Twilight of the Golden Witch – Part IV
This is part IV of the Twilight of the Golden Witch summaries.
Battler vs. Erika, Beato vs. Ange (The Locked Room Battles)
– The rules of the locked rooms are again stated. Two people are locked in the room by a chain at the same time. The chain must be set from the inside. It cannot be removed by normal means from the outside. In this locked room, Erika and Battler will fight and only one will come out.
– (This battle is a theoretical room in which one of them is the murderer, a back and forth contention of one murdering the other. They defend their own deaths. If one of them manages to defend their side that they were killed inside the room with the murderer inside the room, the murderer is trapped inside the room.)
– In blue Battler says that Erika Furudo died by aan accidental manner such as sickness and and suicide, but not murder. In red Erika replies that Erika did not not accidentally such as suicide or sickness because she was killed by Battler.
– In blue Battler says that Erika was murdered by a poison gas from a gap in the door and she then died of suffocation or drowning. Erika replies in red that she did not bie from suffocation or drowning.
– Blue and red clash. In blue Erika says that Battler died accidentally such as suicide or sickness. In red Battler replies that Battler died by stabbing. He was stabbed at the back with a lethal weapon. I red he adds that Erika stabbed battler in the back with a knife.
– In the chapel Ange and Beato are locked in a red barrier.
– In red Beato says that the room is a complete secret room, and that you cannot use the windows to leave because you can only leave through the door. Ange accepts her challenge.
1998
– Hachijou discusses a price of 10 million yen for the manuscript regarding Rokkenjima. The publisher is shocked at her demand, to which she replies she doesn’t trust them with it. The publisher tries to flatter her about her cat and her cake and tea.
– The black cat on her shelf purrs at the publisher. She says she will write a new manuscript, however she will remain anonymous. The publisher is thankful.
– The cat jumps down as the scene shifts to the metaworld. Bern (who was the cat) talks about what they will do with the manuscript. Her servants says the publisher has left. She returns to her study where the manuscript is. She and Bern talk about the labor needed to write a story. Hachijou continues to write. The clock ticks as the light shines into the room. Bern talks about the feelings people get when they read it.
– Hachijou says this is dedicated to some person’s child. She dedicates it specifically to a person who will read it. Bern says that this is something Ange might want to see, but Hachijou says she wants to make something better than simply looking for the One Truth. She says that she promised that person’s child that the story is for the very purpose.
– Bern says that this really isn’t what Ange is looking for. She wants something like Eva’s diary. Hachijou says she is getting old, and that she can see the meaning between Knowing and Not Knowing. She says that it is possible to move from Not Knowing to Knowing, but not from Knowing to Not Knowing. Some metaphysical talk that’s a bit hard to understand so I’ll skip some of it.
– Hachijou speaks of writing and reading the story initially as an escape from boredom. She speaks of Beato’s story and the need to know the truth behind it. She says it is up to Ange whether she can live with Knowing or is better of Not Knowing. Hachijou will stop writing and let Ange weave the tale herself now. She will just record now.
– The servant knocks and Bern goes back to cat form. Hachijou checks her drawer for the key, the same one Ange has.
Battler vs. Erika, Beato vs. Ange
– Erika demands that Battler repeat that a closed room is defined as a room that does not allow a way in or out. Battler refuses.
– In blue Erika says that it is possible to restore a chain after being destroyed. It is possible to restore the door after destruction. It is possible to restore the wall after destruction. Battler in red says that restoring anything in the closed room is impossible.
– Erika says that they cannot stop Ange from getting to the book as a Witch of Truth. He says that knowing the truth of 1986 isn’t everything. Red and blue blades clash.
– Battler says that regardless of what the truth is, whether you like it or not, whether it is good or bad, it doesn’t change the fact that Ange is alive.
– He says that she can still change her life beyond Rokkenjima, 1986. Erika says that being faced with the unknown troubles people.
– He says that only sadness awaits her with the book. The wounds of the past will only open again. He wants to free her from the chains that bind her.
– In the chapel, Beato says in red that all of the blue (Ange’s) is denied by the red truth. The closed room cannot be broken by the presented methods. Ange is pushed back. She tries to find a way to counter.
– Beato continues to beat down her blues. She asks Ange to surrender. Ange refuses to surrender. She says she will find the truth as the last member of the Ushiromiya Family.
– Beato repeats how even Battler has come to terms with the events of 1986. He wants her to look forward and not backward. Ange says she needs to know the truth to continue living. She claims that she has exchanged her life for the power to fight from bern, and to live she needs to achieve the goal of reaching to diary.
– In red Beato says that it is useless. This closed room cannot be opened. The closed room is perfect. However, she is able to kill inside the closed room.
– Ange says she has the right to open the diary and find the truth. Beato says sometimes a parent must limit the choices of their children. Ange snaps and says she isn’t a child. Beato says Ange is still the six year old kid she was back then.
– Ange asks Beato to repeat that after being confined in the closed room, Beato will kill her immediately. Beato refuses to repeat. Ange claims she understands it now. Beato continues to tell Ange to stop living in the past and live for the future. Ange says living there is pointless, and she wants to go back to where everyone is and live there forever. She will only accept the truth, and wants to believe that maybe someone survived.
– Narrator says how no bodies were found on Rokkenjima after the events due to a large explosion. This does not discount the possibility that someone made it out alive. However, 12 years is too long to survive on that island.
– Ange says she now accepts that everyone is dead. Beato calls her a fool for being so stuck on the past.
– In blue Ange says that the room is a perfect closed room, and that she (Beato) cannot touch her from the outside. You shut me inside this closed room. There is a trick to being confined in this closed room. You had me confined in the room to die of hunger. This planned method was the “murder in a closed room” you created.
– Blue spikes skewer Beato. The red barrier disappears. Ange approaches the book as Beato asks if she really will die when they get the book. Ange says she will die anyway, and just wants to see the truth.
– Ange relates her first meeting with Bern. The flashback is from episodes past so I won’t explain. Ange refuses to live with speculation, saying her wounds will never close this way.
– Ange says Battler is mocking her and her desire to see the truth. She says her years of making believe on magic did little to eliminate her despair at being left alone. What she wants now is closure. A light appears inside the the chapel that Battler and Erika see.
– Erika says that Ange has breached the seal Battler has made. The two of them talk about finding meaning in truth. Battler thinks Ange is the detective, but Erika says she is not, and she may/will die when the truth is revealed.
– Battler refuses to let her die. He screams into the air as Ange prepares to open the diary of Eva. Eva-Beatrice and Erika speak above the chapel. Eva-Beatrice aplogizes for not being a good enough guardian during those days with Ange. Battler thanks her for doing her best. Eva-Beatrice says that Ange is 18 years old, and as the ability to choose for herself. She leaves through a kakera bottle.
– Before Eva-Beatrice leaves he notices that the kakera are linked to the characters (?). Battler asks her to explain again her blue about the restoration of walls, doors and chains. He says he forgot to request something before they stopped.
– He says he now knows the blue truth to her room. In blue, Battler says that the chain is long enough to be opened or closed from the outside. Narrator comments on the chain was not made absolute. A blue wedge stabs Erika.
– In blue Erika says that in Battler’s closed room, there is no roof to the room and one can climb over the wall. The blue wedge tries to strike Battler, but returns to her hand. Erika admits to have only started fighting at the moment they sealed each other in the blue barrier. She undoes the blue barrier and bids goodbye to Battler. Erika exits via a kakera.
– Beato arrives and says she has failed to stop Ange. Battler says he deadlocked with Erika. The game is in her hands now.Mansion
– In Kinzo’s room the door to the Golden Land begins to open. It is big enough to fit the small kids but not yet the adults. Kinzo tells everyone to wait patiently as the barrier of the metacharacters is still up. Goats pound on the study window. The entire ground floor except for the main stairs have been consumed. The second floor remains. Dlanor finds sadness in how the goats greedily consume everything. Lion laments the life and death of people, when lived in ignorance or in awareness. Will says there are advantages to living either way.
– The metacharacters debate the concept of living in ignorance or in knowledge. They talk about Ange’s desperate desire for truth. Lion says throwing away hope and clambering aimlessly is not a good way to live. Lion wants to be able to make Lion’s own choices even unto death. Lion says that seeing the other kakera has opened eyes to how one should choose one’s way in life. They discuss Ange’s exchange of her life for the power to see the truth.
– Lambda arrives eating popcorn. She says that the power will expend her life source, but she possesses no dreams, hope or will to live anyway. She says that while Bern convinced Ange, she didn’t force Ange and gave her a choice. Ange chose to do this. Lion says Battler’s desire to let Ange continue on living created this game even if Ange decides to rebel.
– As the witch of certainty, Lambda declares that Ange’s game will not end yet. She says that happy ending is possible, so everyone should continue watching. Lion stares at Lamba looking for a guarantee to this. Lambda says she will get more popcorn. Lion offers her if she comes to the Golden Land.
– Lambda accepts, should a happy ending really come. She likes these people, and Lion says Battler would welcome her. Zepar and Furfur make more silly comments. Dlanor and the two silly demons announce that the door to the Golden Land is almost open. Will bids goodbye Rokkenjima.
MetaLibrary
– Narrator and Bern look over the diary. Beside them lie giagantic bookcases that seem to stretch to eternity. They notice that the book has other seals to it.
– Bern orders some cats to go after the fishes swimming around beneath them. Ange reminisces the travels and experiences she went through to get here. Bern and Ange have a break before they open the book. Erika brings them tea.
– Ange asks if Bern is scheming behind her back to take the key from her. Erika is offended. Bern says in red that Ange will be the first to see the record of the truth when the seal is broken. Ange maintains some suspicion.
– Bern decides to go for a walk. Erika and Ange have a talk. They talk aboit how vast the book collection is. Ange says the two of them are protagonists in this tale, in search of truth. The two of them are roaming/floating around looking at the magnificent size of the library come chapel.
– Erika asks what Ange thinks of her decision to exchange her life for a chance to look at the diary. She again repeats that she no longer has desire to live, all she wants is thr truth. Erika says she doesn’t really understand why Bern would pick someone like her. Erika says she simply enjoys exposing the truth. Ange doesn’t approve, so Erika asks what the truth means to her.
– Ange thinks. Initially it was hate for Eva and what she supposedly did on that island. Eventually she tells Erika it is her reason to live. Erika then asks what then because her purpose when she reaches the truth. Ange says she will just die. Ange says her life is meaningless, and the search for truth kept her going. Erika says that in this case, Battler hid the truth so that Ange could continue living.
– To herself, Ange apologizes to Battler saying that the last 12 years have been miserable, and she finds no more point in living. She no longer believes in the miracle of their survival. Ange and Erika talk about the value of life. Ange remembers all the controversy surrounding it, and why Eva chose to keep it to her grave.
– Ange says she clung to the belief that perhaps they would survive. Now she doesn’t mind dying anymore. She sees the skyline of the building she met Bern in and the chapel library meld together.
– Ange looks below and asks what the procession of light are. Erika says it might be Featherine’s guest procession. It would be her guests who have come to her party to escape the boredom. These metacharacters are here to see the reveal of the truth to the game (?). The time the catbox is finally opened. People are here wanting to see the truth as well.
– A big crowd is gathering for the reveal. Ange says this is the end of Beato’s catbox. Erika says Beato and the others have barricaded themselves in the Golden Land. She says Bern is forming a plan to break into the Golden Land. These comprise 100k pieces/goats capable of denying the fantasy. Ange asks if this is the end of Battler and the catbox that was 1986. She wonders if Battler is really prepared to defend it to the death.
– Ange tries to remember Battler’s words during the final game. Ange, Bern and Erika will follow behind the invasion force. They will wait until Bern finishes undoing the first seals.
The Golden Land
– At the gate to the Golden Land Battler and Beato stand watch against anyone who may try to break in. There were goats who apparently tried to break in. They defend the gate.
– Battler sees a bunch of ships carrying goats approaching the barrier to the Golden Land. He cannot believe there would be a gigantic amount of pirate goats readying to invade. The ships start surrounding the Golden Land.
– Beato says she doesn’t know if the gate can wuthstand cannon attacks for long. Battler says they will find some way to defend the gate. They hear a knock on the door behind them, showing Kanon and Shannon.
– Battler asks them to stand watch and to run and get them if the goat pirates decide to attack. He admits they might not be able to defend the gate.
– Battler and Beato return to the main grounds. Lambda appears with some news. Battler asks what Bern and Ange are doing. She says the two are at the giant library. Virgilia says that is the place where the witches have cllected all their kakera records. Beato says Featherine is the lord of the library. Lambda asks if this would be like their last stand. Battler asks what Ange is doing there. Lambda says Featherine is holding a big party. Battler says that place may be the last chance to get Ange and the key back.
– Lambda says the library is protected by magic and no one can enter without Featherine’s permission. Only by invitation can one get in. She says invitations have been handed out and the party has already started. Beato asks if they could find an invitation.
– Krauss and Natsuhi say this may be their last refuge where it will all end. Rosa says there must be something they can do than just sit and wait to be overrun. Eva and Hideyoshi say that perhaps a miracle could occur. Rudolph likens their situation to The Alamo. Kyrie says they should not surrender and keep holding on. Sakutaro and Maria think perhaps the miracle would be Ange deciding to change her mind. Kinzo says perhaps the chances of that are really small.
– Nanjo says that they should all hope for Ange to return to them. Kumasawa says they should hold out and defend waiting for her to come back. Gohda says it is the servant’s job to prepare the home. Genji says they have all resolved their wills. The siestas say they will defend the Golden Land to the end. The seven sisters say they will fight for Golden Land untilt the final moments. Dlanor and the Jungfrau say they will assist in any way possible. Will says as a member of the SSVD, he will lend his power. Lion will assist as well.
– The final defenders of the Golden Land steel their resolve. Lambda is surprised. Lion asks how Lambda knew Ange was in the library. Lambda avoids the question, which makes Lion believe that Lambda has an invitation. Lambda realizes what they want to ask and tries to refuse. Zepar and Furfur tease her as the defenders look at her. She is still reluctant and makes up excuses.
– Lion says it is realistically possible to get Ange back. Beato and Battler beg for her help. Everyone pretty much beg her to lend her power. Lambda crushes the popcorn tumbler she’s holding. She insists she’s only here to watch. She asks if they really hope in succeeding in getting Ange back and defending this place from Bern. She says all she wants is to enjoy watching. She has a trollface on, which eventually melts away as people look at her pleadingly.
– Lambda falls to the floor and makes more excuses. Battler eventually apologizes for trying to force her. He says they should stay put and fight until the last breath. They should wait for Ange to make her final decision should she go on or come back.
– Battler says he will go to the gate and fight at the front lines. Beato will go with her. She says they should believe in the miracle. George and Jessica says they should start preparing for battle. The adults gather up their guns. The metacharacters begin their strategy session. Everyone gets up from their seats and start to prepare.
MetaLibrary
– The two girls chat as Eva-Beatrice arrives. She says that it seems Bern has solved the seals. She says that Bern’s cat will guide them to Bern. Eva-Beatrice asks if Ange is happy that now she can find out the truth concealed for 12 years. She says she is. Ange follows the cat to Bern.
– Eva-Beatrice says Ange should continue following the road she believes in. She is now 18, not 6. Erika makes fun of her for being overprotective. Eva-Beatrice says she is a free piece and her role ends when the game ends. Erika says she is the same. The two of them disappear.
1998
– In a big hotel, Ootsuki and other guests are gathering for a big convention. This is a witch hunter convention. They have gatherd to see the big reveal of Eva’s diary. They’re all excited. They said a collector from Dubai bought it for $10 million. Even the media is there. People from everywhere arrive as Hachijou talks to the press. She says it is about time for all the speculation and fake stories to be put to rest. Someone asks whether they can be sure the contents are real.
– Hachijou in red (wtf) says that the truth is recorded in the diary. She and the hotel manager reveal the diary under a veil for the people to see. She takes the book and goes to the stand. The world distorts to a metaplane as she takes the book.
– Bern and Featherine talk. She passes the book to Bern. Featherine says she will take a rest. Bern says she plane to show it to Ange.
MetaLibrary
– Bern appears with the book. She hands Ange the book and tells her to do as she likes. She takes out her key. Bern tells her to prepare herself when before she looks inside. Bern reminds her that she will exchange her life for the truth. Ange now begins to ponder. She is slightly hesitant. She begins to remember her family and her memories of them, 12 years ago. She inserts the key and turns it. Bern says that the magic of the key is that only she can use it.
– Bern says the key is now free to use because Ange has already used it. Ange raises the book above her. The lock is removed. She takes a big breath. Ange opens the first page.
– A dazzling light covers her eyes. The truth is not read to her but directly inserted into her mind. The book unravels in her mind the truth of Rokkenjima. After this, her mind slowly returns. The entire world seems to stop as she starts seeing her goat classmates. She can’t really hear what they say. She can sort of graps what they are talking about.
– The hungry goats open their mouth as if ready to devour the truth. She sees herself being devoured by the goats. A goat declares in red that this is the truth of Rokkenjima. The goat however seems to deny believing it. In red it says a censored text, Because *** and ***. ********. In red it continues that the truth doesn’t change whether you accept it or not This is because it is the one proven truth.
– Laughter abounds. Ange declares that the truth is no absolute for her. Bern tells her to settle down. Ange throws a fit declaring her truth was that Eva was the culprit who killed everyone. She is about to snap.
– She however suddenly recalls how Eva said she would always be on her side. Ange laughs maniacally. Bern reminds her about the red truth. Ange says there’s no read ink in the descriptions. Bern asks her to settle down.
– Ange says she will record the truth herself. She’s teetering over the building. Bern bids her goodbye. Ange says she will record the red truth herself. A truth she can accept.
– Ange falls off the library balcony and into darkness. Nen in black suits try to grab her with a wire net. Bern tells them to look for her. There is however doubt. Bern guarantees that this sort of miracle doesn’t happen.
– Ange’s body is found at the floor of the library. ANGE IS DEAD. Instant death it seems. There seems to be blood, and the narrator wonders if there is even a chance that she survived the fall. Bern and Eva-Beatrice stand over her corpse. Eva again apologizes. Her corpse begins to disintigrate. Eva-Beatrice bids goodbye.
– Bern hands Eva-Beatrice the key which has lost its power. The cats begin tossing out Ange’s remains. Narrator says there may not be any peace for her, for she will spend even more time asking herself what the truth is for her. She will suffer in agony for eternity as long as she cannot answer that question.
– In a separate scene someone is picked up and put inside a car.
Somewhere on King’s Highway
– The person regains consciousness inside a car and sees a young woman driving. She says he was lucky and didn’t die. The person feels pain around the abdomen.
– After a few days (?) the woman is speaking to a doctor who says that the person she found, a young man, might be suffering from some brain damage based on the CT scan. She asks him to keep this a secret. She introduces herself to the young man as Hachijou Ikuko.
– She says she’s living alone in this house away from her family and cracks some jokes. She asks for his name. The young man cannot remember his identity nor recall any memories of his past. He recalls that he is 18, but cannot recall anything more.
– She decides to give him a name, Hachijou Touya. His body still aches in places. His ends up living with her for a while.
– He enters into physical and mental rehab and slowly is able to recover his body, but he is still amnesic. During his stay he reads some of Hachijou’s mystery novel work. He has a knack for mystery stories it seems and quickly finishes her work. She is surprised by his comments on her novel.
– While talking about it he begins to ask himself questions about mysteries. His head aches and he slowly recalls having a mystery battle in his past. He takes some pain meds.
– He refused to take the operation Hachijou suggested. He says he will deal with his headaches. He describes her as someone who prefers to live freely away from the eyes of society. She apparently has a cat named Bern. She prefers to live away from people, while writing her stories. He asks why she doesn’t get others to read.
– She says that publishers rejected her work as that of an amateur. Being experienced in the mystery genre doesn’t make you good at writing it. She says she has written the first chapter of a new work ans asks him to read it as she makes tea. As she leaves he gets headaches again.
– They spend their days talking about mystery novels. One day she shows the end of her novel to the young man. He gives a few comments to her about her book. He is her first reader, although the idea for the book was partly his. She says it is time for some champagne.
– He says that she should go ahead and try to write a story for publishing. It begins to rain outside after a while. Hachijou is on her computer. Touya notices the harsh rain and the raging wind. She says she is looking at some information about a place called Rokkenjima. She says a message bottle written by a Maria Ushiromiya was recently found. He gets headaches again.
– The narrator describes the events of the island, as well as how Eva Ushiromiya was the only survivor. He starts to mumble the name Ange and the name Ushiromiya. He starts to have sudden flashes of imagery in his mind as he starts to recall his past.
– He begins to see figures of people he starts to recall. He knows these people but he cannot recall their names. The last momentary flash is that of a painting. Touya recalls that he is an Ushiromiya. He hallucinates the voices of his parents.
Golden Land
– In a flash of light someone eyes their while screaming the name Ange and finds themselves in the arms of two people: Rudolph and Kyrie Ushiromiya. The person looks around to see Maria, George and Jessica. Further looking reveals everyone else. Family, friends, metacharacters.
– The person is Ange. They are in the Golden Land.
– The characters gather around her. Ange tells Eva how she wished they could have redone their relationship. The two of them reconcile. They welcome her back.
– Ange now begins to realize that the past is what made her into who she is, and the past cannot chain her for her entire life. She begins to remember the goodness of her family, friends, servants and acquaintances. She knows that she distorted her images of her family due to her pain and suffering. She has become willing to accept the goodness in her past.
– She starts to thank everyone for how they treated her. She tells Maria she now understands Maria’s magic. She tells Maria and Beato how her views distorted given all the fake stories that circulated about Rokkenjima, and how heart heart was skewed when she could no longer see nor remember the truth.
– She tells Beato she will live in the future and accept her past. She doesn’t blame Beato for what happened. She tells Maria she will teach the magic of the Mariage Sociere as the last survivor. Beato tells her to use magic for happiness. Maria goes into witch form and gives her blessing. Sakutaro and the sisters congratulate her.
– Beato asks if she will be okay alone. She says she will find a way. She is not alone. She wants to live unbound. As a part of Mariage Sociere, she will help others like herself. Everyone has a laugh.
– Battler is taking a walk around the garden when Ange finally finds him. They look at each other for a moment until she runs into him with a hug. He pats her head. She apologizes for her actions. She admits that now she knows the truth and it terrified her.
– Battler tells her that they have already died. She accepts this after 12 years. She says she can now move on with her life. He asks what she thinks now that the catbox has been opened to her, and she says she will believe in her own truth. He wishes her luck in her future endeavors to continue the beliefs of the Mariage Sociere of using magic for happiness, especially those who have experienced hardships like her.
– Ange begins to cry. He says that the family will always support her through eternity. She jumps into his arms. She holds in her hands the kakera of a loving family.
– He says that the catbox is not yet opened for the world to see. She should continue keeping the lid closed and protect it. Everyone in the Golden Land exist within the catbox. She swears to protect the truth of Rokkenjima.
– Lambda arrives and says that Bern is still working to bring the party into the truth of Rokkenjima, and if they succeed then protecting the catbox amounts to nothing. Ange says the key was taken by Bern, and she intends to take it back. She shows her pass to get inside the MetaLibrary. Lambda says her pass allows for only one person. Ange asks Lambda to take her back to the MetaLibrary. Lambda says Bern will be relentless.
– Battler insists he should be the one to go since Ange has a future to live for. Ange insists this is her responsibility. She will get her future by her own hand. Ange and Battler argue on who should go and try to fight over the bell.
– Lambda tells them to stop arguing and asks them to release the bell. Battler lets go and a bell drops. However, when Ange releases another bell also drops. Each have a bell. Both are dumbfounded. Lambda says that since they both have passes they should stop arguing.
– Battler asks Lambda to prepare to take them there. Lambda relents and agrees to take them there. She tells them to prepare as well.
Medical Student vs. Anime 
Arabesque said,
January 12, 2011 at 6:22 am
Hachijou using the red truth in the real world made me think that the entire sequence was not real at first …