O-Chul saves Vaarsuvius from Xykon by stealing back the phylactery. Already assuming their deaths, they contemplate a final chance to destroy Xykon.
Cast
- Vaarsuvius ◀ ▶
- Blackwing ◀ ▶
- Xykon ◀ ▶
- The Monster in the Darkness ◀ ▶
- Three Demon-Roaches ◀ ▶
- O-Chul ◀ ▶
Transcript
- Panel 1
O-Chul snatches Xykon's phylactery, "snatch!", causing Xykon to release Vaarsuvius.
Xykon: HEY!
- Panel 2
O-Chul picks up Vaarsuvius and runs
Xykon: What would your fellow paladins say if they saw you picking pockets to make ends meet? You know, if I hadn't murdered them.
- Panel 3
Monster In The Darkness: Oh, man, this is really tense! Run, O-Chul, run!
Demon-Roach #1: Yeah, you BETTER run!
Demon-Roach #2: Roach-killer!
- Panel 4
Xykon: OK, seriously, I'm starting to get a little annoyed here. Bring the phylactery back, and I'll let you keep two organs of your choice.
Xykon: Act fast, this offer is for a limited time.
Xykon: Another Meteor Swarm.
O-Chul evades the meteors, dropping Vaarsuvius.
- Panel 5
O-Chul: Get up! GET UP! Head for the hole in the wall!
Vaarsuvius: I hope... I hope you were not relying on me to provide us with a magical escape.
- Panel 6
Vaarsuvius: I have no flight spells left, much less any teleportation.
O-Chul: Don't worry, escape had not really crossed my mind.
- Panel 7
Vaarsuvius and O-Chul stand at the hole in the wall of Xykon's tower, looking out on a vast open gulf between the tower and the Rift.
O-Chul: Though if you have any spells that will increase my range with a thrown object, now would be a good time to cast them.
- Panel 8
Blackwing appears, "pop!"
D&D Context
- Xykon once again relies on Meteor Swarm as his go-to offensive spell. In this case he seems to have missed O-Chul with the meteors themselves, leaving he and vaarsuvius to make their Reflex saves to take 24d6/2 damage.
Trivia
- The the title refers to the common proverb, "A bird in hand is worth two in the bush". The bird in this case being Blackwing.
- This is Blackwing's first appearance since #440, a gap of 218 strips.
- Blackwing popping into existence when he is remembered or needed is a long running gag in the comic. This is the final use of that gag, as after that point, Blackwing became a proper recurring character.