Chapter 96 of 99 · Book 8, A Parade of Horribles

Chapter 96 — Emberus explodes

Book: A Parade of Horribles · Part: Horrible Two · Previous: Chapter 95 — Inside Scolopendra; Club Scolopendra; 'I killed him' · Next: Chapter 97 — Eris; the wrong biscuit; the gods leave · Floor: Floor 11 — A Parade of Horribles · Series: the series

Opening

Emberus, crying, sobbing, enraged, growing, reared back with a flaming ball in his hand.

Summary

Emberus, sobbing and growing, rears back with a fireball. Donut zaps in on one of Lucia's traps, swapping places with Penny, who lands at Taranis's feet beside Khepri — chosen because his god effect grants ninety seconds of invulnerability. Donut's crossbow fires Katia's Bolt of Ophiotaurus into one of Emberus's sockets and a Danforth bolt into the other, leaving him vulnerable for fifteen seconds. Emberus's incineration spell hits Carl's chest, and the four-leaf-clover patch deflects it into his party member Penny. Carl and Donut Puddle Jump to the arena entrance.

The arena is chaos: the food truck spinning and burning, missiles pouring into Krakaren, who lies in the stands with two tentacles left after Taranis tore off the rest; Taranis bent over the remains of Penelope, alive for ninety seconds; Scolopendra coiled on the shattered tree, spinning up another attack; the crawlers, mercenaries and mounts fighting a demolition derby against tenth-floor monsters. Emberus bursts from the centipede as the world-melting monstrosity, calling Carl's name. Taranis, seeing who attacked his pig, raises a hand; Emberus, lucid for a moment, says 'Brother, no.' Taranis twists his wrist, and with one second of vulnerability left, Emberus, god of sun and ash, explodes. A deity has fallen.

The blast throws everyone to the arena's edges; Carl is unhurt under Khepri's invulnerability, Donut is hurt. Krakaren is alive in the stands, Scolopendra alive with a hole through her middle. The RV is broken in half, Jamal's legs are gone, Rosetta digs for Tipid in the overturned APV, Florin lies unconscious in Lucia's arms, and the Abrams' fire barely budges Krakaren. Taranis reforms Penny. Carl mounts his motorcycle with sixty seconds of invulnerability left and Donut, who has none, on his shoulder. The engine revs — and everything freezes. Eris has entered the realm.

Characters

• Carl — 'Now!'; Lucky Shot fires; a motorcycle and sixty seconds.
• Princess Donut — Two bolts into a god's eyes; 'Toodles'; 'Go fuck yourself, Carl'
• Emberus — Held and vulnerable; 'Brother, no'; explodes.
• Taranis — Sees his brother fire at his pig; twists his wrist; 'take you to dinner first.'
• Khepri — 'Confused as fuck'; blown down like a building.
• Penelope — Plasma, then reformed by Taranis.
• Scolopendra — A hole through her middle, health bar green.
• Bodi — Drives the APV through trolls.
• Imani — 'Check in! Elle! Elle!'
• Elle McGibbons — 'I haven’t been folded like this since Brandon showed us how to use Tinder'
• Prepotente — Lightning from the RV roof.
• Jurgen — Back to back with him.
• Jamal — Leaps with the flamethrower; legs off.
• Samantha — A war cry on his head.
• Florin — Shotgun one-handed; red bar.
• Lucia Mar — Lightning bolts; holds Florin.
• Tipid — In the One Fine Pig truck.
• Rosetta Thagra — On Onikuma.
• Makana and Sarah Hayse — The Abrams gun hexed black.
• Eris — 'Eris has entered the realm.'

Locations

• Club Scolopendra — Puddle Jumper out.
• The arena — A demolition derby; a god's explosion clears it.

Motifs

• The Krakaren — Two tentacles left; in the stands.
• Plan Carl — Every piece fires.
• The gods — 'A deity has fallen. The heavens tremble with rage.'
• The tenth floor — Vehicles upgraded to the max.
• The nine-tier attack — Attack three in thirty seconds.
• The Bolt of Ophiotaurus — Into Emberus's socket.