Chapter Summaries

Ma Lou and the battered knights discovered that a powerful Bloodweeping Ridge cultist army was blocking their route to Graycliff Town. The two forces recognized each other as enemies, and the exhausted knights faced what seemed like a hopeless confrontation.

• Ma Lou worried that the unexpected roadblock would ruin the plan to help Kairils and the others escape safely.
• A Bloodweeping Ridge force of over a hundred cultists marched toward Fog Town as its leaders discussed the missing siege army and suspected Winterhold had destroyed it.
• The Bloodweeping Ridge leaders saw Winterhold knights riding toward them and prepared to fight.
• Kairils's battered squad recognized the cultist army ahead and realized they were trapped with almost no strength to defend themselves.

Surrounded by the Blood-Weeping Ridge Army, Kairils apologized to his knights and urged them to survive, stirring Knight Viel to confront his own shame. Kairils charged the enemy alone, leaving the others to follow behind him.

• Kairils acknowledged the danger, apologized for changing the route, and told the knights to prioritize staying alive.
• Viel remembered how Kairils had protected and supported the squad despite their distrust and schemes against him.
• Viel broke down in shame, and Kairils told him that true knighthood did not depend on armor or a warhorse.
• Kairils unleashed his divine power and charged the Blood-Weeping Ridge Army, calling the others to follow.

Kairils led the Winterhold Knights in a desperate charge through the Blood-Weeping Ridge Cultists, while Knight Viel fought to protect the four players. Viel was knocked from his horse and sacrificed himself to hold back the Cultists as Kairils continued to lead the others toward safety.

• Knight Viel rallied the remaining First-Tier Knights to stay with Kairils and break through the Cultists together.
• Kairils unleashed his winter divine power and carved a gap through the Cultists' formation, with Viel and the other knights fighting behind him.
• Viel recalled his baptism and realized that his armor represented duty, an oath, and faith.
• The Second-Tier Cultist captain ambushed Viel, shattered his horse's ribs, and hurled him into the Cultists.
• Viel ordered Kairils to get the others to safety, then charged the captain and his surrounding enemies to hold them back.
• Kairils kept moving forward rather than turn back, focused on getting the group out alive.

Kairils sacrificed his Long Halberd to blast a path through the Cultists and gave Ma Lou the Winterhold Knight Captain Emblem so the others could escape. After the Knights and players rode clear, two Knights wanted to return for Kairils and Deputy Squad Leader Viel, but their companion argued that they should survive and report the attack to Winterhold.

• Kairils detonated his Long Halberd, freezing the Cultists at the front and opening a path through the encirclement.
• Kairils gave Ma Lou the Winterhold Knight Captain Emblem and stayed behind to hold off the Cultists.
• The Knights and Ma Lou's party escaped through the opening as Kairils fought the pursuing Cultists with a Bone Blade.
• Two Knights stopped and prepared to return for Kairils and Deputy Squad Leader Viel, but a third blocked them and urged them to report the attack to Winterhold.

Two young Winterhold Knights and four players abandoned their escape plan and chose to return to help Kairils, who was surrounded by Cultists. They prepared to ride back into the battle, though the chapter ended before they reached him.

• A young knight questioned whether they could leave Kairils behind, and his companion agreed that they had to repay their debt to him.
• Ma Lou and Jiahao considered returning despite the risk, and all four players rejected the safer route back to Graycliff Town.
• Ma Lou called out to the knights and asked them to take the refugees back to the battlefield.
• Jiahao said the four refugees would ride in from the flank and draw the Cultists' attention away from Kairils.
• The young knights were moved by the refugees' offer, and Jiahao insisted they could not live with themselves if they abandoned Kairils.

Two knights and four refugees turned back toward the Cultists to rescue Viel, while a cowardly knight fled after being denied the captain’s protective badge. As the Cultist captain struck at the exhausted Viel, an ice spear blocked the blow and a blue-and-white warhorse charged into the fight.

• The wavering knight asked Ma Lou and the others to give him the captain’s badge, but the two knights threatened him and drove him away toward Graycliff Town.
• The two knights urged the four refugees to flee if the squad fell, then led them back toward the Cultists.
• The players followed the knights across the wilderness, determined to fight rather than run.
• The Cultist captain raised his greatsword to kill the weakened Viel, but an ice spear struck the weapon and hurled him backward.
• A blue-and-white warhorse charged through the Cultists and into the center of the battle.

Kairils and Viel were trapped and outnumbered by Cultists, but an unexpected group of riders appeared to harass the enemy from a distance. The chapter ended with the Cultist captain and the besieged knights watching the newcomers’ bizarre distraction.

• Kairils and Viel fought back-to-back against the Cultists, and Viel refused Kairils’s plan to escape alone.
• Kairils reminded Viel that he had heard the insults Viel made about him in Graycliff Town, prompting Viel to apologize.
• Kairils forgave Viel and urged him to fight to stay alive, and Viel agreed.
• The Cultist captain ordered his soldiers to wear down Kairils and Viel rather than risk attacking them directly.
• Four refugees on two warhorses rode around the encirclement, and [Even Monkeys Have Dignity] taunted the Cultists from behind Jiahao.

Ma Lou and the other refugees returned to distract the Cultists surrounding Kairils and Viel. Their attack enraged the Cultist captain and opened a gap in the enemy line, leaving Kairils ready to lead a breakout.

• Ma Lou, Don't Dream of the Day, and Mosquitoes Faint at the Sight of Blood rode back and pelted the Cultists with stones and chunks of wood.
• Ma Lou hurled a stone at the Cultist captain’s crotch, and the captain blocked it with a Blood Shield.
• Ma Lou taunted the furious captain, who ordered half his forces to pursue the refugees and left gaps in the formation around Kairils and Viel.
• Two Winterhold Knights charged from the bushes and smashed into the Cultists’ weakened flank, freezing and crushing several enemies.
• Kairils seized the opening and told Viel to prepare to break out.

Kairils and Viel broke through the Cultists’ encirclement and reunited with two First-Tier Knights, but a Blood Spike ambush destroyed their horses and left them trapped. A Blood-Weeping Ridge priest and the pursuing Cultist captain closed in, leaving the four Winterhold Knights facing a fight to the death.

• Viel hacked through the Cultists blocking his path, and Kairils hauled him onto his horse to break through the encirclement.
• Kairils and Viel reunited with two First-Tier Knights in the Withered Grove and led them toward the Deadwood Forest.
• A barrage of Blood Spikes killed their horses, and the four knights used their remaining divine power to shield themselves.
• A red-robed priest emerged from the woods and revealed that a Winterhold Knight who had tried to escape alone was dead.
• The priest and the Cultist captain surrounded Kairils and the other knights, and the priest ordered the Cultists to attack.

Jiahao and Ma Lou lured more than twenty Cultists into a secluded valley and slaughtered them with ash magic. On the main battlefield, Kairils stood alone against the surviving Cultists, badly wounded but still fighting, as the Blood-Weeping Ridge Priest recognized Winterhold’s Genius Knight.

• Jiahao led Ma Lou and their companions away from the battlefield, where he and Ma Lou prepared to ambush the pursuing Cultists.
• Ma Lou ordered the attack, and he and Jiahao bombarded the Cultists with Ashen Missiles, engulfing the valley in explosions and Ash Mist.
• On the main battlefield, the Cultist captain knelt with his right arm and Crimson Longsword frozen by the Power of Winter.
• All three Winterhold Knights guarding Kairils had been killed, leaving Kairils alone and grievously wounded against the Cultists.
• Kairils killed a Cultist with a sword stroke while the Blood-Weeping Ridge Priest watched and recognized him as Winterhold’s Genius Knight.

The Blood-Weeping Ridge priest decided to kill Kairils before he could escape, but two returning players distracted the Cultists with a taunting performance. As the priest and the Blood-Armored Captain attacked, Ma Lou arrived with a stone aimed at the captain’s crotch.

• The Blood-Weeping Ridge priest recognized Kairils as Winterhold’s Genius Knight and resolved to kill him while his divine power was depleted.
• [Don't Dream of the Day] and [Mosquitoes Faint at the Sight of Blood] rode back on a white warhorse and claimed the pursuing Cultists had gotten lost, provoking the survivors.
• The Blood-Weeping Ridge priest ordered the Blood-Armored Captain to kill Kairils while he charged at the two returning players.
• The Blood-Armored Captain gathered blood spikes to attack Kairils, but Ma Lou burst from the grass on another warhorse and threw a stone at the captain’s crotch.

Ma Lou rescued the grievously wounded Kairils and fled toward Graycliff Town while Jiahao charged into the Cultists to cover their escape. Left surrounded, Jiahao prepared to unleash his power, as the Cultists’ captain and priest pursued the fugitives.

• A stone struck the Cultist captain in the groin, interrupting his attack and leaving him doubled over in pain.
• Jiahao charged his warhorse into the Cultists while Ma Lou jumped off and carried Kairils away toward Graycliff Town.
• Jiahao was thrown from his collapsing horse but confirmed that Ma Lou had escaped with Kairils, then prepared to use his power without restraint.
• The Blood-Weeping Ridge priest killed two newcomers, watched their bodies turn to ash, and chased after Ma Lou and Kairils.
• The injured Cultist captain ordered his followers to seize Jiahao and threatened to torture him.

Jiahao revealed his second-tier strength and attacked the Cultists while Ma Lou carried the wounded Kairils toward Graycliff Town. As Kairils reflected on those who had died protecting him, he blamed his own weakness and vowed that greater strength could have saved them.

• Jiahao unleashed his sealed power, formed an Ash War Spear, and shocked the Cultists by revealing himself as a second-tier fighter.
• Jiahao struck the wounded Cultist Captain and used Ash Mist to blind the Cultists who rushed to attack him.
• Ma Lou carried the wounded Kairils through the forest toward Graycliff Town, and Kairils thanked him.
• Kairils looked back toward the battlefield and remembered Viel, the young First-Tier Knight, and the Fog Town refugees who had sacrificed themselves.
• Kairils lamented that his weakness had cost the lives of Viel and the others.

Ma Lou struggled with guilt over the players’ deception of Kairils, but chose to protect Fog Town and the server’s people. As they fled, Kairils saved Ma Lou from a sneak attack and ordered him to escape while he faced the returning Blood-Weeping Ridge Priest.

• Ma Lou resolved that he would deceive Kairils again to protect Fog Town and the players, despite feeling guilty.
• Kairils suddenly shoved Ma Lou into a muddy pit, taking a lethal blood-spike attack meant for him.
• Ma Lou realized Kairils had saved him without knowing the truth about the players’ scheme.
• Kairils ordered Ma Lou to flee and prepared to hold off the attacker.
• The wounded Blood-Weeping Ridge Priest emerged from the woods and mocked Kairils for detecting his sneak attack.

Kairils revealed that he had been recovering his divine power while Ma Lou carried him, then unleashed a lethal ice spear that pierced the Blood-Weeping Ridge priest before collapsing unconscious. The priest survived by swallowing a lump of flesh and advanced toward Kairils and Ma Lou, only to realize something was wrong with the supposedly helpless refugee.

• The Blood-Weeping Ridge priest charged at the apparently exhausted Kairils and threatened to kill him and Ma Lou.
• Kairils revealed that he had replenished his divine power during the escape and had been waiting for the priest to enter his killing range.
• Kairils blasted the priest through the chest with an ice spear, then collapsed unconscious from his wounds and exhausted power.
• The Blood-Weeping Ridge priest swallowed a shriveled lump of flesh, healed his wound, and headed toward Kairils and Ma Lou.
• The priest noticed Ma Lou's second-tier aura and realized that the situation was not what he had assumed.

Ma Lou revealed himself as a second-tier powerhouse and defeated the Blood-Weeping Ridge priest, who had attacked the wounded Kairils. After killing the priest and receiving a system reward, Ma Lou felt his anger ease.

• Ma Lou stood up, unleashed second-tier pressure, and formed an Ash Spear, shocking the wounded Blood-Weeping Ridge priest.
• The Blood-Weeping Ridge priest tried to flee, but Ma Lou kicked him down and beat him with the Eyeball Staff.
• Ma Lou cursed the priest for killing the Winterhold Knight Squad and pursuing Kairils, then pierced his heart with the Ash Spear.
• Ma Lou received 500 experience and 50 Ash Coins for participating in the kill, then said gaming had lifted his spirits.

Ma Lou carried the gravely wounded Kairils toward Graycliff Town beneath the protection of his Winterhold Knight Captain Emblem. After Jiahao and his reinforcements wiped out the Cultists, they realized they had lost sight of Ma Lou in the dark forest but concluded he had gone to Graycliff Town.

• Ma Lou found nothing useful on the dead Second Tier priest except an Eyeball Staff, which he threw away before carrying Kairils onward.
• The Knight Captain Emblem formed a small Deity Barrier around Ma Lou and Kairils, shielding them from the black fog as Ma Lou headed for Graycliff Town.
• Jiahao, [God Never Laughs], and Lu Ziye killed the Cultists and their wounded captain before night fully fell.
• Jiahao and [God Never Laughs] discussed how Abyss players still lost Sanity when using their powers at night, while Lu Ziye searched the corpses for equipment.
• [God Never Laughs] asked which way Ma Lou had gone, and Jiahao guessed that he was heading toward Graycliff Town.

Ma Lou carried the gravely wounded Kairils through the black fog and finally reached Graycliff Town. The town guards mistook the blue glow of Kairils’s badge for a Deity Barrier and raised the alarm as the pair approached.

• Lu Ziye and [God Never Laughs] decided not to follow Ma Lou, trusting him to survive, and headed back to Fog Town.
• Lu Ziye’s group left the wilderness after ensuring no Cultists had survived, while the Blood-Weeping Ridge army vanished without finding Fog Town.
• Ma Lou struggled through the night with Kairils on his back and reflected that Kairils might have prevented the conflict from becoming a deadly feud.
• Ma Lou spotted Graycliff Town’s glowing barrier after nearly losing his way in the fog.
• The Graycliff Town guards saw the blue glow approaching, rang the bell, and prepared to help the person they believed was fleeing with a token of the Righteous Gods.

Ma Lou collapsed at Graycliff Town’s gate after carrying the gravely wounded Kairils through the black mist. The guards rushed Kairils to the infirmary, while the old guard warned Ma Lou that bringing him back had left the town with a serious problem.

• Ma Lou crossed Graycliff Town’s barrier carrying Kairils and collapsed from exhaustion.
• The guards recognized Kairils and panicked over his severe wounds and the fate of his missing party.
• The captain ordered the guards to fetch a Priest and rush Kairils to the infirmary.
• The old guard gave Ma Lou water and explained why the others had neglected him.
• The old guard warned Ma Lou that saving Kairils had created a major problem for Graycliff Town.

Ma Lou realized that bringing the mortally wounded Kairils to Graycliff Town could provoke Winterhold, but an old guard praised his decision and moved him deeply. At the Ash Church, Lin En watched the rescue through Deity's Gaze and wondered why Ma Lou seemed more like the story's hero than he did.

• Ma Lou understood that Kairils's death in Graycliff Town could give Winterhold a reason to destroy the town and its residents.
• The old guard admitted the danger but told Ma Lou that rescuing Kairils was right, praising both him and Kairils as true warriors.
• Ma Lou was moved by the old guard's heartfelt approval and reflected on the kindness and courage of the people in the wasteland.
• After Kairils's treatment began, Lin En ended Deity's Gaze and questioned whether he was truly the protagonist.
• Lin En recalled Ma Lou's rescue and concluded that the player's actions resembled those of a heroic lead.