King of Swords 9-124
Chapter: 9
“It is often speculated upon why Concordant Knights start their pre-combat prayer for forgiveness of violence with an attempt to propitiate Aesma, by far the most violent, rampant, and willful of the gods. The answer, as I was told by one particularly old angel who held watch over a decaying section of the king’s road, is extremely simple: if anything was horrendous enough to offend Aesma, it was enough to offend all the other multitudes of gods, thus the prayer is started by opening the largest flood gate of them all, so to speak.”
– Musko Reeve, Manual of Hands and Feet
O Flame, that which flickers and dances upon the kindling of souls.
Have mercy upon your cold sparks!
O Flame, that which rages and crackles and roars beneath the stoking of Gods,
Have no mercy upon the shadows you cast.
O Flame, that which ignites the verdure and chokes old life for the new,
Have no mercy for the smoldering past.
To beg forgiveness of a horrid god is to accept that you have reached the truth within the lie. We are all made of violence and love, but have yet to learn which one will win out. YSUN forgive us. We know not what we pretend to.
Well if this isn’t the truest thing I’ve ever heard. What a fellowship we have.
Friend, I hear tell of a small world on the edge of creation that has found the truth of it. Though even there few love truth and refuse to listen. On that singular lonely world they tell of the highest of gods who told them the answer.
Both must win.
For love cannot exist without willingness to fight for it. Either fighting with ones own laziness which prevents embracing love or fighting the cruelty of another that seeks to destroy it. Love requires willingness to fight the entire world to create it. ALONE, if need be.
Preach it, sister. And, since nothing is as violent or loving as self-destruction, here, have a round of liquor. It’s on me.
white chain is a guy
Or mayhaps it’s just good to have it as a boast, y’know? I can recitate an entire prayer and defeat you with but a singular technique is a pretty powerful demoralization thing.
Ne’er have I been so thrilled to see a battle amongst angels. Here’s to hopin’ White Chain leavin’ her shell doesn’t mean she’ll end up stuck in the void.
Side note, I’d hate to be on the receivin’ end of the Pattram Sword Hand. Since it uses a fair bit o’ stamina, I wonder how long Juggernaut Star can keep up the onslaught.
I’m honestly unsure. I’m not too familiar with fighting styles outside of the cold worlds I ship some specialty ices from, and many of those rely on rapidly exposing one’s opponent to an environment they simply are not geared to handle, while keeping oneself warm.
I am not exactly sure, but I suspect the female angel has been intentionally limiting herself to an environment that–while not impossible for her to survive in–was at the very least making matters difficult for her. I wonder–if she survives, will she seek a new body more suited to her form?
If Allison and Friends are good at anything, it’s ignoring what should or shouldn’t be possible via sheer stubbornness. I wouldn’t be surprised if White Chain is able to keep herself intact without her armour – Becoming the first angel to actually do something new in a long time.
Calling it now:
The next evolution is Cio+Alison+White Chain together as one.
A demiurge, masked with a devil, armored by an angel, in harmonious balance together.
I had called this before: Ally will snort angel fumes for a different kind of high than with Cio. A 3-way os a long time off, though, I think. But the prophecy DOES rather demand her to show off both flames by her side.
But isn’t ignoring what should be possible by sheer stubbornness the Essence of Royalty?
Pree/m Etc, it is a very thought-provoking hypothesis you have.
Koss knew that the White Flame of Un’s eye and its shards were too ferocious, terrible, harsh and cold to bring back into the world, thus he had to smother them with the ashes from his hearth.
Perhaps sister White Chain, of any of us, is now the least harsh and cold, and thus, may be able to exist in the world without her forged receptacle ?!
If not, then as her vessel would not last but another Pattram fingernail strike, one hopes there’s a little room in brother Vigilant’s, or that she may find another of a form more suited to her, after a brief sojourn to the Void.
Stoneyarse Chain gotta be backwise Voidbound t’be fulfillin thum’s own omenlike name!
Isn’t 81 times enough?
“Oh, as many times as it takes for the message to sink in.”
19 Suddenly, Dolores Umbridge, evil angel.
A flanking white flame
rises, free from all falsehoods,
to subdue evil.
I note a suspicious lack of Cio.
Be Safe, Small Blue One.
They went missing the previous page where we probably should have seen her.
I think we can safely assume she’s fine because plot armor.
Or more than fine, and readying up a nice Finale for after the others soften Thornyarse up.
It seems to me that in this battle a new form we haven’t seen will arise before the end, a green/gold ciocie/yab.
If so, I wonder what her name will be? Did she already say it, or when she went through her phases from blue to ebon and back, did she do so too quickly like the ebon who tried to drink Allison under the table.
Another question I have for you K6BD sleuths: Has anyone explained why Allison’s name sounds like ‘All-Yisun’?
One knows no more of the whereabouts of that little devil, nor what may transpire with her in the future, than any other here. One would doubt Cio would wish the attributes of any of the so-called higher coloured devils; her mastery of the Art will best the better part of them anyway. She seems content with her life and her love and her cooking. One also thought Allison was first crawling towards her, but then she went to White Chain instead.
Several have been the comments on All-Yis-Un. It fits nicely with the prophesy of the rising king if she is flanked by a white and a black flame. Zoss interestingly called her Alice, and she was certainly as comparably lost in a wondrous land as that other Alice.
Wanda her middle name may be the soundalike to wander, and she is a wanderer – but is also a kind name, if chosen specifically, there was a Polish folkloric Princess Wanda who was kind. Likewise her surname Ruth means kind, compassionate and merciful – cf ruthless. And has the added humorous bonus that one of the Earths has a religion where a Ruth was the granny (with one or two greats) of both a Solomon and a David.
Time for a hobnob, and something to dip it in.
THREE WAY FUSION. LET SEE IT
I was about to say I feel a Trinity coming on…
There are angels, and then there are angels. The number of reincarnations is not the only way to rank angels; it can, in some cases, be counted how many stone bodies an angel goes through, when such defeats are sufficiently in the public eye to be recorded. Poor White Chain is, I believe, the record holder for most shells discarded, as I think we are about to see evidence of.
There is an angel at the other end of the scale. Eventually, we will have the dubious pleasure of seeing 2 Michael need to fight – the only living angel who only fell once. He who, from the ascendance of Zoss, protected his single vessel against all that came – demiurges, ebon devils, vatra, other angels. What a great scene that will be! Michael falling for the second time, at the hands of a Rising King!
For you see, I think White chain understands, on some level, a truth that others have forgotten:
Everything dies. The reasons may change, but that fact remains the same. Reach heaven through violence.
The number of reincarnations doesn’t represent destroyed armours, but times Aeon’s true body has been “killed” forcing them into cycle of reincarnation… Which normally only happens in the Void, but since White Chain is projecting herself away from the ash armour anchor… I’m worried
2 Michael only 2 Michael cos thum been a lonelysome broke Aeon for millennia, wallowin in self-pity wi them spears. Hidin thums feardy sorry birdyass, steadn o doin thum duty. Muchsome lesser’n alla they gigantisome Primes.
Actually, I wonder how he isn’t gigant like the primes, even if he is still pretty big when nearly all angels are relatively close to human height, give or take a few meters (we haven’t seen any dwarf angels yet).
Tis a strangesome ponderance right enuf. Paltry poultry he, if stood next his hibernatin brothers.
Wonder if’n the twins an geometric rubiksnake (fae Voidside Koss’ hearth when 10 the dustyarse voyeur were there) ‘d be diddisome on the real plane?
By the time Zoss killed the Primes, we of the Multiplicity were already dead, so even the First of the Secondborn had to settle for smaller shells that could be forged by mere mortals.
Un-Fel forgive, in the Void we are not constrained by forged vessels, we witness all my sleeping Prime brothers titanic forms, but brother Michael’s true Void-form is not so, and we wonder why. Perhaps, he constrains his form through his own will, and the density of his essence is the greater?
White Chain’s got a brand new bag.
@itsguooo on twitter said it best: “IT’S TIME TO CRACK THIS EGG ONCE AND FOR ALL”
Looks like Vigilant Gaze is winding up for a Falcon Punch.
hah, gay
Abso-fuckin-lutely!
Yessssss, let the cleansing fire be freed.
You say fire, but it seems to me that the vapor angel is condensing.
ok getting a little worried for cio, wherever the hell she is. really hoping she scuttled off somewhere long before faceknivesmcstabby over there started throwing finger flenses.
“Hell hath no fury”
In other words, if you think demons are wrathful, you’ve never seen an angel get angry.
All the good mecha have sub-arms
When facing off against one of our fallen siblings, I find the best tactic to be one of diversion. Hold the villain’s attention while your ally slips a knife between their ribs.
Honorable combat is reserved for honorable foes. The wicked have earned ignoble ends with ignoble deeds.
That is the problem with epic prayers and intricate spells, they take for bloody ever. I prefer short and poigniant ones myself. The good old “Take this!” has never failed me.
When I hear the supplication for violence I break into a cold sweat, look about quickly and wonder if I shouldn’t put a few more universes between me and the last angel I offended.
Words may win the battle before the bloodshed has begun.
Aesma’s Tits but is all kickin off now! Now Dustyarse’s said ‘is sorries, watchen out fris cracklin right fist! Already left us! Safe distance an a Blacken Ague Ale ta quaffen on!
Remember, the whole show is available on Worm-per-View HDTV, all courtesy of your friend, Gog-Agog! No need to leave the confines of your favorite watering hole, not at all.
Finesome idea an nae mistook. Watchen the tourney on the Gog Show us, tho nae pal o any, she. Unother few drams o envejecidoso blood brandy, an all be vasterly grand.
Why do people always seem to want fights to end QUICKLY? As my master always taught me, the best kind of fighting is composed of pure defense, and prolongs the conflict for so long that your opponent begins to question if fighting you was even worth the effort anyway, and eventually retires in pure disgust. That way, instead of dealing them a single “defeat”, you completely eliminate them as a problem forevermore!
Oh, so your master is a fellow student of Adamant Shield Body? Wonderful! It’s the only combat art that makes an invincible defense an unstoppable offense.
Smashing your opponents into paste also provides a permanent solution, generally speaking.
PASTE !
Now delivered in Blueberry, Raspberry, or Gooseberry colours !
( but not flavors ! )
Don’t expect to get any PASTE from Aeons, instead I suspect there’s just of whiff of exotic gasses.
For a noble Aeon : “Ahhh – OZONE !”
For a stinker : “Aaggh ! Hack, Gasp…sputtter – Phosphine ! Ack !
Would Aeon paste just be cement?
Not that one is offering to test this out.
The crowd is getting its money’s worth. The survivors anyway.
I like to think Solomon David would not tolerate the negligent maiming and/or manslaughter of a free citizen of his realm.
I’d hope that Solomon would be wise enough to cancel the whole event if he expected duelling angels to take it over. After all, he’s not likely to pick an angel as his successor.
Or just say “Last non-Angel standing.”
Technically, the prize of this tournament is “whatever the winner wants, within Solomon David’s considerable power to grant”. It’s assumed that most people badass enough to get to SD and hurt him would desire to claim his throne. But that might not be everyone’s goal, and Angels particularly have little interest in acquiring dominion. At least in ages past, Angels prefer to serve (the Law).
The purple flame barrier is still in place, so I don’t think and spectators have been killed – except those who have died of shock.
After some consideration, I read Jaggernaut Star’s words with sarcastic intonation, like “Well, _this_ can be said and done much faster than your oldschool forgiveness rumble”. Spiky bastards, the Thorns.
Epic as always. Love the composition of the last frame, Pattram’s style at use and both additional texts. Great.
Meanwhile, how did Allison’s boots reappear two pages after her clothes did?
She found them lying under some rubble as she crawled towards White Chain, then decided it’d be for the best to put them on before running for their lives xD
They regenerated.
Those things have an instinctual active camouflage that kicks in when they feel they are in danger, or you are late to a party.
You fool, that’s her skin.
It is a universal truth that transfigured clothing always reconstitutes from the undies outwards. Otherwise, many a heroine would have been caught wearing her bra on the outside, like Madonna.
I like Masked Mannerism’s explanation best. This feature seems to occur only with human accoutrements, however, since Cio’s clothes decided not to make an appearance. But then demons are always perfectly dressed for every occasion, no matter what they’re wearing. Oscar’s wardrobe, for example, could probably start a cult.
It is so natural to angels as to go unremarked: Krayu Mat is performed with the true body, not the armour, since since it dates from a time when angels fought in the void and wore no armour.
Likewise, Vigilant Gaze’s remark about White Chain’s body not lasting long did not refer to her armour. This is an unhappy thought.
Our sister carries more than determination within her shell! S T A N D and we shall see how far she can push our arts!
Certainly Solomon David and Gog-Agog, along with all other spectators, are getting their money’s worth.
Such a tangle of root and choking thorn; this one’s barbs are the worst I have ever seen. I dread to think how much will be overturned, lost, and undone in their pruning.
I hope that White Chain lives up to the fullness of her name.
White Chainsaw?
Forged in Emptiness Returns to Subdue Evil
Okay this is epic
But what happened to Cio? We haven’t seen her in 3 pages, I’m honestly worried now
I suspect the Thorn is about to face a battle on two fronts. Two foes in two planes of existence at once. Could be a challenge. But Juggernaut Star has been known to have two bodies and is of two minds.
Name your acts for full effect
and win chance to get swiftly decked.
The connoisseur cannot correct.
Friggin’ love this guy.
Also, White Chain said trans rights.
Ha! Bold of White Chain to go off at Allison for being ‘reckless’, then proceed to fight everyone stark naked and vulnerable (which she seems to make a habit of). Yes I’m judging you, little miss 82nd reincarnation. I don’t know of any other angel who has died that many times. Even Liminal Blossom, a criminal whose entire job is violence, is only on 23.
She died lots of times, but all in the service of justice. Being an angel, surely each of her deaths were to very powerful beings, that is, dangerous ones. Is it not admirable for an immortal being to be willing to lose a few incarnations to save the innocent? It is a sign that she doesn’t back down to save her own skin.
Of course it’s admirable. The point is if you’re going to chastise your student for being reckless, you might want to practice what you preach.
What is loose in Throne nowadays that could possibly bother an Angel? She is powerful and cunning enough to defeat a baby demiurge. I suspect that White Chain’s many deaths were during the Universal War, and I ascribe them to desperation, not recklessness.
(If this is right, WC’s current incarnation may be a long one, having started before the rise of the Seven and the end of the War.)
Ha! There are things loose in Throne that could topple gods. Desperation is just recklessness with a little extra spice.
…Woe be he who mistakes the rider for the steed.
We don’t even know where the wheel body is though, and there was speculation on the previous page that Juggernaut Star might not be using it.
Neither of those are her bodies either.
It’s time to return from emptiness to subdue some evil!
Born in Emptiness an Returns *there* fer Evil Subduin little flame, thinken us. Lookit Birdyarse Michael’s towersome tempest o angels gathered, fer the uttersome extirpatin o life on Throne! He’s not aw sweetness an light that un.
I hope Cio is safe and scrambled her way to her book of paper magics… might need it for retreat from the arena once Salomon decides to join the fun
I’m wondering if Cio is going to be a little peeved that Allison ignored her and ran to help White Chain. In any case, Cio may have joined up with Zaid and the Intruders to form a punk band.
To quote a popular song of the ’90s/early 2000s, “Somebody’s gonna get their head kicked in tonight.”
White Chain’s about to square up, get em
Well… of course he got wiped in the next page…
He’s just defending while he says the Prayer. I don’t think he’s actually taken damage yet.
Zhangar speaks true. There is much “violence [Vigilant Gaze] is about to do” once he completes his prayer.
His shell may be old, but it is of exquisite make. I’ve seen them take undefended blows that would smash a tree to splinters with nary a mark upon them. I would not expect these buffets from Juggernaut Star to have done much more than scratch the finish.
In the wreckage of the early spasms of the universal war many aeons had their shells destroyed and returned to the void. I became something of a collector of their remnants-ash armors are one of the only containers strong enough to pot snakeiron root while it is growing. Perhaps if White Chain loses her head I could acquire it. It would be a lovely vessel for lily.
Yes, madam, I have no doubts that discarded angel shells are particularly rare and lovely vessels. The only problem is any items placed therein tend to be utterly annihilated when said angel decides to reclaim what is theirs.
Eh, the Throne City Transit Association makes buses out of the big ones.
The trick is to stuff the mobile joints full of unbound black flame.
One wonders if the buses and war tanks shall e’er be refilled with white flame. One sees no reason why not, they are functional vessels, with a devil drive. It would be a shame for the passengers, tho one would not feel the same for those little unbound devils doing the driving.
Nay, Pulcherinna, I am no fool. My collection has but the broken remnants of armor; a greave, forearm, or at least partially-intact head make for striking vessels. Broken pieces of the shells of thorn knights can be used-sparingly-for visual puns in a well-planned garden.
But the unbroken shell of an aeon…that is no decoration. They almost always return eventually, and I dare not presume even the most restrained concordant knight would take kindly to its shell being stuffed full of verdure.
Better verdure than ordure.
I hope you do not speak from experience.
Armor is not always for the protection of the wearer. I recall a duel when I was a mediocre warrior who thought I was great, where I battled a foe who wore his armor instead to seal his reckless and overflowing power. I hope that White Chain is wiser than that fool, who assumed that because he couldn’t control his power none could.
I believe White Chain is about to open her very own pressure-sealed little ‘ol can of whup-ass for her little ol’ friend Juggy Star.
Care for a taste, o thorny one?
White Chain body upgrade time so she can get some tiddies!!!
The tiddies were inside her all along.
Or inside her clothes.
Where most people keep em, really.
Well, our beloved sister might prove to her appretience once more, her new found abillity to change, to learn, by following the Allicio fusion. The armor of Vigilant Gaze seems roomy enough for two, especially if Krayu Mat is applied. 10 limbs and two wings strong, should give even the Speaker for Thorns a thought to reconsider his situation
Oooh I can tell the upcoming pages of this comic are going to make me cry AGAIN and I’m not ready for it.
well there goes the stadium.
Hope Cio is alright…
Thank god SOMEONE fighting Juggernaut Star knows about his bitchy Wheel Trick
Raliegh doing the damn thing
Blessed breakfast of the tropical afro-samurai, please enlighten us
Welp, time for White Chain to step in and fight
Of Course, she’s on a “liquid” state! Her form has not yet reached the solidity to safely use Karyu Mat! Shes Melting!
Vigilant Gaze invokes different gods than White Chain (“Ys-Prama, Hansa, and Prat Payam” vs Het and Prim). I wonder which variants of the prayer there are, and how angels choose between them.
Would it be of significance that both Het and Prim are female?
Hansa is one of the most iconic UN gods, and Het and Prim are some of the most iconic YIS gods.
It might actually be the lineage of masters that developed their specific school of martial arts.
In that regard it makes sense that they all begin with Aesma, as she would be the Kung-Fu-Tse Grand Master of the Arts of Wreaking Shit Up.
Alternatively, it might reflect the values or original duties of the specific angel.
Prim first taught the angels to think about how to preserve the world, instead of merely beating the peasants into submission, leading to the creation of the Root and Petal orders.
Hansa is
Fell asleep there. Not sure where I was going with that, or how I managed to post that.
I guess I’m just more sublimated than usual.
no one is going to mention that white chain’s angel face bears scars very similar to allison’s?
I hadn’t noticed and now I am astonished!
One notices with much dismay the inferior quality of Solomon Davi’s grand arena. Surely one of the Seven should be ashamed of how easily broken is a temple to the bloodletting arts in which construction he had a personal part!
Ah, what a lovely alt-text. “(…)A grace period in which you may safely believe you can actually do something to an Angel in close combat.” Believe being the operative word.
Nothing in that saying mentions succeeding.
The sort of thing one learns to notice if one wishes to follow the path of wisdom. Which is to say, living long enough to have the opportunity to become wise.
It’s Never Sunny In Throneadelphia, Season 66,542,021, episode 10: White Chain Finds her Pride