Elmo felt like he'd been pulled into something he'd have rather stayed out of. Not because he didn't want to help, but more because he was now the central focus of the plan and if his part fell through, then the plan would be worth as much as his confidence in his ability to pull it off. Nor was he confident that his sleep spell was infallible. As far as he knew, it was weak and could easily be dispelled or prevented somehow. Yet, he doubted that the others would be eager to let him explain his doubts about the spell.
Especially with how he couldn't be sure that there was any reason to think that his doubts would turn out to be actualized.
While he would have liked to test his doubts out first, he knew that doing so really wasn't an option. Especially with the time crunch they were in.
While it was entirely possible that they'd be able to rest and relax until it got dark, Elmo seriously doubted that whoever was running this competition would allow them that time. A sentiment that he knew made it impossible for him to articulate an argument that would allow him to argue against this very action that he'd have rather done under different circumstances.
Which also meant that he was screwed by his own assessment of the situation. Or at least in regards to making this attempt. Though, he hoped that he'd be able to at least wait until one of the members of Stanley's group would get in a position that would allow him to use his spell and make it look like they fell asleep naturally. As then it wouldn't give them away as easily, or so Elmo hoped.
"So, when are you going to use the spell?" Elwin prompted as Elmo looked out over the distance from the trees where he could barely make out Stanley and his group.
"Just waiting for a moment that won't alert them to something going on when I use the spell," Elmo replied, feeling like Elwin should be a little more patient, even though he had a feeling that Elwin wasn't the patient type. Which in part contributed to the issues they'd experienced with Elwin and others in the group since they'd combined all of their groups together.
"Anytime would be preferable than any delay," Elwin replied, making Elmo wonder if Elwin was actually itching to fight something, possibly because of the issues they'd had fighting the giant worm the night before.
"Easy," Owen urged. "If we do this correctly, we'll be able to move on without a fight, meaning we'll have less of a delay in dealing with Stanley's group than we otherwise had a right to expect."
Elwin scowled at Owen, clearly not pleased with what he'd heard, but he didn't say anything, much to Elmo's relief. Elmo just wanted to get through this and not have everyone waiting on him to make his move. It was more pressure than he could remember having, even when it came to working on websites that had a strict deadline for him to complete something or other. Yet, even if he didn't like the way it was done, or said, he at least appreciated the support in regards to taking a little longer to make him move. Especially since he could make out that it wasn't yet time for him to make an attempt just yet.
"Uh, Jonas?" Elmo asked, an idea forming in his mind. "Could you let me know when they're finished… uh, doing whatever it is they're doing. I need them to be relaxing, if not either laying down or leaning against something."
Jonas nodded, though Elwin scoffed at such a request. "Just put them to sleep where they are and be done with it. If it doesn't work on all of them, then we just charge in and cut down those who remain."
"Yeah, and what if they're archer is one of the ones who it doesn't work on?" Patricia remarked dryly. "I mean, we can let you go first so you would bear the brunt of any arrows sent your way, but I doubt we'd get very close before at least some of us are killed by their archer."
"Come on, you make it sound like he'll be a great shot. Isn't he just arrogant and full of himself?"
"Just because someone is 'arrogant and full of himself' doesn't mean that they don't have anything to back that up," Owen remarked, lightly smacking Elwin on the back of his head. "We don't know how good of a shot he was before he came to this world, nor do we know if there's any skill he'd learned that make him an excellent marksman. All we can be sure of is that Frank's system is the archer system. Meaning that his skill will revolve primarily around being an archer. That much we can be certain of."
Elwin merely rolled his eyes, clearly not wanting to give any ground on the issue, even as the look in his eyes says that he couldn't come up with any argument against what Owen had just said.
"Okay, I see Frank leaning against the dungeon," Jonas said suddenly, interrupting the debate of how Elmo should proceed about putting Stanley's group to sleep. "Can you see him?"
Elmo paused, he hadn't really been able to make out anyone from Stanley's group very well, barely able to make them out, just not enough to really say who was who. Though, it with how much detail he could make out, Elmo still felt like they were too close. "Uh, I think so…" Elmo hedged, not sure if he was looking at the right one. Merely hoping he was. "The other two are the ones by where the smoke is coming from, right? Where they're building a campfire or something."
"Right," Jonas replied, clapping his hand on Elmo's shoulder.
The physical touch nearly made Elmo lean towards Jonas, wanting more of the physical intimacy that they'd shared since they'd officially started their relationship. However, Elmo pushed those thoughts away almost as soon as they came into his mind. As he knew that he needed to focus on the task at hand. The task that needed to be taken care of, regardless of his personal feelings on the matter.
"Sleep," Elmo said without any further discussion, tuning everyone but Jonas out. He hoped that he was focusing on the right person and that he was within range of his spell. If he wasn't, he doubted it'd matter what position they were in given the lack of cover from where he was and Stanley's group. It might not matter, but Elmo was pretty confident that it would. Much more than he'd like if he had to get closer.
Elmo wished that the spell took on a visible form that he'd be able to see, like his brimstone spells, but that would also alert the others to the fact that something was happening. The other option that he'd like was if it had immediate effects that he could see, but he knew he was too far away to make out anything like that and worried that Jonas wouldn't be able to either, despite his enhanced senses.
After what felt like an hour to Elmo, Jonas spoke. "Okay, it looks like he's fallen asleep. Any idea how long it'll last?"
Elmo felt like he'd been punched in the gut. He felt like that was a detail he should know, but he couldn't remember if it had been mentioned or not. If it had, then he didn't remember what it was. "Uh, let's just assume we need to get moving," Elmo replied, not wanting to spend much time on his uncertainty about the duration of his spell.
"Okay, then pick your next target," Jonas instructed. "It doesn't matter which one at this point, since neither of them are in a position where it'd look more natural."
Elmo sighed, not bothered by that fact. Maybe it was just the fact that they'd been in this world so long or that these difficulties were starting to get to him, but Elmo was suddenly just wanting this whole ordeal to be over with, regardless of what that outcome really was. Even though he still wanted to be part of the group that delivered the book they'd brought into the dungeon. Despite the fact that it didn't matter who really delivered it in the first place as this whole competition would be over if that book was what they were supposed to bring.
"Sleep," Elmo said, focusing on the next person in Stanley's group. He couldn't say who it was, but seeing them fall to the ground somehow felt rather satisfying to Elmo, even though it clearly alerted the last person of that group. Which Elmo didn't see a reason then to take any longer in discussing who or why or when to put the last person to sleep. "Sleep."
Elmo felt contented that he'd been able to at least affect Stanley's group with his sleep spell. It was a relief that they wouldn't have to deal with them as an obstacle at this point.
Only, the last person didn't fall down.
Elmo wasn't sure what the reason was, just that it was clear his spell didn't affect that person.