1.20.34
on March 13, 2023
at 3:00 am
And that’s a wrap for chapter 20!
To give myself a little time to build up the comic buffer again, I’m going to take these next two weeks off (because it would be hypocritical of me to say “prioritize your health as a creator over your art” this many times and then NOT do it) so chapter 21 will begin next Monday, March 27! <3
looking forward to when the comics return and glad you’re looking after yourself
seconding!
Thirding!
Fourthing!
Fifthing!
Sixthing
Sixthing!
Seventhing!
Eighthing!
Nthing!
Aurora Question #45: On a scale of 1-10, how badly is Falst’s arm broken?
He can still move somewhat, so…
5/10
I think we’re looking more at a scale of 1 to À̸̧̼͙͚̜̮̺̫̝̜̟̘͋̎͑́͝A̵̹͗̀͘͝A̶̫̤͇̙͚̩̐̊̔͗̒̕A̶̫̠̼̱̮͂͛͌̎Ǎ̶̢̢̛͎͕̥͚̮͎̭̙̹̜̝̂͝ here
How did you make the text do that?
Copy and paste fonts
Just Google -En Passant- Glitchy text Generator
ḩ̴̀͛̑͋̕ö̸̹̽́̎͋͆l̵̥̃̕y̵̢̝͇̆̓ ̷̣̩̬͔̱̇͝h̴̜͕̺̪͔͎̄̿̋ͅe̴͕͔͋̃͛̒ͅl̵̤̜͉̞͙̏͂ḽ̵͍̼͂͛̏̎̈́̃͝
I’ll say 7. Im pretty sure the only reason he could still move his arm/is not crying in pain is cause if adrenaline.
I’d say about a 6/10 but that’s mostly because anime has made my sense of fictional arm health get to the point where not dislocated, no exposed bone and can be moved under adrenaline = fine, if going by my sense for real people arms I’d give it a 10/10 on the pain rating.
Uhmmm 7 or 8. Like, 7.5 maybe. I think it’s gotta be broken in at least three places at this point.
It depends on how fast and how good Falst’s healing factor is- to just a little if high or moderate to severe if low or normal.
For mobile readers.
Alt-text: it has been 11 real months since falst broke his arm
Image source: allies
At this point I have no idea, if it weren’t for the plot armor (ferin) I’d think he were dead.
He can still move it somehow, so 5/10
Oh fu- wrong comment
I’m not sure about other mobile readers, but personally I can read the alt text if I tap & hold the image and then press the bit above where it says “open in new tab” and all that (next to the little version of the image. )
Gave that a shot since I’m rereading on my phone, today. Didn’t work for me, but hopefully it helps some others.
Speaking frankly, Falst could use some first aid
And it’s time that his angst at last he evade
I am back after a year of absence! And now fully caught up. ?
Entering a needed break, right as the boys do so.
See y’all in two weeks!
Time to take first aid.
Don’t let pride get in the way.
Now let’s talk it out.
(Bonus)
Now it’s time for rest
Since it lets you do your best
On what will come next
Having some respite
Replenishes your own might
Lets that spark ignite
Yes Dainix! Bully him into being healthy!
Woo! Go Dainix!
Dainix has the strongest power of them all: convincing Falst to take first aid.
sad mrrow makes me sad
Fighting the urge to spend the next to weeks poetifying as much of the backlog as possible… and probably losing.
Click the link that as my name to see the archive of all my ballasting, as ever.
*ballading
Tosh! (smile gently in forgiveness at @Goodbye)
Awesome can’t wait to read?
Wait, that’s a *thing you can do?*
Dang!
I love it! Thank you for your ballast of ballad. Good work!
He’s becoming self-aware!!!
*snigger* Dainix is amazing, he’s got no mercy for poor Falst…
Take a well-deserved time off! For us readers, we’ve got an entire archive to re-read and rediscover things… can’t wait to lose hours on that! (It’s a good archive, okay?)
Take a well-deserved time off! For us readers, we’ve got an entire archive to re-read and rediscover things… can’t wait to lose hours on that! (It’s a good archive, okay?)
I read the whole backlog in 3 days and just got to see a new upload! Nice. Take care of yourselves, Falst and Red.
Have a nice break!
somehow, despite the looming threat of exploding into a giant unstoppable rage driven fire monster and the trauma associated with it, Dainix continues to be the most emotionally stable/healthy person here.
at least from the outset, like I know the bar is kind of low already, but my god
I am pretty sure the threat of becoming a rage induced fire monster pushed Dainix to get his emotions under control real quick.
Also, I think that he is probably the one with the healthiest social dynamics in his backstory? No chosen one, no slavery, no puedo deity, no ostracization… He might have actually learned good emotional regulation and social skills from home ?
Wouldn’t that be a novelty, a loving happy childhood for a protagonist lol
Coincidentally, the next page will be up on my birthday! I hope you have a good break, Red, and I eagerly await your return 🙂
happy early birthday!
Hope you have a good break Red!
YES, I was just thinking this past arc “gee, I wonder how Red is keeping up this pace of production; she’ll probably need to take a break soon” and I was RIGHT. I love being right.
So take all the time you need Red; the comic’s come a long way and gotten wayyy more impressive artistically. I can and will wait.
when I see some artist taking a break, my first thought is always to rickroll them. “We know the game and we’re. gonna play it!”
aaaaaand if you ask me how I’m feelin’
Red’s prioritising her health Falst. You want to be like Red, don’t you?
Sounds great Red, take your time to build that buffer and relax. Three updates a week is already much more than I expect for webcomics; you deserve a breather.
Understandable to see Dainix rightfully mad at Falst’s stubbornness. Dainix is used to being part of a team of warriors that rely on and look out for each other; Falst’s individualism no matter the circumstance must be hard to work with. Now that I think about it, this teamwork backstory of Dainix could help the gang in the long run if he teaches the gang to work together. Right now they may be on the same side and follow the same plans, but they fight as individuals.
Ah, the tribulations of a loner character gaining friends for the first time; we talk about Falst being the one with common sense, but in reality he can be just as self sacrificing as any of them. A smiling Dainix about to threat a resigned, snarking Falst; I appreciate Red for ending the chapter on this before the break and not a cliffhanger.
The perfect time for a break! Falst gets some time to rest and so do you.
“I DON’T need help. I never have.”, says man in desperate need of help for several years
I love Falst…
Dainix: Yes, hello, you may address me as ‘Vox Populi’
If there was an upvote, you would be the most deserving of one.
There once was a floof of hair
Who was very determined to care
For and mend
His loner friend
Despite the said friend’s glare.
Heh, catboy angst.
Build that buffer, Red. We’ll be here
Waiting
o.o
Waiting … lurking … anticipating – as Red does the SMART & SANE choice of taking a small break. ^_^
This is a good time to read all the archives again & notice new comments made there by OTHER folks also doing the re-read.
Yes! Finally, Dainix got rightfully mad at Falst’s bullsh*t! It’s a lot harder to escape a dangerous situation when your teammate repeatedly refuses help out of spite.
What does he mean, exactly, when he says “Which is what we’re trying to solve”? The fact that he says that after “because you’re here” makes it sound like Falst is trying to find a way to get Dainix out of the group. But then he slumps down on the floor in defeat. Either he’s realized the futility of trying to abandon Dainix, or Dainix’s presence is not what Falst is trying to solve. Maybe he’s referring to the group’s pervasive self-sacrificial tendencies (“I only took that hit”), and slumps on the floor when he realizes how much of a hypocrite he’s being. Or maybe it’s something else and I’m oblivious.
I think it is simpler than that — Falst is trying to solve “Dainix is stuck in a dungeon”. He clearly isn’t as worried about himself getting out, although presumably he will eventually realize that food and water are rather critically lacking resources, but perhaps he’s worried that Dainix will be subject to elemental corruption? Or maybe it’s just a Freudian slip admitting that he’s being selfless at a deeper level…
The way I’m reading it is an ego-saving pretext. AKA “ok since *you’re* the reason I’m hurt, I’ll let you make up for your mistake. But just this once!”
I don’t think it’s out of spite, exactly. Falst has been let down so profoundly by others, and is not convinced these guys won’t ditch him, too. If they care about him, and he cares about them, it will hurt that much more when they inevitably part ways, as he fully expects they will. He anticipates that pain, and would almost rather not be with a team if it means going through withdrawal afterwards.
I love how this scene plays out with Dainix offering aid and Falst snapping and growling at Dainix until he looks at Dainix sincere and slightly hurt face and realize he has gone too far and silently surrenders to Dainix sensible request. As Dainix verbally wags his tail Falst half-heartedly denies it while looking away sheepishly. And it reflects Red’s inner struggle between doing what she wants to do and what she needs to do in her own life, showing emotional maturity.
But I am preaching to the choir. Sorry friends! And if Red says I’m wrong, I am! (smile)
Has anyone else noticed that the color of the text for chapter 5, the void dragon, and next chapter are all the same? I have no idea what it means but the coloring feels intentional and maybe somebody can derive something from that.
I hypothesized a few pages ago that, based on the title and the cover’s spooky void hands, Stone and Shadow is going to center around The Singing Caves, via an event in Falst’s backstory (evidenced by his traumatized reaction to the cave crawler and his younger presence on the aforementioned cover) and/or a gated entrance to them in the bunker (evidenced by the cave crawler being in the bunker in the first place and the fact that the robots here are made specifically to attack “cave folk”). The text colors reinforce this prediction in my eyes (thank you for spotting that).
Wait…is this…
Goddamnit, I can’t believe it took me until NOW to realize that these two are literally playing out the classic buddy-cop story! “Dammit, Falst, you’re not a lone wolf anymore! You’ve got to let me help!”
Well now I’m going to be disappointed if this doesn’t end with them walking away slow-motion with their backs turned to the exploding ruins.
Have a nice break red. You’ve been working hard!
Also Dainix’s smile in the last panel is adorable
Dainix: Truth or Dare?
Falst: Truth
Dainix: What’s up with your traumatic backstory?
Falst: Dare
Dainix, pulling out a first aid kit: ACCEPT HELP FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE!!!
Is something weird going on with Dainix’s spear in panel three?
TL;DR: GET A THERAPIST, CATBOY!
To be honest, every member of the group barring one could use a therapist. (It’s Tess. Tess is the therapist. Dainix is a therapist who needs therapy.)
Tess is secretly the ‘Big Guy’ not because of her immense strength or massive height, but because she’s an emotional damage sponge, which… now that I’ve written it is a lot sadder than I expected.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Tess becomes the main emotional support pillar of the group, only to crumble under that weight after a few arcs of trauma. She seems like she’s got her baggage together, but she might not be able to handle everyone else’s.
You could say she’s dealing with surface pressure
PRESSURE LIKE A DRIP DRIP DRIP-
Taking a break is a good thing, but I’m amused by the return date. The next post is gonna be on my birthday. XD
Happy almost birthday! (Resisting the urge to comment on the fact that you’re an aries)
…I don’t know how to put it gently that you failed step one on the “not commenting” thing. (/joke) Also, who really puts much stock into zodiacal personalities, anyway? Who you are as a person is defined by your experiences over the course of your whole life, not by the time of year in which you were born.
but it’s SO accurate, like, I’m a Taurus, which means I’m hungry and sleepy, and guess what? I do need food and sleep in order to survive (it’s just so unique and distinct to me, you know?)
yeah, horoscopes don’t actually mean much, but they’re just a bit of fun, and an essential part of queer culture
…I’m queer, and I don’t give a flying f*ck about horoscopes. And neither do any of the other queer people I know. I wouldn’t call it essential.
okay, well, not to you. maybe essential is a bit much. but it’s just a vibe, y’know?
Would you look at that, we have the same birthday 🙂
This page is a great birthday gift
Random question, but I’ve been wondering for a while. Do we know anything about Dainix’s parents?
Word of Red’s Tumblr is he has a mom and a dad. They helped him get the stuff he needed to transition. I think that’s all Red’s said about them.
While Mondays are going to be tough without Aurora, I’m glad Red’s taking a break for a minute– putting out three pages a week for years straight has got to be tiring.
In the meantime, we can predict what’s going on with all the group members… (all of this depends on where we’re going this chapter, we’re most likely staying with Falst and Dainix, and possibly getting some Falst flashbacks (Falstbacks?) but may get a few pages with the others, possibly.)
Kendal- waking up in the next couple chapters, perhaps?
Alinua- if Kendal wakes up, she’d be relieved but also REALLY mad at him for all of this
Erin- probably has not slept in days at this point
Dainix- *psychoanalyzes falst*
Falst- *gets psychoanalyzed* also it looks like we’re gonna get some backstory soo…!
Tess- whatever Tess is doing right now, also maybe some more Tess + Alinua conversations later?
Also, I just have to say, I love this trope where one character is forcing the other character to pay attention to their own health and caring for their wounds, it’s just **chef’s kiss**
If y’all have any ideas as to what’s going to happen that are different and/or more specific, please tell me! I’d love to hear 🙂
I have a theory that we will also cut to how the V.D./Erin situation is doing. Maybe a nice little chat in the center of the mind? IDK
ooooo I would love to see that, next chapter if not this one
Dainix: Wow, you really need therapy.
Falst: WHAT! NO I DON’T!
Thanks for the story so far.
Glad to know you’re taking them breaks!
Everyone will ship them now.
Have a nice break, and see you in two weeks!
welp I guess now would be the perfect time to go back and re-read the whole comic
Enjoy your break! I look forward to forgetting that you’re on break and checking this for a week and a half, and then forgetting about it just before you resume and then binge reading months worth in half a year
New to the comment section, hi! I’ve been reading this comic for about a month and I want to join the comment community.
Awesome!! It’s always good to have new people, welcome 🙂
While we wait the week and a half for a new page, I would like to share a crackpot theory I have. I think that the Lady or V.D.’s other, or what ever you want to call her, is Soul. I think she is the soul dragon. Remember the prologue? Someone awakened the souls of the humans etc. and the colour palatte matches as well. If you have any evidence for or against this, please comment.
Hi there, happy to have you.
I think that is pretty clear. Honestly it would be a huge twist if the void dragon’s other was anything besides the light dragon.
A question I am currently working on is how the Ferin fit into it all. When looking at how Falst is interacting with the ancient technology, it could either be because as Dainix suggests he has inherited a lot of ancient blood, but it could also be that because he is a Ferin, he is just as magically inert as the Ancients were, and that is why their technology is distinguishing him from others. I then wonder if the ability to reactivate ancient society is why the wandering mage created the Ferin curse in the first place. It is still unclear as to why the ancients died out, but having one of their cities annihilated during the creation of the storm couldn’t have helped, and it might have made some swear off any kind of magic ruin tampering entirely as they watched their society crumble. Thus, creating the ferin curse could have been the last act of an ancient hoping to revive his society in the future. IF Falst is not unique in his ability among Ferin to activate ancient technology, then the Ferin would be the best successors of the ancients to revitalize the dead society, and their innate magical inability would prevent them from making the errors of their fore bearers.
I definitely need more information but I think it is an interesting hypothesis.
To AspiringWriter: I think that’s a great theory- that the light dragon is soul, which void is the opposite to, and that anything alive requires both void and soul to survive!
To Bibbly Bio: I have this weird theory that ferin were created by, if not the Collector, then a similar mage. I don’t think it could be her, just because the lore page talks about ferin having existed for a millenium and the Collector’s only been around for 3 centuries. Maybe it was an attempt to recreate the glory of the ancients by recreating the ancients themselves! I know Falst looks fairly similar to the Ancients we’ve seen in the comic. Just a thought!
Correct me if I’m wrong, but Falst has that lacrima/robot brain on his person for some of this – isn’t that the reason the tech likes him?
Noted. *Proceeds to return to the beginning to binge* “No, I don’t care if it takes me longer than a week and a half to get to the present, that just means more strips in the buffer (:”
I’m getting some big himbo vibes going on here. I can’t tell who’s the himbo though. It’s just like, in the air. There is himbology occurring.
MEMES! (I have changed the names and some of the words, but you should recognize the meme) Enjoy!
Vash to Collector “Let’s tell each other a secret about ourselves, I’ll go first. I hate you.
Tess: Hey bro, what do you want for breakfast?
V.D. THE SUN ITSELF
Erin: A bagel.
V.D. NOOOO
Erin: Two bagels.
Tess: Broo
Erin: Yoo
Tess: Hey, what’s with the extra tattoo?
Erin: I forgot to mention, I got possessed.
Tess: What do you mean you got possessed!
Literally any protagonist: Hey, how you doing, well I’m doin just fine. I lied, I’m dying inside.
Kendal trying to make an inspiring speech: The only thing we have to fear is fear itself. And weasels, those little buggers will get you.
If I get enough positive reinforcement, I will resume the memes.
Keep sharing memes, we gotta cope with the hiatus somehow. May I add one to the pile;
Tahraim whenever plot happens: https://youtu.be/pafQzKMzBeo
Two more, just for you 🙂
Alinua when everyone keeps trying to die: NOT ON MY WATCH, NOT ON MY WATCH
Tess: This is.. so dumb
Erin: The higher I am, the better I can see
Tess: You, you can fly.
Erin: Hush now, Tess, I am searching.
I just make these up through out my day, here’s some more! I literaly just listened to a bunch of DiVine Deities (don’t know how good they are)
Erin: Do you wanna hear a chemistry joke?
Tess:…
Erin: Is that a no?
Tess: Oh sorry, did you want a REACTION?
Kendal holding his sword: If you are listening speak to me.
Vash: JUST A CITY BOY! BORN AND RAISED IN
Kendal: serious regrets
Everyone during the Tynan boss fight: People ask me how I get the wet look in my hair. I tell them I use “Essense of Tynan” gel. They say “What’s that?” I use the @$#% rain!
Falst when he’s mad: Don’t mess with me! I have the power of God and anime on my side! AAAA
Alinua when someone is injuring Kendal: If what I think is happening, is happening, it better not be.
I’ve commented this one before, when someone was collecting vines to possibly animate
Vash during the chapter 10 fight: Um,, I just felt a random ~ burst of energy and I think it’s my body’s last hurrah! before it ~completely~ shuts down-
Also
Tess: “STRIKE ME DOWN, ZEUS!!” (thunder rumbles in the distance) “YOU DONT HAVE THE BA-” (Gets zapped)
The chemistry joke is great.
Kendal whenever a living being crosses their path: Mom can we keep it?
Alinua: *sigh*
:D!!
A meme a day keeps the boredom away!
V.D. I fear no man, but that thing
The colour green
V.D. It scares me.
When the updates start again I hope to post one meme per update. See you then! P.S. from now on I shall be Meme Lady, Lady of the Memes
Oversimplification of my prediction for Dainix and Falst’s dynamic in the near future:
https://youtu.be/YzdM3uc67Ns
I swear I had a good collector meme but I can’t remember it try as I might
And with that, I am all out of (comprehensible to anyone but me, able to be viewed in video or written format) memes… I’m kinda dissapointed, didn’t think I’d run out this early
Here’s a meme (don’t know how popular it is tho)
Dainix: First aid time! Let me help yo-
Falst: No
D: Let me help you
F:No
D: Let me help you
F: NO
D: . . . Don’t let me help you
F: *holds out injured arm* don’t tell me what to do, *çËñŠøRēD*!
3 more days until the hiatus ends! I’m so excited!
2 more days!
We’ve entered the last 24 hours, everybody stAy CaLm-
T̷̤͈͙̐͠h̵̳͈͊é̶̼̱͖ ̶̧͍́̿͝ḙ̷̉͗ṅ̸̩̳͜͠d̸̛̳̪̎̈́ ̵̡̰͘̕o̴̥͖̾f̷̢̪̻̑̿̒ ̵̗̩͖̄t̶͇̪̀h̵̰̮̟̓̄̇e̶͚͚͘ ̶̠̤͔̅h̵͖͓͍̽́́ĭ̸̟ạ̸̜̔̆t̸͍͂u̵͈̬̰̔ṡ̸̝̰͚͘͠ ̸̀́̒ͅå̸̛̻̳̞̑ṕ̸̝͋̊͜ṕ̵̧̲̬̌r̴̻͉̣͒o̴̡͓̓a̷̠̦͍̿̊͝c̴͕͈̜̽̈́h̶̨̦̳͘ë̶̗ͅs̶͙̤̏̾͛.̴̺͇̓͒͒.̴̝̗̞̽̈́͝.̸͖̭̠́̕
A quick reminder to all that due to daylight savings time, The next page of Aurora will likely be posted an hour later than usual. I mean most of you probably remember that , but if I’d forgotten I’d be really confused for a second, I mean we’re just exciting a hiatus, so…
P.s. remember to set your non-digital clocks at the correct time when that happens!
I don’t so daylight savings, so no clue how it will affect me. My area ignores it, its amazing.
Kendal, the soul’s enigma given form.
Alinua, Life’s vessel to some end.
Erin, haunted by a dark and dread wyrm.
Falst, who is in dire need of a friend.
They quest to free a God and beat Darkness
And so seek knowledge of their foe in tome.
Joining them in their search is one called Tess,
And Dainix who had been banished from home.
Though recent encounters have left them bruised,
And unknown foes have stolen some to shadows,
Falst’s mysterious past can now be used
To see how far this intrigue truly goes.
Their humble tale I now recount to thee
In the form of this lyrical summary.
Hey I’m thinking of making a thing, but first can someone please tell me how to pronounce Alinua?
Is it like A-Lee-Noo-Ah or something different
Red has been asked this a ton of times. She personally pronounces it ah-LIN-wah;
A as the a in arm, lin rhymes with tin and ua as in one without the n sound at the end.
I think she implied we can pronounce it however we want, though
Okay, thankyou!
rereading this bit and would like to point out that, since this page was published, 11 more real months have passed and Falst’s arm is still broken