Chapter 25
Chapter 18
Overview
In a formal adjudication before three warlord adjutants in Queen Imogen's kitchen, Commander Stockade's failed assassination plot against Carl is examined and ruled upon. The scheme involved using a Summon Ally spell to teleport Carl while possessed and unconscious, intending for the demon Shi Maria to arrive instead and slaughter the ballroom; the plan fails when Carl partially teleports as a non-corporeal avatar and his consciousness temporarily merges with Katia's during their shared nightmare. Meanwhile, enemy forces begin moving on multiple fronts despite the ceasefire, and Carl's team scrambles to defensive positions.
Summary
The chapter takes place in the private kitchen of Queen Imogen's castle, where Panford the dreadnaught dreadnaught adjudicates between three warlord factions: Carl and Donut's Princess Posse, Commander Stockade's Lemig forces, and Architect Houston's Madness faction. Panford details how Stockade orchestrated a plot using the level-15 Summon Ally spell to invite the unconscious Carl to a parley while Imani removed his toe ring, expecting the entity Shi Maria possessing Carl to accept and fully teleport to the Lemig base, where she would massacre everyone. However, because Carl was incapacitated, he appeared only as a non-corporeal avatar in both locations simultaneously. When Katia touched Carl's hand during the transfer, his consciousness briefly merged with hers, and both witnesses experienced Katia's nightmare sequence featuring traumatic memories of her past: her ex-partner Fannar's infidelity and career ruin, the loss of custody of her daughter Annie due to her illness, and encounters with Shi Maria and her husband Hapanzi in a hospital. The adjudication reveals that Stockade received external intelligence about the Princess Posse's defenses, and Panford formally records his admission of guilt with system confirmations. As the hearing concludes, multiple reports flood the warlord chat indicating massive enemy movements on the southern, northern, and Naga borders despite the ceasefire. Carl immediately issues a code-red alert, ordering all teams to defensive positions and instructing Louis to launch their bomb-equipped device despite incomplete installation.
Characters
- PanfordDreadnaught adjutant who conducts the formal field ruling regarding Stockade's assassination attempt
- Commander StockadeCaterpillar warlord of the Lemig who orchestrated the failed plot against Carl and becomes emotionally distraught over the loss of his ally Luke
- Architect HoustonMasked Viceroy leader of the Madness faction serving as one of the three adjudicators
- Baroness VictoryOrc adjutant who serves as one of the three adjudicators and defends the Princess Posse team
- OpieeTiny floating Bune adjutant representing the Madness faction
- CarlThe protagonist whose unconscious body was the target of Stockade's assassination plot; observes the proceedings covered in blood
- Shi MariaDemon entity possessing Carl who would have been summoned to the Lemig base if the spell had worked as intended
- KatiaCarl's ally whose consciousness merges with Carl's during the failed teleport, whose traumatic nightmare sequences are reviewed by the adjudicators
- MordecaiProvides Carl with explanation of how the Summon Ally spell functions
- ImaniMember of Princess Posse who removed Carl's toe ring, triggering the teleport
- RosettaPresent in the infirmary hovering over the incapacitated Carl
- Bucket BoyPresent in the infirmary hovering over the incapacitated Carl
- ImogenThe late Queen whose private kitchen serves as the location for the adjudication
- DonutCarl's co-warlord who receives messages during the battle movements alert
- PrepotenteScout who reports enemy movements on the southern border preparing artillery and mercenary assaults
- BiancaAlly observing enemy positions with Prepotente from above
- ElleTeam member reporting enemy movements on a specific front
- FlorinTeam commander coordinating northern front defenses and asking about Lucia Mar
- PonyReports matching enemy movement information to Carl
- Li JunOversees Shanty Town defenses and reports on Lucia Mar's presence at the Possum Envy
- Li NaWorking on additional Shanty Town splash tower defenses
- Lucia MarWarrior present in Shanty Town at the Possum Envy tavern near robot team border
- LouisWorks on bomb installation for Carl's weapon system and reports incomplete readiness
- FannarKatia's ex-partner from her past whose infidelity appears in her nightmare
- AnnieKatia's daughter who appears in the nightmare sequence and is also the name of a crow card Katia carries
- HapanziShi Maria's husband who appears in Katia's hospital nightmare sequence