AFTERWORD

Chapter 100

Chapter 96

Overview

Carl's party executes a coordinated assault on Emberus during a chaotic arena battle. Donut successfully blinds the god with enchanted bolts, but Emberus retaliates with a devastating fire spell. Taranis, enraged that the attack targeted his beloved Penny the pig, uses his divine power to destroy his own brother Emberus in a massive explosion that damages the arena and injures multiple party members. As Carl prepares for the next phase, Eris suddenly enters the realm.

Summary

The chapter opens with Emberus preparing a massive fire attack. Carl's team executes a trap: Donut is teleported into the arena via Lucia's loop-de-loop trap, replacing Penny who is moved to safety with Khepri's invulnerability protection. Donut fires two Danforth bolts from her Scorpion's Bite weapon into Emberus's eye sockets, temporarily immobilizing the god and making him vulnerable. Emberus hurls an incinerating fire spell at Carl's chest, but Carl's Four-Leaf Clover Patch transfers the attack to Penny instead. Donut uses Puddle Jumper to escape with Carl outside the arena entrance, where a massive battle is already underway. The party's upgraded tenth-floor vehicles are engaged in combat: Bodi drives Imani and Elle's APV against trolls; Jurgen, Prepotente, and Makana defend the RV while Bianca circles overhead; Jamal leaps through the arena with his flamethrower while Samantha screams from his head; Lucia and Florin attack from their tuk-tuk; Tipid drives the former One Fine Pig truck; Rosetta rides Onikuma the bear; Old Shuck fights alongside them; Mongo and Rend battle a spiked turtle monster. Emberus bursts from the kaiju bug and transforms into his true massive form, still vulnerable for a few seconds. Taranis, seeing that Emberus fired the spell at Penny and recognizing his brother's insanity, uses his divine power to destroy Emberus entirely, causing an explosion that knocks everyone back and damages the arena. Scolopendra and Krakaren survive the blast. The party checks in: Elle and Bodi are trapped in their wrecked APV; Jamal's legs are severed but he's alive; Lucia floats while holding an injured Florin; Sarah Hayse fires the Abrams tank at Krakaren. Taranis revives Penny the pig and speaks to her tenderly. Carl retrieves his motorcycle from inventory and prepares to continue, with Donut on his shoulder despite his objections. As he revs the engine, everything freezes and Eris enters the realm.

Characters

  • CarlParty leader executing coordinated tactics; receives Emberus's fire spell but remains invulnerable; prepares to continue the battle after retrieving his motorcycle
  • DonutExecutes the blinding attack on Emberus with two Danforth bolts; teleports Carl to safety using Puddle Jumper; insists on staying with Carl despite his refusal
  • EmberusGod of sun and ash; prepares and fires a devastating fire spell at Carl that is redirected to Penny; is destroyed by Taranis's divine power
  • PennyCarl's pig companion; transferred to safety with Khepri's protection; attacked by Emberus's fire spell; rescued and revived by Taranis
  • TaranisGod of thunder; recognizes Emberus as the attacker and destroys his brother in retaliation; revives and tends to Penny afterward
  • KhepriGod summoned to provide ninety seconds of invulnerability protection to Penny
  • LuciaUses loop-de-loop traps; floats in arena holding injured Florin; attacks from tuk-tuk with lightning bolts before vehicle is destroyed
  • DonutFires crossbow bolts; uses Puddle Jumper to escape with Carl
  • BodiDrives Imani and Elle's APV against trolls; trapped in wrecked vehicle with Elle
  • ImaniCoordinates party check-in via system message after explosion
  • ElleSurvives in wrecked APV with Bodi; reports being alive and trapped
  • JurgenStands on RV roof shooting lightning and throwing potions at mobs
  • PrepotenteStands on RV roof with Jurgen shooting and throwing potions; reports RV broken in half after explosion
  • MakanaShelters in RV during battle
  • BiancaCircles overhead providing aerial support during vehicle battle
  • JamalLeaps through arena with flamethrower killing monsters; survives explosion but has legs severed
  • SamanthaSits on Jamal's head screaming war cry during battle
  • FlorinDrives tuk-tuk with one hand while shooting shotgun; survives explosion with red health bar
  • TipidDrives the former One Fine Pig truck during arena battle
  • RosettaRides Onikuma the bear jumping on monkey mobs; attempts to reach Tipid after explosion
  • OnikumaBear mount ridden by Rosetta; jumps on razor-backed monkey mobs
  • Old ShuckBites and snarls at mobs in arena battle
  • MongoTears through spiked turtle monster with Rend; survives explosion and stands afterward
  • RendSits on upside-down turtle's head as Mongo pulls its leg; survives explosion
  • ScolopendraMassive centipede kaiju wrapped around shattered tree; preparing third of nine attacks when chapter ends
  • KrakarenBoss creature; smashed in arena stands with two remaining tentacles; survives explosion with green health bar
  • Sarah HayseHexcrafter casting spell to make Abrams tank's main gun glow black; fires at Krakaren
  • ErisEnters the realm as chapter freezes
  • SweetyMentioned as dead; no longer with party during battle