Ghede: Guerrier Extraordinaire #8: Pages 27-29
Page 27, 6 Panels- Kagu-Tsuchi's Former Mountaintop Dwelling Panel 1: Same setting/layout as the last panel of the previous page. Ghede is a few feet behind her friend in the background, touching down on the nebulous/non-existent floor. You can see the look of genuine curiosity on her face as she approaches the good captain who still clutches the Tridentis firmly in both hands. GHEDE [translated from French, to Avain]: I'm curious, Avi...how the hells did you get here? Last time I saw you, you were-- AVAIN [translated from French; interjecting]: A six-foot ice cube? Panel 2: Slight close-up on Avain's face a second later. He leans his head over to the left in order to address his friend who, at this point, is standing alongside her. The intensity from before has now been mixed with a sense of exhaustion, given the long journey that he has taken to get there. Which is visible here in his eyes, if not the rest of his body.
AVAIN [to Ghede]: It's a long story, specses. One I'll be happy to tell you over a chat back in my plane of existence. Panel 3: Same setting/layout as the previous panel. His face and eyes turn back down toward the body a second later. His hands pressing the weapon further down into the wound of the defeated deity off-panel. SOUND EFFECT [Off-Panel]: AGHH!! AVAIN [Cont., one last intimidating growl]: Once we burn him from this one!<BR> GHEDE [Off-Panel, to Avain]: Whoa there...
Panel 4: We pull back slightly to take in the Haitian guerrier a couple of seconds later. She places her right hand on her friend's shoulder in a rare show of peaceful intervention. As this goes on, you can see her other hand just beginning to lift off of her side.
GHEDE [Cont., nodding back toward the body]: Thanks for the assist, but right now you should go and scoop Kazzie up for our departure.
Panel 5: Slight close-up on Ghede's face and shoulders a moment later. Though you don't see the action of her arms, it is surmised that they're now placed in a horizontal fashion on both sides. You can hear the sound of the Tridentis' metal tips being pulled out of the body as she speaks.
GHEDE [looking down at the Japanese water god; stoic]: After the death he's caused, and for the many thousands back in Haiti who died by the actions of his human host...the final cut belongs to me! KAGU-TSUCHI [Off-Panel, chuckling groggily; translated from Japanese]: You know you fight a never-ending battle, do you?
Panel 6: Cut to a shot of our antagonist on the ground. The blood continuing to pool down in the upper part of his stomach, staining his fine clothes; its red coloring already starting to turn a steadily darkening gray. His eyes are barely open, though they still denote (along with the rest of his body language) a sense of defiance and power befitting his deity status.
KAGU-TSUCHI [Cont., to Ghede]: Whether it's enterprising apes on Earth or deities who tire of sharing power, they will continue to try with all of their might to break through the In Between to rule. Those with far less morals and care for the structure for the human world than I. Your "win" this night, in the grand scheme of things... Page 28, 5 Panels- Kagu-Tsuchi's Former Mountaintop Dwelling
Panel 1-2: We go back to a shot of Ghede's face which, in Panel 1, has the same layout as the second to last panel of the previous page. She tolerates the ranting statement from her defeated foe up till its very end with a bored expression on her face. Then, in Panel 2, our titular heroine moves her hands from her sides down toward the front of her chest in a swift, fluid motion.
KAGU-TSUCHI [Off-Panel; Panel 1]: ...will have meant nothing! GHEDE [translated from Haitian Creole; Panel 2]: Oh, you garçon stupide...
Panel 3: We pull back to see the rest of her body a moment later. The bottom half remains perfectly stationary in place save for a little jolt from the holstered Molltach. The top half, however, is nothing but pure action. Her arms are stretched out in front, and her hands (palm forward) down toward the Japanese water god. A dark beam of energy shoots out of the palms toward the off-panel god.
GHEDE [Cont., sarcastic]: Kindly fuck off!
Panel 4-5: A two-part set of panels centered on a full-body shot of Kagu-Tsuchi. In Panel 4, the energy hits his body, engulfing it in a great ball of energy as it steadily disintegrates. Moments later, in Panel 5, it is nothing but a pile of gray dust in the panel view.
Panel 29, 4 Panels- Former Kagu-Tsuchi's Former Mountaintop Dwelling
Panel 1-4: A four-part set of panels that move from left to right in the overall page view. Each one taking 1/4 of the visible page going from left to right in the page view. In Panel 1, we see a full-body shot of Ghede as she ceases the beam of energy from her hands, checking out the damage for a brief second. In Panel 2, she grins at her work and starts to turn around as Avain hoists Kazuo's body off the ground, placing it in a baby carrying pose in his arms. And in Panels 3 and 4, the Haitian guerrier glides off into the sunset to join her friend who has the head of the (now properly re-aged) titan of industry resting on his bicep.
GHEDE [translated from French, sighing; Panel 1]: It's over... GHEDE [Cont., grinning; Panel 2]: Now to party! GHEDE [singing to herself; Panel 3]: "The clock I'm punching in (I'm a monster) Work till I can't give (I'm a machine)..." GHEDE [Cont. singing; Panel 4]: "Now there's no time left (and where I'm headed) No time left for anything (it's so obscene)"
THE END (At least for now)