Issue #1 - The first issue review and explanation of what I'm doing here.
Issue #2 - The set up continues.
Issue #3 - Prison break.
Issue #4 - Attack on the city.
Issue #5 - Battle and first story arc conclusion.
The story so far: Red Monika sprung a criminal from Skyhold. Problems with the prison break also set free multiple other prisoners. The super powered criminals attacked King Vaneer's city. Gully, Calibretto, Knolan, and Garrison saved the city (mostly... lots of destruction still.) The King made it sound like he orcastrated the whole thing though. But now the party is resting in the city.
The issue begins with another of Knolan's dreams. Only this time it is much more vivid and we get a bunch of information on those that have died and the name of the big bad guy. August.
Knolan is skeptical though so decides not to tell anyone until he has more proof.
We also get introduced to another potential antagonist right after. Sebastius Nefar. He is a magic user traveling with Lycelots that he disguises. He is after Gully and it is somewhat implied he is responsible for the attack on her home. He has also hired another "more suited to the task at hand" while talking to a small robed mysterious figure.
We finally get to see Red Monika again. She is clearly pissed at Ryon for what happened at Skyhold but she also doesn't care much. He is afraid of who might have hired her to spring him. But she also doesn't know who it is, she just cared about the money.
It turns out the one that hired her was August. And he betrays her, refusing to pay. He is not happy with the problems caused by the prison break going wrong.
This doesn't sit well with Monika either of course, so she threatens back.
August then kind of flexes his power by revealing his two war golems. This was an extremely short issue that basically sets up our next two villains. The larger overarching menace of August and the new antagonist in search of Gully, Sebastius.
Part of the reason the issue was short is because there is a mini story at the end featuring Red Monika as a young girl. It starts by her pulling out a knife. Then flashing back 10 years. There is a strange cult tasting blood.
Monika as a young thief stole this blade from the cult. Avoiding a rain of arrows. She considers it somewhat lucky and useful. Then takes it to a dealer to sell it.
The dealer tells her it is practically worthless because it has no power and it only holds value to the cult she stole it from. There is a difference between sacred and magical she is told.
She decides not to sell it. Since she is offered a very small price for it. Then after she grows up some she goes back to the cult and sells it back to then. "Took me ten years, but I finally made some money off that knife!" After selling it however she starts to miss it. It had good balance and was always lucky she says.
So she decided to steal it again since she was just a novice before and got away with it, surely after 10 years and being a master thief now it would be easy right? Not so much. She ends up going through the same situation with the arrows and getting lucky, but does successfully steal the knife back.
This issue was mostly plot setup. The mini story at the end was fun but kind of worthless.
The plot is getting great and all but with only three issues remaining it is kind of clear that we are going to be left hanging on a LOT of stuff. Damn you Joe Madureira and your inability to finish things! But oh well, going to enjoy what we have at least. 😅
August seems like an especially powerful character, terrifying even Knolan. While Sebastius seems completely fixated on Gully and his threat level is mostly unknown at the moment. Look forward to seeing what happens next!
To Be Continued!