Zodiac Circle

Chapter 99: Infiltrating the Zodiac Palace

Soon the Zodiac Palace on the Peak of Placidus came in sight.

"We're there!" Tamie was happy she'd finally reunite with her beloved.

"Yes, but we must be careful. If this Byakuya guy of yours has indeed attempted to take revenge on the Council in my brother's name, the guards will already be on the alert," Getsuryuu gave the friends his message telepathically as was the custom for all dragons in their dragon forms.

"Leave the guards to me and Nina," Enya said. She was sitting on Fireball's back together with Nina and Scott. "We will take care of them. You, youngsters, rush in".

"I will help out the ladies. One Dragon Tamer is enough to beat the Council," Scott winked at Tiger, who was sitting on Getsuryuu the Moon Dragon with her friends.

They descended in front of the Zodiac Palace. Indeed, it wasn't long before they heard the cries of the guards:

"His reinforcements are here!"

"Get them! It's the Rose Cruce Order!"

"Ugh, so it has already started..." Riza frowned.

"Well, act as planned!" Scott cried. When Nina and Enya jumped off Fireball's back, he cast his incantation: "Aries Style, Tamer Art, Beast Mode - Fusion!" 

Scott fused with Fireball. His Yellow Dragon spirit emerged and growled in an infernal voice, sending shivers down the guards' spines.

"Let's go!" 

Tiger and her friends jumped off Getsuryuu's back and let him turn into a human. They all rushed into the Palace while Nina and Enya unleashed their respective powers of the Ocean Water Snake and the Purple Poison Pegasus and attacked the guards alongside Scott.

The friends - Tamie, Tiger with her pets and the Moon Dragon, Kokuyo, Riza, Edmund, Goldmund, Nick, and Erisa - ran through immense and richly corridors of the Zodiac Palace.

"This Palace should already be full of our enemies. We must be careful". 

Kokuyo had placed his hand on the handle of his katana, ready for any sudden clash. He was right - in one of the corridors, they were met by two Council members. Greatly for Tiger's surprise, it was her grandparents - Georg and Sandy Braun.

"W... What's going on?" she was surprised - why were they opposing her?

"Tiger, what's the meaning of this?" Georg raised an eyebrow, "How come your order is attacking the Zodiac Council? It is against the laws of the entire Zariel realm!"

"But grandpa, there is a disaster going on! The Zodiac Council... They did such terrible things behind your backs!" 

Tiger retold them the whole story of the twin dragons and the von Drachen Clan annihilation, behind all of which stood none other than Marvin Wagner - the former Council member who was well acquainted with the current Council leader Guy Hernandes, who happened to be his son-in-law. Georg and Sandy grew shocked. Georg heaved a sigh:

"Sorry, Tiger, we cannot let you through. It is against the Zodiac Council policy, and we both have been loyal members of the Zodiac Council for many years now".

"You can't be serious, grandpa! What is more important - the Zodiac Council or the balance of the whole zodiac circle that has been shaken?"

"Well then, let's make an agreement," Georg took a battle pose, "Beat us and we'll let you pass!"

The friends got frightened - beat Georg Braun the legendary Bearer of the Taste and Silver Venus Celestial Lord, and Sandy Braun the Ocean Nine-tailed Fox?!