As the Crane general reached the outskirts of the village, many of the peasants had already come out of their houses after the headman's announcement. They fell to their knees as she approached, and when Shiko stopped her steed feet from their heads, not a single man, woman, or child flinched. They were almost all fishers, they smelled of the sea, and their ramshackle huts and tents were an odd sight compared to the wekk-kept boats and docks along the shore.

The Daidoji samurai came down from her horse, and immediately the village headman ran up to her. The peasant fell to the ground, his forehead in the dirt. "Your arrival to our humble home brings great honor upon us all, samurai-sama, what do you wish of us?"

Shiko motioned for the man to stand, then handed him her reins, "I wish for you to tend my horse. I am Daidoji Shiko, a commander of my lord Doji Kuwanan's men. We mean harm to neither you, your lands, or your lord. We are passing out of the lands of the Phoenix and require a place to sleep for the evening. Our steeds could use a night in stables." She spoke all the words with precise clarity, but with no hint of emotion.

As the headman walked off with her horse, the peasants quickly scurried, eyes down, to prepare their homes for their guests. Shiko heard hoofbeats behind her and saw her advisor, Asahina Reiji ride up to her.

"This was an excellent choice, Shiko-sama," He said quietly, his eyes looking everywhere, but not focusing on a single thing, as usual. He dismounted with some diffuculty, having learned to ride in only the past month. "With your permission, I would ask the spirits of the sea to aid these peasants for their hospitality."

Shiko nodded, turning to look over the ocean, the slow rolling waves catching the last rays of light. "A gift to them, and to their lord, whoever that may be."

"Yes, sama."

"You may do so when you are ready..." Shiko turned back and stopped talking when she saw the shugenja's eyes were narrowed at a small hut close to them. Instinctively, her hand went to her grandfather's sword, "What is it, Asahina?" She said quietly.

"There," he spoke, rasining a finger to point to a dark area of shadows next to the hut. As the shugenja did so, the area was lit in a soft glow, moving back the darkness, and revealing a man on his hands and knees, in the armor of a samurai colored the pitchest black Shiko had ever seen.

The man was gasping, as if he had been winded, or knocked to the ground from a blow to the stomach. "Get..." he coughed wetly, and the two Cranes approached him warily. As they drew within feet of him, he suddenly snapped his head up to look them in the eyes, "Get out of here!" He almost yelled.

Shiko did not hear him, all she saw were the pale features of a gaijin, and started to draw her sword. Only Reiji's quick hand stayed her action, and the shugenja quickly said, "No. I know this man." He knelt on the ground, next to the stanger, who had again slumped to his hands and knees, shaking. "You are Togashi Amadan, are you not?" he said quietly, peering into the gaijin's dark eyes. "I recall you from winter court several years before the Clan Wars began."

"Togashi Amadan?" Shiko said, still cautious. "I had heard the family of Togashi had renounced their names and joined the brotherhood of Shinsei."

Amadan began to speak, but collapsed and passed out.

"What is wrong with him?" Shiko demanded.

"He is ill... or starving. I cannot tell which at the moment, sama. He is not wounded," Reiji closed his eyes, and held his hands above the samurai. The shugenja's eyes snapped open quickly, and the color drained from his face. "There is..." He looked up at Shiko, "A void in his soul, as if it were not complete."

"He is gaijin," Shiko said dismissively, "He was born imperfect."

Reiji nodded, "Perhaps. He needs rest and food." The Asahina lifted Amadan from the ground with Shiko's help and brought him inside the hut.

"We will break him."

"Perhaps now he will speak with sense," A woman's voice, filled with impatience.

Amadan opened his eyes slowly, the world coming into focus in parts. He was laying upon a lumpy bed, his head pounding, the room was lit dimly, and he was wearing light armor. He attempted to sit up on the mat, but stopped suddenly when the world seemed to spin. "Where am I?" He asked quietly, stabilizing himself with his arms, looking down, attempting to clear his head.

"Where should you be?" Came the woman's voice again. Amadan slowly looked up to see a Crane samurai-ko standing feet away from him, the Daidoji mon tattooed on her wrist visibly. She was wearing travelling clothes, with light armor on her form, and an ornate tessen tucked into her obi. Her gaze was less than trusting. Next to her stood a thin man, wearing the robes of an Asahina. His face was tired, perhaps from travelling.

Amadan paused for a moment, attempting to find the best answer for the question. His memory was unclear... He was supposed to be searching for someone. Or something. At that thought, his hand went instinctively to his side, where he knew a sword should be.

"Your sword," The woman said quickly, her hand moving closer to her own blade, "is here," she pointed to a small table where a black saya with a sheathed katana lay, next to a leather wrapped long bundle. "As is your package."

The gaijin noticed the wrapping was secure, it had not been opened. "I am Togashi Amadan," He said suddenly, sitting up, his strength returning in an instant. "I am afraid I cannot answer your questions... for I do not know the answers you seek." He looked into the rising sun, and suddenly one thought came clearly into his mind.

"You must take your men and leave this place." He turned to look Shiko in the eyes.

"I am Daidoji Shiko, Dragon, and I am commanded by my lord Kuwanan-sama to return to the lands of the Doji." She let her hand fall away from her katana, "We will leave soon enough."

Amadan turned to the shugenja at her side. "Do you not feel it, priest?"

Shiko turned to look out the small door of the hut, "Reiji, I must attend to the men. I trust you can deal with... this." She bowed stiffly to Amadan and quickly exited.

"Please forgive my lady," Reiji said quickly, "She is a woman of war."

Amadan nodded slowly, "And it is your place to speak when she cannot," The gaijin smiled weakly at himself. "You know what I'm talking about, don't you?" He said, looking at the Asahina priest with dark eyes. Reiji couldn't tell if it was just the poor lighting, but the gaijin's eyes seemed to be pure blackness.

Reiji looked away, out the doorway, to the waterfront. Earlier that morning, he had gone to the shore to ask the water kami for their blessing as he had planned. When he walked away, a creeping terror gripped his heart, for the kami did ot respond.

The water spirits had fled in fear of something.

"You know something, gaijin." The shugenja turned back to the Dragon, who was on his feet, his black armor seeming to draw the light from the room into itself.

"A Darkness is coming, Reiji-san. You will not be able to fight it and win. Your lady will try to stand against it, for it will manifest itself in forms that seem real, but they are but an illusion." Amadan walked over to the table and took his katana from it, sliding it into his obi. "If you are wise, you will leave."

Just then, Shiko walked back into the hut, her face fixed in a look of shock and anger. She spoke slowly, her voice held in check, "Reiji, inform the men we have been delayed, perhaps another day."

The shugenja turned quickly to his lady, "Why, Shiko-sama?"

"Most of the horses, and the dawn patrol were found dead." She turned a thiny-veiled accusing look to Amadan, "We will remain in this town until the guilty have been found and dealt with."

Amadan held the Crane's stare silently, knowing any argument with her would be fruitless. And in the darkest reccesses of his mind, he could hear a whispering laughter.