Najila calmed down and the power somewhat faded. But she kept a hold on the Hex, concentrating on the spell that would last for the remainder of the hour, in case they encountered more of the thugs. She directed her attention to Celeste as she spoke and came out of her hiding place. She answered the girl kindly, "For now. I'm sure there's more of them waiting, but we can handle them, and we certainly need to move ahead very soon," She then watched as Celeste healed Orchid. She was curious about why she didn't want Nadir and Layla to know that she had magic, but she didn't question it for now. She looked to her allies, waiting for them to determine if they were ready to head out, or if they needed to wait and heal some more.

Orchid breathed heavily as she put down the last thug (Or so she thinks), and stabs him through the throat for good measure. She was severly wounded though, more so than she had intended. An unfortunate but inevitable cost of doing battle. Before she could gather her breath and tell the party to move onward, the tiefling girl came up to her and used magic to seriously help alleviate the worse of Orchid's injuries. While still hurt, she was in much better shape than before. "Hah! Well, would ya look at that. Thanks kid." Orchid pat Celeste's head before turning to the rest of the group. "Stealth's out of the question for now. They know we're coming and they know this place better than us, so they're going to be ready. Take whatever is important in this room, and let's get going."

Quickly, Orchid would gather up the dead thug's crossbow and bolts. It was an improvement over her light crossbow, though she'll need to attune to it later. Plus it'll be good loot once they get out of here. She also took the extra coin; since they killed the thugs, this basically meant that they weren't going to trade the girl over to whoever runs this place. After plundering, Orchid slaps her face a bit to refresh herself and get ready for the coming battle. She was basically back to full now. Once everyone was packed away Orchid finally grabs her shield from her back, strapping it to her arm while picking up her glaive. It was a bit cumbersome to use a shield and such a long polearm together, until Orchid held her weapon aloft and spoke a magic word. "Kasta." Suddenly, Orchid's glaive felt might lighter, and her blade subtly shifted for it's balance to be better suited for throwing and easier for her to handle with one arm. She did a few test swings with her glaive, making sure that the new balance wouldn't bother her too much. Once adapted, Orchid looked towards the door.

"Okay, let's go."

After a very brief time to look over their things and prepare, the party continued through the hall that began to slope up. As they did, they could hear faint discussion ahead, walking closer they could easily make out one voice to be the Ironbane himself having some discussion with someone. Nearing the voices they could see the turn in the hall that would lead to where they would likely see Angus and this other person. But before making that turn, Celeste who walked beside Najila, slowly began to stagger her pace with the group. Trying to speak, there was a bit of a stutter in her fearful soft voice, "T-that voice, that elf m-man". But as she felt her severed horn, her free hand firmly balled into a fist, one of rage. "No, j-just like those t-thugs. We can do the same to h-him."

Before the party could turn the corner, they could now hear the conversation clearly enough as Angus spoke, "That's a bridge that will be crossed when it's reached." Angus growled in response to the other person. "But whatever solution is reached couldn't be worse that leavin' the lass 'ere to get 'er other horn lopped off or somethin' else like that. Speakin' o' which, time fer me last question. Why her? What reason could ye possibly 'ave fer keepin' the poor girl locked up down 'ere an' doin' such awful things to 'er?"

If looking around the edge of the turn, you would see down the hall about 60 ft away stood Angus in a very spacious room with a humanoid thug and two kobolds fallen at the end of the hall where Angus stood. On the other end of the room, about 40ft away from Angus, stood tall slender middle aged male half elf with short black wavy hair wearing a black robe that concealed the rest of this body. The half elf had his arms folded in front as he listened to Angus's question and replied back with a big grin on his face. "The same reason we decided to keep you and your lot in the dungeon alive, potential. Because we detected the girl having more potential than anyone else we captured before, we just had to have questions answered. So her horn and her guardians' cooperation were needed."

As Najila walked, she kept Celeste close, wary of her surroundings, and unwilling to leave her side. She placed a hand on Celeste's shoulder when she made her comments. She whispered to the child, "Leave that to us, Celeste. We do not want him to go after you. Do not let anger consume you," They crept closer and Najila could only hear the tail end of the conversation. She narrowed her gaze at the elf man when they were able to peek across the corner.

She gave a meaningful look to Aron, Orchid, and Azzen. She had an idea, but she honestly would not be surprised if this would cause a fight. She hoped that her friends would be able to sense the message in her eyes, "After I do this...grab the elf man," She then focused on the elf man again, and transferred the hex on to him. The sound of the elf struggling to breathe is a good indicator that the hex have taken hold.

As Orchid charges at the elf, Najila takes aim and fires at the elf.

If anyone spared a glance at the Highlander, they'd see that he was severely injured, to the point where he was one hit away from falling. In spite of this, Angus showed no sign that he had given up, holding a javelin in his hand and standing as defiantly as one could when leaning against a wall to keep from collapsing under the weight of such grievous injuries. "Well I 'ope ya found what ye were lookin' fer with the time ya had with 'er already." Angus said. "If not, too fuckin' bad fer you, 'cus she winnae be kept 'ere a day... longer?" Angus trailed off when he noticed the elf suddenly develop breathing problems. "Oi!" Angus exclaimed as he raised his javelin. "I dunnae ken what yer doin'. But if it's magic, I 'ope ye remember our agreement!"

[Retracted]

The Employer planned to speak soon as the highlander finished his typical aggressive response, but found difficulty to properly speak as his voice strained. He could then hear some foot steps approaching from behind the highlander and as he looked, a magical blast shot straight into his shoulder. At that moment, his throat just cleared enough for him to speak in draconic "ATTACK HIM!" as he pointed to Angus.

Seeing Orchid begin her charge into the spacious room where Angus and the Employer was. Aron sprinted ahead and flank the Employer from behind and acting as a way to block his path up the stairs that he was near to. But once Orchid would pass Angus, the highlander a shift in space would change next to the highlander, revealing a black drake of a comparable size of a big dog, suddenly appear. It tried to bite into Angus's leg, but likely sensing the attack from the Employer's command, was able to dodge the attack. But although it missed, its tailed whipped into Angus's already injured body and collapse on the ground.

The drake then continued to the next threat in the room, Aron. It charged into the man to bite into him, then followed with a tail whip, but failed. Seeing as his drake is taking cared of the man behind him and the orc woman fast approaching, the half elf could be casting a spell and then disappear from the room.

"What is this place, some sort of castle? This big empty space here is fucking annoying." Orchid complained seeing the massively long hall here. There was no way for Orchid to reach the mage from here, not withing focusing her entire effort just on chasing him down. And when he vanished, Orchid knew it was a lost cause. And out of no where a drake of all things also appeared. Was it summoned or always here? Didn't matter. It was Orchid's opponent right now. "Oi! Scaley! Come at me!" Using her innate aggression, Orchid hurled her glaive at the drake, though she doubts her blade would land from this range. Afterwards she moves back a few feet, making sure to stay at least 50 ft away from the drake. "Someone stabilize MacAlister so we can take out this drake!"

Angus' breathing becomes choppy and irregular as he slips one step further into the clutches of death.

Najila watched the battle unfold, and the drake reveals itself. She watched as Orchid charged and threw her weapon at the drake in an attempt to save Angus, only for the beast to bite a chunk out of Ironbane. She looks to Azzen and she calls to him, "Azzen! Please heal Ironbane!"

It was in that one moment of looking away from the employer, that he was able to vanish from her sights. She swore. In her opinion, the best way to defeat everyone here was to cut off the head of the serpent: The Employer himself.

She tried to sense her hex that she placed on him, but it was no use. She fired haphazardly as she called to the others, "Find the employer! We can't let him get away!"

When Najila alerted him that the highlander Ironbane fell and needed help, Azzen stepped out from around the corner as he prepared a healing spell "Don't you die on us now." As he spoke, the healing magic made its way towards the unconscious highlander and causing him to awaken from his unconscious state.

Eventually he would reach to the end of the hall and was at the mouth of the new spacious room where the fight has begun. He could no longer see where the employer may have gone, but felt save enough being behind Ironbane. Seeing the drake attacking Aron, Azzen viciously spoke out a spell in infernal. Although it might not understand what was said, the magic would allow some psychic harm, but the drake would appear to have been able to ignore the spell.

Aron, still busy with the attacking drake, tried to give a powerful two handed swing with his longsword into it, but the drake quickly sprang up and with the force its forelegs, kept Aron's arms back from fully swinging his blade and began leaning into Aron as its tooth maw readied to try and bite into him.

Angus returned to consciousness with a pained groan. "Bloody dragon-likes." Angus muttered as he pulled himself to his feet and picked up his javelin. "Thanks fer that." Angus said to Azzen with an appreciative nod. "Once we're outta here, I'll buy you a round at the first tavern we find." With that said, Angus turned to the drake, took aim with his javelin, and hurled it deep into the beast's flank. "GUESS WHO, YA SCALY BASTARD!" Angus roared.

The force of Angus's javelin towards the drake would be enough to tear and pull enough for Aron to push away its over bearing body. Back on all fours, the drake saw its previous target to once again stand and released a hissing growl of rage. It tried to whip its tail towards Aron as it bounds towards for Angus. Luckily the Aron was easily able see the tail attack coming and was able to instead strike back it instead than getting hurt. But eh drake only gave a small wince to eats injured tail and it focus was on Angus as it bounded and leapt onto the highlander and sank it ever serrated teeth into the highlander, once again bringing him down.

Najila looked around, trying to pay attention and see if she could hear the employer wheezing from her hex anywhere. But it was no use. She couldn't tell. If anything, she honestly would not be surprised if he was already gone by now. So, begrudgingly, she transferred the hex from the employer and onto the Black Drake. She once again aimed her arcane focus, this time at the Black Drake in an attempt to assist her friends. However, her Eldritch Blast had gone wide. She swore under her breath. What was going on with her aim?! This was not good! First, she missed the employer, and now she couldn't even hit something bigger and visible than the employer?! She could feel tears of frustration start to sting her eyes.

As quickly as he was brought back up, Angus was put back down again with barely enough time for an exclamation of "Oh bugger!" before the drake was upon him. On the bright side, it looked like he was handling it a lot better this time.

Orchid's glaive unfortunately didn't seem to accomplish much, and neither did Angus. While his javelin managed to strike the beast, the few seconds he was standing resulted in Angus falling down once more after taking another bite. "Shrakh." Reaching out to her Glaive, it returned to her hand as Orchid moved a little bit closer to the drake. Utilizing her glaive's superior reach, she slashed at the Drake's neck hoping for a decapitating strike, but even without one she would still channel her magic through the blade and try and kill the creature. "PALKAS!" After swinging her glaive at the drake she'd move back a bit more. No doubt she'll have this creature's attention now, which will hopefully proc the magic effects of her booming blade, harm the beast, and give Angus a bit of space so he could rise again. If anyone still had a spell between them to keep him alive.

The drake focused seemed intent on chewing up the highlander that Orchid's glaive attack was not enough yet to deter it from its kill yet. But seeing Ironbane fall once again and being chewed away, and made his way to push the drake off from his companion. Readying his shield for extra protection, he dove in running and swung his blade against the the drake, leaving a serious slash wound, and with the force of the swing, flung it against the nearby wall. As the drake tried standing back up and the two fighters of the party focused on the drake, Azzen took the opportunity to safely move and pull the Ironbane away from the heated battle. Once they were a safe enough distance, Azzen casted another healing spell to at least have the highlander at the ready. "Now stop being so reckless, again."

Once the drake was able to stand up, it tried to move, but breifly shuddered in pain as booming blade effect took effect as pain would suddenly ripple across is body. But through rage of everyone's immediate and current injured state, it simply lashed out on the nearest person, being Aron. But with his shield and armor, the drake was unable to leave any notable damage on Aron as he blocked and dodged its attacks.

Najila shook her head to clear her mind and focus. Yes, she is frustrated at the fact that she missed the Employer and let him get away, as well as missing the drake earlier. But right now, she couldn't afford to be unreliable right now. She needed to get her act together and help out her allies, as well as protect Celeste. She lifted her arcane focus once more and this time, aimed at the drake carefully. She shouted in draconic as she fired, "That is enough! STAY DOWN!"

With the fighters guarding against the drake as the fight against it and Azzen pulling Ironbane from a far enough distance to be safe. Najila had a clear shot as the drake back was against Najila as it stood on its back legs angrily to find a spot to harm Aron with its weight against it. It was during this moment that Najila's blast flew through with success as its force pierced through the drake and causing to slump to the ground, dead.

As silence returned to the room, all that could really be heard were the breaths of the party recovering from the just finished battle and the sound of faint, but heavy winds beating against the large wooden door in the very spacious room with four benches loosely placed on the sides of the room. Then there is the stone stair case leading further up this building. With the sound of combat finished, Celeste poked her head around the corner of the hall and softly asked "Are we safe again?"

Najila was surprised to see that the Drake actually fell dead after her attack. She had actually ended the fight. She actually killed a drake...? She voiced her thoughts out loud, "Oh! I actually did it? Huh!" She honestly thought the Drake was tougher than that. She couldn't help but smile a bit. She guessed that it was true what some people say, "Many people may start the fight, but it's usually the ladies who end it"

She looked back to Celeste and she answered her softly, "Yes, we are safe for now. But stay close to us, Celeste. The employer escaped, and he could easily come back," Once Celeste was close to them again, she looked to Angus, Aron, and Orchid, "Are you all alright?"

She then looked to Angus, "What happened? You seemed to be having quite a discussion with that employer,"