灼眼のシャナ II Episode 20

SPOILER Summary: The battle with Zarovee and Bifrons over, Shana is over the site where Bifrons exploded while Wilhelmina, with Yuuji in her ribbons, is further back and above. Yuuji has a bad feeling about the explosion site, but decides he needs to say something to Shana (an apology I believe) when rose colored flames emerge and a massive explosion rocks the battle site. Shana and Wilhelmina both erect defensive barriers while Margery Daw and Sato, while consulting the Haridan (the 3-D “magical” map of Misaki City), are caught in the blast.

Yuuji comes to and soon finds himself face to face with Sabrac, the powerful Tomogara who’d long pursued Wilhelmina. Sabrac doesn’t kill Yuuji, but does destroy the bookmark from Margery Daw that they use for communication. Wilhelmina arrives and attacks Sabrac, forcing him back as she gets Yuuji to safety. Sabrac remarks on how she continues to improve as their fight continues. Her ribbons grasp Sabrac’s sword and ultimately it is destroyed with a massive explosion that sends shrapnel everywhere. Sabrac wonders how many he’ll have to use as he summons another to replace it.

Again, Sabrac comes for Yuuji but Wilhelmina again thwarts it. Sabrac and Wilhelmina have an intense battle and during one of the breaks in the action, Yuuji notices that blood is spreading through her ribbons that have rapped tightly around her body. Wilhelmina explains that this is due to Sabracs unrestricted spell known as Stigma, where the wounds caused continue to grow worse with time. The Stigma was cast during the massive explosion and managed to penetrate her defensive barrier. Yuuji feels bad that she’s been so wounded on his account and she tells him not to worry about it as this is a normal tactic for Sabrac. Yuuji uses his skills to sense for Shana’s presence, which he detects as well as that of Margery and Sato.

Sato comes to to find Margery still unconscious. Marchosias grimly states how Sabrac got them all good. Margery finally comes to and doesn’t like what she sees regarding the rose-colored flames. Marchosias confirms it is the work of Sabrac and that the Jaeger (Zarovee) and the Wanderer (Bifrons) were part of Sabrac’s trap to nail all of the Flame Haze. Sato asks about the others, so Margery checks and finds their presence. However, she too has been wounded by the Stigma spell and blood is seeping through her jacket. Marchosias grimly remarks on how it doesn’t look good.

Meanwhile, Yoshida has entered the Fuzetsu, primarily looking for Yuuji. She remembers what Pheles told her when she was given Pheles’ Hougu. She walks around a corner and is astonished at the level of destruction. She finds the unconscious Shana there in the rubble. She treats Shana’s wounds and worries about Yuuji. Alastor tells Yoshida not to worry since the Fuzetsu Yuuji cast is still in place, meaning he’s alive and well. Yoshida is concerned over Yuuji’s recent behavior, to say nothing of her remarks to him. Shana, now conscious, tells Yoshida that she understands what Yoshida felt but that Yuuji had returned to normal. Shana feels confident that both Yuuji and Wilhelmina are doing OK, but her own injury isn’t good as blood seeps through the bandages Yoshida used, indicated Shana too has been hit by the Stigma.

Elsewhere, Wilhelmina has taken Yuuji to hide and catch a breather in the ruins of one of the buildings, where she reveals that Sabrac’s lack of being detected is another of his abilities. She recounts one of Sabrac’s attacks on Pheles, Johan, and herself and no matter how cautious she was, Wilhelmina was unable to predict an attack by Sabrac. In the end, Engage Link (Johan and Pheles) were caught by Sabrac, the results of which were Johan being put into the Reiji Maigo and Sabrac doing something to that Hougu. Yuuji wonders how they can fight something so powerful when Wilhelmina whisks him away just as a massive attack from Sabrac levels the building they’d taken refuge in. As they fly near the spot of the initial explosion, Yuuji again has a bad feeling about it and wonders what that place is.

As Sabrac rides a tsunami of rose-colored flame, Wilhelmina flees with Yuuji, explaining that despite all his power, Sabrac has a few weaknesses. Apparently, he will only fight the opponents in front of him. Yuuji realizes that this means that Margery and Shana won’t be attacked as they are in front of Sabrac. Sabrac is getting closer, so Wilhelmina turns and launches a ranged attack with her ribbons. Sabrac avoids and returns the favor with a massive ranged attack on his own before closing the gap again, which Tiamat, unusually anxious sounding, warns her about. She throws up a ribbon barrier, which Sabrac quickly slices through, only to discover Wilhelmina getting behind him and forming a giant cone-shaped ribbon weapon, she launches it at Sabrac, scoring a hit and driving him violently into a building. However, he’s unharmed. Wilhelmina explains that Sabrac has an Insane Defense (whatever that means) and Yuuji ponders if he can do anything by summoning Blutsauger, since he did use that sword to kill Zarovee. Wilhelmina, seemingly sensing what he intends, warns Yuuji not to do anything foolish as she has another task for him.

Elsewhere, Sato bandages up Margery and asks if there isn’t some Flame Haze technique or spell that can heal the wound she has. Marchosias says that Margery is already using counter spells but without much success due to this being a Stigma injury. Margery takes the opportunity to talk further with Sato about his desire to join Outlaw, which he says he still wants to do. She asks him what he will do if she were to die. Sato doesn’t have a ready answer.

Meanwhile, Wilhelmina and Yuuji are again fleeing Sabrac, who’s again riding his flame tsunami. She manages a quick turn down an ally using her ribbon, which Sabrac remarks to himself as not being a threat. However, when he enters the ally, he discovers he’s fallen into Wilhelmina’s trap and cannot escape as she has spiked the ally with ribbons. Wilhelmina, now with her battle mask in place, casts the spell to activate the ribbons, which immediately causes both buildings to slam together with Sabrac in the middle. She then launches a massive energy attack, causing an explosion that can be seen all over the Fuzetsu area.

As she and Yuuji observe from a nearby rooftop, Sabrac comes out of the rubble, apparently unharmed. Tiamat finds this incomprehensible, leading Wilhelmina to inquire about the possibility of an illusion being used against them, which Tiamat rejects. For his part, Sabrac remarks about how this is the longest battle he and Wilhelmina have ever fought. Due to his style of combat (get them all at once, if possible), he’s never been able to kill her and had he only done so years before, he wouldn’t have this trouble now. Despite being canon fodder, Sabrac had hoped that somehow Zarovee and Bifrons would have been able to finish things. For Wilhelmina, this confirms that Sabrac is working for Bal Masqué and Tiamat reminds that they want the Reiji Maigo.

Again Sabrac range attacks and again, Wilhelmina is off with Yuuji in tow, firing her ribbons at him. He slices them with his sword but the sliced ribbons are all around him and he discovers himself in another Wilhelmina trap as the ribbon slices all explode. As before, Sabrac emerges unharmed and launches his biggest attack yet since the initial explosion. He manages to slice Yuuji away from Wilhelmina and now has him prisoner. Since he is still in combat, he doesn’t know what to do with Yuuji. He doesn’t have to wait long for an answer as again he’s fallen into a trap by Wilhelmina as the body of Yuuji was made from her ribbons. He starts looking for the real Yuuji, but is caught in some massive explosions again.

Yuuji is running in a sewage pipe, the entrance of which appears to have been the spot of the initial explosion. He ponders the things Wilhelmina told him about Sabrac. He thinks back to when they were surprised attacked, followed by his initial encounter with Sabrac in which he wasn’t killed. He then has an idea.

Back to the battle, Sabrac again has survived Wilhelmina’s attack. However, she is exhausted and it shows, the blood having completely soaked her back now. Sabrac launches what he believes is his final attack as Wilhelmina remarks on how endless this battle has become. She’s urged by Tiamat not to think negatively as Sabrac approaches and Wilhelmina readies herself.

Thoughts: Man! That was a great episode for those hungry for a really good battle between a powerful Flame Haze and a powerful Tomogara. Wilhelmina proved exceptionally gifted, but too bad Sabrac seems more so. When Tiamat sounds concerned when she says her short statements, you know things are bad. However, I don’t think she’s really fighting Sabrac but rather a piece of him perhaps. That would explain how such a powerful Tomogara could be so undetectable. To me, it seems like whatever Yuuji felt from the initial site of the explosion is the real Sabrac.

Still, the arrival of Sabrac just makes me wonder all the more about what the Silver really is.

While I’m thinking of it, I wonder if this is where Yoshida finally uses the Hougu that Pheles gave her.