In Gastark, Riphal is getting the update on the current happenings from his second-in-command and its not good. Around the continent, holders of various magic eyes are banding together to form an anti-Gastark group. Riphal cuts off mid-way the report, saying that “you should come out now” and Keifer steps out. She stammers an apology, saying that the jewels were too pretty so she couldn’t help it *eyes her suspiciously* Well if you say so…Riphal says these jewels wouldn’t suit her but if that’s what she wants, he’ll buy her anything she wants. She blushes but then walks past him saying that she has no reason to accept anything from him (Dere dere mode on~).She gives the jewels another admiring/curious glance before she walks away with Riphal looking at her back with a concerned expression.

Ryner is walking behind Tiia, when he stops to look back. Tiia asks if he’s changed his mind. Ryner turns around saying that he didn’t really like this country anyways. Tiia explains that he meant if he was remembering the time when he was considered human. Ryner is confused by this statement and Tiia elaborates. They aren’t human, they are superior as they are in possession of God’s eyes. Ryner looks away, not really buying into the sentiment and Tiia asks that he really likes humans doesn’t he? But he should understand that they can’t live with them. No matter how much he may want it, they won’t ever want that. The closer you get to them, the more it’ll hurt. There’s no more reason to bother with them any more as he is no longer alone.

Saying that their nakama are waiting for them, Tiia turns around and resumes their walk. Ryner gives one last look at the far away city before he follows Tiia. Ferris meanwhile is at a dango shop at the border and its not to her liking and she mutters that if Ryner were here, she’d punish him by forcing him to eat the dango. She recalls the last time they were at the place (and how she whacked him upside the head) and quietly admits that it’s boring alone. And she calls when Ryner went away with Tiia and Tiia’s words that his nakama are waiting for him. Ferris asks, “your nakama…is me right?” *blinks in surprise* She leaves behind two sticks of dango and her baggage…CALL A DOCTOR QUICK QUICK! O_____O

In Roland, Sion’s having to listen to the concerns of some lords that he was keeping an AS holder and how dangerous it is and all. Sion defends his decision saying that the AS has great magical capability and under the rule of the last king, he got special training and came to be known as Roland’s strongest magician. The other three guys get where Sion’s coming from, that an AS user could be of great military importance. But cause he was an AS holder and under constant danger of going berserk, he was put under constant surveillance by the Taboo Breaker Pursuit Squad. The other guys praise Sion for his thinking and his brain etc etc.

Back in the throne room, Sion is sitting alone, one hand covering his face. He remembers a dejected Ferris walking by him, not blaming him at all. And then Ryner repeating the same words and he mutters that they’re wrong. He doesn’t know how he can’t reach out for Ryner’s hand. He remembers when they were cadets and he held out his hand to Ryner, asking him to come with him. He laughs mockingly, thinking it’s a farce. He held out his own hand to him and then blew it up too. He laughs softly, remembering his mother’s words “you’ve grown into a gentle child. Just that makes me proud.” He says that she shouldn’t be proud of him as he is not a gentle child. Tears fill his eyes as he repeats that he isn’t a gentle child..which is why he is alone. Uwuuuu don’t cry Sion T^T *hugs him tightly*

Back in Gastark, a strategy meeting is going on between Riphal and some other guys. …Reese? You’re second in command is called Reese? *starts singing* big pieces little pieces reese pieces mantelpieces shelf pieces reese pieces~ sorry, couldn’t help that. Reese is against something and he’s making it known. They are interrupted when the doors fly open, an irate but pretty looking Keifer standing there is a lovely backless gown. Reese points at her saying that he will NOT allow his king to marry her. Keifer is surprised to hear that and Riphal just says that as he thought, it looks good on her. She stomps over (as well as you while wearing a gown) and asks him whats the idea behind this? AND where are her clothes? Riphal happily says that that’s how it is and he’ll be marrying her. The others guys are not really sure about this hasty decision and Reese says that he can’t allow a woman of unknown birth to marry Riphal.

Kiefer says that she doesn’t any recollection of accepting to marry Riphal either. Riphal easily asks her to give him the okay right now *falls over* oye oye~ XD She turns her face away telling him to stop making jokes about it and Reese tells him to cut it out too. But then a loud, panicked cry from outside calls for Riphals help. Kuu is battered and bruised as he cries over Sui’s bruised body. Even though he’s having trouble breathing and bleeding heavy from where his arm was torn out, he looks up at Riphal and says that he’s still fine. Besides, it’s more important for Kuu to get some rest as she’s been using the scythe’s power all the time to get him back.

Reese orders one of the other guys to make emergency preparations but before he can wonder outloud who did it, Riphal tells him that that’s enough for now. And he puts his hand on Sui’s head saying that he’ll definitely save him, so he should stop talking and rest. But Sui says that he’ll speak as it might be the last time he will be able too. Riphal tells him not to talk stupid but Sui tearfully pleads to Reese. The other man steps forward, asking Riphal for his orders. Riphal closes his eyes and just says “Kuu.” Reese walks over to the weeping Kuu and knocks her out. As he picks the girl up, he praises her for her efforts and tells her to sleep. Keifer walks up from behind and thinks that this is the strength of this country.That for the sake of their king, his followers throw their lives away and the king uses his own body as a sacrifice to move forward.

Riphal asks that what happened that he was so gravely injured. Sui explains that he was attacked by someone who had a similar rule fragment like Lir’s lightening beasts. Riphal asks if Sui knows which country his attacker was from but Sui does not know. Additionally, in Roland, they have a monster called Ryner Lute who lends them power. Kiefer takes in a startled breath, which Reese notices. Sui explains that though he may look like a normal AS holder, he has never seen a monster like him. Before Sui can complete his next sentence, Reese steps in front saying that it seems that Kiefer has something to do with Ryner.Riphal turns back to look at her and she just looks back with an expression of a deer caught in headlights.

Tiia and Ryner are having dango elsewhere but Ryner hasn’t even touched his plate. Tiia asks isn’t he gonna eat? Or maybe he doesn’t like this stuff? Ryner says that he hates dango. Tiia asks if it’s hard to accept that he isn’t human? His misfortune began at the time he was born. He was born and raised as a human, all the while he was being brainwashed. He devotes himself to the people he loves but in the end, he’ll be the one being betrayed anyways. Ryner turns to him and asks that wasn’t that the same for him? Tiia says that the timing of his Iino Dwoe’s awakening was different. That catches Ryner’s interest. Tiia explains that ID awakens before the child’s birth, while the child is inside…the human womans…womb….*turns a tad pale* I had been afraid he would say that…he explains that he heard a voice and he alone could hear it. Ryner remembers the voice that he hears when he went berserk. Ryner quietly listens as Tiia explains that that voice told him to feed, to devour the inferior human but then Ryner looks away. Tiia is…affected by this and he looks as well. Then he asks if Ryner thinks of him as a monster as well. Ryner’s surprised by this and he recalls his nightmare from before and quietly says that he doesn’t. Tiia argues that the common sense he grew up should still be hanging in there. But still, they are suprioer.

With power beyond that of humans, they have a completely separate existence. Ryner is quiet, staring contemplatively at the ground before him. The both of them are unaware that Lir is following both of them and sitting in a window ledge some feet away. Sneaky sneaky sneaky~ what you be planning boy? At Roland Empires Medical Facilities, Clane is giving Claugh a report regarding Ryner Lute. Calne comments that he can’t believe that Sion was keeping an AS holder…Claugh asks that don’t most of them go berserk in their childhood and wind up dead? Calne says that usually yeah but Ryner seems to be able to return after going berserk so he’s quite the rare one.

Claugh reads off the report “Ryner Lute. Real name, precise age, birthplace, all unknown. Presumably at the age of five, he was taken into a bandit village. That he had an AS was discovered and the military took him in. At the Germer-Kleissrol Training Facility, he received military training. After that, he was sent away to Roland Special Facility #307. There he received the most perilous training available and was then put in one of Roland’s secret military organizations. At that time, he became known as Roland’s strongest magician.” Calne comments that it doesn’t look like he was any good on missions though. He’d abandone his missions, obstruct them, leak secret information, oppose his superiors…Claugh continues, “So, partly to keep an eye on him, they placed him in the Royal Special Academy.” Calne says that there’s where he met Sion and its unbelievable that he never betrayed Roland up till now.

Claugh sighs and says that a long while back, he saw a great number of people like him. After having through many horrible experiments, they try suppressing everything by killing off their emotions. Because there’s nothing that will change, nothing that can be changed. Everything’s a bother, nothing matters. Claugh tosses the report down, saying that its not like he’d understand a monster’s feeling though. ;A; hearing such words coming from Calne and Claugh…man that stings. That’s just so….uwuuuuu ;_______;

Tiia and Ryner come up to a small home and Ryner asks if this is it? Tiia replies that it’s a temporary getaway. They plan to move out in a few days . The door opens and three kids run up to Tiia, one of them throwing his arms around Tiia. Tiia smiles and pats the kids head, asking if they all have been good while he was away?  They reply that they were and Tiia laughs as they ask him more questions. Ryner and Tiia are sitting at a table, watching the six kids playing skip rope. As Ryner is served tea by an older girl, he expresses his surprise that all the kids are AS holders.

Tiia explains that the humans were always chasing them and they have nowhere to turn too. And their lives are being targeted. Ryner’s expression darkens and Tiia recalls whoa O___O Lir, Kuu and Sui came up against Tiia and the kids?! Lir sends one of his lightening beasts at Tiia but Tiia doesn’t consume him and slams right into the creature. Lir comments on this oddity and Kuu teases Lir to not kill him (else they can’t crystallize him/it). Sui stands up saying that they just obtained the…SEVENTY SIXTH?! D: YOU are the monsters man! IF you kill KIDS then YOU are the monsters D: Tiia is bleeding badly from the head and holding his wounded side as he pushes himself off the ground and eyes Lir as he comments that the monster extermination can safely continue.

Tiia recalls that at that time, thirty eight children were killed. With a dark expression his face, Tiia mutters just who are the monsters here. Tiia turns to Ryner and says that those people had said that they were from Gastark. Tiia tightly claps his hands on the table and mutters that he cannot forgive Gastark for this. One day, he’ll get back at them for having messing with them. Their conversation is broken when two of the kids run up to Tiia, saying that they’re hungry. Tiia stands up saying that he wants to protect these children. To create a world where these children can be happy. Which is why finding a friend like Ryner really makes him happy.

As Tiia is busy preparing dinner. Ryner has gotten cornered by the kids and they ask him questions like if he’s their nakama (errr….)  or not and what’s his special ability (taking afternoon naps~!) and the kids declare him to be useless. New guy comes in with a basket of veggies saying that he likes afternoon naps as well. The kids and Tiia welcome the man back. Rafra greets Ryner and while they’re taking a walk, Rafra explains about the power of his eyes. That he can replace his dreams with other people’s dreams. Basically, its power aligns itself with a person’s dream which gives him the ability to look inside it. Ryner asks if he saw his dream then?

Rafra pauses and says, “What kind of unreachable dreams has such an unsightly monster seen?” Ryner stops at his words and stares at Rafra as he apologizes and says that all he can see are small fragments.  Ryner tells him not to sweat it and asks if that is how he found him. Rafra smiles and says that actually he’s been watching him for some time now but he just didn’t tell Tiia or the others that. Ryner asks why and Rafra says that because he is special. He is totally different from the other various holders of God’s eyes. Ryner listens quietly as Rafra explains that he developed an interest in him…he is really kind and he had been watching his dream. His dreams were filled with feelings so strong that they’d make even an observer like him feel miserable.

Wrath, sorrow, hatred, despair, feeling like shit, being feared…all the while growing more and more lonely…scared or hurting and scared of being hurt. Wanting to die or just break down. Tormented by these feelings…but in the end, what controlled his heart was the cry of the people that he loved. In the end, he always wanted to protect those that he cares about. He didn’t want to be alone anymore. He loves people…everyone. He might be a monster but he wanted to be more and more in contact with people. It makes Rafra sad that Ryner can so kind yet so sad…so weak and so lonely.

Ryner tells him to not such that with such a gloomy face. Rafra laughs softly and Ryner tells him to not call other people lonely and whatnot. Isn’t what he just said all about Rafra himself? Rafra replies that that is why he called him out here. Because he thought that needed salvation. Ryner repeats the last words and Rafra explains that he wants that for Tiia and the kids and their other friends in the middle of the continent…and for Ryner. For all the sorrowful holders of God’s eyes who are depairing at the hands of humans. Rafra quietly speaks, “I want you to save them. Because I can’t.”  Everyone is digging into the food and it’s a pretty heartwarming scene. The kids teasing Rafra and the older girl, Tiia trying to get them to behave and Ryner smiling the whole time. But they are unaware that Lir is watching them from a distance away. That night, Ryner lies awake in bed and he ponders on all he had learnt that day.

Is he really a monster different from humans?  Can they really not get along with humans? Isn’t it the same? He recalls the dinner scene and thinks that there’s nothing different at all. Its not as though they wanted such eyes in the first place. He recalls Sui’s words (that they bother people just by existing) and he covers his eyes. He recalls Rafra’s words and his request to save every one. Ryner thinks that he’s a cursed monster. There’s no point in salvation for him but the children are different. If just having such eyes labels them as monsters, doesn’t that mean that wouldn’t make any difference if everyone’s saved? He wonders if it really would be fine like that. He suddenly sits up in bed, looking out the window.

He walks outside (I put forward a petition. Stating that Ryner should ditch that stupid cloak because its hiding his deliciously awesome good looks and bod. I mean God damn, he looks fine.) He calls out, “Come out.” For a moment Lir thinks that he is being called out when another rustle in the grass reveals Luke popping out. Luke comments that he isn’t Roland’s strongest magician for nothing. Luke introduces himself as the vice captain of the Taboo Break Pursuit Squad and he is here to get rid of him, following Sion’s orders.

Score: A/A+

Well here an episode that pretty much tossed my previously made conceptions about Tiia neatly out the window and into the garbage can. Just when you think that he’s nothing but a cold blooded monster, we get this episode. What he’s doing, it’s partially revenge and partially “you mess with us and I will fuck your shit up.” There’s way more to Tiia than I first though and I’m sorry that I jumped to the conclusion so fast about him *bows* Honto ni, gomenasai Tiia

Sion’s taking the heat of it all for keeping an AS holders to close to him but the thing that REALLY fries my noodles is Calne and Claugh’s attitude. I mean, the way they were calling Ryner a monster and doubting Sion and all. That was just hurtful ;A; I thought them to be better people than that *sighs* I was wishing for Noa to show up and smack some sense into the two but……*sighs again* well if wishes were horses…

So all those kids are holders of God’s eyes huh? How many of them have the ID, EC or the AS? Or is there something that its more likely to be born with one power rather than another? I’d like more info on this please 😀 And I like Rafra, he seems like a nice gentle guy. Though for two minutes I thought that he was a girl but then he opened his mouth and I went “urgh that was ALMOST another Bridget right there.”

But to think that there had been more than a hundred kids at one point and most of em were killed by those siblings…that’s just sick. Come to think off, why the hell are they gunning for those kids anyways? Is it something like collecting ammunition for the upcoming war? If it is, god damn it all, YOU guys are the monsters here.

While on the subject of Gastark, Riphal, you seriously want to marry Kiefer? I mean, nothing wrong with the girl and it’s not like I dislike her or nothing but…you don’t know anything about her. Though I doubt that her being related to Ryner’s case will make much of a different to Riphal eh? I wonder if perhaps Riphal will try to use that to his advantage? Lets see if he does or not and if Kiefer will find out or be told and IF she’s told, if there are any strings attached like “if you help me I’ll help you” or some jazz like that or maybe she’ll be used or *starts foaming at the mouth as her brain scrambles off into more possibilities and falls back in a ded faint*