Zodiac Circle

Chapter 89: Byakuya Disappears

Days passed. Byakuya was recovering in his room, while the friends had fun in the main hall of the Order building. Tamie had told everyone about Byakuya's confession to her, but she hid the fact of encountering the Blood Dragon spirit in his conscience. Her 'sisters' got happy for her and congratulated her on acquiring a new boyfriend. Her mother was quite pleased too, while Nick and Tim had doubts.

"If ever I find he breaks your heart, I don't know what I'll do to him!" Tim crossed arms.

"Same," Nick frowned.

"Now now, calm down! He's not going to do anything of that sort," Tamie chuckled. "I know him, he's a kind guy".

One day, Nora came down from the second floor where she was tending to Byakuya's wounds, and cried out in distress:

"He left!"

"What?"

"No, can't be!" 

Tamie and her friends rushed upstairs into Byakuya's room. Indeed, it was empty. Byakuya's clothes and sword too were gone. A small letter lay on the bedside table. Tamie grabbed it and impatiently ran through the lines:

"Tamie, Kokuyo, friends,

If you are reading this letter, it means I'm already far away, and it is best for everyone.

I've decided that if I stay here any longer, it is going to be harmful to the whole Order, so I am leaving in order not to hurt those I hold dear to my heart.

I shall reveal one dire secret to you: the spirit you saw emerge from my body back when we were fighting Gustav Jaeger, was Ketsuryuu - the Sun Dragon, or, as people more know him, the Blood Dragon. Yes, he is the reason I've got the alias "Blood Dragon".

When I was still a child, Ketsuryuu's spirit was fused with mine. Since then, I, as the heir of the von Drachen Clan, hold a special mission I must accomplish alone. I did not want to involve any of you in it. Since Ketsuryuu has awoken inside me after I used his powers against Gustav Jaeger, there is no holding back for me - I must go and finish my mission as fast as possible. I was held back due to being sealed by the Zodiac Council's orders, for Ketsuryuu's survival was against their interests. Now, thanks to Tamie, it has all changed, and I have a chance to right my wrongs.

Kokuyo, my dear brother and friend - I love you from the bottom of my heart. I loved you even back when I considered you my cousin, and my love towards you intensified when I found out you are my brother - the only blood kin I have left from the von Drachen. Please, stay in that order where you've found a true family, and be happy forever on.

Tamie, you are the person who has managed to awaken my cold heart from its slumber. You are the one who has unsealed me and given me the second chance to fulfill my mission. Thank you from the depths of my heart. I bitterly regret I cannot be there to shower you with the love I feel towards you.

Please, do not come searching for me. It will be better if you forget I was ever there. I do not want you to get harmed on the path that leads to me.

Thank you all, my friends, for your kindness towards me. I shall never forget the sweet times I've got to spend with you all.

Farewell,

Byakuya von Drachen"

Tears gushed down Tamie's face - he had truly left. She gave the letter to Kokuyo, who read it out loud. Everyone got bewildered once heard the contents of the letter.

"He even left the rings..." Edmund remarked, finding the rings of the Blade Warrior and the Rose Cruce orders on the table.

"Ugh, that man! So he has abandoned my daughter, after all?!" Light Blue Zen emerged from Tim, so angry he had become.

"Calm down, father," Nick put a hand on his shoulder, "I guess we should think it all through. There are some hints in this letter which suggest where Byakuya might've gone and what the reasons were. He wouldn't just leave on a whim out of the blue".

"It is true. This might be the reason..." Tamie showed them the skull medallion.

"Huh? What's that?" Edmund curiously adjusted his glasses.

"Where did you get that?" Nick was no less astonished.

Tamie told them everything about her Ghost Clone's adventure in Byakuya's conscience. Scott and Fireball gasped - it was the Sun Tribe medallion given by Ketsuryuu's spirit?!

"The Sun Tribe has gone extinct long ago!" Scott exclaimed, "They were the worshippers of Ketsuryuu, while the Moon Tribe worshipped his twin brother Moon Dragon Getsuryuu".

"What does it mean, "Help the child avenge me"?" Nick fell into his thoughts, perceiving these words of Ketsuryuu as some kind of a hint.

"The child might be Byakuya," Tim suggested, "Didn't you listen well? Tamie said Ketsuryuu called slumbering Byakuya "child". It means he talks about him".

"Then, we must assume the same mission Byakuya has gone on, has to do with Ketsuryuu and his vengeance!" Edmund snapped his fingers.

"That's right!" Nick brightened, "Then we should go to where the Sun Tribe was".

"What of that?" Edmund frowned, "No, that tribe is extinct, as Scott said. We need someone who's alive to give us more clues".

"Moon Dragon Getsuryuu is still alive," Fireball noted.

"As well as the Moon Tribe successors," Scott added.

"Hmm, you mean we should go and ask them?" Danielle wondered.

"What of the Moon Tribe? What's going on here?"

They all started and looked at the door, to see Goldmund come in.

"Gold?" Edmund blinked - what was he doing here?

"I was in the corridors walking towards the stairs to visit the hall when I overheard the conversation," Goldmund explained in a stern tone, "So, what of the Moon Tribe?"

"Huh? Do you know about that tribe?" 

Edmund was astonished - how come he knew? He didn't even have the slightest information on that ancient tribe, yet he was the final rank of Keeper Class and had access to the Zariel archives.

"How can I not know? I had a mission in the New Land back in my young years. I picked a survivor in one of those old tribal villages. All of the Moon Tribe members have lunar-white hair and pure blue eyes".

"Huh?!" Edmund grew shocked.

"Yes, you've guessed right, Ed - Erisa Glendale is the Moon Tribe Princess".