Omen

A flustered Bastian was walking up and down the isles in his most favorite part of the household. Usually the sight of so many books would ease his scholarly heart. It would soothe him and bring him closer to the answer he was looking for. As he walked, he squeezed the rubber ball in his hand like his life depended on it. Yet neither the ball nor the marvelous sights of the library could soothe his soul.

"Kenshin did you seal the room?" Kenshin stood by Bastian's makeshift office and noded. At the moment it was only the two of them within the library. As soon as Bastian heard Vermalaen's name he left the meeting with Kenshin in tow. The duo said nothing as they left and their expressions left a heavy atmosphere in what was a cheerful and rather uneventful meeting. Bastian headed straight for the library, and once he entered, he requested for Kenshin to seal the room so sound would not leak telepathically. The library was quite big so Kenshin said it would take some time, so Bastian used his remaining time to put his thoughts in order.

"Do you think it's really her?"

"There is no way of knowing; however it is most likely her. Too many coincidences have occurred for it not to be her."

As soon as Bastian heard Kenshin's reply, his face became even more downcast. He remembered full well the promise he had made to General Moto. Although he had put that promise at the back of his mind, there was no doubt that it weighed like a mountain on top of his heart.

"Vermalaen is the bodyguard, so why would Sula pretend to be her follower? According to Moto's aide Lang, Sula was merely a mage that Vermalaen had hired. This is odd."

"Most likely it is to remove the likelihood of Sula losing her life. You yourself are a prime example of this." A light flashed in Bastian's eyes. Indeed, because Vermalaen was head of the army she was Bastian's target, and also the enemy named by General Moto. Bastian was obligated to kill Vermalaen, however he was not obligated to kill Sula.

Following custom, Vermalaen must be a warrior cultivated for Sula's protection since birth, intel from Lang suggests that Sula's age was unknown however it;s clear that she is around Vermalaen's age. I want to befriend the Coles but I have to kill Vermalaen. Sigh

"Kenshin let's go to the Cole mansion. I have an idea."

Kenshin titled his head in confusion. "What plan?"

"It's simple really." Bastian placed the rubber ball on the table and leaned on the table in front of him. "We go under the guise of having Tyson repay his debt, at this point his sister would have arrived so there is no doubt he would have a feast prepared for her. We use this opportunity to get invited to his feast and get a good look at our target."

"There is no guarantee we will get put in the same room as Vermalaen. Besides, you didn't exactly give off a friendly impression."

"Kenshin you may have all my experiences and all my knowledge, however you do not have my wisdom. We are not going to befriend Tyson merely on the premise of me preserving the life of his daughter. No my friend, we will use another chip to our advantage. After thinking over the latest batch of information that Tino has provided I have confirmed a few things."

Kenshin doubted Bastian's words because as far as he was concerned, there should be a limit to how accommodating Tyson will be to the men who threatened to kill his daughter. "Then what premise will we be using then?"

With a smirk Bastian walked toward the entrance. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

...

Outside the Tyson Mansion, Kenshin and Bastian were waiting patiently. They had announced their arrival to Tyson's guards and were expecting him to pick them up.

As expected of the rich. The house truly is impressive.

Bastian was not sure whether or not to call it a house or a fortress. An incredibly high wall with a battalion of knights stationed to the teeth standing outside at attention. Normally the rich are flamboyant and like to show off, but this Tyson was more concerned about safety.

The question is, is he trying to keep something getting in out or prevent something from coming out?

After a while, the massive stone gate opened up, and Bastian walked in with Kenshin in tow under the instruction of the guards. They thought that Tyson would be hiding something but nothing seemed out of the ordinary when they entered. From the perspective of a normal person this house was no different from another lavish mansion owned by nobles. Unfortunately for Tyson, Kenshin and Bastian were not people who saw the world in an ordinary way. Kenshin was surprised by what he uncovered, and Bastian was stunned by what he saw the moment he activated his e-vision.

"This...this is!"

The guards who were escorting them looked at Bastian's odd behavior with a look of suspicion. Bastian realized that he had revealed too much, luckily for him Kenshin was more than just a swordsman.

"Forgive my friend, he has only been a slave until recently and is not used to seeing such grandeur." Kenshin said with a smile.

Snap! Did Kenshin just smile?

Bastian was shocked by the fact that his friend could exhibit such an innocent looking smile. The guards were convinced and snorted in disdain. To them Bastian was no different than a hick. They had no idea why Tyson had granted him a meeting, especially when the young mistress would be arriving shortly.

Bastian wiped his brow and sighed. He was definitely shocked by Kenshin's odd smile, and even more so at the fact that he was such a good actor. However nothing could beat the fact that in front of him, above the Tyson Mansion, was a massive wave of Word Energy.

There is no doubt about it! I was right! The Coles are hiding an army!