Interlude

Interlude from Louis Santiago's perspective. Louis unexpectedly arrives on Sheol, the fifteenth floor, after being pulled from the storage fold. He is rescued by Forkith, a demon ally of Carl's, and a group including Britney and Pontiff, who equip him with a leech to survive the harsh environment. Meanwhile, Chris undergoes a forced unconsciousness due to his werewolf transformation risk, and Louis receives a cryptic message from Samantha revealing her presence at a temple and her plans against the Demon Mother.

Louis experiences a disorienting moment in the storage fold that feels eternal to his consciousness but lasts only a nanosecond. Upon awakening in Sheol, he is confused and disoriented, coughing from the intense heat. He discovers he has been transported to the fifteenth floor instead of the holding area as planned. Chris is being restrained by unfamiliar people due to an imminent werewolf transformation, prompting someone to knock him unconscious with a crossbow bolt. Forkith, a small red demon and ally of Carl's, introduces himself and explains the situation. He provides Louis with a leech to filter his blood, allowing him to survive Sheol's environment despite his gills. Forkith reveals that they have separated from the code and were brought here as soldiers for an unspecified purpose. Louis's HUD malfunctions, losing map and spell menu access. Samantha then sends Louis a message revealing she has traveled to a temple with Taranis and Krakaren, where they are attempting to reconstruct the Demon Mother. She discloses her true intention to kill the Demon Mother and her son, whom she believes tricked her into birthing a creature of destruction.