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By Michele Saporito
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Cailin: Duin! Duin!
Duin: Yawn! What?!
Cailin: Duin! You over-slept!
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Cailin: Come on Duin! Get up already!
Duin: I’m awake, I’m awake. What’s the matter?
Cailin: Mother Teatha is waiting for us
and you are late, come down.
Duin: Ok, ok. I’m ready
Duin: Humans need sleep anyways, you know Cailin?
Cailin: We gotta hurry. As a human raised by Fae, it’s important for you to learn about the forest.
Mother Teatha: Finally, you are here.
Now, now. Let’s begin our lesson.
We have a lot to cover today.
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Cailin: So a Mo’rd would never harm a Fae?
Mother Teatha: Nor any other forest inhabitant
Mother Teatha: You see, Cailin, the Mo’rd and the Fae live in symbiosis with each other and with the forest.
The Mo’rd help us gather resources and defend the forest. In exchange we take care of them. Together we steward the forest.
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Unlike the majority of the humans who live down stream the Ancient River.
Yet our actions go to their benefit too, for we take care of the forest,- so preventing the river from flooding.
Duin: And what about The Great Shipwreck?
That’s part of the Forest of Hion too, right. We are bound to it?
Mother Teatha: No, Duin. The Shipwreck is the only exemption. What lies there is better left well alone.
SFX:RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE
Cailin: What’s that noise?
SFX: CRASH
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Bring on the flame throwers!
Mother Teatha: You have to run, children. Leave the forest, go south. Run, quick. Run!
Mother Teatha: Ach! Run, children! Run!
Captain Bernd: Lord Leasmhac, Sir. We have discovered where they keep it. It’s in the place they call the “Great Shipwreck”
Lord Leasmhac: Excellent, Captain Bernd. Finish off the village then move on this “Shipwreck”
Cailin: Wait, they’re killing our people, we can’t leave just like this.
Duin:Sorry, Cailin. All we can do now is run south to the villages of the meadow
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Captain Bernd: It’s here that we’ve found it sir!
Captain Bernd: It seems that this centuries old airship fell just because of that load
Lord Leasmhac: Well done Captain, the Imperial Court will be informed of your success
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Captian Bernd: Sir. Here we are, Sir.
Lord Leasmhac: It’s… It’s beautiful!
Load the chest on the carriage, the “Artifact” goes to the tower!
Finally we will burn down and colonize this forest of monsters
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Caporal: Sir. the last of the clashes are over, Sir.
We just finished grouping the last survivors. The Fae had no chances against our gas attacks and our flame thrower.
Caporal: We barely shot.
Lord Leasmhac: Well done, Caporal
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Soldier 1: What?
SFX: Whud whud
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Lord Leasmhac: Defend the chest! Defend the chest!
Lord Leasmhac: Steady, steady!
Captain Bernd: They’re here.
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Lord Leasmhac: Keep the line and retreat!
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Captain Bernd: Sir, we are surrounded… Maybe we should surrender
Lord Leasmhac: Nonsense, Captain. It’s time we show them what it is we truly found
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Captian Bernd: My gods, Sir. There’s nothing left.
Lord Leasmhac: With such power we’ll fuel our machines and industries forever. Our weapons will tame enemies and nature, land and sea
Fae: Cough cough… And what will become of the world you live in, humans?
Let me tell you what will become of you and your industries
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Without trees the heavens will cloud with thick venomous mists
You will violate the earth and crumble it to dust
You will poison the water, kill the animals, cut down the forests, and will wear masks for the rest of your lives.
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You will roth your lungs and damn your children and your children’s children
Lord Leasmhac: You have talked quite enough, imp
You Fae have done your time
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SFX: Bang
Fae: Aaaaaaaaargh
Lord Leasmhac: The Artifact, where has it gone?!
Captain Bernd: Sir, down the cliff, Sir.
Lord Leasmhac: Organize a new search party, Captain Bernd. We have to find it
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Duin: That’s funny..
Cailin: This should be far enough. This is the fourth village we have met so far
Duin: The damage doesn’t look as bad from out here
SFX: Ka-wham!
Cailin: Duin, what’s happening? Why did they attack us?
Duin: I don’t know, Cailin. I’m afraid too. I wish I had the strength to do something.
All we can do now is try to stay safe
Cap: The Tower of Sharuk, Imperial Outpost
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I fear the Artifact is gone, Leasmhac
Lord Leasmhac: Call back the men, Captain Bernd. We have to pile up sandbags on the shore. I think we’ll have a storm tonight.
We’ll resume the search later.
Captain Bernd: As thy command, my lord. But shouldn’t we secure the site of the explosion too?
It might have become unstable..
Now that the trees are gone
Who knows how the ground is going to react.
SFX: CRACK
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Cailin: By the gods, Duin. Look at this village
The flood has left almost nothing
Duin: Hey, what’s that?
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Cailin: Maybe you should drop it. I don’t like how it glows.
Duin: Why should I? It looks so nice.
Duin: I wonder what it is… And what it can do
what is ‘nbs’ about this comic?
Forests are amazing—they protect us by cleaning the air, providing habitats, and even boosting our mood. But we’re constantly cutting them down for various reasons. The big question is, can we save the forests that save us? Absolutely! It starts with awareness and making conscious choices, like supporting sustainable products and conservation efforts. By coming together and valuing our forests, we can ensure these incredible ecosystems thrive for future generations.