An extremely on-the-nose visual representation of his ethical dilemma, complete with the Void Dragon as his shoulder devil, and I must presume Alinua/Life Mum as his shoulder angel.
Yeah. That tracks for Erin. For as “smart” as that boy is, he’s basic as HECK.
… Kendal could probably break those bonds I would imagine.
Good news: Erin wasn’t awake so doesn’t realise these two have been out and the guards aren’t after them; they have been saved from a Ruunaser earful. Bad news: Alduin is playing the “give hero bad dreams”/guilt trip card.
Kendal seems to be the focus of this dream, probably because of his recent imprisonment. It does show Erin genuinely isn’t happy about the situation; maybe guilt at coming to Zuurith in the first place for something he cannot get to that’s only got his friend imprisoned. Void-emort is certainly hitting the rawest nerves.
See how Erin’s hand move between the second and third panels? Tugging at the sheets, or bringing his hands over the dragon tattoo? I wonder what that book and pedestal represent in his dream, the pure white with blue colour seems similar to V.D.’s Other, the speculated Soul Primordial/White Dragon. Is it just a part of Erin’s dream or has White managed to locate Erin at last and is examining the situation?
Imma sort the characters! (I dunno if Red al*red*y did that but imma do it anyways)
Vash-Gryffindor
Kendal-Gryffinpuff (Gryffinpuff and not huffledor since I think Gryffindor is more dominant.)
Alinua- Hufflepuff (she’s the mom friend)
Erin-Slytherclaw (tbh I think neither ravenclaw or slytherin is more dominant in Erin, he just hovers in the middle)
Falst- Gryffindor (would definitely be friends with the twins and lee)
Tess- Huffledorclaw (I don’t really know Tess that well yet since she’s only had a couple lines so I’m on the bridge for where to put her, I might change this later on)
Dainnix- Gryffinpuff (he and Kendal are pretty similar in personality imo)
VD- Slytherclaw
The collector- Ravenclaw (slytherins have a strong sense of self preservation, she clearly has none)
I have no idea who else to put 😛
yay it’s voidy! his font makes me laugh a little because the shape is pretty jolly-looking for the voice of an ancient eldritch personification of entropy or whatever
Ooooo! Are we into the angsty ‘confront your flaws in your dreams’ portion of the story? Kendal would risk himself for anyone but Erin seems to be the only person willing to let him. I wonder if this is the first time Erin has had this dream or if they’ve been ongoing for a while.
God Erin is so dramatic I love it. He’s imagining Kendal chained up, head bowed under the weight. Meanwhile, Kendal is doing chill therapy with his cellmate.
OH SHIT, HELLO! I wonder if this is just Erin’s mind imagining this conversation, or if The Void Dragon is actually speaking to him. I’m leaning towards the latter, and if that’s true; well done, Erin, for possibly putting up with his monologuing every single night.
I honestly wonder how they’d all feel if they saw that Kendal was just hanging out having a chat and that, at least so far, the main difference between the Prison and the hotel room is softer chairs.
Azmus: I’m gonna push back against this. Kendal, as we’ve seen repeatedly, is both wholly unconcerned with his own pain and completely capable of escaping almost any kind of imprisonment designed for regular mortals. But something that concerns Kendal a great deal is the pain and suffering of others, and now he’s been coerced into an enormous fortress designed specifically to inflict suffering on untold thousands of people. Just existing in that prison and knowing the depredations happening all around him is torture for Kendal.
Even with an emotional intelligence as stunted as his, Erin probably knows this on at least some level. Hence his dream version of Kendal being shackled to the floor. He knows that very little can *physically* restrain and torment Kendal, but he also knows that just being there is probably emotionally damaging to our floofy blonde boi. He still hasn’t figured out why exactly, or at the very least feels Kendal may be taking this whole “mass incarceration” business a little too personally, after all, if Zuurith says that they belong in prison, then surely there must be a good reason for it? And as for the innocent bystanders who were abducted, well, they shouldn’t have been standing so close to justice.
But make no mistake, Kendal is indeed having an awful time in that prison. He’s doing what little he can to alleviate the suffering of his cell mate, but knowing that he could materially help him (and all the other prisoners) and yet being held back from doing so is just about the worst thing you could do to him at the moment, short of calling up the Collector and having her start flossing her teeth with the trapped souls of Vash’s people.
Evil Tree:
Maybe Erin storming into the archives got their attention.
Erin: “Perhaps you should direct me to your superior!”
The Light Dragon (voice echoing through the building): “I am the manager, you overcurious little pissant.”
comicalbanana:
The Void Dragon: “Rise and shine, Mr. Ruunaser. Rise and… shine. Not to imply that you have been sleeping on the job. No one is more deserving of a rest. And all the effort in the world would have gone to waste if… well… let’s just say your time has come again. The right man in the wrong place can make all the difference in the world. So, wake up, Mr. Ruunaser. Wake up, and smell the ashes.”
How much does Falst know about the dragon? Has Erin explained everything to him yet? Becuase by the lools of their discussion earlier, it didn’t look like it, but now…
Evil Dragon making a comeback now? All the villains in a story seem to have a coordinated schedule. It’s like they’re working together to torment the heroes. When that happens the immersion breaks for me. I honestly don’t know why because I’ve heard it just ups the ante.
Will they tell Erin? Does the Void Dragon not realize that Erin is currently alone and perfectly primed to be possessed at this moment? Is it attempting to appeal to his sympathy rather than his ego? Is it about to teach him how to play crokinole?
@ThengaMudiyan It doesn’t feel that way to me. I mean, how long has it been since the last Void Dragon incident? A long time in terms of pages, but I don’t think it’s been that long in terms of in-universe time (especially if we cut out the travel segments we skipped past). To me, it feels like the Void Dragon has been lurking in the background this whole time, and we’re only seeing it act now.
Wait… is the Void Dragon going to be like, “hey you can avoid putting your friends in danger if only you, oh i dunno, say, LET ME IN AND USE YOU!!!” is he gonna offer to grant some of his power and promise to not take control, or is he simply hurting Erin?
The Sleep Saga continues with an exciting new entry, Bedtime for Erin: Walter Strikes Back! I’ve been waiting for this ever since it was teased on page 7 of the chapter!
Finally, the Sleep Saga continues with a new and exciting entry, Bedtime for Erin: Walter Strikes Back! I’ve been waiting for this ever since it was first teased!
And now we settle in for a good old-fashioned Trolley Dilemma style debate: Does Erin choose the book, and thus the knowledge that could free him from the Void Dragon and stop his cataclysmic plans, saving the lives of everyone on the planet but sacrificing Kendal–or does he choose Kendal, his friend, at the expense of everyone else and himself? Of course, this being a dream, Kendal and the book are both symbols, representing two different character paths, and the choice will reveal what kind of person Erin is deep down..Or is it really that simple? After all, the Void Dragon is here, and given what we know of his powers and his interest in this quandry–and his attempts to influence Erin previously–it is far more likely that there is something very important at stake here, if only Erin can figure it out in time. After all, deals with the devil, or choices made in situations like this one, very rarely end well…
Also, did anyone else find it strange that, after taking to the rooftops to avoid the guards, Falst and Alinua are having a conversation as they walk past one? Somebody must have rolled a Nat One on Perception…
So it appears that we have a kind of ‘what you do in the dark’ scenario right here. Even though it’s just a dream, it’s most likely that Erin will have to choose between Kendal or a book of knowledge or something. I feel like it’s going to be a trap either way as helping Kendal will cause ol’ VD to do… something. But if he chooses the book, and it is a book of knowledge, he’s going to either be stuck in a coma as there is always more to learn and Walter’s going to take over his body every now and then with Erin unable to zap himself again or he’s going to see something that makes him distrust his friends. Of course, there is no actual evidence and I’m just speculating about where this might go.
Just a theory though…
Do your job, Ruunaster. Kendal may not be a proficient human yet, but he understands the gods. Trust his judgment in this case and don’t waste time.
PS. I notice you have many tattoos on your right arm. I know of someone who is looking for you.
I dunno, i feel like that if VD starts trying to argue that Erin should stop trying to learn more about him, that’s pretty solid reason to try and learn more about him.
Fair enough. I might have misread or misremembered something–I could’ve sworn there was a curfew or something of that nature, but that may not be the case. Although didn’t Tess at one point start rooftop-running and set the guards off?
TL;DR: Ah, when the baddie torments a hero by making them feel guilty. Classic.
Also, thanks for all the appreciation from the previous page- I’m amazed every time I get complimented but wow….I’m not really used to meaning something in a community being a loner most of the time.
Also, sorry I’m late. My parents got me a video game. Need I say more?
In response to many of the above: Yeah that ‘Release Kendal’ Vs. ‘Learn Knowledge’ conundrum is probably the purpose of this dream. I get the impression Shara Ish-void-a wants Erin to choose ‘Release Kendal’; whether that means there is something to be gleamed from the Paladin Archive, V.D. is concerned with being so close to Paladin H.Q. for an extended period or part of a scheme to control Erin remains to be seen.
I also get the impression Voidy isn’t aware of Tynan approaching and about to make the stay or go decision moot. I think there’s a disconnect between the primordial gods and the regular gods preventing one from detecting the other; Gleicann couldn’t see anything unusual about Alinua but V.D. saw Life in her clear as day. If the reverse is also true then Tynan’s arrival will be a big surprise and immediate threat for V.D. and if he takes any direct action it may sick the Paladins on him too.
Alright I know that generall the more “heroic” option is saving your friend,
but literally the only reason Kendal hasn’t broken his way out of prison yet is so you can get the info you need to,
you know, STOP THE VOID DRAGON FROM DESTROYING THE WORLD.
Kinda important, Erin.
Also, if VD is trying to tempt you away from information about him, that’s quite a flag that is could help you.
Alright, got my message to the character out of my system, thank you for your patience.
I’m predicting it now. Alinua and Falst get back all ‘yeah, turns out you were right Erin, it’s really more complex than just ‘let’s lead a jailbreak” and Erin is just sitting bolt upright in bed shaking like ‘let’s lead a jailbreak’.
EvilTree’s idea about VD and Tynan is probably right. In 1.5.20, VD sees Life in Alinua while Kendal shows up as ordinary instead of his usual godly blue. What is interesting, though, is that Alinua’s life vision sees both Gleicann and godly blue Kendal in 1.9.16. So Life can see gods, but VD can’t.
You’re welcome! I’ll try and keep up on this, then, and go back and do thr the previous pages if needed. I don’t remember who was first doing it, if anyone was.
Seems like it’s time for
Erin and Void Dragon to
have a little chat. 😉
Ooh! Walter is giving Erin Harry P. Nightmares.
Well that’s what it seems like to me, Harry’s nightmares are kinda like this
Good morning Void how are you doing?
(Also “evening” ? Isn’t it the middle of the night?)
(Bonus)
Erin angsty time?
Void Dragon exploiting time?
Sure does seem like it!
An extremely on-the-nose visual representation of his ethical dilemma, complete with the Void Dragon as his shoulder devil, and I must presume Alinua/Life Mum as his shoulder angel.
Yeah. That tracks for Erin. For as “smart” as that boy is, he’s basic as HECK.
no no, you’ve got a point
When you stare into the void, the void stares then talks back.
Please for the love of God choose kandel
I see we are laying the groundwork for a battle in the center if the mind
… Kendal could probably break those bonds I would imagine.
Good news: Erin wasn’t awake so doesn’t realise these two have been out and the guards aren’t after them; they have been saved from a Ruunaser earful. Bad news: Alduin is playing the “give hero bad dreams”/guilt trip card.
Kendal seems to be the focus of this dream, probably because of his recent imprisonment. It does show Erin genuinely isn’t happy about the situation; maybe guilt at coming to Zuurith in the first place for something he cannot get to that’s only got his friend imprisoned. Void-emort is certainly hitting the rawest nerves.
See how Erin’s hand move between the second and third panels? Tugging at the sheets, or bringing his hands over the dragon tattoo? I wonder what that book and pedestal represent in his dream, the pure white with blue colour seems similar to V.D.’s Other, the speculated Soul Primordial/White Dragon. Is it just a part of Erin’s dream or has White managed to locate Erin at last and is examining the situation?
Sick Voidy drawing, but what’s the book for?
To 737373elj, its knowledge, atm it’s the paladins archives, but Erin has always been looking to know more, even if that objective proves detrimental.
Imma sort the characters! (I dunno if Red al*red*y did that but imma do it anyways)
Vash-Gryffindor
Kendal-Gryffinpuff (Gryffinpuff and not huffledor since I think Gryffindor is more dominant.)
Alinua- Hufflepuff (she’s the mom friend)
Erin-Slytherclaw (tbh I think neither ravenclaw or slytherin is more dominant in Erin, he just hovers in the middle)
Falst- Gryffindor (would definitely be friends with the twins and lee)
Tess- Huffledorclaw (I don’t really know Tess that well yet since she’s only had a couple lines so I’m on the bridge for where to put her, I might change this later on)
Dainnix- Gryffinpuff (he and Kendal are pretty similar in personality imo)
VD- Slytherclaw
The collector- Ravenclaw (slytherins have a strong sense of self preservation, she clearly has none)
I have no idea who else to put 😛
I am aware of the horrible pun I made
yay it’s voidy! his font makes me laugh a little because the shape is pretty jolly-looking for the voice of an ancient eldritch personification of entropy or whatever
ohhhh boy rise and shine mr. freeman
Oh great, going for the guilttripping now.
Also, did anyone else read the “weird metal women” part and read it in a Monty Python voice?
Ugh. So many questions. The comic is both really good and really frustrating, but in a good way.
Ooooo! Are we into the angsty ‘confront your flaws in your dreams’ portion of the story? Kendal would risk himself for anyone but Erin seems to be the only person willing to let him. I wonder if this is the first time Erin has had this dream or if they’ve been ongoing for a while.
To Indigo Toxin:
V.D.(in a snakey voice): Eeeeerriiiiinn Rruuuunnaaaaassssseeeerr
I mean, to be fair, he’s done it like… 2 times, anyways.
Erin, do not listen to the evil dragon of killing everything. He is not gunna say anything helpful.
Hello Darkness, my old friend.
Dream sequence!!!
Hello Erin! Been awhile.
Strange metal women, chucking lightning, looking for you is no basis for a system of government..uhh I mean no reason for concern.
@IndigoToxin Horrible Phobias Lovecraft’s darkest nightmares?
@KSClaw: Weird metal women are no basis to handling out side-quests!
Walter is back, and it’s time for a moral dilemma!
God Erin is so dramatic I love it. He’s imagining Kendal chained up, head bowed under the weight. Meanwhile, Kendal is doing chill therapy with his cellmate.
How much does Falst know about the dragon? Has Erin explained everything yet?
to be honest that metal chick seems like the epitome of “don’t shoot the messenger”
Our heroes have avoided arrest,
and are now returning to rest;
the Void Dragon speaks
While Erin still sleeps
as his morals are put to the test.
I know I’m not much good at this but it gives me something to do.
OH SHIT, HELLO! I wonder if this is just Erin’s mind imagining this conversation, or if The Void Dragon is actually speaking to him. I’m leaning towards the latter, and if that’s true; well done, Erin, for possibly putting up with his monologuing every single night.
(minus the nights you get insomnia)
I honestly wonder how they’d all feel if they saw that Kendal was just hanging out having a chat and that, at least so far, the main difference between the Prison and the hotel room is softer chairs.
For Kendal anyway.
Azmus: I’m gonna push back against this. Kendal, as we’ve seen repeatedly, is both wholly unconcerned with his own pain and completely capable of escaping almost any kind of imprisonment designed for regular mortals. But something that concerns Kendal a great deal is the pain and suffering of others, and now he’s been coerced into an enormous fortress designed specifically to inflict suffering on untold thousands of people. Just existing in that prison and knowing the depredations happening all around him is torture for Kendal.
Even with an emotional intelligence as stunted as his, Erin probably knows this on at least some level. Hence his dream version of Kendal being shackled to the floor. He knows that very little can *physically* restrain and torment Kendal, but he also knows that just being there is probably emotionally damaging to our floofy blonde boi. He still hasn’t figured out why exactly, or at the very least feels Kendal may be taking this whole “mass incarceration” business a little too personally, after all, if Zuurith says that they belong in prison, then surely there must be a good reason for it? And as for the innocent bystanders who were abducted, well, they shouldn’t have been standing so close to justice.
But make no mistake, Kendal is indeed having an awful time in that prison. He’s doing what little he can to alleviate the suffering of his cell mate, but knowing that he could materially help him (and all the other prisoners) and yet being held back from doing so is just about the worst thing you could do to him at the moment, short of calling up the Collector and having her start flossing her teeth with the trapped souls of Vash’s people.
Evil Tree:
Maybe Erin storming into the archives got their attention.
Erin: “Perhaps you should direct me to your superior!”
The Light Dragon (voice echoing through the building): “I am the manager, you overcurious little pissant.”
comicalbanana:
The Void Dragon: “Rise and shine, Mr. Ruunaser. Rise and… shine. Not to imply that you have been sleeping on the job. No one is more deserving of a rest. And all the effort in the world would have gone to waste if… well… let’s just say your time has come again. The right man in the wrong place can make all the difference in the world. So, wake up, Mr. Ruunaser. Wake up, and smell the ashes.”
How much does Falst know about the dragon? Has Erin explained everything to him yet? Becuase by the lools of their discussion earlier, it didn’t look like it, but now…
*gasp* Another V.D. monologue! My prayers have been answered
Evil Dragon making a comeback now? All the villains in a story seem to have a coordinated schedule. It’s like they’re working together to torment the heroes. When that happens the immersion breaks for me. I honestly don’t know why because I’ve heard it just ups the ante.
Will they tell Erin? Does the Void Dragon not realize that Erin is currently alone and perfectly primed to be possessed at this moment? Is it attempting to appeal to his sympathy rather than his ego? Is it about to teach him how to play crokinole?
Tune in This Week and Find Out!
@ThengaMudiyan It doesn’t feel that way to me. I mean, how long has it been since the last Void Dragon incident? A long time in terms of pages, but I don’t think it’s been that long in terms of in-universe time (especially if we cut out the travel segments we skipped past). To me, it feels like the Void Dragon has been lurking in the background this whole time, and we’re only seeing it act now.
Wait… is the Void Dragon going to be like, “hey you can avoid putting your friends in danger if only you, oh i dunno, say, LET ME IN AND USE YOU!!!” is he gonna offer to grant some of his power and promise to not take control, or is he simply hurting Erin?
The Sleep Saga continues with an exciting new entry, Bedtime for Erin: Walter Strikes Back! I’ve been waiting for this ever since it was teased on page 7 of the chapter!
Finally, the Sleep Saga continues with a new and exciting entry, Bedtime for Erin: Walter Strikes Back! I’ve been waiting for this ever since it was first teased!
FRICK I WAS JUST EXPECTING A JOKE THAT HE WAS AWAKE THE WHOLE TIME OR SOMETHING
I knew on some level that Erin sleeping was leaving himself wide open for Voidy to pull some shenanigans but like goddamnit not again
And now we settle in for a good old-fashioned Trolley Dilemma style debate: Does Erin choose the book, and thus the knowledge that could free him from the Void Dragon and stop his cataclysmic plans, saving the lives of everyone on the planet but sacrificing Kendal–or does he choose Kendal, his friend, at the expense of everyone else and himself? Of course, this being a dream, Kendal and the book are both symbols, representing two different character paths, and the choice will reveal what kind of person Erin is deep down..Or is it really that simple? After all, the Void Dragon is here, and given what we know of his powers and his interest in this quandry–and his attempts to influence Erin previously–it is far more likely that there is something very important at stake here, if only Erin can figure it out in time. After all, deals with the devil, or choices made in situations like this one, very rarely end well…
Okay, I’m gonna give this a try and we’ll see how it goes:
Today’s Alt Text:
Don’t make a thing out of it, dude, he does that for everyone
Also, did anyone else find it strange that, after taking to the rooftops to avoid the guards, Falst and Alinua are having a conversation as they walk past one? Somebody must have rolled a Nat One on Perception…
(Possibly more than one somebody…)
@Skye I figured that the rooftop run was more for speed than secrecy—have to climb the prison eventually, also.
So it appears that we have a kind of ‘what you do in the dark’ scenario right here. Even though it’s just a dream, it’s most likely that Erin will have to choose between Kendal or a book of knowledge or something. I feel like it’s going to be a trap either way as helping Kendal will cause ol’ VD to do… something. But if he chooses the book, and it is a book of knowledge, he’s going to either be stuck in a coma as there is always more to learn and Walter’s going to take over his body every now and then with Erin unable to zap himself again or he’s going to see something that makes him distrust his friends. Of course, there is no actual evidence and I’m just speculating about where this might go.
Just a theory though…
Do your job, Ruunaster. Kendal may not be a proficient human yet, but he understands the gods. Trust his judgment in this case and don’t waste time.
PS. I notice you have many tattoos on your right arm. I know of someone who is looking for you.
Wait, something feels twisty. Turn-y. Somethings happening here……
ooooooooh do i sense some GUILT?
The blue lighting is really cool
Jesus Christ…. starting to think that maybe the chapter title is a little too accurate
I get the distinct impression that very soon Kendal being in time out is going to be the least of their problems….
I dunno, i feel like that if VD starts trying to argue that Erin should stop trying to learn more about him, that’s pretty solid reason to try and learn more about him.
To TeaJay:
Fair enough. I might have misread or misremembered something–I could’ve sworn there was a curfew or something of that nature, but that may not be the case. Although didn’t Tess at one point start rooftop-running and set the guards off?
To, JexxicaJade
Yeah exactly. Somethin don’t feel right.
TL;DR: Ah, when the baddie torments a hero by making them feel guilty. Classic.
Also, thanks for all the appreciation from the previous page- I’m amazed every time I get complimented but wow….I’m not really used to meaning something in a community being a loner most of the time.
Also, sorry I’m late. My parents got me a video game. Need I say more?
Somebody:
Out of curiosity: which game?
Its gonna be pretty wild if Walter ends up having better morals than Erin does…
To, Somebody.
Hell yeah say more!
What game was it?
Also, yeah the community is great. Happy ya feel welcome. 😀
In response to many of the above: Yeah that ‘Release Kendal’ Vs. ‘Learn Knowledge’ conundrum is probably the purpose of this dream. I get the impression Shara Ish-void-a wants Erin to choose ‘Release Kendal’; whether that means there is something to be gleamed from the Paladin Archive, V.D. is concerned with being so close to Paladin H.Q. for an extended period or part of a scheme to control Erin remains to be seen.
I also get the impression Voidy isn’t aware of Tynan approaching and about to make the stay or go decision moot. I think there’s a disconnect between the primordial gods and the regular gods preventing one from detecting the other; Gleicann couldn’t see anything unusual about Alinua but V.D. saw Life in her clear as day. If the reverse is also true then Tynan’s arrival will be a big surprise and immediate threat for V.D. and if he takes any direct action it may sick the Paladins on him too.
Alright I know that generall the more “heroic” option is saving your friend,
but literally the only reason Kendal hasn’t broken his way out of prison yet is so you can get the info you need to,
you know, STOP THE VOID DRAGON FROM DESTROYING THE WORLD.
Kinda important, Erin.
Also, if VD is trying to tempt you away from information about him, that’s quite a flag that is could help you.
Alright, got my message to the character out of my system, thank you for your patience.
Hello Darkness, my old friend
I’m predicting it now. Alinua and Falst get back all ‘yeah, turns out you were right Erin, it’s really more complex than just ‘let’s lead a jailbreak” and Erin is just sitting bolt upright in bed shaking like ‘let’s lead a jailbreak’.
EvilTree’s idea about VD and Tynan is probably right. In 1.5.20, VD sees Life in Alinua while Kendal shows up as ordinary instead of his usual godly blue. What is interesting, though, is that Alinua’s life vision sees both Gleicann and godly blue Kendal in 1.9.16. So Life can see gods, but VD can’t.
Not to interrupt all the intelligent plot discussion but who sleeps with their pillows like that
(Also erin Would sleep on his back like he’s in a coffin)
Battle in the center of the mind, let’s go!
To Skye
Thanks for putting the alt text in the comments! I’m on mobile so I can’t really see them for my self. Who’s chat Bubble was it in?
ITS WALTER
To Indigo Toxin:
You’re welcome! I’ll try and keep up on this, then, and go back and do thr the previous pages if needed. I don’t remember who was first doing it, if anyone was.
pov: Erin has a crush
Alt text: don’t make a thing out of it, dude, he does that for everyone