AFTERWORD

Chapter 102

Chapter 86

Overview

With eight minutes until the 9th Floor's destruction, Carl sends Samantha to confront the god Prepotente in the volcano while he and his team prepare for Katia's awakening and transformation. The goddess Eileithyia arrives to claim Katia, but Donut traps and kills Huanxin Jinx—the grixist CEO sponsoring the goddess—using an exploit that freezes the god during Katia's choice period. Katia chooses to become pregnant and human again, which makes her ineligible to remain on the floors and sends her away to protect children in another realm.

Summary

Carl instructs Samantha to be thrown into a volcano by the god Prepotente to buy time, as the 9th Floor crumbles around them. The remaining crawlers stream toward the staircases to the 10th Floor. Jamal, Louis, and various NPCs remain nearby. Victory, newly appointed acting Prime Minister of the Syndicate, reveals that the Maestro has claimed kingship and that a mantis colony system has gone dark. Bautista arrives with crafted cybernetic devices he's prepared for Katia. When Katia awakens, Eileithyia manifests in her true form—a large humanoid goddess with alien features. Donut uses her enhanced Laundry Day spell to rip Huanxin Jinx from the goddess's soul armor and trap her in a circle of power words. While Eileithyia is frozen by the rules governing sponsored deities during choice selections, Donut—empowered by the goddess's boon and wielding a mounted crossbow loaded with a bolt containing Mordecai's mother's ashes—kills Huanxin. Katia then makes her mandatory choice: to become pregnant, which will remove her from the dungeon. She chooses Louis as the father. Eileithyia transforms Katia back to human form, revealing she has lost her right arm, left leg, right leg to the knee, and an ear during the crawl. Bautista's prepared cybernetics are quickly installed. Katia becomes ineligible to remain and vanishes, heading to protect children in a distant realm. Eileithyia departs as well.

Characters

  • CarlLeader coordinating Samantha's sacrifice play and witnessing Katia's transformation and departure
  • SamanthaSent to stall god Prepotente in the volcano by being launched from the xistera
  • PrepotenteGod who catches Samantha and becomes emotional upon learning information from her
  • DonutExecutes plan to trap and kill Huanxin Jinx using enhanced Laundry Day spell and crossbow with Mordecai's assistance
  • EileithyiaGoddess of Childbirth summoned to oversee Katia's choice; frozen during selection and grants Katia's pregnancy wish
  • Huanxin JinxGrixist CEO and goddess sponsor who is trapped, mocked, and killed by Donut
  • KatiaAwakens, makes the choice to become pregnant and human again, receives cybernetics, and departs the dungeon
  • VictoryBaroness and newly appointed acting Prime Minister of the Syndicate; witnesses events and discusses political implications
  • LouisAsked to be father of Katia's child and agrees; receives confirmation from Eileithyia that he is human
  • BautistaCrafts and delivers cybernetic parts for Katia's missing limbs and appendages
  • RosettaNotes Justice Light's disappearance and speaks with Victory about events
  • JamalExcited NPC who remains with the group and converses about goddesses
  • EllePresent in tent during Katia's awakening and farewell
  • ImaniPresent in tent during Katia's awakening and farewell
  • MordecaiConfronts Huanxin with a crossbow bolt containing his mother's ashes to avenge his brother
  • JurgenLeaves the floor after saying goodbye to Carl
  • TranEnters the stairwell to the 10th Floor
  • ZhangEnters the stairwell alone to the 10th Floor
  • Li NaRemains partied with Zhang but does not speak; enters the stairwell
  • FlorinMakes a deal with Lucia Mar to party together
  • Lucia MarAgrees to party with Florin
  • OsvaldoLeaves with his team to the 10th Floor
  • BritneyContemplates a deal but goes to the 10th Floor with Chris
  • ChrisLeaves with Britney to the 10th Floor
  • TubaLeaves after deciding to take a deal; member of Burcu's party
  • SelviLeaves after deciding to take a deal; member of Burcu's party
  • EdgarWent to the 12th Floor earlier
  • Bucket BoyIn saferoom with the strippers
  • MongoCoaxed into his carrier after freaking out about Tina, Kiwi, and new babies disappearing
  • RendAlso placed in carrier