Isamu considered the man in front of him, words still frozen on his tongue, as he assimilated the information he could gather of the man. He was obviously a foreigner, Chinese if Isamu had to guest form the accent and the babbled words that he couldn't understand at the end of his speech. His clothes were in complete disrepair. Isamu sighed, sending his eyes skyward, as if asking the gods, why me. This stranger was obviously a prisoner of war. Probably recently escaped from one of the camps Isamu tried not to think about that had sprung up nearby. He couldn't imagine putting people through the conditions that camps like those perpetrated. It sickened him. And yet here he was confronted with it in a way that he couldn't turn away.

And yet, harboring a fugitive from the war. That was a crime punishable by death. Isamu knew this. His family knew this, and even though temples were the lands of the gods, the emperor would surely not take kindly to the action. And yet, the lotus scent around him spoke of how the gods wished for him to protect this man. Offer him the refuge he asked for. He couldn't refuse the gods, no matter if common sense said he should.

So with a step towards the man, he finally spoke, words careful and measured, "I am one who presides over this temple," he said, hoping the other man could understand him, as he was not able to speak any Mandarin so he could not translate for this stranger. "I can offer you refuge, but know I must do it at great personal risk. But you have stepped into our most sacred pool and touched our most sacred flowers without consequence. The gods seem to wish that I protect you." He sighed, "I will do my best to fulfill their wishes."