Chapter 57 of 89 · Book 7, This Inevitable Ruin

Chapter 57 — Thirty-two boxes; the last prisoner

Book: This Inevitable Ruin · Part: Open Hostilities · Previous: Chapter 56 — Justice Light; the Nest · Next: Chapter 58 — Sultan Rishi the Usurper · Floor: Floor 9 — Faction Wars · Series: the series

Opening

I met up with Li Jun and Zhang as we walked toward the saferoom entrance.

Summary

An hour to go. The Dagda's cleric boiled himself in his own stew under Li Na's dread. Li Jun's new celestial eye, the Engine of Tomorrow, a clockwork orb that slows time in bursts and sees muscles tense; 'How are you doing?' 'Me?' Carl has not posted his club loot: thirty-two boxes, fifty achievements, glowing hands from Heathen Burn. Varg Vikernes: permanently banned from Club Vanquisher and every temple except Emberus's and those where he is a friend of the church — Apito, Eileithyia, Eris, Grull, Hellik, Issitoq, Nekhebit, Theia, Yemaya — Grull and Issitoq and Eris a mystery, and Theia driven by 'the Open Intellect's agent, Rectrix'. Liquified: the self-bombing worked only because the immortality was god-tier, and never with the bigger bomb; a Legendary Lucky Bitch Box with a patch of a foot crushing clovers whose one-per-floor Lucky Shot deflects a fatal blow into a party member — Carl will never wear it and tells no one what it does. You in my house now, boy: no reward, because another god saved him; Khepri's card hinted that someone on the twelfth is killing off his sub-pantheon, Odette's Nekhebit's too — Odette or Huanxin. Celestial Orgy of Chaos: 'Someone let out a bunch of gods […] It probably wasn't who you think'; Bautista got a guidebook for his plushes and will scan Kimaris. Hey Larry, can I borrow your chainsaw: a Platinum box whose name — 'Have You Goddamned Figured Out How To Use This In Conjunction With the Fucking Voodoo Book Yet?' — sent Mordecai and Rosetta researching; Pugilism to 15. Emberus's new quest, enraged by Hellik's message: kill a hundred of Hellik's worshippers before the twelfth for a permanent celestial boon; and a second message, contemplative — Hellik has treated with Issitoq, the peace may be breached and Emberus may kill the other Sheol princes for the truth; 'If you survive killing Hellik […] I fear I may turn my rage and grief on you […] I promise the burning will be exquisite.' Carl considers just taking the smite. The Gate is in Elle's hands. Zhang's Cape of Odds: a target on the back, stats up 15%, Dodge to 14, and Roll the Dice hourly among 333 outcomes, 66 bad ('It's been four hours and I think it's time to call the doctor'; 'Summon the God Who Hates You Most'), a free pick after nineteen spins. The brig: Li Na asked for the second Ring of Divine Suffering; Imani said no, Katia and Elle yes — Katia: 'at least she's our scary psycho' — and Donut, aloud, 'Please, Carl. Please give it to her. Do it as soon as you can.' She declined the necklace. The brig is empty of every off-worlder but the one Carl asked to be left alone, and he understands why Donut begged.

Characters

• Carl — Banned from every temple, friend of nine churches, a patch he will not wear, a god who loves him and will burn him.
• Li Jun and Zhang — An Engine of Tomorrow for an eye; a cape that rolls dice.
• Li Na — Given the second ring; the brig emptied.
• Emberus — A hundred of Hellik's dead, and a promise of exquisite burning.
• Princess Donut — 'Please give it to her.'
• Elle McGibbons — 'At least it'll be the ring that kills her.'

Locations

• Shanty Town — A brig by the clock tower; the Dagda's temple in ash.

Motifs

• Achievements — Varg Vikernes, Liquified, Celestial Orgy of Chaos, Hey Larry.
• The gods — Friend of nine churches; a sub-pantheon being murdered on the twelfth.
• The Ring of Divine Suffering — Given to Li Na at Donut's plea; a brig fed to it.
• The Filthy Little Crawler's Book of Voodoo — The AI's box name begs him to connect it to the tattoos.
• The stuffed figures — Kimaris to be scanned with Bautista's guidebook.