Loveless Series by Yun Kouga, Christine Boylan, Lillian Diaz-Przybyl

When 12-year-old Ritsuka discovers a posthumous message from his brother Seimei indicating he was murdered, he becomes involved in a shadowy world of spell battles and secret names. Together with the mysterious Soubi, the search to find Seimei's killer and uncover the truth begins!But in a world where mere words have unbelievable power, how can you find true friendship and happiness when your very name is Loveless?Older Teen - Age 16+Fantasy/Romance

As Ritsuka continues to mourn the loss of his older brother Seimei, he endures abuse from his mother, bullying at school, and the threat of new assassins who are targeting him. Will he be able to sort through it all and unlock the secret behind Seimei's death?

After a grueling battle against the powerful Zeros, Soubi is badly injured, and in spite of his training, the pain almost too much to bear. He goes to see Ritsuka, but Soubi's erratic behavior and unpredictable emotions take over, and he abruptly storms away before Ritsuka can care for him. Ritsuka is left tormented and confused...but the mystery behind the death of his older brother is about to take an unbelievable turn... moreAfter a grueling battle against the powerful Zeros, Soubi is badly injured, and in spite of his training, the pain almost too much to bear. He goes to see Ritsuka, but Soubi's erratic behavior and unpredictable emotions take over, and he abruptly storms away before Ritsuka can care for him. Ritsuka is left tormented and confused...but the mystery behind the death of his older brother is about to take an unbelievable turn. Ritsuka finally decodes the message left by Sleepless and goes to meet one of the members of Septimal Moon! less

Soubi unexpectedly meets two new Zero warriors Koya and Yamato who then battles him, and leaves him badly wounded. A concerned Ritsuki asks Natsuo and Yoji to teach Soubi about the relationship between a Fighter Unit and the Sacrifice. Later, Koya and Yamato battle Soubi again, but this time for a 2 on 2 battle with Ritsuka as Soubi's partner.

Ritsuka skips school so he can rest up - he needs to stay up late talking to Seven through Wisdom Resurrection. Ritsu-sensei and Nagisa-sensei join the conversation as observers, and Soubi and the Zeros boys watch from Ritsuka's side... until a shocking truth is revealed about Seimei.

The secret behind Seimeis disappearance and apparent death begins to be unveiled, and the consequences are devastating to both Ritsuka and Soubi. Later, Nisei privately reveals an even more shocking truth to Soubi, which shakes the Fighter to the core. Older teens.

Soubi takes Ritsuka to find Septimal Moon, and Kio tags along for the ride. Ritsuka is unsettled and disturbed to discover that the Seimei Kio knew is very different from Ritsuka's own memories of his beloved older brother... Or are they so different after all? When Ritsuka confronts him about it, Soubi reveals a link that may finally start to reconcile Ritsuka's fragmented view of the young man he always admired... moreSoubi takes Ritsuka to find Septimal Moon, and Kio tags along for the ride. Ritsuka is unsettled and disturbed to discover that the Seimei Kio knew is very different from Ritsuka's own memories of his beloved older brother... Or are they so different after all? When Ritsuka confronts him about it, Soubi reveals a link that may finally start to reconcile Ritsuka's fragmented view of the young man he always admired. But when they arrive at the Seven Voices Academy, through which they must pass in order to reach Septimal Moon, only Soubi and Ritsuka are allowed to enter, and when they do, Ritsuka meets some familiar faces... less

How can you find happiness when your very name is Loveless? Seimei is back with a vengeance, and it's Beloved vs. Beloved as Nisei and Soubi match up for the battle of a lifetime! Soubi's past with Ritsu-sensei is finally revealed, and Ritsuka will have to decide once and for all what his true feeling about his mysterious (and malevolent?) older brother are, not to mention where his loyalties lie! About the series... Aoyagi Ritsuka is a troubled 6th grader... moreHow can you find happiness when your very name is Loveless? Seimei is back with a vengeance, and it's Beloved vs. Beloved as Nisei and Soubi match up for the battle of a lifetime! Soubi's past with Ritsu-sensei is finally revealed, and Ritsuka will have to decide once and for all what his true feeling about his mysterious (and malevolent?) older brother are, not to mention where his loyalties lie! About the series... Aoyagi Ritsuka is a troubled 6th grader. Two years ago, he mysteriously lost his memory and developed an alternate personality. His mother constatly berates (and occasionally beats) him, asking what happened to the "real" Ritsuka, and his only defender and friend, his older brother Seimei, was recently killed. Suddenly, Seimei's apparent "friend," Soubi, appears. Soubi tells him that Ritsuka's true name is "Loveless," and that Soubi was assigned by Seimei to take care of Ritsuka and protect him. Ritsuka soon gets sucked into a bizzare underground society where teams of people, a "Fighter Unit," and a "Sacrifice," battle using elaborate and beautifully-phrased spells. He seeks both acceptance of himself, and the answer to the mystery of who killed his brother and why. less

The long-awaited continuation of the best-selling series, a masterpiece tale of intrigue and innocence lost.Ritsuka Aoyagi is alone in the world—never fitting in at school and alienated from his own past by a fragmented memory. When his beloved older brother is brutally murdered, Ritsuka is heartbroken but determined to find answers... moreThe long-awaited continuation of the best-selling series, a masterpiece tale of intrigue and innocence lost.Ritsuka Aoyagi is alone in the world—never fitting in at school and alienated from his own past by a fragmented memory. When his beloved older brother is brutally murdered, Ritsuka is heartbroken but determined to find answers. His only lead is Soubi, a mysterious, handsome college student who offers him an intimate link to his brother’s other life: a dark and vibrant world of spell battles and secret names.Seimei is very much alive and has torn through the Seven Voices Academy like a whirlwind. As Septimal Moon struggles to right itself and keep its secrets from spilling out, a new enemy takes center stage: the unit named “Bloodless” wages a crippling psychological war, ending battles without spilling a single drop of blood. Yet Ritsuka and Soubi must emerge victorious against them—or lose Kio. less

Reads R to L (Japanese Style). When his beloved older brother is brutally murdered, Ritsuka is heartbroken but determined to search for answers. His only lead is Soubi, a mysterious, handsome college student who offers him an intimate link to his brother’s other life: a dark and vibrant world of spell battles and secret names... moreReads R to L (Japanese Style). When his beloved older brother is brutally murdered, Ritsuka is heartbroken but determined to search for answers. His only lead is Soubi, a mysterious, handsome college student who offers him an intimate link to his brother’s other life: a dark and vibrant world of spell battles and secret names. Will Ritsuka’s relationship with Soubi ultimately lead to the truth or further down the rabbit hole than he imagined possible?Still reeling from his brother’s dramatic return, Ritsuka goes back to school in search of something normal. He’s joined by the Zero unit of Natsuo and Youji, who transfer in to keep an eye on him. But even their protection won’t be enough when a new unit named Moonless approaches Ritsuka with a dangerous and seductive proposal… less

Ritsuka Aoyagi is alone in the world—never fitting in at school and alienated from his own past by a fragmented memory. When his beloved older brother is brutally murdered, Ritsuka is heartbroken but determined to find answers. His only lead is Soubi, a mysterious, handsome college student who offers him an intimate link to his brother’s other life: a dark and vibrant world of spell battles and secret names... moreRitsuka Aoyagi is alone in the world—never fitting in at school and alienated from his own past by a fragmented memory. When his beloved older brother is brutally murdered, Ritsuka is heartbroken but determined to find answers. His only lead is Soubi, a mysterious, handsome college student who offers him an intimate link to his brother’s other life: a dark and vibrant world of spell battles and secret names.Ritsuka’s faith in his older brother Seimei is pushed to the limit when the unit named Moonless reveals sordid details of Seimei’s horrific past deeds. Then, while Ritsuka is still reeling, the unthinkable happens: Seimei returns to reclaim Soubi. less

When Seimei refuses to fight alongside Nisei against an enraged Moonless, it cuts the final tie in the web of manipulation that binds the dirtiest Fighter to his heartless Sacrifice. Meanwhile, while looking at his brother’s photo album, Ritsuka discovers new information about his old self that doesn’t match up.

Ritsuka Aoyagi is alone in the world—never fitting in at school and alienated from his own past by a fragmented memory. When his beloved older brother is brutally murdered, Ritsuka is heartbroken but determined to find answers. His only lead is Soubi, a mysterious, handsome college student who offers him an intimate link to his brother’s other life: a dark and vibrant world of spell battles and secret names... moreRitsuka Aoyagi is alone in the world—never fitting in at school and alienated from his own past by a fragmented memory. When his beloved older brother is brutally murdered, Ritsuka is heartbroken but determined to find answers. His only lead is Soubi, a mysterious, handsome college student who offers him an intimate link to his brother’s other life: a dark and vibrant world of spell battles and secret names.With Soubi coerced back into his relationship with Seimei and now missing, Ritsuka becomes determined to reclaim the strange man who changed his life from the brother he once adored. Meanwhile, Nagisa reveals information about the past of Seven Voices Academy and the painful origins of old loves lost. less