The 7th Saga Vol. 1 manga translation & Vol. 2 summary original manga by Satoru Yuiga NOTES (Proceed to the line of asterisks to skip directly to the translation itself.) This is a translation of Volume 1 of the manga version of The 7th Saga, as well as a summary of Volume 2. The manga is published by G Fantasy Comics, and the ISBNs are 4-87025-533-2 and 4-87025-545-6 respectively. While the original game is named "Elnard" (or, technically, "Erunaado") in Japan, the manga, oddly, takes its name from the U.S. release (rendered as "Sebunsu Saga"). CAST OF CHARACTERS & HOW NAMES ARE HANDLED When I'm translating a book that never left Japan in a franchise with games that did receive a Western release, I generally use the Japanese character & place names to emphasize that I'm talking about Japanese media that may not be canon (to whatever degree you would count side & supplementary material as "canon" in a given scenario) to the Western-translated stories. The problem with doing with The 7th Saga is obvious: while the game has a healthy cult following, hardly anyone in the Western fan base knows jack about the changes made from the Japanese version (save for the infamous difficulty spike). I will therefore be using in this translation the names from the U.S. release for the sake of convenience and clarity. However, we come across two issues here. 1) The Runes are "Arks" in the original game. What exactly an Ark _is,_ however, is never clearly defined in the game. The official guidebook for the Japanese version depicts the Arks as indeterminate wispy objects (feather- and swirl-like abstractions; glowing twinkles of light; what appear to be brooches enclosing intangible masses of space and sky). The 7th Saga's spiritual successor sort-of, Mystic Ark (and its sequel, Mystic Ark: Theatre of Illusions), depicts its Arks as fairy-like creatures. The manga makes a plot point of how its Arks have no fixed form (at least, that's the popular myth); it eventually depicts them in the course of the story mostly as glowing orbs. (Granted, they technically appear as such in both versions of the game when used, but that's just the generic item-using animation.) The point is: the designated magic thingies the characters are handling in the manga are clearly not runes. We will therefore be using the Japanese name of "Arks" in the manga translation. 2) Lemele in the town of Lemele and his father, Saro. In the Japanese version, this is instead Shida in the temple of Lemele and his father...er, God himself. I will be using "Lemele" to refer to both the person and the place, as does the U.S. game, but you can't really name-change God that much, which explains the references to Saro as "God" here. Relevant name changes, just for the curious: Kamil = Kamll Lejes = Lejees, though this might be inconsistent Wilme = Willme, though ditto Rablesk = Rablesca; the guide uses "Rablesk" in Roman letters, but the katakana ("Raburesuka") indicate otherwise - a similar issue exists with the guide's "Patorol" and "Patorofu" for "Patrof" I'll note that the official guide uses "Lemear," but the whole "Remeer"/ "Lemele" thing and Produce's love affair with that strange name is a sticky wicket in itself. Anyhow: this is the portion of the translation where I introduce characters, describe their physical appearances, and note any departures their manga incarnations make from their game designs or backstories. Again, the 7th Saga poses a problem in this department: While the in-game sprites are the same, of course (save for the inclusion of a loincloth for Wilme's battle sprites), the official U.S. and Japanese character art published in manuals and magazines often offer significantly different interpretations of the characters. (The U.S. interpretations usually hew more closely to the sprites.) The manga redesigns of the characters take off from the Japanese versions, of course - but, again, few folks reading this are going to be familiar with those concepts of the characters. Consult a sprite sheet if you're not familiar with the in-game renditions of the characters - though if you're reading a 7th Saga manga translation, that's not likely to be the case, is it? KAMIL: In the U.S. game art: Kamil is a nondescript but stalwart soldier clad in blue armor and a helmet. In the Japanese game art: Kamil's armor is grey, accented with a lilac cape, and his helmet comes with a thin black visor. The design of his visor and the color of his armor seem undeniably influenced by RoboCop. In the manga: Kamil wears no armor; he instead sports a tan shirt over a second brown shirt with white pants and boots. His hair is lilac, and he sports a lightsaber. A self-interested teenager, he is decidedly not a nice guy and is summarily unsuited for military service or any sort of interaction with human beings. Two additional points: 1) In Japan, Kamil's name is spelled "Kamll," which we are absolutely not doing, I can tell you that right now. 2) In Japanese (game) fanart, Kamil is usually shown with violet/purple hair, and I'm not sure from where that came except this manga, because game Kamil's helmet totally obscures his hair. It's always in a straighter, more slicked-down style than manga Kamil's do, though. Helmet hair? ESUNA: U.S.: Esuna wears a dual-layered, somewhat kimono-inspired flat pink V-neck dress with a blue-green sash and trim. (In the art only, this is accented with a boss clear shawl.) She has elf ears and shoulder-length black or purple hair (it's black in-game). She seems to me to be of fantasy-Asian descent, though this may be my own interpretation. Note: In the game, Esuna is introduced boozing it up by herself at a bar and initially blowing off Lemele's invitation, and her personal motivation for her quest is about doing stuff for her damn self. Please bear this in mind as you read the manga translation. Japan: Esuna's outfit has the same colors and arrangement of fabrics, but it is more clearly kimono-esque. Esuna's hair, however, is waist-length and red here. Manga: Esuna wears a short lilac dress and leggings with magenta accessories (shirt, cape, gloves, boots). She has long magenta-pink hair. The manga's author despises her and wants you to know how completely stupid she is at every turn. VALSU: U.S.: Valsu is a priest clad in a long blue robe and brimless hat with a tabard. He is a white man with shoulder-length silver hair; he appears middle-aged, with a sturdy build. Japan: Valsu is younger and leaner, hewing more to the bishounen archetype. He wears a tabard, so to speak, of grey armor over olive green robes and pants. His hair seems somewhat longer. (The Japanese hint book notes that he served the "all-powerful god Altesia" and, upon meeting Lemele, "awakened to his destiny to purge the forces of evil from Elnard," which makes him seem slightly unhinged, though I doubt that's intentional.) Manga: Valsu's outfit is never seen in color, but he's wearing what is presumably a light green split robe with what seems to be gold trim over pants - no hat. His hair is very long and braided at the end. OLVAN: U.S.: Olvan is a dwarf clad in green cloth and brown leather, with a golden shield and hat and a red beard (and long hair). Japan: Olvan is clad mostly in leather with a white-beige cape, horned helmet, and a shortish white beard. Manga: Olvan wears pieces of black armor over lighter cloth clothing with short white hair & beard (and no helmet). He wears round spectacles in civilian garb. His skin is also a bit more tanned or darker than the other human-esque apprentices. Weirdly, dwarves have elf ears in this manga. (Manga Olvan seems to have a little DNA from Lunar's Mel de Alkirk.) WILME: Oh, boy: U.S.: Wilme has leathery orange skin with horns growing out of his shoulders and a green hardened dome-like growth on the top of his head. He bears a marked resemblance facially to a Predator. Japan: In the biggest divergence, Japanese Wilme is...a catboy. He is covered in orange tiger-like fur. Yuri Plisetsky, eat your heart out. Japanese Wilme has pointy kitty ears, plus horns growing out of both his shoulders *and* his elbows, with a single horn growing unicorn-like (or Kamiwoo-like, if we want to stay in the franchise) out of his forehead. He also has a long, flowing dark blue mane. He has quite the bishounen feel, actually. Manga: Wilme is still a catboy but looks more human: he doesn't have fur, but he does have cat ears and tiger-like stripes on his arms. He keeps his forehead horn and mane from the Japanese design. Unlike his game counterparts, manga Wilme wears clothing (a Chinese-style martial arts suit). That's weak. LUX: U.S.: Lux is a hulking robot covered in white metal. Japan: Lux is a hulking robot covered in brown metal. As opposed to the U.S. art, Lux here has only one cyclops-like eye. Manga: Lux looks much the same as in the Japanese art, though he seems a bit more squat and tank-like. LEJES: U.S.: A demon, Lejes has green, somewhat lizard-like skin, clawed, bronze feet, and brown curled horns with a pushed-in face. He wears a richly-adorned pink shirt with long tails. He also has the remnants of a light brown mullet in the back. Japan: Lejes has a grey, goat-like face and ears hewing more closely to the traditional Baphomet image. He wears flowing lavender robes, a purple cape, and black pants. He also has a thick shock of teal hair and human-like feet. Manga: Lejes hews to the Japanese design but is oddly ripped. There are two things that must be said when evaluating the 7th Saga manga: 1) The art is very strong. 2) The story, particularly the characterization, is atrocious. I want to take some time to cover the first part, because what I'll have to say later will be very negative. Satoru Yuiga's artwork throughout the manga is very polished, particularly for a comic that was published on a month-by- month basis. The use of shading, screentone, and hatching is very effective in creating visual contrast; the lineart is smooth & fluid, and the line strength is superbly controlled. The action scenes are dynamic and impressive, as well as clear in communicating the proceedings. The characters (within the limits of their manga designs) look good. The story, though, is one of the worst I've read in these game-to-manga adaptations. Part of it seems to be the result of an apparent unexpected abbreviation of its runtime - several plot threads introduced in the first volume are ultimately left unresolved, and the manga shifts halfway through from a very leisurely stroll through the game's events in Vol. 1 (which takes half its length to get through the game's very first quest and is only at Melenam, location of the first Ark/Rune, by its end) to a big rush toward the final confrontation in Vol. 2. I know nothing about this comic's production history, so I'm only speculating about a deadline shift, but it seems the most logical way to explain the major pacing issues present. The biggest problem, though, is the main character. The manga incarnation of Kamil is the least likable character I've ever encountered in these comics. He starts out an utter sociopath, a violent thug who's contemptuous and hateful toward anything that is not himself, and never progresses beyond that nadir. Furthermore, every single aspect of the world is distorted in service of providing a power fantasy for this character; the author is completely and utterly uninterested in any other character or any aspect of the game beyond how they can provide validation for Kamil. Even if the pacing problems were not present, the choice to have the entire enterprise revolve around a character who is incapable of evoking sympathy, much less of being heroic, would doom the books. That's a pity, because the art deserves better. Images from this manga can be found at: http://www.sceneryrecalled.com/trans/picpage.htm. Any text in the translation in parentheses is spoken by the characters sotto voce or as an aside; any text in brackets is stage direction, description of action, or commentary (usually complaining) by me, the translator. Each new line in a character's dialogue indicates a new word balloon. Translation by R. Capowski, RACapowski@sceneryrecalled.com, 10/24/17. The 7th Saga is the property of Enix & Produce, with whom this document is not affiliated. ***************************************************************************** THE SEVENTH SAGA VOL. I by Satoru Yuiga pg. 3 CHAPTER 1: KAMIL & ESUNA [The manga proper indeed starts on pg. 3. Kamil, sporting goggles on his head and looking not entirely unlike a purple-haired Prince of Cannock, hoists his sword astride a jetbike hovercraft. Yes, this is an adaptation of The 7th Saga. Get back here.] pg. 4 [A Lemele drawn in standard dimensions stands surrounded by chibi apprentices for an in-manga character introduction.] LEMELE Child of the God of Light, Saro. Has commanded his disciples to gather the Arks. Foster parent to Kamil. KAMIL Human. Young man making a living as a Guide. Bearer of a special destiny. ESUNA Elf. Asked by Lemele to help Kamil. One of Lemele's disciples. LEJES Demon. One of Lemele's disciples. VALSU Human. A gentle, wise disciple - but... WILME Alien. One of Lemele's disciples. OLVAN Dwarf. One of Lemele's disciples. LUX Tetujin. One of Lemele's disciples. [Note: Yes, the text uses the word "disciple" ("shito") on this page; the familiar term "apprentice" ("deshi") will be used later on. "Disciple" predominates, though.] pg. 5 [The story begins with a flashback. Lemele stands in a great hall, a Kamil who appears to be five years old perched on his shoulder and a slightly- older Esuna at his side. The three are viewing a massive painting that is multiple stories tall, depicting a heavenly figure descending upon warring factions, staying their conflict with her blinding light, then presenting shrouded disciples with an infant.] Lemele: Kamil. All life on our world of Ticondera is the creation of Saro. pg. 6 Lemele: And to protect it...is the duty that He has entrusted to me. [We now switch to a markedly different venue, as...] Man: _UWAWAWAWA-UWAAAAAAH--!_ [A middle-aged man is rocketing headlong into a city square on the back of a rocketbike. At the handlebars is...our hero.] Kamil: HERE WE ARE!! SFX of hoverbike: ::SCREEECH!!:: Man: _GYAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!_ SFX of man plowing into pavement: ::THUD!!:: SFX of bird fleeing the scene of the accident: ::cheep:: Kamil [completely unconcerned with his former passenger's plight]: Okay, old man! My Guide fee from the Gate of Earth to Rablesk - Man [rubbing bump on head]: Owowowow... pg. 7 SFX of more birds fleeing scene: ::keeee--:: Kamil [big grin on face]: 100 G! [Note: The furigana indicate that the "G" stands for "gilts."] Man: _What?!_ Didn't I PAY you 100 G already!? Kamil [hands on hips]: (*tuh*) _Um,_ _that_ was a _deposit._ [With a huge smile on his face, Kamil grabs the man by the collar. (You know, I thought from paging through that Kamil was going to be an improvement over manga Remeer, but it's not lookin' good right now.)] Kamil: And _actually,_ if you had waited at the Gate for the merchant caravan, you would've been stuck for _three days._ _Plus,_ on days like _today,_ when there're monster attacks along the way, that caravan gets _wiped out._ If you _like,_ I _could_ just throw you out the next time there're monsters on the prowl. How does _that_ sound? Man: *GULP* GAH! I'VE GOT IT! I'LL PAY--!! pg. 8 [After Kamil's mark leaves, a young man with short dark hair saunters up to our young con artist, his arm raised in greeting.] Boy: You really bilk your customers, huh, Kamil? Kamil: Got it comin', doesn't he? Boy: (You think so?) Kamil: That fucker, holdin' out on me... Boy [smiling]: By the way, there was a traveler before who was looking for an experienced Guide. [An unimpressed Kamil waves his hand.] SFX: ::pass!:: Kamil: Nah! Already got a customer! I got business at Lemele, so... [The kanji beside the furigana for "Lemele" describe it as a "temple," not a city or castle, by the way.] Boy: --Lemele? You're going back to Lemele? So the rumors are true - that the Master's not in good shape? We're Doing This Totally Unnecessary Disclaimer Again: This book is a work of fiction. It is unrelated to any actual person, organization, or event. pg. 9 Kamil [genuinely surprised]: ? "Not in good shape"? The old man? Whaddaya mean? Look, it's not like I'm going back for any reason of _mine_... Boy [genuinely surprised himself]: --Hey! You know how monster attacks have been skyrocketing recently, right? It's because Lemele's unwell - the world's spiraling out of balance, they say. Everyone's worried! Kamil [disgusted]: You all make me wanna _puke_ - makin' that old man the ~center of your universe!~ There're gonna be shit started whether Lemele's here or not. And when his number's up, he's gonna kick it. _That's it!!_ pg. 10 Boy: Yes, but... Kamil, you were raised by Lemele. You might be too close to him to think about him any other way. It's just... Kamil [looking a bit pained]: ......... Boy: ...We can't see him as you do. Kamil [putting on a brave face, thumping boy on the shoulder]: Yeah, yeah, I guess. Well, do what you want. SFX: ::THUMP!:: [Kamil, seated on his motorbike, slides his goggles over his eyes.] Kamil: See ya! [Kamil motors off...] SFX: ::VROOOOM!:: [...but...] Kamil: ! SFX of Kamil jamming boots into ground to stop: ::SCREEEECH!!:: pg. 11 SFX of boy, shocked: ::gah!:: Boy: ? SFX of hoverbike: ::SCREECH!:: Kamil [frantically]: _Hold on! What you said before--_ [Kamil's expression relaxes, and he flashes a grin and a victory sign.] Kamil: How much were they gonna pay? The traveler, I mean. [The boy flashes three fingers, and the text says:] Caption: 300! Kamil [angrily turning away]: _SHIT!_ For _that_ much, you can tell 'em I'll _think_ about it! Boy: (What a hellbeast.) [Kamil speeds off over the wilderness.] SFX: ::VROOOOOOOOOM:: pg. 12 [At length, Kamil arrives at a great temple at the bottom of a vast canyon - which actually isn't far off from its location in the game, I guess, looking at the world map.] Caption: Lemele [The temple is Riven by way of Gaudi. Kamil hazards an anxious look at the exterior, takes a breath to steel himself, then dismounts his bike and heads inside. He enters a grand foyer with a staircase beyond, and with his characteristic decorum, shouts to the ether:] Kamil: _Esuna!_ _Esuna!! HEY!! I'm here!!_ _EEESUUUNAAA--!!!_ [To the gratification of all -] SFX: ::KABAM!!: [- Kamil is nailed in the head with a small satchel.] Kamil: _OW--!!_ pg. 13 SFX of Kamil, on hands & knees, fuming: ::GRRR...:: Esuna: _Is that any way to address a lady?!_ _You JERK!!_ [Kamil struggles to his feet and looks up at a fuming Esuna glaring at him from the balcony, traveling bag in hand.] Esuna: _You haven't changed a BIT, HAVE you!?_ Not an _ounce_ of respect for your superiors!! Kamil: !? What's with the attitude? You've got nothin' to brag about. You're just going to _Rablesk._ (So _apologize._) Esuna [unfazed]: C'mon. I'm heading out on a big journey. (*'Apologize'?*) Kamil [genuinely interested]: A journey? Esuna: Yeah. pg. 14 Esuna: Master Lemele has given his apprentices their final trial. Everyone's already left. Kamil [a little shocked]: His apprentices - you mean, all six of you? [The kanji beside the furigana for "all six of you" again refer to the apprentices as "disciples." Esuna looks down and takes a pause before she speaks.] Esuna: A journey - to find the Seven Arks. Kamil: Ah...hm. So...you're gonna be gone for a while, aren't ya. [Esuna pauses anxiously, as if she hadn't considered this before.] Esuna: Yeah. I guess... [recovering with a girlish giggle] ! Gonna miss me? Kamil [looking at bike]: Nah. Esuna: _~~~~~~!!_ (GRR...) Kamil: Y'know, I hought that whole thing about the old man bein' in bad shape was just a bunch of horseshit. pg. 15 Esuna [anxiously]: Then you know...? Voice: It is true that the Master is not in the best of health. [Kamil turns to notice:] Kamil [warily]: Valsu. Valsu [with a blankly benevolent look]: It's been a while, hasn't it, Kamil? Esuna: Valsu! You're still here? Valsu: Yes. I have been ordered by the Master to see everyone else off before leaving myself. [Valsu turns toward Kamil and smiles.] Valsu: It's been five years since you left the temple, hasn't it? Are you going to see the Master? Kamil: What'd it matter if I did? pg. 16 [Kamil turns away and gives an exaggerated shrug.] Kamil: Don't know whether it's true or not, but c'mon - he's supposed to be the son of God; he's been alive for hundreds of years. Valsu [smiling]: (Hah!) You haven't changed, have you? But the time might come when you regret not being at the Master's side - hm? Kamil: YEAH, _RIGHT!!_ Esuna [a bit pained]: Valsu... should I really be leaving Master Lemele at a time like this?... Valsu: Esuna, you have heard the will of the Master. [Valsu's voice narrates over a panel of what appears to be a vast galaxy... or a dark void.] Valsu: How he has observed over these past several years that Ticondera's monsters have grown dramatically more savage and bloodthirsty... ...and how he senses a great dark power behind it. pg. 17 Valsu [back in present]: To repel this evil force, we need the power of the holy Arks! [Esuna pauses anxiously. Kamil, meanwhile, gives an obnoxious:] SFX of Kamil: ::YAWWWWWWNNN:: Esuna: Mm... I suppose, but... [Esuna turns and looks at Kamil.] SFX: ::glance:: [Kamil is picking his ear.] Kamil: ? Esuna: You're right. [Kamil gives a backward glare at Esuna as they leave the temple.] Kamil: ...... pg. 18 [Meanwhile, inside the temple...] Voice: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA... [Deep within a dark inner sanctum, Lemele lies writhing on the ground, twisting and clawing like a wild beast.] Voice: LEMELE! IT IS USELESS TO RESIST!! Lemele: GUOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH... Voice: LET ME IN. _YIELD TO ME_ - AND MY DECREE THAT YOUR TIME AS THE CHILD OF GOD IS AT AN END. [In great pain, Lemele looks up and thinks...] Lemele [thinking]: Kamil... Esuna--... [Kamil, meanwhile, is racing obliviously across the wilderness, Esuna riding in back. Esuna stares to the side blankly, lost in her thoughts...] Voice: Esuna. pg. 19 [Esuna has flashed back to a memory of her and Lemele in a massive library.] Lemele: Would you take Kamil with you on your journey to find the Arks? Esuna [gleeful & grinning, arms flailing]: Kamil?! Um...well, it's been five whole years since he left the temple... And it's not as if he has any special powers like _we_ do... Lemele [sitting down in chair]: That's why I'm asking you this, Esuna. You grew up here together. He'd be willing to go if it were with you. Please, Esuna. I want you to help Kamil. pg. 20 [Back to the present.] Esuna [thinking]: Why did Master Lemele... ...want Kamil along on our trial?... Even if I _am_ able to get him to go along with me at all... Lemele [in flashback]: Please, Esuna... Esuna: ...... Kamil: Esuna. Esuna! _Esuna!!_ [Esuna is shaken from her preoccupation.] Kamil [turning to look backward]: _Are you even LISTENING!?_ You gonna be OK if I drop you off at Rablesk? Esuna [anxiously]: Um-- Ah, well... [Suddenly:] SFX: ::JOLT!:: Esuna [clamoring to hold on]: ! What-- [Kamil stares as the ground ahead erupts...] SFX: ::RUMBLE!:: Kamil: _!?_ pg. 21 SFX of earth splitting and energy erupting: ::FWOOSHHH:: SFX of hoverbike: ::SCREEEEECH!:: [Kamil looks up to see...] SFX: ::FWAP FWAP:: [...a Despair emerge from the chasm.] Kamil: _!!_ pg. 22 [Back to the temple. Valsu blankly descends a series of roughly-hewn staircases in what appears to be the temple's inner sanctum. At length, after passing through a sealed door, he arrives at what seems to be the chamber in which Lemele was suffering earlier. He finds his master collapsed in a heap in the center. He appears unmoved.] Valsu: Everyone has departed... pg. 23 [Lemele's eyes look up with a glare. It is not, however, Lemele's voice that responds.] Voice from Before: VALSU?... [With a composed and smug expression, Lemele's body rises to its feet.] Voice: THE SON OF GOD IS DEAD... VALSU! KAMIL...THE ONE LEMELE SET FREE...HE CONCERNS ME. KILL HIM. pg. 24 [Valsu, who had been kneeling, rises to his feet with a smile...] Valsu: As you will it, my god Gorsia. [I presume this attempted hit will take place at Castle Patrof. Anyhow, back to hoverbikes:] SFX of Despair's claw: ::CRUNCH:: SFX of Despair's tentacle: ::WHIP!:: ::RUMBLE...:: Kamil: The HELL?! Never seen monsters like THAT before!! If we don't do something about those tentacles, there's no way we'll be able to shake 'em-- [Don't...say stuff like that, Kamil. Anyhow, Esuna, determined, begins casting a spell...] Esuna: _~White Queen!~_ SFX of energy between Esuna's hands: ::pop:: ::pop:: ::VOOOOOOOOM:: Kamil: (The hell?) [Kamil turns back to look at Esuna behind him, overtly and inexplicably enraged that she is casting magic.] Esuna: ~Shrouded by your veil...~ pg. 25 [Cubes of ice (???) begin to encase Esuna's hands...] Esuna: _~Reveal your noble face to me!~_ SFX: ::FLASH!:: [...and a transparent rectangular pane forms in front of her, as when using the Mirror item in the game.] SFX: ::PING!:: Esuna: _~SABERA CLAIRE!!~_ SFX: ::CRACKKK!!:: [Note: The kanji for Esuna's spell translate as "frozen white blade," and the katakana spell "saaberakurea"; I've chosen the closest approximation of the spell name I can deduce. Given the nature of the spell, I assume this is supposed to be an approximation of something like "sabre clair"; as will be evident later in the manga, however, the spell names are likely made up entirely and not meant to represent actual words. A huge column of icicles blossoms from the pane...] pg. 26 SFX: ::CRRRRRRAAAASSSSSHHH!!:: Esuna [grinning]: _Strike first - win big!!_ [But Kamil, ever the jackass, sits mopily unimpressed, knowing that this will just _never_ work...] Kamil: ------ _!_ [...and since the author decided to main Guy with Sword instead of the alien or robot or demon or literally any of the more interesting choices available, he's going to be allowed to get his way.] SFX: ::RUMBLE...:: ::FLAP:: ::FLAP:: [More Despairs erupt from the chasm where the first came.] Esuna: _No wayyy--!! It didn't WORK!?_ [Apparently, the artist has never played the actual game, in which ice is OP.] SFX of Despairs landing & taking off: ::WHUMP:: ::WHOOSH:: SFX of rock detritus: ::rattle rattle:: ::rattle:: Kamil: _SIT DOWN, ESUNA--!! WE'RE GETTIN' OUTTA HERE!!_ SFX of Kamil...whipping hand around, I guess?: ::WHAP:: SFX of Despairs: ::FWOOSH:: [As you might have guessed from the sound effects, Kamil is speeding away, but the monsters are in hot pursuit.] pg. 27 SFX: ::VRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOM:: SFX: ::wobble:: [Because Esuna is a girl, she has trouble keeping her balance on the hoverbike.] Kamil: _GAH--_ [Because Kamil is a boy, and therefore competent, he grabs Esuna just in time and holds her steady to keep her from falling.] SFX: ::GRAB:: SFX of hoverbike: ::SCREEEEEEEECH!!:: Kamil: _...!!_ SFX: ::TWINGE!:: [Kamil winces as his arm is apparently sprained from having to yank Esuna back suddenly. From the position of Kamil's arm, he is clearly copping a feel. Anyhow, in a departure from the game - besides the departure of the feel- copping, I mean - the Despair open their mouths to belch lightning.] SFX: ::RROOOOAAARRRR:: :RRROOOAAAARRRR:: Esuna: _Kamil! Something's coming!_ pg. 28 [A Despair descends from above...] SFX: ::ROOAAARRRRR:: [...and Kamil swerves to hide behind a rock formation...] SFX: ::SCREEECHHH:: [...just before this particular Despair opens its mouth...] SFX: ::FLASH!:: [..and bathes the environs in...fire-like energy. Despite it being lightning on the previous page.] SFX: ::RRRROOOOOAAAARRRR:: [Kamil, standing, looks down at a cowering Esuna, his arms angrily braced over her head.] Kamil: Look, Esuna! You just stay here and shut up, OK!? [You know, I despair of ever getting sympathetic protagonists in these Quintet manga.] Kamil: If one of them comes near you or something, I can't be sure I'll be able to protect you! Esuna: But...what about your shoulder?! You were supporting me before and... Kamil [angry]: Well, if you're _sorry_ about it, just sit your ass here!! [I hope your fight with Valsu goes the way of all 7th Saga apprentice fights, Kamil.] Esuna: _Kamil!!_ [Kamil zooms off on his bike, ignoring her.] pg. 29 [Kamil careens directly toward the monsters. Sitting like a good little girl behind the rock, Esuna lowers her eyes demurely and clasps her hands in prayer.] Esuna [thinking]: Kamil!! Kamil [grasping handle of sword]: _C'mere, you bastards!!_ SFX of sword handle: ::chack:: [Kamil presses a button on the handle to reveal that it is...a lightsaber.] SFX: ::VOOM:: ::SLASSSSHHH:: [Kamil hacks at the monsters, severing limbs.] pg. 30 SFX of hoverbike swerving, I think?: ::SCREECH:: Kamil: _Gaaahh--!! DAMMIT!! Don't tell me I just cut off their tentacles?!_ [Kamil turns around for another pass, but...] SFX: ::THROB:: [....because of *stupid Esuna*, his shoulder is wracked with sudden pain.] Kamil: _Shit!_ SFX: ::TWINGE!:: [...and he loses his grasp on his lightsaber.] [He tumbles off his bike before:] SFX: ::RRROOOAARRR:: [Another energy blast lands dangerously near Kamil, and he is knocked off his hoverjet, landing flat on his back on the ground.] SFX: ::SLAM--!!:: [Kamil looks up to see...] SFX of Kamil: ::!:: [...a Despair swoop down and take him up in his arms.] SFX ::WHOOSH:: pg. 31 [The despair flings Kamil against a rock with a nasty:] SFX: ::CRACKKK!!:: [Kamil coughs up blood.] SFX of Kamil: ::HACK!:: [Drained, Kamil reflects back on the scene from the intro...] Lemele [in flashback]: Kamil. All life on our world of Ticondera is the creation of Saro. pg. 32 [Little Esuna and Kamil, together with Esuna, look up at the painting with Lemele.] Lemele [in flashback]: I, as his son, am no exception. [Lemele assumes a sad expression as he looks up at the painting.] Lemele [in flashback]: I exist to protect all that He has created...but... ---Kamil. You, perhaps, are the only one I cannot protect. Kamil [in flashback]: But wasn't I created by God?! Why am I the only one who's different?! [Lemele lightly tousles Kamil's hair.] Lemele [in flashback]: ...I don't know...... pg. 33 [Lemele looks up and closes his eyes.] Lemele [in flashback]: I know only... ...that this, too, may be His will...... [A pause as all three look once again at the painting. Suddenly, little Kamil laughs and pumps his small fist with a grin.] Kamil [in flashback]: _I'll be OK!!_ _I'll_ protect me!! So don't worry, Lemele!! OK?! Kamil [in present]: _!!_ [We now snap back to a much less-likable version of Kamil.] pg. 34 SFX of Despair wings: ::rustle!:: [With Kamil apparently defeated, the Despairs now turn their attention to the rock where Esuna is hiding - behind which she cowers, completely defenseless, hugging her knees and hiding her face like a little girl, in case you were worried that we were going to have an accurate portrayal of Esuna in this manga. Of course, Kamil rises to his knees, and...] SFX of lightsaber switching on: ::voom:: Kamil: Get... _AWAY FROM HERRRR!!__ SFX: ::CRACCKKKKKK!!:: [Kamil one-shots the Despairs. I guess him taking a turn off through his delirium-induced flashback counted as him Defending before Attacking?] Kamil: ......... SFX of Kamil wiping blood from cheek: ::wipe:: pg. 36 [Kamil saunters over to Esuna.] Kamil: Yo. [Esuna's tear-stained face whips up in shock like that of a frightened deer; she has not even heard Kamil approach, so paralyzed is she with useless fear.] Esuna: Ka... You're alive...... Kamil: _Idiot!_ Can't just kill me whenever they like! I'm tougher than that!! [Kamil extends a hand to Esuna, as she has clearly never faced an actual monster in her five years of training and is patently unequipped to fulfill any task assigned to her.] Kamil: C'mon. Let's go. [Good job, Kamil. It took Remeer two whole volumes to earn this, but it took you only 35 pages: I freaking hate you.] pg. 37 CHAPTER 2: RABLESK [Kamil and Esuna sit astride separate unicorn steeds in an illustration that has little to do with The 7th Saga but everything to do with awesomeness. For all the faults in its writing, this manga is quite well- drawn. Not that that's much consolation to you, reader, stuck with this text-based script translation. Perhaps a touch of your favorite alcoholic beverage will dull the pain, as we're about to return to Kamil momentarily.] pg. 38 [A clank of chains.] SFX: ::rattle:: Narration: Five thousand years ago...Gorsia - God of Darkness, creator of Demons and monsters - challenged the God of Light to battle...and lost. [A shot of Gorsia, more or less in his final boss pose, yet here distinctly bound and defeated.] Narration: Broken, Gorsia was sealed away into the darkness. [A hand of light reaches out toward some cowering monsters - I think I see a Griffin and some Mutants in there.] Narration: After the battle, the God of Light did not destroy those of Gorsia's demonic blood; rather, he kept them as part of the native life of Ticondera. pg. 39 [An aerial view of Ticondera.] Narration: Under the patronage of the God of Light and his earthly proxy, Lemele, the world enjoyed a long peace lasting thousands of years. [A metaphoric drop of water falls into a calm pool below, breaking its stillness with a single splash.] SFX: ::splash:: Narration: However...a hundred years ago... [A sort of giant humanoid demon that looks like a cross between a dragon, a Xenomorph queen, and a manta ray looms large.] Narration: Gariso, Lord of the Demons, attempted to break the seal on Gorsia's prison. [We see a younger Lemele, clean-shaven and with slightly shorter hair, wielding twin...staves? Tonfas? Sickles? It's unclear.] Voice: --And it was Lemele who defeated him! pg. 40 SFX: ::splash:: [We see the metaphoric drop of water and pool from before are actually from Kamil squeezing a sponge into a bucket.] Kamil: Using the Arks, right? SFX of sponge: ::squish!!:: Esuna: Yup! You _do_ remember, don't you? [We see that Kamil and Esuna have stopped at a well within what presumably is Rablesk. Kamil's hoverbike is parked beside the well.] Kamil: Yeah, my mind's been cluttered up with all sorts of useless shit. That religious crap gets all sorts of fucking embroidery foisted on it as it's handed down. Esuna: It's TRUE!! [We see that Kamil is actually using the water and sponge to wash his hoverbike. I hope that's not the town bucket, Kamil.] SFX: ::scrub:: ::scrub:: Kamil: If so, then fuck _that!_ SFX: ::SPLASH:: Kamil: Why go with something weak-ass like a seal? You just know some guy's gonna come along to try and break it. And these "Arks"! SFX of Kamil's arm: ::flip!:: Kamil: They're a load of horseshit, aren't they!! SFX of water: ::splutter:: [Kamil's emphatic gesture flings a big splash of water Esuna's way. She deflects it with her arm. Kamil isn't even concerned.] SFX: ::SPLASH!:: Kamil: The hell are they, anyhow? pg. 41 [We see seven wise men cloaked in ghutra.] Esuna: According to legend, the Seven Arks are seven sages... [We see dragons and humanoid monsters enclosed in a magic circle.] Esuna: ...or seven mystic beasts... [We see an elven songstress strumming her harp near a wooded lake.] Esuna: ...or seven sacred songs sung by the bards... Kamil [interrupting]: --But do they exist? _Really?_ The Arks, I mean. [A big kanji representing "doubt" (or, here, perhaps "yeah, right") appears behind Kamil.] Esuna: _O..._ OF COURSE THEY DO!! You JERK!! For _real_ - a hundred years ago, Master Lemele-- Kamil [interrupting again]: --So what'd the _old man_ say? What'd _he_ say the Arks _really_ were? [Kamil gets up in Esuna's personal space and weirdly squeezes a sponge right in her face in what is apparently meant to be an intimidating manner, judging from his expression. Evidently, it's successful, as Esuna is demonstrably afraid of him at this moment. This is utterly bizarre, but it doesn't make Kamil any less of a jerk.] Kamil: You _asked_ him, didn't you? (_Huh?_ _Well?_) pg. 42 Esuna: The Arks, they-- --they change their form to suit their intended purpose! They lend their power to those who want to lead Ticondera down the right path! Kamil [unimpressed]: *TUH.* (Old man's probably gettin' senile and _forgot._) Esuna: So you need to come with me, Kamil, out of Rablesk! Kamil [in big, elaborate text]: _Oh, GOD._ [again gesturing with sponge] _NO._ _FUCKIN'._ _WAY!!!_ _This is YOUR trial, Esuna!!_ "Lead Ticondera down the right path"? That's YOUR job - the great duty of the Six Disciples of the Almighty Voice of God!! Esuna: You're _wrong!_ It's the duty of everyone who has received his patronage! pg. 43 [Kamil makes a "go away" gesture with his hand.] Kamil: Yeah, yeah. We all live by His grace. SFX: ::shoo shoo:: Esuna: _What the HELL!?_ _You just TOOK your Fleaver and your sword from the temple treasury for your own selfish purposes!!_ _Master Lemele has been QUITE GENEROUS with his patronage when it comes to YOU!!_ SFX of Kamil pouring out water: ::SPLASH:: Kamil [thinking]: Loudmouth... [Note: "Fleaver" ("Furiibaa") is the name of Kamil's hoverbike. I don't know if this is meant to be an abbreviation of something ("free"... whatever) or what.] Esuna: _You have NO SENSE OF PURPOSE in your life, Kamil!!_ SFX of more water being poured: ::SPLASH:: Kamil: You know, SFX of Kamil putting bucket down: ::clatter:: Kamil [picking ear again]: you're not so cute when you're all preachy like this. Esuna: _You_ know, even if _you_ won't say I'm cute, Kamil, there are other people who _do._ [Kamil pauses for a moment at this, skeptical.] Kamil [rubbing chin]: Hmmm... Valsu? (Well.) I imagine _he_ could feed you a line like that with a straight face. SFX of Esuna: ::GRRRRRR!:: pg. 44 Esuna: _Valsu doesn't TELL lies!!_ [Meanwhile, at Castle Patrof - er, I mean:] Caption: Streets of Rablesk [Yeah, "streets." Contrary to its in-game incarnation, which was a reclaimed forest village akin to Burg from Lunar, Rablesk in the manga is a thriving, refined city with brick-paved streets lined with European-style townhouses. We shift to one of the city's taverns, then to further in to a darkened back room...] Woman: So, that boy with the strange vehicle and sword, then. [The speaker is a glamorous, confident woman with long braided hair. She stands beside a table at which two men are seated: one, however, has his back turned to us, and the other is shrouded in darkness. A few other indistinct individuals stand at the outskirts of the scene, silent yet listening.] Man with Back to Us: Yes. His name is "Kamil"... pg. 45 Man: ...and he is skilled. [The man throws a purse of gold coins on the table.] SFX: ::jangle:: Man: For one assassin. And I will pay the same amount again with every failure. [The figures surrounding the table gaze greedily at the coins.] SFX of Covetous Rabble: ::*whistle*:: Woman: Because you fear that these second-rate hirelings will fall far short of your mark, I take it. Rabble [insulted]: _What--?!_ Woman: ...That a member of Pison's Assassin's Guild will instead be the one to die - at the hands of that boy? [With a smug grin, the woman throws an arm around the man's neck (lovingly) and teases a strand of his long hair.] SFX of touch: ::pluck:: Woman: Hm hm hm! How strange... Why are you so intent on eliminating this boy? You've got me so _curious._ [The man does not react to the woman's attentions, but does not reject them, either.] Man: In your line of work - this manner of intrusion is taboo, is it not? Assassin in Darkness: Indeed it is. pg. 46 Assassin: Margei. Hold your tongue. [The client, clad in a hooded cloak, stands and begins to leave. Margei, unperturbed, gives a self-satisfied smile.] SFX of client: ::rustle:: Margei: ...Ha... My, my - what_ever_ have I done?... [Margei places her hand on the client's shoulder.] SFX: ::pat:: Margei: You're so _pretty,_ young master, that I forget myself. So don't take offense, hm? [The client leaves the tavern, only to have:] SFX: ::SLAM!:: Boy: Oof! [- an enthusiastic teenage boy running through the streets barrel into him.] Boy [frantic, looking up at Client, getting increasingly nervous]: Oh! Sorry! I'm in a hurry! Ex...cuse me... Client: It's nothing. SFX of boy running off: ::dash dash dash:: [The boy runs away, and the client takes off part of his cloak to reveal that he is:] SFX: ::WHAP:: [...well, Valsu, of course. You probably guessed that from the moment the scene started. Still, it would have been reasonable to assume that he was just an audience surrogate. "No, we can't go on with this Kamil guy as the protagonist any longer. It's only Chapter 2; if we take him out now, maybe we can get Wilme or Lux or someone in here and right this ship."] pg. 47 [We follow the boy as he raises his hand to hail a friend...] Boy: Salban! SFX: ::dash!:: Boy: You said Kamil's back, right? Salban, Presumably: ? Boy [with pleading look]: Well, those guys that went to get a pass to the Gate of Earth? It looks like they haven't come back from the Castle of Aran yet! Soooo... [We see that Salban is the brown-haired teenager with whom Kamil was speaking in the previous chapter.] Salban: Um...hold on. I already have a client I'm gonna introduce to Kamil... [We see the client is a cheerful man in glasses, a bandana-like scarf wrapped around his head, and a considerably-sized knapsack. Salban turns to the man.] Salban: Mr. Brantu... ...do you have your pass in order? Brantu: No, not yet, but... Boy [grabbing Salban's arm enthusiastically]: If he doesn't have a pass, he can't leave Rablesk! So he'll have to stop by the Castle of Aran... Salban: Gotcha. I'll ask Kamil as soon as I can. [Note: As will later be explained, in the manga, "Rablesk" is the name of not only the city but the larger country in which it is situated. This explains why Boy is contending that travelers have to leave Rablesk to get a pass to leave Rablesk.] pg. 48 [But back to the story proper. Speaking of our darling...] Kamil [shaking his fist]: _SHUT THE FUCK UP, ESUNA!!!_ SFX: ::GRRRR:: Esuna [off-panel]: (What!? That's your whole problem, isn't it!?!?) [Salban and Brantu are approach the scene of this argument, Salban understandably getting a little sweatdroppy.] Salban: Huh? He seems to be involved in some sort of disagreement... [Brantu, however, is distracted by...] Brantu: !! This is...!! This is an artifact of the ancient civilization of Melenam... [Brantu approaches Kamil's hoverbike while Kamil and Esuna continue arguing in the background, oblivious.] Esuna: (Hmph! If you're gonna hit me, then HIT me!!) Kamil: (You think I'd punch a woman!?) [Yes. Considering the apprentices regularly get into scraps in the game, this would be less of an issue if Esuna a) were doing anything that would remotely move a normal, rational person to the point of physical violence, b) weren't your apparent love interest, Kamil, or c) weren't already depicted as completely helpless in this manga in every aspect. Anyhow, Brantu starts moving toward the hoverbike, to Salban's dismay.] Salban: Er - Mr. Brantu, maybe you'd better get away from that. Kamil & that bike - it's really his baby, and... [Brantu ignores Salban, fidgeting with the handlebars and dashboard.] Salban [continuing]: You'll get to ride it later, anyhow - it's really not a good idea to fool with it-- SFX of continuing fight: ::YAK YAK GRR ARGH @#$&!:: Salban: When Kamil gets angry, he really gets out of hand... SFX: ::FWOOSH:: pg. 49 Salban: _WAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!_ (I just TOLD you--!!) [The airbike has suddenly started up, and Brantu has gone flying.] SFX: ::VRRRROOOOOOOOM:: Brantu: _UWAAAAAAH!! S...SOMEONE STOP THIS--!!..._ Kamil [turning]: _WHA--!!_ Brantu: _STOOOOOOOOOP MEEEEEEEEE--!!!!_ Esuna [turning]: Ah! Salban [already turned]: Watch out!! [Too late.] SFX: ::CRASHHHH!!:: [Brantu lies near-unconscious in the wreckage of the airbike.] SFX of dying airbike: ::s-put-put-putt-ttt...:: pg. 50 Kamil [absolutely demonic]: _GYAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!!_ _MY FLEEEEEEEEAAAVERRRRRRR!!_ Esuna: Aaah! How horrible! [Esuna runs to Brantu's side.] Esuna: Are you all right!? Let me heal you! [Kamil's eyes, however, cannot be torn from the sight of his wrecked bike.] SFX behind Kamil: ::howllll:: SFX of bike: ::p-putt... p-putt...:: Kamil: M... My... SFX: ::twitch:: [A pause. And then...] SFX of Kamil's lightsaber: ::KA-CHAK:: ::VOOM:: Kamil: I'LL _FUCKING KILL YOUUUUUU--!!!_ Salban [holding Kamil back, barely]: _K...Kamil, stop!!_ _That man's a client!!_ pg. 51 Kamil [elbowing Salban violently in the gut]: _FUCK OFF!!_ SFX: ::WHAM!:: ::SLAM!!:: [OK, author, look: I know you think it's funny, but you have to give the protagonist some redeeming qualities at some point. I know he's brave, but that seems more like stupidity than selfless valor at this point.] Kamil: _I DON'T REMEMBER TAKING ON THIS ASSHOLE'S JOB!!_ Salban [doubled over in pain]: (Urrrgg...) SFX: ::wobble...:: Esuna: Kamil, please stop! He's injured! [Heedless, Kamil stops over to Brantu and hauls him up by the collar.] Kamil: _WAKE UP, FUCKER!!_ SFX: ::WHAP:: Kamil: _YOU AIN'T SLEEPIN'--_ [This assault is interrupted by a:] SFX of Grappling Hook Outta Nowhere: ::RATTLE:: ::CLANGGG!:: [The grappling hook flies right through the narrow distance between Kamil and Brantu's faces; it misses Kamil narrowly but slices Brantu's cheek.] SFX of wound on Brantu's cheek: ::SLICE!:: SFX of Kamil: ::HYUP!:: Kamil: ...In case you hadn't noticed... SFX of Kamil raising lightsaber: ::flip:: Kamil: ...this isn't really the _time,_ asshole. pg. 52 SFX: ::CLATTER!:: [The hook flies back - or out again? - and entwines itself around Kamil's lightsaber barrel.] Kamil: _!_ [The hook then retracts and flies back to:] Pison: I'll take this strange sword of yours, boy! SFX: ::grab!:: [...OK, it's time to talk about Pison. He is indeed the assassin in the shadows to whom Valsu was speaking earlier. He does _not_, however, remotely resemble the in-game incarnation of Pison, who has digitigrade legs, clawed feet, and what seems to be a Bib Fortuna-like protrusion coming from the top of his head. Manga Pison is clearly a human - one of Fantasy Asian ethnicity, with long, straight black hair gathered in a ponytail, a well-defined musculature, and a grappling hook on a chain in place of a whip. He's dressed in pants, a sleeveless vest-like shirt and an assortment of swaths of patterned fabric on his waist and over one half of his body meant to evoke India-style or Southeast Asian dress. It's not a bad design, but it's so divorced from game Pison that it's an utterly bizarre choice. Then again, it's not as if we have any shortage of utterly bizarre choices here. Anyhow: Kamil is predictably livid at Pison's lightsaber theft.] Kamil: _~~~~First my _Fleaver,_ and now my _SWORD?!_ SFX: ::GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR:: Kamil: _Who the FUCK--_ SFX of Pison interrupting with a grappling hook to the face: ::CLANGGG!!:: Kamil: _do you THINK--_ SFX of Kamil narrowly dodging grappling hook to the face: ::slip!:: Kamil, aiming a punch at Pison's face: _you ARE!!_ SFX: ::BAM!!:: [Pison, however, blocks the blow...] pg. 53 [...and takes out a pair of kukris, which he brandishes witih a series of chops to the air.] SFX: ::FWOOSH:: ::chop chop:: Pison: Ha ha... Coming at me unarmed...reckless brat, aren't you? Kamil [rushing at Pison]: SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH--!! SFX: ::DASH!!:: [Kamil moves to soccer kick Pison in the jaw - but Pison is quick with his kukris, and they find their mark in flesh...] SFX: ::SLASH!:: [Kamil, however, does not let flesh wounds stop him: he kicks up against the blade cutting through his body, and his bloody foot sends the knife flying.] SFX: ::BAM!:: ::CLANG!!:: pg. 54 [Pison, however, is armed with another kukri, which he uses to slash Kamil's arm as he moves in for another punch. Kamil, though, is as unperturbed by deep forearm lacerations as the protagonist from Resident Evil 7; his fist stays in motion, and Pison is forced to step backward, staggered, to avoid the blow.] SFX: ::SLASH SLASH:: ::BAM!:: ::wobble:: [Kamil takes a step back as well, but not in retreat...] SFX: ::WHOOSH:: [...He charges forward again...] SFX: ::DASH!:: [...and delivers a Street Fighter-perfect jump kick.] Kamil: _JUST FUCKING DIE!!_ SFX: ::CRACK!:: pg. 55 [Undeterred, however, Pison lets loose his grappling hook once more -] SFX: ::RATTLE!:: Pison: _Tuh!_ [- but Kamil nimbly dodges between Pison's strikes.] Kamil: _TRY 'N' _HIT_ ME--_ SFX of grappling hook hitting ground: ::CLANG CLANG CLANG:: Kamil: _DUMB--_ SFX of Kamil's foot: ::CRUNCH!:: SFX: ::ow:: [Kamil lands from his acrobatics on his wounded, bleeding foot.] Kamil [thinking]: --ass. Argh!! Author's Note: _You're_ the dumbass, Kamil. Pison [wiping mouth with a grin]: Just as I heard... You're a young brat, but you've got skill. SFX: ::wipe:: Kamil: What... did you say? [But Pison wastes no time...] SFX: ::GRAB!:: [In a moment, his hand is around Kamil's throat.] pg. 56 [Kamil cannot move; Pison has him back up against a nearby balcony railing. In his other hand, Pison brandishes a kukri...] Pison: But...this is the end of the line. Now, which do you prefer - to plummet to your death, or for me to gut you here and now? [Kamil, in the meantime, has noticed the small ouroboros tattoo on Pison's chest, which looks not entirely unlike the Auryn from The Neverending Story grasped by three talons at the top.] Kamil [thinking]: That tattoo... [An aside: In this panel, the artist has magnified the tattoo in the space behind Pison to indicate that Kamil has noticed it, and the framing makes it looks as if the artist is trying to use elements of the tattoo to evoke the game Pison, with one of the snake heads in the ouroboros posed near manga Pison's head like game Pison's appendage, and the three talons positioned at manga Pison's back like the...spider-legs or blade handles or whatever on game Pison's back. It's odd in many ways. In any case: Kamil turns his head to notice something else: a wooden flagpole hanging from over a nearby doorway.] Kamil [eyes back to Pison, smirking]: I choose... SFX: ::grin:: Kamil: neither! SFX: ::SMASH!!:: [One of Kamil's legs flies out and hits Pison in the gut, causing him to drop his knife.] Pison: _...!!_ SFX of knife: ::drop:: SFX of Kamil rising up from balcony: ::WHAP:: [In a flash, Kamil grabs the flagpole, breaks it off...] SFX: ::CRACK!:: [And...well, we don't see the next part, but we see the reactions:] Salban [stunned, sweating buckets]: _...!!_ Brantu [eyes closed in disgust]: He... Esuna [clueless; I think the two guys are blocking her view]: ? ? Salban & Brantu [thinking]: Ughhhh... pg. 57 [The manga returns to a quiet, stone-faced Kamil, and we see that Pison lays dead, the splintered flagpole impaled through his chest. SPOILER WARNING: Pison will NOT be returning from the Dark World as Red Pison. Please feel free to write your congressional or parliamentary representative. Kamil thinks back to a few of Pison's last words...] Pison [in flashback]: Just as I heard... Kamil: ...... [Kamil, in a display of questionable taste, reaches to pull down the dead Pison's vest to reveal his tattoo for further study.] SFX: ::rustle:: Kamil: Salban, come take a look at this. A tattoo of a two-headed snake and an eagle's claw. Salban: The Assassins' Guild!? [Salban's head whaps around to look at Brantu. Brantu, for his part, puts his hands up in denial.] Brantu: I...I've got no reason to be hunted by _assassins!_ pg. 58 Kamil: You weren't the target. _I_ was. Salban: Kamil--!? Brantu [raising an eyebrow in disbelief]: You!? [Note: Esuna, despite presumably being present, will not have any input into the following conversation. I suppose she's not allowed to caucus with the adults. Or...adolescents, I guess.] Kamil: I don't know what's going on that has me marked for death... but you're involved in it now, too. (I got a feeling I'm gonna wind up in the hole on this one...) Considering, though, that my Fleaver's now scrap metal because of you... I think we're even. Salban [anxious]: But, Kaaamiiil - your _jooooob_... Kamil: _I know that!_ Those fuckers in the Assassins' Guild don't give a shit if they take out a few bystanders while they're goin' after their targets. They'll do anything to get their marks - and they'll chase you to the ends of the earth. pg. 59 Kamil [holding head]: Ahhhhh... I can't do Guide shit with assassins on my tail... I gotta quit... Brantu: _That doesn't matter!!_ _I...I still hired you!!_ Kamil [thinking]: *What?* Does this guy listen to _anything_ he's told? Kamil [out loud]: Hey - have you even heard-- Brantu: _IT DOESN'T MATTER!!_ Kamil: _IT MATTERS TO ME!!_ Brantu: After years of archaeological research, I've finally discovered the location of the ruins of Melenam! I'll do anything to continue my research - even if it means my life! But the cave to Melenam is a nest of monsters - if I had a Guide as strong as you with me... Kamil [blankly]: Yeah, you would get there, wouldn't you. pg. 60 [Suddenly...] Esuna: _I'll_ hire you, Kamil!! _I'll_ pay your fee!! Kamil [turning around to stare in disbelief]: ...... Esuna: C'mon! If you quit being a Guide, what will you do? You're in danger whether you stay in Rablesk or take off, aren't you? Kamil: You... (Are you STUPID?...) _Don't you fucking GET it?! YOUR lives will be in danger, TOO!!_ Esuna: But... Guides are _supposed_ to protect their clients' lives. It's their _job._ So protect us from the Assassins, too. Kamil [thinking, though I don't know how he's thinking this]: *Gulp*... Esuna: That man and I both want you to take us out of Rablesk, beyond the Gate of Earth. There won't be a problem if both of us hire you, will there? pg. 61 Kamil: _AH, FUCK IT!!_ _FINE!! HIRE ME!!_ [Esuna claps her hands in delight; the boys are relieved.] Brantu: *whew* Kamil [holding out hand]: _BUT I WANT 5,000 G!_ _*EACH!!*_ Kamil [thinking]: _That'll_ shut you up!! Note Below Panel: G comparison: one-night stay at an inn for one person = 6 G (approx.) Background: WHA?? HUH?? REALLY?! Esuna [taken aback]: F...five _thousand~~~?_ Salban [clapping Kamil on shoulder]: Kamil, Mr. Brantu is-- Kamil: If he can't pay, then he can forget it! Kamil [thinking]: But if they _can_ pay 5,000 G...then they can go right ahead. pg. 62 [Right on cue:] Brantu [producing big bag of gold coins]: Here. 5,000 G. Will this do? SFX of bag: ::glint!:: SFX of bag dropped in Kamil's hands: ::WHUMP!:: Kamil [staring at gold with glee barely suppressed by shock]: ...... [Salban, meanwhile, is staring at Kamil with exasperation and disgust.] Salban: --Kamil, Mr. Brantu may be a scholar, but he comes from a long line of arms dealers. Kamil [still gleeful]: Ah. I see. Esuna [reaching behind neck]: Kamil, here... SFX: ::slip:: [Esuna has unfastened a necklace from her neck; she brings the "pendant" on the chain to Kamil's eyes...] Esuna: It's an emerald! If you sell it, I'm sure you can get 5,000 G easily. Kamil [thinking]: That ring... It can't be _that_... pg. 63 Kamil [thinking]: What is she _thinking?_ Is taking me along to go look for those Arks so important to Esuna that she'd give up _his_ ring? [Nevertheless, Kamil pockets the ring.] SFX: ::rustle:: [Our hero then turns his attention to his busted ride.] SFX of Kamil kicking scrap metal: ::rattle:: Kamil: We'll leave as soon as we buy some horses!! We need a pass to get through the Gate of Earth - so we'll need to go to the Castle of Aran!! [Meanwhile, the falcon from the Assassin's Guild watches Kamil from - afar? Up close? Not at all? It's unclear. In any event, the falcon flies away...] SFX of falcon's wings: ::FLAP:: pg. 64 [...and lands on the arm of Margei from before.] SFX: ::FLAP:: Margei: ...Pison... ...So he failed to take that boy's life, hm? [The woman laughs.] Margei: Ha ha! We'll really have to step things up, won't we?! [Spoiler alert from the future: There will be no "stepping up" of any sort, as this is the last we will see of Margei, her pet hawk, or the Assassins' Guild. I mentioned in the intro that I believe this manga experienced some cuts in deadline or length, and this dangling plot thread is one of the pieces of evidence to that effect. Elsewhere in Rablesk, Esuna and Kamil exit a shop.] SFX of bell on shop door: ::jingle jingle jingle!:: Shopkeeper: Thank you very much! pg. 65 [Esuna and Kamil's arms are laden with provisions.] Kamil [unenthusiastic]: ...... Esuna [smiling]: So we've got food and medicine - after we go buy horses, all that's left is to head for the inn where Mr. Brantu is! Kamil: Esuna. [Kamil reaches into his pocket.] SFX: ::rustle:: Kamil: Take this back. [Kamil offers the ring to Esuna.] Esuna: ...... Kamil: I'll take your fee on credit. After this is over, you can sell the Arks or something and pay me. Don't be so free with stuff people gave you. Esuna [looking at ring in her hand]: ::clutch:: pg. 66 Kamil [irritatedly]: Sorry for bringing the wrath of Valsu upon me over _your_ weird shit. [Speaking of whom...] SFX of wind: ::HOWWWWWWLLLLLLL:: ::HOOWWWWWWLLLLLLL:: [Valsu, hair whipped by the wind, looks up from the forest where he is standing to the Castle of Aran in the distance.] Valsu [grinning]: Well... I see Pison has failed to deliver. But I expected as such - he was only a failsafe, after all. pg. 67 SFX of wind: ::HOWWWWWWLLLLLLL:: ::HOOWWWWWWLLLLLLL:: [Valsu turns and walks wordlessly away.] Valsu [thinking]: My own gambit...will rest with an opponent who should now be capable of testing your true mettle. [Meanwhile...] SFX of horse's hoof: ::clop:: pg. 68 [The baleful eyes of a monster glare from the forest.] SFX: ::GRRRRRRR...:: [Esuna and Kamil, astride not just horses but the freaking unicorns from the chapter frontispiece, stare down the road to the Castle of Aran, which leads deep into the forest.] pg. 69 [Suddenly: a flock of demon crows descends.] SFX: ::ROAAAARRRRR:: SFX of crows: ::SKREEEEEEEE:: [But...] Esuna: _TIERA!!_ SFX: ::BANG! BANG! BANG!:: [Note: The kanji beside the "Tiera" furigana read "Flash Arrow." There is no spell in the game named "Tiera" or "Flash Arrow," and it's not clear how the two names for this spell relate to one another. I don't know. Another Pison thing, I suppose. In any event: explosions of light immolate the crows.] SFX of lone survivor: ::WHOOSH!:: Esuna: _Ah! One got away!!_ (Dammit!) SFX of Esuna: ::Grr!:: Kamil [wheeling around on horse]: Didn't train enough, did ya? SFX of stirrups: ::CLACK:: pg. 70 SFX: ::WHOOSH:: ::SLASH!:: [Kamil charges with his horse and slashes the straggler in two, in case you had hope that Kamil would be any less than completely insufferable as the manga continued.] Kamil: (Yo.) CHAPTER 3: ROMUS pg. 71 Kamil [sneering at Esuna]: (_I_ took care of it.) [Having proven once again that the little woman is useless, Kamil resumes ignoring her and turns to the important, male member of the party.] Kamil: Hey, Brantu! C'mon out! Brantu: Again, it's _Mr._ Brantu, if you please!! SFX of Mr. Brantu emerging from bushes: ::rustle:: Brantu: I mean, I'm _older_ than you, after all!! Kamil: Yeah, whatever! SFX on chibi protrait of Kamil accompanying this: Grr Kamil: Anyhow, let's give the horses a rest and make camp. Esuna: What?! You said we'd make the Castle of Aran by today! Kamil [barely tolerating this]: (Tuh...) _With my Fleaver._ I didn't think that horses would be such an inconvenient form of transportation. Brantu [sweatdropping, thinking]: But he said we were even... Kamil: Besides, my ass hurts. That's the main reason. pg. 72 [Night falls. Brantu and Esuna are chatting happily around a campfire.] Brantu: Kamil has excellent skill with the sword... but Esuna, your magic is stupendous! Esuna [bashful]: A ha ha! [Kamil's eyes narrow to little slits, their owner incensed that someone beside himself is receiving praise.] Brantu: But how are you able to use such powerful magic so adeptly at your age?-- Esuna: I trained at the temple as an apprentice of Lord Lemele-- Brantu: _--Of His Holiness Lemele?!_ Esuna: Right now, as part of our training, we apprentices are on a great crusade in search of the Arks! Brantu: The Arks, hmm... But I never imagined that one of His Holiness's six disciples would be such a charming young lady... Kamil: The "charm" is just an act with Esuna. For OTHER PEOPLE's benefit. pg. 73 Esuna [offended]: _W...what do you MEAN, "an act"!?!?_ Kamil [angry, as always]: _Whadda YOU mean!?_ That _bloodthirsty magic_ of yours says it ALL about _YOU!!_ SFX: *TUH!* Esuna [getting up]: You're just saying that because YOU can't be TRUSTED with magic!! SFX of Esuna dusting off her knees: whap whap Erroneous Comment on Esuna: high & mighty Esuna: Hmph! Forget _this!_ I'm going to bed! Brantu: Hm? Magic... Kamil, can you use magic, too? Kamil: ...... Not really. With my sword, who needs magic?... Esuna [from inside tent]: KNOCK IT OFF WITH THE PERSONAL ATTACKS!! Kamil [under breath]: Fuck off. SFX of anger: ::twitch:: Brantu [sweatdropping]: (Why do you two get along so _badly?_...) SFX of fire: ::crackle crackle:: Brantu: That sword is from Melenam as well, is it not? pg. 74 Kamil [uninterested]: Hmm? Well, there was a lot of useless shit back at the temple. You wanna have a look, knock yourself out! [Kamil - quite unwisely, considering the airbike incident - throws his lightsaber to Brantu.] SFX: ::toss!:: Kamil: Catch! (And don't break it this time!) [Brantu catches the lightsaber and peers at it uncertainly.] Kamil: See, right there - you use it by focusing on the handle. Give it a try! Brantu [squinting]: L...like this? [The lightsaber, however, emits nothing but a feeble puff of smoke.] SFX: ::fizzle:: SFX of Brantu: ::Ohhh...:: [Kamil, angry as always, snatches his lightsaber back.] SFX: ::GRAB!:: ::WHAP:: Kamil: _Fucking_--PUT SOME _FIRE_ INTO IT, WILL YOU!! LIKE _THIS!!_ [In a rage, Kamil flings his hand behind him...] SFX: ::WHAP!:: Kamil: _HERE!!!_ SFX: ::FLASH!:: [...and ignites his lightsaber indiscriminately.] pg. 75 SFX: ::FWOOOOOOOSHHH:: ::crackle crackle:: ::BURN:: [Whereupon he ignites the tent, where Esuna has been undressing for bed.] Esuna [staring at Kamil]: ---- Brantu: (K-K-K-K-Ka...Kamil...) SFX of Kamil: ::eep:: Kamil [scared but also kinda staring]: Uhhh...um. I...I didn't mean... Esuna: _EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!_ _AAAAAH!! AAAAAH!! KAMIL, YOU JERK!! YOU JERK!! GAAAAAAHHHH--_ [Later...] Kamil [covered with bandages]: Fuckin' woman, who can understand her... Brantu: ...... Kamil: --Anyhow, this Melenam place... did everyone have stuff like my Fleaver and sword there? pg. 76 Brantu: Indeed. We know they had a rather advanced civilization. It was far older than the civilization of Luze, which is commonly referenced as an "ancient civilization"... 5,000 years ago, the continent sunk into the sea. Furthermore... discovered documents have also revealed that the Arks have existed since the height of Melanam's glory... [Hmm. How is Kamil receiving this lecture?] Kamil: ZZZZZZ... Brantu [sweatdropping]: ...... SFX: ::SNORRRRE...:: [Time for a flashback. Kamil, seemingly a boy of 10 to 12, is unleashing a giant globe of magical energy.] SFX: ::VOOM:: [Kamil's blast shatters some small crystals in front of him.] SFX: ::crack!:: ::crack!:: [Some remain, however.] Kamil [thinking]: Dammit! Ten crystals, and I could only shatter three of 'em... Kamil [breathing hard]: Haa... Haa... Voice: Kamil? pg. 77 [Lemele enters the room.] Lemele: You're all alone here - are you still practicing your magic? Kamil: Lemele! Um... With magic... Either you're born with it or not, right? SFX of Kamil fidgeting with his sleeve: ::tug:: Lemele [extending a hand]: If you practice both spiritually and physically, your abilities will improve in due course. Kamil: But it's no good... No matter how hard I try... Lemele: Why is it that you are so fixated on learning magic? Kamil: No one else has a problem...Esuna doesn't... SFX of Lemele noticing: ::twitch:: Kamil: --and I don't wanna fall behind! Lemele: I can't agree. pg. 78 Lemele: If you are motivated solely by the desire to learn magic, then I will help you. --However, if you insist on pursuing such reckless training for the reasons you cited, I must ask you to stop immediately. [Lemele approaches Kamil and places his hand on his shoulder.] Lemele: I did not take you in and raise you for the purpose of saddling you with the responsibility of becoming one of my disciples. If you want to repay me, find your own path in life - and follow it. That is my greatest hope for you! Kamil. I have raised you as my son - and I-- pg. 79 [We return to the present, where Esuna is asleep in...what seems to be a cave...with a curtain draped across it? Her back is turned to the curtain - through which a small, indistinct figure creeps toward Esuna.] SFX: ::CREEP:: [The little low figure puts a...hand? leg? on Esuna's shoulder...] SFX: ::touch!:: Esuna [eyes now wide open]: ! _KAMIIIIIIIIIIIIL!!_ I _NEVER_ THOUGHT YOU WERE _THAT_ KIND OF MAN!! SFX of Kamil, outside Esuna's quarters and now wide awake: ::ding-dong:: SFX: ::TWITCH!:: Kamil [irritated]: _!?_ [Kamil and Brantu sleepily awaken, trying to suss out what's going on.] Kamil & Brantu: ? ? ? ? [Kamil, though, quickly recovers and throws aside the curtain to Esuna's chamber in (what else) rage:] Kamil: _HEY, ESUNA, YOU ASSHOLE!!_ What the FUCK are you talking about?! YOU SAYIN' I'M TRYIN' TO GET INTO YOUR FUCKIN' _BED?!_ SFX of curtain: ::WHAP!:: Comment on Kamil: AARGH Brantu in background: (Sigh...) Esuna: Uh...Huh? What? [Esuna looks back and forth, confused, and notices a small creature crawling under a nearby blanket...] SFX of small creature: ::rummage rummage:: Kamil [in recognition]: You're... [The creature emerges to reveal itself as...a German shepherd puppy with a whistle around its neck.] Kamil: RAGS?! pg. 80 [Outside, by the campfire, Kamil sits and happily plays with Rags the puppy, relating to it with a warmth and basic humanity he has not exhibited toward any bipedal being. (Note: Since we're already playing fast & loose with names, I've chosen to make an unconventional choice with the puppy's name. In raw Japanese, it's "ragu" in katakana, which would usually be translated as "Rag." I'm going to go with "Rags" instead, though, simply because a) it's actually a name that...well, *some* people give their puppies, and b) Japan does have a history of dropping the final "s" from some English names just for sheer ease of pronunciation (see: McDonald's) - though there are indeed examples of "ragusu" being used.] Kamil: THIS - (Hey, buddy!) This is Rags, and he belongs to the master of the Castle of Aran, where we're headed! The master of the castle's a friendly old geezer. Esuna: MANNERS! Brantu [sweatdropping]: "Geezer"? Kamil: I always stop to play with 'em both when I go there! Brantu: "Both"? Kamil [still happy, amazingly]: Yeah! He has two - Rags, and his dad, Romus! Romus is a REALLY smart dog. For the winter festival last year in Rablesk, the master left the castle for two days. But the snow piled up, and his horse couldn't get through the forest! He arrived back at the castle four days late. pg. 81 Kamil: And Romus waited for his master at the front gate of the castle all that time! Brantu: Loyalty that would put any servant to shame, hm? Kamil: Right? Esuna: But what is a little puppy doing out here? Kamil: The fuck should I know?! SFX: ::GLARE:: Comment in Background: MOOD SWING Kamil [holding puppy out]: Ask HIM! Esuna [thinking]: He's holding a grudge... (Oh, man.) [Light begins to filter through the trees.] SFX of birds waking: ::cheep cheep cheep cheep:: ::cheep cheep:: Kamil: Looks like the sun's creeping up. Let's get goin'! I'm sure this little guy wants to get back, too! pg. 82 [The group goes for the horses.] Esuna [holding Rags]: Kamil, how do we get the puppy on one of the horses? Kamil: Yeah... SFX of horse, sniffing puppy: ::whinny!:: SFX of Rags' nose: ::twitch!:: Kamil: Can't ride a horse while holdin' him, can I. ! [Noticing something, Kamil grabs a hold of Brantu's hood.] SFX: ::YANK!:: Brantu: _Uwaah!_ Kamil: Here! _Here!_ This'll do! [Kamil places Rags in Brantu's hood.] SFX: ::plop!:: Kamil [petting Rags]: I'll just put him in here! (Huh, Rags!) Brantu [sweatdropping]: ...... Rag: BARK! pg. 83 [Later, the party of four arrives.] Esuna: This is the Castle of Aran. [Suddenly, as her horse rears, Esuna puts her hand up to her nose in disgust.] Esuna: I've been smelling this nasty odor... SFX of Esuna's horse: ::WHINNY!:: SFX: ::clop:: ::clop:: Esuna: The horses have been antsy, too... Brantu [also holding up hand]: Yes... But, this... SFX: ::clop:: [The party proceeds across the drawbridge...] SFX: ::clop:: ::clop:: pg. 84 SFX: ::CLOP!:: [Kamil's horse, however, rears as he attempts to cross the threshold. Kamil looks up and notices...] SFX: ::GULP:: Kamil: _!!_ [...that the entire courtyard is strewn with bloody corpses.] pg. 85 Kamil [jumping down from horse]: Fuck the pass!! SFX of Kamil: ::thud!:: Kamil: What happened here?! [Brantu's horse then rears...] SFX: ::WHINNY!:: Kamil [to Brantu]: _Forget it! They're scared stiff!_ Get off the horse and leave it there! SFX of horse again: ::whinny:: [Esuna approaches one corpse to see a small sigil scrawled in blood by its hand. She then realizes that the same sigil has been drawn at a much larger scale with the blood of all the corpses across the courtyard.] SFX: ::GASP:: Esuna [staring in horror]: Kamil... This is... pg. 86 Esuna: _This is a magic barrier - created from the corpses and their blood!_ SFX of Kamil whipping head around: ::WHAP:: Kamil: _What...!_ Esuna: _Each and every one of these bodies has been carefully positioned--... to create one gigantic magic circle - encompassing this entire castle!!_ [Outside the drawbridge, the horses are rather goofily ramming their faces up against the barrier like kids against a candy store window, indicating that the heroes are trapped inside.] SFX of horses: ::BANG:: ::BANG:: ::clop clop:: ::clop:: Brantu: _Then that means we're..._ SFX of horses ramming barrier: ::BANG!!:: Kamil [banging fists against glass]: _SHIT--!!_ SFX of fists: ::BAM BAM BAM:: Kamil: _WE'RE TRAPPED!!_ [Behind our heroes--um, well..the people we're following, at any rate-- the corpses uneasily rise...] SFX: ::STAGGER:: [...and the flesh falls from their faces as they lurch forward...] SFX: ::crumble:: Esuna: _UNDEAD!!_ SFX of zombies: ::uuurrrrRRRRrrrr...:: pg. 87 [From some of the revenants, ghostly forms rise up...] SFX: ::VOOM...:: ::VOOOOM...:: [Kamil readies his lightsaber and cuts through one of the Undead...] Kamil [thinking]: _Tuh!_ SFX: ::SLASH!:: Kamil [thinking]: There're even fucking _Chimeras!_ [Esuna, fighting with magic, is faring a little better.] Esuna: Kamil!! You can cut down the Undead, but physical attacks won't work on the Chimeras! SFX of magic: ::FWOOM:: Esuna: Why aren't you using magic!? Kamil [thinking]: _SHUT UP!_ _I'm not like you Apprentice fuckers!_ SFX: ::SLASH:: pg. 88 Kamil: _Esuna! This's fuckin' endless!!_ Esuna: A magic circle this huge has to have a core to it! If we shatter it... Brantu [in panic, getting up from corner where he's been cowering]: Then I'll go find it!! (WAH!) [At this, Rags suddenly raises his head up from Brantu's hood.] SFX: ::POP!:: Kamil: _We didn't ask YOU, Brantu!!_ [Rags, however, gets up, escapes from his perch, and runs off down a corridor of the castle.] SFX: ::WHAP:: Kamil: _!?_ SFX: ::thud:: ::DASH!!:: Kamil: _RAGS!!_ [In the commotion, Rags' collar - and the whistle attached to it - fall to the ground.] pg. 89 [Kamil follows Rags as the little puppy bounds with determination up a staircase, seemingly with a destination in mind.] Kamil [thinking]: It can't be... Could Romus and his master still be alive!? [Finally, Rags arrives at a huge closed door, which he begins scratching.] SFX: ::scratch scratch scratch:: [Kamil shoves it open...] SFX: ::SLAM!: [...and stares with horror at the sight within.] Kamil: _!!_ [The corpse of the castle's former master sits on his throne...bound to it with wire and chains. Nails have been driven liberally into his arms and legs, and his clothing is splattered with blood.] Kamil: Fuck... Who coulda done something so horrible... pgs. 90-91 [Kamil raises his head slightly, his gaze distracted by a different sight...] Kamil: He's dead... [...another magic circle, inscribed in the center of the castle throne room and ablaze with spectral light...] Kamil: And yet...you're still protecting him... Aren't you, Romus... [...upon which stands Romus, in a defensive pose, still watching over his master.] Romus: GRRRRRRR... SFX: ::VOOOOOOOOM:: ::SKRREEEEEEE:: [Kamil takes a single step across the threshold of the throne room...] SFX: ::pad:: [...and the magic circle flares fiercely.] SFX: ::FLASH!:: Kamil [shielding eyes]: !? SFX: ::RUMBLE RUMBLE...:: [The room floods with light from Romus, who is consumed with magical flame.] SFX: ::RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE:: ::CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!:: Kamil [still staring]: You can't be... SFX: ::ROOOAAARRRRR...:: Kamil: ...the core... pg. 92 [The magic circle flares to the ceiling, and Romus, engulfed, is transformed into a reptilian beast made of light, with numerous demonic spectral dog heads extending from his body.] SFX: ::RRRROOOOARRRRR:: ::RRRROOOAAARRRR:: ::GGRRRRAAAAGGGGHHH:: ::GRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAH:: [The spirit-dogs attached to Romus lunge and lash out above Kamil's head.] SFX of ghost: ::SHAAAAAAA:: Kamil [thinking]: Chimeras! [Kamil crosses his arms to guard, but the jaws of the malevolent spirits still draw blood.] Kamil [thinking]: Romus's fierce loyalty has made for one fierce ghost! pg. 93 [Rags, however, recognizes his father - ghost or not - and happily bounds forward...] Kamil: _NO!!_ DUMBASS!! RAGS!! _STOP!!_ [Romus's rage, however, cannot be contained...] SFX: ::ROARRRR:: [...and...] SFX: ::YIPE!!!:: Kamil: _RAGS!!_ [...Romus turns his fangs on his son.] Kamil: _WHAT THE HELL!?_ IT'S YOUR _OWN SON,_ ROMUS!! _DON'T YOU _SEE_ THAT?!_ [Kamil, in perhaps his very first admirable act of the manga, tries to protect Rags by, er, attempting to punch a ghost.] SFX of impact, somehow: ::BAM!:: SFX of Romus: ::RRROAAARRR:: [In the background, Rags rises unsteadily to his feet...] SFX: ::stagger...:: SFX of drop of blood: ::splat:: pg. 94 SFX: ::STARE:: SFX of Rags: ::WHINE...:: Kamil: _RAGS!!_ [Though injured, Rags still tries to approach his father.] Kamil [thinking]: This is bad. If I don't defeat Romus... SFX of Rags: ::wobble:: Kamil [thinking]: ...he'll kill Rags!! [Kamil stops for a moment.] Kamil [thinking]: "Why don't I just use magic?" Easy for _you_ to say!! [Kamil clenches his fists, and he does manage to generate a small amount of mana from his hands.] SFX: ::clench:: Kamil [thinking]: But - never mind that... Right now... SFX of Rags, still walking toward Romus: ::limp...:: ::limp...:: Kamil [thinking]: It's no time to be worried about pointless shit!! Kamil: RAGS!! COME HE-- SFX: ::TWEEEEEET!!:: Kamil [thinking]: A dog whistle?! pg. 95 SFX: ::TWEEEEEET!!:: [That's right - Esuna (who has just arrived) has read Nintendo Power and is using the whistle (which fell from Rags' neck before) to attempt to end the boss battle immediately. Unfortunately, as with much in this manga, the whistle does not fill the same role as it does in the game - but it does manage to bring Rags to his senses, and the little pup runs to Brantu's arms. (If Kamil can hear the dog whistle, what does that say about him?)] SFX: ::GRAAAHHH:: [One of Romus's heads, though, lunges for the group...] Esuna [readying spell]: _Watch out!!_ [Romus dives in - but...] SFX: ::HALT!:: Brantu [holding Rags]: _--!!_ [Romus stops, looking at his son - and then...] SFX: ::AWOOOOOOO...:: ::AWOOOOOOOOO...:: Kamil: He's howling. Kamil [thinking]: He... Does he know that it's Rags? pg. 96 Esuna: _Kamil!!_ [Esuna is drawing up a big spell.] Esuna: I'll contain the movement of the Chimeras above the core - _then you hit the core with a magic attack!!_ [Kamil pauses, staring at Esuna hesitantly...] SFX of Romus: ::RRROOOAAARRR...:: [Kamil closes his eyes, hesitant and almost in pain, then -] SFX of Kamil: ::GLARE!:: SFX of mana: ::SKRREEEEEE:: Kamil: _ROMUS!!_ [Kamil lets loose with a huge, giant, amazing spell with a fancy magic circle and everything, because he's awesome and better at anything than anyone.] Kamil: ROGUE DILENFER!! SFX: ::BAM!!:: ::RROAAARR:: [Note: The kanji for the spell name mean something akin to "Red Blaze of Judgment," though one of the characters is not typically used in compound nouns and may be a typo. As for the katakana name, I think the author is just making up phrases for spell names that sound English to her ears. (No, it's not "Rouge Dilenfer.")] pg. 97 [Naturally, despite being a character designed for physical combat, Kamil's spell is so _incredibly powerful_ that it not only completely dispels the magical field, freeing Romus and returning him to canine form, but causes the _entire castle_ to collapse. He is just so much better than Esuna, you guys.] SFX of completely awesome magic: ::ggggrrrrraaaaAAAAAAHHHHHHHH:: ::BAANGGGG!!!!:: SFX of Romus rising to feet on shaky ground: ::wobble:: SFX of Romus: ::grrrr:: Kamil: _ROMUS!?_ Esuna: _Kamil! Now that the magic barrier's been destroyed, the castle's going to collapse!_ [Suddenly, Rags wriggles free from Brantu's grasp...] Brantu: Ah! [...and dashes toward his father.] SFX of castle: ::RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE:: pg. 98 [Rags is overjoyed that his father is back...] SFX of Rags: ::yip! yip! yip!:: [Romus looks at his son for a moment with sad affection. But then...] SFX of Romus: ::...whine......:: ::...grr...:: ::BARKBARKBARKBARKBARKBARKBARK:: ::GRRRRRRRR:: [Romus, remaining at the foot of his dead master, yells at his son to prevent him from following him.] Rags [shrinking back]: ! [Kamil watches as Romus continues to warn Rags away and Rags, eventually, shrinks back.] SFX: ::slink...:: pg. 99 [Esuna gathers Rags in her arms.] SFX of castle: ::RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE...:: Esuna: He did it on purpose...for his son? SFX of Rags: ::whine:: [As the group exits, Kamil takes one last look at Romus, sitting calmly by his master, looking at his son with pride.] SFX of castle: ::RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE:: Kamil: Romus... pg. 100 [The group has retreated, Castlevania-like, to a nearby cliff to gaze at the destroyed castle.] Esuna: Romus... remained loyal to his master to the very end... [Rags staggers with his little legs up to the cliff's edge, looks to the skies, and lets loose a howl of mourning.] SFX: ::AWOOOOOOO...:: ::AWOOOOOOOOOOO...:: pg. 101 CHAPTER 4: FATHER AND SON [A headshot of a typically-disgruntled present-day Kamil is juxtaposed with a full-body shot of his about-twelve-year-old self. Note: This chapter is almost entirely a flashback. I object to this. Kamil has not been sufficiently established as a character about whom we should care to merit an extended flashback about How He Got This Way.] pg. 102 Caption: The Gate of Earth, on the Rablesk border SFX of narratively-expedient lightning: ::CRACKKK!!:: [Beneath menacing clouds and sporadic lightning, the group arrives at the aforementioned Gate of Earth, which here looms as large as the Gates of Mordor themselves.] Brantu [frightened]: Aaaah! Lightning! [Esuna converses with some nearby guards. Kamil, meanwhile, sits with Rags in his lap, looking in confusion at his hands.] Kamil [thinking]: It's been, what...five years since I last cast a spell??? Kamil: ... Kamil [thinking]: Magic--... pg. 103 [Kamil's mind wanders to another recent memory - that of Romus chasing his son away to safety, as he himself remained behind to die. Kamil gazes solemnly at the little puppy in his arms.] Kamil [thinking]: Father and son, huh... [And thus begins the flashback that will consume this entire chapter.] SFX: ::tweet tweet tweet:: [On a bright, sunlit day, Lemele and a younger Valsu stroll along the outdoor walkways of the temple city.] pg. 104 [Valsu turns to notice some activity off to his side.] Valsu: Someone's practicing magic... (And so early in the morning...) [Suddenly...] Voice: _WAHHH!!!!!_ SFX: ::KA-BOOOOOM:: [Smoke billows from the pracitioner's quarters. Lemele's gaze turns to follow Valsu's.] Valsu: What...? (An accident?) [The two men visit the scene to discover...a child Esuna, sobbing on the ground.] Esuna: Kamil, you SUPER _JERK_, I can't _BELIEVE_ YOUUUUUU--!! _WAAAAAAAAHHH!!_ Aren't you gonna SAY something!? [Child Kamil merely stands silent and irritated, one hand on his hip, as indifferent to his inveterate jerkitude as his adult incarnation.] pg. 105 Lemele: _Again,_ Kamil? What did you do to Esuna this time? Kamil: _Tuh!_ Like I'd hit a _girl!_ [You would hit anyone and everyone, Kamil, at any age, and we all know it.] Esuna [still sobbing]: I...I was going to cast some magic... and...and just before - Kamil screamed right in my _ear--!_ SFX: ::*sob*...:: ::*sob*...:: ::*sob*...:: Valsu: And so you both were caught up in the blast? Kamil [angry]: _Esuna_ said I'm not cut out for magic! But LEMELE said... SFX: ::SLAP!:: [And then Lemele smacks Kamil across the face. I hate everyone.] pg. 106 Lemele: Of course I have said that there is no one who is unsuited to the practice of magic. But I should have _added_ that one should not practice with insincere motives. If you persist in this dangerous behavior, I will revoke your right to practice! [Valsu is kneeling down before Esuna, who is casting what is presumably a healing spell on herself.] Esuna [still sobbing a little]: It's OK, Valsu! I can do it myself! Valsu [turning to Kamil, smiling]: (OK. Go ahead...) Here, Kamil. You don't know healing magic, do you? Let me patch you up... [Kamil instead forms a fist...] SFX: ::clench!:: pg. 107 [...then sticks his tongue out at Kamil...] SFX: ::BLEHHH!:: [...and jumps over a nearby railing off the balcony, sadly not to his demise.] SFX: ::WHAP!:: Lemele: KAMIL!! Kamil [from somewhere in trees below balcony]: I DON'T NEED YOUR FUCKING HELP!! [Lemele and Valsu walk away. You know, after this and the Mystic Ark manga, I have to wonder how bad the Terranigma manga is. I mean, that game's _supposed_ to have an intolerable protagonist at the start.] Valsu [concerned]: Master... I have indeed never heard that there are those naturally suited - or unsuited - to the practice of magic... SFX of footsteps: ::clack:: ::clack clack:: Valsu: But in Kamil's case, don't you think that _truly_... Lemele: ...... [Lemele initially gives nothing but a look of grave thought, his mind on what we see to be seven orbs - presumably the Arks.] pg. 108 [Lemele, his mind apparently flashing on what surely must be an alternate reality or timeline, envisions Kamil as a happy, smiling, laughing child. Then again, Kamil is surrounded by feathers in this image. Perhaps he just exploded a dove or something.] Lemele: I have no intention of adding him to the six Disciples. I have told him that I want him to find his own path. [Which is ridiculous, as everyone knows that Kamil is the bestest at magic ever!] Lemele [thinking]: And that would be wonderful... but... [Meanwhile, in:] Caption: Rablesk Kamil: _SHIT_ - SHE FUCKING _PISSES ME OFF!!_ SFX: ::KICK!:: pg. 109 [Kamil is productively kicking rocks down the street in the middle of the city, perhaps hoping to hit passersby.] Kamil: _FUCKING ESUNA!_ One day, I'll show that Valsu what she's _REALLY_ like!!... SFX: ::KICK!:: ::KICK!:: ::KICK!:: ::KICK!:: Kamil: I gotta show her up - with magic or something... SFX: ::KICK!:: ::KICK!:: ::SCRAPE!:: [Kamil misses the last stone he attempted to kick, which makes him even angrier...] Kamil: I _FUCKING HATE HER!!_ SFX: ::KICK!!:: [Kamil's extra-powered kick knocks him off-balance...] SFX: ::WOBBLE...:: ::STAGGER!:: Kamil: AHHH-- Kamil [thinking]: Shit. [...and he tumbles head over heels down the stairs behind him.] Kamil: _AAAAHH--!!_ SFX: CONK!! Voice: EEEEEK!! pg. 110 Kamil: Owwww... [Kamil, on his knees, looks up to see a small girl his age with whom he has collided and whose groceries he has scattered. The concussion must have addled his brain, as he rises to his feet and utters words that would otherwise never escape Kamil's lips...] Kamil: (Ummm...) I--I'm sorry! Are you OK? Girl: _Ow!_ [Kamil looks and sees that the girl's ankle is bruised and bleeding.] SFX of ankle: ::throb!:: [Clearly deranged, or perhaps taking joy in another human being's suffering, Kamil cracks a cheery smile.] SFX: ::GRIN!:: Kamil: It's OK! You can heal a little injury like that by yourself with magic... Right? (Ah! She's cryin'...) _Right?_ [Say you can easily recover from the injury I inflicted on you, kid, or I'll inflict even MORE injuries.] Girl: _Magic?_ _I_ can't use anything like _that!_ Kamil: What? Why not? pg. 111 [Later...] Girl: Are you OK? [We see that Kamil is carrying the girl piggyback-style. I'm sure this is not out of kindness, but rather to elicit admiration for Kamil's preternatural strength.] Kamil [struggling]: Ju..._Just fine!_ Girl: But...you were talking about _weird_ stuff before. Healing with magic and stuff. Kamil: I come from Lemele! Girl: Lemele? Like Lord Lemele? So you're one of the Six Disciples? That's why you can use magic...? Kamil: No! I... Woman: FELICIA!! [A woman emerges from a nearby house with a bucket and ladle, looking at the girl with concern.] pg. 112 Girl [brightening]: Mother! Kamil: "Mother"? [At the little girl Felicia's house, her mother begins wrapping her ankle.] Girl/Felicia: Are you really OK with being up today, Mother? Felicia's Mom [smiling]: I'm all right! Kamil, Apparently Possessed: ...Sorry. She got hurt because of me. [Felicia's mother gently caresses Kamil's face.] Felicia's Mom: You're hurt, too. SFX: ::caress:: Kamil: This was from before... Felicia's Mom: And yet you carried Few all the way here? How brave you are! pg. 113 Felicia's Mom: You're not much taller than she is! Caption on Kamil: shorty Kamil: ? "Few"? Felicia [smiling]: I'm Felicia - "Few" for short! What's your name? Kamil: Kamil! The name Lemele gave me! Felicia's Mom: ...Lemele...? Felicia: Mother, Kamil says that he lives with Lord Lemele! Felicia's Mom [taken aback]: Oh, my - with Lord Lemele?! Felicia: Kamil, I want to hear about Lord Lemele! Will you tell me? pg. 114 Kamil [surprised]: ? ...Sure. SFX: ::blush:: Kamil [thinking]: Other than how she can't use magic, she doesn't look much different from Esuna... Felicia [smiling]: Thank you! [Night eventually falls. Suddenly...] SFX: ::BAM!!:: Man: FEW!! PAPA'S HOME!! [A well-built man bursts boisterously through the front door of Felicia's house.] Felicia's Mom: My. You're drunk, aren't you. Felicia's Dad, Apparently, Kissing Wife on Cheek: Just had one glass, that's all! Never mind that! You feelin' all right today? Felicia's Mom [smiling softly]: (Ha ha!) I'm fine. Don't worry about me. pg. 115 Felicia's Dad: Where's Few? She always comes running when I walk in. (*Tuh!*) Felicia's Mom: She hurt her foot. She'll come later. Felicia's Dad: _HURT!?!?!_ [In the other room:] Felicia: You can ride a HORSE!? Kamil: Yeah! It's tied up at the gate to Rablesk! Felicia: Can TWO people fit on a horse?! When I get better, can we ride TOGETHER?! Kamil: Sure! But in Lemele's treasury, there's stuff that can go WAY faster than... SFX: ::BAM!!:: Felicia's Dad: _FEW!!!_ IS IT _TRUE_ - _ARE YOU HURT?!?!_ pg. 116 [Felicia's father runs to hug his daughter.] Felicia's Dad: _If something happened to you, Papa would..._ _He'd...!_ Felicia: Father! [Kamil watches this with a look of uncharacteristic surprise and childlike awe. He is so transfixed that he does not even notice Felicia's mother behind him until she gently claps her hands on his shoulders.] Felicia's Dad: Huh? Who're you, kiddo? (You ain't no kid of _mine,_ are ya?...) Kamil: Uh... I hurt F-- Felicia's Mom [to Kamil]: --Not now! Felicia's Mom [to her husband]: You're always telling Few she should bring home more friends, dear! [Later - as Felicia's mom says - Felicia, her parents, and Kamil are sitting before a hearty repast of fish, soup, bread, and salad.] Felicia's Dad: _WHAAA--!?_ _You lost your mom AND dad, and Lord Lemele took you in as a BABY?!_ [Felicia's father is moved to tears by this tale.] Felicia's Dad: ...*sniff* SFX: ::wibble...:: Kamil [sweatdropping]: (Uhh - ummm...) ...... pg. 117 Felicia's Dad [collapsing on table]: _Oh, MAN! I can't TAKE these tales of woe!!_ SFX: ::WAHHHH!:: Felicia's Dad: _Aren't you LONELY?!_ SFX of Dad's fist on table: ::BAM!:: Felicia's Dad: _What'm I SAYIN'!?! Of COURSE y'are!!_ (How COULDN'T you be!?) Kamil [sweatdropping]: O......old man... I have Lemele, and besides... Lemele says he raised me as his son... So even though Lemele doesn't want me to - I'm gonna become a Disciple - and protect Lemele! Felicia's Dad: _WHOA--!!!!_ Kamil [sweatdropping again]: ...... Felicia's Dad: So, Kamil - you're gonna be the seventh apprentice of the Son of God?! Holy hell!! pg. 118 Felicia's Dad: So Few's future husband is Lord Lemele's _son!?_ [heart] Kamil [doing spit take]: PHHHBBTTT--!! Felicia's Dad [glowering across table]: Whassamatta? You sayin' my Few's not _good_ enough for ya? _HUH?!_ [Dude, Kamil is not remotely good enough for Felicia or nearly any living human.] Kamil [thinking]: --Now I've done it. [Time for Kamil to use his sterling-silver tongue to extract himself from this sticky situation!] Kamil [with Felicia, the girl whose ankle he injured, onlooking]: It's not like that...... Few's puny and _weak,_ and... Felicia's Dad: _WEAK!?!?!_ (WHADDAYA MEAN BY _THAT?!_) Kamil: Um... SFX: ::mutter:: Kamil [eyes averted downward]: ...and cute... (But I don't mean it like _that!_) Felicia's Dad: _I KNOW, RIGHT!!?!?_ [heart] _THAT'S WHY NO ONE'S _EVER_ MARRYING MY DAUGHTER!!_ _EVER!!_ [And we all breathe a sigh of relief.] Kamil [thinking, sweatdropping]: *sigh*... This old man just spouts crazy shit... pg. 119 [Kamil takes a moment of reflection to think about both Lemele and Felicia's father.] Kamil [thinking]: Her father... is way different from Lemele... Felicia's Dad: But, y'know, Kamil! SFX of Felicia's Dad's finger pointing: ::POINT!:: Felicia's Dad: If you're gonna marry Few, that means you're gonna be our son!! _So drop by our house ANYTIME!!_ Kamil: Old man... pg. 120 SFX: ::splash!:: ::topple:: [Felicia's father has suddenly fallen asleep at the table; the hand holding his mug of beer droops in fatigue, spilling its contents.] SFX of Felicia's Dad: ::ZZZZ....:: Kamil [irritated]: ...... Felicia's Dad [sleepily]: Few... 'Till you heal up, Daddy'll do anything he can to help ya out, OK?... Don' you worry~~~~ Kamil [laughing, be out of endeared amusement or, more likely, sheer derision]: *pfft* [Felicia and her mom come back into the room with a hot meal and the jacket Kamil was wearing previously.] Felicia's Mom: Oh, my...he really fell asleep? (He's just *impossible*...) Felicia [exasperated]: _Father!_ [Felicia's mother approaches Kamil.] Felicia's Mom: Kamil, I mended your jacket where it was torn. Here we go! Arms through the sleeves! [Felicia's mom helps Kamil into his jacket.] Kamil [eternally ungrateful]: I can put it on MYSELF!! pg. 121 [Kamil rises to his feet and turns sharply to Few's mother.] Kamil: Don't tell the old man I was the reason Few got injured. [God Almighty in heaven, this kid.] Felicia's Mom [smiling, inexplicably]: It's all right. I said I won't tell. After all, Kamil, you brought Few all the way here even though you _yourself_ were injured. Kamil [surprised]: Old woman! Felicia [smiling]: Kamil! Don't forget - you promised to take me horseback riding when I get better! Felicia's Mom: That's right! So - hurry back, Kamil! [Kamil smiles, genuinely happy, and waves as he leaves the little family's home.] pg. 122 [Kamil begins walking back through the streets of Rablesk. He looks up at the lit windows of the homes he passes and listens to the voices of the families within.] Voice in House 1: I'm home! Voice in House 1: Welcome back, Papa! Voice in House 2: Mommy! Mommy! [Kamil stops in the street, transfixed, with a quietly sad look in his eyes.] Voice in House 2: Mommy, _listen!_ Voice in House 3: _Father!_ SFX: ::DASH!:: [Suddenly, Kamil breaks out in a run, frantic to escape.] Kamil [in tears, out of breath]: *Haa...* *Haa...* *Haa...* pg. 123 [Kamil has seemingly stopped at the stables. He snaps out of his previous haze when the black unicorn he apparently rode to the city nuzzles him. Kamil reaches a hand up to the animal.] Kamil: It's nothing... Let's go back. [Night passes, and morning - be it the next morning, or another morning - falls on Rablesk. It is not, however, a happy morning.] Felicia: _DOCTOR!! PLEASE!!_ pg. 124 [Little Felicia and a dwarvish doctor are outside her home.] Felicia: _PLEASE SAVE MY MOTHER!!_ Doctor: I'm afraid we've already done all we... Felicia: _NO!!!!_ [Kamil, who has ridden to town, dismounts his unicorn.] Kamil [concerned]: _FEW!?_ Felicia: _KAMIL!!_ Kamil: _Few, what's wrong?!_ Felicia: _IT'S MY MOTHER!!_ _MY MOTHER, SHE'S...!!_ [They enter Few's home.] Kamil: Old man!! Where's the old lady?! [Felicia's dad is seated on a chair next to the bed where Felicia's mother lies, unresponsive.] Felicia's Dad: Kamil? Felicia's Mom: Dear... Few... pg. 125 Felicia's Father [hand over mouth, trying to hold back tears]: We were told it'd be bad if she had any more attacks, but... Felicia: Mother... *snif!* [Kamil suddenly grabs Felicia's shoulders.] Kamil: _Few!!_ _I'll go get Lemele!!_ _I KNOW he can save your mom!!_ [Felicia pauses in her sobbing and looks up in hope.] pg. 126 [When we next see Kamil, he's on his unicorn, riding furiously back to the castle.] SFX of unicorn: ::CLOP CLOP:: Kamil [thinking]: If I ask Lemele... if Lemele _is_ my father, then I _know_ he'll save her!! [When Kamil arrives in the temple, he doesn't mess around: he rides his unicorn right up the dang stairs.] Kamil: _LEMELE!_ _LEMELE!!_ SFX of doors: BANG!! pg. 127 [In the first awesome thing that Kamil has done in the entire manga, Kamil plows right through the doors of Lemele's sanctum (where he is having a meeting with Valsu and, in his first appearance, Lejes) and brings his steed to a halt right at Lemele's feet. (Valsu has a terrific Alyssa L'Salle "uhhh..." look on his face here.)] Valsu: (Ka...) Lemele [sharply]: _Kamil!?_ Kamil [rearing horse]: _LEMELE!!_ _PLEASE!!_ SFX of horse: ::clop!:: Kamil: _PLEASE SAVE FEW'S MOM!!_ [Lemele and Valsu exchange glances.] Lemele: Calm yourself, Kamil. What... Kamil: _FEW'S MOTHER IS GONNA DIE!!_ _You can save her - can't you, Lemele?!_ pg. 128 Kamil: Fath... _--You're the son of God! YOU _HAVE_ TO SAVE HER!!_ [Lemele doesn't answer, but instead pauses in sad contemplation. In the meantime, Lejes approaches Kamil.] Lejes: _Kamil!_ He _can't_ do such a thing!! Are you asking him to intervene to extend the life of a single _human?!_ _What do you take the son of God to BE?!_ pg. 129 Kamil [thinking]: The son of God... Lemele: Kamil. Take me to her. [Both Lejes and Valsu look at Lemele in shock.] Valsu: _MASTER!!_ pg. 130 [In the very next panel, both Lemele and Kamil are on Kamil's steed, racing back toward Rablesk.] Kamil [holding eyes tightly closed, thinking]: It'll be OK! Lemele's with me... I just _know_ he'll save her!! [But the somber eyes of present-day Kamil, on whom the flashback ends, tell a different story.] pg. 131 [Kamil is jolted from his reverie when Rags, previously asleep in his lap, awakes and stretches.] SFX: ::stretchhhh!:: Kamil: You up? Just a little longer now. (Esuna's so frickin' _slow._) [Kamil looks up at the sky; a bolt of lightning crosses the darkened sky.] SFX of lightning: ::KRA-KOOM!!:: Kamil: ...Looks like it's gonna rain. [We switch to:] Caption: Castle of Aran pg. 132 [Valsu is exploring the ruins of the castle.] SFX of Valsu's foot on rubble: ::crack:: [He places his hand on a nearby chunk of stone...] SFX: ::touch:: [...and what appears to be some remnant magic power still residing in the stone shoots through his hand, slashing a good amount of his flesh.] Valsu: _!_ SFX: ::FWOOM!:: [Valsu, however, merely takes his wounds in stride.] Valsu [thinking]: To think that such magic power would still linger in this ruin... Valsu: Kamil's power, is it not? [A piece of the rock he touched apparently still in his palm - and still shredding it - Valsu lifts up his hand, looks at it, and smiles.] SFX of magic power: ::SSSSSSST:: Valsu: So then that means...! pg. 133 [Elsewhere in the castle...] SFX: ::crumble...:: [A wall falls to pieces as soldiers from Lemele inspect the premises.] Soldier: It's just like Dame Esuna said - this's horrendous... Another Soldier: We'll have to declare martial law soon... Close the Gate of Earth-- Soldier: ! [Sensing a presence, the first soldier looks behind him -] Soldier: _WHO'S THERE?!_ [Valsu appears, and the soldier relaxes his grip on his sword.] SFX of Soldier: ::phew:: Soldier: Ah! It's you, m'lord! pg. 134 [Valsu flashes a:] SFX: ::smile!:: Valsu [thinking]: The magic power that saved Kamil came from Lemele - who should be dead. So before Lemele was completely subsumed by Lord Gorsia's consciousness... Soldier: Sir Valsu. SFX of Soldier at attention: ::salute!:: [Valsu still smiles, and his gaze never leaves the two men.] Valsu: ~*Metor Fordra...*~ Valsu [thinking]: ...he abandoned his flesh and fled to Kamil in spirit form, it seems. [The kanji for this spell indicate that is a Cascade of Lightning; perhaps the two soldiers do not recognize the exact nature of the chant, but they are aware enough to register alarm in the last seconds of their lives.] SFX of small, gathering flare of magic in Valsu's hand: ::rumble:: [A thin, focused beam of light shoots up to the heavens...] SFX: ::FLASH!:: pg. 135 [...and all but Valsu is consumed by lightning.] SFX: ::BOOOOOOM!!!:: CHAPTER 5: THE DETERMINATION OF KAMIL, THE AMBITIONS OF VALSU Valsu [thinking]: ...No matter. Protect Kamil as best you can, if that is your desire. pg. 136 [The manga flashes back to Kamil's fight with Pison, then to an image of Kamil holding his lightsaber and striking a misplaced heroic pose.] Valsu [thinking]: I've prepared my own little tricks to incite him to shed the blood of his fellow humans, embrace faithlessness, and lose himself to hatred. [What do you mean, "lose himself" to hatred, Valsu? Has Kamil _ever_ demonstrated _any_ emotion toward _any_ living being _but_ hatred? Oh, yes, there's been contempt, rage, juvenile snittiness, but they're all on more or less the same spectrum. I believe Valsu's right hand is still gushing blood from before, by the way.] Valsu [thinking]: In the days to come, Kamil shall lay waste to his kind with his own hands...willing or not. [Valsu, is your big plan to turn Kamil evil? Have you even been reading the past hundred-plus pages? For a chapter that's half-dedicated to your "ambitions," you're setting the bar pretty low for yourself. In any case, the manga flashes to a shot of Lemele in his prime fighting Gariso.] Valsu [thinking]: Lemele... In _this_ life, I will pay you back a _hundredfold_ in vengeance! pg. 137 [Valsu's eyes flash on the broken body of one of the soldiers, one of his shattered bones in his arm poking out of his dead flesh. Valsu stomps on his head, which gives way like an overripe melon.] SFX: ::SPLUSHH!:: Valsu [thinking]: And bury you - together with Kamil!! pg. 138 [Back to the Gates of Mordor. Kamil is sitting with Rags on top of a pile of crates, ruffling the puppy's fur.] SFX: ::ruffle ruffle:: Kamil: Hey, Rags... You and Few are two of a kind... Kamil [thinking]: ...It's tougher to lose something than to never have had it in the first place... [Kamil returns to his flashback. Younger Kamil and Lemele have just stepped across the threshold of Few's home.] Kamil: _Few...!!_ pg. 139 [Kamil rushes in, but stops short when he sees Few.] SFX: ::sob! sob!:: [Her tear-streaked face tells him everything. In the bedroom, Few's father kneels next to his wife's bed, cradling her lifeless head.] Kamil [thinking]: I couldn't find anything to say. SFX: ::tug:: [Little Kamil clutches at Lemele's robes. Noticing, Lemele draws the boy near, enveloping him in his cape, using it as a curtain to shield Kamil from the sight.] SFX: ::rustle:: Kamil [thinking]: Not a single word. pg. 140 Kamil [thinking]: It was several weeks later that I finally managed to summon the courage to go back to Few's house. But when I went to Rablesk... [Kamil stands in the doorway of a vacant home.] Kamil [thinking]: ...Few and her father had already left. Yeah...it really is tougher to lose something than to never have had it at all. [Teenage Kamil lies in his bed, his arm covering his eyes, in a despondent sulk.] pg. 141 Kamil [thinking]: Even with me... I'd be tough for me if I lost Lemele. Kamil in flashback within flashback: Fath... _--You're the son of God! YOU _HAVE_ TO SAVE HER!!_ Kamil [thinking]: That was really an awful thing to say, wasn't it. [Kamil rises from his bed.] Kamil: ... I should go apologize. SFX of rainstorm outside: ::shaaaaaaa:: ::shaaaaaaaa:: Lemele: Don't misunderstand me. pg. 142 [Lemele is sitting in his office, where Kamil has approached him.] Lemele: I did not go to that family's house to grant any wish of yours. It was to fulfill my duty as the Son of God. But, by rights, it is something that I should never permit myself to do. Do you understand, Kamil? Right now, at this very moment, there are countless people on the verge of death. If I had saved that woman... What about the others I would not have saved...could not have saved, in their entirety?... ...Would their deaths have been acceptable to you? [Kamil's face is filled with hesitation, but also shock.] Kamil: ...I... But... SFX of weather: ::shaaaaaaa:: Lemele: However... I understand, to a degree, if your foolish behavior was impelled by such thoughts...even so... pg. 143 Kamil [thinking, shocked]: !! [Kamil flashes back to Few and her father, kneeling at their dear mother and wife's bedside as the woman lies dying.] Kamil [thinking]: Foolish... ...behavior!? Kamil [out loud, angry]: "Foolish behavior"...?! What the _fuck!?_ So why'd you even come with me in the _first_ place?! Why'd you even _care?!_ Lemele: You mentioned my name, did you not? pg. 144 Kamil [thinking, genuinely taken aback]: Ah... Kamil [in flashback]: _I'll go get Lemele!!_ _I KNOW he can save your mom!!_ SFX of Lemele's hand resting on arm of chair: ::pat:: Lemele: Once you invoked my name, there was no way I could betray the people's trust in the Son of God, was there? [Kamil, who has been lost in thought, looks at Lemele. He starts shaking with rage.] SFX of rain: ::shaaaaa:: Lemele: Kamil. Do you understand? Kamil: I... pg. 145 [Kamil stands wordlessly in distress. Lemele, not sparing a glance at the distraught boy, walks by him to the window.] SFX: ::slip:: Kamil: I... I thought...you were my father, so... ...so I thought... ...you would save her. [Lemele looks out the window and does not respond.] Kamil: ...so... _I...!!_ _I guess I don't give a shit WHAT your FUCKING job is!!_ SFX of door: ::BANG!:: [Kamil rushes out of Lemele's chamber, running straight out of the building, into the rain.] SFX of Kamil's feet: ::splash!:: ::splash!:: pg. 146 [Making his way through the temple complex, he arrives at a building with a conspicuous padlock on the door.] SFX: ::CRACKKKKK!!:: [He smashes it with the hilt of a sword and runs inside. A ways away, Esuna spies this; she then rushes to Lemele's chambers...] Esuna: LORD LEMELE!! Lemele [still at window, not turning to face Esuna]: It's all right. He has my blessing. Esuna [flummoxed]: ??? (B-but... He broke the lock...) [Yes, in case you were worried that the manga had proceeded to an attempt at serious storytelling and actual empathy for other characters, all of this drama has been apparently engineered for _Kamil's_ benefit, so that he will break free from the confines of the temple and embrace his destiny as the bestest ever. Also: Esuna is so dumb, you guys!!!] pg. 147 [Anyhow: Kamil has broken into Lemele's museum/treasury. The Fleaver lies before him.] Someone in Lemele's Chamber, I Have No Idea: _Kamil's broken into the treasury!!_ _He's taken a sword and a Fleaver--!!_ [Again, Lemele does not react to Someone's alarm.] Lemele [thinking]: Kamil... [Kamil pulls on a pair of riding gloves...] SFX: ::tug!:: [...revs up the Fleaver...] SFX: ::RRRROOOOOAAARRRR...:: pg. 148 [...and busts out, his face twisted in his now-perpetual sneer.] Lemele [thinking]: Go on, now...find your own path. SFX of rain: ::shaaaaaa:: [I think Lemele was just sick of Kamil's nonsense and wanted him out of the house. Here, the flashback ends. So now you understand why Kamil left behind a life of self-improvement and prospective public service in favor of a career of bilking and threatening to murder frightened travelers: his concern for the common man. Back in the present, Kamil sits Rags near the top of the stack of crates and steps away.] Kamil: You see, Rags? You're free to stay in Rablesk or come with me. You have the right to choose your own path, too! SFX: ::jump!:: ::thump!:: [The little puppy jumps down the crates and leaps into Kamil's arms.] pg. 149 [Kamil smiles and hugs him wholeheartedly. Meanwhile, in a nearby customs house...] Clerk: The Gate of Earth is closed. Rablesk is under martial law. No one gets in or out. Panicking Merchant: _What?!_ But I have business to which to attend! Panicking Merchant: (Good God...) SFX: ::murmur murmur:: Clerk: Sorry. It's just for a little while. Panicking Merchant [worried]: (A little while, hmm....) pg. 150 [Still elsewhere - but still in the customs house:] Guard [handing over passes]: Well, then - I hope your business concludes without incident, Dame Esuna. (Here you go - three provisional passes!) Esuna: I'm sorry... to think that such a thing could happen at the Castle of Aran... If what we believe is true, then...I don't think we can let anyone cross the border... Guard [smiling]: Don't you worry! After all, it's thanks to Lord Lemele that we're able to live in peace. If you require any assistance in the course of the discharge of your duties, just say the word. [OK, a cautionary note at this point: from here to the end of the chapter, the manga is about to get a bit confusing. Outside:] Brantu: Kamil! Note on Brantu: employer [Kamil is inside the stables, playing with Rags (who is running around him) and the unicorns housed there.] Kamil: Oh! Hey, Brantu! Thank you! note on Kamil: *alleged* employee SFX of Rags: ::scamper:: ::scamper scamper:: ::yap!:: pg. 151 [Outside, Brantu introduces a couple of friendly guards with a pair of Dalmatian-like dogs and and a couple puppies.] Brantu: These gentlemen say that they'd be willing to take in Rags... Um... Are we really going to leave him here? [Kamil moves to tie the whistle back around Rags' neck.] SFX: ::jingle:: Kamil: (Here ya go - this belongs to you.) That's for him to decide! [I thought Rags already decided to go with Kamil? Despite this, though, Rags has apparently decided now to stay put, and both parties seem happy about his choice - Kamil smiles fondly at the pup before departing on his unicorn, and Rags grins from his snug position in the guard's arms.] Guard: Take care of yourself on the road! SFX: ::salute!:: pg. 152 [Kamil leans over and pats Rags on the head.] SFX: ::pat!:: Kamil: See ya, Rags! Let's do our best - both of us!! pg. 153 [As he rides away, Kamil has a flashback of holding the little pup before he leaves.] SFX: ::hug:: Kamil [in flashback]: It really is tougher to lose something than to never have had it in the first place. But you know... even so... ...that doesn't mean it's better never to have found it! [Flashback Kamil thinks back fondly to Lemele, as well as Few and her family.] Kamil [thinking, narrating]: Anyhow, it's only later that the problems come... taking back what you lost... finding something new... pg. 154 [We go to another flashback, where early-teenage Kamil has apparently broken into Lemele's library at night and is uncharacteristically interested in a large illuminated tome.] Book Text: They who reign over all of Heaven as the masters on high... They who hold the power to illuminate dark places... They are set apart from all God's creation... and to it, they shall lay waste. [Kamil is alarmed by these words, and he thinks back to...well, even earlier, to the exchange between his kindergarten-age self and Lemele.] Child Kamil [in flashback within flashback]: But wasn't I created by God?! Why am I the only one who's different?! Older Kamil [in original flashback, thinking]: So I'm _not_ the only one!! This is...?! [Suddenly, Kamil tumbles from his precarious perch on a ladder perched against a high bookshelf...] SFX: ::clatter!:: Kamil [in flashback]: _UWAAA--!!_ pg. 155 SFX of books: ::THUNK! THUNK!:: Kamil: (cough!) [After falling, though, Kamil resumes reading.] Book Text: They are the Seven that are One power... Kamil [in flashback]: The Arks... pg. 156 [Back in the present, Kamil strikes a dashing pose as the trio rides through the Gate of Earth.] SFX from somewhere: ::RRRRRUMBLE...:: [The massive gears that operate the gates grind backward...] SFX: ::GRIND GRIND GRIND GRIND:: ::GROAAAN...:: ::RUMBLE...:: Kamil [thinking]: Five years ago, I didn't yet believe it... Esuna: The gate's closing. Kamil [thinking]: ...but they're the reason behind the instability of my magic...and the key to discovering the truth behind my birth... pg. 157 SFX of doors: ::RUMBLE:: ::RUMBLE...:: [The Gate of Earth grinds completely shut. Atop a nearby cliff, someone watches...] Valsu [thinking, smiling]: The light Lemele loved as his son?... (Ha!) [Valsu, if you are metaphorically referring to Kamil as a "light," we can end this manga right here. Which would be a mercy to all involved, honestly.] pg. 158 [Meanwhile, in an admittedly-impressive full-page panel, Kamil swears in inexplicable determination:] Kamil [thinking]: _I have to find the Arks!_ [OK: 1. I assume Kamil was thanking Brantu because he negotiated with or went to get the soldiers with the dogs at the Gate of Earth to take in Rags, though it's not entirely clear. No word on who taught Kamil basic manners or a minimal regard for fellow humans. 2. I don't know why Rags jumping into Kamil's arms was interpreted as a wish to stay at the Gate of Earth. 3. I assume that the flashback to Kamil reading descriptions of the Arks in that big book is meant to communicate that he feels a sort of kinship or common trait with the Arks as being "set apart from all God's creation," as Kamil is inferring Lemele told him he (Kamil) himself was, and he now thinks that finding the Arks can resolve the uncertainties he has about his origins. There's not a clear line as to Kamil's thought process here, though - the best you can intuit is that thinking about Few's happy family and Lemele got him to thinking about his own lack of family, and he decided to capitalize on Esuna's quest to solve that problem. Otherwise, the library flashback seems out of the blue. Obviously, _some_ attempt had to be made eventually to give Kamil a motivation besides pure greed and some sort of heroic, or at least not completely irredeemable, dimension to his character. But despite the huge flashback with Few's family as supposed groundwork, Kamil's actual apparent change of heart is very abrupt and poorly explained. It's that first big, immediately- apparent suggestion that the the manga's planned length might have been cut midway through publication (as opposed to plot threads like Margei that you eventually discover are never resolved). You can see the leadup, but the arc doesn't get where it needs to go before the follow-through, which is in itself very rushed. Also: 4. We are most likely setting up a "Kamil as god" plotline here. I'm not responsible for any damage incurred to your eyeballs from excessive rolling.] pg. 159 CHAPTER 6: MELENAM [In a full-body pic, Esuna smiles and sits in a casual pose on a stone wall in a city (Zellis, I presume), overlooking the harbor.] pg. 160 Caption: The Labyrinth Cave SFX: ::SPLASHHH!:: [High waves crash upon a rocky shore, near which the mouth of a huge cavern yawns.] SFX of Kamil readying lightsaber: ::chack:: SFX of monster: ::RRROOOAAARRRR:: [Kamil faces off against what might be an attempt at a Ghoul. It has the general head shape, but it has three cat-like eyes, a muscular physique, and sickle-weasel arms. So, nothing like a Ghoul, then. Kamil charges forth...] SFX: ::leap!:: pg. 161 SFX ::DASH!:: Kamil, Smirking, as Always: (Tuh!) SFX of monster: ::SKREEEE!:: [Kamil leaps over the monster's sickle-arm to stand on its shoulders and embed his lightsaber into its face.] SFX: ::SPLOOSHHH!!:: SFX of lightsaber: ::flip!:: SFX of monster: ::SKREEEEEEEEE:: Kamil: Got one more for you, fuckhead! [Since Kamil is now the bestest wizard ever, he ignites a small ball of light in his hand...] SFX: ::FLASHHH!!:: pg. 162 [...and uses a spell to reduce the monster to pure blood.] SFX: ::POW:: ::BLORSHHH:: [(Since Kamil and not Esuna is the one casting spells now, magic is actually useful and not completely ineffectual.) Kamil touches down from what once were the enemy's shoulders.] SFX: ::pat:: Kamil: ......... Esuna: ......... [Esuna stares thoughtfully at Kamil...then approaches him to give him a pat on the shoulder.] SFX: ::pat!:: Esuna: Not bad! pg. 163 Kamil: ...Naturally! 'Gainst that little fucker! [Despite his brave words, though, Kamil turns to the side to brood, hand over his mouth, clearly troubled.] Kamil: ......... [Esuna turns to a smiling Brantu with a smile on her own face.] Esuna: This's great, Mr. Brantu! At this rate, we'll reach the Melenam ruins in no time! Kamil! Once you finish up Mr. Brantu's request, you're going to be joining me on my quest for the Arks, you know! Kamil: I _KNOW!_ _SHUT UP!!_ [Esuna's face returns to the pensive expression she had just after Kamil slew the monster.] Esuna [thinking]: I knew it. Kamil's worried about his magic, too... This isn't the level of magic power Kamil had five years ago...or that anyone would have if they hadn't used magic for five years. [Our attention turns to...a lush jungle. Tropical birds fly through thick undergrowth.] SFX of bird: ::caw! caw!:: pg. 164 SFX of another bird: ::flap flap:: ::caw!:: ::caw!:: [And through the undergrowth strides...] Olvan: Hmmm... [Olvan's attention is fixated more on the map he is holding than on the terrain ahead.] Olvan: Sure be nice if the treasure sealed in this godforsaken tower was an Ark... (Oh, boy...) [Olvan blows his nose on the map.] SFX: ::HONNNNK!:: ::wipe:: Olvan: *Hmph.* So much for ancient lore. [Olvan puts the crumpled map in his cape pocket.] Olvan: (Gotta carry out your trash...) Author's Note: Are you REALLY gonna do that?... [Translator's Note: Well, Author, it's been entirely your choice to make the other Apprentices we've seen so far either clownishly incompetent or evil (and incompetent). Go fight an Apprentice in the game (OK, besides Lejes) and tell me this is an accurate characterization. Perhaps instead of making the other characters worse in order to increase reader sympathy for your protagonist, you should simply make Kamil better.] Olvan [looking around, sniffing]: Hmm. SFX: ::sniff!...:: Olvan: Smells like danger. (The reason my sinuses have been acting up, maybe?) pg. 165 SFX: ::stride stride:: [Olvan emerges from the jungle to find himself atop a cliff. He looks out to see in the distance...well, I think it's an explosion, but it's hard to tell from the art.] Olvan: _Patrof is in that direction...!!_ _What's going over there?!_ SFX: ::click!:: [Olvan takes out an extendable pocket telescope and puts it to his eye...] Olvan: _MY GOD!!_ [...to see an army of monsters racing toward a razed village.] SFX: ::RRROOAAAARRRRR:: [If the army is racing _toward_ the village, though, what did the razing?] pg. 166 [We won't get an answer, alas, because we're going back to Kamil - still in the cave to Melenam, collasping in exhaustion against a nearby wall.] Kamil: ~PHHHEW...~ [Kamil raises a hand to his left shoulder, which has apparently been raked by a claw.] SFX: ::poff:: [Brantu watches as Kamil's magic heals his wound instantly.] Kamil: ...*ow*... Kamil [rising to feet]: OK, now that that's done-- SFX: ::leap:: Brantu [moving to stop him]: *Ah*-- Ummmm...Kamil - I was thinking--... Esuna [turning quickly on heels]: Kamil. SFX: ::turn:: Esuna: Why don't we call it quits for the day, OK? pg. 167 Esuna: I know we're in a monster den, but as long as we don't disturb the monsters, we can put up a barrier and take a nice, long break-- Kamil [getting angry]: You makin' fun of me? (Always actin' like you're my fuckin' big sister or somethin'...) Esuna: It's fine to bluff and bluster, but if you act recklessly, your very _life_... SFX of scramble of claws: ::skitter skitter:: SFX of compound eye opening: ::FLASH:: [Esuna whirls around with a glare...] pg. 168 [...then gently extends her hand annd emits a blinding flash of light.] Esuna: ~Children of the Dark, heed me.~ ~Vainly persist in your barbarous ways,~ ~and in the name of the Son of God, judgment shall be wrought upon thee.~ ~Leave this place.~ [The advancing monsters pause - then...] SFX: ::skitter skitter:: ::clamor...:: Brantu: ...It...it seems so calm around us... It feels so strange... [The monsters turn and slink away.] SFX of monster turning back for one last look: ::stare...:: Kamil [angry, as usual]: So THAT'S the power of Lemele's precious Six Disciples?! (*tuh*) Darkness, Light - it's all the same to the Son of God, RIGHT?! [Esuna doesn't respond; she notices a stain of blood soaking through the bottom of Kamil's shirt on his right side.] pg. 169 Esuna: Kamil. SFX: ::WHAP!!:: Kamil: _!?_ SFX: ::GAH!:: [Esuna yanks Kamil's vest aside to get a better view of his wound.] SFX: ::GAAAAH!:: Kamil: (_Wha-wha-wha--what the hell are you doin', you PERVERT!?) [In response...] SFX: ::POW!:: [...Esuna delivers a long-overdue uppercut to Kamil's jaw. Later - or maybe not later...] Esuna: ...You may think it only natural to be brutalized in the course of your job as a Guide... SFX of healing magic: ::FLASHHH:: Esuna: ...but you have to know when to quit. To be honest, I probably don't have the magic power left to heal you any further. [Note: In this panel, the ring Esuna tried to trade to Kamil to hire him as a Guide is shown conspicuously glowing on a chain around Zelda's neck. I don't know if this is meant to suggest that the ring is the source of Esuna's magic power or what.] Kamil [looking at Esuna warily]: ............ Got it. But I'm still A-OK! (*tuh*) Esuna [thinking]: Like hell you 'got it.' (*Jerk.*) pg. 170 [Meanwhile, a quick cut back to Olvan.] Olvan [thinking]: Monsters don't band together to attack! _Not since a hundred years ago..._ [Meanwhile, a hundred years ago.] Lemele [in flashback]: Olvan. The God of Light and God of Darkness are eternal antipodes. Gariso, as the king of the demons born of the God of Darkness, and I, as the son of the God of Light, occupy comparable positions. If Gariso unites the demons and leads them to attack humanity... ...then I must vanquish him. [Meanwhile - oh, wait; we're still in the same scene. A young Lemele is facing a moustached but unbearded Olvan.] pg. 171 Olvan: Son of God! The Arks... could the seals on all seven be broken!? Lemele [looking aside]: No... Lemele [thinking]: To think that anyone could accomplish such a feat - perish the thought... Lemele: No...once this battle is finished, I will take the Arks that have been unleashed and reform the seals myself - so that none may desecrate them while I yet live. [With that, Lemele leaves the temple, and the flashback ends. Back to modern Olvan.] Olvan [thinking]: Our final trial is to collect the Arks... but is that truly his will, I wonder?... [Olvan's mind flashes to the destruction he just saw at Patrof.] Olvan [thinking]: Or did he foresee that something like this would happen?... [Olvan clenches his fist.] Olvan: _GAH!!_ _For now, the Arks will have to wait!!_ pg. 172 Olvan: _I, OLVAN, ONE OF LEMELE'S SIX DISCIPLES, WILL NOT ABANDON THE OPPRESSED AND HUNTED TO THEIR PERIL!!_ SFX: ::DASH!:: [Back to Esuna et al., who have found their way to a cliff inside the cave, with ocean raging below.] SFX of ocean: ::RRROOOARRRRR...:: pg. 173 [Brantu kneels down and peers over the cliff.] Brantu: Oh, my... It looks like our road ends here. SFX of ocean below: ::SHAAAAA...:: Brantu [looking up]: _Tomorrow_... we'll go back to that crossroads we were at before! [Esuna turns a venomous gaze to Kamil.] SFX: ::GLARE!:: Kamil [arms crossed; angry, as ever]: ~~~~~~~~ _FINE! That's it FOR TODAY!_ [However, below, in the ocean, something begs to differ.] SFX: ::SPLASH!!:: SFX over Brantu's head: ::whoosh!:: Brantu [as ever, oblivious]: ? SFX ::FWOOOOOOOSSSSHHHH!!:: [A Manta leaps in an arc over Brantu's head.] pg. 174 SFX: ::BAM!!:: [Kamil moves in quickly to defend Brantu and slice the Manta - but...] SFX of foot: ::slip!:: SFX of cliff: ::crumble...:: Kamil: FUCK-- Esuna: _KAMIL!!_ SFX of Esuna turning: ::bam!:: [The cliff gives way, and Kamil tumbles off the cliff into the drink.] pg. 175 Esuna: _KAMIIIIILLL!!!_ SFX of merciless ocean below: ::RRROOOAAAARRRR:: [Oh, no. Goodness me. Has Kamil been _taken_ from us? I doubt this author is that merciful. We do, however, get a brief reprieve from his presence, as the scene switches to the city of Lemele.] SFX of steps down hallway: ::clack:: ::clack:: ::clack:: ::clack:: Demon Woman: Lord Gorsia. Sir Valsu has just... Gorsia: RETURNED, HAS HE? pg. 176 [Gorsia sits composed on what presumably was once Lemele's throne.] Gorsia: _GARISO._ [Gariso, or Valsu, kneels.] Valsu: I have come with news of Lemele. [Back to the cliff, alas. Brantu and Esuna look anxiously to the waves.] Esuna: _He'll--_ _He'll be all right!_ [Esuna fidgets nervously with her wrist.] SFX: ::clench:: Esuna: He'll be all right... Esuna [thinking]: You'll be all right, won't you? pg. 177 Esuna [thinking]: Kamil... [And with that threat, we're back to the temple.] Gorsia: SO, THEN, LEMELE IS _NOT_ DEAD... ...BUT HAS MERELY SUCCEEDED IN VACATING _THIS BODY_...IS THAT YOUR CLAIM? Valsu: Indeed. Gorsia: NO MATTER. A SOUL SEPARATED FROM ITS FLESH WILL SOON PERISH...EVEN THAT OF THE SON OF GOD. [Valsu/Gariso is visibly vexed at this.] pg. 178 Gorsia [gloatingly]: I SEE YOU ARE DISSATISFIED THAT HE WAS NOT BURIED BY YOUR HAND, HMM? [Valsu does not respond to this.] Gorsia: NEVER MIND THAT. YOUR FOCUS IS THE ARKS. I HAVE NO INTENTION OF BEING CONSTRAINED BY LEMELE'S FLESH INDEFINITELY. I DESIRE COMPLETE RESURRECTION INTO THIS WORLD. pg. 179 Gorsia: NOW THAT LEMELE IS GONE, ONLY THE SIX DISCIPLES ARE CAPABLE OF BREAKING THE SEALS ON THE ARKS... HAVE FAITH THAT THE SIX DISCIPLES WILL FULFILL THE TASK WITH WHICH LEMELE CHARGED THEM - THAT THEY WILL GATHER THE ARKS FOR ME - AND BRING THEM HERE... Valsu: And what of Kamil?... [Gorsia pauses at this.] Gorsia: ...... pg. 180 Gorsia: A SEVENTH DISCIPLE, THEN?... [Yes, and one that's ever so much better than all the others! The only one who's not a stupid dupe! It's at this point that I realized: this author really doesn't like The 7th Saga. (I know: *just* at this point?) I mean, there's nothing wrong with that in itself - there's no shortage of people who don't care for the game. But you were _hired_ to adapt the property. Put in at least a token effort. This isn't the story of The 7th Saga; it's a tale of an original character the author wanted to champion, with the names and designs of the game used as set dressing. Speaking of whom...] SFX of Kamil's hand: ::twitch!:: Kamil: Uhhh... SFX: ::ACHOOO!!:: Kamil: _OWWWWWW--!!_ [Kamil arises groggily, washed up...somewhere.] Kamil [thinking]: ......Can't fuckin' stand bein' cold 'n' hurtin'... I'm still alive...somehow. Kamil: Owowow... Kamil [thinking]: Damn, I'm tough. [ >:( ] pg. 181 [Kamil, now to his feet, takes a few steps in what is apparently an empty, featureless void.] Kamil [thinking]: But... SFX: ::clack!:: ::clack!:: Kamil [thinking]: Where am I? It's all dark; I can't see shit! [Kamil, attempting to feel his way around the lightless space, extends a hand with trepidation.] Kamil: Don't think the afterlife's supposed to be this...creepy... [Well, it depends on where you're headed, Kamil. Kamil, blindly groping, hits something...] Kamil: ? SFX: ::VOOM!...:: [...a disk that begins to glow before him.] Kamil: _!_ SFX of disk: ::SKREEEEEEE--:: [An image of light begins to form on the disk - an image of a person...] Continuing SFX of disk: ::EEEEE--:: Figure: ------ ...This image... ...has been created using the technology of this continent of Melenam. pg. 182 [Kamil looks up...revealing the image - or, rather, hologram - to be that of a young Lemele, at the time of his battle with Gariso.] Lemele: This system has been designed to activate upon my death - in the event that the power of the Arks is needed once again. To tell all of you...of the true nature...of the Arks--. Kamil [thinking, very visibly freaking out]: WH... _WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!?_ pg. 183 Kamil [thinking, turning quickly behind him]: And "all of" _who!?_ SFX of Kamil's head: ::WHAP:: Kamil [thinking]: Who the hell...was this message meant for?... Lemele: The Arks... or, should I say, the Arks of the God of Light... Kamil [thinking, keeping on goddamn interrupting]: ...!! "The Arks of the God of Light"?! Lemele: Five thousand years ago, upon his victory over the God of Darkness, the God of Light divided the dark god's power into seven parts. He soon followed suit with his own power - dividing it into seven parts as well, each to counteract and seal one fragment of the God of Darkness's might. In other words, the powers now known as the "Arks"...combine aspects of both the God of Light and God of Darkness. pg. 184 Lemele: Depending how their power is harnessed, the Arks are capable of felling mountains, draining oceans...or razing the earth. To obtain all seven would be to obtain the power of a god. SFX of Kamil: ::gulp: Lemele: Here, two arks are sealed...those of Fire and Water. [And we're in trouble already, as there is no Fire Ark in the game.] Lemele: I do not know whether these are the first Arks you will obtain... [In the background, two lights:] SFX: ::FLASH!!:: ::FLASH!!:: Lemele: ...or whether you already possess the other five. pg. 185 [His environs now fully illuminated, Kamil sees that he stands in the midst of massive, futuristic structures of sleek, curved white metal.] Lemele: However...I have faith you will not obtain the Arks for selfish ends. Kamil [looking around, impressed]: (Whoa~) Lemele: I have faith in you - pg. 186 Lemele: my disciples...the successors to my will - to the will of the Son of God... [Finally, a light goes on in Kamil's head.] Kamil: *gulp!!* Kamil [thinking]: --LEMELE!! pg. 187 [The hologram disappears, and in its place, two orbs appear, crackling with power.] SFX: ::...VOOOOOM:: ::FLASH!!:: [The orbs approach Kamil and fly all noncorporeal-like into his chest.] Kamil: ::VOOOOOM:: ::FLAAAASH!:: pg. 188 [Overcome, Kamil sinks to his knees.] SFX: ::FLASH!:: [His lightsaber begins to glow...] SFX: ::SKREEEEEEE:: [...and the cavern begins to collapse.] SFX: ::rumble:: ::rumble:: [Elsewhere in the cavern...] Esuna: _W...what!?_ _An earthquake?!_ SFX: ::RUMBLERUMBLERUMBLERUMBLE:: Brantu: _N-No!! This is..._ [The ground beneath the duo's feet cracks, separating them...] SFX: ::CRACK!!:: ::RUMBLERUMBLERUMBLERUMBLE:: pg. 189 [The cracks, however, reveal...some metal doors beneath the floor.] SFX of automatic doors: ::WHOOSH!!:: ::VOOM:: Kamil [thinking, presumably down in the depth of the crack]: Is the power of the Arks inside me now?... Brantu [up above, I guess, pointing]: _Esuna, look!_ Esuna: _KAMIL!!_ Kamil [thinking]: Never mind that!! pg. 190 Kamil [thinking]: That system said it would activate only after Lemele died. [Brantu and Esuna are both peering into the abyss.] Brantu: I...it's Melenam! SFX of Esuna: ::sigh!:: Esuna [smiling]: Kamil! Thank goodness... Kamil [thinking]: So that means Lemele is dead... and SOMEONE'S GONNA FUCKIN' PAY!! [And, on an image of Kamil gritting his teeth in - what else? - anger, the first volume of the 7th Saga manga proper draws to a close.] THE 7TH SAGA 1 - END Note on Side: Originally published in G Fantasy, July to December 1994 pg. 191 [As an afterword, we get two bonus 4-koma manga.] VOL. 1'S OUT NOW! [A chibi Esuna and Kamil are browsing the bookstore shelves, with a small anthropomorphic bunny presumably meant to represent the author.] Esuna [pointing]: *Oh!* [heart] "The 7th Saga" manga - they really are selling it! Bunny: {heart!] [The bunny picks up a copy, but it's wrapped in plastic.] Esuna: But it's in plastic - we can't see inside! (So we can't read it in the store.) Bunny: Buy it, Esuna-chan! SFX: ::doki doki:: [A bookstore clerk in an apron approaches the group.] Clerk: Mr. Lemele, the shop owner, instituted a ban against reading in-store--- ! Esuna: Valsu! Bunny [frozen in shock]: ...... SFX: ::WHAM!!:: Valsu: It's been a while, _Kamil._ [Valsu has landed a critical blow with his duster on Kamil, who has torn off the plastic from the manga and sits reading on the floor. Valsu's hair is braided with a bow on the end here, by the way.] DON'T MISS VOL. 2! Valsu: It's been five years, hasn't it, since you last set foot in this bookshop? [I'd wager it's been longer than that since Kamil went near a book.] SFX of Valsu's duster: ::flutter flutter:: Valsu: Are you looking to purchase that book? Kamil: What'd it matter if I did-- [A huge boulder of authorial fiat lands on Kamil.] Caption on Boulder: A PRESENT FOR YOU!! [heart] (With love, from: the author) ([lip marks]) Kamil: nGAH!!!! SFX: ::WHAM:: Caption: Hang in there, Kamil! Even tougher trials are in store for you in Vol. 2! Caption on Boulder: Can't say too much!! [Chibi Kamil, meanwhile, lies face down in a growing pool of his own blood.] SFX: ::gush gush:: [And on the happy image of graphic albeit noncanonical Kamil death, Vol. 1 comes to a close.] END VOL. 1 ***************************************************************************** This is the translator speaking, out of brackets. We come to a dilemma here. a) As noted above, we have come upon the perfect juncture at which to end the story. and b) I don't know if you gathered this from the 20,000 comments I've made complaining about it, but this comic is driving me up the wall. I like The 7th Saga (the game) very much, and I love translating comics for 16-bit RPGs, but there's only so much I can take of being told how utterly awesome an utterly despicable character is. I don't think I'd be able to make it through a second volume - and certainly not the one in store for us, which gives up the pretense of being a 7th Saga adaptation and instead is just one long, intolerable paean to its main character, who just happens to share the name of someone who appears in the game. It's not fair, though, to leave readers on a cliffhanger, so below please find a summary of the events of the second volume. As you'll see, there really isn't much in terms of plot development; it's basically a series of fight scenes with a couple aggravating revelations. As this is a summary, my complaining will be much more concentrated. I'm sorry. We'll get through this together. Chapter 7: Convergence Kamil & Esuna part from Brantu to check on Lemele in the wake of the suggestion from the recording at Melenam that Lemele is dead. For some reason, they head back to the temple of Lemele through Patrof, even though that's like cutting through Alaska to get from New York to Maine. While inexplicably there, they learn that Patrof has been overrun by monsters. They also run into Olvan and Wilme, whereupon they learn that the other Apprentices have gathered most of the other Arks. (We the readers also see Lux elsewhere rescue some kids from Rablesk, which has been attacked; this particular attack has no real plot significance but I assume is just an outgrowth of the author's general sociopathy toward non-Kamil characters.) During these developments, Kamil lashes out in rage at every single other character with whom he comes in contact: Olvan, for being so loud when fighting monsters; Wilme, for having a crush on Esuna and daring to speak ill of him; and, of course, Esuna, for being so stupid and useless and not being able to calm the monsters at Patrof like she did en route to Melenam, you guys!! She says it's because they're being controlled, but she's just so _dumb,_ can you believe it?! (Also: Wilme is set up as a comedic, inept romatic rival to Kamil for Esuna's affections, and as such, the author "feminizes" him in a very uncomfortable, almost slur-like way.) There's one more big revelation: that Lejes is the one controlling the monsters and attacking human villages. We see him slay the (presumable) king & queen of Patrof and claim that he's going to use the Ark he has to "remake the world" for "a new generation," for his race. (I don't understand why the story makes a deal about Saro respecting monsters & demons etc. as part of Ticondera's native life if they all are only going to be presented as irredeemably evil. Is the moral that prejudice is justified?) Back at the Apprentice gathering. Kamil claims that everyone has to stop gathering the Arks, 'cause that's not what Lemele would have wanted. Wilme and Olvan counter that Lemele is sick and has asked his Apprentices to do it so he can regain his former power and set the world to rights - which is wrong, but actually a reasonable argument given the information they have. Kamil just argues that he's got "a bad feeling about this" and that the monsters would never be able to run rampant as they are if Lemele were alive. (Well, Kamil, monsters had _already_ been running rampant - but I assume he means to the extent they are right now in Patrof.) This, for some reason, convinces Olvan, and he asks Kamil and Esuna to go back to the temple while he and Wilme deal with Lejes. Valsu then shows up, breaks the news about the Rablesk attack, and basically reiterates Olvan's argument - Lemele's so weak he can't even protect the town next door, much less the world, which is why he needs his Apprentices to reclaim the Arks for him so he can heal and put things right. Valsu then takes charge and asserts that since Kamil's obtained a couple Arks, he's going to be working with the Apprentices and going to Patrof whether he likes it or not. (Kamil, in response, predictably tells Valsu to fuck off, he's not going to help save any lives in Patrof today.) Valsu also reveals to those gathered that Lejes is the one behind the monster attacks and that he has betrayed the Apprentices. Chapter 8: Betrayal The Apprentices (sans Lux, and with Kamil, despite his previous "fuck off") arrive at the destruction at Patrof, and Esuna, literally knock-kneed, collapses and sobs an apology that the Apprentices were so stupid and useless and not as good as Kamil that they couldn't save anyone here. His Holiness, meanwhile, picks a doll from the rubble, and from it, into Kamil's palm, falls a severed, bloody child's fist, an exploitative moment the manga absolutely did not earn. Valsu reiterates the need to "vanquish" Lejes. Wilme is hesitant at this proclamation: "By 'vanquish,' y'mean 'arrest 'im 'n' take away his Ark,' right?" Valsu replies, "of course," but we all know this ain't happenin'. (Question: Does the manga consider Wilme to be a sort of demon, then? He's still identified as an "alien" in the Vol. 1 intro, but the manga doesn't really explore his nature further; them being of the same race here would explain Wilme's out-of-left-field sympathy for Lejes.) The five Apprentices (or four Apprentices + Kamil, whatever) make their way to the Patrof throne room for a showdown. Valsu asks Lejes to explain himself ("you degenerate"), but Kamil starts right in attacking with a magic spell. There's then an extended magic duel between Kamil and Lejes, in which Lejes points out that even though Kamil has an Ark (which, it was established last chapter, serve to boost magic power in this universe), Kamil's starting magic power is far less than that of Lejes, and so he's quite outmatched. Kamil, however, has a far greater power on his side: that of Author Fiat. He therefore knocks Lejes around pretty handily. (There's also a stupid moment where after casting a water spell, Kamil runs his hand through his dampened hair and flicks the residual moisture in Lejes's face, because he is five years old and has completely forgotten the carnage outdoors.) (Also: Wilme attempts to join in the fight, but Olvan holds him back, for some damn reason. The other Apprentices just sit around like bumps on a log throughout the entire altercation, not allowed to make a single contribution that would distract from Kamil's awesomeness.) Anyhow: during the battle, Lejes gives a short speech about how the powerful need to take control of the world to impose peace and prevent it from spiraling out of control, etc., because Lemele in his current weakened state sure can't handle it. (He mentions that the whole "monsters running rampant" thing is due to Lemele's weakened state, not him, despite earlier statements that the monsters were being controlled; it's not clear if the directed attacks are all Gorsia's doing or if Lejes formed an impromptu posse or what.) Kamil then lands the decisive blow, however, whereupon Lejes's Ark is so impressed by Kamil's utter & complete superiority that it separates from Lejes and attempts to fuse with Kamil. (Lejes manages to grab the Ark with his hand and recapture it, though.) Lejes, then - no joke - goes on about how much more _powerful_ Kamil is than him or the Six Apprentices put together and - oh, God, just _stop._ JUST _STOP._ _JUST STOP ALREADY._ Thankfully, Valsu is sick of this, too, and ends Lejes's life Mortal Kombat- style by punching through his chest with a lightning-infused fist. Lejes collapses into Kamil's arms pathetically, as we're supposed to be feeling sorry for him now, since it's Valsu killing him instead of Kamil. Valsu, however, is _also_ so impressed by how enormously, terrifically powerful Kamil is; as he claims Lejes's Ark, he asks Kamil, "What are you?" Chapter 9: Pandemonium (Or "Den of Demons"; either translation would be accurate and appropriate. You choose! I don't have to, since I'm not translating this comic!) Everyone leaves Patrof for the temple of Lemele, somewhat unsettled by Valsu's fatality on Lejes. (Only _stupid, stupid Esuna!!_ goes with him fairly unquestioningly.) Lux, meanwhile, arrives ahead of the others back in the temple. He brings the kids he rescued deep into the temple's depths, but he does not sense Lemele's presence. The kids ask why Lemele protected his own temple but let Rablesk die. They conclude that he just cares about himself and no one else. Lux doesn't believe it, inferring that the only event that could have caused such a thing would be Lemele's death. Gorsia-as-Lemele, meanwhile, gurgles black, bubbling liquid on the temple floor. I suppose hangovers are that much worse when you're a demon-god. Despite the fact that the Apprentices (+ Kamil) have gathered only six Arks, Gorsia detects that the seventh is also present, so all the Arks have been assembled. Back on the upper levels, the other Apprentices have arrived. Valsu lies that Lemele has shut himself up in prayer and can't be bothered right now, so he tells everyone to rest up from their journey for the time being. Kamil (who, according to an author's note, is dressed in Valsu's hand-me-downs for some reason?) sits moodily on a breezeway balcony instead of going to his room. Esuna, nearby, considers approaching him but figures that he'll just tell her to shut up and sit the fuck down, so she retreats like a good little girl. Kamil, though, does address her, commenting on how wrong things feel and wondering if it's connected to Lemele's condition. Esuna is pleased that Kamil is apparently worried about Lemele, but Kamil argues that he's actually worried about "Rablesk 'n' everyone else," as if he could possibly evince concern for a being other than himself. Kamil then starts talking about how he's going to leave once the Arks are handed over. (I apologize; this is a long conversation in which the author is luxuriating in Kamil's "inner feelings," God help us all.) Esuna objects, claiming that he's a Disciple now, and asks why he left five years ago. Kamil rebuffs her with an "it's none of your business," and Esuna obediently, meekly backs down. The author makes an attempt at a tender moment with Kamil having second thoughts and trying to put a shawl over Esuna's shoulders to warm her up, but it is mercifully interrupted by the arrival of Lux and the kids he rescued. After Esuna puts the kids to bed and Wilme moons over Esuna's maternal instincts, Esuna, Wilme, and Olvan have tea and complain about Valsu killing Lejes, claiming that they didn't have the right to pass judgment on him. OK, look: Valsu's a bad guy here, and he doubtless had nefarious motives, but Lejes was committing genocide. If Gary Stu had been the one to kill Lejes instead of his hated rival, we wouldn't be having this discussion. Speaking of whom: Kamil is chatting with Lux outside. Lux recounts that they've gotten only six Arks and wonders where the seventh is. Kamil asserts that he'll still against gathering the Arks. Speaking of Valsu and genocide, by the way: inside the temple, Valsu - who has transformed himself into a half-demon form, with a monstrous, clawed arm and a single demon wing - spills his blood to open a gateway to the other side of the seal and release demons into the temple. Wilme prepares to fight some Swords, but Esuna screams at him not to use magic for fear of hurting the kids. This gives the Swords an opportunity to thwap Wilme away effortlessly AND destroy some wooden beams that fall on & incapacitate Esuna. The author therefore manages in one deft blow to make a) Esuna a stupid, weak woman and b) Wilme look ineffectual and weak, which is pretty smooth even for this author. Fortunately, REAL MAN Kamil rushes in and cradles Esuna in his big, burly... well, he's actually not that burly...arms. Lux appears to direct Kamil to the real action, but Esuna, being a dumb girl, simpers for Kamil not to leave her. Kamil heals her (because he's better at magic than her) and calls her an idiot (at which she visibly swoons). He smirks at this, and Esuna stays behind to take care of the kids when the remaining men go off to handle the real job. Kamil, meanwhile, flashes back to a conversation he had with Lux, where Lux told him that he thought he (somehow) sensed Lemele's presence inside Kamil and thinks that Valsu might be lying about having met Lemele. Kamil barges into Valsu's room, and Valsu compliments him on...finding his way through the temple so effortlessly? That's kind of bottom-of-the-barrel, but Kamil must have his ego stroked, I suppose. More monsters appear, and Kamil and Valsu fight. Chapter 10: Decisive Battle Kamil defeats SO MANY MONSTERS that Valsu's monster armies actually get to be AFRAID of Kamil, you guys!, so they refuse to fight him out of PURE AWE, and Valsu has to fight himself! Valsu turns back human for a swordfight and then to half-demon again, and he summons a skeleton dragon at some point, but it's the usual "goodness gracious, Kamil is so much more powerful than the Six Disciples or anyone else on the planet" blah blah blah. Kamil concludes (correctly) that Lemele is dead and (incorrectly) that Valsu killed him; he wonders is Valsu is actually of the demon race, but we never get an answer on that. (We never get many answers at all on the Gariso-as-Valsu plot point, actually. Was there an actual, good Valsu whom Gariso imitated and replaced (as with Lemele and Gorsia), or was Valsu always Gariso? If it's the latter, was Gariso being reincarnated as both human(ish) and an eventual apprentice to Lemele some sort of plan on Lemele (or Saro/God's) behalf to rehabilitate Gariso that didn't take? That would've an been interesting direction, had the author been interested in it, or in exploring any other character at all besides Kamil.) Eventually, Valsu retreats in a seeming gambit to get Valsu to follow him elsewhere. In the temple proper, Olvan, Wilme, and Lux fight monsters a little bit, but they mostly moan about how inadequate they are; Wilme notes that he hasn't been able to use the power of his Ark for a while and wonders if this means Valsu was chosen as Lemele's successor - because in that case, Valsu is probably unstoppable. Lux notes that the seal on the seventh ark is still intact, so another could still be chosen. Esuna, meanwhile, is - well, she's not even looking after the kids; she's swooning about her past with Kamil. The three memories with which she's comforting herself - and I am not making this up - are: a) Kamil guffawing at her and threatening her after her "naive" speech about the Arks' purpose in Rablesk; b) Kamil screaming at her during the monster attack and telling her to "sit [her] ass down"; and c) Kamil glaring at her like she's an idiot when she says "Valsu doesn't tell lies" - and guess what; Kamil was RIGHT, guys!! Thinking about how stupid and inadequate she is compared to Kamil, and Kamil verbally abusing her, makes her heart go pitter-pat; she closes her eyes in ecstasy as she wills Kamil to come back to her soon. Meanwhile, the Perfect Lover has followed Valsu to Gorsia's chamber. He arrives just in time to see Gorsia, in Lemele's form, do a real Seiji Tanaka job in killing Valsu - ripping his legs off, pulling his spine and entrails out his back, and, implausibly, psychically pulling his brain out the back of his skull. I mean, that last bit might surpass Master Tanaka himself, even. The sight of Lemele (appearing pristine & divine, even after Fatality Town, and not bubbling black blood) causes Kamil to entertain briefly the idea that Lemele is alive, but stepping on Valsu's hair, separated from whatever is left of Valsu's body, reminds him that this is in no way Lemele. Gorsia maintains his disguise, however, and stretches out his hand to Kamil, promising to tell him "everything." Elsewhere, Esuna is jolted from her Kamil-induced erotic reverie as an earthquake rocks the temple. Chapter 11: The Seventh Ark Kamil, still stepping on Valsu's hair, tells Gorsia that Lemele is dead and orders him to get away, pointing his lightsaber at him. He deduces that he must be a demon like Valsu. Gorsia (again, still in Lemele's guise) promises to tell Kamil of his origins. Kamil wonders how this impostor knew what his heart's desire was, but he stabs him in the stomach regardless. Gorsia-as- Lemele appears to die. In an actually clever bit, Kamil shouts at the corpse to "reveal" its true identity, but Gorsia stays in corpse-form, leading Kamil to think for a bit that he was mistaken and actually killed the real Lemele ("Why the fuck do these things have to happen to me!?"). Gorsia has no endgame here, though, and eventually melts in the face of Kamil's steely resolve ("curse your choice and your stalwart heart!! Your tenacious spirit...undeluded by the phantom before your eyes! Your manly physique and dashing good looks!" All right, I made up the last sentence, but the first two are genuine). Though he releases his hold on Lemele's body and reverts to waves of dark energy, he announces, as the temple collapses around him, that with the definitive death of Lemele's flesh, the seal on the seventh Ark has been broken. All hell breaking loose at the temple prompts the monsters released there to make a break for the continent at large. The non-Kamil, non-dead Apprentices realize that they've got to go after them and protect what's left of the people - all except Esuna, who's too kitten-scared and worried about Kamil to go and fight and has to be goaded by Lux like a little baby. At the last moment, though, Wilme, realizing that Esuna loves Kamil and how better a man Kamil is than him in every single possible way, gives Esuna's horse a kick to strand her in the relative safety of the temple. She runs around the ruins of the temple looking for Kamil and is led to his unconscious form by...um, Navi from Ocarina of Time. (The presence of this small, fairy-like guiding light is never explained, unless it's supposed to be a shard of Lemele's soul or something.) Meanwhile, unconscious Kamil, off on a spirit journey, has a vision of younger Lemele battling Gariso. Before he's defeated, Gariso says that Lemele himself will be the catalyst for Gorsia's revival - that Gorsia's power was released the moment Lemele unsealed the Arks for battle, and no amount of resealing will undo that. After Gariso dissipates, Lemele moves to collect one of the Arks - only to have it vanish. Kamil ventures that it was probably the missing seventh ark. Lemele then appears in spirit form in Kamil's mental vision to say that the Ark told him that when it reappeared, it would do so in a different form. Lemele shows Kamil a flashback of...Kamil's toddler self, having suddenly materialized in Lemele's temple. Yes: Kamil is the seventh Ark - what in the U.S. version is called the "Wizard" Ark/Rune but was originally no less than the "God Ark"..._naturally._ Lemele tells Kamil that the only reason he, Kamil, had trouble casting magic as a kid and wasn't as good as Esuna was because his power was so ungodly, supremely, better-than-Esuna strong that Lemele had to seal it away for the safety of the plebes, much like Greek gods can never appear in their true forms before mortals lest they blind the unwashed with their pure magnificence. Kamil is momentarily quiet but promptly takes this confirmation of his natural superiority to all living things in stride, cool-heroing that he was born to defeat Gorsia and can do so easily. Lemele concedes to Kamil's omnipotence and fades away. Meanwhile, turning to much _less_ competent entities, Esuna has been attacked by some monsters. Before the exposition dump, Esuna had assumed her first strong, confrontational hero pose in the entire manga - but Esuna can't fight monsters, you guys, she's a _girl!!_, so, of course, when we come back, she's cowering, hands over her eyes, as she powerlessly awaits her doom. Kamil, of course, then springs to life with an amazing, blinding spell that shows Esuna how to _really_ cast magic, and she can only look up in awe ("it's like the stars are falling," she gasps). Esuna stays on her knees before her savior as he announces that _he_ will defeat Gorsia. Chapter 12: The Return Kamil defeats Gorsia. It goes off pretty much as you should expect by this point. The other Apprentices sit on their hands and rue how much stronger Gorsia is than Gariso or anything with which Kamil's father figure dealt and how powerless they are before him. Esuna whimpers on her knees, sobbing, throughout the whole affair. We get a flashback where Kamil hauls his woman around (as she screams that he's hurting her) and calls her an idiot before telling her to stay home like a good girl; he then yanks her to his body for a forced kiss that leaves her so overcome by his manliness that she sinks to her knees in sheer rapture. Satoru Yuiga screws up Gorsia's elegant design from the game with a bunch of Seiji Tanaka veins and teeth and eyes. Kamil wonders why he was reborn as a human and concludes that it was to learn to love the people he existed to protect. I do not need to tell you how profound a failure this divine plan was. Anyhow, Kamil returns to the temple, despite the big plot point made of how he should have died when Gorsia did due to the whole "powers of Light and Dark entwined in the Arks" thing. His survival is never explained; I guess the author presumed we all knew Kamil was too awesome to die. On the next-to- last page, Kamil thinks over how it doesn't matter than the old gods are dead, since everyone will just keep on living, and muses: "A god _will_ live in this temple. But not one that exists as a seal, like it was until yesterday. Starting today..." And on the next page, Kamil and Esuna are merrily bringing flowers to a huge tombstone, presumably Lemele's. Obviously, the god "liv[ing]" in the temple is not Lemele, as he is no longer drawing breath; rather, we can only conclude that Kamil has declared himself god of all creation and is dancing on his predecessor's grave. "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream" wishes it could be this bleak. A final note: Kamil's last words during the Gorsia fight are "KUTABARE, GOOSHIA!!", a phrase that has many possible translations, but given that this is Kamil speaking, I would opt for: "GET FUCKED, GORSIA!!" We might as well take away one high point here. Some points before we wrap up: - A brief flashback reveals that Esuna's emerald ring was given to her in her childhood by Valsu, which he in turn received from the bishop at the temple from which he previously came. (The interaction appears genuine, and Valsu seems honestly unblemished by evil at this point - as opposed to later "playing good" Valsu, whose expressions are notably blank or smirky - which again raises questions about Valsu's nature.) - Ark count, for the record: Kamil gets Fire and Water (and is, *needless to say,* God); Lejes gets Darkness; Valsu gets Light (and, later, takes Darkness from Lejes); Wilme gets Wind; Lux gets Earth; and Esuna is too weak and useless to have scored a *single* Ark! (Olvan doesn't get any, either, but he's arguably portrayed as an older "advisor" character relative to the other Apprentices, and his search was cut short by his discovery of the Patrof massacre.) MIA from the manga: the Moon, Sky, and Star Arks, replaced with Fire, Earth, and Darkness, in no particular order. - Dropped/abbreviated plotlines: the Assassins' Guild; Valsu/Gariso's desire for personal revenge against Lemele; Valsu's determination at the start of Chapter 5 to turn Kamil against humanity (um, more than he already was, I guess). The whole thing with the end of Vol. 1 seemingly setting up a big journey by Kamil to find the Arks only for the other Apprentices to have suddenly gathered them all once Vol. 2 hits also seems like a time-saving maneuver. (Incidentally, Margei being introduced as a distinct character and not used further makes me think that she was intended to reappear as a semi-major enemy. The only female boss in the game is Sorceress, of whom Margei would be an odd interpretation, but it's not like this manga is big on character fidelity.) ..And that's it. Yes, many video games are teenage power fantasies, and it's to be expected that some of their comic adaptations - the ones that look for the easy way out and don't want to do anything interesting with their properties - would follow in kind. I've never, though, seen one this transparent. All the friends who studied & trained & worked hard to get good positions are just fools and patsies and not half as good as you, anyway. That guy the girl you want to go out with likes, the one with the good job and his life together, he's a phony, and the A student doesn't deserve the attention she's getting, _you_ do. Your dad's a liar who doesn't know what he's doing or deserve any of the respect he gets, and the world would be much better with you in charge. Also, you're God. I wish I had a snappy comment to close out this tale, but weak efforts dwindle to limp conclusions, I'm afraid. - THE END OF THE DOCUMENT. NO, THERE'S NO LIVE-A-LIVE TWIST COMING TO THE RESCUE. NO ONE IS MORE DISAPPOINTED THAN ME. -