By Caldina presses forward with the intent of defeating the Knights while Ascot tries to stop her. Caldina says she sees Ascot as her little brother so she wants to get lots of money so they can live together. She leaves him behind and says she’ll get the Magic Knights for sure. Umi asks how many more mountains they’re going to have to climb and Mokona indicates there are four more. They hear Caldina’s voice and are attacked by bats. Fuu gets separated from the others and Caldina appears before them. They introduce themselves and Caldina assures Hikaru and Umi that they’ll meet up with Fuu again. She reveals her connection to Zagato and puts the other two under a spell. Ascot hears Fuu fall down a hole and he chases the bats away. Fuu calls out for Hikaru and Umi but is blown away by a strong wind. She gets up to see Hikaru and Umi standing there. They attack her but Fuu dodges most of the blows. Caldina appears to taunt her.
Caldina explains that Hikaru and Umi are under her control. She says that Zagato will give her lots of money if she defeats the Magic Knights so it’s nothing personal. Hikaru and Umi resume their attack and Caldina wonders why Fuu won’t fight back. Fuu says it’s because they’re her precious friends so she can’t hurt them. Caldina strengths her charm and Fuu wonders what to do. Mokona appears and projects Clef’s image onto a rock. Clef reminds her that the strength of one’s will determines everything in Cephiro and to shake off her doubts. Fuu creates the Winds of Admonishment spell to bind her friends in wind. She attacks Caldina with her sword, but Caldina blocks it. She uses another dance to force Fuu to attack her friends. Before Fuu can deal a finishing blow Ascot gets in the way. He tries to talk Caldina out of killing the Knights but Caldina petrifies him. Fuu asks why she did that and Caldina explains that she doesn’t want Ascot’s hands stained with blood. Caldina has Fuu move to finish off the others with her magic but Fuu manages to resist enough to blow Caldina away. Fuu heals her friends and Caldina asks why she lost. Fuu admits that Caldina is stronger, but she’s not willing to risk her life for money while Fuu is willing to give her life for her friends. Caldina asks how that can be when she hasn’t known them for long but Fuu says that time doesn’t matter. She points out that Ascot tried to save Caldina as well and Caldina frees him from her spell. Caldina admits her loss and says Fuu has stirred her soul more than Zagato has. She explains that Zagato’s goals are unknown because ruling an unstable land full of monsters is pointless. When Caldina asked Zagato why he doesn’t have Emeraude keep praying and give ruling power to him, Zagato answered that he has something more valuable than Cephiro. Hikaru and Umi wake up and Fuu assures them that Caldina isn’t their enemy anymore. After promising to meet again Ascot flies off with Caldina. Mokona returns to the girls and Fuu wonders what’s more important than Cephiro.
Another strong episode and it’s not as flawed as the previous. Fuu has to fight her brainwashed friends and is able to summon the will to incapacitate them without hurting them. Normally that might be the end of it but Caldina turns the tables and forces Fuu to attack her now helpless friends instead. Naturally the power of friendship trumps all and it turns out all right in the end. Thanks to Ascot’s help, Caldina even decides to cut all ties with Zagato. She gives some insight into Zagato’s motives and makes a valid point. What purpose is there in ruling a land on the brink of destruction? What could be more important than Cephiro? We’re sure to find out.
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