Lunar: Childhood's End - Chapter 6: Sword Dance

Translation by Kizyr Images from Manga	Lunar: Childhood's End (Lunar - Yonenki no Owari) Author: Akari Funato Based on Work By: Kei Shigema Publisher: Kadokawa Comics Dragon Jr.
Translation by Kaiser Farooque ("Kizyr"). Editing help from Robin Peters. Translation may not be used without express permission of translator. Translation also may not be posted in part (longer than five pages) nor in full at any location besides LunarNET (www.lunar-net.com) without express permission of translator.

-129-

Chapter 6: Sword Dance

[A simple shot of Hiro, seated, holding a four-leaf clover.]

-130-

[Magic energy emanates from the top of Taben’s Peak as Ruby flies away. Debris flies off, and demons fly out from the peak.]

Lemina: Oh no.
-flap flap flap-

[Lemina raises her staff and drives back a nearby flock of demons.]

-whoosh-

-131-

[Ronfar hits another demon on the head as they fly past.]

-whoosh-
-thud-

[Ruby opens her mouth and breaths a burst of fire at another flock of demons. Still more emanate from Taben’s Peak.]

Lemina: It’s no use
Ronfar: They just keep coming and coming
Ronfar: Hiro, what now!?

[Hiro nervously looks up, responding to the sound of something approaching.]

-whirr whirr-
-whirr whirr-
Hiro: !?
Hiro: The Dragonship Destiny!?

[The massive steamship flies (yes, flies) through the air towards Hiro and the others.]

-rumble-

-132-

[Leo stands triumphantly at the bow of the ship. Jean stands nervously behind him, stifling laughter.]

Leo: Your reinforcements have arrived, Hiro!
-Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!-
Hiro: Leo!!

[The Dragonship Destiny is flying level with Ruby’s altitude. Leo points towards Taben’s Peak and continues.]

Leo: Our target is the Grindery.
Leo: Prepare the cannons!

-133-

Leo: Fire!

[The ship’s forward cannons fire beams of energy, striking Taben’s Peak. A shield surrounding the structure glows and repels the blasts.]

-blast-
-crackle-

[Ruby lands on the deck of the Destiny.]

-134-

[Hiro, Lemina, and Ronfar board the ship. Ruby reverts to her small form. Leo vigorously shakes Hiro’s hand.]

-shake shake-
Leo: Well, Hiro!! My good friend!
Hiro (looking around): ...wasn’t the Destiny a land-based ship...?

Leo (tossing up hands): Now it flies on the wings of Truth and Justice!!
Leo (back turned): Not even the roughest terrain can stop us!
Hiro (backing away): Riiiight...

[Inside the cabin we find Alice. She lies on a bed, asleep, yet breathing heavily. Jean, Ronfar, Hiro, Lemina, and Ruby surround her; Ronfar attempts to cast a healing spell.]

-zzz zzz zzz-

Ronfar: ...Althena’s power is not working on her
-zzz-

Ronfar: There’s a dark shadow flowing through Alice’s body... But it’s not magic...
Ronfar: Nor is it a curse...

-135-

Ronfar: If I only knew what it was...
-crash-

[Hiro and the others look up at what sounds like something striking the ship. Hiro, with Ruby, rushes out of the cabin and onto the deck, where Leo is.]

Hiro: Leo?
Leo: It’s only a scratch!

[The ship approaches Taben’s Peak. Energy fires from the mechanical tower at the ship, blocked by the ship’s shield.]

Ruby: What do we do, Hiro? The Destiny can’t take much more of this.

Hiro: ...We have to take down their shield
Hiro: ...Ruby!
-blink-

-rumble-

[Ruby closes her eyes and grows back into full-sized dragon form.]

-grow-

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[From three corners come the other dragons. The White Dragon from the northern islands, the Black Dragon from under the earth, and the Blue Dragon from the sea.]

White Dragon

Black Dragon

Blue Dragon

[Hiro looks up, eyes closed.]

Hiro: If you can hear my voice, then please come.
Hiro: Will you lend me a bit of your power?

[Xenobia looks out, nervous.]

Xenobia: ...The dragons...
Xenobia: The dragons are coming, and all four of them will have gathered...
Xenobia: That brat...

Xenobia: Is he... a Dragonmaster?
Xenobia: The defender of the Goddess?

-137-

[Ronfar and Hiro open the door to Alice’s room briefly.]

Hiro: Jean, take care of Alice.
Leo: Hiro!
-whoosh-
Leo: Your sword!

[Hiro holds up Althena’s Sword, smiling.]

-flash-

[Hiro raises up Althena’s sword, Ruby in dragon form beside him, as the other three dragons fly in. Further away, Xenobia glares.]

Xenobia: The master of the Dragons?

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[The four dragons attack the Grindery from all directions.]

-boom-
-crackle-
-crackle-
-whoosh-

[Energy bounces around inside the shield which surrounds the Grindery.]

-139-

[The Grindery is still intact, but powered down and in the center of a large crater.]

Xenobia (from inside): Tsk... I can’t attack outside anymore
Xenobia: This is something I overlooked...

[Xenobia is face-to-face with Hiro, Ronfar, and Lemina. Her eyes narrow. She raises her staff.]

Xenobia: So, have you come to take the life of my emperor!?
Xenobia: Just you try...

[Xenobia stands beside the Magic Emperor. She swings her staff through the air and energy bolts fire forth towards the other three. Ronfar and Lemia block the attack; Hiro withstands it.]

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[Meanwhile, back on the Destiny, Alice stirs in bed. Jean is nearby, smiling.]

Jean: Alice! Oh good. You’ve woken up.

Alice: ...Jean!?
Jean: How are you feeling? Would you like some milk?

[Jean hands her a cup of milk.]

Alice: ...but why?

[Alice sits up in bed, looking towards Jean.]

Alice: I... caused so much trouble. I hurt you. And, on top of that... I...

Jean: “Have the blood of the Vile Tribe”?

[Alice is in shock as Jean finishes her sentence. Meanwhile, we see a brief cut of Lemina raising her staff, where she, Ronfar, and Hiro are fighting Xenobia.]

-whirr-

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[We see Lemina and Ronfar continuing to fight. Jean still speaks.]

Jean: I know. We all do.

[Back to Jean and Alice.]

Jean: And so? Things like that don’t matter.
Alice: But it’s a big thing...

[Back to the fight against Xenobia. Hiro faces off one-on-one against the Magic Emperor. Lemina and Ronfar are fighting Xenobia. Lemina yells in frustration as Xenobia surrounds herself with a shield.]

-crack-
Lemina: Nothing... nothing is working!

[Back to Alice and Jean.]

Jean: You’re a good child...
Jean: We all still like you

-142-

[The ship groans with another sound, as Jean looks up. She bounds up the stairs to the main deck.]

-groan-
-crack crack-
Jean: Oh great...
Jean: What in the world is Leo doing?

[Back to Hiro versus the Magic Emperor. Hiro strikes repeatedly at the emperor with Althena’s sword, as he consistently dodges and blocks.]

-clang-
-thrust-
-lunge-

-143-

-thud-

[Back to Leo and Jean. Leo stands on the bow of the ship as Jean catches up to him.]

Leo: Sorry. I was just thinning out the number of demons in the air.
Jean: And so recklessly...

[Jean sighs. Alice catches up to her on deck.]

Jean: We have to be patient until Hiro returns. Hang in there.
Alice (shocked): !! Hiro is...!?

[The image of flying demons is in the air behind Alice, who stares forward blankly.]

Jean: He is at the Grindery, resolving this.

[Leo grabs his sword.]

-grip-

-144-

[Leo slashes through the demons who swoop in to attack Alice. Jean follows suit and attacks another three demons.]

-slash-
Leo: Hm...
Jean: Hai-yah!

-thud-
-tear-
-swish-

[They manage to repel the demons.]

-145-

Jean: No need to worry, Alice.
Jean: Just leave everything to Hiro.

Jean: And wait here, in safety.

[Brief cut to Lemina and Ronfar directing their attention towards the Magic Emperor. Then, a cut back to Alice, worried.]

Alice: What...
Alice: What am I doing here?

Alice: Jean, take me to the Grindery

-146-

[Cut back to the fight in the Grindery. The Magic Emperor blasts Ronfar and Lemina, who each fall back.]

-flash-

[Ronfar sees himself cut open. Lemina sees herself falling from the sky.]

Ronfar: Whoa!
Lemina: Aaahhh...!!

[Hiro raises his sword.]

-147-

[He slashes at the Magic Emperor, who fades out like a false image.]

-clang-

[Ronfar and Lemina pick themselves up off the ground, unharmed.]

-huff-
Lemina: Huh.

Ronfar: Wait. I remember something about this dark magic...
Lemina: What is it?

[An image of Alice floating upside-down.]

Ronfar: It uses the pain in someone’s heart to create fear
Lemina: Ah...

Ronfar: Right now, it’s using the ‘shadow’ inside Alice
Lemina: But why...?

[Xenobia glows.]

Xenobia (yelling): I no longer need that girl!

Lemina (intent): ... I... understand now... Hiro...!!

-148-

Lemina: All our attacks are useless
Lemina: Against this castle, or their armor

[Another image of Alice, outside, closing her eyes and looking down]

Alice: There is another Alice over there... another ‘me’...

[Cut back to Lemina, yelling.]

Lemina (yelling): They’re all using Alice’s power

[Cut back to Alice again, outside.]

Alice: I have to defeat it by myself.
Alice: The cowardly spirit inside me

[Cut back to Lemina once again.]

Lemina: So if Alice isn’t around, there’s no point. This—

[Cut back to Alice.]

Alice (determined): This is my problem.

-149-

Jean: Well said...!!

[Cut back to the fight inside the Grindery. Xenobia fires her staff.]

Xenobia: You’re too late!!

[Cut back outside. The Destiny quickly approaches Taben’s Peak.]

Jean: Leo, let’s do this!!
Leo: Right

[Cut back to Lemina. She’s engulfed in the bolts firing from Xenobia’s staff.]

Lemina: Yaahhh!
Xenobia: This is where you all will die

[Xenobia turns around suddenly.]

Xenobia: !?

-150-

[The silhouette of Jean and Alice are in the entrance to the hall where Xenobia and the others are fighting. Jean stands behind Alice, who looks at Xenobia, smiling.]

Xenobia: Alice...
-smile-

Magic Emperor: So she broke out...?

[Jean, Alice, Lemina, and Ronfar stand before Xenobia. Xenobia is shocked.]

-151-

[Everyone, including Hiro, stands around Alice supportively.]

Ronfar: Now then young lady, you can do this.
Lemina: You don’t even need to chant anything.
Hiro: It’ll be easy.

Hiro (smiling): If you just believe in yourself

[Alice closes her eyes. A sphere of energy forms in front of her, as Xenobia stands across the room.]

Xenobia: ......!!

-152-

[Xenobia is awash in light. She raises her hand to her head.]

Xenobia (shrieking): St... stop this!

[Alice is engulfed in light, a smile on her face. Vines spring up around her.]