Original subtitles

Work as if Death has spared you.

It's the only reason we let you live.

Now, hurry it up!

Did you not hear what I just said?

Keep it down! Silence that brat!

On your feet, worm.

There's no time for rest.

Get up, I said.

How dare you!

What's going on?

Stay back!

My dearest?

Come back safe.

Don't go.

Ah...

That's the sun.

I'm a survivor once again.

Mama?

-Huh? -That way.

A pyuika.

Such a tragic sight.

Is it really the work of Aquafa loyalists?

The people of Aquafa yielded to the Zolian Empire ten years ago.

I can assure you that our loyalty remains steadfast.

I know it does.

He has arrived, my lord.

This salt mine-- I was told you were once the supervisor.

-Is that correct, Tohlim? -Correct.

I'd like you to guide someone through it.

Halt! Halt! All entry is forbidden.

Foolish lout! Do you not know to whom you speak?

-He has come to... -Makokan, that's enough.

You're overreacting.

Who are you?

The man before you is...

Don't make that face.

Stand down.

Lord Yotalu.

Thank you for coming on such short notice.

Please, there's no need for that.

Let me introduce Tohlim.

He is the right-hand man to the king of Aquafa.

I am Hohsalle Yuguraul.

It's a pleasure to meet you.

Sir Hohsalle, you are one of the sacred doctors.

I consider making your acquaintance a great honor.

The pleasure is all mine.

You do yourself a disservice, sir.

Your political acumen is as impressive as it is reliable.

But I truly thank you for the kind words.

Do I detect sarcasm?

Not at all.

I beg your pardon if this seems cold,

but could you delay the cremation, Lord Yotalu?

What for?

I'd like to inspect the bodies first.

After all, that is the reason I came all this way.

Wh-What are you doing?

That boundary is sacred.

Mikimu, please.

That's Sir Hohsalle, huh?

Priest-doctors can't compete with Zol's physician.

Especially since he apparently saved Lord Yotalu's mother.

I guess keeping the second-empress alive

would win trust.

-Sir Hohsalle. -Yes. Bring them, please.

Right.

- Take a look at this. - Just as I suspected.

The falconry party was attacked by the same dogs?

Yes. They bear the same bite marks.

However, these aren't the only patients

I've seen with these lesions.

My brother, are you saying he has the same disease?

What is it?

I wasn't sure until now, but...

It's black wolf fever, also known as mittsual.

The mittsual?

All of them are Zolians?

Condemned criminals, but yes.

The people of Aquafa consider this a sacred place.

It would be wrong to make them work here.

Hardly any stench.

The bodies down here are in better condition.

Could we take some of them back to the capital with us?

I'm sure the priest-doctors

won't be happy about it.

But very well.

-It shall be done. -Huh?

There's nothing to fear. She's one of ours.

I asked her to come down here to inspect things.

What have you found?

Somehow, one of the workers managed

to make it out of here alive.

Hmm.

It's been smashed.

Could that have been done by a human?

He was bitten by one of the dogs, though.

That caused him to collapse for a moment.

Then he got back onto his feet, broke out and went that way.

Hey! I asked you if this could've been done by...

Makokan, let her work.

A chain was dragged across the floor here.

And there are bloodstains.

But the footprints leading away suggest

that he wasn't carried out of this mine by a dog.

He walked to the exit by his own two feet.

You said he was bitten.

Are you sure that's where the blood came from?

This pool of blood was fairly sizable.

And the shape certainly suggests a bite.

Should that concern us?

If this man did indeed survive

after being bitten by one of those dogs,

then there's a strong possibility

he's immune to the mittsual.

Are you saying if we could track them down,

that might be enough to figure out a cure?

If we had the blood of a survivor

and luck, yes, it's possible.

Check the names of all the slaves that were here.

M'lord.

The Zolian army was once thought invincible.

Until they were wiped out by the mittsual

in a matter of days.

And here it is again.

We've discovered the name of the man who escaped.

Van. He came from the Gansa clan.

Wait, Van?

Where was he when we took him prisoner?

Records say we got him at the battle of Kashuna River.

The Lone Antlers.

Broken Antler Van.

Lord Yotalu!

Where is he? Lord Yotalu!

Then he still lives.

To think, there was an Aquafaese down there after all.

She will find him for us.

That woman is the greatest tracker

this land has ever known.

Can you find him?

She will.

Be sure she knows to bring him back to us alive.

Yes, of course, sir.

You heard Sir Hohsalle.

We need you to bring him back alive.

That will not be an easy task, sir.

This Van is

a surviving member of the elusive Lone Antlers.

Huh?

Wait! Come back!

Hey, you. How are you riding my pyuika?

Wow.

You're the only person I've ever seen mounted on one of those.

Didn't think it was possible.

There was a pack of ossam dogs

that came flooding out of the forest all of a sudden.

They spooked the pyuika.

It slipped free of its reins and took off.

Flipped my cart over on top of me in the process.

Well...

at least those dogs didn't eat the poor beast.

A healthy pyuika will fetch you a king's ransom

if you're willing to sell it to the Zolian army.

That's why I became a breeder.

Of course, that's easier said than done.

All of mine are wild. They won't obey my commands.

I don't understand what the Zolians want

-with such stubborn creatures. -Tasty.

That's fahmu.

It's a Zolian specialty.

My wife baked them herself.

They're delicious, aren't they?

You know, if I were to make a guess,

I'd say it's because the Zolians didn't know

how to deal with the Aquafaese pyuika riders

during the last war.

You really are something special, mister.

I thought the one I already had would calm down a little

if I bought another female,

so I decided to spend what coin I had on me.

But she's already with child.

-Is she really? -Mm.

These pyuika are a complete mystery to me.

I guess I should be thankful for my injury.

Or perhaps I should be thankful for this little goddess, huh?

-Yunacha! -Huh? Yunacha?

Yuna.

That's her name. Yuna.

Ah.

Gotcha. I'm Tohma.

I'm Van.

Yuna and Van.

Well, I'm much obliged.

Say, have you heard the latest about the ossam dogs?

Apparently, they attacked the lord's falconry party.

Whatever's happening with them, it sure doesn't bode well.

Is it true?

Every one of them is dead?

Yes. Slaves and soldiers, for a total of 600.

Killed by lowly dogs?

Actually, Sir Hohsalle says...

they contracted the mittsual.

The curse of Aquafa.

In our grandfathers' era,

the Zolian troops who stormed this land

fell prey to the disease.

It was said to be the retribution of dead Aquafaese.

I wonder if it's a coincidence that it's returned now,

just in time for the Emperor's Eyes visit.

Forgive me, my lord, but this curse

is nothing more than a superstition.

The people of Aquafa pledged our loyalty to you

nearly ten years ago,

and we would never turn our backs on you.

- What of the Aquafaese? - Uh...

600 casualties.

- Were any of them from Aquafa? - Well, I...

No, none. But, brother, that doesn't...

Tohlim.

Loyal servant of Aquafa's king.

Lick it.

Come over here and prove the mittsual is no curse

by contracting it yourself.

As you wish, my lord.

Brother.

Sir Hohsalle!

At this stage, herbs won't be of any use.

What can help him, then?

I'll need to make an anti-poison

by diluting the blood of someone who was infected.

Out of the question! Lord Utalu's pure imperial blood

must not be sullied by that of a mere commoner.

His survival is better left for fate to decide.

Bodies are not but vessels.

Tainting Lord Utalu's soul would be deplorable.

- Deplorable! - I need nothing.

I shall heal this affliction myself,

without such medicine.

Well spoken, Lord Utalu.

There is nothing more imperative than maintaining

the purity of your soul.

I shall not die.

I shall not die.

Is it true that Aquafaese

are immune to the mittsual?

That Zolians are the only ones who can catch it?

Some books say so, yes.

Is something wrong, sir?

I found Tohlim's calm demeanor a bit peculiar.

Hmm.

Well, a disease certainly doesn't care

what country you're from.

Hmm.

This Emperor's Eyes visit is such nonsense.

I know Fire Horse Village is sacred,

but why must they go to the trouble

of traveling such a great distance?

I think it's because of the mittsual.

It once forced the Zolian army to retreat from there.

They wish to reshape history, I suppose,

and to dispel fear.

In that case, it's a bit ironic

that the mittsual would return now, don't you think?

No. I suspect that's more than coincidence.

Really? How so?

You're not just a swordsman anymore.

Use your head.

The falconry and the salt mine.

So far, it's all going according to plan.

Once Yotalu succeeds his brother,

Zol will be much easier to control.

We're making good progress.

And yet, we must be careful not to move forward too hastily.

Are you afraid?

Because at this rate, the Emperor's Eyes

are going to be at the doorstep of my village as soon as spring.

Have patience.

One of the slaves in the mine was Aquafaese.

We must maintain secrecy,

so proceed with the utmost caution.

I take no orders from the spineless minions of Zol.

Ohfan, wait.

Is there a reason for you to be so impatient?

That's concerning.

Are you certain we can trust him

and Fire Horse Village to adhere to the plan?

At the end of the day,

they are nothing more than our pawns.

The mittsual is their last lifeline.

They know they cannot act rashly.

And what about this Aquafaese survivor

from the salt mine?

We have a tracker working on finding him.

Yes, but to what end?

Leave that to me.

The life of one Aquafaese, or the future of

this entire land-- which would you choose?

Hmm.

That's checkmate.

Obviously, you know what my choice would be.

As you wish.

It's possible this man was traveling with a small child.

Ah. Yes, there was a young man with an accent with them.

Oh, the guy with the pyuika.

Hey!

Hey, I'm back!

Tohma!

Huh?

Kiya!

Huh?

Hmm? Ah.

They want you to know that they're grateful you saved me.

Huh?

Oh, sure. Sorry.

They can't speak to you directly

until they've shared a drink with you.

That's a great idea.

Hey, if you'll let us put you to work here,

we can give you a place to stay and all the food you can eat.

Great. It's a deal.

Nobody knows pyuika like Van.

He'll be a big help to us, I'll wager.

All right, that's settled.

Enough with the formalities. Let's drink!

Ah.

Ah, that hit the spot!

Drink up. Don't be shy.

It is our tradition after all.

Ooh, she's a cute little tyke.

I don't really see much of a resemblance, though.

Takes after her mom? Oh.

-Oh, dear. -Uh...

Where is she? Your wife, I mean.

-Oh... -Oh! Sorry. Tender subject, huh?

You want to sit with me?

Huh?

Well, that makes sense.

Nothing beats sitting on Daddy's lap, huh?

Dada?

Whoa, whoa.

Sorry, but you won't get any milk from Daddy's chest.

You should try giving her your finger.

Aw.

Sounds like she's not the only one who needs some milk.

In fact, I think we should all eat.

His fever's come back.

And his breathing is labored.

What is it?

Not getting enough from the herbs, are you?

God save me from this hell, I beg of you.

-Are you all right, sir? -Fine.

For generations, we Yugurauls have served

the leaders of the time with our medical expertise,

to learn about countries, diseases and ourselves.

But now, caught between Aquafa and Zol,

what can I possibly learn about this illness?

Oh, I'm starving.

Let's have rabbit for dinner.

It's... Lord Utalu.

Lord Yotalu.

Perhaps we should postpone the visit of the Emperor's Eyes.

We sent word of my brother's death,

but the emperor is already beyond the border.

The mittsual.

I have to know more.

The man in the mine.

-Hey. Where's Dada? -Huh?

Oh. Uh, I don't know.

I haven't seen him in a while.

There it is.

Asshimi.

- Dada! - Father!

It's you.

Dada, I found you.

Why are you here?

I found you because I can see you from anywhere.

Wow.

It's so pretty.

Pretty? The asshimi?

Yeah. Pretty.

Hey!

What's the point of building

this stupid thing, anyway?

A pyuika could leap over this, no problem.

Huh?

Stop that! It's not safe over here.

-Huh? -Huh?

Let me help you.

This will give the whole fence the scent of asshimi.

That's Olaha.

It means "born at daybreak."

That one's very old and stubborn, though.

Hard to handle.

Hey, that's dangerous.

He wouldn't.

What did I tell you?

This guy's amazing.

Before long, he's gonna bring in

a big old pile of cash from the Zolian army.

You greedy fool.

Come on!

Get him!

Oh, my leg!

Shh.

Van! It's coming your way!

-Huh? -Hmm?

Dada.

Huh?

Huh?

-Well done, Van. -I can't believe it.

-Incredible. -Amazing.

Just incredible!

Huh?

-Now what? -I'm gonna drink it.

You can drink that stuff?

Oh.

You're good at that.

Yeah.

I always did it for Mama at home.

Oh. Really?

Just like old times.

Pyuika milk.

My brothers and sisters and I...

-Here. -...used to fight over it when we were young.

I'd completely forgotten.

Many years ago, the Zolian army came through here

and laid waste to everything, scaring all the pyuika away.

Just the mention of Zol

would send us trembling and running for cover.

Hey! Don't drink all of it!

But that all changed about ten years ago.

A group of pyuika riders called the Lone Antlers

took up arms against the Zolians and became Aquafa's guardians.

It was because of them that Zol was willing

to enter into a treaty with us.

And now we have wonderful Zolian wives

-to bake us delicious fahmu. -Here, have some.

None for me, dear, thank you.

Zolians believe that drinking the milk of a beast

will turn you into a beast yourself.

Huh?

I was hunting a long time ago,

and I saw a herd of pyuika get attacked by a pack of wolves.

One of the fawns wasn't quick enough to keep up with the herd,

so it was left to deal with the wolves all by itself.

But then an old buck leapt forward to protect it.

Stomped about to provoke them and then ran off.

I'd say an act like that is befitting of the Deer King.

Saving the fawn, taking the brunt of the attack

and vanishing into the forest-- did that make the buck a hero?

Or was it just strong and doing what needed to be done

simply because it needed to be done?

That's how I saw it, anyway.

The way I hear it,

the Lone Antlers are all dead and gone.

When you leave us, will you go alone?

Yuna. Want to ride?

Yeah.

Hyah!

What are those?

Wind flowers.

And that?

A bush cricket.

And that?

White-tailed eagle.

Hmm.

Then what's this?

Dada!

What about this?

Yuna.

You know everything, Dada.

Do you like it here, Yuna?

Where?

You like Tohma and his people?

Yeah. I like everyone there.

That's good.

Huh?

And I like you.

Hmm?

I'll make you a deer whistle one day.

Is that a pyuika?

Those are quite rare.

Hey, guess what.

Dada's gonna make a deer whistle for me.

He is?

Yuna, time to go.

'Kay.

Where are you headed?

May this country become

a safe place for orphans to live.

Found you.

Quick! Get a move on!

Van's gonna get ahead of us if we don't pick up the pace.

Huh? That's unusual.

A Zolian rider.

Whoa.

What's the matter?

Dogs.

They were black dogs.

What's happening, Dada?

Stay back!

The mittsual struck another

Zolian village?

Was there an inquest?

No, there wasn't.

The priest-doctors had all the bodies cremated.

Then they prayed for three days and three nights.

This isn't a curse. It's a disease.

Think, Hohsalle.

Why does it seem to be targeting Zol and not Aquafa?

Sir Hohsalle!

We... we've done it.

Hush. This is a library.

You've discovered a cure for the mittsual?

Yes. Uh, uh, no.

What I mean is it appears we've found the Lone Antler.

The one who survived the salt mine.

What?

The tracker woman sent word of his whereabouts.

Lord Tohlim personally rode out with his troops to go catch him.

Tohlim himself is going there?

Get your things.

We're going after that old man.

Huh?

This bodes ill.

Some believe the gods set the ossam upon Zol

and killed Lord Utalu as punishment for scorning Aquafa.

Whether that's true or not, it's causing

a great deal of resentment.

There's no such thing as Aquafa or Zol.

We're all one family.

Indeed.

Our people have lived here for generations.

It is our home.

And more, this place is our motherland.

Huh? What's the matter?

Watch Yuna.

Huh? Where you going?

If they ask, just tell them I forced you to give me shelter.

W-Wait. Van!

Van of the Lone Antlers.

The people of this village know nothing.

As long as you don't involve them, I'll come quietly.

Very well.

The Lone Antlers?

-Dada? -Shh.

Where's Dada?

Dada!

Stay there.

You bastard.

Dada!

Van, what... what's a Lone Antler?

What did you just do, Van?

It just turned into a tree and...

Dada!

Come quietly.

When will you be back?

Wait. Dada, when will you be back?

Ah. Got you.

Ossam!

We're surrounded!

It's the dogs again!

What are they doing here?

Fear not.

Aquafaese are immune to the mittsual.

Hmm?

Ohfan.

Why do you fight?

Give in.

-Dada! -No!

Dada...

Yuna.

Yuna!

Van, what...

-Yuna! -No!

Zol.

Huh?

Tohma!

-Get this to Van. -Right.

Go, Olaha!

- What just happened? - Any casualties?

He went into the forest. After him!

Move, people. Get the horses!

Focus, Van.

Focus, Van.

I know...

I know...

who I am!

Yuna.

Leave me.

This is for Aquafa!

Yuna.

- Stop right there. - Huh?

He said halt.

Hey, stop!

Didn't you hear me?

Hey, wait!

No. Sir Hohsalle, stop!

Don't get too close.

Unbelievable.

What's wrong with him?

Makokan, lead Tohlim's men away from here now.

If we let them find this man, they're going to kill him.

Now, go!

But...

I don't understand what's going on,

but understood, sir.

Do not take unnecessary risks.

Hyah!

You're home.

So good to see you, my dear.

Why do you fight it?

Just give in.

Do you not feel it?

The howl of the wind?

The grass and the flowers?

The birds, the beasts?

You can feel all forms of life,

because you are now at one with them.

That is Inside Out.

Inside Out?

Yes. That is the power you possess.

Yuna!

Come.

Find me.

My name is Kenoi.

Why would Tohlim try to get rid of his blood?

Clearly, he believes the Aquafaese

are immune to the mittsual.

I suspect he has something to do with the outbreak.

It's exactly what happened 80 years ago.

The mittsual's being used against Zol

in the hopes of gaining Aquafa's independence.

But there is no guarantee it will remain an ally to Aquafa.

My entire family was murdered by Zolians.

The black wolf fever is retribution.

So taking his life is justified?

Stand down.

Stop. You shouldn't be moving around.

Do you see? Your wounds are far too serious for that.

Lie down for now.

You can trust me. I'm a doctor.

Just forget about that woman.

Hey, listen. We need you alive.

I should thank you.

These bandages may have saved my life.

Do not thank me.

I am only here because I need your blood.

Sorry, but I made a promise.

Hey, wait!

I have to find Yuna.

My name is Hohsalle Yuguraul.

I propose an exchange.

Allow me to accompany you.

Along the way, I will tend to your wounds.

Because you have lost far too much precious blood already.

However, you'll let me take some of it

once you've recovered and the journey is done.

Fair?

Hey, tracker woman!

We'll need your help, as well.

We must find someone called Yuna.

All is settled.

Get down from there so that I can redress your wounds.

Come along, Van.

While we're at it, I'll take a look at your shoulder.

And so, I came to travel with the man who holds the key.

Strange as it may seem,

the woman who once wanted his head

became the navigator for our journey.

Perhaps we should rest.

Not until we reach the next forest.

This area is prone to avalanches.

Amazing.

His wounds have completely healed.

I'll go hunt for food.

- You find us some firewood. - You mean me?

Those won't work.

That wood's too damp. It's not gonna burn.

You're better off taking branches from the trees.

Will this wood burn bright enough, master?

You said you want my blood.

-Yes. -What for?

Well...

this land is plagued by a disease called the mittsual.

It's spread by ossam dogs.

You were bitten by one in the salt mine, right?

But you survived and didn't get sick.

And that means your blood could provide us with a cure.

It can do that? But it's only my blood.

Think of snakebites, for example.

To treat those, we dilute the blood

of someone who was poisoned

and transfuse it into the patient.

Because that infected blood remembers

how to fight against the poison,

it weakens the effects of the snakebite.

It's the same here.

Your blood was able to defeat the mittsual.

And that makes it a very powerful weapon in this fight.

I would like to wield that weapon

so we can defeat the disease.

You're right. I did survive.

But no, I did not defeat it.

The disease still lives on inside of me.

And it might even be more than that.

For all I know, the disease is keeping me alive.

"Keeping me alive."

What an odd thing to say.

I've seen so many die because of the mittsual.

Inside of this man,

I wonder what face it's chosen to wear now.

Whatever it is, I'd like to see it for myself.

Say, Van...

who is this Yuna that you're risking your life for?

Your wife?

An epidemic killed my wife a long time ago.

My son, as well.

I see. Then who is Yuna?

My daughter.

His injuries healed remarkably fast.

The strength of the Lone Antler?

Or perhaps it was because of the mittsual.

I'm a sacred doctor, vaunted throughout the land,

and yet I'm eating parasite-infested meat.

Can I borrow that?

My daughter.

Where is he?

Where's Van?

He's feeding his pyuika.

Humans do not possess the ability

to see within their own bodies.

But now you are Inside Out, so you have gained awareness.

Souls and bodies are separate from one another.

All living creatures in this world are one.

Your body is merely a vessel,

acting as an anchor for your soul.

You were bitten. Now what do you see?

Do not fear the light.

Because you are now free.

What's wrong? Are you all right?

Are your wounds aching?

No.

Sometimes I can hear the voice of the man who took Yuna.

It's odd.

I find it reassuring somehow.

And that frightens me.

Come along.

Yuna's waiting for you.

Right.

I'd be careful out here.

This far west, the people still have

a deep-seated hatred for Zol.

We will be.

Does that mean you hail from the west?

Are you sure, my lord?

Should you not be there to greet His Majesty the Emperor?

No.

The emperor has no interest in me anymore.

Come. An imperial prince still has other duties.

They've issued a decree

for our army to join their military campaign?

And they've reminded us we must prevent rebellion,

per the terms of our treaty.

Of course they did.

So remind me, who told me

Yotalu would make Zol easier to control?

My apologies, Highness.

And what would you have us do now?

We must obey the decree.

It's the only choice we have

to avoid falling foul of the emperor.

Wonderful.

How did this happen to us?

I've no excuse to offer, Your Highness.

But if we have patience, we can afford

to lose Fire Horse Village.

As long as the ossam are still alive,

we will succeed one day.

You dare speak to me of patience?

For our country,

in the interest of its future.

What about Hohsalle?

If he manages to find a cure,

that future we dream of shall never come.

The key to all of that is the man

who escaped from the salt mine.

All we have to do is remove him from the equation.

The anger of some has been reignited

by the return of the Emperor's Eyes.

And all the rumors about the mittsual coming back again

are only fanning the flames.

This land used to belong to Aquafa.

This is Zol's punishment.

The lord and his wife cared

for the people of our village a great deal,

and they were good and kind.

They were the reason our village was able

to prosper as much as it did.

Foolishness.

Sir, do you know where my mother went?

An Aquafaese curse.

There are many who call the mittsual

Zol's divine punishment.

Let's go.

I only pray that this doesn't lead

to another war breaking out.

Why was I the one to survive this disease?

The mittsual.

It kills Zolians but not Aquafaese.

There has to be a reason.

It is not mere chance.

If we look closely, we will find

the hidden threads of the true cause.

And by following those threads, we will save many lives.

Trusting that is the basis of the medical arts.

Van.

There must be a reason why you survived.

We just haven't found it yet.

These medical arts of yours,

do they just save the body?

Or the soul, too?

As long as the body is saved, the soul will be saved, as well.

Yuna saved my soul.

Without her, I'd be lost.

His soul.

The way he speaks of it,

it sounds different somehow,

compared to the soul the priest-doctors believe in.

Whoa.

It's a guide for the emperor's balloon.

He's getting closer.

The Emperor's Eyes visit.

Then we must be close.

Yes. Fire Horse Village isn't much farther from here.

This place was once protected by the mittsual.

Yet another hidden thread.

I can no longer hear the sound of any voices.

Huh.

The young ones let themselves get bitten again?

Yes, sir.

They seem to have snuck into the sanctuary at night.

They should have known better.

They're incapable of receiving the power.

Chief Ohfan, they only wished to repay you.

The fools.

They wished to succeed their king.

- Dismount your horses. - Hmm?

Stilt-walker.

High on your left.

What are you doing? We are Aquafaese, too.

Why attack us?

We can all be blinded by our fear and hatred.

I was once just like them.

A few years ago, I actually had an encounter

with Broken Antler Van.

Six Lone Antlers decimated us.

My squadron was almost wiped out.

Lucky you survived.

No, I was only a boy, so Van refused to kill me.

Sorry to make us rest here.

Not befitting of a doctor.

Van, may I ask a question?

What is she like, this Yuna of yours?

Where do I start? Yuna is...

She has small hands.

They're soft and also a bit clingy.

Her cheeks are rosy, round and warm.

Her hair is a little unruly, but...

tying it into pigtails makes her smile with delight.

She loves to smile.

She likes animals.

But insects, not so much.

She loves to drink pyuika milk.

And she knows how to milk them herself, too.

Meat tastes better when I'm around her.

She can't chew her food very well,

but she smiles when she's got a mouthful.

Sometimes when she's sleeping, she'll latch onto my back.

Holds on so tight it hurts a little bit.

I can't say I ever dreamed of being a father again,

but all I want to do is show her everything.

I want to see her grow,

to fall in love with someone, get married, and...

I want to keep watching over her all the while.

A deer whistle?

Yes.

The child you made it for isn't really yours, though.

Thanks for this.

The child, she's an orphan from a nearby village,

given to an unstable salt miner to calm her down.

Yes.

But there are things more important than blood.

Yuna is my daughter.

That's all that matters.

The way you talk reminds me

that some things are invisible to a tracker.

You'll want to travel northwest from these hot springs.

Follow the valley when you reach it.

That will lead you to Fire Horse Village.

The ossam will be waiting for you.

Your daughter will be there.

Why did you go to the trouble of bringing us out this far?

She's a survivor of the mittsual, too.

I was planning on killing the both of you.

Are you leaving?

You found yourself a good village.

Take her back when you find her.

My name's Sae, by the way.

Next time we meet, you can call me that.

When I awoke, the woman had left us.

Van said I didn't need to follow him any further,

but I still needed some of his blood.

What was that, though?

What did I see that night?

I'm curious.

That whistle you made-- I'd like to hear it.

Not really a pleasant sound, is it?

Yuna's just beyond this tunnel.

Yes. The land of the mittsual.

Wha... Hey. Wait for me!

At last, you have come, Van.

I've been waiting.

With your power, you will become one

with the village's remaining ossam.

They are the key to our future.

Come, Van.

Take your place as king.

You can rest easy.

I promise to treat the doctor as my guest.

I was starting to worry you wouldn't make it,

Broken Antler Van, leader of the Lone Antlers.

You can call me Ohfan, the chief of Fire Horse Village.

Tell me where Yuna is.

Come with me.

Chief Ohfan.

There's a Zolian camp on the Nagori plains.

Mm. You should get some rest for tomorrow.

Tell the others to do the same.

Sir.

My people have already left the village to go into hiding.

Tomorrow, everything will change.

The Zolian army will swarm in here.

Even this view will be gone.

Hey.

Olaha, what is it?

Did you know that pyuika have the blood

of Fire Horse Village, as well?

We forgot all about them.

Don't even know how to breed them.

And yet still they gather here.

This land is sacred for the pyuika, too.

So, then, what do you say

you and I reclaim this realm together?

Van? Van!

Pretty, right?

Right?

Who are you?

It's so pretty.

Pretty?

Because they glow.

The asshimi?

Are you...

Yuna.

- Ossam. - I'm sorry,

but that area is off-limits to you.

It's good to see you again, Sir Hohsalle.

We studied together in Otawalle.

My name is Shikan.

Please, sir, I need your help.

Last autumn, the so-called right-hand man

to the king of Aquafa paid a visit to this village.

He said Zolian Emperor Natalu was going to resume the visit

of the Emperor's Eyes.

He said they'd long forgotten their fear of the mittsual.

They didn't remember just how well

it protected this village.

That is why Kenoi chose to lead the ossam once again.

It was necessary, to remind the Zolians

why they should be afraid.

However, the Dog King is growing old,

and his power is unfortunately waning.

A successor needs to take his place

as the leader of the pack.

And it cannot be me,

for the mittsual has chosen you, Van.

What happened? Was this the mittsual's doing?

Yes.

But these children--

-aren't they Aquafaese? -They are.

They should have been immune to it, but they're not.

They've been infected as if they were Zolians.

But why?

I do not know.

All of them are liberated captives from Zol.

Perhaps it's because they were raised in Zolian villages.

I can't think of any other reason, unless...

maybe the disease has mutated.

They were bitten by the ossam?

Yes.

After Ohfan freed them, they wanted to repay him for it,

so they let the dogs bite them.

Let them?

Why volunteer to be bitten?

They wanted the power to become the next Dog King.

I don't understand.

The ossam can only be led

by a human who's survived one of their bites.

Someone the mittsual chooses to bestow with a special power.

Why was I the one to survive this disease?

Are you talking about Van?

Yes.

Does that mean a successor has been found?

We tried.

We weren't worthy.

But it's okay.

He found one.

Congratulations.

You did it, Chief Ohfan.

-Boil some water. -Huh?

-Do you have any ikimi? -A little, yes.

I'll teach you a combination to mix it with.

-Bring your herbs. -Right.

Damn it. Where are you, Van?

Hey, newcomer, get a move on!

Huh?

Wait, that woman.

Hey, the food! Come back!

You disobeyed my order.

Yes.

His life nullifies everything.

Letting him go means the mittsual

will no longer pose a threat.

And I don't have to explain to you what that means for us.

You disappoint me.

Take her away.

Yes, sir.

Get up.

That's the tracker woman, is it not?

Yes. It appears she lost the survivor from the salt mine.

She what?

Now all we can do is watch

as the visit of the Emperor's Eyes proceeds.

I'll ensure Ohfan's silence.

-And abandon Fire Horse Village? -Yes.

And grit our teeth as we gaze upon the emperor's smiling face.

We sacrifice far too much.

You! Tracker woman! Where is he?

- What are you... - Where is Sir Hohsalle?

Where did you leave him?

- Stop it! - Move!

I must ask that woman a question!

Help!

Hel...

By now, Sir Hohsalle and Van

should have reached Fire Horse Village.

Follow the cliffs three leagues to the north.

You'll find a secret path to the village

hidden in the mountainside.

It is morning now.

Drink this pyuika milk.

It will nourish you.

All the villagers here drink it.

And there was a time when all the people of Aquafa did.

These boys grew up as captives of Zol,

so they refuse it because they don't like the smell.

I wish I could convince them they need it.

Chief Ohfan is coming.

There you are.

You're the sacred doctor, aren't you?

You should know, Van is here for a reason.

The mittsual brought the former leader of the Lone Antlers

to this land to become its new king.

That is the will of the gods.

Only the chosen ones can survive the disease.

No! A disease is all it is,

not the will of the gods.

With the help of Van's blood, I can save those children.

Interesting.

Then you're here because you seek Van.

Very well.

I suppose all will be decided

once he has become the next Dog King.

Go, Van. Kenoi's waiting for you.

- And your daughter is with him. - No.

Don't do it, Van!

It's true. The mittsual does appear to be godly.

We can't guess when or why it'll happen.

And we don't yet know why it will spare some but kill others.

As it stands, it is far beyond our grasp.

And yet,

that does not justify giving up.

Perhaps it seems to be destiny,

but isn't fighting against destiny

how we've managed to survive this long?

Hmm. Actually, I'm quite satisfied with my destiny.

Zolian Emperor Natalu.

I'll gladly give my life to end his.

Are you willing?

Answer me, Van.

Amidst the sea of darkness, the mittsual found you.

Use it to remake our world as the Dog King.

Do that which your soul surely desires.

I lost my family,

which left me groveling in the darkness for a long time.

Until Yuna saved me.

She brought me back from the abyss.

That little girl was what saved my soul.

Yuna!

She is favored by the ossam, as well.

Like you, she has been given the power to become their ruler.

This is the answer you seek.

Give in to it, Van.

- No. - Hmm?

This is no place for her to live.

And I want to live on with her, so I must continue to resist.

I cannot be the Dog King.

Why not?

If you will not succeed me,

why do you possess that power?

Dada?

You came back.

Huh?

Sir Hohsalle!

At last, I found you.

-You came an awfully long way. -We have to go.

This may be the only chance we have to escape.

Hold on.

Where is that Van fellow?

Van.

Uh... huh?

Yuna.

Huh?

Don't be afraid.

He's right.

I'm not trying to hurt him.

I brought you this just in case.

Could it be of use?

How thoughtful of you.

It's quite useful. Thank you.

Take some blood from the sickest child.

Right.

We'll dilute that and give it to the others.

Not to worry. I'm only taking a little.

Ah. Pretty.

She said the same about the asshimi.

That's a dog bite.

They got her, too?

Kenoi.

Mount your horses!

You must succeed me.

What's going on?

No. Stand down.

Sir Hohsalle!

Stop this, please, Van.

The mittsual must not perish.

- Dearest. - Father.

-My darling. -Father.

Be strong.

You're you. Don't forget that.

My family.

I have no choice!

Sir Hohsalle!

Please forgive me.

Yuna.

Yuna, no.

Sir Hohsalle, you should come look at the children.

Olaha.

The lightning did no damage to our forces, my lord.

Line up!

We will assume battle formation.

And as soon as you give the order,

we will blast open the entrance to the valley.

What is this?

No one gave the order yet.

All right. This one first.

Here, I've got more.

Think, Hohsalle.

What must you learn from this illness?

Are we under attack?

You foolish followers of Zol!

We'll show you the truth!

We'll bring you to your senses!

Let them taste Aquafa's loyalty to the emperor.

You didn't bring the dogs with you, Ohfan?

Wise decision.

Pray for the future they will bring us

when you get to the next world.

Tohlim...!

Yuna.

The king! Go!

Protect the king now!

Guess they can't call you

his right-hand man now.

What are they doing?

The dogs!

He did bring them. That fool.

So be it, then.

Onward!

We will take the head of Emperor Natalu!

You must be the new queen.

- Arm yourselves! - Dogs!

The ossam have come!

- The mittsual! - The Aquafaese curse!

Is there anything to drink?

Ah. Here we go.

- What is this? - That's pyuika milk.

She loves to drink pyuika milk.

And she knows how to milk them herself, too.

There was a time when all the people of Aquafa drank it.

But these boys don't like the smell.

Before the Zol invasion,

all the Aquafaese drank pyuika milk.

Just like Van and Yuna.

But the Zolians never did.

And once they were under Zolian rule,

some Aquafaese abandoned the custom.

They're glowing.

Glowing asshimi.

Van's blood.

Linked together by pyuika milk.

Van's blood glows because it has mittsual antibodies.

That's it.

It's the asshimi.

It enables the production of mittsual antibodies.

No! Hold your fire!

Come, Yuna. Let's go.

Yuna.

Dada?

Finally.

I am more than ready to die for my queen.

Go forth. Carry on.

Run through the forest,

and no matter how long it takes you,

make use of the disease to kill every last one of these Zolians.

Riders, after them.

Van.

They can't escape. Hunt down those dogs.

-You need to shoot that man. -What?

The pyuika rider, right there.

Do it now.

Right.

That woman.

Why is she helping that man escape?

Hmm?

Wait, where are you going?

Stop! The battlefield is not our place.

Not again.

Keep going, Olaha. I need you to dig deep for me.

Yuna!

Dada.

Dada, I found you.

And I like you.

Dada?

-Yuna. -Hmm?

Thank you.

Dada?

They're waiting for you.

Back at the village.

Tohma and the lady and everyone?

I made you a promise.

Ah!

You'll go on to meet many people

throughout the course of your life.

Your place is with them.

And with you!

Dada?

Wait! Stop!

Let me come with you, Dada!

Take me!

Dada, I want to come with you!

Please!

Where's Dada?

When is Dada going to come back?

Hey. What was that just now?

Hmm?

Announcing Dr. Hohsalle Yuguraul

of the Otawalle Academy.

He has returned from a rigorous journey

with a cure for the mittsual.

-Calm down, Makokan. -Huh?

You're scaring people.

It's a bit hard to believe

anyone could've discovered a cure.

-Is it true? -Yes.

But if troops advance on Fire Horse Village,

it will be lost to us.

It'd be wise to call them back.

You're saying we retreat?

That doesn't mean you've been defeated.

The visit from the Emperor's Eyes

has still been a great success.

I'm just asking you to believe in me,

which means you have to believe in Van.

♪ It's time to give up ♪

♪ But I just don't wanna ♪

♪ Maybe I'm just too much ♪

♪ But I can't forget your touch ♪

♪ There's one reason to love ♪

♪ A million reasons to leave ♪

♪ I miss you, I miss you now ♪

♪ But you'll never, you'll never know ♪

♪ It's time to get up ♪

♪ I still remember your love ♪

♪ Maybe I'm just too much ♪

♪ But I can't forget your touch ♪

♪ There's one reason to love ♪

♪ A million reasons to leave ♪

♪ I miss you, I miss you now ♪

♪ But you'll never, you'll never know ♪

♪ I won't ever let you go ♪

♪ It's still the same in my dreams ♪

♪ Don't leave me lonely ♪

♪ I wanna hold you tight ♪

♪ I won't let you go ♪

♪ No, I won't let you go ♪

♪ There's one reason ♪

♪ To love you ♪

♪ Still I'm calling your name ♪

♪ I miss you, I miss you now ♪

♪ But you'll never, you'll never know ♪

♪ There's one reason to love you ♪

♪ Still I'm calling your name out ♪

♪ I miss you, I miss you now ♪

♪ But you'll never, you'll never know. ♪