Red Sonja Vol 1 #21
Joe Prado
 Production Publisher President
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We shall give you a story with two endings, one in which we die, the other... should it please you, we may leave this world with our lives.
Appearing in "Animals Part Three"Edit
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Kulan Gath
- Inquisitor of Leijona
- Caska
Other Characters:
- Blyke a bard
- Lhee
- Gaimad
- Shri-Alar (Mentioned)
- El-Hazar (Mentioned)
- Tarim's blood
- Gods (invoked)
- Valera
- Ja
- Bock
- Fion
- Calibas
- Goddess
- Sonja's father (Mentioned)
Races and Species:
- Human
- Hyrkanian
- Gathian
- Fishmen
- Leijona, lion people
Locations:
- Earth-818793
- Hyborian Age
- Northern Lands
- Past Eastern Sea
- Paradise
- Leijona
- City of Rules
Items:
Vehicles:
- Scorpion
- Sonja's boat (formerly of the Fishmen)
- Large boat
Concepts:
- Sorcery
- Destiny
- Law and punishment
- Dimensional travel
- Hyborean Age
Synopsis for "Animals Part Three"Edit
Calibas gave a vision to Valera and she is assured she will not die on the seas. She is convinced of her safety for the farthest parts of the seas and cuts Calibas’ hand and gives a healing scarf. He is seen shedding bloody tears after his vision. The leader of El-Hazar speaks:
I AM GAIMAD... AND I KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU COME FOR. WE HAVE GAZED UPON YOUR DREAMS FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD, RED ONE, AND YOU ARE NOT WELCOMED HERE! WHERE YOU WALK, DOOM FOLLOWS, YOUR FOOTSTEPS ARE STEEPED IN BLOOD AND DEATH … OUR DEEP SEERS HAVE SEEN YOUR COMING AND DECREED YOUR RECEIVING AS AN EVENT. YOU WILL NOT CHANGE THIS LAND, BUT YOURS WILL EITHER BE SAVED OR CURSED BY YOU AND YOU ALONE.
Gaimad tells Sonja that she will be able to pass from this just and peaceful land. Your world is as important to us as ours. One day both worlds shall be one. Their world was wrapped in dreams, it was their magic and language. Gaimed does not need to sleep to have dreams as the rest of El-Hazar. He explains to Sonja that the eyes she sees some may be cats from her world watching! Ja is surprised that cats are not just sleeping but are dreaming. Gaimed knew Ja’s cat. He had a stray he cared for as a child and Gaimed says this is why they help them. Lhee had a sacred bond to a snow tiger and it even died protecting Lhee. They help for that bond.
Back in the theater Osin drops at the last moment as a sword intended for his heart instead breaks his chains the he disarms Caska and frees Suumaro and Blyke. The animal spectators cheer and the master of the ceremony states that this is not the how the Ludi Scaenici should proceed that the outlanders should die. The MC states these are not games but predetermined justice given by the precepts taught by Shri-Alar. The dream of Gaimed actually brought Sonja, Lhee and Ja into the arena (theater) with Osin. They make a good fight but are quickly disarmed.
Ja quips, Gaimad threw us back to the lion’s den. Sonja feels there must be more but says “what the hell is going on?” Sonja asks “Who speaks for us? Who balances accusations with truth?”
NO! THERE ARE NEW PLAYERS FOR YOUR STORY. LET US SPEAK FOR OURSELVES... WE HAVE WITH US A POET, A BARD. LET US CREATE A NEW PLAY FOR YOU TONIGHT. WE SHALL GIVE YOU A STORY WITH TWO ENDINGS, ONE IN WHICH WE DIE, THE OTHER... SHOULD IT PLEASE YOU, WE MAY LEAVE THIS WORLD WITH OUR LIVES.
They are returned to their prison after Sonja’s plea for and alternate story. In the prison Gaimed’s pipe, with which he cast the dream that brought them there, was on her person (not that there was much of a place to hide it). Blyke was also given a book of legends. Sonja smokes the pipe to release a dream. Gaimed informs them in the dream state:
SONJA, SHAKE DREAMS FROM YOUR HAIR MY PRETTY CHILD, MY SWEET ONE! SEE INTO THE HEART OF THE LION. THIS IS WHAT WE ARE. BLAST OUR SPEAK, OUR MAGIC, OUR RELIGION. WE ARE THE HUNT. USE THIS. USE THIS TRUTH TO SET YOU FREE. YOUR DREAMS OF YOUR FATHER WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE TOMORROW. REMEMBER WHAT HE HAS TAUGHT YOU OF THE HUNT. REMEMBER WHAT IT MEANS. REMEMBER THE HEART OF THE LION, FOR IT IS THE SAME THING.
They come up with a plan for the theater and Blyke the bard begins his tale. As he speaks of the supremacy of the lion, he tells his tale while on the other side of the world Alexa is found by the demon herald of Kulan Gath. As the tale is told of the Hyborian age beast was commanded to eat beast. Eating of the flesh releases the spirit. “Drink deep the flesh that gives life. ” ( The demon coming after the crew of the Scorpion is seen). Sonja’s story switches from the overbearing cruelty of Gath and depicts an emaciated lion, that its overzealous hunting caused the prey to leave. The beast acknowledges the blessing of the hunt and gives thanks for the provision.
The leader, Inquisitor. was moved to tears and makes provisions for them to return to their world. He asks of Sonja where she learned such wisdom and she states from her father “the wisest man I ever knew.” Meanwhile Valera’s ship sails to the end of the sea in the East. Because of Sonja the El-Hazar and Leijona are speaking again. Caska tells them it will be a three week journey and he will go as far as possible to the Southern Star on a refurbished ship from the Fishmen.
Sonja’s ship is on harsh seas and winds similar to Valera’s crew. A much larger ship collides with Sonja’s. Meanwhile, Gath looks upon his captured world and his beautiful captive guest. He ponders out loud if she thinks of being raped or tortured to death, or who might save her. He assures her it would not be Red Sonja though not mentioned by name.
Trivia
Hemolacria, dacryohemorrhea is crying bloody tears as Calibas. It can be a medical condition but a lot of times indicated demon possession, which may be why Valera called him a witch. Also Ja mentions being thrown to the lion's den, which was something that Darius of the Medea-Persian empire had done to Daniel in the Bible. Previously, Caska mentions that he could have Osin impaled, a punishment used by the Assyrians and was a slower painful death. The order of the Leijona civilization was similar to a more advanced culture like the Romans, but they justify the "Theater" as being predetermined, but the crowd seemed to enjoy it and was reprimanded. All these civilizations would be several millennia later.
See Also
- Write your own review of this comic!
- Discuss Red Sonja Vol 1 21 on the forums
- Images from Red Sonja Vol 1 21
Links and References
Hyborian age corresponding names and map