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Short End Page 31
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Short End Page 31

on September 13, 2021
Chapter: Book 12: Short End
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Discussion ¬

  1. Keith
    Keith
    September 14, 2021, 8:01 am | # | Reply

    Well alrighty then. It’s seems in spite of actions and a devil may care attitude. John is actually trying to fix the earlier err and doesn’t much mind personally paying the long term cost. He’s said as much earlier.

    • Manabi
      Manabi
      September 14, 2021, 12:18 pm | # | Reply

      I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s hoping Vane will kill him in a way that also frees her soul, and they can basically spend the afterlife together again. And all this time he’s been working on settings things up so that can happen, without the demon in Vane breaking free and wrecking havoc on the world.

      • Keith
        Keith
        September 21, 2021, 7:00 am | # | Reply

        Pretty sure as far as that goes they are done. Mind, he still cares.

        • Manabi
          Manabi
          September 27, 2021, 10:36 am | # | Reply

          In Via Dolorosa 35, before the demon takes back over, she’s not hostile towards him, answering his question about if she misses her husband with, “How could I possibly miss my husband, you maudlin bastard?”

          I think what happened is that both of them loved the other so much they would do literally anything to save the other, but did it in such a way (Vane experimenting on men to perfect the spine replacement, Hunter seducing women to somehow try to help Vane find a cure to her disease, both trying to do it secretly) that they went too far. Hunter seemed to resent Vane’s repairing his spine to some extent, even after it was successful. Vane thought Hunter was cheating on her, when he was apparently seducing women/prostitutes to somehow help her find a cure for the Violet Fever she’d contracted. Vane became incredibly jealous and died before that could be resolved. Perhaps that jealousy is what created/spawned the demon that largely controls her actions after Hunter resurrected her.

          Perhaps this merry chase has been his way of finding/gathering what he needs to exorcise her demon of jealousy, so they can both finally resolve their differences and go back to loving each other in the afterlife.

  2. Shonkin
    Shonkin
    September 14, 2021, 9:09 pm | # | Reply

    (1) Who is the woman in Panel 12?
    (2) At first I thought that was a demon in #13, but now I think it’s Coyote.

    • Brent O'Gara
      Brent O'Gara
      September 15, 2021, 8:41 pm | # | Reply

      Stone Hears Nothing, a Native lass who lacks the ability to see/hear the Spirits the rest of her people take for granted.
      First seen here: https://www.nexttownover.net/?p=4139,
      Properly introduced here: https://www.nexttownover.net/?p=4183

  3. mike
    mike
    September 15, 2021, 1:44 am | # | Reply

    I believe thats Stone heres Nothing .
    the hard part is hint where is it from chimmy arch or army arch

    • Lucas
      Lucas
      September 15, 2021, 6:26 pm | # | Reply

      Is the moment what Hunter melts the chains in Fort Fairbanks prison.

  4. W1nD0c
    W1nD0c
    September 15, 2021, 8:35 pm | # | Reply

    So it seems that this long and chaotic journey across the wilderness has been one extended quest to collect exotic components for a mega-spell. I have a bad feeling that the posse chasing JHH and Vane are going to, once again, find themselves at the very wrong place that the very wrong time.

  5. Brent O'Gara
    Brent O'Gara
    September 15, 2021, 8:43 pm | # | Reply

    I am so glad to see that all these disparate baubles and ornaments JHH has been collecting for so long have a unified purpose! 😀

    Now I’ve got a burning desire to see what it all does :p

  6. BØmar
    BØmar
    September 16, 2021, 10:12 pm | # | Reply

    Archive BING Time!
    I don’t recall all the components he’s assembled here: [that flask of red Liquid for instance.] Is that a Mortar on the Table, and if it is, is the Crystal the Pestle? What exactly does he plan to Crush and Mix here? … and what will he apply it to? Looks like he did more than Incinerate Professor Crawford’s Library. He pilfered something from it. [Maybe several somethings.]

    • Shonkin
      Shonkin
      September 16, 2021, 11:37 pm | # | Reply

      His whole purpose in invading the library was to steal that one book. He tried setting everything on fire to cover his escape, but the professor caused the air to leave the basement (extinguishing the fire but almost asphyxiating himself). Her stole the jewel from Miss Dauterive so he could use it in the dowser to find a big deposit of that mineral in Diamondback Ridge.

    • Lucas
      Lucas
      September 17, 2021, 10:02 am | # | Reply

      The red liquid of the flask is the blood of the brother of the blood, who is sleeping in the same picture.

  7. Bxe
    Bxe
    September 17, 2021, 7:32 am | # | Reply

    So, he has a book on alchemy, a red mineral, a red tincture, a boon from a very powerful spirit, a mortar and a pestle. Philosopher’s Stone incoming?

    • Manabi
      Manabi
      September 19, 2021, 12:34 pm | # | Reply

      I do believe that’s blood from the Brother of the Blood that showed up in the Via Dolorosa chapter. Hunter used the devil’s violin and his fire magic to enchant and/or seduce the brother on pages 16 & 17. Hunter confirmed he did something with/to the brother on page 28, saying “If I’dve known this hellbitch preacher had designs on three quarters o’ your blood, little brother, I’da let you be.”

      As he’s gathering his things to leave on page 37, we see the vial of blood in panel two.

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