How many days can Alinua last without sleep anyway? Falst can only manage a couple before checking out by his own admission, and I can only assume that he is more of an exception than a rule.
Factor in that she didn’t exactly sleep through the night last time, and that she broke the prison, had to heal void damage again, etc… running on flumes would be the generous interpretation, there’s so little left that even homeopathy would say it wasn’t there.
Take it from someone who once woke up in the library with no memory of how I got there: You cannot stop naptime, no matter how worried or upset or in pain you are. Either sleep will claim you, or death will. Better to let it be sleep.
True, Katfeathers. Falst is substantially sturdier than average, though. I think he might be tougher by default than Alinua, though when she channels her magic in the right way, she can likely take more total punishment.
On the subject of Alinua, poor gal. I hadn’t considered how her past interacts with her time with Kendal, and his decision to sacrifice himself.
I think we need a chapter that’s just Tess and Dainix having a therapy session with everyone cause these poor people are so self destructive we need them all to just get hugs and weighed blankets (well I guess Tess is already on that)
I have long since gotten over the fact that Kendal and Alinua are not ever going to be a couple. But Red, I’m probably not going to be the first or last person to ever tell you that if you DID decide to write them that way you’ve already built an extremely solid and believable foundation.
That said, I will enjoy their excellent friendship.
I do agree with you Sliver, they would make a great couple because they already have a fantastic foundation. Much better than any ‘love at first sight’s couples I’ve seen. But at the same time Kendal probably has no reference or desire for a romantic relationship and Alina is obviously struggling with some codependency issues. Every relationship needs work, but I’m so glad that Red gave us this one, whether it be a ship or just friendship.
well said by both. I agree that they have a good foundation and beautiful friendship, but I also agree that they both have too much going on mentally for it to develop into something romantic
I don’t know which of the “Aww, Alinua likes Kendal” or the “Wow, Alinua needs to see a therapist that specialises in codependency” is the more appropriate read
Why does is have to be this or that? My therapist has been trying to teach me that it can be this and that, even if they’re opposites because humans are COMPLICATED and we’re allowed to feel multiple things at once. So, Yay Aluna likes Kendal! A LOT!! and yes… She needs therapy!!
High key love the second bubble in panel 4. Idk, it might be the “over and over again” emphasizing the cycle going on, or just the shading around the eye area and Alinua’s whole look. Either way, it just does such a good job at showing how exhausted, stressed, and generally not-okay she is.
This entire page is a thesis on why self sacrifice isn’t a noble/positive trait and I’m here for that.
Yeah Tess has definitely been thrown in the unenviable position of being the only one with even a moderate degree of self-awareness and self-assurance in a group full of overstressed messes. Which is kinda funny, considering she ALSO has a super traumatic backstory (slavery, and all that), she just kinda had a better time healing herself over the last few years via travel and self-discovery.
Tess’s face in panel 6 makes it look like she speaks from personal experience; she’s probably thinking of her own past unsparked enslavement, or of Erin beating himself up over everything that goes wrong, or more likely both.
I like how simply Alinua speaks of her relationship to Kendal for Tess. This allows our storyteller to add images of its meaning to Alinua and add emphasis to its importance to Alinua in panel five as she squeezes the sword- she’s literally trying to hold on Kendal after not being able to wake man-Kendal up. The alt-text did not bring out the funny irony to my mind, but hey you did super job with the other parts Red! Don’t sweat past failures and just remember less is sometimes better and you have set very high standard for yourself!
Tess (awkwardly): O … kay, how about you? What’s your story?
Alinua: I was born on a chain of flying islands which my parents threw me off shortly after I was born. I was adopted until I discovered I was harbouring the chimeric plague. Then I ran away from home and have spent the past decade quietly awaiting my inevitable demise-
Tess (more awkwardly): Alright! … Wow. … This is going to be a long night.
I’m no psychiatrist, but even I can see the problems with being codependent on a guy with a martyr complex. Alinua’s decade of isolation means she need some kind of window back to the world, but this is too far. She can get along well in his absence too; her and Falst’s escapades in Zuurith were chaotic, but healthy between the two.
Learn to be nice to yourself and get some sleep; basic but incredibly valuable words of wisdom. Tess is facing an uphill battle playing therapy to Alinua but I don’t think she’ll give up this easy; Tess isn’t a therapist, but she’s also not a quitter.
Art wise I like how panel 8 harkens back to how Alinua was depicted during her unstable magic phases from chapters 2 and 3; lots of power behind a fragile mortal shell. The last two panels are brilliant as well, matching Alinua’s words to fitting illustrations.
It suddenly occurs to me that Tess (so far) seems to be good at self-care and managing her own mental health, but has limited success playing therapist to anyone else. In contrast, her brother has ✨issues✨ and is fantastic at doling out advice that other people listen to.
the second to last panel is so, so cute. I love their friendship very much <3 but also, hooo boy alinua has some issues that definitely need addressing
Ok this page is calling me out unnecessarily and I am offended. Let me help my loved ones while neglecting my own self-worth in peace, thank you very much.
Don’t mind me while I scREAM. Honestly, this entire group just needs to find a safe place to rest, preferably not in the wilderness and in a nice hotel or something, and have group therapy over hot chocolate and waffles. That’s all I ask.
And you say you dont understand Romantic subplots! Platonic or otherwise Alinua definetly cares for our floofy boy. Probably more than we can understand or she can articulate
Also, the noticeable similarity between Alinua’s green eyes, and the blue gemstone as they contrast the dull background is probably deliberate. There’s a ton of subtle stuff always alluding to that gemstone being an eye.
I don’t know how long this comic will run, but something which would be cool is if Alinua were to meet her old family. Not her biological parents who threw her out as an infant, but her adoptive family whom she left to protect. Not that I don’t think the relationships and friendships she has now are not important, but it would be nice for her to reconnect with people who love her, so she can have more of a support system and wouldn’t need to rely on Kendal as much.
For mobile readers.
Alt-text: “to honor him in his absence I am recreating his unwise sleep habits”
Image source: try
How many days can Alinua last without sleep anyway? Falst can only manage a couple before checking out by his own admission, and I can only assume that he is more of an exception than a rule.
Factor in that she didn’t exactly sleep through the night last time, and that she broke the prison, had to heal void damage again, etc… running on flumes would be the generous interpretation, there’s so little left that even homeopathy would say it wasn’t there.
Take it from someone who once woke up in the library with no memory of how I got there: You cannot stop naptime, no matter how worried or upset or in pain you are. Either sleep will claim you, or death will. Better to let it be sleep.
Wow, intense last words there my friend! I thought I’d never be grateful for the opposite problem… Sleeping too much!
I suspect being “Life’s Chosen” likely makes her more of an outlier than Erin.
True, Katfeathers. Falst is substantially sturdier than average, though. I think he might be tougher by default than Alinua, though when she channels her magic in the right way, she can likely take more total punishment.
On the subject of Alinua, poor gal. I hadn’t considered how her past interacts with her time with Kendal, and his decision to sacrifice himself.
She explains what he was, how he broke her free
And relentless hero complexes are bad, they agree
This had to be the top contender for the most worrying thing anyone has said in the entire comic mental health-wise
Emotional support tess!!
I should be asleep, but I couldn’t resist trying to be the first to read the new page.
ow ow ow ow ow my heart ow ow ow ow-
I think we need a chapter that’s just Tess and Dainix having a therapy session with everyone cause these poor people are so self destructive we need them all to just get hugs and weighed blankets (well I guess Tess is already on that)
I require the Dainix as therapist content.
Yeah, this is not a healthy attitude here, Alinua.
The alt text was beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.
I have long since gotten over the fact that Kendal and Alinua are not ever going to be a couple. But Red, I’m probably not going to be the first or last person to ever tell you that if you DID decide to write them that way you’ve already built an extremely solid and believable foundation.
That said, I will enjoy their excellent friendship.
I do agree with you Sliver, they would make a great couple because they already have a fantastic foundation. Much better than any ‘love at first sight’s couples I’ve seen. But at the same time Kendal probably has no reference or desire for a romantic relationship and Alina is obviously struggling with some codependency issues. Every relationship needs work, but I’m so glad that Red gave us this one, whether it be a ship or just friendship.
well said by both. I agree that they have a good foundation and beautiful friendship, but I also agree that they both have too much going on mentally for it to develop into something romantic
Aaaaaad now I’m crying…. At least partly because I’ve lived that whole with/without sort of dichotomy before. Not the exact same… but close.
Sinto muito meu amigo ?.
Dang, wish I had a Kendal in my life
I needed to know this about Alinua, because I hadn’t considered the lasting impact of her isolation.
I don’t know which of the “Aww, Alinua likes Kendal” or the “Wow, Alinua needs to see a therapist that specialises in codependency” is the more appropriate read
Por qué no los dos?
Personally, I think it is the latter.
Why does is have to be this or that? My therapist has been trying to teach me that it can be this and that, even if they’re opposites because humans are COMPLICATED and we’re allowed to feel multiple things at once. So, Yay Aluna likes Kendal! A LOT!! and yes… She needs therapy!!
So many of these adorable people need to be HUGGED so much!
High key love the second bubble in panel 4. Idk, it might be the “over and over again” emphasizing the cycle going on, or just the shading around the eye area and Alinua’s whole look. Either way, it just does such a good job at showing how exhausted, stressed, and generally not-okay she is.
This entire page is a thesis on why self sacrifice isn’t a noble/positive trait and I’m here for that.
Tess is the only one in this group with a proportionate sense of self-worth, isn’t she?
Yeah Tess has definitely been thrown in the unenviable position of being the only one with even a moderate degree of self-awareness and self-assurance in a group full of overstressed messes. Which is kinda funny, considering she ALSO has a super traumatic backstory (slavery, and all that), she just kinda had a better time healing herself over the last few years via travel and self-discovery.
Tess’s face in panel 6 makes it look like she speaks from personal experience; she’s probably thinking of her own past unsparked enslavement, or of Erin beating himself up over everything that goes wrong, or more likely both.
I like how simply Alinua speaks of her relationship to Kendal for Tess. This allows our storyteller to add images of its meaning to Alinua and add emphasis to its importance to Alinua in panel five as she squeezes the sword- she’s literally trying to hold on Kendal after not being able to wake man-Kendal up. The alt-text did not bring out the funny irony to my mind, but hey you did super job with the other parts Red! Don’t sweat past failures and just remember less is sometimes better and you have set very high standard for yourself!
Agreed! Masterful work here Red!!
Symbolism! Yay!
Tess (awkwardly): O … kay, how about you? What’s your story?
Alinua: I was born on a chain of flying islands which my parents threw me off shortly after I was born. I was adopted until I discovered I was harbouring the chimeric plague. Then I ran away from home and have spent the past decade quietly awaiting my inevitable demise-
Tess (more awkwardly): Alright! … Wow. … This is going to be a long night.
I’m no psychiatrist, but even I can see the problems with being codependent on a guy with a martyr complex. Alinua’s decade of isolation means she need some kind of window back to the world, but this is too far. She can get along well in his absence too; her and Falst’s escapades in Zuurith were chaotic, but healthy between the two.
Learn to be nice to yourself and get some sleep; basic but incredibly valuable words of wisdom. Tess is facing an uphill battle playing therapy to Alinua but I don’t think she’ll give up this easy; Tess isn’t a therapist, but she’s also not a quitter.
Art wise I like how panel 8 harkens back to how Alinua was depicted during her unstable magic phases from chapters 2 and 3; lots of power behind a fragile mortal shell. The last two panels are brilliant as well, matching Alinua’s words to fitting illustrations.
It suddenly occurs to me that Tess (so far) seems to be good at self-care and managing her own mental health, but has limited success playing therapist to anyone else. In contrast, her brother has ✨issues✨ and is fantastic at doling out advice that other people listen to.
Siblings, amirite?
Oh hey, I never thought of that before. Cool!
this is a very serious and sad moment but the abruptness of that second panel made me WHEEZE
Poor gal really needs to sleep
man, the visual storytelling of the last three panels is just *mwah, chef’s kiss
the second to last panel is so, so cute. I love their friendship very much <3 but also, hooo boy alinua has some issues that definitely need addressing
Ok this page is calling me out unnecessarily and I am offended. Let me help my loved ones while neglecting my own self-worth in peace, thank you very much.
aliNUAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Don’t mind me while I scREAM. Honestly, this entire group just needs to find a safe place to rest, preferably not in the wilderness and in a nice hotel or something, and have group therapy over hot chocolate and waffles. That’s all I ask.
And you say you dont understand Romantic subplots! Platonic or otherwise Alinua definetly cares for our floofy boy. Probably more than we can understand or she can articulate
Thanks for this isolation perspective of characters. I would love to make a character like this and work it through the story.
Also, Tess, now it’s your turn. How many dragons have you punched?
Man, listening to some of Bear MCreary’s pieces while reading this almost made me cry. She’s so sad
Also, the noticeable similarity between Alinua’s green eyes, and the blue gemstone as they contrast the dull background is probably deliberate. There’s a ton of subtle stuff always alluding to that gemstone being an eye.
TL;DR: The unhealthiest thing about this relationship is that you keep trying to die for each other. But don’t tell her that.
if you listen really closely you can hear my heart shattering
*SCREAMS*
I’M SORRY I SHIP IT
I SHIIIIIIIP IIIIIIIIT
I don’t know how long this comic will run, but something which would be cool is if Alinua were to meet her old family. Not her biological parents who threw her out as an infant, but her adoptive family whom she left to protect. Not that I don’t think the relationships and friendships she has now are not important, but it would be nice for her to reconnect with people who love her, so she can have more of a support system and wouldn’t need to rely on Kendal as much.
Sounds like Alinua is AtTaChEd
Hey, tesserox, I ship them too