Cephiro, Elven Province

[Corwin]

"This will have to do, Master Jyoshi," Umi tells the older elf, not taking her eyes off the monk. "And we should return to our main mission. Do you need this murderer alive for a bit longer?"

[Carthrat]

"I don't need him for anything," replies Jyoshi, with disgust. "Though I am interested to know why the Doji are so violent towards us.."

The monk smirks. "You elves.. fools, all."

[Corwin]

"I suppose the rumors of the Matsu subverting the Doji Champion with magic and using the monks for their own revenge on us were true after all, Master Jyoshi," Umi says thoughtfully.

[Carthrat]

Jyoshi ponders this. "I.. see, Umi-san."

However, the monks eyes narrow. "How did you find that out?" he asks, too quickly.

[Ebiris]

Masking her distaste for Umi's method of interrogation, Fuu steps forward. "We already know for a fact that the Matsu are being manipulated themselves, though if they are subverting the Doji, it adds a further layer of complexity to this skein." She then turns to the monk and gives a thin-lipped smile, "There isn't much that can remain hidden for long when one is properly motivated to find answers. The information we discovered in Otoshi-san's tent proved most... illuminating."

[Carthrat]

"The Matsu? Subvert the Doji?" The monk sniggers. "Believe what you will."

[Corwin]

"Is there a reason why cowardly Doji monks wouldn't sell their souls to the Matsu?" Umi asks in a curious tone of voice. "Surely, you don't expect us to believe that you are the ones doing the subverting!" She snorts in derision.

[Carthrat]

The monk smirks. "Maybe I should answer you. But I fear it's time for me to depart."

His mouth clamps shut, and a look of intense concentration comes over his face..

[Ebiris]

Fuu leans forward and slaps the Monk to disrupt his concentration.

[Corwin]

Umi runs the monk's throat through with her rapier as soon as she sees him concentrating.

[Carthrat]

Just as Umi stabs the monk, there's a sickening sound from his mouth, which soon falls open, revealing that he bit his tounge in half.

Jyoshi sighs. "I fear he is leading us into a trap. He could have killed himself at any time, if that was his intent."

[Corwin]

"Perhaps he wanted to boast, first," Umi muses. "And we do have information from other sources that someone else, probably the Doji, were influencing the Matsu."

She shakes her head, and makes her rapier disappear into her glove. "No matter. Master Jyoshi, we must hurry on to the capital and meet with Sakura-san. Would you be able to spare a few people to inform the nearby villages, while the rest of you retreat?"

[Ebiris]

"If you have any horses to spare," Fuu puts in, "it would help us out tremendously."

[Carthrat]

"Horses.. yes, I believe so. If the stables have not been burned, anyway. They're near the opposite gate," Jyoshi replies. "As for sending messages to the other villiages, that will be arranged shortly.

Be wary of what this man said. I do not know how he may have twisted the truth, but assume nothing," he finishes.

[Ebiris]

"He hardly gave us anything concrete enough to lead us on a path, wrong or otherwise," Fuu says, before bowing, "We thank you for letting us use the horses, and I hope when we next met it will be under better circumstances."

With that, the green-clad elf turns and exits the building, heading towards the stables Jyoshi indicated.