Freeing the Orc

Jonas wasn't sure what to make of Elin's reaction to the crystal pendant when he'd brought it up. All he could do was assume that it was carryover from what she'd talked with Kim about and hadn't anything to do with him. Even though he couldn't really be sure about it.

As they walked along to where he'd indicated, he couldn't help but glance at Elin occasionally. While she seemed fine, he suspected that shew as a powder keg ready to blow if given the right conditions. Though, with it being just the two of them, he hoped that those conditions wouldn't be met before it was possible to defuse her.

Which he suspected needed to be done by Kim. As that's where he had a hunch this issue rested at.

The walk was uneventful, which Jonas couldn't say that he was surprised about. Though, he kind of wished something had come up. As at the moment, it felt like things were going too smoothly and he didn't want to say anything, In the event where what he said might trigger a flag of some kind. He didn't really believe in that, but with how things were, he didn't want to add anything else to the load already on his mind.

As they reached the spot, the sun was just cresting the horizon and casting light along the ground, with exaggerated shadows stretching out to keep as much of the ground in place for as long as they were able to do so.

Elin then turned to Jonas. "What now? Should I just hold the pendant out or should we hang it somewhere first?"

Jonas considered the options. While hanging it would be useful, it would be out in the open for anyone who merely passed by to see. Yet, having Elin hold it could be dangerous in its own right, depending on how the light moved.

While he'd like to reduce the chance of being discovered, he felt safety should be the primary focus, no matter what come because of that.

"Better hang it up on a branch," Jonas instructed. "I'd rather not have you accidentally enter while we wait."

"How would that happen?" Elin demanded, looking rather indignant. "I know how to avoid the shadow of it."

'What if the sunlight reflects off of something, like a natural crystal, and shines through the pendant?" Jonas challenged. "It may be unlikely, but it's still possible."

Elin opened and closed her mouth for a minute, clearly trying to think of some kind of response, but in the end, she just glared at Jonas and found a nearby branch to hang the crystal on.

"There, enjoy," Elin informed Jonas grouchily.

Jonas didn't say anything about it, but merely walked over to the shadow of the crystal, not hesitating for a moment. Elin's bad mood was likely an extension of the issues she'd been working with Kim on their relationship, but it wasn't something that he felt he needed to intervene on. Not when it was at such a low level. If she started to get more hostile, then he might need to take measures on dealing with her later on. However, that was for the future to worry about rather than right now.

As Jonas stood in the shadow, it only seemed like a moment before the crystal was becoming larger and starting to dominate his field of vision.

When he next became aware, he was in an arid, rocky area, that felt like it might be more at home in a desert rather than the mountains he'd just come from. What, with how little vegetation there was.

He turned around on the stone to examine his surroundings. He couldn't be sure, but he doubted that there was much else in this area, that he'd probably find the orc quickly. Though, he had to hope that he'd be able to convince the orc to not kill him if it was in a bad mood at the moment.

As he expected, there didn't seem to be anything around that could be seen. Although, he did notice an abnormal shadow on the ground that made him feel like that the orc was at least aware of his presence. Whether it was waiting to ambush him or not, remained to be seen.

At the very least, Jonas hoped that it would provide him an opportunity to at least begin his proposal to not only free the orc in here, but to try and free Elmo from the other orcs. Although, he doubted that if he was straightforward about his reasons, that the orc would be willing to help. He had a feeling that it would instead be better to be a little more indirect and focus more on the other orcs 'having something he wanted' more than anything else.

He just hoped that the orc would understand what he'd say. He figured it would, but he also wouldn't be surprised if this turned out to be an exception on that point rather than just like how it'd been since he started the competition.

"I'm not Douglas and would like to propose something to you," Jonas called out in the direction he was confident the orc was in.

Yet, the only response he received was silence. He wasn't sure if the orc didn't understand him, if the orc was deaf, or if there was some other reason the orc didn't respond.

Or maybe the orc is mute, Jonas wondered briefly, not wanting to rule out any possibility just yet.

However, a shadow that suddenly came up from behind Jonas surprised him. If he hadn't ducked out of the way when he did, the wind caused by the club that had been swung at his back would likely have killed him on the spot.

"Not bad," he remarked as he moved away from the orc to keep it from swinging its club again at him right away., hoping the orc would just leave and not do anything more to attack him. Although, if the orc did that, he hoped that it wouldn't take the pendant like the roc did. That would just be rather annoying for Jonas.

"What you want?" the orc demanded, it's voice clearly making it clear that it was male under all the accessories that seemed to create some sort of insignia from what Jonas could tell.

"I came to bring you out of this crystal and to ask if you would help me free a friend of mine who was taken captive by some orcs," Jonas replied. He didn't really expect the orc to believe him right away or to really take him at his word, but he couldn't say that it would hurt to at least try. If nothing else, he could always offer to let the orc stand on the stone that would take them out and see for himself that he could leave.

The orc's eyes narrowed in suspicion, though Jonas had expected that. Especially since he was asking an orc for help against other orcs. It seemed rather counter-intuitive, but he didn't care. The fact was that he had rather limited options about who to call on for help in this matter. He wasn't sure why, but he felt like time was of the essence in this matter. That if he didn't hurry, that it could be too late by the time he got back to Elmo.

As it is, just thinking of Elmo for that little bit required him to put out a massive effort to push Elmo out of his mind again. Otherwise he was pretty sure he'd be useless in getting Elmo out of that predicament.

"What you offer as payment?" the orc demanded, and Jonas wondered if the orc had any other tones than 'demand.'

"I offer you your freedom from this crystal," Jonas answered, hoping that the orc would accept that.

"I got freedom myself," the orc retorted, making Jonas accept that it did have other tones of speaking outside of 'demanding.' "As you see, I can leave if I want to right now. So, what you offer for my help?"

Jonas wasn't sure if there was anything he really could offer. Technically he could offer the crystal, but he doubted that the orc would let him free the other firebirds first. Which is what he needed to do before he could even think about giving this pendant away. Although, he also didn't trust that this orc wouldn't figure out how to use it and find a way to make a weapon out of it to its advantage.

So, he merely said the truth. "I have nothing. All I can do is ask for it. Though, if you want, I could fight with you against the other orcs if you would like me to or I could bring them out so you could talk with them if you wanted."

"What good have I for orcs that have war leader already?" the orc demanded again.

Jonas merely shrugged. "I have no idea. I can only say what I have within my capabilities."

The orc merely shook his head in disgust. "I leave then."

Then before Jonas could react in any way, the orc stepped on the exit and left.

So, Jonas quickly made his way over to the stone platform and left himself.

Just in case the orc tried to take the crystal pendant with him. Jonas certainly didn't want to get stuck in this place if he could help it.