The Eve

"Nashan, if you desire to know the truth, then you must know that you also need the courage to accept it as well."

- Wid (from Annwn)

The Eve is the twenty-third episode of .hack//SIGN.

Story
Helba sends e-mails to Bear, Mimiru, Subaru, Crim, BT, Sora, and Tsukasa, informing them to come to Screaming Wind Sand's Fate Castle. All except Tsukasa, who doesn't know Helba, come to the field, but not without reconfirming their intention to follow through. Bear and BT meet in a forest and discuss the upcoming battle and ask why the other one is fighting. Subaru and Crim meet each other in the cathedral, where Subaru shows Crim the strength she has gained to help Tsukasa. Crim, proud of the progress Subaru has made, urges her to move on while he waits for Tsukasa in the cathedral.

At the meeting place, Sora and Mimiru face off due to their differences. Just as Sora pins Mimiru down, Bear and BT appear, forcing Sora to retreat and hint that he has joined Morganna. Meanwhile, Tsukasa gates directly into the cathedral where he is met by Crim. The disheveled Tsukasa is at first fearful, but Crim gives him the same advice on confidence he once gave to Subaru. Crim also tells Tsukasa about the player behind Subaru. Subaru was once as naive and weak-willed as Tsukasa, but she took responsibility for herself in order to truly enjoy The World, the one place she was capable of walking around freely. Crim tells Tsukasa to take responsibility and change his surroundings rather than accepting everything around him even if he dislikes it. With those words, Crim leaves Tsukasa to join with the others. Silver Knight, who had also apparently received an e-mail from Helba, makes an unexpected appearance and joins the others shortly before a Helba Gate appears. To encourage the others, Crim quotes Ryo Sakuma's novel Annwn shortly before they enter the gate to Net Slum. As the group passes through the gate, Subaru stays behind to wait for Tsukasa, who is shown to still be inside the cathedral, upset and indecisive.

Trivia

 * This is the episode in which Bear's identity as Ryo Sakuma, the author of Annwn, is revealed.
 * A longer version of Thousand and One Nights (the opening theme for the .hack//Liminality episode In the Case of Yuki Aihara) is played at the end of this episode.