Tales of the Abyss (anime)

The 26 episodes of the Japanese anime series Tales of the Abyss are jointly produced by Bandai Visual, Namco, and Sunrise, and are based on the Playstation 2 game of the same name. Directed by Kenji Kodama, the first episode premiered in Japan on Tokyo MX TV on October 3, 2008, where the series is on-going. The episodes also air on Animax, MBS, BS11, and CBC.

Two pieces of theme music are used for the episodes, one opening theme and one ending theme. The opening theme, "Karma" by Bump of Chicken, is the original opening theme for the source game. The ending theme is "Bouken Suisei" (冒険彗星?) by Kurumi Enomoto.

The anime has recently been licensed in the U.S by Bandai Entertainment.

Episode 1
"World of the Score"

"Sukoa no Sekai" (預言の世界)

Release Date: October 3, 2008

Luke fon Fabre is the son of the duke of the Kimlasca Kingdom. Before his teacher, Master Van, leaves to search for Fon Master Ion they have one last session. While dueling, a mysterious woman attacks them. Luke defends Van and inexplicably teleports with the woman half way across the world. The woman introduces herself as Tear Grants. She and Luke get a ride to the capital.

Episode 2
"Sacred Beast Woods"

"Seijuu no Mori" (聖獣の森)

Release Date: October 5, 2008

Luke and Tear find out that they are in Malkuth. They go to Engeve, and Luke is blamed for the recent food robberies. After being taken to the mayor, Rose, they meet Ion, the Fon Master of the Order of Lorelei who is supposed to be missing and Anise. Luke and Tear go to the Cheagle Woods to confront the cheagles. They meet Ion again at the entrance, and he accompanies them. When confronting the cheagles, they learn that a cheagle accidentally set fire to the ligers' home. Now they must steal food to feed the ligers so they are not eaten. Fon Master Ion, Luke, and Tear decide to talk to the Liger Queen. Mieu, the cheagle who set fire to the liger's home, goes with them and acts as a translator. After defeating them with help from Jade, a Colonel in the Malkuth military, Mieu is exiled from the Cheagle Woods and must serve Luke for a full cycle of the seasons. Luke and Tear are then arrested by the Malkuth military.

Episode 3
"Oracle Knights Attack"

"Orakuru Raishuu" (神託の盾来襲)

Release Date: October 12, 2008

Luke reveals himself to be the son of the duke of Kimlasca and is then asked to deliver a peace treaty to the king of Kimlasca. On their way to Kimlasca however, the Tartarus is attacked by a large number of Griffins and Ligers. They were attacked by Largo the Black Lion and Jade ends up getting hit by a fon slot seal. Anise were to take Fon Master Ion and escape, while Jade manage to defeat Largo after getting hit by the fon slot seal. Ion and Anise were to flee but Ion was captured by the Oracle knights and Anise was seen thrown off the Tartarus. Luke, Tear and Jade are then locked up in the ambush on the bridge but they were able to shut down the Tartarus. Their next move is to retrieve the Ion, which was successful due to the appearance of Guy, a servant in Fabre's manor. Guy's phobia is first shown here. The party is attacked by Oracle Knights and Luke refuses to kill any soldiers which result in wounding Tear, who was trying to protect him.

Episode 4
"The Hidden Truth"

"Kakusareta Shinjitsu" (隠された真実)

Release Date: October 19, 2008

Tear awakens after the attack, and heals herself. The party learns that Anise has already moved to the second location which is Kaitzur. Luke learns that Van is also at Kaitzur and is determined to head there immediately. The party meets up with Anise who is seen trying to enter Kaitzur but it seems she had lost her passport. Van enters and Tear readies her weapon causing a scene. Ion explains what happen so far to Van, Tear seems untrusting of her brother. It is revealed that Tear is assigned my Mohs to look for the Seventh Fonstone. Arietta kidnaps the engineer at the Kaitzur Port and tells everyone to bring Luke and Ion to Coral Castle. Two young men beg the Fon Master to rescue the engineer, who then agrees. Guy had another reaction when Anise hug him from behind, while entering the Castle. Luke is then kidnapped not long after that, and everybody was attacked by Arietta the Wild and her monster friends, in which the party finds out that the Liger Queen they had killed was her mother. Dist and Sync did something to Luke while everybody takes on Arietta and Guy manages to go find Luke first. Guy then attacks Sync, who fled the scene right after, and gives a fon disc dropped by Sync to Jade, who appeared shocked looking at the Fon machinery Luke was found in. The party then departs Kaitzur and headed to Baticul.

Episode 5
"Chosen Hero"

"Erabareshi Eiyuu" (選ばれし英雄)

Release Date: October 26, 2008

Jade discuss with everybody what on the Fon Disc. He explains that the Fon Disc contains information about Lorelei, the aggregate sentience of the Seventh Fonon who's existance is hypothetical. Luke still do not comphrehend the information given in which Tear learns that Luke had to recall everything he had lost such as remembering his parent's faces and words. The ship was then attacked by an unknown fontech signiture, and the party rushes outside to see the problem. Only to be greeted by Dist the Reaper, one of the God-Generals, in which Jade calls him Dist the "Runny". Dist demands the return of the Fon Disc that was taken from Choral Castle. He successfully snatch the disc from Jade only to find out that Jade has already memorized the contents within the disc, enraging him even further. Kaizer Dist R was summoned and was soon damaged by Splash casted by Jade. Van shows up and destroys the Fontech along with Dist, who was seen falling in the ocean. Jade commented on the fact that Dist has the tenacity of a cockroach. Luke releases hyperresonace later in the evening, scaring him. Van tells him to calm down and tells him that the reason why he was holed up in his manor because the King wanted to use him as a weapon of Kimlasca. The party enters Baticul and was greeted by Commander Goldberg and Brigadier General Cecille. They are taken to the castle of Baticul where they interrupt a meeting between the King and Grand Maestro Mohs. The letter from Emperor Peony the Ninth was delivered and King Ingobert considers the letter. The party heads to the manor where Luke lives only to be greeted by Princess Natalia, his fiancee. He finds out that his mother had fallen ill and visits her along with Tear who apologizes for being the cause of Luke's disapearance. Luke is asked to be the good-willed ambasador of Kimlasca and head to Akzeriuth, since Malkuth asks for the aid of Kimlasca along with the peace treaty. Luke accepts the offer. Kimlasca sends Guy, the Order of Lorelei sends Tear and Van, and Jade is to accompany them as well. Van talks to Luke later in the afternoon and tells Luke that he will cause war if he were to move people out of Akzeriuth. Luke then learns that it was Van, not Malkuth, kidnapped Luke in the past now he asks Luke to run away with him to Daath. Natalia is seen eavsdropping on the two of them.

Episode 6
"Desert Rain"

"Sabaku no Ame" (砂漠の雨)

Release Date: November 2, 2008

The Dark Wings capture Fon Master Ion and bring him before Asch the Bloody, who bears a striking resemblence to Luke. Meanwhile, Luke and the others make preparations to leave for Akzeriuth. Van embarks on a decoy ship while Luke and the others make their way to Chesedonia by land. Learning that the God-Generals are guarding the exit to the city, Luke and the others make their way through an underground passage, where Princess Natalia joins them on their quest. Asch brings Ion to he other God-Generals aboard the Tartarus, where Luke and the others confront Asch. Luke is shocked by the fact that Asch looks the same as he does, and Asch and the God-Generals make their escape. Using a telepathic link which Asch tells Luke he should understand, Asch instructs Luke and the others to follow them to the Zao ruins.

Episode 7
"Isolation"

"Koritsu" (孤立)

Release Date: November 9, 2008

Luke and the others arrive at the Zao Ruins. Asch uses Ion to open the Daathic Seal deep within the ruins, but Luke and the others arrive before they can proceed in. Sync and Largo appear to prevent Luke and the others from interfering, and engage in battle with the party. Asch joins in the fray, engaging Luke one-on-one in a swordfight, their moves a mirror image of one another. When a final clash of their blades generates a hyperresonance that threatens to collapse the ruins, everyone flees the ruins. Later, as Luke and the others prepare to board their ship, Guy falls to the ground, clutching a strange glyph on his arm, which Ion reveals to be a curse slot placed on him by Sync. As Luke and the others proceed further on their way, they are confronted by Legretta, who scorns them for following the Score without question before leaving. As the rest of the group walks onward, Luke has a childish outburst, and Tear coldly tells him to think for himself, warning him that if he does not, he will make a mistake he will later regret.

Episode 8
"Collapse"

"Houraku" (崩落)

Release Date: November 16, 2008

Luke and the others arrive at Akzeriuth after hearing the score about Luke's destiny. There everyone except for Luke do what they can to neutralize the miasma around the area. Going into tunnel 14, Luke and Ion encounters Van who leads them to a Sephiroth. There Van tells Luke to release a hyperreasonance with the words "Foolish Replica Luke". Luke opens all of his fon slots, causing the destruction of the passage rings and Akzeriuth. Tear informs Jade that Van is trying to destroy Akzeriuth and Asch arrives at the scene too late. Tear accuses Van that he betrayed them all and Van addressing Tear as Mystearica, tells her about the folly of the world and to use the fonic hymns. Tear saves Luke and the others, but failed to protect Akzeriuth, and they fall to the Qlipoth. They go into the Tartarus, which is operational enough to go through the mud and miasma. Tear, then informs the group about the world they live in is called the Shell world. However, the Sephiroth that supports Akzeriuth was destroyed by Luke, who says it's not his fault. Everyone leaves Luke except for Mieu, who understands his pain. They arrive at Yulia City and Luke refuses to go inside the Mayor's office and is confronted by Asch, who fights Luke and wins.

Episode 9
"The Usurped One"

"Ubawareshimono" (奪われし者)

Release Date: November 23, 2008

Luke awakens to find himself in Asch's body, he then learns that perfect isofons can communicate with each other in which his fon slots were opened at Choral Castle. Asch enters the meeting room in which everybody agrees to assist him except Tear, who will stay in Yulia City. The Tartarus returns to the Outer Lands via the memory particles that cause the Sephiroth to appear where Akzeriuth had once been. The party head to Belkend where Van visits often to gather information. They enter an office where they learn that the traitor to Kimlasca, Spinoza, is still working in Belkend. Jade is then revealed to be Dr Balfour the father of fomicry. Spinoza escapes but not before mentioning Van's preservation project and leaving information leading to Ortion Cave. Guy leaves the party for Luke at Aramis Spring. Asch dreams of his past seven years ago when he was kidnapped and when Luke was born. Reaching the end of the cavern, they find out that fonimin that is mined out of the cavern covers at least a tenth of Auldrant. Data of the residents of Hod, which should have been removed by the Malkuth military, is also found. An earthquake happens and Asch tells the party that the earthquake was caused by the falling of the Runica Plains. Luke is sent back to his own body and confronts Tear about the destruction of Akeriuth. He plans to change and as proof of that he cuts his hair.

Episode 10
"Return of Atonement"

"Tsugunai no Kikan" (償いの帰還)

Release Date: November 30, 2008

Luke and Tear meet Mayor Teodoro, Tear's grandfather, and tells him about Akzeriuth's destruction. Luke introduces himself as the one who destroyed Akzeriuth and Teodoro recognizes him as the replica. Teodoro then informs them that the destruction of Akzeriuth was in the Score, which angers Luke because he couldn't save anyone. Tear tells Teodoro that Van is trying to destroy the Outer Lands, which Teodoro says that Van is being a spectator and doing a great job. Teodoro tells them to take the Yulia Road and see for themselves. Luke and Tear return to Tear's room and get supplies and Tear tells him about Van, about how much he hates the Score and wanted to destroy it. Luke, Tear, and Mieu took the Yulia Road, which leads them to the Aramis Spring and there they encounter Guy, who was waiting for them. As they leave the cave, they encounter Jade who informs Luke, Tear, and Guy that Natalia and Ion have been kidnapped. They go to Daath and encounter Anise, who like Jade, wasn't happy to see Luke in the party. They infiltrate the Oracle Knights headquarters and rescue Natalia and Ion. They then leave Daath as quick as possible in order not to attract attention.

Episode 11
"City of Falling Snow"

"Yuki Furu Machi" (雪降る街)

Release Date: December 7, 2008

While in the Tartarus, the engine breaks down forcing the group to dock in a nearby port. They end up in Kettleberg where Malkuth soldiers are surprised to see Jade alive. The group follows Jade to see the governer of the town as Ketteleberg is his hometown. On the way there, they comment on how Luke has changed a bit where Ion argues that he was always this way, it was just hard for him to show it. They reach the governer's home where the others are surprised to find out that Jade is Governer Nephry's brother. After explaining the situation to get the Tartarus repaired, they head out for the inn as Nephry calls for Luke to come back to her later. She tells him of Jade's past where Jade, in an attempt to perform a Fonic Arte using the Seventh Fonon, ended up losing control of it and killing his teacher, Professor Nebilim. In an attempt to save her, he tried to replicate her but it failed. Afterwards, he is adopted into the Curtis family. Nephry, who believes that Jade will continue to try to replecate Nebilim asks Luke to keep an eye on him. He is spotted coming back by Jade who reassures Luke that he will not replicate her due to obvious reasons. Soon the Tartarus is repaired as the group travel to Malkuth to speak with Emperor Peony.

Episode 12
"Water Metropolis"

"Mizu no Toshi" (水の都)

Release Date: December 14, 2008

Luke and the others are on the way to the Grand Chokmah. Every port is closed due to preparations for war. Since Tartarus has ever fallen to the enemy's hand before, if they approach the capital by sea, they could be attacked since Tartarus were considered as missing. Jade suggested to stop on nearby plain and walk to Grand Chokmah by land. They go through the Theor Forest and finally arrive at Grand Chokmah's entrance. The military soldiers only permitted Jade to come since he's the colonel. Even with the Fon Master Ion, they can't get through because of the war. The others decided to wait outside instead. After taking a while, Luke talks with Guy of Kimlasca and Malkuth. When they talked, they were interrupted by Largo, one of the six God-Generals. Then, suddenly Guy's curse slot began to activate and he started attacking Luke. This indicated that Sync is nearby. When Luke was cornered, the earthquake appeared and prompting Natalia to shoot at the tree branches. Sync falls, and Guy collapses. Then the Malkuth military arrived, forcing both Sync and Largo to retreat. Ion offered to remove the curse slot. Before he treated Guy, he told Luke that curse slot can only activate fully if the possessed person has a strong hatred towards certain person. Most likely because Guy has a very strong desire to kill Luke. He asks Guy about it, and Guy told him his past. He's originally from Hod, Malkuth. After that, they meet up with Emperor Peony. They were worried about the war and the falling of St. Binah. Turns out that Kimlasca has declared a war to Malkuth. Desperate to stop the war, Luke and the others volunteer to go to St. Binah and rescue the citizens before the city sinks into the Qliphoth. Although Luke and the others manage to rescue the majority of the citizens, many are still on a portion of the land as it begins to sink. As Luke bemoans his inability to save them, an airship arrives to assist in the rescue.

Episode 13
"Outbreak of War"

"Kaisen" (開戦)

Release Date: December 21, 2008

Returning from their rescue mission, the group sees that war has broken out between Malkuth and Kimlasca. Wanting to halt the war, they split into two groups to approach the rulers of the two kingdoms, with Jade, Anise and Ion going to seem Emperor Peony in Malkuth. Luke, Natalia, Tear, Guy, and Mieu go to Kimlasca, but when they arrive at Baticul, Grand Maestro Mohs declares that Natalia is not the true princess. The real daughter of the king and queen died in childbirth, but to avoid grieving the queen, her attendant replaced the dead baby with her daughter's recently born child, Merle. Denouncing Natalia as a traitor to the kingdom for being a false princess and Luke for his role in the destruction of Akzeriuth, the group is lead away, with Guy and Tear put in the dungeon and Natalia and Luke put in a private room. They are brought poison to drink to end their shame in a "dignified" fashion, but Luke destroys the glasses. Ashe frees Tear and Guy who rescue Luke and Natalia from the room.

Episode 14
"Sealed Past"

"Tozasareta Kako" (閉ざされた過去)

Release Date: December 28, 2008

Natalia, Luke, Tear, and Guy flee Baticul and reunite with Jade and the others. They travel to Belken to try to find a way stop the fallen lands from sinking into the Qliphoth. There, they learn that the liquefaction is being caused by vibrations from Auldrant's core, caused by the use of the "Planet Storm" energy distribution system. As the system cannot be shut down without rendering fonic arts and fon machines useless, they find a text that describes away to stop the vibrations. While in Belken, Guy meets with Van, revealing that Guy was once Van's master. He asks Van to stop with his plan, but Van refuses and Guy dismisses him as his servant. Leaving the Belken researchers to work on the machine, they take a measuring device and travel to the cathedral in Daath to find another a standing Sephiroth tree that they can go to measure. They meet Anise's mother, but are attacked by Arietta and her two ligers. During the battle, Ion runs over to protect a child from one of the liger's blasts, but Anise's mother takes the blast instead to protect him. She's only mildly wounded, but the battle causes Guy to remember his families death, revealing the reason behind his fear of women: he was protected from the attacking soldiers by his dying sister and maids covering his body with their own. Ion reads the closed scored, revealing that the replica Luke was not part of the original score, and that they can find a tree in Tataroo Valley. As they travel to the core, Anise chases a rare butterfly and nearly falls off a cliff, but Guy saves her only realizing after that he had touched a female. When the group reaches the Sephiroth tree, they find the passage ring has stopped. Tear walks around the path circling the tree and it suddenly restarts. As Guy gets the measurements, Luke checks on Tear who is on kneeling on the ground seemingly in pain.

Episode 15
"Their Decisions"

"Sorezore no Ketsui" (それぞれの決意)

Release Date: January 9, 2009

The group returns to Belken with the measurements. Class I's Iemon and his partner Aston have arrived. They reveal that from the measurements it seems Sephiroth trees have all weakened and all of the land will fall into the Qliphoth. Jade asks the researches to build a device to stop the vibrations, and says they will use the Tartarus to drop it into the core. Then the lands can safely descend into the miasma without danger. The group goes to rest at the Inn, but Luke questions whether they should be making the decision on their own as it will drastically change the world. He feels they should speak with his Uncle and Emperor Peony first. Natalia is scared to return to Baticul and goes off alone to think, so the others go on to the inn to wait until she has time to think. That night, Luke sees her go out alone. He follows her to the coast where Asch surprises her. He overhears them talking, as Asch reminds her it isn't like her to be afraid and that the citizens are her allies. He repeats the promise they made long ago, that when they grow up, they would work together to change the country forever. As Luke leaves, Tear spots him. He expresses regret over being born and tearing them apart, but Tear comforts him and remind him that without his being born, Asch would have died in Azkeriuth and that he has his own life to live. In the morning, Natalia rejoins the others and they go to Baticul where Ion requests audience with Inogbert and threatens that Daath will not longer read Kimlasca's score if Natalia is barred from entering. Luke reminds his uncle that their seventeen years as a family is evidence that Natalia is his daughter, regardless of her birth. Natalia begs him to stop the war as does Ion. Mohs tries to interfer, but Ion orders him to be quiet and the others also speak up on Natalia's behave. Finally Natalia's words reach Ingobert and he agrees to the peace treaty with Malkuth and the plan to lower the lands. Mohs and his advisor try to change his mind, but he orders them not to disrespect his daughter, then thanks Natalia for reminding him of his own love for his country. Embracing the crying Natalia, he reclaims her as his daughter. Emperor Peony also agrees to reconsider the peace treaty. At Luke's suggestion, the peace treaties are signed in Yulia City. Guy interrupts and puts his sword to the Emperor, asking if will keep his word now when he did not keep his word regarding Hod. There he learns that Kimlasca did not destroy Hod, but Malkuth did as it was being used for fonic experiments. Van, a test subject at the time, created a hyperresonence destroying the city at the age of 11. Maluth said it was Kimlasca to avoid revealing their research. Guy sheaths his sword. Later, Luke asks Guy if he truly doesn't want revenge and Guy promises all he wanted was the truth, not revenge. The treaty is finalized and the group leaves Yulia City to begin the operation to stop the vibrations.

Episode 16
"The Core Entry Operation"

"Chikaku Totsunyū Sakusen" (地核突入作戦)

Release Date: January 16, 2009

The device to neutralize the core vibration installed on the Tartarus, and the Albiore is loaded onto the ship as well so the group will be able to escape the core before being crushed by the pressure. As they prepare to leave, Major Legretta arrives and the Oracle Knights have taken over the port. The builders help them escape; Iemon and Tamara are killed by Legretta for their actions. At the port, the rest of the builders put the Oracle Knights to sleep to save the Tartarus. Van arrives, with Spinoza who was the one who told them about the plan. Van reveals that he knows humanity will die and that it was his plan all along, as he feels they are nothing but puppets living by the store. He will clear the entire world and recreate it all from "nothingness" using replicas. Jade and Tear argue that its impossible as replicas can't be maintained for long and that there are not enough Seventh Fonons, but Van says destroying Lorelei will fix that problem. Legretta and the rest arrive. The group runs away as Aston, Cathy, and Henken, the remaining builders, throw themselves in front of Van and are killed. On the Tartarus, the others mourn the deaths of the builders. Luke is angry that Tear says it isn't the time to cry, but Guy assures him she wants to cry too. After the group enters the core, they set up the device. As the flee to the Albiore, they are confronted by Sych, who used the distraction provided by Van and Legretta to get on board. During the battle, Luke, determined not to die, shatters his mask, revealing that he looks just like Ion. The group is shocked to that both Synch and Ion are replicas. Ion is the seventh replica of the original Fon Master Ion having been created two years ago. The original Ion was sick and dying, so Van and Mohs made replicas. The ones with the closest abilities were kept, while ones like Sync were considered trash and thrown away to be used by Van. Ion tries to convince him that his life has more meaning than that, but Sync, saying his usefulness is now at an end, throws himself from the ship and into the core. Ion cries soundlessly and without realizing he is. Ion says its the first time he has ever cried or felt sadness. As the group again heads to the Albiore before time runs out, Luke is beseiged by a voice again and collapses in pain. Tear tries to heal him, and the voice, calling her a descendent of Yulia, borrows her body. It reveals that it is Lorelei and that that Luke is one of his perfect isofons. He tells him that something is draining his power and that he is trapped, requesting Lukes help. Tear collapses and the voice fades. The group escapes from the core in the Albiore just in time, but Tear remains unconcious and Natalia's healing powers have no affect. They take her Belkend for treatment. The doctor says her body has absorbed seventh fonons contaminated by the miasma, with Jade deducts happens each time Tear interacted with the Passage Rings during the actions to lower the lands. The doctor warns if she continues doing so, she'll die.

Episode 17
"Overture to Collapse"

"Hourai no Jokyoku" (崩壊の序曲)

Release Date: January 23, 2009

The group reluctantly agrees that they must take Tear with them to lower the lands, as she is the only one who can activate the passage rings. Spinoza approaches them, expressing his regret that his desire to do his own research resulted in the deaths of his friends. Anise doesn't want to believe him and doesn't understand why Luke and the others agree to trust him. Jade asks Spinoza to help them with the mission. Luke visits Tear and she acts like she is fine with dying. He yells at her for not being honest, then refuses to leave as she begins shaking only agreeing to turn around so he doesn't "see" her. In the morning the group goes to the Meggiora Highlands, where Tear activates the passage ring and nearly collapses again. She insists on continuing and they go on to the desert ruins where she faints after activating its passage ring. By the end of the day, they have only one Sephiroth left to activate and Spinoza has confirmed that they can seal the miasma. At camp that night, they realize Van must have somehow found and read the Seventh Fonstone. Guy remembers Van taking him to a "secret place" in Hod as a child and realizes now that it contains something that may be the fonstone. That night, Van approaches Tear and asks her to stop activating the passage rings, revealing that his body is also being affected. He again asks her to join him, but reflecting on her friends, she refuses. Asch interrupts and attacks Van. The others arrive just as Asch is badly wounded by Van. Van asks why he wants to save a world that left him despair. While he hates the world and wants the score destroyed, Asch says he has something precious he wants to protect, which Natalia realizes is her. Van tells him still needs him, not Luke, then turns again to Tear. Tear tells him to kill her and make a replica, since all he wants is a world of them. Van retreats and tells Asch to meet him at the Absorption Gate. Asch runs after him, refusing to allow Natalia to heal his wound. At the camp, Tear resolves to fight her brother to the end. In the morning, they go to Mount Roneal where the last passage ring is located, traveling through Keterberg as they can't land the Albiore in the avalance ridden area. While in Keterberg, they find Dist throwing a tantrum about being left behind. Jade turns him over to the military police after taking him into a alley and making him talk through unknown means. As the group continues, Ion and Luke discuss being replicas and Ion admits that he once felt like Sync, that he was nothing but a replacement that could die without regard. Luke isn't sure what he wants, but Ion tells him he will discover the answer after he is free from Van. Legretta, Arietta, and Largo attack. Realizing they are running out of time, Jade uses his fonic arts to cause an avalanche. The group gathers around Tear who creates a shield to protect them, while the soldiers and the God-Generals are pushed off a cliff. Afterwards they find themselves at the door to the passage ring. After the last ring is activated, something goes wrong and Jade realizes that the ring held a trap to cause the ring's activation to reverse the particle flow and accelerate the land collapse.

Episode 18
"Absorption Gate"

"Abusoobu Geeto" (アブソーブゲート)

Release Date: January 30, 2009

Everyone rests before they set off the make the particle flow normally. Luke and Natalia make a promise to change the country together renewing their promise that, until now, Luke never knew. After Luke speaks to Tear about Van, Guy tells Luke that he too is suffering because of Van being his childhood friend. The next morning the group head off to the last ring. Luke runs into Asch and seeing how Asch is badly injured, Luke promises that he will kill Van for Asch. The group goes off to the Absorption gate where an earthquake seperates Luke and Tear from the rest. On their way to Van, Tear tells Luke that she still has trouble fighting Van but resolves to end his life. They meet Van at the ring and Van tells Luke of why he was created and Luke and Tear prepare to fight him. As Van gains the upper hand everyone comes and together they defeat him. Van then jumps off the side of the ring and Luke prepares to use Resonance to change the flow of the particles. Everything goes well until Luke begins to lose power and weakens until Asch provides Luke with more power and they successfully change the flow of the particles. Afterwards, Luke's body is beseiged and Lorelei speaks to him and tells him that he will give Luke the key to free him. Also that the one who wants power is trying to capture him. Lorelei tries to say more but Luke faints and the show skips to a month later. Everyone returns to their homelands and Luke goes back to Batical in his room, this time feeling out of place in the manor. His mother walks in to talk to him but backs away saying that he's just a replica, not her real son. She senses this early on and arranges something special for Luke. Luke goes outside and meets Noelle and she takes him to see Tear. Tear tells him that Van's sword is missing and that one of the Six God Generals may still be alive. So they go to Daath, wanting to ask Fon Master Ion.

Episode 19
"Final Score"

"Saigo no Sukoa" (最期の預言)

Release Date: February 6, 2009

In Daath, Luke and Tear are reunited with Anise, who gets them an audience with Ion. Jade and Guy are already there, and Luke asks if Asch has been buy. They tell them about the Planet Storm's activity increasing, which was Van's original plan, and the missing sword. Jade and Luke reveal that Dist escape from prison and rescued Mohs from the ship carrying him to trial. Malkuth's troops was attacked by unknown forces carrying the Kimlascan banner. General Friggs was fatally wounded, but made it back to rport that the troops had empty eyes as if they were dead. The group agrees they should go to speak with King Inogbert about someone framing Kimlasca. Anise attempts to discourage him from going, then runs from the room and asks them to go on with out her. Outside, they run into Natalia who came to ask Ion to officially complain about Malkuth's forces attacking Kimlasca. They explain the apparent framing to her, and Jade believes they may be replicas to impersonate both kingdoms to restart the war. As they speak,Tear collapses from her worsening condition because of the miasma built up in her body. Ion says he could remove it, but that there is a problem. Before he can explain, Anise runs in and tells them miasma is everywhere then drags him from the room. Outside, Anise and Ion are gone, and they find Arietta who begs them to save Ion from Anise, explaining that Anise has taken Ion to the Sephiroth in the cathedral to read the Seventh Fonstone, which would kill Ion. The group finds them with Mohs where they learn that Anise has been spying for Mohs because he is holding her parents hostage. Mohs and Anise escape through a passageway with Ion, with Arietta managing to pass through the door before it closes. The others are confronted by a group of replicas of people they knew, including one of Guy's sister. Tear uses a fonic hymn to put them to sleep, but it causes her to get collapse again. On Anise's doll they find a letter from her apologizing and telling them how to reach the Sephiroth. They quickly travel to Mount Zeloh, where Ion is reading the score. After they dispose of Moh's troops, Luke runs to Ion to stop him. Ion tells him the last of the score before the fonstone shatters and Mohs escapes. Ion tells Luke he read the score for him, as a way to help him see his own path. Ion takes the miasma out of Tear and into his body. As Ion dies, he tells Anise he understood and calls her his most cherished, then disappears. At Daath, Anise explains to Luke that her parents were tricked and Mohs used their debt to force Anise to obey. Luke holds her as she cries over Ion.

Episode 20
"Forest Gravestone"

"Mori no Bohyou" (森の墓標)

Release Date: February 13, 2009

When Ion already died, Arietta challenged Anise to a battle since it was Anise fault in the first place that Master Ion died. There was a flashback when Arietta and the Ion were together, but she never knew the real Ion died. Arietta thought the replica of Ion was the real one. Anise and Arietta met at the Cheagle Woods. The fight starts. Arietta and her animal friends fought againest Luke and the others, while Anise and her fight. In the end, Arietta dies and Largo carried and said he'll avenge her death.

Episode 21
"Ancient Tower"

"Inishie no Tou" (古の塔)

Release Date: February 20, 2009

Luke and the others reported their investigation at the Isle of Feres to King Ingobert. After the report, Luke asked Natalia and Tear to cheer Anise up while Luke, Jade and Guy went to King Ingobert to identify Natalia's true father and it turns out to be Largo the Black Lion. However, it's not certain yet. Asch contacted Luke to meet him. Luke insisted on talking in the manor. Then, Luke let Asch meet his parents. After some arguing, Asch left Baticul and the party went to Belkend to see Spinoza. There, they found out that the miasma is spreading on an alarming rate. In order to destroy the miasma, Spinoza suggested to use Luke's hyperresonance. However, the price is high. They'll need to sacrifice 10,000 Seventh Fonists, need an amplifier, such as Sword of Lorelei, and the user must cast a controllable hyperresonance, which Luke lacks. Neither the original nor the replica can't use this method, even if the original is able to control the hyperresonance. Unfortunately, Asch heard the conversation and decided to go to the Tower of Rem and used the replicas to replace the 10,000 Seventh Fonists, since replicas' bodies are made from Seventh Fonons. Knowing that Asch might do something that they feared, they set for Tower of Rem.

Episode 22
"The One Who Vanishes"

"Kieyukusha" (消えゆく者)

Release Date: February 27, 2009

Luke and the others race to the top of the tower to stop Asch from completing his plan of sacrificing himself with the Replicas in the tower to rid the world of Miasma. As they talk it over, Dist makes his appearance once more in another machine. The others fight, but Jade gets in the last blow with Mystic Cage and kills him. Debating continues on what the Replicas have a place in the world or not afterward. Asch leaves it to them to decide to sacrifice themselves or not. At Kimlaska, Jade pointed out that with using Luke as the one to sacrifice the Replicas, they can save Asch, the original. Luke's friends, especially Tear, tries their best to talk him out of it, but Luke chose this for himself, despite the high chance that he won't survive it. The Replicas decide to go through with it as long as the ones that were not in the tower were to have a place in the world. Before Luke could begin, Asch tried to interfear, but Luke grabbed the Key of Lorelei and begun the transferance. The Seventh Fonons began dispercing, so Asch stepped in to assist him. This little teamwork showed that Luke had the Jewel of Lorelei all along as it revieled itself while Luke's body was fading like the other replicas were. A bright light filled the world as the Miasma was completly removed from the surface. With the Jewel of Lorelei in Luke's possession, Asch leaves the group again. Jade suggests that Luke get an examination in Belkend before continuing on. Luke said he was ok, but Jade knew better and so Luke told him the truth, that he was slowly dying. Only two others heard this as they were right outside the room, Tear and Meiu

Episode 23
"Sorrowful Parting"

"Kanashiki Ketsubetsu"

Release Date: March 6, 2009

Natalia is told that her father is alive and that they know where he is. She is also told his name and that he was working with Fon Master Mohs. Her father is none other than Badaq, or as he is known as now, Largo the Black Lion. Luke and the others discovered from Spinoza that they can access Auldrant by using the jewel to absorb the seventh fonons at the absorption gate, but they also have to go to the radiation gate simultaniously. So Luke, Natalia, and Guy go to the radiation gate and Tear, Jade, and Anise go to the absorption gate. When Luke, Natalia, and Guy arrive they encounter Largo, and they fight to the death. Natalia shoots an arrow in order to prevent Largo from killing Luke and it hits Largo and he dies telling Natalia that she looks like her mother. Tear, Jade, and Anise arrive at the absorption gate and they encounter Fon Master Mohs, who brings Van back from the core in exchange for the seventh fonstone. Van tells them how he came back to life and Tear and the others prepare to fight Fon Master Mohs and Tear kills him with Holy Cross. Luke then fills the key with seventh fonons and opens the road to Eldrant.

Episode 24
"The Land of Glory"                                                                                                                                                                                                          

"Eiko no Daichi"

Release Date: March 13, 2009

Luke and the others meet Emperor Peony, who informs them that both Kimlasca and Malkuth have teamed up against Eldrant and the shields on Eldrant have been removed, but it still has a superb defense system. Luke and the others prepare to infiltrate Eldrant and they take a break from there to take Florian, another replica of Fon Master Ion, to Daath. While they were leaving Grand Cokuma, they encounter Asch, who arrived because they stopped the Planet Storm. Luke was about to give him the Jewel of Lorelei and Asch got angry because Luke was acting pathetic. He leaves and the group takes Florian to Pamela and Oliver. Tear sings her fonic hymn for Ion, and Luke comes in and together they leave when the fonons on Luke's hand began to disapitate, and Tear confesses that she and Mieu overheard Luke and Jade's conversation Then the group goes to Chesedonia and they get a day's leave. Guy and Natalia stay at the harbor to talk about Asch and she asks if Guy still wants revenge, but Guy moves on and both Asch and he will start over as Asch and Gailardia. Meanwhile, Anise talks with Jade in the bar and Jade confesses that he wants to start fomicry research to make replicas more than a substitute and Anise wants to reform the Order of Lorelei. At the Albiore, Noelle stops Mieu from interfering with Luke and Tear's conversation, and Luke was about to confess something inportant, but stops. The next day, the group attempt to infiltrate Eldrant, but are unable to enter because of the superb defense system and the Albiore III appears and slams itself into the blind side of Eldrant, allowing Luke and the others to enter.

Episode 25
"Venture it All"

"Sonzai wa Kakete"

Release Date: March 20,2009

The Albiore III crashed at Eldrant's blind spot and Ginji awakens injured to find Asch going on ahead. Luke and the others find Ginji injured and Noelle takes him to the Albiore II and leaves at Luke's request. Ginji informs them that Asch has gone ahead and they search the structure and find Asch fighting an oracle soldier replica. Luke runs to Asch and both of them fall for a trap and Tear and the others find that they fell for a trap, encountering Sync and Legretta with reinforcements. They engage in battle, Tear and Jade vs Legretta and Anise and Guy vs Sync. Tear uses the fonic hymns and Jade and Guy dispatch of Legretta and Sync. They die and they wish for Van to reform the world. Luke and Asch fight over who is the better "Luke" and is better fit to kill Van. Luke emerges victorious and Asch hands him the Key of Lorelei and holds off the replicas. Luke and the others then proceed to fighting Van while Asch fights. However, Asch gets a pain in his chest because he is slowly dying and ends up getting stabbed in the back. However, Asch manages to kill the replicas and dies. Luke senses Asch's death and informs the group, and Natalia becomes heartbroken. The group encourages Natalia to continue onward as Asch would never want her to stop for his sake. With newfound strength, Natalia, Luke and the others continue to confront Van.

Episode 26
"New World"

"Arata na Sekai"

Release Date: March 27, 2009

The final showdown begins with Luke and the others against Van. Van uses the power and Lorelei and Luke uses the Key of Lorelei. But as they fight, Luke and the others realize that they stand no match against Van while he's using Lorelei's power. Realizing this, Tear asks Luke and the others to hold Van off for a little bit. Luke and the others were being overpowered, and Van was about to finish the battle when Tear uses the Grand Fonic Hymn. Luke then merges the Jewel of Lorelei with the Key, utilizing the full power of the Key, and defeats Van. Hod then begins to fall, and Luke stays behind to release Lorelei and promises to Tear that he will return. As he begins to release Lorelei, he catches Asch falling. Two years have passed since the events of Hod and the others are at the Cove of Tataroo Valley where the journey began as a memorial for Luke. Tear sings her fonic hymn and see a man resembling both Luke and Asch appear. He says that he's here to fulfill a promise to someone. Everyone goes to meet the stranger and is unsure whether it is Luke or Asch.