Chapter 10

Carl, Donut, and Mongo discover the abandoned bodies of three dead crawlers near the circus and loot useful items, then observe the massive circus compound preparing for battle. When they attempt to flee as night falls, they're attacked by magical mortars fired from the circus, causing a building to collapse and trapping them in a basement. They escape using Donut's magic and encounter Tsarina Signet, an Elite NPC, who reveals she has orchestrated their entrapment and releases caged beasts to surround them.

The chapter opens with Donut killing a sleeping lemur. Carl and the party find three dead female crawlers—Grace, Nica, and Lea Bautista—all level 8, killed by lemurs, and stripped of most inventory. Carl loots strength rings and an enchanted wooden anklet for Donut. As they approach the circus, they observe its massive compound surrounded by defensive fortifications. Clowns and circus creatures actively prepare for battle, constructing barbed wire defenses and lining up behind walls. After encountering and killing a few remaining sentries, Carl's group is targeted by magical mortar fire from cauldrons operated by tall, thin robed figures. A direct hit causes a building to collapse, and they fall into a basement beneath the Over City. Donut uses her magic to enlarge the hole and briefly scouts above, where she spots the tattooed elf woman from the wanted poster—Tsarina Signet—standing alone in the street. Carl and Donut emerge from the rubble to confront her. Signet is revealed to be a Level 60 Elite with high Charisma that triggers a charm effect on Carl; he breaks the spell by fracturing his own finger per Mordecai's remote advice. Signet claims she intercepted them to help, but then reveals she has orchestrated their entrapment. She gestures toward the circus, and all the beast cages open simultaneously, releasing creatures that surround Carl's party on all sides, moving in for the attack.