Disclaimer: I don't own W.I.T.C.H or Rurouni Kenshin.

AN: I've borrowed a lot of tricks from the manga series Rurouni Kenshin and in doing so, taken appalling liberties with the laws of physics. For that I ask your forgiveness. Thank you to everyone who helped me with this story. A sakabato is a reverse edged sword, reversing the sharp end and the blunt end of a katana.

Will Vandom looked her opponent in the eye. For the past ten minutes, they had fought and it was beginning to tell. They began to circle one another, each one waiting for the other to make a fatal mistake.

Then the attack came, so fast that Will almost missed it. Her opponent brought her shinai downward with cobra speed. Just as fast, Will side-stepped to her opponent's right and simultaneously brought her sword into her opponent's back. Her opponent fell to the ground. Turning to face her fallen enemy, she offered her hand and said "Bad luck T. Looks like I win this time."

"Never mind, there's always next time" her friend replied and Will was sure that her friend was grinning under the protective mask. "Besides, it was a good match."

In the corner of the dojo sat two swordmasters. One was a woman with lightly tanned skin and black hair, who was wearing a baggy, long-sleeved red top and white trousers. The other was a young man with short blonde hair and brown eyes, wearing a long red jacket and black trousers. Leaning over to the woman he whispered in her ear "I'm guessing, by the expression on your face, that you've found your new apprentice. If nothing else it'll get the council off your back."

The woman merely smiled at him. "Looks like I'm not the only one." She countered. "Tell me this Nobuhiro. Why do you take such pleasure in annoying the council?"

Nobuhiro laughed. "Why Susan" he began "you, of all people should know why. Some habits are just far too much fun to give up. Besides watching that arrogant Ujiki pop a blood vessel or two is always worth watching." Looking at the other end of the dojo, he saw the two girls emerge from the changing rooms. Standing up, he looked at Susan and said, "Here goes nothing." And together with Susan, walked up to them.

Taranee and Will were in deep conversation about their futures and didn't notice the two swordmasters heading towards them. Neither of them knew what lay ahead. For Taranee, the future held plenty of possibilities. Apprenticeships to several different professions had been offered to her, but as she told Will, she would have preferred an opportunity to take her swordsmanship further.

Wills future was less certain however. As a foundling, Will did not have any family name to recommend her. Both of them knew that Will would probably end up as a domestic servant to a rich family, or a mercenary in some feudal lord's army. Neither option appealed to her. It wasn't until Susan cleared her throat in front of them that they saw the two swordmasters in front of them.

Susan turned to face the redhead. "What is your name girl?" she asked in a cold, commanding voice.

"Will Watsuki Mistress." The girl relied.

"And yours?" Nobuhiro asked her dark-skinned friend in the same cold voice.

"Taranee Cook Master" her friend replied.

"Well Miss Taranee Cook and Miss Will Watsuki, most young sword students bow to swordmasters as they pass." Nobuhiro began "But" Susan continued "We don't expect that from our apprentices" Both girls heads shot up. "Will Watsuki" Susan began "I am formally offering you an apprenticeship. Under me you will learn to be a master of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu. Do you accept?"

Will forced herself to stay calm. With a bow, she said, "I accept your offer Mistress"

Nobuhiro turned towards Taranee "Miss Taranee Cook, I formally offer you an apprenticeship to master fire style swordsmanship. Do you accept?"

"I accept your offer Master" Taranee replied calmly, but she too was clearly excited as well.

"Then we will make the necessary arrangements." Susan said, "You may leave"

Nobuhiro and Susan watched as the two girls walked out the dojo. "You know, making them think they were in trouble was a pretty nasty trick" Nobuhiro sighed.

Susan just smiled at him. "It was, wasn't it? Fun though." And with that they both started laughing.

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Four years later

The first hint Will received that something was up was when her sensei walked into the dojo wearing her sword. It was unusual for a swordmaster to wear her sword when she was in the building. Especially a metal blade designed for combat and not a bamboo training sword. However before she could ask, Susan spoke first.

"Will" she began "We are required to go to Shingetsu village in the east." A scowl crossed her face "An old problem of ours has resurfaced and seeks to obtain a dangerous and powerful magical artefact. I will explain more on the way."

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"One hundred years ago a powerful mage forged one of the most powerful magical artefacts in Meridian. An artefact known as the sword of Candracar. In theory, it grants the wielder magical powers without the need for magical reserves. In other words, limitless magical power. Now fifty years ago, a mistress of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu went rogue." Susan paused to look Will in the eye "Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu masters do not kill. Especially for their own gain and their own revenge. Nerissa violated our most sacred of vows and now she seeks the sword of Candracar."

There was a brief moment of silence in the carriage. Then Will spoke. "Well you'll have the advantage of youth anyway" but Susan shook her head.

"Nerissa's magic keeps her young. But her magical reserves are close to exhaustion and so she seeks a means of restoring her magic. In the past, Mount Thanos has helped, but its reserves are also running out. Of course if we knew where Mount Thanos is, we wouldn't have to wait for her."

The carriage pulled into the village. The whole village seemed to be filled with the elite royal guard. This really caught Will's attention. The Royal Guard represented the finest soldiers in Meridian and it made her wonder just how dangerous was this Nerissa.

Reaching the shrine, they exited the carriage and began to settle down in the shrine. The building looked like a huge stone dojo to Will. Only one thing stood out and that was the small golden square in the middle of the room's wooden floor. Three hours later, Nerissa began her attack.

Nerissa flew through the wooden door with an ear-splitting crash. Landing smoothly on her feet she looked up and her eyes appeared to freeze everyone in place. Cries of "What happened" and My body won't move" echoed through the room. Everyone except Will's sensei Susan. With a war cry she stared right back at Nerissa.

"Shin No Ippo I presume" Susan began "A secret fighting technique to paralyse by casting chi into the eyes of your opponent. Few fighters ever master it. However it isn't magic it's more a battle of wills. And when that will is matched it cannot work."

Nerissa just grinned at her. "Then let us fight," she said with a look of relish on her face. And so the fight began, swords swinging so fast as to be a blur. Susan's sakabato met Nerissa's katana time and time again until that final, fateful swing.

There was a brief pause. Both fighters seemed to be unharmed. But then blood began to spray out of Susan's neck and she fell backwards towards the ground. Suddenly Will felt a tremendous wave of anger course through her and she charged towards Nerissa, the Shin No Ippo suddenly loosing its grip on Will. With nothing more than a bamboo training sword in her hand she was determined to make Nerissa pay. But it was not to be. With a wave of her hand Nerissa knocked Will to the ground.

Will closed her eyes as Nerissa raised her sword. But instead of a killing blow, Will felt a sharp pain on her right cheek. Opening her eyes, she saw Nerissa looking at her, smiling. "You show promise apprentice. Seek me out one day, when you're more of a challenge." And with that she left, the sword of Candracar in her hand.

Will was apprenticed to another master of Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu, a master Dean Collins. But he wasn't Mistress Susan Vandom. Will spent her first week with him in mourning, but Dean refused to allow her to stay that way. It was a harsh, but necessary move. It did give Will focus. With focus came clarity and with clarity came a burning desire for revenge. Just you wait Nerissa she thought to herself. You will wish you'd killed me. I won't be so kind.

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Ten years later

Princess Elyon sat on her thrown listening to the latest war reports. Her brother was fighting for the throne that would have been his, were it not for a twist of fate. Elyon was born with the rarest of gifts. She was a heart of Meridian, a type of sorceress who had limitless magic at her fingertips. Under Meridian law, she was automatically declared the heir to the throne.

Her brother Phobos was not happy about this. Neither were a number of powerful nobles and so the Meridian civil war began. Now three years after it started, the civil war was showing no sign of abating anytime soon.

They were interrupted when a woman with long black hair and holding a white sword smashed her way through the glass window at the top of the room. With almost superhuman speed, the woman held up the sword she was holding. Elyons bodyguard, Lord Caleb rushed to defend Elyon, but all he hit was a magical barrier. With a sudden flash of white light, Princess Elyon was sucked into the blade. The woman disappeared, leaving her mark on the floor. A mark a royal scholar recognised as the mark of Nerissa.

In the city of Heatherfield, in the halls of the prophecy, the seer glass began to glow.

AN: I didn't intend to spend to much time on when Will was offered her apprenticeship, but it sort of got away from me. The last two sentences Susan speaks just before she fights Nerissa are borrowed straight from Rurouni Kenshin Vol 2.