Riz Hawkwood

Riz Hawkwood
Japanese Name	リズ・ホークウッド; リズ・ヴィスコンティ (Riz Visconti)
Voiced by	Japanese: Ami Koshimizu

Riz Hawkwood (also known as Liz Hawkwood and Riz Visconti), is one of the main characters in Puella Magi Tart Magica: The Legend of "Jeanne d'Arc". She is one of Tart's companions and close friends.

General Info

Physical Features
Date of Birth	1411
Eye colour	Yellow
Hair colour	Black
Height	168cm
Magic
Soul Gem	Yellow rectangle (left cufflink)
Weapon	4 shadow daggers (Shape changes due to magic power, e.g. spears, machetes, whips, scythes), named Machete, Frusta and Falce. Fourth name is unknown (but theorized to be "Lancia").
Witch Form	Obscurite
Powers and Abilities	Shadows, "Gates of Hell".
Wish	To be the one from whom a new, true hero would spring.
Other
Japanese pronoun	watashi (私)
Known relatives	John Hawkwood (grandfather), Donnina Visconti (grandmother), Bernabó Visconti (great-grandfather)
Origins	Milan, Italy
School	Not attending

Story

Backstory

Riz was the grandchild of an Italian hero who had turned traitor. Her grandfather was named John Hawkwood, and he was the leader of the White Company Mercenaries. He tended to work for various landowners and nobles and would work for the enemy of a former employer so long as the price was right. The Visconti family had arranged for their daughter to marry Hawkwood, and that's how the Viscontis gained control of the White Company. But later, Hawkwood betrayed the Viscontis and brought them to ruin. Riz was born into the Visconti family as the granddaughter of a traitor and thus endured a harsh childhood. As part of her agreement to become a magical girl, she wished to be the one from whom a new, true hero would spring. For her, this was a wish that could not be granted until that condition was fulfilled. But since this was the price of her contract, it should have actually come true. So Kyubey set out with Riz in search of her hero and while they met many girls with talent, in the end none of them turned out to be the hero that Riz was searching for. Many of these girls would die at the hands of witches, some transforming into witches themselves. Due to these journeys and experiences, Riz learned much about the magical girl system and would later impart some of this knowledge to her compatriots Tart, Melissa and Elisa. It was not until she encountered Tart that her wish would be granted.

During Tart Magica

Riz first appeared in a flash forward in Chapter 1, where Tart, Riz, Melissa, and Elisa are attempting to stop Minou from escaping yet again. They are deterred by Lame, who is easily defeated. However Minou uses her abilities to cause Lame to fall into deep despair and instantly become a witch, fighting off the girls as she makes her escape.

Tart then recalls of how she first met her companions. In a flashback, Tart is seen with her sister Catherine following a fairy into the woods. The fairy turns out to be the familiar of a nearby grief seed that hatches into a witch before the girls. Catherine faints as several witch-kissed soldiers appear and amble towards Tart. Riz suddenly appears and knocks out the soldiers with the use of her daggers and shadow abilities. As she quickly dispatches them, the witch turns her fury towards Riz, who captures it with shadowy chains and impales it with her blade causing the witch to explode. Tart is amazed at this display as Riz explains that she and Kyubey were looking for her. They ask for her name and Kyubey nicknames her "Tart". After Tart’s family appears looking for her and her sister, Tart faints from the stress and Riz brings the girls back to their home. Once Tart awakens, Riz awaits as Kyubey asks if she would consider making a contract with him. Tart’s father enters and asks if Riz would be able to work as a village guard for a time. During the following three years, Riz remains as a village guard and trains both Tart and Catherine in the art of sword fighting. Catherine quickly grows adept at her new skill as Tart struggles slightly. Due to Tart not deciding on a wish, Kyubey declares that him and Riz will have to leave soon. Riz goes to escort a shipment of goods the village is sending out when several thieves and bandits take advantage of Riz’s absence to burn the village to the ground, pillaging homes and slaughtering the villagers indiscriminately. Catherine is able to kill and wound some of the soldiers before she is impaled before Tart’s eyes. The soldiers leave, satisfied with their spoils. A short time later, Riz returns as Tart laments the loss of her sister and asks if she and her village can be restored with her wish. Kyubey affirms it can, but warns her it’s possible she may still lose both or other members of her family due to the war ravaging France. Tart makes her wish for the power to bring light to France. Before they leave, Tart cuts off her braid and places it on Catherine’s grave.

Warning, this section contains spoilers.
As they journey on, Tart asks what they should do next. Kyubey responds that there is much turmoil in France due to the lack of a true king sitting on the throne and reminds Tart that it is her duty also to defeat the witches that ravage France. On their journey to Vaucoleurs, Riz and Tart find that the town has been beset by a witch, as several witch-kissed soldiers aim their arrows at the two girls. Despite not being able to summon a weapon naturally, Tart is able to conjure a sword of light magic and disposes of the witch instantly. However, she used up vast amounts of magic in doing so to Riz's dismay. Riz and Kyubey then explain how all magical girls irrevocably turn into witches if they use up all of their magic. Having defeated the witch, the girls are welcomed into the village where Lord Baurdicourt offers the girls what help he can and is able to secure an audience with the Dauphin for Tart. The girls then head out for Chinon after hearing the news of the French army’s defeat at Orleans by “three mere girls”. During their journey, Tart and Riz defeat more witches, but Riz warns Tart to better learn to control her powers before she enters battle since she drains her magic needlessly every time. The girls soon arrive at Chinon, where they make announcement of their arrival and prepare for their audience with the Dauphin Charles. Charles decides to play a trick on Tart in order to test her and instructs Lord Gilles to sit on his throne in his place. As Tart enters the courtroom, both her and Kyubey sense something off about Gilles and announce to all that he is not the Dauphin. Somehow, Tart is able to sense who Charles really is among the courtiers and kneels before him. Stunned, Charles orders Tart to speak with him privately in his bedchambers. After affirming to Charles that she was indeed sent by God to place him on his rightful throne, Charles and Tart exit the room where he announces to all that La Pucelle is truly a messenger from God. After extensive testing by various theologians, her status as a messenger from God is confirmed to all, causing her fame to spread and more soldiers to volunteer for the war. Charles then assigns Lord Gilles and Etienne de Vignolles in charge of the troops that are to journey to Orleans, as Etienne assigns his daughter Melissa to act as a handmaiden to Tart and Riz. Melissa introduces herself to Tart and Riz, who both insist on dispensing with the formalities. The group soon encounter a small village that has seemingly been burned to the ground. Etienne returns to the main group of soldiers to warn them of the dangers ahead as Melissa remains in the village with Tart and Riz. Soon they encounter a witch’s barrier in from of the dilapidated church in the center of town. As Tart and Riz do battle with the witch inside, Kyubey takes Melissa with him into the barrier in order for her to watch the magical girls do battle and convince her to contract as well. As the witch is about to attack Melissa, she is saved by a barrier placed by Pernelle. Pernelle scolds Kyubey for bringing in outsiders as a magical girl is attempting to do battle and hands Tart a magically-imbued sword. Tart uses the sword to defeat the witch easily while conserving most of her magic power. As Pernelle introduces herself, she soon leaves through one of her portals. The group slowly yet surely make their way to Orleans. Along the way they are able to recapture several forts that had been taken by the English forces and are soon able to camp not far from the outskirts of Orleans as they prepare to do battle the next day. Tart shows off her newly embroidered standard with a design of Kyubey on it to her friends. During the nightly revelry, Melissa reveals to Tart and Riz that she had been thinking about becoming a magical girl ever since Kyubey said she had the potential for it. Tart prefers that she stay as she is rather than risk herself in battle. The following day the soldiers and the girls began their assault on the fortress, the soldiers leaning ladders against the fortress’ walls but Corbeau is there to greet them and summons black feathers that rain down and impale the soldiers. She leaps down to where Riz and Tart stand. Corbeau knocks Tart away with a single blow before trading blows with Riz. Despite the injuries she’s taken, Corbeau heals herself with magic and Riz notices how incredibly dark her soul gem has become. Corbeau laughs as Riz realizes the truth: Corbeau is able to push her impurities onto other magical girls. By now Tart has managed to struggle her way back to where Riz and Corbeau are and offers to help. Riz tells her to stay back and Corbeau agrees, snapping her finger which causes her servant, Flèche, to aim several arrows at Tart, a few of which find their mark. Riz looks up to see Flèche watching them from one of the fortress' towers. Corbeau charges at Riz once more and is able to pin her down using her black feathers. As Flèche continues to shoot arrows at Tart, Corbeau walks to where Tart lays. Etienne sneaks up and strikes at Corbeau from behind in an attempt to defend Tart, but Corbeau also throws Etienne into the ground face first, knocking him unconscious. Melissa rushes to her father's side and Riz calls out to her, telling her to get away from the front lines as soon as possible. Corbeau tells Flèche to make sure nothing is left of La Hire and Flèche conjures a large spear-like arrow and fits it to her bow. As she unleashes the arrow aimed at Melissa and her father, Tart suddenly stands before them and takes the full brunt of the attack, sparing the two humans. As the dust settles, Tart asks Melissa if she's alright, and thanks heaven she is as Tart stands there with a large hole the size of her fist in her right shoulder. Tart collapses face first as Melissa calls out her name. As Corbeau laughs, the dust settling, Melissa stands before her, now a magical girl as well. Melissa battles Corbeau, attempting to defeat her with her matter disintegration magic but fails. Corbeau is surprised that Melissa is now a magical girl and doesn’t seem to recognize Kyubey. Riz pulls Melissa and Tart into her shadow realm and explains the significance of soul gems. She asks Tart to hold onto Riz and Melissa’s soul gems as she battles off Flèche and they battle Corbeau. Riz pops out of a shadow behind Corbeau, throwing her off as she realizes that Riz can jump from shadow to shadow. As she throws a feather dagger at her, Riz disappears into a shadow once more before reappearing at Corbeau's feet behind her. Riz fends off her attacks with her dagger as Corbeau taunts her, making fun of her for only defending herself and not attacking. Tart and Melissa materialize behind Flèche and Corbeau respectively. Both of them swing their weapons at their opponents but are unable to successfully connect their attacks. Corbeau calls out to Flèche to provide support as she fends off attacks from both Melissa and Riz. She then calls to Flèche to finish off La Pucelle with another attack like the one that nearly killed her earlier. Tart prepares another attack against Flèche, but Flèche has dropped down one side of the tower they were fighting on. As Flèche runs backwards down the side of the tower, she launches arrow after arrow right at Tart, each one finding their mark. She turns and using her momentum is able to run sideways across the walls of the fortress, launching more arrows up in her wake. As the dust settles, Tart remains unharmed. Corbeau is furious at all this and demands Flèche use her full magic, as if she intends to drain herself dry. Tart braces herself for the incoming attack and thinks back to when they were still on their journey over. As Tart remembers the words of Riz telling her that she too will trust in that hope, she powers herself up and conjures a standard and lance with her magic just as Flèche is finishing powering up her final arrow attack. Tart unleashes a large beam of pure magical energy as she uses her ultimate move: La Lumiere. The attack destroys the tower where Flèche was standing as well as leaving a sizeable hole in the fortress. Corbeau returns her attention and attacks on Riz and Melissa, who are able to coordinate a few successful attacks of their own on Corbeau. Corbeau soon realizes something is wrong as her soul gem begins to darken from the exertion of battle. Back at the scene of battle, Flèche stirs slightly as Minou appears before her. She had planned to gather up what was left of her but instead she conjures a seal with her magic and presses it to Flèche, causing her to scream. Corbeau, meanwhile, laments the impurities of her soul gem as Riz asks her how it feels to be defeated by her own power. As she summons black feathers around her, Minou walks over and calls out to Corbeau. She tells her she knows better than to use that while there are still English troops in the vicinity. Corbeau warns Minou away since she will automatically absorb any impurities in Corbeau's soul gem. But Minou isn't worried and tells her Lapin had been asking for her. She tells Corbeau to leave everything to Flèche instead as the two disappear through one of Minou's portals. The remaining French soldiers with Gille at the lead finally arrive at the fortress just as Flèche's witch form has spawned and stands ready and waiting in the courtyard. Tart leaps out from the tower and strikes at the witch's head with her sword. While the attack wasn't quite enough to stop the witch, it powers up its attack and Tart only barely manages to turn its head just as it fires off its attack. She grips her sword tightly and slashes the witch down the middle, parting it neatly in half. The witch explodes and is finished off. Melissa congratulates Tart but Tart assures her it wasn't just her who finished off the witch. As the smoke clears from a gun muzzle, Elisa stands at the edge of a cliff side some considerable distance away. Two men stand behind her, her uncle and the constable who praises her shot. They wonder if this was enough to secure the fate of Orleans and can see that the tide is now beginning to turn in this war. Elisa tells them to leave it to her as she will offer her greetings to the Dauphin Charles in person as well as introduce herself to La Pucelle. The leader of the English forces, John Talbot, breaks ranks and asks if they can be allowed to leave since they clearly stand no chance against the French army. Both Batard and Tart agree and allow the remaining English forces to leave with their lives. Batard declares Orleans liberated from the English much to the gusto of the French forces. At the town of Loches, the Dauphin personally welcomes the retinue and congratulates them on their victory. It seems Elisa and her uncle raced ahead to inform the Dauphin of the news. Elisa introduces herself to Tart, Riz, and Melissa and telepathically informs them she too is a magical girl. She was sent on orders of her mother the Holy Roman Empress to see for herself the powers of La Pucelle and to render assistance if she is truly a messenger from God. Having witness the battle at Orleans, they offer their services to the Dauphin Charles. Sometime later, Elisa challenges Tart to a friendly duel but due to her battle experience she is able to defeat Tart easily. Angered, Melissa herself challenges Elisa to a duel and throws her bodily into the air. That evening, Elisa pouts in her room as Melissa enters in her maid’s uniform, offering refreshments and an apology for losing her temper. Elisa dismisses her apology, since it was a duel after all and promises to not taunt Tart in the future. After asking for Tart, and being informed that she was called to court, Elisa and her uncle head off to find a certain person. In the Great Hall of the Chateau de Loches, Tart argues for the Dauphin to be coronated at Reims as soon as possible. While Gilles and Batard agree, the chamberlain has his own opinion on how to proceed when the Dauphin’s son burst in and is overjoyed to meet Tart. Tart promises to have his father coronated as soon as possible, the Dauphin agreein to this plan due to the prompting of his son. While the chamberlain wonders what could have brought the child to the hall at this exact moment, he eyes Oswald and Elisa who are speaking familiarly with the Dauphin’s wife. At the city of Patay, Minou, Corbeau and Lapin stand at the head of the English forces as Lapin jumps up and down in joy at the thought of finally being able to play after waiting for so long. At the head of the French forces stand Tart, Elisa, Melissa and Riz as they note the three magical girls facing them but not recognizing Lapin as they hadn't met her before now. Corbeau turns to John Talbot and tells him they'll be acting as they please. Before they can begin, Lapin races ahead of her sisters and commences her attack. However, Elisa and Melissa are able to strike her down immediately, causing her soul gem to darken and Lapin to turn into a witch. Suddenly, the soldiers' weapons from both armies as well as Riz and Melissa's weapons begin to float in the air. Tart looks around bewildered as the soldiers fall back, unable to proceed with their fight so long as they remain without weapons. Only Tart and Elisa are able to retain their weapons thanks to the magics Pernelle has imbued them with. Lapin, now in a rabbit-like witch form, floats beneath the weapons as she directs them at Melissa and Riz. The weapons, now under the command of the witch, fly straight at the girls damaging them as Tart attempts to knock as many as she can away with her sword. Elisa, meanwhile, continues to shoot down as many of the weapons as possible when Melissa suddenly notices a huge shadow looming on them and calls out to Riz. The witch has amassed the weapons and shields she stole into a giant sword-like shape which starts to fall towards them. Riz calls Melissa to get into her shadow where she can pull them to safety but the eyes on the witch's cape flash at them, causing Melissa and Riz to revert from their magical girl forms to their human forms. The sword-shaped conglomeration of weapons bears down on them and would have crushed them had Tart not suddenly appeared in front of them and slashed at the weapons with her own sword. Melissa, Riz, Tart, and Elisa revert back into their normal forms every time Lapin or her rabbit disks flash their eyes at them. Just as they’re getting their bearings, Corbeau charges at Riz who is just barely able to block her attack with her bare arms. Corbeau and Riz trade blows as Melissa tries to assist as best she can without her weapon, imbuing rocks with her magic and throwing them at Corbeau. Elisa and Tart attempt to coordinate a surprise attack on Lapin, but the eyes on her cape have the same ability as her rabbit eyes and they both revert to normal girls temporarily. Despite this, the two girls are eventually able to distract Lapin and successfully defeat her with Elisa's rifle-turned-canon. However, her defeat only causes her to revert back into a magical girl, owing to the nature of her wish and the abilities it granted her. Minou retreats with an unconscious Lapin into one of her portals as Corbeau unleashes her Danse Macabre. Reaper-like skeletons fly out of the magic circles Corbeau summoned, black feathers flying out from their eyeless sockets. Everyone begins to double over in pain, wondering what's happening to their bodies. Riz looks at the tumor-like boils on her hands and recognizes it as something she's seen before. Corbeau laughs and reminds Riz she told her this fight would be a massacre and tells them all to show her the dance of death. As both the French and English forces alike lay doubled in agony, Corbeau beats down the weakened magical girls. Tart struggles to her feet and attempts to fight Corbeau, but is too weakened to do more than swing her sword feebly. Corbeau picks her up by the neck and mocks Tart's attempts to fight back. As Tart warns her that she’s hurting her English allies as well with her magic, Corbeau scoffs and responds that she doesn’t care since her magic will kill everyone who comes near. She demands to know what it matters since everyone must die eventually, just like Tart’s sister. At these words, Tart's soul gem shines brightly and Corbeau's fingers are bent backwards as the force of Tart's magic caused her to be released from her grip. Tart glows with the power of her magic and an immense magic circle of Tart's doing appears in the sky overhead, casting light down on the soldiers below. As the light bathes the battlefield, all of the soldiers and magical girls both English and French alike begin to stand and realize they've been healed of plague as well as their wounds. Corbeau is enraged by this and as she demands to know who Tart really is, Tart leaps up and slashed down her sword with full force at Corbeau, ultimately defeating her as the force of it knocks her into some nearby woods. She lands against the trunk of a tree and falls to her knees, greatly weakened. Tart aims her blade at Corbeau, telling her this is the end as Corbeau tries to stand. But all Corbeau can think of is her two sisters, Lapin and Minou. Before she can deliver the finishing blow, a portal appears behind Corbeau and Minou steps through. While Corbeau is overfilled with joy at the sight of her sister, Minou kneels down and takes Corbeau's soul gem in her hands, informing her this is the end. Confused, Corbeau asks her why and if she doesn't see how much she loves her and Lapin. Minou confirms that this is what she suspected and says she stopped serving their benefactor a long time ago. As Corbeau yells out once more to Minou asking her why she can't understand how much she loves them, Minou shatters Corbeau's soul gem and tells her she doesn't love her any longer. Corbeau falls forward, calling out her sisters' names as she dies. Minou tells her that at the very least she will tell Lapin that Corbeau died honorably in battle. Tart angrily demands she explain herself as Riz calls her heartless. As Minou summons a portal, she giggles and says it'll be something to look forward to as she gathers Corbeau's body and takes it back with her, leaving the heroines alone in the woods. The two turn to go, knowing the battle isn't over yet. Out in the nearby woods Tart, Melissa, Riz and Elisa are just able to hear the cries of the troops and wonder what may be happening. Pernelle appears from behind a tree and informs the girls that the French has won a victory. After asking how they’re doing, Pernelle informs them of a prophecy spreading throughout France that predicts that Tart will save France. While Charles had the right to inherit the throne, it was a woman that sold that right to the King of England and now Tart has appeared and reclaimed Orleans, opening a path for Charles to be coronated. Thus far the prophecy is fulfilling itself. Elisa and Tart both argue that it was due to their and the soldiers’ efforts that France is being liberated and not just some prophecy. Pernelle smiles and tells her to never hold back in saying what she feels from her heart. But she asks that Tart never forgets that, while a larger fate may be at work here, it is Tart who is at the center of that flow of fate. As she magically teleports away, she tells them to make their way to Reims where she may meet them again. Now that the road to Reims was secured, Dauphin Charles was coronated as the King of France. With this, the wishes of La Pucelle as well as the people of France were realized. Charles and the other courtiers celebrate the coronation of Charles when suddenly the lights cut out, leaving the room plunged in total darkness. A scream is heard and as they turn towards the sound, a light can be seen. But this is no ordinary light, it is several women burning alive and screaming as between the flames, Minou and another woman can be seen walking towards Charles. Riz and Tart quickly transform and stand ready to defend the king. They demand he run towards safety, but Charles stammers and looks like he is about to scream as he recognizes the smiling woman who stands before Minou. As he collapses to the ground, he demands to know what she is doing here. It is his mother, the woman who sold out France to the English, Isabeau de Baviere. As Isabeau appears in the courtroom, Riz, Melissa and Tart stand ready to defend the newly crowned king, already transformed into their magical girl states. Charles begs Tart to save him from his mother, the queen, and demands she kill her. At his word Tart rushes forward and stabs her sword straight through the queen's heart as she stands there. Charles initially laughs at this display, but the queen smiles as a white miasma escapes from the queen's wound and she merely stands there smiling. Tart leaps back, certain she had injured the queen but thinking to herself that it didn't feel like she had stabbed her. Riz summons her shadowy tendrils and ties the queen up as Elisa and Melissa both swing their weapons directly at her. Isabeau merely smiles more broadly, completely unharmed from both their attacks. She raises her finger and shoots a beam of magical energy at the two girls, causing them to be knocked away hard. Tart draws her power to herself and summons her standard, unleashing her "La Lumiere" attack directly on Isabeau, the excess power blasting out the castle's windows. However, the dust clears and Isabeau remains where she stands, not a hair on her head harmed. Tart is amazed that she remained undamaged even after using that much magic power on her, but Minou sneaks up behind Tart and knocks her down with her whip. Isabeau staggers suddenly and whispers something to Minou as Minou stands and declares the words of her queen "In one year's time death shall befall La Pucelle!" Minou and Isabeau leave through Minou's portal as Charles cries and the magical girls tend to their wounds. The following day, after the group gathers to discuss that night’s events. Tart's followers want to liberate Paris as quickly as possible. However, the chamberlain La Remoille advising the haggard King Charles, sending entreaties to the English forces asking for a ceasefire. The result of the endless delays was that the army had to wait until close to August before it could depart from Reims. Finally the order came for the army to advance toward Paris. From August 1429, Charles showed no signs of recovery. In fact, just when everyone thought he had finally given the order to liberate Paris on September 9, only two days later, the order was rescinded. Shortly thereafter, the order came to disband his army altogether. It seemed the king's confusion was worsening. All of the forces who supported La Pucelle were completely disbanded. But Tart went questing throughout France for some eight months, virtually alone, searching for Isabeau. Finally in Compiegne, a town in the north of France, they discovered a witch’s barrier with the symbol of a cuckoo at the center. As they enter the barrier, they are greeted by Minou who summons an army of magical girls through her many portals. As the girls arrive, Minou summons branding irons and brands the girls, causing them to fall into deep despair and transform into witches instantly. She commands the witch army forward as she declares this to be the appointed time at which death would befall La Pucelle. Tart, Riz, Melissa and Elisa stand ready as they face down an army of witches that Minou has summoned to destroy them. The first witch, who appears like a gigantic woman in a dress with a tassel for a head, brings her arm down on our heroes who are just barely able to leap out of harm’s way. Tart blocks the witch's arm with her bare strength and slashes at it with her sword. The cleaved half of the arm falls heavily on the ground behind her but before she can react, the hand of another witch reaches for Tart. However Melissa is able to block the attack on Tart with her polearm just in time, warning Tart to not overdo it. Riz calls out to the others, advising them to stay together as there are a vast number of witches they must face. Tart summons her strength as she prepares to take out all of the witches at once but Riz warns her not to do so, knowing Minou's strategy is to deplete their magic as much as possible. As Elisa fires left and right with her rifle, she tells Tart she won't have to use her magic since she'll take out all the witches for her. Minou watches the battle rage on before her and decides that this small contingency of witches won't be enough to stop them and turns to where Lapin now stands andinforms her of her chance to take revenge for the loss of their sister. Lapin is enraged and more than eager to tear them limb from limb. She begins by summoning her rabbit-shaped discs and impeding their magical girl transformations. Despite this, Riz is easily able to dodge her attacks and slashes at her rabbit-shaped discs as Lapin is not used to combat the way her sister Corbeau was. When Riz informs Lapin that it was in fact Minou who killed her sister, this causes Lapin to snap with rage and abandon all thinking. Riz aims to shatter Lapin’s soul gem in order to prevent her from transforming into her witch form, but the news she received and the subsequent despair it caused her has instead only accelerated the impurities of Lapin’s soul gem. It is too late, as Lapin quickly becomes a witch continues her attacks on the girls. The magical girls coordinate their attacks and unleash Melissa’s ultimate destructive move on Lapin. But it is not enough and Lapin reemerges from the bottom of the crater formed by the explosion, now human and her soul gem cleansed. Minou then causes a portal to appear beneath Elisa and Melissa and transports them to a different part of the castle in which they are battling. Tart and Riz are left to fend for themselves against not only Lapin’s witch form, but the army of witches that are left from earlier. Tart and Riz begin to grow weary from the fighting and the amount of magic they’ve spent, causing Riz to charge her soul gem’s power and throw a dagger at Lapin’s feet. Shadows emerge from the dagger and wrap themselves around Lapin, effectively immobilizing her. As Tart calls out to her, Riz summons her ultimate attack, ‘’Gates of Hell’’. A large marble doorway comes up from the ground, skeletons adorning its framework. As the Gates of Hell begin to crack open, shadowy hands reach out from inside each of them grabbing at a different part of Lapin. She cries out for them to let go of her but they continue to hold on relentlessly as more hands reach out from the gate and grab at the witches in the area and pull them into the dark void that lurks behind the doors. Lapin continues to strain at the shadowy hands, crying out that nothing Riz does will make a difference since she'll keep coming back over and over again, returning to normal only for her to kill Riz no matter how many times it takes her. Riz acknowledges this, and informs her that she will be joining Lapin inside the black void of the gates to prevent her from escaping as the doors can only be opened from the outside. As Riz walks into the gate, Lapin is pulled into the darkness with her and the doors snap shut behind them, effectively ending Lapin’s life. Riz would not reappear until Chapter 20. Kyubey and Pernelle explain to Tart that Isabeau is now part magical girl, part witch, and part incubator thanks to her and Lapin’s wish. Minou declares to all that she wished for Isabeau to be undefeated by any magical girl. Isabeau transforms into her witch state as the empty shell of her human body sits cradled in an enormous hand jutting from the ground nearby. As Tart, Elisa and Melissa continues the struggle against the witch Crepuscule de la Reine (Twilight of the Queen), all of their attacks having no effect on the witch. Tart’s soul gem grows black with impurities as she reaches her limit, when she suddenly hears the voice of Riz reminding her of her sword training back in her home village. From before Tart, Riz's soul gem materializes from a shadow as Riz tells her that her final vow was for her soul to remain with her from that day forward. Even if Riz's body was lost, her soul remained behind like her shadow, always by Tart's side. Tart's gauntlet turns black with Riz's soul gem encased on the back. As Tart's soul gem crackles with impurities, she slashes her sword down and successfully injures the witch. Due to Riz'S wish, Tart's soul gem has been prevented from transforming into a grief seed, making her more than just a magical girl. Before Tart can finish her off, Isabea's body begins to shake as a larger body emerges from underneath, a second larger witch form that causes the cathedral to crumble under the size and might of this new body as everyone gazes up in terror at the true form of Crepuscule de la Reine. However, Tart remains determined as ever as she faces down her foe. Isabeau begins to charge her cannon and aims it at Tart who immediately summons her standard and smashes through the center of it, causing the cannon to crumble. As Isabeau flies above the ruined cathedral, Tart summons a massive magic circle in the sky above her in an attack known as the Gate of Heaven. The center of the circle slides open like a gateway as crosses of light pierce Isabeau and hold her in place. Tart leaps up and swings her weapon down at the witch, slicing the massive body in half and then half again. As the pieces of the witch's corpse fall back to earth, the gate closes and disappears. Tart's shadowy gauntlet also begins to dissipate as Riz's soul gem crumbles. Tart thanks Riz for protecting her until the very end.

Riz in Magia Record

See Riz Hawkwood in Magia Record

Powers and Abilities

Riz has the ability to use shadows as portals. During combat, Riz uses this power to teleport herself and others around the battlefield, send attacks through shadows to hit targets at a distance, and transport nearby objects/people into a temporary pocket-reality.

Riz's weapons also have the ability to change form into many different types of blades as well, allowing her to have a varied armory which actually works out in her favour as she can deal with enemies in a variety of ways.

Riz's ultimate ability is the "Gates of Hell". She summons two enormous doors, which open up and drag both her opponents and herself inside before vanishing.

Observations

Riz briefly uses the name "Riz Visconti" (リズ・ヴィスコンティ) in volume 1, possibly to disguise her name or origin.
- The surname "Visconti" belonged to her maternal great-grandfather, Bernabò Visconti, Lord of Milan.
Riz may actually be of English heritage, due to John Hawkwood also being English and an ancestor of hers.

Etymology

Riz is named after John Hawkwood, a 14th century European mercenary and one of the leaders of the White Company Mercenaries.
"Riz" can be alternatively read as "Liz". In fact, fans referred to her as Liz until the official English translation of the manga was released.
- The name "Liz" is currently used as Riz's official English name in the translated version of Magia Record.
- Liz is a shortening of "Elizabeth".
Visconti means "deputy of a count".

Trivia

In her Magical Girl outfit, on her cape is a badge or clip bearing her family's coat of arms.
- In its egg form, the bottom symbol of her Soul Gem is a scallop shell, also a reference to her family's coat of arms.
Her four daggers shape into a machete, a whip, a scythe, and a spear.
- Curiously this were the weapons of her four former companions, meaning that each dagger represents each dead friend of Riz.
- To change the shape of her daggers, Riz calls upon the names of her former companions (Machete, Frusta and Falce).
- Although she is shown using a spear in some panels of the manga, is never shown Riz calling for the name of that former companion's name that used a spear (Falce's twin, she is likely named "Lancia").