Honor Bound
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| Honor Bound | ||||
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[[File:{{#setmainimage:HonorBound.jpg}}|250px]] | ||||
| Publication information | ||||
| Publisher | Wizards of the Coast | |||
| Publication period | April 23 - May 7, 2009 | |||
| URL | Honor Bound | |||
| Creative team | ||||
| Writer(s) | Jenna Helland, Brady Dommermuth, Doug Beyer | |||
| Art director | Jeremy Jarvis | |||
| Illustrator(s) | Nils Hamm | |||
| Letterer(s) | Jino Choi | |||
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Honor Bound is a webcomic about Elspeth Tirel and her squire Aran. It was originally published in three parts in April and May 2009.
Part 1
Elspeth introduces herself as a Knight of Bant. She admits that when the people of Bant would know of her abilities that they would think of her as an angel. However, she doesn't trust her "gift" and prefers to earn her place in the heavens by behaving like a knight.
Hearing rumors and frightening tales of invading monsters, and fearing that Ajani's tales about the Conflux are becoming true, Elspeth decides to investigate. Her squire Aran announces that he wants to accompany her to Akrasa. Although Elspeth thinks it would be better for Aran to remain behind and continue his education, she is glad for his company because she doesn't want to be alone. When Aran later questions the urgency that Elspeth feels, the planeswalker remembers her youth as a prisoner along with many other beings, locked tightly away and tortured by Phyrexians.
Arriving at a Rhox monastery near Fort Dawnray, they find blood splattered on the door. Aran first believes that bandits were the cause of this, but Elspeth discovers that a monk had killed his brethren in the night. The boy proves his innate goodness by asking the angels to cleanse the monk's soul. Elspeth argues that not everyone is worth saving, and questions the worthiness of her own rescue when her planeswalker's spark ignited as she was about to be sacrificed by the Phyrexians.
After entering the monastery they find a Grixis incursion zone and are attacked by zombies.
Part 2
Elspeth remembers one time years ago, just after Aran's parents had died, when she and Aran had witnessed the passing of a flying cathedral of the angels. It was a glimpse of perfection. Elspeth had felt that she had waited all her life to see something so profoundly beautiful. But she had also felt nostalgic, for a present that would never last. The third emotion she had felt was fear, fear that her soul would be torn open and that all good within het would bleed away and that even the angels wouldn't be enough to protect the people of Bant. That was the singular moment that Elspeth vowed to never leave Bant and to protect it at all costs.
In the hear and now, Aran and Elspeth have defeated the zombies, witness the arrival of scouting flocks of Kathari and are attacked by a demon. Elspeth is able to defeat the demon, but only by revealing her planeswalker power, beyond what Aran is used to. He questions her, but she unwilling to explain her powers. Pursued by the Grixis hordes they flee home. Elspeth rallies the troops of the castle and leads them in their defense. Despite their valiant efforts, the defenders are unable to hold the line. Elspeth tries to protect Aran from an attacker, but is unable to prevent him getting mortally wound.
Amidst desolation, Elspeth grieves for her squire and thinks back to that moment when they had witnessed the flying cathedral of angels.