Chapter 63 of 89 · Book 7, This Inevitable Ruin

Chapter 63 — Into the Madness

Book: This Inevitable Ruin · Part: Open Hostilities · Previous: Chapter 62 — A non-team entity · Next: Chapter 64 — The crystal shows itself · Floor: Floor 9 — Faction Wars · Series: the series

Opening

» Entering the territory of the Madness.

Summary

Through the gate to the edge of the Madness's prairie, five kilometres from a castle Carl cannot see in the dark, under Elle's Subterfuge; the ground between glitters with thousands of traps — alarms, teleports, and summons, both monster and guard, which Tripper would set off. Eris, closer: 'Get that disgusting thing away from me!' The Dream castle collapses with the NPCs still holding its throne room under a three-way god fight. Carl brings in only four of his teleport automatons for the minefield. Samantha identifies the dragon as a Bleached Drake with gravity magic that will 'smush' Party Planner 'LIKE A CAN OF LOUIS-FLAVORED SOUP'; Donut cannot mark it, Paint the Target has a range limit, and Victory is stuck in a hearing because Ferdinand is in the rafters. Carl orders Louis away from the dragon and Boomer, over the private band, tells him the truth: no No Disassemble missiles without air support, Louis is a good pilot, and Carl handed command to Rosetta and Boomer — 'You need to focus on your own operation, not mine.' Carl apologises and belays the order; a long pause; 'Okay, Carl. Taking off now.' Tagg's missiles miss. Florin: mission accomplished in the north, falling back to Shanty Town, worried Juice Box will kill the off-worlders she inherited. The traps deliver Katia, Imani, Splash Zone — and instead of Holger, Dong Quixote mounted on Gonk with a lance flying the 104th's flag and Bigs behind him with a new teardrop on her eyestalk ('Imma get my chop on today'): Holger stayed to protect Clint, Tina and Miss Nadine, and Justice Light taught the slugs that a mount carries all its riders through a teleport trap; 'Yes, yes. You're right, Jefferson. It is very cost effective.' 'I am an expert yakman.' Sledge's missiles hit the Reaver castle, many shot down first; Donut is called to the FUPA to kill trolls. Carl's terrible idea: make Samantha an officer so she gets Paint the Target for the dragon ('BOMO AND SLEDGE ARE BIG NERDS'). Elle, Imani, Katia and Splash Zone cross their arms: stop running everyone else's operation. Carl maps the traps for the platoon and pockets summons — a specific guard, a dead guard's inert trap, fire ants like the Iron Tangle's. The gate times out with Samantha standing in front of it, hoping to fly a Nothing demon like a kite for Boomer. 'The Feral God Yarilo has entered the realm.' 'UH-OH.'

Characters

• Carl — Belays an order after being told the truth; steals a fire-ant trap.
• Boomer — 'You can't call off his run just because it's dangerous.'
• Louis and Firas — 'Okay, Carl. Taking off now.'
• Dong Quixote — An expert yakman on Gonk with a lance and a sock.
• Kandy Bigs Newton — A teardrop in her eye paint and a hatchet; 'Where the bad guys at?'
• Samantha — Names the drake; made an officer; left at the gate.
• Elle McGibbons — 'Can you stop trying to control everyone else's operation?'
• Holger — Stays with the children and Miss Nadine.

Locations

• The Madness territory — A prairie of traps; a squat castle five kilometres off.

Motifs

• Faction Wars — Command handed down and honoured; a mount through a trap.
• The Gate of the Feral Gods — Its last opening births Yarilo, not a demon.
• The gods — A Bleached Drake with gravity magic; Yarilo, god of lust, who hates Samantha.