Chapter Summaries

Tang Qi found the Flail Snail but learned it could not produce enough [Road of Wealth] in time to sustain the Ebony Forest’s ritual. While Quinn and the others kept the audience gathered for the ritual, Elder Bell Deer told Tang Qi the Society planned to abandon the dream and put its members into a deep sleep.

• Ponto tried to keep the audience from leaving, and Quinn brought Nasar, Guna, Fulei, and the musicians together to hold their attention with a dragon’s arrival and a sorrowful performance.
• Tang Qi raced past the forest rangers into the World Tree to find the druids and tell Elder Bell Deer that he had found the Flail Snail.
• Elder Bell Deer said the snail could not produce the missing three thousand pounds of [Road of Wealth] before the ritual began.
• Elder Bell Deer apologized that the Society could no longer take in the Beastfolk and said it had decided to abandon the dream and place every member into a deep sleep.

Tang Qi proposed using the adaptable underground-city mushrooms as a substitute for the missing [Road of Wealth] needed to complete Ebony Forest’s ritual and protect its sleeping inhabitants. After bringing the mushrooms from his Sky Turtle, he urged Bell Deer to use [Plant Growth], but their supply was still far short of the required amount.

• Bell Deer explained that Ebony Forest planned to put its inhabitants into a year-long sleep because it lacked enough [Road of Wealth], while the Plague Society waited outside the forest.
• Tang Qi suggested that an adaptable unaligned material could be made into a pure earth-element substitute, and Bell Deer agreed to wake him so he could retrieve it.
• Shalti woke Tang Qi and Dawn from their cocoons, and Tang Qi learned that the Society was searching for Ailivy while Shalti had helped her escape.
• Tang Qi returned to the waking forest with Shalti and Dawn, retrieved his dimensional pouch, and summoned his Sky Turtle.
• Tang Qi showed Bell Deer the underground-city mushrooms he had cultivated, and Bell Deer considered whether [Plant Growth] could multiply them for the ritual.

Tang Qi persuaded Bell Deer to reveal the truth about Ebony Forest and helped grow dream-linked mushrooms to sustain the dream while the Society prepared for a transition. The chapter ended with Rumi recovering his memories and warning that the Plague Outpost contained bloodied, mangled monsters.

• Tang Qi asked Bell Deer to tell the Society the truth, arguing that its members should gradually face reality, and Bell Deer agreed to help while the dream was maintained.
• Shalti returned to the dream to prepare its inhabitants, while Bell Deer led Tang Qi and Dawn to the World Tree’s flower field to cultivate mushrooms.
• Bell Deer used the World Tree’s power to grow the mushrooms, and Dawn’s connection to their shared consciousness pulled her into the dream.
• Tang Qi explained that his duplicate had been working in the dream while his original body remained in reality, then returned with Dawn to the Society’s theater gathering.
• The Society members released their wishes toward the World Tree, and Tang Qi quietly noted that he had saved a world.
• Rumi regained his memories and told Tang Qi that the Plague Outpost housed monsters covered in blood and mangled flesh.

Tang Qi and Shalti uncovered a plot linking Plague Outpost’s lord to druids who were collecting Plague Source and planning to break into Ebony Forest. As the lord’s forces captured Little Baldy, Little Beard, and their companions, Little Rascal escaped, and the chapter ended with the lord’s spell failing at the forest barrier.

• Tang Qi and Shalti deduced that Plague Outpost’s lord was aggravating the infected to harvest Plague Source and had sent druids to silence them.
• Shalti realized the forest rangers needed to gather inside the barrier before the outpost’s army and the Plague Society’s druids attacked Ebony Forest.
• The soldiers captured Little Baldy, Little Beard, and their companions, while a druid used a grotesque Healing Spell to restore Little Beard.
• A black-robed Spellcaster summoned the druids with an Ebony Forest Calling Leaf Flute, and the outpost lord agreed to wait for the barrier to disappear before burning the forest.
• Little Rascal escaped after stealing a soldier’s key and knocking him unconscious, while the lord ordered preparations at three other locations.
• The outpost lord cast Burning Spell at the forest, but the spell went out, and he accused the lead druid of lying to him.

After the barrier around Ebony Forest held, Kandelian turned on Malin and the druids, seeking to seize their Plague Source. Tang Qi and his companions found the massacre’s traces and split up to report the attack and pursue the outpost’s army.

• The barrier repelled Malin’s fire spell, and Kandelian ordered his forces to abandon the failed plan to enter Ebony Forest.
• Malin sent a retreat signal, but Kandelian’s soldiers attacked the druids; Kandelian captured them with plague magic and explained that he wanted their Plague Source for the Lionheart Lord.
• Malin accused Kandelian of breaking their pact, but he claimed the pact did not apply because the plan had failed, then ordered his troops to round up the druids’ accomplices.
• Tang Qi and Little Rascal reached the battlefield and found blood, wreckage, and tracks leading toward the Plague Outpost; Shalti explained how the outpost could extract and use Plague Source.
• Tang Qi decided that Rumi should return to Ebony Forest to alert the High Elder while he and the others followed the army’s tracks, relying on Dawn to help them escape danger.

Tang Qi, Shalti, Dawn, and Little Rascal tracked the retreating Plague Society forces to their camp, but the enemy had anticipated pursuit and sprang a trap. The four faced a prepared counterattack as Kandelian revealed how his forces had monitored their approach.

• Shalti deduced that the enemy had stopped nearby to rest and used a twig to locate Shivana’s World Tree axe with [Item Locator].
• Shalti led the group under [Unseen Movement] to the camp, where they spotted patrolling soldiers and detection spells, then decided to withdraw and wait for reinforcements.
• A [Fireball] struck the group as they moved away, and Dawn shielded Tang Qi while Little Rascal climbed into a tree and Shalti readied her bow.
• Shalti shot Nomi, piercing his arm and trapping him with brambles, but Professor Kandelian deflected her next arrow with [Catapult Spell].
• Kandelian revealed that magic apprentices had placed [Alarm Spell] along the routes and reported the pursuers’ movements, then ordered his soldiers to attack the four.

Tang Qi, Dawn, and Shalti attacked the Plague Outpost camp, where Wild Magic threw the Spellcasters’ defenses into chaos. As the battle drew most of the guards away, Little Rascal and a Bugbear knocked out Martin and took the keys to free the prisoners.

• Dawn flew toward Nomi while Shalti entangled the soldiers, but Nomi’s Grease Spell trapped both himself and Dawn.
• Dawn burned through Nomi’s Shield Spell and struck at him, but Kandelian interrupted the attack with Catapult Spell, allowing Nomi to escape with Misty Step.
• Dawn attacked Kandelian as Tang Qi sang a chaotic song that produced unpredictable magic, including a Fireball that exploded beneath Kandelian.
• Woon freed Martin, armed him, and left him guarding the captives while he led the other soldiers to confront the three pursuers.
• Little Rascal and a Bugbear knocked Martin unconscious, stole the keys, and left him realizing that four pursuers had attacked the camp.

Tang Qi, Dawn, and Shalti fought Kandelian and the soldiers in the camp, but Kandelian’s magic incapacitated Dawn and forced the fighting to a halt. After realizing the group were adventurers rather than natives of the Ebony Forest, he offered to pay them double to switch sides.

• Kandelian cast Dispel Magic at Tang Qi, suppressing Poet’s lute magic but failing to stop his song, while the song trapped Kandelian in Gaseous Form.
• Tang Qi used a joke and Silver Tongue to make one soldier laugh, then joined Dawn as Shalti held off other soldiers with spells.
• Tang Qi splashed Nasar’s Prank into three soldiers’ eyes, and Dawn defeated Captain Woon with Supreme Holy Slash.
• Nomi returned and used Dispel Magic to free Kandelian, who struck Dawn with Energy Drain and revealed that he thought she was a Flesh Golem.
• Kandelian stopped his soldiers and learned that Tang Qi and his companions were adventurers who had not been born in the Ebony Forest.
• Kandelian offered to pay Tang Qi and his companions double to join him.

Kandelian offered Tang Qi plague source in exchange for joining the effort to retake the Southern Great Wall, which the beastfolk had captured a month earlier. Tang Qi refused to go to the front, but learned that Kandelian wanted to break the Ebony Forest’s barrier to obtain plague source for the war.

• Kandelian offered Tang Qi as much plague source as he wanted if he helped retake the Southern Great Wall and repel the beastfolk.
• Kandelian explained that the beastfolk had breached the Great Wall a month earlier, leaving Wind Sand Islet isolated and threatening the settlements along the Road to Prison.
• Tang Qi realized that the Phlogiston Sea’s expansion had driven the beastfolk north and that his time in the Ebony Forest had caused four months to pass in reality.
• Tang Qi refused to fight at the front, saying he wanted to protect Anbi and reunite her with her sisters.
• Kandelian accused Tang Qi of obstructing him, and Tang Qi revealed he had come to rescue the rangers Kandelian’s soldiers had abducted.
• Kandelian showed Tang Qi plague source and explained that it could let spellcasters cast large-scale spells continuously, potentially turning the tide of the war.

Tang Qi confronted Kandelian over his plan to sacrifice plague-infected people, then fought him with Dawn, Shalti, Little Rascal, and the druids. As they pressed their attack, Nomi appeared to take the blow meant for Kandelian.

• Tang Qi condemned Kandelian for killing the infected while disguising his choice as a noble sacrifice.
• Kandelian used plague source to cast [Witch Bolt], but Tang Qi's [Verbal Abuse] spell made him miss.
• Dawn attacked Kandelian with [Supreme Holy Slash], while Shalti shot him from behind; his corrupted body survived the arrows.
• Little Rascal aided Tang Qi's advance as the druids transformed and charged the soldiers, but Tang Qi's blade barely pierced Kandelian's [Stoneskin].
• Dawn struck at Kandelian as he prepared another spell, and Nomi's body was split in two before Kandelian.

Kandelian’s memories revealed how Nomi Klein joined his class and why Kandelian pursued power for peace. In the present, Tang Qi nearly killed Kandelian, but the wounded spellcaster escaped behind a barrier, and Dawn realized he was a revenant.

• Kandelian recalled Nomi’s humiliating encounter with Lance Goldsword and ordered Nomi to fight back; when Lance beat Nomi, Kandelian intervened and admitted him to the War Magic Department.
• Years later, Kandelian told Nomi that he had pursued power to prevent the horrors of war from returning, and Nomi remembered those words as he fell beneath Dawn’s blade.
• Tang Qi drove his blade into Kandelian’s neck, but Kandelian struck him with Withering Spell while Nomi’s sacrifice created an opening.
• Dawn healed Tang Qi as Kandelian’s severed head began rejoining his body, then watched him teleport behind a Force Wall.
• Dawn recognized Kandelian as an undead revenant who had died two hundred years earlier and remained in the world for peace.

After the battle, Tang Qi persuaded the Plague Society and Ebony Forest’s forces to rest and consider a peaceful way to resolve their conflict. As they prepared to pursue Kandelian, Nasar arrived and called down to Tang Qi, offering him a ride.

• Little Baldy stopped the Dire Wolf from killing Woon, restrained her, and ordered the soldiers and druids to surrender and stand down.
• Tang Qi urged everyone to bind the prisoners, extinguish the fire, and recover before pursuing Kandelian, while Dawn protected him from the druids.
• Malin extinguished the forest fire with [Tidal Surge] and discussed the Plague Society’s beliefs about nature, the Phlogiston Sea, and Ebony Forest’s dream barrier with Tang Qi.
• Tang Qi proposed gradually helping Ebony Forest’s citizens accept the truth and awaken, and Malin considered the suggestion while agreeing that Tang Qi could mediate with Bell Deer.
• Nasar flew over the camp and called for Tang Qi, saying he had come to give him a ride.

Rod joined two adventurers to investigate a nighttime gathering in the outpost after a soldier announced a miracle plague cure. Meanwhile, Tang Qi flew toward the outpost with Nasar, Shalti, Dawn, and Malin to stop the Revenant before he could finish processing the Plague Source.

• Rod woke to soldiers gathering the outpost's residents and learned that the lord planned to distribute a miracle cure for the plague.
• Silver Shield and the Halfling grew suspicious of the nighttime headcount and decided to inspect the central square, while Rod hired them to protect him.
• Tang Qi called on Nasar for help, and Malin joined the flight to return to her outpost base and protect her comrades.
• Shalti explained that the Plague Source required active blood, extraction, grinding, and high-temperature fusion, leading Tang Qi to conclude that the wounded Revenant would need time to prepare it.
• Nasar carried Tang Qi, Shalti, Dawn, and Malin toward the outpost, and Tang Qi saw the sunrise and its distant wall as they arrived in time.

Kandelian revealed that he had never sought a cure and planned to sacrifice the plague-afflicted residents as a source for the front lines after the Southern Great Wall fell. As Iron Bastion walls crushed the trapped crowd, Rod and the halfling tried to help people escape, while Kandelian prepared to burn them; Rod watched in despair.

• The halfling used Detect Magic and concluded the cauldron held ordinary alchemical ingredients rather than a healing potion.
• The lord removed his mask and robe, and the residents uncovered their mutated faces as Kandelian admitted he had no cure and intended to sacrifice them.
• Kandelian poured the cauldron's contents over the crowd and activated Iron Bastion walls that sealed off the square and advanced to crush the residents.
• The halfling dispelled part of a wall and used Wind Creation Spell to guide fleeing people toward an alley, while Wendy Silver Shield blocked Kandelian's Fireball.
• Rod and the halfling tried to control the panicked crowd as Rod rescued a child, but the closing wall crushed the mother and drove the others back into the square.
• Kandelian prepared another Fireball as Rod watched the trapped residents die and cursed his justification for their slaughter.

Tang Qi arrived at the outpost too late to stop the slaughter, but helped rescue the Plague Society residents hiding in a well and learned how Gravel’s message had led him there. As survivors sheltered in the tavern and faced an uncertain future, a Giant Dragon arrived with Wendy’s father aboard.

• Tang Qi and his companions found the outpost scorched and nearly deserted, then rescued more than two hundred Plague Society residents from a well.
• Malin explained that the Society had maneuvered Rumi and Tang Qi toward Ebony Forest, and revealed that Gravel had sent Markwen a letter about Tang Qi.
• Windsor told Tang Qi that soldiers had tried to lure the residents out of the well before an earthquake and collapse left only a few hundred survivors.
• Rod, Wendy, and the Halfling sheltered the survivors in the tavern while they considered how to keep them safe and where they could go.
• A tremor shook the tavern, and Wendy and the Halfling found a Giant Dragon outside with Wendy’s father on its forehead.

Ashley found the Society’s poets wallowing in drink and smoke and urged them to stop complaining and find a practical way to make their voices heard. She and Houston decided to turn the history Tang Qi Weinberg witnessed into songs that could spread knowledge despite censorship.

• Ashley entered the Society’s club and scolded Houston and the other poets for turning their meeting place into a party venue.
• Ashley and Houston discussed Lord Versace’s growing influence, the benefits of rust moss, and the Society’s failure to gain support for its writings.
• Houston explained that the Society’s members had been arrested or silenced, while Bruto had been exiled and Geya Yuexi had gone to the front with Lord Versace.
• Ashley proposed that the Society begin with smaller efforts by remembering and sharing the history revealed in Tang Qi Weinberg’s diary.
• Ashley and Houston agreed to compose songs about historical events, including the Dragon Gold City King-Slayer and the Night Raven Family, and to organize the known timeline as they followed Tang Qi’s records.

Ashley and the bards reconstructed the continent’s history from Tang Qi’s diary and discussed the club’s fragile bonds while waiting for news from their friends. Yena delivered a new diary excerpt, whose account of the Southern Great Wall’s fall and the deaths of 9,307 civilians left the bards stunned.

• Ashley and the bards recorded known historical events, including the founding of the Tyron Empire, and noted parallels between past conflicts and the current crisis.
• Ashley stopped the bards from using rust moss and urged them to turn their historical notes into poetry, then admitted she had spent the previous months chasing Dwarf.
• Ashley and Houston worried about Bruto and Geya before Yena arrived with a new Tang Qi diary manuscript, using Geya’s badge to pass the Stone of Oblivion’s guards.
• Yena asked Ashley to tell Tang Qi that Yenai Weinberg had delivered his diary, then left the club.
• Ashley read the new entries and recorded that the Southern Great Wall had fallen and Kandelian’s crude alchemy had crushed 9,307 civilians at the Plague Outpost.

Ashley read Tang Qi's account of the Ebony Forest tragedy to a group of poets, who debated the choices made by its inhabitants and envied his dragon ride. Tang Qi received two dream-related Third Ring spells and the Resting Melody “Mercy of Dreams,” whose nature remained unexplained.

• Ashley read Tang Qi's diary entry about the empty granary, and Houston suggested its grain had been shipped south for the war effort.
• Ashley narrated Tang Qi's journey through Ebony Forest, including the dreamlike fairy village and the revelation that the Society's residents were human cocoons preserved beneath the trees.
• The poets argued over Ronan, Kandelian, Markwen, and the other characters' choices, then reacted with envy to Tang Qi's account of riding a giant dragon.
• Tang Qi examined his rewards and received the Feign Sleep Spell, which restored energy and healed superficial injuries, and the Third Ring spell Hypnotic Pattern.
• Tang Qi saw that he had also obtained the Resting Melody “Mercy of Dreams” and wondered what it was.

Tang Qi received new rewards in his Journal, including True Sight, and tested his ability to see clearly in darkness. After the forest wardens arrived with the Beastfolk and captured druids, he discussed the Plague Outpost massacre with Markwen and planned to send the Beastfolk to the battlefield before leaving.

• Tang Qi gained Mercy of Dreams, Disguise Spell, Magic Mouth, Master of Dramatic Flair, Counterspell, Wizard Slayer, and the feat Truth Seeker, which granted him True Sight.
• Tang Qi tested his new sight in a dark room and realized he could see through darkness, visual illusions, invisibility, transformations, and into the Ethereal Plane.
• Rod warned Tang Qi that a strange-looking procession had arrived, and Tang Qi went downstairs with Dawn to meet the woodland scouts and forest wardens escorting captured druids.
• Markwen told Tang Qi that he had confessed his role in the dream to the archdruid, who sent him to help end the Plague Society's affairs.
• Tang Qi and Markwen discussed how officials may have enabled Kandelian's massacre, and Tang Qi identified the Southern Great Wall and Dragon Gold City as likely interests behind it.
• Tang Qi told Markwen he would send the Beastfolk to the battlefield and leave rather than fight Kandelian himself.

Tang Qi mediated negotiations between the Dream Society and the Plague Society, whose leaders proposed living separately behind a wall. Little Rascal questioned why the two groups had to be separated, and Tang Qi urged them to seek common ground while preserving their differences; the leaders were left to reconsider their agreement.

• Tang Qi presented Bell Deer and Malin with a proposal to reunite the two Societies and help the outpost's refugees settle in Ebony Forest.
• Bell Deer argued that the Societies' conflicting ideals made reunification impractical and proposed letting them live separately, while Malin agreed.
• Tang Qi asked Rumi, Markwen, Shalti, the refugees' representative, Quinn, and Little Rascal for their views on the plan.
• Little Rascal asked why people who could see one another every day had to be separated, prompting Tang Qi to question whether another wall would repeat Ebony Forest's failed choice from ten years earlier.
• Tang Qi urged both Societies to combine what they had learned, seek common ground while reserving differences, and explore new possibilities instead of repeating the same approach.