Recaps

A Mind Flayer manipulated Mina into attacking Fina by exploiting her desire to escape Angela's control, but Angela intervened and defeated it. Angela then offered the sisters blood that would grant them independence at the cost of permanent exile, and Mina moved to accept it.

• Mina cut off Fina's arm and demanded that Fina kill her or die so they could escape Angela's control.
• Fina refused to fight her sister and defended Angela and Li Lin for saving them.
• Angela shattered the Mind Flayer's psychic barrier and knocked it unconscious, ending its manipulation of Mina.
• Angela confronted Mina about the resentment the Mind Flayer had exploited, while Li Lin agreed to let Angela handle the sisters.
• Angela offered Mina her True Ancestor blood to free both sisters from her control, on condition that they leave and never return.
• Mina glanced at Fina and leaned toward Angela's dripping blood to accept the offer.

Angela and Mina resolved their conflict, while Li Lin learned that the Mind Flayers threatened the underground alliance and that one of his Seven Ring Spirit Envoys was nearby. Angela volunteered to draw the Mind Flayers away so Li Lin could target their Elder Brain, and she demonstrated her control by turning the unconscious Mind Flayer into a dead, dark-red creature.

• Mina declared that she was giving up her shackles, not her freedom, and Angela accepted her decision.
• Li Lin learned from the Mind Flayer's memories that one of his Seven Ring Spirit Envoys was in the area and that a mysterious woman had once crippled the Mind Flayer colony.
• Li Lin concluded that the Mind Flayers had to be eliminated because they threatened the Dark Elves and Duergar, and the colony depended on its Elder Brain.
• Angela offered to lure away the Mind Flayers while Li Lin dealt with the Elder Brain, and Li Lin agreed despite his concern about her facing its psychic power.
• Angela used her blood to transform the unconscious Mind Flayer, which thrashed and unleashed psychic power before falling still, dead and dark red.

The Mind Flayers captured Dark Elves and learned that Li Lin had come searching for a powerful object, while Angela attacked their psychic network to draw their forces out. Li Lin reached the Elder Brain, which admitted it knew where the object was but refused to return it.

• A Mind Flayer consumed a Dark Elf's brain and learned that the Dark Elves had come with a mage and now followed a new god.
• Angela invaded the Mind Flayers' psychic network, wounded the Elder Brain, and drew dozens of Mind Flayers into an attack.
• Angela and her companions faced the Mind Flayers, but their attempt to teleport failed when Li Lin's Isolation Barrier sealed the area.
• Li Lin searched the underground city with Nia, noticed the Mind Flayers' small numbers, and was confronted by four powerful Mind Flayers.
• The Elder Brain recognized Li Lin as an Arcane Mage and said it knew where the thing he sought was, but would not return the dangerous object.

Li Lin fought the Mind Flayer elders while Nia searched for the Elder Brain, but the arrival of three Beholders disrupted her search and shattered Li Lin’s defenses. As the Elder Brain focused on the battle, an emerald light broke through its seal and an ancient woman awakened.

• Li Lin isolated the area to prevent the Mind Flayers from teleporting or summoning reinforcements, then fought four elders and killed one.
• Li Lin cleared away Mind Flayer-controlled slaves, but the other three elders vanished from the ruined square.
• Three Beholders arrived and broke Li Lin’s protective shield, interrupting Nia’s attempt to locate the Elder Brain.
• The Elder Brain believed the Beholders would help defeat Li Lin, but emerald light broke through its barrier and a woman’s voice announced that she had awakened.

A long-imprisoned elven woman escaped and destroyed the Elder Brain while Li Lin and Nia fought the remaining Beholders. Her arrival ended the battle and reunited her with Nia.

• The elven woman woke from her magical containment, resisted the Elder Brain’s psionic attack, and fought back with wind arrows.
• The Elder Brain recalled how it had imprisoned her for centuries, but falling stalactites shattered its cultivation pool and killed it.
• Li Lin used magic runes to kill one Beholder, injuring himself, while Nia warned him not to cast more spells.
• As the Isolation Barrier weakened, Li Lin prepared to use a dangerous technique against the two remaining Beholders.
• The elven woman shot the remaining Beholders in their eyes, then greeted Nia after the battle.

Li Lin reunited with Kalin, who had rescued the enslaved elves by destroying the Mind Flayers’ Elder Brain, and learned how she had ended up imprisoned in the Underdark. The group returned to find Angela surrounded by massacred Mind Flayers, and Kalin misunderstood Li Lin’s relationship with her.

• Li Lin and Nia reunited with Kalin, who revealed that she had smashed the Elder Brain and freed the Mind Flayers’ slaves.
• Li Lin confirmed the Elder Brain was destroyed, then left the crumbling city with Nia and Kalin.
• Kalin recounted how she had accompanied radical elves to the Underdark, fought the Mind Flayers, and been trapped by their summoning magic.
• Li Lin and Nia told Kalin that nearly a thousand years had passed and that Li Lin planned to rebuild the Magic Empire.
• The group found a cavern full of mutilated Mind Flayers, where Angela greeted Li Lin and complained that her enemies had been too weak to entertain her.
• Kalin watched Angela leap into Li Lin’s arms and accused him of pursuing a little girl.

Li Lin returned to Kasos City with the Dark Elves and learned that the fat merchant had prospered under Maya’s protection, then decided to leave the Underdark. In the interlude, Lika discovered Grand Duke Moore’s abuse of Weijia and accepted a potion from her, while Weijia revealed she was acting under Angela’s instructions.

• Li Lin returned to Kasos City, where Kalin continued teasing Angela and the two argued until Nia took them to rest.
• Li Lin found the fat merchant thriving through trade in wooden goods, and the merchant credited Nia and Maya with helping him recover from the Dark Elves’ schemes.
• Li Lin told the fat merchant to prepare to leave and warned him that Dark Elf jewelry would become worthless in sunlight.
• Lika learned that Weijia was to marry her brother, then found Weijia in the north tower and overheard Grand Duke Moore abusing her.
• Weijia told Lika that the engagement concealed her relationship with Grand Duke Moore and gave Lika a potion to help her pursue her brother.
• After Lika left, Weijia told Angela she had taken the potion and vowed to carry out their plan.

Li Lin learned that Kudel’s troops had crossed into Lalia and forced the prince to flee through the Black Road, then struck a bargain to help him in exchange for an agreement supporting the Dark Elves’ return to the surface. As Angela reported that Weijia’s scheme was progressing, Li Lin and Angela prepared to move against their targets while ensuring the prince would not die too soon.

• The prince explained that his father had sent troops across the border and that Kudel’s escape route had been sealed, driving his party onto the Black Road.
• Li Lin stopped Angela from torturing the prince and offered to give him the heads of the people pursuing him in exchange for his support of the Dark Elves’ return to the surface.
• The prince agreed to sign Li Lin’s agreement, and Maya escorted him away to make it official.
• Angela told Li Lin that Weijia had awakened the Caseli Magic Core in an old man and had lured a girl into seducing her brother, setting up a plan to capture them all.
• Li Lin warned Angela not to let the prince die too soon, and the two prepared to set out.

Li Lin’s caravan left Kasos City with Kalin’s teasing disrupting the group, while Li Lin explained that they were traveling to find Suoxiate, the Spirit Envoy responsible for coordinating the Seven Ring Spirit Envoys. Nia and Kalin questioned Suoxiate’s past failure to summon them when Li Lin was in danger, but Li Lin insisted she had done her utmost and urged them not to judge before learning the truth.

• The caravan left Kasos City, and Li Lin reassured the merchant that he would have another chance to visit a dark elf city.
• Kalin teased Angela and the other travelers until Li Lin told her to stop, then Angela climbed into Li Lin’s arms and complained about her.
• Li Lin told Angela that they were going to find Suoxiate, who coordinated the Spirit Envoys and could sense and contact them wherever they were.
• Nia said Suoxiate had failed to protect Li Lin and summon the others, while Kalin agreed that they had felt no summons when he was in danger.
• Li Lin urged Nia and Kalin not to jump to conclusions and said Suoxiate had done her utmost to fulfill her duty.

Julian and Aikali, Kudel hostages trapped in the Underdark, hoped Li Lin would help them escape, but he arrived with Angela and forced them into his plan. After disguising two dead mercenaries as Julian and Aikali and taking their heads, Li Lin ordered the pair to follow him.

• Julian returned without finding Li Lin, while he and Aikali remained trapped in the Underdark with their mercenaries losing patience over unpaid wages.
• Li Lin and Angela found Julian and Aikali, and Li Lin immobilized them after revealing that the prince of Kudel was with him.
• Li Lin killed the two mercenaries when they tried to distance themselves from Julian and Aikali.
• Li Lin transformed the mercenaries' corpses into Julian and Aikali's likenesses, then pressured Julian into cutting off both heads.
• Li Lin preserved the heads, ordered Julian and Aikali to follow him, and left with Angela; Julian took Aikali after them.

Li Lin left Julian and Aikali in the Dark Elves’ custody, then had Angela deliver the prince two severed heads as a gift. Afterward, Li Lin decided to avoid the spy-filled City of Ten Thousand Stones and said he would arrange for them to be welcomed out of the Black Road.

• Li Lin ordered the Dark Elf priestess to take Julian and Aikali to Maya and keep them safe, threatening her if anything happened to them.
• Angela convinced Li Lin to let her deliver the two heads to the prince, whom Li Lin had left resting in a cargo wagon.
• The prince woke to the heads, screamed, and accidentally landed on them before Angela demanded he accept them as Li Lin’s gift.
• The prince thanked Angela, and she returned to Li Lin’s wagon while the others laughed at his reaction.
• Li Lin decided they would not enter the City of Ten Thousand Stones and said he would have them welcomed out of the Black Road.

The caravan emerged from the Black Road and met a Kudel cavalry force, whose commander recognized the prince traveling with them. After the prince passed an examination and insisted on staying with his protectors, the caravan continued toward Dragon Cry City under cavalry escort.

• The commander confronted the caravan and ordered the knights to aim their lances at it, but the prince emerged and identified himself as the commander’s superior.
• The prince ordered the knights to lower their weapons and told the commander that the caravan and its people had protected him.
• The commander arranged for a mage and a priest to examine the prince for curses or mind control, and they found no influence on him.
• The prince learned from the old mage that mages could not destroy a city and gave up hope of escaping Li Lin.
• The prince explained that the Dark Elves had helped him underground and insisted on traveling with the caravan to discuss important matters with the king.
• The prince and the caravan set out for Kudel’s capital, Dragon Cry City, accompanied by the elite cavalry.

Li Lin’s caravan drew attention as it traveled toward Booty Bay, where he planned to investigate a prophecy about Suoxiate. He decided to proceed cautiously against Kudel, while Angela and Kalin resumed their quarrel in the carriage.

• The royal knights and Dark Elves attracted wary attention, and the fat merchant lost business after the Merchants' Association threatened to revoke his membership.
• Li Lin pointed out Booty Bay on a map as the place where Suoxiate might be, and Nia recalled its legend about the Pirate King's buried treasure.
• Li Lin rejected making a move against Kudel for now and decided he needed to investigate the country more thoroughly before pursuing revenge.
• Angela urged Li Lin to put a collar on Kalin, who entered the carriage and traded insults with her about her attire.
• Li Lin stopped Angela and Kalin's argument while Nia watched helplessly.

Angela fed on a shepherd girl in the woods while Kalin watched and argued with her. As Li Lin prepared to use his role as Dominator of the Dark Elves to approach the ruling powers, a royal invitation arrived for him in Dragon Cry City.

• Angela lured a shepherd girl into the woods as a black cat, bit her, and drank her blood before Kalin confronted her.
• Angela and Kalin argued over Kalin’s nature and her place among Li Lin’s Spirit Envoys.
• The caravan was stopped outside Dragon Cry City, and Li Lin explained to Nia that he planned to use his authority over the dark elves to gain access to the country’s rulers.
• Li Lin learned that the Temple had killed everyone in a village in Lalia and blamed the deaths on a plague.
• A merchant brought Li Lin a gold-stamped invitation from the royal palace and said the prince was waiting for him.

Li Lin met the king of Kudel to discuss the Dark Elves and the kingdom’s plans, refusing to kneel and demonstrating his power when a minister challenged him. The king accepted Li Lin’s request to continue their discussion elsewhere and sent him to rest in the palace first.

• The king and his ministers considered reports that Li Lin had become the Dark Elves’ ruler and that the Dark Elves’ recent troubles affected their agreement with Kudel.
• Li Lin greeted the king without kneeling, and when a minister demanded that he show proper respect, Li Lin knocked him to the floor with a snap of his fingers.
• The king stopped the soldiers from attacking Li Lin and questioned him about his deeds and purpose in coming to Kudel.
• Li Lin declined to discuss confidential matters and said the king already knew why he had come.
• The king invited Li Lin and the young ladies to rest in the palace before continuing their discussion, and Li Lin left the hall with the prince.

The king consulted his teacher about Li Lin and decided to make use of him rather than arrest him. Li Lin explained his strategy to his companions and agreed to attend the king’s banquet, while Angela stormed off with Mina and Fina after Kalin taunted her.

• The king’s old mage judged Li Lin exceptionally powerful and ambitious, and advised the king to use his age and experience when dealing with him.
• The king rejected the idea of getting rid of Li Lin and asked his teacher for help if a crisis arose.
• Li Lin told Angela and Nia that he had acted like a fool to mislead the king and draw attention to the Dark Elves, putting pressure on Kudel’s plans.
• A palace attendant invited Li Lin and his companions to the king’s banquet, and Li Lin accepted, suspecting the king would use it to test or approach him.
• Kalin teased Angela about being too young to attend the state banquet, so Angela angrily pulled Mina and Fina into the bedroom and shut the door.

Angela transformed into her beautiful sixteen-year-old form after draining blood from her two Vampire Species servants, hoping to impress Li Lin and remain at his side. As the group prepared to attend the king’s banquet and reveal their identities, Angela offered Nia a formal dress.

• Angela emerged from the bedroom in her grown-up form after the sisters’ voices faded and an eerie power filled the room.
• Nia and Li Lin admired Angela’s transformation, while Kalin went to care for the exhausted sisters.
• Angela sat beside Li Lin and said she had changed forms so she could serve him differently.
• Li Lin noted that the banquet was near and stood with Nia and Angela to leave.
• Angela produced a formal dress and suggested that Nia change before they went.

Li Lin attended the king’s banquet with the nervous fat merchant, drawing the nobles’ attention as rumors spread that he commanded the Dark Elves. After confronting a hostile young noble and rejecting an old mage’s advice to conceal his power, Li Lin’s defiance stunned the banquet hall.

• Li Lin reassured the fat merchant that the king had invited him as a merchant representative and that he only needed to keep up appearances.
• Li Lin entered the banquet hall with the fat merchant while Nia and Angela stayed behind to change clothes, and the nobles speculated about Li Lin and the Dark Elves.
• A hostile young man insulted Li Lin and tried to grab his wrist, but an old mage stopped him and warned him about Li Lin’s protective spell.
• The old mage urged Li Lin to restrain his power for the sake of mages, but Li Lin shattered his glass and declared that no one could stop him.
• The banquet hall fell silent as everyone stared toward the entrance.

At the Kudel banquet, Angela and Nia drew attention to Li Lin and helped put him in the spotlight while the king promoted trade and kept the prince out of sight. A young man then confronted Li Lin and challenged him to a duel over the injury to his father.

• Angela and Nia arrived at the banquet in striking attire and joined Li Lin, with Angela taking his arm and drawing the guests' attention to him.
• The king entered, delivered a speech praising trade with the Northlands and the fat merchant, and left the guests to enjoy the banquet without mentioning Li Lin or the dark elves.
• Li Lin, Nia, and Angela discussed the prince's absence and the king's likely plans while mingling after the speech.
• The young man who had caused Li Lin trouble approached him and, after Li Lin ignored him, demanded a duel because Li Lin had injured his father.

Li Lin rejected Noah’s demands until the king offered him a request in return for winning a duel, prompting him to accept. At the royal arena, Li Lin effortlessly defeated Noah’s opening attack and left him sprawled on the ground, unable to rise.

• Li Lin refused to duel Noah or apologize, arguing that Noah had no grounds to demand either.
• The king offered Li Lin any request within his power if Li Lin won a duel against Noah, and Li Lin agreed to fight immediately.
• The banquet guests followed Li Lin and Noah to the royal arena, where Noah mocked Li Lin’s reputation as the Conqueror of the Dark Elf.
• Noah surrounded himself with defensive spells and attacked with a Magic Missile Storm, but Li Lin erased the missiles and shattered his protections.
• Li Lin struck Noah with an invisible force that hurled him into the air and slammed him to the ground, leaving him unable to get up.

Li Lin killed Noah instantly during the banquet and forced the old mage to keep his Arcane Mage abilities secret. Afterward, he returned to his room, where Angela told him about her feeding at the banquet and seduced him.

• Li Lin killed Noah with a barrage of spells, leaving the nobles stunned.
• Li Lin threatened the old mage into silence about what he had witnessed, and the old mage agreed.
• The banquet ended before Li Lin could discuss his request with the king.
• Back in his room, Li Lin asked Angela about the banquet and learned she had fed on a young noblewoman.
• Angela seduced Li Lin, and they spent the night together.

An old mage feared that Li Lin was an Arcane Mage and worried about what his presence in Kudel meant, but he could not bring himself to alert the Mages' Association. The next morning, Li Lin joined his companions for tea and learned that Mina and Fina had fed on a maid, whose memory Nia had altered.

• The old mage recalled Li Lin's overwhelming magic and concluded that his runic Magic Tattoo marked him as an Arcane Mage.
• The old mage considered warning the Mages' Association but decided that acting rashly could provoke disaster.
• Li Lin woke beside Angela, cleared his head with a spell, and left her sleeping to join the others.
• Kalin teased Li Lin about keeping her awake, then suggested that she and Nia might become intimate with him.
• Li Lin learned that Mina and Fina had fed on a maid, and Nia reassured him that she had altered the maid's memory.
• Someone knocked at the door as Li Lin considered his plans.

Li Lin persuaded the king to hire the dark elves to escort Kudel's army through the Black Road in exchange for the mountain forests, securing the deal with a contract. Afterward, Li Lin told Maya to begin preparations and to release two captives once the army had passed.

• The king asked Li Lin what price he required to open the Black Road, and Li Lin proposed that Kudel hire the dark elves and grant them the forests beside the mountains.
• Li Lin presented a contract recognizing the arrangement, and the king signed it after reading its terms.
• Li Lin agreed to remain at the palace as the king's guest, suspecting the king wanted to keep him nearby.
• Li Lin contacted Maya in the corridor and told her everything was ready to begin.
• Li Lin told Maya to release their two captive guests after Kudel's army passed through the Black Road without letting anyone discover it.

Li Lin assigned Nia and Kalin to monitor Kudel's army and protect a merchant while he worried about Angela wandering alone. In the palace garden, Angela hypnotized a maid connected to the court archmage, then began drinking her blood as Li Lin appeared.

• Li Lin told Nia to stay in contact with Maya and track Kudel's army, and tasked Kalin with protecting the merchant and handling the Dark Elves.
• Li Lin learned Angela had gone out alone and left to look for her after growing uneasy.
• Angela wandered through the palace garden, lost her way, and destroyed a flower in frustration.
• Angela overheard that Lola's mistress was worried because the court archmage had shut himself in his room.
• Angela hypnotized Lola and asked her to arrange a meeting with her mistress.
• Li Lin emerged from a portal and questioned Angela as she sank her fangs into Lola's neck.

Li Lin and Angela left the palace to explore Dragon Cry City, then visited the fat merchant and found his gemstone business thriving. Their conversation was interrupted when a paladin arrived with a force behind him and demanded that the merchant hand over the Dark Elves for judgment.

• Nia went to the Kudel Royal Grand Library to collect books before the coming war.
• Li Lin used Hold Person spells on two guards who tried to stop the group from leaving the palace.
• Li Lin and Angela toured Dragon Cry City, where the people fell silent and kept their distance from them.
• Li Lin visited the fat merchant, whose rare Underdark gemstones were attracting wealthy customers.
• The fat merchant said Miss Kalin had taken the Dark Elves out, and a paladin then demanded that the merchant surrender them for judgment.