Sarinzan Kodai comes into view around the bend of the stairs, expression neutral, not looking around. He crosses to where Cynis Chu is seated and stops. "You wanted to see me, Monk Chu?" His tone is respectful and also neutral. He also has absolutely no defining speech patterns: no accent, no slang, no dialect. His speech also, at the other end of the spectrum, isn't perfect enough to stand out, either. Completely average. Completely forgettable.

Cynis Chu nods, closing the book, and giving Kodai an evaluating look. "Tell me, Master... Sarinzan? Would you consider yourself a follower of the Immacualte Faith?"

Sarinzan Kodai considers his answer carefully. "I do believe that I would. I'm probably no where near as versed in it as you are, Monk Cynis. But, for the most part, I guess." He shrugs. "I've never really given it any thought. It's never come up."

Cynis Chu smiles at that. "Well, good. Tell me, if you can- what is the duty of any who would call themselves Exalted when confronted with the Anathema?"

Sarinzan Kodai raises an eyebrow. "To destroy them, of course. Do you not know that? Even the simplest child could tell you that."

Cynis Chu nods slightly. "Of course. To resist their every wish, to ride the Hunt, pull them down and burn their bodies so that no two ashes remain together." He closes the book- you see the cover is that of the book of Daana'd. "And- please, don't take this ill -but I've heard it said you have friends in all manner of interesting places. Have you heard of a Hunt being called? Of the Exalted of Greyfalls binding together, to drag one of the Anathema down?"

Sarinzan Kodai smirks. "You would have to do much worse to insult me, monk. Yes, I have heard of it. I think it is cowardly, but do what you will." He doesn't seem to recognise the book as anything more than just another book.

Cynis Chu blinks, looking well and trully startled by that. "What?" he asks, in the voice of an actor gentle suddenly improvising. "Lord Zuriel is calling together a Hunt?" The question is a mixture of incredulousness and absurd hope.

Sarinzan Kodai shakes his head. "No, I heard you were calling one. I know nothing of 'Lord Zuriel' calling for anything besides more ale, which is what he was doing when I saw him at a bar several days ago."

Cynis Chu blinks, and slumps into his chair, looking a triffle defeated. "I see," he says, frustration and resignation in his voice. "Well." He fumbles for a moment, looking blankly at Sarinzan, before adding, "You said it sounds cowardly. What does- the idea of the Hunt?"

Sarinzan Kodai nods emphatically. "Twenty or thirty chosen of the dragons versus one, ususally, confused, helpless person who has just been given a power that he or she doesn't understand and can't control? That's quite heroic of you." He sneers. "I'm surprised you've never thought of it like that. Aren't you monks supposed to try and understand every part of a circle, or something like that?"

Cynis Chu nods. "We do. And what you see as a confused person with power they can't control is a cunning act, used to gull the former friends of that poor, damned soul. One that falls away soon enough, as the demon's true nature asserts itself- either by corrupting those around it, or killing them. We are /lucky/ when we catch the Anathema while still feigning such an act." He shakes his head. "And we are not lucky for this Hunt."

Sarinzan Kodai nods thoughtfully. "I had never thought of it that way. But, obviously, you guys have been doing it a fair bit longer than I have, so you must know. What do you mean, though, about not beign lucky?"

Cynis Chu looks off the side as he starts to explain, "About a week ago, I was in Trakar, helping to settle the little Gods there- bring them into line with the Perfected Hiearchy. And I was confronted with a Deceiever. An Anathema which called itself Minus." He closes his eyes for a moment.

Sarinzan Kodai motions for him to continue.

"He arrived in some manner of flying chariot- I suspect looted from some tomb or ruin from the First Age. And told me that he would be destroying all trace of the Immaculate Order in the Hundred Kingdoms within the next two seasons." He lets out a breath. "It is far, far past the stage of pretending that it is the same person it once was, confused and lost. This Anathema has asserted itself fully, and their power grows at a terrifying rate. But we cannot give up hope." He turns, to look Sarinzan right in his non-descript eye. "And so I'm calling together a Hunt. To bring down the Anathema which calls itself Minus."

Sarinzan Kodai cocks his head in puzzlement. "Destroy the Immaculate Order? I hardly think that's probable. Did he give a reason as to why? Obviously, even demons don't do things for no reason."

Cynis Chu snerks. "Because once a monk attacked him," he replies.

Sarinzan Kodai raises an eyebrow. "I don't believe you. Why'd he wait this long then? And, why tell you about it? If he really was going to do it, I would think he would just do it, so that you wouldn't have time to take action against him."

Cynis Chu waves a hand vaugely. "He demanded an apology for the attack, and made his threat in the event the apology was not made. But the idea is so ludicious, I can only imagine it was meant to taunt us." He snorts. "It may be that this Anathema has laid a trap. Be that as it may, he has gone too far, and must be torn down. So- will you join the Hunt?"

Sarinzan Kodai holds up his hands in a 'hang on' gesture. "So, let me get this straight. He was attacked, and demanded an appology. And, because you are unwilling to give it to him, he's going to destroy the Immaculate Order? How stuck up can you be? Just appologise. That way, when you do kill him, he won't be expecting it as much, and he won't be attempting to destroy your order. How does that sound?"

Cynis Chu gives Sarinzan the sort of look generally reserved for people with an extra arm. A mix of pity and disbelief at what he's seeing. "I see," he says flatly. "And how do you reconcile that with your previous comment, regarding what every /child/ knows is to be done with Anathema?" The question is asked with a thick dressing of venom.

Sarinzan Kodai looks at him in the manner of something you've just scraped off of your shoe. "If you had been listening, you would have heard that I said you still kill him. The first rule, when killing someone, is to make sure that they aren't expecting it. Putting him off balance by appologising, then striking" at this, he thrusts his hand forward as if holding a sword, "when he doesn't expect it, will make your attack that much more likely to succeed."

Cynis Chu shakes his head at that. "No. There is a time for lying, and a time for deception. But having a monk, publically apologize to an Anathema for executing the Fifth Noble Insight? No. Do such a thing, even rumor that such a thing happened, and you /have/ killed any hope of spreading the Immaculate Philosophy thorugh the Hundred Kingdoms." He pauses, then adds, "And, quite a part from the practical details, /we would be apologizing to a demon in human skin/. A creature of pure deception and corrupt magic. 'The difficulty, my friends, is not in avoiding death, but in avoiding unrighteousness; for that runs faster than death.'"

Sarinzan Kodai shrugs. "I wouldn't know anything about that. That is the way that I operate. Who says it has to be public, though? Why would you have to proclaim that you appologised? Just tell him that, then deny it if he ever says anything about it. Who are the people going to believe?"

Cynis Chu shakes his head, and turns away. "I'm sorry if I have wasted your time, Master Sarinzan. But there will be no apology to the Anathema, and there will be a Hunt. Will you join it?"

Sarinzan Kodai shakes his head. "Oh well. No, you haven't wasted my time. This discussion has been very educational, monk. I think that I will come along for your hunt, but that I'll only step in if my presence becomes necessary. Is that acceptable?"

Cynis Chu shakes his head. "It is not. You would be a soldier, and a soldier who cannot follow orders- even orders they might not fully see the rightness of -is more a liability than an aid. We all march as one. If you cannot do that, then remain here in Greyfalls when the Hunt rides."

Sarinzan Kodai snorts. "I've never been that good at following orders. That's the main reason I am where I am today. I would go with you, though. Even were I to fight with you, you wouldn't use me unless you needed me. Ergo, you're just arguing semantics."

Cynis Chu hesitates, then nods, slowly. "And I would be a fool to turn aside help over semantics." He smiles thinly, offering a hand. "Good. I'll send you another message when the Hunt is assembled. There are a few more of the Exalted of Greyfalls I wish to speak with."

Sarinzan Kodai nods, and takes the proffered hand. "I'm glad to be of help. Would you have a problem if I brought along my companion and familiar, Haquim?"

Cynis Chu shakes his head. "Not in the least."

Sarinzan Kodai raises an eyebrow. "Are you sure? He's a little...disquieting, until you get to know him."

Cynis Chu snerks. "I saw a monster in human form, glowing with stolen power." He shakes his head. "Your familiar will not be a problem."

Sarinzan Kodai points over the other man's shoulder. "Are you sure?" If Chu looks, he'll see a spider roughly the size of a horse, mandibles dripping venom, looking him right in the eye from less than two feet away.

Cynis Chu blinks, his eyes going wide and breath catching for a moment. "Sower of grass," he exhales softly. "Okay. Then yes. Your familiar may be somewhat unsettling... Will have to introduce it to the other hunters with some delicacy."

A slight cough comes from behind Cynis Chu. "Excuse me, but I can introduce myself, thank you." The spider's voice is quite clear, though very deep. He is obviously male.

Sarinzan Kodai tries to hide a smile at Chu's reaction.

Cynis Chu nods slowly at that, consideringly, then hesitantly extends a hand. "I see. A pleasure to meet you... Haquim." His composure, lost, begins to return.

Haquim carefully extends a clawed leg and taps Chu's hand with the back of it. He nods. "A pleasure to meet you too, Cynis Chu."