For mobile readers.
Alt-text: welcome to the non-diegetic fire dimension, today’s special is divine intervention, may I take your order?
Image source: simple
. Dainix rears back, letting a blast of dark, Voided flame into the air. Falst steps back, the air bubble springing to life around him.
. “Come on!” Falst cries, watching Dainix desperately, the bubble dissipating. “PLEASE!”
. “Simple, isn’t it?” Tahraim’s voice says.
. Dainix looks up, seeing Tahraim standing in front of him, small sparks surrounding them and making the floor. They are alone, darkness the only thing outside the light of the sparks.
. “Hunger is the simplest feeling there is,” Tahraim continues. “A self-serving, destructive impulse. Sustain yourself at the cost of everything. Indulge it, and you become a monster. The cruel instinct instilled in every mortal heart.
. “That’s what the Dragon thinks it is, anyway. Do you think it’s right?”
Sry been busy, also forgot about this page, also these last few pages have been hard to write for some reason idk
Oooh, this is interesting…
I’m betting Tahraim will help Dainix somehow, he’ll calm back down to either human or non-Void-flame form, and then Ze Big Serpent will arrive… possibly with the Collector. Probably with the Collector. She’ll show up at some point in the probably-near-future at least.
EEEEYYYYYY I was hoping we’d see him again, and get another piece of his cryptic puzzle!
I always want to grab Tahraim by the neck and shake him, and I think most people who deal with him directly feel the same, but it’s a good way to teach, as long as the student wants to learn!
OOOooohhhh, I think this might be how the logical conection between void and light being transmutable gets drawn, by finding a different way to look at hunger! Or that’s not what happens at all. Either way, I just noticed Dainix’s right “eye” looks significantly less like an eye than his left one. Cool touch! I wonder if this means that if he were to loose a limb as meat Dainix he would struggle with that as fire Dainix too. I hope we don’t find out.
Well. This is interesting. I think this is all in Dainix’s head, since Tahraim doesn’t know anything about the Void or Light Dragon’s as far as we know, but man he is not beating the First Invoker of Fire’s Truename allegations rn.
Why wouldn’t he know? I mean, maybe not the specifics of the Void and light dragon, but there’s no way he hasn’t experimented with their elements and discovered their mutual transmutation
The gods seem to have a better grasp on what’s happening than our characters or us have. Gleicann was respectfully calling Life “my lady” while Erin was trying to puzzle out what was even happening. I wouldn’t be surprised if a big god like Tahraim knows what’s up with the Dragons.
I think if any of the gods know about the dragon, it would be Mister Knows-More-Than-He-Lets-On over here. It also makes sense that he’s helping Dainix, since he has some kind of agreement with Caliban to make Dainix an effective weapon for them, for an unknown purpose. If Dainix succumbs to hunger, he’s of no value to either of them.
Wasted potential is Tahraim’s arch nemesis.
“not beating the First Invoker of Fire’s Truename allegations” that’s such a funny way to phrase it but also a cool idea. His text bubbles do kinda resemble the collector’s
Just because Tahraim is in Dainix’s head doesn’t mean he’s not there! God’s go where they will. But it don’t look like Falst is going to help Dainix get out his ‘problem’. Time for godly mojo! Hope it’s in time to help everyone there.
Tahraim also went from mortal to god. Tahraim is weird and probably has plenty of mysteries and it doesn’t shock me at all that he’d have encountered or interested with the paladins or something void corrupted. After all, interesting materials can make for interesting weapons. Also from the sounds of it the void dragon is kinda known even if only as a concept/theoretical explanation amongst scholars so for Tahraim to hear of it all it would take is for someone smithy related to talk of it and I feel like Tahraim could connect some of the dots from there. Then perhaps investigate the rest.
Tahraim was in some way hired by Caliban to forge Dainix into a “weapon”. He’d keep an eye on how his work is progressing, to make sure nothing goes wrong. Such as Dainix getting overwhelmed by hunger/void corruption, which would make him useless for whatever Caliban wants him to do.
And the Dragon, well, we don’t really know what the gods know about the primordials. ATruePanda pointed out that Gleicann immediately recognized Primordial Life back in Monster. Or he knows because he’s been watching the party since and during the Tynan fight.
I wouldn’t say he’s implying hunger is kindness, per se. A signal that you need sustenance is neither kindness nor cruelty; it’s just information, a biomechanical function with no sentiment attached. But otherwise, I think we’re on the same page: Tahraim is leading Dainix to consider, hey, perhaps this feeling you’re experiencing isn’t inherently destructive.
So that’s two deities to be popping in to help them, plus the people of Vash this boat ride is turning into quite the dues-ex machina not that I mind. I wonder if anyone else will end up with visions in their heads before this is over.
I’m very excited to see where this is going and what kind of breakthrough Dainix might have here. I love the question Tahraim asks, too. Is hunger inherently destructive and cruel? It’s a feeling that tells you if you want or need something and drives you to sustain yourself, but that in and of itself isn’t destructive or cruel. It serves a purpose.
I’m also not 100% sure which dragon Tahraim is talking about. The Light Dragon? She certainly believes void is cruel and destructive, and presumably the hunger associated with it as well. But the Void Dragon seemed to think much the same about himself and the fire primordial… (1-17-32)
Panel #1 is every European tourist the first time they visit India.
I know, because that was me.
In more important news: Divine Intervention woo! We get our mysterious blacksmith coming to the (hopefully) rescue! And if not, at least he helps Dainix control his fire!
Crossi my fingers for Dainix having a hunger that’s like “hunger for love and kindness and a feeling of wholeness and acceptance” in such a way that allows him to break free of Getting Lit to go kiss his catboyfriend
Tynan: (from a dagger on Tahraim’s belt) Agh! Bad enough you trap me here, now you taunt me by showing them in a regular storm?! You insufferable, arrogant, thrice born son of a carrion-
Tahraim: (covers the dagger) Hehe … pretend you didn’t hear that.
Just as well Falst has his air bubble spell for protection in between shouting encouragement; good thing, I assume, Erin got that working. While Falst alone won’t bring Dainix under control, his input and genuine concern (I really feel that “PLEASE!”) has certainly got the ball rolling.
Tahraim has knowledge of V.D., eh? I suppose that was foreshadowed in his “Four world-shaking powers” comment in 1-12-10; he at least had some idea what threat Void-Erin posed back then. Question is, how deep does his V.D. knowledge go?
Did he go to his adamant cage, curious about it’s construction in ages past? Could Haol, god of darkness and de facto god of the caves, have informed him at one point? Maybe V.D. even contacted Tahraim in a worth-a-shot attempt to get him to make a tool to free him?
However, it’s his dialogue about Void potentially being more that what V.D. thinks it is, that is fascinating to me. A good side to hunger? A deep reason of self-actualisation and potential for growth, a simple reason like how we’ve made eating an enjoyable and social pastime, or a logical reason of “it’s ok, just do it in moderation” like other elements?
I posted a link a few pages back of Red saying that “It (Fire) can also temper other elements, strengthening and purifying them.” Could Tahraim be implying that Dainix can purify Void into a less-malicious form? Or is he hinting at the Void => Light and vice versa transmutation?
Predication for next week: Tahraim’s intervention, likely a part of Dainix’s “forging” for Caliban that is still ongoing, will continue, resulting in one of the scenarios I mentioned above. Leading to Dainix reforming back to base form to the relief of Falst.
… Then Nessie will show up.
One of the many ways I access this comic is through an external link that automatically takes me to 2.2.19 and lemme tell you when I saw Erin saying “we won’t be needing any divine intervention” and then immediately cut to them getting divine intervention I nearly died laughing.
I find it interesting that Tahraim is A) aware of what the Dragon thinks, and B) questions its understanding of what by all accounts should be its own element. He seems far too smart and far too knowledgeable to do either of those without reason, but then I must wonder: what could his reasons be?
For mobile readers.
Alt-text: welcome to the non-diegetic fire dimension, today’s special is divine intervention, may I take your order?
Image source: simple
I’d like one Tahraim please!
Same, but can you hold the soul stealing knife on mine? It’s really cool it’s also kinda scary.
tumblr text: how it feels to chew 5 gum
Bluesky text: could a depressed person do THIS?
. Dainix rears back, letting a blast of dark, Voided flame into the air. Falst steps back, the air bubble springing to life around him.
. “Come on!” Falst cries, watching Dainix desperately, the bubble dissipating. “PLEASE!”
. “Simple, isn’t it?” Tahraim’s voice says.
. Dainix looks up, seeing Tahraim standing in front of him, small sparks surrounding them and making the floor. They are alone, darkness the only thing outside the light of the sparks.
. “Hunger is the simplest feeling there is,” Tahraim continues. “A self-serving, destructive impulse. Sustain yourself at the cost of everything. Indulge it, and you become a monster. The cruel instinct instilled in every mortal heart.
. “That’s what the Dragon thinks it is, anyway. Do you think it’s right?”
Sry been busy, also forgot about this page, also these last few pages have been hard to write for some reason idk
Oooh, this is interesting…
I’m betting Tahraim will help Dainix somehow, he’ll calm back down to either human or non-Void-flame form, and then Ze Big Serpent will arrive… possibly with the Collector. Probably with the Collector. She’ll show up at some point in the probably-near-future at least.
don’t worry guys vision-of-tahraim will bonk dainix on the head and it will expell the void
Is Tahraim about to tell us about the virtues of going vegan?
Or can we just install some magical solar panels or something
Oh no, you’ve just given me a terrible fanart idea
Well vegans also get hungry
Tahraim! 😀
EEEEYYYYYY I was hoping we’d see him again, and get another piece of his cryptic puzzle!
I always want to grab Tahraim by the neck and shake him, and I think most people who deal with him directly feel the same, but it’s a good way to teach, as long as the student wants to learn!
ohhh.. dainix nooo…. my poor boyyyy.
Hi there Tahraim! Good to see you again!
OOOooohhhh, I think this might be how the logical conection between void and light being transmutable gets drawn, by finding a different way to look at hunger! Or that’s not what happens at all. Either way, I just noticed Dainix’s right “eye” looks significantly less like an eye than his left one. Cool touch! I wonder if this means that if he were to loose a limb as meat Dainix he would struggle with that as fire Dainix too. I hope we don’t find out.
Well. This is interesting. I think this is all in Dainix’s head, since Tahraim doesn’t know anything about the Void or Light Dragon’s as far as we know, but man he is not beating the First Invoker of Fire’s Truename allegations rn.
Why wouldn’t he know? I mean, maybe not the specifics of the Void and light dragon, but there’s no way he hasn’t experimented with their elements and discovered their mutual transmutation
The gods seem to have a better grasp on what’s happening than our characters or us have. Gleicann was respectfully calling Life “my lady” while Erin was trying to puzzle out what was even happening. I wouldn’t be surprised if a big god like Tahraim knows what’s up with the Dragons.
I think if any of the gods know about the dragon, it would be Mister Knows-More-Than-He-Lets-On over here. It also makes sense that he’s helping Dainix, since he has some kind of agreement with Caliban to make Dainix an effective weapon for them, for an unknown purpose. If Dainix succumbs to hunger, he’s of no value to either of them.
Wasted potential is Tahraim’s arch nemesis.
“not beating the First Invoker of Fire’s Truename allegations” that’s such a funny way to phrase it but also a cool idea. His text bubbles do kinda resemble the collector’s
Just because Tahraim is in Dainix’s head doesn’t mean he’s not there! God’s go where they will. But it don’t look like Falst is going to help Dainix get out his ‘problem’. Time for godly mojo! Hope it’s in time to help everyone there.
Yes, YES! Do you believe, Dainix!? What burns in YOUR soul?! God I love this comic.
This is FIRE!! (Where did he come from though?)
I think Red said that Tahraim has a movable pocket dimension where his forge is located. He could probably appear just about anywhere he wants.
“Anywhere” includes the interior of other people’s mind apparently, like Schrödinger in Hellsing Ultimate.
Yoooo this is FIRE !!
Yooo this is fire!!
CALIBAN! 😀
Actually, that’s Tahraim
Caliban is awesome too tho 😀
And here’s the arc to start mastering his fire powers. 🙂
This will confuse Light Dragon again when the two sides collide once more.
Tahraim here apparently popping in between rounds of croquet
Can’t a guy have hobbies?
Yes, we love a good Battle In the Center of the Mind! Especially when it includes outside entities that can detail the nature of the battlefield.
Tahraim is low-key my favorite character in this entire world. I kissed him!
Typo for “missed”, or fanfic?
Yes.
How does he know this is happening? How does he know anything about how the dragon thinks? Something is wrong here.
Tahraim also went from mortal to god. Tahraim is weird and probably has plenty of mysteries and it doesn’t shock me at all that he’d have encountered or interested with the paladins or something void corrupted. After all, interesting materials can make for interesting weapons. Also from the sounds of it the void dragon is kinda known even if only as a concept/theoretical explanation amongst scholars so for Tahraim to hear of it all it would take is for someone smithy related to talk of it and I feel like Tahraim could connect some of the dots from there. Then perhaps investigate the rest.
This does not seem to relate to my questions. Tahraim scares me now. Who knows when else he’s watching.
Tahraim was in some way hired by Caliban to forge Dainix into a “weapon”. He’d keep an eye on how his work is progressing, to make sure nothing goes wrong. Such as Dainix getting overwhelmed by hunger/void corruption, which would make him useless for whatever Caliban wants him to do.
And the Dragon, well, we don’t really know what the gods know about the primordials. ATruePanda pointed out that Gleicann immediately recognized Primordial Life back in Monster. Or he knows because he’s been watching the party since and during the Tynan fight.
“Hunger is cruel. That’s what the Dragon thinks. But is it really?”
So I’m thinking that Tahraim is implying that hunger is kindness. It’s Life letting you know that you need sustenance.
That doesn’t seem right. If Kendal needs to eat he just doesn’t know. Hunger is purely a void thing
its been a while since i read about the homunculi, but they lack void, right? theyre technically alive, but they lack motivation/a reason to live.
Not right, they have those traits, ones a teacher. They just can’t process food and heal properly on their own.
I wouldn’t say he’s implying hunger is kindness, per se. A signal that you need sustenance is neither kindness nor cruelty; it’s just information, a biomechanical function with no sentiment attached. But otherwise, I think we’re on the same page: Tahraim is leading Dainix to consider, hey, perhaps this feeling you’re experiencing isn’t inherently destructive.
… which dragon? Sure would be funny if Tahraim was talking about both of them.
So that’s two deities to be popping in to help them, plus the people of Vash this boat ride is turning into quite the dues-ex machina not that I mind. I wonder if anyone else will end up with visions in their heads before this is over.
the past couple of pages have been FIRE!!! (literally… but also 👌)
you know what I kinda love Tahraim <3 <3 <3
OH MY GOD TAHRAIM!!!!!!! HE’S BACK (KINDA)
TAHRAIM!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE GUY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WITH A GIANT HAMMER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh! Tahraim!!
I’m very excited to see where this is going and what kind of breakthrough Dainix might have here. I love the question Tahraim asks, too. Is hunger inherently destructive and cruel? It’s a feeling that tells you if you want or need something and drives you to sustain yourself, but that in and of itself isn’t destructive or cruel. It serves a purpose.
I’m also not 100% sure which dragon Tahraim is talking about. The Light Dragon? She certainly believes void is cruel and destructive, and presumably the hunger associated with it as well. But the Void Dragon seemed to think much the same about himself and the fire primordial… (1-17-32)
…Both dragons? Two sides of the same coin, here?
They are twins, after all.
I think their relationship is stranger than that.
Panel #1 is every European tourist the first time they visit India.
I know, because that was me.
In more important news: Divine Intervention woo! We get our mysterious blacksmith coming to the (hopefully) rescue! And if not, at least he helps Dainix control his fire!
There once was a fiery boy
Who could not get rid of the void.
Tahraim, mysterious,
But not imperious,
Shows up, his weapon to alloy.
YEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSS
Tarraim is back! Me and my friend love them!
But, void dragon, get out of Danix! He’s better without you.
*studio audience cheers*
IT’S TAHRAIM! HE’S BACK! LETS GOOOOOOOO
I can not express to you how much I love him. My favorite god so far (along with Caliban)
*everything goes black*
Tahraim: funny, isn’t it?
Please tell me someone gets this joke.
who thinks Caliban is behind this surprise visit?
Dainix: In the middle of fighting for his life/soul.
His patron deity: Ok class, let’s talk metaphysics. Open you your books of page 58…
Crossi my fingers for Dainix having a hunger that’s like “hunger for love and kindness and a feeling of wholeness and acceptance” in such a way that allows him to break free of Getting Lit to go kiss his catboyfriend
Interesting parallels between the last panel of this page and and the last panel of 1.12.4, where Vash is asking Tahraim to help him out too!
Not the last panel, panel four haha
Red’s hottest fantasy worldbuilding take yet: ‘Therapist’ is just blacksmith for people.
Tynan: (from a dagger on Tahraim’s belt) Agh! Bad enough you trap me here, now you taunt me by showing them in a regular storm?! You insufferable, arrogant, thrice born son of a carrion-
Tahraim: (covers the dagger) Hehe … pretend you didn’t hear that.
Just as well Falst has his air bubble spell for protection in between shouting encouragement; good thing, I assume, Erin got that working. While Falst alone won’t bring Dainix under control, his input and genuine concern (I really feel that “PLEASE!”) has certainly got the ball rolling.
Tahraim has knowledge of V.D., eh? I suppose that was foreshadowed in his “Four world-shaking powers” comment in 1-12-10; he at least had some idea what threat Void-Erin posed back then. Question is, how deep does his V.D. knowledge go?
Did he go to his adamant cage, curious about it’s construction in ages past? Could Haol, god of darkness and de facto god of the caves, have informed him at one point? Maybe V.D. even contacted Tahraim in a worth-a-shot attempt to get him to make a tool to free him?
However, it’s his dialogue about Void potentially being more that what V.D. thinks it is, that is fascinating to me. A good side to hunger? A deep reason of self-actualisation and potential for growth, a simple reason like how we’ve made eating an enjoyable and social pastime, or a logical reason of “it’s ok, just do it in moderation” like other elements?
I posted a link a few pages back of Red saying that “It (Fire) can also temper other elements, strengthening and purifying them.” Could Tahraim be implying that Dainix can purify Void into a less-malicious form? Or is he hinting at the Void => Light and vice versa transmutation?
Predication for next week: Tahraim’s intervention, likely a part of Dainix’s “forging” for Caliban that is still ongoing, will continue, resulting in one of the scenarios I mentioned above. Leading to Dainix reforming back to base form to the relief of Falst.
… Then Nessie will show up.
One of the many ways I access this comic is through an external link that automatically takes me to 2.2.19 and lemme tell you when I saw Erin saying “we won’t be needing any divine intervention” and then immediately cut to them getting divine intervention I nearly died laughing.
number of dream dimensions: 4
number used for therapy: 2
wait is he visiting tarhim ephemerally?
My favorite* deity has returned! And he’s as cryptic as ever!
*tied for favorite with like 4 other deities. no one tell him
I love the comments section whenever Tahraim shows up, we just can’t get enough of our favorite frustratingly cryptic machina-exing deus!
I find it interesting that Tahraim is A) aware of what the Dragon thinks, and B) questions its understanding of what by all accounts should be its own element. He seems far too smart and far too knowledgeable to do either of those without reason, but then I must wonder: what could his reasons be?
TL;DR: We gettin the gods involved with this one.