The cover of this issue shows a giant ghostly purple Amethyst looming in the background as the brothers Donal and Mordu square off for a fight. The text on the cover says “The Sacrifice!” The title of the issue is “Bloody Sun at Noon.”
That all sounds fairly ominous, doesn’t it?
When we left off last issue, Flaw had kidnapped the grown-up Emmy from Earth and brought her back to the Gemworld. Flaw dangles Emmy in front of Amethyst, saying “Touch one hair on Mordu’s head, kiddo and the Princess Emerald is dragon meat.”
Flaw is possessed by Amethyst’s old nemesis the Child and he proposes a deal: Amethyst leaves, Chaos takes everything, and they are also going to keep Emmy as collateral. Amethyst is not amused.
She says “Order’s patience with children is at an end.” Flaw flings Emmy aside, yelling “You are a fool to taunt me Amethyst!”
In another part of the castle, Topaz discusses Turquoise’s condition with Donal. She lapsed into a depressed coma after seeing her people slaughtered by a mystical beast. Topaz threw his dagger in the beast’s heart and they were startled when it wasn’t wounded but decided to speak to them.
Donal and his father are startled by the sounds of battle. Donal swears to end things with the beast. Amber vows to help too. Topaz tells her to stay with her mother and watch over her sleep. Amber yells “Isn’t fair!” Amethyst has rejoined the battle with Flaw, warning Mordu once again that he should mend his ways.
I find the narrative arc of this series somewhat boring. Amethyst fights Chaos off an on and keeps trying to give Mordu a “Come to Jesus” lecture. Even though we’ve reached the third issue of the mini-series, it doesn’t seem like all that much has really happened. There is a Sergio Leone style close-up on Amethyst’s eyes as she says, “If you embrace Chaos, you embrace death.” Emmy becomes possessed by the Child, and he says through her “Didn’cha hear what the boy said? He picked us. Now quit being a sore loser and give it up, ok?” Amethyst yells at The Child to get out of Emmy’s body. He says that Amethyst doesn’t really care about her friends and threatens to make Emmy explode into a thousand pieces. Then he decides to indulge in some exposition.
He goes on to say that Amy’s mother had been driven insane by her daughter’s double life and she is now confined to a nursing home. Amy’s father is globe trotting gigalo who marries wealthy women. Amy’s dog Taffy got old and was put down. Emmy was left to survive on her own in a world where her magic didn’t work. The Child concludes “Not too fine behavior for a Lord of Order, Amethyst. Sure you’re not one of us after all?” His words start to get to Amethyst, and she keeps repeating that she will not listen to Chaos.
Amber is upset about being left behind and she decides to go searching for her father and brother.
Donal and Topaz reach the threshold of the room where Amethyst is fighting Chaos. Donal asks his father if he’s ever seen light like that, and Topaz says that he’d seen it before, years before Donal was born. As Amethyst struggles to fight The Child, Mordu creeps up behind her. He thinks that if he destroys Amethyst he will gain the favor of his Chaos masters. Topaz is struck by the sight of Amethyst.
Donal moves to attack Mordu. Amethyst tells him to stay back and there is no need for him to sacrifice himself. Donal says that he will have vengeance for the torturing of his people and family. Mordu says “You make me sick, Donal! So noble, so pure-of-heart — and yet you are blind to the truth!!” Amethyst decides to show Donal the truth and uses her light to free Wrynn’s soul. The soul rises out of the body and tells Donal to kill him. Donal makes his move, but Topaz protests that he can’t kill his brother. Mordu says that death is the only solution and blasts Donal with magic. Amber sees her brother fall.
Amethyst rips the spirit form of The Child out of Emmy’s body and throws him into a spectral dragon’s mouth. The Child screams “Chaos has already won!”
Topaz kneels over Donal’s body. Amber says “Don’t cry Daddy, I’ll take care of you.” Amethyst comments that she has to leave because White Opal is waiting for her.
Amethyst says farewell to Topaz. He says “Is this the way of Order, then, Amethyst? To show no pity — to cry no tears — to leave death in thy wake? Thou art no better than Chaos!” Amethyst says that she won’t let any mortal judge her actions, not even him. She says that what she does next she has to do and she asks her Gemworld to show faith and courage.
Carnelian watches the birds startle and fly away from a balcony. Another Diamond Priest comes to remind him of vespers. Carnelian can tell that something is wrong. He concludes that he has to pray for courage because “that she may grant.”
Come back soon for the conclusion!