2.3.17
on November 6, 2024
at 3:00 am
you guys can probably skip this page, there’s nothing really concerning on it or anything
Aurora
A fantasy webcomic. Updates M-W-F.
you guys can probably skip this page, there’s nothing really concerning on it or anything
…
…
are ya sure…??
lol I assumed the diadem would just burn off but this is SO much worse.
For mobile readers.
Alt-text: ask me what it was like layering these glow effects on each other but don’t because I’ll cry
Image source: instinct
(Read Alt-text. Take hanky and gently daub Red’s face, Make thumbs up gesture and smile kindly and in awe at Red’s hands and bow in wonder at her Works.)
Tumblr text: “concerning” about sums it up huh
tumblr text: “concerning” about sums it up huh
Twitter/Bluesky text: it is somehow morning
Dainix launches up from the deck towards the Champion, leaving a streak of flames behind him. The Champion half-raises a hand, a shimmering barrier flickering to life between them.
The Champion flinches back as Dainix slams into his shield. “Another–?” He asks, staring out at the Crucible’s grinning face.
No, the Light Dragon says to the Champion. This one is not empty. His mind is held, but this furious instinct is beyond my reach.
“Let him go!” Kendal’s shout interrupts them.
“Surrender the Magus and I release them all.”
“You’re driving him into a frenzy! If he can’t think, he can’t stop!”
“Concerning,” he says, floating in his ball of light. “But not, I think, for me.”
Dainix’s claws dig into the Champion’s shield, the light transmuting to void where he touches.
Okay so. My theory. is that.
So, normal fire can transmute things into other things of the same element, right? Like lead into gold, as both are Stone.
And soulfire is different from regular fire.
What if, soulfire can transmute things into different elements? And that’s how he’s doing this Light-Into-Void thing. Because Light and Void are two seperate elements, even if L.D. might have come from V.D. as some people have theorized.
Maybe soulfire can only transmute things into their opposite elements? Light to Void, Life to Stone, Fire to Water, and vice versa. Oh, and then that’s how soulfire can burn underwater, because it’s transmuting the water around the fire into more fire as the fire is extinguished? So just a constantly regenerating flame? Idk
At any rate, this’ll probably make Champion think that Dainix is on V.D.’s side, like he thinks Kendal is.
Okay, the boat is not currently in… much… risk of sinking, but that void definitely won’t help. If it gets onto the deck in any way, maybe dripping off Champion’s light ball, that’ll start to disintegrate the boat.
Yeah, I don’t think Tarren’s getting their boat back…
Oh oops forgot L.D’s quotation marks
. The Champion flinches back as Dainix slams into his shield. “Another–?” He asks, staring out at the Crucible’s grinning face.
. “No,” the Light Dragon says to the Champion. “This one is not empty. His mind is held, but this furious instinct is beyond my reach.”
A Dragon’s wing makes a shield from the blaze
The Champion yields not, is flame with Void laced?
uh
UHHHHHH
.
.
.
wait hold up. on page 1.17.33 we see Dainix’s fire transforming void into something suspiciously white and glowy… and now it seems… the opposite is happening‽
fascinating.
We can also see silhouettes of this when Erin describes everyone being immune to Void.
Fire is associated with transformation in this universe, and light/void seems to be associated with soul stuff, maybe soulfire can transform light to void, and vice versa?
There is no in-story evidence of light and void relating to soul
Or evidence at all
Let’s not make assumptions here. There is possible evidence for that theory, and for other potential theories too. The Diadem seems to affect it’s victims’ minds, and the mind appears to be directly connected (or the same thing as) to the soul. Another thing is that the soul appears to accept void and light influence,similar to how it accepts life. Life is accepted because the soul recognizes it as helpful or necessary, as life enhances healing. We know why void would be recognized like that too, as consumption has been stated in the Extra Lore pages to be necessary for natural healing. That leaves light, which is also accepted by the soul. Its purpose appears to be the mind, as the light dragon granted mortals minds and free will. Now get this: the light dragon also stated a couple pages ago that kendal “was a void” to her. This would mean that he doesn’t have her gift. Kendal obviously has a mind, but perhaps bot a conventional soul (probably relating to starmetal). If a soul is the light dragon’s gift, then the soul is either her element, or an extension of it. Furthermore, this means that because light is shown here being transformed into void, then void is different, is not spiritual like light but instead material. Light for the soul, void for the body.
Also quick bonus: don’t know if anyone else has stated this already, but if void is consumption or destruction, then light may have something to do with creation. That would fit, considering that most if not all light powers we’ve seen so far have been specific constructs, or creations, rather than raw power like void. Anyways, if you got this far then thanks for reading!
If paladins could control soul energy, Erin would be dead by now.
@Snakesocket Now you are making a great leap there. We don’t know what a Soul Mage would look like, if it even were possible, or what their abilities may be. But it has been stated in-comic by Erin that the Mind is intimately connected to the Soul, and that this principle is the basis of the Soulshaper Monks’ entire philosophy. Clearly they have some means of manipulating the soul, and it might be related to the Light Dragon, if her powers are mind-based.
I don’t believe Michael is controlling soul energy here, but clearly Light must be related to the soul in some way.
Very explicit confirmation of light/void being transmutations of each other, which we knew somewhat from the Tynan fight.
Definitely a reason for Walter to kill Fire first. He is more of an existential threat to him.
But it seemed like the dragon thought Fire was kind of a joke
Well, that’s VD for you. He’s even more arrogant than Erin. He thought ALL the Primordials were a joke.
Not really, he seemed neutral on Stone and fearful, yet slightly dismissive of Life
Oh what the fuck /pos
Goddammit Michael! You’re giving all paladins a bad name!
Fire lunges with claws, with teeth in its maw,
The Crucible Flame, the demon.
A wing of light snaps across and catches
The lunge towards the Champion.
Second verse will come after a brutally early lecture
“You’re driving him into a frenzy!” cries Kendal,
“If he can’t think, he can’t stop!”
The stranger tell his to surrender, unconcerned,
Not seeing a black edge on the claws chop.
Uh oh! Uh oh! Uh oh! Light + fire =/= void, but that’s ⁸clearly* void coming from somewhere. Dainix wasn’t corrupted after the zombie dungeon, so it has to be coming from Erin directly.
I noticed earlier that the void dragon just. Held a hand out and made void bits appear on the Tynan dragon. But, he didn’t start with it. Does that attack require gaps in a soul barrier? If so, that lends *even more* credence to the theory that light and the soul barrier are linked (despite Kendal having one and not the other). And wouldn’t you know, that certainly does look like a light barrier getting some gaps put in it.
No no, Light + Fire = Void, just as Void + Fire = Light. We see wisps of glowy white stuff when Dainix gets void blasted a while back, so this seems to be consistent
Oh neat! I assumed that the flashes of light were due to the fire flaring up, material (void) burning white as it does so. The transmutation aspect of fire has always struck me as somewhat strange. I assumed that it made materials “malleable” in a sense, such as transmuting someone’s body to fire and back again, or reshaping an object without changing its elemental composition.
I never considered the possibility that fire could transmute elements into elements *other than fire*! What does that mean about the world as a whole? Is primordial fire’s soul blended with the other 5(7), and it gets some control over their elements? What does that mean if it can transmute things *into VOID*, the essence of a being that *isn’t* truly fused like the rest?
The blast worked on tynan because purple has influence on all dragon-shaped things. It wouldn’t have worked on him otherwise because he’s just lightning, wind and water
No, being a dragon had nothing to do with it except for provoking VD. Void can destroy or consume any substance that we know of (besides Adamant and Soulfire). It can even destroy Kendal. The only reason Kendal is resistant (but not fully immune) is because he has no Void in him. Void energy still burns him, and VD could probably kill him eventually, but only by slowly consuming the material that Kendal is physically made of. It can’t trigger the corruption that we’ve seen Alinua succumb to, which seems to be a self-sustaining process caused by ‘activation’ of the Void already in her being. That’s my take anyway.
Point is, VD was just slowly consuming the Wind, Water, and Lightning that Tynan consisted of. And since Void, Life, and Light can bypass the soul barrier, VD can do this to anyone or anything at any time.
Red said a bit after that Tynan turning into a dragon also turned him into a living symbol of his true name. If Tynan turned into a giant bird or something, the dragon wouldn’t be able to do his corruption trick they do with beings with actual void in them. Purple didn’t blast tynan, they just held out their hand and he started decaying. Look at that page again in Firestorm
You know it’s going to be a good page when Red’s having an emotional breakdown about the glow effects again.
(Reads @Epik text and look very worried at Red)
At least Dainix isn’t touching the boat anymore.
What was it like layering these glow effects on each other?
(Read @Nim response, gasps, and then begins to kowtow desperately and franticly at Red’s tennis shoes! Bang forehead to floor repeatedly!)
I have made a severe and continuous lapse in my judgement
The vessel of a primordial dragon being too confident about his chances against Crucible Dainix. Seems familiar somehow.
The effects from the light and fire are great, not just from their different glows, but how the Champion’s solid constructs contrast with the messy, wispy soulfire. I like how Dainix looks almost like a serpent coiling around the Champion’s shield in panel 5. One of my favourite bits though is the waves behind them in panels 1 and 5; great grey, heaving, foaming waves, just as you expect in a storm.
I’ve been an advocate for Light being transmuted Void, left over during the fight with Fire, since it was posted, but I never considered that the opposite transmutation could be made by fire too. Given how peculiar both elements are, I can see why it could be possible though; I wonder if Adamant is immune to this effect, or if it can be transmuted too.
However the biggest thing about this is how obvious it is. Those Void-to-Light wisps in 1-17-33 and others were too faint for the characters there to notice, not that they would be paying attention to that at the time or know what to look for. But transmuting Light-to-Void right in front of the Paladin Champion, while L.D. herself is spectating, will get noticed. If they saw the previous fight they might have considered Dainix a potential ally. But with only this to go on, they might think Dainix is willingly helping V.D., and make him a priority target.
I would assume the Lady would know that Fire can transmute Light to Void and Void to Light, since they seem to be equals and opposites. Not to misuse Chinese philosophy, but it is very reminiscent of the Yin & Yang. Light in the Darkness, Darkness in the Light.
VD clearly knows and acknowledges LD as his “Other”, so I hope she wouldn’t be too surprised by this either.
Also THAT LOOKS SO COOL. I know it’s not Halloween anymore, but I can’t get over Dainix grinning like a Jack O’Lantern.
Where did the “Light being transmuted into Void” theory get born? It’s the first time I hear it, but usually new theories aren’t so unanimously talked about so I feel like I missed something.
Fire is the element of Transmutation, not destruction. Red doesn’t like to apply real world science to the comic, but it is essentially Thermodynamics. Matter cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed into something else.
Void on the other hand, does destroy matter, or otherwise ‘consumes’ it. When VD first met Dainix through Erin (1-17-31), he simply blasted the Crucible with Void Magic. Where the Void energy/essence/matter came into contact with Dainix’s Soulfire, it turned white. The Fire transmuted Void into Light, and now it’s doing the same thing in reverse.
Thanks!
The theory goes like this:
Wisps of white energy can be seen around Dainix after tanking a Void blast in 1-17-33 and other pages around it. Fire has ‘transmutation’ as one of it’s higher properties, and the crucible form could be seen as this made manifest; the transmutation of an entire body into soulfire and back again. So the theory was born, by @Stark9865 on 1-19-16, that the Light element is transmuted Void element.
One of the major reasons I support this theory is it explains a discrepancy about L.D.’s formation. She was born too late to participate in the primordial war and was born too early to have been conjured by mortals. The idea is that a large chunk of V.D.’s essence was transmutated, intentionally or unintentionally, by Fire during that fight, and it coalesced together afterwards to form L.D.. This would explain both the timing of her creation being odd, her direct links to V.D., and maybe why she doesn’t have a physical form that we know of.
As to what Light magic is, that’s still unknown. I’ve heard some people say it’s Soul, but I disagree; soul energy is everywhere in this universe and not a prerequisite for sentience as even rocks can have it. I’m in the camp that believes it’s to do with the Mind. Void represents bodily needs and hungers, so maybe that transmuted turns to the mind, sentience and logic beyond the body. Would fit with L.D. “awakening the mortal wills” as V.D. put it
I think soul is playing a part, but as a tool for the mind to wield. The soulshaper monks know that a disciplined mind can manipulate the soul; maybe, though L.D.’s blessing, the Paladins achieve an advanced form of that to make weapons and wings. A “Mind over matter” type power where mental discipline, faith, or stubbornness (see Falst in the cave) lets them manipulate the world around them.
There is no need for soul shaper tricks, they are just turning the lady’s material into weapons
Since Void is consumption, I think Light might be learning. They both involve the doer taking something (food or information) and integrating it into themself. It tracks with the Paladins archiving all those books.
I hadn’t heard the whole thing, but that makes a good deal of sense. It’s like she’s a negative of the Void Dragon, and having her be transmuted into existence by Primordial Fire is a really interesting origin.
Incredibly interesting. Thanks for the detailed reply! To add my grain of salt, I had theorized a while ago that maybe LD didn’t have a physical form because she could be sharing a body with VD. If both of their elements can be so easily transmuted into one another, then it’d make even more sense that they would be intrinsically tied to each other like that.
Huh. I just realised that if this theory is true, then there’s a MAJOR opportunity to develop the Lady and the Paladins throughout the comic. What if the Paladins don’t know that the Lady is or was part of the Void Dragon? What if the Lady herself doesn’t know? The narrative potential for a god and their entire cult going through the existential dilemma of a divine identity crisis are HUGE.
“but i think not for me”
well that just didn’t age well did it?
“But not, I think, for me.”
Oh ho, *now* who has the hubris? Methinks, oh Champion, this is about to get very messy for you.
Are we going to see Primordial Life make a showing, too? I have it on my Bingo card here.
Aurora Question #17: Fairly certain I’ve asked this one before, but not in this lil rerun so idc
Which magic would you choose if you had the option?
Life, for sure. Not just because Healing is really useful, and you’d be employable for… well, for life. But just being able to be fully self-sustaining, growing all your own fruits and vegetables at whim. And I can’t lie, living off the grid in a perfect treehouse as a local forest druid is not an unattractive lifestyle. Plus, it’s actually pretty powerful, and unlike stone magic, you don’t risk destroying the ground beneath your feet in a fight. Unless you want to.
I think I said water last time, but I’ve changed my mind a bit. This light stuff the Paladins have been flinging about seems very cool and handy actually.
I would choose stone because it can be used to make your own house. Despite life magics superior utility, it is second because of the possibility of accidently turning someone into a monstrosity.
Wind. I just like it. I’d love to be able to make the little messenger birds.
Stone! It’s the most abundant material, and I think the only one that can inherently make permanent objects. I hope we see more of it being shown off, since it’s taken a bit of a backburner to Erin’s more combat-oriented abilities.
Barrier integrity failure in 5, 4, 3…
Today’s page is looking gorgeous, and Michael’s overconfidence seems to be setting up a very satisfying moment when he is inevitably proven incorrect on Friday
Also, is anyone else reminded of the Mozilla Firefox logo when looking at Danix amd Mike on the second to last panel?
Now that you mention it!
EUREKA! THAT’S IT.
Dainix fireform looks more Lava/liquid like with spider claws and flaming cape rather than fox face and fire tail. More sinister and rageful and angry. And definitely Not Friendly! Sorry my eyes see it differently. (Bow in apology)
Well, we see that too. Because that’s exactly what it is. But artistic inspiration can come from anywhere, from fine art to oversimplified logos.
UGH I hate you Michael, but I love you so much more. You’re going to be such a good antagonist.
The hypocrisy, the arrogance, the pride before the inevitable fall. This is peak Paladin stuff. So much for all the “innocent” talk, Michael doesn’t actually give a shit until he gets what he wants. Well done, Red. I am ALL IN on this character.
So, how long until Life also joins the party?
I KNEW IT!!!!
I saw a tumblr post mention Red posted something about trying to make the blue-white sparks look like an result of soulfire and void interacting, and an intrinsic property of neither of them. Can someone with tumblr find either of these posts?
https://comicaurora.tumblr.com/post/689902510132150272/red-holy-shit-this-panel-how-do-you-do-magic
Here’s Red talking about the blue white lines being an interaction of void and fire and not an intrinsic property of either.
Thanks for the help
Hmm now do we think this transformation will give VD influence over Dainix, Magneto-Wolverine style?
Wow. Michael gets worse with every page. I thought he woukd be more redeemable.
the hubris. oh gosh. he’s literally Erin but not sympathetic.
Side note, I love that the fandom went from “Ooo, this guy’s cool, I hope we get to see more of him” to “HE’S BACK” to “ok i want him to die now actually”
Just seeing this Alinua for the first time was enough to scare off the void dragon. I wonder how the light dragon will react if she realizes what Alinua is. Unless the light dragon already knows and just doesn’t care.
If the Light Dragon knew and didn’t care, I don’t think we’d be having this conflict right now. Life is reeeally powerful, possibly more so than any of the other combatants’ “super modes.” LD seems reasonably smart enough to wait until Erin was alone if she knew exactly what she’d be up against.
I mean, didn’t LD already tell Anakin to back down several pages ago? “Restrain yourself. Facing him would gain you nothing, and the battle would destroy these innocents” (2.3.10). It doesn’t sound like LD knows what her champion is up against here, but she did advocate a tactical retreat. Anakin continuing to engage in this conflict is recklessness on his part; his deity advised caution, yet in his zeal he refuses to back down. I get the distinct feeling his hubris is about to catch up with him.
She was telling him to restrain his desire to fight VD directly and instead murder Erin as quickly as possible and get out of there. I guess you could call that a retreat, but she didn’t seem worried about any of the other party members until later, when they realized that Kendal was immune to the diadem. I honestly have no idea what she’s thinking now though
Before It was reasonable assumptions… Now this is erin types hubris where he says something Just to get hit by the instant karma Seconds later
Moonbat theory time: The legends about the Primordials don’t mention the light dragon because she didn’t exist until Fire had a crack at Walter–Walter may have “killed” Fire, but not before Fire transmuted half of him into L.D.
Your theory is not the most outlandish, but I think purple would notice that happening. It think the void and light effects have something to do with the unique properties of soulfire
I’m not sure I get what you mean. He’s fully aware of LD’s existence.
I meant half his body mass disappearing
I was right. Also oh no.
I hadn’t caught onto the fire turning void to light and vice versa theory, and it’s at the point where I want to see what plays out here before I throw my thoughts into the ring. It is fascinating, regardless.
Now he’s using Kendal’s friends as bargaining chips? Safe to say Michael here does not actually care about protecting innocent people, because if that were so he would have already left to wait for a different oppurtunity. Instead he’s just another villain, lying to himself that he’s somehow “good”.
the whole point of the diadems is to stop kendal’s friends from attacking him while he deals with erin thus preventing colateral damage he isn’t bargaining anyone
This is fun! Also new prediction for the yeet panel instead of Kendal trying to attack the paladin it’s going to be reminiscent of the last time Dainix went full demon! I’m loving the parallels that just keep on coming between these two. Also it’s interesting to see a number of people liking Michael less and less while I’m just like: I’m pretty sure Erin’s done worse or if faced with the same would do worse in all of these departments. I will admit though that watching the paladin be so mean to Kendal makes me want to punch him. also I think that’s like the one field Erin would do better in! Not treating the supposed homunculus like a non-sentient being. I’d rather he not die though since he’s more along the lines of ignorant and I think that could be fixed. Maybe. Then again paragons are pretty stubborn so unless we get: if we don’t fight together then (insert threat here) will destroy the world, he may remain unredeemed.
A very classic “famous last words” moment
I was thinking about it and realized Tess is the only one with a net 0 percent chance to escape the diadem on her own. Alinua could maybe get some primordial help, and so could Erin if VD got stupid/vain. Dainix has already functionally overcome the diadem by regaining movement, even if he is now an incontrolable demon. Kendal is immune to that damage type and Falst has some things to figure out about himself. But Tess? Unless she willpowers her way into ignoring the diadem, which I doubt is even posible, she is stuck until Micheal listens to reason (haha nice one) or gets knocked out/overpowered.
alinua is probably not escaping too, we saw in her dream sequence that life is terrified of accidentally killing alinua(wich is why she didn’t help her in zuurith) so she won’t channel herself unless alinua gets a life lacrima(wich is why i really want michael to join the team atleast for a while after the fight, lucy and him can teach a lot to life and alinua)
me when I feel a fiery hand on my shoulder (im boutta get smacked)
I have a sneaking suspicion that it will be concerning for him soon….
I don’t know why this page is loading for me so slowly lately, but it makes for some comedic and/or dramatic reveals when I see wall of fire slowly unfold down the page, or see statements like “you guys can probably skip this page, there’s nothing really concerning on it or anything” as it happens.
Not a problem for you my ass. My brother in Vash, he’s turning your barrier into Void goop!
And again we see Crucible fire appear to transmute between Light and Void. Perhaps they’re not different elements after all, but divergent aspects of the same element? LD is VD’s “Other”, after all (1-7-21).
You guys are a lot smarter than me. I thought Voidy had woken up.
oh now this is just straight up fun to watch
I think Mr Erin parallel is gonna get a face full of hubris very very soon.
Looks like Erin and the Paladin have something in common after all: their fatal flaw, hubris.
TL;DR: I shall use your friends’ lives as a bargaining chip. Always works.
0% chance of inducing a frienship-fueled rage mode. Terma and conditions apply.
I’m looking forward to the Full Page Panel in a week or two
DAINIX grew to level 35.
DAINIX learned DARK BLAZE!
Okay, my personal crackpot theory: LD and VD was once the same being, but at some point during the fight of the primordials vs VD, Fire punched VD SO HARD that part of him split of into a separate entity. This is why LD and VD are both dragons, why fire can easily transmute between light and void (they are just differrnt forms of the same essence), and also why LD is opposed to VD, as presumably VD would want to reclaim his lost essence should he regain his freedom.
I think she’s used this alt-text before.
She has. 1.18.10 and 2.3.8.
UH OH
Lets start a petition for a Red appreciation day
Yes let’s
Nov 7 is Red Appreciation Day
(and 22 July is Yell At The Elemental Magus Day!)