From: "Jamison Taylor" <sentora@hotmail.com>


It's finally finished!

I have to warn you guys ahead of time. This part will get graphic, and I 
apologize if I upset anybody, I didn't mean it!

And here we go!


The translucent ‘orb’ barely lit the dark hotel room, hovering like an 
mischievous fairy as it showed images of a redheaded swordsman in battle……

“Is that him, Brother?”

The orb hovered to the ground, dwarfing the children sitting there. “Hai,” 
The boy said with a smile. “That is Himura Kenshin.”

His sister twirled a lock of white hair around her finger. “Not what I 
expected, but I can see the resemblance, Torashin.”

*Resemblance wasn’t the word….* Torashin mused. He was a ten-year-old 
version of the man, except his skin was coffee complexioned and his hair 
dark. His twin Yunomura had the infamous golden eyes, leaning more toward 
their mother….. “And you have the eyes, Yuno, just like Momma said.”

“Speaking of which, you better shut that off. Momma will be pissed if she 
found out…..”

*No more pissed than she will be at your language, young lady.*

Yunomura winced at the telepathic scolding, Torashin chuckling as her pale 
skin went even paler. “So much for not getting caught.”

*I suppose this was your idea, Torashin.* Her dry voice responded. *You need 
to be well rested for tomorrow, children, after all you two play a big 
part.*

“I know, Momma….We just wanted to see him, that’s all.”

There was a sigh. *I know, children. I miss him too. But after tomorrow you 
won’t need that to see him anymore. Your father will be free and you’ll 
finally be together again. Now go back to sleep, Momma will be home 
shortly.*

“Hai, Momma.”

*I love you….Good night.*

Ashura waited until they were asleep to cut the mindlink, 
uncharacteristically smiling warmly to herself.

Premium Spirit Productions Presents...
A Rurouni Kenshin/Ninja Scroll Crossover
Darkness before Dawn.
By Sentora

Rurouni Kenshin and all it’s characters belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki, The 
great guys at Sony and Jump magazine, I’m just borrowing them for this crazy 
fic. The new ones, however, belong to me…So ask nicely if you want to use 
them, Kay? ^_^

Part 5: The answers you seek…..

*So quiet…..*

Kenshin sighed in frustration, sitting down on the steps of the Jamison 
house’s small Dojo. *Listen to me, upset because war hasn’t broke out…..yet. 
Or maybe…..* His eyes darkened at the thought. *Ashura’s not the threat I’m 
really worried about…..*

He glanced up at the library window, where Karou was reading the new books 
Merlin had brought from Avalon. *Karou would kill me if she knew if I was 
hiding my feelings again….But I don’t even understand what I’m going 
through…..What ‘we’ are going through…..*

“Kenshin?”

Tomoe’s soft voice shook him out of his thoughts, Kenshin looking up to see 
her walk up to him….Mild surprise turning to amusement when he saw her. “I 
don’t see what’s so funny….” She scowled at him, making him grin even more. 
“The baby got me again and this is all they had in my size….”

Kenshin tried hard not to laugh out loud, especially with the threatening 
look on her face, but seeing Tomoe in a western style, red plaid shirt 
tucked into snug overalls was too much. “Gomenasai…..” He said sheepishly as 
she sat down beside him.

“Hard to believe with that grin plastered on your face….” She snorted in 
mock contempt, a mischievous gleam in her eyes. “Mou, even you’re picking on 
me.”

Kenshin chuckled. “You started it last night, remember? Are you deliberately 
trying to corrupt Karou?”

Her only answer was an evil grin. Kenshin sweatdropped.

“I take it back, Looks like Karou’s corrupting you…..”

They both chuckled over that one, Kenshin feeling a little more at ease now, 
which was Tomoe’s original intention. One of her ‘gifts’ was the ability to 
sense emotions since they affected Ki, and she decided to put to a better 
use than seeking prey…. “I did mean what I said, you are a good catch.” 
Kenshin blushed as she placed her hand on his shoulder, their eyes locking. 
“We both know it…..”

The lust for life-force returned full force at that moment, Tomoe realizing 
what she was doing….putting Kenshin into a trance like her victims before 
she….*No! I can’t….* She found herself drawing close to Kenshin…..His aura 
seeming to draw her in as he eyes glowed and she reached for him. *I can’t 
stop it…..*

Kenshin’s hands tightened on her wrist before she grabbed his neck. “Tomoe.” 
His voice was calm but commanding….snapping her out of it. She turned away, 
ashamed to look at him. “Look at me, Tomoe….”
She did as he asked….

And immediately regretted it.

“Your eyes!”

“What’s wrong, Tomoe?” The feral, softly glowing amber eyes were a stark 
contrast to his warm smile. “Don’t you recognize your former husband?”

Tomoe was speechless for a moment. There was no mistaking the change, right 
down to his aura, which despite colored with the warmth of his feelings for 
her, had the same cold lethalness the Battousai was known for. “What….Did I 
do this….?” She knew of Kenshin’s dual nature, but she thought the 
succession technique merged the two according to Ashura…..

He took her hand in his. “No….You aren’t doing this….not intentionally 
anyway.”

“Not intentionally……?”

“I mean it’s related to whatever made you speak in that different voice.” He 
added. “It’s feels like the same dark energies of Ashura I feel around 
you…..yet different. Whatever they are, they’re…changing me….as if 
something’s awaking within me……” His eyes darkened. “Something different 
than the Battousai or Rurouni….”

“….A remembered dream….”

“…..Of a life once shared forever over the centuries…..” Kenshin finished, 
sounding as dreamy as Tomoe when she said the first line. The two blinked 
back into reality, staring at each other in confusion. “See what I mean 
Tomoe?” Kenshin said quietly, and when he opened his eyes again Tomoe noted 
that his right eye was the clear violet of the Rurouni while the left was 
the Battousai’s amber…..Just as he saw Tomoe’s eyes turn silver blue…..

Upstairs, Karou impatiently (But carefully, seeing that the book was older 
than her great great grandfather and Merlin would turn her into a real 
Tanuki girl if she ripped it.) turned the pages of the fifth huge book of 
Merlin’s. *Mou! Not a blasted thing on this Triseoul whatzit.* She yawned. 
*Not that even with this instant translation spell he cast on me, I’m much 
of a bookworm….*

A ‘Murrrooooowwww’ interrupted her thoughts, Karou staring at the white cat 
that had somehow gotten in the room….hopping down on one of Merlin’s open 
books. “Shoo!” She swatted the cat, which hopped off in with an indignant 
yowl and alighted itself on a bookshelf, hissing.

“Dumb cat.” Karou stuck her tongue at it and was about go back to her book 
when she saw the page that the book was open to, something about a dragon 
and a sword maker that caught her interest. “What’s this?”
She brought the book into the light. “When the world was young and dragons 
still roamed the heavens, their king grew curious of the humans below and 
sent a young female to spend time among them disguised as a human. She spent 
a hundred years among them, watching them change over time and enjoying her 
time among them not aware that she was slowly becoming more and more human 
herself….”

Above her the cat sat down and watched with unusual interest….

“…Until the day she fell in love with a handsome swordsmith and he with her. 
Unable to lie to him any longer she revealed the truth. Fortunately, the 
swordsmith did not shun her as she feared, but still loved her. With the 
permission of her king they married and soon had a son, The young dragon 
living in perfect bliss….Until one day the townspeople somehow learned of 
her true identity and attempted to kill her out of fear….her husband and 
their son killed in the resulting fire.”

Karou felt a stab of pity as she continued. “The young dragon went mad at 
the loss of her child and her husband and destroyed the entire town in a 
rage….All of humanity swearing revenge on her and she upon them. The bloody 
battle that resulted ended when her husband, who was actually just badly 
wounded in the collapsed house and unconscious for days, managed to find her 
and restore her sanity. The young dragon, horrified by her actions begged 
her husband to kill her since only he had the knowledge how. Instead, her 
husband somehow separated her soul in two, taking part within himself and 
merging the other half within a young woman at the battle with the hope that 
some day their reincarnations will find each other due to the soul they 
shared…..” Karou felt her heart warm at the ending, which was interrupted by 
a disturbing thought.

*Could this have something in common with the…..*

The cat landed on the book at the moment, starling her right out the chair. 
“Why you….” She stopped suddenly as she got a good look at the cat’s too 
human sneer….the hisses sounding like laughter….
*That’s…..No ordinary cat……*

“You got that right, little girl…..”

The ‘cat’ started to swell and stretch into something much bigger….very 
human laughter….Ashura’s laughter…echoing in the room as Karou found herself 
staring down what seemed to be a horrifying cross between a White tiger and 
a black panther where the harmless white cat once sat…..Wickedly curved 
claws snapping out of their sheath and bearing her fangs in a sinister grin. 
“Oyasumi, Karou dono….”

Karou took a step back, darting a glance at her Bokken sitting by the side 
of the desk….in reach of those nasty claws. “Go ahead.” She taunted, tapping 
it with a claw. “Just know that whatever move you make, Mine will be 
faster….”

Karou glared back at Ashura for what seemed to be an eternity….then ducked 
and kicked the bookshelf beside her just right enough to make it pitch 
forward…..The surprised Ashura unable to react in time to avoid the 
avalanche of books as Karou rolled and snatched the bokken just barely out 
of reach of Ashura’s swipe before she was buried….Karou immediately climbing 
up another bookshelf and flipping over the top as Ashura THREW the bookshelf 
off her and across the room with a howl….

The horrendous crash was enough to snap Kenshin and Tomoe out of it, along 
with the gunfire that erupted on the south part of the house. 
“Wha….”Kenshin’s now violet eyes widened as he saw the bookshelf smash 
through the wall and almost land on them, Tomoe pushing them both out of the 
way just in time as it splintered on impact. “Karou!”

“That’s the least of your problems, young man…..”

Mother appeared out of nowhere to stand before them, her face even more 
hideous by the malicious grin she wore. Tomoe’s eyes widened in shock and 
before Kenshin could react she heaved him into the Dojo like a rag doll 
before leaping after him, slamming the door and blocking it with a large 
chunk of wood. “Orrroooo….”Kenshin shook of the dizziness as he stood up. 
“Who was that…..”

“That’s Mother! We can’t face her head on!”

Outside Mother’s grin widened, the rags covering the hump on her back 
falling away as it starts twitching and pulsing wildly…..tearing and peeling 
open…..

“Mother is the descendant of the original Echidna, the Greek mother of 
monsters! We’ll have to go around…..” A skittering sound interrupted 
her…..Both slowly turning to see a FLOOD of black widow spiders scutter 
under the door and inside the dojo….Kenshin and Tomoe backing up as most of 
them swarmed over the door and eat through most of the door enough to allow 
IT in….a horrifying crossbreed of a spider and various insects that defied 
description and was the size of a horse…. “That’s Mother?!” Kenshin gasped.

“No…Just one of her offspring….” Tomoe turned and smashed the wall out with 
her fist, Kenshin oroing in shock. “Get to Karou and the others! I’ll handle 
this!”

“Tomoe!”

“Just…..” She grabbed his gi and flung him out. “GO!” Seeing him land safely 
outside and sprint off she turned back to the charging creature…..

On the south side of the house……

The thirty henchmen Ashura had hired as backup stormed the house to find an 
unusual scene. The Jamison women and Yahiko sitting in the kitchen, calmly 
drinking tea.

“And you said things were too quiet, Auntie…” Micheala said calmly as she 
sipped her tea.

“Silly me.”

“Aww, only thirty of you gentlemen?” Grandma pouted. “I was hoping for 
more….”

The men grinned at each other. Four helpless women and a brat, too 
easy…..”I’m sure we can entertain ya ladies…..”

“Guess they’d have to do.” Moshi said with a bored tone, despite the 
dangerous glint in her eyes.

The smartest of the thugs started to get nervous. “Aintcha scared?”

“No.” Yahiko said as he drew his bokken

“But you should be…..” Usagi grinned as she held up a two-barreled shotgun 
bigger than she was.

“Because we’re going to show you gentlemen…..” Micheala drew a Six-shooter 
and a lever action, short barreled shotgun .

“How we Jamisons…..” Moshi cracked her knuckles.

“Welcome uninvited guests…..” Grandma unfolded her cane into a set of three 
stick Nunchaku with an evil grin.

The men barely had time to ‘eep’ before all hell broke loose…..

Upstairs, it was a deadly game of hide and seek between Ashura and 
Karou….Stalking each other in the he library…..

“Nice trick there, Karou dono….” Ashura sneered as she padded through the 
shelves, her nose flaring and claws clicking out occasionally in barely 
restrained bloodlust. “Much better than I expected really.”

“I’m flattered.” Karou crept quietly along the top of the bookshelves while 
Ashura searched below, thankful for that the place was so huge. *No way I 
can go toe to toe with her like that….Must outsmart her….*

Ashura chuckled. “You should be….It’s not often I’m impressed….but it’ll 
pass….” *Got your scent….*

Karou waited until Ashura was below….tossing a book in the opposite 
direction….*Oh please fall for it….*

Ashura’s eyes narrowed at the sound…..*Stupid girl…..* She started to walk 
off in the direction of the noise…..

Before springing up the bookcase right at her like a train….

Karou was waiting however, Ashura’s fangs chomping down the bokken instead 
of her neck as she fell back and heaved back….using the added momentum sling 
Ashura into the bookcase top behind her as she fell back…. a sickening 
crunch heard as Ashura folded in half over it….Karou kicking down two more 
of the shelves down on top of them and barely getting out to avoid getting 
crushed by the heavy shelves. *That should hold her…..*

It did….for five seconds…..

Ashura literally exploded from the pile right at her, Tackling her and 
snapping at her throat….Karou blocking her with the Bokken but paying for it 
as Ashura reared back and flung her with a twist of her neck into another 
bookshelf even as Karou refused to let go….repeating the maneuver twice 
before letting the Bokken go and rolled her across the library in a heap. 
Karou climbed to her feet shakily, fighting the dizziness enough to face her 
down. “Is…THAT ALL YOU GOT?!!!!” She screamed.

Ashura grinned. “So you’re not the weakling I thought you was. Good girl….” 
She shifted to human form, still on all fours as she stretched like a cat. 
The fur shifted as well to form a loose fitting pair of Chinese style shirt 
and pants, Excailbron’s hilt slithering around her. “You’ve earned the honor 
dying by Excailbron, Karou dono. You should be thrilled.”

“Just shut up and fight.”

Ashura grinned…..And sprang at her with speed rivaling Kenshin’s….Bokken and 
Demon sword meeting with a clash…..

Outside, Kenshin was on the roof in two leaps, sprinting toward the library. 
“Karou!!! I’m…..”

Something flashed out of the darkness and caught him with a viscous punch, 
Kenshin bouncing across the roof and almost off before grabbing onto the 
roof’s edge….barely hauling himself up before a large foot smashed the roof 
where he was a second ago…..The attacker CATCHING the sakaba as Kenshin 
slashed out, Kenshin getting a glimpse of the man’s empty eye sockets before 
he got kicked across the roof again.
“Out of my way!” Kenshin sprang back at him on the impact…slashing him 
across the neck….To no effect and just missing getting stomped into paste as 
he rolled away to examine his opponent…. “Kill….”
The man spoke in monotone past torn and rotted lips that parted in a grin 
that revealed broken and decaying teeth and gums and much to Kenshin’s 
disgust, worms spilling out. “Kill….you…..”

“Kami-sama…..” Judging from the raggedly pair of overalls he wore and 
condition of his skin, MISSING in places to reveal bone, and unhealed wounds 
that no man could survive, especially the acid burns that took his eyes, 
Kenshin realized this thing was of the undead….

Just like Tomoe…..




##

“You bastard…..”

Shannon wagged a finger at Megumi. “Now, now, fair’s fair. I just tricked 
you first. No need to swear.”

Megumi growled in bad temper. *Mou, that’ll teach me to follow one of that 
baka’s plans.* “I don’t suppose you’re just going to hand over Excailber, 
ne?”

Shannon grinned at Arain. <Such a clever girl, eh Miss Arain?>

Megumi hid her grin. *Not so clever after all. He hasn’t figured out Arain 
yet…..or my ace in the hole.*
She winked at Arain and patted Soujirou’s hand, who looked more relieved….

Below….

“You’re better than I expected, Chickenface.” Silk sneered. “But then 
again…” She callously stepped on a man’s chest, Sano wincing at the audible 
crunch of his ribs and the man’s strangled scream. “This trash isn’t much to 
go by.”

Ten of the recovering men growled at that. “We’ll show you trash!” They 
yelled as they lunged at her….Silk yawning before causally punting the first 
one high above her….slamming down the same leg with such force on the 
second’s collarbone he seemed to fold like a bloody accordion before kicking 
out and crushing the throats of two more….catch and rip the fifth’s arm out 
of it’s socket and use it to bash the sixth brain in while sidestepping and 
snapping the neck of the seventh as he zoomed by…toss the arm into the crowd 
(Where it landed in the lap of one of the rich women, all fainting as one.) 
to grab eight and nine and smash their bodies together with a sickening 
crunch and halfheartedly flung the boneless corpses across the room before 
standing before Sano with a cocky grin and arms spread wide…..Snapping up 
her knee as she caught and broke the back of her first victim without even 
looking and dropped him as she made a curtsy. “See what I mean?”

Not a single one had touched her with fist or blood. And it was over in a 
minute.

*Shit squared…..* Sano mused.

Silk tossed off her coat as she walked up to Sano, who could help but gawk. 
She was intimidating enough with it on, but without it she seemed even more 
huge….one of her biceps alone was the size of his head at least! “I see 
you’re in awe of my incredible physique…..” She cackled.

“Actually…..” Sano grinned, glancing at her chest since he was now eye level 
with it. “I’m surprised you actually have breasts….”

He just barely ducked the punch she hurled at him, the wind of it almost 
knocking him down as the battle started full swing….

Back upstairs Shannon’s eyes widened in disbelief. Megumi groaned as she 
slapped a hand over her face. “Your boyfriend’s ether got balls of brass or 
brains of cow dung.”

“You have no idea…..” Megumi replied. “I could say the same for you for 
thinking of doublecrossing that freak below.”

“Even a elephant can be stopped by a bullet, dear Kitsune.” He motioned to 
the balconies, Megumi noticing the two riflemen waiting above. There were 
several more in the audience and two more came to flank Shannon. “I thought 
I’d let her have a little fun then shoot the winner. That freak upstairs 
will also be taken care of.” He smiled fiendishly. “I will not give 
Excailber over to ANYONE…..Not that witch, and certainly not to you.”

Megumi smiled coyly, reaching out to take his hand. “Where does that leave 
me?”

Shannon grinned.

Below it was an all out war….Silk not caring if the cheering crowd got in 
her way of squashing Sano, who was dancing and weaving around the slower 
(Though not by much! Sano yelped as she hammered the floor where he just 
was.) Silk, landing a couple hits and darting back out of the way….never 
stopping and frustrating the giant. *Chikuso! This sucks but I can’t go toe 
to toe with her now! Especially with Megumi at risk!*

Silk suddenly lunged at him….Sano rolling under her legs and leaping up to 
land a spin kick in the back of her head that stumbled her a bit before she 
whirled and landed a good one in his chest…Sano flying across the room and 
bowling right through the crowd in a heap….Silk somehow there a second later 
to grab him by the legs and literally wrap him around one of the statues 
before slamming him down and booting him across the room again….The crowd 
around a banquet table fleeing to safety as Sano slammed into it and broke 
it. *That’s a another good reason….* Sano winced as he counted five broken 
ribs, grabbing two of the heavy silver serving plates as he saw Silk 
dropping toward him and rolled out of the way of her stomp, boxing her ears 
with a clang and then smashing them down on her head hard enough to DENT 
them.

She just rolled her eyes at him. A Chibi Sano staring in disbelief. “Try 
again?” She snorted before grabbing him by the head and causally tossed him 
behind her into the air and into another table, Sano skidding across it and 
landing in a heap of food and tangled tablecloth….Silk stalking toward him 
slowly and reaching out to grab him again when he suddenly flung a bottle of 
wine in her face, quickly snapping the tablesheet around her head and neck 
as he flipped over her and planted his feet hard in her back, an maneuver 
that would of broken an normal man’s neck instantly but instead slowly 
choking Silk…..Sano riding her like a bull as she thrashed and bellowed and 
ran over the idiots in the crowd before Sano finally heaved back with all 
his strength and slung Silk to the ground with a massive WHAM that lifted 
everybody on the floor off their feet. Sano slammed her again once more with 
a yell…..Silk grabbing the sheet and uppercutting Sano off his feet again 
and into the wall as she ripped off the sheet. “Much better….” She chuckled. 
“Even though you’re still holding back….” Sano’s eyes narrowed. “That’s 
ok….Me too.” Silk lowered her voice with a sneer. “After all this is just 
for fun. When we dance for real later it will be at full strength, and I 
promise there WILL be a later…..”

Sano’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean later?! Tell me what you’re up 
to!!?”

“Make me….” Silk grinned, Sano charging…..

Above….

Soujirou tensed slightly, flashing a ready look at Arain, who winked. 
Shannon, however, was too ‘distracted’ by Megumi. So were the two guards 
alongside Shannon. “Well….I can think of something….” He said slyly. “After 
all, you and I have a lot in common. Mentally speaking, of course.”

“Hai….” Megumi lied through her teeth, moving her hand up along his arm, a 
very seductive light in her eyes. “Imagine all the treasures we can loot 
with our combined resources…..”

“And your boyfriend?”

She smiled, stroking his cheek. Downstairs Sano happened to look up at that 
moment, his eyes going wide with disbelief before Silk punched the hell out 
of him. Megumi snorted. “He’s just brawn, nothing more…..”

Shannon’s grin went from smug to pained as he found a blade suddenly 
pricking his throat, Megumi’s eyes glinting dangerously. The two guards were 
stunned for a second before raising their guns….Soujirou already snapping 
his sword out of his ‘walking stick’, blunt edges out, and knocked both out 
before they even knew it. “….But he’s still smarter than you, Morgan-san.” 
She sneered. “No sudden moves now, the poison on this blade is quite 
deadly.”

“This is a surprise….” Shannon made a show of cockiness. “But you forgot 
something…..”

But Arain had already acted, teleporting right behind the first sniper and 
taking him out with a vicious kick to the groin, her fairies freezing the 
other soild. Shannon’s eyes bugged out. “I didn’t.” Megumi said calmly. “If 
you were so smart you should of figured out Arain’s from Avalon….” Her grin 
turned sinister. “And doesn’t like you very much….”

Shannon snorted despite shaking slightly with fear. “Hmph, a standoff then. 
You’re trapped by all of my guards….” The men hidden in the audience had now 
noticed what was up and were now leveling their guns at them and the 
fighters, the crowd too busy cheering and gambling on the fight to notice. 
Soujirou and Arain tensed, ready to move. “And if they shoot you I’m dead. 
Interesting, no?”

Megumi’s smile was scary to behold. “We’ll figure something out, won’t we? 
Ether way, You should be more worried about the redhead……”

As if she heard, Arain fixed Shannon with a glare that spoke volumes of the 
torture planned for him.

Meanwhile, upstairs…..

The battle had extended into Shannon’s huge trophy room, Jubei, Shuriken and 
Daisho showing no respect for the ancient artifacts within…Tapestries, 
statues, literature and the like were ether used as weapons or simply 
destroyed as they fought hammer and tongs…..

“Should of known you bastards would have been here!” Jubei snarled as 
Daisho’s Katana whooshed over his head and sliced a old looking portrait of 
a smiling lady….Locking swords with the grinning freak. “Who tipped you 
off?!”

“Fool. Who do you think gave that idiot the means of getting Excailber in 
the first place?” Daisho sneered. “Looks like we get the bonus of your heads 
as well as the sword….”

“As if you two idiots could even lift it!” Shuriken yelled as she clashed 
with the frenzied smaller twin Shuriken to claw, the battle actually even 
and destroying more property than Jubei and the bigger brother.
Excailber sat right in the middle of the room, in a replica of the original 
stone, waiting for whoever got it first….

“You little…!” The twin snarled, and with a toe curlingly disgusting 
slurping sound he snapped his tongue out like a frog, smashing off a statue 
head as Shuriken ducked, snapping at her rapid fire at her dodging form and 
barely missing……Shuriken ducking and grabbing the tongue to knot it around a 
pillar….the twin screeching as the tongue rubberbanded him right into the 
pillar HARD. “Excuse me!” Shuriken kicked him as she dashed by him and 
grabbed the sword. “Jubei!”

The larger twin was drowning Jubei in a ornate fountain. “Right….behind 
you!” He sputtered before kicking back to nail Daisho in the groin, carrying 
the hilt while she struggled with the blade. “Mou! How can Arain lift this 
thing?!”

“That’s none of your concern anymore…..”

Daisho suddenly flung something at them, Jubei snapping it out of the air.

And freaked when he saw it was a lit stick of dynamite….

The situation was getting grave downstairs, Sano obviously dizzy from 
bloodloss yet still standing face to face with Silk, who seemed unhurt save 
for a ugly bruise on her neck, the fight degenerating to a brainless slugout 
that Sano was obviously getting the worse….Megumi wincing at every punch 
Silk landed to his two and the hammer striking meat sound it made….. 
“Whatever miracle you’re expecting better happen now,” Shannon sneered. “I 
doubt ‘Souzou’ will last much longer….”

The words were barely out of his mouth when the roof suddenly blew apart in 
a rain of rubble, treasures and three warriors…..The crowd panicking out of 
the way as Sano and Silk looked up in surprise….Sano leapfrogging over the 
stunned Silk before he was buried right along with her….Everybody staring at 
the rubble and the dazed Jubei, Shuriken and Daisho sprawled on top in shock 
for a tense moment.

“M-M-My T-trophies…..” Shannon sobbed. Megumi smirked.

Arain hopped down onto the rubble as Excailber started to glow….her dress 
changing to her battle gear as she slowly drew it from the ‘stone’ and held 
it up with a battle cry as it flared blindingly for a brief moment…..Arain 
raising it to point it at Shannon with glowing eyes.

“You……”

“Don’t just stand there you idiots! Kill them!”

The guests had finally wised up enough get the hell out of there, panicking 
as the hidden guards drew their guns and more men piled in….

##

At the same time…..

“Good thing I’m killing Alexander as well,” Ashura taunted. “He’ll be pissed 
to see what you’ve done to his library…..”

“What I did?!!!”

It seemed the library was getting the worse of the battle at the moment, 
Shelves knocked or thrown over, books everywhere….Ashura and Karou still 
going at it hammer and tongs although Ashura seemed to be holding back. 
“Just between us girls, I honestly can’t see what Kenshin sees in you.” 
Ashura continued as she parried an angry thrust at her face and snapped the 
hilt at Karou who likewise countered barely. “You don’t have a fraction of 
Tomoe’s or my good looks….You can’t cook to save your life and you don’t 
have a feminine bone in your entire body…..” She grinned at Karou as they 
locked swords again. “Unless you’re not as ‘innocent’ as you appear…..”

“You sound jealous!” Karou pushed her off and slashed at her throat, Ashura 
causally sidestepping and bringing down Excailbron in a viscous 
downstroke…..Just as Karou intended, the younger girl flipping back to 
barely dodge and catch Ashura solidly in the chin with her feet and knock 
her back a bit….The snakesaya lunging at her just as Karou landed on her 
feet, sinking it’s fangs into her arm. Karou yelped and yanked it off….The 
poison already in effect from the dizziness and the two Ashura nursing her 
jaw as the snakesaya slithered back up her shirt. “Oh, it won’t kill you, 
Karou dono….” She sneered as Karou swayed. “Just weaken you long enough for 
this!”

Ashura lunged and kicked her with such force Karou flipped into the 
air….using both saya and sword to slash repeatedly at her as Karou fell back 
down, the force of the slashes creating a vacuum that kept her airborne and 
helpless as the attacks shredded her clothes and soon into her arms, back 
and legs…Ashura laughing as Karou’s blood literally rained on her and 
stopped long enough to kick her across into another bookshelf as she fell, 
Karou plopping to the floor in a ravaged heap. “One of my favorite 
techniques…..” Ashura cackled. “Tamashii no Shuukakusha: Crimson rain. Aptly 
named, ne?” Karou staggered to her feet, cut in a dozen different places and 
a mess, but now clear headed thanks to the pain. “Still strong enough to 
fight? Good girl…..”

Ashura gave her very little time to respond, clearing the distance between 
them in her next breath in a dash and roll….Karou putting all her strength 
in her blow only to watch her bokken SHATTER as Ashura intercepted with her 
fist and returned with a powerful slash that would of cut her in two like 
the bookshelf behind her if Karou hadn’t ducked….Karou lunging up in a 
jumping uppercut that caught Ashura off guard and followed with a dropkick 
that knocked her off her feet…Ashura grinning wildly as she rolled to her 
feet. “Fair’s fair…..” She sheathed Excailbron and threw it aside. “Crushing 
you on your own level will be more entertaining!”

“Shut up and fight!” Karou screamed as she charged…..

Outside….

Kenshin’s fight had left the rooftops and continued in the field and around 
the house, (mainly cause he was thrown off….) the zombie relentlessly 
attacking him despite near collapse from rot and Kenshin’s attacks…
*Che! I’ve hit this thing enough to kill a normal man!* Kenshin ducked a 
punch that knocked in the wall, immediately rising in a Ryu sho sen that 
tore the creature’s arm off….getting backhanded for his trouble through the 
smashed wall before he touched ground….the creature picking up it’s torn off 
arm and simply reattaching it as it walked toward him….

And was blown off it’s feet by gunfire.

“Kenshin!” Usagi lowered the smoking shotgun as Yahiko and the rest of 
Jamison women piled in….stunned as they recognized the zombie. “Gregor!”

“Our former farmhand before he sold us out to Ashura.” Grandma explained. 
“Even a scumbag like him doesn’t deserve that….”
“KILLLLLLLYYYYOOOOOUUUUUU!” Gregor charged…..

##

All hell broke loose.

“MISS SHURIKEN!!!!!”

Megumi didn’t know what was scarier…..seeing the normally calm Soujirou go 
berserk at the sight of the surrounded Shuriken or the awe inspiring visage 
of Arain surrounded by a swarm of fairies and eyes glowing pure white as she 
raised Excailber parallel to her eyes like Saitou’s Gatasou….ether way the 
carnage that followed was staggering. Pieces of guns, clubs and even men 
flew through the air as the two ripsawed through the mob to get to their 
goals….Shannon taking advantage of her shock to swat her hand away and 
lunge, knocking them both out of the chair as he started to strangle her….

“Megumi!” Sano jumped up to help her….only to be grabbed by the foot and 
slammed back down…A brusied and pissed off Silk rising out of the debris….

Soujirou reached Shuriken just as she was waking up…..With a still dazed 
Daisho stabbing his Katana down toward her heart and only hitting debris as 
Soujirou scooped her up in the same second….Jubei also rising to his feet at 
the same time to smash his saya in the larger man’s throat….Daisho 
collapsing with a groan. “Miss Shuriken!!” Soujirou shook her. “Are you 
ok?!”

“Will the two of you stop yelling…..” Shuriken grumbled, eyes spiraling….

Upstairs Shannon was on top of the struggling Megumi, forcing down all his 
weight on her throat. “I’ll show you to threaten me you little….”

CRUNCH! CRUNCH! CRUNCH! CRUNCH!

Shannon made unrecognizable noise and his eyes rolled into his head as 
Megumi kicked him repeatedly and viscously someplace very sensitive until he 
staggered off her…..Megumi kicking him again while he was down. “What were 
you going to show me?!”

Arain was to the stairs now, finishing off the last of the guards and 
stalking toward Shannon. “He’s mine, Megumi….”

Shannon made a strangled cry and started scuttling backwards the best he 
could…..

Sano couldn’t help but grin as he saw Megumi was safe, Silk fuming. “Pay 
Attention!” She bellowed as she swung and missed Sano, getting a two hitter 
in reply that she shrugged off. “It’ll take more than that!”

The words were no sooner out her mouth when a piano pushed by Soujirou, 
Shuriken and Jubei slammed her into the wall hard enough to crater it.

“How’s that?” Shuriken yelled.

A second passed, and then Silk slowly lifted it off her and into the air, 
hurling it at them and missing badly. “…..A roof….A piano…..” She chuckled 
stupidly, actually dazed. “Takes more than…..”

She didn’t even get to finish before Sano swung one of the statues like a 
baseball bat right into her chin, Silk flying through the wall and 
outside….Everybody watching her tumble a good three feet before bowling over 
a carriage. “Home Run, Sano….” Shuriken grinned as Sano slumped unto Jubei. 
They looked at her blankly. “Never mind.”

The place was now deathly quiet save for Arain’s footsteps toward Shannon, 
who looked petrified at the raw anger ablaze in her eyes. “I’ll give you 
anything you want, just let me live!”

“You beg?” That seemed to piss her off even more, the air now freezing. 
Shannon yelped. “You DARE TO BEG?!!! LIKE YOUR VICTIMS DID?!!!” Her grip 
tightened on the hilt, her knuckles whitening. ‘YOU WANT MERCY AFTER WHAT 
YOU DID TO MY MENTOR?!” Tears came to her eyes as she raised the sword. ‘TO 
ZAN?!!!” She brought Excailber down as she shrieked the last…..

An inch from his face.

Shannon pissed himself. Megumi wrinkled her nose in disgust.

“No…” She lowered the blade, her voice pure ice. “Killing you now would 
dishonor Avalon and Excailber. I can’t think of a better justice than to let 
you rot here with everything you cherished gone, like you left us. 
Sayonara!” She punucated the last with a devastating kick to his jaw, 
leaving him a crumpled, sobbing heap as she walked down the stairs. Megumi 
however, stayed to say one last thing before she joined Arain.

“If you don’t want to waste her generosity, Morgan-san, you better leave 
now….” Daisho and Silk won’t be so kind.”

Arain wiped her eyes and smiled as the others walked up to her. “This may be 
rude, but you look like shit, Sano.” She commented.

Sano grinned weakly. “You should…..See the other guy…..” The grin faded when 
he saw the fury on Megumi’s face as she got a good look at him, her fist 
clenching so tightly her knuckles were white. Before he could say anything 
in his defense however, he passed out just as her fist rocked his jaw.

##

“Tamashii no Shuukakusha: HELL EMBRACE!”

Ashura’s arms turned eellike as she caught Karou in a crushing bearhug, 
grinning as Karou screamed at the pain and the surge of electricity she 
added to it. “Come on, girl! Is that really all you got?!”

Karou answered by wrapping her arms around Ashura tightly….yelling as she 
planted her weight and heaved back at the same time to back drop slam Ashura 
and knock the wind out of her, refusing to let go even though it burned her 
arms to lift and slam her repeatedly until Ashura finally let go….Karou 
rolling atop her and unloading on her with everything she had until she was 
finally flung off….Ashura rolling backwards to a crouch and springing at 
Karou as the younger girl landed on her feet to grapple again hand to hand 
and pushing her back….Karou realizing her intention too late as Ashura 
shifted into a bull and rammed her into the shelf with an awful crack that 
could have been the shelf or her ribs or both….sweeping Ashura’s legs from 
under her and rolling away desperately as the bull crashed to the floor and 
shifted back to her real form.  Both girls slowly stood and glared at each 
other as they paused for breath….Karou’s vision blurry from bloodloss but 
she could tell that she hurt Ashura at least from the blood she spit on the 
floor and the faint bruises here and there. “Ready to die, little girl?”

Karou mirrored her grin. “I…was about to ask the same thing…..”

Ashura laughed….then charged as Karou readied herself….drawing Excailbron a 
second before reaching her in a scream and swung…..

Outside, Gregor was still somehow going despite the beating he/it was 
receiving and giving it right back…although they could tell it was starting 
to slow down as if it was running out of strength.

“Micheala! Usagi!”

Alexander appeared in the window above, hurling a glass container at the 
creature. ‘SHOOT!”

They didn’t need to be told twice. All three guns fired as one at the moment 
it reached the creature, the liquid catching flame as it shattered and 
engulfed Gregor as it howled….the flames seeming to have no effect at first 
from the way the burns were immediately healing…..then it suddenly slumped 
to the ground with a moan, soon a shapeless and burning pyre. Everybody 
slumped in relief until….

“Where’s Karou and Tomoe, Kenshin?” Yahiko asked, soon answered by her 
scream….

Upstairs….

“Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu: HADOME!”

Karou screamed as she crossed her wrists and caught Excailbron’s blade with 
the back of her hands, screamed at the incredible cold BURNING her and in 
outrage as she kicked Ashura with all her strength in her stomach, Ashura 
letting go in surprise just enough for Karou to shove Excailbron’s blade 
back toward Ashura and deep into her shoulder. “Bitch!” Ashura snarled and 
backhanding Karou right across the library and THROUGH another shelf, Karou 
struggling to her feet as Ashura advanced….her wound already starting to 
heal….

Stopping as Excailbron started to hum, glowing faintly. Ashura glanced at it 
and grinned before sheathing it. “Heh, This round goes to you Karou-dono. 
I’m really impressed you did so well against me at HALF strength, it’s an 
achievement most men can’t claim to. Feel proud of your victory and look 
forward to our next encounter….I will….” Laughing wildly she leapt out one 
of the smashed windows, vanishing into the night just as the others came 
bursting in. “KAROU!” She collapsed into Kenshin’s arms as he flickered to 
her side in an instant, both horrified at her wounds and filled with rage at 
Ashura.

“….I’m fine….Kenshin….” She smiled weakly. “I….won….”

Moshi and Yahiko were trying to keep Alexander from jumping out the window. 
“You need to get back in bed, Alex-san!” Yahiko said as he yanked on the 
injured and swearing man.

“Bed, hell! I’m gonna take my shotgun and shove both barrels down her skinny 
throat!”

Micheala, Usagi and Grandma returned from the dojo, Kenshin feeling worse 
when he saw Tomoe wasn’t with them. “Is Tomoe….”

Grandma looked downcast. “The place was a mess….That thing you described 
splattered all over the place, I’ve never seen anything like it….But no 
trace of Tomoe, Ken-san.”

Kenshin looked out the smashed window and into the darkness….Karou thinking 
she saw one of his eyes turn amber for a second.

“Where could she be……?”

##

Shannon didn’t get far.

Immediately after Arain had teleported them out of there, Shannon, idiot he 
was, had immediately dashed to his emergency funds and whatever valuables he 
could carry before fleeing….and was caught before he could even get out the 
door by Daisho and Silk, who were waiting for him. The remaining guards and 
thugs that had survived the earlier onslaught hadn’t learned ether, 
attempting to save their boss in hope of a reward.

Daisho was happy to oblige their death wish.
“Don’t look so down, Mr. Morgan.” Silk said cheerfully as she leaned a 
little harder on Shannon’s chest, enjoying his shrill scream. “At least we 
gave you your wish.”

“You were using me all along, weren’t you?”

“He’s catching on, sis…..” Daisho chuckled as they flicked blood off their 
claws and sword. “As if we were stupid enough to get Avalon pissed off at 
us. You were on the other hand, nothing personal of course.”

“And it looks like we lost Excailber anyway, brother. All that work 
wasted….”

Daisho mirrored his sister’s sharklike smile. “Looks that way…..”

Shannon realized the truth then. “You wanted that bitch to get the sword 
back! But why all that trouble to steal it…..” Silk choked off his question 
by pressing harder.

“That’s no longer your concern, Mister Morgan.” She motioned behind her. 
“That is.”

Shannon wasn’t aware of the huge front door being bashed in behind them 
until then, craning his neck to see….and when he did his mind was too 
horrified to comprehend what his eyes were telling him: Long, dark and 
bloodstained hair. Glowing eyes in a mask of beauty. Razor sharp claws and 
fangs. ripped and bloody shirt and overalls hanging on a female seeming but 
rapidly deteriorating body….Silk looked even more amused by his terror. 
“See, here’s the deal. I’ll give you a generous five-minute start, and if 
you can make it to your gate, you’re free to go. If not….” She chuckled. 
“Feeding time.”

The thing dropped to a crouch, actually smiling at him like a child.

“Clock’s ticking, Mr. Morgan.” She released him…. “Let me HELP!” Then kicked 
him in the side hard enough to send him flying over the creature’s head and 
tumble a good two feet into the yard….Shannon too terrified feel his broken 
ribs as he bolted for his life….His heart pounding too loudly to hear the 
beastly howl behind him…..

He had just gripped the gate door when it caught him….Shannon only vaguely 
aware of his arm still attached to the gate door as he was yanked 
backwards…..Hearing a feral grunt followed by a SNAP that could of only been 
his spine…..His last thought ironically thankful to it so he wouldn’t feel 
it literally tears him apart….

Silk mock-winced at the sight, giggling like a schoolgirl. “That will ruin 
his weekend…..” She said sagely before laughing at her cruel joke.

“You’re one sick puppy, Sister dear.” Daisho grumbled. Silk only grinned 
wider.

Outside the creature stood over the ravaged remains in a triumphant 
roar…..Drinking in the stream of red mist that rose from it….the roar slowly 
becoming a human scream as healthy pink flesh grew in place of damaged flesh 
and claws and fangs shrank to normal…..The eyes losing their glow and a 
panting and now very human Tomoe collapsing to her knees amidst the 
carnage…..

“Her first kill, Mother…..Oh, my baby’s all grown up…..”

Tomoe looked blankly at Ashura and Mother as they shimmered into existence 
before her….First horrified as she realized what she’d done…..Then shaking 
in growing anger as Ashura continued. “Feels like your first time with 
Kenshin, Ne? The rush…the excitement….” She dodged Tomoe frantic lunge and 
tripped her as she flew past. “Don’t be an ungrateful brat, Tomoe. Not only 
did he deserve it, but look at yourself….”

Tomoe realized that she actually felt the sting of the impact instead of the 
numbness she’d grown accustomed to….felt warm blood pump through her 
veins….the feeling that she was actually alive again instead of the illusion 
of it. “Yes…..” Mother sneered. “This is what you’ve been denying yourself, 
child, because of your silly morals. Feels good, dosen’t it?”

“What….happened…..” She managed as she lowered her hands. “I remember….an 
awful creature…..”

“Just one of Mother’s children, Tomoe.” Ashura said calmly. “Born for the 
sole purpose of forcing your body to slip into beserker mode for survival. 
If you hadn’t, you would have deteriorated from the strain of starving 
yourself for so long. I even set up ‘dinner’.” She smirked. “Better that pig 
than Kenshin.”

“And I should feel grateful?” Tomoe shot back.

Ashura’s eyes grew hard. “Hmph. Listen to me, you stupid little girl. If it 
wasn’t for me you would be wormfood these past ten years….And I can send you 
right back in an instant. Don’t ever forget that.”

“You don’t scare me, Ashura….” Tomoe countered. “I’m no use to you dead, as 
you’ve proven. But I’d gladly die than to be used by you to hurt him!”

“You hypocritical bitch…..” That one really riled Ashura, Excailbron out in 
an instant to her throat. “How dare you accuse anyone of hurting him when 
it’s all you’ve ever done to him?” Tomoe didn’t flinch at the blade, even as 
it pressed against her neck enough draw blood. “You claim to love him so 
much yet all you’ve done is ruin his life! I’ve loved him more than you ever 
have…..” She grinned evilly. “And in more ways than you think….”

Tomoe just stared at her in disbelief as she understood. “You lie…..”

Ashura smirked. “You wish I were, don’t you?” Tomoe looked ill as she 
continued. “It was during his wandering days….Coldest night of the year. He 
was alone, wet, miserable and about to end it right there because of the 
damage you’ve done. So I stopped him by pretending to be you and…..” Tomoe 
clenched her fists as Ashura added the knockout blow with a nasty sneer. “I 
must admit I’ve known pleasure in the arms of many men, however I must admit 
he was the first I ever made love to….and it seemed it was his first time to 
be loved so well….”

Tomoe cut her off with a scream of rage and threw a punch that Ashura easily 
caught despite the strength behind it, slowly adding pressure that forced 
Tomoe to her knees. “Liar….” Tomoe spat through clenched teeth. “I loved 
Kenshin…..He knows I didn’t mean to hurt him so much…..I won’t let you 
convince me otherwise!” There was pure hatred in her eyes as she glared at 
Ashura. “Nor will I let you win!” With that she swiped at Ashura to make her 
let go….springing away into the darkness. Ashura simply let her go with a 
smirk.

“That’s it, Run back to Kenshin…..” She sneered as she watched her vanish. 
“Make up whatever little story you want and he’ll accept it of course. 
Unfortunately I failed to mention that your little snack would only last for 
twenty-four hours. And you’ll be even hungrier than before….”

##


Meanwhile….

Mostly everybody had returned to the Jamison household safe and sound, 
including Merlin thankfully, (Though he was livid about the library.) who 
used his magic to treat the more seriously wounded like Kenshin and Karou.

All except one.

“Bakayarou!”

“Owww!!!!”

In fact, they were all lounging around the dining room at the moment, both 
discussing what happened and enjoying the ‘entertainment’ of one EXTREMELY 
irate Fox-doctor patching up her patient/victim. Megumi had ‘insisted’ that 
Sano would be treated by her instead of Merlin’s cure magic till morning, 
obviously wanting to make him suffer a good bit for making her worry so 
much. Everybody agreed after hearing about the stunt he pulled…..

*Although she could be a little more gentle* Kiro thought as he shooed the 
kids to bed. *And not swear with each breath.*

“The library must have been Ashura’s real target.” Merlin mused. “Keeping us 
from finding out the answer….”

“I did find something in one of your books, Merlin san.” Karou explained the 
dragon story to Merlin, who looked thoughtful. “Could it have a connection?”

“Hmmmm….Interesting. Thank you, Miss Karou. You’ve just given me an 
important lead to follow while you go to Japan.”

“Now, Old man?” Arain gave him a half-annoyed, half-asleep look. “We barely 
got back….”

“Ashura making her move now, I can feel it…..” The old man sighed. 
“Something that disturbs the balance of all things is approaching soon. You 
have to retrieve Murasame as soon as possible to avoid this…..” He glanced 
over at Kenshin, who paused slightly in hovering over Karou like a mother 
bird and glancing at the door at the same time to flick a glare at Merlin. 
“Right after Tomoe returns, that is.”

“Do you know where she is?” There was an uncharacteristic tone of accusation 
in his voice. Karou pretended not to notice despite her heart starting to 
beat quicker.

Merlin thought carefully about how he should answer. He could sense the 
change in the young man…..as well as something completing it’s 
transformation into a thing of darkness. He knew what that ‘something’ was…. 
“Tomoe is alright, Kenshin.” He lied. “I sense her aura approaching us now.”

“….Agratou, Merlin-san.” Karou reached up to squeeze Kenshin’s hand, feeling 
the tension flow out of him. Only Soujirou noticed the worried glance that 
the Jamisons exchanged with Merlin, his eyes narrowing but keeping quiet.

“Are you going to do what I think you will?” Arain questioned. Merlin 
smirked in reply, which made her groan. “Don’t come complaining to me if 
Grandmother puts you back to sleep, Old man….”

On the other side of the room…..

Sano let loose a string of curses as Megumi roughly bandaged his ribs. “Shut 
up!” She snarled at him, biting her lip to keep from crying in relief. Lucky 
didn’t describe Sano….if the knife wound had been a little higher or deeper 
or if Silk had hit him there…. “You ignorant Jackass!” She let him have it. 
“Serves you right for being so stupid!”

“What was I supposed to do to buy more time? Sip tea and flirt with Shannon 
like you were?”

Megumi growled and pinched his ear as she yelled in it. “IT WOULD HAVE BEEN 
BETTER THAN GETTING YOUR BRAINS BASHED IN YOU TWERP!! YOU’RE NOT 
INVINCIBLE!”

“Yare, Yare!” Shuriken teased. “No need to get so loud about worrying over 
him!”
Megumi reddened as she shot a lethal glare at the giggling girl and her 
smiling bodyguard, Arain winking at her and Yahiko making kissy faces. Jubei 
pretended to be examining his sword although obviously amused. She 
immediately whirled on the snickering Sano and smacked him in the back of 
the head. “This isn’t funny! You….You….” As hard as she fought not to cry 
her eyes watered. “You…almost….almost…”

Sano heard the strain in her voice, turning slightly to see what the others 
couldn’t because of her hair in the way….see the glistening tears about to 
fall.

*Megumi….*

“Oi, Fox…..Now we sound like the lovebirds over there.” He motioned at 
Shuriken and Soujirou.

It had the intended effect: Megumi was so surprised she stopped crying and 
stared at him. Soujirou blushed while Shuriken squawked in outrage.

“You don’t have to worry anymore, Megumi.” Sano smiled smugly before she 
could recover. “I’m not gonna pull a stunt like that again….at least not 
without my lucky dice…..”

Megumi wiped her eyes as she realized what he was saying. *Still, * She 
mused. “I don’t know if I want to cry on his shoulder in relief and hug 
him….or strangle him.* “I guess you’re never getting them back then.” She 
remarked. “You’re getting smarter without them.”

“Oi!”

Everybody laughed, including Kenshin. Jubei’s however, sounded forced.

Just then Tomoe staggered in the door.

Kenshin was there to catch her that same instant, Tomoe already explaining 
something about the creature’s poison confusing her and causing her to 
stagger off….Kenshin already knowing it was a lie but was too relieved to 
argue. Karou looked a little peeved for a second before getting up to help 
Kenshin sit her down, Merlin and Alexander nodding to each other while 
everybody’s attention was diverted.  “I’m sorry, Tomoe,” Merlin started, 
ignoring the icy look Kenshin shot his way. “but can you manage enough 
strength to help me? We don’t have much time.”

Tomoe nodded, Merlin first curing Sano then standing up to address 
everybody. “I’ll use a teleportation spell to send you there, guided by 
Tomoe’s thoughts. That should give you enough of a head start to rest a 
little….” Merlin’s eyes flashed briefly as he glanced from Tomoe to Kenshin 
before turning and walking out. “You’ll need it…..”

They took long enough to bid farewell to the Jamisons, which was just as 
animated as their introduction: Spinecrushing bearhugs and buckets of tears 
from Moshi, not so subtle filtration from Grandma and Micheala like gropes 
disguised as hugs, much to Jubei’s and Sano’s discomfort…. Soujirou and 
Shuriken obviously got the worse of it since everyone of them, even the 
kids, had made some remarks about the two that had all the subetly of an 
anvil that bounced off the clueless Rurouni….

*Or did they?* Shuriken glanced over at Soujirou as her father stopped 
pounding him on the back in laughter, finding herself smiling. *I wonder…..*

Once outside, Merlin traced a circle in the air with his staff as he spoke 
in Avalon….Forming a ‘door’ of swirling energy before them. “All Tomoe has 
to do is concentrate on your destination, my magic will do the rest. I will 
join you as soon as I’m finished here, Fare thee well until then….”

“Fare thee well, Merlin-san.” Tomoe said before walking in, Kenshin and 
Karou right behind her….

“Um, maybe I’ll just catch the next boat…..” Megumi and Shuriken pounced 
Sano and Yahiko before they could flee and threw them in before entering 
themselves. Jubei and Arain went next, Soujirou the last to go. “Gomensai, 
Merlin-san.” He turned to the old man. “You didn’t explain what you will be 
doing.”

Merlin grinned. “Visiting an old friend, child. It may prove useful.”

Soujirou faked a smile. “Hai, Merlin-san. Sayonara.” *He’s not telling me 
the truth…..*

Merlin allowed himself to relax after Soujirou left, closing the portal. 
“No…I’m not, Soujirou. Gomensai.”

“She’s one of them, isn’t she? Like Gregor?”

Merlin turned to the Jamison, sighing. “Yes, Moshi. Her transformation to a 
‘Cultivator’ is complete. There’s nothing we can do now but wait and see 
what happens.”

Moshi sagged against her husband, paling. “My baby traveling with one of 
those things…..”

“Maybe she can fight it like before….” Usagi started.

“Possibly. I’ve never seen one fight it as long as she has, so maybe there’s 
a chance.” Merlin said firmly. “Right now we have work to do…..”

##

Asuka, Japan.

The old Yukashiro estate was one of the largest houses in the district, 
often rumored of being haunted since it was abandoned for the past 12 years.

It’s reputation wasn’t helped by the appearance of a swirling portal twenty 
feet over it’s large pond and dumping nine screaming people into it.

Clearly Tomoe’s mind was still ‘muddled.’

“And my magic will do the rest he says!” Yahiko grumbled as he climbed out 
with the rest of the soaking wet crew. Sano got on all fours and shook 
himself dry like a dog would, soaking Megumi and the others even more. Arain 
dried herself and the others in a fancier way by using her powers to drain 
the water off them….only to form it into a ball and drop it on an indignant 
Sano. “Merlin no baka….”

Tomoe smiled sheepishly. “My fault actually. I thought it would be better to 
rest here than at the Murasame shrine, since it’s underwater at this time.”

“Underwater?”

“It’s built within the cliffs by the shore, the enterance revealed when the 
tide goes out. If we had gone directly there we would have drowned since the 
shrine is flooded at high tide. We’ll just have to wait until later.”

“Funny that you didn’t mention this to us earlier.” Arain sniffed.

Tomoe coolly eyed Arain, seemingly unruffled. “I’m clearheaded now, 
Arain-san. I also doubt that Merlin-sama would have wanted us to wait, since 
time is of the essence. And no disrespect, I doubt that you could move that 
much water as exhausted as you really are.”

*How did she…? * Arain hid her surprise well, nodding and smiling. “Hai, I 
see your point.” *Something’s not right here….*
“Forgive my rudeness, Tomoe-san.” Soujirou said. “But it looks like someone 
was here recently…..”

“Nani?” Tomoe looked around. The place had been lived in recently from the 
looks of things, even tended to. And she felt the traces of an aura….a warm, 
familiar one…..

“Probably just vagrants.” Tomoe lied. “If Ashura was searching here the 
place would be a wreck.” She added before anyone got skeptic. She felt 
Arain’s suspicion grow. *Feh, go ahead and worry your little head about it. 
It’s none of your business…..*

An hour later.

Tomoe silently crept through the house, taking care not to awake her 
sleeping comrades in their rooms. They had immediately gone to sleep, 
leaving her free to her task. Part of her felt bad about being so secretive, 
but it was something she had to do alone. *My final atonement.* She mused. 
*And I may not get another chance…..*

“…Tomoe-san?”

She was almost out the door when Soujirou, lurking downstairs on the couch 
half asleep, half guardian angel, woke up and spotted her. “Is something 
wrong?”

“Nothing at all.” Tomoe’s eyes flared, Soujirou struggling at first but soon 
in dreamland. Tomoe easily lifted him onto the couch and wrapped him in his 
blanket. At least he’ll get some real sleep, she mused and slipped out the 
house and ran a good ten feet away from the house in seconds before 
stopping.

“That’s good enough.” She then started to concentrate on tracking the auras 
she’d sensed earlier, tapping into her newfound knowledge from her 
‘transformation.’…Feeling the warmth of the magical energies flowing through 
her as she opened a portal like Merlin’s and leapt in as it closed around 
her.

Rakunimura, Miles away.

The portal opened and closed long enough for Tomoe to step out, the young 
woman repressing the urge laugh maniacally at her success. It seemed that 
not only had her body gained new life and but power as well…..Power that 
sang in her veins with typhoon force and felt DAMN good she had to admit. 
*Heh, Forcing me to kill that slime may be your biggest mistake, Ashura.* 
She should of felt horrified at the thought but instead felt a rush of 
emotion that could only be described as primal. *After this you’re mine….*

She paused and looked around. Desolate was one of the words that came to 
mind, unable to believe that ‘they’ were really here or that anything could 
live in a hovel like this. And the tainted Ki….*This place radiates misery 
and depression like a stench….It would be a BLESSING if I fed on this poor 
souls and put them out of their misery….*

Unlike the first, that evil thought did scare her. So did the now louder 
voices in her head that she had the right to, that it was the only way to 
truly help Kenshin…

She ignored them the best she could and started on her task….

When it found her instead.

“Well, now, aren’t you a sight for these old, senile eyes…..”

Tomoe felt tears well up in her eyes at the sound of his warm voice, turning 
around to face him. She barely noticed his unkempt and shaggy appearance, 
only those warm eyes she remembered from childhood…..Running into Oibore’s 
open arms.

“FATHER!!”

##

The next day.

The crew had awakened at noon, more exhausted than they originally thought 
from the previous battle, and after a quick breakfast of rabbit they 
immediately started the two-hour hike to the coast. Tomoe, Kenshin and Karou 
were at the point, Arain and Jubei covering the rear and the others in the 
middle, kinda like a herd protecting the younger and weakest of the flock as 
Jubei remarked. He went on to add that Battousai should switch places then….

It was kinda ironic to see Karou holding Kenshin back in instead of the 
other way around.

“Good thing you actually slept for once, kid.” Jubei teased Soujirou 
afterwards. “Sweet dreams of the nag?” He dodged Shuriken’s elbow jab.

Soujirou gave him a dirty look, then looked around to see if Tomoe was in 
earshot and lowered his voice. “Actually I had a odd dream about Tomoe-san. 
I have no idea why….”

“Everything is odd where Tomoe is concerned.” Jubei retorted, earning a 
glare from Shuriken.

“Her eyes weren’t glowing in this dream, were they?”

Soujirou stared at Yahiko. “Actually they were…..How….”

“I had a similar one a few days back. Tomoe sneaking out of the dojo, 
stalking this couple like some kind of animal and….” Yahiko shivered. “I’m 
glad it was just a dream.”

“Who says it was?”

Arain, Yahiko, Soujirou, Megumi, Shuriken, and Jubei looked at Sano. 
Fortunately he had the sense to keep his voice low enough that Tomoe or 
Kenshin didn’t hear like everybody else. “That’s not funny, Roosterhead.” 
Megumi hissed.

“No it’s not.” Jubei replied. “He’s just admitted what we’re all thinking 
but too respectful of Kenshin to say…. Except me. And don’t say you haven’t 
noticed anything….unusual about her.”

“Other than she’s dead?”

“Very funny, Red. Does everybody remember how while we were on the way to 
America, Tomoe would lock herself in the room and only come out at night? Or 
the mysterious ‘illness’ that only affected people for a day?”

Soujirou sighed. “Jubei-san, We understand what you’re saying but….Think 
about what Tomoe must be going through…..”

“I don’t mean to sound coldhearted.” Jubei growled. “But this can’t wait 
because it affects our mission. Tomoe’s changed….I can’t place my finger on 
it but there’s something different about her I don’t like….something that….”

“Reminds you off Ashura.” Arain’s comment was followed by silence. Then 
Jubei nodded, Arain’s jaw tightening. “Excailber and I feel it as well. But 
until we are certain we can only be careful. It’s the only thing we can do.”

“I don’t believe this.” Shuriken hissed. “The last thing we need is to start 
doubting each other. Besides, Tomoe wouldn’t betray Kenshin or us to that 
bitch….”

“How sure are you?” Jubei asked. Shuriken only glared in reply. “Let’s just 
take Arain’s advice and wait. That’s all I got to say.” Everybody nodded in 
reply.

“You’re awful quiet back there,” Tomoe suddenly spoke up, smiling at them. 
“I never thought Jubei’ll ever be too tired to run his mouth.”

Everybody snickered. Jubei frowned. “And I thought you’d be too busy ogling 
Battousai to pay attention.”
He retorted.

Tomoe only smiled wider and turned back around, musing over her ‘comrades’ 
conversation she eavesdropped on with her heightened senses. *Feh, So you 
don’t trust me. You’re smarter than you look. I don’t trust ‘myself’ ether 
so you better be prepared….*

She remembered back to last night in Rakunimura, her reunion with Father and 
Enishi. Father knew she had returned to the living….he wouldn’t explain how 
but merely thanked her for visiting an old fool. Enishi’s miserable 
appearance had broken her heart, damning Ashura to every hell she could 
think as she hugged her brother and begged his forgiveness for ruining his 
life….encouraging him to live for himself now for that would truly make her 
happy. He promised he would, her heart finally free of its burden…..

The moment was ruined only by Enishi’s revelation.

“The Battou- I mean Kenshin, is he still alive? Has the poison failed?”

She felt a shudder run through her. “He lives….But what are you talking 
about?”

Enishi bowed his head. “My blade was laced with a special poison that would 
drive him mad….given to me by some mysterious old woman, a hunchback….She 
said that even if I failed to kill him it would finish the job for me, make 
him suffer a long and painfilled death.”

*….Mother….* She stored the thought away for later, smiling at Enishi. 
“Don’t worry. They found a cure. Sayonara, beloved brother. Kami-sama bless 
you.” With that she put him to sleep, knowing he would think it was just a 
dream but follow her wishes.

Her father gave her the second shock of the night afterwards.

“Leave Murasame be, daughter.”

“Nani? How….?”

His eyes were stern, making him seem less of a clownish old man and more of 
something else that scared her. “That damned sword cost me more than you’ll 
ever know, child. It may be our family’s legacy but it’s also its curse! 
There’s more to the swords than you’ll ever know so leave it be!”

“I can’t father…..If I don’t it will fall into the wrong hands…..”

“And it will be in worse hands if you possess it, Tomoe!” His voice 
softened. “That sword is why I left, Tomoe…..It and the damnation it brings 
with it. Your mother….” He let his voice drop, once again the old clown, 
although sadder now. “All you need to know is to leave it alone. If nothing 
I’ve taught you, is that I love you and your brother….I can’t bare to see 
you go down the path I did…..”

After that they had left with a final hug and goodbye, her father promising 
to protect Enishi. However, before she had stepped into the portal she had 
heard him mutter something that bugged her.

“Damned dragon…..Can’t you leave an old man in peace? Haven’t you done 
enough, Bane?”

Tomoe let herself return to the present. *It doesn’t make any sense….Why 
would Ashura poison Kenshin when she harps about loving and needing him so 
much? And what did father mean about my mother and this curse? More pieces 
to the damn puzzle….

“Tomoe? Daijoube?”

Tomoe smiled at Karou. “Hai, just a little tired.” It wasn’t a lie, really. 
She hadn’t really slept at all last night, preying on whatever animals or 
humans that crossed her path for the extra energy after her visit….Not 
enough to kill of course. *I’ll probably need it.*

“Oh.” Karou forced a smile back and continued the halfhearted conversation. 
She knew Tomoe wasn’t telling her the whole truth but she let it slide. For 
both their sakes. *Tomoe’s been through enough without me adding to it. She 
has a right to her secrets.*

It was ironic how things had turned out. She remembered how she used to feel 
so inferior when comparing herself to Tomoe….wondering how Kenshin could 
ever love her when he once had someone so much better. But now she could see 
there was no need for comparison in the first place. Tomoe had helped her 
see that in that heart to heart talk they had, and they soon became fast 
friends. Although she had to admit that sometimes Tomoe did unnerve, even 
frightened her at times…*But that doesn’t matter. She can’t help what she is 
and I won’t hold it against her…..*

But there was something that nagged her ever since she read that 
story….Something that could only mean trouble…..

A short while later they had reached their destination.

The view along the cliffs and shore was nothing short of breathtaking: 
Crystal blue waters reflecting the afternoon sun as far as the eye could 
see, Dolphins hopping out of the water as they raced, Warm white sands….Hard 
to resist the urge to just kick back and relax…..

Tomoe led them to the base of the cliff, where the tide had lowered just 
enough….to reveal a wall of rock. “What the….”

Tomoe smiled and simply ‘parted’ the stone as easily as the water it was. 
“Just a illusion,” She gave Jubei an arch look. “Keeps the fools out.”

Jubei growled under his breath as the others chuckled.

“Jubei and I will stay outside.”

Everybody turned to Kenshin. “Nani?”

Tomoe smiled. “Ah, you know the story.” Then to the others. “This isn’t an 
ordinary shrine….The water that flows through here somehow changes itself to 
reflect the mind and Ki of those who enter, save that of the bloodline. I 
regret to say that Kenshin and Jubei would endanger us.”

“Not to mention cover our backs.” Soujirou added. “I doubt Ashura’s gonna 
give it to us without a fight. But wouldn’t I endanger you as well if I 
came?”

Impatience briefly flickered across Tomoe’s eyes, quickly hiding it with a 
smile. “Nothing to worry about, Soujirou.” The smile became a smirk. 
“Considering your frame of mind around Shuriken the Shrine would probably 
just mother us…..” Both victims turned beet red. “Shall we go?”


Megumi glanced at Karou, seeing her own suspicions mirrored there. Not that 
she didn’t doubt the others’ fighting ability, but Megumi felt uneasy about 
going into who knows what without Ken-san and Jubei, Mostly because every 
one of her ‘fox instincts’ screamed ‘IT’S A TRAP!’ at the situation. *As 
much as I don’t want to admit it, Jubei has a point….And this conveniently 
puts Ken-san out of harms way…….No. Karou trusts Tomoe, so I’ll give her a 
chance. For now.*

“Come on, Rooster head….” Megumi tugged on Sano. “I hope you not as 
Claustrophobic as well as scared of trains….”

“Claus-tro- what? Speak Japanese!”

Before going in, Karou and Tomoe eyed Jubei and Kenshin. “Behave.” They 
growled. “Or else.”

Both men chuckled nervously.

Unnoticed by anyone, two figures on the cliff above ducked out of sight.

##


Rukuinmura.

“Stubborn girl.”

Oborie didn’t mean it as a rebuke. She couldn’t help her destiny. Although 
now, as he felt Murasame awaken and call to it’s new master, he wished he’d 
tossed the damn thing into the sea.

Wishful thinking….This would of happened anyway…..

He sighed, remembering: A rare, peaceful night. The war that erupted without 
warning in their backyard and forever shattered his life. The murder of one 
of his fellow swordbearer he’d never met but knew by his black bladed sword. 
His mate going beserk and obliterrating his inhuman murders and herself in a 
burst of raw power that rained from heaven…..and the worst part….the odd 
light that tore free of her withering corpse, through the house and stuck 
his pregnant wife….

Yes…This was all going to happen anyway. Nothing he cou-

Wait.

All former bearers of the swords still retained their link with them until 
their death. That was how he sensed Tomoe’s return from the dead. Now….he 
felt the sword’s confusion….two bearers at one time? No….Three!

His eyes widened in horrified realization.

“Kami-sama…..Nooooo!”

##

The shrine wasn’t exactly what they expected. It was a tomb for Tomoe’s 
ancestors carved into the cliff, dark and flooded up to their ankles in 
water that felt both unaturally freezing and warm at the same time. Tomoe 
led the way with a torch and the others tagged along in a close line, ready 
for anything….

Except for what did.

Megumi suddenly squealed and jumped almost a foot back, Sano swearing as she 
slammed into him. “Something…..brushed….my….leg…..”

Soujirou paused for a moment, watching the water….then stabbed down with his 
sword. The wriggling, darkfurred creature pinned between the two blades he 
held up wasn’t a welcome sight.

“Water rat.”

At that moment every rat in the place decided to book out of the place….the 
water churning with them and the walls and tombs crawling with them. Megumi 
jumped on Sano’s back, ignoring his swearing and scrabbling to stay on as 
she stared at the water in terror. Karou and Shuriken alternately and 
simutasiously screamed, did odd kicking dances and swiped at the little 
terrors with their weapons and feet. Soujirou just stood there as if 
confused. Yahiko bawled in laughter….until three ran right up his leg and 
forced him into a crazed dance of his own to get them out of his clothes. 
Only Tomoe and Arain were calm, watching the antics with a large sweatdrop 
until the rats were finally gone. “Ahem, Children….” Arain started, pausing 
as a rat dropped down from above on her shoulder. She glared at it, 
instantly turning it into an icecube and brushed it off. “As soon as you’re 
finished…..”

Karou and Shuriken blushed firecely. Megumi, however, would not get off her 
‘perch.’ “Don’t worry, Fox.” Sano said sweetly. “I’ll be glad to carry you 
so the big bad rats don’t getcha…..”

Megumi reddened and caught between wanting to wanting to die from 
embarassment, kill him and her fear of whatever else lurking down there, 
simply kept her mouth shut.

“The way they’re leaving…..” Yahiko commented nervously. “I think they know 
something we don’t.”

“They just sense the sword awakening to my presence.” Tomoe said with a 
smile. “Nothing at all to worry about….”

Outside was an even odder scene….Mostly because Kenshin was sitting 
cross-legged, meditating while a bored and annoyed Jubei was leaning against 
the entrance. “Mediating? YOU?!”

“When I have to ignore rambling idiots like you, Yes I do.”

“That was so funny I forgot to laugh.” Jubei snorted. “Besides I know you’re 
just scared of Karou and Tomoe….not that I blame you.”

Kenshin opened an eye. “Was that supposed to mean something?”

Jubei smirked. “There’s no shame in admitting when your opponents stronger 
than you. Even if it’s a tomboy and a block of ice.”

Kenshin gritted his teeth and squeezed his swordhilt. “Ironically you wait 
until they’re gone to admit that.”

Jubei chuckled. “How long are you going to pretend, Battousai? Till it’s too 
late?” No answer. Jubei hardened his voice. “Kisama! I know you sense 
Tomoe’s power as well! Get your head out of your ass and….”

A sharp breeze…..Jubei barely blocked the Sakaba and glared at the pissed 
off Kenshin. “Hit a nerve that time, Battousai? What’s wrong?”

“Shut up.”

“If you really loved Karou you would do something about it….Or was she just 
a convient replacement?”

“SHUT UP!!”
It was a good thing Jubei ducked and rolled…..The wild slash Kenshin took at 
him literally splintered the rockwall he was standing, debris raining 
everywhere. Kenshin turned on him, Jubei clearly seeing the golden left eye. 
“If thou care to live….” Although it’s Kenshin’s voice, Jubei got the 
impression that it wasn’t really him, especially the wild aura that radiated 
from him in the form of a dragon. “Mind thee words concerning thine wife!”

*What the hell?!!*

As quickly as they came, the aura and glow faded, Kenshin swaying slightly. 
“What….What just happened?”

“You’re asking ME?!”

A sharp cry interrupted them, the warriors turning to see two children 
kneeling by the water….The boy seemed to be trying to comfort the crying 
girl. *That’s odd….* Jubei pondered. *They weren’t there before…..*

The girl’s sobs had lessened somewhat by the time they reached them, her 
white hair covering her face as she rubbed her eyes. “There, There, Yuno.” 
The boy soothed.  “Don’t cry.”

“What’s wrong, Kid?”

They didn’t turn around. “I want my daddy…..” Yuno sobbed. “He’s lost…..”

“Lost?” Jubei frowned. *Something’s not right…..*

“Maa, Maa….” Kenshin patted the boy on the shoulder. “We’ll help you find 
him.”

“Thank you…..” The girl turned to look at him….

Kenshin’s and Jubei’s eyes widened in shock. Her FACE!!!!

“…..But you already have.” Torashin finished.

Before ether could react, the two grabbed Kenshin and vanished in a burst of 
light….and at the same time Daisho erupted from the ocean just seconds 
before Jubei leapt clear….The snake twin immediately snapping out to 
headbutt Jubei in the stomach that same moment and then dragged him 
underwater. Jubei kicking free and  ducking the larger twin’s stab and 
pushed him back, sufacing for a quick lungful of air… *I knew it! A trap! 
And we fell for it-OH SHIT!*

The last was due to the massive blur of scales and fangs that sprang out of 
the water and took him back under.

Kenshin and the children appeared on the above cliff, Torashin throwing 
Kenshin with surprising force the moment they touched the ground….Kenshin 
rolling with the impact to his feet and staring in disbelief at the two even 
as he went for his sword. “WHAT ARE YOU?!!!” His mind was reeling and his 
heart pounded…..Unable to accept the truth his eyes were telling him….

The boy looked exactly like him as a child, save his hair was dark and his 
skin coffee complexioned. And the girl….save for the white hair and golden 
eyes….

Save for the white hair and golden eyes looked exactly like Tomoe……

Inside the shrine….

“Whoa.”

Whoa indeed, Megumi echoed Sano as he put her down. The cramped tunnel 
suddenly opened to a massive room that must have taken up the entire 
cliff…..Murasame and its saya resting just above the mirror like lake that 
engulfed the entire room by seemingly nothing. The water itself seemed to 
softly glow and like the water it slowly trickled into the tunnel both 
warming and chilling them at once. “Stay right there.”
Tomoe firmly commanded as Yahiko started forward. “That lake is 
bottomless….and if you touched it, not being a Yukashiro, the water would 
react unpredictably….Possibly even kill you.” Yahiko gulped and hopped back 
a step. “You stay here while I retrieve the sword.”

“You’re going to swim in that?” Sano asked doubtfully as he looked in.

“No.”

She stepped out onto the lake….and stood there as easily as land..

“Walking will do.”

Above….

Agony wasn’t a strong enough word for the pain Kenshin felt at the moment.

The mere sight of the twins now sent racking chills through his body and his 
mind explode with visions too fast to comprehend…..The Sakaba falling from 
nerveless fingers as he collapsed to his knees and held his head. 
“What….are…..you…..DOING TO ME?!!!!”

“What must be done to release our father…..” Torashin started, his eyes 
glowing a sinister violet as they walked around Kenshin.

“From the prison you created!” Yunomura finished as her golden eyes flared. 
“In order for our father to be free the Rurouni must be destroyed….”

A surge of pain even stronger than the first wave nearly knocked him out, 
the tide of visions, no, MEMORIES Kenshin realized as they slowed enough to 
be understood and their emotions felt….each of a woman similar to Tomoe or 
Karou and their shared love…..Different lives….different times, eras, 
nationalities that Kenshin never knew existed yet knew and felt…..And at the 
same time he felt himself being buried in the unrelenting tide…..everything 
he was and had come to be including….. “STOP IT! STOP IT NOW!!!” He fought 
to stand, every nerve in his body protesting. “I don’t know what your 
talking about nor have I ever met your father!!!”

“Never met him? Sou desu ne?” Yunomura asked, an Ashura like sneer on her 
face. “You know him better than anyone, Rurouni….but let us show you 
anyway!”

“Auntie Silk! Now!” Torashin yelled.

*Auntie Silk?!!* Kenshin glanced around and noticed for the first time the 
ropes and stakes around him leading toward the edge…..The spiderweb cracks 
below him…..

It was all he had time for as Silk yanked hard from below and triggered the 
‘trapdoor’; the twins grabbing hold of Kenshin as the ground gave way below 
them….

In the Murasame chamber Tomoe had almost reached the sword when the roof 
gave way….the wave kicked from the falling debris washing her and the others 
almost back down the corridor. Tomoe glimpsed Kenshin and the twins for a 
second before they plunged into the pool as well. “NO! KENSHIN!!!” She 
watched the surface quickly smooth into place….

Then churn as it darkened to a blood red…..

Sano swore as everybody stepped back. “That….can’t be good….”

Kenshin suddenly shot out of the lake and at their feet as if the lake spit 
him out. “Kenshin!” Karou helped him up. “What are you doing?! Jubei….!”

“(Koff) Ambush…..twins…..”

“What are you…..” Then she realized that everybody was just staring in 
petrified shock at the lake…..her and Kenshin’s eyes widening as well as 
they looked up as well….

It was a lake of steaming blood now….one could even smell the coppery odor 
now….but the worst was that in the center a shapeless but rapidly shifting 
form had started to rise behind Murasame….it’s inhuman cry echoing….an ‘arm’ 
and ‘hand’ stretched out to wrap around Murasame’s hilt, followed by 
another….legs and feet….other human features…..‘blood’ solidifying  to 
‘flesh’ and ‘clothing’…..more detail rapidly filling in as well….familiar 
details…..

Long white hair drawn in a high ponytail.

Dark, coffee complexioned skin.

A slight frame that seemed both feminine and male, yet stronger than it 
appeared.

A youthful face no more than fifteen, as unchanged as it’s future self now 
watching it form.

Feral golden eyes, glowing like stars.

Sano swore in disbelief. Megumi eyes widened. Yahiko’s jaw sagged open. 
Arain raised Excailber with a growl. Soujirou and Shuriken mirrored Arain 
and drew their weapons, although just as shocked as the others. Kenshin, 
Karou and Tomoe could only stare, shocked numb and speechless.

The ‘blood’ ceased to boil as ‘he’ detached from it with a wet slurp, 
standing on it as easily as Tomoe had. Slid Murasame free off it’s sheath 
and unleashed a wave of Kenki that briefly but violently disturbed the 
liquid surface and rippled his hair and the raggedy folds of his black 
kimono….Smiling wolfishly at them as he let Murasame rest at his side….it’s 
blade seeming to shed a flow of bloody tears….

“It…has to be an illusion….” Karou choked out.  “It has to be!”

But Kenshin knew better….he felt the void in his soul, the pain of having 
that part of him torn from him like one would tear a sword free from a 
wound. “It’s not.”

The Battousai and Rurouni were no longer one, but two.

##


Outside Jubei felt the separation….although in little position to do 
anything about it….

The creature attacking him could only be described as a cross between a 
snake, crocodile and great white shark….long serpentine body thick with 
muscle and a razor spined tail as big as he was, unbelievably huge jaws with 
rows and rows of teeth that seem to go on forever….jaws that Jubei was now 
waist deep into and doing his damnest to keep from biting him in half as 
they ripped through the water. *Ashura…..*

*Correct, Kimagami….* Something of a chuckle bubbled from it’s maw as her 
voice played in his mind. *Cliché and repetitive, yes, but I’m a sucker for 
a classic!*  Ashura thrashed around, pushing harder against Jubei’s arms 
barely holding her jaws back…..Jubei letting go to quickly punch her in the 
eye and pull him self out….flipping over to her back as the jaws slammed 
shut and wrapped his arms around them to keep them shut, wresting with her 
alligator style. *Damnit!* Jubei thought frantically, feeling like his arms 
would rip off. *Running out of air, can’t let go! Now what?!*

Ashura spun, Jubei surprised and slipping off….The massive tail cracking his 
ribs and sending him pinwheeling…..barely getting his sword out to deflect 
another swipe and the jaws snapping repeatedly at him….lungs screaming for 
air and quickly losing his strength….making a final desperate attempt to 
escape by holding his sword sideways and letting Ashura bite down onto it 
before flipping on to her back and pulling back on the sword like a horse’s 
reins…..

On the shore, Daisho impatiently waited, grinning at the bubbles rising to 
the surface. In case he somehow got past Ashura, then the ninja was his to 
take out and they were going to enjoy….

WHOOSH!!

Jubei got out all right, though not in the way Daisho expected.

The massive form of Ashura erupted from the water with the grace of a 
dolphin as she tried to shake off Jubei and the painful ‘bridle’ of the 
sword….Jubei leaping clear as she flattened Daisho and rolling safely 
away….amazed at how sweet the air tasted as he panted for breath and stood 
shakily to his feet. With her powerful tail Ashura backflipped, gracefully 
shapeshifting back to human in midflip and landing on her feet as Daisho 
climbed to his. “My, my….” Ashura simpered. “You’re more fun than I thought 
you’ll be!”

“You have no idea….” Jubei smirked in reply. “So howya knew? Tomoe sold us 
out?”

Ashura grinned like a shark. “So you’re smart enough not to trust her, what 
a pleasant surprise. Although it’s a good guess, I’m sorry to say you’re 
going to die disappointed.”

“Slowly…..” Daisho added.

“With the way you’re boring me with your bitching,” Jubei replied. “You’re 
off to a good start.”

Ashura laughed. “So much for smart. Mind sharing him, baby brothers?”

“Not at all!”

*Me and my big mouth….* Jubei thought as he blocked the first blow….

##

Back inside the shrine.

‘Battousai’ chuckled at their surprise, speaking in the voices of both 
Torashin and Yunomura. “The rest of you can go….The Rurouni is all we 
desire.”

“What….what happened Tomoe?”

Tomoe was ashen faced. “What I feared….The lake defends Murasame by taking 
the form of the intruder’s worst enemy….himself in this case….”

“It’s more than that, Tomoe-dono.” ‘Battousai’ interrupted. “We have used 
the lake to begin father’s release…..Borrowing his form and skill in order 
to complete his revival by destroying the Rurouni!”

Karou felt her heart stop. “Awaken….Are you saying that…..”

“You lie!” Tomoe screamed, near hysterical. “It can’t be true!!!”
“But it is…..We are Torashin and Yunomura, the children of the Hitokiri 
Battousai…..” they smiled.
“…..And Himura Tomoe…..”

If the transformation was shocking, that revelation numbed to the bone. 
Tomoe collapsed to her knees and just stared blankly at the twins, robbed of 
speech. Karou suddenly felt faint. Kenshin looked catatonic, as if his fears 
were just confirmed. Everybody else was too stunned to react for several 
seconds before a shaken Sano exploded. “BULLSHIT!!! YOU CAN’T BE THEIR 
CHILDREN BECAUSE…..”

“Mother died?” A demonic smirk. “At the time of her death, she was one month 
pregnant with us….And thanks to Ashura, the one who we gladly claim as our 
real mother, we have been given the chance to live and free our father!” 
Murasame hummed with power….. “Last chance to leave or die….Even you if you 
interfere….” A mocking tone crept into their voices. “Mother….”

Karou looked at Tomoe and Kenshin, the former still catatonic while the 
latter….Kenshin’s whole demeanor suddenly changed for the worse: Whitened 
knuckles gripping the Sakaba hilt, repeatedly drawing it halfway and 
slamming it close like he was losing it…..The almost maniacal chuckle 
escaping him adding to the impression. “I’m a father….And my own children 
want me dead….” A wide, almost insane grin split his face. “Only fair since 
I killed them I guess….All I do is kill my loved ones anyway….” Karou and 
Tomoe took a step forward, Kenshin snapping up the Sakaba for them to stop. 
“Stay….out….of this….” He snarled like a wounded animal, his body convulsing 
as if in pain. “There….is…more to this than you….think….Much more! I….have 
to do this!”

“Kenshin….” Karou whispered.

“Freeze the water…..Arain-Dono…..” Kenshin’s voice was gravel to their ears, 
seeming on the verge of collapse yet standing firm and unwavering on the 
twins. “…So we may do this….properly….”

Arain nodded and did as he asked…..Forming a suitable floor for Kenshin to 
step onto. “You do understand, Rurouni. You feel father getting strong 
enough to break free….” The twins copied the Battousai stance. “And we will 
finish it.”

Kenshin chuckled bitterly. “My poor….foolish children….Ashura…is 
using…you….”

“BE QUIET!!!”

The words were barely in the air before the two flickered out of sight, a 
massive tornado erupting out of nowhere….The others holding on to the walls 
to avoid getting sucked in and also able to catch second glimpses of the two 
actually riding it as they fought tooth and nail….The twins’ Ryu-tsui-sen 
blocked by Kenshin’s Ryu-shou-sen…..Both fighters’ Arashis grinding against 
each other before both unfolded and landed on the ground as the tonado 
faded….Kenshin ducking under a viscously fast Ryu-kan-sen Tsumuji to execute 
a Ryu kan-san of his own….landing a good hit that sent the twins flying only 
to be hit by a fierce gust of wind in return that slammed him into the 
wall…..

“Holy….!” Sano bit back his swearing. “This is insane!”

Megumi looked pained. “Kenshin’s body is going into shock and he still 
fights….If this doesn’t end quickly…..” The sobering thought wasn’t lost on 
everybody….Even Soujirou looked grim, Yahiko unable to tear his eyes off the 
fight. Karou….Karou was bordering on hysteria….reliving the same 
helplessness she felt watching Saitou drive Kenshin deeper to his darkside 
except this time she sense he was losing more than that this time….she was 
losing him….

“It’s not him…..” Karou sobbed. “That….not my Kenshin fighting!”

“You feel it as well?” Arain commented, looking at her now faintly glowing 
sword. “His aura…his soul and heart….everything is changing…into something 
else!”

“Could it be…..” Shuriken was afraid to say the frightening thought. 
*Triseoul….?*

No one noticed that Tomoe was whispering softly….begging them to stop as her 
eyes started to change to sliver blue….

##

Outside….
*You really need to learn when to shut up, Kimagami….* Jubei scolded 
himself.

It was all out chaos….Jubei’s hands more than full between Daisho and Ashura 
as they tore up and down the beach….Daisho proved that he had been holding 
back before, a heck of a lot more dangerous now with their one-two attack 
that forced Jubei to defend more than attack. Ashura was even worse….Jubei 
realizing that not only did she combine animal forms in her shapeshifting 
but also in her sword style….From monkey like agility and even gruesomely 
contorting her body like a snake to dodge in ways no human could to even 
shifting in midfight to slash at him with a claw or try to impale him with 
horns…..*If I get out of this,* he promised himself. *I will be nicer to 
Battousai…..At least a little bit…..*

Daisho suddenly lunged forward like a bull, sword pointed downward….Jubei 
leapfrogging off him and blocking the snake twins lunge at the same 
time…..Making an almost suicidal lunge of his own that forced Ashura back a 
step to block…..Flicking under her guard that same second to stab deep into 
her stomach….

At least would of if it was still there.

In dawning horror Jubei watched her twist and shed her skin like a snake a 
hair after the blade pierced her flesh….entangling it and his arm…Ashura 
whipping around in an almost Ryu-kan-Sen. style slash that nearly took his 
head off followed by a backhand slash, both dangerously close to slitting 
his throat as it was when he dodged back and snapped the skin at Ashura like 
a whip and yanked her off her feet as it wrapped around her upraised arm 
right into Daisho….Ashura twisting to kick off her brothers and tearing 
herself and Jubei free of the binding…..both clashing as they lunged past 
each other….the three pausing long enough to regard each other.

“Heh….Not the pushover I thought.” Ashura commented idly. “I guess we can 
stop toying with the mouse baby brothers…..”

Daisho only grinned in reply, Jubei hiding his nervousness with a smirk. 
*Damned if I’ll let these freaks scare me….*

“At least not yet.” Ashura sneered, reading his thoughts…..

Daisho made his move…..Hurling his sword right at Jubei who 
sidestepped…..realizing his mistake too late as the smaller twin, launching 
out a second after the hurled sword and catching it in midair and swinging 
it in a massive arc that would of cut Jubei in two if he hadn’t just barely 
threw himself out of the way….catching a good one across his right 
arm….Ashura taking the opportunity to dash in at the same time….Her bare 
hands shifting into wickedly saw edged, hooklike claws and plunged into his 
new wound….laughing at Jubei’s scream as she viscously jerked her hands 
apart and literally ripped the deep cut further open with insane 
strength…..Blood fountaining over her breifly before Jubei could scramble 
away from her, holding his now useless arm…..*Shit! Stupid! Cocky Bastard!* 
Jubei cursed himself. *Can’t keep going like this….*

“The Daisho Guillotine and the Tamashii no Shuukakusha: Hell’s gate.” Daisho 
chuckled. “Gets them every time…..”

Ashura shifted her hands back to normal, sighing in pleasure as she absorbed 
Jubei’s blood into her body. “Well it was fun while it lasted, but it’s time 
to scratch this itch….”

Jubei made his move at that moment, his slash so fast the wind of it kicked 
up a brief dust cloud….bolting up the cliff as it blinded them for a second. 
“He’s all yours, brothers.” Ashura said when it cleared, Daisho chuckling as 
they sprinted after him. “I have to see how my children are doing…..”

##

The battle inside the shrine had reached hellish proportions…..Both fighters 
not giving a damn to their many wounds….more concentrated on defeating or 
killing their opponent. The others could see the change in Kenshin….a 
ruthless edge that was downright horrifying to watch, as if he didn’t care 
that he was fighting his own flesh and blood…..or more accurately…becoming 
someone whom didn’t….

“We feel it….Yes….” The twins chuckled as they locked swords. “Won’t be long 
now!”

Kenshin spit blood into the their eyes and forced them into the wall hard 
enough to crater it….the twins ducking under the slash that split the wall 
and unleashing a blast of wind at point blank range that slammed him into 
the opposite wall….Both stared each other down as they climbed out….panting 
for breath and wounded in a dozen places…..standing on sheer hatred and 
willpower….

“Stop it…..” Tomoe whispered again, unheard by anyone. “Please….stop…..”

Kenshin took his battou stance….mirrored by the twins. “We end this now….”

“We agree….”

*No!* Karou realized what was coming, scared down to her core. *Kami-sama 
NO!*

The next moment was nothing short of incredible….Both vanished and 
reappeared in the center….An impressive battle cry splitting the air as they 
both executed their ultimate weapons at the same time….The Ougi….The first 
impact nearly shattering everyone’s eardrums but the second was much 
worse…..The floor shattering explosively around them and a massive tornado 
erupting around them as they stood trying to force the other down…..Sweeping 
them and the debris into the air…..The twins winning the struggle by kneeing 
Kenshin…..controlling the gale force winds to slam his repeatedly into the 
walls before finally hurling him down and THROUGH the floor of ice to the 
waters below…..“KENSHINNNNNN!” It took all of Karou’s will not to jump in 
after him, remembering Tomoe’s warning about the water…..

The twins landed gracefully by the hole Kenshin made, watching with a grin 
as Kenshin lunged at him….. only to be pulled down by the water itself. “It 
begins!!!” They turned to mock the others. chuckling as the water started to 
churn violently. “The shrine waters will separate father from the Rurouni 
just as one separates the yolk from an egg….Of course the Rurouni will die 
but that’s his problem….”

“Bakayarou!” Shuriken snarled. “The Trauma of such a separation will kill 
both!”

“You know nothing! Don’t waste your lives fighting us since there’s nothing 
you can do now! With the speed of our father combined with Murasame’s you 
have no chance!” As if to demonstrate he flickered from view and reappeared 
behind them…..blasting everyone out onto the now cracking floor of ice with 
a viscous gust of wind….Another shattering it completely and separating 
everyone onto a chunk of ice and trapped by the water….Karou watching the 
struggling Kenshin break the surface for a brief second before getting 
yanked down again. “Kenshin…..” She turned angry tears on the twins. 
“Torashin! Yunomura! Both Rurouni and Battousai are the same, you’ll destroy 
both! Ashura is decieving you!” Her fist clenched.
“Don’t make us hurt you…..”

The twins chuckled. “Fool. Momma has no need to deceive us….We do this of 
our own free will, to free our father from the curse of the Triseoul and end 
this once and for all! Worry about yourselves for we will show no mercy!!”

After that, Karou screamed and went berserk…clearing the considerable 
distance between them in a single leap and lashing out with punch that 
turned part of the ice floe to powder….realizing too late that she attacked 
their afterimage….spinning around with a roundhouse kick but the twins were 
a second faster and blocked with the flat of Murasame and sent her flying 
with a causal blast of wind to the entrance….Vanishing as Sano lunged in a 
second later and reappearing to mockingly dodge his punches….Arain and 
Yahiko joining from above and surrounding him on all sides in a team attack 
that seemed useless against their speed….leaping the huge jagged chunk of 
ice she formed below them and blocking the rain of ice chunks Sano sent 
their way after He smashed it….Yahiko using one of the larger chunks as a 
stepping stone to attack from behind…only to get blasted back as The twins 
gestured at him without even turning and blasted Sano likewise onto another 
chunk of ice….The twins not seeing Shuriken and Soujirou attacking from 
behind as they landed until her knee and his sword slammed into their back…. 
Karou appearing out of nowhere to hammer them toward the waiting Arain. They 
flipped out of it as Arain executed a spinning, uppercut like 
blow….Excailber trailing a curtain like stream of water behind it as the 
twin deflected the one handed strike…solidifying into a crescent shaped 
sheet of ice as Arain grabbed it’s edge with her free hand and hurled it at 
the surprised twins….Their speed saving them from being cut in half and 
instead getting raked across the chest…..

And to everyone’s horror as they watched, their skin parted like water 
would…..Flowing back into place. The twins laughed, Their features 
‘rippling’, for a lack of a better term, like water for a brief second 
before settling back to normal. “Our turn….” They sneered, the wind howling 
as it gathered in force around them….

##

Daisho stormed across the cliff, the smaller twin swooping at him as they 
chased them….Jubei faint from bloodloss but still defending himself with his 
good hand everytime Daisho lunged. “Give it up!” They roared.

Jubei smiled as he spotted the overhanging tree ahead. *Perfect.* He threw 
the sword at the snaketwin as it closed in, who dodged easily, the sword 
sinking deep into the trunk. “Die fool!” both dived for his neck…

And only struck rock as Jubei leapt off….the thin but strong wire anchoring 
the sword to his wrist holding his weight easily and swung toward the 
water….Daisho only able to stare in disbelief before Jubei swung back around 
and kicked them into the air and tumbling back down the Cliffside. Jubei 
grinned. “Idiots….”

Snap!

Jubei groaned at the sound. “Figures….”

The tree uprooted from the weight.

##

The wind gathering in the shrine was immense…..the very walls starting to 
tremble and the deafening howl rising every second mixing with the twin’s 
wild laughter….and when released, they realized, the power of those winds 
will crush them….

”Behind me!”

No one argued, stepping back as Arain held out Excailber in both hands, the 
flat of the blade facing the twins as it glowed….seemingly thousands of 
fairies swirling around her like a miniature tornado….the lake instantly 
freezing from the sheer cold they generated, everyone behind shivering from 
the backdraft and preparing the best they could….

“DIE!!!!” The twins outstretched their arms and unleashed something 
comparable to a typhoon/hurricane at ground level….
At the same time Arain screamed a battle cry and unleashed the fairies with 
a thrust of her hand….

When the two attacks met it was incredible…..The fairies swarming into the 
wind as one against it….a Technicolor hurricane around them that was 
blinding to look at….The fairies slowly but surely CANCELING it’s 
force….both casters grunting with the effort of trying to force the other to 
back down and die….

“You’re wasting your time!” The twins roared. “You can’t hold out forever 
Arainhod!” Even as they spoke, they added more power….Arain pushed back a 
little but giving back as good as she got, the twins obviously growing 
frustrated….

So frustrated that….

“Look at their body!” Karou exclaimed. The twins’ body was rippling more and 
more now like disturbed water….water…. “It’s the waters! They’re using the 
waters to form their body!”

“And if it’s water….” Sano grinned. “Arain can freeze it and I can shatter 
it!”

“And what if you hurt the children as well?” Megumi shot back. “Think!”

“You’re both right.” Shuriken interrupted. “We just have to find a way to 
weaken their mind enough that the separation is possible and won’t kill 
them….”

“STOP IT!!!!!”

‘Scream’ wasn’t a strong enough word for what Tomoe did. Nether could one 
fully describe it….The results were definitely clear however: It flattened 
everyone and cracked the newly formed ice, everyone feeling it more than 
hearing it……shattering both spells like one would glass. The twins got the 
worse of it, slammed into the far wall with tremendous force….collapsing to 
their knees and coughing up a bit of blood.

“What the hell…..”

“Tomoe….”

Tomoe stood there, an incredible, silver blue aura radiating off her, her 
hair and the ends of her kimono sleeves and obi dancing from it’s invisible 
wind. Her eyes matched the aura in color and glow, seeming both human and 
inhuman at the same time. “Stop it….Stop this fighting now!” Her voice was 
even different. More commanding. Ancient….“There’s no need for this 
violence!”

The twin staggered to their feet with pained laughter. “A bit late for 
chastising, ‘mother’….. (Koff.) Or should we call you B-“

“You’re angry with me, I understand….”

“Angry? We DESPISE you!” Angry tears flooded their eyes. “Momma told us 
everything…How you used father and then ruined his life! Everything is your 
fault!” They flickered over to Tomoe in an instant, bringing Murasame down….

And inch from her head.

“Murasame refuses to hurt it’s masters.” She said calmly as they tried 
attacking again and again, the sword stopping by bare inches each time 
before the twins threw it aside and lunged at her with their bare 
hands….Only to fly back several feet as Tomoe calmly raised a hand and 
‘pushed’. “Torashin….. Yunomura….Let the hatred go long enough to listen to 
me…..”

The others watched in stunned amazement. “What the hell….?” Sano repeated. 
Shuriken and Arain looked grimly at each other. “Why didn’t she….”

“Shut up! We won’t listen to your lies!” The twin’s body violently distorted 
for a second, their faces twisted with rage. “You can’t deny what you’ve 
done!”

“No, I can’t or try to.” Tomoe replied sadly. “Ashura has told you the 
truth, but only half of it, children. My actions at first were to hurt your 
father but everything changed, I changed….If you don’t believe my words then 
look inside!” With that she moved unbelievable fast…..the twins crying out 
as she caught their head in her hands….pouring her memories into their 
mind…..Both crying out in pain as the others watched. The memories the 
emotions attached flew past the twins’ mind, seeing and feeling everything 
with her: Her anger as she swore vengeance for Akira-san….Anger slowly 
changing understanding the more time spent with Father….Then to love….her 
determination as she attempted to save her husband and the pain as she died 
instead….Her noble sacrifice of her feelings for Kenshin and bless his 
engagement to Karou…..

Tomoe let them go….The twins holding their head as they staggered back…. 
“…Can’t be….you lie….”
Their body began to distort wildly as their control crumbled. “THIS CAN’T BE 
TRUE!!!” They lunged at Tomoe, now a bloated thing barely humanoid….

“NOW!”  Tomoe yelled as she ducked…..

One tentacle like ‘arm’ lashed out to crush everybody before they scattered, 
Soujirou leaping onto it and pinning it to the ice with his sword…..Arain 
gathering her energies as she pulled back and unleashed the spell just as 
Sano dashed forward…..Freezing the entire thing solid….The thundercrack 
deafening as the Fuate no Kwami shattered the mass into thousands of tiny 
ice shards and powder that rained everywhere.
The now separate forms of the twins falling gently to the ground under 
Tomoe’s guidance, unmoving….
“Are they….?”

Tomoe walked over to check….

And barely jumped back as the massive limb came down.

They hadn’t noticed the debris resuming shape until it was too late….The 
huge, misshapen form, still driven by the twins hate, lunging at Tomoe as 
she covered the children with her body….

“RYU-TSUI-SEN!"

Karou could of sworn that the massive pillar of energy that erupted from 
below was dragon shaped before slamming in the creature in a explosion that 
forced them to look away from or be blinded…..Hearing the well known battle 
cry and the monster’s fading moan…..and when it was safe to look, Kenshin 
was standing over Tomoe and the children with his Sakaba drawn and back 
facing them, letting the melted remains of the creature briefly cover him 
and merge into his body….Only Tomoe and the children seeing the softly 
glowing, golden left eye.

“We…did it….Brother…..” Yuno’s eyes filled with tears.

“Father…. Is…awake….” Torashin smiled before both passed out.

Kenshin knelt down and stroke their cheeks, looking up at Tomoe’s sliver 
eyes for a moment with a smile of recognition…..

“Kenshin…..?” Karou nervously asked as she stepped forward. *Is it…Is it 
really him?*

The glow faded from both Kenshin and Tomoe’s eyes, Kenshin turning and 
smiled tiredly. “Sorry to worry you all….Oro!” He couldn’t finish since 
Karou had translocated herself over at his side that same instant and 
bearhugged him in crying relief….Tomoe chuckling as he turned blue and 
everybody facefaulting….

Silk watched the scene with amusement above, clinging to the ceiling with 
her bare hands the whole time and observing everything unnoticed. Seeing 
everything she needed to she crunched her across the ceiling and climbed out 
through the hole they’d made earlier….

##

Yukashiro mansion.

It had been a close one, everyone admitted. Jubei had been extremely lucky 
that the tree had fallen with him into the ocean since he passed out on 
impact, it kept him from drowning. (Kenshin gleefully gave him hell about it 
the entire trip back, like asking him should they bury it with honor or keep 
it as a souvenir.)
Other than Jubei’s severe injury they’d made it back mostly unhurt.

At least physically.

All doubt about Tomoe among the others had tripled after witnessing that 
outburst, even Karou was a little wary of her now despite herself. Tomoe’s 
behavior afterward didn’t help matters much: Claming up completely, even to 
Kenshin and shuffling like a zombie….and as soon as they arrived she 
practically barricaded herself in her room with the children, still 
unconscious from overexhaustion according to Megumi and Arain, holding them 
and humming the same song over and over….

Kenshin….Kenshin seemed to be himself at least. Megumi had checked him up 
and down and sideways and declared him well, even his injuries were gone. 
Sano and Yahiko had ‘interrogated’ him to make sure he was ‘really Kenshin’ 
before getting shooed off to go get supplies in town. Jubei still annoyed 
him and he was as painfully polite as always…..At the same time they felt a 
wrongness about him…..Couldn’t put their finger on it…..

Karou knew.

Something was out of whack with her Kenshin all right, and it had to do with 
the three in Tomoe’s room. Kenshin was pretending the whole thing didn’t 
happen or that the ‘water’ didn’t have any effect on him….And Karou decided 
to put that nonsense to an end in her typical way….

She found him right where she expected to: ‘Sweeping’ the hall outside 
Tomoe’s room for the tenth time while sneaking glances at them through the 
cracked door….sigh and go back to ‘work’ and repeat the process. He was so 
occupied he didn’t even notice her, which worried (and infuriated) her 
worse. “Kenshin…” He yelped and nearly hit the roof. “Daijoube?”

“Hai! Hai!” He nervously laughed, now vigorously sweeping up a dust cloud. 
“Just a little cleaning, nothing wrong at all!” he stopped. “You don’t 
believe me.”

She crossed her arms and smiled wryly. “Nope.”

“I didn’t think you would.”  He sighed as he set the broom down and leaned 
against the wall. He had been trying to distance himself from Tomoe awhile 
for good reasons he couldn’t explain to anyone.

Very good, very scary reasons….

“I’m going to break this habit of yours sooner or later…..” She said firmly. 
Kenshin chuckled ruefully at that before getting somber again, Karou 
stomping her foot. “Mou! Sometimes you can be such a….” She made a visible 
effort to rein in her temper. “Those are your children, Kenshin. Your flesh 
and blood, HER flesh and blood. You should be with them now and stop 
worrying about what I think.”
*That’s not it at all. But I’ll let her think otherwise.* “And what do you 
think?” he countered.

“I honestly don’t know what to think.” She said simply. “All I know is that 
I feel like I’m losing a piece of you every passing moment….and I’m scared 
what I’m seeing instead.” She looked at him defiantly. “I know you’re not 
being a hundred percent with me…..”

*You have no idea.*

“…But just spend time with them. With her.” She kissed him briefly. “And 
I’ll wait until you’re ready to tell me the truth.”

And with that she tossed him into the room, Kenshin tumbling across the 
floor and into the wall in an upside down heap. Tomoe didn’t even twitch. 
“Oro…” Kenshin shook off the dizziness as he stood.

*One of these days, I’ll figure that girl out.*

The sight made his heart ache. Tomoe was cradling their heads in her lap, 
her loosened hair a dark blanket around the three of them. The twins looked 
contently dreaming.

Kowaii….

They returned at that moment, Kenshin not fighting the memories this time 
but floating in their current….
Seeing the same scene as now, only altered: She wore a foreign dress now, 
her features more gaijin but still very familiar….their room lavishly 
decorated in gaijin style….

…..Was that Excailber on the wall?

“Beautiful.” He heard himself say, his reflection in the mirror by the bed 
revealing the same slight changes in his features, wearing a simple shirt 
and pants the same color of his Gi. ‘Tomoe’ blushed and smiled.

The memory was gone as quickly as it came, Kenshin noticing that Tomoe was 
now doing the same thing.
“Tired of watching from the door?”

Kenshin blushed and looked sheepish. “I didn’t want to intrude….”

She smiled, and stretched out on the futon to give him room, shifting the 
children between them as Kenshin nervously lay down facing her. As if 
sensing his presence, Torashin moved over and snuggled up to him chest, 
murmuring ‘Father.’ Yuno mirrored him with Tomoe.

Father….Kenshin felt a surge of pride and love fill him, reaching out to 
stroke both of their hair. “….I used to dream of this…..” He choked out.

“As did I…..” Tomoe whispered with a smile. “And it’s all because of 
Ashura….Fate can be strange indeed.”

“Hai.”

Several moments went by in silence, in the unspoken need to enjoy this 
moment as long as possible….feeling, no, knowing it would possibly end 
soon…..then….

“You feel it, don’t you?”

Kenshin nodded sadly. “The longer I stay in your presence….”

“As with me.” Her eyes were very faintly glowing even now, just as his were. 
“I’m not even sure if I….If I want to find a way to stop it…..”

Kenshin didn’t reply at first. Then he edged closer to rest his head in her 
chest.

“Let’s….not worry about that now….just….hold me…..”

Tomoe draped an arm around him, and Sleep soon claimed both.

##

Downstairs in the living room.

The quiet bothered Arain more than she liked to admit as she examined 
Murasame, careful not to draw it out of it’s hilt. (No telling what it would 
do….)

Stupid old man….You better have a damn good hunch to call a meeting of the 
Stonehenge council….

She glanced over at Soujirou and Shuriken and smiled at the cute scene the 
two made: Both had fallen asleep against each other waiting for Sano and 
Yahiko to get back with dinner….even in his sleep Soujirou protective of his 
client from the way he slipped an arm around her and cradled her against his 
chest. *Then again, she probably ceased being a ‘client’ way back.* Arain 
thought ruefully. *I doubt he’ll be unemployed anytime soon even though it’s 
over now…..*

Is it really?

Arain ignored the little voice with an effort, instead eavesdropping with a 
fairy on the drama that was probably unfolding in the kitchen….If the shit 
didn’t hit the wok, that is…..

“I swear you and Sano are the luckiest bakayarous in Japan….”

“Is this your usual bedside manner or are Sano and I lucky?”

“Don’t push me, Kimagami or you’ll regret it.” She warned even as her cheeks 
flushed. *Damn the man! Him and that damn charm! And Damn Merlin for not 
being here to patch him up instead while I’m at it!*
“As I was saying, if Ashura’s strike had been any deeper you would of lost 
this arm, as it is you better not move it until Merlin-san arrives.” She 
smirked at his frown, finishing the bandage and splint. “At least I don’t 
have to waste good medicine on you, the seawater did such a nice job of 
killing any infection.”

“Don’t remind me.” He grumbled. “It STILL burns….”

Megumi chuckled. “And man enough to admit when you’re in pain, unlike that 
other fool. Sometimes I wonder if you and Sano aren’t long lost brothers, 
you’re so alike….”

“Charming, handsome, brave….”

“And stupid.” She finished for him, ignoring the little voice that agreed 
with him.

“That’s not all we have in common….” He muttered.

“Nani?”

“Nothing.” Jubei stood up, or tried to….Megumi barely supporting his weight 
to keep him from collapsing.

“Take it easy! You’ve still weak from…..” Too late she realized her blunder, 
now trapped by his deep brown eyes. “….From…from….”

“Bloodloss?” Jubei meant to be helpful but the words came out as something 
far from it. “No…..” He brushed a stray lock away from her eyes, Megumi’s 
heart skipping a beat.  “Something…..else…..”
The medicine box falling over had the same effect as a bucket of ice water. 
They immediately split apart, blushing fiercely.

“Gomensai….! I….”

And when they realized they spoke at the same time, Jubei chuckled. “We’re 
making a habit of this….” Megumi couldn’t help but grin. “Ladies first.”

“I….I want to apologize, Jubei…..” Megumi looked contrite. “I have 
been….misleading you…..”

“To make Sano jealous, I know….”

“You knew….!”

“Hear me out before you get angry.” He asked, his tone almost….pleading. “I 
knew from the moment I laid eyes on you two, you sound like you’re already 
married.” Megumi’s blush deepened. “One reason why I went along was because 
I wanted to help you….The other is…..well….I’m just as guilty as you of 
pretending I feel something I don’t to benefit myself.”

Megumi slowly understood. “I remind you of someone….Someone you loved….and 
lost.”

An ironic smile crossed his lips. “Her name was Kagero. A ninja like myself. 
The two of you are so alike….both in beauty….” Megumi blushed. “And bad 
temperament.” He smirked at the curse she spat at him. “She was also cursed, 
her body so infused with poison she could kill with a touch. She was so 
remote and cold because it, and it took us time to finally get past those 
walls….Time we didn’t have. Ashura’s brother, Gemma murdered her in front of 
me.” He sighed. “When we met, it was like having her all over again, even if 
I knew you didn’t mean it. Selfish as hell but I didn’t care, I even hoped 
at one point I could win you from Sano……”

“Jubei….” Megumi felt badly for him. “I’m so sorry….”

“It’s not your fault.” He interrupted her. “I knew what I was doing, and now 
thanks to you I can finally get it out and on with my life, and for that I 
owe the both of you a lot.” He smiled genuinely. “So as soon as that big 
moron gets back you better get your act together, K?”

Megumi chuckled. “Hai, Hai, I will. And you follow your own advice!”

Both chuckled at that….And then Jubei gently cupped her cheek in both hands, 
his eyes smoldering…..Megumi’s heart dropping into her stomach. “Ano….”

“If you don’t mind…..I’d like to kiss you this once…Just to see what it 
would have been like if things had been different….”

“I…..” This time Megumi couldn’t resist. “Don’t mind at all….”

They kissed…..

In the living room Arain spit out her tea.

“Tadima!” Sano and Yahiko burst in the kitchen door just as they parted. 
“Dinner is….” He dropped the bag of food right on Yahiko’s head and clocked 
him before the boy saw what he did. “….Served.”

It was the longest, most uncomfortable silence in Megumi’s life. Sano’s 
expression wasn’t hurt, more like confirmation of something he knew a long 
time…..Then abruptly turned and walked out without a word, knocking over 
Yahiko again in his hurry. Megumi excused herself and ran down Yahiko again 
as she sprinted after him. “Idiot!” Arain clanged Excailber’s hilt of 
Jubei’s head. “Look what you did!”

Sano had reached the pond by the time Megumi caught up with him. “Sano wait! 
It’s not what you think!”

“I’m stupid but I’m not blind.” He said as he stopped, his back still to 
her. “Not like you haven’t been over him like a cheap Gi….”

“Sano if you would just….!”

“I only have two things to say to you, Takani Megumi. The better man won…..”

He suddenly turned around and grabbed her by the shoulders, paralyzing her 
at point blank with those deep brown eyes.

“But I’m the better kisser.”

Not that Jubei was a bad kisser, quite good in fact, but the one Sano laid 
on her made her slippers curl….
All the denied passion between them the last two years igniting like a 
powderkeg as she kissed him right back just as forcefully, wrapping a leg 
around his waist…..and what seemed like hours later they finally broke 
apart, panting for breath as they leaned against each other….

“(Huff) About damn time….”

“(Puff) What the hell….(Koff) took you so long….”

They didn’t have time to answer the stupid question, too busy kissing 
again….

Back at the house, Arain blushed at the description her fairy provided. 
“From your expression,” Jubei said dryly, “I guess they made up.”

“That’s….one way of putting it.” She called back the fairy….It would be hard 
to look at them later as it was without…further details….

Jubei leaned back and grinned. “Yep, yep, Just like I planned…..”

Arain raised an eyebrow. “How stupid do I look, Kimagami?” He winked at her 
in reply. Arain sighed.
“Whatever….I’m gonna go raid the wine cellar for something to knock me out.”

“Mind company?”

“…..”

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

They left Yahiko drooling on the floor.

##

Stonehenge.

Humans had pondered it’s existence for centuries and would for centuries to 
come, it’s secrets too vast and dangerous for common mankind. One of these 
secrets being that the Avalon council assembled here to discuss matters of 
the highest importance.

Like now.

“Thou understand thine risk ye take, Merlin?”

Merlin sighed. “God knows I wish I was wrong. But the evidence is clear my 
lady.”

“Very well. I will assemble the council.”

“Thank you, My lady.”

The queen of the water nymphs, the Lady of the Lake, hid her laughter behind 
her hand. “Ye no need of such formality between us. Has thou forgotten the 
name you called me long ago?”

*I wish.* Merlin thought darkly as he admired the ‘young’, red-haired woman. 
She was the only one who unnerved him….made him feel as clumsy as a 
schoolboy even now.  First loves did that to you, no matter how powerful or 
wise you were. Sometimes he wondered….after all Gawain had passed away long 
ago….she must be lonely and only a thousand years younger….

“Don’t go there” He muttered.

“Did ye say something?”

“Nothing, my la- I mean Lily.”

She smiled warmly at him as if she knew what he was thinking. *Wouldn’t be 
surprised.* He grumbled.

“Then let us begin.” Lily said as she stepped over to the center of 
Stonehenge. Merlin joined her as she held her hands together and bowed her 
head, eyes closed as she spoke. “What once was done, now undo, Return 
thyself to your form true…..” The ground rumbled beneath them, thousands of 
fairies circling around the structure… “Court of Avalon, assemble as you 
will…..” Her voice grew stronger as the fairies increased in speed….the 
ocean around them reacting to the spell in great waves that crashed against 
the cliffs…. “Your sacred duty now fulfill!”

Even though Merlin had seen it a million times, it still was inspiring to 
watch Stonehenge reveal it’s true form…. The ‘Ancient stones’ becoming 
polished black marble and reshaping themselves as the fairies swarmed over 
them and raised the sister stones rose from their hidden locations in the 
soil…. Partially completing a structure seeming to be a circle of large 
stone doors surrounding a courtyard…. Ancient symbols and text writing 
themselves on the stones in bursts of light…The threatening waves surged 
over the cliffs and into the Stonehenge from all sides…..each doorway filled 
with portals similar to Merlin’s as the water touched them and flowed around 
the court to make a ‘floor’ of sorts solid enough to walk on but still 
flowing like water. The fairies final task to literally form the ‘roof’, 
bathing them in their glow as they circled above. “Incredible….” Merlin 
sighed, Lily smiling.

Each member of the court stepped through the doors, each female and of every 
race of Avalon: Centaur, Unicorn, Siren, Elf, Fairy, Troll, Dragon….all were 
represented. The ‘floor’ raised a sitting stool or couch for each to sit or 
lie down, forming a crystalline throne under Lily as she sat down. “The 
Stonehenge council is now in session. I apologize for summoning ye at such a 
late hour, but the matter at hand is too far great to wait another second.”

“Does this concern your granddaughter’s foray into the Human world?” The 
Siren sang, her extremely long blond hair barely covering her nakedness. 
*Can’t they at least wear something close to attire?* Merlin ruefully 
thought.

“And why isn’t Merlin with her?” The harpy leered, folding her wings and 
preened her hideous bird body, gulping down a maggot she picked free. “Has 
his long sleep softened his edge so he needs our assistance to recover 
Excailber?”

“Excailber has already been recovered and bonded with Arainhod.” Lily 
replied. “Both are well and the thief has been punished.”
“So what’s soooo Important?” The great red dragon princess, King’s pride, 
yawned rudely. “We all have other pressing business to attend to, Mistress.”

She didn’t see Merlin’s grin. * I bet you do…* Merlin stepped forward to 
address everyone. “It is good to stand before the Stonehenge council once 
more, my kinswomen. As I look around I can see you all have exceeded your 
foremothers from my generation.” The pretty blond Centaur slyly winked at 
him, Merlin unable to stop from smiling back. “However my joy is clouded by 
the dark tidings I bring, A danger not only to the human world, but ours as 
well.”

There were murmurs of shock and disbelief. “What threaten Avalon?” The huge 
trollop grumbled. “We’ll get together and smash!”

Despite the crude way they talked, trolls were much smarter than they looked 
thankfully. *Makes this easier….* “I wholeheartedly agree. The trouble is 
that this threat is something that Avalon hasn’t faced before thus we have 
no knowledge of what exactly we’re up against.”

“Impossible.” She looked annoyed. “EVERYTHING in Avalon bookhouse. Nothing 
Avalon don’t know.”

“That’s what I thought as well. After all….” He walked around theatrically, 
looking at each member. “Our society has existed since time began and 
knowledge of both worlds have been carefully recorded by the librarians or 
by the scribes of each race. So in that case if one doesn’t know….” He 
paused a bit to look King’s pride in the eye. “Another will.”

“Does this have a point?” King’s pride snorted, adding a sarcastic tone. 
“Ancient one?”

“I don’t understand as well,” The elven queen said, her large green eyes 
icy. “Are you saying that my people have made a mistake?”

*Careful Old boy, You know how huffy Elves are when you point out a flaw in 
their ‘perfection’*

“Not at all, your majesty, Your librarians and scribes have yet to do 
so…..However it’s rather odd that I can’t find a single thing on this 
subject. This ‘Triseoul’ business….”

Everyone looked confused, everyone except who Merlin knew wouldn’t, and even 
though her reactions weren’t as readable as normal people, Merlin could feel 
her get nervous. *Yeah, you better be…*

“Forgive me, Merlin. But one of three lives?” Lily, right on cue as planned, 
spoke up. “Even I have not heard of such a thing.”

“Nether have I until recently, My lady. Now what could possibly exist that 
we know nothing about? Yet the word is Avalonian in nature and there are 
several incidents recorded that went unsolved since it seemed they were just 
random and unconnected….save for the fact an enormous amount of power was 
used each time and….”

“Are you going to waste our time much longer, ‘Ancient one’?”

Lily eyed the dragon sternly. “I know your mother taught you better manners 
than that, King’s pride.”
The dragon glared at him for a moment before submitting in apology.

*Thank you kindly* Merlin grinned.

*Anytime.* She sent back to his surprise.

“No, I won’t bore you with details, I’ll go straight to the point. Oddly 
enough, it has some connection with Excailber and the swords, one I couldn’t 
see until a collage pointed out an old love story recorded a long time ago, 
even before Excailber was crafted….Beautiful story of a dragon falling in 
love with a human….” He paused for effect, sensing a particular female’s 
nervousness increase. “Very tragic, eh King’s pride? Why don’t you relate it 
to us?”

“Ahh…My memory isn’t perfect of it….It’s been so long since….”

“But surely you have a record of it?”

“Before the great dragon uprising we did yes.” King’s pride was clearly 
flustered now. “Sadly they were destroyed and the only ones well versed in 
the tale were killed.”

“Oh, how tragic…..” Merlin sighed….before his eyes hardened and he glared at 
her. “…And so very convient….”

“My fellow kinswomen….” Lily said firmly. “Thou have gathered tonight to 
investigate the strong possibility that King’s pride and her court are 
guilty of High Treason and Conspiracy toward Avalon, Not only fully aware of 
the Triseoul menace….but responsible for it…..”

##

“How could she be so calm?”

Karou had pretended she didn’t hear Megumi’s whispered comment to Arain 
earlier, but it came back to haunt her as she lay down in her room to 
‘sleep’ like she lied she would.

Calm? Sure.

Perfectly alright with this? Absolutely.

Am I lying?

You bet your cute ass I am….

The strong front was for Kenshin’s and Tomoe’s sake alone. In reality she 
felt like breaking down and crying and beating the hell out someone to make 
them feel as bad as she did.

But most of all she was scared.

*What will become of us now?* She looked up at the ceiling as if it would 
answer. *Kenshin and Tomoe are parents now….Where do I fit in? Do I fit in 
at all? Will he….will he leave me for them now?*

The rational part of her commented that she was actually jealous, that’s 
all. *Hell yes I am!* She admitted. *I wanted to have his children….me and 
only me! I finally got him all to myself and now I have to share?! Why can’t 
you ever leave us alone Kami-sama!*

Kami didn’t answer. *Mou, get a grip, Kamiya.* She scolded herself. *It’s 
not as if Tomoe planned this. She must be going through the same thing as I 
am, Right?*

Somehow….she wasn’t so sure.

Restless, she stood and walked into the quiet hallway. *And then there’s 
Kenshin himself. The waters changed him more than he’s letting on….I can 
sense his growing power as well as….* She stopped that train of thought 
immediately. *THAT part has got to be my imagination…..”

Not suprisingly, she stopped at their door. *Awfully quiet in there-MOU!* 
Karou blushed fiercely. *Karou no hentai!* After a moment’s hesitation she 
cracked the door. *Just to check if they’re all right…*

The moonlight revealed the cozy scene, Karou not knowing if she should feel 
awed by how cute they all looked sleeping together…..Or just a bit incensed 
to see HER fiancée pillowed against Tomoe’s breast, the latter’s arm rather 
possessively draped around him….

Her claws gently stroking his hair.

…….NANI?!!!

Tomoe’s eyes were white flames in the semi darkness as they 
opened….luminating fangs….the outright hunger and passion in her face 
twisting it into something demonic as she lowered to his throat…..

Stopping only when she noticed the petrified Karou standing there.

Hissed and sprang….

##

King’s pride chuckled nastily. “You have evidence to your claim, ‘ancient 
one’?” She flexed her claws. “Or will I have the pleasure of gutting you 
here for your insult?”

It was no idle threat. Dragon law dictated that one could answer an insult 
in combat to satisfy honor, dragon or not. “I have enough.” Merlin replied, 
unnerved. “I went back over those incidents and found something interesting. 
In every case a couple with a child or twins were involved, and in every 
case the child and one of them died under unusual circumstances, and the 
surviving member of the family would go berserk and wipe out everything 
around him in a burst of power.  This seemed to happen once a generation, 
which is why they were overlooked as unconnected. Further digging revealed 
that at the most recent one, not more thirty years ago, occurred at the home 
of someone that I’m sure you all have heard of: Yukoshiro Musashi.”

There were a few murmurs at the name. Musashi, or ‘Oborie’ was well known to 
the Avalonian people, not only as the former Murasame master but for several 
other deeds that proclaimed him a hero. Merlin could tell King’s pride was 
getting flustered. “Best you could do was to dig up that old fossil….”

“That old fossil has been adopted as one of my family, King’s pride.” Lily’s 
voice was ice. “Insulting him is the same as insulting me.”

The dragon shut her mouth quickly. Merlin chuckled before going on. “Oborie 
was a valuable source of information. He perfectly described what happened, 
and it was exactly as the others except something new: The father was one of 
the swordbearers and cloaked humans with oddly colored eyes and reptilian 
features were hunting them. And only one thing fits that discription: A 
dragon taking human form.”

“Liar!” King’s pride roared

“I realized the other connection at that point. They all involved one of the 
swordbearers. They all occurred under unusual, often violent circumstances. 
Especially one.” He gave an apologetic look toward Lily. “The deaths of two 
of her highness’ grandchildren.”

Lily didn’t have to fake her pain. Garrison and Gawain were her only 
grandchildren out her hundreds that died young and violently….Father and 
child murdered by the wife, Tomora. Only Gawain’s twin survived.

On the other hand, Merlin had never seen a dragon pale before.

“But wasn’t they murdered by Tomora when she went mad?” The unicorn asked.

“Depends on how you see it.” Merlin drove another nail into King’s pride’s 
coffin. “She killed them….only because she was driven mad by something…or 
someone who wanted them dead. The report said that Tomora suffered horrible 
nightmares suddenly before the act, nightmares of cloaked men….” He looked 
at King’s Pride. “Why?”

“This proves nothing!” King’s pride argued. “Tomora was a human of the 
outside world, you know exactly how unstable they are! And we are not the 
only ones who can mess with a human mind using magic or illusions or 
whatever….”

King’s pride was interrupted by the ice spike that rose out of the floor and 
stopped just a centimeter from her throat…..trying very hard not to swallow 
at the calm, but frightening rage on Lily’s face as she spoke.

“Ye already are, as the human would say, in very deep shite King’s pride….” 
She said evenly. “Ye may dig thyself out a little by confessing now.”

*Now I know where Arain gets that viscous streak of hers.* Merlin thought 
ruefully.

*Who did ye think taught her?* Lily sent with a mental smirk.

##

Karou had no chance to react, Tomoe on her that same instant….pinning her 
arms down and slamming a knee into Karou’s stomach as she snarled in her 
face.

“Interfere.”  Her voice was unnatural, her eyes flames…..Then with an insane 
amount of strength she hauled Karou up onehanded like a sack of potatoes and 
slammed her the wall so hard it splintered, the girl instantly limp and 
unable to stop her as Tomoe started to drain her. “Always interfere!”

“Tomoe!!”

Tomoe turned around to stare at Kenshin, the glow softening at his terrified 
look….ashamed….. “No…”

Soujirou and Shuriken came tearing down the hallway at that moment, 
Shuriken’s pendant glowing wildly.  “What the….” Shuriken’s eyes widened. 
“Cultivator!”

Tomoe’s eyes flared and she literally roared….throwing Karou like a ragdoll 
into them and knocking them over as she bolted down the hall on all fours 
and LEAPT from the staircase…landing hard enough on her feet to shake the 
floorboards and snatched Murasame off the wall in one motion…smashing 
through the doors and out into the night…..

“Daijoube, Karou?”

“Hai….” Karou looked at her fiancée in dread. “Was that …was that really….?”

Kenshin’s eyes were hooded as he helped her up. “…..Hai.”

“Is everyone alright?” Arain, Yahiko and Jubei ran up as they started 
downstairs. “Excailber sensed a Cultivator-”

“It’s Tomoe….she just went berserk…”

Arain swore fiercely. “Why didn’t we or Merlin sense it until now….”

“No time for that!” Kenshin snapped. “Can you track her, Arain-dono? 
Teleport us to where she’s headed?”

“I can.” Arain glared at Kenshin for a moment, Kenshin glaring right back. 
*You knew, you midget bastard….*  “And I’ll probably have to kill her as 
well.”

“We’ll see.” He said flatly.

“Could someone explain what just happened?” Yahiko said in expiration. “What 
the hell’s a Cultivator?”

“Cultivators are undead creatures created by Excailbron’s power, Like 
Gregor.” Shuriken explained. “If a person dies violently part of their 
consciousness or soul or whatever you want to call it, is burned into their 
body like a scar.” An apologetic look to Kenshin. “The Tamashii no 
Shuukakusha has a way of using that impression to revive them, however to 
keep their bodies from detorating they need to drain the life force or Ki of 
a victim for food or they’ll die again.” She looked thoughtful. “I think the 
reason we couldn’t detect Tomoe earlier was because she wasn’t a full 
Cultivator yet because she hadn’t killed….”

“Instead she drained what she could and cocooned herself during the day, 
rejuvenating herself enough to go about at night.”

Everybody stared at Kenshin.

“Gomensai for keeping it from you, but I can’t explain how I know that.” He 
looked older as he said that. “At least not now.”

*Kenshin….* Karou earlier fears tripled.

Everything clicked then. Tomoe’s little disappearing acts. The odd ‘illness’ 
that affected everybody on the boat…..Then everybody had a sinking feeling 
where she was the night before.

“Clever girl,” Arain admitted. “But her body couldn’t hold out on that for 
long so she must’ve of killed someone and became a full fledged Cultivator, 
which means Ashura can now control her….”

There was no need follow up that thought.

“What the hell….” A decidedly rumpled looking Sano and Megumi stepped in at 
that moment.

“We’ll explain on the way, Sano.”  Kenshin said. “Yahiko, you and Megumi 
stay here with the kids.”
They nodded. “Where is she now, Arain?”

Excailber hummed. “South.” Arain translated. “Three miles from here. She’s 
stopped there for some reason.”

“Let’s go get her then.” Jubei said, then glanced at Sano. “What’s wrong 
with your neck?”

The mother of Hickeys crowned his neck, it’s sister on Megumi’s neck. There 
was a bit of grass here or there on them as well. “It’s….It’s a….” Sano 
flustered, Megumi blushing. “…Rash.”

“Ya sure?” Jubei smirked. “Looks like a hic….”

“It’s a rash!!!” Sano thundered as he and Megumi reddened. The others 
chuckled despite themselves.

##

King’s pride put on a show of unconcern that fooled no one, smashing aside 
the ice spear.

“You can’t make me confess to anything, Your highness.” She sneered. 
“According to high Avalonian law, The Royalty of a race can take any 
measures to ensure the survival of their people….”

“And this court also follows the laws of every race to ensure fairness.” The 
Elven queen interrupted. “And Elven law states that a law can be temporarily 
be vetoed by vote under extreme circumstances. All in favor?”

It was a unanimous vote. Merlin could help grinning. *For once, I’m glad 
that Elves are cold-heartedly logical bastards…..*

“So much for ye defense, King’s pride.” Lily said smugly. “Ye can continue.”

King’s pride snarled in frustration. “You can’t do this!”

“We can….” The harpy sneered. “And worse if ya like since Harpy law isn’t as 
kind.”

Defeated, the dragon relented, not before giving Merlin a scathing look and 
mouthing “Bastard. I’ll get you for this.”

Merlin smiled in reply.

“As Merlin has surmised, this concerns the swords…In fact the legend behind 
their creation is a carefully altered truth that Dragon royalty created to 
keep the truth secret at any cost. We even started the Dragon revolution as 
a cover for executing all of the Royal family of that time old enough to 
know of it and destroy the records. They thought that weaving the truth as a 
fairy tale would hide it well, but I see that was a grave error.”

“Hide the truth?” The Unicorn asked.

“That Bane, the stardemon that terrorized the humans…..and the dragon in 
that story are one and the same.” King’s pride grinned evilly. “The 18th 
crown princess of the first dragon dynasty!”

##

Asuka was home to many unusual artifacts and ancient structures of long 
forgotten use. One of these was a odd looking stone known as the Sakafune 
Ishi, or ‘liquor ship rock’. It didn’t look like much, a large stone on a 
hill, odd ‘trenches’ and shallow holes dug into it’s surface. However, It’s 
true purpose was unknown for centuries, wild stories speculating of 
supernatural use…..

Why would Tomoe come here?

“Place gives me the creeps….” Sano muttered, everybody agreeing. The light 
mist around the area heightened the dark vibes that permeated the area to an 
almost choking level….the air much colder than it should have been, freezing 
in fact…..

“Everybody listen to me.” Kenshin said in a emotionless, brutally firm 
voice. “Whatever happens, do NOT react in anger or a threatening way. Tomoe 
is very confused and unstable at the moment…and not only because of the 
Cultivator aspect as well. Stay out of my way.” He looked at Karou. “That 
goes double for you, Karou.”

So cold….Her anger finally broke free of it’s prison. “You’re not Kenshin.”

Kenshin raised an eyebrow. “Nani?”

“I said you’re not Kenshin.” Karou said firmly as she stepped back from him. 
The others’ earlier confusion melted into hard looks as they realized it.

Kenshin’s voice softened. “What are you talking about, Koibito? Are you sure 
you’re alright….?”

“You didn’t say Oro when she surprised you.” Sano said angrily, cracking his 
knuckles. “Not mention you’re acting nothing like Kenshin at all. Who are 
you?”

“I told you not to….”

Too late.

Tomoe exploded out of the mist….unleashing another of those ‘screams’ that 
bowled everyone over as she charged right for Karou….This time Karou ready 
for her as she caught Tomoe’s lunge and rolled back…flinging her into a tree 
HARD….Only for Tomoe to immediately spring back at her as if the impact was 
just a slap….

And stopped as Kenshin shouted something in an alien tongue…claws bare 
inches from Karou’s blocking arms….

“What the….” Sano didn’t understand what Kenshin just said, but the name he 
mentioned was familiar.
“Did he call her…..”

“It’s Latin!” Shuriken exclaimed in shock. “He said ‘They art not thine 
enemy…..Empress Bane!”

##


THAT was unexpected.

King’s pride chuckled. “Oh, yes….Dear great, great auntie Bane. I have to 
say she left quite an impact.”

*I was right….. Damn!* Merlin thought “Let me guess: The Royal family feared 
her so they dumped her among the humans.”

“Half right, ‘Ancient One’. Bane wanted to go among the filthy beasts. You 
see Bane had immeasurable power unlike ever seen before, how she was born 
with it we STILL don’t know. Added to that she was so naïve and young as 
well, and that much power in the hands of an emotional little eggchick like 
that scared the hell out of everybody EXCEPT her idiot mother and father. 
They were so sure that Bane wasn’t a threat, that she could learn control as 
she matured and bring the dragon race to a new golden age. Of course the 
other members of the court saw through that bullshit and plotted to get rid 
of her without looking like they wanted to. Auntie had such a curious streak 
so they ‘convinced’ her to study the humans for a while and learn all she 
could. Her parents loved the idea as much as she did so she was outta their 
hair and happy as well.”

“So dragons DID have brains in the old days.” The harpy remarked. “Shocks 
the hell out of me!”

“What happened to this generation?” There was too much sarcasm in the 
Centaur’s remark to it to misunderstood as a dumb blond question. King’s 
Pride growled threateningly and spat flame at the harpy’s feet….only to have 
the taste knocked out of her mouth as Merlin used his staff like a 
quarterstaff.

“Do it again….” He warned in a voice of stone. “Please.”

King’s Pride’s eyes glittered dangerously but she knew that he meant it. The 
others, including Lily, chuckled. The dragon recovered the tatters of her 
dignity and continued. “Unfortunately this was a temporary solution. Bane 
had spent too long as a human….and ended up falling in love with one of the 
mangy creatures….one who just happened to be a swordsmith with the unusual 
ability mixing magic with his art.” She gave Lily and Merlin a sardonic 
look. “Somehow I doubt that was just a trick of fate.”

*I agree.* Merlin thought.

“Anyway, that really didn’t go well with everybody home, however Bane’s 
parents allowed the travesty to take place and dared anyone to have a 
problem with it. Can you believe they were HAPPY for their daugther? The 
morons! Only the council saw the threat: The maggot half-breed they’d 
conceive would have Auntie’s power and possible more, and among the humans 
that was asking for disaster. So they came up with a simple yet brilliant 
way of handling the problem….by inciting the humans to riot and kill them 
for us. That way it couldn’t be traced back to them.” King’s pride sighed. 
“Unfortunately….”

“They only succeeded in killing the child and driving Bane mad with grief….” 
Merlin interrupted, explaining the rest of the story to everyone. The entire 
council was both touched at the tragic end and outraged at the dragons from 
their glares at King’s Pride. “But you couldn’t leave them be, could you? 
Instead you made this elaborate cover-up and hunted them down every time 
they were reincarnated….” Merlin was angry now. “And every time you killed 
one of them the surviving member would relive Bane’s grief and unleash that 
power explosively, killing themselves and anyone around. An endless cycle….”

“That was necessary!” King’s Pride was foaming now. “And it is NOT 
reincarnation. By absorbing half of Bane’s essence that monkey gained a 
chunk of her powers as well and guaranteed immortality. Upon death he and 
the other half of Bane flee to new hosts, One of which is always a 
swordbearer for some odd reason and the other seemingly random yet both 
always resemble the last couple. A Human does not deserve such power!”

“For this hatred and fear mine grandchildren were murdered?” Lily snarled.

“Yes!” King’s pride sneered. “Didn’t you notice the change in your grandson 
after marrying that human slut? It’s slow but noticeable as both halves 
slowly awaken….and when the child or children, usually twins, are born the 
awakening is complete. By then we usually exterminate them before anything 
else happens…..”

“ENOUGH!” King’s Pride realized her blunder too late. Lily was enraged now 
at that remark, and only extreme control kept her from slaughtering her 
there. “Speak ill of my kin again…..and You’re Luggage.”

If it wasn’t so serious, Merlin would have laughed at that threat, getting 
an image of Lily’s fairies carrying red dragonskin travel bags and chests…..

Then it hit him. Similarity! THAT’S was what bothered him about Tomoe and 
Kenshin earlier. Save for a few minor details, the two looked EXACTLY like 
Tomora and Garrison! And the latent power….

That’s meant….!

Merlin swore fiercely.

##

Back in Japan….

“Empress Bane?!!!!”

“Remember the story I read earlier?” Karou’s voice was hollow and crushed, 
as if her entire world came crashing down. “….it’s them….The Dragon and her 
swordsmith lover….”

“But….that would mean….both legends are one and the same!” Shuriken said. 
“But why didn’t the Amulet….”

“The amulet contains Bane’s wisdom and intelligence, Shuriken.” Arain 
guessed. “Not her memories and essence….”

Tomoe had shifted to a wary crouch, her eyes sliver blue again. Kenshin’s 
left was gold again as he held out his hand and stepped forward….

Only to be batted aside like a rag doll by Tomoe into a tree, the woman 
gasping in pain, convulsing…. choking out more of that strange language 
between breaths as she held out a restraining hand to the rising Kenshin. 
<Stay away, can’t control myself….> Shuriken translated as Tomoe whirled on 
them and hissed out more. <Inteferers cause for it….! I’ll kill thee!>

<No they’re not, beloved. Your vessel is tainted with Excailbron’s power and 
it affects you.> He walked toward her with a smile. <We can get through this 
like you helped me through it as well…..>

<No! They art inteferers! They art to separate us again like the others!> 
Tomoe shot a fearsome glance at Karou. <Especially THAT one. Ye lust for her 
as she for ye?>

Kenshin shook his head. <That is the darkness speaking, Bane. You know that 
they art this vessels companions, not the cloaked ones. Nothing more.>

Normally Karou would have been pissed to be ‘written off’ like that, instead 
she choked back a sob. *I…guess they…truly belong together….*

“Oi! What the hell did you do with Kenshin and Tomoe!” Sano roared.

His answer was a blast of light from Tomoe’s hand that Arain barely 
deflected with Excailber, The tree it hit instant ash. “Your Kenshin and 
Tomoe are still here, Sagara.” Kenshin said in Japanese. “They are a part of 
us now as are all those we have previously been.”

“This is too damn weird for me.” Sano muttered, glancing at Karou in pity. 
*Poor Jou-chan….*

Tomoe’s convulsions had tripled, screaming now as her hands ripped into bone 
claws and the rest of her body started to change back to it’s inhuman 
form….skin shedding away….<MUST….KILL….THE HUNGER….. STAY AWAY FROM 
MEEEEEE!!!!>

<Then feast upon me!>

“Kenshin!!!” Arain shouted. “She’ll kill you!”

“She will not.” He said firmly. “I have more than enough power.”

And with that he lunged forward and embraced her….Tomoe sinking her claws 
into his back and her fangs into his neck….the thunderclap of the unleashed 
power knocking everyone flat….Everyone seeing two dragon shaped auras rising 
from them and entwining before it became blinding…..and then as quickly as 
it came the power faded and they saw a fully restored Tomoe slumped in 
Kenshin’s embrace. Kenshin looked exhausted but smiling at the girl he 
lovingly held. <Bane…..>

<Beloved….>

“NOW!!!”

Everyone was caught off guard….the air alive with strands of a webbing like 
material launched from seemingly everywhere at them to wrap around their 
arms and legs, yanking them upwards…..choking in the purple cloud of smoke 
that swept in after and weakened them all ….Sano breaking free with an 
effort only to be sideswiped by Silk before he touched the ground….cracking 
a tree in two from the impact….Sano barely to his feet before the large tree 
limb Silk wielded shattered his kneecap and dropped him again…. Silk 
proceeding to club him half to death before finally kicking him into another 
tree….more ‘webbing’ tying his limp form to it as Silk grinned up at them. 
“Surprise!!” She crowed as Mother and Daisho dropped down from above. 
“Comfy?”

“This is getting on my nerves….” Jubei snarled.

Ashura made her usual grand appearance from the shadows, shifting to human 
as she walked up. “All of the cast is finally assembled onstage and the true 
performance can begin!” She smirked at their stuggles to get free. “Don’t 
bother. The paralyzing effect of Daisho’s breath will last for hours. And 
the lovebirds over there are too drained from their happy reunion to use 
their powers as well, just like I knew they would.” Ashura’s grin was 
frightening. “I love it a plan goes so well, don’t you?”

They could only helplessly watch her laugh.

##

Before anyone could react Merlin rammed his staff down King’s pride’s 
Throat, choking her…..Angry as they’d ever seen him.

“Did you hire Ashura for your dirty work?! Answer me or I’ll make you eat 
this!” The dragon gagged out something that made Merlin withdraw in 
surprise. “What did you say?”

“Merlin!” Lily exclaimed.

“Forgive my rudeness, my lady.” He said. “But I just realized that the 
recent attack on Avalon wasn’t a random event after all, but part of this 
mess. Shannon was a pawn of The current Excailbron bearer, Himeno Ashura, 
and she in turn was hired by this great stupid beast….” He glared at King’s 
pride. “Or so I thought.”

“(Koff.) You heard me….old man….” The dragon nursed her throat, managing a 
sneer.

“She came to us!”

##

“Before I answer the hundreds of questions you have, where are my children?”

“YOUR children-!” Tomoe spat.

“Yes, MY children, Tomoe.” She shot back. “Or is it Bane now I’m speaking 
to?”

Bonding with a entity that had lived for centuries obviously improved one’s 
vocabulary. The nicest thing out of the string of curses Tomoe unleashed was 
“spawn of a worm filled whore.” Even Sano and Silk were impressed.

“Enough flattery, dear.” Ashura sounded bored at the tirade. “You can’t 
thank me enough for all I’ve done and you know I’m right.” Tomoe hissed. 
“Yes you did help keep them alive Bane, since Tomoe’s death before their 
birth interrupted your awakening but it wasn’t enough. I had to give part of 
my own life-force to them as well as their father’s to fully save their 
lives. That is why they have my features as well as yours.
I won’t bore you with the exact details of the ceremony….” She impishly 
grinned at Kenshin. “Or how I managed to take what I needed from you 
Kenshin, that’s my little secret. Although I will say I enjoyed it 
immensely….”

Tomoe looked even angrier at that, although no one knew why of course. 
Kenshin didn’t ether and he honestly didn’t want to think about it. 
(Although he had a suspicion-HELL NO!) *That bitch!* Tomoe thought. *She 
drained him while she…..She…* Tomoe screamed in frustration as Ashura and 
Silk laughed. “You’ll never touch them again!!”

“Don’t bet your life on it.” Ashura sneered. “No place is beyond me….” She 
grinned at Arain. “Not even Avalon…..”

“Are you ever going to get to the point?” Jubei grumbled. “The usual villain 
routine to explain everything?”

Mother hocked and spit a mass of the webbing around Jubei’s mouth to shut 
him up.

“Agratou.” Kenshin said tiredly.

“Kimagami has a point. It’s time to get the show on the road….”

##

If the earlier confession rocked the court, this flattened them….

“Came to you?” The trollop growled. “How could outsider know to get to 
Avalon?”

“I don’t know….she was very knowledgeable of the place, like she lived here 
before. Anyway she made us a deal, she would handle our little problem for 
us, no questions asked, no payment. She only needed one thing from us: Some 
of our blood to form an elixir of some sort. We jumped at the chance, after 
all it was practically free….”

The centaur saw that Merlin was too shocked to hit the dragon for her 
stupidity, so she did it for him….her powerful hind legs rocking King’s 
pride’s skull and knocking a few teeth out. “Sorry.” She said. “Slipped.”

Everyone knew what dragon blood could do to a person. Something in it 
attacked the mind….and if one knew how they could use it drive the victim 
insane or control them or….Merlin bit down the urge to blast King’s pride to 
hell. *Why would Ashura need that for? More importantly….how does she have 
such knowledge of Avalon and it’s secrets….*

When the answers hit him, Merlin nearly screamed in horror.

##

Ashura explained to them everything King’s pride had revealed to the court 
before filling in the holes.

“I’ll admit that there were times you guys almost mucked everything up. 
Especially you, Battousai.”
She chuckled ruefully. “I shoulda known if anyone could survive Enishi’s 
‘poison’ it would be you.”

“It wasn’t poison was it?” Tomoe growled. “You were attempting to force my 
beloved to awaken with that dragon’s blood weren’t you?”

“Correct as always, girl. It was an experiment really…Of course I had to 
lead your stupid brother around the nose by taking your disgusting form 
Tomoe, and it was an awful risk to take with Battousai life but it was worth 
it. If it worked it would of made things much simpler for me. If not it 
still succeeded it’s purpose. Not only to destroy the mental barriers that 
Kenshin erected at Tomoe’s death and allow himself to awaken….but to also 
complete the centuries long goal of the Tamashii no Shuukakusha by proving 
my mastery of Excailbron.”

She suddenly looked contrite. “Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot I’m speaking to those 
ignorant of our art.” She held up Excaibron. “This sword is the blood and 
harnessed dark energies of Bane….able to absorb the blood of it’s victims to 
strengthen it’s power as well as steal their knowledge and memories. The 
Tamashii no Shuukakusha is the perfect balance of that power, using that 
knowledge to it’s advantage toward it’s goal: Unification of it’s previous 
power seperated by Bane’s lover. Every one of my ancestors have slowly 
worked toward this piece by piece but now I shall succeed, thanks to my 
uncle.”

“You mean….” Shuriken paled. “You want to revive Bane herself?”

“Try harder, Lady Maximus….”

##
“What tis amatter, Merlin?” Lily looked concerned. “Ye look as if hell is 
after ye!”

“Worse than that, Milady. Everything is horrifyingly clear now: One of the 
swordbearers were always a host which would mean that at one point an 
Excailbron wielder was a host. Do you all understand what that means?” It 
slowly dawned on them, looks of horror etching on all of them. “All the 
knowledge of both Bane, her husband and the past lives they’ve assimilated 
is within that blasted sword! All it would of taken was a drop of blood! 
That’s how Ashura knew of Avalon and everything!”

“Because my Grandson was a host….” Lily murmured.

“Right! I didn’t think it was of importance till now, but the last host was 
an Excailbron bearer who died thirty years ago, which makes him Ashura’s 
father or uncle! And since your grandson died long before the knowledge 
would be there when the sword managed to absorb some of his blood after 
awakening. But that’s not even the worse of it as you now all realize now.”

  “Realize what, Old man?” King’s pride snarled. “So the sword knows what 
Bane and that fleabag lover does. What she going to do, revive Bane….”

Merlin ramming his staff down her throat again cut her off.

“You stupid flying feedbag! Don’t you see what you and your idiot ancestors 
done to us?” Merlin roared. “You’ve allowed the swordsmith’s knowledge into 
her hands! The process of how the swords were created and how to undo it!” 
He rammed the staff harder down. “But not to revive Bane….”

##

Ashura’s grin was frightening to behold.

“I want to BECOME Bane….”

As if on cue, thunder rumbled in the distance, adding to the terrible 
realization that crossed their faces.
It was so obvious they should of seen it….Bane’s power was the only thing 
that Ashura could gain….
“Of course…Everything you need is here,” Karou murmured. “The swords, the 
amulet, both halves of Bane ….As well as the forge….”

“Very perceptive, Karou-dono! Atta girl!” Ashura simpered. “Shame on you for 
not seeing it earlier, love.” She scolded Kenshin. “I can understand her 
highness not remembering since she was just a slab of meat at that time. It 
was here at the Sakafune Ishi that you created the swords from Bane’s body 
and separated her essence. Thirty years ago you attempted to destroy it 
while inhabiting the Excailbron wielder at the time, my uncle, to prevent us 
from our goal. Luckily you failed, well, for me anyway.”

“So what was all that about Triseoul then?” Soujirou asked.

“That nonsense was created by the lovebirds here to throw us off.  The 
Triseoul is simply the title of Bane’s lover’s hosts, because each ‘life’ 
represents each of the parts. In Kenshin’s case, ‘Shinta’s Excailber, 
Battousai’s Excailbron, the Rurouni the Murasame, and all three combined, 
Kenshin, for the Eye of Bane. Is everyone caught up now? Good, because I’m 
getting impatient now.” Ashura gave Kenshin a cross look. “Oh and you WILL 
perform the ceremony…..you don’t have a choice in the matter and you know 
it. And if you’re even more stubborn THEY will pay.”

Kenshin’s laugh sent chills down one’s spine. “The needs of the many 
outweigh the needs of the few, Ashura.” Kenshin mirrored her sneer. “They 
have no value to us compare to keeping our power out of your hands, we could 
care less what you do to them.”

“Oi!” Sano had recovered enough to respond to that remark. “When this is 
over I will kick your body hopping ass!”

“Nice try, but you don’t fool me.” Ashura snorted. “Kenshin and Tomoe are 
part of you now so you do care, and you’re not as heartless as you’d like me 
to believe. Enough wasted time!” She raised her hands to the sky 
theatrically. “Immortality awaits!”

Mother crouched down…..the cancerous hump on her back decreasing a bit as 
she literally vomited up several worm-like THINGS in a stream of green 
slime….the wriggling masses growing arms and to the size of puppies as they 
scurried up the webbing toward them…..three seperating from the swarm as 
Silk and Daisho hopped up to take the swords and Amulet from the 
girls….BITING the girls on their arms for Daisho to catch some of their 
blood in a cup as well before joining the rest of the swarm to engulf 
Kenshin ….dragging him down to the ‘forge’ as they formed ‘chains’ by 
linking tail to tail and their teeth the ‘locks’ that bit deeply into his 
wrists….Kenshin feeling dizzy from whatever poison they pumped into his 
system….forcing him to stand in the center as Daisho slung the amulet around 
his neck and stabbed Murasame down into a hidden ‘keyhole’ at the southern 
‘hole….Silk heaving the steadily heavier Excailber into the eastern hole and 
Ashura fitting Excailbron into the western one. “Turn!”

A hissing sound was heard as they turned as one…..the seal breaking with an 
unearthly moan….Ancient symbols similar to those of Stonehenge appearing in 
flashes of light as the anicent stone smoothed into black marble. The three 
hopped off as Sakafune Ishi ‘unlocked’ itself for lack of a better word, the 
ground rumbling as the REST of the structure rose from below the 
surface….looking more like some hellish four foot altar than a forge, 
especially the three slender, oddly twisted pillars that towered and bent 
over above the main structure, giving the impression that a huge three 
fingered claw was holding the entire thing….the main structure unfolding 
into three sections, one with each sword, and sliding the ‘troughs’ out of 
their resting places to connect to the now revealed center platform that 
Kenshin stood upon…. The final part of the tranformation was for the 
‘fingers’ tips to unfold and form a platform sizeable enough to lay a dragon 
across above the center.

“Incredible….” Arain breathed.

Daisho offered the cup for Ashura, who drank it down in one glup and wiped 
her lips. “I should’ve of seen it sooner….” Arain growled. “You used Shannon 
to draw me out of Avalon, so you can get my blood as well as Shuriken’s….”

“Too little too late, Lady Maximus.” Ashura taunted. “Watch and see why….”

Part of the slimy herd keeping Kenshin pinned detached to swarm over the 
struggling Tomoe…..dragging her to the platform over Kenshin….Tomoe crying 
out from the pain as she was stretched out  in a spreadeagle fashion with a 
‘chain’ for each limb, the monster’s teeth biting deep into her ankles and 
wrists….binding her to it like a sacrifice….Up close Tomoe realized the 
‘platform’ was in truth a complicated looking drainage system….the statues 
working like pipes to drain whatever liquid released into her platform to 
each sword and finally into the center where Kenshin was bound.

And with growing terror, she had a good idea what that liquid would be…..

Ashura sprang up the side of a pillar to stand above Tomoe with a fiendish 
grin, holding one of the nastiest looking swords Tomoe had ever seen, a 
long, thin ripsaw edged affair that made Daisho’s look loving by 
comparison….. “I apologize ahead of time, Tomoe….I’ve come to regard you as 
a annoying, bratty little sister I couldn’t help but love, and this will be 
VERY unpleasant….” Tomoe fought not to cringe at the animalistic grin that 
twisted Ashura’s features. “But I need Kenshin to release the power needed 
slowly, instead of in one huge burst that will incinerate us all….which 
means I’ll have to slowly torture you until your cultivator body finally 
gives out.” She raised the sword. “No hard feelings right? Good, I’d hate to 
have that on my conscience…..”

“TOMOE!” Karou screamed.

Ashura’s laughter was wild and sadistic….the sword moving so fast it 
vanished but it’s touch horrifyingly visible….Tomoe jerked and screamed 
despite herself as the seemingly hundreds of slices, stabs, and slashes tore 
her clothes and soon her flesh to shreds…..deep enough to bleed but not kill 
quickly….literally flaying her alive….worse still her body was frantically 
healing the wounds it could in a futile effort to save her, a fact that 
horrifed her trapped friends even more as they could not look away from her 
or the steady river of blood draining down to the center and filled each 
hole with her blood….

Worse still was watching Kenshin slowly go beserk as he watched 
helplessly….convulsing and foaming at the mouth….his palms bleeding from his 
hands clenching so tightly…..“stopitstopitstopitstopohpleasegod”
His pleading voice rose in feverish pitch…everyone feeling the gathering 
power….arcs of it snapping across the forge from time to time….And then 
Kenshin snapped and threw back his head, the glowing left eye flaring to 
such brilliance it was a wonder it didn’t burn out in it’s socket as he 
screamed. “STOP IT!!!!!!”

Then all hell broke loose.

##

The court was settling back into order from Merlin’s revalation when it 
came….the entire world seeming to go beserk all at once like a terrified 
animal: Violent winds sweeping through the place and the earth quaking below 
them….the ocean heaving a massive tidal wave right at the court….Lily saving 
everyone from being crushed by freezing the wave soild and shattering it 
into fine snow as it began it’s descent….using her will to try and soothe 
the angry ocean around them. “What manner of Sorcery is this?!!!”

Merlin looked gravely toward the intense light in the horizon.

“It’s begun….”

##

Translvainan mountains.

The young couple’s horses went berserk and almost threw them off….every 
animal nearby reacting similarly as they regained control. “What tis 
amatter, Alucard? The animals….”

The handsome young Dampyre looked grimly at the horizon. “They’re reacting 
to something out there, Maria….Something like I’ve never felt before….”

##

Around the world, Every immortal hit the ground in agony….the quickening 
within them reacting to Kenshin’s outburst as well….One in particular….

Duncan Mcloud braced himself against his house, gritting at what felt like 
his insides boiling. “What the hell…..!”

##

In China….

Cologne stood among the chaos that had erupted among the Amazon village,…her 
eyes locked on the horizon despite the rebelling farm animals and violent 
tremors ravaging her village.

“After all this time….” She whispered as she leaned on her walking stick. 
“It’s finally happened….”

##

Alexander and Oborie felt the power release even more accutely than the 
others, collasping to their knees and clutching their chests….feeling as if 
part of them was being ripped out as they choked out their daugther’s 
names….”

##

Kenshin’s body jerked violently, bonelessly with the first power surge. With 
the second. The third. The ‘chains’ died flaming, squealing deaths with the 
following two spasms and with the last thrust his hands
Heavenward and unleashed a maelstrom of power that seemed to rock the island 
and lash at the witnesses with it’s fury….the trapped heroes feeling as if 
it would tear them apart, even Silk grunting a bit as the swirling energies 
Kenshin generated took the shape of massive snake like dragon circling the 
atlar. Ashura seemed obvious to the whole thing, still madly slashing away 
at Tomoe….the dragon’s scream, her mad laughter and Tomoe’s hoarse screams 
mixing into a twisted symphony….“KENSHIN!!!!”

Tomoe’s weakening scream fell on deaf ears…..Kenshin fully under the control 
of the power as the forge came alive, energized by the released power…..the 
symbols flaring brilliantly and Tomoe’s stored blood in the holes churning 
below the swords as they glowed as one in tune with Kenshin’s flaming left 
eye. He outstretched his right toward Excailber in a beckoning 
guesture…..the blood around the great blade surging up to engulf and consume 
it….even taking the form of Shinta for a brief moment before gathering and 
hurling itself down it’s trough like some massive snake to wrap and slither 
and whirl around Kenshin endlessly as he reached for Excailbron and did the 
same….Battousai appearing this time after the black blade was consumed and 
joined it’s twin ….The Rurouni the last to appear as finally Murasame met 
the same fate….. “The time has come!” Ashura threw aside the sword and held 
up Tomoe with one hand, eyes gleaming with insanity. “ The moment that now, 
thanks to you, this world ends….” Her free hand shifted into a wicked set of 
claws…..and with her next words she plunged them deep into Tomoe’s chest 
vicously.  “And I begin!!!”

At the same time Kenshin planted his feet….raising his hands upward as the 
‘snakes’ and the energies drew into his hands…...holding them there for a 
brief moment….a soiltary tear rolling down his cheek…..

And then with a scream slammed it down…..

The resulting explosion was tremendous…..actually tearing everybody free and 
throwing them backward several feet….the pillar of light that engulfed 
Kenshin, Ashura and Tomoe blinding….the roar of the incredible power drowned 
out by an even more intense scream that spoke volumes of pain and 
suffering….Karou feeling her heart twist as she realized it was Kenshin…..

And an eternity later the power flow ceased to nothing….Blessed silence 
returning once more….Although the sight that awaited them was far worse….

Ashura stood on her platform….seared and bloodly but triumphant…..holding 
the ravaged and limp Tomoe over her head, still impaled on her claws while 
supporting her with her free hand….an offering to heaven or hell….the 
barbaric sight heightened even more by her laughter as she THREW Tomoe like 
she was nothing more than rubish to land at their feet with a sickening 
crunch and splattered Karou with her blood…..Karou to shellshocked to move 
even as Tomoe reached a shattered hand toward Kenshin….managing to gurgle 
out his name before she finally collasped and lay still….eyes staring 
blindly in the same shock they were frozen in….

And Kenshin….

He kneeled in the center of the now quiet altar. Gi and Hakama reduced to 
smoldering rags that barely covered him in the power release. His chest 
heaving in exhaustion and pain at each breath and wisps of smoke raising 
from his still overheated body. His hair undone and wild, a crimson hood of 
blood over his eyes and as he cradled the result of the ritual for all to 
see.

The combination of Excailber, Excailbron, Murasame and the amulet into one.
The sword was both awe inspiring and hideous….combining the aspects of each 
individual part and yet twisting them. The hilt was shaped like a dragon’s 
head and neck, the Amulet forming it’s eye and it’s jaws obscenely wide open 
to form the hilt’s crosspiece and loll out it’s ‘tongue’….the blade like 
that of Excailber’s but the jet black of Excailbron and dripped a sheen of 
blood the same way Murasame dripped water….a beastial roar rising from it 
and it’s hilt as it silthered from behind and up around Kenshin to sneer at 
them. “Beautiful, isn’t it….” Ashura hopped down from her perch and stood in 
front of them, eyes closed and grinning. “The sword represents the body of 
Bane and stores it’s vast power. All that is needed now is Bane’s essence to 
complete Unification.”

She opened her eyes….the grin widening as the silver glow within them 
brightened.

“And I’m halfway there. By taking the blood of each swordbearer I guranteed 
that I would be the next host, and the Tamashii no Shuukakusha will keep her 
weakened and under my control. Now to finish it….” She walked over to 
Kenshin, who hadn’t even moved the whole time. “Sorry, love….I know you’re 
hurting and exhausted but we must finish what we begun.” She stood in front 
of him, arms outstretched to receive the sword. “Give it to me, 
Battousai….Complete my destiny….”

Kenshin looked up at her, the other’s unable to see his expression as he 
raised the sword….

And before anyone could react lunged and yanked her forward….running her 
through the heart with a scream….

For one horrible moment, Karou hoped that Kenshin was so far gone he had 
broken his vow not to kill….a terrible hope that scared her at how much it 
relived her….

Unfortunately it didn’t last.

The dragon aura exploded around them with a roar….another energy storm 
kicking up around the two…Ashura’s pained expression turning into a smirk 
while Kenshin’s expression slowly drained from helpless anger to resigned 
exhaustion as the dragon aura and the surrounding energy surged from him and 
into Ashura with a mournful moan….Ashura stumbling back and hunched over as 
Kenshin ripped the sword free viscously and stabbed it down into the 
altar….The glow of Kenshin’s left eye fading before he pitched forward on 
his face, unconcious.

No one dared to breathe.

Then Ashura laughed….laughed and laughed….picking up the sword….the hideous 
wound she suffered already sealing itself…..unleashing a hellish burst of 
wind toward the village below the hill with a backhanded blow of the sword 
without looking…. The wind ripping across the village all the way to the 
ocean with seemingly no effect…..then a second later everything that it 
passed over tore apart: people, houses, animal and even the very earth 
itself…..the waters parting violently…..the staggering path of destruction 
revealed when the smoke cleared like a jagged scar across the land….the 
village torn in half and a great trench stretching all the way into the 
ocean…..

“Holy shit….” Sano gasped.

Ashura shealthed the sword and sneered at them….A blood red aura like oily 
smoke and flames rising from her body as her eyes glowed a haunting 
white….“And the game ends in the only way it could,” She said, a wave of her 
hand snapping the webbing and dropping them to the ground. “We win. It’s 
been entertaining….”

“….But all good things come to an end…..” Silk chuckled as they advanced. 
“And that includes your lives as well….”

“…St….Stop….”

Everybody, even Ashura stopped and stared. “No way….” Silk grumbled.

Kenshin was to his knees, using the Sakaba as a crutch….. “Sugoi!” Ashura 
breathed. “An ordinary man would be unconcious! Half dead even! And you’re 
ready to fight?!!” She smiled, blushing a bit. “You truly are worthy of the 
name Battousai….”

“…N-Not to fight….Ashura….” If it was possible, Kenshin sounded worse than 
he looked, completely broken…. “To accept…..your offer….”

“Oh? And what offer is that?” From the superior tone of her voice, Ashura 
knew the answer to her question. It was her final and geastest victory and 
she wanted to savor it….

“I…will rule by your side….as the Battousai and your only equal….”

“NO!” Karou screamed and darted forward, Silk grabbing her by the 
neck….almost causally hammering Sano down as he lunged….kicking him down and 
pressing down on his throat….

“I will throw away the sakaba and my vow!” He yelled. “I only beg of you to 
spare them! I will do all that you ask but only if you don’t…..” that surge 
of strength ended soon as it came, Kenshin’s voice breaking. “…Just don’t 
kill them….I’m begging you…..At least spare me that.”

“Anything for you, Battousai….” Ashura nodded at the others, Silk throwing 
Karou down and kicking Sano one last time for good measure. “Since you asked 
so nicely I will spare their lives for your sake. I’ll give you a moment to 
say goodbye, since it will be a long time before you’ll see them again. 
We’ll be so busy…..” Her grin was feral and triumphant. “Anata…”

Sheer willpower was the only thing that let Kenshin stand and stagger over 
to them. “Don’t…(koff) do this to me Kenshin….” Sano pleaded as he crawled 
to his feet.

“Take care of everybody for me, Sano.” Kenshin said sadly. “You’ll do that 
for me, right?”

“Yeah….I’ll do that, Kenshin.” Sano suddenly reached out to hug him best he 
could. “But one day I’m comin for ya….”

“I’ll be waiting….” Silk chortled.

Kenshin turned to Jubei. “I’ll be seeing you REAL soon, Kimagami.” He said 
with a forced edge. “You’re the first person I’ll come looking for.”

“Bet on it.” He growled back, but like Kenshin it was forced.

“Fare thee well, Himura Kenshin.” Arain said simply. “It was an honor 
fighting with you.”

“As it was with you, Arainhod Maximus.” Kenshin turned to the crying 
Shuriken and the grim Soujirou. “Take care of him, Miko-chan, promise?” She 
nodded before bawling into Soujirou’s shoulder. “


“Fare thee well, Himura Kenshin.” Arain said simply. “It was an honor 
fighting with you.”

“As it was with you, Arainhod Maximus.” Kenshin turned to the crying 
Shuriken and the grim Soujirou. “Take care of him, Miko-chan, promise?” She 
nodded before bawling into Soujirou’s shoulder. “And Kami-sama go with you 
on your journey, Soujirou.”

“Till we meet again, Ken-san.” He replied.

Daisho yawned loudly.

His last goodbye was the hardest. “Karou….”

“Damn you Himura Kenshin!” She was near hysterical, beating his chest as she 
raged. “Why do you always have to play the martyr! I hate you!” Kenshin 
embraced her tightly and let her cry into his chest. “You swore you’ll never 
do this to me again….You promised!” Her voice failed her, reduced to a 
sobbing wreck in his arms. “You…promised….me…”

“Gomenasai, Karou….” He whispered “But I must break my promise….”

He cupped her chin in his hands, stroking away her tears as he gazed at her 
tenderly.

“But I swear to you on my life…this is the LAST time I’ll hurt you. EVER.”

And then he kissed her like he never had before….with every fiber of his 
being and all his emotion for her….Karou feeling a jolt go through her as 
she returned it with equal force….feeling a part of herself go with him as 
the kiss ended all too soon and she embraced him tightly.

“Just a bit longer….” She whispered.

“We’ve wasted enough time, Battousai.” It gave Karou some comfort to hear 
the touch of Jealousy in Ashura’s voice. “We have a world to conquer after 
all….”

Reluctantly Kenshin let her go and gave her the Sakaba, which she cradled 
tightly to her chest like a child and nodded. Watched him kneel by Tomoe’s 
still body and close her eyes….kissing his fingertips and pressing them to 
her lips while whispering something they couldn’t hear. (A prayer for her? 
Final endearments?) Then walked toward Ashura like a man to his excution….

Walk out of her life….

“Ken…shin….”

His body finally gave out….Ashura there to scoop him into her arms like a 
sleeping child and sneer at them. “Don’t worry, Karou-dono…..I promise he 
will be just as loved and cared for in my arms as he was in yours…..”

“You don’t know the meaning of love or care, you bitch!” Karou snarled more 
like herself. “Don’t think this is over between you and me!”

Her grin widened. “We shall see….” Then turned to Jubei. “Oh, I haven’t 
forgotten you, Kimagami. I’ll give you until sunset tomorrow to rest and 
recover for our battle….or run for your miserable life to somewhere I can’t 
follow, which dosen’t leave many places for you to go. The choice is yours. 
If you choose the former like I know you will, you’ll know where to find 
me.” Impossibly, her grin grew even more wicked. “Or maybe I’ll grant your 
death wish of fighting the Battousai. It’s the least I can do for a dying 
man!”

She laughed as she opened a portal and walked in, followed by Mother and 
Daisho. Silk turned and waved, blowing kisses as she joined them. “Ja teme! 
I love you, bye, bye hope I get to wring your neck soon, chicken boy!”

Karou sank to her knees as the door closed, reaching for him even as it 
closed….screamed her agony….

##

Screaming that ended as she snapped awake and sat up on the futon, Yahiko 
screaming himself and falling off his chair. “Damnit Busu! Don’t do that!” 
he yelled.

*A dream? Was it all a horrible…..* The frail hope was shattered as she saw
she was still in the Yukashiro mansion….still holding the sakaba and saya…..

She cradled it to her chest.

Kenshin….

“’Bout time you woke up.” Yahiko grumbled, although it was more for show 
than heartfelt. “You’ve been out cold since last night. How do you feel?” 
She just stared at him for a moment then lay back down and turned away from 
him. “Oi! Don’t you start that crap again! You don’t have time to fall 
apart….!”

“WHO’S FALLING APART?!!!” Followed by slamming him onehanded and headfirst 
into the floor. Yahiko popped his head free from the crater he made and 
grinned at her.

“Heh, that’s a relief. Everybody was worried that you’d have a relispse or 
whatever the heck Megumi called it of last time and we don’t have time for 
that….”

“No need to worry, Yahiko-chan.” She interrupted with a smile, amused and 
touched at his worry as she ruffled her hair.

He grumbled but let the chan remark slide. For now. “Everybody’s waiting 
downstairs along with dinner. Tomoe….” He bowed his head. “We only had time 
for a simple ceremony and burial at sea. I wish I could of done more for 
her…”

“Don’t say it!” Karou slammed down the saya on the floor, making him jump. 
“Don’t even start! What happened last night would of happened anyway! You 
being there would’nt of changed that!” She lowered her voice to a calming 
whisper. “Tomoe wouldn’t want you worrying yourself over her. Instead she’d 
want you to focus on saving Kenshin. That what you do if you want to honor 
her.”

“Stop reading my mind, Busu.” He growled halfheartedly, secretly glad for 
her scolding and that she hadn’t given up hope. “Let go eat.”

The gloomy mood downstairs brightened somewhat on Karou’s arrival, 
especially the now recovered Sano and…“Merlin-san!”

“Ah, Karou.” The old man’s grumpy expression didn’t change, but his eyes did 
twinkle a bit. “Glad to see you’re awake. Oh, and I’ve brought the twins to 
Avalon for Arain’s grandmother to care for. Considering the circumstances 
that’s the safest place for now.”

“Thank you, Merlin-san. So now we can concentrate on getting Kenshin back.”

“Told ya so, Megumi.” Sano drawled. “Pay up.”

“Put it on my tab.” She sneered.

Merlin looked at her carefully. “So you’re willing to fight Ashura despite 
her power, Child? She is no longer an ordinary opponent.”

Karou met his gaze evenly. “I’m willing to do whatever it take to get 
Kenshin back. As for Ashura….I’ll burn that bridge when I get to it!”

“Hell yeah, Jou-chan!” Sano chuckled.

“Baka onna….” Jubei snorted as he tried to stare her down. “Kenshin 
sacrificed everything to spare your life and now you’re going to throw that 
away? Besides, The Kenshin you knew is probably gone anyway by now….and if 
he is he will be your enemy. Could you fight him?”

“Then what do you suggest, JUBBY!” She got right in his face. “Let you waltz 
in all alone like some hero and take them out alone?”

“I’ve faced worse and survived and I can do it again.” He shot back. “I’m 
not going to let you waste….”

The Sakaba, edge forward, appeared out of nowhere and in his face, the 
others wondering if Jubei was gulping from the blade or the demonic look on 
Karou’s face.

“You listen to ME cause I’m only gonna say this once, Bakayarou.” Her voice 
was ice. “Kenshin is MY fiancee and I’m not some helpless damsel in 
distress! I am the heir of Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu and I can put my life on the 
line for him just as he’s done for me! No offense, Jubei, But it’s going to 
take all of us to beat Ashura!”

*Is it me….* Yahiko pondered as he grinned. *Or is she becoming more like 
Kenshin by the minute?*

Merlin suddenly laughed. Jubei gently poked her in the head with a finger, 
off balancing her a bit as he grinned. “Excellent! You understand!” Merlin 
said gleefully. “This is truly the Darkness before dawn…..the moment where 
things always seems the bleakest but as long as you can still hope you’ll 
succeed. I needed to know if you was ready to commit yourself to stopping 
Ashura at any cost, Karou.”
“Don’t listen to him….” Arain smirked, Merlin scowling. “He just wanted to 
give one of his cheesy speeches. The old man had some news for us but wanted 
to wait for you. So spit out already, Merlin.”

Merlin grumbled something about disrespectful little brats before going on. 
“Take a look at this, everyone.”
A word of magic and the image of a ship in Asuka harbor appeared in the 
air….

Then again, ship wasn’t a strong enough word for it: The massive vessel that 
Merlin showed them looked more beast than ship with it’s misshapen and 
hulking replitian form, built of some unearthly looking material that 
resembled scale…..the red sails adding to the effect with their wing like 
design as well as the gaping razor toothed maw that was the ship’s 
prow…..Everyone getting the impression that it could EAT ships or anything 
else in it’s path…..

“…..The hell?!!”

“As a show of her power, Ashura built this monstrosisty from sheer will and 
whatever material nearby, including PEOPLE….Powered by an engine of pure 
magic and god knows what firepower….With that thing she could easily wipe 
out any fleet in her path and take over each country in short time. Thing 
is….”
He turned a skeptical eye to them. “WHY would she build such a thing when 
she possesses Bane’s vast power?”

“….She not at full strength yet!” Soujirou exclaimed.

“Exactly!” Merlin replied. “The ritual gave her the power but her body needs 
time to reconstruct itself to handle it….I estimate that she’s only a 
quarter of her full strength. It’s sounds like a long shot but it’s the only 
chance we’ll have to stop her. After that she’ll be unstoppable…..”

“She could do THAT at only a QUARTER of her power?” Sano whistled. “Holy 
shit….”

“My favorite kind of odds.” Jubei grinned. “So what’s the plan?”

“Ashura’s expecting you alone, Jubei. She wouldn’t arrogantly flaunt her 
power like this otherwise….So we can use this to our advantage to make a 
stealthy attack to sink her ship and whatever army she’s probably building, 
rescue Kenshin and defeat her at the same time. We’ll separate into groups 
and attack simultaneously at each weak point.”

He pointed the cane at the harbor and prow. “Arain, Sano, and Yahiko will 
make a frontal attack to take out the army and draw their attention. Megumi 
will be acting a support role to cure your injuries as well as your back up 
with a few gifts from the Jamisons. Is that satisfactory?”

Everybody nodded. “Heck, All Fox onna needs is that damned medicine box of 
hers.” Sano remarked, Megumi half scowling and half blushing at his concern. 
“Ashura probably couldn’t even stand up to that….”

“Listen you…..”

Merlin sweatdropped before clearing his throat. “The others will enter the 
ship during the confusion with three objectives. Soujirou and Shuriken will 
cripple the engine, Jubei will damage the hold enough to sink the ship and 
Karou will focus on rescuing Kenshin. After that we’ll have to play it by 
ear and hope Kenshin’s up to adding to the cause.” He looked gravely at 
Karou. “You realize that may involve you facing Ashura alone, Karou….”

“I understand, Merlin-san. And I’m ready for it.”

“Finally I will insure that Ashura stays put. Avalon cannot directly 
interfere since this a human matter for now, however, her highness the Lady 
of the Lake CAN insure her grandaughter’s safety with a gift or two…like 
altering the weather at sea bit or something to that effect.” He grinned. 
“And I’m a resident of both worlds and responsible for Excailber and it’s 
wielder so I must preform my duty to both worlds.”

“Bending the law without breaking it.” Arain grinned back. “Can always count 
on Grandmama.”

“Now all that’s left is to give instruction on the ‘tools’ the Jamisons and 
I devised to aid you….”

Karou chuckled to herself as she leaned her cheek against the cool hilt of 
the Sakaba.

*We’re coming for you, Kenshin…..Just hang on a little longer!*

End of Chapter 5. (FINALLY!)

Author’s note. I apologize for the length of this chapter. I was too 
stubborn to let this story go further than six chapters and I had to unload 
the bombshells before that part. I guess I also owe a major apology to the 
Tomoe, Kenshin and Karou fans for the tourture the last scenes put them 
through. (Says this while hiding under the desk.) I hated to do that to 
them, but it was nessacary no matter how much it hurt. If it’s any 
conslation I’m STILL a little depressed about it. But it aint over yet! Who 
knows what the next chapter will bring! * Sneaky wink and Saitou like grin*

Seeya in Chapter 6: Curtain Call. (Can anyone give me a better title?)

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