Endgame

Astoria's trial continues, all that remains is for Cerebus to pass sentence on Astoria.

The chapter opens with Posey dashing back and forth bringing water to Cerebus. Gerhard's beautiful intricate backgrounds dominate and really bring the interior of the cathedral to life.

Astoria appears to have lost her mind and is speaking nonsense. Cerebus orders her gagged. When it comes time to pass sentence, and the only sentence can be execution Cerebus cannot bring himself to order it. In echoes of Pontius Pilate, Cerebus washes his hands of the matter and tells Powers if he wants Astoria killed then he can order it. However by the rules of the chuch whoever orders the execution of a Pope killer would then become Pontiff. Cerebus retires to consider the matter.

The action resumes with the messenger bird reaching it's intended destination. It is received by a black veiled servant of Cirin. She takes the message to her mistress. Readers cannot see Cirin, only her thick bandaged fingers. The message is the signal for the Cirinists to begin their invasion of Iest. Those pages are bordered with a design of leaves twining up slender columns.

The final page is Cirin. Because of her veil we can't see all of her face, but we don't need to, to know that Cirin is an aardvark!

I can remember when I first read this chapter I nearly fell of the chair when I got to that last page. I don't know what I was expecting the reveal to be, but that wasn't it. The game just got real interesting.