Chapter Summaries

Shade and Theresa explored the Gravestone Wasteland to search for burial objects and clues that could help everyone escape. They shared news from their time apart and ended the journey with a passionate reunion kiss.

• Shade exchanged two gold rings for an iron shovel using the wooden chest.
• Shade and Theresa set out to investigate graves while Sister Belen and Giana Liad stayed behind; Giana lent them the relic Lullaby of Eternal Slumber.
• Shade and Theresa searched the gravestones for Miss Liard’s grave and discussed finding black stone slabs that might help them escape.
• Theresa told Shade how much she and the others had missed him and described her life after leaving the Sea of No Light.
• Shade told Theresa he had met Illustrious Miss in the Sixth Epoch and promised they would meet again on a brighter day.
• Theresa removed her glasses, embraced Shade, and kissed him passionately.

Shade and Theresa explored the Gravestone Wasteland, uncovering clues about Giana Liard and opening the grave of Maggie Chandler. Maggie’s corpse demanded their answers to a question about betrayal and love before offering them her Burial Objects, and Shade was left to respond after Theresa spoke.

• Shade and Theresa discussed the graves and Underground Tombs as they traveled through the increasingly cold wasteland, where a huge tree lingered at the edge of their vision.
• Shade found that Giana Liard’s gravestone called her grave robbing a sin and concealed an additional accusation of blasphemy against the Lord.
• Theresa used divination to choose Maggie Chandler’s grave, and Shade opened its Stone Coffin with his power.
• Maggie, a pale woman who appeared alive, demanded to know what they would say to an apprentice who had murdered them out of love and jealousy.
• Theresa answered that she would ask her apprentice to carry their love and hatred for life and give her one final kiss, and Maggie then asked Shade for his answer.

Shade and Theresa returned from the grave with four burial objects, bringing the group’s total to eight. Shade then set out with Sister Belen to search for more, carrying the Sure-Kill Handgun and beginning to answer her questions about Sister Devlin.

• Shade explained that the Witch had cut off two fingers before her death to torment the apprentice who had killed and buried her, then restored the grave and collected four burial objects.
• Shade and Theresa returned to the Gravedigger's Cabin, where Sister Belen added the objects to their collection, bringing the total to eight.
• After resting, Shade decided to search again with Sister Belen while Theresa and Miss Liard stayed at the cabin.
• Theresa lent Shade the Sure-Kill Handgun, and Shade and Sister Belen left the cabin together.
• Shade noticed that the distant tree had disappeared and told Sister Belen that Sister Devlin was powerful enough to help them leave quickly.

Shade and Sister Belen discussed the rare Fire Bearers as they searched the Gravestone Wasteland, before a horde of mutated Corpse Ghouls ambushed them. They drove the undead away, and Shade found a Gold False Tooth beside a gravestone after their corpses disappeared.

• Sister Belen asked Shade about his nun, and Shade recounted how Sister Devlin had offered him the First Fire while he was badly injured.
• Sister Belen explained that Fire Bearers were exceptionally rare and that each generation of Fire-Bearing Sisters waited for one; Shade realized she had not found a suitable bearer in this era.
• A winged Corpse Ghoul crashed into Shade, and he and Sister Belen stood back to back as more undead emerged from the fog.
• Shade and Sister Belen fought off the Corpse Ghouls using the Heaton Seal, moonlight attacks, fire, and Moonbeam Thorns while avoiding damage to the gravestones.
• The surviving Corpse Ghouls fled, and their bodies vanished before Shade could inspect them; he found a Gold False Tooth beside a gravestone.

Shade and Sister Belen searched the Gravestone Wasteland for a flame while discussing the First Fire, its kindling, and the Primordial Fire. After promising to return and take the Nuns out with the flame, Shade uncovered a haunted blacksmith’s grave, and Sister Belen burned away the cleaver-wielding undead that attacked them.

• Shade told Sister Belen he was searching for a flame and asked for her advice; she explained that the First Fire’s scattered flames were sealing disasters and offered to teach him a flame-sensing technique.
• Shade declined Sister Belen’s offer for now because of his agreement with his Nun, but promised to return, take everyone out, and bring the fire with them.
• Sister Belen taught Shade about kindling and the First Fire Embers state, and explained that the flames had to gather before the destined end for what came after it.
• Shade dug up Steve Royston’s grave and opened the metal coffin, where a rotten hand swung a cleaver at him.
• When more cleaver-wielding arms emerged from the fog, Sister Belen transformed into a sea of fire and burned them away.
• Shade found a bloodstained cleaver and three Gold Bracelets in the empty coffin, took the bracelets, and reburied the grave.

Shade and Sister Belen returned to the cottage after trading four burial objects to a mysterious black fog, which warned them that a god ruled the wasteland and that the exit lay among special tombs. With their supplies reduced and the danger growing, Shade planned to explore a special tomb on his next outing.

• Shade and Sister Belen avoided a black church and encountered a voice inside a patch of black fog, which demanded a companion’s soul or their burial objects.
• Shade traded a false tooth and three bracelets for information about special tombs, the value of burial objects, and the dangers of revealing that they were alive; the fog ended by saying, “God is in the kingdom.”
• Shade and Sister Belen returned to the cottage, where Shade told Miss Liard and Theresa about the encounter and the group reacted with fear at the mention of God of Graves.
• Shade traded two burial objects for an iron shovel, leaving the group with two shovels and six gold items, and urged the women to stay inside.
• Sister Belen suggested that special tombs might contain the valuable objects and clues needed to leave the wasteland, and Shade agreed to investigate one on his next outing.

Shade left Gravedigger's Cabin with a black spirit hound after it brought him two burial objects, while Theresa, Sister Belen, and Miss Liard stayed behind. After he departed, Theresa asked the other women to help her summon Violet Majesty, following instructions she had received in case Shade appeared again.

• A black spirit hound knocked at Gravedigger's Cabin, then led Shade to two gold earrings that he recognized as burial objects.
• Shade decided to follow the hound alone, gave the earrings to Sister Belen, and left the cabin after saying he might not return soon.
• Theresa, Sister Belen, and Miss Liard watched Shade disappear into the fog, and Theresa sensed that the world's order grew more confused in his absence.
• Theresa revealed that Violet Majesty had instructed her to summon her if Shade appeared again, and asked Sister Belen and Miss Liard to help perform the ritual.

Shade encountered the Corpse Tree, a powerful relic sealed around the soul of a hound named Lina, and struck a deal with her to help free her and her daughter. He learned about dangers in the wasteland and sent a letter to his companions, leaving to find a way to suppress the tree.

• Shade followed a spectral hound to the Corpse Tree and found an inscription explaining that a Witch had sealed the relic with her beloved hound, Lina.
• Shade transformed into a Silver Wolf and negotiated with Lina, who asked him to take her daughter out of the land of the dead and promised knowledge and a reward in return.
• Shade traded burial objects to Lina and learned that the stone slab was a sacrificial inscription and that Gargoyles, Death Frogs, Bone Nuns, and White Candle Monks threatened living people.
• Shade sent Lina's daughter with a letter for his companions, then left to find a way to free Lina and suppress the Corpse Tree.

Shade returned from the Gravestone Wasteland, told his companions about the Kingdom of Graves, and sought information at Saint Byron’s before leaving for the Snow Mountain. Administrator Miss identified the Demon Sword as the Angel Level Relic Sword Spawn Mother Nest and began inquiries into the Corpse Tree, while Shade planned to consult his Bloodkin friends about the sword.

• Shade returned in Silver Wolf form, reunited with Tifa, and joined Sylvia, Luvia, and Galina for breakfast.
• Shade described meeting Theresa and learning about the Kingdom of Graves, then said he would seek an exit and leave if the Bone King appeared.
• Shade received a delayed holiday letter from John Flynn, and Galina explained that representatives would travel to Laggson Duchy for talks between Delarion and Milson.
• Shade visited Administrator Miss, who identified the Demon Sword as the Sword Spawn Mother Nest, also called Gormora’s Cradle of Offspring, and warned him not to touch it.
• Shade asked Daniste about the Corpse Tree and the Bone King, and she agreed to seek information from Serkeses Higher Medical College while prioritizing the sword and tree.

Shade sought Mr. Albert’s help with the Demon Sword’s effects and received a Holy Blood mixture to temporarily suppress the victim’s condition. He then traveled with Sylvia to Keltod Town to meet Elder Harald, but learned Harald had taken the injured man to a secret mountain cave and had not yet returned.

• Shade told Mr. Albert about the Demon Sword, and Mr. Albert promised to ask Armand to investigate it.
• Mr. Albert used the Sword of Light to prepare Holy Blood for Shade to apply to the victim’s wound once a day for ten days.
• Shade and Sylvia traveled to the Woodland and then Snow Mountain, arriving at the village before their meeting time.
• Old Priest Kane told Shade that Elder Harald had left with the injured city man and taken him to a cave where the Holy Mountain could suppress the Whisper Element.
• Kane invited Shade to wait for Harald in Keltod Town, where Shade learned about the settlement and saw its Snow Mountain Hall fortress.

Shade toured Kael-Todd Town with Old Priest Kane, learning about the local customs and Great Elder Harald’s family as they waited for the Snow Mountain group. After a distant explosion led them into the mountains, they found Harald wounded and a strange, metallic-looking woman wielding a black sword emerging from a cave.

• Shade and Old Priest Kane watched a water burial, toured Kael-Todd Town, and shared lunch at the Priest’s home.
• While waiting at the mountain pass, Shade learned from Old Priest Kane about Great Elder Harald and Harald’s exceptionally gifted granddaughter, who might return for the Ten Thousand Spirits Festival.
• A tremendous explosion sounded from the Snow Mountain, so Old Priest Kane sent a message to town before taking Shade to investigate.
• Shade and Old Priest Kane reached a mountainside cave and sensed powerful Whisper Element nearby.
• Eleventh Ring Elder Harald emerged from the cave injured, followed by a towering, pale woman with black eyes and a sword wreathed in black light.

Shade fought the puppet wielding the Angel Level Relic Sword Spawn Mother Nest on Fatumonst Snow Mountain and appeared to defeat her with Moon Fire and the Black Moon Rune. The relic then revealed a second sword-wielding man, leaving Shade facing two linked opponents as Elder Harald and Priest Cain prepared something.

• Priest Cain shattered the puppet’s black sword beam before Shade engaged her, while Elder Harald warned Shade that Dali and Konstan were dead.
• The puppet unleashed a massive sword strike that struck Shade at its center, but he survived and pierced her with Moon Fire, then pinned her with a Thunder Spear and destroyed her with the Black Moon Rune.
• The puppet turned to dust and her sword fell onto the snow, but a middle-aged man appeared behind Shade wielding an identical blacklight greatsword.
• The relic split the man into two identical sword wielders, who attacked Shade together and forced him to defend while Elder Harald and Priest Cain prepared something.

Shade fought three sword-wielding enemies wielding demonic Angel Level Relics on Fatumonst Snow Mountain, but was knocked toward the forest. Claire Reinhart arrived to protect Elder Harald and faced the attackers with powerful sunlight and ice-snow magic.

• Shade used Chloe's Ice Echo and Dragon Breath to freeze and shatter two sword-wielding men, but a one-eyed sailor appeared and split into three copies wielding the demonic swords.
• The three enemies overwhelmed Shade, shattered his Moonbeam Greatsword, and sent him crashing toward the forest before approaching Elder Harald and Old Priest Kane.
• Elder Harald prepared to make a final stand, but Claire Reinhart arrived and urged him to seek help from the Holy Mountain, warning that Church members were already in town.
• Claire attacked the three enemies with Sunlight Crystal and Blazing Sun Spear, then used sunlight and ice-snow clones to block their swords.
• Claire and her two clones fought the demonic swords while Elder Harald continued seeking the snow mountain's aid and wondered why Shade had not returned.

Claire Reinhart and Shade joined forces to defeat the magic sword wielders, but the survivors escaped and trapped them, Claire, and Elder Harald in a relic’s deadly snowbound duel. Elder Harald explained the rules as the game began, while Shade and Claire were introduced as allies.

• Claire Reinhart fought the magic sword wielders until Shade arrived, and the two combined their lightning attacks to defeat the old man leading them.
• Three more sword wielders appeared; one escaped with six swords while another activated the Infinite Duel Corridor relic, trapping Shade, Claire, Elder Harald, and the remaining enemy in its game.
• Elder Harald explained that the relic forced its targets to cross harmful squares and duel, and he sent Old Priest Kane to retrieve the unconscious people and alert the Church.
• Elder Harald introduced Claire Reinhart to Shade as his granddaughter and their ally.

Shade, Claire Reinhart, and Elder Harald played the Infinite Duel Corridor against the Fat Fishmonger as they crossed the snow-covered squares and suffered the relic’s curses. The chapter ended when Shade’s Blood Echo drove away the bats causing their blood loss.

• The Fat Fishmonger rolled a five and suffered soul damage from a reaper’s scythe, while Elder Harald’s wound appeared to worsen.
• Claire Reinhart rolled a four, and Shade, Claire, and Elder Harald endured a supernatural cold that Claire resisted with a spell.
• The Fat Fishmonger rolled a six, reached the final square, and was cursed with blindness.
• Claire rolled a six, bringing her group to the tenth square, where bloodsucking bats attacked them.
• Shade’s Blood Echo activated and frightened the bats away before they could bite him.

Shade and Miss Reinhart battled the Fat Fishmonger over the demonic sword as The Game’s curses weakened them. Shade and Miss Reinhart prepared a ranged attack to disable him without destroying him, hoping to keep other demonic swords from appearing.

• The dice moved Shade, Miss Reinhart, and Elder Harald to the twelfth square, where the Relic cursed them with hunger and cold.
• The Fat Fishmonger rolled a four, shifting the score to 18:12 and triggering a sword duel between him and Shade.
• Elder Harald gave Claire his staff and urged her to help Shade keep the demonic sword.
• Claire blessed Shade and fired Sun Flare Ray at the Fat Fishmonger, distracting him long enough for Shade to force him back.
• The Fat Fishmonger retreated to the highest square and shattered Claire’s pursuing spell, while Shade and Miss Reinhart prepared to attack him from a distance.

Shade and Claire Reinhart defeated the Fat Fishmonger by combining Sun and Moon power, then sealed the Demon Sword that had consumed his soul. Shade agreed to help Claire and Elder Harald protect the Snow Mountain after she offered him instruction in Sun Thaumaturgy and the Fatu tribes’ support.

• Shade and Claire Reinhart combined their Sun power to overpower the Fat Fishmonger’s Demon Sword, and Shade added Moonlight to blast him from the duel.
• The Infinite Duel Corridor ended, restoring the Sun and greatly increasing Shade, Claire, and Elder Harald’s spirits.
• Claire used the Snow Mountain’s power and the Great Sin Chains to freeze and restrain the Demon Sword, while Shade confirmed the Fat Fishmonger was dead and his soul was gone.
• Shade identified the sword as the Angel Level Relic Sword Spawn Mother Nest and warned that its other Demon Swords would return.
• Claire offered Shade Sun Thaumaturgy and the Fatu tribes’ assistance if he stayed to help, and Shade agreed.

Shade and Claire Reinhart descended Fatumonst Snow Mountain after helping contain the Demon Sword, and Shade sensed that the mountain’s Spirit and Elements were unusually active. Claire brought him into Kael-Todd Town and began to suspect that he was the strange person foretold by Bella Belinder; they arrived at the Harpoon Hotel, where her students and friends were waiting.

• Elder Harald descended toward Kael-Todd Town alone with the temporarily sealed Demon Sword while Shade and Claire Reinhart planned to meet him after The Church left.
• Shade gave Claire his Victoria Street address, explained that he was pursuing a dangerous enemy, and declined her offer to investigate the enemy for him.
• Claire told Shade that the Ten Thousand Spirits Festival soothed the increasingly unstable Snow Mountain and that she expected another incident this year.
• Shade touched the earth and sensed that Spirit and Elements were unusually active across the Snow Mountain, surprising Claire because the mountain had accepted his presence.
• Claire recalled Bella Belinder’s divination about a strange person who would help her, then led Shade through the western docks into Kael-Todd Town.
• Claire introduced Shade to the townspeople as a friend visiting for the Ten Thousand Spirits Festival and brought him to the Harpoon Hotel, where her students and friends were waiting.

At the Harpoon Hotel, Claire Reinhart introduced Shade to her apprentice Stella Larson and discussed the appearance of the Angel Level Relic, the Sword Spawn Mother Nest. Claire then began teaching Shade a practical Sun-related Thaumaturgy to help him keep the Demon Sword at a distance.

• Claire arranged rooms at the Harpoon Hotel for Shade and her followers.
• Claire introduced Shade to her apprentice, Stella Larson, and spoke with him on the inn’s balcony.
• Shade and Claire suspected that the Demon Sword’s appearance before the Ten Thousand Spirits Festival had a deeper cause.
• Claire learned Shade was a Nine-Ring Arcanist and questioned him about his background.
• Shade described two categories of Sun Power, and Claire praised his knowledge.
• Claire offered to teach Shade a Thaumaturgy that could push opponents away without direct contact.

Shade learned Thunderclap Wave from Claire Reinhart and met with Elder Harald at Snow Mountain Hall, where he used Holy Blood to suppress injuries caused by the Demon Sword. The relic was identified as the Sword Spawn Mother Nest, but Harald’s condition remained uncertain as the Ten Thousand Spirits Festival approached.

• Claire Reinhart explained Thunderclap Wave to Shade and gave him its learning scroll after he promised to help contain the Demon Sword.
• Shade met the woman whose child he had helped, learned the child had recovered, and continued with Claire to Snow Mountain Hall.
• Shade and Claire found the Magic Potion Merchant unconscious and badly transformed, while Elder Harald was also suffering from a Demon Sword wound.
• Shade gave the group Holy Blood and explained that it could temporarily suppress the transformation, but the divided supply would last only five days.
• Shade identified the relic as the Sword Spawn Mother Nest and urged the elders to share its name with the local Church so they could investigate its properties.
• Elder Harald said he might be too ill to attend the Ten Thousand Spirits Festival, even if Shade’s distant friends discovered how the relic worked.