Shadow of the Moon, the Sea of Shadow - Chapter Eight

Shadow of the Moon, the Sea of Shadow - Chapter Eight (月の影 影の海 八章, Tsuki no Kage Kage no Umi Hasshou) is the eighth episode of the Twelve Kingdoms anime series.

Summary
At the Kou Palace, King Kou is speaking with Yuka about how Youko is still alive. Kourin is there on a bed and Yuka gasps, King Kou tells her that she's a good Kaikyaku which is why he didn't kill her. He tells Yuka she can't approach Youko with a face she'll recognize. Kou tells Kourin to give the order to her hinman and kourin calls on Setsugo. Yuka begins to scream on the ground, and Kou walks away.

Afterwards, Yuka gets up and Kourin tells Yuka to leave that she may be able to go home. When Yuka stands up, her face has changed. She then begins to notice that Kourin is sick with splotches on her skin and runs out of the room holding on to her sword.

On a large flying bird, a man who is riding the beast for her tells her that the hinman will translate the language for her. Yuka asks why Youko is going to En. He tells her that they all go to En and when she asks why, he gives her no answer.

On the ground, the man tells Yuka that they're burning the whole village down because of the plague. He tells her it's not that out of the ordinary. When they get to a town, the man says she not on the ship and Yuka says there are too many people.

Yuka goes to see a play and notices that it's different from the last one she saw. Gyokuyou comes up to her and asks if she's ever seen Shinki. Gyokuyou tells her that it's a story about how the worlds were born and created by Tentei. She says that the gods chose five gods and twelve people and turned everything else into people. Yuka then realizes that this isn't China because of the mythology and wonders where she is.

She leaves and looks back, watching as the people take off their masks and notices Youko. Yuka tells him that they're leaving tomorrow and says that she's going to go on the ship tonight.



The Shusei family says that they will be going to En and they invite Youko to join them. She accepts, though she feels uneasy because Koutetsu still doesn't accept her.



Yuka is on the ship and sits next to a boy. Yuka looks out as Gyokuyou calls for Youko and Yuka realizes that she might not be on the ship. Youko is in the forest where she confronts Koutetsu, thinking he is someone else. She asks if he was following her. He realizes that she doesn't want to go on the ship because if she gets caught, the rest of them will be in trouble. He tells her thanks and wanted to make sure to tell her that. He tells her that she's been doing her best and wants her to follow him. He tells her to go on the boat, he says they'll take her to Fugou and she can catch up on the ship as she gets there. He gives her something and says that it is proof that she is a Shusei and that she doesn't belong to any kingdom. He tells her that it belonged to his sister and he doesn't want her to end up the same way she did. She thanks him and begins to go, watching as Koutetsu walks off.



The boy Yuka was sitting next to walks out and he tells her that he didn't feel comfortable, he changed into a cat and tells her that there's not that many Hanjyuu in Kou because King Kou doesn't like them. Yuka tells him that it's not all King Kou's fault, it's the Kaikyaku who bring all the famine. The hanjyuu says that he thinks a Shitsudou will happen, and that it starts when the Kirin becomes ill first. He points and says that after that island it's not Kou anymore, and then they're onto the kingdom of En.



At night the little boat Youko was on reaches the boat and they hand her some food as she begins to thank them.



Yuka comes out in the morning and looks around the boat, listening to why some people left and notices Youko. Her face becomes hard and she begins to grab at her sword. The cat hanjyuu is attacked by some men who don't like the way he looks. He tells them that they are going away from Kou to a place where anyone can do whatever they want. He then brings up how he heard them talking earlier, and how they are officials from Kou and asks why they're escaping. They begin talking about how he's a criminal and how they'll take him back to Kou. Yuka tells them that it's enough, saying that she's the chosen one. Youko comes up and begins to do her kaikyaku performance and tells them that they are the Shusei.

He hands her back her shusei amulet when they're in hiding and Youko tells her that she did what she wanted to do. Youko talks about how she used to be a coward. Yuka says it's too late that it took Youko so long to realize it as she leaves. The parrot tells Yuka that he will handle it from here. Kourin tells him to wait because of the people on the ship and that waking the youma in the sea might hurt the people on the ship. Yuka pleads for Kourin to let her do it.

Youko runs out as crow youma fill the sky. Yuka is outside in the rain and asks if Youko is leaving. She says that the Youma have come for her and that if she leaves, they won't attack the ship. Yuka is angry and says that if she dies here and now, everyone will be okay. Youko realizes that it's Yuka and wonders what happened to her face. She says that she's the sole warrior that must defeat the evil kaikiaku and Yuka says she doesn't want to go back now. They fight and Yuka realizes that Youka has changed, but it's too late. Soon the people on the ship are all being attacked and as one of the officials from Kou is about to be attacked, the cat hanjyuu jumps in the way.

Yuka is swinging her sword, wishing for the youma to retreat while calling out to her hinman and soon a serpent in the water begins to come out towards the ship. It is electric and large. It soon kills all the crow youma in the sky and the hinman comes out of Yuka's body speaking to her, its voice soon changes to Kourins who tells her that is a youma that eats other youma, Jyouyou and then the hinman dies telling Yuka to get out of there. The serpent youma flies into the sky and leaves the boat tattered and broken.

The people go up to the cat boy's body, and they notice that he tries to protect those guys and he died in the process. Youko tells Yuka what happened. Yuka can't understand the people now and soon faints. She wakes up on a mat now at En.