Yahiko Myoujin here! I didn’t mind breaking into Shishio’s laboratory to look for treasure, but we had to climb down about a million stairs. What’s the deal with the crazy dungeon? Then we had to deal with this weird duck-mazoku named Mousse before we finally got to the deepest room. There was a lot of magical stuff in there, and we had trouble finding which thing was Shishio’s legacy. While we were looking, Mousse got his full powers back and attacked us! But Kenshin and my sensei can’t be beat by some dumb duck! Then a weird stone tablet hit Kaoru on the head. Could it be? Lucky us, we found it! But then while we were celebrating, Yumi showed up and snatched it! Hey there! No fair cheating!!

Outside, on the edge of the Old City, rain poured down, bringing life-giving water to the holy tree Flagoon. The tree’s aura seemed to contract protectively around it.

And inside Shishio’s laboratory…

“Hey, I found it first!” Kaoru squawked. “Give it back!”

“Give it back?” Yumi scoffed. “Don’t be absurd! Shishio-sama got this before any of us! Shouldn’t it go back to its original owner?”

“Maybe,” Kaoru agreed, “but only if that’s the real Shishio over there!” And I know it’s not because the real one was devoured by Shabranigdo!

“And just what are you implying?” asked the man who looked like Shishio.

Kaoru leveled her bokken at him.

BURST RONDO!

“You’re wasting your time!” cried Yumi, and held the tablet in front of her as a shield.

Moving faster than anyone would have thought possible, Aoshi darted toward Yumi. She barely had time to gasp before he snatched the tablet from her hands and, with a backhanded sweep of one kodachi, sliced through Shishio’s headband.

A crimson jewel gleamed among the priest’s bandages.

Aoshi smirked. “You’ve added some jewelry since we last met. It suits you nicely – Copy Shishio!”

Kenshin blinked. “Oro?”

So that’s it! Kaoru thought. He’s really a Copy Man, like all those Katsus who chased us from Seyruun. “You created those other Copies and implanted jewels to control them,” Kaoru accused Yumi. “Not bad for a third-rate onna-mahoutsukai who can’t do anything by herself! But in the end, a Copy’s just a copy. You couldn’t get him to work the way you wanted, so to create your perfect Copy you went after Shishio’s legacy. And you needed the Sword of Light to break the ward on the laboratory. Right?”

Yumi’s face twisted in an ugly snarl.

“I get it!” Yahiko cried. “That’s why Sano was after us all the time!”

“And we ended up breaking the ward for you,” Kaoru went on. “Isn’t that right, you overgrown wind-up doll?” She pointed her bokken at Copy Shishio.

Copy Shishio remained silent, showing no change of expression.

“Humph,” sniffed Yumi. “I give you credit for figuring that much out. However…”

“Now that you know it, what are you going to do?” Copy Shishio challenged.

“Take our revenge!” snapped Aoshi. His kodachi hissed from their sheaths. “We can’t let you have that tablet!” He blurred into the Kaiten Kenbu.

Kenshin also rushed to the attack. “Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu – Ryuu Sou Sen!”

Yumi laughed. “You still don’t understand the power of the stone tablet!” Light shone from it – light that struck with tangible force. It threw Kenshin across the room, slammed Aoshi into a wall, and smashed Kaoru into the floor.

“Kaoru! Kaoru-san!” cried Yahiko and Misao. “What do we do now?”

“This technique was created to battle the Dark Lord Shabranigdo!” cried Yumi. “Did you think you’d break through it that easily?”

Outside, Flagoon’s branches tossed as in a sudden wind – a wind not of this world. Megumi felt the disturbance through the bond she had with the sacred tree. “What… what is this?” she whispered. “This evil force…”

“Yumi!” Aoshi exclaimed. “Now that you have that thing, what are you planning to do with it?”

“What, you ask?” the woman sneered. “Hohoho, I’m going to use it to kill all of you!”

“Us?” gasped Misao, wide-eyed.

“Shishio-sama will finally have his vengeance this day!”

“Hold it!” Kaoru cried. “You caused all this trouble just to get revenge on us? Not to mention that Megumi and Misao weren’t even involved!”

Yumi drew herself up. “As Shishio’s last living follower, revenge is my duty! It’s only right that I do it! And as for those you claim weren’t involved in Shishio-sama’s death, they are still your friends and companions, and deserve to share in your fate!” From somewhere high above, a ray of light fell on her. “It was in this laboratory that Shishio-sama and I researched white magic. I followed him from kingdom to kingdom, helping him perform his miracles. I wanted with all my soul to give him true happiness. But…”

But the Shishio of her memories cried out in frustration as cure after cure failed. His eyes were still blind, his skin terribly scarred, stiff and cracked. He still required frequent hot soaks to keep the flesh from hardening further, and was unable to exert himself for more than a few minutes without becoming dangerously overheated, as if fire still raged within his body. “Why, why, why?!” he raged. “Why won’t my eyes be opened? Why won’t my skin be healed? Why must I be trapped forever in this ruined shell? Why can’t I be strong enough to overcome it? Why? Why? WHY?!!”

In his fury he had smashed delicate instruments, ground irreplaceable objects to powder, and Yumi had watched, powerless to help… “Shishio-sama, a prisoner of his own despair and half mad, seized on one last hope in the legendary Philosopher’s Stone. And so he left me and set out to find it. And then…” She broke off her story.

They knew the rest. Shishio had used the Stone to free the demon Shabranigdo, imprisoned in his own ruined flesh – and they had been the instruments of his destruction.

“Totally misplaced resentment,” Aoshi commented.

“Quiet!” Yumi snapped. “It doesn’t change the fact that you took Shishio-sama from me! How could you understand how I felt when I learned he was dead?!” She skewered each of them with a gaze like a blade. “Well, that’s enough.”

Kenshin’s foot slid forward and his hand hovered over his sword-hilt.

“With Shishio-sama’s legacy, by the power I shall release from the stone tablet – Kaoru Kamiya, you shall die!”

Everybody dove out of the way of Yumi’s attack. Outside, Flagoon’s branches writhed and tossed. And Yumi, laughing, levitated far above them, holding the tablet over her head.

“NO!” Megumi screamed. Her dark hair whipped upward, caught in the same energies that disturbed Flagoon. “You mustn’t release the power in that tablet!”

LEVITATION!”

Kaoru shot into the air after Yumi.

Copy-Shishio snarled and cast his staff like a spear, straight at Kaoru! She heard or sensed it, turned, and blocked it with a strike from her bokken.

“Shishio!” snarled Aoshi. “I’m the one you’ll fight!” His kodachi hissed from their sheaths.

Copy Shishio blocked Aoshi’s attack with an effortless sweep of his staff. “You have become a nuisance,” he said, and blasted Aoshi with a surge of energy from his open hand.

“Yumi!” called Kaoru, still ascending toward her target. Yumi released more energy from the tablet and smashed her to the stone floor far below.

Aoshi resumed his attack with redoubled fury. “You think after we beat the real Shishio we’ll lose to a copy?” he demanded.

“Feh,” sneered Copy Shishio. “If you truly believe that, you’d better open your mind up!”

“What?”

“There’s no rule that says a copy can’t surpass the original,” the duplicate purred.

“Kaoru-dono, hold on!” Kenshin cried.

“Please, Kaoru-chan, you have to stop that tablet’s power!” begged Megumi.

Kaoru sat up. “What do you think I’m trying to do!?” she snapped.

“Hurry!” cried the healer-priestess. “If you don’t something awful will happen!”

Yumi’s laugh echoed from the stone walls as she rose ever higher through the underground tower.

Resurrection beyond the bonds of earth,
grant thy power to the one who swears loyalty to you!
DEMON BEAST ZANAFFAR!

Flagoon’s branches whipped back and forth as if in torment.

“What?” gasped Megumi.

“No!” Aoshi breathed.

And from somewhere beyond this world came a sound, somewhere between a snarl and a roar, unimaginably far away but coming nearer…

Kaoru stared, horrified. The demon beast Zanaffar… that’s the true form of this ultimate power? Zanaffar, reborn?

Kenshin’s eyes narrowed to slits like glowing, golden blades.

“The beast that destroyed ancient Sairaag,” Megumi breathed. “Zanaffar, whose infinite evil continued as a miasma even after the demon beast was slain by the Swordsman of Light.” Legend said that the artificer-mahoutsukai Arai Magnus had created the sword specifically to kill Zanaffar, and entrusted it to a supernaturally gifted swordsman whose name even legend had forgotten. “Zanaffar might be an even match for Shabranigdo,” she admitted.

“You seriously expect to use that thing?” Kaoru demanded of Yumi.

“Humph,” Yumi replied. The tablet floated out of her hands toward a little structure built into the wall – a heap of stones like a roadside shrine, topped with a round disk and set about with claws. As they watched, the stone shattered. Behind them was a blank slab, containing a niche the exact size and shape of the tablet. Lightning arced between the lock and its key.

“Oh no!” cried Megumi. “If we don’t do something, the beast will be reborn!”

“Mattaku!” Kaoru hissed, and shot upward.

“Kaoru-dono, wait for me!” Kenshin leaped upward, finding footholds in the carvings that lined the walls. Megumi levitated after them.

“Just be still for a while,” Yumi snarled, and threw something at Kaoru. It was a red crystal, like the one imbedded in Copy Shishio’s head. It struck Kaoru full in the forehead – but bounced off her headband.

“Too bad, huh?” Kaoru grinned, and kept coming.

“How?” hasped Yumi.

“This headband’s special,” Kaoru replied. “Your jewels won’t work through it.”

“I see,” Yumi sniffed. “Then how about this!” She flicked another stone at Kaoru.

“You’re wasting your time!” laughed Kaoru, and dodged. The stone shot past her and struck Kenshin, who wore no protecting headband.

MONO BOLT!

Kaoru knocked Yumi into the wall, and landed on the ledge next to her. “Okay, Yumi, just give it up. You can at least get out of here alive – what is it?”

For Yumi was looking past her with narrowed, confident eyes…

“Hey, what’s with the smug look?” Kaoru sputtered. “If that’s how you feel, I’ll –” Kenshin’s blow struck her back and she dropped to her knees.

“Oh no!” cried Megumi.

Kaoru turned on her assailant with her ever-ready bokken. “Kenshin! What’s the big idea!”

Then she saw the jewel gleaming under his shaggy red bangs – just before his eyes turned to blank, flat amber and his sword whipped from its sheath.

“Ken-san! No!” Megumi screamed, and flung her arms around Kenshin’s waist. He ignored her, dragging her as if she didn’t exist while he chased Kaoru around the tower.

“Well, they can play together for a while,” Yumi murmured. She could afford to indulge her amusement. “While I, in the meantime…” She made a series of passes with her fingers. Light poured from the niche.

Copy Shishio held Aoshi by the throat. The chimaera screamed as energies poured into his body – energies that would have blasted a natural being apart. “What’s wrong?” Copy Shishio purred. “Already at your limit? It’s the duty of the weak to become food for the strong, Aoshi. Are you ready to become my food?”

Aoshi screamed again.

“Now do you understand?” Shishio went on. “I may be a copy, but I have all of the original’s power. Or rather, once I have Zanaffar’s power, my abilities will far exceed the original’s!” He continued pouring power into Aoshi’s stone body.

“Hold it!”

Copy Shishio looked up to see Misao standing on one of the stone platforms.

DIEM WING!

The Red Priest broke off his attack and jumped out of the way. Aoshi leaped to safety next to Misao.

“Better think twice before you forget about Misao Makimachi!” the girl snapped.

“I see,” the priest smirked. “You may regret saying those words. It’s about time I began to show you my real power!” His eyes glowed red slits, and he shot into the air – just as Kaoru, Kenshin and Megumi crashed down, almost on top of Aoshi and Misao.

Kenshin advanced toward Kaoru. There was nothing remotely friendly or even human in his golden eyes.

“Kenshin!” Yahiko screamed. “You’re not a killer any more, remember?”

“Ken-san!”

Kaoru scrambled back toward the wall. She held her bokken in front of her, but knew any effort at defense would be futile. This was no longer the friendly, clueless rurouni, or even the Swordsman of Light – this was a demonic legend, Hitokiri Battousai, and neither her sword skills nor her magical techniques would save her.

“Kenshin…” she whispered. Tears sprang into her eyes. “Kenshin… Kenshin, you’re not Battousai any more!”

Kenshin hesitated.

She pressed her advantage. “Don’t become a killer again, Kenshin! Don’t!”

He stopped, looking confused.

“Kenshin!”

“Kaoru… dono?” The jewel in Kenshin’s forehead shattered.

“Oro?” The rurouni looked up and blinked. “Did something happen de gozaru ka?”

“Hold it, Kenshin!” Kaoru advanced on him, veins popping in her forehead and bokken raised high.

“Orororo…”

“Stop, Kaoru-san!” Misao interrupted. “We don’t have time for this. Look!” She pointed upward.

Outside, the dark wind had grown so strong it stripped the leaves from Flagoon’s branches. Inside, Yumi’s laugh rang out as the tablet fitted itself into the empty niche.

“Oh no!” cried Megumi. “The beast is going to be reborn!”

The tablet seated itself firmly in place. A blue-white glow lit the upper reaches of the tower. Flagoon shuddered.

Magical energies coursed through the very stones of Shishio’s laboratory. Pillars and statues shattered. Those who could levitate picked up those who could not and carried them to safety in midair. Below them, an intricate diagram appeared in the floor.

“The whole lab’s becoming a gigantic magic circle!” gasped Kaoru.

“Ohohoho!” laughed Yumi. “Ohohohoho!”

Energy streamed up from the glyphs in the floor, blasted through the roof of the laboratory and rose into the sky. In the midst of the brilliant beam stood the Red Priest, resting casually on the air. “Magnificent!” he crowed. “Is this the power of Shishio’s legacy?”

“We’re too late!” Kaoru moaned.

“Ohohohoho!” Yumi laughed. “The demon beast is reborn to avenge Shishio-sama! Ohohohoho!”

In the midst of the light Copy Shishio smiled, the smile of something no longer human. A beam of light shot from his hand and speared through Yumi’s body.

With her last energy she turned, her eyes asking the question she could no longer speak.

“I’m afraid you misunderstand all this,” Zanaffar-Shishio purred. “I’m the one who has gained the power Shishio left behind, meaning that you’ve just become a liability.”

“No… why…” Yumi whispered, and fell to the floor below. A pool of blood, red as Shishio’s robes, spread from under her body.

“It is the duty of the weak to become food for the strong,” Copy Shishio repeated. “You have nourished me well, Yumi Komagata.” He gestured, and the jewel in his forehead floated into his hand.

“No way,” Kaoru breathed.

“That’s impossible!” gasped Aoshi.

“Rest in peace, Yumi,” Shishio went on. “Shishio’s vengeance will be carried out – but on my terms!” He crushed the gem between his fingers.

It can’t be! What we thought was just a Copy Shishio turned on his creator before Zanaffar was reborn! Just what’s going on here?!