Elfquest: Wolrdpool vol.1 #1
Warp, Jul 1997, b&w
1 Worldpool #1 cover Cover art by Barry Blair and Colin Chan
THE PERCEPTION OF DOORSóA boy drifts in a canoe of wood. He has black hair, dark make up around his eyes, a skimpy loin cloth, and no other clothes. Around his hands are bandages. Panthers wait above a branch as the canoe passes under. Jethel crawls out onto the branch with his long knife out. Koni fires an arrow between the legs of the big cat in front. Arro tells him it was a good shot but Koni tells Arro he was aiming to hit it. Willowsnap is on Jethel's head. Jethel thinks the cats are sweet tempered creatures, "Am I not right? MMmmmrrrrr?" The canoe drifts to where Arro can pull the boy out and Arro and Slyvie get the kid away from the area. Koni says, "Jethel, I can't hold this much longer. Do something!" The cats pounce but Jethel is behind Koni. He wraps an arm around his shoulder, "Oh, now young warrior, you weren't worried about your chief, were you?" Koni runs, telling FireóEye that someday this forest is going to get the better of him. Jethel wraps his head and shoulder, "Not as long as I stay sharper and trickier than anyone or anything that lives here!" He nogs Koni's head, making Koni say he is right. Koni tells him he is the best as Jethel nogs his head in a headlock. Slyvie and Arro give the boy some food, soup, and drink. The boy tells them his people tried to be like the legends told them...spirit legends. The boy sobs and kneels before Jethel. Koni smiles, "Sharp and tricky and a legend too." Jethel makes weary eyes and can't say anything. The boy is from upriver three or four days. Jethel tells the boy he is real, not a legend. The boy's people were going to give him to the spirits. Moons ago a stranger arrived at the boy's people's village. The Daystar ruled their days and at night they celebrated by the light of the two moons. The stranger has triangles in his ears to make them pointy and paints the village children to look like sky spirits. He tells the people stories of distant places and of the sky spirits. Soon the stranger became darker. He told them of a star that he make a star fall from the sky. All were in awe of him. He became their shaman. The fighters, the hunters took up the man's ways. He told them the young ones were to be transformed into Sky Spirits. The children were shamed if they cried out. For the chosen, the birth was the last thing that they knew...they were killed on a high tree, a tree that has skulls at its base. Jethel says, "I've seen this before." Jethel will take him home. When Arro questions thisas well as Sylvie, Jethel tells him he has seen this before when Aramak tried to make himself like the Sky Spirits. He feels he must stop this madness since he feels responsible. Next morning: on a wooden raft with a front piece extended out, Jethel, the mostly naked loin cloth wearing boy, Arro, Slyvie, the fat cat, the dogs, Willowsnap, Koni, and other smaller animals and bugs head to the village. Arro thinks this will be fun but Koni doesn't feel good about it. Jethel has the memories of what happened to Aramak and Door from the elves who sent it to him. He tells of Door being evil. "I was told by those who were there that he didn't start out that wayóóthat he was simply tired of living such a long life. But the one who was his own master slowly took over his mind and will in dark place called Blue Mountain. Winnowillóthe Black Snake. He became a slaveóóunable to move or eat on his own. He was alive but dead. When Blue Mountain fell, the Hoan G'TayóSho took Door and moved far away from that place to the Forevergreen. In their city on the High Ones' Tears, the lived in peace until Aramak." More flashbacks of the floater called Windkin who heard a call from Door. Jethel recounts more of the NEW BLOOD tale. The sister of the boy who ran away asks the stranger that they haven't seen any signs yet. He tells them the little souls of the young must go skyward so the spirits can live anew. They hear a flute playing, soft unearthly tones played by no human lips. Some of the children are Oriental in look, some Vietnamese, some with big round eyes, some girls with pigtails and braids. Most males wear no shirt, only skimpy briefs or loin cloths. The boy's sister's outfit has cuts on the hips and no sleeves. She points up to a dark outline of an elf playing a long flute stick, sitting on top of one of the poles. Another pole has bull horns. Jethel turns around and says, "Hello." Jethel brings the brother back. Jethel tells the truthóóthat he's kin to those they wish to know. There are others elves behind Jethel in the forest with long ears. The stranger yells for the humans not to listen to Jethel. The stranger announces he is the Chosen One. Koni feels like a fool in fake elf ears but Arro tells him they can be elves for one night. Jethel looks at the stranger, "Wait! I know you...you were younger but I rememberóóyou were one of those who served Door!" A bald boy with collar and no shirt beneath. The stranger was proud then, even when Door disappeared in the Great Fire, he did not lose faith. Jethel debates him and turns his back on him to tell the people to share this forest with the elves and that this stranger has told them lies. He tells them there is no need to worship the spirits, "We're just like you..." The stranger picks up a long knife and raises it as Jethel's back. Jethel moves out of the way and the man stabs himself in the heart. He falls as the point sticks out of his back. In the last frame he is in, the point seems to stick out of his chest. Jethel says something like, "Let this be an ending. Not only to a life, but to a way of life." The sister tells the little brother he was brave and she is proud of him. He says, "Awwwww..." She hugs his chest and back. The humans look to Jethel to lead but he tells them to learn from what just happened. Jethel tells the sister and brother that their eyes are more clear than the others. He tells them to tell the others over and over until they know what to do, "And do not look for me again." The boy is in his sister's bosom, "He'sgone..." Day breaks...Sylvie asks Arro how long he's going to take wear those silly fake ears. He says he is never going to take them off, "I'm a forest spirit!" She yells, "Stop that!" Jethel sighs, thinking some things never change. Slyvie asks Arro, "Didn't you see what happens when people try to be what they're not?" Arro says, "Awwwóóthey were just stupid, I'm just playing." The day is tranquil and without care...so the, why is it that Jethelóóif only for a momentóóseems to hear soft and evil laughter from one whom he has never truly met? Winnowill's face is in the sky over the forest and amid the two moons with a smile on her face