##

Somewhere in the town, Excailbron hummed in anticipation and amusement.

Ashura smiled wolfishly. “So they’re that desperate now….”

“What is it child?” Mother rasped.

“An old friend of Excailbron has dropped by the Jamison household, Mother.
Merlin….”

“Bullshit….” Daisho rumbled. “He’s been ashes for centuries….” His twin
finished from it’s perch on his shoulder.

“No, children.” Mother rested her massive frame back on her chair. “Merlin 
was
only put in a deep slumber by the Lady of the Lake, in case he was ever 
needed.
It seems that when that Shannon fellow so rudely barged into Avalon he 
earned
the Ladyship’s full attention and wrath.”

“Does this mean that our prey won’t be in the dark for long?” Daisho 
implored.

“Of course not.” Silk interrupted as she walked in. “Sister’s already on top 
of
it, Aren’t you?” She grinned. “Nothing gets by her….’cept Battousai.”

Ashura gave her a warning look that Silk cheerfully ignored. “No need for
concern. Even Merlin doesn’t know everything….In fact this can work to our
advantage. Silk, how long before the stew is finished?”

“It’ll be done by nightfall. Good thing you aren’t taking your time with 
this
one like the last. Not too sure how well it will hold up from the condition,
tho….”

“It will do, Silk. After all….” Ashura grinned. “We still have our pet…..”

##

After a lengthy explanation of King Arthur and Avalon to Sano, (Who still 
was
confused.) Alexander got to the main point of the swords.

“As my daughter already explained, I hope, Basically Bane was separated into
the three swords and the Amulet and given to the four warriors who defeated 
her
for safekeeping….passed down through the families to this day. However,
according to the Amulet, which acts as a recorder of Bane’s vast 
intelligence,
If the all four items are brought together it might be possible for Bane to
reform herself. However I can’t see what Ashura will gain by accomplishing
this….”

“Do you think that Excailbron is controlling Ashura?” Kenshin asked. Merlin
stroked his beard thoughtfully. “That’s a good possibility. Excailbron is
forged from the blood and dark energies of Bane….That would explain why all 
the
wielders of it have always been so twisted. I wouldn’t be surprised if 
Ashura
was a pawn in all of this…..”

That was a disturbing thought.

It soon got worse.

Tomoe’s eyes suddenly grew blank….and in a hollow, mournful voice not at all
like her own spoke in a language similar to the one Arain spoke earlier, 
except
the vowels and syllables was slightly twisted. Merlin’s eyebrows shot up in 
a
look of pure shock and Something akin to recognition flashed briefly in
Kenshin’s eyes but was gone before anyone noticed, Kenshin looking just as
confused as everyone else as Tomoe suddenly sank back in her seat, half 
faint.
“Tomoe, Daijoube?” Tomoe nodded, blinking her eyes and asked what happened,
which made them even more wary. She clearly looked out of it….

Merlin recovered first. “It has been a long time indeed since I heard the 
old
tongue of Avalon. Interesting….And you have no recollection of what you just
said?”

“I….just blanked out…..”

“I see. Very odd that it was in that particular dialect as if…..”

“JUST TELL US WHAT SHE SAID!!!!” Karou and Shuriken practically yelled 
Merlin
off his feet, Kenshin and Soujirou jumping back in amazement and the 
shockwave.
Merlin straightened his hat and harumped as he made an attempt to recover 
his
dignity and ignore the impatient glares from the two girls.

“Ahem. ‘Beware the Triseoul….The answer you seek is among you….’ Trisoeul
roughly translates to ‘One of three lives….or keeper of three souls. As far 
as
I can recollect this was never mentioned in the legend so why would it be 
now?
More importantly….” Merlin fixed Tomoe with a steely look. “Who said it?”

“Wait a second….” Karou looked thoughtful. “What if it doesn’t mean someone
with physically three lives or souls?”

“I get whatcha saying….” Sano chimed in. “Like someone who’s lived as three
different people….” Everybody stared at him in wonder. “What?”

Megumi stood up and felt his forehead, fox ears popping up. “That actually 
made
sense. Are you feeling ok?”

Sano muttered something dire about smart-ass foxes under his breath.

“Right, Sano….In that case…..”

Soujirou’s eyes darkened as he finished for her. “…It’s one of us. Most of 
us
has at some point ‘lived’ a different life, haven’t we?” He looked at his
sword. “I should know. First I was Seta Soujirou the abused child. Then
Soujirou the Tekken. Now I’m just Soujirou. I see why Merlin gave me this 
sword
now….”

“But Tomoe’s the one who talked in that creepy voice….” Yahiko commented. 
“Who
says it ain’t her?”

“Because things aren’t always that simple.” Kenshin had been so quiet that
everyone had almost forgotten he was there. His eyes were dark with some
unfathomable emotion. “Tomoe would be the obvious choice because she just 
spoke
in another voice. But these things are rarely that simple and when they are
it’s usually a trap. It could be anyone of us and we would not know until 
he….”
He paused. “Or she revealed herself. All we can do is wait and find out what 
is
so important about this person.”

“Agreed.” Alexander said. “And since the Amulet doesn’t mention this 
Trisoeoul
thing I guess we’ll have to break out the really old books and try to find
something….” Shuriken blanched, Alexander grinning. “Oh, yes, girl. That 
set.”

“What’s so scary about a book?” Yahiko grumbled.

Alexander answered by pointing up at the shelf behind his desk….A bookshelf
that took up the entire wall and filled to almost overflowing with books….

Books as thick as Yahiko was wide.

“Oro!”

“You had to ask.” Jubei grumbled. Sano just stared goggle-eyed.

The Jamison women save for Shuriken found convient excuses to be elsewhere 
like
shopping for dinner and what not, pitying their guests….

##

“Ah, There you are Arainhod.”

Arain forced a smile and turned to meet her host as she walked into the 
trophy
hall. “Good morning, Mr. Morgan.” She replied in French accented English.
(Faked so well the moron couldn’t tell the difference, she thought smugly.)
“How are you?”

“Much better now that you have graced us with your presence, Miss Maximus.”

*Spare me.* Bile rose in her throat. It wasn’t that Shannon’s appearance
matched his persona, He was actually rather nice looking, with sandy hair, 
blue
eyes and a rugged build uncommon to his ‘High Society’ look. But however, a
toad was a toad no matter how nice you dressed it up like a prince.

That reason, however, paled before her real reason for despising the man….

“Come, Brunch is prepared if you wish to break your fast.”

*I’d rather break your arms off and shove them up your…..* “That would be
excellent, Mr. Morgan.”

Arain kept her face a neutral, shy mask as they walked to the kitchen,
pretending to be interested in Shannon’s boasting as usual….Keeping her 
boiling
emotions in check just as her intensive training had instilled into her.
*Patience can be as used the same as a sword, Arain.* She remembered one of 
her
teacher’s favorite sayings. *Together they will be your best weapons.* A 
memory
of one of these classes came to mind, herself and the other member of the
lesson sparing….Arain focusing more on the tall, spiky haired youth than the
actual fight.

Zan….

She shook the thoughts aside, knowing where it would lead to….and with that
bastard this close she could kill him, training or not, if she started
remembering what he was responsible for….

I won’t have to wait long, she calmed herself immensely with that thought.
Tomorrow I’ll reclaim my property and my first order of business will be to
shove it down his throat….

Just a little longer, Beloved teacher…..Zan…..

##

 continue