Shadow Skill TV Anime Series Episode 12 – Synopsis Cast of Characters: Elle Ragu - 59th sevalle of Kuruda Gau Ban – her adoptive brother Faury Brazmetizer – Sui Reme Kyo Ruu – Septia 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 Lean – commander of the Solouthan armies Glock – general of the Solouthan armies Gana Gee – Wedge, Hu Reme Kuruda veteran platoon Teaser: Recap of the ending of the previous episode. Night. A full moon is shining over the battlefield where the Kuruda veterans and Elle are fighting to stop Gana Gee. They have discovered that Elle has been lured into a trap to delay her coming to the aid of her older brother Dias. The three veterans take down Gana Gee, who tries to escape by going over the cliff’s edge. As the veterans disappear from sight, they tell Elle to hurry to the aid of Dias. Elle is frozen in shocked horror at the top. What she cannot see is that the veterans manage to hook themselves to the cliff face with ropes, and release Gana Gee into the depths below. They strike her with the Kuruda Annihilation Technique Sword, and the blast drives Gana Gee deeper into the abyss. During her downward plunge, however, Gana Gee opens her mouth to reveal the demon beast talisman in her mouth. She uses this to break her fall just feet from impact. Severely beaten, she walks slowly away from the scene of her defeat. (Opening Credits) Act 1 What seems to be the entire Solouthan army is gathered outside Dias’ house. He stands alone in front of his house, the black wing gleaming in the moonlight. The army commanders are shouting orders as they line the ridge surrounding the clearing. Two squadrons are sent on a charge down the hill, with the warning that even if their opponent is just one man, he is still the Black Wing. Dias gets ready to throw his boomerang, when loud yells from the hills behind him draws his attention from the oncoming charge. The source of the commotion comes from the arrival of Faury, Kyo and Gau on horseback, using their skills to slice a swathe of destruction through the soldiers guarding their way. Dias retreats slowly as the trio make their way down the clearing. Commanders shout to their men not to panic, as the new arrivals are not sevalles, but nevertheless, the first charge is aborted and the soldiers withdraw. Dias acknowledges Gau’s presence, and the younger man notes that a second wave will arrive soon. He orders Dias back into the house. (OOOOH, YES!! I love TakeCharge!Gau!) On the ridge, General Glock wonders what just happened, while the Solouthan commander Lean thinks that their information was leaked. He dismisses the new arrivals as nobodies. As commander Lean turns away, he sees Kain Phalanx, who wants to check the conditions on the front with his own eyes. He is given permission, and takes his leave. Dias, Faury, Kyo and Gau rush into the house. Gau takes his stand by the window when a movement inside catches his attention. He calls out, and as Kyo moves in startled alert, Dias gestures for her to be still. The shadows part to reveal Kai Sink, the 56th sevalle known as Crimson. Kyo falls on her knees in awe, but Kai explains that he is not there as Crimson, the sevalle, but as Silver Sword. Kyo’s face lights up as she exclaims: “Si-Silver Sword! Then that means that you are the Raze Reme of Kuruda!” Elle is racing through the forest, mentally addressing her brother, telling him that she will soon be with him. Then out of the dark come three demon beasts, missing their intended target by mere inches. Elle turns to find Gana Gee, and exclaims that she thought the other was dead. But Gana Gee says, “Until I kill you, I can’t afford dying!” Gana Gee withdraws her beast talisman and conjures up an enormous demon – a human figure with its feet embedded in a boulder-like base. Elle braces herself and tells Gana Gee that since she is in a hurry, it would probably be better for her to finish off her opponent here and now; a way to revenge herself for the old soliders. On the ridge overlooking Dias’ house, the Solouthan army is readying for their second charge. Act 2 Inside Dias’ house, Gau is puzzled and asks what a Raze Reme is. Kyo explains, that there are eleven Raze Remes from all over Ashlianna. They harmonize with the power of Souma that is found in nature and can work miracles using only their own ears and voices as catalysts. Faury adds that of these, there is one, Kai Sink, who is both Raze Reme and sevalle simultaneously. It is Kai Sink who created the scar on Vy Low’s face – this surprises Gau a lot. Gau’s processing of this new information is interrupted by Dias’ quiet refusal of the medicine that Kai is insisting that he take. Kai says that Dias must use the medicine, or there is no point in talking; in a gentler tone he adds that it is effective medicine. Dias offers his thanks, but he does not need the medicing. He believes it is more important for everyone in the room to share information about the enemy and the young fighters present. Crimson looks over his shoulder at the trio, and appears to come to a decision. Dias moves to Gau and explains that what Suluothan wants to do is to exterminate the holy country, and is putting their plan into action. He asks Kai to confirm what he is saying, and the older sevalle does so, adding that the invasion of Kuruda is just a short-term goal. The real purpose is the fall of the Holy Kingdom of Ashlianna – which shocks the three young people. On the ridge, infantry and the crossbow troops are sent down into the valley. On the opposite side, Kain and some soldiers come across a squad that has been decimated. Kain is told that they had been killed by the time the army had been deployed, and Kain mutters that the injuries have been made by Crimson himself. A soldier asks, “Pardon me, sir?” and Kain brushes him off, turning away from the bodies. As he walks away, he smiles grimly and says, “Kai Sink is here. What a great problem he could be! Good luck, Mr. Lean…” Kai explains that Kuruda, Lehkitor, Felisha and Kisholana, all of which guard Juliannes, each have a Raze Reme. The Five Lands together are referred to as the Holy Kingdom of Ashlianna, where those who are able to use the power of Souma live. Although it is not large in size, it is because Ashlianna controls these powers that other countries look upon it as something mysterious and fearful. Because of this fear, they want to destroy it. Gau expresses disbelief at such an attitude. Kai feels that the invasion is not an arbitrary decision by Suluothan. He is sure there is someone else working behind the scenes, though he is not sure what influence this could be. Flaming arrows shot by crossbows erupt through the windows into the house, burying themselves in the posts and the floor. Dias declares his allegiance to Gau as his own younger brother as much as Gau is considered Elle’s younger brother. Kyo watches in dread, sure that what Dias is about to suggest is a reckless move certain to end in Gau’s death. Dias gives the young man a choice: “Scarface would say this to you…take this (gives Gau the black wing) and go die. I won’t say that. This is the weapon. The weapon to protect your own life.” As the house comes crashing down in flames, Gau takes the black wing and heads for the door, yelling, “I will stop the enemy right here, so hurry up!” As he turns to the door, the light of battle is in his eyes, and he thinks, “He told me to protect Dias…Scarface told me to…He told me to protect him!” Kyo cries out in protest as Gau exits, and Dias says, “From this moment, the enemy will experience true fear facing the Kuruda mercenaries. When we fight for our fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters, and even then for our friends, one mercenary power is a match for a thousand.” Act 3 The demon beast knocks Elle off her feet in their first engagement, and Gana Gee approaches the downed sevalle with taunts. But to her shock, Elle gets back up on her feet with the unquenchable spirit of a Kuruda fighter in her eyes. “Do you know why people are afraid of the sevalle more than is absolutely necessary?” she asks, “That is because we have the power called fear that is sad and painful…since we can take away a person’s life, and so very easily at that. If ever you continue to live from this moment, tell that to all of those meet. This, the 59th sevalle, Shadow Skill, Elle Ragu will carve the fear of sevalle right into your body…to the depths of your heart…to the depths of your weakling’s heart, I say!!” Gana Gee angrily challenges Elle to do just that…if she thinks she still can! The demon beast summons the element of fire against Elle. The scene freeze-frames on the lonely figure of the sevalle… Gau bursts out of the door, thinking, “Please watch me, my brother Dias! I will…I will become the strongest shield in history!” The Solouthan army launches arrows against the young valle, and we hear Dias’ voice over the scenes of carnage inflicted by Gau: “Do you know why I don’t take the medicine? It is because we can’t stop time from going by. We can’t stop the person’s life, stop the fire that is the person’s life, from going out, no matter what we do.” Flashback to Gau asking Dias, “If that’s the case, then what am I protecting you for? I don’t understand what you’re saying!” Dias says, “And still you must…you must understand me. As a person who…is going into battlefields forever…as someone who makes their living over other people’s lost lives…you must know this about me…” The scene shifts to show Gau once more in the thick of battle, but we continue to hear Dias’ voice: “You must remember…every one of us consumes his own life…any human being lives when he is consuming his own life for something…similarly, I have…I have consumed my own life for the weapons I’ve made for the people I love dearly…and now you must find in yourself a precious and proud reason…a reason to fight which can consume your own life as well…!” Gau cuts a huge swath through the crowd, sending panic and pandemonium upon the men of Solouthan. Commander Lean bids his men to stay calm, their opponent is not a sevalle. A voice is heard, “If that is not a sevalle, then what the heck *is* a sevalle?” Gau continues to fight like a madman, powered by the drive to keep safe all that he holds dear, to fulfill the trust given to him by Scarface…The commander observes that Gau is well on the way to making good on the sevalle legend of one man able to defeat a thousand, and intends to see if that confidence is real or not. A soldier comes up from behind, with the news that Kain Phalanx is missing, presumably having left the battlefied. When the soldier adds that perhaps Kain was an Ashlianna spy, he is curtly dismissed by the commander. We see Crimson leading Dias, Kyo and Faury away from the battlefield through a path from behind Dias’ house. Dias voice: “I’m different from Scarface…as I don’t have much time left. What I can do for my younger brother in the end is…give him the strongest weapon I have ever made, to protect his life as much as I possibly can in this manner.” The little party climbing up the hill stops for breath, and looking up, they discover…a cluster of Solouthan soldiers. Crimson rapidly ascends the hill, Faury hard on his heels after telling Kyo to protect Dias. On the battlefield, Gau is still wreaking havoc on the Solouthan army. He is freeze-framed in mid-flight as Dias’ voice continues: “I don’t want you to forget that there is a fight of your own…there is always a fight that can only be done…done by your own life…” “A fight…a fight that can only be done by me…”thinks Gau… “I am invincible!” cries Elle, as the flames shoot towards her… “There is nothing that can defeat my Shadow Skill!” Gau launches himself into yet another melee… “My one single blow is…” cries the 59th sevalle… “INVINCIBLE!!” cries the valle, pounding his fist into the ground… “Kuruda Style Annihilation Technique! Shadow Termination! Rapier!” Gana Gee watches in stunned shock as Elle launches herself into the very heart of the fire, driving straight through to the core of the demon beast and ripping it apart with just one blow. It had taken them tens of men to capture that particular demon, and Elle had vanquished it in just one blow…”The true fight has just begun, 59th sevalle, Shadow Skill, Elle Ragu!!” Elle executes a beautiful mid-air pivot: “I told you, didn’t I, that I would carve the fear right into you, Wedge Gana Gee…!! This injury you made, and the red blood that has come out…and also your very passionate heart, I will praise all of them with the greatest respect…” Gana Gee sends up her demon beasts, as Elle comes down in full force, her feet slicing neatly through all of them, and a scream splits the night. Gana Gee asks why Elle doesn’t finish her off, and the 59th sevalle is almost smiling as she replies: “Fighting is our career…fighting and killing are two different things…besides, it’s because you were tough to defeat…” “Don’t…I don’t need your sympathy…” “Pity you, if you think that way…” “Those old soldiers…they’re not dead…darn it…what incredible old geezers they are…” Elle’s face breaks into a radiant glow at this news, and Gana Gee adds, “You’d better go. I know you’re in a hurry…” Act 4 Gau pauses in his mad race through the Solouthan army to catch his breath. He is totally surrounded by armored men. General Glock cannot believe that one man would willingly go up against so many, as Gau thinks: “My body is filled with the love of so very many people…I’m not alone as long as I have the love with which they risk their own lives for me…” He launches himself into the air once again and the men break ranks in total panic. Suddenly, Gau is caught by surprise when the Solouthan soldiers launch “bowlers” (heavy iron balls attached to a chain) at him. He goes down, and with drawn swords the soldiers prepare to kill him. But Gau is not finished yet, and with a great effort, he gets to his feet, cutting off the general’s triumphant laughter and turning it into shock. In Gau’s hand is the fearsome black wing boomerang, and the men tremble as the young man lifts it into position. With a fierce battle cry, the black wing is launched, causing even more damage than Gau on his own steam, which was considerable enough. The boomerang returns and embeds itself in the soil, moonlight picking out the runes inscribed on the blade. Near exhaustion, Gau falls to his knees, and Commander Lean exhorts his men not to be afraid, because the fighter is now separated from his weapon. Battered and bloody, Gau looks up and says, “I don’t have my own fighting name to introduce myself, but I pay the greatest respect to all of you who are about to be defeated, and also to those men who are already defeated…so that I decide to name myself. From now on, my name is Black Howling…” and the young valle gets to his feet. The soldiers charge, and with one leap, Gau proceeds to inscribe his name in Kuruda legend…and from the ridge opposite, a clear voice calls out, “Here I am, the 59th sevalle, Shadow Skill, Elle Ragu! Now withdraw! If you do, I’ll let you go! However, if you don’t, be ready to die!” The general looks up at the slight figure on the ridge and mutters one word…”Sevalle!” (scrolling Japanese characters as the camera pans upward along the figure of Gau holding the black wing in his hand) (Closing Credits)