Dungeon Crawler Carl, #6
The Eye of the Bedlam Bride
by Matt Dinniman
Contents
Chapter 63
Overview
Carl and Donut are unexpectedly reunited with much of Meadowlark in Cuba after Lucia Mar provides rare Tier 3 Doggie Door upgrades that create fast travel through personal spaces. The reunion shifts the emotional direction of the crisis: Carl realizes isolation has been breaking them and that staying together may be their best defense against despair.
The chapter also reveals Lucia's escalating danger, including mass killings in Beijing and a direct threat to kill Donut and Mongo on the next floor. With the group gathered and committed to helping, Elle turns to Carl to lead the next phase of the suicide mission.
Summary
Carl and Donut scout the church area in Cuba and find no new demons, only pox slugs eating a corpse and many enemies near the coast. Carl suspects Sister Ines has not sent more demons because Sister Ines is losing control over Amayon, while Donut complains about Carl using the slug-spreading infection as a way to make more fighters.
When Carl tells Imani he and Donut are moving in, Imani orders Carl to wait. A large group of crawlers emerges from the church, including Imani, Katia, Elle, Li Jun, Louis, Britney, Tran, Bautista, and others. Samantha launches herself at Louis, Mongo reunites excitedly with the group, and Carl is shocked that so many allies have risked coming to Cuba.
Li Jun explains that Lucia Mar caused what is now being called the Battle of Beijing. Lucia refused to seriously play the card game, used her spells and inventory after emptying her hand, killed many crawlers, set traps, killed Fang and Fang's wife for a key, and then waited for Li Jun's group. Lucia claimed Florin had asked her to help them, dropped five Tier 3 Doggie Door personal space upgrades, and went down the stairs.
Katia and the others explain that one upgrade has already been installed in Imani's room. The upgrade lets Meadowlark party members exit through any previously used door on the same floor, effectively creating fast travel to places like the church, Washington, Detroit, and Belgium. Carl realizes how powerful the system is, but also learns upgrading the whole guild would cost twenty-five million.
Carl objects that the others have keys and should not be risking themselves, but Elle and Imani reject Carl's attempt to isolate himself. Elle says they are all in the fight together, and Imani refuses Carl's key because Donut told Imani about Carl's plan to use one of Carl's own bones as an escape method.
Li Jun privately warns Carl that Lucia Mar also said she has a score to settle with Donut and plans to kill Donut and Mongo on the next floor. Carl watches Donut, Tran, Britney, and the others smile together and realizes that the despair pressing on them has been loneliness. The reunion restores Carl's sense of hope and clarity, and Elle asks Carl what their next move is.
Who Appears
- CarlScouts the church, questions his allies' risk, and realizes loneliness has been breaking them.
- DonutComplains about the slug infection, reunites with allies, and remains unaware of Lucia's threat.
- ImaniLeads the arriving Meadowlark group and refuses to let Carl face the crisis alone.
- ElleSupports the risky reunion, challenges Carl's objections, and asks him for orders.
- Li JunExplains Lucia Mar's killings, the upgrade modules, and privately warns Carl about Donut.
- KatiaArrives with Meadowlark and explains the rarity and function of Lucia's upgrade modules.
- Lucia MarOffstage but central; provides Doggie Door upgrades after mass killings and threatens Donut and Mongo.
- SamanthaJoyfully reunites with Louis by launching herself into him.
- LouisArrives with Meadowlark, now marked by new player-killer skulls, and reunites with Samantha.
- MongoReleased from his cage, excitedly greets the arriving allies and comforts Britney.
- TranArrives using a flying wheelchair module and smiles while interacting with Donut.
- BritneyReunites with the group and laughs as Mongo snuffles against her.