Disclaimer: It's on . What do you think? Of course I don't own W.I.T.C.H or Rurouken.
AN: Thank you my anonymous reviewer(s) Yes Cornelia's style is based off of Sangara Sanosuke's fighting style. And yes, the use of the names Nobuhiro and Watsuki are homage to the creator of Rurouni Kenshin.
AN2: Yes I know that in the world of Rurouni Kenshin, swordsmanship and martial arts are classed as separate things, but they are actually martial arts.
Of course it was a lot easier said than done to replace Will. Swordmasters were not the most common martial artists in the world and masters of Hiten-Mitsurugi-Ryu were even harder. Then there was the small matter of their injuries. While Will, Irma and Taranee had sustained only minor injuries, Hay Lin needed a few days to recover her balance and Cornelia had sustained two broken ribs, internal bleeding and a mild concussion.
So while the Oracle sought out a replacement for Will, it was agreed that the others would wait for a couple of weeks.
Nerissa was unlikely to launch another attack for at least another week or two, Cornelia informed them. Creating a fetch was a tremendous strain on the human body and Nerissa was sure to want to face Will in peak condition, especially after their last fight. (Although Will was well aware that she only won because of Luba's intervention. Had Luba not gotten involved, Will might not have won.)
So while they waited for Cornelia and Hay Lin to recover fully, Will and the others prepared themselves for the next battle and the journey ahead. (No-one was under any delusions that moving the stone would go without Nerissa making at least one attempt on the Stone.)
Taranee was using the time to make some more explosives, like the bomb she used to kill Nerissa's fetch.
Irma was practising her swordsmanship.
Will on the other hand, was trying to pursuade Luba's successor Orube to allow them to take the Stone with them to Meridian for its own safety.
"The Stone has been protected by this order for as long as it has existed. We've fought off countless attackers, stopped whole armies in their tracks, even stopped Hitokori before." Orube stated angrily.
"Nerissa broke through your defences. She wants the Stone and now she knows where it is for sure, she will come after it. After the last time, can't you see that it is foolishness keeping the Stone here?" Will snapped back.
"Next time we will be better prepared. She took a secret tunnel that we did not know about last time. Next time, we WILL be ready to stop her." Orube pointed out. "Besides which, you almost gave her fetch the Stone. Why should I trust you?"
Will sighed in annoyance. Their conversations generally followed this pattern over the course of the week. Eventually Orube agreed to let them take the Stone on one proviso. Orube was to accompany them, all the way to Meridian and see that it was safely returned as well. And much as Will was loathe to admit it, Orube was one of the few people who could hold their own against a master of Hiten-Mitsurugi-Ryu.
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Nerissa on the other hand was recovering from creating the Fetch, much as Cornelia had suggested. As she slept one night during her recovery, her dreams took a sudden turn.
She was standing in a clearing, in the middle of a forest. In front of her stood a small shrine. Sitting on a boulder beside the shrine was a man wearing white trousers and a white jacket, smoking a cigarette. His black scarf was blowing in the wind and two swords were hanging off his belt.
As Nerissa approached him, he looked up and Nerissa felt a shiver run down her spine. Nerissa felt no compunction about killing, but this man, this man was something else.
"So we finally meet, Nerissa." The man said and Nerissa saw the distinctly crazy gleam in his eyes. Then it hit her who this man was.
"Jin-e!" she gasped in surprise.
He gave her a crazy smile. "Yes I am he."
"But how?" she asked in a stunned voice. (A rarity for Nerissa.)
"Let's just say I've been watching your progress." Jin-e replied. He paused for a moment, as if unsure as to how to continue. "I must admit, I rather like your style. A Meridian under your rule would restore Hiten-Mitsurugi-Ryu to its true purpose, as a means of killing, not this weakness we see in the world today." He paused and spat in disgust. "Kenshin's weakness needs to be ended and you are the one to do it. But not as you are now." Jin-e shook his head calmly. "No, Kenshin's heir is extremely capable. You must embrace the heart of your swordsmanship."
"But how?" Nerissa asked, puzzled as to how she was supposed to embrace the heart of her swordsmanship.
"All you need do is take the sword from the shrine. It will give you the skills to defeat any swordmaster today. But be warned. Once you take the blade, there will be no turning back." Jin-e replied calmly.
Without hesitation, Nerissa grabbed the sword sitting in the small shrine.
"I never turn back." She hissed and Jin-e grinned.
When she woke, she was holding the same sword from her dream.
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Nerissa watched as the Stone and its escort left the mountain. She watched as they walked down an entirely different route to the one they came in by, perhaps trying to throw her off the scent. For the next three days, she watched and did nothing.
"What are we waiting for?" Shagon asked impatiently. "They're isolated and the chances of any reinforcements are practically none existent."
"Quiet!" Nerissa snapped back, slamming the hilt of her sword onto Shagon's forehead. She continued in a calmer voice. "I choose the time we attack, not you. I want them to think that their little plan has worked and I've been thrown off the scent. Besides, my dear Shagon, the port is still two days travel from here, we have plenty of time."
Shagon bowed to Nerissa. "I acknowledge your superiority, great one."
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"Looks like our little decoy route shook her off." Cornelia said as the five swordmistresses stared into the fire. Orube and Caleb were keeping watch, while the others rested.
Will shook her head. "Somehow, I'm not so sure."
"Surely she would've attacked by now." Cornelia persisted.
"My old master taught me that an air discipline waits for an enemy to lower their guard before striking a killer blow." Hay Lin added.
"Well personally, I'm inclined to agree with Corny here." Irma interjected. "I know Corny's just a dumb Earth discipline, but Nerissa isn't exactly renown for her patience, is she?"
"Don't call me Corny!" Cornelia snapped. "Just because my discipline is superior to yours, doesn't mean you have to cut me down to your level."
"You're just jealous, because your discipline lacks my finesse and grace. Not to mention the fact that my style would let me kick your butt all the way back to Meridian." Irma replied.
"Yeah, you wish." Cornelia shot back, a slight smirk forming on her face.
"Yeah? Well Miss I'm-so-superior, how about we have a little sparring match? Just you and me." Irma challenged.
"You're on!" Cornelia shot back. "When this is over, I'm so kicking your butt."
"Ha! To afraid to take me on now are you?" Irma taunted.
Cornelia was about to reply, when a sudden pop interrupted them. Standing in the middle of the camp was Nerissa and her minions.
There was a brief moment of silence. Then the swords began to swing and the battle began.
A flying kick from Khor hit Hay Lin in the chest, followed by a sweeping motion across her stomach. Hay Lin clutched her stomach and keeled over.
Cornelia's Zanbato swung up to meet Shagon's downward sweeping blades, only to be forced downwards. Shagon's huge twin blades cleaved through her sword and right through across her chest.
Taranee's sword spun into action in a spinning motion, Ember's scimitar came in at the same height, before suddenly changing directions and slashing Taranee's legs. As Taranee fell to the ground, Ember brought her fiery scimitar down on Taranee's chest.
Irma's toothed sword caught Tridart's left sai sword, but as she lunged with her rapier, Tridart caught it with his right hand sai sword. He slid his blade down her rapier with unbelievable speed and rammed the point into her chest. Irma fell backwards as he pulled his blade out.
Will swung her sword downwards towards Nerissa's head as an opening attack. Nerissa corkscrewed upwards and left. Her sword slashed Will's arm, before Nerissa slammed her sword hilt into the back of Will's neck. As Will fell forward, Nerissa twisted her sword in her hand and stabbed Will in the back, Nerissa's sword went through Will's gut.
Nerissa looked around the camp to see her Knights triumphant. With a maniacal grin on her face, she bent down and picked up the Stone of Zamballa, just as Caleb and Orube came charging into the camp.
"Too slow you fools!" Nerissa cackled triumphantly as she stood up. Caleb saw Will lying on the ground in a pool of her own blood. With a yell, he charged at Nerissa, staff spinning to attack. Orube also jumped into the attack, pulling out her nunchuck and swinging it at Nerissa.
A swift punch to the jaw from Shagon sent Caleb flying and ended his attack. Nerissa swung her sword in a killing swipe to Orube's neck. But Orube was no slouch when it came to fighting and blocked the strike with her nunchuck chain. Nerissa paused for a moment. Then with a shout of laughter, clicked her fingers and vanished, as did her knights.
Caleb fell to his knees beside Will's body. Surely this wasn't how it was supposed to end, Nerissa victorious and the five chosen ones lying dead.
"Caleb, give me a hand here!" Orube rapped out. Caleb turned and glared at her.
"Can't you let me mourn in peace!" He snapped at Orube.
"Caleb." Orube began in a strained voice "They're not dead…."