Awakening 19

Awakening 19 is the nineteenth episode of the Awakening animation series. It was released on September 7, 2023.
== Synopsis ==
“While hiding out on Cinder Isle, Isabelle and the others learn a deep secret that Alistair has been keeping for years.”
== Production ==
* Director, Producer: Sam Mokler
* Writer: Paul Sell
* Animators: Hector Amavizca
* Artists: Gabriel Carroll, Fil Romero
* Lead Animator: Mimi Alves
=== Cast ===
* Alistair – Ricco Fajardo
* Isabelle – Sarah Wiedenheft
* Sylvana – Miranda Greene
* Chris – Matt Shipman
* Jessica – Leslie Burk
* Claire – Brittany Lauda
* Ashley – Ashley Sahler
* Zephys – Chelsea Simmons
== Plot ==
Forced to come clean about his past and all the details he's hidden from the rest of the Legion Alistair confronts Ashley, Isabelle, and Jessica on his second Mana Mark and how the story he's told them was only half the truth. He tells them how he had in fact helped Sylvana create the gender curse in an attempt to wipe out the Non-Bloods of the world all those years ago because he felt the same anger towards them. He was consumed by rage and hatred after his village was attacked by Non-bloods who feared Sorcerer Kind. He tells the girls about his eldest Daughter Amber and how she had been killed in the attack. He says how his infant son Noah had also been mutilated and lost his arm and legs at such a young age. Alistair is brought to tears as he tells the story crying for the first time in 500 years. He goes on to tell them that seeing their children die and wounded drove both Sylvana and Alistair mad with rage and they turned to forbidden blood magics to create the Gender Curse to prevent the Non-Bloods from breeding and forcing them to die off. But after he saw what his curse was doing to the world he knew that he had lost himself to grief and rage and the world he and Sylvana were creating was not what Amber would have wanted. The Blood magic had turned them into monsters. To end it before things went too far he betrayed Sylvana and stopped her from spreading the curse further. Ever since then Alistair has chosen to live as a statue in isolation taking the burden of curing those born with the Gender Curse on himself and living isolated from others as a kind of self punishment for his misdeeds and has lived that way for 500 years. While Ashely and Jessica are somewhat understanding and sympathetic to Alistair, seeing he's genuinely sorry and ashamed, Isabelle is less accepting. She is upset he's kept this truth from him for all these years she's served as his apprentice. While Jessica and Ashley tell her he's apologizing she still doesn't like the fact it took him getting caught with his second Mana Mark for him to finally come clean. Alistair swears he won't hide anything from them from now on but Isabelle says she needs time to think and leaves the room for a bit. Alistair agrees her anger is justified and the others say she'll just need a bit of time but that he did the right thing by telling them the truth. 
The Next Morning Alistair is sitting on the back porch alone having gotten no sleep that night since he's practically forgotten how after living as a statue for centuries. Jessica brings him some breakfast and talks with him a bit. They talk about how though Alistair has missed enjoying food over the centuries he tried to make his own breakfast but had no idea how to use the appliances in the kitchen since he hasn't needed to eat or sleep for 500 years. Jessica laughs a bit and says she'd be happy to make his meals and teach him how to cook and care for himself again. Alistair then asks if she spoke to Isabelle any further last night but Jessica just tells him she's still angry. Alistair feels he deserves it and mentions how he had a chance to tell her years ago when she repaired his Fractured body and thinks he now should have. Jessica comforts him a bit and says she doesn't think any less of him and that she's there if he needs to talk. The two of them embrace but Alistair is still learning to control his physical emotions. He does however admit he feels better with Jessica there. 
At that moment a small group of sorcerer soldiers teleport to the back yard at the ready. The other two notice but before any of them act Director Zephys Arrives and addresses Alistair. While neither of them is exactly happy to see the other they both agree their common enemy is more of an issue that their past disagreements. Zephys tells them how they've kept tabs on Alistair and the Legion ever since his Heist of the DSC headquarters to be sure he didn't get into too much trouble. They detected the fight and destruction of the Island the day before but they were too busy trying to contain the outbreak of curses around the world. Jessica asks how the efforts against Sylvana are going but Zephys only brings bad news. The curses are spreading too quickly and their agents are having difficulty removing them. While there is still hostility between them Alistair and Zephys agree to a truce and discuss their options. Alistair admits that killing Sylvana will allow her followers to regain their freewill but not reverse their transformations. Zephys thinks that its best to take Sylvana out and worry about changing everyone back once she's defeated. She says how at 5 tomorrow the combined forces of the DSC and SPF will attack Sylvana at her new base of operations. The burned remains of the village where she and Alistair once lived. Alistair agrees to join them and Zephys teleports away to prepare.