Roy learns valuable information from the High Priestess of Thor, and receives a gift.
Cast[]
- Roy Greenhilt ◀ ▶
- Miko Miyazaki ◀
- Thor (as statue) ◀ ▶
- High Priests of the Northern Pantheon:
- High Priestess of Odin ◀ ▶
- High Priestess Rubyrock ◀ ▶
- High Priestess of Frigg ◀ ▶
- High Priest of Freyr ◀ ▶
Transcript[]
- Panel 1
High Priestess Rubyrock: Wait, warrior! I would speak with you.
Roy: Can you get me where I'm going faster?
Rubyrock: Do you know where exactly you're going?
Roy: Compelling point. Go ahead.
- Panel 2
Rubyrock: The Council of Clans is not the current dwarven parliament, so it does not meet in our capital.
Rubyrock: They will gather in a special hall in the town of Firmament, nearer to the surface.
- Panel 3
Rubyrock reaches into her pouch.
Rubyrock: As a human, you'll have trouble getting past border security, especially if a meeting has been called.
Roy: I sort of figured we'd do the basic "pleading with authority figures to allow complete strangers to handle a serious crisis" thing we always do.
- Panel 4
The High Priestess produces a runestone.
Rubyrock: You won't need to. Firmament holds a major temple to Thor which in turn maintains a private exit to the surface world so that the priests can observe the weather.
Rubyrock: This sacred runestone will guide you toward it and unlock the spells sealing the door.
Rubyrock: But more importantly, it can only be given freely; it turns to dust if taken by force.
- Panel 5
Rubyrock: The fact that you bear it will prove to the acolytes that I gave my blessing to your mission.
Roy: Nice. Thanks. I hope they're stocked up on holy water.
- Panel 6
Rubyrock: One more thing—your friend, Thundershield. Did he write me a letter last year, by any chance?
Roy: Yes! You got it?
Rubyrock: I did, though I could not place the name until the vampire started talking about being exiled.
- Panel 7
Rubyrock (inset): My predecessor, High Priest Hurak, was responsible for your friend's banishment, but he left no records as to why he would take such a drastic step.
Flashback to before the fall of Azure City; Miko Miyazaki is waiting for the High Priestess' response to Durkon's letter.
Rubyrock: You can have a seat while I write a response, if you'd like.
Miko: Thank you, but standing builds character.
Miko: Also, I just rode for four days.
- Panel 8
Rubyrock: Since it seems your friend did not get my reply, I will reiterate it to you:
Rubyrock: Durkon Thundershield is free to return to Dwarven Lands at his pleasure. His exile is over.
- Panel 9
Roy: That's great, but... it's a bit late. He's already there. What good does it do?
Rubyrock: I would not venture a guess, but it is true. And the truth always has a use.
- Panel 10
High Priest of Freyr: Go, human! Our people's future depends on you!
High Priestess of Frigg: Gods' speed, noble warrior.
Rubyrock: May Thor's blessing be upon you and your cause.
Roy: I promise I'll do everything I can.
- Panel 11
Roy leaves the chamber.
- Panel 12
High Priest of Freyr: Also, if this ends OK for us can we maybe talk about reforming all those archaic friggin' rules?
High Priestess of Frigg: Hey! Don't pin this all on Frigg, everyone agreed to this!
Trivia[]
- This is the final appearance thus far for Miko Miyazaki, fallen paladin of the Sapphire Guard. Miko fell from the grace of the gods for killing Shojo in #407, and died in #464 after foolishly destroying Soon's Gate. This is the only flashback to show her since her death. She was a major antagonist of the second and third books, making her first appearance at the end of the first book, in #120, "The End of the Beginning". She appeared in sixty-nine strips in total.
- High Priestess Rubyrock's message to Durkon that his banishment was over was lost by Miko and eaten by the Monster in the Darkness in #375, Undeliverable.
- Miko Miyazaki's appearance here fits with her foreword in Start Of Darkness, where she says that she will be on a mission to dwarven lands.