SPOILER Summary: The attack on Rood begins and Prince Reona’s forces are able to easily take down the main gate to allow Spark’s party through. As the fight rages, Groder reports that the Kanon Free Army has attacked all four strongholds, something they’d not anticipated since they figured the Kanon forces would wait for the forces from Flaim to arrive before attacking. Ashram respects the strategy and orders a retreat, leaving Pirotess to take care of things at their HQ mansion. Ashram’s sole desire is to protect Marmo and his people, thus he will not fight a senseless battle in Rood.

Spark’s party gets deep into Rood where Garrack gets Spark’s Disease and causes them to run into a large band of goblin troops as well as a large ogre. However, Spark’s party is able to defeat their foes and as soon as the last one is down, Parn and Deed arrive on scene. Parn is determined to make it to the Marmo HQ and face Ashram, all of which is observed by Wagnard in Marmo.

Deed and Parn arrive at the mansion to find Pirotess waiting for them. Parn gets a case of Spark’s Disease and blindly starts attacking the dark elf before recovering his senses a bit. Using his experience and training, he’s able to follow the dark elf’s movements, allowing him and Deed to attack, forcing Pirotess to retreat. Once their, Pirotess then escapes, having given Ashram and Groder time to board a ship and escape, where she joins them and the rest of the ship leaving for Marmo.

King Kashue arrives and Spark reports what has happened to him as well as to Neese’s parents, the mage Slayn and the cleric Leylia. They understand since Neese was destined to be the “Doorway,” thus she was destined to end up in Marmo. Spark requests the use of the remaining ship in port to take his party to Marmo to save Neese and prevent the resurrection of Kardis. Parn decides to join him and the matter is settled.

Meanwhile on Marmo, Karla and Wagnard meet, both having separate plans with Wagnard feeling in control, more so that he knows Karla’s plans aren’t going well. With that, Karla leaves and Wagnard overcomes Neese’s light protection to carry her to be sacrificed.

Thoughts: I love it when CPM/Manga domesticate subtitles to remove any Japanese influence and make up their own. I find it interesting that there was zero consistency when it came to the use of the Japanese honorifics in how the subtitle adaptation dealt with them in different cases (“-san” for person X gets ignored but for person Y, lets use a title like “Sir”). That’s another reason why I’m a tad annoyed with FUNimation for “rescuing” the Slayers series, but using CPM’s subtitles. But I digress…*sigh*

Anyway, Spark’s disease struck at Garrack first, then later at Parn in the attack on Ashram’s HQ. Too bad it also struck Ashram, who left a ship for Spark and his company to travel to Marmo in after the majority of Ashram’s forces had fled.

This episode also felt uglier to me in art.