Chapter Summaries

After losing control from absorbing the frozen lake city's accumulated knowledge, the narrator discovered that a Tyr body had emerged from their treant form as an incomplete Mythical Creature Form. The narrator began crawling across the ice in the new, painful body.

• The narrator learned about Beyonder Power, Pathways, Beyonder Characteristics, and the origins of their abilities, then lost control from the knowledge.
• The narrator realized their body had developed an incomplete Mythical Creature Form and concluded that it must have originated from the God of Order.
• The narrator's branches merged, and a Tyr upper body emerged from their trunk, leaving them in agony and covered in blood.
• The narrator tested the new body, struggled to control its claws and heightened senses, and found that it lacked hind limbs, a tail, wings, and an exoskeleton.
• The narrator abandoned moving on roots and began crawling because the smell of blood made them hurry.

The Monarch of Decay destroyed a polluted city tied to the City of Calamity and seized a fragment of its corruption. Back in Backlund, he invaded Adam’s mind to retrieve information about Bansy Island, then left Adam recovering and advised Amon to stop studying C++ without a computer.

• The Monarch of Decay entered the strange city and used his power to reduce its buildings and inhabitants to ash.
• He raised an ash tree that tore open the sky, drew out a writhing fragment, and sealed it before the city collapsed.
• After returning to his villa in Backlund, the Monarch of Decay examined the fragment while Amon struggled with a C++ book.
• The Monarch of Decay invaded Adam’s mind, discovered that Adam and his original self knew about Bansy Island, and said his pollution had made the other forget it.
• Adam was left weakened and disoriented, and the Monarch of Decay told Amon to stop studying because there were no computers in that era.

Adela teased Edward while he worked on a puzzle, and Maria planned to investigate Capim’s residence as she learned that Sharron and Maric had defeated their pursuers. In the East Borough, Klein and Mike heard more about missing children before Maria confronted them.

• Adela tried to draw Edward into intimate company, but he handed her the Rubik’s Cube and tried to leave; she playfully tested his threat to kill her.
• Maria told Ademisaul to draft a request for the Aurora Order to investigate Capim’s residence and asked him to cover for her if she went out alone.
• A blond man told Maria that Sharron and Maric had killed their Rose School pursuers, including a Sequence 5 Wraith, and that they might have an unknown helper.
• Klein and Mike stopped at an East Borough café, where Klein recognized an older man he had previously interviewed and introduced Mike as a colleague.
• The older man told Klein and Mike that children and girls had been disappearing, including a young pickpocket and a girl whom Maria had recently brought home.
• Maria approached Klein and Mike, introduced herself, and demanded to know what they were investigating.

Klein and Mike interviewed people in the East Borough, where they learned that Maria was trusted as the community’s protector, while Edward identified Klein and directed Maria to seek his help. Elsewhere, the Monarch of Decay questioned Adam about the Forsaken Land of the Gods and revealed his intention to turn it into his Desolate Kingdom.

• Maria refused to tell Klein and Mike about the kidnappings, but an elderly East Borough resident warned them not to speak badly of her and called her their guardian angel.
• Klein and Mike listened as the former beggar described a destitute elderly woman, and Mike hired Old Kohler as their guide for two soli a day.
• Edward recognized Klein in Maria’s memories and told her she could ask him for help, prompting her to return to the café to try again.
• The Monarch of Decay discussed the City of Calamity, Medici, and Adam’s choices, while Amon drew him a map of the Forsaken Land of the Gods.
• The Monarch of Decay told Adam he wanted to reclaim his Sefirah and turn the Forsaken Land of the Gods into his Desolate Kingdom.

Edward revealed himself to Amon as the Monarch of Decay, killing nearly every Amon who heard him. In Backlund, Klein and Mike investigated the East Borough’s factories, and Maria commissioned Klein to obtain a floor plan of tycoon Capim’s villa, leaving him to decide whether to accept.

• Edward told Amon that he was a Great Old Dominator, and the revelation killed every Amon in the city who heard it except the typist who had blocked his hearing.
• Klein and Mike saw women working without protection in a lead white factory, while Old Kohler described Maria’s free legal work for the workers.
• Old Kohler connected the textile mills’ planned layoffs to the growing disappearances of unemployed girls, and Klein and Mike left the district in silence.
• Maria apologized to Klein and said Capim was behind the East Borough kidnappings, then asked him to obtain a floor plan of Capim’s villa.
• Maria offered five hundred pounds for a partial layout and a thousand for a detailed one, and Klein said he was inclined to accept but would decide within two days.

Richard discussed the Numinous Episcopate’s plans and possible arms purchases, while Mr. A accepted Maria’s dangerous commission to investigate Capim’s mansion. At the Tarot gathering, Derrick revealed that a man named Amon had appeared in the City of Silver’s history, and a diary entry disclosed that Roselle Gustav had once called himself Huang Tao; Derrick then heard the imprisoned explorer speak from behind him.

• Richard learned that the Pale Empress planned to retake a town near Balam’s capital and offered to wait for Traynor’s new firearm before arranging a purchase.
• Mr. A took Maria’s commission to infiltrate Capim’s mansion after seeing that Mr. Z remained ahead of him in the contribution rankings.
• Klein divined that Maria’s commission involved manageable danger and decided to accept it after the Tarot gathering.
• Derrick told the Tarot Club about the imprisoned explorer who had encountered Amon, and Alger explained the Amon Family’s history and reputation for stealing divine power.
• Klein read a diary entry in which Roselle Gustav declared that his real name was Huang Tao.
• Back in the City of Silver, Derrick knocked on the explorer’s wall, then heard an aged voice speak from behind him.

The God of Order dreamed of her lost homeland and recalled the brutal order she had imposed to preserve life after the Stellar Core went dark. When a powerful treant spoke her forgotten language, she hoped it was kin, but it condemned her and told her to leave.

• The God of Order remembered her home and how she had become a god after the planet stopped rotating and a century-long cold wave struck.
• She recalled the rules she imposed, which led the two races to fight over Beyonder Characteristics and hunt treants for survival.
• The God of Order sensed a powerful treant approaching and watched it perform a simple ritual above her hiding place.
• The treant spoke her lost language, making the God of Order hope it was one of her kin.
• The treant called her useless and selfish, condemned the slaughter caused by her order, and told her to get lost.

Edward tested Richard Ernst’s business ethics while Adela argued for ruthless exploitation, and Klein discovered that Amon had secretly attached himself to Little Sun. Edward later reflected on Klein’s possible connection to the Lord of the Mysteries and counted down the nineteen years remaining in his mission.

• Edward questioned Richard about factory wages and business decisions, while Richard struggled to balance profit with concern for workers.
• Adela climbed into Edward’s room and urged Richard to use machines for maximum profit and enslave workers, leaving Richard distressed by her advice.
• After accepting Maria’s commission, Klein heard Little Sun’s prayer and saw Amon lurking around his spirit body, apparently planning to infiltrate the Tarot gathering.
• Klein realized he needed to remove Amon from Little Sun or keep Little Sun away from future gatherings, and began considering a solution.
• Edward speculated that Klein might be a contingency tied to the Lord of the Mysteries and reflected on the approaching Apocalypse and his nineteen years left to live out his mission.

Mr. A preached the True Creator’s gospel to East Borough paupers, recruited a group of followers, and arranged temporary shelter for them. He left with the blue-haired man to settle the new converts near the man’s home.

• Mr. A taught children about the betrayal of the Lord until Maria interrupted him and dragged him outside.
• Mr. A told Maria he was waiting for Capim’s Beyonder subordinates to leave before infiltrating the mansion, and promised to avoid harming Sherlock Moriarty if they met.
• Mr. A challenged the East Borough paupers’ faith in the Three Gods and preached that the True Creator would save them.
• A boy agreed to follow Mr. A, shared his portion of Black Bread with the other paupers, and was welcomed as a brother.
• The blue-haired man agreed to shelter the fifteen new followers in an empty warehouse and led them away with Mr. A.

Amon questioned the Monarch of Decay about courage and sacrifice, while in the East Borough Alia helped expose kidnappers working with Capim. Klein learned that Liv’s younger daughter had disappeared and agreed to investigate, accepting only two soli from Old Kohler to cover the cost.

• Amon told the Monarch of Decay that he would likely flee rather than die for his father, unless his sacrifice could help or his father could resurrect him.
• Alia baited a kidnapper, and the flesh puppet that emerged from his body fought Katie until Mr. A took control of her and pursued her to Capim’s Mansion.
• Alia returned to Maria’s group with old clothes and reported the kidnapping; Mr. A promised to provide a route map to Capim’s operation.
• Klein paid Old Kohler for information and learned about secret cult activity, the failed textile workers’ struggle, and Liv’s missing younger daughter.
• Klein offered to help find Liv’s daughter, and Old Kohler returned thirteen soli, asking Klein to accept two soli as payment.

Klein learned that Daisy had been abducted and that rescuing her from Capim’s villa was extremely dangerous, so he investigated the villa’s guards and layout to help Maria plan an infiltration. Meanwhile, Fors met Loboro’s brother and used a Paper Angel to conceal the encounter from his divination, while Edward sensed the aura of Sefirah Castle around her.

• Klein refused most of Old Kohler’s payment and went with him to visit Liv.
• Fors met an elderly man seeking news of his brother Loboro and learned that Loboro and Anlisa had died; Edward Vaughan joined them at a café.
• Edward sensed Sefirah Castle’s aura around Fors after she returned from the washroom, then saw a thin gray fog envelop her.
• Klein divined Daisy’s circumstances and learned that Capim’s men had abducted and imprisoned her, then confirmed that rescuing her was dangerous.
• Klein decided to obtain information before helping Maria and possessed a Capim employee to conduct spirit channeling.
• Klein learned that Capim Villa had at least four dangerous Beyonders, including Mr. Harras, and reconstructed the villa’s layout to give Maria.

Klein infiltrated Capim’s dinner, where Mr. A and Harras fought after the servants and Katie were struck by strange effects. A fireball destroyed the dining room, and Maria entered the ruined mansion, rescued the badly burned Mr. A, and summoned Edward Vaughan to claim the guilty souls.

• Capim and the servants began suffering bizarre symptoms as Klein, disguised as a black spirit, confronted Harras and Katie attacked him.
• Mr. A revealed himself by emerging from Katie’s body and summoned a Black Knight to strike Harras, while Klein realized Mr. A belonged to the Aurora Order.
• Harras wounded Mr. A and tried to escape, but Klein snapped his fingers and ignited the room, engulfing Harras and Mr. A in an explosion.
• Maria stormed Capim’s mansion with a Gatling gun and found the dining room in ruins, with Capim and an unfamiliar Beyonder dead.
• Maria dug Mr. A out from beneath the rubble, put him in her backpack, and prayed for Edward Vaughan to accept the souls of the criminals.

He wandered across his frozen homeworld and uncovered how Branka had kept its surviving populations trapped and dependent. Concluding that salvation would only prolong their suffering, he chose to destroy the world and create new life, setting out to ascend to godhood.

• He crossed the dead ice fields and learned that Branka had concealed the Beyonder world's laws and controlled its surviving populations.
• He accused Branka of preventing the people from discovering the correct Pathways and using the dead's Beyonder Characteristics to maintain her control.
• He struggled with the suffering of both populations and realized he could not save one without condemning the other.
• He decided that the world needed destruction and new life rather than salvation.
• He resolved to ascend to godhood, sacrifice his humanity, and bring about the world's long-delayed extinction.

Klein escaped Capim Villa after destroying its Beyonders, while Edward arrived and devoured the souls of corrupt officials through a supernatural telephone. Edward rescued Doctor Blake for Maria, gave her a Sequence 5 Mentor of Disorder characteristic, and warned that war was about to begin.

• Klein's explosion destroyed the dining room and killed the Beyonders inside, after which he fled Capim Villa when gunfire sounded outside.
• Maria entered the villa, found Mr. A, and prayed, while Edward attacked Klein with a giant claw and suspected he was Klein Moretti.
• Edward used a model telephone to accuse corrupt officials and devour their souls, then triggered a massive distortion that destroyed Capim's Mansion as demigods arrived.
• Maria reported the evacuation of the children, and Edward granted her wish by rescuing Doctor Blake from Holy Wind Cathedral.
• Edward gave Maria a Sequence 5 Mentor of Disorder characteristic and warned her that war was about to begin.

Richard shared a Southern Continent-style grilled fish meal at the Poorhouse and asked Galan De to find him a modest captain for an offshore investigation. After Klein reviewed the mysteries surrounding the Capim raid and Mr. A woke in hospital, Mr. A declared his mission a failure and fainted again when Mr. Z revealed he still led their monthly merit ranking.

• Richard cooked grilled fish for the Poorhouse residents, played with the children, and asked Galan De to find an information broker who could connect him with a captain.
• Klein divined that Daisy would return home safely, then considered the conflicting clues about Maria, Mr. A, the Aurora Order, and the claw that had attacked him.
• Klein reviewed his Magician principles, wrote them down, and estimated that his potion could be digested before the new year.
• Klein returned to Backlund and attended old Mr. Eye of Wisdom's Beyonder gathering in disguise.
• Mr. A woke in the Charity Hospital, and Mr. Z visited him after learning of the explosion through a Rose Bishop communication method.
• Mr. A admitted that he had failed the mission and made a fatal error, then fainted again when Mr. Z said he remained first in the monthly merit ranking.

Edward connected Klein Moretti to Tingen and the Church of Evernight, while the True Creator struggled with worsening memory loss and the churches transferred the Capim case to MI9. In the City of Silver, Derrick warned Colin Iliad about changes in Dark Regins and Lovia, but Colin’s response left him disappointed.

• Edward identified Klein Moretti as a likely survivor from Tingen watched by the Evernight Goddess and planned to visit him with Chinese pastries.
• Saint Tenebrous received a dark charm from the True Creator, who then realized his memories were disappearing and considered contacting his main body for help.
• Cardinal Ace Snake questioned the investigation into Capim’s villa, then agreed to transfer the case to MI9 after a royal representative cited possible foreign espionage.
• Derrick decided to report Dark Regins’s and Lovia’s unusual behavior to Colin Iliad despite fearing the risks.
• Colin told Derrick he would have Aiffluo examine them, then sighed disappointedly after Derrick left.

Florent learned that Adela was trying to attract a Devil to avoid marrying Earl Wells, while Klein visited Old Kohler and Liv’s family, returned Daisy’s vocabulary book, and gave them money for an interview. After accepting Maria’s thousand-pound payment and hearing about the destruction of Capim’s Mansion, Klein remained unsure how much Maria knew about the Aurora Order.

• Florent found Adela studying Devil-summoning rituals and learned she hoped to win over a Devil rather than marry Earl Wells.
• Klein visited Old Kohler, urged him to consider insurance, and returned Daisy’s vocabulary book to Liv’s family.
• Klein gave Liv two pounds in advance for Daisy’s interview and left, reflecting that there was no savior.
• Maria paid Klein a thousand pounds for his help and told him Capim’s Mansion had been destroyed in an explosion.
• Maria described her charity work and plans to expand her factory, leaving Klein puzzled by her apparent ignorance of the Aurora Order’s infiltration.

Richard sought a pirate crew for a dangerous research voyage, and Alger considered taking the well-paid job. Amon visited Edward for a meal, and Edward told him he saw the possibility of the Starry Sky and becoming his student in him.

• Richard negotiated with a Bayam information broker for a sturdy ship and Beyonder crew to finish a research expedition before the new year.
• The broker offered Richard's job to Alger, who considered contacting the client through his own connections to avoid the commission.
• A raven delivered Edward's invitation to Klein, who agreed to a dinner visit the following evening.
• Amon visited Edward and sampled the old-era dishes Edward had prepared.
• Edward explained that he had restored some plants using civilization's records and told Amon he saw the possibility of the Starry Sky and becoming his student in him.

Decay reflected on how his journey had stripped away his humanity as he faced Branka and accepted the end of their homeland. He cursed the dying world and its inhabitants to perish, while blessing the planet and future life, then urged the last survivors to live for themselves as they died.

• Decay dismissed Branka’s accusation and concluded that she could not accept the essence of Decay because she clung to the possibility of saving her destroyed world.
• Decay declared that he would accept what Branka could not, then cursed their homeland and its inhabitants to die and lose their existence and history.
• Decay blessed the planet to give birth to new life and blessed future life with the strength to build civilization beyond the gloom and cold.
• After Branka’s protection ended, wind and snow engulfed the last grassland, and Decay felt relief rather than sorrow as life faced extinction.
• Decay urged the dying inhabitants to cry, curse, laugh, hate, and live for themselves in their final moments.

Maria expanded her processing factory while Klein accompanied Mike to interview girls rescued from Capim, whose hardship led Mike to plan an appeal for a relief fund. Later, Klein hosted Edward for dinner and asked him about the Ernst Foundation, while Amon secretly stole from Klein and sampled the food.

• Ademisaul refused Sean's request to help at the factory, so Sean delivered his leave request to Maria and joined the workers preparing to expand the workshops.
• Klein accompanied Mike into the East Borough, where they interviewed rescued girls and learned that many remained unemployed or had turned to prostitution to survive.
• Mike told Klein he planned to urge the government to use Capim's properties to fund aid for the rescued girls, and Klein suggested the Ernst Foundation as an alternative.
• Klein hosted Edward for dinner, and Edward identified Will Auceptin as the School of Life's Sequence 1 Snake of Mercury and confirmed that the person behind the Devil Dog was still lurking.
• Amon, disguised as a crow on Edward's shoulder, stole a pound from Klein and sampled the food during dinner.
• Klein asked Edward whether he knew anything about the Ernst Foundation.