Writer – Dan Mishkin, Gary Cohn
Artist – Ernie Colón
Colours – Tom Ziuko
Letters – John Costanza

Carnelian wants two things in life, power much like his father Dark Opal and to please the man, perhaps the latter a little more than the former. He thinks he is smart, withholding that which his father seeks and yet, everything that takes place within fortress Opal is known to he who rules it. Thanks to Carnelian though and his finding of Amethyst’s house stone, Dark Opal can now finish the breastplate he is having made which will contain all the stones of all the houses thereby giving him unlimited power to rule the entirety of Gemworld. While Opal schemes, Amethyst and her forces are preparing to attack as they know that the longer they wait, the worse off things will be so it is now or never. Dan Mishkin and Gary Cohn write a story packed with numerous plot threads going on as they try to tie up a lot of the threads they have woven before the final issue in number twelve. While the attack on Opal takes place, there is the matter of the princesses Emerald and their mother who has taken leave of her senses and cannot seem to overcome the trauma in her mind. That leads to regicide which is surely a crime on Gemworld and yet it is done so that the Queen’s children might have a fighting chance and it seems to work as the magic that the Queen once possessed gets passed down. Additionally the Emissaries of Varn return, this time readers have to assume a little more prepared for Dark Opal’s magic and he must realize it too as he decides to honour his bargain with them and so it is that Sardonyx is sacrificed so that Opal might concentrate on his ascension. As for Opal, his armour is ready and he has finally gotten rid of the mark that Citrina left upon him, instead giving it to Carnelian and it all begins to get very interesting when Amethyst finally reaches the man himself for a confrontation that the authors of this book save for the next issue. Cohn and Mishkin deliver a fast-paced tale that sets things up for what is hopefully a spectacular finale. With Amy’s parent’s not knowing what is happening and the rest of Gemworld sitting on the sidelines or allying themselves with Opal, it remains to be seen just what will happen in the final issue but it is sure to be something worthy of what has come before.

4 out of 5