Destiny Ring and trapped the dragon-beast in a colossal Dragon-Hunting Net.

Shade and the Church’s forces nearly defeated the dragon beast with rituals and a Thirteenth Ring Crystal Dragon, but Clockmaker Marva Wyman intervened and reversed time to restore it. Marva then darkened the sky and appeared to side with the ancient evil.

• The Thirteenth Ring Crystal Dragon attacked the weakened dragon beast, while Shade and his allies watched from the concealed Radiance Messenger.
• Shade told Dorothy he had considered summoning Kindel’s soul to make the dragon beast surrender, but feared their bond might not overcome the ancient evil.
• The Church’s rituals and attacks stripped the dragon beast of its wings and sent it falling toward the forest.
• Clockmaker Marva Wyman appeared on the dragon beast and reversed time, restoring it despite the Divine Ritual.
• Beast Hunter challenged Marva for siding with evil, and she raised her hand as dark clouds covered the sky.

The Clockmaker challenged Yuri Aston and used her power to transform the dragon beast into a colossal Dragonborn Treant that unleashed Decaying Time across the battlefield. As a time barrier began enclosing the area, Shade divided his companions between the hotel and the Radiance Messenger, where the ship’s main cannon finally struck the monster.

• The Clockmaker challenged Yuri Aston to a duel and summoned two Black Dragons from the past to fight the Sky Blade.
• The Clockmaker struck the dragon beast with an emerald-green beam, causing a massive tree to grow through it and turning forest creatures into Dragonborn Treants.
• The dragon beast unleashed Decaying Time beams as snowflakes and fog walls signaled that the battlefield was being cut off from normal spacetime.
• Shade sent Luvia, Sylvia, Sivie, and Miss Danist to the hotel while keeping other allies aboard the Radiance Messenger.
• The Church’s forces struggled against the dragon beast and its Dragon Blood Treants as Iluna failed to stabilize time.
• The Radiance Messenger’s main cannon fired a sea-blue beam at the dragon beast.

Shade and the Ring Arcanists repeatedly defeated the black dragon, only for it to revive from a giant tree in a time-stagnant forest. Realizing the beast needed a Ferryman to escape the cycle, Shade prepared to use the Radiance Messenger and Illustrious Miss, ending with plans to write his name in her Power Room.

• The Witches, Academy professors, dragons, and other Arcanists helped suppress the black dragon, but its body grew into a tree and revived it in perfect condition.
• Shade and the others battled the dragon again, and Shade cleaved it in two with the Silver Moonbeam Greatsword, but it quickly revived once more.
• Dorothy connected the dragon's repeated resurrection to Professor Danist's story about souls trapped in a region of eternal stagnation, and Shade realized it needed a Ferryman to carry it to the end.
• Shade chose to use the Radiance Messenger and Illustrious Miss, then wrote his name in the Captain's Room and across the ship's deck to strengthen his control.
• Illustrious Miss agreed to let Shade write his name in her Power Room, while Dorothy realized her connection with Leisha could still cross the divided Spacetime.

Shade and Illustrious Miss transformed the battle into a Mystic Lock over the Sea of No Light and used the Radiance Messenger to bind and drag the dragon beast. With the witches and Ring Arcanists helping, the ship finally began moving, but it had not yet reached the planned sea region as the dragon struggled and Illustrious Miss weakened.

• Iluna saw Shade and Illustrious Miss activate the Radiance Messenger’s power, replacing the battlefield with the Sea of No Light.
• The Radiance Messenger charged through the dragon beast’s decay breath and rammed it into the sea while the gathered fighters attacked.
• Shade cast Summon Old Wooden Boat through the ship, which fired chains and Great Sin Chains to bind the wounded dragon beast.
• Dorothy urged Iluna to try the Witch Secret Art—Order Chains, and Iluna successfully manifested chains with the Dark Gold Scales.
• The witches and Ring Arcanists combined their spells to restrain the dragon, allowing the Radiance Messenger to drag it across the stormy sea.
• The ship struggled to reach the planned sea region as the dragon fought back, Illustrious Miss’s strength waned, and Miss Owl took to the air.

Shade and the others forced the dragon beast through the Wall of Sighs and into the Underworld Moon’s mist, where it finally fell silent. Shade prepared to take Iluna and Flora farther into death’s realm while the Radiance Messenger waited at The Edge.

• Flora summoned the Wall of Sighs, and the Radiance Messenger broke through it into the mist surrounding the Underworld Moon.
• When the dragon beast’s strength surged and it dragged the ship backward, Iluna shouted the name Kinsley Kindel until its struggle weakened.
• Shade used the Radiance Messenger to pull the dragon completely through the wall and into the mist, where the dragon eventually stopped moving.
• Shade checked on the exhausted Flora and told Illustrious Miss to stop the ship at The Edge because it carried too many living people.
• Iluna and Flora joined Shade as he prepared to take the dragon farther ahead, while Illustrious Miss and the others waited aboard the ship.

Shade, Iluna, and Flora witnessed Kindel reunite with the Black Dragon in the realm of the dead, bringing the Dragon Egg’s long story to an end. They returned to the Woodland, where the battle still raged beneath the March sky.

• Shade dragged the weakened Black Dragon across the water to the edge of the Underworld Moon, where Kindel’s soul came to meet it.
• Kindel touched the dragon, which wept, regained its wisdom, and returned to the form of a hatchling before choosing to depart with him.
• Kindel thanked Shade and gave him a breeze-wrapped branch and a black, distorted heart, while Flora received a gift that raised the upper limit of her spirit.
• Shade said Flora had accepted death and believed she would become a Twelfth Order Great Witch once her Time Curse was lifted.
• Shade and Iluna returned to the Radiance Messenger and sailed through the mist until they emerged above the Woodland.
• They saw that the Dragon Blood Treants were still active, the Ring Arcanists were still fighting, and spirit light was erupting above a distant city.

After the dragon beast’s defeat, Shade learned that the Clockmaker had escaped and that the conflict in Vesta Woodland still had dangerous enemies ahead. He rested, while Galina and Leisha discussed looming war preparations, and the group postponed further action until they had recovered.

• Hailey Aurora reported that Yuri Aston had been defeated by the Clockmaker, who escaped through a spacetime rift with help from the Tree Hole Association.
• The summoned monsters were destroyed, and Shade recognized that the Clockmaker’s return likely involved a higher authority connected to the Ancient One in the woods.
• Shade visited Galina before going to rest, and she and Leisha discussed the king’s plans to issue War Bonds and the possibility of future war.
• After sleeping, Shade heard the battle’s aftermath at breakfast and learned that the Owl had not yet awakened after breaking through her limitations.
• Shade concluded that the Clockmaker’s return was preferable to an unknown enemy, while the group rested and delayed confronting the Watcher of the Paradox Worms.

Shade and Bella visited the Dragon Devouring Sacrificial Ground, where Shade used Kindel’s gifted dragon-beast heart to gain Dragon Breath and the Flight Spell. They returned to Belinder Manor by lunchtime, with Shade’s new powers tested and Bella’s city affairs briefly discussed.

• Shade and Bella walked through the Dragon Devouring Sacrificial Ground while Bella told him about changes in Moon Bay and reassured him about the coming battle at Vesta Woodland.
• Shade performed the Dragon Devouring Ritual on Kindel’s gifted heart and gained the Thaumaturgy—Dragon Breath and the Spell—Flight Spell.
• Shade tested his ability to hover and decided he would not seek out dragons to devour unless their hearts were gifts.
• Shade and Bella returned to Belinder Manor, where Shade helped Bella with official affairs before they joined the others for lunch.
• Galina revealed that the group had expected Shade to return with lipstick marks, prompting laughter from everyone.

Shade dealt with Flora’s hibernation as temporal anomalies spread through Vesta Woodland and across the Material World. Flora awoke with a weakened Time Curse and new power, while the Witch Council concluded that a great disaster was nearing and learned the Church was asking about Emilia.

• Shade, Dorothy, and Miss Danist performed an ancient ritual at the Old God Lord of Beasts’ temple to soothe Flora’s soul while she hibernated.
• Flora awoke aboard the cruise ship, discovered Megan and Audrey had played a joke about Shade’s wedding, and learned her Time Curse had greatly weakened.
• Flora told Shade and the others that her journey through death had strengthened her soul and granted her a Dragon Series Transformation Spell form, though Grandma Cassandra warned her not to overuse transformations.
• Temporal incidents spread across the Material World, and Shade believed the long-building problems in Vesta Woodland were nearing a breaking point.
• Sivie told the assembled witches that incident density had passed their warning line, while Miss Danist reported that the Church was asking about Emilia after their candidate’s defeat.

Shade and the witches planned how to provoke the Paradox Worms without waking them all, while diviners investigated the Bennett family’s youngest son. After the meeting, Megan and Audrey joined Galina in Shade’s room, where they waited for him together.

• Vanessa showed the group a map of Vesta Woodland’s Mithril veins, and Shade planned to draw out the Watcher by triggering a limited awakening of the Paradox Worms.
• The group agreed to wait until after next Monday for Sister Devlin and Speaker, while Bella and Luvia continued choosing where to blast the veins.
• Luvia and Bella reported that Thomas Bennett should not have been able to father a boy, and Shade said he would meet the Bennett child to determine whether he was human.
• Shade told Dorothy to have Leisha prepare to leave but not come to the forest yet, since newcomers might be watched.
• After the meeting, Megan and Audrey found Galina waiting in Shade’s room and joined her while Shade was in the washroom.

Shade and Flora investigated Albert Bennett after suspecting he might be Ashley Bethany’s missing brother, and Margaret confirmed that he was the royal illegitimate son. The discovery cleared up the rumor that William Anjou had killed his half-brother, but Albert’s apparent age and hidden identity raised new suspicions, while Shade promised Ashley a chance to meet him later.

• Megan told Flora that she and Audrey had enjoyed late-night snacks with Galina and Shade, while Angelina hoped Emilia would return that evening.
• Shade watched Albert Bennett walk home from school and noticed the boy resembled someone, then invited Flora to spend the Year-End Festival with him.
• Shade and Flora asked Margaret to summon Ashley Bethany’s soul and showed her Albert’s photograph, but she could not identify him from the distorted image.
• Shade, Flora, Margaret, and Ashley watched Albert pass their café, and Margaret recognized him as the illegitimate son.
• Shade and Flora concluded Albert was Ashley’s brother, though his apparent age and the Bennett Family’s resistance to investigation suggested a larger mystery.
• Ashley asked to meet her brother, and Shade promised to arrange it and investigate why Albert had appeared in Vesta City.

Shade investigated the unresolved death of Ashley Bethany and the Bennett Family while the threat of the Paradox Worms delayed the woodland hunt. He ended the chapter visiting Doctor Schneider, who had begun using his new power freely.

• Margaret told Shade that the dead agents Sage and Sea Coral had left conflicting accounts of who shot Ashley Bethany, leaving her killer unknown.
• Miss Bell reported that the Accordion Hotel stopped serving guests early every Saturday, and Shade decided to investigate its 1st Floor the next night.
• Shade and his allies learned that the Watcher might awaken every Paradox Worm in Vesta Woodland, so they postponed the hunt until they found a way to control the threat.
• Shade visited Doctor Schneider, who said he could now cast spells freely despite not yet mastering his new power.