The Day the Sun Was Lost

"The Day the Sun Was Lost" (太陽をウシナウ日) is the sixty-ninth chapter of the Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign manga series, written by Takaya Kagami and illustrated by Yamato Yamamoto.

Synopsis
Asuramaru is beginning to recall small details about his life when Yuichiro allowed his angel run amok. Yu, Mika, and the rest of their team are on their way to Tokyo with Yu noticing the start of humans coming out of hiding with the Horsemen gone.

A flashback shows a moment of Ashera and Krul’s lives as humans, when an angry mob burned down their home, and capture the siblings to be sold as slaves. Sika Madu, the pre-demon form of Shikama Doji, arrives accompanied by a young boy named Yu, and buys Ashera.

Characters
List of characters in order of appearance:
 * Asuramaru (Flashback as well)
 * Yūichirō Hyakuya (Flashback as well)
 * Krul Tepes (Flashback as well)
 * Shihō Kimizuki (Flashback as well)
 * Shinoa Hīragi
 * Makoto Narumi
 * Shinya Hīragi
 * Sayuri Hanayori
 * Ferid Bathory
 * Crowley Eusford
 * Mikaela Hyakuya
 * Yoichi Saotome
 * Mitsuba Sangū
 * Ky Luc
 * Shikama Dōji (Flashback)

Summary
Yuichiro is in his mindscape conversing with Asuramaru. The demon reveals that some of his faintest memories return when Yu lets his angel go berserk. He remembers liking the sky and the sun, and thinks he had a younger sister, whom he regrets abandoning. Asuramaru says that thinking about this makes his head hurt and makes him feel tired. Yu says he'll help Asuramaru get his memories back, and Asuramaru falls asleep.

Yu notes that he doesn't remember much about his childhood either.

Leaving his mindscape, Yu sits on top of one of the vans their group is driving and stares at the sky. People begin to come outside more now that the horsemen are gone.

When Yu says he doesn't plan on going back inside the vehicle, Mika jumps on the roof to join him. When Mika comments that idiots like to climb to high places, Yu points out that Mika joined him. Mika says he can't deny being an idiot and asks why he's even going with them to Tokyo.

Yoichi says it looks like the two of them are having fun, and Yu invites him on the roof as well. Mika tells him to go away instead, but Yu says that Mika said yes. Yoichi smiles and informs the rest of their team that Mika said he wanted the rest of their team to join him up there, much to Mika's surprise. Shinoa and Mitsuba tease Mika. Before he can respond to them, Kimizuki hops up and leans his back against Mika's, telling Mika not to hog all of the room. Mika tells Kimizuki not to cling to him. Shinoa and Mitsuba clamber on top of the van as well. Yu points out that Mika has friends after all.

Hearing the ruckus above, Narumi suddenly turns the van, sending a pair of the kids nearly flying off its top.

Ferid laughs, saying how their energetic behavior makes him want to suck them dry and watch them die. They comment that Mika must have a will of steel to sit right in the middle of the group and withstand his bloodlust. Crowley says it is easy to hold back the thirst until it suddenly isn't. Ferid says they can have Mika's friends let them drink their blood like the good pets they are. Ferid then says he's feeling peckish and jumps out of the convertible with Crowley to hunt the humans who dared come outside.

In the dungeons of Sanguinem located beneath Kyoto, Krul gets dressed, and Ky Luc greets her. He suggests she thank him for helping her return to grace, and she says he should thank her for not killing him on the spot. He passes her two UV-blocking rings, stating that it's midday outside. She slips them on and walks into the underground city.

She recalls her childhood with Ashera, her brother. In the memory, she finds Ashera standing on a grassy hill to tell him that their mother is calling for them. When asked what he is staring at, Ashera says the sun as he likes looking at it. Krul reminds him that looking at the sun will make him go blind before sitting down beside her brother. When Ashera asks Krul why their mother called them, Krul tells him it’s time for dinner. Ashera says he's not hungry which Krul reminds him that nobles like them must be grateful for their food or else they won't get any at all.

They hear a noise and look up to see smoke coming from their keep, so they rush back to the castle to find people ravaging their home and looking to kill the nobles. Their mother tells them to run before she's impaled by a spear. Men capture Krul and beat up Ashera, getting revenge for the nobles' heavy taxes and abuse. Someone says not to kill them, explaining that noble kids fetch a high price with slave traders. Ashera and Krul are separated.

Ashera wakes up in a cell with a iron ball chained to his ankle. He mutters about needing water and believes all of this was his punishment for not being grateful for his food. He immediately has a buyer that turns out to be Sika Madu, the pre-demon form of Shikama Doji, who also has a small child named Yu at his side. Sika Madu promises to keep him safe and orders Yu to take off his chains. When Ashera asks if Yu was bought by that man, Yu looks back at him but has no light in his eyes.

Gallery
Manga panels provide a visual overview of the events of chapter 69 with depictions of the characters, Seraph of the End world and scenarios.

Overall

 * Story by Chapter