Cephiro, Elven Province

[Carthrat]

The tip of Umi's rapier cuts deep, opening a vicious cut over one of the monk's chest. He does not fall, but the monks are too stunned to react.

The elven children are too frightened to run, however.

[Halbarad]

Hikaru runs off to the side of the combat. As soon as she comes close enough, she cast Fiery Eyes and glares at the two monks, attempting to set their robes ablaze.

OOC: Trying to flank them before I set their clothes on fire.

[Ebiris]

Not wasting any time, Fuu charges the Monks, letting Umi take one, while she swings a fist at the other, trying to knock him out.

[Carthrat]

Umi's blow takes out the monk, who drops to the ground, unconcious.

Meanwhile, Hikaru's burst of fire from her eyes does indeed set fire to the other monks robes. With a pained shout, he drops to the ground and rolls around foolishly, making him easy prey for Umi's deadly blade..

The other fights around the area appear to have stopped, and some of the villiagers are coming out from whatever hiding spots they managed to find, looking about their mostly scorched villiage like lost sheep..

[Corwin]

Umi ties up the unconscious monk and gags him, before looking around for Master Jyoshi.

[Carthrat]

Master Jyoshi can be found barking commands to the few unscathed elves about forming a bucket brigade to put out the fires. He seems to have the survivors well under control.

The air is thick with the stench of blood.

[Corwin]

Umi grabs her prisoner, and delivers him to Master Jyoshi. "What can I do to help?" she asks him, once there is a pause in his commands to the other elves.

[Carthrat]

"You can talk to me," replies Jyoshi, wearily. "What was it you said about the Matsu and the Doji earlier? I know nothing about the reason for this attack."

[Ebiris]

"The Matsu are marching to war against us, probably as we speak," Fuu tells the Master, "They are seeking to burn down the forest, while Doji monks already hidden within the forest strike out at us... though I never expected them to mount a full scale attack like this..."

Reaching into her gi, she pulls out the Matsu battleplans and relates the details to Jyoshi, before concluding, "It is imperative that we deliver these plans to Sakura-sama at the capital as soon as we can." She sighs sadly, "I wish we could stay and help with the damage your village has suffered, but attacks like this are probably occuring all over Cephiro, and we cannot afford to delay in meeting with Sakura-sama."

[Corwin]

"We could spare a few moments to find out whether the monk we captured knows more," Umi counters her friend. "You said that you had ways to make him talk, Master Jyoshi?"

[Carthrat]

"The Matsu are marching to war?" replies Jyoshi, shocked. "With Doji raiding parties going ahead?"

He looks down at the plans, and shakes his head. "We may not have proven victorious here were it not for your intervention. The attack was carefully planned; many of them had used some magic to transform their bodies into those of elves. That was why the burning had spread throughout the entire villiage.

But as for this prisoner.. well, my wife makes Truth Potions in her spare time, for settling disputes and crimes.. we'll force him to swallow one of them, and then make him talk.."

[Corwin]

"Would it take long to make the preparations, Master Jyoshi?" Umi asks.

[Carthrat]

"As long as it takes him to wake up," replies Jyoshi. "Drag him back to my house, it's one of the few untouched by the flames."

He turns and walks into a nearby, unscorched house..

[Corwin]

Umi shrugs, and drags the captured monk along, resisting the urge to kick it along the way.

[Carthrat]

While the elves drag off the body, they see the samurai they left behind rush into the villiage, and look around in amazement.

There's blood on their armour, and they're breathing heavily.

"Umi-sama!" one of them yells, rushing up to her. "We ran into some Doji monks after we had dug the graves. I apologize, they delayed us for some time."