The Shinomen Mori was by far the vastest forest in all the Empire of Rokugan. Many believed that it was the largest forest in the world, although no one could say for certain. Whether or not that claim was true was largely unimportant. All that mattered was that the Shinomen encompassed hundreds of miles, many of which had never been completely explored or even seen by human eyes. There were things within the forest that were too dangerous for mortal opponents to face, even the valiant samurai of Rokugan. The myths and legends of things dwelling within the forest had existed for centuries, many based in fact, and were used to terrify unruly children all throughout the Empire. If they misbehaved, parents said, the spirits of the Shinomen would drag them off into the forest and keep them there forever. It was easy to see why the forest's reputation was so fearsome.

Ironic, Daigotsu Gyoken thought, that it was such rumors that allowed the Spider Clan to nest deep within the forest, and that in turn the rumors became that much truer because of it.

Gyoken launched into a complex kata, covering the empty dojo floor in a series of rapid stance changes accompanied by a ruthless flurry of lightning-fast katana strikes. He was completely silent as he did so, no sound escaping his lips, his footfalls creating not even a whisper. The only sound was the whistling of his blade as it parted the air before it, its razor edge carving even the wind. Gyoken ended his kata with his katana held before him in a traditional stance, ready to launch into another sequence. His face was twisted in a mask of rage. The Spider taught their warriors not to suppress emotions like the other clans. They were taught to harness it. To use it as another weapon in their arsenal.

"Your form is excellent," a voice offered. "You will need to reach deeper within during a true battle, however. Your rage must be a living thing on the battlefield."

Gyoken turned in surprise, unaware that anyone had joined him in the dojo. Seeing the speaker, he bowed sharply. "Thank you, Masami-sama." Like many other young Spider warriors, Gyoken was unsure what to make of Daigotsu Masami. The man held no rank within the Spider military forces, and it was unclear to them exactly what his role was in the clan's hierarchy. Nevertheless, Gyoken was always careful to show proper respect, for what little was known about Masami was that he was a dangerous man, and that his anger spared no one foolish enough to arouse it.

"It is time you earned your keep, little Spider," Masami said without explanation. "Gather your things and come with me."

Gyoken hesitated for a moment, confused, but then quickly placed his blades in his belt and grabbed a traveling pack from near the dojo door. "Hai, Masami-sama," he said. "What would you have me do?"

"Follow closely and keep quiet," Masami said sharply. Gyoken nodded mutely. The older samurai strode through the courtyard of the nameless castle the Spider had constructed within the forest. Most simply referred to it as the Hidden Lair, and considered it a temporary location while Spider Clan agents busily scoured the Empire for other similar locations that might have closer targets. Masami stopped outside the largest of the compound's temples, a similarly nameless temple devoted to the Spider Clan's patron, the dark god Fu Leng, and the ritual practices of the Chuda family.

"Rintaro!" Masami called out. "I have little patience for waiting, old man!"

Chuda Rintaro, an elder priest of the Chuda family and one of their most powerful shugenja, emerged from the temple with an annoyed expression. A second Chuda followed. Her stance and gait marked her as a young woman by Gyoken's estimation, but her mask concealed everything else about her identify. "You have little patience for anything, Daigotsu Masami," Rintaro cautioned, "and I, in turn, have little patience for you."

"Save your bluster," the warrior said with a sneer. "We have work to do. You received your assignment, I assume?"

"I held parlay with Daigotsu-sama several days ago," Rintaro said. Gyoken grew flush at the notion of a personal audience with the Spider Clan's lord. "He approved the next step of our operations. I assume he recruited you to complete the less subtle component, as is suitable for a man of your talents."

"Be cautious, priest," Masami snarled. "I do not brook insults."

"You have your duty, as have I," Rintaro said. "if you would cast it aside for something so petty as your bruised ego, then you are even more a beast than I imagined." He paused for a moment, his eyes glinting dangerously. "Is that the truth, then?"

Masami said nothing for several moments, his jaw set, his fists clenched at his sides near the handles of his blades. Finally, he withdrew his mask from his pack and fixed it over the lower half of his face. "Three days?" he asked.

"Everything will be in place in three days," Rintaro confirmed. "Hiroe and I will see to it." He glanced over his shoulder and favored the young woman with an approving smile. "I assume you can have your element in place by then?"

"You assume correctly," Masami said gruffly, then turned and stalked out of the courtyard toward the forest beyond. Unsure of what else to do, Gyoken followed.

"Silence!" Masami hissed, turning on him in an instant. The older man's eyes blazed dangerously. "The Scorpion are here. You cannot see them, but they maintain a close watch over everything that happens in this village. We must be cautious or else draw their attention, and that is something we cannot afford at this point."

"The Scorpion are here?" Gyoken was incredulous at the very thought. "Why do they permit this? How can they claim to be better than us when they allow such filth?"

"Because when the Scorpion are caught in the act of something unsavory, they do not have to look beyond this village for someone to take the blame in their stead. They are dangerous, far more so than any other clan, and we must be cautious. Now follow me and be silent!"

Gyoken nodded and obeyed. Masami wove through a number of streets and alleyways, each more disgusting than the last, until finally he ducked inside a building that appeared as though it might be on the brink of total collapse. Masami did not set aside his cloak or the simple cloth mask he wore, and Gyoken followed his example. The two sat at a table along the western wall, and Masami's glare drove even the most obviously intoxicated server that Gyoken had ever seen away. The young Spider glanced around the room at the assortment of dirt-encrusted individuals draped on various pieces of furniture, completely lost in a stupor, and wondered what the purpose of their visit might be.

A short time after their arrival, the two Spider samurai were joined by another figure, this time one whose cloak clearly indicated that he wore armor underneath. "Are you Gobei?" he asked gruffly.

"I am," Masami said.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," the unnamed ronin said. Gyoken could smell sake on his breath. "There were complications."

"I do not need to know," Masami said flatly. "Do you have the men you said you could gather?"

"Hai," the ronin confirmed. "Thirty-seven. More than we agreed upon."

"That does not change the price," Masami said. He hefted a heavy bag and sat it on the table. It jostled slightly, and Gyoken could tell that it was full of koku, the small metal coins that made up the currency of Rokugan. "Can you do the job?"

"Name the village," the ronin said, his dilated eyes fixed on the bag of coins.

"Thunder's Blessing Village," Masami said. "In the southern Unicorn provinces. Three days from now. Do you understand? No one survives."

"For that kind of payment," the ronin said, nodding toward the bag, "I"d kill my own family in the Imperial Palace throne room."

"I do not care," Masami said. "Take your payment, but deliver what was promised, or I will take back what I am owed and much, much more."

The ronin's eyes flickered to Masami for a moment, and Gyoken saw that the old fool was wise enough to know fear. "No survivors. Three days time. It will not be a problem."

Hiroe nodded and sipped her tea. She made a show of brushing the sleeve of her kimono very slightly, stealing a glance over her shoulder at the man several tables over. He was speaking in a very animated tone to another man, one who was obviously uninterested in whatever the subject matter might be. The first man had also had a bit too much to drink, if Hiroe was any judge of behavior. "Who is he?"

"You tell me," Rintaro said plaintively.

Hiroe took one last look at the man, then turned back to pick up her tea and look at her sensei. "He is a mid-level bureaucrat with no accomplishments of note. Based on his attire, I would assume he is an adjunct of a provincial governor, nothing higher ranked than that."

"What troubles him so?" Rintaro asked.

Hiroe smirked. "He has the look of a man with many sins. He lusts after women, to be sure, but based on his looks I would say he has long since come to terms with that particular difficulty. He is dull and lazy, but not without ambition. He blames others for his weaknesses. He seeks any excuse for his failures."

"Yes," Rintaro hissed, delighted. "How should he be approached?"

"His current state is clearly that of a man with a long-term grievance, most likely against a more competent rival. If we offer to deal with his rival, he will agree. He will become more important, rising in power in whatever pathetic bureaucracy he serves. Our efforts will keep him afloat, and in return he will do whatever we ask, terrified by the thought of losing his position or having his collaboration with outsiders exposed."

"Excellent," Rintaro said. "His name is Utaku Katiro, overseer of a number of small Unicorn villages. His rival is a fellow bureaucrat, whom Katiro has accused of harboring bandits that prey upon his lands. You will make the first contact."

Hiroe's cup slowed slightly as she brought it to her lips. "Me, sensei?"

"Yes," Rintaro said. "It is time to see if you are worthy of the faith I have placed in your abilities."

"As you wish, sensei," Hiroe said with a smile. She waited until she saw the man conversing with Katiro leave, then rose and discreetly walked over to the Unicorn's table. "Pardon me, Katiro-sama. May I join you?"

The dumbfounded Katiro stared at her mutely for a moment, then mumbled in assent. "Do I know you?" he asked after downing another cup of what she suspected was sake.

"Not yet," she smiled, "but I know of you. It is said you are the most capable and skilled of the overseers in your province."

Katiro frowned, but drew himself up taller in his seat. "There are many who disagree," he muttered.

"They are fools," Hiroe insisted. "Those of us who follow such things have long suspected that someone else has continued to sabotage your success. There can be no other answer for how you have been limited in your rise to power."

"Akishiro!" the Unicorn blurted out, banging his hand against the table loudly. "It is his fault! Bandits hide in his provinces, raiding my villages and caravans. That is the reason he gains favor over me!"

"Is that the one, then?" Hiroe asked. "I had not heard who it was. This Akishiro must be crafty indeed."

"Yes," Katiro spat bitterly. "I have tried everything, but nothing has worked. I cannot prove his treachery."

Hiroe nodded sadly, then tapped her chin with one finger. "What if you could?" "Eh?"

"What if it was possible to prove how he has cheated you?" Hiroe asked. "What would you do to have such a man eliminated from your path to greatness?"

"Anything," Katiro grumbled.

"I can make it happen," Hiroe whispered. "I can prove to everyone what kind of man he truly is, and then there will be nothing standing in your path."

Katiro's eyes lit up like a child's, but after only a moment they took on a suspicious glint. He was brighter than Hiroe had initially believed, but that would only make him more useful. "Why would you do that?"

"Because I believe you are capable of great things," she purred, "and I want to have an ally such as you. I will do this thing for you, and in return, one day, I will require your aid, and you will give it to me willingly."

Katiro continued to puzzle the matter, but Hiroe knew that his decision had already been made.

"Thunder's Blessing Village," the monk said. "Three days from now?"

"Yes," Rintaro confirmed. "The ronin will have koku with the seal of a neighboring village. It should be all the evidence that fool Katiro requires. Even he could make a convincing case. However, just in case his foolishness exceeds even my expectations, take Hiroe with you."

The monk's unwavering gaze turned on her, and Hiroe struggled not to turn away from it. "Why?" he demanded.

"She will use a handful of spells during the battle. The ronin will be blamed, and accusations of maho will turn even Akishiro's most ardent supporters away from him. Katiro will rise in power, and we will have our puppet in the southern Unicorn provinces."