AFTERWORD

Chapter 85

Chapter 93

Overview

In the aftermath of the boss fight against Queen Imogen, Carl awakens to chaos—multiple party members are dead, the ceiling is still collapsing, and crawlers are fighting over loot. Carl and Donut discover that the Popov brothers survived as baby ogres and are transferred to safety, while Carl learns about his newly acquired Faction Wars team, the Princess Posse, and uses the moment to broadcast a political message challenging the safety protocols before being muted by Zev.

Summary

Carl regains consciousness after the battle with Queen Imogen to find the situation dire: Firas, Gwen, Horton, and the Popovs are dead; Tran has lost his legs; Britney's face is permanently scarred; and many of Donut's raptors are dead. Osvaldo, a Curupira ranger, has looted a memorial crystal from Imogen's body, sparking a fight with Prepotente, who claims he needs it to defeat Scolopendra. The brambles above continue their slow descent, giving the group roughly 20 hours before the floor collapses. Donut experiences emotional numbness about the deaths and expresses concern that something inside her has broken, but Carl explains she is wearing a protective mask that will help her survive the horrors ahead. Carl then realizes the Popov brothers may have survived and directs Katia to find them among the dead bodies. Using her Find Crawler skill, Katia locates two baby ogres—the transformed Popov brothers—who are unconscious. When they awaken, they are revealed to be ineligible for the dungeon (children cannot participate) and are automatically transferred to a surface kinder facility, having successfully escaped through their game guide's strategy. This triggers celebration among the remaining crawlers. Carl receives a notification revealing he is now a Co-Warlord of a Faction Wars team called the Princess Posse, with Donut as his co-warlord. The team has been assigned spot three after the Dreadnoughts and Burrowers dropped out. Carl then performs a defiant public broadcast, holding up photographs of the dead team leaders and trash-talking the other faction teams, arguing that the safety protocols should be removed so all teams fight with real stakes. He specifically addresses citizens of three teams with voting populations, encouraging them to vote yes. Zev mutes Carl before he can finish. Afterward, Donut accidentally reveals how she hid the raptors by casting a hole spell connecting the two ballroom stages, which causes her to gain the Pet Show Champion achievement. The group begins descending the stairs with Prepotente as their new party leader. Prepotente reveals he needs the memorial crystal because it is a memorial to the goddess Apito, which is impossible since she supposedly ran the Butcher's Masquerade party. Carl receives a quest update from Emberus asking him to obtain the crystal and determine if it relates to Geyrun's murder, requiring him to visit the Emberus Shrine in Club Vanquisher.

Characters

  • CarlMain protagonist; awakens after the boss fight, consoles Donut about emotional numbness, directs the search for the Popov brothers, receives notification of Faction Wars team leadership, broadcasts a political message challenging safety protocols
  • DonutCarl's companion; experiences emotional numbness after the deaths of friends, wears a protective psychological mask, becomes Co-Warlord of the Princess Posse alongside Carl, accidentally reveals how she hid the raptors
  • OsvaldoCurupira ranger who loots the memorial crystal from Imogen's body, sparking conflict with Prepotente
  • PrepotenteSurvivor of the battle who fights Osvaldo over the memorial crystal, becomes the new party leader, reveals he needs the crystal for a quest about the goddess Apito
  • ImaniHealer who tends to injured crawlers, hugs Carl with her wings after the victory
  • KatiaUses Find Crawler skill to locate the Popov brothers; receives a second golden player killer skull; sits dazed near the stairs with Li Na
  • Li NaHelps search for Eva; comforts Katia near the stairs
  • Li JunHelps search for Eva; appears shell-shocked after the battle
  • FirasParty member confirmed dead during the boss fight
  • GwenParty member confirmed dead during the boss fight
  • HortonThe Wonderwall musician, confirmed dead during the boss fight
  • Yolanda PopovParty member confirmed dead during the boss fight
  • Brandon PopovParty member confirmed dead during the boss fight
  • TranLost both his legs in the battle; sobs as a crawler assists him
  • BritneySuffered severe facial burns that remained after healing; hugs Louis at the stairs
  • LouisKnocked unconscious during the battle; wakes and hugs Britney at the stairs; was supposed to have Firas as his best man
  • FlorinMentioned as sobbing after Imogen's death; went down the stairs
  • LuciaTeleported away before the boss fight began using an escape ability
  • EvaBitten by a dinosaur and buried; still alive but being searched for by crawlers
  • Maxim PopovBaby ogre (transformed nodling yearling); unconscious and transferred to surface facility
  • Dmitri PopovBaby ogre (transformed nodling yearling); unconscious and transferred to surface facility
  • ElleHelps drag unconscious crawlers to the stairs; expresses sadness about Horton's death; gathers with Carl at the end
  • ChrisHelps drag unconscious crawlers to the stairs; cries after the battle
  • BautistaHelps drag unconscious crawlers to the stairs; gathers with Carl at the end
  • RenDog soldier who questions Carl about the faction wars spot and crowd-funding; receives a Pet Show Champion achievement over her head
  • TserendolgorDog soldier who stands with Carl during his broadcast
  • Garrett the Tummy AcherGiggles menacingly; revealed to be Ren's pet who won Best in Show
  • Miriam DomMentioned as dead, having sacrificed herself to protect Prepotente
  • ZevDisembodied voice who explains that the Popov brothers were transferred to a kinder facility; informs Carl about Faction Wars and mutes him during his broadcast
  • QuasarMentioned as having confirmed that the Operatic Collective will be forced to vote yes on the safety protocols vote
  • EmberusVoice that delivers a quest update to Carl regarding the memorial crystal and Geyrun's murder
  • Queen ImogenDead boss; her memorial crystal is looted by Osvaldo
  • Juice BoxMentioned as Louis's fiancée; was supposed to marry Louis with Firas as best man
  • Princess D'NadiaMentioned as claiming one of the two open Faction Wars spots for the Prism Kingdom