(This is actually kind of weird, it all came to me in a dream. I should not eat four slices of pepperoni pizza before going to bed, it does strange things to my mind.)

Kanpeki strolled into the room, and all fell silent. Their petty bickering could wait until another time. Actions tend to determine who is greater than words anyway. Atsushi was not the only one who felt this way, many came to become a part of this Clan of Spiders due to the greatness of their leader, who now held the attention of everyone in the great hall. "Kendo, did you find the fragment in the northern provinces?" Kanpeki asked.

"Aye my Lord, here it is." Kendo unwrapped a cloth to reveal a shard of a broken mirror.

"We will soon have the one from the Qalot. They asked a steep price, but we were able to deliver, ..."

Kanpeki only stared at the man who spoke out of turn, and he fell silent. "News about the one guarded by the Brotherhood?"

"The monastery fell to our forces. The monks there slaughtered to the man, save one who escaped by running on the wind. The fragment could not be found. Perhaps he knew the importance of it, and secured it away along with himself?"

"There is no where he will be able to hide, relax it will be ours." Kanpeki returned. "Another fragment awaits us in Otosan Uchi."

"Forgive my intrusion, my lord. What good is an ancient broken mirror?"

"Doji's mirror she gave to Shinjo. Father has shown me a way to mend the mirror, use it to 'communicate' with the wounded Champion, Moto Naleesh. I will recruit her to our side, corrupt her heart, and we will gain her undying allegiance, and that of her entire mongrel horde. They will be our puppets to command. There are more uses for this artifact as well, but that will come in time."

*****

Two figures come together in a small forest glade, not far from the Ki-Rin Pass.

"You have done well to bring this to me. Do not worry, I can keep it safe." Utaku Zo-Sia answered the unspoken question from the monk. "After all they will not be looking for this." The mirror fragment shifted into an exquisite glass dagger right before his eyes. Now he wondered if what he did was the right decision. The creature before him was definitely not human, but she had been the regent. The Empress had trusted her, so he would as well. He bowed and excused himself. She watched him go, "We will meet again, this war is long from over, and you my friend have a great destiny to fulfill before this is all done."