The Ghost-martyr of Soon Kim arrives and Xykon realizes this isn't going to be as easy as he though it would.
Cast[]
- Durkon Thundershield ◀ ▶
- Xykon ◀ ▶
- Hinjo ◀ ▶
- O-Chul ◀ ▶
- The Sapphire Guard
- Soon Kim ◀ ▶
- O-Chul ◀ ▶
- Black-haired Sapphire Guardswoman (also as Ghost-martyr) ◀ ▶
- Blue Crewcut Sapphire Guardsman ◀ ▶
- Blue-bearded Sapphire Guardsman ◀ ▶
- Eyepatched Sapphire Guardsman (also as Ghost-martyr) ◀ ▶
- Road to Adventure Sapphire Guardswoman ◀ ▶
- Black-Haired Sapphire Guardsman ◀ ▶
- Blue Spike Haired Sapphire Guardsman (as Ghost-martyr) ◀ ▶
- Chonmaged Sapphire Guardsman (as Ghost-martyr) ◀ ▶
- Completely Bald Sapphire Guardsman ◀ ▶
- Crewcut Sapphire Guardswoman (also as Ghost-martyr) ◀ ▶
- Do-Ragged Sapphire Guardsman (also as Ghost-martyr) ◀ ▶
- Flying Sapphire Sorceress ◀ ▶
- Goggled Sapphire Guardsman (also as Ghost-martyr) ◀ ▶
- Grey-cloaked Sapphire Guardsman ◀ ▶
- Navy-haired Sapphire Guardsman ◀ ▶
- Balding Sapphire Guardsman (also as Ghost-martyr) ◀ ▶
- Blue-cloaked Sapphire Guardsman ◀ ▶
- Blue-haired Sapphire Sorcerer ◀ ▶
- Green-haired Sapphire Guardswoman (also as Ghost-martyr) ◀ ▶
- Grey-haired Sapphire Sorcerer ◀ ▶
- Grey-shield Sapphire Guardsman (as Ghost-martyr) ◀ ▶
- Jiaya (also as Ghost-martyr) ◀ ▶
- Purple Spiky-haired Sapphire Guardsman (also as Ghost-martyr) ◀ ▶
- Purple-haired Sapphire Guardswoman (also as Ghost-martyr) ◀ ▶
- White-helmeted Sapphire Guardsman (also as Ghost-martyr) ◀ ▶
- Wingfooted Sapphire Guardsman ◀ ▶
- Yunji (also as Ghost-martyr) ◀ ▶
- Dark-Goggled Sapphire Guardsman ▶
- Grey-bearded Sapphire Guardsman ▶
- Unarmored Midriff-baring Sapphire Guardswoman ▶
- Armored Midriff-baring Sapphire Guardswoman ▶
- Bald Bearded Sapphire Guardsman ▶
- Elderly Sapphire Guardswoman ▶
- Viking-helmed Sapphire Guardsman ▶
- Five Other Members of the Sapphire Guard
- Twelve Other Sapphire Guard Ghost-martyrs
Transcript[]
- Panel 1
On the parapets of the wall.
Durkon: Hinjo, lad! Xykon has entered tha castle!
Hinjo: I know.
- Panel 2
In the throne room, Xykon and O-Chul stand by the throne.
Xykon: So, Ugly, who do you think I should zombify first?
Xykon: I think I'll start with the girls, you strike me as the type to get more offended by that.
- Panel 3
Back on the parapets.
Durkon: Those paladins are mid-level, they dinnae stand a chance against 'im.
Hinjo: I know.
Durkon: We hafta get up thar an'—
Hinjo: Durkon...there are some secrets that are only known to the ruling family of Azure City—until now.
- Panel 4
In the throne room, the spirits of Yunji and Do-Ragged Guardsman begin to separate from their bodies.
Xykon (off-panel): You know, I can't wait to see the look on Redcloak's face when he sees this.
Soon (off-panel): Arise my children.
- Panel 5
On the wall.
Hinjo: I pray to the twelve gods that my friends can stop Xykon before even one of them dies, but I honestly do not expect it.
Hinjo: They knew when they received their orders that they might be called on to give their lives for the cause.
- Panel 6
In the throne room, the spirits of Eyepatched Guardsman and Goggled Guardsmen also rise.
Xykon (off-panel): He swore that trick would never work.
Soon (off-panel): Only the honor of a paladin is unbreakable—
- Panel 7
On the wall.
Hinjo: There is a reason we only stationed paladins of the Sapphire Guard in that room today.
Hinjo: The truth is, they are not there to guard the Gate alone.
- Panel 8
The spirits of the Sapphire Guard look up towards a glowing figure above them.
Soon: —even by death itself.
Xykon (off-panel): Wait—do you hear a voice?
- Panel 9
On the wall.
Hinjo: They are there as reinforcements.
- Panel 10
Soon Kim hovers in front of a host of ghostly paladins armed for battle.
Soon: Ghost-martyrs of the Sapphire Guard—
Soon: ATTACK!
- Panel 11
Xykon goes wide-eyed.
Trivia[]
- The title plays on Japan's name in Japanese, Nippon or Nihon which means "Land of the rising sun". Azure City is heavily based on Japanese themes. The word play involves the rising of the spirits of the Sapphire Guard (and perhaps also the rising Soon).
- This strip had a second discussion thread.
- This is the first appearance of some of the Ghost-martyr paladins of the Sapphire Guard, in particular: Armored Midriff-baring Sapphire Guardswoman, Bald Bearded Sapphire Guardsman, Dark-Goggled Sapphire Guardsman, Unarmored Midriff-baring Sapphire Guardswoman, Viking-helmed Sapphire Guardsman, Grey-bearded Sapphire Guardsman, and Elderly Sapphire Guardswoman. Since they never appear in life, their appearance as Ghost-martyrs is not included as an alternate form.