Friday, December 29, 2017

Episode 29 : Past Vs. Future—Chuugun's Dilemma

Skeleton General Skull Kaiser
(In Hell)

Skull Kaiser, formerly one of Samhain's greatest generals, stages a rebellion against impossible odds. The fate of countless worlds rests upon his ability to protect the Loss Queen and beat back her assailants. Along the way he is forced to fight old friends and make new allies...

Episode 29 : Past Vs. Future—Chuugun's Dilemma

The epsisode opens with Skull Kaiser staring in shock at Chuugun. They are on a precipice, looking out over the myriad sharp treetops against the purple-gray sky and some of the other hells can be seen. We can see the Copper Pillar, the Lake of Blood at the foot of Needle Mountain and beyond that we can see a hint of the massive Sword Tree.

Chuugun laughs at Skull Kaiser's surprise and comments upon it with a deep, resonant voice. Skull Kaiser cannot ignore an overwhelming sense of guilt. Chuugun was long dead before Samhain's arrival, but the Loss Queen's world was able to defend itself from any assault before Samhain's arrival and Skull Kaiser was almost solely responsible for ravaging her world. Skull Kaiser bows his head in silent shame, listening to Chuugun tell him what he already knows. Chuugun confesses that he was eager for Skull Kaiser's arrival so that he could both do his part for Lord Enma and have an opportunity to avenge his home and fallen descendants as well.

He tells Skull Kaiser to defend himself, to triumph if he can, and attacks immediately. Skull Kaiser barely nods before avoiding Chuugun's first strike. They exchange a few blows, each matching the other. Chuugun smiles and says that it's time to step up the combat. He backs off and prepares for his special technique, the Dark Harvest. Skull Kaiser leaps out of the way narrowly escaping the blow, the progress of which he turns to watch: it shears off the tops of all the trees in its path as far as the eye can see. Skull Kaiser is shocked. This will be his first real challenge. So far none of the other Lords of Hell have had a personal grudge against him and this passion combined with Chuugun's experience might prove to be too much.

Taking a moment to breathe, Skull Kaiser tells Chuugun that he wants the challenge he was expecting, but that Chuugun must believe that he has changed; his progress through the last Hell is proof of that. Chuugun stops to listen to Skull Kaiser's plea and has a moment of self-doubt. He acknowledges that he's compromising his position as one of Lord Enma's gatekeepers, but he cannot ignore the damage done to his homeworld. He is torn but his passion wins out over his duty and he renews his attack. Skull Kaiser is now only defending himself. At first he appears to be playing catch up, but then he begins matching Chuugun until his defense gets stronger and more effortless the more they fight.

Chuugun notices what Lord Horse did, that the Kaiser Bones are storing up vast quantities of Ghost Light and that Skull Kaiser may be far more dangerous than he ever thought. Chuugun backs off and performs another Dark Harvest attack, but Skull Kaiser merely raises up his forearm and catches the sickle shaped energy and flings it back into the ground in front of Chuugun. This cleaves the ground, which falls away, forcing Skull Kaiser to leap up into the air towards Chuugun. Chuugun is shocked by this display and unable to move—an easy target for the Kaiser Beam.

Charred by the attack, Chuugun flies backwards and is impaled on some of the thick thorns growing from the trees. He congratulates Skull Kaiser on his feat, but he is Chuugun, Lord of the 5th Hell and not without his own powers. He dislodges himself from the thorns and powers up for his most powerful technique, the Armageddon Swarm. Millions of fist-sized locusts are sent out and attempt to devour Skull Kaiser. However, the locusts are having no effect on him. Skull Kaiser then does Chuugun's job for him, explaining with a laugh the irony of being the Skeleton General, that his bones are already clean with nothing left for the locusts to consume. He doesn't know if he was greedy before becoming Skull Kaiser, but it's clear that he is without greed now.

In tears, Chuugun tells him to shut up, that his world has fallen because of Skull Kaiser's evil and his desire to conquer. Chuugun pushes his attack harder but the last thing he sees are Skull Kaiser's hands forming a Kaiser Claw and the world turns upside down.

The scene changes immediately and the landscape looks as it did before the fight as if nothing had happened. Skull Kaiser stands calmly before Chuugun, who's head is bowed in shame, and explains to Chuugun that his fighting spirit comes from his loyalty to a cause, not the desire to conquer. Skull Kaiser turns and makes the realization that he must have gotten that from Samhain at some point, but he'd lost sight of right and wrong. Chuugun looks up and apologizes to Skull Kaiser, he can see the truth of his words and the futility of his hatred.

Chuugun gives passage through the gate but offers one last apology: three of Champagne's generals killed by Skull Kaiser have petitioned Lord Enma to challenge the Skeleton General and Chuugun used his influence to put it through. Skull Kaiser can expect additional challenges here in Hell besides the Gatekeepers. Skull Kaiser nods his understanding and tells Chuugun not to worry and not to feel the least bit guilty. All is for the Loss Queen and defeating Samhain!

To Be Continued...

No comments:

Post a Comment