4 a mn ES,” tL OD Di ‘ fin DeMATTEIS & KENT WILLIAMS x44) ae ee e/a a BU OmN amin KOcom nM ar Chace Lente ee CUCL romeo eT metre ea tartans na — Remember the apparition? — Spinning a tale for the King’s benefit? SUNT rire ke com ont cee The King had a daughter: a sickly, vain, and heartless woman. Each morning, the Princess would go to her father's room, sit by his side, revile him: “You fool. You freak. You selfish old bastard. Why are you Rel Parse a ree eet 7h cea) Fale The King would smile at his daughter. Mouth twisted and wide, Coe ora Terres Cee Roe wel Tp ata ADOT yc Then speak (ina voice so loud the Princ Berlei crelhme errant pe “Where is she?” ca OPE CesT RE Ue TOem ETE: en ome aU (etme elegt sem Se Ec agtTeeed the Prince would go the King’s room, sit by his side; taunt him: “Isleep with your women. I plant my seed in their bellies. I rule your kingdom Pal Mae trea oo he coe UT Cy elem Lee ed REL ea oe RO LL Cd harlot. Then speak (in a voice so bright the Prince was momentarily blinded): “Where is she?” ar Oe Cay aie R ici Coe Bere MOEA Tele Te Roch) soe cea CLC) age. The Queen loved her husband in life, mourned him in death: but AT ORUe coca UOC RCM cL ee eMC) eRe mcs ie c2 ea She rarely entered her husband’s room, but, when she did, she wouldCrea tim renee eae Meera eee exhibit: a two—headed serpent, a talking monk goto welt See Cele es OMT ee oe Coa couldn’t comprehend — the Queen crossed the room, laid beside him. Grunting and straining, the King turned his head; gazed at his wife with ine Le CER ena enn ics young): “Where is she?” “Who?” the Queen asked. “The girl. The spirit! I must hear —" “Het “— the rest of her story!” “She’s here.” eras “Inside me.” aca Dear aaa She mounted him. “Do you believe?” “I don’t know.” She rode him. “How can I make you believe?” “The story...” RO ae eeese Cee) winged horse. WV Berea RCO ee eel e ee Remake m LW Omer Lee spirit was inside him, too, now; spreading down through his head, chest, legs). “All right. But where did I stop?” “He was in the forest,” the dead King said to the Queen above him, the shadow within. “In the lake...” WO Oa me con MUTT Tele Wc gem COL TON Zn ee cea The story continued...Named, he remembered. Remembering, he wept. , fifened. ZooBae & ee..for The dance Peak fl " a“Eat.” “Are you--" &ar.” “nol because he wae repulsed by the til: beating heart. he, alerch of death he promise of freon blood...but because he was excited by if. I Clase your eyes. Bee RA oe ee Gee eo eee Pre eee UK Tisai en eo Ee oe C A Youre--He eck, up end sew the Woman: young a le; with Timi lure and courageous eyes. He oan the Woman and the fear leFT him ; tore The disturbing visions receded. Gut the hunger remained. “Hello,” she. said again, and he smiled : a lopsided grin as"stupid as iT was uTterly sincere. He hitied her. body, more blatantly than he'd inlended, 2nd soon found himself in possession of an enormous erection which he clumsily Tried fo hide. And The Woman smiled. “Con't you tall 2” she. asked. *T won't”=-HURT YOU, YOU KNOW. Z le YOU DON'T LINDER- 2 STAND. I’M THE ONE WHO CAN HURT YOU. THEY. eee SOMETHING TO ME. MADE ME A= THEY CHANGE. OUT I'VE ALWAYE BEEN. WELL-- a YOU'RE A vameree. SL S L KNOW THAT, I WAS THERE ¢ WHEN THEY GRABBED 11. YOU BUT YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE THEM. YOU DON'T 7ALK g LIKE THEM, YOU SEEM. KNOW. C TVE BEEN WAITING a FOR YOU, YOU ——— D_ TNE ALWAYS KNOWN THAT THERE'D BE SOMEONE FOR ME, SOMEONE L COULD TALK TO. NURTURE. 2 |“LOVE,” she said--and her voice was his mothers : soft, accepting... > = -_— ‘Are you my mother 2" he asked (CT nasa foolish euestion, and tal ‘seemed all the more reason Te ask it)| sa pairs if you like -— Til%e 40much more." “And will Il ‘ a bes ‘ se 4 "“Always--and with \ ™ i all my heart.” ae J “ He Touched her “when you're Tired, I'll be your reer.) Her handé etroked-hic cheek, his head, his neck. “when you're frightened, T'Il be ir security,” Tie oainseetd Me “And when his bady wer. ag!with her explanation. ee ee ® Somethin. ve always BEEN,” oh6 arenored-and he redded rot really underslanding, bul salistied So n thoir lie Together, ies ee ie bult never 50 far beyond The Circle as to arouse “their vague, Occasionally, the Woman lefT him -— for days, sometimes weeks-- and rekurried with her breasts ewollen, her passion raw. And he would feed at her breaslo and be sated, while che fed on his love and was healed. E) They talked unceasingly (except for The sunlit heirs, when They gréw weak beyond words, and 30 [eT their silence, speak more eloquently), he sharing the cecrete of the cave, the Monastery, the Valleg of Pain; she telling him elaborate tales of her own life ‘the Vampires claimed her. C there's little I actually remember,” she. con- fessed one nighT; “50 Dil weave you [is more accurate than truth.") es And time. which had little meaning To him before; enem less now-— Passed.“Leave 7 We--” anT! They we can?” neyer /eTus!” “Yes, we can! And one dark wit hunched, lethargic, in Th eyes met the Woman's, her haCa HURTS (70 RUN! So = a E, S. Quick.y--THey're 2 ( COMING! DON'T YOU ) J pg HEAR 7 ( neAR War )bolted (fhe jurtne lore Hered, igen an ae inti oF eo oneer i a), rel ine oh 0 running; ince running. Nomi in >a in aay, tor 2 rT reopened, her ee knew shame, and the Tears came. aay re. (MATTER WITH YOU 1Z orn piste Saxe ZZ. ieter REALLY You? en pets OH, YOU MUST HATE ME FOR LEAVING you! HATE YOUT WHAT ARE YOU TALKING A THE OTHERS...7 TURNED BACK. THE & DAYLIGHT WAS TCO MUCH THEN WE'RE FOR THEM. JUST AS WE" oy FREE? Sap THOUGHT. “YOU DOING poe ceed sry WELL, I GOT MYSELF. ENTANGLED, IBANDOWING ME 7 LEAVING (ME 10 DIE 7, si ss SOMETHING LIKE THAT. RUNNING, (s AWAY? N =~YOU THINK MAYBE YOU 0 COULD GET ME DOWN FROM BEFORE You SIART GOING AT IT LIKE A COUPLE OF \ RUTTING DEER-- 2 ITS NOT LIKE I COULD’VE | GONE YOU ANY GOOD IF I'D STAYED. > IM A TERRIBLE FIGHTER... ANE? (ee UE ea Nee A ei ow | a ie COWARD A BUT I FELT AWFUL ABOUT LEAVING... REALLY I DID. Bi ler Har LOOK, LOOK, Lo0K 1 ZL DON'T KNOW HOW: Lone \ I'VE BEEN UP HERE, DANGLING LIKE SOME OLD Kite. YOU CAN YELL AT ME ALL YOU WANT... EAT MEU 700, IF IT! MAKE YOU HAPPY oN sa+ Thanks, Lreally appreciate it. y Where are we Uh-huh. : ad Tie) yin. where Are We Going NOW We ? : Of course! We're a Team! Nothing’ Il eplif us up! oe | unless we're attacked again.” fj O find something T've loz lootHe waited ; he saw. He Travelled with them across plains, up mountains, down valleys, through rivers. And (stesngely encugh) he was very happy with them, very secure (sitanger sti///),and he grew To love. in aye innecent, clinging way: The Woman came to regard Little Qne 25 both child and friond : a thing fo be profectad and confided in ; fussed ever and laughed with. Blood came to regard Little Qne as bath annoyance and delight: the former he. operity expressed,the later he struggled-— with diminishing strength-To corilai So two became three. $0 the Seeking continued.“SEE WHAT. Ca CAN SEE“? YOU THINK THERES ANYTHING TO DEE | ® AROUND HERE 2; Lh IS HE EVER 2 ARE YOUEVER? wit K GOON AHEAD, Oe LITTLE ONE, Se a ss . = 00 you EVER ? )) ee: ) IMNOT KIDDING! YOU'VE GOT 10-- “come /ook st this,” Little One shouted, skimming over The edge, Sailing down to where It ree massive Lt (despite fragility); shiny Tt (despite time); Proud It (despr cars and uni TIONS ).The Woman rushed danced past them: Called gayly To Then. trom within. "Home /” ae pe tWomay" she cried.At first Blood SE MEAN, ITD BE i One THING IF a HAD SOME Li \ Oe WHAT YOURE \ \ LOOKING FOR, reLT eae pees Blood sney al Little One.--heaped ineatisand thecties on him--buTone. ‘Touch from the Woman, one gexite. im Precation of eyes and ‘he exttbunst nao IL DON'T KNOW! THINGS HAVE BEEN WONDERFUL, HAVENT THEY? PERFECT! SOMETINES, WHEN Mae AGLEEP, I HEAR THINGS ? DRUMS. CHANTING | }- AND THE = OF WINGSWHAT HAVE T BECOME 7 § LKNOW. IKNOW... ALL THIS TIME -—IT ) SEEMED LIKE BuT 17'S IN ? NO HURRY. IT TAKE _ Th No!Nos NOT ME / NOT Tle L @uT I'VE NEVE HAP TO- ? YOU THINK THAT LOVE € > YOUR ¥PP L00% th. 00 OS tt ON me They hearel It c plaintive, abi butused them-— lhe SP Te peed lo Sg eee Blood mocked the Woman; gaaded her; pla ed upon all the weaknesses ‘She'd revealed in the nakedness OF fo B ie She intuen withdrew into-- became -- si lene . Even her lovemaking: silent. And her eilence had claws that tore at his heart. Little One kept hie dietance from both; pondered leaving (ahere was tere 0907); prayed for deliverance (whe was There Te fy 17). And the Seeking corttinued.ae 5 SHUT uel ; ZS Gg $ WHAT THE HELL ARELittle One : The Old Man! Woman: Who 7 Blood (a whisper): But how ean it be Meee Ons Little One Bye Bola! ele ee od Cea ae the Co ee Pi Rel aa Woman : From the Valley % in er ean oa Woman: Er can't be. Little One : Et ie. lor N cea OA oe Little One: Come on, we're-- Woman (overlanning)+ L see something -- ieee ceew ame od Little One (overlagoing ):--almast there!i / RES ‘ % ITS 60 WARM es ANP LOOK--HE WHERE \ s ae) &YOU'RE NOT GONG TO-- “We were lea! here, don't you see?” Nol" “if we. ge ip * “It doesn't lead anywhere--” ‘-we'll find--” “What will we Find 2” “Something...”HAVE IT YOUR WAY,His wings molted; he fell from the sky; crashed to the ground, a sack of grey flesh and splintering bones: content. Dissatisfied. At peace. Un- oe meet oon The King looked at his Queen, so beautiful, so ageless, beside him. “What then?” he whispered. “Where did he go then? Into sun? Into cera The Queen shook her head. “I’m sorry,” she said; “the spirit’s gone. I have no answers.” He turned his blind eyes inward and knew she ocd react PaCS a MLR eM alate eee attra yee “But I have to know...” The Queen kissed his spindle-hands, his mountain-cheeks, his Coe es cL OL CVO Tt cele cere sy Teo erate eee Ta And again the King was alone. Waiting. The story would continue; it had to. But when, he wondered; and with whose voice? Then, for an instant, he heard the voice: distant and vague — but eae eect e SUR ela ae eneWHAT THE HELL Am I DOING STANDING IN THE MNIDPLE OF THE STREET LIKE THIGZ TM GONNA BE LATE FOR WORK!Pee RCRA ee Cha LL