In the first episode, "Desert Folklore," we are introduced to a couple of these myths, particularly The Desert Fairy, Desert Phantom and a large white wolf named Kamui. It is in this episode where Paifu calls for Honoka to talk to Millie because of the young girl's black-out periods. Most of this episode focuses on Iks and Honoka convincing Millie to join them on their "little vacation." It also introduces a character named Leon who is hunting the mystical Desert Fairy.
In "Fairy Visions," it looks like the vacation is working and Millie and Honoka's small rift that developed between them after the girl's father's death is starting to heal. Unfortunately, when Honoka finally confronts Millie on her sleeping problems and bad eating habits, the girl runs off into the desert and the Honoka has to fight off a pancake monster (a creature that lives under the sand and has huge tentacles) to save her. While fighting the monster, Millie has visions of the Desert Fairy and the mysterious white wolf, Kamui, appears and aids in the battle.
The third episode, "Night of the Sandstorm," the troupe decide to follow Kamui because they believe he is searching for the Desert Fairy. While there isn't really a destination in mind for their journey, the purpose is to show Millie the wonders of the desert - what better way than to follow this strange wolf and hunt for the Desert Fairy. During a sandstorm, they stumble upon the Desert Fairy or, as Iks calls it, the Star Seed. Iks reveals that this fairy is actually a being that travels from world to world collecting the genetic information of the inhabitants of a dying planet so that they may used to populate a new world. Honoka wonders if the presence of the Star Seed on their world means that it is dying. This encounter is cut short when Leon fires on the wolf, which leads to a fight between The Sword Dancer and this hunter who is obviously more than some guy looking for an adventure. In fact, he reveals himself to be none other than The Desert Phantom.
This volume ends with the episode, "Life Dancing Wildly," where Honoka is healing after her near-fatal fight with Leon, and Leon himself continuing his quest to hunt down the Star Seed and become an even stronger creature. It seems that Kamui's healing abilities are finally bringing her around, but she still has a long way to go. Iks explains some of Kamui's past based on the psychic connection the two seem to have and it seems that Millie reminds Kamui of a time in his past when he lived with humans. The wolf takes Millie to an unusual place in the desert where moonlight dragonflies take to the skies and glow a pale blue. It seems like this act has finally made Millie confront her fears and trauma. But before Honoka intends to take Millie back to Emporium, she feels she needs to take on and beat Leon before he kills Kamui and the Desert Fairy.
This volume continues Honoka's story pretty well and gives just a bit more of a hint into the strange mysteries that are prevalent in the world that The Third takes place in. One thing I noticed pretty early is that the show's visual style feels slightly different in some of the scenes. While it isn't all the time, there are very obvious parts that just feel like a different type of anime, a bit more cartoony, if you will. Like I said, it isn't all the time, but I noticed it quite a bit in the first episode.
