One thing we can say for certain at this point – more Piwi is always a good thing.

It’s become clear that these seeming detours on the edge of the continent are very much connected to the main story.  And especially to Helck, the mystery figure around whom so much of the plot revolves.  Vermillio is pretty much a WYSIWYG character, but Helck is a deep sea of mysteries and secrets. That amiable facade is just that, hiding darkness underneath it (what sort of darkness is what’s being hinted at these past few episodes).  The question is, which Helck is the real one.

The singing lady (that designation bothers Anne to no end) offers Piwi a piece of whispered advice after Helck and Anne make it clear that they don’t have time to take a long detour around the shadow warrior.  And it doesn’t take it long to find them, either – it’s lurking in the ruins of the first town the trio come across.  It’s immediately clear that this enemy is not one to take lightly, and Helck directs Vermillio to hide Piwi somewhere safe while he takes on the shadow warrior himself.  That’s all well and good, but little do they know which one of them actually has the arsenal to take this enemy down.

The headline here is two-fold.  This is the first opponent we’ve seen who Helck can’t easily handle.  The shadow warrior can teleport, instantly regenerate, and even its sword heals itself after Helck sunders it in two.  But not to be overlooked is that this is the first real appearance of “Dark Helck” (copyright pending), and he’s a scary mofo.  The hairstyle changes, the eye turns “Terminator”, and the air of a berserker descends on him.  It’s no wonder that Anne harkens back to the warning of the witch who may or may not be her future (or past) self – Helck is a dangerous fellow, and if he follows the wrong path big trouble is going to follow.

Amazingly, not even Dark Helck seems able to defeat the shadow warrior (and he gets really dark when it goes after Vermillio).  The secret weapon is Piwi’s “Pii Pii Pii” rendition of “Augis” (if it doesn’t become a #1 single there’s little hope for the world).  Obviously we know what the troubadour whispered to him, and his song soothes the savage shadow and it soon leaves the battlefield.  Helck returns to himself (displaying a ridiculous healing power of his own), and insists that the three of them follow the shadow warrior, sensing the threat is over.  And it is – the creature has regained its senses, and spins the sad tale of how he came to this sorry pass.

This is Augis, of course – and the troubadour is his little sister, Iris.  I wouldn’t call this a happy ending for Augis but it’s certainly the best he could have hoped for at this stage – a return to himself, the knowledge that he succeeded in his goals to an extent before the darkness claimed him.  The problem is that “you also” he drops on Helck like a bomb.  The implication could not be more clear – Augis is cursed by the darkness, as was the Tothman king, and so is Helck.  Given the sheer magnitude of Helck’s power it seems a safe bet his curse is even more powerful and dangerous (his sword seems to have something to do with it – the disintegrating Augis gifts his “slightly cursed” blade to Helck as an alternative).

This was a very good stand-alone episode, and it contributed nicely to the overall mythology.  And of course there were more great Piwi moments than you can shake a stick at, including that “race” after the closing credits, complete with a sort-of flight.  I know we’re headed back to the Dragon Empire and its cast soon enough, but I certainly hope these three remain the focus because they have great chemistry.  It’s almost as if they’ve become a little family, with Piwi their adored but troublesome child, and they’re a lot of fun to watch…