Shadow Skill TV Anime Series Episode 16 – Synopsis Cast of Characters: Elle Ragu - 59th sevalle of Kuruda Gau Ban – valle Black Howling, her adoptive brother Faury Brazmetizer – Sui Reme Kyo Ruu – Septia Feorina – Owner of the Green Octopus Inn King Iba Stola – Hawkeye, 55th sevalle of Kuruda Kai Sink – Crimson, 56th sevalle of Kuruda aka Raze Reme Silver Sword Scarface Vy Low – 57th sevalle of Kuruda Kain Phalanx – G, 58th sevalle of Kuruda Dias Ragu – Black Wing, valle of Kuruda Darkness Ren Fuuma Teaser: Kain Phalanx is talking to a mysterious figure who asks if he is really sure about selling his soul. Kain replies that he is sure; and the figure reminds him that he is throwing away his very life and the title of sevalle as well – what does he wish to gain for a sacrifice so great? “I am now…on my way to proving my own prowess,” replies Kain. “However, I have no doubt that the most fearsome man in the world will stand in the way of what I intend to do. Even if I happen to be defeated by that man, I simply cannot allow the battle that I have led to be ended…” “Duration?” asks the figure, a hooded man with a wrinkled face. Kain asks for three years, and we see a shot of Kain’s sevalle statue as the hooded man asks for the last time, “Are you sure of this?” “Enough!” is Kain’s answer, as the sevalle statue is shattered. Flash to the present, to the ridge overlooking Kuruda city. Kain is looking out across the lake at the view, his cape blowing in the wind. “Three years…I must hurry…” he thinks, and makes his way down the ridge. (Opening Credits) Act 1 Another working day in Kuruda. Crimson and Scarface enter the city on foot, through the main gateway. Both men are keeping their own counsel, when they meet Darkness in the street. “Darkness!” says Crimson, while Scarface notes, “It’s sure been a while.” Darkness greets Scarface as: “My dear friend Vy Low…I have come to witness whatever is about to unfold, here before us…” The men regard each other soberly as a horse-drawn wagon gets stuck in the cobblestones and the horses begin to panic. At the practice ground, Gau is honing his skills against the dummy suits of armor…and Kyo’s voice is reading another entry from her journal. It is October 10, a day of clear skies, and Kyo has gone to Dias’ house to make him lunch. Apparently she has told him that the King has revealed himself to be her grandfather, but neither of them have told anyone else, unsure what to make of it. The scene shifts to Elle practicing at the Green Octopus Inn, doing push-ups with one thumb. Kyo comments that Elle remains very strong and composed, practicing more vigorously; this makes Kyo feel that war is nearing. The scene shifts back to Kyo at Dias’ house, watching a squad of soldiers coming down the street. She takes the opportunity to ask Dias about something that has been bothering her for a long time…since they came back from Prorathan. “What about my home in Prorathan?” asks Dias gently, and Kyo nervously answers, “What exactly did you say to Gau, back then when you were seeing him off?” “Oh, that,” replies Dias, leaning back in his chair. “I told him that everyone has a battle that can only fought by one’s own self.” Kyo echoes the words in puzzlement. In the forest outside Kuruda, Kain meets the trio that has been shadowing the footsteps of Elle since the time she made the detour to Prorathan (or maybe a little earlier, when she began working at the Green Octopus). The leader greets Kain, and the former sevalle asks who they are. The conversation is interrupted by the approach of Ren Fuuma, who has arrived earlier than expected. Ren looks even more insane than Kain, if such a thing is possible. The leader of the trio tells Kain that they won’t reveal their names, but that they do share the same objective as Kain, and that should be enough. He goes on to say, “Commencing at midnight tonight, in the name of extermination of the Holy Kingdom, we shall execute a punishment against Kuruda…we have no intention of interfering in what you will do. However, do not be surprised no matter what happens at that hour. Just remember that.” “I am merely on my way to my own battle,” answers Kain calmly, as he walks away. Ren snorts, “That old man, acting like a big shot…” Act 2 Kyo and Gau are watching the Kuruda soldiers drilling in the main square. Gau is telling Kyo about Elle’s comment that his moves don’t have any soul to them. Kyo replies, “Hm…so that’s why all the training.” Gau answers, “There’s more to it, but…” Kyo wonders what is in store for them in the future, if there will be an even more terrible battle than before. Gau shrugs, and says if it comes down to that, “I’ll fight the best I can as well…” “Is that what they call the honor of the Kuruda mercenary?” “Huh? What do you mean?” Kyo shakes her head. “It’s nothing…never mind.” “Kyo…?” “Gau…tell me what it feels to be the shield of someone else.” “How…what? Is something wrong? You’re acting really strange…” “But your opponent is bound to be someone in a similar situation as well, you see…” “I still don’t know very well,” admits Gau, “I’m not as strong as sister Elle, am I? Scarface has told me how important it is for me to be strong, just as strong as I can be…but valle is a different human being, too. Everyone has a different way of thinking. Just like Dias told me…” “Everyone has a battle that can only be fought by one’s own self,” murmurs Kyo, surprising Gau. “You heard that from Dias?” “Nothing is ever quite that simple…” says Kyo, jumping down from the railing where they have been sitting. As Gau looks wonderingly at her, a commotion draws their attention. Grafitti on the wall (unfortunately, no translation provided for the Japanese characters) apparently fortells the impending destruction of Kuruda. In Dias’ apartment, Crimson has come to pay a visit. Crimson has just informed him of Kain’s seeming return from the dead, and Dias demands, “Is this for real?” “Scarface should be reporting to the King right now,” replies Crimson, “Furthermore, Darkness has come from Juliannes as well.” “Darkness?!” exclaims Dias, and at Crimson’s affirmative, he wonders, “Where has he been, these past three years?” Crimson tells Dias of a rumor that he heard on his way back to Kuruda: “He seems to have infiltrated Suluothan’s Iron Cavalry troopers…” Flashback to Kain seated with the Suluothan general. Crimson’s voice goes on to say: “What’s surprising is that he was working as an adviser. Apparently he hid his identity and covered it with a mask of loyalty.” “Then you’re saying…” “That G was there at that time, yes.” A small silence fills the room, then Crimson: “At worst, we might just require your help in all this. Of course, that’s only if it gets worse.” The camera closes in on Dias’ thoughtful face, his brow furrowed in concern. Over scenes of more grafitti being discovered and people discussing what it might mean, we hear Kyo’s voice narrating another entry in her journal. Soldiers are searching high and low, but the culprit is not to be found. We see the three suspicious figures from the forest placing heavy sacks against the city walls of Kuruda. In the palace throne room, the King is in conference with Darkness and Scarface. The King is telling a soldier to find the author of the grafitti at all costs. The mysterious men continue to place more sacks around Kuruda, and we see the grafitti appearing everywhere. At the Green Octopus, Faury and Feorina are fitting Elle into her armor. Elle is apologizing to Feorina for having to be on her way, and the little innkeeper says it’s all right: “It’s not like we’ve had any customers in days!” Faury manages to fix up the last of the hooks and snaps: “There, it’s done.” “All right!” affirms Elle, giving the armor one last patting down. Gau and Kyo enter the common room, having finished their chores for the night. He wonders where Elle is headed off to, and Faury informs him that his sister has just been called to the palace. When Gau speculates on whether it may have something to do with the grafitti problem, Elle retorts: “Wake up! They’s never call a *sevalle* just to clean grafitti off the wall!” To Faury she says: “Do you mind checking out those other matters? I don’t think that it’s just a grafitti problem.” “It’ll cost you…” “Put it on my tab…Kyo, may I talk?” Elle draws Kyo out beneath the little tree outside the inn’s back door. She begins by apologizing: “About before…about all the things I said about family…because I didn’t mean to offend you at all…” “Oh no, I don’t mind, really…” Elle turns her green eyes full on the little septia and says: “And there’s another thing I need to say…my brother always used to say that everyone has a battle to be fought by oneself. He always said that. And I think it’s true, as well, but then…” “What is it?” “That’s something that’s true only for the valle…if anyone else tries too hard doing things beyond their limits, then…they just can’t protect what they try to…” Kyo gasps, feeling the words echo Faury’s own warning and hitting close to home. “I hear you’ve learned the Tomoe,” adds Elle, a little more cheerfully. Kyo nods with satisfaction, and Elle says: “Use it well. But remember, if it comes down to it, it’s also courage…the courage to flee.” Act 3 We see the hand of the character who holds the medicine balls receiving a report from the three shadow figures who are his agents. They tell him that Ren Fuuma has successfully infiltrated Kuruda. “I see,” says the mysterious character. “Knowing how flashy he is, he will most certainly create a huge clamor inside…well, that is fine.” And a flash of light illuminates the three shadow figures for a moment. It is the trio who has been shadowing Elle and her company all this time. In the palace, Elle has taken her place as a sevalle together with Scarface, Darkness and Crimson before the throne of King Iba Stola. “Kain Phalanx is G,” she murmurs, and Crimson explains that Kain was the 58th sevalle, right before Elle. “But I heard he went missing, about three years ago,” she says, and we see Kain’s sevalle statue shattering. Crimson agrees grimly. “Indeed. He was supposedly slain. By the hand of Scarface, and yet…” The camera jumps to record the expressions of those present in the room as they try to digest the information and its implications for them all. At Dias’ house, the Black Wing is explaining the story to Gau and Kyo: “It seems…evidence shows that he is heading towards Kuruda.” In the palace: “Treason?” wonders Elle, looking at Scarface, who says, “He’s the biggest scumbag I’ve ever met. He wanted to prove he was the strongest, so he attacked the 55th sevalle…the 55th sevalle who also goes by the name of the Hawkeye, Iba Stola. That’s the person,” Scarface indicates the King with a nod of his head, and the King confirms Elle’s wondering look with a nod of his own. Scarface goes on with the tale: “But I put myself in-between them and defeated him and his horrible plan…” Over dinner at his house, Dias is cautioning Gau: “When you fight, you must a draw a line to be honored in the end. Whether you cross that line or not…that is the distinction between the proud valle and a beast driven by madness…you should know that G is the seventh letter in the Latin alphabet. At the same time, it also has the very same meaning and saying of ‘the strongest’…” “The strongest…power?” whispers Kyo, and Gau exclaims as he rises abruptly from the table, “Mine to be defended in the end.” “Oh, Gau!” “The honor of a Kuruda mercenary was taught to me by Low himself! Low as well has been seeking to be strong. But when Low fought me, his eyes were as clear as the sky, I tell you! Definitely not the eyes of madness…I will not cross!” He turns angry blue eyes on Dias, and declares again, “I will never cross the line…ever! Excuse me…” “Gau!” cries Kyo, as he stalks away from the table and out of the apartment. While she is staring out through the open door after him, Dias, who remains seated and serious, quietly tells her, “Kyo…please take good care of him. There is nothing more dangerous than a valle wrestling with doubt.” Kyo’s expression takes on new resolve, and she walks out the door to look for Gau. In the throne room at the palace, Elle has absorbed the entire story, saying, “I never knew about any such thing.” “I suppose you could call him the attacker from the past, if that is your wish,” answers Crimson. Kuruda in the night is quiet except for the barking of dogs. Faury is standing in the shadows thrown by one wall, analyzing the grafitti painted upon it. She looks around her and marks a huge pillar or watchtower, and the Kuruda barracks. Then she unfolds a map, on which are marked five positions outlining a pentagon shape. “All five are closely situated near the barracks *and* the pillar…hm?” The sound of frantically running feet has caught her attention. It is Feorina, who has come all the way from the Green Octopus with dangerous news – five sacks of explosive powder have gone missing from the orchard storage. Because it was such a small number, says a breathless Feorina, Gau must have missed it while checking…but even just five could cause serious trouble. If it got into the wrong hands…”Five then! Could it be?” wonders Faury, and then tells Feorina, “Come with me now!” Kyo’s narration resumes as we see her running about the city streets in search of Gau. Passing by an alleyway, she encounters a group of men acting suspiciously along one of the walls. When they spot her, they rush her with drawn weapons, but she holds her ground; then Kain can be seen emerging from the barracks doorway from which he has just tossed aside two soldiers as if they were broomsticks. We see that the three men Kyo is facing are the three shadow figures…and then, she performs the Tomoe technique as one who has mastered the skill. The chalings fly through the air in a perfect snare around the three shadow figures, entangling them in the lines and bringing them down. Breathless at what she has done, Kyo approaches the fallen trio gingerly to recover her chalings. In doing so, she recovers pieces of paper – maps like the one Faury had been holding in her hand earlier. She realizes that the maps mark out the positions of the city soldiers, and then a voice from the ground says: “It’s too late…in a short while, two thousand years of Kuruda history will come to an end. None of you will have a future any more!” At Kyo’s shocked look, the downed man chuckles with wicked glee. “The extermination of the Holy Kingdom will surely come to pass now!” The sound of a foot patrol catches Kyo’s attention. She points out the downed men to two soldiers, and hurries off in her search for Gau. The soldiers enter the alley, only to find the trio dead: “They killed themselves!” Act 4 “There’s some trouble at the watch tower! Details still coming in!” cries a soldier, and Elle calls out, “I’ll go!” We see her dashing down the palace corridors on her way to the site. A squadron of soldiers confronts Kain at the square near the watch tower. “Stop him!” While Kyo frantically searches the city streets, Kain turns to meet the squadron, and with his mastery of fighting skills, makes short work of them. Kyo arrives at the courtyard in time to see the patrol eliminated, and the mark of the sevalle on Kain’s hand. She realizes who she is looking at…and at the same time, also makes up her mind that she must not let Gau fight against Kain. Her voice narrates her thoughts as she walks determinedly up to Kain: “I thought that if Gau ever did fight against this man, he would cross that line we talked of…I couldn’t…I could never let that happen…” The commotion of additional soldiers heading for the scene of the battle has woken up the citizens of Kuruda. Beneath the balcony of one house, Gau hears of trouble at the watch tower, maybe deaths…and he sets of at a run to the scene where Kyo is proclaiming her intentions to Kain: “I won’t let you go. This…only I can do it…this is my battle now.” Kain’s expression is something between scorn and respect for the brave words of the little septia. He tells her: “So, girl, if this is a battle, you must also be prepared for death.” Kyo thinks: “Fear…no, there was something in me that was covering over all of that…” She draws her chalings, but Kain’s move is faster, and his blow catches her full in the chest; as she falls over, he leaps into the air, shouting, “Die!” Kyo’s thoughts continue: “I don’t remember much of anything after that…only the face of madness…” We see in silhouette the form of Elle setting herself feet first between Kain’s leap and Kyo’s prostrate form about to hit the ground, while Kyo says: “…my own voice coming from somewhere far, far away… my own voice calling out, ‘Gau…Gau…’…” “Kyo!” cries a frantic Elle, as Kyo slams into the ground and lies mortally wounded. Elle’s eyes fill and spill over with angry tears as she scolds Kyo: “You fool, you big fool! I *told* you not to do this!…Kyo…” Elle shakes the tears from her eyes as she faces an impassive Kain. Tears continue to stream from her face as she declares: “You will die for all of this!…G, she’s like a precious sister…she’s like a precious sister of mine! She’s a sister…she is one of my family…I will now…CRUSH YOU!!” Elle leaps into the air, her arm ready to deliver a death blow to Kain, but with one counter he meets her punch and tosses her easily to one side. A chuckle escapes him as he says: “These moves must be the Shadow Skill. You must be none other than the rumored 59th Shadow Skill…you must excuse me, I must hurry on my way.” Eyes blazing with anger, Elle summons up all her strength to recite the martial words, but as she comes after Kain again, another one of his blows shatters her arm. “Shadow Skill,” he says, “I’d like to challenge you some day, but I’m in a hurry today.” Flying through the air from the force of the blow, Elle is in shock from the knowledge that he has stopped all of her martial language. Gau, running through the streets, happens upon the scene… In the throne room, Black Wing Dias Ragu presents himself and his services to the King. “I am sorry to trouble you so,” says the King, and Dias replies, “Say nothing. To protect his King, that’s the least of my duties as the valle.” We get this wonderful group shot of all the Kuruda sevalles in one room – the King on his throne, Dias on one knee before him, Crimson standing behind and to his left, Darkness directly behind, and Scarface behind and to his right. “I’m counting on you,” says the King. “Sire!” answers Dias. Gau has picked up the inert form of Kyo in his arms. Tears are streaming down his face, and in his eyes is an expression that is dangerously close to madness as he vows: “I will kill him…I will kill him!” Nursing her shattered arm, Elle can only watch her younger brother’s anger and despair and lust for revenge. Gau throws back his head, and the cry of an angry wolf pierces the night sky of Kuruda… (Closing Credits)