AFTERWORD

Chapter 36

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Overview

Carl and Donut pursue Quan Ch in a biplane to protect Orthrus from being killed. After a chaotic aerial battle involving a disco ball and explosions, Quan recovers and nearly finishes off the unconscious dog. In desperation, Carl worships Emberus and uses a celestial grenade to summon the sun god, which saves them but fails to protect Orthrus, who is whisked away by the god. Carl and Donut crash-land and pursue Quan on the ground, where Carl's rage escalates into a brutal fight that ends with him tearing off Quan's arm before the half-elf escapes down a stairwell.

Summary

Carl and Donut chase Quan Ch across a landscape of bubbles and popped worlds in a biplane to prevent him from killing Orthrus, the two-headed dog. Quan catches up to the weakened dog and nearly delivers a killing blow. Desperate, Carl jumps onto the plane's wing and throws a potion ball that heals Orthrus to full health just as Quan attacks, but the dog remains unconscious. The plane spirals out of control; Carl takes control and barely stabilizes it. Facing imminent death from Quan's incoming attack, Carl makes a critical decision: he clicks to worship Emberus, the blind sun god, which triggers an option on a celestial grenade he'd been carrying. When thrown, the grenade summons Emberus to their location, creating an involuntary Divine Intervention that grants Carl sixty seconds of invulnerability. The god manifests as a massive floating head and shoulders, collides with the spiraling plane, and then vanishes—along with Orthrus, whom the god has apparently been searching for. Carl and Donut crash-land on hot ground in a land quadrant near a stairwell. Quan, having survived the explosion, ambushes Carl with a lightning attack, but Carl's invulnerability buff (which has no visual indicator) is still active. Carl punches Quan hard enough to send him flying. When invulnerability expires, Quan attempts another attack with glowing hands. Carl grabs Quan's magical robe and slams him to the ground repeatedly, his rage building uncontrollably as he thinks of all the harm Quan has caused. Quan tries to escape by flying away using a special ability, launching superman-like into the darkness. In the struggle, Carl tears off Quan's entire arm, severing it at the shoulder. Quan escapes into the distant stairwell. The chapter ends with two conflicting quest announcements: one failure for not killing the puppy, and one success for saving it. Carl receives a platinum quest box and two sun tattoos on his hands from worshiping Emberus. Donut, traumatized by Carl's display of rage and violence, tells him she now believes he's "straitjacket crazy" before purring against him.

Characters

  • CarlThe protagonist who pilots the biplane and pursues Quan to save Orthrus; worships Emberus and uses a celestial grenade to summon the god; tears off Quan's arm in a rage-fueled fight
  • DonutCarl's cat companion who fires magic missiles and guns from the biplane; loses consciousness after the crash and witnesses Carl's violent assault on Quan
  • Quan ChThe half-elf cheater antagonist who pursues Orthrus with intent to kill; repeatedly attacked and ultimately has his arm severed by Carl before escaping down a stairwell
  • OrthrusThe two-headed dog that needs protection; nearly killed by Quan but healed by Carl's potion; summoned away by Emberus before the quest can be completed
  • EmberusA blind sun god summoned involuntarily via celestial grenade; appears as a massive floating head and shoulders; retrieves Orthrus and vanishes, granting Carl Divine Intervention blessing
  • MordecaiCommunicates with Carl via chat; confirms Carl's combat strategy and has provided potions and items
  • TranChat moderator who relays messages and information to Carl about Quan
  • ImaniReceives a message from Carl about beginning a task while he recovers
  • MongoA parrot or bird creature that Donut releases; investigates the new land quadrant
  • Lucia MarReferenced as having a shield similar to Quan's celestial robe