Preservation characters

Also known as John, the Eternal Flame

Appears from the start

A farmer, Shadow Tower Master, and the world's foremost defender. He has returned from an off-world rescue wielding his own blue Eternal Flame, while a hostile dragon remains bound within his shadow.

Appears from the start

John's partner, a witch and storm elemental who helps lead the farm and valley. Her divination offers only clouded glimpses of possible futures.

Appears from the start

Shadow Tower's plant guardian, whose roots define the territory she can defend. Her vine barrier holds the invading beast army outside the valley.

Also known as Shadow Tower spirit

First appears in chapter 10

The Shadow Tower nature spirit, now known as Rabia. She develops the new mountain settlement, expands underground food production, and helps administer the valley through her extensive root network.

Also known as the bull

Appears from the start

John's mana-sensitive bull companion and a formidable farm guardian who can alter his size.

Appears from the start

A dragon-fox ruler whose army threatens the valley. Ferdie defeats her and brings her to the farm, where John permits her to remain only under strict conditions.

Also known as former Beast King

First appears in chapter 11

The dragon-fox formerly known as the Beast King. After losing her throne to Ferdie, she returns with him to the farm and is expected to help protect the valley during John and Ellie's journey.

Appears from the start

An off-world ally of John who remains mobile on mechanical legs after lasting injuries.

Also known as Katrine's partner

First appears in chapter 4

A non-mage artifact specialist who built Katrine's mechanical legs and travels with a scanning mechanical bird. John asks him to examine the unexplained sphere inside Shadow Tower.

Also known as Ellie's lightning-bird familiar

Appears from the start

Ellie's lightning-bird familiar, serving as both scout and combat companion among the valley's defenders.

Also known as High Priestess of the Eternal Flame

First appears in chapter 7

The High Priestess of the Eternal Flame whom John and Ellie intend to consult about their wedding.

First appears in chapter 8

A local ruler trying to maintain order as wealthy refugees use hired guards to coerce others. He reports that the valley’s existing guards cannot control the problem.

Appears from the start

A trusted member of John and Ellie's household with the ability to travel through shadows.

First appears in chapter 9

A woman leading a newly restored nomadic tribe, unprecedented among the Khans. She and John exchange commitments of alliance and protection.

Also known as Khan leader

First appears in chapter 10

A nomadic Khan who commits his people to patrol the refugees and enforce peace as official representatives of the Ecclesia.

First appears in chapter 14

One of Candle Scholar Tower’s seven masters. She receives John and Ellie when they explain their search for elemental world stones.

Also known as Urcha

First appears in chapter 16

A powerful Water Tower researcher who, like Ellie, is not a conventional mage. She explains storm elementalization and offers to train Ellie in magic suited to that nature.

First appears in chapter 16

A rapidly advancing mage whom John remembers from an earlier stage of his training. John requests him as a lower-order assistant for a new research program.

Also known as ruins guide

First appears in chapter 19

An independent guide at the game-pagoda ruins and the current leaderboard holder, with victories in thirty-five different games. He declines the security of serving as a wealthy patron's paid challenger.

First appears in chapter 19

The spirit that controls the game-pagoda complex and may accept challenges from visitors too strong to enter the ordinary contests.

First appears in chapter 20

The lingering spirit of a man from Earth who established a complex of one hundred game pagodas before his ascension. It controls all of the contests at once.

First appears in chapter 29

Sage Sergoth’s echo detects John’s arrival at the ruins and waits there to offer guidance.

Also known as master of the Cabal of the Broken Gate

Appears from the start

A water-domain ruler who commands the Cabal of the Broken Gate. He has tracked John across worlds and remains the principal enemy pursuing him.

Also known as Gustav clan's supreme warrior

First appears in chapter 28

The Gustav clan's supreme warrior, a body-focused swordsman who pursues Ellie during her escape and joins the Cabal supreme mage in confronting the couple.

First appears in chapter 22

The mother of the young host mage. She exercises authority in the household, favors Ellie, and treats John as socially inferior.

Also known as Gustav household mother

First appears in chapter 29

The Gustav household matriarch identified as a participant in the attempt to imprison Ellie and steal her elemental affinity.

First appears in chapter 19

A politically connected Fifth Order mage encountered by the couple among Candle Scholar Tower travelers. She is related to their young companion.

Also known as host-family mage

First appears in chapter 19

Isla's young relative, encountered alongside Candle Scholar Tower travelers at the game complex.

First appears in chapter 39

Windstar Tower's leader, who controls its dimensional gate. After trying to take John's valuable gems by force, he is disabled and loses the gate.

Also known as Windstar locator

First appears in chapter 38

A specialist in dimensional coordinates and wards who is magically bound to the Windstar Ruins. She will help find the Cabal shard only if John first secures her freedom.

Also known as Windstar captive

First appears in chapter 40

A captive teenager forced to power Windstar Tower's coordinate-finding device. John and the artificer find him restrained within the apparatus.

First appears in chapter 31

An unresolved Seventh Order New Dawn commander assembling an army against the valley.

Appears from the start

An unresolved hostile force allied with enemies opposing John.

Also known as the System

First appears in chapter 10

A constrained guide that may be a surviving remnant of the world's spirit. It links balanced elements and the approaching final day to the world's survival, directing John toward the elemental world stones.