Elmo couldn't be sure why he didn't take the chance to realx and stay safe. Especially since he was sure that he'd have a very good chance at having to fight other people. He couldn't be sure that he wouldn't be as useless as when they fought the people on the road to this city, but something inside him drove him forward, almost like it was telling him that anything less than accompanying Jonas and Kim was unacceptable.
Of course, joining Kim and Jonas also meant that if a fight did break out, Elmo would have to participate, no matter what happened. Which meant that Elmo might end up hurting a person, if not potentially killing them.
While he knew he shouldn't worry about it that much, he couldn't help but think about it as he followed Jonas and Kim. He couldn't say for sure where they were going, just that it was towards the front of the compound.
As they walked, Elmo noticed that they were walking up a bit of an incline and couldn't help but wonder if they were essentially walking up a hill or something. Not that it mattered and Elmo then started berrating himself for letting other things enter into his mind when what the were doing as serious and could affect their completion of the challenge.
Eventually Elmo noticed there was a light shining ahead of them. He couldn't say what it was from exactly, as it was from around what looked like a building. He wasn't sure what to expect here, but it didn't seem like there was anyone hostile here.
Then as they got closer, almost right at the building, Elmo suddenly noticed carriages. Which made Elmo mentally hit the side of his own head with his palm. He couldn't believe he hadn't thought of this. It was entirely possible that the chamberlain could be using this as his headquarters at this point. Eitehr that or it was possible that Jonas thought to get other allies here.
Elmo couldn't say for sure what would happen, just that whatever it was, he probably should limit which spells he cast. For one thing, Brimstone Fire would have too big of a chance at starting a fire among these carriages that could then torch all of them. Which would mean that he'd essentially be on the hook for it financially, in his mind, if that happened.
As Jonas moved around to the front of the building, Elmo followed, and wasn't surprised when Kim had taken the other way around. It was a classic pincer movement, where if they encountered anyone hostile to them, then they could flank them from both sides. If they didn't, well it was better to be prepared in the even they did.
Fortunately they didn't encounter anyone hostile. What they did find, when they entered the building, was that every single one of the servants that had driven the carriages here were tied up. A few had been beaten unconscious, but none seemed to be seriously injured.
Elmo suspected that the few who had been beat up had been used as examples as to why the rest shouldn't resist. Elmo couldn't be sure if the plan was to let them live or not, but they certainly seemed happy to see the three of them.
As all three of them untied the servants, Jonas spoke softly to them. "Do any of you know where the chamberlain might be?" he asked.
Unfortunately, none of them did.
"I think they were just the guards who always are at the gates," one of the men said, as Kim cut the cords that had tied him up. "They said something about being ordered to do this, but don't know anything else about it."
The others had similar answers, but Elmo hardly felt surprised. Jonas seemed to be of the same mindset. Which Elmo was at least happy about. It meant them coming here might have been more of an excuse to get these people out safely.
"Well, if all you will wait here, we'll be able to get through the gates soon," Jonas said, surprising Elmo.
Elmo wanted to ask what Jonas' statement was about, but a look from Jonas stopped him from doing more than just barely having that thought. Apparently there was something else that Jonas had in mind.
"How many of you are there?" one of the servants asked as Jonas finished freeing the last one.
"Just us three," Jonas answered casually. As if this was a normal, every day occurrence for them.
"Are you sure you'll be able to make it?" one of the servants asked. Elmo recognized him from the one who had driven Guy's carriage.
"Of course," Jonas replied. "We've already whittled down their numbers quite a bit. We just stopped in here for a respite before we make our final push."
Elmo wanted to scream at Jonas for not telling him what the plan was, though he didn't dare do that here. If he did, he was sure that whatever Jonas had in mind, would be ruined. However, Elmo did look closely at the servants, not sure what he was even looking for.
"What do you want us to do here?" another of the servants asked, the rest nodding with him.
"Just wait here," Jonas instructed. "This won't take long. When we do finish this off, then we'll be back to let you know it's safe to leave."
"What about Lady Estelle?" one of the servants asked, followed by others asking about how their riders were doing and where they were.
"They're all fine," Kim told them after a couple minutes of their clamoring, during which Jonas seemed to be looking for something himself, but Elmo couldn't say what it was. Just that either he didn't see it or merely acted like he hadn't. "We got them out another way."
Elmo moved towards the door, ready to leave whenever Jonas gave the word, but he paused at the door, not hearing any more of the conversation between those they'd just rescued, Jonas, and Kim. He couldn't say what it was about, but he could hear a commotion in the distance. He was sure it was loud where it was, but that didn't tell him where it was or what it was about. As far as he knew, it was something completely unrelated to what was happening in the compound he was currenly in.
"Uh, Jonas?" Elmo called out to him. Even though he wasn't sure, he knew that Jonas and kim would probably like to know what was going on. Even if it was merely to be aware of it.
Jonas didn't reply right away, not that Elmo had expected him to. Not with him fielding so many questions from the servants. Although, Elmo did wonder why Jonas was taking the time to do that when Elmo had gotten the sense that what they were doing was rather time sensitive. Which doing this didn't seem like a good use of time.
After a few minutes, Elmo was about to call out to him again when there was suddenly what sounded like a loud explosion. Aside from the sound, it rattled the entire building, shook the ground, and made Elmo feel like the ceiling might collapse on them.
"What was that?" one of the servants called out when the echoes of the explosion or whatever died out.
"Not sure," Jonas said thoughtfully. "We need to take a look before we'll know."
The servants didn't seem to have anymore questions at that point, Which Elmo was at least a little happy about. He also was satisfied that he didn't need to try and get Jonas' or Kim's attention about what he had heard. He had a feeling that whatever it was that he'd heard a few minutes ago was likely the cause of that loud noise that shook the entire room. In more ways than one.
The servants seemed nervous at Jonas leaving them, but none of them tried stopping him. Elmo didn't pay them any more mind than that. He was ready to head back outside. He wasn't sure what else would happen, but he knew that what the needed to get done wasn't going to happen here.
While Elmo had been closest to the door, he waited for Jonas and Kim to go through the door first. Partly because they were the ones in charge of their group and partly because Elmo didn't want to find himself on the front line, dealing with whatever enemies that might already be outside the building they were in.
Then as he followed Jonas and Kim to the main gate, he couldn't help but look at it in shock. The entire gate was engulfed in flames. What happened, he had no idea, but whatever it was, it had spectacular results. The soldiers that had been guarding it were either running around, frantically searching for a way to put out the fire, while others stared at their surroundings, clearly in shock, while others been killed and were just lying on the ground, not moving at all.
"What happened?" Elmo asked, not really expecting an answer.
"My guess is they happened," Jonas replied anyway, pointing towards the gate.
Elmo looked and at first could only see a small handful of people coming through the gate. Then when he could make out a little bit of detail about them, he realized that he recognized them. He saw Owen, Leon, Elwin, Patricia, Patrick, and Bart.
Apparently they'd just gotten some reinforcements. Not that Elmo was going to complain. If nothing else, they now had the means to end this swiftly and decisively.