Chapter 69 of 74 · Book 6, The Eye of the Bedlam Bride

Chapter 69 — A deity has fallen

Book: The Eye of the Bedlam Bride · Part: The Bedlam · Previous: Chapter 68 — Raul's moment · Next: Chapter 70 — Golden Combo · Floor: Floor 8 — The Ghosts of Earth · Series: the series

Opening

I landed headfirst inside of Samantha’s neck hole.

Summary

Headfirst into Samantha's neck: the Martyr's Path needs 5% health, and every outdoor step — including the run between the demon's legs — will flare with Sheol fire, bathing Amayon in the power he needs. Acid, no air, hair burning away, whipped back and forth against something; the timer ends at 7% — 'I had failed' — then the button: 'The Martyr’s Path has engulfed your steps.' 'The Scavenger’s Daughter has enhanced your fire attack.' A sound like every wing flapping and every scream at once; the air sucked away and back; Amayon's laughter overhead; 2% health, a line of debuffs. Quest Complete — with two seconds left, and not for anything Carl did: 'Crawler Paz Lo has slain the goddess, Ysalte. He has been marked for death by all deities except sworn enemies of the late goddess.' A Memorial Crystal for Ysalte to be looted on a future floor; every worshipper of hers permanently Despondent. Her own totem, like Imani's, like Uzi Jesus shooting Florin, like Jola. Donut: Katia gave Paz an arrow thing, he stuck it in the dwarf's eye and self-destructed with the blast concentrated on her neck — 'HER HEAD FELL OFF!'; the city burning wherever Carl walked, everyone dropped several storeys. Carl is in the demon's fist while it punches itself ('I DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD WORK ON HIM BUT IT DID'); decks stay active while demons swarm; Louis got a Celestial box for outliving a goddess who marked him. Donut on the headset at full autotune: 'You! Demon guy!' Amayon: 'Turn it off, or I will obliterate you!' Donut: 'you have to let my friends go.' Opened, dropped into the left hand, eye to eye. 'Carl, that was the second weirdest sex I ever had […] We are going to have to do something about your hair before we announce that we're dating.' The city aflame to the coast, Florida and Iowa probably too. And relief: the red cloud in the sky is the spell home, cast. The FOCSA building's north face gone, floors pancaked into pockets, Imani and Tran under the collapsed stairwell, demons climbing the outside like spiders to get closer to the sky, Dong's sock knocking a crab into the fire, Steve swinging his club, Li Jun swinging from beams. 'And you. That disguise won’t fool me. I know who you really are.' 'So… how's your mother?' 'I have a message from Emberus […] what was his name again?' 'That was Geyrun.' Amayon laughs until his own fist stops him: 'I know exactly what happened to his child. I was witness to the deal being signed. If he assists in helping me kill my three brothers, I will tell him.' 'Tell those other demons to leave my friends alone, and I will deliver your message.' The spell ends. 'You also helped slay Ysalte, the mother of my child, so we are even, and I owe you nothing […] Soon, this entire world will be scoured […] You will be remembered as a martyr, I'm sure.' He tips his hand toward the fire.

Characters

• Carl — Two per cent, hairless, in a demon's fist; delivers Emberus's question.
• Paz Lo — Kills a goddess as her own totem; marked by every god but her sworn enemies.
• Ysalte — Beheaded by a self-destruct; a memorial crystal; her worshippers Despondent.
• Amayon — Casting home; witness to a deal about Geyrun; 'we are even.'
• Samantha — 'The second weirdest sex I ever had'; recognised by a prince.
• Princess Donut — Autotuned demands at a demon.
• Katia Grim — Handed Paz the arrow.
• Louis and Firas — A Celestial box for surviving.
• Imani — Trapped with Tran under the stairwell.

Locations

• The FOCSA building — A north face gone; pockets of floor; demons on the walls.

Motifs

• The Martyr's Path — Every step a Sheol fire; a city burned to buff a demon.
• Memorial crystals — A deity falls to a totem; a crystal for a future floor.
• Quests — Geyrun's murder: 'I was witness to the deal being signed'; a price of three brothers.
• T'Ghee totems — Totems that kill their masters, and their goddesses.
• Waking the NPCs — Paz's last act, credited though he vanished.
• Samantha's body — 'That disguise won't fool me.'
• The Scavenger's Daughter — Looks away from one, stays open for the other.