The young Agasha Ronai had brazenly walked into Otosan Uchi a week ago, and confidently informed many that none would challenge him after this test. Shugenja after shugenja fell before Ronai's staggering magics, and Amadan had grown suspicious from his shadows. One night, the gaijin follow Ronai to his chamber, and heard the shugenja begin speaking into the darkness. Amadan was confused until a large, twisted figure of shadow and smoke arose from the corner and began speaking back to Ronai.
Amadan's judgement was swift and final. He was told to destroy any who would sully the name of the Dragon. The next morning, a courtier found Ronai's dead body laying next to a piece of blackened jade. There was a dagger in the shugenja's throat, and in his hand was a purse, full of coins. Elsewhere in the room, a black mask and tight-fitting black clothes were found.
Ronai was declared a ninja impostor. Agasha Tamori said nothing on the subject, and seemed quite disturbed.
As Takuan placed Yakamo's Tetsubo into the hands of a crouching Kitsu Okura, Amadan heard the movement of a man beneath him. The scout silently moved down the tree, hung upside down from the bottom branch, suspended by his legs. In front of him was Agasha Tamori.
"What news?" The old shugenja said quietly.
Amadan bowed his head and whispered, "I bring omens of ill portent, Tamori-sama. The rumors of the Unicorn girl practicing maho seem to be quite more than rumor." Amadan had listened in on the Unicorn shugenja, Iuchi Karasu, the night before the final conflict between the last four competitors. Karasu was speaking with a messenger, and the topic was what to do about Iuchi Daiyu's daughter, who had ignored his command to stop working her blood-magic.
Tamori nodded, as if agreeing with an unheard person. "You cannot return to our home yet, young one. You will go to Hoshi and tell him of what you have seen here. I have talked among many here, and they beleive the outcome of this tournament is not the ray of light Takuan had hoped it would be." He sighed and looked on as the crowd began to disperse back into the Palace. "Many are willing to aid our cause, but we must first bring peace to our ravaged homeland."
Amadan nodded, "I will talk to Hoshi. I hope our plans are not delayed there." The gaijin moved to climb up the tree, but stopped, "Tamori-sama?"
The old man looked at the young gaijin, "Yes?"
"What will Hitomi say of this?"
Tamori looked to the north, towards the mountains of the Dragon Clan. "It is not important. If my life is the only cost I must pay to bring an end to this insanity, I will pay it gladly." The shugenja locked eyes with the scout again, "For I know many of us will have to pay with our very souls." He paused a beat, then continued, "You walk a dark path, Amadan. There are whispers among the Kitsuki that you have become more ninja than samurai. I tell you this now, one man's honor is determined by what he does and why he does it." Tamori turned away, and began to walk towards the Palace, "How people regard you is of secondary importance. So long as your actions are true to our Clan, I trust your judgement. Remember who your master is..."
Amadan watched the form of his old mentor dissapear into an archway minutes later, and climbed up the tree. As he made his way from the tree to the wall, one question would not leave his mind.
"Who is my master?"