Chapter Summaries

Madam Anlin declared martial law in New Stefan and used lethal force to enforce it while blaming Xia Lin Tolemo's accomplices for the unrest. At the High-top Area, William embraced the pillar's divine power as the birth of a new god and ordered the soldiers to crush the Galt refugees.

• Madam Anlin announced that Xia Lin Tolemo had attacked the wedding, declared martial law, and offered a bounty for his alleged accomplices.
• Sword Duke's guards killed a drunkard who approached them, driving the city's residents indoors.
• Madam Anlin ordered Julian to oversee the cleanup, then headed to her altar to begin the final ritual.
• At the High-top Area, William recognized the pillar's power as a new god's birth and killed an officer who questioned attacking the refugees.
• William sent an adjutant to mobilize the reserves and seal off the Galt District, then ordered the soldiers to kill without mercy.

Laila and Sera helped the refugees escape William’s soldiers, while Kade and Bishop Sailun fought through bounty hunters to reach General Roderick. Sailun began purifying Roderick’s draconic soul curse just as William returned to the mansion.

• Laila countered William’s fireball and drew his attacks away from the refugees, who escaped into the alleys.
• William used Anlin’s ring to enrage his soldiers and led them into Sera’s trap, where darkness and flash charges disabled them as he escaped.
• A familiar warned William that something had happened at the general’s mansion, so he left his adjutant in command and hurried there with his elite Dragonborn guards.
• Kade and the Iomedae Temple squad fought past bounty hunters, while Bishop Sailun used Edict of Expulsion to clear a path through them.
• The temple squad found General Roderick unconscious, and Sailun began a purification ritual for his draconic soul curse.
• William reached the mansion and roared at the intruders as Sailun’s ritual began.

Kade and the Paladins fought William at the general’s residence while Bishop Saren purified the general’s curse and revealed Anlin’s plan to ascend to godhood. William fled, but Sara and her allies cornered him in an alley and killed him with an alchemical explosive.

• William and his Dragonborn guards attacked Kade’s party, and the Paladins suffered severe wounds as they fought back.
• The wounded Priest cast Silence Spell on William, allowing Kade to strike him with a holy warhammer and interrupt his spellcasting.
• Bishop Saren emerged, announced that he had purified the general’s curse, and revealed that Madam Anlin intended to ascend to godhood.
• William fled after ordering his remaining Dragonborn to cover his retreat, but they abandoned him and scattered.
• Sara confronted William with the city garrison seal, while Malin and the craftsmen helped corner him and a mage crippled his casting with Magic Missiles.
• Sara forced an Alchemical Heart into William’s mouth, and it exploded, killing him.

General Roderick awoke, exposed Anlin as a red dragon, and rallied loyal troops as New Stefan descended into civil war. Meanwhile, Xiao Ai and Iliya La discovered Anlin’s approaching demi-human army, but Anlin’s guards ambushed them before they could warn the city.

• Kade told General Roderick about Anlin’s conspiracy and Sara’s resistance, and Roderick rose from bed after learning his daughter was fighting.
• Roderick used a communication crystal to declare Anlin a red dragon and order soldiers loyal to New Stefan to take up arms, igniting street battles across New Stefan.
• In the High-top Area, the deputy commander sent William’s trusted men and Sergeant Kyle’s Third Squad into Sera and Laila’s trapped alley, then ordered the rest of his troops to hold back and seal the exits.
• Xiao Ai and Iliya La flew toward New Stefan and spotted a vast demi-human army approaching the city.
• Iliya La landed with Xiao Ai near an ancient watchtower to warn her people, but Anlin’s Dragonborn guards surrounded them and blocked their escape.

Iliya La, Xiao Ai, and the elves fought Drak’s Dragonborn guards, who tried to break Xiao Ai’s resolve by revealing Ivy’s violent past. Xiao Ai chose to protect her friends and helped defeat the Dragonborn, then joined Iliya La on the way to New Stefan while resolving to atone for the past.

• Drak’s Dragonborn guards surrounded Iliya La and Xiao Ai, and Xiao Ai transformed to defend her.
• The Dragonborn wounded and cursed Xiao Ai, while elves sent earlier by Iliya La arrived as reinforcements.
• Drak taunted Xiao Ai with Ivy’s past atrocities, leaving her confused and vulnerable as the Dragonborn attacked her and the elves.
• After witnessing the elves protect one another, Xiao Ai embraced her present identity and unleashed a powerful dragon breath against the Dragonborn.
• Xiao Ai and the elves defeated the Dragonborn, though eighteen elves died, and the survivors thanked Xiao Ai.
• Iliya La and Xiao Ai set out for New Stefan to tell Xia Lin what had happened, while Xiao Ai vowed to atone for Ivy’s past.

Xia Lin reunited with Kade’s resistance and learned that Anlin had imprisoned the city’s strongest figures while preparing to ascend to godhood. He gathered allies at the Adventurers Guild and met its guild master, Alfred Grayson, as the group prepared to discuss their next move.

• An Elven messenger told Iliya La that the Star Moon Chain was a key to a forgotten divine realm, revealing Anlin’s aim to become a god.
• Xia Lin reached the resistance’s sewer base, where Kade confirmed that Roderick’s forces were fighting back and William was dead.
• Bishop Sailun could not break Felicity’s soul-sealing curse, and Xia Lin learned that Anlin had imprisoned the foreign envoys, temple representatives, and senior guild officials in the Floating Castle.
• Xia Lin reunited with Sera and Laila, heard that they had cleared William’s forces from the Galt District, and suspected that poison might explain Felicity’s deathlike state.
• At the Adventurers Guild, Xia Lin presented Felicity while Kade testified that Anlin was the true killer, stopping adventurers from attacking Xia Lin.
• Alfred Grayson, master of the New Stefan branch, cleared the hall and invited Xia Lin’s group upstairs for a confidential discussion.

Xia Lin and his companions reunited with the injured Madam Martha, learned Ambassador Hill had saved her, and had the Adventurers’ Guild revoke the bounty on them. Xia Lin planned to recover and then head to the Star Moon Opera House to awaken Felicity, while Hill offered to escort him and the guildmaster revealed her former title.

• Madam Martha told Xia Lin and the others that Hill had secretly saved her when she fell from the terrace.
• The guildmaster revoked the bounty on Xia Lin and explained the Guild could not openly oppose Anlin without a formal commission from the Sword Duke’s Family.
• Xia Lin assigned his companions recovery and tasks to organize resistance, then announced he would seek the key to Felicity’s curse at the Star Moon Opera House.
• Hill agreed to escort Xia Lin to the opera house, despite its divine formations and Anlin’s control of the area.
• After Xia Lin and Hill left, the guildmaster revealed that veteran adventurers had called Hill the Blue Tyrant.

Xia Lin and Hill crossed New Stefan toward the Star Moon Opera House, where they encountered adventurers who had been misled by Anlin’s bounty. Xia Lin escaped into the opera house while Hill stayed behind to confront the four attackers.

• Hill guided Xia Lin through New Stefan and revealed that she knew about his past adventures in the Aria Kingdom.
• Hill killed a rogue who attacked Xia Lin, and Xia Lin used [Item Appraisal] to discover her unusual multiclass build.
• Hill questioned Xia Lin about a diary from an ancient mage’s tomb before they reached the Star Moon Opera House.
• Four adventurers attacked Hill and Xia Lin, but Xia Lin showed his badge and explained that Anlin was an evil dragon attempting to ascend to godhood.
• The adventurers attacked again for the pair’s gear, so Xia Lin used [Dimension Door] to escape into the Star Moon Opera House.
• Hill stopped the adventurers with her telekinetic powers and formed two short blades as she prepared to fight them.

Hill defeated the adventuring party outside the Star Moon Opera House while Xia Lin searched Veronica’s workshop for a way to awaken the dragon. He found that Dragontear Grass and Pride of the Griffin were used in a feigned-death potion, then Veronica appeared through the script’s projection and addressed him.

• Hill evaded the Warrior’s attacks, trapped him with Dead Zone, and killed him for deceiving the sovereign.
• Xia Lin found that the theater’s divine power strengthened him because of his Divine Fragment.
• Xia Lin entered Veronica’s workshop and searched for clues about feigned death, soul confinement, and dragon curses.
• Xia Lin found the script for Starfall Love and learned its heroine used a feigned-death potion made from Dragontear Grass and Pride of the Griffin.
• The glowing script projected Veronica, who greeted Xia Lin.

Xia Lin received the antidote formula from Veronica’s illusion and learned how to free the opera house staff, while Anlin began a ritual to claim a lost divine kingdom through the dragon egg. Veronica watched the ritual and waited to see what Xia Lin would do.

• Xia Lin discussed Veronica’s script with her illusion and chose the more popular ending in which the hero defeats the evil dragon.
• Veronica’s illusion revealed the formula for the antidote to the Dragon Slumber Curse and asked Xia Lin to disable a control node so the slumbering staff could escape.
• Anlin told Veronica that the dragon egg was the pure-blooded offspring of Apsu and Tiamat and revealed her plan to link her will to its divinity and claim the Nameless God’s kingdom.
• Anlin began the ritual, causing golden rain and an urge to worship to spread across New Stefan as her divine kingdom marked the world.
• Veronica sensed that her illusion had been triggered and anticipated Xia Lin’s next move.

Xia Lin discovered he could temporarily suppress the Divine Kingdom array in the Opera House district, then brought the antidote formula and a Crystal Dragon scale to the Adventurers Guild so they could prepare to revive Felicity and oppose Anlin. The guild’s preparations were interrupted by Xiao Ai’s dramatic return, and Iliya La warned Xia Lin that demi-human troops were advancing on the city.

• Xia Lin used his Divine Mark to make the Opera House’s secondary energy node dormant, weakening the array’s effects in the district.
• Xia Lin reunited with Hill, who had defeated three adventurers, and they escaped before Anlin’s troops arrived.
• Xia Lin gave Grayson the antidote formula and Crystal Dragon scale, then proposed reviving Felicity to rally the city against Anlin.
• Grayson called on the guild’s gatherers and alchemists to collect the antidote ingredients.
• Xiao Ai crashed into the guild hall and embraced Xia Lin before Iliya La gave her a coat.
• Iliya La told Xia Lin that large numbers of demi-human troops were advancing on the city.

As Anlin’s monstrous army gathered outside New Stefan, Xia Lin rallied the city’s adventurers with a reward for potion ingredients and coordinated the defense with General Roderick. Felicity awoke, learned the truth about the crisis, and authorized the Adventurers’ Guild to fight Anlin, uniting the resistance for the coming battle.

• Iliya La warned the Adventurers’ Guild that at least two thousand Kobolds, goblins, and Gnolls were gathering outside the city, and Xia Lin offered gold to motivate adventurers to find ingredients for Felicity’s awakening potion.
• Iliya La revealed that the Star Moon Chain was a key to a lost divine realm, while Xia Lin and his companions went to General Roderick and planned to unite the city’s fighters against Anlin.
• Xia Lin rallied allies across the city, and the next morning Felicity awoke, confused by memories of a heroic dream in which she had been the Star Blade.
• Felicity learned what had happened while she slept, then issued the Odolai Family’s highest-level commission authorizing the Adventurers’ Guild to fight Anlin and her followers.

Felicity and Xia Lin organized New Stefan’s defenses after Anlin’s army advanced on the city, while planning a raid on her Floating Castle to stop her ascension ritual. As the forces prepared for battle, Xiao Ai resolved to protect civilians, and Laila warned Xia Lin that the raid would end in deadly explosions.

• Felicity issued a commission under the Odolai lion seal, and adventurers, clergy, soldiers, and nobles rallied to defend New Stefan.
• A scout reported that Anlin’s demi-human army, supported by siege weapons and magical artillery, would reach the walls within two hours, so the guild organized defenses and civilian evacuations.
• Xiao Ai feared Ivy’s memories might make her harm innocents, but Iliya La and Xia Lin reassured her, and she resolved to become a guardian.
• Sera reported that Rosalind’s noble alliance had sent five hundred mercenaries but demanded a share of Anlin’s property after the war.
• Laila warned Xia Lin that her prophecies showed the Floating Castle exploding and that he would die there, but he still proposed a raid to destroy Anlin’s barrier and ascension ritual.
• Eliana arrived with Iomedae’s Paladins, and Xia Lin divided the forces between defending the city and attacking the Floating Castle before joking that everyone should write a will.

As New Stefan faced a demihuman assault, Valeria and the city residents organized its defense while Xiao Ai attacked the invading army. Xia Lin infiltrated the Floating Castle to disable its barrier, but learned Julian was preparing to use its magic cannons against the city.

• General Roderick saw more than four thousand demihumans approaching New Stefan, while Valeria, Malin, and the residents brought supplies and defenses to the walls.
• Claw ordered his followers to suppress Anlin’s loyalists and prevent unrest in the city.
• The demihuman army attacked, and Xiao Ai arrived to fight the trolls and rally New Stefan’s defenders.
• Xia Lin left his companions and infiltrated the Floating Castle, evading patrols before meeting Tom in the library.
• Tom and Xia Lin questioned a Dragonborn steward, who revealed that the barrier control center was on the north tower’s third underground level and that Julian planned to fire the castle’s magic cannons at the city.

Julian ordered the magic cannons prepared to force the defenders to surrender, while Xia Lin chose to target the cannon array before it could devastate the city. A vision of Julian guarding the platform and killing him made Xia Lin reconsider how to stop the bombardment.

• Julian authorized the magic cannons but ordered their gunners to avoid civilian areas, then decided to supervise them in person.
• Xia Lin chose to attack the magic cannon array before trying to reach the barrier control center, and Tom set out to contact the other imprisoned guests.
• Xia Lin’s [Touch of Possibility] showed him infiltrating the cannon platform, planting an Alchemy Bomb, and being killed by Julian and her guards.
• Xia Lin realized Anlin’s divine power field had triggered his ability again and saw that Julian would heavily guard the cannon platform.
• With the battle growing more desperate, Xia Lin drew a deep breath and made his final choice.

Xia Lin infiltrated the floating castle’s cannon platform and challenged Julian to a duel to stop the cannon from firing. Julian gained the upper hand, but an explosion shook the North Tower before he could land a decisive blow.

• Xia Lin killed the Dragonborn gunner and confronted Julian beside the magic cannon.
• Xia Lin failed to persuade Julian to abandon Anlin, so he threatened to blow up the artillery platform and proposed a duel.
• Julian accepted the duel, wagering that Xia Lin would surrender if he lost and that Julian would destroy the cannon if he lost.
• Julian’s speed and swordsmanship overwhelmed Xia Lin, who used spells and swordplay to hold his ground and wound Julian’s hand.
• Julian launched a decisive strike at Xia Lin’s chest, but an explosion rocked the North Tower.

Rumors about Xia Lin spread through the Floating Castle while Carlos left the barrier control post to watch the duel. Old Tom planted Xia Lin’s explosives in the control center and stayed behind as the countdown began, while Xiao Ai left the city wall to help Xia Lin after Laila sensed he was in danger.

• The Floating Castle’s servants and guards traded increasingly outrageous rumors about Xia Lin and his duel with Lord Julian.
• Carlos persuaded Old Tom to watch the barrier control post and left with a book to see the duel.
• Old Tom entered the main control center, planted Xia Lin’s explosives at vulnerable energy nodes, and chose to remain as they counted down.
• Xiao Ai helped stabilize the city wall’s defense against the kobolds, Orcs, and other attackers.
• Laila warned Xiao Ai that Xia Lin was in serious danger, and Xiao Ai flew toward the Floating Castle to help him.

Xia Lin stalled Julian while his companions disabled the Floating Castle’s barrier, but Julian overwhelmed him and badly wounded Xiao Ai. As Julian hesitated over his loyalties, Xia Lin drew his final weapon and shot him.

• The barrier failed after Xia Lin’s companions attacked the Floating Castle, and Julian sent guards to reinforce the command center before resuming their fight.
• Julian disarmed and wounded Xia Lin, but Xiao Ai broke through the north tower wall and forced Julian to transform into a half-dragon.
• Julian pierced Xiao Ai’s wing and knocked Xia Lin into a wall, then wounded Xiao Ai in the head as Xia Lin used [Dimension Door] to disrupt his killing blow.
• While Julian held his sword to Xia Lin’s throat, Xia Lin questioned why he served Anlin, and Julian admitted he felt bound by debts and promises.
• Julian hesitated, and Xia Lin drew his last weapon and shot him in the brow.

Xia Lin defeated Julian with Numeila's Alchemy Pistol and escaped the North Tower with Xiao Ai as reinforcements approached. After reuniting with his companions and learning the city defense system had been seized, he heard three explosions from the tower despite having planted four bombs.

• Xia Lin shot Julian, treated Xiao Ai's injuries, and learned she had arrived on Laila's warning.
• Xia Lin planted explosives on the magic cannons and learned from Sera and Felicity that they had destroyed the divine barrier's core, rescued guests, and lost control of the city defense system.
• As Dragonborn reinforcements approached, Xia Lin carried the unconscious Julian out with Xiao Ai and reunited with his companions outside the castle.
• Xiao Ai took Tiamat's Chain of Binding from Iliya La and used its divine light to heal her wing, while Felicity recognized the captured Julian as her cousin.
• Laila warned that her prophecy remained unfinished, then three explosions shook the North Tower, leaving Xia Lin wondering why only three of his four bombs had detonated.

Cassius resumed the magic cannon’s attack while Xia Lin’s forces struggled to breach the Floating Castle’s defenses. Xiao Ai resisted Ivy’s destructive urges and sacrificed herself to damage the castle’s levitation ring, sending the fortress plummeting toward the ground.

• Cassius took command, repaired the last magic cannon, and fired it through the defensive array’s brief opening, blasting a breach in the northern city wall.
• General Roderick ordered an aerial assault during the cannon’s thirty-second reload window, but the castle’s defenses scattered the attackers and Cassius’s next shot erased a residential district.
• The destruction awakened Ivy’s violent impulse in Xiao Ai, but memories of Xia Lin and his companions helped her reject it.
• Xia Lin was wounded by a magic sentry, Iliya La’s griffin was struck while rescuing him, and Sera pulled Xia Lin to safety as Kade healed him.
• Hill blocked Cassius’s third shot with a force wall, and Xiao Ai asked Laila to put on the Chain of Tiamat before flying toward the cannon.
• Xiao Ai endured the castle’s barrage and crashed into its levitation ring, cracking it; with the defensive barrier down, the Floating Castle began falling.