"Finally."  Iris says.  "We're here."  There towering in front of them lie the Frozen Deaths.  After the fight in the Desert of Dragons the group was forced to retreat to the Scorched Plains.  Kenshin and Sen's injures were bad enough that a simple healing spell would not make everything better.  After two days of sleep the group again left the Scorched Plains.  After traveling across the Desert of Dragons, this time without being attacked, the group came to the Pacificed River.  This river was once impossible to navigate.  But through the efforts of the King and the people around it, it was widened, deepened, and make much easier to sail upon.  The group said goodbye to the horses that had brought them through the desert and turned northeast upon a small merchant ship.  They were forced to take another ship upon their arrival at the Lake of Red.  This lake is known around Camelot to have gigantic snakes, alligators, and crocadiles.  The group made it through with little trouble and continue up the Pacificed River.  Finally, a week after their second departure from the Scorched Plains, they make it to the feet of the Frozen Deaths.  But the events in the desert have taken their toll on Kenshin.  He has become withdraw.  He barely speaks to anyone and mostly stays with the wolves.  "I don't understand him."  Iris thinks.  She has watched Kenshin rapidly become so quiet.  Even now as they draw near the Frozen Deaths he is sitting on the edge of the ship with the wolves beside him.  "He and Sen explained everything to us, about the Saiyans and the transformation.  But why has he become like this?"  Kenshin and Sen did explain some of what the Saiyans were.  But they left out large portions of their history and their bloodlust.  The ship pulls into the harbor, and they depart to eat.  It is agreed that they will eat before they depart for their final destination.  It is during that meal that Kenshin drops a bombshell.

                "What do you mean you're going alone?!"  Gabriel yells out.  He nearly knocks the table over as he gets up.  Everyone in the room turns to Gabriel.

                "Sit down Gabriel."  Sen says.

                Gabriel looks around the room and realized that he has just drawn unneeded attention to the group.  He quickly sits down, and everyone returns to what they were doing.  "What the hell do you mean?"  Gabriel asks in a much more quiet tone.

                "Just what I said, I'm going alone."  Kenshin says.

                "Would you care to elaborate?"  Sen asks.

                "I've been focusing on the Frozen Deaths for the couple of days."  Kenshin says.

                "And?"  Gabriel asks.

                "It's all dead."  Kenshin says.  "I can't sense anything."

                "Plus no magic can be used there."  Iris says.

                "Yeah.  I'm going to have to search everywhere in the mountains for the sword.  Remember father never said where the sword was."  Kenshin continues.  "I won't be able to use my magic, and I'll be using all of my other abilities in an attempt to find the sword.  I'm going to need all of you to be my backup, just in case."

                "But why don't we go?"  Gabriel asks.

                "This is my job."  Kenshin says as he gets up.

                "Where are you going?"  Iris asks.

                "If I'm not back in two days come after me."  Kasan and Chibi get up and bark.  "You two stay here."  Kenshin turns to Iris.  "Take care of them."  He tells her.

                "Of course."  She says.

                Kenshin goes outside.  He quickly puts on his armor and backs everything he might need.  Then he flies to the mountains.  He lands moments later and disappears into the mountains.

                "Two days."  Iris says as they all try to eat.  Two days have passed.  Two hours after he left, Kenshin entered into the dead area of the mountains.  They have not had any contact since then.

                "He said to wait two days."  Sen says.

                "So let's go after him."  Gabriel says.

                "He'll be so pissed."  Iris says with a little chuckle.  Her laughter ends suddenly.  "What is that?"  She asks with fear in her voice.

                "I'm not sure."  Sen says.  He turns to Gabriel.  "What about you?"  But Gabriel isn't there.  "Huh?"  Iris and Sen look around.  They catch a glimpse of Gabriel running out the door of the restaurant.  "Let's go."  Sen says relucantly as he tosses some coins on the table.  They go outside and find Gabriel scanning the sky.

                "What's up Gabriel?"  Iris asks.

                "There!"  Gabriel points.  In the sky just barely visable is a streak of blackness.

                "What is that?"  Iris asks.

                "It's him!"  Gabriel says angerly.

                "Him?"  Sen thinks for a second then realizes.  "Do you mean Argo?"  He asks.

                "Argo?"  Iris says in shock.

                "Get the wolves and your stuff.  We've got to get to Kenshin right now!"  Gabriel yells.  In mere moments the group is in the air, racing towards the mountains.  Gabriel and Sen each carry a wolf along with their stuff.

                "But why bring the wolves?"  Iris asks.

                "It's a dead zone up here, remember?  These wolves have a very powerful sense of smell.  They might be able to find Kenshin easier than us."  Gabriel yells back.

                "That's right!"  Sen exclaims.  "Good thinking."

                The group lands in the mountains.  It is cold and snowing hard.  "All right."  Gabriel says to the wolves.  "Find Kenshin."  The wolves bark signifying that they understand.  They sniff the ground and the air.  Luckily it only takes them a few seconds before they pick up a scent.  They bark and run off with Iris, Gabriel, and Sen close behind.

                During the first and most of the second day of his hike Kenshin made little progress in the mountains.  He hiked slowly checking every little hole and crack in the mountains looking for the sword.  "This is getting me no where fast."  Kenshin thought as he continued walking on.  "There has got to be a better way to go about this."  He thought and thought, until finally he thought of something.  "Eventhough this area is a dead zone to my senses, it might not be to the improved scouter.  It does work differently than my senses, so it is possible."  Kenshin pulled out his sunglasses and put them on.  After activating them they immediately focused in on the area that Kenshin recognized as the North Pole.  "There's a  high level of energy there."  He says.  "That must be it.  The scouter isn't picking up anything else."  After careful thought Kenshin decided to go for it.  He flew directly towards the energy source.  Within moments he had arrived at that area.  "But this doesn't look like a frozen wasteland."  He said as he landed.  And indeeded it appeared to be a rain forest like area.  Once Kenshin left the area of the mountains the land had become almost perfectly flat, the temperature had risen to somewhere between 80 and 90, and tree of many different kinds had popped up.  After endulging in the scenary for a moment Kenshin continued on.  He went straight to the area that the scouter had indicated was where the energy was coming from.  After a moment of walking Kenshin finally saw what he had been searching for.  "The sword!"  There in front of him was the sword, or at least its handle.  There sticking out of the side of an unbelievably tall mountain was the source of the energy the scouter had been picking up, the hilt of a sword.  It was a decently large hilt, large enough for Kenshin to grab it with both hands and have a little room left over.  At the bottom of the hilt was a large ruby.  The area of the sword where the blade came into contact with the hilt was shaped like two horns, with sharp edges.  "All right let's go."  Kenshin said as he cracked his knuckles and grabbed ahold of the hilt.  He pulled upon it, but it would not move.  He continue to pull, but the sword would not move.  Finally he stopped.  Kenshin threw his stuff down, put his scouter up, and took off his armor.  "I won't give up."  He said as he grabbed ahold of the sword once more.  As he did a blinding white light came from the hilt.  Kenshin closed his eyes but did not release the sword.  "I won't give up!"  He yelled out as everything became white.

                Kenshin lied awake for what seemed like an eternity, or was he really awake?  "I remember grabbing the sword, and then there was that light.  But beyond that I'm not sure."  That's when Kenshin really came to.  "Where?"  He said with a start.  He looked around and saw that he was lying, or was it floating, on a shapeless, colorless plain. 

                "So you have come in search of this sword?"  A voice asked Kenshin.

                "Who?"  Kenshin asked as he got up and looked around.  "Where are you?"  He called out.

                "Did you come for the sword?"  It asked again.

                "Yes, I did!"  Kenshin answered.  "Wait a minute, are you the sword?"  He asked.

                "Yes.  I am the sword known as Legend.  If you wish to be my master you must prove yourself worthy."  Legend says.  "Are you willing to do so?"

                "Of course!  What must I do?"  Kenshin asks.

                "You must pass my tests."  Legend says.

                "What sort of tests?"

                "You must face your worst fears.  If you succeed then I will recognize you as my master."

                "Very well, let's begin."

                "Very well."  There was another flash of blinding light.  After a moment Kenshin opened his eyes.  To his surprise he found himself upon a foggy gray plain.  Also his sword, which was not present a moment ago, was back upon his back.

                "I wonder what the first test is."  Kenshin thought.  Then he saw something.  A silhoutte of someone in the fog.  "Hello?"  Kenshin called.  "Who's there?"  But he recieved no answer.  After a moment the figure finally emerged from the fog.  "What the hell?"  Kenshin yelled out in surprised.  For the person in front of Kenshin was Kenshin.  "What's going on here?"  Kenshin asked.

                "This is your first test.  You must defeat yourself.  Or rather the ruthless part of yourself, the part of yourself that has given into its evil bloodlust."  The sword answer.

                "Shit!"  Kenshin said as he jumped back and drew his sword.  His mirror image followed suit.  His mirror image powered up almost immediately and charged at him.  They clash.  Kenshin's mirror image fight differently than he does.  When Kenshin fights it is almost like he is putting on a performance.  But his mirror image's technique lacks that gracefulness.  He is relying on brute strength alone.  And the way he looks is different from the way Kenshin always looks.  His eyes are full of anger and hate.  He looks almost crazy.  Again and again Kenshin's mirror image attacks.  But Kenshin knocks him back each time.  "This is one of my worst fears."  Kenshin thinks.  His mirror image charges forward again with unexpected speed.  He slashes at Kenshin and nearly cuts off his left arm.  "Damn it!  He is faster than me, stronger than me, and more powerful than me."  Kenshin yells out.  Kenshin tries to dodge the mirror image's attacks.  But with his arm injured and blood draining out of his body at an alarming rate Kenshin isn't able to dodge as easily.  "Damn it."  Kenshin thinks.  "I'm losing blood to quickly, my vision has become blurred, and I'm moving slower.  I've got to end this now, or I won't last much longer.  Let alone til the next test."  Kenshin hops back and brings his sword to the ready position with his right arm.  His mirror image does the same thing, expect he uses both hands.  They charge forward and attack as they pass one another.  When they land Kenshin's arm falls off just above the elbow.  But his mirror image loses his head.  Kenshin's mirror image begins to fade away as Kenshin turns to look at it.  "You may have had me beat it most areas, but your technique was sloppy.  And all of your abilities don't mean jack shit without descent techniques."  Kenshin then notices something else.  The pain in his arm is gone.  He looks to it.  Amazingly his arm has been reconnected, and the wound has been healed.  "How?"

                "You have passed the first test."  Legend says.

                "I figured as much."  Kenshin looks at his arm again.  "So the wound wasn't real."  Kenshin says.

                "The wound was very real.  If you die or fail the tests than you are not worthy to wield me or be my master."  Legend says.  "Now the second test."

                "All right."  Suddenly there is no light, no horizon, no landscape, nothing at all.  "So what's the second test?"  Kenshin asks.  Suddenly hundreds of people begin to appear around Kenshin.  "What's going on?"  They are different races, different genders, and different ages.  Kenshin recognizes some of the races from the improved Scouter.  Some of them look as though they may turn to dust anytime, while others are too young to stand and must be carried, Kenshin guesses that those carrying them are their parents.  "Hey!  What's going on?"  Kenshin screams out.  Finally one of those nameless faces steps forward.  He looks semi-human.  The only thing that distiguishes him as something other than human is an extra set of arms.  "Who are you?"

                "You don't know my name, nor do you know my race.  I was just a nameless farmer, apart of a nameless race, on a nameless planet."  He says.

                "So what's your point?"  Kenshin demands.

                "Then they came and slaughtered us all."  He says.

                "Who came?"  Kenshin again demands.  Now he has become irrated.

                "They killed us without any reason.  They didn't want to rule us.  They just wanted us dead."

                "No!"  Kenshin says as he steps back.  He is beginning to realize what this man is talking about.  "You're talking about...."

                "Your kind, Saiyan."

                "No!"  Kenshin quickly spins around looking at everyone.  "They were all killed by my kind."  He thinks.  "All of them."  Kenshin closes his eyes trying to somehow forget all those faces.  Put they're in his head, he can't escape.  Kenshin screams out as his ki flares up.

                Meanwhile Iris, Gabriel, Sen, and the wolves has made it to the outer circle of forest/jungle area.  When the wolves lost Kenshin's scent Iris shot up into the air and noticed the area of green.  They quickly descended upon that area.  They were amazed by what they saw, trees, grass, and animals of all kind in the middle of the highest mountains on the planet.  "Not in my wildest imagination would I have even though this was possible."  Sen said as they landed.

                "Maybe in my wildest."  Gabriel said.

                The only thought Iris had in her head was finding Kenshin as quickly as possible.  "Please be all right Kenshin."

                "Killed by my kind."  Kenshin kept saying over and over again.  He was in tears on his knees.  Kenshin slowly picks himself up.  The people around him are pointing at him calling him a murderer, a monster, whatever derogatory name they can think of.  As Kenshin got to his feet something within him snapped.  His aura flared up and his ki shot up higher than it had ever been.  Then something happened to his aura, it turned golden.  That was it.  Kenshin's ki nearly exploded and his aura disappeared.  "I am not a murderer!"  He screamed out.  "I maybe a Saiyan, but I had nothing to do with any of your deaths.  I will protect those I love with everything I have."

                "Murderer."

                "Shut up!"  Kenshin shot back in the direction of the voice.  "I am Kenshin!  I am a half-breed Saiyan raised on Camelot!  I am not a murderer!"  Finally they all disappear.  Kenshin immediately calms down.

                "You have passed the second test."  Legend says.

                "I did?"  Kenshin asks.

                "You have faced your worst fears and conquered them.  And in doing so you have proven that you are worthy of wielding me and being my master."

                "I am?"

                "Yes.  You only have one last task to accomplish."

                "Last task?"  Kenshin asks in astonishment.  "I thought you said there were only two tests."

                "There are only two tests.  But if you wish to wield me you must take upon yourself my curse."

                "Curse?  What kind of curse?"

                "The curse is...."

                Legend tells Kenshin the curse of wielding the sword.  He returned to normal space and time immediately after.  "What a curse."  Kenshin says as he steps away from the sword.  He thinks for a moment as he looks at the sword with fear and astonishment in his eyes.  "I...I can't do it."  He says.

                "I didn't think so."  Someone behind Kenshin says.  Kenshin turns and draws back in fear as he looks into the face of Argo.

                "You!"  He says in fear.

                "I never would have guessed you were the one that was making his way to Legend."  Argo says with a little chuckle.  Argo is dressed in clothing almost identical to Daniel's.  It is a cross between a sorcerer and a priest.  Argo is in his late 30's with short black hair and a goatee.  He strokes it as he looks at Kenshin.  "The young adopted son of Daniel.  I guess I shouldn't be surprised.  But I thought you were dead."

                "No such luck."  Kenshin says as he continues to step away from Argo in fear.

                Argo gives Kenshin a wicked smile as he walks towards him.  Kenshin hopes to the side and gets in a defensive position.  But Argo walks by Kenshin and continues onto the sword.  He looks over it and grabs the handle.  "You couldn't pass the tests either, could you?"  He asks.

                "You mean you knew about this placed and tried to make Legend your's?"  Kenshin asks.

                "Of course."  Argo says with a laugh.  "Daniel wanted someone to have the sword.  So he told me where it was.  I came up here and found it.  But I was unable to pass the tests.  And unfortuantely there are no second chances."  Argo says as he lets go of the handle.  "But I have no need for the sword.  I have all the power I could have hoped for, and I have Camelot."

                "Why are you doing all of this, Argo?"  Kenshin demands.

                "You haven't figured out why?"  Argo jokingly asks.  "Of course you haven't.  But it doesn't matter.  You have no place in my new world order.  So you must be eliminated."  Argo says as he holds up both of his hands.  Two black balls appear in his hands.

                "That's not a ki attack."  Kenshin thinks.  "But it's not like any magical spell I've ever seen."

                "Die!"  Argo says as he lets one ball go.  A beam shots straight for Kenshin.

                "Shit!"  Kenshin yells as he jumps into the air.  He looks up just in time to see the other attack close to within two feet of his face.  Kenshin doesn't have time to block it, move, or ever think.  It hits him right in the chest.  Kenshin falls back to the ground and slams hard into it.  "Damn it."  He thinks as he gets up.  "Well...What have I got to lose?"  Kenshin thinks as he takes aim at Argo.  He prepares a fire ball of ki in one hand, but nothing materializes in his other hand.  "What?"  Kenshin looks at his left hand.  The ball of ki/fire in his other hand disappears as he loses concentration.  "Why can't I use my magic?"  Kenshin asks.  He looks at Argo and asks, "What did you do?  What was that spell you used on me?"

                "It was a special spell I learned.  Not only is it an attack spell, but it also nullifies the targets magical powers."  Argo says.

                "Damn you!"  Kenshin yells out as he fires a beam of ki at Argo.

                Argo is a bit surprised but recovers quickly.  "Light Shield!"  Argo yells out.  A transparent bubble forms around him, and the beam is deflected off of it.

                "Damn it."  Kenshin says.  The shield disappears, and Argo again smiles.  "Quit smiling!"  Kenshin screams as he flies at Argo as fast as he can.  But he is not fast enough.  Argo puts up his shield.  Kenshin strikes it and flies off to the side.

                "This is the end of you."  Argo says as he hold up his hand.

                "What now?"  Kenshin thinks.  "Even if I attack him he'll just use that shield.  And I can't move fast enough to get to him before he puts up that shield."

                "Die."  Argo says as a black ball begins to grow larger in his hand.  But he never gets the chance to attack.  A sound causes Argo to look to his left.  What he sees frightens him, a wolf about to sink its fangs into his neck.  Argo immediately realizes that the wolf is too close for his shield to stop it, so he puts his arm up to lessen the injury.  Its fangs dig deep into Argo's arm.  He yells out in pain.  After a second he backhands the wolf.  It lets go and flies through the air.  After landing it shacks it head, gets back into an attacking position, and growls at Argo.

                "Kasan!"  Kenshin says after recognizing the wolf.  He turns and is a bit angry to see the other running towards the frey.  "Why are you guys here?"  Kenshin yells at them.

                "Do you even have to ask?"  Iris asks.

                "Screw all of you!"  Argo says.  He aims at Kasan and attacks with a fire ball.  Kasan hops to the side inniately avoiding the attack.  But the blast catches Kasan and Iris off guard.  Kasan, who was closest to the blast, slams into a tree breaking her back, killing her almost instantly.  Iris flies back.  She hits her head on the ground and loses consciousness.

                "Kasan!  Iris!"  Kenshin yells.  After seeing that there is nothing he can do for Kasan, and that Iris is not seriously injured, Kenshin turns to Argo.  "Damn you Argo!"  He yells as he becomes angry.  Kenshin's ki flares up slightly but not nearly enough to be a challenge to Argo.  Kenshin knows this.  His mind races.  He tries to think of someway to kill Argo.  Then he catches something out of the corner of his eye.  He turns to see a glimmer of light coming off the blade of Legend.  "Damn."  Kenshin thinks.  "I have no choice."  Kenshin holds out his hand toward the sword.  "Legend!  Sword upon which song and myth are based.  I accept your offer.  I will take upon myself your curse, wield you, and become your master."  The sword immediately wrenches itself from the stone and flies straight to Kenshin's hand.

                It was about this time that Argo sensed something.  He turned just in time to see Legend enter Kenshin's hand.  "What the Hell?"  Argo says in shock. 

                Kenshin brings the sword above his head and power begins to radiate from the blade.  Kenshin's ki and aura flare up.  Both the sword and Kenshin's aura turn golden.  Even from space the great light coming from the north pole.  People living around the Frozen Deaths were temporarily blinded by the light.  And when it all ended there was no one at north pole.  When the light faded no one was there, no humans, no birds, no animals, only the plants, and for the first time snow and a cold breeze enter into the forested area.  Without Legend the area cannot support itself the forest was swallowed up by the endless winter of the Frozen Deaths.