Shards of Siberys - An Eberron webcomic

[memnarch]

Too funny.

[Athaniar]

I first got into Eberron 8 days ago when I bought the 4E Campaign Guide (which I have been reading every day since), and I looked through all the comics today. It's a pretty good comic, I'll continue reading it. Today's was my favorite, I think. Also, a question: will we see cameos from established Eberron characters (such as the Lord of Blades)?

[Needle]

lol @ reverse roles

Ye Old Internet Cafe back there seems like an interesting place

[Squark]

Hacktor, how do you do your warforged mouths when you want them to frown while talking? Sort of like Roy in panel 7 of page 665, or Hinjo's face in panel 7 of page 671


My webcomic also had a warforged (and is set in Ebberon for the moment, and the warforged tends to play the Straight man, so he needs to be able to frown properly)

[Hacktor]

I first got into Eberron 8 days ago when I bought the 4E Campaign Guide (which I have been reading every day since), and I looked through all the comics today. It's a pretty good comic, I'll continue reading it. Today's was my favorite, I think. Also, a question: will we see cameos from established Eberron characters (such as the Lord of Blades)?

I was thinking hard about this one... I have no problems with putting in cameos of the main NPC's. I'll just have to do it with taste... this is not a sightseeing tour of Eberron... Sure, if the characters happen to meet an important NPC he'll be here [or if I can think of a really funny joke (Jaela comes to mind right now... and Caius)] but I will never draw them just for the sake of it.

Hacktor, how do you do your warforged mouths when you want them to frown while talking? Sort of like Roy in panel 7 of page 665, or Hinjo's face in panel 7 of page 671
My webcomic also had a warforged (and is set in Ebberon for the moment, and the warforged tends to play the Straight man, so he needs to be able to frown properly)

I think we talked about this one a few pages back. I use only 3 typed of "Warforged mouth"
plain closed, talking and the other one "seen in #32". If I want to evoke other feelings in them I use their eyes (I have about 30 saved up). That makes it easier to draw and keeps true the fact that warforged don't show their feelings using their face. [they should have only one set of eyes but that would hinder my efforts instead of aid them.]

Ye Old Internet Cafe back there seems like an interesting place

Haven't you seen those guys that think their shop/pub/inn gets a feeling of history when adding "ye olde" in front of it. Even though it's 100% prefab and built last month.

Also ..Glad you guys liked #32.

[Bayar]

Nice reference towards 3 of the dragonmarked houses there. If I hadnt read the "+1001 things the worst party in Eberron is forbitten from doing", or the Forgotten Freedom Rules list, I wouldnt catch on it

[Hacktor]

Three? one was not deliberate Kudos to bayar for spotting an extra one...

What was the third one? I can't see it...

Tenshiro has to explain to me sometimes some obscure references to some old movies or internet fads but i was always the d&d + Eberron lore guy.

[Bayar]

Three? one was not deliberate Kudos to bayar for spotting an extra one...

What was the third one? I can't see it...

1259. You will not refer to a group made up of House Vadalis, House Ghallanda, and House Cannith as, “the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker.”

[RdMarquis]

*Gets out players guide* Oh, I see. It's kind of a stretch, but I get it. Cannith are basically inventors. Ghallanda run inns, restaurants, and whatnot. Vadalis actually raise animals, although we don't know if they eat them or not. I wonder if magebred livestock taste better...

[Hacktor]

.. oh, that one was intentional just not in the way you described it. Well Kudos Bayar.

I thought you meant the entertainer mime elf *cough*philarian*cough*!

[Hacktor]

Lol ..

I just got an interesting E-mail telling me that Lizzie looks too mutch like a certaing character in a cartoon series...

Now I see it :) He was talking about ...

Spoiler

Show

She does doesn't she?

[Lyinginbedmon]

There is a certain resemblance, yes.

[Needle]

Not bad xD Wonder if she has that kind of "powers"

[Hacktor]

Well she is a Charismatic... Sorceress\Cleric. ..

In other news we'll be right back with #33 really soon.

[Bayar]

Well she is a Charismatic... Sorceress\Cleric. ..

In other news we'll be right back with #33 really soon.

Clearly she has Fly, the Ocular spell feat which she uses in conjunction with Scorching Ray, Comprehend languages and a Squirrel familiar.

[Hacktor]

The squirel familiar is a good ideea... and it would help keep the Bubbles-Lizzie thing going for a while longer :D only as a gag though... Lizzie's supose to be unique.

[Tenshiro]

Hey ya, remember me?

No.33 has been done for quite a while now but Hacktor couldn`t poste it because I hadn`t sent him the texts.
I broke my own rule and did not save it on the flash-drive on Monday evening because I was too tired from questing in WoW (bad habbit) and I didn`t have the energy to look for it.
The next morning my dad took MY notebook to work with him promissing he`ll bring it by the evening. Evening came and he called and said he had to pull an all-nighter. Morning came, he was even more late. I was steaming pissed off with him for taking my notebook without asking, no matter the reason...
When he came back he had even more bad news for me, the drive was formated. So I got even more pissed off because the notebook had a tweaked version of Vista Ultimate and it was bitching (plus, I had lost ALL my data.)
So, I had to go to a friend who had a similar Vista. It took forever to track him down because he moved and I have no more cell-phone credit.
I found him, and because my notebook is moronic without an OS, it took quite a while to get installed. The good news is, we found out I had my second partition fully intact and thus the only thing I lost were the programs I used. (the thought of reinstalling and downloading all those WoW patches... O_O)

So now I have Vista, and I have my stuff and as soon as Hacktor comes online I`ll send him the texts and as soon as he gets home, we can expect the new strip to be on(unless by some sadistic chance, he also gets unlucky... I PRAY it won`t happen)

Either way, I am so so SO freaking sorry it took so long.

Update: while writing this Hacktor got online! ^-^v

[Bayar]

Yeah, those WoW pathces are a bitch to download. Thinking of buying a removable hard drive and backing up all my WoW folder (since it works without installing).

[Hacktor]

Indeed I just got the text for #33 from Tenshiro... I've drawn a bit and will probably finish it tomorrow.. I'm really tired from work.

See you guys soon

[Needle]

I'll wait so

[Hacktor]

More bad news... i have 2 exams this weekend and i haven't studied to save my life... so i won't have any time to draw... The good news is that I quickly get bored of studying, and I'm going to ask Tenshiro for the script to 34 now... so when you get them you will get them both.

Sorry for this but I have to pass.

[Bayar]

Well I have one wednesday, and I havent studied...and probably wont remember a thing even if I would. So off to the local copystore for some good old fashioned photocopy cheatsheets

[Hacktor]

Hey guys .. i've got more bad news for you ... i'm leaving the citty for about a week and won't be able to draw :(... and on top of that 33's not even finished... i'll be back next monday and will resume #33 and post it then... sorry people but real life happens.

See you soon.

[Needle]

Don't worry, and good luck on your trip

[Hacktor]

While I'm packing I want to leave you guys with a question...

What if Tenshiro were to exercise his best quality? I can draw at half the pace Tenshiro can write so until I can catch up, Will you guys like to get some side plots (within the world and related to our characters, like flashbacks and the like) Just in written form?

It's just a question, I discussed it with him and he said he'll post something while I'm away but I was thinking... will it be OK if inbetween regular posts you guys will get some plain text story...

This will by no means mean that I will update more slowly, on the contrary, I want to update faster and when I come back my schedule will permit it.

Also I promice to add `some` art to the text

please vote on this.
Have a fun week... see you next Tuesday.

[Tenshiro]

Hey ya, gang. Had to take a small scholastic hiatus. I was so lost in it all I lost track of time... My calendar says Saturday but to me it feels like Wednesday or Thursday the most...

Anyway, I promised Hacktor a small literary interlude and thus I shall begin writing it RIGHT NOW!

I`ll double post with the finished product.

[Bayar]

Yeah, school sucks.

I`ll double post with the finished product.

Fixed that for you.

[Tenshiro]

D o n e ! ! !

Please read, enjoy and leave a comment. Sorry for the delay, hooray for the fact that it took me less that 4 hours to write!

Spoiler

Show

``You should really consider attempting to pick purses of more inebriated patrons.`` his tone was exactly what one would expect when they saw him: gentle, wise, nuanced. He seemed to be a lot older than his figure gave out and even though that is to be expected from those who don the robes of the casters allowed into the ranks of the faithful. He had no walking cane, no priestly staff, no discernable weapon. Without a staff, he wore the ranking sigil of his patron deity around his neck. The sigil itself was not made out of gold or silver or lavishly adorned with numerous gems and jewels. Instead, it was smaller and made entirely out of glass. And as odd as the chosen material was, even more interesting was the incredible detail of craftsmanship. As his hand tightly gripped my wrist, I could do nothing but remain frozen, with my eyes fixed on his sigil.

Like most of such stories, this too starts in a Tavern. Well, truth be told, this chapter does anyway. I could also say that it starts with a recurring blurry dream I had had many nights in a row. It involved rain, lightning, blood and a voice thanking me. The only clear detail of the dream is my response after which the dream ends.

He had entered the tavern and moved like a man exhausted from walking. Slow steps that dragged his body along. He ate a moderate meal and drank two mugs of ale. Most men would be sleeping while standing after such a menu. Not him.

I crept behind him and reached for his money purse. I had done it dozens of times before on more sober and cautious victims. I reached out with a steady hand and in an instant he had seized it. This was the first time I had been caught since my training as a Thief had ended. This wanderer… had caught me.

``Unhand me if you value your life, Priest!`` I hissed a whisper under my breath. A howling fear roared at the gates of my heart and my mind, trying to overcome me. This was not the time. The slightest hesitation, the slightest tremble in my voice, any acceleration in my pulse, any of these would show this man that I was terrified. And that would be my doom ``My dagger has fell more worthy of an opponent, it would be a shame to stain its blade and your robes with the blood of a clergy man.``

``Heh, you`ve a sharp tongue, too bad your wits are dull. I wonder which of the two the blade of your dagger resembles.`` he spoke, neither softly nor loudly. His hood covered most of his face but his chin, his mouth and especially the almost taunting arrogant smile fixed on the latter were visible.

``Wouldn`t the dull wit be suited more for a tired old priest that would challenge one such as I, especially since my blade is sharper than my tongue and it`s practically screaming to cut. Should I quench its thirst with your blood? How badly do you want to die, old man?``

``So without any hesitation or remorse you`ll strike down an unarmed old man, a herald of the gods nonetheless?``

``I will if he doesn`t shut up. And I`ll enjoy it too!``

``As threatening as that may sound… I`ll stick to my opinion that your all bark and no bite.`` he said and released my wrist from his grip. For a moment we both stood there, looking at each other. ``Well? Aren`t you going to run away?``

``No.`` I calmly answered.

``Have a shot at me?``

``No.``

``Good.`` he said and smiled again, this time a bit more friendly. ``Have a seat, I `ll get some food for us.``

``Us?`` I said while pulling up a chair ``You just ate!``

``Mael, trust me I can eat for three people and still have room for desert.`` he said and smiled.

``You… you know my name.``

``I know a lot more than your name, Mael. I know YOU.``

``You`re not a regular old Human, are you?`` I asked and moved my hands under the table. They were white and cold and slightly shaking. This wanderer… was very creepy.

``Mael, you should know very well what I am because I am exactly what you are as well.`` he spoke and through the darkness of his hood, his eyes seemed to flare red for a moment.``

A long moment of silence slowly crawled by. Plates of food were brought for us along with drinks.

``Have you come for me? Have you come to take me back?`` I asked, looking down at my food. It smelled heavenly.

``Isn`t that why you ran away? To see if somebody will come for you?`` he simply spoke between mouthfuls of roasted piglet and potato salad. I had no reply to this, so much time had passed, so many events had occurred, I no longer knew the true answer to that question.

``I`m not going back with you.`` was my reply.

``Of course you`re not. I`m not here for that… I`m here for something else. And by the time I am done talking, you`ll wish I was here to take you back. You have spent the last three years of your life, running away, haunted and hunted by your memories, evading those of your own kind. You saw life as a jungle and small villages, towns and taverns as your only source of survival. You always took what you needed and then moved on. But Mael, while this was ensuring survival at a minimal, I assure it has stumped your growth. I say this because I can see a part of your destiny`s aura. However… this night, this hour is a crossroads for you. I am here because I am the one meant to give you your choices.`` he told me and then sighed.

``A choice? Destiny? Do you actually think I believe in dumb abstracts like that?``

``Yes, Mael, I`m sure of it.``

``Damn it! Can`t you just not call one of my bluffs?``

``Not this time.`` he replied and took off his sigil ``This is your first choice: honing your skills to the maximum. You take this Sigil and after a 40 day and 40 night journey you shall find the cathedral. Inside, people will be waiting for you.`` he then reached into his inner robes and pulled out a quite large bag of what seemed to contain gold coins ``This is your second choice: remain a wanderer. There is enough gold there to allow you travel further East. This sum will also last you for 40 days and 40 nights.`` and finally, he reached into his sleeves and drew out two very beautifully crafted daggers. Their blades gleamed in the lighting. ``This is your third choice: altruism. Outside this tavern there is a young girl who is an epitome of innocence. However, tonight that will all change. A man is following her and his thoughts are all but innocent. He has done this to many other girls he found. Take the daggers, run, wait for him to make his move and then kill him and thus, helping somebody else for the first time in your whole life.``

As soon as he finished talking I grabbed the bag of gold and weighted it with my hand.

``40 days and nights, you say? That`s not that bad. How about you take your sigil and those nice daggers back and you go kill the stalker. You`re the one who probably fixed this whole thing up anyway.``

``Oh, I won`t interfere with the girl. I don`t care if she lives or dies, in the end, it won`t make much of a difference. However, if you do plan to take the gold, might I suggest buying a very heavy and water proof travelling cloak? It`s going to start raining in a few minutes… and it`s not going to stop very soon.``

``Rain, huh?``

``Oh yes, worst lightning storm in over 70 years.``

I never had a déjà vu before. I had heard about them before but never gave it too much thought. I had heard that some déjà vus are so intense that they act like a voice in the back of your head and that you`re overtaken with an unreal feeling that what your doing is exactly what you should be doing. That`s what I felt anyway when I put down the gold and grabbed the daggers. The wanderer was as surprised as I was about this and tried to run after me. A pure white bolt of lightning made the black night sky seem like dark marble breaking into pieces. The blanket of rain that followed furthered the feeling. The large drops were horribly loud as the smashed against the ground, the trees, the tavern`s roof and the roofs of all the nearby houses. My feet ran guided by the voice of the déjà vu, my hands armed themselves with the daggers, heeding the same voice.

``Mael! Her name is Lizzie! Call out to her if you get lost!`` the wanderer`s muffled voice came from behind me. But how could I get lost when my feet seemed to know exactly where they were going.

A few buildings later down, I heard her scream for help. I called out her name and she screamed louder. In order to gain better momentum, I found myself jumping from the street unto the lamppost and then unto the alley wall. The wet wall was slippery, but somehow felt more stable than the muddy ground. I wall walked and leapt plunging a dagger into his right shoulder. I felt his body react and I instantly withdrew the dagger and stabbed him right in the middle of his back. As I felt his spine shatter, I pulled him away from her and used the second blade to cut his throat.

As I threw both daggers unto the ground, another web of lightning lighted the entire scene: a beautiful blond girl in the alley corner, a corpse, rain mixed with blood.

``Thank you! Thank you so much!`` she said and as I looked at her, I could indeed see all her innocence. For the first time ever since I first dreamed the recurrent dream , my response made sense. Looking up at the rain, I began to laugh. I looked at her and smiled, a true sincere smile.

``I can`t believe I gave up all that money!`` I told her and I laughed.

The déjà vu ended. The wanderer… gave me my choice and I took the right one.

``Well done, Mael!`` his voice came from behind me ``To tell you the truth, this was not what we had expected.`` he added and picked up his daggers from the alley floor. He wiped them clean on the corpse`s clothes and returned them to his sleeves ``I`m going to bend the rules here and tell you that there will come a time in the future when you will need us. Whenever the two of you are truly ready for this, seek out the Cathedral.`` he finished and then bowed. Turning around, he raised his hands to the sky, letting the rain come down on him. He took off his hood and in the darkness I could see that his head was either entirely bald or shaved that way ``Oh, and Mael…`` he half turned his head to the right as he spoke and as he did so another arc of lightning shone half of his face and revealed a raging red right eye and an odd dragonmark that covered his entire scalp and spread towards his right ear and his spine ``Until you are TRULY ready, it would be best to avoid us altogether, we tend to be vicious.``

<<< >>>

``And then he ran off.`` Mael said sitting down on the bed. All the time he told his story, Krop did not speak. He just listened ``Back then, I thought he meant Lizzie and me. But after more current events, I actually he spoke of me and…``

``… and me!`` a red-eyed version instantly continued talking ``He said `the two of you` and I for one am pretty sure that`s what he meant. Mael has doubts about it but you know him…``

Krop smiled. He never expected to see Mael`s Savage side social and friendly. He considered it being a trick but for the time being, he didn`t mind.

``Thanks for trusting me with this story, Mael. Er… guys. Of course, I`ll try to help you as best as I can whenever you ask me to.``

``Thanks, Krop.`` said Mael as the red rage in his eyes washed away ``Erm, if you don`t mind I`d really REALLY appreciate it if you kept all of this hush-hush and confidential. I don`t plan on running away to find the Cathedral anytime soon, not alone anyway.``

``Er… I dunno…``

``Other me promises not to stabby-stabby at you while you sleep as long as you keep your mouth shut.`` Mael added and grinned.

``A secret it is. We`ll just tell them that your other you hugged me and said that he`s friendly.`` Krop smiled.

``Good plan!``

[tynger1234]

D o n e ! ! !

Please read, enjoy and leave a comment. Sorry for the delay, hooray for the fact that it took me less that 4 hours to write!

Spoiler

Show

``You should really consider attempting to pick purses of more inebriated patrons.`` his tone was exactly what one would expect when they saw him: gentle, wise, nuanced. He seemed to be a lot older than his figure gave out and even though that is to be expected from those who don the robes of the casters allowed into the ranks of the faithful. He had no walking cane, no priestly staff, no discernable weapon. Without a staff, he wore the ranking sigil of his patron deity around his neck. The sigil itself was not made out of gold or silver or lavishly adorned with numerous gems and jewels. Instead, it was smaller and made entirely out of glass. And as odd as the chosen material was, even more interesting was the incredible detail of craftsmanship. As his hand tightly gripped my wrist, I could do nothing but remain frozen, with my eyes fixed on his sigil.

Like most of such stories, this too starts in a Tavern. Well, truth be told, this chapter does anyway. I could also say that it starts with a recurring blurry dream I had had many nights in a row. It involved rain, lightning, blood and a voice thanking me. The only clear detail of the dream is my response after which the dream ends.

He had entered the tavern and moved like a man exhausted from walking. Slow steps that dragged his body along. He ate a moderate meal and drank two mugs of ale. Most men would be sleeping while standing after such a menu. Not him.

I crept behind him and reached for his money purse. I had done it dozens of times before on more sober and cautious victims. I reached out with a steady hand and in an instant he had seized it. This was the first time I had been caught since my training as a Thief had ended. This wanderer… had caught me.

``Unhand me if you value your life, Priest!`` I hissed a whisper under my breath. A howling fear roared at the gates of my heart and my mind, trying to overcome me. This was not the time. The slightest hesitation, the slightest tremble in my voice, any acceleration in my pulse, any of these would show this man that I was terrified. And that would be my doom ``My dagger has fell more worthy of an opponent, it would be a shame to stain its blade and your robes with the blood of a clergy man.``

``Heh, you`ve a sharp tongue, too bad your wits are dull. I wonder which of the two the blade of your dagger resembles.`` he spoke, neither softly nor loudly. His hood covered most of his face but his chin, his mouth and especially the almost taunting arrogant smile fixed on the latter were visible.

``Wouldn`t the dull wit be suited more for a tired old priest that would challenge one such as I, especially since my blade is sharper than my tongue and it`s practically screaming to cut. Should I quench its thirst with your blood? How badly do you want to die, old man?``

``So without any hesitation or remorse you`ll strike down an unarmed old man, a herald of the gods nonetheless?``

``I will if he doesn`t shut up. And I`ll enjoy it too!``

``As threatening as that may sound… I`ll stick to my opinion that your all bark and no bite.`` he said and released my wrist from his grip. For a moment we both stood there, looking at each other. ``Well? Aren`t you going to run away?``

``No.`` I calmly answered.

``Have a shot at me?``

``No.``

``Good.`` he said and smiled again, this time a bit more friendly. ``Have a seat, I `ll get some food for us.``

``Us?`` I said while pulling up a chair ``You just ate!``

``Mael, trust me I can eat for three people and still have room for desert.`` he said and smiled.

``You… you know my name.``

``I know a lot more than your name, Mael. I know YOU.``

``You`re not a regular old Human, are you?`` I asked and moved my hands under the table. They were white and cold and slightly shaking. This wanderer… was very creepy.

``Mael, you should know very well what I am because I am exactly what you are as well.`` he spoke and through the darkness of his hood, his eyes seemed to flare red for a moment.``

A long moment of silence slowly crawled by. Plates of food were brought for us along with drinks.

``Have you come for me? Have you come to take me back?`` I asked, looking down at my food. It smelled heavenly.

``Isn`t that why you ran away? To see if somebody will come for you?`` he simply spoke between mouthfuls of roasted piglet and potato salad. I had no reply to this, so much time had passed, so many events had occurred, I no longer knew the true answer to that question.

``I`m not going back with you.`` was my reply.

``Of course you`re not. I`m not here for that… I`m here for something else. And by the time I am done talking, you`ll wish I was here to take you back. You have spent the last three years of your life, running away, haunted and hunted by your memories, evading those of your own kind. You saw life as a jungle and small villages, towns and taverns as your only source of survival. You always took what you needed and then moved on. But Mael, while this was ensuring survival at a minimal, I assure it has stumped your growth. I say this because I can see a part of your destiny`s aura. However… this night, this hour is a crossroads for you. I am here because I am the one meant to give you your choices.`` he told me and then sighed.

``A choice? Destiny? Do you actually think I believe in dumb abstracts like that?``

``Yes, Mael, I`m sure of it.``

``Damn it! Can`t you just not call one of my bluffs?``

``Not this time.`` he replied and took off his sigil ``This is your first choice: honing your skills to the maximum. You take this Sigil and after a 40 day and 40 night journey you shall find the cathedral. Inside, people will be waiting for you.`` he then reached into his inner robes and pulled out a quite large bag of what seemed to contain gold coins ``This is your second choice: remain a wanderer. There is enough gold there to allow you travel further East. This sum will also last you for 40 days and 40 nights.`` and finally, he reached into his sleeves and drew out two very beautifully crafted daggers. Their blades gleamed in the lighting. ``This is your third choice: altruism. Outside this tavern there is a young girl who is an epitome of innocence. However, tonight that will all change. A man is following her and his thoughts are all but innocent. He has done this to many other girls he found. Take the daggers, run, wait for him to make his move and then kill him and thus, helping somebody else for the first time in your whole life.``

As soon as he finished talking I grabbed the bag of gold and weighted it with my hand.

``40 days and nights, you say? That`s not that bad. How about you take your sigil and those nice daggers back and you go kill the stalker. You`re the one who probably fixed this whole thing up anyway.``

``Oh, I won`t interfere with the girl. I don`t care if she lives or dies, in the end, it won`t make much of a difference. However, if you do plan to take the gold, might I suggest buying a very heavy and water proof travelling cloak? It`s going to start raining in a few minutes… and it`s not going to stop very soon.``

``Rain, huh?``

``Oh yes, worst lightning storm in over 70 years.``

I never had a déjà vu before. I had heard about them before but never gave it too much thought. I had heard that some déjà vus are so intense that they act like a voice in the back of your head and that you`re overtaken with an unreal feeling that what your doing is exactly what you should be doing. That`s what I felt anyway when I put down the gold and grabbed the daggers. The wanderer was as surprised as I was about this and tried to run after me. A pure white bolt of lightning made the black night sky seem like dark marble breaking into pieces. The blanket of rain that followed furthered the feeling. The large drops were horribly loud as the smashed against the ground, the trees, the tavern`s roof and the roofs of all the nearby houses. My feet ran guided by the voice of the déjà vu, my hands armed themselves with the daggers, heeding the same voice.

``Mael! Her name is Lizzie! Call out to her if you get lost!`` the wanderer`s muffled voice came from behind me. But how could I get lost when my feet seemed to know exactly where they were going.

A few buildings later down, I heard her scream for help. I called out her name and she screamed louder. In order to gain better momentum, I found myself jumping from the street unto the lamppost and then unto the alley wall. The wet wall was slippery, but somehow felt more stable than the muddy ground. I wall walked and leapt plunging a dagger into his right shoulder. I felt his body react and I instantly withdrew the dagger and stabbed him right in the middle of his back. As I felt his spine shatter, I pulled him away from her and used the second blade to cut his throat.

As I threw both daggers unto the ground, another web of lightning lighted the entire scene: a beautiful blond girl in the alley corner, a corpse, rain mixed with blood.

``Thank you! Thank you so much!`` she said and as I looked at her, I could indeed see all her innocence. For the first time ever since I first dreamed the recurrent dream , my response made sense. Looking up at the rain, I began to laugh. I looked at her and smiled, a true sincere smile.

``I can`t believe I gave up all that money!`` I told her and I laughed.

The déjà vu ended. The wanderer… gave me my choice and I took the right one.

``Well done, Mael!`` his voice came from behind me ``To tell you the truth, this was not what we had expected.`` he added and picked up his daggers from the alley floor. He wiped them clean on the corpse`s clothes and returned them to his sleeves ``I`m going to bend the rules here and tell you that there will come a time in the future when you will need us. Whenever the two of you are truly ready for this, seek out the Cathedral.`` he finished and then bowed. Turning around, he raised his hands to the sky, letting the rain come down on him. He took off his hood and in the darkness I could see that his head was either entirely bald or shaved that way ``Oh, and Mael…`` he half turned his head to the right as he spoke and as he did so another arc of lightning shone half of his face and revealed a raging red right eye and an odd dragonmark that covered his entire scalp and spread towards his right ear and his spine ``Until you are TRULY ready, it would be best to avoid us altogether, we tend to be vicious.``

<<< >>>

``And then he ran off.`` Mael said sitting down on the bed. All the time he told his story, Krop did not speak. He just listened ``Back then, I thought he meant Lizzie and me. But after more current events, I actually he spoke of me and…``

``… and me!`` a red-eyed version instantly continued talking ``He said `the two of you` and I for one am pretty sure that`s what he meant. Mael has doubts about it but you know him…``

Krop smiled. He never expected to see Mael`s Savage side social and friendly. He considered it being a trick but for the time being, he didn`t mind.

``Thanks for trusting me with this story, Mael. Er… guys. Of course, I`ll try to help you as best as I can whenever you ask me to.``

``Thanks, Krop.`` said Mael as the red rage in his eyes washed away ``Erm, if you don`t mind I`d really REALLY appreciate it if you kept all of this hush-hush and confidential. I don`t plan on running away to find the Cathedral anytime soon, not alone anyway.``

``Er… I dunno…``

``Other me promises not to stabby-stabby at you while you sleep as long as you keep your mouth shut.`` Mael added and grinned.

``A secret it is. We`ll just tell them that your other you hugged me and said that he`s friendly.`` Krop smiled.

``Good plan!``

...no wonder your the one writin the comic

[Tenshiro]

Thanks for the above comment.
If you guys do not mind the Wall o` text I could do this one a week or once every two weeks, I really don`t expect running out flashbacks or side stories any time soon.
But I`d really appreciate if there was more than just one comment, not for my ego, in order to properly tell if you guys are enjoying these.
I really don`t want to bore anyone.