HE PVTONGFRES 08 sor. On the Isle of Bones, Maika finally learned a key detail about her mysterious past: her mother, Moriko, deliber- ately conceived Maika with an eye-marked descendant of the Shaman-Empress so that Maika could inherit the Shaman-Empress’s power — and the Monstrum that now lives beneath her skin, That power and heritage proved to be both a blessing and a curse in the aftermath of Malka's trip to the Isle. ‘After Zinn, the Monstrum inside her, slaughtered a ship full of Thyrian sailors, Maika and her companions were Ce Ue eR ee a ee een Pontus Shield, a task only descendants of the Shaman-Empress can perform. Lacking any other options, Maika agreed, but when she stepped into the shield apparatus, it surged with overwhelming power that seemed to oP eee cece ee Elsewhere, representatives of the Arcanic Dusk and Dawn Courts continued their diplomatic negotiations, hoping for an alliance in the face of impending war — but true trust between the two factions remained elusive. » THE PLAYE Le ee Ue WC TORUS a Ae US CUCU RD CTL eC RO SD behind her mother’s murder — and her mother's secrets — in the hope that she can free hersetf from an ancient and dangerous god called a Monstrum that is imprisoned inside her body and fills her with an otherworldly hunger for human flesh. In her current possession are two clues to her past: a photograph, and a fragment of a mask that many would kill to possess. UP SCM CC rm eMC encom ec cay Pe Roe eS e cUnen world by the Shaman-Empress, this Monstrum is driven by a deadly hunger, consum- CRO Re cee OM Re Cec SS POT a ec SCOUTS Con Cae COU Oe eC LCR CS companions on her journey, and pertiaps an agent of the Dusk Gourt — or some Ca a KIPPA An Arcanic fox girl saved from slavery by Maika. Innocent and optimistic, she is frightened by the Monstrum — but trusts Maika and will bravely defend her and others by rushing into battles too dangerous for a child. TIF Maika's closest friend in the world, who has been with her since before the Battle CC OM RO OCIS OTRO Een ay DTU a CU eC URC CD Ce eeeI BLAMED MYSELF BY ar Fizer, vou KNOW. r SHOULD HAVE KEPT YOU. Si FROM ZAVORA.T SHOULD HAVE BROKEN YOUR DAMNED LEGS, YOU'D THINK ACCIDENTALLY MURDERING. AN ENTIRE CITY WOULD MAKE aut mars MEONE CAUTIOUS. YOUD NOT HOW You THINK THE POSSIBLITY OF WERE MADE, OSING YOUR ONLY FRIEND IN ORL WOULD MAKE YOu HESITATE, You WERE CREATED TO BE WEAPON. AND CAUTION. THEY'RE POINTED IN A DIRECTION AND UNLEASHED, you Hap 30. MANY CHANCES. PROTECT YOu ANYMORE,T HEARD ViKN TALKING, THERE'S SOMETHING YOu aN THE OLD GOD. INSIDE YOU = THE ENGL” CoNsoRT DONT THINK REFUSE TO FoR A MOMENT THAT HELP. TE COULONTT BURN YOU 38h mBvae vou Kaion oF THEN MAYBE YOU CONT. BUT WE IN PONTUS HAVE KEPT EXPERT RECORDS -- AND THE ‘OLD WEAPONS ‘BOTH INTO COAL. YOU ALMOE UND A THOUsH OUD UKE THAT. you HAVE WEAPONS THAT | TWME Is WASTING. MIGHT EVEN GIVE MY LIFE.OR DIDN'T You BETRAY OVER A THOUSAND Dusk COURT Your Own DAWN COURT TROOPS COULD ESCAPE aN your GENERAL 60 No. YOUR WORD SIMPLY ISNT ‘SOD, ENOUGH, WE NEED BLOOD, ARRIVED WHEN YOU FID, TANNO. THERE'S VENOM IN THE AIR THEY'RE NOT IN THE City, UP AND VANISHED. OUR INFCRMANTS CAN'T TELL US WHEN ‘OR EVEN /F THEY LEFT. HEH, HENE WE LEARNED Wey THE OTHER ANCIENTS OF THE ‘DAWN COURT HEREN'T ‘PRESENT FOR THE NEGOTIATION? WHICH MAKES NO |ENGE, WHAT ANCIENT WOULD TRAVEL NOW? AND ALL OF THEM, TOGETHER? THEYRE TOO CAUTIOUS FOR THAT KIND OF FOOLISHNESS,WHAT ABOUT “BHE FOUND 8 CAT WILLING 70 TALK. BOME APPRENTICE Wt SAYS THE NARLORO COMMIT GAIN CLOSER A THe WOLF QUEEN AND i DEMON iRead more FREE comics on ReadComicOnline1, ANON AeOT THe FLEET ©. ORDER. The ONE OF THE LOO GUEEN: MOROERED.Ler THEM HAVE THE CURGEO I'M FAR MORE THING. TROUBLED THAT THE THRVIANS ARE PREPARING TO ATTACK. we’ OTHER, WHILE THE a NOW, MORE THAN EVER, FEDERATION Ve REQUIRE PREPARES POR SOLEARIN. WAR AH, MAIKA. TM GLAD T ROUND you. WAIT. YOU WERE ALREADY AWARE THAT THe BLOOD QUEENS HAD A FRAGMENT OF commanogne ue A * PLEASURE TO, THE FIRST SEENOL 6TH COUNSELOR, ASANO Sartne FoR Sous Hee OFFICE THAT YOU'RE NOT CARRYING A FRAGMENT IN THE POUCH AT YOUR WAIST? IF ONLY THE LIES OF THE YOUNG WERE ALWAYS 30 CHARMING. yours 1S THE Worst KEPT SecReT INTHE KNOWN WORLD. YOUR CARELESENESS VERGES ON A DEATH SPEAK OF THE MASH THe BETTER. THE Less YOU TRING OF Fy, THE LESS YOU TOUCH h. THESE ARE PRECAUTIONS THAT YOU, AZOVE ALL (OTHERS, SHOULD TAKE. UNKEEDED WARNINGS. IF THE INGQUISITRIXES. KNEW, WHERE 7D FIND ONE FRAGMENT, THEN THEYLL SURELY BE COWING HERE FOR a YOURS, MIKA. 1, FOR ONE, THE SHIELD 1S FINED.ITWONT 26 A PROBLEM. IN FACT, LEARNED A FINALLY, WE HAVE CONFIRMATION. THAT THE CUMAEA HAVE SEEN COMPROM BENONO EVEN THE MOTHER SUPERIOR, WE NEED fa ge KIPPRP BRING US THE CHI. WHAT DO YOUWANT Pe BUT Youve: ALMOST PAID yOug Dest. sUusT THs ONE LAs THING AND YOULL BE FREE: ‘oR You CAN RESIST..AND THERE Wil CONSEQUENCES.‘OR THE LAST THREE THOUSAND YEARS THE LEADERS ‘OF PONTUS HAVE KNOWN THE LOCATION ‘OF THE SHAMAN- EMPRESS'S SOUTHERN LABORATORY... Ip NOT NOONE. WAYBE T ms YOU, THEN (OULD GUST LET =F BE HANDED OVER TO THE THYRIENS. PONTL (CAN LIVE Of DIE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. AND. Hey DO NOTHING. THE D00RS CANNOT BE BREACHED WITH BOMaS, THE FLOORS CANNOT BE BROKEN INTO VIA ‘TUNNEL. NO ONE CAN! ENTER THE LABORATORY, AND YOU'RE NOT COMING WITH ME. WHY? MAYBE. TLL MISREAD THS LieT? MAKE A MISTAKE. THERE MAY Be TRAPS FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE NOT OF THE BLOOD. You AND your, EMPTY THREATS, TRY BENG Te Yuneee’ (CRLEFNS, Tater sou SORT TOR, Besacse ONC AIS SA \ eaStetco, Foe EASIER. NOT ANCIENTS, TRUST ME, A FEW HAVE TREO ‘OVER THE LAST. THOUSAND YEARS, SOME KEY ELEMENT WAS ALWAYS MISSING. IF THE SCHOLARS ARE CORRECT, THE MOST IMPORTANT ARCHIVE KNOWLEDGE INTHE KNOWN NORLE. LOS INVENTIONS OF TH2 SHAMAN-EMPRE: ‘THE TOOLS SHE USED TO CREATE: TECHNOLOGIES THAT STILL FUNCTION, “THOUSANDS OF YEARS LATER. , WHAT YOU'RE SAVING 16 THERE'S A LOT OF JUNK TLL NEED RT THROUSH, JOKE ABOUT Such FROM ANOTHER REFUGEE CAMP. EVERYONE ALREADY THINKS PONTUS IS GOING TO FALL. THEYRE G00 FEORLE, ‘BUT NONE OF THEM BELIEVE THEY'RE SAFE HERE BECAUSE THEY CONT. THINK ANYONE: CARES. ieCHANGE THAT NOT YOU.iy FAMILY DIED, MASTER REN,10 THING FOR Me, On SOCDESS HELP YOu L RIP Witt Cne ee eS ia SI Been cd Gt rare ReRead more FREE comics on ReadComicOnlineTO BE CONTINUED...fin excerpt of a lecture from the esteemed Professor Tam Tam, former First Record Keeper ofthe Isham Temple, and learned contemporary of Namron Black law. Ah, the Old Gods. We've discussed them before - their immense power, their destructive natures - how they are the very opposite of divine. Invaders, some Poets claim. Demonic entities from another world, whose unending hunger was an abomination. Thank Ubasti they were banished. And yet...ond yet...how quickly the truth was forgot- ten. According to our records, the first cult of the Old Gods emerged almost four thousand years ago, well inland from the coast where humans already worshipped the Wave Empress and her Siren children Humans were the logical fools ofall prey to the Old Gods having never battled them, as the Ancients had - and afflicted by « poverty of spirit unmatched by even the most crude animal. How easily fooled they were by such otherwordly magnificence, whis- pering empty prayers, making blood sacrifices to demons that would consume them in a heartbeat if they were able. And yet, in the end, Arcanics fored litle better. The fault rests with one of the Ancients, a changeling trickster who disguised herself to live among mortal humans and Arcanics. She was, perhaps, a little too fond of telling stories, and not wary enough of her own charisma. Her mast farous (and improbable) tale was about an Old God who escapes to the known world in search of redemption, and falls in love with « powerful queen. Against all good sense, this frivolity spread like wildfire - and rewrote history. Suddenly, the Old Gods were creatures of tragedy and romance, longing to walk amongst mortals, and share their wisdom. And that was enough, kits, to become a religion. Benign, yes, based ono philosophy of love and compassion, and merc. Looking tothe Old Gods as guides o an enight ene life But cats have never been fooled. We have never forgotten the horror. The horror that Ubost promises will come again, ae Read more FREE comics on ReadComicOnline_NEXT ISSUE Hs Vahey aaa 3DAO VES SS ae NT VANaVOSY LUT H)@L0))4 1m TSS LAC DA LETTERING &! DESIGN BY RUS WOOTON aM ina ASL MO IMNNTIAG Lag AMATI aa OO KCOUa NM COSTCO SHIT AIL MONSTRESS CREATED BY TSO aaa raat)Se epem aes DARGH-EMPIRE P