Chapter 12

Carl awakens after being knocked unconscious for fifteen hours by Signet, an elite-level enemy who has taken Donut hostage using a Water Lily spell that will kill the cat if Signet dies. Signet forces Carl to help her assault the circus by killing a transformed bear named Heather, whose blood will power a summoning spell to resurrect Signet's lost companions.

Carl wakes on a moldy couch in a darkened room after losing fifteen hours to unconsciousness. Mordecai reveals via message that a major battle event is predicted in the area and advises immediate departure. Before leaving, Carl learns from Brandon's message that the residents have received massive loot boxes and are becoming increasingly powerful. Carl, Donut, and Mongo set out toward the skyfowl settlement but are immediately ambushed by Signet, the elite water mage from the previous day. Carl is stunned, paralyzed, and rendered unconscious by her Water Lily spell. Upon waking, he discovers Donut and Mongo are alive but Donut remains asleep under Signet's spell—if Signet dies, so does Donut. Signet reveals her backstory: she was part of Grimaldi's circus and survived a Nine Tier poisonous cloud attack called Scolopendra's cataclysm that transformed the circus members. Grimaldi became a vine controlling infected performers through mold-covered parasites, and they respawn daily when killed. Signet has been attacking the circus daily trying to free them. She forces Carl to help by killing an unconscious transformed bear named Heather, whose blood will power a summoning spell to resurrect Signet's team. Carl constructs a makeshift shelter around Donut's unconscious body, instructs Mongo to guard her, and agrees to the plan while secretly coordinating with Mordecai and attempting to contact Zev for assistance. As Heather begins to wake, Signet casts her summoning spell, and the system warns of a concurrent boss battle.