Kumori listened to the speech the half-man half-dragon creature made with a listless expression upon his face. True, his question had intentionally been rhetorical, and if he were back in the training grounds high up in the mountains, where the beautiful springs and the wild scenery were, then perhaps this could be a question that could be debated out for a few days. Could anybody else other than him decide what his purpose was?
It was definitely none of the things the being before him had just listed. Coming here was an accident though; the ship he was on had gone off course, so they had landed on a neighbouring island for a few days. When the tide was low, when the beautiful azure of the ocean had receded somewhat, then a sandbar became available that joined up the island where the ship had beached upon, to this island here. Kumori, being more of a person to stay around the fringes of belonging, had taken it upon himself to travel the sandbar and to walk in solitude, rather than watch the campfire dances and the smoky laughter.
His expression barely changed as the being raised a hand and showed an adequate control of nature herself. And in response to the tone in the being's voice, Kumori merely acknowledged that he hadn't become petrified, by inhaling a deep breath, a wistful sigh perhaps.
"I... do think it is impolite to refer to you as "traveller" all the time... what is your name?"
"Traveller is as good a name as any to call me," he said. "However others refer to me as Kumori--"
He never got chance to finish with 'Umbra', for at that very second in time, a scream erupted from somewhere not too far away. How did he know? Well, because the shadows had told him so, the shadows he continued to ignore and disengage with, whenever they tried to help him.
Strangers, strangers!
Danger, danger!
Death and life go hand in hand...
...not so far from where you stand!
Danger, danger!!
The tiny voices were so insistent, that he couldn't ignore them any longer. The shadows crowded around him, like squabbling unruly children, and in disgust, Kumori swept his hand out violently, as if to shake off their demanding flickers.
Kumori's attention was drawn back to the being, after what he'd just said. Eyes wide, he whispered, "So you feel it too?"
The tension was so deep, that without another word, Kumori drew out his sword. Locking eyes with the being, he nodded, and without another word he took off, leaping over rotting logs, and mossy banks, dodging fallen stones, and taking just enough care to not trip over any vines. He didn't look back, so he didn't know if the being was following or not. He could feel it growing stronger, stronger...
Round the corner he suddenly came upon the source of the despair, in the form of a nymph. Kumori, with his sword still raised, drew in a ragged breath and took in the situation. From where he was, it looked as if two beings were attacking the nymph. Without further thought, he sliced his sword through the air, striking at the first one, a lolling skeleton figure. Not even checking to see how deep his sword had cut, Kumori then swiped at the other being.
((Mdu, it's up to you how to respond to Kumori's attack- damage taken, how deep it cuts, or even if you dodge it.))