[Day 11, EN] Special Delivery

[Reo]

It's very late as Reo returns to camp, heading for Reiko's tent in the Spider section.

"Madam Reiko." He quickly touches a piece of jade, in what is now a new customary greeting. "I think I have found something you may want to see"

[Reiko]

Reiko rose when she heard her name being said, wrapping her robe tighter as she peered out.

"Oh, Reo-san" Reiko smiled and bowed, before touching Jade to her forehead "I hope you are well. You have something for me?"

[Reo]

"Yes. I was studying the sight where they found the shape shifter spider. I was able to study it and bring some back before it was burned."

Reo reaches into his pack and pulls out something that looks like a fang, with a twine wrapped handle at one end.

"I think it might be useful in studying the disease we have seen signs of. I want to run tests with it, but I thought an expert shugenja may be able to learn more. Perhaps understand more about the forces keeping Fu Leng."

[Reiko]

Reiko looked a little concerned.

"You have been carrying this around? Is it corrupted?" she drew closer to examine it "you should be careful not to carry corrupt items around with you, they can affect you even through Jade if you willingly keep it. What kind of tests do you want to run?"

[Reo]

Reo offers a dark chuckle. "I stood the the guts of the thing as I cut it out. I do not think that carrying it will result in any more harm for me. I did take the time to wash it beforehand, and put a handle on it so you don't have to touch directly."

"As for what to do with it, first here is what I found: The creature might have been human once, or a spider that managed to take the shape. The body was so intermingled that I honestly cannot say for sure. The webs around the creature were tainted, and from what the Nezumi have said, wounds from such a creature risk transmission, which is why I am trying to be so careful with it."

"First, I wonder if you can learn anything about its ability to shapechange. Second, and more importantly, I have a hypothesis about the powers at work that are keeping Fu Leng. The Nezumi have described the some kind of energy, some magic that picks up faster as we approach the site where Fu Leng is held. As we have come closer, we see if affecting the plants and animals, making a creature such as this. This could be an invaluable way to study those energies so they can be negated or dispersed when we arrive."

"It is just a thought. I admit there is a chance of risk...we don't quite know what it would do."

[Reiko]

"If I were to guess, its ability to shapechange came from the touch of the realm of evil. I've read and heard that the realm twists and corrupts those it touches, but never personally witnessed it as you now have."

There was a thoughtful pause, before she spoke again.

"Do you remember the cave, Reo-san?"

[Reo]

"I do remember... clearly." Reo sighs. "And yes I know how seductive it was. But now here is a fragment. Maybe something we can use to fight against it"

[Reiko]

"That wasn't what I meant Reo-san. The Nezumi spoke of an energy or a magic. It is neither. What they are sensing as we draw closer is a fully conscious, living realm attempting to invade this realm. As living as you or I, except more immortal and more corrupt" Reiko explained "and will use every means in order to spread itself, as every person who carries its corruption is another soul it could claim and turn to its own ends."

Reiko stared at the fang again.

"Even calling upon magic from this could potentially be inviting corrupted elements instead of pure ones. I agree that we need to take time to study and learn what we can of our enemy though, and this may be a way to do it."