Charles
A ton of bricks had been lifted from Gem's back by the look on his face, and shows his thanks by stepping closer, palming his right hand over the wound while muttering inaudible words under his breath, and the sting of skin knitting itself back together became apparent for Ek'luko.

"It'll be tender for a couple more hours, but weeks of healing have been circumvented. Not such a bad deal taking me along now hm?"

Despite their playfulness, his eyes still remained blank and empty, like a window that look out over a field of nothing. Nonetheless, his smirk at least looked real enough, judging by how quickly the sapphire dragonborn's injury closed over, Gem was at least not lying when he said he was an experienced healer. The man ran a finger across the wound, nodding to himself upon causing Ek'luko a quick twinge from newly formed sensitive skin.

"I'll hold up my end now, let's start start with yours Mr. Ekko. When's the earliest we can leave?"
Jamie
Ek'luko couldn't say that being magically healed was a *Pleasant* Experience. No, it was in fact quite strange. Between the sensation of pulsating heat that penetrated deep into his flesh, it felt like his skin was being twisted and pinched over and over again. It caused him to press his back into the wall and grip the nearby windowsill in some futile effort to not squirm around, his eyes going wide with surprise as well as discomfort. And when it all finally faded away, he thought the experience was over until Gem ran his fingers over the site, to which Ek'luko couldn't help but glare a little.
"*Soon*." He slowly mouthed to Gem, tightening the leather straps to his cuirass once more. Although he debated clarifying that his name was properly Ek'luko to the other dragonborn, he wasn't so sure yet that he could be entirely trusted. He fished out his mask from the remaining layers of cloth about his body, the dim candlelight reflecting off of its steel finish. Beyond vaguely matching the shape of his face, it had no details. Well, not any *Intentional* Ones at least; it had some scuffs at the cheek regions and at the nose.

Upon donning the fabric's he'd removed earlier, he stared at Gem for a long moment while he visibly pondered something, eventually taking one of his many sashes and gently wrapping it around Gem's neck and the lower portions of his face: a means to further hide his identity. The people of Ezocar were well known for distrusting strangers, even going as far as to torture them should they find a desire to. But slaves? They wouldn't question another slave within their village limits, surely fulfilling tasks provided by their master be them here or from another settlement. But now wasn't the time to act a part; now was the time to be strangers and seek out that orc who must've passed out by now. Ek'luko pointed towards the bag on Gem's bed and then gestured for him to follow in close behind.

He listened through the door leading out to the hallway, waiting until presumably nobody was moving around out there before stepping out of the room. He began the process of checking all of the other rooms, listening in before poking his head through the door to see who was asleep inside. Or, in one case, *Busy* Inside but so much so that they wouldn't notice the two dragonborn's sneaking a quick peek. After rapidly closing that door in particular, Ek'luko visibly trembled with disgust before moving on. Of all the rooms upstairs he managed to check, none of them seemed to have a certain blacked out orc inside. 

Perhaps some things *Did* Change, after all.

Ek'luko made his way towards the end of the hall, pushing up the misfitted window and leaning out to investigate outside. Surely the lesser master hadn't left the tavern already! He couldn't have changed *That* Much. His attention was snagged by familiar laughter, now swayed by the influence of far too much funny-drink: the orc hadn't left yet, but he was in the process of taking his leave at the stables. Ek'luko urged Gem to quickly come look, pointing towards his intended target.

The years hadn't treated lesser master Sonagh well. Although he was quite physically capable of combat in his early elder years, the way he carried himself wasn't with so much pride anymore. It wasn't for a lack of trying; his spine simply didn't allow him to stand properly upright, the spiteful thing! Salt and pepper dreadlocks fell well past his hips, ending in tattered black ends. Straps of leather had been used to keep those locs braided together, though a few had managed to escape and now framed that surprisingly well-structured oval face. The strong, square jawline, the high cheekbones... Master Sonagh must've been one of the most handsome orcs back in his prime. But now his nose was crooked after one too many blows and deep scars marked his face.

He appeared to be busy chatting it up with his friends. Some were older, some were younger. Ek'luko either didn't recognize any of them or he simply didn't care, his eyes locked on that one orc in particular for several long moments before he checked around for his options of approach. He climbed through the window and made a leap for the roof off to the left, boots planting onto the trimming while one hand grasped onto a decorative wooden protrusion. He held out his other hand for Gem in preparation for catching him when he would, hopefully, jump on over. From the window, it seemed like he chose to climb over the tavern roof and slip onto the nearby cliff the structure was pushed back against. From there they could easily side-step along and get closer to the target.
Charles
*Gem looks down at the orc, wincing and sneering at the same time as he stretches one leg over the sill.*

"He's been nasty as long as I've been here, I've only been stuck here for a month but he makes it hell for me and some of the others."

He turns to Ek'luko, a blank face once again setting in a mask of friendliness, smiling broadly while steadying himself for the jump.

"I'm gonna be so pissed if you don't catch me Ekko, but I wouldn't be suprised. But even that would be better than staying here another night. HYUP!"

Leaping out he barely catches on to the offered limb, a foot scrabbling against the wall as the edge he attempted to use a foothold crumbled into a pile of rubbish nestled in the crook of the building and cliffs. Heaving he pulls himself up, dusting off his robe and nodding in thanks.

"So, what is it you intend to do with him?"
Jamie
Ek'luko wasn't so physically strong as to be able to lift Gem up on his own, but he was capable of holding onto the amethyst dragonborn for as long as he needed to find his footing. Once his companion seemed to have a stable stance on the trimming, he interlocked his hands together and offered them to Gem so he could be lifted up over the roof's ridge. Admittedly, there was something sweet about the sight of such a humble individual experiencing even just a taste of freedom. It caused his very eyes to smile, a friendly warmth saturating the reddish undertones of his irises.
Once Gem was over and on the other side of the roof, he'd quickly follow behind, his fingertips clawing along the messily-made shingles. He must've looked similar to a cat clinging onto curtains. Now back at the other dragonborn's side, he waved for him to continue following before side-stepping along towards the dark, narrow cliffs. Thankfully, they wouldn't need to jump a gap; they could just step onto the wet rocks and duck into the shadows.

What *Did* Ek'luko want to do with lesser master Sonagh? In truth, he wasn't entirely sure how he wanted to make the man cease to exist. He had been trained to be quick and precise with executions, but... It didn't seem fair for such a terrible man to have a rapid death; to *Feel* Nothing after all the pain he's caused to others. The only response Ek'luko could give Gem was a comical shrug of his shoulders, the kindness that remained in his eyes only scarcely hiding the hate he felt towards the orc.

Now that they were as close as they could be to the group without just... Being right there on the ground with them, Ek'luko lingered at the jagged edge of the cliff, perhaps listening in to the conversation the slavers were having or debating what to do next. His eyes scanned around with far less thoroughness; almost as if he wasn't visually paying attention. His head turned slightly, offering his ear to the discussion that now had become a lot more hushed down below. All the tipsy banter and laughter was gone. The sapphire dragonborn only new a few words of orcish, which was hardly enough to be able to grasp what the masters were talking about. Something something Kadzur something something slaves and moved.

*Are people getting moved to or out of Kadzur?*

Ek'luko watched on as lesser master Sonagh climbed into the saddle of his horse, soon joined by a few others on their own steeds. He didn't have a way of eliminating the orc without his companions getting involved; they kept staying too close. The disappointment glistened in those periwinkle hues, almost as if his very energy had been sapped at. *Next time*, he thought to himself. *There will be a next time*. He looked towards Gem, the loud huff of air suggesting that he was frustrated. At least his travels here weren't entirely for nothing; he still needed to help Gem get out of this cursed ravine.

Just as horses neighed and their hooves pounded into the Dasvaz mud impatiently, ready to ride, a side door leading into the tavern was thrown open. A certain individual that would've been *Quite* Familiar to Gem stormed out into the rain, calling out towards the riders with a voice full of anger. Quick glances were shared between the group both on foot and on horse, and eventually the slavers dismounted.

As far as Ek'luko knew, *Something* Was happening. But for Gem, his master had realized one of their prized possessions were gone.
Charles
Fear paralyzed his body, arresting his nerves and overwhelming his senses as the world began to spin, phantom fingers tracing scale and hot irons striking flesh rang through Gem's mind, and his face dropped from the optimistic tilt it had begun to take on, instead apathy reigned supreme, and his gold eyes lost their shine, returning to the dull marbles that Ek'luko had seen only minutes prievously.

"Mistress Villia... She's my owner. She leads a mercenary group, *Lupa's Fangs*. They hail from Lazaroth, and they are fiends, every last one of them. I *Hate* Them.*

He holds a hand to his chest, whispering something under his breathe, and then speaks louder.

"I hope to Pass Without a Trace from here."

Upon the questioning gaze of Ek'luko, Gem shrugs awkwardly as they pull back to the shadows, something shade clinging ever tighter around his stark white robes so as to dull the blinding clothing.

"My magic works from intent as best I can understand. It helps to speak what I desire into existence, helps to visualize it happening. Things should go easier for us while we sneak as long as I stay close to you. What should we do Ekko?"
Jamie
Ek'luko most certainly did have a questioning stare for Gem when he began whispering to himself. Not because magic was such a new concept to him, but rather, the need for a vocal component. He couldn't help but wonder what his own spells would've been like if he was able to speak. Would they be stronger? Or perhaps even entirely different? That wonderment sparkled in his eyes, fading only when Gem's own expressiveness did. He looked towards Mistress Villia, likely capturing the sight of her in his mind for later. Just as he couldn't do much about lesser master Sonagh right now, he couldn't do anything about her either.

In response to Gem, Ek'luko scratched into the rock below them with a plated knuckle: *Wait, take horse. Leave.* He didn't imagine Gem would be the kind of person to be hellbent on revenge right now, but of course there was always the possibility. He supposed if the other dragonborn really pushed for it, he could try to formulate some plan as to how to deal with Mistress Villia. But, for now, he was far more determined to get away from this tavern and quickly. 

Assuming plans weren't changed, the two of them would wait until the slavers moved on to investigate inside the tavern... Or to argue over something, judging by how lesser master Sonagh and Mistress Villia seemed to express some dislike towards each other. The group had left one individual to put the horses back into their stalls; another orc with furs draped over his shoulders. He looked almost... Primitive, really. His posture was quite poor, leading him to remain hunched over and his shoulders to be pushed forward. His jawline was uneven, suggesting that he must've suffered an injury to a mandible at some point. Ek'luko had hoped the man would put the horses away and move on, but instead he lingered around the stables like a rejected puppy. Under entirely different circumstances, Ek'luko might've felt some pity towards the orc.

Where Ek'luko might've motioned for Gem to follow behind him, he instead wanted him to stay back, a singular finger being pressed to the nose of his mask in an effort to convey that Gem needed to keep quiet. If the amethyst dragonborn chose to follow anyway, however, Ek'luko wouldn't fuss too much about it.

Ek'luko carefully climbed down the cliff, fingertips catching along slippery rock that threatened to deny him handholds. His boots hit the ground with a muffled squelch, the thick mud pulling at his legs as he cautiously stepped towards the stables. He tugged at one of the sashes about his shoulders, pulling it off and holding it in his hands the same way someone with a casting net would. He made his way to the wall and side-stepped along, peeking around the corner to eye the orc moving hay around. He did so by hand, heaving piles over the stall gates for the horses that he pulled from the nearby misshaped bale.

It was then that Ek'luko revealed his own grasp on the magical weave, flicking a few fingers and causing a quiet rush of air to knock over a bucket. When the orc turned, he quickly went into motion, drawing a metallic shard from the depths of his clothing and sending it along a new current of wind towards the man's neck. A musical-like whistle echoed softly into the night as the blade flew, and before a cry could be let out, the sash was thrown around the orc's head to muffle his blood-filled call. Candlelight sparkled across the crimson droplets that found themselves on the furs across the orc's shoulders. The orc was dead in moments, his body collapsing silently into the mud by guidance of the dragonborn's arms.

Ek'luko quickly waved for Gem to come over, the horses distressed in their stalls. He abandoned the fabric slowly becoming red around the dead orc's head, but motioned with one hand to create a brief rush of air to return that bloodied blade back to whence it came. Another whistle filled the quiet as it did. He slowly approached one of the stalls and showed his hands to the horse inside, quickly settling it down after offering some scritches to the sides of its head. He led it out by its reins, climbing up into the saddle and offering an arm for Gem so he could join him on their current means of *Quickly* Getting out of Ezocar.