Chapter Summaries

After replenishing Melina’s strength at Pilgrimage Church, Xia Tong learned that combat and near-death experiences could improve his attributes without leveling up. He rode to Tombsward Catacombs, where an ambush awaited beyond the entrance, and opened a sealed passage with a Stonesword Key.

• Xia Tong transferred Runes to Melina, then leveled up Mind and noticed that his Strength and Dexterity had also increased.
• Melina explained that repeated combat gradually strengthened his body, while his near-death fight with the Demi-Human Queen had stimulated further adaptation.
• Xia Tong left Pilgrimage Church and rode north across Tombsward toward the catacombs, passing a distant Minor Erdtree.
• At Tombsward Catacombs, Xia Tong opened the entrance and narrowly dodged a Skeleton Soldier’s blade before his Spirit Ashes tore the attacker apart.
• Xia Tong used a Stonesword Key to dispel the fog seal and sent his three Stray Wolves through first to scout.

Xia Tong explored the Tombsward Catacombs with his Spirit Ashes, gathering supplies and opening the sealed stone gate. He confronted the Cemetery Shade, but its dark green mucus trapped him as the battle began.

• Xia Tong used the Stray Wolves to trigger an ambush, then found Nomadic Warrior's Cookbook [9] after defeating the Skeleton Soldiers.
• Xia Tong and his Spirit Ashes fought through the catacombs, collected Grave Gloveworts and Whiteflesh Mushrooms, and activated the gate mechanism.
• Xia Tong explored a hidden chamber, found a Prattling Pate, and lowered a fire-breathing mechanism pillar to reach Grave Violets.
• Xia Tong entered the opened gate and faced the Cemetery Shade, whose teleporting attacks wounded two Godrick Soldiers.
• The Cemetery Shade sprayed glowing dark green mucus at Xia Tong, binding him in a poisonous web.

Xia Tong defeated the Cemetery Shade in the tomb and obtained Lhutel the Headless’s Spirit Ashes. He left the underground tomb with his new legendary summon.

• The Cemetery Shade immobilized Xia Tong and bit deeply into his shoulder, but the Godrick Soldier and Kulala drove it away.
• Xia Tong healed his shoulder with a Crimson Tear Flask and prepared to fight while Kulala stayed close.
• The Godrick Soldier and crossbowman interrupted the Cemetery Shade, allowing Xia Tong to hit it twice with point-blank Crystal Barrage.
• Xia Tong and the Stray Wolves destroyed the weakened Cemetery Shade, and he gained 2,200 Runes.
• Xia Tong found the Lhutel the Headless Spirit Ashes among the Cemetery Shade’s remains and left the tomb.

Xia Tong rode back toward Pilgrimage Church after obtaining the Spirit Ashes, while Irina waited there for him. An envoy wielding Frenzied Flame attacked Irina, and Melina protected her as the fight continued.

• Xia Tong considered whether Cemetery Shades were servants created by Miquella, then hurried to collect Irina and Melina.
• Irina waited at Pilgrimage Church, worrying about Xia Tong and recalling her conversations with Melina.
• A hooded envoy crept through magical darkness and attacked Irina with a rusted Iron Cleaver.
• Melina blocked the attack, identified the attacker as a possible envoy of the Two Fingers, and struck back with a golden blade of light.
• The envoy ignited a broadsword with Frenzied Flame and used darkness to ambush Irina, but Melina shielded her with a golden barrier.
• The envoy dispelled the darkness and taunted Melina after seeing that she was a one-eyed spirit.

At Pilgrimage Church, the envoy revealed that he had incited the Frenzied Flame outbreaks at Sick Village and Castle Morne, then shattered Melina’s defense and attacked her and Irina. Xia Tong arrived with Lhutel the Headless and his Spirit Ashes, rescued the women, and advanced on the envoy.

• Melina confronted the envoy, who admitted teaching Sick Village’s villagers to embrace the Frenzied Flame and said he planned to kill Irina at Pilgrimage Church.
• The envoy claimed he had stirred up the Castle Morne rebellion and believed Xia Tong had been killed by the Cemetery Shade in the Tombsward Catacombs.
• The envoy unleashed a powerful Frenzied Flame attack that broke Melina’s golden barrier and sent her flying.
• Lhutel the Headless blocked the flames with her greatshield as Xia Tong entered the church alive.
• Xia Tong replenished his Focus Points, summoned his Spirit Ashes, helped Irina up, and tended to Melina’s clothing before turning toward the envoy in anger.

Xia Tong and his Spirit Ashes fought and killed the church messenger in the Pilgrimage Church. After the messenger burned to ashes, Xia Tong was left without the information he had hoped to obtain.

• Xia Tong attacked the messenger through his black mist, striking him with his sword and Shield Bash.
• The messenger used Rejection and Howl of Shabriri, driving Irina into pain and madness until Melina put her into a deep coma.
• Xia Tong ordered the Spirit Ashes to attack as the messenger unleashed Frenzied Flame, and Lhutel the Headless pinned him down with her lance.
• The dying messenger cursed the girl behind Xia Tong and erupted in Frenzied Flame; Xia Tong recalled a burning Stray Wolf before the messenger became a charred corpse.
• Xia Tong gained 1,757 Runes and lamented that he had wanted to question the messenger, but Melina said the Frenzied Flame had driven him mad.

After defeating the Frenzied Flame Envoy, Xia Tong leveled up and rode with Irina to Castle Morne, where Lord Edgar’s soldiers were running out of food and hope. Xia Tong arrived at the castle’s Site of Grace and began preparing a hearty soup.

• Xia Tong gave Melina Runes to restore her spirit form, then used her help to level up and increase his Mind.
• Lord Edgar learned that Godrick had not answered his requests for aid, while his soldiers reported they had only two days of food left.
• Edgar ordered his soldiers to hold Castle Morne’s defenses as long as they could.
• Xia Tong and Irina rode south and reached Castle Morne after half a day.
• Xia Tong greeted Moen, then cooked a peppery soup beside the Site of Grace.

Xia Tong and Irina rode toward Castle Morne after Moen warned them that fighting continued inside. The castle’s Golem Guardian attacked them at the gates, and Xia Tong closed in while dodging its deadly arrows.

• Moen shared Peppery Hot Soup with Xia Tong, gave him Hero's Meat Chunk, and warned that Castle Morne was still under attack.
• Xia Tong and Irina continued toward Castle Morne, spotted a Deathbird beside a Minor Erdtree, and chose to avoid it.
• The Golem Guardian fired a massive iron spear at Xia Tong and Irina, but Torrent’s double jump helped them evade the blast.
• Irina told Xia Tong that the Golem Guardian’s weakness was its ankles, and Xia Tong fed Torrent Rowa Fruit to outrun its shots.
• Xia Tong reached about fifty meters from the Golem Guardian as it drew its colossal crossbow and fired another arrow at him.

Xia Tong defeated the Golem Guardian and entered Castle Morne with his Spirit Ashes. He discovered a large gathering of Misbegotten celebrating around a mound of burned corpses, and began devising a way to get past them.

• Xia Tong and Lhutel attacked the Golem Guardian's ankle until it fell and died, giving Xia Tong 1091 Runes.
• Xia Tong asked Lhutel to protect Irina, rested at the Site of Grace, and led his Spirit Ashes into Castle Morne.
• Xia Tong's group found the castle's lower corridors empty and rode a lift to the upper level.
• Xia Tong scouted the plaza and saw dozens of Misbegotten gathered around a burning mound of soldiers' corpses, with a sleeping Pumpkin Head Soldier nearby.
• Xia Tong realized his group could not safely fight the Misbegotten and thought of using Lhutel to make the enemies move instead.

Xia Tong and Lhutel drew the Misbegotten away from the square, allowing Xia Tong’s group to sneak deeper into Castle Morne with Irina. They reached a warehouse that Irina said led to the upper levels, where she recalled a family heirloom sword hidden behind a portrait.

• Xia Tong explained his plan to Lhutel, who agreed and teleported beside the sleeping Frenzied Pumpkin Head Soldier.
• Lhutel struck the soldier’s helmet, waking him into a rage that led him to attack the Misbegotten and kill several before they overwhelmed and killed him.
• Lhutel struck the Scaly Misbegotten leader with a spear, then lured the enraged Misbegotten away from the square along the castle wall.
• Xia Tong led Irina and the remaining Spirit Ashes through the cleared square and into the darkness, quietly dealing with isolated Misbegotten along the way.
• Xia Tong’s group reached a warehouse, and Irina identified a route to the upper levels of Castle Morne.
• Irina remembered that a treasured family sword hung behind a knight’s portrait inside the warehouse.