Zodiac Circle

Chapter 64: Siren Lord

Julia was dumbfounded - he took her Blast of Jupiter head-on, and dodged it with his bare hands?! Who was he?

"Such monstrous power!" Kokuyo uttered.

"To actually... dodge the Blast of Jupiter with bare hands!" Scott was no less astonished.

However, Tamie and Tiger could well notice what type of a guy it was - rushing out of nowhere when Riza was in dire danger, and dodging a powerful attack of a strong Zodiac Master as if nothing. They had seen such a thing before...

"Could he be..."

"Her muse?!"

Hearing their remarks, Byakuya puckered - yes, his assumption was attested... This guy should definitely be a muse. But Julia was unfamiliar with this kind of power of the Artist Class, so she sneered:

"I will finish you! You're pissing me off!" she wove signs: "Sagittarius Style, Sneaker Art, Ninja Mode - Burning Flames of Nine-Tails!" her Fox spirit swung all of its fiery nine tails, trying to hit both of the opponents - Riza and the guy who had called himself 'Edmond Meerjung' - with its flames. However, Edmond answered this with a proud chuckle. "Huh? What's so funny?"

"Ah, nothing, it's just that... your flames inspire my whole essence. I feel such a drive! It is divine!" Edmond spread his hands and closed his eyes.

"Eh?" Julia gasped - her Fox's nine tails were coming at him and he was just standing there? "Stop with such foolishness!"

The nine tails headed towards the boy even faster and heavier. A smile appeared on Edmond's face as he fired up with a yellow-to-orange blaze. He opened his mouth, letting a soft, manly chant spread through the whole surroundings - the voice that played like fire, and spread with the tenderness of the breeze... The people behind the Fire Shield weren't affected, while Julia, listening to this beautiful, dazzling chant, began getting dizzy - her limbs got paralyzed, and her body greatly weakened. Soon, even her Fox spirit vanished completely.

"W... What is this power?!" Scott was dumbfounded - no Singer Class could possess such a strong chant, not even Siren rank people!

Tiger and Tamie had widened eyes too - who would've thought if Riza was hiding such a guy up her sleeve?! Then, even worse happened - Julia let out a painful shriek as her body began bleeding, with wounds appearing all over her skin - the burn-marks, as if from inside her body. Meanwhile, they could notice how the strange boy performed weird movements as if dancing, in the rhythm of the blazing fire... and flames danced along with him as he moved his subtle fingers and soft, but strong manly hands. He continued singing, and Julia shrieked, adding more beat to this torturous music. Riza, collapsed to the ground, astonishedly watched this guy appeared before her, just as her friends did.

His voice... it was so angelic, so divine, and... no, not angelic, rather demonic and beastly, but charming and dazzling... like the depths of the sea, the soul of fire, and the charm of the breeze... like the chant of a true siren - the sea creature that lived in the dark shores of the oceans and lured people to their doom with its powerful and charming voice!

B... But why a fire siren?! Did such sirens even exist? No, it was not a mere siren. This rhythm... she could recognize it, and, instinctively, even its supportive lyrics popped up in her mind:

"Up high, so high, where the clouds touch the top

She's been dreaming and yearning to take off

So she could run and jump and dance in the rain

Never to go back again..."

(NOTE: The song is 'Up High' by Lisa Schettner (see the video above). It can be accessed on the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Pad2Om8MjU )

It was her muse - the very fiery essence she could feel in her heart, mind, and soul! The one that helped her to write all those things, feel all that melody...

I... have a muse too?! She could hardly believe her eyes - while Tamie's muse was clearly detected by the girl at her very early age, she, on the other hand, had no slightest idea she could ever possess a muse!

Soon Edmond finished his song and the dance and bloodied Julia collapsed to the ground.

"Siren Lord, Edmond Meerjung. No need of applause," he chuckled, apparently too proud of himself. He then grinned back at Riza: "I'm glad you're alright Goddess. Oh, here, for you," he swung his hand and the necklace of Jupiter dropped off downed Julia's neck, appearing right in his palm. He threw it to Riza who surprisedly caught it in her hands and then curiously eyed Edmond - she got to meet her muse face to face for the first time. "Well, if you allow, I'll get going".

"Huh? No, wait!" but he had already vanished. Riza sighed and confusedly looked at the Jupiter necklace, feeling lost.

Her friends ran up to her.

"Awesome performance, sis!" Tiger jumped with excitement.

"Huh? Oh, yeah..." Riza still stared at the necklace. She then looked at all of them in dismay: "What was this, anyway?"

"Hmm... Apparently, it was the same occurrence as Tamie's," Byakuya shared his assumption, "That Edmond Meerjung might actually be your male muse. Singers often have a harder time finding out about their muses than Writers do. You cannot always define that the one who helps you sing is the other essence in your own soul".

"Yeah, to add that it is a rare occurrence to even have a muse in the first place," Kokuyo stated.

"Hmm... If it was indeed a muse, we could ask Kokujin about it, right?" Tamie took her scroll out, scribbling some words down. "Libra Style, Writer Art, Summoner Mode - Summoning the Muse: Demon Lord, Kokujin D'Infernal!" Nothing happened. "Huh? What's wrong? Why isn't he coming out?" Tamie frowned and repeated her incantation. There was still no answer. "Ugh, no!"

"You mentioned to me that you made him come to life, right?" Byakuya asked with a grim voice.

"Huh? Y... Yes..." Tamie got frightened - what did this sudden change of tone mean?

"Then I guess you cannot control him anymore. He does not desire to come out".

"B... But why?!" she got scared - if Kokujin never emerged again, her whole powers would be in dire trouble. He was her muse, her trump card in battles, after all!

"He might be angry with you over something... Anyway, I'd suggest you two consulting with William Steinbock," Byakuya eyed both her and Riza. "Let's go back".

"Not so fast!"

"Huh?" they all looked back at Kokuyo in confusion - what did he mean? It was an important matter to settle!

"Before we go back, I need to ask something... to this man," Kokuyo turned back to Scott who was getting ready to mount his dragon.

"Huh? Me?"