01x08 - A Ball Shaking Before the Fiend Flower

[bunniefuu]

I have committed my voice

to this messenger bird

to express my gratitude for the other day

Messenger Bird

by inviting you all to the

coming ball at the castle.

Sherry

Wh-What is this thing?

One of my favorite dresses!

It suits you to a T.

Thanks

Look! Isn't this lovely?

This ring goes perfectly.

You have such pretty hair.

A little silver would really give it some pop.

O-Okay.

Bye Bye, Earth

Bye Bye, Earth

Ballroom

My, so that's the hero of the Katakombe.

I had heard she was positively beastly

Why, she's such a little thing!

Adonis and the guys are here too, right?

You must be the mighty solist

I've heard so much about.

You look scrawnier than they say.

If you touch me, you'd best

be prepared to lose an arm.

Oh, Belle!

What beastly manners, and in

such a beautiful dress, no less!

Who cares? The hero of the Katakombe

shouldn't take any guff.

Bennett, Gwyn!

You seriously came in your

uniforms from the Katakombe?

We'd stand out like sore

thumbs at a ball anyway.

So we decided to make a joke of it.

We figured we'd let people treat us like brutes

and get a taste of what you go through.

Adonis

Are you drunk?

Mmm. Looks delicious.

Adonis.

Well, now. Not half bad.

Huh?

Ugh! What was that about?

Glory be!

May this exalted sword and scales enjoy

eternal glory at our god's hand!

So this is what you wanted to show me

I bet you won't stay that

way anymore, though.

You've changed since then.

You sound happy, sublime, and fulfilled.

You've done great, Sherry.

I guess I'd better step up

so we can stay on equal footing,

even if we stand in different places.

You look ready to leave, my dear.

You always pop up without

warning, Kitty the All.

Good evening, Belle Lablac.

You look simply radiant.

In Denari Land, we call

ones such as you "empty."

Empty

What's that supposed to mean?

If you wish to know, may I

suggest you join me in a dance?

Me?

Even flowers dance.

Surely beasts do as well.

So why should my beloved

deny herself the pleasure?

So, what did you mean by "empty"?

Free as the air.

To know one's roots and one's place

but not be bound by them.

It refers to those who

seek to escape all bonds

and ultimately transcend escape itself.

That's "empty"?

The steps are fortuitous

and yet inevitable.

Put no foot forward,

and naught will come of it.

Step forward, and you step toward death.

All is empty.

All things will be set free

to simply move and flow.

You broke Tiziano's sword in

the first place, didn't you?

They looked like they wanted me to.

Because you wouldn't take them to bed?

That's right.

Although rumor painted the two

of you rather close as well.

Tiz was just lonely.

We could never comprehend their sorrow.

Is that what you wanted to talk about?

No, but it is related.

In the Katakombe, I crossed swords

with your father, Tom Collins,

and slew him.

I know.

A raven brought me the news.

I see.

That's the way he would've wanted to go,

defending the Katakombe.

What's this really about?

Your father's sword is in my care.

What do you want from me?

If you want his sword,

return all the blades you've

stolen from the fallen.

That's your judgment as lead solist?

It is.

In that case

As a solist, I challenge you to a duel!

Why, Adonis?

Bamboo!

Let's keep the guests entertained.

Lead solist, I want you to take up

your sword like the rest of us.

I will not grant you battle here and now.

What's this, gentlemen? A duel?

You would fight here?

You have no audience. No witnesses.

What a waste.

Kir

It's nothing like that, Kir.

But Adonis holds his sword drawn.

That doesn't mean I'll draw mine!

You won't draw your sword?

Then die.

Lord Gaff!

Their chains came undone?!

So our god commands us

to strike him down!

Pathetic.

A magnificent sword, is it not?

It was rather a struggle to master it so well.

Oh, Kir

What have you done?!

The rest, I leave to you.

k*ll him however you please.

Child's play.

W-Wait!

Belle Lablac awaits me.

I couldn't have done this

without you, Adonis.

Without you, this sword

would never have been.

No

Let my voice relay a message from our god.

Heed well. A Nidhogg, one who

gnaws at the divine tree's roots,

came into this world with a fiendish sword.

His identity: solist Kir Royale.

I hereby order battle.

Vanquish Kir Royale and bring him death.

To take up arms in this fight, I name

Belle Lablac, she who knocks

on the door of journeys,

and none other!

Princess!

Sherry!

Run!

Run, Belle!

Where are you, Belle Lablac?!

Lablac!

The way our god tells it,

I don't get to fight you.

Whelps.

This must be the "Nidhogg"

mentioned in the divine summons.

Yeah. That sword is trying to consume Kir.

It's just like

Kir!

I'm right here!

Come, my formulae!

Lablac!

Astounding! He cut my calculations.

Where is your sword?!

Do you expect me to k*ll you unarmed?!

Look at his arm

Is that sword consuming its wielder?

I've made my peace

with what happened to Tiz.

What gives?

Belle! The divine summons called upon you!

This is your last duty before

you can go journeying!

Runding, this is our final trial!

What?

I feel like I'm meeting

you for the first time.

My friend

I get it now.

I'm the one who's changed.

Let's do this, partner.

Our audience is waiting

on the edge of their seats.

Get back, Kitty the All!

He's mine to fight!

So you finally take up your sword, Lablac.

Belle! Beware his fang!

What?!

His sword is imbued with

the power of Restau Rant.

No shield can block a blade

that cuts through dimensions!

Thanks, Kitty.

This is a duel. I trust you understand that.

Kir.

We clashed, and I broke your

sword. If we'd never met

The rain of sorrow will

freeze and starve you.

I understand, all right!

Incredible!

My beloved can cleave even

the dimension-tearing of that blade!

This is the sword you're so proud of?!

I liked your old one a hell of a lot better!

Look at what you've become!

Did you feed that thing

your solist spirit, too?!

That does it!

Solists aren't for you to feed on!

Looks like I can cut you.

Lablac!

Someone save her!

Please!

Save Belle!

You, a priestess, would flaunt a divine order

and sully our battle by begging for her life?!

Sherry!

Belle!

Goodness.

I'm fine, Sherry.

You sang like you were having a blast.

It's not the sword

The divine tree is eating solists.

This is a god?

This is the god of Schwert Land?

The divine tree still won't look at me.

Birds bring messages of death

Are Nidhoggs just the divine

tree's messenger birds?

If so, then what is it saying? And to who?

Maybe Nidhoggs gnaw at the divine tree

because it has no one to talk to but itself!

You are strong.

Have no regrets.

This tree doesn't look

at anyone except itself.

How long are you gonna stay

cooped up in Bamboo, Adonis?

What happened to you?

I have so much to talk about with you.

You must have heard the news from Gaff.

Tomorrow's the day.

The king will prepare the key

to the door of journeys.

That'll start the final trial.

And then

we can go journeying together.

I won't begin the trial until

you show yourself, got that?

Serves you right, you oaf.

I'll hack you to pieces if you peek!

You said you wanted to sleep

with me, remember?

You haven't even fallen for me.

Adonis.

I'm a partial corpse.

I live with these hands that spread rot,

only living because I'm not yet dead,

waiting until total death sets me free.

I wonder what I'd have to do

to be as alive as you are.

Then be reborn.

I'll give birth to you myself

if that's what it takes.

So

let's set out on a journey together.

I still need to figure some things out.

I can't make any promises until I do.

You'll come tomorrow, right?

Aren't you going to ask what I'm doing here?

You seem more at home in any room than I do.

Yeah?

You really are an idiot.

If you say so, then I guess I must be.

At least come tomorrow. No matter what.

I'll be there.

But don't wait for me. Just go.

Dumbass!

I don't need you to tell me that.

Don't get full of yourself.

Sorry, Belle.

I'm so stupid.

A total fool.

Eighth Movement

A Ball Shaking Before the Fiend Flower

I'll become a nomad.

What are sacred ashes?

I'll go on a journey.

What do you die for?

I wasn't wrong.

I knew things would turn out this way.

I'll be waiting in your room.

Ninth Movement

Silence of Keys Unplayed