What if... Miko never killed Shojo?

[Schroeswald]

But in a shocking twist, after Xykon and Redcloak are defeated, The Dark One no longer has any clerics able to cast level 9 spells. A short while later, the Snarl breaks free of the few remaining gates, and without the Fourth Quiddity to help reforge its prison the gods harvest everyone moments before the world is devoured.

And the cycle continues until the gods, driven mad by the endless tragedy, one by one sacrifice themselves willingly into the Snarl's maw.

Why would the Snarl break out of two open gates within a time called "a short while later" when three open gates have still left it in prison for over a year, and four for about a week.